The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

"Peep, peep-"

"..."

Cheon Myeong was at a loss for words for a moment as he looked at the baby bird crying towards him from among the shells.

'What do I do now?'

Although he had been trying to hatch the egg, now that it had hatched, he didn't know what he should do.

He would know if he had ever raised a bird before.

Seeing it crying towards him, it seemed that he had to do something.

Because his mind was quite confused, Cheon Myeong froze like a stone statue.

'Should I feed it first? But what on earth does this guy eat?'

Peep-!

'It looks like a bird, but since it's a spiritual beast, it probably eats some special food...'

Peep, peep-!

'For now, let's try giving it anything that a person eats...'

Peep-!

"Be quiet!"

Because the bird kept crying, his mind became more distracted.

In the end, Cheon Myeong couldn't stand it and shouted at the bird to be quiet.

And strangely, the bird that had been crying until now became quiet in an instant from that moment.

"Oh?"

Cheon Myeong looked at it with a surprised look.

Did this guy just understand what he was saying?

Since he hadn't said it with the hope that it would really be quiet, that appearance felt strange to Cheon Myeong.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"..."

"If you understand, answer me."

"Peep-"

When he told it to answer, it was really crying like that.

A rather appropriate cry to be considered a coincidence.

For now, it seemed okay to think that the guy could understand all of his words.

'I'm glad it can understand human words.'

A newborn guy is also smart.

Even when a person is just born, it is common that they can't understand any words.

Looking at that, it seemed that a spiritual beast was indeed a spiritual beast.

'It seems to be the chick of the guy I saw at that time.'

Just like the giant bird he had seen in Musan, the feathers of the baby bird in front of him were also all white.

The only difference was the size.

Since it was still a chick, it was natural that it was small, but would this guy also grow to the size of the spiritual beast he had seen in Musan when it grew up?

Cheon Myeong suddenly had that thought.

'I don't think I can raise it until it becomes like that... when it grows to a certain extent, it will be able to live on its own, so I should let it go then.'

He had brought the egg with that thought from the beginning.

Of course, the hatching of the egg was a little later than expected.

But since it had been born, he was planning to take care of the bird until it could live on its own.

"Hey."

"Peep-!"

"How long do I have to raise you for you to live on your own?"

"Peep-?"

Is this guy pretending not to know?

It's more comfortable to nail this down from the beginning.

Since it seemed to understand his words, Cheon Myeong said to the bird.

"When you grow to a certain extent, I will kick you out."

"Peep-?"

"That means you have to live on your own from then on. Do you understand?"

"Peep..."

What is this feeling, as if I'm talking to a person?

Although he was now talking to a bird, since a subtle emotion was felt from the guy's cry and actions, Cheon Myeong had that feeling.

"Even if you act so pitiful, it won't work."

"..."

"After all, you're a guy who lives in nature from the beginning. So it's only right that you return to the arms of nature."

"Peep..."

As Cheon Myeong spoke firmly, the bird hunched its body.

Then, its head was buried in its wings and could not be seen.

And seeing that, Cheon Myeong unknowingly felt a sense of pity.

'Is it... crying?'

No, it's not really crying.

Come to think of it, it seemed that he had said something quite harsh.

No matter how much it was a spiritual beast, hadn't it been less than half an hour since the guy had seen the light of the world?

To have shouted at such a guy from the beginning that he would kick him out, if he thought about it from the other's point of view, it would feel quite sad.

"Hey..."

"..."

"Are you crying?"

"...Peep."

"So what I mean is... I'll send you to the arms of nature when the time comes."

"..."

"Even people leave their parents' side when they grow up, right? You'll also leave on your own when you grow to a level where you don't need my protection, right? That way, you can find your mate and have chicks."

Cheon Myeong explained step by step, unlike before.

Because of that, his voice had also become quite soft, and his gaze at the bird had also become much more gentle.

"If you want to leave, then leave. I won't kick you out by force before that."

After all, the guy would leave his side on his own.

Because that's how animals are.

Especially since this guy is a spiritual beast, it is a being that cannot live in the arms of a person in the first place.

When the time came, it seemed that it would leave for the arms of nature even if he told it not to go, so Cheon Myeong had said that to the bird.

"...Peep?"

The bird finally unfolded its hunched body and raised its head.

The way it looked at him when he comforted it was just like a person.

And looking at it, Cheon Myeong said with a light smile.

"I promise."

Saying that, Cheon Myeong held out his right hand to the bird.

Then, the bird immediately jumped onto Cheon Myeong's palm.

And it began to cry, flapping its wings as if it were happy.

'It's quite cute when you look at it like this.'

Is this why people raise animals?

As the small guy was wriggling on his palm, Cheon Myeong had that thought.

'Yes, I should give it a name first.'

Although it was a guy that would leave someday, since it seemed that he would be with the guy for a long time, it needed a name.

Moreover, since the guy could understand human words, wouldn't it be convenient in many ways if it had a name?

Cheon Myeong looked at the bird on his palm and pondered over a name.

"...Baeksuk?"

"Peep-?"

"Baeksuk, how about that for your name?"

Looking at the bird, Cheon Myeong had unknowingly thought of Baeksuk.

Isn't the guy in front of him now all white, and isn't Baeksuk also white?

Since there were many similar parts at a glance, Cheon Myeong had said that without thinking.

"Peep-!"

However, the bird cried sharply, as if it didn't like the name.

Does it know what Baeksuk is and is getting angry like this?

No way, it might be able to understand human words, but it wouldn't know what Baeksuk is.

'It's a spiritual beast, so its senses are excellent.'

That's probably why it's getting so angry.

Cheon Myeong thought so and said to the crying bird.

"It's a joke, a joke."

When Cheon Myeong said that, the bird did not cry anymore.

But its gaze was still sharp, as if it would peck his finger with its beak if he gave it a name like that one more time.

"Hmm..."

Cheon Myeong seriously pondered over the bird's name.

Since he didn't want to be pecked by its beak, he was deliberating quite a bit this time.

"Since your body is all white... Baekjo."

"Peep-?"

"How about Baekjo?"

Literally, it means white bird.

Although he had deliberated quite a bit, that was all the name that came out of Cheon Myeong's head.

"Peep, peep-"

However, the bird cried happily and flapped its wings, as if it liked the name.

A reaction that was clearly different from when it was called Baeksuk.

Cheon Myeong also smiled, as if he was in a good mood because the bird liked the name he had given it.

"Your name is Baekjo from now on."

"Peep-!"

"If you don't listen to me in the future, I'll change your name to Baeksuk, so keep that in mind."

Peck-.

In the end, Cheon Myeong was pecked on the finger by its beak.

Although it didn't hurt much, it did sting a little.

"That little guy has quite a temper."

"Peep-!"

"It's a joke, a joke. Can't you even take a joke?"

"Peep, peep-!"

"What? You're saying I shouldn't even say such a thing as a joke?"

When Cheon Myeong said that, Baekjo shook its head vigorously up and down.

'I don't know who the master is.'

A laugh of disbelief came out of Cheon Myeong's mouth.

And so, a new family member was added to the Socheongak.

* * *

"Oh my- how cute!"

Mihwa said in an excited voice as she looked at Baekjo, who was perched on Cheon Myeong's shoulder.

Whether that was the case or not, Baekjo was feigning ignorance, as if it had no interest in Mihwa.

It was a very comfortable appearance, as if Cheon Myeong's shoulder were its own home.

"Young Master, where on earth did this pretty bird come from?"

"It was born from an egg."

"An egg, you say? Are you perhaps talking about the egg that you always carried in your pouch, Young Master?"

"That's right."

The pouch in which the egg had been placed was made by Mihwa herself.

So Mihwa already knew about the existence of the egg, but she looked as if she had never thought that the bird in front of her would be born from that egg.

"I don't think I've ever seen such a pretty bird before."

A bird with all white feathers like Baekjo was quite rare.

Moreover, unlike other ordinary birds, since its feathers were glossy, it exuded a very mysterious atmosphere just by looking at it.

"Can I touch it once?"

"I don't mind, but this guy has a bit of a temper, so be careful."

"Come on, it looks so pretty."

Mihwa said that and held out her right hand towards Baekjo.

However, at that moment.

Peep-!

As Baekjo let out a sharp cry, Mihwa hurriedly withdrew the hand she had held out.

"What's wrong... I'm not trying to hurt you..."

Mihwa said to Baekjo with a tearful face.

However, Baekjo did not even turn its head towards Mihwa, as if it were not interested.

Watching Mihwa's one-sided, pitiful unrequited love, Cheon Myeong said to Baekjo.

"Baekjo, Mihwa is a family member, so you don't have to be so wary."

"Peep-"

"Yes, yes, if you get on Mihwa's bad side, you'll have to starve in the future."

"Peep-!"

At Cheon Myeong's words that it might have to starve, Baekjo cried as if it were in a hurry.

Seeing this, a chuckle came out of Cheon Myeong's mouth.

And he turned his head towards Mihwa again and said.

"It should be okay now."

"Did you just have a conversation with that bird?"

"Uh... this guy is smart. It understands most of what I say."

A bird that understands human words.

No matter how much Cheon Myeong said it, Mihwa couldn't quite believe that fact.

"It's true. Here, touch it. I told it not to be wary anymore, so it must have understood."

Cheon Myeong said that and held out Baekjo, who had perched on his right hand, to Mihwa.

Then, Mihwa flinched slightly, recalling what had happened earlier.

But she believed Cheon Myeong's words and mustered up her courage and held out her right hand to Baekjo.

Swish-.

A right hand cautiously approaching Baekjo.

However, unlike before, Baekjo did not cry towards Mihwa.

'Did it really understand the Young Master's words?'

As that thought came to her, Mihwa held out her finger more boldly.

And Baekjo began to rub its head against Mihwa's right hand.

"Ah..."

A completely opposite appearance from before.

Mihwa let out a cry of admiration without realizing it as she looked at Baekjo, who was acting cute.

"Young Master... this child is so cute."

Mihwa was already completely smitten with Baekjo.

However, as if to drive a wedge, Baekjo moved to Mihwa's hand and acted cute.

And of course, Mihwa's mouth couldn't help but be more wide open than before.

'Is that a bird or a fox?'

To think it would act so cute to Mihwa as soon as he said that.

It is a smart and at the same time very cunning guy.

'It will be able to take care of its own food bowl wherever it goes.'

Cheon Myeong thought so to himself as he looked at Baekjo, who was desperately acting cute to Mihwa.

(End of Chapter)