TFSG 40

Chapter 40

The Terminally Ill Baby Doctor Doesn’t Hide She’s a Genius

I didn’t have time to ask Tak Min-jae what he meant.

The green medicine-infused water seeped smoothly toward the spot where the child had been lying.

The boy slowly closed his eyes.

“Mi… Min-jae!”

“It’s a sedative,” I said.

The boy had insomnia too. I glanced toward Jeok Yun-ha.

“It’s more serious than I thought… I think I’ll need a few more ingredients.”

Jeok Yun-ha quickly came to his senses and gave me a thumbs-up.

“Use as much as you want! There’s nothing I don’t have in my warehouse!” he said confidently.

“And if I don’t have it, I’ll ransack the market for it! There’s nothing this market doesn’t have!”

Indeed, Black Forest was one of the top three largest medicinal markets in the empire.

Not just herbs, but anything related to healing could be found here.

They sold all sorts of things, and Yun-ha looked like he’d scour the underworld if needed to get what I wanted.

Sure enough, before long, the ingredients arrived.

Wow… forget the rest—how did he manage to get a hundred-year-old tiger’s liver so quickly?

That should have been impossible to source. Even now, I had to admit I was impressed. Pushing aside my questions, I resumed making the medicine.

The one fortunate thing was that I already knew Min-jae’s illness, his complications, and the poison in his system.

It’s the same poison I dealt with in the third cycle.

It made me realize—again—how hard I’d been working.

I’d have to work even harder if I wanted to make it home. And when I got back to Korea… I’d probably spend a few years as a happy unemployed bum.

“Hoo…”

I dripped the medicine into the sleeping boy’s mouth, and for some doses I used acupuncture needles and injections.

Acupuncture was that guy’s specialty…

I thought of a fellow doctor—too close to be just an acquaintance, too distant to call a friend—then pushed the thought away.

Maybe I’d bring him here someday.

The boy finally opened his eyes again at sunset. Bathed in the red glow, he blinked up at me.

“You’re awake? Then will you drink this one too?”

“Huh? …Yes!”

Tak Min-jae gulped down the medicine.

Phew. I’m tired.

The room was filled with the colorful light and water traces I’d left behind, and the soaked remains of ingredients.

I’d been so focused on treatment that the place had turned into a mess.

If I got more skilled with my ability, the unused herbs wouldn’t get soaked like this. Such a waste… tch, I’m still too young for perfect control.

I glared at the soggy herbs.

Do you know how much this all costs? Ugh, I could save another life with this much!

“Will he be okay now?”

“Ah, Dad.”

I nodded at my father’s question.

“Mm. Not right away, but he’ll be fully cured in about three days. Since he’s a child, I can’t use medicine that’s too strong…”

“I meant you.”

I stopped mid-sentence.

“See? You’re exhausted.”

Before I could respond, my body was lifted into the air. My father’s face was close—wearing his usual grumpy expression.

“You came here to protect Lord Heukbiyu. What does it matter what happens to that boy?”

Well… of course I was fine. The tiredness was just unavoidable.

Feeling awkward, I rolled my eyes away until Uncle Un-deok and Jeok Yun-ha strode toward us.

“Min-jae…!”

“Dad! Look! I’m not coughing anymore!”

“Your complexion…”

I’d detoxified him as quickly as possible, so it was natural his complexion looked clear now.

But Min-jae looked happiest about the fact he wasn’t coughing anymore.

“My legs don’t hurt as much either…! Will I finally be able to run? And the wind doesn’t—!”

“Min-jae… hic… Your father can finally see you smile freely…”

Uncle Un-deok turned to me, his eyes red and brimming with tears.

“This is the first time I’ve seen my child’s face looking healthy.”

He bowed deeply to me.

“Thank you, truly… For this child, I would have given my life without hesitation…”

I looked at him quietly, then simply smiled.

There was a time I’d wondered what that kind of love felt like—both in Korea and here.

Looks like I was never destined for it.

I glanced at my father, only to find his face strangely stiff.

The hand holding me also pressed down gently on my head.

…Oh no, is his head hurting?

“Dad?”

When our eyes met, the cloudiness in his gaze cleared.

He shook his head as if it were nothing.

I wanted to ask more, but the boy—now looking better—was glancing nervously between us and Uncle Un-deok.

Child patients are always one of two types:

Either they become overly spoiled tyrants, or they grow up too fast.

I leaned back. A wave of light fatigue was washing over me.

“There’s three days’ worth of medicine over there, so make sure he takes it at the right times.”

No matter how firmly you said it, there was always at least one patient who wouldn’t listen.

“He has to take it properly. Only then will the remaining symptoms disappear in three days.”

Thankfully, Jeok Yun-ha nodded solemnly.

“Don’t worry. Even if it’s the middle of the night, I’ll bang on his door and wake him up to take it.”

“…Why are you hitting the kid?”

Honestly. I never gave medicine that had to be taken at such ridiculous hours.

After giving further instructions, I told them to contact me if any symptoms remained after three days—though I doubted that would happen.

“And…”

I whispered to my father,

“Dad, can you make it so the boy can’t hear?”

My father snapped his fingers. A light breeze brushed past.

“It’s done.”

“Good.”

The boy looked bewildered, saying he heard singing, while Uncle Un-deok looked startled.

I alternated my gaze between him and Jeok Yun-ha.

It was time to share an unpleasant truth the boy didn’t need to hear.

“Be careful. That kid’s been poisoned.”

When I pointed at the boy, Jeok Yun-ha’s eyes widened to the size of saucers.

“It’s a rather malicious toxin. Make sure you find the culprit.”

After a pause, I added,

“If he takes it again, he might die next time.”

Caw! Somewhere, a crow eyeing the market stalls cried out.

The sun was setting.

“Yaaawn…”

I stretched long and hard in my father’s arms.

“Let’s just buy a few more things before we head back.”

After leaving Jeok Yun-ha’s warehouse, we wandered around buying more ingredients.

Take this with you.

Jeok Yun-ha had given us a platinum badge.

Anywhere the Baekryong Merchant Guild had influence, it would open doors.

It’s not much, but please let me give you the rest of the payment in three days.

He’d even told us to charge everything we bought to the guild.

I… didn’t refuse.

Free goodies? You never turn those down.

So, just like someone with a black card, I was happily stocking up.

“Ah, Dad, next—over there, over there!”

Shopping for top-quality ingredients? Thrilling! The unboxing haul? Can’t wait!

My father frowned slightly when he saw the stall I was pointing at.

It was crowded with people.

“…Do we really have to buy from there?”

“You don’t get it, Dad. That’s the stall of a master of drying techniques.”

“And how do you know that…? Never mind. Go ahead.”

He set me down and conjured a tiny whirlwind to float protectively beside me before walking off.

A little whirlwind guarding me… cute.

I crouched down to watch him.

Dad squeezing into a clearance sale crowd—now that’s rare.

I even smirked.

From his personality, you’d think he’d just scowl, blast people aside with his powers, and say “Hand it over.”

But here he was, quietly waiting in line.

Tilting my head back, I watched the setting sun… then froze.

…Animal noises?

Somewhere, I heard faint whining. No matter where I looked, nothing was visible.

The market stalls—those that couldn’t operate at night—were already packing up, making the place feel a bit eerie.

After a while, I found the source.

An alleyway.

I hesitated, then walked over.

With the little whirlwind by my side, nothing should happen, right?

At the alley’s entrance was an abandoned stall. Flies buzzed around it.

I wrinkled my nose at the unpleasant stench.

…This smells like… rotting flesh.

It was the same odor I’d encountered in plague-ridden areas.

But… there was nothing here. I thought there’d be something, but…

Then my foot landed on something soft.

“Ewww!”

I jumped back in shock, my heart pounding.

What was that?

Finally, I spotted the source on the ground. It was…

“Whi…ne…”

It blinked at me.

An animal? A puppy?

Hmm… no.

“Looks… kind of like a fox?”