Chapter 36
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Chapter 36
When Jeok Soya was younger—not that she was fully grown even now, but far smaller and more childish than she was today.
Watching me grieve over Ga Bok, who had been cast out for embezzling the family's wealth, Father had spoken to me.
[Discerning the wicked and exposing their misdeeds is not a bad thing, Soya. You must be able to call what is wrong, wrong.]
[Especially as a direct descendant of the Jujak Family, you must protect the young nestlings of the Southern Lands. If you ignore wrongdoing and pretend not to see it, other innocent young nestlings may suffer harm.]
Of course, the Jeok Soya of now was no longer a direct descendant of the Jujak Family, nor did she have young nestlings to protect.
Yet I still remembered that teaching I had heard upon Father's lap in those childhood days.
Perhaps by exposing Siyo's misdeeds, I might worsen the relationship between Siyo and Sayeon.
But harming others was wrong.
'Sayeon would not wish for such actions either. Because he possesses such a warm and broad back—the kind that protects someone.'
Recalling Sayeon's broad back that had sheltered me mere moments before, I laid bare every single thing Siyo had done.
"But the same fragrance came from the palanquins of the other young ladies. If we leave it as is, I fear something dangerous will happen tomorrow..."
"That's a lie!"
Siyo, growing desperate, cut me off with a sharp voice.
"That girl stole someone else's position even in the Southern Lands! She's a criminal who stole what belonged to others and fled!"
"What...?"
In an instant, all eyes turned toward me.
"The Jujak Family keeps it quiet, but everyone inside the family knows the story! That girl stole the position of the Jujak Family's youngest daughter and pretended to be their child before being cast out!"
"..."
"She's a liar and a fraud! How could anyone believe what she says? She's slandering me now just to take the Western End Room!"
"..."
With each word Siyo spat out, my body trembled.
I had steeled myself for this.
The moment I exposed her misdeeds, she would reveal all my secrets to everyone.
Being remembered as a bad child by everyone was somewhat sorrowful.
But I could not pretend not to see someone being harmed.
Because it would be far more sorrowful if others were hurt because I turned a blind eye.
Thus I was able to endure the sorrow of my shame being laid bare.
"Sayeon."
I approached Sayeon, whose face had gone rigid, and handed him the fragrance sachet.
"Here—this is the fragrance sachet I found in the palanquins of Arang and Sahye. It's the same one Siyo gave to me."
Though Sayeon's expression, as he looked at me without smiling, was somewhat frightening, I explained as calmly as I could manage.
"The Youngest Young Master was there with us, so he can serve as a witness."
"Y-yes, that's right! I saw it! The silver tiger gave the cotton ball something that looked exactly like that!"
Baek Gayul, who had been standing among the crowd, suddenly chimed in eagerly.
Sayeon, who had silently received the fragrance sachet from me, suddenly froze.
"A fragrance...?"
Sayeon's expression grew grave. He could not smell any scent.
"Cotton ball. Did you really smell a fragrance here?"
"Yes? Yes."
Jeok Soya nodded.
At that, the crowd began to murmur. Not just Sayeon—none of them could detect any scent.
"Look, look. Even from this close distance, there's no scent at all. That child is lying..."
Just as Siyo pressed her advantage and began backing Jeok Soya into a corner, Sayeon handed the sachet to Jeok Young and spoke.
"Jeok Young, take this at once and find Baek Sara to inform her of the full circumstances."
"Yes, Head of House."
The moment Baek Sara's name was mentioned, Siyo's face went pale.
The sachet Siyo had used was crafted using sorcery from the Northern Lands.
As a priestess of Baek Ho Palace, Baek Sara would immediately recognize the sorcery.
If that happened, it would be revealed that the sachet was indeed defective as the child claimed, and if by any chance everything I've done came to light...
'This can't happen. I must become a direct member of the Baekho Family. If I don't...'
"Head of House! Why do you only listen to that child's claims?"
At that moment, a woman stepped forward, wrapping her trembling arms around Siyo.
The woman was the mistress of the Silver Tiger Family and Siyo's Mother.
"Isn't the reason we're seeking out a priestess from White Tiger Temple to determine the truth?"
"Determining the truth itself is a disgrace to the Eun Ho Family! And even if our Siyo truly did threaten that child, what problem could that possibly be?"
Siyo's Mother pointed at Jeok Soya and cried out.
"You cannot punish a tiger because of some insignificant child of unclear status!"
Jeok Soya did not refute the sharp words directed at her, only staring down at her toes.
It was familiar, and it was expected.
Only, unlike her, Siyo had parents who sheltered her, and so Jeok Soya found herself envying that, her nose beginning to sting with the threat of tears.
Then it happened.
Whoosh—
A massive shadow fell beside Jeok Soya.
'...!'
Jeok Soya's eyes, which had been fixed on her toes, widened into perfect circles.
A vast and warm presence enveloped her small hand.
Without lifting her head, Jeok Soya knew exactly who possessed this immense and gentle warmth.
In that moment, her nose stung sharply and her eyes grew hot with emotion.
"Who said this child was nothing?"
Sayeon, standing beside Jeok Soya, grasped the small hand and spoke with barely contained fury.
"She is my child, whom I brought here."
"W-we understand that! That the child is your guest, Head of House! But even so..."
"You don't seem to understand what I'm saying."
Sayeon cut off the silver tiger's words with a sharp click of his tongue.
"Cotton ball is my child."
In that instant, Jeok Soya lifted her head without thinking.
But Sayeon did not look at Jeok Soya.
Instead, he fixed a piercing gaze upon those gathered around them,
"My child."
He simply emphasized those three syllables once more, pouring strength into each word.
* * *
Sayeon separated Jeok Soya from the others until the situation calmed.
Baek Gahyun led Jeok Soya to a nearby empty room.
Jeok Soya sat blankly in a chair, fidgeting with her fingers as her thoughts consumed her.
[She is my child, the one I brought here.]
[The cotton ball is my child.]
My child....
Why would Sayeon say such things?
'It was as if he were trying to protect me.'
In that moment, I didn't envy Eun Siyo at all.
Come to think of it, Sayeon has always protected me since our first meeting.
'Just like... a father.'
The moment that thought crossed my mind, I startled and shook my head vigorously.
'A father? What am I thinking? How could Sayeon ever become my father?'
Wouldn't that make it seem like I was trying to steal his position, just as Siyo said?
'Sayeon is a strong person. Because he is strong and righteous, he simply protects me.'
So I shouldn't harbor such wicked thoughts.
It wasn't enough that I had stolen Riri's family—I couldn't covet someone else's as well.
'And yet... it was truly warm.'
I gazed quietly at my fingertips where Sayeon's warmth had lingered.
Then suddenly, I realized that Baek Gahyun hadn't spoken a word since earlier.
When I lifted my head absently, I found him staring at the bundle slung across my shoulder, his face drained of all color.
"Um... Young Master?"
Baek Gahyun, who had been silent all this time, slowly parted his lips.
"Why...."
The voice that escaped between his weakly opened lips trembled like that of someone on the verge of tears.
"Why were you planning to leave so easily?"
"Pardon?"
I blinked, looking at him.
"The brown tiger told me everything. You were planning to leave Baek Ho Palace."
"Ah...."
"That bundle on your shoulder. The clothes you're wearing and the shoes on your feet. You look exactly like someone about to leave."
Baek Gahyun spoke through gritted teeth.
Everyone else had been too preoccupied to notice, but I was unmistakably dressed like someone departing soon.
And that cool, orderly air I had felt the moment I stepped into this room.
So I really had been planning to leave Baek Ho Palace.
"Well, I was only supposed to stay here for a while before leaving anyway."
I nodded obediently and answered.
"Who said that! That you have to leave...!"
Baek Gahyun, who had been protesting vehemently as though Jeok Soya's departure were inevitable, suddenly froze.
When Jeok Soya first arrived at this place.
He recalled that he himself had been the one most opposed to her using the Western End Room.
It was he who had made no effort to hide his annoyance at the child who followed him with her short, hurried steps.
Even knowing she watched his moods carefully, it was he who deliberately drew boundaries and pushed her away.
"...Is it because of me?"
Baek Gahyun's voice trembled as he asked.
"It's because of me, isn't it? You're trying to leave because I spoke badly to you and treated you poorly?"
"No, Young Master. I just...."
"Look at that. You're calling me Young Master again right now."
"It's only because I'm still not accustomed to it...."
Unfortunately, Jeok Soya's explanation did not reach Baek Gahyun's ears.
"I'm sorry. I'm truly, truly sorry. So please don't go, Soya. Stay with us at Baek Ho Palace."
"...."
At Baek Gahyun's voice, which sounded as though he were on the verge of tears and pleading, Jeok Soya hesitated, uncertain how to respond.
"But if I continue to stay here, it may become uncomfortable for Siyo, and also...."
Jeok Soya was enumerating the reasons she had to leave, one by one.
Creak―
The door opened and Sayeon appeared.
"So."
He walked toward Jeok Soya with measured steps, his expression somewhat weary.
"You were truly planning to leave, cotton ball?"
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