Chapter 63
Soya waited anxiously in front of Gayul’s room.
“Don’t worry too much, Young Lady.”
“Why don’t you wait inside the room?”
Despite Yeon-jeong and San-ho’s urging, Soya stubbornly held out.
“I’ll wait here until Lady Cheongha comes out.”
Lady Cheongha, who had just arrived at Baekho Palace moments ago, had gone straight into Gayul’s room.
The reason Cheongha had come here was that Gayul’s Primary Growth period was approaching.
It was said that young beastkin enduring growth pains, even in a state where their reason was numbed, instinctively recognized only the mother who had given birth to them and calmed down in her embrace.
Thus, the only being who could help endure the agonizing growth pains that had to be borne and overcome alone was the mother beastkin.
But as time passed since Cheongha had entered Gayul’s room and she still hadn’t come back out, Soya’s worry deepened.
Soya crouched down in front of the firmly shut door.
Seolyo, in the form of a wolf, crouched beside Soya, whimpering softly as it waited with her.
How much time had passed?
Just as Soya covered her small mouth with her tiny hand and yawned.
Rattle—
The door opened, and finally Cheongha stepped out.
“Lady Cheongha!”
Soya jumped to her feet and hurried over to her.
“How is Brother Gayul? Is he okay now?”
“Yes, he’s doing just fine. He’s sleeping soundly. I also placed the protective charm that Baby Cotton Ball gave him by his side.”
At those words, color returned to Soya’s face.
“That’s a relief…!”
Seeing Soya so happy, Cheongha stroked the child’s head and asked,
“Next time, do you want to go in together?”
“Would that be okay?”
“Just peek in while he’s sleeping. Keep it a secret from the others.”
Soya’s eyes widened round at the words accompanied by a wink.
Was that really allowed?
For a moment, such doubts arose, but…
“I’ll take full responsibility for making sure Baby Cotton Ball doesn’t get hurt, so don’t worry.”
“Yes!”
Soya quickly replied to Cheongha’s added words.
Her father and brothers had a tendency to overprotect her.
The same went for everyone else in Baekho Palace, including Yeon-jeong and San-ho.
Cheongha was the first adult to suggest to such a Soya that they secretly do something that broke the rules.
And it had to be a secret from everyone else…!
For the first time, Soya felt a thrill of rebellion, her heart pounding thump-thump-thump-thump.
“Oh dear, I’m hungry. Baby Cotton Ball, will you show me to the dining hall?”
Cheongha chuckled and held out her hand to Soya.
It was just as Soya took Cheongha’s hand.
She spotted Gahyeon walking toward them from the opposite side.
“Oh? Brother Gahyeon!”
“So…”
Gahyeon, who had been about to smile and respond to Soya’s call, suddenly noticed Cheongha beside her and stiffened.
“Hello, Gahyeon. It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
Cheongha leaned toward Gahyeon with a warm greeting.
“……”
Gahyeon stared at Cheongha silently for a moment before smiling back just like her.
“Hello, Lady Cheongha. It’s been a long time.”
A pause.
A faint crack appeared on Cheongha’s face.
“Welcome to Baekho Palace. Soya, so you were escorting our guest? Since she’s an important visitor, please take good care of her. Then, Lady Cheongha, I hope you have a pleasant stay.”
With impeccable manners, Gahyeon offered a prim smile and turned away.
‘Uh…?’
Soya realized that Gahyeon’s attitude was very strange.
He was clearly smiling gently, but it felt like he was coldly drawing a line.
And Gahyeon’s such attitude didn’t last just that day—it continued throughout Cheongha’s entire stay.
* * *
“Hmm. When I heard Baek Sa-eon had adopted a daughter, I naturally assumed she was a tiger, so I brought weapons.”
Cheongha gazed at the long object wrapped in white cloth and murmured in a deliberately serious tone.
“It might be a bit big for Cotton Ball.”
“Ah, no! It’s fine! I love it!”
Soya eagerly held out both hands.
When the white cloth was unwound, a long spear with two crescent blades attached appeared.
“It’s a spear.”
“It’s a toy modeled after the Azure Dragon Halberd, the sacred treasure of the Azure Dragon.”
Cheongha pointed to the engraved azure dragon on the handle.
“Wow……”
Soya let out an exclamation of admiration as she looked at the blue jade embedded in the azure dragon carving.
It had been specially made short and light for young beastkin, but it was still a bit large for Soya.
Still, since it was a toy, the tip was blunt, so it didn’t seem dangerous.
“Thank you so much, Lady Cheongha!”
Soya bowed with a bright smile.
“You accepting it so happily is what I’m thankful for.”
In stark contrast to their awkward first meeting that had caused a misunderstanding, the two had grown quite close over the past few days.
That morning, Cheongha had even braided Soya’s hair in Yeon-jeong’s place, though unfortunately her skill was terrible.
Cheongha made excuses that she’d never handled a little girl’s hair before, but Soya loved it.
Even when Sa-eon saw the braided hair and asked if she’d been in a duel with someone, Soya just giggled.
Soya glanced at the other gifts piled up in Cheongha’s luggage.
“What are those, Lady Cheongha?”
“Ah, these are for Gahyeon and Gayul. I haven’t been able to give Gayul’s yet since his growth pains aren’t over, and as for Gahyeon…”
Cheongha hesitated a little before continuing with a smile.
“Well, I don’t know if that child will accept it happily.”
Unlike her smiling face, Cheongha’s eyes looked a bit lonely.
“Uh……”
Soya trailed off, unsure how to respond.
Over the past few days, Soya had noticed that Cheongha, who always appeared cheerful in front of others, couldn’t do so particularly in front of Gahyeon.
And the reason was Gahyeon’s consistently cold attitude, always drawing a firm line.
“Still, I have to try. It would give me courage if Baby Cotton Ball came with me—will you help?”
Cheongha asked in a bright voice to Soya, whose face had darkened along with her uneasy heart.
“Yes, Lady Cheongha!”
It was just the time when he would have finished his afternoon training and be resting in his room.
Soya headed to Gahyeon’s room with Cheongha.
“Brother, it’s Soya. Can I come in?”
“Soya.”
Gahyeon, delighted by Soya’s voice, came out and opened the door himself, only to spot Cheongha following behind.
“Ah, you came with our guest.”
“Yes, Lady Cheongha has something for you, Brother—”
“This seems a bit immature, Lady Cheongha. I’m disappointed.”
Gahyeon cut off Soya’s words and shot at Cheongha in a cold voice.
“If you have business with me next time, come directly instead of using Soya like this. It makes me uncomfortable. Seeing someone else use my family.”
“Brother, Lady Cheongha isn’t—”
It was just as Soya, startled by Gahyeon’s openly sharp attitude, tried to intervene.
“Sorry.”
Cheongha hid the gift she had brought behind her back and apologized with a smile that showed no sign of hurt.
“I didn’t think that far. I wasn’t trying to use your family. I’m really sorry, Gahyeon.”
“Seeing you apologize like this, it seems you do know shame after all. That’s fortunate. The prestige of the Cheong family hasn’t completely fallen to the bottom.”
With a mocking sneer, Gahyeon turned away.
Left in the corridor, Cheongha stared silently at the closed door for a long while even after it shut.
Caught between them, Soya fidgeted uncomfortably for no reason.
* * *
That evening, after dinner.
“Yeon-jeong, why is Brother Gahyeon avoiding Lady Cheongha?”
Soya asked Yeon-jeong about the relationship between Cheongha and Gahyeon that had been bothering her.
“The Second Young Master thinks that his lady— no, Lady Cheongha— abandoned the young masters.”
“Abandoned…?”
“When the young masters were very young, Lady Cheongha had to leave Baekho Palace.”
Yeon-jeong told Cheongha’s story with a slightly bitter expression.
