Chapter 31
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
Chapter 31
When Sara returned from touring the Western Lands with representatives from each family, the atmosphere at Baek Ho Palace felt decidedly off.
"What happened?"
"Master, it's that...."
As the explanation unfolded, Sara's face hardened like stone.
"What? The cotton puff got lost on the mountain?"
The sky had already darkened to the point where night was falling.
Sara was about to leap toward Horim Mountain to search for Jeok Soya when—
He paused.
In the distance, two small figures descended from the mountain.
Baek Gahyun was carrying Jeok Soya on his back.
"It's the Young Master and the young lady!"
"It seems Young Master Gahyun found the cotton puff young lady!"
"Ha...."
Sara exhaled a short breath.
"Father."
Baek Gahyun bowed his head deeply before Sara.
Meanwhile, Jeok Soya remained clinging to Baek Gahyun's back, sleeping soundly.
"I've heard the gist of it. You did well, Gahyun. You protected Baek Ho Palace well in my absence."
"...."
"She must be heavy. Hand the child over to me."
"No. I'll take her to her room."
In the way Baek Gahyun spoke, I sensed an uncharacteristic stubbornness.
At this, Sara chuckled softly and nodded.
"Very well."
Baek Gahyun headed toward Jeok Soya's room while carrying her, with Yeon Jeong and San Ho following behind.
Sara watched them for a moment, then his gaze shifted as he sensed something strange nearby.
"Whine...."
Not far away, a dark beast stared at Jeok Soya while stamping its feet restlessly.
"That is...."
Sara's eyes narrowed.
"Why is that creature here?"
It was certainly the beast Sara had picked up during the protracted war with the Northern Lands seven years ago.
The one who was wary of strangers and feared people, who had fled to the mountains the moment it arrived at Baek Ho Palace, had now descended all the way here.
Moreover, the way it stamped its feet while watching Jeok Soya looked exactly like it wanted to follow her but was afraid because there were too many people around.
As Sara observed this with narrowed eyes, Seol Yo suddenly met his gaze and bolted away.
"Huh?"
Sara raised one eyebrow in exasperation.
* * *
The next day, Jeok Soya woke up a bit later than usual.
Jeok Soya heard that everyone had been worried because she hadn't returned.
"Me...?"
Jeok Soya didn't understand at first and asked again.
"Yes, Miss! As if we'd be worried about the Young Masters of the Silver Tiger Family."
As San Ho answered with passionate conviction, Yeon Jeong, who had been combing Jeok Soya's hair, nodded in agreement.
"Ah...."
The fact that everyone had worried about me—it was such a strange feeling.
When I was at the Jujak Residence, no one paid attention to me.
Once, I was locked in the Storage Room and went hungry for an entire day, spending the night awake.
If Ga Bok hadn't happened to pass by and come in looking for something, I might have actually starved to death in there.
But no one at that place ever searched for me or worried about me.
However, the people at Baek Ho Palace were different.
The Young Master who searched through the mountains looking for me, and the other people at Baek Ho Palace who waited for me anxiously late into the night....
The fact that everyone had worried about me so much made my heart swell with emotion.
'I've been feeling so many strange emotions since coming to Baek Ho Palace.'
"Still, I'm so glad you weren't injured, Miss."
"I'm sorry for causing you all worry."
"What do you have to apologize for, Miss? I told this boy Suri to take good care of you."
It was then that San Ho, Suri's older sister, was grumbling as she mentioned her younger brother.
'Huh...?'
As I casually glanced toward the window, something caught my eye.
Pure white hair was sticking up between the wooden window bars.
I rose from my seat and pushed open the wooden window.
Then Baek Gayul, who had been sitting on the branch outside, suddenly froze.
"H-hiccup...!"
"Youngest Young Master?"
"I-I wasn't trying to peek, no, I was just curious if you had recovered well, so...."
Baek Gayul's eyes were flushed red.
"S-cotton ball, I'm sorry, I, I was so stupid and couldn't even protect you.... Ugh, ugh, waaahhh!"
Baek Gayul, who had been speaking through sniffles, soon burst into tears.
"Young Master...!"
I was startled and reached out toward Baek Gayul.
"Please don't cry, Young Master. I'm fine. I came back safely like this. So...."
But before my hand could reach his eyes, Baek Gayul transformed with a 'pop!' into a tiger cub and hid himself among the branches.
Unlike how his tail had always swayed gently, peeking out between the leaves before me, it now hung limply without strength.
I wanted to comfort him—he looked so pitiful—but I didn't know how to climb trees.
So I could only gaze at him sadly, thinking 'What should I do?'
"Leave him be, Jeok Soya. He deserves more scolding."
Turning around at the gentle voice from the doorway, I saw Baek Gahyun standing there.
"Baek Gahyun...!"
"How are you feeling?"
"Oh, that's right, Young Master. I have something for you!"
Jeok Soya pulled flowers from a bamboo basket.
"These!"
"These are...."
"Sky flowers! I heard you like them, Young Master!"
Baek Gahyun paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the sky flowers in Jeok Soya's hands.
So yesterday, when Jeok Soya climbed Horim Mountain, she had gone to pick flowers as a gift for me. What was so special about these flowers....
"Thank you, Jeok Soya."
Baek Gahyun suppressed the surge of emotion welling up inside and smiled softly.
"But we promised yesterday, didn't we? That you'd call me something other than Young Master."
"Oh...."
Jeok Soya hesitated.
Now that he mentioned it, I remembered having that conversation while riding on the Young Master's back as we descended the mountain.
"That's... um... I forgot, older brother."
Jeok Soya answered in a slightly awkward voice and smiled sheepishly.
At that, Baek Gayul's body, hidden among the tree branches, trembled, and leaves fluttered down.
"Jeok Soya, would you like to take a morning walk with your older brother?"
"Kwang! Kwang! (No!)"
It wasn't Jeok Soya who answered, but Baek Gayul.
"Kwang! Kwang! (Why...! Why is big brother the older brother of the cotton ball?)"
No matter how much coaxing, Baek Gayul, who had been hiding among the branches, suddenly burst out and cried.
"Young Master, have you stopped crying now?"
Jeok Soya asked with delight.
"Grrr.... Kwang! Kwang, kwang! (I want to be an older brother too! Let me be an older brother, cotton ball!)"
Baek Gayul, who had somehow leaped through the window into Jeok Soya's room, began throwing a tantrum and rolling on the floor.
"You couldn't even protect Jeok Soya and only made things more dangerous for her, yet you want to be an older brother? All you know how to do is roll on the ground and throw tantrums—don't you realize how pathetic that is? You're a disgrace to tigers. It's embarrassing, so stop rolling and get up."
Baek Gahyun shot back with a sharp tone.
Jeok Soya startled, her eyes widening as she looked at Baek Gahyun.
'So the Youngest Young Master speaks so harshly by nature.'
Noticing Jeok Soya's gaze belatedly, Baek Gahyun paused and turned to her.
"Uh... Jeok Soya?"
"I realized that you weren't saying those things because you especially dislike me, Young Master—or rather, older brother."
Jeok Soya answered with a gentle smile.
"Ah.... It's not that, I...."
Baek Gahyun, caught in his harsh nature, made excuses with an embarrassed expression.
"Kwang! Kwang! (That's right! Big brother is a bad tiger who only picks mean words!)"
Baek Gayul cried out indignantly.
Yet his eyes and nose were still red.
Jeok Soya bent toward Baek Gayul and handed him a handkerchief.
"Have you finally stopped crying, Young Master?"
"Grrr... Grrrowl! (You...! Don't talk to me like I'm some child!)"
At Gayul's indignant response, Jeok Soya chuckled softly.
The Youngest Young Master truly looked far more fitting when spirited like this than when he'd been downcast.
Then, her thoughts suddenly drifted to Seol Yo.
"Oh, that's right. What happened to that child from yesterday? The one who protected me...."
"Now that you mention it, he kept following behind us, but at some point he just vanished."
"Ah.... I see."
Jeok Soya felt a pang of regret.
'Did he return to the mountain?'
Perhaps it was for the best.
If he'd drawn attention, he might have been harmed simply for being a demonic beast.
"More importantly, Soya. Who did you tell about climbing Horim Mountain with Gayul yesterday?"
At that moment, Baek Gahyun asked in a grave voice.
"Something felt off. The beasts' sudden aggression, and when I tried to track you, I couldn't catch your scent."
I froze.
My expression hardened noticeably.
A particular person came to mind immediately.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org