TWTCB 15

Chapter 15

At that overly transparent shout, everyone else snickered, but So-ya was the only one who flinched and asked back in alarm.

“Gh… ghosts?”

“Y-yeah! Ghosts! There’s a terrifying ghost in the White Tiger Palace that drags away small kids like you!”

Garyul’s heart was pounding wildly. He nearly blurted out, “Because you’re cute!” instead.

In truth, Garyul’s mind was still filled with the image of So-ya’s beastkin form that he had briefly seen that day.

It was the first time he had ever seen a flying beastkin.

The baby bird that fit in his palm was whiter than a rabbit and smaller than a mouse.

Its fluffy wings instead of front legs were adorable, and its tiny, slender legs were fascinating.

How does something that small even walk?

The slightly raised tail feathers, as Suri had said, were extremely cute.

And that snow-white down like freshly fallen snow!

Of course, as a White Tiger, he also had white fur—but unlike his long, glossy coat, the baby bird’s down was short and fluffy like dandelion seeds.

When he carefully picked it up, it was so small and precious that it made him feel strangely ticklish, like he had to protect it no matter what.

So, so cute!

But saying it directly was too embarrassing. After all, he was a shy little tiger.

So instead, he ended up lying about a ghost that didn’t even exist.

So-ya, who had no idea about Garyul’s inner thoughts, looked very uneasy.

She had never seen a ghost before, but it sounded extremely scary. And more than anything…

“Th-then… that means the young master is in danger too?”

“Huh?”

What if a ghost appeared and took the young master away?

So-ya looked like she was about to cry.

“W-wait! No! I’m fine! I, the great third son of the White Tiger Clan, am not afraid of ghosts!”

“But…”

“You know what a tiger is, right?”

“Y-yes…”

“I am, after all, a White Tiger that hunts ghosts!”

“…”

So-ya’s worried expression did not ease at all.

When she was very young—back when she was still the beloved youngest daughter of the Vermilion Bird Clan—her father and brothers would read her picture books every night before bed.

[A proud tiger was blown far away by a single flap of the majestic Firebird’s wings.]

[Brother, look at this picture! Is that a tiger? It has four legs!]

[Yes, So-ya. That is a tiger. The White Tiger clan that rules the western lands.]

[Hmm… they say it’s the king of beasts, but it looks weaker than a bird. It gets blown away with just one flap.]

[Haha, yes. There’s a saying that a young tiger doesn’t know fear of birds.]

The problem was that the picture book was somewhat distorted—the tiger was drawn as extremely small and weak.

And So-ya had completely believed it.

What’s more, what she had seen in the drawings wasn’t even a tiger, but a cat.

Of course, Sa-eon, who had saved her from assassins, was strong—but assassins and ghosts were different things…

“Have you ever seen a tiger before?”

Garyul suddenly asked.

“I’ve seen one in a picture book.”

“Not that. A real tiger.”

“No.”

So-ya shook her head.

“Tigers are very strong! Their teeth are sharp and their claws are like steel!”

“…”

Seeing that her worried expression still didn’t go away, Garyul tried to explain how strong tigers were.

But So-ya still looked unconvinced.

“Fine. Then I’ll show you the majestic form of a tiger!”

Unable to stand it anymore, Garyul transformed right in front of her.

Poof!

“Kwaaaaang! (How is it? Majestic, right?)”

“…!”

So-ya’s eyes widened completely.

The childhood period of beastkin was defined as the time between age six, when they first awakened their spirit core, and around age ten, just before their first growth phase.

Unlike humans, beastkin did not grow gradually—they underwent sudden explosive growth at specific stages.

So Garyul, who had only just turned ten, was still in his childhood phase.

In other words, he was still a baby tiger small enough for So-ya to lift with both hands.

The baby tiger opened its tiny mouth wide and let out a proud roar: “Kwaaang!”

So-ya, who had been gloomy all this time, suddenly had her eyes sparkle and her cheeks flushed.

So cute…!

The tiger was exactly as small and adorable as she had imagined.

Round pointed ears, a soft pink nose, fluffy fur, and a swishing tail.

It even looked like it would purr if she petted its head.

“Kwaang! (Well? Isn’t this my majestic and cool form, cotton ball?)”

Garyul proudly lifted his fluffy white paw.

His padded paw—hiding sharp claws—was one of his most prized features.

“!”

So-ya stared at his paw pads in shock.

P-pink paw pads! And they look so soft!

She clapped her hands in admiration.

The baby tiger was even cuter than the stuffed dolls in Lady Lili’s room.

“Amazing!”

Garyul, misunderstanding her reaction completely, thought she was admiring his bravery.

“Growl! (I’ll even let you touch my shiny fur, cotton ball!)”

“Really?”

“Growl! Growl! (Go ahead.)”

So-ya carefully bent down and gently touched his fur.

It felt warm and soft, different from bird feathers but equally comforting.

Garyul, pleased, began to purr-like growl and wag his tail.

Tigers really are small and cute animals…

So-ya thought while watching his tail sway.

Then… do Sa-eon-nim and the second young master also have pink noses and pink paw pads? But the clan head is so big… would he also be a small cute tiger beastkin?

It felt strange imagining the cold, sharp-faced Sa-eon with a pink nose and soft paw pads.

“Kwaang! (Now you show me yours!)”

“Huh?”

“Growl growl! (Your beastkin form, cotton ball!)”

“…”

So-ya’s face turned pale in an instant.

“N-no! I’m not cool at all, so n-no!”

She shook her head frantically.

“Grrr? (What if you’re not cool?)”

But So-ya bit her lip, looking pale, and turned away.

Unlike before, she was firmly refusing.

Garyul, though not very perceptive, instinctively realized from her trembling hands and pale face that he shouldn’t push further.

Uh oh… what do I do? I’m going to make cotton ball cry.

Looking around for help, he realized Yeon-jeong and San-ho had just left to get drinks.

Then, his eyes landed on a discarded leather ball.

His eyes sparkled.

“Kwaang! (Cotton ball! Want to play ball?)”

“?”

So-ya blinked at the sudden suggestion.

Garyul quickly ran over, grabbed the ball in his mouth, and dropped it in front of her.

It rolled right to her feet.

So-ya looked down at it.

This…

It was a ball.

She couldn’t even remember the last time she had played with one.

In the Vermilion Bird Clan, it had been something forbidden for her.

Once, while cleaning Lady Lili’s room, she had touched her leather ball and was severely scolded.

It had been a toy her father brought from the western lands for the young lady.

But here, Lady Lili isn’t here… and the young master is the one asking me to play…

After a moment of hesitation, she carefully picked it up with both hands.

Thump, thump, thump.

Her heart was beating fast.

Garyul stepped back and shouted, wagging his tail.

“Growl growl! (Throw it!)”

So-ya gathered her courage and threw the ball.

Thump… roll…

It didn’t even reach Garyul’s paws and just rolled away.

But a shy smile bloomed on So-ya’s face.

Meanwhile

Standing by the window and looking down, Baek Gahyeon frowned in annoyance.

What is that kid doing?

Garyul, in his baby tiger form, was playing in the garden with So-ya.

For someone supposedly about to undergo his first growth phase, it was an extremely pathetic sight.