The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 46

This wasn’t a lie.

 

When I returned to the mountain base,

 

I had clearly heard from everyone exactly what role Gaon had played.

 

The Chief had been struck by an arrow, and there were far too many people chasing us.

 

If Gaon hadn’t appeared then, volunteering as a decoy, and hadn’t drawn them away elsewhere…

 

Whether the Chief and I would have survived was anyone’s guess.

 

In other words, he had saved not just the Chief, but my life as well.

 

Even though he dislikes me… and regards me with suspicion, sometimes even wanting to get rid of me,

 

I had neither reason nor right to hate him.

 

“I couldn’t say anything before… I didn’t have the chance.”

 

I bit my lip quietly, then mustered a little more courage and spoke.

 

“That time… thank you for saving me. And thank you for saving my Dad too.” 

 

“….”

 

Gaon took a small breath in.

 

“Thank you for bringing Sister Malja and Sister Bokhee… for getting the materials to make my playground… the clotwes… everywhing… thank ywou, thank ywou.” 

 

“That wasn’t for you—it was under the Chief’s orders…!”

 

Gaon flared up in anger, but then said,

 

“I know. Still, I’m grateful.”

 

I looked straight into his eyes and spoke again.

 

A short silence fell.

 

Gaon pressed his lips tightly together and turned his back to me.

 

I grabbed my skirt and spoke again to the back of his head.

 

“Also… I’m sowwy.”

 

“…?”

 

“The friends… I… I made them weave… because of me. I’m so sowwy. I couldn’t do anything… I asked Uncle Dupil for their names. To remember them.” 

 

“What’s their names?” 

 

This morning, two bandits had died for me.

 

I asked Dupil for their names. And then…

 

“I want to visit their graves. Can you tell me where they aw?” 

 

So we went straight to their cemetery behind the place.

 

I left the flowers I had carefully picked and arranged, offering my thanks and apologies along with them.

 

Because that was all I could do.

 

“I’ll remember them. And I’ll live that much harder.”

 

And… I will definitely protect this bandit group.

 

I’ll help make sure you never have a reason to regret your choices later.

 

By saving the others who are here.

 

That’s my apology, and the best I can do. After finishing my words, I slowly lifted my head.

 

And only then did I see Gaon’s eyes shaking violently, unable to hide his turmoil.

 

“You know—!”

 

“Shut up!”

 

He suddenly shouted.

 

Startled, I hunched my shoulders, and he continued, clutching at his own hair as if in agony.

 

Then he began pouring out words, not even clear who they were meant for.

 

“Don’t play the saint! There’s nothing you can do for people who are already dead. So—don’t ever think about doing anything weird around me again.”

 

Whoo. Gaon let out a short breath. His breathing was unsteady, his chest rising and falling erratically. 

 

Then suddenly, he twisted his lips into a crooked smile and sneered,

 

“Well, whatever. I’ll be leaving this place soon anyway, so it’s all pointless.”

 

“Hng?!” 

 

What did he just say? Leaving?

 

Before I could even process it, my eyes spinning in shock, Gaon spun on his heel and stormed out.

 

“No…!”

 

There wasn’t even a chance to grab him.

 

Left all alone, I lifted my head and raised my arms in utter disbelief.

 

‘What on earth is happening…?!’

 

Gaon leaving like this wasn’t in the original story, was it?! 

 

 

* * *

 

The next day.

 

I plopped down onto the pile of firewood in the square, lost in thought.

 

‘What does him leaving even mean?’

 

Was everything I’d done up to now all for nothing? Had the original story somehow changed without me noticing?

 

I held my head in my hands, groaning over it, when suddenly— 

 

It seemed the uncles were done with their meeting, because I heard them coming out of the Chief’s barracj, walking toward me while talking among themselves. 

 

“So the Chief finally made a big decision!”

 

“I knew from the start it’d turn out like this, didn’t I say so?”

 

“We need to brace ourselves too. This won’t be easy.”

 

“Then does that mean the First Commander is leaving the mountain base first thing tomorrow morning?” 

 

“Looks like it. We’ve got to gather forces from all over the country as soon as possible.”

 

What? Gaon is really leaving the mountain base?

 

And tomorrow morning? Immediately?

 

Jump—!

 

Startled, I jumped up from where I had been crouching and hurriedly stood. 

 

Noticing my movement, Uncle Gaeddong turned around, and waving his hand in excitement, called out to me:

 

“Our baby!”

 

“Ah, hey! You’re supposed to call her by name now! ‘Baby,’ what’s that even supposed to mean?” 

 

“Of course, of course! Now we should call her Princess Baby, right? She’s the Chief’s daughter now! She’s royalty here! Our Chief! And so pretty, just like a princess!”

 

“I, is that so?” 

 

“Our baby is a princess…!”

 

After saying that, the uncles, for some reason overcome with emotion, wiped away tears.

 

While the uncles were lost in their sentimentality, I waddled over to them.

 

“Uncleee.” 

 

“Heup… hmm?”

 

With a look of awe on my face, I firmly grabbed the hem of Uncle Gaeddong’s pants, who had his hand over his mouth.

 

Then I tilted my head and asked,

 

“Uncle Gaonie… is he leaving?”

 

“Ah, you mean the First Commander?”

 

“Mhm!”

 

After a brief pause, as if weighing their words carefully, they spoke cautiously.

 

“Well, Princess, you’re still too young to fully understand, but… a farewell is something that comes suddenly. They say that when you experience parting, that’s when you start to grow up…”

 

It didn’t seem like they had any intention of explaining things to a child.

 

As usual, Uncle Gaeddong started rambling nonsense, and I finally shook my head.

 

“Alwight, then. I’ll go see Uncle Gaonie myself.” 

 

I let go of the hem of Uncle Gaeddong’s pants and turned around.

 

After all, my quarters were right next to the Chief’s barrack, so it was just a few steps away.

 

“Baby…!” 

 

“Yeong‑ah!”

 

Step, step, step—!

 

Uncle Gaeddong called from behind, but I quickened my pace, putting all my effort into the steps I had been practicing.

 

And just then, I spotted the Chief and Gaon coming out of the barrack. 

 

The two of them looked like they were having a serious conversation.

 

“Gathering and persuading the hidden forces in each region might take longer than expected.”

 

“Leave it to me. I will make it happen, no matter what.”

 

Gaon spoke to the Chief with eyes full of loyalty.

 

“If the Chief can reclaim the throne, I will do anything.”

 

Hng? What did you say? 

 

Hearing that conversation, I felt like my breath had stopped.

 

‘Reclaim the throne…?’

 

In other words, the Chief had decided to stage a rebellion.

 

‘This… wasn’t in the original story at all!?’

 

It was completely unexpected, and I was thrown into a panic.

 

‘No way….’

 

I recalled a few days ago.

 

After the chaotic initiation celebration ended, the Chief had gently laid me on a soft blanket and spoken quietly. 

 

“Don’t worry. I will make sure you can live with pride. I will never let you live as a fugitive.”

 

Somehow, his eyes had looked more grave and serious than usual, and it had lingered in my mind.

 

To think that those words… meant he was planning a rebellion!

 

‘W‑what do I do?’

 

My mind went completely blank, and I couldn’t step forward in front of Gaon and the Chief. I just stumbled backward.

 

“Then let’s get ready at once.”

 

The Chief said calmly.

 

“I’ll write the secret orders and explain them, so you must memorize everything.”

 

“Yes, Chief!”

 

Gaon responded without hesitation.

 

Then, the two of them quickly talked as they moved out of my sight.

 

Only after they had disappeared did my legs give out, and I collapsed to the ground.

 

‘This… is completely different from what I know.’

 

In the original story, the Chief never became king.

 

He was merely the leader of the bandits.

 

He never staged a rebellion.

 

‘But…!’

 

And now, this same Chief is preparing a rebellion on his own?

 

Has something changed because of me?

 

‘Has it changed in a dangerous direction?’

 

I felt uneasy and buried my head in my hands.

 

“Baby, are you awake?!”

 

“Do you want to go greet Uncle Gaon? Hng?” 

 

“Uncle Gaon will probably be very busy today. Don’t be too disappointed if you can only say hello briefly before he leaves tomorrow, okay? Right, Yeong‑ah?”

 

The uncles, thinking I was upset just because Gaon was leaving, kept offering words of comfort.

 

But my mind was filled with other thoughts.

 

‘The original story has gone off track. Then… what’s going to happen from now on?’