“Alright, pull it in!”
“Yes, Great Mistress! Heave-ho!”
“Heave-ho!”
“So-ryong-nim, I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare it well. Thanks to you, we’ll finally get a taste of some proper meat. Hehe.”
The warriors of the Beast Palace began dragging the buffalo away with excited expressions.
A rope had been tied to its horns, and the buffalo slid across the grassy field, leaving a long track behind it.
It was technically Mama’s first catch, but there was no way I could eat this whole thing alone. That’s why I’d suggested we haul it to the kitchen and cook it to share.
“Yes, I’ll leave it to you.”
I had just spoken to the warriors when I turned around—
And heard Mama’s regretful voice.
Mama, watching the buffalo being dragged away, spoke with a wistful tone.
[I understand humans cook meat over fire, but it’s a shame I can’t prepare it myself. The only thing I can make is meat paste balls... Though they’re not bad. Would you like to try some next time?]
She seemed disappointed she couldn’t cook, so she offered to make meat paste balls instead.
Wasps often chew prey into paste balls to feed their young, and she apparently wanted to do the same.
I figured she might want to do what she hadn’t been able to for her own offspring—she’d become a mother of a different species now, so I had to be understanding of such racial differences.
Even in my past life, I’d had to follow strange customs when visiting remote tribes in Africa or the Amazon.
Drinking buffalo blood or painting my body with mud, for example.
Back then, I’d tossed the job to a guide. This time, I had no escape, so I stammered a response.
“Th-then... l-let’s try that next time?”
[Good. This mother will chew it thoroughly for you.]
Meat paste balls...
Honestly, even just thinking about it turned my stomach.
Wasp meatballs include everything—hide, bones, innards, shell, fur—all chewed up and compacted.
But I had promised to do my best to make Gwaemyeonghoja happy, so... I’d at least pretend to eat it, like it was yukhoe.
There was no one else to toss this job to anymore.
Still, I decided I had to at least ask her to leave out the bones, hide, and innards—just use the meat.
Even though I’d once drunk raw cow blood, I couldn’t imagine forcing down a ball made of crushed bones, guts, and fur.
‘I’ll ask her to use only meat. Just pretend it’s yukhoe. And wasp saliva is medicine, right?’
Following that line of thought, I figured—if it’s only meat, I could think of it as medicine and bear with it.
Because wasp saliva is medicine, after all.
If people could hear what I was thinking, they’d probably say something like—
“Wasp spit is medicine? What kind of freakish thing is that?”
Sure, there had been talk about spit being medicinal, but that was mostly superstition. And by the time I’d died, phrases like “his spit is medicine” or “it’s a tonic” had taken on some very perverted meanings.
But here’s the truth that most people don’t know.
Everyone thinks royal jelly from honeybees is the only miracle substance. But close to that level is wasp saliva.
Wasps are hyperactive and fly long distances with high energy—and the reason for that stamina is their saliva.
Typically, wasp larvae receive food from the adults, and in return, they secrete saliva.
This saliva is rich in certain amino acids like proline and glycine.
When consumed, these make the body burn fat instead of sugar for energy.
That’s why it boosts endurance. In fact, Japan once marketed energy drinks containing these components.
‘Wait a sec. Then Mama’s saliva... isn’t medicinal, is it?’
It hit me—only larval saliva was medicinal.
Adult saliva—like Mama’s—was just ordinary spit.
‘Th-then how am I supposed to stomach it?’
I’d been trying to brainwash myself into thinking it was medicine, only to realize it wasn’t, and suddenly my brain short-circuited.
Because if it wasn’t medicinal, how the hell was I supposed to eat it?
‘Ah! I do have someone to toss it to!’
That’s when I remembered—I did have someone to hand this off to.
Who, you ask?
Future So-ryong.
I decided that when the moment came, future So-ryong would figure it out.
He always handled this kind of crap anyway.
‘Counting on you again, future So-ryong.’
I was having that thought when a breeze whipped past my ear and snapped me out of it.
Cool wind brushed by, and I looked up to see the twilight sky painted with sunset.
The sun was setting—
Perfect timing. I decided to gather the kids.
Cheong-yu Sojeo would be waking up soon, and I wanted to introduce the new family members.
She’d already greeted Cho, Yoha, and Hwa-eun who’d protected me, but she hadn’t met everyone else yet.
“Hey kids, gather up.”
『“Everyone, come up to the deck.”』
—Tslrp. (Got it, Dad.)
—Kissit. (Big Brother, I’m right next to you.)
“Bring the others too, okay?”
—Kishishi. (I’ll go get Sister Hwayang!)
I called out from the inside of the ship and in the group chat. One by one, the kids began gathering.
Geumdo called out to Heukjeom. Cheongwol appeared, having apparently been inside the Beast Palace, with Hyang and Hongdan on her head.
Yoha brought out Hwayang, who was squirming toward the cabin—she clearly didn’t want to leave.
She was probably mid-meal, as usual.
—Grrrng. 『So-ryong has awakened.』
“Yeah, just woke up a little bit ago. Hold on.”
Cheongwol, who was first to arrive among those not on the boat, smiled brightly at me.
I asked in my mind whether Cheong-yu Sojeo had awakened.
『Has Cheong-yu Sojeo woken up yet?』
—Sia. (So-ryong, you're awake? I just woke up too. I’ll be right there.)
Cheong-yu Sojeo had just awakened as well.
A few moments later, she came out of the cabin rubbing her drowsy eyes.
—Siaa. 『So what’s going on?』
“Just a moment. Is everyone here?”
Cheongwol was lying by the water’s edge with Hyang and Hongdan on top of her.
Heukjeom had emerged from the water.
Cheong-yu Sojeo, Hwayang, Cho, and Yoha were already here. Then Moji and Soji came flying from somewhere.
Sister Jeokwol, who’d been perched on the mast, silently made her appearance.
And not long after, Bini arrived on the ship, leading Ranghyang, Yeoncheon, and Senior Yeonji.
“Bini, where were you?”
—Tsrut. 『I was playing in the grass with Sister Ranghyang and Uncle and Aunt Yeoncheon and Yeonji.』
—Kyuki.
“Good job.”
Soon after, Seol, Bing, and Dong arrived, along with Soto—now residing in Gungbong’s body—and Gun Hye-rin.
“So-ryong-nim, you said to gather, didn’t you?”
“You’re awake? Looks like your body’s doing fine. By the way, did you find it?”
“Yeah. Everyone, take a seat over there together. Who’s still missing?”
I was mentally checking who hadn’t arrived yet when Yeondu and Orange came rushing in, flustered to see everyone already gathered.
Orange quickly bowed his head in apology.
—Skah. 『S-sorry we’re late.』
Yeondu jabbed Orange in the side with the tip of her tail and scolded him.
—Shaaaa. 『I told you we needed to hurry!』
—Skaah. 『But how was I supposed to stop in the middle?』
—Shaah! 『Orange!』
—Skaht. 『S-sorry! Yeondu!』
He looked like he wanted to defend himself but was too scared to speak further—Yeondu was glaring daggers at him now.
Listening to the two of them bicker, a smile crept across my face.
When snakes mate, they don’t easily separate. The male’s organ has barbs at the end, which lock it in place inside the female once mating begins.
‘Wait a second... are these two...?’
I circled around Yeondu and Orange. Embarrassed, Yeondu immediately tried to hide behind Orange.
I grinned.
“It’s fine. It’s okay to be a little late.”
Judging by my reaction, Yeondu seemed to realize I’d caught on, and she started glaring at Orange like it was all his fault.
That’s when Hwanji and Hwana drifted in last, floating along the river current—and I decided it was time to introduce Hoja.
“Looks like we’re all here. The reason I called everyone together is simple. I wanted to introduce a new member of the family. You all know what that means, right?”
—Tsrut. 『Yeees!』
—Kkukkukku. 『Yes, Father.』
—Bbeee! 『Baaap!』
I pointed toward Hoja, and the kids nodded in unison.
I stepped up beside her and gently placed my hands on her back.
“This sister here, whom we call Hoja, is now one of our family. I already explained that she fought us in the past because she was being manipulated by the Five Venoms Sect, right?”
I opened the introduction by reminding everyone that Hoja hadn’t opposed us of her own will.
I’d explained this back when we captured her—but since she’d once had a fierce battle with Cho and Yoha, it was worth saying again.
—Tsrut. 『Yes, Dad.』
—Kyuuu. 『Yes, we all understand, Father.』
—Sia. 『I explained it already, So-ryong.』
“Ah, thank you, Cheong-yu Sojeo.”
If Cheong-yu Sojeo had already clarified it for everyone, there was no need to repeat it in detail.
I nodded and continued, now ready to share our relationship with Mama.
“Also, there’s one more thing I need to tell you. This sister Hoja has decided to become my Mama.”
—Tsrut. 『Mama?』
—Tsrurur. 『She’s going to be your mother?』
“That’s right. She’s going to be your grandmother.”
—Tsrut. 『A great-grandmother! That’s awesome!』
—Kkukkukku. 『Grandmother? Wonderful!』
This time, instead of getting another big sister or aunt, the kids were excited to get a grandmother.
They seemed really happy to finally have a proper grown-up among them.
That’s when Hyang glanced over at Cheongwol and asked curiously:
—Tsrurut? 『Dad, but isn’t she younger than Sister Cheongwol...?』
At that, Cheongwol’s voice suddenly rose in surprise.
—Krrrng. 『W-what are you talking about? I’m younger!』
—Tsrut. 『Doesn’t seem like it.』
—KrrrRRRng! 『A-anyway, age doesn’t matter! If So-ryong decided to treat her as his mother, then of course I should treat her as an elder too. Obviously.』
It felt like the family tree was getting a bit tangled. Cheongwol absolutely refused to admit she was younger than Mama.
[Among spirit beasts, age hardly matters.]
—Krrrng! 『E-exactly!』
So without further conflict, Hoja was officially accepted as my Mama.
Just as I was wrapping up the introductions—
“That’s it for the introductions! Let’s all keep living together ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ happily, just like always. Dismissed!”
Gun Hye-rin raised her hand and asked:
“Wait! Master, wh-what should I call her? I mean... should I say ‘Mother’?”
“Mother?”
“That might be a bit premature—n-no! That’s not what I meant! I just meant that people like me, or Soto, or Senior Yeonji and Yeoncheon, need a title to address her.”
“A title?”
I turned to look at Mama.
She twitched her antennae slightly.
Right. Gun Hye-rin had a point—we needed a proper name for her.
I could keep calling her “Mama,” and the kids could use nainai, the Central Plains term for grandmother, but those who weren’t my direct children or siblings—like Yeoncheon and Yeonji—needed a different name to use.
“Oh, of course. Mama, do you happen to have a name?”
I felt a twinge of guilt as I asked.
I hadn’t even asked her name up till now.
Felt like a shameful brat who didn’t even know his own mother’s name. I apologized silently.
Then Mama answered.
[Hmm... I don’t really have a name like a human does. But if I must... call me Baekmo.]
“Baekmo?”
“Baekmo?”
Hoja had the typical appearance of a hornet—black body, with brown streaks.
Baekmo means “White Mother.”
Everyone tilted their heads, puzzled why she’d choose a name like that.
Mama gazed up at the setting sun and answered softly.
[Because I’ve become a white-haired mother who forgot everything like a fool... Let it be Baekmo.]
The air grew still, somber.
I hugged Mama tightly, silently making a vow.
‘Mama... I’ll be a good son. I’ll even try to enjoy those meatballs somehow...’
It was in that moment that I understood why so many sages of old had said what they did.
That filial piety was no easy task.
Because the difficulty of being filial... was far too high.
