Ch.5353. Glass Stone Ring

Kim Sujeong and her father returned around dinner time, apparently having finished their amicable conversation.

“Deal complete!”

Kim Sujeong knelt in front of me as I lay on the sofa watching TV, and reported what she had arranged.

“For the recovery herbs and leaves, since Jihyun unnie already had a contract to make potions and sell them at market price, we agreed not to charge more. Anyway, those were just brought along to show off in front of the company people. As for the pure mushrooms, I noticed there’s nothing on the market that increases stats, so they seem to be special mushrooms that only grow on our farm. I thought we should get a good price for these, so I sold them all at 500 each.”

The corrupted recovery herb somehow became the main focus of our farm expedition this time.

Since it absorbed chaotic energy, regardless of whether it has better options attached, its base grade starts at A-.

Some recovery herb fruits even came out as A-grade, so there were high expectations that the potions would be on a completely different level compared to the D+ to C- potions we used to make.

So in a way, Sujeong wasn’t wrong when she said they were meant for showing off.

From the distribution company employees’ perspective, when they see something as rare and in-demand as recovery herbs being harvested by the hundreds every week, and at premium grade levels no less, they can’t help but calculate the value while simultaneously being impressed by Kim Sujeong who brought them.

It’s definitely about establishing dominance.

And using that as leverage, she sold off all the pure mushrooms.

Pure mushrooms are typically traded as whole mushrooms based on weight.

Whether the buyer grinds them, steams them, or uses them as toppings is up to them.

While they usually trade at around 200-250, the ones we brought have the option “Strength +1 for 24 hours when cooked and eaten.”

Although there’s a C-grade limit, considering that one pure mushroom can be added to quite a large amount of food, it means they can be used as performance enhancers in dungeons.

Of course, spending 500 for a day’s worth of enhancement might seem expensive, but this is just the price we’re selling to Gwangjin Distribution, and Dad will mark it up even more when he sells it.

Even so, there will definitely be buyers.

While spending 500 for personal gourmet purposes might be burdensome, if more than 10 hunters spend 500 to increase their stats by one grade for a day, that’s not just 500 but a value of 50,000 won per person to raise everyone’s stats by one grade.

Since we brought hundreds of pure mushrooms, the ghost company named Suhyeon Company that Kim Sujeong created by herself has already generated sales approaching 1 billion won.

It feels like we’re drawing on future resources again.

The pure mushrooms had been accumulating for a while, and we harvested everything at once, including what was meant to be offered to Black Monkey.

It won’t be easy to harvest this much again for a while.

“And all the various herbs have pretty good effects, with many having heroic options attached, so we agreed to organize everything and send the prices at once. He said he’d accept most of them. Lastly, the gray wolf leather. That one… he said it would take a few days?”

“Don’t they have a blacksmith?”

“No. He said they need to get it appraised first. Dad knows a blacksmith who specializes in accessories, but not armor. He said he’d ask that accessory blacksmith for help. This is my first time dealing with B+ grade leather too, and I couldn’t find much information when I searched.”

“Well, whatever.”

Honestly, I don’t really care how much cash we get.

If someone else were handling it, I’d be watching like a hawk to make sure not even a single won was skimmed, but we’re selling to Dad’s company.

As long as we get what we’re reasonably owed, letting Dad profit beyond that is probably the only way a son who’s been freeloading for 26 years can show filial piety.

Kim Sujeong probably had similar feelings when making the deal.

“Hehe. It’s convenient having a dad who’s the president of a distribution company. Even with casual deals, he pretends to give in and accepts them. I heard these things usually involve complicated business negotiations with guilds. Dad seems to be under a lot of stress because of that lately.”

“That’s good then.”

“I heard they sold the potions from last time to the Golden Guild? Wonder if they’ll deal with them again this time too. Oh, the Golden Guild is where Hyoju is, right? Could I meet her?”

“Who’s that? A celebrity?”

“You don’t know Seo Hyoju? One of the 10 S-rank hunters in South Korea! Summoner Seo Hyoju.”

“There are fewer S-ranks than I thought.”

“S-rank isn’t some common title! Ten is actually a lot.”

Considering there are ranks up to SS, I would have thought there should be hundreds of S-ranks.

But I understand that the farming world and reality are different.

Globally, there are apparently hundreds of S-rank hunters.

“Is she pretty?”

“Ugh, seriously. Of course she’s pretty. She’s all over YouTube. Have you really never seen her? She must be on TV too.”

“How would I have seen her?”

“Well… I guess not. Never mind.”

From what I’ve heard, it makes sense that she’d be popular.

Beautiful, S-rank hunter, and the third team leader of the Golden Guild, ranked third among guilds.

She awakened only 3-4 years ago but is already over level 50, and behind the Golden Guild is the Golden Group.

They’re ranked second in the business world, but second doesn’t mean they can be dismissed.

She’s the youngest granddaughter of the Golden Group’s chairman.

With full support and sponsorship, her YouTube channel has become world-famous, earning her the status of an influencer.

“Golden and Hansu… the hunter industry is all about money.”

Hearing about this situation, it seems being a hunter isn’t just about ability.

In fantasy novels, one might rise from rags to riches with ability alone, but in reality, even hunters need money.

Whether S-rank or SS-rank abilities…

With SS-rank abilities, one might be able to overcome this somewhat, but to level up, you need good equipment, and if you don’t have money saved up, you need sponsorship, which ultimately means working under someone wealthy.

Unless you’re born with a silver spoon like this Seo Hyoju woman and also receive S-rank abilities.

It’s a bitter reality.

The struggle in between is the reality of ordinary people.

And it bothers me a bit that our dad is one of those people.

“Dad’s here.”

Not long after Kim Sujeong finished her report, Dad returned.

He waved a bottle of soju and suggested having samgyeopsal for dinner.

A family meal with all four of us at the table was arranged after a long time.

Dad grilling the meat.

How long has it been since I had a drink of soju…

This is the first time.

“Thank you, Suhyeon.”

“Pardon?”

Just as I was thinking that eating delicious Big Rats meat or gray wolf meat grilled outdoors couldn’t compare to the romance of sitting cozily with family, eating samgyeopsal with Mom’s doenjang jjigae, Dad’s slightly tipsy confession caught me off guard.

What is he thankful for?

It was a bit awkward, and looking closely, Dad seemed embarrassed too, avoiding eye contact as he rambled on with his confession.

“There’s this guy in Dad’s… well, not friend, but in a group of friends. His name is Yoo Hyeonjong. The president of Hyeonjong Distribution. He’s also the third son of the Hansu Group. You have no idea how much he looks down on me and obstructs… well, maybe not obstruct, but interferes. Whew. Thanks to you, Suhyeon, I was able to hold my head high and got a lot of help.”

This was the first time Dad had talked like this.

Of course, I was a son who never talked to Dad anyway.

Somehow, seeing Dad like this made me feel proud.

He must have had a hard time…

Even though I’m not the type to empathize easily.

I couldn’t help feeling a bit angry.

“Who would look down on Dad! Yoo Hyeonjong? Isn’t Hansu Group the number one conglomerate? Why would a rich jerk like that bother Dad instead of hanging out with other rich people?”

Kim Sujeong, after a drink, flared up and comforted Dad.

“It’s okay. That’s just how society works. Thanks to you two, Suhyeon and Sujeong, the company is overcoming its difficulties. That’s what matters. I was really worried the company might be in danger, but that’s the good part. Hic…”

“Dad, just wait. Soon I’ll make your company wipe the floor with that jerk’s company and become number one.”

“Thank you, my daughter.”

“I mean it. I’ve bet my life on oppa’s farm.”

Kim Sujeong boldly made promises she couldn’t keep.

I chuckled but didn’t try to stop her.

Overtaking the number one conglomerate isn’t something that happens overnight.

They’ve built their company over hundreds of years.

But no one else was listening anyway.

And I also thought that while it wouldn’t be easy, it might not be impossible either.

Above all, we’re family, so what does it matter?

As we laughed and chatted, Dad suddenly remembered something and pulled out a ring from his pocket.

“Here. Dad’s friend put a lot of effort into making this.”

“Wow! It’s the glass stone!”

The glass stone ring I had almost forgotten about.

It seemed it was finally completed.

Dad smacked his lips and asked once more.

“Are you really not going to sell this?”

[Glass Stone Ring]

– Grade: B

– A ring made from a gem naturally processed by absorbing only moonlight for 1,000 days.

– It seems a master craftsman put his heart and soul into making it.

– Increases the effect of mana-using skills by 25%

– Magic Power +1 grade

– Maximum Mana +20%

It was a ring worthy of Dad’s regretful lip-smacking.