Chapter 6
I'm super smart—a potion that reshapes the self to match the body. I thought drinking it would bring some drastic change. But nope, not really.
My head did get all soft and squishy, but my intelligence didn't drop or anything. Hmm. Come to think of it, I've been called a genius since I was a kid. This feels pretty much the same as before, doesn't it?
"Hehehe... yep, I'm still super smart."
Still, it's not like there were zero changes. My self got all molded and squished to fit this little girl body, so my tendencies shifted a bit. The biggest change? My battle instincts, for sure.
Before, I'd get this intense urge to fight every set cycle. Now? Not so much. I don't really feel like picking a fight. Sure, battles seem fun... but do I have to? The world has way more entertaining stuff than fighting.
Like that game, Roflux. It's super popular with kids my age, and lately I've been hooked. I even got scolded by Mina-unnie for playing too much.
Ugh... She was thrilled at first that I was into games... but now she snatches my tablet and phone if I play more than an hour a day. Even when I promise to just watch YouTube, she won't give them back.
Hmph. Totally ridiculous.
"Aah... so boooring~."
Hmm... thinking about it, this is unfair. What else is a kid my age supposed to do besides roll around in bed and game? I don't even go to elementary school, so I've got tons of time. And she limits me to just one hour a day? That's straight-up child abuse, right?
Hmph. This won't stand. Time to stand up for my rights. I'll march right over there and tell her off!
Eung-cha!—I bounced up from bed with flair. But as I headed for the door, something squishy grabbed my ankle.
"Eek!"
I whipped around in shock. Hiding under the bed was the crystal orb, clutching me with its squid tentacles.
Ugh... scaring me like that...! You naughty crystal!!
"Hey! Don't grab me out of nowhere like that! Your squid tentacles already feel weird, and now you've got me all startled!"
The crystal orb's suggesting I learn magic from it, but honestly, no thanks. I said I'd learn before because I wanted to get stronger, but now I don't really need to. Plus, anything as boring as studying is a hard pass.
I've been turning it down, but this orb doesn't know the meaning of quit. It's been pitching this non-stop until I agree.
"I don't wanna study. Magic's gotta be super complicated, right? No thanks."
"Hmm... I don't really wanna get stronger, or fight either?"
When words fail, out comes the violence. The crystal orb smacked me with two squid tentacles.
"Hmph! If you're so wronged, show me a contract! What good's a verbal promise?"
What're you gonna do about it? All it can do is smack me with those squid tentacles anyway.
Hmm... but man, something smells amazing from the kitchen. Did my delivery order arrive already? Hehehe. Perfect timing—I'm starving! Gotta go eat~
I left the flailing crystal orb behind and headed out. It was yelling something, but I just ignored it.
Heehee. Anyway, what's for dinner today? Smells so good—I'm hyped~
After Baek Minwoo left.
The crystal orb with two squid tentacles—the mage, Elroen—slammed the floor in frustration.
Smack smack—
No matter how much she pounded the floor, her rage wouldn't subside. Elroen hated everything about the current situation.
Even granting a hundred concessions, she could accept becoming a crystal orb. She could endure Seo Mina's disdain. But Baek Minwoo abandoning magic? That was unforgivable.
Absolutely intolerable.
Elroen was a mage and a scholar consumed by thirst for knowledge. To her, Baek Minwoo—who could probe the fundamental truths of the world—was the most tantalizing prospect.
That's why she couldn't forgive Seo Mina. Corrupting Baek Minwoo, who possessed both immense talent and a burning desire for power? Unthinkable.
Anger alone changes nothing. Elroen was wise. She pondered her best immediate course.
Elroen paused. Could she sway Seo Mina? Restore Baek Minwoo to her battle-mad state?
The answer was obvious. No offer would work.
Seo Mina couldn't be persuaded. But Baek Minwoo? Different story.
Seo Mina doted on her like a daughter, but it wasn't mere maternal love. She still loved Baek Minwoo herself. If she spoke, Seo Mina would always listen.
She pondered, but no answers came. The current Baek Minwoo thought like a little girl. Ordinary tactics wouldn't work.
No material leverage. But beyond that? Plenty.
Seo Mina couldn't provide what Elroen could.
Baek Minwoo drank the self-altering potion out of guilt toward Seo Mina. Without it, she never would've.
Elroen planned to exploit that.
Information is key to everything. And she knew just the easy source.
Roll roll—
Elroen rolled energetically across the floor to the computer.
She knew of it from climbers' memories, but seeing it firsthand was fascinating. Elroen marveled at this world's technology.
She knew how to use it. With her two wriggling squid tentacles, she tapped the keyboard.
Tap tap—
The weak tentacles made it awkward at first, but she adapted quickly. Soon, Elroen typed with nimble speed.
Through the computer, she gathered all sorts of info. Her sharp mind let her grasp this world swiftly.
But core details were missing. Nothing to erase Baek Minwoo's guilt yet.
As she started to sulk, her eyes caught the browser's bookmarks. There it was: Hunter Gallery.
Hunter Gallery. A community site exclusive to hunters, linked directly to the Tower system. It had countless sub-galleries, with a thriving internal community for info sharing, trend tracking, even item trades. Most hunters used it avidly—including Seo Mina.
This computer was auto-logged into Seo Mina's account, letting Elroen access all her posts.
Elroen saw Seo Mina's thousands of troll posts. She squeezed her eyes shut, mentally erasing them.
The nightmare-inducing trolls made her dizzy, but it wasn't for nothing. From those posts, she found her way to persuade Baek Minwoo.