“The person I saved hurt Lady Lin.”

I shook my head.

“That’s not Lady Shin’s fault.”

While reading Cheonmajijeon, I stuck out my tongue. There were many creative demons in the world.

After being victimized by Cruel Sword, Shin So Gyeong hates her past self for being too kind. I didn’t think that was right.

“Those people were evil, I don’t think Lady Shin did anything wrong.”

“I…”

“The ones who took advantage of people’s hearts are bad. How can the victim be at fault?”

Shin So Gyeong sobbed.

She placed her hand on her chest. I could tell without her saying that the kind-hearted girl had been deeply wounded.

“Lady Lin, would you allow me to repay your kindness?”

How does she intend to repay the kindness?

I needed to move immediately for the Cheonhaje. It meant I didn’t have time to stay here.

“Though not as much as my father, I too have learned many medical skills.”

Shin So Gyeong’s face showed a certain determination as she said this.

“I’ve also learned a bit of swordsmanship. Though my talents are meager.”

For meager talents, she was a very important character in Cheonmajijeon.

‘First of all, her looks aren’t that of an extra. She’s clearly written as an important person.’

Unlike my ordinary appearance, Shin So Gyeong’s flower-like beauty truly befitted a novel’s main character.

And one of the rules in novels:

The protagonists and main characters don’t have ordinary talents.

Shin So Gyeong’s words about her meager talents were completely wrong.

“May I accompany Lady Lin? I’ve already spoken to my father about it.”

“Dr. Shin gave permission?”

“Yes, I may not be able to repay the kindness fully, but if I’m with you, it will be a little better.”

Shin So Gyeong’s words were true.

With her excellent medical skills, I could fully recover on the way to participate in the Cheonhaje.

[Is this also part of your plan?]

‘Of course not.’

I really hadn’t intended this.

Of course, I would welcome someone as talented as Shin So Gyeong accompanying me.

I was just surprised that Shin So Gyeong thought of leaving when Dr. Shin was here.

When I didn’t answer for a while, Shin So Gyeong mumbled in a dejected voice.

“Would it be alright if I come along…?”

“Um…”

“I, I can be quite useful. I’m deft with my hands and my father has acknowledged my medical skills to some extent…”

I quietly thought to myself as I looked at Shin So Gyeong.

‘This is totally sweet!’

I intended to prevent what would happen to Shin So Gyeong, but I hadn’t expected fortune to roll in like this.

I was also worried that Ji Cheon Wu might lose his greatest helper.

‘I was going to ask Shin So Gyeong if she wanted to learn swordsmanship again.’

Even before the bloodshed, Shin So Gyeong had a longing for the sword.

Ji Cheon Wu would be overjoyed too.

Thinking this, I looked at Ji Cheon Wu.

‘Why does he look displeased?’

He even seemed to be looking at Shin So Gyeong with a disapproving face.

But that was clearly strange. The Shin So Gyeong I had seen so far hadn’t changed much from the original.

So why would Ji Cheon Wu dislike her?

‘In the original, he fell for Shin So Gyeong because of her kind nature.’

[Hmph, of course he wouldn’t like it.]

‘Why?’

[What kind of person do you think Ji Cheon Wu is?]

‘Um, a talented and kind guy…?’

[Absolutely not. Looking at this Shin So Gyeong’s eyes now, she doesn’t seem much different from Ji Cheon Wu.]

‘She is kind like Ji Cheon Wu, yes.’

[No, they’re the same in that they’ve fallen for you.]

‘Lady So Gyeong has fallen for me?’

[Yes.]

At Dagger Uncle’s words, I looked at Shin So Gyeong. What did he mean by Shin So Gyeong falling for me?

No, more than that, Dagger Uncle’s words implied that Ji Cheon Wu had fallen for me as well.

‘Even so, if he liked me, he’d show it.’

Ji Cheon Wu had never once shown any sign of liking me.

[It’s the first time I’ve felt sorry for that guy.]

‘There’s no way Ji Cheon Wu would dislike Lady So Gyeong.’

[He probably doesn’t dislike her. He’s likely annoyed. He probably wants to oppose that girl’s desire to come along. But he can’t. Because you need a doctor.]

That meant if I wasn’t injured now, Ji Cheon Wu would have opposed Shin So Gyeong coming along.

I looked back and forth between Shin So Gyeong and Ji Cheon Wu’s faces.

As Dagger Uncle said, there was something visible in Ji Cheon Wu’s face.

‘I’m not sure, but the answer is already decided.’

I reached out to the anxious Shin So Gyeong. Then I smiled brightly.

“I always welcome you. Let’s go together.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Shin So Gyeong didn’t have much luggage.

Dr. Shin came out to see off the departing Shin So Gyeong.

“Please take good care of So Gyeong.”

“Will you be alright? It’s a long journey.”

Dr. Shin looked at me with burdened eyes. I could tell at a glance what he thought of me.

His face was as moved as Shin So Gyeong’s. Feeling somewhat strange, I scratched my face.

“That day, if it weren’t for the young lady, So Gyeong wouldn’t have survived either. So I respect her choice.”

“Still…”

“…”

“I hope you’ll be safe.”

I looked at him with a peculiar expression. Shin So Gyeong said goodbye to her siblings and father before getting on the carriage.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was very fortunate that Shin So Gyeong came along.

My wounds weren’t something that could heal in such a short time.

I wasn’t in my right mind the entire time I was in the carriage. Even if I wanted to pretend to be fine, I wasn’t in a state to do so.

I started moving in an almost half-unconscious state.

During that time, Ji Cheon Wu and Shin So Gyeong hovered around me. My fever was raging and I couldn’t think straight.

I lost and regained consciousness several times.

Nam Gung Yu Cheong couldn’t stay with me constantly as he was moving outside the carriage with the guards.

But I could hear his and others’ worried voices continuously.

“Lin, don’t lose consciousness.”

“Are you okay?”

“Lady Lin, because of me…”

“Does it hurt a lot? Damn it!”

My heart inexplicably swelled.

Perhaps memories from my childhood came to mind.

‘Even though it wasn’t that long ago…’

I had been terribly sick then too.

It was the day I first met Grandfather.

I was groaning alone, unable to bear the raging fever.

Compared to then, now there were many people worrying about me.

That fact was so warm it almost brought tears to my eyes. Dagger Uncle spoke in a low voice.

[Sleep. It’ll be a bit better if you sleep.]

‘…’

[If you get hurt again next time, I’ll give you a thrashing.]

I felt like smiling softly at the frustration in his voice.

It hurt, it definitely hurt a lot… but it didn’t hurt.

Rather, it felt like I was floating in the sky.

I recovered by the time we arrived in Shanxi Province, where the Murim Alliance was holding the Cheonhaje.

I looked beside me.

I wondered why I felt stuffy, and it was because Shin So Gyeong was sleeping next to me.

She was even holding my hand tightly.

‘What’s this? Don’t tell me she fell asleep after nursing me all this time?’

Shin So Gyeong was indeed one of the kindest female protagonists among numerous novels.

Aren’t there cases where the female lead is bad when you possess a character in a romance fantasy novel?

Like when you possess a villain, but the original female lead turns into a villain.

‘What’s with this stream of consciousness.’

I shook my head.

I carefully removed her hand, afraid of waking Shin So Gyeong.

“Mmm, Lady Lin…”

I laughed at Shin So Gyeong’s murmuring.

‘What kind of dream is she having?’

I got up as I was.

I was very hungry, probably because I hadn’t eaten properly for days.

“Are you awake?”

I slowly turned my gaze.

Ji Cheon Wu was looking at me.

I stared at Ji Cheon Wu with furrowed brows. He was sitting in a corner of the lodging where Shin So Gyeong and I were staying.

His eyes were full of fatigue, as if he hadn’t slept properly.

‘It’s been a while since I fell ill, but he hasn’t rested properly all this time?’

Dagger Uncle said, as if tattling:

[That’s right, that guy didn’t sleep at all. He’s probably completely drained by now.]

I put my hands on my waist, looking displeased.

“Why are you here?”

Ji Cheon Wu’s gaze then turned to Shin So Gyeong. He seemed somewhat annoyed.

‘Come to think of it, I think I heard them bickering often.’

It was strange no matter how I looked at it.

Shin So Gyeong was exactly the same as in the original, so why had her relationship with Ji Cheon Wu changed?

“Just, I wanted to see when you’d wake up. I wanted to be by your side when you woke up.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Ji Cheon Wu led me to the inn’s dining room.

Though it was early morning, the inn was busy. It felt even more lively than last evening.

‘I guess it’s about time for others to arrive too.’

Fortunately, while I was sick, our group had continued to march hard.

Thanks to that, we were able to arrive in Shanxi Province before the Cheonhaje began.

Ji Cheon Wu bought me some noodles.

‘This guy, he doesn’t have much money either.’

The money Ji Cheon Wu had was what he received for running errands for Nam Gung So So at the Nam Gung family.

Nam Gung So So would often give Ji Cheon Wu errands just to give him pocket money.

Knowing Ji Cheon Wu’s financial situation, I still didn’t refuse the noodles he bought me.

Ji Cheon Wu was the type to dislike it more if I considered him.