Home/The very suspicious chick of the Blue Dragon clan/ch 6

Chapter 6

In the warm room where the two, who could not communicate at all, were chattering away, a soft knock sounded at the door.

Knock, knock.

Then Hwi's voice followed.

"Training Master, are you there? It's Hwi. I've brought Yeon with me."

"Pit?"

(Yeon?)

Aran's eyes went round at the name of the Blue Dragon clan's true youngest, whom she had only heard of by rumor.

Come to think of it, dragon brats were notoriously reckless from a young age… Would she be able to dodge if that one suddenly charged at her?

Well, this body could always ascend at any time, but she was a little curious about the little one.

As she gazed toward the door with expectant eyes, Hwi entered carrying a baby dragon and set him down before Aran.

"Hello, Aran."

Following Hwi, the baby dragon greeted her.

"Kiiu…"

(Hello…)

Aran looked at the dragon, slightly larger than herself, with fascination.

Dragon beastmen have a relatively short infancy among beastmen.

Moreover, once they pass infancy and obtain human form, they rarely ever take on their dragon shape again.

This meant that in her hundred years of life, Aran had never once encountered such a young dragon.

The baby dragon before her was about the size of an adult man's outstretched hands, its skin a lovely sky-blue, and its eyes, like Cheongun's, were a soft brown.

Its wingless, bare wings were small yet sturdy-looking, and every time it opened its mouth, a surprising number of tiny teeth were visible.

"Peep."

(Hello, so you can talk.)

At Aran's words, Hwi gently interjected.

"Yes, Aran. I brought Yeon along because he's learned a few words. Min still can't talk at all—he's too busy running around."

Then the baby dragon let out a small cry.

"Kkyu… ung."

(Yeon-ie no… run.)

Was it embarrassed about that?

Near its sky-blue rump, a blunt tail was curled up like a grapevine.

The protrusion at the tip, which would one day grow fearsome and sharp, was still immature—round and soft like a water droplet.

What's this? You're too adorable.

Aran's heart thumped.

She suddenly felt she understood a little of how So-rim had felt when she burst into a nosebleed in front of her.

"Peep."

(You're cute, so it's okay.)

Yeon tilted his head as if he hadn't quite understood Aran's words.

Then his water-drop tail also tilted to the same side.

This is insane….

I never knew baby dragons were this adorable. I've wasted the last hundred years of my life….

Aran raised one wing to cover her chest and took a deep breath. Her body was still frail, and she feared she might have a heart attack.

Just then, Yeon's eyes went wide as he mumbled.

"Kurung…"

(Then Arani is the best…)

"Pi?"

(Why?)

"Kkyu, ung…?"

(Because Arani is the, cutest…?)

Th-that can't be?

Even if I've gotten a little cuter, I can't be as cute as you…?

Just as their slow conversation had reached that point, Hwi suddenly interrupted and wrapped both of them in a tight embrace.

"Just kill me now, you two…"

What's wrong with you now?

Hwi's face was flushed red, and he was breathing heavily—his condition was alarming.

"Pii…"

(Sigh…)

Aran sighed.

Even with two dragons who could understand her right before her eyes, communication was still not smooth.

She turned her gaze and saw So-rim standing against the wall, inexplicably bleeding from her nose again.

Again?

That one is definitely the most fragile of all.

---

A few days later.

Aran was panting in the early summer garden, having escaped her cozy room.

"Huff, huff…"

Vermilion Birds are birds, so walking is difficult for them.

Their legs are thin and their necks long, making it hard to maintain balance.

And this so-called nursemaid, Training Master Seong So-rim, who should know that as a dragon herself—whether she did or not!—shouted again.

"One, two!"

Waddle, waddle—

Flapping her short wings, Aran barely managed to keep her balance and took a single step…

"Peep-peep."

(Oh, I'm dying.)

She promptly plopped her bottom onto the ground and cried out in exhaustion.

But surprisingly, Aran was not alone.

"Two, two!"

At the following shout, a baby dragon flapped its oversized wings and followed in a hurry.

"Kku… ruruk."

(Yeon-ie dying…)

Wait, aren't dragons supposed to not need nursemaids?

Cheong Yeon looked so exhausted that the blue hue had nearly faded from his sky-blue face, making him resemble a white dragon.

Even so, Aran's turn came around again quickly.

"Three, two!"

Unable to endure it any longer, Aran screeched.

"Bbaek—!"

(Hey, this is not how a nursemaid is supposed to do it! You're seriously deluded right now—!)

But Seong So-rim, toward the baby dragon clumsily stepping on the ground, shouted as if scolding him.

"Four, two!"

That was because, like everyone else in the palace, So-rim could not understand beast-speech.

"Hah, hah…"

Yeon flicked his tiny blue tongue and followed another step. His water-drop tail swayed limply from side to side.

"Kurung…"

(I wanna see big brother…)

So, what these two urgently needed was Cheong Hwi.

But the only dragon who could understand their words was competent and, as the eldest, far too busy…

"Kkyuung…"

(Big bwother… Yeon-ie tiwed…)

Tsk tsk, poor thing.

Aran clicked her tongue in pity for Yeon, who was struggling desperately.

Since she often forgot in many moments that she had been reduced to a child, to her, the fourth dragon was simply adorable.

Moreover, unlike Cheong Hwi, who had made a name for himself as a great dragon in Aran's memory, Yeon's name was unfamiliar.

Cheong Yeon, Cheong Yeon…

He seemed like a perfectly ordinary, unremarkable fellow.

So how could a great Vermilion Bird not look after a deficient and young dragon?

Besides, she had nothing else to do anyway.

In any case, the two had been practicing their walking for days with a needlessly harsh nursemaid.

"Now, focus!"

Wait, this is NOT how a nursemaid does it—!

"Cheer up, young miss and young master! At this rate, when will you ever learn to run?"

But So-rim, who had been (?) a Training Master, seemed to be under a serious delusion.

"Alright, the one who reaches the gate over there first is exempt from afternoon training!"

What? Training?

You definitely misspoke just now, didn't you?

Aran's black eyes and Yeon's brown eyes went round simultaneously.

But while Aran froze in shock, Yeon moved his feet first.

Thump! Thump, thump!

What the—him.

He still had that much energy left?

Even if he's not famous, a dragon is a dragon, I suppose?

"Bbaek!"

(Darn it!)

Aran had no choice but to put strength into her toes and stretch her legs.

Plop! Plop!

It was an absurd training session, but doing it alone would be even worse!

So-rim, standing ahead at the gate, watched the struggling little ones with satisfied eyes.

"Look at that! There are no limits for our little ones! Limits are a word only used when counting dragon eggs!"

"Peep…!"

(You lunatic, we're only a month old…!)

As for Yeon, he must have steeled his heart—he kept his snout shut and didn't say a word.

After such an intense(?) few steps of close combat—

Thud!

The one who took the final step, nearly crashing down, was—

"Whoa! Young Master Yeon wins! Truly, the pride of our Blue Dragon clan!"

"Bbaek—!"

(I hate you! I hate you—!)

Aran, who reached the gate a step late, snapped at So-rim.

Yeon sat on his bottom, gasping and unable to speak.

Just then, a tall shadow appeared beside the gate.

"Hm? Training Master, am I mistaken in thinking the children look a bit exhausted?"

Aran brightened at the sight of Cheongun's face, which she hadn't seen in a while, and shouted with all her might.

"Peep-peep—!"

(Good to see you, Great Lord! This person is out of her mind! This is not what a nursemaid does! Just bring in a real nursemaid—!)

At that, Cheongun reached out with the happiest expression in the world and scooped Aran up.

"Oh my, our youngest. Are you happy to see your mother?"

Aran had no energy left to refute Cheongun's consistent claim.

"Peep…!"

(Mother! I'm so tired…!)

As Aran cried out in desperation, Yeon, who had been sprawled by the gate, tilted his head crookedly.

"Kkyuuung…"

(Daddy, Yeon-ie tiwed too…)

But the relentlessly positive So-rim cut in and erased the little ones' cries in an instant.

"Oh, tired? Not at all! They're both so spirited!"

Aran resigned herself to everything and shook her head.

"Pii."

(Mother, she has no eyes. Those are just holes.)

The hundred-year-old baby bird was indeed quick to give up.

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