Briel's Antidote Deal
"Agh! This damn scorching sun."
Briel grumbled.
She'd covered her face with her conical hat, but the sunlight bouncing off the ground battered her mercilessly anyway.
It had been a while since she'd gone outside, and of course today the sun blazed hotter than ever.
Everything was scorching.
The slum buildings, the roads, even the air itself seemed to sizzle, on the verge of melting.
Slum dwellers who never ventured out during the day had emerged into the alley shadows to escape the heat.
They fanned themselves frantically, trying to cool off.
Briel glanced at them before hurrying on her way.
Her destination was Dokkaebi Market.
She'd visited so often while Zeon was away that it already felt like home.
"Hum de dum!"
Briel walked along humming a little tune.
She was in a great mood.
Her experiment from the night before had succeeded.
It wasn't the mana amplification potion she'd aimed for, but she'd brewed something just as good.
Not what she'd intended, exactly.
It was a happy accident from the mana amplification process.
A byproduct of chance, but its performance was no joke.
No—it was excellent.
That was why she was heading to Dokkaebi Market.
With such a promising product in hand, her steps felt light as air.
But soon a voice shattered her good mood.
"Hey, kid."
"Conical hat. Come here a sec."
Briel's face twisted in annoyance.
Ugh! Again with this shit.
This was the neighborhood for you.
A girl walking alone always drew sleazy calls.
The voices belonged to thugs in their twenties.
They lurked in the alley shadows, beckoning her over with crooked fingers.
No easier mark than a lone girl—and a young one at that.
Their intentions were obvious to anyone.
Briel sighed and walked toward them.
The thugs grinned, assuming she was scared and coming obediently.
"Heh heh heh!"
"Take off the hat, let's see."
One thug lifted Briel's hat.
Her pale but pretty face drew a whistle.
"Whew!"
"Not bad at all. Bet you're bored, huh?"
At that moment, Briel's voice turned icy.
"You'd better get your filthy hands off me."
The thugs looked at her like she'd lost her mind.
"What? This little brat's giving orders?"
"Fuck! Time for a beating to knock some sense into her."
They raised their fists to strike.
That's when Briel's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Air Binding!"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the air around them thickened, squeezing the thugs like a vise.
"Gack!"
"Keurk!"
The intense pressure froze them in place.
Then it tightened around their throats like ropes.
Their faces drained white, tongues lolling out.
Briel watched their agony with a blank expression.
She'd been captured by hunters and dragged here, but she was still an elf.
A High Elf, far nobler than common ones.
Spells that human Awakeners struggled to cast were effortless for her.
As her drug withdrawal faded, her old magic prowess was returning.
Casting something this basic was as easy as breathing now.
The thugs writhed on the ground.
"Urk!"
"P-please... mercy..."
Briel's face didn't change at their pleas.
Death was everyday life in the slums.
No one would care if they dropped dead.
Briel passed her sentence.
"You vermin! Just die already."
"Whoa, whoa! Easy there."
A voice came from behind her.
She turned to see a boy with a half-shaved head, flashy earrings, and piercings staring at her.
Briel recognized him instantly.
"Levin!"
"Long time no see, Briel!"
"You’re not taking their side, are you?"
"As if! No way I'd side with trash like them. I just mean you don't need their blood on your hands."
"Why not?"
"These guys fled here after committing crimes in another district. Hand 'em over, and there's a bounty. Better to cash in than waste the effort."
"Oh?"
Levin didn't miss the sparkle in Briel's eyes.
He smirked.
"Not a huge bounty. Just five hundred sol. But free money's free money, right?"
"You'll handle it for me, Levin?"
"Gladly!"
At Levin's reply, Briel released her spell.
Thud!
The thugs collapsed, gasping for air.
They'd been on death's door; their limbs were useless.
No chance of running.
At Levin's gesture, boys from the alley mouth dragged the thugs away.
Briel asked, "Your subordinates?"
"Friends!"
"Ah."
"Where you headed so early, Briel?"
"Dokkaebi Market!"
"Perfect. I'm going there too."
"Why?"
"Got someone to find."
"Who?"
"Dunno exactly. It's vague."
"Got it."
Briel nodded.
She knew Levin's story.
Who he was hunting.
He was still tracking that murderer.
"Got a lead?"
"Some of the bastard's gear trickled into Dokkaebi Market. Figure I'll camp there and watch."
"You got entry?"
"That's why I'm tagging along with you. Cool?"
"Sure!"
Briel nodded without hesitation.
Dokkaebi Market didn't open to just anyone.
Only those with rigorously verified identities.
Briel qualified, of course.
Her vouch would get Levin in.
As they walked, Levin asked casually, "Zeon hyung?"
"Resting at home."
Since returning from Neo Seoul, Zeon hadn't left the house.
"Went somewhere? Hadn't seen him in days."
"Yeah! Said it was business."
"Huh."
Levin didn't pry further.
Chatting idly, they soon reached Dokkaebi Market.
Thanks to Briel, Levin got in smoothly.
Briel said to him, "Gotta split here. This way for me."
"Thanks for the entry. See you after I handle my business."
"Yeah!"
"Catch you later."
Levin waved and vanished into the crowd.
Briel watched his back a moment, then turned.
She headed straight for Yuse-hui's place.
Yuse-hui greeted her with a smile.
"Been a while."
"Not that long. Don't be weird."
Briel plopped down, grumbling.
"Zeon?"
"Resting at home."
"No word on dropping by the market?"
"Nope."
"I see."
She owed Zeon big time.
Tajik's pressure played a part, but she'd still sent him into that dungeon without warning.
To save old man Clexy, sure—but it was shameful for Dokkaebi Market's combo master.
Guilt gnawed at her.
Yuse-hui changed the subject.
"So, what brings you to my room? Merchants have what you need."
"Selling this time."
"Huh?"
"Made something."
Briel pulled two vials of blue liquid from her sleeve.
"What's this?"
"Antidote potion!"
"Potion?"
Yuse-hui's eyes widened.
Potion usually meant liquid medicine.
But these days, it held special weight.
The pinnacle of modern alchemy by magic Awakeners.
Some cured diseases, others restored mana.
They enabled once-impossible miracles.
But potion-makers were rare, and Neo Seoul tightly controlled them.
Classified as strategic goods, imports and exports rigorously managed.
Potions flowed to Neo Seoul's bosses via deals and favors.
Status-curing ones were prime tools for securing loyalty.
Hard to get on the open market.
Impossible in the slums.
Dokkaebi Market sold some, but mostly weak knockoffs.
The real deal was scarce even here.
Yuse-hui tamped down her excitement. "How effective?"
"Detoxes up to D-rank monster venom."
"That's... a bit weak."
"You really think so?"
Briel stared her down.
Yuse-hui caught the contempt in her eyes.
This brat...
Something boiled inside.
Embarrassing to be seen through by a kid.
Slum Awakeners mostly hunted D-rank or lower monsters.
Higher was too risky for the reward.
Many D-rank and below had venom.
Untreated, it killed Awakeners fast.
If this antidote truly worked that well, it'd be the slums' best item.
"Whew. You know we need to verify first?"
"That's why two vials. Test it, confirm, then contract."
"Got it. We'll test fair and square."
"If it passes, contract under Zeon's name."
"Not yours?"
Yuse-hui looked surprised.
Why sign such a huge product over to him?
"Yeah. Zeon's name."
"Your cut goes to him? You okay with that?"
"That's the point."
"Why?"
"Wanna repay him a little."
"..."
"Without him, I'd still be brewing drugs in that crocodile den. I hate humans, but he's the exception."
Soul Oath for survival.
Bound by its chains unwillingly.
She had to obey whatever he demanded.
Even her body.
But Zeon demanded nothing.
Letting her act freely was a debt in itself.
"Owe a debt, pay it back. That's our way."
"No regrets?"
"Never!"
"Such a serious brat... Fine! Verify it, and if it's good, we exclusive-produce. You'll hand over the recipe?"
"If terms match..."
"Deal?"
"Deal!"