The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 69

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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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Worried, Seo-yu went to the training ground. She could see Yi-ryeong and Li-gon’s swordsmanship Master.

 

“Hello!”

 

“Oh, Miss Seo-yu, you’ve come? It seems your lessons have ended.”

 

“Yes! Are Sister Yi-ryeong and Brother Li-gon inside?”

 

“Hmm? They left a while ago. I think it’s been about half a shichen.”

 

“What? Already?”

 

Then where did they go? Normally they would have come straight to my room…

 

Seo-yu left the training ground feeling somewhat dejected.

 

On her way back, she glanced at Li-han’s room window, but it was also completely dark, suggesting Li-han wasn’t in his room either.

 

‘Hyeon-rang must be working, and Bi-yeon must be resting, right?’

 

The snow was falling even more heavily than before, but for some reason, Seo-yu no longer felt excited.

 

‘Is it because I’m alone?’

 

How strange. I used to always be alone before, but when did being alone become so unfamiliar?

 

Seo-yu realized anew just how precious the people of the Golden Dragon Family were to her.

 

Trudge, trudge.

 

She met Ga-ram on her way back to her room, walking listlessly.

 

“Oh my, Miss! Where have you been?”

 

Ga-ram, who had been looking around in front of Seo-yu’s room, welcomed her warmly. Still, seeing Ga-ram made her feel a little better.

 

“I went to look at the snow, Ga-ram. There’s so much snow outside.”

 

“Ah, I was wondering where you had gone.”

 

“Were you looking for me?”

 

At those words, Ga-ram flinched and cleared her throat awkwardly. When Seo-yu tilted her head at the somehow strange reaction, Ga-ram quickly spoke up.

 

“Actually, there’s something I need to receive from the Family Head, but suddenly it started snowing and I have things to take care of. It’s not heavy, so could you go and get it for me instead?”

 

It was quite puzzling since Ga-ram had never made such a request before, but Seo-yu readily nodded. It would be a pleasure to help Ga-ram.

 

“Yes, I’ll do it!”

 

Seo-yu headed to Hyeon-rang’s office. And she knocked on the door.

 

“Hyeon-rang, it’s Seo-yu. I came in place of Ga-ram. May I come in?”

 

But even after waiting, there was no response.

 

‘He must not be inside.’

 

Just as she was about to turn back, the door that had definitely been closed slid open smoothly.

 

“Hyeon-rang?”

 

Thinking it meant she should come in, she carefully pushed the door, but the room inside was pitch black and dark.

 

‘That’s strange. No one’s here, so why did the door open?’

 

That’s when it happened.

 

Suddenly, lanterns throughout the room lit up all at once, brightly illuminating the surroundings.

 

“Huh?”

 

Just as startled Seo-yu was about to step back, something fluttered down from above her head.

 

“It’s our Youngest’s birthday!”

 

“Seo-yu, happy birthday!”

 

Yi-ryeong and Li-gon in their beast transformation were flying through the air, scattering flower petals.

 

Every time the two flapped their wings, light reflected off their scales, making the room flash with golden light.

 

Seo-yu, who had been gaping in shock at the sudden situation, finally took in the scene of the room.

 

On the table, delicious food was piled up like a mountain.

 

Honey rice cakes filled with sweet honey and savory white bean paste, glutinous rice balls topped with fragrant jujubes and pine nuts, yakgwa with a subtle cinnamon aroma.

 

Every single one was food that Seo-yu usually loved.

 

Moreover, all the family members who were usually too busy with their own work to gather in one place were there.

 

Hyeon-rang and Bi-yeon, Li-han and the twins, and even Hyeon-ya who should have been in the medical room.

 

“Wh-what is all this…?”

 

Seo-yu was so dumbfounded that she couldn’t even speak properly. She stood frozen at the doorway, unable to even step inside.

 

Then Li-han, who had set down the oil lamp he was holding, approached and took Seo-yu’s hand, gently leading her inside.

 

“Seo-yu, you said before that you didn’t really know when your birthday was. We wanted to celebrate, but since we didn’t know the date, we decided to choose one ourselves.”

 

“My… birthday?”

 

“Yes. We thought the day of the first snow would be nice. Yi-ryeong said you remembered that your birthday was in winter.”

 

Li-han smiled brightly.

 

“The first snow we’ve been waiting for has finally come.”

 

In an instant, Seo-yu’s eyes grew hot.

 

‘So that’s why Sister Yi-ryeong kept asking when the first snow would come.’

 

Seo-yu had only thought that Yi-ryeong really loved snow. She never dreamed it was to celebrate for her.

 

‘For me…’

 

She remembered Li-gon, who had been asking “Seo-yu, is there anything you need?” lately.

 

Bi-yeon had asked for her opinion, saying “What should we prepare for the next feast to make people happier?”, and Li-han had casually approached asking if she had ever tried brushes with fine fur.

 

Looking back now, everyone had been caring for today.

 

“Congratulations, Seo-yu. You don’t know what great fortune it is that you came to us.”

 

Hyeon-rang spoke with his heart full of sincerity.

 

“Thank you so much for being born.”

 

Seo-yu’s lips, who had been barely holding back tears, trembled finely at those words.

 

‘I thought I was born wrong…’

 

What had tormented Seo-yu for a very long time was nothing other than her very existence as ‘Nok Seo-yu.’

 

Nok Seo-yu, who bore the Nok surname but could never become a member of the Great Antlered Deer Family, who was a deer but could never look exactly like any other deer.

 

Seo-yu had actually hated that child very much, who was always lacking something and couldn’t fit in anywhere.

 

It was none other than Seo-yu herself who hated Seo-yu more than Miss Su-jeong or the Madam of the Great Horn Family deer.

 

Now there were people who told such a Seo-yu that she was fortunate, that they were grateful she was born.

 

“Our Seo-yu, don’t you have any wishes? Usually on birthdays, we grant wishes.”

 

“That’s right, Seo-yu. If you have a wish, tell us anything.”

 

Bi-yeon asked with laughter in her voice, and Hyeon-rang added affectionately.

 

“I…”

 

Seo-yu hesitated, moving her lips several times, then hesitated for a long while more.

 

“I want to become family with all of you.”

 

She finally opened her mouth and voiced the wish she had always hoped for.

 

At that moment, the room became quiet.

 

Thump thump thump thump.

 

Seo-yu became afraid that her heart was beating so fast that the sound might leak outside.

 

Perhaps she had been too greedy.

 

“Hmm, don’t you have any other wish? That one won’t work.”

 

Bi-yeon tilted her head with a troubled expression. Seo-yu’s face turned pale white.

 

‘I must have overstepped again without knowing my place.’

 

But Bi-yeon’s next words were different from what she expected.

 

“That’s the wish we made.”

 

At the playful words, Hyeon-rang nodded his head.

 

“It’s what we hoped for.”

 

Hyeon-ya also chimed in with his characteristic indifferent expression.

 

“My disciple, it’s a waste to wish for something that’s already come true. Wish for something else. Ask for a fortune or something.”

 

Yi-ryeong and Li-gon, who had returned to human form, ran to Seo-yu and hugged her tightly from both sides.

 

“Seo-yu, then we’re really family, right?”

 

“Does that mean Youngest becomes Hwang Seo-yu?”

 

Li-han also quietly approached and patted Seo-yu’s head.

 

“Happy birthday, our youngest.”

 

“Thank… you.”

 

The tears she had been holding back flowed down her cheeks. Her crying burst out as well.

 

“Thank you, big broth… wahhh!”

 

It wasn’t from sadness.

 

For the first time since she was born, these were tears of overwhelming joy at having a real family.

 

“Oh my, I was wondering when I’d finally hear you call me big brother.”

 

At Li-han’s joke, laughter erupted in the room. Seo-yu also laughed while crying.

 

Outside, white snow was still falling quietly.

 

As if blessing this special day.

 

* * *

 

The year changed and a new spring day arrived.

 

“Master, Physician Dam visited the mid-mountain village and brought back some ginseng.”

 

“Ginseng? How many years old?”

 

“Um… it has two root heads and the side roots have split three times, so it’s a 4-year root!”

 

Ten-year-old Seo-yu had become even more familiar with the medical room work, and now she could give quick answers to any question.

 

“Oh, and we also got fresh astragalus! You wouldn’t believe how beautiful the color is. I’ll go get it and show you.”

 

“Alright.”

 

It was just as Seo-yu was about to leave the medical room.

 

In the distance, Eun-hyang was approaching with unusually quick steps.

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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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