The Morning Star Baby Wants a Family - Chapter 68

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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 68
‘Who could it be?’
Yeon-bi held her breath, staring at the door.
The figure beyond remained silent, their shadow stretching long across the paper screen.
‘…Surely not.’
Even as the thought crossed her mind, cold sweat beaded on Yeon-bi’s ashen forehead.
Yeon-bi was staying not at the inn in the heart of the village where she had lodged before, but at a small, dilapidated inn at the edge of Gaeyang.
There was no way Seowan, the Tamlang Seongggun, could be unaware that Gaeyang’s waters had returned.
It was obvious he would come searching for her the moment her strength returned, so she had fled in haste.
Yeon-bi had left most of her belongings at the previous inn and slipped away hurriedly in the dead of night to buy herself time.
‘I cannot stay here.’
She had to return to the Capital, to her own Residence.
Fortunately, word had reached her that both Geomun and Tamlang Seongggun lay bedridden with severe illness.
Yeon-bi had seized the opportunity to prepare for her swift departure.
Today was the day. Only today had she finally managed to badger the insufferably lazy Innkeeper into completing the preparations.
‘If that monster somehow….’
It was as Yeon-bi, her lower lip clenched tight, glanced toward the window.
“Ahem, cough. Is anyone here?”
A slow, gravelly voice called out.
It was the Innkeeper.
“You!”
Yeon-bi’s face darkened as she strode forward and yanked the door open.
A stout man with a kindly appearance jumped back in surprise.
“Why are you so late! I told you I needed everything ready immediately!”
“Hehe, my apologies. Being so remote, merchants rarely venture here, you see. But the scenery is splendid, so I trust you’ve enjoyed the sights!”
The Innkeeper paid no mind to Yeon-bi’s sharp rebuke, smiling good-naturedly.
Curses rose to the tip of her tongue, but Yeon-bi swallowed them and spoke instead.
“So, the things I asked for—are they ready?”
“Of course! Two fine horses that could run for days without tiring, a large carriage with a roof…ah, and my wife packed some dried persimmons for the journey. Hehe.”
Perhaps because she had paid a generous deposit, the Innkeeper’s face remained wreathed in smiles.
“And there’s a servant to handle the horses? I was quite clear that I needed someone discreet.”
Yeon-bi spoke in a low, threatening tone. The Innkeeper thumped his chest.
“Of course!”
“Then bring him now. We must leave at once—”
“Here I am!”
The Innkeeper cut her off, thumping his own chest again.
Yeon-bi’s eyes closed slowly, then opened.
“I’m quite strong. And discreet—needless to say!”
At his booming declaration, Yeon-bi’s carefully restrained composure twisted into something fierce.
“You’re mocking me!”
The moment she cried out, the temperature in the room spiked dramatically, and the acrid stench of burning filled the air.
The man who had been laughing nervously faltered at last.
“Half a double hour. Bring her within that time. Should you be even a moment late, I will tear you to shreds and feed you to the wild beasts.”
Yeon-bi spat the words at the terrified man.
The man, trembling violently, nodded and bolted away with a thunderous clatter.
Slam!
Yeon-bi shut the door roughly and raked her hair back with irritation.
“Horses, carriages, servants too….”
It was then that a gentle voice drifted from the window.
A long shadow fell across Yeon-bi’s head.
When she spun around in alarm, she was greeted by a wide-open window.
“I thought those were merely preparations for disguising yourself as a merchant, but it seems you truly do have things to move.”
With a light breeze, Seowan stepped silently into the room.
She was not alone.
“It has been a while, Pagun Seongggun.”
Following him, Geomun Seongggun Yeo Cheon-eul descended beside Seowan, his long sleeves billowing.
Geomun Seongggun not only accompanied Seowan, but cradled tenderly in his arms was the young girl he claimed was his sister.
“…Indeed. The excursion has been quite pleasant.”
Yeon-bi answered, suppressing her alarm. Her golden-crimson eyes turned toward Hae-na.
Hae-na, nestled in Cheon-eul’s embrace, flinched at that gaze.
It seemed Yeon-bi might rush at her at any moment.
She meant to take the weakest one—Hae-na—as a hostage.
‘As if I would allow that.’
Hae-na did not avert her eyes. Unlike before, I was no longer entirely helpless.
The adults, sensing the child’s resolve, moved to shield Hae-na.
As Cheon-eul blocked Hae-na’s view with his sleeve, Seowan clicked his tongue softly.
“We nearly lost her by dragging our feet.”
When Hae-na had mentioned Hwa Yeon-bi, Seowan had immediately set out to find her.
Though the matter of Gaeyang was resolved and Yeon-bi should have no reason to cause trouble, since she had revealed this to me, it needed to be settled definitively.
‘That is not acceptable.’
It was Cheon-eul again who blocked Seowan’s path. With a grave expression, he shook his head firmly.
‘You have already pushed yourself far too hard. Please observe at least the week the Royal Physician prescribed.’
Seowan tried to ignore him and leave, but this time an unexpected obstacle appeared.
‘Sister….’
Hae-na grasped at my sleeve.
Just as Seowan was about to soothe the child, Hae-na’s face, which had worn a pitiful, puppy-like expression, hardened with resolve.
‘If you go, I will get hurt the same way. And starting tomorrow, I will wander about recklessly just like you….’
Contrary to her gentle and affectionate nature, Hae-na’s stubbornness was stronger than steel wire.
Seowan knew the child would achieve her goal by any means necessary. In the end, she relented and nodded.
“You should have rested regardless.”
As expected, Hae-na murmured softly from her hiding place between Cheon-eul’s robes.
“Yes, yes.”
The moment Seowan chuckled and turned his head, Yeon-bi’s eyes flashed with intent.
Whoosh!
A massive inferno erupted from the wide-open window.
The flames were mere inches from touching Cheon-eul’s collar where he held Hae-na.
Sizzzzle—!
The fire extinguished in an instant, generating an enormous cloud of steam.
The room turned completely white, but within a blink, the air dried entirely.
“How dare you.”
Seowan’s face, which had worn a faint smile, turned cold and severe.
Yeon-bi’s lips curled upward as she gritted her teeth.
“Still so fond of that lowborn wretch, I see.”
Seowan stepped forward without a word.
A rope of water materialized in the air, binding Yeon-bi.
“Will you kill me?”
Yeon-bi’s face had gone pale as she forced out a bitter smile.
“The Second Prince knows I’m here in Gaeyang. If I die and Pagun Seongggun falls, both the Second Prince and His Majesty will hold Tamlang Seongggun accountable.”
Seowan nodded silently.
She was right.
Beyond that, he had no intention of causing a major incident in the place where he’d brought the child.
“I have no intention of killing you.”
Breaking a few bones would suffice.
Seowan swallowed the sinister thought and studied Yeon-bi once more.
The water surrounding her writhed as if preparing to change form.
“Brother, wait!”
Hae-na called out urgently.
Seowan’s head snapped toward her. He wondered if Cheon-eul had lowered his hand from covering the child’s eyes, but Hae-na remained wrapped in Cheon-eul’s jade-colored robe.
“What is it?”
Seowan’s gaze shifted back to Yeon-bi, his eyes never leaving her as he asked.
“There’s another one! Be careful!”
Hae-na cried out in distress.
When they first entered the room, I hadn’t noticed properly.
But after Yeon-bi unleashed that massive inferno, the aura emanating from her weakened dramatically.
And at that same moment, an aura matching Yeon-bi’s began resonating from a corner of the room.
It was different from the auras Cheon-eul and Seowan possessed—stickier, more unpleasant.
“What is that…?”
Hae-na carefully extended her hand toward where the aura emanated.
“There, over there.”
A small finger peeked out from above the hem of her robe.
Where her finger pointed, a large market stood.

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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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