The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 89

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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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“Me?”

 

Seo-yu was puzzled. The only people who would look for her were her friends, but they would meet soon anyway, so there was no need to call her out separately.

 

She wondered if it might be Su-jeong, but that didn’t seem right either.

 

If it were Su-jeong, she wouldn’t look for her so quietly, nor would she call her to a place where everyone could see.

 

“Yes. They said they’d be waiting in the Back Courtyard.”

 

Before she could ask who it was, the student who delivered the message disappeared with quick steps.

 

‘Let me go see first.’

 

Seo-yu headed to the Back Courtyard.

 

There, a red-haired boy was waiting.

 

Even from behind, Seo-yu immediately recognized him by his intense presence and was flustered.

 

“Y-Your Highness?”

 

Ahwol turned around and smiled brightly when he saw Seo-yu.

 

“Oh, you found out I’m the Crown Prince? I thought you still didn’t know.”

 

The person who called for me was His Highness the Crown Prince!

 

‘He must be angry because I was rude to him last time.’

 

Seo-yu, who had been unable to close her mouth in surprise, soon turned pale.

 

She had called the Crown Prince by the ridiculous title of “Young Master of the Herb Garden,” so she had nothing to say even if she got scolded.

 

“I-I’m sorry!”

 

Seo-yu hurriedly bowed her head.

 

“I was really rude last time. I didn’t recognize Your Highness and spoke carelessly… I’m truly sorry.”

 

“Hey, I told you it’s fine.”

 

Ahwol waved his hand and laughed.

 

“I’m the one who didn’t tell you. Actually, I liked it. Everyone gets awkward when they see me, going ‘Your Highness, Your Highness.’ But you just treated me comfortably, which was refreshing and nice.”

 

“B-But it goes against proper etiquette…”

 

“If I allow it, it doesn’t matter, right? Since I’m the Crown Prince.”

 

His grinning face showed natural confidence. Ahwol soon tilted his head and asked.

 

“By the way, I was happy that you called for me first, but did you want to apologize?”

 

“What? Me?”

 

I thought His Highness the Crown Prince had called for me, but wasn’t that the case?

 

Seo-yu’s eyes widened as she shook her head.

 

“I never called for Your Highness. I just came out because someone said they were looking for me.”

 

“Really? I didn’t call for you either.”

 

It was a moment when both of them were bewildered.

 

Seo-yu suddenly felt eyes on her.

 

When she turned her head, several students were standing by the window of the Academic Hall, glancing in their direction.

 

They were covering their mouths and whispering something, but somehow the looks they gave Seo-yu weren’t kind.

 

‘Don’t tell me…’

 

Her mouth went dry with an ominous premonition, but Ahwol just shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Then there must have been some mistake.”

 

Unlike Seo-yu, Ahwol didn’t seem to care much about the current situation.

 

“Well, anyway, don’t call me Your Highness, just call me Ahwol. Let me stop hearing ‘Your Highness’ at least here.”

 

His playful voice was filled with friendliness.

 

In fact, from their first meeting, Ahwol had treated Seo-yu quite casually.

 

As if they had known each other for a long time.

 

But Seo-yu couldn’t feel comfortable around Ahwol. She couldn’t possibly feel at ease. He was none other than the Crown Prince!

 

“Got it?”

 

“Ah, yes… Ahwol-nim.”

 

She actually wanted to keep calling him Your Highness, but since Ahwol had said it several times, she couldn’t refuse.

 

“See, that’s good! We look closer now.”

 

Ahwol smiled with satisfaction. At the same time, a sharp glare shot toward Seo-yu from the window side.

 

Seo-yu awkwardly took a step back.

 

“Um, I left something at my quarters that I need to go get.”

 

“Alright, take care. See you again!”

 

Ahwol waved his hand. Seo-yu quickly said goodbye and hurriedly left the back courtyard.

 

* * *

 

They say bad premonitions always come true.

 

From the next day on, Seo-yu became the target of gossip.

 

Whenever Seo-yu appeared, there were always glances stealing looks at her, followed inevitably by whispers.

 

“Is that girl Hwang Seo-yu?”

 

“Yeah, the one who was adopted into the Golden Dragon Family.”

 

“Did she really wait in the back courtyard to meet the Crown Prince?”

 

“That’s what they say! She deliberately followed him around before too, trying to see His Highness.”

 

Of course, none of what they were saying was true.

 

Seo-yu had only recently learned that Ahwol was the Crown Prince, and even yesterday, she had simply gone outside because someone called her, having no idea that the person waiting was Ahwol.

 

“Come to think of it, I heard that story too.”

 

The rumors didn’t end there.

 

“Hwang Seo-yu tried to approach the Qilin Young Family Head but got rejected.”

 

“Really? The Qilin Young Family Head has Su-jeong-nim.”

 

“Exactly, that’s why it’s too much. No matter how kind Su-jeong-nim is, isn’t she taking her too lightly?”

 

Seo-yu pressed her lips tightly together.

 

Naturally, that was also a lie. She had never even approached Tae-eon, let alone tried to talk to him.

 

But the atmosphere wasn’t one where they would believe her even if she denied it.

 

‘This is Miss Su-jeong’s doing.’

 

This wasn’t even the first time she had conversed with Ahwol, so what else could explain why the reaction was so different this time?

 

Seo-yu finally realized that Su-jeong hadn’t just been sitting quietly. Su-jeong had been planning to make trouble for Seo-yu.

 

‘I knew she wouldn’t just let it go…’

 

Seo-yu felt even more dejected, thinking herself foolish for hoping they could remain strangers forever.

 

But what was even more upsetting was that she had no idea what to do going forward.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

Though she had become a young lady of the Golden Dragon Family, Seo-yu would revert back to the mistreated Nok Seo-yu of the past whenever she stood before Su-jeong. It was as if fear had been carved into her very heart.

 

If she mustered up courage, would something change?

 

Even that was questionable.

 

In the Medical Academy where most students were from the Western Region, only Ahwol had a higher status than Su-jeong, who was the daughter of the Commander of the Four Spirits Territory and would become the future Madam of the Qilin Family.

 

No one would want to make an enemy of such a Su-jeong.

 

‘No one will take my side.’

 

With that thought, Seo-yu missed her family terribly.

 

‘…I want to go home.’

 

When she was feeling dejected and having weak thoughts, a note slid across her desk. She could see Bi-neung slowly withdrawing her hand.

 

Seo-yu carefully examined the note.

 

【Rumors are just rumors.】

 

Seo-yu smiled softly at the neatly written words.

 

At least I have one person on my side here.

 

She thought to herself.

 

* * *

 

At the Medical Academy, students could choose the classes they wanted to attend.

 

Among the five friends, Seo-yu was the only one who chose herb gathering. It was her most confident subject, after all.

 

In the afternoon, Seo-yu came outside for practical training.

 

“Today we’ll have time to gather medicinal herbs that cannot be commonly cultivated.”

 

“Cannot be commonly cultivated? What does that mean?”

 

The physician smiled briefly at the murmuring children and gave them their assignment.

 

“This mountain has plenty of Solitary Glow Grass. So from now on, you need to search all over the mountain to find Solitary Glow Grass and bring it to me. I’ll let you finish class and return in the order you bring it back.”

 

Solitary Glow Grass was a peculiar medicinal herb that didn’t grow in clusters but always sprouted independently, one plant at a time.

 

At night, a strange silver light would seep from its leaf veins making it relatively easy to find, but during the day it would blend in completely with the surrounding grass and become invisible.

 

To find such Solitary Glow Grass during daylight hours was no different from leaving it to chance.

 

‘Solitary Glow Grass! I used to gather a lot of it before.’

 

But it wasn’t difficult for Seo-yu. She could ask the earth and find out where the Solitary Glow Grass was located.

 

“Now, begin!”

 

With the signal, the students scattered into the mountain in a rush.

 

Seo-yu, who remained standing alone in place, quietly spoke to the earth in her mind.

 

‘Hello, everyone. I’m Seo-yu from the Eastern Region. I have something to ask you, could you answer me?’

 

Previously, she had to speak out loud to communicate, but after conversing with the spirits, there was no need to speak aloud anymore.

 

[Are you talking to us right now?]

 

[Can you hear our voices?]

 

[Wow! Amazing!]

 

Soon she could hear the chattering voices of the earth.

 

She had been worried that she might not be able to communicate with the earth since the spirits hadn’t appeared recently, so this was very fortunate.

 

‘Yeah, I can hear you! Do you happen to know about Solitary Glow Grass? It’s a medicinal herb that always grows one root at a time, has almost no scent, and glows faintly from its leaf veins.’

 

[Solitary Glow Grass? I know where Solitary Glow Grass is!]

 

[I know! It’s over there under the thick oak tree!]

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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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