Arrangements For Those Left Behind (1)

After parting ways at the café, Jung Il-sung and I each headed separately to Yangpyeong.

I arrived much earlier at the Yangpyeong house by car to prepare the second-floor room for the patient.

About an hour after I arrived, an ambulance pulled up in front of the house.

I quickly guided Jung Joo-ah to the second-floor room, with Jung Il-sung following behind.

Mina, curious about the sudden arrival of people, tilted her head repeatedly but didn’t pry much, instead watching me quietly.

Finding her demeanor endearing, I ruffled her hair and entered the second-floor room where Jung Joo-ah lay.

“Oh! Boss.”

“Yes. Let me examine Miss Joo-ah for a moment.”

‘Check.’

“Whew…”

Fortunately, it was a disease that could be sufficiently treated with the high-grade potions I had in the hundreds in my inventory.

If it were a curse type like Mina’s, treatment would have required considerable time and effort, but thankfully it wasn’t.

“Is it difficult?”

“Oh! No, it’s better than expected, so I sighed in relief. Let’s treat her right away.”

I replied nonchalantly to Jung Il-sung’s hesitant question and opened my inventory as if pulling something from my pocket to take out a high-grade potion.

As the potion’s grade increased, its color became closer to blue.

After inserting a syringe into a bottle filled with a liquid that looked like blue ink dissolved in water, the potion was drawn and injected into the IV connected to Joo-ah’s wrist.

“Please observe for a moment. And as stated in the contract, you must absolutely keep this a secret from everyone. If not, both Mina and Joo-ah could be in danger. Doctors might want to dissect her. Especially the government, they might pull some loyalty to the nation nonsense and do who knows what.”

“Of course!”

After a short time, a subtle blue light seemed to radiate from Joo-ah’s body, and yellow waste started to exude from her body, filling the room with a foul odor.

However, not only I but also Jung Il-sung did not turn away and continued to observe the changes occurring in Joo-ah’s body.

About ten minutes passed, and the amount of yellow waste, similar to urine, gradually decreased, and soon a flush appeared on Joo-ah’s once gaunt and rough face.

‘Confirm.’

“That’s a relief.”

“Pardon? So, then…?”

“Yes, she is healed. Please carefully wipe Joo-ah’s body with a warm towel. Do it slowly and gently. Are you still fasting for the evening? Let’s finish up and do it together.”

“Oh…! Ah!! Sniff… Thank you! Thank you!! Sob… Really, thank you so much, sir.”

Leaving behind Jung Il-sung, who started to sob, I hurriedly exited the room.

I tried to brush it off by casually bringing up dinner, but if I had stayed, he seemed ready to bow, so I escaped to the living room.

“Oppa!”

Mina, unable to hold back her curiosity, ran to me and asked about the father and daughter.

Mina, who was much shorter than her peers due to being sick during her growth spurt, looked up at me with bright eyes, clearly eager to know.

“Haha. There’s a sick little sister in that room, just like you, Mina. But I treated her illness with the medicine the masters gave, just like I did for you. So now, you should get along well with her, okay?”

“Oh! Okay! Oppa, does that mean I have a younger sister now?”

“That’s right…?”

I answered cautiously, worried she might feel neglected.

But perhaps it was needless concern. Mina’s face lit up with joy and happiness, and she started jumping with excitement.

“Wow! A younger sister! A younger sister! Wow! Wow!!”

After calming down the bouncing Mina, I finished preparing dinner. Then Jung Il-sung came out of the room, awkwardly waiting for me in the living room.

“Shall we have dinner together?”

“Pardon? Oh, yes! Thank you.”

Jung Il-sung, who sat at the table, patted Mina’s head as she looked at him curiously, and we enjoyed a pleasant dinner.

For the first time, Jung Il-sung’s face showed relief and happiness instead of a dark aura as he tasted the food.

As soon as Mina finished dinner, she tiptoed carefully into the room where Joo-ah was resting, saying she wanted to see her, while I faced Jung Il-sung.

“It will take some time to know for sure, but the strange incident you just witnessed is a process where impurities are being expelled as Joo-ah’s body recovers.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Don’t find it too difficult. You’ll have to live like family from now on, taking care of both Mina and Joo-ah. Once she recovers, she’ll need to go to school, won’t she?”

“What? Oh… thank you. Sniff…”

This man, with his massive build and sturdy face, had been crying all day.

Of course, I understood his feelings, but with my emotions dried up, I honestly found it a bit annoying.

“As I mentioned earlier, you should first take care of your own body. Here.”

I took out an intermediate potion from my inventory as if pulling it from my pocket and placed it on the table.

Jung Il-sung, who was looking at the slightly deep sky-blue potion, lifted his gaze to me in surprise.

“It’s a diluted elixir compared to what I gave Joo-ah earlier. I think it’s suitable for treating the wounds and internal injuries currently in your body. Drink it.”

“What? Oh, no…”

“Don’t hesitate, drink it right now. Oh, and once Joo-ah fully recovers, I’ll let you know, but don’t worry about a relapse because I have stored the elixir I gave Joo-ah separately. Go on?”

“Yes…”

Jung Il-sung, who had been staring at the potion with an indescribably complex expression, seemed to make up his mind and gulped it down.

Just a sip, a mere sip of the elixir, healed the scars of wounds he unknowingly accumulated throughout his life.

And perhaps sensing that something was changing within his body, he closed his eyes and savored the sensation, his face a mix of surprise and awe.

A silent moment passed, and when he opened his eyes, a glint akin to a force flashed and disappeared, much like those who possessed a certain aura.

At the same time, Jung Il-sung suddenly stood up from his seat and knelt on the living room floor, bowing his head.

“What?”

Before I could react to this unexpected situation, the desperate voice of a father and a man bound my body.

“Thank you. I am deeply grateful. I have received a grace that I can never repay. From now on, I will serve you not as a boss but as my master.”

“What?”

What kind of cringeworthy line is this that not even ‘Battlefield of the Gods’ would use?! What era is this that he talks about masters and such words?!

“Please, get up. It’s not as expensive as you think.”

“No! I have experienced killing in the name of operations. This is… an inexplicable, mysterious medicine that my limited mind cannot describe in words. Although she hasn’t awakened yet, I am sure Joo-ah will rise. I will repay this with a lifetime of devoted service.”

Ah! For a moment, I almost killed him without realizing it. So cringeworthy. This crazy macho guy!!

“Sigh… Alright, just get up and sit properly! We need to talk face to face.”

“Yes!”

Did he take my words as acceptance? Jung Il-sung sat on the sofa like a private, waiting for orders.

“Ah… Just relax a bit, relax.”

“I can’t…”

“That’s an order.”

“Yes…!”

Only then did he sit a bit more comfortably. However, his stance of not wanting to miss a single word I say remained unchanged.

“So, titles are a bit outdated these days, please call me boss or Mr. Han. Using terms like master or owner might make Joo-ah, who is recovering from illness, feel more discouraged. As I mentioned earlier, Mina and I will consider her as our younger sibling.”

“Well…”

“If you use those cringeworthy lines like ‘master’ one more time, I swear… Anyway, I have to go on an extended business trip in about two months. That’s why we brought you, Mr. Il-sung, to look after Joo-ah and Mina. I might return within a year if it’s short, but it could take up to three years.”

“Yes.”

“During that time, please protect Mina, who isn’t very savvy about the world, from any harm.”

“Yes!”

Along with Jung Il-sung’s confident response, and discussing overall treatment and cost for Joo-ah, a sudden scream from Mina, almost like a shout, was heard from the second floor.

“Oppa!!”

In the blink of an eye, I was able to stand up from my seat, step onto the second floor where Joo-ah was staying, and open Joo-ah’s door with the next step.

A physical stat of 100 in agility allowed for movements that seemed almost magical.

Entering the room, I saw Joo-ah sitting up in bed with a blank stare and Mina looking flustered, unsure of what to do.

“Joo-ah!!”

Jung Il-sung, with a surprised voice, entered with me, and I also approached the side of the bed.

As I approached the bed, I nodded to Jung Il-sung, who stepped aside, and then I carefully examined Joo-ah’s body with my power once more.

After confirming that there was nothing wrong, I lowered myself to match Joo-ah’s eye level and asked,

“Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?”

She shook her head.

“Any pain?”

She shook her head again.

“Then shall we try to get up slowly?”

She nodded.

Joo-ah, who had been glancing at her dad with a wary look, took my extended hand and cautiously rose from the bed.

Her frail legs, taking their first step towards the world after overcoming illness, trembled visibly.

“Even if it’s tough, let’s try standing on your own two feet. Can you do that?”

She nodded vigorously!

Struggling but determined, Joo-ah stood on her thin legs, looking around in amazement.

Then she spotted Jung Il-sung crying behind me and stretched out her arms. A child’s gesture asking to be held.

With tears flowing even more, Jung Il-sung carefully embraced his frail daughter, fearing she might break, and sobbed.

Leaving the father and daughter in the room, I took Mina to the living room.

“Oppa? Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you heal the girl in that room too?”

“Well… Rather than me healing her, like I said earlier, I used the medicine given by the masters, right?”

“Aww… I know everything. Oppa healed both me and the girl in that room.”

“…What?”

“I just know!”

Mina looked at me with mischievous eyes, her gaze sparkling as she laughed.

Suddenly, I had a hunch and quickly manifested my power.

‘Check.’

Oh shit!! She can see mana?

It was a relief she hadn’t been granted any special talents. If she had been, who knows what would’ve happened with that unfeminine physical stat and the ability to see mana? Her mana stat was already at 1, too.

“Mina…”

“Huh…?”

Mina looked at me with frightened eyes, perhaps sensing the tension in my voice. Did my irritation unintentionally spill over?

I shook my head to correct my expression and patted Mina’s head.

“Let’s keep this just between you and me, okay?”

“Okay! But what are we keeping secret?”

“That you can see special things.”

“Huh? Wow! Wow!! Oppa, how did you know?”

“I know everything. Don’t tell Joo-ah, it’s a secret just between you and me. Got it?”

“Okay!!”

As Mina beamed, delighted at having a secret with her oppa, I patted her head again and gave her some advice.

“And if you want to protect your little sibling in the future, you need to get stronger, so how about exercising with me?”

“Oh! Sounds good!”

I wonder if she likes the idea of protecting her sibling or just exercising with me.

Watching Mina bounce around the living room with an even brighter smile, I found myself smiling too. But as soon as she went into her room, saying she was sleepy, my expression turned cold.

“Ludicer.”

―…….

“If you don’t answer, you’ll regret it.”

―You’re quite a troublesome agent.

“Mina. Explain it.”

―Goodness, do you think I’m a joke?

As Ludicer’s incredulous voice echoed, the little girl form of Ludicer appeared before me, and the surroundings changed.

“Do you think I’m a joke?”

―What… are you talking about?

“Where do you think you’re selling this nonsense? Do you want to die? Why? Do you think gods are eternal? You say you’re neutral, but strictly speaking, don’t you get why there’s a god of death among those who are absolutely loyal to the Creator? Don’t you understand why there’s only one god of death? You’ll die too! So, I’ll ask again. Answer properly. Mina, explain her case.”

―…In Kim Mina’s case, a high-level curse was lifted, which opened a sort of divine eye. Like how priestesses awaken.

“So?”

―So… Kim Mina has to live that way. Don’t you understand what it means to ‘see’ mana?

“I don’t know. I’ve never heard of seeing mana; you feel it.”

―Really? Hmm… It’s surprising that there’s something Mr. Kim Han doesn’t know. Seeing mana is a higher concept than feeling it. If feeling it is like a regular movie, seeing it is like a 4D movie. Even if Kim Mina goes blind, she can still see mana. It’s not seen with the eyes but with the divine eye.

“Damn it!!”

―Didn’t you anticipate this from the beginning when you used a super-grade Sanitas potion with over 100% efficiency to create an item? I thought you knew all along and went ahead.

Of course, I didn’t.

I mean, how could I have possibly imagined that a mere game item, something I’ve never seen before, would cause such an incredible thing?

―Surely, you didn’t think it was just a mere game item, did you?

“…I didn’t.”

―I don’t quite believe it, but I’ll take your word for it. Just to be cautious, although the name is different, the grade is the same. You might know, Mr. Kim Han, what kind of power a super unique grade recovery consumable has in ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’

“Ah? Damn.”

Every item used in ‘The Battlefield of the Gods’ had a grade.

This grading starts from Normal and can be identified not only by me but by any appraiser and continental resident.

The grades are as follows:

Normal.

Magic.

Rare.

Super Rare.

Unique.

Super Unique.

Legend.

Demigod.

Surprisingly, the most common grade is Legend.

When we think of Legend, it sounds impressive, but in ‘Battlefield of the Gods,’ which has been used as a playground for gods for thousands of years, even the walls are of Legend grade.

Among them, there are countless Legend-grade items that are merely historical artifacts with no special effects.

Anyway, the Elixir, known as the pinnacle of alchemy, is Unique grade.

The Super Unique grade Elixir, occasionally found in dungeons, not only perfectly restores the body but also unlocks latent talents.

“So, the top-grade Sanitas potion is the same grade as the ‘Antique Elixir’?”

―Oh? You know? Strictly speaking, it’s superior to the ‘Antique Elixir.’ Did you forget? You assimilated the Super Unique grade ‘Top-grade Sanitas Potion’ at 101%, right? Mr. Kim Han, you may disregard me, but I am also a god. Do not underestimate my origin power, ‘Assimilation.’

I had nothing to say. After regression, I vowed repeatedly to think carefully and not act thoughtlessly as before. However, a sigh escaped me at the sight of my still careless self.

―Don’t worry too much. Just because someone can see mana doesn’t mean they can quickly gather it. Seeing and gathering are entirely different talents. You should actually be relieved that she doesn’t have mana affinity rather than being able to see it.

“Is that so…? Thank you. And I’m sorry.”

―Pardon?

“I said thank you and I’m sorry. Did you want to hear it twice? Should I say it three times?”

―Wh-wh-who said I wanted to hear it?!

Listening to Ludicer’s mumbling with one side of my ear and letting it pass through the other, I dozed off while reviewing my plan to minimize absurd mistakes.