Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign

Chapter 67: The Good Do Not Come (3)

What kind of bullshit was this!

For the first time, Jin Soa felt the back of his neck tighten.

‘Danger.’

It was a sign that his body wasn’t functioning properly. His blood pressure was spiking rapidly. Jin Soa took several deep breaths to calm his throbbing heart and the tension in his neck, then bit his lip hard.

"Even if I borrowed money, isn't this kind of treatment wrong?"

"Wow, look at this?"

Wi Yeonho clicked his tongue.

"Seriously, the one who borrowed has all the nerve. "You borrow money without caring how the lender feels, and when they ask for repayment, you make them look like the bad guy."You’d stop talking like that if you ever lost a big sum yourself."

“Ughhh.”

Jin Soa groaned.

There was no point arguing—it was all true.

"I didn’t say I wouldn't repay when I have! I just don’t have money. Then what am I supposed to do?"

"See? Look at that. He's going full ‘cut my belly open’ mode."

"That’s not what I meant!"

"You are a brat who only learns the bad things."

Jin Soa gave up on the conversation.

Talking to Wi Yeonho felt as exhausting as treating fifty patients at once.

"A-anyway, could you please do something about this situation?"

"Me?"

Wi Yeonho widened his eyes.

"Yes! I'm talking about you, Young Hero Wi."

"…Did you take your meds?"

Wi Yeonho asked seriously.

Until now, no one had ever asked Wi Yeonho to resolve anything.

People never expected results from Wi Yeonho—only that he make the effort. The mere act of trying earned him praise. That was the life he had lived.

But now?

Resolve something?

What on earth was this person saying?

Wi Yeonho, who never thought such words had anything to do with him, was utterly bewildered.

"You’re telling me to resolve it?"

"Yes."

"…Get a grip."

Wi Yeonho spoke with genuine concern for Jin Soa.

"I have ears, you know."

"Huh?"

"I heard everything back there.In the Pawnshop, you were called a Royal Inspector."

"In that instant, Wi Yeonho fell silent, like someone with a mouth full of honey."

So that clever brat had a reason for going off the rails.

"Isn’t this the kind of work Royal Inspectors do? So please take care of it."

Wi Yeonho frowned deeply and flopped onto the floor.

"You want me to resolve it?"

"Yes!"

"And why should I?"

"Sorry?"

Wi Yeonho yawned repeatedly.

Watching his face full of annoyance, Jin Soa realized something was going off track from what he had expected.

"Why should a Royal Inspector step in to resolve someone’s personal debt?"

"……."

Come to think of it, that actually made sense...

"I-it's loan-sharking, isn’t it?"

"Where's the law that says private lending between individuals is illegal? Got any statute to back that?"

"……No."

"Then what authority do I have?"

"B-but you're a Royal Inspector, aren’t you?"

"You’re a dangerous one, you know that?"

Wi Yeonho opened his eyes wide.

"Do you know how terrifying abuse of power is? Do you know what happens when someone with power starts wielding it however they want?"

"……."

Why did it feel so off, even though everything being said was perfectly logical?

The words were all correct—so what was this unsettling feeling?

Jin Soa tilted his head, troubled by the creeping doubt rising from his gut.

"So you're saying you won’t help?"

"I mean, the heart is willing."

"And?"

"But what good is that? There’s nothing I can actually do."

Jin Soa’s head drooped low.

It was a mistake to expect anything from this man.

He’d seen Ha Daebung from Silver River Pawnshop grovel before Wi Yeonho and thought maybe there was something more to him…

‘What good is rank when you have no drive?’

Jin Soa abandoned all hope and stood up.

"Rest well."

If resting was even possible.

Leaving Wi Yeonho behind, Jin Soa stepped outside. There was no point wasting any more time on him.

Once outside, he saw Jwa Geol still dragging out the patients.

"Wh—"

Just as Jin Soa was about to shout, a sharp voice beat him to it.

"What do you think you’re doing!"

Jin Yeran was striding in through the front gate.

Even Jwa Geol flinched for a moment at the force of her presence.

‘What kind of woman has such a strong presence?’

It wasn’t the kind of aura you’d call manly or commanding.

More like… resolute?

If a crane were to walk toward you in elegance, you wouldn’t feel threatened—you’d be awestruck.

That was exactly the feeling now.

‘They say if the eldest daughter of the Sacred Hand Grounds had been born a man, she would’ve left a monumental mark in the history of the medical clan.’

When he saw her last time, she didn’t feel quite like this.

But something had changed since then. How could someone change so much?

Jwa Geol gulped.

"What kind of outrageous behavior is this? Dragging patients out of their rooms? Do you have no sense of compassion at all?"

"Compassion?"

Jwa Geol snapped back to his senses.

"Good. Compassion, huh! And what about you? Is that compassion what’s making you steal someone else’s money?"

"Steal money?"

"Your father’s debt!"

Jin Yeran simply stared him down in silence.

"Is it normal for children to repay their father’s debts?"

"Hmph. Your father borrowed money in the name of the Sacred Hand Grounds. So when you were given the choice—either take down the Sacred Hand Grounds’ sign or repay the debt—you chose to repay it, didn’t you?"

"And this is why you’re throwing patients out now?"

"So what if I am?"

Jwa Geol’s eyes bulged, but Jin Yeran spoke without even a flicker of emotion.

“If there's a problem, bring it up with us. What crime have the patients committed?”

“Well said!”

Jwa Geol ground his teeth and suddenly grabbed Jin Yeran’s arm. Her face changed for the first time as his grip tightened.

“L-let go of me!”

“You said it yourself—things should be resolved by the people involved!”

“I told you to let go so we can talk!”

“Heh heh heh.”

Jwa Geol gave a foul smirk and yanked Jin Yeran’s arm hard.

“Kyaa!”

Jin Yeran let out a shrill scream, but Jwa Geol still didn’t release her.

“I didn’t want to resort to this noisy, troublesome method either. But there is a much simpler way.”

“Let go of me...”

“The person involved should take responsibility! That’s right!”

He laughed lewdly and reached to caress Jin Yeran’s cheek.

Jin Yeran flinched in revulsion at the sensation—like a snake was slithering up her face. Wherever Jwa Geol’s filthy gaze landed, she felt like hives were breaking out on her skin.

“With a pretty face like yours, a brothel would easily cover the remaining debt. With your looks, you could pay it off in ten years. Isn’t that a great deal?”

As Jwa Geol burst into hearty laughter, Jin Yeran trembled violently. That was when Jin Soa, completely horrified, threw himself at Jwa Geol.

“Take your hands off her! Right now!”

“Huh?”

Jwa Geol kicked Jin Soa as he rushed forward.

“What kind of physician are you, so damn slow? How many times do you need to learn that this doesn’t work?”

“N-no!”

Jin Soa scrambled back to his feet and lunged again.

How could any younger brother stay rational when his sister was about to be sold to a brothel?

“You bastard!”

Thud!

Kicked square in the chest, Jin Soa clutched his solar plexus and rolled on the ground.

“Ughhh…”

“Soa!”

Jin Yeran cried out in alarm.

“You wretch!”

She glared at Jwa Geol with venomous fury, but he only chuckled.

“Even angry, you're beautiful. At this rate, you might repay that debt faster than expected. Don’t worry about your little brother—worry about who’ll raise your ceremonial hair! Hahaha!”

Hearing his revolting laugh, Jin Yeran bit down hard on her lip. So hard, blood began to trickle down.

“Do you have no sense of justice?”

“Justice? Judging by the debt, dragging you off as a slave would be totally within rights. Be grateful that I am merciful enough to sell you to a brothel instead. You'll repay it in time and return to being a commoner. How generous of me.”

“Ugh!”

Jin Yeran tried to wrench her arm away with force, but she couldn’t overpower the brute’s grip.

It was then—

“Y-you bastard, stop!”

The patients, who had until now been helplessly dragged out into the yard, finally began stumbling forward.

“W-what, are these people crazy?”

Feeling countless hands grabbing at his collar, Jwa Geol’s body trembled in fury.

“Leave the physician alone! Take me instead!”

“You cursed fiend!”

“I’m a dying man anyway. What’s stopping me from dragging you with me!”

“You bastards!”

Jwa Geol’s eyes flared with rage.

Having patients dare lay hands on him was a direct insult to his pride. If word got out that he’d been beaten back like this, he’d never be able to show his face in the underworld again.

“You think you're safe?!”

He began striking the patients holding him.

“Die!”

“Ahhh!”

Screams rang out one after another, but the patients did not let go. It was as if they’d rather die than watch Jin Yeran be dragged to a brothel.

“Stop it! I said stop!”

“You heartless bastard! How dare you touch the physician!”

“Didn’t we say stop!”

Jwa Geol’s anger boiled to the top.

“You bastards, you’re really asking for it!”

Just as he clenched his fist, ready to strike down the patients—

“Stop it!”

Jin Yeran cried out in shock and latched onto his arm, forcing it down.

“You all stop too. This isn’t something for you to interfere with.”

“Physician!”

“If your conditions worsen because of this, then what? Please, all of you, back down.”

“But…”

“Now.”

With Jin Yeran’s firm command, the patients slowly released their grips and retreated.

Then, Jin Yeran stared Jwa Geol straight in the eyes.

“Don’t lay a finger on the patients. I’ll go on my own.”

“W-what are you saying, sister?!”

Jin Soa cried out in disbelief, but Jin Yeran answered calmly.

“I’ll repay the debt however I can. So don’t worry about me. Your job is to restore the clan. From today forward, you are the Head of the Sacred Hand Grounds. Don’t forget that.”

“Sister, that’s insane! Let me go instead! I can’t possibly—”

“Do you not hear what I’m saying?!”

At her thunderous roar, Jin Soa bowed his head deeply.

“I’ll go of my own will.”

“Hahaha, as expected.”

Jwa Geol snickered lecherously and stood behind her.

Jin Yeran bit her lip hard and began walking forward.

“Ahhh, physician!”

“Sisteeerrrr!”

Chaos broke out as the patients and Jin Soa cried after her, but Jin Yeran didn’t look back as she walked toward the gate.

Until a voice interrupted her.

“…Wait, you’re not seriously going, are you?”

It was an unfamiliar voice.

And yet, somehow familiar.

Turning her head, Jin Yeran saw Wi Yeonho poking his head out the door, still wrapped in a blanket.

“What about my meal?”

Her eyes began to tremble.