CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: I WON’T REGRET IT

"Lead the way.." Min-jae said.

Serin beamed and turned toward the back doors, her skirt brushing softly against the floor as she guided them through a corridor lined with portraits.

Vanadis followed, balancing the alembic and the small crate of ingredients.

They stepped out into the garden, sunlight spilling over trimmed hedges and stone paths until Serin stopped before a modest wooden structure.

"This is it.." she said, opening the door.

Inside, the shed was surprisingly tidy. Dust motes danced in the light slanting through the window, and a sturdy worktable stood against the wall beside a rack of old tools.

Min-jae nodded in quiet approval. "It’ll do."

Vanadis set the alembic down carefully. The metallic glint of it caught the light, reflecting against the glass bottles nearby.

Serin clasped her hands together. "Shall I have your lunch brought here, my lord?"

Min-jae gave her a faint smile. "No, I’ll eat inside. Thank you, Serin."

She blushed slightly, bowed, and left them alone in the shed.

Min-jae exhaled softly, rolling up his sleeves. "Let’s see what this century can do with a bit of chemistry..."

Vanadis leaned against the doorframe, smirking. "You sure you’re not secretly an alchemist, sir?"

"Not yet.." Min-jae said. "But give me a week."

Time to do put the fifty thousand won he spent on extra classes to good use.

Min-jae glanced at Vanadis, who was still hovering near the table like a shadow. The young man’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he studied the gleaming alembic, but Min-jae wasn’t ready to share what he was about to do.

Not until he had made enough money that he didn’t need it anymore.

"Vanadis.." Min-jae said, wiping his hands on a cloth. "Go find Serin. Tell her to show you to your room. And don’t come back here until I say so."

Vanadis blinked, startled. "Sir? You don’t need help with.."

"I said.." Min-jae interrupted, his voice calm but firm, "don’t come back."

That was enough.

Vanadis straightened, realizing the tone left no room for argument. He bowed once, quietly obedient. "Understood, my lord."

As he turned to leave, Min-jae added more softly, "You’ve done enough for today. Get some rest."

Vanadis nodded again and walked off, the wooden door closing behind him with a low creak.

The shed grew quiet. Only the faint hum of wind and the rustle of leaves filled the air.

Min-jae exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair before turning back to the worktable.

He didn’t want to keep secrets from Vanadis. But the art of perfume-making, especially liquid perfume, wasn’t something he was ready to hand over. Not in this time, not when ideas were currency more precious than gold.

He wanted to be a legend in this world’s history.

He arranged the ingredients one by one: crushed rose petals, ground sandalwood, a vial of amber oil, and the small flask of clear alcohol.

Lighting the small oil lamp beside the alembic, Min-jae watched as the flame flickered to life. He poured in the petals and oil, adding just enough alcohol to bind the scent.

The soft clink of glass and the slow swirl of vapor filled the air. The shed began to warm, the faintest trace of rose and sandalwood mingling together.

He smiled faintly to himself. "Alright... this is how it starts."

Steam coiled through the neck of the alembic, condensing into droplets that trickled down into the waiting flask, the birth of the first true perfume this kingdom had ever seen.

The last wisps of sunlight vanished as Min-jae leaned back from the workbench, his head throbbing in sync with the scent of rose, musk, and warm copper that filled the shed.

Three bottles stood before him, their golden contents glowing softly in the fading light.

He picked one up, sniffed, and frowned.

"It’s too thin.." he thought, and maybe the ratio’s wrong or the oil’s too heavy.

He rubbed his temples, the weight of failure settling in like it had a physical form. It had taken him five hours to get this far, and it wasn’t enough.

As he tidied the bench, his movements mechanical, the silence was oppressive. He packed the bottles, folded the rags, and aligned the tools.

When he stepped outside, night had fallen, and the moon hung low in the sky. That’s when he saw Meical, standing by the door, still in his formal wear, with the scent of iron and horse clinging to him.

Min-jae’s pulse quickened as their eyes met.

He hadn’t expected Meical back so soon, and he certainlydidn’t think he’d meet him here.

"Kaizar.." Meical said, his voice low and rough. "How long are you going to keep doing this?"

Min-jae turned away, pretending to adjust the crate in his hand. "Doing what?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Meical’s voice was laced with frustration. "Acting like I’m invisible, or like you can’t stand to be near me. I just want to understand what’s happening."

Min-jae’s silence was a palpable thing, a wall between them. Meical took a step closer, his eyes burning with a quiet intensity.

"I feel like I’m losing you.." he said, his voice cracking. "You don’t talk to me, and you don’t look at me. Did I hurt you? Did I say something wrong? Tell me, Kaizar. Please."

The word "please" was a punch to Min-jae’s gut. He forced a smile, but it felt like a lie. "We don’t need to play pretend at home, Meical.." he said. "Let’s just live as we have. You didn’t do anything wrong, I’m the one at fault here."

Meical’s jaw tightened. "Must you take the blame so you don’t have to say what you really feel?"

Min-jae looked away, his own frustration simmering. "It’s simpler this way.." he said, trying to keep his tone even.

"Simple?" Meical’s voice was incredulous.

"Nothing about this is simple, Kaizar. You think I can just stand here, pretending not to care, when you try to push me away?"

The air was thick with unspoken words and heavy with the scent of sandalwood.

Meical stepped closer, his eyes locked on Min-jae’s.

"Do you really wish for me not to pretend?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because if I stop, I won’t hold back anymore. Tell me, Kaizar. Will you regret it if I do?"

Min-jae’s throat was dry, his heart racing. He nodded, his voice steady but soft. "I won’t regret it."