The Blue Dragon Clan’s Very Suspicious Little Chick - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 12

“Cheep!”
(Yip!)
Aran stood on tiptoe, craning her small frame toward the mouth of the jar, and Cheongun broke into laughter.
“Want to taste some?”
Sorim brought out two small bowls and distributed several Cornelian Cherries from the jar into each one.
She split them open with a spoon to remove the pits, then handed one bowl to Yeon.
Yeon, meticulous as always, accepted the bowl and tilted his head, observing the fruit with curious eyes.
Meanwhile, Aran followed the bowl’s every movement, tilting her head back and forth as though entranced, inhaling deeply.
“Chirp…….”
(Oh, that tart Cornelian Cherry scent……)
Sorim giggled and lifted her spoon, ladling out a Cornelian Cherry from the other bowl.
“Goodness, young miss! Anyone watching would think you were starving! And you ate plenty of rice!”
It was words Aran could never hear.
Aran’s dark eyes gleamed as she opened her beak wide.
“Squawk!”
(Cornelian Cherry!)
Sorim snickered and tilted the spoon.
The tart taste of the Cornelian Cherry mingled with the sweet fragrance of honey on Aran’s tongue.
“Chirp!”
(Mmm!)
Aran’s shoulders bobbed with satisfaction.
“How is this so delicious?”
Emboldened by Aran’s obvious delight, it seemed, Yeon set aside his hesitation.
He firmly grasped the spoon and popped half a Cornelian Cherry into his mouth.
But Yeon’s face contorted at once, and his whole body trembled—though for entirely different reasons than Aran.
“Ack, sour!”
He looked as though he might spit it back out at any moment. His small tongue flicked in and out of his mouth helplessly.
Cheongun laughed again and held a handkerchief to his son’s lips.
In truth, Cheongun and Huirim had tasted the fruit themselves just moments before, and both had promptly spat it out.
That was when Huirim had said something.

“Could it be poisoned, sir? My tongue has gone numb from the tartness.”

Had the Palace Physician and the steward not both laughed at his words, Cheongun himself might have fallen in with Huirim’s assessment.
Dragon Therianthropes, it seemed, despised sourness.
So now it was fairly certain who the letter and gift for the ‘youngest’ truly belonged to.
“It seems the Phoenix enjoys Cornelian Cherries.”
Aran startled briefly at Cheongun’s words, but quickly pretended not to hear and returned her focus to the fruit.
“Squawk!”
(Tart and sweet—truly delicious!)
In fact, a fondness for Cornelian Cherries was unusual even among bird Therianthropes, let alone the Phoenix.
But in her former life, Aran had eaten Cornelian Cherry Honey Preserve like medicine since childhood.
The Palace Physician had said that eating the fruit would strengthen one’s legs, and Okdan had preserved the tart, astringent berries in precious honey just for her.
That was why, even after losing Okdan, Aran had continued to steep Cornelian Cherries in honey, remembering her through them.
But now there was no way to explain any of this, so she simply devoted herself to the fruit.
Yeon watched her with a burning tongue, regarding Aran with admiring eyes.
“Aran must be a vegetarian bird.”
This time, both Cheongun and Sorim burst into laughter together.
Amid these various profound misunderstandings, Aran eagerly accepted the Cornelian Cherries without pause.
“Nom, nom!”
(Yum, yum—the taste of memory!)
Cheongun watched her for a while, and once her eating pace had slowed somewhat, he withdrew a letter and held it out to her.
“Little one, the youngest of Black Tortoise Palace sent this preserve along with a letter for you.”
“Chirp?”
(For me?)
Aran bounced up and down, trying to catch a glimpse of the letter.
If he’d just lowered it a bit, she could have read it easily enough. Instead, Cheongun held the letter up higher.
Of course, he had no idea Aran could read at all.
So he read the letter aloud for her instead.
“To the youngest of Blue Dragon Palace. Hello, I’m Taeoh.”
“Chirp-chirp!”
(Hey! Let me see too!)
Though he couldn’t have understood her words, Cheongun laid the letter flat on the ground as if to let her examine it.
Aran tilted her head alongside Yeon, peering at the paper.
The letter was covered in clumsy, oversized characters written somewhat haphazardly.
“Chirp? Chirp-chirp?”
(Wait? Did he write this himself? Is this little thing already writing characters?)
Yeon, understanding Aran’s words, turned to ask her father.
“Papa, isn’t the youngest from Black Tortoise Palace a baby like me?”
Cheongun pulled Yeon close and set her on his lap, then gently lifted Aran and placed her on Yeon’s knee.
With both children nestled against him, he continued his explanation.
“Yeon, Beast Humans grow at different rates. Just as you’ve been given a human form while Aran hasn’t yet, a Black Tortoise therianthrope’s infancy is remarkably short.”
“So they’re not babies?”
Cheongun smiled gently at his son’s question.
“You might say so. More developed than a baby, certainly. But then the youngest of White Tiger Faction, born last year, is older than both of you and still hasn’t achieved a human form.”
Yeon nodded earnestly at his father’s words, but Aran’s thoughts ran differently.
No matter how exceptional a Black Tortoise therianthrope might be, using Special Abilities from birth, acquiring a human form, and already knowing how to read was hardly ordinary.
In her past life, she’d never once heard of a Black Tortoise therianthrope so remarkably advanced.
“So don’t either of you worry needlessly about such things.”
Cheongun concluded in the manner befitting the Eastern Great Region’s renowned compassionate ruler.
“You are enough as you are. There’s no need to compare yourselves to others. Our little chirp, you understand?”
Our lord is fretting over nothing.
Aran spread her wings—now quite grown—wide upon Yeon’s knee.
“Chirp!”
(Obviously!)
Whoever says what, this body is a magnificent Phoenix!

***

The next day, Aran studied Taeoh’s letter that Cheongun had left behind, and the Hyeonmu Spirit’s words echoed in her mind.

—In exchange, look after Taeoh of the Black Tortoise Clan.

So that Taeoh had sent her this letter, hadn’t he?
The fact that he’d addressed it directly to her made her wonder what he might have heard from the Hyeonmu Spirit.
Did he need some sort of help?
Remembering the day the Hyeonmu Spirit had arbitrarily sent that black snake, Aran couldn’t afford to dismiss her promise to him lightly.
She couldn’t bear the thought of another of those suspicious leaf letters arriving…!
If that was how things stood, she’d need to show she was making preparations on her end.
“Chirp-chirp?”
(It won’t do to remain a Phoenix therianthrope who can’t even fly forever, will it?)
Just then, oblivious Sorim burst in noisily.
“Oh my, how adorable! What are you studying so intently with that expression?”
Aran, exasperated, looked up at Sorim and cried out.
“Chirp!”
(This body knows everything!)
“What, you already forgot the letter? Shall I read it again for you?”
“Hmph, chirp.”
(Hmph, the only thing this body wishes to forget is the Cornelian Cherry Honey Preserve. Now go fetch some.)
Of course, there was no way she could actually convey this.
Aran quickly abandoned the attempt at communication and stretched her wings to point at the jar that had come from Black Tortoise Palace.
“Chirp.”
(That one.)
“Ah! You’d like some Cornelian Cherry?”
Aran nodded silently and received a few berries, then resumed her earlier line of thought.
“Chirp-chirp.”
(Her wings have almost fully grown now.)
Spreading both wings wide to examine them, Sorim quietly pulled out a handkerchief. She was clearly preparing for a nosebleed.
“Chirp.”
(How timid of her.)
Aran let out a silent laugh at Sorim’s readiness, then deliberately fluttered her wings once.
Only then did Sorim seem to remember her actual duty, her eyes widening.
“Oh? Young Miss, would you like to practice flying?”
“Trill.”
(Yes.)
Aran simply nodded seriously, yet Sorim’s breath caught as though she’d been struck by inspiration, her face luminous with emotion.
Aran suppressed a sigh and began flapping both wings wildly.
“Screech, chirp-chirp!”
(Come on, breathe! Breathe properly!)

***

“Wouldn’t it be better to go to the Nursery for flight practice?”
A while later, Aran walked with dignity at Sorim’s side and shook her head.
“Peep.”
(Not necessary.)
Unable to understand Aran’s words, Sorim continued pondering aloud.
“I wonder if a young Phoenix can fly without the help of wind currents?”
Flying with the help of wind currents—that sounded to Aran like being told to flutter away like a dead leaf and crash.
Young Phoenixes do not fly carelessly on windy days.
Of course—if the body is too light, the turbulence will sweep it away.
“Chirp-chirp.”
(Don’t worry. I’ll manage.)
Aran came to a halt in the Garden, where she always practiced running, and stood perfectly still.
Sorim watched to see what Aran would do next. Since she had no idea how to teach a Phoenix to fly, she had no choice.
It was the moment Aran began scratching the ground with her feet, as though steeling her resolve.
Cheongun appeared with hurried steps.
“Little one! Aran! You’ll hurt your feet tearing up the ground like that!”
What…?
Surely feet were meant for walking—how could they be hurt?
The Blue Dragon Clan’s Quite Suspicious Little Chirp, Episode 12
E-book Publication Date | August 5, 2026

Publisher | Odd Eye
Submissions / Inquiries | [email protected]

List Price | 100 Won

This e-book is published under contract with the author and may not be reprinted, reproduced, distributed, or shared without the written consent of both parties.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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