I'm A Minor Villain In A Martial Arts Novel - Chapter 37

Shin So Kyung brought tea cups to Ji Cheon Wu, Nam Gung Yu Cheong, and me.

“It might be a bit noisy. We have many children in our medical center.”

Nam Gung Yu Cheong asked curiously.

“Many children?”

“We take care of orphans at the medical center.”

Nam Gung Yu Cheong’s expression changed.

Though he had heard about it from the waiter, seeing it in person was different.

“You’re an admirable person.”

At first, Nam Gung Yu Cheong had been cautious, but after observing the medical center for a while, his thoughts seemed to have changed.

Among the visitors to the medical center, some appeared wealthy, but most looked poor.

“I’m proud of my father too. My dream is to become a doctor like him someday.”

“…”

“I want to share what I have and live like that.”

Shin So Kyung said this with a gentle smile.

Regrettably, Shin So Kyung’s dream will not come true.

Due to the bloodshed that will occur in the village, Shin So Kyung will become distrustful of people.

‘How should I inspect the medical center?’

I pondered for a moment but decided to ask Shin So Kyung honestly after seeing her face.

“May I take a look around the medical center for a while?”

“Of course. You’re the ones who safely brought the children here. Just don’t go where the patients are.”

[They really have no sense of caution. What if you were bad people?]

I nodded at Uncle Dagger’s words.

‘They’re too kind. They think others are like themselves.’

Believing that kindness will be returned with kindness.

But is kindness always returned with kindness?

I knew it wasn’t. There were people who responded to kindness with malice.

‘Nam Gung Hyun Jong was the most typical example.’

Nam Gung Hyun Jong responded to my father’s kindness with malice.

Sometimes there were people who gave up on being human.

“Waaah, sister fell down!”

Just then, I saw Shin So Kyung giving candy to a child who came to her.

“Oh, Ryeong. You scraped your knee. There, there, stop crying. Sister will make it stop hurting soon.”

I wished Shin So Kyung knew that not everyone was good, but at the same time, I hoped she didn’t know.

“I need to treat the child’s leg. Could you wait for a moment?”

I spoke to Nam Gung Yu Cheong and Ji Cheon Wu.

“I’ll go with So Kyung to look around the medical center for a bit.”

“Lin?”

“I’ll be back soon.”

Shin So Kyung started leading me, saying she’d show me around the medical center.

Many children gathered around her. A bright smile spread across Shin So Kyung’s face.

“I’m sorry, my father should be greeting the guests. He’s too busy.”

Suddenly, I noticed the clothes Shin So Kyung was wearing. Her clothes were old and worn.

There were patches here and there, seemingly mended with needlework.

She was carrying a girl with a scraped knee in her arms. I suddenly wanted to ask.

“Don’t you ever find it hard?”

“Hard?”

“If you hadn’t been so generous, you could have lived more comfortably.”

It was true.

If they had turned away those who came, Shin So Kyung and her family could have lived more abundantly.

But Shin So Kyung smiled brightly.

“Well, it has been hard sometimes.”

“…”

“There were times when we couldn’t help people because we didn’t have money.”

I kept my mouth shut.

Shin So Kyung seemed to shine as she said this.

‘No wonder Ji Cheon Wu liked her.’

I asked Shin So Kyung.

“Your hands, it seems you’ve held a sword before.”

“Yes, as expected of a martial artist, you noticed well.”

Shin So Kyung said this with a bitter smile.

“But it’s been a while since I held one. I’m busy enough just helping with the medical work.”

Silence fell.

I was truly at a loss for words.

[Well, this is something else.]

Even Uncle Dagger clicked his tongue while looking at Shin So Kyung.

“Could I possibly stay here today?”

“Here?”

“Yes, I looked for lodgings but couldn’t find a suitable place.”

Uncle Dagger clicked his tongue at my words.

[Surely she won’t allow it.]

Shin So Kyung also looked troubled.

“We don’t have any spare rooms…”

[See, she won’t allow…]

“If you don’t mind my room, that would be fine.”

Uncle Dagger fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words.

[She’s allowing it.]

When we arrived at the pharmacy, Shin So Kyung treated the child’s knee.

“Now you need to be careful.”

“Sniff, okay, sister.”

It was then.

An elderly doctor approached Shin So Kyung.

“So Kyung.”

“Father.”

I turned my gaze.

It seemed he was Shin So Kyung’s father, Doctor Shin.

“How is it? Has that person regained consciousness?”

“The critical moment has passed. They should wake up soon.”

At Doctor Shin’s words, Shin So Kyung’s expression brightened.

I too breathed a sigh of relief watching them.

‘I came at just the right time.’

Well, since Ji Cheon Wu passed through here on his way to the Cheonhaje, the timing had to be similar.

Today was the day of the bloodshed where everyone in the medical center, Shin So Kyung’s everything, would die.

[This is the timeline separator]

I headed towards Ji Cheon Wu and Nam Gung Yu Cheong. It was to tell them that we would be staying here tonight.

“So, it looks like we’ll be staying here for a day.”

Ji Cheon Wu and Nam Gung Yu Cheong looked confused.

Well, even I thought it was a bit abrupt. We had left for the Cheonhaje quite late.

As such, my request must have seemed unreasonable to my companions.

‘Moreover, we had already booked rooms at an inn.’

In that situation, there was no need to stay at the medical center.

“Lin, we’re on a tight schedule even if we leave now.”

At Nam Gung Yu Cheong’s words, I scratched my cheek. Just as he was about to try and persuade me, Ji Cheon Wu spoke.

“Lin, you have a reason, don’t you?”

I looked at him as he said this.

“I trust you. You’ve never done anything without a reason.”

Nam Gung Yu Cheong also seemed to think for a moment before nodding.

“That’s true. Lin has never acted without reason.”

Even as they said this, neither of them asked why we needed to stay here.

Ji Cheon Wu knew I had Uncle Dagger with me.

In fact, for the past five years, Ji Cheon Wu and Uncle Dagger had been aware of each other’s existence.

We even sparred every evening. I didn’t say it explicitly, but Ji Cheon Wu probably knew that Uncle Dagger was the one sparring with him and teaching him the basics.

‘He’s not so oblivious as to not realize that.’

I felt embarrassed.

Because both of their eyes were full of trust. Nam Gung Yu Cheong smiled wryly and said, as if he had no choice.

“Alright, let’s stay here tonight. Well, even if our schedule is extended a bit, we can just hurry up later to make up for it.”

“Thank you, Brother Yu Cheong.”

“I’ll inform the guards.”

It was then that Shin So Kyung’s voice was heard.

“Miss Lin, my father is inviting us for dinner together. Would you like to join?”

At her words, Nam Gung Yu Cheong and Ji Cheon Wu’s gazes turned to me.

“Father wants to express his gratitude for bringing the children and would like to treat you.”

It was a good opportunity.

I wanted to see Doctor Shin, Shin So Kyung’s father, anyway.

I answered Shin So Kyung.

“Then I’ll gratefully accept.”

The dinner was simple but prepared with care.

Doctor Shin was a person with fatigue evident on his face. Yet, he didn’t lose his enthusiasm somewhere.

“Thank you so much for bringing the children. My staff and I have been so busy lately that we couldn’t pay much attention to them, and they’ve been causing trouble. It’s all my fault.”

But even so, his face was full of love.

I felt strange looking at him.

Because I could see who Shin So Kyung took after in terms of personality.

As Doctor Shin said, the children were mischievous, but the villagers loved them.

[This peaceful medical center will turn into a sea of blood today?]

‘Yes, everyone will die. Children, elderly, women, all indiscriminately.’

The Cheonmajijeon described that they would be found dead in a miserable state.

It must have been severe enough for even the strong-minded Shin So Kyung to lose her senses for a while.

The dagger started to hum. Uncle Dagger was enraged.

[How dare those so-called martial artists…]

I patted Uncle Dagger.

“You suddenly have many patients?”

“Yes, we found some injured people. Most of them aren’t in critical condition, but there’s one patient in a serious state that we’ve been looking after.”

Hearing Doctor Shin’s words, I put down my chopsticks. My eyes met with Ji Cheon Wu’s.

I saw Ji Cheon Wu nod.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was late at night.

Ji Cheon Wu and Nam Gung Yu Cheong were staying in the room Shin So Kyung had given to the boys.

I got up from my seat.

Next to me, Shin So Kyung was asleep. In the Cheonmajijeon, Shin So Kyung’s title was Snow Flower Goddess (雪花神女).

She was a beauty who exuded coldness.

In contrast, the current Shin So Kyung was as gentle as a lamb. It was hard to imagine that after entering the martial arts world, she would become known for her cold temperament.

[Why would such a kind person change?]

At Uncle Dagger’s words, I recalled what would happen today.

This kind Shin So Kyung would change today.