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Chapter 28
Gambarin sharply turned his head and immediately walked away.
What a retreat. He ran off.
‘Well, I’ll be seeing that face again anyway.’
He might think I made the mistake of revealing a weakness. But no way—that guy’s probably just thankful it was only this much that got exposed.
I know even more devastating weaknesses.
I already properly wrecked him once.
‘This life, I’ll bleed him dry.’
I turned to Dad.
“Let’s go home! Time to go!”
Dad and Uncle gave each other a strange look. Then Uncle grinned at Dad.
“…So, how does it feel to be rescued by a three-year-old, little bro?”
“……”
Dad didn’t respond, but Uncle looked positively gleeful.
“Wow, I’ve never seen that guy make a face like he swallowed a bitterbug, even when I punched him. But this? This was the best. Kiddo, how did you know?”
“Not telling. It’s a bizzness secret.”
“You mean business.”
“Yeah, bizz.ness.”
When we returned to the building entrance, we saw Black Unit Leader tied up tightly.
All around him, people were gathered, watching. They’d followed us all the way here.
I grinned.
“Mmmpf! Nghh! Hrrgh!”
The moment Black Unit Leader saw me, his face twisted as he squirmed furiously.
Whatever. I can’t understand a word.
“Backpu, what do we do with this?”
We were originally going to hand him off to the manager. Maybe casually mention how they invaded the East sector first.
‘Even if no one believes us outside, it’s important to leave a record.’
Still, we didn’t need to hand him over to have that. From the moment Dad, Uncle, and I passed through the eastern gate, people had been watching us.
“Peeps, let’s just dump that guy here~” Uncle pointed toward the manager’s building.
“Trash belongs in the trash can.”
“Mmm, good idea!”
Nice, we’re on the same page for once.
Then I remembered something. I placed my hands on my hips.
“Before we leave, both of you, sit here.”
I crouched and tapped the stairs with my foot.
People were watching, but so what?
Two grown men obediently crouched before a three-year-old.
Whatever. I spoke bluntly.
“Dad, Backpu. You’re way too numb to being insulted, you know that? Don’t be lazy about getting angry.”
Dad and Uncle exchanged glances.
‘That look that says, “What’s the big deal?”’
I saw it—especially Uncle, hiding his indifferent face behind a grin.
“Alright, alright. If Princess says so~”
“Take this seriously.”
I frowned.
“Backpu, don’t just laugh things off. That’s a bad habit.”
I let out a heavy sigh.
Dad and Uncle. And probably my other uncle, who’s probably asleep.
They’re all bad patients.
I’ve seen plenty like them.
“You can’t give up on patients.”
They’re in a serious state of resignation.
“That’s when the illness really starts getting worse.”
“……”
Uncle was still smiling. But the atmosphere of his smile had changed subtly.
“And also…”
I turned my head.
There was a reason I said this here.
The people whispering as they watched us.
“Insults pass down.”
Even after Dad died, I inherited his painful and disgraceful reputation.
It must have been the same for Black Unit Leader.
“What Dad and Backpu leave behind… it’ll cling to me and Big Bro forever.”
The smile completely disappeared from Uncle’s face. Just as I intended.
“You don’t want that, do you? That’s why we all have to change.”
Uncle looked truly shaken.
I shifted my gaze.
“Dad, you probably think it doesn’t matter, since you don’t have your memories. So… just think of this as part of our promise. Or even just a shred of responsibility.”
“……”
Dad, who had been silent, slowly nodded.
“I understand what you’re saying.”
He tapped me lightly on the head. A gesture without affection, yet without malice either—just ambiguous.
As his hand withdrew, Uncle’s hand replaced it, tousling my hair roughly.
“You’ve learned a lot, Princess.”
“Ughhh, stop it!!”
With my hair a complete mess, Uncle lifted me up.
Are they even listening to what I’m saying?
“Screw it, let’s change. I’ve got a new family head now. Even I’ve got a bit of hope.”
He said it casually, but the sincerity was there. I patted the hand holding me.
“Let’s throw all this behind and go home excitedly. Does my little niece know how fast her dad is?”
You mean the roller coaster?
My face turned pale.
“I don’t wanna ride that…”
“You seemed to like it.”
When?!
“Then let’s go fast. This place always feels awful~”
I never agreed to that! That ride was terrifying!
I didn’t stop trembling until Uncle promised to protect me.
We were just about to leave when it happened.
“Damn it, Black Medical Unit!!”
“Oh, an uninvited guest.”
Still holding me, Uncle quickly jumped back.
A giant water bomb slammed down where he’d been standing.
‘Water…’
A water sorcerer.
‘Where’d a high-level user come from all of a sudden?’
Turning my head, I saw a man breathing heavily. Late 30s, maybe?
A familiar face.
‘Uncle-in-law, from my third aunt?’
It was Bae Sunghyun, my third aunt’s husband.
A massive man, clearly the type to be a general. He was from the Bae family, who—like our Huks—had come from the Western Continent.
A powerful water manipulator.
‘Super combative personality.’
I knew him. He was even a bit famous. Known for holding a grudge against Uncle and the Black Medical Unit.
He wielded a massive crescent blade in one hand—a weapon he took great pride in.
He was also the head of the warriors who protected the doctors and apothecaries.
‘Didn’t he once cause a scene saying “Why are we below the doctors?”’
He started yelling.
“How dare you defy the family head’s orders and escape from a restricted zone?! Are you out of your mind?!”
“Ah… this is annoying.”
Uncle’s voice was dripping with annoyance.
I could hear it clearly since he was holding me.
My third uncle-in-law, with his lion-like mane, charged right in.
“Princess, don’t worry!”
“Huh?”
Uncle gave a big grin. It gave me a bad feeling. What now?
“Haha! If you miss, you die, little bro!”
“KYAAAH!!”
Uncle threw me into the air!
What is this, bungee jumping after a roller coaster?!
Right before I hit the ground, the wind caught me and I spun through the air—
—landing straight into Dad’s arms.
I clutched his robe and gasped for air.
‘This… is insane…’
That damned uncle! All that talk about princesses and fairies—lies!
‘Who THROWS a princess?!’
As I panted, the wind swept the sweat off my brow.
“You seem out of breath.”
Dad looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“…I caught you just fine, though?”
“The throwing was the problem, the throwing!”
These lunatics! Throwing a three-year-old! Forcing her onto roller coasters!
Eventually, I managed to calm down.
‘But still…’
I turned toward the loud commotion—the fight between Uncle and Third Uncle-in-law.
“So weird. Why do water-users love me so much?”
Just as I expected…
It wasn’t even a fight.
