Volume 3 Chapter 6 – Father and Elder

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Elder Yeom…”

The Fourth Young Master had been soothing his subordinates in a corner.

The boy muttered as he gazed at Elder Yeom, who was lined up among the poor.

“For someone of the status of an elder in the Main Family, he could even call and meet a physician who was a former imperial physician. What an ironic thing.”

The boy’s eyes narrowed.

Elder Yeom had established numerous achievements based on his personal martial power, and with excellent behavior and judgment, he had succeeded in securing a place in the internal politics of the Sword Family, which was like a carnage.

In the end, he was a figure who rose to the position of an elder in the Sword Family.

Though he was not a member of the Yeon clan, the warriors of the Luoyang Sword Family often talked about him as a self-made figure who started from the bottom and proudly entered the Elders’ Council.

“He has not even carried the giant sword that is practically his symbol.”

Those were the words of the head maid guarding his side.

“Without even bringing subordinates, that is.”

Furthermore, when the poor, who felt fear at the mention of him being an elder of the Sword Family, tried to get out of the line, Elder Yeom even dissuaded them.

“And the one riding on his back is that Law Enforcement Lady.”

“Yes.”

At that moment, a young scholar carefully spoke.

“Lord. Would it be alright if you do not go and greet him?”

The Fourth Young Master shook his head.

“No need. Pretending to know him here will only make things more difficult for him.”

The Fourth Young Master already knew what had happened between the Medicine King and Elder Yeom.

“Rather…”

He withdrew his gaze and clapped his hands.

“Seeing that your mouths are alive and babbling, you must have rested enough.”

Fierce glares were poured from around toward the scholar who had brought up unnecessary words and caused trouble.

“Everyone, you heard our Lord’s words, right?”

At the head maid’s words, the Fourth Young Master’s subordinates, who had been taking a break, all began to move toward the patients.

“A meeting between a representative neutral elder and Eldest Brother:”

The Fourth Young Master wore a smile showing expectation.

* * *

Lest her father be uncomfortable, the girl clung to his back as quietly as possible.

“…To think I can see the Eldest Young Master in person like this, it is like a dream.”

The fragile daughter’s voice was like walking in a dream.

‘I wonder how many times I have heard those words today alone.’

Elder Yeom shook his head.

“You will behave well on your own, but…”

“Yes. I am keeping it in mind.”

His daughter muttered in a small voice.

“I wonder how many times I have heard those words today alone…”

“…”

She continuously peeked at Yeon So-hyeon over her father’s shoulder.

“…He is truly handsome. He looks exactly as he did in the scroll painting.”

Elder Yeom sighed softly at his daughter’s words.

“…Is White Tiger behaving well?”

At the mention of its name, the small, white beast that had been nestled quietly in the girl’s arms poked its face out.

At the sound of its soft growl, the girl smiled.

“It says it is in a good mood because it has been a long time since it came outside.”

Elder Yeom adjusted his daughter on his back and requested:

“You must behave gently.”

The girl tilted her head along with the white beast.

“Me? Or White Tiger?”

Elder Yeom sighed again.

“Both of you.”

He turned his gaze back to the Eldest Young Master.

The Eldest Young Master had not spared a glance at him, except for the very beginning.

He groaned inwardly.

Nowhere else, but as an elder of the Sword Family, he could not be ignorant of the Eldest Young Master’s temperament.

Especially at a point when stories regarding the succession issue were increasingly emerging within the Luoyang Sword Family.

A boy who was cooped up in Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, which was called a terrestrial paradise, simply reading books and enjoying helping the poor as a pastime.

‘But…’

Even when he heard the information that the Eldest Young Master had kicked out his servants, he had not paid any mind.

However, not long ago, when that foolish steward returned as a living corpse, he could not help but be surprised.

And when he heard that it was the Eldest Young Master who had personally done it, he even felt a flash of fear for a moment.

Right now, that Eldest Young Master was caring for the poor with all his heart.

Showing smiles to them, patting their shoulders, and practicing medicine with skilled hands.

‘But why…’

His daughter wiggled, and then poked her head out over his shoulder again.

“It truly feels like a dream.”

He sighed and looked at the Eldest Young Master again.

Just as his daughter said, the Eldest Young Master was indeed a beautiful youth who could never be looked at lightly.

Nevertheless, for some reason.

Why did that white, delicate face feel like a ‘mask’?

* * *

Although it was his turn, Yeon So-hyeon did not pretend to know him, so he also silently guarded his daughter’s side.

Yeon So-hyeon was calmly checking his daughter’s pulse, just as he did when examining other patients.

What were his half-opened eyes reading?

As the pulse checking grew longer, Elder Yeom forced down his anxiety.

“Please have a cup of this at least.”

Was it because she found him pitiful?

The beautiful head maid offered him a cup of tea.

“Thank you.”

He received the teacup, but he only held it.

His nerves were entirely focused on the Eldest Young Master, who showed no sign of moving.

After a long time had passed, the Eldest Young Master let out a deep sigh.

“Damn it…”

Elder Yeom’s heart also seemed to sink.

“…This time, I wanted to prove that the old man’s diagnosis was wrong.”

At the Eldest Young Master’s absurd monologue, a hollow laugh escaped Elder Yeom’s mouth.

He barely held back the urge to put strength into his fist, which was as large as a pot lid.

“I think it will be hard to have a proper conversation here.”

Yeon So-hyeon said, not sparing a glance at the girl who kept peeking at his face with a blushed complexion.

Elder Yeom blocked his daughter with his giant body and replied:

“…Let us do so.”

* * *

The two moved to another room.

In that small room, tea and refreshments were prepared in advance for them.

Yeon So-hyeon naturally sat in the seat of honor and invited him:

“Sit down.”

Looking at Yeon So-hyeon for a moment, Elder Yeom sat in a chair.

Confusion flashed in his eyes.

Undeniably, the one sitting in front of him was the Eldest Young Master he knew.

But for some reason, he felt as if it was not that Eldest Young Master.

“The old man… the Medicine King’s diagnosis was accurate. For now, it seems this is as far as I can help you.”

Yeon So-hyeon finished speaking and raised his teacup to enjoy the aroma.

Elder Yeom put down the teacup he had brought all the way here on the table and opened his mouth.

It was the teacup he had received from the maid outside.

“…It would be difficult for the Medicine King to look at my daughter again, would it not?”

Yeon So-hyeon’s eyebrows twitched.

“Does Elder Yeom not know better that the old man cannot do so?”

Elder Yeom sighed.

He also knew.

The moment his steward had applied pressure to try and move the Medicine King, seeing the Medicine King again was out of the question.

It was not a problem of the Medicine King himself.

It was an implicit rule.

A rule to prevent numerous powerful figures who wished to see the Medicine King, and anxiously waited for him, from using the ‘same method’.

An elder of the Luoyang Sword Family was a great powerful figure who could ignore ordinary power holders.

But since there were even elders of the Imperial Family among those waiting for the Medicine King’s visit, it was no longer a matter of power.

‘That foolish steward who is matchless in this world…’

Watching his fist tremble, Yeon So-hyeon spoke leisurely.

“In this place, I can prescribe a treatment to block the seizures that will happen to your daughter, just as the old man did before.”

Elder Yeom’s gaze, which had been glaring at the table, turned toward Yeon So-hyeon.

The Eldest Young Master continued with a bitter smile.

“But considering your situation, even that will not be an easy task, right?”

“That is…”

Elder Yeom was unable to continue his words.

It was something that shook the political position that Elder Yeom had maintained as a neutral party.

“As you also know in the first place, the old man could have completely cured your daughter. But…”

Elder Yeom took over Yeon So-hyeon’s words.

“But to do so, he had to treat her at the moment the seizure occurred.”

He sighed.

“But since the Medicine King is someone who wanders the entire continent, and my daughter is not in a state to accompany him on such a harsh journey.”

Yeon So-hyeon leaned back comfortably and crossed his legs.

“As you know, I could completely cure her using the same method. After all, I am someone who lives in the Sword Family.”

At his words, Elder Yeom’s movements stopped.

His sharp gaze flew and pierced Yeon So-hyeon.

“Are you saying you will cure the daughter of a neutral elder who does not support you and has no intention of supporting you? You would be pointed at as a person without pride.”

Yeon So-hyeon tapped his foot.

“The me here is merely a physician.”

Then he snorted.

“And if I were afraid of others’ eyes, would I have lived as I pleased until now?”

“…”

His gaze locked onto Elder Yeom.

“Besides, now is not the time to worry about me, is it?”

That was right.

Elder Yeom had only tried to turn the arrow to Yeon So-hyeon to avoid the question he had to answer.

The moment he received treatment from Yeon So-hyeon, the moment he left his daughter to Yeon So-hyeon to be completely cured, he was bound to lose the political position he had established so far.

Someone might say his decision was for his family, but at least those who wanted to take his power would not say so.

“Is that not also something the Eldest Young Master does not need to worry about? The issue regarding my political position is, after all…”

Yeon So-hyeon, who raised his body, struck the table.

“That way of speaking!”

The sound was not that loud, and in the first place, Yeon So-hyeon had not struck the table strongly either.

But Elder Yeom barely held back from jumping out of his seat.

“Discard the way of speaking that is only fit for the Sword Family’s pathetic political scene.”

With the experience and courage he had cultivated over a long time, Elder Yeom was able to avoid turning away from Yeon So-hyeon’s gaze.

“I do not need political euphemisms or rhetoric in front of me.”

Yeon So-hyeon thrust his face toward him from across the table.

“Do not evade my question.”

His voice was low.

Not a single trace of emotion could be felt in his gaze.

Elder Yeom swallowed hard.

“I am merely a physician and a swordless person, but what about you?”

In front of him, the Eldest Young Master, whom he had not known until now, smiled, showing his teeth.

“Can you be merely a father to a child?”

Elder Yeom could feel the backrest touching his back.

Without even realizing it, he had backed away.

He tried not to turn his eyes away from Yeon So-hyeon’s gaze, but even that was not easy.

He was someone who had reached this place by crossing numerous battles and the corpses of powerful enemies.

He was someone who had accomplished things everyone said were impossible, and endured and endured until his political enemies collapsed.

“…”

Such a man was being pathetically pressed down by a mere seventeen-year-old boy.

The boy whom, until a moment ago, he had tried hard to ignore in the depths of his heart as someone who was cooped up in his mother’s quarters reading books, drawing paintings, and liking to help the poor.

“Ha.”

A smile hung on the corner of the boy’s mouth.

It was a clear ridicule.

Yeon So-hyeon moved his steps toward the outside.

“Of course, I understand your situation. There is no need to decide in a hurry.”

On his way out, he patted the shoulder of Elder Yeom, who had frozen stiff.

“That tea is a waste, so make sure to drink it all.”

Yeon So-hyeon stepped outside the door.

His voice was heard from behind Elder Yeom.

“The aroma is rich and the astringency is clean, making it excellent.”

Elder Yeom’s gaze turned toward the table.

Yeon So-hyeon’s cup had already been empty for a long time.

In front of him, two cups of tea that had not even been touched lay desolately.