The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 144

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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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Yi-eon was organizing the library shelves as usual.

A small whispering sound from behind called out to Yi-eon.

“Um, Librarian…?”

“Yes?”

Yi-eon placed the book he was holding in its proper spot and turned around.

What met his eyes was a girl with long hair braided into twin tails.

“Hup!”

The girl sucked in a breath, then suddenly turned her head to exchange glances with another student sitting far away. She even stamped her feet.

Yi-eon asked, puzzled.

“What can I help you with?”

“Ah! Well, there’s a book I’m looking for but I can’t find it. Could you help me look for it?”

“Yes. Could you tell me the title?”

“What was it, let’s see… it was a book called ’50 Secrets of Mold Mushrooms.'”

Yi-eon’s head tilted slightly.

‘Was there such a book?’

Yi-eon read various Medical Books whenever he had free time in order to have even slightly more conversations with Seo-yu.

He diligently studied not only basic texts like Herbal Medicine Text, but even Prescription Studies that dealt with plant diseases.

Since he thought all of this was Seo-yu’s area of interest, rather than forcing himself to read, he came to enjoy it, to the point where he knew all the Medical Texts in the West Hall.

But the book title he just heard was truly unfamiliar. He had never even heard the name “mold mushrooms” before.

“I’ll look for it.”

“T-take your time!”

Even though he couldn’t recall ever seeing such a book, Yi-eon went through the library shelves book by book.

But no matter how much he searched, the book was nowhere to be found.

‘Why is she looking at me instead of the books?’

The student who had asked him to find the book was busy stealing glances at him instead of the shelves.

“I’m sorry. It seems like it’s not a book we have in the West Hall.”

“Oh no, it’s fine! Thank you!”

Yi-eon apologized for not being able to find the book, but the girl walked away with an extremely bright expression.

Even though she clearly didn’t get the book she wanted, her steps as she ran to what appeared to be her friend looked very light.

‘There are many students looking for books that don’t exist.’

This had been happening often since he started working as an unofficial Library Keeper.

Having already mastered most of the books in the West Hall, Yi-eon found it curious where they all heard about such unusual books that brought them to search the library.

Yi-eon was about to lose interest and return to his work when someone tapped his back.

When he turned around, the same girl from before was looking up at him with a nervous expression.

“Excuse me! May I ask your name?”

This was also something that happened occasionally. For reasons unknown, students kept asking for his name.

“…”

However, Yi-eon looked at the girl without answering. After staring at her cheeks that had turned red at some point, Yi-eon spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

“Ah, yes…”

The girl turned around with a disappointed expression.

Yi-eon didn’t understand why that would be disappointing, but it would be useless to explain it to her anyway.

‘She won’t remember me.’

Yi-eon’s sorcery was only effective within the West Hall.

He was called the ‘Library Keeper’ or ‘Librarian’ only within this space.

The exceptions were only those whom Yi-eon had allowed to recognize him or those he had met outside from the beginning.

Therefore, no matter how many times he told her his name, the girl wouldn’t be able to remember him. It was better not to tell her from the start.

The girl soon left the West Hall with her friend. Yi-eon silently fulfilled his role in the quiet that returned.

From time to time, he would glance toward the window to gauge the time.

As the sun set and the shadows grew longer, Yi-eon’s expression gradually brightened. It was because the time for Seo-yu’s arrival was approaching.

The quiet West Hall was suddenly thrown into commotion right after a short bell sound was heard from the entrance.

“Huh?”

“Your Highness Ahwol!”

“His Highness has come?”

Starting with someone’s surprised exclamation, all eyes instantly focused in one direction.

“Oh my. I don’t want to cause trouble for others, so I’d appreciate it if everyone could pretend not to see me.”

Ahwol, with his strikingly red hair, made a gesture of bringing his index finger to his lips with a “shh.”

When the noisy hall quieted down, Ahwol smiled gratefully, took out a book, and sat down by the window.

Coincidentally, it was the seat where Seo-yu often sat.

Yi-eon found himself bothered by him for no reason.

He knew that Ahwol often spoke to Seo-yu.

‘I wish you’d just call me Ahwol. I want to become friends with you, Seo-yu.’

He had even openly said he wanted to become friends before. Yi-eon didn’t know how much he had envied him from the tree branch that day.

Of course, it was good for Seo-yu to make friends.

But when he thought of Seo-yu becoming close to Ahwol, he felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

Yi-eon secretly observed Ahwol.

Ahwol had a book open, but he didn’t seem to be concentrating on its contents.

Instead, he kept looking outside the window.

And he muttered.

“It seems like it’s time for her to come…”

Yi-eon’s brow furrowed.

‘Could he be waiting for Seo-yu?’

He hoped not, but somehow he had a bad feeling.

Yi-eon thought it would be good if the Crown Prince left the West Hall quickly before Seo-yu arrived.

He didn’t want the two of them to meet.

Ahwol pretended to look at his book for a while, continuing to gaze outside the window.

Then at some point, he stood up with a regretful expression.

“She’s not coming today, it seems.”

Ahwol muttered to himself as he put the book back in its place and left the West Hall.

Yi-eon secretly let out a sigh of relief.

‘Thank goodness.’

Not long after that.

Ding—

A bell rang from the entrance.

Yi-eon reflexively looked up.

It was Seo-yu.

Seo-yu looked around inside the West Hall, and when she spotted Yi-eon, she smiled brightly and waved her hand slightly.

Yi-eon smiled without realizing it.

Soon Seo-yu approached Yi-eon. Then she lowered her voice and whispered softly.

“Yi-eon, are you busy after work later?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Then could you spare some time for me?”

Yi-eon was slightly surprised. This was the first time Seo-yu had asked to meet after work.

Seo-yu, who had been reading the mood, quickly added a word.

“I have something to talk about. It won’t take long.”

“Alright. I have plenty of time, so you can take your time telling me.”

When Yi-eon nodded, Seo-yu smiled with relief.

“Thank you. Then let’s meet at the Bamboo Forest after work!”

Seo-yu said that and went to read books as usual.

Yi-eon watched Seo-yu’s retreating figure and then focused on his work again.

But one part of his mind kept wondering.

‘What could she want to talk about?’

* * *

Before long, even the sunset had faded and the night had grown dark.

After closing the West Hall door, Yi-eon headed to the Bamboo Forest as promised.

Seo-yu was waiting for Yi-eon in a spot where moonlight gently filtered through the bamboo leaves.

“Yi-eon, you came!”

“Did you wait long?”

“No. I just came out too. Our dormitory is right over there, so it’s really close.”

Seo-yu shook her head and giggled, then soon closed her mouth. Her face as she took a deep breath looked somewhat tense.

Yi-eon quietly watched her lips that moved hesitantly.

Finally, Seo-yu began to speak.

“Actually Yi-eon, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

Seo-yu swallowed dry saliva and slowly continued her words.

“The truth is, I’m not Golden Dragon.”

“….”

“I’m a deer.”

After her careful confession, Seo-yu performed Beast Transformation.

Poof—

A small deer with soft fur and large eyes appeared.

A single white horn sprouting from the center of her forehead sparkled as it caught the moonlight.

Sparkling golden eyes and black eyes resembling darkness faced each other.

‘What will Yi-eon think?’

Su-jeong had often scolded Seo-yu since childhood, telling her not to ‘act like a young miss.’

Though Seo-yu had never done such a thing, it might have truly appeared that way to others.

Moreover, after inviting him to the Golden Dragon Family’s manor and then saying she wasn’t actually a golden dragon, wouldn’t he be disappointed? He might even feel betrayed.

Thinking this made her heart anxious, but Yi-eon still hadn’t said anything.

Seo-yu undid her Beast Transformation and returned to human form.

“I’m sorry, Yi-eon. For not being honest with you all this time.”

Seo-yu apologized and opened her heart.

“Yi-eon and I are friends, but I felt like I was deceiving a friend, so it kept weighing on my mind. That’s why I really wanted to tell you today.”

Yi-eon still kept his mouth tightly shut. It wasn’t because he felt betrayed or angry at all.

He had known from the beginning that Seo-yu wasn’t a dragon.

His chest just felt heavy.

‘The one who hasn’t been honest isn’t Seo-yu, but me.’

Yi-eon knew that Seo-yu’s confession wasn’t an easy thing to do.

Even if everyone already knew she was an adopted daughter, people would normally assume she was from a branch family.

Especially since she had become the adopted daughter of one of the Four Spirit Families, how much must she have worried about it?

Rather, he felt it was truly remarkable that Seo-yu had honestly told him the truth first.

That’s why his heart ached even more.

‘I want to tell her too.’

Actually, Yi-eon wanted to tell her the truth as well.

That he wasn’t actually a dolphin beast-person either.

And that he wasn’t from the sea.

That he was actually Blackie, the friend who had been with her since the Western Region.

But…

‘I can’t tell her until I break the curse on the Family Head.’

He couldn’t know whether Seo-yu knew that it was a curse cast by Yeong-gwi.

But if by any chance she did know, he would become not a friend but the bloodline of an enemy.

Even that small possibility was a fear too difficult for Yi-eon to bear.

“Yi-eon?”

In the continued silence, Seo-yu called to him with an anxious face.

“If you’re angry because I didn’t tell you sooner…”

“No.”

Yi-eon quickly shook his head.

“I’m not angry. Not at all.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m actually grateful you told me. It means Seo-yu thinks of me as… a close friend.”

“Of course!”

At Seo-yu’s affirmation, Yi-eon smiled gently.

“That’s why I was happy. I was really glad that I could become friends with Seo-yu too. And Seo-yu, I…”

Yi-eon hesitated before slowly opening his mouth.

“It doesn’t matter what you look like. Seo-yu is Seo-yu.”

It was sincere, and also the words Yi-eon wanted to hear from Seo-yu.

It’s okay, Yi-eon.

Even if you’re a Yeong-gwi, I still think of you as a friend.

How happy would he be if he could hear such dream-like words.

‘I’m sorry, Seo-yu. For not being as honest as you.’

Yi-eon apologized inwardly.

Someday when the time comes.

When everything is over.

Would he be able to tell the truth then?

No, by that time he might not even be by Seo-yu’s side anymore.

Even so, Yi-eon wanted to stay by Seo-yu’s side until that day.

“So Seo-yu, will you continue being friends with me from now on?”

“That’s what I wanted to say to Yi-eon!”

The two walked through the Bamboo Forest for a while, sharing conversation.

The moonlight stretched their shadows long.

One with a bright smile.

One with hidden sadness.

The night slowly deepened.

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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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