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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: A Disciple's Gift
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“I will give you the White Dragon Brigade.”
“!”
Seop Mugwang was surprised.
The White Dragon Brigade was the very unit Namgung Mucheon had said he would take to Hwasan not long ago.
After the leaders of the Red, Blue, and Yellow Dragon Brigades were executed following the Surochae incident, it was effectively one of only two units the family could mobilize.
“Patriarch, the White Dragon Brigade…”
“I will give them to you even if you refuse. This is my insistence, and you cannot break it. Go with them.”
It was Namgung Mucheon's command, countering Seop Mugwang's stubbornness from moments ago when he insisted on going despite being told not to.
Seop Mugwang nodded.
“…I understand. Then, as soon as the preparations are complete…”
“Please give me one day.”
Seop Mugwang and Namgung Mucheon turned to look at Seolhwa.
The child, with a clenched fist and an expression of incomprehension, was holding back her words.
“If you must go, please delay the departure by one day. I’m asking you.”
“…”
Seop Mugwang, who had intended to leave as soon as he was ready, hesitated to answer.
He wanted to leave right away, even without the White Dragon Brigade, but he decided to follow the child's wishes.
She was the one in this family who knew the most about Hwaoru; there had to be a reason.
“We will depart at dawn the day after tomorrow.”
* * *
After leaving the Cheonhojeon Hall, Seolhwa headed straight for the medical hall without a moment's rest.
When she arrived at the medical hall, breathing heavily, Choryeon, who was organizing newly arrived medicinal herbs, greeted her with a bright smile.
“Oh, Young Lady! What brings you here?”
Seolhwa strode into the medical hall. Then she began opening the medicine drawers, rummaging through the ingredients.
Choryeon looked at Ryeon, who had followed Seolhwa in, as if to ask what was happening, but Ryeon, also unaware of the reason, just shook her head.
After gathering herbs for a while, Seolhwa began to scribble something on a piece of paper lying on Choryeon's desk.
Seeing the child's focused expression, Choryeon and Ryeon simply watched from a step back.
Finally, she held out the basket of herbs and the paper to Choryeon.
“These are all the ingredients I know. You have to make it by tomorrow evening. Can you do it?”
Choryeon blinked as she took them.
“What is this…”
As Choryeon read the writing on the paper placed on the basket, her eyes widened.
“…Young Lady!”
Exhaling a short, incredulous breath, she asked Ryeon to step outside for a moment and then closed the door to the medical hall.
She didn't forget to ask her to block any visitors for a while.
Choryeon bent her knees and sat down to meet Seolhwa's eyes.
“Young Lady, I'm a physician, not a poison maker. I'm someone who saves people, not someone who kills them.”
“But you can do it.”
*And you're quite talented at it. Enough to be called Dokwol in your past life.*
“Young Lady…”
Choryeon pressed her forehead and let out a long sigh.
*Until now, I've helped you because you weren't trying to harm anyone. Not because I was afraid of my identity being revealed.*
Choryeon flicked the paper up.
“What on earth are you going to use this for? There's no reason why you would need such a poison pill…”
“The life of someone you hold dear depends on that poison pill.”
“…”
Choryeon froze.
She slowly raised her gaze to look at Seolhwa. The child's expression was serious, without a hint of mischief.
“What does that mean…”
“The Bipunggeomdae’s Lord is in danger. He might even die.”
“…”
“He's the one who's precious to you, Choryeon. I promise. I'm not making this to harm anyone. It's necessary to save the Lord.”
*Flick.*
Choryeon once again lifted the paper and carefully took in the written words.
The listed ingredients and methods combined in her mind, forming the final product.
The hand holding the paper trembled.
“…It's incomplete. This isn't enough.”
“You can figure it out, can't you? You have until tomorrow evening.”
“There isn't enough time.”
“That's the most I can give you.”
“…I'll try.”
Choryeon immediately began the process.
What Seolhwa had written on the paper was something she was making for the first time in this life, but it was part of a recipe for a poison pill that Dokwol from her past life had made before.
She couldn't remember all the ingredients for this recipe she had seen while in the Daesura Hyeolgyo's medical hall, but she had passed on what she could recall of the ingredients Dokwol used back then.
All that remained was for Choryeon to find and fit the missing pieces.
*‘Choryeon can do it.’*
No, she *will* do it.
In her past life, wasn't she the woman who infiltrated the Daesura Hyeolgyo to avenge Seop Mugwang, rising to the position of Dokwol?
Wasn't she the woman who, behind the facade of amusement, sought out and killed members of the Hyeolgyo connected to Hwaoru?
Being that kind of woman, she would surely succeed.
She had to. For her own sake, for Seop Mugwang's, and for the Namgung's.
*Click.*
Leaving the medical hall, Seolhwa stood guard at the door.
She personally turned away visitors to the medical hall so that Choryeon would not be disturbed.
Ryeon silently stood by Seolhwa's side.
The deep night passed, morning dawned, and once again, the sun set into evening.
The door to the medical hall opened.
Choryeon, her complexion gaunt after just one day, swayed as she barely stood.
In her hand was a packet of medicine.
Seeing it, Seolhwa raised her head again to look at Choryeon.
“…I've finished it. Barely.”
Seolhwa took the medicine packet Choryeon held out.
It must have been completed just moments ago, as a faint warmth could be felt through the layers of paper.
Seolhwa placed it in a palm-sized pouch and turned to go to Seop Mugwang.
But then she looked back at Choryeon.
“You worked hard. Thank you.”
*For really doing it.*
As she turned again, Choryeon grabbed her this time.
“Young Lady!”
“?”
“With that… he can really live, right…?”
“…Perhaps.”
*It will probably be difficult. In fact, it won't be easy.*
Her mind offered such an answer, but Seolhwa couldn't bring herself to say the rest.
Choryeon's eyes, after having done her best to create the poison pill, were too desperate for her to say it.
*Tap, tatat—*
As she left the medical hall and headed for the Bipunggeomdae Lord's office, Seolhwa mulled over those words in her mind.
*‘Perhaps…’*
It was an answer meant not only to reassure Choryeon but herself as well.
* * *
Seop Mugwang was in the Bipunggeomdae Lord's office.
This was the first time he had stayed in the office since returning to the Namgung family.
He hated being cooped up in an office, so the Bipunggeomdae Lord's office had long since lost its meaning as such.
But for today, he remained there.
He stood before the name plaques of the Bipunggeomdae members hanging on the office wall.
*Clack.*
A wooden name plaque clacked against the wooden board, creating a soft noise.
It was the name plaque of a member who had died before his very eyes.
When one becomes a member of the Bipunggeomdae, they receive a new name plaque from the Namgung family and hang their old one here.
It was both a pledge for a new beginning as a secret agent of the Namgung and a trace of themselves left behind, in case they died during a mission and their body could not be recovered.
“The Bipunggeomdae undertakes the main family's most dangerous missions, so death is common. But we have never faced a death like yesterday's. Yesterday's death was an act that mocked the very spirit of our Bipunggeomdae.”
The resolve to face even death.
They made someone who had jumped into death with that resolve attack the very family he was resolved to protect.
No member of the Bipunggeomdae would have ever wanted such a death.
It was an act that trampled on the Bipunggeomdae's reason for existence and their pride.
*Clack.*
Seop Mugwang set the name plaque down and turned around.
Behind him, Seolhwa was already standing there.
Holding a medicine packet the size of her palm.
“Don't go.”
Seop Mugwang let out a short laugh.
“What have you been listening to all this time?”
“You're going to die.”
“Let me tell you. I'm the kind of guy who can bend his pride, but never his convictions.”
He was saying that even knowing the outcome, he would ultimately walk toward death.
Seolhwa held out the medicine packet to him. No, it was a poison pill disguised as a medicine packet.
“What kind of medicine is this?”
“Take it when you can no longer wield your sword.”
“Is this why you asked me to wait a day?”
“Yes.”
Seop Mugwang chuckled and tucked the medicine packet into his clothes.
He ruffled Seolhwa's hair.
“Thanks, kiddo. For your sake, I'll make sure to come back alive.”
Seolhwa lowered her gaze.
*Be careful.* The words lingered in her mouth.
* * *
In the early dawn, as light faintly began to brighten the sky.
Seolhwa, awakened by a faint presence, was leaving her room when she found a paper bag in front of her door.
As she picked up the bag, a sweet scent tickled her nose.
It was a smell that made her mouth water.
When she opened the bag, she found it was full of Tanghuru.
As she rustled the bag to look inside, something fell to her feet with a soft thud.
It was a small, crumpled note.
Unfolding the note revealed a short message written in what looked like hasty scrawl.
[I'll accept the Gubaegijerye when I get back. My disciple.]
Seolhwa's gaze lingered on the word 'disciple' for a long time.
Until now, Hyeolma had been her only master. So, Seop Mugwang was the first person other than Hyeolma to call her his disciple.
“…”
After reading the short message over and over, Seolhwa carefully folded the note and put it away.
Then she took a deep breath of the clear morning air.
Seop Mugwang had finally left for Hwaoru. She couldn't stop him from going, but she had done everything she could.
What should she do now?
*‘Let's go to Hwasan.’*
*Go to Hwasan and divide Hwaoru's forces. That's how I'll help Master.*
Seolhwa walked on with determination.
* * *
That afternoon, someone sent from Hwasan arrived at the Namgung family estate.
