Chapter 24

: Secret Treatment [3]

No, fellow, I am not kidnapping anyone.
Ganghyuk set him at ease, who was trying to stop him desperately. Although, the method he used for stopping him did not look all that good.

Sir…
Dolseok called Ganghyuk desperately.

Sleep there. We are not going to do bad things.
Ganghyuk showed a gentle smile, while Yeoni and Makbong showed a similar smile as well. But, because of the moon, they looked strangely dangerous.
Their ‘mean’ smile at this late night made them look like thieves.

Oh my goodness!
Dolseok frowned while touching his forehead.

It is going to be fine. I am going to cure the professor’s daughter.


This late at night? Without letting the professor know?


It is complicated. I will tell you later. I do not have time.
Ganghyuk closed the door as Dolseok’s sigh was heard from the room.

My master left me tied like this.

Ganghyuk thought to just let him be, but it was too dangerous. ‘Dolseok will surely make a fuss if I let him be.’ Since Dolseok was a strong man, he had to thus ask Makbong to help him tie Dolseok up.
He did not want to have the same trouble again.
…

Makbong, when can we go?


Not yet, sir. There are many patrols in the marketplace.


En…

He wanted to go out right away, but he had no choice but to wait. It was okay to wait there anyway, except for the fact that he had to listen to Dolseok’s groaning.

Oh my goodness… Pathetic, Sir Seungmun.
Dolseok was worried about Seungmun and his reaction,
I thought my master had become a good man, but he seems to have gotten even worse!

No doubt he was even more worried about Ganghyuk at this point.
Makbong nodded his head when Ganghyuk finally seemed to have had enough of Dolseok’s groaning.

It is now. Please run the diagnosis as fast as you can, and then hide behind the wall.


Now?


Yes, sir, please go first.


Ok.

Ganghyuk ran while holding the bag. As the bag was full of things, it made some noise, but it did not disturb his running. When he looked back, Yeoni and Makbong were already behind him.

Now, it is easy. Follow me.
Makbong said as he moved his body continuously from the wall of one house to another. Whenever he stopped, there was a patrol nearby.
‘It is a talent indeed.
It was said that he visited Widow’s Village nearly every day. And now, he was finding the way late at night.

Is it here?

Makbong pointed at a thatched house. It was too shabby a house for a Grade 6 official to live in. It had a very low wall matching with the house, so much so that Ganghyuk could look into the house by just tip-toeing, since he was very tall.
A horse at the gate confirmed that this was the one they were looking for.

Yes, she must be in that room.
Ganghyuk pointed the room where the girl was. Although, Yeoni and Makbong could not see since they were short.
But, since Ganghyuk told them that, it must be the case.

Then, I will jump it first.
Yeoni jumped the wall with a few motions. As she was very light, there was no big noise made from her landing.

Ok, come in.


Yes, but… how did you jump this?

When Ganghyuk tried to jump, the wall seemed quite high. While he was hesitating, Makbong gave him his back.

Step on my back.


Can I?


Yes.


Ok.

It was not good manners if he rejected his offer, so Ganghyuk stepped on the back of Makbong. The latter couldn’t help but groan; it seemed Ganghyuk was heavier than he had thought.

Ouch.

Ganghyuk knew that he must accomplish the task in order not to waste the latter’s sacrifice. So, he managed to climb the wall by almost kicking the latter’s back.
Yeoni helped him to keep the balance at the last moment.

Whew.
Makbong sighed and then said,
I am coming now.

He jumped the wall lightly, even though he was heavier than Gnaghyuk. But, there was some noise, unlike Yeoni.
He whispered with a small voice.
There is no one, not even an ant.


I think there is not much money that one can find here.
If they had had money, they would have changed the house first of all.

Yes, his clothes were quite shabby.
Yeoni remembered Changgweon whom she saw in the afternoon. But, Yeoni’s clothes were shabby too.

Let’s go in.


Will it be okay? If she screams…


Don’t worry. She will not know.

The medicine that Ganghyuk gave her was really strong. Even Sunshin had fallen asleep during the operation because of the medicine.
If the medicine could make a strong young man fall asleep, how could a girl resist its effects?

But…


Don’t worry.

Ganghyuk answered with an irritated tone as he opened the door. ‘People seem to worry even though I tell them not to nowadays.’
This had never happened in the hospital. They considered Ganghyuk a God, and in fact, he actually had troubles because of this reputation.
Such as the one with the President of the hospital.
When he opened the door, he could clearly hear the snores.

Euk… What an odor!
Makbong covered his nose. Although it was a little bit better than the previous visit, the bad odor was still there.
Ganghyuk entered the room while shaking his head.

The medicine that I gave was not enough. Yeoni, come.


Yes, sir.

Yeoni followed Ganghyuk with a little hesitation.

Makbong, if there is anything, please let me know.


Yes, I will stand your watch.


I trust you. Do not fall asleep.


Don’t worry, sir. I don’t sleep at this hour.

Makbong nodded his head; the laughter following his answer had seemed quite obscene.
‘Even though he is obscene, he is reliable.’
With Makbong taking care of surveillance, it is finally treatment time.
The room was very dark, so it was impossible to recognize things.
‘We should turn on the lamp’ It was always better to be cautious.
Ganghyuk hid behind of Yeoni and whispered.
You must examine her. Follow my instructions.


Okay, sir.


Turn on the lights.


Yes.

Yeoni lit the lamp at the corner of the room. It was very dim compared to the one in Ganghyuk’s room.

Why is it so dark?


It seems that they use camellia oil. You use whale fat.


Whale? Do I use whale fat?


Yes, that is very expensive.

There was a difference even among lamp oils…not that he knew of obviously.
‘Old man… Although he scolds whenever he sees me, he has a warm heart.’
The materials for the clinic were all supplied by Seungmun. It seemed that he had indeed provided the most expensive stuff for assisting with the examination.
‘He will be happy to hear my poem, anyway.’
He was not his real father, so he thought that it was already enough for his filial duty.
Ganghyuk then looked around the room after finishing up with some insolent thoughts. Although it was cheap oil, he could see the room with the lamp.
‘She has a lot of books.’
Not only there were books but also some paintings. She must have had noble hobbies. It was not important, anyway.
He stopped browsing and whispered to Yeoni,
Untie your hair so that she will not be too much surprised when she wakes up.


Yes.

The warm breath of his tickled Yeoni’s ears. She untied her hair while blushing with shame.
With that, her voluptuous hair rolled down.
‘Oh!’
It was a whole another feeling compared to when he saw her at the time Peyonsu fell down.
‘She is pretty. I think I have seen her before.’
But he could not remember who it was. Maybe there was a celebrity resembling her in that world.

It is much better. Anyway, I need to see her foot.


Yes, sir.

Yeoni uncovered the blanket, as a result of which, the bad odor became even stronger. It was very strong that they felt like opening the door.

Oh my!

Yeoni blocked her nose while turning her head away. On the other hand, Ganghyuk investigated the wound carefully.
‘Yes, the wound in the leg is infected.’
As he had already guessed from the age of Changgweon, the girl was very young. Although her face was swollen because of the illness, she had good skin.
‘It seems she was not sick before the incident.’
It was unusual for it to be inflamed like this…Maybe there was something still present in the wound.
‘Hmmm…’ He had to make a decision.
‘She might wake up soon.’
Maybe he could make an excuse if he were not caught.

Yeoni, please touch her forehead.


Yes. Oh my goodness! It seems to be on fire, sir.


Yes, I thought so.

High fever and sedative.
‘I don’t know. If we are caught, I can run away I guess.’
Anyway, she would not able to remember it.
Ganghyuk took out the mosquito forceps and tweezers, then gave them to Yeoni.

You see the wound in the sole?


Yes


Dig there with this. There should be something.


What if she wakes up, sir?


You can make an excuse. You can do it, okay? I will hide, so it will be alright. After this, you can tie up your hair and pretend to be a man. Then, nobody will recognize you.
Ganghyuk whispered in Yeoni’s ear.
She felt a strange feeling when his warm breath tickled her ear and she felt his warm body temperature. It might be that it was Yeoni who was unconscious right now rather than the girl who was sleeping intoxicated.

Yes… I see.


Okay. Follow my instructions.


Yes.


Move to the right a little bit… Okay, there.

Yeoni carefully investigated her sole.

Emm…
The girl moved her body out of pain. Yeoni looked back out of surprise, but Ganghyuk only nodded his head.

It is fine.


Ugh

Yeoni took in a deep breath and pushed the mosquito forceps into the sole.

Ah! Something is here.


Yes, I thought so. Grab it.


Yes, sir.

Mosquito forceps were the most effective tool to grab small things. It had small teeth and could be fixed. Therefore, it was the best tool in this situation.

I think I got it.


Oh, yes! I see it. Pull it out.

Yeoni was excited by the fact that she had done something, and felt that it was quite easy.
‘Pull.’
When she pulled the mosquito forceps, an old needle came out with a pleasant sound. Given the form of the needle, it might have been broken when she tried to remove it in the first place.
‘It is natural to have a swollen leg like that with such a thing in the body.’
The wound was all red. She needed to have antibiotics for a while indeed.

I did it. Is she cured?


Yes, you did a good job.
Ganghyuk stroked her head with a smile.

It is the first time for me to treat a patient.


Same for me. I have never treated a patient in this way.


Will she recover soon?


Her leg seems to be fine. She does not need to cut it anyway. She is lucky.

Now, it was time to go quickly and silently
However, the girl who had her eyes closed up till that point suddenly opened her eyes.

Who are you?


Oh damn!