The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 65
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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 65
Danhwi’s hand, pale with worry for Moa, flew out fiercely.
“Get away! Stay away from Moa!”
Danhwi shouted desperately as he swung the book he had been reading.
Since the massive beak was thrust through the window, he thought Moa might get devoured if he wasn’t careful.
However, the scene outside the window was different from his expectations.
“Older Brother! Don’t!”
Moa cried out urgently.
“Goseol is my friend! He’s a good boy!”
“…Huh?”
The book dropped limply from Danhwi’s hand.
Goseol showed no signs of attacking at all.
Rather, even though Moa was hugging his neck and hanging from him, he just blinked his eyes quietly and stayed still.
-Kuuung.
Goseol made a low cry as he greeted Danhwi.
Danhwi stared up at Goseol in a daze.
He was large and fierce-looking, but somehow with Moa riding on his back, he looked like a big puppy.
“See, see? Isn’t he gentle?”
Moa struggled as she climbed from Goseol’s back onto the window frame.
The small window was just big enough for a young child to fit through.
Danhwi spread his arms with a frightened expression, worried that Moa might get stuck or fall.
He was ready to catch her if she fell.
However, Moa kicked her legs and slid down smoothly with ease.
“You, you, what if it had been dangerous…!”
Danhwi was about to scold her in surprise when he suddenly saw the pink ears sprouting from Moa’s head and his mouth fell open.
“Oh, this? I can become half-cat! Then like this…”
Boing! Boing boing!
Moa hopped lightly in place with movements that seemed to make sound effects.
When Moa tucked her ears away, he gasped in surprise once more.
“Hehe. Let me introduce him again. This is Goseol.”
Then Goseol stretched his neck long and thrust his beak toward Danhwi through the window.
Danhwi instinctively flinched but didn’t dodge.
Though the hard beak looked fierce, he realized there was no intent to attack.
Goseol’s beak gently touched Danhwi’s disheveled hair.
It was a soft movement, like a mother bird grooming the feathers of her chick in the nest.
“Wow! Goseol is combing Older Brother’s hair!”
Moa laughed cheerfully.
“You must smell good to him!”
A good smell? There’s no way I could smell good.
It seemed like Moa was interpreting things too positively, so Danhwi smiled bitterly.
Perhaps even in the eyes of a spirit beast, he looked pitiful.
However, he could feel Goseol’s goodwill, so it didn’t feel bad.
“Oh, Older Brother. Take this.”
Moa took out a piece of candy from her inner pocket and pressed it into Danhwi’s hand.
She had hidden it in the folds of her full skirt, so the Imperial Guards hadn’t discovered it earlier.
It was precious candy made from honey that she had brought from the Haejeo Family and saved to eat bit by bit.
The golden wrapper sparkled in the sunlight.
“This is really sweet and delicious. When you eat it, you feel all warm and fuzzy.”
“…”
“It’s not poisoned. I guarantee it.”
Moa grinned and gave a thumbs up.
Danhwi looked down at the candy placed in his palm.
It was warm with Moa’s body heat.
“…I have nothing to give you in return.”
All Danhwi had was his difficult circumstances and useless body.
Even the wrapper of the candy that Moa casually ate as a snack seemed more valuable than Danhwi.
“If my older brother finds out, he won’t let it slide. I’m… an ominous existence.”
“You worry about everything! I came here secretly without anyone knowing!”
Moa giggled as she firmly grasped Danhwi’s cold hand.
“I told you I’d definitely save you. I’ll get really strong and come to get you after breaking down all these walls.”
“…”
“I want to give you lots more delicious things, but today Goseol said he was hurt so I came in a hurry and left everything behind. Make sure you eat this, okay?”
Moa earnestly insisted as if she knew that Danhwi would secretly hide the candy and treasure it like a precious gem.
Goseol, who had been watching from the side, also cried “Kuuk!” and tapped Danhwi’s shoulder with the tip of his wing.
“This guy… is Goseol?”
“Yeah, his black feathers are pretty, right?”
“Is he… your spirit beast?”
“Huh? No! He’s an uncontracted spirit beast living in the Imperial Palace.”
When Danhwi seemed curious about Goseol, excited Moa explained.
How Goseol lived, how clever he was, and so on.
After listening for a while, Danhwi felt something strange and tilted his head.
‘That’s strange. An uncontracted spirit beast? There’s no way such a thing could exist…’
The only being who could dare keep a spirit beast in the Imperial Palace was the Emperor.
Or perhaps, could it be that the Emperor hadn’t yet tamed his own spirit beast?
While Danhwi was thinking, Somi called to Moa.
[Moa! If we don’t start moving soon, the human will get suspicious!]
‘Don’t call Dad a human!’
Responding reproachfully to Somi’s urgent voice, Moa hugged Danhwi tightly.
“I have to go! Dad is waiting.”
“…Yeah, hurry and go.”
Danhwi nodded, hiding his regret.
He wanted to hold onto her longer, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
“Make sure you eat your meals! I’ll come again!”
Moa easily climbed back over the window frame and got on Goseol’s back.
“Let’s go!”
-Kieeeek!
Goseol moved vigorously.
Goseol and Moa retraced their path using his strong legs instead of his injured wing.
Danhwi stepped on the book and watched through the window frame until the two became dots and disappeared.
And then the room became quiet again.
When Moa disappeared, loneliness crept in again.
Danhwi sat on the blanket and stared at the candy in his hand.
‘It’s too precious.’
Though she told him to eat it, he still wanted to keep it forever.
Danhwi began to rack his brain about where to store it safely.
In the case of his blade that was now just a handle, he buried it under the tree where he practiced and dug it up each time.
It was because it would be terrible if someone discovered it while searching his room.
However, food couldn’t be stored that way.
‘If I hide it between books, mice might eat it…’
It was while he was looking around the room, scheming where to hide it.
Bang—!
The door opened roughly as if it would break.
Danhwi was startled and quickly hid the candy behind his back.
He saw a shadow rippling black against the backlight.
Thump thump thump thump.
Danhwi’s heart raced as it sensed foreboding.
The Emperor, who rarely came to this room, had personally arrived.
“Hmm….”
The Emperor entered the room with large strides without saying a word.
Danhwi had to use all his strength not to tremble.
He didn’t want to shake in front of the Emperor. That was his last remaining pride.
“An interesting guest came and went.”
In the Emperor’s hand were black feathers.
They were Goseol’s feathers.
The Emperor waved the feathers in his hand in front of Danhwi’s eyes.
Danhwi’s heart dropped to his feet with a thud.
“You probably thought you were acting cleverly in your own way. But you left traces everywhere.”
The Emperor’s malice was clearly felt.
The Emperor had deliberately tracked where Moa went leading Goseol.
If she had done anything problematic, it was to pay her back greatly.
He harbored ill feelings toward Moa who had made a fool of him.
‘Older Brother… hates Moa…!’
He could understand hating himself.
But to hate Moa.
Danhwi knew well enough how cruel his older brother could become toward people he disliked.
“Hand over what you’re holding.”
The Emperor’s voice was low and chilling.
Danhwi shook his head and stepped back, but the Emperor instantly twisted Danhwi’s wrist.
“Ahhh!”
Strength left Danhwi’s hand, and the candy he had been hiding rolled to the floor.
The golden wrapper made a fragile rustling sound.
“You’re trying to disobey your older brother’s words over something like this?”
The Emperor sneered coldly.
And mercilessly raised his foot wearing leather shoes.
“No…!”
Danhwi screamed and reached out his hand.
But the Emperor’s foot was faster.
Crack.
A cruel bursting sound echoed through the room.
The candy Moa had given him was crushed beyond recognition under the Emperor’s foot.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Emperor ground it with his foot, turning it to powder.
“Ah… ahh…”
Tears poured from Danhwi’s eyes.
The warmth he had received from Moa was trampled by dirty black feet and became trash.
The Emperor savored with ecstasy the despair rolling down from his usually emotionless younger brother’s eyes.
“Not knowing your place. You foolish thing, if you drag that child into this, next time it won’t be candy… that child’s fingers will end up like this.”
“Older Brother, Older Brother…!”
“Remember this. Your only way to survive is to become like the dead, thoroughly alone.”
The Emperor said as he threw Danhwi to the floor.
‘If only we could die together here…’
Murderous intent bloomed in Danhwi’s eyes as he lay face down on the floor.
However, he soon realized he had no dagger.
Moreover, the Emperor was far too strong.
He had practiced stabbing with the dagger desperately, but…
‘I actually knew it. That it wouldn’t be enough…’
He had only practiced because he had no confidence to live without burning something to gain hope.
There was no way he could kill the Emperor with a dagger that was only a blade.
“You understand your older brother’s words well, don’t you?”
The Emperor carelessly patted Danhwi’s head once and left the room.
“Sob, sniff…”
Left alone, Danhwi crawled on the floor.
He scraped together the dirt-covered candy powder with trembling hands.
‘Don’t come, Moa.’
The young boy held the powdered candy to his chest and wailed.
‘Please don’t come. If you come to me… you’ll be broken.’
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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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