The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 24

“Father, then… what should we do with this child now?”

 

“Not long ago I petitioned His Majesty to establish an orphanage for war orphans. For now, take her in and care for her, and we’ll see how things develop. Be careful that this doesn’t get out, and if anyone asks, tell them she’s your servant’s daughter—say that and leave it at that.” 

 

He pressed his forehead with a deeply troubled expression.

 

It seemed, just as the Chief had thought, that he wasn’t the kind of man with a heart cruel enough to cast out a child once taken into his household.

 

‘I can’t help but feel uneasy—as if life’s difficulty level would suddenly rise if I ended up in that orphanage.’

 

Well, it’d still be better than becoming a bandit. Feeling uneasy, I fidgeted with my hands without realizing it.

 

“Byaa…” 

 

As I let out a small whimper, everyone’s gaze instantly turned toward me.

 

Im Daeseung suddenly stared straight at my face, then let out a short, dry laugh—“Hah.”

 

“That guy, this little one looks quite clever. Is it a boy?” 

 

What! Such an impolite thing to say to a lady (?)

 

“Bya bya bya bya! (I am not, Grandpa!)” 

 

“No, Father. She’s a lovely little girl. Isn’t she truly adorable?”

 

“Yes, now that I look again, you’re right. But how could anyone abandon such a tiny child…? Judging by the large sum of money left behind, they must not have been poor, so as you said, there must have been some circumstances. In any case, make sure the child is well fed and cared for without lacking anything. Do you understand?”

 

In the end, Im Hyunsik and his wife nodded in agreement and bowed their heads. 

 

‘He doesn’t seem like a bad grandfather… but my expectations were completely wrong, huh?’

 

I clenched my fists in the maid’s arms.

 

‘Then… what am I supposed to do now?’

 

* * * 

 

Eight months passed after that.

 

I was now one year and five months old.

 

I had now reached one year and five months of age—and had grown into a rather dignified (?) baby boasting a whole ten baby teeth!

 

“Say ah~.”

 

“Abu!”

 

“Isn’t it delicious? Oh my, you’re eating so well.”

 

I still hadn’t been officially registered into the family, but the maids took turns caring for me with great affection.

 

Honestly, these days I felt that, even in this situation, I didn’t really lack anything.

 

A warm, cozy home and delicious, nutritious food… it was incomparable to the days back at the mountain hideout.

 

And that wasn’t all.

 

“While the child is here, make sure she receives a basic education. We can’t possibly use the money left for her just to fill our own pockets.”

 

They even went so far as to hire a fairly learned teacher to educate me.

 

Of course, it’s not like you need much scholarly knowledge to teach a baby who’s only seventeen months old.

 

“Her growth rate aside… her learning speed is unbelievably fast.”

 

“This baby—no matter how I look at her, she seems to be a genius… Wouldn’t it be better to educate her in a more structured way?”

 

Noticing that I was different from other babies, they had gone to some lengths to find a teacher and bring one for me.

 

“One, two, three, four, five.”

 

“Wone, two, three, four, Fivhe.”

 

“This place is the Great Ho Kingdom, and the place we are in is called Jehan.”

 

“Je-ha.”

 

Being treated with such special care and even receiving structured education… there was no reason for me to feel any dissatisfaction.

 

If there was only one problem.

 

‘It’s just that… I strangely often feel empty and lonely.’

 

Even I couldn’t quite figure out the reason why.

 

After all, I was living a much better life than before—there was no reason for me to feel this way.

 

But the loneliness and emptiness I thought would soon fade only grew stronger as time went by.

 

It was especially so when I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night.

 

“Abu?” 

 

Since I was a child cared for by maids taking turns, I had to sleep alone at night.

 

And at those times…

 

“Go back to sleep.”

 

Pat, pat.

 

I kept recalling the low, soothing voice and the gentle hands patting my back.

 

“Huh… huu… waaah!”

 

At times like that, a pain like needles stabbing my chest would invariably torment me.

 

Unable to resist my instincts as a child, I would burst into tears.

 

“Oh dear, why is the child acting like this again?” 

 

“But Physician Heo said there was nothing wrong.”

 

Each time, the maids would be sleeping in the next room, and rubbing their sleepy eyes, they would come and hold me.

 

They were people who did hard physical labor during the day.

 

I didn’t want to trouble them either, but I simply couldn’t stop crying.

 

‘Why is this? It feels like there’s a hole right through my chest.’

 

When no one could identify a specific cause for my symptoms. 

 

“Tsk, it seems like she’s missing her real parents. Shall we give her this?” 

 

One of the maids clicked her tongue in sympathy, then rummaged through the wardrobe and came out with a familiar piece of cloth. 

 

‘That… is the thread of fate that the Chief and I shared, isn’t it?’

 

I’d forgotten for a moment.

 

My eyes sparkled, and I quickly grabbed it.

 

‘If I place this in front of the main gate, he said he would come to see me, didn’t he?’

 

As the Chief said, I probably wouldn’t need to use it for anything from now on.

 

Still, perhaps it was because the thought that I could see the Chief again at any time gave me comfort.

 

Just holding it in my hands made my heart feel inexplicably more at ease than before.

 

From then on, I stopped crying at night.

 

And time passed.

 

Before I knew it, the rustling leaves had all fallen, and early winter had arrived, with chilly winds beginning to blow.

 

“We’ll need to have new clothes made for the baby.”

 

“The clothes we brought have all become too small, haven’t they?”

 

I blinked my eyes as I listened to Eonnyeon and Dolsoe’s conversation.

 

Who were they?

 

They were the maid who paid the closest attention to me among all the maids, and her companion (or friend). 

 

“Eonnyeon, from now on, think of this child as your little sister and take care of her.”

 

Since I had grown a little, Im Hyunsik’s wife judged that the child needed someone capable of properly caring for her. 

 

‘They say the bond with adults is important during childhood, don’t they?’

 

Anyway, as usual, Eonnyeon and her companion Dolsoe sat in the quarters, looking after me and chatting happily. 

 

“How about taking her out to the marketplace for once? That way, the baby can see the world a little too. What do you say, baby—don’t you want to go?!” 

 

“Mhm!”

 

That sounds great, right?!

 

Now able to use quite a few words convincingly, I brightened my eyes and shot my hand up eagerly.

 

It’s been so long since I’ve been to the marketplace—how could I not be excited?! 

 

Besides, I couldn’t stay here forever, could I?

 

“As for the orphanage, His Majesty is still considering it, so we’ll have to wait a little longer.”

 

Whether the current king would actually establish the orphanage was still uncertain.

 

I couldn’t just wait around forever.

 

One way or another, for the sake of my bright future out in the world—

 

I needed to see and learn many things.

 

‘That’s right! I need to figure out what I can do to make a living in the future. Let’s observe everything and think it through!’

 

Ugh!

 

With that thought in mind, I climbed onto Eonnyeon’s back. 

 

And so, we headed toward the marketplace.

 

The problem arose on the way back, after we had enjoyed the sights and bought a few things.

 

“P, please! Please spare me! My lord!”

 

From somewhere came a desperate shout. And, with habits ingrained from my days as a detective, I instinctively turned my head in that direction.

 

“How dare a lowly creature like you block the path of a nobleman—where do you think you are!”

 

Thud!

 

With a loud crash, an old man in tattered cotton clothes fell onto the street.

 

“W, what is this?” 

 

Startled, Eonnyeon and Dolsoe stopped in their tracks and hunched their bodies.

 

Meanwhile, I couldn’t take my eyes off the people who had fallen.

 

Looking more closely, it wasn’t just the old man. A woman, also dressed in tattered cotton clothes, was being mercilessly beaten by armed warriors!

 

‘No… those guys…?’

 

I furrowed my brows and wore an expression as cold as ice.

 

“Could it be…?”

 

Eonnyeon seemed to recall something, sharply inhaled, and covered her mouth with her hand.

 

“That’s right, His Excellency Prime Minister.”  

 

“Huh, I’ve heard the rumor that he came down to Jehan briefly to capture a traitor….”