Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Sold Out? Yeah~ Just Double the Quantity~
What in the world happened here?
The goblin Hob was beaten to a bloody pulp.
The Lumina Spirit was clutching him tight, bawling its eyes out.
The flowers in the field had been uprooted or mercilessly trampled.
And in the midst of it all, Leader Durak was desperately trying to prop up the broken flowers, occasionally shooting glares at Hob.
As if staging a scene of "I had no choice but to hit him while defending the flower field from Hob's sudden rampage—".
"Hah..."
I'm not an idiot.
Did it really think I'd fall for such a sloppy act?
I quickly approached the flower field and reached out toward Hob.
Then.
Flinch—
Shivering—
Thinking a hawk was swooping down on it, Hob curled up like a pillbug, trembling violently.
I slowly stroked its head so it wouldn't get scared.
Then I cast Heal to treat its wounds.
Poof poof poof—
Warm light burst from my fingertips like a spring.
Was it surprised because I petted it instead of striking?
Or because one Heal fixed its body completely?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Loyalty of Subordinate Monster - Goblin Hob has broken through the limit.] [Relationship: 'Trust' → 'Devotion'] [Status: Bond/Gratitude/Joy] [Loyalty: Limit Breakthrough] [Additional Effect: Loyalty Points x2 Acquired] [Acquired Loyalty Point for Subordinate Monster 'Goblin-Hob'.] [Acquired Loyalty Point for Subordinate Monster 'Goblin-Hob'.]
- WHAT...? Kirruk...?
I gave Hob a soft smile as it stared at me in disbelief.
"Hob, thanks for protecting the flower field."
The moment I finished speaking, Hob's eyes began to tremble fiercely.
Then, plop—
A teardrop fell.
As I silently hugged it, just like the Spirit had.
A bunch of new messages appeared above its head, ones I'd never seen before.
Loyalty limit breakthrough.
Double loyalty points acquisition, and so on.
My eyes lit up at the exciting stuff, but.
I didn't have time to check them one by one right now.
I had to save the flower field before it was too late.
After that, I laid down a massive Heal AoE on the wrecked flower field.
Light spread through the clumps of dirt, and the pitifully wilted flowers began to lift their heads one by one.
Even far away.
I took in the sight of the 'Seren Rose' I'd planted in the corner recovering.
Then I headed straight for Leader Durak.
"That was all you, wasn't it?"
Soon, my fierce fist flew toward Durak's smooth forehead.
- Thwack!!!!!!!
It was the 'Nuclear Chestnut Punch' I'd only used on orphanage kids who swore at the director.
Never thought I'd use it again.
Life really is unpredictable.
- ...Kirruk?
Durak stared blankly into space, as if it never imagined getting hit by anyone.
Then it scrunched its brow like an upside-down V and started shedding chicken-tear-like drops.
"What're you crying for? You did good!"
The No.1 line from Korean moms.
Who knew I'd say it myself someday?
"Hoo..."
But this was bad.
I'd given Durak a Nuclear Chestnut Punch for beating Hob to a pulp and trying to frame it, but my anger still wasn't sated.
Huff huff—
Glare—
Breathing roughly as I eyed Durak.
I used the decent pile of accumulated loyalty points to boost Hob's combat power to S-rank.
An eye for an eye.
A tooth for a tooth.
"Hob, it's revenge time. Give Durak back every bit of what it gave you."
If you hurt someone, you should feel the same pain.
But for some reason.
Hob slowly shook its head at my words.
- NO... Kirruk...
"You're super strong now. Not the old Hob. So don't worry—just smack it good!"
- NO, NO... Kirruk.
- MY FRIEND, Kirruk.
"You gonna just forgive it like that? That's not nice—it's stupid! Snap out of it!"
- IM FINE. Kirruk.
- MY FRIEND, Kirruk.
Watching Hob stubbornly repeat itself was driving me up the wall.
'Stupid thing—should I just hit it for you?'
As I whipped my head toward Durak.
Suddenly, its face overlapped with that kid from the orphanage who was always violent and causing trouble.
That kid followed me around weirdly.
What was the reason again?
- Everyone ignores me. It makes me sad. I hate the director too.
- But you always treat me warm. I like that.
I remembered.
Unlike the other kids, I treated it fairly, it said.
...Come to think of it, maybe I'd been favoring Hob too much.
Hob had the worker skills I wanted.
Durak didn't.
- Hob! Our Hob! Best goblin!
- Master of Cultivation! Master of Alchemy!
- So pretty, my baby!
Every time I showered Hob with praise...
What was Durak doing?
- ...Kruk.
Right.
Standing off alone, watching us enviously.
Sure, it caused accidents every time I gave it work, but I could feel its desire to help me.
Maybe I'd been too harsh.
The thought crossed my mind.
'If I'd loved them equally, would this have happened?'
As if reading my mind.
Hob murmured in goblin tongue toward me, flashing a cool smile.
- LOVE, Kruk.
Like it was saying, Wrap it in love—.
Hob used to seem dumb, scavenging fallen cookies off the ground.
Now it felt more grown-up than me.
...But no matter how I thought about it, I couldn't just let this slide.
"......"
I approached Durak, who was shedding more chicken tears.
- Thwack!!!!!!
And gave it another Nuclear Chestnut Punch.
"Phew."
Now I finally felt relieved.
Looks like I'm not mature enough to be a grown-up yet.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After the incident, quite some time passed.
With its Alchemy trait maxed at S+, Hob had fine-tuned the ratio of purified water and flower nectar to the extreme, now producing 10 potions from a single petal—up from 8.
Durak, having tasted the 'flavor of praise,' was no slouch either.
Using its thick arms and overflowing strength, it endlessly squeezed out flower nectar, flaunting its own talents.
Hob meticulously crafting potions, Durak endlessly supplying materials.
Their synergy meshed surprisingly well.
Of course, I wasn't slacking either.
"Alright! Snack time, then back to work!"
Thanks to the two gluttonous goblins, I baked cookies all day.
"How can you make ten potions...! Ah, I already said that yesterday."
"The speed is insane...! Ah, that was for Hob."
"Anyway, amazing! Incredible!!"
My brain tingled from squeezing out non-repetitive praise.
Thus, with the endless output from the two goblins, my super-capacity inventory artifact filled to the brim with mana potions.
"Alright, now..."
Time to normalize the bubbly potion prices.
Of course, my real goal is normalizing recovery potion prices to create a 'world without need for healers.'
But first, I'll flood the market with these excess mana potions to test if my plan works.
"Let's head out."
With that, I headed to the management office to list the 'Bulk Mana Potions' all at once.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After the world changed.
One day, mysterious gates popped up everywhere, and people gained powers to counter them.
Streets bustled with awakeners gathered to clear monsters and gates.
Guilds wielded power rivaling nations.
Old everyday jobs faded, replaced by new ones centered on gates.
But some things never changed.
Like potion prices at the exchange.
Mana potion, average 2 million won.
Recovery potion, minimum 5 million to 10 million won.
Whether because healers were so rare.
Or alchemists were colluding slyly—who knows.
Awakeners had no choice but to buy the overpriced potions, weeping as they did.
Then one day.
📰 Breaking News
[??? Guys, search the exchange for mana potions sorted by lowest price]
Mana potions worth an average 2 million won suddenly flooded the exchange at absurd prices.
Price: 200,000 won.
Quantity: 10,000.
The awakener community naturally exploded.
💬 Comments
— Anonymous
Looks like someone messed up the price when listing on the exchange?
— Anonymous
Buy quick before the price changes back
— Anonymous
I'm all-in, bought them all. Gonna sell when it regresses to average lol
— Anonymous
If we report this, it'll get pulled ㅠㅠ
— Anonymous
10k quantity will sell out fast, profit while you can
The alchemist guilds profiting off high potion prices entered emergency mode.
Their networks buzzed nonstop.
— Elixir Guild
Mana potions at 200k, 10k quantity just listed on exchange.
— Individual
What??? What lunatic would do that...?
— Individual
Maybe one of our guild members goofed??
— Gold Guild
Everyone check your listed potion prices on the exchange.
— Herb Flower Guild
What if mana potion prices crash...
Aura Guild's master, Seo Yeon-hee—the biggest profiteer from bubbly prices—bit her lower lip hard.
'What madman is trying to tank potion prices...'
Did the management office finally snap?
Or did the whiny awakeners begging for lower prices band together?
Either way.
It was pointless.
Seo Yeon-hee would do anything to protect potion prices.
— Aura Guild
Don't worry, everyone.
— Aura Guild
We'll take the lead and normalize prices again.
— Individual
Thank you ㅠㅠ Aura Guild as expected!
— Individual
Knew I could count on you...!!!!!
Thanks to Aura Guild's swift action, the cheap mana potions sold out in a flash.
— Anonymous
Checked exchange and it's already sold out...
— Anonymous
Post just went up and it's gone... everyone's fast...
— Anonymous
Hah... too late...
Latecomers who just heard the news.
Awakeners who woke up and checked.
Those who hadn't bought yet beat the ground in regret at the 'Sold Out' notice.
Then.
📰 Breaking News
[??? Guys, someone just dumped 20k mana potions at 200k again]
[If you haven't bought potions yet, hit the exchange NOW]
New good news exploded.
— Anonymous
Go go go before it sells out again!!!!!
— Anonymous
Phew... bought it ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
— Anonymous
Yessss finally got mine!!!!!!!!
The stragglers who could only suck their thumbs started hoarding the cheap potions again.
At the same time, Seo Yeon-hee, frantically refreshing the trade window, ground her teeth.
Who the hell was pulling this nonsense?
Had a new faction emerged that profits from lower prices?
Either way, leaving it alone would crash prices—it was obvious.
'Still fine. No big hit yet.'
Seo Yeon-hee gladly accepted the challenge.
— Aura Guild
We'll buy up the whole batch again this time.
— Aura Guild
As long as I hold out, prices won't drop.
— Elixir Guild
Our guild will chip in ammo too.
— Gold Guild
We're all in this together—can't just leave it to Aura Guild.
Led by spearheading Aura Guild, the alchemist alliance united.
And soon—
[Sold Out.]
The 20k mana potions sold out in a blink again.
Finally sensing something off, awakeners started questioning in the community.
— Anonymous
??? 20k sells out this fast?
— Anonymous
This has to be alchemists colluding to buy them up, right?
— Anonymous
Obvious alchemists pulling strings to keep prices up
— Anonymous
No... this ain't right...
— Anonymous
Mana potions were always overpriced for the materials anyway
— Anonymous
Let's boycott all potions over 200k from now on.
— Anonymous
Fuck it, boycotting anything over 200k starting today
Awakener boycott movement against expensive potions gained steam.
As if fueling it.
Another insane quantity hit the exchange.
[Basic Mana Potion] Price: 200,000 Quantity: 50,000
The community turned into a festival.
— Anonymous
50k quantity lmao they're serious about normalizing prices ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
⭐ Top Comment
— Anonymous
Whoever you are... thank you so much...
— Anonymous
World's still worth living in!!!!!
Seo Yeon-hee leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.
Guild warehouse was bursting from potions bought to defend prices.
Buying this batch too—how to handle the mountain of mana potions?
Her vision already darkened.
Plus, leading with Aura again meant 20 billion won risk including bulk fees.
They could weather 20 billion with savings.
But if another absurd batch dropped?
What then?
Grind—
Seo Yeon-hee clenched her molars again.
'No choice. Have to go all the way now.'
Already poured fortunes defending prices.
Awakeners were chanting 'Boycott expensive alchemist potions!'
No retreat.
"Hoo..."
With a deep sigh, Seo Yeon-hee finally hit 'Buy All Remaining Quantity'.
[Sold Out.]
The moment the 200k mana potions showed sold out.
New stock refreshed immediately.
[Restocked in 'Watchlist Item'.] [Basic Mana Potion] Price: 200,000 Quantity: 100,000
An absurd number incomparable to before.
"...Fucking lunatic."
Judging the fight unwinnable, Seo Yeon-hee finally surrendered.
— Aura Guild
Sorry. This is the end for me.
The alchemist alliance, steadfast till now, crumbled for the first time.