Side Story 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Side Story 2
“Grrr, sniff! Hmph...! (This is all Father’s fault! It’s because of you that I couldn’t hide my claws and my clothes got ripped!)”
As Ga-yul sniffled and threw a tantrum, Sa-eon smiled and patted him gently.
“I’m sorry, my little tiger. Papa isn’t busy anymore. How about I teach you how to hide your claws tomorrow?”
Pat, pat.
Under that soothing touch, Ga-yul’s startled heart gradually began to calm.
“Sniff...”
Now that he had stopped crying, he felt a bit embarrassed.
To think that he, the magnificent third son of the White Tiger Clan who had successfully completed his first beast transformation, had shown tears in front of so many people.
Overcome with shame, Ga-yul buried his face deep into his father’s chest and hid.
Of course, since he had only tucked his head away, his plump bottom and fluffy tail remained pointed right at everyone.
Seeing this, Ga-ya let out a chuckle, while Ga-hyeon furrowed his brow and shook his head.
Held in his father’s arms, Ga-yul was carried somewhere.
With his face still buried, a delicious aroma wafted past the tip of Ga-yul’s nose.
‘Huh?’
Ga-yul sniffed the air and peeked his head out.
‘Smells yummy!’
Realizing they had arrived at the banquet hall, the baby tiger hopped out of Sa-eon’s arms.
Poof!
Returning to his human form, Ga-yul quickly claimed the seat next to his father.
He then shot a triumphant smile at his older brothers sitting across from him.
His expression practically screamed, ‘I’m faster than you guys, right?’
However, his brothers paid no mind to his boastful look. Instead, they struck up a conversation with their father, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.
“Father, have you returned for good now?”
“Yes.”
Sa-eon answered Ga-hyeon’s question with a broad grin.
Yet, Ga-hyeon couldn't mirror his father’s bright smile.
Seeing this, Ga-yul tilted his head in confusion.
‘It’s a good thing that Father is back, so why does Second Brother have that look on his face?’
But as the meal began, Ga-yul’s doubts vanished into thin air.
Perhaps because their father was back, the table was lined with even more delicious food than usual.
‘Meat! Meat!’
Ga-yul fidgeted restlessly in front of the meat. The moment Sa-eon picked up his utensils, Ga-yul shouted, “Thank you for the food!” and began to eat.
“Ga-ya, have you been looking after your younger brothers well?”
“Don’t even get me started. Especially that youngest tiger—I’ve been getting covered in dirt every single day just trying to catch him whenever he runs off to Mt. Horim instead of studying.”
Ga-yul, who had been happily munching on meat, blinked his eyes and asked, “Why does Big Brother look after me?”
“Because I’m the older brother and you’re the younger one,” Ga-ya replied, nonchalantly wiping meat sauce from the corner of Ga-yul’s mouth. “An older brother is supposed to protect and look after his younger siblings.”
“...!”
At Ga-ya’s indifferent explanation, Ga-yul’s eyes suddenly sparkled.
Protecting and looking after someone! It sounded incredibly cool.
“I—I want to do that too! The protecting and looking after thing!” Ga-yul turned to Sa-eon and shouted excitedly. “I can do a good job! Give me a younger sibling too, Father!”
“O-oh?”
Just as Sa-eon faltered in surprise at those words—
“I’m sorry to tell you this, youngest tiger, but a younger sibling isn't something you can have just because you want one.”
Ga-ya answered in his father's stead, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Why not?”
“Because storks bring younger siblings. And only to cool tigers like me.”
“Storks?”
“But they say storks can’t bring siblings to baby tigers who haven't grown up yet.”
“N-no! I’m not an ungrown tiger, I’m a cool tiger! I have sharp teeth and pointy claws too!”
Ga-yul let out a "rawr" like a roaring tiger, but Ga-ya merely gave a light snort.
“What’s the point? You’re just a cub who still smells of milk and can’t even hide his claws.”
“I smell like milk?”
Ga-yul sniffed himself. Having rolled around in the grass all day, he smelled of greenery and earth, but certainly not of milk.
“I don’t think I do...”
Just as Ga-yul began to whimper and pout—
“What do you mean you don’t have a younger sibling, Yul? You have one too.”
Ga-yul’s ears perked up at Ga-hyeon’s gentle, smiling words.
“I have a younger sibling too...?”
“Yes. That cute and lovely sibling you have to protect. You must have forgotten already.”
Ga-hyeon murmured as if he felt sorry for him.
To think he had a younger sibling. It was the first time he was hearing this, but seeing Ga-hyeon’s serious expression and voice, Ga-yul gradually began to believe him.
“I... I guess I forgot, just like you said, Brother,” Ga-yul replied, his face flushing slightly.
“It’s alright. That can happen. You are a baby tiger, after all.”
Ga-hyeon nodded as if it were no big deal.
Ga-yul gulped, forgetting even to eat the meat in front of him. His heart began to thumping with excitement.
“Shall I let you meet your younger sibling?”
“...!”
In his innocence, Ga-yul had momentarily forgotten.
Whenever his second brother spoke in such a soft and kind manner, something very mischievous always followed.
* * *
After dinner, in Sa-eon’s room.
“Is there really no other way for your Spirit Core, Clan Head?”
Jeok Yeong, who had followed him in, asked in a worried voice.
“Regrettably so.”
“...”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to look at me like that, Jeok Yeong. Thanks to this, I was able to return home like this, so it’s all good.”
Each clan that protected the Taehwa Empire had a duty to defend the nation.
Thus, the heads of each clan had to serve the Emperor for a certain period starting from their time as successors to receive official recognition.
Because he had become the Clan Head at the early age of eighteen and had been busy with his marriage, Sa-eon had not been able to complete that period, which was why he had been drafted into this war.
However, even after completing his service, he had been unable to leave the battlefield easily as the war dragged on. It was only after his Spirit Core was severely damaged that he was finally able to return.
“Don’t worry too much. As long as it’s not a night with a full moon, it’s manageable. More importantly, the children have grown so much.”
Sa-eon grinned and changed the subject.
“I don’t know who they take after, but they’ve all grown into very clever and wonderful tigers.”
In his absence, Ga-ya had led the White Tiger Palace well as the clan’s successor, and Ga-hyeon had grown up to be as dependable as his older brother despite his young age.
And even the youngest, Ga-yul, had successfully completed his first beast transformation despite his parents' absence.
He was so grateful to the three children for growing up without trouble.
And he loved them so very much.
“However, Clan Head.”
At that moment, Jeok Yeong spoke in a somewhat serious tone.
“Now that you have returned from the battlefield, there will soon be movements to bring in a new Lady of the White Tiger Palace.”
Sa-eon’s eyes stiffened slightly.
“The position of the Lady will remain vacant. And so will the room where she stayed.”
Sa-eon spoke decisively, as if there was no need for reconsideration.
“The furniture and belongings in the Lady’s room must also be preserved without being touched until the owner returns. Just as it has been until now.”
“So you... believe that Cheong-ha will return one day.”
“Why? Do you have a problem with my decision?”
Sa-eon’s voice was somewhat cold as he asked.
Ho Jeok-yeong, who had become Sa-eon’s aide at a young age as the eldest son of the Red Fox Clan, always prioritized the interests of the White Tiger Clan.
Sa-eon thought that perhaps Jeok Yeong might consider his choice irrational.
After all, it was a choice that prioritized personal feelings over the clan’s benefit.
“Of course not. I actually like this side of you.”
However, Jeok Yeong shook his head as he answered.
“This side?”
“The side that shows a different facet from the man who looks colder and more level-headed than anyone else.”
As Sa-eon questioned him, Jeok Yeong explained with a bright smile.
“I think it’s quite wonderful that the superior I serve is you, Clan Head.”
“...”
At the sincere words from Jeok Yeong, who usually just grumbled at him, Sa-eon stared at him blankly for a moment.
Then, he soon curled his lips into a playful smirk and asked, “What’s this? Are you confessing your love to me right now?”
“P-pardon?”
As Jeok Yeong stammered in embarrassment, Sa-eon said mischievously, “That’s a bit troubling. As I said, I intend to keep the position of the Lady of the White Tiger Palace vacant for the foreseeable future.”