Chapter 42 (1/2)
Chapter 42
Time flew by like an arrow . During the last half a month, Ganghyuk did his best, as did Heo Jun, who was currently standing beside him with a haggard face .
Dolseok and Makbong, who had a.s.sisted them all this while, had collapsed a long time ago . Yeoju, who had been drawing all of these incidents, felt her fingers getting numb . Yeoni was not there, as she was busy preparing for the entertainment while celebrating the retreat of smallpox .
She was very tired, but she tried her best to maintain her pride as the best Eoreumsani in Gyeonggi area .
”It is time . ” The governor looked at Ganghyuk with pitiful eyes .
”Yes, sir . It is alright to have the Gut now . ” Ganghyuk said as he looked at the villagers leaning against the tree .
Everything was calm and peaceful . As most of the people were gathered on the hill, there were not many left in the village .
'Good . It is good now . '
Thanks to the quick response to the onset, infection did not spread out further . They were mostly cured with cowpox vaccine and the prescription of Heo Jun .
Alas, they had to hear the pitiful cries sometimes as well .
Ganghyuk was not a G.o.d, anyway . When a patient was found to have hemorrhagic smallpox, he could not do anything except reducing the pain on their way to the other world .
Many of them, including the first patient, pa.s.sed away in their sleep .
”You did a good job . You saved this village . ” The governor showed a smile out of satisfaction . He had already reported the incident . It was mainly about how fast he had reacted after the onset, and how well he commanded the people to prevent the spread of this fatal disease .
Of course, there were some comments about Ganghyuk and Heo Jun as well, but that did not occupy too big a portion .
”Not at all . It is all due to you and my father . ”
”You are always humble . Anyway, can I host the Gut now?”
”Yes, all the villagers are together, which is really good . ”
”Good . It is really good . ”
With that, the governor went to the shamans . Even from the back, Ganghyuk could sense his smiling face as his shoulders were moving from the joy .
At this moment, Dolseok called Ganghyuk .
”Sir…”
”What?”
”He is really great . ”
”Yes, he is a great man as the governor of Suwon . ”
”No, I mean… He did not take that medicine for fifteen days . ”
”Ah…”
The governor did not ask for v.i.a.g.r.a during this period . A n.o.bleman like him could go to the salon for a girl even in that situation .
Furthermore, he was a lecher, and yet he controlled his s.e.xual desire all this while . He clearly cared about the people more than Ganghyuk had thought .
”Yes! It is surprising indeed…” Ganghyuk nodded his head with a moved face . But, the feeling did not last for long as the governor came back hastily .
He came back to him as quickly as possible, as if there were an emergency .
”Well, may I… Can I use it now?”
He extended his hand forward with a shy smile, holding a small silk pouch in it . It was made not long ago, but it had so much wear and tear, implying how often it was used .
”I should have given it to you before you asked . Here it is . ”
”Yes, thank you!”
Having finalized his business, the governor went to the shaman for real . He was shrugging his shoulders this time again, but the reason might be different from the previous one .
”Sir . ”
”What?”
”I take back what I said just now . ”
”Yes, I agree with you . ”
With that, the two laughed for quite a while . As for the rest of them who did not know what the medicine was for, they looked at each other with puzzled eyes .
”Sir, why are you laughing like that? What is the medicine for?”
When Ganghyuk looked back, there he saw Makbong . As the latter had worked quite hard during this fortnight or so, his cheeks were deeply sunken . But, he still had a very obscene atmosphere around him .
He might have read between the lines from the conversation between Ganghyuk and Dolseok, and seemed to know what the medicine was for .
'His name tells what he is . . . Makbong . '
He did not know who named him, but that person must have been good at physiognomy for sure .
'Mak' meant careless, and 'Bong' meant a rod . He was clearly a man who used his symbol way too carelessly .
Hence, Ganghyuk felt that he could not give him v.i.a.g.r.a . That would be just like pouring oil on the flame . Thinking that, Ganghyuk shook his head hastily .
”No, I cannot . I won't”
”What is it for? Please give me one . ”
”No, you don't need it . ”
Ganghyuk noticed that his trousers looked different . The latter might have been thinking of something, which made his symbol erect . He stared at the latter while thinking why it was like that . But, Makbong tried to act charming by shaking his shoulders .
”Sir, please . Please…”
”No, if you take that, you may have to cut it . ”
”What do you mean? I am a man . ”
”It is true . So, do not try to have it without telling me . ”
”You are trying to trick me in order not to give me some . ” Makbong complained .
He could not protest anymore though . His desire could not beat his loyalty toward Ganghyuk after all .
While Ganghyuk and Makbong tussled over the medicine, the people had almost finished the preparation for the Gut . So, Dolseok dragged him by his arms carefully .
”Sir, let's go . ”
”Dr . Heo, let's go together . It is a party for us, so we must go and celebrate . ”
”Yes, but my body is all sore… . Haha!” Heo Jun managed to get up while patting his back . At this time, Yeoju stopped drawing and followed Ganghyuk as well .
The small plaza on the hill was crowded with people . Their number was less that what he had seen when he had visited the Suwon marketplace last time, but the concentration was higher .
However, Dolseok did not need to make a way for Ganghyuk .
”Doctor . . . ”
”Scholar Baik…”
”Sir Heo Jun…”
The people made way for them on their own volition while bending their heads with grat.i.tude . Some of them were treated by Ganghyuk and Heo Jun, some were saved, and some had family members who were saved by the two .
'Heo . '
He had been thanked too many times, but not like this . So many people came to him and thanked him at the same time .
'It feels strange . '