The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 25

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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 25
Baek Li-ui-ran and Baek Li-ui-muk exchanged glances. I found it strange that Namgung Wan’s mood had suddenly grown so heavy.
Seeing Namgung Wan’s rigid expression, Baek Li-ui-ran stepped forward with a smile.
“I heard that the Young Patriarch of the Namgung Clan has a son as well—Namgung Ryu-cheong, correct? There are already rumors of him being a prodigy. It would have been wonderful if the children had met and become friends with someone their own age!”
“Well, Ryu-cheong only associates with children of his own caliber.”
At the implication that her sons were beneath his level, Baek Li-ui-ran’s smile froze on her face.
Everyone at the table turned to stare at Namgung Wan in shock. Yet he simply picked up his teacup with perfect composure.
Baek Li-ui-ran’s eyes trembled as she forced herself to continue speaking.
“Ah… haha, the Young Master of the Namgung Clan must be truly exceptional. You must be very proud.”
“Well, I suppose so.”
“My sons, Pyo and Ak-i, are training so diligently in martial arts that they’ll soon achieve the third star of the Mubaesin technique.”
When there was no particular response, Baek Li-ui-ran added as if she had just realized something, “Ah!”
“My Baek Li-ui-gang achieved the third star at eight years old. My children are only seven!”
Yet it was a remark that would have been better left unsaid.
Namgung Wan glanced over the twins with obvious disdain and let out a scoff. At this blatant disrespect, Baek Li-ui-ran’s face flushed red. Even Jang Seok-ryang, standing in the corner of the pavilion, closed his eyes in embarrassment.
Baek Li-ui-muk quickly interjected to salvage the situation.
“To one who has surpassed his prime in his twenties and earned such renown, our children must seem lacking. Haha. Still, they are sincere in their dedication to the blade. If the great master were to offer them instruction, it would be invaluable.”
Baek Li-ui-muk gestured toward Baek Li-myeong. Rising abruptly, Baek Li-myeong bowed respectfully to Namgung Wan and spoke.
“If you would deign to teach us, we shall treasure your guidance in our hearts.”
“….”
After observing this for some time, Namgung Wan suddenly turned to look at Baek Li-ui-gang.
“Shouldn’t you be at Yeon’s side?”
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“I haven’t seen your chopsticks move once. If you’re so concerned, go back first.”
The plate before Baek Li-ui-gang was spotlessly clean, with no trace of food. Just as Baek Li-ui-gang was about to protest, Baek Li-ui-muk stepped in.
“I failed to consider Baek Li-ui-gang’s heart. I shall attend to this gathering with special care, so do not worry and go be at Yeon’s side.”
“Brother.”
After a few more exchanges, Baek Li-ui-gang was practically pushed away from the table.
Under normal circumstances, Baek Li-ui-gang would not have left so readily, but the image of his daughter eating dinner alone, unlike his nephews and nieces here, weighed heavily on his mind and left him no choice.
Watching Baek Li-ui-gang completely leave the gathering, Namgung Wan slowly opened his mouth.
“I have encountered situations like this quite often.”
Namgung Wan glanced briefly at Baek Li-myeong and the twins.
“And in every case, what they desired was the same—the backing of the Namgung Clan. Is that what you seek?”
“….”
Baek Li-ui-muk, caught off guard, could offer no response. Watching this, Jang Seok-ryang spoke as if in warning.
“Young Patriarch of the Namgung Clan.”
Seeing this, Namgung Wan smirked slightly and turned his attention to the young girl clinging closely beside Baek Li-myeong.
“Your name is Baek Li-ri, correct?”
“Yes? Yes.”
“Let me ask you just one thing.”
“Yes, of course…”
Li-ri glanced around nervously before answering.
Li-ri couldn’t grasp the exact situation, but she had heard repeatedly—so often it had become ingrained—that Namgung Wan was an important person and must never be viewed unfavorably.
“Did you receive the flowers well?”
“…Pardon?”
The color drained from Baek Li-myeong’s face in an instant.
He hastily interjected.
“Yes, we received them well. Wasn’t the peony absolutely beautiful, Li-ri?”
“Huh? …Ah, yes.”
Li-ri answered uncertainly at her brother’s prompting. And Baek Li-myeong trembled at the suddenly palpable chill in the air as he looked toward Namgung Wan.
Meeting those frigid eyes, his legs quivered and cold sweat streamed down his back. He dared not interject again.
Namgung Wan fixed his gaze upon Li-ri and spoke.
“I’ll ask you just one more thing. What color was the peony you received?”
Li-ri stared blankly, her eyes darting between her father, her brother, and Namgung Wan before she answered.
“The peony was white.”
Namgung Wan let out a hollow laugh and rose to his feet. Baek Li-myeong couldn’t bring himself to look at him.
Namgung Wan turned to face the twins and asked slowly.
“Wasn’t it supposed to be brought to your ailing sister?”
“…”
As his gaze settled upon them, the twins finally grasped the situation. Their faces turned ashen as they exchanged helpless glances.
Sensing the wrongness, Baek Li-ui-muk stepped forward.
“What on earth is happening here? Let us all calm ourselves first.”
“Calm? I would compose myself if I could, but this is infuriating. So you’re Baek Li-myeong? I’ve heard tales of you—the eldest grandson of the Baek Li Family, discerning and respectable. Ha! This is utterly absurd.”
Namgung Wan bowed respectfully toward Jang Seok-ryang.
“Forgive my rudeness, Commander Jang. However, the Baek Li Family must first discipline its own household. If the descendants of the Baek Li Family resort to such deceit, does it not tarnish the name of the Family Head?”
“…”
Namgung Wan strode toward the pavilion’s exit, then paused briefly before the twins.
“A sword in the hands of one who can’t even properly receive a single flower? I suppose it’s fortunate if you can merely swing it without dropping it.”
The twins trembled violently.
Namgung Wan cast a cold glance over them as he departed the pavilion.
“Stay out of my sight henceforth. Pathetic wretches.”
Baek Li-ui-ran, who had been watching in stunned silence, suddenly rose and struck the table with fury. Dishes shattered with a crash, and the cold food scattered across the beautiful pavilion floor.
“Is that man insane? What kind of person acts like that!”
Baek Li-ui-muk, his jaw clenched, glared at his son.
“Baek Li-myeong, come with your father at once.”
Jang Seok-ryang, pressing his temples, quietly withdrew from the pavilion. As he gestured into the empty air, a subordinate suddenly appeared from nowhere.
Jang Seok-ryang issued his command to the bowing subordinate.
“Find out exactly what happened between the Young Master of the Namgung Clan and the children… and contact the Family Head immediately.”
“What should I report to him?”
“What else? Tell him it’s a complete disaster!”
Jang Seok-ryang cried out sharply, then pressed his forehead again with a groan of pain.
“Damn it. I’m dead to the Family Head….”
* * *
When the body finds no comfort, sleep cannot run deep. After accepting Namgung Wan’s inner energy, I drifted in and out of shallow slumber repeatedly.
Without appetite, I skipped dinner as well. It was around the tenth time I woke from sleep.
‘I’m thirsty….’
Dawn had not yet arrived, and only faint moonlight filtered through the window lattice. As I rose from my bed, I startled at the sight of an enormous shadow and hastily settled back down.
The shadow picked up a teapot and soon handed me a cup of tea.
“…Father?”
“Did I startle you?”
“What time is it now… ? You said you were going to the banquet, Father?”
“It’s the hour of the Rat—around eleven at night to one in the morning.”
I thought I’d slept for quite a while, but it had only been that long.
I gulped down the water and suddenly felt something was amiss.
“What about Namgung Wan?”
“….”
“Father?”
“He… is staying at an inn.”
“What?”
He abandoned the vast Baek Li Estate and went to an inn instead?
Father released a suppressed sigh and sat on the bed. For some reason, he seemed unwilling to discuss Namgung Wan.
Father asked me.
“How is your body?”
“I’m fine.”
“You always say you’re fine.”
At his low, heavy tone, I glanced at him in surprise. But in the darkness where only his silhouette was faintly visible, I could discern nothing.
‘There’s no smell of alcohol….’
Sensing what felt like anger, I became cautious.
‘I’m fine, so I say I’m fine. If I complained of pain, wouldn’t that only be more troublesome?’
Compared to when I was truly suffering, this was nothing at all.
Father, who had been silent, reached out his hand toward me. Lost in thought, I instinctively flinched and dodged his hand.
Seeing Father pause, I stammered an excuse.
“There’s an insect, I thought there was an insect.”
“An insect?”
A rustling sound came, and the room suddenly brightened.
Father approached, holding a lit lamp.
“There doesn’t seem to be any insect.”
“…I must have been mistaken.”
As the large figure of a man raised his hand, I couldn’t help but startle.
‘This habit, I thought I’d broken it….’
The darkness made it impossible to see my father clearly, so the gesture seemed to come reflexively. Unaware of anything amiss, my father set down the lamp and simply brushed his hand across my head.
Seized by an inexplicable guilt, I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze.
“Yeon.”
“Yes.”
“It seems we have business at the Namgung Clan.”
I clenched my fists where he couldn’t see.
At last…!
The Namgung Clan. Or more precisely, Man Shin-ui.
My father would never casually mention Man Shin-ui to his young daughter. He would frame the destination as the Namgung Clan first, stopping by Man Shin-ui’s residence along the way.
‘He did the same thing last time.’
But in my previous life, I had squandered this golden opportunity right before my eyes. This time, I absolutely could not let it slip away. Brimming with anticipation, I turned to look at my father—then froze.
His expression was troubled.
‘What is this?’
He wasn’t openly scowling.
But just as I’d sensed when I first heard his voice… somehow, my father seemed deeply angry.
“Preparations will take time. We need to gather supplies, examine your physical condition, and pay respects to your grandfather. It will take several days. Now, go back to sleep. I’m sorry for waking you.”
Having finished speaking, my father rose from the bed. But he didn’t leave immediately—he paused for a moment.
“What is it?”
His gaze fell to the hem of my robe, which I was gripping.
“I… I… that is…”
I was flustered too. I had seized it almost reflexively.
‘But his expression…’
He wore the look of someone struggling to suppress his anger. How long had it been since I’d seen my father make such a face?
Something told me I couldn’t let him leave like this.
“Yeon?”
Since I was holding him, I had to say something…
I opened and closed my mouth several times before finally speaking.
“S-sleep together.”
“Hmm?”
Hesitating, I squeezed my eyes shut and spoke as though coughing up blood.
“I’m… I’m s-scared of sleeping alone…”
“…”
I hung my head low.
‘Ugh, ugh, ugh!’
I wanted to scream internally and disappear into a mouse hole. The embarrassment was as acute as the day I first begged my father to hold me.
As the silence stretched and I thought I might go mad, I heard a sound that made me doubt my ears.
“Pfft, ha, haha, hahaha.”
At the clear, bright laughter, my eyes flew open involuntarily. My father spoke in a warm voice tinged with amusement.
“Scared of sleeping alone?”
“Yes? Yes! I don’t like it.”
“I was the same way at your age.”
“You were, Father?”
“Of course. Well then, shall we sleep together?”
Baek Li-ui-gang settled beside me.
I rolled my eyes about restlessly before finally closing them under the gentle, coaxing touch of his hand that urged me to sleep. Though I had agreed to it, I thought it would be uncomfortable since it had been so long since I’d lain down with anyone else.
But then.
Breath, soft breathing.
Baek Li-ui-gang shifted uncomfortably for a moment before noticing his daughter had already fallen into a deep sleep. Then he murmured, barely audible.
“…No matter what happens, I will make you well.”

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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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