The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 163

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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 163

Finally, the day came for Soya to leave the Imperial Palace.

As Soya was taking a final leisurely stroll through the Imperial Palace Garden with a wistful heart, she encountered a woman with blue hair walking toward her from the opposite direction.

“The Family Head of the Azure Dragon Family…!”

When Soya greeted her with a delighted face, the woman standing before Soya bent down slightly to match her eye level and smiled gently.

“I’m Cheong Sua. Please feel free to call me by my name.”

“Yes, Lady Sua. Please call me Soya too. I’m Soya of the Baek family.”

Soya’s face flushed slightly as she spoke, touched by Sua’s quiet yet gentle voice.

Just like last time… the Family Head of the Azure Dragon Family was truly, truly amazing!

‘If I go to the battlefield, will I become as amazing as Lady Sua?’

Soya looked at her with an excited, fluttering heart while thinking thoughts that would have horrified Saeon if he had heard them.

“Yes, Soya. Thank you for resolving the crisis at the Imperial Palace that day. Everyone in this Imperial Palace owes you their life.”

Ever since that day, she had felt people’s gazes following her whenever she walked through the Imperial Palace, but receiving such direct praise for her achievements made her feel a little embarrassed.

“Owing their lives? If we’re talking about that, then everyone in Taehwa Kingdom owes far more lives to Lady Sua and the other generals. You’ve been fighting fiercely on the battlefield all this time.”

Cheong Sua burst into laughter at Soya’s words.

“What Aunt said was really true.”

“Lady Sua’s aunt… you mean my Mother?”

“That’s right. Aunt often sent me letters telling me about you.”

“…!”

Soya’s face brightened brilliantly.

“Wh-what kind of stories did she tell?”

Soya’s slightly excited appearance was unmistakably that of a child her age, quite different from the majestic and wonderful figure that had soared up to save all those people.

“She said a very pretty and lovely youngest daughter had joined White Tiger Palace. And that she was a very clever baby bird who read books well too.”

This time, Soya truly became embarrassed.

Of course, it wasn’t the first time she’d heard words like ‘pretty’ or ‘lovely.’

Mother was always someone who said nothing but such pleasant words to her.

But to think she had said such things to other people too… it was a little embarrassing, but she didn’t dislike it.

“When I return to Azure Sea Palace, I’ll have to tell Aunt that her baby bird isn’t just pretty and clever, but brave as well, and that’s how she saved everyone.”

Cheong Sua said with a gentle smile.

“You must have been scared seeing people transformed like demon beasts, but you flew up so magnificently and saved everyone. Thank you so much.”

“Not at all.”

Soya answered with a giggle, following her lead.

Actually, she wanted to boast that she had even caught real demon beasts before, so she wasn’t scared, and that Father always told her she was the bravest baby bird in the world. Her mouth was itching to say it, but she held back.

Somehow, she wanted to appear as a mature child to Sua.

“I received permission from His Majesty. As soon as I return to Azure Sea Palace, I will bring the Family Head’s seal carved into Aunt’s Spirit Core.”

“…!”

Soya’s eyes widened in an instant.

“Aunt will return to White Tiger Palace now too. She’s suffered a lot because of me all this time.”

“Thank you for telling me such good news.”

Soya answered with a bright smile.

A gentle smile also lingered on Sua’s face as she looked at Soya.

“Come visit Azure Sea Palace with Aunt later.”

“Would that really be okay?”

When Mother was at Azure Sea Palace, she used to visit every year with her Elder Brothers, but she worried whether she might be bothering Sua.

“Family of family is family, after all.”

At those familiar-sounding words, Soya burst into clear laughter.

On the way back after exchanging greetings with Sua.

Until just moments ago, she had felt nothing but regret about leaving the Imperial Palace, but thinking of Mother who would return soon made her feel very happy.

As Soya retraced her steps, she discovered an empty pavilion and glanced at it.

It was where the Vermillion Bird Family members had stayed until just recently.

The Vermillion Bird Family members had apparently left the Imperial Palace hurriedly yesterday morning, as if some urgent matter had arisen.

She hadn’t been able to say goodbye to Sanyu either.

She had only vaguely heard that he had returned to the estate ahead of the others due to family matters.

[Today isn’t the last day. Next time, our Soya will play with Elder Brother again. Right?]

Recalling the happiest flight in the world with Elder Brother, Soya hoped that, just as he had said, they would definitely be able to meet again next time too.

And thinking of Sanyu naturally brought two other people to mind.

Jeok Ayun, the Family Head of the Vermillion Bird Family, who had given her blood and flesh but failed to recognize her and abandoned her.

And Jeok Hwayu, who had once been an Elder Brother who looked after her so specially, but had become someone worse than a stranger.

That night when people became demon beasts due to Lili’s evil magic.

Soya, who had spread her wings and soared up to save Father, remembered Jeok Ayun’s face turning deathly pale as he watched her from beside him.

His crying voice, calling her name and sobbing all night long, had echoed throughout the Imperial Palace…

Thanks to that, rumors spread widely throughout the Imperial Palace.

That the youngest daughter of the White Tiger Family was actually the youngest daughter of the Vermillion Bird Family, switched like a cuckoo.

Of course, even if Jeok Ayun hadn’t done so, everyone would have been able to deduce it from her red wing feathers and the Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady’s voice that day.

However, for Soya, who had already cut them out of her heart long ago, the news that he was sobbing while calling her name was quite unwelcome.

Actually, she had expected him to come looking for her again.

Even before he knew she was his real daughter, he had come to her offering shabby apologies and such.

However, Jeok Ayun, who had cried out her name loudly enough for rumors to spread throughout the entire Imperial Palace, did not come looking for her.

‘Perhaps he remembers my words telling him not to make apologies just to ease his own conscience.’

So after that day, he never appeared before Soya again.

But contrary to him, despite her words that she wished Jeok Hwayu would stop coming, she heard that he wandered around in front of White Tiger Palace every day.

She had been wondering whether she should go find him and tell him to stop coming…

Seeing how he had suddenly left like this, perhaps he realized she had no intention of forgiving and gave up.

It was truly fortunate.

No matter how much she had erased them from her heart long ago, saying harsh words repeatedly was a little uncomfortable.

Just as she had told Hwayu last time, they had already come too far for forgiveness to be exchanged.

She hoped they would never encounter each other again for the rest of their lives.

Even if they did meet, she hoped they could now live as if the other didn’t exist.

Soya thought this as she turned her gaze away from the empty pavilion.

She had heard that Lili had been abandoned by them.

She had also heard that due to the price of using evil magic, her body had deteriorated and she wouldn’t live long.

However, Soya felt no sympathy or pity for Lili, who had been abandoned just as she herself had been abandoned by them.

She had heard that the three-legged crow that had tried to kill her long ago was also Lili’s doing.

Including that, Lili had tried to kill her three times.

Not stopping there, she had even used evil magic for the reason of becoming the Dragon Emperor’s Bride.

If she hadn’t been able to create purifying flames with Suzaku’s power, the entire Imperial Palace would have become hell on earth.

Terrible things might have happened where people transformed into demon beasts attacked their families or friends without recognizing them.

Lili had committed acts too evil for a human being, and she would pay the appropriate price for them.

Not sympathizing with evil people—that was also one of the teachings Soya had received since she was very young.

[Distinguishing evil people and revealing evil acts isn’t a bad thing, Soya. You must be able to say that what’s wrong is wrong.]

[Especially since you, as a direct descendant of Suzaku, must protect the baby birds of the Southern Region. If you ignore and pretend not to know what’s wrong, other innocent baby birds might suffer harm.]

It was a little bitter that the one who had given her such teachings was That Person who had abandoned her.

It was when Soya was about to turn around after taking one last look at the Imperial Palace Garden.

Flutter—

Soya’s eyes widened as she unconsciously looked up upon noticing a single falling petal.

“Your Majesty?”

Irim, who had been sitting on the tree branches, gracefully landed below.

“Following the scent of flowers, I found you in the place where my steps led.”

Irim, standing before Soya, removed a pink petal that had stuck to her hair.

Then he smiled gently at Soya and offered his greeting.

“Hello, Soya.”

Soya, who had been looking at him with bewildered eyes, soon smiled beautifully as she closed her eyes.

“I was disappointed thinking I wouldn’t be able to give you a proper farewell.”

With Irim, she had only exchanged formal greetings this morning alongside Father and her Elder Brothers in an official setting.

“I’m truly happy that we can share farewell greetings like this.”

At her greeting, the smile that bloomed on Irim’s face grew even deeper.

Soya glanced at the tender smile that lingered on his face and thought.

She had heard that he had quelled the ministers’ petition to bring her into the Imperial Palace.

She knew that this was his heart’s consideration for her.

[I want you to remain unbound by anything. I will ensure that something like the walls of this Imperial Palace dare not confine you.]

[So fly away freely. To wherever you wish to go, wherever that may be, with complete freedom.]

The reason she had hidden her power from the world.

Because she hoped her destiny would not be decided in a direction predetermined by someone else.

Even if that someone who had predetermined her fate was the Sky itself, Soya wanted to walk her future entirely by her own will.

While Soya was grateful to him for supporting her heart, sometimes it felt as though he was deliberately trying to create distance between them.

And whenever that happened, strangely, she could sense an incredibly lonely heart from him.

That’s why she couldn’t just pretend not to notice and pass by.

“Previously, Your Majesty told me this. To fly away freely to wherever I wished to go, wherever that might be.”

“I did.”

“But, Your Majesty. Perhaps later, much later.”

Soya gripped her skirt tightly and courageously asked him.

“When I want to come to where Your Majesty is, would it be alright for me to fly to Your Majesty then?”

Irim, who had shown a surprised expression for a moment at those words, soon smiled warmly and answered.

“Anytime. And as much as you want.”

* * *

The bustling banquet at the Imperial Palace came to an end, and finally the White Tiger Family members returned to the Western Lands as well.

And at the end of spring that year.

“My babies, have you been well?”

With a resounding voice, Cheongha returned to the White Tiger Palace.

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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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