Unless You Want to Live Like That Forever
“Hoo… such irreverent eyes. It’s written all over that parasite-like face of yours, looking at me like I’m some madman.”
“Irreverent? I’m a doctor who saves lives. There’s no such thing as irreverent eyes on my face.”
Was it the intuition born of her vast experience that couldn’t be ignored? My vitals spiked at Minsia’s flounder-eyed glare, but I didn’t let any panic show. Even in a tiger’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.
“Heh heh, if that’s not the case, then come with me to the South Continent.”
“No, what, wait…”
“Wait?”
“Wouldn’t it be utterly insignificant? It’s medical consensus that a mere doctor like me going to the South Continent wouldn’t help much.”
Undignified words unfit for my stature nearly spewed out like exhaust fumes on a highway. But I summoned extreme patience, maintaining a resolute yet courteous expression as I continued.
“Heh heh heh, you know your own pitiful level well. But worry not, Ahmaya. I can protect a worm like you just fine, so follow without fear.”
Even with black magic rejuvenating her youth, could she not overcome dementia? She was brushing off my refusal to go to the Land of Darkness, the South Continent, like it was dog shit.
“…I think there’s a misunderstanding. Going with you, Grand Matriarch, would certainly reduce risks. But that doesn’t mean I can leave my post. I’m the lord ruling Gold Territory, after all—I have a duty to care for my people—”
“Heh heh heh, you mean this place with barely a hundred subjects? What a joke.”
“…”
Damn it. Her porcelain, flawless skin needed no foundation, looking like a girl’s, but inside lurked a scheming old crone of nearly seventy. Her hearty laugh didn’t reach her eyes, sending chills down my spine. The sharp glare made me think she might drag me off by force if I slipped up.
“Sigh… Grand Matriarch, I admit tattooing Duke Lancaster was a mistake, but wasn’t it practically coerced? I didn’t know you were the one he cherished… didn’t you say so yourself?”
“Does ignorance erase the mistake? Enough chatter—prepare to come along.”
“No, you can’t just bulldoze like this! Even if I went, what good would it do? You said even you got… well, defeated by those black mages!”
Minsia, who had risen after saying her piece, paused and sat back down. She fixed me with a sinister smile too subtle for micro-expressions to catch.
“Ahmaya, didn’t you claim to be a doctor? Though on the frontier, I’ve heard of your unique and remarkable medical skills. Even if we rescue Soso in the South Continent, the odds are higher she won’t be intact.”
Her shrewd, gleaming eyes made me dread what she’d say next. But she bared her sharp fangs and pressed on.
“Your sin of tattooing that insult to me and Hoblood Clan on the Northern Duke! That unforgivable crime—I’ll pardon it only when you rescue Soso and bring her safely back to Hoblood territory.”
“No, what—”
“In the meantime, Hoblood Clan will cover the taxes you owe to the Frederik territory office and the wages of your few subjects.”
“My people’s wages aren’t that low—”
“Worry not, Ahmaya. Though they’re subjects of a criminal, we’ll pay them the bare minimum.”
…Look at this? Was it all planned?
A chill raced over my skin as I scanned Minsia’s eerie smile for micro-expressions. She’d stormed my hospital, caused chaos, and acted like she’d kill me and Walter. But piecing together her words now, it all screamed calculated moves—my conviction solidified.
If not, how would she know the taxes I pay monthly to the territory office or the exact number of my subjects? Damn, this sly old fox…
They say in wuxia tales to beware women, children, and elders—and damn if Hoblood’s Grand Matriarch Minsia wasn’t a bizarre hybrid of two. If the ‘Stone of Life’ Tolstoy gave me hadn’t glowed red, I might’ve judged wiser. But over-relying on tools was my mistake, and now, cornered by this hybrid, my qi twisted in fury.
“What’s wrong, Ahmaya? I’m covering compensation for your crime—surely you’re not refusing?”
The cunning tongue of this venomous crone, writhing like hundreds of snakes in her chest, flicked out again. But I wasn’t one to just take it.
“Grand Matriarch, I understand my sin clearly.”
“Heh heh, finally coming to your senses—”
“A sin demands atonement. I tattooed Duke Lancaster, so I’ll remove it to pay the price.”
Catching her off-guard, Minsia’s eyes widened, mouth agape. But I didn’t stop.
“People think tattoos are forever once done. But not mine. For any I’ve personally inked, I can erase them without a trace.”
With healing magic and picosecond lasers, tattoo removal was child’s play for me. Sure, if potion co-op hacks stabbed too deep or infection scarred like their botched jobs, scars might linger post-removal. But my work? Procedures, surgeries, tattoos—whatever medical act I charge for, I deliver flawless results like no one else.
Duke Tolstoy’s moist skin took ink well, unlike dry types, so damage was minimal from the start. Post-tattoo healing magic sealed wounds instantly, no infection risk. All black ink except highlight white—no issues there.
“…Fool! Can you gather spilled water? Even if the tattoo vanishes from the Northern Duke’s body, my heart’s wound remains untreated!”
This damn crone armored up in shamelessness. Fine, if she played dirty, so would I. Now that I grasped her intent, I’d carve my escape.
“Think about it, Grand Matriarch. My hospital sees countless patients daily, teetering on death’s edge.”
“Fool! As if I don’t know it’s mostly wrinkle injections and skin-tightening! And your other mages handle treatments even without you!”
The old man had thoroughly scouted my hospital.
“Apologize! Even you can’t belittle my patients!”
“…?”
“Just as you suffer over appearances, for some, daily aging is worse than death!”
“No, I meant—”
“Besides, the other doctors aren’t fully skilled yet. If a critical patient comes while I’m away from Beauty Tower, they could die—because I’m gone.”
Minsia hesitated at my firm tone, then flashed a sly grin.
“Heh heh, if a territory crumbles from its lord’s absence of a few years, it might as well vanish now.”
The geezer spouted nonsense in elegant tones. Missing a day or two already bled money horrifically—what? Dragging me along for years?
No more talk—this called for escalating the balance game.
“Strange. If you hadn’t secluded in Hoblood Cave for closed-door training, couldn’t you have stopped the black mages’ invasion?”
“Wretch! Daring to insult Hoblood Clan to my face!”
Counterpunched by her own attack, Minsia bristled with rage, my warning ring blazing red on my finger.
“Insult? Just stating facts. When you, the family elder and true head, were absent, disaster struck—just as Gold Territory must prepare for the same.”
My calm words belied my pounding heart. Logical or not, if she used her overwhelming power beyond Walter’s to drag me off, I had no counter.
“Even if kidnapped by black mages, it might not be trouble—preempting unconfirmed threats is wise, but without exact location—”
“Location unknown or not, something terrible’s surely happened.”
Minsia’s rage cooled, her face darkening somberly.
“Fengchen Baek’s Grand Matriarch Baek Il-hak… kidnapped before Soso, my friend returned to his clan last month.”
“The black mages really let him go?”
“Yes. He returned.”
She’d mentioned they release captives, but I hadn’t believed humane release from those brutal kidnappers—until now.
“But just his body returned, intact.”
Her face grew grimmer.
“What…?”
“The swiftest swordsman… whatever experiments they did left scars everywhere. His dantian was shattered too.”
“Still, safe return is fortunate—”
“Fortunate? It was just a shell! Not only dantian destroyed—he was a total cripple! The proud, iron-willed man drooling, incontinent wreck!”
“…”
Minsia wiped her reddened eyes.
“Baek Il-hak… died five days after returning. I rushed there upon word, saw him myself… unbelievable state.”
“…”
“Soso… thinking that precious child endured the same tears my heart apart.”
Now it clicked—why he’d suddenly head to the South Continent after just gathering magic stones for Hoblood’s defenses. And why he needed me.
“Rest in peace to the departed. But I’m still not the right person.”
“Wretch! After hearing this—”
“Not refusing—finding your granddaughter’s location comes first. My skills are great, but I’m just a mana-less doctor. Besides, there’s a better fit. Treat after locating.”
“Better fit? One of your underlings?”
Who else? The Northern lovebird who got tattooed over someone just like you.
Tank and DPS scout before the healer moves.
“No, Walter guards me. But someone who’d go all-out to save your granddaughter came to mind.”
To his bafflement, I beamed innocently.
“Duke Lancaster—with him. I’ll arrange it.”
“Heh… heh heh. Think the Northern Duke moves on a mere baron’s word? Absurd!”
“Forgot? Only I can remove tattoos.”
“Hoo…”
A soft gasp escaped Minsia. Even the sly crone finally got it.
Removing tattoos isn’t just rare in this world. Only one person can: me.
The lovestruck Northern Duke would head south. With your name and cherished dates etched on his arms—unless he wants to live like that forever.