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Chapter 30

This must be what they mean when they say people are born with different capacities.

Ui-cheon could only nod.

"…I see. You must be tired after the summoning and the long journey—go rest now."

Taeo smiled brightly, showing no sign of fatigue.

"Yes, Father."

Last time he'd summoned, he'd been so exhausted he collapsed and fell asleep—but after a few practices, he seemed to have already adapted.

Ui-cheon thought it was a good thing he'd told Tae-kyung to keep quiet.

Taeo was still far too young to be known for such exceptional abilities.

Ui-cheon grew increasingly afraid that someday he wouldn't be able to protect his young son.

---

A month later, Hwi and Su-ryeon finally returned to the Blue Dragon Palace from the imperial capital.

The brothers had returned a week later than planned due to the sudden passing of the Empress.

The young empress had passed away, leaving behind a crown prince who was barely two years old.

The same thing had probably happened in the previous life, but Aran had few memories from such a young age.

Since she'd been raised by Okdan's hands, she likely wouldn't have heard news from the imperial capital at all.

"Big brother! Second brother…!"

Aran flapped her wings joyfully beside the twins, who ran to greet them.

"Peep!"

(Older brothers…!)

Still, when on earth would she obtain her human form?

She couldn't express how frustrating the past month had been, without a single person to talk to.

"Oh my, Yeon and Min have grown so much! Aran, let me see…!"

Just as Hwi pulled the twins into a tight embrace and then set Aran on his palm—

Su-ryeon snatched Aran away as if reeling her in, clutching her firmly in his grasp.

"Peep-peep doesn't need to grow. She's already the cutest as she is. Right, Aran?"

"Pik-pik?"

(Tch, but I've even been outside the palace now, you know?)

Hwi, who was being climbed on by the twins, asked in surprise.

"What? You didn't go out alone, did you?"

"Peep."

(Of course not. I went with the Training Master.)

Hwi seemed relieved by Aran's answer, patting his chest.

He gently pried the twins off one by one and smiled.

"Yeon-ah, Min-ah. I'll play with you after I go see Father first."

"How about playing tag with this Training Master until your brothers return?"

So-rim naturally cut in, drawing the children's attention.

While the twins were distracted, Aran fluttered over and quietly perched on Hwi's shoulder.

She'd come to realize just how precious Hwi was during the past month.

"Hmm, Aran. I need to go see Father first…"

"Peep-peep!"

(Big brother, loyalty, loyalty! You have no idea how hard it's been for me with no one to talk to for a whole month!)

Hwi chuckled.

"So you've finally realized how precious this big brother is, have you? But what should I do—I have things to discuss with Father…"

Su-ryeon cut in, taking Aran's side.

"Just let her come, brother. It's not like Peep-peep is going to spread anything around."

"That may be true, but…"

"Peep!"

(Big brother, Aran's lips are heavy as a thousand pounds…?)

Aran even clumsily mimicked Yeon's speech pattern, insisting on following—so in the end, Hwi snickered and gave in.

"There's nothing very interesting to hear, though…"

"If it gets boring, just run away, Peep-peep."

"Peep!"

(Okay!)

And so, Aran managed to tag along to the master's chamber.

---

Aran sat on Hwi's shoulder, listening to the story of the Empress's funeral, held in the imperial capital.

As Hwi had said, tales of funerals and other divine beast palaces weren't very interesting.

Moreover, Aran detested anything to do with the imperial family, and she was beginning to regret following along, looking for a chance to escape.

Just then, Hwi spoke with a low sigh.

"I'm concerned, Father—the Crown Prince's grief seems far too deep."

Cheongun nodded.

"How could it not be? It's barely been any time since his second birthday, and His Majesty is not exactly a gentle-natured man…"

Wait a minute—a crown prince born a year before Aran.

Gasp—then that crown prince is…

Just as Aran finally perked up her ears, Su-ryeon carefully spoke up.

"At the funeral, he suddenly ran up and clung to the coffin, nearly interrupting the ceremony. When the physician rushed over to calm him…"

When Su-ryeon couldn't continue, Cheongun tilted his head.

"When the physician rushed over?"

Then Hwi glanced at Aran and spoke in a low voice.

"He bit the physician's hand… Throughout our stay, the Crown Prince's palace never ceased its crying and screaming."

"Is it that bad?"

When Cheongun asked gravely, Hwi's expression darkened further.

"The imperial capital kept the visitors strictly quiet, but it seemed difficult to silence everyone…"

"Did you see him up close?"

"Outwardly, he just looked like a young yellow dragon. But currently, he expresses all his grief as anger, making conversation nearly impossible."

Cheongun thought for a moment, then asked again.

"Did the Lord of the Western Quarter attend the funeral in person?"

The reason he specifically asked about the Western Lord was likely because White Tiger beastmen were known for their strong spiritual power.

Hwi silently confirmed.

"Yes."

"And did Lord Baek see the Crown Prince?"

"Yes."

While he was deep in thought, Aran's mind was also racing through the empire's history.

Aran had lived longer than anyone in her previous life, but she only remembered one emperor.

The tyrant Je Geon-u.

Because he had ascended the throne around the time Aran came of age, and had lived just as long as she had, plunging the empire into a pit of terror.

Je Geon-u had no siblings—so that meant the current crown prince would grow up to become that tyrant, right?

"Pip."

(Ah, no. Don't get involved.)

Aran unconsciously fluttered her wings and squeezed her eyes shut.

She didn't want to do that again.

She had run herself ragged, soaking her feathers, caring for the people, and yet the world still fell to ruin.

She hadn't been unaware at the time that the cause was the tyrant Je Geon-u.

Because the emperors of the empire were granted the ability called "Word of Authority" from generation to generation.

As long as the emperor used the Word of Authority, the divine beast palaces had no choice but to obey him—and so no one could save the world.

Not even the Blue Dragon, who could summon rain.

…Don't get involved.

I already did all that as Joo Aran.

That's why the god had opened the heavenly gates for her. Even the god had admired her efforts, yet she still couldn't save the world.

This land is doomed—just abandon it and go to the celestial realm…

Just then, before his deeply serious father, Hwi let out a small laugh.

"Hm?"

"Ah, I'm sorry, Father. Aran was chirping at you to 'stay out of it' regarding the Crown Prince."

"What?"

Hahaha—Cheongun also paused his thoughts and laughed.

Though she hadn't told Cheongun to stay out of it…

Aran quietly gazed at Cheongun's smiling face.

He was a man as noble as any she'd never seen in her hundred years of life.

He was the one who had volunteered to become a father to her—a clumsy adopted child who only seemed lacking.

If the two-year-old Je Geon-u, already insane, were to later gain the Word of Authority, even this kind Blue Dragon would become his puppet.

Then a thought suddenly struck her.

Even if it was impossible to save a continent ruled by an emperor who used the Word of Authority like kneading dough—couldn't she just slit the throat of that little villain?

He hasn't gained the Word of Authority yet.

Even if it would be a bit troublesome for this body…

"Come here, my daughter."

Cheongun, unaware that his youngest was harboring such terrifying thoughts, reached out to Aran.

She absentmindedly moved to his hand, and his large hand lovingly stroked her.

"Is Daddy's worrying about the Crown Prince making you jealous? Of course I worry about our Aran the most, you know."

Oh dear, what idle words.

But Aran had grown so accustomed to the Blue Dragons' lukewarm warmth that she came to this conclusion:

After all, she didn't want to see that arrogant madman use the Word of Authority to dirty Cheongun's hands.

"Peep."

(Don't worry, Daddy. Arani will take care of everything.)

Puhahahaha—Hwi burst out laughing, clutching his belly.

With tears forming at the corners of his eyes, he interpreted Aran's words, and Su-ryeon and Cheongun joined in the laughter.

Watching them contentedly, Aran thought:

Come to think of it, I wonder how my Hongyeom Twin Swords are doing…?

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