The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 12

“What’s going on? I didn’t instruct you to attend this meeting.”

 

Pilsuk bit her lip and stepped forward, lowering her head.

 

“My apologies, Chief. I brought this child here, risking impropriety, because there is something I must ask you regarding her.” 

 

“I hope the reason for barging in during the meeting, ignoring proper procedure, is justified.”

 

The chief’s expression had already hardened into a cold glare.

 

The air inside the quarters felt frozen, giving me the illusion that time was moving slowly.

 

“Tell me.”

 

With a tilt of his chin, the chief leaned back against the chair, as if daring her to speak.

 

Clench—!

 

Then, as if gathering her courage, Pilsuk tightened her grip on me even more.

 

“I understand that you have not yet decided on what to do regarding this child, Chief. Is that correct?”

 

“Yeah.” 

 

“Why is that?”

 

Unable to hold back any longer, Dupil stood up and stepped forward.

 

“Second Commander, I clearly remember explaining this to you. Why are you being so disrespectful to the Chief like this? I specifically said that adoption was difficult, so we decided to watch over her here at the hideout…” 

 

“However! You didn’t mention that this child is the daughter of our enemy, didn’t you?”

 

“…”

 

In an instant, the room fell silent.

 

It seemed that no one had suspected Pilsuk would know about the mark.

 

“As expected, so you did know all along. Isn’t that right?!”

 

“Second Commander, you are not of royal lineage, so how do you know the secrets of the royal family?”

 

“Don’t take me for a fool. I’ve also been sharpening the blade of revenge for a very long time. I’ve read every book there is about the royal family. So do you think I wouldn’t know that one thing?!”

 

Pilsuk gritted her teeth. 

 

“Please answer me, Chief.”

 

“…”

 

“Why did you spare the child of our enemy, Chief?!”

 

A silence fell, as if cold water had been poured over everyone.

 

She was so upset that tears had begun to well up in Pilsuk’s reddened eyes.

 

“Have you truly forgotten everything? What the King did?”

 

“…”

 

“He killed them. All of them. Most people here lost their parents, siblings, their wives and children… everyone! We all lost our loved ones to that man!”

 

She spat out each word with suppressed fury, letting every syllable drip with anger.

 

“Please, kindly explain to us. Why are you asking us to take care of this child?”

 

A harsh protest that could almost be seen as insubordination.

 

However, no one dared to speak up easily.

 

Her words, filled with deep resentment, carried unmistakable sincerity.

 

That was because everyone present here understood all too well the meaning behind her words.

 

Overcome with despair, I too could not utter a single word.

 

Then, I slowly lifted my head.

 

Taak—!

 

At that moment, my eyes briefly met the chief’s.

 

‘He’s looking at me like that again….’

 

I don’t know why, but at that moment, it felt as if his gaze wavered helplessly once again.

 

As if he were feeling something akin to compassion for me.

 

“…”

 

Silence flowed like that again.

 

It was the first time since arriving here that I felt such suffocating tension.

 

Then suddenly, the handsome man sitting next to the chief…

 

In other words… First Commander Kim Gaon, who had tried to kill me during the snake incident, suddenly stood up and stepped forward.

 

“I agree with what the Second Commander said.”

 

The chief narrowed his eyes fiercely and stared at Gaon. 

 

Gaon approached me, wearing his characteristic sly smile. 

 

The chief’s cold gaze followed Gaon, but for some reason, he didn’t intervene this time.

 

Step, step. 

 

In the blink of an eye, the man moved to stand beside Pilsuk.

 

Though his frame was rather slender, an unmistakable sharp aura of intimidation filled the surrounding air.

 

He stood beside me, curling the corners of his red lips into a gentle smile. His eyes curved along with it, making him look very handsome, but the problem was…

 

“See you again?”

 

Clang, clang!

 

Despite his pleasant, welcoming greeting, he held a dagger in his hand.

 

He twirled the blade between his index finger and thumb.

 

At first glance, it seemed playful, but to me, it felt like a constant threat that he could attack at any moment. 

 

Kkaaaak—!

 

I widened my eyes and gripped Pilsuk’s shoulder tightly with my hand.

 

Fearing he might harm me, my whole body trembled with tension.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

Of course, I couldn’t jump to conclusions.

 

However, just like during the snake incident, I could roughly guess his type from his appearance and demeanor.

 

In my previous life, I had encountered quite a few criminals with this kind of aura.

 

A free-spirited and unpredictable type. In other words… one could say…

 

‘This is the kind of aura psychopaths usually give off.’

 

They were the kind even a veteran detective like me found difficult to handle.

 

Their behavior was hard to predict, and above all, they gave you the most uneasy feeling when you faced them,

 

Moreover, he already had a history. He’d tried to kill me and even lied shamelessly to the chief! 

 

Gaon, who had been staring at me, turned his head toward the chief and smiled. 

 

“Wow, truly remarkable. Just as I heard, she doesn’t cry. Could it be because she’s of royal blood?”

 

The chief still remained silent. 

 

Finally, Pilsuk spoke, as if trying to restrain the chief, who wasn’t giving any orders and was just staring.

 

“First Commander, what are you doing? This isn’t your place to intervene.”

 

“So even when I’m on your side, you’re still being difficult?”

 

“I merely came to ask the Chief about his intentions.”

 

“Right. Then, why don’t we just go ahead and each ask what we want to ask?” 

 

Swoosh–!

 

“Abu?!”

 

At that moment, my nape was grabbed by a rough hand.

 

It was literally an instant.

 

At a speed too fast for anyone to see, Gaon snatched me from Pilsuk. 

 

“Abuuu!!! (Let go! You punk!)”

 

I felt my diaper getting slightly damp from the shock.

 

Held by the nape in his hand and dangling in midair, I flailed my arms and legs.

 

“I have been waiting all this time because the Chief instructed me to postpone any decision regarding this child. However, I’ve been questioning it all along, since I had previously received a strict order from the Chief.”

 

“….”

 

“Do you remember the day, a year and a half ago, when the Chief lost the Madam and the unborn child?” 

 

“….!”

 

Even amidst the chief’s intensifying aura of hostility, Gaon clenched his teeth and continued speaking without flinching.

 

“Back then, didn’t you order that if we ever encountered any direct descendants of the King, we should not hesitate and kill them all? It must be done.” 

 

“Euppua! Pua! (Let go!)” 

 

“But you’ve reversed that order, and I’m truly confused.”

 

Swoosh-!

 

He pressed the sharp blade against my fragile neck.

 

“If you correct yourself and give me another order now, I will obey.”

 

“Kyaaa! Waaa! Waaa!”

 

For the first time, I couldn’t contain my emotions as a baby and burst into tears.

 

The sudden waves of sleepiness, the cries that seemed about to burst out regardless of my will…

 

Having become a baby… I naturally realized that my infant instincts had strengthened.

 

Until now, I had been trying hard to control some of them.

 

But this time, it was harder to control.

 

After all, my life was in danger!

 

“Waaa! Waaaa!” 

 

I cried my heart out, but there was no response from the Chief.

 

“Keugh, keugh!”

 

Just when I thought I was really going to die and let out a shaky breath—

 

Whoosh—!

 

He let out a groan of pain as he felt a sharp sting in his wrist and dropped his sword.

 

And in the next moment, Gaon gasped sharply.

 

Goooooh…

 

Because the chief was approaching him, exuding the most fearsome aura he had ever shown.

 

Sreung.

 

He drew a massive sword, as big as his own body, from his waist.

 

It was a sword imbued with a majestic presence, as if a single swing could rip off dozens of heads.

 

“Put her down.” 

 

At the harsh, gritted words, cold sweat ran down Gaon’s forehead.

 

“Next is your neck.”