Painter of the Night: The Runaway Agassi

Chapter 25

Both Ae Shin and Naki were in front of the local physician clinic of the village and the young woman was very nervous, she was scared of her decision on doing this in her own volition. Yesterday, she ordered Naki to find a reliable and trusted local physican that would examined her body because there is something that she must removed from her skin that would give her humiliation in the future that will filled her conscience with guilt. Gladly, her fever went down last night and she can move her body without any worries.

Naki was next to the beautiful young lady and the two of them were wearing peasant female hanboks that has plain colored fabrics. "Milady, this is the only local physician that was known for accepting patients in different social backgrounds particularly peasants. I heard from the local rumors that the old physician was formerly serving in the imperial palace." The mid-length haired female slave explained and Ae Shin nod in understanding, "So, it seems that we can get some help from this physician." She gripped her chima that was act as a veil on her head to toe; the two females nod with each other and they knocked twice the wodden door, "Excuse me, Is there a physician inside? There's a patient that needs help!" Naki shouted to that the person inside could here.

Luckily, the door opens and the two young ladies were cleared their throats to see an elderly man with a stern expression, "Who are you and what do you want?" He asked one of them and Ae Shin replied immediately, "Can we please allow us to be inside? There is something that I must show you, physician-nim." She formally bowed to him and the elder physician had no choice but to agree because he hadn't meet a female slave that is so formally polite like a noble lady.

The two young ladies entered his clinic that was filled with dried medicinal herbs that was hanged on the ceiling, jars of dissecting exotic animals that was used in medicine and medical tools on the table. The elder physician eyed at them suspiciously, "It's rare to see some female peasants came to my clinic ever since last season. Some didn't come here without any money on their pocket." He sat on the chair and looked at the two of them, "What? Did some of you get sick or pregnant?" He asked the two of them in a blunt tone and both Ae Shin and Naki denies, "No. in fact, we came here in your humble clinic because if you, a physician, is able to remove a slave brand." Ae Shin turned around and remove her jeogori and the elder physician saw the girl's slave brand on her right back shoulder, "Are you insane, girl! It's not my job on removing such brand marking of a filthy slave! My clinic is suppose to help sick and injured people." He shouted in an irritating tone because there's no way that he would do such thing on removing a slave mark because it takes a meticulously steps to slowly remove the craved skin from that delicate woman's fair skin.

Meanwhile, Ae Shin was despondent expression, she really need to remove the slave brand as soon as possible, "Is there any other way? I really need to remove this slave brand immediately. Please help me!" She fell down her knees before the startling male physician. "I will pay you handsomely so just please remove the slave brand!" She begged as she throw a small bag of coins on the elder physician's feet and the latter immediately take the small bag of coins and placed them on the table and his eyes stared down at the mysterious young woman's eyes filled with determination and he admire it, "If I do the operation, will you endure the pain? This might be dangerous especially that I will be using a heated metal to seal that slave brand." He explained the sensitive procedure on the operation and Naki went paled at hearing this because it means that Lady Ae Shin's skin will be smell like burning meat, "Miss...are you sure about this?" She asked worriedly and Ae Shin just smiled at her confirming her brave decision, "This is the only way I can do to erase the humiliation that I have been felt and keep haunting me." She gritted her teeth in anger at that painful memories when those sadistic slave traders branded her and declare her as an animal that will be serving the high society.