Chapter 1110: Side Story – Elf’s Potion (1)

“Hubae, here’s this month’s quota.”

–Chareureuk!

As soon as I heard Hwayoung Sunbae’s call and went down to the workshop on the first floor, she handed me potions filling a square box. Hwayoung Sunbae showed me the box containing various kinds of potions, including Mana Potions, Stamina Potions, and Healing Potions.

“What is this? It’s a potion I’ve never seen before.”

“It’s a Metabolism Enhancement Potion. It doesn’t have much effect on muscle strength, but if you drink it, you’ll feel energized and your movements will become faster.”

“Then what about this one?”

“It’s a Hemorrhage Suppressant. If you drink it when you suffer a dangerous injury, it suppresses blood from flowing out of your body. It’s especially good when you have internal bleeding, so keep that in mind when you use it.”

“There are so many amazing things. But is it okay to give me this much? Sunbae, you were practically dying from exhaustion just a few weeks ago.”

“It’s no big deal. Thanks to you, I’ve been sleeping well these days, so I’m making them in my spare time.”

…Indeed, she’s Sunbae, who repeats the cycle of sleeping soundly in Bel’s dungeon several times a day, coming out to work, and then going back in to sleep soundly when fatigue builds up. For reference, the space used as Hwayoung Sunbae’s sleeping room and the space I use for ‘interviews’ are clearly separated. Inevitably, it was a bit embarrassing to suddenly enter while Sunbae was sleeping to have relations with guild members, so I had no choice but to separate them. Of course, since it’s a separated space created under Bel’s management, we could merge them anytime if desired.

“Since you’re giving them out of goodwill, I’ll gratefully accept. I should probably share these with the others soon.”

“…And, take this too.”

“What is this one now? Is this also a standard issue potion?”

“That’s for you to drink. It’s good for your health.”

“Huh?”

The bottle had a very different appearance from the standard issue potions, containing a golden liquid, an unusual color for a potion. Hwayoung Sunbae handed me the box, estimated to contain about 50 potions, and urged me.

“Drink one a day. You absolutely must not forget. And don’t give any to other people.”

“Huh?”

“You shouldn’t drink more than two a day. I’ll be counting them. Including the one you’re holding now, these are exactly 50. Just you try not being able to answer properly when I ask next time.”

“…Do I really have to drink them? I’m quite healthy, to the point where I don’t really need to rely on potions.”

“Are you doubting the effectiveness of a potion I made?”

“Ah, no! Since Hwayoung Sunbae made it, of course I should drink it.”

As a sign of my lack of doubt, I cleanly emptied one bottle in my hand. The taste… it’s kind of strange. Like a mix of sweet and salty, I guess? It wasn’t bad, but it was too mediocre to enjoy drinking.

“Right, that’s how it should be. I warned you, one a day.”

“So, what exactly does this do?”

“…It has its effects.”

“Huh?”

“…Anyway, it has its effects. At least there’s no downside to drinking it, so just keep drinking it! I’ll make more for you in 7 weeks. Got it?!”

“Yes…”

…It feels a bit suspicious, but Hwayoung Sunbae isn’t the type of person to suddenly do something harmful to me. I guess I have no choice but to drink it, assuming it’s just some moderately beneficial elixir. Besides, I received Metabolism Enhancement Potions and Hemorrhage Suppressants as a bonus gift, so couldn’t I grant this small request?

“But, Sunbae.”

“…W-what. I told you it wasn’t anything strange.”

“No, that’s not it. I just wanted to ask about something else.”

“…Huh?”

“Have you heard anything since the last time? About two weeks have passed since I did it for you, and I thought it might be about time for you to hear something, Sunbae.”

“……”

It was only two weeks in my time, but looking only at Sunbae’s time, over 10 weeks must have passed. That’s because Hwayoung Sunbae spends most of her remaining time, excluding the time for potion making, in Bel’s dungeon. She does everything – sleep, meals, studying, and even sex – in Bel’s dungeon, only coming outside when making potions.

“Well… The test strip showed two lines, but I haven’t felt anything significant yet.”

“Hasn’t it been about 10 weeks since you became pregnant? Hye-eun and others say they start feeling things around that time.”

“…Huh? What nonsense are you talking about?”

“You’re spending time at a different speed with my wives alone, Sunbae. Hye-eun is about 6 months pregnant now, so if things continue like this, it seems like she’ll give birth around the same time as you.”

“I know that… No, it’s been several years since you met me, do you really know nothing…?”

“Huh?”

Seeing my face showing that I genuinely didn’t know, Hwayoung Sunbae kindly explained elf pregnancy with a frustrated reaction.

“You know that elves have a much longer gestation period than humans, right?”

“…I’m sorry, I’m hearing this for the first time.”

“Right. Anyway, elves generally have an average gestation period of about 100 months. That’s a little over 8 years. Since I’m a half-elf, it’s shorter than that, but it will take at least over 4 years until birth.”

“Ah…”

“Haaah, if I could give birth once a year, I wouldn’t have worried about whether or not to have your child. I worried because once pregnant, I had to be prepared for at least 4 years of discomfort.”

“…I’m sorry. I naturally assumed you would give birth in about 10 months…”

“It’s fine, at least you know now. Anyway, no matter how much time I spend in your personal dungeon, I won’t give birth before the others, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“It wasn’t quite worry. I was just thinking it could be like that.”

…By the way, 4 years. Considering Sunbae’s time acceleration, about 9-10 months will pass, so practically, it seems there won’t be much difference from the human gestation period. Although the perceived time Sunbae feels might be a bit different… besides, even if she’s a half-elf, she’s still an elf. It was unavoidable that her concept of time flowed a bit differently from humans. Besides, that’s also why I allowed her to use Bel’s dungeon. Hwayoung Sunbae is someone for whom it’s not a particular problem even if she uses a day a little longer than other people. Of course, because she uses it so often, I cast the ‘Blessing of Anti-Aging’ on her long ago, but it’s the same for me, who uses Bel’s dungeon like a second home.

“Haaah, I just wish I had canceled all the other guild requests when you made the offer. I never knew having a relaxed day could be this comfortable.”

“…Please understand, Sunbae. If your potions, which we supply to the top three guilds, suddenly stop, it’s obvious complaints will flood our guild.”

“But well, actually, I don’t particularly need money anymore. I used to work desperately to earn, even because of the Black Slime, but now I don’t need it. Starting next year, I should gradually reduce my workload. I can’t stop everything suddenly, as you said, but…”

“Yes, well… If you’re going to do that…”

Incidentally, it seems the 3-story commercial building in Gangnam District, which was originally Sunbae’s house and shop, has already been leased out. I heard a 3-story Starbucks moved in, but it was already prime location land, so just receiving the rent means she earns as much as a decent B-rank Hunter. It’s truly something to be thankful for that someone like her makes potions for a small-to-medium guild like this. She even handles orders from the top three guilds while also taking care of our guild’s volume.

Of course, considering Sunbae’s purpose for joining our guild, it’s a bit difficult to call it pure goodwill.

“So, is that all you wanted to ask?”

“For now, that’s all I have to ask Hwayoung Sunbae. But I assume you probably have something else you want to ask me.”

“…W-what do I have to ask?”

“Besides, I had some expectation of this ever since you called me down. I think I can go up in about ’30 minutes’ with some leeway, what do you think?”

“…For now, I’ve prepared. The ‘body’ side too…”

“Isn’t it not very good for a pregnant woman to have too many enemas? Wouldn’t it be better if you just asked me to use purification instead…?”

“Th-that’s more embarrassing!… And you’re complaining even after I went through all the trouble to prepare…”

It’s also my principle to only go from behind towards a pregnant woman, as much as possible. Since Hwayoung Sunbae’s sexual desire builds up 5 times as much as she lives 5 times the time of others, in the end, I have no choice but to indulge her desires today as well.