49 – Business #2
When the potion cap was opened, an unpleasant smell permeated the air. A scent of night flowers that any man would recognize.
The wrinkled smell furrowed his brow, filling the inn room.
“I actually used night flower extract.”
It was shocking. He had consumed that foul-smelling medicine.
“I’m not forcing you. It’s your decision. We don’t know if it will have any effect.”
“….”
Alchemist Anna’s explanation was very simple. It was easy to understand.
1. Applying heat to wood can create fire. (Night flower extract + various ingredients = 5% suppressant)
2. So, if we put the paper made from wood into the condition, can’t we create fire? (Essence + various ingredients = ?% suppressant)
3. Let’s test it.
It was a similar logical development, a desire to prove a new recipe. It wasn’t difficult to understand.
“Let’s give it a try.”
“You mean you’ll provide the ingredients?”
Anna’s expression brightened. She revealed her anticipation that she could produce it according to the recipe she had come up with.
* * *
Fubuki watched Suu. He obediently followed Ray’s orders.
Though it was called surveillance, Fubuki’s presence didn’t hold any meaning.
He couldn’t even properly stop Suu if she went out of control. What was the point of this?
Soo held her breath, waiting for the two of them to return, breathing heavily.
At first, she could bear it. Even if she couldn’t see Ray, she didn’t lose her composure.
“Ray is mine… He’s mine….”
It became increasingly difficult. Anna’s gaze towards Ray, filled with desire and obsession, caused all sorts of delusions.
Her legs trembled. Her nails dug into the tightly held arm, tearing the flesh and causing blood to flow.
Hoo-buki watched that scene intently. Just watching.
She didn’t even think about wiping it off.
When Soo’s blood started to pool on the floor of Anna’s workshop, Ray appeared. Ray was holding a vial in his hand.
It was the same mysterious potion as before.
If there was any difference, the color was strangely clear. There was no hint of a murky energy.
“…Soo. Try drinking this.”
Ray didn’t say much.
Will it have any effect? What if it doesn’t? Her mind was filled with various thoughts.
Among them, the most dominant was the events that had happened earlier.
The act of secretly feeding her what was expelled from her own body. She felt an immense guilt for that despicable act.
That’s why she couldn’t meet Soo’s eyes.
It’s fortunate that Soo is avoiding Ray’s gaze too. If not, Soo might have been hurt.
Pop!
Soo hastily took the potion. As she opened the lid, a scent similar to before wafted through the air.
Males found the smell unpleasant. But the nose of a male in heat perceived it as a sweet fragrance above all else.
“…I can’t believe it.”
As soon as Fubuki smelled the potion, she quickly grasped its contents. The true scent was different from that of night flowers.
Ray averted her gaze from Fubuki. She was too embarrassed to meet her eyes.
Gulp!
Suu didn’t hesitate and swallowed the potion. In a state where reason and instinct were at odds, and instinct was about to prevail, she thought that the swallowing sensation was pleasant.
As soon as the potion touched her tongue, its effect took hold, and it was possible thanks to her reason suppressing her instinct immediately.
Her yellow eyes came into focus. Her rough breathing quickly improved.
“I found it! I found it!”
Anna rejoiced. It was a useless discovery, but she felt pure pleasure in fulfilling her curiosity.
Suu regained her senses while hearing Anna’s cheer. She immediately looked up and glanced at Ray.
Ray avoided Suu’s intense gaze as if it made her uncomfortable.
“Um, wipe your lips.”
“….”
When Suu took the suppressant yesterday, she tried to wipe her lips. But for some reason, today she didn’t show any intention of wiping them.
Suu felt a sense of regret and stole a glance at her lips. She didn’t miss a single drop of the potion and licked it up.
* * *
“…Are you okay?”
“It definitely got better.”
Anna’s medicine had an effect. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, so she tried not to expect too much when administering the medicine.
It had an immediate effect. It restored Suwoo to normal.
“…I’m relieved.”
While Suwoo recovered, I suffered just as much damage.
Shock. A shock that was difficult to put into words struck the back of my head.
“They say I have to get medicine every time I go into heat.”
The medicine Anna made doesn’t eliminate heat.
It’s a suppressant. It only temporarily suppresses it.
I don’t know when the next heat will come. That timing depends on Suwoo’s lower abdomen.
It depends on what that friend decides.
“I guess I’ll have to carry medicine regularly.”
I had no choice but to enter into a cooperative relationship with Anna.
Someone who understands the story. At least she’s a close alchemist.
“Let’s talk business.”
Anna cleared the table with a cheerful smile. She quickly made a place for us to sit facing each other.
That took a while too. The floor had to be cleaned as well.
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Anna’s workshop was too messy to welcome guests. Having a conversation here…
Honestly, I wasn’t really up for it.
“Do you want to go to an inn?”
“That’s not a bad idea either.”
As Anna cleaned up, muttering and tidying up the clutter, she looked up at me when I made the suggestion.
Anna set down the flask she was carrying and straightened her back.
We had returned to the inn. It was the inn where the party was staying.
We sat facing each other at a table on the first floor.
“You’re up early.”
The landlady pretended to know. She sighed as if she were leaking air.
“So you got caught in the end. Outside.”
“…It’s not like that.”
Even if I said it wasn’t, it didn’t make a difference.
“This is…?”
“You must have had a hard time because of the party. This is my service. Eat and regain your strength.”
Even though we hadn’t placed an order, the table was filled with food. Since the meal was more plentiful than I had expected, I didn’t correct the landlady’s misunderstanding.
This is my share, my destiny that I must endure!
“Thank… you….”
Crocodile tears.
I tore into the meat. Since I was hungry, I decided to eat first.
Anna also ate hastily.
“You don’t usually go hungry, do you?”
“We’re business partners now. To tell you the truth… I’m saving money because my living expenses are tight.”
She didn’t ask any further. It meant to eat when you can, so she let Anna be.
Anna wiped the grease off her lips and emptied her plate. She just stuck her nose in it.
After a leisurely meal, they got down to business.
“There’s one thing I want. The blood of a Suyeon. Pure blood, spilled without any external stimulation.”
“…Without wounds from a knife?”
“Like the last time? You can’t artificially produce nosebleeds by picking your nose or something. It’s not very effective.”
It was simple to induce a nosebleed in Su. Just showing her his pants would make blood pour out.
Whether it was weak blood vessels near his nostrils or a lack of immunity in that area, it was just a quirk.
He mentioned the conditions of the contract.
“In return, you have to provide me with suppressants regularly.”
“Of course. We’re business partners. If you cooperate in supplying the materials, I can make as many as you need. It’s okay to come by at night like yesterday.”
“…I’m sorry about that. I lacked manners.”
“How do you want to distribute the profits?”
Anna’s question made him feel like the moment of truth had arrived. After all, the most important thing in business was profit.
Even the maze explorers divided the marcasite they mined when they finished exploring.
“Should we do 8 to 2? Or maybe 7 to 3?”
First, aim high and then make a small concession. That’s the rule of negotiation.
“Let’s do 8 to 2. We’ll be the 8, and Anna noona will be the 2.”
He ran a simulation in his head, anticipating Anna’s response and preparing the appropriate response pattern.
“7 to 3 is also fine.”
It would be a bit ambiguous to just decide on 7 to 3, so he had to put up a little resistance.
They both needed to put in effort for the supply of materials. But since Anna could do it alone, he gave her a lot of the share, 3.
This is a business proposal by Anna, but we didn’t want it.
Therefore, it’s only natural for Hoo-dalli to hold a lower percentage.
We have to be explorers. We’re already busy filling our quota of Magic Stones, and now we have to take care of Anna’s supply of ingredients.
This is not an easy task.
If you don’t like it, find another guy. Can you find a water sprite who cries tears of chili peppers?
Besides, is there even a boy who wants to show himself to a water sprite?
“No, there isn’t. Only I can do it.”
I swallowed my saliva, waiting for Anna’s reply. In my head, I kept repeating, “Up to 7 to 3 is okay.”
“It’s an advantage up to 7 to 3. Honestly, 6 to 4 doesn’t matter, but let’s aim for 7 to 3.”
Anna opened her mouth.
“Okay!”
“….”