Ha-yeon insisted she was fine, but I still walked her to the door. Back in the modern world, it was common courtesy to spend the morning with a woman after a night together, maybe share breakfast. I believed that even a brief encounter deserved some acknowledgment, not just a silent departure. Back then, I still had a touch of innocence that made such gestures possible. Now, this was all I could offer Ha-yeon.
After seeing her inside, I headed to the special room reserved for work. Just as I was about to grab the doorknob, the door swung open.
“Oh, Leader.”
Standing there was Shin Sang-yong, looking a bit flustered. He seemed surprised to see me.
“Finished sightseeing?”
“Ah, no. Haha. I just need to grab something on the master’s orders.”
“I see.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it.”
He hurried past me, clearly in a rush. I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened inside to make the usually calm Shin Sang-yong so agitated. Curious, I entered the room and found Vivian inspecting the space, nodding to herself. She turned her head as I walked in.
“Kim Soo-hyun?”
“Yeah.”
“All done talking?”
“Yeah… So, what do you think of the room? Can it be converted into a workshop? We need to be careful not to damage the inn.”
“Hmm…”
Vivian hesitated, glancing at me. I frowned, puzzled by her behavior, and she pulled out a long object from her pocket. When she put it on her face, I was taken aback.
“What… is that?”
“Huh? You don’t know? According to Shin Sang-yong, it’s called glasses.”
“Glasses? You must be joking,” I wanted to say, but her proud expression made me hold my tongue.
“Well, how did you get that?”
“Did you forget what I do? I can make simple things like this with my eyes closed. So, how do I look?”
Some modern items could be recreated within the Hall Plain, but the thing on Vivian’s face barely resembled glasses. Noticing my expression, she pouted.
“What’s wrong with these glasses? They suit me.”
“Who said anything? But making something just because it suits you? You’re not a child.”
Vivian bristled at my criticism.
“It’s not harmful, is it? Alchemists are naturally curious.”
“You look like a foreigner. It doesn’t suit you.”
“Mind your own business!”
Vivian shouted, yanking the glasses off her face. She took a few deep breaths, then sighed deeply, shaking her head. Was she rebelling?
”…Anyway, let’s talk. What do you need a workshop for?”
I was considering teasing her a bit when her weary voice interrupted my thoughts. Realizing the glasses weren’t the main issue, I reached into my pocket and pulled out two items.
Vivian’s eyes lit up when she saw them.
“Kim Soo-hyun, is that…?”
Her keen alchemist’s eye was impressive. She swallowed hard, eyeing the items I held.
“Yes. One is a demon’s heart extracted from Belphegor’s body at the lab. The other is a core that used to be part of your body. Speaking of which… Shin Sang-yong isn’t here.”
“I asked him to fetch something… Kim Soo-hyun, you don’t mean…”
Vivian’s voice trailed off as she seemed to realize something. I nodded, and her eyes widened in shock before she closed them, retreating into her thoughts. I waited patiently.
Mages and alchemists often did this, which was why I preferred them as conversation partners—they understood without lengthy explanations. Of course, if they went off on a tangent, it could be troublesome, but I decided to wait for her to speak.
Vivian’s eyes were closed, but her lips moved rapidly. I leaned in to catch her mutterings.
”…It’s possible, but the demon’s heart is too potent… Ah, if Kim Soo-hyun can purify it like last time, that’s different. Yes, it could work. My core is weaker, but it’s been infused with magic for so long, it’s more than a simple mana stone. Assuming there’s no conflict, the quality doesn’t matter. But efficiency would be low. That’s why Shin Sang-yong is needed. The harmony magic circle might solve both issues… Yes, it’s not impossible…”
Vivian’s brow furrowed as her thoughts grew more complex. Finally, she opened her eyes and spoke.
“You want to use Shin Sang-yong’s harmony magic circle to process these?”
“Exactly.”
“It’s… well, it’s not impossible, but it’s tricky.”
“Let’s give it a try. I won’t blame you if it fails.”
Vivian looked affronted by my words. She tapped her lips with her slender fingers and shook her head firmly.
“Kim Soo-hyun, I think we should hold off on building the workshop.”
“What? Why?”
Her refusal caught me off guard. Seeing my reaction, Vivian sighed and explained calmly.
“I’m not saying we shouldn’t do it, just that we should wait. This place is too basic. For simple potions, maybe, but with these materials and the process you have in mind, it’s not feasible here. We could try, but the potential would be wasted. Even in a proper workshop, it would be challenging. With better facilities and more materials, we could significantly increase our chances.”
“Hmm…”
“If you insist, I’ll follow your lead. But as an alchemist, I advise waiting. Just this once, trust me.”
Vivian’s reasoning was sound and unwavering. It wasn’t about whether it could be done, but about maximizing potential. She said she’d comply if I ordered it, but I decided to heed her advice.
“There’s a saying about taking the long way around when in a hurry.”
“Never heard it, but it’s wise. Good choice.”
Vivian beamed, pleased I listened to her. I watched her smile, noting how her old personality was fading. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but I couldn’t help feeling a bit nostalgic.
I sighed and tucked the items back into my pocket. In my eagerness for power, I had been a bit hasty. Vivian watched me with a proud expression, prompting me to ask suspiciously.
“You’re not acting like yourself, Vivian. It’s suspicious.”
Vivian snorted and chuckled, which irritated me for some reason. She sighed and teased me.
“Oh, Kim Soo-hyun. My name is Vivian La Clarsidus. Once, that name was a source of pride, even if my world is gone. Now that I’m human again, I’m regaining my old self. Don’t expect me to act like a child. Those days are embarrassing to remember. And I’m 24 in human years, so treat me accordingly.”
She explained calmly, but her tone and demeanor irked me. I tilted my head, then approached her with a raised hand. Despite my threatening stance, Vivian just laughed.
“Pfft. Stop that. When will you stop treating me like a kid? I was a capable alchemist, you know. No matter what you do…”
As she spoke, I summoned the power of fire to my hand. The moment the clear flames flickered to life, Vivian paused mid-sentence. She quickly resumed speaking, trying to appear unfazed, but I had seen it—the flash of fear in her eyes when the fire ignited.
”…Do you think I’d even flinch? Speaking of which, back in the day, I used to…”
Ignoring her rambling, I snapped my fingers lightly.
“Huh?”
A sharp “snap!” echoed through the room, and a small flame caught in Vivian’s hair. I had no intention of harming her; the divine power I wielded was under my control. It was just a harmless flame, but Vivian had no way of knowing that.
“Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh! You really did it! You really did it! Ahhh!”
She shrieked, darting around the room, rubbing her head against the bed, and jumping up and down. Watching her abandon her composed demeanor and dance around in panic, I raised my hand again.
Her reaction was immediate.
“Nooo, stop it… don’t torment me… please…”
“Hmm… I thought you were someone else for a moment there, Vivian.”
I murmured to myself in a calm voice, then snapped my fingers again to extinguish the flame in her hair. Vivian frantically checked her hair, relieved to find her dark locks intact, and glared at me.
“You…! What was that for? And what do you mean by that?”
“Oh, I thought you were a doppelganger. I was just making sure you weren’t a monster…”
“Are you serious? What kind of excuse is that, you jerk! What did I ever do to you? If you keep this up, I might just…!”
“Oh?”
I pulled out the contract I always kept on hand and waved it gently. Vivian fell silent, her face a mix of disbelief and frustration. She stared at me, speechless, her eyes welling up with tears. Despite her forced smile, her lips trembled. It was a bit pitiful, but also quite amusing to watch.
Suppressing a laugh, I spoke in a steady voice.
“Might just… what?”
“Huh? I… what?”
“You called me… what was it?”
“A jerk,” I said, watching her face turn pale. She took a deep breath, but her eyes couldn’t hold back the tears. Yet, she forced a smile.
“Heh… heh heh… heh heh heh. I… I was just… heh, kidding… heh, please… heh… heh…”
In the end, unable to hold back her emotions, Vivian burst into tears. Watching her sob loudly, I quickly moved to console her.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
Today, I received a cover from a reader. I was amazed by the incredible quality. Haha, I never imagined I’d receive fan art from readers. I had no idea there were such talented people among you. I’m really happy. Thank you so much to the anonymous artist who created the cover. :)
Since we’ve all worked hard, I’m trying to keep the atmosphere light while we’re in the city. I felt a bit sorry for Vivian while writing this chapter, and I made the protagonist a bit too mean. Haha. I’ll take my leave now. Have a great day, everyone.
PS. Sorry for the late update at midnight. ㅜ.ㅠ
『 Reader Comments 』
Kuroshion: I was surprised by your comment. Congratulations on being first. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Artraxia: I was thinking of releasing it a bit earlier, but it’s been postponed for now because of Hayeon.
Monster Slayer: It’s an unpublished setting, but the achievements of users and residents are judged by different standards. Residents can’t receive the Blessing of the Whole Plane (setting). Please understand it in that context.
GradeRown: It’s simply a spear technique manual. Only users with the Qi Spearmaster class can fully utilize it.
hgkdrgv: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Your comment made me smile too. It’s really like that. A dad, kids, and a stepmom. Puhahahakㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
Celestial Blood God: Thank you! It’s manageable for now, but I don’t know how things will go starting next week. But I won’t disappear without a word~. :)
Demon Emperor: Happy birthday! And sorry for the lack of updates. ㅜ.ㅠ I barely finished one chapter today, so I didn’t have time to write a second one. ㅜ.ㅠ
Holy Cross: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I do plan to meet her. I also want to see Hanbyeol again soon. Though what will happen to her is still…
Gahanna: Hmm, 30 of them. That would be 330KB. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm…
Evening Glow: Thank you for the coupon. Haha. I’ve already planned the new members to recruit after establishing the clan. I’m excited too. :)
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind continuous updates. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
Please don’t be too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the comments.
If you’re really curious, send me a message and I’ll reply!
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.