🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 19
It was So-ya’s mealtime.
The table was filled with food.
When she first arrived at the White Tiger Palace in Sa-eon’s arms, So-ya had been painfully thin. But over time, eating well and sleeping well, she had gradually begun to gain a healthy amount of weight.
After finishing a meal so full it felt like her stomach might burst, So-ya also drank every drop of the medicinal tonic brought by Yeon-jeong.
‘Most children would probably refuse such bitter medicine or make a fuss.’
‘But our young lady is so obedient.’
Yeon-jeong and San-ho thought this as they watched So-ya drink the medicine without even a wince.
“Wow, young lady. You’re amazing!”
Yeon-jeong clapped while looking at the empty medicine bowl.
“Time for a sweet treat. Say ah—”
“Ahhh—”
So-ya opened her tiny mouth like a baby bird.
San-ho chuckled and placed a sweet candy into her mouth.
So-ya slowly chewed it with her small mouth.
The bitter taste of the medicine and the sweet flavor of the candy mixing in her mouth felt wonderful.
Why is everyone so kind to me?
So-ya’s cheeks turned slightly red as she thought this.
The delicious food and clean clothes were all nice—but what she liked most were the smiling faces of the people around her.
In the Vermilion Bird Clan, people would frown or avoid her whenever they saw her. But in the White Tiger Palace, everyone smiled warmly at her.
They even clapped and praised her for small things like finishing meals or taking medicine.
Smiling… it feels so warm and comforting. I should smile more too.
So-ya smiled softly.
She wanted to return this warmth and kindness to the people of the White Tiger Palace.
Sa-eon had told her she would be staying here “for a while.”
She didn’t know how long that “while” would be—but to So-ya, the current time in the western corner room of the White Tiger Palace felt like the happiest “for a while” of her entire life.
I hope this “while” lasts a very long time. Long enough for me to remember this sweetness.
So-ya carefully chewed the remaining candy, trying to preserve this sweet, bitter-sweet “while” in her memory.
Just then, Jeok-yeong arrived carrying Sa-eon’s gift.
“This is a gift from the Clan Head?”
So-ya’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the wooden box in Jeok-yeong’s hands.
“Yes. He said it was in return for your charm.”
That charm had been her gratitude for saving her life—and now she was receiving yet another gift in return.
Her chest felt warm.
When the wooden box was opened, a tiger-shaped plush toy popped out.
“It’s a tiger!”
So-ya exclaimed excitedly.
Her cheeks flushed red as she stared at the plush with sparkling eyes, making everyone around her chuckle.
“Thanks to your charm keeping away ghosts, this tiger plush slept peacefully all night.”
“Waaah…!”
“Don’t just stare—try holding it.”
“May I?”
“Of course. It’s a gift from the Clan Head to you.”
At their urging, So-ya carefully reached out and hugged the plush.
It was as soft as the stuffed toys she once slept with in her father’s arms when she was very young.
So-ya had once had toys of her own—but when she was exiled to the cold palace, everything was taken away and burned.
Among them was a beautiful vermilion bird plush her late mother had sewn for the daughter she had been waiting for.
All that remained was a charred fragment she once found in the ashes—its form no longer recognizable.
Thinking of it made her eyes sting with tears.
“I… I don’t know how to express how grateful I am…”
She fidgeted anxiously, unsure how to repay such kindness.
Then she carefully asked,
“Could I have some paper and ink?”
“P-paper and ink?”
“Are you going to draw something, young lady?”
“No. I want to write a letter to Sa-eon.”
Everyone froze in surprise.
A letter? From this small young lady?
Writing and reading were usually privileges of noble children.
Still uncertain, Yeon-jeong brought paper, brush, ink, and inkstone.
So-ya sat down immediately, ground the ink, and began to write.
Her brush strokes were a little uneven from lack of strength, but overall the handwriting was neat.
In fact, it was better than the youngest young master—and comparable to the second young master.
Everyone was stunned.
So-ya, completely unaware of their shock, only felt frustrated at how messy her writing seemed.
“It’s been a while since I held a brush… is it very bad?”
“No, young lady! It’s perfect!”
“The Clan Head will definitely be happy to receive this!”
Yeon-jeong and San-ho quickly reassured her.
So-ya’s expression brightened.
“Then please deliver this letter to the Clan Head! Please, Jeok-yeong!”
“Don’t worry, young lady.”
Jeok-yeong smiled and accepted the letter.
So-ya hugged her tiger plush tightly and smiled softly.
Meanwhile, the night before.
When So-ya had visited with the stone, Gahyeon had not been asleep—he had been pretending.
He watched her quietly as she slipped into his room and placed something by his pillow before rushing out.
“What is it?”
After she left, he checked—and found an ordinary pebble.
“What kind of prank is this?”
Annoyed, he threw it away.
But the next morning…
Garyul came to his room proudly holding a stone.
“Look, hyung! A charm from the cotton-ball!”
“A charm?”
“Yes! I told her there are ghosts in the White Tiger Palace, and she gave me this ghost-repelling charm!”
Gahyeon looked at his younger brother with a pitying gaze.
Ghosts? Charms? Ridiculous nonsense.
“You didn’t see her beast transformation, right? I did. She was super tiny and cute.”
“….”
“But why is she afraid of transforming? She looked adorable…”
Garyul wasn’t very perceptive, but his instincts were sharp.
So-ya’s fear when she saw his transformation had been real.
“Maybe she’s afraid of being too cute and getting kidnapped! What if she gets kidnapped, hyung?!”
Gahyeon’s head started to ache.
“Quiet. Get out.”
“This is important! She’s so small! If thieves hide her in a bag and run away, we’ll never catch them!”
Garyul kept rambling.
Gahyeon ignored him and left the room.
Garyul followed behind, still talking nonstop.
“Maybe even Father stole the cotton-ball! This is serious, hyung—”
Suddenly, Gahyeon stopped.
Bam!
“Ow! Don’t stop so suddenly—”
Garyul bumped into his back and rubbed his nose.
“Hey, Young Master Garyul!”
“Huh?”
A stern voice called out.
Garyul realized too late that they were at the training grounds.
His martial arts master, who had discovered his recent slacking, approached with a dark aura.
“Heh heh… you ran away again while I was gone yesterday.”
“M-Master…! Wait, that’s—”
Before Garyul could escape, Gahyeon grabbed him by the back of the neck and handed him over.
“Here. Take him.”
“H-Hyung?! How could you?! You’re not my brother anymore!”
Gahyeon snorted as Garyul was dragged away.
“Finally, it’s quiet.”
Just as he turned to leave—
He noticed So-ya crouching in the garden across from him, quietly rummaging through something.
