Chapter 8
The nursery where Yeon stayed looked nothing like the cold, shabby north-facing room Aran had imagined.
The luxurious room had a floor paved entirely with jade, and layers of fine ramie curtains hung over the windows, giving it an elegant atmosphere.
Aside from being rather chilly, the room carried a faint woodland fragrance and was almost the complete opposite of what Aran had expected.
Is this just what dragon nurseries are like?
Hmm… they are Water-attribute dragons…
So they like the cold from a young age? Don’t tell me they even prefer the north?
They’re dragons, not Black Tortoises. Do they know nothing about feng shui?
Just then, while Aran was pouting because she couldn’t find anything to criticize, her eyes finally spotted something suspicious.
“Ppiyak!”
(I knew it! They actually leave a child in a room that’s falling apart?!)
What Aran had noticed was one side of the room’s wall.
It looked nearly collapsed.
The wall was rough and uneven, patches of moss covering it as though it hadn’t been cleaned in ages. It looked so jagged that anyone who ran into it would surely be injured.
On top of that, cold wind whistled through the broken sections.
“Kking?”
(Huh? Araniya, that’s…)
Just as Yeon was about to explain—
Crash!
A loud impact echoed through the room.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
A tiny green dragon—far more vividly colored than Yeon—came charging inside at full speed.
Ah! Watch out! It’s Cheong Min!
The moment Aran saw him, she squeezed her eyes shut instinctively, afraid he’d ram into her again and knock her unconscious.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Instead of another collision, she heard an odd series of sounds, followed by Yeon’s explanation.
“Kkiing…”
(That’s where he plays. I… can’t do it very well yet…)
Only then did Aran cautiously open her eyes.
Looking closer…
Min was happily climbing up and down the broken wall.
So… it’s a playground?
“Ppiyak?”
(Then nobody bullies you? Or calls you names?)
“Kkuku?”
(What’s “calling names”?)
Aran sighed.
Just then, the rapid footsteps sounded again.
This time she refused to shut her eyes.
Only the pride of a Vermilion Bird kept her from flinching.
“Kyang!”
(Hey!)
The baby dragon fluttered awkwardly up to about So-rim’s knee before dropping back down again.
Then he shouted.
Aran stared blankly.
“Ppi?”
(Me?)
“Kiit!”
(Hey! Sowwy!)
H-He apologized?
That wild little delinquent actually apologized?
Is that really how he apologizes?
While Aran stood frozen, blinking in disbelief, Yeon praised him.
“Kururu.”
(Good job, Min. You did well.)
As if he’d completed his task, Min immediately turned around and scampered back onto the wall.
Its rough surface gave him excellent grip.
Even climbing nearly straight upward like a lizard, he never slipped once.
Yeon shyly explained to the stunned Aran,
“Kkyuu.”
(Big Brother Hwi made him practice apologizing before meeting you.)
Ah…
So this was Hwi’s doing.
“Biit.”
(Hmm.)
Aran tilted her head thoughtfully before asking,
“Ppibi?”
(Does Min have his own room?)
“Kyuut.”
(Yeah. We used to share one, but now we don’t.)
Different rooms because they’re developing at different rates?
Or… favoritism?
Well, I’ll know once I see it.
“Ppiyak!”
(Then let’s go look at his room too!)
“Kkyuku!”
(Okay! But Min’s room is even colder.)
Huh?
He’s obviously the exceptional child…
Wouldn’t he be treasured even more?
How could his room be colder?
Yeon… are you sure you actually know what “cold” means?
“P-Ppiyak…?”
(W-What is this…?)
Min’s room completely defied Aran’s expectations.
It was on the floor above.
The ceiling was high and domed.
Every window stood wide open, allowing fierce winds to roar through the room.
And the entire chamber was surrounded by the same moss-covered walls she’d seen earlier.
If this had been Yeon’s room, Aran would have sincerely believed he was being horribly neglected.
But before she could think further, the room’s owner, Cheong Min, returned.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
With the same agile movements as before, he scampered up the wall.
H-How high are you going?
Aran watched anxiously.
Soon Min reached almost all the way to the ceiling.
Then—
He suddenly spread his wings wide.
…Don’t tell me he’s planning to jump from up there?
The instant that thought crossed her mind…
Min pushed off the wall.
“Ppi-bit!”
(Watch out! That’s way too high!)
Aran cried out in panic—
But before she could even catch her breath…
A gust of wind sweeping in through the open windows rushed upward along the wall, lifting the baby dragon into the air.
“Kryak!”
(This is fun!)
Min floated happily, chirping with delight, then flapped his wings a few times before descending gracefully.
“Ppi… yak?”
(So… you’re practicing flying?)
They really did walk, run, and fly without anyone’s help.
What incredible independence…
Even Aran, who’d had to learn to walk and run by herself after ending up with a terrible caretaker, had never figured out flying alone.
She’d secretly watched the Vermilion Bird Palace to learn.
Wow…
These dragons are amazing.
While she was momentarily fascinated, Yeon murmured,
“Kkiing…?”
(Cool, right? They said… when I can fly like Min… I get to live here too.)
Ah!
My poor little dragon!
He’s sad now!
Aran slapped both cheeks with her tiny wings.
Then, right in front of Yeon, she deliberately began shivering.
“Biii…”
(C-Cold…)
“Kkyu?”
(Huh?)
“Bi… bibit…”
(Araniya’s cold… Can we go back to your room? Your room’s warmer and nicer.)
The simple-hearted baby dragon’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Kkyuung!”
(Okay!)
He happily flapped his wings and wriggled free from So-rim’s arms.
“Kurung, kurung!”
(Min! Araniya says she’s cold, so we’re going back to Yeon’s room! Bye-bye!)
Yeon’s little sky-blue bottom wiggled cheerfully as he toddled back toward his room.
After that, Aran continued secretly observing the Azure Dragon Palace for about a month.
More specifically…
She watched to see how Yeon was treated.
At least Yeon looked exactly like a member of the Azure Dragon Clan, so compared to Aran’s own childhood, he had it easier.
Still…
His development was undeniably slow.
By the time Min had begun gliding low through the air, Yeon had only just managed his very first proper run.
Yet the servants of the Azure Dragon Palace never mistreated or discriminated against the youngest dragon.
Nor did they treat Aran—an adopted outsider—any differently.
There was a simple reason.
The clan head, Cheong Woon, personally came to check on the children several times every single day.
“My little ones, are you eating well?”
Usually So-rim answered.
“Yes, Clan Head. Both of them ate well today. And Young Master Yeon even made it all the way outside the infirmary without stopping…”
But whenever she tried to report on their developmental progress…
Cheong Woon always interrupted.
“That’s enough. You’re not the Training Supervisor right now. Just make sure my babies stay healthy, warm, and well-fed.”
And every single time…
Aran would shout,
“Ppiyak!”
(Mother! She’s definitely acting like the Training Supervisor!)
Naturally…
No one understood her.
Another month passed.
By then, Aran and Yeon had become considerably more… “trained.”
Yes.
It was definitely rigorous training rather than natural development.
But it had certainly been effective.
Thanks to that, under the adults’ supervision, Aran and Yeon could now occasionally play together with Min.
Just like today.
“Kya-woong!”
(Look! Food!)
Aran stared pitifully at the cricket Min had proudly caught.
A tiny insect frantically struggling for its life wasn’t going to fill a dragon’s stomach or help it grow.
“Ppi-pi, ppiit.”
(Min, magnificent dragons don’t eat helpless little bugs. You have plenty of better things to eat.)
Min had improved his speech a little by now.
He protested stubbornly.
“Kyuut!”
(But it looks yummy!)
“Ppiii.”
(Wrong. It tastes awful.)
“Kkyuu??”
(Really? Really?)
Just then, Yeon came over carrying a berry.
“Kkiyung!”
(Araniya! Yeon brought something super yummy!)
Where in the world did he find that?!
Seeing Hee-rim approaching with a suspicious look, Aran quickly accepted the berry—
Then “accidentally” dropped it.
“Ppi-bit!”
(Oops! Sorry! It slipped!)
She even pretended to stumble, crushing the berry beneath her foot.
“Ppiyak!”
(Oh dear, this foolish foot of mine! Yeon, I’ll find you something delicious instead.)
Among all the beautiful, bright-red fruit growing in the garden…
Yeon had somehow picked a winterberry.
Eat that, and you’d have a stomachache immediately.
That was almost a talent in itself.
How did he manage to pick the worst-tasting berry in the entire garden?
Aran headed toward a raspberry bush she’d already picked out for the twins long ago.
As she pecked the ripe berries from the branches…
Rustle…
A tiny, ominous sound came from the nearby bushes.
