chapter 02
The day Dad said something about a Haetae, Mom just collapsed onto the bed. It didn’t look like she was sick; she seemed more like she needed time to sort out her thoughts.
Mom, transformed into a wolf, lay back-to-back with Dad, sighing endlessly. She returned to her human form the next morning.
“We need books for the baby to read. If it’s really a Haetae, they’ll respond, and even if not, they’ll need it eventually…”
“I’ll get them right away.”
Before Mom even finished speaking, Dad dashed out like the wind and brought back the books.
It just so happened that it was Dad’s turn to take care of me. He opened one of the books, still carrying the faint chill of the outside air, right in front of me.
Could it be…? He’s going to read to me? Excited, I eagerly leaned closer, and Dad smiled gently before speaking.
“Humans naturally possess both animal and human forms, and after turning one year old, they can freely take either form as needed. This is so they may coexist. Only humans change forms to communicate. Though their species may differ, all are rightly called humans.”
Uh…?
Wait. Stop. Dad, stop!
I pressed my paws against Dad’s leg. Dad paused mid-reading.
Mom, who had just gone to the kitchen to get a snack, spoke calmly.
“Perhaps it’s better to read a little more slowly.”
“Was I too fast?”
“Well, it’s a baby.”
Their guess was only partially correct.
It was fast, but the sentences were so long I got flustered. And since it seemed important, I wanted to hear it again.
Anyway, as long as you eventually get there, any path is fine. As Dad started reading the book from the beginning, I focused immediately.
I am from Earth, South Korea, the blue planet!
A reincarnated child trained in listening comprehension!
“No matter how difficult, I’ll understand it all!”
With enthusiasm blazing, I perked up both ears without pause and managed to grasp the content of the thin booklet.
First, it seemed everyone here could switch between animal and human forms. It was similar to the beast-people races I’d seen in novels and comics in my past life.
The ability to transform at will started after turning one year old. If the parents were of different species, only one form was inherited.
Which explained why I was sometimes hit as a dog, sometimes as a human.
But there was one more twist—apparently, I was a Haetae. That part was confusing.
A Haetae?
My parents patiently explained.
“A Haetae is a just and incredibly strong being. They are occasionally born regardless of species, and their nature is so good they cannot stand to see evil go unpunished.”
Like the heroes I loved in movies in my past life.
A Haetae is like a hero in this world.
In my previous life, the Haetae I knew were giant statues, like seals, in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace or at snack brand logos.
Even so, I couldn’t believe I was a Haetae. No matter how I thought about it, I hadn’t been anything remarkable in my past life.
I wanted to tell my parents I wasn’t some extraordinary being. But my baby tongue couldn’t form the words yet!
Dad, unaware of my frustration, drank a cup of tea and continued.
“The Haetae are very intelligent, but as infants, they cannot control switching between human and animal forms.”
Huh?
“Sweetheart, normally you should be able to transform after turning one.”
What? I’m a puppy right now!
The information was coming in all at once. If this were a novel, readers might have bailed due to information overload.
But this was real life—no dropping out allowed!
I had to rack my brain to understand it.
Dad was of the dog species, and Mom was a wolf species. That meant my parents were different species when transformed.
In this world, if the same species marry, their child is born in animal form. But if the parents are different species, like mine, the baby is born human.
Usually, the child keeps one form until turning one year old, then can change. But…
“Not our baby, right?”
“…!”
I wasn’t.
I constantly switched between human and animal forms throughout the day!
Dad gently scratched between my brows with a faintly bitter smile.
Ah… that feels good. My previously chaotic feelings instantly calmed.
“Earlier, I said the Haetae cannot stand to see evil go unpunished. Do you know what that means?”
“Huh?”
“It means that even evil beings cannot harm you, a Haetae.”
The easiest time to distinguish a Haetae was when they were a baby.
All you had to do was check if the form kept changing. The weak infant could face life-threatening danger!
My mouth fell open.
I had been happily switching forms, wagging my tail whenever I was a puppy, and sitting like a baby when human…
And that was dangerous?
Being a reincarnated child didn’t help here.
I couldn’t control my transformations yet, and getting caught meant death. The difficulty level was insane from the start.
“Seeing you understand this… you really are a Haetae.”
Dad gently closed my chin with his finger. He looked as conflicted as I felt.
He must have suspected it, but secretly hoped he was wrong.
I hoped so too. Being just a puppy and a human would have been enough; why go all the way to Haetae?
Seeing my dismay, Mom finally reassured me.
“Don’t worry, my baby. Any being that threatens you will be taken care of by me.”
Wow…
So dependable and cool, but a little scary. Even in human form, Mom’s yellow eyes shone a piercing, fierce light.
Dad, looking fondly at her, added,
“I’ll risk my life to protect you and Mom too.”
Whoa, that’s terrifying in a different sense!
Dad said it with a warm smile, but the sincerity behind it weighed heavily.
“Pewwong.”
“Haha, our baby. Why the sigh?”
“Pewww.”
No matter what happens, one thing was clear: I was lucky to have these parents.
My heart felt warm.
Currently, our family lived in my parents’ honeymoon home.
In this country, couples lived independently at the start of marriage. Once the baby turned one, they would decide whether to return to the parents’ home.
If the parents were different species, like mine, no one knew if the baby would resemble the dog or the wolf until one year old.
Once the baby turned one, if it resembled Dad’s species, it would live with his family; if Mom’s, with her family; or continue independently.
“Did you refuse a nanny?”
“Yes. When we return to the parent’s home, I told them not to send anyone for the time being.”
Until I, the Haetae, was born.
In fact, we only discovered I was a Haetae recently. Before that, my parents’ caution was always at maximum, because they didn’t know why I was different.
If my true nature was exposed, it could have been dangerous.
“Didn’t your family find it odd?”
“That’s exactly why I was called back. My mother demanded to know why I refused all help.”
“And?”
“I explained everything. Thanks to my mother, we learned our baby is a Haetae. Though Haetae are famous, information is scarce. Only high officials know infants can’t control their form—it’s frightening.”
Dad sighed while stroking me.
“If the uninformed sought help and discovered our baby was a Haetae, corrupt officials would find out too.”
That was chilling.
Wait… was this all intentionally hidden? To spot the Haetae and… erase them?
Since there are many bad powerful people, the thought made me shiver. Mom quickly wrapped me in a blanket.
Fortunately, Grandma sent essential supplies and secret bodyguards instead of a nanny. These guards kept people away from our home.
One more person came from the parent’s house.
“Long time no see.”
“Uncle!”
Dad’s older brother, my uncle.
“Wash your hands before entering.”
“….”
“Here’s a gift.”
My uncle went through quarantine, disinfection, and gift-giving before stepping into the room.
Since I was a human baby, I could only hear his voice greeting Mom.
“The head of the household said they’d know what to do if I came here. What’s going on?”
“You get straight to the point as always.”
“Answer me.”
With a thin smile, Dad handed me to my uncle.
Dad told me Uncle already had two sons.
Experienced in childcare, Uncle held me steadily and asked again.
Ah, my body is ticklish.
Now!
“Woof!”
“…!”
As a puppy, I twisted quickly to sit.
Finally, some relief. Being a human baby was inconvenient.
Sitting on Uncle’s frozen hands, I wagged my tail and grinned.
Seeing his face made my tail wag even faster.
With jet-black hair and eyes, he resembled Dad but had sharper, stronger features.
His neat topknot and upright posture reflected his disciplined character.
It was hilarious that his usually unflappable handsome face froze because of me.
“So it seems, brother.”
“….”
Just as Dad said.
That’s how it happened!
My uncle listened alternately to Mom and Dad, then fell silent for a while. I played on his palm.
Dad’s hands were big, but Uncle’s weren’t any smaller. Perfect for play!
He held me firmly, preventing me from rolling off, and finally spoke.
“…I see. I understand why the head of the household sent me here.”
After a deep sigh, he looked at me, round pink belly exposed; Dad, smiling but tense; and Mom, sitting calmly. Then he concluded:
“You all are moving to the parent’s home.”
The move was decided!
