The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 260

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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 52

Saeon sat in his office, reviewing the ledgers that Jeok Yeong had organized while he was away from White Tiger Palace.

After slowly finishing his review of the last ledger and turning to look at the window, the sky had already grown dark.

Soya, who had departed for Geumryeongsan in the morning, had not yet returned home.

He was contemplating whether he should go pick up the child.

He paused.

Suddenly rising from his seat, he walked to the window and threw open the half-opened window wide.

From very far away, a single red bird was flying toward him.

When Saeon extended the back of his hand, Soya landed on it and folded her wings.

“Welcome back, adult Cotton Ball. Did you have a good trip?”

Saeon stroked the red bird’s head as he walked toward the interior of the office.

As he approached the desk, Soya hopped down onto the desk.

Then she looked up at Saeon and spoke in a clear voice.

“His Majesty’s body will be fine now.”

“…?”

“I escorted him to the Imperial Palace.”

“What do you mean, Cotton Ball? His Majesty’s body will be fine now?”

“It just… turned out that way.”

Soya’s voice as she answered was deliberately composed, but somehow Saeon thought she looked sad.

“What happened, our household’s adult Cotton Ball?”

“….”

At Father’s worried question, Soya hung her head low.

Then immediately, she rubbed her head against Saeon’s palm and cried “peep, peep.”

Even her bird cries sounded somehow mournful, making Saeon’s heart heavy.

When he brought his fingertip to her eyes, bean-sized tears dripped onto Saeon’s finger.

After a moment, Soya, having calmed her sadness, asked Saeon.

“Father, being forgotten by someone you like would be very sad, wouldn’t it?”

“Why did you think of that?”

“….”

“Is His Majesty going to forget you?”

“His, His Majesty?! Why are you suddenly bringing up His Majesty?!”

Soya flapped her wings and jumped up.

“It’s not about His Majesty, it’s just….”

Soya hesitated, then let out a thin breath between her small beak.

“I don’t know why our pretty baby bird is thinking such things.”

Saeon, who had been quietly watching her, tapped Soya’s beak with his fingertip and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Being forgotten would indeed be very sad. If your mother forgot Papa, I’d be so sad I’d cry and wail. I’d cry so loud White Tiger Palace would shake.”

“Oh, what’s that supposed to mean.”

“I’d have to cry loud enough to shake White Tiger Palace so your mother would never forget Papa again.”

“Oh my, Father too.”

Thinking of Saeon crying loud enough to shake White Tiger Palace with that large body of his, Soya couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

At Soya’s much improved expression, a faint smile bloomed on Saeon’s face as well.

He didn’t know why the child was having such worries, but it must be connected to what she said about the Emperor’s body being fine now.

Perhaps it was the child’s first love, and he wanted to protect that heart.

So Saeon gently stroked the child’s soft head feathers and said.

“Even if you’re forgotten from that person’s memory, the moments you shared together don’t disappear. Maybe they haven’t forgotten you, but their memory has just temporarily lost its way. Even if they can’t remember, traces in their heart will surely remain.”

“…!”

At those words, Soya lifted her head sharply.

Father’s words were right. Perhaps His Majesty’s memory wasn’t disappearing but just temporarily losing its way.

Perhaps it might take the wrong path and never return, but still, it would never truly disappear.

Most importantly, as she had promised him, this time she would remember everything.

“That’s right. So I’ll remember everything. Every single thing, all of it.”

“Yes, and Cotton Ball. If it’s hard to remember alone, Papa will remember together with you. So when your heart is struggling or tired, come to Papa. Anytime.”

“Yes, Father!”

At Father’s gentle encouragement, Soya smiled brightly and steeled her resolve.

* * *

The news reached White Tiger Palace three days later.

His Majesty, who had been away from the Imperial Palace for several days recuperating at Geumryeongsan, had suddenly returned, but had since fallen into a deep sleep.

However, for some reason, he had been unable to wake up for several days since then.

Upon receiving the news, Saeon hurriedly prepared to go to the Imperial Palace.

Just as he was about to leave.

“Father, is it really true…? That His Majesty cannot wake up….”

Soya asked, gripping his sleeve tightly.

“If you’re very worried, shall you come with Papa, Cotton Ball?”

“Yes, Father. I want to go together too.”

Thus, Soya headed to the Imperial Palace with Father.

While Saeon went to check on Irim’s condition, Soya waited outside anxiously.

After a moment, Saeon came out and explained.

“Fortunately, His Majesty is fine. And as you said, his body has recovered too.”

“…!”

“However, the physician doesn’t know why he can’t open his eyes.”

Soya’s face, which had been brightening, darkened again at Saeon’s following words.

“But don’t worry too much, Cotton Ball. Since his body has recovered, he’ll wake up soon.”

Irim, who had no heir, had decided that if a critical situation befell him, he would entrust his vacant position to Saeon, who had been his teacher.

Because of this, Saeon planned to stay at the Imperial Palace for the time being to assist with state affairs until Irim awakened.

“I want to stay here with Father and wait for His Majesty to wake up too.”

“Alright, let’s do that, Cotton Ball.”

Saeon nodded with a faint smile.

Thus, Soya stayed with Saeon in an empty pavilion of the Imperial Palace, waiting only for Irim to wake up.

One day.

Two days.

Three days….

‘Why won’t he wake up.’

Soya fretted with worry.

In the midst of this, news came that the Emperor had awakened.

Soya rushed toward his quarters in a hurry.

Irim was sitting on his bed, staring blankly out the window.

He, who had been staring blankly at the red flowering tree blooming by the window, raised his gaze at the presence he felt from afar.

A girl was running toward him, her pure white hair streaming behind her.

The girl who spotted Irim froze in place, stopping in front of the window he was looking at.

Her pure white hair swaying and pink eyes tinged with red light looked exactly like a flower blossom blooming in a snowy field.

Irim blinked slowly, then asked in a flat voice.

“Who are you.”

It was an indifferent and emotionless voice, as if addressing a complete stranger.

“Ah….”

A small gasp escaped from between Soya’s lips.

She suddenly remembered the Heavenly Emperor’s words that when his body normalized, he would forget her.

If only I could save him, I thought it wouldn’t matter if he lost his memories of me.

So I was prepared for it, but….

His Majesty has forgotten me.

He has truly forgotten everything.

Being forgotten from the memory of someone you love is much sadder than I had prepared for.

“This is a place where just anyone cannot set foot.”

Irim, who had been quietly gazing at Soya’s face, suddenly asked as if understanding.

“Are you the daughter of the Baek Family Head?”

And at that moment.

Drop. Drop drop—

Large teardrops fell from Soya’s eyes.

Bewilderment crossed Irim’s face at the sight of her suddenly crying.

“Why are you crying….”

It was when he twitched his fingertips and unconsciously reached his hand toward the window.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. This maiden has committed rudeness.”

Soya wiped her eyes resolutely, stepped back, and bowed her waist.

“Please forgive me with your heart as vast as the ocean.”

“….”

Irim’s fingertips lost their way in the air.

However, unaware of this fact, Soya simply bowed even deeper and thought.

How fortunate it was.

Since he no longer remembered those sad and painful times, it was truly fortunate.

Please, may you fill your remaining time only with happy memories from now on.

My Your Majesty. My His Majesty.

* * *

The spring of seventeen years old, which seemed like it would never come.

Though the long memories that had been covered hundreds and thousands of times lost their way and departed, the traces left in the heart of the small bird of the Western Lands took root even more firmly.

At last, the baby bird had truly become an adult.

That brilliantly beautiful spring of that year also melted into time and settled as new memories.

Several seasons passed by, and a new spring began to sprout again.

It had already been three years since sending away her heart-wrenching first love.

The spring of twenty years old came to Soya.

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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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