Chapter 179 – Everything Ripens (2)

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

Elixir.

A secret herb that has ripened as much as it can is called an elixir.

Naturally, the value of an elixir is beyond imagination.

No, would it be more correct to say it’s unmeasurable.

Because originally, an elixir has never been submitted to any auction house in Arcana.

Since ancient times, high-ranking people devote their utmost sincerity to preserving their own body.

According to texts related to secret herbs, from the days of ancient kingdoms, kings and nobles were frantic to find elixirs.

『According to what is known, the human who consumed the most elixirs was ‘Iron Arm Urus’. Born with a naturally weak constitution, he took an elixir to survive, then realized the true value of elixirs…….』

Later handing over his vast count territory in exchange for an elixir.

An old tale of him eventually becoming a wandering ruined noble…….

Every old tale has a moral.

Reading that passage, I also nodded my head.

Thinking, this is why drug addiction is dangerous.

But to think I would covet such an elixir!

The reason I need an elixir is simple.

I recalled the effects of a secret herb.

‘No matter how precious a secret herb is, a stat increase is the end of it.’

Even the Pensive Mistletoe I acquired from the [Predator’s Swamp] where I made a contract with Hiel was like that. However, the effect of an elixir wasn’t just at that level.

‘Such a change won’t happen just from a few stat points rising. Never.’

Because I could be certain that it was impossible.

Isn’t there definite proof?

Whether stats increase or not.

The overwhelming physical training class quest every day.

『Urus’s rapid change was at a level unexplainable both at the time, and now as I write this book. The man who lacked even the grip strength to properly hold a sword smashed the capital’s gate with his fist…….』

Is it because of that?

At the end of the book, it was written like this.

『It is passed down that the majority of secret herbs that rooted and grew for a long enough period to be called elixirs had already disappeared from the Arcana continent around the time of the ancient kingdoms…….』

Anyway, if it’s good for the body.

Unable to resist it is universal across the world.

But who am I?

The owner of the [Pure Pentagram of Knowledge].

Am I not the one who inherently has knowledge of all plants on the Arcana continent? That means the knowledge of the immensely precious ‘elixir’ also exists in my head……!

That was right.

What I was watering right now were all secret herbs with the potential to grow into elixirs.

Someone might ask.

Wait, aren’t secret herbs alone precious bodies.

Where did you get and plant such secret herbs.

I will confidently answer.

As expected, it was a good idea to be petty.

[Map Communicating with All Things]

[Rank: Epic]

[Restriction: None]

[Effect: You can know the location of something secretly hidden by someone, lost by someone, or hidden somewhere. Also, you can teleport to the location of something exactly once.

Note, all effects are immediately lost upon activating the teleportation effect.]

[Description: A magic tool with endless possibilities depending on how it’s used.]

A situation where I had no choice but to teleport to the Arcana continent to save Marcelo’s life.

Unlike the upright Granfel who doesn’t cling to material possessions.

I, Lee Ho-yeol, couldn’t give up my greed for materials.

Just like the [Hexagram Brooch], I figured out the locations of items that I might potentially use later on in advance.

-“An elixir. It is meaningless to me.”

I have a memory of muttering like that but…….

You endured Granfel’s interference well, Ho-yeol.

Because this pettiness might just save me.

Thanks to the [Pure Pentagram of Knowledge], I could distinguish which elixirs would become medicine or poison for me. The elixirs sorted out like that were two.

Perennial Snow Flower.

Scorching Sunflower.

Circle was the level of a mage.

Naturally, to activate a Circle, I had to raise my meager magical ability.

There would be various methods for that but. For now, I chose the easiest shortcut among them.

‘The other paths are too much for me.’

How could I achieve something even Marcelo couldn’t?

Even if I did, the time invested would be considerable.

I’d like to politely decline hearing this heartbeat until then.

「Perennial Snow Flower that increases Ice Magic affinity.

Scorching Sunflower that possesses the exact opposite property, increasing Fire Magic affinity.」

I planned to consume both of these precious elixirs.

No, I have to.

Because otherwise I’ll bid farewell to the world due to side effects.

As can be seen from Urus’s anecdote.

A considerable aura is dormant in an elixir.

If you consume such an elixir without warning?

Naturally, the body cannot accept it.

『Urus consumed his first elixir and fainted just like that. He only opened his eyes exactly a month later. Even that was thanks to his congenitally weak body not clashing with the elixir’s efficacy.』

Someone might have had a doubt.

If an elixir has such great effects.

Shouldn’t all consumers of elixirs have left their names in history?

The reason they couldn’t is simple.

Because the majority consumed elixirs and died from side effects!

“Neither cold nor heat can affect me.”

A padded jacket in the middle of winter.

An etiquette that doesn’t even let me drape a short-sleeve shirt in the middle of summer.

But this isn’t just at the level of cold or heat. Granfel.

‘I’d suffer from side effects even if I just consume an ordinary one.’

Clank

I was in a state where I even clamped a shackle called a Circle to my heart.

So there’s only one method.

Consuming the Perennial Snow Flower and Scorching Sunflower simultaneously. Neutralizing their effects was the only way to raise magical ability without side effects.

Swoosh

I set a goal to consume two of these incredibly precious elixirs.

Yet what I’m doing is just watering a vegetable garden with a watering can.

Someone seeing this might misunderstand, asking if I’m growing lettuce or something.

But, this might look like this, but this is no simple vegetable garden.

-“Here is the requested research project!”

Experienced Mage, Klet.

Indeed, as much as she received a pass from Granfel.

Klet’s 『How to cultivate secret herbs』 had achieved quite a lot of development in a short time.

-“Maintaining the optimal environment for secret herbs to grow with Healing Magic……. An interesting idea. Setting aside magic power efficiency, it is worthy of praise.”

Secret herbs grow in demanding environments.

To put it in Arcana system terms…….

Should I explain it as receiving a debuff if it’s not a specific environment?

Klet’s cultivation method focused not on matching the environment but on removing the debuff.

‘Of course, it takes an absurd amount of magic power though.’

It is Healing Magic that consumes an extreme amount of magic power to begin with.

To manifest such Healing Magic on mere plants?

That was the reason Klet’s research hadn’t seen the light until now.

But I didn’t care.

Because I had something I believed in…….

No, not exactly believed in, but.

I had an ‘aspect I could use’.

So in the vegetable garden,

I planted plenty of secret herbs that could grow into Perennial Snow Flowers and Scorching Sunflowers.

If I even sprinkle water containing Hiel’s blessing on top of this…….

Shouldn’t I be able to look forward to it a little?

In that sense, even just to meet Hiel.

I guess I should enter a rift tomorrow.

I leisurely blathered.

“How fresh.”

Water droplets forming on the secret herbs.

Tending a vegetable garden must look incredibly peaceful from others’ eyes. However, for me, the person involved, it was the moment a vacation I couldn’t enjoy even a little began…….

“Indeed, there is no masterpiece greater than nature.”

……Likewise, I can’t even enjoy this damn talking to myself either.

*

What was the reason for the sudden rest?

“I’m telling you it must be because of a quest.”

Yoon Jong-jin raised his voice after a long time.

The [Count Ascura’s Citadel] rift, where Lee Ho-yeol first expressed his presence to the world.

Wasn’t Yoon Jong-jin the one who watched Ho-yeol’s first steps?

“It’s that relentless Lee Ho-yeol! The Lee Ho-yeol who wandered around the snowy mountains of Siberia without even draping a padded jacket! Such a relentless human suddenly stopping all activities to rest? That makes no sense!”

Move aside.

It’s the limit of my patience.

The cold voice was still clear in Yoon Jong-jin’s ears.

Due to Yoon Jong-jin’s strong insistence, Hyun Yong-seok eventually raised a white flag.

“So, what you’re saying is, you’re going to wait at the Mage Tower portal?”

“That’s right. To carry out a quest, he has to enter a rift anyway. The players will catch sight of it, and I’ll just take the portal and bam!”

“Sure, do whatever you want. It’s nice to see you motivated.”

He must have made an indifferent expression for sure…….

Yoon Jong-jin wanted to land a blow on Hyun Yong-seok.

Today’s Arcana.

I have a sense as a main camera director, you know.

Yoon Jong-jin spoke to Writer Kim, who came along as a set.

“I’m pretty good at reading faces. My aunt is a shaman, maybe that’s why I have a bit of a divine feeling. Our Ho-yeol-ssi’s physiognomy is absolutely not one that can rest.”

……Then, how fierce is my face that I got dragged all the way here?

Writer Kim had a lot to say, but she held it back firmly.

And roughly played along.

Chatter chatter.

“In that sense, PD Yong’s face is quite a spectacle…….”

It was the moment Yoon Jong-jin was continuing his chatter.

Writer Kim, who had been looking into her smartphone, flinched.

Then she abruptly stood up from her seat.

“Director, camera! Grab the camera!”

“H-he appeared! I knew it!”

Yoon Jong-jin hurriedly packed his equipment.

He folded the tripod and diligently followed behind Writer Kim.

Anywhere was welcome as long as it wasn’t Russia.

“So which rift is it?”

“Rift? It’s not a rift, though?”

“Huh? It’s not a rift?”

“It’s the Yusra Kingdom.”

……Ah, is that so!

So it’s a quest starting in the Yusra Kingdom.

The possibility was sufficient.

Wasn’t the Yusra Kingdom an ancient kingdom to begin with?

If it’s an intertwined bait, the quests would be endless.

However, Yoon Jong-jin’s Introduction to Physiognomy.

“Wh-what’s this? Is this photoshopped?!”

The moment Writer Kim shoved her smartphone in Yoon Jong-jin’s face.

It was brutally shattered.

The photo popped up on the screen.

Because there, in his usual aloof posture,

Was Ho-yeol, for some reason, tending to a flower garden.

Yoon Jong-jin made a despondent expression.

“……No, but his physiognomy isn’t that kind of physiognomy?”

“Director, stop going on about physiognomy and get the camera!”

“Camera? You want to go film this?”

Push

Writer Kim pushed up her glasses and her eyes sparkled.

Because Writer Kim also had a sense.

“Lee Ho-yeol tending a flower garden. There will definitely be a demographic demanding that too. First of all, it’s refreshing! More than anything, if you don’t want to hear bitter words from PD Yong…….”

……Oops.

There was no time to agonize over it.

Didn’t he confidently talk big?

Yoon Jong-jin immediately picked up his tripod and started running.

“It’s towards the Golden Palace’s separate room, right? I’ll go ahead first!”

.

.

.

Consequentially, Writer Kim’s sense was right.

[Viewership Rating: 21.7%]

The sight of Ho-yeol leisurely tending a flower garden.

Because it was a scene no one had ever witnessed.

At the same time, it stirred up a small reverberation.

-How exhausted must he have been all this time to suddenly start growing flowers

-FR stop bothering him

-But what flower is that???

-Stop being curious about that too!!

Lee Ho-yeol.

He might have really, simply, just wanted to rest.

As such public opinion became mainstream, Ho-yeol’s past actions began to receive renewed attention.

-It was just a killer schedule;;;

-On top of that, think about Lee Ho-yeol’s level

-Right, he’s at least level 900

-To achieve that level means he was constantly doing something where we couldn’t see, right? I’m a player too but I really respect him…….

Of course, the world isn’t lived only by those holding pride.

As someone said.

If there is light, there is bound to be shadows too.

It means there are people who harbor ulterior motives even when looking at the same thing.

The dark Yusra Kingdom, the Golden Palace.

Two shadows were buried in the darkness.

Skill, [Stealth] activated.

The two shadows secretly whispered.

“Kinber, that bastard said he’s backing out? Really?”

Supernova, Kinber.

I’ve matched pace with other players several times, but there was no other player as certain and cruel as him. More than anything, Kinber didn’t run away from a job.

“His face turned pale.”

“……Kinber’s face turned pale? Are you sure you explained it properly?”

“I’m not a retard, would I have explained the job wrong? I explained it clearly. We’re not killing or attacking anyone. We’re just sneaking it out.”

It wasn’t even suggesting infiltrating the Golden Palace where guards are glaring with glaring eyes, it was just plucking a few roots of flowers in the vegetable garden.

Who would dare even contemplate it?

Robbing the flower garden of the world-renowned Lee Ho-yeol.

But if they only manage to do it.

There wouldn’t be players in the underworld doubting their courage.

“It means it’s a chance to raise our ransom.”

The two players aimed for that and infiltrated the Golden Palace’s separate room.

“……But why did that bastard back out?”

Considering Kinber’s proficiency with the [Stealth] skill, no one would be able to discover him in this kind of darkness.

But as soon as Lee Ho-yeol’s name came out, Kinber left as if he heard something he shouldn’t have.

“Well, enough talk about that coward bastard.”

Anyway, it seems Lee Ho-yeol also didn’t think there’d be guys robbing his flower garden.

Not a single guard could be seen.

As expected, it was a good idea to seek it out.

“By the way, he seemed to cherish it tenderly, right?”

“Could it be a precious item perhaps?”

“……Hmm, how precious can a bunch of weeds be.”

Sssik

It was the moment the two shadows approached the flower garden.

Shudder!

“!!”

In an instant, goosebumps broke out all over their bodies.

Eyes shining intensely in the dark.

A message popped up before the eyes of the two men.

[Fear breaks out.]

[Skill, ‘Stealth’ is released.]

Not stopping at the extreme sense of fear forcibly canceling stealth.

Clang!

It even made them drop the weapons they were holding on the floor.

Soon, a massive presence revealing itself in the dark.

The faces of the two men who realized its true identity contorted mercilessly.

……Why on earth?

A legendary existence comparable to a dragon.

The monster that completely smashed Rockeed, a member of the Shadow Mercenaries.

Meaning an elf is guarding Lee Ho-yeol’s flower garden!!