The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 208

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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 31

Of course, Sanyu also knew well why they were so impatient.

Since both Father and Hwayu had turned out that way, they must be worried that if something happened to him, the family lineage would be cut off.

“At times like this, I really envy Lord Gaya.”

Sanyu envied Gaya, who had many younger brothers below him and wouldn’t receive marriage pressure.

When he thought of him, he somehow thought of Soya even more.

“…I miss you, our little sister.”

Sanyu murmured in a tender voice.

In truth, there hadn’t been a single day when he forgot his little sister.

“Wouldn’t marriage be a luxury for this pathetic elder brother who still hasn’t been able to go see his little sister.”

He chuckled softly as he set down the last document.

How much had Soya grown?

His little sister’s age, seventeen.

He had come of age at that age, suffering from growth pains on the battlefield.

It was hard to believe that his little sister had already reached the same age as he had been then.

The Soya in his memories was always just a small, tiny little sister…

Tap tap.

At that moment, the sound of tapping on the window broke his reverie.

When he turned around, a skylark was tapping the window with its small beak.

“Oh my, it’s Chirpy.”

Sanyu got up and smiled gently as he opened the window to let the skylark inside.

Chirpy fluttered in and landed on Sanyu’s desk, leisurely preening its feathers as if it had completed its mission.

Sanyu carefully untied the letter bound to Chirpy’s leg.

He had been continuously exchanging letters with Soya all this time.

Chirpy usually came like today, but sometimes Gaya would visit directly.

The first letter Soya had sent contained bragging about learning archery from Gaya.

It made him chuckle to remember Gaya bringing that letter directly with a proud expression, urging him to read it quickly.

At such times, Gaya had a face that seemed to want him to be jealous.

Lord Gaya is really an amusing person. What would I have to be jealous of? It’s good when anyone cares for Soya.

“Thank you, Chirpy. You worked hard again today.”

Then Chirpy pecked the desk with its beak.

“Haha, don’t get upset and wait just a little.”

Sanyu brought water and feed for Chirpy.

Sanyu chuckled at the sight of Chirpy hurriedly quenching its thirst.

“Eat slowly, Chirpy. No one’s chasing you.”

Chirpy was a clever skylark that Soya had taught to walk and flap its wings.

Sanyu’s eyes curved warmly as he watched Chirpy.

“What a kind heart she has. How did she think to teach things to birds younger than herself that even I didn’t receive from my parents.”

Sanyu was proud of his little sister who had grown up so warm and upright.

The one who raised Soya like that must be Baek Saeon, that man who is the head of the White Tiger Family.

When he thought of Saeon, he suddenly remembered the conflict between the White Tiger Family and the Azure Dragon Family.

Was it the year before last? There had been a major dispute between the two families.

‘It was really tremendous then.’

It was such a big topic that it could turn beastman society upside down.

Both families were tense without yielding an inch, and eventually the matter was even reported to His Majesty in the Imperial Palace.

Although it was somehow smoothed over well, Sanyu came to see Baek Saeon differently because of that incident.

‘I didn’t know that man had such a beast… like aspect.’

He had touched upon the part that beastman society valued most.

Because of that incident, Baek Saeon simultaneously gained the nickname of beast of the Western Lands and the title of the continent’s greatest devoted husband.

‘Still, it’s really fortunate. He’s a man who’s sincere at least to his family.’

Sanyu slowly turned his gaze away from Chirpy and unfolded Soya’s letter.

【To my always beloved Sanyu Elder Brother.</p】

Hello, Elder Brother. This is Soya. I hope you are staying healthy. In the Western Lands where I am, the ground that was frozen all winter is melting and new life is preparing to sprout.>

Neat handwriting greeted Sanyu.

To me she’s always like a baby little sister, but when I read such mature sentences like this, I can feel that the child has grown considerably.

【…So Elder Brother must be very busy again this year, right?】

At that question that seemed somewhat complaining, Sanyu burst into quiet laughter.

It was because he vividly remembered his little sister from childhood who would puff up both cheeks and complain to him just like that.

Sanyu took out paper, brush and ink and began writing a reply.

【To Soya.】

How is it that my little sister even has such a round and cute name.

A warm smile bloomed on Sanyu’s face as he wrote each character.

【My beloved little sister Soya, I miss you too. I have good news. It seems your elder brother will be able to come see you early next month.】

* * *

A bird with red feathers landed by a stream where clear water sounds could be heard and quenched its thirst.

Birds that had been wandering around discovered him and peered curiously.

Sanyu, who had released his beast transformation, reached out his hand toward the birds.

Chirp chirp—

The birds seemed to approach him, but then mischievously just drank water and flew away again.

“How heartless.”

Sanyu burst into gentle laughter and sat down on a rock.

The sunlight was brilliant, the wind was warm, and colorful flowers and green sprouts were blooming everywhere.

It was when Sanyu was immersed in that atmosphere, truly realizing that spring had come.

Among the chirping songs of birds, he heard the sound of someone humming.

He paused.

Sanyu slowly got up and followed the humming sound.

Beyond the thicket, there was a young woman of eighteen surrounded by birds, singing.

White hair swaying gently, lovely pink eyes like spring flowers.

Her face, which had been completely round, now drew a slender oval line, and her slender body lines and that face smiling brightly at the young birds still looked young while simultaneously exuding a mature air.

Rustle.

Sanyu unconsciously made a groaning sound and stepped on fallen tree leaves.

At that sound, the young woman turned her head.

Warm pink eyes discovered Sanyu and immediately widened.

[I want to stay with Elder Brother a little longer…]

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

One flight with wings spread together at the Imperial Palace three years ago, this was the first time meeting her elder brother since that day.

“…Elder Brother came, Soya.”

It was Sanyu who spoke first.

Sanyu swallowed the lump rising in his throat and greeted her with a bright smile.

“I’m not late this time, am I?”

“Sanyu Elder Brother…!”

Soya, who had been shaking her eyes vigorously, soon smiled brightly and ran to Sanyu.

The child who had to stand on tiptoes to barely reach his chest when he last saw her had now grown tall enough to reach his shoulders without doing so.

While feeling bitter that his little sister had suddenly become an adult, the sight of his sister who had grown so beautifully kept making his heart swell with emotion.

Sanyu suppressed the surge of overwhelming feelings and gently stroked his sister’s hair.

“Our Soya has grown up completely. You’re ready to get married now.”

“Oh my, Elder Brother.”

Along with clear, ringing laughter, Soya scrunched her eyes shut with a wide smile.

Her clear laughter mingled with the chirping songs of the birds and hung in the blue sky.

.

.

It had been eight long years since the small, tiny baby bird had built her nest in the White Tiger Palace.

Time flowed and flowed, and finally.

The baby bird had grown up.

Soya’s seventeenth spring had arrived.

And at the same time.

“…Slowly, spring is coming.”

Deep within the Imperial Palace, in the innermost chambers of the nine-fold palace.

To a certain Emperor who had sold thousands upon thousands of his days to gain one complete day of hers.

“Flowers must have bloomed on Horim Mountain too.”

In the desolate and lonely Northern Lands.

To a certain young man who had sunk into the Black Marsh to become a true guardian.

A brilliantly beautiful new spring had approached with great strides.

Part 1 Side Stories, End.

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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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