The Beloved Baby Priestess of the Twelve Zodiac Gods - Chapter 38

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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 38
His tone was tender yet cold.
Arin nestled against Do Hoon, unsure what else to do.
‘What should I do? He’s upset because of me.’
It made sense—she had followed him into a dangerous place, after all.
“I’m sorry. I thought I could catch up quickly. I was so worried about my brother…….”
“You were worried about me?”
Do Hoon looked down at Arin as if he couldn’t comprehend it.
They had only met twice, yet she had thrown herself recklessly into a situation that could have been dangerous.
If Muje hadn’t drawn attention with his power, Do Hoon might have passed right by them.
‘Does she have no fear?’
If something had happened to Arin, the trouble would have fallen on him.
“Don’t do that again.”
“Yes.”
A brief silence fell between them as Arin fell quiet.
Do Hoon broke it with a question.
“Do you know that boy from before?”
“No. I just happened to meet him on the street. He looked very ill, so I was trying to help him…….”
The boy, who had remained guarded until the very end and then disappeared, weighed on her mind.
It seemed he had disguised the color of his eyes to hide his identity.
His injuries had made even that deception difficult to maintain.
‘Who was chasing him?’
His eyes, full of caution, had been equally full of fear.
That was when Do Hoon spoke.
“When you help street children, you should bring an escort with you. Where did you leave Cho Ryeong? How did you plan to come here alone?”
“Oh, that’s right! Cho Ryeong must be worried……!”
Only then did Arin remember Cho Ryeong, whom she had left behind, and she began to fidget anxiously.
‘She didn’t think about what came after—look at her expression.’
The fact that she had moved so reflexively left Do Hoon uncertain how to respond.
That was when Muje reached out to Do Hoon through Telepathic Communication.
– Don’t be too harsh on her.
Do Hoon’s eyes narrowed at Muje’s defense of Arin.
Here was a situation where anyone could see Arin was in the wrong, yet he was trying to protect her.
– You seem fond of this girl.
– She was probably very frightened. Please comfort her. Unlike what you see, she worries deeply inside.
Muje had heard many things from Arin during the time they spent together.
It was thanks to her sharing her true feelings with him—things she couldn’t share with others.
– Just because she smiles on the outside doesn’t mean everything is well within.
Do Hoon stopped in his tracks and stared at Muje.
He never expected those words of concern for another person to come from Muje’s mouth.
‘Their relationship seems quite good, actually.’
The sense of it went beyond being merely bound by command.
– You should be careful not to stand out too obviously yourself. Unless you want to spread word that the White Dragon lives here.
– That was unavoidable. The boy attacked Arin.
If Muje hadn’t stopped him, the boy would have knocked Arin down right then and there.
The boy had carried a foul Qi. It was enough to make Muje, sensitive to impure energy, feel hostility at once.
Muje tried to shake off the uneasy feeling, burrowing deeper into Arin’s embrace as he spoke.
– That boy was a Zodiac Animal Spirit. If we had left him as he was, Arin would have suffered grave injury.
– A Zodiac Animal Spirit?
– He didn’t seem skilled in using his power yet. And his Qi was abnormal—and in a very wrong way.
Do Hoon fell into thought at Muje’s words.
It was hard to dismiss what he said, given that Muje favored pure Qi.
Perhaps it was connected to the kidnapping of street children by the Black Magic Sect.
– I’ll look into it.
They had just emerged from the Alley.
At that moment, Cho Ryeong, who had discovered Arin’s disappearance and rushed out, ran into them.
“Miss!”
Cho Ryeong, who had come running in one breath, stopped in front of Do Hoon.
Arin was just about to explain.
Do Hoon spoke first, as if cutting her off.
“I was with her. We were on our way to see the market just up ahead.”
“Both of you?”
“We happened to meet outside and were happy to run into each other. I didn’t know Cho Ryeong had come along.”
Do Hoon lied smoothly, and Arin felt caught off guard.
‘He doesn’t want them to know we went to the Slums.’
Arin caught on and held her tongue.
“Thank goodness. I thought I’d lost her.”
Cho Ryeong exhaled in relief.
Seeing her worried face, Arin suddenly grasped how foolish she’d been.
Just as she felt the weight of guilt, Muje—perched on her shoulder as if on cue—patted her collarbone with his front legs.
The gesture was so perfectly human that Arin blinked.
“Are you comforting me?”
Chirp.
“Thank you, my little lizard.”
In her gratitude, Arin leaned up and kissed the creature’s snout.
“……!!!”
Caught completely unguarded, Muje went rigid as stone.
Do Hoon, who had witnessed the whole thing, was equally paralyzed.
“……What did you just do?”
“Huh? Oh, he’s just so adorable I didn’t think about it.”
Arin laughed brightly, wholly unaware of what she’d done.
She knew he was hiding his true form, but she’d never imagined she’d actually believe he was a lizard.
Do Hoon watched Muje, still frozen in place, with sympathy.
– Are you all right?
He’d heard the man despised physical contact. Getting kissed—well, that had to be torture.
– ……Yes.
Something in Muje’s voice had deepened, grown muffled.
– ……I’m fine, truly.
His skin had flushed crimson with embarrassment, yet his voice remained composed.
Anyone could see he was rattled, but Do Hoon chose to pretend otherwise.
He didn’t seem to mind, after all.
* * *
When Do Hoon and Arin entered the Restaurant, Do Gyeong looked at them with curiosity.
“How did you two come together?”
“We just ran into each other.”
“Is that so?”
Do Hoon’s answer was brief, and Do Gyeong quietly studied the two children’s faces.
The mood seemed neither particularly good nor bad.
“Hyung, the owner said I can order everything here!”
“Order only what you’ll eat. We don’t waste food.”
Do Hoon’s reprimand was swift, and Do Young thrust his spoon toward the ceiling as he declared:
“There’s no such thing as leftovers in my vocabulary! Even if it gives me a stomachache, I’ll finish every bite!”
Arin eagerly joined in his gluttonous proclamation.
“I’ll help you! I only ate one bowl of rice at lunch to prepare for today!”
“Excellent resolve! Truly my sister!”
The two children raised their spoons triumphantly, a sight to behold.
“Anyone watching would think we starve you! Ha ha ha!”
Do Gyeong burst into laughter.
“That’s right, eat your fill. ……But where’s that little creature who’s usually glued to her side?”
“He seemed to be fading, so I had Cho Ryeong take him back home.”
Muje’s condition had seemed poor from being outdoors too long, so Do Hoon had decided it was best to send him back.
Do Gyeong, unaware of the kiss incident, looked puzzled.
“That creature was fading?”
He’d willingly separated from Arin of his own accord.
Until now, he’d clung to her side while posing as an animal, and Do Gyeong had deeply disapproved.
‘Hm. He sensed it was a family gathering and gracefully excused himself.’
With that eyesore finally removed, Do Gyeong’s mood brightened considerably.
He piled meat high in front of Arin.
“Eat plenty.”
“Thank you!”
Arin picked up the meat with her chopsticks with practiced efficiency, popping it into her mouth.
Her cheeks bulging full, she looked exactly like a squirrel.
Do Gyeong watched her with contentment until he caught sight of blood staining her sleeve, and his expression hardened.
“Are you hurt?”
“Oh.”
Arin only then noticed the blood on her own sleeve and felt flustered.
She glanced sideways at Do Hoon before speaking.
“I must have gotten it when I treated an injured puppy on the street.”
“A puppy?”
“Someone had been tormenting it, it seems. I couldn’t just walk past it…….”
As Arin smoothed over the lie, Do Hoon relaxed visibly.
He had, after all, promised his father he would stop looking into matters concerning the street children.
“Stray dogs are dangerous. Don’t interfere next time.”
“Yes. Though it really was a good dog.”
Arin let the subject slide, offering Do Hoon a bright smile.
Her expression was steely, as if to say she would guard this secret well.

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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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