Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: A Stubborn Patient
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This wasn't the first time he'd felt such a sensation.
The people of the Eastern Continent, who served the heavens, could wield various powers derived from nature.
Within the Heuk family, those with affinities for water and wind were often born.
He had seen both types and had recently encountered an apothecary from the family who could manipulate the wind.
‘This little brat has a power?’
It was an ability possessed by all the most renowned physicians and apothecaries of the Heuk family. It wasn't unfamiliar.
‘But this is... different.’
Heuk Birang blinked.
“You… *pfft*.”
“Ah, don’t say anyfing. Haven’t you seen dis befo’? Uncoo, you wewe a gweat man once.”
Before his illness, he had been one of the Heuk family's most formidable warriors.
A glorious position where he had guarded the backs of the family's greatest physicians and even the family head.
“I'm diagnosin' you. Stay still.”
It was his turn to ask what nonsense she was spouting again.
But Heuk Birang couldn't get the words out.
His gaze was fixed on her tiny wrist. A red mark was swelling in the exact shape of his hand.
He remembered grabbing it the moment he'd opened his eyes.
The force he'd used was certainly not something a mere three-year-old could have endured.
‘I'm sure I didn't hold back, did I?’
The child.
…hadn't even screamed.
* * *
‘Wow, this is nasty. Really nasty.’
I clicked my tongue as the diagnosis slowly began to form.
My first ability was to heal myself by touching water.
And my second ability…
was the power to diagnose others and create medicine.
For illnesses I had treated before, I could create a cure on the spot as long as I had the ingredients.
This was the ability I used in the test earlier.
The important part was what happened with an unknown illness. In that case, after ‘diagnosing’ the patient, I could learn the necessary ingredients and formula for the cure.
And once I had made a medicine, I could recreate it very quickly and easily through water, provided I had the ingredients.
This ability was what made me the empire's greatest physician and apothecary in my third life.
More importantly, my three previous lives had given me a massive database. As a physician, I had been through hell and back, and then some.
In other words, for most illnesses, I could create a cure on the spot as long as I had the ingredients.
‘All thanks to being dragged through the mud.’
But this uncle was different.
‘No wonder they called it an incurable disease, a curse, in the original story...’
My jaw dropped.
‘Wow… there are a ridiculous number of medicines I need to make...’
When I diagnosed someone, I could see how many stages of medicine they needed to take.
For example, a plague that was rampant during my third life required three stages—three medicines taken in succession—to be cured.
But this uncle's illness...
‘Whoa, I've never seen a number this high.’
More medicines than someone on their deathbed.
Let's see.
‘Still, the first medicine is pretty simple. The ingredients are easy, too.’
I deactivated my ability.
‘Still... if I'm given enough time and ingredients, I can find a perfect cure.’
In my first and second lives, I wasn't given the time to properly understand and use my abilities.
In my third life, I honed my abilities to their peak, but I died because I was alone.
‘I won't let that happen again.’
I'll choose powerful patients and cure them. I'll give them happy lives, and in return, I'll gain the strength to go home.
Heuk Birang, his forehead drenched in sweat, was blinking slowly.
His niece had just suddenly demonstrated her power to him; it was no wonder he was surprised.
‘It'd be nice if he'd just join my side right away.’
But that wasn't going to happen.
In the original story, the protagonist's father, Heuk Birang, was extremely picky about people. Contrary to his handsome, princely face, he was a very twisted individual.
“What the fucking...”
My friend's description was spot on. How many times was he going to curse? It was like he had a sewer for a mouth, that uncle of mine!
But where has this guy been looking this whole time?
Just as I tilted my head, trying to follow his gaze.
Heuk Birang's lips parted.
“You, don't you say a word! There's nothing wrong with me!”
My friend had advertised the novel as one that highlighted the tragic beauty of the heroine's sickly father, who would collapse at the drop of a hat but still had a mouth like a sewer.
Tragic beauty, my ass. He was glaring at me with a look that said he wanted to dispose of me.
“Ahem, Uncoo, you should wisten to my diagnosis.”
“Yeah, not listening!”
There are always stubborn mules among patients. I was used to it.
“If you have a power like that, you should get lost and go to the main building. Why are you even here?”
“Why won't you just wisten once? Sweeping in da hawwway isn't nowmal.”
“Yeah, it's perfectly normal.”
“Dis isn't the fiwst time I've seen Uncoo sweepin' in da hawwway.”
“That was because I was cleaning the floor.”
Was this really... a conversation with an adult?
‘I wonder who the three-year-old is here.’
I remained composed.
“...I'm warning you, don't go spouting nonsense about me anywhere. You're going to be put through tests and all sorts of crap because of your power awakening, aren't you?”
Heuk Birang, crouching down, lightly pushed my forehead.
Seeing me stumble backward, Heuk Birang looked momentarily flustered.
“Ah, damn it. Why'd you fall back?”
As if he wasn't the one who pushed me.
‘I'm three years old, you jerk.’
I dusted off my forehead.
“Anyway, you'we sick.”
“Ahem. Hey. Do you have any idea how many apothecaries and physicians I've seen?”
None of them were more competent than me, though.
At last, Heuk Birang sighed, his face weary as if he carried all the fatigue in the world.
“Fine, I'm a goddamn wreck. Happy now?”
“...”
“Your diagnosis? I have no intention of listening. Got it? ...I'm sick and tired of hearing there's no cure for this goddamn illness.”
The moment I met my uncle's eyes, a shiver ran down my spine.
This was killing intent.
It was fine.
‘I knew he wouldn't believe me even if I showed him my power.’
In the past, there had been plenty of people who'd drawn their swords on me instead of believing me when I offered to heal them.
Though I trembled instinctively at his murderous aura, I spoke clearly.
“You'ww wegwet it if you don't wisten.”
At my nonchalant words, Heuk Birang looked dumbfounded.
“Ha, what a troublesome brat.”
I shrugged.
“Fine, den. Don't wisten.”
“...Huh?”
My opponent was a patient made hypersensitive by a long illness. I hadn't expected to win him over on the first try.
‘Guess I'll have to make the first medicine and then think.’
*Sigh*. To think my uncle was the only person I could approach right now.
In the eastern wing where I lived, there were a total of three patients.
My father, my uncle, and my eldest uncle.
The prickly uncle before me was the best option of the three.
“Get lost. Go to your father.”
After saying this, Heuk Birang glanced around for a moment, then pushed my forehead again.
“...But don't go tattling to your dad about what I did, you hear?”
I stared at his retreating back as he strode away.
Whatever.
I silently counted to ten in my head.
One.
Two.
And ten.
*Thud.*
I saw the sight of Heuk Birang collapsing.
My friend used to say that Heuk Birang, with his terrible personality but frail body, was like a ‘Sleeping Beauty’.
‘More like Sleeping Grumpy Uncle.’
I shrugged.
“*Yawn*.”
Time to make some medicine.
* * *
From that day on.
No matter when or where Heuk Birang fell asleep, Biyu would find him and wake him with a series of slaps.
*Slap, slap!*
“Uncoo! Uncoo!”
*Slap!*
“Wake up! I said, wake up! Youw face'll get stuck like dat!”
How on earth did she always know where to find him?
No matter how remote a corner he chose to sleep in, she would find him like a ghost and wake him up.
Biyu was confident.
‘I've lived here for years. This place is the back of my hand.’
Heuk Birang, having been slapped dozens of times, finally snapped.
“Has this damn brat lost her mind!”
“Yay! He's awake!”
“I'll fucking… I swear to… I'll throttle you!”
All his excessive sleeping had led to accumulated fatigue, leaving Heuk Birang in a constant state of irritation and stress.
When his sensitivity was at its peak, even his eldest brother, who was slowly going mad, would steer clear of him...
But this damn brat was a formidable opponent!
“You have a twash mouth!”
“What?”
“It's twash! Twash!”
The nerve of her, pointing a finger right at him