The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 223

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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 15

When Soya opened her eyes again, the sun had already set.

“Soya, are you awake?”

Soya, who had been staring at the unfamiliar ceiling in confusion, turned her head toward the voice coming from beside the bed.

Ga Hyeon was looking at her with a worried expression.

“Hyeoni Elder Brother? Where is this…?”

“His Imperial Majesty provided us with a pavilion. You collapsed so suddenly that everyone was terribly worried. Do you remember what happened before you fainted?”

“Ah…”

Only then did Soya recall the situation just before she collapsed.

Cheongya who had rushed out to catch the suspicious black snake.

The black water that had been attacking Cheongya.

Cutting through the black water connected to evil and dispelling the shadow that had fallen over the pond.

And the firm warmth that had embraced her…

‘It was definitely His Majesty.’

As she recalled that firm embrace, which was slightly different from Father’s, heat somehow crept up her face.

“Your face is flushed, Soya. Do you have a fever…?”

“N-no, Elder Brother!”

Soya shook her head vigorously at the worried Ga Hyeon.

“I’m perfectly fine. Like I just woke up from a good sleep!”

“According to the Tae Ui, your body fell asleep to protect itself. Fortunately, there’s nothing wrong with your body, but…”

Ga Hyeon’s gaze turned to her scraped hands.

While holding Cheongya and dodging, she had scraped against the ground, injuring her hands and arms.

Ga Hyeon bit his lower lip hard in distress.

If only I had been there…

Or if there had been at least another adult nearby to protect Cheongya for a moment, Soya wouldn’t have had to push herself so hard.

“Thanks to you, it became known that evil had awakened. Because of that incident, the meeting is running long and Father hasn’t been able to return yet.”

Ga Hyeon spoke in a gentle voice, trying hard to suppress his upset feelings.

If he showed his distress, Soya would become even more upset.

Because Soya was that kind of child.

Because she felt sadder when others were in pain than when she herself was hurt.

“Father’s meeting hasn’t ended yet either, and it’s gotten late, so let’s stay here for tonight…”

Ga Hyeon was speaking while glancing at the darkened window.

Creak—!

With the sound of the door opening, something small and blue rushed in like an arrow and clung to Soya.

Soya blinked and looked down at the small child who had attached himself to her.

“Cheongya?”

“…”

The soft, lovely blue hair definitely belonged to Cheongya, but he kept his head buried in Soya’s embrace and wouldn’t show his face.

“Cheongya, why are you…?”

Sniffle.

A sniffling sound came from Cheongya. Soya’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Cheongya, are you crying?”

“Hic, hic, Sister…”

Only then did Cheongya lift his tearful face.

“Sister, does it hurt a lot?”

Cheongya asked while sniffling.

“No, Cheongya. Sister doesn’t hurt at all. Look at this.”

Soya deliberately waved her arms around to show that she was perfectly fine.

“You don’t know how worried the Young Master was.”

Yeonjeong, who had followed behind, explained with a smile.

“He crouched by the doorway in the corridor out there, continuously waiting for the Young Lady to wake up.”

“What? Good grief, I told him to go sleep.”

Ga Hyeon pressed his forehead with a throbbing expression.

An hour ago, Cheongya had insisted on staying by Soya’s side even though it was well past bedtime, and had been chased out by Ga Hyeon.

But instead of going to his room, he had paced back and forth in the corridor waiting for Soya to wake up.

“The little Young Master must have been very shocked to see the Young Lady collapse like that.”

As Yeonjeong said, since Soya had collapsed while trying to save him, it was certainly shocking enough for young Cheongya.

“Sister got hurt because of Cheongya, hic…”

“No, Cheongya, it wasn’t because of you.”

“Cheongya went to catch the black snake, hic, sob, hic…”

“That black water that attacked Cheongya was the bad thing!”

Soya quickly hugged and comforted Cheongya.

“Look, Cheongya. Sister is fine. How about you? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Mm, Cheongya doesn’t hurt.”

Cheongya nodded while sniffling and wiping his nose.

Thanks to Soya, Cheongya hadn’t been hurt at all.

“Thank goodness.”

Soya smiled with relief after confirming that Cheongya was safe.

Cheongya, who had been clinging to her embrace, also seemed relieved and stopped his sniffling.

“But what is that, Yeonjeong?”

Soya asked, looking at the wooden box in Yeonjeong’s hands.

The tightly closed wooden box had been stirring and catching Soya’s attention.

“This is a gift that the little Young Master prepared for the Young Lady.”

“Yes, yes. It’s Cheongya’s gift!”

Cheongya blushed and squirmed shyly.

“Cheongya caught it to give to Sister.”

“Caught it?”

Soya tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

‘What could it be?’

Usually when giving gifts, one doesn’t use the expression “caught it.”

At that moment, the Divine Beasts appeared around Soya with ‘Pop! Pop! Pop!’ sounds.

—Oh my, this is…

—How amusing.

—You received a good gift, Baby Bird.

The Divine Beasts all crowded around the wooden box, peering at it, then each made a comment.

Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady and White Tiger Mountain Lord snorted as if finding it amusing, while Cheonghae Yongsin smiled eerily with an expression that looked rather ominous.

The Divine Beasts seemed to know what was inside.

Cheongya looked at Soya with sparkling eyes, his expression seeking praise.

At that face full of anticipation, as if telling her to hurry and open it, Soya carefully opened the suspicious wooden box.

—You, you wicked beast-people! How dare you capture this Lord Heuksa… Hiek?!

Heuksa, who had been shrieking from inside the box, spotted Soya and closed his mouth in surprise.

“…!”

Soya was equally surprised.

The black snake that had been so swift and difficult to catch was neatly contained in the box.

As Soya blinked and stared, thin iron chains wrapped around the snake’s body became visible.

“It’s a chain imbued with a binding special ability, a gift from the gray octopus family of the Eastern Lands to the little Young Master. It’s usually transparent and invisible, only revealing its form when the user wants it to.”

During the day, people from the Cheongryong Family had given Cheongya many precious gifts, and this must have been one of them.

“Bad snake, Cheongya caught it!”

Cheongya said with a triumphant expression.

“Cheongya, did you really catch this yourself?”

“Yeah yeah! Yeonjeong helped me tie the knot!”

Soya looked at Cheongya with admiring eyes for catching such a quick snake.

“This snake kept lurking around Young Lady, and Baby Young Master caught sight of it. Since Baby Young Master is a dragon beast-human, snakes can’t beat dragons, you know.”

“Wow, our Cheongya is really amazing…!”

Soya gazed admiringly at the Black Snake obediently trapped inside the box.

He had even tied a butterfly-shaped knot with red silk ribbon around the snake’s neck as decoration, saying it was a gift for his sister.

The harmony between the black snake and red butterfly knot was quite adorable.

Of course, the snake didn’t seem too pleased about it.

—D-don’t look at me with those eyes! How dare you tie this unsuitable red silk around the great Heuksa’s neck. R-release me at once!

“Thank you, Cheongya. This is the best gift ever.”

Soya smiled brightly and closed the lid of the wooden box.

—If you don’t release me soon… Squeak!!!!!

The pitiful scream of Heuksa bumping his head against the wooden box could be heard.

Thanks to this, one thing became clear: people couldn’t hear Heuksa’s voice.

Just like how only Soya could hear the Divine Beasts’ voices.

‘Could this black snake also be a spiritual being like the Divine Beasts?’

Soya was curious, but since Ga Hyeon and Cheongya were present, she pushed her curiosity aside for now.

However, a small problem arose a little later.

Despite the late hour, Cheongya clung to Soya and insisted he wouldn’t leave her side.

“Cheongya, you need to go to your room and sleep now.”

“No way. Cheongya wants to stay with sister.”

Ga Hyeon, who had been quietly watching, intervened.

“Cheongya, you shouldn’t trouble your sister, right? Let’s sleep together with Elder Brother tonight.”

“No! Why should Cheongya…!”

Cheongya, who had been raising his voice indignantly, flinched when he met Ga Hyeon’s gently smiling face.

“Our Cheongya’s voice has gotten much louder while Elder Brother was away. How cute.”

Ga Hyeon spoke in a gentle voice while narrowing his eyes with a smile.

Though Cheongya was still a baby beast-human, he instinctively sensed danger befitting the bloodline of two great families.

“…Mmm, Cheongya will sleep quietly.”

Cheongya rolled his eyes around and obediently stood up.

Cheongya thought of his third elder brother as a fool tiger, and his eldest brother as a tiger he could boss around.

However, unlike Gaya or Gayul whom he judged to be lower in hierarchy, Ga Hyeon was the only elder brother Cheongya feared—the one who always smiled while scolding him.

Of course, Soya didn’t notice this fact.

“Hyeoni Elder Brother seems to handle Cheongya better than Gaya Elder Brother.”

When Soya spoke with wonder, Ga Hyeon gave a gentle smile and bid her goodnight.

“Well then, Soya, rest well and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sister, sleep tight.”

Cheongya, standing obediently beside Ga Hyeon, waved at Soya with eyes dripping with reluctance.

After everyone left, Soya opened the wooden box again.

—Hiss, you wicked little girl…!

Heuksa bared his teeth at Soya while seething with anger.

But that was only momentary.

—How dare this damned snake raise its voice to anyone!

Thwack!

Heuksa, struck on the head by White Tiger Mountain Lord’s sword, immediately collapsed and slumped against the side of the box with his head hanging over the edge.

“Mountain Lord…!”

Soya looked back at White Tiger Mountain Lord in surprise.

White Tiger Mountain Lord held his head high proudly, as if he had done what was rightfully necessary.

—Do not be alarmed, Baby Bird. That fellow is a very bad one.

Even Vermillion Bird Heavenly Lady, who usually bickered with White Tiger Mountain Lord, took his side and waved her fan gently.

—A cowardly, despicable, and even servile worthless scoundrel.

Even the usually dignified Cheonghae Yongsin’s words were mixed with profanity at the 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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