The Doping Seasoning and the Phantom Friend
Yeoreum stared down at the seasoning that Gyeowol had made. It looked like she'd just thrown together whatever ingredients were on hand, but was it really that tasty? Recalling how Gyeowol had barely cooked the minnows before scarfing them down, Yeoreum nervously dipped just the tiniest bit onto her tongue.
Nom. "Hm...?"
This was surprisingly delicious, wasn't it? The moment Yeoreum let out a genuine gasp of admiration, the mana inside her body began to stir on its own.
'Huh?'
Her muscles swelled as if inflating, the mana amplifying dramatically. It was enough to make a real difference in a dungeon. Roughly calculating, the effect would last about a day. If she went into one now, she might even climb a few ranks higher.
'What is this...?'
She'd felt something similar when she drank the dandelion flower tea. Maybe the food Gyeowol made had some kind of doping effect.
'But last time with the boiled minnows, nothing happened.'
What was the difference between those and what she'd made this time? After pondering, Yeoreum came to her own conclusion.
Food made purely for survival might have different effects from food made for rest.
"Gyeowol, where'd you learn to make something like this?"
"S-Someone told me last time."
Someone told her? Was there another person looking after Gyeowol? At the thought that maybe Gyeowol wasn't all alone, Yeoreum felt a strange sense of relief.
"Gyeowol, do you... meet up with any friends? Or anyone like that?"
It was an innocent question. But soon enough, Yeoreum realized she'd made a huge mistake.
"......"
Gyeowol's face had gone pale. She couldn't even chew the meat still in her mouth, just staring down at the ground. Yeoreum cursed herself for bringing up the word "friends."
Her mind went blank as she frantically waved her hands.
"N-No, I mean, I don't have many friends either."
"......"
It was an age where having no friends felt embarrassing. No, anyone at any age would feel ashamed without even one. It was absolutely the wrong question to ask a kid stuck in an environment where making friends was impossible.
Yeoreum regretted her words too late.
"Um, Gyeowol...?"
I'm your friend too, you know. Before Yeoreum could say it, Gyeowol spoke first.
"I... I do have a friend..."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah..."
Did that friend teach her how to make the seasoning? Yeoreum didn't know the details, but she felt relieved knowing Gyeowol wasn't alone.
"Then, could you introduce me to her sometime?"
"Y-Yeah..."
Gyeowol nodded at Yeoreum while thinking to herself. In my past life, I had lots of good friends. Of course, in this life, she didn't have a single one.
***
After finishing the barbecue, Yeoreum cleaned up and approached Gyeowol. The girl was diligently sorting the remaining trash.
"Gyeowol, I'm heading to the guild for a bit, so rest up nice and easy, okay?"
"Yeah. You mean take a real break?"
"Yep. No heavy lifting—just relax."
"O-Okay..."
Yeoreum packed up the dandelion flower tea and the seasoning paste Gyeowol had made, then headed to the guild headquarters. She needed to report Gyeowol's potential ability to the guild master.
A doping power was rare enough to tempt even Yeomyeong Guild, but this wasn't just about greed for the ability. Once Gyeowol's power came to light, all sorts of people would want to get close— including villains who specialized in targeting those with unique abilities.
'The master said not to skimp on resources.'
He'd protect Gyeowol well. With that thought, Yeoreum knocked on the guild master's office door.
Knock knock.
"Master, can I come in?"
"Yeah, come on in."
With Kang Jin-ho's permission, Yeoreum opened the door and stepped inside. She expected him to be alone, but there were strangers sitting behind him in the office.
'Beastkin...?'
Rarely, intelligent beings from dungeons crossed over. Some of them were beastkin. A woman with wolf ears and a man covered in lizard scales. It was odd to see two such rare beastkin in the guild office.
"Come sit down first."
"Okay."
Yeoreum glanced warily at the two beastkin and sat next to Kang Jin-ho. Normally she'd sit across, but they had taken the front seats.
'What's going on?'
As Yeoreum sneakily eyed Kang Jin-ho, the wolf-eared woman in front spoke cautiously.
"...So, you've already used the Beast God's Blessing?"
"Yeah. Our guild kids salvaged it."
Our guild kids. The communal tone made Yeoreum's shoulders lift proudly. The wolf woman scowled fiercely.
"We know the rules of this world well. Our beastkin have been working hard to follow them too."
"Sure. Then you know items from dungeons belong to the guild that clears them?"
"Yes, we're aware... but the Beast God's Blessing carries different meaning."
The blessing of the Beast God. The item that birthed beastkin kings. To think such a great treasure had been used on a human, not a beastkin. The aggressive lizard beastkin ground his teeth, but Kang Jin-ho paid it no mind.
"I get that it's precious, but what can you do? It's already used."
"...Normally, it would warrant punishment under beastkin law."
"Law?"
"Yes. If an unworthy one consumes the blessing..."
The wolf woman trailed off, but everyone there knew. Execution for the unworthy. Kang Jin-ho sneered at the two beastkin.
"Who do you think you're talking to like that?"
"P-Pardon...?"
"If you can, then try it."
An indescribable, massive aura rose from Kang Jin-ho's body. An overwhelming presence even young beastkin couldn't handle.
"Th-This would make the entire beastkin race your enemy..."
"And? You gonna start a war with us?"
"......"
The beastkin woman fell silent. The other Yeomyeong members were strong, but Kang Jin-ho was on another level entirely. Even a former beastkin king couldn't beat him. Without a king, the beastkin couldn't win against Yeomyeong no matter what.
"Ah, I haven't finished yet. Can you hear me out?"
"...We'll listen."
The heart-ripping pressure eased. The two beastkin let out unconscious sighs of relief.
"...Normally we'd follow beastkin law, but we have no intention of breaking this world's rules."
"So?"
"We'd like to meet the one who consumed it first and judge if they have the qualifications for kingship."
Kingship qualifications. Ridiculous. Gyeowol was just an ordinary kid in extraordinary circumstances. Yeoreum wanted to shout no way, but knew it wasn't her place. She just clamped her mouth shut and shot pleading eyes at Kang Jin-ho.
"And if they don't?"
"We'll train them ourselves. As a child, their learning ability should be good."
Beastkin helping unlock a beast king's power? Not a bad offer, but one problem: lack of trust.
"How do we know you won't kill the kid after meeting her?"
"...We're a minority. We have no desire to make enemies of you Earthlings."
"I see."
As minorities fearing Earth's outrage, it was believable enough.
"Fine. But I'll come along."
"Yes. Thank you."
The wolf woman bowed. Yeoreum thought she'd give the master the seasoning later.
***
"Nngh."
I lay on my box bed, staring up at the ceiling. I had no clue how to fulfill the girl's request.
—Then, could you introduce me to her sometime?
Introduce a friend who didn't exist. I'd already lied and said I had one, so I couldn't back out now.
'What do I do.'
What if I just admitted I had no friends? I didn't know her reaction, but she'd surely mock me. Maybe she already knew and was testing me.
'Should I say all my friends died...'
Would she even believe that? I flipped over and buried my face in the pillow made from old clothes. Was it because the girl had lain on it? The pleasant shampoo scent irritated me even more. Why'd my nose have to get so sharp?
As I kicked my feet in frustration, I heard multiple footsteps approaching from my direction.
"Huh?"
No one ever came here. Why so many footsteps? Startled, I scrambled into the shelter.
Please don't come this way.
I closed the lid and prayed desperately. But against my hopes, the footsteps headed straight for me. Four sets of them.
It felt like even a wild boar's visit would've been better.