The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 66

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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 66

***

The day after returning from the Imperial Palace, Jinryongseoga was in a festive mood.

Moa had defeated the Emperor’s schemes and even calmed the spiritual beast before returning, so it was a great celebration.

“Hah! No matter how hard that bastard tries, he’s still in our baby’s palm!”

Jin Wonbaek gave Moa a piggyback ride and laughed heartily.

Jin Saheon also watched fondly and fed sweet fruit into Moa’s mouth.

Moa chewed the fruit and cheered inwardly.

‘Everyone believes I really got lucky pulling out that needle!’

[That snake-like human bastard never would have imagined you could act like that!]

Moa shrugged her shoulders triumphantly.

‘Oh right, did brother eat the candy?’

She was a bit surprised that Danhwi had looked at mere snacks with such rapturous eyes, as if seeing jewels.

‘It would be nice to change that room a bit too.’

There wasn’t even a pillow – how about bringing him a soft pillow?

Moa was lost in the happy delusion that the Imperial Palace was like an easy playground to visit.

It didn’t take long for that sweet delusion to shatter.

“A gift from His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.”

The Steward’s voice cut through the noisy atmosphere of the room.

Behind him stood a eunuch.

Jin Wonbaek and Jin Saheon’s expressions became subtle.

“To commend Miss Jin for excellently calming the spiritual beast, His Majesty has personally bestowed a gift.”

The eunuch held out a box wrapped in silk.

Moa’s eyes sparkled.

‘A gift? Sweets? Meat? Or maybe gold coins?’

To think she was receiving a reward for tricking the Emperor.

Nothing could be more satisfying than this.

“Give it to me first.”

Jin Saheon, who couldn’t trust the Emperor, reached out his hand to the eunuch.

However, the eunuch shook his head and looked at Moa.

“His Majesty said that Miss Jin must receive it personally.”

All the adults became serious, wondering what kind of scheme this was.

Moa herself, watched by her family, excitedly unwrapped the cloth covering the box.

“Wow!”

The case inside the cloth was very luxurious.

The surface of the case had knot decorations carved in relief.

The moment she opened the box with a pounding heart.

The smile on Moa’s lips froze stiff.

“…Huh?”

Inside the splendid box were no jewels or toys.

Placed alone on white silk were a black feather and a single flower petal.

“What is this? Some crow feather…”

Jin Wonbaek frowned.

Jin Saheon also didn’t hide his displeasure.

“It looks like a Goseol feather. It feels somehow ominous. What’s the intention?”

He muttered in a small voice so the eunuch couldn’t hear.

The adults thought it was just the Emperor’s eccentric prank.

But Moa was different.

The moment she saw the feather and petal, all color drained from Moa’s face.

‘This is…’

A petal from the wildflower that bloomed near Danhwi’s quarters.

‘No way.’

Moa’s heart pounded frantically.

Her hands were about to tremble, and Moa almost dropped the box.

‘There’s, there’s also a letter.’

Moa took out the stiff letter from the bottom of the box.

It was written in the Emperor’s own hand.

[This is what you dropped in the ‘dark place.’ You shouldn’t leave trash in your precious friend’s room. I’m returning it to its owner.]

Somi read the contents of the letter aloud.

Instantly, it felt like her blood was draining down, down, piercing through her soles and being sucked into the floor.

Dark place. Friend’s room. What you dropped.

Every word strangled Moa’s throat.

‘He knew…’

Even if he didn’t know about healing the Goseol, he had guessed that Moa was acting to escape afterward.

He must have been watching everything when she secretly went to meet Danhwi.

While she was happily returning home thinking ‘I wasn’t caught!’, the Emperor must have been picking up this feather and smiling coldly.

[Moa! Your heart rate is too high! Calm down!]

Somi warned, but she couldn’t hear.

An emotion greater than fear overwhelmed her.

If he knew I went there, what about brother Danhwi?

‘Because of me… brother…’

Just imagining it made her breathless.

-Warning: Heart rate spike

-Action: Executing stabilization mode

-Limit: 1 use today, 0 remaining

Just as panic was about to hit, a very small electric current flowed from her watch.

Miraculously, it calmed Moa’s state when she wanted to collapse to the floor.

“Once you receive the box, I was also ordered to deliver this invitation.”

The eunuch waited upright until Moa put away the box, then held out an invitation.

It was an envelope with purple patterns.

“What’s this now? Saryeom House?”

The twelve clans each had different symbolic colors.

Purple was the symbolic color of Saryeom House, which served Saryeomryeong, the snake Guardian Spirit.

Jin Saheon casually touched the envelope.

This time, since the Emperor hadn’t specifically ordered it be delivered to Moa, the eunuch didn’t stop him.

“…Saryeom House is holding a tea party?”

Somi sneakily read the invitation over Jin Saheon’s shoulder.

[Saryeom House is hosting a social tea party for children. We invite Miss Jin Moa to attend and grace the occasion… it says?]

Moa frowned briefly and tugged at Jin Saheon’s sleeve.

“Dad, what’s a tea party?”

“A tea party is an event where people drink tea with refreshments to build friendship. Since it’s a ladies’ tea party, it means only women gather.”

“I see…”

“But why… did His Majesty the Emperor send this?”

What kind of scheme did the Emperor have?

He tried to understand the situation through the eunuch.

“It’s the first tea party hosted by the young master of Saryeom House, Miss Saryeom, before her coming-of-age ceremony. His Majesty hoped Miss Jin would learn ‘proper etiquette’ by socializing with young ladies her age.”

The eunuch answered with a cold smile.

Jin Saheon’s fist clenched tight.

A ‘ladies’ tea party’ was strictly a women-only space.

Moreover, if it was the first tea party before a coming-of-age ceremony, it would be even more exclusive.

It was a ritual where only girls of the same age gathered without adults to bid farewell to the last of their girlhood.

The Emperor had used this exclusive tradition as a shield to completely block the approach of adults around Moa.

“Why did His Majesty deliver this?”

“Because the Young Master of Saryeom is a promising talent that His Majesty has his eye on.”

In other words, she was receiving the Emperor’s favor.

The eunuch who had casually dropped this bombshell soon disappeared from the room, saying he had to return to the Imperial Palace.

‘It’s a trap. It’s a trap, but… it’s also a threat.’

Moa clenched her fists tightly.

It was a threat that if she didn’t go, there was no telling what would happen to Danhwi.

He must have deliberately sent it with the box, worried that she might ignore it if Saryeom House simply invited her.

“Sending such ominous feathers and then telling you to come? I’ll refuse immediately…”

“I’ll go.”

A trembling voice flowed from Moa’s lips.

“What?”

“I’ll go, Dad. I… I want to make female friends.”

Moa forced the corners of her mouth upward.

She had to smile. If she refused out of fear, the Emperor wouldn’t leave Danhwi alone.

He might have already been harmed.

Before something worse happened to Danhwi, she had to move to assess the situation.

‘To tell Dad…’

Moa also knew that Danhwi’s situation was very bad.

‘Don’t play with him because he’s an orphanage kid.’

‘You don’t have a mom. Mom and Dad told me not to play with you.’

She remembered how kindergarten friends and older kids she met in the neighborhood would sneer, repeating exactly what adults had said.

Perhaps Dad and Grandfather, who loved Moa dearly…

‘Might tell me not to play with Danhwi…’

Knowing how hurtful that could be, Moa didn’t want Danhwi to experience the same pain.

Moreover, if Dad stepped in, the Emperor might use that as an excuse to eliminate Danhwi immediately or attack his family.

If her beloved family cried and tried to stop her, she didn’t have the confidence to refuse coldly, and she hated the thought of anyone getting hurt even more.

‘I can’t give up on either brother or my family…’

That’s why she couldn’t bring herself to say it all this time. That she wanted to help Danhwi.

‘I have no choice but to handle this myself.’

Moa steeled her resolve and looked up at Jin Saheon.

“Moa, no. It’s very suspicious that adults can’t enter and only you’re invited.”

“It’s okay, Dad! If we ignore the Emperor’s invitation, you’ll be in trouble. I’ll hide my abilities well too.”

In the end, Jin Saheon couldn’t break his daughter’s stubbornness.

Certainly, if Moa were threatened immediately at that place, it would become a major political problem.

Since it was a formal invitation, Saryeom House would have to take responsibility.

“…Dad will follow and stay in the guest hall, so if it’s dangerous, you must run away immediately. Understood?”

His heart ached terribly at her words about “Dad being in trouble.”

It seemed like his daughter, who had matured early, was trying to sacrifice herself considering the clan’s position.

In reality, it was an even more desperate matter of survival.

Jin Saheon didn’t miss the strange anxiety hidden behind his daughter’s forced smile.

He wanted to hug her and interrogate her immediately, but since she was a child with many wounds, he decided to wait until she opened up on her own.

After pondering for a long time, he looked at Yehui standing beside him.

“Yehui. You alone can accompany her, so you must protect the young lady.”

“Of course.”

Maids were the only ones allowed to accompany into the inner quarters for attendance.

While guards had to wait outside the main gate, only Yehui could stay by Moa’s side.

“Since I must entrust Moa to you, let me check your martial arts skills before then.”

Jin Wonbaek, who felt it was difficult to stop her, also crossed his arms in front of Yehui and spoke.

‘I should create a defensive barrier too.’

Jin Saheon decided to secretly order shadow guards around Saryeom House to be tripled on that day so they could protect Moa if necessary.

***

‘Danhwi, wait just a little longer.’

Moa, dressed more splendidly and formally than ever before, stepped down from the carriage.

With a determined face, Moa looked at the main gate of Saryeom House.

Moa rubbed her smartwatch under her sleeve.

‘If it becomes dangerous, I’ll transform immediately and escape. Let me keep scanning with the watch for poison or traps.’

She had no intention of just taking it quietly.

Moa, who had made up her mind firmly, took a small deep breath.

In front of the main gate, decorated splendidly for the tea gathering, stood someone waiting for Moa.

It was a girl of the same age wearing purple accessories.

“Miss Jin, I’ve been waiting for you.”

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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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