Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 110

Chapter 110
“Cho, were you thinking of eating this?”

I spoke to Cho, who was lying limp on the grass, drained from his recent molt. Though he didn’t have the energy to reply, the feeling I received from him was a clear refusal.

It’s common for centipedes to consume their own shed exoskeletons after molting. They do this to reclaim nutrients like calcium, protein, chitosan, and other minerals that help in reforming their new shell. However, since Cho had ingested a small Neidan prior to shedding, it appeared he had no need for the old casing. The Neidan had already supplied him with more than enough nourishment.

My initial plan had been to remove a few legs for him if he wanted to eat it, but since he didn’t, that suited me just fine. I unfolded the discarded shell, which had been compressed like an accordion. Once fully extended, it measured a full six meters. The translucent, blue-tinged shell gleamed with a glossy sheen under the sun.

It was large enough that I could likely fashion a pair of trousers from it, but one detail immediately bothered me.

“Wow… this is impressive. But no matter how many times I look at it, it’s so unsightly.”

When laid out flat, the empty sockets where Cho’s two legs had been torn off were glaringly obvious. They stuck out like missing teeth in a perfect smile, deeply irritating my sense of symmetry.

‘I won’t forget this, you wretched wasp. The next time I run into that madwoman, I’m absolutely making her pay. But… I also kind of want that wasp for myself… No, wait a minute.’

My initial anger over the wasp injuring Cho began to shift as I stewed, and a sudden thought occurred to me. I recalled the glint of golden needles I’d seen emanating from the heads of Oh Cheong-yu and Maecho-gwi as they fled.

‘Is it possible… that the ones who are actually brainwashed are Oh Cheong-yu and Maecho-gwi?’

Oh Cheong-yu had accused me of being under control, but now I wondered if she and her wasp were the ones truly manipulated. The Beast Palace’s Explosive Beast Subjugation Technique is meant to forcibly agitate a beast’s instincts, driving it into a maddened state. Yet, thinking back to the soldier ant incident, it felt like O-dok-mun had applied some kind of extra manipulation.

‘The likelihood they’ve been brainwashed is very high.’

By the time I finished turning it over in my mind, I felt certain those two were victims of mental control. And if that was true, wouldn’t it fall to the Spicy Fabre to save them?

Oh Cheong-yu, as a member of O-dok-mun who had conspired with the Blood Cult, was an enemy. Even if she were brainwashed, she would still need to answer for her crimes. I would eventually turn her over to the Martial Alliance.

But Maecho-gwi—pitifully manipulated and used by O-dok-mun—needed to be freed and welcomed into my care.

‘People must be held accountable for their misdeeds. But what fault lies with a venomous creature? I must save Maecho-gwi.’

With my mind made up, I pulled out a dagger and attempted to cut through the joints of Cho’s legs.

—Clang.

The blade didn’t even leave a mark.

It made sense. Even when he was just a Blue-Spotted Centipede, Cho’s shell was blade-resistant. Now that he had evolved into a Flying Centipede, it was undoubtedly tougher. I wondered if Yo-hwa, another of the Ten Great Venomous Creatures, could manage it.

“Yo-hwa, can you cut this for me?”

—Kish?

Yo-hwa tried as I asked, but then I remembered: spiders aren’t built for chewing. A spider’s fangs are more like tusks than teeth; they lack the upper and lower molars needed to bite and shear. To cut something, you need opposing pressure from top and bottom, and since Yo-hwa only has her fangs, she can’t chew through it. That’s why most spiders hunt by injecting venom to paralyze their prey, then regurgitating digestive fluids to liquefy the tissues before sucking them up.

“So how in the world am I supposed to cut this?”

Yo-hwa couldn’t manage it. Using a sword aura might work, but Seon-hwa—the most skilled among us—was still recovering in bed. As I pondered, I considered that the interior of the shell might be less durable. I slid my dagger into the inner part of the exoskeleton and carefully pressed at a joint.

—Tchhk.

A crisp sound followed, like slicing into a ripe watermelon, and a clean crack appeared. A moment later, one of Cho’s legs separated neatly.

“Yes! The inside isn’t as hard as the outside!”

The exterior was incredibly tough, but the inner layer was far more yielding. Repeating the process, I swiftly removed several legs from the molted shell. Cradling a bundle of centipede legs gave me a peculiar sense of fulfillment.

‘Is this what it feels like for a dad bringing home fried chicken after work?’

Arms full of Cho’s legs, I couldn’t help but compare it to the satisfaction of a father providing for his family on payday. I turned quickly to Yo-hwa.

“Yo-hwa, look after Cho for me. I need to go collect the others.”

—Kishi!

Yo-hwa, now in her Hwa-eun form, thumped her pedipalps against her chest in a gesture of reassurance. She looked so endearing that I scratched her chin until she seemed pleased, then set off to find my grandfather.

By the time I reached his quarters—

—Chitter chitter…
—Chirp chirp…
—Crash!

“You little imps! Sit still for one moment! If you keep this up, I’m sending you straight back to So-ryong!”

A loud commotion was coming from inside, mixed with the weary voice of my grandfather, Mandok Shingun.

‘He’s having a hard time.’

—Chitter!
—Chitter!

Judging by the noise, Hyang and Bini hadn’t paused for a second, and Grandfather was having a difficult time managing them. Hwa-eun had also struggled to keep them in line. Now, it seemed Grandfather had become their latest target.

“These little ones sought me out this morning. They must be fond of me. Don’t worry, I can handle them.”

When I had visited earlier, Grandfather had been so self-assured about watching them. But it had taken only half a day to wear him down. It reminded me of how grandparents are always thrilled when their grandchildren visit, but after a short while, they’re already wondering when they’ll head home.

“Ahem. Grandfather, it’s me, So-ryong.”

“Hm? S-So-ryong!? Children, your father is here!”

The instant I announced myself, I heard the most relieved tone I’d ever detected in my grandfather’s voice since coming to the Tang Clan. I entered to find a scene of total disarray.

Shattered inkstones. Torn paper. Flower petals scattered everywhere from some unknown source. It looked like a home that had been thoroughly ransacked by a puppy with severe separation anxiety.

“Good heavens…”

“You’ve arrived at the perfect time, So-ryong. Please, just take them with you. I’ve never felt this drained, not even during my most intense martial training.”

Grandfather was a formidable martial artist, yet Hyang and Bini had completely sapped his energy in under a day. The centipedes of the Venomous Creature world were essentially the beagles of this realm.

I scanned the room for the little troublemakers, but they were nowhere in sight. The moment they heard my voice, they must have hidden. Puzzled, I looked around until Grandfather pointed a thumb toward his own back.

“?”

Following his gesture, I focused on his shoulders. At first, I saw nothing unusual. But upon closer inspection, I spotted two tiny antennae quivering ever so slightly. It was Hyang and Bini. The little rascals had ducked behind Grandfather’s back the second I walked in.

‘They’re still holding a grudge, I see.’

Stifling a laugh, I decided to play along.

“Ahem. Well, what a pity. I brought something just like a Neidan, just as I promised, but I wonder where those two have gone.”

—Tsrut!?

A startled chittering sound burst from behind Grandfather. In a flash, Hyang launched herself from his shoulder straight into my arms. She leaped through the air, landing snugly against my chest like a child jumping into a parent’s embrace. Once settled, her curious eyes fixed on the centipede legs I was holding. She tilted her head. She had rushed over, excited by the mention of a Neidan, but what she saw didn’t quite match her expectations.

Chuckling, I gently scratched Hyang’s head and reassured her.

“It might not look it, but believe me—it’s just as good as a Neidan. Go on, try it.”

—Tsrut?

At first, she hesitated, tilting her head. Then, cautiously, she brought a piece of Cho’s shed skin to her mouth.

—Crunch. Crack.

The sound of chewing filled the air, and soon Hyang was eagerly devouring the morsel.

And that’s when it happened.

From Grandfather’s shoulder came an angry chittering.

—Tsrurur! Tsrut!

Bini peeked out from behind, glaring furiously at Hyang. It seemed he was scolding her for rushing over by herself. But Hyang merely shot a sidelong glance at Bini—who still hadn’t moved—then turned away and took another bite.

—Crunch. Crack.

She was clearly saying, “If you won’t come, I’ll eat it all myself.”

Bini was the type to act aloof while secretly waiting for an invitation, so I turned to him with a warm tone.

“Bini, aren’t you coming?”

—Tsut!

Bini sharply turned his head away. Unlike Hyang, he was still sulking. Reaching my hand toward Grandfather’s shoulder, I spoke softly.

“Mom and Dad were wrong. We never meant to let you down. Won’t you forgive us now and come eat?”

Bini was still visibly upset, but at my words, he finally relented and crawled over to me. The moment he did, he nudged Hyang aside, and the two began devouring the molted exoskeleton.

—Tsrurur!
—Tsrrt!
—Crunch, crack.

***

Food proved more effective than I anticipated.

After eating everything except for two leftover pieces, Hyang and Bini were now happily licking my face.

—Tsrt.
—Tsrurur.

It seemed their moods had finally improved completely. I handed them the last two pieces and said,

“Alright, this is the last of it.”

—Tsrrt…
—Tsrrur…

Even though they had already consumed portions larger than their own bodies, the word “last” drew pitiful cries from them. I was slightly concerned they might be overeating, but since they showed no signs of fullness, I reasoned that the sacred creature’s exoskeleton might function more like a Neidan than ordinary food.

“Should we have a little more?”

The moment I asked, their eyes lit up.

—Tsrrt!?
—Tsrrurt!?

They chirped as if to say, “Really?! There’s more?!”

Nodding, I replied, “There’s still plenty over there. Want to come with Dad to get some?”

—Tsrrt!
—Tsrrur!

Their excitement was palpable. With our peaceful relationship fully mended, I quickened my pace. The cold war was over, and since a good amount of Cho’s exoskeleton remained, I thought they might even molt themselves if they ate enough. That idea alone made my steps feel lighter.

—Crunch.

The satisfying sound of chewing came from my shoulder as we arrived back where Yo-hwa was. I pointed toward the remaining pile of shed skin and grinned.

“See? There’s still a lot left. I’ll cut some more for you.”

—Thud.

And then…

A small piece of Cho’s exoskeleton tumbled from my shoulder. Glancing over, I saw Bini frozen, staring blankly at where it had fallen.

“Did you drop it? Let me get it before it gets dirty.”

Thinking nothing of it, I casually picked up the piece, dusted it off, and was about to hand it back to him.

—Tremble…

Suddenly, my shoulder shook. I turned to see Bini trembling violently.

“Bini?”

I didn’t understand what was happening.

And then…

An furious voice erupted.

—Tsrurururur!

Bini leapt from my shoulder, landed with a stomp, and began bouncing up and down in a full-blown tantrum.

*How could you?! Unbelievable! This is outrageous!*

A torrent of emotions hit me so rapidly I could barely process them. Hyang, meanwhile, had already started contentedly munching on more of the shed skin.

“What? What’s wrong, Bini? Why are you acting like this?”

I had no clue why he was so angry.

And then…

A familiar voice called out.

“So-ryong Sohyeop.”

Turning, I saw Seon-hwa, leaning on Yang Seong-hu for support, approaching.

“Oh, Seon-hwa. Are you alright? Should you be up and walking?”

Given her serious injuries, I was concerned about her condition. But instead of answering, she blushed and lowered her head. She hesitated before speaking.

“I just… wanted to thank you. I heard you were the one who made this fool see sense…”

“Ah…”

I hadn’t expected her to come in person to express gratitude. It seemed they were here to thank me for helping them clarify their feelings.

“It was nothing. I only helped him recognize what was already in his heart. I hope the two of you can build a good relationship together.”

—Tsrurur! Tsrur!

I answered offhandedly, but Bini suddenly jumped in front of me, chittering angrily. Seon-hwa furrowed her brows as she watched his frantic bouncing.

“Why is that little one so angry? He seems truly upset.”

“That’s just it—I don’t know. It started when I gave him some of Cho’s old shell. He just suddenly flew into a rage…”

Since she was a woman, I thought she might have better insight into Bini’ sudden outburst. I quickly summarized what had occurred.

Then, a moment later…

A voice whispered into my mind.

[So-ryong Sohyeop… you made a mistake.]

“?”

I blinked. Before I could ask what she meant, Seon-hwa’s telepathic message continued.

[He believes you gave him a hand-me-down. It’s like being forced to wear an old, used outfit…]

I froze.

[Before I entered Mount Song, I had older sisters. I always had to wear their old clothes instead of getting new ones. I detested it. I always wanted something that was just mine…]

‘Oh, no.’

Her words struck me with the force of a revelation. Cho’s exoskeleton was, in essence, an old set of clothes. And Bini, as everyone knew, was a fastidious and proud tsundere. He had thought I was giving him something new. But when he realized it was just his sister’s cast-off shell, he lost his temper.

Hyang, being easygoing, didn’t mind. But Bini? Bini was furious.

Raising daughters is far more complicated than I imagined!

As if to pour oil on the fire, at that very moment, Hyang began to molt.

Bini’s rage exploded.

—Tsrurrr!