The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 60

‘N-no!’

 

Just moments ago, I had been agonizing over whether I should be the one to speak.

 

Yet for some reason, the instant he tried to confess everything himself, my mind went completely blank.

 

‘If he tells the truth… Gaon will….’

 

He had concealed the fact that he received a letter from outside. And he had put me in danger.

 

Those two alone would be enough to hold him accountable.

 

And if it were revealed that he had intended to betray us…!

 

‘He might even lose his life.’

 

The Chief was generous and had generally been accommodating of our wishes so far.

 

But when it came to betrayal, he upheld his principles without exception.

 

Even Pilsuk had been cut off without mercy.

 

Did Gaon not know that?

 

I couldn’t understand what he was thinking. I clenched my fist tightly.

 

Now I finally understood.

 

‘I don’t want Gaon to die.’

 

“If only I hadn’t existed, none of it would have happened. My very existence… killed my mother.”

 

Gaon’s voice, thick with suppressed sobs, would not leave my mind.

 

The look on his face that day kept replaying.

 

What he had endured didn’t feel like someone else’s story at all.

 

‘Gaon wasn’t a traitor from the start. He just wanted a family.’

 

Having made up my mind, I lifted my head. I jumped to my feet and hurried over to stand before the Chief.

 

“I-it’s because I said I saw suspicious people!!!”

 

When I shouted at the top of my lungs, not only the Chief but the bandits around us all turned to look at me.

 

The Chief narrowed his eyes slightly, and Gaon looked startled, as if he hadn’t expected this at all.

 

I shot Gaon a brief glance and subtly signaled with my eyes.

 

‘Please, just stay quiet.’

 

I’ll save you now!

 

“Suspicious people?”

 

At the Chief’s prompt, I immediately began pouring out my words.

 

“You know how sharp my eyes are, Dad. I saw suspicious men in black clothes walking around!”

 

I deliberately flailed my arms to make my account more vivid.

 

“So I told Uncle Gaon, and he said he’d go check, so that’s what happened. Oh, and….”

 

I looked around as if searching for someone.

 

“Over there! He asked Uncle Gaeddong to watch me before he left! Right, Uncle? But then I suddenly ran off saying I had to use the latrine… so Uncle lost me!”

 

It was the first time in my life I had spoken so rapidly and at such length.

 

Panting from the effort, I gasped for breath—and perhaps because I looked so pitiful, Gaeddong Uncle suddenly stepped forward.

 

“That’s right! The First Commander entrusted Yeongi to me before he left.”

 

He gulped in a breath.

 

“So it’s my fault for letting my guard down! Next time, I’ll protect Yeong with my life!”

 

Without warning, he dropped to his knees before the Chief.

 

Wait—what is this uncle doing now?

 

Groaning, I tried to pull him back up.

 

“Dad, no. It’s not anyone’s fault. I just got lost…!”

 

“No. I’m sorry. Yeong-ah, I should’ve followed you to the latrine. I let you out of my sight in the blink of an eye…. Chief, please kill me instead. This is all my fault!”

 

“That is enough.”

 

In the end, the Chief raised a hand and brought the commotion to a halt.

 

“I understand each of your circumstances. However, from now on, there must be no more impulsive behavior, nor any situation where Yeong is endangered again. The greatest responsibility lies with Gaon, who was entrusted with her safety.”

 

For a fleeting moment, the Chief’s gaze toward Gaon wavered—but he continued firmly.

 

“Just this once, I will listen to Yeongie’s plea and end this with a light punishment. But if something like this happens again, there will be no exceptions. Understood?” 

 

“I shall do as you say. Chief.”

 

Gaon opened and closed his fist several times before finally lowering his head in acknowledgment.

 

I stole a glance at him.

 

‘Good. We’ve cleared the immediate crisis. But….’

 

My gaze lingered on Gaon’s chest.

 

‘The remaining problem is that letter. I’ll have to handle it myself now.’

 

* * *

 

After we finished dinner.

 

I cautiously got up, following Gaon as he quietly slipped away.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Uncle Gaeddong, likely shaken by what had happened when he let me go alone, asked quickly.

 

I pointed casually at Gaon in the distance.

 

“Mmm. I have something to talk about with Uncle Gaon.”

 

“With the Commander?”

 

“Mmhmm. I’m going with Uncle Gaon, so don’t worry! I’ll be right back!”

 

They had seen the two of us together plenty of times.

 

Perhaps thinking I’d be safe with Gaon, Uncle Gaeddong didn’t stop me.

 

“Don’t come back too late, you hear me?!”

 

“Yes!”

 

I hurried off, chasing after Gaon.

 

‘Where is he going?’

 

Following him discreetly along the quiet mountain path, a gentle stream soon came into view.

 

He approached the water and scooped some up in his hand to drink.

 

I hid behind a tree, watching his movements closely.

 

Then.

 

“I can see you. You can come out now.”

 

After wiping the water from his lips with the back of his hand, he spoke in a cool, even tone.

 

As expected, he had known all along that I was following him.

 

I stepped out slowly into view.

 

“We still have something to talk about, don’t we?”

 

Running a hand through his slightly damp hair, Gaon spoke first.

 

I steeled myself and chose my words carefully.

 

“You know I saw, Uncle!”

 

“So?”

 

“That letter—what was it?”

 

Since it had come to this, I decided to be direct.

 

Right here, I intended to find out whether he had truly meant to give away the stronghold’s location.

 

If possible, I wanted to know everything—what bait his family had used, how they had tried to tempt him.

 

“The man you met earlier—that was the one who gave you the letter, right? Why would you exchange something like that in secret without telling Dad?!”

 

Channeling my old detective instincts, I pressed him hard.

 

Perhaps because he realized I understood what was happening, Gaon looked genuinely startled.

 

“Hah—how did you….”

 

“Yeah!! I knew everything! You were the one who said I seemed suspicious. But now you’re the one doing suspicious things!”

 

Gaon let out a short, incredulous breath.

 

“I was going to report it to the Chief. You’re the one who stopped me with your lies, remember? Who told you to do that?”

 

What is wrong with this guy, seriously!

 

“Then why say it there? Why bring it up at that moment?!”

 

As I burst into a barrage of scolding, Gaon replied coolly,

 

“What does it matter? I was wrong to delay it, sure. But I was going to say it now.”

 

“…!”

 

What? The Gaon I knew was absolutely not the type of person who would reveal to the Chief that he intended to betray him.

 

“Y-you’re serious? If Dad hears that, then he’ll….”

 

“Yeah. I should’ve said something sooner. I know it was my mistake.”

 

“…?”

 

I tilted my head, the conversation strangely off-kilter. Honestly, I was confused.

 

There was something I was missing… but what?

 

“Whatever. Show me the letter!”

 

I had no choice. From here on, I would just push through!

 

No matter what it took, I couldn’t let this slide.

 

The Chief’s life was at stake.

 

When I thought that the location of the fortress might have really been exposed just now… the thought alone made me dizzy.

 

I splashed through the shallow stream toward Gaon.

 

“Show me! Then I think I’ll be able to be sure it was no big deal!”

 

Gaon shook his head as if exhausted.

 

When he tried to pass me and head back toward camp, I clung tightly to his leg.

 

“You can’t go until you show me!!”

 

For once, Gaon looked flustered.

 

“Have you lost your mind? Why would I show that to you? Besides, you barely even know how to read.”

 

“I do! I learned while you were gone! I learned letters, built stamina, did all sorts of things. To keep the promise I made to you!”

 

“….”

 

Gaon’s eyes flickered faintly.

 

I pressed on, speaking from the heart.

 

“I told you. I’d protect our home, our family… no matter what! So… show me. Hurry!”

 

Gaon fell silent for a moment. It was brief, yet it felt as though countless thoughts passed through him.

 

At last, he let out a deep sigh.

 

Then he pulled out two letters from his chest.

 

“Fine, then take a look.”

 

As Gaon tossed one letter toward me, I snatched it up without hesitation.