The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 13

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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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“No way, you’re lying. We’re ten years old.”

“Right. You’re so small, how could you only be one year younger than us?”

Yi-ryeong moved her hand back and forth as if measuring height, and Li-gon looked Seo-yu up and down with his eyes.

Seo-yu felt dejected under their completely disbelieving gazes.

‘I may be small, but…’

Still, it wasn’t like she was lying.

Even if she was small, she could still gather medicinal herbs and do everything else.

She was used to being looked down upon by now, but thinking that she would receive the same treatment even in the Golden Dragon family made her chest ache even more painfully.

“Seo-yu, when were you born?”

Her head, which had been drooping down in dejection, lifted back up at Yi-ryeong’s question.

“Probably… in winter, I think.”

She wasn’t certain, but she had heard such talk before.

‘The year that idiot came to our household was a particularly cold winter. Even the heavens must have disliked her.’

She didn’t know her exact birthday, but since Nok Su-jeong had said so, at least the season must be correct.

“That’s why!”

Yi-ryeong snapped her index finger and thumb together with a sharp sound.

“We were born in spring. We were born much earlier, so we grew much bigger.”

At Yi-ryeong’s words, Li-gon spoke as if he had just thought of something.

“Oh! Then Seo-yu can be our youngest sister.”

“Right? She’s the youngest among us.”

Seo-yu blinked. Wasn’t that something only family members did?

“Youngest… sister?”

“Because you’re the youngest among us. We wanted to have a younger sibling too.”

“But Li-han hyung said we can’t have younger siblings right now because there’s no mother. So you be our youngest sister. Got it?”

There was no reasoning more unreasonable than this.

The problem was, even though it was clearly nonsensical talk, Seo-yu’s heart was beating rapidly.

“You’ll be our youngest sister, right?”

“Huh? You will, right? I want to be called older brother like Li-han hyung too.”

“I want to be called older sister too.”

The two of them pressed Seo-yu for an answer.

She could feel their sincerity in their sparkling eyes, and Seo-yu couldn’t help but burst out laughing with a “pfft.”

Then Yi-ryeong and Li-gon made an “ooh—” sound.

“Flower deer are different. You saw it, Li-gon.”

“Yeah. She’s really a deer.”

The two who had exchanged this incomprehensible conversation both held out their pinky fingers.

“Horn promise, make a promise with us. To be our youngest sister.”

Seo-yu stared down at those hands. She couldn’t understand why they would want a promise from someone like her.

‘They probably don’t really mean it anyway.’

It would just be a momentary whim born of boredom. Just like how Nok Su-jeong would sometimes give her errands and then change her mind.

“…If you don’t call me One Horn.”

So Seo-yu proposed a condition that the twins would surely break soon.

That way, she wouldn’t be hurt when this promise inevitably fell through.

“That’s easy!”

“It’s Seo-yu, Seo-yu. I won’t forget our youngest’s name.”

As the two smiled brightly and extended their hands for her to link fingers with.

Seo-yu briefly thought that she hoped this childish promise, not knowing when it would end, would last just a little longer.

* * *

After Yi-ryeong and Li-gon left, Seo-yu visited the medical room as planned.

Unlike yesterday when he had been away, Hwang Hyeon-ya was out in the small herb garden located in front of the medical room.

“Hello, Physician.”

“Nothing hello about it.”

His gaze remained fixed on the ground as he halfheartedly acknowledged her greeting.

Following his gaze downward, a question arose in Seo-yu’s eyes.

‘Huh? Why are all the medicinal herbs so wilted?’

Seeing the withering medicinal herbs, Seo-yu unconsciously bent down.

“Why do you have no energy?”

Her small hand gently brushed the soil. Then, faintly, the voice of the earth reached her.

[Thirsty…]

“You’re thirsty?”

But it looked like they had been given plenty of water.

As Seo-yu tilted her head in confusion, a dry voice responded.

“I manage the garden thoroughly though? Naturally adjusting the water amount differently according to each type.”

“I’m, I’m sorry!”

Having momentarily forgotten about Hwang Hyeon-ya’s presence, Seo-yu jumped up in surprise.

She had become a laughingstock in her household after being caught talking to the earth in her childhood, and she had almost repeated the same thing here.

Moreover, though unintentional, she had essentially criticized the herb garden management as inadequate.

‘He must have been offended.’

As expected, Hwang Hyeon-ya frowned.

“What are you sorry for?”

“For speaking as if I knew something when I know nothing, and for hurting your feelings…”

As Seo-yu made excuses in confusion, Hwang Hyeon-ya crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

“Anyone can see the medicinal herbs are withering. Do I seem petty enough to get angry over stating a fact that anyone with eyes could notice?”

“Not at all! You’re not like that!”

Seo-yu shook her head vigorously.

Seeing such a Seo-yu, Hwang Hyeon-ya let out a sigh and spoke in a much gentler tone.

“Your knowledge of medicinal herbs isn’t shallow. You must have spoken up because something was definitely different from what you usually observed.”

She thought she would be scolded…

Seo-yu became a little dazed as she waited anxiously for the coming reprimand.

In the Great Antlered Deer Family, whenever Seo-yu said anything, they would either mock her or get angry at her for acting like a know-it-all.

“From now on, only say sorry when you actually need to apologize. It’s not a good habit to have it stuck to your lips.”

“Yes… I will.”

However, even though Hyeon-ya was clearly speaking in a blunt tone, somehow it didn’t feel like she was being scolded. It was strange.

Hyeon-ya looked down at the ground.

“It’s not a water problem. It’s more of a soil problem.”

“Is there something wrong with the soil?”

Could the earth be sick somewhere? There was no such thing in the Western Region.

Worry filled Seo-yu’s large eyes. Then Hyeon-ya gently placed his hand on top of Seo-yu’s small head, careful not to hurt her.

“Well, it’s something children don’t need to know about yet.”

“I, I’m not a child.”

Madam always said that. That she was fully grown yet cunningly trying to be treated like a child.

“You have no conscience at all. I took in someone who was about to be thrown out on the streets, and now you want to laze around without lifting a finger? I really need to fix that nasty habit of yours!”

Seo-yu flinched and trembled at the sudden flash of memory.

It was when the sound of the birch rod flying through the air was about to strike her ears.

“Then is a nine-year-old a child or an adult?”

Hyeon-ya chuckled. His cold face looked quite different when he smiled.

Seo-yu blinked and unconsciously murmured.

“You look like Lord Hyeon-rang.”

The two of you really are brothers.

At this newly realized fact, the memory that had frightened Seo-yu just moments ago scattered like smoke.

It was just as she was about to break into a beaming smile, finding it so wonderful and grateful.

“That can’t be.”

At the cold voice, she looked up to see that the smile had disappeared from Hyeon-ya’s face.

Without giving her a chance to ask anything, Hyeon-ya turned his back. He seemed to be heading into the medical room.

Seo-yu started to follow but then hesitated. She wasn’t sure if it was okay to follow Hyeon-ya.

‘What mistake did I make again? He seems angry…’

He might dislike it if she followed.

Seo-yu hesitated and couldn’t take a step.

When he didn’t hear footsteps following behind him, Hyeon-ya turned around. Seeing Seo-yu standing still, he tilted his head sideways.

“I thought your legs were much better. Are your injuries still serious enough that you need to be carried?”

“No, no! I’m coming!”

So it’s okay to come along.

Seo-yu’s expression immediately brightened, and she hurriedly moved her feet, worried that Hyeon-ya might take back his words.

* * *

Inside the Medical Room.

Contrary to her worries, Hyeon-ya was exactly the same as usual. He didn’t seem particularly angry either.

He approached the drawer containing medicinal materials, opened one of them, and pointed inside.

“Do you know what this is?”

It was a sudden question, but Seo-yu was rather pleased. Reading the mood, Seo-yu approached and peered inside.

Inside the wooden drawer was a single medicinal herb root.

‘There are hairs only around the flower area and no hairs at all on the stem. Plus, the fine roots are spreading in all directions, so…’

Seo-yu, who had carefully examined the medicinal herb, opened her mouth.

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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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