3 Fragile

"Mmmnh~" Stretching as I groan lazily, I slowly open my eyes and blink in a daze, only to look to my side and notice the lack of a usual presence.

Scratching the back of my neck, I slowly sit up and look around.

Just as I expected, the cave is once again empty and once again I am alone.

Moving slowly to the edge of the 'bed', I carefully lower myself down and scratch my back uncomfortably.

While I usually wear a rare type of pajamas while sleeping, it really can't help that the bed causes me great discomfort every day.

After all, even in my father's sect we used to have fine beds bought from the city, while we usually made manual beds for believers.

But the bed I sleep on right now, is just a handful of straw with a thick layer of cloth wrapped around it, causing me to often end up itching from the tips of the straw pressing against my skin.

Even the headboard we use is so darn uncomfortable...

"Although I'm pretty sure I have a pretty luxurious life compared to other people..." Looking down at the animal skin covering the entire floor and keeping my feet at a warm temperature, I look up and speak loudly "I woke up!"

Only a few seconds later, my servants came from the cave entrance and brought with them buckets of water and everything necessary for me.

Including my clothes for today, my breakfast which consisted of ground apple, natural cow's milk and buckets of boiled water to wash my body.

This is my day to day routine.

I wake up, get up, wash my body, get dressed, eat my breakfast and leave.

No matter how hard I try or how many times I beg them to talk to me, they remain silent and as soon as they finish their work, they leave.

But the worst of all is that they don't really leave, they stay at the entrance of the cave waiting patiently until the next call and you don't have to be very smart to know that they are also there to keep me inside this place.

After more than an hour of silence, I am finally alone again in the cave and I lie back down on the bed.

Although the bed is uncomfortable, it is undoubtedly the most comfortable place in this cave, having only an uncomfortable wooden chair as a second option.

Staring boredly up at the rock ceiling above me, I close my eyes and mutter lazily "I wonder... what it's like outside?"

"It smells bad, there are bad people everywhere, and it's very dangerous."

Hearing a sudden voice next to me, I just roll my eyes and turn to my right, then snuggle softly into my mother's warmth and whisper "I thought you'd be later"

"I'm done with what I had to do."

Feeling the caress in my hair, I instantly notice that my mother seems to be in a good mood and I open my eyes, then frown slightly and stare at a spot of blood on her cheek.

"Are you okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

Carefully getting up, I reach up to her face and lick my finger, then bring it up to her cheek and carefully wipe away the blood.

"I thought you were hurt..." Noticing that he has no wound, I wipe the blood on my clothes and murmur with pursed lips.

"..." Looking sideways at her cheek for a few seconds, my mother shifted her gaze to my finger and smiled slightly, then wrapping her arms around me and pulling me against her breasts "Are you hungry?"

"I just ate."

"Don't you want my milk?"

"..." Looking at the nipple that appeared in front of me, I roll my eyes and take the nipple into my mouth, knowing full well that this woman would keep insisting until I agreed.

***

"My son..."

Staring at the little boy sleeping peacefully in her arms, Kang Sujin couldn't help but smile.

Simply put, the situation is so surreal that she finds it hard to believe even to this day.

Kang Sujin, the dreaded Heavenly Demon, is a mother.

For the first time in her life she did something other than destroy, and you don't know how gratifying it feels for her.

"It's the most beautiful creation in the world..." Gently caressing her little son's face, Sujin whispered as she smiled with a strange softness.

"Smile..." Feeling the stiffness in his cheeks, Sujin shook her head and murmured "Who knew I would ever do it so often."

"It's so cute..." Gently caressing her chubby cheek, Sujin was silent for a few seconds and slowly lowered her hand, then gently touched her neck and murmured "And so fragile..."

'It's annoying...'

Instantly losing her smile, Sujin frowned deeply as she recalled her conversation with her son.

'He's only 3 years old and he already wants to go out?'

'Does my presence bother him that much?'

'Because he doesn't understand that I'm just trying to protect him?'

'Even though he can already take Yin herbs and his body has improved, he is still a fragile little boy who will undoubtedly be devoured at the slightest carelessness.'

'Not to mention that there are millions of bitches out there who would literally drool over his unique constitution.''

Clenching her fists as she felt her anger grow, Sujin inhaled deeply and calmed her emotions to avoid leaking her terrifying aura.

"Mommy..." But oblivious to his mother's sudden anger, her young son snuggled even closer to Sujin and murmured in his sleep.

"..." Biting her lips as her eyes sparkle from the sudden emotion that covered her body, Sujin gently laid down on the bed and pressed her little son against her body "So cute..."

***

Slowly opening her eyes, Sujin blinked in a daze for a few seconds and turned her gaze to the right, then smiled at the sight of the still sleeping little boy and slowly sat up on the bed.

Stretching her body, Sujin got up from the bed and yawned, then put on her sandals and gave her little boy a long look.

"I'll be back before you wake up" Turning while muttering to herself, Sujin walked towards the exit of the cave and stood in front of an exquisite wooden closet, then opened it and took out a luxurious dark yukata with an exquisite design of numerous dragons in a pale golden hue.

At first glance you can see that the yukata is of a very different quality to the clothes they previously wore, having a remarkable softness and you don't have to be very clever to notice that it is made of a rather expensive silk.

Removing her current clothes, Sujin put on the yukata and took a sheathed katana inside the closet, then tied it around her waist and closed the closet again.

"Any news?" continuing on her way to the exit of the cave, Sujin lazily asked.

"The northern palace keeps insisting they want to see their prince" Without showing her presence, a female voice replied softly.

With a mocking smile, Sujin reached the cave exit and ignored the servants guarding the entrance, then started down the mountain and commented, "Just let them bark."

"The Sacred Palace has again sent the priest to come and fetch the young master."

"..." Stopping her steps, Sujin instantly frowned and stood in silence for a few seconds, then snorted and continued walking "I'll talk to those old farts already"

"Master..."

"Just talk."

"It is a sacred rule that whenever a Heavenly Demon has a child, it must be raised inside the Sacred Palace... it must be prepared for trouble."

"You think I'm afraid of those old bone sacks?" with disinterest, Sujin continued down the mountain and commented "That Sacred Palace is anything but sacred, no different than a pigsty of perversion... I'd rather die than send my little treasure to that place."

"..."

"Any other news?"

"Your sister traveled to the desert, she said she would return when the moon is complete again."

"Why did she travel?"

"I don't know..."

"Mmmm..." Rubbing her chin while observing the numerous mountain peaks around her, Sujin muttered "Maybe she went to look for some kind of new poison... tsk, that maniac."

"The Golden Palace sent a joint claim with the Sacred Palace for you."

"Golden Palace" Stopping her steps again, Sujin turned to her back and asked "What did they say?"

"They asked you to send your son to the Sacred Palace... they claimed that it is unacceptable for someone other than the heavenly demon to live inside the heavenly cave, as it goes against the beliefs of the cult"

"..." Nodding with understanding, Sujin continued walking and muttered "The golden palace... who knew those lowly merchants would dare to show their teeth, how amusing."

"The dark division reported that the golden palace started supporting the third miss."

"That snake-eyed girl?"

"That's the second miss, the third miss is the one with fox eyes."

"Oh..." Nodding with disinterest, Sujin asked "What did that girl offer you?"

"She nothing, but her backing, the Sacred Palace, offered them a position in decision making."

"They don't have the power to decide that" Frowning slightly, Sujin chuckled and commented "Those old things are already thinking of replacing me? Even if you give that girl 100 years, it's impossible for her to even touch a hair on my head!"

"I don't think they're thinking of replacing her, but suppressing her."

"They want to make me a puppet?"

"Not quite, but to keep her under control."

"What do you think would happen if I killed them? Wouldn't that be fun?"

"I don't think it would be a good idea..."

"You're so boring" Chuckling, Sujin was silent for a few seconds and muttered "I get what the Sacred Palace is trying to do."

"Tie her up in a wedding ring."

"They want to tie my little one up with that girl" Nodding with a sudden coldness, Sujin narrowed her eyes into the distance and snorted "Give them a warning, I'll let it go for today, lest they continue to court fate or I'll pay them a visit"

"At your command."

"You go, I'll go meet with old lady Chou to fetch my boy's toys."

"..."

Feeling a breeze blowing past him, Sujin stretched her body lazily and turned her gaze to her back, then fixed on the entrance of the cave and smiled "I'll be right back my little one..."

***

"Do you like them?"

"..." Staring at the pair of straw dolls in front of him, Seojun blinked for a few seconds in a daze and looked up at his mother's stoic face, then smiled slightly and nodded "Thanks mom."

"If you don't like them I can send out to make others."

"I like them" Nodding, Seojun took the straw dolls and hugged them to his chest, then looked up to his mother and patted her side "Sit down."

Nodding with a small smile, Sujin looked at the dolls in Seojun's small hands and commented "I sent them to be made to the best craftsman in the cult, he said it's the children's favorite toy."

"..." Staring at the simple dolls, Seojun was silent for a few seconds and thought 'Who knew that the first gift I would have in my life would be straw dolls... how fun.'

"I was thinking I could have clothes made for them" Gently stroking Seojun's hair, Sujin commented.

"..." Staring at her dolls for a few seconds, Seojun stretched the larger doll towards her mother and murmured "It's you... I want clothes like yours."

"..." Raising her eyebrows, Sujin looked at the doll in front of her for a few seconds and laughed "It doesn't look anything like me."

"It is you."

"I don't look the slightest bit alike"

"With your clothes you will"

"You lie"