By Zephyria 
The whining and wailing of the serpents were loud enough to make one’s ears ring. Young-pa suppressed them with a murderous gaze and examined the flames.
‘This is no ordinary forest fire.’
Even if the serpents’ claim that it hadn’t gone out for years was an exaggeration, there was something strange about the fire. Usually, flames grow by consuming wild grass, but this fire burned only in one spot.
Young-pa tried to stir the embers by creating a wind and attempted to extinguish it by throwing dirt over it, but it was useless. The fire simply continued to burn in the same place.
‘Flames that cannot be fueled or extinguished… It is as if it is protecting something.’
Recalling the serpents’ words that a human was nearby, Young-pa carefully looked at the hut behind the circular wall of fire. Though it was small and crudely built, that three-room simple hut was the only place a human could possibly stay.
“I should check inside.”
Young-pa leaped high over the flames and landed in front of the hut. He stood still for a moment, sharpening his senses, but felt no presence from within. He slowly lifted the straw mat door with the back of his hand.
The interior was in a wretched state, unfit for human habitation. A foul stench wafted from excrement and rotting animal carcasses, and the only belongings were a few straw mats and some earthenware pots. In such a place lay a child clad in rags. Seeing the small back rise and fall with every breath, the child was still alive.
“My goodness, the serpents were right. There really was a human…”
Lee Shim, who had followed, muttered.
“Ugh, what is this smell!”
He pinched his nose and fled far away, but Young-pa approached the child. Even as he drew near, the child did not react. Young-pa nudged the child’s arm with his toe to flip the body over.
“Ow… it hurts…”
The child barely managed to speak, lips dry and parched. It was a scrawny girl who looked to be about six or seven years old. Her exposed skin was covered in scars and bruises. Traces of various poisons—insect, serpent, and plant toxins—were visible, along with scales and healed bite marks.
‘There isn’t a single healthy spot.’
Young-pa lifted the child’s clothes and placed his hands on a few recently formed wounds to heal them. The child’s eyes widened, as if unable to believe the pain was vanishing.
“Who… are you?”
“Young-pa.”
“Young-pa…”
“Remember my name well.”
Young-pa carried the child out of the hut. When the child let out a shriek upon seeing the serpents lingering before the flames, Young-pa killed every serpent in sight. From a distance, Lee Shim wore a dissatisfied expression.
“Brother, what do you intend to do with that filthy human?”
“At the very least, it is not your prey, so do not concern yourself.”
“Surely you aren’t planning to take that thing all the way to nazgol?”
“I am.”
“It will be a nuisance. It will take much longer than it already does.”
The child trembled and hid behind the hem of Young-pa’s clothes. Young-pa hesitated for a moment before stroking the child’s shoulder.
“That fellow is my lackey, so there is nothing to fear.”
“Really?”
“Yes. His name is Earthworm, and you may use him as your footstool.”
“His name is Earthworm?”
The child let out a shy laugh and looked up at Young-pa. Lee Shim approached with a grim face.
“What is your name? Where are your parents?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Where did you originally live? Where did you come from?”
“I…”
The child pondered for a while before answering quietly.
“I don’t really know. I’ve been here from the start.”
“Do you think that makes any sen— Aagh!”
A pebble thrown by Young-pa embedded itself in Lee Shim’s forehead. Lee Shim pulled out the blood-stained stone and opened his mouth as if indignant, but could not utter a word.
Young-pa felt a certain gaze and whipped around. However, there was no one there. He chuckled, remembering that the blue bird had guided him here.
‘To lead me all this way and then not even show himself. What a funny fellow.’
As he prepared to descend the mountain, he found the child could barely stand due to a lack of strength in her legs. Young-pa scooped the child up into his arms and leaped down. Lee Shim followed closely behind.
Once the sound of their footsteps vanished and their presence could no longer be felt, someone appeared from between the trees. It was Biryoo, who had waited for Young-pa and Lee Shim to leave. He looked at the hut with a complex expression.
As he closed his eyes and reached his arm toward the wall of fire, an arcane art unfolded. The power of the stubbornly burning flames gradually subsided. The sorcery did not stop until the last remaining fire flickered out into smoke.
Once even Biryoo vanished, nothing remained. Not the girl, nor the serpents, nor the inextinguishable flames.
≋ ≋ ≋
The speed of Young-pa’s party slowed drastically because of the child. While they were delayed because Young-pa had to carry her, the more fundamental problem was that the child was human.
She had to quench her thirst when the time came and periodically said she needed to relieve herself. She whined about being tired and complained that her posture was uncomfortable. Above all, she cried that she was hungry, so Young-pa stopped at the first village they encountered before the sun had set.
As soon as Young-pa entered the tavern, he ordered the landlady to bring out ten servings of food. However, once the food arrived, he couldn’t even touch it.
“That little thing seems to be possessed by a glutton, Brother…”
This was because the child was monopolizing the table with a terrifying momentum, making loud slurping and munching noises. Despite not knowing how to use chopsticks and eating only with a spoon, her speed was remarkably fast.
Young-pa watched her expressionlessly, while Lee Shim did not hide his disgust. Lee Shim shook his head and whispered secretly.
“You can be honest with me, Brother. She’s your hidden daughter, isn’t she?”
“Seeing as you’re prone to talking nonsense, it seems I’ve become too comfortable with you?”
“N-no? I am still uncomfortable.”
“Given how many years I was imprisoned, if I had a daughter, would she be only that age?”
“But why does she look exactly like you, Brother? I wouldn’t know for sure… but perhaps you met a human woman by chance in the snake cave and did this and that.”
At those words, Young-pa burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. Then, he wore a meaningful expression.
“This and that, indeed…”
Just then, a tall man emerged from a room; looking closely, it was Biryoo. Young-pa, who had been sitting carelessly on the wooden platform, straightened his back and narrowed his eyes.
Perhaps he had just bathed, as his long, loose hair was wet. Furthermore, he was dressed in a thin jacket, bringing back the image Young-pa had seen in his dream.
Young-pa’s gaze swept over Biryoo’s profile. At first, he simply thought it was a precious face usually hidden by a bamboo hat, and he decided to take a good look while he had the chance. However, that gaze traveled from his forehead to his indifferent eyes, down the smooth bridge of his nose, along his cheek, and stopped for a long time at his lips.
“For a man, he is quite pretty.”
Young-pa muttered unconsciously, then looked around, surprised that he had said such a thing. Lee Shim was watching the child eat as if it were some bizarre spectacle. And Biryoo, having exchanged a few words with the landlady, was about to turn back and return to his room.
“What is it? Why did you arrive so early?”
Young-pa shouted loudly before he could disappear again.
“You were likely late.”
Biryoo answered without even looking at Young-pa. Even seeing an unfamiliar child with the party, he didn’t even ask a question.
“You must be hungry too. Why don’t you sit here and eat?”
Young-pa shouted, slapping the spot beside him with his palm, but Biryoo simply entered his room.
“Ah, damn it.”
By the time Young-pa huffed and picked up his chopsticks, every last grain of rice on the table had vanished into the child’s stomach.
The child let out a satisfied burp and wore an extremely happy expression.
“So delicious. So delicious…”
She spread her arms wide and flopped onto her back. And in that state, she fell fast asleep.
“Brother, why are you being so kind to this young human?”
Lee Shim asked after Young-pa returned from laying the child in an empty room.
“Because I feel like it.”
“I am a clean lesser dragon, so I cannot sleep in the same room as a filthy beast. I will not enter unless she is washed clean.”
“The room is narrow anyway, so this works out. Sleep outside.”
Lee Shim was speechless, his complexion turning blue and yellow. Regardless, Young-pa stared intently at Biryoo’s door. He had been deeply impressed after seeing Biryoo walking around wet a moment ago.
The curiosity to see what was beneath that jacket spread into an impulse to grip that wet hair. And it escalated into a desire to disarray that composed man. How amusing would it be to stain those indifferent eyes, which looked upon the world with such boredom, with bewilderment?
Unaware of this, Lee Shim misread Young-pa’s intention.
“Oh, Brother, please don’t tell me you want to share a room with that fellow. He looks at me as if I’m a mere insect; I have my pride, so I absolutely cannot crawl into that room.”
“Biryoo? Why would you share a room with him?”
“Eh? Were you not staring at that room for that reason?”
“No. I want to go in myself.”
Lee Shim asked back with wide eyes.
“What did you say?”
“I’m saying I want to tuck Biryoo under my arm and toy with him.”
“Is that fellow not a male?”
“A remarkably handsome male. Is he not?”
Lee Shim frowned, then quickly smoothed his expression to flatter Young-pa.
“I am not human, so I wouldn’t know, but if Brother says so, then it must be so.”
“The more I look at him, the more he draws my eye… He is just like the heavenly nymphs I’ve heard of in stories.”
“He is not unsightly, even to my eyes, but he is as stiff as a block of wood and doesn’t know how to act charmingly, so I don’t know what pleasure you’ll find in him.”
“You know nothing. If such a person were to spread their legs and moan, it would be twice as pleasurable.”
Young-pa licked his lips like someone with delicious food before him.
“I can’t help it. I must take him tonight.”
“Eh? Ah… well, of course, you wouldn’t be outmatched in dragon power… but Brother’s physique is, compared to Jeochi…”
“What about my physique?”
“Brother’s physique is undoubtedly the greatest under heaven.”
“He will likely resist fiercely, but if I can just get rid of that magic necklace, it seems doable. If I succeed, I will be busy playing with him until late at night, so if you intend to interfere, you must be prepared for death.”
“Yes, sir…”
Without waiting a moment, Young-pa sprang up from the platform. He strode forward, flung Biryoo’s door wide open, and stepped inside. Lee Shim shut his eyes tight, not knowing what to do.
Bang!
Not long after, the sound of something breaking echoed from inside, and the door flew open. Young-pa crawled out as if being chased.
“He’s more fierce than he looks.”
“A-are you alright, Brother?”
Young-pa sat on the platform with an expression that suggested it was no big deal.
“He says he’s going to take a nap and told me not to disturb him. And he wants me to pay for his lodging.”
“The lodging fee is one thing, but a nap when the sun is already setting?”
After thinking deeply, Young-pa suddenly stood up again.
“Earthworm, it seems he thinks I’m filthy because I’m a man. Try disguising me as a woman.”
With a reluctant expression, Lee Shim cast a spell on Young-pa. Shortly after, a faint light emanated from his body, and his height, hands, and feet all shrank slightly. Young-pa marveled as he looked at his reflection, appearing as an unmistakable human woman.
“As expected, your disguise skills are quite useful.”
Young-pa stormed into Biryoo’s room like a gust of wind. His momentum was strong, but once again, he was kicked out shortly after.
The door slammed shut behind Young-pa’s back. He did not give up and pulled the door handle roughly, but this time it wouldn’t open, as if the bolt had been slid into place.
“That fellow must be a eunuch.”
“Could it be that your disguise was discovered?”
“The moment I opened the door, he asked if I wanted to die.”
Lee Shim laughed awkwardly and released the disguise he had placed on Young-pa.
“Do you still wish to embrace him even though he is so repulsed?”
“That’s exactly why I want to touch him more. Well, I’m the only one losing out. If he had behaved obediently, I would have shown him the heavenly realm.”
As Young-pa chuckled, Lee Shim secretly made a face of disgust.
“I didn’t know Brother enjoyed pederasty.”
“I’ve done that with serpents in the underground; whether woman or man, as long as they are human, I’m grateful.”
“Eh? With s-s-s-serpents?”
Young-pa added nonchalantly.
“Don’t worry, I won’t touch you. Anyway, looking at your gloomy face would make my phallus shrink.”
“What is wrong with my face, why do you say such things again.”
While the two talked, the sun dipped below the western horizon and vanished. The night deepened as the human and the lesser dragon traded drinks.
Finally, Lee Shim brought out a hidden piece of jewelry to pay for the lodging, food, and alcohol. When the bright moon reached high in the sky, he fell asleep sprawled on the platform with Young-pa.
≋ ≋ ≋
When Young-pa woke the next day, the sun was just rising over the blue mountains. As a warm fragrant breeze swept through the forest, the refreshing scent of wild grass, pear blossoms, and the damp smell of dew drifted in.
The surroundings were quiet, and the child was playing alone, drawing pictures in the dirt of the yard. Seeing Young-pa wake up, she showed her crooked teeth and smiled, saying she was still full.
Young-pa approached the child. Looking at what she was doing, he saw countless serpents drawn on the ground.
“You can forget about things like serpents now.”
Young-pa erased the shapes the child had drawn with the tip of his toe. When he drew a bird over them, the child smiled brightly.
Because a tremendous stench wafted from her open mouth, Young-pa called over a village woman passing by and asked her to wash the child.
“Dear, come here. How old are you?”
“I don’t know?”
“What is your name?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Is that handsome gentleman your father?”
“No?”
The woman tilted her head in confusion and took the child away.
About the time one meal’s worth of time had passed since Young-pa began practicing martial arts with a rolling log, Lee Shim woke up screaming.
“Azure Dragon, you wretch, my sworn enemy!”
He crawled across the platform, making groaning sounds. Then, he snapped his eyes open and shouted.
“Brother, Brother! Please help me quickly!”
“Why are you making such a fuss out of nowhere?”
“I’m telling you, my enemy, my enemy is right here in front of me!”
“You certainly have loud sleep-talking.”
“Was it a dream? Phew, it was a dream…”
After spouting nonsense, Lee Shim lay back down and fell asleep again.
After some time, the woman brought the child back. Now that she was washed and her hair neatly braided, she finally looked human. Even though she was dressed in a boy’s clothes, it suited her quite well.
“Um, about this child…”
“What?”
“She is so gaunt and has so many scars on her body; I wonder how she became like this…”
“I picked her up from the mountain.”
“Oh, I thought as much. To lose both parents, how pitiful! Um… if you have nowhere to put the child, there is a woman in our village who recently lost a child of a similar age. She would be happy to raise her.”
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“I picked her up, so she is mine. I have a separate use for her, so do not covet her.”
The woman looked bewildered, but not daring to talk back, she walked away without a word.
“What are you going to use me for?”
The child blinked cutely and held Young-pa’s hand. Suddenly, a sense of hostility flared within Young-pa, making him want to shake off that hand. On the other hand, a corner of his heart felt a sharp ache from an unknown longing.
“I… don’t know either.”
Unless he regained his memories, there was no way to know who the child was or what relationship he had with her. He had a hunch, but it was literally just a hunch.
As Young-pa resumed his training with the log, the child went back to play in the yard. By the time he finished his training, Lee Shim approached.
“Did you sleep well, Brother?”
“Yes.”
“We have to stop and rest often because of the little human, so let us depart quickly, shall we?”
“Biryoo has not come out yet.”
“He’ll probably disappear halfway anyway, so can’t we just leave him behind?”
After saying that, Lee Shim quickly added.
“A-ah, no. He is Brother’s toy, so of course we must take him. I simply forgot.”
“You’re quite the teaser; just you wait. One day, I will definitely take that fellow.”
“Yes, if that day comes, I shall absolutely not interfere and will guard the door like a totem pole.”
Lee Shim painstakingly flattered Young-pa and then turned his attention to the child.
“The little human has become remarkably clean. There’s no smell anymore.”
“You lived in a snake cave, so why are you suddenly talking about cleanliness?”
“Lived? Thanks to Brother, I didn’t even live for a single day, not a single day!”