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Chapter 14
“What?”
“No matter how long it’s been since you’ve seen my face, you know what I mean, right? I’ve got an incurable disease. Oh, what a coincidence—so do you.”
“……”
My younger uncle gave a slight chuckle, then suddenly lifted me up.
“This one’s for real.”
And while holding me, he smiled. He sparkled like some aristocratic young master.
“We might just be looking at the future greatest genius in this city—or no, in this entire country.”
“…You’re exaggerating, kid.”
My older uncle furrowed his brow and then let out a breathless laugh.
“You slept a lot and came back a bragger.”
“What?”
Despite his words, he stared intently at me.
“Hm, chickadee. According to my brother and my son… you know how to use abilities, right? Are you going to diagnose me?”
“If you’ll allow me.”
I nodded. When my older uncle suddenly came closer, Black Biryang stepped in front of me.
“Ah, don’t stick your face in so close. It’s already scary-looking enough. What if you scare the kid?”
“Oh, is that your self-introduction, little one?”
“What? I’ve always been the most handsome—”
“That’s the second-born.”
They were both handsome… but my dad was more handsome. Having seen his portrait, I could confirm that.
“Well then, chickadee.”
My older uncle pushed my younger uncle’s face away and asked,
“You seem a lot smarter than your age and seem to grasp the way this place works pretty well.”
His red eyes were sharp, yet warm.
“What is it you want from us?”
Looking for logic in the actions of a three-year-old. So, they really don’t see me as a normal toddler.
I smiled brightly.
“You’re right. I do want something… First, if you could just do one thing for me.”
I pointed toward the wall.
“Take me to the medicinal herb market!”
Now that I’ve secured the future warriors, next up is becoming the best doctor in the land!
—Or so I thought.
“Hmm… about that, I think it’ll be difficult.”
My first plan crumbled from the start.
“My brother and I can’t become your legal guardians.”
Three days later.
In the grass. I was struggling to pull out herbs.
Saying “pulling herbs” sounds simple, but I was practically clinging to the plants.
‘Why is this body so light?!’
After putting all my strength into it, my face turned red like a radish and beads of sweat formed.
I flopped onto the ground.
“Ugh, when will this ever be done?”
I stared at the herbs I had barely managed to pull out.
They say even a ruined noble family can last for three years. And although the family was steadily declining under Grandma’s generation…
There were still herb gardens scattered across this old estate that had been cultivated for over a hundred years. Even the abandoned eastern section was the same.
Of course, for a “discarded” zone, it was in decent condition, but definitely not good.
I looked at the single ginseng root I’d barely pulled up, then let it drop and lay flat on the ground.
“Aaaaaaah!”
There was no one around, but I shouted at the sky in frustration.
‘Ugh! I need herbs if I’m going to treat Uncle and Great-Uncle!’
This is all because I couldn’t go to the market!
Just beyond that wall was one of the Empire’s top three medicinal markets!
There were so many ingredients I could scoop up there, but since I couldn’t go out…
‘Should I sneak out alone?’
No, I can’t. Being three years old is such a hindrance sometimes. The outside world is full of rough warriors.
As expected of a region that survives through war, the western continent people are tough by default.
‘At this rate, forget being the best doctor—I won’t even stand out in this family.’
There are so many reasons why I need good ingredients right away. To treat my uncles and also…
“What the heck, what’s going on?”
From my upside-down view, I saw my younger uncle striding toward me.
He looked completely dumbfounded.
“…Why are you flailing around on the ground like a lunatic? Did you take something?”
“…You saw that?”
I froze where I lay flailing in the dirt.
When did he show up?
“I said, why are you going crazy on the ground? You surprised me.”
Such a foul mouth, as always.
“I don’t know. It’s Uncle’s fault.”
“Oh please. You just went berserk out of nowhere. Are you a bee? You get provoked and start buzzing?”
I didn’t budge and asked back,
“Then is Uncle a flower? Because I can’t live without clinging to you?”
“Oh wow. Where’d a little thing like you learn to talk like that, huh?”
“Ow ow owww oppaaaa!”
This forest princess! Just because you’re the female lead’s dad doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want! He kept pinching my cheeks.
Not backing down, I pinched Black Biryang’s cheeks too.
“You pinched me? You really pinched me?”
“Yeah! I pinched you!”
…This is nowhere near what you’d call a proper adult conversation. Let go already!
Just in time, Black Gye-won came walking toward us from a distance. I screamed for help.
“Ow ow ow! You’re gonna kill Biyu!!”
“What’s with this drama queen?”
“What are you doing, Uncle!”
“Huh?”
I immediately pretended to be in pain. Honestly, it didn’t even hurt that much.
“Sniff sniff, Biyu has no cheeks now…”
My cousin frowned with his handsome face.
“How many times must I tell you? Biyu is only three! You slept all day yesterday, so clearly you’re still tired.”
“Wait, hang on a sec? I’ve been wronged here.”
“Enough, sit down!”
“I don’t wanna?!”
“What’s so unfair? I never imagined you’d be this ignorant of common sense. Let’s sit and talk. An hour should do.”
“Why are you talking so fast…? And since when are you a teacher? Hey, my precious time—ow! Did you just use lightning? You little chick?!”
“Shall I bring Father?”
Under Gye-won’s pressure, Biryang hesitantly sat down. It was kind of funny to see him give in.
Probably because Black Biwon, the eldest brother, was standing behind Gye-won.
“This won’t do. Let’s move. We’ll go to where Father is.”
It had only been two days, but one thing was clear.
Black Biryang found his older brother hard to deal with and actively avoided him.
“…You’re playing dirty.”
Despite grumbling, my uncle couldn’t even smack his little niece and trudged after us. I burst into laughter watching his retreating back.
In my head, I recalled three days ago, when I had asked my older uncle to take me to the market.
“My brother and I can’t be your guardians.”
It was like thunder striking out of nowhere. My uncle’s explanation was as follows:
“My brother and I both have a past where we… uh, snapped and hurt people.”
…Wait, Black Biryang too?
At that, I glanced at my younger uncle, who looked off in annoyance.
“We’re also banned from going out.”
I didn’t remember this from the original story. Maybe because this was before the story started?
“We have tracking scents on us. The moment we leave, we’ll be caught and punished.”
“Then what do I do? Is there no way…?”
It couldn’t be. I’d been looking forward to the market so much.
It was such a crucial part of my plan!
“I’m still too young to go out alone!”
“There is a way.”
My uncle exchanged glances with his younger brother.
“Chickadee. There’s exactly one patient in the east wing who’s not banned from going out.”
I had a hunch…
“It’s your father. Black Bihu.”
In that moment, I couldn’t say anything.
I had alternative methods in mind if I couldn’t go to the market right away.
But I’d never gone out alone at age three in my past lives.
“First life, I lived like a slave. Second life, all I did was study. Third life, I ran away early.”
In the Black family, kids under 15 can’t go out alone. A guardian is required.
Because many talented pharmacists and doctors are born in the Black family, there are forces that try to kidnap them.
Even without that, their unusual appearance made them targets to be sold.
“There’s really no other way…?”
My speech naturally shortened. Seeing that, my uncle widened his eyes, then laughed heartily.
“Nope.”
“……”
He had such a mischievous face.
“Ah, well. There is a way. If your dad hands over his guardian rights to us, then maybe we can negotiate with the family…”
“Still, Big Bro won’t be approved. His past is way too… colorful. But I might pass, little one.”
In the end… this all means I have to negotiate with Dad?
