Tradeoff 2 - The Forbidden Recipe

The setup of the novel Egenam, Surviving a Cult Academy was intriguing. Especially the explanation of mana and circle magic—it was a pretty convincing system, and I'd memorized it completely. They'd borrowed the principle of a car engine for circle magic. Magical power comes from the 'mana heart.' Every living being has an invisible 'mana heart' inside their actual heart, and upon first awakening to use mana, one 'valve' opens. 1 Circle means one valve on the mana heart. 2 Circle means two valves, and the mana flow starts getting fiercer. 9 Circle is like a 9-cylinder engine with nine valves—even the same amount of mana produces wildly different output.

But the problem was the maximum mana capacity. Since max mana is limited, efficiency drops off a cliff no matter how high your circles go. That's why the Golden Goblin's Blooming Mana Elixir was a ridiculously overpowered item that boosted max mana by a whopping 20%.

"Marlin!! Thank you!!!"

Marlin was basically a walking good-luck charm for me. Hell, she deserved a spot as my main ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wife at this point.

But hey. What if you chugged multiples of this thing?

"Marlin… sorry, but could you write down the recipe for this too?"

Marlin's face fell into momentary confusion. She looked a bit troubled, which threw me off instead.

"Ah… if it's too hard, no worries. This is plenty."

But she shook her head firmly and started carefully scribbling the recipe on a scrap of parchment. Her writing was in pictograms, easy enough to make out. Once she finished, she handed it over with a shy expression.

"Hold on…"

The recipe showed pictograms of a yellow-haired golden goblin girl sticking out her tongue in death, with 10% red blood marked next to it.

"…Goddamn it."

The rest blurred out as my vision hazed over.

"Haa… fuck."

I got the gist and tore the recipe to shreds right there. This elixir's recipe could never see the light of day. Made with 10% of a golden goblin's life…

"Marlin. Never make this again. Got it? Never… don't make it. And don't make any potion that uses your own life. You hear me?!"

I grabbed her shoulders and shook her. Her eyes went wide at my anger, frozen in shock. My own eyes burned hot.

Realizing it was fury born ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of worry, she gently stroked my head. Her touch reaffirmed she was my woman, one I had to protect.

"What kind of crazy bitch chews off 10% of her own life to make something like this?"

My rage was self-directed. I'd seen 'Treasured Goblin's Sacrifice-Infused' in the status window but brushed it off. Was this punishment for not valuing others' sacrifices?

I hugged Marlin tight and lectured her for a good long while.

"Never again. Don't make anything that uses your life. I hate seeing you hurt or in danger."

Her beautiful eyes met mine.

"Rarara rara rararara ral."

She seemed to say I'd already saved her life once.

"No. Sacrifice isn't that simple, Marlin. Never sacrifice yourself for me. Got it?"

"Ra… rarara ral."

I hugged the nodding Marlin tight again. How could I not adore a girl who'd offer 10% of her life over my casual request?

I dashed out of the dungeon and fired off a text home.

Confirmed sent, then back into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the dungeon. My atonement? Make Marlin smile for a week straight.

…And she loves my dick the most.

# # #

A week later, I stumbled out the windmill door, face wrecked like I'd been through hell. Marlin clung to my side, supporting me with worried eyes.

All week, I'd been pickled in Golden Goblin's Advanced Elixirs, turning into cucumber kimchi before barely reverting to human. Fine. As long as Marlin was happy.

And the results of a week's nonstop sex with her? Staggering.

Incubus Kiss wasn't a skill I was thrilled about. It dredged up that part in the Egenam novel that made me suspect it was secretly BL bait… the one that got roasted by me and all the male readers. Beating a male villain… with a kiss. Fuck. Better off dying.

"Hoo… I'd rather die than use this on a guy. Fuck."

Not a full mage yet, so hard to measure circles, but felt like at least three valves now. A qualitative shift. My very existence felt upgraded.

And all that energy culminated in the massive egg cradled in my arms.

"You ate a ton, huh. Come on… hatch already. Let Dad see your face!"

Its emotions hit strong. 'Affection.' My kid, clutched even during fuck sessions all week. Felt like I'd birthed it with mana now. I'd thought people calling pets 'mommy' or 'daddy' were nuts… but I got it.

The egg stopped glowing. Instead, a heavy, deep pulse throbbed—like a storm-tossed sea. Fine cracks spiderwebbed its surface.

Crack.Craaack.

Marlin held her breath watching. Cracks spread like a web. Finally, a crunch as the top shattered, something wriggling inside.

First out: a tiny, cotton-candy-white fluffy paw. Then a squeaky head poked through.

"……?"

I rubbed my eyes. No dragon or griffin. Just a newborn-puppy-sized white fluffball. Perky long ears, cotton-tail, and on its tiny face—smaller than my fist—jet-black massive eyes. Spotting me, they curved in pure joy.

"Ppi?"

It squeaked, shattering the rest of the shell, tottering toward me. Rubbed against my leg, tail wagging.

Honey Slime Rabbit. Early-novel trash mob solved by cuteness alone. Main ability: spew sweet sticky honey slime. Minor wound healing, zero combat.

"Fuck… seriously."

Deflated laugh. All that mana for this?

Clueless to my disappointment, it gnawed my pant leg, struggling up. I sighed, scooping it. It nuzzled my chest, purring softly. Jelly-soft, warm.

"Ppii… kyu…"

Marlin's eyes sparkled. She reached tentatively, petting its head. It licked her fingers playfully.

"Yeah… okay, you're cute. From now on, you're Mochi. You're my baby."

Mochi dozed off in my arms. Watching it and Marlin's adoring gaze, I thought: maybe not so bad. Power isn't everything. And Mochi was adorable.

Back home from the dungeon, cold dinner and icy glares from three women greeted me.

"A whole week… overseas, Dojin? What urgent business?"

An Hyeonmi hid surprise, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but her smile didn't reach cold eyes.

"Oppa, you didn't… find some girl, right?"

Harina crossed arms, stabbing verbally. Haruna just pierced me with her gaze. Air like thin ice.

I forced a grin, unwrapping the blanket.

"Meet the new family member. Mochi."

Mochi poked head out, tilting it.

"Ppi?"

Ice melted instantly.

"Kyaaaa!!"

"Oh my god!"

"What… is this cutie?!"

They squealed in unison, eyes turning hearts. They mobbed me for Mochi hugs. I sighed in relief. Combat zero, but ultimate weapon otherwise. At least for home peace.

Right then—ding-dong. Doorbell shattered quiet. Eyes to door.

An Hyeonmi checked intercom, face subtly hardening.

"Who is it?"

- From the Holy Cross Cult Elder Council, here to deliver a papal decree.

Elders. Here we go. I stood, Mochi in arms. An Hyeonmi opened door tensely; two black-robed priests entered.

"Are you Hadojin?"

One bowed to me. I petted Mochi.

"That's me."

"By the Elder Council's order, we deliver this papal decree."

He unfurled a luxurious parchment scroll from his robes.