The Blue Dragon Clan’s Very Suspicious Little Chick - Chapter 55

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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 55

Gangnyeonjeon fell into an awkward silence in an instant.
Though it had only been two days, the children attending the Court Etiquette Session were not meeting for the first time.
Since the last Four Celestial Ceremony, they had been quarreling amongst themselves and huddling together, gradually growing closer to one another.
At least, all the children except Je Geon-u had been.
Je Geon-u had barely shown his face near the end of the last ceremony, remarking that they were his subjects, and yesterday he’d participated in class without uttering a single word.
A prince may be a prince, but he was still just a child.
Just as Je Geon-u was beginning to look flustered by the continued silence, Aran let out a soft laugh.
“It would just be a comfortable gathering among friends. Would that be all right?”
She’d meant the remark as a light jab at his earlier talk of subjects, but Je Geon-u showed no sign of embarrassment.
“Yeah, if that’s okay…… I’d like to come too.”
In that moment, Hong Woo—who Hyeon Tae-o had never intended to bring along—slipped in with practiced ease.
“It would be an honor, Your Highness! What sort of place is Hongnanjeong? Since none of us know the way, wouldn’t it be best if I went ahead to guide you?”
“Oh? So Hongnanjeong is…….”
Aran watched quietly as Je Geon-u was drawn away by Hong Woo, glancing back with a hint of reluctance.
Unlike during the Four Celestial Ceremony, the young Heir’s gaze was directed more often toward Baek Sa-heum than toward Aran.
Had he suddenly taken an interest in Sa-heum?
But why?
Could it be that Je Geon-u had noticed something as well?

***

“Wow, Your Highness! This is really something!”
Upon arriving at Hongnanjeong, Hong Bi clapped her hands together.
“We have a lake like this with red orchids blooming in the Vermilion Bird Territory too.”
Just as Hong Bi said, the Hongnanjeong within the Imperial Palace seemed like a miniature version of the Yeonhongji in the Vermilion Bird Territory.
“It’s beautiful…….”
Aran, too, could not tear her eyes away from the pond full of pink orchid blossoms.
In truth, the pink-tinged lake of Yeonhongji was what she had missed most from afar.
Throughout all this, Hyeon Tae-o stood quietly at her side.
The children spent their time freely as they wished.
The twins threw Water Skipping stones again, and Hong Bi refereed their competition with considerable skill.
Hong Woo watched his cousin sister with displeasure as she blended so naturally with the Azure Dragon Twins.
He had spent the entire journey trying to position himself at the prince’s side and steer the conversation, but no matter what he tried, the talk simply would not flow.
To see Hong Bi arriving at the Imperial Palace and making new friends so easily was enough to make his stomach twist.
But while he was watching Hong Bi for just a moment, the Heir drew close to someone else.
“We’re alike—neither of us has siblings.”
Surprisingly, the Heir had approached the coward from White Tiger Palace.
Come to think of it, hadn’t he greeted only this boy by name back in Gangnyeonjeon?
Why in the world did he take such particular interest in this one?
Whatever he was so afraid of, the coward could never quite meet the Heir’s gaze directly.
Baek Sa-heum answered even now with a thin voice, as if it had been wrung from him with great effort.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
How pathetic—that large frame of his flinched at every word from the prince.
It was only natural that Hong Woo’s expression twisted.
He was not some minor heir of Xuanwu Palace laden with grandiose titles like “the god’s reincarnation,” nor should he be overshadowed by a dull creature like the White Tiger’s servant.
Hong Woo approached the Heir with an air of familiarity and inserted himself into the conversation.
“Your Highness, I’m also an only son. Hong Bi is actually my cousin, not my full sister.”
Grandfather had told him this before coming to the Imperial Palace.
Of all the children gathered for this Court Etiquette Session, he was the oldest, and as the eldest, he must guide them all down the righteous path……!
Hong Woo had resolved to take responsibility for steering the young Heir toward proper conduct.
After all, choosing friends and subjects wisely was a mark of a good lord, was it not?
In that moment, a cunning scheme materialized in Hong Woo’s mind—a way to push the inadequate Baek Sa-heum out of the Heir’s notice.
“Oh, but Baek Sa-heum.”
He stepped toward Sa-heum with a vile smile concealed beneath his pleasant demeanor.
“There was something I wanted to ask you when I saw you again…….”
Sa-heum tilted his head with maddening slowness.
“What…? Me?”
Hong Woo jabbed at Baek Sa-heum’s tender spot with a deliberate, casual air.
“Why did you suddenly pass out during the Four Celestial Ceremony last time? Did you see a ghost that day?”

***

Baek Sa-heum’s face drained of color in an instant.
The moment he reflexively turned to look at Je Geon-u, his gaze caught on that black mass clinging stubbornly to the young prince’s feet.
His heart began to pound like a wild thing.
Terror seized the young White Tiger by the throat.
That black thing might coil around the prince and devour him any moment now.
Just like during the Four Celestial Ceremony…!
As Baek Sa-heum staggered, Aran came rushing toward him urgently.
“Sa-heum!”
Baek Sa-heum gasped down at Aran, feeling the warm grip around his wrist.
Round, dark eyes met his briefly before warmth wrapped around him suddenly.
“You’re all right, little one. You’re all right……”
A voice whispered so softly against his ear.
Baek Sa-heum could breathe again at the sound of Aran’s voice.
“Gasp…, h-hah.”
As this unfolded, the faces of those watching shifted into different expressions.
Hong Woo’s brow furrowed as though interrupted, while Hyeon Tae-o went terrifyingly blank.
And Je Geon-u turned his gaze from Baek Sa-heum to stare numbly at Aran.
Until now, he’d been too busy trying to befriend the baby White Tiger to notice, but suddenly, from Aran who’d come running, he caught a scent he knew.
His mother’s scent.
Strangely, that small Beastfolk—who wasn’t even a direct descendant of the Four Celestial Palace—somehow carried a scent just like his mother’s.
Why…?
“Aran!”
The Azure Dragon Twins came running noisily then, breaking Je Geon-u’s reverie.
“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”
Then Aran slipped free from Baek Sa-heum’s embrace and smiled sheepishly.
“Oh, there was a snake over there! It frightened me!”
A snake? Where?
Je Geon-u’s bewilderment lasted only a moment.
“A snake?!”
Hong Bi suddenly cut in, glaring at Hyeon Tae-o.
“Hyeon Tae-o, did you bring a snake again?”
Hyeon Tae-o wore a briefly dumbfounded expression, but upon meeting Aran’s eyes, he nodded helplessly.
Immediately, Hong Bi let out a shriek.
When Je Geon-u turned to look, he saw a black snake flicking its tongue in the direction Hong Bi was staring.
Je Geon-u could only blink at the pitch-dark serpent.
Did the youngest of Xuanwu Palace really carry snakes around as a matter of course?
As if this weren’t the first or second time such a thing had happened, Hong Bi pointed at the snake and stormed with indignation.
“Tell it to go! Make it go away right now!”
In the commotion, Hong Woo couldn’t press Sa-heum any further.
And Je Geon-u couldn’t ask Aran about her scent either.
Even if nothing else had intervened, asking why your scent resembled our mother’s would have been difficult.

***

At that same moment, Hwa Gyeom, who had gone to the Prince’s Palace, received unexpected news.
“His Highness went to Hongnanjeong with the heirs of the Four Celestial Palace, you say?”
“Yes, sir. The attendants said they would accompany him, so the nursemaids of the Four Celestial Palace all returned to their quarters. I came back ahead as well.”
Nam Sanggung’s expression as he answered was bright.
Hwa Gyeom found it remarkable, having seen Je Geon-u’s vacant stare just the day before.
After the Empress’s portrait burned, Je Geon-u had been nearly uncontrollable. But now…
“…You’re saying His Highness’s condition improved overnight?”
Nam Sanggung answered Hwa Gyeom’s question with joy.
“Yes, remarkably so—this morning he seemed to have suddenly regained his spirits. The Court Etiquette Session must have been a great strength to him.”
Nam Sanggung believed Hwa Gyeom’s words about the Court Etiquette Session being arranged for Je Geon-u’s sake without question.
Hwa Gyeom was so startled that he momentarily forgot the very reason he ought to be glad—that Je Geon-u had recovered.
“How is this possible? What on earth happened yesterday……?”
This threw Nam Sanggung off balance somewhat.
Here was the Prince’s uncle, and instead of rejoicing that his nephew’s illness had at last subsided, he was hunting for the cause.
“I’m not certain, sir. Nothing unusual occurred in the Palace. He was the same as he has been these past few days until last evening……, but when morning came, he appeared suddenly transformed.”
Hwa Gyeom’s eyes narrowed.
He had already reviewed yesterday’s events with the Senior Byeolgam in the evening, so he knew them well.
There had been nothing extraordinary.
There were obtuse children, sharp children, wise children—but none of them, he’d been told, had drawn the Prince’s attention.
Yet after a night’s sleep, he suddenly recovered……?
The Azure Dragon Family’s Many Suspicious Happenings, Chapter 55
E-book Release Date | August 5, 2026

Author | Ravioli
Publisher | Odd Eye
Submissions/Inquiries | [email protected]

UCI | G720:N+A101-20260722065.0055
List Price | 100 Won

ⓒ Ravioli 2026

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This e-book is published by contract with the author and is prohibited from unauthorized republication, reproduction, distribution, or sharing without written consent of both parties.

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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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