Fortunately, Lee Manseok knew the story behind it.
“I heard she had tuberculosis when she was young and nearly died from it.”
“That’s it.”
“That’s it?”
“It’s called bronchial stenosis. It’s one of the complications of tuberculosis.”
When Taesu gave him the exact name of the illness, Lee Manseok tilted his head.
“But she had tuberculosis when she was a child.”
“Those complications last for a very, very long time.”
“Ah.”
“If they aren’t treated.”
At Taesu’s added twist, Lee Manseok froze.
“What?”
“Once treatment begins, the symptoms ease, and with a lot of effort, a full recovery is possible.”
“Are you serious?”
“That is the exact truth.”
The moment Taesu said it with certainty—
Thud.
Lee Manseok dropped to his knees and pleaded in an anguished voice.
“Please, please help our Nanju.”
“I’ll help her even if you don’t do this.”
“Really? Truly?”
“But I’ll only help if you get up right now.”
Taesu immediately added a condition.
At that moment, Lee Manseok sprang to his feet as if it had been a lie.
“I’m up.”
“Then first, we’ll take care of the injuries she suffered today, and at the same time, we’ll examine the bronchial stenosis in detail and try treating it.”
The moment Taesu answered clearly—
Grip.
Lee Manseok hurriedly seized Taesu’s hand with a palm as broad as a pot lid.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“But until I give permission, Miss Nanju must not work outside.”
“When she wakes up later, I’ll make sure to tell her firmly.”
“Don’t raise your voice. Today, Miss Nanju probably worked because she was happy too.”
“To be honest, if she hadn’t shown her face today, I was afraid everyone would think badly of her…”
Lee Manseok could not finish speaking.
Taesu had already guessed as much.
“I’ll speak to the village chief about that.”
“I don’t know if everyone will understand.”
“You can work twice as hard, Manseok. That should do it.”
“Of course. When it comes to using my strength, I can do as much as needed.”
“Then that settles it.”
Taesu smiled gently.
A short while later.
Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Kim Hyeokgwon came out of the house.
“Please take care on your way.”
Bow.
Lee Manseok saw them off with a vigorous bow.
The three of them waved back and began walking.
Crack, boom.
It seemed the work was still going on.
Thinking of Hong Nanju’s current condition, Taesu said,
“Fortunately, the damage to her airway is minor.”
“Her throat will recover quickly, but the rib fracture will take three months.”
“With the kind of strength he used for CPR, getting away with that much is lucky.”
At Taesu’s words, Jeong Minsu nodded.
“I’ll admit that.”
“But yesterday, and now today too. It’s a little…”
Taesu tossed out the vague remark.
Kim Hyeokgwon immediately caught on and cut in.
“If there’s another accident by tomorrow, they might start saying we’re the problem.”
“Exactly.”
“Still, let’s think of it positively.”
When Kim Hyeokgwon said something optimistic, Taesu smiled faintly.
“You’re right. Things are going well because we’re in the village.”
“Let’s get some rest. Everything in front of me is spinning.”
“Sleeping two hours and then going through all this is exhausting. Let’s rest for a bit.”
“Please, let’s just make sure nothing happens until then.”
Kim Hyeokgwon looked toward the worksite and wished for it with all sincerity.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu felt the same.
When the three returned to their lodging, they headed straight for the beds first.
Flop.
“Sleep first.”
“Zzz.”
They literally collapsed.
Afternoon.
The three had a meal and checked on the patients.
Taesu briefly went to the worksite and met with Village Chief Jeon Nosik separately.
It was to tell him what kind of illness Hong Nanju had.
“…So the more she exerts herself, the harder it becomes for her to breathe.”
“That can happen?”
“It’s a very real complication of tuberculosis.”
“Oh dear. Then I suppose everyone has misunderstood her greatly all this time.”
Village Chief Jeon Nosik’s expression darkened.
It seemed he was included among them as well.
Without showing it, Taesu said,
“Please help clear up that misunderstanding, Chief.”
“Hmm. I’ll speak with Manseok first.”
“Understood. Thank you for your hard work.”
Bow.
Taesu greeted him and walked away.
It was a misunderstanding that had built up over a long time, so he did not know when it would be resolved.
That was something to keep an eye on, so he did not dwell on it right away.
After making a round, he returned to the house.
As soon as the three met, they put their heads together.
From now on, it was time to discuss the order of detailed examinations, focusing on the blood test results.
“First, Mr. Song Jinu…”
“Since he’s elderly…”
“At this level, early-stage cirrhosis…”
“It’s only a suspicion, not a confirmed diagnosis…”
The voices going back and forth were quite serious.
They did not know when Elder Wang and Village Chief Jeon Nosik would give permission, so they focused as much as possible on this moment.
Crack, crash.
Even in the middle of that discussion, the sound of trees falling continued without end.
Toward evening.
The first guest came to the medical team’s house.
That guest was Raku, and he even brought a housewarming gift.
“I thought you might like this, so I brought it.”
“Instant coffee mix.”
Clench.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu gripped each other tightly.
That distinctive bitter yet sweet taste.
It was a special flavor that could not be found in any high-class tea.
For Taesu and Jeong Minsu in particular, it was the taste of home.
“Let go.”
“You let go.”
Grrr.
They glared at each other, ready to compete.
Raku seemed to take the sight as a joke and wore his characteristic warm smile.
“I’m grateful that you like it.”
“Raku, that isn’t a gift. It’s a lump of trouble.”
When Kim Hyeokgwon threw cold water on it, Raku looked at him in puzzlement.
“Why do you say that?”
“The one you brought us before. There was one left at the end, and they made an incredible fuss over who would get to drink it.”
“They could have shared it.”
“If you keep watching them, you’ll see they’re the most childish, selfish doctors in the world.”
Even at Kim Hyeokgwon’s badmouthing, Raku smiled.
“It’s good to have one or two things you’re greedy for now and then.”
“Do you know how much greed they have? Everyone’s being fooled.”
“And yet you, who know that, continue to stay with them.”
“Me? That’s because I’m greedy too.”
Kim Hyeokgwon said it confidently without so much as twitching an eyebrow.
Just then, as if they had finished negotiating over the instant coffee mix, Taesu and Jeong Minsu came over and sat down.
“Our greed is enormous.”
“The problem is that other people find the greed we have rather unusual.”
They each gave similar answers in turn.
Raku, who had been listening quietly, had a slight gleam in his eyes.
It seemed he had somewhat realized what kind of greed they possessed.
“My greed may end up becoming a good thing for someone else.”
“Isn’t it the same for you, Raku?”
He had said that, as a merchant, he moved for profit.
But that also meant his actions could become necessities for someone else.
Since it concerned his own work, Raku understood immediately and smiled gently.
“That’s true. It could be that way.”
“Enough of the unnecessary talk. Were the people here satisfied with today’s work?”
“It seems it fell a little short. We decided to work until tomorrow morning before leaving.”
Hearing that, Taesu asked casually,
“I heard you’ll be taking Mr. Jo with you when you leave.”
“I think I should call him an apprentice rather than simply a companion.”
“An apprentice? Does he want to learn trade?”
When Taesu asked, Raku thought for a moment before his eyes shone.
“You could think of it that way.”
“Hey, Master. If you’re going to tell us, tell us properly.”
Jeong Minsu subtly coaxed him with his professional title.
Raku was the owner who operated and managed the merchant caravan.
They had learned that fact from the merchants who had come with him this time.
Raku showed no particular agitation and answered plainly.
“He’ll be learning about the value of goods while we trade the products we’ll be loading and taking with us this time.”
“The products you’ll be loading? Is there anything here to sell?”
“I hear there is high-quality cooking oil and well-made farming tools.”
Raku said it with a look of sincere admiration.
At that moment, Taesu snapped his fingers.
Snap.
“Ah, right. The farming tools.”
“What? Why?”
“You know, farming tools like homi, sickles, and hoes.”
“What about them?”
When Jeong Minsu looked puzzled, Kim Hyeokgwon scolded him.
“You don’t know that? Koreans are the best with their hands.”
“I never farmed, so…”
“I thought you said you were from the countryside.”
“To be exact, I’m from the provinces. And among the provinces, it was still a relatively developed area.”
Jeong Minsu pointed out each fact precisely.
But Kim Hyeokgwon listened indifferently.
“Yes, yes. Let’s say that’s true.”
“Tch. Anyway, you’re saying Korean farming tools are a huge hit?”
“I’ll acknowledge that. Koreans are born with skilled hands.”
Kim Hyeokgwon spoke indifferently but with a sullen look in his eyes.
Taesu, who had been listening quietly, added a word as well.
“In Korea, with just one homi, you can handle any kind of terrain.”
“A homi does have that aspect. Anyway, Raku, so?”
Jeong Minsu smoothly turned the conversation.
Taesu and Kim Hyeokgwon did not mind.
Rather, they focused, knowing the real conversation would begin now.
Raku smiled softly.
It was because the expressions on the three men’s faces were far too similar.
He also knew their personalities.
Without needlessly stirring up a hornet’s nest, he spoke only of what suited the topic.
“There was no route here to import directly from Korea.”
“At present, well… that’s true.”
“When we tried importing by detouring through India, there was a problem with the unit cost.”
“I imagine so.”
As everyone nodded, Raku continued.
“But aren’t those farming tools here?”
“The ones here are one hundred percent genuine made-in-Korea products.”
“I tried using them briefly, and they were certainly sturdy. So I’m thinking of taking the ones that have been made and selling them to see the response.”
The moment Raku finished speaking—
The three of them quickly added a word each.
“Oh-ho. They did say there’s quite a lot of iron ore here.”
“Right. I also heard that as long as they have enough firepower to keep the forge going, they can make several a day.”
“If they sell well, it’ll create a fairly decent income for the village too.”
They were all conversing in English.
Raku added one more thing to that.
“And high-quality cooking oil also rises in price around this time of year.”
“Ah, then if you take those and sell them?”
“They’ll be turned into the things this place needs.”
At Raku’s answer, the three men’s faces brightened instantly.
“Oh-ho.”
“So that’s how it is?”
“Two birds with one stone. Killing two birds with one stone.”
Just the thought of the village becoming more prosperous felt good.
All three felt their chests grow lighter.
“Wow, now that Raku’s here, it feels like things are getting solved one after another.”
“Honestly, what we do is a one-time thing, but Raku is different.”
“That’s why living according to your specialty is the best.”
Following Jeong Minsu, Kim Hyeokgwon also expressed his strong approval.
Raku, too, beamed in delight.
“For us, it’s good because we gain a safe, special trading partner that deals only in local specialties.”
“Wow. That’s the best.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll only be taking Mr. Jo with me, but I think that number will increase in the future.”
“That’s good news too.”
Taesu and the other two welcomed it enthusiastically.