Chapter 107:
Countless people had attempted to cultivate dungeon plants on Earth, as they were valuable ingredients for potions and equipment. They assumed they would be easier to grow than monsters, being less dangerous.
But those attempts had been short-lived.
No matter how much sunlight and water they provided, the dungeon plants withered quickly and became unusable. The ones cultivated by Espers with Life Force abilities lasted a bit longer, but even those couldn’t survive for a week.
Eventually, everyone gave up after countless failed attempts.
“But how did you manage to grow so many plants this large? Is it because of some special power here…?”
Seo Jae-yi was startled by Shin Woo-hyun’s question.
What, did he sense the dungeon master’s power? That was impossible. Even Kim Yoo-sung didn’t know about it.
Did Shin Woo-hyun have a hidden ability?
“I wasn’t sure when I was in the shop, but I definitely felt it when I entered the greenhouse. A very strong… water energy.”
Water? Water. Ah, water!
‘He sensed Logi’s power.’
The S-rank Espers who had visited hadn’t noticed Hae-wi’s power, but they had all sensed Airok’s energy.
This was the first time someone who wasn’t an S-rank had sensed it. Perhaps he was more sensitive because he was also a Water Manipulation Esper.
“That’s part of the reason. Don’t ask me about the details. It’s better for your mental health if you don’t know.”
Shin Woo-hyun, who had been about to ask, quickly shut his mouth.
He knew how dangerous it was to get involved with an S-rank’s secrets.
“The important thing for you is high-quality ingredients for your potions, right?”
“Yes, you’re right.”
Shin Woo-hyun nodded vigorously, as if to say he wouldn’t ask any more questions.
“And I didn’t call you here just for the blue balloon flowers.”
“Huh?”
“Have you ever seen this flower before?”
Seo Jae-yi led him to the area where she had planted the dungeon flowers and showed him a pink flower.
It was the Sleeping Flower, with its white sepals and layered pink petals.
“This is my first time seeing it. I usually buy ingredients to make potions; I don’t enter dungeons myself. I don’t know much about flowers.”
“It’s called the Sleeping Flower. It produces sleeping powder.”
Shin Woo-hyun, who had been leaning down to examine the flower, quickly straightened up and distanced himself.
“Sleeping powder? That would be difficult to make into a potion.”
“Potions aren’t just for healing injuries. Can’t we make sleeping pills or sedatives with this?”
“Uh…”
“And it’s not addictive. A very reliable source confirmed it.”
Shin Woo-hyun’s hesitant expression brightened.
“Really?”
“Definitely. I can vouch for it.”
It wasn’t a human, but a dragon and a dungeon master. But they knew more about dungeon plants than any human, so there was no one more reliable.
“Then it might be possible. But there might be some trial and error, as I’ve never made it before.”
“Of course. Don’t worry about the quantity; it’s not limited. If you succeed, the profit distribution will be 30% for me and 70% for you. And I’ll cover the costs until the first successful sedative is produced. I won’t blame you if you fail.”
Shin Woo-hyun agreed to her generous offer. He was especially pleased that she would cover the experimental costs.
“But we’ll jointly hold the copyright for the sedative. And we won’t sell it if one of us objects.”
“Who would object when it’s clearly profitable?”
“I’m not talking about completely refusing to sell it, but refusing to sell it to specific people. For example, I’m not going to sell it to Taesan.”
“Ah, I completely agree with that. I don’t even sell them my potions. I’ve been avoiding them ever since they tried to force me to join their Guild.”
Shin Woo-hyun shuddered, saying he barely went on dungeon subjugations and mostly holed up in his lab making potions because he didn’t want to run into Taesan.
“Was that about three or four years ago?”
“How did you know? That was when I was starting to make a name for myself as a potion maker.”
“….”
Seo Jae-yi looked at him with pity.
Of course she knew. Taesan, threatened by Haeil recruiting Seo Jae-yi, had been desperately trying to maintain their top position by recruiting talented individuals.
And they retaliated harshly if anyone refused. It seemed like Shin Woo-hyun had been one of their victims.
“…Let’s add another condition. I’ll give you a signing bonus. About this much?”
Shin Woo-hyun gasped as Seo Jae-yi whispered the amount.
“You’re giving me that much as a signing bonus? Not even an advance payment? And you’re covering the experimental costs too? Why?”
“Just take it.”
Seo Jae-yi kept quiet, fearing he might run away if she told him it was because of her.
She would apologize and explain later when they were closer…
“And one more condition. Give me the sedative for free when I need it. Don’t worry; I won’t ask for hundreds.”
“Of course, as a co-creator.”
Shin Woo-hyun nodded. He probably thought she would give it to the Haeil Guild members, but he was wrong.
‘My aunt will finally be able to sleep peacefully once the sedative is successfully made.’
Her aunt, Seo Hye-ryeong, Seo Won-yeong’s mother.
She had become incredibly frail after losing her brother and then having the niece she had raised like a daughter taken away by the Center, unable to sleep at night without medication.
Seo Jae-yi wanted the sedative for her aunt. That was why she had offered Shin Woo-hyun such generous support.
They finalized the terms and quickly drafted a contract.
After discussing a few more details, Shin Woo-hyun left the flower shop, satisfied. He was no longer the terrified man who had dropped to his knees when he heard her name.
“He’s quite skilled. He even recognized my ability in the greenhouse.”
Airok, who had been hiding, fluttered over after Shin Woo-hyun left.
“Won-yeong said his water manipulation ability isn’t weak. But his potion-making skills are exceptional. She said he’s almost S-rank level.”
Seo Won-yeong had a good reason for recommending him. With his skills, he would be able to create a decent sedative even with a flower he had never seen before.
“Are you really going to give him that much as a signing bonus?”
Baek Joo-won, who had been silently observing their negotiation, asked. She had whispered the amount, but he had still heard it, being not human.
“Yes, I feel a bit guilty. It’s an apology, an apology.”
“I don’t know what you did wrong, but it seems like it’s enough to apologize twice.”
“Think whatever you want.”
She didn’t want to lose Shin Woo-hyun, a valuable asset. She wouldn’t hesitate to spend all her money for her aunt.
“Then shall we tend to the plants today?”
She had to focus on cultivating Sleeping Flowers, as she didn’t know how long it would take for Shin Woo-hyun to complete the sedative.
“You’re talking like you’re the one doing the work. You’re just going to order me around.”
“Well, that’s true. You’re better at cultivating plants than I am!”
Seo Jae-yi patted Baek Joo-won’s back as he sighed.
She could also cultivate dungeon plants, as she possessed Hae-wi’s energy, but she was still no match for him, who managed a forest dungeon.
He was even good at cultivating Earth flowers, something unrelated to his dungeon. His skills were superior to most Life Force Espers.
“We’re in this together. Got it? So get to work, Hae-wi.”
“You only call me that when you need something.”
He shook his head, saying he should have stayed as “Baek Joo-won.” But he obediently headed towards the Sleeping Flowers, despite his grumbling.
An unexpected visitor arrived at that moment.
“Hello, Seo Jae-yi! It’s been a while.”
A tall woman with short brown hair and a friendly face bowed deeply.
Seo Jae-yi recognized her.
“Oh, Kwon Gyu-yeon. It’s been a while.”
Kwon Gyu-yeon.
She was an A-rank Esper personally hired by Joo Seon-min, the dungeon-obsessed Guide, to stay connected to the outside world.
“You look much better! I heard you’re paired with the new S-rank Guide. Is this him?”
“Yes, that’s right. Guide Baek Joo-won. But the news of our pairing hasn’t spread yet. You’re well-informed.”
“Joo Seon-min hired me for my information gathering skills; this is nothing.”
She was indeed different from Shin Woo-hyun, who holed up in his lab making potions.
“So what brings you here, Kwon Gyu-yeon? Did Seon-min Unnie send you?”
“Yes!”
She had figured as much. There was no other reason for Kwon Gyu-yeon to visit her shop.
“Joo Seon-min is currently subjugating a Rank 3 Fixed dungeon that emerged in Pohang a week ago. But the monsters are proving to be quite difficult, and even after requesting support from Sunghwa Guild, they’re still struggling.”
She was asking for Seo Jae-yi’s help.
“They’re still struggling even with Sunghwa Guild? What kind of dungeon is it?”
“Water-type.”
Water attribute. Depending on the situation, it could be even more dangerous than a fire-type dungeon.
“I assume Guild Leader Seon Ju-hee isn’t there?”
“She’s currently subjugating another dungeon.”
Sunghwa Guild Leader Seon Ju-hee’s ability was cold flames. It should be effective even in a water-type dungeon, but it seemed they were struggling without her.
“Joo Seon-min told me to bring you only if you’re in good condition. I told her about your pairing.”
“I’m fine now. I can go.”
“Really? I heard that the large-scale wildfire on Mount Taebaek was completely extinguished in less than four hours.”
Seo Jae-yi was the only one in Korea who could extinguish a wildfire of that scale in such a short time. Kwon Gyu-yeon, who had become quite close to Seo Jae-yi thanks to Joo Seon-min, couldn’t possibly not know.
“How much do you know, Kwon Gyu-yeon? I didn’t know you knew about that too.”
“I found out on my way to Seoul after receiving Joo Seon-min’s request. I would have told her if I had known.”
And Joo Seon-min would have stopped asking for Seo Jae-yi’s help. She would have found a way to handle it without her, no matter how difficult the dungeon subjugation was.
“It’s fine. I’m better now. It ended well thanks to my Guide.”
“Ah, is that so? Having an S-rank paired Guide makes a difference!”
The fact that Seo Jae-yi had almost overloaded back then had been classified as confidential by Center Head Kwon Yi-soo.
Even Kwon Gyu-yeon, with her exceptional information gathering skills, couldn’t uncover that.
“Can we go now?”
“I would appreciate it. We’ll be taking a plane for faster travel.”
“Wait, I’m coming too.”
Baek Joo-won blocked Seo Jae-yi, who was about to leave without packing anything, as she always kept her combat uniform and weapons in her car.
“What? What are you talking about? Why are you going?”
Of course, she wasn’t concerned about his safety. A forest dungeon master wouldn’t be in danger in a water-type dungeon.
But the problem was that he was a “dungeon master.”
“Did you forget what happened in the Greenroll dungeon?”
The reason why the Greenrolls had been so agitated and the boss monster had coveted Baek Joo-won was because he was a monster, just like them.
Just as a boss monster’s magic stone was the most delicious food for monsters, his flesh was like a panacea.
How could she possibly bring him to a dungeon?
“And Fixed dungeons are much larger than Emergent dungeons. It could be a disaster. Don’t follow me. Just stay here and tend to the flowers. I’ll be back soon.”
“I’m not entering the dungeon. I’ll stay outside the gate, so don’t worry. I’ll wait patiently.”
“You can wait patiently here too.”
Baek Joo-won stepped towards Seo Jae-yi, who was refusing.
He took her hand, lifted it, and then gently rubbed his cheek against her palm, smiling.