CHAPTER 130

Hae-Rin was surprised. The health store... She felt a warm feeling hearing those unfamiliar words. It seemed to be a store that dealt with tonics or elixirs beneficial to one’s health. He hasn’t forgotten that my father is sick. Perhaps because Jae-Hyeok’s father was also bedridden, he fully understood the feelings of a child with a sick father. The more she got to know him, the more she thought he was a caring person. Hea-Rin’s frozen heart warmed. “The health store... Yes, I think that’s a good idea.”

“Okay, follow me.”

Jae-Hyeok turned on his navigator and took the lead. He was choosing a gift for a friend’s father. Naturally, he had to be serious about this job.

He’d searched the Internet and the Community for a long time to find the store with the best reputation and the most repeat customers among the health stores nearby.

“Here.”

They followed the main road for a few more minutes before entering an alley, which then led to another alley. After making a few more turns, they arrived at their destination.

And what a magnificent sight it was.

Is this really a health store?

Beyond a span of perimeter walls, several traditional Korean buildings were situated across an area hundreds of square meters[1] in size.

“Health Management Dream Health Store... ”

Jae-Hyeok felt relieved when he saw the name engraved on the signboard, which was shaped like a dragon holding a yeouiju.[2] The place was so large that he almost questioned if he had come to the right place. But since the name was right, this had to be the right place.

“Welcome.”

The moment they stepped through the gate, a middle-aged woman in an elegant hanbok[3] greeted them. “Welcome, customers.” She wore a smile, but her aura was one of professional dignity. The woman’s eyes flicked to the emblem on their uniforms, and her tone loosened somewhat, saying, “You are students of Lion’s Castle, yes? It is an honor to meet the future heroes of our country.”

Hae-Rin didn’t reply and looked at Jae-Hyeok. She was a bit intimidated, truth be told. Based on the size and the etiquette of the health store, this place was much more esteemed than she’d expected. Jae-Hyeok really was amazing. He was the same age as her but already frequenting places like this. He must’ve been visiting these kinds of places since he was young, just like any young master.

Hae-Rin was also the young lady of Guardian, one of the five major guilds; originally, she also should’ve had similar experiences while growing up. However, the Guardian’s sub-master had wanted her ignorant—feigning concern and fatherly affection, locking her in a cage at home, and raising her to his liking... Today was the first time she had even heard of a place called the health store.

Unbeknownst to her, Jae-Hyeok was even more surprised.

The heck? What type of health store is this anyway?

The health stores he remembered were more like small hole-in-the-wall shops barely surviving in the corners of local shopping malls. He remembered clearly because every time Butler Hwang went to buy medicinal herbs or fish, he would make a video call to show Jae-Hyeok around.

He told me it was a place where my father used to order snake wine. He shared all kinds of stories I didn’t know about...

Butler Hwang really was the kindest and most considerate... Jae-Hyeok had lost his mother at the age of six, and Butler Hwang was the one who best fit his image of what a mother should be.

He had the one serious disadvantage of not being able to cook due to his ruined sense of taste but...

“...I guess not all mothers in the world are good cooks.” Jae-Hyeok subconsciously voiced his thoughts.

Hae-Rin was already busy looking around, but the middle-aged woman in the hanbok overheard and laughed gently. “Are you lonely after leaving your parents to live in a dormitory?”

Of all things, it was the word ‘mother’ that had struck something in her. Her professional smile gave way to something warmer. “I also have a son around your age. Think of me as a mother and feel free to tell me what you are looking for. I will take care of you.”

“......”

Jae-Hyeok scratched his cheek in an awkward manner.

He’d once seen a student in his class get teased for accidentally calling the teacher ‘mom’. Now he felt like he was that kid.

“Ah, did I get carried away? I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” the middle-aged woman said.

“...No. It isn’t uncomfortable.”

Jae-Hyeok’s tone was polite as he shook his head. Civilian, adult, mother—against someone who fit all three of these categories, even he couldn’t help but become a docile sheep.

“Haha, so what products are you looking at? If you don’t have anything in mind, we have many recommended products: potions mixed with herbal medicines, such as angelic root and licorice; or elixirs infused with ginseng and reishi mushrooms. They are some of the bestselling products representing our health store.”

“Do they really work?”

Jae-Hyeok tilted his head.

Hae-Rin stopped looking at the products on display and moved closer to listen.

She knew potions and elixirs only worked properly when made based on recipes obtained from gates. Mixing in traditional herbal ingredients would interfere with the recipe, so shouldn’t it weaken the efficacy rather than increase it?

“Normally, it doesn’t work.”

The middle-aged woman said, still smiling.“However, we have the best pharmacist in all of South Korea. He is a B-class player. With his Skill, he can modify potion and elixir recipes and increase their efficacy.”

“Ah...!”

Hae-Rin was convinced. There were countless Skills in the world, with enough rumors circulating about different Skills to compare to the stars in the universe. It made sense that this health store could enhance the effects of potions and elixirs. After all, the size of the health store was a testament to the success of its business, and the success of its business was a testament to the value of its products. Every product sold here must have excellent effects.

“Do you sell antidotes?” Hae-Rin asked. Then added, “An antidote for someone poisoned by the black tortoise’s poison.”

“The poison of the black tortoise?”

The middle-aged woman’s expression grew serious.

“I don’t know... You have to consult directly with the pharmacist. But can I ask, what is your relationship with the patient?”

Hae-Rin was about to reply when—

“Wait. Do you actually sell these potions?” Jae-Hyeok asked while looking at the colorful potions on the shelves.

“Of course, they’re all for sale.”

“Really?” Jae-Hyeok picked up a potion and opened the lid.

The woman panicked as the strong scent of herbal medicine quickly filled the air. “You shouldn’t open the lid carelessly. The efficacy of the medicine might be decreased.”

"Don’t worry. It might be different with elixirs, but there are no potions where the efficacy would be reduced just by opening the lid for a moment.”

“Still... These potions are as precious as elixirs... ”

Jae-Hyeok raised a finger to his lips. “Shhh.”

In fact, he was rather experienced in this area. Thanks to Jaegyeong Pharmaceutical’s free provisions, Jae-Hyeok owned many potions, numbering in the thousands. Of course, many of those were low-grade, but that didn’t mean he lacked an eye for the different qualities. In addition to his stockpile of low-grade potions, there were probably few people who had used as many top-grade potions as he—those were potions that not even money could buy.

After sniffing several more times, Jae-Hyeok said, “Fortunately, the potion's efficacy hasn’t decreased from the added ingredients.” He chuckled. “But neither has it increased.”

“......?”

Both the middle-aged woman and Hae-Rin doubted their ears. The exact effects of a potion could only be known upon use—although it was possible to distinguish the potion’s grade based on color and smell, it was impossible to determine the potion’s exact efficacy. Yet Jae-Hyeok was commenting on he potion’s efficacy after a few sniffs?

“Do people who buy this repeatedly believe that it will help their overall health in addition to wound recovery? Well, based on the smell of the herbal medicine, I can understand how they feel. Since the efficacy of a potion can be influenced by the psychological state of the one who takes it, it is hard to call it a scam when you only raise the price by a little bit like this.”

“N-nonsense... ”

“Your boss here is good at business,” Jae-Hyeok smiled and the woman blushed in embarrassment. “Why don’t you buy potions from me instead? I can supply them cheaply and in large quantities. But I only trade in Community points, not cash.”

“......?”

What type of development was this?

The middle-aged woman was dumbfounded. Hadn’t this boy come in as a customer? Where did this business proposal come from? “Didn’t you come here to pick a gift for your friend’s father?”

After her initial shock, Hae-Rin also turned to look at Jae-Hyeok. Her big eyes had narrowed, with one twitching.

One look, and Jae-Hyeok knew he needed to say something. He would reassure her first. “Let’s start by buying a bottle of snake wine.”

“Snake... wine...?”

Hae-Rin’s eyes grew round.

The middle-aged woman was also flustered. “Why is a student looking for snake wine?” You’re clearly a minor!

“—Snake wine is illegal.” At that moment, an old man with a long pipe in his mouth clicked his tongue as he approached.

“Sir Pharmacist,” the middle-aged woman quickly greeted him.

“If you really need snake wine, go persuade the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety first. Who knows? If you go and make a fuss like the Yaksha, they might pretend to listen to you?”

The old pharmacist said while studying Jae-Hyeok’s face with great interest.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you in real life, and not through the phone. It’s nice to see you, Kang Jae-Hyeok.”

“Ah!”

Jae-Hyeok belatedly recognized the old man.

He was the owner of the local health store that Butler Hwang showed in his video calls.

Jae-Hyeok muttered, “...Wow, you’ve really risen up in the world.”

“You brat, I was always great. That small health store Mr. Hwang used to visit was just a workshop I set up to brew medicine for your father.” The old man chuckled as he removed the pipe from his mouth. He patted Jae-Hyeok on the shoulder. “I thought we might meet once I heard you’d entered Lion’s Castle. I just didn’t expect it to be so soon.”

“......”

Butler Hwang, National Treasure White Night, Professor Lee So-Yeong, Elder Song, and the pharmacist in front of him—the more karma his father left for him to inherit, the more Jae-Hyeok felt like a true successor to his father.

Jae-Hyeok was thrilled.

The old man let go of Jae-Hyeok’s shoulder and held out his palm.

“First things first, pay your father’s debt.”

***

At the same time, at the entrance to the health store.

A middle-aged man with his hair parted in a 5:5 ratio adjusted his glasses and double-checked the sign of the health store. “Tsk, tsk. Young people these days. They certainly have refined hobbies.”

The man’s appearance wasn’t special, looking like any ordinary person in a neat suit and a long coat. However, people were reluctant to get close to him. Everyone who approached the health store invariably turned and waited some distance away.

That was natural.

He was an A-class player and contracted with a demon; of course he exuded a strong and ominous aura.

“Let’s go meet Cho Seong-Hyeon’s sworn brother.”

The man brushed back his hair as he crossed the threshold of the health store. A plane ticket to Japan stuck out from his coat pocket.

1. The original unit of measurement was in pyeong, a Korean unit of measurement. 1 pyeong is equivalent to approximately 3.31 square meters. ☜

2. In Korean myths, it is a wish-fulfilling jewel or orb often depicted as being held by Korean dragons. ☜

3. Hanbok is the traditional clothing of Korean people. Click the link and scroll a little to see a picture of four different period styles. ☜