Becoming an adopted son (?)— it reminded me of something from my past life.

The process itself was simple: a single bow in front of the ancestral shrine and sharing a drink. However, the fact that this drink contained each other's blood made something in my memories flicker, just out of reach.

"Now, drink."

"Understood, f—father."

A single red drink was handed to me.

I carefully lifted the cup and poured it into my mouth.

—Gulp.

Immediately, I tasted the sharp burn of alcohol, something I hadn’t had since my reincarnation, mixed with the distinct metallic tang of blood.@@novelbin@@

As that bloody taste lingered in my mouth, the memory that had been teasing my mind finally became clear.

'Right! This is just like one of those gangster movies.'

It was eerily similar to the initiation scenes from old films—where new members drank blood to become part of the family.

But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. That was about joining a family, and so was this. The method was just… different.

With that, my adoption into the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace was completed much faster than I expected.

Or, rather, I was officially "transferred" to the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.

"You are now a member of our Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, my son. Hahaha! And in our sect, we do not use surnames, so from now on, you are simply So-ryong. A dragon is still a beast, so it fits well. Little dragon… it has a nice ring to it. May you grow into a great dragon."

"Kehk! I understand… father."

The massive hand that clapped me on the back nearly sent me flying, but I managed an awkward smile in response.

Then, my newly acquired elder sister, Seol-pyo, gently stroked my cheek and grinned.

"So-ryong, you can call me Sister Seol-pyo, or just Sister Seol. Let’s get along well, okay? Ah, you’re adorable."

"Uh… Yes, Sister Seol. Please take care of me."

Before, she had seemed like a fierce, sun-kissed wildcat of a woman, but now that we were family, she was acting like an affectionate puppy.

Her and Father’s delighted expressions made me feel awkward all over again.

'I've adopted many animals in my past life, but this is my first time being adopted.'

This was the first time I had ever been taken in as family.

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