The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 19

Divine Doctor of Demonic Arts (19)

A moment later.

The two left the building.

Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi had already finished building the hut and were catching their breath.

“Then I’ll prepare breakfast.”

As Dan Ak-seon walked away, Han Seol-hwa stared intently at Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi.

Beom Gye-wi glared back, his eyes full of discontent.

“What? What is it now?”

“Go wash up.”

At her words, the two men’s faces contorted.

“You stink.”

“You!”

Beom Gye-wi jumped up. At that moment, Han Seol-hwa opened her mouth.

“Yesterday…”

Beom Gye-wi immediately turned and headed towards the pond.

Cho Ak-ryang reluctantly followed Beom Gye-wi. Then, suddenly realizing something, Beom Gye-wi turned his head to look at Han Seol-hwa.

“Huh? Did you just speak?”

“Come to think of it…?”

Cho Ak-ryang also looked at Han Seol-hwa with a surprised expression.

A cold telepathic message flew towards the two of them.

—Wash up. Now.

An hour later.

Dan Ak-seon, who had filled a basket with medicinal herbs, placed them on the table and smiled brightly.

“Today’s a customized diet. Just eat what’s in front of you.”

Beom Gye-wi and Cho Ak-ryang, who had finished washing and arrived just in time, barely swallowed their sighs.

Today, it was all grass again.

Sour, bitter, and astringent grass.

Han Seol-hwa was the first to pick up a medicinal herb and put it in her mouth. Then, she began to eat silently.

Since she couldn’t taste anything anyway, it didn’t matter much to her.

On the other hand, Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi tried to appear calm, but this moment was very difficult for them.

As they continued their meal, Dan Ak-seon opened her mouth.

“I think I need to go to the village again today.”

Beom Gye-wi gave her a questioning look.

“Again? You went yesterday.”

“There are more people now. And things to check.”

She tried not to show it, but she was worried about the safety of Pungjin Fortress.

Beom Gye-wi grinned.

“Then I’ll take you.”

At that moment, Han Seol-hwa, who had been silently eating, opened her mouth.

“No. I’ll go.”

“Why not? It’s originally my job…”

Han Seol-hwa cut off Beom Gye-wi’s words with a cold expression.

“You have other things to do.”

“I do?”

“You need to make a bed. You don’t expect me to sleep on the bare floor, do you?”

“Why should I make it?”

“Because I know about last night?”

Beom Gye-wi was dumbfounded by Han Seol-hwa’s blatant blackmail.

But there was no other way.

The one who’s caught with a weakness is the guilty one.

Dan Ak-seon smiled and nodded.

“Okay. Then Auntie Han will go with me today.”

After finishing their meal.

Leaving behind the grumbling Beom Gye-wi, Dan Ak-seon and Han Seol-hwa headed to the village.

* * *

After entering the village, Dan Ak-seon felt the gazes pouring in from all directions. It was something that had never happened before.

But soon, she understood the reason.

It was because of Han Seol-hwa’s beauty.

Her appearance was attractive enough to draw people’s attention.

On the other hand, Han Seol-hwa was indifferent.

She was used to this kind of situation.

Dan Ak-seon didn’t dislike the current situation either.

Usually, the marketplace was crowded with people, and it was quite difficult for the small Dan Ak-seon to navigate through the crowd. But walking with Han Seol-hwa was like walking on a wide-open road.

As she approached, people, regardless of gender, parted to the sides as if the tide was receding.

Of course, there was a commotion behind them.

It was because many men were caught by their lovers and wives for glancing at Han Seol-hwa.

It was while they were moving forward, leaving behind such disturbances.

A neatly dressed man approached Han Seol-hwa. People’s attention focused on him.

Judging by his hesitant appearance, his purpose seemed clear.

Most people thought he would flirt with Han Seol-hwa.

But unexpectedly, the man stopped not in front of Han Seol-hwa, but in front of Dan Ak-seon.

Dan Ak-seon looked at the man with a puzzled expression.

No matter how she looked at him, she had never seen him before.

“What is it?”

The man smiled kindly and held out a steaming skewer to Dan Ak-seon.

“I’m starting a business in front of you today.”

“Why are you giving this to me…?”

The man smiled awkwardly.

“I hope you’ll patronize [support] my business often in the future.”

The man almost forced the skewer into Dan Ak-seon’s hand, who was flustered.

“This much?”

Dan Ak-seon was embarrassed.

The man had given her as many as ten skewers. The man smiled awkwardly.

“Eat a lot.”

Then, he quickly turned around and ran somewhere.

After running for a while, he entered an alley where a person was waiting for him.

“Did you deliver it for sure?”

At So Jeok-san’s question, the man nodded.

He was a subordinate of Yi Eui-dang, led by So Jeok-san.

“Yes. I grilled the best one and delivered it before it got cold.”

“Release the kids and keep watching him. If anything happens to that person, we’re dead.”

So Jeok-san shuddered.

He recalled Beom Gye-wi’s terrifying face and the chilling threat he had left that day.

* * *

Half an hour after entering the village.

Dan Ak-seon’s appearance was very different from when he first left Sinma Valley.

A thick fur vest was worn over his light clothes, and his hands were full of all kinds of food and toys.

There were many newly opened shops today.

It was clearly for publicity, but somehow, the publicity seemed to be focused solely on him.

Even now.

A stranger strode up and offered him a candied hawthorn skewer, skewered with red hawthorn berries and coated with honey and syrup.

“Please taste it, young master.”

“Thank you. I’ll pay for it next time.”

The strange thing was that when he asked about the location of the store, they all awkwardly mumbled and hurriedly left.

“You must have gained a lot of goodwill. To see people welcome you like this.”

Han Seol-hwa was inwardly impressed with Dan Ak-seon. This was a welcome that even most martial artists wouldn’t experience.

“That’s not it…”

As things stood, it was Dan Ak-seon who was in trouble. The purpose of coming to the village was constantly being delayed.

“Auntie, I have a favor to ask.”

When Han Seol-hwa nodded, Dan Ak-seon handed her the items he was holding.

“Can you hold these for a moment? I have a place to go.”

As Han Seol-hwa accepted them, Dan Ak-seon began to run somewhere.

He ran with all his might, lest he be caught by someone else.

The place he arrived at was his regular herbal medicine shop.

When Dan Ak-seon opened the door and entered, the owner of the herbal medicine shop greeted him with a delighted expression.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come.”

“Me?”

The owner of the herbal medicine shop nodded.

“The head of the Jinseong family left a message for you.”

Dan Ak-seon’s face brightened. He had been worried about Pungjin Fortress. That’s why he wanted to ask him to contact him.

“He said not to come down to the village for the time being until this disaster is over.”

“Disaster?”

At Dan Ak-seon’s question, the owner of the herbal medicine shop sighed.

“There was a fire at the Cheonghwa Inn last night, where the Murim Alliance warriors were staying.”

As Dan Ak-seon’s eyes widened, the owner of the herbal medicine shop continued to explain.

“It was a complete mess. Who would have known that the mighty Pasadan of the Murim Alliance would be swept away by the fire?”

“They died?”

“Yes. I heard that several jars of alcohol were found throughout the fire scene. They must have been too drunk to escape the flames.”

“…!”

“It was fortunate that they had rented the entire Cheonghwa Inn, or it could have been a disaster. The head of the Jinseong family would have been in danger if he hadn’t arrived late.”

While Dan Ak-seon was too shocked to speak, the owner of the herbal medicine shop mentioned the rest of the message.

“Lord Pung said he would visit you himself after cleaning up the situation. So, it’s best not to come to the village for the time being, as he said. The atmosphere in the village is grim because of yesterday’s incident.”

“I see.”

Dan Ak-seon sighed, thinking of Pungjin Fortress.

It was fortunate that he was safe, but it was obvious that he would suffer even more because of this incident.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

Dan Ak-seon purchased the necessary medicinal herbs and left the herbal medicine shop.

Han Seol-hwa, who had been waiting outside, carefully watched Dan Ak-seon’s dejected appearance.

But she didn’t bother to ask why.

She simply followed Dan Ak-seon, who was walking with heavy steps, without a word.

How long had they walked like that?

Dan Ak-seon, who was about to leave the alley, stopped abruptly.

It was because of the conversation between the herbal medicine merchants in the marketplace.

“Did Wang get a good one this time?”

“Ah, that wild ginseng? I heard it’s over two hundred years old.”

“He hit the jackpot. Isn’t that worth whatever he asks for?”

“Of course. If the high-ranking officials find out, they’ll come running with their eyes wide open. They won’t spare a thousand gold.”

“No wonder. I suddenly wanted to climb the mountain yesterday.”

“You, a drunkard? That kind of wild ginseng is a spirit. You’d be lucky to see it once or twice in your life unless the gods point it out to you.”

Han Seol-hwa looked at Dan Ak-seon with a puzzled expression.

His face was flushed, as if he had forgotten his dejection.

“Excuse me, sirs!”

Dan Ak-seon, with an excited face, ran up and joined the conversation between the two men.

“Who has the wild ginseng you were just talking about?”

One of the merchants asked in return at Dan Ak-seon’s question.

“Why do you want to know?”

“I want to buy it!”

Dan Ak-seon, feeling impatient at the merchant’s smirk, took out a voucher from his pocket. It was a ten thousand *nyang* [Korean currency] voucher he had received from Han Seol-hwa before leaving Sinma Valley.

“Someone is hurt. So I really need that wild ginseng!”

The merchant flinched.

The amount written on the voucher was significant, but more than that, he was surprised by the strange heat in Dan Ak-seon’s eyes.

“Please let me meet that person.”

An hour later.

The transaction proceeded smoothly.

Usually, bargaining takes time, but Dan Ak-seon, after checking the quality of the wild ginseng, suddenly handed over the entire ten thousand *nyang* voucher.

“Hehe.”

Dan Ak-seon couldn’t hide his smile as he left the village.

He opened the box several times to check the wild ginseng and occasionally smelled it.

“Are you that happy?”

“Of course.”

Dan Ak-seon nodded.

“It will be of great help in treating the three of you.”

“You’re generous.”

“Pardon?”

“I didn’t know you’d spend all ten thousand *nyang* to get it.”

“Ah, that’s right!”

Dan Ak-seon belatedly recalled the items he had intended to purchase and wore a troubled expression.

Han Seol-hwa was inwardly dumbfounded by the sight.

He was calmer than anyone else when practicing medicine, but now he was just like a child.

‘Great wisdom may appear as foolishness…’

Those who are greatly wise sometimes seem foolish.

That’s exactly what Dan Ak-seon was like now.

* * *

“What? This is!”

Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi couldn’t hide their embarrassment.

It was because of the blanket that Han Seol-hwa had handed them, saying it was a newly purchased replacement for the tattered blanket.

But it was embarrassing to even call it a blanket.

It was made by piecing together scraps of cloth at random, making it all colorful.

“You want me to sleep under this rag?”

“Did you pick this, Witch? To make us suffer!”

Han Seol-hwa responded telepathically, as if she didn’t want to talk to them.

—It’s the cheapest one. Shut up and use it.

Beom Gye-wi’s face showed confusion.

“What happened to all that money?”

Dan Ak-seon answered instead.

“I’m sorry. I was buying wild ginseng, so I…”

Beom Gye-wi waved his hand at Dan Ak-seon’s apology.

“Huh? No, it’s okay. You should buy what you want. Of course, who would say anything if Doctor Dan wants to buy it.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

Dan Ak-seon opened the box he had been holding tightly in his arms.

“Would you like to see it? It’s the best one I’ve ever seen.”

Cho Ak-ryang and Beom Gye-wi wore bitter smiles at Dan Ak-seon’s boastful display of the wild ginseng.