The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 82

That child who said she was worried about me. That clear voice that called me family.

 

“I’ll be here, protecting the home you’ll return to.” 

 

Gaon quietly closed his eyes.

 

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, and a faint smile settled on his face. 

 

And then.

 

His eyes snapping open, he looked straight at the Chief.

 

“My home is here, and aren’t my family you, Chief, and Seolhwa’s family members? Now… they are no longer my family.”

 

A strange light flashed in the Chief’s eyes at Gaon’s firm words.

 

‘…Something has changed.’

 

The Gaon that the Chief knew was not someone who would give such an answer.

 

From the moment they first met, he had always seemed unstable.

 

He had constantly tried to prove his worth. 

 

He never opened his heart to anyone other than the Chief who had taken him in.

 

Giving him the position of First Commander wasn’t solely because of his skills.

 

It was also out of a hope that he would feel a sense of belonging to the organization through his position and responsibility, and ease the scars of being abandoned by his family even just a little.

 

However.

 

Despite that, he had wavered for a long time. 

 

He was always afraid, always anxious that he would be abandoned.

 

The Chief had thought Gaon was still shackled by the scars of his past.

 

Up until just a little while ago.

 

But now, he had definitely changed.

 

“Now… you have completely stepped out of your father’s shadow.”

 

The Chief said with a pleased smile.

 

At those words, Gaon hesitated for a brief moment before quietly confessing.

 

“I think it’s thanks to Yeong.”

 

“Yeong?”

 

“Yes. Yeong… gave me strength. She made me feel that this place is my home.”

 

The Chief pondered for a moment whether to press further about those words.

 

However.

 

‘Even without hearing it all… I think I somehow know.’

 

When he first faced Yeong.

 

Recalling the strange emotion he had felt back then, the Chief nodded quietly.

 

“I see. That is a relief. Regarding Yeong… I know you worked hard this time. If it weren’t for you, I almost lost the child. You’ve worked hard, Gaon.”

 

At the Chief’s sincere acknowledgment, Gaon grinned.

 

“I only did what was natural. Because we are family.”

 

“…Right. I trust you.”

 

To be precise, through this incident, the Chief had become certain of one thing.

 

The fact that if it was Gaon, as long as he was by her side, he would never put Yeong in danger.

 

That was why. Why he decided not to leave Yeong here but send her down to the village with Gaon.

 

Of course, he wasn’t without worry, as he was letting her out of his sight. 

 

“Make sure Yeong’s face is not exposed, and if possible, stay only in a safe tavern. Understood?”

 

“I will keep it in mind, again and again.”

 

At the Chief’s repeatedly worried words, Gaon nodded deeply.

 

Of course, since she was a growing child, her face and height were changing day by day.

 

Still, one could never be too sure. 

 

Someone with sharp eyes might recognize her.

 

Gaon clenched his fists tightly and bowed deeply before the Chief again.

 

“I will risk my life to protect Yeong. Please… leave her to me.”

 

—Words he would never have spoken in the past.

 

Gaon spoke clearly, filled with sincerity.

 

* * *

 

“…So that’s how it is.” 

 

Gaon explained the situation to me in more detail than I expected.

 

‘Certainly… it’s not safe here.’ 

 

The day the barracks went up in flames right after Jeon Bongjin’s group left.

 

It was a dangerous situation where the entire mountain stronghold could have turned into a sea of fire if they had been just a little later.

 

If by any chance, someone raided this place and a fierce battle broke out.

 

The person who would be in danger first was me.

 

‘Besides, the enemies within….’ 

 

They could no longer be ignored. 

 

Which meant.

 

“What about Dad?”

 

It meant the Chief could also be in danger. I looked at Gaon and asked out of worry. 

 

At that, he chuckled.

 

“Who’s worrying about whom?”

 

“Me, worrying about Dad…?”

 

“You really don’t know your Dad very well yet, do you?” 

 

…What, this guy! 

 

I stuck my lip out and put my hands on my hips. 

 

“I know Dad perfectly well?! I bet I’m way closer to him than you are, Uncle!”

 

“I’ve spent much more time with the Chief than you have, you know?”

 

“I’ve slept next to Dad! I even fed him! I practically carried him on my back and raised him, I’m telling you!”

 

“Your dad carried you on his back and raised you; did you raise him on yours? Just because you grew up being carried on his back doesn’t mean you know everything about him.”

 

“Hmph— Then just how much do you know about Dad, Uncle?”

 

Feeling myself gradually losing in the battle of boasting closeness with the Chief, I pouted and asked.

 

Gaon fell into thought for a moment before quietly speaking up.

 

“He’s a very, very strong person. Your dad.”

 

“…I already know that.”

 

“Especially after meeting you, he became even stronger.”

 

“…..?”

 

I widened my eyes at the unexpected words.

 

Gaon stared at me silently, then quietly continued.

 

“The Chief is the type of person who becomes stronger when he has something to protect. He was like that before, too. He was the only one to return alive from that horrific battlefield. Because he promised… that he would return to the Lady.” 

 

At that moment, Gaon suddenly fell silent. He wore an expression like he had made a slip of the tongue. 

 

“Her Highness…? Then is she the person Dad married?”

 

“…I shouldn’t have said that.”

 

“No, tell me! I’m curious!”

 

What the Chief’s past was like. Because even in the original work I knew, he was nothing more than ‘a character intertwined with the protagonist.’

 

“If she married Dad… then to me….”

 

I rolled a word around in my mouth before carefully parting my lips.

 

“Is she… like a mom…”

 

A moment of silence. Gaon spoke softly.

 

“Yes. She was a beautiful lady.”

 

“!”

 

“She was a truly beautiful and strong person. Thinking about it now, I think you look a bit like her. Your hair color, your eye color… That’s exactly how Her Highness looked.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Gaon furrowed his brows as if something was strange and stared intently at me.

 

“…?”

 

Just as he was looking at me questioningly.

 

Bam!

 

The sound of the door swinging open echoed, and the Boss stepped inside without warning.  

 

“Yeong-ah.” 

 

“Dad!”

 

He looked somewhat tired. It seemed he had a lot of work to do.

 

“Are you here, Chief?”

 

Gaon jumped up, bowed his head, and stepped aside. The Chief approached without hesitation and swept me up into his arms.

 

“Dad is very late today, isn’t he? Have you been good?”

 

“Yes! I was with Uncle! And I heard we have to go down to the village soon!”

 

“Yes. Go for a little while. Listen well to your uncle, absolutely don’t go anywhere else, and just stay at the tavern. Understood?”

 

“Yes, Dad. I’ll be back safely!”

 

When Gaon said we were going down to the village, it didn’t really feel real.

 

But hearing it directly from the Chief’s mouth, it finally felt like I was really leaving.

 

And then, worry came flooding in. 

 

“Dad… Dad, you have to be very careful not to get hurt either. Got it?”

 

I grabbed the Chief’s hand tightly, speaking earnestly and almost pressing him as I met his eyes.

 

As if finding that amusing, the Chief laughed with a look that said he couldn’t stop me.

 

“Don’t worry. I don’t get hurt so easily.”

 

I was more worried when the Chief acted like this.

 

Because unlike his words that he didn’t get hurt easily, he met his death in the original work.

 

I swallowed my further words of concern and spoke, trying to sound nonchalant.

 

“But Dad is human too. You never know what might happen.”

 

Right. I know he is strong too. But I can’t help being worried anyway, can I?

 

“Haha. Of course, I am human. But I told you not to worry. Dad will always be by Yeong’s side… and when you stumble or face difficulties, I will always support and help you.”

 

The Chief turned up the corners of his mouth and smiled gently. His sparkling eyes were filled with endless affection.

 

“So don’t worry. This dad of yours will never die or get hurt until our Yeong grows thiiiis big.”

 

The Chief raised his hand above his head, playfully marking his eye level.

 

“Looking at her current growth rate, it seems it’ll be hard for her to grow that much, Chief.”

 

At that, Gaon chimed in abruptly, as if determined to keep things realistic.