The White Tiger Clan’s Baby Cotton Ball - Chapter 99
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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 99
“Somsom?”
At this, Gaya blinked his eyes and looked down at his bulging collar, then raised his head again.
Then he frowned at the silhouette of a man visible across from him.
‘Just now, did Somsom… hide after seeing that guy?’
With that thought, he suddenly felt unpleasant.
‘This is strangely… really annoying.’
Just as his expression was turning sour, the man across from him also spotted Gaya and stopped walking.
Gaya pulled at his collar to hide the red tail tip poking out between the fabric and glared at his opponent.
“Young Master Gaya?”
Though his gaze was fierce enough to tear someone apart, Jeok Sanyu didn’t seem particularly bothered.
Because Baek Gaya always looked at him with those same eyes.
Somehow Gaya’s gaze felt especially savage today, but more than that, Jeok Sanyu had been concerned about something else for a while now.
“Didn’t you hear a bird’s cry just now?”
Soya, who was hiding inside Gaya’s collar, trembled slightly.
“I wonder. I didn’t hear anything.”
Gaya pulled his collar tighter and feigned ignorance.
“No. I’m certain…”
“You must be hearing things after being on the battlefield too long, you burning chicken head.”
“…”
At the sarcastic tone, Jeok Sanyu’s eyes hardened.
‘Well, I suppose. There’s no way bird songs would be heard in this desolate northern land crawling only with demon beasts.’
Jeok Sanyu withdrew, and Soya let out a sigh of relief.
Glancing out from Gaya’s collar, Soya poked her head out slightly and watched Jeok Sanyu’s retreating figure as he turned and walked away.
His red hair tied up high swayed gently with his gait.
‘Sanyu Elder Brother…’
The last time she saw Sanyu, he was twelve years old, exactly Soya’s current age.
That same person had now grown as tall as Father.
‘Well, he’s already at the age where he would have completed his second growth stage.’
In beastman society, eighteen years old, when the second growth stage is completed, marks the distinction between adulthood and childhood.
Seeing him made her feel very strange.
Young Soya had always waited for the war to end and for him to return after he left the estate.
He had been such a wonderful elder brother.
Every night he would read fairy tale books to Soya and tell her stories about the world beyond the estate wall that she was curious about.
It was none other than him who taught Soya how to read and write, and young Soya learned about the world through him.
On nights when Soya had scary dreams and couldn’t sleep, he would stay by his young sister’s bedside until she fell asleep.
As if trying to fill their mother’s absence, he had been such a kind and caring elder brother.
‘But…’
Soya thought of Jeok Ayun and Jeok Hwayu.
She recalled their sharp gazes and cold voices from that day when they abandoned her in an instant.
[Take her spirit core and confine her to the Cold Palace.]
[Who said you were our sister?]
They too had once cherished and loved her dearly, but despite those warm childhood memories, everything changed in an instant.
So Soya… wasn’t sure.
Sanyu Elder Brother, who had always been the kindest person in the world to her.
But would he really have been different from those people?
Soya truly didn’t know.
“Chirp…”
A melancholy bird cry unconsciously flowed from between Soya’s beak.
Her wings seemed to droop somehow.
“Chirp?”
Huh?
Soya blinked at the finger that was firmly held in her beak.
“You don’t have teeth.”
Gaya, who had stuck his finger in her beak, muttered with curiosity.
“I heard birds don’t have teeth, and it’s really true.”
“Wh-what are you doing!”
Soya asked in confusion, pulling her body back.
“Hmm. Still, don’t be too sad, Somsom. Your elder brother will take care of our Somsom for life even without teeth.”
Gaya’s absurd behavior made the wistful feelings Soya had felt while looking at Sanyu completely disappear.
“Wh-what will you take care of?”
“Since Somsom doesn’t have teeth, elder brother will have to hunt for you instead, right?”
“Even without teeth, I have a sharp beak!”
Soya, who had puffed up her body, pecked at Gaya’s palm with her sharp beak.
Just like Chirpy had once done to her.
Gaya burst into laughter at the ticklish feeling on his palm.
After fuming on Gaya’s palm for a while, Soya plopped down on top of it with a flutter.
Soya looked up at Gaya.
Staring intently at that face that resembled Father, Soya asked him.
“Thank you, Elder Brother. You said all those mean things to hide me, didn’t you?”
“Mean things?”
Gaya tilted his head.
“When did I say mean things?”
His question, asked as if he truly didn’t know, felt to Soya like consideration for her sake.
‘He must be pretending not to know so I won’t feel sorry.’
Of course, that wasn’t it.
Gaya truly had no awareness that he had said anything mean.
‘Gaya Elder Brother is really, really such a kind person!’
But Soya completely misunderstood.
* * *
Since Saeon had rushed to the border region at such a fast pace, they would have to wait several more days for the supplies that departed from White Tiger Palace to arrive.
So in the guest barracks prepared for Saeon.
Soya was comfortably in her human form, planning strategy together between Father and Elder Brother.
“So you’re saying that tiny little Somsom has to go to the northern lands?”
When Gaya raised one eyebrow and asked this, a small exclamation escaped from Soya’s mouth.
Because at that moment, Gaya’s expression was exactly like Saeon’s.
She could understand why everyone called Gaya Elder Brother ‘the young master who most resembles the Family Head.’
“It won’t be easy.”
Gaya said with a slight frown.
“Getting past the demon beasts is one problem, but avoiding people’s eyes will be harder. Most importantly, there are two more direct descendants of the Four Great Families here with superior five senses than others.”
“That’s why I need your help.”
“…The extermination battle in two days. It would be best to take advantage of the chaos then. The commander will be pleased if Father offers to help.”
Gaya thought for a moment, then came up with a plan.
“I’ll provide cover, so Father and Somsom should look for an opportunity and return via this route.”
He explained while pointing to the map placed on the table.
“Alright. I’m counting on you.”
“Please take care, Elder Brother.”
Soya also nodded with a face full of determination.
Then Gaya turned to look at Soya and asked in a deliberately playful voice.
“Our little Somsom who doesn’t even have teeth, can you fight well against the demon beasts?”
“I can too…!”
“Don’t underestimate your little sister, Gaya.”
Soya opened her mouth to say something, but Saeon was a bit faster.
“She’s a terrifying Cotton Ball who kills centipede demon beasts without even blinking an eye.”
“Oh.”
Gaya looked at Soya with a surprised expression.
“That’s really amazing, Somsom?”
At the words of Father and Elder Brother praising her, Soya somehow felt proud.
Looking at Soya’s face, which clearly showed signs of becoming a little conceited, Gaya burst into laughter.
Then suddenly.
Pause.
Both Gaya and Saeon paused at the same time, then sensing something, they quickly looked over Soya’s shoulder toward the back.
Soya also quickly turned her head following the two, but all she could see was an ordinary wooden box.
‘Why are they acting like that?’
It was when Soya was tilting her head in confusion.
Screech—!
In an instant, Gaya rushed toward the box at lightning speed.
Crash! Bang!
Soon, with a loud noise, a black baby bird popped out from inside the box.
Recognizing him, Soya’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Seol Yoya!”
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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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