Home/The very suspicious chick of the Blue Dragon clan/ch 24

Chapter 24

The Black Tortoise Palace, with no blood or tears—how could they lock up such a beautiful and pitiful child?

Aran resented the Black Tortoise clan head, whose face she didn't even know, and asked again.

"Bbaeng?"

(Surely they at least gave you food?)

"Mm-hmm. But they said I couldn't leave the library until I'd read all the books."

"Bbaeng? Peep!"

(What? Wow, the Black Tortoise Palace is really too much. The kids here at the Blue Dragon Palace just eat and play all day. They don't know a single letter…)

Oops.

Aran was startled and snapped her beak shut.

In her excitement, she'd blurted out the Blue Dragon children's developmental situation too honestly.

O-our twins.

It's not like they're going to be known in the north just for being sturdy and pretty, right?

"Really? I'm jealous…"

Fortunately, rather than using Aran's words to find the Blue Dragons' weaknesses, Taeo just looked dejected.

Still, as if wanting to dry Aran's damp feathers, he kept stroking them with his fingers.

Aran quickly felt sorry for this young Black Tortoise beastman.

It was absolutely not because the kid was as cute as a doll… anyway, because he was young.

Yes, young and a descendant entrusted to her by the god.

"Pit-pit? Pik?"

(Still, you know—surely you didn't just run away on your own, did you? Th-this isn't good! If it gets out that you suddenly came to the Blue Dragon Palace, our father could be in trouble…)

"Your father…?"

It would be a misunderstanding if that question sounded like, "Do you even have a father?"

"Peep."

(Yes, our father—the Blue Dragon clan head.)

But at that moment, Taeo's expression changed.

The smile that had been so bashful, the pitiful act to gain sympathy—all vanished, replaced by a sudden coldness.

Aran, seeing that hardened face, felt once again that he was doubting her hard-won family, and finally exploded.

"Peep?"

(You, born just a year ago, you're not going to say something stale and rigid like 'a bird is a bird and a dragon is a dragon,' are you? If you utter such a vile thing, I'll…)

At that, Taeo finally relaxed his expression and smiled faintly.

"Lord Cheong treats you well, I see. I'm glad."

Wait, but isn't this kid's tone way too arrogant?

Calling someone else's father "Lord Cheong"?

Even though Aran herself often called him "Great Lord" on the pretext that he couldn't understand, she couldn't stand hearing someone else do it.

Aran flew into a rage and argued.

"Bbaeng!"

(Hey, is our father your friend? Can't you address him properly as the Great Lord?!)

While they were having this absurd quarrel, a warmer breeze blew in from somewhere.

Aran turned around happily—only to be startled by the sight of Hwi and Su-ryeon running toward her with serious expressions, accompanied by armed guards.

Wait, why are they armed…?

Come to think of it, the blue-green signal flags on the watchtowers were whistling.

Ah…?

So right now, this troublemaking youngest of the Black Tortoise clan had effectively invaded the Blue Dragon Palace without any procedure…?

---

"Peep?"

(O-older brother. He didn't invade or anything—he's just Arani's guest, right?)

Aran had been transferred to Su-ryeon's hands and was having her feathers dried fluffy by the warm wind he summoned.

Even so, she kept glancing nervously at Hwi, whose expression was unusually cold.

"Peep? Bbaeng?"

(O-older brother? You know him—he's reasonable. He's just a baby. Even younger than Arani. Right?)

The problem was Hyeon Taeo.

Until just a moment ago, he'd been making excuses and explaining himself as if wanting to make a good impression on Aran—but once the dragons appeared, he suddenly clamped his mouth shut.

Was he startled by the armed guards?

But Taeo, rather than looking scared, was staring straight ahead with wide eyes—at Aran, or more precisely, at Su-ryeon.

How frustrating.

What had he done so well that he was glaring at someone?

Aran finally couldn't hold back and screeched.

"Bbaeng!"

(Hey, Hyeon Taeo! Can't you just apologize and beg for forgiveness right now? Do you want to become the youngest Black Tortoise ever to be locked up?)

She had no idea if any Black Tortoise had ever been imprisoned, but Aran bluffed anyway.

Young children only listen when you talk to them like this.

But Taeo asked instead.

"Prison? You mean the prison here at the Blue Dragon Palace? If I get locked up there, will you come visit me every day?"

While Aran was left speechless by his audacity, Hwi—who had been holding back all this time because the opponent was so young—finally exploded.

"Don't be ridiculous, youngest Black Tortoise. If you're someone who doesn't even know the basic rule that you must not trespass on another's territory, then no matter where you're locked up, you won't get to see Aran's face anymore!"

Taeo's green eyes flashed with a fierce light.

"Why is that?"

Aran flinched involuntarily at that gaze, then came to her senses.

How could a great Vermilion Bird be cowed by a little brat who could use some abilities?

So she cut in even more loudly.

"Peep-peep!"

(Because this body won't come to see you! You can't just go around causing trouble for our family and your family all by yourself like that!)

But the moment Aran said that, something inside Taeo that had seemed about to burst deflated with a soft hiss.

The kid who had been acting so cheeky suddenly welled up with tears in both eyes, and asked as if he'd heard something unbelievable.

"You're saying you'll never see me again?"

Good heavens.

Aran was truly startled.

She'd thought she'd become quite skilled at taking care of children after living with the twins at the Blue Dragon Palace.

But now that she thought about it, the twins might fall and break things and cause trouble, but they never threw this kind of crying, tantrum-throwing fit!

In short, Aran had no immunity to this sort of thing.

"Pik?"

(Wait, why are you suddenly crying? Taeo is a brave kid, right?)

"Everyone in my family is scary, and I only have you…"

To make matters worse, Taeo started sniffling. At that point, Hwi sighed and walked away.

Aran hurriedly hopped from Taeo's left shoulder to his right, soothing the child.

"Peep-peep."

(It's not true that I won't see you again. I said that without thinking because you were causing trouble for everyone. So don't cry.)

"Then, I can see you again?"

"Peep-peep."

(Of course. Since you can already command spiritual creatures like this, meeting you won't be difficult. But before that, you absolutely must get permission. From both the Blue Dragon Palace and the Black Tortoise Palace.)

"Why do I have to do that?"

"Pit…"

(Because… we're still babies? When we're all grown up, we'll have more freedom. When that time comes, I'll even fly to the Black Tortoise Palace to see you. How about that?)

At that, Taeo seemed to feel a little better and reached his hand out to Aran again.

"Don't go to all that trouble. All you have to do is send me a letter, and I'll come to you anytime."

Only then did Aran look closely at Taeo's face again, carefully checking for any tear tracks.

She never thought she'd end up making a child who had come all this way to see her cry.

While she was feeling anxious, Hwi returned.

Unlike Aran or Taeo, he still looked thoroughly angry.

"So, are you prepared to prostrate yourself before the Lord of the Eastern Quarter and beg for leniency?"

For a moment, it seemed another fierce light shot from the Black Tortoise's green eyes—but Taeo glanced at Aran, then let out a small, resigned sigh.

"…If I've done something wrong, I'll ask for forgiveness. But I haven't even had my first birthday yet, so there's a lot I don't know."

He spoke more intelligently than a ten-year-old, but when things got unfavorable, he used his age as an excuse.

It was a transparent ploy to anyone, but Aran pretended not to notice and took his side.

"Pik-pik."

(That's right, older brother. Taeo is younger than Arani, and even younger than Yeon and Min. If he doesn't know something, we can teach him.)

Hwi, though still displeased, finally turned his steps.

"Then let's go see Father."

---

"Haven't you found him yet?"

That same evening, the Black Tortoise Palace was in an uproar.

Because Taeo had been missing since early morning, and another summoning circle drawn on paper had been found in his empty room.

The summoning circle, drawn with a brush, formed a perfect hexagon without a single flaw, and as expected, a six-eyed turtle had also disappeared.

"The six-eyed turtle?"

Ui-cheon asked, beating his chest in frustration.

"Has the six-eyed turtle that Taeo summoned still not returned?"

Back   Next