The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

"What?"

Jong Shingeon couldn't help but say in a surprised voice.

It was Jong Shingeon's lifelong wish to leave this room and wander around freely, even if it was just once.

But for a person he was seeing for the first time today to say that he would grant that wish.

Of course, he couldn't believe those words as they were, but it couldn't be helped that the words Cheon Myeong had said to him kept ringing in his head.

"Don't you want to leave this place?"

"That's true, but... I can't leave this place because of my illness."

"I'll cure that illness completely."

"..."

As Cheon Myeong said with a confident look, Jong Shingeon's two eyes widened.

Had anyone ever said such a thing to him with a confident expression?

No, there hadn't.

Even his father, the head of the Demonic Medical Hall, had only said that he was sorry, but he had never said that he would cure his illness.

"Young Master!"

At that moment, Jong Seojun called Cheon Myeong in an angry voice from behind.

In the end, Cheon Myeong was led away by Jong Seojun and separated from Jong Shingeon, and the two talked in a low voice at a distance from Jong Shingeon.

"This is a different story, isn't it?"

"..."

"We clearly agreed to diagnose him while keeping the treatment a secret... why are you acting so rashly like just now?"

"I'm sorry for breaking the promise. But I wanted to make the child smile sincerely."

It wasn't that Jong Shingeon hadn't smiled until now.

However, among the numerous smiles, in Cheon Myeong's eyes, Jong Shingeon had never smiled sincerely.

To think that a child who had just turned ten was already making such a smile.

Since he was the one who had provided the cause, whether directly or indirectly, Cheon Myeong couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

'With this, Jong Seojun won't be able to refuse my prescription.'

Although he was sorry to Jong Seojun, Cheon Myeong had been planning to do this from the beginning.

What Jong Seojun had allowed was only to diagnose Jong Shingeon. He had not yet given permission to prescribe after that.

But if he only diagnosed and did not prescribe, what was the use of this?

The diagnosis was just a good-looking but useless thing, and the real thing was in the prescription.

So from Cheon Myeong's point of view, he had no choice but to make it so that he could prescribe to Jong Shingeon, even if it was in this way.

"No matter how much, don't you know that if you make a child have false hopes, it can turn into a bigger disappointment later!"

"That won't happen."

"Hmph... I don't know anymore. On what basis are you speaking with such confidence, Young Master..."

No matter how famous a doctor was, there were few who could prescribe just by taking the pulse.

If that illness were a common and simple illness, it might be different, but wasn't what Cheon Myeong had just diagnosed Death Blood Disease?

Since it was a disease with many uncertain factors, there were naturally many parts that could not be found out by taking the pulse like just now.

So he had thought that Cheon Myeong would diagnose in a different way.

But since he had just held his arm for a while and had finished the diagnosis, Jong Seojun somewhat regretted having brought Cheon Myeong here.

"Well... Father."

At some point, Jong Shingeon had approached where the two were.

Jong Seojun belatedly noticed that fact as he was talking to Cheon Myeong, and he was anxious, wondering if Jong Shingeon had heard his and Cheon Myeong's conversation.

"Is what the Young Master told me true?"

"..."

"Can you really... cure my illness?"

What should he answer?

Looking at Cheon Myeong's diagnosis just now, the possibility of a cure seemed remarkably low.

But if he said that a cure was impossible, Jong Shingeon would surely not be able to hide his disappointment.

Since that was the part that Jong Seojun was most concerned about, he could not answer easily.

"I can do it."

At that moment, Cheon Myeong said to Jong Shingeon once more.

Although Jong Seojun was momentarily angry at Cheon Myeong, who was continuing to make irresponsible statements despite what he had just said.

Seeing the smile that appeared on Jong Shingeon's face, Jong Seojun looked at him with a dazed face.

'He's smiling...'

Jong Seojun knew. The smile that Jong Shingeon usually showed him was not a smile of real joy.

It was natural for a parent to notice their child's inner thoughts.

That's why he could also tell what kind of emotion the smile that had appeared on Jong Shingeon's lips now had come from.

"..."

The smile that had appeared on his son's face had come from a truly happy emotion.

How long had it been since he had seen that smile... Jong Seojun was momentarily filled with a new emotion.

"Father, actually, I heard a little of what you two were talking about."

"..."

"Hearing you talk, it seemed that you were not as confident in the treatment as the Young Master."

"That's..."

"But still, I want to receive the treatment."

As Jong Shingeon said that, Jong Seojun's two eyes widened in surprise.

"Actually, I've been hiding it from you until now, but I also wanted to go outside freely."

"..."

"But to be honest, I had given up. Because until now, no one had ever told me that they could cure my illness."

Jong Shingeon thought that the most outstanding doctor in this world was his father.

But even such a father had not been able to say that he could cure his illness.

That's why Jong Shingeon had completely closed off the possibility of a cure until now.

However.

In this place now, there was a person who was confidently saying that he could cure his illness.

At that moment, the embers of hope that had been extinguished deep in Jong Shingeon's heart began to burn again, and even if the possibility of failure was greater, Jong Shingeon did not want to extinguish these embers.

"Until now, I haven't even had a chance to be treated for my illness."

"..."

"But now that I have that chance... even if I fail and something goes wrong with me, I want to try."

His inner thoughts, which he had revealed to his father for the first time in several years.

It had taken a really great courage to say these words.

And after hearing his son's inner thoughts, Jong Seojun, as if he had many thoughts, looked at Jong Shingeon without saying anything for a while.

'He has already grown up enough to say such things...'

This was the first time that Jong Shingeon had expressed his opinion to this extent.

The first thought that came to him after hearing those words was the fact that Jong Shingeon had grown up to the point where he could not recognize him, and more than anything, the person who wanted to be treated for the illness was not him but Jong Shingeon himself.

"..."

Although the skill of the doctor was the most important thing in treatment, Jong Seojun thought that the patient's will was just as important.

And now, Jong Shingeon's will to be cured seemed sufficient.

If so, as a doctor and as a father, he had no choice but to respect that will.

Jong Seojun silently hugged Jong Shingeon.

Squeeze-.

As Jong Seojun suddenly hugged him, Jong Shingeon couldn't help but be surprised.

Until now, because of the risk of infection, even when Jong Seojun had visited this place, he had been at a certain distance from Jong Shingeon.

That's why this was the first time he had been hugged like this since the symptoms had appeared. Jong Shingeon, recalling the unfamiliar but nostalgic touch, buried his face in his father's chest.

"Yes, let's try."

"..."

"I'll be with you until the end."

A father and son who had confirmed each other's true feelings after several years.

Seeing this, Cheon Myeong thought to himself.

'Somehow, I'm getting emotional too.'

Is this what it means to be a father and son?

Cheon Myeong thought of Cheon Jin inwardly, but he soon shook his head as if that was not it.

* * *

Cheon Myeong unfolded the paper he had carefully wrapped.

Then, a pill with a brilliant red light appeared, and Jong Seojun looked at it and asked Cheon Myeong.

"What is this?"

"It is called Blood Heart Pill."

"Blood Heart Pill...?"

Although he had devoted fifty years of his life to medicine, this was the first time Jong Seojun had heard of such a pill.

Of course, Jong Seojun also knew a few pills with a similar appearance. But if he looked closely, he could see that among the ones he knew, there was nothing that was the same as the pill in front of him.

"This... did you manufacture it yourself, Young Master?"

"Yes."

"...May I ask where you got the manufacturing method?"

Of course, the source was, after all, the Medical Supplement Manual.

However, he had had no intention of telling that fact to the outside from the time he had memorized all of the Medical Supplement Manual and had burned it.

"Me."

"What?"

"I devised it."

"..."

Hearing those words, the reliability of the Blood Heart Pill dropped sharply.

Of course, from the time he had entrusted the prescription to Cheon Myeong, he had already decided not to worry about such things, but still, it couldn't be helped that he was still worried.

"Are you saying that taking this can cure Death Blood Disease?"

"Yes, but since he has been living only in his room for several years, Shingeon's body is in a very weak state. So I will help him by his side so that he can receive the efficacy of the medicine well."

"...I understand. Is there anything I should be careful about?"

"The treatment will be quite rough from now on. But that doesn't mean that you, Head, should touch my or Shingeon's body."

"..."

"If you violate this, please keep in mind that not only will the treatment end in failure, but our lives may also be in danger."

How rough would it be, to say that?

Although Jong Seojun could not imagine it, he nodded his head for now.

And after confirming that, Cheon Myeong said to Jong Shingeon.

"It will hurt quite a bit for a while."

"..."

"But you have to trust me and endure it. Can you do it?"

"Yes, I can do it."

Jong Shingeon answered immediately.

Seeing this, Cheon Myeong said, stroking Jong Shingeon's head as if he were proud.

"Good. As much as you have trusted me, I will successfully complete the treatment no matter what."

Saying that, Cheon Myeong went behind Jong Shingeon and sat down.

Thump-.

Cheon Myeong, who had taken off his upper garment, placed his two hands on Jong Shingeon's back. And after taking a deep breath, he said.

"I'm ready. When you've made up your mind, take the medicine."

"..."

As Cheon Myeong said that, Jong Shingeon cautiously picked up the Blood Heart Pill in front of him.

Although he was quite afraid to take this because of Cheon Myeong's warning,

Since he had the thought that he could be cured of his illness and his father who was with him by his side, Jong Shingeon took courage and put the medicine in his mouth.

'It's starting.'

At the same time as Jong Shingeon took the medicine, Cheon Myeong also concentrated.

Cheon Myeong's role was, after all, to naturally guide the circulation of ki flowing in Jong Shingeon's body.

Although the flow of ki flowing in Jong Shingeon's body was now weak but natural, it would be different after taking the Blood Heart Pill.

Bang-!

As soon as he thought so, ki began to circulate explosively in Jong Shingeon's body.

If left alone, the ki would run wild as if all the ki and blood in his body would burst, but it was Cheon Myeong's role to control this.

'I know the method. If he can just endure it properly...'

In a way, this treatment was the same as Cheon Myeong also betting his life.

If Jong Shingeon could not endure the pain during the treatment and were to get up or faint, there would also be a blow to Cheon Myeong.

Although he could receive an internal injury that could not be ignored because of that, Cheon Myeong was proceeding with this treatment, taking such a risk.

"Ugh..."

Jong Shingeon, who was gritting his teeth as if he were in pain.

Although he had been warned by Cheon Myeong in advance, that didn't mean the pain was reduced.

"Geon-ah..."

Jong Seojun was watching him anxiously.

If he could, he wanted to take that pain for him now, but since that was impossible in reality, he had no choice but to pray by his side like this.

Cough-.

It was at that moment.

Jong Shingeon suddenly coughed. If it had ended with that, it would have been a relief.

However.

Gush-.

A considerable amount of blood, even on the outside, was pouring out of Jong Shingeon's mouth with a cough.

(End of Chapter)