Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: A Misunderstanding and a Warning
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‘I need to change my plan.’
Originally, I had another use for Heuk Biwon, my eldest uncle.
I was just planning on treating his illness bit by bit until then.
‘I have to get to the market sooner.’
First, I need to buy medicine for my uncles, and to buy medicine, I need money.
And right now, the market is full of lotteries with a 100% chance of winning.
“What are you talking…”
“My, how reassuring~”
Eldest Uncle clamped a hand over Heuk Gyewon's mouth as he was about to speak and grinned broadly.
“Mph, mmmph!”
“Oh, son, why are you struggling so?”
He then let go of Heuk Gyewon and propped his chin on his hand.
“So, little one. We're family, right?”
“Yeh?”
“You said you were the head of the family.”
The smile in his narrow eyes deepened. Just like a fox.
“The little baby is the head.”
Eldest Uncle pointed at me, then at himself.
“And here is a member protected by the head. Isn't that what family is? Right, son?”
“Yes, well. It seems so.”
…By the dictionary definition, I suppose so.
Though I wore a reluctant expression, Eldest Uncle looked delighted.
“You know family members shouldn't keep secrets from each other, right?”
“Yes? But Father, you always hide your restorative medicine from me… Mph!”
“Hahaha~ We must be honest.”
Heuk Gyewon was pushed back and fell flat on his back. Eldest Uncle now cupped his face with his hands.
“Right?”
I could feel a subtle pressure.
“So, little fairy, why were you collapsed on the ground yesterday?”
“Don't call me that!”
I snapped back first and thought later.
But it didn't seem to affect him at all.
“Alright, Peep. Why did you collapse?”
“…”
*Because Dad threatened me by levitating me in the air, and I had to use an ability I've never told anyone about to partially heal him?*
I couldn't exactly say that.
“Biyu ish always weak.”
“You look it. But what Eldest Uncle is curious about is why there was blood on your clothes.”
I flinched.
*Did it splatter when I drew blood from my hand?*
“And you fell forward, so why was your back covered in dirt? And why were you wet?”
“…”
“Little one, does your father hit you?”
Heuk Gyewon looked at me.
Huh, this is a huge misunderstanding.
‘Although, seeing how that good-for-nothing father of mine threatened me, maybe it's not a misunderstanding after all.’
The dirt on my back was from falling into the pond, and when I declared I wanted to go to the market, I was lounging against a tree.
“We talked it out, nuffing happened.”
“Should Eldest Uncle beat him up for you?”
A dangerous glint flashed in the dark red eyes meeting mine. I gulped.
‘…Is this how I become an orphan?!’
It was a moment so bloodthirsty it made me think that.
Fortunately, it was only for an instant; he was soon back to his sly, smiling self.
Nevertheless, I held my breath.
Seeing my wariness, Eldest Uncle gave a bitter smile.
“Don't be scared.”
A large hand patted my head and pulled away.
‘What, why is he touching me so casually…’
The unfamiliar sensation felt strange.
I shook my head in irritation, and a gentle voice drifted down.
“Eldest Uncle likes cute things.”
“I'm not cute.”
Hmph. My face isn't cute, it's pretty.
“Alright, alright. So I don't need to beat up your father for you? Eldest Uncle is strong.”
He looks strong. So strong that if he snaps, he won't care if it's his own brother.
“You're not going to tell me?”
“…We decided to go to da market together. That's all.”
“Hmm.”
Eldest Uncle didn't ask any more questions.
Which only made me wonder what he was plotting.
“Since we're on the subject, Peep. Eldest Uncle wants to help you. I want to do everything for you. Shall we say I want to be your guardian?”
“Why? Even if you don't do dat, I'll still treat you if you do what I want.”
“Well, there is that.”
Eldest Uncle laughed and admitted that wasn't a small reason.
“I owe a debt to your mother.”
“Lies.”
My expression hardened. I knew it was better to get along, but this I couldn't tolerate.
“If that were true, you should have come looking for me.”
It surely wasn't just this life.
You never came to find me, not even once.
I knew I was being unnecessarily hostile, but I couldn't relax the glare in my eyes.
“…Can't deny that.”
Eldest Uncle shrugged.
“Sorry, I thought you were living well in the main house.”
“…Me?”
“After everything your mother did for the Heuk family…”
Mother. A person I didn't know well.
Strangely, I'd hardly heard anything about her in any of my lives.
As if someone was deliberately hiding it.
In my first life, I only regained my memories after my mother had already died.
In my third life, when I might have had access to information about her, I left the family, and after the family fell, I didn't bother looking into it.
Just as I was about to ask something more, Eldest Uncle beat me to it.
“I didn't know you were living here, little one.”
I opened my mouth to say something, then pressed my lips shut.
…This man suffers from madness.
He had more days when he wasn't in his right mind than when he was, so it wasn't strange that he didn't know I lived here.
‘Still, it makes no sense that he never found out.’
But I held it in and smiled.
I'm his niece, not his daughter. Why would he care about me?
“I get it.”
“Oh dear, you're pouting.”
I left Eldest Uncle chuckling to himself and got up.
“I'm gonna wash my face.”
“Alright, alright.”
“I'll get some warm water for you.”
Heuk Gyewon stood up to follow me, offering to start a fire and heat some water as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“I guess I should go chop some firewood~ Now that I'm unemployed, I'd better be a good servant.”
“Just try not to break anything. I know you start throwing lightning around when you get angry, Father.”
“So mean, son.”
I only helped them once, so why are they being so nice to me?
‘Are they suckers, by any chance?’
What strange people.
***
“…So dat's what happened.”
Beneath a large, sprawling tree, the long shadow was quite cool.
It suited my father, who was leaning against the trunk.
Though he made no effort to hide his annoyed expression.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I'm warning you.”
“I'm asking *why* you're warning me.”
I crossed my arms confidently.
Or tried to, but my arms were too short to do it properly.
After a moment of struggling, I snapped my head up.
“Listen up, Eldest Uncle might come to beat you up…!”
I said with the utmost seriousness.
‘Should Eldest Uncle beat him up for you?’
‘Should Eldest Uncle beat him up for you?’
Heuk Biwon, my eldest uncle, had finished as if it were a joke.
‘But his eyes were serious, I tell you, they were serious!’
I don't know who's stronger, Eldest Uncle or Dad, but I know they're both geniuses in their own right.
But Dad's memories are unstable, and those memories might be related to his abilities.
In contrast, Eldest Uncle has lost his mind to madness, but his abilities are perfectly fine.
‘I finally got them on my side, I can't let someone's death(?) ruin it!’
“Got it? If Eldest Uncle comes to hit you, you have to dodge. Dodging ish winning.”
“…Why on earth would I have to do that?”
“I know, I know. I found out all about your temper when we first met. But a person hashta know when to wait for da right time.”
Dad looked dumbfounded, but he didn't say he wouldn't do it.
I explained the situation, practically brainwashing him. Dad just looked like he couldn't understand.
“So, that man, my brother… thinks I hit and abused you, and he's coming to beat me up?”
“Yep!”
“Didn't this all happen because you fainted on your way home in the first place?”
“Right! But you hafta deal with it!”
You're her father, aren't you? I beamed at my dad, who looked utterly bewildered.
“From now on, take me home.”
“Why should I?”
“You've been hired ash my bodyguard.”
“You mean employed.”
“Yeah, hired!”
Dad turned his head away as if he wouldn't even look at me anymore.
For such a handsome man, he's so petty.
“A bodyguard hashta protect da physician!”
With that, I squatted down next to my father.
I looked up at him with sparkling eyes.
“What's da word on going to da market?”
When I said I wanted to go to the market yesterday, Dad said he would look into it.
Though his expression seemed to say, *why would you want to go to a place like that?* But what do I care.
“…There's a procedure.”
Fortunately, it seemed he remembered this so-called procedure.
“Permission to leave must be obtained from the restricted area personnel manager.”
“Manager? Where ish he?”
“In the main house.”