chapter 47
The blue sky appeared.
Against the previously pitch-black expanse, the streak of blue looked almost unreal.
But there were beings even more unreal than this.
The Azure Dragon, gripping the storm clouds with lightning.
And the White Tiger that split the sky.
It was like a scene lifted straight from a myth, featuring His Majesty the Emperor and Baeksan.
In fact, this was only the beginning of the rain operation. Baeksan’s body glowed white, proving as much. Radiating a divine aura rivaling the Azure Dragon, Baeksan let out a roar.
“KRAAAAANG!”
And as if by magic, the split storm clouds began to slide apart.
The massive clouds moved toward Homeokdo.
Seolgokdo’s sky, half-covered by clouds, was pushed aside solely by Baeksan’s power!
“Is that… a person?”
Someone muttered in shock.
If my eyes weren’t deceiving me, the White Tiger still had energy left. Summoners who could conjure clouds were sweating profusely, struggling to maintain their power.
As promised, the Hyun family members supported them from behind so they wouldn’t collapse, but the summoners were clearly near their limit.
But they couldn’t stop now.
With the clouds currently formed, rain could only fall over half of Seolgokdo and Homeokdo each.
<One more time.>
So, following Baeksan’s instructions, the summoners had to generate more clouds.
“Ughhh!”
“At this rate, we’ll dry up and die!”
<They still have the energy to shout. Looks like they can do this two more times. I calculated it correctly.>
“Damn it!”
Amid the summoners’ cries, sprinkled with occasional curses, Baeksan overlooked them graciously.
Ultimately, the summoners, crying as they pushed their remaining strength, gave all they had left. Even Aunt Hye-seo and my fiancé, normally composed, were pale.
After some time passed, a drop of cold water splashed against my forehead.
Plink. Plop. Plop-plop.
Black dots bloomed on the stone floor like flowers.
Sshhhhhh.
It was the spring rain everyone had been waiting for.
Exhausted, the summoners collapsed.
“Ugh… I feel like vomiting.”
“Baeksan… you madman…”
Moans echoed everywhere.
Apparently, this was the first time His Majesty had summoned rain over two regions in a single day. Normally, it would take at least three days to solve a drought in one province.
So completing this operation in less than half a day was remarkably efficient.
“Grandma? I think I just saw my late grandmother?”
“Hold your words… my stamina, ugh…”
Instead, the summoners were utterly drained.
Those who had collapsed gradually transformed into their animal forms. It was easier to conserve energy that way.
“Bring blankets!”
“What about the ondol room?”
“All ready! The whole room is warm, not just the heated floor!”
Then the Hyun family members sprang into action. Clad in black uniforms, they rushed to collect the collapsed summoners with blankets as promised.
“Elder Gakjeong, thank you for your effort.”
“Snap.”
The first person rescued was Elder Gakjeong, a dormouse.
Next, smaller races who were vulnerable in the rain were wrapped in blankets and carried to the heated rooms.
“Whew… whek.”
“Pant!”
“The Myo tribe seems to be struggling more than others.”
“The Rabbit tribe seems fine?”
“No, they’re angry. Look at their ears—they’re flapping fiercely.”
“Snake tribe first! Their body temperature is dropping!”
It was complete chaos.
Larger-bodied races fared better. They were physically resilient and many were resistant to cold, so they just lay on the stone floor, letting the rain soak them while resting.
Of course, even among the large-bodied, there were a few who didn’t want to get wet.
“Mmmooaaah!”
“Consider it an honor. This is the first time I’ve held a man besides Younghoo.”
So Grandma rolled up her sleeves and got involved.
While a horned buffalo shaman lifted and moved her, I tended to Aunt Hye-seo.
She had transformed into a wolf, her tongue lolling out.
“Aunt… are you okay?”
“Huff.”
Not okay, clearly.
I fed her warm honey tea and small roasted meat dumplings, and massaged her partially wet body.
Being a mythical beast with strong hands, my massage helped Aunt Hye-seo breathe comfortably.
“Uuuu…”
And her low wailing was joined by other wolves.
Hmm… um.
Because my mother was of the Lang tribe, I understood the meaning in the wolves’ cries. Other Hyun family members who could also understand wolf language cleared their throats repeatedly.
The Lang shamans of the snowy mountains were cursing Baeksan, led by Aunt Hye-seo—and quite eloquently.
The Lang tribe and Canine tribe shared many similarities in speech.
Worried their harsh words might reach Baeksan, I stroked Aunt Hye-seo’s neck, prompting her to take a deep breath and curse even louder.
Mom, who had been transporting leopards and hyenas, slapped her forehead at the sight.
“Hye-seo.”
“Auuuuh!”
“You’re too exhausted. Let’s take you to our house.”
Aunt Hye-seo, who had been cursing Baeksan intensely, was lifted by Mom and carried away. Seeing this, the remaining Lang shamans gradually fell silent.
Fortunately, no one dared protest openly to the Emperor, so only Baeksan bore the brunt of the curses.
This was partly because Baeksan had devised the entire operation.
Thanks to this, it seemed my father-in-law’s lifespan would extend with every insult hurled at him today.
“Shh… haa.”
I inhaled deeply, enjoying the welcoming spring scent. Glancing around, I subtly headed toward the direction of Sobaeksan.
“Purrr.”
“Purrrr.”
Huge tigers were piled together there.
No one wanted to approach. Even a light cry would make their bodies stiff, making it terrifying to get near.
“Can I not go in?”
“Grrr.”
“Sorry, but feline races’ language system differs greatly from ours…”
Except for the Hyun family members.
The Canine tribe, less influenced by Mugara, were rolling soaked tigers around, checking for injuries or ill health, ready to remove them if necessary.
“Why are you trembling… oh, this is a pleasant feeling?”
“Purrrr.”
The tigers’ response was amusing.
Whenever the Hyun family touched them, they purred loudly, almost like an engine.
Baekjuseon, temporarily returned to human form, explained to our bewildered family.
“We rarely receive help outside our own kind. Being cared for like this makes our hearts warm and happy. People truly are meant to live together.”
Unlike our family, who had lost the mill handle (a metaphor for leadership?), the tiger tribe looked genuinely, immensely satisfied.
I found my pure white, beautiful tiger among them.
“Sobaeksan!”
“Krrooo.”
Holding my fiancé’s half-starved face in both hands, I pressed a kiss to his nose.
“You worked hard! You must be exhausted. My, look at your face—you’ve lost weight already…”
Poor thing.
I tilted his face around, and many incredulous gazes landed on us.
But I remained steadfast.
“Eat plenty of meat. I have more than enough. I also prepared herbal tea for you—drink it later in the warm ondol room.”
“Krrooo.”
Sobaeksan purred like the other tigers.
His loud sound partially masked the murmurs from behind.
“Look at Sobaeksan pretending to be coy.”
“Is that how love works?”
“Someone tell the Canine girl—the Soga’s size is far bigger than most adult tigers.”
“I can see he’s not ordinary, but our lady seems already smitten.”
I can’t hear it. I don’t care.
I hugged Sobaeksan tightly, grateful for all his effort today.
Having properly distributed the rain clouds, the rain fell steadily—not too much, not too little.
“Drreee…”
The exhausted summoners slept deeply. So the celebration would be held tomorrow. Doctors were on standby just in case anyone got sick.
As everyone rested, someone requested a private audience with me.
It was none other than His Majesty the Emperor.
Finally, I would meet my prospective mother-in-law.
Anticipating such a moment, I quickly tidied my hair and outfit.
Walking alone, I approached the destination.
His Majesty was in Grandma’s office. And the doorkeeper?
“It’s me.”
“Wow.”
It was Grandma.
Only an emperor would employ a former general as a doorkeeper.
Passing through the door she opened, I bowed low.
“I pay respects to His Excellency, the illustrious Emperor of Hleuk. I am Hye-on Hyun, eldest daughter of the Hyun family’s second son.”
“You may raise your head.”
I lifted my head slightly, seeing the still-beautiful and mystifying Emperor.
A teal light seemed to spread around her, and everything grew silent. She had surely cast a barrier.
“Yes.”
Our eyes met.
It was the first time I noticed the Emperor had green eyes with vertical pupils.
“I’ve truly wanted to meet you.”
I suppressed the urge to exclaim, “Me too!”
Even behind a barrier, I was facing my future mother-in-law. I tried to maintain proper composure, though a pleasant scent wafted through the air.
“…?”
Similar to Sobaeksan’s, yet subtly different.
Unlike my fiancé’s clean, refreshing scent that could captivate, this one was dryer, with sharp hints.
I wasn’t the only one noticing it. The Emperor leaned forward, narrowing her vertical pupils, and let out a soft exclamation.
“My child… you are—”
“Yes?”
“You are a Haetae.”
Startled, I forgot all etiquette and gaped in shock.
