The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 83

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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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Cho-a’s mission was espionage and information investigation.

 

For this purpose, Cho-a would sometimes disguise herself as a lovable child, or as a clever merchant.

 

And currently, Cho-a’s mission was to investigate a certain child.

 

“Yes, little bird. You must have brought new information for me?”

 

At her master’s words, Cho-a bowed her head and immediately answered.

 

“Of course. From what I’ve found out, the child you’re looking for doesn’t seem to be in the Great Antlered Deer Family.”

 

Over the past few weeks, Cho-a had frequented the Great Antlered Deer Family, winning the favor of the young lady Nok Su-jeong and becoming quite close with the household members.

 

It was all to find a certain child whose whereabouts her master had ordered her to discover.

 

All her efforts to earnestly please the immature young lady were for that purpose.

 

Initially, the household members who had played dumb began competing to tell her this story and that story to curry favor with her once Cho-a gained Su-jeong’s trust.

 

Especially a maid named Cho-ok was even more enthusiastic.

 

When she subtly took their side, asking if it wasn’t difficult to serve Su-jeong, they readily spilled their inner thoughts.

 

‘Oh, it’s not easy. In the old days, there was at least someone who took the brunt of her temper, but now there isn’t, so everyone’s having a hard time.’

 

‘Someone was there before?’

 

‘Ah, this is something I shouldn’t talk about… Anyway, there was someone who served as the young lady’s whipping boy.’

 

Though she couldn’t learn the name, Cho-ok realized that whipping boy was the child her master was looking for.

 

And after patient effort, she had even confirmed Su-jeong’s reaction.

 

“Not there? Tell me in more detail.”

 

“In my opinion… I think they’ve already dealt with him.”

 

“Are you certain?”

 

A subtle expectation was embedded in her master’s questioning voice.

 

Keenly detecting that change, Cho-a reported in even greater detail.

 

The fact that someone who wasn’t there now had been there before, and that the family was thoroughly keeping everyone’s mouths shut about that someone.

 

Most decisively, even testimony that Nok Su-jeong had personally said she sent her younger brother somewhere else.

 

Her master, who had quietly listened to her words, showed satisfaction.

 

“Indeed! Now that I hear it, it makes sense. But as you know, hasty conclusions are forbidden.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Little bird, you shall continue to make contact with the Nok Family child and find out how they came to have connections with the Qilin Family. Once we know that, things should become certain.”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

“You’ve truly worked hard. I won’t forget your efforts.”

 

At the praise she hadn’t heard in a long time, Cho-a’s face brightened.

 

Reading the mood, Cho-a quietly brought up an old matter.

 

“Master, about those medicinal herbs you mentioned before…”

 

Several years ago, Cho-a had received two missions along with orders to infiltrate the Golden Dragon Family.

 

One was to report everything that happened in the Golden Dragon Family, and the other was to steal certain medicinal herbs.

 

She had performed the former admirably, but failed at the latter.

 

‘All because of that bastard Hyeon-ya.’

 

Cho-a gritted her teeth.

 

‘Hello, Hyeon-ya! You look really wonderful today too.’

 

‘Is that the only thing you ever say?’

 

‘Pardon?’

 

‘No matter how much you coat your tongue with honey and sweet-talk me, there’s nothing for you to gain from me.’

 

Hwang Hyeon-ya, the head of the Golden Dragon Family’s medical department, was an extremely picky and eccentric fellow.

 

Cho-a, who had been doing espionage work for various families since childhood, found Hwang Hyeon-ya to be the only person she had difficulty even approaching, let alone getting close to.

 

Naturally, she had never been able to enter the herb garden that he specially managed.

 

All she had managed was to entice a few foolish children who were living off that household’s charity like herself and search through the medical room a few times.

 

Eventually, growing impatient, she had rashly tried to search the treasure vault and nearly got caught before barely escaping.

 

For Cho-a, who had never failed once as a subordinate serving her ‘Master,’ this was quite a humiliating memory.

 

‘If I get another chance, I can do well this time.’

 

So she had been waiting for an opportunity to somehow redeem herself.

 

As if reading her mind, her master slightly curved the corner of his mouth and spoke gently.

 

“Little bird, forget about the past and just focus on observing that child well. In the end, all things are connected as one. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Connected as one?

 

Though it was completely incomprehensible, Cho-a obediently agreed. There must be good reason for her master to say such things.

 

‘I just need to follow Master’s words.’

 

Then the glory her master would obtain would shine upon her as well.

 

Cho-a remained quietly bowing in the pavilion swallowed by sunset until her master departed.

 

* * *

 

“The Former Physician must be taking sleeping medicine instead of meals. Otherwise, how could he make us drowsy every time he opens his mouth?”

 

Li Dan-eum, a pangolin beastkin with hair as stiff as scales, said while banging her head on the desk.

 

The Former Physician who taught the medicinal material mixing class had a very low and slow voice that naturally made one drowsy just listening to it.

 

Dan-eum was now at the point where she wanted to stick needles in her eyelids before class time.

 

“Shouldn’t we wake up Bi-neung now?”

 

Wi Un, a hedgehog beastkin, looked anxiously at Bi-neung who was sleeping like she had fainted in the seat next to him.

 

This was because Bi-neung had collapsed on her desk less than a moment after class started and was still sleeping.

 

“Poke her once with your quills.”

 

Mae-hwa, a mountain goat beastkin, suggested.

 

“But then she’ll get hurt…”

 

“That seems like the only way she’ll wake up.”

 

When Un hurriedly waved his hands in refusal, Mae-hwa lost interest and her gaze soon turned elsewhere.

 

“You know what’s the scariest thing? Seo-yu has never dozed off even once.”

 

“Hm? Were you talking about me?”

 

Seo-yu, who had been reviewing the day’s lesson, looked up a beat late.

 

A week had already passed since entering the Medical Academy. During that time, Seo-yu had made more new friends.

 

The reason they became close was because of group activities. There were classes where they formed groups to make medicine, and since the Western children paired up first, some children who couldn’t join anywhere were left behind.

 

Seo-yu was one of them.

 

She had worried about becoming an outcast since she was from the Eastern Region, but surprisingly there were several children in similar situations.

 

The five who gathered together were exactly the friends chattering now. The five unexpectedly got along well.

 

Thanks to this, Seo-yu’s life at the Medical Academy became even more enjoyable.

 

“Being first place really isn’t something just anyone can do.”

 

Mae-hwa shook her head back and forth. Seo-yu laughed awkwardly out of embarrassment.

 

It was then that she made eye contact with someone passing by the front door.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Oh! You are?”

 

The red-haired boy she had encountered at the Herb Garden before approached Seo-yu with a delighted face.

 

Then for some reason, the gazes of the surrounding children all focused on the two of them at once, and the atmosphere suddenly became quiet. The murmuring sounds completely disappeared.

 

“Hello, Seo-yu?”

 

“Hello—”

 

Seo-yu, who had started speaking, hesitated for a moment. She didn’t have a proper way to address the boy.

 

“…Young Master of the Herb Garden?”

 

At the title she barely managed to squeeze out, the boy burst out laughing.

 

“Young Master of the Herb Garden? What’s that!”

 

“I saw you at the Herb Garden last time.”

 

“Right, we did. But Young Master of the Herb Garden is a bit…”

 

The boy who had been laughing while holding his stomach wiped away his tears.

 

“I think that’s the most unsuitable thing for me I’ve ever heard in my life.”

 

Seo-yu rolled her eyes around.

 

‘Did I perhaps offend him?’

 

She worried for a moment, but he seemed too cheerful for that to be the case.

 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know your name…”

 

“I’m Ahwol. Call me comfortably.”

 

“Ah, yes. Ahwol-nim.”

 

“Just Ahwol would be nice. I want to become friends with you, Seo-yu.”

 

“What?”

 

Just as she was flustered by the sudden words.

 

Crack!

 

Suddenly a perfectly fine Tree Branch outside the window snapped and fell to the ground.

 

Startled Seo-yu’s head whipped toward the window. The afterimage of something disappeared from her sight in an instant.

 

“There’s no wind blowing, how strange.”

 

Ahwol, who had muttered this, saw Seo-yu’s widened eyes and smiled slightly. Then he lightly tapped the desk and said.

 

“I’ll be going now. Listen carefully to your remaining classes.”

 

“Ah, yes. Take care.”

 

Ahwol waved his hand and left the Academic Hall.

 

And right after that.

 

Children who had never spoken to her before flocked to Seo-yu’s seat.

 

“Are you acquainted with His Highness the Crown Prince?”

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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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