The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 190

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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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Side Story 13

“Little sister….”

Gaya muttered while staring at those words written in the letter for a long time.

Little sister.

Soft, fluffy, round, little sister.

The feel of the word rolling around in his mouth strangely made his heart flutter.

Nine years old.

Her name is Soya. Baek Soya.

Baek Soya, who shares the same ‘Baek’ character and ‘ya’ character as him.

Even a baby bird.

She obviously wouldn’t have sharp teeth or pointed claws.

Then I… have to protect her, don’t I?

“Well, this is something.”

Soon a smile appeared on Gaya’s lips.

“I have one more reason to end this war quickly.”

Gaya, whose mood had greatly improved, moved his steps while chuckling.

As he, who usually wore only sullen expressions like someone bored with everything, wandered around the camp grinning like someone with air in their lungs, the beast-people passing by all focused their gazes on that strange sight.

“Hey, did you see? Baek Gaya is smiling.”

“A little while ago, Lord Sanyu also seemed to be in a bad state after receiving a letter from the estate, but Lord Gaya has also become… strange.”

The beast-people whispered while avoiding him, but it didn’t reach Gaya’s ears at all.

It was because the four characters ‘little sister’ were stuck firmly in his head.

According to the letter Father sent, his little sister is ‘the kindest, most adorable, and most lovable baby bird in the world.’

‘Well, since she’s my sister, of course she’d be the kindest, most adorable, and most lovable in the world.’

Her wings are small but she flies higher than anyone, and when she sings with that small, cute beak, everyone applauds.

‘Isn’t that amazing? How can she do such admirable and praiseworthy things.’

It was when Gaya was walking while grinning.

Thud―

His shoulder bumped into someone.

Gaya, who was casually turning his head, suddenly hesitated and looked at the other person.

That boy staggering away was none other than Jeok Sanyu.

“…?”

Gaya blinked his eyes.

‘Just now, that guy’s expression… wasn’t it strange?’

Unlike his usual self, his face had no trace of laughter.

‘No, not just no laughter… it was like all the life had drained out of him….’

He even seemed unaware that he had bumped into him.

If he had noticed him, he wouldn’t have just passed by like that.

Gaya watched Sanyu’s retreating figure with a puzzled expression, then shook his head.

“Nah, no way. I must have seen wrong.”

Jeok Sanyu not laughing?

He must have seen wrong.

Wasn’t he the one who smiled brightly while shooting flames even when attacking him?

Gaya slowly turned around.

His steps as he began walking again were unexpectedly cheerful despite being unintentional.

Seeing how he naturally started humming and kept feeling so good, it seems ‘little sister’ really is amazing, just like Jeok Sanyu had told him long ago.

It’s already been three years since he left.

His beloved hometown, the mountain fortress White Tiger Mountain Palace.

A small, cute baby bird like a cotton ball has made her nest there….

Thump, thump―

“I want to meet her quickly too. Baby Cotton Ball.”

A baby bird has made her nest in White Tiger Palace.

And a small nest has also formed in Gaya’s heart.

2. Soya, Age Nine Autumn. Gayul’s Story

Baek Gayul. Currently 10 years old.

The third son of the White Tiger Family, and the coolest tiger in the Western Lands.

After rubbing his eyes and getting up to Father’s touch waking him early in the morning, he heard the most shocking words of his short but long 10-year life.

“So, Yul. From now on, Soya will become your younger sister.”

Saeon was in the middle of explaining to Gayul that Soya had become family.

“…!”

Gayul’s eyes widened round.

“R-really, Father? Then Cotton Ball is my younger sister now?”

“That’s right. So from now on….”

“I’m so, so happy!”

Gayul, extremely excited, shouted with a bright smile even before Saeon finished speaking.

A gentle smile bloomed on Saeon’s face at Gayul’s delighted reaction.

He had been secretly worried about what to do if Gayul was confused by his sudden decision.

Family, having a new family member, wasn’t just about him and Soya alone.

It involved Ga Hyeon who was there with them, Gayul who wasn’t there, and Gaya who was now protecting the Empire in a very distant place.

And perhaps, just perhaps….

Even with her, who might return someday.

It was a matter of newly establishing relationships with all of them.

So he thought bringing in a new family member was never something he should decide alone.

He thought conversations with the children should come first before bringing Soya into the family.

If only to prevent the confusion and conflict the still young children might experience.

But yesterday….

[People hating and bullying me is natural, so I have to endure it, they said.]

[Everyone, sob, everyone said it was my fault, sniff…. No one, hic… took my side. Father too, Hwayu too, everyone said it was Soya’s fault, but then, why….]

[Why does Lord Saeon, sob, say it’s not my fault? Why is only Lord Saeon taking my side?]

He couldn’t possibly ignore Soya crying so sadly while saying those words.

He couldn’t help but extend his hand to Soya, who was trapped in a wrong world and thought of herself as a wrong child.

‘Will Yul be able to understand this situation well.’

Even though he knew Gayul, who naturally liked people, showed interest in Soya and followed her around, he was worried.

If young Gayul felt rejection about having a younger sister, his hasty decision to bring in a new family member without talking to the children could hurt both Soya and Gayul.

“Th-then I’m Cotton Ball’s e-elder brother now, right?”

Saeon’s worry seemed to be unfounded, as Gayul, now fully awake, looked at Saeon with sparkling eyes and asked.

Saeon found Gayul’s big, pure heart that accepted Soya as family without the slightest hesitation truly admirable.

“That’s right. You’re family now.”

“…!”

My goodness, family!

How could that word sound so sweet!

“So Yul. From now on, as her elder brother, you need to take good care of your younger sister. So that Soya can adapt well to White Tiger Palace.”

“Yes, yes! I’ll help Cotton Ball adapt well to White Tiger Palace!”

Saeon smiled and patted the child’s head at the sight of Gayul clenching both fists and shouting.

“Amazing, our baby tiger.”

“Hehe.”

Gayul was so excited.

He had become family with Cotton Ball.

The small, pure white Cotton Ball that Father had brought home!

Now the adorable little sister Cotton Ball that he had to protect!

Gayul liked Soya.

He had liked her so, so much from the very first moment he saw her.

It was also his first time seeing a child smaller than himself.

Most of all, in the White Tiger Palace where only carnivorous animals roamed, such a small and fluffy child.

‘How could I not like her? Just looking at her makes me want to protect her.’

Not just him, but everyone liked Soya.

When others looked at Soya and called her cute, Gayul’s shoulders would puff up with pride.

He thought it would be wonderful if all the beastmen of the Western Lands, no, everyone in the world would recognize Cotton Ball’s cuteness.

‘So this is what having a little sister means – wanting to boast about it to the whole world.’

He had to suppress the urge to climb to the peak of Horim Mountain and shout, ‘Our Cotton Ball is the cutest in the world!’

Because he heard that Cotton Ball was very shy, and if he did such a thing, she might hide away from embarrassment.

“Come to think of it, Young Master. You used to throw tantrums long ago saying you wanted a little sister.”

To Gayul, who had come looking for Soya immediately without even wiping the sleep from his eyes, Yeonjeong brought up an old story.

“Huh?”

“Not a tiger sibling, but a small and cute sibling like a baby bird, you said you wanted.”

“I did?”

“Don’t you remember? Back then you even wrote a letter to the stork with the Family Head.”

“A stork…?”

Gayul tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

No matter how much he tried to recall, he couldn’t quite remember…

“The stork must have really granted Young Master’s wish. Congratulations on getting a pretty little sister, Young Master.”

Well, what did it matter anyway.

Just as Yeonjeong said, he had gotten such a pretty little sister, hehe.

‘Anyway, now I’m Cotton Ball’s elder brother, so I need to become a wonderful elder brother just like Father said.’

Gayul made a resolution with a deliberately mature expression.

From that day forward, he visited Soya every day, doing all sorts of things to become a good elder brother.

“Cotton Ball, look at this. I picked it up! For you!”

He would pick up the smooth, pretty stone pebbles that Soya liked.

“Cotton Ball! Do your legs, no, wings hurt? Climb on my shoulders! Come on!”

He would lend his shoulders so Soya’s small wings wouldn’t hurt.

“Cotton Ball! Do you want to play ball with me… um… with your elder brother?”

He would play ball with her whenever he had time so Soya wouldn’t be bored.

And at such times, Soya would say in a shy voice, ‘Thank you, Yul Elder Brother,’ or ‘Yes, Yul Elder Brother. Let’s play ball together,’ while smiling bashfully.

When Soya smiled like that, slightly raising the corners of her mouth in a silent laugh, Gayul’s heart would strangely grow warm.

It felt as if he had accomplished something truly amazing.

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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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