The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 42

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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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“Waaah, it sprouted!”

Seo-yu clapped her hands together in delight.

Just this morning it had been dried up as usual, but in half a day it had sprouted!

It was only a moment later that Seo-yu’s eyebrows drooped as she peered excitedly into the flower pot.

‘The Jeongdam Herb isn’t ready yet.’

The Jeongdam Herb next to the Snow Scale Flower showed no sign of sprouting at all.

‘It would have been nice if the Jeongdam Herb had grown together with it.’

While she was happy that the Snow Scale Flower had grown, she felt even more sorry for the Jeongdam Herb that couldn’t find life on its own.

Just as Seo-yu was feeling a bit disappointed.

[Jeongdam still needs more time to awaken!]

A voice suddenly rang out. Startled, Seo-yu’s head whipped around.

[Hello, Seo-yu? It’s been a while.]

The cheerful voice belonged to the Snow Scale Flower.

“S-Snow Scale Flower?”

[That’s right! I’m called Seollin.]

Every time the voice echoed in her head, rainbow colors shimmered around the freshly emerged sprout.

It was the same beautiful color as the flower petals she had seen at the top of White Jade Mountain.

‘The Snow Scale Flower could talk too!’

She had always conversed with the earth, but the Jeongdam Herb had been the first medicinal herb whose voice she’d heard.

But to think she would also hear the Snow Scale Flower’s voice!

Seo-yu stared intently at the Snow Scale Flower, finding it so fascinating.

Then the Snow Scale Flower gently swayed its sprout as if embarrassed.

[Thank you, Seo-yu! Thanks to you, I gained strength and was able to greet you like this.]

“No, I didn’t do anything for you.”

When she shook her head bashfully despite being pleased by the praise, the Snow Scale Flower spoke again.

[That can’t be true! You touched us every day, gave us water, and talked to us. If it weren’t for you, Seo-yu, I wouldn’t have gained this strength.]

“That was something I naturally had to do. But I’m glad it was helpful.”

Seo-yu smiled broadly with joy, then carefully called to the Snow Scale Flower.

“Um, Snow Scale Flower.”

[Hey, call me Seollin! We’re friends, aren’t we?]

Friends.

Seo-yu blinked her eyes, then nodded with a much brighter expression.

“…Yes!”

I thought I was the only one who felt that way, but the medicinal herbs also thought of me as a friend.

With her heart much more at ease, Seo-yu could ask questions more comfortably than before.

“Seollin, you know. Can the Jeongdam Herb really not live here?”

Though they didn’t talk about it much, the people of the Golden Dragon Family were deeply troubled by the contaminated land problem.

They couldn’t rely on the Kirin Family’s help forever, so they needed to find a solution, but no matter how much they researched, there was no medicine that could directly detoxify demon beast poison like the Jeongdam Herb.

‘If the Jeongdam Herb grew well, people wouldn’t have to worry.’

Thinking of the medical room staff who pored over medical books and herbal medicine texts day and night made Seo-yu’s heart ache.

Everyone had such dark circles under their eyes that it looked like ink had splattered on their faces.

[No, you can buy Jeongdam Herb anywhere.]

“Really? Is that really true?”

[Of course!]

At the positive response, Seo-yu’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

However, the moment the Jeongdam Herb came into view, her expression became gloomy again.

“But why won’t it grow? If it’s because I haven’t been taking proper care of it…”

[No, Seo-yu! Jeongdam not growing is absolutely not your fault.]

When Seo-yu looked dejected, Jeongdam quickly offered comfort, then added another word a beat later.

[Actually, Jeongdam needs another friend to awaken.]

“A friend… you say?”

When Seo-yu tilted her head, the Snow Scale Flower’s sprout swayed gently as if affirming.

[Yes. We have one more very important friend. Right now that friend is far away, so Jeongdam can’t gain strength.]

“Then I just need to bring that friend here?”

[That’s right! You’ll definitely be able to find them, Seo-yu.]

She could save the Jeongdam Herb!

Thinking she could be helpful to everyone, Seo-yu’s expression brightened considerably.

“But Seollin, do you happen to know where that friend is?”

[That friend is… currently at the Dragon Palace.]

“So that’s why the Jeongdam Herb said Dragon Palace!”

[Right. They’re waiting there for you to come find them, Seo-yu.]

Seollin’s voice became even more earnest.

The small leaves also moved slightly as if trying to say something more.

But at that moment, the rainbow-colored light around the Snow Scale Flower dimmed.

As if something was preventing the Snow Scale Flower from speaking.

[Aw, I wanted to tell you more.]

“Huh?”

What did she want to tell me? And why did the light just fade?

[Never mind. I guess it’s not time yet. But you’ll definitely be able to find them, Seo-yu. Just like you found me, will you find my friend too?]

“Yes! I’ll definitely find them.”

[Seo-yu, we believe in you. You’re much more precious than you think…]

The voice gradually faded and soon the Snow Scale Flower became quiet. The rainbow light that had been sparkling around the sprout was no longer visible.

Seo-yu quietly gazed at the withered Jeongdam Herb and whispered.

“Jeongdam Herb, please wait just a little longer. I’ll give you strength.”

Now she had one more reason why she had to go to the Dragon Palace.

Seo-yu clenched her small fist tightly and strengthened her firm resolve.

* * *

Several days had passed since returning from the village inspection, but Li-han’s mood was still restless.

‘What’s so great about a hair ribbon anyway.’

The events from the village kept circling in his mind.

The fact that the companionship, which had initially been nothing but bothersome, turned out to be not so bad after all made Li-han even more flustered.

Seo-yu was a much calmer and more well-mannered child than he had expected.

When meeting with the villagers, she was consistently gentle and kind, and when examining patients, she helped step by step with a serious expression, just as Hwang Hyeon-ya had taught her.

She never once complained or showed irritation.

Even when Li-han transformed into his beast form to carry and fly her, she endured it stubbornly despite being scared.

‘Was she afraid I might look down on her if she spoke honestly?’

He deliberately thought cynically, but Li-han also knew that wasn’t really the case.

‘…She probably didn’t want to make me worry.’

Li-han was displeased with himself for constantly coming to understand Seo-yu.

As Li-han approached his desk to put aside these unnecessary thoughts, he discovered that the medicine packet bundle he had thrown there a few days ago was gone.

“Huh?”

It was definitely here, wasn’t it?

As the flustered Li-han rummaged around the desk area, he heard a knocking sound from outside.

“Young Master, I’ve brought the water pitcher. May I come in?”

“Come in.”

The maid who soon entered the room replaced the empty water pitcher with a new one.

After hesitating briefly, Li-han casually brought up the topic.

“Did you happen to see the medicine packet that was here?”

“The medicine packet… do you mean the medicine bundle that was in the corner of the desk?”

“That’s right. I don’t see it, so I wondered if it was put somewhere else.”

At Li-han’s words, the maid answered with a puzzled expression.

“Previously, you asked me to put it away, so I took it to the medical room.”

“When did I… Ah.”

It was probably after he had overheard the conversation between Hwang Hyeon-ya and Seo-yu.

‘Young Master, shall I store this medicine separately?’

‘No, forget it. Just put it away. Send it to the medical room.’

Li-han closed his mouth at the suddenly surfacing memory, then soon nodded his head as if nothing had happened.

“Ah, right. That’s what happened. Good job. You may withdraw now.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Even after the maid left, Li-han stared blankly at the empty desk for a while.

‘Just some medicine. It’s not like I was going to take it anyway.’

Yet he kept recalling the voice of the child who had said she made the medicine for him.

Even the expression of the child who had looked hurt seeing the medicine packet carelessly thrown aside.

That image, contrasted with the day she had been happy over just a single hair ribbon, was etched even more vividly in Li-han’s mind.

‘My chest feels tight.’

Finally getting up from his seat, Li-han headed toward the medical room.

When he knocked on Hwang Hyeon-ya’s office door, permission was granted immediately.

“Li-han? What brings you here so suddenly?”

“There was a missing part in the inspection report, so I came back.”

“But I already received the full inspection report?”

Li-han, who brought up the past inspection again, slyly rolled his eyes as he secretly looked around to see if the medicine packet bundle that Seo-yu had given him was here, without Hyeon-ya noticing.

Hyeon-ya, who didn’t miss Li-han’s wandering gaze, chuckled and asked.

“Nothing unusual happened when you went to the village?”

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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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