An Unconventional Cure
“Hmm, this is...”
Kang A-jin spoke gravely after examining the woman's complexion and condition. When she said something like that, it meant the woman's visibly poor state was even worse than it appeared.
Kang A-jin was a skilled shaman proficient enough in healing arts to craft her own potions. She examined Kim Se-in's pallor as she lay there, and the poisons spreading in different colors from her limbs, then said,
“It's a classic method, but utterly vicious.”
“Classic?”
“Yes. These four poisons might be unknown to those who don't deal with them regularly, but they're infamous among those in the know. The downside is they're expensive and hard to obtain, since they're extracted from S-rank monsters.”
“S-rank monsters...”
I now understood why Kang A-jin had immediately declared Kim Se-in's condition dire without even attempting treatment. What my ignorant eyes couldn't see was plain as day to hers.
Using poisons from S-rank monsters—and multiple kinds at that—could only mean a clear intent to kill without fail. No one would go this far otherwise.
“Only a highly skilled poison master could pull this off. It has to be personal grudge or a commissioned hit.”
“Do you know anyone in Korea capable of this?”
“Of course. But as far as I know, she wouldn't do something like this out of mere grudge. Using poison for personal revenge would ruin her reputation in the industry. This was definitely a commission.”
I understood what Kang A-jin meant. She herself took commissions for her shamanism. Abusing it for personal reasons would spread her infamy through the circles—and might even provoke moves to eliminate her.
“Couldn't we trace the culprit through that person?”
“They'd never talk, of course. They have rules to uphold in the industry.”
“Hmm...”
An S-rank hunter storming in and intimidating them might force a confession, but the issue was whether I had the justification to escalate things that far. My connection to this woman was just finding her dying in the dungeon. Making a big deal out of it as a freshly minted S-rank would inevitably drag the other women into the mess.
“Looks like we'll have to hear it from her own mouth...”
In her current state, survival seemed hopeless.
“Can't we at least get an antidote?”
“There is no antidote. That's what makes these poisons so terrifying.”
“...”
Even without a deep bond, watching someone die was heartbreaking. And this woman didn't seem like a bad person at all.
“It's not that there's no way...”
Valentina, who had been listening quietly from behind, spoke up. We all turned to her—Kang A-jin included, her eyes curious about what it might be.
“What a shame. Minus the awful complexion, she's a stunning beauty. Top 1 percent... no, 0.1 percent wouldn't be an exaggeration.”
I'd been eager for a way to save her, but Valentina was nodding to herself, “Mm-hmm,” appraising the woman's looks.
“That's not the point. Is there a way to save her?”
“There is, but...”
Even Valentina looked troubled.
“Realistically, it's impossible. If a powerful new energy surges inside her, it would mix with her existing mana and naturally flush out the poison. That's the idea...”
Kang A-jin caught on and added,
“Like when your rank goes up.”
“Exactly. Without that level of stimulus, she probably won't pull through.”
I felt a pang of disappointment at Valentina's words. A stimulus on the level of a rank-up? I'd experienced it multiple times myself. It was an intensely powerful physical reaction. Later ones became manageable, but the first had me writhing in agony like a bad flu—my insides flipping upside down.
“Ah! Wait a sec!”
Valentina suddenly raised her voice as if struck by inspiration. We—me, Kang A-jin, and Lisa—all looked at her face.
“It's not completely hopeless, is it?”
She looked satisfied with her idea, though a hint of hesitation lingered.
“Puppy, you think it's okay?”
“Huh? What do you...”
Kang A-jin blinked in confusion, and Valentina explained.
“Looks like our darling's gotta have sex with her.”
“What?”
“Pardon?”
“Huh?”
Both Kang A-jin and I reacted with shock, and even the usually emotionless Lisa let out a surprised sound.
“What do you mean by that?”
Kang A-jin furrowed her brow. She'd always been the coolest about me getting involved with new women, but it was clear now she didn't exactly like it. Her instinctive reaction was rejection.
I flinched too, even though I hadn't done anything wrong yet.
“Listen. If she can't rank up on her own, we have to stimulate her externally. Like those soul sorcerers—we need to inject new mana. But it only works if it's from someone special like our darling or something blank-slate like the original Lisa. Think back to your first time with him. What happened inside you then? No guarantees it'll work, but if we're betting on odds, that's the play.”
“For something that uncertain...”
“This poison isn't contagious. Plus, tweak the usage, and it could even stimulate lust. Even chemically speaking, it's not a bad approach.”
Valentina seemed set on having me sleep with Kim Se-in. She nodded emphatically, convinced it was the right call.
“But...”
Kang A-jin looked conflicted. She glanced at Lisa, who quietly turned her head away. No words, but Lisa seemed to agree with Valentina.
What about my opinion? This is my dick we're talking about.
Still, if it could save Kim Se-in, I wasn't opposed. My views on sex were shifting lately. The old me would've balked.
“Fine.”
Kang A-jin sighed.
“We shouldn't tell the other girls for a while.”
That went without saying. The women here were open-minded in their own ways. They didn't view things solely through the lens of their feelings for me.
“Sung-gi, this poison isn't contagious. After 24 hours of use, it sinks deep into the body and loses its ability to harm others. Still, please be careful...”
“Yeah, I will.”
At this point, I couldn't exactly back out. Save the person first and worry later. No clue if it'd work, but since Valentina recommended it, the odds had to be decent.
“Then we'll head out.”
Valentina looked shocked at Kang A-jin's words.
“Why? The fun part's just starting!”
She seemed way more interested in that than saving the woman.
“If the mood picks up, we can join in. The effect would be even stron—”
“No. That's not happening, so cut it out.”
“Ah... My Puppy's too smart for her own good. I liked you better back when you were the innocent girl who first came to me.”
“And look how I ended up.”
“Fallen? I didn't even sleep with you once!”
“You have no idea how hard it was keeping myself intact.”
There were clearly stories between those two I didn't know about.
“Alright, alright...”
Valentina finally gave up and stood. Lisa rose silently too.
“A-jin.”
Even now, something nagged at me, so I asked her.
“Could you cast a blocking spell so no one peeks?”
“Yes, I was planning to.”
Valentina's face fell like the sky was crashing down.
“Aw, why! I wasn't even gonna watch!”
Yeah, right. You totally were.
A chill ran down my spine. Undeterred by Valentina's pout, Kang A-jin cast the spell to prevent anyone—especially Valentina—from invading this space and spying on me and Kim Se-in.
Her talismans floated into the air, forming a barrier.
“Then, Sung-gi.”
Kang A-jin already looked resolved.
“Yeah, I'll call when it's done.”
“Eeeeng~”
Valentina whined like a child as she left with Kang A-jin and Lisa.
Now...
Gulp.
I swallowed dryly. Needless to say, this was uncharted territory for me.