TFSG 23

Chapter 23

“Oh, really?”

I suddenly remembered my dad, who used to stir up a whirlwind only to stop and casually ask, “Where do you live?” after riding a rollercoaster of conversation.

He didn’t exactly look like a scholar, either…

“Anyway, let’s stop here for now.”

Black Order (흑계원) glanced around and put down the mortar and pestle.

Wait—when did he get this much done?

I was surprised to see the amount of pounded herbs. As he gathered up the brain matter (뇌수), Black Order said,

“Let’s step outside. I have something to show you.”

The place Black Order led me to wasn’t far from the house.

“This is…”

I blinked my large eyes.

“A field?”

A neatly plowed field appeared before us.

“I made it with Father,” he said, scratching his neck with a slightly bashful look.

“You usually go all the way back to where you used to live to gather herbs, right? That place is too far. And dangerous.”

“……”

“Father said so himself. Since this area’s abandoned, shady people sometimes lurk around.”

I know. I ran into a few of them in my previous life…

There were always dangerous moments.

“We’ll transfer the herbs over little by little. And Father said he’d bring over any seeds and resources we can get.”

“Oh…”

The strange feeling left me speechless.

Just this much…

…And I was already touched?

“You’ve got no herbs, go home! Tsk. Filthy orphan.”

“Black Biyu begs around for scraps.”

“I heard she dug up someone’s field in the middle of the night.”

How long had it been since I’d received kindness without expecting anything in return?

No, I guess there was a price—I agreed to treat them. Still…

“…Thanks.”

“You’re really bad at saying thank you, huh?”

What a way to kill the mood.

I gave a sheepish smile.

But the moment I turned my head, I froze.

Beeeep!

The brain matter screeched loudly.

“There you are!”

A voice, oily and harsh.

Even Black Order turned toward the booming voice. There stood a pudgy boy with a heavy belly.

It was Black Daewee, the eldest aunt’s son.

‘Why is that pig here?’

This place belonged to my eldest uncle.

Even if the spot where Black Order was bullied before was a somewhat ambiguous location on the way to the main building…

‘Isn’t he afraid of getting stabbed by my uncle?’

The scariest thing in the world is a person who’s lost their mind.

I say this as someone who’s dealt with more than a few of them.

Then it hit me:

‘Ah, right. Uncle’s not home today.’

Uncle was currently away. And judging by Black Daewee’s confident expression, he knew it.

His skin was still slightly bluish—perhaps the poison hadn’t fully left his system yet.

He looked like a puffed-up toad with a nasty case of swelling.

No, that’s an insult to toads.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Ha, I figured you’d be here. You weren’t at the house, so I looked all over.”

There’s a reason I hated that guy.

The direct line of the Black family was generally known for their good looks, even from the ancestor who crossed to the Western continent.

But this guy was born under a beautiful aunt and ended up looking exactly like her husband.

That would’ve been fine—if only he hadn’t grown up with a massive inferiority complex and took it out on everyone beneath him.

He was a pharmacist and a healer, and yet he used his knowledge and medicine to torment others.

Family members weren’t an exception.

“Wow, those eyes of yours are disgustingly pretty… how annoying.”

Unpleasant memories made me look away.

But that bastard…

‘He didn’t come alone?’

He’d brought along a few of the bullies I’d seen last time.

They wore awkward smiles—probably still traumatized from being poisoned—and looked a little intimidated around him.

But more importantly, standing beside Black Daewee were two adult men in black clothing.

Both looked massive and not normal at all.

‘…Bodyguards, probably.’

Healers and pharmacists from the Black family were always accompanied by warriors, even when going out.

So it wasn’t strange to have some even within the family’s estate.

And that punk likely earned his pharmacist title thanks to his aunt’s backing.

‘If Aunt Black Haran assigned them, they’re probably not ordinary guards.’

I glanced over and saw Black Order’s face stiffen.

He, too, seemed to realize what was about to happen now that that bastard had brought warriors.

“There! It’s them! Those brats poisoned me! Disgraceful scum…!”

Poisoning a family member could be a major offense, depending on the situation.

But Black Daewee was probably too embarrassed to admit he got done in by a three-year-old.

That much was predictable.

Also predictable was that Aunt Black Haran wouldn’t raise a fuss even if she knew the truth.

‘She wouldn’t do anything that would ruin her reputation. Especially not something that inefficient.’

So I thought he’d hold a grudge silently.

But Black Daewee was pettier than I imagined.

To the point he brought two fully trained adult warriors to “punish” us.

“You two are bound by a lifelong contract to protect me. So to defend me, you need to eliminate them.”

One of the guards glanced at Black Daewee and gave a slight nod.

For a second, I thought I saw disgust flash in their eyes, but it passed quickly.

Instead, Black Daewee’s little gang looked hesitant.

“Uh, B-Black Daewee… is this really necessary…?”

“Yes, maybe killing is going too far—”

“Shut up! Those two are the children of criminals!”

Black Daewee snapped.

“One’s the son of a mad butcher, and the other is the daughter of a lunatic. What’s there to be scared of?”

He sneered.

“Besides, the madman isn’t even here today.”

Of course. He came knowing Uncle wasn’t home.

‘Now what?’

I narrowed my eyes again.

‘Will the guards really go through with it?’

Most likely, yes.

I’ve met countless warriors during my time as a traveling healer. That was the look of someone who’s killed before.

‘He has the eyes of a man ready to kill.’

And if they were bound by a lifelong contract, they couldn’t disobey orders.

‘How thorough. What a bastard.’

He probably thought he could clean up the aftermath. Relying on his aunt’s power.

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

‘You haven’t suffered enough. Not nearly enough.’

I stepped back, adjusting my stance for what came next.

This time, I’d give him something worse than death—a gut-wrenching illness. You filthy pig.

Just as I reached into my bag…

“Step back.”

My cousin blew a long whistle, and a fluffy white chick came flying through the air.

It was Brain Matter (뇌수).

It had been hovering nearby and arrived instantly.

BEEEEP!

I tugged at the hem of my cousin’s robe.

“…You’re going to fight? You can’t. You’re still not ready.”

I knew how talented Black Order was. But he wasn’t strong enough to face off against elite adult warriors.

“…I know. But right now, I’m the only one who can protect you.”

I froze.

Black Order glanced at me sideways.

“You’re my father’s healer, right? Then… that means Father and I are your warriors.”

I blinked, eyes wide. A slow, confident smile curled on his lips.

“So go ahead—use us.”

…That was exactly why I’d come to see Uncle and Great-Uncle.

‘Why does that pharmacist travel alone?’

‘Isn’t it obvious? No guards can stand her temper. Even with good pay, no one will take the job—she always goes to dangerous places.’

…Most of those old stories were false.

They were made up by jealous healers, rival pharmacists, noble families who wanted to claim me…

Even a famous swordsman who got rejected by me spread rumors.

It all snowballed into making me out to be some vicious person.

I weathered those trials with my wit and talent—but…

There were times I desperately needed someone on my side.

“I don’t think Father will make it in time. Seems like someone pulled a trick to keep him away.”

“…I think so too.”

“So, Black Biyu. Go get my youngest uncle. He might be awake.”

“…What if he’s not?”

Black Order unsheathed his sword for the first time.

He hesitated for a moment.

Then gave a faint smile.

“Then there’s still one more.”

“Your father.”