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Chapter 25
“The Terminally Ill Baby Doctor Doesn’t Hide She’s a Genius”
The Black Shadow Guard (Heukbiwon) still wore a smiling face, but a shadow had fallen over it.
The closer he got to his brother, the glossier his eyes became.
“I thought you would have taken care of it already.”
His younger brother, Heukbihu, was unharmed—but exceptionally smart. That’s how he had discovered his illness early on.
“I thought your kid was living well in the main house.”
That’s what he believed.
He had shut himself away in a dwelling like a warehouse, occasionally used like a butcher, unaware of the situation.
He didn’t know how miserably his niece had been living. His anger surged at his brother for not having taken even the most basic measures.
He remembered how his brother and his wife had loved each other to the point of running away together.
“Not only has he forgotten the wife he once loved to death…”
Heukbiwon clenched his jaw as he raised his hand.
Heukbihu responded with a faint smile.
“What do you expect me to do? I don’t even remember her. She’s just a daughter I’ve forgotten.”
“……”
“If I don’t remember, she’s not really mine.”
A blade-like wind blew between them.
“But I’ve decided I’ll do anything for her. I’ll give her my best. Isn’t that enough?”
“She said she could cure you?”
“……”
Heukbihu didn’t answer—but his silence was as good as confirmation.
“Well, if you say that much, I get the gist of it.”
Seeing his brother react so fiercely, he figured that little girl really was his daughter.
“Even if I do remember, I’ll probably forget again someday. Whose misfortune would that be, I wonder? Yours?”
“……”
“Maybe doing our best as strangers is what’s best for everyone.”
“Look at you, twisting your words just to say you want to get healed by a three-year-old daughter.”
Instead of yelling at his ignorant brother, Heukbiwon bared his teeth in a wicked grin.
“Wow, my little brother really is a f***ing bastard. I hope you live to regret it.”
He cursed him to his face, but Heukbihu remained calm. His brother had always been like this.
Then, a painted-like beautiful smile brushed across Heukbihu’s face.
“Looks like you got healed a bit too.”
Just then—
Down below, where they were watching the fields, Heukbiyu and Heukgyewon were being approached by a group.
“Yesterday they kept coming by…”
The brat who had kept showing up was oddly absent today, so he’d come here to stroll—and then this happened.
A battle began below.
He could see Heukbiyu restraining people with water.
Only three years old—and yet that clever?
“You’re not going down there?”
Heukbihu glanced up with only his eyes. His brother’s annoyingly bright smile was right there.
Amusement on his face—rage hidden underneath.
His pupils began to distort.
This was the symptom that appeared whenever his brother got angry after developing his mania.
“Little bro, I don’t know how much you remember about me, but if I step in, there won’t be any leftovers for you.”
“……”
“Big Uncle is going to go play his role now~”
It was a provoking tone.
“I’ll count to three, okay?”
Heukbihu made a face that said ‘so what?’
But he did raise one eyebrow slightly.
“O-Oppa!!”
Heukgyewon was trembling as he barely blocked the sword.
The opponent slashed almost playfully—mocking in every movement.
“You’re still far from good enough, aren’t you?”
The warrior sneered with a chuckle.
Even if Gyewon had talent, he was only nine. Fighting against an experienced warrior was bound to leave him wounded.
Piiik…
A brain matter splattered on the ground.
I flipped the water bottle over.
‘Can I use Diagnose again? Please, just one more person…!’
There was a time limit for how long I could restrain someone using Diagnose.
Still, if I could hold back just one more, I could run away with Heukgyewon.
‘Uncle, let’s head toward his building…’
As my hand got soaked, a wave surged.
But things didn’t go as planned—the remaining warrior dodged it.
He laughed at me.
“You think I’d fall for something I’ve already seen?”
I bit my lip hard.
“Looks like I’ll need to change the order, too.”
The warrior stomped toward me. In a flash, thousands of thoughts crossed my mind.
Should I have made something earlier?
Was that the priority?
I knew the moment I failed to trap him that I was next.
Still—Heukgyewon came first.
He’s bleeding but still grips his sword to protect me!
…How can I stay still when someone’s on my side like that?
As the sword charged at me, I clenched my eyes shut.
“Ugh, does getting stabbed hurt more than falling off a cliff?”
No helping it now. In the next life, I’ll be more careful…
Just then, my body suddenly floated upward.
I thought I was imagining it.
…Why doesn’t it hurt?
“You’re not just supposed to close your eyes. You should be screaming too.”
I slowly opened my eyes.
“Hmph, ngh… Hup… cough!”
I was floating in the air. So was the one who tried to attack me.
But he was choking, strangled by invisible wind, writhing helplessly.
His legs kicked in the air in desperation.
I was so startled that the water I’d restrained disappeared.
I locked eyes with the man standing idly—my father.
“So many of them. Are you hurt?”
The enemies had no time to escape.
Boom!
As Dad stomped the ground, the wind wrapped around every single enemy like it had been waiting.
“Mmgh—please… cough!”
“Mama!!”
Even Heukdaewi and the others, every warrior, had been completely subdued.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I just stared blankly at Dad. How did he get here?
Why is he even here?
“If you scream, someone will always come running.”
He spoke casually, even as choking sounds echoed in the background.
“…What if there’s no one like that?”
Someone to help? As if I’d have anyone like that. What if this was my first life?
“There is someone.”
“No, there’s not. I don’t have anyone!”
Dad stepped closer and raised my chin. I flinched.
“I’m here.”
He pointed at himself.
Was he joking? His calm face made me feel strange.
“I’m here. See?”
He lightly grabbed my hand.
“You told me to do as instructed. So I got you home safe.”
His voice was relaxed.
“You said to escort you. I did that. And when a letter came, you said to let you know immediately.”
“……”
“So I even came to play mailman.”
My eyes widened a bit.
A letter? He must mean one from the main house.
“I don’t remember anything… but I’m pretty sure I kept promises well in the past too. Probably?”
His dry humor made me chuckle.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Why do you keep asking…”
“So I can hit them back equally.”
His oddly sweet tone made me freeze. Embarrassingly enough, I almost cried.
I quickly wiped my face, pretending water had splashed on me.
“I’m fine. Put me down. I need to check if Gyewon-oppa is okay.”
I’d seen him collapse in relief as soon as Dad appeared.
He must’ve fainted.
Dad frowned slightly.
“…This is the reaction I get after showing up?”
“What?”
“I expected more awe. Or at least some praise.”
I was speechless. Will you give me my tears back?
“…Are you a kid?”
He raised an eyebrow subtly.
I glanced to see if the warrior had died.
Thankfully, he seemed to have just fainted.
“Don’t you feel like rewarding the amazing man who showed up out of nowhere to save you? Maybe… restore his memories?”
Wow. Just wow. My dad is trying to cash in my lifespan like it’s a coupon.
Of course, he doesn’t know that’s the price.
I pouted.
“Too bad, but nope. You’ll have to do something even greater.”
“Really? What a shame.”
He didn’t press the issue and backed off easily.
Before he got too far, I grabbed his sleeve.
I should at least thank him.
Just as I opened my mouth, I heard a rustling sound and turned my head.
Another warrior who had been restrained by wind had broken free.
Sword in hand, he gasped for breath.
Dad didn’t seem surprised.
“Dad, aren’t you going to catch him?”
“No need.”
Thud!
The warrior fell flat on the ground.
“Uncle’s gonna play with me now~”
The one stepping hard on his back was Uncle—Heukbiwon.
“I’m bored because I missed my chance to earn points~”
…Why the heck is he here?
