Chapter 176: Ecstasy
Chapter 176: Ecstasy
“It’s been a while. What did you call me for?”
After sitting at the table, Vivian spoke with a bright smile. I watched her for a moment, lost in thought. I debated whether to bring up Shin Sangyong first or the matter of elixir refinement, but I decided it would be best to lead with the Rare Class, Chimera Alchemist.
“I called you because there are several loose ends to tie up. There’s the matter of the User Shin Sangyong, and also the elixir refinement.”
“Aha. So, the things you mentioned last time?”
“Yes. The time has come to make a decision about Shin Sangyong-ssi. You’ve been watching him pretty closely. What do you think of that User?”
“Hmm.”
Vivian closed her eyes, a thoughtful expression on her face. After about three minutes, her eyes flashed open, and she nodded before speaking.
“Honestly, I want to give it to him. In terms of his character and personality, I can’t find any flaws. He’s also sincere, and his abilities seem to have good synergy. I don’t think you’ll regret it.”
When she mentioned ability synergy, she must have been referring to the Magic Square of Harmony. Vivian and I were bound by a contract. As such, she would have carried out my request diligently, and what she had just said was the most thorough answer she could give. Although it was a purely subjective judgment, my own opinion wasn't much different from hers, so I was able to make my decision right away.
“I think so, too. In a way, we might be giving it to him too late, but a Rare Class is worth the wait. In that case, I’d like you to grant him Chimera Alchemist as soon as possible and provide him with the appropriate training.”
“Sounds good. It’s hard to find a disciple this good, so this is what I was hoping for anyway. Hehe. I’m so excited. He’s going to be so surprised, isn’t he?”
Vivian looked thrilled, laughing like a child. I could already picture how profusely he would thank me when he found out, and a wry smile touched my lips. I’d felt a little guilty for not being able to look out for him more, so this made me feel a bit relieved.
“Alright, let’s consider the matter of Shin Sangyong-ssi settled… Now, let’s get to the main topic.”
As I finished speaking, I took out the items I had prepared and placed them in front of Vivian. The +4 Stamina Elixir [Below 80], the +2 Stamina Elixir [Below 70], Vivian’s Inner Core, the heart of the high-ranking demon Belphegor, and Horrence’s Magic Core. They were all ingredients that would make any alchemist drool. And sure enough, after checking the materials, Vivian wasn't exactly drooling buckets, but she was definitely dribbling a little.
“Wow. Just looking at them is ecstatic.”
Watching Vivian, who was repeatedly exclaiming in admiration, I held up the +4 Stamina Elixir.
“A User who takes this elixir can slightly increase their Stamina stat. What I want is to increase that boost even further. What do you think? Is it possible?”
“You’ve added a Stamina Elixir and the Magic Core from that guy you just killed. Hmmm.”
Her innocent and cheerful expression had vanished. As an alchemist, Vivian was always serious and deliberate. She stared at the ingredients with a sharp gaze, a stark contrast to her usual self. Seeing her move her hands this way and that, I could tell she was running countless calculations in her head.
I felt a little anxious, but I didn't commit the thoughtless act of pressuring her for a quick answer. I simply sat patiently, waiting for a positive response. A few more minutes passed. Finally, as if she had finished her calculations, Vivian lifted her head and met my eyes.
“So, what’s the verdict? Can you do it?”
“Kim Soohyun. Do you remember what I told you before?”
Hadn’t she said it would be a waste to use such fine ingredients in this poor workshop environment? I remembered it clearly because it was a rare moment of her speaking so logically and coherently. I nodded once or twice, and Vivian let out a deep sigh before continuing.
“You said you’d be leaving Mule, right? When are you planning to go?”
“Soon. We’ll leave as soon as preparations are complete. Why do you ask?”
“I see. Then I’ll hold onto these ingredients for the time being. I think I’ll need to do some separate research.”
“Oh? That sounds like there’s a possibility.”
Watching her gather the ingredients, I felt a glimmer of hope. But Vivian shook her head, her face solemn.
“It won’t be easy. No, honestly, I don’t know. If it weren’t for Shin Sangyong’s Magic Square of Harmony, the probability of failure would likely be much higher. You know I can’t do it right now, right? We have to build a new workshop at our new home, and the refinement process will take at least a week. The amount of additional ingredients required will be enormous, too. In any case, I doubt you’d ask me to make it here in Mule since we’re leaving soon, so I’ll analyze it on my own in the meantime.”
“That’s fine. I’m counting on you, then.”
“Leave it to me. I’ll stake the name of Vivian la Classidus on it and make this a success, no matter what.”
“Wow, you’re full of confidence. But if you fail…”
Maybe it was because she was only saying nice things today, but Vivian seemed especially cute. As she started to get up, a mischievous urge suddenly welled up inside me. So, just as I was about to add, “…I’ll torment you relentlessly,” I reflexively shut my mouth. I didn’t know why I stopped myself. But I had a feeling that if I said those words, something irreversible would happen.
“If I fail? Will you punish me?”
A strange tone was mixed into her voice. I mean, I’d teased her before, but I’d never punished her. Vivian was starting to understand, on her own, the irreversible things—the things that could change her into someone she wasn’t. Thanking my intuition, I calmly changed my words.
“…Punish you? Of course not. I know you’ll do your best, so if it doesn’t work out, it can’t be helped. Still, I’ll be incredibly happy if you succeed. As you know, Stamina is a very important issue for me right now. So, if you succeed, I’ll grant you one wish.”
“A… wish?”
“Of course, something completely absurd is impossible. But if I hear it and deem it reasonable, I’ll grant your wish, just as I said.”
In that moment, I saw a single flame ignite fiercely in her eyes. The intensity was so great that for a moment, I wondered if I had misspoken.
A short while later, after getting my confirmation one more time, Vivian turned and left the room. And in her footsteps, there was an air of tragic determination.
*
Time seemed to fly by even faster after our return from the Cave of Screams. The dusk that had already settled and the cold wind blowing in told me it was now late at night. It was the dead of night, just as Ko Yeonju had mentioned this morning. I lit the cigarette in my mouth and took a deep drag.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. After ten drags, the end of the cigarette was already in sight.
Flicking the cigarette butt onto the blameless ground, I quietly opened the door and entered the inn. Everyone else was probably asleep by now. The first-floor lobby, with its Light Stone extinguished, was a familiar sight, but for some reason, it gave off an eerie atmosphere.
I turned my head toward the kitchen and saw a faint light leaking out. I walked toward it, and in less than a minute, I reached the door inside the kitchen. I took a deep breath, then raised my hand and knocked.
Knock, knock.
The dull sound echoed twice, followed by Ko Yeonju’s soft voice saying, “Come in.” I carefully turned the handle and entered, where I could see her hand moving a quill pen gracefully across a page at a small desk.
“Ah, just a moment. I’m almost done. It’s about the Vagabonds who fled because of the Vagabond Extermination Plan. They’re showing some slight signs of unrest, but it’s not certain yet, so I was compiling all the incoming information.”
I said nothing. It seemed less that she hadn’t told me the information and more that she couldn’t because it was incomplete. I felt a renewed sense of awe at her intelligence network, which had already caught wind of the rebellion that would happen in about a month. So this was why Istantel Low Clan had placed Ko Yeonju at the top of their assassination list during the first playthrough.
Despite my arrival, Ko Yeonju remained completely focused on her writing for some time. Occasionally, she would glance at other scattered records and maps around her, then tear up what she was writing and start again. I perched on the edge of the bed and gazed at her back.
“Ah, done. Finally finished writing~.”
Ko Yeonju tossed her quill pen down with a clatter and stretched with all her might. Only then did she turn to me, waving the documents she’d written back and forth. I unconsciously stood up and reached for the report, but she snatched it away so quickly that my hand grasped at empty air.
Ko Yeonju tilted her head coyly, gave me a sidelong glance, and spoke.
“If I give you this report now, I have a feeling you’ll just take it and leave.”
“We’ll see.”
My ambiguous answer seemed to displease her, as she narrowed her eyes slightly. She placed the report on the desk and snapped her fingers. With the sound of flesh striking flesh, the Light Stone, which had been casting a bright glow, was extinguished in an instant.
And so, the light vanished, and darkness fell upon the room. In the faint gloom, I could make out Ko Yeonju rising from her chair and quietly approaching me.
“I’ve told you time and again. User Kim Soohyun needs to rest a little. It seems like you’re starting to get worked up again lately.”
I didn’t know when she had gotten so close. I felt her sweet breath tickling the side of my neck. I swallowed once and looked straight ahead as the Shadow Queen reached out with both hands and took hold of one side of my neatly tied Glory of the Sun.
“Alright, here’s a question for you. Why do you think I called you here in the dead of night, Soohyun-ssi?”
“I wonder.”
“Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not know?”
When I gave the same answer as before, her voice seemed to rise slightly, as if she were annoyed. I closed my eyes. The feelings I thought I had burned away along with my cigarette outside the inn felt like they were coming back to life. In my mind, one person kept surfacing. It wasn’t Han Soyoung. It was the User, Jung Hayeon.
I couldn’t figure out why I was suddenly acting this way. From our very first meeting, Ko Yeonju had consistently shown her interest in me, even tried to seduce me. And I didn’t dislike her, either. In the Hall Plain, it was nothing for two compatible Users to spend a night together. I had already agreed to this with her. I thought I was fine when I opened the door, so why was I like this all of a sudden?
Just as my thoughts were about to become a tangled mess, I felt an unfamiliar sensation at my waist and my eyes shot open. I looked down and saw my red belt sliding undone. Soon, the belt was completely loose, one end held in Ko Yeonju’s hand while the other dropped to the floor.
As the front of my Glory of Heaven opened, Ko Yeonju took another step forward, moving to lean against my chest. And in that moment…
“Ah…”
Without realizing it, I took a step back. Surprised by my reaction, Ko Yeonju froze, her head still tilted as if to lean in, and stared into my eyes with a blank expression. I had no choice but to avoid her gaze.
“……”
Still, her gaze didn’t leave me, and in the uncomfortable silence, I managed to force myself to look at her again. As I struggled to read her expression in the dim darkness, I could see her face slowly being colored by an undeniable hurt. The moment I saw that look, her past words began to flood my mind all at once.
Yes. I was a bar hostess.
What do you think of someone like me, User Kim Soohyun?
And in the modern world, a woman who worked in a bar, who was looked down upon by people…
The eyes. If you look at someone’s eyes, you can roughly tell what they’re thinking.
Hoho. I finally get to kiss you.
Why? Why are you sighing? Is kissing me that bad? Does it feel unpleasant?
The fact that I had just taken a step back was, in a way, no different from a sign of rejection. And in the Hall Plain, rejecting a sexual advance meant one thing: ‘I don’t like you,’ or ‘I don’t want to be with you.’
Of course, that wasn’t what I thought. It was a disconnect, born from the clash between my desire to accept Ko Yeonju and my feelings for Jung Hayeon. In other words, it was a reflex. But for the person on the receiving end, there was more than enough room for misunderstanding.
Finally, Ko Yeonju’s lips slowly parted.