Chapter 32
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Chapter 32
Jeok Soya sat atop a boulder, basking in the sunlight, her mind consumed by troubled thoughts.
[Something had obscured your traces. Perhaps you'd recently received something suspicious from someone....]
When the Second Young Master had asked that question, one thing suddenly came to mind.
The sachet she'd received from Siyo.
'It must be that sachet.'
More precisely, the fragrance that had permeated it.
There was no doubt it had driven the beasts into a frenzy and erased her scent.
By now, the fragrance had dissipated entirely, leaving no trace in the sachet—so there was no evidence, but....
'Siyo dislikes me.'
Jeok Soya had always known this truth.
The way Siyo looked at her carried a peculiar sharpness.
She had endured such gazes countless times before, and she'd become adept at discerning whether someone favored or despised her.
Yet she'd accepted the sachet from Siyo with genuine joy—a habit born from growing accustomed to people's kindness during her time at Baek Ho Palace.
Knowing she would soon depart.
Before leaving, she simply wanted to experience the warmth of someone's goodwill, even if only for a fleeting moment....
'How foolish of me. I nearly died at the Summer Festival for the same reason. I should have doubted the kindness of someone who dislikes me....'
Yet Jeok Soya found it unbearably painful to suspect anyone.
She could dimly sense why Siyo disliked her.
There was only one reason people despised Jeok Soya.
Because she was a wretched fledgling who stole what belonged to others.
But this time, she harbored no intention to steal anything.
She merely wished to savor this sweet 'temporary' existence a little longer before departing.
As Jeok Soya sat lost in thought, fidgeting with her fingers.
"Jeok Soya!"
Arang suddenly thrust her face forward.
"Are you alright? You nearly died yesterday!"
"Arang?"
"Baek Gayul, that foolish tiger! Always showing off, acting like such a dimwitted beast!"
Arang spat venom as she hurled insults at Baek Gayul without restraint.
Beneath her tirade, Jeok Soya detected a subtle undercurrent of concern directed toward her, and she smiled gently in response.
"But the Young Master is a good person."
"Good? He's the most foolish tiger I know! Don't get close to him anymore!"
"Please don't hate the Young Master so much. Besides, I'll be leaving soon anyway."
"Huh? Leaving?"
Arang's eyes widened in shock as she repeated the words.
"Yes, a new young lady will be arriving soon, so I must vacate my room before then."
...!
Arang's expression crumpled in devastation, and she quickly seized Jeok Soya's hand, crying out.
"Then come with me!"
"Huh...?"
"The Brown Tiger Estate has a huge lake where we can swim and fish! And if you come with me to the mountain, you won't have to fall asleep alone!"
Arang began rattling off the advantages of coming with me in an excited voice, barely pausing to breathe.
"There are a few other foolish tigers like Baek Gayul there too, but I'll protect you so no one can bother you! So come with me to our estate!"
"Ah..."
Jeok Soya, who had been listening to Arang's passionate speech with wide eyes, soon broke into a bright smile and answered.
"Thank you, Arang."
As Arang grasped my hand firmly and urged me to come along, I felt a deep and genuine kindness radiating from her.
The realization that not everyone despised me lifted the melancholy that had weighed on my heart moments before.
'If I follow Arang, perhaps I could visit Baek Ho Palace again often? After all, Arang is close with the Youngest Young Master.'
It was at that moment when Jeok Soya was entertaining a thought that would have made Arang leap with delight.
A palanquin passed through the gate, and a girl with long black hair descended with a sullen expression.
"Oh? Isn't that Huk Sahye from the Heuk Ho Family?"
At the sound of her name being mentioned, Huk Sahye turned to look toward where Jeok Soya and Arang stood, but she quickly passed by with a cold breeze, her demeanor frigid.
"She seems to be in a bad mood."
"I know why she's like that."
Arang giggled as she explained.
"She's in love with the Gaya Prince and keeps saying she'll marry him."
"The Gaya Prince?"
"Yeah, the eldest young master of the Baekho Family."
Jeok Soya had heard that name before.
The eldest prince of the Baekho Family, who was the same age as San Yu, the eldest brother of the Jujak Family, who was fifteen this year.
I had heard that the Gaya Prince resembled Sayeon most among the three young masters.
"But if she's registered into the Baekho Family, she'll become siblings with the Gaya Prince. That's why she refused to attend this Mountain Lord Festival, but she was forced to come by her parents' insistence."
"I'm not sure, but she must be terribly upset."
Jeok Soya had never been romantically interested in anyone before, so she couldn't fully understand that feeling.
But if she had to do something against her will, it would certainly be distressing.
"Anyway, that's why Eun Siyo is being so arrogant. Since neither I nor Huk Sahye are interested in the direct line position, she thinks the Western End Room belongs to her."
"I see."
At the mention of Siyo's name, Jeok Soya faltered slightly, but answered calmly as if nothing had happened.
Arang stuck close to Jeok Soya's side and told her various stories.
Thanks to that, Jeok Soya had cast off the worries that had filled her moments before and was now smiling with a much brighter expression.
'Huh?'
A dark creature in the distance caught Jeok Soya's eye.
'Who is that...?'
Whoosh!
As Jeok Soya suddenly jumped to her feet, Arang grabbed her.
"Jeok Soya? Where are you going!"
"I have somewhere I need to go for a moment! Let's talk again later, Arang!"
Jeok Soya dashed past Arang toward the back of the building where she had spotted the dark creature moments before.
"Kyee, kyeeing!"
Behind the deserted building, Seol Yo wagged his tail with his tongue peeking out playfully toward Jeok Soya.
"Seol Yo!"
"Kyeang!"
Jeok Soya felt both delighted and anxious watching Seol Yo bound toward me with such joy.
"You shouldn't be here—it's dangerous. Go back up the mountain."
"Kyeeing, whimper..."
Seol Yo shook his head firmly in refusal.
"Oh dear, if people see you here..."
I was terrified that Seol Yo might be discovered and harmed by the servants.
That was when it happened.
"It seems you've made a new friend."
"Sayeon!"
I spun around toward the voice with evident relief.
There stood Sayeon, whom I hadn't seen in two days.
He had left early yesterday morning and returned late last night.
Torn between joy at seeing Sayeon and worry about Seol Yo, I rushed to explain myself.
"Oh, this one isn't bad, really! He's not—"
"Don't worry, cotton ball. I have no intention of harming your friend."
Sayeon, sensing my anxiety, glanced at Seol Yo and spoke reassuringly.
"I brought him here myself."
"You did?"
I blinked rapidly, tilting my head in confusion.
"Then did you steal this one too, just like you stole me?"
"Well, something like that."
"...!"
At his frank admission, I gasped in shock and quickly glanced around us.
Fortunately, no one had overheard our conversation.
"Phew."
"Why the sigh?"
"If someone heard, it would be terrible. If rumors spread that you're stealing things like some common thief..."
"What?"
Sayeon's expression shifted to bewilderment before he burst into laughter.
He remembered the words he had spoken to me on the day he first brought me here.
"Right. So you must keep my secret safe, cotton ball."
"Of course, don't worry!"
I clenched my fists and answered with spirited determination.
"Hmm, but cotton ball."
Sayeon examined me carefully, his brow furrowing slightly.
"You've lost weight while I was away. Has the Red Fox Clan been starving you?"
"No, no! Yesterday, Yeon Jeong even packed me a lunch box, and then.... Eek?"
Jeok Soya's body suddenly whooshed—! lifting into the air.
"Hmm."
Sayeon tilted his head with a deliberately serious expression.
"Or not? You seem to have gotten heavier."
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