— If you can spare my son, or at least protect him until he becomes an adult, I will accept my fate.
Covered in the blood of the Bear Clan, Jeokho clutched his head and begged for mercy.
He had destroyed all but one of the self-defense mechanisms, invaded the home of the Bear Clan alone, destroyed its leaders, and returned.
He’s exhausted to even lift a finger, but he knelt on the floor and confessed nonstop, his voice cracking.
— I’ll give you my life for it. So, please…
— I refuse.
Hwangho, who became the head of the numerous tigers of their clan, spoke coldly.
All the tigers, and even Jeokho himself, have never heard Hwangho speak that way.
— Your sins are too heavy for you to wash your sins away with your own life yet save your son.
The tigers were wary at first, knowing that Hwangho and Jeokho were close friends and that he might side with the latter.
But he didn’t, so they nodded.
The Tiger Clan wanted Jeokho to suffer for a long time.
Hwangho spoke, pointing to Jeokho covered in the blood of the Bear Clan.
— Behold, although he committed a great sin, Jeokho’s power remains. And he worries about his own kin. As long as his son is in my hands, Jeokho cannot abandon the Tiger Clan. Therefore, I would like to propose Jeokho a contract.
As the Tiger Clan watched, Hwangho offered something that Jeokho could never refuse.
— As long as Jeokho lives and pays for his sins and hears my orders, I will protect his son and treat him as a descendant of the Tiger Clan. However, the moment Jeokho dies, his son will be regarded as a descendant of the Bear Clan.
Jeokho was in no position to refuse.
He felt ashamed to be alive even after committing such a great crime, and he would do anything to save his son and pay for what he did.
Jeokho grabbed the lifeline.
— I accept the contract.
Hwangho closed his eyes for a while.
When he opened them again, he saw his friend asking to repay for his sins without lifting his head once.
Neither Hwangho nor the other tigers behind him saw Jeokho’s forehead.
Jeokho kept his head glued to the ground.
Hwangho gave him the highest sentence next to the death penalty.
— The price of a great crime will be upheld strictly. Get the red rack!
Shortly before being tied to the rack, Jeokho asked for additional terms to the contract.
— No matter what happens in the future, please stay out of our father-son relationship.
Judging that it did not infringe on the interests of the Tiger Clan, Hwangho generously accepted the condition.
Since that day, Jeokho lived his life tied up, seized with his own thoughts and curses.
In the meantime, myths and mysteries were slowly getting forgotten in the land, and the world of the royal lineage and humans was slowly separated.
There was a point of contact between the two, but only a few royal lineage and humans born with strong powers could interact.
Then came the otherworld collisions, and the lives of humans and royal lineage intersected again.
Hwangho, the head of the Tiger Clan, freed Jeokho to cope with the instability in the Korean Peninsula.
Released after a long time of being tied up, Jeokho moved for the sake of the Tiger Clan.
Even to compensate for the negligent Hwangho.
And so, it’s been about a hundred years since the otherworld conflict began.
‘How did that day go again…?’
Jeokho, who was absent-minded as he recalled the past, shook his head.
The past kept coming to his mind today.
He was out of Seoul, but he kept looking back at Eungwang District without realizing it.
‘Today’s the entrance exam for Eungwang High. Is that why?’
An educational institution always stood in their territory, as it is the will of Shinin (Son of God), an advocate of education.
If one has the ability and enthusiasm to learn, they have a fair chance to get into Eungwang High even if they aren’t from a wealthy background.
Even after Shinin disappeared with Cheongho, Hwangho always maintained the educational institution.
And Jeokho’s son served as a teacher there.
‘…It’s just a feeling. I should find traces of Cheongho.’
And that day, when Jeokho returned to their territory, he heard the unfortunate news that his son had died.
His son died, right at the center of the Tiger Clan’s territory.
At Eungwang High.
* * *
Jeokho accepted his son’s death on the day of his burial.
Before that, he tried everything he could do to deny it.
Maybe his son was just kidnapped by the Bear Clan but still alive, maybe it was a different teacher who died, maybe…
Maybe.
He repeatedly looked into all the possibilities, but every road led to the realization of how disastrous his son’s death was.
His anger was directed at the Bear Clan and the negligent Hwangho.
“I cannot forgive your negligence.”
In the face of the angry Jeokho, Hwangho made no excuses.
He could only apologize for breaking their contract.
“I will avenge my son. You can continue to be negligent.”
Jeokho spat those words and turned his back.
That was his last conversation with Hwangho.
After Kim Shinrok’s death, Hwangho did not move much either.
Perhaps he intended to continue his negligence or he had no intention to avenge Kim Shinrok, whose position was delicate among the Tiger Clan.
Or perhaps he did what Jeokho told him.
The reason was unknown, but Hwangho’s neglect continued.
‘…My son can’t rest in peace even after he died.’
Children died during the entrance examination.
Eungwang High was embroiled in controversy over negligent management and supervision, and it was Jeokho’s son who received the most criticism.
His son was established in the world as a regular person, and so he was fit to be a victim of vile public opinion.
The board of directors laid the teacher who died after failing to protect the children as a sacrifice to the media to protect whatever reputation they had.
Kim Shinrok’s students and fellow teachers couldn’t protest since it remained true that children died during the entrance exam.
Their defense in front of the bereaved families and the public was meaningless.
“…You’re late. Your son must be waiting for you.”
Midnight before the day of the burial.
Cheongryong talked to Jeokho who came to the funeral hall.
Cheongryong gathered the Dragon Clan to pay tribute to Kim Shinrok.
At first, it was strange that a human ceremonial funeral was held, but Jeokho’s son had always been doing this kind of ceremony when he has to prepare a new identity.
They had no choice but to maintain his disguise.
It was his son’s only friend, Yong Jegun who received the maintenance.
Yong Jegun served as the resident mourner of Kim Shinrok, who had no family on his family register.
“Welcome, Jeokho-ssi. It’s your first time showing up at your son’s funeral.”
Since his release, Jeokho has always visited his son’s fake funerals.
Though, as Yong Jegun said, this would be the first time where he came to pay his respects.
As always, Yong Jegun did not leave for a single moment during Kim Shinrok’s funeral.
Though unlike the fake funerals held before, it seems like Yong Jegun hadn’t taken a single sip of water all throughout.
“Your son’s fake name this time is Kim Shinrok. Shinrok chose the last name and I chose the first name. I think it’s a hassle to have to think of a new name every time.”
Yong Jegun began to tell things that Jeokho did not ask.
He knew his son’s fake identity, of course, but he didn’t know the origin of the name.
“Do you know why he chose the surname Kim? Because it’s the most common, and none of the Tiger Clan uses that name.”
Yong Jegun’s explanation stopped there, and Jeokho realized the reason behind his son’s choice.
His son was worried that the Tiger Clan would get involved and suffer unnecessary damage if he gets into an emergency.
Jeokho recalled the phrase “I wish peace to the soul of Kim Shinrok.”
He recalled the photo of his son, and the wreath placed nearby.
A fake name and a fake face.
It was unbearable.
Yong Jegun watched over the obviously suffering Jeokho.
“I hope one day my friend can use the name from you as a descendant of the Tiger Clan.”
Yong Jegun’s words had deep longing and sadness.
Jeokho suddenly remembered something.
Yong Jegun’s source of existence was the Cintamani, a stone that grants wishes.
Yong Jegun was famous for being a mischievous dragon, but he was originally the Cintamani Dragon.
If he is so sad about his friend’s death, why doesn’t he use his power for him?
With a faint hint of hope, Jeokho asked Yong Jegun.
“…You are from the Cintamani.”
Before Jeokho could speak further, Yong Jegun cut off clearly.
“I can’t make a wish that the other party doesn’t want.”
Jeokho didn’t understand.
At the empty funeral hall, Yong Jegun’s voice rang hollow.
“I guess he doesn’t want to be revived. Shinrok always thought his father had to suffer because he was born. I guess he thinks this situation is overall good.”
Yong Jegun produced the jade Cintamani in his hand, but its energy waves were blurry.
It was so blurry that it was hard to imagine that it was the possession of the beloved dragon who lived for thousands of years.
It only meant one thing — Yong Jegun already attempted many times to save Kim Shinrok.
Possibly hundreds, no, thousands of times.
With his last hope shattered, Jeokho felt like the heavens fell apart.
He then hid behind a red fog and watched as his son was buried.
Ever since he’s only worn black clothes.
To atone for never being a father to his son.
* * *
Jeokho moved to avenge his son.
However, it wasn’t easy to find traces and fight the Bear Clan all alone.
‘The Bear Clan broke through the 12-point alliance. Someone betrayed.’
Jeokho tried to exclude those who weren’t likely to be traitors.
The Rabbit Clan who greatly benefited from Eunho.
The Dog Clan who had a secret alliance with the Tiger Clan.
And the Dragon Clan who had ties with his son.
Other than those three, the rest were unknown.
No, perhaps the Dragon Clan was close to his son but decided to betray him by joining hands with the Bear Clan.
From Jeokho’s perspective, someone who knew how cunning the Bear Clan was, it was impossible to trust anyone else other than the Rabbit and Dog Clans.
After much consideration, Jeokho visited the Rabbit Clan’s territory.
‘…What the hell happened?!’
The Rabbit Clan’s territory was devastated.
He thought it was strange that he failed to contact Ok Toyeon through the Moon Rabbit Rice Cake headquarters, and it turned out that the Rabbit Clan territory has been attacked and wiped out by someone.
Only Ok Toyeon was alive from reincarnation.
“Ok Toyeon! What happened?”
Ok Toyeon laughed, cried, and screamed repeatedly between the dried blood and ashes.
Only after Jeokho poured energy waves to calm Ok Toyeon did she begin to speak.
“Did you meet Seoho? Seoho went to the Tiger Clan. Is Seoho well? I couldn’t protect Iho and Jaeho. I’m sorry, I’m… I’m sorry… Eunho…”
Jeokho didn’t understand what Ok Toyeon was saying.
And so he asked her.
“Who is Seoho?”
“…You don’t know? Seoho didn’t go to the Tiger Clan? He’s not in Eungwang HIgh? My goodness! Eunho… Oh no… Seoho!”
Ok Toyeon has been out of control since then.
Seeing Ok Toyeon repeatedly shout the name of Eunho, who has long fallen into a deep sleep, Jeokho couldn’t help but think that the rabbit has lost her mind.
He decided to give up trying to talk to Ok Toyeon and contacted the Dog Clan instead.
In order to connect with the Dog Clan, he had to go to the Tiger Clan’s Shinsoo, just as indicated in the covenant.
However, the Tiger Clan’s Shinsoo was already dead.
‘Shinsoo is dead…!’
After searching Cheonik Mountain for the weak traces of Shinsoo, Jeokho found his body.
In front of Shinsoo’s tomb were dog snacks and flowers, along with a small plaque with the name “Cotton Wool.”
Jeokho stood in front of the tomb with a stunned face when someone saw through and spoke to him.
“…Who are you?”
The female student who brought chrysanthemums and dog snacks, her nametag read “Ahn Dain.”
