The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 84

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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 84

 

“Did you really think I would leave over something so trivial? I’m truly disappointed. Have Elder Brothers been concerned all this time about not sharing blood with me?”

 

When Soya asked with a sulky expression, the faces of both Elder Brothers instantly turned pale.

 

“N-no, no! That’s not it, Cotton Ball! Absolutely not!”

 

“There’s no way that’s true, Soya! We would never…!”

 

“We would never what?”

 

Soya raised one eyebrow and caught onto Ga Hyeon’s trailing words.

 

“We cherish you so much…”

 

Ga Hyeon seemed somehow intimidated, his voice gradually growing smaller. This was unlike his usual mature demeanor in front of Soya.

 

“It’s just that, still, those people are the family who gave birth to you… We were worried that you might waver toward those people…”

 

“That’s what hurt me. That Elder Brothers saw me as someone who would waver over something so trivial.”

 

Soya spoke to both Elder Brothers in a clear voice, refuting Ga Hyeon’s words one by one.

 

“I’m not going anywhere. My real family is only Father, Mother, and Elder Brothers, and the only home I have to return to is White Tiger Palace.”

 

“Wh-whimper, sob, hic…”

 

At that unwavering, firm declaration, Gayul began to tear up.

 

“Just like Elder Brother told me long ago that he wouldn’t abandon me, I have no intention of leaving my real family behind either.”

 

“Cotton Ball…!”

 

Then he immediately ran to Soya and threw himself into her small embrace.

 

“Wahhh, I’m sorry.”

 

Gayul sobbed and apologized to Soya.

 

At this, Soya chuckled and hugged him back.

 

Soya patted the sniffling Gayul’s back and asked as if treating a small child.

 

“What are you sorry for?”

 

“I, I ruined all your shoes…”

 

“You didn’t hide them but ruined them?”

 

Soya asked back in surprise.

 

Then Gayul rolled his eyes around and nodded his head.

 

“Yeah… If I just hid them, I thought you’d find them right away…”

 

“H-how did you ruin them?”

 

“Uh, well, that is…”

 

Gayul couldn’t answer properly, hemming and hawing.

 

‘He must have ruined them so badly that they can’t be worn again!’

 

When Soya made a shocked face, Gayul glanced at her nervously and then confessed outright.

 

“I’m sorry. Actually, I, I ate them all.”

 

“…Shoes aren’t meant to be eaten.”

 

“Right. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.”

 

“I’m not scolding Elder Brother, but is your body okay after eating such things? Like getting an upset stomach?”

 

“Mmm… I don’t get upset stomachs. Because I’m a tiger…”

 

Soya looked at Gayul with suspicious eyes.

 

No wonder his lower belly looked particularly bulging when he transformed into a tiger and ran away earlier.

 

He must have transformed and devoured all her shoes with that huge mouth.

 

“If Elder Brother isn’t hurt, then it’s fine. I can just get new shoes.”

 

A short sigh escaped through Soya’s teeth.

 

“…I’m sorry too, Soya.”

 

Ga Hyeon, who had been quiet the whole time, also carefully offered an apology.

 

“It’s not that I didn’t trust you… It’s that I… I couldn’t trust myself… So…”

 

Unlike Gayul who had run to her crying, Ga Hyeon apologized incoherently with a pale face, not knowing what to do.

 

He couldn’t even bring himself to approach Soya.

 

It was a side opposite to the mature and calm appearance Soya usually knew.

 

‘That look… seems to resemble Mother somehow.’

 

It was a vulnerable appearance that she couldn’t just leave alone.

 

‘Oh well, it can’t be helped.’

 

It was a bit hurtful that Elder Brothers had caused such trouble thinking she might leave.

 

However, she knew that at the foundation of their actions was affection for her.

 

So Soya decided to extend her hand first.

 

“Hyeoni Elder Brother is also very sorry to me, right?”

 

Soya approached Ga Hyeon and gently took his hand as she asked.

 

Then Ga Hyeon looked at Soya with trembling eyes and barely managed to answer.

 

“…Yes, I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry, Soya.”

 

“Then as much as you’re sorry, will you congratulate me? I finally finished my First Growth Phase today.”

 

When Soya said that, Ga Hyeon’s eyes also turned red.

 

“Congratulations, Soya.”

 

Soon he pulled Soya into a tight embrace and said.

 

“Our Soya. Congratulations on growing up so wonderfully.”

 

Ga Hyeon offered his belated congratulations in a voice wet with emotion.

 

“I should have been the first to congratulate you, but I was foolishly too late, wasn’t I?”

 

At those words, Soya smiled brightly.

 

“It’s not too late yet. There’s still a long time before today ends.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Yeonjeong told me they prepared steamed rice cake with red bean paste for the banquet hall today. Elder Brother likes that too.”

 

“…”

 

“So let’s eat lots of delicious food together at the banquet hall, and look at the gifts in my room a little later.”

 

At that affectionate voice, no different from usual, Ga Hyeon’s chest tightened.

 

Toward Ga Hyeon who couldn’t give any answer, and toward Gayul who was still sniffling and making nose-blowing sounds beside them, Soya asked.

 

“Oh, and shall we go visit Mother next month? Hyeoni Elder Brother, Yul Elder Brother, and me – the three of us like this.”

 

“…!”

 

“…!”

 

At Soya’s words as she asked with her eyes gently closed, Ga Hyeon and Gayul’s faces brightened considerably.

 

“Yes! Let’s go! Let’s go together, Cotton Ball!”

 

“Yes, Soya. Let’s go visit Mother.”

 

Watching the two who had been completely dejected but immediately perked up at her single comment, Soya burst into giggles.

 

“C-Cotton Ball! I, I want to properly see how you’ve grown!”

 

Noticing that her mood had softened, Gayul quickly seized the opportunity and asked.

 

“Elder Brother is also so curious about how our Soya has grown.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Soya narrowed her eyes for a moment and looked at the two, then asked in a serious voice.

 

“Fine. But you can’t tease me, okay?”

 

“Tease you? Why would we tease you?”

 

Gayul rubbed his puffy eyes and tilted his head.

 

Pop!

 

Instead of answering, Soya directly transformed to show them.

 

Then she became a small bird with beautiful red feathers on her back, wings, and tail.

 

“Wow…!”

 

“So cool, Soya…”

 

Ga Hyeon and Gayul were so amazed they couldn’t continue speaking.

 

“I’m a bit small, aren’t I?”

 

Soya asked somewhat hesitantly as she flew up.

 

Then, from her wing flapping, a single red feather fluttered down below.

 

Having just finished her growth pains, it was a period when feathers fell particularly often.

 

Ga Hyeon and Gayul squabbled with each other, trying to claim Soya’s feather.

 

At that sight, Soya flapped her wings in midair and laughed with a chirping sound.

 

Saeon, who stood a step behind, also let out a chuckle watching that scene.

 

“I thought our Baby Cotton Ball was just soft and fluffy, but when she’s angry, she’s really scary.”

 

“Cotton Ball Miss’s expression when she gets angry looked exactly like the Family Head’s, didn’t it?”

 

Jeok Yeong casually remarked to Saeon from the side.

 

“Like me?”

 

“Yes. The way she raises just this eyebrow like this… Whew. I’d better treat the Young Lady well from now on.”

 

When Jeok Yeong put on an exaggerated act, Saeon also nodded and played along.

 

“True. I had the same thought just now. How fortunate that I’m higher in rank than Cotton Ball.”

 

Soon Saeon approached the children.

 

“It’s good to see you’ve made up.”

 

He placed each hand on Ga Hyeon and Gayul’s shoulders respectively and grinned.

 

“But you’ll have to take responsibility for what you did today, won’t you, tigers?”

 

At that particularly gentle yet chilling soft voice, the two tiger young masters’ bodies trembled with a start.

 

* * *

 

Due to what they did that day, Ga Hyeon and Gayul each received punishment.

 

Gayul received relatively light punishment: cleaning the White Tiger Palace thoroughly and buying the prettiest flower shoes as a gift for his sister as compensation for ruining all of her shoes.

 

Gayul gladly emptied out all his allowance to buy and gift Soya the prettiest shoes.

 

Meanwhile, Ga Hyeon’s punishment was somewhat heavier.

 

Saeon ordered Ga Hyeon to visit the Gray Wolves, apologize for the wrongs he committed as direct lineage of the White Tiger Family, and live with the Gray Wolves in the Guard Unit for two weeks.

 

Thanks to that, Soya had been feeling Ga Hyeon’s absence these past few days.

 

The Eastern Lands festival wasn’t far off.

 

Soya planned to visit the Eastern Lands with her Elder Brothers once Ga Hyeon’s punishment ended.

 

It was to meet Cheongha and see the Eastern Lands festival she had long been curious about, but on the other hand…

 

‘I need to go to the Eastern Lands and awaken Azure Dragon.’

 

It was also to confirm Azure Dragon’s Sacred Artifact and awaken Azure Dragon.

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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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