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It was an unusually bright night under the full moon.
Moonlight poured in through the open window, illuminating the room without a single pane of glass to dim it.
The divine beasts, having left behind all cumbersome things in the city, lay stretched out, basking in the bright moonlight.
The grand space stretched endlessly in every direction, accommodating the three massive divine creatures and all that they cherished and protected.
This place had a deep history, once used for discussing matters of utmost secrecy, but now, having forgotten its purpose, it felt surprisingly less desolate.
The golden dragon lay sprawled on the floor with its wings spread, the crimson bird perched atop a beam easily three meters high, its wings folded.
Diagonally opposite, the white tiger rested with its tail occasionally flicking as it drifted in and out of light slumber.
Then, something hidden between the three began to stir and slowly awoke.
Two tan arms emerged from under a blanket, stretching in a languid yawn, and then a small head with black furred ears popped out from beneath it, shaking sleepily.
Though in the form of a human, Baek Rokdam, who was really more cat than human, blinked around with a dazed expression, lifted his rear, and flicked his rounded tail.
“Ah, not again.”
He had gone to bed in his own room, yet somehow, here he was again, at the very top of the palace.
He didn’t have to ask to know who was responsible.
Baek Rokdam’s eyes narrowed with a sharp glint.
“I told them to let me sleep in peace…”
He had lost count of the days spent dozing on cold stone floors with only a blanket to keep him warm.
Do they really think I’m a real cat?
He grumbled, annoyed, but none of the divine beasts even stirred a whisker in response.
He wanted to pinch them out of spite, but every time he looked at them—a giant cat, a giant reptile, and a giant bird—it made him hesitate.
So, Rokdam sighed, brushed his fingers over a twitching whisker and a sleek scale, and finally got up.
The night was still deep when he looked outside.
He fumbled for his half-removed shirt and ran a hand over his damp tail, as if grooming it.
Then a small cradle in the corner began to rock.
Rokdam’s ears perked in its direction.
“He-eh, he-eh.”
Not a mother, but willing to play the role of babysitter, Baek Rokdam had just barely sensed that the child was waking up, letting out a soft, sleepy whimper.
“Yes, yes. I’m coming, I’m coming.”
He hurriedly pulled on his clothes, carefully pushed aside the tiger’s tail that served as a barrier, lifted the dragon’s wing, and moved past the phoenix’s tail feathers.
“Heh-eeng!”
“Just a little longer, I’m almost there.”
Hearing the cries grow louder, Rokdam sped up, practically running.
The divine beasts may consider it a short distance, but for the short-legged Rokdam, he had to shuffle quickly just to reach the cradle.
“They never listen to me, do they?”
He cast a glare at the sleeping divine beasts and muttered curses under his breath as he finally reached the cradle and lifted the child in his arms, rocking gently.
“Shhh, it’s okay. Hmm?”
The child, with tears glistening in its eyes, clung to Rokdam’s neck with chubby arms.
The little one, who was barely the size of Rokdam’s arm, had a smooth, black shell on its back.
Despite its tiny and adorable appearance, this one was a full-fledged divine beast, a black tortoise, born for the first time in twenty years.
The little black tortoise giggled as it nestled in Rokdam’s arms, reaching up to touch his face with its soft, chubby hand.
As he caressed the baby’s plump, soft hand, Rokdam smiled brightly in return.
You’ve already grown a lot in just one month.
“Ma.”
“I’m not your mom; I’m your uncle, okay?”
In just a bit more time, it was said that this little one would fully grow into an adult form, but for now, it was hard to imagine this small baby turtle ever growing big and mischievous like the others.
“Ma, waah. Ma.”
Unable to call him “Mom,” the little tortoise furrowed its round eyes in frustration, its pouty lips sticking out.
Rokdam chuckled helplessly at the sight, realizing there was nothing he could do.
“All right, all right. Call me whatever you want.”
“Mm, Ma. Food.”
‘Mom, uncle—whatever makes you happy.’
Rokdam patted the little black tortoise and rummaged in a pocket under the cradle.
“Ah, geez.”
He had the bottle and formula but no warm water.
Sighing, he realized he’d have to go down to the kitchen far below.
Grinding his teeth, Rokdam eyed the sleeping divine beasts and started walking toward them.
“Get up!”
He covered the black tortoise’s ears and yelled at the top of his lungs.
The white tiger, who had been awake all along, stretched and got up as if on cue.
As its huge paws pressed into the floor, claws appeared and disappeared.
Then, with a shake of its body, the tiger shifted smoothly into human form.
The fur melted away to reveal perfectly smooth skin and a well-toned, muscular body.
The man stretched, yawning, and ran his tongue over his sharp teeth.
“You too! And you!” Rokdam called out.
The phoenix, annoyed, fluffed its feathers and leaped down from its perch, transforming mid-air.
A strikingly beautiful man with fiery red hair cascading to his waist frowned as he ran a hand through his hair.
“So dramatic.”
“Dramatic? What if the black tortoise starved because of you?”
Rokdam’s sharp tone made the phoenix wince, though he quickly huffed and looked away.
“It’s because you keep coddling him that he cries all the time. What divine beast wakes up in the middle of the night for milk?”
“There’s obviously a reason he’s crying. Babies can get hurt if you look away for even a second,” Rokdam said, stomping a foot and puffing his tail in annoyance.
Still, the way he held the baby tortoise tightly to his chest was endearing, and the phoenix, Joo Oryeong, bit his lip to keep from laughing.
Rokdam shot him a glare.
What are you laughing at?
As he glared, the dragon, who hadn’t moved an inch, smirked where he lay, and Rokdam bared his teeth in annoyance.
“I feel like I’m seeing the back of a loving mother.” The tiger, now robed, chuckled softly and lifted the tortoise from Rokdam’s arms, gently patting Rokdam’s shoulder.
“Allow me to escort you down.”
Rokdam’s anger subsided, and the tiger smirked at the others behind him as if sharing a silent joke, while the dragon exhaled and began to transform.
As his bright wings folded, golden scales shimmered and turned into smooth platinum skin.
Rokdam couldn’t help but stare, his mouth slightly open at the mesmerizing transformation.
Those curly blond locks and deep blue eyes… no wonder he had legions of fans swooning over just his looks.
The tiger tightened his hold on Rokdam’s shoulder.
“Shall we go? The black tortoise is on the verge of tears.”
“Ma, food, please.”
The little tortoise pushed against the tiger’s chest, but he only held him tighter, while Rokdam, embarrassed at having watched the transformations, furtively wiped his mouth and turned around.
With a graceful step, the phoenix moved beside him.
“And where do you think you’re going? Now that you’ve woken us all, we’re coming too.”
The phoenix flashed a sly smile that resembled a famous Hollywood actor, and a blush rose on Rokdam’s cheeks.
Where am I supposed to look now?
The golden dragon, Duke Dimitri, paid no mind to Hoseong and Oryeong’s exasperated expressions.
He spread his arms wide, placing one on each of their shoulders as if he was about to pull the three of them into a group hug.
“I can’t let you two rack up all the points alone.”
“You’re already at minus 100 points, though.”
As Rodam pouted, Dimitri put on an exaggeratedly wounded expression.
“And why’s that? What did I do?”
“You’ve put me here and made me go through this ordeal at dawn—eleven times now, and I’ve docked ten points each time.”
At that, Oryeong and Baek Hoseong stifled laughs, while the dragon clenched his jaw.
“I’m not the only one who’s done it.”
“Oryeong and Hoseong have each lost ten points as well.”
“Well, if that’s the case, I guess it’s only fair.”
Dimitri smirked again, lightly pushing all three of them forward.
With an unseen force, they were moved with ease from the top floor down to the kitchen on the second floor.
Though faster and better than an escalator, it wasn’t the best method—the sudden lift off the ground brought an uneasy feeling, and without Dimitri, the skill was useless anyway.
“Oryeong earned thirty points for finding Hyeonmu when he got lost last time, and Hoseong gets twenty points every day for being the first to help me each night.”
As Rodam calculated points on his fingers over the smallest of deeds, the spirits’ moods wavered and swayed.
“You mean when Hyeonmu wandered off the castle? Why only thirty points?”
“I did tell you to keep a close eye on him so he wouldn’t get lost in the first place.”
Seeing Rodam pout as he recalled the ordeal, Oryeong, who had run all over the garden in a panic that day, grumbled in exasperation.
Baek Rodam giggled at the sight of his face.
In a quiet corner of the vast, tranquil castle, the four of them chatted as they filled baby Hyeonmu’s bottle.
Four divine beasts and a cat—a strange combination, but the conversation never stopped.
The castle, which once held great splendor but had become nearly abandoned, now pulsed with life.
This small and awkward change had come about suddenly one day.
As Baek Rodam laughed at Hyeonmu’s antics, memories of the time before he had settled in this castle suddenly came to him.
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hum..
tanks