The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 98

Damho was still young, but he understood. He knew the meaning behind the words the Captain had earnestly impressed upon him. 

 

‘Because of my decision and request… the sea uncles might lose their lives.’

 

There were clear commonalities and differences between those who lived on the sea and those who stayed in the mountain stronghold.

 

While it was the same that most of them were victims of the tyranny of the Prime Minister and the current King. 

 

But the bandits chose revenge, and the pirates chose freedom.

 

In a way, they tried to overcome the same scars in different ways.

 

Moreover, it was said that there were many among the pirates who came seeking this free life.

 

In other words, they were people who came dreaming of adventure, not revenge or rebellion.

 

On the other hand, Damho worried that his decision might completely change their lives and snatch away their dreams.

 

Because the ones Damho wanted to protect weren’t just Yeong… but everyone here.

 

As Damho finished speaking and stood trembling slightly. 

 

Pat—!

 

A large hand covered his head.

 

It was a hand with hard calluses from rowing a boat his whole life.

 

“Young Captain, is it proper for a pirate to bow his head so low?”

 

It was the Vice Captain.

 

At his grinning face, Damho wore a bewildered expression.

 

No matter how much he adored him usually, he was stricter than anyone else when it came to matters that might put the family in danger.

 

But this time was different.

 

He didn’t ask or question any further.

 

“That’s right! Raise your head! Young Captain! A pirate doesn’t easily bow his head! You should look at the sea and the sky!”

 

When one person shouted first, the crew members began to respond one by one.

 

“Haha, wanting to protect… that’s so like our Young Captain!”

 

“We support the Young Captain!”

 

To them, Damho was always the kind and gentle youngest member.

 

A boundlessly gentle child who ran and roamed freely but never whined to the adults.

 

It was such a child’s first sincere request.

 

And above all.

 

“If it’s the Prime Minister, he’s our enemy too!”

 

“We’ve been standing on the sidelines until now just because we aren’t mainlanders!”

 

“Let us make a move now too!”

 

“How long do we have to fight the The Kingdom of the Auspicious Qilin b*stards by ourselves when no one even acknowledges it!”

 

Normally, they were people who were only busy fighting foreign forces.

 

They were people who considered the events happening on the mainland as just someone else’s business.

 

However, taking Damho’s speech as an opportunity, everyone faced the truth.

 

“I want to protect everyone.”

 

That at the center of all these conflicts, there was only one name, ‘Prime Minister’.

 

“We will protect them too!”

 

“In order to protect the sea, we must protect the land and the people of the land!” 

 

The high-ranking crew members stepped forward one after another, raising their voices.

 

Watching them, Damho soon clenched his fists tightly and nodded.

 

And the captain, who had been standing in the back watching all this, finally took a step forward.

 

“Everyone, listen.”

 

The crew members stopped talking all at once and focused on him.

 

“As you said, we have been standing by… watching the events happening on the mainland for nearly ten years.”

 

The captain paused for a moment and stared intently at Damho. He had asked his son to muster up courage and if he would be okay with it, but.

 

But in truth, it might have been a question the Captain was asking himself.

 

‘Now we truly must protect the children. Inheriting the will of our ancestors who protected this land… we must safeguard the place where our future generations will live.’

 

And to do that.

 

“Everyone, will you join in the path of cooperating with the people of the mountain stronghold and standing against the Prime Minister and the current King?”

 

He needed comrades to join the great cause.

 

If the pirates and the deposed Crown Prince joined hands, they would be able to plant hope again in the collapsed world.

 

Having made his decision, the captain grinned once.

 

“I will no longer sit idly by and will protect the future of us and our children’s generation. Will you join me!”

 

At the captain’s call, everyone skillfully grabbed their oars with a clack.

 

At their respective positions, they swallowed hard.

 

“We will stand with you!”

 

“Captain! We shall be with you!” 

 

“Waaaaah!”

 

The moment everyone’s will gathered as one, the ship powerfully unfurled its sails.

 

The rowing that started while going against the rough current was the prelude to a massive alliance no one expected.

 

Hearing the whole story, the mountain stronghold family and I dropped our jaws.

 

Because we realized that, contrary to expectations, their decision to help us was quite serious and resolute.

 

“Then… does it mean you pirates have the intention to officially form a cooperative relationship with our Seolhwa?”

 

“Yes. That is so!”

 

Damho answered immediately and refreshingly.

 

The captain, who was hovering around pretending not to listen, also gave a small nod.

 

Gaon let out a breath, ha, and gave a small laugh as if pleased.

 

Then he suddenly swept me up into his arms. It was the first time I saw his face smiling so brightly.

 

“The Chief will be very pleased. Our Yeong really is a lucky charm!”

 

“Uuhh-?”

 

Gaon, who lightly pinched my soft cheek that was like glutinous rice cake, chuckled and ruffled my hair vigorously.

 

And while holding me, he looked back at the captain and the pirates.

 

“Thank you once again. I will report this to the Chief as soon as I return. And… Captain, could you perhaps discuss this matter in detail with me separately first?”

 

Only then did I seem to understand Gaon’s joyful heart.

 

‘Gaon has been working hard for years in the role of recruiting allies. And now he’s happy because he’s gained a reliable ally in an instant.’

 

Along with this, Gaon seemed to think it was all thanks to me… making me a little shy.

 

“Hehehe.”

 

Caught between the two of them, I merely scratched my temple, and Gaon stroked my hair as if finding me adorable. 

 

“Well, let’s do that. Step into the cabin. Guide them to a place to rest… and get the kids something to eat.”

 

The captain nodded nonchalantly.

 

Then he told the pirates to take good care of us and headed to the cabin with Gaon.

 

“I’ll go get some food. Have a good chat.”

 

Uncle Gaeddong and his group were already busy getting treated inside, and even Seo Taeho followed Gaon.

 

Just like that, only the three of us—Damho, Park Dohyul, and I—were left on the deck.

 

And as if waiting for that moment, Damho threw both arms high into the sky.

 

“All right! How exciting! Follow me! I’ll show you around our ship! My friends!” 

 

After that, Park Dohyul and I followed Damho around and went on a tour of the ship.

 

It was an expedition that started unexpectedly, but it was more fun than I thought!

 

From the people rowing powerfully, the cabin with sleeping bags, the dining hall inside, to the storage where they could keep the fish they caught…

 

The inside of the ship was designed quite systematically. Enough to stay for months without any problem.

 

“Touch it! Here, a freshly caught fish!”

 

“Wow! It’s huge! It-It’s moving!”

 

“Aaack! Watch out! It bites, it bites!”

 

“Eek!”

 

As Damho played a prank on me and made a roar! sound, I squeezed my eyes shut.

 

“….?”

 

And when I opened my eyes again.

 

A large mackerel… was gaping its mouth inside the water tank, looking at us as if dumbfounded.

 

“Stop it. You’re scaring Yeong.”

 

Park Dohyul pulled me behind him as if protecting me, then gave Damho a brief warning.

 

Damho shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows.

 

“Not true! Yeong liked it too, right? Right, Yeong!”

 

“Yeah. It is fascinating.”

 

Well, it was the truth. Because it was my first time seeing such a vast sea and riding such a massive ship too!

 

Because it was an experience I was having for the first time in my life, everything was unfamiliar yet fascinating.

 

Moreover, Park Dohyul also seemed to be wary of Damho but was enjoying it in his own way.

 

“…It’s quite sturdy. With a ship like this, one could execute various tactics. The design method is different from a regular warship.”

 

Because he looked quite amused as he toured the pirate ship and pictured tactics in his head.

 

In the lively atmosphere after a long time, I got more and more excited too.

 

“I want to go over there too!”

 

As I ran off with a patter of footsteps, I could hear Damho shouting from behind, ‘Whoa, whoa! You’ll get hurt if you do that!’ but I couldn’t stop.

 

“Here, sit down. Sit!”

 

Whooooosh…

 

After touring the ship to our hearts’ content, the three of us sat side by side on the deck and looked out at the dark, deep sea.

 

“Sit here. Yeong.”

 

In the meantime, Park Dohyul carefully laid out a cloth so I wouldn’t sit where it was wet.

 

Before we knew it, stars were twinkling brightly in the black sky above, and the cool sea breeze brushed past our cheeks. It felt like I was dreaming.

 

“Now, look! That over there is the Big Dipper. Oh, a shooting star is falling!”

 

“Wooooow! Damho, that’s really fascinating! Brother, isn’t it pretty!”

 

It was also my first time seeing a shooting star on the sea!

 

Feeling excited for no reason, I lightly tapped Park Dohyul’s arm and spoke, and he stared at me for a long time before…

 

“…Yeah. It’s pretty.”

 

He whispered softly in a small voice that only I could hear.

 

On his face, a smile as serene as the night sky was lingering.