Ch.229229. Kingdom Travelogue (1)

It happened after the children had left.

‘….Hmm?’

After bidding a reluctant farewell to the children who had come from the future, I was sorting through the additional gifts that had been delivered in the meantime to shake off my complicated feelings when I discovered something among them.

A small wooden box with magical inscriptions composed of preservation magic, produced by the Alchemy Guild. An obscenely expensive magical tool thanks to the constantly maintained spell that protects the contents from being damaged by external factors.

“….This.”

Even if one were to fill it with silver coins, the container would be more expensive and precious than its contents. Beyond simply being valuable, it was a box where storing anything less than a truly precious item would make the contents cheaper than the box itself.

‘….Who sent this?’

With a determination to find out who had sent me such a rare and expensive gift, I carefully examined the box to identify the sender….

‘House Labourgienne…. Ah. So that’s why.’

The family of Camille Labourgienne, the tax collector who had shown me incredibly rude behavior over tax issues previously. As soon as I recognized that this gift was sent from a house renowned for its power among the central court nobility, my question was answered.

No matter how much that fellow was a cultist addicted to pleasure and a foreign god worshipper, his position was too high to simply overlook his rudeness based on that alone.

Especially since I hadn’t given much thought to his family and hadn’t sent any separate communication, surprisingly, they seemed to have interpreted this as a silent threat and sent me a gift.

In short, this could be considered something they sent to eliminate future troubles….

‘….Score!’

Convinced that the box contained something precious enough for House Labourgienne to send as an apology, I opened it with an excited heart.

A gift sent directly from a family as an apology represents the family’s dignity. With the expectation that the contents would be nothing ordinary, I looked inside this wooden box full of magical power….

‘….Oh!’

Inside the box was a dried plant root wrapped in expensive Eastern Continent silk… a reddish-brown medicinal ingredient—red ginseng.

In this fantasy world, red ginseng is more than just a bundle of saponin; it’s a precious medicinal ingredient made by processing ginseng, which possesses power derived from some mystical origin, somewhat like a cousin to mandrake.

In reality, wild ginseng and ginseng in this world are rare crops that significantly increase maximum mana capacity when consumed, and since no native species with these properties exist in the Western Continent, their value is genuinely high.

However, one might wonder:

Since magic techniques that preserve original forms are abundant and can be used on precious items like wild ginseng or ginseng, is there really a need to process them into red ginseng for long-term preservation?

And to answer that question first…. Yes, there is a need.

Because in this world, red ginseng is more than just ginseng processed for long-term preservation; it’s a processed product that, through special treatment, bestows powers that didn’t exist in the original ginseng.

And this newfound power is…. none other than virility enhancement. It can restore sexual function in the impotent as long as they physically have the equipment, and even make an 80-year-old man stand at attention.

This sexual function restoration is particularly important in this era because it’s a means to prevent the discontinuation of bloodlines, beyond just personal satisfaction for leaders.

Many of the so-called “noble houses” in this world inherit their wealth and positions through blood relations, and in this context, aphrodisiacs not only satisfy male pride but also serve as a medium to continue bloodlines that might otherwise be broken.

To put it bluntly, it wouldn’t be strange to say that its value lies in what it enables.

I could consume it to increase my maximum mana capacity, or use it as a tool for that certain purpose. If neither appeals, I could simply gift it to someone I want to befriend.

….However, looking at this, I was thinking of something else.

‘Kore, the Kingdom of Kore….’

A homeland I can never return to. When I lived there, I didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret, but now, looking back, I find myself feeling nostalgic.

※ ※ ※

In truth, I have absolutely no connection to the Kingdom of Kore, the origin of red ginseng.

This world might seem like a twisted parallel universe of Earth, but that doesn’t mean I would feel any affection for that kingdom…. which, from what I’ve gathered, resembles Joseon.

To begin with, my past coun….try. The motherland for which I feel what could only be called love-hate, inseparable from my past, is the democratic nation of South Korea.

I’m not some idiot whose sense of self is tied to the rise and fall of a nation due to nationalist ideology, but I can’t say I outright hate it either—there’s something like a grudging affection.

But that’s that, and this is this.

While I’m not the type to denounce Joseon as some historically terrible country, if I can’t even feel patriotism for my homeland South Korea, how could I possibly have positive feelings toward ancient Joseon?

Furthermore, why would I feel any sense of mission toward a parallel universe version of that country?

Therefore, my feelings toward the Kingdom of Kore are perhaps similar to meeting someone from my hometown after living abroad for a long time.

I feel a strange sense of familiarity in that it reminds me of traces and memories of my old homeland, but nothing beyond that—that’s my current state of mind.

However, the reality is that I can’t simply ignore this subtle feeling.

‘….’

The emotion rising in my heart is undoubtedly lingering attachment. It’s close to an attachment toward the Kingdom of Kore, which could be called the only connection to my previous life.

….Yes, let me honestly admit it.

I wanted to visit that place called the Kingdom of Kore.

The Kingdom of Kore. From what I’ve heard, this kingdom, established as an absolute monarchy by a tiger beastkin royal family, is a kind of bureaucratic society that is socially firmly integrated despite being a multi-racial society.

Thanks to their value system that seems like a mixture of Confucian values and something else—both practical and traditionalist—their society is said to be close to an ideal society governed by philosopher kings.

The founding king overthrew the existing kingdom and established a new dynasty, and the previous king reformed the society from what was close to feudalism, as is common in other countries, into a bureaucratic absolute monarchy.

And remarkably, the current king is a magic user who reached the advanced level in just his mid-30s based on his genius intellect. I’ve heard he’s a once-in-a-generation genius who formed his own unique magic system based on written characters.

In other words, the king of Kore developed a completely different way of using magic, like ‘Druid’ or ‘Sorcerer’ methods.

Even just pioneering a new school within the existing magic system would be an achievement worthy of historical record and fame, let alone creating an entirely new magic system.

Considering that rumors have spread as far as the western part of the Western Continent causing quite a stir, this achievement must symbolize the innate intelligence and intellect of their monarch….

‘….This is Joseon, isn’t it?’

In reality, I was focusing more on the sense of dissonance I felt about this kingdom.

To be frank, the similarities are so striking that it feels blatantly obvious.

Anyone can see that the founding king resembles King Taejo Yi Seong-gye, the previous king resembles King Taejong Yi Bang-won, and the third-generation ruler is none other than King Sejong ‘The Great’.

Moreover, the powerful magic archers called ‘Soonbi’ in their land must be actual yangban….scholars, and the turtle-like ships they ride are obviously turtle ships.

….According to the ancient books of druids, it’s also home to fairies that appear to be ‘dokkaebi’, and is famous for being crawling with unique magical beasts called mountain tigers.

At this point, beyond any subtle patriotism or connection to my previous life, I strongly feel like visiting out of simple curiosity, like a tourist.

In a world that generally feels like a fantasy version of the real world, I’d like to visit a Joseon-style medieval fantasy world.

So, after briefly struggling between personal desire and duty, I finally made a decision.

‘….Maybe I should go visit.’

I want to visit this fantasy Joseon, a land where all kinds of extraordinary beings might exist.