Translator: Nox

Chapter 25

“What should we do, miss? Tomorrow, neither I nor San-ho will have any time.”

Tomorrow was the day Sa-eon would be away from Baekho Palace.

Before the Mountain Lord Festival began, it was a long-standing custom for him to tour the Western Land together with the representatives from each clan.

San-ho, the leader of the Indigo Wolf Clan, was scheduled to accompany Sa-eon on the trip as well, and Yeon-jeong had to guard Baekho Palace in place of her brother Jeokyeong, who would be away serving the patriarch.

“How about we all go up together for the ritual at Horim Mountain two days from now, for the Mountain Lord Festival?”

“But… I want to pick a sky flower and give it to the youngest young master as a gift.”

At Yeon-jeong’s words that they would have to wait two days, Soya’s face fell.

“I’ll go with you! So don’t worry!”

Gayul said in a confident voice from beside Soya.

Horim Mountain was the mountain behind Baekho Palace, and it was also where the Mountain Lord Festival was held every autumn.

As it was under the White Tiger Clan’s management, the beasts on Horim Mountain did not harm people and were extremely docile.

Moreover, with Gayul going along, it shouldn’t be dangerous…

“Miss, do you think you can climb the mountain?”

“Of course! I’m a beastkin too!”

Soya spoke in a confident voice, but Yeon-jeong could not feel at ease.

Beastkin possessed far superior stamina to humans. Not even climbing to the summit, but just going up to the mid-slope should not be difficult at all.

However, Soya had only recently recovered her strength, and above all, Yeon-jeong worried how hard it would be for their cotton-ball-like little miss to climb the mountain on those short legs.

“…Is it no good, Yeon-jeong-nim?”

Soya noticed Yeon-jeong’s hesitation and asked in a slightly dejected voice.

Just at that moment when Yeon-jeong’s heart softened at the sight of Soya’s eyebrows drooping all the way down.

“Oh come on, what’s there not to allow? Yeon-jeong must be worried our miss’s legs will hurt. But don’t worry. I, San-ho, have a way.”

San-ho grinned, removed her sword ornament, attached it to Soya’s jacket, and explained.

“This jewel is a treasure of our Indigo Wolf Clan called the Wind Orb. I’ll lend it to you. It will make your legs and ankles strong and protect them.”

“Is it all right to lend something so precious to me?”

Soya stared wide-eyed at the ornament embedded with the indigo jewel and asked.

“Of course, miss. Let’s call it repayment for the stone amulet.”

“Wow…!”

Soya let out a soft gasp of admiration and glanced at Yeon-jeong.

Yeon-jeong nodded as if she had no choice.

“But the two of you can’t go alone. Suri has to go too, and promise me you’ll come down before sunset.”

“Yes! We’ll do exactly that!”

Soya smiled brightly and held out her pinky.

Yeon-jeong burst into a short laugh at that suddenly bright and clear face and hooked her own pinky around Soya’s.

“Our miss, tomorrow I should braid your hair prettily and pack a delicious lunchbox for you.”

“A lunchbox?”

Soya tilted her head, pressing her thumb firmly against Yeon-jeong’s.

“I’m disappointed I can’t go with you, miss, but it’s your first outing, after all. I can’t be neglectful with the preparations.”

“…!”

First outing. At those words, Soya’s heart thumped loudly.

That night, Soya tossed and turned for a long while, too excited to sleep.

How would Yeon-jeong-nim braid her hair tomorrow?

The bun hairstyle from her first day at Baekho Palace had been so cute. Would she braid it even prettier than that?

What foods would be in the lunchbox?

It was her first time trying a lunchbox, but eating it together with the youngest young master and Suri-nim would surely be delicious, right?

Would she be able to pick the sky flower without getting it wrong?

What if she accidentally picked a different flower?

Her thoughts chased each other in a chain like that as she fidgeted, and only late into the night did Soya finally slip away to the land of dreams.

---

Early in the morning, when Soya, full of anticipation, was still sleeping soundly.

It was right as Sa-eon had finished preparing to depart.

“Father.”

Gahyeon had gotten up alone at a time when everyone else was asleep to see Sa-eon off.

“You’re up early, Hyeon-ah.”

“If you leave now, you won’t be back until late in the evening.”

It was a mature voice tinged with a deliberate hint of sulkiness.

Sa-eon chuckled and casually patted Gahyeon’s head.

“I’ll return not too late, so guard Baekho Palace well. While your brother and I are away, you will be the master of Baekho Palace.”

“Me?”

Gahyeon widened both eyes in surprise and asked, then soon smiled brightly and replied.

“I’ll guard Baekho Palace well, Father!”

At that moment, Gahyeon’s face was different from the mature young master he showed in front of the people of Baekho Palace, and also different from the prickly and sensitive side he showed only in front of Gayul or Ho Jeokah.

It was the face of an ordinary eleven-year-old boy, eyes sparkling with his father’s attention and love.

Jeokyeong, who had been watching that sight, spoke softly as he left Baekho Palace with Sa-eon.

“Young Master Hyeon looks happiest when he’s with you, Patriarch.”

“Is that so? I see it differently.”

Sa-eon replied with a smirk, letting out an exaggerated sigh and shaking his head.

“Lately, he seems more interested in the cotton ball than in me.”

“Young Master Hyeon? I thought it was Young Master Yul who was so interested in Miss Cotton Ball.”

“Only a parent’s eyes can see certain things.”

Unlike Gayul, who was born the youngest and treated like a spoiled baby, Gahyeon, as the second son, had tried from a young age to somehow catch his father’s eye.

Sa-eon could not possibly be unaware of his outwardly gentle but more sensitive-than-anyone personality.

Yet when Soya appeared, Sa-eon could sense, hidden amid his guarded attitude toward her, a subtle concern.

‘The cotton ball might be able to melt away Hyeon’s sharp wariness.’

Sa-eon tugged faintly at the corner of his mouth and strode forward, his robes fluttering.

---

“Wow…!”

Soya let out a short gasp of admiration in front of the mirror.

Yeon-jeong had braided Soya’s hair into two strands and coiled them into ring shapes, tying them off with red silk ribbons.

Her reflection in the mirror was just as cute as the bun from her first day, so Soya couldn’t hold back her admiration.

“You’re so pretty, Yeon-jeong-nim!”

“Heehee, our cute miss. You absolutely have to be careful and come back safely today. Understood?”

Yeon-jeong said as she slung the basket bag over Soya’s shoulders.

“Yes, don’t worry! We’ll come straight down before sunset!”

Soya answered spiritedly.

“Young master, don’t leave the miss behind just because you’re excited for this rare mountain hike.”

“Don’t worry! I’ll protect the cotton ball!”

“Suri, if the miss looks even a little tired, you carry her on your back right away. Got it?”

“Of course! That’s exactly why I’m coming along!”

Gayul and Suri answered spiritedly as well.

Suri’s back was laden with lunchboxes for three people and all sorts of gear hanging from it.

And so the three set off toward the mid-slope, leaving Yeon-jeong’s worries behind.

Gayul, in his baby tiger form, bounded along the mountain’s dirt path on all fours.

Soya toddled up the mountain on her short legs.

Thanks to the Wind Orb San-ho had lent her, her legs truly didn’t hurt one bit.

Suri strode after them, carefully watching to make sure the miss wasn’t struggling.

They didn’t have to climb far before arriving at the mid-slope.

Above the vast expanse of colorful flowers, blossoms unfurling sky-blue petals like the heavens themselves stood out.

Soya pointed at the flowers and cried out.

“Huh? Over there—that looks like the sky flower!”

At her words, Gayul dashed to the spot she indicated and sniffed around.

“How is it, young master?”

“Grr…”

Gayul tilted his head uncertainly, then chomped down on a blossom with a triumphant shout.

“It’s really the sky flower!”

“…!”

Soya’s face lit up brightly.

“Here, this is the flower, cotton ball!”

Gayul patted the indigo blossoms blooming nearby with his front paw and cried out.

Soya scurried to his side and crouched down.

Then, with her tiny fingertips, she carefully dug into the soil so the roots wouldn’t be damaged as she dug up the flower.

She was so focused on digging up that one flower that beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

At last, she lifted the dug-up flower, blew hu-hu on the stem and roots to shake off the dirt, and placed it preciously into the basket Yeon-jeong had given her.

“Done!”

Soya wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and beamed.

“Wow, not a single root is damaged?”

“Of course. You dig flowers well too, cotton ball.”

Gayul, even though it wasn’t his own accomplishment, looked prouder than anyone as he raised his chin and puffed up.

“Unlike a certain young master who shoved the flower in his mouth and chewed it up the moment he spotted it.”

“Grrr! (What’d you say?)”

“Ah, I’ll go fetch some water for you two to drink!”

Soya giggled at the grumbling back-and-forth between Gayul and Suri.

A cool gust of wind brought the scent of mountain earth.

Feeling good, Gayul bounced around atop the flower field and shouted.

“Cotton ball! Come here! You can see everything below at a glance!”

“Yes, young master.”

Soya giggled in reply.

Horim Mountain had many colorful, pretty flowers besides the sky flowers.

Just looking at them made her heart feel abundant, and with the cool breeze blowing too, her mood was excellent.

Above all, for a bird beastkin who had the habit of chasing the sun, the high elevation of the mid-slope instinctively brought a sense of reassurance.

It was while Soya was giggling as she watched Gayul hopping around.

Suddenly, she felt a gaze.

Soya turned around, but nothing was there.

‘Huh? Did I sense wrong?’

Soya tilted her head.

“Cotton ball!”

At Gayul’s voice calling her, she turned her head right away, and leaves came rustling down from overhead.

“Eek?”

Amid the sudden shower of leaves, Soya flailed her hands and looked up to discover a snow-white baby tiger perched on a branch.

Gayul had climbed the tree unnoticed and was shaking the branch to play a prank.

“Kya-rawr!”

Gayul laughed excitedly, wrinkling his pink nose over and over.