Chapter 28
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28
‘She must have been hurt, right?’
Ga-hyeon thought back to the way So-ya’s large eyes had trembled.
He hadn’t seen her since that incident. He knew he should explain that he hadn’t meant his words that way, but whenever he thought about going to see her, he didn't know what to say. So, he simply let the time slip away.
Because of that, yesterday’s event remained lodged in his mind like a scratchy thorn stuck in his throat.
It was then that a guest from the Silver Tiger Clan arrived.
“Brother Hyeon, it’s been a long time. Have you been well?”
Eun Si-yo greeted him with an overly familiar tone.
At the use of the word "Brother," Ga-hyeon looked up and stared at Si-yo. Though she was from a branch lineage, they were distant enough to be practically strangers; it wasn't an appropriate way to address him.
However, Ga-hyeon hid his inner thoughts and responded with a gentle smile.
“Yes, it has been a while, Si-ha.”
He deliberately called her by the wrong name. It was a subtle way of suggesting they weren't close enough for such informalities.
Realizing this, Si-yo’s face flushed slightly.
“Ah, um, Brother... my name isn't Si-ha, it’s...”
Si-yo stammered as she re-introduced herself. A wave of shame washed over her at the thought that those nearby might have witnessed the exchange.
“Ah, my apologies. I must have been confused,” Ga-hyeon replied, his voice kind and warm as if he truly hadn't meant it.
“No, it’s fine, Brother. It’s my fault for not visiting for so long.”
“Still, I think it would be best to use the proper titles, Si-yo. I wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea—that you’re coveting the West End Room.”
On the surface, it sounded like a warning not to be greedy for the West End Room, but as he pointed it out, Ga-hyeon maintained a sweet, gentle expression and voice, as if he were merely worried for her.
Consequently, although Si-yo felt a strange sense of him drawing a line between them, she dismissed it as her imagination.
“Yes, Young Master. Thank you for your concern.”
The two continued their conversation over a tea table.
“Hehe, so my father said...”
“Mhm, I see.”
Ga-hyeon’s demeanor remained polite throughout, but he had lost interest in the meeting long ago.
Even before Si-yo arrived, his mind had been occupied with other thoughts, and after exchanging a few words, the meeting felt like a complete waste of time.
As Ga-hyeon spent this tedious, boring time giving half-hearted responses behind a mask of kindness, he happened to glance out the window and felt a subtle sense of wrongness.
He soon realized the source of his unease.
So-ya, who should have been taking her final afternoon walk before dinner, was nowhere to be seen.
‘Why... can’t I see her?’
His brow furrowed slightly.
‘Now that I think about it, I haven't seen her all day.’
Once that thought took hold, Ga-hyeon suddenly bolted upright, pushing back his chair.
So-ya’s routine was quite regular. Of course, she occasionally deviated from it by an hour or two, but for So-ya, who loved her walks, to not appear in the garden even once throughout the day was far too strange.
Come to think of it, not only was So-ya missing, but Ga-yul was nowhere to be found either.
“Young Master...?”
Si-yo blinked in surprise, looking up at him. Ga-hyeon’s expression was grim.
“Are you feeling unwell...?”
But before Si-yo could finish her sentence, Ga-hyeon dashed outside, calling for Jeok-a.
“Ho Jeok-a!”
“Young Master?”
“I can’t see the girl. Where is she?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m talking about So-ya. She hasn't been seen all day.”
Jeok-a looked at him with a bewildered face, as if asking how he was supposed to know.
“Well... wouldn't you know the Lady Cotton Ball’s schedule better than I, Young Master?”
His young master knew the little lady’s daily routine more perfectly than anyone else in the White Tiger Palace. He likely knew So-ya’s schedule even more accurately than Yeon-jeong or San-ho.
“I’m saying she’s not here when it’s time for her afternoon walk. She wasn't there for her morning walk, nor her afternoon playtime.”
“Perhaps she wanted to rest in her room for the day? She might be feeling under the weather...”
Whoosh!
Ga-hyeon brushed past Jeok-a and headed straight for So-ya’s room.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
As a direct descendant of the White Tiger, Ga-hyeon was always mindful of his conduct and had never been one to stomp around like that. He was the type of young master who would walk calmly through the rain without running, even if he got soaked.
Seeing him act so out of character, not only Jeok-a but all the household retainers passing through the hallway stared in shock.
Bang!
He threw open the door to So-ya’s room, but she wasn't there.
Ga-hyeon clenched his fists tight and began scouring the entire mansion for her. However, So-ya was not in the garden, not on the walking paths, and not in Ga-yul’s room.
‘Where on earth...’
As he searched for her with an increasingly anxious face, he spotted Yeon-jeong walking toward him from the opposite direction.
“Where is So-ya?”
Yeon-jeong looked startled by the sudden, sharp question, but she answered truthfully.
“The Young Lady went up Mt. Horim earlier today and hasn't returned yet. She seems to be running a bit late.”
“What?”
“The Youngest Young Master and Su-ri went with her, so I’m sure she’s fine. Mt. Horim isn't a dangerous mountain, after all.”
“Su-ri? You mean... that Indigo Wolf brat?”
Yeon-jeong turned her head toward where Ga-hyeon was pointing and gasped.
Su-ri, who was supposed to be with the Young Lady and the Young Master, was currently loitering near the north gate of the White Tiger Palace.
“Wait, Su-ri! Why are you here? Where are the Young Lady and the Young Master?”
“Ah, Lady Yeon-jeong. Second Young Master. Well, the thing is, I had an upset stomach... so I made them promise to stay close to each other...”
Su-ri answered hesitantly.
Ga-hyeon’s expression hardened into a mask of ice. Even though Ga-yul was with her and there shouldn't be any danger, his anxiety wouldn't fade.
“I’m going to get her myself.”
Ga-hyeon began striding toward the back of the White Tiger Palace.
“Oh, Young Master? Young Master!”
“Young Master, I know you’re worried about Lady Cotton Ball, but this is excessive...”
Yeon-jeong and Jeok-a were chasing after him when it happened.
“Oh? Isn't that the Youngest Young Master over there?”
Ga-yul was just then coming down the mountain.
“It looks like he’s finally returning.”
While everyone else sighed in relief, Ga-hyeon muttered in a hollow voice.
“...Why is he alone?”
Ga-yul, who should have been with So-ya, was descending the mountain by himself.
At that moment, Ga-yul, who had been rushing down the mountain with a frantic expression, spotted Ga-hyeon and suddenly shouted.
“Brother! Have you seen Cotton Ball?”
“...She went up the mountain with you. What are you talking about?”
At those words, Ga-yul’s face turned deathly pale.
“W-what do I do, Brother? I think I lost Cotton Ball!”
“What?”
“I fell asleep for a moment, and when I woke up, she was gone... I looked everywhere but couldn't find her, so I thought maybe she came down first...”
As Ga-yul explained in a panic, Ga-hyeon’s face twisted into a terrifying scowl.
“And you just came down by yourself? You idiot!”
Ga-hyeon roared.
Regardless of how bitingly cold and sharp he usually was toward his siblings, Ga-hyeon had never raised his voice like this before.
“U-uuuh, uuuuh...”
“What gives you the right to cry?”
When Ga-yul began to sob out of fear of having lost Cotton Ball, Ga-hyeon snapped at him fiercely.
“Hic, hiccup... but, but Cotton Ball... because of me...”
Ga-yul swallowed his sobs, trembling.
“Please don't worry too much, Young Master. The Young Lady will be safe.”
“That’s right. Besides, the beasts on Mt. Horim are gentle and it’s not a dangerous place.”
“She likely just lost her way, so if we go look for her...”
Everyone was trying their best to stay positive.
“I can’t smell So-ya.”
Everyone froze at Ga-hyeon’s murmur as he stared at Mt. Horim with cold eyes.
“Something is blocking me from finding her.”
Ga-hyeon glared at Mt. Horim, gritting his teeth, and then, with a loud poof, transformed into a massive tiger.
* * *
Meanwhile, left behind in the forest, So-ya waited for Ga-yul to catch her scent and come find her.
But no matter how long she waited, Ga-yul did not come.
In the meantime, the sun had completely disappeared below the horizon.