Everything Ripens (2)
Spiritual medicine. They call fully ripened precious herbs spiritual medicines. Naturally, their value transcends imagination. No, immeasurable is more accurate. To begin with, spiritual medicines have never appeared in Arcana or any auction house.
From ancient times, those in high positions have poured all their passion into preserving their own bodies. According to texts on precious herbs, kings and nobles from the ancient kingdom era were desperate to find spiritual medicines.
"As far as is known, the human who consumed the most spiritual medicines was 'Iron-Armed Urs'. Born frail, he took them to survive, only to realize their true value..."
He ended up trading his vast earldom for them. In the end, he became a wandering fallen noble... Every old tale carries a lesson. I nodded along while reading that passage. That's why drug addiction is dangerous, right?
Yet who would have thought I'd come to covet such a spiritual medicine myself!
The reason I need it is simple. I recalled the effects of precious herbs.
'No matter how rare the precious herb, it only boosts stats.'
Even the contemplative mistletoe I acquired in the [Predator's Swamp] after contracting with High El was like that.
But spiritual medicines weren't limited to such meager effects.
'No mere stat points could cause that kind of change. Absolutely not.'
I could say it was impossible with certainty. After all, I had solid proof.
Whether stats rose or not, there were those daily grueling body-tempering class quests that left me breathless.
"Urs's transformation was inexplicable back then—and even as I write this book now. A man who couldn't even grip a sword properly shattered the capital's gates with his bare fists..."
Perhaps because of that, the text concluded like this.
"Most precious herbs that had rooted deeply enough to be called spiritual medicines vanished from the Arcana continent around the ancient kingdom era..."
Anything good for the body—they just can't get enough of it. It's universal.
But who am I? Possessor of [Pure Knowledge of the Five-Pointed Star]. Don't I hold all knowledge of plants on the Arcana continent?
Which means the knowledge of those exceedingly rare spiritual medicines resides in my head as well...!
That's right. Every plant I was watering right now had the potential to grow into spiritual medicines.
Someone might ask: Weren't precious herbs rare enough already? Where did I even get these to plant?
I'd answer proudly: Good thing I was so stingy.
◈ No restrictions
◈ Reveals the location of something someone has hidden away, lost, or concealed somewhere. Allows one-time teleportation to that location. However, all effects are lost immediately upon using the teleportation.
◈ Description: A magic tool with infinite possibilities depending on its use.
In the situation where I had no choice but to teleport to the Arcana continent to save Marcelo's life. Unlike the upright, unmaterialistic Grandfell, I, Lee Hoyeol, couldn't abandon my greed for material things.
Just like with the [Six-Pointed Star Brooch], I noted in advance the locations of items that might prove useful later.
"Spiritual medicine? Meaningless to me."
I remember muttering that... But I endured Grandfell's snark well, Hoyeol. This stinginess might just save my life someday.
Thanks to [Pure Knowledge of the Five-Pointed Star], I could distinguish which spiritual medicines would be medicine or poison for me. The ones I selected were two.
Millennial Snowflower.
Scorching Sunflower.
Circles were a mage's realm. Naturally, to activate them, I needed to elevate my pathetic magical talent.
There are various ways, but I chose the easiest shortcut.
'Other paths are too daunting for me.'
If even Marcelo couldn't do it, how could I? And even if I could, the time investment would be immense. I had no desire to endure this pounding heart that long.
"The Millennial Snowflower increases affinity for ice magic. And its polar opposite..."
"The Scorching Sunflower boosts affinity for fire magic."
I planned to consume two precious spiritual medicines. No, I had to. Otherwise, the side effects would send me to the next world.
As the Urs tale showed, spiritual medicines harbor immense energy. Devouring them outright?
The body naturally rejects them.
"Urs fainted after his first spiritual medicine. He didn't wake for a full month—and that was only because his inherently weak body didn't clash with the effects."
Someone might wonder: If they're so effective, shouldn't all consumers have made history? The simple reason they didn't: Most died from side effects!
"Neither cold nor heat can affect me."
Padding in midwinter. Sleeveless formality that prevents even short sleeves in midsummer. But this was beyond mere cold or heat.
Grandfell.
'Even just consuming them would bring suffering from side effects.'
Tzring— My heart was already shackled with circles. So there was only one way.
Consume the Millennial Snowflower and Scorching Sunflower simultaneously. Neutralizing their effects was the only way to boost magical talent without side effects.
Shoooo—
I'd set the goal of consuming two precious spiritual medicines, yet here I was, just watering a vegetable patch with a watering can. Anyone watching might mistake it for lettuce farming.
But believe it or not, this wasn't just any patch.
"Here's the research assignment you requested!"
Skilled mage, Cley.
As expected of one approved by Grandfell, Cley's [Precious Herb Cultivation Methods] had advanced significantly in a short time.
"Maintaining an optimal growth environment for precious herbs via healing magic... An intriguing idea. Regardless of mana efficiency, it's praiseworthy."
Precious herbs grow in finicky environments. In Arcana system terms... Specific conditions or they get debuffed?
Cley's method focused not on matching environments, but removing debuffs.
'Of course, it guzzles mana like crazy.'
Healing magic already consumes extreme mana. Casting it on mere plants? That's why her research hadn't seen the light before.
But I didn't mind. I had a trick up my sleeve... No, not quite trust, but something to exploit.
So I planted the patch full of precious herbs that could become Millennial Snowflowers or Scorching Sunflowers. And if I sprinkled water blessed by High El...
Maybe I could expect a little?
In that sense, to meet High El, I needed to enter a rift tomorrow.
I spoke leisurely.
"How fresh."
Water droplets on the precious herbs. Tending the patch must look utterly peaceful to outsiders.
But for me, the person involved, this vacation I couldn't enjoy had just begun...
"Indeed, no artwork surpasses nature itself."
...Just like I couldn't enjoy this guy's mutterings.
*
What was the reason for the sudden break?
"It has to be the quest, right?"
Yoon Jongjin raised his voice for the first time in a while. He'd witnessed Lee Hoyeol's debut in the world at the [Ascura Count's Castle] rift—Hoyeol's first move.
"That hardcore Lee Hoyeol! The guy who roamed Siberia's snowfields without a single layer of padding! For such a tough bastard to suddenly halt all activity for a break? It doesn't add up!"
Step aside. My patience has limits.
That curt voice still rang clear in Yoon Jongjin's ears.
Under Yoon Jongjin's insistence, Hyun Yongseok finally raised the white flag.
"So you're saying you'll wait at the Mage Tower portal?"
"Exactly. To do the quest, he has to enter a rift anyway. Players will spot him, and I'll hop on the portal—bam!"
"Fine, do what you want. Your enthusiasm is refreshing."
He must have looked bored... Yoon Jongjin wanted to get one over on Hyun Yongseok.
As Today's Arcana's main camera director, he had instincts.
Yoon Jongjin said to Kim, the writer rushing over from the set.
"I read faces well. My aunt's a shaman—maybe that's why I have a sixth sense. Hoyeol's face? No way he can rest with that."
...Then how savage must my face be to drag me here?
Kim had plenty to say but held back, chiming in vaguely. Chatter chatter.
"In that sense, PD Yong's face is a real spectacle..."
As Yoon Jongjin kept babbling, Kim, staring at his smartphone, flinched. Then he shot up.
"Director! Camera! Grab your camera!"
"He showed up! I knew it!"
Yoon Jongjin hurriedly packed his gear. Folded the tripod, chased after Kim busily.
Anywhere but Russia was welcome.
"So which rift?"
"Rift? Not a rift."
"Huh? Not a rift?"
"Yusra Kingdom."
...Ah, got it! A quest starting from Yusra Kingdom.
Plenty possible. Yusra was an ancient kingdom, after all. Endless quests from tangled plot threads.
But Yoon Jongjin's physiognomy theory...
"Wh-what is this? Photoshopped?!"
The moment Kim shoved his smartphone in Yoon Jongjin's face, it shattered.
The screen showed, as always, the aloof Hoyeol in noble pose...
Tending a flower bed.
Yoon Jongjin looked deflated.
"...No, his face doesn't scream 'gardener'."
"Director, enough physiognomy—camera!"
"Camera? You want to film this?"
Slick— Kim adjusted his glasses, eyes gleaming. He had instincts too.
"Lee Hoyeol gardening. Gotta be an audience for that. Super fresh! And if you don't want an earful from PD Yong..."
...Oh no.
No time for agonizing. He'd boasted too loudly.
Yoon Jongjin grabbed the tripod and bolted.
"Golden Palace annex, right? I'll head there first!"
.
.
In the end, Kim's instincts were spot on.
21.7%
Hoyeol leisurely tending his flower garden. A sight no one had witnessed before.
It stirred a small ripple.
Lee Hoyeol. Maybe he just wanted a simple break. As that opinion dominated, his past actions came under renewed scrutiny.
Of course, not everyone saw good in it. As someone said, where there's light, there's shadow.
Some twisted it differently.
In the shadowed Yusra Kingdom, Golden Palace. Two shadows sank into the darkness.
Skill, [Stealth] activated.
The two shadows whispered secretly.
"Kinber bailed? For real?"
Supernova Kinber. They'd synced with other players many times, but none as reliable and ruthless.
Above all, Kinber never flaked on jobs.
"His face went pale."
"...Kinber looked spooked? You explain it right?"
"I'm not an idiot—did I botch the explanation? I laid it out clear. No killing or assault. Just snag 'em quick."
Not infiltrating the guarded Golden Palace, just plucking a few flowers from the garden.
Who'd dare dream of wrecking Lee Hoyeol's garden?
But succeed, and no underworld player would doubt their guts.
"Chance to up our price tag."
That's why they'd infiltrated the Golden Palace annex.
"...But why'd that punk bail?"
With Kinber's [Stealth] proficiency, no one could spot him in this dark.
Yet he bolted at Lee Hoyeol's name, like he'd heard something he shouldn't.
"Whatever, screw the coward."
Anyway, Lee Hoyeol hadn't anticipated garden raiders.
No guards in sight. Good find.
"He seemed to cherish 'em, right?"
"Maybe rare items?"
"...How rare can weeds be?"
Slick— As the two shadows approached the garden.
Shiver!
"!!"
Sudden goosebumps over their bodies. Glowing eyes in the dark.
A message appeared before them.
Fear occurs.
Skill, 'Stealth' is released.
The extreme terror not only forcibly dispelled stealth, but—
Ting!
—made them drop their weapons.
Soon, a massive presence emerged from the dark. Realizing its identity, the men's faces twisted horribly.
...Why here of all places?
A legendary being rivaling dragons.
The monster that crushed Shadow Mercenary's Rackid in an instant.
An elf guarding Lee Hoyeol's garden?!