MUC 12

Chapter 12

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‘Come to think of it… how did he even survive until now?’

The moment they heard Dokgo Ryong had returned, everyone present was left in stunned silence.

It was because they had all believed him to be dead.

But Dokgo Ryong was alive and well—and he carried the air of a true master.

Judging by the pressure he exerted earlier in his standoff with the Young Lord, he may indeed possess the skills to back it up.

‘Could he one day become a threat to our Dokgo Clan…?’

Just as the Elder was weighing Dokgo Ryong’s potential, their eyes met.

Dokgo Ryong’s piercing gaze felt as if it had read the elder’s thoughts, and it was so sharp and cold that the elder instinctively swallowed hard.

‘I… I flinched because of that illegitimate brat?’

He couldn’t believe it. He was a martial arts master near the peak of cultivation—yet he had let Dokgo Ryong’s sheer presence intimidate him.

“This concludes my business here,” Dokgo Ryong said coldly, turning his back without a shred of hesitation.

“You’re leaving?”

“Is there any reason for me to stay? If it weren’t for the child, I would’ve never stepped foot in this damned house.”

Dokgo Il-do’s gaze darkened with sorrow, but Dokgo Ryong didn’t spare him a single glance.

Just before exiting, Dokgo Ryong halted.

“…Take good care of her. At the very least, she’s your sister’s daughter—not some bastard like me.”

It was a warning. He was telling them not to treat her the same way he had been treated.

‘Who knows when that bastard Dokgo Cheon-un might get petty and start picking on her?’

At least there were still some people in this household who missed Dokgo Hwa-yeong.

Even so, could this family really raise the child properly?

‘Still, it’s far better than her staying with me and constantly being in danger.’

And that made this the right decision.

It was time to say goodbye.

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“Hmm… Why is he taking so long?”

Eun Sowol bounced on her feet, anxiously watching the distant entrance of the main hall.

“Sowol-ah, if you’re tired, do you want to rest inside? Since you’re already here, maybe get a check-up with the physician too?”

“Nooo.”

‘Why do they keep trying to send me to the doctor? Hmph. Do they think I don’t know they’re just trying to separate me from Uncle?’

With a huff, Eun Sowol remained rooted like a statue.

Dokgo Haeryang, who had been sighing quietly, noticed something wrapped in cloth on her lap.

“What’s that?”

“Candy treats,” she replied.

After eating a bunch earlier, she’d saved the rest and wrapped them up.

“Were they that tasty? If you had said something, Grandpa would’ve given you more.”

“I packed them for Uncle.”

Dokgo Haeryang widened his eyes in mild surprise, then softened into a warm smile.

“Sowol is such a sweet child.”

“…”

When Eun Sowol turned her head away, pretending not to hear, Dokgo Haeryang chuckled softly.

“You there—wrap up some fresh treats like before,” he instructed a servant.

“Yes, Head Steward.”

As the servant left to follow the order, Sowol glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

“I’ll bring you some fresh ones, so leave those here.”

She was about to place the treats down when, suddenly, the doors in the distance opened.

The scowl she’d been wearing all this time vanished in an instant.

“Uncle’s out!”

“Wait, child! The treats…!”

“I’ll be right back!”

Eun Sowol took off at full speed toward Dokgo Ryong.

“Uncle!”

He didn’t seem to hear her and continued walking.

Puzzled, Sowol pushed herself to run faster on her tiny legs.

“Uncle! I called you—didn’t you hear?”

Catching up, she grabbed onto the hem of his robe, panting from the effort.

“Look! They gave me these over there—much tastier than the ones from the guards! I packed them just for you… Ah, some of them broke…”

Probably from all the running, the treats had crumbled a bit.

“Still, they taste great! You should try one too!”

She lifted both hands, offering the treats in the cloth to him with a bright smile.

“Uncle…?”

But Dokgo Ryong didn’t even look at her. That’s when Sowol realized—something wasn’t right.

“You don’t like sweets? Then I’ll just eat them. So, where are we going now?”

Trying to stay cheerful, she babbled as usual. That’s when Dokgo Ryong finally stopped walking.

Sowol breathed a sigh of relief.

“We’re not going,” he said.

“…Huh?”

Her heart skipped a beat at his next words.

“W-What do you mean we’re not going? We haven’t gone home yet.”

This was the Dokgo Clan—the place he hated. So “home” couldn’t possibly mean here.

“This will be your home from now on.”

Thud.

Her heart sank into a bottomless pit. She forced a smile, trembling.

“Haha… So Uncle’s going to live here again? If that’s the case…”

“No. You’ll be living here alone.”

The light that always sparkled in Eun Sowol’s eyes faded like sunshine behind the clouds.

As despair—too heavy for a child to bear—spread across her face, Dokgo Ryong’s brows twitched faintly.

“Why… Why would I live here without you…”

“You really thought I’d keep dragging around a snot-nosed brat who can’t even take care of herself?”

His eyes weren’t kind. They were filled with nothing but annoyance and irritation.

Faced with that, Sowol clamped her mouth shut.

“This is your mother’s family. They’ll look after you. So stop being a nuisance and stay here.”

And with that, Dokgo Ryong turned and walked away, leaving her behind.

Eun Sowol froze in place, staring as he got farther and farther.

“…Child.”

Dokgo Haeryang, who had seen it all, gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Only then did her stiff body tremble, and she slumped forward.

Crack.

The candy she was holding dropped and shattered at her feet.

But she didn’t care about the sweets.

She ran after Dokgo Ryong.

And grabbed onto his robe again.

“Stop being a nuisance—!”

He turned around with an annoyed voice—but froze.

Tears had soaked Eun Sowol’s wide eyes.

“Is it ‘cause I annoyed you? Or because I kept messing around? I won’t do it anymore! I’ll behave from now on, I promise…!”

Her fair cheeks were drenched as she panted, sobbing hard.

“Don’t leave me. Don’t abandon me…”

Waaahhhh—

Her wailing echoed sorrowfully.

It wasn’t the fake kind of crying that kids used when they didn’t get their way.

It was a cry born of despair—like her world had collapsed.

Her sobs reached even Dokgo Il-do and the clan leaders stepping out of the main hall, and Dokgo Haeryang as well.

‘Waaahh! I’ll be good from now on! I won’t—’