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Chapter 34
‘I wonder how she knows that….’
She wanted to stand composed, but her legs kept trembling.
A fake who stole the place of the true young lady.
That was Soya’s shame.
A past she didn’t want revealed, and a sin she wanted to cut out of herself.
“Were you planning to steal my place too?”
At some point, Shio straightened her back and looked at Soya with cold eyes.
“N-no, I wasn’t! I never thought of that…!”
“Then leave.”
“……!”
“If you don’t leave, I’ll tell everyone that you’re a thief. So leave with your own feet before that happens.”
“….”
From between her pale lips, only shallow, trembling breaths escaped.
Soya remembered what happened the moment her identity as a fake was revealed—how everyone changed in an instant.
She remembered her father pushing her away with his cold back turned to her. She remembered the icy voice of her older brother, Hawoo, taking away her spiritual core.
She remembered the sharp, cutting gazes of people who changed overnight, and the cold, lonely temperature of the frozen palace that wasn’t even heated in winter.
Even thinking about it made her heart ache.
After coming to the White Tiger Palace, Soya had received warmth, kindness, and gentle goodwill from the people there.
But she knew.
They didn’t know she was a wicked little bird who had stolen someone else’s life. That was why they were kind to her.
‘Once they find out, everyone will change. Just like Father and Brother Hawoo. Just like the people of the Suzaku family.’
It would be too painful if even Sir Sian and the people of the White Tiger Palace looked at her that way.
She would have to leave before the Mountain God Festival ended and before the new young lady of the White Tiger Palace arrived—but even so, she wanted to leave behind good memories.
Not as a thief who stole someone else’s life, but as a quiet, well-behaved guest who stayed briefly.
And yet…
“I-I won’t steal your place, Lady Shio. I just… can I stay a little longer? Just a little longer…?”
“The room at the far end of the west wing you’re occupying—that’s my room. I can’t stand you being there even one more day.”
“Then at least let me say goodbye to Sir Sian—!”
“Leave quietly without telling anyone. What if they try to stop you out of kindness?”
“….”
“If you’re not going to stay here and steal my place, then leave tonight without anyone knowing.”
“….”
“If you’re still here by tomorrow morning, I’ll reveal your secret to everyone.”
With those cold words, Shio turned and left.
Soya stood in the hallway in a daze for a long while before snapping back to her senses and returning to her room.
That evening, during dinner, she looked more drained than usual, so Yeonjeong worriedly asked if she was sick.
Soya only smiled softly.
“I just feel sleepy today. I’d like to go to bed early, Yeonjeong.”
“Our young lady must have been very startled by what happened yesterday.”
Yeonjeong spread out the bedding and left her alone early.
Soya sat on the bed, clutching the tiger doll gifted by Sian, and watched the sunset fade outside the window.
Since learning the truth about this room, she had always known she would have to leave—but she never expected it to come so suddenly.
She thought she would at least stay until the Mountain God Festival ended.
She hadn’t decided where to go, or whether she could really follow Lady Arang… nothing was decided yet.
But she thought she could leave with a smile.
She thought she could say goodbye properly—thank them for bringing her here, say she truly enjoyed her time at the White Tiger Palace.
She never imagined she would be exposed like this and forced to flee.
‘Let’s go now.’
Looking out at the now dark window, Soya wiped her stinging nose and stood up.
After glancing around the room, she wrapped the tiger doll from Sian in cloth and slung it on her back.
That was the only thing she took. Everything else in the room didn’t belong to her.
Just then, she heard a rustling sound from the window.
Confused, she looked up—and a pitch-black head peeked through the open window.
“Eh? Seolyo…?”
“Kyung…!”
Seolyo spotted Soya and jumped inside through the window.
“Ah—!”
Startled, Soya fell to the floor.
“Nyung, nyung!”
Seolyo wagged its tail excitedly, spinning around before flopping onto its back and showing its belly.
Understanding the meaning, Soya smiled and gently patted its belly.
“You came to see me?”
“Nyung!”
“But I have to leave now.”
“Kyuuang…? Nyung!”
Tilting its head, Seolyo suddenly stood up on all fours.
Then, as if it were a warrior protecting Soya, it stood in front of her and barked.
“You mean… you’ll come with me?”
“Nyung!”
“Thank you, Seolyo. With you here, I won’t feel lonely.”
Soya let out a small smile and stood up.
Carefully opening the door, the quiet hallway greeted her.
At the hour of the Pig (亥時), during the shift change, the corridor would be empty for a short time.
Even so, afraid of meeting someone, Soya suppressed her presence as much as possible and slipped out of the building.
Just as she looked back one last time at the White Tiger Palace—
She froze.
A faint, sharp scent pricked her nose.
‘This scent…’
It was the same scent from the pouch Shio had given her.
‘The scent that made wild beasts go berserk. Why is it here?’
Following the stronger scent, she walked toward its source.
Turning the corner to the right side of the building, she reached the area where guest carriages were gathered.
Among them, two carriages stood out—one painted with a brown tiger and the other with a black tiger.
‘Those belong to Lady Arang and Lady Sahye…’
She recognized them immediately, having seen the two get out of those carriages before.
‘Don’t tell me… Shio? But why…?’
Soya suddenly remembered there was a ritual ceremony tomorrow for the Mountain God Festival.
All participants would climb Mount Horim together.
‘If they go up the mountain like this, wild beasts will attack Lady Arang and Lady Sahye’s carriages!’
Realizing this, all the color drained from her face.
It was fine if people hated her.
Being hated was something she was used to—and something she believed was only natural.
But Arang and Sahye were different.
They weren’t interested in the far-west room.
They weren’t trying to take Shio’s place.
Soya couldn’t understand Shio.
‘Why is she trying to hurt people?’
If she didn’t leave quietly now, her secret might be exposed.
She didn’t want to be remembered again as a bad girl.
But…
‘It’s worse if innocent people get hurt.’
And Sir Sian had said it himself—
[Thank you, little cotton ball. For protecting the White Tiger Palace.]
Remembering Sian’s voice, Soya clenched her fists.
‘I have to stop Shio from hurting others.’
She looked at Seolyo and asked,
“You’re really strong enough to drive away all wild beasts, right?”
“Nyung?”
“So… can you help me?”
After tilting its head, Seolyo nodded vigorously.
“Nyung, nyung!”
Meanwhile, Gahyeon was walking along the west corridor.
‘It’s getting too late.’
He held a small, round object in his hand—a gift for Soya.
‘Is she asleep already?’
It seemed likely.
If Soya was asleep, he planned to quietly enter, place the gift by her pillow, and leave.
Just as she had done before.
Arriving at the door to the far west room, he quietly opened it.
Then suddenly, his expression froze.
“Soya…?”
The room was empty.
