Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 309

Chapter 309
The village slowly came awake to a rooster’s cry in the hazy, early morning gloom.
—Tchirrr. Tchirrr.
It began with the chirring of crickets from some unseen place, then one by one, the calls of click beetles and katydids joined in.
Maybe it was the approaching rain, or simply the thick moisture in the air, but the croaking of frogs from a nearby stream also carried through the stillness.
The settlement, which had been deathly quiet, was now humming with the noise of life returning.
‘Finally, it feels like a real village again.’
I remained lying in the grassy clearing.
I pushed myself up from the soft earth and scanned the area for the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly.
“Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly?”
She had been resting on me earlier, but now she was nowhere to be seen.
All that was left on my chest was a dusting of the red powder she had shed.
As I looked around, I caught a faint, whimpering sound from not far off.
—Chii.
I turned my head toward the noise, and the air seemed to waver as she materialized from it.
She used her antennae to gesture at the lantern, which was still lit.
It appeared she was urging me to extinguish it quickly.
Even with the approaching dawn, the lantern’s glow must have still been irritating to her.
“Understood. Just a moment.”
Perhaps it was because I had seen her true form in the dream, but I heard myself addressing her with unexpected formality. While I walked toward the lantern, a stray thought entered my mind.
Cheongwol seemed quite ancient, yet her mental projection appeared to be a woman in her early or mid-twenties.
So what did that make the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly? How old was the mature version I witnessed in that crimson illusion-dream?
That sophisticated appearance might have been nothing but a facade.
It could be a matter of biological cycles, similar to our companions Cho, Hyang, and Bini, who all age at different rates.
Still, the poise and bearing she exhibited in the illusion gave me the distinct impression it was more than mere fantasy.
I was beginning to wonder if the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly might be more senior than even Geumdo or Cheongwol.
Perhaps the eldest among them.
‘I’ll have to find the right moment to ask her about it someday.’
But the pressing task was dousing the light, so I loosened the rope suspending the pot and carefully lowered it.
—Whooshhh.
—Thud.
The pot hit the ground with a heavy sound, and the pig’s body beneath the lantern—now charred into pale cinders—disintegrated into ashes.
It had burned like a tallow candle; only the hindquarters of the pig were left. Then, something occurred that made my stomach lurch.
As the pot settled into the pit beneath the lantern, I saw the rope securing it had been scorched and severed by the intense heat.
If the rope had given way and burned through any quicker, the situation could have become far more difficult.
‘That incense is dangerously strong. That was a close call.’
I let out a long breath and pushed the surrounding earth into the pit to cover the pig.
Since it was burning with toxic fumes, burying it would allow it to continue smoldering underground while also concealing the light.
Once the pig was fully submerged in soil, a faint smoke and warmth began to seep up through the dirt, but the light was entirely snuffed out, plunging the immediate area into darkness again.
Only the soft, dim radiance of the approaching sunrise gently illuminated the scene.
“Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly, it’s taken care of. You remember our agreement, right? You won’t fly away or anything? You’re coming with me? We had a deal?”
I repeated it to her once more, just to be safe. Her antennae swayed gently as if she were amused.
—Flutter.
Her wings unfolded broadly, and the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly rose gently into the air.
She drifted toward me and brushed my forehead with her antenna, like an older sibling playfully tapping a younger one.
Then she soared upward.
She flew high over the village, spread her wings wide, and came to a complete halt in the sky.
‘What is she doing?’
Her wings were perfectly still, yet she hung there suspended in the air—a sight that defied belief.
But then something even more incredible, something I had never witnessed before, started to happen before my eyes.
It was as if time itself was flowing backward.
‘Wh-What in the world!?’
Naturally, time wasn’t actually reversing.
What I mean is—you would typically expect a butterfly to lose scales from its wings, correct?
But here, the red powder that had been dispersed all across the village was now being drawn upward—back toward her body.
The red scales littered throughout the settlement were coalescing around her.
Thinking back, earlier, when she was angered, she had released these scales into the air to craft three-dimensional illusions.
Evidently, she could command them as she wished.
The scales lifting from the ground were being pulled from every direction and reabsorbed into her form, reattaching themselves.
After a short while, the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly’s look had altered.
No—she had transformed dramatically.
Her wings, which had once looked like a swallowtail’s, now sported long, flowing tails, reminiscent of a longtail butterfly.
Not merely one, but multiple streaming tails that glimmered with a fiery light.
‘GYAAAAHH!’
Exactly. Her previous form, just a large butterfly, had always seemed somewhat insufficient for a divine creature, and this had to be her real appearance.
I was awestruck by her magnificence, shouting internally in amazement… but that admiration soon twisted into a silent scream of despair.
‘GYAAAAAAHH! No! What became of my sleek, graceful partner!?’
Her wings were now longer and more imposing than before. Yet I could only feel confusion at her new shape.
A thin waist. Elegant wings.
A sleek, aerodynamic body.
Cute, delicate antennae.
That had been her lovely form… and now?
She had become fluffy.
Yes—fluffy.
In my previous life, we had a term for long-haired cats, dogs, and even certain birds like owls: “fluffy.”
Not overweight, just enveloped in so much fur that they looked plump until they got wet. That was what we called “fluffy.”
‘Hold on, where’s my butterfly, and why is there a flying poodle approaching me…?’
My beautiful butterfly was gone, replaced by a creature resembling a poodle flying in my direction.
It was likely because all the scales had reattached…
She flew near, tilting her head as if curious about my stunned expression. I managed to offer her an uneasy smile.
“Ahaha… Th-That’s a different style for you.”
‘Well… I’ll just tell myself she’s put on a fur coat.’
I resolved to believe she was merely wearing a fur coat.
After all, in my past life, refined women like the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly were always fond of their fur coats.
***
The village was back to normal, and all signs of the poisoning seemed to have faded.
The village chief, having just woken up, rushed out to the clearing to meet the rising sun.
“You did it, So-ryong!”
The symptoms must have vanished when the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly reclaimed her scales. The chief, finding himself awake at daybreak, was certain I had triumphed.
I smiled and asked him,
“Yes, it looks like the poison has been entirely eradicated. Heh. So then, who am I?”
“?”
The village chief paused briefly, then provided the flawless response.
I did give him a little prompt.
“Heavenly…”
“Ah! Heavenly Venom Demon Mama—no, Papa!”
“Correct.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much! We owe our lives to you!”
The villagers who had trailed the chief to the clearing looked bewildered, unsure why he was thanking me. But the chief, overjoyed, inquired,
“Now that it’s all resolved, may I let the villagers know what happened?”
“There’s no risk of panic now, so I believe it’s fine.”
I had initially advised him to keep it secret to prevent a panic and potential chaos. But the danger had passed.
Some villagers had been muttering behind his back yesterday, questioning his decision to hang the lantern, so an explanation was due.
The chief assembled everyone and detailed why they owed me their gratitude.
“Everyone, listen up. This young master is the savior of our village, and we must thank him.”
“?”
“This is what occurred…”
He provided a concise account, but the villagers were still skeptical.
“You’re claiming that… that being is a divine creature!?”
“A di–divine creature?”
“Yes, but it’s finished now. The venomous creature has been handled by ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ So-ryong, who carries the name Heavenly Venom Demon Papa. We also learned that our deep sleep was due to the poison, and it appears we have all been healed.”
One would expect cheers, but there was only silence.
They simply blinked and exchanged uncertain glances.
Divine creatures must have felt too remote, too mythical for them.
I see them every day, but for ordinary people, meeting one even once is a rare lifetime event.
Just then, I heard Hyang make a coughing sound.
—Tchu-kit. Tchu-kit.
I looked toward the bushes with concern and saw Hyang licking her flank and asking:
—Tsrut? 『Dad, I think they noticed me? Should I keep hiding?』
A few red scales were stuck to her side.
I must have concealed her in the bushes a little too soon. Some of the residual scales had adhered to the vents on her side.
“Hmm?”
“What’s in those bushes over there?”
“Gasp! What is that!?”
“Eeek! It’s an O-gong! An O-gong!”
The villagers erupted into a panic.
‘Wait… is Hyang allergic to butterfly scales or something?’
If a child has an allergy, a parent naturally worries.
I called out to her with concern.
“Come here, Hyang.”
—Tsrurut. 『Okay!』
Hyang crept out from the bushes and scaled my body, and the villagers’ eyes bulged in disbelief.
Then, in perfect harmony, they all cried out:
“““So that’s why he’s called the Heavenly Venom Demon Papa!”””
Soon, the title I had been anticipating echoed throughout the village.
“Long live So-ryong, the Heavenly Venom Demon Papa!”
“Long live!”
“Long liiiive!”
‘Heh. So my fame spreads through the Central Plains once more?’
While I was training in martial arts, my grandfather would always preach about righteousness, virtue, and chivalry—it all sounded so tedious to me.
But now that I’ve experienced this “chivalry” business… I have to admit, it’s pretty satisfying.
***
The village welcomed us with generous hospitality.
The chief even had three pigs slaughtered in our honor.
The festivities continued for two full days.
On the first day, the Immortal of Medicine and the Immortal of Herbs conducted thorough check-ups on everyone to ensure no poison lingered and that no other illnesses plagued the villagers.
By the time the feasting concluded, three days had gone by.
On the third day, at the village entrance—
As we prepared to depart, offering our farewells, my brother and sister-in-law voiced their disbelief.
“So-ryong, you’re truly not coming to our home?”
“Uncle Wi… this is unbelievable. You’re our Moonlit Matchmaker. How can you not come with us…?”
This was because I had informed them I would not be going to their house.
I had anticipated this reaction, which is why I waited until the last possible moment to tell them.
Then I invented a swift excuse.
“Well, you see…”
“Oh, I understand…”
The two of them looked genuinely crestfallen at my response.
But it couldn’t be helped.
The Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly didn’t strike me as the social type. Occasionally she would appear if I called, but most often she would disappear without a trace.
It was obvious she preferred to avoid people.
“It would be troublesome if she made everyone in your household fall asleep.”
After a moment’s reflection, my brother nodded with regret.
“True. If she isn’t used to people yet, bringing her along could be problematic.”
“Then we have no choice.”
“It’s a pity, Uncle Wi.”
To tell the truth, I was not being entirely honest.
My concern wasn’t really about her disposition or her looks.
The actual issue… was her preferences.
She didn’t need to feed on blood daily—only once every three days.
When I suggested finding a volunteer for her to feed from, the one she selected… was my brother Gwiseong.
Probably because of his large frame.
She appeared to have a liking for large men—even within dreams.
A preference for macho types.
It was… deeply problematic.
You might ask, “Why is that a problem?” But anyone familiar with the Peng Clan knows—my brother isn’t particularly large by their standards.
The clan leader is an enormous man. Even the warriors from the Tang Clan who visited were massive.
And what would happen if I brought the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly there?
She might have a tantrum and decline to depart.
She could decide to stay permanently just to feed on all those brawny men.
‘She doesn’t understand—the smallest peppers are often the hottest. She has no clue.’
Anyway, with that matter settled, I said my goodbyes.
“Then I’ll meet you after your visit to the Peng Clan—in about two months, at the port. My ship should be ready by then. And I’ll see the two grandmasters again at the Tang Clan.”
“Yes, it was an honor, So-ryong.”
“Of all my journeys to heal the sick, this was undoubtedly the most interesting. Travel safely. As agreed, I will visit the Tang Clan.”
“Understood, So-ryong.”
“But Young Master So, will you be alright traveling by yourself?”
“Well, I’m just retracing my steps back.”
The Dragon Fangs were remaining to observe my brother’s wedding discussions, so they naturally had to travel that way.
That meant the journey back to the ship would be a solitary one.
As I went my separate way and walked down the road alone, Dong crept out from my robe and settled on my shoulder.
She must have been excited about what was waiting for us back on the ship.
—Kkyuit!
I scratched her under the chin and said,
“Alright, let’s head back and discover what this O-dok life is all about. What sort of surprises are in store for us?”
—Kkyuii!
Dong chirped back happily, as if in full agreement.