The Potion Secret and the Climber's Obsession
"Reina. You make potions here every day, don't you?"
Hans said this.
I glared at him, eyes wide open.
How dare you say that out loud!
That was the sentiment I poured into my stare.
Regrettable as the situation was, there was one undeniable fact.
I made potions every day.
Why? To achieve the 100 million gold goal I couldn't in my previous life.
What can I say.
I had almost no lingering attachments from my past life.
I'd fully accepted my death and my rebirth as an NPC.
I had zero regrets, and dying in a way that felt like stepping into a web novel was satisfying enough.
But if there was one thing I regretted from my past life, it was that 100 million gold.
Once you hit 100 million, the magic of compound interest turns it into a billion in no time, right?
That was why I'd kept dragging myself to that black company job.
The work was grueling, the people sucked, but at least the pay was decent.
After two full years of that grind, my next month's salary would have pushed my bank account over 100 million—then the tower yanked me in.
Better than getting pulled in as a lame-duck private in the army, I guess...
Still, I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of regret.
After reincarnating as an NPC, I'd poked around the tower out of boredom, messing with random stuff until I figured out potion synthesis. Then I realized I could duplicate money through the shop, and suddenly I thought, Why not just casually aim for 100 million~?
It was inevitable.
So, the reason I made potions was really no big deal.
But to climbers, it apparently was.
Choi Kang-hyuk's eyes changed after hearing Hans—something different from before gleamed in them.
Greed?
No, something stickier...
Obsession?
"Eek."
I couldn't help recoiling from that viscous gaze fixed on me.
The reason I'd lied to Choi Kang-hyuk earlier was simple.
Potions held massive value to climbers.
If a climber found out I could duplicate them, they might do me harm.
That fear had driven the lie.
"You."
"Y-Yes... yes?"
I backed away little by little.
Choi Kang-hyuk advanced step by step, pursuing me.
One step fleeing, one step chasing—a bizarre pursuit unfolding.
It ended when the narrow wall of Hans's cramped shop blocked my path.
Choi Kang-hyuk loomed over me, his shadow swallowing my darkening vision.
My body started to tremble.
Is he gonna eat me?
Or force me to churn out potions on nothing but military dumplings from now on?
Or maybe... exploit me his way?
All sorts of dark thoughts raced through my head.
"Never breathe a word about you being able to make potions."
"Y-Yes...? Yes?"
Well... that's obvious.
Am I crazy enough to blab about it?
No way in hell.
"And aside from that guy over there, are there other NPCs who know you can make potions?"
"N-No? Probably not?"
I'd never paraded around outside with potions I'd made.
The one time I'd bragged about crafting top-grade stamina potions? Maybe those NPCs I ran into noticed, but they couldn't have been sure.
So, probably none.
Choi Kang-hyuk narrowed his eyes.
He didn't like the uncertainty in my answer.
"Can potion materials only be bought here?"
"Well... no, not really."
Other shops sold them too. I came here often because it was close.
"I see."
Choi Kang-hyuk stepped back.
Then he approached Hans.
Hans greeted him with a beaming smile.
"What can I get for you?"
The friendly shopkeeper.
Hans smiled brightly, true to his assigned role—even if a beast stood before him, as long as it was a climber.
Choi Kang-hyuk silently raised his hand.
Slowly, as if posing no threat at all.
Maybe he was just scratching an itch on his face. Or pointing at something.
But my instincts screamed otherwise.
Choi Kang-hyuk didn't see NPCs as people.
He'd kill without mercy if they interfered with a quest.
NPCs? He'd kill them twice over.
Murder was his favorite hobby, or so the rumors went.
There were endless ghost stories about Choi Kang-hyuk.
So.
"W-Wait a sec!"
I wedged myself between Hans and Choi Kang-hyuk.
His hand froze.
His sharp gaze bored down at me.
"H-Hans is the tight-lipped type, so... you don't have to do that..."
I mumbled excuses.
Choi Kang-hyuk stared down at me calmly.
"T-Truth is, I can't make potions without Hans."
I lied without batting an eye.
Just a gut feeling, but if I left Hans alone like this, Choi Kang-hyuk might kill him—and then go on a rampage slaughtering other NPCs.
No evidence, but still.
"I see."
Choi Kang-hyuk shifted his weight back ever so slightly.
This bastard.
He really was gonna kill Hans?
"I-I'll bring potions by later."
I said, pushing him away.
He didn't budge from my shove, but maybe he got the message and nodded.
"I'll be waiting."
Choi Kang-hyuk backed away and slowly exited the shop.
Each moment dragged on forever, like stretched tape.
Finally, the door closed, and with him gone from the space, a sigh escaped me.
"That crazy, insane bastard."
Madman.
His thanks earlier was just smoke and mirrors.
Look at him.
Things didn't go his way, so he tried to kill everyone.
I clicked my tongue and glanced at Hans.
"Welcome! Reina."
"Oh. Hans."
Did this guy even realize he'd nearly died?
Probably not, hence the smile.
Sigh. Whatever. I came to make potions, not babysit Hans's feelings.
I had that damn task to finish, and it meant heading out to meet Choi Kang-hyuk on my own two feet.
The thought drained my energy instantly.
My hair, which had stood on end from facing him unprepared earlier, now hung limp.
When I felt this wiped out, I needed to recharge with gallery browsing...
But that task or whatever had locked me out of the gallery right now.
Argh.
"...Sigh. You know the usual. Gimme that."
I slouched toward Hans, asking for potion materials.
Hans grinned wide but didn't pull out the goods—instead, he changed the subject.
"Reina! Aren't you gonna talk about yesterday?"
"Yesterday?"
What happened yesterday.
Oh, right—gave Choi Kang-hyuk the flower bouquet and a potion.
Not just any potion, but one I'd hoarded preciously: a top-grade one.
Grrr.
My hands trembled.
The memory boiled my blood, but Hans ignored it and kept going.
"You gave a climber a flower bouquet yesterday!! That's huge!"
"...What. Is it really that big a deal?"
"It is! Most NPCs can't even meet a climber's eyes!!"
Hans spread his arms wide as he spoke.
I scratched my head.
Is that a big deal?
It was basically extortion.
Whether I looked dazed or not, Hans raised his arms high and raised his voice.
"I'm lucky too! A climber actually came to my shop!!"
Madness gleamed in his eyes.
Blind obsession with climbers.
A craving to cross lines, held back only by the system's iron grip.
I shuddered.
"Haha... c-congrats."
When in doubt, just play along.
NPCs were simple; a little agreement made them happy.
"Ahh... I'm so jealous... You need to realize how amazing you are. You're already famous among the NPCs!"
"...Yeah. Probably."
Not content with hogging the gallery top spot, now I'm famous among NPCs too.
What good is that attention?
NPC life is tough.
My face felt like it was turning pitch black in real time.
Come to think of it, why did Choi Kang-hyuk come here?
This was the boonies, rundown to boot.
Strip away the shop aspect, and there was zero merit in visiting.
Quest-related, maybe?
If so, I could never come back.
I might die.
So I asked Hans.
"...But why did Choi Kang-hyuk... I mean, that climber, come here?"
Why would he visit a shop with no obvious quest ties?
"Oh? The climber? Said he was just browsing goods."
"Ah."
Not a quest, then—probably scouting info.
What shops sold what, for how much. Quest relevance.
Tower Gallery tips called these scraps vital for climbing.
I just read them like game guides while scratching my butt and munching popcorn, but to climbers, each tidbit could mean life or death.
Newbies devoured the tips religiously; rumors said guild entry exams even featured gallery tips.
Irrelevant to me.
"Anyway! Hans, I gotta give that climber a gift today too? Hurry up and give me stuff to make potions."
"Right, almost forgot to hand over the goods."
Mentioning climbers was the best way to get NPCs moving.
Hans snapped to attention and laid out the items one by one.
"Yes."
I pulled out 10 gold and handed it to Hans.
"That's 1000 gold."
"...Huh?"
"NPC discounts ended once climbers showed up. Apparently, in other towers, climbers exploited NPCs for cheap shop goods. Now we're charging full price when climbers are around."
"What the."
My 99.99 million gold meant money wasn't an issue, but it still soured my mood.
Wasteful.
Real money down the drain.
Choi Kang-hyuk. You stole my discount too?
Not enough to take my gallery spot?
Had to take everything to feel satisfied?
"...Fine. Here."
I added 990 gold and handed it over.
Hans took the gold with a wry smile.
"Wonder when I'll meet another climber."
"Soon enough, probably."
I muttered insincerely and started synthesizing.
Materials confirmed. Proceed with synthesis?
Low-grade Stamina Potion x100 synthesis complete.
100 low-grade stamina potions complete. Straight into inventory.
Hand a few to Choi Kang-hyuk as a gift, and the task was done.
"Hm... no."
On second thought, he'd publicly requested support.
If other climbers showed up demanding potions?
If I ran out before giving to him?
I'd be an NP/C.
"Hans. This time, give me enough for 10,000."
"Isn't that too much? Excessive gifts aren't well-received in the tower..."
Hans looked shocked at the quantity.
"I have plenty of money."
Clunk.
I dropped 100,000 gold.
Cheap insurance against mishaps.
"Hand it over."
Hans nodded at my firm expression.
"If you're thinking of climbers that much."
He pulled out the goods.
Too much for one go, so we did batches of 100: synthesize, inventory, repeat.
100 syntheses total.
Sweat beaded on my forehead.
When was the last time I sweated?
Never since becoming an NPC.
Because gallery only.
"Ugh."
Making me suffer like this.
Climber scum...
I nodded at my potion-packed inventory.
This should suffice.
Even for 100 climbers.
...Probably.
"Then I'll go to Choi... the climber."
"Sure. Tell him I said hi."
"If the chance comes up."
I thanked Hans for his help and stepped outside.
Now to find Choi Kang-hyuk.
Easy enough. He sat in the park, glaring intensely at something with a grave face.
That guy. He planning to kill someone?
Cold sweat poured at the thought.
If I didn't cheer him up soon, someone nearby might die?
Quick, cheer him up. How...
I hurriedly pulled 100 potions from inventory.
"H-Here. A gift."
I stood before Choi Kang-hyuk, holding the 100 potions.