Chapter 53
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 53
‘This is a truly strange feeling.’
Seol-yo shook his head vigorously, trying to brush the thought away.
He continued to peer through the thicket, stealthily following the two people as they strolled along.
“Young Lady, it is time to come inside.”
At that moment, Yeon-jeong’s voice called out, and So-ya headed back first.
Yi-rim remained standing in the same spot, his gaze fixed on So-ya’s retreating figure for a long while. A serene, warm smile rested upon his face.
Seol-yo did not like that one bit.
‘Why is he looking at So-ya with a face like that?’
Just as he was grumbling to himself—
Swish!
Suddenly, Yi-rim turned his head toward him.
Hidden in the bushes, Seol-yo’s eyes locked right with Yi-rim’s.
“Wh-whoa!”
Startled, Seol-yo tumbled backward with a loud thud. In the process, the ginkgo leaves he had gathered for So-ya scattered across the ground.
Yi-rim approached him with a leisurely stride.
Step, step, step.
At the sound of those footsteps, Seol-yo bared his teeth and growled fiercely, as if on guard.
“D-don’t come any closer!”
But Yi-rim did not stop.
Soon standing before Seol-yo, Yi-rim leaned down and offered a greeting in a mellow voice.
“Hello.”
“…”
Seol-yo glared at him in silence. Seeing the eyes filled with hostility, Yi-rim gave a thin smile.
“You don’t have to look at me like that.”
“…”
“I won’t be any threat to you. As long as you don’t harm that child.”
Seol-yo flinched for a moment and grit his teeth. He realized exactly who Yi-rim meant by ‘that child.’
“I would never harm So-ya!” Seol-yo huffed, shouting back. “I—I’m the one who protects her! You’re the one who shouldn’t harm her!”
At this, the corner of Yi-rim’s mouth curled upward.
Seol-yo’s shoulders instinctively hunched at the sight of that chilling sneer.
“You’d better make sure of that. Because that is the only reason I’m letting you live.”
After staring at Seol-yo for a moment with cold eyes, Yi-rim turned away.
‘Wh-what was that? Why does he look at people like that? How creepy.’
Seol-yo muttered to himself as he watched Yi-rim’s retreating back, not even thinking to get up from the ground.
* * *
So-ya’s room.
“Why is that guy your big brother! I hate it! Don’t call him your big brother!”
Ga-yul was rolling around on the floor, throwing a tantrum. He had overheard So-ya calling Yi-rim ‘Orabeoni’ earlier.
Ga-yul hated the idea of anyone else being called that by So-ya. He couldn’t accept him as So-ya’s ‘real brother.’ Besides, the way that man spoke and acted, as if he knew So-ya better than they did!
“Most of all, that man isn’t even family. He doesn’t even have ‘Baek’ in his name like we do!”
“You shouldn’t call him ‘that man.’”
Ga-hyeon, who had been watching Ga-yul roll around with a pathetic look, corrected the title.
“He is the Son of Heaven of the Taehwa Empire. You must address him properly as His Majesty the Emperor. Unless you want to be dragged away for lèse-majesté.”
However, despite his words, Ga-hyeon’s own expression was uncharacteristically grim.
“But So-ya. I also wish you wouldn’t get too close to His Majesty.”
Ga-hyeon looked at So-ya and spoke in a serious tone.
“His reputation doesn’t seem very good. I’m worried about you being near someone so dangerous.”
“But…”
So-ya thought back to the Yi-rim she had seen in the garden earlier. He was still the same kind and warm person as the prince in her memories.
“Those are just rumors. The Emperor I know isn’t a dangerous person.”
So-ya didn’t want to judge him based on the idle gossip of others. Even if grim things happened around him, there might be reasons she didn’t know about.
She wanted to think of him based on what she had seen and felt herself. Just as he had treated her warmly despite her past when they reunited at the Vermilion Bird Mansion.
Slide.
At the sound of the door opening, the three siblings turned their heads simultaneously.
“So this is where you all were.”
Sa-eon was leaning against the doorframe, smiling at the children.
“Father!”
Ga-hyeon cried out in a bright voice and jumped to his feet.
“I was sad we couldn't greet you properly earlier. Is all your busy work finished now?”
Even after returning to the White Tiger Palace, Sa-eon had been unable to properly greet the children because he had to attend to the Emperor and handle urgent matters.
“Father, why did you only come now!”
Ga-yul dashed toward Sa-eon and leaped, clinging to him. He had acted tough in front of So-ya, but in truth, Ga-yul had missed his father dearly.
“Sorry, my baby tiger. You didn’t cry because you missed me, did you?”
“I’m not a baby! I’m going to have my First Growth soon!”
“Right, right, Yul.”
Sa-eon burst into laughter as he scooped Ga-yul up with one arm and walked into the room. He then pulled Ga-hyeon, who had approached him, into his other arm. Then, he spotted So-ya, who was just staring at him with sparkling eyes.
She looked as though she wanted to run and hug him like her brothers, but was hesitating, wondering if she was allowed to.
Reading her heart perfectly, Sa-eon spread his arms wide to make space and asked in a mock-hurt tone.
“Cotton Ball. Didn’t you miss your father?”
“I—I missed you! So, so much!”
So-ya answered immediately, as if she had been waiting for him to ask.
“Then our Cotton Ball should come and welcome her father, too.”
“Yes, sir…!”
So-ya scurried into Sa-eon’s embrace and snuggled right into his arms.
“I missed you all very much, too. My baby tigers and my little Cotton Ball.”
Sa-eon smiled broadly, hugging all three children at once. Wrapped in Sa-eon’s arms, which were as sturdy as a fortress, So-ya tumbled about with her brothers and let out a bright giggle.
Hearing that innocent, carefree laughter, Sa-eon found himself chuckling softly.
Did the Cotton Ball know? That at some point, she had started smiling so beautifully.
“You kept the White Tiger Palace safe while I was gone, right?”
“Yes, Father. We were able to protect the palace well with Jeok Yeong’s help. And every time Yul tried to skip his training, I caught him and threw him into the training grounds.”
“Wh-when did I! That’s not true, Father! I practiced really hard and even got praised by the master!”
Ga-hyeon and Ga-yul competed to tell him about their recent days.
“And what about our little Cotton Ball?”
“I kept practicing because I wanted to use my supernatural ability again, but it didn’t go very well,” So-ya said, her voice trailing off a bit dejectedly.
“You don’t have to push yourself. You haven’t even reached your First Growth yet.”
“But still, I want to be helpful to you and the others as soon as possible, Lord Sa-eon.”
“Helpful?”
“Lady Sa-ra said so. She said if I learn to control my ability well, I’ll be a huge help to you and the clan.”
“You were having such admirable thoughts?”
Sa-eon looked at So-ya with a look of feigned surprise, then broke into a laugh.
“It seems our little Cotton Ball is the only one who thinks of me.”
Even as Sa-eon ruffled her hair, the lingering regret didn't quite leave So-ya’s face.
“It just so happens that I have something to give our admirable little Cotton Ball.”
“…?”
“What! Father! Did you only buy a present for the Cotton Ball?”
Ga-yul looked at Sa-eon with a betrayed expression.
‘A gift from Lord Sa-eon!’
So-ya felt her heart flutter with anticipation and peered around Sa-eon.
‘But there’s nothing in Lord Sa-eon’s hands?’