Chapter 28:
“But if he lived with the dungeon master for hundreds of years, they’re practically family, right? So it’s okay to call him his son.”
“What kind of explanation is that?! No! I’m not his son!”
Airok flapped his wings frantically, creating a small breeze. Seo Jae-yi, oblivious to his distress, exclaimed how cute he was, driving him even crazier.
“The dungeon master’s offspring…”
“…”
Airok, who had been chattering incessantly, suddenly fell silent as Baek Joo-won muttered to himself. He quickly hid behind Seo Jae-yi.
“I see… A poor baby who lost his mother.”
“I’ll have to find his mother for him later. I can’t see her anywhere right now. If she doesn’t want him, I’ll keep him. I’ve grown attached to him since I personally incubated him.”
“Master, you don’t usually call shooting fire at an egg ‘incubating’…”
Airok timidly protested from behind Seo Jae-yi, but she ignored him.
“Now that we’ve introduced ourselves, let me show you the greenhouse. My new business plan is also in there!”
“…I can’t wait to see what surprises you have in store for me.”
“You’ll be amazed!”
Seo Jae-yi smiled brightly and led him to the greenhouse behind the shop.
Baek Joo-won, who had been looking a bit dubious, widened his eyes at the greenhouse’s unexpectedly large size.
The flowers that filled the greenhouse were all in full bloom. Even flowers that were incompatible with each other were thriving side by side, boasting their vibrant colors.
It was a sight that could only be seen in this greenhouse.
“How is this possible?”
“Our Guild Master’s ability, life force, is infused in this greenhouse. That’s why flowers bloom regardless of the season and can survive for a long time without dying.”
“Ah, life force. I heard Guild Leader Kim Yoo-sung possesses a special power among Nature Espers. So that’s what it is.”
Seo Jae-yi nodded.
“It’s a shame that the flowers would sell even better if this were known… Huh?”
Baek Joo-won’s gaze, which had been wandering over the blooming flowers, suddenly stopped.
He rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing things, and opened them again. But nothing changed.
“Are my eyes deceiving me? There are some strange plants over there.”
“Ah! You saw correctly! That’s what I wanted to show you.”
Seo Jae-yi, who had been waiting for this moment, grabbed his hand and led him towards the strange plants. She stood among them, spreading her arms wide.
“This is my new business plan! Growing and selling dungeon plants! They’ll be a huge help to Espers during dungeon raids!”
Seo Jae-yi smiled brightly, surrounded by writhing vines and the snapping jaws of carnivorous plants.
“…”
Baek Joo-won was speechless.
She had said she would only sell dungeon flowers before. Why had she suddenly shifted to monstrous plants? Was she insane?
“Logi suggested it to me. Isn’t he amazing?”
So that was the culprit.
Baek Joo-won stared at Airok, who was clinging to Seo Jae-yi’s shoulder, refusing to let go. Airok trembled under his gaze, like a rabbit before a lion.
“Ah, my precious babies. You’ll bring me great fortune.”
Seo Jae-yi, oblivious to his fear, started blowing kisses at the dungeon plants.
***
After the situation calmed down somewhat, Baek Joo-won was served tea by Seo Jae-yi at a table in a corner of the greenhouse.
“Isn’t it dangerous to grow dungeon plants in the middle of the city?”
Baek Joo-won asked, thinking that being with Seo Jae-yi was always an adventure.
“Ah, Logi is staying here to watch over them. He said he would bite anyone who tries to leave the greenhouse.”
Seo Jae-yi assured him that it was safe for her to leave the shop because of Airok.
Her gaze softened as she looked at Airok, who was sitting on the table, sipping tea with them.
“I’m glad I brought the egg back. I was a bit hesitant at the time, but I don’t regret it now. I would have been tormented by guilt if I had left it there.”
“…I see.”
“Oh, about the dry cleaning fee for your suit…”
The topic shifted from Airok back to their first meeting.
There was still unfinished business between them.
“I think it’s best if I get you a new suit, considering the one I ruined.”
“Is that a bribe too?”
“Of course. I’ll get you a full set, from head to toe, so please think of me whenever you wear it. You wouldn’t wear it to another guild, would you?”
“What if I do? What will you do then?”
“Are you serious?”
Seo Jae-yi’s eyes widened. Looking at her blinking innocently, Baek Joo-won felt like a terrible person.
“You’re going to wear the suit I bought you to another guild, even though you hate me so much? That’s cruel. Sob, sob. You’ve wounded my fragile heart…”
“You don’t seem fragile at all.”
“How would you know? Sigh. I can’t just open up my wounded heart and show you the gaping holes.”
Seo Jae-yi pretended to cry, although no tears came out.
“Even though my heart is broken, what can I do? The one who’s desperate has to endure… So, when should we go get it tailored? I know some good places, even if I don’t look like it.”
Her recovery from her “heartbreak” was remarkably fast.
“You’ve never worn a suit, so it’s surprising that you know good tailors.”
“Ah, I’ve never gotten one for myself. Actually, I was offered one, but I refused because I wouldn’t have any occasion to wear it. Well, I naturally learned about these things from knowing someone who only wears suits.”
“Custom suits are quite expensive.”
“The one you were wearing that day was expensive too. It’s a bribe, so please accept it. And we’ll have to meet a few more times to get the suit tailored, right?”
It was a bold declaration, aiming to increase the number of their encounters.
Of course. She was about to hit the jackpot with the dungeon plants, so she had to stay alive until then.
She had never enjoyed life before, but now every day was precious and enjoyable. She wanted to live longer.
“Ah, excuse me. We have a customer.”
The bell on the door chimed. Seo Jae-yi went to greet the customer.
As she returned to the greenhouse to make a bouquet, Airok fluttered over.
“No, Master. That flower doesn’t match. This one, this one. No! That’s too many! Just three! That color won’t do!”
He started coaching her, nitpicking every detail. Seo Jae-yi obediently followed his instructions.
Thanks to Airok’s guidance, the customer was satisfied and left after paying. With the unique dungeon flowers and Airok’s coaching, her shop was attracting more and more customers.
She now had a customer every other day!
“I made 50,000 won! It’s my first earning of the day!”
“You’re amazing, Master!”
Seo Jae-yi reverently held the 50,000 won bill with both hands. Airok wiped away tears and clapped.
Baek Joo-won, observing them, couldn’t understand the situation.
She had lived as an S-rank Esper for eleven years; she must have earned a fortune. Why was she so happy over a mere 50,000 won?
“And she’s willing to buy me an expensive custom suit…”
It was strange that she had casually offered to buy him a suit but was now overjoyed over earning 50,000 won.
He knew Espers earned hundreds, even thousands, from a single dungeon raid.
He had noticed it from their first meeting, but Seo Jae-yi was a truly strange person.
‘I should have avoided getting involved with her.’
But they were already entangled, inseparable.
The funny thing was that he was enjoying her company, despite those thoughts.
He wondered if he would continue to feel this way, without regret.
***
A Fixed dungeon in Yeosu.
Despite being a high-level dungeon, nearing Rank 2, it hadn’t been subjugated even after three weeks.
It was partly due to its vast size, but also because a significant number of civilians had been swept in during its emergence. The subjugation was slow because they had to rescue survivors while eliminating monsters.
Fortunately, there was no time limit for Fixed dungeons. They could freely enter and exit, so several guilds were taking turns subjugating it, rotating every few days.
However, there was one person who had been continuously participating in the subjugation for three weeks, never leaving the dungeon.
It was Joo Seon-min, Korea’s second S-rank Guide, who was even more dedicated to dungeon raids than most Espers.
“Thank you, Guide Joo Seon-min!”
Once again, Espers who had survived thanks to her expressed their gratitude. Joo Seon-min simply nodded curtly, her face expressionless.
As she headed towards a quiet corner, avoiding the crowd, envious gazes followed her.
However, she ignored everyone, settling in the corner and silently inspecting her equipment.
Hurried footsteps approached her.
“Ms. Joo Seon-min! News from the outside.”
It was an Esper she had personally hired to relay information from the outside world while she was in the dungeon.
“Another dungeon emergence?”
She wasn’t particularly curious about the outside world; she just wanted to know if any new dungeons had emerged.
“No, not this time.”
Joo Seon-min lost interest, disappointed that it wasn’t the news she had hoped for.
But her disinterest didn’t last long.
“A new S-rank Guide has appeared.”
“Ah, is that so.”
“And he’s stateless. Korea is in a frenzy.”
“Ah, is that so.”
“Apparently, his Matching Rate with all Espers is over 50%.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“And his highest Matching Rate is with Esper Seo Jae-yi.”
“What?”
Curiosity flickered in her usually indifferent eyes. The Esper grinned, seeing her reaction.
“Their initial Matching Rate was 93%.”
“That’s… quite interesting.”
Seo Jae-yi’s Guide had finally appeared, and he was stateless, with a Matching Rate of over 50% with all Espers?
Quite an entertaining development had occurred while she had been stuck in the dungeon for three weeks.
“Pack up. We’re leaving.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Joo Seon-min holstered her gun and stood up. The three-week subjugation was nearing its end, and she no longer needed to stay here.
It was time to return to the outside world.