The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 134
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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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The North was an unfamiliar, unknown land to Seo-yu, or rather, to most people of the Jusang Kingdom.
It was because the Northern Region had been isolated after the incident known as the Yeong-gwi Rebellion, and to make matters worse, rifts had formed, completely sealing it off.
As a result, information about the Northern Lands was difficult to obtain anywhere.
‘Wouldn’t the sea be different?’
That was precisely why this curiosity arose in Seo-yu’s mind.
Even in the Eastern Region, both land and sea were all under the territory of the current Winged Dragon, namely the Golden Dragon.
Since Yeong-gwi had once ruled the North, perhaps there might be beastkin in the sea who knew the Yeong-gwi Clan.
Though she had asked the question, no matter how long she waited, no answer came back.
“Yi-eon?”
“Ah.”
Yi-eon, who had been frozen stiff, hurriedly opened his mouth at Seo-yu’s puzzled gaze.
“…Well, the North is.”
But his throat was blocked and words wouldn’t come out easily.
The North is the land where I was born. Where my family lived, where I can never return to now…
The words that echoed in his mouth were swallowed down his throat completely.
Gwi I-eon.
He who couldn’t even reveal his surname could never disclose his origins.
“I’ve never been to the North.”
“Ah, I see. I just asked just in case.”
Seo-yu nodded her head. For a brief moment, a look of disappointment flashed across her face.
Yi-eon felt his mouth go dry and barely managed to compose his voice while pretending to be calm as he asked.
“Why were you… curious about that?”
Could she have discovered his identity? Had she remembered the special abilities he had used underwater?
If that were true, Yi-eon would have to leave this household immediately and disappear from Seo-yu’s sight forever. If anyone else had found out, he would have already done so.
No, in fact, he should have done so long ago.
But.
‘…I don’t want to leave.’
To Yi-eon, who had always wandered aimlessly and never made a single friend, Seo-yu was his only friend and a grateful benefactor.
When he was with Seo-yu, Yi-eon felt like he escaped from the loneliness of being isolated and alone, and felt like he belonged in the world.
It was when the sound of his heart pounding with tension and anxiety was growing louder.
“Hmm… this is a secret though.”
“…”
“But I’ll tell Yi-eon. Yi-eon saved me after all.”
Seo-yu, who had been contemplating, took a deep breath through her nose before opening her mouth.
“Actually, there are medicinal herbs I need to find in the North.”
“Medicinal herbs?”
Yi-eon, who had been holding his breath along with her, tilted his head.
“Yes. There’s a disease I absolutely must cure, and I found out that the antidote for it is in the North.”
“A disease? Seo-yu, are you sick somewhere? Is it a serious illness?”
“No! It’s not me, it’s my family. I’m super healthy.”
Seo-yu, who had shaken her head in surprise at the question, drooped her eyebrows.
“Sorry, Yi-eon. I can’t tell you more details about this.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand. I wouldn’t have been able to say anything either.”
In fact, there were many things he couldn’t say either.
Yi-eon pushed aside his bitter feelings and fell into thought.
‘A family member is sick…’
Glance.
Seo-yu, whom he stole a sideways look at, had a hurt expression despite her smile. It was even more noticeable because she was always brightly smiling.
It was understandable. Yi-eon knew well how much Seo-yu liked and cherished the Golden Dragon Family, how much she loved those family members.
‘The Northern Region…’
His mind became complicated. Since leaving the Northern Region, Yi-eon had never mentioned anything about that place.
To leave the Northern Region and live unrelated to that land.
That was because it was Mother’s wish.
Yi-eon had lived diligently keeping those words until now. He planned to continue doing so in the future.
However, watching Seo-yu trying hard to smile even with a gloomy expression, his resolve kept wavering.
Clenching and unclenching, clenching and unclenching.
Yi-eon, who couldn’t keep his innocent fists still, soon put strength into his hands and opened his mouth.
“Seo-yu.”
“Yeah?”
“…I’ve never been to the Northern Region, but I know someone who lives in the Northern Sea.”
At the words he had difficulty getting out, Seo-yu’s eyes widened round.
“Huh?! Really? Yi-eon, do you really know someone in the Northern Region?”
Seo-yu was so excited that she even stuttered. Seeing her eyes regain vitality and sparkle, Yi-eon felt relieved and nodded.
“Yeah. A distant relative. I’ve never met them… but I think I could try contacting them.”
“Wow! Yi-eon, thank you. I really had so many things I wanted to ask. But I didn’t know anyone so I was wondering what to do… Thank you so much!”
Seo-yu, who was extremely excited, smiled brightly. Yi-eon smiled along with her face filled with clear joy and carefully added his words.
“And Seo-yu. If possible, I’d prefer if you didn’t tell the adults that I told you this story. I’m worried it might cause harm to the people living in the Northern Region.”
“Of course! I understand. I’ll definitely keep it secret. It’s a promise.”
Seo-yu pretended to seal her lips tightly and held out her pinky finger.
“Ah! Yi-eon came from the sea so you probably don’t know.”
When he looked at her without understanding what she meant, Seo-yu grabbed Yi-eon’s hand and hooked their pinky fingers together.
“If we do this, we can make a promise by linking our hearts together. It’s a sincere vow to keep the secret!”
“Ahh…”
Then Seo-yu gently shook their hands.
Yi-eon stared quietly at their pinky fingers holding each other as if intertwined. All the way until Seo-yu’s hand moved away.
“Um, Yi-eon, it would be convenient to write the questions in a letter, right?”
“Probably. It would be difficult to meet in person.”
His clan didn’t mix with other beast-people. Especially if it were the Four Spirit Families, they wouldn’t allow any approach at all. Even if Seo-yu wasn’t a real Golden Dragon.
“Then I’ll hurry and go organize and write down some questions!”
Perhaps feeling urgent, Seo-yu hurriedly got up from her seat. Yi-eon hid his regretful feelings and got up as well, opening the door for her.
“I messed up.”
It was when Yi-eon, left alone in the quiet room, sighed and muttered to himself.
“Oh right, Yi-eon!”
Seo-yu, who had reached the middle of the corridor, spun around and called out to Yi-eon. As he stuck his head outside, Seo-yu cupped her hands and shouted.
“I asked them to bring porridge to your room later, so make sure to take your herbal decoction after eating the porridge!”
Yi-eon’s eyes wavered. Although he wasn’t sick right now, it was the first time someone had prepared medicine for him.
For Yi-eon, who had always taken care of himself and lived alone, it was an unfamiliar yet warm consideration.
“…Yeah, I will.”
“I also asked them to include licorice candy. If you eat it with that, it won’t be bitter at all.”
“Thank you, Seo-yu.”
“Hey, it’s only natural! Well then, sleep well, Yi-eon. See you tomorrow!”
Seo-yu waved her hand above her head and smiled.
That small, light gesture held Yi-eon’s gaze for a long time, and Yi-eon just watched her retreating figure until Seo-yu was no longer visible.
Though Seo-yu had finally disappeared, the smile that remained like an afterimage made his heart beat rapidly.
In this strange mood, Yi-eon leaned against the doorframe and covered his face with his palm.
‘…I’m glad I messed up.’
I should go to the Northern Region. As soon as possible, even if it’s just one day earlier.
For the first time in his life, a smile appeared on Yi-eon’s face as he thought of his hometown.
* * *
At the same time.
The three Golden Dragon siblings were gathered in Li-han’s room.
“See, we were right.”
“I told you, hyung. You’d be surprised too when you saw him.”
Yi-ryeong and Li-gon spoke triumphantly. Li-han, who had been watching his two younger siblings sitting side by side on his bed swinging their legs, replied in disbelief.
“Anyone would think that child is your friend.”
“That’s right. If he’s Youngest’s friend, isn’t he our friend too?”
“Right. If he’s close friends with our Seo-yu, we should be close with him too.”
The twins answered as if it were obvious, and soon got excited and started chattering among themselves.
“I wonder if he’s good at fighting? His arms and legs looked long.”
“Looking at his hands, he didn’t seem like he uses a sword… Let’s ask when we meet him tomorrow.”
“I’m going to spar with him first.”
“Hwang Yi-ryeong always says she’s going first.”
Good grief.
Li-han clicked his tongue. It seemed like his two younger siblings didn’t understand what kind of situation this was at all.
“What if Seo-yu says she wants to make an engagement with that kid?”
“Huh? Our Youngest is ten years old though?”
“Hyung is fourteen and still doesn’t have a fiancée.”
Yi-ryeong tilted her head, and Li-gon innocently responded. Li-han’s eyebrows twitched.
“…I’m not the one who made it anyway.”
In reality, Li-han, the Young Family Head, had already been receiving marriage proposals for some time.
Li-han was about to explain that far but stopped, thinking it would make him look pathetic. Instead, he crossed his arms and said.
“You two don’t know how old Mother and Father were when they first met.”
“How old were they?”
“Nine years old.”
At those words, the Twins’ mouths fell open simultaneously.
“Gasp!”
“Really? That’s incredibly early!”
“For reference, they said the engagement was made when they were eleven.”
“That’s exactly the same age as us!”
“That’s really amazing!”
“Right. It means you’re already old enough to go through the procedures now.”
Of course, Hwang Hyeon-rang and Bi-yeon had liked each other since childhood, and it was possible because the talks between the families had already concluded.
Li-han knew this but didn’t bother telling the Twins. The conclusion was the same anyway, wasn’t it?
“If Seo-yu were to marry that child, she might have to leave the household. Are you two okay with that?”
“What?!”
“No way! Our Seo-yu has to live with us!”
“Exactly! She’s our family!”
Finally sensing the seriousness, Yi-ryeong kicked off from the bed and stood up, while Li-gon also shook his head with a serious expression.
“Listen carefully. Of course, appearance isn’t everything about a person. But outward looks can easily bewitch people.”
“What’s bewitch? Brother always uses difficult words.”
“It means if you look like Yi-eon, people keep staring at you.”
“Oh, I get it. You explain things well.”
“This much is nothing.”
Li-gon puffed up with pride at Yi-ryeong’s admiration. Li-han, who had given his younger siblings some time, continued speaking again.
“Li-gon is right. You two also felt favorable toward that child when you saw him. Even though it was your first time meeting. If you open your hearts that easily, you’ll miss what you absolutely must see.”
“What’s that?”
“Sincerity.”
“Sincerity?”
The Twins’ eyes rolled around once. They had expressions showing they didn’t understand.
Li-han calmly began his explanation.
“Since we’re Seo-yu’s family, we need to carefully observe how that child thinks about Seo-yu. So that Seo-yu doesn’t get hurt. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Ah, now I get what you’re saying! You should have said it like that from the start.”
“I understand too, Brother.”
Yi-ryeong and Li-gon nodded enthusiastically.
A moment later, Yi-ryeong’s eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together.
“Then that’s it.”
“That’s what?”
“We’ll do surveillance!”
Yi-ryeong looked back at Li-han as if asking what he thought. After a brief moment of consideration, Li-han nodded once.
“As long as we don’t cross the line, there’s nothing wrong with it.”
And so, Yi-eon ended up with two watchers following him around.
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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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