The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

Hyuk Dojin, sitting in a chair and looking down at Sowol who was asleep as if dead, quietly muttered.

“Eun Do.”

[You called me, Master.]

Though the room was empty, a voice penetrated his ears.

“In the information the Moyong clan sent regarding Moyong Sowol, was there any mention about the illness she suffers from?”

[It is said she frequently fell ill with minor sicknesses since she was young.]

“Minor sicknesses…”

Hyuk Dojin muttered as he reached out and lightly brushed the end of the flame. To call it a chronic illness would be embarrassing, as she was fast asleep like a corpse in just an instant.

He stared intently at her wrist. In the darkness, her wrist looked brilliantly pale.

Hyuk Dojin hesitated, then slowly reached out and lightly grasped Moyong Sowol’s wrist. Her wrist was completely wrapped by just half his palm.

“…Doesn’t it hurt?”

When he had embraced her, Hyuk Dojin felt as if he was holding a feather. She was far too light. And she shook slightly, as if having a seizure.

She probably didn’t realize it herself, but even when Hyuk Dojin embraced Moyong Sowol, her whole body was trembling.

Hyuk Dojin gazed silently at her wrist for a moment, then slowly shifted his gaze. Looking at the sleeping Moyong Sowol, he opened his mouth.

“It seems the Moyong clan is hiding something. Investigate it again.”

[As you command.]

With that response, the presence disappeared. Hyuk Dojin still looked at Moyong Sowol’s wrist, clasped in his palm.

“Starting off with lies as soon as we met…”

Hyuk Dojin’s lips curved up slowly.

“I don’t think you’ll make a very good wife.”

Fortunately, though.

* * *

Suddenly, I’ve thought of something. I thought I knew everything about the illness I was suffering from. 

At most, the probability of getting skin cancer increases if you expose yourself to too much sunlight, right? There wasn’t much information about the illness Moyong Sowol suffered from in the novel. 

In reality, I often felt tired and had headaches quickly when I engaged in outdoor activities. That’s why looking out the window was my daily routine, and being active outside was almost impossible. 

At least I wasn’t as shaky as now, thanks to the elixirs and medicinal herbs my brother Moyong Do provided.

But the medicine my family had given me ran out during the trip, which lasted for a long time. Maybe that’s why my condition worsened.

How much more will I suffer? I wanted to die before I got sick. Comfortably.

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes. The darkness faded, and my vision became blurry as it brightened.

How long did I sleep? The window was closed, and blackout curtains were drawn. Because of that, I couldn’t check the time, so I slowly turned my neck.

At the end of my gaze, I saw an empty chair.

‘Hyuk Dojin…’

I was being rude as soon as I met him. I didn’t intend to leave a good impression.

But I didn’t want to build a negative relationship either. I just wanted to stay quietly here and leave quietly. So I didn’t have high expectations for my relationship with Hyuk Dojin.

Hyuk Dojin probably had the same thoughts as me.

In the novel, Hyuk Dojin seemed indifferent to Moyong Sowol’s death. Whenever Moyong Do pressed Hyuk Dojin, he drew a line, saying it was none of his business.

So it’s unlikely that there was any love between Moyong Sowol and Hyuk Dojin in the short time they spent together.

Of course, that would be natural. Moyong Sowol was the daughter of the Five Great Clans from the Righteous Sect, and Hyuk Dojin was the next heir of the Demon Cult.

A fellow member of the same Demon Cult should have been by his side. Not me, but someone else.

As I organized my thoughts, the corners of my mouth slightly lifted.

My life, with only six months left, and the seat next to Hyuk Dojin that I would soon occupy, seemed like the same life with a deadline.

What a pitiful life, in many ways.

“Have you woken up?”

The door opened, and a voice came through.

I slightly raised myself and turned my gaze towards the door. Hyuk Dojin approached me with a worried expression on his face.

As soon as he took a seat in the empty chair, he reached out and grabbed my wrist. Startled by his sudden action, I flinched, but Hyuk Dojin flipped my wrist without any reaction.

“You’ve spent the whole day without waking up.”

Was he checking my pulse? Hyuk Dojin lightly pressed his thumb on my wrist and closed his eyes slowly.

I wanted to ask if he was serious about the fact that I slept for a whole day, but his actions made me hesitate to speak.

What seemed like a quick check of my pulse took quite some time. It seemed like I shouldn’t move. Helpless, I leaned against the wall and looked at my wrist that was held, then rolled my eyes to examine Hyuk Dojin’s face.

As I felt when I first saw him, Hyuk Dojin was a man whose neat and composed demeanor was more impressive than his handsome appearance.

His high nose, red and full lips, fair skin that was almost impossible to see a blemish on, and long eyelashes gave a subtle and feminine vibe, and he seemed noble.

If not for his tall stature and broad shoulders, he could have been mistaken for a woman.

This man was the Young Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. I wonder how others react when they see Hyuk Dojin.

“Do you often do this?”

He lifted his eyelids slowly, revealing towards me his deep eyes, full of ground ink. I stared blankly at him for a moment, then hastily opened my mouth.

“Often… do what?”

It was my first words since waking up, so my voice sounded choked. After swallowing once, I finished speaking, and Hyuk Dojin nodded slowly.

“Yes. I mean, things like suddenly having a nosebleed and passing out or just sleeping all day.”

That never happened. I took medicine back then, so I was healthier than I am now. Although the effectiveness decreased over time.

“This is the first time it’s happened.”

“I see.”

Hyuk Dojin lowered the corners of his lips and squinted his eyes slightly. His hand let go of my wrist. He seemed to be thinking about something, then spoke slowly after a moment of silence.

“It might be better to cancel Sowol’s education.”

“Yes?”

“Since you’ve traveled a long way, it’s important to rest and recover your body.”

Even if I recover, I’m still sick.

Hyuk Dojin shifted his gaze from below to me. When I widened my eyes a little, he smiled softly.

“I think I may have demanded and pushed too much on you right away. Sowol needs rest too, which I overlooked.”

But when did this man start calling me by my name?

Suddenly, I remembered that he also called me by the name when he caught me falling. I’m not sure, but I have a feeling.

“Still, shouldn’t we pursue education instead of putting it off? It’s an important matter for the Young Cult Leader…”

“I don’t want to catch anyone while teaching. Especially if that person is going to be my wife, so I want to avoid such situations at all costs.”

“But…”

Although I spoke out of concern, Hyuk Dojin added a hint of laughter to his calm expression.

“My future wife seems to have a strong will.”

“What?”

“It seems like there’s a lot to know about you. You’re stubborn and good at lying.”

“…Wait, what do you mean by lying?”

I thought about when I might have lied… and then recalled hiding my condition. I tightly shut my mouth.

Does he realize that was a lie? At my questioning glance, Hyuk Dojin shook his head.

“Anyway, all planned education will be canceled, and Sowol just needs to rest. Oh, and this.”

He handed me a small bottle with a sigh.

What’s this? Since it was given to me I accepted it and shook lightly. I could feel the liquid sloshing inside. Is it water?

As I looked at the bottle, he calmly opened his mouth in response to my questioning gaze.

“Would you like to try it?”

“What is this?”

“It’s good for your body.”

Good for my body… Is it medicine?

I brought the bottle opening to my nose, but there was no strange smell.

What is it? I glanced at Hyuk Dojin again, who smiled gently as if encouraging me to drink it.

…It shouldn’t kill me if it’s good for the body.

I brought the bottle to my lips and poured the liquid into my mouth through the opening. It wasn’t a large amount, but it filled my mouth adequately.

“…?”

The water. I couldn’t taste anything at all. But it was very cool.

Not refreshing and cold, but more like putting a cool pebble in your mouth?

After swishing the liquid in my mouth for a moment, I swallowed it slowly. As I did, it seemed to melt away into my body, like cotton candy.

I took the bottle off my lips and parted them slightly. Blinking, I gazed blankly at the ceiling, then turned to look at Hyuk Dojin. He gave a small smile.

“What is this?”

“It’s mineral water.”

“Mineral water?”

“Yes. I occasionally go up the mountain, and this is the water I bring back each time. I thought it might be good for Sowol too, so I brought it.”

Mineral water… So that’s why it felt like I was putting a pebble in my mouth.

I’ve never tasted mineral water before. Is it supposed to feel this cool? Feeling the lingering coolness in my mouth, I narrowed my eyes slightly.

Meanwhile, Hyuk Dojin took the bottle from me and stood up.

“Are you leaving already?”

I instinctively asked, but it was too late to realize. When I was in the Moyong clan, Moyong Do often came to visit and take care of me.

But he had little time to spend with me due to his training, and our conversations would soon turn into him having to leave.

That’s why asking had become a habit. But it was strange to bring that habit here.

Hyuk Dojin stood up from his seat and looked at me silently without any response to my words.

I sighed inwardly. What did I expect him to do? There was no one here to indulge my whims. I turned my head slightly to avoid his gaze.

I should have just ignored it and let him leave. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

“I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll be gone for a while. I’ll come back in the evening.”

“…Okay.”

It seemed like I really wanted him to come back. Despite Hyuk Dojin treating me comfortably, he was still the Young Cult Leader and had no reason to care about me.

As I felt embarrassed and wished to disappear, his hand gently rested on top of my head.

“Since you might feel lonely by yourself, I’ll stay and argue with you to keep you company. So don’t feel too disappointed if I’m not here.”

“…”

Uh… So Hyuk Dojin thought I was throwing a fit after all. I closed my eyes tightly and bowed my head deeply.

“I understand…”

I heard the sound of him chuckling from above. He must be laughing, right?

I saw Hyuk Dojin’s legs move in my field of vision. I lifted my head and turned my gaze in the direction he was moving.

Hyuk Dojin opened the door and turned back to look at me before speaking quietly.

“Well then, I hope you rest well.”

I watched his departing figure with my eyes, slowly opening my mouth after he disappeared. But my lips only trembled, and I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

Finally, after he was gone, I could only quietly utter:

“…Take care.”

The words that wouldn’t reach him.