Translator: Nox

Chapter 22

Sa-eon swallowed hard as he gazed at the child’s drooping eye corners and her tiny mouth pursed tight like a bird’s beak.

He could see her fingers twitching sadly despite her efforts to hide it, and her gloomy pink eyes peeking up at him cautiously.

The thought that a wrong answer here might disappoint the cotton ball made the tension in the room thicken like a taut wire.

“Wow, she looks just like the Patriarch!”

Jeokyeong jumped into their conversation with an exaggerated voice.

“Oh my, how could this be a cat? She’s clearly a tiger. It seems our Patriarch’s forgetfulness has extended to his eyesight now. What are we to do?”

“You’re right. He’s been getting on in years lately, and his eyes have been dimming. Now that I look again, she’s definitely a tiger.”

Sa-eon quickly picked up Jeokyeong’s words and chimed in agreement.

Soya’s face seemed to brighten for a moment, only to cloud over again right away.

“But if his eyes have gone dim, isn’t that a big problem?”

Soya asked in a worried voice.

“Yes, it is a big problem.”

Sa-eon chuckled softly and nodded.

“So, cotton ball, you need to come visit often.”

“Does me coming help?”

“Of course, Young Lady. It helps a great deal. When you visit, this dreary office lights right up.”

“Really?”

Soya’s eyes widened in surprise.

She had her spirit core awakened only to have it taken away immediately, so she hadn’t even undergone primary growth yet, let alone awakened any unique ability.

For her to have the power to brighten a dark office!

“But I haven’t awakened my unique ability yet, so how could I have a power like that…?”

“Sometimes, exceptionally gifted young suin help those around them with their innate energy even before awakening their unique ability. It looks like you’re one of those cases, Young Lady.”

Jeokyeong lied without batting an eye.

“You chase away the ghosts of Baekho Palace and brighten our gloomy Patriarch’s office. There’s nothing our cotton ball Young Lady can’t do.”

Soya’s cheeks flushed pink as she fell for his smooth words.

After bowing politely, Soya stepped out into the corridor and peeked inside her bamboo basket with a soft giggle.

That morning, Yeon-jeong had brought the stones after they were all baked, and they had sparkled so beautifully that she’d stared at them for a long time.

Buoyed by everyone’s delighted reactions, she’d ended up giving one to everyone she met, leaving only a few in the basket.

Among them, one particularly dazzling white stone caught her eye. It was the one she planned to give to the second young master.

‘I hope he likes this one.’

Even as she thought that, Soya was putting off visiting Gahyeon’s room until last.

Being hated and rejected was something she was used to, but familiarity didn’t make it any more pleasant.

It was just as Soya cautiously reached into the basket to fiddle with the stone she would give to Gahyeon.

“Eung?”

Startled by a loud voice from the opposite direction, she dropped the stone from her hand.

A girl with long brown hair came running down the corridor—udada—before spotting Soya and coming to a stop.

Thanks to Yeon-jeong and San-ho telling her about the branch family young ladies the night before, Soya recognized her right away.

It was Arang, the young lady from the Brown Tiger Clan, one of the branch tiger families staying in the east guest rooms.

“Hello, Lady Arang.”

“Who are you? You’re so tiny. Doesn’t look like you’re a tiger.”

Arang peered at Soya curiously from every angle.

“Oh, I’m Soya! Lord Sa-eon… stole, no, picked me up and brought me here…”

“What? Lord Sa-eon brought you?”

Arang’s eyes widened at Soya’s introduction.

“Then you’re the cotton ball who took over the Western End Room?”

“Huh? Yes. But how did you…?”

Arang smirked at Soya’s bewildered reaction.

“How? Do you even know what that room you’re squatting in is?”

“…?”

“Huh? You really don’t? It’s the room for the Baekho Clan’s young lady!”

“The Baekho Clan’s young lady?”

“My father said it. The most outstanding tiger at this Mountain Lord Festival will catch Lord Sa-eon’s eye, take the Western End Room, and become a young lady of the Baekho Clan.”

“R-Really?”

Soya’s eyes grew wide at the story she’d never heard before.

“What, you think I’m making it up?”

“Oh…”

Only then did Soya understand why there was a girl’s room in Baekho Palace, which seemed to house only young masters.

‘I see. He lent me this precious room for a little while.’

Gratitude mixed with an inexplicable bitterness welled up in her.

“But how did you end up taking that room?”

“Oh, well…”

“Everyone’s in an uproar saying a non-tiger suddenly appeared and claimed it. Don’t tell me you’re like Siyo and want to become Lord Sa-eon’s daughter?”

Unable to contain her curiosity about Soya, Arang fired off questions as they popped into her head.

“N-No, I’m not…”

“Not a tiger, and yet? Planning to pretend to be a fake tiger or something?”

Soya flinched.

The word ‘fake’ made her heart sink with a thud!

[How disgustingly you’ve deceived everyone until now.]

[A fake who stole the young lady’s position.]

[Poor our Lady Riri. Because of that wicked fake…]

The sharp voices she’d forgotten for a while came back to life, buzzing in her ears.

No.

I’m not fake.

I didn’t try to steal the young lady’s position.

I…

Soya couldn’t speak a word, her face draining of color as cold sweat beaded on her skin.

“Huh? What’s wrong with you? Are you sick?”

It was then that Arang called out to her in a puzzled voice.

“What is this? Bullying a little guest who’s not even a tiger.”

A girl with silver hair braided down her back jumped between them and shouted.

It was Siyo from the silver tiger clan, rumored to be the top contender for the Western End Room among the branch tigers.

“I-I didn’t do anything!”

Arang yelled in panic.

“I just said a few words, and suddenly this kid got sick on her own. I’m innocent!”

“You’re Lady Arang from the Brown Tiger Clan, right? I was looking forward to competing with you for the Western End Room, but this is truly disappointing.”

“No! Really, no! I wasn’t trying to bully her…!”

Arang wanted to make excuses, but lacking eloquence, she didn’t know how to phrase it.

“Lady Arang is right. It’s a misunderstanding.”

Soya, coming to her senses late, stepped forward in front of Siyo to defend Arang.

“Lady Arang really wasn’t bullying me. It’s just that I wasn’t feeling well.”

“Y-Yeah! Why’d you have to get sick right when I started talking to you…?”

With Soya taking her side, Arang hurriedly piled on.

But seeing Soya’s pale, sickly face as she defended her made Arang feel strangely uneasy.

‘This makes it seem like I really bullied a sick kid.’

Somehow, it pricked at a corner of her heart like a needle.

“Argh, don’t get sick in front of me from now on!”

Arang scratched her head furiously, shouted that, and fled the scene.

“Are you really okay?”

Siyo asked Soya, who had been left behind, in a concerned voice.

“You’re the guest Lord Sa-eon brought, right? I’m Siyo from the silver tiger clan. If you were bullied, I’ll apologize on behalf of fellow tigers.”

“Thank you for your concern. But it really wasn’t bullying.”

Soya shook her head at Siyo’s attitude, which seemed convinced Arang had tormented her.

“That’s a relief, then. If you ever need my help, just say so anytime.”

“Yes, I will.”

Soya turned away with a bright smile.

But on the way back to her room,

The smile that had been on Soya’s face gradually faded, and her steps slowed bit by bit.

Upon reaching her room, Soya shut the door and plopped down in front of it with a thud.

[Don’t worry, it’s not a bother at all. Stay here for the time being.]

Soya had always wondered how long Sa-eon’s ‘for the time being’ would last.

She had kept wishing that ‘for the time being’ would stretch out just a little longer.

But after meeting the tiger young ladies just now, she realized.

Her sweet, warm ‘for the time being’ was about to end soon.

‘I have to leave Baekho Palace before the Mountain Lord Festival ends and the real owner of this room arrives.’

As she swallowed the lump in her throat, Soya took in the room’s interior carefully with her eyes.

The gratitude and bittersweetness she felt upon learning the true nature of this precious room came from realizing it was time to leave it.

She hadn’t cried when crossing the threshold of Zhuque Mansion, but thinking of leaving Baekho Palace made her eyes prickle with tears.

Even though she knew she had to leave, the sadness came from how warmly and cozily the people of Baekho Palace had treated her.

She was a little sad, but Soya didn’t cry.

Coveting what wasn’t hers was something greedy, naughty baby birds did.

Soya didn’t want to steal someone else’s thing again.

‘When I was little, I didn’t know any better and ended up stealing Lady Riri’s position, but I’m already nine years old now. Old enough to think and act for myself.’

Soya thought resolutely and nodded firmly.

Still, she couldn’t help feeling a little sad.