chapter 48
I became ice.
Until now, no one had ever discovered that I was a Haetae, except for my mom and dad.
But the fact that His Majesty the Emperor recognized it instantly was astonishing.
Moreover, Haetae are often a thorn in the side of those in power. The emperor didn’t seem like a bad person, but I couldn’t help being afraid.
Before I knew it, I had turned into a small dog and let out a squeak.
“Oh my.”
The emperor clicked his tongue, lifted my small body, and placed me on his lap. He petted my back gently, soothing me.
“I had no intention of scaring such a small and lovely child. I was careless.”
“Whimper…”
“You must have been surprised that I recognized you so suddenly.”
I really was. How could he immediately know I was a Haetae?
Once I calmed down a bit, my curiosity got the better of me, and I looked up at His Majesty. As I looked, the emperor gazed down at me with a smile, which made my heart skip.
Oh.
That eye-smile just now… it resembled Sobaeksan’s.
“This is just between you and me, but dragons and Haetae have always gotten along well.”
“Grr?”
“Though your kind doesn’t leave records for generations, it might be difficult to document, dragons live long lives and maintain records through their bloodlines. So, we know quite a bit about Haetae. Would you like to hear?”
“Woof!”
It was the first time I learned that dragons knew about Haetae.
I climbed down from the emperor’s lap, sat in front of him, and straightened my chest.
It was my way of showing I was ready to listen.
“You’re a polite and kind child. I wish my sons would grow up that way too.”
I tilted my head.
I hadn’t met the Crown Prince yet, but my fiancé, Sobaeksan, was very polite and kind.
Now that I remembered, I had almost forgotten—the emperor was Sobaeksan’s mother. I greeted her, long overdue.
To my future mother-in-law: thank you for giving birth to such a fine son!
As I barked respectfully, the emperor seemed to understand some of the canine language and sighed.
“Perhaps only the child in front of me is this charming. This must have been quite vexing for the current head of the family.”
“Mmm?”
“No, nothing.”
Apologizing for digressing, the emperor began telling me what dragons knew about Haetae. Naturally, I perked up my ears.
The emperor said that dragons and Haetae had been close for a long time.
Dragons were naturally upright in character; if their convictions broke, they would be utterly unsettled. Perhaps for that reason, they often became friends with Haetae.
“We also found that we could recognize each other in our own ways.”
That method was simple:
Scent.
Dragons who became friends with Haetae recorded their unique smells carefully.
“You carry the scent of water. You dislike injustice, and I can feel the power you use to consume it.”
Conversely, Haetae could sense a refreshing scent from dragons, a pleasant fragrance that relieved the noses that had endured the stench of evildoers.
Hearing this, I finally understood the secret behind the wonderful aura I had sensed from Sobaeksan.
It was because of his dragon bloodline!
Another thing I now knew about my fiancé. Feeling pleased, I wagged my tail and transformed back into my human form.
This form was definitely better for conversation.
Even across species, we could still communicate.
As I nodded and straightened my posture, a trace of regret crossed the emperor’s face. Somehow, everyone who had seen me as a dog looked that way when I transformed back.
“I’ll turn back into my beast form after we finish talking.”
“Then very well.”
The emperor nodded at my words.
After that, we discussed Sobaeksan rather than Haetae. Though some words were restricted by the golden prohibition, she understood perfectly.
“Sobaeksan suddenly came and gave you flowers?”
“Yes.”
“He took my heart. He would also come unannounced to hand me flowers whenever he was free.”
“Baeksan?”
I couldn’t imagine it. Baeksan seemed more suited to holding a bottle of alcohol than flowers.
Seeing my stunned face, the emperor said that no other man fit flowers as perfectly as him.
“And the one in whose arms this little bundle was placed… that’s me.”
“…”
“I didn’t think even that would suit him.”
Complex emotions filled her face.
“I sent my love out on the wind because I couldn’t stay where it would rest. I only wished for their freedom and happiness.”
Her expression was gentle, but her eyes were sad.
“I only wished that.”
That emotion was clearly affection, so I transformed into a dog and snuggled against her.
The emperor held me tightly for a while. I wagged my tail at her comforting touch and scent, and she chuckled softly, running her hand over my head.
I thought the private meeting would end here, but then—
Bang!
The protective barrier surrounding us vanished as if a soap bubble had popped.
“Yoo-hoo.”
Then, a faint yet distinct voice, like the wind, echoed through the office.
“Have you been well?”
The intruder who suddenly appeared was Baeksan.
Baeksan wasn’t the only one to suddenly storm the office. My fiancé, Sobaeksan, was holding onto Baeksan’s sleeve.
I recognized the boy immediately.
I had desperately tried to stop Baeksan but failed spectacularly!
And that failure included my grandmother.
Look at that flushed, furious face—it wouldn’t be strange if he beheaded Baeksan right there.
“Ah, yes.”
In the icy silence, Baeksan casually shrugged and crossed his arms.
“Preparation is necessary for conversation.”
No sooner had he said that, I felt a sharp prickling sensation. I realized what Baeksan had done and bristled all over.
“Father, did you just break the golden prohibition?”
It was June, the day to reinforce the golden prohibition that concealed Sobaeksan’s secret from me. But Baeksan had broken it three months early, taking the consequences!
“Isn’t it tiresome to speak indirectly to avoid the prohibition?”
“…”
Everyone in the room was taken aback.
Especially my grandmother, who looked at Baeksan like a madman. I, too, glared at him as if I were my grandmother.
But Baeksan didn’t stop there; he set up a barrier around the entire office.
It was an enormous barrier.
Thanks to it, I realized it was the barrier that had been established in the deepest part of the palace.
“Phew.”
With such strong security, even Baeksan struggled. He staggered and finally collapsed before the emperor.
“Baeksan!”
Surprised, I transformed back into human form to catch him, but a gentle breeze nudged me aside, and Baeksan landed in the emperor’s lap instead.
“Unstoppable.”
The emperor sighed and patted Baeksan’s head. But he buried his face in her chest and hugged her tightly.
“Still spoiled, just like before.”
I recognized my father in that posture: pretending to be weak to be held.
“Again.”
“Hmm?”
Sure enough, Baeksan rubbed his cheek against the emperor’s chest, pretending weakness.
“You tried to leave me alone again.”
“Impossible.”
“You liar…”
Baeksan murmured sadly. That sight was both infuriating and natural, and I silently screamed.
By the way, this couple reminded me of the emperor’s romantic past.
“I knew I couldn’t let you go.”
“Baeksan.”
“Truly mean and bad.”
I turned my gaze to the air, unable to witness my future father-in-law’s coquettishness.
My wandering eyes then fell on Sobaeksan. My fiancé’s face had been red for a while.
He seemed embarrassed because of Baeksan.
“Phew.”
Grandmother sighed and entered the office, closing the wide-open doors.
“I failed in my role as gatekeeper. Please forgive me.”
“Who can stop the wind?”
The emperor laughed and said it was fine, but grandmother shook her head in disapproval.
“Whether wind or water, if it harms the emperor, it is our duty to block and remove it, don’t you understand?”
“I know. But this tiger is weak to the harm.”
“Do not fall for his charm.”
“Isn’t that part of his charm?”
“Look, Hyeon. He’s the original casanova.”
Grandmother and the emperor seemed very close, joking without restraint.
Relaxed, I quietly took a seat, and Sobaeksan immediately sat beside me, while grandmother sat across from the emperor.
“So, why all this chaos to make a meeting?”
“You never let me rest.”
Grumbling, Baeksan spoke, and one of grandmother’s eyebrows rose. I swear, if the other eyebrow rose, today would be the day to capture the tiger.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Lifting his head from the emperor’s chest, Baeksan rested it on her lap again. The emperor played with his ear like she was used to it, and Baeksan wore a mischievous expression.
“It’s all for my lover.”
Though the emperor’s power was unrivaled, there were too many eyes watching for her to freely disclose secrets and plan.
But here, with two heads of the five great families, it was easier to carry out plans.
“Plans?”
“There’s trouble in the capital.”
The emperor’s hand playing with Baeksan’s ear froze.
“The seals on the Four Gates have weakened. Isn’t that right, Heunrin?”
“You…”
Baeksan grabbed the emperor’s blue hair and twisted it with his fingers.
“I thought my love would reach me sooner, but not a single message while I was in the capital.”
“…”
“It was so unfair.”
Baeksan bit the emperor’s fingers.
“So I act out like this, Heunrin.”
A tense atmosphere developed.
The once gentle and weak Baeksan revealed his true black-hearted nature, and the emperor froze in surprise.
“Uh, sorry to interrupt the conversation,” I boldly broke the tension. Everyone in the room looked at me, but I had no choice.
“Can we eat something while we talk?”
Growl.
Late at night, my growing stomach demanded food loudly.
