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Chapter 36
When Soya was young—though she was still not fully grown even now—she was much smaller than she was today.
When she saw a household servant who had been caught embezzling the family’s wealth and was driven out, she felt sad. At that time, her father said to her:
“Recognizing evil and uncovering wrongdoing is not a bad thing, Soya. You must be able to say when something is wrong.”
“Especially you, as a direct descendant of the Suzaku, must protect the little birds of the southern lands. If you ignore what is wrong and pretend not to know, other innocent little birds will be harmed.”
Of course, the current Soya was no longer a direct descendant of Suzaku, nor did she have any little birds to protect.
And yet, she still remembered the teachings she had heard on her father’s lap when she was young.
Perhaps revealing Shi-yo’s wrongdoing would damage the relationship between Shi-yo and Saneon.
But harming others was a bad act.
“Saneon-nim wouldn’t want actions like that either. Because Saneon-nim is someone with a warm and broad back who protects others.”
Soya recalled Saneon’s broad back, which had protected her just moments ago, and revealed everything Shi-yo had done.
“However, I noticed that the same scent was coming from the palanquins of other young ladies. If we leave it like this, something dangerous might happen tomorrow…”
“That’s a lie!”
Panicking, Shi-yo sharply cut off Soya’s words.
“That child stole someone else’s place even back in the southern lands! She’s a criminal who stole and ran away!”
“What…?”
For a moment, everyone’s gaze turned to Soya.
“Even if the Suzaku family keeps it quiet, everyone inside the family knows! That child stole the position of the youngest daughter of the Suzaku family and pretended to be their daughter before being driven out!”
“….”
“She’s a liar and a fraud! How can anyone trust her words? Even now, she’s trying to frame me to take the western corner room!”
“….”
With every word Shi-yo spoke, Soya’s body trembled.
Soya had been prepared.
The moment she exposed Shi-yo’s wrongdoing, Shi-yo would also reveal all of her secrets.
It was a little sad to be remembered by everyone as a bad child.
But she couldn’t ignore wrongdoing when she knew others would be harmed.
It would be even sadder if others got hurt because she chose to look away.
So Soya endured the sorrow of having her shame exposed.
“Saneon-nim.”
Soya walked toward Saneon, whose face was stiff as he looked at her, and handed him the sachet.
“Here. This is the sachet I found in Lady Arang and Lady Sahye’s palanquins. It’s the same as the one Shi-yo-nim gave me.”
Saneon’s expression, as he looked at her without smiling, was a little frightening, but she tried to remain calm.
“The youngest young master was there as well, so he can serve as a witness.”
“R-right! I saw it! Something that looked just like that—the silver tiger gave it to Cotton Ball!”
Gayeol, who had been among the crowd, quickly chimed in.
Saneon, who had silently received the sachet from Soya, suddenly froze.
“You say there was a scent…?”
Saneon’s expression grew serious. He could not smell anything.
“Cotton Ball. Did you really smell a scent here?”
“Ah? Yes.”
Soya nodded.
At that, the crowd began to murmur. Not only Saneon, but no one else could smell anything.
“S-See? There’s no scent at all even this close. That child is lying…”
Just as Shi-yo tried to push Soya further, Saneon handed the sachet to Jeokyeong and said:
“Jeokyeong, take this immediately and go inform Lady Sara of the situation.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
The moment Baek Sara’s name was mentioned, Shi-yo turned pale.
The sachet Shi-yo used involved dark arts from the northern lands.
If it reached Baek Sara, the shrine maiden of Baekho Palace, she would immediately identify the sorcery.
Then it would be revealed that the sachet was tampered with as Soya said… and if everything Shi-yo had done was exposed…!
“No… I must become a direct descendant of the Baekho family. Otherwise…”
“Family Head! Why do you only listen to that child’s words?”
At that moment, a woman tremblingly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Shi-yo’s shaking body.
She was the mistress of the Silver Tiger family—and Shi-yo’s mother.
“Isn’t calling a priestess from the White Tiger Shrine already enough to determine the truth?”
“Calling someone to determine the truth itself is already a disgrace to the Silver Tiger family! And even if Shi-yo really threatened that child, what is the problem?”
Shi-yo’s mother pointed at Soya and shouted.
“We cannot punish a tiger just because of some nameless child of uncertain status!”
Soya did not argue against the sharp words directed at her. She simply looked down at her feet.
She was used to it. It was normal.
But unlike herself, Shi-yo had parents who protected her. That made Soya feel a little envious, and her nose stung.
Then—
Swoosh—
A large shadow fell beside Soya.
“…!”
Soya, who had been staring at her feet, widened her eyes.
A large, warm presence wrapped around her hand.
Even without looking up, Soya knew exactly who this presence belonged to.
Her nose tingled, and her eyes began to burn.
“Who said this child is ‘nothing’?”
Saneon, standing beside Soya, held her small hand and spoke in a voice filled with anger.
“She is my child, whom I brought here.”
“We—we know! She’s your guest, Family Head! But even so…!”
“You don’t understand what I’m saying.”
Saneon clicked his tongue briefly and cut them off.
“Cotton Ball is my child.”
At that moment, Soya suddenly looked up.
But Saneon did not look at her.
He only glared at the gathered crowd and said once more, firmly:
“My child.”
Saneon separated Soya from the situation until things calmed down.
Gahyeon took Soya to a nearby empty room.
Soya sat blankly on a chair, fiddling with her fingers as she thought.
“She is my child, whom I brought here.”
“Cotton Ball is my child.”
My child…
Why did Saneon-nim say something like that?
“It felt like he was protecting me.”
At that moment, Soya didn’t feel envious of Shi-yo at all.
Thinking about it, Saneon-nim had always protected her since their first meeting.
“Just like a father…”
At that thought, Soya suddenly startled and shook her head.
“A father…? What am I thinking? How could Saneon-nim be my father?”
At this rate, it would seem as though she was trying to take that place, just like Shi-yo said.
“Saneon-nim is strong. He is kind and righteous. That’s why he protects me.”
So she shouldn’t have such thoughts.
She couldn’t steal someone else’s place—she had already taken Liri Lady’s family.
“But… it was really warm.”
Soya quietly looked at the hand where Saneon’s warmth had lingered.
Then she suddenly realized that Gahyeon hadn’t said a word.
When she looked up, she saw Gahyeon staring at her bundle with a pale face.
“Um… Young Master?”
Gahyeon finally spoke, slowly parting his lips.
“Why…”
His voice trembled, as if he might cry.
“Why were you planning to leave so easily?”
“Pardon?”
Soya blinked at him.
“I heard from Brown Tiger. You were planning to leave Baekho Palace.”
“Ah…”
“That bundle on your shoulder. Your clothes. Your shoes. You look like someone who’s leaving.”
Gahyeon gritted his teeth.
Though others hadn’t noticed, Soya clearly looked like someone about to leave.
And the cold, orderly atmosphere of her room—
She truly had been planning to leave Baekho Palace.
“That’s because I originally intended to stay here only for a while before leaving.”
Soya answered honestly.
“Who said you had to leave…?”
Gahyeon suddenly stopped.
When Soya first arrived—
He remembered that he had been the one who opposed her using the western corner room more than anyone.
He had also acted annoyed when she followed him with her short legs.
He had kept his distance even while knowing she was trying to read his feelings.
“…Was it because of me?”
Gahyeon’s voice trembled.
“Was it because I treated you badly…? Because I acted mean… that you wanted to leave?”
“No, Young Master. I just—”
“See? You’re calling me ‘Young Master’ again.”
“That’s just because I’m not used to it yet…”
Unfortunately, Soya’s explanation didn’t reach him.
“I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. So please don’t leave, Soya. Stay with us in Baekho Palace.”
“….”
At his almost tearful voice, Soya hesitated, unsure how to respond.
“But if I stay here, Shi-yo-nim might feel uncomfortable, and also…”
Just as Soya was listing reasons she had to leave—
Creak—
The door opened, and Saneon entered.
“So.”
Looking somewhat tired, he walked toward Soya step by step.
“Were you really planning to leave, Cotton Ball?
