Chapter 8

　　The next morning, a groan escaped my lips the moment I opened my eyes. The bone-deep fatigue from my near-death experience in the trial lingered. Challenging it again in this state was out of the question. So, while my body recovered, I decided to start a new project.

　　I opened the book on potions I’d brought down from the ninth-floor library.

　　It’s a Potion Because It’s Hard

　　The title was odd, but the book contained a list of basic potions and their recipes. Conveniently, the instructions were tailored to the equipment available in the Magic Tower.

　　The potion I decided to test was this:

　　Effect: 50 Regeneration. The effect increases with repeated use.

　　Ingredients: Black Mountain (1), Hosong (1), Hally (2).

　　Black mountain, hosong, and hally were all byproducts of plant-type monsters, ingredients easily found in Korea. While monster hides and bones were valuable for crafting equipment, these plant residues had little demand, making them dirt cheap. Black mountain, if I recalled correctly, sold for about 20 cents per unit. Making a potent elixir from such common materials was like turning stones into gold.

　　Alright. Time to get to work.

　　I searched the first-floor storage room for ingredients. Unfortunately, most of the potion supplies were either depleted or had rotted away over time. I’d have to restock locally. Still, after a persistent search, I found enough to brew a few bottles.

　　With the ingredients in hand, I returned to the book.

　　Looks like I need to use a cauldron for this one.

　　The complex network of pipes on the main table was apparently for higher-grade potions. I walked over to a large cauldron in the corner of the room. Its surface was engraved with various magic circles that looked like the control buttons on an appliance. After familiarizing myself with the instructions, I began.

　　First, I placed my hand on the magic circle marked with the rune for water and channeled my mana into it. A corresponding circle inside the cauldron activated, and water gushed forth.

　　"…Whoa!"

　　This was fun. I didn’t have to fetch water or use a tap; I was filling the cauldron with magic. I’d always imagined mages as serene, rustic types, but between the magic circle elevator and this, they were surprisingly high-tech.

　　Once the cauldron was full, I activated the magic circle at its base, and a fire roared to life beneath it. When the water reached a rolling boil, I added the ingredients as listed in the book and stirred with a large ladle.

　　The process required occasional magical intervention. I had to use a brewing spell to grind the Black mountain into a fine powder, and the hally had to be coated with mana one by one as they bobbed to the surface of the boiling water.

　　After an hour of this delicate work, the liquid had transformed into a thick, viscous red.

　　"It’s done!"

　　I tilted the heavy cauldron and carefully poured the contents into empty potion bottles. The bottling was actually more difficult than the brewing. Finally, I used my Sage’s Eye to check the finished product.

　　Classification: Potion

　　Use Effect:

　　-[40 Regeneration]

　　-[Effect increases with repeated use]

　　I must have made a mistake somewhere, because the final product had 40 resilience, 10 less than the recipe indicated. This was clearly a more delicate process than I’d thought. Still, for a first attempt, I was satisfied.

　　Now that I had a tangible product, nothing was holding me back. I immediately made a call. I had the perfect person in mind to handle distribution.

　　"Hey, it’s me. Are you free tonight?"

　　When he asked what I wanted, a grin spread across my face.

　　"Oh, nothing much. Just thought we could start a business together."

* * *

　　That night, I waited for my guest near Sanggye Station.

　　He’s here.

　　The sound of calm, steady footsteps approached, and a familiar face emerged from the evening shadows. He wore a well-fitted casual suit and intellectual horn-rimmed glasses, looking like a young, trendy British gentleman.

　　"It’s been a while, Yusin."

　　His name was Jeong Seojin. At twenty-one, he was two years my junior and an old friend from middle school.r

　　He was younger than me, but he had the weary air of a seasoned professional.

　　"Yeah, it’s been a while, Seojin."

　　"You’re starting a business?"

　　Seriously? We haven’t seen each other in ages, and he jumps straight to business? That direct, no-nonsense personality of his hadn’t changed a bit.

　　"That’s right. And I need your help."

　　"What kind of venture?"

　　"Let’s go inside and talk."

　　As I gestured toward the darkened street, Seojin adjusted his glasses, his expression unreadable. "I have to admit, meeting near a restricted area is… unnerving. Does the location have something to do with this business of yours?"

　　"It does. And we’re not just near it. We’re going inside."

　　His features tightened, and he let out a small sigh.

　　"I assume this isn’t the kind of business one can speak of openly."

　　His apprehension was understandable. Restricted areas were dangerous zones where monsters appeared, which meant criminal organizations often used the lack of public access to hide out. They would set up operations for drug manufacturing or illegal weapons dealing. I had to make it clear that wasn’t the case here.

　　"Let me say this upfront: it’s not what you’re thinking."

　　"Then please, explain the business to me here."

　　"I could explain it all night and you still wouldn’t grasp it. This is something you have to see for yourself…"

　　"Yusin."

　　Seojin pressed a button on the briefcase he was holding and dropped it to the ground.

　　Click.

　　The case sprang open, revealing stacks of cash.

　　"This should be enough for your initial capital."

　　I stared at him, confused.

　　"I’ll be taking my leave now."

　　Look at this guy. What does he take me for? Then again, perhaps it was only natural for him to react this way. How many people must have approached him because of his background, only to try and backstab him and bleed him dry? The classic bait-and-switch—a business proposal that was really just a shakedown—was a tired script he’d seen play out countless times.

　　But from his perspective, I wasn’t a relationship he could sever so easily. He owed me. This money, then, was both a gesture of respect to a benefactor and a severance payment. It was a way to settle his debt and walk away for good. If I took it, he would never show his face to me again.

　　I stared at the briefcase full of money for a moment before speaking. "I don’t need it."

　　"…Excuse me?"

　　"What I need right now isn’t money. It’s your talent."

　　Seojin’s expression shifted subtly.

　　"Well, I did call you out here without any context, so I can see why you’d misunderstand. How about a little preview, then…?"

　　I held out my right hand. As Seojin watched, wondering what I was doing, a blue light flared from my palm as a magic circle unfolded. His eyes widened.

　　"What is this? I thought your Unique Ability was…"

　　"It’s not a Unique Ability."

　　Swish!

　　The Mana Arrow shot from the magic circle and slammed into a nearby stone wall with a loud CRACK!

　　"It’s magic."

　　With a trembling hand, Seojin adjusted his glasses. "Magic, you say? Do you really think I’d believe such an unscientific story?"

　　After a beat, he swept a hand through his hair with a self-deprecating look. "…Then again, calling something unscientific is pretty outdated in a world like ours."

　　"Heh, you get it. This is an age of monsters and hunters, after all."

　　Seojin himself was a player. There was no way he could deny the spectacle that had just unfolded before his eyes. Finally seeming to have made up his mind, he picked up his briefcase.

　　"My apologies. Lead the way."

* * *

　　I led Seojin through the restricted area until we arrived in front of the Magic Tower.

　　"It’s been a while since I’ve done anything this reckless," he murmured, his gaze distant as it swept over the darkened forest.

　　"We used to get into trouble together all the time in middle school, didn’t we?"

　　"Those were the days."

　　"How were things in America?"

　　"It was what it was. To be honest, I just studied like a madman."

　　I nodded and stopped in front of the door. "Give me your hand for a second."

　　"My hand?"

　　"You need a mark to enter the Magic Tower. Ah, I didn’t explain this part."

　　Outsiders needed the tower’s crest inscribed on their bodies to gain entry. According to Ea, this crest not only granted permission to enter but was also enchanted with a special binding spell. The binding was set to trigger if anyone leaked information about the Magic Tower. Violating this rule in any way would instantly activate the tower’s tracking magic, causing a violent mana reversal in the target’s body.

　　"It’s a type of security magic."

　　"Hmm, that sounds a little intimidating."

　　"I’m not forcing you. If you don’t want to, that’s that."

　　Seojin obediently held out his hand. "You could have just marked me without explaining. This time, I’ll trust you."

　　It seemed he felt a little guilty for having suspected me earlier. I gathered mana at my fingertip and pressed it to the back of his hand. A blue mark was imprinted like a seal.

　　"Alright. Let’s go in."

　　I demonstrated first. The moment my palm touched the door, I was sucked inside. Once in the Magic Tower, I stepped aside. A moment later, Seojin shot out of the doorway, lost his balance, and tumbled to the floor with an undignified clatter.

　　"Haha! You okay? The same thing happened to me the first time."

　　"…Yes. I’m fine."

　　Brushing himself off, Seojin stood and looked around, his eyes wide with astonishment. "This is incredible. To think there was a space like this inside the tower…"

　　"Tower Master, is this a guest?"

　　A cluster of light gathered in the air, and Ea materialized. Seojin jumped back in surprise.

　　"Wh-who are you?"

　　"My name is Ea. I am in charge of managing the Magic Tower." She bowed her head in greeting.

　　Seojin stared, speechless.

　　What’s with him? Why’s he so dazed?

　　"Ah, um. I’m Jeong Seojin."

　　The two shook hands lightly.

　　"Ea, do we have anything to serve our guest?"

　　"There are a few packets of instant coffee mix that the Tower Master purchased from the convenience store."

　　I clicked my tongue. "Right. Please get us some of that."

　　Ea bowed respectfully and vanished. I snapped my fingers in front of Seojin’s dazed face.

　　"Hah!"

　　"Why are you spacing out? That’s not like you."

　　"Ah, my apologies."

　　We took a seat on the sofa in the center of the lobby. Seojin couldn’t take his eyes off the gleaming golden walls and the various pieces of experimental equipment.

　　"I heard this was a terrible eyesore in Seoul, but I never imagined it would be such a beautiful place."

　　"Heh heh, right?"

　　"If I hadn’t come out today, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life."

　　…The rest of his life? Why is this guy being so dramatic all of a sudden?

　　Just then, Ea appeared and placed paper cups of coffee on the table.

　　"Sorry the accommodations aren’t up to your usual standards. I doubt this will suit the palate of a silver-spoon kid like you."

　　Slurp. Seojin took a sip of the coffee and smiled faintly. "The sweetness is pleasant."

　　Look at me when you say that, you punk.

　　"So, shall we start talking business now?"

　　"Yes, let’s begin."

　　I started by giving him a brief explanation of the Magic Tower. Seojin listened intently, his expression now serious as he nodded along.

　　"So, the first floor is the Potion Brewing Bureau, where we make potions. I made one in advance."

　　I took out a potion in a glass bottle and placed it on the table.

　　"Does something like this really heal wounds?"

　　"You can try it."

　　"…Hmm, excuse me for a moment."

　　Seojin rolled up his pant leg, revealing the scraped knee he’d gotten from his fall earlier. He opened the bottle and poured a little of the potion on it, and the scrape healed completely. The look of pure astonishment on his face was priceless.

　　"Besides this healing potion, I can also make potions that restore mana or cure status ailments like poison and frostbite."

　　"…That’s amazing."

　　Seojin examined the potion from all angles before setting it back on the table. Then, his expression suddenly turned serious as he adjusted his glasses.

　　"But will you be alright?"

* * *