The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 70

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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 70

 

This was a very important matter.

 

Because Seolyeo was secretly obsessed with being ‘Soya’s best friend’.

 

She first learned this when she first met Chirpy.

 

After Cheongha left White Tiger Palace.

 

Around the time when spring arrived as the frozen ground thawed throughout winter.

 

Chirpy was a baby bird that hatched from an egg laid by a mother lark who had built her first nest in White Tiger Palace.

 

When the lark built her nest, not only the White Tiger Palace people who were seeing a flying beast for the first time, but even Soya, who was a bird beast-person, showed great interest in the baby birds that would soon hatch.

 

Chirpy hatched from the very last egg.

 

Chirpy, who was particularly small in size, strangely followed Soya better than her mother bird.

 

Soya was also very happy to see the lark family who had the same beak and wings as herself, but among them, her heart went out most to Chirpy, who was small just like her.

 

Soya would often visit the lark family’s nest in her beast transformation form to play with Chirpy and help her with walking and flying.

 

But Seolyeo didn’t like Chirpy.

 

Once, when Chirpy, who couldn’t fly yet, was toddling along trying to follow, Seolyeo snorted “Hmph!” and knocked her over.

 

And another time, when Chirpy was flying together with Soya, she transformed into a large bird and interfered with Chirpy’s flight.

 

[Seolyeo, how could you bully Chirpy!]

 

[Uh, uh…?]

 

At Soya’s surprised outcry, Seolyeo froze stiff.

 

[That’s, that’s not it, I, I… waah.]

 

Seolyeo, who wasn’t good with words, couldn’t make any excuses and ended up crying.

 

After barely managing to comfort Seolyeo and having a conversation, Seolyeo answered while sniffling with her red, swollen nose.

 

[You… only play with Chirpy.]

 

[What?]

 

Soya was a little flustered by that answer, but soon crouched down beside Seolyeo and apologized.

 

[I see. I’m sorry, Seolyeo. You felt lonely because I was playing with Chirpy, right? I’m sorry for making you feel lonely.]

 

Seolyeo’s ears perked up, not having expected to receive an apology.

 

[But don’t be too upset. You’re my best friend.]

 

Seolyeo’s eyes widened at Soya’s words about being her ‘best friend’.

 

[But you can’t behave badly toward Chirpy like that. Chirpy is still a baby bird, so we need to take care of her. So next time, let’s all three of us play together nicely – you, me, and Chirpy.]

 

[Mm-hmm…]

 

Seolyeo nodded her head obediently.

 

After that day, Seolyeo didn’t bully Chirpy anymore, and in White Tiger Palace’s garden, you could see Soya, Seolyeo, and Chirpy playing together harmoniously.

 

That was already from spring two years ago, so it had already been two years since then.

 

Soya chuckled as she recalled that time.

 

“Chirp chirp!”

 

Chirpy sang cheerfully and pecked at Soya’s fingertips with her beak.

 

The affectionate gesture of pecking with her blunt beak didn’t hurt at all and was rather ticklish and pleasant.

 

“You seem to be in a particularly good mood today, Chirpy.”

 

When Soya brought her hand to the lark’s small head, Chirpy rubbed her head against that palm.

 

“Chirrrr—”

 

“What? Mother sent a letter?”

 

“Chirp!”

 

Chirpy stretched out her left leg toward Soya.

 

A small letter was tied to the lark’s left leg.

 

At the happy news Chirpy brought, Soya’s sleepiness instantly disappeared completely.

 

“Thank you, Chirpy!”

 

Soya smiled brightly and carefully untied the small letter bound to Chirpy’s leg.

 

It was a letter sent by Cheongha from the distant Blue Sea Dragon Palace.

 

Chirpy, who had become an adult bird over the past two years, now flew long distances for Soya’s sake.

 

After reading through the letter in one go, Soya immediately prepared paper, brush and ink and began writing a reply.

 

【Yes, Mother. I am doing well. Father and Elder Brothers are also doing well. Are you staying healthy too?</p】

Spring has already come to White Tiger Palace. The third spring I’m spending at White Tiger Palace is so warm and beautiful.

 

Azure Sea Palace where Mother is…>

 

Soya’s expression suddenly darkened as she was writing up to that point.

 

She had promised to grow up quickly and visit Azure Sea Palace, but Soya still hadn’t undergone her First Growth.

 

Even though she had already turned twelve years old.

 

Generally, beast-people undergo First Growth at ten years old at the earliest, or eleven at the latest.

 

But Soya was running a little later than others.

 

‘Aunt said this might be aftereffects from having my Spirit Core removed from my body when I was young, but…’

 

Soya recalled Sara’s words and placed her hand on her chest.

 

She could feel the resonance of her Spirit Core along with her heartbeat.

 

Ever since receiving the Dragon Blood Herb from Saeon three years ago, Soya’s Spirit Core had been beating very healthily.

 

There was no problem with her Spirit Core.

 

So this was just her own problem.

 

‘Father said it might be a little late, that it’s okay, but…’

 

Being a little later than others was fine. It didn’t matter.

 

As Father said, even if it was late, she could take her time.

 

But thinking that she couldn’t go see Mother this spring either made her feel a little… no, very upset.

 

‘I want to go see Mother too.’

 

But Soya deliberately hid her upset feelings.

 

Because she knew that if people found out she was upset, they would be even more upset.

 

Gayul, who had been absorbed in his own First Growth for a while, now was careful about beast transformation in front of Soya.

 

Seolyeo also often appeared in the form of a young beast on purpose to comfort Soya.

 

Not just them, but other White Tiger Palace people also comforted Soya in their own ways.

 

‘There are too many people in White Tiger Palace who would be more upset than me if they knew I was upset. So I shouldn’t be upset and should stay strong.’

 

Soya tried to think positively and finished the reply to send to Cheongha, then sent it with Chirpy.

 

It was when she was turning around.

 

‘Huh?’

 

She noticed a single red feather that she hadn’t spotted earlier.

 

Soya stared at it blankly, then carefully picked it up.

 

* * *

 

Southern Region of the continent, Vermillion Bird Mansion.

 

Family Head Jeok Ayun was deep in worry.

 

It was none other than the migration of birds that had begun three years ago.

 

Many birds were leaving the Southern Lands to build nests in the Western Lands.

 

The beasts of beast-person society, excluding the Central Region, were thoroughly divided and governed in four directions.

 

In the Eastern Azure Dragon Land that embraced the vast Blue Sea lived marine animals.

 

In the Western White Tiger Land that began from the Horim Mountain range lived mountain beasts and wild animals.

 

In the Southern Vermillion Bird Land spread with warm sunlight and red soil lived flying beasts.

 

And though now polluted with only demonic beasts wandering about, in the past the Northern Lands were home to flocks of cold-blooded animals.

 

The family’s influence also affected the cohesion of flocks, so flying beasts leaving the Southern Lands was proof that the family’s power was weakening.

 

‘But why?’

 

The Suzaku Family was still strong, and there were no problems with the Divine Artifact either.

 

He needed to find the cause of this situation, but unable to identify a clear reason, Jeok Ayun’s worries deepened.

 

‘There won’t be any major problems immediately, but I can’t help feeling concerned.’

 

Walking with a dark expression, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

 

He was in front of the lonely Cold Palace that no one visited anymore.

 

Realizing he had unconsciously walked to this place again, he clenched both fists tightly.

 

Soya.

 

The last place where that child, now dead and gone, had stayed for three years.

 

[But that child’s name was… Soya…]

 

When he heard that the name of the youngest daughter Baek Saeon had newly adopted was ‘Soya’.

 

Even though Jeok Ayun knew it couldn’t be possible, he strangely felt he had to go and see for himself.

 

However, Lili held back his steps.

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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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