Chapter 5
A little while later, in Aran’s temporary room beside the medicine workshop.
The members of the Azure Dragon Clan stood around the baby bird with grave expressions, looking down at her.
Cheongun, who had rushed over in alarm after hearing about the accident, anxiously asked the physician,
“How is she?”
The physician, who had been checking Aran’s pulse, smiled reassuringly.
“It doesn’t appear to be anything serious, Family Head. From what I can tell, she was simply startled, fainted, and fell asleep.”
“So she’s not injured anywhere? Not her tiny head… or those delicate little legs…?”
Cheongun’s eyes were filled with worry as he gazed at the baby bird.
It was only natural.
To him, every part of the little chick seemed as fragile as freshly spun silk.
It looked as though the slightest bit of force might break her.
During her first week, when he carried her tucked carefully in the crook of his arm everywhere he went, he had even been careful not to flex his arm muscles too much.
The physician merely shook his head.
“It’s difficult to be certain until she wakes up, but judging from her external condition, I don’t believe she’s suffered any serious injuries.”
Just then, Hui impatiently cut in.
“Nothing’s wrong? But she rolled across the ground with Third Brother like a ball! You know how Third Brother is—he’s as solid as a rock.”
Father and son truly thought alike.
Looking troubled, Cheongun turned to Hui.
“How in the world did Min make it all the way to this garden? The infirmary is so far from the nursery!”
“Well…”
Speaking on behalf of Min, who had already been dragged away,
Hui awkwardly explained,
“You know what newborn dragons are like, Father. Min is especially healthy, so he’s bursting with energy. That’s a good thing, but…”
I’ve had enough.
It was embarrassing enough that she’d been knocked over by what was basically a newborn.
Now that little dragon was being scolded because of her.
Healthy children are supposed to be energetic!
Unable to bear it anymore, Aran, who had been pretending to sleep with her eyes tightly shut, finally fluttered her eyelids open.
“Young Miss? Are you awake?”
The sharp-eyed physician noticed immediately.
Cheongun and Hui quickly leaned over her.
“Are you all right, little one?”
Aran opened her sleepy eyes halfway.
“Peep…”
Hui listened carefully before translating.
“Little Chirpy says she’s fine… but she’s asking if Min is okay.”
Hui let out a huge sigh of relief and gently stroked Aran’s little head.
Again…?
Aran held back a sigh.
Being a hundred-year-old Vermilion Bird and having her head patted by a dragon who looked no older than fifteen was humiliating every single time.
Still…
Until she could fly, she’d have to rely on someone.
“Don’t worry, Little Chirpy. Min’s fine.”
Completely unaware of what she was thinking, Hui continued gently stroking her head.
“Dragons are as tough as rocks from the day they’re born. We were only worried that you might have been hurt.”
“Peep?”
“Oh, right. Our third brother’s name is Min.”
After glancing at his father, Hui continued.
“Min was born about a week before you. Dragons are usually active the moment they’re born—they can’t stay still for even a second. He’s still too young to communicate properly, but once he’s older, I’ll make sure he apologizes.”
Aran immediately seized the opportunity she’d been waiting for.
“Peep.”
Hui tilted his head.
“Hm?”
“Peep… peep?”
“Uh…”
This time, Hui looked awkwardly toward his father.
“Father… Little Chirpy is asking if… her name is really ‘Little Chirpy.'”
“…Ah.”
Cheongun froze.
He had declared that she would be the youngest child of the family.
Yet he still hadn’t given her a proper name.
The realization filled him with guilt.
“Of course not. Our Little Chirpy’s name is…”
He had thought of several names.
But he hadn’t made a final decision.
Most of all, he still hadn’t convinced Suryeon.
At that moment, Aran spoke again.
“Peep.”
Hui looked even more surprised.
“Um… Father… Little Chirpy says… she’d like to be called Aran.”
A flicker of surprise passed through Cheongun’s eyes.
“Aran? She chose her own name?”
Hearing his question, Aran squeezed her eyes shut.
As expected… it sounds strange.
What child names themselves?
Have I exposed myself…?
Even if I have… I can’t lose this name…
But unexpectedly, Cheongun’s face lit up.
“Already thinking of something like that? As expected of a Vermilion Bird!”
…Huh?
While the actual Vermilion Bird stared in stunned silence, he continued enthusiastically,
“I’ve heard Vermilion Bird chicks develop physically more slowly, but their language skills and intelligence mature much faster! This father studied everything in advance—for my Little Chirpy’s sake!”
Let’s just ignore the part where he keeps calling himself my mother…
The truth was that Aran only seemed so advanced because she retained the memories of her previous life.
Ordinary Vermilion Birds certainly didn’t develop this quickly.
But to Cheongun, Aran simply appeared to be an exceptionally gifted Vermilion Bird.
“My goodness! Our Azure Dragon Clan has produced a genius!”
Cheongun continued proudly.
“You dragons had better work harder too!”
…Excuse me?
Where did that come from?
As Hui and Aran stared blankly at him, Cheongun’s eyes quietly grew moist.
“Dear…”
“Promise me one thing.”
His wife’s final day flashed through his mind once more.
With her cold hand wrapped around his, she’d made one last request.
“Every child who hatches from our nest from now on… raise them all as our own.”
“Don’t cherish only the talented ones…”
“Not a single one should be treated differently…”
“Every one of them is our child.”
His wife had always been unusually perceptive.
Perhaps she had known all along.
That because of her failing health, the eggs she laid might hatch into weak dragons.
Or perhaps…
A little bird resembling the dear friend she’d treasured in the southern lands.
Had she known?
“Little Chirpy… my clever little one.”
To Cheongun, this extraordinary little bird felt like one final gift his wife had left behind.
“From this day forward, your name is Cheong Aran.”
His eyes glistened with tears as he looked down at her.
“We’ll write your name with the character A meaning ‘white’ and Ran meaning ‘bell.'”
“Because you’re as lovely as a little white bell.”
“Peep.”
(Thank you.)
As he generously bestowed upon her the Cheong family name, Aran answered with complete sincerity.
“Peep…”
(Thank you… truly…)
She had wanted to protect that name, no matter what.
It was the name her mother had given her.
The name the gods had called beneath Heaven’s Gate.
Now that her body had become so small…
Now that everyone had forgotten who she was…
If she lost even that name…
She would have nothing left.
At the very least…
She wanted to keep that.
One month after hatching.
The young Vermilion Bird no longer spent all day sleeping.
“Peeeep…!”
(All right… focus…!)
Aran raised the tips of her tiny wings like sharpened blades and pressed them against both temples.
But before she could even begin—
“Gah!”
Drill Instructor So-rim suddenly had a nosebleed.
Startled, Aran immediately lost her concentration.
“Peep?”
(Huh? What’s wrong? Did I scare you by shouting?)
Her wings remained pressed against her temples.
“Lady Aran…”
So-rim wiped the blood from her face with a handkerchief before clutching her chest dramatically.
“Would it be possible… to warn me before doing something so devastatingly adorable? My heart can’t take it. I fear I’m about to develop heart disease…”
“Peep.”
(Baby Vermilion Birds are naturally cute. You’re just too weak-hearted.)
Aran clicked her tongue in exasperation.
So-rim, however, refused to let it go.
“W-why? Why do you lift your wings so adorably? I simply have to know!”
“Peep.”
(You don’t need to know.)
“Are you checking whether your wings have grown? Or perhaps… stretching your joints?”
“Peeeep.”
(I said you don’t need to know.)
Even if she sounded cold, it couldn’t be helped.
She couldn’t explain what she was trying to do.
Nor should she.
She hadn’t even regained a human body yet, so it seemed like a distant dream.
Still…
Aran wanted to find out whether she had retained any of her supernatural abilities.
She had once trained with the sword until reaching the realm of immortals.
But beyond that, there was another extraordinary power passed down through the Vermilion Bird Clan.
The Vermilion Bird divine art—
Illusion.
“What’s so impressive about illusions?”
“Peep!”
(You know nothing!)
Not all illusions were the same.
Aran’s illusions had been truly magnificent.
In the middle of battle, she could suddenly cast her enemies into the flames of hell.
Or drown them in a suffocating ocean.
She could make the richest man on the continent believe he had become a beggar.
Or give a lonely orphan the illusion of a loving family.
And now…
Squinting fiercely, Aran cried out,
“PEEEEEEEEEP!!”
(It doesn’t work at all!!)
