The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 92

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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 92
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So Bu-in sent Namgung Ryu-cheong out and apologized to me.
“I’m truly ashamed to show you such a disgraceful sight. These words may be meaningless, but I never expected things to unfold this way.”
So Bu-in bit her lip and continued speaking slowly.
“This morning, without any prior notice, Lady Jang arrived with Jang Cheol and Jang O.”
So Bu-in said she likely wanted to apologize to me before the matter grew larger—before it reached the ears of the Jang Family Head—to smooth things over.
“Though it concerns the Jang Family, Jang Cheol hasn’t received much recognition from his own father, the Jang Family Head.”
“He hasn’t received recognition?”
“Well… it’s similar to how you sometimes quarrel with friends and grow distant from them, isn’t it? Think of it that way.”
“I see.”
Hmm, that matched what I’d heard from the Suhyang Sect people before coming here. It seemed Jang Cheol’s cold treatment from his own father was a well-known matter in these parts.
‘Somehow… it feels similar.’
Jang Cheol, who was treated coldly by the Jang Family Head.
Me, who was treated coldly by the Baek Li Family Head.
‘Mine is my grandfather and his is his own father, but… come to think of it, we’re both even minor villains in this story?’
Was it a strange coincidence?
My chest felt heavy because I couldn’t help but understand what Jang Cheol must be feeling.
“As you’ve seen, Lady Jang’s health isn’t good, so she could barely leave the house…”
So Bu-in’s expression grew slightly somber as she caressed the table, seeming to sympathize with Lady Jang’s circumstances.
“She came all this way without notice to apologize, and I found it difficult to refuse her.”
There was nothing to fault in So Bu-in’s actions.
I was not a member of the Namgung Clan. I was merely a guest staying at the Namgung Clan. And the Namgung Clan couldn’t unilaterally prevent one guest from meeting another guest. Especially not when that guest had come to apologize.
“Moreover, Ryu-cheong has done something wrong to Jang Cheol…”
So Bu-in’s voice grew progressively quieter.
I quickly asked.
“What did Ryu-cheong do to Jang Cheol?”
So Bu-in, who had been hesitating, opened her mouth as if she had no choice.
“Jang Cheol once stayed at the Namgung Clan for a time. Back then, Jang Cheol and Ryu-cheong had a sparring match…”
So Bu-in paused, her gaze fixed on the table, then continued.
“Ryu-cheong beat Jang Cheol one-sidedly and broke his arm.”
I blinked in surprise.
So Bu-in’s expression was embarrassed and ashamed.
‘Now that I think about it… when I encountered Namgung Ryu-cheong in the back alley, Jang Cheol’s reaction was distinctly different.’
The other children had heard many stories about how accomplished the Namgung Young Master was, but none of them had actually witnessed his true abilities.
So their reaction was typical of spirited youths—’he might be talented, but so what?’—yet only Jang Cheol had been visibly terrified.
Now I understood the reason. Namgung Ryu-cheong had beaten him and broken his arm! For a child already twisted by resentment, wasn’t this the perfect catalyst to become a villain who harbored hatred and constantly tried to trip up Namgung Ryu-cheong?
So Bu-in spoke carefully.
“For Jang Cheol’s sake, I hope you’ll keep this matter secret.”
“Of course.”
So Bu-in let out a soft laugh and continued speaking.
“Jang Cheol was never like this before. The shock from his sparring match with Ryu-cheong must have been severe… After that, he started associating with children of lower quality.”
“…Isn’t it difficult to blame Ryu-cheong for that?”
Even if he could be considered a cause, ultimately it was his own choice to fill his wounded pride by belittling and tormenting other children.
For instance, in Seo Ha-ryeong’s case, her arm wasn’t broken, but… didn’t she transform the emotional wounds from Namgung Ryu-cheong’s harsh words into motivation, training by striking wooden dolls and vowing to grow stronger for revenge?
And from my perspective, having been called lowborn, it became ‘why should I care?’
‘There’s no grave without an excuse, they say. Perhaps this difference is what separates villains from heroes.’
“Your words are right. It’s not Ryu-cheong’s fault. But… I still can’t help but feel concerned.”
So Bu-in’s expression turned bitter.
“Sigh, I’m sorry for dragging you into something unrelated to you. I promise there won’t be such incidents next time.”
Since Jang Cheol caused this commotion, even if the Namgung Clan blocked me from meeting Lady Jang, the Jang Family would have nothing to say about it.
So Bu-in apologized repeatedly.
“I’m truly sorry. What Ryu-cheong said wasn’t wrong either.”
“I’m really fine with it.”
Honestly, I didn’t give much thought to Jang Cheol’s apology.
Why would I want to accumulate resentment with a villain? I intended to accept the apology gracefully and move on. But I never expected Namgung Ryu-cheong to strike with such socially inept words.
‘Seriously, isn’t Namgung Ryu-cheong going to get stabbed one day from all the grudges he accumulates?’
My concern was brief; I quickly realized it wouldn’t happen easily thanks to his exceptional skills. Who should be worried about whom?
I continued speaking carefully.
“While what the Namgung Young Master said isn’t wrong… both families still have their pride. How can you sever matters between clans so cleanly?”
Ah, did I sound too mature for a child?
Just as I was glancing nervously, my words seemed to strike something, and So Bu-in suddenly bit her lip with a choked expression, her eyes reddening.
‘What? What! Is So Bu-in crying?’
Wait, how many people am I making cry today?
Fortunately, So Bu-in, being far more mature than Seo Ha-ryeong, didn’t actually shed tears. Having successfully controlled her emotions, she spoke with an embarrassed air.
“I’ve shown my foolishness. Perhaps it’s because I’m getting older—sometimes I can’t control myself like this.”
“Ha, age?”
I seemed to have reacted with utter disbelief. Noticing So Bu-in’s slightly startled gaze, I quickly scrambled for words.
“But… if you went out on the street with me, people would think you were my older sister.”
I even tilted my head to emphasize my genuine confusion.
“My, you’re something. Hahaha.”
So Bu-in covered her mouth and laughed brilliantly. All the gloom from moments before seemed to vanish, and I felt satisfied with my flattery.
It wasn’t entirely a lie anyway. She was so youthful and beautiful that one couldn’t imagine she had a child.
Looking at So Bu-in, I understood Namgung Ryu-cheong’s exceptional beauty. It wasn’t a protagonist’s blessing… if the mother was so beautiful and the child’s appearance turned out poorly, that would have been a grave sin.
“If only I had a daughter like you…”
“I also thought it would be nice to have a mother like So Bu-in!”
“Then would you come to me?”
“…Yes?”
So Bu-in burst into laughter again. It was a laugh like silver beads rolling. With lingering mirth in her voice, So Bu-in continued.
“Now that I think of it, your spring clothes should be finished soon.”
So Bu-in’s face lit up with subtle excitement, while mine grew noticeably shadowed.
“Clothes… there are so many….”
“Hehe, don’t worry. Everything will suit you beautifully.”
At this point, my suspicion that So Bu-in was treating me like a doll to dress up grew considerably stronger.
“And there’s Cheon-am Temple, where I frequently make donations. It’s nearby, the path is convenient, and the scenery is lovely.”
“Cheon-am Temple! I’ve heard of it! Isn’t it the temple with beautiful peach blossoms?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, it’s not the season for peach blossoms… but would you still like to go together?”
“I’d love to! Oh, will Namgung Ryu-cheong come with us too?”
“I was planning to invite him to come along… ”
So Bu-in’s voice trailed off as she raised the corners of her eyes.
“Never mind. That useless boy will probably just say he’s training anyway. Let’s go, just the two of us.”
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After chatting about various things, So Bu-in left to visit Lady Jang, and I also departed from the chamber.
As I passed through the inner courtyard to exit So Bu-in’s residence, an urgent voice called me to a stop.
“Miss Baek Li!”
“…Jang O?”
Jang O stood between the pillars of a corridor leading toward the guest chamber. I knew the guest chamber was in that direction because Lady Jang had headed that way with the support of a female servant.
“Is Lady Jang alright?”
“Huh? Ah… she should be fine.”
…she should be fine?
His response was peculiar. There wasn’t a trace of genuine concern in it.
Jang O asked urgently, as if that wasn’t his main concern.
“Have you seen Namgung Ryu-cheong?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Wasn’t he with you?”
“I was with So Bu-in and just left. Namgung Ryu-cheong departed earlier.”
“Ah… I see.”
Jang O turned away as if his business was concluded.
‘…What was that?’
I tilted my head in confusion, watching Jang O hurry away. I shook my head and took another step before realizing something.
“Tsk, which way is the exit?”
On the way here, I’d been too busy following Namgung Ryu-cheong to pay attention to my surroundings.
‘Well… I’ll just ask someone if I run into them on the way out.’
Fortunately, whether by luck or my memory serving me well, I quickly found the direction to exit the pavilion. Just as I was about to descend the staircase, a silhouette of light flickered beyond the wall where the corridor bent left—not in the direction I was heading.
I no longer needed help finding my way, so I descended the stairs without concern. But then I suddenly stopped and climbed back up. I focused my golden eyes on the flickering silhouette to examine it.
‘That’s Namgung Ryu-cheong, isn’t it? Didn’t he say he was going to train? Why is he still here?’
Then I noticed the person standing across from Namgung Ryu-cheong—a child about his age who had learned martial arts.
‘If it’s someone here now, is it Jang Cheol? Or Jang O?’
Since both had similar builds and comparable inner energy, I couldn’t distinguish between them with my golden eyes.
‘Ah, it must be Jang O.’
If it had been Jang Cheol, we would have been trading blows by now instead of having such a peaceful conversation. It seemed he had managed to find Namgung Ryu-cheong after all.
What should I do? I was slightly curious about why he had sought him out, and I wondered what he intended to accomplish.
Then I heard Jang O’s voice.
“There’s a reason for that too, but….”
When someone trailed off like that, it was natural to press them to finish their thought, as if asking them to continue.
Something like ‘But what?’ or ‘And then?’
Namgung Ryu-cheong, however….
“If you’re done talking, get out of the way.”
“What?”
“Move.”
His tone was still as devoid of courtesy as ever.

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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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