🚨 R18/19 Warning: Please note that this translation is intended for adult readers and may not be suitable for all audiences. 🚨
"Sky is 천 (Cheon), Earth is 지 (Ji), Black is 현 (Hyeon), Yellow is 황 (Hwang)..." [1]
In a small thatched cottage, about twelve or thirteen children huddled together, singing a song they had memorised in unison. After repeating it a few more times and taking a dictation test, Nokhee finally let the children go, their eyes shining brightly.
"Let's wrap up today’s lesson here. Don’t just go home and play; make sure to finish the assignments I gave you by the day after tomorrow..."
"Goodbye, teacher!"
At the mention of the class ending, the children rushed out through the thatched door before she could even finish her nagging. Nokhee, shaking her head in disbelief, clutched her large, swollen belly and exclaimed, "Oh, dear!" as she struggled to stand up.
It seemed like just yesterday that wearing a skirt would hide any sign of a baby bump. Although she had only been pregnant for six months, her belly was frighteningly swollen, as if she were a full-term pregnant woman about to give birth any day now.
She wondered if this was what pregnancy was like for everyone, but since it was the first time for both her and the child's father to have a baby, neither of them knew what to expect.
Not long ago, when she remarked that her belly seemed unusually large, Kijoon casually passed by and said:
―... It doesn’t seem like it’s just one.
―Wh-what? How many are there then?!
―Well, that’s something we’ll have to see for ourselves to know.
―Th-that... How can I say that now?!
―Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to feed and raise them without you lifting a finger.
―You damn fool! This is not the time to say that!
Nokhee sighed deeply as she recalled the conversation from a few days ago. It seemed like she wasn’t carrying just one child, and although she could now understand why her belly was more swollen given the few months of pregnancy, the worry felt as heavy as a mountain.
Because she was impregnated by a yokai, there was no one she could turn to for advice. According to that guy, Kijoon, all she could do was wait for the birth, which was truly absurd.
However, that didn’t mean she should just sit back and do nothing. She cleaned up the mess the children had made and then left the study room.
"Teacher!"
At that moment, she noticed small figures still lingering in the front yard.
“Dohyeon and Sohwa, why haven’t you left yet?”
They were the only twins among the children she taught to read and write. While the circumstances of all the children who came to her for lessons were more or less the same, she was particularly concerned about Dohyeon and Sohwa's family, as they had recently been in such serious trouble that they had planned to flee in the middle of the night.
Dohyeon, born just a few minutes earlier and much larger than his younger sister, hesitated for a moment before suddenly shouting.
"We decided not to go somewhere else!"
"Really? That's wonderful."
"Yes! We can keep living here! This morning, I saw Dad and Mum unpacking all the things they had packed, and it looks like all the guys sent by that old man, Lord Kim, have left!"
Nokhee smiled at those words.
The twins' family, who made a living by growing grapes, narrowly avoided a major disaster a few days ago. A landowner from a neighbouring village had unexpectedly purchased a large amount of fruit and, on top of that, insisted on an excessive quantity, even offering an advance payment.
The twins' father had tried to meet the landowner's demands, even cutting ties with his regular customers. However, to his dismay, the landowner suddenly claimed that the quality of the fruit was poor, breaking off the deal.
Not only that, but he also sent thugs to harass them, demanding double the amount of money he had already paid.
By the time the twins' parents tried to raise money by borrowing, it was too late. It turned out that the landowner had planned from the beginning to make the second twin, Sohwa, his concubine.
To defile a child who was barely twelve years old and lead a family to ruin.
The twins' tearful plea, confessing that they had decided to run away in the middle of the night, was enough to infuriate Nokhee, who had long suffered similar mistreatment from the Yoon family.
For the first time, she asked Kijoon for help with something that wasn’t her own business. She had him make the landowner's family experience nightmares of their household's complete ruin and miserable death if Sohwa was brought in as a concubine. Then, by releasing a few ominous-coloured venomous snakes into the house, the situation was quickly resolved.
Although, Kijoon was still sulking about that matter…
"Sohwa also wants to thank you, Teacher. Hey, what are you doing?"
At her brother’s urging, the child who had been hiding behind reluctantly stepped out and bowed her head low.
She was very shy and not outgoing, but among the children she taught, Sohwa was the prettiest and the smartest. For such a bright future ahead of her, it was unthinkable that she would become the concubine of an old, decrepit man.
"Originally, I was going to tell you tomorrow, but you got a perfect score on the dictation, Sohwa. If you study just a little more, you’ll be the fastest student to finish the 'Thousand Character Classic' at our school."
Upon hearing this, the child, who had been looking around nervously, brightened up.
"...Can I keep coming to study reading and writing?"
"Of course, you should come. If you become a scholar who will be remembered in history, then this teacher's name will also become widely known, won't it?"
“Ah, Teacher! Don’t just praise Sohwa all the time — please give me some compliments too!”
“Dohyeon, Sohwa!”
It was then. A voice calling for the children was heard from beyond the wall. Soon, the front gate opened, and a kind-looking woman entered. She was the children's mother.
After a brief bow to greet her, the woman hurried over, grabbed Nokhee’s hand, and handed her something.
"Thank you. Thank you very much, Teacher. Thanks to your help, we’ve sold all the fruits and paid off our debt. And this..."
The heavy pouch made a clinking sound as metal objects collided inside it.
“What is this?”
"This is the money left over from selling the fruits. It's not much, but please accept it."
Upon hearing those words, Nokhee's eyes widened in surprise. When she opened the pouch, she saw bundles of coins inside. It was an amount that could sustain an average commoner family for a little over a month. Despite saying it wasn't much, it seemed she had brought all the remaining money with her.
Without needing to look any further, Nokhee closed the pouch and handed it back to the woman.
"I did not do this to receive a reward. I merely added a few words to the existing facts. Please take it back."
It was the truth. Kijoon did most of the troublesome work. All she did was tell the wealthy customers who came to the book rental shop about the lecherous character of Lord Kim from the neighbouring village and how the grapes from the twins' house were so good for virility. She merely joked that the twins were all thanks to those grapes.
Fortunately, the grapes, which had been ripening after losing their original buyer, were now selling like hotcakes.
"Please accept it as the cost of the children's textbooks. Haven't you sent us expensive textbooks several times without asking for anything in return?"
However, the woman did not back down and persistently tried to push the money pouch towards Nokhee.
"That’s right, Teacher! Please accept it! This is the payment for the books!"
To make matters worse, even the twins joined in. Nokhee, visibly troubled and hesitant, finally took the pouch, removed only one bundle of coins, and then returned it.
"I will only accept this much for the books. If you insist any further, I will not accept even this, ma’am."
She hadn’t intended to accept any payment at all, but she changed her mind entirely for the sake of the books. Although he could copy them effortlessly with his powers, the books given to the children were ones that Kijoon had painstakingly transcribed by hand.
When Nokhee eventually accepted at least part of the money, the woman, relieved, teared up.
"How can we ever repay such kindness…? After receiving your teachings, my children have become much brighter. Given our circumstances, we never dreamt of teaching our children to read or write… Although they may not say it outright, everyone here sees your arrival with your husband as a true blessing."
Even though it hadn’t been long since Nokhee settled in this village, she had quite a good reputation. Perhaps it was because the young couple ran a book rental shop and taught literacy to underprivileged children free of charge.
Or perhaps it was because some of the noble mannerisms she had adopted during her time as the cherished daughter of a noble still lingered unconsciously. Even though she was no longer part of the noble class, people did not treat Nokhee lightly.
"To think of us that way, I should rather be the one thanking you."
For the first time in a while, Nokhee smiled brightly at the woman’s words. She wished that more people would see things that way. That way all the reverse scales on Kijoon’s body could finally disappear.
Once the twins and their mother had gone, Nokhee also left the thatched cottage. This wasn’t her home but a rented, vacant thatched cottage used to teach the children. She and Kijoon had started their new life together in the annex room adjoining the book rental shop.
‘I wonder if he’s slacking off and using magic to copy the books right now.’
The night before yesterday, many new books had arrived, so she instructed Kijoon to copy all of them by the time she returned this morning.
Since becoming pregnant, she had been sleeping in more so she had been late for her class. As she hurried out the door, she recalled his surprised, handsome face staring at her in disbelief at her request.
Chuckling quietly, Nokhee changed her mind about heading straight to the book rental shop and instead turned her steps toward the market.
The weather was too sunny and nice to return like this. Besides, it was market day, and she had unexpectedly come into some extra money. Excited, Nokhee eagerly made her way to the market.
Weaving through the bustling crowd, she wandered from stall to stall like a carefree soul, when suddenly something caught her eye, and she stopped in front of a street vendor.
"Oh my! Welcome, ma’am!"
Typically, when the market opened, most of the stalls lined up would be selling accessories for women. However, this particular stall was rare, selling jewellery meant for men.
She examined the dazzling bracelets and trinkets before picking up one item. It was an ornate belt with a black leather strap, adorned with round red jewels studded along its length, and embellished with gold and bronze around them.
"Are you here to look for a belt for your husband?"
The shopkeeper grinned mischievously, as if he knew something, causing Nokhee's face to flush with embarrassment as she cleared her throat awkwardly. Despite already having a child along the way, they were still living as a mistress and her servant, without holding a proper wedding ceremony.
But whenever she heard others, like the mother of the twins, call him her ‘husband,’ she felt a strange flutter in her heart, and her toes curled up, making her feel quite flustered.
"Ahem, how much does it cost?"
"This is a rare red jade that comes from across the sea, so it should be fifty nyang... but, ah, I’m in a good mood! Just give me thirty nyang!"
Nokhee immediately recognised it was of low quality, mixed with impurities, but she paid the price willingly. For a counterfeit, it had a decent appearance, and the shopkeeper had significantly reduced the price without much haggling.
As she turned to leave with the belt wrapped in paper, she suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.
"Come to think of it..."
She realised she had imagined this scene before.
If the day ever came when she was kicked out of Hwangju Castle, she imagined bringing out all the books that Yoon Jucheol had given her and opening a book rental shop.
Of course, she would have made Kijoon do all the transcribing, while she spent the money she had earned, idly wandering around the capital — visiting taverns, strolling through the markets, and indulging in leisure. Then, thinking of Kijoon, who was probably sulking, she would buy him a belt adorned with gold and jade. She imagined his figure — tall and handsome now, dressed in fine clothes, walking toward her with that belt around his waist...
Nokhee glanced down at the package in her hand with a strange expression.
Of course, it wasn't real gold and jade, but the subconscious mind was truly something to be feared. Not only had she unknowingly achieved everything she had longed for, but she had also, without realising it, been drawn to buy this belt as if under a spell.
All of this felt like a dream, and she could hardly believe it was real.
Feeling somewhat unsettled, Nokhee decided not to return to the book rental shop right away. Instead, she spent more time wandering around the market and only turned back as the sun began to set.
Despite her ambition to set up the book rental shop near the capital, it ended up being established in a quiet southern village furthest from Hwangju, in a secluded area with few people around. This was because of the children that would soon be born.
Just as she was about to enter the narrow alley, she spotted a tall man, leaning casually against a nearby post. Nokhee widened her eyes and called out to him.
“Kijoon!”
He rarely stepped outside the book rental shop, so she wondered what wind had blown to make him come out to meet her.
Despite her protruding belly making her waddle, she rushed over to him in one breath. He, with a stern expression, grabbed her arm and steadied her.
"Why are you out here?"
"Where have you been, and why are you only coming back now?"
The voice that responded with a counter-question was notably harsh. Nokhee, initially too caught up in her joy to notice, finally realised that Kijoon's expression was unusual when she heard his cold tone.
"Uh... I was just at the market."
"Shouldn't you have let me know before you left?"
“Kijoon.”
"You weren't at the thatched cottage, and with your belly so big, I was so worried that something might have happened to you…!"
He suddenly raised his voice but then abruptly fell silent. From the way his jaw was tightly clenched, it seemed he was gritting his teeth to hold back his anger.
Only then did Nokhee realise her carelessness, and she quickly apologised.
"I'm sorry. I was wrong, Kijoon."
“...”
"But really, what could possibly go wrong? There's still plenty of time before the due date..."
The village was so small that everyone knew each other, so she thought nothing major could happen. Even if something did, she figured it wouldn't be a problem with Kijoon living nearby. She was complacent and naïvely assumed everything would be fine.
However, she had momentarily overlooked his anxiety, which had once caused him to confine her both before and during her pregnancy.
"Didn't you go around spreading nasty rumours about Lord Kim from the neighbouring village?"
"That’s..."
"After losing the girl he tried to make his concubine and his reputation, what if that man turns his anger towards my lady to harm you?"
Moreover, there were bandits preying on women, or mythical creatures like weasel spirits that, not understanding their limits, coveted the powers of the Imugi. If one were to count them, the dangers were innumerable and lurking everywhere.
Looking at his naïve female's attitude, Kijoon muttered as if chewing on his words.
"If the sun had set, I would have gone to the neighbouring village to tear that man apart."
"Hey, that damn snake mouth!”
Startled, Nokhee rushed to cover his mouth in a flash.
"I told you not to say things like that! What if someone hears you…?!"
She hurriedly looked around to see if anyone was listening, and upon confirming that no one was there, she sighed in relief.
Every time Kijoon said such things, she was terrified that someone might hear, feeling as if her heart would sink to her feet. She was particularly afraid that the Heavenly Emperor might hear and be angered, bringing down punishment. Especially now, when new scales were just starting to grow sparsely...
Suddenly, she felt a chilling gaze. When she looked up, she saw a pair of narrowed, yellow snake eyes staring at her intently from the darkness that had fallen.
‘That damned snake mouth and those snake eyes are going to be the end of me…’
If others saw this, it would be a disaster. Nokhee had no choice but to plead desperately and hurriedly drag him toward the house.
"It's all my fault. I've done wrong, so let's just go inside. Okay?"
Fortunately, Kijoon seemed pleased with the idea of going home and followed along obediently.
However, even after entering the room, his mood did not seem to improve. His fierce, golden snake eyes made that clear.
"...Here."
Nokhee cautiously handed him what she had been holding, gauging his reaction. He raised an eyebrow as if to ask, ‘What's this?’
"It's a present for you."
His posture slightly relaxed, and without any hesitation, he eagerly tore open the paper wrapping. For some reason, Nokhee's face flushed and her heart raced, making her struggle to remain composed.
"Is this a belt?"
Seeing the revealed gift, Kijoon casually asked. Nokhee nodded and then spoke with difficulty.
"When I was in Hwangju... I used to imagine giving this to you."
Kijoon turned to look at her with a surprised expression. Feeling her face deeply flush with embarrassment, Nokhee lowered her head.
"I imagined how handsome you would look if you wore proper clothes instead of those shabby rags and wore the belt I bought for you..."
“...”
"Imagining that helped me endure the day, but by the next day, I would realise it was an unattainable dream and fall into despair."
“...”
"So... this feels just like a dream, Kijoon."
Kijoon silently turned his gaze away from her and looked at the belt in his hand. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.
Did he not like it? Just seeing him hold it made her heart race and feel like it might burst. Feeling anxious, Nokhee impulsively added.
"I was wrong to go to the market without telling you. But..."
“...”
"Could you please wear it just this once?"
"If I do, what will you do for me, my lady?"
“Huh?”
"If I wear this, will you do as I say?"
"...Uh?"
Nokhee made a dumbfounded noise. She had expected words of acknowledgment or gratitude, but she hadn't anticipated this reaction at all.
Of course, it was only natural. Who in their right mind would receive a gift and then have the audacity to ask what the giver could do for them in return?
However, Nokhee was so flustered that she didn't realise she was walking right into his trap and asked back with a bewildered expression.
"What... do you want in return?"
"I can't tell you that right now. Can I just wear it anywhere?"
"Uh, yeah... I guess so."
Where else would he wear a belt besides around his waist? Unable to understand why he was asking, Nokhee just nodded like an idiot.
"Then, you’ve agreed to do whatever I say."
"Uh, well..."
"I’ll go put it on, so please wait outside for a moment."
Before she could sense that something was amiss, she was ordered to leave. Nokhee had no choice but to be ushered out of the room.
Thud—.
The door shut right in front of her.
"...What?"
Bewildered by the sudden turn of events, she had no choice but to sit on the porch and wait for Kijoon. But the more she thought about it, the more she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.
‘There's no way that jerk would have been so quick to let me off the hook like that…’
He might appear as a giant snake on the outside, but inside, he was as timid as a worm. The more time Nokhee spent with Kijoon, the better she got to know him.
When Kijoon was angry or upset, he would act more aggressively and persistently in bed than usual. He would torment her until dawn, and only then would his cold gaze return to its usual indifference.
Just now, the look in his eyes as she stepped out for him to put on his belt reminded her of the way his eyes would gleam just before they had sex.
'No way. That can't be.'
However, Nokhee quickly dismissed the thought. Ever since her belly had started to grow significantly, the two of them had barely shared a bed. He had been so dry and ascetic in his attitude that sometimes she felt embarrassed and awkward as if she were the only one feeling aroused.
Concluding that it must have been a complete misunderstanding, she was about to call out to Kijoon, asking if he was ready, when—
Creak.
The door opened, and before she could react, she heard the voice of her lover calling her.
"My lady."
"I'm done..."
Nokhee turned around with a bright smile but froze at the sight of the man standing in the middle of the room. He was not wearing any pants.
The belt she had given him was wrapped around two thick, veiny penises, bulging and throbbing as they stood erect, their heads pointing towards the ceiling.
As soon as his female’s gaze fell upon them, even without doing anything, the openings at the tips of the two large penises throbbed and dripped a thick, white liquid.
It was only natural that Nokhee's mouth fell open in shock at the sight.
"Wh-wh-what is this…?"
"You said it could be worn anywhere, so I tried wearing it anywhere. Does it suit me well?"
"H-how...?"
Nokhee was so shocked by the sight of the madman standing naked with the belt around his penises that she couldn't even muster a hollow laugh. She was so dumbfounded that she couldn't speak properly, her mouth just opening and closing.
He looked at her with cold eyes and muttered.
“Didn't you promise to do as I say?"
"Ha! You're crazy... Th-that wasn't what I meant..."
"Come here and put it in your mouth and suck it. Just like when I suck my lady’s breasts."
"Huh!"
As he said that, without giving her a moment to move on her own, he swiftly strode over and abruptly pulled her into his arms. In that instant, Nokhee felt with startling clarity that the man who would be called her husband was, without a doubt, a crazy snake bastard.
Thud—.
The door shut behind her.
As punishment for wandering around the market without permission, Nokhee had to suck two penises until her mouth was completely worn out that day.
The following summer, Nokhee laid three eggs.
Although she was carrying the children of a mythical creature, her pregnancy was not much different from that of an ordinary woman. She experienced morning sickness and cravings. And like other women, she carried the babies for 10 months.
So, even when her labour pains began, she never imagined that she would be giving birth to something other than a human baby.
Nokhee gave birth alone with Kijoon in a dark room with paper covering the windows, without a midwife. She hadn't understood why Kijoon had darkened the room, but it immediately became clear to her after giving birth.
If any customer visiting the book rental shop or any villager passing by had seen the eggs she laid, there would have been quite an uproar.
The eggs were quite large, explaining why her belly had grown unusually big even though it wasn't yet time for the baby to be born. Looking at the three eggs, each about the size of a newborn baby's head, Nokhee muttered exhaustedly.
"Who would have thought, I'd end up laying eggs..."
"Are you feeling alright?"
Wiping the sweat from her forehead with care, the father of the eggs asked.
It might sound a bit gruesome, but since the eggs were essentially just heads without bodies, the three consecutive births weren't as difficult as they could have been.
Of course, Kijoon’s assistance was a big factor. He seemed to have anticipated everything, receiving the eggs and tending to Nokhee with no sign of inexperience.
"Did you know I would lay eggs?"
"Well, what else would a snake's offspring be born as besides an egg?"
"You jerk..."
Nokhee shed a few tears. If he had given her some warning, she wouldn't have been so shocked. Kijoon comforted her gently.
"You've been through a lot. Now, please get some rest."
"How could I? They're still our children..."
"There's no need for you to worry about it, my lady."
Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Nokhee barely registered his words.
Translator's Corner:
[1] This refers to the beginning of the "Thousand Character Classic (千字文)" which is used to teach Chinese characters to children and is also well-known in many Asian countries that use some Chinese characters including Japan and Korea.
The original excerpt this referred to is: "天 (sky) 地 (earth) 玄 (black) 黄 (yellow)" - interpreted as the sky is black and the earth yellow. 天地 also means heaven and earth and that 玄黄 can also mean the same thing. 玄黄 can also mean dark yellow.
(Source: https://lostinchinese.blogspot.com/2010/07/thousand-character-classic-line-1.html
https://www.chinasage.info/1000character-classic.htm
http://www.camcc.org/_media/reading-group/qianziwen-en.pdf)
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