The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 120

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 120
The servants around us watched So Nok with concern. I blinked in confusion before understanding dawned—my tone had been far too harsh. How infuriating.
‘What has she done to earn such goodwill already?’
Anyone watching would think I’m the villain!
A memory surfaced of a novel where I had been the antagonist. I hastily shook my head to dispel the troubling thought. I took So Nok with me and asked Eon-du for a detailed explanation.
“Well… I only received a letter. So when I heard that the young master had found the young lady, So Nok arrived two months later with a letter, saying she had nowhere to go and asking me to teach her well…
That’s how So Nok came to work under Eon-du.
‘Father… are you planning to establish an orphanage at the Baek Family Estate?’
Now that I thought about it, I should check on how the children we brought back after destroying the Black Market were faring. Wasn’t Father’s greatest talent bringing people in and then abandoning them? Just like me.
‘Of course, the act of bringing them in itself is remarkable…’
Sigh, sigh.
As I tapped my chest in frustration, Eon-du asked with worried eyes.
“Are you alright? Shall I call a physician?”
“…A physician can’t cure this.”
“Pardon? What kind of illness is it?”
“Frustration sickness.”
“I beg your pardon?”
In any case, it was my own oversight. I had asked Father to pass along a message, so I assumed Shim Bu-gwan, who remained in Palgwae Village, had handled it well on his own.
‘Honestly, I was so caught up with the Namgung Family that I forgot about it entirely.’
If I had asked even once, I could have known what happened. I told Eon-du to withdraw and remained alone with So Nok in the chamber. I carefully closed the door and checked to ensure no one was approaching.
Then I examined So Nok carefully from head to toe.
‘She seems to be doing well enough.’
She looked far more like a proper girl now than when she had been a bedraggled wretch. Next, I brought out paper and a brush. When So Nok saw what I had brought, she made various gestures to explain—roughly conveying that she couldn’t write.
I smiled gently.
“Don’t lie. You know how to write.”
“…!”
So Nok’s eyes widened. She realized her mistake too late and tried to compose herself, but it was already too late.
“Explain. Why did you come here?”
I forced the brush into So Nok’s hand, then paused.
‘I need to grind the ink first, don’t I?’
A pencil would be nice…!
Yearning for the conveniences of civilization, I picked up the ink stone and ground it diligently. It was an awkwardly suffocating situation. I ground the ink with all the longing in my heart for modern conveniences.
“There, now write.”
I exhaled heavily and nodded. So Nok bit her lip, alternating her gaze between me and the paper. Finally, she dipped the brush in ink and began to write. Though she hadn’t been formally trained in calligraphy—her strokes were haphazard and the characters were crooked with many errors—I could still make out the general meaning.
[How did you know?]
I lied confidently.
“Man Shin-ui told me.”
[Man Shin-ui wouldn’t have known.]
“Really? He seemed to know.”
My apologies. I had simply passed the buck to the deceased once again. So Nok seemed to accept my second confident lie without further question.
And honestly, I thought there was no way Man Shin-ui didn’t know. He simply chose to overlook it.
“So why did you come this far?”
And after a long while, the sharp sound of something shattering echoed from Baek Li-yeon’s chamber.
* * *
At that moment, in another pavilion of the Baek Li Estate. Baek Li-myeong had been summoned the moment he arrived at the Baek Li Estate, without even having time to change his clothes.
The atmosphere in the hall was poor. Baek Li-myeong had braced himself for this, but standing before the Baek Family Grandmother, he trembled slightly. His aunt naturally gleamed with sharp eyes as she glared at him, while in contrast, his mother gazed at him with deep concern.
His father swept his gaze around the room once and cleared his throat to begin.
“Myeong has arrived. It seems you’ve had a good journey.”
“Yes.”
A scoff was heard. Even without looking, he knew who it was. The Baek Family Grandmother set down her teacup and spoke gently.
“You acted as you pleased. Still, I’m relieved you produced good results.”
“….”
The atmosphere up until now seemed to have been mere jest, as a far heavier presence descended upon the shoulders of those gathered. Only the Baek Family Grandmother and the great lady continued speaking as if nothing were amiss.
“That is praise. Yes, you must have felt it more advantageous to follow the Family Head than this old woman.”
Though it wasn’t hot, sweat began to seep from his back. Unable to bear it any longer, Baek Li-ui-muk interjected.
“Mother, why speak in such a manner? Haha.”
It was an awkward laugh. The great lady didn’t react to his words and continued.
“Yes. How fares that child Yeon?”
Baek Li-myeong was slightly bewildered. He hadn’t anticipated the Baek Family Grandmother would suddenly inquire about Baek Li-yeon’s wellbeing. The Baek Family Grandmother had been displeased with Baek Li-yeon all this time. So there was no way she would ask about her now.
Baek Li-myeong swallowed dryly and carefully asked back.
“…What do you mean, how fares she?”
“Didn’t she go to the Namgung Clan for treatment? More precisely, to meet Man Shin-ui. And she kept it secret from us as well.”
Her tone was laced with mockery.
Baek Li-myeong didn’t know what answer to give.
“So did that child Baek Li-yeon recover?”
Ah, so that was the question. Baek Li-myeong finally grasped the point and shook his head.
“…No.”
“Did you confirm it yourself?”
“I didn’t confirm it myself. I heard Seok Tae-ui speak of it.”
“Is that so?”
Baek Li-ui-muk carefully interjected again.
“Mother, why do you speak thus? Wasn’t it already confirmed when we were at the Namgung Clan that that child Baek Li-yeon could not be healed?”
“It’s nothing. Even after meeting Man Shin-ui, she couldn’t be healed—it’s simply lamentable.”
The teacup held by the great lady obscured her expression, making it unclear what she felt.
“That child’s fortune seems to end there.”
Baek Li-myeong felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine at her demeanor. The great lady slowly set down her teacup and rose to her feet.
“I shall take my leave now.”
“Mother, please stay a while longer.”
“I am weary. Baek Li-ui-ran, let us go.”
Baek Li-ui-ran picked up the teapot and filled her teacup as she spoke.
“I’d like to stay a bit longer.”
“…Do as you wish.”
The Dowager left the chamber leaning on her daughter-in-law, Lady Shim. Lady Shim departed without uttering a single word to the son she hadn’t seen in days.
After the Dowager’s departure, Baek Li-ui-muk exhaled in relief and spoke.
“Myeong, you should apologize to your grandmother later.”
“…Yes.”
Baek Li-myeong answered despondently.
“By the way, you traveled with the Jegal Family Head? How did that happen? I understood he was so frail he never left the main residence.”
Though I had informants keeping watch and knew something had occurred, I couldn’t share all the details. It was dangerous if the carrier pigeon flew too frequently and was caught by Baek Li Pae-hyuk. Baek Geom Danju was also not someone the Dowager’s reach extended to.
“Father, have you ever met the Jegal Family Head?”
Baek Li-ui-muk shook his head.
“I heard he lost consciousness on the way here.”
“Ah, that’s right. He does seem to be in poor health. He collapsed suddenly the day before arrival and apparently hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”
“How did you end up traveling with someone in such a condition?”
The despondency was brief. Baek Li-myeong found himself smiling without realizing it, thinking he’d made the right choice following his grandfather. But he missed the sharpening glint in his aunt’s eyes as she observed his smile.
“The Jegal Family Head was with my uncle’s group. My uncle met him on the road and helped him, and through that connection, they traveled together.”
As Baek Li-myeong continued speaking, his voice grew increasingly animated.
“So Yeon…”
A teacup struck the table with a sharp clang, nearly shattering.
As Baek Li-myeong fell silent, his aunt spoke.
“Baek Li-myeong, you look very pleased.”
Only then did Baek Li-myeong realize his mistake. He’d been far too cheerful.
“Baek Li-ui-ran, what are you doing?”
At Baek Li-ui-muk’s stern voice, Baek Li-ui-ran bit her lip, but only briefly.
Baek Li-ui-ran covered her eyes with her sleeve and spoke.
“Brother, how upset do you think I am to act like this? Honestly, this is too much. How could this happen!”
After a brief hesitation, Baek Li-ui-muk spoke as if to console her.
“…Myeong must have been frustrated too. It’s been nearly two years since the house confinement order prevented him from going out properly.”
“Just because of a house confinement order! Brother, are you taking Myeong’s side right now?”
Baek Li-ui-muk cried out in exasperation.
“Baek Li-ui-ran! How old are you!”
Baek Li-ui-ran, her teeth clenched, lashed out at Baek Li-myeong.
“How convenient for you! The house confinement order was lifted because of this incident, wasn’t it? You sold out So U-ak and Baek Li Pyo, and now you’re so pleased the confinement is lifted?”
Baek Li-ui-muk looked at his son, whose face had gone pale and whose lips trembled, then reproached Baek Li-ui-ran.
“Baek Li-ui-ran, ‘sold out’?”
“Am I wrong?”
“I know you’re disappointed. But Myeong also…”
Baek Li-ui-muk couldn’t even finish his sentence. Baek Li-ui-ran continued her assault.
“Myeong, don’t you feel sorry for So U-ak and Baek Li Pyo at Gogye Hermitage? You only pity your own sons! How could you be like this!”
In this situation, Baek Li-myeong’s anger also began to rise. What had he done wrong? What did So U-ak and Baek Li Pyo’s punishment have to do with him?
I found Baek Li-ui-ran’s persistent blame tiresome.
Baek Li-myeong forced himself to speak calmly.
“…Aunt, think about this rationally.”
“What? Rationally!”
“Ak-i and Pyo are at Gogye Hermitage, but Grandfather assigned them a martial arts instructor, so I’m sure they simply went for training…”
“Training? Ha, you call that an excuse? Then why didn’t you go yourself!”
“…”
“To look good in front of Father, you timidly tagged along to fetch that girl Baek Li-yeon? And you couldn’t even stop her from coming!”
Finally, Baek Li-myeong’s patience snapped, and he laughed bitterly.
“Ha, then why didn’t you go along yourself, Aunt?”
“What, what did you say?”
“Honestly, it was you who sent Pyo and Ak-i, wasn’t it? You just wanted to stay here…”
That was the moment. Baek Li-ui-ran’s eyes blazed with fury as she hurled the teacup before her. Scalding tea splashed through the air.
Baek Li-ui-muk cried out in shock.
“Myeong!”
Fortunately, though Baek Li-myeong had trained in martial arts and couldn’t dodge the tea entirely, he reflexively shielded his face.
But the back of his hand, drenched in the scalding water, flushed crimson in an instant. Baek Li-ui-muk shouted frantically.
“Is anyone outside! Bring cold water at once!”
Baek Li-ui-ran, who had merely thrown whatever was at hand without thinking, flinched at the sight of the angry red marks rising on his skin. But she soon scoffed and left the room.
The teacup Baek Li-ui-ran had carelessly dropped shattered with a sharp crash.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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