The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 153

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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 153

“Ah… ah…”

Jeok Ayun’s face, as if realizing something, gradually became stained with despair.

Jeok Yeong stared at him blankly for a moment, then turned his body around sharply.

At that moment, the artificial smile that had been floating on his face completely disappeared.

‘The Family Head would probably scold me for saying unnecessary things if he knew…’

But still, what our Young Lady suffered in that household was too unjust for me to bear.

Jeok Yeong simply could not endure without speaking.

He felt he would only be satisfied after seeing them learn the truth and writhe in agony worse than death.

Perhaps, as my superior often tells me, I might be a fox with a rather poor personality.

* * *

Stumble, stumble…

On the way back to his quarters, Jeok Ayun’s steps kept staggering.

His head was dizzy and his stomach was churning.

“Urgh…”

Unable to suppress the rising nausea, he grabbed a wooden pillar and dry heaved.

“Ugh… huk…”

The three conditions for awakening a divine beast were direct bloodline, the divine beast’s heart, and a spirit body.

The Vermillion Bird Treasure Bow, made from Suzaku’s spirit body, was kept in the Sacred Hall where people could hardly approach, but before that, it had hung on the wall of Madam’s chamber when she was the palace keeper.

So if the child had awakened the divine beast, it would have been during that short period of less than two weeks from when she was just born until just before Madam left.

And the heart of the divine beast Suzaku was a heart of purification and healing…

Only that kind heart wanting to heal someone could awaken the divine beast Suzaku.

In the now faded old memories, Madam, who the physician said had passed the critical point, endured ten more days holding the child before finally closing her eyes.

The physician called those ten days a miracle sent by the heavens.

At the time, he simply thought Madam was a strong person who endured through her mental strength.

But now he seemed to understand.

Who had brought about that miracle…

And as the price for that miracle… the child…

“It can’t be, it can’t be.”

Thick teardrops fell along his pathetically ruined face.

“Soya… Soya… huk…”

The pure white fur that he had called horrible was the result of the child’s kind and pitiful heart trying to save her mother.

This foolish and stupid father failed to recognize it…

“Soya… My daughter… Soya… Soya… I…”

Short words formed into fragments that spilled out of his mouth sporadically.

[Chirp?]

He remembered Soya running toward him with quick steps after her first beast transformation.

[Papa!]

He remembered the moment when he pushed away that child’s small body as she smiled brightly and tried to grab his hand.

[Chirp…?]

He remembered that small child who tumbled over with her tiny body and looked up at him with a bewildered face…

He had stolen the child’s spirit core.

And banished her to the Cold Palace so she would never appear before his eyes again.

While he lived like a madman, turning his back on the world in resentment toward Madam, the child had to spend long and lonely time there alone.

And when he faced the child again three years later…

[Father! I want that child as Lili’s personal servant! Let Lili have her!]

[Yes, Lili. If you want it, what can’t I do for you.]

The child, reunited in the worst possible way, only bowed her head before him without showing any sign of resentment.

In front of the child who became Lili’s personal servant, he ostentatiously took special care of Lili.

Even when he saw Lili push Soya, he only looked after Lili.

The painful memory of that day when he ignored and passed by that child standing alone in the corridor in front of Lili’s room came back to life.

The child who left the estate the next day never returned again.

“What have I, what have I been doing all this time…”

The heart of the man who finally learned of the terrible things he had committed screamed in agony.

Tears and saliva mixed together and dripped down.

What was even more terrible was… that after reuniting at the Imperial Palace, even though the child had given him several chances, he had let those opportunities slip away with his own hands.

[In the end, you consistently chose Lili in all those countless moments.]

[Not even for a single moment was I among your choices.]

He had wanted to grasp those opportunities due to the strange longing for the child he had always harbored, but on the other hand, he couldn’t let go of Lili.

So he turned away from Soya and chose Lili until the very last moment.

He protected Lili who tried to kill Soya… and begged on her behalf to forgive her…

To the child’s question of whether he wouldn’t regret it… he said Lili was his everything…

“Ugh, huk, huk, Soya… Soya… Soya…”

He remembered Soya’s cold gaze looking at him.

Even then, the child must have already known.

That I was… her biological father…

“Father… Father was wrong… Father…”

Knowing everything, what must the child have felt watching him protect Lili?

He couldn’t even begin to imagine that heart.

“Father was, wrong, huk, urgh, ugh…”

His staggering body collapsed onto the vomit he had spewed.

The foolish father who failed to recognize and abandoned his own child rolled around on that foul-smelling mess, wailing like a beast.

* * *

Sanyu, who had been collapsed alone in the rear garden, was moved to his quarters with the help of a palace servant who found him.

When he opened his eyes the next morning, he realized his shoulder was somehow throbbing with pain.

“It hurts as if someone beat me up.”

“Haha, who would dare lay a hand on the eldest Young Master of the Vermillion Bird Family.”

Ga Bok, who came to tidy his room, said with a laugh.

“By the way, last night was really chaotic.”

Ga Bok told Sanyu about the disturbance that had occurred within the Imperial Palace while he was asleep.

“The people treated by Cuckoo became demon beasts…?”

At those words, Sanyu’s brow furrowed.

In his hazy memories, the point where his memories of last night were cut off seemed about to come back to him.

‘Right, I’m sure at the very end… I think I encountered Young Master Gaya…’

While Sanyu was tracing his memories with a grim expression, a very strange statement reached his ears.

“…?”

He suddenly stopped trying to recall his memories and lifted his head.

He couldn’t easily understand what Ga Bok was telling him.

Was that fellow playing a prank on him right now?

If so, it was truly a mean-spirited and unfunny joke.

However, from Ga Bok’s deliberately serious expression, Sanyu gradually realized it wasn’t a joke.

Thud!

“Y-Young Master? Where are you suddenly going…? Young Master!”

He could hear Ga Bok’s voice calling after him, but Sanyu immediately jumped through the window and ran toward the White Tiger Family.

He had to find Soya right now.

He had to find Soya and…

Having arrived in front of the White Tiger Family’s pavilion, Sanyu breathed roughly and steadied his breathing.

He spotted Soya in the front courtyard of the pavilion, enjoying flower viewing with the White Tiger young masters.

“Soya!”

“Sanyu Elder Brother?”

Soya also noticed Sanyu who had come looking for her and got up.

“Soya, your body is…”

Sanyu’s voice trembled slightly as he approached Soya and spoke to her.

“Your body… is it okay?”

“Yes, Elder Brother. My body is very strong.”

Though Soya answered with a spirited smile, Sanyu’s face strangely grew more and more like he was about to cry.

Seeing that face, Soya thought she understood a little why Elder Brother had such an expression.

“I heard a certain story…”

“…”

“So you magnificently spread your wings and soared up…”

Sanyu couldn’t continue his words and squeezed his eyes shut then opened them.

Soya’s expression also sank heavily as she watched such a Sanyu.

‘Sanyu Elder Brother heard all about yesterday’s events too.’

She had thought he would be very sad when he found out.

But why was she feeling so upset and sad too?

“You know, Elder Brother. We made a promise, didn’t we? To fly together next time.”

Soya swallowed the surging emotions and opened her mouth.

“We promised to climb high mountains and pierce through clouds, flapping our wings powerfully and flying together like that.”

Soya firmly grasped Sanyu’s sleeve and smiled brightly.

“So shall we go flying together?”

“…”

Sanyu, who had been silently looking at those small hands holding him, soon gently wrapped her hands in his.

“Yes, Soya.”

Then he curved his eyes like his sister and pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“Let’s fly together with Elder Brother.”

Thick tears streamed down his brightly smiling face.

“Yes, Elder Brother.”

Soya’s eyes also reddened as she smiled with her eyes gently curved.

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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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