When the Black Moon Rises - Side Story 29
Side Story 29
Their mother was the Mystic Ruler, responsible for the entire Mystic Realm, and their father was the Clan Head, who governed the members of the Baek Clan.
Hadn't they heard, enough to memorize it, just how many matters had to pass through their parents' hands?
They knew, they really knew everything...
And yet, the sullen look on the children's faces showed no sign of fading.
Although they were concerned about the children with their heads hung low, they couldn't possibly take them along.
Sehwa and Giha repeatedly promised to return quickly before setting off. And so, the days without the two young children's parents began.
To the children, a fortnight was like a year.
Their parents had been with them from morning until night until just a short while ago, so the children were at a complete loss in their absence.
The only thing that helped the children endure was the daily letter from their parents.
"Do you see anything outside?"
"No."
The children, having tossed aside the homework Baek Manyong had given them, opened the window wide to check if they could see their parents returning.
Rumble.
Just then, thunder rumbled from the far end of the sky.
It was a signal that a snowstorm would soon pour down, telling those outside to hurry home.
Before long, clouds of mixed black and white covered the entire sky.
Two pairs of small, round eyes quietly looked up at the rough sky.
Will they be later because of the snow? What about today's letter?
Just then, the door burst open, and Baek Manyong stepped into the room.
Startled, the children hurriedly closed the window, picked up the books they had thrown on the floor, and quickly sat at their desks.
Although all of this happened right before Baek Manyong's eyes, the children wore composed expressions, as if he wouldn't know since they had moved so quickly.
He almost laughed, but he was their teacher, so he couldn't be swayed by emotion.
So, he said what was necessary. For example.
"Were you looking out the window again to see when they would return?"
"Your parents are in a position responsible for many lives, so you promised me you wouldn't throw tantrums or disturb them while they are working, didn't you?"
"Are you not the two who will inherit this Baek Clan in the future? You must be dignified."
Words like these.
"Seeing you are even less focused today, I suppose I must give you more homework. It is precisely when they have left Baek Residence that you two must feel the responsibility of acting Clan Heads and,"
"Um, but, Chancellor hyung."
"Yes, Sanyul-nim, the brilliant light and hope of our Baek Clan."
"What about Mother and Father's letter? You didn't bring it?"
At the children's question, Baek Manyong's expression changed to one of embarrassment.
"Ah, that. Um... yes."
"Why didn't you bring it? Did it not come? It's already evening."
Baek Manyong avoided the children's wild grape-like eyes and answered.
"It seems they sent it a little late today. It will arrive soon. But even if it doesn't, you know you shouldn't throw a tantrum over such a small matter, don't you?"
"They are always thinking of you two Young Lords. You Young Lords must also always think about how you can better help your parents."
"...Yeah. We know."
But, but...
Even if they wanted to throw a bigger tantrum, the parents who would take their side weren't here.
The fact that only this Chancellor hyung, who always told them to be aware of their status as the Baek Clan's Young Lords, was here made the children hesitate a little.
"Ahem. Why are four-year-olds showing such tears? Are you not the Young Lords of the great Baek Clan? You must be dignified to serve as an example to others. You must endure your parents' absence with composure and devote yourselves to your studies, so you can help your parents govern the Baek Clan bloodline even a little sooner."
"I, I know. But why, hyung."
"Yes?"
"Hyung, why are you always scolding o-only us?"
"Sanyul-nim?"
"B-bring the letter."
"Sanyul-nim, what do you mean..."
"If there's no letter, I don't want to be a Young Lord either. I don't want to do it anymore."
As Sanyul suddenly began to sob, Sanjin started crying along with him.
Startled by the sudden situation, Baek Manyong blinked his eyes.
"N-no, how can you say such a thing? Not just anyone can be the Baek Clan's Young Lord, and you two were born with the special power of the Baek Clan,"
"I won't do it. I hate being a Young Lord. I won't be dignified. I don't want to."
Pushing away Baek Manyong, who was trying to soothe him, with his whole body, Sanyul climbed onto the bed and pulled the covers over his head.
From within, sorrowful sobs burst out.
"Bring Mother and Father's letter. I won't do anything until it comes."
"Young Lord."
"Manyong hyung is always angry and always tells me to endure. He always says I was bad. I hate you the most, hyung. I'm not going to see you anymore. I hate everything."
With those words, the sound of crying grew even louder.
Youngchae also rushed over at the sudden commotion, but Sanyul remained under the covers, refusing to see anyone.
Although he wasn't crying like Sanyul, the sniffling Sanjin seemed to have similar thoughts, as he went over to his brother's side and quietly squatted down.
"Y-Young Lo..."
"Shh."
Before Baek Manyong could say anything, Youngchae shook her head.
She had thought that one day, the children, who had been pretending to be dignified and enduring things, would eventually burst, and it seemed today was that day.
Even as he was led out by Youngchae's hand, Baek Manyong kept looking back at the children.
He, who had hesitated after almost calling them 'Young Lords' out of habit, soon opened his mouth again.
"They said they would be back in a fortnight. They didn't postpone the date. Today is the tenth day, so after just five more nights, they will surely return."
......
"It's time for a nap, so please get some sleep."
The children didn't look back even at the sound of Baek Manyong leaving the room.
"Even if the brazier is hot, don't open the window... No, never mind. Then please rest, you two Young Masters."
A flustered Baek Manyong closed the door and left.
Even then, a sorrowful cry, as if pouring out all their insides, was leaking from the room.
He couldn't bring himself to walk away, nor could he re-enter the room.
What's the problem? Is a letter not arriving for one day such a sorrowful thing? Or was my tone bad today? No. I spoke as I always do.
Baek Manyong, stomping his feet, not knowing what to do, decided to check if the letter from the Mystic Ruler and the Clan Head had arrived now.
He couldn't bear to leave the spot. But he forced himself to run quickly towards his office.
Sanyul was finally able to stop crying a short while after everyone had left the room.
Sanjin came over and stuck close to Sanyul's side.
"...I want to see Father and Mother soon."
Sanyul curled his body into a ball and muttered.
The sound of sniffling leaked out from under the covers again.
"I miss Mother and Father."
"Then shall we go see them?"
"Huh?"
Forgetting he was crying at the sudden words, Sanyul poked his head out.
Sanjin peeked the door open, checked the corridor, and then secured the door firmly.
"Mother and Father said the gate to the Human Realm was over there last time. Let's go find them."
"But how can the two of us get out?"
"We have our secret."
"Our secret doesn't work the way we want it to."
"We can try, and if it doesn't work, we can just stop."
"Ah. That should work."
His face brightening at Sanjin's words, Sanyul squeezed his eyes shut first.
Then, he drew up something from within his body.
Sanjin also quickly closed his eyes and followed Sanyul.
When the children carefully opened their eyes, a red and a white baby deer were gazing at each other.
The children breathed a sigh of relief.
Transforming into an animal was fun, but they couldn't choose the form.
If they had turned into turtles like last time, they wouldn't have been able to hide, let alone leave the room to find their parents.
-Let's get out quickly before we're caught.
-Okay!
The first time they suddenly transformed into beasts, they were so surprised and flustered that they could only think of hiding.
The power of a Divine Beast aided that decision.
The ability to overlay a barrier that could not be detected by any other barrier or detection.
That ability had also manifested in these small children.
As if to protect the children, the Divine Beast's barrier unfolded the moment their forms changed.
It erased their forms from the sight of the secret guards hidden everywhere and even eliminated their presence.
Thus, the two Young Lords would use this ability they didn't even know they had to safely hide their forms until the transformation wore off.
It was the same this time.
Nodding at each other, the children carefully opened the window by pushing with their small heads and pulling with their mouths.
Confirming no one was passing below, they jumped straight from the second-floor windowsill to the snowy ground.
Whoosh.
While the dry branches shook violently, the spiritual power of the wind caught the two children's bodies, preventing them from getting hurt.
-Mother and Father will be so surprised when they see we've come, right?
-Of course! They might even praise us for being smart and making it all the way to the Human Realm.
-Great!
The two small children leaped forward the moment they stepped on the pure white snow.
Tiny animal footprints were stamped here and there like seals on the fluffy, piled-up snow.
While the children were running out of the barrier, Baek Manyong was anxiously tapping his office desk, waiting for a reply to the letter he had sent to Choi Jangmyung.
He was so dejected that he couldn't even think about the fact that he had requested help from Choi Jangmyung, whom he disliked the most.
"...The Young Masters said they hate me."
"You know they just said that because they were upset."
Youngchae, who was also waiting for the letter beside Baek Manyong, retorted.
"But it's the first time they've said they won't see me again!"
"Good grief."
"What if they keep saying they hate me?"
'Who's the four-year-old here?'
Youngchae clicked her tongue at his seemingly irrational state.
And yet, she felt a little sorry for him.
She had heard that this Chancellor also had no parents.
'In that situation, he was appointed Chancellor at a young age and suffered immensely.'
Youngchae also thought his actions and words towards the Young Lords were a bit excessive and tended to intervene,
'But he's only doing it because that's all he knows...'
Knowing that, it was a bit difficult to be harsh with him.
"Go and tell them it's okay."
"What?"
"The Young Masters are young children, only four years old. Of course, they spent time in their eggs, but they've only been in human form for a mere four years."
"And you keep repeating to them, 'A Young Lord must be like this. A Young Lord must do this.' Besides, this is the first time they've been separated from their parents. How upset they must be."
"...I just said it because I thought someone had to..."
"I know very well how much the Chancellor cherishes and loves the Young Masters. So just go and tell them it's okay."
"That it's okay?"
"Yes. That it's okay to act like children sometimes."
"That, that's only natural."
"Have you ever told the Young Masters that it's natural?"
"...No."
As he gave that answer, Baek Manyong let out what must have been his umpteenth sigh.
Youngmu came rushing from the end of the corridor.
"Youngchae! Chancellor!"
"What is it?"
"Have you seen the Young Masters?"
"The Young Masters? They're in their room. They must be crying or have fallen asleep."
"No! I heard the story and went in to check on them, but they're not in the room!"
"What?"
Baek Manyong shot up from his seat in surprise.
Shocked by the impossible event, he rushed to the children's room to find guards and attendants murmuring in front of it.
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