The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 89
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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 89
Soya’s eyes widened as she saw the navy blue handkerchief embroidered with rosa rugosa flowers.
In the free and unrestrained atmosphere of the Eastern Lands, there was a custom where boys and girls who had completed their First Growth would offer handkerchiefs embroidered with rosa rugosa flowers to propose courtship.
Breaking off a rosa rugosa branch in response meant acceptance, while returning the handkerchief as is indicated rejection.
When Mother had told her about it yesterday, she had simply listened with passing interest, thinking it was just an amusing custom, never imagining she would actually receive such a handkerchief herself.
Soya stared at Ahan with a surprised expression, not even thinking to accept the handkerchief.
Then Ahan smiled gently and pressed the handkerchief firmly into her hand.
“I’ll wait for Young Lady’s answer.”
“I…!”
Soya tried to respond, but Ahan disappeared just like that.
Left alone, Soya stared blankly at the spot where he had vanished.
Only Chirpy was beside Soya, chirping and twittering.
“Soya. We’re back…”
He stopped short.
Ga Hyeon, who had been returning with Jeoka after obtaining tickets for the martial arts tournament, came to an abrupt halt when he saw the handkerchief in Soya’s hand.
“Cotton Ball! What is that thing!”
Gayul, who had been buying snacks with Su Ri and Seolyeo, also spotted the handkerchief and came running over with fierce eyes.
“It seems Young Lady has received a courtship proposal.”
Jeoka spoke in a calm voice.
Su Ri exclaimed “Oh my!” with an unsuitable exclamation, while Seolyeo froze in place.
Ga Hyeon approached Soya and tried to persuade her.
“Soya. You need to think carefully. Even though you’ve completed your First Growth, you’re only twelve years old.”
“In the Eastern Lands, once you pass ten years old…”
“Shut your mouth, Ho Jeoka.”
Jeoka cautiously pointed this out, but Ga Hyeon’s sharp retort immediately flew back.
“C-Cotton Ball! You’re not actually thinking of accepting that courtship proposal, are you? Right?”
Gayul asked while glaring at the handkerchief in Soya’s hand and breathing heavily.
Seolyeo kept looking at Soya with anxious eyes throughout.
“Ah…”
Soya, who had been staring blankly at the handkerchief, finally came to her senses.
“Don’t worry. I was just a little surprised because I hadn’t expected it. I’ll just return the handkerchief.”
At this, all the Elder Brothers simultaneously relaxed their serious expressions and looked relieved, making Soya burst into quiet laughter.
“Let’s hurry and go watch the martial arts tournament.”
“We still have a little time left. Shall we walk along that coastal path over there in the meantime?”
“Yes, Elder Brother!”
Soya took off her shoes and walked on the sandy beach by the shore.
Every time the waves lapped against her feet, she felt a ticklish sensation.
It was then.
“Have you heard the news? Recently, the rosa rugosa flowers in our Eastern Lands have been withering away.”
She stopped short.
“My, isn’t that a serious matter? Of all things, the rosa rugosa flowers that are the symbol of the Eastern Lands…”
At the voices coming from a distance, Soya unconsciously stopped walking.
“Hasn’t it also been a while since the cries of new life ceased?”
“This is all because that woman is acting as Family Head and Azure Dragon has become angry.”
“It doesn’t make sense for a woman who once had her name registered in another family’s records to represent the Eastern Lands.”
Soya’s face hardened as she quietly eavesdropped on the people’s conversation.
‘People are talking about Mother.’
She realized that the ‘that woman’ they were referring to was Cheongha.
As Soya looked at them with a hurt expression, Ga Hyeon approached her side.
“Don’t mind them, Soya. They’re all just talking nonsense.”
“Those people were speaking badly about Mother.”
“Since the Family Head is young and away at the battlefield, some retainers are eyeing that position. Moreover, since Mother was once a member of the White Tiger Family, they’re using that as a reason to disparage her like that.”
“…”
“But they won’t be able to easily touch her because of the alliance with the White Tiger Family.”
Ga Hyeon explained that thanks to him visiting the Eastern Lands since two years ago and demonstrating the alliance with the White Tiger Family, those who had been openly opposing the Azure Dragon Family were now keeping their heads down.
Instead, they were spreading such nonsense behind the scenes.
“Really, Mother should have asked Father for help in advance. Though I know that’s not her personality.”
Though Ga Hyeon spoke in a deliberately bright voice, Soya was still bothered by it.
‘Couldn’t I help Mother somehow?’
While watching the martial arts tournament with her Elder Brothers, Soya quietly slipped away and went to find the rosa rugosa colony that people had been whispering about.
Originally, the rosa rugosa flowers that bloomed here were blessed by the Azure Dragon and would not wither even in the depths of winter.
However, the crimson flowers that had become the symbol of the Eastern Lands were now withered and dried up, twisted and shriveled.
Soya tried using purification flames on the withered flowers.
But there was no effect whatsoever.
―Those plants aren’t contaminated, they’ve lost their life force. That’s why Suzaku’s flames are useless too.
“Then how can these flowers be brought back to life?”
Soya asked while stroking the rosa rugosa leaves that wouldn’t come back to life.
―Life is the symbol of the Azure Dragon. Since this happened because his spirit Hwageuk disappeared, you’d have to find that first.
* * *
The next morning.
Soya went to the Blue Shark Mansion in the Underwater Zone to return the handkerchief.
Ga Bok guided Soya to the pavilion in the inner courtyard, then disappeared, asking her to wait a moment.
Soya waited for Ahan while admiring the scenery of the inner courtyard.
Even in the Underwater Zone, she could see flowers and trees from the land, which was also said to be thanks to the Dragon God’s blessing.
Looking at the landscape spread before her eyes, it was no different from land, but when she raised her head to look up, the blue Blue Sea stretched out above, which was truly mysterious and beautiful.
While Soya sat on the pavilion with a relaxed expression, admiring this view.
Chirpy, who was sitting on Soya’s shoulder, spotted a plump, appetizing-looking bug.
“Chirp chirp―”
Chirpy fluttered down and scurried along with quick little steps.
“Chirpy, you can’t go over there.”
“Tweet!”
However, Chirpy didn’t listen to Soya and headed deep into the inner courtyard.
So Soya quickly chased after and caught Chirpy.
“You, just recently you got into trouble with your gluttony and were severely stung by a poisonous bug. What will you do if you cause trouble again over food like this?”
“Peep!”
Chirpy, caught by Soya, chirped pitifully in her arms.
“Crying won’t work either. Come on, let’s go out…”
Soya, who was about to take Chirpy outside, suddenly stopped and looked around.
‘Huh?’
Soya blinked, feeling a strange sense of incongruity.
‘Why only in this place…?’
Deep in the inner courtyard of the Blue Shark Mansion, red rosa rugosa flowers were blooming brilliantly in full bloom.
And a short while later.
Soya, who had visited the Blue Shark Mansion with Chirpy, came out of the mansion alone.
However, the brothers waiting for Soya outside the mansion had no interest in Chirpy’s whereabouts.
“You rejected them properly, right?”
Gayul bounced over to Soya and immediately asked her that first.
“No. I agreed to go watch the fireworks with the young master of the Blue Shark Family.”
Soya shook her head with a bright smile.
“What?”
“Soya!”
Ga Hyeon and Gayul shouted simultaneously.
“Cotton Ball! Don’t tell me you’ve taken a liking to that guy?”
“Soya, as I said before, you’re only twelve years old. You’re too young to be dating.”
“I’m not dating that young master, I’m just going to watch the fireworks with him.”
That day, the two brothers spent the entire festival frantically trying to persuade Soya, but she only smiled sweetly in response.
In the end, Ga Hyeon and Gayul gave up, unable to convince Soya any further due to her firm resolve.
And that evening.
Soya waited by the open window for Chirpy to return.
When Chirpy finally returned, he told Soya what he had heard at the Blue Shark Family.
“So that’s what they were saying.”
“Chirp chirp!”
“Thank you, Chirpy.”
When Soya petted his head, the small skylark sang cheerfully, “Trill-trill-trill―”
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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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Mara55
It looks like the shark family is hiding the artifact. I’m suspicious of the son now. Why approach so suddenly.