The Morning Star Baby Wants a Family - Chapter 27

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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 27
Hae-na’s pace was slow. Her attention had been captured by everything around her.
Rather than scold the child, Cheon-eul quietly matched her speed and walked alongside her.
“Fresh strawberries! Just picked this morning, lovely and ripe!”
“Miss, do take a look at these ornaments. They’re fine goods worthy of a princess!”
Vibrant, booming voices called out from every direction.
The scent of powder and fragrant oils, the fishy smell of seafood, the sweet aroma of fruit, and the grassy odor of wilted vegetables.
The mingled fragrance was neither wholly pleasant nor unpleasant. Hae-na wrinkled her nose as she breathed it in.
The bustling marketplace was filled with all manner of people.
Common women haggling over prices.
Children perched on their fathers’ shoulders, pointing excitedly in every direction.
Young ladies accompanied by their servant girls.
It was an ordinary market day, yet to Hae-na, it was a world far more wondrous than the Palace itself.
As Hae-na stared intently at the various fish displayed on a stall, a jingling sound from somewhere drew her attention.
There lay a market stall laden with ornaments, belts, and all manner of hair accessories.
“Miss, what do you think of this? It was crafted by an artisan from Cheonsan…”
A peddler displayed various wares to a well-born young lady standing before him.
A man in plain cotton garments passed by, briefly blocking her view.
As though enchanted, Hae-na approached the stall.
After that, Hae-na’s gaze was captured by countless other things.
Drawn by the sweet-tart fragrance, she obtained a strawberry from a generous merchant at the fruit stall, and later approached a blacksmith sharpening his blade, only to receive a sharp rebuke to step back at once for her own safety.
Surrounded by things she had never seen before, Hae-na was utterly exhilarated.
Because of this, she failed to notice that the hand she had grasped—Cheon-eul’s hand—was gradually loosening.
“Eom Heung-su! Eom Heung-su has arrived! He’s just returned from Okryeong!”
“They say he’s brought his satchel brimming with tales! Come quickly!”
At that moment, several boys wove through the crowd, their voices ringing out loudly.
At the arrival of the renowned Storyteller, people began to surge forward.
Equally excited, Hae-na tried to follow them. And in that instant, the loosely held hand slipped away entirely.
Hae-na turned in surprise. At a short distance away, Cheon-eul stood motionless, watching the child.
* * *
Beyond the translucent cloth, the child’s round, chestnut-brown head was visible.
The moment they entered the marketplace, Hae-na’s head had been turning ceaselessly in every direction.
‘What could she find so captivating?’
Gazing quietly down at the small crown of her head, Cheon-eul thought without particular emotion.
To him, the only impression this clamorous marketplace could offer was that it was loud.
He had vaguely expected she would enjoy it. Yet Hae-na’s reaction was several times more animated than he had anticipated.
She was an unusual child. He had held the same thought when they departed the Yul Family Residence.
The child who had hesitated at the main gate had leaped over it in an instant. Her movement was so light, as though she had never wavered at all.
Though she feared him, she spoke her mind plainly; and even after realizing she had been deceived and had labored in vain, she simply smiled brightly.
The child who had spent eight years confined within the residence had not withered in the slightest.
It was peculiar. How could a seed sprout without sunlight?
‘Perhaps that’s why Seowan took notice of her.’
I knew Seowan possessed compassion beneath his sharp exterior, yet no one had ever captivated him quite like Hae-na.
Above all, I had never witnessed Seowan smile so radiantly.
His piercing gaze softened into gentle curves, and a quiet laugh escaped him.
Despite nearly five years at his side, I had never seen such an expression.
The realization stirred something strange within me.
I gazed at the small hand resting precariously in my own.
I wondered what expression Seowan would wear if this child vanished.
Would he rage as he had when his cherished blade was damaged?
Or would he abandon everything and surrender to vengeance, consumed by hatred for me?
In that moment, Hae-na’s hand slipped away. The small child was quickly swept into the crowd and disappeared from sight.
I lifted my hand gently, summoning wind with a subtle gesture.
If the child vanished, perhaps I could monopolize Seowan’s attention entirely.
Yet I would never witness a smile like the one I had seen today.
As I moved to envelop the child in wind, Hae-na turned and began pushing through the crowd toward me.
Though she collided and stumbled against passersby, she pressed forward with unwavering determination.
I stared blankly as she drew closer, and the wind surrounding the child grew faint.
But Hae-na closed the distance with purposeful strides.
Soon a small hand shot out and grasped mine firmly.
“I caught you!”
The child’s voice rang out. Hae-na looked up at me with a brilliant smile.
A gentle breeze stirred, and the veil obscuring the child’s face wavered.
I reached out and brushed the veil aside. Her features became clear once more.
Hae-na’s cheeks flushed as she laughed innocently, her sunset-hued eyes sparkling with reflected light.
Over the laughing child’s face, I saw Seowan’s smiling visage overlaid.
This child possessed the same vibrant complexity as her sister.
The world reflected in those transparent eyes was beautiful. What seemed an ordinary landscape to me appeared entirely different through her gaze.
It fascinated me at first, then stirred a hint of envy, before my attention drifted to my own hands.
Two small hands clung tightly to my pale, large ones.
After observing this for a moment, I bent down and lifted the child into my arms.
As I settled Hae-na securely against me, our eyes met—her round gaze meeting mine.
I offered her a gentle smile.
“This view suits you better. You won’t lose my hand again, and you’ll see far more from here.”
There was no particular reason. It simply felt right.
I didn’t bother searching for justification. The desire itself to do something was precious to me.
Hae-na, who had hesitated, nodded. Her face brightened with joy at the expanded view.
Carrying the child, I walked toward where the crowd had gathered.
The Storyteller’s captivating performance immediately enthralled Hae-na.
Her sunset-hued eyes gleamed with concentration, and when the crowd erupted in laughter, she giggled along with them.
Each time the Storyteller paused, Cheon-eul readily tossed coins his way.
Once the tale concluded, he led Hae-na through the Market, wandering from stall to stall.
The child, initially hesitant in this unfamiliar place, gradually began pointing out things she wished to see, asking curious questions about others.
Cheon-eul smiled warmly and obliged her every request, and each time, Hae-na’s face would light up with unbridled joy.
As their exploration of the Market drew to a close, the child’s gaze fixed upon a single spot.
Cheon-eul followed her line of sight. There, an array of colorful pinwheels stood in neat rows.
“I saw other children playing with them before.”
Hae-na whispered softly, her voice tinged with longing.
When Cheon-eul brought her to the Market Stall, the Merchant sitting there sprang to his feet.
“Oh my, does this precious little one wish to have one? Please, choose whichever you like!”
At the Merchant’s words, Hae-na examined the pinwheels from every angle. Soon, her expression dimmed slightly.
“They don’t spin, do they?”
“Ah, well, the wind simply hasn’t been strong enough today….”
The Merchant tried to console the child. Cheon-eul subtly stirred his spiritual energy—an impulsive act.
A refreshing breeze swept through the quiet Street. The pinwheels, large and small alike, began to turn slowly.
“Wow…!”
Hae-na gasped in wonder. Her wide eyes, gleaming like the sunset, turned back toward Cheon-eul.
Concern flickered across the child’s face. Cheon-eul smiled gently, placing his index finger to his lips in a silent gesture.
‘It’s all right.’
After he mouthed those words, Hae-na hesitated for a long moment before turning her gaze away.
The child stood with her mouth slightly agape, gazing endlessly at the spinning pinwheels of every hue.
It was a beautiful sight to see Hae-na’s face radiant with joy.
Cheon-eul continued to summon the breeze for her until her wonder was finally sated.

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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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