The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 35
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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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Chapter 35
A moment of crisis.
After nimbly dodging the spear and hissing once more, Moa suddenly ran toward Goseol.
The creature was exhausted, breathing heavily.
-Kraaaaaaoooo!
However, as if unable to forgive the soldiers who had pointed spears at Moa, it staggered to its feet.
With a sharp whooshing sound cutting through the air.
Wings that emerged with powerful flapping instantly attacked the soldiers.
“Ugh…!”
The soldiers who had let their guard down fell like bundles of straw.
But at the same time, Goseol also collapsed flat on the ground, completely exhausted.
“Mi, miii!” (Go, Goseol!)
Startled, Moa rubbed her head against Goseol’s leg.
Then she stretched out her front paw toward the black threads wrapped around the creature’s body.
‘This time I’ll protect you.’
She couldn’t protect Danhwi and Kkabuyi, but she could protect Goseol right before her eyes.
With Moa’s earnest wish, her claws cut through several thin strands among the threads wrapped around Goseol’s body.
It was something Moa had strategically targeted, remembering that the black chains couldn’t be cut carelessly.
As the black threads snapped with soft sounds, a powerful and warm light engulfed the garden.
-Wooong.
In Goseol’s eyes, the sky-like light had grown a little more.
Moa’s body, meeting eyes with Goseol.
‘Ah…!’
Changed into the form of a small child wearing not a thread of clothing.
Flutter.
As if to cover Moa’s appearance, Goseol spread its massive jet-black wings.
Like a mother bird sheltering her chick, Goseol warmly embraced Moa with its soft feathers.
For the small savior who had rescued it from pain, Goseol willingly offered its wings as a shield.
As if to perfectly protect Moa so no one could see her.
“…Moa!”
Just then, a familiar voice was heard from the garden entrance.
It was Jin Saheon.
He came running breathlessly, clutching Moa’s pink light armor tightly in one hand as if it might crumple.
The Emperor, who had been walking leisurely behind him, also stiffened his expression.
“What is this…”
The scene before them was shocking.
The fierce divine beast Goseol, which had been rampaging wildly, was lying down like the gentlest lamb in the world, cradling a child.
And between those massive wings, Moa poked her head out with disheveled hair.
“Daddy!”
“Moa…!”
Jin Saheon threw down the clothes and ran like the wind.
Though he approached to lift the wings, Goseol showed no aggression.
Jin Saheon took off the thick outer garment he was wearing and wrapped Moa tightly before lifting her up.
Finally holding the child in his arms brought him relief.
“You were alive! Please, please… do you know how worried Daddy was?!”
The great Jin Saheon trembled as he held the child as if she might break.
Inside her rough father’s cloak, Moa smiled brightly, feeling his warm body temperature and scent.
Then she turned her head toward the Emperor.
“Your Majesty.”
“…”
“I kept my promise. Didn’t I?”
The Emperor let out a hollow laugh.
His jaw bulged roughly as he held back his emotions.
The creature that hadn’t submitted despite years of his careful oppression had let that tiny child into its circle?
“…This is absurd.”
Jin Saheon, holding Moa, glared at the Emperor with cold eyes.
“You saw it. Please stamp the imperial seal as promised. Right now.”
“Ha…”
The Emperor let out a hollow laugh.
Even if he was from the Twelve Great Clans, to dare bare his teeth at the Emperor.
He wanted to charge them all with impiety and behead Jin Saheon, Moa, and Goseol alike, but.
‘…I must find composure.’
The man before him was the greatest under heaven.
Not only would he not meekly offer his neck, but including the fact that his daughter’s life had been threatened, there wasn’t enough justification.
“Your Majesty.”
Jin Saheon urged again with a cold face.
The Emperor suppressed his anger and gestured to the eunuch with narrow eyes.
That gesture, wounded in pride, was more brutal than usual.
The eunuch tremblingly brought a box containing the imperial seal and adoption documents.
‘Damn it.’
The box containing the imperial seal, which he had brought intending to mock and taunt before a father who had failed to solve Goseol’s problem and lost his daughter, opened with a click.
“Fine. A promise is a promise.”
The Emperor picked up the imperial seal with a bitter heart.
Thud-!
The imperial seal covered in red ink was stamped on the documents.
With this, Moa Han from the Seedling Orphanage.
Became Jin Moa, the one and only precious daughter of the Jinryong Clan, the highest-ranking family in the Dan Empire.
Now, if they took the adoption documents back and burned them at the family shrine, Moa’s name would be written in the genealogy under the Heavenly Deity’s protection.
Jin Saheon’s expression finally relaxed a little.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Jin Saheon tried to turn around while holding Moa.
He didn’t want to stay in this terrible place for even a moment longer.
“Wait.”
However, the Emperor’s quiet voice caught their ankles.
“You may take the documents. But there’s one condition remaining.”
“…A condition? Isn’t that different from our promise?”
Jin Saheon scowled fiercely.
The Emperor pointed at Goseol with his chin.
“From what I see, it seems that creature has indeed come to follow the child. But the look in its eyes when it stares at me is still insolent.”
“So?”
“It’s merely a temporary result. Therefore…”
The Emperor’s lips curled up in a sinister smile.
“Send the child to the Imperial Palace regularly to pacify that creature.”
“…What did you say? Are you saying you’ll hold my daughter hostage?!”
Explosive killing intent erupted from Jin Saheon’s body.
To force a mere five-year-old child to enter and exit the Imperial Palace.
This was clearly a scheme to keep the child nearby for surveillance and exploit her abilities.
“Hostage? How disappointing. I’m giving her the duty of a healer who manages the Imperial family’s sacred creature. Isn’t the Jinryong Clan a family that protects the Imperial family? Can’t you even provide this much cooperation?”
“This isn’t cooperation, it’s exploitation. Absolutely not!”
Jin Saheon refused flatly.
He knew exactly what the Emperor’s scheme was.
The fact that Moa had calmed Goseol must have dealt a severe blow to his pride.
It was clear he was doing this to get revenge, and to shake the Jinryong Clan using Moa as an excuse.
“If you refuse, I could cancel the adoption permit I just stamped. Including your current attitude… for disobedience to imperial orders.”
“Your Majesty!”
Jin Saheon’s hands urgently held Moa tight.
His mind was complicated. Though he had become accustomed to politics after ascending to head of the manor at a young age, the current Emperor was someone beyond reason.
“Trying to seek my permission as a temporary measure—isn’t that showing contempt for me?”
The Emperor arrogantly lifted his chin and approached Goseol step by step.
Then, Goseol, who had been lying quietly, opened its beak and began to cry out.
-Kieeeeeek!
Anyone could see it was rejecting the Emperor.
As the atmosphere reached a breaking point.
Moa, who had been buried deep in the cloak, poked her head out.
“Dad.”
Moa’s small hand wrapped around Jin Saheon’s clenched fist.
“I’ll do it.”
“Moa. No. This is…”
Jin Saheon wanted to explain to Moa that this was a trap the Emperor had set.
But since they were in front of the Emperor, and thinking young Moa wouldn’t understand, he only made a troubled expression.
“It’s okay. I want to help Goseol.”
Moa smiled brightly at Jin Saheon, who was looking at her with concern.
‘I know you’re trying to use me.’
Perhaps she had lived in the orphanage to develop this kind of intuition.
Moa knew the Emperor was sinisterly targeting her.
[Moa, think again. The Emperor can make you suffer anytime!]
Somi, who could somehow communicate again, was also trying to dissuade Moa.
But if she refused here.
‘Then who will save brother, Kkabuyi, and Goseol.’
Though everyone was trying to stop her, Moa thought this was a situation where she had to be brave.
Because she had promised to save them.
She also had to find out why she kept transforming between cat and human whenever she encountered Goseol.
If the other party was trying to use her, Moa had no choice but to make them let their guard down and use them in return.
“But I have conditions.”
“Oh? How impudent. How dare you speak of conditions to the Emperor?”
“Your Majesty stamped the seal even though I haven’t fully healed Goseol yet, so you’ll surely overlook this much.”
Not knowing the word ‘generous,’ Moa explained in a roundabout way.
When a five-year-old child spoke seriously while looking completely disheveled and messy, the Emperor found it difficult to refuse coldly, if only for the sake of appearances.
“Please prepare lots of delicious snacks every time I come to the Imperial Palace. If this keeps happening, I’ll collapse from hunger.”
“Kuk, snacks. Yes, I’ll pile them up like a mountain.”
At Moa’s bold demand, the Emperor was momentarily dazed, then burst into giggles.
The Emperor took Moa’s request as merely a child’s tantrum.
“And please remove that thing attached to Goseol’s body. And while I’m treating Goseol, no one should interfere. Not even Your Majesty.”
“That won’t do. If that beast goes wild, my precious garden will be ruined and people will get hurt.”
“You only need to remove it when I’m there.”
“Then if problems arise, you’ll have to take full responsibility?”
“Goseol is kind, so it will be well-behaved.”
Moa answered without hesitation.
Thanks to the Emperor focusing on the demand to release Goseol’s restraints, the condition about removing surveillance passed easily.
‘And when Goseol moves…’
She would naturally be able to go meet Danhwi with Goseol.
Her demand for lots of snacks was also to give to Danhwi, who must be starving.
‘I’ll definitely set you free.’
Moa glanced toward Goseol.
There were still many small black threads on the creature’s body that hadn’t been severed.
She had to remove all of those for Goseol to be completely free.
This was both the Emperor’s task and a rescue quest Moa had chosen for herself.
“Good. Then come back within two weeks.”
The Emperor waved his hand as if satisfied.
Jin Saheon’s breathing was heavy with unresolved anger, but when Moa said she was fine and stroked his cheek, he forcibly swallowed his rage.
“…Let’s go.”
Jin Saheon tucked the sealed document into his clothes and left the place while holding Moa.
Ignoring the Emperor’s sticky gaze he felt on his back.
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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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