The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 81

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Seo-yu blinked her eyes.

 

‘A crow?’

 

At the window where there had been nothing just moments before, a crow was flapping its wings. It must not have been visible because it was as dark as night.

 

‘Could it be a beast-person?’

 

Even if they were both beast-people, she couldn’t tell from such a distance.

 

Seo-yu shouted out, grasping at straws.

 

“Please help me! I’m trapped inside and the door is locked!”

 

Worried it might not hear her, she cupped her hands and shouted, causing the crow to tilt its head. Then it immediately spread its wings with a flapping sound and flew away into the darkness.

 

“Ah!”

 

It wasn’t a beast-person after all.

 

Disappointed, the corners of Seo-yu’s eyes drooped.

 

It was only natural, really. No one would bother using Beast Transformation to wander around at such a late hour.

 

‘Do I have to wait until morning?’

 

Just as she was about to sigh.

 

Clatter.

 

She sensed a presence from the direction of the door. Hurrying to the entrance, she saw someone’s shadow through the gaps in the shutters.

 

‘It’s a person!’

 

A person came right after the crow disappeared!

 

Seo-yu felt incredibly grateful to the crow, as if it had been a benefactor who brought help.

 

“Is someone there? There’s a person trapped in here!”

 

Worried they might just pass by, she also knocked loudly on the door.

 

No answer came from outside, but she could still sense the presence.

 

Soon enough.

 

Click—

 

She heard the sound of the door latch being released, and the door opened.

 

“Thank you!”

 

Relieved, Seo-yu smiled brightly as she opened the door and stepped out.

 

But something was strange. There was no one outside the door. There should have been someone who opened the door for her.

 

“Huh? What?”

 

Seo-yu looked around in bewilderment. No matter how much she searched, she couldn’t see anyone.

 

She had definitely seen a shadow, and the door had even opened!

 

It felt exactly like being possessed by a ghost.

 

‘Could there be ghosts?’

 

Whoosh.

 

A timely gust of wind made goosebumps rise on her arms.

 

In the old stories Li-han used to read to her, ghosts were very scary. Ghosts were terrifying beings that would take away young beast-people if they did bad things.

 

As Seo-yu swallowed nervously, she suddenly remembered Li-gon trembling under his blanket and wondering, ‘But why don’t they take Hwang Yi-ryeong away?’

 

Then Yi-ryeong would get angry and hit Li-gon with a pillow. Naturally, Li-gon felt wronged.

 

‘See? Why don’t they take her away? Brother Li-han, I don’t think ghosts really exist.’

 

Thinking about it that way made her fear subside a little.

 

‘…But he did help me, didn’t he?’

 

Moreover, when she thought about it again, she had indeed received help. To suspect someone she should be grateful to instead of thanking them!

 

Seo-yu gathered her composure and spoke carefully to the sky.

 

“Ghost-nim, if you can hear me, thank you.”

 

She swallowed the words apologizing for her suspicion.

 

“Thanks to you opening the door, I was able to return to my quarters.”

 

After bowing politely, Seo-yu hesitated for a moment.

 

Bi-yeon had said it before. That repaying kindness is a principle that must be upheld between people.

 

‘But is a ghost also a person?’

 

Since it was once a human being, shouldn’t it be considered a person?

 

After pondering seriously, Seo-yu soon reached a conclusion.

 

“Um… if I ever meet you someday, I’ll definitely repay this kindness!”

 

She didn’t forget to bow her head. Then she hurriedly took quick steps toward Cheongjuk Hall.

 

‘Bi-neung must be worried.’

 

The spot where Seo-yu had hurriedly left.

 

Under the moonlight, a small shadow stretched long.

 

The shadow swayed along with the wind whenever it blew. As if it were alive.

 

* * *

 

“Bi-neung, will you be okay staying alone?”

 

Seo-yu looked at Bi-neung with a worried expression.

 

Though it was morning time when she should be going to class, Bi-neung was still lying in bed.

 

But Seo-yu couldn’t tell Bi-neung to hurry up and go.

 

Last night, Bi-neung had fallen from the bamboo. And it happened while she was climbing the tree to look around because Seo-yu hadn’t returned.

 

‘Bi-neung! Sorry I’m late. I had some circumstances… Huh? But what are you doing on the ground there… Aah, Bi-neung!’

 

When she returned to Cheongjuk Hall, what Seo-yu saw was Bi-neung fallen on the ground in her Beast Transformation form.

 

“I’m sorry, Bi-neung. I should have told you beforehand…”

 

Seo-yu was restless with guilt. However, Bi-neung said this with a very calm expression.

 

“It’s… okay… happens… often…”

 

“Huh? You mean you fall from trees often?”

 

But Bi-neung is a sloth…?

 

Though somewhat puzzled, it was fortunate that the pain didn’t seem severe.

 

“Still, you should be careful just in case. You might have bruises. I’ll get some medicine on my way back!”

 

“Have… a good… trip.”

 

“Oh, Bi-neung. There’s still some sweet red bean jelly left! I put it next to your pillow, so eat some.”

 

Bi-neung, lying under the blanket, waved her hand with a very happy expression.

 

Then she immediately started rummaging beside her pillow, and somehow her movements seemed faster than usual today.

 

‘Why does Bi-neung seem excited?’

 

No way. Missing class should be sad. It must be my imagination.

 

Seo-yu shook her head and headed to the Academic Hall alone. After listening attentively to the lessons, she hurried to the Medicine Hall to get medicine.

 

The rabbit beastkin physician in charge of the Medicine Hall kindly gave her the medicine.

 

“This is an ointment good for bruises. Tell her to apply it twice a day. The bruising will fade quickly too.”

 

“Thank you!”

 

Seo-yu took the ointment and left the Medicine Hall.

 

But the moment she stepped out the door, her steps naturally stopped at the sight that entered her vision.

 

“Wow…”

 

The entire field was nothing but herb gardens. Behind them stretched more fields that seemed carved out of the mountain.

 

It was the first time in her life she had seen such vast fields.

 

‘There’s such an incredible variety of medicinal herbs too!’

 

Seo-yu unconsciously approached the herb garden. Then she crouched down and examined the medicinal herbs.

 

Each and every herb was very fresh and green.

 

Every tender green leaf was full of vitality, and the stems stood straight. The flowering herbs had vivid colors too.

 

‘They’re all so healthy.’

 

When she reached out to gently touch a leaf, it was plump and firm. It seemed to have plenty of moisture too.

 

Suddenly remembering the dying medicinal herbs from the Golden Dragon Family’s front courtyard, Seo-yu felt a bit bitter.

 

‘If it weren’t for the Demonic Arts, the Eastern Lands would be this abundant by now too…’

 

Hwang Hyeon-rang, Bi-yeon, and her master Hwang Hyeon-ya and the struggling physicians in the Medical Room.

 

Thinking that they all would have lived peacefully made her feel unwell.

 

‘Jeongdam is there. Things will gradually get better.’

 

The dejected Seo-yu comforted herself. Then she suddenly thought of the Thousand Year Spirit Herb.

 

‘Where on earth can I obtain it?’

 

No matter how much she called, Seollin and Dragon Spirit didn’t answer. Their words about not being able to come out for a while must have been true.

 

‘Jeongdam definitely mentioned something about shadows…’

 

That was really strange. She had never heard of medicinal herbs that grow in shadows.

 

While there were plants that grew well in places with little sunlight, medicinal herbs couldn’t grow under shadows with no sunlight at all.

 

Moreover, if there were medicinal herbs in such places, they definitely wouldn’t be easily visible.

 

‘Could it be in a cave or something? Or deep in the forest?’

 

As Seo-yu pondered, she suddenly had a thought.

 

‘If it’s the Black Tortoise’s will, it might be in the Northern Region.’

 

Originally, the four sacred spirits each governed the four directions.

 

West was Qilin, East was Eungryong, North was Black Tortoise, South was Phoenix Emperor.

 

Since Jeongdam Herb was obtained from the western Qilin lands and Dragon Spirit Herb from the eastern Sea of Eungryong, the Thousand Year Spirit Herb might also be related to the Black Tortoise.

 

‘But Snow Scale Flower was obtained from the Western Region.’

 

Hmm, maybe I’m thinking wrong…

 

Startled, she looked up to see a red-haired boy she had never seen before standing there.

 

Red hair like the sunset, eyes that resembled the evening glow. He was a boy with an impressive confident smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

 

“How long has it been, Tae… huh?”

 

The Crown Prince of Jusang Kingdom, Gon A-hwil, tilted his head.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————