Chapter 05
Carrying the limp Heeyeon in his arms, Doheon sprinted at full speed, leaping across a stream and cutting through the dense forest in swift strides before arriving at the Wolf Clan’s hidden sanctuary deep within Samgaksan.
Although he had reached the entrance to the wolves’ refuge, nothing looked different to the eye. A barrier erected to protect them from humans and other races concealed the entrance.
Unless one was a recognized member of the Wolf Clan, entering beyond the barrier was impossible. Knowing this well, Doheon stepped inside without the slightest hesitation.
—Rrrrmm.
The barrier briefly trembled as it sensed an outsider, but it soon quieted, subdued by the overwhelming aura of Doheon, leader and king of the Wolf Clan.
After glancing once at Heeyeon’s unmoving face, he continued forward and slipped into a house near the barrier.
“Aseon, are you inside?”
Startled by his voice, Aseon flung the door open with a loud clatter.
“My lord? What brings you here at this late hour?”
Aseon, daughter of the sorcerer Elder Chunbok who managed the clan’s barrier and herself a member of the Wolf Clan’s elite unit, stood stiffly on the wooden floor with wide eyes.
She knew Doheon had recently been leaving the barrier himself to slaughter the centipedes controlled by the jackals. Certain something serious had happened, she immediately straightened in alarm.
But the sight of a woman cradled in his arms made her eyebrows jump in shock.
“Th-that is, well…”
Struggling to find the right words, Aseon was cut off as Doheon abruptly thrust the woman into her arms.
“She’s a human woman. Take care of her.”
What in the world was happening? Of all people, he—who showed not a shred of compassion toward humans—had brought back a human woman. No matter how she thought about it, this made no sense.
“Did something wicked disguise itself as my lord?” she muttered unconsciously.
Doheon’s sharp gaze immediately turned on her, having caught every word.
That murderous glare was undeniably his lord’s. Seeing her confusion, he added, as if granting a favor,
“She was offered as a sacrifice to the centipede. She may be injured. Treat her.”
Ah, so she had been abandoned by humans. Even so, it still didn’t fully explain why he had brought her here. But Aseon decided it was best not to question it further.
“Yes, my lord. I will carry out your command.”
As soon as she bowed, Doheon vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. Only then did she get a proper look at the woman unexpectedly left in her care.
“What? I’ve never seen such a pretty human before.”
Even while holding her, she could barely feel any weight. Though both were female, the human seemed like a completely different kind of being.
Her pale face, delicate features, and fragile frame that looked as though it might snap with the slightest force were utterly unlike Aseon herself.
Seeing the deathly pallor of her skin and the wounds on her palms, Aseon frowned without realizing it.
She’s not going to die on me, is she? If that happened, my lord would kill me too.
“Well, whatever. First, let’s make sure she lives.”
Rushing inside, Aseon carefully tended to Heeyeon throughout the night.
The next morning, sunlight tickling her eyelids stirred Heeyeon awake.
Still half-asleep, scattered thoughts tangled in her mind.
Her grandmother’s and mother’s cold gazes, Gopdan’s desperate cries, the shrine at Samgaksan, the enormous centipede, and the man who had sliced through it without hesitation all surfaced one after another, making her eyelashes tremble.
After blinking several times to clear her vision, Heeyeon looked around. A modest but neatly arranged unfamiliar room greeted her eyes.
Where am I?
No matter how much she looked, nothing seemed familiar. It didn’t quite feel like an ordinary household either. Forcing her aching body upright, she tried to get her bearings.
“Oh? You’re awake?”
Through the open doorway came a voice—warm and friendly, yet deeper than most women’s.
A woman entered carrying a breakfast tray, dressed in trousers with her hair tied high, more like a man’s attire. She was a head taller than most women and possessed striking, bold features.
Aseon’s eyes shone as she saw the human woman awake and unharmed.
She looked even prettier with her eyes open. How could such a creature even exist? As she openly admired Heeyeon’s face, the latter finally spoke.
“I’m not sure what your name is, but… were you the one who took care of me?”
Even her voice is pretty. Suppressing her amazement, Aseon nodded.
“You don’t need to be so formal. Just call me Aseon. Our lord brought you here last night and left you in my care.”
“Then please call me Heeyeon. But… when you say lord…”
The golden-eyed man slicing through the centipede flashed across her mind, and her voice trailed off.
“Well, it’s a bit hard to explain. Handsome face, but personality like a stubborn old man on his deathbed. You’ll meet him once you’ve recovered anyway.”
Heeyeon paused, unsure how to react to that description, then asked another question.
“Thank you for taking care of me. But… where exactly is this place?”
Aseon scratched her head awkwardly.
“Even if I explain, you probably won’t believe me…”
Seeing Heeyeon’s clear, expectant eyes, she ruffled her own hair and blurted out,
“Ah, whatever. I don’t know either. Just… don’t be too shocked. This is the Wolf Clan’s sanctuary.”
“What? The what clan?”
Heeyeon asked in disbelief, doubting her own ears.
Aseon hesitated, wondering if revealing her identity would frighten her, but realized hiding it now would be stranger.
“It’s hard to believe, but beastfolk exist in this world. Most live disguised as humans so they don’t stand out. Among them, we are the Wolf Clan. And this is where we live.”
“The Wolf Clan…”
Heeyeon murmured blankly.
She had barely escaped death, and now even more unbelievable things kept happening. Her mind felt dizzy again.
“Eat first. Then I’ll show you outside. Once you see it yourself, you’ll know I’m not lying.”
Seeing her confusion, Aseon waved her hand, urging her to eat.
Though still bewildered, Heeyeon couldn’t ignore the kindness of the person who had cared for her—and she was hungry, having eaten nothing since yesterday.
“Very well. Thank you for the meal.”
After politely greeting, she picked up her spoon. Thankfully her injured hand was the left one. Had it been her right, she wouldn’t even have been able to feed herself.
As she slowly ate the clear beef radish soup, neatly prepared vegetables, and grilled fish, she paused upon noticing Aseon smiling at her.
“Have you eaten? If not, please join me.”
“I already ate long ago. So don’t worry about me—just eat.”
Watching Heeyeon eat better than expected oddly pleased Aseon, and she gestured for her to continue.
“Ah… yes.”
Unused to receiving such attention while eating, Heeyeon nodded awkwardly.
After finishing their meal, the two stepped outside. Aside from the cut on her left hand, Heeyeon felt no pain and could move without difficulty.
“This really feels like another world.”
Her eyes widened as she looked around.
The houses were completely different from those in the capital. Instead of a mix of tile-roofed mansions and straw-roofed cottages, not a single shabby home could be seen here. Blue-tiled roofs gleamed under the sunlight, giving every building a splendid appearance.
More than anything, the well-maintained streams and unfamiliar plants caught her attention at every step.
“You’ll be even more surprised once you enter the palace,” Aseon teased with a chuckle.
“There’s a palace here too?”
“Of course there is. That building over there is it.”
Where Aseon pointed stood a magnificent structure towering over the surrounding houses.
So this truly is where the Wolf Clan lives? As Heeyeon tried to calm her still-confused thoughts, several young wolves ran past them.
“You little troublemakers—don’t cause another mess, got it?”
Aseon’s casual tone made Heeyeon’s eyes tremble. The children weren’t in human form—they were actual wolves.
“Ah, don’t be alarmed. Wolves under five aren’t used to transformation magic yet, so they can’t take human form.”
Though Aseon spoke lightly, Heeyeon nearly gasped upon seeing others whose forms shifted awkwardly between wolf and human as they practiced transforming.
Her gaze followed the departing young wolves until it suddenly froze. Walking behind them, deep in serious conversation, were Doheon and Elder Chunbok.
“Huh? What are Father and the lord discussing?”
Tilting her head, Aseon bowed as they approached.
“My lord.”
Acknowledging her greeting with a slight nod, Doheon’s sharp gaze swept over Heeyeon’s face.
Under that penetrating stare, as though he could see straight into her soul, her cheeks grew hot.
That night, his eyes had been golden. Now they were dark, unfathomably deep.
Had she imagined it? As she wondered, Elder Chunbok suddenly exclaimed in excitement,
“So this is the one?”
Doheon’s expression darkened further, clearly displeased with his fussing, but the elder continued, too excited to notice.
“To think such an auspicious human exists! She bears the noble signs that will bring great fortune to our Wolf Clan!”
“Pardon?”
Heeyeon’s eyes widened in shock at words she had never heard in her life.
