The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 59
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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 59
Just a moment ago, it seemed like light had flashed from the divine artifact.
However, when he looked back, there was only the large Sacred Palace, showing no light as usual.
‘Did I see it wrong?’
Jeok Ayun, who had been examining the Sacred Palace with a tense, startled expression, soon felt his energy drain away.
‘Well, that can’t be right.’
There was only one case when the divine artifact would shine. When the ancient divine beast, the true owner of the divine artifact, awakened.
‘I must be tired.’
Jeok Ayun pressed his temples firmly and turned around.
Coming outside and walking, he spotted his son talking with a subordinate.
Seeing his son’s quite serious expression, Jeok Ayun called out to him.
“What’s the matter, Hwayu?”
“Ah… Father.”
Jeok Hwayu hesitated before speaking.
“The Family Head of the Baek family has adopted a daughter.”
“That’s not particularly something to worry about. Since there are no direct female heirs, they must have adopted from a branch family.”
Jeok Ayun replied in an unconcerned tone.
“But that child’s name is…”
However, at his son’s following words, Jeok Ayun’s expression hardened.
“Soya…”
* * *
Eastern Empire, the Land of Blue Dragon that embraces a vast sea.
Behind a curtain woven from blue jade sat a woman with an alluring atmosphere, having blue hair and pale violet eyes.
It was Cheongha, the acting Family Head of the Blue Dragon family.
With the sound of dripping water, a turtle jumped up from the water’s surface.
Soon the turtle became a small boy and came running to Cheongha.
“Cheongha! Cheongha!”
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
Cheongha, who had been trimming her nails, asked the boy in an indifferent voice.
“I heard amazing news from the mainland!”
“News?”
“Well, you see…! They say Saeon has adopted a youngest daughter!”
“I thought it was something important.”
“Isn’t it important?”
“It is a bit annoying that he adopted a daughter without telling me.”
Cheongha chuckled as she thought of Saeon, then her thoughts drifted to the three children who resembled him closely – Gaya, Ga Hyeon, and Gayul, the three young masters of the White Tiger family.
“…I wonder how those children are doing.”
At Cheongha’s murmur, the boy asked.
“Are you going to the Western Lands?”
“Hmm. Well.”
“But you know, Cheongha. If you leave the Land of Blue Dragon, your Spirit Core will…”
“Don’t worry too much, Asaeng. My desire to leave right now is as vast as the sea, but the work piled up is like a mountain.”
Cheongha shrugged as she pointed to the documents stacked on her desk.
She couldn’t leave this place right now.
If it were a responsibility she could easily cast aside, she wouldn’t have accepted this position in the first place.
‘That little one is already approaching the time for First Growth.’
Unlike her seemingly nonchalant response, her gaze deepened as she looked down at the document folder.
* * *
That autumn brought many events for Soya.
She gained a reliable real family who would protect and cherish her regardless of what form they took, whether birds or beasts.
She awakened the White Tiger of Horim Mountain, obtained the divine artifact, and proudly became the winner of the Mountain Lord Festival.
She overcame her fear of Beast Transformation and became a wonderful baby bird who could enjoy magnificent flight.
Not only that, she manifested her special ability and used the power of ‘Purification’ to help Seolyeo and Father.
Though she still hadn’t found who the being was that lent her the power of ‘Purification’…
Soya was so happy with each day she spent at White Tiger Palace. Every moment sparkled and was so beautiful that it was precious like a jewel.
Soya felt a little regretful that the time she wanted to treasure seemed to flow by too quickly.
After the Transition Month (the month rushing from autumn to winter, November) passed and the Ending Month (the month of gathering one’s heart at the year’s end, December) approached, the days gradually became chilly.
The bedding decorating Soya’s room also became thicker accordingly.
Just like Baby Cotton Ball’s fur that had become fluffy as winter approached.
Soya was sleeping soundly, completely wrapped in the soft blankets.
“…Young Lady…”
The voices of Yeonjeong and Sanho woke Soya from her sleep.
“Young Lady, please wake up quickly!”
They were a bit more excited than usual.
“Mmm, Yeonjeong, Sanho, just a little more…”
“Hurry! It snowed at White Tiger Palace!”
Soya, who had been burrowing into the blankets, sat up abruptly at those words.
“Snow?!”
Soya instinctively turned her head toward the window and was immediately startled.
“…!”
Snow had fallen all night, turning White Tiger Palace completely white!
Her sleepiness instantly vanished as Soya ran toward the window.
Gripping the window frame and looking down, Soya turned to Yeonjeong and Sanho with wide eyes and exclaimed.
“White Tiger Palace has turned white!”
The rooftops, tree branches, stone statues, and stone steps were all covered in pure white snow.
“It snowed last night. They say it’s this year’s first snow.”
“…!”
At Yeonjeong’s explanation, Soya’s face brightened radiantly.
“Hurry, hurry, I want to go down, Yeonjeong! I want to go see that snow!”
The Land of Suzaku where Soya was born and raised never had snow even in the depths of winter due to the fire energy the earth contained.
Facing a snowy landscape for the first time in her nine-year-old life, Soya was extremely excited.
Seeing Soya stamping her feet eagerly to go down quickly, Yeonjeong laughed and said.
“Yes, yes. Let’s go out quickly. After washing your face and changing into warm cotton clothes.”
Even during the short time of washing and changing clothes, Soya was so impatient that she asked several times.
“What if all the snow melts while we’re doing this?”
“Don’t worry, Young Lady. Snow is still falling from the sky.”
“Still, I want to go out quickly, quickly!”
“No, Young Lady. If you go out like this, you might catch a cold. You need to dress warmly.”
Even with the Young Lady’s unusual urging, Yeonjeong was firm.
Yeonjeong brought a cotton-padded quilted jeogori and a thick vest. The collar and sleeves of the jeogori were decorated with thick white fur.
While Soya looked at it with curious eyes, Yeonjeong even wrapped warm winter gear around Soya’s head and hands.
Only after being bundled up from head to toe could Soya finally come outside.
“It’s so beautiful! It’s just like flowers falling from the sky!”
Seeing such beautiful and fascinating eyes for the first time in her life, Soya exclaimed in an excited voice.
Not far away, a pure white baby tiger was frolicking on the snow.
The baby tiger, already covered in snow all over its fur, was none other than Gayul.
Being so pure white, it would probably be hard to see if it hid in the snow.
“Growl, grooowl! (Cotton Ball, what are you doing! Let’s play together!)”
Gayul, with snow all over her fur, hopped around like a frog even though she wasn’t one.
However, unlike how she had been stamping her feet eagerly to go out and see the snow, Soya hesitated with just one step left, unable to easily set foot in the snow.
‘Oh my, what should we do, our Young Lady. She must be scared of the snow.’
‘She looks exactly like a bundled-up snowball, so cute.’
‘How can our Cotton Ball Miss be so adorable even when she’s afraid of snow.’
Everyone chuckled at the sight of the Young Lady repeatedly lifting her foot to place it on the snow, then hesitating and pulling it back.
Just then, suddenly—!
Soya’s body was lifted into the air.
However, since she could tell who it was without even looking at his face, Soya smiled brightly and exclaimed instead of being surprised.
“Father!”
In the span of one season, calling him Father had become completely natural.
Saeon looked at Soya, who was bundled up all over, and grinned.
“Baby Cotton Ball came out all armed up. You’ve become very round.”
“I look round because I’m not cold at all, but Yeonjeong dressed me up like this!”
Soya exclaimed, getting worked up for no reason.
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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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