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Chapter 27

"Me? What did I do?"

Hwi suppressed his rising anger as he looked at Taeo, who tilted his head in apparent confusion.

"Well, about you fighting with Yeon… shouldn't you all get along together?"

The youngest Black Tortoise slowly blinked his mismatched eyes.

He was undeniably pretty enough to draw one's gaze, but the next moment, he calmly opened his mouth to deflect.

"You think I'm fighting with that baby dragon right now? Why would I?"

Just then, Aran fluttered over and landed on Hwi's shoulder.

"Pit? Peep?"

(Um, older brother? I think there's some misunderstanding—could I talk to Yeon separately? Taeo didn't fight with anyone.)

Hwi looked at Aran for a moment, then carefully brought up what he'd heard from his father and Yeon.

"But Aran, they say Taeo has been monopolizing you ever since he came to the Blue Dragon Palace. Yeon feels ignored and left out."

At that, Taeo raised one eyebrow askew but didn't bother to defend himself.

Instead, Aran answered again.

"Peep, peep…"

(Good heavens, that's all my fault. I've been so focused on Taeo, thinking he'll be leaving in a few days, that I neglected Yeon. Plus, I had a lot I wanted to hear from Taeo…)

"Is that so?"

Hwi studied the children thoughtfully, then added.

"Then from now on, Aran should pay a little more attention, and Taeo should watch one thing about his behavior. Because it upsets our family."

Taeo stared up at the Blue Dragon Palace's young master, who was nearly an adult, with eyes that held not a trace of fear. His attitude seemed to say, "Go ahead and say what you have to say."

At that, Hwi—as childish as it was—found himself sympathizing with Yeon's resentment toward Taeo.

"Aran is not your possession. No matter how young you are, saying things like that between friends isn't right. It can make other friends feel left out."

At that, Taeo's head tilted askew once more.

"Friends…?"

It was the kind of tone that made the listener's stomach churn. As if he were questioning who exactly was his friend.

Hwi mustered his last ounce of patience.

"So, having 'trespassed' into the Blue Dragon Palace without so much as a word, are you trying to say that your only friend here is Aran?"

Taeo closed both eyes briefly, then opened them—his green eye gleaming.

Suddenly, the window flew wide open and a cold wind gusted in.

Whoosh!

The sound of the wind was fierce.

The twins, frightened, grasped each other's hands. Hwi could no longer hold back and glared at the Black Tortoise Palace's youngest.

Amidst the howling wind, Taeo alone sat calmly and spoke coolly.

"No matter what the young master says, Aran is mine."

At that point, it wasn't Hwi but Aran who exploded.

"Pik! Piiiiik! Bbaek?!"

(You little brat! I praised you for being pretty, and this is how you act?! Can't you just tell them it's all a misunderstanding and say you're sorry?!)

After Hwi discreetly took the twins out, Taeo had to endure a scolding until his ears were sore.

---

That same afternoon, Hwi and the twins came back to Aran's room.

After everyone had been chased out, whatever Aran had done to Taeo, he was now sitting with his hands folded politely—completely different from that morning.

Hwi eyed him suspiciously and spoke.

"So, have you reflected on your behavior?"

Though the question was clearly directed at him, Taeo glanced at Aran first.

Then he opened his mouth and spoke fluently.

"I'm sorry for hurting the feelings of the Blue Dragon brothers who received a lawless intruder as a friend. Please forgive me generously, as I am still young and didn't know any better."

Min whispered to Yeon.

"What's 'lawless'?"

Yeon just shook her head, apparently not knowing either.

Of course, to Hwi, Taeo's transformed attitude—as if the heavens had parted—seemed even more suspicious. One of Hwi's eyebrows shot up.

"Really? Then what do you plan to do from now on?"

"If you allow this body to stay at the Blue Dragon Palace as promised, I'll try to get along with the twin dragons as well."

Having only been ignored until now, they might have been hurt—but the gentle dragons just listened quietly without any protest.

Hwi swallowed a sigh and continued.

"And you'll stop claiming Aran is yours?"

"That's…"

For the first time, Taeo—who had been reciting everything like a memorized chant—hesitated.

"Aran said that's not something this body can decide on its own."

Hwi looked down at Aran with a pleased gaze.

Whatever strategy she'd used, it seemed she'd effectively deflated that clueless and brazen Black Tortoise.

But unexpectedly, Taeo added.

"But she said the opposite is fine."

"…What do you mean by 'opposite'?"

Just then, Aran, who had been silently watching, suddenly cut in.

"Peep-peep!"

(Taeo, you don't have to tell everyone every single thing we talked about privately. Okay?)

"But I want to. I'm very proud of it."

By now, Hwi was curious.

Looking back and forth between the two, he finally turned his gaze to Taeo.

"What is it you want to say? Go ahead, boast about it."

At that, Taeo flushed with apparent delight and said.

"If I can't have Aran, then Aran can have me."

Huh?

Hwi hesitated, not quite grasping the meaning.

Then—another commotion broke out.

"Bbaeng? Peep!"

*(Hey, I told you to keep quiet! What kind of man has such a loose tongue?!) *

First, Aran raised a ruckus.

"What? What's that supposed to mean? Arani wouldn't want a bad Black Tortoise like you anyway!"

Yeon, who had been acting docile as if reflecting, suddenly jumped to her feet.

But gentle and naive Yeon could never be a match for the arrogant Taeo.

Taeo shot back coldly.

"She already said she wants me, so you stay out of it."

"Peep-peep!"

(Hyeon Taeo, are you really not going to listen? I told you not to make the twins cry! Are you just a thug or what?!)

Aran tried to step in and smooth things over seeing Yeon's hurt face, but unfortunately, the twins couldn't understand beast-speech.

In the end, Yeon burst into tears again.

"Waaaah! Arani! Do you really like him? More than me?"

And that wasn't all—some rather strange self-promotion began…

"Arani! What about Min? Min is the fastest runner in the Blue Dragon Palace—do you want him?"

"You said Yeon-ie was the prettiest—I hate you, Arani!"

"Wait, Min is also the biggest eater—you don't want him?"

"Bbaeng? Peep!"

*(What? Everyone's talking nonsense! Taeo was so stubborn about it, saying he'd do the opposite if he had to, so I just said okay!) *

Aran cried out, but while the twins couldn't understand, Taeo quickly stirred the pot.

"Ran-ie says heaven says I'm prettier than you. And Greenie, while I'm here, you're not the fastest runner."

Aran flew at Taeo and beat his lips with her wings.

"Pik? Pik-pik!"

(Hey, Hyeon Taeo! Do you really want to die? Why do you keep picking on the little ones?!)

Meanwhile, she desperately called out to Hwi for help…

"Pi! Peep?!"

(Older brother! Older brother, what are you doing? Do something!)

Hwi looked completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words.

"Ah, I just…"

He, who had seemed like the only rational being in this room to Aran, sighed and said.

"I want to go home…"

"Piya? Piiyat!!"

(What? Snap out of it, older brother! This is your home!)

---

Even after Hwi threw up his hands and left, the children were eventually summoned back to the master's chamber.

"Pi."

(I don't want a Black Tortoise beastman who can't understand after being told twice or three times.)

Perhaps because Aran had threatened him in terms he could grasp, Taeo sat before Cheongun with moist eyes and began to explain himself.

"I… even before I ever saw Aran, I wanted to become friends with this palace's youngest, who was far away."

Cheongun carefully observed the Black Tortoise Palace's youngest, whom he had once seen in a future vision.

The child was much more grown than in the vision, but it was unmistakably him—how could he forget those distinct features?

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