The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 120

Perhaps she had even forgotten her own name. But if by some chance she still remembered it. 

 

Or, if she had a new name that she had received after losing her memories. 

 

I wanted to know.

 

Because letting her go felt so deeply regretful for some reason. 

 

“I-if you don’t want to tell me, that’s…!”

 

“Seol.”

 

“Yes?” 

 

“Call me Auntie Seol. I’m only telling you. It’s a secret.”

 

She gave a final, gentle smile as she affectionately shared her name. 

 

Hearing that name, I couldn’t hide my rising excitement.

 

“Seol? I’m, I’m Seolyeong! It means a person who shines on the snow! Brightly!”

 

“Oh my! That’s a truly pretty name. I also use the character for ‘snow (Seol)’. I don’t remember my full name, but I faintly recalled a memory of someone calling me ‘Seol’.”

 

She smiled faintly and offered her final farewell.

 

“Now, you must really hurry back to your father and uncles. If possible, let us meet again in the capital! I will be wandering around the bookstores of the capital. Oh, and.” 

 

Slightly lowering her gaze, she added softly.

 

“What you heard about me… please keep it a secret. I’m sort of being chased right now.”

 

“Yes! I will be the only one who knows. Auntie Seol!” 

 

When I answered vigorously, she nodded and slowly turned around to walk away. I waved my hands at her gradually receding figure.

 

And right then.

 

“Yeong!”

 

A voice calling me could be heard from afar.

 

Looking back, Uncle Gaeddong was waving his hand from a distance.

 

“What’re ya doin’? Gotta eat dinner!”

 

I stealthily glanced back toward the direction where Auntie Seol had disappeared. 

 

Fortunately(?), Uncle Gaeddong didn’t seem to have noticed my secret meeting with her at all.

 

‘If Dad finds out someone was around here, he definitely won’t sit still…’

 

I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I decided not to speak of it. 

 

“Please keep it a secret.”

 

Because her earnest request kept lingering in my ears.

 

If I brought her up, I would naturally have to reveal who she was, why she came to this mountain, and by what route she approached.

 

And the Chief—Dad—would immediately attach people to investigate her.

 

But…

 

‘She was absolutely not a person who would lie to me. So I want to repay that trust.’

 

I carefully stroked the handkerchief tucked inside my clothes for no reason and smiled softly.

 

Seeing me like that, Uncle Gaeddong tilted his head.

 

“Did somethin’ happen? Huh? Why’re ya smilin’ like that? And didn’t I tell ya not to come out this far alone.”

 

“Noo~ Nothing happened! And is it my first or second day living in the mountains? You’re always overprotective, Uncle!”

 

“Overprotective, my foot! What if a tiger popped out! Look, the sun’s already completely set. Ye know it’s more dangerous when it gets dark, right?”

 

My uncle’s nagging showed no signs of stopping. Eventually, I threw both hands up and surrendered.

 

“Okay, I got it. I’ll be careful from now on!”

 

“Alright, alright, let’s head back quickly. Hmm? Wait, did our Yeongie’s hair change a bit? Did Bokhwi work on it?” 

 

“My hair looks pretty, right?” 

 

“What’s this, tied up real nice with a cloth? The embroidery is so fine too. My, my~ that looks expensive. Bokhwi really put her heart and soul into it since it’s for our Yeongie~” 

 

I didn’t bother denying it. Instead, I secretly grinned.

 

‘I’ll keep it as my own memory. When I get back, I’ll put it in my treasure box.’

 

Thinking so, I tightly held Uncle Gaeddong’s hand and walked toward the newly built stronghold.

 

* * *

 

“A bookstore?!”

 

When everyone was sitting around together after finishing dinner. 

 

I conveyed the brilliant idea I had come up with through my encounter with Auntie Seol to Dad and the uncles.

 

Upon hearing my words, the Chief and the uncles looked at each other’s faces for a moment, then soon put on thoughtful expressions.

 

“That’s… a good idea, isn’t it?”

 

“Indeed… when it comes to spaces for exchanging information, I could only think of taverns or courtesan houses, but a bookstore is a different story.” 

 

“I heard the mistresses of noble families visit them in person.”

 

“Yes. Since it is difficult to send servants to fetch unofficial histories or romance novels, they often stop by in secret themselves.” 

 

As positive reactions followed just as I expected, I excitedly jumped up and raised my voice.

 

“That’s right! That is exactly what we should utilize!” 

 

I pointed my index finger out emphatically and said.

 

“What if we set up a bookstore, but build a separate secret space inside it so that they can freely share reviews and thoughts about the books they’ve read?” 

 

In other words, it meant creating a social community where people could communicate naturally under the pretext of ‘reading’.

 

If they were noble mistresses who had been secretly reading unofficial histories or romance novels, they surely would have wanted to share their thoughts with others.

 

And if someone provided that place for them! 

 

“Not only would they gather and communicate among themselves, but information would naturally flow as well.” 

 

“In that case, we could have them wear masks or set up partitions so their identities aren’t revealed.” 

 

Everyone poured out various opinions, and the atmosphere quickly became lively.

 

Just then, the Chief quietly raised his hand.

 

“Hold on.”

 

In an instant, everyone’s attention was focused.

 

“Using a bookstore as a base is good. However, we will need to discuss the method of its operation more carefully.”

 

He turned his head toward Gaon and added.

 

“Gaeddong and Gaon, take charge of this matter, investigate, and push it forward.”

 

“Yes. Understood. We will head down to the capital immediately to investigate the operations of existing bookstores.” 

 

“We will also figure out a suitable location within the capital to serve as a base.”

 

‘Ugh, it feels like they absolutely aren’t going to include me in this?!’

 

I felt a dizzying premonition inside.

 

However, I couldn’t back down here. 

 

‘This is a plan I proposed specifically so I could go to the capital myself!’

 

“I want to go too…!” 

 

The moment I raised my hand and shouted, the Chief’s words immediately followed. 

 

“You cannot, Yeongie.” 

 

His tone was firm, but his eyes were endlessly affectionate.

 

“You did exceptionally well to come up with such a wonderful idea. I am truly proud of you as your father. But… the capital is dangerous.” 

 

I clenched my fists tightly and protested.

 

“But Dad! There aren’t any portraits of me circulating in the capital, and since I’m growing every day, my face is changing too. No one will know it’s me!”

 

“However… do you not know there is a bigger problem than that.”

 

He restrained me by making me guess without specifically mentioning the ‘mole on the top of the foot’.

 

‘As expected… it’s just as I thought.’

 

I let out a small sigh and looked back at Aunt Bokhee.

 

She immediately nodded and brought something over.

 

The basket contained various powders and ointments she had been constantly researching.

 

“This is what I prepared with Aunt Bokhee.”

 

“Aunt Bokhee, how do you decorate faces so prettily?”

 

Ever since the incident where the mole on the top of my foot was revealed and I really almost died at the Prime Minister’s hands, I had been constantly agonizing over it.

 

‘Even if the mole is in a place that’s hard to see, I can’t be at ease.’

 

And aside from decorating me prettily, Aunt Bokhee had one more innate talent.

 

She could make natural cosmetics by mixing herbs and natural dyes!

 

“Auntie, I need makeup that perfectly hides the mole. Is something like that possible too?”

 

“I’ll try making it.”

 

She took my words seriously.

 

And the result was…

 

“Please take a look for a moment.”

 

Tap, tap, tap.

 

Auntie applied powder to the top of my foot and meticulously dabbed it with a brush.

 

“How is it? It’s completely invisible now, isn’t it?”

 

That mole truly became completely invisible!