The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 139
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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 139
The White Tiger Family members had gathered around Soya, who was lying on the bed.
Though Yeonjeong and Sanho had changed her into fluffy new clothes, her hair still clung damply to Soya’s face despite being wiped down once.
Saeon quietly observed this and carefully brushed away the strands of hair stuck to Soya’s cheek.
Tae Ui had just left a moment ago.
Fortunately, he said there was no threat to her life, but watching the child lie there with such a pale complexion couldn’t put anyone’s mind at ease.
Saeon gazed at the child with sunken eyes.
So it was Soya who dealt with the demon beast that appeared in the pond.
The Imperial Dragon cannot tell lies. So those words must be true.
When he heard that Soya had fallen into the pond.
Even knowing that the child possessed special powers that others didn’t have, he couldn’t help but worry.
He immediately dove into the spot where Soya had fallen and searched every inch of the pond bottom, but the child was nowhere to be seen.
At that moment, the demon beast in the center of the pond vibrated its body and showed a strange reaction.
Saeon glanced toward where the demon beast was and thought.
‘Perhaps…’
If it’s the Soya I know, from the moment the demon beast appeared, she would have been figuring out how to defeat it and keep people safe.
‘Yes, if it’s Soya, surely…’
Having thought that far, Saeon immediately swam toward the center of the pond.
Unable to secure underwater visibility, he simply relied on animal instinct as he headed toward the pond’s center.
Faintly, he could smell Soya’s scent in the water.
Eventually, Saeon found Soya.
The child’s small body was sinking into the water.
Just as Saeon became frantic and was about to rush toward the child.
Kurrrung—
Rippling golden light shone as the pond churned, and a being that appeared by cutting through space embraced Soya and shot up above the water.
‘Imperial Dragon…?’
Saeon stared blankly at that golden trail for a moment before snapping back to his senses and surfacing.
Irim was walking out of the water holding Soya with a calm expression, alone amidst the murmuring crowd’s gazes.
After laying Soya down here, Irim called for Tae Ui to check her condition and then quietly left.
From Irim’s behavior, Saeon felt a subtle sensation.
It seemed somewhat excessive to be mere kindness shown to a childhood acquaintance.
It was a signal sent by some paternal instinct.
“I saw it, Father! That wicked redhead pushed Soya!”
Gayul said with a sniff, her nose tip red.
“I saw it too.”
Seolyeo also nodded vigorously beside her.
They too were completely soaked from stirring up the entire pond trying to find Soya.
Meanwhile, Gaya had been staring down at sleeping Soya’s face without saying a word, his face drained completely white since earlier.
His pallid lips twitched as if calling Soya’s name.
At that moment, Soya’s eyes twitched slightly.
“Soya!”
Ga Hyeon, who was first to notice the movement, called to Soya.
Slowly, Soya’s eyelids opened.
“Father and Elder Brothers…? Everyone is safe… Cough, cough.”
Dry coughs escaped from Soya’s mouth.
“Cotton Ball!”
“Soya!”
“Soya!”
“Young Lady!”
The White Tiger Family members surrounded Soya in a commotion.
Saeon quickly helped Soya sit up.
“Are you okay, Cotton Ball?”
Saeon asked while examining Soya’s complexion.
“I’m sorry. Did everyone worry a lot?”
“The physician came by earlier, Soya. Fortunately you’re not hurt anywhere, but he said we need to keep your body warm.”
Ga Hyeon received warm rice porridge from Yeonjeong and brought a spoonful to Soya’s lips.
“Let’s warm you from the inside with warm rice porridge and take your herbal medicine properly, our Soya.”
Though she wasn’t hungry, Soya wanted to reassure her worried family, so she obediently opened her mouth and ate the rice porridge Ga Hyeon fed her.
Everyone including Gayul and Seolyeo sat clustered around Soya, watching her eat the rice porridge.
With everyone’s attention focused on her, Soya felt a bit embarrassed.
As Soya deliberately rolled her eyes around, she suddenly realized that Gaya was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is Elder Brother Gaya?”
“Huh. He was here just a moment ago.”
Only then noticing that Gaya who had been beside her had disappeared, Gayul tilted her head.
While everyone looked around for Gaya, only Saeon looked toward one spot with a knowing gaze.
Following Saeon’s gaze, Soya spotted Gaya crouched in a corner.
“Elder Brother, why are you sitting there like that?”
Slowly—
Gaya raised his head that had been buried on his knees.
Soya was startled by his deathly pale face.
“Elder Brother? Are you hurt somewhere?”
It was Soya who had fallen into the water, not him, yet Gaya’s face was more pallid than hers.
“I…”
Gaya opened his mouth, fumbling with his pale lips.
“I was right there…”
Suddenly, a tear drop that sparkled like a jewel rolled down from one of his eyes.
“E-Elder Brother!”
“Your eldest brother takes after Papa and has a tender heart. He cries a lot too.”
Unlike the surprised Soya, Saeon spoke with a deliberately nonchalant expression.
“Young Master’s appearance is exactly like the Family Head in his childhood.”
“The eldest Young Master hasn’t changed at all from before he went to war.”
Yeonjeong and Sanho chimed in with Saeon’s words.
“Tender?”
Ga Hyeon, who was cleaning up the empty rice porridge bowl, glanced at Gaya.
Then he immediately evaluated him sharply in a calm tone.
“It’s not tender, it seems childish. What kind of disgraceful behavior is this in front of your sister, like an immature tiger, Elder Brother.”
“Disgraceful, Hyeona. That’s too harsh.”
Saeon bristled on Gaya’s behalf.
“Your mother said even that side of him was cute.”
He added defensively in a slightly quieter voice.
At that moment, the tips of Saeon’s ears turned slightly red, but unfortunately no one noticed.
Because Gaya had captured everyone’s attention.
“…Sorry, Somsom.”
Tears flowed endlessly from his eyes, drip drop drip drop.
“Oh my, what to do. Elder Brother, please don’t cry.”
Soya comforted Gaya, not knowing what to do.
“I’m going to twist that redhead’s neck.”
Gaya said while shedding tears profusely.
“Pardon?”
“I’ll pluck his crest and pull out every single feather.”
“The comb and feathers… what are you going to do with them?”
“Twist her neck so she can never bother you again and fold her body…”
“No, wait, you don’t need to go that far…”
“Fold her body all crumpled up and feed her to the tigers of Horim Mountain…”
“Elder Brother!”
Unable to listen any longer, Soya raised her voice and cut off Gaya’s words.
“Don’t say such scary things! I’m really okay!”
“Somsom…?”
“Stop crying too!”
“Okay… I’ll stop…”
Gaya nodded his head while looking down.
However, as he nodded, the movement caused tears to fall from his eyes once again, dripping down profusely.
“Our Elder Brother, I jokingly called him a baby and he really became a baby.”
Soya wiped around Gaya’s eyes with a handkerchief and smiled softly.
“And, just leave that girl alone.”
“…?”
“Since she made our Elder Brothers cry, I’ll get revenge for you instead. Elder Brothers, don’t bother exerting yourselves and just stay put.”
Soya said with a bright smile on her soft face.
“…??”
Gaya blinked his wet eyes.
Somsomi and revenge.
Could there be two words more mismatched than these?
“Oh, what a shame. I was going to pluck out every single feather from that wicked bird who bullied our Soya.”
Ga Hyeon sighed with a deliberately regretful voice.
“Me too. I was going to show her what it means to become tiger food.”
Gayul also expressed disappointment while leaning the back of his head against his clasped arms.
“If Young Lady steps forward, there’s nothing we can do.”
“That’s right, Cotton Ball. If that’s what you think, Papa won’t interfere and will wait. But I don’t have much patience, so I can’t wait long.”
“If it takes too long, I’ll write a letter to Mother and tell her everything that red-head did.”
At Ga Hyeon’s additional words, Soya burst into laughter.
“Wow, if Mother finds out, it would really be a disaster, wouldn’t it?”
“The Imperial Palace might collapse.”
“Given Cheongha’s temperament, we’d be lucky if only the Imperial Palace collapses.”
While everyone was chatting cheerfully and harmoniously.
“What? Are you all in your right minds?”
Gaya, who alone couldn’t follow the conversation, protested with a bewildered voice.
“Somsomi is smiling prettily with that rice flour-soft face saying she’ll get revenge, and you’re all just laughing and letting it go?”
“Soya has very good execution skills once she makes up her mind.”
Everyone nodded at Ga Hyeon’s words.
“That’s right. And when Cotton Ball smiles with her eyes crinkled like that, she’s really angry. When Cotton Ball gets angry, it’s really big trouble. I know because I’ve experienced it.”
Gayul had been scolded by Soya many times after unintentionally acting mischievously toward her due to his careless nature.
“Yul Elder Brother, really. That’s because Elder Brother…”
It was when Soya was smiling and saying something to Gayul.
“Ah, that’s right…!”
As if suddenly remembering something, Soya let out a small exclamation.
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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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