The Quack Lady - Chapter 5

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 5

To be honest….

I did rub my tied arms against the rope earlier.

It was the result of trying my best to somehow untie them.

But the rope wouldn’t come loose and I only grumbled about getting pointless wounds.

‘Who knew this would come in handy like this.’

I stretched the corners of my mouth wide and raised both arms, and soon Mr. Pairon’s eyes became quite serious upon seeing the wounds on my wrists.

Of course, the eyes of Mr. Baeknaeng sitting across from me also wavered.

Quite flustered.

“No, no… wait, listen to me for a moment.”

“Hanel. Apologize right now. This has gone too far. I’m sorry too. If I had known it would come to this, I would have stopped the boy more.”

Mr. Pairon even bowed his head as he apologized to me.

And the atmosphere had now completely tilted in my favor.

I slightly bowed my head toward the two men and made an expression as if I was about to cry.

It was my victory.

* * *

“Ah, so that’s how it happened.”

“Yes. Here. Eat more of this too.”

Mr. Pairon explained the situation that led to this incident in detail.

Of course, since I was also born and raised in this world, I would naturally have suspected if someone was a witch first.

‘But actually putting it into action is a different matter. Especially against a twelve-year-old.’

I stuffed the remaining pieces of meat into my mouth and chewed.

I had been sick to death of dried-up bread and soup that only smelled like meat every day.

Properly prepared food was enough to make my eyes roll back.

Enough to make me think let’s eat first and talk later.

Of course, Mr. Pairon and Mr. Baeknaeng didn’t eat a single bite.

“Please eat some. Should I eat it all?”

“Yes. Eat plenty. If it gets cold, just tell me. I’ll have it warmed up right away.”

“No. Food that’s too hot isn’t good for the esophagus. It’s fine.”

I said while stuffing the shrimp puree garnish into my mouth.

‘It’s really delicious.’

During the meal, we had conversations about each other.

From what I gathered, Mr. Pairon had worked as an herb gatherer when he was young, then became wealthy by running the Herb Merchant’s Guild.

‘So-called nouveau riche, in other words.’

Unlike existing nobles whose titles were passed down through inheritance, nouveau riche referred to those who had a lot of money and bought titles to expand their influence.

And naturally, they were a force that would only grow larger in the future.

“Ah! That’s right, your arm! Are you okay?”

“Of course. Look at this.”

Mr. Pairon moved his arm that was fixed with bandages this way and that.

The range of motion in the joint had definitely increased noticeably.

“Wow, you’re much better than on the day of treatment!”

“Yes. It’s all thanks to you.”

Mr. Pairon smiled warmly and pushed the meat in front of him toward me again.

I didn’t refuse and grabbed that meat, putting it in my mouth in one bite.

“You memorized the herb names I taught you so well that I thought you were clever, but I didn’t know you also knew medicine. What is your teacher’s name?”

Teacher?

Professor Kim who would hysterically torment interns and residents like catching mice starting an hour before surgery?

Or Professor Eun who only chose easy surgeries for the sake of his own reputation?

I fell into contemplation over the professors who were hard to rank.

After a moment of thought, I mentioned the most respectable person during my short life.

“My mom. My mom taught me.”

“Your mom…? Your mom passed away when you were young….”

“Ahem!”

This time Mr. Baeknaeng cleared his throat and shook his head.

Well, it wasn’t a pleasant topic.

I grabbed another chunk of meat in front of me and pushed it into my mouth, chewing.

“Anyway, since you helped with the treatment, I’d like to give you a reward. If there’s anything you want….”

“The treatment is done? We’re just getting started.”

When I put down the fork I was holding, Mr. Pairon’s puzzled gaze reached me.

I immediately approached Mr. Pairon, grabbed his shoulder, and pushed with slight force.

“Like this.”

“Aaaaah!”

When I pushed his shoulder, Mr. Pairon screamed and collapsed again. Startled by this, Mr. Baeknaeng turned pale and jumped up from his seat.

“You…! What are you doing right now…!”

“Non-union is harder to treat than you’d think. Even though I’ve reduced it, it can easily slip out like this.”

Mr. Baeknaeng’s sharp gaze reached me. However, I didn’t flinch and grabbed Mr. Pairon’s shoulder again, realigning the displaced bone.

“For the time being, you need to be careful with your arm until the reduced bone reattaches. Even with such a small displacement, the arm will just pop out again.”

In other words, Mr. Pairon’s shoulder was in a state where there was a high probability of the arm dislocating again just from lifting his arm wrong or applying force incorrectly.

“Then how do we treat it….”

“I’ll wrap it with bandages, so it would be best not to use your arm for about a week.”

That was the best option for now. Of course, it would be good to have anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent inflammation during the process, painkillers for potential pain, and various other medications….

‘Wait, this is the Herb Merchant’s Guild, isn’t it?’

Come to think of it, the two well-dressed men in front of me were from the Herb Merchant’s Guild.

“If possible, take tapikne and artsan. Ah! You might also need to protect your stomach, so it would be good to take honepan as well. The amount is… about this much?”

I spread my small hand and pointed to about two finger joints’ worth. The two men’s eyes widened at my smooth diagnosis.

Even at their somewhat flustered gazes, I calmly plopped down in my seat.

“You seem to have studied herbs quite a lot.”

“You taught me, Mr. Pairon. And of course I’m not a witch.”

I said while glaring at Mr. Baeknaeng sitting across from me. Mr. Pairon deliberately coughed dryly and avoided my gaze.

“Then could you stay here for a while until I recover? I’ll speak to the infirmary separately.”

Huh? What a stroke of luck!

I had already packed my things to quit my job anyway.

‘Should I think about what to do going forward while staying here?’

Looking at the appetizing food in front of me, my heart began to lean more toward it.

However.

“No. We can’t bring in a child whose identity isn’t even certain.”

The problem was the kidnapper.

That is, Mr. Baeknaeng sitting across from me raised both hands in opposition.

“That’s what he says.”

I blinked my eyes toward Mr. Pairon as if to show him.

With an expression that said ‘Nothing’s going to work because of that man’ even though I didn’t mind.

Mr. Pairon glared at Mr. Baeknaeng once menacingly, then continued speaking.

“Then can you treat me?”

“Th-that’s…!”

Mr. Baeknaeng seemed to immediately back down at Mr. Pairon’s single remark.

But.

“I’m saying this all for your sake! Who knows what that child of uncertain identity might do…!”

“Are you afraid of this child who’s barely ten years old?”

“Seems like it.”

When I spoke while chewing food as if watching a fight, Mr. Hanel glared at me silently.

Then, perhaps deciding it was better to keep his mouth shut, he shoved a large bite of food from in front of him into his mouth.

“Well then, I’m counting on you, Rtemeia.”

“I’m the one who should be saying that.”

When I extended one hand as if to shake hands, Mr. Pairon silently stared at that hand for a moment.

Then he soon took my hand and showed me a warm smile.

* * *

After the meal finished, the room I was guided to was truly…

‘Wow! It’s like a palace…’

It was larger than my previous life’s 8-pyeong dormitory room and the small room prepared in the corner of the Apothecary Room combined.

Though there were no antique decorations, there was a spacious bed, a desk that seemed a bit too large for my use, and finally even a bathtub placed in one corner with a screen.

I was standing there with my mouth agape at the tremendous size of the room.

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