Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Chapter 69: Paracelsus's Flask (3)
Translation: godtl
"Kyah! This is it! This is the taste I'm talking about!"
A refreshing exclamation.
Go Mal-suk wiped her mouth with her sleeve after downing half of a 500cc beer mug in one go.
"You live pretty well, huh? Even stock craft beer."
Even after entering Rank Palace.
Go Mal-suk judged his quality of life by a single craft beer.
Finding it typical of her, Kim Si-mun chuckled and asked,
"Tastes good?"
"Hell yeah, it's fucking delicious. Where'd you get this?"
"I'll tell you later. That's not the priority right now."
"I guess."
With a light nod, Go Mal-suk emptied the remaining beer in one go.
Again—it was 500cc.
Watching her finish it in just two gulps, Si-mun shook his head.
"You're probably the only one who'd chug alcohol like this before meeting a Constellation."
"You're the one who pissed me off! I need something to cool my temper!"
"Then why pick a fight? You can't even win."
"You little—!"
Can't even win.
Her eyes narrowed sharply again at that trigger phrase.
Of course.
"Ease up. Break my skull and you won't get to meet the Constellation."
"Ugh!"
It was useless against Si-mun, who saw right through her and kept teasing.
Though her body trembled with frustration, she lowered the mug.
Not just because of the hours spent searching.
From the start, her words were meant to shake that cheeky bastard who never yielded an inch of initiative.
But.
'Why does this punk know me so well?'
She couldn't help but feel irritated that Si-mun seemed to understand even the parts of herself she didn't.
And more.
They'd only first met in the Evergreen Forest Dungeon's Arena.
Yet Si-mun treated her with the familiarity of a long-time acquaintance.
The funny thing was.
'I weirdly feel close to him too.'
She, too, found Si-mun strangely comfortable to be around.
'Why the hell?'
Leaving behind Go Mal-suk's confused gaze.
Si-mun, who had been drawing something at the center of the training ground.
"Done. Mal-suk, stand here."
After tapping the air a few times, he called her over.
"What's this?"
"Since this isn't a formal Arena, there are some restrictions on directly facing a Constellation."
"So we can't meet them?"
"No, we will. The Constellation will cover all the costs. This circle is part of the process."
As Go Mal-suk stepped into the center of the circle, Si-mun held out his hand.
She silently stared at the offered hand.
"What? Grab it already."
Though he urged her, Go Mal-suk remained silent.
Before long.
"Kim Si-mun, listen."
Her gaze, which had been fixed on his hand, rose to meet his eyes.
"Why are you going this far for me?"
"Where's this coming from?"
"Exactly what I said. Why are you being so good to me?"
Her slightly upturned eyes were captivating.
And in those eyes, a strikingly handsome man was reflected.
"I get teaching me techniques—I can see doing that for someone you met while dungeon crawling. Combat types have their own code of honor."
There was no trace of hesitation or roughness in her voice.
Go Mal-suk spoke with an unusually calm and composed demeanor.
"But a Constellation is different. It's an opportunity you could've kept for yourself. Why give it to me?"
Only after hearing her out did Si-mun finally grasp her meaning.
'Well, it makes sense she'd wonder.'
It wasn't suspicion.
He knew exactly how Go Mal-suk acted when suspicious.
So he needed to respond sincerely, but—
"Mal-suk, you still don't use your head, do you?"
"The hell?!"
Couldn't resist teasing her at least once.
Watching her immediate reaction, Si-mun let out a small laugh.
"Think about it. Why would I tell you to learn from a Constellation the techniques I was going to teach you myself?"
"Well—! Huh?"
Her eyes, which had been glaring, slowly widened.
"Right! Now that I think about it, you're already using techniques a Constellation could teach!"
"Exactly. Which means I've already learned the skills I'd introduce you to."
"...Oh."
Perhaps feeling awkward.
Go Mal-suk scratched the back of her head with an embarrassed expression.
Then—
"B-but! That still doesn't explain why you'd connect me to a Constellation just because we partied once in the Arena!"
"Hoh, our Mal-suk. You're sharper than you look, aren't you?"
Si-mun inwardly marveled before replying.
"It's more than enough. I've got plenty of other things to take care of anyway."
"More than having a Constellation as your Backing?"
"Yeah."
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art reaching 2 Stars and 5,000 free Achievement Points—wasn't that enough?
Besides, the Stigmata trait made it impossible for him to have a Backing Constellation anyway.
"And also..."
Trailing off, Si-mun took a step forward and took Go Mal-suk's hand.
[Establishing terminal connection with the Constellation Heavenly Demon.]
As he connected the terminal to the Heavenly Demon, he whispered.
"It's because of you that I'm able to keep living like this."
"Huh? Wha—?"
For a moment, Go Mal-suk seemed dazed, blinking rapidly.
Soon, her face flushed bright red, but—
The connection with the Heavenly Demon had already begun, and a halo of light enveloped her.
Then.
"Come back safely."
"Hey! What's with the sudden—"
Poof.
As Si-mun saw her off with a warm smile, Go Mal-suk vanished into the light.
A brief silence settled.
And through that silence—
Oppa, did you... say that on purpose just now?
The Philosopher's Stone's voice crept in.
"On purpose?"
You know, what you said earlier. That you're alive because of her.
"Why? It's the truth."
Si-mun looked down at his chest with a puzzled expression.
"If Mal-suk hadn't been there, I would've died long ago in my past life. She helped me way more than Si-hyeok ever did."
No, I mean—I get what you're saying, but the way you phrased it was just...
"Just what?"
Ugh, never mind. It's not my business anyway. I actually like this kind of cool, aloof vibe! Handsome is as handsome does~.
"Don't leave your sentences hanging like that. You know that's one of the most annoying things in the world, right?"
You can afford to be a little annoyed, Oppa. By the way, did our young master really take such good care of you in your past life?
The Philosopher's Stone's obvious attempt to change the subject was transparent, but—
Since he wasn't particularly curious, Si-mun just nodded and let it slide.
"Of course. He took care of me a lot."
After Korea fell and they fled to China as refugees,
Si-hyeok wasn't just a powerhouse in combat—he became the emotional pillar for the surviving Koreans.
On top of leading a guild, he had to withstand China's pressure too.
Naturally, he wouldn't have had much time to spare for his older brother.
Yet, whenever he could, the kid would drop by the lab, lounging around and killing time.
Now that I think about it, Si-hyeok really went out of his way for me, huh.
Whenever Si-mun asked for items—even the Emerald Tablet—Si-hyeok delivered.
And whenever he was in danger or needed help, Si-hyeok was there without fail.
Just wait, Si-hyeok. This time, your hyung will take care of you.
Thinking of the Spirit Elixirs being auto-crafted in the lab, Si-mun stretched vigorously.
"Alright! Time to claim my rewards."
Yeah, yeah. At 2 Stars, it's probably pretty complicated, right? Gonna have to use my brain for once!
A message hovered before his eyes.
Si-mun had completed the Constellation Heavenly Demon's quest [Find a Disciple] and received his reward.
[You have completed the Constellation Heavenly Demon's quest 'Find a Disciple.']
[You have earned 5,000 Achievement Points as a reward.]
[You have earned Heavenly Demon Divine Art (2 Stars) as a reward.]
A single sheet of paper drifted down smoothly.
Rustle.
Catching it, Si-mun immediately pressed it against his chest.
"Philosopher's Stone."
Yup! Leave it to me!
With the Stone's cheerful cry, the paper melted away like snow.
Then—
Whoosh.
A thick surge of Demonic Energy began circulating around the Philosopher's Stone.
Instinctively, Si-mun crossed his legs into the lotus position.
Guided by the Stone, he began the Circulation of Qi.
Scrape, scrape.
The sound was steady and smooth.
But the results were anything but, as the gaunt middle-aged woman scowled.
"Girl! How can you still not peel an apple properly at your age?"
Lee Yeong-hui's voice was thick with displeasure.
Scrape, scrape.
Yet the relentless peeling continued.
Chunks of fruit fell in uneven clumps, the flesh barely diminishing.
Perhaps it was unbearably grating to watch.
"Just give it here. I'll peel it myself."
Lee Yeong-hui stretched out her thin, branch-like arm.
"Ugh, seriously! Why are you nagging so much?"
An irritated voice shot back instantly.
"You just recovered less than a day ago—why are you peeling fruit?"
"Then you should've peeled it properly in the first place. Is that an apple? Looks more like scraps left after eating."
"Mom!"
Finally, Lee Yu-jeong let out a frustrated shriek.
A demeanor completely opposite to her usual elegant image.
Yu-jeong was behaving in a way that could make one believe she was an entirely different person, holding nothing back.
And how could she not?
The woman before her was, after all, her mother who had just awakened after seven years.
"This is my apple! I'm not peeling it for you to eat, Mom!"
She had perfectly valid reasons for getting worked up.
"Who said I wanted to eat it? I'm just trying to feed you."
"Mom, please—just focus on resting. I'm begging you."
"How can I rest when each peel only yields one slice of apple? Don't you dare go around calling yourself Do-hu's daughter."
"Mom...!"
Yu-jeong's voice finally dropped to a low growl.
"Hehe, alright. For such a tomboy, you're quite the character."
Yet Lee Yeong-hui merely chuckled softly.
"...It's just because I mainly use blunt weapons. Of course I can't handle knives as well as you. That's only natural."
Crunch.
Eventually putting the knife down, Yu-jeong bit into the unpeeled apple while muttering.
After chewing the apple for a while in silence, she quietly cleared the tray.
"This... really isn't a dream, right? Tell me it's not."
Then she gently nestled into Yeong-hui's embrace.
"Goodness, child. This is the fifth time you've asked. Shouldn't it feel real by now?"
Yeong-hui made a pained sound but still stroked Yu-jeong's head.
"I don't care, I don't care."
Yu-jeong nuzzled against that comforting touch,
burying herself deeper into her mother's arms.
The clear, familiar scent flowing over her.
'Mom's smell... so nice.'
Though tinged with the sterile hospital odor,
Yu-jeong indulged in childish affection, drowning in the long-missed scent of her mother.
Noticing this, Yeong-hui glanced at the empty potion bottle nearby and teased,
"Maybe I shouldn't have drunk that potion Si-mun gave me after all."
"Why?"
Was it because of the mention of not drinking the potion?
Or was it the name 'Si-mun' that had been brought up?
Yu-jeong, who had been on the verge of dozing off in her mother's arms, abruptly lifted her head.
Amused by her daughter's reaction, Yeong-hui pinched Yu-jeong's pale cheek with her bony fingers.
"Because then this spoiled brat wouldn't have clung to me like this."
"Ow! Mom!"
Yu-jeong glared with her still-pinched cheek, letting out a squeak.
Having laughed once, Yeong-hui gazed out the window—now utterly different from before she'd closed her eyes.
'When I collapsed, I thought I'd never see this view again...'
She knew Korea was a fast-changing country,
but seeing it anew after seven years filled her with fresh emotions.
Yeong-hui stared blankly out the window.
As much as the city had transformed, the images of two young men who'd grown splendidly came to mind.
"Si-mun and Si-hyeok—they've both grown so well, haven't they? Just seven years, and boys shoot up like weeds."
"Oppa grew up fine, but Si-hyeok? No way. He's even shorter than Oppa."
"Oh, come now. It's just a centimeter or two."
"Mom, how can you say that as a Player? A centimeter or two makes a huge difference."
"Seeing how defensive you are, I take it you're still close with Si-hyeok."
"...I should ask Oppa for more potions. You're still not fully recovered, Mom."
Yu-jeong grumbled.
Watching her daughter fondly, Yeong-hui smiled warmly and looked at the empty potion bottle beside her.
"Yesterday, I couldn't even move my vocal cords properly to thank him. I don't know how to repay Si-mun for this kindness."
"Don't worry. I'll take proper care of Oppa."
"My, my. Have you thought of something?"
At her mother's question, Yu-jeong let out a deep sigh.
"Honestly, I haven't decided yet. I don't even know what Oppa needs."
"You've been promoted to Gold-rank, haven't you? Try giving him something for item upgrades or specs. No man dislikes getting stronger."
"I know that much. I'd love to give him an SSS-rank weapon or something, but..."
"But?"
"You might not believe this, but... Oppa doesn't seem to need any of that at all."
Yu-jeong laughed hollowly at her own words.
It was absurd.
An SSS-rank item—
especially a weapon—was something any Player would change their class just to wield.
'But compared to the weapons Oppa uses... they all feel lacking.'
The massive fork that could overturn oceans, the lightning rod that obliterated battle-class Nagas in one strike—
and the other weapons he hadn't even shown yet.
"I don't know by what concept he uses them, but compared to SSS-rank weapons, they clearly fall far behind."
'That's why he still doesn't carry around even a common wand, I suppose.'
Lee Yeong-hui, who had been quietly watching her daughter lost in thought, spoke up.
"Dear. Then how about helping him in another way?"
"Another way?"
"It's the same as Arena rewards. Rewards don't necessarily have to be limited to equipment."
"If it's material items, I've already given him everything I have. I'll give him everything I obtain in the future too."
"That's not what I'm talking about."
Lee Yeong-hui slightly shook her head and picked up an empty potion bottle beside her.
"Like this recovery potion, didn't you say Si-mun made the cure for my illness himself?"
"Yeah. Though we didn't use it to maintain Mom's mana circuits."
"Then the answer is obvious."
"Answer?"
Lee Yeong-hui extended the empty potion bottle she was holding and gave it a slight shake.
"That Arena disease cure Si-mun made—he'll undoubtedly sell it on the Black Market, right?"
"Probably? Last time, he sold the Mana Sclerosis Cure on the Black Market too."
"Dear, think about it. Even if he won the Gold Debut Match, he's still a player who just entered Gold-rank."
For someone like that to be selling Arena disease cures...
Could there really be no problems at all?
At Lee Yeong-hui's question, Lee Yu-jeong's face momentarily went blank.
It was something she hadn't considered.
"So you're saying I should back his cure sales?"
"More precisely, create a safe route for him to sell the cures."
"A route... I think I get what you mean."
"Wasn't Seongsam Bio founded for that very purpose? Back then, your mother supported alchemists so much."
When the Galaxy Arena first appeared,
the importance of Production Class players wasn't widely recognized.
Naturally, alchemists and other Production Class players lived in poverty despite having awakened.
But Lee Yeong-hui, who was already leading the pack back then, quickly recognized the value of Production Class players.
And Lee Yu-jeong knew well that Seongsam Bio was born under her mother's leadership.
It's one of the strong foundations supporting the current Seongsam Guild.
"But Mom, Oppa might misunderstand."
Beyond simple potions and scrolls,
now Seongsam Bio leads in various medical devices and pharmaceuticals derived from the Arena.
With the Seongsam name attached,
there's a risk he might think a big corporation is trying to swallow him up.
But.
"Child, you've been following him around saying how great he is, and you still don't understand him?"
Lee Yeong-hui's meaning was entirely different.
"Si-mun isn't stupid. He'd probably jump at a good contract offer? The Black Market isn't a place for long-term deals."
"Y-you think so?"
"Of course. You just need to offer favorable terms limited to distribution. Ugh! This child. While Mom was bedridden, you neglected business management and just focused on the Arena day and night?"
Lee Yu-jeong flinched at her mother's sharp insight.
Instead of answering, she averted her eyes, and Lee Yeong-hui shook her head at her daughter's reaction.
"B-but after Mom collapsed, Grandfather took over all of Seongsam Bio's management! Now it's internationally connected with China and—"
Lee Yu-jeong protested, but—
"Would we abandon it just because it's business? But dear, who owns Seongsam Bio?"
"...Mom, right?"
"Then now that Mom's awake, do you think Grandfather would be a problem or not?"
"He... wouldn't be?"
"Right, you silly girl!"
"Eeeek! Stop pulling! My makeup's coming off!"
Lee Yeong-hui pinched her daughter's cheeks hard.
Then.
"Yu-jeong, I know you've been through a lot."
She stroked Lee Yu-jeong's head with a warm smile.
"You must have struggled a lot because of Grandfather. He's a thorough capitalist. He probably interfered a lot, thinking you were too young."
"Mom..."
Lee Yu-jeong's eyes grew moist.
"But I can't forgive the heiress of Seongsam for being this clueless. Just wait until Mom's done with bed rest. I'll teach you management from scratch."
"Mom!"
Though the subsequent scolding completely ruined the mood,
unlike the lonely times before, she felt energized by having her mother as a solid ally.
Then naturally,
'Oppa... I'll repay this favor somehow.'
The image of the man who restored this happiness came to mind.
Just then.
Ding.
A familiar notification sound came from Lee Yu-jeong's phone.
"That sound?"
Lee Yu-jeong quickly took out her phone to check the notification.
"What's got you so surprised? Don't tell me it's a boyfriend?"
"It's not! It's Oppa's stream notification."
"Girl, same difference, you little rascal. Let me see too."
The former Ranker and the current Ranker—mother and daughter—were like that.
"Mom, look at those shoulders! Men only get more dashing with age, I tell you. He's grown into such a fine man, really."
"Right, right? And the way he fights—so rugged. Last time, he..."
Chattering away, the two became completely absorbed in the livestream of the newly promoted Gold.