Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: A Father's Escort
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I looked toward the west wing. This place was large, but I gazed toward the area with even larger and more numerous mansions.
It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say it looked like a small, wealthy town.
After all, it was where an enormous number of people resided, counting not only the direct and collateral family lines, apothecaries, and physicians, but also the warriors, servants, and maids, and all those who came and went.
Moreover, they were the lords of this city.
“Let’s go to the main building! Wight now!”
“There’s no need to rush. I sent word last night. We can leave as soon as a reply arrives.”
My eyes widened.
…Huh, this quickly?
He was being more proactive than I expected. I blinked.
“Why the surprised look?”
“Well, I didn’t think you’d be so proactive….”
At that, my father gave a barely perceptible smile. It was incredibly faint.
“Is it a problem even when I help?”
No, it looked more like a sneer. Why was he so fond of scornful smiles?
“Didn’t you tell me to shut up and listen if I wanted to be treated quietly?”
“When did I say it wike that?”
“They say the perpetrator never remembers.”
Hah! I was dumbfounded.
Perpetrator? *Me*, a perpetrator?
The perpetrator was the certain wind mage who had suddenly threatened his own daughter.
I puffed out my cheeks and whipped my head away.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going home.”
I had come all this way, worried he might get beaten up by my eldest uncle, and even gave him a warning.
“Fowget it. Wet me know when the wettew comes.”
If that letter or whatever was delayed, I’d just have to insist we go to the main building. We couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
Today was a bust.
I decided to go pull some medicinal herbs and make some medicine. As I started walking, a shadow fell beside me.
It was my father, who had caught up to my steps.
“What awe you doing?”
“Escort duty.”
“Huh?”
“You said you were going home. You told me to accompany you.”
“…”
My father shrugged.
“I’m the one in need, so I suppose I have to listen well.”
Then, he waved his hand. For a moment, the wind lifted me gently into the air.
“Wh-whoa, wa-wait a momennnnnt!”
“I’ll get you there faster than anyone else in the world.”
Th-this crazy father!
I’m only three!
I wonder if this is what it feels like to be suddenly thrown onto a high-speed roller coaster without any mental preparation.
My father, who had been running like some martial arts master with me floating in the air, came to an abrupt halt.
“Come to think of it.”
He spoke with such seriousness that I, panting for breath, barely managed to look up at him. What? What is it?
“…Where is your residence?”
“…”
…Is he actually insane?
I glared at him, utterly baffled.
Was it really a good idea to use this father of mine to go to the market?
* * *
*Thump!*
*Thump, thump, thump!*
I took the small mortar and pestle and began pounding with a vengeance.
“Ugh…!”
Since the mortar and pestle were adult-sized, my hands kept slipping.
“Give it here.”
The pestle disappeared from my hands. I pouted and looked up.
The one who had taken it was my cousin, Gyewon.
He was looking down at me with a stoic expression.
“Give it back.”
I held out my tiny hand, but he didn't react.
“What on earth are you doing? You went to bed late last night too, didn’t you?”
“Can’t you teww? I’m making medicine.”
Two days had passed since I visited my father. I had gone yesterday as well, but he said the reply still hadn’t arrived.
‘I’ll wait just one more day.’
Any longer than this would be a problem. I planned to go see him tomorrow, and if it still hadn’t arrived, I would grab my father’s hand and drag him to the main building.
“…What do you think you can do with those tiny hands?”
*I’m the one who helped that father of yours, you know?*
“I’ll do it. Where’d that brazen attitude from the beginning go? Why don’t you ever make use of the people around you?”
“…I can do it mysewf.”
“Come to think of it, you’re terrible at asking for favors.”
That’s because…
‘I was always alone.’
I recalled my third life. I thought everything would work out once I left the family, but all I learned was that the world was a harsh place for a genius girl who didn't even have a family to her name.
Though I did eventually become the best on the continent.
‘I like that about you, you know? My dear apothecary.’
‘I like that about you, you know? My dear apothecary.’
‘I’m a physician now, you damn bastard.’
‘I’m a physician now, you damn bastard.’
‘Right. The greatest physician who cured an incurable disease. And a beautiful one at that?’
‘Right. The greatest physician who cured an incurable disease. And a beautiful one at that?’
‘…You lunatic. Why are you bringing up looks?’
‘…You lunatic. Why are you bringing up looks?’
‘Because you’re beautiful.’
‘Because you’re beautiful.’
I was suddenly reminded of the friend I made in my third life—the only person I could truly call a friend in all my lives.
He was also the first person on whom I used my forbidden ability that consumed my lifespan.
He had been frail, but after treatment, he became strong. And then…
‘He betrayed me.’
My mood plummeted.
“Awight. You do it, Bwother.”
I brought over the pile of medicinal herbs behind me.
“This, too.”
Heuk Gyewon, who had been nodding with a smile at first, grew pale as the herbs began to pile up.
Did you think making medicine was easy, you punk?
“Whewe’s Ewdest Uncwe?”
The sly man who would usually come running over the moment I sat down to do something that was half-picking a fight (usually about beating up my father) and half-showing affection was nowhere to be seen.
“He went to meet someone.”
My now-lucid cousin’s answer sparked a question.
‘He has people to meet…?’
“Ewdest Uncwe… has fwiends?”
“You’re surprisingly rude.”
“…Um, sowwy.”
“No, I wasn’t asking for an apology. I think so too. My father is the type of man who would lose the friends he has with that sharp tongue of his.”
Aren’t you being a bit harsh on your own father…?
“The person he’s meeting today is from the main building. He went to tell them he won’t do the butcher’s work anymore.”
I blinked.
‘Because I told him not to?’
A bright smile spread across my face.
This was great!
I felt the image of my eldest uncle from my first life, tormented by madness, begin to fade.
“That’s gweat! Good job! Bwother, you shouwd nevew do that kind of thing eithew.”
“…”
“Use it with youw divine beast for something bettew. It’s a coow abiwity!”
Heuk Gyewon scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed. I could see the blush on his cheeks.
“By the way, whewe’s Uncwe?”
I trailed off, guessing the answer.
‘Ah, he’s probably asleep.’
Our very own Sleeping Beauty, it must be his sleeping cycle.
I quickly asked something else.
“Where did that cheepy-wike fwuffball go?”
“Cheepy? Ah, Noesu.”
Heuk Gyewon let out a sharp whistle toward the open door.
*Peeeeep—!*
I saw a fluffball flying in with a cute sound. I watched in awe as the fluffy creature floated in the air.
‘Wow, it can float?’
Seeing it suspended in midair, it looked less like a chick and more like a dandelion seed…
*Peep! Peeeeep!*
I hadn’t seen it for the past few days. Whether it was happy to see me or not, Noesu started rubbing its body all over my cheek.
“Achoo!”
“Hey, come here. Stop bothering Biyu.”
*Peeeeep!*
Instead of listening, the fluffball clung tightly to my neck. I sniffled and said.
“…It’s stubbown. Must take aftew you, Bwother.”
“…I’m not stubborn.”
Not stubborn, my foot. I sneezed a few more times before prying Noesu off me.
“So, is it going to stay a fwuffball fowevew?”
“I don’t know. My youngest uncle said… it might change as it absorbs natural lightning and grows with me.”
“Oh.”
“He said it’ll transform into something closer to an animal’s form.”
Right now, it looked like a white chick at a glance. Would it just become a bigger chick when it grew up…?
‘Don’t tell me… it’s going to become a chicken.’
A chicken that wields lightning sounded kind of terrifying.
“He also said that divine beasts whose forms are very similar to natural animals from the start are likely more powerful.”
Hmm? In the original story, the heroine’s divine beast not only appeared the moment she awakened, but it was also in the form of a titmouse.
‘As expected of an overpowered character.’
“But how does Uncwe know so much?”
“Ah, that’s… I heard his dream was once to be a scholar.”
“*Cough!*”
What? A scholar?
‘That doesn’t suit him! Not with that personality!’
Heuk Birang as a scholar. I could only picture him getting frustrated while writing a thesis, reading it, and then chucking it into the water.
Or grabbing someone by the collar during a debate and insisting they shut up and admit he’s right.
Besides, he was a man of immense martial prowess. So becoming a scholar… would have been difficult, wouldn’t it?
“It doesn’t suit him.”
My cousin seemed to agree, shrugging his shoulders.
“It’s an old story. I only heard it in passing from my father.”
“I see.”
“But I heard your father was similar. There was a time when they both studied hard because of a certain ‘girl’.”