Chapter 19 — A Prestigious Raider Family’s Youngest Son (3)

In the regular training hall of the Yeonhwa Guild, it was chaotic due to the aptitude test for the newest guild members.

People ranging from C-rank to A-rank, who were wanted in any guild, were present.

But Yoo Sung-Eun’s and Park SungJae’s critical eyes were predicting the newbies’ movements accurately and picking out their mistakes.

“Raider Park WooJin! Your balance is off when you swing your sword!”

“Raider Kang Gina! Your incanting is slow. Your colleagues will die if a heal doesn’t reach them in time in front of an enemy. Concentrate!”

Four hours of strict commands and posture fixing for the new recruits passed. Park SungJae watched their movements, which had quickly changed from a moment ago, and nodded his head.

“Considering they are new, this shows they’re not that bad. The average rank is also higher than last year… As expected, Guildmaster’s discerning eyes are accurate.”

“Aww. Stop it. Are you saying that because your pay is lacking, oppa?”

As Yoo Sung-Eun answered lightly, a smile spread on Park SungJae’s face.

“Then, I’ll be leaving first. He should be here soon.”

“You’re talking about JaeHyun. I understand. I can take care of things from here.”

“Thank you.”

After that conversation, Yoo Sung-Eun headed to the secret underground training hall.

“Now then, how should I train you today…”

Truthfully, it was an enjoyable worry for her.

At first, she was only curious. But now, she was enjoying teaching JaeHyun. She had never seen a raider learn and familiarize themselves with magic so quickly before.

‘If another S-rank Magician is to appear in the future, it will surely be JaeHyun.’

A smile spread on Yoo Sung-Eun’s face. Until now, the only S-rank Magician in the country was Yoo Sung-Eun. The fact that she was a Healer made evaluating her fighting ability a bit difficult.

But if JaeHyun suddenly appeared like a comet right now?

Yeonhwa Guild would have two S-rank Magicians in Korea.

In other words, the guild could achieve a higher tier.

“Well. Unrelated to that, it’s fun just to teach him.”

Thinking about sparring with JaeHyun in 30 minutes, she was already feeling happy. Yoo Sung-Eun gathered her mana as she watched the unmoving clock’s hands.

She was planning to teach him something a bit different today.

***

[Lee JaeSang’s workroom about 10km away from Millaes Academy.]

According to Lee JaeSang, he had secretly used this place as his workroom since a year ago.

In the musty and damp interior, different types of ingredients and tools were hanging on the wall. Inside was a desk on which were books that looked difficult with just a single glance. Further toward the back was some carefully arranged shiny equipment that showed signs of use.

Not bad for a place belonging to an academy cadet.

But if one considered that he belonged to the prestigious Lee family, everything was merely a trifle.

‘Well. at this point in time, even Lee JaeShin wouldn’t know that Lee JaeSang is studying alchemy. This seems to be the limit without any help from his family.’

Lee JaeSang pointed at an old sofa to JaeHyun who followed him to his workroom. Located in the center, it was a dark brown sofa that was frayed at both ends.

After taking a seat, JaeHyun spoke as he looked around the neatly organized lab.

“The workroom has a nice atmosphere.”

“Th-Th-Th-Th-Thanks. B-But before we talk… h-how do you know?”

“You’re asking how I know that your dream is to be an alchemist. Right, senior?”

Lee JaeSang nodded his head. JaeHyun smiled slightly as he replied.

“I saw you sell things like these.”

JaeHyun said as he took out a bottle of blue potion and showed it to him. A tremor went through Lee JaeSang’s body.

“The one who put this up in the black market is you, right, senior?”

“H-How…”

Lee JaeSang couldn’t help but be shocked. With a satisfied smile, JaeHyun looked at Lee JaeSang’s surprised face.

It seemed he hadn’t thought about it until this point.

‘It worked.’

Meanwhile, Lee JaeSang looked at the potion JaeHyun was holding up with a tearful expression.

On it was a distinctive triangular logo he had put as his signature.

It was the exact same one he had made.

‘H-H-H-H-How on earth did he find out?! Th-The black market is a place where secrets are secure!’

Since about two months ago, Lee JaeSang started to sell the potions he brewed on the black market.

It would reduce the astronomical amount of expenses he needed to study alchemy, and he also hoped that the potions he made would be of help to others.

But it was impossible to sell his potions at a public site.

Because no one in the Lee family, including Lee JaeShin, knew he was studying alchemist.

Lee JaeShin wanted to raise his children as high-ranking raiders and hold all the power in the country.

Holding absolute power in his hands. That was the goal Lee JaeShin was working toward.

But his youngest son wanted to become a mere alchemist?

If he ever said it—son or not, he was dead.

In this case, even if the black market took a bigger share of the profits, it was safer. Since there was no way anyone would find out about it.

The black market thoroughly guaranteed the anonymity of sellers and buyers.

But JaeHyun figured out who he was and came to find him. How on earth did this man find out that he was selling potions on the black market?

Lee JaeSang forced the shaking out of his voice as he spoke.

“I-I heard that the identity of a s-s-s-seller at the b-b-black market wouldn’t be told to anyone…”

“I know a person who works at the black market. So I asked for a favor.”

‘A-A-A-A-A-A-Asked for a favor?’

It was difficult for Lee JaeSang to believe JaeHyun’s story.

It was impossible for even the current government to guess that he was a seller at the black market. But a single guy found out who he was with just social connections?

JaeHyun proceeded to look at the potion from different directions with a calm face.

“The quality of the potions you made was really good. Mana is recovered pretty quickly, and it tastes good.”

“P-P-P-Please keep it a secret from my f-family…”

Lee JaeSang, who had become very pale, stuttered out worse than usual. JaeHyun replied with a tranquil face.

“I didn’t mention this to threaten you. As I said before, I want to make a pill. I also want to invest in you. So please agree to my suggestions.”

“…Wh-Wh-Wh-What is the p-pill you want to m-make?”

“ 《 Mana Enhancement Pill 》. It’s something that has never been seen in the world yet. It is a pill that permanently increases a raider’s mana as soon as they drink it.”

“Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What? P-Permanently increase? Is that even possible?”

‘Of course it is. This pill was something that you invented.’

JaeHyun smiled. Lee JaeSang succeeded in creating this pill about 5 years from now.

“I-I-I-I-I-If it’s something like that, a-asking other alchemists wou—”

“No. I want to ask you to make the pill.”

As he said so, JaeHyun smiled virtuously.

Of course, with the recipe, it was possible that other alchemists might be able to brew the pill.

But the one who had greater talent than them was Lee JaeSang. If he entered other dungeons and needed potions, Lee JaeSang would be of great help to him.

‘If I need to invest somewhere, it’s better to invest in him.’

Meanwhile, Lee JaeSang fell into thought with a dark expression at JaeHyun’s words.

It was impossible for him to reject this offer. Although JaeHyun said that he wouldn’t tell his family, he didn’t know when things might change.

The only reason JaeHyun wasn’t threatening him to make the pill right now was to put him at ease.

If Lee JaeSang rejected JaeHyun’s suggestion, he could change his mind on that at any moment.

Even without this, the one who was treated like an abandoned child by the family was Lee JaeSang. Such a Lee JaeSang didn’t want to be a raider but an alchemist?

If his family found out about this, he wouldn’t just be treated as an abandoned child.

‘I-If D-Dad finds out about this, I might d-d-d-d-d-die.’

Lee JaeSang trembled in fear.

Watching him, JaeHyun slowly spoke.

“My offer… you will agree, won’t you?”

“…D-D-D-Do you know all the r-required ingredients?”

“Yes. I remember everything. But maybe because I’m not skilled at it… I keep getting stuck at the first stage.”

“C-Can you sh-show me the i-ingredients?”

“Of course.”

JaeHyun quickly told Lee JaeSang about the ingredients that went into the pill.

Reading the list, Lee JaeSang flinched in surprise and shouted in shock.

“H-H-H-H-H-H-Handling so many high-class ingredients is too difficult! I-I also don’t have all the equipment…”

“If it’s equipment, I will procure them for you. Senior, you just have to focus on brewing.”

“B-B-B-B-But it’s too expensive for a s-student to buy everything.”

“About how much do you think you would need?”

At JaeHyun’s calm question, Lee JaeSang couldn’t hide his surprised expression.

To brew the pill, he would have to get rid of all the equipment he was currently using and master various professional books. It was natural that such a process would cost a lot of money.

Lee JaeSang fidgeted for a moment, then spoke.

“A-A-A-A-A-At least 20 million won w-w-would be needed. A normal cauldron and ladle c-c-c-c-can’t handle high-level ingredients, s-s-so it can’t be helped…”

“30 million won.”

“…huh?”

At JaeHyun’s quick response, Lee JaeSang became dazed.
JaeHyun remained unconcerned.

“Including 10 million won as labor fee, what do you think of 30 million won? In return, you can’t tell anyone that I made such a request and you must keep the recipe a secret.”

“Th-That…!”

“What is your account number? I’ll first give you a deposit of 20 million won.”

Looking at Lee JaeSang’s bewildered face, JaeHyun smiled slightly.

‘He’s almost fully convinced. It’s best to just push through in situations like these.’

After a moment of silence—

Lee JaeSang peeked in JaeHyun’s direction and nodded shallowly. It was an action that showed his determination.

“O-O-Okay. I-I don’t know if I-I’ll succeed but…”

“It’s okay to fail.”

“…”

JaeHyun was being honest. He would lose a not-so-small amount of money if he failed, but at least he would have gained Lee JaeSang.

After 10 years, no amount of money would help him become friendly with the bigshot Lee JaeSang.

But it seemed Lee JaeSang himself didn’t think so as he nodded with tears in his eyes.

<A moment later.>

JaeHyun transferred 20 million won into the bank account Lee JaeSang disclosed and handed over all the ingredients and the recipe he had.

After that, they wrote and signed a contract.

Though Lee JaeSang scanned the document nervously when it was brought out, there was nothing in it that was unfair to him.

It was to the point that Lee JaeSang was the first to ask about the contract.

“A-Are these conditions okay? I-I-If it’s like this, if I f-fail to brew this pill… i-i-it would be a loss to you.”

“I’m investing in you because I think you have talent, Senior. How can investing be easy? There are also times when one fails.”

JaeHyun said so without a concern. Besides, if JaeHyun kept doing it, he wouldn’t succeed at even the 1st stage his whole life.

Moreover, he felt better after passing the work to someone else.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“…Y-Yeah.”

When JaeHyun stretched out his hand, Lee JaeSang grabbed it with an expression of being slightly moved.

JaeHyun smirked slightly in a way the other couldn’t see.

‘Success in making a connection.’