The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 55

“So by action… do you mean raiding the enemy’s granaries?”

 

“Yes. For the past five years, I have not moved personally. I had to concentrate on building Seolhwa, and plunging straight into enemy territory while plotting rebellion would have been reckless. However.”

 

The Chief continued with a solemn expression. 

 

“I must go. Ordinarily, all stolen grain would be returned to the people… but this time, we must take a portion for ourselves. It is for the greater cause.”

 

As the Chief spoke, Gaon kept his head bowed low.

 

It seemed he believed the Chief had broken his own ironclad rule because of him.

 

Countless emotions crossed his face.

 

Guilt, regret, sorrow, anger….

 

Above all, the anger directed at himself looked hardest for him to endure.

 

Suddenly, something the Chief had said before came to mind.

 

“Deputy Commander, the reason this task must be entrusted to Gaon is clear. He is sharp, and his ability to read people is exceptional. The one thing we must be most wary of in this endeavor is ferreting out traitors. That is why only someone as perceptive as Gaon could go.”

 

‘In the end, the Chief’s judgment wasn’t wrong.’

 

It would have been better if the provisions had also been preserved.

 

But Gaon exposed the traitor before reaching the mountain stronghold, preventing the worst-case scenario.

 

That was something no one else but Gaon could have done.

 

‘Still… the circumstances were terrible.’

 

If not for natural disasters like the wildfire, losing the food would not have been so devastating.

 

‘Gaon must be having an especially hard time.’

 

* * * 

 

Some time later.

 

The Chief came out of the barracks, and I quickly hid behind a large earthen jar.

 

Only after he had gone far enough away did I peek into the barracks, worried about Gaon being left alone.

 

Bang!

 

The door swung open without warning, and Gaon stepped out. 

 

“So in the end… it comes to this. I tried so hard to protect everything, and this is how it ends.”

 

He frowned deeply and gave a bitter smile, as though mocking himself.

 

“…?”

 

Huh—our eyes met?!

 

And then he spotted me outright!

 

As I stood there frozen, Gaon strode straight up to the jar.

 

“Long time no see, shorty.”

 

“…! U-Uncle G-Gaonie!”

 

“Oh? You even remember my name. Impressive.”

 

Gaon scanned me from head to toe and let out a small, dry chuckle. 

 

“Still small, though.”

 

“That’s not true! I’ve grown a lot!”

 

When I shouted back in a huff, Gaon shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Then, his eyes flickered to the slingshot in my hand. 

 

“So it was you. Just as I thought.”

 

“Huh?!”

 

“I had a suspicion… Was it you who fired the slingshot at the guy trying to attack me?” 

 

“Ah—th-that… hehe, yeah.”

 

I scratched my head, half-expecting praise, but Gaon’s reaction was unexpected.

 

“…Why bother?”

 

Gaon muttered, his voice trailing off. I blinked, failing to understand the point of the question. 

 

Then, still wearing a gloomy expression, he snapped at me as if venting his anger.

 

“You should’ve just let me die.”

 

“What are you—?”

 

“At least then I could’ve died honorably, cutting down the traitor. Watching everything collapse like this instead….”

 

Gaon frowned, his expression twisted with pain.

 

Whoo. He let out a short sigh and shook his head.

 

“Forget it. That’s not something I should be saying to you.”

 

Whoosh—!

 

As if he didn’t want to speak another word, Gaon brushed past me.

 

Limping slightly, he disappeared off somewhere.

 

‘He seems more shaken than I expected….’

 

Still, seeing him vent his feelings and take his frustration out on a child made me want to give him a flick on the forehead. 

 

But today, I decided to be generous and let it slide—for once.

 

‘I mean, his life’s goal is on the verge of collapsing over food supplies. I’d probably be the same.’

 

I should head back too.

 

Sigh. Just as I turned my feet to return to my quarters. 

 

‘Huh? What’s that?’

 

Right in front of Gaon’s barracks… a single letter lay there.

 

‘Did he drop it while rushing off?’

 

Without thinking, I picked it up.

 

Normally, he’d never be careless enough to drop something like this, but he must have forgotten in his agitation.

 

And then, seeing the first line peeking out, I sucked in a sharp breath.

 

[To my precious son.]

 

I nearly dropped it in shock.

 

Because this letter was unmistakably—!

 

‘Sent by Gaon’s adoptive mother!’

 

So my guess was right!

 

Even after leaving the mountain stronghold and roaming across the land, the letter had still found its way to him.

 

‘Calm down. First, I need to see exactly what it says.’

 

Just as I carefully began to unfold the letter—

 

Snatch!

 

A rough hand yanked it straight out of my grasp.

 

“Hey, shorty. Didn’t anyone teach you not to touch other people’s things?”

 

When I looked up, Gaon was glaring down at me with sharp eyes.

 

Judging by his heavy breathing, it seemed he had rushed back after realizing the letter was missing from his pocket. 

 

I quickly assessed the situation.

 

‘Looks like he hasn’t told the Chief about this.’

 

His complexion looked unstable, as if he were flustered by my discovery. 

 

That only confirmed that this was ‘that’ letter.

 

I thought fast.

 

Explaining to Gaon right now that I know everything and saying, “This is a trap!” wouldn’t stand a chance of working…. 

 

It would probably just provoke him.

 

In other words, letting it slide for now was the safest move.

 

I widened my eyes and tilted my head, pretending not to know anything. 

 

I put a finger to my lips and executed the “I’m just an innocent child who knows nothing” tactic. 

 

“Huh? I just… Uncle dropped it, so I was trying to give it back?” 

 

“It looked like you were trying to read it.” 

 

“That’s dirt! Dirt got on it, so I was going to brush it off! I didn’t see anything—really!”

 

I frantically protested. Gaon stared at me in silence for a moment, then tucked the letter back into his clothes.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. It’s not like a kid like you would understand even if you read it.”

 

“Oh? Then show me properly once. If I look harder, I might get it—ack!”

 

Gaon suddenly hoisted me up, slung me over his shoulder like luggage, and started walking.

 

“Enough. Let’s head back, yeah? Planning to wander around again and end up as wolf food?”

 

Hey—! I saved you earlier, you know!

 

‘As expected, Kim Gaon hasn’t changed a bit. What a brat.’

 

Then something odd crossed my mind.

 

Wait—he just said wolf?

 

He still remembered that thing from four years ago?

 

It struck me anew.

 

Even I had completely forgotten about almost being eaten by a wolf.

 

‘Maybe….’

 

Gripped by sudden certainty, I flailed my arms and legs wildly.

 

“Put me down! Hurry, put me down!”

 

“Hey—what now?”

 

Gaon snapped back, but still set me down immediately.

 

I landed smoothly, dusted off my clothes, and stood up straight.

 

Then I looked up at Gaon, beamed brightly, and shouted,

 

“Uncle!”

 

“…?!”

 

“I missed you!”

 

“What… out of nowhere?”

 

Kim Gaon, somehow even more strikingly handsome, stared at me as if dumbfounded.

 

He kept his face neutral, but after watching him so closely for so long, I could tell.

 

He was shaken—just a little.

 

‘Yes! I knew it—my approach isn’t totally ineffective!’

 

I smiled inwardly in triumph. I’d worried that he’d completely forgotten about me when he returned, but…

 

It seemed he didn’t dislike me as unconditionally as before.

 

‘Cold on the outside, warm on the inside? Something like that?’

 

Even so, there was still a long road ahead—but this much was real progress.

 

“Thiiis muuuch! I missed you sooo much!”

 

Gaining confidence, I smiled even brighter and lifted both arms, forming a big circle over my head.

 

“I wondered if you’d come back after one sleep or two sleeps, I waited for you every single day. I’m glad you’re back!”  

 

I hugged Gaon’s leg tightly and grinned.

 

As I poured out unfiltered warmth, I saw his eyes twitch ever so slightly.

 

‘See? I knew it!’

 

Getting even more excited, I continued.

 

“So, um—about missing the traitor and messing up—don’t worry too much! Dad said it’s good enough just that he’s alive and healthy!”

 

“!”

 

At my words, Gaon’s gaze wavered. He pulled himself away from me and stumbled a step back.

 

Grabbing his own hair as if tearing at it, he muttered softly,

 

“…You.”

 

“…?”

 

“Why are you always so cheerful?”

 

Huh? Avoiding my eyes, Gaon clenched his teeth.

 

“Th-that’s because… Uncle is pretty… and you’re so good at archery and you speak well…!” 

 

“What good does any of that do?”

 

Clench—!

 

As if struggling to contain emotions too heavy to bear, tears seemed to glimmer faintly.

 

As though recalling a painful past.

 

“I’m not like you.”

 

I tilted my head, not understanding, and Gaon murmured in an even lower voice.

 

“You were loved by the Chief from the start. You could never know what it feels like… to be thrown away once you’re no longer useful.”

 

“Ah…”

 

I wanted to argue back.

 

But the look in Gaon’s eyes for that brief second was so lonely and pained that it was hard to offer easy comfort. 

 

In the end, I said nothing and pressed my lips tightly shut.

 

He stared at me for a moment longer, then abruptly turned away and disappeared from view.

 

Not even giving me the chance to stop him.