* * *
I added that, since we’re all in the same boat, it’s only right to help each other, while handing his a blanket.
His condition was far worse than I had noticed outside.
His lips were cracked all over, and his swollen eyelids barely concealed his sad eyes.
“Not to pry, but… were you related in some way to that pig from earlier?”
Even if they were family, there’s no excuse for that kind of abuse, though I asked out of concern.
“Lover, something like that.”
As he wrapped herself in the blanket, his response was weak.
“A loving relationship?”
“Not at all.”
He threw a gaze out the window, one filled with an intense anger that seemed ready to explode.
“He used to be a regular at the place where I worked, but one day, he started acting as if we were dating.”
Without hesitation, he laid out his unfortunate story.
To sum it up, he was a hybrid—a partial one at that—but since his tail and ears could be hidden enough, he managed to blend in and make a living among the purebreds.
That was until that damn boar discovered his secret by chance.
“I thought we had a pretty good relationship since he was a regular, but as soon as he found out I was a hybrid, he changed completely.”
While he spoke, I observed his round tail and the curly, thick fur on his ears.
With their rich brown color, his features could have been named something sweet like Choco or Cookie.
“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name’s Song Choco.”
Of course.
My sudden reaction made Sangbong and Choco give me a curious look.
“Ah, no, I just… it seemed fitting.”
Then, I introduced myself as Baek Rokdam.
As Choco nervously chewed his nails, he inched closer to Sangbong.
Despite his shock, he leaned against his side with a deep sigh, his eyelashes trembling.
“He kept me under constant surveillance. I even had to quit my job because of it. Then, when I ran out of money, he introduced me to bars, telling me to go earn money.”
That pig—no, that filthy pig! How could he make this adorable poodle do such things?
“When I earned more for the day, he’d slap me for letting customers get too close; when I earned less, he’d slap me for not earning enough.”
“Hm.”
That boar was twisted beyond repair.
Grinding my teeth, I let out a small growl.
“Hyung. You’ll wear down your fangs.”
Sangbong poked my cheek in concern.
Choco looked up at me, worry evident in his eyes.
Oh, these poor, adorable creatures.
How did they end up in such a mess?
My heart ached to cradle them and soothe them, but they were both grown adults, so I simply cleared my throat.
“What kind of trash does that?”
“Purebreds looking down on hybrids isn’t anything new, you know.” Choco gave a resigned laugh.
“So, what are you planning to do now? You can stay here as long as you need to.”
Sangbong was a softie, and as for me, I had no interest in women, especially not poodles, so I made the offer freely.
Though Sangbong shot me a wide-eyed look of silent disapproval.
“Then, if you don’t mind, I’ll take you up on that for a while.”
Leaning against Sangbong’s side, Choco let out a long yawn.
With his body warm and the tension released, he seemed to be drifting off.
“I’m going… to Nislac.”
Mumbling in a quiet voice, he burrowed into the blanket and soon fell asleep, softly snoring.
The bleak city night passed.
The poodle, who had survived the chaotic night, seemed to recover quickly, as he cheerfully woke us up.
Remembering that I had a brief leave from work, I impulsively bought a carton of thirty eggs on my way back.
Wanting to indulge, I boiled half of them and made thick egg rolls with the other half.
Choco and Sangbong, kneeling beside me as I cooked, happily received two bright yellow yolks each and looked blissful.
As we settled into breakfast, I finally asked his the question on my mind.
“Choco, you mentioned wanting to go to Nislac yesterday. Where is that?”
“Nislac is part of Duke Dimitri’s domain.”
He guided Sangbong, who was folding towels, to a map with his hand.
“When we divide regions, we label them as District 1, District 2, like that. But where the divine beasts live, they’re called by ancient names.”
The map Choco held was so worn that its creases had faded white.
Six continents gathered on it, resembling an ancient world. It looked like you could meet all the children—or rather, beastfolk—of the world by walking through it.
Near the edge of the eastern continent, he pointed to a tiny spot marked, “Our home, Star 1, District 3.”
When I asked if these stars and districts were like our city and county divisions, Choco and Sangbong both gave me the same puzzled look.
“Where did you live, Mr. Rokdam?”
I mumbled that I’d lived in the city without much education, which earned me a sympathetic look and a pat on the shoulder from Choco.
Each of the countless territories was governed by a noble family.
Their borders were drawn along rivers or mountain ranges. Simple but effective.
“Long ago, divine beasts ruled the realms. You know what divine beasts are, right? They can shift forms and wield special powers.”
Choco spread his palm toward Sangbong like he was sending a gust of energy his way, making him pretend to faint in amusement.
He looked perfectly natural with his short bob and ears poking out.
He had woken up at dawn, cut his hair, thrown off his clothes, and borrowed Sangbong’s shirt and pants.
Though Sangbong threatened his about some supposed skin condition, he ignored him, borrowing his clothes without hesitation.
He adored Sangbong, and with the brown poodle and little gray cat sticking together, they looked quite cute, so I didn’t interfere.
“Are divine beasts like dragons or something?”
Eastern divine beasts would probably include those like the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.
Choco nodded and opened a magazine.
“The person on this cover is Duke Dimitri, a dragon. And here.”
“Lord Joo Oryeong: His Downfall and Fall from Grace.”
The picture showed a red-haired man with his hair tied back, casually striking the hood of a car with his bare fist.
The article scathingly criticized how much leeway should be given to a fallen divine beast who allegedly damaged a journalist’s car near Nislac.
“This man is the Vermilion Bird, Joo Oryeong.”
On the next page, a starkly different article appeared.
“The Great White Hope, White Tiger Star.”
A rugged-looking man threw a stoic gaze at the camera.
Attending the charity event hosted by the Big Cat Society, the renowned Baek Hoseong seemed somewhat uncomfortable in his tailcoat, loosening his tie as if it were too tight.
The article contrasted his presence with Joo Oryeong’s, highlighting how their paths had diverged despite both having once held similar ranks.
“And this is Baek Hoseong. Although he’s known to be fluent in sign language, no one really knows their true nature.”
“Hm.”
I narrowed my eyes, trying to see their true form, but it seemed my ability was useless with just a photograph.
The article was filled with blatant bias, using words like “has-been,” “fallen,” and “all bark and no bite.”
Even the photos looked hastily chosen.
It was funny, really, that his appearance shone through even in poorly selected images.
As I buried my nose in the magazine, Choco hugged his knees and pouted.
“They say back when divine beasts ruled the world, all beastfolk had ears and tails. There was no need to suppress instincts. They were free. And there was no discrimination.”
Choco murmured that some believe if we could reach the divine beasts’ realm, even those of us with incomplete forms might live happily there.
His drooping ears looked so pitiful that, without realizing it, I reached out and patted his head.
“We should just go, then.”
I said, and Choco let out a bitter smile.
“Well, I’d love to, but it’s too far. Plenty of beastfolk die trying to make it.”
Crossing seven rivers and seven mountains.
My gaze followed his finger as it traced the jagged line on the map, leading to a rugged land.
“But, I have nowhere left to go. So, I really want to try, no matter what happens.”
A tear clung to the corner of his eye as he talked about how sad it would be to live and die here like this, and I quietly bit my lip as I looked into his brown eyes.
* * *
*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*
Thank you 💞😊.