The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 215

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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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Part 2, Chapter 7

Under Father’s gaze that was staring intently at her, Soya’s palms kept getting sweaty and heat rose to her face.

‘What should I do? Did Father notice?’

Gulp.

The moment the sound of the extremely tense Soya’s throat bobbing as she swallowed filled the room.

A mischievous smile slowly spread across Saeon’s face.

Tap.

Saeon tapped the bridge of Soya’s nose with his fingertip and burst into pleasant laughter.

“Actually, you’re not an adult Cotton Ball but still a Baby Cotton Ball, aren’t you?”

“…!”

“Look at this, in Papa’s eyes you’re still a tiny little Baby Cotton Ball. You keep saying you’re an adult Cotton Ball, so Papa feels hurt.”

At Saeon’s playful voice, the tension that had surrounded Soya just moments before instantly scattered.

“Father, you’re teasing me right now, aren’t you?”

Realizing that Saeon was teasing her, Soya protested with her face flushed bright red.

“Hahaha. Your face turned red like an apple. Papa thought our family’s adult Cotton Ball had done beast transformation or something. It’s so red.”

“Father only keeps teasing me and is really mean!”

Finally greatly sulking, Soya went ‘poof!’ and transformed into a small bird, fluttering away out of the office.

Saeon’s laughter followed after her.

After stopping his laughter, Saeon looked toward the door Soya had left through and smiled gently.

‘It seemed suspicious, but I felt like I shouldn’t ask more questions.’

He had deliberately played it off jokingly, but he knew that Soya was hiding something from him.

He couldn’t not know. Of course. Because he’s her papa.

‘Actually, there is one thing I can guess….’

Suddenly someone’s handsome face came to mind in Saeon’s head, but he immediately erased it.

Because if he thought deeply about it, he felt like disloyal and impious emotions would arise.

“By the way, our family’s adult Cotton Ball. Calling Papa mean.”

Saeon let out an exaggerated sigh as he recalled the words Soya had left behind.

When she was younger than now, Soya used to say she liked Father the most in the world, but at some point she started making secrets from him like this and sulking.

“Is adolescence really the problem?”

It was when Saeon was muttering with a rather serious expression.

“Don’t you think the father who teases his adolescent daughter like that is the problem?”

When he turned around at the voice coming from behind, Cheongha was sitting on the window frame looking at him with an expression that said he was pathetic.

“Cheongha.”

Saeon walked toward her with a brightly brightened face, wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her close as he leaned in.

“How long have you been watching?”

He lightly bumped his forehead against hers and let out a low laugh.

Naturally accepting his affectionate gesture that naturally followed when they were alone together, Cheongha spoke in a somewhat reproachful voice.

“She’s at the most sensitive time before her second growth stage, so what are you going to do if you keep teasing her like that?”

“Cotton Ball’s reactions are cute. I couldn’t help it either.”

Saeon said that while laughing.

He remembers the day Soya first sulked at him.

She had shouted “Father, I hate you!” and pecked at his fingers with that little beak.

How touching it was that the child was expressing more diverse emotions to him.

It was as good as when she first called him Papa.

Sulking and saying she hated him. That was also Soya’s growth.

Of course, even while doing so, he had always maintained proper boundaries.

As Cheongha said, Soya was an adolescent beast-person at the most sensitive time before her second growth stage.

“And our Cotton Ball, even when she’s angry and sulking, she’s cute. Really, I wonder who she takes after.”

At Saeon’s doting, Cheongha was dumbfounded and asked back.

“Who does she take after?”

“Hmm.”

“Don’t tell me….”

Don’t tell me you’re going to say she’s cute because she takes after me, she was about to say.

“Now that I look at it, I guess our daughter takes after her mother?”

Saeon, who had been pretending to think seriously with a grave face, grinned at Cheongha and suddenly lifted her body up.

“S-Saeon?!”

Cheongha, whose body was suddenly lifted into the air, placed both hands on his shoulders and made a flustered sound.

“Our Cotton Ball’s mother, even when she’s angry and sulking, is pretty too.”

Saeon’s eyes curved into crescents as he gently stroked her hair with one hand and whispered.

“Wait, you have a lot to prepare if you’re leaving tomorrow…!”

“That’s why we should spend the remaining time together more meaningfully. Isn’t that right, Madam?”

Saeon kissed her forehead and the bridge of her nose in turn and smiled.

Even while making an expression that said he was hopeless, Cheongha also didn’t dislike him being like this.

Slowly—

She leaned her body slightly against his chest.

* * *

The next day.

The White Tiger Family’s palanquin led by the wolves of Horim Mountain left the Western Lands and headed toward the Central Region.

Inside the palanquin were Saeon, Soya, and Cheongya together.

When news came that Soya would join this trip to the Imperial Palace, Gayul also insisted on coming along, but as punishment for neglecting training lately, she was dragged away by Sanho for special training.

Cheongha was busy because of recent strange occurrences in the Western Lands, and Gaya couldn’t come along because he had to guard White Tiger Palace as the now true young master of the White Tiger Family.

“Father, then the Family Head of the Azure Dragon Family will come this time too, right?”

“That’s right.”

At Soya’s question, an uncomfortable expression briefly crossed Saeon’s face as he answered in a gentle voice.

Since Cheongya’s birth, he had been constantly clashing with the Azure Dragon Family people, so it was awkward to see their faces, but what could he do?

This was all his fault for breaking the rules of beast-person society.

“Cheongryong?”

Cheongya, who had been sitting quietly in Saeon’s arms, tilted his head.

“Mother is also Cheongryong….”

“That’s right, our smart Cheongya. Mother is also Azure Dragon. Tomorrow when we go to the Imperial Palace, His Majesty will tell us whether our Cheongya is a tiger who takes after Papa or an Azure Dragon who takes after Mother.”

Soya, who was sitting across from them, lowered her gaze toward Cheongya and explained in a gentle voice.

“Uung?”

Cheongya, who had been tilting his head with a puzzled expression, soon shook his head back and forth.

“No! Cheongya is not Cheongryong, and not a tiger either!”

“Hm?”

At that voice that somehow felt stubborn, Saeon, who was holding Cheongya, looked down at the child with a puzzled expression.

“You’re neither Azure Dragon nor tiger?”

“Yeah! Cheongya is not Cheongryong, not a tiger either!”

Cheongya looked up at Saeon, then covered his mouth with both hands and giggled mischievously.

“Cheongya is…!”

Cheongya’s eyes curved into circles as he drew out his words and giggled.

“Cheongya is?”

Saeon, who noticed Cheongya’s playfulness, played along and urged him to speak with an expression that pretended to be curious.

Then Cheongya burst into laughter and flapped both arms.

“Cheongya is a flap-flap bird beast-person! Right, Sister?”

“Oh my. That’s not something that happens just because you’re stubborn about it.”

At Saeon’s troubled muttering, Soya burst into giggles.

Eventually, the palanquin arrived at the capital as the sun was setting.

In front of the estate with white roof tiles.

A refined-looking young man with snow-white hair, half twisted up and the other half elegantly flowing down, greeted them.

It was none other than Ga Hyeon.

“Hyeoni Elder Brother!”

Soya jumped down from the palanquin and ran toward Ga Hyeon.

“Welcome, Soya.”

Ga Hyeon smiled brightly and extended his hand to Soya.

Now nineteen years old, he had the complete bearing of an adult.

“Have you been well, Hyeona?”

“Yes, Father. You must have had a hard journey. Cheongya came too.”

Ga Hyeon greeted Saeon and Cheongya, who was nestled in his arms, in turn.

“Mmm. Cheongya came too.”

Cheongya mumbled his response without even looking at Ga Hyeon.

It was quite a perfunctory reply, but Ga Hyeon didn’t seem particularly bothered by it.

“The estate is well-maintained.”

Saeon said as he looked around Ga Hyeon’s capital residence.

The estate was neat and orderly, reflecting Ga Hyeon’s disposition.

“Have you had dinner?”

“Briefly on the way here.”

“Then since it’s late, let me show you to your bedchambers first.”

Ga Hyeon glanced up at the darkened sky and guided his family to their rooms.

Ga Hyeon’s capital residence even had a room prepared for Soya.

“This is your room, Soya. I prepared it so you could come visit comfortably anytime.”

The room filled with precious items was clearly made with great care.

“The room is so beautiful, Elder Brother. But you didn’t overdo it, did you?”

How often would I even come to the capital to visit from the Western Lands?

While grateful, Soya worried that he might have gone overboard because of her.

“I didn’t overdo it at all, so don’t worry.”

Ga Hyeon smiled gently, sensing Soya’s feelings, and replied.

“But if you’re really worried, why don’t you stay in the capital with Elder Brother instead of returning to White Tiger Palace? Our Soya, when you were nine, you promised to live with Elder Brother when you grew up…”

“Oh my, Elder Brother.”

Soya burst into giggles at yet another mention of childhood promises she couldn’t even remember.

Feeling touched by Elder Brother’s thoughtfulness in playfully changing the subject to avoid burdening her, Soya felt her heart warm.

After Ga Hyeon left, Soya, now alone, looked around the quiet room.

“Hmm.”

Over her face, which had been wearing a warm smile, a soft yet sharp alertness suddenly bloomed.

In truth, she had been sensing a strange gaze following her ever since leaving the Western Lands.

Step. Step.

Moving to a corner, Soya suddenly lifted up the curtain.

—Hiss!

A black creature that had been crouched there jumped up in surprise.

“A black… snake?”

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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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