Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 115

Chapter 115
A deep blush colored Hwa-eun’s cheeks as she sat on the bench, her eyes fixed on the ground.
Thump… Thump…
“Haah…”
Each time a faint, squeaking noise carried from the bushes where Seol and Bini were, Hwa-eun’s face would flood with color before slowly fading again.
Mortified, she twisted her fingers together, unable to look at me directly, lost in her own thoughts for some time.
When the sounds finally quieted, Hwa-eun appeared to try and break the uncomfortable silence, her voice tentative.
“U-um, if that’s so… then what were they fighting about?”
It seemed Hwa-eun believed that because Bini had bitten Seol’s neck and Seol had shrieked and dashed about, they must have been battling.
However, that is typical behavior for many lizards during their breeding season.
When a female carrying eggs encounters a male in heat, mating does not commence with gentle romance. It starts with the male subduing the female.
The male will bite the female’s cheek, neck, or tail to hold her still, and that is when the mating process begins. It may appear aggressive, but it is a natural part of their ritual.
Furthermore, the squeaking noise Hwa-eun heard during their scuffle was a mating call. Certain male lizards produce this sound while gripping the female’s cheek or neck.
It conveys a meaning similar to “I will sire your offspring.”
It is a fundamentally masculine act for a lizard.
I understood Hwa-eun’s confusion. Normally, this act of domination is a quiet and subtle affair, not usually so disruptive.
The commotion was likely due to their inexperience.
If the female is unprepared or a first-time mate, she may struggle fiercely, making it look like a vicious fight to an observer. Hwa-eun must have witnessed that side of it.
To correct Hwa-eun’s misunderstanding, I clarified.
“They weren’t fighting. It is part of the mating process. The male must overpower the female and immobilize her before they can couple.”
“M-mating!? C-C-C-Coupling!?”
At my explanation, Hwa-eun looked utterly shocked, her words stumbling over one another as if she were on the verge of fainting.
For a young woman of her refined upbringing, this was profoundly overwhelming.
She was already particularly sensitive to matters of a carnal nature, so both witnessing the sacred act of animal procreation and receiving a detailed explanation was too much for her.
“Y-yes, it’s nothing to worry about. However, it seems we will be unable to journey to the Martial Alliance after all.”
I had half a mind to tease her further, but concerned she might actually swoon, I steered the subject toward our planned visit to the Martial Alliance.
“Y-you can’t go? Why ever not?”
Hwa-eun looked at me as if puzzled by what mating had to do with traveling to the Martial Alliance.
But there was a clear reason.
The time between mating and egg-laying differs by species, but for most lizards, it spans from two weeks to two months.
Seol and Bini are unique creatures, so their cycle might differ slightly. However, if we departed for the Martial Alliance now, they would most likely lay their eggs during the journey.
Given their nature, they would undoubtedly try to follow me, and if they were to deposit their eggs on the road, the eggs would have little chance of hatching successfully. Without the correct care, the likelihood of them surviving is negligible.
That is why they could not accompany us to the Martial Alliance.
Even if we possessed the proper equipment to manage the eggs, allowing a birth to occur on the roadside is simply unthinkable.
“Since they mated today, Seol will likely begin laying eggs in roughly fifteen days to a month. If we set out for the Martial Alliance, they would follow, and would lay their eggs along the way. Without knowledge of the correct methods, the eggs would not hatch and would spoil.”
“I understand. Then, I will stay… ah, but since I have no experience with their eggs, it should be So-ryong who stays. In that case, I will need to prepare a detailed letter or report on the Mountain Viper’s poison for your grandfather.”
Hwa-eun nodded in agreement with my reasoning.
Initially, she seemed to consider staying behind herself, but ultimately, it was more logical for me to remain. I was the only one with any experience handling lizard eggs.
Anyone else staying would have been of no assistance.
I might need to prepare a presentation for the broadcast concerning the poisons, but…
‘I’ll make it clear and simple, right? Ah, though Seol might be a bit sad…’
Seol, who had been so looking forward to traveling with us, would likely be disheartened, but there was no alternative.
Such is the destiny of a breeder like me—once the animals begin to reproduce, travel becomes impossible.
“So when should I tell him?”
“Perhaps after dinner, during tea. That would be the best time to share this happy news.”
“Understood. So-ryong.”
Seol and Bini are adorable, but I eagerly anticipate how precious their babies will be.
Tiny eyes, a little mouth, and a miniature tail.
Lizard hatchlings are exceptionally cute.

***

That evening, during dinner at the Tang Clan residence.
In the Tang Clan, it is tradition to share tea and conversation after the meal. As soon as the talk began, I informed Hwa-eun, Grandpa, and my father-in-law that I would be unable to travel to the Martial Alliance.
“Grandpa, actually, I will not be able to go to the Martial Alliance this time.”
“You cannot go? Why is that? Is it because of Bini? Did I not instruct our clan’s warriors to continue the search for Bini without pause?”
“Regarding the Mountain Viper’s poison, it would be best for you to explain it, but… Well, if the child has not returned home, it would not feel right to leave the house empty. Someone must be here to manage affairs upon their return, correct? I suppose nothing can be done, then.”
“So, So-ryong is not going? Why? You promised to accompany me to the Martial Alliance.”
Grandpa Mandok Shingun nodded with understanding, but when I stated that I could not go, Seol looked at me with clear disappointment.
Although warriors from the Beast Palace had accompanied us, it seemed Seol did not wish to travel to the Martial Alliance alone.
The initial plan had been to stop at the Tang Clan, prepare some samples, and then proceed directly to the Martial Alliance with Seol.
It had been delayed a few days due to Bini’s disappearance, but there would have been nothing unusual about departing immediately.
Answering Seol’s question, Hwa-eun responded carefully on my behalf.
“U-um, we believe we might be about to become grandparents… But still, I will go with you, sister.”
“Grandpa? Grandma?”
“The two of you are becoming grandparents?”
“What is this about?”
“Hwa-eun, what do you mean?”
Both Grandpa Mandok Shingun and Seol traded baffled glances, while my father-in-law and mother-in-law blinked, completely lost.
It would be one thing for Seol to consider herself a mother if she were married, but a grandmother? Even with rapid development, that was impossible.
Thump?
Thump?
When Hwa-eun set Seol and Bini on the table to explain our change of plans, the two of them tilted their heads in an adorable manner. Hwa-eun, flushing crimson, looked pleadingly at me.
It appeared she did not want to be the one to say it and wished for me to explain.
[So, So-ryong… please, you tell them…]
I gave a slight nod in reply to the telepathic message and began explaining to the adults.
“Actually, Seol and Bini mated earlier today. Consequently, they will probably lay eggs in approximately fifteen days to two months, and if we embark on our journey, they will likely do so on the road… Therefore, it is unavoidable…”
“Oh my! Truly!?”
“Hoho! These two are to become parents!?”
“Is this really true, son-in-law!?”
My father-in-law was elated by the news.
Everyone was delighted that Seol and Bini were going to be parents.
“Yes, father-in-law.”
“Well, you have only just begun your venomous creature collection, and already you have discovered two poisons effective against the Blood Cult, and now you are breeding your first magical beasts! Remarkable, truly! Soon, the Tang Clan grounds will be teeming with venomous creatures.”
“Hehe, I was worried about a child running off, and now we receive such wonderful news.”
“How should we celebrate this occasion?”
Then my mother-in-law, who had no experience breeding venomous creatures, inquired how such news is celebrated.
Seol, smiling, answered.
“Shall I demonstrate the Beast Palace’s custom?”
“Ah, of course. The Beast Palace raises countless creatures, so you must be very familiar with this, correct? How is it celebrated in the Beast Palace?”
“Well, in the Beast Palace, we…”
That night, a red lantern was unexpectedly hung outside my room.

***

The individual most overjoyed by the prospect of Seol and Bini having offspring was none other than Seol herself.
Ever since I first introduced her to Seol and Bini, she had fervently hoped for the day their young would arrive, often remarking on how perfectly matched they were.
She persistently asked if she could have one of the babies after they were born, and now that eggs were imminent, Seol was absolutely ecstatic.
That night, she came to my room with Hwa-eun and immediately began petitioning for one of the future hatchlings.
Seol clung to my arm and asked in a sweet voice, “So-ryong, if Seol and Bini have babies, you will give me one, won’t you? Right?”
There is an unwritten rule among breeders:
Never give away creatures without cost.
No matter how valuable a creature is, giving it away freely out of friendship typically reduces its perceived worth to nothing.
Consider purchasing a pet lizard for a vast sum—would you mistreat or abandon it?
But if you receive such a creature for free from a friend, you value it less, and when caring for it becomes difficult, you are more inclined to give it away or neglect it.
Therefore, breeders like me never part with our creatures for free.
However, if the request comes from family, it is a different matter.
I could not very well demand a fortune from Seol, could I?
Furthermore, Seol hails from the Beast Palace, the paradise for all creatures in the Central Plains.
I was confident she would never abandon an animal, so I offered a hesitant nod.
She had already given me a great deal, such as martial arts techniques and a generous allowance during my stay with the Tang Clan.
Most importantly, she had given me the bonds of family, which cannot be purchased.
“I do not know if Seol and Bini will drive their young away or form a family unit, but if they drive them away, I will give you one. However, if they form a family, there is nothing I can do.”
I offered a conditional answer, as I could not be certain. Lizards exhibit diverse behaviors.
Some abandon their eggs after laying, while others raise their young together. That is why I could not give Seol a definitive promise.
For instance, the Girdle Tailed Armadillo Lizard, a species I worked with in a past life, lives in colonies upon desert rocks. They exist in large groups of thirty to sixty individuals, and as an egg-laying species, the parents nurture their young and cohabit in communities on the rocks.
If Seol and Bini share similar instincts, they would not permit their offspring to leave. Hence, my ambiguous response.
Seol, being an animal caretaker herself, nodded in understanding.
“Naturally, I would never break up a family. Should that be the case, I will not ask for one. I was merely hoping that if the parents drive them out once they are grown, I might have one.”
Thus, we concluded our discussion about the breeding plan.
Just as I moved to close the window…
*Siiing!*
“Watch out!”
*Thud!*
Seol, who had been smiling, suddenly lunged in front of me and snatched something from the air.
She glared out the window and shouted.
“Who is there?!”
What Seol had caught was an arrow.
The moment it was confirmed, Hwa-eun bolted from the room, and the sound of Bido soaring into the night sky echoed.
*Squeeee!*
Shortly after, the clan elders and warriors assembled before the residence, and flames began to bloom throughout the Tang Clan compound.
Even Cho and Yo-hwa appeared in front of the house.
“Intruder! Find them!”
The warriors fanned out to hunt for the trespasser, and my father-in-law swiftly demanded of Hwa-eun, his anger igniting.
“What happened, Hwa-eun?!”
“An arrow was shot into So-ryong’s room!”
“What?! Who dares loose an arrow within the Tang Clan’s Gujinmun gates, and into my son-in-law’s chamber?! Find them! They must be found!”
Upon hearing that an arrow had been fired inside the Tang Clan compound, and into the main hall no less, instant pandemonium ensued.
The emergency caused by Bini’s disappearance had just been resolved, but now, fueled by my father-in-law’s fury, torches flared in every corner.
As the warriors began their search, Seol, still holding the arrow, shook it and asked, perplexed.
“Incidentally, there is a letter and two jujube seeds attached to this arrow?”
“Jujubes!?”
“Jujubes!?”
“You mean *those* jujubes!?”
Everyone was astounded, staring at the jujubes in Seol’s hand.
After my father-in-law examined the jujubes and read the letter, his furious expression transformed, and he commanded the warriors.
“Everyone, cease this commotion and stand down!”
“Yes, sir.”
What could it mean that the arrow was aimed at my son-in-law, yet now this?
When I shot a bewildered look at my father-in-law’s orders, he smiled.
“Well, even if possessions are stolen, it is not a total loss. We are, after all, about to receive aid from one of the Five Emperors.”
He seemed to suggest that by allowing the thief to take something, we would gain the assistance of a mighty warrior, making it a worthwhile trade.
Voice full of concern, Hwa-eun spoke.
“Since the Thief Emperor is paying a visit, we must caution the children. They should not approach him if they spot him at night. We cannot risk anyone being harmed.”
She explained that we needed to ensure Cho and Yo-hwa, or even the golden wasp kings, did not attempt to sting him.
If someone were to question the thief’s identity, it could lead to significant trouble, so caution was essential.
In response to Hwa-eun’s words, Seol and Bini both let out a low sound.
*Tsuru…*
*Kisset!*
As the two vocalized, Hwa-eun nodded and asked my father-in-law.
“Father, what sort of item would the Thief Emperor be seeking to steal?”
She seemed curious about the thief’s target, but when she looked at my father-in-law, his face went ashen.
He opened his mouth, and an unbelievable reply emerged.
“He is here to steal… So-ryong.”
“What!?”
Everyone was dumbfounded to learn that the thief’s intended prize was me.
In the suddenly silent room, Hwa-eun’s voice, now perfectly calm, rang out.
“Children, I believe I spoke in error before. From this moment on, if you see anyone at night, you are to question them thoroughly!”