New Year’s Day
A chilly intruder visited the capital. It was an untimely cold snap. The once resplendent royal palace, not to mention the entire capital, was enveloped in thick snow as if draped in white silk. The grandeur that always seemed to shine brilliantly was subdued by the New Year's Day, its presence diminished. It was a perfect New Year's Day.
The ash-gray clouds that hung in the sky began to gradually move as they were pushed by the wind. Just then, rare news spread that one of the young princes had gotten lost while playing in the vast garden, but most people were indifferent. The young prince was nothing more than the offspring of a lowly woman. Worse still, he did not even receive the favor of the emperor, so the palace had no interest in him or his mother. The attendants assigned to the concubines were too busy taking care of their own princes and princesses. Even if they had the leisure, they had no intention of helping her. She had been chosen by the heavens to become the emperor's concubine, but she was a woman who had never once been embraced by him except on the night of the wedding.
In the end, the young concubine, clad in a sable fur coat brought from Saga, ventured out to search for her lost son in the garden.
"Kang-ah!"
Her voice floated through the frozen cold, but ultimately did not reach him. The frail voice was buried in the strong wind and disappeared. She stood in the center of the garden with trembling eyes, her face reddened from the cold, and murmured anxiously.
"Where on earth did you go, Kang-ah...."
Unaware that the young concubine was desperately searching for him, young Kang was frolicking in the forbidden area of the snowy field. It was a playground for the werewolf royals, where they could transform into wolves. When they wanted to transform, they would do so there, then run around the hills frantically, biting each other's necks. They would also stick out their tongues and lick each other's ears, jaws, bellies, and other areas to confirm their kinship through scent. It was a process unique to wolves. Because it was a space reserved for special individuals among the werewolves, it was strictly managed. Especially on the days when the emperor himself transformed into a wolf and entered, the management became even stricter.
However, Kang was so small and agile that he found any gaps in the palace to sneak around and never got caught. Even if he did, he was a cheerful child who would laugh without knowing what was wrong. Kang was only four years old.
"Brr, it's cold."
Rolling down the hill, Kang lay on the snowy ground, looking up at the sky and murmuring. His hair, carefully tied by the young concubine, was now messy and wet, plastered to his face. His white, chubby cheeks turned red from the biting wind, looking like multiple layers of thin, long radishes.
His winter coat made of animal skin was getting soaked, and there was no other option for footwear. Although the coat had animal fur inside, it was still insufficient to withstand the harsh cold. Shivering, the child struggled to get up his cute, small body. The living animal fur, one by one, stuck to his hair like icicles.
"Ugh...."
The child groaned as he looked up at the hill he had rolled down. When he rolled down, there was no worry as he tumbled down like a pebble, but now, as he tried to climb up, it felt daunting. The ridge line stretched endlessly, and the child moved his eyes back and forth.
His familiar mother, the attendant whose ears were going numb, or the nanny who used to take care of him were nowhere to be seen. With the endless expanse of the snowy landscape spread out in front of him, the child started to whimper when he couldn't see anyone he knew. Growing up in the stern palace, he had a gentle and tender temperament, so this unfamiliarity was frightening to him.
"Mommy..., where are you, eunuch...."
The child whimpered like a lost animal. His sobs were muffled by the wind and buried in the snow. With his nose turning pink, he sniffled as he struggled to climb up the hill.
"Ah!"
However, as he tried to take a step, the child, stepping on the snow, slipped and tumbled down. Instinctively, the child shut his eyes tightly and curled up. It's going to hurt! Kang trembled with fear inside.
But it didn't hurt. Instead, something sturdy like a pillar was supporting the child from behind. Feeling the soft touch against his frozen cheek, Kang cautiously opened his eyes. His eyes, already rounded by tears, widened even more. With the wind blowing and the hill covered in snow, the child turned his head towards the one supporting him.
"Hic!"
A huge creature with mysterious eyes was looking down at Kang. Its golden fur, more beautiful than the tiles of the palace, enveloped Kang's small body. The golden fur was as thin as silk. It even nodded its head as if in anguish. The creature sniffed Kang's neck with its damp nose. When he sobbed, the child, like a small bird, huddled down while enduring the creature's breath. It was frightening yet fascinating. Kang's eyes kept flickering back to the creature. Then, when their eyes met, he nonchalantly lowered his head. The wolf licked its wet nose against Kang's chubby cheek, peeking out from his black hair.
Meanwhile, Kang, with his small and innocent mind, got lost in his thoughts. His mother used to take him to the royal garden to show him the animals raised by the emperor, but this giant creature was something new. With fear still lingering, Kang lowered his head and examined the creature's paws. What kind of creature could it be? Overcoming his fear with innocent curiosity, Kang raised his head to admire the majestic appearance of the creature.
The dense fur, with silver needles tightly woven in, was more transparent and beautiful than snow. Its limbs, much thicker than Kang's, looked like they could withstand a blow from a tree without falling. Large, black eyes, like those of a cow, were embedded in the creature's thick legs, slowly rising from the snow and then stopping at the eyes.
A golden eye, about the size of a child's fist, stared at Kang. As the slender and long pupil absorbed the light, it seemed to absorb Kang's body and mind as well.
"Sa, sa, sa…."
The creature, looking at Kang with its small mouth, lowered its head. Its long muzzle touched Kang's cheek. Surprisingly damp and warm, Kang opened his eyes wide.
The creature opened its mouth and extended its tongue, licking the bright red cheeks where tears of the young prince remained. Yeon Kang couldn't even blink in amazement, his gaze fixed on the creature's large face. Somehow, the creature seemed to be smiling. Its golden eyes curved as if forming a smile.
The creature rubbed Kang's face with its own, then pushed him down with its tongue and thoroughly licked every corner. The frozen cheeks and neck melted with the warmth of the creature.
"Ah, it tickles!"
As the creature's tongue entered Kang's throat, he laughed, making a giggling sound. The creature paused for a moment at the sound of his laughter, then looked intently at the child buried in the snow. Its golden eyes once again swept up and down Kang. Then it tilted its head to the side.
What is this? The creature seemed to be asking. Ignorant of everything, Kang blinked innocently. Despite its terrifying size, Kang relaxed and gently touched the creature's face with his small hands, showing curiosity.
"It's soft..."
Kang's hand touched the creature's snout. The creature growled as it grabbed its black nose. It seemed annoyed. It was the first time the creature showed emotion, but Kang, blinking with curiosity, murmured.
"It's like a puppy. It feels the same as when you touch a puppy's nose."
Unconsciously, Kang withdrew his gaze from the creature and stared at his damp palm. Then he looked back and forth between the creature and his hand. The creature also observed the child intently. Sniffing, it smelled the sweet, fresh scent emanating from Kang's neck and head. Its eyes narrowed as it found something. The creature extended its long tongue and slowly swept it from bottom to top across Kang's cheek. Kang burst into laughter like rolling marbles and grabbed the wolf's snout with both hands.
"Now I know. You're a big puppy, right?"
The child seemed to mistake the creature for a dog raised in the palace gardens. Hearing this, the creature twisted its mouth in bewilderment. Yeon Kang, finding it amusing, continued to gently stroke the creature's fur with his inexperienced hands, still lying on the cold snowy ground. Although the creature was annoyed by Kang's actions, it restrained itself from acting recklessly towards the young one.
"If you come here, you'll get scolded, you know? This is Abamama's palace. If He finds out you're here, He’ll scold you."
At the sound of the chick-like chirping from Kang's mouth, the creature opened its mouth. Its panting breath poured onto the child's face. Kang lay still, blinking quietly, seemingly unfazed by the warm breath.
The creature enveloped the child's body with its pillar-like legs. The delicate body was completely hidden by the wolf's frame. Kang smiled brightly from within the shadow cast by the creature. The wolf whimpered at the innocent face. It seemed perplexed.
"But you're different from other puppies..."
Uncomfortable with the term "puppy," the creature licked the child's lips with its tongue, causing Kang to laugh as he turned his head away from the tickling sensation.
"It tickles. Stop licking."
Kang wiped his moist lips with his sleeve, dampened by the creature's saliva. The creature glanced at the child for a moment, then grabbed Kang's shoulder with its forepaw and swiftly turned him around. Kang's body rolled sideways, hitting his right leg against the ground. Although it wasn't a direct hit, his left shoulder, which touched the ground, stung sharply.
"Ouch... Ouch!"
The child whimpered in pain but soon turned it into a gasp of excitement. The wolf had lifted the child's clothing in its mouth, causing the child's short arms to flail in the air.
"Scary! Let me down! Puppy, let me down!"
The child pleaded with the creature, bursting into tears. However, the wolf ignored him and smoothly carried him dangling in its mouth, gracefully walking across the snow. At first, Yeon Kang had cried as he swung back and forth, but as his body swayed like a swing, he gradually stopped crying and looked ahead with excitement.
With his back held by the wolf, his arms and head dangled down like leaves by a riverbank, but he felt no discomfort. On the contrary, he felt joy. Escaping from the palace and experiencing freedom, the child burst into laughter.
"Puppy, you're really nice."
Hanging in the air, the child looked at the creature's face with a relaxed expression. As they approached the entrance surrounded by trees, the wolf blinked its golden eyes curiously. Stretching out his hand, the child stroked the wolf's thick fur and praised him.
"You're good, really good. When we get back to the palace, I'll give you a candy. They said good kids can have candy. Of course, the nanny said if you eat too much candy, you'll get scolded..."
Even though one ear was pinched, Yeon Kang shuddered at the thought of the ghost-like nanny. "No more than two candies a day," she firmly reminded him, hiding the candies in a jar. Carefully suppressing his voice, Yeon Kang spoke to the wolf.
"You'll get one candy since it's two candies a day. I can't give you too much..."
He murmured in a tone of apology, seeming remorseful.
"I have to eat too..."
The creature let out a huff, seemingly pleased. Its pace quickened as it left the hillside, running effortlessly along the path leading to the palace. Yeon Kang, experiencing such speed for the first time, stretched out his arms with excitement, making a whooshing sound.
As they entered the path leading to the inner court, the thick paws of the creature made contact with the snowless stones, startling the palace guards and servants who had been watching over the area. Each time the creature carrying Kang approached, the murmurs of surprise grew quieter. Even the familiar face of the eunuch bowed low to the ground, along with the guards and servants outside.
Confused by this reaction, Yeon Kang lifted his head in bewilderment. Such deference was reserved for only one person in the world: the Son of Heaven, the supreme ruler of Yeon, and Yeon Kang's beloved father, the Emperor.
But Abamama wasn't a puppy. The Abamama Yeon Kang had seen from a distance was a beautiful person in his own right. He hadn't seen his face clearly as he prostrated himself to greet the Emperor, but he remembered the hem of the dragon robe trailing along the ground like it was touching both heaven and earth. For a brief moment, the embroidered dragons and sacred symbols on the deep blue silk seemed to linger in Yeon Kang's vision before vanishing.
The Emperor's eyes, which he had accidentally glimpsed, came to mind. More captivating than the silver threads in his hair were his eyes, like precious jewels. His eyes were alive with shimmering golden light.
"Huh...?"
Come to think of it, the puppy also had golden eyes. Kang raised his head, his voice trailing off. The creature and he locked eyes. The creature, as if asking what was wrong, blinked before smiling.
"Your eyes... they're like Abamama's."
The creature huffed, and Kang chuckled.
Why are they the same? A puppy is a puppy, and Abamama is Abamama.
As his curiosity grew like a billowing cloud, he heard a familiar voice from afar. It was a thin, constantly trembling, delicate voice.
“Kang-ah!”
“Mom. It's mom. Puppy, Mom is here!”
Yeon Kang’s eyes widened and he smiled brightly, wriggling his body. The beast, as if to reassure him, lowered its head and gently placed the boy on the ground. After being carried by the beast, Yeon Kang arrived at the garden of the inner palace, feeling a bit dizzy and staggering slightly.
When his small body wavered, the beast used its large face to steady him. Thanks to the beast, the boy didn't fall. Standing on his small feet, Yeon Kang saw his mother running towards him. She first smiled in relief at seeing him, but then, upon noticing the beast behind him, she turned pale and prostrated herself on the ground. It was a habit ingrained in her body. The beast calmly observed this, then nudged Yeon Kang with its nose.
Go on, it seemed to say. Understanding the gesture, Yeon Kang looked at the beast with affectionate eyes, then opened his short arms wide and hugged the beast's neck tightly. The beast's soft fur brushed against the boy's neck and arms. Although it was the boy hugging the beast, it was more like he was buried in its fur.
“Thank you, puppy. Come to Cheong Palace later.”
I’ll give you the sweets I promised. The boy whispered into the beast’s ear. The beast, perhaps feeling ticklish, lowered its head. The boy, hugging the beast tightly, turned his body and ran towards his mother, who was still prostrated on the cold ground.
“Mom!”
The beast, watching the boy's small body intently, turned around. Voices calling out could be heard. Your Majesty, where are you? Your Majesty…. Your Majesty, the Left General has submitted a report….
These were desperate cries that could only be heard by a beast. Pausing to take a breath, the beast turned its head and looked back. The boy was now happily smiling in the arms of a delicate woman, presumably his mother. When the woman’s eyes met the beast’s golden ones, she hurriedly lowered her head.
The beast let out a short, human-like laugh and then ran off. A silver arc was drawn in the air and then disappeared.