Looking for the Runaway Heavenly Maiden - Chapter 83

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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83.

Hand Ogeong showed them Yerim’s message as well.
Jiho rolled her eyes and read the message over and over again.
She’d wondered if it was real, but it was. Yerim had found Seon Igyeong.
Yeonhwa’s words had been correct.
Seon Igyeong did not acknowledge Gihyeongrang as her master.
But Jiho could not accept this fact with joy.
The danger that would arise from this came first.
Jiho asked urgently.

“Then what about Yerim? She’s okay, right? It’s not… a trap set by Gihyeongrang, is it?”

It was already an assumption that Yerim was in danger.
At Jiho’s words, silence hung between them for a moment.
A trap. This was the part they hadn’t considered, accepting only the surface facts of the message.
This message could be bait forced out of Yerim through coercion by Gihyeongrang.
But Yerim wasn’t the type to yield easily to intimidation. Would she really have told him everything?
It wasn’t easy to accept.
Even if Gihyeongrang had sensed Yerim’s true reason for approaching him.
But.

“A conclusion worth considering.”

Yeonhwa’s soft voice broke the silence.
Hand Ogeong looked at Yeonhwa. He had been planning to send a messenger to verify and retrieve the information anyway. It was the fastest method.
Hand Ogeong spoke.

“I was planning to send a messenger first to confirm.”
“Are you confident you won’t be discovered?”
“More than enough.”
“Yes, I trust you.”
“….”

At Yeonhwa’s words, Hand Ogeong’s voice caught in his throat. His heart plummeted as if it had been knocked downward.
The ring finger of his left hand—the one the Three-Legged Crow had once asked about—began to ache.
Hand Ogeong suppressed the surge of emotion rising unbidden within him and called out to the messenger who had been flying across the Plain.
The small White Bird that had flown in as a messenger vanished from his palm.
Hoping desperately that this small creature would return with good news, Hand Ogeong gazed beyond the barrier of the Plain.
Rain was still falling.

* * *

Yerim, so absorbed in her reading that the sound of rain had long ceased to reach her ears, lifted her head in bewilderment at something tapping against the back of her hand.
A small white bird sat demurely atop the desk, gazing up at her with round, innocent eyes.
Yerim nearly cried out. It wasn’t a scream of fright, but of exultation. Honestly, she hadn’t expected it to arrive this quickly.
She hastily covered her mouth with one hand. Then she glanced around cautiously.
The door remained closed. The window remained closed.
Rolling her eyes toward the bird, Yerim quickly bent down. Worried that her voice might leak out, she found a new method.
She didn’t know if this bird could read, but if it couldn’t, wouldn’t it just relay everything directly to the Jade Emperor?
Yerim pulled out her phone and typed rapidly, then showed the screen to the bird.

[There’s someone from the Heavenly Realm outside. Is this okay?]

The bird tilted its head. Then it tapped the empty air twice.
Light erupted simultaneously.
Her eyes nearly shut from the brightness, but Yerim couldn’t close them. She shifted anxiously, her gaze darting toward the door.
Fortunately, there was no sign of it opening, though one could never be certain.

[Your body seems fine. What about Seon Igyeong?]

At the voice that pierced her ears, Yerim’s head turned. She could see the Jade Emperor’s form.
Yerim quickly brought her index finger to her lips.

“Shh. Shh. You said there’s someone from the Heavenly Realm outside. What if we’re discovered?”
[Me? At this volume? Impossible. Even if I shouted, they wouldn’t hear it outside.]
“Still! Still!”

Yerim countered Hand Ogeong and picked up one of the books piled high on the desk, showing it to him.
The book with its white cover and printed text looked utterly ordinary in every way.

“Can you take this with you?”
[That one?]

Hand Ogeong stared intently at the book. Not a trace of energy emanated from it.
It was enough to make me doubt whether Seon Igyeong was truly contained within those pages.
If Gihyeongrang had cast a barrier, I should at least sense his presence too.

“This isn’t some trap of Gihyeongrang’s, is it?”

Jiho’s words suddenly flickered through my mind. It wasn’t unreasonable to harbor suspicion, just to be safe.

[Let’s take it with us for now.]
“Can you take it without being noticed? If I get caught, I’m seriously….”

Yerim didn’t even want to imagine what might happen. She kept thinking surely he wouldn’t kill her, yet somehow it felt like he could.
Gihyeongrang was that kind of man.

[When do you think Gihyeongrang will return?]
“I’m not sure about that either.”

Yerim recalled the previous night.
Last night, Gihyeongrang had been unusually rough with her.
Then she’d fallen asleep as if losing consciousness, and when she awoke, dawn was already breaking. That’s when he left.
When she asked where he was going.

“Just sleep. I’ll be late.”

With those words, he left a teasing kiss.
It was enough to create the illusion that things had returned to how they once were.
Yerim felt her forehead grow slightly warm.
She quickly buried the memory and continued speaking.

“He did say he’d be late.”
[I see….]

Hand Ogeong fell silent in thought. Then someone appeared behind him.

[Sister.]

Eyes full of concern turned entirely toward Yerim. Her heart grew heavy.
Countless words swirled within her mouth, yet what finally emerged was a casual greeting as if nothing were amiss.
Yerim forced the corners of her mouth upward as she spoke.

“It’s been a while, Jiho. Have you been doing well?”

At that, tears welled up in Jiho’s eyes. Yerim was startled.

“J-Jiho.”
[I was worried. So worried about you.]

Tears streamed down Jiho’s cheeks. Yerim didn’t know what to do.
She had anticipated what emotions Jiho might be feeling, but she never expected her to cry like this.
And to worry so deeply at that.
Even if she wanted to comfort her, Jiho was too far away. In truth, she didn’t even know where she was.
Still, being with the Jade Emperor meant she would be safe.
Yerim, whose lips had been trembling, finally spoke.

“…I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Jiho.”
[You’re okay, aren’t you?]

At Jiho’s question, Yerim could finally smile properly. She nodded with a triumphant grin.

“Of course. Who do you think I am? I’m completely fine.”

To be honest, ever since arriving at this manor, she had felt as though she were walking along the edge of a sharp blade.
Gihyeongrang didn’t trust her. The blade she walked upon was his suspicion.
Now that she had come this far, she wanted to gain something from walking that blade’s edge.
Perhaps that was… for the sake of this crying child.

[Really?]
“Really.”
[Understood. I’ll be waiting. So come back safely. You understand, right?]
“Of course.”

Even with her firm answer, the worried gaze didn’t fade—until someone appeared beside Jiho.
The voice calling out to Jiho was tender, and it was familiar to Yerim as well. The owner of that voice took Jiho’s hand and looked toward Yerim.
His eyes were resolute. Firm enough that one could trust Jiho to his care.

[Sister, I’ll be waiting for you.]

Cheonhaerang led Jiho away into the distance.
Yerim looked back at Hand Ogeong. He seemed to have already finished his thoughts long ago.

[I couldn’t possibly interrupt such a tender reunion.]
“So when can you come?”
[Based on my calculations, Gihyeongrang won’t be returning tonight. Come then.]
“Understood. I’ll leave the book here on the shelf.”

Yerim rose from her seat and shelved the book. Hand Ogeong nodded after confirming its placement.

[Good. Take care of yourself.]

The Jade Emperor’s form vanished. The White Bird that had flown to her in a blur brushed its face against the back of her hand once before disappearing as well.
Yerim exhaled a sigh that sounded almost like resignation, then glanced toward the door. It remained closed.
She tidied the books on the desk and opened the door. Yujeong stood before it like a stone monument.
Yerim spoke with innocent cheerfulness, as though nothing had happened.

“I’m getting hungry. Should we start thinking about dinner? Aren’t you hungry, Yujeong?”

Her tone was quite familiar. Yujeong shook her head.

“I’m fine.”
“Still, let’s eat together. I’ll make something delicious for you.”

With that, Yerim pulled Yujeong along. Yujeong couldn’t resist her hand.
She was the woman their Master cherished. Both Yueul and Yujeong understood the affection he held for her.
Even if the Master himself hadn’t yet realized it.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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