Chapter 19: A Place Beside the Winter Wolf

They were things the Winter Wolf, famous for his discerning eye, had personally collected.

Starting with mermaid tears, there were fruits from the World Tree, the few beads belonging to swamp spirits, and even a branch of the Flower of Youth, said to bloom only once every thousand years.

There were many who coveted such treasures, but since their owner was the Wolf, no one dared steal them. I-gyeol ran his fingers over Myeong’s hemp clothes. It might be nice to have them made from fabric woven from the Milky Way.

The extravagant material probably wouldn’t suit Myeong, but he thought the child would still look quite good wearing it.

“I want to see it.”

“You will.”

“But I can’t live away from Spring. That’s where I was born.”

No plant could live without its roots. Myeong’s origin, birthplace, and roots were all in Spring. Thus, the choice of living away from Spring had never been an option for him in the first place. Myeong buried his face against his arms and murmured,

“I can’t exactly say this proudly wherever I go, but…”

His energy was so faint that there would probably be few who believed him anyway.

“You were completely ignored and weren’t even given a name, yet you still want to go back? Don’t you have any pride?”

Seeing Myeong so dejected, I-gyeol frowned.

“Yes.”

He had to go back. Myeong had to return. Certain of his answer, I-gyeol lightly tugged at Myeong’s dry, unkempt hair.

“You’ll just be doing menial chores again.”

“That’s all right. It’s what I’ve always done.”

“You might never receive a name for the rest of your life.”

“…Even so, I’m still a creature of Spring. You said I smell of Spring, didn’t you? That’s enough for me.”

And if he prayed, perhaps the Ice Flower would be imbued with energy. He was still afraid that his existence would once again be denied, but his concern for Spring was greater.

If Spring was healthy, if Spring did not disappear, then Myeong would be content to continue doing menial chores like this.

“I shouldn’t have told you to find meaning.”

I-gyeol regretted what he had said. The little creature of Spring was beginning to search for meaning. He had given him a useless hope that could never come true.

“Go to sleep.”

Myeong’s sleepy eyes slowly closed. Lying beside I-gyeol, he gazed at the black hair that had fallen onto the ground.

“You’re beautiful.”

His eyes, bright with the chill of dawn, his skin as lovely as moonlight, and his lips tinged crimson like blood—all of them were beautiful. Captivated by I-gyeol’s appearance, Myeong smiled brightly.

“Don’t try anything.”

Myeong’s compliment had come straight from the heart, and it made I-gyeol feel slightly embarrassed, so he deliberately responded gruffly. When Myeong closed his eyes and began breathing softly, I-gyeol discreetly pulled a corner of his robe over Myeong’s stomach.

Because he was nearby, Myeong naturally absorbed some of I-gyeol’s overflowing energy, and thanks to it, he gradually forgot the cold.

Though he probably didn’t realize it himself.

“Do you know how much I’ve been letting you off?”

He hadn’t killed him, had shared his energy with him, and had even spared his life. When would this little thing ever repay him? I-gyeol lightly twisted Myeong’s nose in retaliation.

“Mmm…”

“There’s no king as merciful as me.”

Having forcibly bestowed all these favors upon him, I-gyeol smiled benevolently.

There was no particular use for a creature of Spring like Myeong, but once he brought him to Winter Castle, he would surely find some use for him. Since Myeong claimed to have cared for divine beasts, perhaps he could be put in charge of the cranes.

I-gyeol imagined Myeong following him around Winter Castle wherever he went and smiled faintly with satisfaction.

Yes. This little thing would provide him with a little amusement in his otherwise boring daily life.

Before long, the sound of Myeong snoring softly filled the cave, along with I-gyeol’s imagination.

****

The ones who came after receiving the crane’s message were fellow creatures of Winter: a snake clad in scaled armor and a tiger covered in thick fur. The snake and tiger were among the Winter Wolf’s closest retainers.

They were quick-witted and competent, which was why Asha liked them.

“Did you summon us?”

“What about the others?”

The snake, Saru, and the tiger, Taeje, knelt respectfully before Asha. Asha merely waved his hand, dismissing the need for formalities.

“They’re waiting at Winter Castle.”

“Any other news?”

“We haven’t heard from Lord Daha, who is in the Palace of Spring.”

“Leave him alone. He obviously forgot to contact us while lying around enjoying himself.”

While some of us are working ourselves to the bone beside the Winter Wolf.

Asha clenched his molars. Daha, the monkey who had been born around the same time as him, was quicker-minded than most and always knew how to secure his own interests.

He had probably realized this would happen and done everything he could to win the wager. It was obvious he would continue staying in the palace, pretending to check on things until the Winter Wolf went to the Palace of Spring.

“What about the Winter Wolf…”

“He’s inside the cave.”

“He hasn’t gone to Winter Castle?”

Taeje sounded worried, wondering if perhaps the Wolf’s strength had weakened from having slept for so long.

“If only that were the case.”

His strength had not diminished at all. If anything, it was overflowing. The problem was that he was wasting all that power on strange things.

Asha sighed heavily.

“We should leave now.”

Saru took out a necklace made from snake scales, preparing to clear the way.

Rather than give orders, Asha quietly sensed the subdued energy of Winter. As long as the creature of Spring remained, the King would never yield. He had always been a king who took whatever caught his fancy, by whatever means necessary.

But the timing was unfortunate.

The Four Seasons would soon become a thing of the past.

The supremacy had already passed into I-gyeol’s hands.

‘My god, who will unite the heavens and become their new master.’

Not only Asha, but every creature of Winter was waiting for that day.

“Find the camellia.”

“What? Why a camellia?”

Asha swept his claws through the snow, exposing the frozen earth beneath.

“He wants to have the Camellia God.”

Asha did not want even a trace of Spring’s energy beside the Winter Wolf. His noble god had to remain immaculate. Even the smallest blemish could not be allowed.

Since the Winter King had no intention of removing the creature himself, they would simply have to make it leave on its own.

At Asha’s command, Saru and Taeje immediately began searching for the scent of camellias.

Myeong woke early and stretched lightly, shaking off his drowsiness.

He had only meant to sleep for a little while, but he had ended up sleeping soundly.

Myeong rubbed his eyes, then lifted his head and looked at I-gyeol’s sleeping face. During the cold night, the robe the Wolf had draped over him had brought them close together.

The shadowed eyelashes beneath I-gyeol’s closed eyes were beautiful. Myeong felt a sudden urge to touch them, but he did not want to wake I-gyeol, who was sleeping so peacefully. Carefully lowering the robe, he got to his feet.

“Where are you going?”

“Ah, you’re awake?”

The low voice echoed through the cave.

Myeong brightly greeted him in the morning, but I-gyeol did not return the greeting. Instead, his violet eyes fixed on Myeong.

“I asked where you’re going.”

“I have to go find the camellia.”

“It’ll be daylight soon.”

“…I have to hurry.”

There was no way to tell the time inside the cave, which was filled with a soft, dim light. Anxious, Myeong tried pushing against the boulder blocking the entrance, but it did not budge. Asha had already sealed it firmly.

“Please help me.”

“Why should I?”

“…”

Myeong pleaded with I-gyeol, who was lying down with his chin propped up, but received nothing in return.

Giving up, Myeong pressed himself against the stone and began struggling to move the heavy boulder.

Meanwhile, I-gyeol sat up, combed his long hair with his fingers, dusted off his wrinkled clothes, and gathered the lingering chill of dawn around him.

He had even generously given that ignorant little thing part of his robe, yet all it knew how to do was snore. It did not even bother to greet him.

“Just wait until you get to Winter Castle.”

He would put the creature firmly in its place and teach it a proper lesson.

I-gyeol leisurely watched Myeong struggle as he sharpened his blade.

“It’s heavy.”

“Perhaps your devotion isn’t enough. You don’t really care about Spring after all, do you?”

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