Chapter 22:
Dungeon raid strategies using dungeon plants? That’s quite…
“I can’t say it’s impossible. There’s potential.”
“Right?”
“And if they’re grown by Master, who possesses the dungeon master’s power, they’re likely to be more hostile towards monsters than humans.”
“Even better!”
As expected of a dragon, Airok had a keen insight that Seo Jae-yi hadn’t considered.
“Sigh, this is absurd, but it makes sense… I have to tell Master about this; it’s too good to keep to myself.”
“Tell me what?”
“There are actually dungeon plants that feed on fire.”
Seo Jae-yi’s face lit up at Airok’s words.
“Really? Then if they grow by eating my fire, they’ll listen to me better, right?”
“That’s right. And some of them can even breathe fire, so they could be quite useful for dungeon raids.”
“This is amazing!”
Seo Jae-yi clapped her hands excitedly. She had been prepared to give up if it was unrealistic, but this was perfect.
“Are there any in the forest dungeon? I would have noticed if there were. I don’t remember seeing any.”
“There are. They didn’t feed on fire, but they were surviving thanks to Master’s power.”
It was even more perfect.
“Alright, I need to visit the forest dungeon again soon. Ah, Logi! How can you come up with such brilliant ideas? You’re such a smart baby!”
“I’m not a baby!”
“Dungeon flowers, unique and never seen before, sold exclusively at this flower shop, and dungeon plants useful for dungeon raids! Wow, I can already hear the customers rushing in. Creativity is essential for business!”
Overjoyed, Seo Jae-yi lifted Airok with both hands and started dancing happily.
“Logi, you’re my angel. My sunshine. Farewell to the sad days without customers. I’m going to be a successful businesswoman!”
“This flower shop had no customers?!”
Airok, who had been sharing her joy, was stunned by the unexpected revelation. Seo Jae-yi pretended not to hear.
“The first flower shop to sell dungeon flowers! Yay, so cool!”
Her overload level had decreased significantly thanks to Guiding, she had gained a cute and capable baby companion, and she had a brilliant new business idea.
Was it a special day? Good things kept happening.
She wished every day could be like this.
***
“Ah, I slept well!”
The next morning, Seo Jae-yi woke up in the flower shop with a refreshed face. Her skin was smooth and radiant after a good night’s sleep.
“This is Guiding therapy.”
Her condition had significantly improved, even with just a slight reduction in the pain that had been plaguing her body due to overload.
While the overwhelming sense of rejuvenation was a bit overwhelming, it reminded her why Espers needed Guiding.
“Good thing I installed a shower.”
After a refreshing morning shower, she instantly dried her body with her heat manipulation ability.
She had installed a bathroom with a shower, anticipating situations where she would get soiled with dirt or her own blood. It was a wise decision; she couldn’t imagine life without it.
“Master, you’re awake?”
As she entered the greenhouse, the diligent Airok was flitting around.
Several new dungeon plants had taken root in a corner of the flowerbed, plants that hadn’t been there the day before.
She had gone on a forest dungeon tour with Airok the previous evening, wasting no time.
She had collected all the less dangerous and potentially useful plants Airok had pointed out and planted them here. Thanks to the Guiding, her body was in good condition, so she hadn’t experienced any dizziness or coughed up blood despite the physical exertion.
‘I wonder if those people are okay?’
She suddenly remembered the staff members who had been guarding the forest dungeon gate the previous night.
It was a good thing she had gone directly, but upon arrival, she had encountered a major problem: the staff members guarding the gate were the same ones she had met before.
She lamented the possibility of them getting demoted again. Why were they always on duty when she visited, even though they should have been on a rotating schedule? Sighing, she fired the tranquilizer gun.
She felt guilty, but it couldn’t be helped.
But what happened next was surprising. She had expected them to try to activate the alarm like last time, but instead, they pulled out signs.
<Welcome! We support your dungeon intrusion!>
<Feel free to come again anytime!>
They waved the signs with joyful expressions before collapsing with a simultaneous cry of “Magic stones!”
As she approached them, she noticed they were both wearing pouches on their belts, just the right size for magic stones.
They were essentially asking for magic stones in exchange for allowing her to enter the dungeon.
Seo Jae-yi granted their wish, generously filling their pouches with magic stones.
They got what they wanted, and she no longer felt as guilty. It was a happy ending.
‘But I should stop visiting so often. They might get fired instead of just demoted.’
Once her condition improved further, she could visit openly without resorting to such stealthy methods.
“Well then, shall I go clock in today?”
After confirming that the dungeon plants were settling in nicely, Seo Jae-yi prepared to go to the Center.
Airok, unaware of her situation, looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Clock in? Do you run another business besides this shop?”
“Ah, I’m going to the Guiding Center. Actually, an S-rank Guide with a high Matching Rate with me appeared a few days ago. It’s a whopping 93%.”
“Gasp, really?”
“Yeah. So I’m trying to win him over. To form a Pair with me.”
“You said your lifespan was significantly reduced, and you’re surviving thanks to the dungeon master’s power, right? You have to succeed!”
“Right! So I need to take a bouquet as a bribe today!”
He seemed to like the dungeon flower she had given him before, so she decided to take one of the new flowers she had brought.
She chose a beautiful pale purple flower she had been eyeing since yesterday.
It resembled a hydrangea, but what was unique was that it had one or two flowers blooming where leaves should have been. According to Airok, it didn’t grow any leaves at all.
“That’s fascinating.”
She had expected dungeon plants to be fundamentally different from Earth plants, but this was beyond her imagination.
“Ah, this flower is known for its calming scent.”
Airok fluttered over as she plucked a few flowers and headed towards the shop.
“Yeah, that’s why I chose it.”
Seo Jae-yi placed the flowers on the table and started browsing through her wrapping paper selection. Hmm, pale purple flowers… should she use blue wrapping paper?
“Done.”
She meticulously crafted the bouquet for Baek Joo-won, wiping the sweat that had beaded on her forehead.
Sigh. She had put extra effort into it today, energized by the Guiding he had given her yesterday. Fortunately, it was a masterpiece.
“…Master, you said you were going to win over the Guide with this, right?”
However, Seo Jae-yi was the only one who considered it a masterpiece.
“That’s right.”
“But you’re giving him… this?”
“Yeah. What if Mr. Baek Joo-won is so touched that he cries?”
He would cry, but out of sadness, not joy. Airok, who had witnessed the entire bouquet-making process, was horrified.
‘How can you make such a horrendous bouquet with such beautiful flowers? You’re a flower shop owner, but your skills are disastrous.’
The flower arrangement was chaotic, the blue wrapping paper clashed with the leafless purple flowers, making them barely visible, and the purple ribbon, presumably chosen to match the flowers, was a terrible mismatch, making the whole thing look incredibly tacky.
If he received this bouquet, he would interpret it as a “Let’s break up” message, not a “Let’s be friends” gesture.
“Well then, I’ll be back.”
Airok, who had been speechless, unsure where to even begin critiquing, finally snapped out of his daze as Seo Jae-yi picked up the bouquet and headed for the door.
No! He couldn’t let his Master ruin her relationship with this supposedly important Guide!
“Wait a minute, Masteeeer!”
Airok clung to Seo Jae-yi’s apron.
Her survival was now his survival; he had to save the bouquet.
‘Guide, whoever you are, be grateful!’
***
Upon arriving at the Center, Seo Jae-yi hummed a tune as she searched for Baek Joo-won, bouquet in hand.
Whether it was due to her previous overload tantrum or Kwon Yi-soo’s warning, no one tried to stop her as she roamed the Center.
In fact, the training instructor, whom she had become acquainted with through her encounters with Baek Joo-won, even told her where he was.
He was in the firearms training room.
‘Firearms training!’
Baek Joo-won shooting guns! And not in his usual suit, but in training clothes!
Eager to see him, she immediately headed towards the training room.
‘This is strange.’
As she walked down the familiar Center hallway, a thought struck her, and she looked around.
This was the place where she had been confined from thirteen to twenty, forced to endure brutal training in the name of ability development and sometimes even subjected to experiments.
After joining Haeil Guild, she had rarely visited, except when she needed Guiding from Kwon Yi-soo.
But now, simply because her Guide was here, her discomfort towards the Center had lessened. She even felt a desire to come here just to see him.
She had never imagined she would feel this way about the Center.
It seemed like an Esper’s desire for a Guide could even override personal feelings.
‘Hmm, this is a bit concerning…’
Would she be able to let go of Baek Joo-won if he didn’t want to form a Pair with her? She still wanted to live, and she needed him, but she didn’t want to force him if he was unwilling.
She needed to practice suppressing her instincts.
But first, she wanted to watch Baek Joo-won train.
“Hello!”
Seo Jae-yi flung open the door to the training room and greeted Baek Joo-won enthusiastically.
Then, her eyes widened in surprise.