The Ideal Type
When the head of the Jegal Family had business in Luoyang, she would drop by the Martial Alliance to see Jegal Yeong-yeong and leave.
Because she was too busy carrying out the duties of the Grand Strategist to come all the way down to Hubei Province.
Usually it was just a simple greeting or a message.
Jegal Yeong-yeong had been flustered.
“A sudden marriage proposal?”
“You’re already twenty-three. If it gets any later, it will be problematic.”
In the past, marriage was talked about around fifteen, late teens was fine, and by twenty it was frowned upon as an old maid.
Of course, among the women in the world of martial artists, some waited longer, so twenty-three was still acceptable in her view.
But because of Namgung Yurin, who was four years younger, her head was already spinning.
‘Me? An old maid?’
She could never accept that.
She shook her head desperately, searching for any excuse.
One piece of news surfaced.
The woman who was to marry the successor of the Namgung Family was almost thirty, wasn’t she?
Calling herself an old maid was still far too early…!
Jegal Yeong-yeong, who had found some calm, raised her teacup and took a sip, pretending to be composed.
Her favorite tea, today of all days, tasted bitter.
She asked with a hint of concern.
“Who is the appropriate person?”
One person came to mind the moment she heard her father speak.
But then his words shattered her fleeting hope.
“You’ve seen him before. The second son of the previous family head.”
“...The previous family head?”
The previous family head was a family in the same Hubei Province as the Jegal Clan, known for producing famous scholars.
The family had a good reputation, and its sons were all said to be decent men. It was a place she had always looked upon favorably.
But the family wasn’t a martial arts sect, nor was it particularly strong in martial power. It was questionable whether her father would choose it as a marriage partner.
‘He wouldn’t need to curry favor with the government…’
Seeing his daughter’s doubtful expression, her father continued.
“Don’t you remember saying that when you were younger? That you would marry someone smarter than yourself. Since that was your wish, there’s no need to force a political marriage with another family.”
“...”
It was a relief that he wasn’t forcing a political marriage.
It was normal for the direct family members of the clan to arrange political marriages in order to strengthen their power.
She understood how much her father respected her, and her heart warmed.
‘But when was that conversation?’
She searched her memory. It had been almost eight years.
‘Ah, her fifteenth birthday…’
She remembered the day she had made that very statement at her fifteenth birthday, the first time marriage was discussed.
“So you remember. I’ve been watching that family’s second son all this time, and his reputation is good. He’s a talented youth who ranked first in this year’s provincial examination. He’s promising great results in the national exam as well.”
The provincial exam was a local test, and the national one was across the entire country.
Ranking first in the national exam guaranteed a brilliant future.
‘He is indeed clever.’
But…
That was not the person she wanted. In fact, her father’s words suddenly triggered the long-forgotten memory, and she finally understood her true feelings.
‘I finally know why I liked him so much.’
The desire to marry someone smarter than herself had been hidden in her subconscious all along.
Jegal Yeong-yeong had once thought that, after defeating the legendary genius Sima Cheon from the Sima Family and becoming Grand Strategist, she was the greatest in Central Plains.
But…
She had been stunned by his genius when he taught her formations and let her study mathematics.
‘I was nothing. I had just studied more. The truly clever one is him.’
She had even been hurt by her pride. How could she easily accept that someone from a family whose name she barely knew was superior to her?
However, his genius was not limited to formations and mathematics. It showed in even more outstanding ways.
In the field of medicine.
Since his appearance, the reputations of the great physicians in the world had been marred.
“Why can’t even a young physician named Baek Yuseong treat you?!”
Through many proofs, it had finally become clear to the world that what they couldn’t do was abnormal, and that he was truly exceptional.
Even without her, the position of Grand Strategist could be filled by someone else.
Several outstanding candidates came to mind. They could all perform the duties somehow.
‘Tae Jeong-heon… the deputy is still on hold.’
Her grudge against him had not yet completely melted.
Without proper handover, he had suddenly been appointed deputy, and Jegal Yeong-yeong had been taking on some of his duties to help him.
She had planned to gradually transfer the work as he adapted, but…
‘With this task, I’ll have to hand everything over at once. He’ll have a hard time coming home for a while.’
Originally, she had considered his position, but he was not a bad person. She could be magnanimous.
Anyway…
‘It’s not the Medical Pavilion head. No one else can replace him.’
Even if Physician Yang returned or the Divine Physician came back, it would be impossible.
He was the one who had broken the established framework of medicine in the long history of Central Plains and brought about a revolution.
She steeled her resolve.
She could not precisely know the relationship between Namgung Yurin and him.
‘Still… I won’t give up. Compared to someone his age, he is a step above him.’
Jegal Yeong-yeong had the confidence to top the national exam if she took it right now.
Of course, she felt an incomparable wall between herself and him.
And now… even if the second son of the previous family head was superior, she wanted him.
‘I never expected my heart to be like this…’
She had found the ideal partner from her childhood after all these years, but she could not simply withdraw without fighting.
After all, without him, she could not live a single day comfortably because of her headaches, could she?
She told her father she would not agree to the marriage.
She could not force him to marry her without knowing his own feelings, and she would handle it alone.
“Father, the timing doesn’t seem right right now. The situation in the world of martial artists is chaotic, and he’s very busy.”
“I know you’re busy. But the situation only keeps getting worse. When are you going to wait for it to stabilize?”
“I’m sorry. I really don’t have any thoughts about it right now.”
“Mm, I understand. But even thinking of your younger brother, decide before it’s too late.”
“Yes, Father.”
After her father left, Jegal Yeong-yeong returned to the office of the Grand Strategist.
She paced restlessly, lost in deep thoughts for a long time.
And…
After confirming several times that no one was around, she pulled a book wrapped tightly in her sleeve.
“Then, please take good care of her. If anything happens, feel free to call me anytime.”
Receiving patients even after work was always a delight.
“Don’t worry. I’m quite capable now!”
Physician Cha, who was on duty today, boasted loudly.
Yuseong had been away from his position for a long time, but he had become quite close with Physician Yang.
‘A man who naturally knows how to make people feel good. He must have handled it himself. Physician Yang seems to like him a lot too.’
If she wanted to impress someone, Physician Cha would swallow his tongue like a prickly hedgehog, but he had no hesitation.
The attitude Physician Yang held toward Physician Cha had clearly changed.
Physician Cha had not envied Yuseong’s medical skills, but he was conducting research with Physician Yang.
Thanks to that, she had heard that his skills had improved a lot.
He was truly exceptional in charisma.
‘At first I thought he wasn’t reliable, but thanks to him…’
Thanks to Physician Cha, Yuseong had easily adapted to Luoyang’s Medical Pavilion.
At one point, she had wanted to distance herself after seeing his cunning side, but his handling of situations had eventually won her over and led him to the Medical Pavilion.
Yuseong headed toward his residence.
A day without training with Namgung Yurin.
“Today I should meditate and reflect on what I gained yesterday.”
She said it with a somewhat regretful expression.
She needed time to organize the enlightenment she had gained from unfolding the Emperor’s Sword Form. They only trained together once every few days.
But thanks to that training, Yuseong felt that the sustained healing skill he demonstrated to Jegal Yeong-yeong had become a little more familiar than using acupuncture.
Even at home, he did not rest.
Because he did not know when he would leave the Martial Alliance again, he had to make holy water every chance he got.
“...”
In the game he had started enjoying, he sometimes felt a letdown after spending all day only increasing holy power, but…
‘No. Living leisurely is possible even after beating the final boss. I ended the virtual fantasy too quickly because I got tired of it…’
The thought that he might actually die here kept him on his toes.
While Yuseong was immersed in making holy water, someone came.
“Chief of the Medical Pavilion! Are you inside?”
When Yuseong stepped outside, he saw the maid of Jegal Yeong-yeong, whom he had seen once before, pacing.
“What is it?”
“Well… the young lady is in a lot of pain. She’s looking for Chief Yuseong. Could you come with me?”
“...”
He had applied the sustained healing skill on Jegal Yeong-yeong that morning and checked her entire body.
Everything had been fine, but if she suddenly complained of pain, there might be something serious he had missed.
Fortunately, he had not yet spent all his holy power on making the holy water.
Yuseong quickly grabbed his needles and followed the maid.
“Exactly what are the symptoms?”
Pain in the abdomen, cold sweat… he had received such information for appendicitis.
“Well… I’m not very knowledgeable either. She’s in a lot of pain, though. Ask the young lady yourself. I don’t know much.”
The maid did not know Jegal Yeong-yeong’s condition at all.
If she knew roughly which part was hurting, it would have been slightly helpful. What a pity.
“I understand. Let’s go quickly.”
The residence of Jegal Yeong-yeong, whom he had visited once before.
It was a space where several maids brought from her family lived, unlike him.
‘Strange. Are they taking care of the Grand Strategist?’
Apart from the maid who had brought him, no one else was in sight.
Since it was not a time to casually inquire about their whereabouts, Yuseong did not think further and entered Jegal Yeong-yeong’s bedroom.
He had expected several maids to be with her, but Jegal Yeong-yeong was alone on the bed, wearing only a thin nightgown.
“Grand Strategist, are you all right?”
She was not sweating cold sweat, but her face was flushed red.
‘Is she running a fever? What did I miss?’