Surviving as the Heavenly Demon’s Concubine - Chapter 21
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“By the way, how is Young Lady Namgung doing?”
Riser slyly brought up another person involved in this incident.
“She’s the same. But about Noeok…”
“He’s much better. Walking and talking still seem uncomfortable for him though.”
The quick-witted Moyong Hye swiftly intervened to help change the subject.
Though she naturally loved being the center of attention and couldn’t deeply empathize with Riser’s discomfort, she could at least recognize the signs that someone wanted to avoid a topic.
‘Thank you! Hye-ah!’
Riser continued the conversation, grateful for Moyong Hye’s thoughtful consideration.
“Oh my. The paralysis must not be fully healed yet. He should recover soon.”
“Hey! If a warrior’s dantian and limbs are fine, then they’re completely recovered!”
“…Mmm. I suppose that’s fortunate in this misfortune.”
Riser gave an ambiguous response to Peng Guyeon’s rather extreme opinion.
As an expert in medicine and poison, she couldn’t bring herself to agree with the crude assertion that ‘if the dantian and limbs are intact, then one is healthy.’
‘Still, I should watch my words. The way everything I do lately keeps getting twisted doesn’t feel good at all.’
Who knows if there might be an active warrior in the Habuk Peng Family who was barely managing to function with only their dantian and limbs intact after an injury. She didn’t want to create conflict with Peng Guyeon after already having issues with Namgung Yeonhwa.
But when luck runs out, even falling backward can break your nose.
“If you’re worried, would you like to go see her?”
Jegal Lin carefully suggested.
Seeing Riser’s passive response to Peng Guyeon, she mistakenly thought Riser was worried about Namgung Yeonhwa.
“Uh… should we?”
Riser honestly wasn’t keen on it.
Though the circumstantial evidence was solid, Riser was also from a prestigious family that wouldn’t be easily dismissed.
If it hadn’t been for Namgung Yeonhwa’s clear identification, she might have been able to avoid prison by stubbornly arguing there was no evidence, so her feelings toward her weren’t particularly good.
‘But I can’t show my distaste.’
Officially, Namgung Yeonhwa was the victim, wasn’t she?
If she acted coldly toward the victim in front of others when she hadn’t even properly cleared her name, suspicion toward Riser could deepen.
“I knew you’d answer like that.”
Jegal Lin smiled faintly and shook her head as if she couldn’t help it.
‘Honestly, I don’t understand it emotionally, but… Riser is so kind.’
Though she didn’t say it, Jegal Lin held Riser’s character in high regard.
Even after being dragged around all night looking for Namgung Yeonhwa, who wasn’t even close to her, she sincerely apologized and quickly let go of her anger. Even after being falsely accused and imprisoned in Noeok due to an unfortunate coincidence, she showed no signs of resenting anyone.
And look at this.
Her compassionate heart even extended to Namgung Yeonhwa, who had framed her.
Riser was a foolishly kind friend who completely shattered the prejudice that someone from the poison-using Sichuan Dang Family would have a venomous and wicked personality to match.
“Uh, um, then… now or later… either would be fine though.”
Moyong Hye, who had an uncanny ability to detect awkward atmospheres, glanced at Riser.
Just as Riser was about to say, ‘Then I’ll rest a bit and go later. I barely slept because the bed wasn’t comfortable,’ as if she’d been waiting for this moment.
“Let’s do as Young Lady Moyong suggests. No matter what, you can’t see a patient right after getting out of prison.”
“That’s right. Shouldn’t we first catch our breath while having some tea?”
“I happen to have some good Longjing tea. I’ll go get it right away.”
The young girls, sensing an opportunity for free time, didn’t miss the chance to hear Riser’s thrilling Noeok experience and their eyes lit up.
‘If I get caught by them, I’ll have to play storyteller for at least two hours, won’t I?’
The thought of putting on another spirited storytelling show in front of the Cheonryeon Palace girls, after already doing so for Guard 1 and Seo Yeon Khatun, made fatigue wash over her.
In that case, it would be better to visit Namgung Yeonhwa, even if reluctantly.
“I can’t leisurely drink tea while leaving a sick patient unattended.”
“What do you mean… don’t tell me you’re planning to personally examine Young Lady Namgung instead of just visiting her?!”
‘Sob sob. I don’t want to either.’
Riser nodded slowly with a gloomy mood.
The girls bombarded her with questions about her incomprehensible choice.
“Why go to such lengths…? It’s not like Cheonryeon Palace doesn’t have physicians.”
“Especially when you just got released from Noeok!”
“I don’t understand why you’d go that far. Wasn’t Young Lady Namgung largely to blame for Young Lady Dang being dragged to Noeok?”
At that moment, coincidentally, Riser’s reluctance to see Namgung Yeonhwa and her face that looked elegant when she just kept her mouth shut combined perfectly, creating the effect of making her appear like a noble and tragic hero.
“She was paralyzed by our family’s poison.”
“…!!”
The girls covered their gaping mouths with their hands in shock.
She was trying to treat the enemy who had framed her, just because the Sichuan Dang Family’s poison had been used as a weapon?
‘My goodness! How can someone be like that?’
‘So noble!’
Riser wanted to escape from the girls’ burdensome gazes as quickly as possible, so she urged Moyong Hye with a determined expression.
“Lead the way, Hye-ah. The sooner the treatment, the better.”
“Huh? Oh, right. This way.”
Moyong Hye, wondering if she had misread Riser’s true feelings due to her convincing performance in front of the other prospective concubines, guided them to the lodging with uncertainty.
‘What a truly admirable friend.’
Meanwhile, Jegal Lin felt proud and pleased with her best friend and fellow practitioner of non-mainstream martial arts as she followed along, impressed by Riser’s wonderful character.
“Oh. Jegal Lin, you don’t need to come.”
“…?!”
Jegal Lin was greatly flustered by Riser’s ice-cold dismissal.
What did I do wrong?
* * *
“You don’t know her name or face?”
“That’s right.”
Cheonmu Seong looked at Mujin with an incredulous expression.
“How can a person be like that? That righteous young lady risked even jailbreak to save you, sparing neither her family’s secret martial arts nor precious spiritual medicine! Brother Mujin is a fool! A fool who doesn’t know gratitude!”
“Don’t insult me so casually.”
Mujin glared at Seong threateningly with his fierce blue gaze.
“And it wasn’t particularly precious spiritual medicine.”
“Hey. What would you know, brother?”
“…”
“I meant spiritual medicine. Spiritual medicine. Ahem.”
Seong coughed and averted his gaze.
Thanks to growing up under forced martial arts training by his violent older brothers, Seong’s danger detection ability was quite excellent.
“Well, you might not have seen each other’s faces since you were both imprisoned, but how did you not even exchange names? You’re someone who boldly states your name when running up tabs at brothels and gambling houses, so it’s not like you’d suddenly care about reputation.”
‘This brat.’
Mujin glared at the increasingly cheeky Seong and raised one eyebrow.
Startled, Seong lowered his eyes like someone who had committed a crime. He knew he had been a bit bolder than usual, taking advantage of Mujin’s weakened state.
“Tsk.”
Seeing Seong’s repentant attitude, Mujin decided to let it slide one more time and said.
“We did exchange names, but… I’m not sure if you could call it a proper introduction.”
“What do you mean?”
Mujin recalled the moment he exchanged names with Riser in Noeok and chuckled in disbelief.
“When I said I was Cheonmu Jin, she said she was Cheonyang Seol.”
“What? That’s…”
Seong was so shocked he was speechless.
From just the stories he’d heard, he thought she wasn’t an ordinary young lady, but she was more extraordinary than he’d imagined.
“A righteous and eccentric young lady indeed.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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