The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 69

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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 69

After tea, we all had lunch together. It was Tak Joong-hak who made Seo-ryeon sit down when she tried to excuse herself, saying she couldn’t intrude even on the meal.

Seo-ryeon, who couldn’t refuse the request of someone she respected, was moved to tears several times, saying today would be the most memorable day of her life.

For her sake alone, I thought accepting Tak Ga-ju’s invitation was the best decision I could have made.

“Brother Seung-myeong!”

A new guest arrived just after we finished our meal.

Tak Joong-hak and Tak Mu-seong stepped away for a moment, telling the young people to spend time together.

“Hwa-yeong!”

The owner of the familiar voice was Cheon Hwa-yeong, Cheon-gang’s younger sister, whom I had met at a previous gathering.

“I greet the First Miss.”

“It’s nice to see you again.”

Perhaps because she was my favorite’s sister, even though this was only our second meeting, I found myself particularly fond of her.

“I’m so happy to be able to visit the Tak Mansion thanks to the First Miss. I’ve really wanted to come all this time.”

Cheon Hwa-yeong bowed her head to me, expressing her sincere gratitude.

“Is there some treasure hidden in the Tak Mansion?”

“Yes! How did you know?”

Cheon Hwa-yeong’s eyes widened at my half-joking response.

I was the one who was surprised instead.

“I was just saying that casually, but it was really true?”

Seo-ryeon, who was beside us, also looked bewildered.

“The Tak Family has such a long history. My father said that the Tak Family has been collecting and gathering precious things since ancient times. Paintings, sculptures, books, antiques – all sorts of various things. Isn’t that right, Brother Seung-myeong?”

“You’ve been interested in such things since you were little, and you’re still the same.”

“I was so upset that the Tak Family hadn’t been receiving guests all this time. There was no joy in living.”

Cheon Hwa-yeong even trembled as if she had truly suffered.

So that’s why she specifically asked if it was okay to come back then.

I had no idea there were such special circumstances.

“Where is Geum-aeng-i? Can I see Geum-aeng-i today too?”

“She’s probably sleeping around this time. I’ve barely seen her lately either.”

“Aww, I wanted to greet Geum-aeng-i after such a long time.”

Seeing Cheon Hwa-yeong immediately become dejected, I asked.

“Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but who is Geum-aeng-i?”

“Oh my! You don’t know Geum-aeng-i, the famous attraction of the Tak Mansion?”

“No. Do you know, Seo-ryeon?”

“No, I’m hearing about it for the first time too.”

At mine and Seo-ryeon’s answers, Cheon Hwa-yeong looked like she couldn’t believe how that was possible.

Then Tak Seung-myeong waved his hand and explained.

“Famous attraction, no. It’s not like that. She’s only famous to her, it’s just a parrot.”

“A parrot? The kind that mimics what people say?”

“Yes. It’s a bird that has lived in the Tak Mansion since before I was born, but maybe because it’s gotten old, it rarely shows itself. I only see it once in a while myself.”

“I didn’t know parrots lived that long.”

As someone with almost no knowledge about birds, I was a bit surprised.

“From what I know, if they live long, they can easily reach 80 years.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Could I possibly see a parrot today, which I’d only seen on TV?

“First Miss, if you’re curious, would you like to go look around with me?”

“Sure. I’d be happy to follow if you’ll guide me.”

“Brother Seung-myeong, you should rest for now. You said this kind of thing was boring before.”

“How can I do that when the First Miss is here too?”

“I’m fine. It would be fun to spend time alone with Miss Hwa-yeong. We’re friends of the same age, after all.”

At my mention of being friends, Cheon Hwa-yeong blushed with joy. She clearly had a favorable impression of me too.

“We’ll be back soon, so don’t worry.”

Cheon Hwa-yeong and I leisurely left that place, leaving behind the bewildered Tak Seung-myeong. Only Seo-ryeon, my guard, followed after us.

Here I am, caught between my favorite’s sister and my favorite’s crush!

I was newly reminded that I was inside a novel.

“What kind of things do you like, First Miss? I’ll guide you in that direction.”

“You must have come to the Tak Mansion quite often.”

“Yes, there’s nothing interesting at our main house. Everyone’s crazy about sword training… I mean, they only do training… Anyway, it’s rather boring.”

Cheon-gang is indeed obsessed with swords.

There was a reason they were called Mageum Cheon-ga.

“When I was little, whenever father said he had business at the Tak Mansion, I always followed along. This place was like a whole different world to me.”

“So you couldn’t come after Tak Ga-ju went into seclusion.”

“No. Even after that, I could still come occasionally. Tak Ga-ju was quite fond of me. But then about three years ago? From that time, they completely prohibited guest visits, so I couldn’t come.”

“Then today must be a historic day.”

“Yes! This is all thanks to the First Miss! Hehe!”

When I saw her at the castle, she seemed quite intimidated by me, but now I could see she was just an emotionally rich girl of my age.

“There are lots of really unique items over there, shall we go see them?”

“Yes, sounds good.”

Having no particular preferences, I just followed wherever she led.

She must have wandered around here so much that she rattled off explanations fluently, making it feel like listening to a museum docent tour.

It was during this time.

“Huh? Why is this door open?”

Cheon Hwa-yeong, who had been excitedly dragging me around everywhere, stopped in front of an entrance.

“This place was always closed before, how strange.”

“What’s in this direction?”

“I’ve never been there, so I don’t know. Even when I was very young, I was told I shouldn’t go there. But why is it open today?”

Cheon Hwa-yeong’s face was full of curiosity as she asked me.

The door was open so she wanted to go, but since it had always been a forbidden area, she seemed to lack the courage to venture forth.

I stepped forward for her sake.

“Let’s go take a look.”

It must be open for a reason, right?

Cheon Hwa-yeong followed behind me with delight as I boldly stepped inside.

“But the inside here is densely wooded. I guess they don’t maintain it separately.”

Compared to other places, the surroundings were full of wildly grown trees and weeds.

I couldn’t see what was ahead.

“Why did you come only now!”

Then a peculiar tone and way of speaking caught my attention.

Flutter!

Swoosh—

Then something swept past in front of me.

“Was that a bird just now?”

“That’s right! It’s Geum-aeng-i!”

Unlike me, who was startled by the sudden sound, Cheon Hwa-yeong jumped up and down with excitement.

“Geum-aeng! It’s me, Hwa-yeong! Where are you!”

“Why did you come only now! Why did you come only now!”

As if answering Cheon Hwa-yeong’s call, a voice came from up ahead.

“It’s Geum-aeng-i! She remembers me!”

So it really can talk, since it’s a parrot?

Amazed, I hurried toward the direction the bird had flown.

“Oh? That window over there!”

As we pushed through the bushes, a pavilion came into view.

I saw a yellowish bird slip through an open window.

“First Miss, I’ll go ahead first!”

Since she wanted to see Geum-aeng-i so badly, Cheon Hwa-yeong even used her movement technique to chase after the bird.

“Seo-ryeon, shall we go around to the other side?”

With a hopeful feeling, I went around to the back of the building and entered inside.

“It seems like this place has been empty for quite a long time.”

Dust had accumulated considerably everywhere, making it look like an abandoned building.

I suppose this kind of thing happens when a place is so vast.

“Where could Geum-aeng-i be?”

It was just as I was muttering absentmindedly.

“Geum-aeng-i is here! Geum-aeng-i is here!”

The parrot’s voice could be heard again from not far away.

After quickly exchanging glances, we moved our bodies swiftly at a different speed than before.

“Lady Seolha!”

A dead end.

Seo-ryeon pointed her finger at the center of the wall.

There, a yellow parrot was sitting quietly.

“Geum-aeng-i?”

“Geum-aeng-i! Geum-aeng-i!”

The parrot repeated after me as if echoing my question.

Seo-ryeon and I, seeing a bird that could speak human words for the first time, found it so fascinating that we could only laugh.

“It’s cute.”

“Yes, it’s really cute.”

“I can see why Miss Hwa-yeong wanted to see it so badly.”

“I think I understand too… Lady Seolha?”

“Yes?”

“That painting…”

“Painting? What painting?”

“Below where the bird is sitting.”

Below?

Now that I looked, what Geum-aeng-i was gripping with its claws was the wooden rod of a scroll.

The rolled scroll had a painting on it—someone’s portrait.

“…!”

For a moment, I couldn’t help but doubt my eyes.

My face that I see reflected in the mirror every morning.

Strangely, what was drawn on the scroll was me.

“Why did you come only now! Why did you come only now!”

Was I mistaken?

Geum-aeng-i looked at me as if reproaching me and cried out.

“Seo-ryeon, about this portrait…”

I called out to Seo-ryeon, thinking that perhaps my eyes might be wrong, but when I turned to look at her, I realized there was no need to do so.

Seo-ryeon’s gaze wasn’t much different from mine.

Why was my portrait hanging in the abandoned pavilion of Hyeonma Takga?

Looking at the painting that, unlike other places, didn’t have even a speck of dust on it, I tried to find an answer, but only more questions piled up instead.

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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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