The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 31

Park Jutaek exhaled a deep sigh, then lightly raised his hand. 

 

At that signal, the warrior withdrew his sword and stepped back.

 

“Oh my, get up now. Why would you go so far as to kneel like that? No matter what, would I ever lay a hand on your son? You know how much I care for you.” 

 

He smiled broadly and lightly tapped Im Daeseung on the shoulder.

 

Im Daeseung trembled in fear, unsure of what to do. 

 

“S, Sir….”

 

“Don’t worry. I understand your feelings very well. Even if she’s just a maidservant, she’s still a person—how could I possibly force her to be separated from her child? So, I’ve done all this especially for your sake. Your peace of mind is my peace of mind. Do you understand?”

 

“…”

 

“Have you failed to fully understand the depth of my feelings?”

 

It was truly a remark befitting a madman.

 

Grit. The sound of molars grinding together was heard from the teeth of Im Dae-seung, who did not even have the strength to resist. 

 

“I bow my head in gratitude for your grace, which is as boundless as the heavens…my Lord.” 

 

He pressed his head deeply to the floor, offering a humiliating bow.

 

One by one, the words of gratitude were barely uttered, and only then did the Prime Minister, seemingly satisfied, twist his mouth into a faint smile.

 

“Take care of the baby.”

 

Sshk.

 

The guard who had lifted me nodded and followed along.

 

In an instant, I passed by Im Daeseung and Im Hyunsik with his wife, biting my lip tightly  

 

‘What should I do? It looks like I’m about to be caught with no way out, though?’

 

Overwhelmed by unbearable anxiety, I couldn’t help but start crying. 

 

“Heub… Waaa… Uuuuah…!”

 

As I opened my mouth, on the verge of bursting into tears, Im Hyunsik’s wife suddenly stepped forward. 

 

“What are you trying to do!”

 

Despite the warrior’s fierce attempts to stop her, she spoke gently, almost pleadingly.

 

“I just want to give the baby something she desperately needs. If you give her this, she won’t cry.” 

 

“…What is it?” 

 

“It’s a cloth. The baby really likes this silk cloth. Look at it—didn’t the crying stop as soon as she saw it? Would it be alright to tie it around her wrist?”

 

After a moment of hesitation, the warrior gave a brief nod. 

 

Then, she rushed over and quickly tied the cloth I’d shared with the Chief around my wrist. 

 

However, her fingers trembled uncontrollably as she wrapped the cloth three times and tied it tightly.

 

Tears were streaming down her face uncontrollably.

 

“It’ll be okay. It’ll be okay. Don’t cry. Okay?”

 

She whispered to me, almost as if reciting a spell.

 

It seemed she believed that the louder I cried, the more likely they were to harm me.

 

I stared blankly at her hands as she tied the cloth.

 

Suddenly, I reached out and placed my small hand on hers.

 

Startled, she raised her head and met my gaze.

 

“It’s owkay… don’ worry.” 

 

They were the ones who took care of me, even if only for a short time.

 

Even if I were to leave, I wanted to convey my gratitude with these words.

 

‘Even if I’m taken by that madman, I won’t go down without a fight….’

 

I bravely wiped away my tears, pressing them firmly.

 

She, who had looked momentarily dazed at my composed expression, soon began sobbing and pressed her hand firmly over her mouth.

 

“Come out!”

 

The warrior shoved her shoulder aside and strode forward.

 

“Abu…!”

 

Cradled in the warrior’s arms, I took in the sight of the Im Daeseung family fading into the distance one last time. 

 

Kieeek.

 

Only after the door closed could I hear the sounds of painful sobbing from inside. 

 

It was wailing—the cries of grieving family I had heard even in my past life. Eonnyeon was no longer in this world. 

 

Trying to protect me…. 

 

I remembered Eonnyeon’s warm embrace.

 

Keugh.

 

I gently touched the Inyeon cloth wrapped around my wrist. 

 

And I recalled the last words the Chief had spoken to me. 

 

“If, by any chance—truly, by any chance—something dangerous were to happen to you.”

 

“Throw this in front of the main gate.”

 

“Then no matter what happens… I will find out, and I will come for you without fail.”

 

As soon as I arrived, I told myself that no matter what, I had to throw the Inyeon cloth in front of the main gate

 

* * *

 

“Chief, let us return to the mountain stronghold now.”

 

Gaon, unable to hold back any longer, stepped forward and blocked the Chief’s view.

 

However, the Chief quietly reached out and pushed Gaon aside.

 

“I’ll just watch a little longer and then go.”

 

His gaze was still fixed on the tiled house at the foot of the hill. 

 

That is… the house from which the baby had been sent away several months ago.

 

Gaon wiped his face in frustration and washed his face dry.

 

‘Why did things turn out like this?’ 

 

It was good that he had sent his baby away.

 

The problem began after that.

 

Even after returning to the mountain stronghold, the Chief was no longer the same as before.

 

Eating, sleeping, training, even speaking… all had noticeably decreased.

 

It had been so severe that his health deteriorated, and his face looked paler than before.

 

And on the day that marked the second month, the Chief, unable to bear it any longer, finally spoke.

 

“I must go and check on how the baby is doing.”

 

Until now, the mountain stronghold had its own set of rules.

 

That unless it was for expedition preparations, scouting for raids, or preliminary surveys, they were never to descend to civilian homes.

 

Since they were being pursued by the government forces, it was inevitable. 

 

Yet the Chief had broken this rule not once, but twice.

 

A few months ago, it had been when searching for the child’s adoptive home, and now…

 

‘So… you just want to go down because you want to see the baby?’ 

 

The Chief made an excuse that he needed to see and buy daily necessities himself, but Gaon didn’t believe him.

 

‘I should have known from the moment he risked his life climbing the ice wall in that blizzard.’

 

He felt the fire blazing in his eyes once again.

 

The Chief was the leader of the entire bandit group, which was made up of exceptionally talented individuals, and had once been a crown prince who was a war hero. 

 

Therefore, there were factions that revered and followed him all across the country. 

 

Everyone spoke in unison, saying that the last key to overcoming the current chaotic times lay with the deposed crown prince, Kim Gangdu.  

 

He was, in other words, an indispensable key figure for the people of this great nation and for the generations yet to be born. 

 

‘To risk his life for a baby whose whereabouts and origins are unknown…’ 

 

From Gaon’s perspective—someone whose only wish was to overthrow the current dynasty and who followed the Chief with unwavering loyalty—

 

It was something so dizzying and outrageous that he couldn’t even comprehend it. 

 

So, Gaon felt a secret relief in letting go of the baby, who was the bloodline of his enemy.

 

Because now there was hope that the Chief would return to the person he once knew. 

 

But with the Chief behaving like this for several months, Gaon was on the verge of losing his mind. 

 

“Chief, please stay just a little longer before you leave. You understand, don’t you?”  

 

This morning, having judged that they could no longer leave the mountain stronghold, Dupil had already decided to return first after discussion.

 

The Chief had come up to the hill with Gaon a little later than usual. 

 

He didn’t respond to Gaon’s nagging. Just as Gaon was about to speak again—.

 

The Chief muttered with a cold, hardened expression.

 

“Something feels off.”

 

“Yes?!”

 

“The baby isn’t here. Moreover, it seems someone has died. I can hear crying, and though faint, there are traces of blood. Also… there are many hoofprints in front of the gate. Someone must have come and gone.”

 

Two deep wrinkles formed straight on the Chief’s brow from the rising sense of unease. 

 

“Gaon, go to the marketplace immediately and find out what happened with them. By now, the word has probably spread.”

 

At the Chief’s command, Gaon swallowed a faint sigh and lowered his head.

 

He wondered if anything could possibly happen in this remote corner of the country.

 

Still, since he’d already sent the baby away, he had no intention of disobeying.

 

“Yes, understood. I will return at once. Please wait just a little…”

 

Gaon looked puzzled.

 

“But, Chief…! We still don’t have any definite information. If you move now…!”

 

Swoosh—!

 

But without listening to Gaon any further, the Chief moved forward. 

 

Chasing after the man who had jumped down and disappeared in the blink of an eye, Gaon bit his lower lip hard. 

 

“As expected… you lose all reason when it comes to that baby.” 

 

With a cold, chilling expression, Gaon turned around.

 

No matter what happened… 

 

He vowed that this would be the last time, and that the Chief must no longer be connected to that baby.