Chapter 4

Instead of letting the Spirit Core of a child from the Twelve Zodiac go to waste, they probably intended to give it to someone who needed it more.

The Golden Tiger Family was the family blessed with the power of the Tiger Divine Beast.

For generations, they had protected the Divine Maiden, making them a family even the White Dragon family could not treat lightly.

If the son of such an important family needed a Spirit Core, then Arin would surely be sold and have hers taken away.

Taking a step back, Arin said,

“N-No. Father would never sell me.”

“You still don’t understand what’s happening? Will you only realize it after they pull your Spirit Core out of your body?”

“…”

“Well, it’s your choice. I warned you, okay? Dummy.”

Soso stuck out her tongue and disappeared behind the stone wall.

A moment later, something was tossed over it.

Thud.

“Someone from the Golden Tiger family will be here soon! By then, it’ll be too late to run away!”

Inside the small lucky pouch were a little money and a key.

***

The carriage carrying the Divine Maiden, Yeoryeong, entered the entrance of Hongsa Village.

The village was filled with peach blossoms blooming in the spring.

The weather was perfect, and beautiful scenery stretched everywhere.

Yeoryeong’s gray hair, marked by the passing years, was neatly tied into a bun.

Despite her elderly appearance, she gave off an untouchable aura.

Resting on her lap was the golden mouse, Geumgeum, happily cracking peanuts.

Just then, Geum Dogyeong, the head of the Golden Tiger Family, and her escort spoke.

“Will you finally tell me why we’re here?”

“Didn’t I already tell you? I heard the spring scenery in Hongsa Village is beautiful.”

Despite her gentle reply, Dogyeong remained suspicious.

“You’ve never been interested in flowers. Don’t you remember? When Dohun first grew a flower and gave it to you, you refused it because you said it couldn’t even be made into tea.”

“That child might as well have handed me a cup of poison.”

“He wasn’t asking you to drink it.”

Dogyeong frowned in frustration.

Ignoring him, Yeoryeong looked toward the grand Hong Snake Family estate in the distance.

“So that’s where she is.”

Geumgeum, who had been busy eating peanuts, answered.

Yes. The child who is unaffected by magic is there. She immediately saw through the spell that even Hong Ahyeon, the Hong Snake Family’s heir, failed to notice.

Remembering what Hong Ahyeon had done to him, Geumgeum scratched his ear with a paw.

The little golden bell hanging from the torn ear jingled softly.

Yeoryeong had attached it after treating his injury.

“Should I teach him a lesson for you?”

No need. He’ll come to the Village of the Twelve Zodiac Gods when the time comes. I’ll get my revenge myself then. Just pretend you don’t notice.

As Geumgeum ground his tiny teeth together, Yeoryeong burst into laughter.

“Very well. I’ll overlook it three times.”

The Hong family’s head will probably try to show you the fake daughter. I know where the real daughter is, so I’ll bring her myself.

“Good. As expected, Geumgeum is the only one who worries about these old knees of mine.”

“I worry about you too.”

Dogyeong added.

Yeoryeong smiled.

“That’s true. You do as well.”

“Do you really love that little fellow so much? You carry him around all the time. That’s why this golden mouse has become so arrogant.”

Geumgeum glared at Dogyeong and stuck out his tongue.

His teasing expression was obvious enough to make Dogyeong’s eyebrows twitch.

“Look at that. Sometimes I wonder if he’s actually one of the Twelve Zodiacs in beast transformation. He acts more and more like a human…”

“Dogyeong. What would you do if Dohun couldn’t perform beast transformation?”

The sudden question caught him off guard.

After thinking for a moment, he answered,

“I’m not sure since I’ve never faced that situation. But I’d try every possible way to help him.”

“And if nothing worked? Would you abandon him?”

“What kind of question is that? Of course not! How could a parent abandon their child over something like that? We’d do everything we could, and if it still wasn’t possible, we’d simply accept it and live with it.”

“Exactly. That’s how a parent and child should be.”

Thinking of Arin, Yeoryeong’s face filled with sadness.

A child of the Twelve Zodiacs who couldn’t awaken her Spirit Core.

Most parents would search every corner of the kingdom for a way to help such a child.

But Hong Yijin had done nothing of the sort.

Instead, he had hidden Arin away.

When Yeoryeong first heard that a six-year-old girl had been locked inside a crumbling detached building, she had been speechless.

“Dogyeong, do you still wish you had a daughter?”

The moment he heard the question, Dogyeong’s expression stiffened.

It had already been three years since his wife passed away.

He had been raising his two sons alone ever since.

He had never even considered remarrying, so Yeoryeong’s question was unwelcome.

The Golden Tiger Family had been filled with nothing but three rough men for years.

Why bring up daughters now?

“What strange questions you’re asking today. If Jingyeong heard you, she’d come back from the dead just to scold us.”

“A child doesn’t have to be born from your own body to become your child.”

“…What?”

“Perhaps… I can finally grant your long-held wish.”

Dogyeong simply ignored her mysterious words.

He often couldn’t understand what she was thinking.

To him, it was just another one of her cryptic remarks.

***

The estate was filled with blooming peach blossoms and the warmth of spring.

For some reason, Arin felt unusually weak today.

She shivered as though she were coming down with a cold.

“Achoo!”

Sniffling, she gently played with the lucky pouch lying on the floor.

It had already been two days since Soso visited.

The key Soso gave her could unlock the door of the detached building.

But Arin still couldn’t bring herself to step outside.

The memories of the family who had once loved her held her back.

“Arin, do your legs hurt? Big Brother will carry you.”

“Our little Arin can’t sleep? Come here. Mother will sing you a lullaby.”

“Arin, if there’s anything you want, just tell Father. I’ll give you anything.”

She had spent far more time being loved by her family than being rejected.

That was why she couldn’t make herself leave.

Besides, she had no idea how she could survive outside the estate.

She was only six years old.

She didn’t know how to do anything.

Still…

She didn’t want to die.

Every night, she dreamed of being chased by a tiger.

The nightmare always ended with the huge tiger swallowing her whole.

It terrified her every single night.

As the days passed without her making a decision, the tightly locked door suddenly opened.

Soso had come again.

“Why are you still here?”

“Ah…”

There was obvious hostility in Soso’s cold voice.

Arin looked down at her own clothes before looking back at Soso.

Wrapped in warm, soft clothing, Soso looked like someone from a completely different world.

She was also wearing the jewelry that had once belonged to Arin.

Her sharp eyes were fixed on her.

Fidgeting with her fingers, Arin quietly said,

“I can’t leave.”

“I even gave you the key. Do you really want to be eaten? The Golden Tiger family arrived this morning!”

The moment Arin heard that the Golden Tiger Family had arrived, her heart sank.

“But… Big Brother Ahyeon told me I wasn’t allowed to leave here…”

She clung desperately to those words.

Soso answered sharply,

“Do you still think your brother considers you family?”

The cruel words cut deeply into Arin.

She bit her lip, trying to protect herself.

Noticing that Arin was wavering, Soso smiled.

“Fine. I’ll prove it to you.”

She grabbed Arin’s hand roughly and dragged her out of the detached building.

“L-Let go!”

Arin struggled in panic, but her thin little body was no match for Soso’s strength.

The place Soso dragged her to was near the training ground where Ahyeon practiced.