The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 57
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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 57
“Ah…”
Soya’s mouth opened slightly.
“Ah, ah…”
The child’s lips trembled as if she was about to say something.
Saeon waited patiently for Soya without rushing her.
Looking at those two eyes curved affectionately toward her, Soya squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.
“Daddyyy…!”
At the same time, Soya burst into tears and threw herself into his arms.
In truth, she had always wanted to call him that.
Father. Dad.
She wanted to call him that and leap into his embrace, just like Yul did.
But strangely, only the word ‘father’ was particularly difficult for Soya.
While there could be many elder brothers, there was only one father.
If she were to lose that one and only father again, she felt she truly wouldn’t be able to overcome that sadness.
Since Saeon hadn’t expected Soya to throw herself into his arms, he hesitated for a moment.
However, he soon lifted the child’s body up into the air and looked into the child’s wet eyes.
His heart ached at the child’s reddened eyes, it hurt so much and was so upsetting, yet even so…
“You know what, Cotton Ball? I’m incredibly happy right now.”
Saeon deliberately suppressed his upset feelings and grinned.
“It feels like I’ve finally become our baby Cotton Ball’s real dad. I’m so, so happy right now.”
“I’m sorry for saying it so late. I knew that Saeon, no, Father was waiting for me, I knew that, but it was so difficult…”
“Don’t say you’re sorry, Cotton Ball.”
Saeon gently pinched Soya’s sniffling nose with his index finger without hurting her, then released it as he spoke.
“What do you have to be sorry for? You just needed time.”
“But…”
“Really, are you that sorry?”
“Yes…”
“Then you can call me that much more from now on to make up for how sorry you are. Call me Dad.”
“Yes, I will, Dad! Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad!”
At Soya’s hastily added words, the corners of Saeon’s mouth kept twitching upward.
He hadn’t known until now, but the resonance that the word ‘Dad’ gave was truly wonderful.
No matter how much he heard it, he wanted to keep hearing it – it was just that wonderful.
* * *
The next morning.
When Soya opened her eyes, Irim had already left White Tiger Palace.
‘He really left right away.’
Although they had said their farewells last night, she couldn’t help feeling a little regretful.
‘Will I be able to see him again next time?’
With such thoughts, Soya sat in front of the mirror and watched Yeonjeong braid her hair.
Today, her hair was braided into two strands, then rolled up at ear level and decorated with silk ribbons – something Soya had specifically requested.
“Ta-da! All done, Young Lady. Oh my, you’re so adorable today too.”
“Our Young Lady, what kind of mood struck you today to pay such attention to your appearance? You even chose your clothes yourself.”
This was the first morning that Soya, who usually didn’t care much about what hairstyle she had or what clothes she wore, had expressed what she wanted.
Could it be that our cute Young Lady has someone she wants to look good for?
His Imperial Majesty who came from the Imperial Palace had already returned early in the morning.
“I’m going to see Father!”
However, Soya answered promptly as if she had been waiting for that question.
“Oh my.”
The Young Lady had called the Family Head ‘Father’ for the first time. Realizing this, Yeonjeong and Sanho exclaimed in surprise.
“I promised to go meet Aunt with Father this morning.”
Soya spoke with a somewhat proud expression, emphasizing the word ‘Father.’
That sight was so endearing that Yeonjeong and Sanho looked at each other and chuckled.
Soya went to find Saeon’s office with a beaming smile.
Jeok Yeong, who happened to be in front of it, saw Soya and greeted her.
“Good morning, Cotton Ball Miss. Are you here to see the Family Head?”
“Yes! I came to see Father! I’m going to meet Aunt with Father!”
“If you’re looking for the Family Head, he’s inside… Huh? Miss, did you just say Father?”
“Yes, Father!”
Soya answered in a spirited voice.
Just then, Saeon, who had heard that sound through the slightly open door crack, came outside after barely suppressing his upturning mouth corners.
“Cotton Ball. Did you come to see Dad?”
“Yes, Dad…!”
Soya smiled brightly and snuggled into Saeon’s arms.
Ho Jeokyeong’s eyes widened in surprise at the changed appearance of the Young Lady, who had always maintained boundaries by calling the Family Head ‘Saeon.’
“Jeok Yeong. I have somewhere to go with Cotton Ball, so watch over the office.”
Saeon spoke to Jeok Yeong with a proud expression.
At that moment, the two father and daughter had identical expressions.
The place the two father and daughter headed to was none other than Sara’s Sacred Hall.
Sara closed her eyes and placed her hand on Saeon’s head, examining the energy of his spirit core.
Soya was even more nervous than the two of them, clenching her fists tightly and anxiously waiting for the results.
“This can’t be.”
After a while, an exclamation burst from Sara’s mouth.
“How strange, Saeon. The energy of your spirit core has truly changed.”
“Is that good, Aunt?”
Unable to contain her curiosity, Soya interjected and asked.
“Yes it is, baby like Cotton Ball. It’s changed in a very good way. This fellow’s spirit core has become very clear and clean. Just like…”
Sara, who had trailed off for a moment, glanced at Soya and said.
“Yes, just like it’s been ‘purified.'”
“…!”
Soya’s face brightened brilliantly.
“Th-then Father’s spirit core won’t hurt anymore?”
“Well. What do you think, Saeon?”
“The faint pain from my spirit core that I’d been feeling seems to no longer be there. Though I’ll know for certain when the full moon comes.”
“How curious. What happened last night?”
No matter how much Soya had the special ability of ‘purification,’ cleansing a contaminated spirit core was impossible.
Restoring a damaged and contaminated spirit core was not within the realm of ordinary beast-people.
Under Sara’s suspicious gaze, Soya explained everything she had seen, heard, and done last night.
“Not purification, but borrowed power?”
Sara’s expression hardened slightly.
“Why do you look like that, Sister?”
“…”
Special abilities that borrowed the power of others had often existed.
However, the power Soya had borrowed was the power of a transcendent being that was by no means ordinary.
There was one being that immediately came to Sara’s mind.
If the divine beast White Tiger was the ‘Guardian’ of the Western Region, then in the Southern Lands there existed a being called the ‘Purifier’.
Perhaps it might be a coincidence. But….
[Sister. Soya awakened the divine beast White Tiger during the Mountain Lord Festival.]
What if during the Mountain Lord Festival, this child didn’t simply ‘awaken’ the Guardian, but borrowed and used that power?
‘I thought the energy I felt from the child’s Spirit Core was extraordinary, but….’
However, if the child truly had a destiny to awaken transcendent beings lying dormant within her, then as an ordinary beast-person, it would be right for me not to interfere any further.
The moment I open my mouth, the child’s fate might become twisted.
“No, it’s nothing. You have a truly magnificent Special Ability, little one.”
Therefore, Sara refrained from saying anything more.
Rather, she had one more thing she was curious about.
How on earth did the young Emperor see through Soya’s Special Ability?
Something that even I, who had seen countless beast-people’s Spirit Cores, couldn’t recognize at once.
* * *
Smack―!
Along with the friction sound of flesh striking flesh, the Young Servant Girl’s head turned to the left.
“I, I was wrong, Young Lady. Please forgive me….”
“Then why did you do wrong in the first place?”
Smack―!
“Ahhh!”
The Servant Woman’s head turned to the right this time.
Lili was throwing a tantrum and acting tyrannical to her heart’s content.
It was when the Young Servant Girl, both cheeks swollen red, was prostrated at Lili’s feet sobbing.
“Lili.”
Father, Jeok Ayun’s voice could be heard.
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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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