Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Joo Tae-ho (2)
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"I should start by thanking you. Thank you for lifting the curse that's tormented me for over a decade."
"No need to worry about it."
Joo Tae-ho might not realize it, but I'd already received ample compensation.
That was why I'd brushed it off, but he furrowed his brow at my response for a moment.
"By the way, how old are you?"
"......"
It seemed treating him the same as anyone else had thrown him off.
I gave Joo Tae-ho, who had so bluntly asked my age, an honest answer.
"A bit older than most."
After all, it'd be weirder if my age—having passed through fourteen worlds to reach this fifteenth one—wasn't substantial.
Of course, I'd only stayed a few months to one or two years in most worlds, but there had been a few where I'd lingered three to five years or longer.
'And going through that cycle fourteen times.'
I figured it probably put me around Joo Tae-ho's age.
But after hearing my answer, he gave me a dubious look.
"'A bit older than most'—does that mean you're even older than me?"
"Who knows. I don't know your real age, but I'd guess we're either about the same or I'm a little older."
At that, Lee Seojun and Kang Ju-young both stared at me in surprise.
But I was more surprised that even Lee Seojun looked shocked.
'He knows I've been through fourteen worlds, and he's still surprised.'
Or maybe he was shocked because I seemed too young?
In any case, Joo Tae-ho studied me intently before nodding as if he'd made up his mind.
"You don't seem to be lying. I'll take you at your word."
"You've got a knack for spotting lies, huh?"
"It's a skill I've picked up over the years. Though you do look awfully young."
"If you want, I could make you look young too."
I mentioned the Elixir of Youth I had, saying I could rejuvenate him as well.
"Make me young?"
"Like I said, if you want."
Joo Tae-ho just looked intrigued, but Kang Ju-young subtly betrayed her anxiety.
From her reaction, she clearly hoped he'd take even a little youth back—but what mattered was his own will.
"It sounds tempting... but no thanks."
"Mr. Joo Tae-ho."
As Joo Tae-ho turned it down, Kang Ju-young called his name, as if pleading for him to reconsider.
Seeming to read her intentions before she could speak, he shook his head.
"I've been essentially retired since slaying that dragon. I don't want to jump back into the fray all young and spry now."
"You wouldn't have to fight. Just being young again would be enough."
"If I suddenly looked young, everyone around me would lose their minds."
"......And there's the Destroyer too."
When Kang Ju-young brought up the Destroyer, Joo Tae-ho looked at her in astonishment.
"The Destroyer's still alive? I figured those special mana bombs would've finished it off."
"We used special mana bombs, but we couldn't kill the Destroyer. Instead, me and the other heroes died."
"Died?"
Kang Ju-young nodded, apparently intending to tell him everything.
"This man revived me after I died and even cured my curse."
"When you said he saved you earlier... you meant he literally brought you back from the dead?"
"Yes. The other heroes died too, but they all came back to life."
"......"
Joo Tae-ho, apparently finding it hard to believe, alternated his gaze between me and Kang Ju-young.
"Not just some eccentric—he's a true benefactor. But is resurrecting the dead even possible?"
"If it's within five hours, yeah. That's why I joined in the first place."
"Then the Destroyer will be back in action soon."
Joo Tae-ho sank into serious thought, his expression grave as he no doubt pictured the Destroyer.
My guess was he was weighing whether he'd win against it.
"No matter how I look at it, I don't think I could beat the Destroyer."
In the end, even he concluded it would be too much for him.
In a way, it was an objective assessment of his own abilities.
"What was the Destroyer like after those special mana bombs? On the brink of death?"
"No. It was relatively fine. The other S-Rank heroes and I couldn't even lay a hand on it before we went down."
"Then I wouldn't fare much better. I'd probably last a few minutes before collapsing."
Kang Ju-young finally relented and nodded as Joo Tae-ho reiterated his point.
Truth be told, from her perspective, the Destroyer was just an excuse—her real wish was simply for him to be young again.
"Anyway, I'd rather not dwell on this stuff today of all days."
Strictly speaking, Joo Tae-ho had finally been freed from a curse that had plagued him for over a decade.
So when he said he didn't want to brood over the Destroyer anymore, Kang Ju-young immediately accepted it.
"Understood."
"Besides, we can't just sit around on a day like this. Come on in."
Treating me like a friend now, Joo Tae-ho casually beckoned me into the inner room.
I'd treated him, so I wanted to head out—but his next words held me back.
"Let me share my secret stash of liquor with you."
"Liquor?"
"It's made from rare herbs that only grow in Gates."
I inwardly wondered what kind of booze this was, but Lee Seojun beside me spoke up as if he knew all about it.
If it's a rare herb from a Gate, it should help with your stats. Think of it as a kind of elixir.
"Wouldn't it be better to just eat herbs like that raw instead of brewing them into liquor?"
True, but it might be different here. Mana's been gathering around nonstop for 24 hours, right?
Since it was a Gate herb, it was probably infused with mana.
At that moment, Joo Tae-ho shook his head at my question about eating it raw.
"Raw would be best if you don't want to wait. But after aging it over a decade or more, it's a different story."
I nodded at his words and headed into the inner room.
Kang Ju-young slipped off somewhere with practiced ease, probably to fetch some food.
"Gates produce elixir-like herbs too, huh."
I'd taken herbology classes as a cadet, but none that boosted stats.
'Can't recall any from the textbooks either.'
As I pondered, Joo Tae-ho answered.
"That's how rare they are. Most heroes have no clue."
With that, he retrieved an ornate bottle carefully stored in one corner of the room.
Peering inside, I saw a single flower floating within, its petals glowing with a blue hue.
Ah, Blue Moon Flower. It grows by absorbing ambient mana. He made liquor with it.
As Lee Seojun said, it had absorbed mana—the liquor itself was a translucent sky-blue.
Plus, the bottle radiated mana, likely influenced by the flower.
'Feels less like liquor and more like mana liquefied.'
As I examined the liquor, Joo Tae-ho promptly uncorked it and poured a glass.
A floral fragrance mingled with a refreshing aroma, filling the room completely.
"Definitely seems like fine stuff."
The Blue Moon Flower inside the bottle still brimmed with vitality.
With mana constantly flowing in here, that alone kept it thriving.
"Have a glass."
"Mm."
Curiosity piqued, I took a sip.
No trace of alcohol's bite or scent.
Just the room's floral notes blended with a subtle sweetness.
"......"
Then some kind of energy suffused my body, settling into my mana circuits everywhere.
'No way.'
Feeling my energy surge stronger, I checked my status window.
✨ Magic Power:D(↑Rank Up!)
🛡️ Resistance:E(↑Rank Up!)
Sure enough, my Magic Power and Resistance stats had risen.
I hadn't expected a single glass to boost my stats, so I was a bit surprised.
"Not bad."
"Glad you like it."
Joo Tae-ho looked pleased and poured himself a glass too.
"With abilities like yours, folks will be hunting you down from all sides... right?"
"It's been quiet so far since I stayed low-key, but yeah, things'll change."
Now that I'd tangled with Seo Do-kyung and the Hero Association, trouble was inevitable.
Joo Tae-ho seemed to have pieced it together just from hearing I'd revived Kang Ju-young and the others.
"I've been through something similar. They wouldn't leave me alone."
He let out a small sigh, as if reminiscing about the old days.
"If you're okay with it, I could protect you here."
"That the real pitch?"
He was saying he wouldn't let anyone meet me here if I didn't want to.
Not a bad offer, honestly—but thinking of the incompetent goons at the warehouse, I turned it down.
"Appreciate it, but I'll pass. I've got people counting on me."
"You formed a guild?"
"More like a small outfit."
At "small outfit," Joo Tae-ho looked puzzled, not getting it.
"Small outfit? How many heroes you got?"
"Two."
I thought of Ha Chae-jeong and Ga Se-yeon as I answered.
Kim Young-ho might make it three, but he fell a bit short of true hero status.
"Literally small."
As Joo Tae-ho said, a B-Rank hero could punch right through them.
Maybe that's why he eyed me with concern, but I wasn't worried.
"I've got insurance, so no need to fret."
"Insurance?"
As soon as the word left my mouth, Kang Ju-young returned with a huge platter of food.
I held my tongue and instead asked if I could get another bottle of the liquor.
"More importantly, any way to snag another bottle of this?"
"Took a liking to it, eh? There's one more over there—it's yours."
Joo Tae-ho agreed readily, solving it easily.
"After you saved Kang Ju-young, this liquor ain't much."
"......"
"......"
His words reminded me of my backroom deal with Kang Ju-young, but I said nothing.
Likewise, she sat quietly, apparently not wanting to bring it up either.