The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 35

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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 35

Ga Hyeon had excellent observational skills.

[More importantly, Soya. Yesterday’s plan to climb Horim Mountain with Yul, who did you tell about it?]

When he asked Soya that this morning.

Soya said she wasn’t sure, but at that moment he keenly noticed how Soya’s pinky finger flinched and curled up.

Soya was guessing. Who had put her in danger.

But kind Soya didn’t seem to have any intention of telling, so Ga Hyeon thought.

‘Then I’ll have to find and deal with it myself. I’m not a pathetic tiger like Yul, I’m Soya’s elder brother.’

Everyone at White Tiger Palace liked Soya.

So if someone was putting Soya in danger, the suspects would be guests who came from outside White Tiger Palace.

The branch family tigers.

Among them, people who would find Soya’s existence bothersome.

Just as he himself had when Soya was first assigned the western end room, there were several who would keep Soya in check.

‘But how did they manage such a thing?’

He had heard that in the Northern Xuanwu Land, there was evil magic that corrupted beasts and made them violent.

But the only footprints that climbed Horim Mountain that day belonged to Soya’s group.

There was no way Gayul or Su Ri would have done such a thing.

‘They carried an object containing evil magic up the mountain. That made the beasts violent and erased Soya’s scent…’

However, when he found Soya again deep in the mountains, Soya’s scent was fine and there was no sign of any object containing evil magic.

‘Something that disappears over time…’

So he had been busy all day searching for evidence and investigating.

In the midst of this, Ho Jeoka came to bring him the item Ga Hyeon had requested.

It was a small stone pebble with that child drawn on it in pure white ceramic paint.

‘I wonder if this could serve as a talisman to protect that child.’

Just as Soya had picked up stone pebbles with those fern-like hands and gathered sky flowers, saying she would protect him, he too wanted to give her a protective talisman as a gift.

‘I hope she’ll like it.’

Ga Hyeon glanced out the window and noticed that the day had grown late.

He hadn’t seen Soya during dinner time, but since he had a good excuse, he went to find Soya to give this to her.

But when he actually arrived at Soya’s room, no one was there.

Only cold night air circulated in the empty room.

“Soya…”

Panicked, Ga Hyeon walked toward the open window and looked down while gripping the window frame.

However, nowhere in White Tiger Palace, where darkness had fallen, could he catch Soya’s scent.

Just like yesterday when he had lost Soya on Horim Mountain.

‘Don’t tell me, they again.’

Perhaps they had tried to harm Soya again in that short time.

At that moment, he seemed to hear the sound of his heart sinking with a thud.

Ga Hyeon immediately ran down the corridor toward the eastern second floor where the Silver Tiger Family was staying.

Bang!

When he threw open the door without warning, those inside startled and turned to look at him.

“Oh my!”

“Young Master Ga Hyeon?”

It was Siyo and people from the Eunho Family who were attending to her.

“Where’s Soya?”

Ga Hyeon strode inside and asked.

“Why are you looking for that child here?”

Siyo asked in a bewildered voice.

“You tried to harm her, didn’t you? Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“Harm her? That’s unfair! I don’t know what that child said, but I, I don’t know anything about it!”

“Th-that’s right, Young Master! To treat our Young Lady like this just based on that lowborn’s words…!”

At the servant woman’s words defending Siyo, Ga Hyeon instantly glared at her with a cold expression.

“Did you just say lowborn?”

“Isn’t that the truth! That child’s status is unknown and…!”

“Soya is Father’s guest! And…!”

He hesitated.

Ga Hyeon suddenly stopped mid-sentence, unable to continue. He didn’t know how to define Soya.

“I also came as a guest to White Tiger Palace!”

At Siyo’s outcry, Ga Hyeon snapped back to attention and pressed aggressively.

“If you came as a guest, you should have stayed quietly and left quietly, not bullied that small child!”

“Are you accusing me without any evidence?”

The surroundings quickly became noisy as people began gathering one by one.

“What’s going on?”

Even Saeon appeared among the murmuring crowd.

“Soya has disappeared, Father.”

Hesitation.

Saeon’s eyes hardened stiffly.

“Her scent can’t be detected anywhere. The Eunho Family must have done something.”

It was when Saeon, with a menacingly sharpened expression, was about to open his mouth to say something.

“What? Soya disappeared? What are you talking about! Soya promised to come with me!”

Arang burst out from among the gathered crowd and shouted in a booming voice.

Instantly, everyone’s gaze focused on Arang.

“Come with you? Where to…?”

“Since she can’t stay here once the western end room gets a new owner! So she promised to leave here with me and come to my house!”

Of course, Soya hadn’t made such a promise, and Arang hadn’t even gotten permission from her parents yet.

However, Arang had already decided in her head that she would return with Soya after the Mountain Lord Festival ended.

“Soya… said such a thing…?”

Ga Hyeon muttered with a deeply shocked expression.

Ga Hyeon wasn’t the only one shocked.

Saeon also clenched and unclenched his fist with a distorted face, then asked in a calm voice.

“What do you mean it’s the Eunho Family’s doing?”

Ga Hyeon explained what he had heard from Soya—about the mountain beasts becoming violent—and how he couldn’t catch Soya’s scent that day on the mountain.

“Don’t slander us without evidence!”

Siyo shouted sharply.

“Mountain beasts becoming violent in the first place. Didn’t that child lie? The beasts of Horim Mountain are known to be gentle…”

It was then.

Thud thud thud thud thud thud—!

A tremendous noise came from far behind White Tiger Palace.

Even Ga Hyeon and Siyo stopped their argument and turned toward the sound.

“Good heavens, the Young Lady is…!”

At someone’s cry, people crowded to the corridor railing.

Ga Hyeon quickly squeezed through the gap and pushed forward.

Then, like the others, he gasped in surprise.

Soya was riding on the back of a black wolf, running toward White Tiger Palace.

And behind her…

“The Young Lady is being chased by mountain beasts!”

The mountain beasts of Horim Mountain were chasing Soya with their sharp fangs bared!

“No. But rather than being chased… it’s more like she’s leading the beasts…”

“The mountain beasts have become violent?”

Siyo’s face turned pale in an instant.

“Soya…!”

It was when Ga Hyeon cried out in surprise.

A man passed by him and leaped into the air like an arrow, then stood blocking behind Soya.

It was Father, Saeon.

* * *

Soya discovered the scent pouch that had been hidden inside the palanquin.

But would it be alright to just remove this?

Could she guarantee that Siyo would no longer harm others after this?

‘I need to tell Saeon. So he can prevent Siyo from harming others in the future.’

But would Saeon believe her words?

Though such doubts briefly arose, she thought that perhaps Saeon might believe her.

Just like how the Second Young Master, who had come to find her when she was left alone on the mountain, had believed her words without suspicion.

‘But…’

Soya recalled the reaction of Yeonjeong and Sanho when she told them about what happened on the mountain.

[What? The beasts of Horim Mountain?]

[Perhaps Young Lady was mistaken?]

The people of White Tiger Palace firmly believed that the beasts of Horim Mountain would never harm humans.

So even if Saeon believed her words, without evidence, there might be unnecessary gossip.

‘I need evidence.’

That’s why Soya asked Seolyeo for help.

The clever Seolyeo immediately transformed into a giant furry beast at Soya’s request, carried her, and swept across the entire mountain.

The beasts of Horim Mountain caught the scent of the pouch and gathered around Soya.

Growl…

Growl…

Grrowwwl…!

The violent mountain beasts bared their fierce fangs and charged at Soya and Seolyeo.

“Seolyeo, now! Run! To where there are the most people!”

“Kyuang!”

Seolyeo, thoroughly excited, began racing toward White Tiger Palace, driving the mountain beasts along.

Soya clung to Seolyeo’s back and squeezed her eyes shut. Seolyeo’s speed was so fast she felt like she might get motion sickness.

‘Just a little… just a little more…’

Gradually, White Tiger Palace drew closer.

‘I hope people will gather after hearing this commotion.’

She didn’t need very many witnesses.

Just enough to prove that the mountain beasts had become violent. Please, not more, not less, just that many people gathering.

Then finally, when Seolyeo reached the Eastern Courtyard of White Tiger Palace.

Whoosh—!

A man who leaped down from the air stood tall behind them as if protecting Soya and Seolyeo.

“Saeon…!”

Soya cried out with a brightened face upon seeing the fluttering white robes.

Saeon coldly glared at the beasts that had been charging at Soya and Seolyeo.

At that chilling gaze, the beasts seemed to freeze for a moment…

“Go back.”

At Saeon’s single word, they immediately turned around and began running away.

It was when Soya let out a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

“Cotton Ball.”

Saeon suddenly lifted Soya’s body and asked.

“What was little Cotton Ball doing so dangerously when she should be sleeping?”

“Ah, well…”

Meanwhile, the people of White Tiger Palace had come down below.

Though it was late, there were far more people gathered than Soya had expected, which surprised her a little, but she soon thought it was rather fortunate.

Soya’s crimson eyes found Eun Siyo among the gathered people.

Soya and Siyo’s gazes met.

Siyo had a pale, rigid face and was clenching her fists tightly.

After looking at her for a moment, Soya soon opened her mouth with determination.

“The scent pouch that Siyo gave me. It was because of that that the beasts of Horim Mountain became violent.”

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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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