Chapter 15
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 15
Everyone giggled at his transparent outburst, but So-ya was the only one who looked startled as she asked, “G-Ghosts?”
“Y-Yeah! Ghosts! A terrifying ghost lives in the White Tiger Palace, and it only snatches up tiny kids like you!”
Ga-yul’s heart hammered against his ribs. He had almost blurted out, “Because you’re cute!”
In truth, Ga-yul’s mind was still filled with the image of So-ya’s beast form, which he had glimpsed briefly that day. It was the first time he had ever seen a winged beast.
The baby bird, barely the size of his palm, was whiter than a rabbit and smaller than a mouse. The two fluffy wings where front paws should have been were adorable, and her tiny, slender legs were a marvel.
‘How does she even walk on legs that small?’
The little tail feathers poking out were just as dainty as Su-ri had described. And then there was the baby bird’s downy fur, as white as a snowflake!
Of course, as a White Tiger, he also had white fur, but unlike his own long, glossy coat, the baby bird’s down was short and fuzzy, like dandelion fluff. When he had carefully lifted her, she felt so small and precious that a ticklish sensation had washed over him—a feeling that he absolutely had to protect her.
‘She was so, so cute!’
But saying she was cute directly felt embarrassing for some reason. Despite his appearance, he was a shy little tiger at heart. That was why he had ended up spinning a lie about a ghost that didn't even exist.
Meanwhile, So-ya, who hadn't the slightest clue what Ga-yul was actually thinking, looked deeply unsettled. She had never seen a ghost before, but they sounded terrifying. And more than anything…
“T-Then you’ll be in danger too, Young Master!”
“Huh?”
What if a ghost appeared and snatched the Young Master away? So-ya looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“O-Oh? No! I’m fine! As the third son of the great White Tiger Clan, I’m not afraid of ghosts!”
“But…”
“You know about tigers, right?”
“Yes…”
“I may not look like much now, but I’m a ghost-catching White Tiger!”
“…”
The gloom on So-ya’s face refused to lift.
When she was very young—back when she was still the beloved youngest lady of the Vermilion Bird Clan—her father and brothers would read her picture books every night before she went to sleep.
[The arrogant tiger was sent flying far away by a single flap of the majestic firebird’s wings.]
[Oppa, look at this picture! I think this is a tiger! It has four legs!]
[That’s right, So-ya. That’s a tiger. They are the White Tiger race that rules the West.]
[Hmph… They call him the King of Beasts, but I guess he’s much weaker than a bird if he flies away from just one flap of a wing.]
[Haha, indeed. There’s a reason for the saying: a day-old tiger doesn’t know to fear a bird.]
The problem was that the picture books were slightly biased, depicting tigers as incredibly small and weak—and So-ya believed those books with all her heart. In fact, what So-ya had seen in the drawings wasn't even a tiger; it was a house cat.
Of course, Sa-eon, who had rescued her from the assassins, was very strong, but assassins and ghosts were two different things…
“Have you ever seen a tiger?” Ga-yul asked suddenly.
“I’ve seen them in picture books.”
“Not those. I mean a real tiger.”
“No.” So-ya shook her head.
“Tigers are incredibly strong! Our teeth are sharp, and our claws are as hard as steel!”
“…”
Seeing that the worry still hadn't left So-ya’s face, Ga-yul went on explaining just how powerful tigers were. However, So-ya looked like she didn't believe a word of it.
“Fine! I’ll give you a special look at a tiger’s majestic form!”
Unable to stand it any longer, Ga-yul attempted his beast transformation right in front of her.
Poof!
“Rawr! (How’s that? Majestic, right?)”
“…!”
So-ya’s eyes grew wide and round.
The period from age six, when a young beastkin first awakens their Spirit Core, until around age ten, just before their First Growth, is considered their childhood. Unlike humans, beastkin do not grow gradually; they undergo explosive growth during specific periods.
Thus, Ga-yul, who had only recently turned ten and had yet to undergo his First Growth, was still a cub. He was a tiny baby tiger, small enough for So-ya to lift with both hands!
The baby tiger opened his small mouth wide and let out a "Rawr!"
The gloom that had hung over So-ya vanished as her eyes sparkled, a faint blush blooming on her cheeks.
‘He’s… so cute!’
The tiger was just as small and adorable as So-ya had imagined. He had two round, perky ears, a moist light-pink nose, soft fur, and a tail that flicked back and forth. She felt like he would start purring if she just reached out and stroked his head.
“Rawr! (Well, Cotton Ball? What do you think of my majestic and cool form?)”
Ga-yul puffed out his chest and lifted a fuzzy white paw. His thick paws, which hid sharp claws, were one of the body parts he was most proud of.
“…!”
So-ya was struck with shock the moment she saw the bottom of Ga-yul’s paw.
‘H-His paw pads are pink! And they look so squishy!’
So-ya clapped her hands in admiration. In his baby tiger form, Ga-yul was far cuter than any of the rag dolls in Lady Ri-ri’s room.
“You’re amazing!”
Completely unaware that So-ya found him "cute," Ga-yul assumed she was marvelling at his bravery. He spoke magnanimously.
“Purr! (I’ll let you touch my glossy fur just this once, Cotton Ball!)”
“Am I allowed to?”
“Purr! Purr! (Go on, touch it.)”
So-ya leaned down and very carefully stroked Ga-yul’s fur. A tiger’s fur felt different from a bird’s feathers; it was cozy and soft. Feeling good, Ga-yul let out a purring laugh and wagged his tail.
‘Tigers really are small and cute animals.’
So-ya thought as she watched Ga-yul’s tail swish back and forth.
‘I wonder if Lord Sa-eon and the Second Young Master have pink noses and pink paw pads too? But the Clan Head is so huge… to think they’re such small and cute tiger beastkin…’
It was a strange thought—imagining the cold and sharp-looking Sa-eon with a pink nose and pink paws.
“Rawr! (Now you show me yours!)”
“Pardon?”
“Purr, purr! (Cotton Ball, I mean your beast form!)”
“…”
In an instant, So-ya’s face turned deathly pale.
“N-No! I’m not cool at all, and… anyway, I can’t!” So-ya said, shaking her head vigorously.
“Purr? (So what if it’s not cool?)”
But So-ya turned her head away, biting her lower lip hard, her face still ashen. It was a stubborn refusal, unlike anything she had shown before.
Though Ga-yul wasn't the most observant, he instinctively realized from So-ya’s pale face that he shouldn't push her any further. More than anything, he couldn't stop staring at her trembling fingertips.
‘Uh oh, what do I do? I’m going to make Cotton Ball cry at this rate.’
Ga-yul looked around for help, but unfortunately, Yeon-jeong and San-ho had just stepped away to fetch some drinks. Just then, a discarded leather ball caught the flustered Ga-yul’s eye. His eyes lit up.
“Rawr! (Cotton Ball! Do you want to play ball?)”
“…?”
So-ya blinked at the sudden suggestion. Ga-yul quickly trotted over, bit the ball, and brought it back, dropping it in front of her. The ball rolled a bit before bumping into So-ya’s foot.
So-ya looked down. ‘This is…’
It was a ball. She couldn't even remember the last time she had played with one. In the Vermilion Bird Clan, such things were forbidden to her. Once, while cleaning Lady Ri-ri’s room, she had touched the lady’s leather ball and been severely punished for it. She later learned that the ball was a toy her father had brought from the West specifically for the young lady.
‘But Lady Ri-ri isn't here, and the Young Master was the one who asked to play…’
After a moment’s hesitation, So-ya carefully picked up the ball with both hands.
Thump, thump, thump.
For some reason, her heart felt like it was bouncing along with the ball. Seeing this, Ga-yul backed away to give her some space and wagged his tail.
“Purr, purr! (Hurry up and throw it, Cotton Ball!)”
As if making a grand resolution, So-ya threw the ball toward Ga-yul with all her might.
Thud, thud, roll—.
Though the ball didn't even reach Ga-yul’s front paws and simply rolled along the ground, a shy, beaming smile spread across So-ya’s face as she watched it.
* * *
Meanwhile, Baek Ga-hyeon, who was standing by the window looking down, scowled with a look of utter disbelief.
‘What on earth is he doing?’
Ga-yul, in his baby tiger form, was frolicking around the garden with So-ya. It was a pathetic sight for a tiger who was supposed to be approaching his First Growth.