Chapter 36
When Soya was little. Of course, she still wasn’t fully grown now either, but much smaller and younger than she was at present.
Seeing Gabok, who had been chased out for embezzling the clan’s wealth, and feeling sad about it, my father had said to me,
[It’s not a bad thing to discern villains and expose their evil deeds, Soya. You have to be able to call wrong what is wrong.]
[Especially you, as a direct descendant of the Zhuque Clan—you must protect the baby birds of the Southern Region. If you ignore wrongs and pretend not to see them, other good little birds might end up suffering.]
Of course, the Soya of today was no direct descendant of the Zhuque Clan, nor did she have any baby birds she needed to protect.
But she did remember that teaching, heard on her father’s lap in her childhood days.
Perhaps exposing Siyo’s misdeeds would sour things between Siyo and Sa-eon.
But harming others was wrong.
‘Sa-eon-nim wouldn’t want that kind of behavior either. Because Sa-eon-nim is someone with a warm, broad back that protects people.’
Recalling Sa-eon’s broad back, which had just shielded her moments ago, Soya revealed in detail everything Siyo had done.
“But the palanquins of the other young ladies had the same scent too. I was afraid something dangerous might happen tomorrow if we left it like this…”
“It’s a lie!”
Siyo, growing desperate, cut Soya off with a sharp voice.
“This kid stole someone else’s place even in the Southern Region! She’s a criminal who stole others’ things and ran away!”
“What…?”
In an instant, everyone’s gazes turned to Soya.
“It’s something hushed up in the Zhuque Clan, but everyone inside the clan knows the story! She stole the position of the Zhuque Clan’s youngest daughter, pretended to be their daughter, and got chased out!”
“….”
“This kid’s a liar and a con artist! How can you believe what someone like her says? Even now, she’s framing me just to take over the Western End Room!”
“….”
With every word Siyo spat out, Soya’s body flinched and trembled.
Soya had steeled herself for this.
The moment she exposed Siyo’s misdeeds, Siyo would reveal all her own secrets to everyone.
Being remembered by all as a bad child was a little sad.
But she couldn’t pretend not to know when she knew someone was harming others.
It would be even sadder if others got hurt because she turned a blind eye.
So Soya could endure the sorrow of her own flaws being laid bare.
“Sa-eon-nim.”
Soya approached Sa-eon, who was looking at her with a rigidly set face, and handed him the scent pouch.
“Here—this is the scent pouch I found in Lady Arang’s and Lady Sahye’s palanquins. It’s the same as the one Siyo-nim gave me.”
Sa-eon-nim’s expression, as he looked at her without smiling, was a little frightening, but she calmly explained.
“The youngest young master was there with you, so he can testify as a witness.”
“R-right! I saw it! A silver tiger gave something just like that to the cotton ball!”
Gayul, mixed in among the crowd, chimed in loudly.
Sa-eon, who had silently accepted the scent pouch from Soya, paused for a moment.
“There was a scent…?”
Sa-eon’s face grew grave. He couldn’t smell any fragrance at all.
“Cotton Ball. Did you really smell it from this?”
“Yes? Yes.”
Soya nodded.
At that, the people began to murmur. Not just Sa-eon—no one else could smell anything either.
“L-look. Even from this close, there’s no scent at all. This kid is lying…”
Just as Siyo seized the momentum and started pressing Soya, stammering desperately, Sa-eon handed the scent pouch to Jeokyeong and said,
“Jeokyeong, take this right away and go inform Lady Sara of the whole situation.”
“Yes, Patriarch.”
The moment Baek Sa-ra’s name was mentioned, Siyo’s face drained of color.
The scent pouch Siyo had used was made using sorcery from the Northern Lands.
Baekho Palace’s priestess, Baek Sa-ra, would recognize the sorcery at once.
Then, just as the child said, the problem with the scent pouch would be exposed—and if all her own misdeeds came to light in the process…!
’No. I have to become a direct descendant of the White Tiger Clan. If not…’
“Patriarch! How can you just listen to this child’s claims?”
At that moment, a woman stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Siyo’s trembling body.
The woman was the matriarch of the Silver Tiger Clan and Siyo’s mother.
“Isn’t calling on Baekho Shrine’s priestess precisely to determine the truth?”
“Determining the truth is already a disgrace for the Silver Tiger Clan! And even if our Siyo really did threaten this child, what problem is that?”
Siyo’s mother pointed at Soya and shouted.
“We can’t punish a tiger for the sake of some nobody whose status is unclear!”
Soya said nothing in response to the sharp words directed at her, merely gazing down at her toes.
It was familiar, and besides, it felt natural.
She was just a little envious of Siyo, who unlike her had parents to protect her—and that made the tip of her nose prickle.
It was then.
A large shadow fell quietly beside Soya.
‘…!’
Soya’s eyes, which had been fixed on her toes the whole time, widened round.
A massive, warm heat enveloped her hand.
Even without looking up, Soya knew who owned this massive, warm presence.
In that instant, the tip of her nose stung sharply, and heat welled up around her eyes.
“Who says this child is a nobody.”
Sa-eon, now standing beside Soya, gripped the child’s small hand and spoke in a voice laced with anger.
“She’s my child—the one I brought here.”
“W-we know that too! That this child is the patriarch’s guest! But even so…!”
“You don’t understand what I mean.”
Sa-eon clicked his tongue shortly and cut off the silver tiger.
“Cotton Ball is my child.”
In that moment, Soya unwittingly snapped her head up.
But Sa-eon didn’t look at Soya.
He merely glared fiercely at the gathered crowd,
“My child.”
and emphasized those three syllables once more, as if driving the point home.
* * *
Sa-eon kept Soya separated from the others until the situation calmed.
Gahyeon took Soya to a nearby empty room.
Soya sat blankly on a chair, fidgeting with her fingers as she sank into thought.
[She’s my child—the one I brought here.]
[Cotton Ball is my child.]
My child…
Why had Sa-eon-nim said such a thing?
‘It felt like he really wanted to protect me.’
In that moment, Soya hadn’t envied Silver Siyo at all.
Thinking back, Sa-eon-nim had always protected her, starting from their first meeting.
‘Just… like a father.’
Soya startled herself reaching that thought and shook her head vigorously.
‘A father? What am I thinking? How could Sa-eon-nim be my father?’
If she kept thinking like this, it really would seem like she was trying to steal that position, just as Siyo had said.
‘Sa-eon-nim is a strong person. A strong and righteous person, so he’s just protecting me.’
So she shouldn’t have these bad thoughts.
She couldn’t go coveting others’ things again, not when she’d already stolen Lady Riri’s family.
‘But… it was really warm.’
Soya quietly gazed at her fingertips, where Sa-eon’s warmth had touched.
Then, suddenly, she realized Gahyeon hadn’t said a word since earlier.
Looking up absentmindedly, Soya saw that Gahyeon was staring at the bundle slung over her shoulder, his face pale.
“Uh… Young Master?”
Gahyeon, who had been silent the whole time, slowly parted his lips.
“Why…”
The voice leaking from between his weakly opened lips trembled, just like someone on the verge of tears.
“Why were you planning to leave so easily?”
“Huh?”
Soya blinked at him.
“I heard it all from the brown tiger. You were thinking of leaving Baekho Palace.”
“Ah…”
“That bundle on your shoulder. The clothes you’re wearing, the shoes on your feet. You look just like someone about to leave.”
Gahyeon said, grinding his teeth.
Everyone else had been too distracted to notice, but no matter how you looked at it, Soya was dressed like someone ready to depart at any moment.
And that chill, orderly air he’d felt the instant he stepped into this child’s room.
She really had been planning to leave Baekho Palace, Soya realized.
“Well, I’m only supposed to stay here for a little while anyway, then leave.”
Soya nodded readily and answered.
“Who says! That you have to leave…!”
Gahyeon, who had snapped in indignation at Soya speaking of leaving as if it were the most natural thing, suddenly faltered.
When Soya had first come here.
He remembered that he, more than anyone, had opposed her using the Western End Room.
He was the one who hadn’t hidden his annoyance toward the child tottering after him on short legs.
He was the one who had drawn a firm line and pushed her away, even knowing she was watching his reactions.
“…Is it because of me?”
Gahyeon’s voice trembled faintly as he asked.
“It’s because of me, right? Because I spoke harshly to you and acted badly, you’re trying to leave?”
“No, Young Master. I just…”
“See? You’re calling me ‘Young Master’ again even now.”
“That’s just because I’m not used to it yet…”
Unfortunately, Soya’s explanation didn’t reach Gahyeon’s ears.
“I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. So don’t go, Soya. Live with us here at Baekho Palace.”
“….”
Faced with Gahyeon’s voice, which sounded like pleading and on the verge of tears, Soya hesitated, unsure how to respond.
“But if I stay here much longer, it might make Siyo-nim uncomfortable, and also…”
It was while Soya was listing her reasons for having to leave, one by one.
The door slid open.
Sa-eon appeared.
“So.”
His somewhat weary face turned toward Soya as he walked over with steady steps.
“You really were planning to leave, Cotton Ball?”
