Chapter 15
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: 2. The Generous Healer (5)
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‘I see.’
[Yeah. Having second thoughts now? Someone who could take you into an S-rank dungeon is showing interest—time to sell yourself!]
‘Sell myself? What do I even have to sell?’
Even Erich didn’t know there was no need for her to push any harder.
He didn’t know her true goal.
I kept playing dumb in my responses, and Erich shot back like he was about to burst with frustration.
[From the state of your potions, I’m saying you’re no ordinary F-rank!]
‘Ordinary? Nah. You’re helping me out, Erich. But that’s your ability, not mine, right? If it’s potions, I’ll hustle and sell them from now on.’
For the record, the HP I gave him came from an extra life bar that only I had. He didn’t seem to notice the difference.
‘Probably some leftover life force from my past life?’
Did I die earlier than my original fate or something?
Before my thoughts could wander too far, Erich’s voice cut in.
[You’re driving me crazy.]
I replied inwardly.
‘Calm down. I’ll work harder.’
To become an F-rank who’s great at just making one potion!
Erich let out a heavy sigh.
The infirmary was drawing closer again.
Time had passed, so fewer students were coming out now.
I quietly leaned against the wall and opened the box lid once more.
‘Hand out the rest and head back to class.’
That’s when a shadow fell in front of me, and a voice asked,
“……Can I have one too?”
It was an unfamiliar voice. A classmate I’d never properly spoken to.
His name was…… Seo Jung-woo, right? We’d brushed past each other a few times, that was it. For an extra like him, the future was obvious.
Extras like this student wouldn’t graduate—they’d die.
For the protagonist’s awakening.
“Of course!”
I flashed a bright smile on the outside and pulled a vial from our class’s box.
It bugged me that this was all I could do for him.
“Try it out, and let me know if it’s any good.”
Jung-woo took the vial and bowed his head.
“Thanks.”
He seemed a bit shy.
Quiet in class too, from what I recalled.
“No problem. It’s just practice stuff, so if the effect’s not up to par, forgive me, okay?”
To keep up the image of being useless, I always added that F-rank disclaimer about not guaranteeing results.
They’d figure out it was a normal potion once they tried it, so the hook would work perfectly.
As soon as Jung-woo left, a lively voice called out.
“Jin Hari!”
Gong Seo-yun.
“Uh……”
“Oh, I’m Gong Seo-yun.”
One of the supporting characters. Never talked to me once. Always at the center of the class, so no reason to cross paths.
‘No one even talked to me to begin with. What’s with today?’
I tilted my head and greeted him.
“Uh, hi. Jin Hari here. Looking for me? What’s up?”
Gong Seo-yun paused for a second.
Then he stared at my face before bursting into a hearty laugh.
“You have no idea this has spread all over school, huh?”
“Huh?”
“Yoo Han-seong came looking for you when you didn’t show. Said he’d hand them out to the class too.”
I figured they’d brag about some low-grade F-rank potions. No one would care anyway.
But apparently Hae-sol and Han-seong had said something to the class beforehand.
“Everyone’s pretending otherwise, but they’re waiting.”
“Waiting?”
I blurted out blankly, and he answered casually.
“Yeah. Free stuff? Duh.”
Hae-sol had been the same earlier—Gong Seo-yun didn’t seem to have the usual negative view of me.
‘He always seemed chill in the original too.’
Hiding my slight bewilderment, I said,
“Hearing you’re excited makes it a pressure. It’s just leftovers from practice.”
“Psh.”
I pulled out a vial and offered it. Seo-yun grinned and took it.
Then he shook the bottle and said,
“If you’re giving, I’m thankful. Anyway, this color’s pretty.”
“……Colorless?”
Lower-grade potions got paler. Lowest-grade were clear.
I tilted my head, and Seo-yun peered closely at the vial.
“Yeah, clear, but it sparkles. What’s that? Just the sunlight?”
He shrugged moments later, pocketed the vial, and waved.
“Anyway, see ya.”
“Yeah.”
By the time we got back to class, all eyes turned to me.
I froze and gave an awkward smile. Their eyes lit up.
I rolled my eyes around, then tossed a stone into the quiet room.
“……Hey, I’m planning to give out practice potions for free for a week.”
Yoo Han-seong, standing in a corner, let out a small sigh. Lee Hae-sol watched me with an unreadable gaze.
“Anyone need potions?”
“Me!”
“Me too!”
“For real? Free for a week? These?”
“Just one each?”
“Yeah, one each for now!”
The second I finished, they swarmed like they’d been waiting. I scrambled to keep up.
And after handing them all out.
“Thanks!”
“Gonna try it later.”
Amid light thanks, I headed to the faculty office with a weird mix of feelings.
Perfect timing—the homeroom teacher was coming out.
Dark circles under his eyes, but they softened a bit at the box in my hands.
“Successes, huh.”
“Yes. And Teacher, here.”
I calmly pulled out a vial and handed it over.
He took it absentmindedly, inspected it, and his eyes widened slightly.
“Somehow made a mid-grade potion. Mental barrier potion. Hope you’ll take it, sir.”
“If it’s just one, better save it.”
“It’s gratitude.”
The teacher paused.
Still his usual blank, cold face, but ever since that last success, he’d been more responsive.
Like now.
“For letting me practice.”
I reminded him as much as possible that I was F-rank.
“Didn’t think you’d allow it. But you helped…… thank you so much. I’ll work harder. Make it worth it!”
“……”
The teacher stared at my face silently.
Then back at the mid-grade potion.
“Would make me happy if you took more now and then.”
I grinned, and he sighed deeply.
Like he’d given up on something.
Rubbing his eyes, he said,
“Jin Hari.”
“Yes.”
“Yours are stable even at base effect. Have confidence in the quality. If you want to give me some, I’ll take the thought.”
“But……”
“When you can make mid-grades with ease, then I’ll take them. Got it?”
“Uh…… if that’s how it is. Yes! Thank you!”
“The thanks……”
He started to say more but shook his head.
“Never mind. Take this back. Give it to someone you want, or use it yourself.”
“Yes!”
Dungeon training was today, but he said nothing about it.
He still thought I was useless in dungeons.
But we could have meaningful talks about potions!
‘If I get this dynamic with every original character, perfect!’
Leaving the teacher behind, I walked slowly down the hallway-like corridor, thinking.
‘Gotta manage the distance just right.’
Students glanced at the empty box as they passed.
Now I got what Gong Seo-yun meant.
‘Word’s really spread, huh?’
Smooth sailing.
But then.
At the end of the hall, someone called my name.
“Hari.”
Lee Hae-sol.
He held the lowest-grade potion vial I’d given him earlier.
“Yeah, Hae-sol? Whoa, used it already? Badly hurt?”
I hurried over, and he shook his head.
“Not that. Got something to show you.”
“Show me?”
It was an originally clear vial, but the faint shimmer in the sunlight made it stand out more.
“This?”
I instinctively hugged the empty box closer and widened my eyes.
“Thought it was the vial, but the potion’s sparkling.”
“Gasp! What is it?”
Truth be told, I hadn’t noticed when I made them in the old classroom.
‘Sparkling potion means sparkling mana. What? Never saw this in the original…… Erich?’
[Kekekeke.]
‘You know something?’
His laughter in my ear felt ominous.
‘What is it? Don’t tell me you’re holding out!’
[Why blame me for your weird mana?]
“My mana?”
“Yeah?”
“Oh, nothing.”
[Rare holy-type mana.]
……Huh?
No mention of Jin Hari’s mana type in the original.
I couldn’t make sense of it, but what mattered was Hae-sol’s reaction right now.
What if he calls it suspicious?