The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 62

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

Chapter 62
“Who brought me back to my quarters?”
“So Ga-ju did.”
“…Did anything happen?”
“No.”
I exhaled softly, my gaze falling to my bandaged hands.
“I’ve caused you trouble. The thing is….”
As I trailed off, struggling to find the right words, Yalyu spoke.
“I already heard.”
“You heard?”
“Yes. From Seo Ha-ryeong.”
“From Seo Ha-ryeong? You….”
Since when did he exchange more than three words with Seo Ha-ryeong…?
I shook my head and continued.
“No, never mind. You must be exhausted staying by my side all night. Go rest now.”
“I’m not tired.”
“You’re not tired? You were here all night. You need to rest.”
Yalyu lowered his eyes briefly before nodding.
“Then I’ll leave once the servant arrives.”
“All right.”
The moment those words left my lips, the servant returned.
But it was far too soon for her to have visited the physician at the Medical Chamber. The servant’s expression was slightly flustered.
I asked her, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s that…outside, Young Master Ryu-cheong has arrived.”
I blinked several times at the unexpected news.
“Namgung Ryu-cheong…has come?”
“Yes.”
“What does he want?”
“I’m afraid I didn’t hear his purpose, sir.”
“Is that so?”
I glanced sideways at Yalyu.
“Tell him to come in. And Yalyu, you should go rest now.”
“….”
The servant withdrew to deliver my message. But Yalyu didn’t move.
I urged him forward. “Yalyu, what are you doing? Go on.”
Finally, after some hesitation, Namgung Ryu-cheong entered my quarters.
He stopped upon seeing Yalyu as the servant held back the door curtain for him.
“….”
Namgung Ryu-cheong stepped over the curtain that the Female Servant held up, caught sight of Yalyu, and stopped.
“….”
“….”
The looks they exchanged were absolutely piercing.
‘Not in my bedroom!’
I tapped the mattress sharply.
“Did you come here to discuss something with me?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong snorted first and turned his head away. I gestured urgently at Yalyu to leave. Yalyu bit his lip reluctantly and departed.
“Phew.”
Only then could I breathe a sigh of relief.
‘It’s strange how they keep running into each other.’
In my past life, they were enemies and rivals. I wanted to keep them as separate as possible, but living under the same roof made that unavoidable, didn’t it?
Shortly after, a Female Servant brought tea. Namgung Ryu-cheong stopped her from pouring with a gesture and spoke.
“I’ll do it. You may go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong poured the tea with impeccable posture and placed the cup before me.
I admired his composure inwardly, but when I looked at his face, I frowned. His cheekbones bore a distinctly dark bruise.
“What’s wrong with your face?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong hesitated before responding firmly.
“It’s none of your concern.”
“….”
If you’re going to be like this, why did you even come?
I knew intellectually that I shouldn’t get angry over such things as an adult, but the words tumbled out bluntly before I could stop them.
“Then what did you come here for?”
At that, Namgung Ryu-cheong’s fingertips trembled slightly.
“I got it during sparring.”
“You got injured sparring?”
A bruise that dark meant he’d been hit quite hard. But who could possibly strike the face of Namgung Ryu-cheong, heir to the Namgung Clan?
‘Namgung Wan.’
It seemed he’d been beaten under the guise of sparring.
In the novel, I’d read that Namgung Ryu-cheong recalled being disciplined this way by his father when he was younger.
“Are you alright?”
“Ha! Who’s worried about whom here?”
“….”
This guy—I wasn’t asking a bad question. I was genuinely concerned.
I wanted to hit him once. Without realizing it, I was beginning to understand Namgung Wan’s feelings when he’d beaten him.
Then Namgung Ryu-cheong asked.
“What about you?”
“Huh?”
“Your hand… is it alright?”
He stared at my right hand as if his gaze could pierce through it.
“My hand? It’s fine.”
“I heard you needed eight stitches. If you’re not careful, you could end up with permanent damage.”
“Wait, who told you that?”
I scratched my head and muttered without thinking.
“Father told me.”
I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. Namgung Ryu-cheong’s eyebrows shot up immediately.
“Why are you laughing?”
“No, I mean… you’re still a bit young to be calling him Father like that…”
You’re just a child!
There was something amusing about how serious this child looked.
Besides, Namgung Ryu-cheong had the delicate, lovely features of the handsome man he’d become, even as a child. Of course, his cold expression and blunt manner of speaking detracted significantly from his appeal, but I still couldn’t help finding him adorable.
About ninety-nine percent of my tendency to overlook his rudeness came down to that young face of his.
Namgung Ryu-cheong glared at me with an irritated expression.
“There’s nothing for you to mock about me calling him Father.”
I bit my lip hard to suppress my laughter.
“Sorry, sorry. And I wasn’t mocking you.”
I managed to compose my expression and looked at Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“So why did you come here?”
“Until your hand heals… I’ll help you.”
“Help with what?”
“Your hand will be inconvenient.”
What on earth was this boy saying?
“Help with what exactly?”
“…”
“Well? What kind of help?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong merely kept his lips pressed tightly together, as if struggling to speak.
I pondered for a moment before asking hesitantly.
“So you’re saying… you’ll attend to my needs while I recover?”
“…”
Namgung Ryu-cheong remained silent.
I let out a breath of relief without realizing it.
“Ha, of course that can’t be what you meant. Phew.”
“That’s exactly what I meant.”
“…What?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong clenched his teeth and lifted his chin as he spoke.
“I’m going to attend to your needs.”
I was stunned.
Did I just hear that right? Am I understanding this correctly? Really? Namgung Ryu-cheong? Attending to my needs?
‘Has he been possessed by a ghost?’
“So you’re saying… you’ll stay in my Residence Quarter and attend to my needs while I recover… is that what you mean?”
“Yes.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong added.
“Don’t worry. I’ll sleep in my own quarters.”
Who was worried about that! That’s obvious! Were you planning to sleep here?
Before I could stop myself, I asked.
“Why would you?”
“Because it’s my fault.”
“….”
“….”
Ha ha… I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. I’d wondered why he suddenly sought me out, but this was completely unexpected.
Unlike me, whose head was still reeling, Namgung Ryu-cheong looked almost relieved after speaking.
‘This is a disaster.’
If I were alone, I would have welcomed his reconciliation or apology. It would be a chance for us to grow closer, after all.
But Yalyu was in my quarters. I might have thought positively about becoming friends with everyone, but not these two. At the very least, I’d need to do something about Yalyu’s demonic energy before I could even attempt to bring them together.
‘And they’re already on bad terms!’
As if they were destined to be rivals no matter what past they shared, they were already growling at each other.
I sipped the lukewarm tea and gathered my thoughts. The moment I set down the half-empty cup, Namgung Ryu-cheong immediately refilled it. Seeing that made me feel even worse about what I was about to say.
I opened my mouth, looking at Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“I understand your intention.”
“Then….”
“But I’m going to decline.”
“What?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong looked quite shocked, as if he’d expected me to accept without question. Well, considering he’d only ever dealt with people trying to win his favor, this rejection was probably new to him.
Namgung Ryu-cheong asked suspiciously.
“Why?”
“It would be uncomfortable.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong hesitated before speaking carefully.
“…I’ll make it as comfortable as possible.”
“How could it not be uncomfortable? You… haven’t even shown interest in me all this time.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s eyes twitched slightly as he looked away.
‘He can’t deny it.’
I continued, wondering how to make Namgung Ryu-cheong accept the rejection.
“I don’t like being in the same space as someone I’m not close to. It makes me uncomfortable. That’s why I barely use servants, so what would happen if you came around? So I’ll just accept your feelings instead.”
Sigh. This was basically saying outright that our relationship wasn’t good enough and I didn’t need him.
I could see Namgung Ryu-cheong’s fists clench.
‘I’m sorry.’
I didn’t want to say it this harshly either.
I could have just declined politely, but the problem was that the other person was Namgung Ryu-cheong. Someone with an iron will, who never changed a decision once made!
Even before my regression, I’d done everything I could to distance myself from him and avoid involvement, only to end up running away in the end.
I didn’t think he’d be any less stubborn just because he was younger now.
“So we’re done here, then?”
Fortunately, young Namgung Ryu-cheong’s pride soared higher than the heavens themselves. All I needed to do was scratch it gently, and he would flare up in anger and leave.
He was already suppressing his rage, his eyes narrowed in barely contained fury.
As I sipped my tea, I was about to issue an order for him to depart.
That was when Namgung Ryu-cheong muttered something.
“…then it would work.”
“What did you say?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong spoke through gritted teeth.
“If we became close, it would work!”

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