Prev | TOC | Next

Honestly, I had taken it for granted.

Watching Mark2 farm, one could easily mistake Slimes for farming monsters.

“Poison?”

Could it be that the abilities generated during synthesis are random?

But if we cool down and think about it, randomness might be better.

If the Slime’s ability were limited to farming, our options would be restricted, but with such diverse abilities available, they could be utilized in many ways.

Squish-

Of course, seeing its slow, squirming form, one might think it’s far from being ready for hunting with just a poison ability.

[Poison LV.1]

[Emits a toxin that poisons the opponent.]

[The poisoned opponent will be paralyzed after at least 10 minutes.]

It was as expected.

Even though it’s a paralyzing poison, it takes 10 minutes for the effect to appear…

‘If I must use it, there’s a way, but I don’t know how strong the paralysis is.’

Let’s think positively just for seeing the potential. Who knows, maybe the poison level might increase later and become truly powerful.

“You are Poispois.”

Squish?

“From now on, your name is Poispois.”

Squish!

I was reaching a point where I could understand the gestures of the Slime. Could this be the influence of the Slime Lord ability?

“Poispois, how do you use the poison? Do you spit it out, or is it a fluid that comes out of your body?”

Squirm-

Bloop-

Suddenly, something like a mouth appeared on Poispois and it spat something out.

“Oh, so you spit it out?”

Squirm-

“No?”

Squish squish!

“You can do both?”

Squish!

I was amazed that we could somewhat communicate.

After watching Poispois’s poison show for a while, I realized it was time.

“Hold on. I’ll make a friend for you first.”

Just then, the cooldown ended and I used the Slime Lord ability to summon a level 1 slime.

Pop?!

A familiar-looking slime popped out, squirming as if asking where it was.

Poispois approached and squirmed towards the newcomer.

Squish- Squish-

Squirm?

While they engaged in what seemed like a high-level conversation, Mark2 came back to me from the garden.

Squirm!

“Hmm? Is it already time to harvest?”

Squish!

Mark2, urging me forward, led the way, and sure enough, stopped at a plot where carrots were planted.

“Oh!”

The leaves were unusually large.

Though the carrots were hidden in the soil, the peeking orange bodies were clearly larger than the sizes I was used to.

Gulp.

Was it because it was our first cultivation and harvest?

Or because of the unusual size?

Feeling oddly tense, I stared at the carrots as Mark2, oblivious, pulled one out.

Pop!

“Wow!”

An uncontrollable admiration burst out once again.

A brilliantly shining, translucent orange carrot was fully revealed.

It was much bigger than expected, but not unrealistically so. It was more like, “Oh? There are carrots this size?”

“But the color…”

It wasn’t hyperbole or exaggeration.

It’s almost gem-like, translucent body shone like glass in the light.

“Is it even safe to eat?”

Just then, Mark2 brought over the carrot he had pulled, proudly showing it to me. As I cautiously took the carrot from Mark2, he made a fuss as if it needed to be handled with care.

Pop! Squish! Squirm!

“Alright, alright. I’ll be careful.”

It’s just an ingredient after all, but I wrapped it up preciously nonetheless.

[Magic-Infused Carrot LV.1]

[It contains a faint magical power.]

[Upon consumption, depending on the amount of mana you have, your vision will improve for 3 minutes, followed by a very slight permanent increase in vision.]

This is…

Am I seeing this correctly?

“A carrot getting an item classification…”

I couldn’t hide my astonishment at the item window that appeared in front of me. The display of an item window meant that this carrot had literally received an item classification.

Not everything from Earth and even items from dungeons get classified as items.

“Is it because it’s imbued with magic?”

In dungeons, some fruits and berries receive item classifications, and some do not.

Moreover, those that are classified as items are usually plants or berries that serve as excellent ingredients for powerful elixirs.

“Could it be that all the carrots planted here are items?”

I wasn’t hoping for that much, but the thought that it might be possible crossed my mind.

“Is it okay to harvest all of these now?”

Squish!

With Mark2’s approval, we began harvesting the carrots.

It was only a 100-pyeong garden, so there wasn’t a large amount, but since we had planted over 300 carrots, it took some time.

“Phew.”

While I dug up one, Mark2 dug up three.

I took my time being careful, but Mark2 expertly pulled them out without damaging any.

‘Mark2 is such a good worker.’

In many ways, I felt like my life was flourishing thanks to Mark2.

After the two of us had dug up just over 300 carrots, flowers started to bloom on the cherry tomatoes.

“Huh? Come to think of it, did you also handle the pollination?”

Squirm!

Managing all this garden by himself, and keeping up with the rapid growth was truly impressive.

Mark2, after harvesting the carrots, casually signaled that I should take over their management and went to tend to the tomatoes.

“He doesn’t look it, but he’s reliable.”

He might appear slow and a bit simple, but when it comes to work, he definitely gets it done.

Thanks to him, I suddenly found myself wondering how to manage all the harvested carrots.

“I had no idea we’d be harvesting this quickly.”

Who would have thought that what hadn’t sprouted in three years would be harvested in just two days?

“Poispois, and you, new friend. It’s time for you to work too.”

I called over the two who were still engaged in their high-level conversation, to help sort and move the carrots.

I told Poispois not to emit poison unless specifically commanded, just in case it might contaminate anything.

“Wow, all of these are items?”

I had my suspicions, but it turned out to be true.

There were a total of 309 carrots, and every single one was classified as an item.

Since they were also quite large, I set aside 10 for quest purposes and pondered what to do with the rest.

“Maybe I should try eating just one.”

Honestly, it felt a bit wasteful just to eat it. After all, three years and a great deal of resources were invested just for this.

“Ah, but now that I have Mark2, I can grow them anytime.”

I decided to trust myself and my slimes.

With that resolve, I was about to bite into a carrot but then hesitated.

Squish-

Mark2, who was tending to the tomatoes, stared blankly at me as I was about to eat the carrot.

“Why? What?”

Squish-

“Are you saying not to eat it?”

Squish-

Mark2 casually approached and picked up a carrot himself. It’s impressive how well he could hold it without hands.

“Do you want to eat too?”

Squirm!

“Of course! I can’t give you all, but, um… I’ll allow up to 10.”

At that moment, Poispois and the newbie each grabbed a carrot.

“…You two get five each.”

Squish!

The slimes, as if thanking me, ate their carrots before I did. I thought they didn’t need to eat, but apparently, that’s not the case.

“Hey, I’m the lord here and I haven’t even tasted it yet, and you guys go first?”

Crunch!

After making a joke, I finally bit into the carrot. As I chewed, the juice flowed out and wet my hands.

“Mmm!?”

Is this really a carrot?

Yes, it definitely was a carrot.

It had the texture of a carrot and the taste of a carrot.

However, the overflowing juice, the rich flavor of the carrot, and the characteristic sweetness were maximized, overwhelming my taste buds.

[Your vision will increase for 3 minutes.]

Along with a system window that delivered the final verdict that what I ate was indeed an item.

‘No, vision isn’t what’s important here!’

A heavenly vegetable.

I wanted to name it that.

This was a taste on a whole different level compared to ordinary carrots.

Crunch- Crunch-

The more I chewed, the sweeter it got.

But this sweetness wasn’t cloying or overbearing; it was more like the lingering taste of a scented coffee or tea.

I don’t drink alcohol, but it was akin to the luxurious aroma of expensive whiskey or wine lingering around the lips.

I had only taken one bite, but the aftertaste lasted long. The funny thing was, since it was larger than a typical carrot, there was still a lot of it left.

“…This is insane.”

This, clearly, could work.

It seemed possible not just to farm for quests, but to farm for success.

“Of course, I need to complete quests too. The more I develop my abilities, the higher the chances of successful farming.”

Ultimately, all this was possible thanks to my abilities.

I thought I could only use it for potions, a liquid synthesis with a cooldown of a day.

I only gave commands as the Slime Lord, who could summon just one slime per day. Each of them seemed lacking on their own, but together they created an incredible synergy.

Squirm!

Moreover, these remarkable creatures were cute too.

…Or is that just me seeing them that way?

“Huh?”

While I was lost in admiration, the slimes had finished all the carrots allocated to them.

The pace at which they ate was alarming; I would have been sweating bullets if I hadn’t set a limit.

“Wow, you guys eat more than I thought, huh?”

I tried to sound nonchalant, but an alarm was going off in my head.

‘What if slimes are actually creatures that need to eat a lot?’

It had only been two days.

That was the amount of time I had been interested in these monsters called slimes.

I still knew very little about slimes, only that they were harmless to humans.

“Do you die if you don’t eat?”

It seemed like a natural question for any living being, but I asked just in case. Then, Mark2 squirmed, trying to communicate something.

“If you die, move to the right; if not, to the left.”

Squish-

The slimes uniformly moved to the right.

“Ha, I asked something obvious, haha.”

I forced a laugh, but cold sweat began to trickle down my back.

“So, how much do you need to eat per day? Tell me in terms of the number of carrots.”

The slimes then began to lay out the carrots they needed.

I figured they might need about ten each, the amount they had just eaten.

But the number they laid out was beyond my expectations, and my face stiffened.

“…Don’t lie. What kind of slime eats that much?”

I snapped harshly, but it was unavoidable.

Mark2 kept moving carrots non-stop, and by my estimate, he was already past 30.

Poispois stopped at exactly 25.

The newbie had 12.

“Ma-Mark2?”

Squish?

Mark2 paused in moving the carrots and tilted as if asking why.

“You’re talking about daily food intake, right?”

Squish!

I was doomed.

The carrots we had just harvested wouldn’t even cover the slimes’ “wages.”

Of course, having harvested over 300 carrots in just two days meant it wasn’t a huge problem.

However, the joy of the first harvest had momentarily blinded me, sigh.

“40 each? Well, you do work a lot, so you must need to eat a lot.”

I decided not to be greedy.

After all, all this was possible thanks to the slimes, so naturally, they should be my top priority.

“So, that’s 77 carrots a day. Since they went without yesterday, that’s 154. But if we harvest the tomatoes tomorrow, they won’t starve.”

I did the calculations alone and then told the slimes.

“I’ll keep 10 for myself, and you guys figure out how to make the rest last. We can’t have our guys starving.”

Squish! Squirm!

The slimes danced joyously.

Seeing them hungrily gobble up the carrots made me realize I had been too thoughtless.

“I need to head out right away.”

I only went out once a month, but I had to go out again immediately.

I planned to request an analysis of the carrot components, get a ladder for going underground, and buy various seeds and seedlings.

I also intended to gather information on slimes and take samples of Mark2’s body fluid and Poispois’ poison for analysis.

“Should I check on the tomatoes before I go?”

Their growth was so rapid that it seemed like the tomatoes could be harvested soon. If so, I could finally make juice infused with magical fruit…

“Should I also plant He Shou Wu seeds?”

After three years, it was time to complete the quest.

Prev | TOC | Next

Prev | TOC | Next

Although my garden is just about 100 square meters, I divided it into sections and planted various things.

“This was probably cherry tomatoes, right?” 

The sprouting plant seemed to be a cherry tomato.

For now, it was an Earth cherry tomato seed, not one from the dungeon, but I had also planted seeds of a plant called ‘Layla’ found only in the dungeon nearby.

“This is incredible, really.” 

If they just keep growing like this, they should bear fruit in about 100 days.

I’m not sure yet if there’s any problem, but just seeing the sprouts was hugely satisfying.

…But then? 

“What’s this?” 

Am I seeing things wrong?

It seemed to have grown a bit more in that short time.

As I rubbed my eyes and tried to figure out what was happening, suddenly Mark2 touched me.

Squirm- 

“What’s wrong? Oh!”

I glanced back and could see a sprout piercing through the soil in real-time.

And it wasn’t even on the tomato line, but from the side where I planted carrots.

“Oh, no…” 

The growth rate, visibly identifiable, was insane.

Is it because of the dungeon? Or because of Mark2?

[Farming LV.1] 

Enhances the growth of crops.

Increases yield.

I reviewed Mark2’s abilities once again.

The description wasn’t particularly striking.

But could just this phrase cause such an insane phenomenon?

Squirm!

Mark2 squirmed and touched me again.

I realized that sprouts were also emerging where I was standing.

I hastily left the garden to observe this magical scene.

“Aaaaah…” 

The emotion was indescribable.

The sprouts were stretching out as if time had been sped up.

Although the land was too narrow to plant much, it was still a spectacular sight.

“Does this even make sense?” 

Now it was clear.

It wasn’t just the right timing; it was thanks to Mark2’s ability.

Otherwise, this phenomenon couldn’t be explained.

“Ah! Tomatoes!” 

I began to set up the supports I had prepared in advance next to the tomatoes.

Normally, you’d wait until the tomatoes had grown a bit before doing this, but the growth rate was extraordinary.

After installing a total of 100 stakes, I could see that they had grown up to my shin.

“This is unbelievable.” 

A cry of joy seemed about to burst forth.

It was just cherry tomatoes and carrots growing, but why was I so thrilled?

Honestly, I hadn’t even expected much from the dungeon fruit, Layla, but it was growing steadily too.

“People say no one has successfully cultivated dungeon plants.” 

From what I’ve gathered over three years, no one has ever succeeded in growing dungeon plants.

If that’s the case, then I would be the first person on Earth to successfully cultivate a dungeon plant.

“Can’t eat wild Layla either.” 

If anything, Layla tasted similar to Earth’s mangosteen but was much juicier and thus considered as a potential juice ingredient.

‘But will fruits and vegetables infused with magic grow?’ 

One concern was the phrase ‘infused with magic’ from the quest.

It’s said that most fruits, vegetables, and other plants from the dungeon are imbued with magic, but the real question was whether the crops I artificially grew would also be imbued with magic.

“Let’s just see what happens.”

“It seemed that I could see the results much faster than I expected given the rate of growth.

In the meantime, Mark2 was crawling around between the garden beds, fiddling with something. I didn’t know what it was doing, but it looked somehow pretty.

“Hehehe.”

Cute thing.

As I was watching the plants grow without noticing the time passing, Slime1, having completed its exploration, came up to me.

Wiggle-

“Oh? Did you find something too?”

Wiggle!

I got up from my spot, feeling like I kind of understood the slime’s wiggling now. Seeing me stand up, Slime1 started to crawl somewhere as if guiding me.

“Looks like there’s something, huh?”

A slight fear crept in.

However, seeing that the slime was fine, I thought it couldn’t be too serious and commanded,

“If the place you are leading me to is dangerous, stop right there.”

Wiggle-

The creature kept moving.

Taking its response as a sign that it wasn’t dangerous, I followed it to a corner of the dungeon.

Wiggle!

“Here?”

It was pointing to a part beyond my expectations.

That was none other than the floor.

I would have expected some changes on the wall or something, but the floor…

‘Or maybe there was always something on this floor?’

I hadn’t checked this particular spot on the floor before the dungeon transformation. I had only checked the dirt floors that could be used as fields, not these stone floors.

Wiggle-

Slime squeezed its body into a strange seam on the floor. Then, it really went through the narrow gap like a liquid.

“No, Slime. I can’t do that like you.”

What should I do now?

There was a pickaxe prepared for the garden, but I was a bit cautious since I didn’t know what was beneath.

Plop!

As if it heard me, the slime popped out of the gap and bounced.

“What’s down there?”

Wiggle!

“If there’s a monster, move to the right, if not, to the left.”

The slime moved to the left.

So there definitely wasn’t a monster.

“Is there an item?”

The slime moved to the left again.

If there’s no item, then what exactly is down there?

“It’s not dangerous, right? Move to the left if it’s dangerous this time.”

Wiggle!

The slime moved to the right, so I decided to trust it.

I now held the pickaxe in my hand and struck down on what was hard to even call a crack in the floor.

“Awakening sure is good.”

Generally, when you awaken, your physical abilities improve beyond those of an ordinary person, though only slightly.

“But what is it? Is it because of dual awakening?”

For some reason, I felt that my stamina hadn’t decreased as before. The cause must have been a dual awakening, so I just let it be.

Clang! Crunch!

Gradually, the gap widened, and finally, I could roughly see below.

I lay down on the floor, peering through with one eye to see what was there.

“It’s bright, isn’t it?”

For some unknown reason, the space below was very bright. Thanks to this, I could see what the space was like and confirmed that there was nothing there, just a vast emptiness.

“I guess I’ll know if I go down.”

I got up again and started to use the pickaxe. Thanks to my tireless stamina, I could continue working without much difficulty, and as the crack got bigger, I was able to widen the hole much faster than at the beginning.

“Wow.”

Finally, through a hole large enough for me to go through, I just peeked my head down and looked around 360 degrees.

“There are shining stones embedded. They look expensive, don’t they?”

Then suddenly, I realized that the entire space below was a dirt floor. I was already using just over 100 square yards of land as a field because that’s all I could use where I lived, but it would be a different story if I had such a space.

“How many square yards is this? It’s huge, isn’t it?”

It seemed to be at least 1,000 square yards. Furthermore, on one side, I noticed a stream of water flowing from a crack in the wall, naturally creating a pond-like feature.

“…Does it seem like it’s urging me to farm?”

That was the environment.

The problem was that the ceiling was high, so once I went down, I couldn’t come back up without a ladder, but that could be resolved by just obtaining a ladder.

“…”

I was deep in thought.

In fact, I had only farmed because of a quest. Farming itself was not important; it was just a means to an end.

But now that I had awakened the Slime Lord ability and realized that I could farm through the slime, things were different.

‘Should I just switch to being a farmer?’

Even though I was an awakened being, I was not one who hunted monsters.

Given the situation, it seemed not bad to specialize as an awakened being in this area using my abilities.

This was a field completely ignored by other awakened beings. It was a chance to have my own competitive edge.

“Let’s see the results first and then reconsider.”

The crops were growing fast, but I hadn’t seen any fruits yet. The decision could wait until after I saw the crops.

However, I couldn’t help but consider it positively, since it seemed like the only thing I could do with the slime was farming.

“Good job, Slime.”

Wiggle!

I petted the wiggling creature and then picked it up with both hands.

It had a strangely pleasant texture that was addictive, something I hadn’t noticed yesterday due to being preoccupied.

Ssshhh-

“Oh, typical slime. It stretches a lot.”

Wiggle!

Holding the wiggling creature in my hands, I returned to the field to find that the tomatoes had already grown up to my knees.

“That’s kind of scary.”

Mark2 was diligently crawling around the garden, which had transformed into a small jungle. To my eyes, it just seemed to be wiggling and moving around, but it was emitting a rather serious vibe.

“But don’t you guys eat something like food?”

Wiggle?

As I fiddled with the slime, which seemed to question what I meant, I realized I still didn’t know much about slimes.

Information was always important, I felt.

I should have learned a bit more about slimes when I had gone out, but since going out wasn’t hard, I could just make the effort again.

‘I was too distracted by the sudden events.’

From now on, it was important to gradually learn more.

So, I played with Slime1 in my hands while absently watching Mark2 and the garden.

Just watching it was so healing that I couldn’t fall asleep, and I ended up pulling an all-nighter.

“Sigh.”

As a result of staying up all night, the tomatoes had grown up to my waist. They had grown enough that it wouldn’t be surprising if they started to bloom.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t even thin out the carrots or prune the tomato plants.”

But it was perfect.

It must have been Mark2 working hard on those processes.

“Amazing, huh?”

He was truly a perfect farmer, or should I say laborer, either way, it was impressive.

If the tomatoes have grown this much, is it time to start harvesting the carrots?

Honestly, I’m not sure.

Their growth rate was so fast that it was hard to gauge compared to ordinary crops.

“Mark2, call me when it’s time to harvest the crops. Don’t do it alone.”

Gloop!

As if responding, Mark2 squirmed and was busily doing something else in the Layla field.

He had spent more time in the area where Layla was planted, and it seemed Layla required more care.

“Layla is something I need to know about.”

It was just planted.

That’s why it occupied the smallest area in the garden.

Beep beep beep! Beep beep beep!

The alarm sounded.

Originally, this was the time to wake up.

I turned off the alarm and checked the cooldown of my ability.

It was about time for it to be usable again.

“If combining Slime1 with a potion doesn’t work, then with Mark2…”

Something about merging Slime into one was intriguing.

Was it because two had become one?

After a while, the cooldown was over.

“Phew. Here goes, Slime1!”

In one hand, the potion again, and in the other, Slime1.

As I took a deep breath, suddenly water dropped from the ceiling.

“Huh?”

The moment I looked up, something fell on my face with a thud.

“What the!”

Startled, I brushed off my face and something familiar and squishy fell to the floor.

“Slime?”

Why was there slime on the ceiling?

Looking up, I saw a small crack in the dark, high ceiling through which sunlight was streaming.

“Where did you come from?”

I wondered if I had used my ability as the Slime Lord, but it had literally just dropped from the ceiling.

“Ah!”

Now that I think about it, the first slime was like that too, and the one that had multiplied suddenly the day before also appeared out of nowhere.

“This is awesome!”

A slime dungeon where one appears every day.

Since slimes could be used as labor through the commands of the slime lord, the more the better. Totally thank you.

“Wait. Stay away for a bit.”

In case the liquid synthesis was accidentally used again, I sent the slime that had fallen from the ceiling far away.

Then, feeling it was far enough, I immediately used the liquid synthesis.

[The target is inappropriate for using the ability.]

“As expected.”

The awakening ability didn’t come with detailed instructions.

It was the same for all awakeners; they had to learn the limits and exact methods of their abilities through trial and error.

“Mark2!”

Squirm?

It was fun, Slime1.

I put down the potion and picked up Mark2.

Mark2 was definitely heavier.

“Synthesis!”

[The target is inappropriate for using the ability.]

“Huh?”

What?

It clearly indicated that liquid synthesis was possible with Mark2.

“Oh, could it be.”

LV.1 with LV.1.

LV.2 with LV.2 could be synthesized?

That seemed like a plausible method.

“So then…”

I called back the slime that had fallen from the ceiling.

Upon using the liquid synthesis again,

[Slime LV.2 has been created.]

A new Mark2 was born.

“Tomorrow, then, I’ll have to try synthesizing Mark2 with the new Mark2.”

As I set down the newly created entity, it looked around and then cuddled up to me again.

“Cute, huh?”

Wait a minute.

[Slime LV.2]

Ordinary slime.

‘Liquid synthesis possible’

Ability: Poison LV.1

“Why is your ability like that?”

Prev | TOC | Next

Prev | TOC | Next

After descending from Obongsan Mountain, I rode the bus and then took the subway to my destination, all the while keeping my eyes wide open, vigilant that the bag containing the potion would not be stolen or suffer any impact.

Seoul, Yongsan.

Once famous for its electronics market, it had now transformed into a marketplace for awakened ones, resembling a general store of sorts.

Here, items from dungeons were sold wholesale, and direct transactions among the awakened ones occurred frequently.

Above all, with the artisans who had awakened their abilities starting to do business here, Yongsan had become the mecca for awakened individuals in our country.

‘I thought I would have set up a shop here too once…’

Considering my ability was in item creation, it was a natural thought.

However, unlike other creators, I could only synthesize liquids, and furthermore, the cooldown was so long that mass production was impossible. I had realized long ago that opening a shop was out of the question.

Ding-a-ling!

“Welcome! Oh? Is that Kyu-seong?”

As I opened the door, Young-seong hyung, the owner of the store, greeted me warmly.

This store had been a regular spot for me ever since I first became an awakened one, and after getting to know each other a bit, he had become a supporter who would buy my potions at a reasonable price.

“Hyung (Brother), how have you been?”

“Not bad, what about you? It’s only been a week this time?”

“Yes. And I have quite a lot this time.”

“Hmm? What’s the matter all of a sudden? Need some cash?”

Young-seong hyung, who was about 15 years older than me, always treated me like a beloved nephew.

Instead of answering, I took out all the potions from my bag and laid them out on the counter.

Eighteen in total.

They were half of the stock I had painstakingly accumulated.

Considering I had used my ability every single day for over three years, it wasn’t much, but unavoidable due to basic expenses.

“Kyu-seong, tell hyung. What’s going on?”

“Nothing much. Just thought I might run a dungeon.”

“Suddenly?”

“It’s because of a quest, you know.”

The third quest, which had been stuck for three years.

However, I hadn’t told anyone about this.

It wasn’t something to be proud of, and there was no need to bring it up for sympathy or potential disdain.

If speaking out could have solved the quest, I would have done so without a second thought about pride. But otherwise, there was no need to mention it.

Young-seong hyung might guess what my ability was about, but he didn’t know I was still stuck on the third quest.

Now, I thought maybe I could resolve it, which is why I had come to sell the stock.

“Going to be in the dungeon for a while?”

“Yes. It could be days, maybe even months.”

“Tsk. You’ve got it tough. If you need help, just tell hyung. I have quite a network, you know.”

Even though his shop was small, Young-seong hyung’s statement wasn’t just for show.

Although I didn’t need help immediately, I was grateful and bowed my head.

“Thank you, hyung. I’ll definitely take advantage of ‘hyung’s chance’ if it’s urgent.”

“Sure. Don’t hesitate to ask anytime.”

Hyung neatly arranged my potions and then went into the back room for a moment.

After a brief wait, he came out with a thick envelope.

“Here’s some money. I put in a bit extra, so don’t misunderstand and make sure you take it.”

“Hyung, you really don’t have to do this.”

“Shh, boy. We’ve known each other for three years now. Think of it as pocket money from hyung. It’s not much compared to what I’ve earned thanks to your potions.”

There was no reason to refuse the gift.

However, perhaps it was because I had been staying in dungeons and not meeting people lately, or maybe it was due to the hardships I had endured and the events of the previous day.

Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming surge of emotion.

“……Thank you.”

“Sure. You look thinner every time I see you; make sure to eat well. It would be a shame to waste such a handsome face, kid.”

As I expressed my gratitude, not wanting to show my choked-up emotions, I was about to leave the store when.

“Hey, Kyu-seong!”

“Yes?”

“Take this, too.”

Young-seong hyung suddenly appeared and thrust something into my hand. Looking down, I saw a box wrapped in cloth.

The cloth was boldly marked with the words ‘Hoengseong Hanwoo’.

“Go and grill some at home.”

“No, hyung…”

“I had some leftover. You’re not going straight home now, are you? Since you’re out after a long time, you should see your family before you go back. Take it and eat it together.”

“I’ll enjoy it, hyung.”

I did not refuse and bowed my head once more as I left the store.

The pocket of my chest holding the envelope of money and my hand carrying the meat felt especially heavy.

“This won’t be enough.”

I looked at the meat Young-seong hyung had prepared for me, smiled bitterly, and headed back to Yangju, where my family was.

* * *

“It’s been a while.”

Not far from the dungeon where I had been staying.

It seemed like almost a month since I last visited.

I could have visited more often since it was close, but I didn’t. How could I face my family when I had been stagnating for three years?

I hadn’t done anything wrong, but I still felt reluctant.

Beep! Beep-beep-beep!

Ding-dong-

“I’m here.”

As I opened the front door and entered, my mother, who had heard my voice, got up from the sofa where she was watching TV.

“Oh my, why didn’t you call before coming?”

“I’ll be heading back soon. Where’s Dad?”

“He should be back any minute now. I thought it was your dad at the door, oh, by the way, have you eaten?”

“I actually brought some meat. Are the kids out too?”

“Jae-seong will be back soon. Seon-ah went to a university MT yesterday. She’ll probably be back tomorrow.”

“Ah, she went to an MT. I envy college students.”

After dropping off my bag, I glanced around the house.

Nothing had changed at home.

It looked like an ordinary home, but I knew the family’s financial situation wasn’t great.

And I had contributed to that situation.

“How have things been lately? Are you doing well?”

“So-so.”

I replied vaguely and pulled an envelope from my pocket.

Since I had already set aside my living expenses, I handed the envelope directly to my mother.

“Mom, here. Add this to the household expenses.”

“My child, what’s all this money suddenly? That’s okay. You keep it and use it.”

The reason I could become an awakened one.

That was possible through the enormous support of my parents.

There were two ways to become an awakened one: one was natural awakening and the other was forced awakening.

‘It must have been in the hundreds of millions.’

Honestly, I don’t know the exact amount.

At that time, my father was running a business, so money was not a big issue.

But life is unpredictable.

My father’s once thriving business suddenly started to falter, and it was awkward to give up on becoming an Awakener after already having invested so much money into it. 

Faced with a difficult choice, my father ultimately chose to support me. 

‘And so I became an Awakener, only to have the ability of ‘liquid synthesis.”

He never showed it outwardly, but I’m sure my father must have been the most disappointed when he heard about my ability.

“It’s not much. But since I’m an Awakener, I’m making some money, so consider this pocket money.”

“You should invest that money in your abilities to earn more. Keep it.”

“Mom.”

“Child, I said it’s okay. Keep it and use it for yourself.”

Beep! Beep-beep-beep!

Ding-dong-

Just then, my father returned.

My younger brother Jae-seong was with him.

“Uh? Brother?”

“Kyu-seong is here.”

Jaeseong, the second child, had been working in a small restaurant since last year. Having graduated from a vocational college, he matured much earlier than either me or our youngest sister, Seon-ah, perhaps because he was sandwiched between us.

I felt a bit guilty; if it weren’t for me, he might have been able to study at a culinary school in France and become a successful chef by now.

“You’re here, Dad. Long time no see, Jae-seong.”

“What have you been doing? And what’s that?”

“I brought some money for living expenses. Dad, please take it.”

As I tried to give the envelope to my father, my mother quickly took it.

“No, he said he’s giving it to me.”

“It was supposed to be given to me originally.”

Watching my parents playfully bicker, I also gave some pocket money to Jae-seong. It was only 100,000 won, but carrying a debt of gratitude, I wanted to give him something.

“What’s this money? Keep it, brother.”

“How can you talk exactly like Mom without missing a beat? Should I just give it to Seon-ah then?”

“No, then I’ll take it.”

After some lively discussion, we had dinner together.

I couldn’t really join in the conversation, just awkwardly smiling and listening.

Maybe it was because I’d been living in dungeons for so long.

I didn’t even know what was trendy in the outside world these days, nor was I up to date with the latest news or gossip.

“When are you going back?”

While grilling the meat, I shrugged my shoulders at my father’s question.

“I have to go back right after we eat.”

“Why not take a few days off?”

“Ah, what’s the point of me taking a break? Even if I do, there’s nothing for me to do.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“……”

My father said it nonchalantly, but why did the past three years flash before my eyes?

I had not taken a single day off.

People might think I’m just slacking off since I haven’t completed the quest or made any progress, but that wasn’t the case.

I realized more each day that I wasn’t moving forward, and even in moments of inactivity, I discovered that rest was not permitted for me.

“Here, Mom will grill the meat, so wrap this up and try it. Ahh.”

“Ah, um.”

Even as I chewed the wrap my mother made, I couldn’t really taste it.

Thoughts of whether coming home was a mistake or indeed the right decision intertwined complexly.

“I enjoyed the meal.”

“We enjoyed having you. Come home more often. Isn’t it hard for us to even see our son’s face?”

My mother smiled warmly at me.

Rejecting my family’s requests to stay the night and returning to the dungeon, I felt strange.

“I’ve become sentimentally emotional for no reason.”

Would I have felt this way if I hadn’t undergone a dual awakening? I don’t think so. They say the most dangerous moment for a person stranded at sea is when land first comes into view. The sight of hope and the deceptive sense of proximity can make them jump into the sea in desperation, unable to endure even that short period.

‘I think I understand that feeling a bit.’

It’s still too early to rejoice or cry. Emotions should only be released when true success is achieved, not in ambiguous situations where it’s premature to let down your guard. Lost in these thoughts, I soon arrived at the dungeon, where the familiar scenery unfolded before me.

At the same time, Mark Two and Slime One greeted me as if they had been waiting.

Gurgle—

Gloop! Gloop!

“Did you have a good day today? Have you been working hard?”

Gurgle!

Huh? I thought the scene was familiar, but something fresh caught my eye. I first thought I was seeing things because of the slime, but upon closer inspection, there really was something fresh…

“A sprout?”

I calmed my startled heart and ran straight to the garden, feeling the slimes eagerly following behind me.

“It’s not a weed, is it?”

It wasn’t clear, but weeds usually don’t grow with such dicotyledonous leaves. No, to anyone’s eyes, this was clearly not a weed.

“Unbelievable…”

Was it because of the slime?

But could it really grow this much in just one day?

Or perhaps it was always meant to grow, and the timing just coincidentally matched with the presence of the slime?

“Wow!”

Whatever the case, the important fact was that a sprout had finally emerged. I hadn’t managed to sprout anything in the last three years, and this was the first sign of success I had cultivated.

Gloop!

As I marveled at this, Mark Two gurgled proudly beside me, as if asking for praise.

Prev | TOC | Next