Chapter 238: Chapter 238

There was one fact that everyone living in Yueyang knew.

If one did not know it, it meant they were a novice who had not been in Yueyang for long, and it often led to them causing a big accident or getting into trouble.

Glance, glance.

People’s gazes turned toward three children.

Although she looked pure and fragile, she wore clothes and accessories that were all expensive.

Ju Jiyak.

Few knew exactly whose daughter she was, but at a glance, she was a girl one should not easily mess with.

Last time, she bumped into someone while walking, and the man who raged at her vanished in an instant and was never seen again.

No one knew the exact reason, but something terrifying must have been hiding behind that child.

And the boy walking carefully beside her was Hong Jinlang.

Although he was young, he was so huge that he could not even be compared to those of his age. His muscles were also quite developed, making him look like a wild boar of a boy who could knock down most adults.

But the reason this boy was scary lay elsewhere.

He was the son of Hong Won-chang, whose skills were recognized even by the imperial court.

That fact alone was enough to warrant careful treatment.

And finally…

“This is really delicious, right?”

Dan So-mi, a girl with a blank beauty that naturally brought the term “little fairy” to mind.

Unlike the first two, she was surrounded by many mysteries, and not long after the headmaster of Green Pine Academy, who held some power in Yueyang, kicked Dan So-mi out, he was exiled to the border.

However, because her personality and actions were so lovely, most of the people in Yueyang liked her.

Thus, to protect the child, most people in Yueyang would not hesitate to step forward.

In that respect, she seemed to be the scariest of the three children.

The three children, who would not be out of place if called the celebrities of Yueyang, met after a long time and were walking the streets.

People’s gazes naturally followed the three children.

“It’s just a skewer? There are many things way tastier than this.”

“But So-mi likes this better.”

“Is there anything that wouldn’t taste good in your mouth?”

Hong Jinlang grumbled as he looked at Dan So-mi.

Whenever she came out to Yueyang, all she did was eat. He was so sick of that skewer now that he was tired of it.

Surely, once she finished that skewer, wouldn’t she go buy dumplings next?

Just thinking about it made Hong Jinlang shake his head in disgust.

“But we don’t have Uncle Jang at my house… so I can’t eat delicious things…”

“Still, do you have to eat everything you see? You’ll turn into a pig at this rate.”

“It’s okay. My sister said that if you move a lot, it doesn’t matter how much you eat.”

Dan So-mi, with the skewer in her mouth, hopped up and down in place. Seeing her ridiculous attempt to digest while eating, Hong Jinlang showed an even more dumbfounded expression.

‘Why doesn’t her personality change at all, even as she gets older?’

Just then, Jiyak, who was about to put the skewer in her hand into her mouth, stared intently at the scene and frowned.

“Jinlang?”

“Ye… Yes… Huh?”

He saw Jiyak smiling brightly. Hong Jinlang broke out in a cold sweat, accidentally using polite speech before quickly changing his words.

Unable to even meet her eyes, Hong Jinlang stared only at the ground.

“Do you want to eat?”

Ju Jiyak gently offered the skewer to Hong Jinlang.

With a bite mark on it, anyone would think they were sharing it friendly, but why was the sharp end of the skewer touching Hong Jinlang’s neck?

Feeling that, Hong Jinlang trembled all over.

“Oh, my mistake… I’m sorry.”

“N-No, it’s fine.”

Only then did Ju Jiyak place the skewer in Hong Jinlang’s hand.

Then, she stealthily took a step closer, leaned in, put her lips to Hong Jinlang’s ear, and whispered softly.

“You shouldn’t say things like that to a girl, right? You little pig.”

“Y-Yes!”

Watching Jinlang reply in a hurry, Ju Jiyak nodded with a satisfied expression.

She patted his shoulder with her tiny hands and gently pushed him back.

“Try it. It’s delicious.”

“Hehe, right. It’s really delicious.”

“Right?”

“Right?”

Hong Jinlang looked at the two girls smiling at each other.

Ju Jiyak, whose personality changed depending on whether Dan So-mi was there or not, to the point where she could be called a sly fox, was the most terrifying girl in Hong Jinlang’s life.

On the other hand, Dan So-mi, who easily befriended anyone, might seem easy to look down on, but looking closely…

‘So-mi is the real nine-tailed fox, the nine-tailed fox.’

Whether she did it with ill intent or not, the one who moved Jiyak was definitely Dan So-mi.

She seemed to act without thinking, but it felt as if all of it was calculated.

Over Dan So-mi’s smiling face, a demon seemed to overlap.

Shake, shake.

Hong Jinlang shook his head violently, brushing away the useless thoughts.

“But why did we gather?”

Hong Jinlang asked.

The reason he did not look at Jiyak while speaking was definitely not because he was scared. It was just because Dan So-mi was next to her. However, Dan So-mi was also blinking her eyes and tilting her head.

To begin with, the reason they gathered today was because Jiyak called them.

Pinch!

“Arrgh!”

Hong Jinlang screamed and jumped at the sharp pain in his flank. Quickly turning his head, he saw Jiyak smiling brightly.

His pinched flank throbbed with a cold ache.

“Can’t I call you if there’s no reason?”

“N-No… it’s not that…”

“It’s not?”

Hong Jinlang made a crying face.

No matter what he said, Jiyak would object. If she weren’t the daughter of a prince, he would have beaten her until a bump grew on her head…

“Are you going to hit me?”

“H-How could I ever do such an i-irreverent thing…”

“Irreverent?”

Perhaps not understanding the word, Dan So-mi tilted her head. At this, Jiyak narrowed her eyes, and Hong Jinlang quickly changed the subject.

“R-Recently, they say a ghost appears at the abandoned house over there, so I thought it might be good to go check it out?”

“A ghost appears?”

“…”

Ju Jiyak looked at Hong Jinlang with a displeased gaze. Conversely, Dan So-mi’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Given her fondness for strange stories, her curiosity to verify the ghost’s identity was piqued.

“Let’s go!”

With sparkling eyes, Dan So-mi pulled Ju Jiyak’s hand. Gripping it tightly as if she had no intention of letting go, Jiyak could not escape even if she wanted to.

Ju Jiyak’s cold gaze fell upon Hong Jinlang.

“W-Well, other places might be fun too…”

“No! I think that place is the best! We might get to see a real ghost!”

Sweating cold sweat, Hong Jinlang turned his head unconsciously.

Looking at Dan So-mi, who showed no sign of yielding, he let out a resigned sigh.

‘The ghost is right next to you, though…’

* * *

Zhuge Yeon, who was sweeping the yard, sat down with a somewhat exhausted expression.

Just sweeping this wide yard was a struggle. However, since she had to erase last night’s traces as much as possible, she meticulously tidied the surroundings.

It was a sight she did not want Dan So-mi to see.

“Still, it’s so annoying. Sigh.”

Letting out a long sigh, she sat down on the veranda before she knew it.

Then, looking down at her hands, she frowned. Because she hadn’t taken proper care of them recently, her hands seemed terribly ruined.

Under such circumstances, having to clean the yard made her feel inexplicably resentful.

Thud, thud.

Just then, a huge white tiger strolled around the yard with a bored expression and lay down on its belly in a sunny spot.

On top of its head, a white cat lay sprawled, fast asleep.

Sway, sway.

As if enjoying the sunlight, the white tiger’s tail moved back and forth. Seeing that movement, which looked like it was sweeping the yard, Zhuge Yeon’s eyes flashed as she stood up.

“Perfect!”

Having thought of something, Zhuge Yeon pulled out the dagger at her waist and cut a long broom. Holding the shortened broom and a thin rope, she took careful steps toward the white tiger.

The tail that had been swaying back and forth suddenly stopped.

It seemed to have fallen asleep.

‘Stay still…’

Approaching quietly, she gently grabbed the tail. Feeling the heavy weight of the tail, she used the rope to tie the broom to the tail.

Was it because of that sensation?

The sleeping white tiger slowly opened its eyes.

“O-Oh, hi?”

Recognizing Zhuge Yeon, it let out a low sound. Seeing it warn her not to mess with it, Zhuge Yeon swallowed hard and hurriedly backed away.

Did it find peace only then?

Sweep, sweep!

As the white tiger wagged its tail again, the small broom attached to the end swept the yard.

“Hoho.”

Zhuge Yeon burst into laughter watching it.

She had made it herself, but she didn’t expect it to be this funny.

She had tried it to make things a bit easier, but the comedy of it far outweighed its usefulness.

After laughing for a long while, Zhuge Yeon suddenly looked up. Namgung So-hye was staring intently at her, though it was unclear when she had stood there.

“O-Oh, hi?”

“…”

Namgung So-hye silently kept her gaze fixed on Zhuge Yeon.

Even though Zhuge Yeon greeted her, she did not return it. After staring at Zhuge Yeon for a long time, she sighed and shook her head.

“W-What? What’s with that reaction?”

“Just…”

‘Because you look pathetic…’

Just then, the white cat that had been sleeping soundly perked its ears and sat up.

Sniff, sniff.

Catching the scent in the wind, it turned its head toward the east.

Instantly, the white tiger also opened its eyes and stood up. Opening its mouth wide, it yawned and looked toward the east. It began to walk in that direction, then vigorously wagged its heavy tail.

Thwack!

“Arrgh!”

The tied rope came undone, and the broom flew over, smacking Zhuge Yeon on the head. It was so fast that she had no time to dodge.

As Zhuge Yeon sat down holding her head and swallowed a groan,

Whoosh!

At that moment, the white tiger kicked off the ground and began a fierce sprint toward the east. Running like an arrow, it was truly like the wind, disappearing from sight in an instant.

Namgung So-hye stared blankly at the scene.

Did something happen?

What broke her train of thought was none other than Zhuge Yeon’s shout.

“That hurts!”

Zhuge Yeon’s sharp voice echoed.

Fuming, she even raised her fist toward the direction the white tiger had disappeared.

Taking in that sight, Namgung So-hye shook her head and let out another sigh.

“I guess this is what they call getting what you deserve…”

“What did you say?”

“…”

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