The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 127

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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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Tae-heum asked with a puzzled expression.

“That child Seo-yu was a deer, not a Golden Dragon?”

“Yeah… pretty, deer…”

No wonder he had felt a clear energy quite different from the Dragon Clan. If she was a deer, she would have connections to the Qilin, so it made sense that he felt familiar with her.

“But you said she has only one horn?”

However, he had never heard of a deer having only one horn.

Male deer usually had two horns, and female deer either had two identical ones or no horns at all. All the deer that Tae-heum knew were like that.

“Bi-neung, didn’t you mistake something?”

He asked again out of pure curiosity, but Bi-neung shook her head with a rarely seen determined expression.

“No, no… I, saw… horn.”

It was a day when she was in her beast transformation as usual, perched on Seo-yu’s shoulder, heading to morning classes.

A few passing students glanced at Bi-neung and then whispered among themselves.

But their voices weren’t quiet, so their conversation reached both of them clearly.

‘Ugh, look at those claws. Why are they so long?’

‘You’re right. It’s kind of disgusting.’

‘Where did she come from? She doesn’t seem to be from the Western Region.’

These were words she occasionally heard since starting at the Medical Academy.

She should have gotten used to it by now, but gossip always made her feel bad, so Bi-neung became a little dejected.

It was after she finished classes with such hurt feelings and returned to the dormitory.

Seo-yu carefully asked Bi-neung.

‘Um, Bi-neung. I have something to show you… would it be okay if I do a beast transformation?’

In beast-person society, asking someone else to do a beast transformation first was rude.

But no one would stop someone from doing it themselves. There was no reason to.

So she couldn’t understand why Seo-yu was asking for permission, but Bi-neung gladly agreed.

Then Seo-yu took a deep breath and transformed—

‘…Hm?’

A baby deer with only one horn appeared in that spot. She had seen quite a few deer since there were so many of them, but this was the first time she’d seen a deer with such a horn.

Finding it quite fascinating, Bi-neung unconsciously observed Seo-yu intently.

Not long after, Seo-yu returned to human form and said with an embarrassed face.

‘Bi-neung, did you see? Actually, I’ve only had one horn since I was little. So I heard a lot of people say I was strange.’

‘Not, strange…’

‘Really? Hehe, thank you. But everyone didn’t really like it. Many people hated even looking at my horn.’

As she said this, Seo-yu’s gaze was directed toward the floor. Her expression was dark, just like someone recalling unpleasant memories.

But the next moment, when Seo-yu lifted her head, her eyes were sparkling brightly.

‘But I’m living well now. It’s em-embarrassing, but I even got first place on the exam, and I made a good friend like you, Bi-neung.’

‘….’

‘So I don’t think we’re strange!’

Only then did Bi-neung realize that Seo-yu had deliberately used Beast Transformation to comfort her.

Even though her own appearance wasn’t something she particularly wanted to show, to the point where she would ask permission from others before transforming.

That’s why the memory of that day remained special to Bi-neung.

“It was a soft… horn.”

The horn that looked so soft it seemed like it couldn’t hurt anyone resembled Seo-yu. Her kind and gentle friend, Seo-yu.

Meanwhile, while Bi-neung was reminiscing about pleasant memories.

“The horn was soft?”

“Yes.”

Tae-heum was thinking that something seemed strange.

‘It could just be a deformity, but…’

A body that deviates from normal characteristics is called a deformity.

Tae-heum, who had lived as a physician for many years, had seen such beastkin several times.

However, each characteristic was too similar to something Tae-heum knew to simply dismiss it as a mere deformity.

‘Ancient Qilin.’

And that bloodline of his, the Qilin, whose original characteristics had now grown faint.

‘I need to check.’

Tae-heum, who couldn’t stand being curious about something, immediately jumped up from his seat.

“Bi-neung, I’ve steamed plenty of potatoes, so eat them with the remaining rice cakes while I’m out. It will take some time.”

“Where, going?”

Heading toward the kitchen, Tae-heum said.

“I’m going to the Eastern Lands.”

* * *

Today was the long-awaited day to visit the Heavenly Medicine Forest.

Seo-yu, who had prepared to go out early, came out of her room at the appointed time and encountered Tae-eon standing in a proper posture.

“Young Master?”

“Miss Seo-yu, did you sleep comfortably last night?”

“Yes! Thanks to your care, I slept well.”

“That’s fortunate. I hear you’re going to the Heavenly Medicine Forest. Father sent me.”

“Ah, yesterday the Family Head said he would send someone to escort me. So it was you, Young Master!”

Certainly, if she received guidance from Tae-eon, there would be no rumors spreading about someone unqualified entering the Heavenly Medicine Forest.

It was when Seo-yu, who had been secretly worried that it might cause problems later, felt relieved.

“Before that, I would like to apologize first.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve heard about everything you went through because of my former fiancé. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help to you.”

Tae-eon bowed his head deeply.

“No, Young Master. It’s not something you did wrong. You probably didn’t even know what kind of relationship Miss Su-jeong and I had…”

“But if I had paid a little more attention, there would certainly have been things that wouldn’t have happened. It’s my fault with no room for excuses.”

Regret could be felt from his dejected face. It was an expression of genuine remorse toward Seo-yu.

Seo-yu suddenly thought of Nok Su-gyu, the Young Family Head of the Great Antlered Deer Family.

From what she had heard before, after Su-jeong was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, Su-gyu had never once visited his younger sister.

The Su-gyu that Seo-yu knew had always been that kind of person.

Even though he was in the same position as Young Family Head as Tae-eon, he didn’t know how to take responsibility for his mistakes and was busy avoiding them somehow.

In short, he was someone lacking in qualities both as an elder brother and as the heir of a family clan.

However, Tae-eon was different.

“Young Master, when I, someone you had no friendship with, asked for help, you willingly helped me, didn’t you? Without hesitating even a little.”

“That was something I should have done.”

“That’s not true. My mother told me that living honestly and fairly is a very, very difficult thing to do.”

Seo-yu shook her head from side to side and explained step by step.

“Because, you see. Sometimes even telling the truth can make someone sad, and if you share fairly, someone always thinks they’ve been disadvantaged.”

Tae-eon could have taken Su-jeong’s side and pretended not to know Seo-yu. That would have been the easy path for Tae-eon. Since Su-jeong was his fiancé.

If Su-jeong’s reputation had fallen by mistake, naturally Tae-eon could have been caught up in gossip as well.

Even so, Tae-eon looked at only one fact and became Seo-yu’s ally.

Thanks to that, her life at the Medical Academy, which could have been much more difficult, went relatively smoothly.

“So Young Master, you are a very righteous person.”

Seo-yu smiled brightly. It was a clear face where not a trace of resentment could be found.

“…It wasn’t something I did seeking praise.”

Though it was an unexpected turn of events even until he was apologizing, Tae-eon found himself smiling along with Seo-yu without realizing it.

“Still, I’m happy that you say such things.”

As the corners of his mouth curved up in a gentle arc, a dimple appeared deeply on one side.

Seo-yu’s gaze landed on that small mark.

“Oh, Young Master, you have one here too!”

Seo-yu pointed to her own cheek. On her left cheek, in exactly the same position, she also had a dimple.

“Indeed. What a curious coincidence. I resemble my mother.”

“I’m not sure about that… but still, we have something in common!”

The two of them laughed together. Tae-eon felt a strange sensation as if he were looking in a mirror.

“…I think I understand why His Highness the Crown Prince said I resembled you, Young Miss.”

“Our hair color is similar too, so he must have been more confused. Young Master, you are very beautiful, so I like it. I feel like I’ve received a great compliment.”

It was an affectionate remark that would make a boy of the same age’s heart flutter, but Tae-eon’s heart didn’t race.

It wasn’t in a negative sense. Rather, this moment of conversing with Seo-yu felt extremely comfortable. Surprisingly so.

“You seem to have a deep friendship with His Highness.”

“No, not at all. I first met him at the Medical Academy! His Highness just talks to me because he has a good personality.”

Hearing that she wasn’t particularly close to the Crown Prince somehow put his mind at ease.

‘Why?’

Tae-eon felt puzzled by this himself, but couldn’t find an answer.

“I’ll escort you there. Shall we go?”

“Yes!”

Setting aside the inexplicable question for later, Tae-eon guided Seo-yu to the Heavenly Medicine Forest.

Deep within the Family Head Hall, through a secret passage that only direct family members could enter.

‘I’m not sure if it’s alright to use this place, but…’

What the Family Head, his father, had permitted was not something he could judge arbitrarily.

Besides, there was a debt of gratitude owed to Seo-yu, so he could fully understand his father’s decision.

“Wooow…”

After passing through a corridor so long it made one wonder how such a space could exist within the household, sunlight suddenly poured down from above.

Seo-yu’s eyes widened at the green forest that spread out right before her.

‘The place we just passed through was a cave!’

When viewed from the forest, it was a cave, but when viewed from the household, it was a corridor!

“Father is over there.”

Admiring the ingenious structure that strangers would never notice even if they saw it, Seo-yu followed Tae-eon’s steps.

Indeed, not far away, she could see the Qilin Family Head waiting.

“Father, I’ve brought the Young Miss.”

“Good. You’ve worked hard.”

“Then I’ll return first as I have lessons.”

“Do so.”

“Thank you, Young Master!”

“Please take your time looking around comfortably.”

After a brief farewell, Tae-eon returned first.

Seo-yu looked up at the Family Head. The Family Head, who had been blankly watching Tae-eon’s retreating figure, lowered his gaze to look at Seo-yu.

Though their eyes met unexpectedly, Seo-yu didn’t look away and smiled brightly.

“Family Head, Young Master Tae-eon and I have something in common. Do you know what it is?”

It was a playful question. Since she had only shown her crying face before the Family Head yesterday, she didn’t want to do that today.

“You mean how similar marks appear in the same places when you smile?”

“Oh, you knew?”

Seo-yu’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected him to know, having asked the question without much thought.

Gi Tae-ha, who had been quietly looking down at such a Seo-yu, slowly opened his mouth.

“Is that all? The habit of catching your breath briefly before speaking, pressing your lips tightly when lost in thought, and how your eyes and mouth open together when surprised…”

Having listed these as if savoring each one, Gi Tae-ha murmured quietly as if talking to himself.

“You and Tae-eon have so many similarities.”

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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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