Chapter 78 – Efficacy of the Peanuts

At Hee-na’s question, HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun, who was standing behind the Guild Leader, suddenly opened his mouth.

“I will explain this part instead.”

“Yes, HR Team Leader.”

“The peanuts you brought, Team Leader Lee, have different efficacy from typical peanuts. In the case of raw peanuts, we confirmed that satiety rises considerably when consumed. In fact, a description stating that satiety rises popped up on the status window.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Hee-na suddenly recalled the memory of the day she had eaten a lot of raw peanuts.

A window stating the gist that her satiety had risen had popped up. Since she had eaten enough to be full, she had thought it was natural for the status window to appear and dismissed it indifferently.

“But what does that have to do with…?”

“There are not many consumables that exert a valid influence on an awakened person’s body. At best, we can say potions are about all there is.”

Potions were medicines used to increase health, stamina, mana, or to heal wounds.

For reference, they were very expensive because they had to be crafted directly by an alchemist or procured directly from dungeons.

HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun was comparing the peanuts grown by Hee-won to such potions.

“The system reacting means that it has a definite impact on the awakened person’s body that much. It resolves hunger and provides considerable satiety. Furthermore, the roasted peanuts placed in the lounge… did you say you roasted these yourself, Hee-na-ssi? This provides six hours’ worth of calories in a single peanut. During that time, you won’t feel hungry, nor will you lack energy. It possesses the optimal conditions as portable rations. It has a small volume, sufficient calories, and even resolves the hunger issue, doesn’t it? It is natural that the quick-witted Hunters flocked to Hee-na-ssi. Also…”

While explaining, a few peanuts suddenly appeared on Kang Mok-hyun’s hand.

“Oh?”

“…Like this, it can be stored in the inventory window. If it were an ordinary crop, it would be absolutely impossible.”

The only things that could enter the inventory window were items containing dungeon byproducts.

Therefore, in the case of food made outside dungeons, it could not be stored in the inventory and had to be kept separately.

“A status description window stating it is a Grade B Peanut also pops up.”

“Gasp.”

Entering the inventory, and even having a description window pop up.

The blunder was that she had never examined it closely because she naturally thought it was a normal crop. Since the system description window only popped up when the user wanted to check.

‘Ugh… This must be because it’s a peanut grown in dungeon soil.’

Hee-na thought up to here, and then quickly gasped, checking the Guild Leader’s expression.

Because the fact that they were farming in dungeon soil and how they entered dungeons to do so were all secrets.

Terribly flustered, Hee-na rolled her eyes here and there. It could be called the crisis of her life. The Guild Leader, noticing her gaze shaking like a leaf, chuckled.

“As long as Team Leader Lee Hee-na remains on my side, your secret will be kept. I won’t dig into the secret any further either… Let me say it once again, I’m quite tight-lipped.”

Her tone was very significant.

Although she would never betray the Guild Leader of the Blue Dragon Guild in the first place, Hee-na promised in her heart to stand on the Blue Dragon Guild’s side forever.

‘I think I know how she held down the prominent Hunters and built the best guild in South Korea.’

She let out a deep sigh at the unknown pressure. Guild Leader Kim Kyu-hee was an opponent too difficult for an ordinary person like Hee-na to handle. This was even more so the more she got to know her.

As if trying to refresh the mood, the Guild Leader clapped her hands.

“Anyway. So what I mean is that our Blue Dragon Guild wants to purchase Team Leader Lee’s peanuts. Of course, we’ve only confirmed the possibility as a replacement food, and we still need to verify a few other things… but the value of these peanuts is sufficient.”

As soon as the Guild Leader finished speaking, HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun immediately chimed in.

“Trading with our guild will be much safer than trading person-to-person. If rumors spread about the peanuts grown by your brother, Team Leader Lee, the situation might get a little complicated. It could flow in a good direction, but you would also bear a corresponding risk.”

He subtly stimulated Hee-na’s anxiety. It was not a wrong statement.

Hee-na had heard stories until her ears were practically calloused from Woo Min-ah about what kind of problems could arise when a weak person possessed a unique and useful skill.

That was nagging about Hee-na’s ‘Home Sweet Home’ skill, but it could also apply to Hee-won’s Farmer skill.

‘If rumors spread wrongly, he might be kidnapped and forced to farm peanuts like a serf.’

“If you work with our guild, we will take clean measures to ensure no uncomfortable situations occur for Team Leader Lee and your brother. We have already blocked and deleted all peanut-related information that spread on the company intranet.”

HR Team Leader Kang Mok-hyun pinpointed and eased Hee-na’s worries.

On top of that, she really liked the fact that they had taken measures in advance to prevent the rumor from spreading further before coming to meet Hee-na.

‘Of course, they probably didn’t just have such good intentions.’

Hee-na was not entirely naive either.

The Blue Dragon Guild acting this way was probably not out of 100% goodwill.

Didn’t they act this way because they recognized the high value of the peanuts harvested by Hee-won and wanted to monopolize the information and quantity? If price competition was introduced, it was clear that the value would be considerable.

Since Hee-na was also human, greed surged momentarily, but her bold plan quickly died down.

‘Being safe is the best.’

In fact, if it hadn’t been an excessive harvest, she wouldn’t have thought about selling the crops outside.

No matter how high the value was, it was merely peanuts. She did not want to be put in a complicated and dangerous situation because of peanuts.

Hee-na already had three houses, no, to be exact, four houses, and was receiving a salary and incentives that were more than enough to save.

Now, all that was needed was the family’s health and well-being.

She didn’t want to break the safety of her family, which was the most important thing, just to earn a few more pennies.

‘As long as Jin-hyun-ssi remains in the Blue Dragon Guild, my connection with this place won’t be severed, so signing the second contract with the Blue Dragon Guild won’t be bad either.’

Guild Leader Kim Kyu-hee, who was looking into Hee-na’s eyes, smiled broadly. She had read the conclusion Hee-na had reached in her mind.

“Team Leader Lee, you thought well. As long as our guild takes responsibility, there won’t be any threats to the safety of Team Leader Lee and your family.”

And as the atmosphere felt like she would tell her to bring the contract and stamp her thumbprint right away, Hee-na hurriedly added.

“But although I agree for now, I don’t know what my brother will think. Can I discuss it with my brother first and have a detailed discussion later?”

At any rate, the will of the producer, Hee-won, was the most important thing.

“Of course. By all means.”

The Guild Leader office was always open.

“Don’t worry, we will pay a generous price so that neither side has any regrets. Once you make up your mind, come visit with your brother. The Guild Leader’s office is always open.”

As she whispered with a smile in her eyes, Hee-na had no choice but to nod.

* * *

Hee-na returned home in a hurry and explained the details. She did not forget to blame Hee-won as well.

“No, if you are a Farmer in name, shouldn’t you know what kind of peanuts you grew?”

“No wonder you had no appetite for several days. But how was I supposed to know? That the peanut’s efficacy was like this.”

“You even did Hunter life, and you didn’t notice, Oppa? If you had examined the harvested peanuts a bit more closely, you would have already…”

“You also never expected it to have this kind of efficacy. Would I have been any different?”

At Hee-na’s nagging, Hee-won scratched his head.

“I was just in a good mood since it was the first harvest. I didn’t think beyond that…”

“Anyway, so carefree!”

“A good thing is a good thing.”

Although Hee-won was originally a bit blunt in personality, somehow he seemed to have become more carefree since farming.

Was it because all his interest was drawn to the soil and plants?

“So what are you going to do from now on, Oppa?”

“Well, for me, they say they will buy what I grew at a good price, so it’s not bad. In fact, I was worried I might have to go to a direct sales market if you couldn’t sell all of this.”

“Instead of supplying it to the Blue Dragon Guild, if you sell it on the Hunter Market, it could become bigger money. Although I don’t really want it because it seems dangerous… since it’s what you grew, I think it’s right that you make the final decision, Oppa.”

Hee-na spoke her mind honestly. While she felt comfortable and safe in her current state, Hee-won’s thoughts might be different.

‘Oppa might also want to expand his wealth.’

For the past ten years, the one who supported Hee-na’s household was mostly Hee-won. Therefore, Hee-na considered the money she earned as joint property.

‘Since I lived on the money Oppa struggled to earn all this time, now it’s my turn to support Oppa.’

But Hee-won, who was in a position to be supported by Hee-na, might feel it as a burden.

“No. Why sell the items in such a bothersome way? Supplying directly to the Blue Dragon Guild seems the most convenient.”

Fortunately, Hee-won’s laziness seemed greater than his desire to earn money. Since his mind was entirely focused on dungeon farming, he did not want to start other things.

“Since we are signing a contract anyway, can’t we do it on the condition of supplying other crops too?”

It seemed he intended to lump even future production items together and hand them over.

At her brother’s suggestion, Hee-na fell into deep thought.

“Indeed. There’s no rule that only the peanuts Oppa grew are special. Other crops might also possess unique efficacies.”

The Homemaker of the Dungeon