The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 43

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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 43

 

Saeon, who had securely fastened the palanquin to Seolyeo’s back, seated Soya on top of it.

 

Soon the North Gate of White Tiger Palace opened, and the mountain beasts carrying the children bore the palanquin as they swiftly climbed the mountain.

 

Seolyeo leaped toward the mountain faster than anyone else.

 

It was when Soya squeezed her eyes shut in fear at that wind-like speed.

 

“Soya! Open your eyes and look ahead!”

 

At Ga Hyeon’s voice from beside her, Soya slightly lifted her eyelids.

 

A cool breeze brushed her cheeks as the panoramic view of the mountain spread beneath the clear autumn sky came into view.

 

“Wow…!”

 

Soya unconsciously let out an exclamation.

 

“How is it, Soya? Refreshing, isn’t it?”

 

When she turned to look beside her, Ga Hyeon, who was riding on a mountain beast’s back rather than in a palanquin, was grinning at her.

 

Soya smiled brightly following Ga Hyeon’s lead and answered.

 

“Yes! It’s really refreshing!”

 

Her clear voice echoed through the valley.

 

Last time, she had been too scared running through the dark mountain path and too worried about whether she could expose Siyo’s evil deeds to properly notice how refreshing the mountain breeze felt on Seolyeo’s back.

 

Before long, they had passed the mountain slope where she used to play with Gayul and climbed all the way to the peak.

 

Soya and Seolyeo arrived first.

 

Seolyeo bent his knees and lowered his body, and Soya hopped down from the palanquin.

 

“Thank you, Seolyeo.”

 

When she stroked his fluffy black fur, Seolyeo made purring sounds through his nose.

 

Soon, not only the branch family tigers but all the prominent families of the Western Lands had gathered in one place.

 

Saeon, wearing a white tiger mask, stood before the large altar and began the ceremonial ritual to open the Mountain Lord Festival.

 

Holding a sword and bell in both hands, he performed a sword dance before the altar.

 

“Wow…!”

 

Soya couldn’t take her eyes off those graceful dance movements and watched in admiration.

 

After finishing the ceremonial ritual, Saeon introduced Soya to his retainers and announced her adoption into the family.

 

Those who already knew of Soya’s existence cleared their throats with “Ahem,” while some retainers who were hearing the news for the first time at this gathering widened their eyes in surprise.

 

Soya had been gradually realizing over the past few days that she had become Saeon’s family, but being confirmed before so many people made her feel a bit shy yet warm and fuzzy inside.

 

“Then we shall now begin the Mountain Lord Festival.”

 

Ho Jeokyeong handed Saeon a large jar.

 

Saeon placed his hand over the jar’s opening and closed his eyes.

 

Soon, pure white light burst from the jar and became hundreds of phantom beasts.

 

The beasts made of illusions wandered leisurely around the clearing like real mountain animals before swiftly leaping into the thicket.

 

“The young beastman who hunts the most phantom beasts will become this year’s ‘Mountain Lord.’ All hunting scenes of the young beastmen will be recorded by the phantom beasts. However, harming real mountain animals will result in disqualification, so please be careful.”

 

The children cheered at Ho Jeokyeong’s explanation.

 

“I’ll show you the brave form of a tiger!”

 

“Hah, I’m going to claim the Mountain Lord title this year!”

 

Gayul and Arang also shouted excitedly among the cheering children.

 

Boooo—

 

Soon the Mountain Lord Festival began with the resounding sound of horns.

 

Gayul and Arang immediately transformed with a ‘Pop!’ into their beast forms.

 

The other children also transformed and swiftly rushed into the forest.

 

It was when Soya, who couldn’t transform, was hesitating alone.

 

“Soya, let’s go together with Elder Brother.”

 

Ga Hyeon said, taking Soya’s hand.

 

“Huh? But if you move with me…”

 

Soya didn’t have a Wind Orb like last time, and she had never received martial arts training.

 

On top of that, she couldn’t transform either, so she worried about being a burden to Ga Hyeon.

 

Sensing Soya’s feelings, Ga Hyeon smiled and squeezed their joined hands.

 

“It’s okay. I won the Mountain Lord Festival last year. Since this is Soya’s first Mountain Lord Festival, Elder Brother will help you. Let’s try catching even small animals together.”

 

“Yes, Elder Brother!”

 

Soya smiled brightly and answered.

 

“Sorry, Seolyeo. You can’t come with us from here. But I’ll be back soon.”

 

Soya gave Seolyeo, who was purring because he wanted to come along too, a pat before running into the forest with Ga Hyeon.

 

“Over there, there’s a rabbit!”

 

The first thing she spotted was a small rabbit.

 

“You don’t necessarily need to use weapons. You just need to hit the vital spot. Carefully approach and catch it. Like when you played tag with Yul.”

 

“Yes!”

 

It was when Soya was carefully approaching to catch the rabbit.

 

Swish!

 

A pure white baby tiger snatched the rabbit by biting the back of its neck.

 

“Elder Brother Yul…!”

 

Gayul glanced at Soya, then struck the rabbit’s vital spot with his plump front paw.

 

Pop!

 

The rabbit instantly scattered into pure white light.

 

“Growl, growl! (Sorry Cotton Ball, even for you I can’t give up the Mountain Lord position!)”

 

Gayul twitched his pink nose and laughed mischievously, then hopped away toward the opposite thicket.

 

“That’s mean.”

 

It was when Soya was looking at where Gayul had disappeared with a disappointed expression.

 

“Soya.”

 

Ga Hyeon, who had lowered his voice from a little distance away, called Soya in a whisper-like small voice.

 

Where Ga Hyeon pointed, a small field mouse was hiding inside a bright yellow flower bud.

 

Soya walked carefully toward the field mouse with a determined expression.

 

The moment the field mouse perked up its ears and raised its head at the approaching presence.

 

Grab!

 

Soya caught the field mouse with both hands.

 

The field mouse immediately scattered into pure white light with a ‘Pop!’

 

Seeing this, Soya’s face brightened.

 

“I succeeded!”

 

“Well done, Soya.”

 

Soya gained a little confidence.

 

“Becoming Mountain Lord might be difficult, but I’ll still work hard so as not to shame Saeon’s name!”

 

“That’s right, Elder Brother will help you.”

 

Ga Hyeon burst into laughter at Soya clenching both fists and steeling her resolve.

 

“Oh? There’s a squirrel over there! I’ll go catch it!”

 

Soya, who spotted a squirrel under a tree trunk, ran over quickly.

 

With her confidence boosted, Soya caught the squirrel this time with her own strength alone.

 

It was when Soya was looking proudly at the squirrel that had become white light and disappeared.

 

“The Family Head really. Taking in someone of unknown origin as direct family.”

 

Freeze.

 

Soya, who was about to return to Ga Hyeon, froze in place.

 

“I heard there are rumors that she’s a flying beast from the Southern Lands…”

 

“Rather than being a flying beast, isn’t the bigger problem that she can’t transform? A beastman who can’t transform. How could such a thing…”

 

“I heard the rules of this Mountain Lord Festival were changed because of that child…”

 

Soya’s expression darkened as she unintentionally overheard the retainers’ whispered gossip.

 

‘What should I do. It seems like Saeon is hearing bad things because of me.’

 

She remembered Gayul’s words that originally, one could only participate in the Mountain Lord Festival if they could perform beast transformation.

 

‘Instead of repaying my debt to Saeon, I’ve only caused him trouble and made him hear unpleasant things because of me.’

 

Soya came out with a dejected expression.

 

“What’s wrong, Soya? Did you miss the squirrel? Don’t be too upset, if you catch it again…”

 

“Say, Hyeoni Elder Brother. Did Saeon really change the rules of the Mountain Lord Festival because of me? Because I can’t perform beast transformation, so…”

 

“Who said something like that?”

 

“…”

 

Ga Hyeon could immediately tell what had happened.

 

“I don’t know what you heard, but it’s all useless talk. So don’t worry about such meaningless words, Soya.”

 

“…”

 

“You don’t need to be able to do beast transformation. So what if you can’t? That doesn’t change the fact that you’re my little sister and we’re family.”

 

“…”

 

Soya couldn’t answer right away. It was because she remembered the scene from the nightmare she had last night.

 

‘But things did change back then.’

 

At the memory of that day when everything that made up her being changed in an instant, Soya stubbornly kept her mouth shut, unlike usual.

 

Seeing this, Ga Hyeon recalled Soya’s past that he had heard about recently.

 

That night when Soya had sporadically opened up to Saeon about what she experienced at the Suzaku Family, Ga Hyeon had also been there.

 

How angry he had been. And how much he had regretted it.

 

He was angry at the Suzaku Family who had abused this small child, and regretted his own behavior of ignoring and being annoyed by the child’s wounds instead of understanding them.

 

However, even if he couldn’t undo what had already been done, he could still nurture the child so that new flesh would grow over her scars.

 

“Soya.”

 

Ga Hyeon bent his knees to lower himself and looked up at Soya’s downcast face.

 

“You said you were fake, but no. The fake ones weren’t you, but those people.”

 

“Elder Brother…?”

 

“Real family doesn’t abandon each other over something like that. Let’s throw away those fake family members from your side. And let’s be real family, you and I.”

 

“…!”

 

Soya’s drooping eyes widened into circles.

 

“I want to become real family with Soya. Real family who protect and cherish each other regardless of what we look like, whether we’re birds or beasts.”

 

“…”

 

“I promise you, I’ll be an unchanging fence that protects you for life. Because I’m Soya’s real elder brother.”

 

“Hyeoni Elder Brother…”

 

Those words about not changing touched Soya’s heart.

 

“This won’t do, our Soya. Elder Brother needs to make you Mountain Lord.”

 

Ga Hyeon chuckled and spoke playfully on purpose to Soya’s tearful face.

 

“Don’t lose to that Yul kid, let’s catch lots of phantom beasts so our Soya can become Mountain Lord. Then we’ll show those guys who said you’re a bird or can’t do beast transformation just how brave our baby bird is.”

 

Soya felt her heart swell with emotion and smiled brightly.

 

“Yes, Elder Brother. Let’s go catch lots and lots of phantom beasts. I won’t lose to Yul Elder Brother!”

 

Ga Hyeon smiled warmly, relieved that Soya was laughing again.

 

Having regained her spirits, Soya energetically continued hunting phantom beasts.

 

The two moved in a way where Ga Hyeon would drive small phantom beasts toward Soya for her to catch.

 

Soya was happy even while getting out of breath and sweating.

 

And Ga Hyeon’s face was full of pride watching such Soya.

 

“I caught it!”

 

It was when Soya, who had succeeded in catching even a large doe that was drinking water at the spring with Ga Hyeon’s help, lifted her head with a bright smile.

 

“Huh?”

 

Soya realized that the surroundings were too quiet.

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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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