"That's it! A medical hall!" Raciel exclaimed with excitement.
"Are you sure about a medical hall? I know you healed and saved my sister, but you did it with your abilities. What if…?" Nae Jin-Sang said, then hesitated.
"Go on, don't worry. I just want to hear your opinion. You probably know more about this place than I do," Raciel said, trying to reassure him.
"What if you find something you can't heal, even with your abilities?" Nae Jin-Sang asked, worry creeping into his voice.
"That's what you're worried about? Don't sweat it," Raciel chuckled, patting Nae Jin-Sang's shoulder.
"You may not know this, but the way I healed your sister, my ability only played a small part," Raciel explained.
"The rest was pure skill. If it were only my abilities, your sister probably wouldn't even be eating with us right now."
"That's why I'm confident that I can heal anyone, as long as they're not dead or suffering from an impossible condition," Raciel added with assurance.
"Alright, I'll trust you. But if, by any chance, you feel like you can't treat someone, don't do it. Don't take unnecessary risks," Nae Jin-Sang said after a moment of silence.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful." Raciel smiled, hearing the concern in Nae Jin-Sang's voice.
"Now that I think about it, why do you need so much money?" Nae Jin-Sang asked.
"If it were you, you could just use your ability to create gold nuggets at intervals, and you'd always have money on hand," Raciel said. "You could also make money by being a mercenary or something along those lines. Sure, it doesn't make much, but it's enough to live day by day."
"So why do you need so much money?" Nae Jin-Sang asked, still confused.
"You're really perceptive," Raciel said with a smirk, surprised by Nae Jin-Sang's insight.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I— I was just asking," Nae Jin-Sang stammered, seeing the smirk on Raciel's face.
"Don't worry, I was going to tell you anyway. This benefits you too. Besides, I still need to teach you how to control your ability, and you'll be helpful with what I plan to do," Raciel said.
"As for why I need so much money…" Raciel's tone grew more serious.
"Let's just say I have a mission. It's not exact, but I had to choose between two things: destroy the Barbarians or help the Kingdom come to a peace treaty," Raciel explained.
"You need to destroy the Barbarians. They can't be left alive. If you leave them, they'll just bring more pain and death," Nae Jin-Sang said, his voice full of anger and excitement, cutting Raciel off.
"Calm down. I wasn't planning to go for the peace treaty after hearing about the Barbarians," Raciel said, trying to calm him down.
"Sorry, every time I remember what they did to my village, it just angers me," Nae Jin-Sang said, his voice tinged with sadness.
"Don't worry, I understand," Raciel said softly. "But you also need to understand that this isn't entirely the Barbarians' fault."
"It may not seem that way from your perspective, but from another point of view, it is," Raciel continued.
"At first, the Barbarians didn't even know about this Kingdom. It wasn't until someone from this Kingdom attacked them and killed their people."
"The war didn't start just because of the Barbarians' greed for this land. The one responsible for their anger is the person who killed their people," Raciel explained.
"That's why I need money. I need to find the person who started the war."
"If we just kill the Barbarians, all we're doing is getting rid of the knife, not the person wielding it. That's why I need to find the real culprit— this will prevent future problems like this," Raciel said.
Nae Jin-Sang sat in silence, thinking it over. When he finally spoke, his face was filled with anger. "You're right. If we just kill the Barbarians, it won't be enough. We need to find the true culprit."
"That's good, but remember this, Nae Jin-Sang," Raciel suddenly said.
"You can feel anger or rage, but never let those emotions guide or cloud your judgment. Use them to fuel your determination and become stronger, so you can avenge your family," Raciel added, patting Nae Jin-Sang's shoulder.
"The moment you let rage or anger control your judgment, that's the moment you lose your path. At that point, you no longer have the right to seek vengeance," Raciel finished.
Hearing this, Nae Jin-Sang was stunned. He hadn't thought about it that way, and if Raciel hadn't pointed it out, he would have made a huge mistake.
Nae Jin-Sang couldn't help but feel grateful. "I'll keep this in mind. Thank you," he said sincerely.
"You're welcome," Raciel replied with a nod.
"Alright, let's finish this meal and get some rest," Raciel said suddenly. "Tomorrow, we'll begin searching for a place to establish our medical hall."
"Yes!" Nae Jin-Sang said eagerly as he finished his meal.
Raciel and Nae Yeo-Jin did the same. After their meal, they headed back to their room. Once inside, Raciel grabbed a towel and a bucket from their room and went outside to find a well.
At the well, Raciel filled the bucket with water and carried it back to the room. He planned to use it to clean himself.
And that's exactly what he did. Raciel used the towel to wipe his body, cleaning off any sweat. Afterward, he told Nae Jin-Sang to clean himself and his sister and to sleep early, as they would be waking up early the next day.
Just like that, the night passed, and morning arrived. What was a bit embarrassing for Raciel was that, despite being the one who told Nae Jin-Sang and Nae Yeo-Jin they needed to wake up early to search for a building for their medical hall, he was the one being woken up by them instead of the other way around.
"Looks like habits are hard to break," Raciel sighed as he looked at Nae Jin-Sang and Nae Yeo-Jin, who were already ready and waiting for him.
"Let's go! We need to start looking for a place to establish our medical hall," Raciel said to them.
Raciel and the others headed down to the restaurant section of the inn and had breakfast together. Of course, the innkeeper was still upset about what happened yesterday, but he was in a better mood than the day before.
After eating, which was bland for Raciel and even for Nae Jin-Sang and Nae Yeo-Jin, they went in search of another stone that Raciel could turn into a gold nugget, which they would use as currency to buy a building.
With the stone in hand, the group set off to find a building. The first place they checked was in the city center, but after looking it over, they realized they wouldn't be able to afford anything there.
"Looks like finding a place here is harder than I thought," Raciel sighed, feeling defeated after another unsuccessful search.
"Um, wouldn't it be better to look somewhere else?" Nae Jin-Sang suggested, trying to offer a solution.
"But where?" Raciel replied, his frustration evident. "We've been looking for three hours, and every place is either occupied or too expensive."
"We don't need to look in the city center. In times like these, people will want to find places where they feel safe," Nae Yeo-Jin said quietly, still a little shy.
"Also, it might be better to look closer to the edge of the city," she continued. "That way, soldiers and refugees can find us."
Hearing this, Raciel and Nae Jin-Sang exchanged surprised glances.
"Are you sure you're her brother?" Raciel asked Nae Jin-Sang, astonished by how smart Nae Yeo-Jin was, especially given her age.
"Yes, I'm sure," Nae Jin-Sang replied, a little embarrassed and unsure of himself after Raciel's comment.
"But forget about that. Let's do as my sister suggests," Nae Jin-Sang said, changing the subject and focusing on finding a building for their medical hall.
"Yeah, you're right. Do you know how to get there?" Raciel asked Nae Jin-Sang.
"Don't worry," Nae Jin-Sang said confidently, patting his chest. "I may not have my sister's intelligence, but I can still guide you through the area with my eyes closed."
With that, Nae Jin-Sang led Raciel and Nae Yeo-Jin toward the edge of the city. Here, the buildings were more run-down, and the people were poorer, but there were still a few properties worth looking at.
One of those buildings belonged to an old merchant named Choi Byung-Ho, who had been working in his store since he was 25. He had made a living there for over 57 years until the war began. Since then, his business had gone downhill to the point where he could no longer cover the expenses, so he decided to sell.
Raciel, Nae Jin-Sang, and Nae Yeo-Jin liked the place, so they decided to buy it. With a few golden nuggets totaling 120 silver taels, they acquired the deed to the store. Choi Byung-Ho left without hesitation, especially since everything that needed to be taken had already been removed.
Choi Byung-Ho had stayed only to ensure the building was sold, not wanting to pay taxes on a property that wasn't generating any income. After the sale, he left for his next destination, which was likely another city.
The building was a two-story structure. The first floor would be where Raciel planned to heal and treat patients, while the second floor would be their living space.
"This is better than I thought," Raciel said, considering how they would distribute the space to meet their needs.
"Yeah, now we just need to decorate and add everything we need before we can open," Nae Jin-Sang said after walking around, taking in the place.
But Raciel could still see a hint of sadness in Nae Jin-Sang's eyes. He's still a kid, no matter what, Raciel thought to himself.
Raciel then patted Nae Jin-Sang on the shoulder and asked, "What should we call this place?"
Nae Jin-Sang paused for a moment, then said, "Cheonmyeong Hall."
Hearing this, Raciel asked, "What does it mean?"
"It means 'clear and bright.' I want this place to be a clear and bright place for anyone who comes through those doors," Nae Jin-Sang explained.
"That's good. Let's name it that," Raciel said, after hearing Nae Jin-Sang's reasoning.
With that, Raciel and the others spent a full week preparing the store to welcome patients. They renovated the building, cleaned it, and replaced a few areas until it matched their vision. They even added the name of the store to the top of the building.