Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 97

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 97
Fire
My Master spoke.
“You did well to bring back the flesh of the Mannyeonhwari. While not as potent as the inner elixir, it will still greatly aid your internal cultivation. Especially when combined with our clan’s yakson cooking methods—the effects will double.”
As I paused mid-meal and prepared to take notes, Jegalling burst into laughter.
“First, let’s eat. Today, we do nothing. Let’s both rest.”
I nodded.
My throat felt tight, making it difficult to swallow the rice.
But it was true.
This was the most delicious breakfast of my life.
* * *
The Medical Assistants, including myself, rested for the entire day.
‘Though we rested, the emergency doctors on duty still worked.’
That was the way of it. Whether in a modern hospital or a martial sect’s Medical Guild, complete rest didn’t exist. Even on public holidays when everyone else rested, if it was your shift, you worked.
In exchange, those doctors who worked that day would rest the next.
Regardless, the Medical Guild was quiet that day. I climbed to the pavilion and poured myself a drink.
It contained no alcohol. In this region, it was called sweet rice wine.
I didn’t know my body’s actual age, but my mind had long passed forty—an adult.
Through bone restructuring, my appearance seemed late teens. By this era’s standards, I was an adult.
‘If not on a day like this, when would I?’
The reason I avoided alcoholic beverages was simple: they tasted terrible.
I never acquired a taste for alcohol as a child, and I hadn’t as an adult either.
Even having lived this far into my current life, alcohol still tasted awful.
I preferred drinks like sweet rice wine—beverages with only the character for wine in their name, containing no actual alcohol.
I sipped the medicinal sweet rice wine made by the Herb Guild and lay back on the roof.
‘It’s over.’
Despite having only recently woken, I felt drowsy again.
It wasn’t strange.
The accumulated fatigue from all this time came flooding back like a broken dam now that the work was finished. It wasn’t physical exhaustion. It was mental fatigue.
As I gazed at the blue sky, sleep claimed me.
When I opened my eyes, my Master’s outer robe covered my body.
He must have come by briefly.
Hearing cheerful voices, I looked down to see a banquet in full swing.
* * *
“You’re awake. You were sleeping so soundly I didn’t want to disturb you.”
My Master smiled brightly.
“What is all this?”
Musicians and entertainers had been invited to dance and sing. It was a proper banquet.
My Master spoke with an awkward expression.
“The four Guild Masters were waiting for an opportunity and opened a banquet.”
What?
I turned in surprise to find the four Guild Masters waving their cups with flushed faces.
They were all thoroughly intoxicated, having already consumed quite a bit of alcohol.
Even Sama Byeong, the Acupuncture Guild Master renowned for his stubbornness, was sipping his drink with a reddened face.
“Indeed, sir. Your body belongs to Baek Rin Medical Guild, does it not? We have finally resolved that grievance.”
“Yoo Ho.”
“Yes, sir?”
Yoo Ho was carrying wine bottles to the Medical Assistants and Guild Masters.
What distinguished him from the others was that his face showed no flush of intoxication, nor did he carry the scent of wine.
Manpagok, the Herb Guild Master, waved her wine bottle.
“Chief Manager Yoo Ho, stop working and have a drink yourself!”
Yoo Ho shook his head at her words.
“I dislike alcohol.”
“How can you not even taste it on such an auspicious occasion? You’re stubborn. Truly stubborn.”
Manpagok clicked her tongue and approached me.
“Will our Young Guild Master have a drink?”
Manpagok emphasized the words “Young Guild Master.” During official duties, she had called me that, but in private settings, she had always used “Young Master” or “Young Lord.”
“Haha. Since this is a comfortable gathering, please feel free to call me informally.”
“How could I do that now? You are like the heavens themselves, Young Guild Master.”
Because she truly meant to acknowledge me as Guild Master, I found myself momentarily at a loss for words.
Manpagok spoke.
“What are you doing? The four Guild Masters should each pour a drink for our Young Guild Master!”
At her words, the four Guild Masters rose in unison.
Surprisingly, it was Sama Byeong, the Acupuncture Guild Master, who poured the first drink into my cup.
Glug, glug—
“I, the Acupuncture Guild Master, offer this drink to our Young Guild Master.”
I had heard Manpagok complain about this stubborn old man more than once. Joo Dan-ha, the Chuna Guild Master, had even cursed him as an elder who rarely praised others.
He was a man who almost never smiled.
The sweet yet potent liquor carried the fragrance of bamboo and medicinal herbs.
The scent of Baek Rin Medical Guild.
Remarkably, after swallowing the drink, Sama Byeong broke into a hearty laugh. The wrinkled face of the old man deepened with even more wrinkles—the valleys of happiness.
Next, Joo Dan-ha, the Chuna Guild Master, filled my cup.
“That old man stole the first drink from me. I, Chuna Guild Master Joo Dan-ha, offer this to our Young Guild Master.”
Another drink was poured.
“They say the quiet cat climbs the stove first, so does the Acupuncture elder take the lead? I, Martial Arts Guild Master Dokgo Junghu, offer this drink to our Young Guild Master.”
Yet another cup was filled.
Finally, Manpagok, the Herb Guild Master, stood before me.
“From the moment I first saw you, I believed in you. I trust you will remember that among the four Guild Masters, this old woman was the first to serve our Young Guild Master. Hehehehe.”
She covered her mouth with her sleeve and smiled with cunning amusement.
It was the smooth eloquence befitting a retainer of the Jegalling household.
Though I spoke in jest, in reality it was Manpagok who had given me the most support.
From post-operative care to the creation of the Baek Rin Divine Elixir, she had assisted me in every way without fail.
She was truly someone I owed much to.
Clink—
The glass filled to the brim.
At that signal, the four Guild Masters spoke in unison.
“To the Guild Master and the Young Guild Master. Our congratulations! May you enjoy eternal prosperity!”
Roaaaar—!
Cheers and applause erupted from the Medical Assistants.
As the four Guild Masters poured first, the other Medical Assistants now filled my glass in turn.
This time it was sweet persimmon wine without alcohol.
It seemed they were offering it because I preferred it.
“I heard from Chief Manager Yoo that you successfully achieved a complete transformation!”
“Truly worthy of the Young Guild Master! Not only did you create the Baek Rin Divine Elixir, but you also succeeded in treating the Guild Master—what great fortune for the Baek Rin Medical Guild!”
“Training was difficult, but thanks to it, I’ve been able to save many patients. Thank you all.”
I exchanged cups with them repeatedly.
Soon, Wang Gak-yeon, who had been in the corner, approached me.
“Hey, why am I the only one getting barley tea? Is it because of Dad? You won’t even give me the sweet wine.”
She came over grumbling, and I answered with deliberate evasiveness.
“I prefer barley tea too.”
“You’re really annoying.”
She laughed heartily. I asked her.
“You’ve grown quite tall, haven’t you?”
“Yeah. I’m in my growth phase. Once I’m fully grown, I’ll probably be more muscular and sturdy than most girls my age.”
Now that I thought about it, both Ju Wang and Gongseon Yeong were quite tall.
Their limbs were long and their bones thick. Their muscles were elastic and firm.
“There are martial artists who are short though.”
“You can’t completely change what you’re born with. You just make someone who would grow one chi taller grow one and a half chi instead.”
Even that was quite substantial.
“Gungwi is pretty tall, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. Mom’s tall too. So I’ll be tall as well. Don’t get complacent just because you achieved a complete transformation—I’ll definitely be looking down at you someday.”
There was sincerity in Wang Gak-yeon’s words.
She had just declared her intention to look down on me one day.
“Speaking of which, where is Gungwi?”
“Dad’s standing guard in place of the Martial Arts Guild Master. Someone has to protect the Medical Guild.”
“That must be hard work.”
“Hard work? It’s not as dangerous as it used to be, the money comes in steadily, and since it’s work done under the Baek Rin Medical Guild name, there are fewer enemies made in the martial world. It’s quite comfortable. Plus, unlike the old days, the family doesn’t have to be separated for months. He comes home every day after work.”
His job satisfaction seemed quite high.
Now that I thought about it, Gungwi’s expression had been bright lately.
“That’s good to hear.”
“What do you mean ‘fortunately’? I should be thanking you. Father always says meeting Seo Baek-ryong was the best decision of his life, and he’s always telling me to treat you well.”
“Krkrkrkr.”
“But since you’re already doing so well on your own, I’m not sure what this older sister can help with.”
“There is something.”
Thump!
Hwang-gu crawled out from between Jin Cheon-hee’s legs.
“Oh, Hwang-gu, you’re awake?”
Throughout the banquet, Hwang-gu had been eating, sleeping when full, and repeating the cycle.
Despite appearances, he was the flying messenger dog of the Canine Faction’s Bangju, so every morsel given to him was of the finest quality.
That dog had it made.
Wang Gak-yeon scratched behind Hwang-gu’s neck.
“Did you miss me, our Hwang-gu?”
Pant, pant, pant, pant.
Hwang-gu licked Wang Gak-yeon’s face enthusiastically.
Wang Gak-yeon laughed brightly and pulled Hwang-gu into a tight embrace.
“You’re so cute. So cute. You’ve grown a bit, haven’t you? That’s fine. That’s fine. You’re still cute even grown. Big means even cuter!”
Hwang-gu and Wang Gak-yeon played together like separated family members reuniting.
Jin Cheon-hee watched them play while sipping his drink contentedly.
“Why do you seem like an old man who’s seen the whole world, Young Master?”
It was Yoo Ho.
He had brought a fresh bottle of liquor to Jin Cheon-hee’s side.
“You’re not going to call me ‘young master’ anymore?”
“If you wish, I could address you as Master of the Canine Faction instead.”
“Anything but ‘young master’ is fine.”
Jin Cheon-hee poured the drink.
Then, on impulse, he picked up an empty cup and handed it to Yoo Ho.
“How about it, Chief Manager Yoo? Care for a drink?”
“I dislike alcohol.”
“Why?”
“It has no taste. I genuinely cannot understand why humans consume something so flavorless.”
“What about sweet rice drink?”
“I dislike it.”
It seemed he truly disliked it, not merely deflecting out of duty.
“Then how about barley tea?”
Wang Gak-yeon shook the water bottle she had brought. Yoo Ho responded to her suggestion.
“That will not do either.”
“You don’t like barley tea?”
“….”
Yoo Ho did not answer.
Instead, he set down the fresh bottle with a sharp sound and turned away before Jin Cheon-hee could say anything, walking off into the distance.
“What an odd fellow.”
I poured myself a cup of the liquor Yoo Ho had brought.
The moment I poured it, a rich fragrance washed over me.
“Wow, Guild Master Seo, what kind of liquor is that?”
“I’m not sure. Chief Manager Yoo just left it behind.”
As I swallowed a sip, a deep and sweet aroma filled my mouth so intensely it made my mind swim. Yet the moment it went down, I could trace its path from my throat to my stomach—it was potent enough to burn.
It was an aged spirit.
One that a master craftsman had carefully fermented for many years.
The scent of flowers filled my nasal passages.
“I’m curious what this liquor is called myself.”
The musicians’ performance filled the night air.
My Master, who had been sitting beside me, rose to his feet.
“I would like to offer a small token of gratitude to the Medical Assistants who celebrated Jegalling’s swift recovery and to my disciple Seo Baek-ryong.”
My Master headed toward the center of the banquet hall.
At the appearance of the Medical Guild Master, the musicians paused their performance.
My Master waved his hand as if to tell them not to mind, and they resumed playing.
Zing—
This time, atmospheric music filled the hall.
As my Master raised his hand and concentrated his inner energy, his long silver-white hair billowed upward in an arc.
Soon something came flying.
It was an iron sword that had been lodged somewhere.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————