The Beloved Baby Priestess of the Twelve Zodiac Gods - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 18
I heard she liked sweet things, after all.
Arin hadn’t expected to be refused, and the sting of it caught her off guard—but she resigned herself quickly enough.
Over the past year, Arin had grown accustomed to reading every face in the room.
Ever since her failed Hwan-su, she’d felt as though she were sitting on a bed of nails.
Wherever she went, eyes tracked her with judgment, and most people wouldn’t even deign to speak with her.
Do-yeong must be refusing the Yugwa because she made him uncomfortable—that was all.
Just as the persimmon this morning had been.
‘So he dislikes me after all.’
Having drawn her conclusion swiftly, Arin set the plate of Yugwa down beside Do-yeong.
“I’ll leave these here. They’re really delicious.”
“…….”
“See you next time.”
Arin forced the words out with studied composure.
She thought she’d already grown numb to people turning away from her.
But this wasn’t Hongsachon—here, they wouldn’t know that she’d failed at Hwan-su, so perhaps it wouldn’t matter. That’s what she’d told herself.
Yet to be rejected again by someone her own age, in this place, sent a dull ache through her chest.
Arin steadied herself and turned to look at Cho-ryeong.
“Shall we go?”
Meanwhile, Cho-ryeong found the entire situation baffling.
‘Master Do-yeong is refusing food? Sweet food, no less?’
Even when he was ill, Do-yeong had craved anything sweet.
Puzzled by his uncharacteristic behavior, Cho-ryeong suddenly recalled something.
‘Could he have heard that rumor?’
She’d sternly warned the servants against idle gossip, but he might have heard it before then.
‘Young Master Do-yeong was always especially devoted to Jingyeong.’
He’d sat beside the Lady as she withered away from some mysterious ailment, chattering on cheerfully to her day after day.
If Do-yeong, who’d been so close to Jingyeong, had heard that rumor, his rejection of Arin made sense.
But Cho-ryeong’s concern wasn’t limited to Do-yeong alone.
‘Has she grown so used to this?’
Arin was forcing a smile, feigning that she hadn’t been wounded.
One would think she’d resent his open hostility.
But there was no sign of hurt in her manner—as though she endured such slights all the time.
If they left things as they were, the two of them would spend the visit pointedly avoiding each other.
‘It falls to me, then.’
Cho-ryeong had mediated the disputes of her younger charges often enough to know the remedy by heart.
In situations like this, misunderstandings were best resolved by sharing food—and quickly.
Especially with young Master Do-yeong; the moment food touched his lips, he’d soften.
So when Arin suggested they leave, Cho-ryeong responded with exaggerated alarm.
“What? You’re really going to leave just like that? You went to all this trouble gathering everything to eat together with the young master, didn’t you?”
“Oh, no—I’m fine. I don’t need to eat anything!”
As Arin waved her hands in protest, Cho-ryeong pressed on firmly.
“Goodness, there’s no ‘fine’ about it. You were treasuring this because you wanted to save it, and now you’re just going to give it all to the young master? Truly?”
With Cho-ryeong playing at reluctance, Do-yeong’s shoulders tensed slightly.
Seeing this, Cho-ryeong switched to a theatrical tone.
“Ah, what a pity—giving up such precious Yugwa to the young master. I would have simply taken the whole thing home with me. But our Do-yeong, how heartless you are!”
“……Just take it with you.”
When Do-yeong refused again, his reluctance still clinging to his words, Cho-ryeong sensed he was already yielding and raised her voice once more.
“But this is such rare Yugwa, and you won’t eat it? There won’t be any like this again after today!”
“…….”
“If the two of you ate together, I’d happily bring out the Nok-cha I’ve been saving. It would melt on your tongue with the tea. Oh, what am I to do!”
It was as Cho-ryeong let her words trail on, sighing with regret over and over, that—
“W-well, we could just eat it together!”
Do-yeong, who’d been turning his back the whole time, suddenly blurted it out and whipped around to face them.
‘It’s just eating Yugwa together. There’s nothing wrong with Yugwa.’
The moment Do-yeong caved completely to the Yugwa—
Cho-ryeong seized the chance and had Arin sit down directly across from him.
“Then wait just a moment. I’ll bring the Nok-cha right away.”
With that, Cho-ryeong disappeared.
Left alone together, the two sat in awkward silence, neither of them even touching the Yugwa.
They had been locked in that cautious dance, each watching the other’s face.
Do-yeong suddenly ran his hands through his hair, bristling with frustration.
“Ugh, seriously! You’re the one who brought it—I can’t eat until you do. Why are you watching my face like that?”
“I just…….”
As Arin hesitated, her lips barely moving, Do-yeong thrust the Yugwa toward her.
When she only stared at it blankly, he spoke again.
“Eat. Go on.”
“Can I really eat it?”
“It’s yours anyway. I need to eat too, so just eat already.”
Arin took the Yugwa he offered so bluntly, and a radiant smile bloomed across her face.
He was truly his father’s son.
Clumsy with words, yet his actions were anything but unkind.
“I’ll eat well. Hehe.”
Do-yeong found her smile utterly bewildering.
‘She brought the Yugwa herself, and now she’s thanking me for it? Is she simple?’
The way she carried herself as though it had never been hers in the first place unsettled him.
‘Like she’s lived on nothing but scraps her whole life. Skin and bones, probably couldn’t even manage a proper meal.’
Grumbling to himself like this, he bit into a piece of Yugwa—and froze.
His eyes flew open.
Do-yeong stared intently at the Yugwa in his hand. The red honey Yugwa, tasted for the first time, was nothing short of extraordinary.
“This is incredible! Wow!”
He forgot entirely that he and Arin had been at odds, pouring out exclamations as he became completely absorbed in the confection.
Watching him quietly, Arin rose and fetched water.
Her movements were quick and practiced, as though she’d been waiting to see what he needed.
“Drink this while you eat.”
“Thanks! My throat was getting parched anyway…….”
Do-yeong reached for the water reflexively, then suddenly narrowed his eyes.
“Hey. What are you doing?”
“Hm?”
“Why are you waiting on me?”
When Do-yeong’s gaze sharpened, Arin’s heart sank.
In that instant, a memory surfaced—something from just before she’d been confined to the Byeolgwan.
Back then, marked by genuine disfavor, Arin had been thoroughly shut out among the servants.
They’d often dumped their own duties onto her without hesitation.
When the flowers in the garden began to wilt, one servant turned on Arin, who had watered them.
‘The young lady killed the flowers by watering the garden. How do you plan to take responsibility for this?’
‘I only gave them water as I was told…….’
‘When did I ever ask you to do such a thing? I’m merely a servant! If I displease you, just say so!’
It had been the garden her mother loved, and Arin had borne the chill of her mother’s gaze.
As the sorrow of that day came rushing back, Arin’s body trembled.
“I’m, I’m sorry. I didn’t do anything to the water! My throat just felt dry…….”
Her fear was plain to see.
Do-yeong had been about to tell her this was a servant’s task, but her terror made him stop short, his mouth falling open.
“Hey! Why do you always make things strange? Who accused you of poisoning the water?”
“Huh?”
Flustered by her unexpected reaction, Do-yeong continued.
“You keep watching my face, so I said something. That’s all.”
“…….”
Embarrassed by his own irritation, Do-yeong popped a piece of Yugwa into her mouth.
“And you—eat heartily! It’s not like you’ve never eaten in your life. Skin and bones, barely weighing anything—it makes it look like I’m the one tormenting you.”
After that strange blend of comfort and threat, he suddenly stood and fetched her water himself.
“Drink this too! Consider it payment for bringing me water.”

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