The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 207

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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 Episode 30

“….”

Jeok Ayun still gazed only at the distant sky like someone who hadn’t heard a word.

It was truly strange.

At the news that Lili had died, he felt frighteningly no emotion at all.

There was only silence.

Unlike long ago, when he heard the news that Soya might have died and his heart sank with a thud….

And that fact made him feel a little more desperate.

What on earth was I doing it for…. What on earth was I trying to achieve when I hurt Soya, that small child.

“…It’s really strange. Back then, it felt like I was possessed by something.”

A hoarse voice flowed out between his teeth.

“Only after that child left, only after I was no longer that child’s father, did I slowly begin to feel that child’s absence. Shamelessly so.”

“….”

Sanyu’s expression also darkened at the sight of his father mocking himself with a painfully distorted face.

“How is Hwayu doing?”

“He still won’t come out of the Cold Palace.”

Sanyu answered with a bitter voice.

“…I see.”

Jeok Ayun’s voice was filled with deep guilt.

Hwayu, who couldn’t forgive himself, had entered the Cold Palace on his own feet and locked the door.

Just like Soya, who had lost her family and everything in an instant, had spent three years alone in that place….

A pause.

‘Three years….’

At the sudden thought, Jeok Ayun felt his chest tighten.

Soya had lived as the young lady of the estate for only five years, from birth until she was six years old.

Lili, who had stolen Soya’s life at age nine, enjoyed five years as the precious youngest daughter of the Suzaku Family, living the life that had originally belonged to Soya, but in the end had to endure three years of miserable existence in a prison where no one came to visit, unable even to die.

Having lost all glory, with no family left to visit her, wretched and lonely….

So it was as if even those last three years were part of the life you had stolen.

Jeok Ayun unconsciously held his breath.

Could it be that the Emperor knew about the terrible farce that had occurred in this wretched estate, about the unforgivable sins committed by this foolish father?

‘Doesn’t it seem like he knew all of it and handed down punishment accordingly….’

Jeok Ayun pressed his tightened chest and closed his mouth.

That ended the conversation between father and son.

After Sanyu left and Jeok Ayun was left alone, he still gazed at the western sky with unseeing eyes.

When he was alone, there was a voice he could hear.

[Papa, Soya wants to grow up quickly!]

It was a voice from the distant past, now so faint.

So it seemed like both a hallucination and reality.

“…Papa wishes Soya could stay Papa’s baby forever.”

Jeok Ayun murmured with a dim smile.

[No way! Soya will grow up quickly like Elder Brothers and become a wonderful Fire Bird to help Papa!]

“Our Soya, you wanted to do that to help Papa?”

[Yes yes! Soya will help Papa!]

“How did you… think of something so admirable, little one.”

[Hehe. That’s because Soya loves Papa!]

The heartbreakingly innocent laughter of the child lingered in his ears.

[What about Papa? Does Papa love Soya too?]

“…Yes, little one. Papa also, Soya….”

He should have answered that Papa loves you too, but his throat choked up with emotion and he couldn’t continue his words.

Jeok Ayun clenched both fists placed on his knees tightly.

Which day’s memory was it?

The face of the child who had sat on his lap with round, sparkling eyes flickered in his mind.

Just once. If only he could see the child just once more.

He had always felt wistful about the child growing up, while simultaneously being curious about how the child would look when grown.

But now the father who had lost both eyes would never be able to see the child growing up.

It was quite a shameless sorrow for a father who had turned away throughout the child’s growth to harbor.

The punishment the Emperor had given Lili was three years.

Then shouldn’t his own hell be longer than that?

Red tears flowing down from beneath the black cloth covering his eyes dropped onto the back of his hand.

* * *

The lights in Sanyu’s office didn’t go out until late hours today as well.

To keep his promise to go see Soya once everything was settled, he had worked without rest for nearly three years.

Thanks to this, the affairs inside and outside the family clan were also being sorted out.

‘Is this the last one for today?’

Sanyu rubbed his tired eyes and opened the last document.

His calm face immediately frowned.

The document contained the topic he least welcomed these days.

It was about his marriage prospects.

Just a few days ago, retainers from the Southern Lands had come to visit and unanimously insisted that he should welcome a mistress of the estate soon.

[The previous Family Head had already married and even had children at that age.]

However, Sanyu had a very good shield, which was Irim in the Imperial Palace.

The Emperor was nineteen years old.

The Young Emperor, who had ascended the throne at eleven, had already reached adulthood.

But even though he was already past the age to take a consort, the Empress’s seat remained empty.

Considering the Imperial Palace’s custom of early marriage, this was quite exceptional.

And it wasn’t just the Empress position. Since not even one beautiful concubine had entered that vast Inner Palace, murmurs were starting to arise among the high and low officials….

[When His Majesty in the Imperial Palace has not yet taken a consort, how could I, a mere subject, take a consort first?]

In any case, for Sanyu, this became a good excuse to avoid marriage.

Of course, Sanyu’s words weren’t entirely just an excuse.

Usually, since no one could know which family’s daughter might be chosen as the Emperor’s consort, avoiding marriage while the Empress seat was vacant was a long-standing custom.

But that day, one retainer who had been hesitating and watching for cues carefully objected.

[But, well… in any case, won’t Saeon of the White Family’s daughter become the Dragon Emperor’s Bride? So we think there would be no problem if you, Family Head, took a young lady from another prestigious family as your consort.]

[….]

[….]

Suddenly, everyone fell silent.

Soya, daughter of White Tiger Family Head Saeon.

The noble daughter of the White Tiger Family, and at the same time, a Suzaku beastman with brilliant red feathers like flames.

The tale of how she awakened the divine beast and saved the Imperial Palace from crisis had already spread widely across the entire continent.

And also how she had spread her brilliant red feathers and soared into the sky….

Since there were many witnesses within the Imperial Palace to begin with, even if everyone tried to hush it up, they couldn’t prevent the rumors from spreading.

The story of the real daughter who had been switched with a cuckoo, and the story of the cuckoo who had harmed people.

And the story of the prophesied ‘Dragon Emperor’s Bride’ who awakened the divine beast under the crimson-stained sky.

At the same time, it was also a painful reverse scale for the Suzaku Family.

That’s why the Deceased Madam and Young Master Hwayu still haven’t emerged from that wound, haven’t they?

And perhaps even the young new Family Head….

The retainers hurriedly observed Sanyu’s complexion.

Having become Family Head following the previous head, he had first replaced the people inside and outside the estate.

Not only the household members who had tormented Soya within the estate, but also some retainers who had harbored doubts about Soya’s birth even before her First Beast Transformation and had spread irresponsible words.

Though these were such old matters that finding evidence wouldn’t have been easy, he was so meticulous in finding testimonies and punishing each case one by one that everyone was astounded.

Perhaps it was because he was someone who had rolled through fierce battlefields for so long.

That gentle-faced young Family Head, contrary to his mild impression, showed no mercy in his actions.

It was when the retainers were rolling their eyes in the subdued atmosphere.

[I’m grateful for everyone’s concern. However, let’s discuss this matter again later.]

Sanyu, who had stiffened momentarily at Soya’s name, soon smiled gently and eased the atmosphere.

Fortunately, everyone had withdrawn without much comment that day and he thought it had died down, but it seemed there were still those who couldn’t let go of their lingering attachments.

Sanyu let out a short sigh as he looked at the paper document written about his marriage prospects.

“It’s not like I’m going anywhere to run away, so why is everyone in such a hurry?”

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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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