I Won't Let Anyone Steal You!
She refused to be taken by anyone!
“Hic... I can’t walk anymore.”
Dohwa sat on the ground, letting out a whine.
Even though there was still a long way to go, watching her refuse to continue marching, I felt not so much irritation but rather the dawning realization that today was finally the day it would come.
Following the rugged mountain paths, the three of us walked along.
Modern paved roads were a distant dream; instead, we had to endure dirt trails, gravel roads, and push through thickets for nearly the entire day. For Dohwa, a normal girl, this was quite a trial in many ways.
For me and Hyangbi, as martial artists, we didn’t tire as easily, but for a mere ten-year-old girl like Dohwa, complaints were only natural.
Thinking that simply reaching here today without complaint was already a blessing, I approached her and asked with a gentle smile.
“Are you tired? Then shall we rest a bit?”
“No. We’ve already rested several times. Dohwa doesn’t want to walk anymore today.”
“Dohwa, if we go just a little further, we’ll reach the border. If you endure just a bit more, at least until there, it would be good. It’s better to rest comfortably than to camp out.”
“Hic...”
Dohwa made a pouty face at my words.
Seeing her, I prepared to do what I had to do according to the plan.
Just like when we went hiking before coming to this world, and even on the way here many times before.
“I can’t do anything about it. Then I’ll carry you...”
But...
“Then, I’ll carry you, Master.”
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
Seeing me try to continue walking while carrying Dohwa, Hyangbi spoke with a voice carrying unmistakable resolve.
“Master, the injury from your battle with the Heavenly Demon hasn’t fully healed yet. Moreover, you’ve already carried Dohwa several times on the way here. I can’t let you overexert yourself any further, so from now on, I’ll carry her.”
“Ah... no, I’m fine...”
“It cannot be helped. As your servant, I cannot simply watch you suffer. After all, this is my duty. Please leave it to me.”
“Hmm...”
Honestly, the injury from the Heavenly Demon was almost fully healed, and carrying Dohwa wouldn’t strain my body much.
But...
Despite that, the words from Hyangbi carried a terrifying aura, and I could no longer refuse.
“Even after becoming the number one under heaven, I can’t resist my little sister...”
Following the words of the little sister in this world, I stepped back a bit...
Then Hyangbi stood right where I was and said to Dohwa, who looked displeased.
“Come, Dohwa. Please let me carry you. I’ll take care of you comfortably.”
Hyangbi smiled and turned her back.
Seeing that, I thought that carrying Dohwa on the more flexible Hyangbi might be better for her than on my hardened muscles.
But...
“I don’t need it!”
“Huh?”
“My legs don’t hurt! I’ll just go!”
Dohwa walked forward with a firm voice, as if the previous complaint about her legs hurting had been a lie.
Watching her as if the earlier story of her legs aching had been false, I couldn’t help but tilt my head.
“Why is she like this again?... Is puberty starting already?”
*
Suppressing the throbbing pain in my legs, I continued forward.
Although I didn’t want to, I desperately wanted to be carried on someone’s back, even if not my brother’s.
But even so, Dohwa never asked the woman in front of her to carry her until the end.
“What is this foreign sister? Who does she think she is, interfering between me and oppa?”
Dohwa, who had come to this world with the strange light saying she could meet her oppa.
This time with oppa, traveling together, had been difficult but happy for Dohwa.
After her parents passed away, Kim Dohyun, her only family, had been acting as a parent to her.
Although his appearance had changed a bit, he still protected her as her only family.
Most importantly, being able to live with him without dropping out of school or part-time jobs unlike before was a huge joy for Dohwa.
However, there was one person who annoyed Dohwa in this situation.
The foreign sister named Hyangbi,
stuck to him as if she were his sister, and oppa naturally accepted her actions.
Even this time, she interfered with carrying Dohwa on oppa’s back, which was a privilege for Dohwa.
So, Dohwa automatically felt a strange resistance or jealousy toward the foreign sister Hyangbi.
“I don’t like it! That foreign sister is definitely trying to take oppa away from Dohwa!”
When young children get a sibling, they feel discontent and jealousy because the sibling takes away parental attention and love.
In fact, to Dohwa who saw oppa as a parent, Hyangbi was like that, even if older.
So, looking at Hyangbi walking in front, with instinctive vigilance or hostility.
Dohwa, though young, began to steel herself seriously.
“I absolutely won’t allow it! Oppa is only mine. No one will take you away!”
*
Gamsu Province located in the western part of the Central Plains.
This place, where the sects that were the local leaders suffered the most from the Heavenly Demon’s blood curse, had been completely wiped out.
Currently, it was a dangerous place teeming with bandits, infamous even within the Central Plains.
Although it was a major passage to the Qinghai Road passing through the Central Plains, people’s feet didn’t stop coming, but due to this background, those passing through had to be prepared for some loss.
And among the many bandit groups rampant in Gamsu Province, the largest force.
They were called the Black Jade in the world.
Today, they were waiting for plump fish to enter their nets, watching for opportunities.
“This size of caravan is quite rare.”
“Probably someone heard that the Heavenly Demon is dead and started moving big.”
“Hahaha, stupid kids, you heard rumors about the Heavenly Demon but didn’t hear about us in Gamsu?”
The bandits smiling excitedly at the large caravan that appeared.
Although their procession was quite impressive with strong warriors, they weren’t worried about that.
Because they had a trump card that could only be used in such situations, even though they didn’t move much normally.
“You go and report to the leader. And make sure to bring him too.”
“Yes!”
“Understood.”
After the overall reconnaissance, the leader of the vanguard sent to contact the camp.
Right after, his gaze turned to another group of people following at a slight distance behind the merchant caravan.
“Oh... this little one has great beauty. Even at such a young age, she’s noticeable. If the person sees her, they’ll probably like it a lot.”
*
Right after leaving the complicated mountain path and entering a slightly easier road.
We accidentally met a large caravan and started traveling with them.
“What’s your name?”
“Dohyun. This is my younger siblings.”
“I see. You seem to have quite good martial arts. Since we’re going the same way, let’s travel together.”
“Yes, if you allow it, gladly.”
The caravan master speaking in a tone that felt generous, as if the host was kind.
Regarding this, since in the current situation refusing would be strange, I readily accepted his request.
Originally, Dohwa in this world didn’t even exist in people’s knowledge.
Hyangbi had her unique appearance hidden by black gauze.
As for me, I knew from bitter experience that my appearance was ordinary and easily forgotten, so there was no need to hide it.
So, without worrying about detailed information spreading, we traveled with the caravan for a while, and thanks to that, we received some conveniences like water supply or letting Dohwa ride in the carriage.
Of course, under these conveniences, there was the caravan master’s wish that if a sudden crisis came, we would lend our full strength.
“Well, from our perspective, it doesn’t matter. After all, there’s still a long way to go...”
So, today also, resting in front of the bonfire where we borrowed fire from the caravan, I covered Dohwa, who was leaning against me and dozing off, with a blanket.
But...
“...Master?”
“Ha... why does the feeling of being a bother always come true like this?”