Chapter 153 - Transition (1)

“It’s been a while.”

As I spoke, waving my hand at the billowing cigarette smoke, Eliya-ssi, who was on the other side, looked at me with a dazed expression.

“...Huh?”

“...Not ‘huh.’ I came because you called, but what’s with your state?”

I chided Eliya-ssi, who was looking at me with dilated pupils.

Seriously, I told you to lay off the narcotic LSD-like substances.

No matter how close to a master of sorcery a Shaman was, constantly pumping drugs into your body couldn’t be good for you.

“I couldn’t help it. It took a tremendous amount of concentration to finish the work you left me with.”

Eliya-ssi said, pushing a bowl on the table towards me.

Hmm. It’s been a while for this too.

[ Mysterious Vessel / Grade: Unique+ ]

[ A vessel that has held mysterious and precious liquids. It has gained a special effect from being influenced by powerful mana. A new function has been unlocked with a Spirit Stone as a catalyst. ]

[Effect]

[ ‘Item Synthesis’ possible with this item ]

[ Increased chance of great success when attempting ‘Item Synthesis’ ]

[ Demon Warding +50, ‘Royal Seal’ unlocked ]

[ ??? ]

[ ??? ]

“Aha.”

The content was exactly as I had expected.

First, the Demon Warding stat, which, along with the Bracelet of Demon Warding I was currently wearing, would nullify various mental interferences. With a combined value of about 60, it was a level that would allow me to go quite deep into the Spirit Realm without any major problems.

This alone meant I had achieved the initial goal of entrusting this equipment to this person.

But what I had to pay attention to in addition to that was the phrase ‘Royal Seal.’

“By the way. What on earth is that thing?”

Eliya-ssi, who was still blinking slowly as if she hadn’t come to her senses yet, asked that question.

“Oh. Do you have knowledge of the Spirit Realm?”

“I’ve researched it to some extent in literature. I heard it’s a thorough class society where reason and rationality don’t have a say. And something with a ominous name like ‘Royal Seal’ popped out of the item you left me with.”

“That’s true, but.”

“But?”

“Actually, this isn’t really a royal item.”

I said, twirling the plate in my hand.

If this vessel was what I thought it was, it was an item with the potential to ‘become anything,’ so it was highly likely that it wasn’t made there.

The reason I had commissioned this person was to modify one of its functions to open up in the way I wanted.

In that sense, this trip to the Spirit Realm meant that I could also fill in the remaining two functions imbued in this item.

This completed item would probably make a huge contribution to keeping me alive, along with the two Guardian Angels.

“...So, what kind of scam are you planning to pull with that?”

“I don’t know why the prerequisite is that I’m pulling a scam.”

I took off my coat while grumbling.

And I draped it over Eliya-ssi, who had been shivering since a while ago. It was probably a side effect of the drugs.

My goodness.

Still, seeing her push herself to this extent while doing the work I had entrusted to her didn't sit well with me.

She looked almost like a middle or high school student.

“...What. Why are you suddenly being so considerate?”

“Why do you say that even when I’m being nice? I’ll pay you extra, so go home and get some rest today. Drink this too.”

I said, placing a potion on the table.

It was quite high-end, but I was now a person with the influence to hand these out casually.

Recently, gifts have been pouring into the guild house just for me to open a line of communication.

“You’ve worked hard. Thank you very much.”

“...Hmm.”

But instead of taking it, Eliya-ssi just looked back and forth between me and the potion with narrowed eyes.

“...What is it?”

“No. Do you even know that you’re being treated as the public enemy of women?”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve been surrounding yourself with so many of them, it’s about time you stopped. Why do you keep doing things that cause misunderstandings?”

“What’s so misunderstanding? Anyone can be this kind.”

“I wonder.”

Eliya-ssi said, picking up the potion.

“I don’t know if those around you think so too.”

“...What do you mean?”

“While I was working on the job you entrusted to me, I tried to tell your fortune.”

Oh.

What is it?

I instinctively felt that what was about to come out would be very dreadful.

“...What did it say?”

“It said you’ll have a lot of women who will become physically close to you.”

“...”

What does that mean?

“Well, it’s one of the two.”

Eliya-ssi continued, chuckling.

“Either a very happy future awaits you. Or you’ll be torn to shreds.”

“...”

“Ah, by the way. And also. You should be especially careful.”

“Pardon?”

“If you keep acting like a block of wood like you are now. Dissatisfaction is bound to erupt in another way at some point.”

“...Pardon?”

“It means you should be prepared.”

For some reason, it was a sentence imbued with a chill that rang throughout my whole body.

***

“...Isn’t the atmosphere somehow strange?”

“Pardon?”

When I said that, Chang Meirin-ssi turned her head in surprise.

This was a plain that I had chosen with Han Si-yeon-ssi’s help to open a gate to another dimension because of its very high mana concentration.

That meant it was a place with a clear view without any proper obstacles, and that the people gathered here could be seen at a glance.

“...It’s a miraculous gender ratio no matter when I see it.”

As Yoo Ho-jun muttered from the side, most of them were women, but that wasn't important right now.

I mean, how should I put it?

These guys.

“...Are you plotting something behind my back?”

For some reason, they kept glancing at me out of the corner of their eyes.

When our eyes met, they would turn beet red and quickly turn their heads away.

If I tried to go and question them, they would quickly run away.

At this point, even an idiot would know.

“Huh? What? N-nooo!”

“...”

Yep. They’re plotting something.

This person, perhaps because she was raised with a strict education since she was young, was a terrible liar.

I pressed my forehead and sighed.

“What is it? An important event is right around the corner, so please tell me quickly.”

I'm not joking, the Spirit Realm was one of the most dangerous places in the entire game.

It wasn't a challenge that could be summed up as a ‘difficult battle’ like a difficult dungeon or a tower’s ordeal, but a place with dozens of ridiculous gimmicks unique to that stage.

It was absolutely unacceptable for the strategy to be ruined due to a variable I didn’t know about.

“Why are you asking something so clueless, really.”

And Han Si-yeon-ssi cut me off and popped up from the side.

Recently, her health seemed to have recovered to the point where she could move around to some extent, and now she was casually strolling around in the open without an assistant.

The problem was.

“My son-in-law has amazing abilities, but he’s so clueless in this area, it’s a big problem. How will you be able to handle it later?”

“...Son-in-law?”

“Oh? You haven't even gotten that far yet? I just gathered the kids the other day and told them that if they keep dawdling like that, I'll just flip them over and spank their bottoms like I used to-”

“M-mom! Stop! Stop it and just do your work, please!”

“Th-that’s right! Gyu-sik-ssi, don't just stand there and listen, please!”

“...”

This person.

Apart from her appearance that exuded a very mysterious atmosphere, her original personality was closer to that of a tenacious aunt you could commonly find in a marketplace.

You could tell just by looking at the Seo sisters, who were standing awkwardly nearby, running over in a panic as sentences that seemed to cause a storm with every word she spoke poured out.

“Anyway. You don’t have to wonder what the kids are plotting. Nothing will harm our son-in-law mentally or physically. Whatever they’re plotting, I’m sure it won’t interfere with your plans either.”

“...Are you sure?”

Han Si-yeon-ssi stroked her chin and fell into thought for a moment.

“...Nothing will harm him mentally, so I’m sure it won’t interfere with the plans either.”

What happens physically?

Hey, lady.

Don’t turn your head away and speak clearly.

As I was feeling dizzy from the sentence that was in sync with what I had heard from Eliya-ssi a while ago, Lee Si-yeong, who was grunting and diligently drawing a magic circle on the ground, waved at me.

“Hey! It’s ready!”

“...By the way, that child. Is her name Lee Si-yeong?”

“Yes.”

“Son-in-law, you’re planning to raise that child to be quite plump this time, aren’t you?”

“...”

Plump. What a striking choice of words.

Well, but I get what she’s trying to say.

There were still a few people whose Share slots I hadn't touched, and one of the representatives was Lee Si-yeong, who had three skills open but none of them filled.

This exploration of the Spirit Realm would probably be a very good opportunity to raise that one. She was like a hidden card for the King of Flies strategy, so raising her and then taking her Share slot would be very effective.

“Then, I’ll open it! Everyone, come back safely without getting hurt!”

Han Si-yeon-ssi said, beginning to channel her mana.

Just from her words, she sounded like a kindergarten teacher sending kids off on a picnic.

But the subsequent mana manipulation was a feast of techniques performed at a far higher level, completely unbecoming of such a leisurely sentence.

You could tell just by looking at Lee Si-yeong, who was staring at it blankly from the side with a dazed expression.

“...Seriously. Unbelievable. I’ve studied magic my whole life... So all real spirits are at that level.”

“That’s right. You’ll probably have a lot to learn when you go there this time.”

“Is that so? But there’s almost no proper research on the ecology of spirits yet. Is it okay to expect them to share their knowledge with outsiders from the start?”

“Then don’t be an outsider.”

“...Huh?”

To Lee Si-yeong, who answered with a dazed voice, I handed her the vessel I had received from Eliya-ssi.

“...What is this?”

“Hold on to it. You’ll definitely have a use for it.”

Yes.

A vessel with the ‘Royal Seal.’

There were various things to do in the Spirit Realm, but among them, if you had Lee Si-yeong as a party member, a rather... interesting quest would open up.

The kind that could solve the secrets related to this one's birth, which had been hinted at from time to time.

“Guild Master-nim, you know.”

“Huh?”

“How would you feel if you were to be called a princess from now on?”

“...”

Seeing Lee Si-yeong’s horrified expression, a pitiful sigh escaped me.

That’s too bad.

It would be better to get used to it quickly.

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