Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Believe Me
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She wasn't even being defiant.
She was just staring at him with those big, innocent eyes, speaking so matter-of-factly that it was too absurd to stay angry.
‘…Is she a patient, too?’
No one in their right mind would dare wake him, not even the servants.
But he couldn't bring himself to do anything to this tiny little thing.
‘Damn it, damn it! She looks like she'd break.’
A scrawny thing with nothing but chubby cheeks!
Of course, he could have lost his temper and taken it out on her.
But he couldn't, in the end… because of his second brother.
‘It’s not your fault.’
‘It’s not your fault.’
All three brothers were now afflicted with incurable diseases and not in their right minds, but he hadn't forgotten what his second brother had done for him.
Besides.
The bruise he'd left on Heuk Biyu's wrist that first day still hadn't faded.
‘Shit, that damn brat. She's supposed to be a healer. Can't she even heal her own hand?’
Unaware that Biyu was leaving the bruise on purpose, Heuk Birang could only grumble.
Heuk Birang strode on, ignoring the damn brat trotting after him.
“Unca, where are you goin'?”
“To sleep. Why?”
“Again? After sleeping so much?”
“…”
“You said you weren't sick. I guess you just like sleeping!”
“You think I like it?!”
He'd insisted he was healthy, and now he'd been branded a simpleton who just loved to sleep.
‘Agh, I can't even do anything about her…’
Besides, Heuk Birang knew. The real reason he couldn't do anything to the brat was because of his own daughter.
He couldn't see her face, but…
‘She'd be walking around just like that.’
His own child would be old enough to call him ‘Dad’ now. His expression twisted.
‘Annoying little brat.’
“Unca! Unca!”
The game of tag continued after that. For more than three days.
“Damn it! Fine, I get it!”
In the end, Heuk Birang surrendered.
“What is it you want?”
“Take your medicine!”
Hearing Biyu's words, he thought.
‘A little push wouldn't hurt, would it?’
Then, even if his second brother got angry, he might have an excuse.
‘It's not like I'm killing her. Just a little tap…!’
How dare she? A mere brat, not even a proper physician, getting arrogant and trying to make him drink some unknown concoction?
Just as Heuk Birang was seriously considering pushing that soft-looking forehead…
“Just drink this!”
Only then did Heuk Birang's gaze fall upon what his niece was clutching in her arms.
Had she been hugging that thing while chirping after him like a sparrow this whole time?
“…Your legs are so short. Why are you carrying something as big as you?”
“Cause this was the only bottle they had?”
He hadn't asked because he was curious.
“Drink it.”
A potion flask. It was something he'd seen often around the family estate back when he was a warrior.
“Are you trying to poison me?”
“Huh?”
“You want me to drink a potion from an unlicensed apothecary with no training? And a little kid, at that?”
“Yep!”
Why was she answering so cheerfully?
“Unca.”
Heuk Birang didn't answer. She'd probably just say something silly.
“If I said it was poison, would you drink it?”
“What? Ha. Fine. There are times I want to die anyway. Hand it over. I'll gladly die.”
Not a single shred of sincerity was in his words.
Why would he die when he had a daughter as lovely as a bunny?
It was just that, sometimes, the suffering was so great he thought death might be better.
“Really? Dying is easier than you think.”
With her innocent expression, Heuk Birang felt a strange sensation.
“So, you shouldn't say things like that so easily.”
“…”
“We're a family that saves people, y'know.”
While Heuk Birang remained silent, Heuk Biyu beamed.
“You're not gonna believe my diagnosis anyway, Unca. So just try the medicine.”
At the same time, the child put her hand into another water flask she was holding. Water shot up with a whoosh.
“It won't hurt to try it.”
Once again, water washed over Heuk Birang.
“What are you…”
“It first manifested twelve years ago. The location was the Yonghyeon Pavilion at the main estate. It started when you collapsed in front of everyone.”
“…”
Biyu stared into the empty air.
“These days, when you fall asleep… it's for three days? Recently, you even slept for five days straight. And in contrast, you were only awake for about an hour. The symptoms will only get worse. Didn't you know it gets more severe if you don't eat?”
Heuk Birang's eyes widened.
“It's all true, isn't it? This is my diagnosis, Uncle.”
“…”
“The reason you can't believe me, Unca… is 'cause you've only seen quacks who aren't even real physicians.”
The child grinned.
“Trust me.”
In that moment, Heuk Birang saw someone else overlapping with Heuk Biyu's image.
‘Love and healing are similar. They both require attention.’
‘Love and healing are similar. They both require attention.’
The same light violet hair as the child. The elegant beauty who always gave him advice on love.
It was his second sister-in-law.
‘Trust me, young master.’
‘Trust me, young master.’
‘My healing skills are top-notch, you know?’
‘My healing skills are top-notch, you know?’
The greatest genius he had ever known.
“I'm good at healing, Unca, I promise.”
“I'm good at healing, Unca, I promise.”
…A remarkable physician and apothecary who, had she lived, might have been able to treat him, his eldest brother, and even her own husband.
Heuk Birang pressed his lips together tightly.
* * *
“…Give it here.”
Huh, what was this?
I was startled.
I hurriedly tried to open the lid of the potion flask, but it wouldn't budge!
‘Aish, that uncle of mine could change his mind any second!’
As I was struggling, the flask was snatched away.
“Tsk.”
And then, with a soft *pop*, it opened effortlessly in my uncle's hand.
I watched blankly, like a squirrel that had lost its acorn.
“You just have to drink it… and you'd better keep your promise not to bother me again.”
“Okay!”
I didn't know why his attitude had changed, but…
‘I'm glad I made the medicine.’
There was an abandoned medicinal garden in the east wing. For an abandoned place, some pretty decent herbs were growing there.
Thanks to that, I was able to make the first potion easily.
“Blech, what did you put in this? It *is* poison, isn't it?! You damn brat!”
He'd downed it in one go, which was great, but the taste made him drop the flask in shock.
I paid no mind to Heuk Birang clutching his throat and gagging.
“Oh, you drank it all!”
I picked up the empty flask, shook it out, and felt satisfied.
“Aww, my unca~ You're such a good boy. Want some candy?”
“Forget it! Tell me straight. You! You're trying to poison me, aren't you?! You damn brat!”
What was he talking about?
The Eastern Continent reveres dragons.
Some humans were born exceptionally sturdy thanks to the dragon's blessing, and the female lead's father was one of them.
That was why he could survive just by sleeping, without eating. A normal person would have died from these symptoms long ago.
‘He's more resistant to poison than a normal person, what's he complaining about.’
Bitter medicine is good for the body. The same holds true in this world.
“Well then, bye-bye, Unca!”
“Hey, hey! Where are you going? Hey! Explain yourself!”
Explain what? He should be thanking me for giving him the answer key in potion form.
* * *
Several days passed.
His niece kept visiting.
She'd chase him around again, carrying that strange medicine he'd drunk once.
Since he hadn't died, it clearly wasn't poison, but it tasted like it!
He seriously considered it.
“Want candy?”
“…Never mind.”
Maybe I should have taken it.
The only difference from before was that as soon as he drank the potion, she would leave without a second thought.
What on earth was this damn brat scheming?
Don't most kids seek out adults, even just out of loneliness?
‘Like asking to eat together, or to be put to bed…’
A brat who had no interest in him other than making him take his medicine.
“Tsk.”
Heuk Birang was a man utterly devoid of conscience.
“Why won't this bruise fade?”
It was all because of this damn bruise that wouldn't disappear from her tiny wrist.
“Hah… Damn it, I can't even sleep, and now this is bothering me!”
In that moment, Heuk Birang froze.
A chilling realization suddenly struck him.
His narcolepsy had become severe three years ago, and after the symptoms worsened…
‘Have I ever been awake for more than two hours?’
Heuk Birang checked the time.
…He had woken up at 2 p.m.
It was now 5 p.m.
‘I'm good at healing, Unca, I promise.’
In a life that had been running like a hamster wheel, strictly following a set routine, only one thing had changed.
Heuk Birang shot up from his seat.
That damn brat.
Heuk Birang's feet moved fiercely.
* * *
“Hmm.”
I stared at the leaf in my hand. It was a leaf that reflected a very faint blue color in the sunlight.
“Ugh, as I thought.”
It's hard to get good ingredients.
As befitting a family that once made a name for itself on the Eastern Continent and was known for its healing abilities here, there were patches of medicinal herbs everywhere.
The problem was that the east wing where I lived was a long-abandoned area, so it wasn't maintained at all.
‘This isn't going to be enough.’
Then, feeling a strange presence, I whipped my head around.