The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 74

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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 74

“Let’s see, His Highness the Crown Prince is hosting a tea party.”

Sehui read aloud the contents of the letter that had come for Danhwi.

At the mention of a tea party, the first things that came to Moa’s mind were her first tea party and Saem Lin.

‘Did Sister Rin somehow arrange this too?’

Though such a thought briefly crossed her mind, Moa shook her head back and forth.

“I want to see the letter!”

Moa stretched out her hand and received the letter.

Though she still couldn’t read the characters, she could see the handwriting.

Besides, Somi would read it all to her, so it wasn’t difficult.

[Tea Party Invitation

On the ○th day of ○ month at the beginning of the hour of the sheep (1 PM), a tea party will be held at Gyeonganggung Palace. It would be an honor if you would grace us with your precious presence.]

The invitation that Somi read in detail again was composed of stiff sentences.

Looking at the neat and rigid handwriting that seemed almost printed, Moa realized it wasn’t written by Danhwi.

Moa returned the letter to Sehui without any lingering attachment.

[Gyeonganggung isn’t that abandoned palace from last time.]

‘Huh?’

Moa tilted her head slightly.

[It seems that young human’s residence has changed. That abandoned palace had ‘Donggungjeong’ written on it.]

‘Donggungjeong?’

[It’s originally where the Crown Prince resides.]

The residence where Danhwi originally stayed was the Eastern Palace.

The previous emperor had given it to him to show that the next imperial throne belonged to Danhwi, but during the treason incident, the current emperor had turned the Eastern Palace into an abandoned palace.

Knowing quite a bit about Danhwi’s past, Moa guessed this and frowned.

Not knowing that Moa was conversing with Somi, Sehui looked at Moa with puzzlement.

“Oh my, Miss. Do you not want to go to the tea party?”

“Huh? No, no! I’m so happy~!”

Only then did Moa brighten her expression and use her whole body to show how delighted she was to meet Danhwi.

‘Did big brother get a new home?’

But why suddenly?

Moa instinctively thought of Rin, who had said she would fulfill the contract conditions first but hadn’t shown herself for quite some time.

***

Gyeonganggung Palace.

It was a palace that shone brilliantly like its name, bathed in sunlight.

The well-polished roof tiles, splendid dancheong paintings, and palace servants standing everywhere made it extremely luxurious.

“Wooow!”

As soon as Moa got out of the carriage, she couldn’t close her mouth.

Until recently, the place where Danhwi lived was an abandoned palace that looked haunted.

But Gyeonganggung Palace before her eyes was completely different.

More than the splendor, Moa was amazed by Danhwi’s changed circumstances and kept her mouth wide open.

Jin Dowoon, who couldn’t bear to watch, had to close Moa’s jaw for her.

‘It was good that I came along.’

Originally, only Moa had received the invitation, but Jin Dowoon, the eldest son, had come along to ease the worried adults.

‘Why only older brother-!’

He also had to think ahead about how to appease the angry Yeongang who was rolling around at home.

“Welcome, Young Master and youngest Miss of Jinryong Clan.”

Guided by a eunuch into the hall of Gyeonganggung Palace where the tea party was being held, they could see several children had already arrived.

The most noticeable among them was undoubtedly Rin.

Rin, with her black hair elegantly pinned up, was sitting next to Danhwi drinking tea.

Beside her, two or three other children with very tense expressions were fidgeting nervously.

And in the very center was Danhwi.

“…Moa.”

Danhwi murmured and suddenly stood up from his seat.

Instead of shabby clothes, he wore a light blue dragon robe embroidered with gold, looking quite dignified.

Most welcome of all was that his cheeks had filled out and he had a healthy complexion.

“I greet His Highness the Crown Prince.”

As Moa tried to follow proper etiquette as she had learned, Danhwi hurriedly waved his hands.

“Don’t do that. It’s just us.”

“I greet His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Jin Dowoon’s eyes flashed as he bowed his head in greeting to Danhwi, just like Moa had done.

“And… just.us? No matter if it’s a tea party among children, this goes against proper etiquette.”

The secret that Moa knew Danhwi had already become public knowledge.

Unlike Yeongang, Jin Dowoon had also been briefly informed.

‘Really, these two children who can’t even properly keep secrets are just chattering away at each other’s level.’

Jin Dowoon swallowed a sigh inwardly and glared at Danhwi with his eyes.

It wasn’t just Moa and Danhwi in this place.

No matter how happy they were to see each other, if they acted so familiar, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t reach the Emperor’s ears.

Only then did Moa and Danhwi understand and slightly calm their excitement.

“Mm, Young Master Jin is right.”

Danhwi’s ears were slightly red.

He was a little embarrassed to have shown such a relaxed demeanor in front of Moa.

Moreover, seeing Moa dressed more prettily than usual to attend the tea party made him feel very shy for some reason.

“It’s been a while, Young Master Jin. And welcome, Moa. Would you like to sit here?”

“Young Master Saem. I’ll take care of my sister myself, so it’s fine.”

When Rin spoke gently, Jin Dowoon blocked her and sat across from her with Moa.

‘The, the atmosphere is not ordinary!’

‘I want to go home, waaah-‘

The other clan children who had been invited together couldn’t even breathe deeply due to the power struggle between the three high-ranking people.

The atmosphere naturally became strangely stiff.

Danhwi also looked clearly awkward as this was his first time in such a situation.

Inevitably, it had to be Rin and Jin Dowoon who led the atmosphere.

“Ahaha, you’re being too wary. That incident last time was just a misunderstanding.”

“Mm, mm, right! Big brother, I cleared up the misunderstanding with sister.”

“I see. Understood.”

Even at what Rin and Moa said, Jin Dowoon didn’t relax his guarded expression.

Anyway, Jin Dowoon’s role today was to be wary of all humans approaching Moa.

Moa left her big brother, who stood guard like a tree even more solid than usual, alone and secretly observed Danhwi.

‘How did the villain uncle change like this?’

Had the villain had a change of heart?

But the final boss having a change of heart only happens at the ending…

Moa pondered briefly and picked up the plate with the most colorful and pretty cookies among the fancy dessert plates.

“This looks very delicious, Your Highness.”

Moa respectfully pushed the plate forward with both hands.

Danhwi hesitated for a moment, then accepted the plate.

“Thank you. I’ll trust Young Lady Jin’s discernment.”

Danhwi took a bite of the cookie.

Though he was merely eating a cookie, a faint smile spread across his lips.

Not because the cookie was sweet, but as if it was special because Moa had recommended it.

‘…These two.’

Jin Dowoon picked up his teacup with a furrowed brow.

Though they were observing proper etiquette, they couldn’t control even the air flowing between those two.

It felt unpleasant, as if they were exchanging some secret code that only the two of them knew.

Rin also laughed and pretended to be surprised, saying “Oh my~”

“Well then, thank you all for coming. Please enjoy yourselves comfortably.”

Danhwi, still a bit awkward, began leading the conversation while looking after not only Moa but the others as well.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Moa’s gaze lingered behind Danhwi’s chair.

She could see an embroidered pillow filled with cotton.

‘Huh? That’s!’

It was the cotton pillow she had asked Rin to make last time.

It was an object that didn’t belong in a pavilion where tea gatherings were held.

But Danhwi had placed it behind him, in the closest spot to himself.

Moa realized that Danhwi had deliberately placed it there to show her, and smiled brightly.

“Your Highness, why is something that should be in a bedroom here in the pavilion?”

“…Ah.”

Dowoon also discovered the pillow and asked with sharp eyes.

Danhwi flinched and turned around, then answered calmly.

“It’s something I treasure.”

“Pardon?”

“When I sleep with that pillow, I don’t have nightmares. It’s a precious object that brings peace to my mind.”

To anyone’s eyes, it was just an ordinary cotton pillow.

But since the Crown Prince said so, it had transformed into a precious treasure.

Danhwi didn’t reveal who had given it to him.

But while saying those words, he briefly glanced toward Moa.

Moa clenched her fists tightly under the table.

Her friend was keeping the gift she had given him in the most precious place and using it well.

That single fact conveyed deeper feelings than thousands of words of conversation.

“Hmm.”

Rin, who had been watching, set down her teacup and raised the corner of her mouth as if finding it interesting.

The way these young ones were acting so boldly was quite cute.

“The atmosphere is quite heavy. Since we’ve finished our tea, how about taking a walk for a while?”

At Rin’s suggestion, the other children who had been tense let out sighs of relief and stood up.

As they naturally scattered, Rin extended her hand to Moa.

“Moa, come with me. I’ll show you a good spot for flower viewing that I discovered earlier.”

“Yes!”

As Moa was about to take Rin’s hand, Dowoon immediately reacted and tried to follow.

“Master Jin.”

Rin turned her head slightly and blocked Dowoon’s path.

“We have some secret girl talk to do. I heard you’re the greatest gentleman in the imperial capital, so you wouldn’t rudely intrude, would you?”

“But I can’t let my sister go alone…”

Dowoon firmly tried to follow.

Then Rin whispered in a small voice that only Dowoon could hear.

“Don’t you think His Majesty would notice that being so guarded makes things even stranger? Moa and I are already in the same boat.”

At those words, Dowoon’s stern gaze thoroughly examined Rin’s face.

Rin still wore a relaxed smile, but she looked somewhat pale.

The desperation in her eyes made Dowoon solemn.

Dowoon also knew about Moa’s promise to heal Saem Lin’s spirit.

As someone who had once suffered from a curse himself, he well understood the desperation to cure curses or ailments.

‘…It’s hard having such a capable sister.’

In the end, Dowoon decided to compensate for this feeling by punishing himself with squishing Moa’s cheeks for half an hour, and turned his head to speak to Danhwi.

“Come to think of it, Crown Prince…”

Danhwi, who had been trying to follow Moa, was blocked by Dowoon’s barrage of questions.

When he turned his head, Moa and Rin had already disappeared.

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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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