TRHSOS 18

Chapter 18

Nu… na?

“Ah! Sir! There’s a human hand in the pile of herbs—!”

Startled by a sight straight out of a horror movie, I recoiled from the heap of medicinal herbs.

Just then, something wriggled inside the herbs, and a familiar child’s fluffy face popped out.

“Beka?”

Why are you coming out of there?

If things were as they should be, wasn’t Beka supposed to be in the tower?

“It hurts.”

Beka smoothed his tousled hair inside the bag.

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ asks, “Just what on earth did you dig up?”]

Sir, I’m curious about that too.

“When did you sneak into the bag?”

“You said you’d take me outside. Together.”

You definitely did say that… but nothing’s ready yet?

[Guide ‘Spirit Realm’ is on guard, saying, “An ominous life-form has entered the hot spring.”]

No way—the ominous life-form isn’t Beka, right?

I did bring him out of the magic tower, after all.

I stole a glance back at Beka.

With cheeks as plump as if he’d stuffed candy in his mouth, Beka gazed at me quietly with jewel-like eyes.

That languid look was just like a kitten waiting for its owner, making me feel as though a black tail was gently swaying behind me.

Unless cuteness itself rules the world—

There was no way such an adorable being could be ominous.

‘Spirit Realm, I need to discuss something briefly. Could you come to the dispensary for a moment?’

[Guide ‘Spirit Realm’ says, “While we’re at it, let’s drive out the ominous life-form,” and heads to the dispensary.]

This might take a while, so I should make the medicine before Spirit Realm arrives.

“Beka, don’t go anywhere—sit there quietly.”

As I rolled up my sleeves and spoke, Beka obediently nodded and climbed up to sit on the table.

The way his short limbs struggled as he climbed up was adorable.

He really is like a doll. Jiho used to be like that too.

Smiling contentedly, I turned to the Medicine Jar sir.

“Sir, I’m in a bit of a hurry, so I’ll organize the herbs later and make the antidote first.”

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ says, “I’ll open the drawer with the antidote ingredients, so add New Flesh together with them.”]

[The drawer opens by the power of ‘Medicine Jar (EX)’.]

I took out a potion filled with a transparent liquid from the drawer.

[Fairy Dew]

[Clear dew that forms every dawn in the Fairy Forest. Used as an ingredient for antidotes.]

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ says, “Only two drops of Fairy Dew are needed.”]

“Got it!”

Following the sir’s instructions, I put New Flesh into the jar and dropped in two drops of Fairy Dew.

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ swallows the herb ‘New Flesh’.]

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ swallows two drops of ‘Fairy Dew’.]

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ manufactures medicine.]

The Medicine Jar spat out a potion filled with clear liquid.

I gathered it up and held it in my hands.

[You have obtained the rare medicine ‘New Flesh Antidote’.]

[New Flesh Antidote (S)]

[Nullifies side effects that are temporary or inflicted probabilistically by detoxifying them.]

“Sir, I need two more bottles of New Flesh Solsol. Is it possible to make them at the same time?”

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ warns, “It’s not difficult for me, but if you overdo medicine-making, fatigue can build up and you may collapse, so be careful.”]

[Guide ‘Spirit Realm’ comes up to the second floor.]

Hearing that Spirit Realm was coming made me even more impatient.

What could possibly go wrong with just three bottles of potion?

I didn’t feel particularly tired either.

I brushed off the sir’s repeated warnings lightly.

“Please make them. It’s fine.”

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ agrees and says, “Add twice the amount of the same ingredients as last time.”]

For New Flesh Solsol, the ingredients were New Flesh and Solsol Powder, right?

I put two New Flesh and two handfuls of Solsol Powder into the Medicine Jar.

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ swallows the herb ‘New Flesh’. x2]

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ swallows ‘Solsol Powder’. x2]

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ manufactures medicine.]

The Medicine Jar spat out two potions in succession.

Taking out my bag, I carefully packed the two bottles inside.

[You have obtained the rare medicine ‘New Flesh Solsol’. x2]

[By diligently making medicine, you have obtained the hidden item ‘Medicine Jar’s Potion Manufacturing Manual (EX)’.]

“Wow! Sir, it says I obtained the Medicine Jar’s Potion Manufacturing Manual!”

I held out the book in my hand as if proudly showing it to the sir.

[‘Medicine Jar (EX)’ congratulates you, saying, “With that alone  you won’t envy an S-rank potion maker.”]

All that hard work making potions really paid off.

“Contractor! Just what on earth did you bring into the hot spring?”

At Spirit Realm’s shout echoing through the dispensary, I hastily shoved the manual into my bag before I could properly examine it.

Spirit Realm was staring at Beka with his mouth hanging open, unable to hide his shock.

“What do you mean what? As you can see, he’s an innocent child.”

“Do you have no eyes? How does that look innocent? That’s a face gleaming with madness!”

[Guide ‘Spirit Realm’ convulses at the killing intent of the ‘Tower Master’.]

Reading the message that popped up in the system window, I turned to look at Beka.

With a face that said he knew nothing, he clutched my collar and hid behind me.

“That chick is scary.”

How is that anywhere near emitting killing intent?

He’s trembling all over, terrified.

It seemed like the system window had malfunctioned.

“A chick?! The very root of evil!”

“Spirit Realm, ‘root of evil’ is too harsh! He’s just a kid. Beka, it’s okay. Spirit Realm must be misunderstanding something—you’re not a bad chick.”

I scolded Spirit Realm while soothing the startled Beka

“I’m not a chick!”

[‘Tower Master’ glares, saying, “Don’t get cocky when you’re not even a bite-sized snack.”]

“Eek! Look at that! Isn’t it glaring at me again and threatening me?”

Standing far away, Spirit Realm’s slender legs were shaking.

I turned to Beka again.

“I guess the chick doesn’t like me.”

Beka’s big eyes were wet with tears, as if he might burst into sobs at any moment.

So how on earth is this supposed to be threatening?

The one who’s scared is Beka!

“Spirit Realm, I’m sorry for startling you by bringing in an outsider without saying anything. But Beka is not an ominous being. I guarantee it. And of course, I’ll take full responsibility for that decision.”

“You shouldn’t make guarantees lightly! Before that, what if I end up getting eaten by that thing?”

Considering how Beka went berserk in the tower, I could understand Spirit Realm’s concern.

“Beka, Spirit Realm isn’t chicken soup. You mustn’t eat him. If you do, I’ll really get mad. Okay?”

Beka gently nodded.

“You’re lucky.”

Turning his gaze toward Spirit Realm, he murmured something softly.

“Huh?”

“I think I’m really lucky. Because I met you, I started thinking about coming outside the tower.”

Beka averted his eyes shyly, and that was more than enough to pierce my heart.

That such an angelic child had been trapped in the magic tower…

Thinking about it again made my chest ache.

Since he doesn’t have a guardian, I should take good care of him myself!

To do that, I first needed permission for Beka to stay at the hot spring.

“Spirit Realm, is there any way for an outsider to stay at the hot spring? Even temporarily would be fine.”

[Guide ‘Spirit Realm’ vows, “If an outsider who has obtained the hot spring owner’s permission buys a hot spring pass, they can stay for as long as they pay for—but I’m not telling you.”]

“That kind of method existed? It’s simpler than I thought.”

“You damn system window! Why are you saying that on your own like that?”

Spirit Realm raged at the system window’s high-handedness.

Since I’m the hot spring owner, permission was essentially already granted; all that was left was to buy a hot spring pass.

The moment I opened the hot spring pass sales desk, I ran straight into the biggest obstacle.

A single-use hot spring pass cost 3 million gold!

Staying for just a week would cost 21 million gold.

There’s no way a kid would have that kind of money.

“Spirit Realm, isn’t there some kind of child discount for hot spring passes? Charging a child 3 million gold per visit is way too much.”

“Who are you calling a child? He may look like that, but inside—!”

[Guide ‘Spirit Realm’ enters a silence state for 1 minute due to an unknown force.]

“Spirit Realm, what’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

What’s with this “unknown force” now?

Spirit Realm seemed to have given up entirely, unable even to use the system window.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. I didn’t have the authority to change the pass price, and the 90 million gold I had was an advance paid under the condition of 30 days’ use, so I couldn’t spend it freely.

“Beka, I’m sorry, but the pass is too expensive. Could we do it so that I invite you next time, when I have more money?”

Since I wasn’t exactly in a position to casually hand over tens of millions of gold, I planned to persuade Beka and send him back.

“What do you think?”

“Huh?”

“Are you giving me permission to enter the hot spring?”

As Beka asked, a window appeared before my eyes.

[‘Tower Master’ wishes to enter the hot spring (EX). Do you agree?]

[※Warning: Once agreed to, this decision cannot be revoked.]

“Of course I agree!”

[‘Tower Master’ obtains the ‘Hot Spring Owner’’s consent.]

[The ‘Hot Spring Pass Sales Desk’ is opened to the ‘Tower Master’.]

“Beka, as you can see, the pass is way too expensive, so—”

[‘Tower Master’ has purchased a 30-day hot spring pass at the ‘Hot Spring Pass Sales Desk’. Pass cost: 30 million gold.]

[‘Tower Master’ has purchased a 30-day hot spring pass at the ‘Hot Spring Pass Sales Desk’. Pass cost: 30 million gold.]

[‘Tower Master’ has purchased a 30-day hot spring pass at the ‘Hot Spring Pass Sales Desk’. Pass cost: 30 million gold.]

Huh? Just how many did he buy?

“Beka, where did you get that kind of money?”

“I had it from the moment I was born.”

So, Beka’s a silver spoon.

Not something a commoner like me needed to worry about.

“That’s a relief. Now Beka can stay at the hot spring.”

“I suppose it can’t be helped. Since it’s your decision, keep a close watch so he doesn’t cause any trouble for the hot spring, Contractor.”

Spirit Realm, freed from silence, grumbled as he stood up.

“Leave it to me! And here—this is the antidote. Pass it on to Haeryeong.”

“Oh? So you’ve earned the old potion geezer’s approval? Not bad. I’ll make sure it’s delivered properly.”

After receiving the antidote, Spirit Realm snorted “Hmph!” at Beka and left the dispensary.

“Beka, Spirit Realm is just shy around strangers. Don’t worry too much about it.”

“I don’t care what a bite-sized—no, a chick thinks.”

Judging by his indifferent expression, Beka didn’t seem particularly interested in Spirit Realm.

“That’s good, then.”

“There’s something I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

“What does ‘shiX’ mean?”

At the sudden crude word, I froze like a stone.

So he must have heard the password I shouted when returning to the hot spring…

“Beka, well, you see, shiX is—”

I was breaking out in a cold sweat, trying to fix this, when—

[The password matches that of the ‘Hot Spring Master Key (EX)’.]

[Leaving the hidden field ‘Hot Spring (EX)’.]

Nice!

Once again, the Master Key activated at just the right timing, returning us home.

Even so, how was I supposed to explain the crisp feel of “shiX” to a child?

As I sighed in relief in front of the door, my eyes met Jiho’s, who was in the living room.

“Nu… na?”

ShiX.