Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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"Wow... this is amazing."
I wandered around the city, putting on the air of a total country bumpkin who'd just arrived in the heart of the urban sprawl for the first time.
Back in the village, most buildings were made of wood.
Places like the Zephyrium Hotel were built sturdily from stone, but the majority looked just like the village Viola used to live in.
But the interiors were a whole different story.
I poked my head into shops here and there, and they were spotlessly clean with all sorts of fascinating items for sale.
Goods spanning from ancient eras to the modern day were all on display.
"...They even have cola."
Most items sat alone on their display stands.
And underneath, price tags.
Cola - 10 points
Even buying stuff was a trip.
I figured you'd grab the cola on your way out and pay at the counter or something, but nope—totally different system.
You just tap the price tag right there if you want it, buy it on the spot, and send it straight to your inventory.
"Wow... this rules. It's like they nailed the perfect mashup of online and offline shopping."
"Aw, c'mon, it's not bumpkin vibes... I'm just amazed."
I bantered back and forth with the Guardian of the Gay Little Dick on trivial stuff while buying the cola, then headed to the potion shop.
"Alright... let's check out the most useful potions first."
I stopped by the potion shop I'd visited on my first day and gave the place a thorough once-over.
Then something caught my eye.
"Beginner's Artemis Potion?"
I glanced at the price tag on the display and nearly jumped out of my skin.
"Whoa, this thing's pricey—5,000 points?!"
But its effects were worth every penny.
Beginner's Artemis Potion - 5,000 Points Upon consumption, increases Archery level by 10 for 10 minutes.
Caution! Usable only in Zephyrium region. Item disappears upon leaving the area.
"Ah, region-locked, huh... Still, looking at the specs, totally worth the price."
Bumping your Archery skill level by 10 for 10 minutes? Insane performance.
Probably designed specifically for boss fights, not everyday use.
'Makes sense... Our party members never even step foot in potion shops, so they'd never think of stuff like this.'
[Even if the whole party chugs stat-boosting potions, we'll still need another way to handle the Paralysis Wave.]
'Yeah... Maybe there's a potion for that? Ah, there we go.'
I scanned around for other items and spotted an anti-magic potion.
Unlike the others, it sat proudly on a fancy central shelf, easy to spot.
'Jackpot! But damn, it's stupid expensive!!!'
Beginner's Anti-Magic Potion - 20,000 Points Upon consumption, increases Anti-Magic level by 5 for 1 hour.
Caution! Usable only in Zephyrium region. Item disappears upon leaving the area.
20,000 points? I could scrape that together if I saved up.
But who the hell would buy this...?
Pricey as it was, the duration made up for it.
'Whoa, long-lasting just like the price tag. Gotta be for the boss fight here, right?'
However, since no one knows the identity of the boss, the trap is that no one will buy it.
'Yeah, hilarious. Without this, meeting those guys is instant death. No survivors means no one knows what potions you need for the boss.'
Plus, the Zephyrium locals were friendly with basic info but clueless about monsters.
They'd just say something like "there's a boss mob" and leave it at that.
I circled the potion shop once more and muttered quietly to myself.
"Alright, time to head back."
"I've seen everything. That's enough."
I grinned at the baffled Guardian of the Gay Little Dick.
"An alchemist has no need to buy potions, right?"
..
..
By the time I reached the inn, the sun had fully set, and it was pitch dark.
I shelled out 500 points for a room right away, plopped down in a chair, and activated a skill.
The [Manufacturing Almanac], to be precise.
A list of everything I could craft popped up before my eyes.
It even had handy categories and a search function.
I searched straight for the Beginner's Artemis Potion.
'Pretty straightforward recipe. Makes sense since it's region-specific. Armonia.'
[Yes.]
'How many Enel per Zephyrium Moonlight Herb?'
[200 Enel each.]
'Way cheaper than buying direct. Get me 10.'
The moment I said it, 10 [Zephyrium Moonlight Herbs] appeared on the desk.
"Oh. Been collecting them on the side."
I explained that [Zephyrium Moonlight Herbs], which only bloom in the Zephyrium region, were rare and hard to come by.
"Eh, probably while I was eating or hitting the bathroom."
"Psh, what kinda talk is that...?"
Just the Enel I'd diligently saved up...
The Guardian of the Gay Little Dick grilled me for a bit but eventually let it slide without fully buying my story.
The Guardian of the Gay Little Dick had solid faith in the Yggdrasil system he was bound to.
I placed 10 [Zephyrium Moonlight Herbs] and 10 [Empty Vials] on the desk and triggered alchemy.
Pop!
Ten bottles of Beginner's Artemis Potion were ready.
And right then—
Knock knock.
'...Pefect timing.'
I thought that as I opened the door.
Sure enough, there stood Min Hayeon with her long, straight brown hair.
She was still wearing her bad mood from the whole day on her sleeve.
With a serious expression, she said to me,
"I'm here to 'return' your points from today too."
She emphasized that one word hard.
Probably to make damn sure I knew she meant business.
"You really don't have to..."
"Hand it over quick."
"Hmm... One sec."
"...?"
I handed her 10 vials of 10mL potion I'd prepped.
She looked puzzled, like she wanted to ask what the hell this was.
"It's Beginner's Artemis Potion. Made a bunch by accident, so take 'em."
"...Huh!? These stats..."
Even Min Hayeon, who'd been keeping her cool, freaked out at the potion's effects.
Flustered, she asked me,
"...This looks crazy expensive at a glance."
"Dunno."
"...?"
Min Hayeon tilted her head at my blunt response, so I explained.
"Made 'em practicing alchemy. No clue on exact price. Ingredients were transmuted too, so yeah, no idea."
Min Hayeon looked troubled, deep in thought.
In a survival spot like this, she knew better than anyone how clutch a potion like this could be.
I stuck out my arm toward her and said,
"I don't even use Archery anyway. You're the archery genius, Min Hayeon. I'm giving these to you for the sake of my own survival."
"...? You know me? How do you know my name?"
Min Hayeon whipped her head around, eyeing me with unease.
We'd been in the same party but never properly introduced, so some random guy calling her by name out of nowhere spooked her.
"...I'm giving these to you for the sake of my own survival. ."
It wouldn't make sense for a Korean person not to know Min Ha-yeon.
"Ah..."
Min Hayeon and I finally did proper introductions after three days of knowing each other.
She apologized for not realizing I was Korean sooner.
With people getting yanked from all over the universe, plenty didn't know her—turns out there were tons of folks from other worlds with Korean-sounding names.
I gave her a quick intro.
Not being a celeb like Min Hayeon, there wasn't much to say.
But I made sure she clocked what made me different.
"...? You've wandered other worlds? You are Korean, right?"
"Yeah. Got forcibly summoned to some other world for reasons unknown, wandered around, and ended up here."
"Huh... "
"...?"
"I thought it was weird how much more composed and cautious you are compared to others."
"Haha..."
We exchanged names, and Min Hayeon gave me a wry smile.
"...Yeoreum's immature. Sorry about that."
"No worries. Wandering around, you meet all types. Don't sweat it."
"Phew... I'll put these to good use. Then..."
Min Hayeon bowed her head slightly and turned back toward her hotel.
Her attitude had softened a lot—she seemed to peg me as a decent teammate.
And that decent teammate of hers...
"Nah! Just making sure she gets home safe."
I eyed the Guardian of the Gay Little Dick's chat as I cautiously tailed Min Hayeon.
While returning to the hotel, Min Ha-yeon thought about Seong Su-ho.
"...He seems like a decent guy."
Min Hayeon glanced at the chats flooding her channel and asked,
"This potion's expensive, right?"
"Sigh... 30-min ban."
"That's..."
Min Ha-yeon couldn't bring herself to answer hastily, mindful of the chat window.
She had no obligation to answer, but since they provided donations, she couldn't simply ignore them.
"No language in the chart."
Badmouth Boyfriend
🎁 Reward: 1,000 Points
Min Ha-yeon lowered her head at the mission.
Then, with her head down, she let out a small chuckle and opened her mouth..
"Han Yeo-reum, you little shit..."
Looking at the chat room, Min Ha-yeon felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest.
She felt no guilt over this.
Whatever affection she'd had for him had cooled ages ago, and this petty rebellion only lifted her spirits.
For Min Ha-yeon, who had spent her entire life immersed in archery, this experience was uncomfortable, but it was gradually turning into pleasure..
Although the occasional sexual harassment was unpleasant, it was nothing significant to someone who had lived in the sports world.
She had seen far more people saying filthy things to her on the internet.
The chat didn't stop until Min Ha-yeon reached the hotel lobby.
"Sigh..."
Her chest, freshly unburdened, filled right back up with pitch-black charcoal.
Maybe because the lobby was so spacious, Han Yeo-reum didn't spot Min Hayeon and headed for another room.
His mouth moved like he was muttering something, but she couldn't hear it.
The chat exploded.
Min Ha-yeon saw the chat and muttered cautiously,
"...Tell me."
The answer appeared immediately in the chat.
"..."
In the chaotic chat, Min Ha-yeon was the only one silent.
She sank into a lobby chair alone, trembling as she tried to calm herself.
Badmouth Boyfriend (Power Up)
🎁 Reward: 5,000 Points
"..."
The chat went nuts.
Looking at the chat, Min Ha-yeon let out a deep sigh and muttered through gritted teeth.
"Han... Yeoreum... you... fucking... piece... of... shit..."
For a moment, Min Ha-yeon's expression had turned into that of a vengeful demon.
As the atmosphere sank due to that beautiful demonic expression, everyone began to type in the chat quietly..
Even after letting out a heartfelt curse, Min Ha-yeon's heart would not settle.
She hadn't expected to walk out for points and stumble into that scene.
'Kids...'
Even as she cursed Han Yeo-reum, Min Ha-yeon hated herself for thinking of his younger siblings.
It wouldn't be difficult to slap Han Yeo-reum and break up with him.
But she imagined the children treating her awkwardly afterward.
Min Ha-yeon swept her hair back with both hands and stood up.
"Sigh... time to sleep."
Min Ha-yeon knew how bad it was to sleep in such a state of mind.
While learning composure and coldness through archery, she had realized something.
It was that one should not drink alone or go to sleep immediately after something bad happened.
If you slept immediately after a bad event, your physical condition would deteriorate throughout the sleep.
After sleeping like that, it would significantly hinder the next day's training.
But right now, there was absolutely nothing she could do.
'...If only the kids were here, I could have talked to them and felt relieved.'
As she thought of Han Yeoreum's siblings and headed for her room—
"Oh? There you are."
"...Seong Su-ho-ssi?"
Standing beside her was Seong Su-ho, whom she had parted with earlier.