The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 171

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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 171

In the end, Seolyeo, who couldn’t answer, had to climb to the peak of Horim Mountain as punishment to pick flowers.

‘Why couldn’t I tell the truth?’

It was strange. I should have just been honest about it.

That summer two years ago, I thought Soya looked pretty when I saw her playing in the water by the stream.

Ever since that day, whenever I looked at Soya, she sparkled so brightly that I couldn’t take my eyes off her for even a moment, thinking she was beautiful every single day.

For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to say those simple words out loud.

‘Other people say it just fine though…’

Arang, Cheongha, Yeonjeong and Sanho all told Soya she was pretty just fine. Why was I the only one acting like such a fool, unable to speak?

When Seolyeo trudged back, the children who had been waiting for him burst into laughter at the sight of the large black wolf returning with flowers in his mouth.

“Now Su Ri got caught! Have I ever thought Yul was childish? Yes or no?”

At Soya’s question, Su Ri gulped and opened his mouth.

“Uh, no… Ahhhhh!”

As soon as Su Ri answered, tree branches began hitting his head repeatedly.

“Wh-what’s with this tree branch?”

“I said there would be punishment for lying.”

“Ahaha, Nam Suri, you’re really funny right now.”

Arang and Gayul clutched their stomachs laughing at the sight of Su Ri covering his head with both hands to block the branch attacks.

“Hiiiik, there was no mention of this… Aaaah! The tree branch is attacking people!”

“That’s what you get for lying. Ah, wait. So you did think I was childish?”

Gayul, who belatedly realized this fact, glared at Su Ri with fierce eyes.

“Hiik, I-I’ll go to the peak of Horim Mountain right awaaaay!”

Su Ri transformed into a wolf with a “poof!” and headed toward the mountain peak.

The truth branch didn’t stop either, chasing after Su Ri and continuing to hit him.

At the sight of the large wolf running away as fast as his legs could carry him, Soya also clutched her stomach and burst into laughter.

Seolyeo, who was sitting quietly beside Soya, felt strangely ticklish at the sound of that refreshing laughter reaching his ears.

His heart pounded just like when Arang’s spinning branch had pointed at him earlier.

While waiting for Su Ri to return from his punishment, Sanho called to the children.

“The sweet potatoes seem to be fully roasted. Everyone take your time and have some snacks.”

At those words, everyone flocked near the campfire.

Sanho took out the roasted sweet potatoes she had put in the campfire one by one and distributed them to the children.

Chirpy, who had flown over at the smell of roasted sweet potatoes, pecked at Soya’s sweet potato.

“Chirp chirp!”

“Oh my, Chirpy. What if you choke eating so hastily like that?”

Worried that Chirpy might choke from being too greedy, Soya broke her portion of sweet potato into small pieces and scattered them on the grass.

Then other birds that had been sneakily watching nearby also flew over and pecked at the sweet potato pieces that had fallen on the ground.

Because of this, Soya had nothing left to eat, but she smiled brightly while watching the birds eat.

Seolyeo glanced at this scene, then neatly peeled the skin off his sweet potato and offered it to Soya.

“Eat this, Soya. I’m full…”

At his hesitant words, Soya’s eyes widened, then she smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Seolyeo. But this is too big, so let’s split it in half and share it. How about that?”

“Y-yeah. That’s fine with me…”

When Seolyeo nodded, Soya split the sweet potato in half and handed him one piece.

Soya took a bite of the sweet potato and laughed out loud, saying it was delicious.

“This really tastes like honey, Seolyeo. You should try it too.”

At that clear laughter that made him feel good just listening to it, Seolyeo also stared blankly at the sweet potato in his hand before opening his mouth and taking a big bite.

The sweet flesh of the roasted sweet potato melted smoothly in his mouth.

“Right? It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

Seolyeo wanted to describe how delicious this roasted sweet potato was with more wonderful words, but unable to find the right words, he just nodded his head.

A little later, Su Ri returned from the peak of Horim Mountain and rejoined them, drawing Soya’s attention.

In front of the crackling campfire, Seolyeo glanced at Soya’s profile.

Soya was smiling with a happy face.

When he first met Soya on Horim Mountain, the Soya he saw then used to smile silently with the corners of her eyes crinkled.

But at some point, she began to laugh out loud brightly like this.

If there was one thing that remained unchanged from then until now, it was that both the Soya who smiled quietly with crinkled eyes and the Soya who laughed out loud brightly were both pretty.

‘…’

Thinking that far, Seolyeo’s face reddened again.

Seolyeo deliberately hid his head in the heat of the campfire to conceal his flushed face.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

At the regular sound of his heartbeat, Seolyeo drew his knees up and buried his face deeply into them.

‘I like this so… much.’

He liked it.

He liked the White Tiger Palace people, he liked Soya, and he just liked this moment so very much.

It was cozy and warm.

Before meeting Saeon, when he was running away while being pointed at and called a demon beast by people, this was a peaceful and warm daily life he had never imagined.

Soya’s clear laughter reaching his ears.

The voices of Gayul and Arang chattering non-stop.

The taste of sweet roasted sweet potato melting in his mouth, and the light orbs brightly illuminating the dark night.

And the warmth of this campfire.

He had a strong feeling that he would never forget this moment for a long, long time.

After the brief snack time ended, the games continued.

Seolyeo kept getting caught.

Seolyeo, who was returning after performing another punishment, encountered Cheongha walking from the opposite direction.

“Oh my. Who is this handsome wolf?”

“Uh, I’m Seolyeo…”

As Seolyeo opened his mouth to answer, the flower he was holding in his mouth dropped to the ground.

At the sight of Seolyeo’s startled expression, Cheongha burst into laughter and picked up the flower to tuck it behind Seolyeo’s ear.

“Haha, of course I know who you are, our good Seolyeo. Soya told me a lot about you. She said there’s a kind and reliable friend with black fur.”

“…”

“She said you’re a very wonderful friend who finds light orbs for Soya and protects her whenever she’s in danger.”

“…”

A very wonderful friend.

So Soya introduced me as a very wonderful friend.

Seolyeo felt his face getting hot again, but thought it was very fortunate that he could hide his flushed face since he was transformed into a wolf.

“Thank you for staying by Soya’s side.”

“…I only did what was natural. I’m Soya’s friend, and I’m a warrior who protects Soya.”

“You were trying to give your sweet potato to Soya earlier too. That’s not natural for everyone. It’s because Seolyeo has a kind heart that you think it’s natural.”

Cheongha praised him while stroking Seolyeo’s fur.

“Please continue to be our Soya’s good friend for a long, long time, kind Seolyeo.”

“…”

Cheongha’s words asking him to be a good friend for a long time strangely weighed on his heart, so Seolyeo just nodded instead of answering.

* * *

Soya was in such a good mood.

She was happy to have a birthday party with all the people she loved gathered together, and it was fun to eat delicious food and look at presents.

When playing with the truth branch that Arang had specially prepared, her heart pounded with worry that she might get caught.

But when she actually got caught and had to go to Horim Mountain as punishment, Chirpy and other birds flew with her, so it wasn’t scary at all and it was just fun to fly through the cool night air.

It was so, so wonderful that she wished the day would never end.

When the feast ended and it was time to sleep, requiring them to return to their room, how regretful she felt.

After washing up to prepare for bed, Soya discovered an open window and tilted her head in puzzlement.

“Was the window originally open?”

As she approached the window, she found a flower blossom placed on the window frame.

“Oh my, it’s a flower. Did Gaya leave this behind?”

Soya giggled as she recalled Gaya, who had recently come looking for her by tapping on the window frame instead of using the door.

“This is a flower I really love. How did he know?”

As Soya buried her face among the flower blossoms to smell their fragrance, she discovered a single black scale that had fallen in the corner of the window frame.

“Huh…?”

The moment she reached her hand toward it, the black scale instantly crumbled and scattered into pieces.

Nothing remained, as if she had seen it wrong.

Soya blinked her eyes.

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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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