The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 12

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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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Cracks appeared on Hwang Hyeon-rang’s face, which had been smiling faintly. Yi-ryeong elbowed Li-gon with a nudge.

“Be quiet, you fool Hwang Li-gon.”

“I’m not a fool. Why do you keep calling me a fool?”

“I call you a fool because you are a fool.”

Li-gon’s lips were about to pout out, but fortunately no mediation was needed. Yi-ryeong quickly diverted attention.

“Father, who is that child?”

“That’s right! We saw the child with one horn. It’s really fascinating.”

Ah.

Hyeon-rang let out a short sigh.

‘Come to think of it, she did have one horn.’

He had seen it.

But it had been such an urgent situation, and treating the wound came first, so there was no time to pay attention to the horn.

However, it would have looked different to the children. Beasts with one horn were not easily found either on land or in the sea.

‘Could it be that the children caused the wound…?’

Ignorance sometimes causes wounds.

It was when Hyeon-rang was blaming his own carelessness.

“Father, did you see it too? Her horn is really cool. The horn is right here in the middle.”

“Dad, Hwang Yi-ryeong keeps telling me to give her my horn. She says she’ll attach it in the middle too. But then I won’t be balanced! Hurry up and say something to her.”

“If it’s cool, that’s good. It’s not my fault, right? Right, Father?”

The twins fought in his arms as always, asking him to take their side. From their reaction, it seemed fortunately they hadn’t hurt Seo-yu.

“But how old is she? Is she also a dragon? She’s not a dragon, right? She’s too small.”

“No way, she’s not a dragon. Where would you find such a small dragon? There’s no such dragon.”

Rather, they seemed very curious about Seo-yu.

Hyeon-rang smiled briefly at Yi-ryeong’s assertion and answered.

“That child is a deer.”

Then the twins nodded simultaneously as if it made sense.

“Ah, then she must be a spotted deer! Right, Yi-ryeong?”

“No wonder. Her eyes were as big as marbles.”

They had observed quite diligently in such a short time.

Hyeon-rang worried that the children might have bothered Seo-yu too much, but on the other hand, he felt grateful to Seo-yu.

It had been a long time since the children who had visited their mother at the Dragon Palace were this lively.

“How old is she? She’s younger than us, right?”

“Well. You’ll have to go ask her directly if you’re curious.”

“Is that okay? Then Li-gon, let’s go to the Medical Room again!”

“Good!”

The twins, who had quickly reached an agreement, jumped down from Hyeon-rang’s arms as if they had made a promise.

Thud thud thud!

Their movement, disappearing in an instant, was truly fast, befitting Golden Dragons.

“Medical Room?”

Hyeon-rang, who had become puzzled, looked back at Hwan-wol.

“Hwan-wol, why are the children going to the medical room to find Seo-yu?”

“According to Ga-ram, Lord Hyeon-ya personally extended an invitation.”

“Hyeon-ya did? For what reason?”

Hyeon-rang was surprised.

His younger brother, Hwang Hyeon-ya, was an excellent physician, but he was extremely selective about people and disliked letting anyone into his space.

Due to his prickly temperament, even when people were added to help in the medical room, they usually couldn’t last long and would run away crying.

And that same Hyeon-ya had brought Seo-yu, whom he’d barely known for any time, into the medical room?

“Ga-ram says she doesn’t know the reason well either. I’ll ask Lord Hyeon-ya as soon as he returns.”

“Do that. But what did you mean about having something to say regarding the child?”

Setting aside his questions for the moment, when he asked, Hwan-wol immediately spoke up.

“It’s about the Great Antlered Deer Family that visited recently. Their youngest daughter seems to have gone missing a few days ago. On the very day you returned to the mansion, Family Head.”

“That’s too much of a coincidence to be considered mere chance.”

The cliff where the child had fallen was part of the Great Antlered Deer Family’s territory.

The possibility of two children of similar age disappearing simultaneously on the same day wasn’t high, and above all, Seo-yu had directly mentioned ‘home’ before.

‘Could she really have been a daughter of that family?’

Hyeon-rang recalled Seo-yu’s appearance when he first met her.

Her shabby appearance with worn sleeves and frayed hem was closer to that of a mountain herb gatherer than a young lady from a renowned family.

That’s why even after hearing the words that came from the child’s mouth, he had doubted it. It was simply hard to believe.

Lost in thought, Hyeon-rang suddenly realized something strange.

“But what do you mean it seems like she went missing? Didn’t they report it to the guard unit?”

“Well, there’s no sign of the family making any moves to search for the child. If anything, they seem to be hushing it up.”

“What? Why?”

“She’s not the family head’s biological daughter. They took in the bloodline of a younger brother who left home long ago… It seems she didn’t receive very good treatment within the household.”

“So she was an unwanted burden.”

Hyeon-rang’s eyes narrowed.

‘The reason she said the Great Antlered Deer Family was absolutely not an option…’

Finally understanding Seo-yu’s words, Hyeon-rang let out a pitiful sigh.

Hwan-wol, who had been quietly observing Hyeon-rang, carefully offered his honest opinion.

“Family Head, I too feel deeply sorry for that child’s circumstances. But as you know, taking her into the family is another matter entirely. The Eastern Lands aren’t exactly a safe place either.”

“…”

Hyeon-rang neither affirmed nor could he deny it.

Hwan-wol continued as if driving in the final nail.

“It would be better to send her back before Young Master Li-han returns. In the peaceful Western Region, there would be plenty of places that could care for the child.”

“…I’ll think about it.”

With those final words, Hyeon-rang closed his mouth and let out a faint sigh.

* * *

The hectic day passed, and the next day dawned.

‘The physician said he’d return today. I should ask if I might be able to work in the medical room.’

Seo-yu woke up early in the morning, washed her face, and prepared to meet Hwang Hyeon-ya.

It wouldn’t make her plain face dramatically better, but she still wanted to look her best if possible.

‘If I don’t wash properly, everyone would dislike me for being dirty…’

Sniff sniff.

‘I don’t think there’s any smell.’

Seo-yu had just stepped out of her room after burying her nose in her sleeve to make sure.

“One horn came out!”

An unfamiliar voice greeted Seo-yu.

“Eek!”

Thud!

Startled, Seo-yu almost fell backward, but hands that shot out from both sides caught her firmly.

“Th, thank y…”

Seo-yu trailed off.

The twins who had suddenly appeared yesterday, scared her out of her wits, and disappeared were right before her eyes.

Yi-ryeong and Li-gon, who had smoothly pulled Seo-yu’s arms to help her stand properly, asked in turn.

“Why didn’t you come to the Medical Room yesterday?”

“Right. We kept waiting for you.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s because the Physician had gone out. I went to see the Physician.”

Why were you waiting for me?

When the bewildered Seo-yu answered, the twins whispered to each other.

“See, I told you we should have gone to her room.”

“But Ga-ram said Baby Deer would be startled if we visited without notice.”

Baby? Could they be talking about me? No way, right? I’m not a baby. But I haven’t seen any other deer.

Before her thoughts could finish, Yi-ryeong suddenly asked.

“Were you startled?”

“I wasn’t… startled.”

Actually, she was startled.

But her intuition, naturally developed from living under harsh treatment, easily helped her figure out what the other person wanted to hear.

However, the words that followed completely defied her expectations.

“Right? You probably won’t be startled if we visit you next time either?”

“Oh, yes. Yes?”

Seo-yu asked back in confusion. Even Seo-yu naturally didn’t have the ability to predict the future.

‘I think I’d be startled again if you suddenly came like this!’

But it was already too late to change her words.

“You heard that, Li-gon. Now if we want to meet Baby Deer, we can just come to her room.”

“Great!”

The twins were clapping among themselves.

She had hoped otherwise, but Baby Deer really seemed to be referring to her.

“But one horn…”

“My, my name is Seo-yu.”

“One horn would be cooler though.”

Yi-ryeong pouted her lips and asked with eyes full of curiosity.

“Anyway. Seo-yu, how old are you?”

Then they suddenly started discussing Seo-yu’s age among themselves.

“Seven years old?”

“I think she looks six years old.”

Seo-yu, who had only been blinking her eyes, felt a bit upset.

She already knew she was small, and it seemed like they were teasing her.

“I’m nine years old!”

Seo-yu, who had raised her voice without realizing it, covered her mouth.

How could she show irritation to such precious young lady and young master!

Just as Seo-yu was about to quickly apologize…

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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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