The Beloved Baby Priestess of the Twelve Zodiac Gods - Chapter 68

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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 68
Arin gestured toward the pavilion over the pond.
Once they were seated side by side by the water, Arin studied Mu Je’s expression.
“Are you all right?”
“What do you mean?”
“You look like something’s bothering you.”
Mu Je regarded her quietly, aware of her concern.
“I suppose there were simply too many people. It’s been draining.”
“Ah yes, you mentioned you don’t care for large gatherings, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry for asking you to go. It was thoughtless of me.”
“There’s no need to apologize.”
In truth, he was grateful he had gone.
If Arin had heard all those ridiculous remarks herself, she would have been hurt.
“I will always answer your requests, whenever you ask.”
At his calm words, Arin blinked.
Just then, the willows stirred in the breeze.
Their fresh, verdant scent drifted through the pavilion.
Her throat felt suddenly parched, and Arin touched her neck self-consciously.
“Why are you so kind to me?”
“Because I want to be.”
“I see…….”
His simple answer sent an unexpected warmth creeping up her face.
“Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“No! It’s not that—it’s just that I feel like I’m always in your debt.”
When Arin referred to herself as “your inferior” once more, Mu Je’s lips twitched slightly.
‘Arin.’
The memory of her blushing cheeks before Young Jae suddenly overlapped with the present moment, and his lips parted of their own accord.
“Then will you grant me one request?”
“Of course!”
As Arin’s eyes brightened, Mu Je met her gaze and spoke.
“You are my only friend.”
“What? But surely everyone would want to be close to you.”
Arin’s expression wavered at his unexpected confession.
“Does one truly need many friends?”
He had never been comfortable keeping people near him in the first place.
“I need only you. And I’ve heard that true friends speak freely to one another, and address each other by name.”
“So you’re saying we should speak casually to each other? Call each other by name?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s not difficult, but…….”
They had known each other for a long time already.
Yet the thought of addressing him by name alone stirred an unexpected shyness.
As Mu Je’s eyes filled with anticipation, Arin’s lips slowly parted.
“M-Mu Je.”
At the sound of his name from her lips, Mu Je’s expression softened.
“Yes, Arin.”
Though he had only spoken her name, his throat felt dry once more.
“Should we head back now?”
Flustered, Arin was about to rise from her seat.
“Stay a little longer.”
Mu Je took her hand and turned his gaze upward.
“The sunset will be here soon.”
Even as he spoke, the color of the sky was beginning to shift.
Like watercolors bleeding into one another, the blue deepened into violet, then kindled into crimson—a sight of breathtaking beauty.
“How beautiful.”
Arin sank back down, transfixed, her eyes fixed on the sky.
As she watched the sun sink slowly beyond the horizon, her cheeks flushed with the same warmth as the sunset.
And the ears of the man watching her glow also reddened in turn.
* * *
Ah Hyun, arriving at the Training Ground as early as always, was warming up his muscles.
Since arriving in the Capital, he hadn’t missed a single day of training, pushing himself relentlessly.
He needed to impress the Priestess at this Event to earn her favor.
Just as he was finishing his warm-up and about to begin in earnest.
Ah Hyun suddenly felt a sharp gaze upon him and lifted his head.
The moment he did, the stares scattered as though they’d been waiting for this.
People were pointedly averting their eyes.
‘What’s going on?’
Sensing something odd about being observed, Ah Hyun tilted his head.
Just then, Do Hun entered the Training Ground.
The moment Do Hun appeared, the atmosphere grew tense.
The glances between Ah Hyun and Do Hun were far more frequent than usual.
It was common knowledge that the Hongsaga and Gold Tiger Clan didn’t get along, but why this sudden heightened attention?
Bewildered by the unusual mood, Ah Hyun swung his sword anyway.
Do Hun, too, ignored their gazes and began loosening up.
Do Hun rarely appeared at the Training Ground, so Ah Hyun found himself acutely aware of him.
‘So he’s the disciple of Baek Ga Ram the Prime Minister. Nothing special.’
He was scoffing quietly while stealing glances at Do Hun’s warm-up movements.
Their eyes met directly, and then Do Hun approached him.
“Care to spar?”
Ah Hyun responded hesitantly to the abrupt challenge.
“Sure, why not.”
He’d been wanting to gauge Do Hun’s skills anyway, so the timing worked out.
Having trained hard this whole time, Ah Hyun was confident.
At the very least, he expected their abilities to be evenly matched.
Clang!
The moment the match began, Do Hun came at him in earnest.
When their wooden swords collided, Ah Hyun’s wrist went numb.
‘This bastard…!’
For someone who’d asked so politely with such a genteel expression, his movements were shockingly aggressive.
Most humiliating of all was that Ah Hyun was significantly overpowered in raw strength.
Do Hun didn’t even raise an eyebrow, methodically driving Ah Hyun into a corner.
Just as Ah Hyun, struggling to defend with all his might, was about to aim for a pressure point.
Crack!
Do Hun blocked as though he’d already read the attack’s trajectory, and Ah Hyun’s wooden sword snapped clean in half from the force.
A grunt escaped him.
From the backlash, Ah Hyun was forced to drop to one knee.
A sharp intake of breath.
Those watching the match openly gasped.
Humiliated before so many eyes, Ah Hyun couldn’t bring himself to raise his head.
Then Do Hun withdrew his sword and whispered quietly.
“You were tensing your wrist too much.”
At this assessment, Ah Hyun clenched his fists.
It was clearly intentional.
‘What the hell is his problem?’
When they’d crossed paths at the Lotus Festival before, there’d been no open hostility.
This sparring challenge today was Do Hun deliberately revealing his enmity toward Ah Hyun.
And he’d done it with considerable elegance.
Do Hun walked out of the Training Ground with the unhurried ease of someone who’d completed their task.
Still stunned, Ah Hyun remained sprawled on the ground when someone spoke to him.
“You okay? He seemed really angry.”
Everyone was equally surprised by Do Hun’s uncharacteristic ferocity.
“No idea. Why’d he suddenly come at me like that?”
Ah Hyun brushed himself off and stood, trying to look unbothered, and his companion’s eyes widened.
“You really don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Looks like you haven’t heard the rumors.”
His companion seemed troubled and pressed his lips together.
Confused, Ah Hyun furrowed his brow, and the man finally spoke hesitantly.
“The adopted daughter who was Accepted into the Gold Tiger Clan—apparently she’s your younger sister.”
“What are you talking about? So So came with me this time.”
“No, not him. I mean Arin.”
At the mention of Arin, Ah Hyun’s expression froze.
It was a name he’d never expected to hear again in this place.
“Arin was accepted into the Gold Tiger Clan?”
The moment Ah Hyun repeated it in shock, the rumor became fact.
The other man clicked his tongue.
“Word’s spreading everywhere now. They’re saying the Gold Tiger Clan took in a child who was expelled from Hongsaga and is raising her.”
Ah Hyun had nothing to say.
He’d known Arin had gone with the Priestess, but he hadn’t known she’d been accepted into the Gold Tiger Clan.
The man, watching Ah Hyun’s features cloud with shock, probed carefully.
“But why was she expelled?”
Everyone seemed curious about that, but Ah Hyun wasn’t in any state to answer.
“Forgive me. I must go.”
Ah Hyun headed straight for the Residence.
When he arrived, So So, who had been in the Reception Room, noticed him.
“Brother?”
Ah Hyun paid no attention to her and went directly to Lee Jin’s quarters.
He threw the door wide open and called out.
“Father!”
Lee Jin, who happened to be changing into formal clothes for a meeting, looked up with a puzzled expression.
“What brings you here? I thought you were going to the Training Ground.”
Ah Hyun glanced around, then lowered his voice.
“Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“About Arin!”
At his urgent whisper, Lee Jin’s eyebrows twitched.
A moment later, once he’d regained his composure, Lee Jin replied flatly.
“Have you seen Arin?”
At his calm response, Ah Hyun shifted his weight restlessly.
“No! I ran into her brother. The rumor is spreading through the Capital now—that Arin was driven out of Hongsaga and accepted into the Gold Tiger Clan.”

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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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