The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 3

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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 lustrous petals were so beautiful that she had gazed at them in a daze for quite some time.

Then life became too difficult and she had forgotten about it, but who would have thought the young master would be looking for this!

“What a relief! Thank you so much. Thanks to you all, I was able to find the medicinal herb.”

Seo-yu, who had let out a sigh of relief, bowed to the earth.

She was already in a bad position, so she didn’t know what kind of scolding would have come down if she had failed to do the task properly.

But with the earth’s help, she was able to find the medicinal herb.

‘How should I dig this up? Somehow it feels like I shouldn’t just dig it up carelessly, and I should take it along with the snow…’

Sometimes when looking at medicinal herbs, she would intuitively feel how to handle them even without having learned it. Just like right now.

Seo-yu crouched down with her small body and carefully dug up the Snow Scale Flower.

Then she filled the pouch she had brought with snow, and using it as a flowerpot, planted the Snow Scale Flower with its roots intact.

Even though it had been dug up from the ground, the Snow Scale Flower still sparkled brilliantly inside the pouch.

“Please hold on well until I get down the Mountain.”

Pat pat.

Seo-yu, who had gently patted the snow covering the Snow Scale Flower as if encouraging it, stood up.

‘If I bring this back, I won’t get scolded, right?’

Seo-yu quickened her steps toward the Household with a light heart for the first time in a while.

* * *

When she returned to the Household, it was already night with the sun having set.

The first day’s banquet seemed to have ended, as the previously bustling Household had become quiet.

Seo-yu entered through the Side Gate where people didn’t usually pass and went to find Nok Su-jeong.

“Um, Miss. The task you asked me to do…”

After confirming no one was around and entering the Quarters, when Seo-yu whispered in front of the room, the door immediately opened.

A sharp voice followed right after.

“Why are you so late? Did you grow the medicinal herb yourself or something?”

“I’m, I’m sorry. The medicinal herb was at the Mountain Summit.”

Seo-yu was intimidated by the pointed glare.

‘Still, it would have been nice if she had been even a little happy…’

She hadn’t even hoped for great praise.

She just wanted to hear a single “Well done.”

If she couldn’t receive praise even for gathering medicinal herbs, it seemed like she would never be able to receive praise for anything in the future.

Nok Su-jeong crossed her arms and glared at Seo-yu as she asked.

“So, did you manage to get the medicinal herb my brother mentioned?”

“Yes! It’s right here.”

Swish!

Nok Su-jeong roughly snatched the pouch that Seo-yu held out, then grimaced deeply and shook her hands off.

“Ugh, it’s cold! What is this!”

Because of that, the pouch containing the Snow Scale Flower fell to the floor. Seeing the snow spilling all over her room floor, she glared with fierce eyes.

“Hey! Did you do that on purpose to get me wet?”

“Th-that can’t be! Look, here… here’s the Snow Scale Flower you asked for.”

Seo-yu quickly knelt down and carefully picked up the fallen Snow Scale Flower with gentle hands.

Perhaps due to the shock of falling to the floor, it looked more wilted than before, but fortunately it was still glowing.

Seo-yu hurriedly showed it to Nok Su-jeong.

“Hmm.”

“It’s… correct, right?”

“It seems so. Why did you have to add snow to make it annoying.”

Fortunately, Nok Su-jeong’s expression softened as it was confirmed that she had properly gathered the Snow Scale Flower. When the irritated wrinkles between her brows disappeared, Seo-yu felt relieved.

“Did anyone see you on your way here?”

“No one. I came in carefully as you instructed.”

“Good. Well done.”

Seo-yu suppressed the smile that was about to spread across her face. She couldn’t smile carelessly and get scolded for looking unsightly.

‘Thank goodness.’

Still, this was the first time she had received praise from Nok Su-jeong, who always got angry whenever she saw her, so it felt like her sadness had melted away even slightly.

“Ah, you know that if it gets out that someone like you did the work instead, it would damage my brother’s reputation, right? Don’t even open your mouth about it.”

“Yes, of course.”

As Seo-yu quickly nodded her head, her eyes caught sight of a wooden bowl containing rice cake.

‘Could she have saved it to give to me?’

That couldn’t be. Seo-yu knew that well.

But receiving praise for the first time made a small hope spring up within her.

Hadn’t she said this morning? That she might give her rice cake if she brought the Snow Scale Flower.

Seo-yu glanced at the rice cake while fidgeting with her hands.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you leaving?”

“Oh, no.”

However, instead of giving her rice cake, Nok Su-jeong raised her eyebrows. Just as Seo-yu hesitated and was about to turn around.

“Right, hey.”

Could it be?

When Seo-yu turned around after gulping down her saliva, Nok Su-jeong pointed to the floor with her eyes.

“I have things to do so I need to go out, so you clean that up thoroughly before you leave. If there’s even a drop of moisture left when I return.”

“…Yes.”

Deflated, Seo-yu went outside to get a cleaning cloth.

‘How foolish. Having such ridiculous thoughts.’

She was hurrying her steps out of embarrassment.

Thud!

“Aah!”

Seo-yu tripped over someone’s outstretched foot and fell down with a crash.

“Ow…”

“Oh my, Miss Seo-yu, are you alright?”

Seo-yu, who had been groaning in pain, bit her lips tightly.

‘It’s the maids.’

Just from hearing the mocking voices, she could tell. These were the ones who served Miss Su-jeong.

The maid who had tripped her spoke without a hint of remorse.

“Sorry. I’ve been working all day today, so my legs gave out.”

“Mm-hmm. I’m fine.”

Though it wasn’t easy to get up since she had twisted her ankle, Seo-yu forced herself to stand.

She wanted to escape from this place as quickly as possible, even if it meant doing that.

However, the maids seemed to have no intention of letting Seo-yu go as they smoothly blocked her path.

“But Miss, why didn’t you come today? Cho-ok said you would come to help with the work too.”

Though they called her “Miss” in title, Seo-yu was essentially no different from a maid in this household. She did the same work too.

No, rather, the treatment she received was worse than the maids. At least the maids weren’t openly hated by their masters.

“But today…”

Seo-yu started to make an excuse but then closed her mouth.

‘The young master told me not to tell anyone about the task he gave me.’

If she spoke carelessly and it reached Miss Su-jeong’s ears, she would get in trouble again.

When she couldn’t say anything, the maids with crossed arms glared at Seo-yu.

“Miss, Miss, we call you that, but you don’t really think you’re a real Miss, do you?”

“Surely she wouldn’t be so clueless? Anyone could tell just by looking in a mirror that she’s not real Great Elk bloodline.”

“She has no shame, so she’ll keep clinging on.”

They chattered loudly as if for her to hear, then roughly shoved Seo-yu’s shoulder as they passed by.

Both her injured leg and bumped shoulder hurt, but Seo-yu endured it silently.

‘It’s okay. I’m used to this much.’

She simply gathered her cleaning cloth alone and quickly cleaned Nok Su-jeong’s room before coming out.

On the way back to her room after finally finishing her work.

Walking along the quiet path where everyone had fallen asleep, Seo-yu became lost in thought.

‘Am I really not a person of this household?’

There had actually been such talk.

That her father was a playboy who didn’t leave the family clan on his own but was driven out, and since he had been with many women, he wouldn’t know if she wasn’t even his real child.

Even so, the family head accepting Seo-yu was only because he had just obtained an official position at the time and didn’t want to become the subject of gossip, so he had no choice but to show mercy.

‘…Is that why everyone hates me?’

It would have been better if she had really been just a maid.

Every time she walked weakly with dragging steps, the twisted area stung. But what hurt even more was her aching heart.

“Chit! Chijit!”

Seo-yu, who had been walking while looking only at the ground, raised her head at the sound she suddenly heard.

“Huh?”

A familiar black squirrel was sitting on top of the wall. It was holding something in its mouth, casting a long shadow in the moonlight.

“Wow, you’re that baby squirrel! Do you remember me? I’m the deer.”

As she greeted it with joy, the black squirrel came down the wall with a flutter and placed something in front of Seo-yu’s feet.

“This is…”

Seo-yu, who had crouched down as well, covered her mouth.

Small berries were attached to a thin tree branch. It seemed to have carried it all the way here in its mouth.

“Don’t tell me you brought this for me to eat?”

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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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