I Became the Oriental Doctor for Divine Beasts - Chapter 31

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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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The Oriental Medicine Doctor for Spirit Beings
#31
“Oh? Baek Eun-ho, you came?”
It was a sight that warranted Baek Eun-ho’s surprise.
Pat-pat-pat!
Jeong Ra-bit and I were sitting across from each other on the veranda, playing jacks.
“Mmm.”
Rustle, rustle—
Beside us, Yang Si-heon stretched his long legs lazily across a beach chair and turned the pages of a newspaper!
Baek Myodang’s courtyard was ordinarily quiet, but today it looked like the setting of some resort getaway.
Eun-ho’s voice rose.
“Does everyone have nothing to do? Why do you all gather here at Baek Myodang every chance you get?”
I was actually curious about that myself.
“……Come to think of it, they came one by one, and now it’s turned into this.”
As I looked around in disbelief, the spirit beings averted their gazes or pretended to stare into empty space.
“At least Ma Yun-sang isn’t here. This place almost turned into a zoo instead of an Oriental medicine clinic.”
Baek Eun-ho spoke sarcastically.
……The truth was, he’d been here with us and only just left, but there was no need to mention that.
Eun-ho crossed her arms and stood at an angle, zeroing in on Si-heon first.
“Especially you, Yang Si-heon. Why did you come? You can just have the herbal medicine delivered—there’s no need to show up in person, is there?”
Si-heon slowly lifted his head and bore a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.
“I rather like it here.”
For a moment his gaze turned toward me, then shifted back to Eun-ho.
“Being here puts my mind at ease and brings me joy. ……Especially your reactions, Eun-ho.”
“This is really……!”
The veins at Eun-ho’s temples stood out.
Yet Si-heon, utterly unfazed, opened his newspaper again.
‘Sigh.’
I awkwardly scratched my cheek.
Baek Eun-ho had always been sharp with everyone, but somehow she seemed to bristle especially at Si-heon.
Si-heon himself, though, didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.
“Stop it, both of you.”
I sighed and waved my hand.
“Since we’re all here, let’s just have dinner together.”
A little while later.
On the bench table sat rows of glistening bibim-guksu noodles.
With spicy-sour seasoning and fresh lettuce picked right from the back garden piled on top, it looked even more appetizing.
“Wow, thank you for the meal!”
Ra-bit let out a delighted cry, her full cheeks flushed with happiness.
A strange sentiment washed over me.
‘Since high school, it’s been my daily routine to eat quietly, just the two of us with Alfred.’
Now, sitting like this with several others, chatting softly over dinner……
It felt unfamiliar and a bit awkward.
Just as my chest began to flutter strangely, Si-heon tapped the newspaper resting beside his thigh.
“Yeon-hee.”
His voice was as low and gentle as always, yet somehow it sounded more serious than usual.
“There’s been word that a dangerous person has been moving around this neighborhood lately. Be careful.”
With that, he slid the newspaper toward me.
I craned my neck and narrowed my eyes.
[ New-Style Mugging Cases Spike in Eunpyeong-gu Area… Caution Advised for Late-Night Commutes ]
“Mugging……?”
Ra-bit’s eyes widened.
Si-heon straightened in his seat and explained.
“It’s a crime where assailants knock someone unconscious and rob them. It had naturally disappeared after the early 2000s as fewer people carried cash, but apparently now they’re using people’s fingerprints to unlock their smartphones and transferring money through banking apps.”
“My goodness……! That’s terrible.”
I set down my chopsticks and shook my head disapprovingly.
Then Eun-ho, who had been quiet until now, looked at me.
“Teacher, aren’t you curious why I came?”
“Oh, that’s right. Why did you come?”
I asked, fumbling with my noodles, and Eun-ho set her rice bowl down with a clink and crossed her arms.
“The criminal organization mentioned in the diary—Heuk Ryeon-hoe. It doesn’t seem like something we should just overlook, so I asked a spirit being I know for help. I wanted to meet and talk directly. Will you have time?”
“Of course. I’m free anytime after my clinic hours end. But what kind of spirit being are they?”
Baek Eun-ho shrugged slightly.
“A dog.”
“……A dog?!”
“Yes. He’s a detective. His name is Jin Do-gyeong.”
I immediately imagined it.
A bulldog character wearing a detective’s uniform, hands resting on his hips, standing with a menacing expression.
A chuckle escaped me.
“A dog spirit being as a detective. That’s perfect casting.”
Eun-ho silently held out her phone.
A screen full of various news articles appeared.
「Detective Jin Do-gyeong Ranks ‘1st in Investigation Speed,’ Arrests Another Criminal」
「Missing Person Case in Gangnam Solved… Detective Jin Do-gyeong Commended」

“Wow……! You spirit beings really do great things for society. That’s amazing.”
Just then Si-heon looked up and smiled softly.
“So do you, Yeon-hee.”
“!”
Caught off guard by the sudden compliment, I turned my head away from his gaze without meaning to.
Then Ra-bit, not about to let that stand, threw up her hand and went even further.
“That’s right! Thanks to you, I’ve been living so happily!”
Why are you both suddenly embarrassing me?
“You all flatter me too much—it won’t get you anything.”
I cupped my cheeks with both hands and deliberately looked sideways.
Still, I was glad inside. Hearing that patients were doing well was always welcome.

* * *

The next day, late afternoon.
I was organizing patient charts in the director’s office when I suddenly glanced at the wall clock.
Once today’s clinic hours ended, I was to meet Baek Eun-ho and the dog spirit being detective Jin Do-gyeong at Soon-mi’s Aunt Cafe, the three of us together.
We were going to discuss the matter of “Heuk Ryeon-hoe,” mentioned in the diary.
While I was thinking about the rest of my schedule.
『Recent mugging incidents in the Eunpyeong-gu area have surged sharply.』

Through the open director’s office doorway, the sound of the waiting room’s wall-mounted TV came drifting in.

『So far there are seven victims, two of whom are seriously injured—.』
『The assailants have mainly targeted the elderly or intoxicated pedestrians walking alone at night—.』

The elderly women who had finished their treatment and were sitting on the waiting room sofa sipping tea spoke in unison.
“Good heavens, such wretches!”
“Where did they get their upbringing? Despicable creatures!”
As I listened to them, I felt my expression grow rigid.
‘……So criminals really are prowling around this neighborhood.’
My spine chilled, and I found myself shivering involuntarily.
I quickly called out the next patient’s name.
This would be today’s final patient.
“Jo Mi-so, please come into the treatment room!”
“Yes!”
A woman entered from the waiting room with a bright voice.
Jo Mi-so.
A nursing aide in her mid-to-late twenties working at the nearby Orthopedic Clinic.
Since we were roughly the same age and both in the medical field, she was a patient with whom conversation flowed particularly well.
She was also a regular who came for acupuncture consistently on her days off.
“You work at an orthopedic clinic, Mi-so, but you don’t get treatment there—you come here instead?”
I playfully asked as I administered needles to her lower back while she lay face-down on the bed.
Jo Mi-so laughed softly.
“It’s a secret from our director, but I prefer Oriental medicine treatment.”
The two of us chuckled together.
As I placed a few more needles, I asked, “How’s your back feeling these days?”
“After I get acupuncture from you, it feels fine until I go back to work, and then it hurts again. You know, working in a hospital really does a number on your bones, director.”
“Ha, I know. We Oriental medicine doctors have stiff lower backs and necks all the time. When we get together, we end up needling each other—it’s chaos.”
“Really? We’re always on our feet and supporting patients, and by the time we’re done my back never gets proper rest.”
Then the patient let out a long sigh.
“Plus, our director recently started evening hours. We see patients until 9 PM, and it’s past 10 by the time I get home.”
“Past 10? That must be exhausting…….”
“It is, but there’s an upside too.”
Mi-so smiled and made a small circle with her thumb and index finger.
“Evening shifts pay pretty well!”
“Oh, Mi-so. Just take care of your health. What good is money if you ruin your body?”
“Ha ha.”
After I saw her off, the sun was already beginning to set.
I checked my watch.
“Oh, I’m almost out of time to meet the detective.”
I quickly went to the director’s office and opened my handbag.
I carefully placed my mother’s diary inside, then grabbed my phone and wallet.
Before stepping out the door.
Alfred, who had been napping on the inner sofa, cracked one eye open.
[Where are you off to, Yeon-hee?]
“Soon-mi’s Aunt Cafe! I’ll be back soon, Alfred.”
[Be careful. The world has been troubled lately.]
“I will, I will.”
As I gently stroked his head, Alfred’s tail swayed slowly.

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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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