Chapter 700: Three Siblings
“Come on, spit it out, be good, it doesn’t even taste good, right?”
There shouldn’t have been any real taste, but Byeol cupped Seong Hyunjae in both hands and turned her head with a stubborn “mmph.” What the, does she actually think he tastes good? Come to think of it, Byeol was a monster and ate magic stones, so with how Seong Hyunjae was practically made of mana right now, he might actually taste pretty good to her. Still no! Byeol!
“Here, we’ve got ice cream, let’s eat ice cream!”
Completely at a loss, Gyeol held out the ice cream. In contrast, Yuhyun and Yerim stayed calm.
“Looks like she can’t actually swallow him, so don’t worry.”
“Byeol’s hands are super fast~ She’ll probably spit him out once she gets bored.”
Peace tilted his head as if to say what’s the big deal. Just rolling him around in her mouth probably wasn’t a huge problem, but still, she couldn’t just put anything in her mouth! Seeing the big spoonful of ice cream Gyeol scooped up, Byeol blinked her blue eyes.
“Your big brother says let’s eat ice cream together. Looks good, right?”
“Yeah, it’s really good. The color’s pretty too, huh? Okay? Say aaah!”
After hesitating, Byeol finally spat Seong Hyunjae out of her mouth. But she clearly had no intention of giving him back; she clutched him tightly and opened her mouth toward Gyeol. He quickly fed her a spoonful of ice cream.
“It’s good.”
Apparently not bothered by the cold, Byeol gulped the ice cream down and opened her mouth again. In her hand, Seong Hyunjae wore a slightly dazed expression. No matter how many lives he’d lived, this had to be a first.
“You’ve gotta give kids something to swap with, like a cushion or something–”
“That plushie I won last time is exactly Mister Sesung’s size!”
Yerim quickly teleported to her room and came back with a small teddy bear. She gently pressed the soft, fluffy bear into Byeol’s hand, distracting her while the baby dragon was absorbed in her ice cream.
“Look at this, it’s even better. Way softer.”
Without thinking, Byeol opened her hand and grabbed the bear. I used the chance to pull Seong Hyunjae free. Look at his head, all wet. I wiped him off with a handkerchief as I headed for the bathroom.
“Getting caught is one thing, but couldn’t you have just gone back into bead form?”
“If I hadn’t been pinned down by someone else’s mana. Your daughter is very greedy.”
“Greedy?”
“She instinctively moved her mana so I couldn’t get away.”
Byeol did have a bit of an obsession with food. Even if her rank was low, the magic stone originally mixed in with that dragonkin blood was SS-class, so her ability to control mana was probably pretty high.
“Close your eyes.”
I gave Seong Hyunjae’s head a quick rinse. I wondered if he’d just turn clean again by going back into bead form and coming out, but, well, my kid was the one who’d done it.
When I came back to the living room, Byeol was already curled up in Gyeol’s arms. The two of them sat on the floor, Byeol leaning against his back as she fiddled with the teddy bear and polished off the ice cream tub. Adorable. In front of them, Yerim was busy snapping pictures.
“You still can’t post kid photos on social media.”
“Don’t worry~ I’ll send them to you too, Mister.”
On TV, things were still in chaos, but the living room looked peaceful, like it was cut off from the world. Peaceful enough to let me forget the tidal wave of events for a moment.
“Hey, look here. I know he looks just right to pop into your mouth, but he’s not food. This is Seong Hyunjae, a living person.”
I held Seong Hyunjae out in front of Byeol. He smiled and gave a little wave.
“Good day, young miss.”
“Hi–”
Byeol waved back, copying him.
“That was quite an impressive first meeting. From now on, I shall make sure to bring a replacement for my head. Her tastes seem similar to her father’s, so I should be fully satisf–”
“Cut it out. Similar, my ass. Don’t you dare plan on stuffing my kid with sweets.”
“I’ll take good care of her.”
Gyeol said, glaring at Seong Hyunjae. Then it was time to bring Seol out too. Should I give him a name first–?
“I’ll hold off.”
My vision went black for a moment, then cleared. A boy who looked like Yuhyun was staring at me with black eyes marked by crimson pupils.
“Leave my little sibling here. I’ll be staying with you for now.”
“What? You’re saying you’ll only leave Byeol behind?”
What was he saying all of a sudden? Seol nodded.
“I can’t feel everything outside, but I understand a bit. That Father is trying to make this world into a place where my little sibling can live well.”
“…It’s not just for Byeol. And you’re still–”
“I was alone.”
Fragments of Seol’s, of the Black Dragon’s memories flowed into me. A dragon was alone from the moment it first opened its eyes. It had hard scales and held searing flames within. A dragon had no need for others. Everything in the world melted in its fire and, at the same time, was its prey.
There were no kin. Anything that approached was melted down and swallowed as it slowly grew. Its body was sturdy, its flames destroyed everything around it, so it had no need to interact with anyone. Compared to the years the dragon had lived, its world was simple. There was no reason to think about anything but itself.
Eventually, it settled like a great mountain and drank from rivers of melted things. Its life was closer to a force of nature than a living creature, until one day that life ended. At the blade that split its immaculate scales, the dragon felt rage, and despair, and fear.
Those clumsy, unfamiliar emotions settled into the Black–Edged Sword. The dragon was still like a child trapped within itself. Except for the brief moment it met the dragonslayer, the dragon’s world had always been solitary.
“The one who never even looks in a mirror never changes. But that’s no longer true.”
People don’t change alone. For something to never change means it neither grows nor regresses. I met the Black Dragon’s gaze as he looked up at me.
The fully formed Black Dragon I’d seen in the mental world could be said to have lived far longer than Seol, who had been mixed and shaved down into something new. But to my eyes, Seol felt more mature. A child who now had his own kind, his own younger sibling.
“So I’ll stay by Father’s side. I still have my old strength. But the moment I receive a name, I’ll be reborn as a young dragon, and a large part of that power will vanish. At worst I’ll be A-class, at best S-class or higher, but compared to my original abilities, that’s pathetically weak.”
The Black Dragon I’d seen was at least L–rank, if not beyond it.
“I don’t reach the level of a Transcendent. But when it’s necessary, give me my name.”
Power at L–rank, usable only once. But…
“You can still stay with Byeol. You’re a child too.”
If all I’d needed was raw power, I had ways. Plenty of them.
“It’s not for Father, or for this world. I’ll protect my sibling.”
His eyes said, You know this too. I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. How was I, of all people, supposed to argue with that?
“It could be dangerous.”
“I know. Just once. And after that…”
A strange light crossed Seol’s face – a childlike mix of anticipation, embarrassment, and excitement.
“I’ll live again.”
Not tangled up with the Black Dragon of the past, but as young Han Seol. I pictured three children in front of me.
“Okay. Then–”
“I can go out for a bit as well. Father’s already chosen my name. Just don’t ever say it out loud.”
“Got it. Let’s go say hi.”
Seol nodded.
“There’s someone I definitely need to see.”
…Even without him saying, I had a good idea who. They wouldn’t actually fight, right?
“Hyung?”
I blinked and saw Yuhyun’s face.
“…Huh? What?”
“You spaced out for a second. For like a minute.”
At his worried question asking if I was okay, I said I was fine.
“It was about the other kid. I was bringing him over. Okay then, um– Black Dragon.”
At my call, my back grew a little warm, and mana that wasn’t mine swirled through my body and slipped out.
“Whoa! He really does look like Han Yuhyun!”
Yerim yelled when she saw the boy appear. Byeol, who’d been fiddling with the teddy bear, jumped to her feet.
“Big brother!”
Seol hugged Byeol tight. Then he looked at Gyeol with a cool gaze. Gyeol stood up as well and met that look with a smile.
“These two are our new family. Okay then.”
I crouched down in front of Byeol so our eyes were level.
“Your name is Byeol. Han Byeol.”
“Byeol.”
“Yeah. A bright, pretty little star.”
The inside of my hand grew warm… then quickly cooled. Byeol’s eyes went wide.
“Oh!”
“And this is Byeol’s home.”
“H– hey! I got separated from Dad!”
“You’re not separated. We’re still family, and you’ve become the real Byeol.”
She’d truly been born just now. But Byeol’s face crumpled. Maybe because the sensation was unfamiliar, she started to whimper.
“…I think I like being together with Dad better.”
I pulled the sniffling Byeol into a tight hug. Gyeol had wanted to receive his name, but Byeol’s reaction was completely different. What should I do? I even had to leave soon. Maybe I really should tell Seol to stay here.
“Mm, Byeol. So…”
“I would suggest Soyeong.”
Seong Hyunjae cut in.
“You’ll need someone, won’t you? Soyeong will be happy about it too.”
We definitely needed someone to watch the kids. It wasn’t like the Breeding Facility staff didn’t exist, and we had Haeyeon people and building people too, but still.
‘If it’s Ms. Soyeong, she’ll do better than anyone.’
Gyeol was a dragon, and Byeol had dragon blood mixed in. And Seol, who might be coming home halfway through, was also a dragon. Would Ms. Soyeong be… happy?
“Won’t she be busy? England’s her hometown, right?”
“Her entire family made it safely to Korea, and from here on out, what needs doing is a bit early for Soyeong to handle. For now, it’s still time for her to just play with the kids.”
That was true. A dragon knight on the battlefield and disaster recovery were completely different fields. And there were full–time staff at the Breeding Facility besides Ms. Soyeong, so it wouldn’t be a huge problem.
“I’ll take good care of my younger siblings too.”
Gyeol said not to worry. Seol glanced over at him.
“How well.”
“Huh?”
“Can you stake your life on it?”
Hey now, Seol. Looking a little flustered but still serious, Gyeol nodded.
“No matter what happens.”
Sh– should I stop them? But what Gyeol and Seol wanted to protect was their younger sibling. If it were someone older than them, I’d obviously say absolutely not… and honestly, even for a younger sibling, staking their lives wasn’t okay. The eyes of the big brother and the hyung clashed fiercely. …This was the kids’ business.
“I don’t know you well. But you’re still my kind, for now.”
“We’re family.”
“Byeol is my sibling. My sibling, but I know she’s your sibling too.”
“Yeah. I’m Gyeol, the older brother, and I love my sibling.”
Their heavy gazes crossed again. I really couldn’t step in right now.
“Even if you’re my kind, I don’t feel much for you.”
…Seol, could you maybe say it a little nicer. His words were cold, but Gyeol stayed calm.
“But she’s ‘our sibling.’ So I’ll trust you.”
“Yeah. She’s definitely our sibling.”
Gyeol smiled. Seol didn’t smile, but his expression softened a bit.
“You’re my younger brother too.”
Seol’s gaze turned cold again.
“No. I’m a very old dragon.”
This time, even Gyeol didn’t hold back and raised an eyebrow. Wait, you two.
“If you put it like that, I’m super old too.”
“Older than most Transcendents.”
“He’s ancient too. Right?”
Gyeol snapped his head toward Seong Hyunjae. He shrugged.
“Mm, probably.”
“See?”
The Black Dragon had probably lived several times longer than Seong Hyunjae, but still. Seol folded his arms. Gyeol folded his arms too. Neither of them looked ready to back down.
“We’ll go by the order you were newly planted or born. First is Gyeol, then you, and the youngest is Byeol.”
“I still have my old memories.”
Seol said coolly. Seol, didn’t you just say you were going to live anew?
“I’ve got old memories too, you know? You don’t add, like, one year plus a hundred years just because you reincarnated or something. Gyeol’s right.”
Seol fell silent at Gyeol’s argument. Then he spoke again.
“I won’t think of you as my younger brother. But you’re not my older brother either.”
“Fine. I won’t insist I’m your hyung. But I am the oldest.”
Seol looked at me once, then back at Gyeol.
“You were Father’s first, so I’ll acknowledge that.”
“Right. I’m Da– Father’s first.”
Gyeol nodded, and Seol gave a small nod as well. Somehow they’d managed to reach an agreement. It was a little creaky, but this was fine. They had all the time in the world from here on out.
“All right, then!”
I savored all the eyes looking at me – at different heights, with different colors and different gazes.
“Let’s all sleep in the living room tonight. We’ll move the table. How’s that sound?”
“I love it!”
Yerim shouted first and said she’d go get blankets. Gyeol nodded that he liked the idea too. As for Yuhyun, he was fine anywhere as long as he was with me, and Byeol hadn’t wanted to be apart in the first place.
“Hyung, what about, you know, his name? You’re not letting him be independent?”
As we moved the table, Yuhyun asked. Yerim looked over too, curious.
“Ah, the second one is staying with me for now.”
“For good?”
“No, just for a while. He said his old power will disappear once I name him, and he wants to help.”
Watching Seol, still attached to me, bring over pillows, and Byeol staring at him the whole time, I started to worry. I really should get Seol home as soon as I could.
We spread bedding all over the wide living room. I even brought Chirp’s little basket bed over for Seong Hyunjae. The lights went out and I heard the pleasant sound of everyone’s breathing. Before long, I drifted off to sleep too.
–TL Notes–
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