Chapter : 1
So-ya was on her way back, carrying one of the few remaining bundles of laundry on her head.
For the past month, she had avoided leaving her room as much as possible, trying not to draw attention. But today, it couldn’t be helped.
If she didn’t go herself, there was no one who would wash her clothes for her.
It had already been a month since she had last done the laundry, and a stale odor now clung to her already shabby garments.
‘Let’s hurry back.’
She wanted to quickly dry the freshly washed clothes in the sunlight and change into something warm and fluffy.
And so, with her short legs moving as fast as they could, she hurried along.
That was when—
Not far away, a bright, lovely burst of laughter rang out, and So-ya instinctively stopped in her tracks.
“Really, Brother?”
“Yes, Lili. If that’s what you want, anything.”
There stood the young master and young lady of the Vermillion Bird clan.
The clan’s “real” young lady, who had returned not long ago.
These days, she was the hottest topic even among the servants of the household.
But So-ya’s gaze did not linger on the lovely Lady Lili.
Instead, her eyes fixed on the face of the young master standing beside her, warmly guiding her through the estate.
With a gentle smile as warm as a spring breeze, he looked at the young lady with soft affection.
So-ya stared at that tender, serene face as if spellbound.
It had been three whole years since she had last seen it.
Then suddenly, the young master’s eyes met hers.
“……”
In an instant, the smile vanished from his face.
As if what she had seen moments ago had been nothing but a mirage, his expression turned icy.
Startled, So-ya flinched and hurriedly lowered the laundry basket from her head onto the ground.
Then she dropped flat onto the floor, bowing her head low like a criminal.
“I-I’m sorry, Young Master……”
She could feel his sharp gaze resting on the top of her head.
[Do not ever appear before me again.]
The cold voice echoed in her mind, and So-ya’s small body trembled.
Jeok So-ya had once been the precious youngest daughter of the Vermillion Bird clan.
Until the day she turned six and attempted her first transformation into a beast.
In the nation where beastfolk lived—Taehwa Kingdom.
Within Taehwa Kingdom were four great clans who inherited the blood of ancient divine beasts, protecting the imperial family and guarding the empire.
The Azure Dragon of the East.
The White Tiger of the West.
The Vermillion Bird of the South.
The Black Tortoise of the North.
Since ancient times, they had awakened their supernatural powers and ruled over the four lands of east, west, south, and north—and the beastfolk who lived upon them.
Among them, the Vermillion Bird clan, guardians of the southern lands of the empire, were the leaders of 360 species of birds and masters of fire.
The Vermillion Bird estate was bustling with excitement from early morning.
Today was the sixth birthday of their precious youngest young lady, So-ya—and the day of her first transformation.
Everyone tried to hide their pounding anticipation when the clan head, Jeok A-yun, appeared, carrying So-ya in his arms.
“My, the clan head himself……”
“They say he cherishes the youngest young lady so dearly that he never lets her leave his arms. It seems the rumors were true.”
The retainers whispered among themselves as they watched Jeok A-yun and So-ya.
Unlike Jeok A-yun, whose hair blazed red like living flames, So-ya’s hair was pure white, like fresh snow.
The late Madam had possessed reddish-brown hair tinged with scarlet during her lifetime. Because of that, when So-ya was born, many had whispered doubts about her origins.
They speculated that the Madam—who had passed away from childbirth fever—might have committed adultery.
But Jeok A-yun had swiftly silenced those suspicions.
His deceased wife had been pure as snow. No one was to dare question her chastity.
Anyone spreading such foul rumors would answer directly to him.
Besides, on the day of the first transformation, it would become unmistakably clear whether the child truly bore the blood of the Vermillion Bird.
When direct descendants of the Vermillion Bird clan transformed, they became magnificent firebirds adorned with brilliantly blazing red feathers.
It was an unchanging law passed down since ancient times.
No matter what others said, Jeok A-yun’s trust in his late wife never wavered.
Nor did his affection for So-ya, the last trace she had left behind.
Above all, if she were not his daughter, how could this tiny child be so utterly adorable?
“So-ya, are you ready?”
Jeok A-yun set her down gently and asked in a warm voice.
“Yes, Father!”
So-ya replied, clenching her small fists tightly.
Perhaps she was nervous—her hands were trembling with tension.
“Don’t be nervous, So-ya. You can do it.”
Jeok Hwa-yu, her elder brother and the second young master of the Vermillion Bird clan, whispered beside her.
“Yes! So-ya will do well, Brother!”
She grinned brightly.
With her father’s and Hwa-yu’s encouragement, her nerves seemed to ease a little.
It would have been even better if her eldest brother, San-yu, who had left on campaign at the Emperor’s summons, could have been here as well.
Receiving the encouragement of her family and the retainers, So-ya stepped toward the altar set before her.
Above the platform hung a massive painting of the Vermillion Bird—a crimson bird wrapped entirely in flames as radiant as the sun.
Kneeling before it, So-ya clasped her hands together for the ritual of her first transformation.
She recalled everything her father and brothers had taught her and imagined herself after transforming.
A proud, splendid little bird blazing like the sun.
‘Hehe.’
Just imagining it made her want to giggle, even though it was such a solemn occasion.
She pressed her lips tight to suppress her smile and focused earnestly on her Spirit Core.
‘Please let me become a magnificent little bird.’
Everyone held their breath as they waited for So-ya’s first transformation.
Boom!
“Pya!”
With the tiny cry of a baby bird, So-ya successfully transformed for the first time.
“……”
“……”
“……”
An icy silence fell over the hall.
Shock colored every face.
Clan Head Jeok A-yun’s face turned deathly pale, as though he might collapse at any moment.
Where So-ya had transformed, there stood—
Not a divine beast with brilliant crimson feathers befitting the blood of the Vermillion Bird,
But a pitiful little bird covered in shabby white down.
“Chirp?”
Unable to see herself, So-ya tilted her head in confusion and toddled toward her frozen father.
“Pyaa!”
Smiling brightly, she reached out to grab Jeok A-yun’s hand.
Swat!
He violently shook her off.
Her small body wobbled and tumbled to the ground with a soft thud.
“Chirp…?”
Having fallen onto her bottom, So-ya forgot even the pain as she looked up at her father in shock.
For a fleeting moment, confusion crossed Jeok A-yun’s face—but it vanished just as quickly.
“Take the child’s Spirit Core and lock her in the Cold Palace.”
“……!”
He looked down at So-ya with cold eyes as he spoke.
“If anyone speaks of what happened today, none will be spared.”
With that, Jeok A-yun turned and left without another glance.
“Chirp…?”
So-ya blinked as she watched his retreating back.
‘Father is angry.’
His eyes had been so cold that it felt as though her chest would freeze over.
‘Why did he look at So-ya like that?’
At her feet, she noticed tiny white specks scattered like dandelion seeds.
‘No… those aren’t dandelion seeds.’
They were her feathers—fallen when she had stumbled.
Her eyes wavered.
Something was wrong.
As a direct descendant of the Vermillion Bird, she was supposed to have brilliant red feathers like Father and her brothers.
Why—
‘I failed the transformation.’
Looking at the pitiful white fluff scattered around her, So-ya realized it.
‘Because So-ya failed… Is that why Father is disappointed?’
She was confused.
Just then, a slightly smaller shadow approached her.
It was Hwa-yu.
If it was Brother, perhaps he could fix this confusion.
“Chirp…!”
In the frightening atmosphere, So-ya ran toward him, trying to throw herself into his arms like she always did.
But the moment she touched him—
Thud—!
A sensation as though her very soul had been struck, and something was ripped from her body.
A small orb glowed white in Hwa-yu’s hand.
It was So-ya’s Spirit Core.
The moment it was taken, her transformation was undone.
“Haah…!”
Back in human form, So-ya collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.
“Brother, why……?”
“Drag that thing out at once.”
She flinched at the icy voice.
On the face of the brother who had always cherished her, there was now only contempt.
“Brother…?”
“Why are you standing there? Remove it immediately.”
Two clan soldiers seized So-ya by the arms as she trembled.
“Brother, why—why are you doing this? I—I’m So-ya.”
“Brother?”
Jeok Hwa-yu’s face twisted.
“Who said I am your brother?”
“Is it because I failed? Because you’re angry and disappointed? I-I’m sorry. I-I’ll try again. Next time I’ll definitely succeed……”
Large tears streamed down So-ya’s cheeks.
“Please don’t do this. I’m so scared.”
But despite her pitiful, trembling pleas, Hwa-yu’s expression remained cold.
He bent down slowly to meet her gaze.
For a brief moment, hope flickered in her face.
“How dare you deceive us all for so long.”
His voice was cold with fury.
“Do not ever appear before me again.”
“……”
“If I see that disgusting face one more time, I may cut off those worthless wings of yours.”
“……!”
At the murderous threat, So-ya clamped both hands over her mouth to stifle her sob.
The soldiers dragged her away.
And so, the once-beloved youngest daughter of the Vermillion Bird clan, Jeok So-ya, was imprisoned in the Cold Palace.
At first, she did not understand why Father and Hwa-yu were so angry.
Maybe it was because she failed the transformation.
Because instead of magnificent flaming feathers, she had pitiful white down.
If she succeeded next time, then Father and Brother would forgive her and smile at her again.
Yes, that must be it.
Left alone, So-ya tried to transform again.
But without her Spirit Core, it was impossible.
Even knowing that, she forced herself to try—only for her body to suffer internal injuries until she coughed up blood and collapsed.
Of course, no one came to examine So-ya as she lay there vomiting blood.
No physician was summoned.
Yet her frail little body stubbornly endured, refusing to die despite the blood and fever.
Because of that, the workers of the Cold Palace assumed she was merely pretending to be sick to gain the clan head’s attention.
Each time she regained consciousness, So-ya forced herself to attempt another transformation, only to cough up blood and faint again.
It was only later, after overhearing the maids whispering, that she finally understood.
Her existence was proof of her mother’s infidelity.
‘I wasn’t Father’s real daughter.’
Only then did So-ya finally stop trying to transform.
That had been three years ago.
Everyone forgot So-ya—forgot that there had once been a beloved youngest young lady in the Vermillion Bird clan.
Father did.
Hwa-yu did.
…
…
And then, one month ago.
The real young lady of the Vermillion Bird clan returned.
