The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 163

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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 163
“Tell me the truth…?”
Gwak Eomeom stared at the Great Lady with a bewildered expression.
“What do you mean…by that…?”
My gaze wavered toward my aunt in the background.
“Mother, there’s no need for lengthy explanations!”
Baek Li-ui-muk interjected with a shout.
“Let’s see if you can speak so boldly once you’re in prison!”
She wouldn’t simply be locked away in prison—interrogation would begin the moment she arrived. Gwak Eomeom’s face drained of all color.
“Take her away!”
The warriors seized Gwak Eomeom by both arms and hauled her to her feet.
Gwak Eomeom thrashed and screamed.
“Please! Spare me! Miss! Miss!”
My aunt bit her lip, uncertain what to do.
Yet she made no move to intervene. Perhaps she still possessed enough presence of mind to recognize that defending Gwak Eomeom here would appear suspicious.
That was when it happened.
“Wait.”
The Baek Family Grandmother stepped in front of Baek Li-ui-muk.
“Mother? What are you doing right now?”
Suspicion crept into Baek Li-ui-muk’s voice.
“Surely you’re not trying to protect Gwak Eomeom?”
The Baek Family Grandmother clicked her tongue and looked at Baek Li-ui-muk instead.
Baek Li-ui-muk, who had been dutiful for so long, instinctively grew cautious at the Baek Family Grandmother’s displeasure.
“This is all my negligence. What has become of Baek Li-myeong and his mother is my shame—I have no face to show you. As the mistress of this household, my failure to oversee family matters weighs heavily upon me.”
The Baek Family Grandmother released a deep sigh and spoke in a pleading tone.
“I have spent many years with this woman. I know her well. Please, grant me the opportunity to persuade her first.”
At the Baek Family Grandmother’s request, Baek Li-ui-muk’s expression grew troubled.
“…Very well. But if Gwak Eomeom continues to speak nonsense, I will have her taken away at once!”
Baek Li-ui-muk, who had been deliberating, took a step back.
Even in this situation, he still trusted my aunt and the Baek Family Grandmother.
‘What choice did he have but to trust them?’
Despite their recent estrangement, they had lived as family for so many years.
To distrust them would be to deny all those years of shared life.
And who could easily imagine that his own sister would commit such vicious acts against his son?
Gwak Eomeom, relieved, collapsed and wept.
“Great Lady! You are the only one who believes in me!”
“Gwak Eomeom, rise now.”
As Gwak Eomeom lifted herself at the gentle voice, she blinked blankly at what came next.
“Your daughter is with child this time, and your grandson is now four years old, is he not?”
“Great Lady…?”
“If you continue to deny it… those children won’t find peace either. You must protect your family.”
Her voice was gentle, yet the words carried a sinister edge.
Baek Li-ui-muk regarded the Baek Family Grandmother with admiration before turning a frigid gaze upon Gwak Eomeom.
It was a look that seemed to say: Do you truly believe you can destroy my family and walk away unscathed?
I too found myself impressed.
‘Remarkable. Truly remarkable.’
On the surface, it appeared the Baek Family Grandmother was threatening Gwak Eomeom to speak the truth about her family.
But the true intent I perceived was somewhat different. More precisely…
‘If you wish to save your family’s lives, then bear this burden alone unto death.’
Gwak Eomeom had served the Baek Li Family for so long that her husband and children all worked in matters related to the estate.
‘In other words, they all rest in the Grandmother’s hands.’
And could Gwak Eomeom, who had labored beneath the Grandmother for so many years, truly fail to comprehend this meaning?
Gwak Eomeom’s body trembled like an aspen leaf.
Yet there was one person who did not understand.
“M-Mother, what do you intend to do with Gwak Eomeom?”
My aunt, who had drawn near without warning, seized the Grandmother’s sleeve. She could bear it no longer.
The Grandmother cried out in exasperation.
“Hold your tongue. Do you still not grasp what matters now? If you insist on speaking foolishness, leave this instant!”
Her frustration was understandable.
If she continued to behave so recklessly, would not even Baek Li-ui-muk, who wished to trust his family, begin to harbor suspicions?
“M-Mother…”
The Grandmother brushed away my aunt’s hand and pressed further.
“Or… did you order Gwak Eomeom to do this?”
“What? What? H-how could you say such a thing… I am your daughter, Mother!”
My aunt clutched her chest, her expression twisted with terror.
“Whether you speak or not, I already know well enough.”
My aunt’s face grew increasingly distorted as she struggled to comprehend the Grandmother’s meaning.
“Mother, surely you don’t mean to… to cast me aside…”
Just as the Grandmother was about to furrow her brow and speak, something shifted.
Gwak Eomeom cried out.
“It was I! I alone am responsible! The young lady knew nothing. This was my scheme alone!”
“W-Eomeom?”
My aunt’s expression, which had been momentarily bewildered, suddenly brightened. It was the look of one who had found a hole through which to escape from a collapsing sky.
The Grandmother exhaled a breath of relief, careful not to let it show.
My aunt quickly turned upon Gwak Eomeom with accusation.
“Eomeom! How could you commit such an act! I placed my trust in you…!”
Gwak Eomeom bowed her head deeply in silence.
Baek Li-ui-muk stepped forward once more.
“What was your reason?”
Baek Li-ui-muk, his fists clenched tight, spoke in a voice that seemed to strain with barely contained restraint.
“Why on earth did you harm our Baek Li-myeong?”
Gwak Eomeom’s voice was so faint it was barely audible.
“I… I was not in my right mind… I became angry when Baek Li-myeong was framing the Evil Young Master and Pyo, and I just…”
“Framing? What framing are you talking about!”
“”
After a moment of thought, Baek Li-ui-muk asked as if it were absurd.
“Surely… you’re not talking about throwing a stone at Yeon?”
Gwak Eomeom nodded, barely perceptibly.
Baek Li-ui-muk squeezed his eyes shut, then suddenly lunged forward.
“All this over such a trivial matter…!”
“Ugh!”
Gwak Eomeom was kicked and crumpled to the ground.
Baek Li-ui-gang rushed to restrain Baek Li-ui-muk.
If Baek Li-ui-muk, trained in martial arts, lost control and exerted his full strength, Gwak Eomeom could die on the spot. Even if that weren’t the case, Baek Li-ui-gang would have stopped him anyway.
“How much torment has Baek Li-myeong endured because of those reckless fools! And yet you dare speak ill of Baek Li-myeong, who still treated those reckless cousins with care?”
When a person’s eyes roll back in fury, don’t the true words hidden inside spill out?
At Baek Li-ui-muk’s raw words, Baek Li-ui-ran’s face twisted.
The Baek Family Grandmother spoke hastily.
“Take Gwak Eomeom away at once and lock her in the Prison.”
I knew this would happen. That she wouldn’t admit it easily.
I opened my mouth.
“Wait a moment.”
The Baek Family Grandmother rebuked me sharply.
“Have you lost all sense of propriety? Can’t you stay silent? Is this a situation for you to interfere in?”
Baek Li-ui-gang, who had been quiet all along, spoke up.
“Mother, Yeon brought word of the Snow Frost Poison and also brought Gwak Eomeom here—what is wrong with asking a few questions?”
“How dare you!”
Baek Li-ui-gang disregarded the Baek Family Grandmother and spoke to me.
“Yeon, speak.”
I blinked in surprise. Baek Li-ui-gang gestured again, urging me to continue.
“Ah, yes. Jang Vice-Commander, I have just one question.”
“”
“Please, go ahead.”
“How did you come to apprehend Gwak Eomeom?”
Baek Li-ui-ran flinched in surprise.
Jang Seok-ryang spoke.
“After the Young Master Baek Li-myeong fell ill, did not the Great Lady strictly forbid access around the Inner Chamber?”
“That’s right. I couldn’t enter either… Gwak Eomeom blocked me, saying it was Grandmother’s orders.”
I paused and looked at the Baek Family Grandmother.
Jang Seok-ryang continued.
“But after some commotion, I heard that Yeon and Young Miss Baek Li-myeong went inside.”
This referred to when they had broken through the door to enter.
“While I kept watch out of concern, two days passed. Then, right after Young Master Baek Li-myeong and Yeon emerged from the Yeon Training Hall, Gwak Eomeom suddenly appeared from the Inner Chamber. She seemed to have arranged it beforehand—she left the Baek Family Estate in secret without even using her access token.”
“In secret?”
“Yes.”
The fact that she had left without using her access token meant she was trying to hide that she had gone outside and returned.
“Once Gwak Eomeom left, she boarded a carriage and entered a certain alley, where she stopped near some grand estate. The person tracking her thought matters were becoming urgent and apprehended Gwak Eomeom before she could enter the grand estate.”
Jang Seok-ryang finished relaying what he had been told.
That was right. To be precise, it was Jeggal Hwa-mu who had apprehended Gwak Eomeom. And I had asked “how” she came to be apprehended, not “who” had apprehended her.
My uncle interjected.
“Why are you only telling us this now!”
Jang Seok-ryang coughed awkwardly and replied.
“After that, I was so occupied with various matters that I had forgotten about Gwak Eomeom.”
“No matter how busy you were…! No, never mind. We can settle this later…”
My uncle asked suspiciously.
“So which house was Gwak Eomeom trying to enter?”
“It was Lady U’s Residence.”
Grandmother closed her eyes tightly.
“Lady U? Lady U’s Residence…”
My uncle slowly turned his head toward my aunt.
“Isn’t that the place you visited?”
Before my aunt had returned to the Baek Li Estate after hearing of Baek Li-myeong’s accident, the person she had met was Lady U.
“…”
My aunt fell silent, her face drained of all color.

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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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