The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 49

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

Chapter 49

 

As soon as Moa’s whisper ended, Goseol suddenly flapped its wings and let out a terrible shriek.

 

-Kieeeeeek!

 

As Goseol spread its massive wings wide, fierce winds arose and dust clouds billowed up.

 

“Kyaak!”

 

Yehui had to cover her face with her arms against the sudden wind.

 

At that moment, Goseol created a circular wall with its wings, completely blocking the surroundings as if embracing Moa.

 

From outside, only a wall of black feathers could be seen.

 

“Miss! Are you alright?”

 

Startled Yehui cried out urgently and tried to break through.

 

-Kieeeek!

 

But Goseol shrieked sharply and threatened Yehui’s approach with its beak.

 

While Yehui hesitated, Moa’s urgent voice came from inside the feather wall.

 

“Sister! Don’t come! Goseol is being shy around people! Chase away anyone else who tries to come closer! I’ll try to calm it down!”

 

“But…!”

 

“Hurry! I’m really okay!”

 

Moa’s voice was so spirited. There were no screams or crying sounds.

 

‘If I force my way through, I might provoke it and the Miss could get hurt.’

 

She bit her lip and chose to turn around and block the surroundings instead.

 

Meanwhile, Moa ran like an arrow into the bushes behind her.

 

[This way, Moa!]

 

Following the direction Somi indicated, Moa moved quickly.

 

Her destination was Danhwi’s quarters.

 

‘Huh?’

 

When Moa suddenly used her search ability, she gasped as the abandoned pavilion where she first met him appeared in her mind instead of Danhwi’s quarters.

 

‘What method to save Grandfather could be there?’

 

Moa fell into brief contemplation.

 

“Where should I go first?”

 

[Stupid Moa. Go to the abandoned pavilion first. That human boy might be there.]

 

“Ah, that’s right! Somi is smart!”

 

Moa nodded her head.

 

Since there was no guarantee Danhwi would be at his quarters, it seemed better to check the abandoned pavilion first.

 

“Alright, then it’s full speed ahead!”

 

Moa ran quickly, being careful not to let her fancy silk clothes get caught on branches and torn.

 

After passing through the well-maintained garden, a forest path overgrown with weeds where no human foot had tread appeared.

 

It smelled damp and musty.

 

‘I came all the way to a place like this when I was startled last time…’

 

To Moa who had become small as a cat, it had seemed incredibly overgrown, but it was just because the weeds hadn’t been cleared at all.

 

It was unbelievably old and shabby to think such a place was hidden in a corner of the splendid Imperial Palace.

 

‘There it is!’

 

Moa caught her breath behind the bushes and looked toward the back of the pavilion.

 

In front of the rotting wooden pillar, there was a familiar shadow.

 

It was Danhwi.

 

But contrary to Moa’s expectation that he would be crouched down from hunger, Danhwi was moving nimbly.

 

Thunk!

 

Stab!

 

Monotonous but eerie sounds repeated.

 

In Danhwi’s hand was not a proper sword, but a sharp piece of metal roughly wrapped with cloth where the handle should be.

 

He gripped it tightly and was persistently stabbing a specific point on the wooden pillar. Around eye level.

 

‘…Practice?’

 

No, that wasn’t practice.

 

Danhwi’s eyes, wet with sweat, were completely empty.

 

What he was doing while swinging without even knowing blood was dripping from his hands couldn’t just be practice.

 

Rustle.

 

A sound of dry leaves crumbling came from shocked Moa’s feet.

 

It was an instant.

 

Danhwi quickly hid the metal piece in his sleeve and turned around.

 

Venom shot from his eyes as he turned his head.

 

“Who’s there.”

 

Moa panicked and raised both hands, carefully stepping into the bright area.

 

‘This wasn’t how I wanted to encounter him.’

 

But it was somewhat shocking.

 

The Danhwi she had met as a cat wasn’t this kind of boy.

 

He seemed more gentle back then…

 

It was when Moa felt somewhat disappointed.

 

“If you’re lost, go back right now. This isn’t a place for you to come.”

 

“That’s not it…”

 

Danhwi looked at Moa’s attire and realized she was a child raised preciously in a good family.

 

But it was strange.

 

‘I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere…’

 

Delicate features.

 

A somehow familiar feeling passed by, but Danhwi shook his head.

 

That wasn’t what was important right now.

 

“Which clan do you belong to? If the guards catch you, your clan will be in trouble too. If you don’t want to see something ugly…”

 

Danhwi tried to drive Moa away extremely rationally and coldly.

 

It was the defense mechanism of a child who knew deep in his bones that getting involved with him would bring misfortune.

 

‘I was too careless. I practiced here knowing that palace servants don’t come to this place…’

 

Though he was speaking coldly to Moa, he was inwardly flustered.

 

He had been practicing strikes while thinking of the tree in front of him as the Emperor, imagining stabbing around his thigh area.

 

After losing Kkabuyi so futilely, his life had nothing left but revenge.

 

For now he was only practicing due to the restrictions placed on him, but…

 

“What are you doing. Don’t come…”

 

Moa ignored his intention and strode closer.

 

Each time Moa approached, Kkabuyi’s spirit hovering around Danhwi’s feet barked happily as if glad to see her.

 

Just as Danhwi was about to step back, Moa grabbed his sleeve.

 

“Let go of this!”

 

“No!”

 

“What?”

 

Taking advantage of Danhwi’s confusion, Moa forcibly opened his hand.

 

“…!”

 

Danhwi held his breath. It felt like his shameful secret that he didn’t want discovered had been exposed.

 

Danhwi’s palm was a mess.

 

Between the firmly embedded calluses, cuts and tears from forcibly gripping and swinging the sharp metal piece without a handle were everywhere.

 

Blood was seeping out, staining the cloth red.

 

Moa’s face turned red and blue.

 

“What are you doing with hands like this!”

 

“Mind your own business. It’s my body.”

 

“Hmph! It’s my concern!”

 

Moa held tightly to prevent Danhwi from pulling his hand away and took out what she had carefully wrapped and brought.

 

When she opened the lid, a cool and refreshing mint fragrance vibrated through the air.

 

It was an all-purpose ointment she had brought from home in advance.

 

“Wh-what are you trying to do?”

 

“Shh! Stay still. If you keep doing that, I’ll give you really bitter medicine too!”

 

Moa threatened him with something she herself was afraid of.

 

Danhwi panicked and wiggled the hand that Moa had caught.

 

White, small, and soft hands that seemed to know nothing of hardship.

 

His own hand, caught by those chubby baby-like hands, looked embarrassingly wretched in comparison.

 

‘Shaking off something like this would be nothing…’

 

However, Danhwi couldn’t bring himself to push Moa away as his heart wanted.

 

He could only watch as her fern-like fingers generously spread and applied ointment over his wounded palm.

 

Stinging pain washed over him, but then warm breath from between Moa’s lips enveloped the wound.

 

“Hoo- hoo-.”

 

Danhwi stared blankly at the sight.

 

There were many people who screamed at the sight of him, avoided him as if he were dirty, or clicked their tongues in pity.

 

But it had been a long time since someone had gotten angry while applying medicine to him like this.

 

‘Mother and Father…’

 

His deceased parents came to mind. Those days when everyone would rush to call the royal physician even if he fell just a little while playing.

 

It stung, but strangely tickled.

 

Not his palm, but somewhere deep inside his chest.

 

“There…”

 

After carefully applying the medicine, Moa wrapped the bandage around crookedly.

 

Thanks to the messily wrapped bandage, his hand that had been radiating killing intent instantly transformed into something like a cute cotton bat.

 

“All done!”

 

Moa looked up at Danhwi with a proud face.

 

‘What’s all done?’

 

Though the wound was covered, Danhwi couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the completely crooked bandage.

 

Back when he received examinations from the royal physician, no one had ever wrapped bandages this messily for him.

 

But he never knew that such trivial skill could move him this much.

 

‘I can’t get soft.’

 

Danhwi bit his lips tightly.

 

On the day Kkabuyi died, he had made a vow.

 

He would get revenge on his Older Brother, then follow Kkabuyi afterward.

 

‘I need to stay hard.’

 

He added another stroke to the thought he had repeated thousands of times.

 

However, his bandaged fingertips were so warmly affectionate that Danhwi had to struggle not to cry.

 

No matter how hard he tried to steel his heart, Danhwi was still only a nine-year-old child.

 

‘You’ll run away too once you know my situation anyway.’

 

If that was the case, it would be better if she left quickly now.

 

“Everyone told me it would have been better if I had died instead.”

 

Danhwi spoke to Moa as if tossing the words at her.

 

Then he watched her reaction, curious about how she would respond.

 

“Why?”

 

Moa tilted her head, genuinely not understanding.

 

“Because my Older Brother killed our parents and took the throne. I’m his biggest thorn in the side.”

 

Moa’s eyes widened at Danhwi’s words.

 

When Somi explained the difficult words in Danhwi’s statement, she clearly understood just how terrible his situation was.

 

“My Older Brother never tries to actually kill me. But he does torment me enough to make me want to die.”

 

“…”

 

“They call me Crown Prince, but no one really believes I’ll actually inherit the throne.”

 

As Danhwi continued revealing his inner thoughts, tears welled up in Moa’s eyes.

 

“You…”

 

It was when Danhwi was flustered by the unfamiliar address from someone born as the Youngest Child.

 

“You loved your Older Brother a lot, didn’t you? You still do, right?”

 

The words that came from Moa’s mouth struck Danhwi’s heart with a thud.

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