My Tamed Beast Returned with a Dragon Chapter 4 - Searching for the Baby’s Parents

The baby stretched out its tiny hands and made grasping motions in the air. When Eunsae tickled its palm, the baby let out a delighted giggle.

There wasn’t even a hint of fear or hesitation in its expression. Eunsae sighed.

“You don’t even know who I am, yet you’re smiling at me like that.”

“Kyah!”

“Yeah, don’t worry! I’ll find your mom and dad, I promise!”

Eunsae buried her nose in the baby’s nape. The small body radiated warmth, carrying the soft, comforting scent unique to infants.

Truthfully, when she decided to take care of the baby, she had one major concern—How much time do I even have left?

During her one-year break, Eunsae had spent time organizing her thoughts as well as her assets. When the time came, the guild would take in her magical beasts.

But for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to leave the baby in someone else’s care. Maybe it was because she saw herself in this crying, abandoned child.

Of course, the worst-case scenario—not finding the baby’s parents before she died—was something she refused to let happen.

Still, even if that day did come, she had comrades who would care for the baby just as dearly as she would.

So, instead of worrying, Eunsae resolved to do her best for the little one who had unexpectedly entered her life.

“Might as well do some good before I go.”

A bittersweet smile formed on her lips as she kissed the baby’s cheek.

The baby grabbed a handful of Eunsae’s hair and stuffed it into its mouth, sucking on it absentmindedly.

It took a second for Eunsae to notice. When she did, she panicked.

“Hey! That’s not food! That’s dirty, dirty!”

“Kyaa! Kyaa!”

“‘Dirty’? You like that word? No, bad! My hair is dirty!”

The baby’s chest bobbed up and down with laughter. Its golden eyes sparkled like stars.

“Wow… your eyes really look like tiny stars. So beautiful.”

“Fuuung.”

“Baby, I feel like your name should have something to do with ‘stars.’ Whether it’s in Hangul or Hanja, I hope it does.”

Eunsae gently stroked the baby’s soft, wavy hair. She kissed its tiny forehead before standing up.

“Stay here and play for a bit. I’ll go make your formula.”

“Hwaaeng.”

To distract the baby, she spun the mobile hanging from the ceiling. The baby’s eyes followed the little animal figurines as they twirled.

As Eunsae disappeared into the kitchen, something slithered through the darkness with a soft hissss.

It was Baekhap, the jewel snake.

Following closely behind was Jojjo, the large-horned woolly ram, rolling into the room like a big fluffy ball.

They had been awake since the baby’s late-night accident.

Now that Eunsae had left the room, they saw their chance and moved in.

Jojjo leaped onto the crib, and Baekhap slithered up the crib’s bars to join the baby.

“Awoo?”

The baby’s golden eyes gleamed with curiosity as it stared at Jojo and Baekhap.

The two creatures exchanged glances before turning toward the kitchen, checking to see if Eunsae was coming back.

“Hiss, hiss.”

“Maaah!”

They seemed to have a silent conversation.

Then, Baekhap coiled its body around the baby, forming a protective loop.

Jojjo settled down near the baby’s head and began grooming it, licking its tiny curls.

The baby practically disappeared into the soft, fluffy fur.

A few minutes later, Eunsae returned.

“Thank god for formula kettles. It would’ve been a pain to get the temperature just right—”

She stopped mid-sentence, blinking at the scene before her.

“Huh? What are you guys doing?”

“Kyaa! Kyaa!”

The baby, now covered in Jojjo’s saliva, was gleefully tugging on Baekhap’s body, stretching it like a rubber band.

Baekhap, unable to harden its scales out of fear of hurting the baby, let out a series of distressed hisses. Jojjo squeezed its eyes shut in sympathy.

“Aigoo, Baekhap. You’re really suffering.”

Eunsae quickly rescued Baekhap from the baby’s grip. The exhausted snake went limp for a moment before slithering right back to the baby’s side.

“You guys don’t have to guard the baby anymore. I’m here now. Were you two worried?”

“Maaah!”

“Hiss, hiss.”

And they weren’t the only ones.

Outside the window, Haneuli and Dodari were peeking into the room, watching over the baby.

Eunsae scratched her cheek.

“I mean… it’s nice having extra hands, but this is a bit much.”

Ever since the baby arrived, her magical beasts had taken it upon themselves to help raise it.

Eunsae had a pretty good idea of what they were thinking.

Our master has someone new to protect. That someone is small and fragile. Therefore, we must protect them, too.

It was both ridiculous and oddly comforting.

She softly patted Jojjo and Baekhap on their heads.

“Thanks, you two. Alright, baby, time for your bottle.”

She cradled the baby and placed the bottle to its lips. Jojjo and Baekhap watched silently as the baby eagerly drank.

“You’re such a good baby. No fussing at all. Is it yummy?”

Before long, the bottle was empty. The baby smacked its lips in satisfaction.

“Now that you’re full, time for burping.”

Following what she had learned, Eunsae propped the baby up against her shoulder and patted its back.

The baby giggled and reached out toward the magical beasts.

Baekhap, wary of the baby’s grip, quickly slithered around Jojjo’s neck for safety.

The baby let out an adorable little burp, and Eunsae began pacing around the room with it in her arms.

“Alright, time for bed. I don’t really know many lullabies, though.”

The baby seemed to prefer being rocked to sleep rather than just being patted while lying down.

Soon, a soft, familiar melody filled the quiet room.

“With a long pair of antlers, a bright red nose… A wonderful reindeer named Rudolph…”

It was one of the few nursery songs she knew.

As she sang in a slow, gentle voice, the baby’s wide, alert eyes started to droop.

Sleepiness took over, and the baby fussed just a little.

“…If I’m with you, even the night sky is joyful… We can fly anywhere together…”

Eunsae pressed a kiss to the baby’s temple.

“I wonder who your parents are. They must be really worried.”

Her expression darkened.

Even with the Dochun Guild pouring all its resources into the search, they had found nothing.

“This doesn’t feel right…”

She shook off the uneasy thought.

“Everything will be fine.”

It had to be.

If something had happened to this baby’s parents… that would be a tragedy.

“…A wonderful reindeer, with a shining red nose…”

“Fast asleep, huh?”

At some point, the baby’s breathing had softened into peaceful little snores.

Carefully, Eunsae laid the baby down in the crib and turned to the magical beasts.

“You guys should get some rest too.”

Jojjo and Baekhap quietly left the room.

The night passed in peace.

Hwangsae had no energy.

The three-year-old magical beast had been with Eunsae ever since she picked him up from a dungeon when he was just a chick. He had spent his whole life in Gangwon-do, living comfortably as the youngest in the household.

Alongside Baekhap, the jewel snake, he had been showered with affection as the baby of the family.

But recently, he had been forced to give up his position as the youngest. His master had a new member to care for.

On top of that, because of that new member, Dodari and Haneuli had scolded him harshly.

Now sulking like a rebellious teenager, Hwangsae vented his frustration by pecking at a rock, splitting it apart.

“Hiss, hiss.”

Baekhap slithered through the grass, calling out to him.

Hwangsae ignored it.

He was upset with Baekhap, too. The snake had abandoned him to cling to the new arrival instead.

Baekhap’s round black eyes stared at him for a while before it climbed up his legs, just as it always did.

“Kaak! Kaak!”

Hwangsae snapped irritably, shaking his body in an attempt to shake Baekhap off.

In response, Baekhap bared its fangs and bit him—hard.

“Kyaak!”

Hwangsae let out a shrill cry.

Not only did Baekhap refuse to comfort him, but it also had the audacity to scold him instead.

His spirit deflated, and he slumped to the ground.

Baekhap found him utterly pathetic.

Sulking over being scolded for his own mistake? How ridiculous.

Baekhap wished that Hwangsae would learn to get along with the new family member.

He couldn’t stay the youngest forever.

He needed to accept that.

“Hiss!”

“Kaak?”

Baekhap nudged Hwangsae, urging him to get up.

When he hesitated, the snake bared its fangs again in warning.

Hwangsae groaned. Why is everyone against me?!

Still sulking, he let Baekhap drag him toward the baby’s room window.

Inside, Eunsae had stepped away, leaving the baby alone for a moment.

The baby had been staring at the spinning mobile but soon grew bored and started sucking on its toes.

“Awoo. Awoo.”

The baby babbled something incomprehensible.

Baekhap gestured toward the window with its tail, signaling Hwangsae to look inside.

Hwangsae sighed dramatically before peeking into the room.

Inside was the tiny human baby—the one he had picked up out of curiosity after it mysteriously fell from the sky while he was playing by the riverbank.

But he had never really looked at it before.

The mobile stopped spinning, and the baby lost interest, flailing its limbs aimlessly.

Just then, a small bug crawled up the crib’s wooden bars, catching the baby’s attention.

The golden eyes followed the bug’s every move.

Then, the bug lost its footing and tumbled down.

“Kyaaa!”

The baby burst into laughter, clapping its tiny hands as if it had just witnessed the funniest thing in the world.

To Hwangsae, it was nothing special. But to the baby, it was delightful.

And that’s when Hwangsae was hit by a realization.

First, that the baby was unbelievably small and fragile.

Second, that he had been jealous of something so weak, so helpless—someone who couldn’t even talk properly.

“Hiss, hiss.”

“Kaak.”

Hwangsae finally agreed with Baekhap.

They had to take care of this baby.

It was far too fragile.

Who knew when something might happen to it?

For the first time in his life, a sense of responsibility bloomed in Hwangsae’s heart.

“Hm? Hwangsae, you’re here?”

Eunsae had returned.

She gave him a firm reminder.

“Hwangsae, you cannot mess with the baby. Got it?”

“Kaak!”

Hwangsae cried out loudly, strongly disagreeing.

He turned to look at the baby again.

No.

He wasn’t going to mess with the baby.

He was going to become its cool, protective older brother.

 

 

****

 

 

It was a rainy day, with raindrops pouring down in steady streams.

A visitor arrived at Eun-sae’s house.

“Welcome, Woori.”

The guest was none other than Woori, the guild leader of the guild Eunsae belonged to.

Woori shook off the wet umbrella before stepping inside.

“How are you feeling?”

“The same. Not worse, not better.”

A flicker of concern passed through Woori’s eyes, but Eunsae pretended not to notice and simply smiled gently.

“What do you want to drink?”

“Coffee. And the baby?”

“Asleep. In the room with Jojjo.”

As Eunsae headed to the kitchen, Woori made their way to the baby’s room.

The curtains were drawn, shrouding the room in darkness.

Sensing Woori’s presence, Jojjo lifted its head.

Though the room was dark, it posed no challenge for an S-rank hunter like Woori.

“Jojjo, you’ve been working hard.”

Woori stroked Jojjo’s head. The woolly beast flicked its tongue, licking Woori’s hand in response.

Jojjo had once lost its own offspring. Perhaps that was why it was particularly affectionate toward the baby.

A few moments later, Eunsae knocked on the door.

“The coffee’s ready. Come to the living room.”

“Alright.”

On the dining table, there were simple snacks and two cups of rich, aromatic coffee. The sound of raindrops tapping against the roof added to the peaceful atmosphere.

As Woori savored the scent of the coffee, something came to mind.

“Oh, I brought a present.”

“What is it?”

“Yuha picked it out.”

Woori opened their subspace storage and pulled out a stack of supplies.

Baby formula—boxes of it—piled up in the living room.

“Why did you buy so much formula?”

“They’re all different kinds. This one prevents diarrhea, that one is for allergies. This is M-brand formula, and that over there is S-brand premium formula….”

“We already have plenty. And shouldn’t special formulas be discussed with a doctor first?”

“Oh? Yoo Eunsae, have you been studying?”

“Of course.”

Eunsae nodded toward a corner of the living room. There, a tower of parenting books was stacked high.

“Mirinae brought them over.”

“For a temporary babysitter, everyone sure is going all out.”

Woori chuckled before rummaging through their subspace storage again.

“I brought a gift for you, too.”