Chapter 31
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 31
When Sa-eon returned to the palace after surveying the Western Land with the representatives of the other clans, the atmosphere within the White Tiger Palace was unsettling.
"What is going on?"
"Clan Head, the thing is..."
As the explanation followed, Sa-eon’s face hardened into a mask of stone.
"What? Cotton Ball got lost on the mountain?"
The sky was already pitch black; night had fully fallen.
Just as Sa-eon was about to leap toward Mt. Horim to find So-ya, he froze.
In the distance, he saw two small figures descending the mountain. Ga-hyeon was carrying So-ya on his back.
"It’s the Young Master and the Young Lady!"
"It looks like Young Master Hyeon found Lady Cotton Ball and brought her back!"
"Sigh..."
Sa-eon let out a short, sharp breath of relief.
"Father."
Ga-hyeon bowed his head deeply before Sa-eon. Meanwhile, So-ya remained fast asleep, clinging to Ga-hyeon’s back and breathing softly.
"I’ve heard the gist of it. Well done, Hyeon-ah. You guarded the White Tiger Palace well while I was away."
"..."
"She must be heavy. Hand the child over to me now."
"No. I will take her to her room myself."
There was a stubbornness in Ga-hyeon’s voice that was unlike his usual self. Sa-eon let out a small chuckle and nodded.
"Very well."
As Ga-hyeon headed toward So-ya’s room with her on his back, Yeon-jeong and San-ho followed close behind. Sa-eon watched them for a moment before turning his gaze toward a strange presence he suddenly sensed.
"Whimper..."
Not far away, a pitch-black beast was fidgeting, its eyes fixed on So-ya.
"That thing..."
Sa-eon’s eyes narrowed.
"Why is that fellow here?"
It was undoubtedly the creature Sa-eon had picked up seven years ago during the long, drawn-out war with the Northern Land. It was a shy thing, terrified of people; the moment they had arrived at the White Tiger Palace, it had fled to the mountains. To think it had come all the way down here.
Moreover, the way it was pacing and fidgeting while looking at So-ya made it seem as though it wanted to follow her but was too afraid of the crowd.
As Sa-eon observed the creature with narrowed eyes, Seol-yo suddenly made eye contact with him and scurried away in a flash.
"Hah?"
Sa-eon raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
* * *
The next day, So-ya woke up a little later than usual. She was told that everyone had been worried sick because she hadn't returned.
"About me...?"
So-ya blinked, not quite understanding the words at first.
"Yes, about you, My Lady! You didn't think we were worried about those tiger young masters, did you?"
As San-ho answered with a passionate voice, Yeon-jeong, who was brushing So-ya’s hair, nodded in agreement.
"Oh..."
The thought that everyone had been worried about her felt incredibly strange. When she lived at the Vermilion Bird Mansion, no one had ever cared about her. Once, she had been locked in a storehouse and spent the entire night starving. If a passing servant hadn't come in to look for something, she might have actually starved to death in there.
No one in that place had ever looked for her or worried about her.
But the people of the White Tiger Palace were different. From the Young Master who had searched the mountains for her to the others who had waited anxiously until late at night...
The realization that they all cared for her brought a lump to So-ya’s throat.
I feel like I’ve experienced so many strange emotions since coming to the White Tiger Palace.
"Still, I’m so glad you aren't hurt, My Lady."
"I’m sorry for making you worry."
"There’s nothing for you to be sorry for, My Lady. It’s all Su-ri’s fault—I told that boy to protect you properly."
It was just as San-ho, Su-ri’s older sister, was grumbling about her brother.
Wait...?
So-ya’s eyes caught something as she happened to look toward the window. A tuft of snow-white hair was poking out from between the wooden slats.
So-ya stood up and pushed the window open. Immediately, Ga-yul, who had been perched on a tree branch outside, stiffened.
"Hi—hic...!"
"Youngest Young Master?"
"I-I wasn't trying to peek! I was just... I was just curious if you, if you were healthy and awake, so..."
The rims of Ga-yul’s eyes were stained red.
"C-Cotton Ball, I’m sorry. I... I was such a fool, I couldn't even protect you... Ugh, uwaaaaah! Waaaaah!"
His sniffling quickly dissolved into a full-blown wail.
"Young Master...!"
Startled, So-ya reached out toward him.
"Please don't cry, Young Master. I’m fine. I made it back safely. So..."
But before So-ya’s hand could touch his face, there was a poof! Ga-yul transformed into a baby tiger and dove into the leaves to hide.
Unlike the way it usually wagged playfully in front of So-ya, Ga-yul’s tail now hung limp and dejected from between the leaves. It was a pitiful sight that made her want to comfort him, but So-ya didn't know how to climb trees.
Just as she was watching him anxiously, wondering what to do, a gentle voice spoke from the doorway.
"Leave him be, So-ya. He needs to be scolded more."
So-ya turned around to see Ga-hyeon standing there.
"Second Young Master...!"
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Oh, that’s right! Young Master, I have something to give you!"
So-ya pulled a flower out of her bamboo basket.
"This!"
"This is..."
"A Sky Flower! I heard you liked them!"
Ga-hyeon froze for a moment, staring at the Sky Flower in So-ya’s hand. He had heard that the reason she went up Mt. Horim yesterday was to pick a flower to give to him. To think she did all that for a mere flower...
"Thank you, So-ya."
Ga-hyeon suppressed the surge of emotion in his chest and gave her a bright smile.
"But we made a promise yesterday. You said you’d call me something other than 'Young Master'."
"Ah..."
So-ya hesitated. Now that he mentioned it, she remembered having that conversation while she was being carried down the mountain on his back.
"The thing is, um... I forgot, Brother."
So-ya answered with a slightly awkward voice and a bashful grin.
At her words, the hidden Ga-yul flinched so hard that leaves came fluttering down from the branch.
"So-ya, would you like to go for a morning walk with your brother?"
"Rawr! (No!)"
The answer didn't come from So-ya, but from Ga-yul.
"Rawr! Rawr! (Why...! Why is Brother your 'Brother'?)"
Ga-yul, who wouldn't come out no matter how much she tried to coax him, suddenly popped out and shouted.
"Young Master, have you stopped crying now?" So-ya asked, her face brightening.
"Grrr... Rawr! Rawr, rawr! (I want to be 'Brother' too! Let me be your brother too, Cotton Ball!)"
In the blink of an eye, Ga-yul leaped through the window into So-ya’s room and began rolling around on the floor, throwing a tantrum.
"You couldn't even protect So-ya and only made things more dangerous for her, yet you want to be her brother? All you know how to do is roll on the floor and throw fits. Have you no shame? You’re a disgrace to tigers. Get up, you’re embarrassing yourself."
Ga-hyeon snapped at him with a biting tone.
So-ya’s eyes went wide with surprise as she stared at Ga-hyeon.
So the Second Young Master can actually speak so terrifyingly.
Belatedly noticing So-ya’s gaze, Ga-hyeon paused and looked back at her.
"Uh... So-ya?"
"I’ve realized that it wasn't because you specifically disliked me that you spoke that way before, Brother," So-ya replied with a giggle.
"Ah... I, well, it’s not that..."
Caught in his harsh nature, Ga-hyeon made a sheepish excuse.
"Rawr! Rawr! (That’s right! Brother is a bad tiger who only says mean things!)" Ga-yul shouted, huffing and puffing.
However, his eyes and the tip of his nose were still bright red. So-ya leaned down toward Ga-yul and handed him a handkerchief.
"Are you finished crying now, Young Master?"
"Grrr... Growl! (You...! Don't talk to me like I’m a child!)"
So-ya chuckled at Ga-yul’s indignant reaction. As expected, the youngest young master suited this energetic side of him much better than being depressed.
Then, So-ya’s thoughts suddenly turned to Seol-yo.
"Oh, by the way. What happened to that friend from yesterday? The one who protected me..."
"Now that you mention it, he kept following us for a while, but then he disappeared at some point."
"Oh... I see."
So-ya felt a pang of regret.
Did he go back up the mountain?
Perhaps it was for the best. If he caught people's eyes, he might be harmed just because he was a demonic beast.
"More importantly, So-ya. Who did you tell that you were going up Mt. Horim with Yul yesterday?"
Ga-hyeon’s voice turned serious as he asked the question.
"Something feels wrong. Not just the beasts turning violent, but the fact that when I tried to find you, I couldn't catch your scent at all."
So-ya’s expression stiffened.
A certain person had immediately come to mind.