The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 241

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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 33

Seolyeo knew that the White Tiger Family members had come to capture him and hid beneath the Black Marsh.

Though he had thoroughly blocked the entrance to prevent them from finding him, they eventually made their way down to the underground palace.

Startled by this, he cast a barrier and hid in a dark place where no light could reach, restlessly anxious.

“Seolyeo, you little rascal, just wait until we catch you!”

“When we catch that guy, we’re going to pluck out every single tail feather!”

At the voices of Gayul and Su Ri searching for him, Seolyeo’s body trembled with a start.

‘They really came to capture me.’

Thump. Thump.

His heart pounded with fear.

‘I absolutely cannot let them discover me hiding here. The moment I’m caught, it’ll be terrible.’

If one listened carefully, the two men’s voices contained worry and affection for Seolyeo.

But to Seolyeo, who was hiding from them, it only sounded absolutely terrifying.

‘They know who I am, they came knowing my identity. They know I’m Hyeonrabaek’s son and that there’s evil in my body.’

Was it the influence of the evil that had taken hold of his body?

‘When they see me, everyone will be disappointed, angry, and hate me.’

Once the fearful emotions bloomed, they grew uncontrollably larger.

‘Maybe, just maybe they might try to… eliminate me.’

As Seolyeo was trembling with his eyes tightly shut, consumed by the terrifying thoughts gradually taking over his mind.

Tap tap, tap.

He heard small footsteps running around searching for him.

‘Soya…!’

It was Soya’s footsteps.

Her footsteps were a little different from others.

Light, refreshing, and lovely.

Unlike me, hiding gloomily in such a dark place…

“Seolyeo…!”

She called out searching for me.

Flinch.

I almost rushed out at her call like an old habit.

“Seolyeo, where are you…!”

I could see her searching for me from outside the barrier.

She was getting closer and closer.

Soon, the sound of her footsteps that he loved stopped nearby.

Though he knew there was no way she could hear his sounds, Seolyeo pressed his lips tightly shut, afraid that even a small breath might leak out.

‘No, Soya. Please don’t discover me and just pass by.’

Even while desperately praying like that over and over in his heart…

“Cotton Ball! Do you see that Seolyeo guy over there?”

“He doesn’t seem to be here either.”

The moment she turned around without discovering the barrier.

‘Ah…’

Seolyeo reached out toward her, then immediately let his hand drop weakly.

Despite hiding like this because he didn’t want to be caught by her, it seemed he was also hoping she would find him.

How contradictory this was.

‘No. This absolutely cannot happen. I must not meet Soya.’

Seolyeo steeled his heart once again.

Most importantly, even in their previous encounter, hadn’t he almost hurt her…

Clang!

At the sudden metallic sound striking the barrier, Seolyeo looked up in shock.

“…!”

Seolyeo froze completely.

Soya, holding the White Tiger Sword, was striking the barrier with a terrifying expression.

Her face showed firm determination as she struck with all her might.

Clang! Clang!

After several strikes.

Crash!

The barrier shattered and the world surrounding him instantly became brightly lit.

“Seolyeo…!”

Seolyeo, who had been frozen in shock, belatedly snapped back to his senses.

Soya was glaring at him while breathing heavily.

Grab!

Before he could even realize he should run away, his wrist was caught by her.

“Don’t try to run away again, and talk with me for a bit.”

Soya was looking straight at him as she spoke.

Though he needed to escape from her, Seolyeo couldn’t push Soya away like last time.

He was worried that she might get hurt again if he did that.

“I have nothing to talk about with you.”

So he avoided her gaze and spoke in a deliberately cold voice.

“Since you came all the way here, you must know everything. Whose son I am, and what’s inside my body right now. Hyeonrabaek, who tried to kill you, is my biological father, and the evil that’s disrupting the continent is inside my body right now. Even now, the evil inside my body wants to harm you…”

“So what if it does!”

However, Soya immediately raised her voice and shot back.

“No matter whose son you are, no matter what’s inside your body, you’re just Seolyeo! My friend, Seolyeo!”

“…!”

At that moment, Seolyeo’s eyes wavered intensely.

These were words he had prepared himself to be hated for saying.

The one who had tried to harm her was his father.

Even now, the evil that wanted to harm her was dwelling in his body.

Just until their previous encounter, hadn’t his hands pushed her and choked her neck?

Yet Soya said it didn’t matter.

That I’m just Seolyeo.

Seolyeo, who is her friend.

[Seolyeo is just Seolyeo!]

Come to think of it, Soya had always said that to him.

Remembering that voice that had always held him steady whenever he wavered made him emotional, and Seolyeo bit down hard on his lower lip.

“Let’s go back together, Seolyeo. Father and Elder Brothers are all worried about you too.”

He almost nodded at those words.

Seolyeo quickly stepped back from her and shook his head.

“No. I… if I stay by your side, I’ll harm you. I saw everything. So you can’t stay close to me.”

“That’s a lie. There’s no way you’d harm me.”

“…”

This was something she could only say because she knew nothing.

She could only say this because she had no idea how much he had harmed her across countless timelines.

“I don’t know what it is you claim to have seen, but…”

After trailing off for a moment, Soya looked at Seolyeo’s chest and said.

“Let’s find a way together to get rid of that evil inside you. Okay?”

“…”

Seolyeo slowly raised his head to look at her.

Even though he knew that ordinary methods couldn’t eliminate the evil dwelling within him, at this moment he wanted to believe her words.

Soya was always a child who created miracles.

She had pulled him out from being trapped inside the shell of a demon beast, and taught him the joy of being with people when he had always been alone.

Whenever confusion arose about his own identity, she was always there beside him to hold him steady.

Since she was that kind of person, couldn’t she also eliminate this evil?

‘Actually… I want to go back with you too. To White Tiger Palace.’

It was when Seolyeo was looking at her while swallowing the wish he couldn’t bring himself to voice.

Be honest.

You want to have this child, don’t you.

A sharp ringing sound of ‘Piiiii—’ echoed along with an unfamiliar voice resounding in his head.

“Ugh, what is this…”

Throb—

His body staggered with the sensation of all his blood vessels and heart being squeezed.

Now is your chance.

Before that man appears again to interfere with you.

Make her yours.

At the slyly whispering voice, he let out a pained groan and suddenly frowned…

Swoosh—!

Seolyeo suddenly pulled Soya into a fierce embrace.

“Seolyeo…?”

Soya let out a bewildered voice at his suddenly changed atmosphere.

“Seolyeo, why so suddenly…?”

However, Seolyeo didn’t answer and only held her more tightly, burying his head over her shoulder.

There was always something you wanted to do when you saw this child, wasn’t there.

Come on, hurry.

I’ll help you. No one will be able to interfere. Do as you please.

Listening to the buzzing voice in his head, Seolyeo thought blankly.

What I wanted to do with Soya…

I, with Soya…

“White Tiger Palace…”

A suddenly lonely voice flowed out between his slowly parted lips.

“I want to return to White Tiger Palace…”

Even though he didn’t shed a single tear, his voice sounded exactly like he was crying, making Soya’s heart ache too.

“Yes, Seolyeo. Let’s go back to White Tiger Palace together.”

“…Really?”

Seolyeo lifted his head that had been buried over her shoulder.

“Yes, really.”

“Father and Elder Brothers are waiting for you too. So…”

Piiiii—

How foolish! I gave you a chance and what are you doing?

“Ugh…”

Seolyeo frowned at the sharp sound scratching inside his head.

“Seolyeo?”

Soya called to him with a worried voice.

Piiiiii—

Push that child down! Pin her down! Subdue her!

“No. I don’t want to do that… ugh…”

Swoosh—!

In an instant, Soya’s body fell onto the grass field while still embraced by him.

“Hah…”

“Ugh, Seolyeo…”

Seolyeo’s body pressed down on her forcefully.

“So, ya…”

Soya thought Seolyeo was trying to attack her again like last time.

But his condition was somehow different.

The moment she met his dark eyes.

Gasp.

At the unfamiliar sensation that rose eerily in an instant, Soya twisted her body to escape and shouted.

“Don’t do this, Seolyeo. I hate this kind of thing…!”

Thud…!

At her words saying she hated it, Seolyeo’s heart dropped.

“You… hate it…?”

Seolyeo’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

He couldn’t even recall what he had been doing just moments before, or what conversation he had with her.

I hate this kind of thing…

I hate this kind of thing…

Hate…

Hate…

Hate…

Soya’s voice echoed in his head.

‘Soya said she hates it.’

Seolyeo staggered backward.

The color drained from his face, and his fingertips trembled violently.

It was the sensation of all reason evaporating.

‘Soya said she hates me.’

Soya asked if he was okay at his alarming appearance, but he couldn’t hear it.

Only that one fact that she hated him became a terrible fear that swept over him.

‘Hate… Rather than being hated by Soya…’

Seolyeo tightly shut both eyes with an anguished expression.

‘It would be better to just disappear.’

The moment he thought that.

Slowly—

His consciousness sank just like that and he collapsed.

“Seolyeo…!”

Startled, Soya urgently ran to him as he fell.

There were no visible external injuries, but his condition seemed unstable.

First, it seemed she would need help from others to move Seolyeo.

So when she was about to call for Gayul and Su Ri who would be nearby.

Snap!

Seolyeo’s closed eyelids opened again.

“Seolyeo, are you conscious…!”

Gasp.

Soya, who turned to look at Seolyeo, froze in place instantly.

Seolyeo’s eyes, which had been gray, were now sunken in deep black.

“Seolyeo, why are your eyes…”

Soya’s voice trembled slightly.

Seolyeo slowly raised his body and looked at Soya, tilting his head.

“Seolyeo?”

A voice so low and cold that it was hard to believe it belonged to Seolyeo flowed out.

“Ah, right. That was the name. Of this body’s master.”

Seolyeo’s lips curled up in a twisted smile.

No, that wasn’t Seolyeo.

What had perfectly devoured and taken control of Seolyeo’s body was…

“Evil…?”

“You know me?”

Evil had been revived.

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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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