Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: A Life's Debt and a Hidden Enemy
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“Thank you for saving me, Physician.”
Thankfully, the subject of our conversation, Tak Minjae, was the one to speak. I dreaded to think what absurdities might have come out otherwise.
Tak Minjae was a boy with a voice that was clear and childlike, yet soft and mature.
“To be honest, I thought I was going to die, just like that... No, I feel bad for my father, but if I hadn't met you, Physician, I surely would have.”
“Minjae!”
Ignoring his father's voice, Tak Minjae spoke clearly.
“Since you're the one who saved my life, I want to spend my entire life repaying this debt. No, please, take my life.”
My eyes widened. What was he talking about? No, more importantly...
‘I don't need it…’
Now that he's healthy, he should just live his life and do what he wants. Why would he follow me?
I'd heard other physicians had patients like this. But it was my first time, and it was awkward.
“...The debt will be repaid by Ms. Jeok Yunha over there. And Uncle Woondeok too.”
“Yes! Of course, Physician. If you ever need anything from this wild ginseng digger, I will do it. Thank you...!”
“Haha, I've already offered a blank check.”
Even so, the boy stubbornly insisted.
He was soft like a reed, but possessed an unbending integrity, you could say.
Tak Minjae's face fell.
“Or do you perhaps think I'm useless because I'm young?”
“Minjae... Don't trouble the physician.”
You can't be harsh to a smiling face, as they say. It was hard to be firm when he was looking at me so sweetly.
‘He'll probably give up soon.’
Should I just play along for a moment and let it go?
“...Biyu, is that kind of guy really your type?”
…Did he eat something bad? Why has he been acting like this?
“Perhaps I should prove my usefulness?”
“Huh?”
Seeing the change in Uncle Woondeok's expression... it seemed the boy had something up his sleeve.
“I received permission from my father beforehand. And from Lady Yunha, too.”
The uncle hesitated, unsure of what to do, before nodding.
Jeok Yunha also looked troubled, but she didn't stop him.
Before I could say anything, Dad nudged me.
“That one's the same type as me.”
“Huuuh?”
The next moment, I understood immediately.
*Sway.*
A gentle, warm breeze tickled my cheek.
Floating before my eyes was a translucent, long-tailed, cat-like creature.
‘Ah, I know what this is... a snow leopard. But this is a divine beast, right?’
That wasn't all.
Next to the snow leopard, the wind took on color, becoming a pale green butterfly that fluttered around me.
“Woooow...!”
It was fascinating.
I prided myself on having traveled quite a bit in my third life, but I'd seen so few wind users I could count them on one hand.
Besides, all the competent ones were in the Imperial Palace.
“Kyang!”
Raon popped out of my bag and chased the butterfly here and there.
Uncle Woondeok cleared his throat and explained.
“...Ahem, my son awakened at a very young age and showed great promise.”
Yes, he does seem extraordinary.
Impressed, I tugged on Dad's sleeve.
“Daddyy, how powerful is that?”
Dad, still holding me, leaned languidly against the sofa and slowly narrowed his eyes.
“Enough to quietly... dispose of someone?”
…What kind of example is that? Is that something to say in front of your physician daughter?!
“It means he knows how to erase the sound of the wind. That alone is a great talent.”
“Hmm...”
But Dad wasn't finished. His solemn voice was heavier than usual.
“If this talent was ever discovered during his life, it would have attracted those who covet it.”
Uncle Woondeok's expression changed by the second. It was a silent affirmation of Dad's words.
“The world is teeming with those who would rather destroy what they can't have. Am I right?”
I felt strange.
‘Your eldest aunt tried to kill your father many times.’
‘Your eldest aunt tried to kill your father many times.’
‘Is this based on his remaining memories, or is it just a guess?’
Uncle Woondeok grabbed his son's hand.
“...Yes, that's right.”
This was the uncle's story.
After awakening, he had hidden his abilities well for a very long time.
But he was discovered because of a very trivial incident.
“About a year ago, while seeking treatment for Minjae's chronic illness, his abilities were accidentally discovered.”
A powerful and rare ability in a child with mobility issues.
On top of that, he's from the Eastern Continent—a perfect case to be exploited.
“I knew nothing good would come of it being known. I even... I even paid the physician who found out a huge sum of money to keep it a secret.”
Uncle Woondeok and Jeok Yunha exchanged a look.
“Physician, you told us to find the culprit who poisoned my son and the reason why.”
I did.
“...Not long after I paid the physician for his silence, I received an offer from the Imperial Palace to give my son to the prospective Special Forces, which I refused.”
My eyes widened. The Imperial Palace?
‘The Special Forces...’
It's a powerful military group created by the Imperial Palace, composed solely of mages.
They were the pillar of imperial authority, its greatest weapon.
“Though I only found out later that it was an offer from the Special Forces.”
An Easterner had refused their offer.
For those with such towering pride, it was more than enough to earn their resentment.
‘But to say someone from the Special Forces poisoned him just for that... the evidence is lacking.’
They may be prideful, but considering the rarity and power of Tak Minjae's ability, rather than poisoning him...
Wouldn't they have chosen to drag him away by force instead?
“Is that the only weason?”
“I'll take it from here, Uncle Woondeok.”
Jeok Yunha stepped forward.
“Physician, do you remember when we first met? I was mistaken for a thief and thrown out of the shop.”
I remember. I was so surprised.
Jeok Yunha said she had deliberately lured them away to protect Uncle Woondeok.
“It's not just being mistaken for a thief. Lately, there's been robbery, blackmail, violence, trespassing, reports of embezzlement, and even deliberately causing illnesses...”
She said someone was sabotaging her business in every way imaginable.
“The culprit is that pot-bellied guy we saw that day. His name is ‘Kanin.’ He's from the Western Continent and a dealer in medicinal herbs.”
Jeok Yunha strode over and gathered the wooden tongs on the table.
“The truth is, there's a faction trying to wreak havoc on the great Heuklim Market these days.”
The Heuklim Market has long been a thorn in the empire's side.
It's a market started by the pioneering head of the Heuk family, 'Heuk Ahwa.'
Because a market centered around outstanding physicians from the Eastern Continent has gained enough influence to sway the empire's economy through medicinal herbs and various other materials.
For an empire that discriminates against Easterners, it must have been an eyesore.
It would have been especially galling to the eight powerful families.
So they contacted the medicinal herb dealers from the Western Continent.
And there is a prominent noble family leading this effort.
One of the eight families.
“The Sinion family. They're the ones who contacted Kanin.”
On their request, Kanin formed a merchant association composed solely of people from the Western Continent and made himself its chairman.
Their sole objective is to ruin the Heuklim Market.
“I'd even gathered evidence... But one day, they started framing me as a thief and wrecking my shops one by one. Now they're trying to steal the illegal ledgers I've collected.”
Jeok Yunha roughly ran a hand through her hair.
“And this? It's going to affect the Heuk family's business too.”
“Our famiwy?”
Jeok Yunha nodded.
“Their recent activities are even worse. They're deliberately creating epidemics... and spreading rumors that strange medicines they're handing out were provided free of charge by the Heuk family.”
Ah, no way.
I recalled my previous life.
There was a time when the guys who used to bully me as a child suddenly became incredibly busy and disappeared like a receding tide.
‘They said they were busy throwing away fake medicine and making replacements.’
Was this what that was about?
“That's not all. They're also shamelessly mixing fake or low-quality herbs with the real ones to undermine the entire market's credibility.”
I know the Sinion family well.
They are one of the eight families whose territory is closest to the Heuk family's.
Which is why they were always grinding their teeth, losing patients and resources to the Heuk family.
‘They're the first ones the original female lead takes down.’
After hearing the whole story, I judged that...
‘Tak Minjae was in a state where he would have died young someday, even without the poison.’
His chronic illness and complications were that severe.
But his early death...
Was the joint work of the Sinion family and that guy Kanin, right?
Since the Heuk family earned their resentment because of this...
It meant that, by extension, they were my enemies too.