The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 151

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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 151

Irim’s first remembered life.

He was not the Emperor who ruled the land as he is now, but the sole legitimate heir of the Imperial Family who, after his mother’s death, became powerless in all matters and was pushed aside even in the struggle for imperial power—a powerless Prince.

And Soya at that time was the beloved daughter of the Jeok Family, with brilliant red hair like flames, who had safely completed her First Beast Transformation and was showered with her family’s love.

Due to Hyeon Rabaek’s alliance with evil, war broke out with the Demon Beasts, and the prolonged war gradually impoverished the lives of the Empire’s citizens.

And this gradually led to rebellion against the Imperial Family.

Exactly ten years after the war began.

The Imperial Palace, relying on ancient oracles, summoned daughters from various families to the Imperial Palace under the pretext of finding the Dragon Emperor’s Bride.

Soya was one of them.

The day he first encountered her was quite ordinary.

Irim, walking through the Imperial Palace’s rear garden, looked up at the rustling sound of footsteps on grass.

From the opposite direction, a small girl who appeared to be about ten years old was walking toward him.

‘Red hair sparkling like flames… A daughter of the Suzaku Family, perhaps.’

Irim thought indifferently and passed by her.

He had no intention of taking interest in her.

Soya at that time was the legitimate daughter of the Suzaku Family and the most likely candidate to become the next Dragon Emperor’s Bride.

There was nothing good that could come from a mere Prince like himself getting involved with her.

Thus, their first encounter passed without incident.

He thought it would continue to be so afterward.

However, worldly affairs did not flow according to his will.

In the Imperial Palace garden stood a large 300-year-old zelkova tree.

Climbing up the quiet tree to read books and pass time was one of Irim’s long-standing habits.

But one day, a small bird invaded his territory.

Irim, casually shifting his gaze at the chirping song, discovered a small bird flying between the branches and singing cheerfully.

Irim stopped reading his book and became completely absorbed in watching the small bird’s flight.

The small bird, which had been singing and dancing cheerfully, seemed to belatedly notice Irim’s gaze directed at it and was startled.

Looking around with an embarrassed expression, the small bird found a tree hollow and quickly hid inside it.

“Peep.”

But immediately, a pained bird cry rang out.

When Irim carefully approached, he saw that the small bird’s wing had been scratched by a protruding tree thorn and was bleeding.

“Peep, peep…”

Tears began to well up in its bean-sized black eyes.

“Oh my. Are you alright?”

“Peeep…”

“I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m sorry.”

He apologized and carefully extended his hand.

The bird, which had been looking at his fingertips warily, soon fluttered over and landed on his palm.

Startled.

His palm naturally stiffened at the small, light weight of the bird.

Irim carefully drew the bird to his chest and examined the injured wound.

‘It doesn’t seem like a very serious wound…’

Though he thought this, he didn’t show it and spoke to the bird.

“That must have hurt.”

“Peep!”

The small bird nodded its head.

‘A beast-person.’

He had been wondering, but seeing how clearly it understood his words, it seemed to be a beast-person.

“I’ll apply some medicine, so can you lift your wing?”

“Peep…”

The bird acted spoiled and barely lifted its wing.

At that cute and pitiful sight, Irim chuckled and took out ointment to apply the medicine.

The way the wing trembled each time his fingertip with ointment brushed against it was quite impressive.

‘Red feathers…’

Just from the color of those feathers, Irim thought he knew who this small bird beast-person was.

“I heard that all direct descendants of Suzaku are large.”

“Ah, I’ve only completed First Growth so far, that’s why!”

Soya, who had been making only bird sounds until then, spoke up indignantly.

Seeing her speak clearly in human language rather than bird sounds, it seemed her claim about completing First Growth wasn’t false.

Young beast-people cannot speak human language.

“When I complete Second Growth, Suzaku’s power will fully bloom and I’ll become very large like Father and my Elder Brothers!”

“I see.”

Irim nodded indifferently.

At his reaction, which seemed to completely disbelieve her words, Soya passionately explained how excellently she had completed her First Growth.

Normally, Irim disliked having his contemplation interrupted.

But strangely, on that particular day, he found Soya’s chattering voice very pleasant to listen to.

Without realizing it, a faint smile appeared on his face.

Then at some point, Soya’s voice quieted down.

Glancing over, he discovered the small bird sleeping with drooping eyelids on a tree branch.

‘Do all birds normally sleep uncomfortably on trees like that?’

To Irim’s eyes, that position looked very uncomfortable.

‘What if she falls like that?’

After pondering for a moment, he carefully lifted her up.

The small bird’s body was so small and light it seemed like it would fly away with a breath.

Irim placed her on his lap and picked up his book again.

Rustle, rustle—

In the quiet that returned to his zelkova tree, only the sound of turning pages rustled softly.

Soya continued to visit Irim’s zelkova tree often afterward, and the two gradually grew closer.

“Look at this, Your Majesty! From the shape, it seems to be a man’s. Here, there’s a tiger.”

Then one day, Soya showed him a silver hairpin she said she had found in the tree hollow.

It had been quite some time since he’d been spending time up in this tree, but it had been wrapped in blue cloth so he hadn’t noticed it until now, she chattered on, and he was thinking she was a bit cute when—

“Here, this is my gift to you.”

At the object Soya handed him with a bright smile, Irim’s face instantly flushed hot.

“H-how…”

With a face red as a persimmon, he stammered unlike his usual self.

“Do you know what it means for a woman to give a silver hairpin to a man?”

“What does it mean?”

Soya tilted her head with an innocent expression.

Irim at that time, who was only a twelve-year-old boy, didn’t know how to respond in such situations.

“…I don’t know either.”

So he just turned his head away sharply like someone who was angry.

Soya was puzzled by his unusual behavior, but seeing that he seemed troubled, she didn’t press further.

Instead, she smiled softly and suggested to him.

“Don’t be angry, Your Majesty. I’ll put the hairpin in for you.”

“No need. There’s no reason to…”

Rustle—

Before he could finish speaking, her approaching hand gently brushed through his platinum-colored hair.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I’ll make you really pretty.”

Irim unconsciously held his breath.

“When I was at Saga, Father and Elder Brother and I used to play like this, combing each other’s hair.”

Soya chattered away again like a chirping bird, but he couldn’t hear her words clearly.

His ears felt stuffy and he kept feeling short of breath.

‘How long do I have to keep holding my breath like this?’

Such a question suddenly occurred to him.

Acting so awkward and stiff didn’t seem quite like him.

So just as he tried to breathe out as naturally as possible.

Swoosh—

Her fingertips brushed against the nape of his neck.

Irim had to swallow his breath once again.

At the same time, heat rushed up over the nape of his neck.

That day was the first time Irim felt a strange fluttering because of Soya.

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

It was a feeling he had never experienced before, utterly unfamiliar and strange.

He didn’t know then.

That he was gradually giving his heart to her.

All the time spent with Soya was vivid, but among them, there were a few moments that remained particularly clear in his memory.

The day he first felt the weight of the small bird.

The day he first felt that thumping flutter.

The day he first learned how ticklish the small bird’s pecking beak could be.

The day he first thought someone’s smiling face was truly beautiful…

That day was also one of those exceptionally vivid days.

That day was the first time he faced the fear that she might leave.

While having a casual conversation with Soya as usual, he noticed that her physical condition was somewhat strange.

At some point, dark circles had appeared under her eyes, and there were times when she would suddenly trail off blankly while laughing and talking, and she would tremble at her fingertips or shrink from chills.

Her body was getting worse day by day.

Though they were subtle symptoms, he was certain.

Because when he was very young… his mother had been the same way…

The moment he realized it, he was struck with fear.

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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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