Chapter 62
62
- Survival of the Fittest
Adapting to the summer in Sichuan was not easy. The humidity was so high, it felt like being a dumpling in a steamer.
After spending half a month trying to cool off the terrible heat with ice water and cold tea, I caught a summer cold that even dogs wouldn't get.
"Achoo!"
With a loud sneeze, snot streamed down my face. Songji, startled by my cough, rushed over and touched my forehead.
"Oh my, Young Miss. Your forehead is burning up."
"Fever? I do feel a bit chilly."
I definitely wasn't in a normal state. As I shivered, Songji adjusted the blanket over me.
"I've never seen Young Miss sick before. Have you been overdoing your training lately? I'll tell the kitchen to make some rice porridge. I should also go to the Medicine Hall and get some herbal medicine..."
Songji trailed off and looked at Deokju. Deokju, flinching at Songji's pointed gaze, wore an awkward expression.
"...I'll go. I'll also tell the Elder that training will be difficult today."
"Oh my. Thank you, Martial Artist."
Songji smiled brightly and waved as if to say goodbye. Deokju nodded lightly and disappeared.
Songji, having sent Deokju on an errand, grinned.
"The Martial Artist is very perceptive."
Isn't that because you gave him a hint?
It seemed Songji had figured out how to handle Deokju.
"R, rice porridge... I, I'll, get it..."
"Kyung-ah, will you go? Then I'll stay with Young Miss."
"Okay. Go ahead, Songji. Give me some water."
Sniffling, I curled up. I must have caught a bad cold, as my head was buzzing.
Songji, looking worried, brought lukewarm water.
"Young Miss. Here's water."
"Thank you."
I tried to take the cup Songji offered, but I didn't have the strength in my hand.
"Young Miss. I'll feed you."
As my arm trembled, Songji took the cup back and held it to my lips. I was being treated like a complete invalid.
"Thank you, Songji. I'll sleep a little more..."
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I slowly closed my eyes. My mind was hazy.
When I opened my eyes again, Dang Jung was touching my forehead. Meeting my gaze, Dang Jung asked kindly.
"Ah-ga, are you feeling a little better?"
"Grandfather, you're here..."
I tried to say I was okay, but my throat was hoarse and my voice didn't come out properly.
Dang Jung clicked his tongue at my raspy voice.
"Tsk, tsk. You've caught a nasty cold. Just drink your herbal medicine and go back to sleep."
"Yes."
Dang Jung, helping me sit up, held the spoon himself. His face was so serious as he blew on each spoonful of herbal medicine to cool it down that I couldn't help but smile.
I leaned on Dang Jung and accepted the herbal medicine he cooled for me.
"Now, lie down. Your fever needs to come down..."
Dang Jung, muttering as if troubled, slowly laid me back on the bed. His cool palm covered my eyes.
The cool sensation relaxed me, and drowsiness washed over me. It felt like Dang Jung was checking my pressure points.
I surrendered to the overwhelming sleepiness.
\ \ \
How much time had passed?
Struggling against the haziness, I opened my eyes, but my vision blurred and cleared repeatedly.
Trying to lift my eyelids, I closed my eyes again. I had no strength in my body.
I felt a rough tongue licking my cheek.
"Ju-ryeong... That tickles..."
"Kyuu. Kyuuu."
Ju-ryeong made a plaintive cry as if telling me to stop sleeping.
I could also sense Kyung-ah restlessly moving about.
In the next room, Dang Jung was talking to Deokju with his arms crossed.
It's good to have learned Martial Arts Technique. I can tell who is where even with my eyes closed.
"This old man's senses have dulled. It's only natural that if Poison doesn't work, medicine won't either... I didn't think of that."
"The Elixir was effective, but for some reason..."
"It's not that it had a medicinal effect. It's that you absorbed the Spiritual energy dissolved in the Elixir. This is going to be troublesome. At this rate, even anesthetic incense won't work..."
Dang Jung and Deokju's conversation faded in and out.
Ah, so medicine doesn't work on me.
I didn't know because I've never been sick.
"It's just a common cold now, so it's fine. But if you were to get injured, you'd have to stitch up the wound while fully conscious, which is worrying."
Dang Jung clicked his tongue.
That's right. Fully conscious...
Mulling over his words blankly, I almost screamed.
Anesthesia doesn't work? Then painkillers won't work either?
This is crazy, am I Guan Yu? Am I Guan Yu?
"Kiee. Kieee?"
Startled, I wiggled my arms and legs, and Ju-ryeong knocked on the wall as if calling for Dang Jung. At his call, Dang Jung entered the bedroom.
"Ah-ga. How are you feeling?"
"I'm dying..."
"You seem to be doing better than before, judging by your speech."
Dang Jung, chuckling, wiped my forehead, which was soaked with sweat.
Unlike his playful tone, his eyes were full of worry.
"I heard everything. You can just tell me."
Shrugging as if there was no need to hide it, Dang Jung sighed.
"It's as you heard. Even after giving you the herbal medicine for half an hour, your fever didn't go down. I wondered if there was a problem with the prescription, but there was nothing wrong with the herbal medicine. The problem is with So-hye's body."
"But I slept well."
"Of course, you would after I checked your blood. A body that doesn't respond unless it's an Elixir. You're so picky."
If you say it like that, I sound like a cat that spits out anything but organic food.
I burrowed into the blanket and looked up at Dang Jung's face.
"Then, cough! Do I have to wait until I get better on my own?"
"Yes. I'll see if I can find another way. Rest today. Do Inner Energy cultivation when you can move. If it doesn't work, eat that sable's Inner Core."
"Kieeik!"
Ju-ryeong jumped up and down, stomping his feet as if asking what he meant.
Ignoring the sable's protest, Dang Jung grabbed my wrist and poured True energy into me.
Dang Jung's Inner Energy, entering through my fingertips, soon spread throughout my body.
As the familiar Qi enveloped me, I felt as relaxed as if I were lying on a heated floor.
Feeling Dang Jung's Inner Energy, I fell into a deep sleep.
\ \ \
The rumor that I was sick spread in an instant.
The Chief of Medicine sent pills that were said to be good for relieving fatigue, and the Master of Poisons sent a basket of tangerines.
Those tangerines are rare because they're brought from Yunnan. If I don't join the Poison King Hall after they've done this much for me, won't there be an uproar? It's starting to feel burdensome.
"Young Miss. The Master of Poisons sent a whole basket of precious tangerines!"
Songji was so excited that I couldn't tell her to send them back and just chuckled.
"Share them with Kyung-ah. And Deokju too."
"Young Miss should eat them first."
"I have to eat rice porridge. I might throw up if I eat them. You guys eat them."
"But..."
"They'll get moldy if you leave them. They're precious, are you going to let them get moldy? Eat them quickly."
Songji, who had been hesitating until I peeled one and handed it to her, carefully split the tangerine and shared it with Deokju and Kyung-ah.
Then, she smiled brightly and put her share in her mouth.
"It's so delicious. Young Miss! I can't believe I'm eating something so precious!"
I would have cried if you had sent it back.
Kyung-ah, who had been fidgeting, also cautiously bit into the tangerine, her eyes widening as she munched with her front teeth.
"Deokju, eat it quickly too."
"...Yes. Young Miss."
At my urging, Deokju also put the tangerine he was awkwardly holding in his mouth. The corners of his lips twitched upwards, so he seemed to like the tangerine.
I feel proud seeing my kids eating so well.
I smiled contentedly and leaned back against the bed. My fever seemed to have gone down a lot, but I couldn't put much strength in my hands and feet.
I thought I wouldn't get common illnesses if I became a Martial Artist, but it was the same as getting sick if I overdid it.
I'm still just a little healthier than the average person. I might as well take a good rest this time.
Yawning widely, I closed my eyes.
"Maknae!"
"..."
Ugh. Why is she here?
"I saw you open your eyes. I heard our Maknae is sick!"
Swallowing a sigh, I opened my eyes and saw Dang Juhee entering the bedroom, her ornaments jingling.
Behind her, Dang Cho-hui was standing with a pile of thick books in her arms.
"Can I come in?"
"Come in, Unnie."
Unlike someone who does whatever she wants, Dang Cho-hui, who asked for my permission, slowly entered the bedroom.
"What books are those?"
"Woon Orabeoni's errand. He said to read them if I'm bored."
"Ah, please tell him thank you."
Dang Cho-hui, placing the medical books on the table, stared at me, who had forced a smile.
"A cold?"
"Yes."
"You were overdoing it."
Dang Cho-hui, nodding as if she expected it, took out a small bundle from her arms.
"Here."
"Cho-hui brought it after agonizing over it because she thought Maknae would be bored. Open it quickly."
"Really? Thank you, Unnie."
Smiling brightly, I unwrapped the bundle and saw several beads of different sizes.
"Beads?"
"Jamo Hwan (Mother-Son Beads)."
"You hide the small bead behind the big bead and throw them. The moment the opponent, who has avoided the big bead, becomes careless, the small bead goes bang! And hits them in the forehead."
Dang Juhee giggled and rolled the beads in her hand as she explained.
"There's also a method of throwing several at the same time to mess up their sense of distance. It's not bad to use in an emergency. Hardly anyone suspects that the beads are coated with Poison. They don't guard against them well either."
It doesn't have to be beads, does it? You could use stones of different sizes and use them similarly.
Seeing my eyes light up, Dang Juhee chuckled as if she couldn't help it.
"Look at Maknae's eyes. She has the eyes of someone who wants to throw them right away. Cho-hui's gift must have pleased her."
"I love it. Thank you, Unnie. How do you make these? Amazing."
Dang Cho-hui's earlobes turned bright red. Biting her lip and not knowing what to do, she jumped up from her seat.
"Rest. Let's go."
"Why? I still have a lot to say to Maknae."
She even showed consideration by dragging Dang Juhee, who was chattering away, out with her.
Our second Unnie has no immunity to words of gratitude.
Chuckling, I buried my face in the pillow. Dang Juhee had only come and gone for a moment, but my head was throbbing.
Grateful was grateful, and tired was tired.
There was also an unexpected visitor.
"I heard you're sick?"
"Maknae Orabeoni? Why are you here?"
I, who didn't expect Dang Seho to visit, widened my eyes.
"You really must be sick. Your lips are blue."
"Yeah. I think I'm sicker because Orabeoni came. Please leave."
"Your mouth doesn't seem to be sick at all. Take this."
Dang Seho, who had awkwardly glanced around before coming in, hesitantly held out a basket.
The basket was filled with hawthorn berries.
"You know it's hard to get hawthorn berries these days, right? When you get better, have a maid make Tanghulu."
"Huh? You're giving them to me? Why?"
"To keep you from being sick."
I was touched by the guy who replied shyly, but only for a moment, as he gave me a hateful smile.
"I'm going to eat this. It'll be delicious, right?"
Dang Seho, smugly taking out a bamboo tube, took out a piece of fried meat dripping with oil and took a big bite.
"Kuh, yeah. This is the taste. People have to eat meat. You can't eat it because you're sick, though."
Satisfaction was written all over his face as he chewed the meat.
Is this bastard trying to tease me?
"Get out."
"You're calling your Orabeoni 'you' again!"
"Hey. Get out while I'm being nice."
"......"
Dang Seho, watching my expression, slowly got up.
I glared at the back of his head.
When I get better, I'll have to practice sealing his hateful mouth first.
