Chapter 46

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 46

Chapter Title: Janet's Bargain

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The space fell into silence.

Though Kang Seol didn't know the identities of the beings shrouded beyond the mist, they surely knew each other.

Janet was here. And they all knew who Janet was.

The merchant who had just shown his wares to Kang Seol ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spoke up.

"That's why I told you, right? It was just going to bruise your egos anyway."

The other merchants flinched, as if there was some backstory there.

"Playing dirty tricks, Janet."

"Dirty tricks? Hohoho, nothing escapes that old fogey's mouth."

"What?"

"To think you'd try to lure away my customer with that trash? What a waste of time! A fine merchant like me feels guilty just for wasting the customer's precious moments."

"You... damn it... How did you know it was Janet?"

The merchant, now clearly identified as Janet, addressed the lamenting group.

"You came here to sell goods. I came here to sell you goods. Can't you see the difference?"

"What difference?"

Kang Seol knew the difference.

He had felt it the moment he laid eyes on Janet's items.

'It's whether the item wants a deal or fulfills a need.'

The others' wares were heavy with value, seemingly aimed straight at his Madness. But Janet's items were exactly what he needed right now.

That put Janet on equal footing, not as a mere seller.

Janet bellowed at the other merchants like thunder.

"If you don't get it, then scram! You third-raters."

"...Janet, we'll settle this back home."

"Anytime you're ready. Now, beat it. I've got an important deal to close."

"Tch..."

"By the way, if your trade volume's still that low... might be getting risky, no?"

"None of your business. Let's go!"

The other merchants slunk away one by one through the massive hole.

The surrounding mist gradually cleared. But it didn't brighten.

Red backgrounds and demon masks.

Symbols of Janet filled the space once more.

"Whew, I would've been offended if you hadn't recognized me."

"I knew the moment I saw the items."

"As expected! You've got an eye for quality..."

Kang Seol examined the items Janet offered.

This was the Gelatin of Paranoia that Kang Seol had wanted.

This was the key ingredient essential for the Shadow Poison antidote.

Both items were exactly what Kang Seol needed most.

"How did you know?"

"Know what? Oh! You mean how I knew these were what Snowman needed?"

"Spot on."

"You might be disappointed..."

Janet pointed at Kang Seol's inventory.

"That black flower."

"Ah!"

"Heh... right. Forgot I was the one who handed it over?"

The black flower—more commonly called the Shadow Flower—could be used as is, but processing it unlocked a massive evolution. And Janet would know the method.

"But me knowing the Shadow Flower's secret is worlds apart from some ordinary human swept up in the world fusion knowing it."

"......"

"You're no ordinary person."

With one move, Janet had grasped much about Kang Seol.

Handing over the Shadow Flower had opened the door to this deal, and now they were on the verge of closing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it.

And in the process, he'd spotted Kang Seol's uniqueness.

Kang Seol eyed Janet warily. But unlike his tension, Janet blew on his fingers casually.

"Well, fusions bring all sorts of complications. You're one of those, I bet. Relax! Janet here doesn't pry into customers' secrets."

He grinned slyly.

The demon mask twitched.

"I just sell the goods."

"And how'd you know about the Deadly Nightgrass?"

"Ah! Been keeping tabs on your recent moves."

"Is that possible?"

"What's impossible? Anyway, 3,000 Madness for both."

Surprised by the reasonable price, Kang Seol nodded at Janet.

"Deal."

Kang Seol smiled in satisfaction, then realized something and asked.

"...Want anything else?"

"Think the great merchant Janet would come unprepared? If you have time..."

"Let's see it."

"Then, let magician-of-deals Janet guess your most pressing need?"

"......"

As Kang Seol stared blankly, Janet said,

"Pants."

"Huh?"

"Nailed it? Everything else looks fine, but that stench was coming from down there..."

"...No need to say it."

"Couldn't find a skilled tailor? Makes sense—adapting to the new world is tough enough. Well! Who'd have thought the day would come for me to unveil this."

With great fanfare, Janet pulled something from his sleeve—far too large to fit, yet it slid out smoothly.

"Take a look!"

"Right."

"...'Madness' rank?"

"Items that pass through us get marked 'Madness' from a certain grade up."

Rare was standard, so this was probably Treasure rank or higher.

Kang Seol stared blankly at the sheer black, flowing pants in his hand. The options were already overkill for him.

The issue was the price.

As he shot Janet a cold glance, Janet threw up both hands.

"Considering the circumstances, 10,000 Madness. Fair?"

"No strings this time?"

"Fair price. And now you get it, right?"

"Get what? Oh..."

"You need me."

Janet was right. Compared to the other Madness merchants, he was leagues ahead.

"Coming with those guys next time too?"

"Who knows? Maybe, maybe not."

"Got a question: what do you all do with the Madness?"

"Madness is everything to us. Can't guess? Even those who were once your gods abandoned you for it..."

Kang Seol's expression turned icy at the mention of gods.

Janet, sensing the chill, bid farewell awkwardly.

"Oh, almost forgot the invitation. Here's to more fun deals! Don't die."

Was Janet male, female, or beyond such things? Whatever the case, had some affection grown for Kang Seol?

"Can't afford to lose a hard-won customer."

Nope.

He awoke to morning light.

Kang Seol headed straight to the auction house, bought the side ingredients for the antidote, and returned to the annex.

Surprisingly, his first stop was the kitchen.

"Antidote first."

No guarantee he'd need it, but processing into a proper antidote would boost its value over loose powder.

No complex steps needed: boil water with the prescribed herbs and Deadly Nightgrass powder.

Bubbling...

The sour, acrid stench was unavoidable.

The annex filled with the unidentified fumes, triggering headaches.

"Cough... cough..."

Half a day later, the murky liquid was ready.

Glug glug...

Kang Seol decanted some into a tiny vial and stowed it away.

'Antidote done. Keep the stock solution like this for now...'

With the antidote complete, only the Shadow Flower remained.

Kang Seol pulled out what was mainly called the Black Flower.

"Could use it as is, no problem..."

But he planted it in the annex garden instead.

Then sprinkled powder from his pouch over it.

"Grow well."

Kang Seol dusted off and rested.

Exactly twenty-four hours later, same time.

He stepped out to the garden and marveled at the child-height flower.

"Perfect so far."

The powder was a reward from Grizz's lab.

Kang Seol uprooted the massively overgrown Shadow Flower.

Overnight upgrade.

He could've stopped here, but with the Madness merchant's extra materials, he had enough for the next step.

Kang Seol holed up in the kitchen for two straight days.

Kang Seol bit into the jelly and immediately clamped his mouth shut.

"Urk..."

"Again?"

He bit into another. Vomit-inducing horror.

"Eugh..."

The Glutton title offered one thing: stat gains from failed dishes. No frills.

Beggars couldn't be choosers.

"I'll nail it today."

Sweat beading, he pressed on.

Not complex, yet constant fails. Because the end product was elite.

Sleepless, he churned jellies. Eyes glazing, yawns hitting. Hands never stopped.

Materials ran dry.

'End of the line?'

Regrets like 'Wasted Madness' or 'Should've taken other rewards' surfaced. But hindsight is everything.

Success is genius; failure is folly.

As he pondered, moving mechanically, a strange sensation hit.

Unlike before, effortless. Hands moved on instinct.

He took it as the sign.

Surrendering to the flow, he worked.

A bit later.

"Ha... finally..."

Kang Seol's efforts finally paid off.