The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 112

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 112

 

“Huh?”

 

Soya looked at Saeon with an expression that said ‘How could you use such a violent method?’

 

“Wait. Don’t misunderstand, Cotton Ball. Papa isn’t such a bad person.”

 

At Soya’s expression, Saeon hastily added.

 

“I didn’t use my hands, and I didn’t use my feet either. I just used my eyes.”

 

“…?”

 

“Really. I just put some force into my eyes and those chicken-head… Those guys living on the ground are weak so they fainted.”

 

Saeon, who had been earnestly making excuses, almost used bad words without realizing it, then quickly changed his words remembering Jeok Yeong’s earlier comment.

 

No, but those guys really are chicken-heads, aren’t they?

 

Why do I have to call those damn chicken-headed bastards with such nice words?

 

But… what if Cotton Ball follows along if I use bad words for no reason?

 

Our Cotton Ball is smart like me and learns everything quickly.

 

It would be too upsetting if she used words like ‘damn…’ with that pretty mouth.

 

“Oh my, what beastman wouldn’t faint when the King of White Beasts glares at them? That’s practically the same as deliberately beating them down.”

 

Jeok Yeong, who brought his hand to his mouth as if whispering to Soya, deliberately raised his voice as if for Saeon to hear.

 

“Th-then is beating people down with your gaze also Father’s special ability?”

 

“Not quite a special ability… but, well, it’s similar.”

 

“My goodness. To think Father has been going around beating people down with his special ability.”

 

“Don’t say such things, Young Lady. The Family Head was much more violent when he was younger than he is now…”

 

“Ho Jeokyeong. What nonsense are you spouting to my daughter right now?”

 

Saeon, who couldn’t stand watching anymore, spoke up indignantly.

 

Anyway, Soya didn’t have the ability to subdue other people with her gaze.

 

No matter how much force she put into her eyes and glared, such an ability wouldn’t manifest.

 

Father’s advice didn’t seem very helpful.

 

“So in short, I need to move around without being noticed?”

 

“Yes, it seems my feathers are too conspicuous.”

 

Soya was a master of hide-and-seek within White Tiger Palace.

 

When she walked stealthily with her small transformed body, everyone failed to notice Soya.

 

Of course, there were cases where some deliberately pretended not to see her for Soya’s sake, but setting that aside…

 

But once the red feathers began to grow, despite still having a small body, she was frequently caught because the color made her stand out.

 

Especially in the Southern Lands where red was considered sacred, she would stand out even more.

 

After hearing Soya’s story, Jeok Yeong came up with a good plan.

 

“I know a fox who’s a master of transformation techniques. Shall I introduce you?”

 

“Transformation techniques?”

 

“Ten handkerchiefs personally embroidered by Cotton Ball Miss as an introduction fee. How about it?”

 

“Good!”

 

Soya made a deal with Jeok Yeong over the handkerchiefs.

 

“What? Ten pieces? I only have two pieces myself. You’re giving that fox ten whole pieces?”

 

Saeon, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, threw a fit.

 

“Father. This is something I’m properly giving to Jeok Yeong, so you can’t steal them. Understood?”

 

“What…?”

 

Saeon looked truly wronged.

 

“Cotton Ball. I’m really hurt. Do you really think Papa would just… take other people’s things…”

 

When Saeon appealed in an uncharacteristic way, Soya burst into laughter.

 

“That was just a joke.”

 

“Baby Cotton Ball has become quite mischievous.”

 

Watching Soya laugh with her eyes curved into half-moons, delighted at having flustered her father, Saeon pretended he hadn’t noticed Soya’s prank at all and chuckled.

 

* * *

 

“This is a transformation orb from the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, Young Lady.”

 

A few days later, Jeok Yeong came to find Soya and handed her a transparent orb.

 

“If you shake it like this…”

 

He held the orb in one hand and shook it rapidly.

 

“Ta-da! It becomes fluid like liquid!”

 

“Wow…!”

 

Soya looked at the transformation orb that had melted like liquid with amazed eyes.

 

“What’s with that inappropriate ‘ta-da’? How disgusting.”

 

Yeonjeong crossed her arms and commented from the side.

 

“But this doesn’t last very long, so you have to return within a full day.”

 

Regardless, Jeok Yeong ignored Yeonjeong’s words and explained how to use the transformation orb.

 

“Yes, Jeok Yeong!”

 

Soya took out Chirpy’s feather that she had prepared in advance.

 

Then she dropped the feather onto the fluid transformation orb with a plop.

 

The transformation orb turned brown and then clumped back into a round shape.

 

“It worked…!”

 

“Now try holding it in your hand and using it once.”

 

Soya held the orb in her hand and applied pressure.

 

Pop!

 

In an instant, Soya’s body shrank and she became a small skylark.

 

“Chirp?!”

 

Chirpy, who had been dozing on the window frame, was startled to see Soya transformed into the same appearance as herself.

 

“Chirp, chirp, chirp!”

 

Watching Chirpy flap her wings and spin around in circles, Soya burst into laughter.

 

“Chirpy. It’s me, me. Soya.”

 

“Peep?”

 

“How is it? Really perfect, right?”

 

Soya asked, lifting her wings.

 

“Chirp?”

 

Chirpy tilted her head, not understanding.

 

“Wow, it’s really perfect, Cotton Ball Miss. Anyone would see you as an ordinary skylark.”

 

“What is this old fox saying? How does our Young Lady’s transformed appearance look like an ordinary skylark? She’s the cutest and most lovable skylark in the world.”

 

“Oh my, you’re right. Our Cotton Ball Miss has transformed into the most wonderful skylark in the world, but I misspoke.”

 

At Yeonjeong’s rebuke, Jeok Yeong replied with a good-natured laugh.

 

Though her appearance reflected in the mirror was exactly the same skylark form as Chirpy, Soya felt embarrassed by their praise and wagged her tail feathers.

 

Yeonjeong made a small bundle with a handkerchief, put the transformation orb inside, and securely tied it to Soya’s back.

 

“Then our Young Lady, you must be careful on your trip.”

 

She pushed the window wide open and greeted Soya.

 

“Yes, Yeonjeong, I’ll be careful.”

 

Soya stepped one foot outside the open window and also greeted Jeok Yeong and Chirpy.

 

“Jeok Yeong, please give my regards to Father. Chirpy, guard White Tiger Palace well in my place. I’ll be back soon.”

 

Then she spread her wings wide and flew up toward the southern sky.

 

* * *

 

The Southern Lands where fertile red soil spread out vastly.

 

Climbing the three thousand stone steps located at its center reveals a heavenly city artificially created by bird beastfolk pursuing high altitude.

 

And the neat mansion with an elegant atmosphere located at its innermost part.

 

Since it was a mansion in the sky, the Zhuque Palace called the Heavenly Mansion.

 

It was also a place where Soya had lived long ago.

 

Standing in front of the main gate of the Vermillion Bird Mansion that she once thought she would never return to again, Soya gazed up at the estate’s nameplate.

 

The estate’s name had always used the character ‘jeong’ meaning righteous.

 

But Father had said that the place where I had lived was a wrong world.

 

[The world you’ve lived in until now has been wrong.]

 

[So from now on, I will show you what the right world looks like.]

 

And Father kept that promise he made to me.

 

Soya could now distinguish between what was wrong and what was right.

 

Because of those teachings, she was no longer afraid to set foot in this estate that had left her only sad and painful memories.

 

“Oh my, Father! Lili is…!”

 

Just then, bright laughter came from inside the estate wall.

 

“Oh dear, Lili. You need to be careful.”

 

“Elder Brother should hold our Lili, shouldn’t he?”

 

After that came the affectionate voices of Jeok Ayun and Jeok Hwayu in succession.

 

Soya spread her wings and fluttered up onto the estate wall.

 

Once perched on the wall, she could see Lili and her family, who still looked harmonious.

 

Soya’s heart as she watched them was much more peaceful and calm than she had expected.

 

When she was young, seeing that sight always made her repeat to herself countless times that it was okay.

 

But now she didn’t need to do that anymore.

 

Because she was no longer envious of that wrong world.

 

Soya suddenly became curious.

 

If they knew that Lili wasn’t their real daughter, how would they act?

 

Would they coldly cast her out like they did to me? Or perhaps…

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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