Chapter 7: Don’t let anyone take it away!
“Wah… I can’t walk anymore.”
Dohwa whined, plopping down on the ground.
Despite the journey still ahead, she declared a refusal to march further.
Looking at her, I felt less irritation and more a sense of, Well, today’s the day it finally happens.
The three of us were trudging along a rugged mountain path.
For Dohwa, an ordinary ten-year-old girl, walking all day on dirt trails, gravel paths, and even through thickets was understandably overwhelming.
Unlike Hyangbi and me, who were trained in martial arts and unfazed by such exertion, it was only natural for complaints to spill from her.
Thinking it was already a miracle she’d been so well-behaved until now, I approached her with a smile and asked:
“Tired? Want to take a break?”
“No, we’ve already stopped so many times. Dohwa doesn’t want to walk anymore today.”
“Hmm, but if you push just a bit further, we’ll reach an inn. Wouldn’t it be better to sleep comfortably there instead of camping out?”
“Wah…”
Dohwa pouted, her face crumpling at my words.
Seeing this, I prepared to do what I’d done before, as was routine.
Like when we went hiking in the modern world, or even a few times on this journey.
“No choice then, I’ll carry you—”
But then…
“Then I’ll carry her, Master.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Hyangbi, watching me prepare to carry Dohwa, spoke in a firm, resolute tone.
“Master, your internal injuries from the battle with the Heavenly Demon haven’t fully healed. You’ve already carried Lady Dohwa several times on this journey. We cannot overtax your body any further. From now on, I’ll take care of carrying her.”
“No, Master. As your attendant, I cannot stand by and watch you strain yourself any longer. This is my duty—please leave it to me.”
“Hmm…”
Honestly, my injuries from the Heavenly Demon fight had nearly healed, and carrying Dohwa wouldn’t strain me at all.
But the intensity in Hyangbi’s words, almost menacing, left me unable to argue.
‘Even as the greatest under the heavens, I’m still weak to my little sister…’
Yielding to this world’s sister, I stepped back.
Hyangbi took my place, looking at Dohwa, who seemed visibly displeased for some reason, and said:
“Come, Lady Dohwa. Climb on my back. I’ll carry you comfortably.”
Hyangbi smiled, offering her back.
I thought Dohwa might prefer Hyangbi’s softer frame over my hardened, muscular one.
But…
“No way!”
“Huh?”
“My legs don’t hurt! I’ll just walk!”
Dohwa’s voice was sharp with irritation as she stomped forward, as if her earlier complaints about her legs were a lie.
Watching her, I could only tilt my head in confusion.
‘What’s with her now? Is she hitting puberty already?’
*
Suppressing the throbbing pain in her legs, Dohwa pressed forward.
Though she desperately wanted to be carried, even if not by her Oppa, she refused to let that woman carry her.
‘What’s with this foreign unnie? Who does she think she is, getting between me and Oppa?’
Dohwa had come to this world after a strange glowing entity promised she’d reunite with her missing Oppa.
Traveling with him now, though exhausting, was a happy time for her.
Since their parents’ death, Kim Dohyun, her steadfast Oppa, had been her only family, taking on the role of both parents.
Though his appearance had gotten a bit uglier, he remained her reliable family, always by her side.
Unlike before, when school or part-time jobs kept them apart, being together all the time now brought her immense joy.
But in this situation, one person grated on her nerves.
That foreign unnie named Hyangbi,
Clinging to Oppa as if she were his sister,
And Oppa accepting her behavior so naturally.
She even dared to interfere with Dohwa’s privilege of being carried on Oppa’s back.
This sparked a strange mix of defiance and jealousy in Dohwa toward this foreign unnie.
‘I don’t like her! That foreign unnie is definitely trying to steal Oppa from me!’
Like a child resenting a new sibling for taking their parents’ attention,
To Dohwa, who saw Oppa as a parental figure, Hyangbi—despite being older—felt exactly like that kind of rival.
Glaring at Hyangbi walking ahead, filled with instinctive wariness and hostility,
Dohwa, though young, resolved with a surprising seriousness:
‘No way! Oppa is mine. I won’t let anyone take him!’
*
In the Gansu region, located in the western Central Plains,
The area had suffered the most from the Heavenly Demon’s rampage, with its dominant sects completely annihilated.
Now, it was notorious as a dangerous place overrun with bandits.
As a key passage to Qinghai from the central regions, it saw constant traffic, but travelers had to prepare for losses.
Among the numerous bandit groups in Gansu,
The most powerful, known as the Black Tiger Bandits,
Were lying in wait, eyeing their next big catch.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen a caravan this big.”
“Probably someone moving big after hearing the Heavenly Demon’s dead.”
“Heh, fools. They heard about the Heavenly Demon but not about us ruling Gansu?”
The bandits grinned excitedly, spotting a large caravan.
Though it was accompanied by skilled martial artists, they weren’t worried.
They had a trump card, rarely used but perfect for such occasions.
“Go report to the boss. And make sure to bring that person along.”
“Yes!”
“Understood.”
After scouting, the leader of the advance team sent word to their stronghold.
His gaze then shifted to a smaller group trailing the caravan at a distance.
‘Oh? That little girl’s a real beauty. Even at her age, she stands out. The boss will love this.’
*
After escaping the treacherous mountain paths and reaching a smoother road,
We happened to join a large caravan, traveling alongside them.
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Dohyun. These are my sisters.”
“I see. You seem skilled in martial arts. Since we’re headed the same way, why not travel together?”
“Sure, I’d be glad to.”
The caravan leader spoke with a generous tone, and I agreed readily, as refusing would’ve seemed odd.
Dohwa’s existence was unknown in this world,
Hyangbi hid her distinctive features with a black veil,
And my plain face—bitterly proven to be forgettable—meant I had no need to conceal myself.
With no worry of our identities leaking, we traveled with the caravan, enjoying small conveniences like water and letting Dohwa ride in a cart.
Of course, the leader likely hoped we’d lend our strength if a crisis arose.
‘Well, that’s fine by us. We’ve still got a long way to go anyway…’
Resting by a fire borrowed from the caravan, I draped a blanket over Dohwa, who was dozing against me.
But then…
“…Master?”
“Sigh… Why do my bad feelings always come true?”