The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 97

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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 97

“Sealed…?”

“They’ve blocked the gates so no one can enter or leave the palace. It’s… a measure taken when something very ominous happens.”

Thanks to Jin Saheon’s kind explanation of the difficult term, Moa’s face turned pale as she understood the situation.

“Then Danhwi oppa…”

Tears immediately welled up in her eyes.

“Is he… is he dead…?”

“No.”

Jin Saheon shook his head.

“They say the bell announcing death hasn’t rung yet.”

“Really?!”

Moa hurriedly pulled out the Goseol crystal hanging on her chest and gripped it.

She could feel it had become slightly lukewarm.

“…He’s alive.”

Moa said with a sob.

“Oppa is alive. When this is warm, it means he’s alive.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Jaseonghwa sighed in relief and stroked Moa’s head.

“For now, let’s go home and find out what happens next. Given the situation, it would be best for Saryeom House to assess the political climate carefully.”

Jin Saheon deliberately brought up this topic here so that Rin could also understand the situation.

Now that something had happened to the head of the manor, it wouldn’t be easy for Saryeom House to immediately assess and respond to the changing times.

Moa eventually followed her family with a dejected face as they moved to return home.

[But this is strange.]

Somi muttered.

[The Emperor and Crown Prince both collapsed? Did they fight?]

‘They fought?’

[Or maybe the Crown Prince rebelled against the Emperor.]

At that moment, Moa’s eyes widened.

Something suddenly came to mind.

The scene where Sasamyeong had suddenly moved as if overflowing with vitality while they were smoothly resolving things—

And what Somi had said about ‘the power suddenly weakening.’

“…No way.”

Moa’s lips trembled.

“Did oppa block it…?”

[What?]

When Moa stopped abruptly while following behind, Dowoon approached her again with a puzzled look.

“Moa, why—”

“The power that was coming to me, oppa must have blocked it…”

Thick tears streamed down Moa’s face.

As if a dam had burst, tears kept flowing endlessly.

[Was that… what it was…?]

Somi also muttered while briefly recalling the earlier battle.

When Somi didn’t deny it, Moa collapsed with a thud.

“It’s because of me. Oppa got hurt because of me.”

“Moa.”

Her panicked family surrounded Moa and tried to comfort her.

“I have to go to the Imperial Palace!”

Moa shouted.

“I have to treat oppa! I’ll heal him!”

“…But it’s sealed.”

Jaseonghwa whispered in a pitying voice.

“No one can enter.”

“Still…!”

Moa sobbed.

The crystal still had a faint warmth remaining.

It was proof that Danhwi was alive, but she didn’t know how long he could hold on.

Moreover, since the Emperor hated Danhwi so much, it was questionable whether the physicians would properly treat him.

As Moa resented the sealing order.

“There’s a way.”

Rin said.

Everyone’s attention turned to Rin.

“There’s a secret route from Saryeom House.”

“A secret route?”

“There’s an underground passage connected to the Imperial Palace.”

Rin’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“It’s the place Father used when he was secretly communicating with the Emperor. If we enter through that route, we can avoid the seal.”

At Rin’s suggestion, Jin Saheon fell into thought for a moment.

“That’s dangerous…”

“This is the best method I can think of.”

Rin answered while looking at Moa.

“We don’t know what the situation inside the Imperial Palace is like. If the Emperor wakes up, he might try to capture Moa for ignoring the sealing order.”

When Jin Saheon seemed to be dissuading them, Moa sobbed and grabbed her father’s leg.

“But Father… since there’s a secret passage, we can just go secretly without being caught, right? The bad man is hurt too, so he won’t be looking for me.”

When Jin Saheon’s heart softened at the sight of desperate Moa and he was inwardly clicking his tongue, Rin placed her hand on Moa’s shoulder and said.

“I’ll go too. Since it’s Saryeom House’s passage, I need to guide you. If we get caught, we’ll make an excuse that Moa was discovered while exploring.”

Moa’s visit to Saryeom House today had been a public schedule.

So the plan was to make an excuse that she had been invited to the manor and discovered the long passage while playing.

Rin thought that since the Emperor couldn’t openly boast about creating a secret passage in the Imperial Palace to secretly communicate with Saryeom House, he wouldn’t bother to make an issue of it.

“Sister…”

Grateful that she would go with her, Moa called out to Rin with a choked voice.

“And… I also have a debt to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

After hearing Rin’s explanation, Jin Saheon looked at Jaseonghwa.

Jaseonghwa slowly closed her eyes and then opened them.

Even if they took her home like this, Moa would only suffer in anguish.

Besides, Danhwi was now a precious lord to them as well.

“…Dowoon, Yeongang.”

Jin Saheon called his sons.

“Go with Moa. I will request that the palace gates be opened from the clan’s perspective.”

“Yes.”

“Understood!”

Dowoon and Yeongang answered simultaneously.

Firm resolve appeared in both their eyes.

Jaseonghwa embraced Moa.

“You must return safely.”

“Yes…”

“Promise me.”

“I promise, Mother.”

Moa nodded her head.

***

The underground of Saryeom House.

Rin led the way.

The torch cut through the darkness.

To make excuses easier if they were caught, the group consisted only of children.

“This way.”

When Rin placed her hand on the wall, the stone wall slid open smoothly.

A narrow passage appeared.

“From here, it connects all the way to the Imperial Palace.”

“How long will it take?”

Dowoon asked.

“If we hurry, about one hour.”

“Let’s go.”

The group entered the passage.

It was dark and damp.

The sound of water dripping from somewhere echoed eerily.

As if it hadn’t been used for a long time, some dust had accumulated.

Moa gripped the crystal tightly and stared intently at the passage that looked like a monster’s maw.

‘It would have been nice if the bumper car was big enough for several people to ride.’

It was regrettable that it was still a level 1 bumper car and couldn’t grow to that scale yet.

To honor her loyalty to her brothers who had followed her for her sake, Moa moved her legs quickly.

‘Brother Danhwi, wait. I’m coming.’

[Moa.]

Somi whispered to the determined Moa.

[You can’t overdo it. You know that, right?]

‘Yeah…’

[You used too much power today. Plus, you might have to treat the Crown Prince. You need to be prepared.]

Moa’s power definitely had limits.

Since she had used an excessive amount today, there was concern about whether she could properly treat Danhwi.

‘But I have to do it.’

There were things that had to be done even knowing they would be dangerous, difficult, and exhausting.

When Moa held back her tears and moved forward maturely and bravely, Somi sighed inwardly.

[Alright, I understand. I’ll help you.]

After that, everyone remained silent for a long time.

It wasn’t that they had no will to converse, but so that Moa could rest comfortably.

Whenever Moa seemed like she might get tired, her brothers quickly carried her on their backs to let her rest, even if just for a moment.

Rin was carrying a large bundle of medicinal herbs she had gathered from the Sega’s warehouse.

Happy and grateful for everyone’s help, Moa moved diligently while refraining from saying she was tired.

And when they lost track of time.

A faint light leaked from the end of the passage.

“We’re here.”

Rin stopped.

The front was blocked by a stone wall.

Moa’s eyes widened when she discovered a ladder.

“Above this is the Imperial Palace. It’s inside Onjeong Palace.”

“Onjeong Palace is…”

“It’s the palace where the Emperor stayed when he was a prince.”

At those words, Dowoon’s expression crumpled grimly.

It meant the collusion with the former Master of Saryeom House wasn’t a recent affair.

Before ascending to the throne, he had recruited those who would follow his will since his days as Crown Prince.

‘Anyway, since we’ve made it to the Imperial Palace… I can help brother soon!’

Moa muttered to herself and waited for Rin to open the door.

Rin placed her hand on the door, opened it slightly to check the surroundings, then opened it wide and came out.

Since Onjeong Palace was an abandoned palace not currently in use, there was usually no guard duty.

“This way. He’s probably… in Gyeonganggung, so let’s go there.”

With both the Emperor and Crown Prince in critical condition, the eunuchs surely couldn’t abandon either one.

If the Emperor died, the Crown Prince would immediately become the person in power.

But if they devoted themselves to caring for the Crown Prince, the Emperor would awaken and be furious, so Rin’s speculation was that even if broken, they would have sent him to Danhwi’s original quarters.

“It’s too quiet…”

Yeongang surveyed the Imperial Palace scenery he was seeing for the first time with curious eyes while staying alert to his surroundings.

“…That’s not a good sign.”

Rin bit her lip.

It meant either Danhwi wasn’t in Gyeonganggung, or there were no proper physicians to treat him.

Since Onjeong Palace and Gyeonganggung were relatively close, the group was able to reach their target location quickly.

They passed through the corridors inside Gyeonganggung and headed toward the only room with lights on.

“That must be it.”

Moa fidgeted with her hands, trying hard to restrain herself.

It was so difficult to resist the urge to leave her brothers behind and run there quickly right away.

They approached carefully and opened the door silently.

There was a young man sitting on the floor and…

“Brother…!”

Danhwi was visible with his eyes closed, pale-faced, violently spitting up blood.

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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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