Dokmaeuiseon - Chapter 31

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

Chapter 31

 

 

The one kneeling.

It was Formation Master Gal Tae-gyeong.

With a remorseful expression as if he had committed some great sin, he suddenly said he disliked physicians.

 

‘Is that something to say in front of me?’

 

It wasn’t something to say in front of Jung Myeong, who was a physician.

Yet despite that, there wasn’t a hint of wavering in him.

 

“But I don’t dislike you, Physician.”

 

…Playing both the drum and the gong by himself.

It was utterly impossible to make sense of.

 

“So you dislike physicians as a whole, but I’m fine. Is that it?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hah… Why am I fine?”

“Aren’t you not crazy about money, Physician?”

“Hmm? I’m plenty crazy about it.”

 

There seemed to be some strange misunderstanding.

 

“…Pardon?”

“I’m plenty crazy about it. I’m making good money even now, aren’t I?”

“But you’re earning while giving, aren’t you?”

“Well, that’s… I do it because it benefits me too. Anyway…”

 

Jung Myeong didn’t bother explaining that he provided cheap treatment because it all benefited him.

More than that, the current situation itself was absurd.

 

“Do you need to kneel to say that?”

“…”

 

The conversation itself was strange.

But why did he need to kneel for it?

It didn’t look good to Eun Gyeol.

Jung Myeong tried to get him up quickly.

 

“Please get up. It doesn’t look good to the child, does it?”

“…I’ll get up if you forgive me, Physician.”

“Forgive you?”

“Yes. Forgiveness.”

 

Suddenly, what was this about forgiveness?

What forgiveness was needed here?

Ah, was it that?

 

“You mean about disliking physicians? Personal preferences are beyond my control. I hear there are plenty of people in Hangzhou who dislike physicians, so I don’t mind.”

“It’s not because of that.”

“It’s not?”

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

 

What else could there be?

First he picked a fight out of nowhere.

Now it was about forgiveness.

Just what rhythm was he supposed to follow?

 

‘I knew from the first time I saw him that his temperament was messed up.’

 

As much as his abilities as a Formation Master.

No, if his manner of speaking had been even half as refined, he’d be playing in bigger places than the Hangzhou underworld.

Gal Tae-gyeong was certainly a peculiar fellow.

 

‘Thanks to him, the formation for my medical clinic was installed well though.’

 

He hadn’t said much lately.

He had installed a formation even better than originally planned, so Jung Myeong had kept him around.

But at this point, even Jung Myeong found it hard to remain pleasant.

Jung Myeong asked bluntly.

 

“So, what should I forgive?”

“…I’ve hidden something from you, Physician.”

“Hidden?”

“Yes. In case something went wrong. In case I ruined things because of me. I was just scared and kept hiding it.”

“Hmm?”

 

What had he hidden?

Was there even something to hide?

As Jung Myeong became curious about this,

For some reason,

Eun Gyeol’s expression also darkened considerably.

Just as he was about to catch on to something,

Gal Tae-gyeong continued.

 

“…Eun Gyeol is my niece.”

“!!!!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The story was simple.

Both Gal Tae-gyeong and Eun Gyeol knew about the blocked meridian syndrome.

 

‘Blocked meridian syndrome isn’t a difficult disease to diagnose. Actually, blocked meridian syndrome is a disease name given to any condition where meridians are blocked.’

 

The problem is the treatment.

The two of them, or more precisely four including Eun Gyeol’s parents, attempted treatment.

Countless times.

The result was always failure.

The reality was that the condition only worsened instead.

At least those who attempted and failed.

 

“They only said it was an incurable disease. They should have just not attempted it from the start. Even when it was obvious the condition would only get worse… sigh…”

 

They sought the cause in the disease itself rather than their medical arts.

The situation headed toward deterioration.

The family fortune gradually declined. The illness raced toward the worst.

 

“Even so, we couldn’t give up. Elder Brother too… and Sister-in-law too… everyone.”

 

While searching for places where famous physicians might be, Eun Gyeol’s parents met with misfortune.

He made efforts to find them.

Even after that, he did his utmost to treat Eun Gyeol.

But the result is as you can see. Always failure.

 

‘…The worsening of symptoms could indeed be due to the disease itself.’

 

A deepening illness.

It wasn’t strange to seek someone to blame for it.

I understood why he said he disliked physicians.

Meanwhile, one’s throat becomes like a government office.

Work had to be done.

That’s when Escort Agency’s Song In came.

 

“Song In came saying to repay a debt of gratitude. Actually, that was just an excuse.”

“What kind of excuse do you mean?”

“Repay a debt of gratitude, my foot. He sent me to earn some money. Since it looked hopeless for me to afford treatment costs, let alone make a living, he deliberately called for me.”

 

Among so many Formation Masters, why would he have chosen Gal Tae-gyeong?

 

“I know my own temperament. Someone other than me? Song In would have had options. Definitely.”

“I see.”

 

It weighed on Song In’s heart.

 

“But he still came to me. Telling me to repay the favor I had received before.”

“It was half-forced, wasn’t it?”

“It was blatantly forced. Crazy forced. But still… I came anyway.”

 

His nephew who had lost his parents.

Gal Tae-gyeong stepped forward saying he would raise that one child.

Saying he would try to cure the illness.

A person who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

Song In was so troubled by this man that he insisted on bringing him to Jung Myeong.

 

‘Thanks to that, it was uncomfortable. But his ability was certain.’

 

Jung Myeong was caught in the middle of this.

But he didn’t have only complaints either.

Because Gal Tae-gyeong’s abilities were the real deal.

Actually, he was suffering like this because of his young nephew.

If he had lived alone, he would have lived comfortably.

It didn’t matter if his attitude wasn’t good.

There were plenty of people who would take him and use his services.

So that attitude wasn’t incomprehensible either.

But Jung Myeong didn’t just let it slide.

 

“So that’s why you had so many complaints the moment you saw me?”

“…Ahem. It’s because I’m a pathetic man.”

“Well, I can’t say you’re not?”

“Hmm…”

“By the way, I’m not talking about your attitude when you first saw me.”

“Then what…”

“Why today?”

“…”

“Why have you been keeping quiet about it? What on earth is the reason you made this young child feel frustrated every time and wear an anxious expression wondering if something was wrong?”

“I was anxious.”

“Anxious?”

“Yes. Didn’t I keep showing you my pathetic side, Physician? But think about it – if this is my nephew. Then you might stop the treatment…”

“Did I seem like such a pathetic physician to you?”

“…I’m sorry.”

 

What if he ruined things because of himself?

What if the treatment went wrong because he was disliked?

Regretting why he had acted that way at first.

He had been agonizing over it the whole time.

As much as his insides burned.

In his own way, he tried his best with the Formation to repay the favor.

 

‘Somehow, the feeling that the Formation was being set up better wasn’t my imagination.’

 

In the end.

Putting it off day after day led to the current situation.

 

“I came close many times but kept leaving. But when I heard it would be completely cured soon, I snapped to attention. Ah, I can’t delay any longer from here, I thought.”

“Well, really.”

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

 

Within his self-loathing, there was a clumsy apology.

Meanwhile, I wondered if this was something to kneel about.

 

‘This man really has no middle ground.’

 

From what I could see, that’s just how he was.

I couldn’t even guess how he handled delicate Formations that would cause problems with the slightest mishandling.

The person is rough. No, his personality is openly sharp-edged.

Yet he’s not hateful because.

 

‘He must be giving his all for a nephew who isn’t even his own child.’

 

Because it can be inferred that his innate nature is not evil.

That’s why he was someone who couldn’t be hated.

 

‘There are plenty who abandon their own children. If he’s this kind of person… what else is there that can’t be forgiven.’

 

So Jung Myeong considered it an unexpected minor disturbance.

He decided to forgive him.

 

“I understand. I understand. I’ll forgive you.”

“!!!”

“So please don’t kneel anymore. Please get up…”

“No! How can I hope for forgiveness with just this? I must repay you.”

 

The problem was this man called Gal Tae-gyeong.

This fellow’s rough temperament had absolutely no middle ground.

 

“Wouldn’t it be enough to call it even with installing the formation here?”

“Isn’t that related to Song In’s debt?”

 

Even though Jung Myeong quickly forgave him.

And showed flexibility by suggesting they call it even with the formation installation.

He absolutely wouldn’t leave.

 

“Then what do you intend to do?”

“…I’ll repay this kindness for life. Whatever it takes! Whatever work it is!”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll serve you.”

“Hah…”

“Don’t you need a Formation Master to maintain the formation anyway? He may not look like much, but he’s quite capable. So… couldn’t something be arranged?”

 

He made a fuss about repaying the kindness in his own way.

 

‘…This is driving me crazy.’

 

 

* * *

 

 

Song In, who came after hearing the news late.

Before even going on patrol, he came to find Gal Tae-gyeong and laughed with suppressed chuckles.

 

“Kuk… Keueuuk. Kuk. Kukukuk. My stomach’s going to burst.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Isn’t this hilarious?”

“What’s so funny?”

“I don’t like the Physician. But the Physician seems okay. Kukuk. Isn’t this funny?”

“The first part is right. But I didn’t say the latter.”

“Didn’t you say something similar though?”

“…Ahem.”

 

Song In teased Gal Tae-gyeong.

He truly looked refreshed, as if a ten-year-old burden had been lifted.

 

“You said he was a decent Physician, didn’t you?”

“Be quiet.”

“I thought you’d come to like him.”

“Did you come here thinking he might treat Eun Gyeol too?”

“Half of it was intentional. Because he’s not the type of Physician to ignore someone if he happens to see them.”

“Cunning fellow. You seem to have ten serpents in your belly. You weren’t like this when you were young.”

“I’ve been tainted by the world for a long time.”

“Hmph. You were originally dark.”

“Saying I was originally like this hurts my feelings. Unlike a Formation Master who stays holed up at home, I have to wander around doing escort work, so it can’t be helped, can it?”

“…You never lose with words either.”

“When was I ever different?”

“If you came to tease me, stop teasing now.”

“You’re just realizing that now?”

“…”

“Your intuition only developed in strange directions.”

 

Song In teased Gal Tae-gyeong for a while, then stopped.

He asked with a serious expression.

 

“Anyway. So did you get permission?”

“Permission? What permission?”

“Did you get permission to serve the Physician?”

“Ahem…”

“You didn’t get it? Well, with that temperament of yours, it’s understandable.”

“…He gave me this.”

 

Instead of a clear answer, Gal Tae-gyeong.

Took out something from his chest.

 

“Huh, what on earth is that?”

 

Song In, seeing this, had no choice but to ask back.

He never expected to see that instead of an answer.

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