Chapter 27
Soya’s face drained of color, turning not just ashen but stark white.
That was because the fluffy short fur like soft down, the small protruding beak, the short pair of legs, and the adorable tail feathers looked exactly like…
‘That’s… me…?’
It was just black in color, but otherwise identical to her own form.
“Peep!”
The black baby bird spread its tiny wings and flapped about.
It cried out in a cute, coquettish peep, but Soya’s stiff expression didn’t soften.
“Chirp?”
The black baby bird tilted its head curiously, then began to melt down again like thick mud, all wobbly and soft.
Soya flinched at the bizarre sight.
The black mud gathered into a lump, and this time it became a four-legged black baby beast.
“Kyuuung, kyuuung!”
Its cry was a little different from what Soya knew, but its appearance closely resembled a certain beast she was familiar with.
Round, perky ears, glossy fur, a tail swaying gracefully, and an endearing face that seemed like it would purr if stroked.
And above all…
“Kyuuwaang!”
When the black creature lifted its fluffy front paw, its soft, squishy paw pad popped into view.
Soya had a feeling she knew what this black creature was imitating. Even though it was entirely black…
‘A tiger…?’
She was thinking that, swallowing hard, when the black baby tiger cautiously approached her and licked the tip of her shoe.
Soya flinched in fear.
At that, the black tiger looked up at her with its big round eyes and wagged its tail side to side.
“Kiiing?”
“…”
Even so, when Soya didn’t let down her guard, it let out a whining sound, then flopped down on its back in front of her, exposing its belly.
As if urging her to pet it, it wriggled its body.
At that sight, Soya suddenly recalled what the youngest young master had said to her not long ago.
[I’ll let you pet my belly especially, cotton ball! A tiger showing its belly is a special privilege given only to those it truly trusts!]
Soya tentatively spoke to the black baby tiger lying there on its back, gazing at her with sparkling eyes.
“…Are you trying to say you won’t hurt me?”
At her words, the black tiger hopped up onto all fours and nodded.
“Kyuuung! Kyuuung!”
“Ah… Sorry. I misunderstood and thought you were going to hurt me.”
The black tiger shook its head no, then gestured with its chin toward the area behind Soya.
“Ah…!”
Soya turned to look where the tiger indicated and let out a short exclamation.
“You were trying to save me from the mountain beasts!”
“Kyuuang!”
The black tiger nodded vigorously up and down.
With her wariness much eased, Soya gazed quietly into the black baby tiger’s eyes.
The gray eyes, which had at first seemed only frightening, now felt strangely familiar.
“Huh?”
A particular gaze suddenly came to mind.
The one she’d felt just earlier, while playing with the youngest young master.
“Was it you peeking at me earlier, by any chance?”
“Kyuuung!”
The black tiger curved its eyes into crescents and nodded.
‘Ah, so that’s why…’
Soya recalled how this black creature had just transformed into a baby bird and a baby tiger.
It seemed to be imitating her and the youngest young master.
But the young master aside, how had it known her baby bird form, when she hadn’t even undergone beast transformation?
‘Maybe because it’s a demon beast with special abilities?’
Soya stared at the black tiger, lost in thought.
Demon beast.
Monstrous creatures that had appeared in the polluted Northern Land eight years ago, when the traitorous Xuanwu Clan allied with the “ancient evil.”
Hyeonraback, the leader of the Xuanwu Clan, had unleashed these demon beasts to attack the empire, sowing chaos across the continent. In response, the empire conscripted capable warriors from each clan and declared war on the Northern Land.
Sanyu’s older brother from the Zhuque Clan, who had set out on expedition three years ago, and even the eldest young master of the White Tiger Clan, whom she had never met, had all been called up to fight the demon beasts.
Soya had only ever encountered demon beasts in stories from her childhood; this was the first time she’d seen one in person.
But why was a demon beast that should be in the Northern Land here?
‘They said demon beasts are really dangerous, so I have to be careful…’
The black tiger, meeting her eyes, let out a kiiing-kiiing whine and rubbed its head against the tip of her shoe.
‘But it doesn’t seem bad.’
She couldn’t explain it in words, but her instincts were telling her this. This demon beast wasn’t dangerous.
Moreover, it had just protected her from the mountain beasts.
Soya crouched down and stroked the demon beast’s head.
The glossy black fur felt a bit rough and dry to the touch, unlike the youngest young master’s.
The black tiger seemed to like the touch and let out a pleased rumbling purr.
It looked just like an innocent young beastkin child.
But thinking that such a gentle child might be shunned or hurt by people just because it was a demon beast made Soya’s heart ache.
“Hello, I’m Soya.”
“Kiiing!”
“How did you end up here?”
“Kiiing?”
The black tiger whined, but unfortunately, Soya couldn’t understand the demon beast’s words.
“You can’t stay here. It’ll be big trouble because…”
Even as she whispered on to the demon beast, Soya suddenly stopped speaking.
People might see you and think you’re a bad demon beast and try to hurt you.
So you need to leave this place without being seen by anyone.
She knew she should say that, but strangely, the words wouldn’t come.
It was because her own situation overlapped with it—the bad baby bird who had been hated by people and fled to the southern lands to survive.
As if sensing Soya’s sinking mood,
“Kyuuuing, kiiing.”
The black tiger lifted a front paw and stroked the back of her hand, just as she had done to its head moments ago.
“Are you comforting me?”
“Nang, nang!”
The black tiger’s touch on the back of her hand was a bit clumsy, carrying even the characteristic chill of the Northern Land.
But even so, that touch warmed her heart, and Soya gave a soft smile.
“Thank you. For saving me and comforting me.”
The black tiger moved its paw to scribble something on the dirt ground.
Soya looked at the squiggly lines and realized they were letters.
“Seolyo…?”
“Kiiing!”
The black tiger thumped its chest with its paw.
“Uh… Is that your name, by any chance?”
When she asked tentatively, the black tiger nodded up and down.
Surprise flickered across Soya’s face for a moment.
“You can even write your name—you’re such a smart demon beast!”
Soya clapped her hands in wonder.
“Nang, nang!”
Seolyo wagged its tail proudly.
Thanks to Seolyo driving off all the mountain beasts, the forest had returned to the same deep peace it held when Soya had first entered.
But a problem had arisen.
In fleeing from the mountain beasts deeper into the forest, she had lost her way.
Looking up at the sky, she saw the sun beginning to set.
‘Oh no. I promised Yeon-jeong I’d go back without being late.’
She didn’t want to be remembered as a child who broke promises, and her brows drooped.
“Hey, Seolyo. Do you happen to know the way down the mountain?”
Soya asked with a sliver of hope, but Seolyo just tilted its head.
“Sigh, you don’t know either. What do I do?”
Soya let out a short sigh and hung her head.
The scent of wildflowers tickled her nose.
As she absentmindedly rubbed her nose, a certain thought suddenly popped into her mind.
‘Oh? Right, come to think of it, the youngest young master…’
[White Tiger beastkin can smell scents even from a hundred li away!]
She recalled the youngest young master’s voice, boasting proudly with his head thrown back.
‘Yeah. He’ll definitely smell me and come find me.’
Gahyeon sat waiting for his guests, a tea tray set before him.
He had agreed to the meeting intending to meet each of the branch family tigers who might become the new mistress of the Western End Room.
But in truth, his mind was filled with other thoughts.
Soya. He was worried about that child.
The tiny, cotton-ball-like girl who, just yesterday, had overheard his conversation with Jeok-a, widened her eyes in shock, and scampered away.
