Escape from Physical Exhaustion!
The corridor on the third floor was shrouded in darkness. With nightfall and the light stones extinguished, the surroundings were pitch black. Yet, as I continued walking, the silhouette of Vivian, who had been just a shadow ahead, gradually became clearer. Light was slowly beginning to illuminate the passageway. Lifting my gaze, I noticed a faint glow seeping through the crack of a door at the end of the corridor.
Vivian pushed the slightly ajar door wide open. Following her inside, I was greeted by the sight of a workshop she and Shin Sang-yong had set up. Or rather, it was more accurate to say it was a chaotic mess than a well-organized space.
The workshop was quite spacious, with a notably high ceiling. As I took in the flickering lamplight, I was reminded of the workshop from “Vivian the Ancient Alchemist’s Dungeon.” It wasn’t an exact replica, but traces of that place seemed to linger here and there.
“We’re almost ready. We’ll start soon. Originally, it was just going to be the two of us, but I thought it might be beneficial for you, Kim Su-hyun, to observe the refining process.”
“I’m fine with that. If I’m in the way, I can step out.”
“No, just stay quietly in a corner.”
That was easy enough. I nodded silently and moved to a corner, while Vivian approached the large black furnace in the center.
Three magic circles were drawn on the workshop floor: one large circle encompassing the entire floor, another beneath the furnace, and a smaller one within the large circle. But these were just the visible ones.
The innermost circle was shaped like a hexagram. At each vertex lay a demon’s heart, a Horens magic stone, Vivian’s spirit stone, a unicorn’s horn, and two stamina elixirs. Shin Sang-yong sat cross-legged in front of the circle.
He wasn’t closing his eyes. Even as I entered, he didn’t turn his head, merely squinting at the magic circle. His focus was impressive. Alchemists and mages require extreme concentration during critical research. A single miscalculation could lead to irreversible consequences. Right now, Shin Sang-yong’s mind was likely consumed solely by the refining process.
“Kim Su-hyun, we’re starting. It won’t take long, maybe 30 minutes… or even less.”
“I can wait 30 hours if needed.”
“Then I’d be the one who can’t last. Shin Sang-yong? I’m going to summon the Ordo. Be ready and time it well.”
Shin Sang-yong didn’t respond verbally, just nodded slightly. Vivian, unfazed, extended her right hand. A glowing orb of light appeared in her palm, stretching into a long shape. It was the “Order of Ordo,” which she had recently mastered.
With a deep breath, Vivian aimed the Ordo at the magic circle and chanted a short incantation. The magic circle beneath the furnace began to glow red, and shimmering heat waves rose into the air.
A low hum filled the room as the furnace heated up, and the light from the magic circle spread. It wasn’t random; it followed a precise pattern, as if guided by an unseen formula. As the red light flowed into the large magic circle, the room’s temperature soared.
The noise grew louder with each passing moment, and the temperature rose in tandem. When the base of the furnace turned a fiery red and the liquid inside began to boil, the red light creeping in from outside reached the hexagram’s vertices. At that moment, Shin Sang-yong finally moved.
Vivian continued her incantation, and as Shin Sang-yong joined in, their voices harmonized in a strange resonance.
The “Order of Ordo” was now aimed at the hexagram. Though invisible, I could sense the flow of immense magical energy between them.
Time seemed to stretch on. As sweat began to bead on their faces, the refining process, which had been stable, finally showed signs of change.
“Is it melting?”
Indeed, the materials at the vertices were slowly melting. Over the course of five minutes, the six components transformed into liquid, filling the triangles they occupied. Just as they reached capacity, Vivian’s sharp voice cut through the air.
“Shin Sang-yong! I’m about to release it, so be ready! Not a single drop can mix!”
He didn’t even nod this time. The usual awkward smile was gone, replaced by intense focus as he extended his hands forward.
As the blazing hexagram’s light dimmed, Shin Sang-yong’s eyes snapped open, and a radiant magic circle formed from his hands.
With the hexagram’s light gone, the liquid materials began to spread. Or rather, they tried to.
“Magic Square of Harmony.”
Finally, Shin Sang-yong spoke. I had been watching the sudden shift in the situation, but Vivian’s eyes, once filled with concern, now showed relief. She seemed about to say something but decided against it.
I watched the creation of the spirit stone intently. The Magic Square of Harmony replaced the vanished hexagram, and the liquids within began to mix.
At first, they resisted, like oil and water, each color—white, black, and blue—refusing to blend. Shin Sang-yong’s hands moved gracefully, contrary to his usual stammering speech.
Vivian, having cut off her magic to the hexagram, was now monitoring the furnace. She occasionally glanced at Shin Sang-yong, but her primary task seemed complete. However, since she hadn’t yet dismissed the Ordo, it seemed her role wasn’t entirely over.
The intermittent hums grew more frequent. To an observer, it might seem trivial, but for those involved, it was undoubtedly grueling. Though unseen, the movement of magical energy beneath the surface was palpable.
“Ugh! Ugh!”
With each vibration, Shin Sang-yong let out a pained groan. Yet, I didn’t think of intervening. As Vivian had said, my role here was merely to observe.
“It’s mixing.”
As predicted, around the 25-minute mark, the second transformation began. The liquids, which had been cautiously testing each other, finally merged into a single, large entity. The combined liquid’s color shifted constantly.
From black to white, to blue, and back to black. With each blink, the color changed. Shin Sang-yong, drenched in sweat, maintained the Magic Square of Harmony with unwavering focus.
Eventually, the liquid’s color stabilized. It settled on black, but not a deep, opaque black—more of a translucent, light shade. As the color ceased changing, Shin Sang-yong’s tightly sealed lips finally parted.
“It’s done!”
As his shout echoed, Vivian’s incantation seamlessly followed. She aimed the Ordo in her right hand, and a magic circle appeared, gently enveloping the liquid. As it encased the entire substance, she extended her left hand, slowly clenching it into a fist. The magic circle rose, lifting the liquid into the air. It began to coalesce into a sphere as Vivian’s fist tightened.
Once the liquid formed a suitably sized orb, Vivian carefully guided it into the furnace with a splash.
And so began their incantation anew. This time, it seemed a true collaboration, with Vivian focusing on the furnace and Shin Sang-yong on its contents.
From the furnace came a bubbling sound, accompanied by strange smoke. Peering inside, I saw the contents rapidly diminishing. If my understanding was correct, this was the process of the combined elixir absorbing the supplementary materials.
As the liquid that had filled the furnace dwindled to the point of being invisible, both of them exhaled, staggered by the effort. Vivian was first, followed by Shin Sang-yong. The light that had been glowing brightly began to fade, signaling that their task was finally complete.
Vivian and Shin Sang-yong were drenched in sweat, their bodies trembling as if they might collapse at any moment. They exchanged glances, then turned their eyes to me.
Shin Sang-yong spoke first.
“Leader.”
“You’ve done well.”
Hearing my response, Shin Sang-yong managed a faint smile before his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed with a thud, his head hitting the floor. It seemed he had fainted instantly.
Vivian wasn’t in much better shape. She grimaced, annoyed by the hair sticking to her lips, spat it out, and called my name.
“Kim Soo-hyun. It’s done. You can take it.”
“Right. You did well too…”
Thud.
Vivian’s strength gave out before I could finish, and she slumped to the side. Even as she fell, she managed to point a finger at the furnace, urging me to take what we had worked so hard to create.
The interior was still filled with intense heat. Calming my racing heart, I walked over to the furnace and peered inside. The liquid that had once filled it was gone without a trace. All that remained was a small, radiant golden elixir.
Sitting with my back to the window, I suddenly noticed a clear light streaming in from behind. Lifting my head slightly, I saw that the once-dark room was now a bit brighter. I let out a long sigh and returned my gaze to the desk, where two shimmering orbs lay, asserting their presence.
With my mind’s eye, I read their information once more.
『Tears of the Fairy Queen』
(Description: These tears contain the true emotions of Queen Margarita, who was corrupted by an evil sorcerer. In her final moments, she poured all her feelings into these tears. Consuming them grants 2 additional ability points, which can be allocated as desired.)
『Elixir of Love and Respect』
(Description: Created for a user lacking in stamina, this elixir embodies the love of one and the respect of another. The ingredients are significant, but the true marvel is the fusion of light and darkness through the “Magic Square of Harmony,” achieving optimal efficiency. 1. Increases stamina by 10 points, but only for users with stamina below 72 points. 2. Increases magic by 2 points, but only for users with magic below 90 points.)
After moving the two who had fainted from exhaustion to their quarters, I returned to my office on the fourth floor and spent the night there.
A 10-point increase in stamina was truly remarkable. While the base increase from two stamina elixirs was 6 points, I never imagined it could be boosted this much. Though it lacked the versatility of the “Tears of the Angel” that once shook the Hall Plain, it surpassed it by 4 points.
Throughout the night, I pondered countless scenarios, determined not to repeat past mistakes. By morning, I had finally made my decision.
If I increased my stamina now, I would hit a limit, making it impossible to boost it further with elixirs. I knew this. But from the moment I decided to create this elixir, I was committed to resolving my stamina issue.
I was well aware of my physical state. Ignoring my stamina any longer could lead to irreversible consequences. This was my one and only chance. The last opportunity to make use of my 70-point range.
‘Coincidentally, it fits perfectly with my current stats… A 10-point increase… It’s unlikely I’ll get another chance like this. It’s a shame about the magic, but…’
Despite the myriad thoughts swirling in my mind, I was done with being held back by my lack of stamina. Resolute, I grasped the two elixirs in one hand, as if entranced.
Then, bringing them to my lips, I downed them in one gulp.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Dear, dear readers! Hello! Haha. I’m a bit late today. Please forgive me~. :) I had a very important appointment today, which took some time. ㅜ.ㅠ Haha. Soo-hyun has finally overcome his stamina issues. While it’s still not enough for using “Hwa-jeong,” it’s a significant improvement. Hehe. I’m posting this first because I want to share the content before updating the afterword and comments. :D
『 Comments 』
Miwolya: Congratulations on being first. Yes, that’s right. Stamina has been increased. Now Soo-hyun can better handle those female characters who used to mess with him! Oh, no. Sorry, I got carried away with excitement. Ahem.
Hyun-oh: Yes! It’s been used! :) I already gulped it down, made a mistake once. ㅜ.ㅠ
Ramude: Oops! The weather is nice today, isn’t it, Ramude? Yes?!
Saramin: Good job on your exams! Hahaha. Did they go well?
Nodens: Right. Now Go Yeon-ju is just… Oh, sorry. Please forget that. I keep misspeaking. ㅜ.ㅠ
Mongu Hunter: It’s Kkoongsoo! Kkoongsoo, Kkoongsoo, Kkoongsoo, Kkoongsoo, Kkoongsoo, Kkoongsoo, Kkoongkkoongdari Kkoongkkoongda… Ah. What’s wrong with me today? I think it’s because I haven’t taken my medicine. I’ll take it and then comment! Yes, I’ve taken it. Haha. The Twilight Priestess is an archer. :)
Combi: Oh, “Lake of the New Moon.” That’s a nice name. I’ll use it gratefully. Hehe.
Uther: Yes, that’s correct. You got it right. Hehe.
Hellhoy: Hellhoy, you must be really… I bet you’re very handsome… (?) Anyway, I’m not sure why, but I’m sorry. (Am I overreacting?) (__)
Dlckdfla: Actually, the elixirs consumed together cause an interaction that boosts stamina by 100 times. Soo-hyun will become super strong. :) Just kidding. That would be too much. Hahaha.
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