TFSG 02

Chapter 2

I don’t like child-rearing stories.

But I had a friend who was absolutely obsessed with them.

That friend pestered me endlessly, nagging me day and night to read one particular novel. Eventually, they succeeded in planting it deep into my brain.

I had read it so many times because of their pressure, and heard them talk about it so often…

I practically had it memorized.

Then one day, I woke up in the world of that novel.

Why me?

“Why me and not my friend who’s obsessed with this genre!?”

I screamed in frustration, but perhaps thanks to my friend’s persistent pressure, my body remembered the story.

“Focus, Lady Biyu.”

I clicked my tongue internally and looked straight ahead.

‘This is already my fourth time doing this.’

In the first life, I was born here.

After dying, I kept returning to age three.

Waking up in this gloomy place every single time—seriously, I’m so sick of it.

A child-rearing story with East Asian fantasy flavor.
<Our Little Pharmacist Cooks Too!>

The protagonist of the novel, Ayan, had a special ability to heal people through cooking.

With her exceptional ingredient choices and genius-level talent, she moved and healed countless people with her food, even eventually curing her father’s incurable illness—a truly devoted daughter.

And the secret to her power was actually…

“Before the test begins, we’ll briefly go over history.”

Tap, tap. The sound of someone knocking on a makeshift blackboard wasn’t pleasant to the ears.

I looked around.

We were in one of the vacant buildings owned by the family.

Today, it was filled with patients forcibly brought in from the slums.

Moaning patients. People lying on thin mats. Some held their children tightly, staring fearfully at the teacher.

Receiving education in a room full of the sick felt surreal.

“The continent is broadly divided into the Eastern and Western Continents. Our great Heuk (Black) family’s ancestors were mysterious people who came from the East—blessed by dragons and devoted to the heavens and nature.”

Blah blah. I already knew all this.

“…And so, today, each of you will take a simple test to determine if you can wield the family’s power.”

This was my fourth time taking this test already.

Tsk.

To explain why I keep repeating this test, I need to briefly explain the world.

This world is split into the Eastern Continent and Western Continent.

The Eastern side worships the sky, wind, nature, and water. The Western side reveres the land and fire.

The Western Continent developed through constant warfare and remains in a near-perpetual state of battle.

Because of its aggressive nature, the West is overrun with combat-based ability users—essentially warriors.

“Damn it, we need a healer!”

“Call an apothecary, hurry!”

Thanks to these never-ending wars, medicine and pharmacology advanced rapidly.

Thus was born a nation where doctors and pharmacists held high status—Baiho.

Founded by a powerful emperor who declared that healers must be protected and nurtured, the nation gradually became prosperous.

Then one day, a mysterious plague swept the land. Even the most renowned Western doctors couldn’t do anything.

That’s when people from the Eastern Continent—Orientals—suddenly appeared.

Those from the East, who worshipped the heavens, were blessed by dragons and could wield nature-based powers.

Among those powers, the most notable was the ability to heal illnesses and wounds.

This was exactly what the war-torn Western Continent desperately needed.

The Eastern immigrants adapted surprisingly well…

And our Heuk family was one of those who came from the East.

The first head of the family, Heuk Ah-hwa, saved the life of Baiho’s emperor from the plague and was granted a noble title in return.

That’s how our family settled here.

However, even after 100 years, we still haven’t fully adjusted to the reality that Easterners are discriminated against.

“They pretend it’s a history class, but it’s basically indoctrination. Trying to brainwash us that Easterners are superior?”

After the lecture—which basically repeated everything I already knew—ended:

“Now, everyone, focus on the water in front of you!”

I looked at the cup of water with exasperation.

“Not just water. You may receive a fan, a mineral, anything. The attendants will assign one to each patient.”

“Waaaah!”

“Mommy! I don’t want to! Nooo!”

“I’m scared!”

Ugh. Who’s screaming in front of the patient?

I covered my ears.

I mean, I get it…

Even if you’re the child of a doctor or pharmacist family, seeing real patients at that age is terrifying.

Real patients aren’t docile.

Especially the seriously ill ones… they can act like wild animals.

Most of them were in pain and irritable. Some reeked with foul smells.

An emotionless attendant dragged me by the arm and placed me in front of a patient.

This person looks seriously ill.

Probably not from the plague, but they had bedsores all over their back and hips.

The stench of pus was strong.

I stared at the water in my hand.

Let’s see…

Wow, clean water for once?

I looked into the water curiously.

Although I’ve taken this test in every regression, the tools I receive vary each time.

There was even a time I was given a fan to stir up wind.

Next to me was a mineral crackling with static electricity.

The Heuk family, once in its prime, was now slowly falling into decline.

“We need a genius to lead the family!”

The current family head—my grandmother, Heuk Moran—was desperate to find a child with a rare, exceptional ability.

This test was designed to see who could manifest healing powers.

They secretly gather patients from the slums, bring in children, and test them to see who can heal.

They were so desperate they even dragged in kids like me, who had been locked away.

Ugh, so noisy…

I looked around, unimpressed.

“Alright, now focus. The more you cry, the harder it’ll be. If you want to go home, concentrate!”

Still, most of the kids couldn’t calm down.

“I don’t wanna! I won’t do it! I want my mom!”

“Dad! Daaaad!”

Everyone here, except me, were collateral branches or illegitimate children.

The so-called throwaways.

Unlike direct descendants who receive elite training from birth, kids like us are picked out through tests like these if they show rare powers.

I stood up.

“You’re not allowed to stand.”

The emotionless attendant blocked me.

“Sit down.”

Just then, the patient reached out a hand to me. Their gaze was desperate.

But when our eyes met, they smiled faintly. As if I looked cute.

Looking at their hand wrapped in thick bandages, a surge of irritation hit me.

Damn this family. I’m so done with it.

Using patients like this just to find one healer—it always disgusted me.

What annoyed me even more…

Was the thought of having to live like this for another twenty years.

“If I finish the test, that’s all that matters, right?”

I looked up at the attendant with a sulky face.

“Then I’ll just do it.”

Then I dipped my finger into the clean water.

Shwoooosh!

Water surged from every child’s cup.

“W-What the!?”

“Kyaaaah! T-The water!”

I already knew what disease the patients had: an epidemic fever. This was my fourth time—how could I not?

The medicinal ingredients are over there.

The water flowed around, collecting the herbs it needed. The ingredients melted into the water, disappearing smoothly as the water turned into a swirling blend of beautiful colors.

Finally, the mixture turned into a medicine glowing yellow.

The water moved gently, helping the patient sit comfortably, then delivered the medicine into their mouth.

“…Oh my God.”

Someone gasped.

As the glowing water faded…

There wasn’t a single trace of illness left in any patient.

Because I had healed them all.

“Done?”

My name is Heuk Biyu.

Cousin of the original heroine.

The hidden genius and pharmacist of this family.

And from now on—

I’m done hiding my power.