RHDWK 10

Chapter 10

“Ah, yes.”

I followed the servant inside the mansion. It was an even grander estate than I had imagined. ‘So this was the Young Master… Huh, this Young Master?’

Namgung San-san could not believe it. The fact that Sima Jin, whom she had trusted, was actually a member of the villainous Demonic Cult and the very person who killed her brother. Out of betrayal and fear, Namgung San-san’s body trembled.

As I thought about Namgung Do-hae, the contents of the original novel flashed through my mind. No wonder the name had sounded familiar when I first heard it. If it’s this Young Master of the Namgung Clan, he’s a character who exits the story early on in the original work. He probably exits even earlier than I do. And the cause of his death was the exact same Sima Jin standing right here. Namgung Do-hae’s death becomes the catalyst for the female protagonist—who once held a shred of affection for Sima Jin—to completely turn her back on him.

I glanced sideways at Sima Jin, who had followed me inside. ‘Because of that bastard, that flower-like young master…….’

Noticing my gaze, Sima Jin tilted his head slightly. I turned my head back and looked around the interior of the mansion. ‘Whoa, it’s huge.’

My attention quickly shifted to the sheer scale of the Namgung Clan estate. Peeking around, I saw multiple buildings and a backyard with a pond. It was an immensely, ridiculously luxurious mansion.

To think that a one-line extra like me, Dang Xiaobai, would ever end up visiting the Namgung Clan.

When I turned my head back again, Sima Jin was looking up at the mansion just like me. ‘With a primary villain attached, no less.’

Wondering if this was actually a good idea, I let out a small sigh.Am I secretly trying to get myself killed? There’s no other reason

I’d keep him right by my side, manage to escape the original plot on my own, and then voluntarily bring him straight here.

“It’s a huge mansion,” Sima Jin muttered. ‘I don’t know for sure, but your family’s place is probably ridiculously grand, too.’

The Sima Clan wasn’t a famously prominent family in martial arts novels, but they were still one of the Murim clans. Even if it couldn’t quite rival the Namgung Clan, it was bound to be a massive estate.

Pushing my fascination with the mansion aside, I followed the servant into the main building. “Young Master, the apothecary teacher has arrived.”

The servant cupped his hands respectfully in front of the sliding paper door to announce my presence. At the immediate instruction to enter, he slowly slid the door open. At his gesture for us to go in, I stepped into the room along with Sima Jin.

“Welcome, Young Master. I’ve been waiting.” Namgung Do-hae greeted me with a smile.

Having just recalled events from the original novel, looking at his face filled me with a sense of pity.

Though, truthfully, I wasn’t really in a position to pity anyone.Young master, I’ll keep a tight leash on Sima Jin, so you’ll be able to keep your life.……Probably.

As long as I don’t get consumed by Sima Jin, that is. If that happens, Sima Jin’s illness won’t be cured, and he won’t ever become the Heavenly Demon.Boy, my sense of responsibility is getting heavy.

Just how many lives am I saving right now? It’s got to be in the thousands.Good job, Dang Xiaobai.

Thinking to myself, I nodded alone.

“Who is the person that needs an examination?” “Ah, it’s my younger sister.”

Namgung Do-hae stood up from his seat and approached me. I froze at his words. ‘If it’s his younger sister, is that the female protagonist?’

I swallowed hard.Was the female lead sick with something in the story? I tried to rack my brain, but nothing came to mind.

Besides, since she was the female protagonist, I was intensely curious about what she looked like.

‘Even so…… even so!’

I was worried about Sima Jin, who was sticking right behind me.Was it really okay to bring him in front of the female lead? Even though he hadn’t been picked up by the female lead like in the original story,

I was terrified that some kind of “inevitable flow of the plot” would kick in and make Sima Jin obsessed with her anyway.

‘My hard-earned slave is gone…….’ No, actually, I didn’t really need a slave.

What I was worried about was that if things flowed exactly like the novel, thousands of lives and whatever else aside—I’d be in grave danger. And so would the life of this flower-like young master right in front of me.

‘Ah! I really shouldn’t have brought Sima Jin along!’

I had gone soft for a second because of Sima Jin’s puppy-like gaze. Just as I was about to turn around and storm out of the room, I grabbed my own head and let out a silent scream.

“Master?”

Coming to my senses at Sima Jin’s voice, I saw both Sima Jin and Namgung Do-hae staring at me. “Ah…….” “Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

Sima Jin checked my face with a worried expression. Whenever I saw such a harmless face, my fears about him eventually killing me tended to fade away.But you never really know. My theory was that the reason Sima Jin—with a gentle disposition like this—turned into a monster who plunged the Central Plains into a bloodbath was because of the female protagonist. His obsession and desire to possess her must have been the root cause. I couldn’t let all the heart-pumping effort I’d put into dragging Sima Jin around go to waste now.

“Are you alright, Young Master?” “Ah, yes! L-Let’s go.”

Namgung Do-hae asked if I was okay, one question after another. Telling him I was fine, I urged him to move, and he resumed walking. “My younger sister’s quarters are right this way.”

When Namgung Do-hae stopped, I stopped in my tracks as well. Before he could slide open the door, I turned around and looked straight up at Sima Jin.

“Cheon-dol, you wait here.”

“Huh? But…….” “Ahem, you shady fellow. Where do you think you’re trying to carelessly barge into a woman’s room!”

When I suddenly scolded him, Sima Jin’s eyes widened for a moment before turning gloomy.Ah, there he goes with that look again. I wasn’t going to let it slide this time. I had to protect myself. I resolved that I would definitely stop Sima Jin from turning into an obsessed villain.

“It’s fine for him to come in with you, Young Master.” As Namgung Do-hae chimed in, I shook my head. “No, this fellow is a bit slow in the head, so I never know where he might wander off to.”

Admittedly, that was a pretty harsh thing to say right to his face, but Sima Jin didn’t react at all, as if he was completely used to it. In fact, he was still looking gloomy just because I told him not to follow.

“H-He doesn’t really look like that, though.” Namgung Do-hae glanced sideways, giving Sima Jin a subtle look. He furrowed his brow and stared at Sima Jin intently.Oh boy,

I can’t exactly tell him that this guy is a monster who might turn the Central Plains upside down.

“I am not fine with it. Let’s go on inside, Young Master.”

“……Yes.”

After stepping into the room, I closed the sliding paper door behind me. Left all alone outside, Sima Jin sent me a wistful gaze, but I ignored it.

“San-san, someone has come to check on your condition.”

As Namgung Do-hae finished speaking, a rustling sound came from the direction of the bed.

Through the thin silk curtains hanging around the bed, I could see the silhouette of someone sitting up. Soon, the curtains parted, and a woman revealed her face.

‘Whoa…….’

She was a woman with a breathtaking, otherworldly appearance. Long black hair cascading down to her waist, and large eyes so striking it felt like your own eyeballs might pop out if she hit them.

Even though she still had a youthful, adolescent face, her looks were the definition of a beauty capable of toppling nations.

I felt a sudden wave of relief that I’d left Sima Jin outside. Even I, a woman, was losing my breath over this; if Sima Jin had laid eyes on her, he would have instantly transformed into an obsessive second male lead.

Namgung San-san sat on the edge of the bed with a faint smile. I approached her and examined her outward condition. Sure enough, her lips were chapped, and she looked thoroughly unwell.

“Have other physicians visited before?” “Yes, but none of them could find a remedy…….”

Namgung Do-hae answered my question with a troubled look on his face. ‘Huh? Wouldn’t an apothecary have an even harder time figuring it out, then?’

It was something you’d realize with just a little thought, but since the older brothers of the

Namgung Clan doted on their younger sister so much, they were probably desperate enough to borrow the hand of a passing street dog.

“Lady Namgung, excuse me.”

I took hold of Namgung San-san’s thin, pale arm and checked her pulse. Actually, Namgung Do-hae coming to find me might have been a stroke of good luck.

Whether it was some sort of spiritual ability tied to supernatural entities or not, checking pulses like this allowed me to diagnose most ailments based on my existing knowledge.

With an ability like this, I was practically cut out to be a full-fledged doctor, but I ended up as an apothecary just following my mother around.

“Hmm…… hmm?”

I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head. There seemed to be nothing wrong with her at all. In fact, she was brimming with vigorous life energy.

‘What gives?’

“Haa…….”

As I kept checking her pulse with a bewildered heart, Namgung San-san let out a deep sigh.What’s with that sorrowful gaze and sigh? Her body seemed perfectly healthy, yet her outward appearance was an absolute wreck.

In that case… was it a problem of the mind, not the body?