Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Best Thing Better Than a Pet Is a Healthy Pet
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A short while after I went out in front of the Medicine Hall and waited.
The always bright smiling faces of Narang Sojeo were now clouded with deep worry as she appeared.
"Young Master Geum..."
Even so, seeing her force a smile upon spotting me made my heart ache a little.
Darami must really be in bad shape.
Usually, thanks to Darami, Narang Sojeo's stockings were always torn, but now they were pristine without a single thread out of place.
This was a serious problem.
"Let's go. Show it to Instructor Dang first. Where's Darami?"
Narang Sojeo weakly pulled the limp Darami from her pocket.
"Kyuu..."
As I stepped into the Medicine Hall, I used my Mixed Moon Divine Eye to peer into Darami's internals.
Spirit beasts were spirit beasts, incomparable to humans, but qi still flowed within its body.
I sensed the problem immediately.
The strongest cluster of energy—likely its inner core.
It should have been perfectly ripe and ready to harvest, but it felt terribly depleted even at a glance.
"...Ahem, what brings you two here?"
"Instructor Dang Chun... Do you know anything about treating animals?"
Dang Mok's face twisted in habitual Chun-sik syndrome discomfort, but he quickly composed himself and shook his head.
"Even in our Tang Family, there are members who raise beasts, but I'm no expert on that."
I hadn't expected much anyway.
Useless guy.
"Euuu..."
Narang Sojeo's face visibly darkened.
I mentally deducted 100 points from my internal evaluation of Dang Chunsik, forced a greeting, and comforted her.
"It's fine. Is there only one clinic around here? I personally know the Life and Death Divine Doctor, so let's ask him."
"Y-Yes...!"
He could even revive the dead Geum Sihyeon with necromancy.
The Life and Death Divine Doctor could do anything.
"Young master with another woman... Mmph—."
"Kid, watch it. Has the young master arrived? Please come in."
The guards at the Jangwon entrance started fussing about another woman but shut up upon seeing my sharp glare and Narang Sojeo's gloomy expression.
"Another...?"
Narang Sojeo muttered softly.
I resolved to contact the main family next time and tell them to keep their mouths shut as I hurriedly sought the Life and Death Divine Doctor.
Today, he was playing go with Teacher Tteolbu again.
"What? Weren't you supposed to come back on the weekend?"
"Something important came up. Divine Doctor, do you have a moment?"
"Huh. Are you feeling unwell?"
"N-No, not me."
I introduced the awkwardly standing Narang Sojeo from a short distance away to the two elders.
Teacher Tteolbu wore a slightly ambiguous expression.
The Divine Doctor flashed a very kind grandfatherly smile.
"I've rarely examined animals, but since it's your request, I'll take a look. Let me see."
I carefully handed over the limp, wheezing Darami to the Divine Doctor.
As he took its tiny paw to check the pulse, the Divine Doctor's brow furrowed slightly.
"Its energy is extremely faint. When did this start?"
"Uuuh, about seven weeks ago, I think..."
"This one's no ordinary squirrel—it's a spirit beast, isn't it?"
"Yes...!"
Teacher Tteolbu seemed intrigued too, drawing closer to observe Darami.
"Its qi is severely depleted. If left like this, it won't last long."
As a fellow possessor of the Mixed Moon Divine Eye, perhaps.
He gave a coldly similar assessment.
"No way...! Hnng..."
Tears began welling up in Narang Sojeo's big eyes.
The Divine Doctor, with a gentle and kind expression he'd never shown me, hurriedly soothed her.
"There, there, child. Don't cry. It's not hopeless. Wait a moment. Sihyeon, follow me."
"Yes."
After handing Darami back to Narang Sojeo, I followed the Divine Doctor to the herb storage.
Before entering the academy, the Divine Doctor had often explained medical matters to me like this.
"Do you know spirit beasts have inner cores?"
"Yes."
"Generally, spirit beasts embody the principles of the five elements too. So, depleted qi falls into two main causes: one is mismatch with its native environment, and the other is imbalance in the five elements."
"Aha..."
"The environment can't be helped without returning to its original home, but meridian imbalance likely stems from five elements disruption. You learned the Mixed Moon Eye, right? What did it seem like?"
I recalled examining Darami earlier.
Definitely.
"Thunder qi... close to metal element."
The Divine Doctor nodded in agreement.
"Correct. It's hard to gather from nature, and few herbs or elixirs carry metal attributes. Hmm, there's a bit left here. Dried petals of thunderfire night orchid."
He handed it to me demonstratively.
Having received such teachings during stays at the main house, I naturally took the dried petals and examined them.
Indeed, a faint tingling confirmed it as a spirit herb.
"That's just a stopgap. I'll look around for more, but ideally, fresh thunderfire night orchid would be best."
"Where does it bloom?"
"Not sure exactly. It has tricky traits—looks like wilted weed by day, blooms one flower at midnight, and withers at dawn. Not easy to find. Take this for now."
"Sigh..."
He took back the petals, mixed them with a few herbs and trace iron powder, and quickly formed a small pill.
Before heading out.
"Unlike that wild kid from before, this one's a proper lady. Your lover?"
"...No. Just friends still."
"Huh, 'still' friends."
The Divine Doctor smirked mischievously.
"You'll have plenty of women troubles. Your face screams it."
"Must be good fortune with women."
"Haha, think that if you like."
Despite the curse.
The Divine Doctor wrapped the pill neatly in paper, handed it over with a wink.
This is why I respect the Divine Doctor.
GOAT of Central Plains medicine...
Back outside.
I watched Narang Sojeo anxiously peering at Darami, pulled out one pill, and held it to Darami's nose.
"Kyuu...!"
The limp Darami perked up its tail.
Then devoured the pill voraciously, as if ready to bite my finger.
The effect was immediate.
Dull fur regained its luster smoothly.
Dull eyes sparked with vitality.
Soon.
It hopped down and scampered wildly—tap-tap!
As if mocking its prior half-dead state.
The rapidly recovered healthy Darami bounced around chaotically.
"D-Darami...!"
Laughter bloomed radiantly on Narang Sojeo's worried face.
Right after.
"Young master, thank you...!"
Narang Sojeo hugged me suddenly.
The universe blinked out.
All creation flashed by.
In this realm of infinite softness from Narang Sojeo, my mind looped endlessly: speeding into marriage, blissful newlywed days, forming a soccer team of kids plus a baseball team named Man-geum Giants, winning two championships, then struggling 30+ years for V3 amid countless passwords led by 8888577—
"Ahem."
Teacher Tteolbu's awkward cough restarted frozen time.
My brain bluescreened momentarily, but the invincible Giants' blessing restored my sanity.
Not particularly grateful.
"Ah, um, sorry... Habit... Were you uncomfortable?"
"No, no. Quite moving, actually."
"Hehe... Gotta stop the habit..."
Seeing her sheepish smile and flushed cheeks, it seemed time to prepare the bridal chamber soon.
Firstborn: Gangseon?
Felt like conquering the martial world with tongue alone and claiming sect leader.
"Heh heh, youth is grand. But child, it's not fully cured yet—nurse it carefully. I'll procure more for pills, but ingredients are rare, so extend time in its spirit homeland or gather nearby spirit herbs in advance. Studied herbology?"
"Yes, yes...! Thank you, elder! I'm taking herbology at the academy, hehe."
Narang Sojeo bowed deeply, her generous heart swelling.
Suddenly noticing Darami missing, I glanced around.
"Kyuu!"
"Hm."
It was playfully frolicking fearlessly on Teacher Tteolbu's palm.
Despite his displeased face, his lips twitched.
This old man's age belies his love for cute things.
Speaking of which, since we're here.
"Master. No recent Mind-Image Sword Debates?"
"Eh, huh? Ah, right. Mind-Image Sword Debate. Left it at the cult; haven't done it lately. Why?"
"Hard to get lessons at the academy, so how about via Mind-Image? I'll prepare one for you, disciple."
"O-Oh...!"
Teacher Tteolbu's eyes sparkled like a chicken's.
Makes sense—at Fire Realm, one proper swing halves a mountain; must itch terribly.
Free Bai Hong Palm Force lasts a day or two, but without account change, opponents will adapt next time.
Thus, honing my weaknesses with Master sharpens my championship edge.
And with the topic shifted.
"Kyuuut!"
I smoothly snatched the frolicking Darami from Teacher Tteolbu's palm and returned it to Narang Sojeo.
"Then this disciple will take leave. Divine Doctor, eternally grateful."
"Hehe, truly thankful! I'll bring treats next time!"
"Good. Visit often."
Engraving the Divine Doctor's warm plural-subject omission in my heart.
I exited the Jangwon side-by-side with Narang Sojeo and returned to the academy.
At the fork: Dongcheong Hall, women's dorm, Seohong Hall.
"Young master. Truly thankful today. I won't forget this grace! I'll repay it for sure!"
"Kyuuut, kyuut!"
Narang Sojeo and Darami bowed to me again.
"Haha, no need. Glad it helped—I'm happy too. Give one pill weekly to Darami."
"Yes! ...Um, young master, one question?"
I prefer daughters over sons.
"Sure."
"Well... who were you heading home with last time?"
"Ah, Luri."
"Hnng..."
Narang Sojeo's face soured briefly.
"That grumpy-faced uncle you saw? Luri's uncle, staying briefly at Jangwon. Oh, your pet Luri's missing today?"
"Aha, got it! Hehe. Luri's holed up in the training cave since yesterday, thinking she made Darami sick. Gotta reassure her tonight, hehe."
Must've been my imagination.
Pure 100% angelic Narang smile as always.
"Then, young master. I'll definitely repay! Really, really!"
"Kyuuut!"
With a warm heart.
Recalling the hefty mass against my solar plexus earlier, I bid Narang Sojeo farewell and returned to Dongcheong Hall.
In my empty room.
"Kyauuu...!"
Only the wolf pup sleeping nose-deep in my pillow greeted me.
After the Darami incident, worry surged; I gave the wolf pup a checkup too.
Its qi was earth element.
Fitting for a dirt-munching stray—perfectly healthy.
Better than pets is healthy pets.
Thunderfire night orchid, was it?
Gotta track down info.
Not just for Darami.
Bright people shine brighter smiling.
After a fun walk loop with the wolf pup back to the dorm.
I dove back into the Mind-Image Sword Debate world.
Similar to my past life's disease game ranking system.
Win rate matters, but game count crushes too.
Top 64 is fine, but.
A real man aims for the top.
Plus, facing many in prelims lets me devise counters for finals.
To me, games are murder...
Samsung Dynasty, descend.
Amid my streak of victories.
[Opponent found for duel.]
[GET READY FOR THE NEXT BATTLE]
"Huh."
I frowned upon checking the next opponent.
The opponent was undefeated like me, on a win streak.
After brief loading, I checked customization.
Surprisingly, a female character.
A preset I found pretty, with height and bust sliders maxed—ideal form.
If real, I'd fall in love instantly.
But that's that.
Match is match.
After wait time.
With majestic gong and battle start, as usual, I feigned gripping sword arts while covertly unleashing palm force.
And.
The opponent.
In a very familiar manner, wiggled hips and flicked fingers.
Palm force and finger wind clashed midway, exploding.
"Hm..."
One Spring Dream, huh.
Unlike my mismatched nickname.
Fitting for her.
Time to humble the pitiful lamb still trapped in 170cm 75G fantasies.