Chapter 20
“Still clinging like a leech, I see. We fed you and gave you shelter when you were young—how much longer are we supposed to clean up after you?”
Back in reality, Dokgo Ryung broke out in a cold sweat as he forced his trembling lips open.
“…Did you say ‘clean up after’ me?”
“Yes. Do you even know how much silver was spent on you? Judging by your looks, you seem to be surviving decently now, so stop leeching and earn your keep. Do that, and I might give you a room.”
“…Ha.”
Dokgo Ryung let out a disbelieving laugh but didn’t argue further. Seeing that, Ryu Hee-rang became more emboldened and poured out verbal abuse.
“What? Isn’t that generous of me? Not only did you barge in and throw the Dokgo clan into chaos, but you also abandoned that child…”
“You wicked old hag!”
A small voice cut her off.
Everyone turned in surprise toward the source.
Eun Sowol was fuming, steam practically rising from her nose. She wriggled out of Dokgo Ryung’s arms and stomped her tiny feet hard on the ground.
“Wicked… what did you just call me?”
“I called you a wicked old hag, you wretched crone!”
Ryu Hee-rang froze.
“Why are you tormenting my uncle?! What did you ever do for him to act so high and mighty?!”
“W-What…?”
“My uncle grew up big and strong all by himself! You didn’t do a single thing! So why are you acting like you raised him?”
Her piercing shout left the adults speechless.
Ryu Hee-rang, especially, had never in her life heard someone call her a ‘wicked old hag’ and stood dumbfounded.
“My uncle is the famous Gwangryong! Who’s leeching? If anything, this family should be laying down a red carpet begging him to return!”
And one day, he’ll become the great master who crushes both the righteous and demonic factions!
“And you!”
Eun Sowol pointed her chubby finger at Dokgo Wichan.
“You were the ones who bullied me first!”
Dokgo Wichan turned pale and glanced around nervously.
“Y-You’re lying…!”
“You called me an orphan! You insulted my mom as a traitor! You said I should serve you to live here!”
“Is that… true?”
Dokgo Haeryang looked at the two boys in shock, and they shrank under his gaze.
They’d bullied plenty before, but no one had ever publicly accused them.
“And that jerk hit me first with his wooden sword!”
Dokgo Wipyung sniffled and flinched.
“If he hadn’t swung that sword, Uncle wouldn’t have broken it! That bump on your head? That’s from your own sword breaking!”
“But you—!”
“What about me?! You started it, you little punk!”
Her voice echoed through the medical hall. Dokgo Wipyung fell silent.
The adults looked on in stunned confusion, half-shocked and half-uncertain.
Dokgo Ryung frowned and reached for her.
“Kid.”
“Don’t stop me! I’m really mad!”
“…Did you get hit by the sword?”
Eun Sowol hesitated and touched her sore arm.
“Here…”
Before she could finish, Dokgo Ryung rolled up her sleeve.
Her small arm was swollen with a dark purple bruise.
Seeing the injury, something snapped in Dokgo Ryung’s mind.
“…Should’ve just killed that brat.”
His muttered curse was accompanied by a murderous aura.
It was like standing before a starving beast. An overwhelming, bone-deep dread filled the air, mingled with a chilling pressure from his inner power.
The children fainted on the spot, and even Ryu Hee-rang, though she didn’t understand the source, looked terrified.
“H-How do you have such power…?”
Before she could finish, Dokgo Ryung stepped forward.
“Was I asking for much?”
Each step made the air heavier.
“I just asked you to raise her well… Was that so hard?”
“Y-You dare radiate this kind of power here?! If you don’t stop, I’ll summon the Iron Sword Troop and—!”
“Go ahead. Let’s see how many limbs you can save before I slaughter them all.”
His words, emotionless and calm, made it clear he wasn’t bluffing.
And for some reason, Ryu Hee-rang had the chilling feeling he could do just that.
“To think I believed you could care for a child…”
Just three days here, and she was already treated like this. What if she had grown up in this place?
Dokgo Ryung lifted Eun Sowol into his arms.
“I’m taking her with me.”
“Wait, Dokgo Ryung. I know you’re upset, but calm down—”
“You didn’t want her anyway. So what’s the problem if I take her?”
Even as Dokgo Haeryang tried to intervene, Dokgo Ryung shut him down coldly.
He looked at Eun Sowol, who was clinging to his clothes tightly.
“Swinging a sword at a girl who’s never held one? Maybe if he loses the ability to use a sword for life, he’ll stop pulling this kind of crap.”
He stepped toward Dokgo Wipyung with his sheathed sword in hand.
“C-Come any closer and I’ll summon the Iron Sword Troop! We’ll chase you forever! I’ll issue a Death Warrant!”
Dokgo Wipyung lay unconscious, eyes rolled back, while Ryu Hee-rang screamed and cursed in desperation.
“Chief! Are you just going to stand there? He’s trying to kill our heir!”
When Ryu Hee-rang called for Dokgo Haeryang, he finally stepped between them, eyes closed in frustration.
“Don’t make this worse. You know this won’t end well.”
“Move. That brat needs to lose an arm before I’m satisfied.”
“If you don’t back down, we’ll have to fight. I don’t want to do that.”
“…Ha! Trying to act righteous now? Spare me. You’re no different from the rest.”
Dokgo Ryung didn’t flinch even at the Chief’s authority.
His eyes were sharper than ever, seeing nothing but his fury.
Stuck between them, Eun Sowol closed her eyes tightly.
“Uncle!”
Smack!
Her tiny palm slapped Dokgo Ryung’s cheek. Dokgo Haeryang’s eyes widened.
Dokgo Ryung blinked, eyebrows twitching.
“You… just slapped me?”
“Calm down!”
Smack!
She slapped the other cheek and held his face.
“Let’s just go…”
Her tearful eyes made Dokgo Ryung falter.
The murderous energy faded.
“I don’t want to stay here anymore. Let’s just go to your place.”
“…”
“Can’t we?”
Everyone thought he wouldn’t listen—but Dokgo Ryung casually sheathed his sword.
“…Alright. Let’s go.”
“…Okay!”
Eun Sowol beamed, as if she hadn’t cried moments ago, and Dokgo Ryung smiled back warmly.
Dokgo Haeryang was filled with a strange emotion.
‘The child… has found her true family.’
They looked so natural together, like a painting. No one could speak.
Dokgo Ryung walked past them all and climbed over the outer wall, not the gate.
A tense silence followed until Ryu Hee-rang shook with rage.
“Summon the Iron Sword Troop immediately! An intruder has threatened the children! This must not be ignored!”
Her fury thundered through the compound. Worried this would escalate, Dokgo Haeryang quickly blocked her.
“Chief…!”
“Calm down, madam. Right now, treating the children is more important.”
Only then did she notice the unconscious boys in her arms.
Still glaring between them and the exit, she turned away.
“Where’s the medical master? Find him now!”
And so the chaos settled, for now. Dokgo Haeryang finally let out a long sigh.
