“Wa-wait. You…?”
Before Jiho could say anything else, the cat carefully dropped the fish on the ground, then turned around and ran away.
The cat was so fast that by the time Jiho tried to follow it, the cat had already disappeared from the parking garage.
Flustered, Park Geon Ho turned his head to Jiho in helplessness.
“…The cat is, leaving.”
“So it is. It left.”
“Should I track it right now?”
Having lost the target he spent the last couple of days tracking just like that, Park Geon Ho asked Jiho if he should go after it again, but Jiho shook his head.
“It looks like it’s gone, there is probably no use in trying to track it right away.”
“That’s true… judging by how fast it ran away, the cat must be at least a B-rank combat-type awakened one. It’d be hard for me to catch that cat with my slow legs, right?”
Seeing Park Geon Ho’s casual attitude, Jiho grew slightly nervous.
Though he told Park Geon Ho about the awakened cat for him to track it, now that Geon Ho knows the cat is of a higher rank than he thought, Jiho worried that he would tell people about it.
If other guilds find out that such a cat exists, many will rush to capture the cat. The price of this information is astronomically high. It could probably be sold for a price much higher than any salary No Name can give.
But even though Jiho hadn’t said anything yet, Geon Ho smiled as if he understood.
“They say a man is only as good as his word, my lips are very heavy. You do not have to worry. Besides, am I not a man of loyalty?”
“Haha. Yes….”
Jiho doesn’t really think that “a man is only as good as his word” fits in this situation, but instead of correcting Geon Ho, Jiho laughed awkwardly and nodded along.
“Then how should I go about the investigation from now on?”
“I… will look deeper into the cat myself. For now, please just report its location to me once or twice a day.”
“Al~right. I understand.”
But who would’ve thought that the system window’s identity is a cat?
Was it always a cat, or did the formless being known as the system window take the form of a cat?
‘The cat’s suspicious, but I can probably think of it as an ally for now, right?’
In the first place, if that cat hadn’t advised or warned him, Jiho would’ve already been dead. While the cat is concerning, it shouldn’t hurt him. Still, Jiho does want to recruit it in case the cat catches someone’s attention and gets catnapped.
Jiho pushed the issue of the cat for later and picked up the fish.
Information
| Legendary Golden Koi | |
| Rank | A |
| Description | A golden koi fish that has lived many decades. Had it lived a few more years, it could’ve gained a spirit, but unfortunately…. Still, when brought to a boil, this koi is a good supplement to physical strength. Let’s eat it together. Its effect works for up to 10 people. Max HP +10 ~ +100 |
What an unfortunate description. A fish that could’ve gained a spirit had it lived a little longer. Jiho feels like he shouldn’t eat it….
However, the koi fish is already dead.
‘Sorry, koi fish.’
There’s nothing he can do with a fish that’s already dead. Since it’s so big, he’ll just have to boil the fish and share it with everyone.
Jiho slipped the [Legendary Golden Koi] in his inventory and turned to look back at Park Geon Ho.
“Should we head back up for now?”
“Me as well?”
“Yes. It looks like you have done enough work today…. Let’s eat that fish together.”
Geon Ho made a hesitant expression at Jiho’s words.
“Um…. Is that fish safe for humans to eat?”
“Yes, it is safe. I have… a skill that can tell this sort of thing. It looks like this fish is very nutritious.”
“Ooh, well, if it’s something good for the body, then I won’t be polite…. Does it help recover vitality? Or is it a nourishing tonic?”
“No, it is not like that… but it looks like it can raise a person’s stats.”
Having said this much, the wary look in Park Geon Ho’s eyes finally disappeared. Instead, that look was replaced by a pure want for the nutritious food that raises stats.
“Yes, then, pardon my rudeness, but I will gladly have a bite. Haha, after I entered my 30s, I found that I need to start taking care of my body. Haa, it was different when I was in my 20s. Guildmaster-nim, you should start taking care of your body early.”
Even though age doesn’t matter much to hunters, Park Geon Ho chattered on as he followed Jiho.
Instead of getting on the elevator that takes him straight home, Jiho got on the regular elevator that goes to the guild. It was only then that Jiho remembered the promise he made to Joo Yiwon.
‘I’m not going to work, I’m just going to eat, eung.’
He might take a quick glance at the guild while he’s there, but Jiho has no intention of doing anything besides that.
Jiho left Geon Ho in an empty conference room and walked to No Name’s Research and Development office. While it isn’t as impressive as Chungram’s, the office still has everything an R&D office needs. Although they weren’t able to purchase the highest-priced equipment, the office has all of the necessary facilities and equipment. Yet…
In the middle of the R&D office, the first thing that catches the eye is not the latest cutting-edge technology but a giant caldron that looks like it came straight out of the early modern period.
Next to that caldron is a man earnestly stirring the ingredients within the pot with a cane. When he noticed Jiho, the man lit up.
“Ah, Guildmaster-nim….”
The name of the man wearing a white gown and sporting a pair of goggles on his head is Lee Nam Yoon. Though he appears incredibly old-fashioned for ignoring all of the other equipment in favor of bringing the ingredients to a boil in a caldron, Lee Nam Yoon is still a fairly talented B-rank alchemist.
The reason he uses a caldron like that is because of the particularities of his skill.
Information
| Becoming an Alchemist is My Hope ★ and Dream! (Lv.3) | |
| Rank | B |
| Description | Alchemists have the power to make people happy! You de~finitely can’t use this power for evil! Use this power that the young alchemist Ariel–who used the power of alchemy to defeat the evil lord from another world, Adelbria, and bring peace to the kingdom of Senaha–bestowed upon you for the sake of bringing peace to this world! You can use alchemy in the same way that Ariel did. |
The language in some of the system’s descriptions of Lee Nam Yoon’s skills is strange. Jiho had a lot of questions when he first saw these descriptions, but a quick search on the internet gave him an answer surprisingly easily. Lee Nam Yoon’s skill is based off of a video game series, <The Adventure of Ariel the Alchemist>.
Of the games in that series, a lot of Lee Nam Yoon’s skills come directly from <The Adventure of Ariel the Alchemist: Kingdom of Light>. Like the protagonist in that game, Lee Nam Yoon makes things by stirring the ingredients in a caldron.
Jiho heard that Lee Nam Yoon was often isolated in his old guild due to his slight eccentricity…. Because of that, Lee Nam Yoon was extremely awkward when he first came to interview for No Name.
But when Jiho, who looked up a couple of words from the descriptions in Lee Nam Yoon’s system window, brought up <The Adventure of Ariel the Alchemist>, Lee Nam Yoon instantly started to ramble on in excitement.
After that, Jiho patiently lured Lee Nam Yoon, who was suddenly feeling embarrassed, into joining No Name. He seems to be doing pretty well in the guild.
Perhaps because Lee Nam Yoon’s skill, [Becoming an Alchemist is My Hope ★ and Dream!] is based on a game, its methods are more flexible than those of other alchemists and the skill doesn’t have any constraints either.
Since Lee Nam Yoon can’t rely on the help of other equipment, there are limitations in that his production speed is slow and it’d be difficult to mass-produce anything, but when it comes to making a single item, he’s not far off from the average A-rank alchemist.
“Guildmaster-nim, are you… not going to pick any more alchemists?”
“Hm, I am currently looking into them.”
Lee Nam Yoon’s skill is good for things that are high-leveled and use only a handful of ingredients. But it’s hard for him to supply enough potions for the entire guild. As someone who is well-aware of his own strengths and limitations, it seems that Lee Nam Yoon is concerned about this issue.
Of course, Jiho is looking to recruit more alchemists.
Because Jiho thinks it’ll be hard to find another B-rank alchemist to recruit, he’s been looking at C or D-ranks, but it hasn’t been easy. Though there are a lot of applicants, thanks to Jang Hyo Joo’s skill, [Scale of Mutuality], filtering them out, no one has been selected yet.
“I hope they aren’t a godly normal person.”
“What?”
When Jiho asked Nam Yoon, who was mumbling quietly to himself, what he said, Nam Yoon was startled and quickly shook his head back and forth.
“It’s just that… it would be nice if they shared the same hobbies as me….”
“That would be nice, but wouldn’t it be fun to be with someone who has different hobbies too?”
“There is a certain world that… people like Guildmaster-nim… cannot understand….”
“Hm, I see. Well, if you know a person that would be good for the job, you can refer them to Hunter Jang Hyo Joo.”
Lee Nam Yoon’s eyes shook. It looks like he doesn’t really have a person in mind.
Jiho decided to end the conversation on that note and took the [Legendary Golden Koi] out of his inventory.
Even though he’s already seen it, the fish is truly brilliantly bright. When displayed under the bright lights, the fish–which had shimmered radiantly even in the underground parking garage–now sparkled as if it was self-illuminating.
Lee Nam Yoon’s eyes widened. He took an unconscious step back, then pointed at the fish.
“Di-did you win it in a fishing event? Is it a river deity?”
“By river, maybe Han River?”
“WHOA!”
Jiho, who was just trying to go along with Lee Nam Yoon, quickly shook his head before Nam Yoon could get too into it.
“No, it is not like that…. I obtained this fish by chance.”
“Ah….”
Lee Nam Yoon was slightly disappointed. However, such a high-quality ingredient clearly excited him. Nam Yoon huffed as he picked up the [Legendary Golden Koi].
“Legendary guardian deity…. Cooking event….”
“Ah, how did you know I wanted to cook it? I was going to take this to the kitchen, but since it is an item, I brought it here.”
“L-leave it to me!”
Inspirited, Lee Nam Yoon pulled out a new caldron and dropped the [Legendary Golden Koi] in before adding other ingredients too.
Though he looks a little unreliable….
“I-if you wait an hour….”
Since he’s a skilled alchemist. Jiho replied that he understood and left the R&D office.
‘There’s a bit of time.’
Jiho thought about doing some work for a bit, but thinking about the absolute fit Joo Yiwon would definitely throw when he somehow finds out, Jiho decided to just take a walk around the guild.
Most of the calls about another person’s scandal had died down.
As Jiho strolled around the guild, he would call people who caught his eye and send them up to the conference room Geon Ho was in.
And an hour later, Jiho brought the completed dish from the R&D office into the conference room.
Besides Park Geon Ho, the people Jiho called into the conference room were Heo Sori, Lim Seung Joo, and five newly-recruited combat hunters, making it a total of nine people.
After a quick scan of the gathered members, Lim Seung Joo made a satisfied expression as he whispered to Jiho.
“You also think that that guy is suspicious, right?”
The guy that Lim Seung Joo was referring to was Yang Hojin. Jiho smiled vaguely.
“I have not reached a conclusion yet. I only called the close-combat hunters today, and Hunter Park Geon Ho is here because he had a part in catching this fish.”
While it’s true that Jiho finds Yang Hojin suspicious, there’s no need to cause conflict between the guildmembers when he isn’t certain. Though Seung Joo looked slightly dissatisfied when he heard Jiho avoid the subject, he nodded in understanding.
“Then the reason for gathering today… wasn’t it to feed us something nutritious?”
“Yes. This is it….”
Jiho laughed awkwardly as he opened the lid of the pot he brought over from the R&D office. Inside the pot is the result of Lee Nam Yoon’s hard work. The name of this result is also quite flashy….
Information
| Fish Soup Containing the Memory of the Golden Forest | |
| Rank | A |
| Description | [The secret dish Ariel made from the legendary guardian deity she and her comrades caught in the Golden Forest! Its appearance is a liiiitle suspicious, but the young alchemist Ariel’s skills are certain, okay?] was recreated in this health-boosting elixir. Its effect works for up to 10 people. Max HP +50 ~ +100 |
| Creator | Lee Nam Yoon |
At first glance, [Fish Soup Containing the Memory of the Golden Forest] looks similar to dried pollack soup.
The original fish could only increase one’s HP by 10 to 100 points, but Lee Nam Yoon was able to raise it a lot. The effect is good. The effect. However….
“…It does not look like a color we can eat.”
Heo Sori grimly mumbled.
Just as she said, the elixir Lee Nam Yoon made might look like dried pollack soup, but its color… is a brilliant, sparkling gold. Whenever the soup shook, the golden surface shimmered. The soup looks more like a fancy bath bomb than food.
“Though it looks like this, its effect is excellent.”
“Was this made from a monster?”
“…You could say that.”
It’s hard to see that fish as normal. Because monster meat is usually not consumed unless the person is starving inside a dungeon, the excited expressions on the people who had gathered sank.
Forcing down his desire to run away, Jiho decided to be the one to take the first bite. Although he has a weak stomach, he can hold it back….
“I-it tastes good.”
Jiho had cautiously brought just the edge of his lips to the bowl, but, surprised by the soup’s unexpectedly excellent taste, Jiho slurped down the golden soup.
The dish was so savory and rich that it was hard to believe it only took an hour to make it. It was the right amount of oily, with its aftertaste being not a bit sticky, but rather, fresh. Even though Jiho likes his Korean food to be on the blander side, Lee Nam Yoon’s elixir was… so good that it makes one forget preferences.
System Management
| Your max HP has increased by 52 HP. |
And with the system window that popped up after he finished eating, the soup was perfect.
Jiho set down his empty bowl feeling satisfied. But even with Jiho’s reaction, the guildmembers still looked somewhat hesitant.
“Guildmaster-nim, maybe your sense of taste is odd.”
“No way, Guildmaster-nim must have grown up eating all sorts of good food….”
The guildmembers whispering amongst themselves finally reached a state of acceptance after a process of distrust and verification. They began to take small sips.
Soon, their distrustful faces were replaced by sincere admiration.
“Wow. This is delicious.”
“What is the ingredient in this? How was it made… ah, you said Hunter Lee Nam Yoon made this? That otaku?”
“I have never had anything like this before. And the energy flowing in my body….”
“Should I invest in a company that processes monsters into meat?”
“We’re only eating this because it’s us, most people don’t eat stuff like this….”
While the guildmembers were praising the taste and effect of the soup, a familiar voice suddenly sounded from the back.
“I have invested quite a bit in that field, so I recommend it. The stocks will definitely rise within the next five, maybe ten years.”
It was Joo Yiwon.
LaZ Bird Corner
RIP fish. Yiwon, please tell me your stock secrets.
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