Goddess Kingmaker Chapter 14

“Hey, you little beggar. Don’t you know how to cry?”

 

Even after that, the siblings never missed a single day of visiting Gonjiam, which they had claimed as their hideout.

 

They usually targeted the brief hours before Roen came rushing back, often during nap time.

 

They would break down the already flimsy door, or they would slash the floorboards and swing them around like they were having a sword fight.

 

When Roen returned later, she immediately knew who had done it, but the maid of the abandoned palace probably couldn’t bring herself to go to the Grand Duchess and ask her about it.

 

All she could do was hold me tightly and whisper, “It’s a relief that you weren’t hurt, Baby.” 

 

Judging by the emptiness in her eyes, it seemed like this was her way of self-hypnosis.

 

Otherwise, she might have gone insane.

 

“I told you to cry! What are you doing!”

 

“Leave it. Maybe that one’s just like Castiel.”

 

“Right? Castiel never said a word or fought back even when we yelled at him and mocked him. What an idiot!”

 

“Hey, let’s be brave and have a sword fight instead!”

 

As usual, Harmel yanked a wooden plank from the floor with a loud crack and handed one to his younger sibling.

 

At this rate, the entire floor might disappear, but it wasn’t my problem.

 

‘Let’s focus.’

 

After days of training myself in hypnosis, I finally was able to close my eyes and ears.

 

I ignored the clanking of their swords and the insults directed at each other as if they were background music.

 

Instead, I glanced at the old wall clock.

 

‘Just hold on a little longer, just a little longer.’

 

From my experience over the past few days, Layton Palace is not a place that can handle the madness of two siblings.

 

Soon enough, they would run out to the small palace garden and tear apart anything in sight.

 

“Harmel! Catch me if you can! Meee-ow!”

 

“Did you just stick your tongue out at me?! Get back here, you little beggar brat!”

 

“…….”

 

‘At least he called his little brother a beggar brat.’

 

As expected, I absentmindedly murmured as I watched the siblings running away.

 

But that wasn’t the end of it. Lying lifelessly like a doll, I checked the time again.

 

“……”

 

One hour until Roen returns and the siblings’ nanny comes looking for them.

 

I raised my body as if I were turning my upper body over and grabbed the railings on both sides as usual.

 

This time, I wasn’t simply trying to pull out the railings.

 

Last time, it was possible because the cradle was so old and worn out, and no matter how much natural bloodline strength I have, a baby is just a baby.

 

A strong baby, sure, but still a baby.

 

Instead, because I was only a baby, I had powers that only babies have.

 

‘Move, my feet.’

 

Like a scene from a revenge movie, I stared intensely at my toes. My palms tingle from gripping the railing so tightly.

 

After days of training, standing while holding on was no longer difficult. But I wasn’t satisfied with that.

 

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I reached the peak of my self-hypnosis.

 

‘Walk. I can walk.’

 

‘Even if I was just nine months old. Almost ten months. Everything depends on my will.’

 

My eyes burned with determination. At times like this, my past life was a blessing.

 

From being born in a slum and working myself to the bone for twelve hours a day to getting into Seoul National University, to hiding in a secret attic printing anti-government flyers—I had turned the impossible into possible before.

 

I would prove once again that human willpower was limitless.

 

‘Just one step.’

 

First, I had to climb over the crib railing. Using a baby’s natural flexibility, I lifted my foot all the way to my chest and took a deep breath.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Without giving it a break, I rolled my remaining foot wide and lifted my body up so that it hung on the railing.

 

I had to keep my balance here.

 

Before I could flip over again and fall into the cradle, I slowly tilted my head back and shifted my weight.

 

‘Good!’

 

The feel of solid ground beneath my feet—it had been too long.

 

The pressure against my soles was so exhilarating that I nearly teared up. But then, the siblings’ shouts from outside jolted me back to reality.

 

‘No! We can’t stop here!’

 

‘The floor wasn’t my final goal!’

 

“Euuugh!”

 

With a determined grunt, I fixed my gaze forward.

 

Sure, I could crawl the rest of the way, but once I started walking on two legs, I could never go back to the past.

 

Of course, this also applies to what will happen in the future.

 

“Aaang!”

 

‘Let’s go, legs! forward!’

 

I spread my arms for balance. My awkward posture wobbled, but I refused to give in.

 

One step. Then another.

 

Every time I staggered and my knees bent, I could only think of Roen’s face.

 

‘Wait for me, sister! I’m coming!’

 

“ahh!”

 

Finally, the first step!

 

Overcome with emotion, my teeth chattered. There was no room for complacency.

 

In my life, one step would always lead to two.

 

“Eet!”

 

The first step was difficult, but then my body moved forward on its own as if it were being pushed.

 

I stumbled as if I was about to fall, but I kept my eyes on the goal and steadily took the remaining steps until the end.

 

And finally…

 

—Crashh!

 

“Hehee.”

 

I couldn’t hide my smile as I stared at the shattered porcelain vase.

 

‘I did it! I did it!’

 

I want to clap, but if I do that, I might lose my balance and fall over.

 

I forced myself to calm down and aimed for the next target next to it.

 

—Crashh!

 

This time it was a statue. Although covered in dust, the white statue that must have been a treasure was shattered into pieces without a trace.

 

Next came a painting, then a set of decorative boxes. Finally, I turned to the crystal ball sitting on the desk.

 

Its brilliance made me hesitate for a moment, but—

 

‘Screw it!’

 

With one last crash, the sparkling ball shattered.

 

Satisfied, I licked my lips happily.

 

However, I couldn’t stay lost in my thoughts forever.

 

When the bell rang to announce the end of the hour, my mind raced and I lowered my upper body in a hurry.

 

‘Crawling is fine in an emergency!’

 

I reached out, avoiding the scattered pieces and the wooden planks torn apart by the siblings.

 

To the cradle, there was not much left now.

 

“Young Masters! You’re here again today?”

 

‘This is a big problem!’

 

The voice of the Grand Duchess’ maid came through the window earlier than expected.

 

I quickly stretched out my hand, but my breath was caught in my throat.

 

“You need to return quickly, or you’ll be punished!”

 

“Aw, just a little longer!”

 

‘Nice work, Little brat.’

 

It seemed even the maid couldn’t contain their boundless energy. Thebes stubbornly refused to leave, and his older brother chimed in.

 

“Just a bit more! Even if we go back to our palace, Mom won’t let us run around as we please!”

 

“But today you must hurry! There’s a banquet tonight.”

 

“Huh? What banquet?”

 

“His Majesty has returned. There will be a grand banquet this evening, so you must wash up and prepare. If the Grand Duchess finds out, you’ll be in trouble.”

 

“Okay! Then just ten more minutes!”

 

As expected, Harmel, who was no less energetic than his younger sibling, quickly shook off the maid’s hand and ran off.

 

It was a relief that they didn’t just leave, but I felt anxious in my own way.

 

‘Feet, let’s go!’

 

‘Just one more time!’

 

I held onto the railing and took a deep breath as the slope became steeper than inside the cradle.

 

I can’t collapse here.

 

I bit my lip as if I was being chased by the loud footsteps echoing through the hallway.

 

“uughh!”

 

I made a big jump and clung tightly to the cradle.

 

—Thud!

 

I was able to get over the first hurdle by skillfully placing my feet on the railing.

 

However, I didn’t have time to carefully step over each step like I did when I first escaped the cradle.

 

As my head tilted inward, I boldly let go of both hands.

 

—Thud!

 

“……”

 

It doesn’t hurt. I’m fine. I’m brave. I can endure this much.

 

I put on a final, stronger brainwashing than ever before, and held my eyes tightly shut as tears welled up.

 

The momentary shock made my nose sting, but fortunately, it was a cradle so it wasn’t hard.

 

And more fortunately than that—the door happened to open at just the right moment.

 

“Hey. One more sword fight in the ghost room, and— wait, what the heck is this?”

 

“Brother. What are you doing over there? Why aren’t you coming in? Huh?”

 

Harmel, who had entered first, and Thebes, who had followed, suddenly froze at the doorway.

 

Their expressions were so ridiculously dumbfounded that the stinging pain in the back of my head vanished instantly.

 

“Ahhhhhh! What is this?!”

 

“Young Masters, why are you doing this again—Kyaaaahhh!”

 

The maid of the Grand Duchess, who had come in to stop them, screamed in agony.

 

Her scream was so long that it shook the entire palace.

 

“Young masters! What on earth have you done?! How could you leave this place in such a state?!”

 

“Huh? We didn’t do it.”

 

“That’s right. We didn’t do anything!”

 

“Ahhh, say something that actually makes sense!”

 

At first glance, it seemed like it was not something that could be handled alone, so even the maid, who used to be very obedient, is now losing her mind.

 

Meanwhile, Roen and the palace guards, who had rushed over after hearing the screams, turned pale and swallowed dryly.

 

“W-What is this! How could this have happened?!”

 

“Baby! Are you okay?”

 

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