The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 20

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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 20

Soya was out in the garden, selecting pretty stone pebbles.

This task began when Sanho, after hearing that Soya had promised to make talismans for Yeonjeong and Jeok Yeong, pestered her to make one for herself as well.

[Don’t worry, Sanho. I’ll make a talisman for you too! I want to make lots and lots of talismans to protect everyone!]

When Soya clenched both fists determinedly and said this, Sanho chuckled and suggested.

[Then Young Lady, shall we play a pretty stone pebble hunting game?]

[A pretty stone pebble hunting game?]

[Yes, it’s a game where whoever finds the prettiest stone pebble wins. How about the winner gets to keep all the stone pebbles from the other two people?]

[…!]

At the word ‘game,’ her cheeks flushed red and her heart pounded just like when they played ball yesterday.

The ordinary task of walking around the garden selecting stone pebbles felt like the most fun and exciting game in the world.

‘And if I win, I can have all the pretty stone pebbles!’

A competitive spirit, like a child’s instinct, welled up inside her.

[T-then let’s start quickly! I’ll go look over there!]

Soya shouted with her cheeks flushed red.

Seeing her obviously excited appearance, Yeonjeong and Sanho burst into laughter.

And so the game began.

‘If I find the prettiest stone pebble, I’ll have three pretty stone pebbles including Yeonjeong’s and Sanho’s. Then I can make three talismans.’

Soya examined the stone pebble she had just picked up from the grass field with an extremely serious expression.

‘This one seems a bit pointed at one end.’

At first glance, it was a round and smooth stone pebble, but it was a bit lacking to become ‘the prettiest stone pebble.’

Most importantly, if the end was pointed, the person receiving the gift might get hurt.

Just then, the sound of neat footsteps could be heard.

Soya, who had unconsciously turned her head, spotted Ga Hyeon walking from the opposite direction.

“Ah…!”

Soya quickly stood up with the stone pebble still clutched in her hand.

“Hello, Young Master.”

At this, Ga Hyeon hesitated for a moment, then smiled gently and offered a greeting.

“Hello, Soya. You were playing in the garden.”

“Yes. But um, by any chance last night….”

Did the young master also see the talisman’s effect like Saeon?

It was when Soya was about to ask about the talisman with a voice full of anticipation.

“But Soya, you left a strange stone pebble in my room last night. Why did you play such a prank?”

Ga Hyeon gently cut off Soya’s words and asked.

“Oh, that wasn’t just a stone pebble…!”

“Picking up trash from the garden and secretly leaving it behind. Such mischievous pranks are a bit troublesome. It’s also unfair to those who come to clean the room.”

At those words, Soya hesitated and glanced up at Ga Hyeon’s face.

His elegantly curved eyes were certainly smiling warmly, but they felt a bit cold.

“And from now on, please don’t enter my room without permission. It’s uncomfortable. You’re not even a person of White Tiger Palace.”

Ga Hyeon let out a soft sigh and said this in a kind voice. It was an affectionate but reproachful tone.

Soya’s eyes, which had been sparkling with anticipation just moments before, drooped.

Of course, Soya hadn’t entered Ga Hyeon’s room on her own.

She had visited with Yeonjeong and handed the talisman to Ho Jeoka who was in the corridor.

But he had suggested that it would be better to place it directly by the young master’s bedside, so she had carefully entered and left with Yeonjeong.

However, since she didn’t have permission from Ga Hyeon, the room’s owner, Soya thought his words were also correct.

‘But that wasn’t trash, it was a talisman… I suppose it looked that way to the precious young master’s eyes.’

Though this fact was a bit hurtful, Soya calmly apologized.

“I’m sorry, Young Master.”

“….”

At this, Ga Hyeon’s mouth closed.

He too knew from Ho Jeoka that Soya hadn’t trespassed without permission.

Yet he deliberately spoke this way to draw a line.

That he couldn’t accept her staying here.

That she could never become a member of White Tiger Palace.

So if she had any sense, she should leave White Tiger Palace quickly.

However, Soya didn’t feel wronged, didn’t make excuses, and didn’t even show any sign of hurt feelings—she only apologized.

Ga Hyeon felt a heavy feeling in his chest, as if a rock had been placed on it.

Then his gaze suddenly went to Soya’s fingertips.

She was holding a small, round stone pebble just like herself in her hand.

The moment he saw the dirt crumbs covering both her hands from selecting stone pebbles, his mood soured, and Ga Hyeon hastily left.

But even after returning to his room, he kept thinking about how those crimson eyes full of anticipation had drooped.

It was that child who had come to his room without permission and left such useless things, and who had occupied the western end room without knowing her place.

‘Why should I feel this frustrated and sorry?’

He was annoyed.

It seemed to be because of those drooped eyes.

Those large crimson eyes that kept bothering him and coming to mind.

Maybe he should have just told her what she wanted to hear.

That he was able to sleep well thanks to her talisman.

If he had said that, would those round eyes have sparkled brightly instead of drooping?

‘She didn’t notice that I dislike her, did she?’

Even though he had deliberately given her hints and drawn lines by saying she wasn’t a person of White Tiger Palace, he began to worry whether his true intentions had been discovered.

After pacing around the room restlessly for a while, unable to stay still, Ga Hyeon suddenly stopped and walked toward the jar where trash was collected.

The workers hadn’t cleaned it yet, so it was half full of trash.

Ga Hyeon lifted it up and turned it upside down.

Crash.

Among the spilling objects, a stone pebble popped out.

Ga Hyeon quickly picked it up and brushed off the dirty dust clinging to the stone pebble with his hand.

This was something he would never do given his usual fastidious nature that bordered on germaphobia.

‘That spot would be good for warding off ghosts.’

Ga Hyeon placed Soya’s stone pebble on the bedside table.

Seeing the stone pebble finally back in its proper place, his mood improved considerably.

Ga Hyeon looked at the stone pebble with a satisfied face, then suddenly hardened his expression.

‘But if I put it here, that child won’t know.’

After looking around for a moment, Ga Hyeon walked to the window and opened it. Then he placed the stone pebble on the window frame.

So that everyone passing through the garden could see it.

Because Cotton Ball liked the garden.

* * *

Meanwhile, after Ga Hyeon left.

Soya felt sorry because it seemed she had caused trouble instead of protecting him from ghosts.

‘He seemed quite upset because of me.’

Even so, he didn’t get angry and spoke to me kindly.

‘The Young Master is truly a gentle person.’

Soya, who was accustomed to people getting angry at her, sincerely thought this as she gazed intently at the stone pebbles in her hand.

It seemed she should make a talisman with something better than these stone pebbles for the Young Master.

‘But I don’t have anything better than stone pebbles, so what should I do.’

The items in the room weren’t hers but belonged to the Family Head. The same went for the clothes and ornament she was currently wearing.

Since she didn’t know when this ‘temporary stay’ at White Tiger Palace would end, she thought she shouldn’t carelessly touch those things.

Then her thoughts suddenly turned to the cloth doll she had received as a gift this morning.

It was the finest thing Soya owned.

‘But that’s something Saeon gave me….’

Soya fell into contemplation, fidgeting with her fingers.

‘Giving Saeon’s gift to the Young Master would be disregarding Saeon’s feelings, so I can’t do that. But I don’t have any other good items….’

Soya didn’t know it, but fidgeting with her fingers was her habit when she fell into very serious contemplation.

At that moment, she saw a palanquin passing by in the distance.

‘Huh?’

Soya’s head naturally turned in that direction.

A young lady around Soya’s age stepped down from the palanquin that had stopped in front of the main building.

‘Who is that?’

Soya tilted her head as she watched the young lady getting out of the palanquin.

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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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