Chapter 65
Chapter 65
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: A Rowdy Welcome
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Whatever my father had been in the past, it was clear he was someone extraordinary.
That much was obvious just from the information I’d gathered.
Until a moment ago, I’d only resented him for not finding me despite his impressive history.
But once I stopped crying, my mind began to work rationally again.
*‘It’s just as Dad said. If the main family still covets him…’*
The fact that they sent people proves their interest is immense, whether for good or ill.
In that case, someone who can make requests of him, and the only person he would listen to…
…would be both precious to them and overflowing with value.
We were getting ready to go home. Dad was holding me, and I fidgeted uncomfortably.
*‘Damn, it’s awkward seeing him right after I cried.’*
While I felt this way, Dad’s expression was unshaken, which only made it more awkward.
It felt like I was the only one who cared.
“Befowe that, do we haf to keep tawking wike dis? Can’t you put me down?”
“We need to talk.”
“Why?”
“Why are *you* acting so surprised? The esteemed physician who sees her patients from her father’s lap every day?”
Hmph. I puffed out my cheeks.
Dad chuckled.
“Indulge me this much. I need you close by… so I don’t think about home.”
“You mean, thinking about wanting to go home?”
“Yes.”
Right. This dad of mine had separation anxiety from his house. I gently placed a hand on his cheek.
“Anyway, about what you said befowe. That I’m the onwy one who can give you owdews. That I’d be usefuw.”
I cleared my throat with a little *ahem*.
“Do you know what that means? It means I’ll become youw weakness.”
“Do you think I said it without knowing? Have you already forgotten what I told you?”
My hand fell from his cheek.
“A sword is a tool one keeps by their side at all times.”
Now that I thought about it, once he started talking, he seemed to have lost all sense of shame.
“From now on, I just have to keep you by my side and protect you.”
Since when was he so good at saying such cringey things? Having lived a stoic life, I had no immunity to words like that.
…I’ve never heard anything like that before. How am I supposed to react?
But saying it out loud felt like a blow to my pride.
The only thing I could do was lightly punch my dad’s shoulder with my fist again.
“…Stop twying to act so cool.”
A soft chuckle came from above.
“My, my. It seems I’ll have to show you with my actions.”
“That’s wight. Pwove it with actions!”
“Alright, I’ll prove it.”
“Jeez!”
After our conversation, I stretched. I knew it instantly.
*‘Today’s events are just the beginning.’*
My eyes glinted.
The Heuk family’s provocation. The Sinion family’s next scheme.
I knew that this was all just the start.
* * *
That night.
By the time we returned home, it was evening. My eldest and youngest uncles were waiting at Dad’s house.
“Biyu, let’s eat!”
“Hey, I’m starving.”
It was all well and good that we were having dinner together at my eldest uncle’s suggestion.
The problem started after the meal was served!
“Woah, so our Biyu is this incredible! A toast to Biyu!”
My eldest uncle, Heuk Biwon, was excitedly holding something up to the sky, and I had no idea where he’d gotten it from.
The current situation was… me screaming my head off to prevent things from turning into a drinking party.
“Put it down! I said, put it down! No, where on earth did you get alcohol?! I’m suwe I thwew it all away!”
My eldest uncle would secretly drink. It was something he shouldn’t be doing as a patient.
That’s why I had joined forces with Gyewon to get rid of all the alcohol with an iron defense.
*‘Where in the world did he find more?’*
“Now, now, little one. You shouldn’t underestimate your eldest uncle!”
Watching me struggle to stop him from drinking, my eldest uncle grinned slyly.
“The first person to ever smuggle alcohol into the Heukgak Brigade was none other than your great eldest uncle, my dear!”
“I don’t cawe about that!”
The Heukgak Brigade was the largest and most powerful military organization in the Heuk family. A piece of my eldest uncle’s past was just revealed, but was that really the problem right now?
Drinking stimulates your madness, you old coot!
I jumped up and down around him, but there was no way I could reach.
“Y-You, you damn noncompliant patient!”
“Haha, my little fairy~ Come back in ten years~ Aww, just one glass~ Your uncle had a tough day today.”
“Do you wanna die? Put it down now!”
I quickly turned my head.
“Gyewon! What awe you doing, not stopping him!?”
But what was this? Gyewon averted his gaze.
“Hahahaha. I bribed him~ I bribed him~!”
I felt an unbearable sense of betrayal.
Wasn’t Gyewon the son who was always so terribly concerned about his father’s health?
“I told him to listen to me if he wanted to go out again.”
“Wow…”
How utterly cheap. Using his own son’s privilege to go out like this?
“…We compromised on just one glass. Ahem.”
“And you caww that a compwomise?”
Gyewon seemed to have nothing to say for himself, just clearing his throat. One glass becomes two, and then a whole bottle!
“Uncle, get him!”
Asking Dad would lead to a huge fight. So I called for my other uncle as the next best option, but his reaction was lukewarm.
“Why should I?”
“If you catch him, I’ll tweat you befowe Eldest Uncwe! I pwomise!”
“Alright, get that bastard brother of mine!!”
Heuk Birang shot to his feet and flung his hand out.
A cool stream of water shot from his fingertips, wrapping tightly around my eldest uncle.
And that wasn’t all.
“Hahaha, got him! You bastard!”
*Swoooosh!*
A water bomb fell from the sky. Trapped by the stream of water, my eldest uncle became a sitting duck, ending up like a drowned rat.
“…Huh?”
Blinking, my eldest uncle grinned as if in disbelief. For a moment, his eyes seemed to flash ferociously.
…Uh oh.
My uncle and I stared at each other, both looking like guilty puppies.
“…Hey, did I go too far?”
Sorry. I’m pleading the fifth.
“*Ahem*… As medicine, maybe one gwass is okay…”
“What? What? Hey, hey! Heuk Biyu!”
Heuk Birang, shocked, quickly reached for me, but another hand was faster, grabbing the back of his neck.
“Hahaha, it’s not even midsummer, but that was refreshing, wasn’t it?”
“*Gack*, b-bro? She told me to do it!”
Soaking wet, my eldest uncle smiled with his handsome face. Perhaps because he was drenched, his features looked even sharper.
“Eldest Uncwe, just one gwass.”
“Hey, Heuk Biyu, you traitor!”
“Oh, good. Your eldest uncle is great at keeping promises. And I’m also great at punishing my youngest brother. Care to see?”
“Aaaah! Let go, let me go! Bro! Ack, lightning, that’s cheating! Cheating!!”
I subtly pretended not to see the many scars on my eldest uncle’s body, visible beneath his wet clothes.
*‘If I had met him when he got those wounds, I could have made sure they didn’t leave scars.’*
The reason I felt this sudden pang of regret…
…was probably because I was slowly growing fond of him.