Chapter : 31
“By the way, Donggeul!”
“Beep?”
“You’re a high-ranking magical beast!”
I’d learned that high-ranking magical beasts could understand everything humans said. Some were even said to be more intelligent than humans.
Before, I thought it was just coincidence that Donggeul and I could communicate, but now I was sure. This wasn’t coincidence.
“Our Donggeul, I didn’t expect this from you!”
“Beep?”
Donggeul puffed out his chest proudly. His soft white fur fluttered as if showing off.
‘But then… how do I understand everything Donggeul says?’
It made sense that Donggeul understood me, but it was strange that I could understand him perfectly too.
‘Well, I’ll probably find out someday.’
“At this rate, Donggeul, are you going to start talking later? Maybe even writing letters?”
“Beep?”
Donggeul scampered around, leaving footprints in the dirt. They vaguely looked like letters, but I was starting to feel sleepy, so I put Donggeul into my pocket and headed home.
While others were assigned to reclaim the rice fields and build the school, Eric, the Crown Prince, and I headed into the forest. George was cutting trees at the forest entrance and waved us off.
With the Crown Prince with us, I wasn’t afraid to go deep into the woods. Zombies were scary, but magical beasts weren’t.
Following Donggeul’s advice, we’d also brought a basket filled with pretty, bright-red strawberries.
Passing through the sunny forest, we eventually entered a much deeper area where barely any light reached.
“Shh.”
After walking for a while, the Crown Prince crouched and signaled for silence.
‘Gasp!’
In the distance, a white silk moth was fluttering around.
‘They call it a moth, but it’s the size of a large dog.’
The silk moth was about the size of an adult golden retriever. In other words, a huge, fluffy moth was buzzing around a flower field.
‘But… it’s kind of cute.’
Despite its size, its big black eyes made it look adorable. The silk moth flitted from flower to flower, happily sniffing each scent.
Its white wings, decorated with elegant patterns, fluttered beautifully as it moved.
“Eric, get ready.”
“Yes, sir!”
Eric handed over the net he’d made the night before. Just as Donggeul popped out of my pocket and started chirping at the sight of it—
The Crown Prince dashed forward like lightning.
His movements were swift and precise. He leapt and threw the net, which spread wide with a whoosh and flew straight at the moth.
“Kyuen!”
With a cute cry, the moth was caught perfectly and fell to the ground with a thud. The Crown Prince brushed Donggeul away—who was pecking at him angrily—and said to me,
“Let’s go.”
We stepped out from behind the trees and approached the silk moth. It was still struggling desperately inside the net.
When it noticed us, it froze, then large teardrops began falling from its big eyes.
“Kkuu……”
It seemed to think it was about to die and began crying loudly with pitiful sounds.
“So… how do we take it with us?”
“It looks like it’s lived well. It’s huge.”
“Hm…”
As we were pondering, Donggeul hopped out of my pocket and approached the moth.
“Beep?” Beep…
“Kkuu?”
“Do they know each other?”
“Beep?”
Donggeul flapped energetically in response. He pecked angrily at the Crown Prince’s hair, but was quickly caught.
“What is the matter?”
“Beep?”
“Hm. I have no idea what it’s saying.”
“Please give Donggeul to me.”
Donggeul jumped from my hand and ran over to the silk moth, then stared intently at the basket.
“This?”
“Beep?”
I carefully approached the moth. Seeing Donggeul calm, the moth didn’t resist as I got closer.
I took a strawberry from the basket and held it out.
“Here. Want to try this?”
“Kkuu? Kkuuu!”
The moth sniffed the strawberry and its eyes sparkled.
“Kkuung!”
As if saying ‘Thank you for the meal!’, it gulped the strawberry down in one bite, then stared longingly at the rest.
“Is it good?”
“Kkuu! Kkuu!”
“Want more?”
“Kkuung!”
“If you come with me, you can eat tons of these.”
“Kkuuu…?”
The silk moth seemed to think it over. Then Donggeul landed beside it and began chirping rapidly.
We watched nervously. We could force it to come, but we didn’t want to. Otherwise, we’d need to build a special prison just for it.
“Beep?” Beep.. Beep..!!!!
“Kkuu? Kkuukkuu?”
“Beep?”
‘Donggeul sounds like he’s totally scamming it…’
Donggeul flapped around enthusiastically, clearly promising rare and delicious food if it followed us.
‘That’s a lie though…’
After a bit of back-and-forth, the silk moth finally nodded.
Eric muttered in disbelief,
“Did that silk moth just… nod?”
The Crown Prince, unfazed, said calmly,
“High-ranking magical beasts can communicate with each other. That sparrow really is a magical beast.”
I quickly defended Donggeul.
“But he’s cute, smart, and even helps with farming.”
“Still, it could turn violent someday. We’ll need to keep watch.”
Eric cut in,
“Anyway, it looks like the silk moth decided to come with us.”
Indeed, the moth looked at us with determined eyes and tapped the net as if asking to be freed.
“Is it really okay to remove the net? What if it flies away?”
“It’ll be fine. Let’s trust Donggeul.”
“I’ll remove it.”
The Crown Prince slowly pulled back the net. Freed, the silk moth fluttered its white wings refreshingly.
“Is it running away?”
“Beep?”
“Donggeul says it’s not.”
“How do you even understand that bird?”
“I don’t know. I just… do.”
“Kkuung?”
After flying around the forest once, the moth returned and stood before us. Its eyes drifted back to the basket of strawberries, and it positioned itself behind us as if ready to follow.
Eric beamed.
“It really is coming with us!”
“Let’s go before it changes its mind.”
We walked proudly into the fortress. When the large white silk moth followed, everyone working froze in shock.
“That’s the legendary silk moth!”
“How did you get it to come willingly, my lady?”
“I thought you’d drag it in!”
“Does this mean we can make clothes now?”
“Wow! A bird!”
“It’s a pretty bird!”
Children trailed behind excitedly. The silk moth merely sighed elegantly, as if annoyed.
“Kkuung? Kkuuu?”
“Oh, you want this?”
“Kkuu!”
It nodded politely, eyes sparkling. Smiling, I handed over the basket.
“Here you go.”
“Kkuuuu!”
Hugging the basket like it owned the world, the moth settled in the yard and began happily munching strawberries. People gathered around to watch in amazement.
“Kkuu? Kkukk!”
It seemed to say, ‘Never seen a silk moth eat like this before? Go away!’ I couldn’t help laughing.
“It eats well.”
It really did. After devouring all the strawberries, it patted its round belly contentedly.
Then some kids came up to me.
“My lady, is that really a bird?”
“It’s a moth.”
“Kkuuu! Kku!”
“It says don’t call it ‘that.’ Call it ‘Sir Silk Moth.’”
“No way!”
“Kkuung!”
“It says it doesn’t like you either.”
“Hmph! I don’t like moths! I like birds!”
The moth sniffed and turned its head away. Donggeul fluttered beside it, seemingly trying to smooth things over.
Fearing a fight, I took the kids to an open area. They looked like they’d already been scolded near the school construction site.
I decided to teach them hopscotch. I drew eight large squares and wrote numbers inside.
‘Oh. They don’t know numbers.’
Too late now.
“Kids, I’ll teach you a new game today.”
“What is it? Do you know how to play too?”
“Of course. I played this when I was young.”
I explained using the order of the squares and showed how to jump on one foot or two.
“I wanna go first!”
“Let’s decide the order fairly.”
Soon, they were playing on their own.
“You stepped on the line!”
“I didn’t!”
“You did!”
“I didn’t!”
“You totally did!”
“Hic…”
Before they could fight, I stepped in. The child who lost trudged back sadly.
‘Later I should teach them jacks, cops and robbers, and freeze tag.’
As I watched them play, someone called out,
“My lady! Please come take a look at the rice field ridge!”
“Yes! I’m coming!”
Another busy day in the fortress came to an end.
End Of Chapter : 31
