The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 27

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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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Chapter 27

Soya’s face turned pale, going beyond ashen to a ghastly white.

Because the fluffy short fur like cotton, the small beak sticking out, the short two legs and cute tail feathers looked exactly like…

‘That thing, is it… me?’

Only the color was black, but it looked exactly like her own appearance.

“Peep!”

The black baby bird spread its tiny wings and flapped them.

It tried chirping cutely as if acting adorable, but Soya’s stern expression didn’t soften.

“Peep?”

The black baby bird tilted its head curiously, then began melting and flowing like mud again.

Soya shuddered at that strange sight.

The black mud clumped together, and this time became a four-legged black baby beast.

“Kyuung, kyuung!”

Though that cry was slightly different from what Soya knew, its appearance resembled a certain beast Soya was familiar with.

Round perky ears and glossy fur, a tail swishing back and forth, a cute appearance that would probably make purring sounds if you petted its head.

And most of all…

“Kyuwang!”

When the black creature lifted its fluffy front paw, soft-looking paw pads appeared with a pop!

Soya thought she knew what this black creature was imitating. Though the color was completely black…

‘A tiger…?’

Just as Soya was thinking this while swallowing nervously.

The black baby tiger cautiously approached Soya and licked the tip of her shoe.

Startled.

Soya flinched in fear.

Then the black tiger looked up at Soya with large eyes and swished its tail left and right.

“Kying?”

“…”

When Soya still didn’t lower her guard, it made whimpering sounds, then lay down flat in front of Soya showing its belly.

As if wiggling its body to say please touch my belly.

At that sight, Soya suddenly remembered what the Youngest Young Master had said to her recently.

[I’ll specially let you touch my belly, Cotton Ball! A tiger showing its belly is a privilege only given to people they really trust!]

Soya cautiously spoke to the black baby tiger lying flat with sparkling eyes directed at her.

“…Are you trying to say you won’t harm me?”

At those words, the black tiger jumped up on all fours and nodded its head.

“Kyuung! Kyuung!”

“Ah… Sorry. I misunderstood and thought you were trying to harm me.”

The black tiger shook its head, then gestured toward behind Soya.

“Ah…!”

Soya let out a short exclamation as she turned to look where the tiger was pointing.

“You were trying to save me from the wild beasts!”

“Kyuang!”

The black tiger nodded its head up and down vigorously again.

With her guard considerably lowered, Soya quietly stared into the black baby tiger’s eyes.

The gray eyes that had initially seemed frightening now felt strangely familiar.

“Huh?”

Suddenly a particular gaze flashed through her mind.

That is, the very gaze she had felt while playing with the Youngest Young Master earlier.

“Were you the one who was secretly watching me earlier?”

“Kyup!”

The black tiger curved its eyes into crescent shapes and nodded.

‘Ah, so that’s why…’

Soya recalled how this black creature had transformed into a baby bird and baby tiger earlier.

It seemed to be imitating her and the Youngest Young Master.

But while the Youngest Young Master made sense, how did it know her baby bird form when she hadn’t even used Beast Transformation?

‘Does it have special abilities because it’s a demon beast?’

Soya thought while staring intently at the black tiger.

Demon beast.

Eight years ago, monsters that appeared in the corrupted Northern Lands when the traitorous Black Tortoise Clan allied with ‘ancient evil’.

Hyeon Rabaek, leader of the Black Tortoise Clan, attacked the Empire with demon beasts at the forefront, causing chaos across the continent, and in response the Empire conscripted capable warriors from each family clan to declare war on the Northern Lands.

Sanyu from the Vermillion Bird Family who departed three years ago, and the First Young Master of White Tiger Family whom she had never met, were both conscripted for the war against demon beasts.

Soya had only encountered demon beasts in stories when she was very young, so this was her first time actually seeing one.

But why was a demon beast that should be in the Northern Lands here?

‘They said demon beasts are very dangerous and to be careful…’

The black tiger that met Soya’s eyes made kying kying sounds while rubbing its head against the tip of her shoe.

‘But it doesn’t seem bad.’

Though she couldn’t explain it in words, her instincts were telling her. This demon beast wasn’t dangerous.

Most importantly, this demon beast had even protected Soya from the wild beasts earlier.

Soya crouched down and petted the demon beast’s head.

The glossy-looking black fur was actually a bit rough and coarse to the touch, unlike the Youngest Young Master’s.

The black tiger seemed to enjoy that touch, letting out a purring laugh.

It looked like an innocent ordinary young beastkin.

But Soya felt sad thinking that such a gentle child would be rejected by people just for being a demon beast.

“Hello, I’m Soya.”

“Kying!”

“How did you end up here?”

“Kying?”

The black tiger made whimpering sounds, but unfortunately Soya couldn’t understand the demon beast’s words.

“You’ll be in big trouble if you stay here. Because…”

Even so, Soya who had been continuing to whisper to the demon beast suddenly stopped speaking.

She should say that if people see you, they might think you’re an evil demon beast and harm you.

So you need to leave this place without being seen by people.

She should tell it that, but strangely her mouth wouldn’t open.

Because it overlapped with her own situation of being hated by people as a wicked baby bird, and having to flee the Southern Lands to survive.

Did it notice Soya’s heart sinking with melancholy?

“Kyuing, kying.”

The black tiger raised its front paw and stroked the back of Soya’s hand. Just like how Soya had petted its head earlier.

“Are you comforting me?”

“Kying, kying!”

The black tiger’s touch stroking the back of her hand was somewhat clumsy, and she could even feel the cool chill characteristic of the Northern Lands.

But even so, that touch warmed her heart, and Soya smiled softly.

“Thank you. For saving me and comforting me.”

The black tiger moved its front paw to draw something on the dirt ground.

Looking at the squiggly lines, Soya realized they were letters.

“Seolyeo…?”

“Kying!”

The black tiger tapped its chest with its front paw.

“Oh… could this be your name?”

When she asked just in case, the black tiger nodded its head up and down.

Surprise instantly appeared on Soya’s face.

“You can even write your name, you’re really a smart demon beast!”

Soya clapped her hands in amazement.

“Kyung, kyung!”

Seolyeo wagged its tail proudly with a pleased expression.

Thanks to Seolyeo driving away all the wild beasts, the forest was as peaceful as when Soya first set foot in it.

But a problem arose.

They had gotten lost while going deep into the forest to avoid the wild beasts.

Looking up at the sky, the sun was slowly setting.

‘This is terrible. I promised Yeonjeong I’d return on time.’

Not wanting to be remembered as a child who broke promises, Soya’s eyebrows drooped.

“Hey, Seolyeo. Do you happen to know the way down the mountain?”

Soya asked with a glimmer of hope, but Seolyeo only tilted its head.

“Sigh, you don’t know either. What should I do.”

Soya let out a short sigh and hung her head low.

The scent of wildflowers tickled Soya’s nose.

As she absentmindedly rubbed her nose, a certain thought suddenly came to Soya’s mind.

‘Huh? That’s right, come to think of it, the Youngest Young Master…’

[White tiger beastmen can smell scents from a thousand li away!]

She remembered the voice of the Youngest Young Master who had boasted arrogantly while tilting his head back.

‘Right. Surely Young Master will catch my scent and come looking for me.’

* * *

Ga Hyeon was waiting for his guest with a tea table set before him.

It was a meeting he had agreed to with the intention of personally meeting each of the tigers from the branch family who might become the new owner of the Western End Room.

But his mind was actually filled with other thoughts.

Soya. He was worried about that child.

Just yesterday, that small, small Cotton Ball-like child who had run away in a hurry with wide, surprised eyes after overhearing his conversation with Jeoka.

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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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