Home/The Beloved Young Divine Child of the Twelve Zodiacs/ch 25

Chapter 25

"..."

"Actually, I'm playing hide-and-seek right now. I have to be quiet so the seeker doesn't catch me, okay?"

Arin smiled and tucked herself further into hiding. The lizard stared at her for a long while, then, with a bored expression, buried its face in the handkerchief. It didn't run away—it seemed to be an animal that wasn't shy around people.

Arin glanced at the lizard and said, "You look just like a snowflake. With such a pretty appearance, won't you be too noticeable to your predators?"

The lizard yawned as if to say she was worrying about nothing. It even closed its eyes as if to sleep, and Arin's voice grew softer.

"Come to think of it, I've heard lizards have camouflage. Now that you're on this handkerchief, you're hard to see. Can you become even more transparent than this?"

"..."

The lizard only pursed its lips. In truth, Arin often talked to animals and plants when she played. As a child left alone, that was all the entertainment she had. Especially when she saw such pretty creatures, she couldn't help but want to talk to them.

"If you live here, can I see you again? Next time, I'll bring snacks."

At Arin's suggestion, the lizard just stared at her without a word. Gazing into its reddish-gold eyes, Arin murmured as if entranced.

"Your eyes are just like a twelfth-year's. Sometimes they seem to sparkle, too."

"...!"

"You know, you don't have to come—just nod for me? Then I'll wait."

Just as Arin carefully spoke her true feelings—

"I found you! I told you I would, didn't I?"

The seeker's cry came from below the tree. Seyeon, wiping sweat, pointed at Arin. She had searched so hard that her hair was a mess.

"Oh, caught."

Arin, who had been so absorbed in talking to the lizard that she hadn't noticed the seeker approaching, looked stunned. And in that brief moment, the lizard had vanished like melting snow—leaving behind only a single silver scale.

"It's gone."

"What is?"

"N-nothing."

"Anyway, how did you get up there? It's dangerous—I'll call someone."

"No, I can get down by myself!"

Arin answered confidently and climbed down the trunk. Once on the ground, she scanned the area, but the white lizard had disappeared without a trace.

I wonder if I'll see it again.

Feeling oddly disappointed, Arin took Seyeon's hand and kept looking back as they returned to the tea party.

---

After hide-and-seek ended, it was time for everyone to part. Seyeon said to Arin,

"I'll bring you a book next time we meet. Shall I come to Maehwadang?"

"Yes. Let me know when it's convenient for you. This is my first time inviting a friend over."

At the word "friend," Seyeon smiled softly. Maehwadang, which everyone was eager to visit—Arin's innocent response warmed Seyeon's heart too.

"Then next time, I'll invite you to my house. Come to think of it, I've never done that before."

Seyeon, who normally never invited anyone to her room, had made a big decision.

"Thank you! Then I'll bring a gift too."

Arin waved and walked away. Once Arin was out of sight, Huijin grumbled in annoyance.

"Ugh, I thought Young Master Dohun would be here—what a total waste of time!"

She had been trying so hard to get Arin's attention during the game. Seyeon, who had been smiling all along, froze coldly. Knowing Huijin would only act out more now that Arin disliked her, Seyeon approached her and warned,

"Then why didn't you just go home?"

"Do you think I wanted to stay? You're the only one who came here because she liked it."

Despite the sarcastic tone, Seyeon was unfazed.

"If you'd kept up that attitude, you should be grateful you didn't run into Young Master Dohun."

"What? What did you just say?"

"If you're stupid, at least keep your mouth shut. And by the way, The Dragon's Art of War was written by Kangbaek, not Seobaek. I'm telling you so you won't embarrass yourself elsewhere—remember that."

"W-what?"

Exposed as ignorant, Huijin's face turned as red as a tomato. Humiliated in front of everyone, her expression twisted like a demon's.

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"

"I don't see why I should cater to you. Save your rank-playing for home. This is the Geumho House, and the person you dared to treat so rudely is acknowledged by the master. Miss Arin may let it slide, but I'll report it to my grandfather."

"Hey!"

"What? Scared now? You should have behaved. This isn't your playground to begin with."

Having delivered her sharp rebuke, Seyeon dusted herself off and left, as if she had no reason to stay. She had seemed so gentle—but the moment Arin left, she showed her true colors. Huijin staggered.

"Ah, so that's why they call her the Princess of Terror!"

---

Back at Maehwadang, Arin held up the silver scale she had carefully wrapped in her handkerchief.

"It sparkles so much. Is this what lizard scales usually look like?"

It looked like a dragon scale or a petal—as beautiful as a jewel. Leaving the scale behind might have been a coincidence, but Arin felt happy nonetheless, as if the lizard had agreed to wait for her.

Just then, Dogyeong visited and, seeing the dragon scale in her hand, asked,

"Child, where did that come from?"

"The white lizard I met earlier left it behind. I kept it because it's pretty..."

"Hm, a lizard..."

Dogyeong swallowed a laugh. The moment he saw that silver scale, he knew exactly who she had met. He was already aware that the son of the White Dragon House was staying in Yeoryeong's shrine.

So he came and went.

According to Yeoryeong, the boy wandered around the Village of the Twelve Spirit Beasts every day. He must have come to see the banquet. But why did he leave such a thing behind? There was a saying that just carrying a White Dragon scale brought good fortune. The scale's true power was something else, but even with that rumor alone, people clamored to possess one. To give such a scale to Arin, whom he had just met—it was uncharacteristic, and Dogyeong felt uneasy.

"I said I'd see him again, but I don't know if he'll come," Arin murmured. Dogyeong frowned.

"He'll probably come. He left the scale behind."

His discomfort came from the boy being the heir of the White Dragon House—the very one Arin might have married. Feeling threatened that his newly acquired youngest daughter might be taken away, Dogyeong resolved to set up even tighter protective formations around her. As long as that boy stayed in the shrine, he might come looking for her at any time.

Oblivious to his presence, Arin asked,

"Really? Hmm. I said I'd bring him snacks next time... I wonder if lizards like worms?"

Arin, utterly convinced that the White Dragon was a lizard, was seriously contemplating how to catch worms. Seeing that, Dogyeong broke out in a cold sweat and said cautiously,

"Er... I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Huh? Why not?"

With innocent eyes, Arin said something terrifying. At this rate, she would actually go catch worms. After a moment's thought, Dogyeong used his wits.

"White lizards are different from ordinary lizards—they prefer human food, I think."

It was a flimsy excuse, but it worked on Arin.

"Oh! Then what do they like best?"

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