Divine Doctor's Valley (3)
"Th-they're my traveling companion..."
"Traveling companion, you say..."
Namgung Woncheong listened to Dokgo Ryeong's answer and broke into a broad, delighted smile.
"...A fine answer indeed."
"Ah... no... I mean...! We're just going together, that's all. We're not really anything...!"
"I understand, keul-keul."
While Dokgo Ryeong flushed scarlet and scrambled to explain herself, Namgung Woncheong laughed in high spirits. Just then Unyeong, who had stepped out earlier, returned carrying a tea set.
"What's going on? The Mad Demon's hair color has changed."
"Oh, right. I was curious about that myself. Why does that hair color change?"
"Ah, that happens when the Mad Demon..."
"Kyaaak!!"
"...experiences an extreme shift in emotion."
Unyeong covered for her with a lie, determined to protect the dignity of the man who had once been his friend.
"Keu-ha-hat! What a truly marvelous body."
"Damn it, it'll go back to normal soon enough. I'll take the tea then."
"Hmm? Have you already thought of a way to return to being a man?"
"...I became this mess after absorbing a divine treasure of extreme Yin energy. So if I absorb a divine treasure of extreme Yang energy, shouldn't I go back to normal?"
"Hrm..."
Namgung Woncheong rested a hand on his chin and sank into thought.
"...Does it really work that way?"
"Hell if I know. I'll have to try it to find out."
"Divine Doctor, what do you think?"
"I have no idea either. The moment a man turned into a woman, I simply gave up trying to understand."
"Fair enough... Well, I understand for now."
Once the conversation wound down, Dokgo Ryeong rose to her feet.
"May I take my leave first?"
"Of course. This old man still needs a bit more treatment."
"More importantly, why is that wound still like that? It's been quite a while since you fought the previous Heavenly Demon, hasn't it?"
"Didn't I already tell you? It's a curse."
"...I see."
The moment Dokgo Ryeong turned and stepped outside, Unyeong's voice reached her ears.
"...Elder. It seems we're nearing the limit."
"Keul-keul. I'm simply grateful you kept this corpse alive long past when it should have died."
"You ought to speak with your son soon."
"I suppose I must, before long."
"For now, please lie down. I'll do everything within my power."
"Thank you."
Having overheard their exchange without meaning to, Dokgo Ryeong let out a long sigh.
"Haa..."
Even a monster of an old coot like that ends up dying eventually.
In a way, it was easy enough to accept. Anyone would have wondered how he had managed to survive this long with a wound that severe.
Her heart unsettled, she was lost in thought when she collided with a young girl.
"Augh... I-I'm so sorry!"
"...No need to go that far."
Dokgo Ryeong tried to simply walk past, but the girl would not step aside.
"...Got something to say?"
"Um... um... do you know where my grandfather is?"
"Who's your grandfather?"
"People call him the Sword God."
"Huh?"
At those words, Dokgo Ryeong studied the girl carefully. No matter how she looked at her, the child had barely passed the age of ten. Dokgo Ryeong recalled something Namgung Woncheong had said.
While we're at it, arranging a match between my granddaughter and Wi Ilcheong wouldn't be half bad.
Dokgo Ryeong clapped a palm to her forehead.
That old bastard played me.
Betrothing Wi Ilcheong to a child this young? It was pure nonsense.
"Haa..."
"...Unnie? Are you all right?"
"Huh? Ah... I'm fine. Your grandfather's busy right now, so go play somewhere else."
"Where?"
"Uh..."
Dokgo Ryeong was floundering over what to do when someone approached from a distance.
"Oh my, Soso. What are you doing here?"
"Sohong unnie!"
The woman carrying a decoction of medicinal herbs was Unyeong's eldest daughter, Un Sohong. Namgung Soso scampered over and clung to Un Sohong's leg.
"Unnie, where's Grandpa?"
"Hmm... Grandpa's getting acupuncture right now."
"Does it hurt?"
"He's getting it so it won't hurt. More importantly..."
Un Sohong lifted her head and looked at Dokgo Ryeong.
"You're the Mad Demon's daughter, aren't you? I've heard about you."
"...Yeah."
"Hehe, it's amazing to think that uncle has a daughter. Would you mind looking after Soso for a little while?"
"..."
Dokgo Ryeong gazed steadily at Un Sohong's face. It was a truly lovely face. Her eyes curved into crescent moons when she smiled, and they were beautiful. But the single sword scar that cut across that lovely face made Dokgo Ryeong's chest twinge with a dull ache.
That day, as on any other, Dokgo Jin had thoroughly wrecked a nearby unorthodox sect, taken a fairly serious wound in the process, and gone to find Unyeong. After enduring Unyeong's lengthy scolding, he lay on the bed fretting over whom to thrash next when a soft, squishy little hand poked his cheek.
"...Don't touch me."
"S-sorry!"
"..."
When Dokgo Jin sat up, the tiny child scampered off and hid behind Unyeong.
"Eu-ha-hat! Mad Demon, can't you do something about that terrifying face of yours? The kid pokes it every single time."
"Shi— damn it. Can't even swear properly in front of a kid."
"Sohong, is that uncle's face really that fascinating?"
"..."
Little Un Sohong could not even manage words; she only nodded. The sight was rather adorable, yet it only irritated Dokgo Jin. It reminded him of his youngest sibling, who had been killed by the Tang Clan.
"...Get the kid out of here."
"You dislike children?"
"...Yeah. Can't stand the sight of them."
"Goodness... All right. Sohong, want to go outside to Mommy?"
"Okay."
Only after Sohong ran outside did Dokgo Jin lie back down again.
"Fuck..."
"How unexpected, Mad Demon."
"What is?"
"Even so, you show a little consideration for a child."
"Consideration my ass. Fuck. Just let me sleep."
"Yes, yes. I'll put in some needles later as well."
"...Use the thin ones."
"You keep saying the small needles don't even work anymore because you've been stuck with crow-feather needles so often."
"Ah, fuck. But the big needles still have to be a reasonable size, you bastard!"
"Eu-ha-hat, understood. I'll prepare ones that are reasonably large."
"Fuck..."
Once Unyeong left, Dokgo Jin tossed restlessly for no good reason. The throbbing of his wounds was annoying enough, but anger kept welling up so fiercely that lying still was nearly impossible. Every time he saw Sohong, he thought of his dead youngest sibling, and every time he thought of that sibling, rage toward the Tang Clan surged until he felt the madness might take him.
I'd better not come see Unyeong for a while...
At least until Sohong grew a little older. Until she was grown enough that she no longer reminded him of his little sister. With that resolution, Dokgo Jin tried to sleep.
...What the hell?
In the middle of the night, Dokgo Jin opened his eyes because he sensed something strange. A sticky killing intent brushed against him, and he bolted upright. At the same instant—
"Die!!"
"You think that shit'll kill me?!"
Crunch!
Dokgo Jin smashed his fist into the face of the man bringing a blade down on him. After confirming the assassin had been turned into pulp, he rose from the bed.
"Fuck... Did the insect bastards track me all the way here?"
In those days Dokgo Jin was still green enough that he never even noticed when someone was tailing him, and even if he had, he figured he could just kill them all. But the moment he stepped outside, that thought vanished.
"D-don't move!"
"Ah... Uncle...!"
What greeted him was an unorthodox martial artist trembling as he held a blade to Sohong's face, waiting for Dokgo Jin.
"...Put that blade down."
Dokgo Jin's voice was thick with fury at the sight.
"If you leave even a single scar on that child's body, you die."
As Dokgo Jin's entire body began to flush a deep, burning red, the unorthodox martial artist pressed the blade even closer to Sohong's face.
"H-hey... if you don't stay still...!"
"I'll kill you!!"
Dokgo Jin drove his muscles, swollen to their absolute limit, and lunged. With a wet burst, the unorthodox martial artist's head exploded and he died on the spot, yet Dokgo Jin felt no satisfaction at all.
"You vermin bastards...!"
"Hic... waaaaah!!"
"Huh...?"
Startled, Dokgo Jin turned around. A diagonal cut had been drawn across Sohong's face.
"So... Sohong..."
"Daddy...!"
"Grrk...!!"
Seeing the blood streaming down her face, the madness surged up once more.
"I'll kill every last one of you...!!"
"Waaaaah!!"
Leaving the sobbing Un Sohong behind, Dokgo Jin slaughtered every unorthodox martial artist who had pursued him. Even that was not enough. Convinced that as long as any unorthodox sects remained in the area the same thing would happen again, he began from that day to smash every single unorthodox faction in the vicinity. By the time not a single unorthodox sect remained in Jiangsu Province, Dokgo Jin returned to Unyeong.
"...How's Sohong?"
"She's all right. She was frightened, but thanks to you she kept her life."
"...It happened because of me."
"Not at all. It was because I failed to take proper precautions. As it happens, several people I've treated came forward offering to serve as guards, so I accepted them."
"...Damn it."
The longer he spoke with Unyeong, the more pathetic Dokgo Jin felt. Frustrated, he stepped outside and happened to pass Sohong, who bowed her head to him.
"Ah, Uncle. Um..."
"..."
But Un Sohong was no longer the Un Sohong of before. She still seemed bright and lively, yet when Dokgo Jin saw the face wrapped tightly in bandages, he could not bring himself to face her. After that, Dokgo Jin gradually reduced his visits to Unyeong. As the years passed and Unyeong's home became the Physician Sect, he stopped coming altogether. Until the day he became Dokgo Ryeong.
"Miss Dokgo?"
"Huh? Ah... sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment..."
"Hehe, you're quite different from Uncle. Anyway, please look after Soso for me. I need to help Father a little."
"...Yeah."
Un Sohong bent her knees to meet Namgung Soso at eye level.
"Soso."
"Yes, unnie."
"Will you play with the red-haired unnie over there for a little while?"
"Mm... okay."
When Namgung Soso nodded, Un Sohong smiled and stroked her hair.
"What a good girl, our Soso. I'll give you some candy later."
"Okay!"
"Miss Dokgo. I'm counting on you."
"I'll try..."
Un Sohong took Namgung Soso's hand and placed it in Dokgo Ryeong's. The moment the little hand settled into her own, Dokgo Ryeong could not bring herself to close her fingers around it. A child's hand felt far too small, soft, and squishy—utterly unfamiliar.
"Well then..."
"Wait."
Watching Un Sohong turn to leave, Dokgo Ryeong stopped her. She had carried the question for a long time, yet never been able to ask it. A question she had been too afraid to voice when she was still 'Dokgo Jin.'
"Yes?"
"...There's something I want to ask."
"Ah... I think I know what it is. This, on my face?"
Un Sohong set down the decoction she was carrying and raised a hand to her own face. Watching her fingers trace the sword scar, Dokgo Ryeong felt as if a blade were cutting through her own chest in the same motion. A woman's face was a matter of great importance. That important face bore such a dreadful sword scar, and Dokgo Ryeong believed the reason for that scar rested entirely on her own shoulders. She clenched her teeth, ready to accept whatever words of resentment might leave Un Sohong's mouth. But what came out was nothing of the sort.
"Hmm... honestly, it's nothing much. I just think of it as something I got while playing around."
"Ha... but...!"
"And Uncle Dokgo Jin saved me, after all."
"...You don't resent him?"
"Resent him? Me?"
"...Yeah."
"He saved me. Why would I resent him?"
"The bastard who cut your face was chasing Dokgo Jin."
"If I hadn't gotten up and wandered around that night, I wouldn't have been caught."
"Bullshit!"
When Dokgo Ryeong raised her voice, Un Sohong only offered a warm, gentle smile in return.
"...Are you hoping for words of blame?"
"Yes! Just curse me out already!"
"Seeing this, you really must be Uncle's daughter. You're exactly like him."
"Not that...!"
"If I cursed you, would it make you feel a little better, Miss?"
"..."
When Dokgo Ryeong found herself at a loss for words, Un Sohong stepped closer.
"What's your name?"
"...Dokgo Ryeong."
"Ryeong. What a pretty name."
"..."
"Dokgo Ryeong, would you like to touch my scar?"
"What?"
"I don't usually allow it, but for you, Miss Dokgo, I'll make an exception. Go on, touch it."
"Ha... but..."
"Don't pull away."
Un Sohong took Dokgo Ryeong's hand and guided it to her face.
"..."
Following the motion of that hand, Dokgo Ryeong traced the scar with her fingertips.
"How does it feel?"
"...It's just a scar."
"But it's warm, isn't it?"
"Huh?"
"...If I had died that day, it would have been cold."
Un Sohong clasped both of Dokgo Ryeong's hands as she spoke.
"Please pass a message along to the Mad Demon uncle for me later."
"...What?"
"Tell him that next time he comes, he has to let me poke his cheek."
"What?"
As Dokgo Ryeong stared in confusion, Un Sohong laughed brightly.
"It's strange, but ever since I was little I've always wanted to poke the Mad Demon uncle's cheek like that."
"Crazy... no, that's just insane talk."
"Right? Hehe. If the Mad Demon uncle still feels he owes me something, please tell him that. That if he lets me poke his cheek, I'll forgive him."
"...That's enough?"
"Yes, that's more than enough. Ever since I took over the clinic, he hasn't come to visit even once."
"..."
"So please don't feel too sorry toward me either, Miss Dokgo. I'm truly all right."
Un Sohong pulled Dokgo Ryeong into an embrace and patted her back.
"Understood?"
"Yeah..."
"All right then."
Un Sohong released Dokgo Ryeong and picked up the decoction she had set aside.
"I'll be going now. Let's talk more later, Miss Dokgo."
"...Yeah."
"And please look after Soso well. Do you like children? The Mad Demon uncle hated them."
"..."
Dokgo Ryeong looked down quietly at Namgung Soso. She still did not particularly like children. They were small, soft, and squishy—unfamiliar. Every time she saw one, she thought of her youngest sibling who had died at the hands of the Tang Clan, and irritation would rise. But.
"I don't like them much, but I'll try."
She decided she would try to change, even if only a little.