The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 151

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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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Su-jeong savored the sensation of the silk clothes wrapping around her body.

The clothes provided by the Golden Dragon Family were different from the very texture. A softness incomparable to the rough, foul-smelling prison uniform enveloped her entire body.

But even more intoxicating than that was her newly acquired family.

“Seo-yu, you hurt your hand? Let me see.”

The one who hurriedly approached Su-jeong after she returned from the Medicine Hall was Bi-yeon, the madam of the Golden Dragon Family.

“Blood is still seeping out! Are you badly hurt?”

Bi-yeon carefully held Su-jeong’s hand with a worried expression and examined it.

Su-jeong almost couldn’t help but twist the corners of her mouth.

Her birth mother, the madam of the Great Antlered Deer Family, had treated Seo-yu like vermin.

Whenever Seo-yu caught her eye, she would scream that it was unlucky, or beat her whenever she was in a bad mood.

Su-jeong naturally understood such a mother. Wouldn’t it be natural to be angry when forced to take care of someone else’s child with no blood relation?

But such affectionate and careful touch like this.

‘So that lowly thing was receiving this kind of treatment.’

“I’m fine, Mother. It’s not even a big wound.”

When she answered delicately, imitating Seo-yu’s way of speaking, Bi-yeon hugged her tightly.

“Big or small, a wound is still a wound. I worry because our daughter always endures too much even when she’s hurt.”

It was when Su-jeong was quietly being held while suppressing the laughter that was about to burst out.

“Seo-yu.”

Li-han, who had been standing nearby, called her in a low voice.

Su-jeong lifted her head from Bi-yeon’s embrace and looked up at him.

Li-han was different from Bi-yeon, who had rushed over to hug her. He stood a step away, quietly observing Su-jeong’s behavior.

“Did you receive treatment properly?”

“Yes, Elder Brother. The physician applied the medicine well.”

Su-jeong deliberately curved the corners of her eyes and smiled brightly.

Then Li-han’s brow twitched very slightly.

‘Why do I keep feeling like this?’

He was still troubled by an inexplicable sense of alienation. For some reason, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of his spine growing cold whenever he faced his younger sister.

It was also for this reason that he had just separated his mother and sister who were affectionately embracing.

But Li-han didn’t show it any further. Instead, he reached out and tucked Su-jeong’s disheveled hair behind her ear.

“Try not to be alone if possible. I’m worried something might happen.”

“I will, Elder Brother!”

Su-jeong stole glances at Li-han standing beside her without making it obvious.

Piercingly transparent blue eyes beneath brilliantly cascading golden hair.

The strange yet beautiful color mixing the gold of the Golden Dragon and the blue of the Azure Dragon had the magic to captivate the soul of anyone who saw it.

‘My goodness, such a man is my elder brother.’

It wasn’t just his appearance that was excellent.

Even standing there seemingly indifferent, the spirit that overwhelmed his surroundings showed why he was called a descendant of Eung-ryong, the strongest warrior among the Death Spirits.

‘He’s completely different from Elder Brother Su-gyu.’

Su-jeong’s gaze reached Nok Su-gyu, who was standing far away in the chief mourner’s position.

Nok Su-gyu was conversing with mourners with a sorrowful expression. Su-jeong found that hypocritical expression both ridiculous and chilling.

‘…After killing him herself.’

Su-jeong was not a fool. She didn’t believe that Su-gyu had foreseen their father’s death and rescued her from prison out of prescience.

‘Soon our household will be holding a funeral.’

When he had come to Thunder Prison, Nok Su-gyu had casually discussed his plan to murder their father.

But Su-jeong didn’t feel any sympathy or guilt either.

‘Father didn’t save me either. The one who abandoned first wasn’t me—it was Father.’

She had begged him for help, but he hadn’t even pretended to listen. There was no way she could feel sadness over such a father’s death.

Rather, she was grateful he had quietly disappeared. Thanks to that, she had gained this opportunity to legally escape Thunder Prison and steal Seo-yu’s position.

“Father is coming over there. It looks like the conversation is finished. Let’s go too.”

“Yes, Mother!”

Su-jeong subtly turned her gaze to look at her ‘family.’

The Golden Dragon Family Head who would serve as reliable backing, an endlessly affectionate mother, and an elder brother who cared only for her.

Everything was truly perfect.

The thought that that lowly half-breed Nok Seo-yu had been enjoying all of this made her stomach ache unbearably.

‘Now it’s all mine.’

Su-jeong gently grasped the edge of Li-han’s sleeve.

She felt Li-han stiffen with a start, but Su-jeong paid no mind and gripped that fabric even tighter.

‘I’ll never lose it.’

This sweet affection, this splendid background, and the status of ‘noble daughter of a Four Spirits family’ that she had so desperately craved.

She was no longer the criminal Nok Su-jeong.

She was the beloved youngest daughter of the Golden Dragon Family, Hwang Seo-yu.

‘Forever.’

Su-jeong’s eyes gleamed with greed.

* * *

Meanwhile, a black squirrel sitting in a tree was watching this scene.

‘That’s not Seo-yu.’

Yi-eon, who had just arrived at the Great Antlered Deer Family, frowned.

It was something he couldn’t have even imagined just half a day ago.

It was when the sun was at its zenith that the noisy voices of students reached Yi-eon’s ears as he was organizing books in the West Hall.

‘Hey, did you hear that news? The Great Lord of the Four Spirits has passed away!’

‘What? Suddenly? How did it happen?’

‘There was a carriage accident? The carriage fell off a cliff while crossing a mountain pass.’

‘My goodness… No wonder His Highness the Crown Prince turned pale during class earlier and left. He must have been on his way to pay his respects.’

Immediately, Yi-eon abandoned everything he was doing and rushed to the Academic Hall. But Seo-yu’s seat was already empty.

Without thinking, Yi-eon ran straight to the Great Antlered Deer Family.

Knowing how much painful time Seo-yu had spent in that family, he wanted to become Blackie and comfort Seo-yu.

During the time she stayed with the Great Antlered Deer Family, even when Seo-yu was feeling down, she would smile when she saw him transformed into a squirrel.

What he encountered at the place he had rushed to so busily was exactly that sight.

‘That’s definitely mimicry.’

The outward appearance was perfect.

The peach-colored cheeks that looked like sweet juice would flow out if touched, and the lovingly sparkling pure eyes were the same as Seo-yu’s.

But Yi-eon could not be deceived.

‘It’s wearing Seo-yu’s shadow.’

Even if others couldn’t distinguish it, the difference was clearly visible to Yi-eon’s eyes as a Yeong-gwi.

That was not Seo-yu. It was a fake wearing Seo-yu’s shadow and imitating Seo-yu.

‘Other people wouldn’t even notice!’

A Yeong-gwi’s mimicry perfectly copied that person. Everything was the same except for special abilities. It even covered the unique aura of beast-people.

‘But if it’s an Eung-ryong…’

Yi-eon bit his lips.

Come to think of it, the Golden Dragon Family Head’s condition wasn’t complete. Even though it had been alleviated, he was still suffering from a curse, so his senses wouldn’t be perfect.

Bi-yeon, who was a blue dragon, was the same. Beast-people who had been asleep for a long time took time to fully regain their abilities.

Besides, Eung-ryong relied entirely on intuition. It was different from Yeong-gwi who read the very sorcery of their kind.

Yi-eon, who had been anxious, suddenly looked at Li-han standing slightly apart from the fake Seo-yu.

‘His expression looks uncomfortable.’

It might be a mistake, but Li-han, whom he had briefly encountered at the Golden Dragon Family, had stuck close to Seo-yu’s side and never left.

But now he was strangely keeping his distance while watching Seo-yu. If he was a healthy Eung-ryong, he might be feeling something was off.

However, Yi-eon couldn’t move rashly. Not only could he not reveal his identity to Li-han, but even if he told him, he didn’t know if Li-han would believe him.

Another worry came to him.

‘Who on earth did such a thing to Seo-yu?’

At that moment, the curse that had been placed on the Golden Dragon Family Head flashed through his mind.

Somehow he couldn’t shake the thought that it was done by the same person.

‘I need to find Seo-yu first.’

The fact that a fake was here meant that the real Seo-yu was hidden somewhere or in danger.

Yi-eon, suppressing his anger, quickly scanned the surroundings. He felt a faint but familiar aura from the direction of the outer building.

Yi-eon immediately climbed a tree and rushed in that direction.

* * *

Seo-yu found and put on the loose white apron that physicians usually wore.

‘I don’t know who you are, but I’m truly sorry!’

Offering apologies countless times in her heart, she even pressed down the black hat that had been placed in the corner of the wooden floor.

In this place where everyone knew Su-jeong’s face, it was an unavoidable choice to avoid having her identity discovered.

Fortunately, due to the influence of the Medical Academy, young physicians and apprentices were common in the Western Lands. Having a small build wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

Seo-yu pressed the brim down low and asked carefully.

‘Dragon Spirit, Seollin. My face isn’t clearly visible, right?’

[Right. Hidden in the shadows, I can’t tell who it is at all.]

[They’ll think you’re just a physician running errands!]

Reassured by the confirmation from the two spirits, Seo-yu moved forward with confidence.

Her destination was where the most people had gathered—the sarangchae where the funeral hall was set up. The family would surely be there.

Mixing in among the mourners, Seo-yu carefully entered the courtyard of the sarangchae, hiding behind a pillar as she peered inside.

And immediately held her breath.

‘Ah…’

In one corner of the courtyard in front of the funeral hall, she saw familiar figures.

Father Hwang Hyeon-rang and Mother Bi-yeon, and even Elder Brother Li-han.

And between them…

‘It’s me.’

Seo-yu herself was standing there.

No, it was Su-jeong wearing Seo-yu’s mask.

She was linking arms with Bi-yeon and receiving Li-han’s protection, wearing a smile happier than anyone else in the world.

Down to every strand of hair and every expression, there wasn’t even the slightest difference from what Seo-yu had seen of herself in the mirror.

Even to her own eyes, it was a perfect ‘Seo-yu’ beyond any doubt.

‘How can she look so exactly the same?’

Her vision grew dizzy.

There was no reason to feel hurt that her family didn’t recognize her. It was only natural they couldn’t!

‘But I still need to deliver the message…’

Seo-yu trusted her family more than anyone else in the world.

Even though she looked different, her family would surely believe her words.

The problem was that Su-jeong was sticking close to the family with no intention of leaving their side.

‘If I ask my plant friends for help… No. They might think it’s strange.’

She couldn’t carelessly use special abilities that she couldn’t even properly control yet.

Besides, if perfectly normal plants suddenly grew and touched people, anyone would be startled.

It was while Seo-yu was pondering this.

Pitter-patter.

A small sound came from near her feet. Seo-yu’s eyes widened as she casually looked down.

“Huh? Blackie?”

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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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