Mana Rejection Cure (2)
Baek Hongpyo wiped the sweat from the brow of a young boy lying in a bed at the Taehong Orphanage infirmary.
The boy was fifteen years old.
But he looked not even ten.
His name was Woo Myeongjin.
He wasn't originally from Taehong Orphanage.
Baek Hongpyo had gone all the way to Andong to bring him back personally.
The orphanage there had shut down due to financial troubles.
Over thirty children, destined to be scattered to other facilities.
He'd brought them all to Gurye at once.
These kids had already experienced the pain of parting from their parents once.
And now they had to be separated from each other too?
Baek Hongpyo couldn't turn a blind eye.
He took them all in.
Taehong Orphanage's finances weren't just solid—they were overflowing.
If space was tight, he could just build more buildings.
But among them, Myeongjin had mana rejection syndrome.
From the first sight, he was so frail it was shocking—a middle schooler who looked worse than an elementary school low-grader. That was why he'd been abandoned.
Baek Hongpyo fed him tonics and even simmered deer bone soup to spoon-feed him.
But there was no improvement.
In the end, he couldn't hold on much longer.
He'd been fading for days, and now he barely stayed awake even an hour a day.
'I hope Taeju's treatment research succeeds.'
Knock knock.
The door burst open.
Taeju walked into the infirmary.
"How'd you get here? I thought you were in the middle of research."
"I made some time. ...This the kid?"
"Yeah. Born with mana rejection syndrome, the incurable curse. Name's Woo Myeongjin, fifteen years old."
"The symptoms have progressed too far."
"Sigh. I thought he'd at least make it past twenty."
Baek Hongpyo himself had outlasted others as a mana rejector, surviving into his late twenties. But this boy might not even reach fifteen.
Taeju placed his fingers on Woo Myeongjin's wrist to check his pulse.
It was faint.
A critical state where his breath could stop at any moment.
'Hmm...'
Woo Myeongjin let out a groan and woke.
Squinting against the light.
"Myeongjin!"
"...Director."
"Yeah, it's me. Come on, snap out of it and hop up."
"...I know. I probably won't... make it through today."
"Don't talk like that!"
"Just... hold my hand. So I don't feel alone."
"You punk!!!"
"I'm scared. So scared..."
Baek Hongpyo fought back tears and gripped the boy's hand tightly with both of his.
Taeju approached the boy's side.
"You Myeongjin?"
"Wh-who are you?"
"Kim Taeju. That's my name."
Woo Myeongjin turned his head weakly to look at Taeju.
"Ah... I finally get to see you."
"You know me?"
"Of course. No mana rejector wouldn't."
"Yeah?"
"You're my role model, Chairman."
It was well-known that Taeju had been a mana rejector.
Being born a mana rejector didn't mean all hope was lost.
Rarely, in extremely slim cases, they overcame the curse.
Some even awakened.
So mana rejectors fought to survive until the end.
But Myeongjin had already given up on life.
He had no strength left to endure.
"Heh heh, di-dying after seeing your face... makes me happy."
"Don't say that. I'll fix you up. Hang in there just a bit longer. Don't give up."
"...You don't have to push yourself to comfort me. I'm ready."
"For real?"
Taeju pulled a small vial from his pocket and dangled it in front of Woo Myeongjin's eyes.
"Know what this is?"
"Huh?"
"A drug I'm testing to suppress mana rejection syndrome."
"...Oh."
"Wanna try? But brace yourself. It's unfinished—could go wrong."
Woo Myeongjin stared blankly, then nodded.
Either way, he was dying.
Taeju poured the freshly made treatment into the boy's mouth.
He'd warned it might fail, but it wouldn't.
"How's it feel?"
"Not sure yet... Ugh!"
Taeju grabbed his wrist again.
"Where's it hurt?"
"My heart... feels like it's ripping apart..."
Heart meant the maple tree sap poison?
The maple sap poison accelerated the heart to spread the effects throughout the body.
'Tone it down a bit.'
He absorbed half the poison's potency with Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong.
"Better?"
"Yeah, a little."
"Anywhere else?"
"My skin's really itchy."
The poison neutralizing mana in the skin...
'Red-winged ground bee venom.'
It broke down epithelial cells, making them slimy.
Tone that down too.
"Gotta pee?"
"Not really."
He should.
The plantain poison expelled mana accumulated in the kidneys and bladder via urine.
'Add a bit more.'
Suddenly.
"Ack! Gotta pee so bad!"
"Go ahead."
"Huh?"
"You're wearing a diaper. Director'll change it."
"...Uh."
Remove what needed removing, add what needed adding.
Then.
"How's it now?"
"Not sure, but... feels better."
"Can you sit up?"
"Hmm, not yet."
It had improved, but still far from enough.
Since mana invasion, all earthly herbs contained traces of mana.
Obviously, Taeju's drug did too.
"Am I better?"
"No way! One dose doesn't cure it."
"...Ah!"
"But don't lose hope. With me here, you won't die at least."
"Then I'm truly grateful. ...You're my lifesaver, Chairman."
"Not yet."
Taeju turned to Baek Hongpyo.
"Hyung."
"Yeah?"
"From tomorrow, gather all the other mana rejection patients in one place."
"Going full clinical trials?"
"Yes."
Now the real work began.
Potential confirmed, at least.
But the next day.
"How's Myeongjin?"
"Not good. He seemed fine yesterday, but today he's back to..."
The drug's effects wore off, reverting to before.
Only temporary relief.
"Whew, brought an improved version from yesterday. Let's try it."
Symptoms needed permanent improvement.
Not just during the drug's duration.
Couldn't feed it forever.
It was poison at its core.
Long-term use could cause other issues.
'Even the spirit herbs weren't enough?'
The spirit herbs had done their job.
They'd harmonized all those poisons.
'Need something new.'
He had to find it.
But Taeju showed no disappointment.
How many patients trusted him?
Severe mana rejectors gathered at the orphanage.
Taeju's research continued.
Without sleep for nearly a week.
In between, delivery signals pinged between Earth and the Immortal Realm.
Massive volumes, thanks to the expanded shared warehouse.
Meanwhile, rumors slowly spread.
'Taehong Bio Chairman Kim Taeju is researching a mana rejection cure.'
From mouth to mouth,
internet and SNS,
even beyond the Empire's borders overseas.
The world buzzed.
※ ※ ※
Among the upper realms, the Heavenly Realm was the vastest.
Thus, it had the most inhabitants.
Collectively called celestials.
If there's hell for the wicked, there must be heaven for the good.
The Heavenly Realm served as paradise.
Those who sacrificed, helped, cared for others in life—did many good deeds—went there after death.
Living worry-free in the afterlife.
Some celestials built homes and lived ordinarily; others worked at the Jade Emperor's Purple Micro Palace.
Haemnak Seonyeo worked at the Purple Micro Palace.
Bright and innocent as her name.
Today was her day off—yesterday she'd run around greeting guests.
"Hmm~ hum hum hum, la la la~..."
Haemnak hummed, picking flowers one by one in the Heavenly Realm's flower field, stringing them into a chain.
Stuck a big one in her hair too.
No issue picking them.
Heavenly flowers regrew buds quickly, blooming beautifully soon after.
She tried on the flower necklace.
"Hehe, pretty."
But not satisfying.
West Queen Mother's stunning figure from yesterday's palace visit lingered in her mind.
'Lady Queen Mother was so beautiful.'
Celestials had desires too.
She wanted the items from other worlds adorning the Supreme Old Lord, West Queen Mother, and fairies.
At least see what they had.
'They're selling in the Immortal Realm, right? ...Should I go?'
Getting there was easy.
As a palace fairy, she had fairy robes for easy travel and shrinking-ground boots.
'...Just look and come back. Who'd know?'
So Haemnak dashed to the Immortal Realm.
Shrinking steps, zipping along.
Finally arrived.
'Where are those items?'
After wandering, she spotted a flat stone-paved road.
'Who made this? Wow, well done. If I follow...'
Then.
Vroom vroom vroom!
A roar from behind.
"Eek!"
Haemnak startled.
Something charging this way.
'Iron horse?'
The rider's outfit was odd too.
Black leather, long boots, sword on back.
Screech!
The iron horse halted.
Geomseon's first impression of Haemnak: '...Crazy chick?'
Obvious at a glance.
Big flower in hair, flower necklace.
But he didn't show it.
"Who might you be?"
"I-I'm Haemnak from the Heavenly Realm."
"Oh! A celestial. I'm Geomseon. What brings you to the Immortal Realm?"
"Um, just sightseeing."
Geomseon smiled faintly.
He guessed why this celestial came.
"Hop on."
"Pardon?"
"Said you're sightseeing? I'll guide you."
"But where?"
"Behind me."
Gulp.
A stranger male, even for an immortal.
But she wanted to ride the weird iron horse.
"Here?"
"Hold tight."
Vroom vroom vroom!
"Kyaa!!!"
The Harley roared off.
Solid male back.
Haemnak instinctively hugged Geomseon's waist tight.
Soon.
"Ah!"
A massive seven-story pavilion loomed before her.
"We're here. Follow me."
Geomseon led.
Naive Haemnak trailed.
Into the Multiplex.
"Oh my?"
She gasped at the modern interior.
Immortals chatting in the first-floor lounge spotted her.
'Crazy?'
'Yep.'
'Tsk tsk, looks normal.'
'That huge flower in her hair.'
'Must be bad.'
'Good no rain, or she'd run in it with the flower.'
Geomseon took her to the second-floor mall.
"Look around as you like."
"Aaaah..."
Haemnak exclaimed in awe.
All otherworldly goods.
'So many?'
Clothes, shoes, hats, bags like West Queen Mother and fairies wore.
A whole new world.
She buzzed around, peering everywhere.
Didn't dare touch.
Feared tarnishing valuables.
Suddenly!
Swish!
Someone approached from behind.
"How is it? To your liking?"
"Eek! ...Who?"
"The owner here. Call me Dokseon."
"Ah... I'm Haemnak."
"Heard from Geomseon. From the Heavenly Realm?"
"Yes."
"First time? Pick one."
"...I have nothing to pay with."
Dang Gunak smiled.
"No money needed. On the house."
"...No thanks, just looking satisfies me."
True celestial.
Pure heart.
Funny with the big flower, but... wait!
'Flower?'
A rich, auspicious fragrance wafted.
Sniff sniff, sniff sniff sniff.
Dang Gunak leaned close to her head, inhaling repeatedly.
Flinch.
Haemnak stepped back, flustered by Dokseon's sudden move.
"Wh-what? Don't tell me..."
"Ahem, no misunderstanding."
Dang Gunak pointed at the flower in her hair.
"What flower is this?"
"Huh? Common in the Heavenly Realm. We call it Gold Pure Flower."
"Gold Pure Flower?"
"Edible too. Purifies the blood."
"Many in the Heavenly Realm?"
"Of course. Whole place is a flower field. Hehe."
"Whoa."
No ordinary flower.
From the Heavenly Realm.
"Can I taste?"
"Chew well."
Dang Gunak took a petal she offered and chewed.
A gentle energy seeped in.
'As expected.'
Memories from soul-link with Taeju surfaced.
His most urgent issue.
'Mana rejection cure.'
He knew how Taeju planned to make it.
'Purifies blood? Huge help.'
Dang Gunak looked at Haemnak again.
"The flower necklace too?"
"S-sure. Here."
He sampled petals of various colors.
Haemnak explained each effect.
"That's Half Moon Flower. Boosts digestion. This is Heavenly Flower, cleanses skin. Yin-Yang Flower balances the body..."
Jackpot.
Flowers, but really medicine.
Dang Gunak casually asked.
"Need money? Currency to buy these."
"Could use some."
"I'll trade coins for these flowers. One flower, one coin. Ten, ten coins."
"Wh-what?"
"It's like..."
Thus began the explanation of Immortal Realm currency.
Haemnak's face brightened more and more.