I Became the Oriental Doctor for Divine Beasts - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I had become a physician for Divine Beasts.
#22
When I suddenly saw blood, I went pale.
Yang Si-heon, did you cut your finger on the envelope’s edge?
“Are you alright?!”
…….
I asked in alarm, one question after another, but Yang Si-heon said nothing.
In the car’s interior light, he only stared down at the blood-stained letter.
“I’m fine. This much isn’t worth worrying about.”
After a moment, his firmly closed lips parted.
His tone was matter-of-fact, but all the more unsettling for it.
“But why is there blood……?”
“Yeon-hee, it’s dangerous.”
As I murmured and reached to examine the letter, Yang Si-heon pulled his hand holding it back.
Then, with a bitter smile, he carefully opened the letter to show me.
My eyes widened in shock.
“There’s a box cutter blade in here?!”
Inside lay a razor blade.
Anyone opening it carelessly would inevitably cut themselves.
Just now, as he’d folded and unfolded the letter, the blade had unluckily torn through the envelope and sprung out.
“What on earth would make someone do this?! No, first we need to get to the clinic and disinfect it.”
“It’s not a deep wound.”
“Still.”
I practically dragged the reluctant Si-heon to Baekmuodang.
Moments later, in the treatment room.
“Disinfectant and… gauze….”
I hurried to pull out the treatment supplies.
Then I examined Si-heon’s wound carefully.
“Fortunately it’s not too deep—no stitches needed. You can move your finger? The tendons look fine. Oh, and you’ve had your tetanus shot, yes?”
I was flustered with worry, but Si-heon showed not a trace of alarm.
As I wrapped the bandage around his hand, I studied his expression carefully.
“Aren’t you surprised?”
“This isn’t my first time.”
“Your first time? Are the Fallen targeting you like this?”
“No. It’s just that… some fans’ psychology is hard to understand. I suspect they even stole a restaurant uniform.”
He lowered his gaze as he continued.
“I knew something like this would happen today. Though I didn’t expect you to have that letter.”
“You knew this would happen?”
His tone was detached.
“I dreamed that a fan had hidden a blade in an envelope.”
“A dream?”
“Yes.”
Si-heon nodded.
As the treatment room light caught his eyes, his amber irises seemed suddenly transparent.
“I see the future through dreams. It’s an ability of the Sheep Divine Beast—though lately I almost never have them because of insomnia.”
I went quiet for a moment.
Childhood memories surfaced—counting sheep, one by two, drifting to sleep.
‘Precognitive Dreaming… that’s incredible.’
Now the earlier conversation made sense. His talk about needing to cure his insomnia for all Divine Beasts.
If one could see the future, one would certainly gain an advantage in any conflict.
Just then, Si-heon flexed the bandaged finger, shrugging his shoulder.
“Anyway, don’t worry too much. I’m used to it.”
Used to it.
That word struck painfully in my ears again.
“You shouldn’t become used to things like this.”
I looked at Si-heon directly.
My voice rang lower and firmer than I expected.
“Right now you should feel sad, shocked, hurt, and angry. Isn’t that habit itself proof that something’s wrong with you?”
His gaze wavered for a moment.
But a gentle smile quickly settled over that expression.
“Yeon-hee, let’s stop here for today.”
“But—!”
“I’m tired.”
Yang Si-heon cut me off gently but firmly, and turned to leave.
Through the window, I watched his car drive away.
I stood at the window for a long time afterward.
…….
There were many nights when I too couldn’t fall asleep easily.
During that Chuseok holiday when Mom disappeared, I’d spent the entire time with eyes open through the night.
Even after finding her body, sleep wouldn’t come for a long time.
‘I couldn’t believe Mom’s empty bed, I thought her warmth might still linger there…. I’d bury myself in the blankets and cry, staying awake through the entire night.’
Lying awake alone in the dark was crueler and more lonely than I’d realized.
Those memories of emptiness came back, making me feel even more sorry for Si-heon.
Tap, tap.
I took out my phone and dialed his newly saved number.
After hesitating briefly, I sent a text.
Yang Si-heon

If you can’t sleep, even at dawn is fine. You can come to Baekmuodang for acupuncture. Or I can keep you company instead.
After showering and drying my hair, a reply came.
Yang Si-heon

Haha, how can I contact my doctor in the middle of the night?
A few seconds later.
Another message arrived.
Yang Si-heon

Still, I’m grateful just for the offer.
After reading the text, I slowly set my phone down.
And I silently wished that Si-heon could sleep well, at least tonight.
* * *
The next morning.
Uncharacteristically, my mind kept drifting through the clinic the whole time.
Today was the day I was supposed to go to Soon-mi’s cafe and receive Mom’s diary.
‘What could be written in it?’
‘Mom’s bloodline, secrets of Divine Beasts, or clues about the Fallen… could there be something like that?’
‘Oh, what if Aunt already looked through it? How would I explain it? That it was a novel Mom was planning? ……No, given Mom’s personality—capital T Mom—fiction doesn’t make sense.’
These thoughts kept chaining together.
Barely finishing the morning clinic, I hurried toward the traditional house cafe on the slopes of Bukhansan.
The moment I pushed open the cafe door—
“Aunt, I’m h—.”
Crash!
As I opened the door, a loud sound assaulted my ears.
Glasses shattered everywhere before my eyes.
“Oh my!”
Soon-mi had dropped the tray of glasses, letting it fall to the floor.
Iced coffee soaked a nearby customer’s shoe.
“What?! Really! My new sneakers!”
A young couple.
The woman lifted her foot and frowned, while the man let out an exasperated sigh.
Aunt bowed deeply and apologized repeatedly.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m truly sorry…. I’ll compensate you for the shoes.”
“Well, of course you will! This is so annoying. These can’t even be bought with money—what am I supposed to do?”
“You ruined our date. We’re never coming back here. We’re leaving a review too.”
I stood there stunned, watching it unfold.
Seeing Aunt bow to customers who could be her children cut right through me.
After the customers left in a huff, the cafe filled with an air more bitter than the coffee aroma.
“Aunt, are you alright?”
I found a mop and began wiping the wet floor, asking gently.
“I’m fine, I’m fine…. Yeon-hee, leave it. Come sit over there. Let’s have lunch.”
Soon-mi forced a smile and returned to the counter.
Shortly after.
Aunt brought out a sandwich.
But strangely, I found myself looking at Aunt’s hands and expression more than the appetizing sandwich.
Her hands trembled faintly as she held the tray, and her face was scrunched as if bearing pain.
“Aunt, does your hand hurt?”
She flinched as she set the tray on the table, then laughed as if nothing were wrong.
“Yeon-hee, eat first. I’ll explain while you do.”
……Yes.”
I reluctantly took a bite of the sandwich.
Chewing slowly, I gave her a questioning look demanding explanation.
Aunt let out a heavy sigh and dropped a bombshell.
“Your eyes are sharp, Yeon-hee. You’re right. That’s exactly why I’m closing the cafe now.”
I dropped the sandwich in surprise.
“What? What do you mean?”
Instead of answering, Aunt held out both her hands.
Her finger joints were thickened and knobbly, and her whole hand was swollen.
“My hands always ached when I used them a lot, but these days even lifting something slightly heavy causes a sharp, stabbing pain. The orthopedist said it’s degenerative arthritis.”
She laughed helplessly.
“You just saw it—me dropping the tray. If it had been hot coffee, what would’ve happened? I nearly burned a customer.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I didn’t want you to worry for nothing. The hospital said there’s no real solution. Since it’s degenerative, complete recovery is difficult. Eventually I’ll have to quit.”
Aunt’s shoulders sagged.
I released a trembling breath.
This cafe holds all my childhood memories. And memories of Mom too….
We used to come see Soon-mi often and drink tea and chat.
The thought of that space disappearing was unbearable sadness.
…….
Degenerative Arthritis.
A degenerative disease causing chronic pain and deformation of the joints.
When it occurs in the hands, pain and swelling appear, and especially in the morning, the joints feel stiff and rigid.
As time passes, the finger joints may thicken or become deformed.
‘Definitely, looking with my Spiritual Eye, the flow of Spiritual Energy is weak.’
I took Aunt’s hands and examined them carefully, back and front.
The “degeneration” the orthopedist described looked to me like the Spiritual Energy Flow had almost stopped.
‘But it’s not completely cut off. There’s still a possibility of recovery.’
A thought suddenly struck me.
If I poured some of my Spiritual Qi into Aunt’s hands, they might… become able to move freely again.
Even if all other doctors had given up, I couldn’t.
“Aunt, before you close the cafe, just try my treatment three times.”
I gripped both her hands tightly.
She looked at me with startled eyes.
“Yeon-hee, you’re something else. That’s just wasted effort.”
“Just three times. Exactly three. You can decide after that.”
Aunt studied my eyes for a moment.
Then she gave a small helpless laugh.
“……Alright, I understand.”
That smile hurt with its warmth.
I released Aunt’s hands and quietly took the Myoanseok in my palm. Then I made a firm vow to myself.
‘Don’t worry, Aunt. I’ll definitely heal this for you.’

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