My brain stopped working at her sudden declaration.
What had Jeong Soyeon just said?
“Ooooh!”
“Wooo!”
“Jeong Soyeon’s bold, isn’t she?
She went straight for him!”
As the people around us began making a fuss, Jeong Soyeon looked bewildered too.
Then her face turned redder and redder, and she frantically waved both hands.
“N-no!
That’s not what I meant!
I-I was saying…!”
She was so flustered she couldn’t finish her sentence.
Just then, the elevator arrived.
Ding!
“Ah!
Th-the elevator!
Let’s go, Mr.
Gyuseong!”
“Yes?
Oh, right!”
Jeong Soyeon grabbed my arm and pulled me inside.
The people watching burst into cheers again, delighted to tease her.
“Guess we were in their way.”
“Have a wonderful time together!”
Until the elevator doors closed, Jeong Soyeon kept waving her hands and insisting that it was a misunderstanding.
In the end, the doors shut before she could explain anything.
“Um…”
Silence settled over the elevator.
When I finally spoke, Jeong Soyeon glanced at me, her face still bright red.
“I-it’s a misunderstanding.”
“Yes.
But what did you mean when you said you wanted me?
Were you talking about my items?”
Of course, I hadn’t misunderstood her in the first place.
She was one of the stars of South Korea’s five great guilds, the youngest Grade 6 Awakened in the country, and an elite who had already become a team leader.
It would make absolutely no sense for someone like her to fall for a man she’d only just met.
“Ah!
That’s right!”
“Thank you for thinking so highly of them.
Since I already know Mr.
Kang Hanul, perhaps I’ll get the chance to supply my items to Ara Hongryeon if I’m lucky.”
It felt good to have their effectiveness acknowledged, almost as if I were the one being recognized.
Still, I couldn’t imagine how useful the juice had been for her to react this strongly.
I’d never personally used it, after all.
“No!”
“Huh?”
I was grinning to myself when Jeong Soyeon abruptly stepped closer and leaned toward me.
Her smooth forehead, long eyelashes, and sparkling eyes were strikingly beautiful.
“Not to Team Two’s leader.
To me!”
“I’m not sure I understand.
To you, Awakened Jeong Soyeon?”
“Ah!
Sorry.
I got carried away again.
What I’m trying to say is…”
Ding!
The elevator arrived before she could finish.
Its doors opened onto a spacious hallway.
“Wow…”
We were on the top floor of the Ara Hongryeon Guild’s headquarters.
Its high, seemingly endless ceiling and geometric designs made the place look like another world.
“The guild master and Team Two’s leader had something urgent come up, so they’ve stepped out for a little while.
They’ll be back soon.
Please wait here.”
“Understood.”
“And please forget what I said earlier.
Just pretend I was talking nonsense.”
Jeong Soyeon gave me a bright smile.
Her fresh, confident manner was quite memorable.
“Aren’t you busy, Awakened Jeong Soyeon?”
“There’s been a lot of talk because of the Yeongdeungpo dungeon.
I’m staying away from the media for a little while.
It’ll probably blow over soon, though.”
“Ah…”
Had I brought up an awkward subject?
She’d been under plenty of scrutiny lately, and I’d thoughtlessly asked her about it.
“Anyway, the item you made…
Wait, should I even call it an item?”
“Call it whatever you like.”
“Whatever it is, it was incredibly delicious!”
“Ah!”
So Jeong Soyeon had been the one who drank the juice!
It seemed she was more amazed by the taste than by its abilities.
I’d assumed the attention was all about its value as an item.
“Haa, it was such a shame.
There was only one bottle, and the effect didn’t last long.
I had to hurry to use it before I could properly enjoy the flavor.”
“Hmm…”
That reminded me of the cherry tomatoes in my bag.
I hadn’t brought any Mana Cherry Tomatoes this time, but I did have a whole bundle of freshly harvested mana-infused cherry tomatoes.
Rustle.
“Oh?
What’s that?”
“They’re similar to the ingredients in the juice you drank.
An inferior version, though…”
I pulled out the cherry tomatoes and opened the bag.
The translucent fruits gleamed beautifully.
“Please, help yourself.”
“Really?!
Oh, but I didn’t bring that up because I wanted you to give me something…”
She hesitated, apparently thinking they were too precious to accept.
To put her mind at ease, I took one and ate it myself.
“Mmm!”
It didn’t melt in my mouth like a Mana Cherry Tomato, but it was delicious in its own way.
Some people might even prefer this variety for its texture.
“Delicious.
Go ahead and try one.”
“J-just like that?”
“Of course.
Meeting you like this is already a great connection for me.
I’m happy to make a good impression.”
I was being perfectly sincere.
Who wouldn’t want to get closer to a famous person practically everyone in South Korea knew?
This could help me build connections in Awakened society and raise the reputation of my crops at the same time.
Pop!
While I was thinking about all that, Jeong Soyeon carefully put a tomato into her mouth.
Her reaction was immediate.
“Mmm?!”
She looked astonished as she chewed delicately, then swallowed and broke into an expression of pure bliss.
“It’s delicious…”
She really did look like she was melting.
Seeing her reaction made me wonder how she’d respond to my other crops.
‘Is this how farmers feel?’
The satisfaction and pride I felt when someone enjoyed the things I’d grown were much greater than I’d expected.
“Go ahead, have some more.”
“Huh?
Really?”
“Just leave about half for me.”
Half should still be plenty for Jaeseong to experiment with.
If he needed more, I could always grow another batch.
After a little cautious hesitation, Jeong Soyeon picked up another tomato.
Before long, she couldn’t stop reaching for more.
Good thing I’d brought nearly twenty kilograms.
If I’d brought only a small amount, it might have disappeared in an instant.
“Hey!
Jeong Soyeon!
Why are you eating something delicious all by yourself?!”
“Ah!!”
The elevator doors opened and two men emerged.
One was Kang Hanul, whose enormous build was instantly recognizable.
The other was Han Seokjun, the master of Ara Hongryeon, whom I’d seen many times on television.
‘He calls this guy hyung…?’
Hanul always called him his older brother, but Han Seokjun looked about the same age as me.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr.
Gyuseong.
I’m Han Seokjun.”
“Ah!
It’s a pleasure to meet you too.
I’m Lee Gyuseong.”
I rose from my seat and bowed to greet him.
But Kang Hanul pulled me upright and suddenly wrapped me in a crushing embrace.
“Mr.
Hanul?”
“Wahahaha!
Thanks to you, we set a record!
It’s all because of you, little brother!”
“I-I understand!
But I can’t breathe!”
Thump!
My feet finally touched the floor.
I sighed and scratched my head.
“They were items I sold you for a fair price.
You succeeded because you knew how to use them, not because of me.”
“What’re you talking about?
Ah, first things first.
Let me pay you.”
Hanul immediately took out his phone and transferred more money.
Another ten million won arrived in my account, pushing my total assets past seventy million.
“I promised you an extra payment if we cleared the dungeon!
Wahahaha!”
“Thank you.”
Then Hanul seemed to notice the tomatoes and casually asked, “Mind if I have some too?”
“You’ll have to pay for them.”
“Hmm!
Of course I will!”
At the mention of money, Jeong Soyeon’s face grew a little pale.
Why was she reacting like that?
“Ah, I’m sorry!
I just started eating without thinking…
I’ll pay for mine too!”
“Oh, don’t worry about it, Awakened Jeong Soyeon.
Consider it a first-meeting discount.”
“Huh?
B-but…”
I meant it as a joke.
Kang Hanul pouted for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully.
“I got to eat them free the first time too.
Had no idea I was walking right into a trap.”
“What?”
“Thanks to that trap, I’ve become a man who can’t live without little brother Gyuseong’s tomatoes.”
“…”
I made one little joke, and he responded with an even more frightening one.
In any case, I smiled, set aside the tomatoes I needed to give Jaeseong, and let them have the rest for free.
Come to think of it, Kang Hanul had a point.
Letting people taste my crops first and then encouraging them to buy more might be a good strategy.
It felt strange to say it myself, but my produce was genuinely competitive, and the flavor was so addictive that anyone who tasted it would probably want more.
“Ooh.”
Even Guild Master Han Seokjun savored the tomatoes, his eyes gleaming behind his glasses.
Then he abruptly turned to me.
“We originally invited you here to express our gratitude.
But if you don’t mind, Mr.
Gyuseong, may I make a proposal?”
“Of course.
Please go ahead.”
“Would it be possible for us to receive a regular supply of tomatoes like these?
Ooh!
Ara Hongryeon wanted to buy my produce directly!
I forced myself to calm down and consider the offer.
‘I only started doing this a few days ago.
I still don’t know how much I can reliably produce.’
Once I set aside the slimes’ food, I could probably sell only whatever was left over from time to time.
Supplying a huge guild like Ara Hongryeon on a regular basis would be nearly impossible right now.
Eventually, as my abilities improved and I gained more farming experience, I should be able to produce much more efficiently.
But signing a contract today would be too risky.
“Thank you for the offer, Guild Master.
But I’m not confident I can meet the quantity you’d need yet.”
“Ah, that’s unfortunate, but understandable.”
“Would it be all right if I made the offer myself later, once I’m able to supply you?”
“Of course.
Our door will always be open.”
Even establishing that connection was a big step forward.
There was no need to rush.
My farming operation had only just begun.
“Oh, and if it’s all right with you, would you like to try these too?”
I wanted them to know I wasn’t growing only tomatoes.
When I produced a potato and a Leila, everyone’s eyes lit up with interest.
“You brought Leila too!
And I’ve never seen those potatoes before!
Wahahaha!”
“Team Two Leader, have you been monopolizing Mr.
Gyuseong’s items before the rest of us could even try them?
That’s so unfair!”
“If you think it’s unfair, you should’ve met little brother Gyuseong before I did!
Wahahaha!”
Jeong Soyeon and Kang Hanul bickered for a moment.
Meanwhile, I peeled the Leila and cut off a portion of the flesh for each person.
‘I’ll bring the rest to Jaeseong…’
As the rich fragrance of the fruit spread through the room, everyone started swallowing in anticipation.
“Go ahead and eat.”
“I’ve been carefully rationing what I have at home!
What a lucky day!
Wahahaha!”
“Team Two Leader.
You still have some at home?
And you didn’t even tell me?”
“Ah, Seokjun hyung, well…”
Since raw potatoes weren’t something we’d eat as they were, I called a staff member and asked them to make some simple mashed potatoes.
I’d brought three potatoes, but two of those were reserved for Jaeseong no matter what.
‘With one bite each, it’ll all be gone.’
I was learning the importance of having a large enough supply the hard way.
In the meantime, everyone who tried the Leila shook their heads in amazement.
“Why does this taste even better than the Leila we ate inside the dungeon?”
“Wahahaha!
The ones from the dungeon weren’t items, but these are!
Of course they’re going to taste better!”
“Is that how it works?”
Kang Hanul easily answered Jeong Soyeon’s question, then spoke regretfully as he finished his share of the Leila.
“Hyung, how about we go now while we’re waiting for the potatoes?”
Huh?
Go where?
I watched the two of them in confusion, and Han Seokjun turned to me.
“Your items were an enormous help during this expedition.
The Ara Hongryeon Guild would therefore like to give you something in return.”
“Something in return…?”
“Our guild has a treasure vault.
We call it the Dungeon Collection.
The items are divided into several tiers according to their rarity and value.
We’d like to offer you one item from Tier 2 or below, completely free of charge.”
“Ah!”
It was common knowledge that every major guild maintained a secret storehouse.
But now I was being offered the chance to take an item from Ara Hongryeon’s collection!
‘It’s only Tier 2, but we’re talking about Ara Hongryeon.
Even their Tier 1 items can’t be junk, or they wouldn’t bother storing them there.’
What an unexpected development.
I’d thought I’d been invited here for a meal and a word of thanks.
I never imagined something like this would happen.
“Shall we go?”
“Ah, yes!”
I answered almost automatically and followed them.
We passed through a wide hallway and came to an area that had been decorated with unapologetic extravagance.
“Wow.”
“This is where the collection begins.
The numbers above each section indicate the tier, so feel free to look around with us.”
I walked alongside Han Seokjun as he guided me.
Kang Hanul and Jeong Soyeon followed behind.
From their whispered conversation, I gathered they’d simply tagged along without actually asking permission.
“We’re allowed to come, right?”
“It’s our own collection.
What’s wrong with us taking a look?”
“Right?
But shouldn’t we tell the guild master first?”
“…”
And so we entered the Tier 1 section.
It held various items, mostly consumables and one-use installation items.
“This is Tier 1, so you can look through it quickly if you like.
It’s mostly the less valuable things in our collection,” Han Seokjun explained.
I nodded but continued inspecting the items carefully.
Then a strangely familiar shape caught my eye.
‘A slime?’
It was a small object shaped like a slime.
With its color and shape, anyone would have recognized it as one.
There was no way the guild would keep a mere slime model in a place like this, so it had to be an item or artifact recovered from a dungeon.
Naturally, it caught my interest.
I leaned closer and checked its description.
[Slime Copier]
Can designate one slime and create a copy of it.
Only slimes can be designated.
Can be used on any slime.
“Th-this is it!”