The Baengri Clan’s Unwanted Granddaughter

Chapter 10

* * *

Father still seemed upset as we entered his room. He paced back and forth in distress, then sat down and opened a book, but didn’t manage to get through more than a few pages before setting it back down.

“Has she always treated you that way? No, never mind.” Father grabbed my shoulders and gazed seriously into my eyes. “Yeon, there is no need for you to feel guilty about this incident. That girl was punished because she neglected her duties. Do you understand?”

Guilt? I nodded fervently at my father despite never once having felt anything like guilt toward Danggeum.

“I’ll make sure nothing like this ever...” Father trailed off and clammed up, staring at me silently. He looked extremely frustrated.

At that moment, someone carefully made their way into the room, making just enough noise to announce their presence. “Excuse me... Young master...?”

It was my father’s attendant, Eondu. Eondu had served my father for a long time and was always by his side. Even when the other servants were being punished, Eondu had been spared because he had been with Father in the main hall.

“The clan leader’s gifts have all been organized. Where should we put them?” he asked.

“Put the medicinal herbs in my room and the rest in Yeon’s– Wait, no. Give me a moment,” Father replied.

“Yes, sir.” Eondu seemed slightly flustered but left without another word. I looked at my father curiously.

“Yeon,” Father got down on one knee and met my gaze. “I just can’t seem to set my mind at ease on this matter.”

The atmosphere was tense, and I had no idea what my father was about to say. He looked at me silently for a while before he spoke again, his face resolute. “Won’t you stay with me in my chambers from now on?”

“What...?” I asked.

“Only if you’d like. I’m not forcing you in any way. My quarters are quite spacious, so I’m sure we can find a spare room for you to live in. Actually, most children only get their own rooms once they turn ten. Our quarters may only be separated by a courtyard, but they are still located in different buildings. At your age, it’s normal for you to live with your parents. I only asked for you to be placed in another wing when I brought you here because I thought you might be uncomfortable with living with me.”

I looked at my father with widened eyes. I had never heard him speak for so long. What’s more he didn’t stop. “I really think it’s best that we live in the same wing from now on. It’ll be much easier for me to take care of you, and you’re still quite ill...”

Fearing that he would go on forever, I snapped my gaping jaw shut and hurried to cut him off. “Yes, I think that would be wonderful!”

“You... You do?” he said.

“Yes, I’d love to!”

I didn’t know why he’d been so nervous. I couldn’t help but laugh. A smile returned to my father’s face, and he tugged me into his arms. Nestled in his warm embrace, I laughed and laughed without restraint.

* * *

An elderly woman dressed in a dark purple silk gown leaned comfortably back in her chair. In front of her was an adorable little girl in a bright red skirt, eating snacks and playing with her young servant.

“Don’t eat too much. You might lose your appetite for dinner,” the woman cautioned.

It was a truly peaceful sight.

A little while later, an announcement rang out from outside the door. “Madam, Miss Euiran is here.”

“Riri, why don’t go out with your nanny for a bit?” the woman said to the little girl. The nanny immediately led the child and her servant out of the room.

The moment they left, Baengri Euiran flew inside. “Mother! Did you hear? Father sent gifts to that little brat!”

“I did,” the Grand Madam answered.

“Just what has gotten into him? Why would he start looking after her now?”

“Lower your voice.”

“All kinds of priceless things! She even got that white sable fur that I’ve had my eye on. I definitely let Administrator Ko know that I wanted it!”

The older woman calmly lifted her teacup. “Isn’t it all your fault? Had you not shown such behavior before the main hall, would she ever have come to his attention?”

“But Mother...!”

The Grand Madam raised her hand to interrupt her daughter. “Euigang has returned, so don’t do anything foolish anymore and just stay put.”

Euiran pouted. “How long is that Euigang going to be staying? It’s not… permanently, surely?”

“The fact that his men haven’t returned must mean that he’ll have to go back soon.”

“Well, that’s a relief. I wish he’d stop causing so much trouble and just leave. Oh, that’s right! I heard that Euigang made Yeon’s handmaid kneel all afternoon to set an example for everyone else. Just what is he thinking?”

Baengri Euigang was known to treat his servants magnanimously. For someone such as him to deliver punishment, let alone during a time when so many eyes were on him due to the clan head’s unpredictable behavior… Not two hours had passed before his actions had spread across the entire estate.

“Punishing her again, barely days after you did? Unbelievable. He’s basically spitting in your face!” There were already whispers going around about how pathetic the lady of the house’s punishment must have been to drive Baengri Euigang to discipline the same maidservant so soon.

“Mother, are you going to let this stand?” demanded Euiran.

“Euigang hasn’t said a word yet. What do you want from me?” the woman cast a disapproving glance at her daughter. “Besides, he neither beat her nor dismissed her. All he did was make an ill-behaved handmaid kneel. If I were to step in, I’d be made a laughingstock.”

It was beneath her to intervene. If Euigang had sent the handmaid away, all she would have had to do was skewer him for being incapable of training a single handmaid properly and then send another silly, greedy handmaid as a replacement.

But he hadn’t. And now, with the excuse that his daughter was still unwell, he had brought the girl into his own rooms. There was nothing that she could say or do to object to a father caring for his sick daughter. Furthermore, the girl was only six years old. If she were just a little older, the Grand Madam could have forcefully separated them under the pretense of developing Yeon’s independence, but that was impossible now.

“Are you just going to leave them be? That damned brat got me in trouble and tainted your reputation. Father barely acknowledges I exist these days!” Baengri Euiran fumed.

“Which is why I’ve told you to take care in front of others. You’re far too rash and thoughtless to be the mother of two children.”

Baengri Euiran bit her lip resentfully at the scolding, stepping closer toward her mother. “But Mother, we can’t let this pass. You need to do something about this.”

The Grand Madam looked down at the table in front of her for a long while, lost in thought. “Let’s bring Pyo and Ak back,” she said finally.

“My children?”

“Yes.”

“But I just sent them to my husband’s clan...” Baengri Euiran said.

“It can’t be helped. Despite everything, your father won’t embarrass you in front of your children.”

“Do you think so?”

The older woman smiled tranquilly, lifting her teacup to her lips. “And with those children around, he’ll soon forget all about that waste who can’t even learn to fight.”

* * *

Held in Father’s arms, I drank in the sight of the beautiful flowers in the garden. A refreshing breeze swept down from the clear blue sky to brush across my forehead. Arms wound loosely around Father’s neck, I shook my dangling feet from side to side.

Come to think of it, when was the last time I walked on my own two feet? Ever since I’d collapsed in the main hall, my father had been so overprotective that he’d barely let my toes touch the ground. Even though I’m really not in that bad a shape.

The carp swimming in the pond gathered around our reflections. I took a paper package from my sleeve and picked it open.

“Have at it!” I said, scattering the carp feed in generous handfuls so every fish could get its fill. It was the only kind of work I’d been doing in these past days of utter rest and relaxation.

Father looked at me, his face... not content, as I’d imagined, but deeply serious. So, the same as usual.

I turned my gaze toward the lush garden. This garden, with its accompanying pond, was among the most beautiful of all the gardens of the Baengri clan compound, but I had never been able to set foot here in my last life—because it happened to be very close to Aunt Euiran’s quarters. But now...

Father is the best. I hugged my father’s neck tighter.

“What’s wrong? Are you cold?” he asked.

“Nope! I’m just happy.”

My father’s face stiffened, looking almost angry, but I knew from experience that he was only trying to hide his embarrassment.

At that moment, I heard a clamor coming from just beyond the garden wall.

“What, tired already? Is that the best the famous Baengri clan can do?” one young boy said.

“Next! Anyone else? Come on, nobody? Seriously, anyone else?” challenged another.

I turned my gaze toward the sound in surprise. Those were voices I shouldn’t be hearing yet.