The Miracle of Idun's Golden Apples

Golden color means apple! Apples are delicious!

"What in the world is this!? The ceiling...!"

"Chorok! Are you okay?"

The total responsibility ajusshi from earlier, Seonhwa unnie, and the sunglasses ajusshis all came rushing over.

"Are you hurt anywhere, Miss Chorok?"

"Um... well... I'm fine. But the ceiling more than me..."

What do I do? They said I could use it freely, but I didn't expect smashing the stamp would shatter the glass ceiling with a crash like that.

"Hold on... This is Idun's Tree, a gate-native species... How is it growing outside the gate?!"

The warm ajusshi said it with intense excitement. That's true, but... it's grown straight through the ceiling now, so tall that looking up at it hurts your neck.

"It's not impossible for Lady Chorok. She possesses a very special hunter class."

"Ah... I understand. The chairman instructed us to maintain strict confidentiality on tenant Miss Chorok's activities no matter what happens and to support her actively."

In the meantime, Rica unnie arrived and summarized the situation.

The ajusshi seemed to get it too? Looks like Seo-ah's grandpa had talked to them in advance.

"Um... is the ceiling okay?"

"It's fine. Leave the repairs to Yusung. And if it's alright, may we examine Idun's Tree?"

Is that okay? Tree, what do you think? I can still empathize with you, so you can tell me, right?

"The tree says it's okay. Just be careful not to hurt it."

"Understood. We'll be careful."

The ajusshi started bustling around, snapping photos with his camera.

The tree was so huge that he had to run around sweating buckets.

Is this such a big deal? I vaguely remember them saying at the last ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expo that gate plants wither and die outside...

"Idun's Tree..."

Seonhwa unnie looked shocked too. The tree itself seems to have some impressive name attached to it.

"What's so special about this tree?"

"Miss Chorok, do you remember the physical strain we covered in the training course?"

"Um... you mean how dangerous gates have bad mana that makes your body hurt?"

Why bring that up here? I answered vaguely since I sort of remembered.

"Yes, that's it. Physical strain is usually caused by mana emitted from gates, but it can also come from monster poisons or curses. In those cases, it comes with symptoms different from ordinary strain."

"Different symptoms...?"

"For example, all mana in the body continuously depletes, making it nearly impossible to function as a hunter."

"Eek!"

Whoa. So if you get hit by a monster, even super strong people are out of the hunter game? The victims must be bawling their eyes out.

"That got a bit heavy... Normally, healers' skills can fix it, but just know there are cases they can't."

"Then how do you treat that...?"

"By making ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠medicine from plants inside the gate. But the most effective plants only grow in dangerous gates, and crafting the medicine requires an apothecary class and a safe workshop, so there are many issues."

"Aha, got it roughly. Gate flora can't survive Earth's environment easily, right? Does processing have to be done outside?"

Rica unnie, who was listening, nodded.

I kinda get it too? Not only is it hard to obtain, but turning it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into medicine is even harder for super complicated reasons.

"Correct. As you saw, Miss Chorok, Yusung Pharma was trying to preserve gate plants in capsules at the expo."

"I remember! The blue glowing ones, right?"

Kkumteuli was in one of those too. They made it sound like amazing tech.

"Yes. Current tech either uses already-dead plants via apothecary workshops or relies on Yusung Pharma's preservation method. Yields are terrible, and the medicine is expensive."

"Now I see why the head responsibility guy was so shocked. This is something only Lady Chorok can do."

"Eung...? What do you mean?"

Only I can do it? Hidden class is officially awesome power confirmed!

"Lady Chorok's authority can interfere with all factors that make plants grow. So gate plants can grow outside too."

"Ooh... my power is something something amazing."

Guess it's true. Confirmed I can do amazing things!

"The story got long, but... the fruit of Idun's Tree, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Golden Apple, is among the hardest-to-get materials for that treatment."

"That super huge tree I grew... was an apple tree?"

No wonder there were those brown withered-fruit-looking things. And now there's a shiny golden apple right nearby?

"Whoa... Thank you for allowing the inspection. Results: one high-quality Golden Apple, and three immature ones confirmed."

The warm responsibility ajusshi finished his check and came back. The tree was so big, his clothes are soaked with sweat from running around.

"An incredible harvest... Normally, finding even one is rare..."

If even Seonhwa unnie says that, it must be super precious. She doesn't get surprised easily.

"In my opinion, if these Golden Apples hit the market, Miss Chorok will get massive attention. It's that valuable."

"Agreed. Yusung Group would want to trade for results like this immediately."

The warm ajusshi nodded at Seonhwa unnie's explanation. So Seo-ah's grandpa will buy them?

"This Diabolica is curious about the value..."

"I'll explain simply for Miss Diabolica and Miss Chorok. Considering the current market price of Golden Apples, one matches a mid-tier guild's monthly operating costs."

"Hoek! That's insane just hearing it!"

Easier to get than counting circles. Guilds have tons of people and salaries, right? And one apple covers that?

"If possible, would you trade with us at Yusung? This is a huge discovery!"

The responsibility ajusshi pleaded with me. I do need money big time for making a guild...

"Still, since it's fruit, I should ask the tree. It's the one who made them."

"I've been wondering since earlier, but... can tenant Miss Chorok talk to plants too?"

"Yep. Sometimes I hear them. This apple tree answers if I ask now too."

"Whoa... Understood. We'll respect Miss Chorok's opinion then."

Good. Tree, what do you think? Can I use your Golden Apples freely?

"A request...?"

"It wants you to save the seeds. Wants to see its kids grow?"

"Trading with Yusung can be just the flesh."

"Okay then. But how's the taste? Golden Apple sounds delicious. It just asked me to eat a fully ripened one."

Suddenly I thought of it. With four, I wanna pick one to try.

There's a fully ripened-looking one dangling nearby, all shiny and glossy—looks super tasty!

"Let's all share one. The fruit's huge, so we can each have a piece!"

"It boosts mana even for regular hunters, but... trading them all would still be best..."

Seonhwa unnie said that, but she's been eyeing the Golden Apple nearby this whole time.

She's been doing it a bit ago too...

"Seonhwa unnie, you wanna eat one, right?"

"Ah, no. How could I take something so precious..."

"It's fine. Let's share here!"

I finished talking and trotted over to pick a Golden Apple.

I jumped with all my might but couldn't reach, and the branch slid down gracefully, placing the apple right in my hand!

"Here, let's share! Seonhwa unnie too! Rica unnie too! Responsibility ajusshi too! Sunglasses ajusshis too!"

"Our security guild is fine." "I appreciate the thought, but I'm good."

Eung... the ajusshis say they're fine.

"What about Seonhwa unnie? You want some, right?"

"Ah, no. I'll pass..."

"Liar. I saw you staring! You kept looking at this apple!"

"..."

See? Seonhwa unnie's silent like a honey-eating bear. I nailed it!

"Come on, let's eat together!"

"If it's Miss Chorok's request..."

I handed the apple to Seonhwa unnie. She looks so happy. First time seeing her like this!

"Eung? But are you crying now? They say crying after laughing gives you a bread belly horn or something?"

"Ah... no. Thank you so much, Miss Chorok."

She didn't even notice she was crying. Seonhwa unnie wiped the tears from her eyes just now.

"If Lady Chorok wishes it, I'll have a bite too."

"Yep! Let's eat together. Oh right, Rica unnie, is this tree buddy the next friend I was looking for?"

Usually status windows ding with achievement complete around now. Nothing this time.

Rica unnie might know something?

"It's not seed rank. But it'll greatly help Lady Chorok's goals, so let's raise it together. It will surely bear fine fruit."

"Yep! Sounds good!"

That night. In front of the Hunter Management Bureau director's office.

"It's coming back a little... Even just a piece..."

Seonhwa clenched and unclenched her fist, trying to sense something.

It was her mana. She confirmed her mana, which had been steadily vanishing, slowly refilling.

—Knock. Knock.

Finishing her check, Seonhwa knocked on the director's door.

"Come in."

"Yes, Director."

"Have you decided? Let's hear your choice."

Entering, Jang Taesan welcomed Seonhwa.

"..."

A brief silence. Seonhwa could no longer sever the bond she'd built with Chorok over time.

That child had already carved a deep place in her heart.

"Miss Chorok may not realize it, but I received a great favor from her today."

And today, even the goal she'd given up on became thinkable again.

How to repay this? There was only one answer.

"Could your chronic illness be resolved?"

"I can't be certain yet... but my mana is returning, little by little."

"That's fortunate. Your choice is set then."

"Yes. If possible, I want to join the guild Miss Chorok builds. I want to repay this grace over a lifetime."