Translator: Nox

Chapter 23

Gahyeon spent the entire day standing by the window, gazing down at the garden.

As he lightly tapped the stone placed on the windowsill, the corners of Gahyeon’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

Just then, Ho Jeokah, who had come to escort him after lunch for his afternoon schedule, looked puzzled at the young master’s seemingly displeased expression and asked in a curious tone.

“Is something the matter, Young Master?”

“It’s strange. She usually takes walks between the mi-si and shin-si hours, but I haven’t seen her.”

“Pardon?”

“That child in the room at the far end of the west wing.”

Today of all days, Soya was nowhere to be seen.

He had even deliberately placed the stone on the windowsill where she would notice it.

“Did you memorize even the time when the cotton ball young lady takes her walks?”

“What?”

At Ho Jeokah’s question, Gahyeon scowled and turned to look at him.

It sounded as if he were implying that Gahyeon actually cared about her, which left him feeling irritated and embarrassed.

But soon enough, Gahyeon replied in a sullen voice.

“What’s so special about remembering what’s happening inside Baekho Palace?”

“But you don’t know the youngest young master’s training schedule, do you?”

“Do I look like someone with so much free time that I’d bother memorizing useless things like that?”

Gahyeon shot back in a cold voice as he strode toward the door.

Ho Jeokah wondered if that meant the cotton ball young lady’s walk time was something ‘useful,’ but he didn’t ask.

Instead, he hurried after the young master and asked.

“The Silver Tiger Clan has invited us for tea together. What should we do?”

“Go ahead. While we’re at it, it might be good to meet with the Galho Clan and the Heukho Clan beforehand, before the Mountain Lord Festival starts… Wait.”

Gahyeon, who had been about to step out the door, suddenly noticed the small, solid object clutched in Ho Jeokah’s hand.

His eyes narrowed thinly at the strangely familiar yet irritating shape as he asked.

“What is that?”

“Pardon?”

“That thing you’re holding in your hand.”

“Oh, this is a stone talisman that the cotton ball young lady made for me. I received it from her just a little while ago, up ahead.”

“……”

Gahyeon’s expression soured at Ho Jeokah’s straightforward answer.

She had dirtied her tiny fingertips digging through the garden, and not only gave one to him but even gifted one to this guy? It didn’t sit well with him.

Moreover, unlike the one he had received, its colorful appearance was grating on his eyes.

“But why does yours look like that?”

“She said she painted it with dye and baked it. And this drawing here—she drew it herself.”

“……”

At that explanation, Gahyeon’s mood sank even lower than before.

Had she taken such a liking to Ho Jeokah that she even drew a picture on it herself?

The drawing on that stone was unmistakably of a red-furred fox.

She must have drawn it especially for him, knowing he was a red fox beastkin.

‘I haven’t even seen her talking much with him. So what does she like about him? His face?’

It was then that Gahyeon sharply stared at Ho Jeokah’s handsome face.

“But didn’t you receive one, Young Master?”

Ho Jeokah asked in his usual innocent tone.

“I already got one. Before you did.”

Gahyeon shrugged, gesturing toward the stone on the windowsill.

“Not the one from before. Yesterday, she gathered a bunch of stones in the garden, drew on them, and gave them out as gifts to people in Baekho Palace, even to the guests from the branch families.”

“What?”

“I heard the Patriarch and the youngest young master each got new ones with tigers drawn on them.”

“……”

Gahyeon’s lips pressed together tightly.

She had drawn new ones as gifts for Father and Yul, but hadn’t come to him?

Perhaps she had sensed that he avoided her and deliberately left him out.

He was the one who had drawn the line first, so it was for the best.

So why did he feel so down about it?

“Hm. It seems the young lady simply forgot.”

Spotting Gahyeon’s sunken expression, Ho Jeokah tried to cheer him up.

But Gahyeon’s face didn’t brighten.

“Forget it. I don’t need some trashy stone like that…”

It was when Gahyeon curtly replied and flung open the door.

“……!”

Of all moments, he came face-to-face with Soya, who had come to his room.

Gahyeon wasn’t the only one who froze in shock.

Soya, clutching a small stone in her hand, startled the moment their eyes met and bolted away.

With his face somewhat pale, Gahyeon blankly stared at the spot where Soya had fled.

Did she hear everything?

Of course she did.

The part where I called it a trashy stone…

He didn’t usually make mistakes like this.

His sensitive and sharp nature was something he only showed in front of his brothers or Ho Jeokah.

But the thought that everyone in Baekho Palace had received the gift—even the guests from the branch families—while he alone hadn’t, made his emotions well up unexpectedly.

In that moment, he couldn’t hold back his hurt feelings and let slip some careless words.

Normally, he would have noticed her presence and been more cautious…

The image of Soya’s back as she startled and ran away the instant their eyes met kept replaying in his mind.

Gahyeon froze in place for a long while, unable to say a word.

* * *

Meanwhile, Soya hurried down the corridor and patted her chest in relief.

‘Whew, that was close. If she hadn’t overheard me talking with Ho Jeokah-nim, I would have upset the young master again.’

Soya glanced at the stone talisman she had meant to give to Gahyeon.

No matter how nicely she decorated the stone, it must look like mere trash to the second young master.

‘Stones really won’t do. But I want to make a talisman for him before I leave Baekho Palace.’

As Soya stepped out into the garden, she spotted two baby tigers tussling playfully.

One had the familiar white fur of a Baekho tiger, while the other had brown fur.

‘The youngest young master and… Arang-nim?’

The two cousins had always gotten along poorly since they were young.

“Kywaaang! (You stupid brown tiger! I can’t acknowledge you as a tiger of Baekho Palace!)”

“Grung. Grrrng! (Who do you think came here wanting to be family with a dummy like you? I only came because I’m curious who the poor soul is that has to be family with a foolish tiger like you!)”

“Kwaang! Kwaang, kwaang! (What? Foolish? You done talking?)”

“Grung! (Yeah, I’m done!)”

“Kwaaaang! (Hey, come at me!)”

“Grrrrng! (Fine, bring it!)”

True to form as fierce baby tigers, the two were fighting not with words but with their bodies, charging and grappling.

At that moment, Gayul spotted Soya.

“Kwaang? (Huh? Cotton Ball!)”

Ignoring Arang charging at him, Gayul ran straight to Soya.

Reflexively, Soya opened her arms wide.

The baby white tiger then leaped lightly into her embrace.

“Grrring! (Hey, where do you think you’re running!)”

Arang chased after him and pounced, chomping down on Gayul’s tail with a snap.

“Eee…!”

Unable to bear the weight of the two baby tigers, Soya plopped down onto the ground with a thud.

“Kwaang? (Gasp! Cotton Ball! Are you okay?)”

Gayul startled and shoved Arang away.

“Kwaang, kwaang! (You, because of you, Cotton Ball almost got hurt!)”

“Gr, grrring? (B-because of me…?)”

Arang, her tail standing on end in panic, circled Soya in confusion, not knowing what to do.

Seeing this, Soya laughed and waved her hands.

“No, it’s fine. I just sat down in the grass. I’m not hurt at all.”

The youngest young master tended to overprotect her excessively.

Soya chuckled, then felt a pang at how accustomed she had grown to it.

‘I have to leave soon, but I’ve gotten too used to this.’

Just then, Arang sprang up on all fours and bared her teeth at Soya.

“Grrr… (You, you, you…!)”

“Arang-nim?”

“Grrrooong! (I told you not to get hurt in front of me!)”

At Arang’s resounding roar, Soya tilted her head.

“Were you worried about me?”

“Grrng…! (Wh-why would I, when you’re not even a tiger…!)”

“Thank you, Arang-nim.”

Soya beamed and stroked Arang’s brown fur.

“……!”

For a moment, Arang’s body went rigid.

The tigers around Arang often bit, shoved, and pinned her down, but none had ever petted her so affectionately.

Unaccustomed to the ticklish sensation, Arang bristled her fur and snapped her jaws.

“Gyahaak! (Don’t touch me!)”

Arang glared at Soya with a huff before scampering off in a flash.

“Kwaang, kwaang! (Hmph. Running away with her tail between her legs.)”

Gayul snorted and wagged his tail.

Soya alternated between watching Arang’s retreating figure and Gayul purring contentedly in her arms, then suddenly let out an exclamation.

“Ah…!”

“Grung? (What’s wrong, Cotton Ball?)”

“I’ve felt something familiar about Arang-nim ever since I first saw her. She seems a lot like the youngest young master.”

“Kyak! (What?)”

Gayul yelped in horror and jumped out of Soya’s arms.

“Gyak! Kyahaak! (Cotton Ball! How could you say something like that to me! Take it back! Take it back right now!)”

His fur bristled and he snapped his jaws just like Arang had moments ago, making Soya burst into giggles.

“Kwaaaaang! (Don’t laugh! Take it back! Hurry up and take it back!)”