Chapter 55
Chapter 55
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: A New Family Member and Elixir Strategy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the meeting with the minister.
Shin-hyeok brought Hyo-rin, who had nowhere else to go, back to his house.
"She's my daughter."
"...Shin-hyeok-ah. Have you been having a tough time lately?"
In the process, Shin-hyeok got treated like a madman by his father In-gyun, but it was just a minor hiccup.
"She's my daughter."
"...Shin-hyeok-ah, if something's hard on you, always tell your mom, okay? Mental health issues are no big deal these days—want to go to the hospital together?"
In the process, he even got treated like a madman by his mother So-yeon, but it was truly just a minor hiccup.
...Probably.
Fortunately, Shin-hyeok's parents weren't the type to ignore their son's words just because he seemed mentally off and shove him into a psych ward.
"...This is how it happened. I said she's my daughter, but obviously she's not my real daughter—think of it more like a legal guardian or custodian situation."
"Oh dear, I see. Still, Shin-hyeok, the way you phrased it..."
"You can't just drop it like that without context and not expect misunderstandings."
"Ahem, sorry about that."
After hearing Shin-hyeok's follow-up explanation and learning about Hyo-rin's situation, his parents looked sheepish but still scolded him lightly.
"Take good care of her, Grandpa, Grandma."
"...".
"...".
Of course, the atmosphere got nuked again by a single line from Hyo-rin, the master of cycling through three dads and Lü Bu's mistress, but even so, Shin-hyeok's parents gently embraced her.
"Sure, daughter or granddaughter, whatever. If you need anything, just say so."
"Never thought I'd suddenly have a full-grown granddaughter at my age. Get along well with Shin-hyeok, okay?"
"...".
Hyo-rin, feeling a warmth she'd never known her whole life, rolled her wide eyes around, trying to process the situation, but Shin-hyeok's parents wouldn't let her.
"You hungry? Let's eat first."
"Aigoo, you're skin and bones. Eat up, then we'll talk."
"Y-Yes? Okay..."
Even though it was late evening, Hyo-rin, who had been flustered at the bountiful dinner table, managed to step away only after devouring three bowls of rice.
Shin-hyeok chuckled, watching his parents finally smile in satisfaction as color returned to her pale face, and approached Hyo-rin.
"The top floor of the Alchemist Korean Branch is being reborn as a workshop just for you. Stay here in the meantime."
"Aren't we basically strangers since today~? You're being way too casual."
"Can't use formal speech with my daughter."
"...Ahaha, fair enough~"
Hyo-rin burst out laughing at Shin-hyeok genuinely treating her like his daughter.
While she was busy clutching her stomach laughing, Shin-hyeok introduced the others one by one.
"This is my little brother Shin-woo. He's not an adult yet, so not a Player."
"Ah, hello, sis. Nice to meet you... I'm Choi Shin-woo."
Starting with his one and only brother, Shin-woo.
"This is Se-jin hyung, the legendary craftsman I mentioned earlier. He's 27, older than you."
"Nice to meet you. First time making alchemy products, but should be fun. Any specs or conditions you want? I'll keep them in mind."
The legendary blacksmith Se-jin, who was currently shaking up the whole world.
"And last, you've seen her on the way here, right? Han Su-ah. My one and only friend."
"...Hm, hello, unnie."
And finally, Su-ah, who was already an acquaintance.
Su-ah gave Hyo-rin a wary glance during the greeting, and Hyo-rin responded with a light, smiling crinkle of her eyes.
Watching Su-ah growl at Hyo-rin, who looked at her endearingly like she was cute, Shin-hyeok suddenly thought.
'Like a puppy and a cat.'
Su-ah growling warily at Hyo-rin: the puppy.
Hyo-rin looking at Su-ah cutely: the cat.
The trivial dog-cat rivalry thought didn't last long.
"That elixir you gave me—think it can be mass-produced?"
"Hm? Not hard. Making it once is the tricky part. Mass-producing after that is easy."
"Great? Then we can commercialize it right away?"
"I got help from my new dad, so I'll make a ton? Materials are a bit short, but new dad'll handle that."
Shin-hyeok recalled the elixir he'd received from Hyo-rin and considered commercializing it.
Hyo-rin confidently said she could make as many as needed if materials were provided.
"Not making a lot, though?"
"Eh? Why? Selling more means more money, right? Good turnover rate. Better turnover means more materials, more new stuff."
But Shin-hyeok had no intention of making a lot of the new elixir Hyo-rin created.
No, even if he made a lot, he had no plans to sell a lot.
"My daughter. You're still so young in your thinking."
"...Yeah, hearing it keeps hitting. Guess I won't call you dad anymore—"
"There's this thing called supply and demand. When demand is high but supply is low, value skyrockets. I just experienced that firsthand. Your elixir, Hyo-rin? The less, the pricier. No need to make a ton."
Treated like a real little kid, Hyo-rin made another weird face and tried to pull her Lü Bu act again, but Shin-hyeok brushed it off and recalled his recent supply-demand lesson.
The foreign ministers clinging desperately the fewer legendary items Se-jin made.
It would play out similarly this time.
Why?
Just look at the messages from the elixir he'd eaten earlier.
A single elixir boosted his stats by a whopping 500.
But the real kicker was something else.
The elixir Hyo-rin made ignored tier-based stat limits.
Thanks to it, even still Gold tier, Shin-hyeok's Mana stat had broken past the 1,000 limit to reach 1,500.
In other words, he now had 50% more mana than Players entering the Unified Gold League.
Of course, factoring in gear, traits, skills, and bonuses, it wouldn't be a full 50% edge, but even this was insane.
Shin-hyeok knew the ripple effect this elixir would cause.
'Even before regression, it was an elixir you couldn't buy no matter how much you wanted. Every Player heading to the Unified League got one, and even top-shelf stuff like Yi Hwan's Three Emperors Five Kings Elixirs required legwork to obtain.'
Because he'd experienced it before regressing.
Knowing how huge it'd be, Shin-hyeok was convinced selling less would net more money and interests.
"But if we make few elixirs, how do we source materials? Alchemy guilds run on elixir sales."
"Dad'll handle that. Through Shinwa Distribution, near cost—or even cheaper."
"Still not enough. Other alchemy guilds will pressure us. They won't sit idle while we thrive."
"You're right. I've got plans for that too."
The issue was other alchemy guilds and corps wouldn't sit still.
They'd restrict alchemy materials to Shin-hyeok's side, sabotage supply chains.
But Shin-hyeok was prepared.
"Take payment in alchemy materials. Roughly enough for ten elixirs per one?"
"...Dad, are you nuts? Ten times markup for one? Buyers won't stand for that gouging!"
Payment structured as materials for ten elixirs per one sold.
A markup that shocked even Hyo-rin.
But Shin-hyeok eyed her slyly.
'Before regression, it was twenty times the gouge. Even Lü Bu's mistress is still green.'
Because pre-regression, Hyo-rin had gouged even harder.
Maybe reading his thoughts, Hyo-rin scowled.
"Something feels off. You had a weird thought, didn't you?"
"...Worry about not being able to sell 'em, not shortages. Competition among Players isn't just their thing."
"What do you mean?"
"It'll extend to national competition, drive progress. Nations foot the bill, so a little gouge is fine."
"Whoa, Dad's a total scumbag."
"Not a fan?"
"Nah? Perfect. Might not need a new dad for a while."
"...".
Player competition psychology.
Extending to national rivalry, taking tenfold gouge—Hyo-rin admired it, sticking out her tongue in a thumbs-up mutter. Shin-hyeok flinched but steadied himself, then poked In-gyun's side, who was blankly watching.
"Why're you just standing there?"
"Uh, yeah? My job's just sourcing materials, right? And once production ramps up, even that might not be needed..."
Sagging shoulders and voice.
Seeing In-gyun deflated at not helping much, Shin-hyeok teased playfully.
"What do you mean? Dad's role here is huge—you can't bow out."
"Huh? What're you saying, Shin-hyeok-ah? Looks like there's nothing for me to do."
"Dad. Distribution isn't just buying—you gotta sell too. How about exclusive rights to Hyo-rin's elixirs? Plus, exclusive on weapons from Se-jin hyung's workshop."
"W-Wait. Handing over something that big? Even one would rake in massive fees during distribution. Exclusive rights? Money's just the start—"
"Bigger interests than money. Flip entrenched power dynamics."
"...Shin-hyeok, you've got something brewing."
Shin-hyeok handed In-gyun a bundle of gifts, pulling him back from bowing out.
In-gyun sensed Shin-hyeok was scheming.
And he was spot on.
"By snatching Shinwa Workshop, we choked Shinwa Guild. Now, time to collar Shinwa Department Store."
"...Your aunt. My sister?"
Shinwa Department Store.
Base of Shin-hyeok's aunt and In-gyun's sister, Choi Seon-hwa.
Next target: right there.
"Shin-hyeok-ah, family though..."
In-gyun, ever the good dad/good man/good person, pulled out principled talk to dissuade, but—
"Shinwa family never had room for us. And I love Shinwa, Dad."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. Love it so much I want Shinwa-named companies multiplying from one to dozens, hundreds."
"...".
It fell on deaf ears.
Shin-hyeok's Shinwa Group obsession—splitting it up—started now.
Of course, prerequisites remained.
"Time to challenge the Colosseum Champion."
His own martial prowess.
In a world with the new Player class, money and power mattered, but personal strength topped all.
Knowing that well, Shin-hyeok quietly fondled the Colosseum Champion Challenge Ticket tucked in his pocket.