Chapter 116
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Chapter 116
"Really, Older Brother?"
Riri stopped her sniffling, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"Of course. Your Older Brother would do anything for you."
At those words, Riri's mood brightened considerably.
With Jeok Hwayou as her Older Brother, it truly seemed he would grant her every request.
Hadn't he always been that way?
When I asked him to remove Soya, that wretched girl who stole my rightful place, he moved without a moment's hesitation.
Of course, contrary to my wishes, he only sent her away rather than eliminating her, so I had to resort to other measures in the meantime.
"Older Brother really is the best!"
Riri laughed brightly and embraced Jeok Hwayou.
Seeing the young lady's restored good spirits, the maidservants in the room felt relieved as well.
"Oh, that's right, Older Brother. How do you like this trinket? Father obtained it as a gift for me."
Riri proudly displayed the new trinket fastened to her jeogori, spinning in place.
"When I wear this to the victory celebration, will everyone look at me?"
"My, our Riri is so beautiful. Even His Majesty the Emperor at the Imperial Palace wouldn't be able to resist falling for our Riri."
As Jeok Hwayou spoke, the maidservants beside him chimed in agreement.
"Indeed, indeed. That child adopted by the Baekho Family, whose origins are unknown, won't even catch people's eyes."
Hearing such flattering words directed at her, Riri felt absolutely delighted.
Riri recalled the Emperor who had visited the Joojak Residence long ago.
Of course, her Older Brother Jeok Hwayou beside her now possessed refined features as well, but they didn't compare to the Emperor.
She had never seen anyone so magnificent in her entire life.
'How happy I would be if I became the companion of such a man?'
If she stood beside someone so impressive, everyone in the world would envy her.
'I am the only "true daughter" of the Four Great Families. I rightfully deserve to stand at his side.'
It was while Riri harbored such thoughts.
"Now that I think about it, I'll finally be able to introduce you to your Older Brother at this victory celebration."
"Ah, you mean San Yu Older Brother."
Riri, who had been preoccupied with thoughts of seeing the Emperor at the celebration, finally showed interest in her eldest Older Brother, whom she had never met.
"Will San Yu Older Brother like me too?"
"My, of course, young lady."
"Who wouldn't adore our young lady? With such a beautiful face and kind heart."
"Young Master San Yu will surely be captivated, wondering where such a beautiful younger sister came from."
At those words, Riri burst into delighted laughter.
"Oh my, you're all saying such things—I'm getting embarrassed."
Thanks to this, the sharp edge from moments before had completely vanished.
Riri wished in her heart that the day of the banquet would come soon.
* * *
The streets of the Central Capital.
Enormous wolves from Horim Mountain, bearing palanquins marked with the Baekho Family crest, marched toward the Imperial Palace.
The palanquin was grand and ornate enough to comfortably accommodate all four of them—Jeok Soya, Sayeon, Baek Gahyun, and Baek Gayul.
The Baekho Family typically eschewed such conveyances when traveling.
However, this journey to the Imperial Palace was undertaken by imperial decree and served to celebrate Baek Ga Ya's triumphant return.
Thus, they deliberately displayed a magnificent palanquin procession to be seen by the people as they traveled.
"Soya, how are you feeling? Is there anything uncomfortable?"
Baek Gahyun, seated beside Jeok Soya, asked tenderly, concerned lest his sister suffer from motion sickness.
Called the noble prince of the Western Lands for his refined and delicate appearance and gentle temperament, he had just turned sixteen this year and stood on the threshold of his second growth spurt.
"I'm quite fine. I wasn't bothered at all when traveling on Seol Yo, who moves far faster than the wolves of Horim Mountain."
Jeok Soya answered with a soft laugh at her older brother's excessive concern.
"Still, if you find it difficult at any point, tell me right away."
"Yes, Older Brother. Thank you."
"You worry too much, you know. Cotton puff, come over here instead. You're bothering her because of you."
Baek Gayul, seated across from them, patted the space beside him as he spoke.
At fifteen years old, Baek Gayul still possessed a bright and mischievous disposition that endeared him to everyone in Baek Ho Palace.
"Come here and I'll lend you my shoulder! Rest comfortably against me until we arrive at the Imperial Palace!"
Yet Baek Gayul himself was concerned whether Jeok Soya might grow weary from sitting in the palanquin for so long.
Since the day he first met Jeok Soya, his childhood self—constantly fretting and scurrying after that small, delicate girl—remained unchanged.
"Don't try to steal Soya away like that, Gayul. You're fifteen years old now—why are you still being so childish?"
Baek Gahyun spoke to Baek Gayul in a gentle voice.
At this, Baek Gayul bristled.
"Ch-childish? Who's being childish?"
Baek Gayul was fifteen—an age when one believed oneself fully grown, caught in that tempestuous phase of youth.
And the word that provoked the strongest reaction from him these days was precisely "childish."
"And stealing? What are you talking about! Soya is my younger sister! She's my younger sister that I need to protect!"
Seeing Baek Gayul fall for his provocation, Baek Gahyun smiled faintly and spoke.
"Did you know? Soya called me Older Brother before she called you that."
"Hmph. Not Older Brother, but Dumb Brother, more like."
Baek Gayul shot back without backing down, mocking Baek Gahyun with a scoff.
At this, Jeok Soya's face flushed crimson.
"We agreed not to bring that up!"
"Uh, u-uh?"
"Gayul, how can you tease Soya about a mistake she made when she was young? You'll hurt her feelings."
Baek Gahyun chided his younger brother in a gentle voice, as if correcting a child's misdeed.
"Oh, no. I wasn't trying to tease her..."
Baek Gayul stammered in protest.
Having meant to retort to Baek Gahyun, Baek Gayul had inadvertently ended up teasing Jeok Soya instead.
Despite their years, the bond between the young princes of Baekho remained as steadfast as ever.
Jeok Soya gazed down at the streets below with a serene smile on her face.
This was only her second time visiting the Capital since she was six years old.
Perhaps because the war had ended, the faces of the people shone with unmistakable brightness.
The gazes of those watching the Baekho Family's palanquin procession were remarkably favorable.
It had become known that the eldest young master of the Baekho Family was the one who had achieved the greatest merit in this war.
"I'm asking once more. Will you be alright, Cotton Ball?"
At Sayeon's question, Jeok Soya turned her head again.
Sayeon's eyes, fixed upon Jeok Soya, had grown somewhat rigid.
In that gaze, Jeok Soya detected concern directed toward me.
I knew all too well what Father was worried about.
'When I go to the Imperial Palace, those people will be there.'
The heroes of this victory celebration banquet were two people.
Baek Ga Ya of the Baekho Family and Jeok San Yu of the Jujak Family—together, the two of them had defeated Dool.
By now, the people of the Jujak Family would also have been invited to the Imperial Palace banquet and would be coming to the Capital.
"Yes. I'll be fine. There's no reason for me to avoid it."
Jeok Soya answered spiritedly.
Of course, encountering them was not something I welcomed.
'But the fault lies with them, not with me. It would be far too unjust for me to be the one who avoids them.'
Above all, this banquet was a place to reunite with my Older Brother Ga Ya and celebrate together.
It made no sense for me to miss the celebration of my Older Brother simply because I feared encountering those people.
"That's right, Jeok Soya. If those people trouble you or harass you in any way, your Older Brother won't stand for it. Those wretched birds who dare torment our Jeok Soya—I'll pluck every last feather from their heads and leave them bald."
"That's right! No one can torment Cotton Ball! If anyone so much as touches a single feather of Cotton Ball's, I swear by the name of the Baekho Family that we won't forgive them!"
Baek Gahyun and Baek Gayul each added their words.
"See, Father? With our Older Brothers like that, everyone will be too scared to even approach."
Jeok Soya laughed brightly at her dependable Older Brothers' words and spoke.
"You're right. Everyone's so spirited, yet here I was the only one getting anxious."
At this, Sayeon's rigid eyes softened, and he let out a quiet chuckle.
* * *
Meanwhile, among the people watching and cheering at the palanquin procession, there was a man draped entirely from head to toe in a black cloth.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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