Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Smoke and Misunderstandings
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The children of the Heuk family either become warriors, or they choose the path of a physician or an apothecary.
Heuk Daewi was one of those with neither talent.
And yet, he was the one who snatched up many opportunities simply because he was the son of the first aunt.
“Why don't you just give up already? Your father has been... like this since you were born, right? A... mad... man.”
“Hahahaha! That's hilarious.”
Heuk Gyewon, clutching a basket of medicinal herbs, glared at them with a growl.
“...Stop picking a fight and get lost.”
“Oh, how scary! What, are you gonna hit me? Go on, hit me. I dare you. All it'll do is spread rumors.”
“...”
“That you're violent because you inherited a madman's blood.”
I clicked my tongue.
‘Then again, that was always his problem, even when he grew up.’
It might have been different if he were as smart as the first aunt.
Unlike my first and second lives, where I was either used and died young or was busy studying pharmacology, my third life was very different from the original story.
The heroine suddenly went missing.
‘It was truly strange. To think she'd go missing after just stepping out for a bit...’
My grandmother, the family head, died early, and the first aunt succeeded her. But then the first aunt also died suddenly, and that guy became the head.
The Heuk family, led by Heuk Daewi, interfered with my every move.
They were the biggest obstacle to my success.
‘Damn bastard. You were nothing but my toy. Did you really think I'd let you succeed?!’
Unable to stand it any longer, I was about to end the Heuk family, with him as its head, with my own hands... but that's when my cousin, Heuk Gyewon, appeared.
Heuk Gyewon was a promising talent who took after his father, the eldest uncle, a brilliant warrior.
‘I remember him being a character who helped the heroine in the original story...’
Heuk Gyewon's misfortune probably began with the incident unfolding before my eyes.
After brutally beating Heuk Daewi and the other children his age, Heuk Gyewon was locked in the main house's prison.
As a result, his father, the eldest uncle, couldn't be cared for, and his illness worsened.
Later, his madness reached its peak, and after a rampage that caused casualties, he too died.
The story was supposed to go that the heroine would then meet the grieving Heuk Gyewon, who regretted losing his father, comfort him, and they would become allies.
But my third life was different.
The heroine disappeared, I left the family, and a great fire broke out in the estate.
Heuk Gyewon, who had been imprisoned for beating Heuk Daewi, escaped from prison during the chaos.
He reappeared later as an adult.
‘And the Heuk family was ruined at his hands.’
Back then, I was too preoccupied with escaping the family to notice, but there must have been a reason why my third life diverged from the original story.
‘I'll have to think about that this time.’
Meanwhile, a vile smile spread across Heuk Daewi's chubby face.
“Idiot.”
“...”
“Ah, but I guess that's a given, since your dad's an idiot too?”
I can't just let that slide.
‘This time, I'm going to prevent the heroine's disappearance and this brother of mine from going to prison.’
I ran to a nearby bush.
I hastily picked the grasses and berries I could see. I popped a few into my mouth and chewed them vigorously.
‘The world's greatest physician is on the case!’
Just you wait, future dark lord brother!
“Hey, you mean bullies!”
I just barely managed to stop Heuk Gyewon from grabbing him by the collar.
I did it! I've saved the future of a promising young man(?)!
“Hah... huff... hah... a bunch of you... huff... ganging up... huh? On one person... pant... is that wight?!”
“...What's with this kid?”
It was quite a distance for a three-year-old to run, pick herbs, and come back...!
Heuk Daewi and his group stared at me, dumbfounded.
“Is there anyone in our family with purple hair?”
“This is the first I'm seeing her.”
“Ah, I know!”
Someone shot their hand up.
“That, uh, Lord Heuk Bihu married a foreigner. They said she was a really pretty woman with purple hair!”
“Ah, ah?”
Heuk Daewi clapped his hands and laughed loudly.
“Looks like there's a meeting of idiots here today, huh?”
Just as I thought. I can't let that pig's foul mouth go unchecked.
“I'm warning you, back off!”
“What are you talking about, you little moron.”
“This is your last warning.”
“You mean *warning*. Idiot.”
Heuk Daewi smirked and pushed me. Heuk Gyewon caught me as I was about to fall.
“Heuk Biyu, it's dangerous, so get out of here. I'll handle this.”
I smiled brightly.
“I knew it. You're a good person.”
“What?”
I also know you're a tragically devoted son. Let's try to be happy with your father in this life.
Leaning against Heuk Gyewon, I whispered very softly. He must have heard me clearly.
“I have a plan. On the count of three, get away. You need to cover your mouth, too.”
“What? What are you...?”
“One... three!”
*Poof!*
I threw the berry in my hand with all my might.
‘Even though I told him to back away... he was probably too flustered to move, right?’
I turned around and was surprised.
‘Wow, when did he get all the way over there?’
Just like a warrior's son. He'd seen the smoke and was already covering his mouth.
‘Yep, a quick-witted assistant is the best.’
I didn't feel betrayed by my cousin, now designated as my future assistant; I just felt proud of him.
“Cough, cough. What is this?”
Heuk Daewi shouted, coughing like a squealing pig.
“Hey! *Cough!* Don't be scared! It's just a sycamore berry!”
The plants here often had names similar or identical to plants I'd heard of in Korea.
However, perhaps because the ecosystem was different, their characteristics were slightly different even if they looked similar.
For example, the sycamore berry I brought is used as a basic ingredient for smoke bombs.
When smashed on the ground, it creates a smoke that induces coughing.
I narrowed my eyes at them.
‘He's not completely useless, I guess.’
Heuk Daewi's sharp eye for recognizing the berry was commendable.
I spat out the grass I had been chewing. As the scent of the juice spread through the air, the color of the smoke changed.
‘You didn't know about this, did you, you brats.’
Because the smoke had turned into a poisonous fume—smoke laced with poison.
“*Cough*, everyone, back off! Something's... wrong! This isn't ordinary smoke!”
“Ugh, ugh, Lord... Lord Heuk Daewi, my stomach... *Gah!*”
“Aah! It-it's itchy!”
Some were scratching their bodies furiously, while others rolled on the ground, clutching their stomachs in pain.
Only Heuk Daewi, who had built up a resistance by ingesting poison since he was young, was relatively unscathed.
Aside from a few spots appearing on his face?
“You, what are you... How are you perfectly fine!”
“How's it taste?”
“You, you little rat...!”
When I shook the remaining sycamore berry in my hand, Heuk Daewi yelped and fell over.
His lackeys looked terrified too.
“L-Lord Daewi, let me help you up...!”
“Let go of me. I won't let that little brat get away with this!”
The oaf came charging at me like a pig and reached out his hand. Oh? This works out perfectly for me.
Just then, his hand was caught.
And a leg appeared from nowhere and kicked him, sending Heuk Daewi flying.
Not only that, but he crashed into part of the building and collapsed with a loud thud.
Serves him right.
Heuk Daewi passed out on the spot.
“Lord Heuk Daewi!”
“Get lost. Unless you want the same.”
The one who saved me was Heuk Gyewon. He glared at the remaining group with murderous eyes.
“H-Hey, let's go.”
“Help him up, now!”
How pathetic. The kids hoisted Heuk Daewi up and limped away.
“Chew on some pinks! The poison will wear off quickly!”
One of them seemed to look back.
He probably got the gist. I clicked my tongue as a shadow fell over me.
“Hey, are you okay?”
His face was worried, completely different from before.
He seemed to be looking at my hands, which were scratched from my hasty trip through the bushes.
Seeing him so flustered, I was reminded that he was just a kid too.
I smiled brightly.
Or rather, I tried to smile...
*Drip.*
Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.
“Ah...”
“...!!”
I thought it was drool, but when I wiped it, I saw it was blood.
In my third life, I had a resistance to poison, but now I was a child again. A wave of pain washed over me.
But I have no regrets. Besides, a poison of this level is nothing.
‘It'll heal quickly if I just apply some water.’
I left my water flask over there...
“Um, big bwother?”
I was about to ask him to get my water flask, but my cousin gripped my shoulders.
“You...!! Are you in pain?!”
His face was pale with fright.
Uh, well, technically I am in pain. Because of the poison? So, could you get the water flask?
“You helped me even though you were in pain?”
That's also true, but the water flask...
‘Ah, stop shaking me and let go!’
All the ferocity of a wolf pup was gone from Heuk Gyewon's face as he asked, his eyes welling up.
“Are you... going to die?”
I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding.