NOVEL NEXT The Time-Limited Elixir of the Ruined Clan
Chapter 7
“Aah.”
Hwaryun looked at Ryeon in disbelief for a moment, then quietly opened his mouth. Hwaryun eagerly accepted the small pieces of the yakgwa that Ryeon fed him bit by bit. That sight reminded her of a baby bird, so Ryeon smiled and said with a grin. “Is it good? It’s something I cherish.” “Uhm, well…it’s delicious.” “But…” “….?” Ryeon glanced at the half-eaten yakgwa and smiled. ‘No matter how impressive the Young Cult Master of the Demon Heavenly Cult is, in two years, just counting the number of bowls—three, six, nine, twelve… 2,100!’ Ryeon playfully hit Hwaryun on the top of his head with a chestnut. “Where do you think you’re talking informally to this big sister? You little brat.” “….” Ryeon placed her hands on her hips and spoke in a threatening manner, while Hwaryun looked utterly shocked, as if he had lost his senses. Like witnessing someone get struck by lightning and jump up in surprise, or as if he himself had been hit by lightning, Hwaryun dropped the old basket he was holding in shock. Seeing him so surprised, Ryeon flinched as well.” “Did… did it hurt a lot? I did it gently… it was just a tiny little tap…” “…No, it doesn’t hurt…” “Really? But this again!” “…!” Ryeon playfully tapped him on the head again. Hwaryun flinched and took a step back, rubbing the top of his head with his hand a few times before looking at Ryeon with a bewildered expression. Then, Hwaryun suddenly laughed? “…?” Then he suddenly stopped laughing and began examining her face from various angles. For quite a while, until Ryeon tilted her head in confusion. “Um, I have to go now.” Whether it was because she had given him a playful tap for speaking informally or if he was just playing along, Hwaryun said that. When he suddenly said he was going to leave, Ryeon blinked in confusion. “Oh, now? Already?” Hwaryun nodded and picked up the basket he had dropped. Ryeon quickly shoved the remaining yakgwa into his mouth, then hurriedly ran to where the nanny was hiding, brought an umbrella, and quickly said. “First, take this. It’s going to rain… And I feed the chickens here every morning. If you come at this time, you’ll be able to meet me. Got it? You have to come and play.” Hwaryun moved his hands back and forth to avoid taking the umbrella, but Ryeon firmly grabbed his hand and lifted it. Hwaryun looked at Ryeon, nodded once, and then turned away. Ryeon, who was fidgeting for no reason, grabbed the boy who was about to turn around, and gave him all the yakgwa and chapssal-tteok she had in her arms. Hwaryun looked at her with a face that seemed to ask why she was giving him these things, but when Ryeon pushed him gently, he no longer refused and started walking obediently. Ryeon was blankly staring at the boy’s back when Nanny Jang quickly approached her. “Young Miss!” “Ah, nanny.” Jang wiped her hands with a thin cloth, draped a coat over her head to cover her from the rain, and examined Ryeon’s face. “Young Miss, do you like that child?” Ryeon swallowed her complicated expression and forced a smile. Did she like him? That’s not the problem… “…If you happen to see that boy, make sure to take good care of him, okay? And don’t forget to bring him something delicious.” Nanny Jang nodded at Ryeon’s earnest request, but she couldn’t completely hide her worried expression. * * * These days, Danmok Cheongi has one major headache. His eldest grandchild, who completely lacks any sense of awareness. “Do you think my heart will change just because you come every day?” “No?” “…No, what are you trying to do when you know?” “Yes? I want to see Grandfather.” The moment his granddaughter spoke as if it were obvious, Danmok Cheongi was left speechless. “Ahem.” “Oh! I brought the tea water today. It’s from the stream behind Moonshadow Quarter.” “What if you fall into the water…” “Kang Lib came with me. Today, I’ll serve you tea, Grandfather.” Danmok Cheongi groaned and waved his hand. It meant that she could do whatever she wanted. At that, the granddaughter began to move her hands as if it were nothing. Every movement was smooth, like flowing water. ‘No…?’ Danmok Cheonggi looked down at his granddaughter with a strangely flickering gaze as she ground the tea leaves. He was surprised when the granddaughter woke up and came to thank him for the Ten Thousand Years Ultimate Blood Elixir. The granddaughter acted as if the burn scar that covered his face was completely invisible. However, considering she had only been awake for a few months, he thought it was likely that she couldn’t distinguish between what was ugly and what wasn’t. But she came every day after that. She didn’t do anything special when she came. All she did was stay with him for an hour or so, sipping the tea he gave her, and chatting away. However, she didn’t lose her posture or get bored during the long hours she sat there, and she didn’t feel awkward about the silence that came from time to time. Isn’t it the peak of mastery to understand the principles of the world by watching a single leaf fall? Moreover, before he was injured, Danmok Cheongi was someone who commanded the world, so he could see the extraordinary potential blossoming in her. ‘Still, it’s quite astonishing. Could it be because of the cleansing of impurities? No, that can’t be it…’ The movements of arranging the tea utensils in order, pouring tea leaves into a gaiwan (a teacup with a lid), pouring hot water, soaking the tea leaves, shaking them, and smelling the scent were exactly the same as his own. It was to the point where he had the absurd thought that this was because she was receiving the cleansing of impurities. But more than anything, watching this child grasp a teacup the size of her own hand stirred something strangely in his chest. “Grandfather, please have some.” The little one, concentrating all her attention, pouted her lips as she extended the brewed teacup towards him. However, her small and short arms couldn’t reach halfway over the table. Danmok Cheongi unconsciously tried to suppress his laughter by coughing, and held the teacup his granddaughter offered him with his hand. Danmok Cheongi closed his eyes and savored the tea. The clear and clean taste, the deep fragrance, and the natural sweetness lingered in his mouth for a long time. ‘But was this really this delicious?’ A few decades ago, when the clan was doing well, he could taste all kinds of rare tea leaves, but not now. During that time, Danmok Cheongi had long grown accustomed to the taste of old, rusty tea leaves, but the tea brewed by his granddaughter evoked the fragrance of the rare tea he had tasted in his most glorious days. The taste of the tea seemed as clear as spring water, and with each sip, his breathing and stomach felt a little more at ease. It was the same tea leaves he had brewed just a few days ago… “How is it?” “….” As he calmed his surprise and slowly savored the aroma, he felt the lingering pain originating from the damaged dantian after the battle at Blood Faction several decades ago slowly subsided. ‘The feeling… it’s not right?’ When he lifted his head and opened his eyes, his granddaughter’s bright, sparkling eyes were looking at him. She was eagerly anticipating his thoughts on the tea’s flavor. “…Your skills aren’t all that bad.” Does she take after her father? His eldest son was also very knowledgeable about tea, and he would sometimes sit across from him and enjoy the aroma of tea. Danmok Cheongi recalled his eldest son, who had left this world before him, and fell silent. Thinking of his son felt like a nail was driven into his heart, but how could it compare to the feelings of a daughter who couldn’t even see her father’s face? “It would be better to practice tea ceremonies rather than thinking about making things like chapssal-tteok.” It was a comment made to change the subject, but a shadow fell over his young granddaughter’s face. Danmok Cheongi felt sorry inwardly, but he didn’t change his words. After all, there was a time when his granddaughter came to greet him in the morning with some chapssal-tteok she had made. The red bean filling was too sweet, making it almost bitter, and the white rice cake was nearly unchewable. After finishing, there was a strangely refreshing and chilly mint taste in his mouth. He was an old man who had experienced war. For him, eating was not a pleasure but a necessity, and because of that, he had no interest in snacks or gourmet food. He would eat anything that was given to him without any hesitation. His only luxury was drinking tea. Even that was a bit too expensive, so he could only drink old tea little by little. However, the clumsily made sweet red bean rice cake that his granddaughter had brought him felt incredibly delicious, even to someone like Danmok Cheongi. At that time, he thought it was natural for a child to be unable to make things, but seeing her skill in making tea beautifully, it was clear that she just couldn’t cook. Danmok Cheongi secretly thought that when his granddaughter grew up and got married, he would definitely send the finest chef from Zhejiang Province as part of her dowry. “But tea…” The granddaughter mumbled and trailed off. A thought crossed Danmok Cheongi’s mind that he shouldn’t praise her too much and make her arrogant, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak sternly. “I told you. You did well enough.” Only then did the shadow lift from his granddaughter’s face, and she smiled. Danmok Cheongi realized that he had forgotten the taste of the tea during the brief moment when his granddaughter’s face had darkened. Now, he could once again savor the flavor of the tea—warm and soft, with a gentle sweetness.
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