Home/The Beloved Young Divine Child of the Twelve Zodiacs/ch 13

Chapter 13

What bothered him most was her limping leg. When he first found her, she had been sprawled on the ground. Worried that something might have happened to her in that short time, Dogyeong gently brushed the dust off her clothes.

By then, Arin had come to her senses and struggled in his arms.

"S-save me! I don't taste good!"

"This little thing, thinking I'm a man-eater all this time."

"Waaah!"

He had only given a light scolding, but Arin burst into tears. Up until yesterday, she had been wary but not afraid of him—this was different. Flustered, Dogyeong roughly wiped her tears with his sleeve.

"Oh no, what's making you cry so bitterly now?"

The sudden touch made Arin resist fiercely.

"Waaah, don't!"

She pummeled him with her tiny fists. In truth, all the hurt that had built up since Ahyeon had shielded Sosso was now exploding at Dogyeong.

"Oh, really?"

Dogyeong laughed at her harmless, cotton-like punches. He was about to see how far she would go when she soon ran out of breath, clutching her hands as if they hurt—he could hardly suppress his laughter.

"Huff, sniff."

Her angry, tearful face was a mess of tears and snot. Dogyeong wiped her face more gently this time and asked,

"Are you done?"

"Waaah. I don't taste good..."

"Right. You don't look tasty."

"Th-then you won't eat me?"

"Who on earth told you such nonsense?"

At his sighing words, Arin blinked.

"Sosso said..."

"Who?"

"Sosso said... that the Geumho House's son is sick and needs a fresh spiritual core..."

"Hah, what utter nonsense..."

Dogyeong belatedly understood how Arin had come to misunderstand and let out a dry laugh. It seemed the fake daughter had lied to drive the child away.

Summoning all his patience, Dogyeong put on the most harmless face he could and spoke.

"Listen carefully, little one. My sons are both healthy. Right now, one is probably buried in his books, and the other is jumping around the yard."

"Then you don't need my core?"

"And if I did, would you give it to me?"

"Sniff—no! I don't want to!"

Arin shook her head vigorously. Dogyeong clicked his tongue. Taking a living person's spiritual core was illegal—it was murder. Once taken, the victim's energy would dwindle and they would die. But that was not common knowledge for a young child.

He cleared his throat and added,

"In the first place, do you think a spiritual core can cure illness? Is it some miracle medicine? It's not something to be given away lightly, child."

At his grumbling, Arin only pouted. Now that she looked at him, he seemed to have no interest in her core. And calling her "child" so tenderly—she finally regained her senses.

A moment later, realizing she had made a terrible mistake, Arin's face turned bright red.

"Oh no..."

He was the man who had given her sweet rice cakes, offered her a place to sleep, and fed her chicken porridge and candy. Feeling ashamed for believing Sosso and running away in fear, Arin calmed down.

"I'm so sorry..."

Her demeanor had clearly changed, and a relieved smile touched Dogyeong's lips.

"Good. You should be sorry—you left the ribbon I gave you behind and ran off."

He took the ribbon from his pocket and tied it around her scraped palm. Arin looked down at it silently. The ribbon she had hesitated over keeping or leaving had come back to her on its own.

"H-how did you get this, sir..."

"I gave it to you as a gift, and you just left it behind?"

"I'm sorry..."

Arin bowed her head with a tearful face. It had been too precious to take with her—she had feared someone might pick a fight with her on the road. She no longer wanted her things stolen. But leaving it behind had clearly hurt him. She stole a glance at him, and he muttered lightly,

"I've brought it back now, so don't let anyone take it this time."

His words seemed to read her heart. At that kindness, Arin stared at the yellow ribbon and felt tears well up again. She had truly loved that ribbon. Now that he had returned it himself, a lump rose from deep in her chest.

"...Sniff. I'm really, sob, sorry... waaah."

The warmth in his arms, the gentleness of his touch—overwhelmed by gratitude and guilt, Arin sobbed against Dogyeong.

"Oh no, why again..."

Dogyeong looked at her awkwardly. He didn't think he had said anything harsh this time. They said girls were different from boys in every way. Already thin and frail, he was afraid she might break.

"Hic... huuuh."

When she finally clung to his neck and cried, Dogyeong stared blankly at the sky and murmured,

"She really is different from my sons."

Then he began patting her back clumsily.

"Such a crybaby."

Despite his gruff words, his touch was infinitely gentle. After a while, as Arin gradually calmed down, Dogyeong looked down at her and asked quietly,

"So, what's your answer?"

"...Huh?"

"Don't tell me you haven't even thought about it."

At his incredulous reply, Arin tilted her head. Seeing her innocent eyes, Dogyeong chuckled.

"Heh—so after all that feeding, you've forgotten what I said. Last night, I asked if you'd come with me."

"Oh."

Arin finally remembered his offer. At the time, she had been too shocked by the Geumho House to think deeply.

Hesitating, she cautiously ventured,

"...Are you truly sure I may go?"

He frowned at her wary question.

"Why? Do you want to stay here?"

Could she still want her family after all the cruelty? But Arin shook her head firmly. Relieved, Dogyeong smiled faintly and asked again,

"Then will you come with me?"

The old Arin might have hesitated. But when Ahyeon had pushed her and protected Sosso before her eyes, Arin had felt it—the Red Serpent House was no longer her home. And now, a hand was reaching out to her. For a lost child, his offer felt like salvation.

"Are you really sure I can go?"

Suppressing the urge to nod immediately, she asked again. Dogyeong answered playfully,

"If you'll allow it. And I will protect your spiritual core no matter what—so don't worry."

Arin stared at him blankly, then beamed and nodded vigorously.

"Yes, I'll go! I want to go with you, sir!"

It was so endearing. Gazing at her bright, smiling face, Dogyeong's hand slowly reached for her cheek.

"It's hard to hear those words from that tiny mouth of yours."

"Hehe."

"Don't laugh. If you laugh after crying, horns will grow on your bottom."

"Really?"

"Of course not."

"Hehe."

"Silly girl."

Dogyeong glanced at the giggling Arin and found his own lips curving up. Then, clearing his throat once, he said politely,

"Now that I think of it, I never caught your name. I am Geum Dogyeong, head of the Geumho House. What is your name, child?"

After a brief hesitation, Arin murmured softly,

"I'm... Arin."

Abandoned by her parents, her family name meant nothing. So she gave only her name.

"It's a pretty name."

Dogyeong was pleased that she hadn't mentioned her surname. Better to carry the Geumho name than that man's.

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