Chapter 4
“He’s like that man too. Suspicious, but doesn’t seem dangerous.”
Onju furrowed her nose bridge in displeasure, noticing that all she was doing was drawing comparisons between this man and the other one while inspecting the paper.
Even the way her eyes moved over the paper, the wrinkles that formed on her nose—the man’s gaze that followed them felt almost tangible. Aware of his gaze, a strange sense of longing crept in.
“Why am I like this with someone I just met? It’s not the energy on the paper that’s strange—it’s me.”
Feeling longing for a suspicious stranger she’d never met—nonsense.
Repulsed by her own ridiculous emotions, Onju broke the heavy silence with a small cough and spoke up.
“Hmm, did the energy sealed in this paper get damaged when it was torn?”
“Wouldn’t know,”
the man replied gently, not even thinking to look away. His deep eyes, somewhere between testing and blaming, remained fixed solely on Onju, like they were nailed there.
“Hmm…”
Onju turned her eyes away from the man who looked only at her and glanced at the torn edge of the paper. Tilting her head as she kept her eyes fixed on the paper, his gaze followed her movement.
Feigning ignorance of that persistent gaze, Onju murmured softly:
“So you have no idea what this paper is for or what was stored in it?”
“None. I just took it—don’t know a thing about it.”
“You say that like you don’t care at all. Yet you bet several pouches of jewels to get it fixed—very suspicious.”
“It’s just how I am. If I’m curious, I must get answers—even if it costs me.”
“So you’re willing to give up five pouches of jewels just to satisfy your curiosity?”
The man nodded as if she were stating the obvious.
“All you need to do, famous repairer of Suribang, is restore this paper. Then I’ll find out which insane assassin tried to kill me—and who ordered the hit.”
“Even if I fix it, there’s no guarantee you’ll catch the assassin.”
“Whether I do or not, it’s worth five pouches of jewels.”
“And what will you do once you do catch the person who tried to kill you?”
“Haven’t thought that far ahead.”
He cut himself off, then mimicked Onju by crossing his arms under his chest and tilting his head.
“Must I submit a detailed report of my future actions when making a repair request?”
“I was just curious. But you’re so prickly, it’s hard to even ask.”
When Onju playfully scolded him, the man looked startled and covered his mouth with his hand.
After pausing to carefully choose his words, he lowered his hand and smiled apologetically.
“The moment I figure out what to do with the culprit, I’ll inform you right away, miss.”
“Forget it. Like I said, I was just asking. I’m not like you, obsessing over every curiosity.”
She dropped the pouch of jewels she had been holding.
“Five times the fee is too much. I’ll take three.”
“Generous of you.”
“But there’s a condition.”
“Name it.”
“To get more information on this talisman, we’ll probably need to see a mermaid. You’ll have to be my mode of transport then.”
“Transport…?”
Onju pointed at her legs. The man’s eyes followed her finger.
Onju tapped lightly on her skirt with her slender finger, laughing sheepishly with the rhythm.
“I can’t use my legs.”
“……What?”
“When the Emperor invaded Dongrae, he severed the tendons in my legs. I guess the shock was so big, I lost all my memories too.”
The man blinked slowly, like a fool, before his eyebrows gradually twisted. His once elegant brows crumpled, and a deep crease formed on his forehead.
He stared at Onju’s unmoving legs, and in a low voice, asked:
“Did you also… lose your wings?”
“What are you talking about? People don’t have wings.”
Onju scoffed at the absurd question. The man’s eyes lifted in disbelief.
He knew who she really was. After all, ‘Onju’ was a name only passed to those with the blood of the Vermilion Bird.
The very name itself proved she was the guardian beast of the southern continent.
‘A pureblood Vermilion Bird, crippled and turned into a child… and now she’s even forgotten she’s the Vermilion Bird.’
He shook his head in disbelief, his gaze fixed on her small, unmoving feet, not realizing he had leaned forward onto the wooden floor.
“So the bastard who did this… was the Emperor?”
“That’s what I heard.”
The man’s eye twitched at her answer. Onju blinked, unfamiliar with the rage and disgust pouring off him.
“Why are you angry?”
“…Good question. Why do you think I’m so angry?”
There was a desperate note in his voice that Onju couldn’t quite understand. About to shrug off the question, she paused, narrowing her eyes.
“Did you have family in Dongrae back then? Or… did you live here?”
“…Yes. With someone very precious to me.”
A golden flame flickered deep in the man’s eyes. Staring into those gemstone eyes, Onju leaned in.
“I see now. You’re—”
“You understand now?”
“Yeah! You were one of our townsfolk, weren’t you? Half-goblin or tiger-blooded?”
“……”
“Right? I knew the moment I saw you—you’re no ordinary human.”
“……”
Disappointment colored his face. A conman-looking man now looked genuinely disheartened, and Onju quickly averted her eyes.
“Not a goblin or tiger… then maybe a gumiho? Though the male gumihos I’ve met were usually more slender…”
The man still said nothing. Watching him from the corner of her eye, Onju eventually shrugged like she didn’t care.
“Whatever you are, don’t show it so plainly on your face from now on.”
“What’s wrong with my face?”
He replied curtly, though he brushed a hand over his face, perhaps self-conscious. Onju wagged her finger at him.
“Forget it and move on. No use being mad about the past.”
“Ha… the past?”
“Yeah. Everyone’s moved on and lives just fine now. No point you getting all worked up over it.”
“……”
“Life’s just unfair and full of injustice. That’s how it is.”
The man swallowed hard, visibly angrier. Onju clicked her tongue loudly and tapped the talisman with her finger.
“If you’re done being angry, let’s talk business. Three times the deposit. In return, you’re my ride.”
“……”
“Deal or not?”
“Deal. But…”
He let out a deep sigh, trembling with restrained fury. After a few more deep breaths, he spoke again.
“You said you’re not working today, and now I find I’m not in the mood either. I’ll return tomorrow morning.”
“Fine.”
“See you tomorrow. And even if it’s hot, wear your jacket.”
His fingers gently tapped the jacket lying on the wooden bench next to her.
