Black Slime Material Delivery (3)
"Twenty skeleton shin bones and twenty skeleton cores. Request items confirmed."
We finished settling the request at the counter where the guide from this morning—who'd greeted me when I entered the dungeon—sat. And as a bonus, we handled the disposal of the other materials that weren't part of the request.
"I've confirmed the rest of the materials too. Cash again this time?"
"Yes."
"One moment, then..."
The receptionist, who looked like she'd expected as much from my answer, handed me an envelope stuffed with the payment for the request.
"Here you go, Mr. Kim Sungcheol."
"You're not asking me to open the safe anymore."
"I'm used to it now. Oh, and I excluded the payment for the Black Slime materials. You said you'd deliver them directly and take payment in goods."
"That's right."
"Just to be safe, but don't trade those Black Slime materials with anyone but the client because of their addictive nature. You're fine using them yourself, though."
"Got it."
"Alright, thanks for your hard work today."
I returned the guide's slight bow with one of my own, then sent a KakaoTalk message to Senior Choi Hwayoung saying I was heading out now.
I'd half-expected her to leave me on read again, but this time a reply came almost immediately. The first message had me thinking I'd texted the wrong person for a second—turns out it was just omitted subject causing the mix-up. How crucial is this potion she's making that she's this desperate? I replied that I'd grab a taxi.
What the hell is in these materials that she'd have me burn through warp gate fees in the hundred-thousands per use? But refusing when she's offering to cover it would be rude.
In a world with warp gates, time really was something you could buy with money. Touched by the capitalist convenience, I boarded the gate to Gangnam-gu.
This would be the first time seeing her since our meeting at the Association.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Gangnam-gu AA-ro 1002, BB Tower. Following the address on the business card Senior Choi Hwayoung had given me last time, I arrived at a three-story commercial building.
The first floor had a sign reading Lakeside Pharmacy.
"Not exactly Tower material."
Sure, a three-story shop in Gangnam-gu had to cost as much as a new-town mega-mall, but it was a small building with room for maybe one shop per floor. And aside from the first-floor sign, the upper two floors didn't look like they were in use.
"I got the right place... right?"
Exaggerating a bit, it almost looked like an abandoned shop on the verge of closing. But the display case on the first floor, lined with various potions, suggested otherwise. The upper floors were probably living quarters, I guessed cautiously.
As I pondered how to get inside, my KakaoTalk pinged.
A bit of irritation seeped through, or so I sensed.
Click.
The sound of a lock disengaging came from inside, and the first-floor door swung open.
I was tempted to browse the pharmacy's shelves lined with potions, but building rapport with the client was my main goal, so I headed straight up without dawdling.
A somewhat messy interior came into view, and a faint, acrid tobacco scent hit my nose. That's when I finally spotted Senior Hwayoung.
Petite in stature, but with breasts that were anything but.
"You're late."
"..."
For the record, sizing up her chest the moment we met after so long wasn't my fault. It was just the first thing that caught my eye—unavoidable.
"...Senior Choi Hwayoung?"
"Yeah? What."
Because Senior Hwayoung was facing me in what could only be described as barely-there attire—practically half-naked.
She looked like she'd just crawled out of bed, clad in nothing but a bra and panties.
A woman already burdened with oversized breasts ill-suited to her small frame naturally drew such impressions.
"Your outfit's a bit... much."
"...Oh."
She glanced down at herself, then grabbed a robe draped over her chair and wrapped it around her body.
Not that the white robe hid the matching black lingerie underneath.
"Right, you're a guy... Forgot, dealing with female hunters all the time."
"It's fine. Got a good view out of it."
"...Tch, sorry for the eyeful."
I meant it sincerely, but she took it as sarcasm, blushing and pouting a little. Like Cha Yuri, she wasn't thrilled with her short stature and lack of muscle tone.
"Anyway, hand over the Black Slime fluids already. I'm in a rush."
"Ah, sure."
I pulled the vial of Black Slime fluids and cores from my bag—disguised as a monster materials pouch—and set them on the desk.
"Two, four, six, eight... Huh?"
"Something wrong?"
"...Isn't this a bit much? I thought we said ten each last time."
"I'm delivering a few days later than planned, so as an apology, I gathered ten extra each."
Truth be told, it was more like I'd gotten carried away training my swordsmanship and hunted extras. As I'd thought before, Black Slime materials didn't fetch much from guilds anyway—better to use them here. No issue handing extras to her, the original client.
The question was whether she'd take my gesture at face value.
"Youuuu..."
"Yes?"
"You're a real ona-john type, aren't you...!"
"...Glad you think so."
Caught off-guard by the outdated slang, I kept my composure. Sure, she looked young, but as a senior who'd retired before me, old trends weren't weird for her.
After taking the materials, she eyed me cautiously.
"...You hate cigarette smoke or something?"
"Don't love it, but not hate it either."
"Cool. Mind if I?"
"Huh?"
Before I could process, she flung open the second-floor window and pulled a pipe from her desk drawer.
She stuffed it with tobacco leaves and a few drops of Black Slime fluid, then snapped her fingers to light it.
So that's the source of the even tobacco smell filling the room.
I'd half-doubted it, but she was really using the materials for tar cigarettes. Startling, but not my business, so I stayed quiet.
"Sluuuuurp."
"..."
"Phaaaaa..."
I'd never watched someone smoke closely before, but she savored it so much I almost wanted one myself. No way she'd model for an anti-smoking ad.
"Brhaaa... Feels like I'm alive again..."
Her expression softened into a smile as she crossed her legs on the chair. The robe she'd just closed gaped open, exposing her underwear defenselessly.
Aware it'd be awkward to point it out again, I just sat quietly, admiring her figure this time.
Breasts too large for one hand. Plush-looking thighs. A perfectly soft belly pooch.
A body type I'd never seen among the meticulously maintained women I'd met. Grabbing that chubby waist like a handle and shaking her—wonder what that'd feel like. With her small frame, she'd offer no resistance, dangling helplessly from my grip.
Lost in that mildly rude fantasy, her eyes met mine mid-puff.
"Couldn't get any after retiring. You really saved me last time too, uh..."
"Kim Sungcheol."
"Right, right. Junior Sungcheol."
I nodded awkwardly at her thanks.
"It's my request—gotta see it through properly."
"Yeah. Oh, right—settlement's pending. Here."
She pulled a thick book from the stack on her desk and tossed it to me.
"That's everything we stock at the pharmacy. Pick what you like, tell me quantities and types. I'll price it to match the request fee."
"Everything in here...?"
"Some might take time without materials, but over seventy percent are in stock or makeable on the spot. For the rest, bring materials and I'll make 'em for just the crafting fee."
A hefty pharmacology tome, and she could handle it all? No wonder she was S-rank.
...Wait, she just used fire magic to light that, right? Dual awakening?
"What? No potions needed?"
"...No."
We weren't close enough for her to spill if I asked anyway. For now, I flipped open the first page to see what potions she dealt in.
And right away, I faced a baffling sight.
"Uh, Senior Hwayoung."
"What, picked already?"
"...It's all in a foreign language. Can't read a word."
I showed her the open book, and she looked mildly flustered.
"...Sorry, my bad. That was the original."
She swapped it for a new one, slotting the old back in place.
If it'd been English or classical Chinese, I might've tried, but those bizarre, alien scripts were beyond my mental fortitude.
Not Russian, not Arabic—just weird. Do all pharmacists in this world study from stuff like that?
A fresh wave of respect for potion makers washed over me.