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Chapter 38

By now, it was well known in both the Blue Dragon and Black Tortoise palaces that the youngest of the Black Tortoise clan was especially obedient to Aran.

Cheongun gestured to a few of the Blue Dragon Guard outside the carriage and answered Aran.

"If you don't mind the Blue Dragon Guard accompanying you."

Hearing that, Min wanted to follow as well, but Cheongun shook his head.

It wouldn't be good to cause a commotion before even entering the imperial palace.

Still, he was letting Aran go because he trusted the future visions he'd seen—what he'd witnessed so far had mostly been matters of great significance.

His wife's pregnancy and death.

Or natural disasters in the Blue Dragon Territory, for instance.

But since Aran's arrival at the Blue Dragon Palace, he had seen her future several times—which meant that child was needed in this empire.

Cheongun concluded thus and gently added.

"Aran will be back soon, so don't worry, Min."

---

Aran stepped down from the carriage with the help of the Blue Dragon Guard.

Her jade-colored skirt, layered and flowing, rustled awkwardly around her feet.

Since she was attending the ceremony as a member of the Blue Dragon Palace, she had dressed in formal attire accordingly.

At the youngest miss's adorable appearance, the Blue Dragon Guard members averted their gazes, secretly catching their breath.

"What is it?"

Aran noticed their reaction keenly and asked.

The Blue Dragon Guard was flustered.

The youngest miss, who always wore trousers and a jacket alongside the twins, looked so adorable in a skirt that…

But if they said that, she'd clearly be displeased.

For some reason, the Blue Dragon Palace's youngest miss seemed oddly uncomfortable with being called cute or pretty.

If that's the case, then don't be so cute…!

"Nothing, young miss. It just seemed like your skirt hem was dragging a bit…"

"Oh, is that so?"

In her previous life as well, Aran hadn't often worn such formal attire.

So she took the Blue Dragon Guard's words at face value and gathered up the hem with her small hands.

As a result, the skirt became much shorter, making Aran look even more adorable.

The Blue Dragon Guard members each bit their lips.

Aran, with a few Blue Dragon Guard members following like shadows, strode confidently—or so she thought—up to the Black Tortoise Palace's carriage.

Of course, that was her own perception; to others, she simply looked like a determined little one, running with her tiny feet working hard.

Just as the Black Tortoise Palace's Black Tortoise Guard was on alert at the small visitor's approach, Aran pretended not to notice and called out loudly.

"Oh my? Why is the road blocked here?"

It was merely a child's thin voice, barely audible unless one listened closely amid the commotion.

Just as the Blue Dragon Guard hesitated over whether to step in, the Black Tortoise Palace's carriage suddenly opened and someone leaped out.

"Ran-ah…!"

The one who emerged from the carriage was a boy more than two heads taller than Aran.

Aran looked up in surprise at Taeo, who had grown unrecognizably larger since she'd last seen him.

"Taeo."

Taeo smiled brightly and took Aran's hand.

"I didn't think we'd be able to meet so soon. What's this—why are you dressed so adorably?"

Taeo fiddled with the ornaments in Aran's hair with his other hand.

"Huh? Well…"

True, even Aran herself was unfamiliar with this attire, so it must have been quite a sight to Taeo.

But.

"Th-that's not the point. Right now, your carriage is blocking the way, and everyone behind you is waiting. What's going on? Why are you stopped here?"

When Aran asked, Taeo dropped his gaze gloomily.

"Those people are telling me to wear an ability restraint."

"Huh? Did you come without knowing you had to wear that, Taeo?"

At Aran's direct question, Taeo shook his head slightly.

"I heard about it vaguely, but I didn't know it would feel this bad. That bracelet feels strange against my skin. It's cold and hurts."

That made sense.

To suppress the use of abilities, the meridian channels had to be restricted as much as possible—so it was only natural for a child to feel stifled and uncomfortable.

Just then, a large man with streaks of white in his neatly tied hair slowly emerged from the Black Tortoise carriage.

Simply straightening his bent back, he exuded an overwhelming presence that commanded the attention of everyone present.

The Black Tortoise Guard, who had been on alert around the carriage, quickly stepped back, and a low voice rang out.

"So you're Aran."

Realizing he was the Great Lord of the Black Tortoise clan, Aran quickly clasped her hands together and bowed her head.

"Greetings, Great Lord of the Black Tortoise. I am Aran, the youngest of the Blue Dragon clan."

The Great Lord of the Black Tortoise looked down at Aran with dark, unreadable eyes, then gave a faint, barely perceptible smile.

"Yes, I've heard a great deal about you."

Then he erased that faint smile in an instant and threatened his youngest son.

"So, Taeo—will you enter the imperial palace with Aran, or will you return to the Black Tortoise Palace as you are?"

Already on the Great Lord's wrist was a golden restraint.

Could a mere bracelet-like object fully control the Great Lord's abilities?

In Aran's opinion, it seemed unlikely.

But the imperial palace was the emperor's home, and the emperor was the only human who could command the divine beast families with the Word of Authority.

So the restraint was—at least symbolically—a means of showing the divine beast families' submission.

Aran watched Taeo bite his lower lip in frustration and inwardly clicked her tongue.

But how could a great Vermilion Bird fail to manage one child?

"Taeo, are you really going to leave me here and go back?"

She deliberately asked in a feigned tone of surprise, and Taeo flinched, conflicted.

"I was so, so looking forward to spending a whole week with Taeo…"

Aran let out a big sigh.

"Ah, if Taeo's not here, I might have to find some nice friends from the other divine beast families…"

At that, Taeo asked urgently.

"What? What if there are nice kids—are you going to take them too?"

Aran felt like clicking her tongue, but she rolled her eyes as if thinking it over.

"I wasn't planning to, but if Taeo's not here, I'll be bored—so maybe I should…?"

Taeo finally pouted and relented.

"…I'll wear it."

Aran resisted the urge to shake her head and politely extended her hand to the Great Lord.

"If you give me the restraint, I'll put it on Taeo myself."

"Would you do that?"

The Great Lord asked with a smiling face and gave a slight nod—a shadow-like man appeared from behind and presented the golden restraint.

Aran also had abilities, so she didn't want to touch it either—but she carefully reached out.

The moment she touched it, a chilling, unpleasant sensation shot up from her fingertips to the top of her head.

Suppressing her quickening breath, Aran turned to Taeo.

"Give me your hand."

I'm sorry.

But you know I need your help.

Aran fastened the restraint around Taeo's wrist with reluctant hands.

"See you soon, Taeo."

---

A short while later, the Blue Dragon Palace's carriage finally passed through Hwangnyongmun Gate.

Cheongun was the first to wear his restraint, and the imperial guards in armor handed over three more restraints.

Cheongun raised one hand in refusal.

"I've only brought my youngest children—none of them have abilities."

In fact, Cheong Hwi and Cheong Su-ryeon had been given the duty of guarding the Blue Dragon Palace and had not joined this procession.

In the end, the official in charge came down and made an awkward request.

"Great Lord, it is difficult for us to detect abilities individually, so it is our principle that all direct-line members of the divine beast families wear restraints. However, if an ability has not yet manifested, the restraint will not function either—so please do not take it too harshly."

Saying this, the official carefully extended two restraints.

"Your youngest daughter does not appear to be of direct lineage—am I correct?"

He seemed to be trying his best to show flexibility, so as not to offend Cheongun.

"…Yes."

In the end, the twins wore restraints, and only Aran entered the imperial palace bare-handed.

"Phew."

Thank goodness her hair wasn't blue.

Contrary to everyone's expectations—that she wanted to see the imperial palace or meet the Vermilion Bird family members—Aran had come here with a purpose.

The Divine Beast Festival, held every three years, was a ritual of thanksgiving to the divine beasts who loved this land and sent their descendants to protect it.

A grand event in which hundreds of representatives from the divine beast palaces visited the imperial palace.

Aran intended to use this bustling festival to eliminate the seed of conflict—Je Geon-u.

To do that, she needed her abilities.

---

Since carriages were not allowed inside the imperial palace, everyone got out and walked toward the guest quarters.

Just then, Aran caught her breath at a familiar energy emanating from the opposite direction.

A Vermilion Bird was approaching—without a doubt.

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