Blushing deeply, Hwa-eun sat on the bench, her gaze cast down to the ground.
Every time the squeaky sound from Seol and Bini in the bushes reached her ears, Hwa-eun's cheeks would flush a bright red before settling down again.
Embarrassed, she kept her fingers fidgeting, unable to meet my eyes, lost in thought for a while.
Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.
Once the sound settled, Hwa-eun seemed to try to change the awkward atmosphere and asked in a hesitant voice.
"U-um, if that's the case... then why were they fighting?"
Hwa-eun seemed to think that Bini had bitten Seol's neck, and Seol had screamed and run around, so she assumed they were fighting.
But that's usually how most lizards behave during mating season.
When a female with eggs and a male in heat meet, mating doesn't start with romantic courtship. It begins with the male overpowering the female.
The male bites the female's cheek, neck, or tail to immobilize her, and that's when mating begins. It might look rough, but it's part of their natural process.
Moreover, the squeaky sound Hwa-eun heard from Seol and Bini during the fight was a mating call. Some male lizards make this sound while biting the female's cheek or neck.
It means something like "I will father your eggs."
It's a very masculine behavior for a lizard male.
I could see why Hwa-eun misunderstood. Normally, the overpowering process is quiet and subtle, so it wouldn't seem so chaotic.
The reason they made a scene was probably because of their lack of experience.
When the female isn't prepared or hasn't mated before, she will resist violently, and to an outsider, it looks like a huge fight. Hwa-eun probably saw that side of it.
To clear up Hwa-eun's misunderstanding, I explained.
"They weren't fighting. It's part of mating. The male has to overpower the female and make her immobile before they can mate."
"M-mating!? C-C-C-Coupling!?"
At my explanation, Hwa-eun looked like she was about to faint from the shock, stammering uncontrollably.
For someone like her, from a wealthy family, this was too much information.
She was already sensitive to anything sexual, and witnessing the sacred mating act of animals and getting a detailed explanation was overwhelming for her.
"Y-yes, don't worry about it. But, it looks like we won’t be able to go to the Martial Alliance after all."
I wanted to tease her more, but worried she might faint from the shock, I shifted the conversation to the Martial Alliance visit.
"Y-you can't go? Why not?"
Hwa-eun looked at me as if wondering what mating had to do with going to the Martial Alliance.
But there was a reason for it.
While it varies with each species, for most lizards, the mating and egg-laying period is around two weeks to two months after mating.
Seol and Bini were special creatures, so they might be a little different. But if we leave for the Martial Alliance now, they would probably lay eggs on the journey.
Given their nature, they would likely try to follow me, and if they laid eggs on the road, it would be impossible for the eggs to hatch properly. The odds of them hatching were slim if we didn't know the proper way to take care of them.
That’s why they couldn’t join us on the trip to the Martial Alliance.
Even if we had proper facilities to handle the eggs, giving birth on the roadside was something that should never happen.
"Since they mated today, Seol will probably start laying eggs in about fifteen days to a month. If we leave for the Martial Alliance, they would follow us, and on the way, they would lay eggs. Without knowing the proper method, the eggs wouldn’t hatch and would rot."
"I see. Then, I’ll stay... ah, since I’ve never handled their eggs, So-ryong should stay. But in that case, I’ll have to prepare a detailed letter or explanation about the Mountain Viper’s poison for your grandfather."
Hwa-eun nodded at my explanation.
At first, she seemed like she was thinking of staying behind while I went, but in the end, it made more sense for me to stay. I was the only one who had handled the lizard eggs.
Anyone else staying behind wouldn’t have been helpful.
I might have to prepare a presentation for the broadcast about the poisons, but...
‘I’ll make it easy to understand, right? Ah, Seol might be a little upset though...’
Seol, who had been excited to travel with us, might be disappointed, but it couldn’t be helped.
It’s the fate of breeders like me—once the animals start multiplying, traveling is no longer possible.
"So when should I tell him?"
"Maybe after dinner, over tea. It’s best to deliver this happy news then."
"Got it. So-ryong."
Seol and Bini were cute, but I couldn't wait to see how cute their babies would be.
Big eyes, a mouth, and a tiny tail.
Lizard babies were incredibly adorable.
***
That evening, during dinner at the Tang Clan residence.
In the Tang Clan, it's customary to finish the meal and then drink tea while chatting. As soon as the conversation began, I told Hwa-eun, Grandpa, and my father-in-law that I wouldn't be able to go to the Martial Alliance.
"Grandpa, actually, I won't be able to go to the Martial Alliance this time."
"You can't go? Why not? Is it because of Bini? Didn't I tell you to have our clan's warriors search for Bini continuously?"
"As for the poison of the Mountain Viper, it would be best if you explain it, but... Well, if the child doesn't return home, it wouldn't feel right leaving the house empty. Someone needs to be there to handle things when they return, right? I suppose there's nothing that can be done, then."
"So, So-ryong won't be going? Why not? Didn't you say you'd go with me to the Martial Alliance?"
Grandpa Mandok Shingun nodded, understanding, but when I told him that I couldn’t go to the Martial Alliance, Seol looked at me with a disappointed expression.
While the warriors from the Beast Palace had followed us, it seemed Seol didn’t want to go to the Martial Alliance alone.
The original plan had been to stop by the Tang Clan, make some samples, and head straight to the Martial Alliance with Seol.
It had been delayed for a few days because of Bini disappearing, but there wouldn’t have been anything strange about us leaving right away.
In response to Seol's question, Hwa-eun carefully answered on my behalf.
"U-um, we think we might be becoming grandparents... But still, I’ll go with you, sister."
"Grandpa? Grandma?"
"You two are becoming grandparents?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Hwa-eun, what do you mean?"
Both Grandpa Mandok Shingun and Seol exchanged confused looks, and my father-in-law and mother-in-law blinked, unable to follow the conversation.
It would make sense for Seol to think of herself as a mother if she was already married, but grandma? Even with fast development, that was impossible.
When Hwa-eun placed Seol and Bini on the table to explain why we couldn’t go, the two of them tilted their heads, looking cute, while Hwa-eun blushed and looked at me.
It seemed like she didn’t want to say it herself, so she wanted me to explain instead.
[So, So-ryong... please say it...]
I gave a slight nod in response to the telepathic message and began explaining to the adults.
"Actually, Seol and Bini have mated today. So, they will probably lay eggs in about fifteen days to two months, and if we leave for the journey, they will likely lay the eggs on the road... So, it's unavoidable..."
"Oh my! Really!?"
"Hoho! These two are becoming parents!?"
"Is it really true, son-in-law!?"
My father-in-law was overjoyed upon hearing the news.
Everyone was happy that Seol and Bini were becoming parents.
"Yes, father-in-law."
"Well, you’ve only just started the venomous creature collection, and you’ve already found two poisons to deal with those from the Blood Cult, and now you're breeding your first magical creatures! Impressive, really! Soon, our Tang Clan will be crawling with venomous creatures."
"Hehe, I was worried about a child running away, but now we’re hearing good news."
"How should we celebrate this?"
Then my mother-in-law, who had no experience with breeding venomous creatures, asked how to celebrate this kind of news.
Seol, smiling, replied.
"Shall I show you the Beast Palace's method?"
"Ah, that’s right. The Beast Palace raises many creatures, so you must have a lot of experience with this, right? How do you celebrate in the Beast Palace?"
"Well, in the Beast Palace, we..."
That night, a red lantern was unexpectedly hung outside my room.
***
The person who was the happiest about the fact that Seol and Bini might have babies was none other than Seol herself.
Ever since I showed her Seol and Bini, she had been eagerly hoping for the day their babies would come, commenting on how well Seol and Bini suited each other.
She kept asking if she could get one of the babies once they were born, and now that they might lay eggs soon, Seol was absolutely thrilled.
That night, she came to my room with Hwa-eun and started making her reservation for one of the babies.
Seol hugged my arm and asked in a cute voice, "So-ryong, if Seol and Bini have babies, you’ll give me one, right? Right?"
There's an unwritten rule for breeders:
Never give away creatures for free.
No matter how expensive an animal is, giving it away for free out of friendship will usually devalue the creature’s worth to zero.
Imagine buying a pet lizard for a million dollars—would you treat it poorly or abandon it?
But if you receive such an animal for free from a friend, its value for you is much lower, and when you have trouble caring for it, you're more likely to give it away or abandon it.
So, breeders like me never give away creatures for free.
But if it’s family asking, it's a different matter.
I couldn’t exactly ask Seol to pay a million dollars, could I?
Besides, Seol was from the Beast Palace, the paradise of all animals in the Central Plains.
I knew she wouldn’t abandon the animal, so I gave a hesitant nod.
She had already given me a lot, like the martial arts skills and the generous allowance when I visited the Tang Clan.
The most important thing she gave me, however, was the family bond that money couldn’t buy.
"I don’t know if Seol and Bini will drive their offspring away or if they will form a family, but if they drive them away, I’ll give you one. But if they form a family, there’s nothing I can do."
So, I gave a tentative answer, but I couldn’t give a definite one. Lizards have various behaviors.
Some abandon their eggs after laying them, while others form families. That’s why I couldn’t give Seol a definitive answer.
For example, the Girdle Tailed Armadillo Lizard, a species of lizard I had dealt with in my past life, lives in colonies on desert rocks. They live in large groups, ranging from 30 to 60, and since they are a species that lays eggs, the parents care for the young and live together in groups on the rocks.
If Seol and Bini shared similar behaviors, they wouldn’t let their babies go. That’s why I couldn’t give Seol a clear answer.
Seol, who raised animals herself, nodded understandingly.
"Of course, I couldn’t separate a family. If that happens, I won’t ask for one. I was just hoping if they get driven out by the parents after they grow up, I could get one."
So, we finished discussing the breeding plan.
Just as I approached the window to close it...
She looked outside the window and shouted.
"Who’s there?!"
What Seol had grabbed from the air was an arrow.
After confirming it, Hwa-eun rushed out of the room, and the sound of Bido flying into the sky echoed.
Even Cho and Yo-hwa appeared in front of the house.
"Intruder! Find them!"
The warriors scattered to search for the intruder, and my father-in-law quickly asked Hwa-eun what had happened, his anger rising quickly.
"What happened, Hwa-eun?!"
"An arrow flew into So-ryong’s room!"
"What?! Who dares shoot an arrow inside the Tang Clan's Gujinmun gates, and into my son-in-law’s room?! Find them! We must find them!"
After hearing the news that an arrow had flown inside the Tang Clan compound, especially into the main hall, there was immediate chaos.
The emergency due to Bini's disappearance had just been cleared, but now, thanks to my father-in-law's rage, torches were lighting up in every corner.
When the warriors in the compound began to scatter to search for the one who shot the arrow, Seol, still holding the arrow in her hand, shook it and asked in a puzzled voice.
"By the way, there’s a letter and two jujube seeds tied to this arrow?"
"Jujubes!?"
"Jujubes!?"
"Do you mean those jujubes!?"
Everyone was shocked as they looked at the jujubes in Seol’s hand.
As my father-in-law checked the jujubes and saw the letter, his angry expression immediately shifted, and he commanded the warriors.
"Everyone, stop making a fuss and disperse!"
"Yes, sir."
What does it mean for the arrow to be aimed at my son-in-law, but now this happens?
When I gave a confused look at my father-in-law’s orders, he smiled.
"Well, even if things were stolen, it’s not like we’re at a loss. We’re going to receive help from one of the Five Emperors, after all."
It seemed like he was implying that if we gave something to the thief, we could get help from a powerful warrior, which was not a loss.
Worrying, Hwa-eun spoke up.
"Since the Thief Emperor is coming, I think we should warn the children. They shouldn’t approach him if they see him at night. We can’t afford for anyone to get hurt."
She explained that we had to make sure Cho and Yo-hwa, or even the golden wasp kings, couldn’t bite him.
If someone asked who the thief was, it could cause serious trouble, so they should be cautious.
In response to Hwa-eun’s words, Seol and Bini both gave a low sound.
As the two responded, Hwa-eun nodded and asked my father-in-law.
"Father, what kind of thing would the Thief Emperor be stealing?"
She seemed curious about what the thief might be after, but when she looked at my father-in-law, his face went pale.
He opened his mouth, and an unbelievable answer came out.
"He’s here to steal... So-ryong."
"What!?"
Everyone was stunned to hear that the person the thief wanted to steal was me.
In the now quiet room, Hwa-eun’s voice, calm as ever, echoed.
"Kids, I think I misspoke earlier. From now on, if you see anyone at night, ask them everything!"