Chapter 72 · BMMAW

Chapter 72

What Comes Easily Can Disappear Easily

When Juhwan first met the child, he couldn’t understand or speak the language.
So he knew nothing about how Dorothy had lived or what she had experienced.

He only learned about her past after she had already grown close to him.

He had thought, how pitiful.
He thought he should love her more.

When he saw Dorothy laughing brightly, he believed that the unhappy child had become happy after meeting him.

That was why she smiled so much.

“…”

Juhwan gently touched the corner of her eyes as she slept.

There were traces of tears.

She was crying.

The child who always laughed… was crying.

It felt like ice water had been poured into his heart.

Juhwan pulled both Dorothy and Lizzy closer into his arms.

Memories passed through his mind one by one.

The fight with goblins in the cabin.
The day the merchant group was attacked by bandits.
People falling after being hit by arrows.
The attempted kidnapping by a vagrant.

Those must have all been frightening experiences.

But Dorothy hadn’t changed much because of them.

She cried a little, got scared—but she was okay.

If anything, she had proudly said,

“My dad is strong.”

The only time she truly changed…

Was when she was almost kidnapped.

She said she saw a girl.
A girl holding a red pomegranate.

I see…

He couldn’t understand everything about her heart.

But now, he understood what she feared.

His thoughts turned to her past.

Dorothy had no name.
She had lived deep in the mountains, far from the village.

She lived alone with her violent father.

She had watched her stepmother get beaten to death.

Dorothy had lived at the very bottom of misery, even among unfortunate children in this world.

There was no one to help her.

Only the sounds of birds and animals.

People rarely entered the mountains.

In that silent place, when she was two… four years old…

She must have cried alone.

If a child was left alone in the mountains, they couldn’t survive.

When her father, a hunter, left the house—

How had she lived?

He didn’t even give her a name.

It was hard to believe he left her enough food or prepared anything for her.

Violence must have been terrifying.

But even if her father was violent—

Without him, she would die.

So every day, she must have waited for him to come back.

“I don’t want to be alone…”

Her words echoed in his ears.

He had thought it was just a child’s complaint.

But maybe—

It was a scream she didn’t even understand herself.

“…Mm…”

Dorothy moved slightly in her sleep and buried herself deeper into his arms.

Her thin arms and legs were still the same.

It had only been about two months since they met.

She had been eating well, but she was still far from healthy and full.

Only that much time…

They had become a family too easily.

There had been no process.

No certainty.

One day, suddenly—

Dorothy gained a father who would protect her.

What comes easily can disappear easily.

Maybe Dorothy was afraid…

That if someone better appeared—

She would be abandoned.

Just as Juhwan became her father so easily…

Maybe he would leave her for another child.

The girl with the pomegranate—

Maybe she looked prettier to Dorothy.

Or ran faster.
Or spoke better.

Maybe she just seemed better.

For the first time, a “rival” appeared.

And Dorothy became afraid.

What if Dad leaves me…

He didn’t know if she was aware of it.

Maybe it was only in her subconscious.

She murmured again in her sleep.

“…Don’t throw me away…”

Her words were unclear.

I won’t abandon you, Dorothy.

Juhwan slowly leaned down and whispered into her ear.

“No matter what happens in this world, I will never abandon you.”

“I am your father.”

“I came from far away for that reason.”

“I will always stay by your side.”

He hoped his voice would reach deep into her dreams.

“Pi…”

Oz made a small sound and moved closer, pressing its face against Dorothy’s forehead.

Warmth spread from the small rabbit.

“Oz, stay with Dorothy. Be her friend. Make sure she is never lonely.”

Juhwan placed his finger on Oz’s forehead and sent magic into it.

The horn began to glow faintly.

It turned from white to red, like Santa’s clothes.

The small red horn flickered, as if answering him.

* * *

Early the next morning, they left the village.

Dorothy was still sleeping in the wagon.

When the sun rose higher, she woke up.

Her voice came from behind the driver’s seat.

“Mom! Dorothy’s stomach is making noise. Oz is hungry!”

“It’s not Oz—you’re the one who’s hungry.”

Lizzy laughed.

It was still before breakfast.

Lizzy skillfully guided the wagon closer to the Red Sword’s cart.

“You’re really good with horses, Lizzy.”

Juhwan said.

Lizzy didn’t reply, but her shoulders lifted slightly with pride.

At times like this, Juhwan was reminded—

She was still young.

Only twenty-one.

To him, who was thirty, she still felt young.

He almost felt like a thief.

Lizzy made a hand signal, suggesting they eat.

The women had gotten closer and often communicated through gestures.

Juhwan couldn’t understand it at all.

Their signals felt like a completely different language.

After sitting for a long time, Lizzy shifted slightly.

The wagon shook a lot, and sitting too long made their bodies hurt.

Juhwan thought—

Maybe they needed cushions.

There were many things to improve.

The wagon.
Food storage.
Daily life.

Little by little, he wanted to build a stable life.

And through that—

He wanted to give Dorothy certainty.

Even if she isn’t a good child…
Even if she isn’t pretty…
Even if she’s slow or makes mistakes…

Their bond would never break.

Don’t rush.

It would take time.

It couldn’t be solved with words.

The wagon suddenly jolted.

Juhwan quickly held Lizzy.

She groaned slightly in pain.

Yes… they definitely needed cushions.

From inside the wagon—

Laughter could be heard.

Dorothy was rolling around on the straw bed, laughing.

Back and forth.

Oz jumped around with her.

Juhwan smiled faintly.

That smile suits you best.

After a while, they stopped to eat.

Lizzy and the Red Sword prepared food.

Juhwan checked the surroundings.

Everything seemed safe.

They ate a simple meal—meat and pre-cooked vegetables.

No fire was lit.

Dorothy sat at the wagon door, eating with Lizzy.

Juhwan sat on a nearby rock.

When Lizzy told Dorothy to eat vegetables—

She jumped down and ran to Juhwan.

“Dad! Mom says I have to eat vegetables!”

Her face and hands were covered in grease.

Lizzy laughed helplessly.

Juhwan made up his mind.

“Lizzy, I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

She tilted her head.

“After our time with the Red Sword ends… I’m thinking we should focus on hunting magical beasts.”

“Magical beasts?”

“I know it’s dangerous… but I think it’s better for us to live quietly on our own for a while.”

Lizzy smiled softly.

“Juhwan, do whatever you want. As long as I can stay with you, I don’t care about anything else.”

“Don’t you want to live in the city?”

“It’s nice sometimes. But I like being with you and Dorothy more.”

“Dad! Are we going back to the mountains? Just us?”

Dorothy’s face lit up like a blooming flower.

As expected…

She still needed time.

She didn’t yet feel secure.

“We’re not going back to the mountains.”

Her shoulders dropped slightly.

“But we’ll travel together in the wagon, hunt magical beasts, and sometimes visit adventurer villages to sell them.”

“Just us?”

“Yes. Just us.”

“Will Dorothy go hunting too?”

“I don’t know yet. But we’ll always be together.”

Lizzy looked at Juhwan as if she understood something.

Dorothy happily went back inside and began explaining hunting plans to Oz.

In her imagination—

She and Oz were the heroes.

She would hit the beast—

And Oz would finish it.

Her parents had smaller roles.

Juhwan smiled faintly.

Lizzy stepped down from the wagon and came closer.

She leaned her head against his chest.

“I didn’t realize…”

That one sentence was enough.

They both understood Dorothy’s heart.

* * *

The Red Sword often faced disrespect from men.

So they didn’t think highly of men.

While eating dry bread and jerky soaked in cold stew, Marie muttered,

“I wish I had a father like that.”

Jesse laughed softly.

“Hard to find. I’ve never seen a man like him.”

Karine glanced at Juhwan and said,

“Marie, wouldn’t it be faster if you became the husband?”

“Damn right! Then I’ll just marry a man like that!”

They all laughed.

It felt like the first time in a long while.

Even though they earned some money, they were still poor.

But touching the nails at their waists made them feel stronger.

Maybe things would change.

“Let’s wrap leather around the nails.”

Karine said.

They agreed.

Karine took out old pig leather.

They used it for many things.

As Marie wrapped the leather, she thought—

People might laugh at them.

But now…

She didn’t care.

Even if they looked foolish—
They were standing on their own feet.

And walking forward together.

“Hey, Karine, Jesse. Want to be my brides?”

They stared at her.

“What are you saying?”

They laughed again.

Marie closed her eyes.

The cold air… the warm sunlight…

It felt good.

“Marie, stop playing and finish wrapping it!”

Karine scolded.

Jesse looked at her like she was hopeless.

Marie just smiled