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TL: ALT
Chapter 4 – Nureongi
There’s a puppy standing on two legs right in front of me!
And it talks, too!
“Is it a monster?”
“I am not a monster!”
The puppy stamps its foot, seemingly angry at my words.
Honestly, it was cute.
But why is a puppy like this in a field?
“You…where did you come from?”
“Come here? I was here from the very beginning!”
“…What does that even mean?”
I frowned at the puppy’s words.
Then, a phrase from my father flashed through my mind.
“A spirit lives in the field.”
The spirit of the field.
Invisible to our eyes, it protects the field.
And it always makes the fields bountiful.
“Could you be that spirit?”
“Spirit? What do you mean?”
The puppy tilted its head at my words.
It seemed not to know the word “spirit” at all.
So I changed my approach.
“Have you been tending this field?”
“Exactly! I used to have a partner who worked with me… but he passed away not long ago.”
“…And?”
“That partner couldn’t see me. But I remember we shared the same love for this field.”
Hearing the puppy speak brought a person to mind.
“That partner you mentioned… sounds like my father?”
“Huh! Now that you mention it, young master, you resemble the partner’s youngest son!”
“Well, that’s because it’s the same person.”
Now, at last, the mystery was partially solved.
The spirit my father spoke of was this dog before me.
What about the field that remained undisturbed even after my father passed away?
It was thanks to this dog tending to it.
“To think that little young master has grown so tall—it fills me with emotion!”
The puppy came up to my feet and rubbed against them.
It seemed to think I was cute, but…
“This little guy is cuter.”
Without thinking, I stroked the puppy’s head.
“My name is Heo Jin. What’s yours?”
“I have no name.”
“No name?”
“Even if I had a name, there’s no one to call it.”
That was a rather sad thing to say.
But if there’s no one to call your name, then not having a name is fine.
I crouched down and spoke to the puppy.
“Then shall I give you a name?”
“What do you mean, young master?”
“I can see you now, can’t I?”
“Huh! Now that you mention it, you’re right! How in the world did you do that? All this time, my partner couldn’t see me, no matter what he did…”
The puppy seemed to understand and started talking nonstop.
I smiled and stroked the puppy’s head.
“We’ll worry about that later. First, the name.”
“Ah, I understand.”
I examined the puppy’s appearance.
It had yellowish-brown fur and chubby cheeks.
And those fluffy paws, too.
There was a name that fit this puppy perfectly.
“How about ‘Nureongi’ for your name?”
“Nureongi! What does the name Nureongi mean?”
“Well, it means ‘eat well and be healthy.'”
[T/N: In Korean culture, when someone names a dog “Nureong-i,” it’s usually a strong, sturdy farm dog with yellow fur. It’s symbolic of good health, hard work, and earthy strength, like the color of ripe grain or soil. It doesn’t literally mean ‘eat well and be healthy,’ but it feels like a warm, hearty name, the kind you’d give to a dog you hope will stay healthy and eat well. It’s similar to calling a pet “Hearty” or “Healthy” in English—not literal, but symbolic. As for the literal meaning, it’s Brownie, Goldie, or Yellow One. Please let me know if I should use “Nureong” as it is or the translation.]
“Such a warm meaning! I really like it!”
Nureongi wagged his tail happily.
“Young master! Thank you for naming me!”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m Nureong! Nureongi! Hehe!”
Seeing him so pleased made me feel good.
“Well then, Nureongi, shall we get started?”
“What do you mean?”
Nureongi tilted his head.
I said.
“The story about this garden.”
And so, I began to tell Nureongi everything.
* * *
I told Nureongi everything.
From my father’s death until now, including everything about the master of the herb garden.
After hearing the whole story, Nureongi seemed shocked.
“The master of the herb garden? Then the young master has qualified!”
“Qualified?”
“The master of the herb garden isn’t something just anyone can become!”
I nodded at Nureongi’s words.
What if it were something that just anyone could become?
Then my father should have become one too.
But, given the circumstances, he didn’t become the master of the herb garden.
“What exactly are the qualifications?”
“That…even I don’t know.”
“Is it a skill in handling herbs? No, then Father should have obtained it, too.”
Indeed, the master of the herb garden possesses unfathomable abilities.
“Still, it’s fortunate.”
“Fortunate?”
“It seems the master of this herb garden went to the person who needed it most.”
With that, Nureongi placed a hand on my body.
“Young Master, like my partner, your body is frail.”
“…Can you tell just by looking?”
“Of course. I also know how to fix it.”
“Is that true? Really?”
I grabbed Nureongi’s shoulder and asked.
He looked startled and said,
“Y-young Master! Calm down!”
“Ah, sorry… I got excited, which isn’t like me.”
“Still, I understand how you feel. You lost your father because of that constitution.”
“And I’m facing death, too.”
My body has always felt numb.
On top of that, I coughed up blood.
Seeing this made it clear that my days were numbered.
“Perhaps this is a sign from heaven.”
“A sign from heaven?”
“I failed to save my partner.”
With those words, Nureongi looked at me with sorrowful eyes.
“But you are different, young master! You can talk to me!”
Nureongi seemed to carry the weight of a thousand years of regret for failing to save my father. Seeing this, I knew that Nureongi was a kindhearted creature. Feeling inexplicably grateful, I stroked his head.
“I think I understand why Father called you a spirit.”
“Hehe! Is that so?”
“But more importantly, how can I heal my body?”
Nureongi answered immediately when I asked that.
“Young Master, you must change your constitution.”
“My constitution?”
“Medicine can manage the pain for now. But that’s only a temporary fix.”
By medicine, he must mean something like the back pain medicine I made earlier.
Even something as powerful as that probably can’t fix my body.
“Then what should I do?”
“I’ve heard of it before. There’s a dream elixir that changes one’s constitution.
“A dream elixir that changes one’s constitution?”
“They say it’s an amazing elixir that can transform even the weakest person into someone with the perfect physique!”
Hearing that, something similar came to mind.
[Metamorphosis].
A concept only found in martial arts novels.
It changes one’s physical constitution, transforming them into a more powerful being.
“It just seemed like an imaginary setting, but…”
But if Nureongi was right, it might really exist.
It would be my only lifeline to save my life.
I absolutely had to obtain that elixir.
“Nureongi, where on earth can you get that?”
“That…even I don’t know.”
“Huh?”
“I only heard about it. The master of the herb garden said he could get it.”
Nureongi continued, looking almost apologetic.
“Don’t you have the notebook, young master?”
“Right.”
“Some say the manufacturing method is in the latter half of the notebook.”
“…The latter half?”
“Another said it could be obtained from another dimension!”
“The second one is from another dimension…”
Is it just a fantasy elixir?
The source is uncertain, and, moreover, the difficulty is beyond imagination.
How do you access the latter half of the Yakseon Notebook?
“It means conquering the tower to its very top.”
What does ‘another dimension’ even mean?
“Hah, one mountain after another.”
Honestly, conquering the tower is impossible.
Even though I’ve awakened, I’m a non-combat class.
Healers rarely conquer the tower, either.
Conquering the tower was incredibly difficult for me, too.
“I’ll need a method.”
Still, it wasn’t all bad.
At least I now had a means to fix my body.
If I put in the effort, I could fix this damn body!
“Regarding the notebook, I’m afraid I can’t help you. My apologies.”
“It’s fine. It’s my responsibility anyway.”
“Instead, I can help you another way.”
“Another way?”
I tilted my head, and Nureongi wore a confident expression.
“Before that, I have a few things I’d like to ask!”
“Ask anything.”
“Have you ever treated anyone before, young master?”
“Of course.”
The people I’ve treated could fill the drill ground sitting down for 100 laps.
I answered with overflowing confidence.
“How fortunate! At last, we can finally receive our guest!”
“Guest? You can’t possibly mean the dimensional gate?”
“Yes! I shall summon the dimensional gate immediately!”
With those words, Nureongi clutched a bone that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“Hah!”
Then he began swinging the bone!
Then, something astonishing happened.
Kung!
A gate began rising from the ground.
It resembled the massive gates seen at temples.
And that wasn’t all.
The gaping portal rippled with force.
Simultaneously, a message appeared before my eyes.
[You have summoned Yakseon’s dimensional gate.]
[You can now receive patients through the dimensional gate.]
[You earn points each time you treat a patient.]
[You can use the accumulated points at the shop.]
[You can also request rewards from patients who come through the portal.]
After reading the message, I let out a hollow laugh.
“Who would’ve thought I’d end up opening a clinic right here?”
This was my second private clinic.
* * *
The reason I came back to my hometown.
It was to recuperate leisurely.
But then…
“I have to accept patients through the dimensional gate?”
It seems that I have to treat patients here as well.
“We’ve been having trouble because we couldn’t accept guests from the dimensional gate.”
“…So I have to treat them?”
“Indeed! Besides, this isn’t a bad deal for you either, young master!”
He’s right.
I still don’t know what the Point Shop is.
But what if I could buy something there?
“I could probably buy things that help with tower climbing.”
And that’s not all.
I could also ask the dimensional gate’s guests for a reward.
Then it would definitely be worth using.
“So, what kind of guests come?”
“Even I don’t know that.”
“You don’t know?”
“The dimensional gate connects to all dimensions. Therefore, no one knows what kind of guests will come.”
Connected to all dimensions?
That really piqued my curiosity.
Being connected to every dimension meant…
“It means diseases I’ve never seen before could appear.”
I’m a doctor at heart.
Discovering diseases I haven’t conquered yet?
It was incredibly thrilling.
Welcoming patients from the dimensional gate with open arms wasn’t enough.
“I’m glad to see you’re in good spirits!”
“Saving people is always joyful.”
“You truly possess an admirable character!”
“Nureongi, this is like a chronic condition for doctors.”
Doctors find fulfillment in saving people.
Though I’m not sure if healers are the same.
At least most of the doctors I knew were similar.
That’s probably why I chose to be a doctor.
“So, when will the patient come?”
“A patient who needs the young master’s power will come when one arises.”
“A patient needing my power…”
Meaning an endless wait.
But that was fine.
I preferred leisurely over busy.
So, leaving the dimensional gate behind, I was about to head out to tend the herb garden.
[Yakseon’s Dimensional Gate connects to another dimension.]
The gate began to shimmer.
Zap!
Accompanied by sparks, someone began to appear from beyond the portal.
It was a man!
It was a handsome man with blond hair wearing heavy-looking armor.
[Dimension – A patient from the Arasia Continent is visiting.]
[Affiliated with the Arasia Continent – Ain is visiting.]
The handsome, pale-faced man exhaled roughly.
Then, he looked around.
It was as if he found it fascinating.
Upon spotting me, he asked earnestly.
“Are you, by any chance, the Divine Doctor?”
Me, the Divine Doctor?
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