The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 1.6
The rice porridge was ready, so I quickly transferred it into a bowl and placed it in a basket along with stir-fried wild vegetables.
“I’m heading out now. I’ll clean up when I get back, so just leave everything after eating.”
“It’ll be dark soon, so be careful on your way back.”
“I know.”
As I stepped outside, the setting sun dyed the world in shades of crimson.
The gentle aroma of cooking from nearby houses drifted through the air, filling me with a sense of warmth and comfort.
Children rushed past me, hurrying home before dinner. Making my way through them, Keigetsu set out toward his father’s charcoal-burning hut, where a thin trail of smoke rose into the sky.
The forest was growing dark. For those unfamiliar with the path, it would be dangerous, but Keigetsu, who had walked it countless times, moved straight ahead without hesitation. He had to hurry, or the porridge would turn into glue.
(While Father eats, I need to check on the licorice and return the mugwort…)
Keeping the fading sunlight in the corner of his vision, Keigetsu planned out his tasks. Drying medicinal herbs while tending the fire required effort. To lighten his father’s burden, he had to do as much as he could.
Just as he nodded to himself, satisfied with his plan, he heard a horse neighing.
The village was a bit far from here, so it was unusual for livestock to be this close.
(A stray horse?)
Looking around, he spotted a lone horse.
“What happened to you?”
Even from a distance, it was clear the horse was magnificent. Its saddle and bridle looked expensive.
Nobles often came hunting here since the area had plenty of wild boars and pheasants. It wouldn’t be surprising if one had fallen from his horse. The terrain had steep slopes and hidden holes, making accidents common.
(I should at least check on him.)
As Keigetsu approached, he noticed a piece of cloth near the horse’s feet.
Following it with his eyes, he found a young man collapsed on the ground.
(Just as I thought.)
“Are you okay?”
At the sound of his voice, the man let out a faint groan.
“Did you fall? Did you hit your head?”
Keigetsu set his basket down, knelt beside the man, and gently touched his cheek. The man’s eyelids trembled slightly.
Then, Keigetsu suddenly realized—
This was no simple fall during a hunt.
The man had a deep sword wound on his abdomen and a broken arrow lodged in his arm.
(He was attacked!)
Keigetsu swiftly crouched lower, scanning the surroundings with caution.
Seeing no signs of danger, he whispered to the horse, “Wait here,” and ran toward his father. He couldn’t carry someone of this size alone.
“Father!”
Seated in front of the charcoal kiln, his father turned slowly. But upon seeing Keigetsu’s urgency, he stood at once.
“What happened?”
“There’s an injured man. He was attacked by someone.”
After quickly explaining, Keigetsu’s father nodded, went to the hut, and returned with a short sword and a bow.
Keigetsu led his father back to the injured man.
The horse, seemingly understanding the situation, pricked up its ears when it saw them approach, letting out an anxious snort.
“This is him.”
Keigetsu knelt beside the unconscious man. His father, who had been scanning the surroundings, crouched as well to examine the injuries.
Then, his father’s face darkened slightly.
“…Is he going to die?”
Seeing his father’s expression, Keigetsu worried the wounds might be fatal.
His father, snapping out of his thoughts, shook his head. “No,” he muttered, handing Keigetsu the bow.
“We’ll take him to the hut. It’s too dark to assess his wounds here.”
He touched around the injury and, confirming the bleeding had stopped somewhat, removed the man’s upper garment and wrapped it tightly around his torso with a belt.
“Stay alert and follow me.”
Lifting the man onto his back with care, his father gave the order. Keigetsu nodded, pulling two arrows from the quiver and readying them as he followed behind.
The unconscious man remained limp, carried without resistance. Perhaps realizing the man was in safe hands, the horse followed them voluntarily without needing to be led. It must have been deeply loyal and intelligent.
Back at the hut, Keigetsu’s father instructed him to prepare hot water.
Keigetsu fetched water and set it to boil, then gathered herbs to treat wounds and stop bleeding. At times like this, having a house that dealt with medicine was a blessing.
When he returned with the supplies, his father was in the process of removing the man’s clothing.
“Are the wounds deep?”
“No, not too bad. He won’t need stitches.”
His father murmured in admiration, “He must have dodged the blade well.”
He wiped the area around the wound with a damp cloth. The fresh gash, still oozing bl00d, made Keigetsu wince.
“There’s no sign of poison either,” his father noted.
After checking for signs of infection, he glanced at the pot of water. It wasn’t ready yet, so he continued inspecting the man’s injuries.
The scrapes on his hands and face were likely from the fall. If cleaned properly, they would heal in about ten days.
But the real concern was the broken arrow lodged in his upper arm.
“Keigetsu, hold him down.”
Even unconscious, the pain might wake him. If he struggled, it could worsen the injury.
Keigetsu nodded, whispering a small apology to the unconscious man before firmly gripping the designated area. The man twitched slightly but didn’t wake.
Praying the arrowhead wouldn’t cause further damage, his father pulled it out in one swift motion.
“—Ugh…!”
The man let out a sharp gasp, his eyes snapping open for a brief moment before his head slumped again. Luckily, he didn’t thrash.
As Keigetsu let go, his father murmured, “This is…”
“A poisoned arrow.”
The scent of medicine mixed with the bl00d, his father noted.
Keigetsu stiffened and turned to the man. How long had the poison been in his system? If it had been too long, it might have already spread throughout his body.
His father quickly untied the belt and fastened it tightly around the wounded arm, scrutinizing the swollen area.
“Should I suck out the poison? I can do it.”
“No, he should be fine. People of his status usually build a resistance to poison.”
Muttering that there was no way to treat an unknown poison, his father examined the arrowhead for clues.
Accepting his reasoning, Keigetsu fetched the now-boiling water.
At that moment, he realized his father hadn’t eaten dinner.
Keigetsu hurriedly brought the basket over.
“Father, eat something. It’s already cold, but…”
“……”
“You still need to clean the wound, apply medicine, and wrap it, right? I can handle that.”
They had treated fallen travelers before. Most had been arrogant city folk who never even thanked them.
“I’m used to this,” Keigetsu said with a small smile.
His father gave a slight nod and took out a bowl from the basket.