chapter 11
“Your hands are still so rough.”
My aunt murmured as she felt my back. Seeing her like that, Mom just chuckled lightly.
“Hello, Hyeon. It’s Aunt Hyesuh.”
Aunt Hyesuh, finally able to straighten her back, greeted me.
Up close, her eyes were even more beautiful than I’d imagined. Like jewels.
Entranced, I reached out my hand, and she took it.
“All your nails are intact on such tiny hands.”
Aunt Hyesuh studied me carefully and marveled.
“Mixed-blood babies are so small and cute. You said you’re eight months old now? When will you start walking?”
“In a month or two, I guess.”
“Just as I heard, your growth is a bit slow. But it’s fine. I looked into it—mixed-blood babies are socially smart and develop well.”
“Thank you, really.”
Mom hugged me briefly and said,
“Let’s not linger here. Let’s go inside and talk.”
“Okay.”
Mom led Aunt Hyesuh naturally into the master room of the annex.
This was the moment the Room of Truth would open.
Aunt Hyesuh, having learned everything, collapsed. True to blood, her reaction was identical to Mom’s when she first discovered my secret.
“No wonder the clan leader said he’d know once he comes down.”
“Is that so?”
“Usually he gives hints. But this time, he asked me to trust him and meet you directly. He said I’d understand when I saw you.”
“I see.”
“But still…!”
She couldn’t finish her sentence and lay face down.
Was my identity really that shocking?
Coincidentally, my human form time had ended. In my puppy form, I trotted over to her with tiny paw steps. Aunt Hyesuh, sensing my presence, lifted her head briefly before lowering it again.
Are you okay, Auntie?
Whining and circling her, she finally scooped me up in a hug.
“Why is this kid so adorable?”
“So… are you going to help?”
“How could I not? My nephew’s in danger. Besides, he’s your child.”
Hearing Auntie’s weary voice, Mom let out a low laugh, as if she’d expected it.
Aunt Hyesuh, still holding me, finally sat up.
“But you’ll need to be more careful.”
“Did we make some mistake?”
“No. You’ve done everything perfectly. The only problem is that Hae-tae is well-known among advanced sorcerers.”
Her uneasy voice scattered over my head.
“You know how strong an advanced sorcerer can be, right?”
“Yes.”
“An advanced sorcerer who masters the Five Elements and controls power freely is recognized as a strategic weapon by the nation. The Emperor personally grants their office…”
“Grants it?”
“With great power comes great responsibility. If they ever corrupt themselves, even if they evade the eyes of the state, Hae-tae will punish them.”
My jaw dropped.
Poor Hae-tae must think, What kind of trouble is this?
I’m not some grandfather figure who punishes children for wrongdoing. I’m just being used to keep corrupt officials in check!
“But here’s the thing you can’t ignore. Let me show you records of actual corrupt advanced sorcerers being punished by Hae-tae.”
“……”
“When I read the records, I thought, So many people fall to corruption… This country hasn’t fallen because Hae-tae fought them all. And yet corrupt officials still abound. Human nature is filthy… something like that…”
The more I heard, the more dizzying it became. Mom and I squeezed our eyes shut simultaneously.
No wonder Auntie collapsed when she found out I was Hae-tae. Even after seeing countless warnings, she’d surely faint learning her nephew is Hae-tae.
“In short, advanced sorcerers must also be careful. The more power you have, the more you risk losing. Those at Hae-tae’s level, if they fall, can do unimaginable things.”
“It’s overwhelming.”
“Fortunately, there aren’t that many advanced sorcerers. Only twenty-five are officially registered. Including retired ones, maybe more—but still, not too many.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“You’re welcome.”
Aunt Hyesuh smiled warmly, holding me and gently rocking me.
How fun!
Despite the serious situation, I couldn’t help laughing, which loosened Mom’s tense expression.
“Alright. I’ll put a special powerful seal on you for my nephew. But I’ll need something first.”
“What is it?”
“Part of your body.”
I blinked in disbelief. Part of my body?
“I need a part of Hyeon’s body… a lot.”
Gripping my frozen form tightly, Aunt Hyesuh smiled eerily.
“A lot.”
Kyaaa!
The next day, after the exhausting ordeal, I sniffled as I ate the meat patties Mom had prepared.
When are Aunt and Uncle coming?
Since it was the day before Chuseok, the annex was bustling with people and their scents—but there was still no sign of Aunt and Uncle.
After yesterday’s humiliation!
Mom tickled my cheek as I puffed out my cheeks in frustration.
“My baby… even more adorable today.”
“Bzziiing!”
“Do you want beef pancakes too?”
“…Hmph.”
No fault of the pancakes. I devoured them fiercely—the thinly sliced beef dipped in egg mixture melted in my mouth.
My dad, the second son of the clan and head of the family, returned late at night after hosting guests.
“Dohyang and Dohwan are home.”
Finally!
I perked up from dozing and Dad put me on his lap.
“They came in a hurry and hadn’t eaten, so we fed them first.”
“Was it really that rushed?”
“If it weren’t for a letter from Mom saying they must visit during this holiday, they wouldn’t have come. The situation in the southwest seems rough.”
After whispering to each other, my parents got ready to leave. They’d probably be telling Grandma my secret over dinner by now.
“Hyesuh.”
“All set.”
They called Aunt Hyesuh, who had been meditating since morning to cast the special seal. I stayed in human form just in case and sat on Dad’s lap.
Our family moved along a mostly empty road.
Oh, the bright moon hung in the night sky.
As I gazed at the moon, surely magnificent tomorrow, we arrived at the building Grandma used as her office. Auntie paused and moved her lips.
Whoosh. A yellow-and-blue aura swept past us.
“I sealed this entire building with magic.”
Aunt Hyesuh’s eyes glowed like luminescent jewels in the dark.
“Now, no one will know what happens inside.”
A reassuring support.
Mom and Dad thanked Auntie and entered the building.
The office was right ahead.
“Come in.”
Even before they announced it, Grandma’s voice came from inside. Dad paused, sighed, and slid the door open.
Drreeek.
The first thing visible through the open door was a dog.
Large, black, and fierce-looking, like a goblin-dog, glaring at us.
On closer look, it was a dog depicted on a folding screen. Yet even behind the terrifyingly realistic painting, someone’s presence was undeniable.
“Perfect timing.”
Grandma Hyeontae.
“We were just about to start the seal.”
With her usual harsh voice, she welcomed us—more imposing than the dog painting.
I hadn’t noticed, but the office had quite a few people.
First, my uncle and aunt.
Mom’s sister and her husband. They must’ve been briefed, because I felt Aunt closely watching me. I smiled and waved.
We’re all in this together now.
Aunt let out a soft laugh.
“Wait, wait. You say you’re casting a seal… right now? Like this?”
A surprised voice cut through the air. I looked toward it.
Two young people sat there.
Black hair, black eyes. Though fraternal twins, their faces looked identical.
Amazingly, their resemblance to Grandma was uncanny—they were my aunt and uncle.
“What’s wrong? Complaints?”
“Complaints? N-no, umph umph.”
Grandma tilted slightly, and Aunt quickly covered Uncle’s mouth.
“I’m not complaining, I just think greetings come first.”
“Umph umph!”
“Dohwan, you agree?”
“Umph umph umph!”
Although an awkward consultation, Grandma nodded as if to humor them.
“Good.”
At her signal, Dad set me down.
All eyes immediately turned to me.
“Woofwoof!”
Hello!
When I greet energetically, even adults who are usually bewildered smile. My aunt and uncle were no exception.
They stared at me drowsily, then suddenly seemed to realize something and shouted:
“There are people trying to kill such a tiny kid?”
“Shouldn’t the higher-ups be replaced again?”
Wow. Rough words but caring ones. I laughed, and their faces softened again.
“If I had known, I’d have deserted just to come faster.”
“Right. If you deserted, Dohyang, I’d come to catch you. Perfect.”
“You brat?”
“Well.”
As my aunt and uncle wrestled playfully, I transformed into a puppy.
Just for convenience in moving—but everyone except Mom, Dad, and Auntie was startled.
I held back a sigh.
To cast the powerful seal, they needed a part of my body.
Sigh.
The part they needed was my thick winter fur, painstakingly trimmed by Aunt Hyesuh yesterday.
“When did our granddaughter become a bear-dog?”
I went from a brave, fur-flinging puppy to a baby bear!
Yesterday was truly grueling.
I couldn’t move for over an hour, trembling every time the glittering scissors touched me. I kept squealing helplessly. When the scissor blade brushed near my ears—ugh!
After all that, the seal must be cast.
Let’s do this, seal!
“Snikt!”
“Ahem.”
My loud bark made Aunt stifle a laugh, turning her head.
Already heard it all.
“Our granddaughter’s fur is ready. Greetings can wait until after the seal.”
Grandma’s words prompted Aunt Hyesuh to step forward.
She placed a cushion in the middle of the office, set me on it, and distributed pouches of my cut fur to everyone.
“Let’s begin.”
Aunt placed her hands on my back, straightened her posture, and inhaled deeply.
I braced myself for the difficulty.
Yellow and blue light exploded, then vanished.
“Done.”
Huh? That’s it?
Confused, I watched as Aunt shook her hands.
That was really all.
After all the effort, even down to the teddy bear cut, the seal to protect my secret ended absurdly quickly.
