The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 42
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 42
In her dream, Soya was celebrating her sixth birthday.
Today was the day Soya would undergo her First Beast Transformation.
Her heart was pounding with excitement.
Soya would become a magnificent firebird just like Father and Elder Brothers!
Surely they would praise her for being so wonderful, right?
Just thinking about it made her giggle with joy.
She brought her hands together prettily, just as Father and Elder Brothers had taught her…
Pop!
Finally, success!
Huh? Why is everyone so quiet?
Did everyone become speechless because Soya became such a magnificent baby firebird?
Father! Soya succeeded in Beast Transformation!
Please congratulate Soya!
Father! …Father?
Father, why…
Elder Brother…
…
…
This place is so cold.
Cold, lonely, and frightening.
But even in this cold and lonely place, what was most chilling and terrifying was…
Father’s gaze that seemed to freeze her heart solid.
Elder Brother’s voice that felt like he had become a completely different person.
But still…
But still…
Even so, Soya misses Father. Elder Brothers too.
Father, please don’t abandon Soya.
Elder Brother, please come back for Soya.
Because Soya will definitely succeed in Beast Transformation next time.
And become a magnificent baby firebird.
So please…
Please…
.
.
“Whine! Whimper!”
Gasp!
Soya’s eyes snapped open at the whining sounds coming from beside her pillow.
“Huff, gasp…”
Cold sweat covered Soya’s forehead as she gasped in surprise.
“Whimper…?”
Seolyeo, in the form of a black wolf, looked up at Soya with worried eyes.
“Seolyeo…? Ah…”
Only then did Soya realize that this wasn’t the Vermillion Bird Mansion but the Western End Room of White Tiger Palace, and that she had been having a nightmare.
“It was a dream.”
A sigh escaped between her small lips.
“Whine, whimper…”
“Thank you, Seolyeo. I woke up thanks to you.”
Soya wiped away her cold sweat and smiled brightly at Seolyeo.
Then Seolyeo nuzzled her head against Soya’s bedside.
Seolyeo had been living together at White Tiger Palace for the past few days.
Only Saeon, the head of the White Tiger Family, the two Young Masters, and Sanho, who had accompanied the Family Head during the war with the Northern Lands, knew that Seolyeo was a demon beast.
To others, Sanho, the leader of all wolves in the Western Lands and head of the Blue Wolf Family, had falsely vouched for Seolyeo’s identity.
Thanks to this, Seolyeo could roam around White Tiger Palace in wolf form, and people adored her as ‘the kind wolf who helped the Young Lady.’
Of course, the very shy Seolyeo only stayed close to Soya’s side and would hide when other people called for her.
“Oh my, you’re up early, Young Lady.”
Just then, the door opened and Yeonjeong entered.
“Yeonjeong!”
“You woke up early without anyone waking you. Our adorable Young Lady must be very excited since today is the Mountain Lord Festival.”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
Though she had actually woken up early from a nightmare, Soya didn’t bother to correct her and simply nodded.
Today was the day of the Mountain Lord Festival that had been stirring up White Tiger Palace for some time, and the day Soya would be recognized as Saeon’s adopted daughter before the White Tiger Family’s retainers.
“Shall we go get ready then?”
Soya received Yeonjeong’s help to wash up thoroughly and change into clothes suitable for activities.
While obediently getting dressed, Soya paused when she noticed the white tiger pattern embroidered on her clothes.
“Oh? This is…”
It was the same pattern she had seen on Saeon’s clothes recently.
Yeonjeong brought her palm to Soya’s ear and whispered as if sharing a tremendous secret.
“Hehe. For this Mountain Lord Festival, they invited not just the tiger clans but all the major families from the Western Lands. The Family Head is also eager to introduce our Young Lady to everyone.”
“…”
Soya’s face turned bright red with embarrassment.
Seeing the Young Lady’s lips twitching as if they might curl up at any moment, Yeonjeong chuckled.
“But do you know, Young Lady? The reason why the Mountain Lord Festival is held at Horim Mountain. Actually, all of Horim Mountain is the spiritual body of the ancient divine beast White Tiger.”
“What? That mountain?”
Soya asked in disbelief.
“Then I’ve been walking all over White Tiger’s body? What should I do, I’m so sorry!”
“Don’t worry too much, Young Lady. White Tiger is so big and sturdy that even if a hundred, no, a thousand, ten thousand cotton ball-like Young Ladies came to play around, it would be perfectly fine.”
Yeonjeong combed Soya’s hair while telling her stories about the divine beasts.
“You’ve heard about the ancient Four Divine Beasts, haven’t you, Young Lady?”
Long, long ago. That is, much earlier than when the country called Taehwa Kingdom was even established.
There were four sacred ancient divine beasts that protected the beast-people living on this land.
Azure Dragon of the Eastern Region, White Tiger of the Western Region, Vermillion Bird of the Southern Region, Black Tortoise of the Northern Region.
The four divine beasts that helped the Yellow Dragon, guardian of the Central Region, rule the world were called the Four Divine Beasts by the people.
Though they had now become legends, there were still people who believed they would someday awaken again.
And after the traitorous Black Tortoise clan allied with the demon race eight years ago and brought chaos to the continent, people’s faith spread as hope.
“That’s why people are waiting for the Yellow Dragon’s bride. There was an ancient oracle that the Yellow Dragon’s bride would awaken the ancient Four Divine Beasts.”
“Doesn’t the Yellow Dragon’s bride refer to the woman who will become His Majesty the Emperor’s wife?”
Soya, who had been quietly listening to Yeonjeong’s story, tilted her head and asked.
In Taehwa Kingdom, ‘Yellow Dragon’ was a term referring to the Emperor.
This was because if the Four Great Families inherited the blood of the four divine beasts, the Imperial Family that ruled Taehwa Kingdom was said to have inherited the blood of the ancient Yellow Dragon that led the Four Divine Beasts.
“While it has now become a title for the Emperor’s consort, originally the Yellow Dragon’s bride was an existence that encompassed all Four Divine Beasts and pursued harmony to prevent the Yellow Dragon’s great power from being misused.”
This was also why the Four Great Families provided candidates for the Yellow Dragon’s bride. Because they had the bloodline closest to the Four Divine Beasts.
“Anyway, the important thing is that while the other divine beasts used parts of their spiritual bodies to leave behind Divine Artifacts, only White Tiger left no Divine Artifact.”
Soya knew about Divine Artifacts too. She had seen a Divine Artifact at the Vermillion Bird Family when she was very young.
‘The Vermillion Bird’s Divine Artifact was a Large Bow with Red Feathers…’
She remembered secretly touching it when her childhood curiosity got the better of her.
“So the beast-people of the Western Lands thought there must be a Divine Artifact somewhere on this Horim Mountain, known as White Tiger’s spiritual body. The Mountain Lord Festival began to search for that Divine Artifact. Though now it has devolved into a hunting event for young beast-people.”
While Soya was completely absorbed in the story Yeonjeong was telling her, Ga Hyeon and Gayul, who had finished preparing first, suddenly came looking for Soya.
“Soya, are you ready?”
“Cotton Ball, what are you doing! Let’s go quickly!”
“Yes! I’m all ready now!”
Soya, who had just finished preparing, also jumped up and took her Elder Brothers’ hands as they headed to the North Gate.
In front of the North Gate that connected the White Tiger Palace and Horim Mountain.
Dozens of mountain beasts were carrying roofless palanquins on their backs.
The Mountain Lord Festival began at the peak of Horim Mountain, and children who hadn’t undergone First Growth had to ride palanquins to reach the summit.
As soon as Gayul spotted the palanquins, he tried to sneak away toward the mountain entrance but was caught by Saeon.
“Where do you think you’re going, baby tiger?”
“Eek! I can climb to the mountaintop by myself without needing something like a palanquin!”
“The baby tiger is talking nonsense.”
Saeon placed the pouting and grumbling Gayul on a palanquin, then extended his hand toward Soya.
“Baby Cotton Ball should ride this palanquin over here.”
“Yes, Lord Saeon!”
Just as Soya took Saeon’s hand and was about to board the white palanquin decorated with the White Tiger Family’s emblem.
“Grrrowl!”
Seolyeo, who had followed Soya, growled and chased away the mountain beast carrying Soya’s palanquin.
“Seolyeo, you can’t do that.”
Soya was flustered by Seolyeo’s violent behavior.
“This guy. Do you like Cotton Ball that much?”
Saeon asked while patting Seolyeo’s head.
Then Seolyeo haughtily turned his head away and snorted.
“Kring!”
“Can’t be helped. Today you’ll be responsible for Cotton Ball’s palanquin.”
When Saeon said this with a chuckle, Seolyeo excitedly lay down obediently on the ground.
“Kying, kying…!”
Seolyeo, who had been making fierce growling sounds just moments before, looked up at Soya with large eyes and whined cutely.
“Huh?”
At this sight, Saeon let out a hollow laugh as if he couldn’t believe it.
“That guy, don’t tell me.”
Saeon narrowed his eyes and looked at Seolyeo with a deliberately serious expression as he muttered.
“Is he a male?”
Wasn’t he just like a young boy acting coy to impress a girl he liked?
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
