The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 57

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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 57
* * *
The door closed quietly, and the soft patter of footsteps on stone tiles faded into the distance.
Namgung Mu-cheol spoke with his eyes still closed.
“Ui-gang has raised a fine daughter.”
A figure emerged from behind the folding screen, walking with heavy strides.
“What is the meaning of this? You’re saying that man stole Yeon’s Gongcheong Stone Jade!”
Namgung Wan’s face had flushed crimson, veins bulging at his neck.
“Did you not hear it all? It is as I said.”
“Is this why you asked for the Gongcheong Stone Jade? Yes!”
“Indeed.”
“Father!”
“My ears still function perfectly well.”
Namgung Wan, his composure utterly shattered, stormed forward and brought his fist down upon the table. The ornately inlaid surface—adorned with carp and lotus flowers—cracked with a sharp snap and met its end.
“Give me the Gongcheong Stone Jade!”
“What do you intend to do with it?”
“Return it to her, of course!”
Namgung Mu-cheol’s eyes narrowed to slits.
“Earlier you wished to give it to Namgung Ryu-cheong?”
“What is there to admire in that wretch! Did you see how he treated Yeon at today’s stone-tasting gathering! Cold water would be too good for him!”
Namgung Mu-cheol gestured toward the cushion that still retained its warmth.
“Sit.”
“Father!”
“Sit at once!”
Namgung Wan exhaled sharply through his nostrils and dropped onto the cushion. Watching his son, Namgung Mu-cheol clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Cool your head. How can you be so foolish? That child has learned a lesson you cannot seem to grasp!”
“What lesson! That the axe you trust will strike your own foot! What your father’s sworn brother has done—!”
Namgung Mu-cheol splashed the water from his teacup directly at Namgung Wan.
Though Namgung Wan dodged as if anticipating the attack, a few drops still spattered across his collar.
Namgung Wan brushed them away irritably.
“Stop doing that whenever you have nothing to say!”
“It is to bring you to your senses!”
Namgung Mu-cheol released a deep sigh and spoke.
“Even if you return the Gongcheong Stone Jade to that child now, she cannot bear the burden.”
“She cannot bear it?”
“If you return the Gongcheong Stone Jade to her, yet someone else attempts to seize it, that child will be powerless to resist and will lose it again.”
“Apart from your sworn brother, who would dare lay hands on Yeon while she resides within the Namgung Clan!”
“How do you suppose my sworn brother learned that Yeon possessed the Gongcheong Stone Jade?”
…
“Rumors are spreading that Yeon survived within Man Shin-ui’s Alchemy Chamber. Those who know of the Gongcheong Stone Jade’s existence will surely emerge. It is already too late to let this pass quietly.”
“Why are you only telling me this now?”
Namgung Mu-cheol rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“That child has only been here for two days!”
“….”
“If you truly must return it, keep it for now and hand it over to Ui-gang when he arrives. Until then, I’ll say nothing more.”
Namgung Wan’s face contorted.
“Will Ui-gang accept it? Besides, Ui-gang right now…! If Ui-gang takes a vitality elixir now, no one knows what will happen!”
“Exactly. Right now, Ui-gang cannot afford to worry about the Gongseongseokyou. You know this well, don’t you?”
“….”
“Still, seeing that the girl discovered Man Shin-ui’s Alchemy Chamber suggests that Heaven has not abandoned Ui-gang.”
* * *
My head spun as I returned to the Residence Quarter. Even Namgung Mu-cheol did not know why Man Shin-ui had stopped his martial arts research.
In fact, he seemed surprised by the very fact that Man Shin-ui had conducted such research, asking me in disbelief, “He researched martial arts? Really, is that true?” Moreover, he appeared completely unaware of the existence of this peculiar ability I had obtained from Man Shin-ui.
‘It makes sense—if word spread that someone who never learned martial arts possessed such an ability, it would be dangerous.’
There would surely be those who sought to steal it from me. As evidenced by the theft of the Gongseongseokyou, in this world of survival of the fittest, for the weak to possess something precious was a sin.
‘But then why didn’t he integrate this ability with martial arts from the start? Why did he suddenly begin researching it only in his later years?’
I could not fathom what Man Shin-ui had been thinking.
The Old Servant who had escorted me to the entrance of the Residence Quarter bowed and turned to leave.
I tapped my lips and yawned widely. My mind was tangled, but my still-young body yearned for rest and sleep.
‘I’ll sleep on it for now.’
As I hurried toward the Residence Quarter, I stopped abruptly. A dark silhouette stood in the courtyard before it. It was Yalyu. He stood beneath the eaves, bathed in moonlight, gazing quietly at his feet.
“Yalyu? What are you doing here?”
At the sound of my voice, Yalyu lifted his head.
Upon raising his head and seeing me, his eyes widened slightly before a faint smile crossed his face. I stared at him blankly for a moment before realization struck.
“Don’t tell me you’ve been standing there like that ever since I left?”
“….”
Yalyu simply gazed at me silently. I pressed my hand to my forehead.
He was still in the exact spot where I had left him. Really, he wasn’t a dog waiting for his master—there was no reason to wait like this!
But thinking about it… Yalyu had no one else to rely on here. Just as I had been at the Baek Li Estate.
“Did you eat dinner?”
“….”
He hadn’t moved a single step, so there was no way he’d eaten. A surge of frustration welled up at his foolish expression.
“You should eat without waiting! How would you know when I’d return! What were you counting on!”
Yalyu, whose eyes had only blinked, spoke softly.
“Just… something might happen.”
“What could happen inside the Namgung Clan! What kind of bold person… there was one. Ha.”
I laughed hollowly.
“So you were worried and standing there?”
“Yes.”
Sigh.
I swallowed a sigh and gestured to Yalyu to follow me.
“Let’s go.”
“Where? The Residence Quarter is this way.”
“The kitchen. Let’s see if there’s anything left to eat.”
“You don’t have to eat.”
“I’m hungry, so I’m going.”
….
* * *
The next morning.
Yalyu’s eyes snapped open at the sound of movement.
Light footsteps echoed from the Courtyard. In the dim pre-dawn darkness of the Hall, before the sun had risen, Yalyu quietly rose to his feet.
It couldn’t have been a maid. Baek Li-yeon found it inconvenient to keep maids in the Residence Quarter, so they only came briefly during the day when needed and left at night.
Yalyu knew the maids had been dismissed because of him—to minimize his contact with the Namgung Clan’s people.
He endured this inconvenience for his own safety. Yalyu stepped silently out of the Residence Quarter. A young girl was crossing the Courtyard. He remembered this was the girl who had come two days ago—the one Baek Li-yeon had introduced as Seo Ha-ryeong.
Seo Ha-ryeong stopped short upon seeing Yalyu, then approached him.
“Why are you out instead of Yeon?”
“Yeon?”
“Yes! We decided yesterday to call each other by our names!”
Seo Ha-ryeong puffed out her chest proudly, then caught herself and asked.
“Oh, right. So where is Yeon?”
“Sleeping.”
“Still sleeping?”
Yalyu glanced at the sky, where the sun had yet to rise.
“Yeon said she’d come watch me practice today, and she’s still sleeping?”
“I don’t know. Go home.”
As Yalyu turned back toward the Residence Quarter, Seo Ha-ryeong’s expression darkened at being so plainly dismissed, and she suddenly cried out.
“No! I’m going to check! Yeon!”
Without warning, Seo Ha-ryeong pushed past Yalyu and bolted into the Residence Quarter.
Yalyu reached out to grab her but hesitated.
In that brief moment, Seo Ha-ryeong had gotten away, and Yalyu hurried after her in alarm.
“Oh… she really is asleep.”
Seo Ha-ryeong’s loud voice dropped to a whisper.
Yalyu spoke with a growl in his voice.
“Get out. Now.”
* * *
“Ha-ryeong came this morning?”
Goodness. How diligent. I only mentioned visiting once, yet she showed up at the crack of dawn.
Yalyu spoke with a slightly irritated expression.
“She even went into the bedroom.”
“Huh?”
“I rushed in too suddenly and couldn’t stop him. I could have caught him, but….”
“It’s fine, you did well. You’re so strong that I worry you’ll hurt yourself again.”
Fortunately, it seemed he remembered what I had told him before—not to wield his strength carelessly against others.
“Were his eyes alright?”
“His eyes?”
“Yes. They weren’t swollen or anything?”
Yalyu pondered for a moment before answering.
“I don’t remember.”
I nodded and set down my spoon. A servant soon entered and cleared away all the dishes. Yalyu left the hall as well.
When Yalyu returned, I was already putting on my outer robe and searching for my shoes. He held out a medicine bowl to me.
“This.”
I hesitated before taking the medicine bowl and setting it on the table. Then I found my shoes, put them on, and stood up. Yalyu was still staring at the medicine bowl.
Feeling oddly guilty, I spoke first.
“I’ll drink it when I come back.”
Yalyu turned his eyes to look at me.
“You said that yesterday too, and you didn’t drink it.”
“Did I… really? Haha.”
“Yes. You did.”
“….”
Without thinking, I pouted my lips. Then I lifted my head shamelessly.
“Children naturally hate taking medicine.”
“….”
Yalyu fell silent.

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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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