Chapter 9
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 9
The direct lineage of the White Tiger, rulers of the West, was known to be born with extraordinary physical abilities.
Baek Sa-eon covered a distance that would have taken a week by horse in a single, tireless dash.
The place he arrived at was the mountain fortress, White Tiger Mountain Palace.
To the common folk, it was more frequently called "White Tiger Palace," the massive estate of the White Tiger Clan.
"C-Clan Head?"
"Father?"
When Sa-eon returned in the middle of the night, carrying a young girl dangling from one arm, the people of the palace rushed out in shock.
Among them were Sa-eon’s two sons: the Second Young Lord, Baek Ga-hyeon, and the Third Young Lord, Baek Ga-yul.
"Call a physician immediately."
Leaving the bewildered crowd behind, Sa-eon walked straight to his chambers and laid the child on the bed.
As Sa-eon watched the girl, whose face was deathly pale as she let out thin, wheezing breaths, his aide and the eldest son of the Red Fox Clan, Ho Jeok-yeong, asked cautiously, "Who is this child, Clan Head?"
"I picked her up on the way," Sa-eon replied nonchalantly, crossing his arms.
However, contrary to his indifferent tone, the fierce intensity in his eyes and his aura betrayed his deep concern that something might happen to the child.
"You picked her up...?"
"To be precise, I stole her."
"Pardon?"
"Father, did you decide to become a thief?"
Everyone looked at him, their eyes demanding an explanation, but Sa-eon kept his lips pressed firmly shut, staring only at the girl. It was only after the physician was hurriedly brought in that he finally spoke.
"Fix her."
"Y-Yes, sir! I shall f-fix...!"
Just as the physician, intimidated by the sharp atmosphere, scrambled to check the girl’s pulse—
Twitch.
The girl’s eyelids flickered.
Slowly—
Her eyes opened, revealing pale red irises that resembled spring flowers.
Blink, blink.
The child blinked a few times and looked around.
‘Where am I?’
She was in an unfamiliar room filled with people she had never seen before.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
An instinctive fear of the unknown surged within her, making her heart race.
‘Why am I... here...’
So-ya searched her memories.
She had gone out to see the summer festival with her brother, Hwa-yu...
While waiting for her brother, who never came, an assassin wearing a black mask appeared...
And then, a man as tall as her father, whom she had met by chance...
So-ya’s eyes darted around until they landed on the only person in the room who didn't feel like a stranger.
‘Ah...!’
In that instant, her face, which had been stiff with tension, relaxed, and a sigh of relief escaped her small lips.
"Cotton Ball, are you awake?" Sa-eon asked in a voice that was feigningly casual but laced with worry.
"Yes, I’m okay..."
It happened the moment So-ya nodded and answered.
"Eek!"
The Third Young Lord, Baek Ga-yul, who had been stealing glances at So-ya for a while, let out a visibly startled cry and ducked behind Sa-eon’s legs.
Startle.
So-ya was equally surprised by the sound and froze up.
"Father, she’s so tiny... I feel like she’d fly away if I just went 'whoosh' and blew on her..." Ga-yul whispered softly while tugging on Sa-eon’s sleeve. Even then, his eyes remained fixed on So-ya.
It was understandable, as there had never been a child as small as So-ya in the White Tiger Palace. She was a full head shorter than Ga-yul, who was the youngest beastkin in the palace.
Amused by Ga-yul’s flustered state, Sa-eon replied mischievously, "You’re right. That’s why you have to be careful, Yul. So you don't blow her away with a 'whoosh.'"
"Mph!"
Ga-yul quickly clamped both hands over his mouth. He looked restless, as if he were truly worried his breath might blow the tiny, cotton-ball-like girl away.
Sa-eon chuckled and ruffled his son’s hair.
So-ya stared blankly at that indifferent yet affectionate gesture. Then, Sa-eon nodded toward the physician.
"Examine the child."
"I-I’m fine without an examination," So-ya said, waving her hands. "This is all because I ate a peach... I’ll be fine in a little while. Really!"
She added the last part quickly, worried that she might be a burden to them.
"A peach?" Sa-eon’s eyebrow arched. "A peach is this dangerous?"
"Occasionally, if one eats a food that doesn't agree with them, the body can have an adverse reaction. I will prepare medicine to manage the Young Lady's swelling and fever," the physician explained.
Sa-eon’s expression grew even more stern. "So, you ate it even though you knew it would make you sick?"
"Ah, well, that is..."
As So-ya hesitated, unable to answer, Sa-eon spoke.
"Dispose of every peach in the mansion immediately."
"T-There’s no need for that...!" So-ya waved her hands in shock.
"Yes, Clan Head."
However, Ho Jeok-yeong was faster to accept the order.
"And for the child..." Sa-eon paused for a moment, looking at So-ya, before continuing. "Give her the West Wing End Room."
"Yes, Clan Head."
"But Father! That room is...!"
Unlike Ga-yul, who had been fidgeting and stealing glances at So-ya the whole time, the Second Young Lord, Baek Ga-hyeon, had been standing calmly. Now, he raised his voice in surprise.
"What about that room?"
"Ah... no, it’s nothing."
Under his father’s gaze, which seemed to ask if there was a problem, Ga-hyeon backed down obediently.
*
Sa-eon carried So-ya to the room himself.
"Because of me... I’m being... a bother..."
In the meantime, So-ya’s fever had risen again, and she squirmed in his arms, mumbling.
"You aren't a bother at all, so don't worry and stay here for the time being. For now, it’s best to get some deep sleep and get healthy."
"Yes..."
Even during that short distance, So-ya’s vision blurred from the heat filling her head, and she blinked her eyes heavily.
In her hazy state of mind, she remembered taking the medicine the physician had prepared and falling asleep.
When she woke up after a long, deep sleep, her body felt much lighter.
"It seems her fever has broken now..."
"But how can she be so small and soft? Look at this skin, as fair as rice flour. I feel like the whole White Tiger Palace is going to melt from the softness."
"I can see why the Clan Head called her Cotton Ball. Our Lady Cotton Ball is truly too cute."
Hearing the low murmurs nearby, So-ya cautiously lifted her eyelids.
In that moment, her eyes met those of two unfamiliar women looking down at her.
"Oh my, the Young Lady is awake!"
"Hello, Young Lady. Are you feeling alright?"
The unfamiliar women leaned in suddenly, causing So-ya to shrink back in surprise.
"W-Who are you?"
"I am Yeon-jeong of the Red Fox Clan! I’ve been assigned to serve you starting today!"
"I am San-ho of the Indigo Wolf Clan! I am here to protect you! Wow, our Young Lady’s voice is so cute too!"
"Y-Yes...?"
A woman with elegantly braided reddish-brown hair and another with indigo hair tied up in a single ponytail introduced themselves in turn.
So-ya felt her head spinning from their overwhelming greetings. Then, she suddenly realized they were calling her "Young Lady."
"Wait a moment, 'Young Lady'...!"
The title "Young Lady" was something used for precious children like Lady Ri-ri. It was not a title that suited a bad little bird who had stolen someone else’s things.
"I’m not a Young Lady. You can just call me by my name, So-ya..."
"Oh, heavens, you are the Clan Head’s guest, so of course you are a Young Lady."
"A g-guest? I’m not a guest, I’m just..."
So-ya started to say she had been stolen, not invited, but she suddenly stopped. She remembered Sa-eon saying it would be troublesome if rumors spread.
[It would be troublesome. If word gets out that I sneaked into that bird-brained land in the South like a stray cat and stole something.]
Sa-eon had looked very serious when he said that.
‘What should I do? I can’t let Lord Sa-eon get into trouble because of me...’
Not wanting to cause him any difficulty, So-ya hesitated, unable to argue.
Noticing So-ya’s hesitation, San-ho quickly added, "If we do not show proper respect to the Clan Head’s guest, it is the same as being disrespectful to the Clan Head himself. So please, help us show our respect to him, Young Lady. Yes?"
"Okay..."
Persuaded by those words, So-ya nodded, her voice trailing off.
Being called "Young Lady" was uncomfortable, but she didn't want to be a burden to Sa-eon, who had saved her and brought her here.
Yeon-jeong and San-ho grinned at each other before asking So-ya, "Then, Young Lady, shall we start by washing up?"
"Pardon...?"
As she blinked at them, San-ho suddenly scooped So-ya up.
They took her to the bath, scrubbed her clean, changed her into new clothes, and then skillfully styled her hair.
‘They’re... so fast.’
So-ya blinked blankly, unable to believe everything that had happened in a single night.
She had been suddenly stolen away to this place, washed clean, and dressed in fresh, fluffy clothes. She had been given a beautiful room, and people were neatly combing her hair.
The situation was so awkward that So-ya didn't know what to do, her eyes darting around the room.
"In the Taehwa Empire, besides the Imperial Palace where the Son of Heaven resides, there are four great estates permitted to use the name 'Palace,'" Yeon-jeong began to explain, and So-ya’s ears perked up.
The Cheonghae Dragon Palace, an underwater palace in the Eastern Land.
The White Tiger Mountain Palace, a mountain fortress in the Western Land.
The Vermilion Bird Main Palace, a heavenly ancient mansion in the Southern Land.
The Hyeon-to Underground Palace, a swamp of the dead in the Northern Land.
By granting the name "Palace" to these four locations, the Imperial Family had directly recognized the prestige of the Four Great Clans.
"Our White Tiger Palace is one of them."
When the Vermilion Bird Mansion was mentioned, So-ya’s body flinched involuntarily. However, she tried her best to feign ignorance and nodded along.
Then, she suddenly noticed a gaze that had been fixed on her for some time.
‘Oh...?’
Through a slight crack in the door, a small boy with snow-white hair was peeking at her.
‘That person was hiding behind Lord Sa-eon’s legs yesterday...’
"Oh, it’s the Youngest Young Master."
San-ho and Yeon-jeong, noticing So-ya’s gaze, explained.
"There are three Young Masters in the White Tiger Palace. The eldest is Young Master Ga-ya, the second is Young Master Ga-hyeon, and the one peeking at you over there is the third, Young Master Ga-yul."
"Young Master Ga-ya was called away to war three years ago and hasn't returned yet, but the other two are here at the palace."
"Hmm, that’s strange. The Youngest Young Master should be in the middle of his swordsmanship training right now."
So-ya stole a glance at Ga-yul as she listened to their explanation. His fine white hair and blue eyes bore a striking resemblance to Sa-eon.
However, every time their eyes met, Ga-yul would look visibly startled and pretend he wasn't peeking.
‘Why is he doing that...?’
As So-ya fretted over Ga-yul’s behavior, Yeon-jeong, who was styling her hair, whispered softly into her ear with a small smile.
"It seems the Youngest Young Master wants to be friends with you, Young Lady."
"Pardon? With me?"
So-ya’s eyes widened. But she soon shook her head.
"There’s no way."