chapter 33
“Alright, I guess this is where we part ways.”
As soon as we rode the Taegama to the border between Homeokdo and Seolgokdo, we had to say goodbye to Grandmother San and Grandfather San.
Throughout the journey on Homeokdo, they had kept a low profile.
Even though it was their granddaughter’s engagement ceremony, they wanted to avoid drawing attention since they themselves were of the Rang tribe.
“Son-in-law, thank you as always for your help. Next time we meet, I’ll make sure to treat you properly.”
“Though I don’t mind, let it be known that I can also return the favor.”
“Ha.”
But it seemed that this trip had improved the relationship between the grandparents. Even now, they were smiling at each other with a subtle, fierce amusement, the kind that shows you’ve found a kindred spirit.
“Alcohol?”
“I don’t mind between rice wine or clear wine. What do you think?”
“Snacks?”
“Snacks should be dry and slightly salty.”
Though their spirits were aligned, it seemed Grandmother San might get a scolding from Grandfather San once they returned. His expression had darkened when alcohol came up.
“See you next time, our little one.”
“Please get home safely.”
“Take care of your little one too.”
“Yes!”
Grandmother San and Grandfather San transformed into wolves.
The massive gray wolf and the light brown wolf each gently took me and my mother in their mouths once before leaving.
Next were my aunt and uncle.
“I don’t think we can come this Chuseok.”
“Since we’ve received the gold, we’ll skip it this time.”
My aunt and uncle, now experienced officers, were about to be promoted. For the time being, they said they’d focus on military duties.
“I believe you’ll do well.”
My father patted their shoulders, and the two of them smiled in response.
After sending off everyone who was leaving, our family had a hearty meal.
Why eat again after lunch?
“We’re departing.”
This time, to save time, we decided not to rest in the annex and head straight back.
Fortunately, the weather was good today.
I felt the cool wind on my mother’s back as I looked up at the sky.
It hadn’t even been long since we parted, yet I already missed Sobaeksan, and it made me smile.
Late in the evening, I returned home and immediately collapsed. This trip had been a grueling schedule for a five-year-old puppy like me.
Sleeping with my tongue out, I woke up late the next morning. Drinking water, taking walks, eating, and sleeping again—I repeated this for two days.
Unlike me, who was barely conscious, the adults had already returned to work.
“This is a letter from Sobaeksan.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Around this time, a shaman from the Baek family also visited.
I had thought their correspondence would cease after the engagement, but it continued, which was surprising.
“How did they manage to establish a network like this? It’s a shame to stop without fully using it.”
“Is it that beneficial to both families?”
“Exactly!”
The Baek family’s shaman, Baek Juseon, nodded enthusiastically.
“Our terrain is filled with mountain pillars. Herbs and wild greens are easy enough to gather, but cultivating rice or vegetables is quite difficult.”
In simple terms, it was hard to obtain farm produce.
But by interacting with our family, they had solved much of this problem.
“Seolgokdo’s vegetables are delicious, aren’t they?”
“I heard the nobles like meat.”
“Delicious meat tastes even better with delicious vegetables!”
Truly a family of gourmets.
As I gasped in admiration, Baek Juseon took a snack from her pocket and handed it to me.
“It’s a rice cake filled with geollak.”
“…!”
“It’s also delicious when added to spicy sweet braised chicken or steamed chicken.”
Now that I had received a rice cake filled with cheese, I couldn’t just let her leave.
“Juseon.”
“Yes?”
“There are sugar-glazed wild raspberries.”
“Sounds delicious!”
“Drink them mixed with milk.”
Baek Juseon’s pupils widened in surprise. I thought she would understand the combination.
“Should it be cold?”
She didn’t disappoint. In fact, she spoke with a seriousness I had never seen before, as if fully immersed:
“I’ll make it with magic, so add ice too. My instinct says… it needs lots of ice…!”
And so, we made wild raspberry lattes with plenty of ice, strengthening our bond over the drink.
July arrived, the month of cicadas.
Maaahhhh.
Taltaltal.
Maaahhhmm.
Taltaltaltal…
“Ugh.”
I couldn’t escape the scorching heat in front of the Baek windmill.
“So hot…”
Last month, now engaged to Sobaeksan, I started venturing outside slowly.
During market days or certain seasonal customs, I began to go out gradually, noticing improvements in my health.
But the real purpose was different:
Catching villains.
Now, it was harder to catch bad people within the family, since I had thoroughly eradicated them.
So, I roamed outside, searching for people who gave off a bad aura, but the results weren’t great.
I could tell someone was bad, but I couldn’t figure out what crime they had committed.
How could I report them if I didn’t know their wrongdoing?
Bad people within the family usually committed corruption, making it easy to find evidence and resolve issues.
Outside, it wasn’t so simple.
Thus, the only people I managed to catch were two pickpockets and a merchant who sold spoiled meat covered with strong seasoning.
Even that became impossible as the weather grew too hot, so I stopped.
I needed a plan, but my brain wasn’t cooperating.
Damn this heat.
I opened my mouth and groaned loudly in front of the Baek windmill.
I felt awe for my dad, working in this heat, and for my mom, who had gone to the mountains fearing her hunting skills would dull.
“This year’s heat is really intense.”
“Grandmother.”
The door opened, and Grandmother entered.
This was her office. Now, whenever my parents were both away, Grandmother automatically took care of me.
“Drink some plum tea.”
“Thank you!”
She personally brought the tea tray to me.
Originally someone else would have delivered it, but due to record-breaking heat, they had collapsed. Seeing so many helpers incapacitated, Grandmother clicked her tongue, saying work would have to be reduced for a while.
“I received the letter meant for you.”
Seeing the crimson hawk seal, I immediately sat up. The sender was Aunt Hyesuh.
“I’ll open it.”
I was allowed to read it. Letters intended only for my mother were sealed magically by my aunt.
I unfolded the letter, and Grandmother also began reading the stack of letters beside her.
Rustle, rustle.
The quiet sound of paper turning echoed peacefully in the heat.
The letter brought joyful news.
A relative’s child had grown enough to move around well.
Being a pureblood infant, the child would likely be running around energetically before their first birthday. The letter mentioned a desire to meet and show the baby to me. I carefully folded it back.
“Hmm.”
Grandmother was still reading, her brow furrowed as she faced more serious content.
I glanced down at her arm outside her sleeveless clothing. The split muscles and scars looked like rugged mountain ranges—so cool.
Meanwhile, my arm was still soft and squishy, like a mochi.
When would I develop muscles as impressive as Grandmother’s? I studied her arms intently.
“Baeksan has done something, hasn’t he?”
Grandmother crumpled the letter and poured plum tea over it, ruining it. Normally, she would burn it completely, but today’s heat seemed to prevent her from doing so.
“I found information that could help you.”
“Really?”
During the engagement, Grandmother asked Baeksan to look into Haetae-related information. Unexpectedly, he fulfilled it diligently, achieving results in a month.
“According to the information remaining in that family, Haetae can use magic.”
“Magic?”
I asked in surprise, and Grandmother nodded.
“Specifically, water-type abilities.”
Haetae were known as beings that punished evil, and also as divine creatures that extinguished fires.
Historically, they appeared whenever there were fires, leaving water-filled footprints where they had been.
“There are records of them reading magic power there.”
My jaw dropped.
I had potential as a shaman?
“And to cultivate that talent, it’s best to stay close to the element.”
“I drink water every day.”
Grandmother shook her head. To awaken water abilities, one had to be near rivers or waterfalls.
“The Baek family didn’t choose Homeokdo for nothing.”
Homeokdo, filled with rocky mountains, was one of the most wind-varied places in the world. Like them, I had to be near abundant water to awaken my powers.
The problem was timing. Even at streams, there would likely be more people than water.
“So here’s what I suggest.”
Grandmother offered an alternative while I pondered bathing in the garden.
“How about visiting Yeram’s hometown?”
Mother’s hometown?
I tilted my head, recalling the snow-capped mountains, widening my eyes.
The snow mountains where the Rang lived were the source of all water for Seolgokdo.
The snow atop never melted, but the lower snow melted in spring and summer, flowing into rivers and nourishing the land.
“And it’s a good place to cool off as well.”
Grandmother even gave a strong justification.
I flung my sweat-soaked body into her arms, and she caught me effortlessly with her beautifully sculpted arms.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s perfect!”
Grandmother chuckled at my praise.
After my mother became pregnant with me, she had never visited her hometown.
After I was born, she hid her Haetae daughter, so she never dared to go.
But now was different.
I was a healthy five-year-old, and engaged.
With a good excuse, visiting the snow mountains seemed reasonable. Grandmother likely recommended it over other summer retreats for that reason.
When my mother returned in the evening and heard my story, she seemed to understand Grandmother’s thoughtfulness and smiled faintly.
“I should thank the clan leader.”
“If it’s you, Mother, maybe when we return from the mountains we can bring the liquor your mother brewed?”
“You’re right. Both of them are born drinkers, so it’s best to gift our tribe’s special liquor.”
“Then I’ll prepare good liquor for Mother first. When should we leave?”
“Since it’s early July, we should leave as soon as possible. Winter comes early in the snow mountains.”
I had never seen my mother so excited. My father seemed similarly delighted.
Looking at my mother intently, my father pressed his lips to her rosy cheek.
“It’s nice to see you smile like that.”
“Is it? Hah.”
Just as I was about to close my eyes, my mother interrupted.
“You said you have a lot of work. Can you come all the way to the snow mountains?”
It was a necessary question. If needed, I might have to leave my father behind again.
“I can go.”
“But…”
“I can go.”
My father clenched his teeth and muttered he could go.
And just before our departure, as declared, he managed to finish a mountain of work and take his vacation.
He must have felt truly upset staying home alone during the Rose Village outing.
