The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 118

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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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This way, by making such a conspicuous fuss, the household would always give in to whatever unreasonable demands Su-jeong made.

However, for some reason, the soldiers’ reaction was only lukewarm.

“Well now, she’s got quite the voice.”

Those who were already sick to death of the commotion that had continued throughout the entire transport to the Imperial Capital ignored Su-jeong.

It was only natural.

One of the charges for which Nok Su-jeong of the Great Antlered Deer Family had been dragged to the underground prison was none other than the unauthorized deployment of private soldiers.

Deploying private soldiers without permission to an event with many participants like the Medical Academy Festival was a matter that could escalate into inter-family conflicts.

Moreover, those private soldiers had even forcibly dragged away children from other families, leaving no room for leniency.

This could be seen from the fact that the Emperor, upon receiving the report, immediately ordered that Nok Su-jeong be confined to solitary.

“Get in.”

In the end, Su-jeong, who had been imprisoned without any gain, grabbed the iron bars and shook them violently.

Clang clang!

“Do you know who I am? I’m the daughter of Sa-ryeong-ryeong!”

Su-jeong glared and burned the faces of the soldiers into her memory. She intended to remember these insolent bastards and punish them all.

“If my father so much as lifts a finger, you’ll all lose your heads!”

It was a story she had heard often since childhood.

Whenever her parents spoke like this, Su-jeong would feel very proud as she realized how great her family was.

Indeed, there was no family in the vicinity that could dare match the Great Antlered Deer Family’s influence.

Su-jeong, who had grown up like a true princess, simply could not believe the reality of being confined in such a shabby prison.

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. We just arrived at the Imperial Capital.”

“Then let’s go eat together.”

“Sounds good!”

Regardless of her fuming, the soldiers who had been chatting among themselves while leaving the seething Su-jeong behind simply left the prison.

Left alone, Su-jeong shook the bars several times before collapsing from exhaustion.

‘Father will come to get me soon. Then he’ll immediately get me out of this prison. Let’s see if I let those bastards off easy. I’ll never forgive them.’

No matter how much she thought about it, Su-jeong felt wronged and resentful.

The one who had stolen the Snow Scale Flower wasn’t her but Nok Seo-yu. Even if someone had to be punished, it should be that girl, so why should she receive such treatment?

‘She went to the cliff and fell off herself, it’s not like I told her to go there.’

The Qilin Family Head was also incomprehensible.

She had caught a thief who was trying to run away with the Snow Scale Flower, so he should have given her a reward instead of thinking to throw her in prison!

‘When I get out, I’m calling off the engagement and everything. I won’t have anything to do with the Qilin Family anymore.’

Indeed, becoming Empress was better than being a mere madam. She should have dreamed big from the beginning; not being greedy enough was the root of the problem.

“Ugh, why is it so cold in here too.”

Su-jeong sat hugging her knees in the chilly underground prison and ended up dozing off.

Creak—

Then she woke from her light sleep at the sound of a door opening.

“Father?”

The one who entered the prison carrying an oil lamp was Nok Sa-pyeong.

“Su-jeong.”

“Father! Why did you come so late! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting!”

Su-jeong jumped up and clung to the bars.

“First, please open this. My legs are getting numb….”

Su-jeong, feeling relieved, began to whine, but Nok Sa-pyeong cut her off without listening to the end.

“How much did you tell them?”

“What?”

When Su-jeong asked back, not understanding her father’s question, Nok Sa-pyeong frowned and urged his daughter.

“I asked how much you told the Qilin Family Head.”

“Oh, it seems Nok Seo-yu found one more Snow Scale Flower and hid it. So I told them about that….”

“Not that nonsense! The horn, yes. Have you ever told the Qilin Family Head about its horn?”

When Nok Sa-pyeong shouted angrily, Su-jeong was startled and hastily denied it.

“N-no. I’ve never mentioned it.”

She had naturally intended to reveal that fact too, but the Golden Dragon Family had barged in and she missed the timing.

‘Right, I did tell the kids though. Those rude friends of Nok Seo-yu.’

Su-jeong was just about to report that.

“Then that’s enough. From now on, you must never utter even a single word about that matter. Absolutely not.”

“I understand.”

When Su-jeong answered obediently, overwhelmed by her father’s fierce momentum, Nok Sa-pyeong let out a sigh of relief. Then he turned his back.

“Stay quiet for the time being. Know that if you cause trouble even in here, you’ll never be able to return home.”

“What? Wait, you want me to stay here?”

“I’m telling you to watch your mouth carefully.”

The flustered Su-jeong reached her hand out through the bars, but it couldn’t reach Nok Sa-pyeong who had already moved a span away.

Su-jeong gripped the bars tightly and shouted.

“When are you coming to get me! How long do I have to stay here!”

The prison was damp and filthy. She had only stayed for half a day, but she looked disgracefully dirty. She thought she smelled too.

Su-jeong wanted to get out of this place as quickly as possible.

“Father! Why won’t you answer… Father! Father?!”

However, no matter how many times she called, Nok Sa-pyeong’s gaze never returned to Su-jeong.

‘Don’t tell me he’s not coming back….’

No, no, that can’t be.

Su-jeong shuddered at the sudden anxiety that crept in.

“Daddyyy!”

Clang!

Only the sound of the heavy door closing echoed through the underground prison, and the answer she had hoped for until the end never came.

* * *

“So, when I raised the Jeongdam Herb and Snow Scale Flower together in the same pot, the Snow Scale Flower really came back to life.”

Seo-yu carefully explained to Gi Tae-ha the process of reviving the Snow Scale Flower.

Of course, she couldn’t mention the story about spirits or being able to communicate with the earth.

It wasn’t something to carelessly discuss with a complete stranger, and above all, she had promised not to speak about the spirits.

“…Is that all?”

Gi Tae-ha, who had been silently listening to Seo-yu’s story, asked slowly.

‘I guess this alone isn’t enough.’

Ugh.

Seo-yu swallowed a groan inwardly.

She had left out the important parts, so it was inevitable.

But she hadn’t lied. What Seo-yu had done to save the Snow Scale Flower was truly all there was to it!

“From what I could see, the Snow Scale Flower seemed very lonely. It had been alone for such a long time. So when it finally had a friend, wouldn’t it have been happy?”

After pondering, Seo-yu began explaining earnestly, even reviving old memories she had almost forgotten.

“Ah! And I asked the earth every single day to help it grow well. Then one day, the Snow Scale Flower really sprouted new buds. Even though there was no snow like this!”

The Snow Scale Flower grown together with the Jeongdam Herb thrived well in the soil even without being stored in snow. Seo-yu thought it was all thanks to Seollin’s power.

‘Oh, but I did leave it outside for quite a long time….’

With belated worry, she examined the Snow Scale Flower, but the flower placed on the soft silk pouch was still radiating a fresh glow.

It looked very healthy considering it had been exposed to Su-jeong’s malice.

‘Could it be because the Qilin Family Head is here with us?’

She had learned this in class. Since all things love the qilin, nature becomes more vibrant when in the presence of a qilin.

‘He really is an amazing person….’

While Seo-yu was swallowing her admiration with naturally arising respect.

Gi Tae-ha was lost in deep thought.

‘There’s definitely a concept called companion planting.’

Companion planting was a farming method of growing different crops together in the same soil, a technique often used by herb gatherers as well.

When potatoes and kidney beans were planted together, the bean roots would make the potatoes more robust, while the potato leaves and stems would repel pests that clung to the beans.

But Snow Scale Flowers and Jeongdam Herbs were completely unrelated.

Even in the Heavenly Medicine Forest, which was full of Jeongdam Herbs, the Snow Scale Flowers planted there weren’t sprouting at all—instead, they were losing vitality day by day.

Yet Seo-yu didn’t seem to be lying.

Seo-yu had simply said she had tended to the herbs with all her heart.

That was precisely the problem.

‘Then this child must be special.’

Not only had she found two Snow Scale Flowers that others couldn’t find for nearly ten years, but she had even brought a dying Snow Scale Flower back to life.

There was only one person who had accomplished all of this—Seo-yu. It was an impossible miracle unless she had some kind of communion with the Snow Scale Flowers.

And communing with nature was a blessing bestowed upon the qilin by heaven long, long ago.

A special ability granted in ancient times that even the qilin had now lost.

How could this child possibly possess such a thing?

So puzzled was he that Gi Tae-ha unconsciously asked a question.

“How old are you?”

“Me?”

Seo-yu’s eyes widened at the sudden question, then she smiled and answered.

“I’m ten years old, Family Head.”

The moment she grinned broadly, her deep dimples brought someone else to mind once again.

His wife, who would have become the mother of a ten-year-old child by now if she had given birth to a healthy baby.

“By any chance, the Suin Flower…”

“I think we’ve had enough conversation for now. It’s about time Elder Brother returns.”

Hyeon-ya lightly pushed his chair back and stood up from his seat. Seo-yu, who had been rolling her eyes in confusion, quickly followed Hyeon-ya and stood up as well.

“Young Master Hyeon-ya.”

When Gi Tae-ha, unusually impatient, also rose to his feet, Hyeon-ya suddenly spoke.

“You won’t be going out to see the festival again, so please spare me the remaining time.”

His posture was still crooked, and his tone wasn’t pleasant either.

“It seems like the adults need to have a conversation.”

For some reason, Gi Tae-ha didn’t feel like refusing his suggestion. It even felt like an opportunity he absolutely had to seize.

“…Let’s do that.”

“Then I’ll see you later.”

Hyeon-ya nodded his head and took Seo-yu’s hand as they headed out.

“Let’s go, Seo-yu.”

But Seo-yu, who had been obediently following Hyeon-ya out, suddenly stopped and approached Gi Tae-ha.

“Um, Family Head!”

Then she carefully handed over the pouch containing the Snow Scale Flower.

“I’ll return the Snow Scale Flower to you.”

“But this is…”

It was a medicinal herb that wouldn’t have been found if it hadn’t been for Seo-yu from the beginning. Even though it grew on White Jade Mountain, he couldn’t just take it away from the child.

So he had planned to give her proper compensation and ask for it.

“I hope the Family Matriarch gets well soon. This Snow Scale Flower must be hoping for that too.”

The child who had given up the precious medicinal herb without asking for anything in return clenched both fists firmly and spoke.

“I’ll share my good luck with you. Stay strong!”

Gi Tae-ha unconsciously reached out toward Seo-yu as she turned away, then withdrew his hand and placed it on his chest. His heart was deeply stirred. He felt suffocated and queasy.

‘What a strange feeling this is.’

If he could just look at that child a little longer, he felt like he might understand this feeling.

Having no justification to stop Seo-yu who had already left through the door, Gi Tae-ha remained immersed in his heavy-heartedness for a while.

* * *

Hyeon-ya returned shortly after that.

After confirming there was no one outside and completely closing the door, Hyeon-ya began speaking as soon as he sat in his chair.

“First, let me apologize. I don’t have the skill to speak in roundabout ways, so I’m likely to be rude.”

At this novel conversational approach he had never experienced before, Gi Tae-ha raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

After all, if they were to count the rudeness committed today, his own sins were heavier.

However, he couldn’t help but harden his expression at the words that followed.

“Did the miscarriage actually happen?”

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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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