The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 66
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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 twins she remembered were still little ones who held tightly to their mother and father’s hands, but they had somehow become proper children, which surprised her every time she saw them.
“Still, Yi-ryeong calling Li-gon ‘Hwang Li-gon’ remains the same.”
“That will probably never be fixed. It’s been stuck to her mouth since she was little.”
Hyeon-rang chuckled. Thanks to that, Li-gon also ended up calling Yi-ryeong ‘Hwang Yi-ryeong’, so at least they would never forget each other’s surnames.
“Li-han has grown so much he’s already taller than my shoulders. His voice has gotten much deeper too, which surprised me.”
“You’d be even more surprised to know he can control Beast Transformation.”
“What? Really? Li-han can already do that?”
The ability to control body size during Beast Transformation was a measure of how much a dragon beast-person had grown.
Regret soon tinged Bi-yeon’s voice as she exclaimed in surprise.
“The years I missed are so precious. I’ve lost all the children’s day-to-day moments.”
“There are more days to spend together ahead. Just having you return, Bi-yeon, is something to be grateful for.”
Hyeon-rang comforted her, patting Bi-yeon’s shoulder.
Bi-yeon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, wore a bright smile.
“Seo-yu is really lovely.”
Hyeon-rang’s touch paused for a moment.
“Even more so than what I’d heard.”
Though no one knew it, Bi-yeon had actually been conscious inside the Crystal Water Chamber.
Even if she couldn’t fully wake up, she could hear when someone came nearby and spoke.
So Bi-yeon knew how much her family had suffered over the past few years. That was the most agonizing part.
Hyeon-rang blamed himself.
He endlessly resented himself for failing to protect Bi-yeon that day. Bi-yeon’s heart felt like it would tear apart hearing her husband’s voice coming every night to apologize.
Li-han resented his father.
He hated Hyeon-rang, saying it was his fault for leaving mother behind to save others.
That wasn’t it – saving more people was exactly what mother would have wanted.
Bi-yeon wanted to tell him this countless times, but being unable to made her feel even more powerless.
And what about the twins?
The children who at first innocently asked when mommy would wake up gradually lost their laughter as time passed.
Watching her family slowly lose their vitality like that was truly unbearable.
But a few months ago, the atmosphere began to change.
“Bi-yeon, I rescued a child while attending a banquet in the Western Lands. A child named Seo-yu.”
Bi-yeon clearly remembered the day Hyeon-rang first mentioned Seo-yu.
A deer beast-person child who was falling from a high cliff.
Such a young child fell from a cliff! And on the mountain where his own family clan was located!
As a story that would shock any mother with children, the name ‘Seo-yu’ was intensely carved into Bi-yeon’s mind from that moment.
But that was only the beginning.
Hyeon-rang brought new news about Seo-yu every time he visited the Dragon Palace.
“Yi-ryeong and Li-gon adore Seo-yu so much. Since it’s their first time having a younger sibling, they call her Youngest and act like proper older siblings – you can’t imagine how heartwarming it is to see.”
“Hyeon-ya accepted Seo-yu as his disciple. That Hyeon-ya who was always busy kicking people out saying they were no help actually took someone as his disciple himself – isn’t that amazing?”
“Yesterday Seo-yu made herbal decoction. It’s called Fatigue Recovery Medicine and it’s very effective. She seems to be learning diligently from Hyeon-ya.”
Hearing these stories, Bi-yeon became increasingly curious about Seo-yu.
‘What kind of child could she be that our children like her so much?’
Most of all, Hyeon-rang’s voice was changing. Even though he tried not to show it, his voice that had been gloomy and listless was beginning to come alive.
The change wasn’t happening only to Hyeon-rang.
“The children are a bit awkward with each other. They didn’t fight, but there seems to have been some issue regarding beast transformation. I mentioned it before. Seo-yu only has one horn. She seemed reluctant to show it to Yi-ryeong and Li-gon.”
“When did they make up again? Now they sleep together every night. Seo-yu now calls Yi-ryeong and Li-gon sister and brother. Actually, I taught her to try using those terms, and it seems to work well, doesn’t it?”
Bi-yeon felt that the twins, who had been trapped in their own world and unwilling to socialize with others for a while, were returning to their daily lives.
Li-han, who had a deep emotional rift with Hyeon-rang due to various incidents, was the biggest concern, but Seo-yu eventually got along well with Li-han too.
“Bi-yeon! Li-han came to me first asking if he could take Seo-yu to the Dragon Palace. You would understand my heart for rushing here to share this news first.”
Hyeon-rang, who had rushed all the way to the deep sea to tell her that day, looked truly happy.
And so, for several months.
While listening to stories about Seo-yu, she became a special existence in Bi-yeon’s heart.
A child who gave strength to her family, a precious child who brought back their laughter.
That alone was enough to make Bi-yeon’s heart drawn to Seo-yu.
‘It’s withered like this now… but I will definitely revive the Jeongdam Herb. Then we can drive away the poison of the evil beast that’s tormenting Madam, right?’
Seo-yu had even saved her life.
Though she didn’t announce this fact publicly since the child had asked to keep that day’s events secret, Bi-yeon clearly remembered who had saved her life.
“You know, Hyeon-rang. I had this thought while watching the children earlier. They look so happy being together.”
The hair brushing was finished before she knew it. Bi-yeon leaned against Hyeon-rang with her body relaxed and murmured.
“Isn’t that what family is?”
Bi-yeon thought that you didn’t necessarily have to share blood to become family.
Having been on the battlefield for a long time, she had seen many people bound together by bonds thicker than blood.
Hyeon-rang, who had pulled Bi-yeon into a tight embrace from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder.
Bi-yeon smiled slightly at the tickling sensation of his light breath and casually brought up her wish.
“Would she feel too burdened if I suddenly asked her to call me mother?”
“She might. She’s such a cautious child.”
“Hmm, then I should take it slowly.”
Bi-yeon recalled Seo-yu, who would glance at her with envious eyes whenever Yi-ryeong and Li-gon called out “Mother!”
She was such a lovable child whose emotions showed clearly in her round, large eyes, so Bi-yeon wanted to become closer to Seo-yu as soon as possible.
“Is there any other news from that family?”
“Actually, Hwan-wol mentioned this. The Great Antlered Deer Family has been searching the White Jade Mountain area recently, looking for something.”
Bi-yeon frowned.
“Don’t tell me they’re trying to find Seo-yu?”
“Well… for that to be the case, they haven’t even announced news of her disappearance to the outside. Seeing how they’re still keeping it hushed up, I can’t figure out their intentions.”
Hyeon-rang, who had been answering affectionately, hardened his gaze coldly.
“But if they’re trying to get back a child they’ve been hiding all along, their intentions don’t look very good. I’ll keep watch.”
“Yes. I hope nothing happens that would hurt the child.”
Bi-yeon, who had been nodding, suddenly recalled one memory.
“Oh, something strange happened.”
“What is it?”
“When I was inside the Crystal Chamber, I felt strangely warm whenever Seo-yu came close. It was as if the Crystal Chamber recognized Seo-yu.”
“You’re saying the Crystal Chamber only reacted to Seo-yu, Bi-yeon?”
“Yes. At first I thought it was my imagination, but it wasn’t. It happened several times. It never happened when other people came, so why was that?”
Bi-yeon tilted his head in wonder.
Hyeon-rang fell into thought without answering. It was because the story he had heard from Hyeon-ya a few days ago was circling in his mind.
‘He said the Primordial Qilin had not two horns, but one.’
Coincidentally, Seo-yu, who had only one horn, had revived the Jeongdam Herb that had been withering all along, and Bi-yeon was saying that the Primordial Spirit’s sorcery that created the Crystal Chamber had only reacted to Seo-yu.
‘Could this really be just a simple coincidence?’
It seemed like he would have more to discuss with Hyeon-ya.
* * *
Today was a special day for Seo-yu.
It was the day the Jeongdam Herb that had been living in the flower pot would move to the Indoor Herb Garden.
[Seo-yu, won’t you take me to the field? I think I can be of help now.]
Seo-yu, who had received the request from the Jeongdam Herb a few days ago, asked Hyeon-ya for permission and carefully chose the day.
A day with bright sunlight, and though it was winter, warmer than other days.
That day was today.
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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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