Chapter 20: The Blade [4]

“Ah, Yi Sun-shin.”

Kang-hyuk repeated the name to himself.

‘At 28, he’s older than me. Wait… Yi Sun-shin? That Yi Sun-shin?’

Kang-hyuk’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Is your name really Yi Sun-shin?”

“Yes, why are you so surprised?”

“Young master, please let’s just sleep,” Dolseok mumbled, rubbing his eyes, clearly annoyed at being woken up.

-Thunk.

Kang-hyuk gave Dolseok a light smack on the head before continuing to process the shocking realization.

“Yi Sun-shin… I just treated Yi Sun-shin!”

“Are you mistaking me for someone else? I’m just an ordinary person,” Yi Sun-shin replied, looking confused.

Indeed, at this point in time, Yi Sun-shin wasn’t the famous admiral everyone would later revere. Not yet.

‘That explains it… no wonder he seemed extraordinary.’

His unimaginable endurance and mental fortitude. No wonder this was the man who would later achieve great naval victories with just a dozen ships.

Kang-hyuk gazed at him with a mix of awe and reverence.

Suddenly, a cold realization struck him.

‘If I get too excited and interfere, what if I accidentally change history?’

That could be disastrous. The entire history of Korea could be altered.

“Hmm, never mind. Only a rare person could endure such a surgery. Anyway, let’s get some sleep. Please let me know if you feel any discomfort.”

“I will.”

Kang-hyuk watched as Yi Sun-shin lay back down. Despite having just undergone surgery, he fell asleep quickly, his nerves seemingly as strong as his reputation would later prove.

‘I’m sleeping next to Yi Sun-shin…’

It was Kang-hyuk who couldn’t fall asleep. How could anyone sleep peacefully when a historical figure they’d only read about in books was lying right beside them?

‘Wait… does this mean I’m in the reign of King Seonjo? Does that mean I might have to live through the Imjin War?’

Kang-hyuk’s heart sank at the thought. It was bad enough that he had ended up in Joseon; dealing with war was beyond what he could handle.

‘No, there’s still some time. I need to find a way to get back… or at least run away before it starts… Maybe I can help Yi Sun-shin recover first.’

It wasn’t every day you got to assist the great Admiral Yi Sun-shin with his recovery. This was an honor unlike any other.

‘Alright, let’s sleep.’

It had been an exhausting day, and now that his mind was settled, he drifted off to sleep almost immediately.

“Young master, young master.”

“Ah, Dolseok?”

Kang-hyuk rubbed his eyes and sat up.

Instead of the usual basin of water for washing, Dolseok was standing there looking worried, his gaze fixed on the yard.

“Please stop that man. He won’t listen to me.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Just look.”

Kang-hyuk followed Dolseok’s gaze and his jaw dropped.

He barely held back the curse that almost slipped out.

‘I nearly swore at Yi Sun-shin… though it feels somewhat justified.’

There, in the yard, was Yi Sun-shin, swinging a sword around with a bandaged leg.

“Uh, excuse me, but what exactly are you doing…?”

“Just practicing with my sword.”

Yi Sun-shin answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

For a moment, the calmness of his response almost made Kang-hyuk accept it. Almost.

‘No, wait. This isn’t normal!’

The man had undergone surgery just the day before!

Shaking his head in disbelief, Kang-hyuk scolded, “What if your wound tears open again? Get back inside immediately!”

“My leg is injured, not my arm,” Yi Sun-shin responded, as if that made perfect sense.

Of course, it didn’t.

“See? I told you!” Dolseok muttered with a look that said, ‘I told you so.’

“You should’ve stopped him.”

“If he doesn’t listen to you, how am I supposed to stop him?”

Fair point.

‘Why do I feel like I’m losing every argument today?’

Kang-hyuk sighed and stepped outside, determined to talk some sense into him. Even Yi Sun-shin had to listen to his doctor.

He gently tapped Yi Sun-shin on the shoulder.

“Brother, could you stop swinging that sword for a moment? You’re going to tear the stitches.”

“Why do you keep insisting on this?”

“Because you’ll reopen the wound!”

“I know my own body best.”

“Really? And yet, you came here half-dead yesterday?”

“That’s why I came to see the doctor.”

“Wow.”

Kang-hyuk couldn’t help but admire him. He briefly wondered if the Japanese soldiers in Myeongnyang gave up fighting him out of sheer frustration.

“Uh, young master.”

“What?”

“He’s bleeding again.”

“What? Where?”

Sure enough, the bandage around Yi Sun-shin’s leg was turning red.

“I knew this would happen…”

Considering the thickness of his calf muscles and the fact that he had been swinging a sword, it was no surprise that the stitches had started to come undone.

“Alright, stop that and come back inside. I’ll have to stitch you up again.”

“Hah, fine.”

Now that he had clearly reopened the wound, even Yi Sun-shin was a bit embarrassed. He followed Kang-hyuk back inside and silently extended his leg.

Luckily, the damage wasn’t severe. A few stitches would do.

“Dolseok, get the bag.”

“Yes, young master.”

Dolseok quickly fetched the medical bag that Kang-hyuk had been sleeping with.

“Let’s see…”

Kang-hyuk rummaged through the bag and saw that everything he had used the day before had been magically replenished.

‘Thank goodness.’

Even Kang-hyuk wouldn’t be able to do much without that bag. Without it, he’d just be a quack in this era.

“Alright, give me your leg.”

“Understood.”

Kang-hyuk cleaned the wound with disinfectant, scrubbing it thoroughly as he scolded, “You need to be more careful. What would you have done if it tore open completely?”

“My apologies.”

When he decided to be cool, he was really cool. Yi Sun-shin apologized so swiftly that Kang-hyuk had no choice but to move on.

“From now on, follow my instructions. Until this heals, you’ll listen to me. Agreed?”

“Understood.”

“It might hurt a little.”

“Go ahead.”

“Dolseok, are you just going to stand there? Help me.”

“Yes, yes.”

There was no way Kang-hyuk could continue berating Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Poor Dolseok had to take the brunt of it.

“Alright, it’s done. For the next two weeks, you’ll follow my instructions. This is a delicate area that tears easily.”

“I’ll follow your orders.”

“I trust you.”

Surely, Yi Sun-shin wouldn’t break his promise. Kang-hyuk believed that as he wrapped the bandage back around the leg.

Thankfully, this time Yi Sun-shin kept his word and sat still, allowing Kang-hyuk to relax for a bit.

-Knock, knock.

That is, until someone knocked on the gate.

“Dolseok, go tell them we’re closed for the day.”

“Yes, young master.”

Dolseok, eager for a break, practically ran to the gate. He returned holding a letter.

“It’s from the vice governor.”

“Why didn’t he come himself?”

“I’m not sure. He just sent this letter.”

“Alright.”

Kang-hyuk casually opened the letter. It didn’t seem very long, though…

‘Wait…’

He could barely read a word.

Kang-hyuk had always prided himself on his knowledge of Chinese characters, but this letter made him feel like an illiterate child.

He glanced around the room.

Dolseok was scratching his head with a dumbfounded look, and Yi Sun-shin was meditating with his eyes closed.

It was clear that Dolseok was even more illiterate than him.

‘Asking Yi Sun-shin to read it feels… wrong, but then again…’

But Kang-hyuk was the doctor, wasn’t he? He could ask a patient to do just about anything if it was in the name of treatment.

He remembered a documentary where a doctor had convinced patients to walk like ducks and touch their tongues to their elbows, and they had obeyed without question. Why not give it a try?

“Ahem. Brother Yi?”

“Yes?”

“Your condition was serious yesterday, so I’d like to check how you’re doing. Do you have a moment?”

“Of course.”

Kang-hyuk handed the letter to Yi Sun-shin.

“Please read this aloud.”

“Isn’t this addressed to you?”

“I’ve already read it. No worries.”

“Hmm…”

Yi Sun-shin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. After all, he had just promised to follow Kang-hyuk’s instructions.

“Alright. ‘Dear Kang-hyuk, I hope you’re doing well. I heard you treated Sun-shin yesterday. I’m curious about how it went. There’s a gathering this afternoon, the one I mentioned yesterday. Let’s discuss it in detail then. Don’t forget to bring the medicine with you.’ How’s that?”

The gathering was today, it seemed.

Kang-hyuk immediately stood up and threw on his outer robe.

“Thank you. As you just read, I’ll need to attend that gathering.”

“Alright.”

Yi Sun-shin was as laid-back as ever, as if it didn’t concern him at all.

Kang-hyuk couldn’t be as nonchalant as him, though.

“Dolseok, take care of Brother Yi while I’m gone.”

“You’re going alone? You don’t even know the way.”

Which was true—Kang-hyuk couldn’t even find his way home alone.

“There’s a tavern nearby. I’ll pick up one of the guys from the troupe.”

“Why not have one of them stay here with him?”

Dolseok glanced at Yi Sun-shin, who was now back to meditating.

He looked much more intimidating than Kang-hyuk. Dolseok knew it would be tough looking after him.

But Kang-hyuk was an unkind man.

“Of everyone here, you’re the best with medical skills, aside from me. Those guys are only good for running errands. Can they handle a patient?”

“Ugh. Then hurry back.”

“Don’t worry. The vice governor won’t keep me long.”

“Alright, young master.”

“I’ve left the necessary tools out, so use them if you need to.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Oh, and that chicken the patient left behind? You can eat it. Just don’t eat it all by yourself.”

“Thank you!”

With a deep bow, Dolseok waved Kang-hyuk off.

The inn where the troupe was staying wasn’t far from the clinic.

‘That’s the place, right?’

Kang-hyuk had heard that not everyone from the troupe stayed at the inn. Only the higher-ups, like the leader, Yeon, and Makbong, lodged there. The rest stayed with locals, doing odd jobs to pay their way.

-Creek.

Kang-hyuk pushed open the wooden gate to the inn.

The innkeeper rushed over as soon as she saw him.

“Oh, young master!”

Since he had treated her sprained ankle before, she greeted him warmly.

Kang-hyuk waved her off with a smile.

“Is Yeon or Makbong here?”

“Yes, let me fetch them.”

“Thank you.”

A moment later, Yeon appeared, but there was no sign of Makbong.

“Young master, what brings you here?”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.”

Kang-hyuk scratched his chin.

‘It feels a bit awkward to go with just her…’

This wasn’t just any gathering—it was a high-class affair hosted by the vice governor, where there were bound to be gisaengs present. Not exactly the kind of place to bring a young woman.

‘I can’t go alone, though.’

Getting lost on the way would be humiliating.

‘Well, I’ll just tell her to stay at a distance.’