The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 9

Did I mishear it because I’m sleepy?

 

Ugh, I don’t know!

 

I’m so tired and sleepy that even thinking feels like a struggle.

 

‘What does it matter? I’m leaving this place soon anyway.’

 

Eventually, I gave up thinking any further and struggled to keep my heavy eyelids open against the tide of sleepiness washing over me.

 

“So many thoughts for such a little head.”

 

The chief couldn’t take his eyes off me, as if he was worried about me constantly.

 

He pulled over a blanket and tucked me in tightly, then placed his hand on my stomach and gently patted it.

 

Just like when I first saw him, the gentle, rhythmic pats lulled me into drowsiness.

 

‘So sleepy…’

 

By the time I pressed my blurry eyes shut.

 

“Go to sleep.”

 

I thought I could hear the chief’s voice lingering softly.

 

“I’ll be by your side.” 

 

And I drifted into a deep sleep, using his voice as a lullaby.

 

Drowsy and half-asleep, I completely forgot about the story of the royal bloodline.

 

* * *

 

“Give a detailed report on how the baby has been doing all this time.”

 

After being sick for a few days, my condition improved slightly.

 

The chief called Dupil and Gaon, questioning them in detail about everything that had happened.

 

And the four bandits who had been taking care of me were quickly summoned.

 

“I have come by the chief’s order. I am Gaeddong, the bandit who took care of the baby.”

 

“I am Malddong.”

 

“I am Dakddong.”

 

“I am Soddong….” 

 

Who on earth gave them that name? 

 

‘Not F4, but Ddong4, huh? You guys’ 

 

Hearing their names for the first time, I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling a pang of sympathy.

 

After that, their detailed reports continued.

 

“What? You said you sprinkled snow on her?”

 

“So you tried to wash her in ice water??”

 

“Huh? You’re trying to feed her honey rice cakes?!”

 

As the bandits’ increasingly ridiculous reports continued, the chief finally grabbed the back of his neck in exasperation.

 

“Deputy Chief, did Kim Dupil know about this?”

 

“That is…” 

 

Dupil stepped forward, seeming to gauge the situation, then suddenly knelt with a serious expression.

 

“I humbly apologize! I also thought something was amiss… I had no idea how to handle the child and was just trying to figure it out. Please punish me for my ignorance!”

 

“I never thought you would go this far.”

 

“I apologize, Chief.”

 

Dupil bowed so deeply that the top of his head was visible, desperately apologizing.

 

“I should have been more careful, too. I’m sorry.”

 

Gaon also stepped forward and bowed his head.

 

‘Ugh! I’m so angry!’

 

I glared at him with a sharp, narrow-eyed stare at his irritating behavior.

 

Unaware of my feelings, the chief let out a low sigh as he watched his subordinates, then muttered softly.

 

“I’ll take care of her myself for the time being.”

 

“C, Chief…!”

 

“However…!” 

 

Huh? Is it really going to turn out like this?

 

I was slightly surprised too, but only for a moment. 

 

Gaon and Dupil, just like before, reacted strongly in opposition.

 

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand. 

 

Knowing that I’m the bloodline of their enemy, there was no way they could be pleased with this situation.

 

‘They must be waiting for the order to throw me out again.’

 

But I’m an innocent baby, after all.

 

It’s too cruel to throw an innocent baby into the snowy mountains and tell them to die.

 

I glanced at Gaon and secretly stuck out my tongue. 

 

‘Do you think I’d let that happen?’

 

Just wait. I’ll make sure to turn your chief into a captive of my cuteness.

 

Then I’ll negotiate to be adopted into a noble family.

 

Hehehe.

 

While I grinned slyly, thinking up my “Operation: Seduce the Chief,” the chief added firmly. 

 

“Of course, only for the time being. After your duties are done, you are to receive childcare training from me.”

 

“Training… you mean?”

 

“Yeah. Once you’re able to properly care for the child, I’ll entrust the baby to you again. Until then, don’t even think about laying a hand on this child. Understood?”

 

Still, is it really necessary for him to take care of the baby himself?

 

At the chief’s words, I tilted my head slightly in puzzlement, but clenched my tiny fist with determination.  

 

‘Alright. Then in the meantime I’ll definitely win you over!’

 

My eyes gleamed as I stared at the chief’s handsome back of the head.

 

* * *

 

“The chief is going to take care of the baby himself?”

 

“Even parenting training?” 

 

After that, the chief truly began to take care of me.

 

It wasn’t just simple caretaking—he carried me with him everywhere, 24 hours a day.

 

‘Something about how you should never take your eyes off a baby, or whatever….’

 

Anyway, thanks to the longer time stuck by his side, I was able to “profile” the chief much more easily!

 

First of all, the chief is incredibly skilled!

 

At dawn, as soon as he woke up, he would spar with the bandits one after another in the circular training ground set up before the waterfall.

 

“Get started.”

 

Unlike his solemn voice, I was strapped firmly to his side in a baby carrier, dangling as he moved.

 

Everyone kept sneaking glances at the strange sight, but no one dared to say a word as the sparring began.

 

Slash—!

 

With a single gesture, he flicked all the opposing bandits’ wooden swords aside and sent them flying.

 

His movement was so fast that it couldn’t even be seen.

 

‘Incredible.’

 

In my previous life, I was someone who had mastered taekwondo, judo, and kendo, earning a combined 9th dan in pursuit of becoming a detective. 

 

In other words, I could at least grasp just how extraordinary he was.

 

If I had to put it into words, he was without a doubt the strongest person I had ever seen in both my past and present lives.

 

Second, he is a busy man!

 

Now I finally understood why the chief rarely returned to his own tent.

 

Quite literally, he was truly busy.

 

First of all, there was training in the morning.

 

After training, the chief supervised and managed maintenance work to keep the mountain stronghold in good condition.

 

‘They say he’s paying extra attention because this winter has been especially snowy?’

 

After that came the strategy meetings for banditry, their main source of income(?). 

 

From the afternoon until evening, he never failed to go hunting, process hides, or check and manage the spoils they had stolen. 

 

‘Even banditry requires diligence, huh.’

 

It struck me once again that even vicious criminals have to be diligent and hardworking just to survive. 

 

But on second thought. 

 

‘So, they put this much effort and sincerity into swindling and exploiting others, huh.’

 

I realized it again—their true nature. For a moment, I almost mistook the affection they showed me.

 

‘As a detective, I can never allow this.’

 

I clenched my fists.

 

Vowing to escape this den of criminals as quickly as possible.

 

Anyway, since he was that busy, he would often carry me on his back and take care of me in between his work whenever he could spare a moment.

 

“Okay, it’s time to change the diaper.”

 

“Bbyaaaaah!”

 

I actively cooperated with the chief’s childcare, while also smiling brightly at him and eagerly snuggling into his arms.

 

‘Now then, hurry up and become a slave to my cuteness!’

 

Come on, love me! Throw away all your old feelings and come on! 

 

I kept repeating the mantra.

 

“Yes, yes. You must feel good after letting it all out so freely.”

 

No, that’s not it…? 

 

Pat, pat.

 

Anyway, the chief would hold me gently in his arms and lightly pat my back. It was a peaceful daily routine.

 

At times, there were situations where I had no choice but to quietly wait by his side while he worked.

 

Like right now.

 

“Then how about we take advantage of the night and attack this place first?”

 

“I think the two of us can keep watch here.”

 

I widened my eyes and sat on the soft fur cushion, watching the bandits’ meeting unfold.

 

‘It’s quite… serious, isn’t it?’

 

It was organized well enough that you couldn’t just call it a simple bandits’ meeting.

 

So I spent quite a while watching the flags, stones, and roughly drawn maps scattered across the large rock with considerable interest.

 

However, as time went on, I started to get a little bored.

 

‘Ugh, doing nothing and just sitting here is torture too.’

 

I fiddled with and even nibbled on the ugly wooden doll the chief had made to play with me, but it was still boring.

 

‘Hmm, should I try crawling again?’

 

Come to think of it, ever since I caught a cold the last time I went outside, I hadn’t been able to practice crawling.

 

‘What if my skills have declined in the meantime?’

 

Because I was already bored, I immediately took action. 

 

I pressed forward, belly-crawling, then gathered strength in my arms and legs and heaved myself up with an “uht-cha!” 

 

It was a bit tiring, but I could do it.

 

Then, little by little, I started moving my hands and knees together—patter, patter.

 

‘Fortunately, the floor is covered with tiger fur, so it’s not slippery.’

 

I stumbled a few times at first, but I gradually got used to it.

 

Soon, I realized something.

 

‘Huh… if I do this right, I might even be able to stand?’