“The person I saved injured Miss Lin.”

I shook my head.

“That’s not Miss Shin’s fault.”

While reading Cheonmajijeon, I clicked my tongue. There were many creative evil leaders in the world.

After being brutalized by Janhyeokgeom, Shin So-kyung hates her previously kind self. I thought that was wrong.

“Those evil people are the bad ones. I don’t think it’s Miss Shin’s fault at all.”

“I…”

“The ones who exploited people’s hearts are bad. What sin does the victim have?”

Shin So-kyung sobbed.

She put her hand on her chest. Even without words, I could tell that the kind her had been deeply hurt.

“Miss Lin, could you allow me to repay your kindness?”

How does she plan to repay the kindness?

I had to act immediately for the Cheonhaje. It meant I had no time to stay here.

“Although not as much as my father, I also learned many medical skills.”

Shin So-kyung’s face showed determination as she said that.

“I have also learned some swordsmanship, albeit mediocre talent.”

For mediocre talent, she was a very important character in Cheonmajijeon.

‘To begin with, her appearance is not that of an extra. It clearly states that I’m an important person.’

Unlike me who looks ordinary, Shin So-kyung’s appearance with flowers blooming on her face was indeed befitting of a novel’s lead.

And one of the laws in novels.

The protagonist and lead characters do not possess mediocre talent.

Shin So-kyung’s words about mediocre talent were completely wrong.

“May I accompany Miss Lin? I have already spoken to my father.”

“Physician Shin allowed it?”

“Yes, although I can’t repay the kindness as much as I received, it will still be better if I’m with you.”

Shin So-kyung’s words were true.

With her outstanding medical skills, she could fully recover my body on the way to participate in the Cheonhaje.

[Did you plan for this too?]

‘Of course not.’

I really did not intend it.

Of course, I would welcome traveling together with someone as talented as Shin So-kyung.

I was just surprised that Shin So-kyung thought of leaving even with Physician Shin here.

When I didn’t answer for a while, Shin So-kyung muttered in a discouraged voice.

“Can I come with you…?”

“Well…”

“I, I will be more useful than you think. My hands are deft and my medical skills are somewhat acknowledged by my father…”

I quietly thought as I looked at Shin So-kyung like that.

‘This is totally a jackpot, right?’

Of course, I planned to stop what would happen to Shin So-kyung, but I didn’t think fortune would roll in like this.

I was also worried that Ji Cheon-woo would lose his biggest helper.

‘I was going to ask Shin So-kyung. If she had any thoughts of learning the sword again.’

In fact, even before the bloody events, Shin So-kyung had a yearning for the sword.

Ji Cheon-woo would also be very happy.

Thinking that, I looked at Ji Cheon-woo.

‘Why does he look displeased?’

He even seemed to be looking at Shin So-kyung with a dissatisfied face.

But that was definitely strange. The Shin So-kyung I had seen so far was not much different from the original Shin So-kyung.

So why was Ji Cheon-woo displeased with her?

‘In the original, he fell for her kind heart.’

[Hmph, he won’t like it.]

‘Why?’

[What kind of guy do you think Ji Cheon-woo is?]

‘Um, a talented and kind guy…?’

[Absolutely not. Looking at that Shin So-kyung’s eyes now, she doesn’t seem much different from Ji Cheon-woo.]

‘She’s similarly kind to Ji Cheon-woo.’

[No, it’s the same that she fell for you.]

‘Miss So-kyung fell for me?’

[Yes.]

At the dagger ajussi’s words, I looked at Shin So-kyung. What did it mean that Shin So-kyung fell for me?

No, the dagger ajussi’s words meant the same as saying Ji Cheon-woo fell for me.

‘Even so, if he likes me, he would show it.’

Ji Cheon-woo had never once shown any signs of liking me.

[This is the first time I feel pity for that guy.]

‘There’s no way Ji Cheon-woo would dislike Miss So-kyung.’

[It’s not dislike. He’ll be annoyed. He’ll probably want to oppose that girl’s words about wanting to come along. But he won’t be able to. Because you need a physician.]

The implication was that if I hadn’t been injured now, Ji Cheon-woo would have opposed Shin So-kyung coming along.

I alternately looked at Shin So-kyung and Ji Cheon-woo’s faces.

As the dagger ajussi said, Ji Cheon-woo’s face somewhat showed it.

‘I don’t know well, but the answer is set.’

I reached out my hand to the anxious Shin So-kyung. Then I smiled brightly.

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

[This is the timeline separator]

Shin So-kyung’s luggage was not much.

Physician Shin came out to see off the departing Shin So-kyung.

“Please take good care of So-kyung.”

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

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

It was the same moved face as Shin So-kyung’s. Feeling strange, I scratched my face.

“That day, if not for you Miss, So-kyung would not have survived either. So I respect her choice.”

“Still…”

“…”

“I hope you stay safe.”

I looked at him with a peculiar face. Shin So-kyung said goodbye to her younger siblings and father and got on the carriage.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was very fortunate that Shin So-kyung came along.

My injury was not something that could heal in such a short time.

I was not in my right mind the whole time I was in the carriage. Even if I wanted to pretend I was fine, I was not in a state to do so.

I began traveling in an almost half-fainted state.

During that time, Ji Cheon-woo and Shin So-kyung hovered by my side. My fever was raging and I couldn’t think properly.

I repeatedly lost consciousness and woke up countless times.

Nam Gung Yu Cheong couldn’t always be with me as he was escorting outside the carriage with the guards.

But I kept hearing the worried voices of him and others.

“Lin, don’t lose consciousness.”

“Are you okay?”

“Miss Lin, because of me…”

“Does it hurt a lot? Damn it!”

My heart inexplicably swelled.

Perhaps it was because memories of my childhood came to mind.

‘It’s only been a few years anyway…’

There was a time when I was terribly sick then too.

It was the first day I saw my grandfather.

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

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

That fact was heartwarming enough to bring tears to my eyes. The dagger ajussi spoke in a low voice.

[Sleep. You’ll feel a bit better if you sleep.]

‘…’

[If you get hurt next time too, I’ll give you a beating.]

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

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

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

I recovered by the time we arrived at Shanxi Province of the Murim Alliance where the Cheonhaje was being held.

I looked to my side.

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

She was even tightly holding my hand.

‘What? Did she fall asleep while nursing me until now?’

Shin So-kyung was indeed a very kind person among the many novel heroines.

Don’t people sometimes transmigrate into a villainess in romance novels?

There are also cases where the original heroine turns into a villainess when transmigrating into the villain.

‘What’s with this stream of consciousness.’

I shook my head vigorously.

I carefully removed her hand with a cautious hand, afraid of waking Shin So-kyung.

“Mmm, Miss Lin…”

Shin So-kyung’s mumbling made me laugh.

‘What kind of dream is she having?’

I got up like that.

Because I was very hungry from not being able to eat properly for several days.

“You’re awake?”

I slowly turned my gaze.

Ji Cheon-woo was looking at me.

I narrowed my eyes and stared at Ji Cheon-woo. Ji Cheon-woo was sitting in the corner of the lodge where Shin So-kyung and I were staying.

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

‘It’s been a while since I was sick, but you haven’t rested properly during that time?’

The dagger ajussi tattled.

[That’s right, that guy didn’t sleep a wink. He’s probably drained of stamina by now.]

I put my hands on my waist, displeased.

“Why are you here?”

Then Ji Cheon-woo’s gaze turned to Shin So-kyung. He looked annoyed by something.

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

It was strange no matter how I looked at it.

Shin So-kyung was the same as the original Shin So-kyung, so why was the relationship with Ji Cheon-woo different?

“Just, I was wondering when you would wake up. I wanted to be by your side when you woke up.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Ji Cheon-woo led me to the inn’s restaurant.

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

‘It’s about time for others to start arriving.’

Fortunately, while I was sick, the group continued marching.

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

Ji Cheon-woo bought me somyeon (thin noodle soup).

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

The money Ji Cheon-woo had was from running errands for Nam Gung So So at the Nam Gung Clan.

Nam Gung So So deliberately gave errands to Ji Cheon-woo to give him allowance.

Even knowing Ji Cheon-woo’s financial situation, I didn’t refuse the somyeon he bought me.

Because Ji Cheon-woo was the type to dislike it more if I tried to be considerate of him.