The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 23

“Your time is up. It’s time for you to go now.” 

 

Thud. Just as I thought he was barely managing to let go of my hand, he gently placed me into the basket.

 

Dupil and Gaon approached and neatly draped a small cotton blanket over me. They adjusted the position so the letter would be clearly visible.

 

“Then, Chief, we’ll take her there and return.”

 

Everything was ready.

 

The Chief parted his lips as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end, he didn’t, and simply nodded.

 

Thus, I was carried and moved to the front gate of the tiled-roof house that had been spotted beforehand, held by the hands of Gaon and Dupil. 

 

Dupil, having put down all his belongings, knelt on the floor and spoke subtly, looking at me in the basket.

 

“Goodbye, baby. If I have been lacking in any way… I apologize. I should have been better.” 

 

He let out a short, regretful sigh, then turned and looked at Gaon.

 

“Gaon, don’t you have anything to say to the child?”

 

“There’s nothing like that…”

 

Gaon snapped his fingers and muttered absentmindedly.

 

Then, as if something had occurred to him, his eyes widened meaningfully.

 

“Ah, it seems there is. It’s something very important.”

 

Then, suddenly, he bowed his head and whispered into my ear.

 

“Actually, I released that snake.”

 

“…!”

 

Gaon bared his teeth and gave a charming, sly smile.

 

“I didn’t expect it to die like that, so I was a bit surprised. The royal blood really is something else, huh?”

 

“Euh, eububu…!”

 

What? Being attacked by that snake was the first time I nearly died back at the mountain hideout!

 

‘That was really Gaon’s plan?’

 

T, t, this brat…!

 

You little—do you think I’d forget how you lied so slickly in front of the Chief like a hundred‑tailed fox!

 

Inconsistent in every way, with behavior impossible to predict—sure enough, they were nothing less than a psychopathic fox. 

 

In other words, this is exactly the type I hate the most!

 

‘Is looking charming all it takes?! You sly, scheming mastermind!’

 

As I glared at him, trembling all over, Gaon, looking delighted, grinned cheerfully and gave me his final farewell. 

 

“Don’t ever think about coming back near the Chief again. I won’t let you get away with it.” 

 

Ugh, you b*stard!

 

“Then live well.”

 

Gaon stepped back as if nothing had happened, but I still raised my hand.

 

Then I slapped him in the face with all my might!

 

“Get lwost! You b*stawd!”

 

“…What did you say to make the child look so upset?” 

 

Dupil glanced at me, then glanced at Gaon.

 

“Mhm, it’s nothing.”

 

“I, is that so?” 

 

Since he had been scolded by me before (?), whenever I raised my voice, Dupil would twitch his shoulders nervously for no reason.

 

“Well, it’s not our concern anymore, is it? Let’s hurry back to the Chief.”

 

However, Gaon whistled sharply as if it didn’t matter to him at all, turned around, and left the place. 

 

Dupil, seemingly concerned, glanced back at me left behind, then moved forward at a slow, deliberate pace.

 

Squeeze!

 

Left all alone like that, I squeezed my eyes shut tightly.

 

‘Ugh, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. That brat was the one who released the snake!’

 

Gaon’s pretty face, teasing me with his words before leaving, kept flashing in my mind.

 

Ugh. I should’ve at least flicked him on the forehead. Burning with anger, I let out a huffing breath.

 

‘Right. Seeing that there were people inside who hated me like this, escaping the mountain hideout was definitely for the best!’

 

Thinking that way made it all feel even more real.

 

‘So this is really the end of my ties with the bandits.’

 

A sudden, unexpected death.

 

After that, suddenly waking up as a baby in the mountains and facing the bandits, many things happened one after another.

 

Now…!

 

Hngh! I drew the cold air deep into my lungs. 

 

“Whaaaa!!!!”

 

Then, exhaling the air, I let out a loud cry.

 

Hoping now to live my life meeting real, ordinary families—not criminals!

 

Click—!

 

Whether it was my crying that drew them, I heard hurried footsteps inside.

 

Soon, the gate swung open with a loud creak.

 

“Oh my goodness! What is this?!”

 

“I, it’s a baby!”

 

“Oh my, a baby is here! Where have the parents gone?!”

 

“Go and inform His Lordship and Madam! Quickly!” 

 

Even in decline, a noble family is still a noble family.

 

A fair number of servants, seeing me, began bustling about in a commotion.

 

And so, embraced in their arms, I finally entered my new home!

 

“Oh my goodness, what on earth is all this!” 

 

“No, how can there be so much money? There’s a whole bundle in here?”

 

“Wow, look at all these baby clothes!”

 

“There’s a letter too? Wait… could it be that the baby was abandoned?”

 

While I sat in the middle, listening tensely to the back-and-forth conversation.

 

The main house swung open wide.

 

And the lady of the household, having passed the bandits’ test, leapt out in surprise, running barefoot.

 

“Don’t fuss about—bring her here. The child is cold.” 

 

I blinked my large eyes as I was snugly held by her.

 

‘Wasn’t she said to have a serious illness and unable to have children…?’

 

I remembered how the Chief, Dupil, and Gaon had wracked their brains, worrying over her.

 

‘Yeah. Then accept me as your chosen one!’

 

I smiled brightly at her.

 

In my head, I chanted a spell, urging her to fall for my killer cuteness as soon as possible!

 

“Oh my! Baby, are you smiling at me?” 

 

The fragrant woman smiled brightly and gently brushed my tiny nose.

 

Cradled in her warm embrace, I finally felt at ease and closed my eyes.

 

“You are a special child.”

 

Somehow, unable to bring myself to erase the Chief’s last words that kept lingering in my mind. 

 

* * *

 

After that, I thought everything would go smoothly.

 

That was, until I heard the resolute decision of Im Hyunsik’s father, Im Daeseung.

 

“We cannot register this child into the family.”

 

“Why, Father!”

 

An elderly man with graying hair, exuding an untouchable, noble, and intellectual air, seated at the head of the table.

 

Despite his advanced age, he possessed a steadfast conviction that shone through in his bright, piercing eyes.

 

He suddenly turned his gaze toward the daughter-in-law beside him and asked.

 

“Do you share the same opinion?”

 

“Yes, Father. I do not know who sent this child, but they included such a large sum of money and surely requested that the child be accepted as a member of the family… There must be unavoidable circumstances—how can we refuse to help? Moreover, with this money, our household could live comfortably for a year, even if not as lavishly as before. For the sake of the family as well, if we register this child into the household….”

 

“Who among us is without circumstance?”

 

“Father…!”

 

“The times we live in are truly dire. Every day, countless children die or are abandoned. Even if we cannot save those children, to accept a child in exchange for money, and even register them as family? While I understand the concerns and intentions of the one who abandoned this child, it must not be allowed. Not only would it shake the very foundation of the Great Ho Kingdom, but it would also set a precedent of buying a family with money. That is why it cannot be done.”

 

It was only then that I realized.

 

“Im Hyunsik and his wife will surely wish to adopt the child. However, his father, Im Daeseung, is a stubborn man. He thinks strictly of social status and values the foundation of the kingdom above all else. Regardless of any compassion he might feel, he could very well refuse to register the child into the family.”

 

“Then what shall we do, Chief? Would it be better to look for someone else after all?”

 

“No. I don’t think there are many people in the Great Ho Kingdom with such character. It’s only a guess, and even if he refuses to register the child, he will surely find some other way to care for the child.”

 

Why the Chief would say something like that…!

 

He was probably considering a situation like this. Even so, the reason he sent me was clear.

 

“Whatever the case, it will be better than living in the mountain hideout. If you stay with us, you will avoid a life of running and hiding for the rest of your days.”

 

Right. That’s true…

 

So what happens to me now?