The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 64

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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 64

 

Eastern Divine Beast Azure Dragon Family.

 

The owner of the Blue Sea Dragon Palace in the sea called the Underwater Palace, and the guardian who protects and rules over the marine beast-humans of the Blue Sea in the Eastern Lands.

 

Cheongha was a direct descendant of that Azure Dragon Family and originally the most promising candidate to become the next family head.

 

However, befitting a descendant of the Azure Dragon, she possessed a temperament as free as the wind and did not desire the position of family head.

 

The moment the head of the Azure Dragon Family ascends to that position, a seal is carved into their Spirit Core, making it impossible to leave the Eastern Lands unless summoned by the Imperial Dragon.

 

Breaking this rule would strain the Spirit Core and ultimately lead to death.

 

This was a method devised by the Imperial Dragon of the central region, who had maintained ancient peace, to control the warlike tendencies of the Azure Dragon, but in the present age it had been corrupted into a means for the imperial family to keep the Azure Dragon Family, fellow dragon beast-humans, in check.

 

Therefore, the method she chose to avoid the position of family head was none other than marriage.

 

Cheongha went to Saeon, who had become family head at a young age at that time, and proposed marriage.

 

[So, what do I gain from this marriage?]

 

[I gain freedom and you gain a beautiful wife.]

 

In truth, when she made that proposal, everyone thought Saeon would refuse.

 

Since childhood, the two had such a poor relationship that they would draw weapons the moment they met.

 

However, Saeon accepted her shameless proposal.

 

Cheongha became the mistress of White Tiger Palace and naturally escaped from her duties as a direct descendant.

 

After Saeon welcomed his mistress, White Tiger Palace was peaceful for a while.

 

Three adorable tiger Young Masters were born, and contrary to concerns, the relationship between the Family Head and Madam was very good.

 

“But then something happened that required Cheongha to leave White Tiger Palace.”

 

“Something that required her to leave White Tiger Palace?”

 

Soya, who had been listening to her father’s marriage story with sparkling eyes of interest, blinked at the following words.

 

“The head of the Azure Dragon Family passed away.”

 

Yeonjeong continued the story in a subdued voice.

 

After Cheongha left the family through marriage, her twin brother naturally became the next family head.

 

However, eight years ago, when the Northern Lands started a war, the Imperial Palace drafted one person from each family.

 

In the gradually lengthening war, her brother, who was the head of the Azure Dragon Family, died, leaving behind only a young nephew.

 

“Cheongha felt strong guilt about that incident. She believed that if she had become the family head, her brother wouldn’t have died.”

 

“But that wasn’t Cheongha’s fault.”

 

“Everyone said that, but what Cheongha felt was different.”

 

Meanwhile, one of the retainers staged a rebellion, throwing the Eastern Lands into chaos.

 

The situation reached the point where the Azure Dragon Family was on the verge of collapse, but the Imperial Palace did not help either.

 

The imperial family, which had long kept the Azure Dragon Family in check, felt no need to intervene.

 

In the end, Cheongha chose to leave White Tiger Palace to fulfill her duties as a direct descendant.

 

“Naturally, the Family Head and Young Masters tried to stop Cheongha.”

 

“….”

 

“Especially Little Young Master clung to her the most. In those days, Little Young Master would stick close only to Cheongha and never leave her side.”

 

A faint smile appeared on Yeonjeong’s face as she recalled Gahyeon’s childhood.

 

Unlike other children, Gahyeon had been sensitive since he was a baby and rarely opened up to anyone other than Cheongha.

 

He was even shy around his father Saeon.

 

After a brief conflict, Saeon stepped back and let Cheongha go.

 

However, Gahyeon alone could not accept Cheongha’s departure.

 

He grabbed onto Cheongha’s hem and pleaded with her not to leave, not to abandon them, and if she must go, to take him with her.

 

But it was impossible to take a direct descendant child who hadn’t even awakened his Spirit Core outside White Tiger Palace, and the Eastern Lands she was heading to were too dangerous for a child.

 

Cheongha left White Tiger Palace while Gahyeon was asleep, leaving only words of apology and a promise to return soon.

 

Returning to the Eastern Lands, she dealt with the rebellious retainers and rebuilt the Azure Dragon Family that had nearly collapsed.

 

However, she could not return immediately.

 

Her young nephew, who had become family head following his dead father, had been drafted to the battlefield.

 

Someone was needed to inherit the family head’s seal and protect the Land of Azure Dragon until the family head returned.

 

Only an Azure Dragon beast-human with direct bloodline could receive the family head’s seal.

 

Therefore, she decided to inherit the family head’s seal in her Spirit Core and serve as acting family head until the young family head returned.

 

However, since someone from another family could not serve as acting family head, she had to divorce Saeon and officially remove her name from the family register.

 

And young Gahyeon, who had gone to the East Gate every day waiting for his mother’s return, stopped waiting for his mother after learning about this.

 

“Actually, we didn’t know Cheongha would be unable to return for so long. Even though her name was removed from the family register, we thought she would come back.”

 

Yeonjeong added that everything was due to the prolonged war with the Black Tortoise clan.

 

“Actually, Cheongha visited White Tiger Palace last year too. To help Hyeon with his growth pains.”

 

“….”

 

“But Hyeon locked his room door tight and wouldn’t open it. So Cheongha had no choice but to wait for several days and then return.”

 

“Such a thing happened….”

 

At the end of the long story, Soya was about to say something more but pressed her lips tightly shut.

 

Yeonjeong’s stories were always interesting, but today’s was not interesting at all.

 

“Oh my, our Young Lady has a thoughtful expression on her face.”

 

“I think Cheongha must have been very sad.”

 

Having to leave her family, and having to be hated by her family.

 

It all seemed too heartbreaking.

 

“Young Master is still young. As he grows older, he’ll be able to understand Cheongha.”

 

While Yeonjeong tidied the room, Soya walked through the garden with a somewhat gloomy expression.

 

“Soya!”

 

Seolyeo approached carrying a thick blanket.

 

“Sanho told me to bring this. She said it’s cold.”

 

“Thank you, Seolyeo.”

 

Soya draped the blanket Seolyeo handed her over her shoulders.

 

“Soya, you look upset. Are you worried about that woman?”

 

Seolyeo asked as she walked alongside Soya.

 

“I’m worried about Cheongha too, but… actually….”

 

Soya thought Cheongha’s situation was very pitiful.

 

But in truth, Soya was more worried and concerned about Gahyeon than Cheongha.

 

It might sound strange that she was more concerned about him when he was causing such pain to Cheongha….

 

But she knew too.

 

The feeling of being abandoned by family, what that was like.

 

[Real family doesn’t abandon each other over something like that. Let’s throw away such fake family first from your side.]

 

Soya recalled the words Gahyeon had said to her during the last Mountain Festival.

 

Those words had been a great comfort and strength to her, but….

 

‘Maybe those words were about Elder Brother’s own story.’

 

Soya glanced up at Gahyeon’s lit room.

 

* * *

 

Gahyeon had been on edge for the past few days.

 

He was so sensitive that the workers said he seemed to emit a more menacing aura than even Gayul, who was going through growth pains.

 

Since the day Cheongha visited White Tiger Palace, he had been in this state continuously.

 

As he was quietly reading a book, a face suddenly came to mind and he crumpled the page.

 

‘This really isn’t funny at all.’

 

The more he thought about her face as she looked at him, trying hard to hide her bewilderment while forcing a smile, the angrier he became.

 

‘Even though I clung to her so desperately, begging her not to leave, she still abandoned me and left, and now she wants to play the role of a mother.’

 

Ga Hyeon still remembers that day.

 

The day she left, abandoning him as he pleaded so desperately for her not to leave, not to abandon him.

 

[Don’t go, Mother. Don’t leave Father and us behind.]

 

[Hyeona.]

 

[Sob, sniff, hic… I want to keep living with Mother forever. So, hic, sob, please, don’t go.]

 

[I’m sorry, Hyeona.]

 

She who had held me close and patted me while saying she was sorry, put me to sleep to reassure me like that, then quietly left.

 

When I woke up the next day, only her empty spot was there waiting for me coldly.

 

That was already 7 years ago.

 

Though Ga Hyeon was only four years old at the time, the memory of that day was all too vivid.

 

‘I don’t need a mother who abandons and leaves even when her child begs. My real family is only Father, big brother, Yul, and Soya.’

 

It was when Ga Hyeon was thinking this while looking down at the crumpled books.

 

Tap.

 

Tap, tap.

 

A tapping sound like pecking came from the window.

 

“Soya…?”

 

Ga Hyeon, who recognized who had come just from the sound, quickly got up and approached the window.

 

When he opened the window, Soya in her baby cotton ball form was tapping the window frame with her beak.

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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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