"Nyaa-."
Flinch-
"Nyaa- nyaa-."
Tremble, tremble, tremble-
The ice tiger, which was crying calmly, and Cheongha, which was flinching and trembling every time.
Now, it was even hiding the teeth it had been showing towards the ice tiger and was shrinking its body.
"...Huh?"
The people were staring blankly at that.
Why on earth was that tiger, the size of a house, trembling at such a cat?
Originally, it would be a normal situation if it were the other way around.
Because the difference in physique between the ice tiger and Cheongha was that great.
The people who did not know the identity of the ice tiger had no choice but to think that way.
"...Cheongha?"
It was the same for Min Yeongyeong.
To think that that Cheongha was feeling fear at such a baby tiger.
Even among all the tigers of the Beast Palace, Cheongha could be said to be the number one in rank.
Therefore, Min Yeongyeong had never seen Cheongha feeling so much fear towards its own kind until now.
"Cheongha! What's wrong?"
Min Yeongyeong shouted at Cheongha.
However, as if it could not hear Min Yeongyeong's voice, Cheongha, which was still trembling.
It seemed that fear had already taken over its entire body, and Cheongha was just trembling pathetically.
'Is that baby tiger such a fearsome opponent?'
Min Yeongyeong thought so and looked at the ice tiger.
Of course, although its appearance could be said to be somewhat special, even so, the ice tiger seemed to be only at the level of a baby tiger.
Swish-
At that moment, Min Yeongyeong, who was moving towards Cheongha.
It was certain that something was wrong with Cheongha's body.
Because she thought that Cheongha would not show such a reaction otherwise, Min Yeongyeong was approaching Cheongha without realizing it.
"Stop."
"...!"
"Are you trying to approach that side now?"
Cheon Myeong asked Min Yeongyeong.
Then, Min Yeongyeong, who stopped her steps and looked at Cheon Myeong.
As the two's eyes met, Cheon Myeong continued to speak with a meaningful expression.
"Let the parties involved solve the problem themselves."
"..."
"Didn't you say that first?"
At those words, Min Yeongyeong could not particularly refute.
In fact, it was true that she had said that, and she had no intention of getting involved between the two in the first place.
However, looking at Cheongha's condition, it seemed that something was clearly wrong with its body, so she could not just leave it like this.
"I certainly said that, but... Cheongha's condition is very strange now."
"What's strange?"
"If its condition isn't bad, then Cheongha wouldn't be trembling like that! So..."
"Well, in my eyes, it doesn't seem to be trembling because its body is sick."
Did that mean that Cheongha was really scared?
Min Yeongyeong could not believe those words.
"What on earth does that mean? Cheongha is the strongest of all the tigers that exist in this world!"
"Then it seems that's not the case."
"...What did you say?"
"I mean that the ice tiger I am raising is stronger than that tiger."
As Cheon Myeong said that, Min Yeongyeong's gaze turned to the ice tiger again.
'Is that child stronger than Cheongha?'
Since Min Yeongyeong had seen numerous tigers, she could guess the strength of that tiger at a glance.
Therefore, she had not thought as Cheon Myeong had said in the first place.
Although she looked carefully again, the ice tiger did not seem to be particularly different from other baby tigers.
"Ice tiger."
At that moment, Cheon Myeong called the ice tiger.
"That's enough, come back now."
As he said that, the ice tiger took its eyes off Cheongha and walked to the side where Cheon Myeong was.
At the same time, Cheongha, which stopped trembling and sat down.
Seeing that, Min Yeongyeong's two eyes widened as if she couldn't believe it.
'Was Cheongha really scared of that child?'
Now she had no choice but to admit it.
Because she had just seen the undeniable evidence with her own two eyes.
"...Cheongha!"
Belatedly coming to her senses, Min Yeongyeong, who was approaching Cheongha.
At that moment, Cheon Myeong said to Min Yeongyeong.
"Does that tiger still want to talk to the ice tiger?"
It could be said to be a shameless question.
However, Min Yeongyeong looked at Cheon Myeong and had no choice but to answer that question.
"...No."
"Then I guess we can go now."
"..."
"I'll leave that meat."
Cheon Myeong said that and turned around and walked away.
At the same time, the ice tiger, which was glancing at the meat as if it were a pity.
As if it had felt that gaze of the ice tiger, Cheon Myeong said to the ice tiger.
"I'll give you a new one just like that, so don't have any lingering feelings."
"Nyaa-."
"Then, really. You cute little thing."
Cheon Myeong was very proud of the ice tiger.
Although it was not intended, since the ice tiger had fought a proper battle against the Beast Palace.
Since just that one situation was no different from raising the prestige of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Cheon Myeong now felt like he wanted to give the ice tiger a kiss.
"..."
Min Yeongyeong looked at Cheon Myeong and the ice tiger, who were moving away, without a word.
The mysterious baby tiger that had suppressed Cheongha with just its momentum. And what kind of person was Cheon Myeong, the owner of that baby tiger?
In Min Yeongyeong's heart, a curiosity about Cheon Myeong was growing without her realizing it.
***
Cheon Myeong returned to his original position with the ice tiger.
"Young Master!"
At that moment, Heo Cham, who was running towards Cheon Myeong. And he stopped right in front and said with a troubled face.
"Where on earth have you been?"
"...?"
"You suddenly disappeared, so I kept looking for you."
Hearing those words, Cheon Myeong was a little dumbfounded.
What kind of late reaction was this?
Although there had been that much of an incident with the Beast Palace, it seemed that Heo Cham did not even know that fact.
"You, what have you been doing until now?"
"Pardon? Well... I was just wiping the Zanbato."
"You've been wiping it until now?"
"Even after wiping it, it felt like the smell of saliva was still there... to be honest, I still feel a little uncomfortable."
"..."
So that's what happened.
Although he had been about to say something to Heo Cham, hearing those words, it seemed that he could not say anything.
'...Wait.'
At that moment, a being that he had forgotten about suddenly came to Cheon Myeong's mind.
Baekjo, what was this guy doing now?
Although he had been about to leave for a moment, since he had been unintentionally involved with Min Yeongyeong, he had left Baekjo alone for too long.
'Don't tell me...'
At that moment, a sudden sense of anxiety.
Cheon Myeong hurriedly ran to the place where he had left Baekjo.
"...!"
As he arrived there, Cheon Myeong's two eyes widened.
Cheon Myeong, who was staring somewhere as if he couldn't believe it.
In the direction his gaze was directed, Baekjo was still staring at the food on the plate with a serious gaze.
'What is this?'
In fact, Cheon Myeong had thought that Baekjo would have eaten all the food there.
Because as the time he had been away grew longer, he had thought that there would be no one to control Baekjo anymore.
However, unlike Cheon Myeong's expectation, Baekjo was just standing still as it was.
"Baekjo..."
"..."
"You've finally grown up."
"...Peep?"
As Cheon Myeong muttered right behind, Baekjo looked at Cheon Myeong as if it were puzzled.
At that moment, Cheon Myeong, who grabbed Baekjo with both hands.
And as he suddenly hugged it into his bosom, Baekjo couldn't help but be flustered.
"You proud little thing, you've finally been able to endure your gluttony!"
"...?"
"Good, I won't control you anymore, so you can eat as much as you want."
Baekjo did not know exactly what was going on.
However, one word that he had clearly heard among the words that had come out of Cheon Myeong's mouth just now.
Hearing Cheon Myeong's words that he could eat as much food as he wanted, Baekjo was overjoyed.
"Peep-peep-peep-!"
"Okay, okay. I'll put you over there, so eat on your own."
Cheon Myeong said that and placed Baekjo on the table.
At that moment, Baekjo, which jumped at the food like a hungry beast.
Although the way it was eating greedily did not seem to end with just one plate, since Cheon Myeong believed in the appearance that Baekjo had shown earlier, he decided to leave it for now.
Thump- thump-
At that moment, a person approached Cheon Myeong.
A head that naturally turned to that side.
As he discovered Howonjae, who was approaching him, the smile that had been on Cheon Myeong's lips until just now disappeared.
"..."
Why on earth was that human approaching him?
Since he had seen him just watching from a distance when there had been a commotion with Min Yeongyeong, a slight displeasure could not help but be mixed in Cheon Myeong's gaze towards Howonjae.
"Are you enjoying the banquet?"
Howonjae stopped right in front and asked Cheon Myeong.
Since that question felt rather shameless, it did not seem that a good word would come out, but Cheon Myeong answered, not revealing his displeasure on the outside as much as possible.
"Yes, I am enjoying it, thanks to you. Although there is one thing I don't like."
"I came to apologize for that part."
"..."
"I also saw that there was a brief discord between you and the Beast Palace side just now."
He had not expected that Howonjae would admit that fact so cleanly.
Although he had thought that he would vaguely evade the answer even if he said it like this.
Since it was a slightly unexpected answer, Cheon Myeong was sparing his words for a moment.
Then, Howonjae continued to speak.
"In this banquet hall now, people with very different tendencies are gathered."
"..."
"So even I, the host, could not rashly intervene. Because if a third party were to step in, things might get bigger."
In fact, those words just sounded like an excuse to Cheon Myeong.
Of course, although there was a possibility of that, it would not be a reason for the host to just stand still.
Although it was no different from admitting that that side was incompetent, since Howonjae had said that first, Cheon Myeong had no intention of talking about this any longer.
'If I talk any longer, I'll just become a pathetic person.'
In any case, Howonjae, who could be said to have a higher social position than him, had approached first and was speaking like that.
So whether that was an excuse or not would not be a very important matter.
If he had been harmed by that incident, he could have gone deeper, but in reality, he had not been harmed at all.
Rather, it could be said that the Min Yeongyeong side had been harmed.
As his thoughts were organized, Cheon Myeong broke the silence and opened his mouth.
"I also understand your position, Leader."
"..."
"If the same situation does not happen again in the future, I have no intention of talking about that problem anymore."
In other words, if a similar thing were to happen in the future and the Martial Alliance side were to just condone it, he would not just let it go like now.
Howonjae immediately understood the meaning hidden in the words.
"I understand. I will be careful."
Howonjae answered.
And the silence that followed.
Although Cheon Myeong had thought that the business was over with this, for some reason, Howonjae was still standing in that spot and was looking at Cheon Myeong.
'What is it?'
Was there still some business left?
As soon as Cheon Myeong had that thought, Howonjae opened his mouth again.
"Young Leader."
"...?"
"Have you heard the name 'Pacheongyo'?"
"...Pacheongyo?"
It was a name he had never heard before.
However.
For some reason, as soon as he heard it, that name was constantly echoing in Cheon Myeong's mind.
"...No. I have not heard of it."
Cheon Myeong answered.
Then, Howonjae, who was looking at Cheon Myeong, maintaining his silence again.
Soon, with his usual smile, Howonjae opened his mouth.
"Is that so?"
"..."
"I understand. Then please continue to enjoy the banquet."
"...Pardon?"
That word came out of Cheon Myeong's mouth without him realizing it.
Don't tell me that was really the end?
Since he had thought that there would be something to follow after that, Cheon Myeong was a little flustered.
"..."
However, Howonjae, who was moving away as if he really had no lingering attachment.
Cheon Myeong could not approach and just watched his back without a word.
"Pacheongyo..."
Looking at Howonjae, who was moving away, Cheon Myeong muttered that name.
Although he didn't know the reason, for some reason, he had a feeling that he couldn't ignore it.
Although he didn't know with what intention Howonjae had said that to him just now, he did not think that he had asked such a question without any reason.
Chomp, chomp, chomp-
It was then.
A mysterious sound from behind Cheon Myeong.
Cheon Myeong, who had belatedly heard that sound, took his eyes off Howonjae and looked at that side.
"...!"
One empty plate, two... he couldn't even count.
And in between, Baekjo, which was still eating food diligently.
At that miserable sight, Cheon Myeong was at a loss for words and just stared blankly at that place.
'Grown up, my ass...'
To think that the only thing that came back after trusting and leaving it was an empty plate.
Just as a person does not change so easily, Cheon Myeong finally realized that a bird also does not change so easily.
"...Okay, eat a lot now."
Because he will throw it up later.
Looking at Baekjo, Cheon Myeong muttered meaningfully.
(End of Chapter)