Chapter 05
I Found It!
[Constellations whose consumer desires have increased are making a huge fuss, saying they want to go to a hot spring.]
Being a hot spring owner was a lifetime job, and if 90 million gold a month was guaranteed, the income was better than that of most S-rank Hunters.
I’d only dreamed about it, but it was actually happening!
Who cared if I was F-rank?
As long as I made good money, that was all that mattered.
Just thinking about walking down a flower-strewn path from now on made the corners of my mouth lift on their own.
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ asks me, “Do you believe in fortune?”]
‘Isn’t this the classic “Do you believe in the Dao?” scam?’
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ emphasizes that it’s not “Dao,” but “fortune.”]
It seemed my private thoughts had been heard all the way over there.
Come to think of it, ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ had already correctly guessed that I had terrible luck with my hands.
Since they already had a track record of getting things right about me, I felt a strange sense of trust.
‘Why are you asking? I don’t have any money.’
For now, I moved to protect my wallet.
You usually don’t realize you’re being scammed while it’s happening, so there was no harm in being cautious.
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ waves their hand as if telling me to put my wallet away, saying, “You’re so beautiful, boss, that I just wanted to read your fortune. I don’t need money.”]
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ smiles slyly and swishes their tail, saying, “It’s more accurate if I read palm lines too—may I hold your hand for a moment?”]
Why on earth were they swishing their tail just to read my fortune?
[The constellation ‘The Undying Slayer’ draws their sword and emits killing intent, saying, “If the new owner runs away because you make them uncomfortable, I won’t let it slide.”]
[The constellation ‘Yama of the Underworld’ steps forward, saying, “In that case, I’ll gladly lend you the Book of the Dead.”]
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ tearfully says, “I only wanted to read their fortune purely.”]
‘I’m not particularly uncomfortable, though.’
It was just baffling to experience a constellation’s tail-flirting for the first time. Thanks to years of living closely with Park Si-woo and Ji-ho—both considered flower boys—I’d long since built resistance to attention from the opposite sex.
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ puffs up proudly at my words and says, “Impure thoughts exist only in your hearts.”]
[The constellation ‘The Undying Slayer’ warns, “Don’t be fooled by that innocent face—it’s a fox with nine tails inside.”]
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ puts on an innocent expression and says, “Fortune doesn’t know anything like that.”]
Even though we hadn’t met yet, I could strongly sense the scent of a FOX coming from Fortune.
Suddenly, ‘The Undying Slayer’s’ words felt very credible.
I decided to take his warning to heart.
Still, curiosity was curiosity.
‘So what’s my fortune like? Let’s hear it.’
If they were a constellation using an EX-rank hot spring, their skills were basically certified.
I decided to have the constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ read my future.
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ says, “I think I need to meet you and look at your palm first.”]
‘My palm?’
As I was wondering how I should show my hand—
[The constellation ‘The Undying Slayer’ draws their sword.]
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ hurriedly changes their words, saying, “On second thought, that’s not strictly necessary.”]
Seriously… so reading my palm wasn’t actually necessary?
If it hadn’t been for ‘The Undying Slayer,’ I would’ve believed that outright.
My suspicion toward ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ skyrocketed.
Forget it. I’m not getting my fortune read.’
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ smiles slyly and says, “It was just a joke—please give me one more chance.”]
Well, it was free… maybe I should hear it once?
Curious about my future, I decided to give ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ a chance at redemption.
‘Do it properly.’
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ tosses old coins onto the table and tells my fortune.]
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ looks at the coins that fell to the ground and laments, saying, “A plunge into the abyss.”]
‘Not a future full of flowers… but the abyss?’
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ smiles reassuringly and says, “That doesn’t mean it’s completely the abyss.”]
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ tells me, “A fate of wealth and death will come to you at the same time.”]
‘What’s the point of wealth if I die? It’s completely useless then.’
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ says, “We want to enjoy the hot springs, so please stay alive and run them if you can.”]
To them, I seemed to be nothing more and nothing less than a hot spring owner.
Thinking of me simply as a source of money was clean and simple, which was fine—but that fortune just now felt a bit unsettling.
Well, fortunes weren’t guaranteed to be accurate.
Deciding there was nothing more to gain from them, I stepped into the hot spring.
[The hidden field ‘Parched Hot Spring (EX)’ reveals its magnificent form.]
“Wow… it’s really huge.”
I’d thought it was big just from the outside, but seeing it from inside was far more overwhelming than expected.
On the first floor, even though there were several entrances leading to what looked like hot spring baths, the space between entrances was wide.
And there was a separate second floor.
It truly lived up to its EX-rank status.
Was this the hot spring that would share my flower-strewn path and the rest of my life?
“First, change your clothes.”
Yeonggye handed me a set of modified hanbok that looked convenient for working while moving a small body.
I was about to take it without much thought when—
“There’s no need.”
A strange man’s voice came from behind.
When I turned around, a beautiful man with mysterious silver hair like woven silver threads and blue eyes as clear as a tranquil lake strode toward me, his sea-colored robe fluttering.
A refreshing appearance, like he’d star in a blue sports drink commercial.
That was my first impression of him.
Were constellations EX-rank in looks too?
It was a face that made Park Si-woo and Ji-ho look ordinary—something I’d never seen in my life.
As the man lowered his body toward me, the earring hanging below his ear swayed gently.
“You’ll be leaving soon anyway.”
His cold, sea-colored eyes fixed on me.
Despite his flower-like appearance, the words coming from his mouth were anything but gentle.
That dissatisfied tone…
I didn’t even need to ask who he was.
“You’re the ruler of this hot spring, right?”
“There’s no need for you to know that. As I said, you’ll be walking out of here on your own feet before long.”
Looking at him, something made me curious.
‘Did he eat manners for breakfast?’
“I can hear that.”
‘I said it so you would.’
I could hear the sound of him grinding his teeth in irritation.
“Let’s see how long you can stay relaxed.”
The moment he finished speaking, a window appeared before my eyes.
[(Mandatory!) The first step to becoming a hot spring owner—revive the Parched Hot Spring!]
[Find the water vein (0/1)]
[Failure: Death]
What was this?
I hadn’t noticed because I was distracted by the building’s grandeur, but when I came to my senses and looked around, the ground was dry and barren everywhere.
“No matter what, isn’t this too much?! Telling an F-rank with nothing to their name to suddenly find a water vein!”
“You’re right. Finding a water vein with nothing is impossible.”
[You have obtained ‘Ordinary Pickaxe (F)’ from the constellation ‘Ruler of the Hot Spring’.]
The man placed a pickaxe into my hands.
[Ordinary Pickaxe (F)]
[A pickaxe that is ordinary, just as its name suggests.]
What?
What kind of half-hearted description was that?
‘You’re telling me to find a water vein with just a completely ordinary pickaxe?’
[The constellation ‘The Undying Slayer’ protests, saying, “It’s too harsh a condition for a hot spring that’s just sitting unused anyway.”]
[The constellation ‘Yama of the Underworld’ mutters that his prickliness is “at the level of a hedgehog” and smokes his pipe in frustration.]
[The constellation ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ snaps, saying, “Don’t insult hedgehogs.”]
Quiet. If it’s a parched hot spring, opening it would be meaningless anyway.
Responding coldly to the constellations’ protests, the man sprawled lazily on the wooden floor like a languid cat and watched me.
Failure equals death—wasn’t that way too extreme?!
At that moment, the fortune ‘Do You Believe in Fortune?’ had told me came to mind.
‘A fate of wealth and death at the same time.’
Was this what it meant—wealth and the abyss together?
If I died, what happened to my money?
“If I die, what happens to the 90 million gold I got in advance?”
“Of course, you return it.”
The moment I heard his answer, I immediately started swinging the pickaxe at the ground.
‘It’s not 9 million, it’s 90 million gold—and you expect me to give it back? No way!’
And I had absolutely no intention of dying quietly without a sound.
[The constellation ‘Ruler of the Hot Spring’ looks at you disdainfully, saying, “It’d be easier to give up, yet you choose the hard path.”]
‘I’m holding a pickaxe, you know? Want to take the road to the underworld together?’
[The constellation ‘Ruler of the Hot Spring’ senses the chill in my gaze and pretends not to notice.]
Provoked by the man, my anger boiled over, and I swung the pickaxe even harder.
[Boiling rage envelops and aids your body. You have acquired the skill ‘Furious Pickaxe Swing’.]
[With the acquisition of the skill ‘Furious Pickaxe Swing,’ the Luck stat has been unlocked. Luck increases by +10.]
Then it happened. A drop of water fell squarely onto my face.
“Is it raining?”
Since I was in an open-air bath, the ceiling was open, and I could see the sky.
But it didn’t look like it was raining.
Then where did this drop of water come from?
[You have discovered a water vein. Hot spring water will soon burst forth. Time remaining: 3 seconds.]
I really found a water vein?
“I found it!”
I shouted loudly, throwing both arms into the air—
Right up until I saw the warning message.
[※ Warning: You may die if swept away.]
Wait, hold on.
[Time remaining: 2 seconds.]
At least give me time to run!
[Time remaining: 1 second.]
[Time remaining: 0 seconds.]
[Hot spring water erupts violently.]
