A Letter from Yul-Rin, Mistress of Remedies and Regret
To whoever's foolish enough to read this (yes, even you Ji-Mun),
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đ Section 1: I'm Not a Villain. Probably.
Let's clarify a few things:
No, I'm not evil.
Yes, I know 47 ways to kill someone using plants.
No, I haven't used any of them on the team.
Yet.
I'm Yul-Rin. Former apprentice of a now-very-dead poison master. Currently traveling with a group of misfits who've somehow made me care.
I didn't ask for this life. I was trained to survive it.
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đ§Ș Section 2: Why I Stay
Honestly? I joined Sun-Ho because I thought he'd die early and I could loot his corpse.
âŠThen he survived.
âŠThen he started protecting others.
âŠThen I realized I liked being part of something.
Now here I amâhealing idiots, brewing bombs, threatening Ji-Mun into silence, and pretending I'm not growing fond of these people.
Weird, right?
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đ Section 3: The Team Through My (Cynical) Eyes
Sun-Ho: Infuriatingly calm. Too humble. Too kind. Probably hiding five more secrets. I'd poison him just to see if he noticesâbut he'd probably thank me for the "training."
So-Ri: Graceful and dangerous. We understand each other. We're both sharp where it counts. Also, I might steal her hair-care routine.
Ji-Mun: Loud. Dramatic. Surprisingly clever when he isn't being stupid. I once almost paralyzed him for trying to put chili powder in my salve.
Ma-Rok: Big heart. Bigger hammer. Surprisingly gentle when no one's watching. I'd never say this out loud, but he's one of the safest people I know.
Yeon: I've never seen a child look at the world like it's a puzzle to solve and a trap to avoid. Smart. Quiet. I like him.
Master Jang: Mystery wrapped in robes. Probably once seduced a demon just for the tea. I respect that.
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đ§ Section 4: Advice from the "Poison Lady"
If you've made enemies, good. It means you stood for something.
If you've made friends, better. It means someone saw your worth.
If you've made both? Congratulationsâyou're walking our path.
One vial at a time, I've learned this:
> Healing and harming use the same hands. It's the intent that defines you.
I used to think being feared was enough. Now I'm learning that being trusted⊠is harder. But maybe worth it.
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Signed in ink, blood, and questionable herbs,
Yul-Rin â Maker of Antidotes, Breaker of Expectations
P.S. If Ma-Rok eats Ji-Mun's cooking again and dies, I am not reviving him twice.
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