episode_0024

“Hmm?”

[Yujin: 0.02%]

“It was originally 0.02%?”

Seems like it went up a bit, no?

“Well, it’s all the same in the end.”

It’s just a decimal point or so; it could fluctuate at any time.

Even if someone in this world knows my name, it’s just Mijeong and me, no one else.

Probably went up a bit because Mijeong is with me.

If it had been increasing by 1% each time, I might have been nervous, but it’s not really like that.

It’s nothing special.

Turning off the Fame Window, I raise my head.

Might as well not miss out on the view ahead.

“Right. It’s such an amazing place to look at. Don’t you think so, Mijeong?”

“······Yeah.”

Mijeong responds reluctantly, lips parting.

It’s empty words no matter how you look at it.

Understandable.

The village scenery unfolding before us is quaint and pretty, but not particularly amazing.

At least not yet.

Quaint buildings and colorful roofs.

This is Basel, a village famous for its craftsmanship.

Also known as the “Mirror World” by some.

Basel is the only dwarf village in this area.

Due to the fact that all the initial settlers here were dwarf craftsmen, it ended up that way.

“First, should we find an inn?”

Processing mana stones takes quite a while.

The total processing time often exceeds 24 hours.

It’s common not to receive the finished product on the same day, usually having to wait until the next day or the day after.

So, expect to stay here for about two days.

It wouldn’t hurt to explore the nearby dungeons during that time.

“You. Take off your shoes in advance.”

“Why?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Mijeong raises her head in question, then hesitantly takes off her shoes and holds them in her hands.

Following suit, I also take off my shoes and walk barefoot on the street.

As we reach the square and look around, we notice everyone else is also barefoot.

Most are wearing shorts, and some even appear to be in swimsuits.

“Do you hear that?”

“······Hmm?”

A rushing sound gradually grows louder from a distance.

The sound that defines the identity of this village.

And the sound that explains why this village is called the ‘Mirror World.’

Soon, water begins to fill the ground starting from the end of the square.

In an instant, shallow water approaches and wets my feet.

“······Water!”

“Ugh!”

However, at that moment, I had to groan in pain as if my spine was folding in half.

Mijeong, who suddenly shouted ‘water,’ steps on my back and climbs up, forcibly lifting herself onto my head.

As if indifferent to baldness, she firmly grabs my hair and trembles like a massage chair.

Although momentarily stunned, I cautiously ask Mijeong.

“Are you afraid of water, by any chance?”

“······.”

The Mirror World.

Another name for Basel, the City of Water.

There was one peculiar setting in this village.

That is, periodic floods occur here.

Of course, calling it a flood doesn’t really lead to any major problems.

The water that overflows rises only up to ankle level.

The dwarves tried to deal with it, but soon gave up.

Not because it was technically impossible.

Rather, it was due to these floods that Basel began to thrive as a tourist destination.

Since they were accustomed to the floods, this village has taken on a somewhat unique form.

To prevent buildings from being completely submerged, the foundations are raised by one level, and even the chairs in the market have long legs.

This alien appearance, unseen elsewhere, adds to the charm of the tourist spot.

When the water rises, minerals mix in, giving the water a blue hue that envelops the feet.

Reflecting the cityscape upside down on the clear surface creates a stunning spectacle, adding to the immense allure of the place.

Watching the sunset while drinking at Basel’s store, I can never forget it.

To think that you can see the sun disappearing beyond the horizon in this rural village.

It’s a sight that never gets old no matter how many times you see it.

But why am I feeling this way now?

“But why are you…”

Why am I giving Mijeong a piggyback ride?

My shoulders are starting to feel stiff.

However, even if I subtly hint, Mijeong just clings to my head like a lifeline, showing no intention of coming down.

“Come to think of it, there were signs.”

Something felt off.

Without even asking for food until I’m about to collapse from hunger.

A guy who just sits quietly even when a thief comes at him with a knife.

Apart from what I instruct, he defaults to staying silent and still.

That guy called me because water dripped on his head in the dungeon last time.

I didn’t think much of it then, but looking back now, I realize.

For Mijeong, having water drip on his head was a far more urgent situation than being on the brink of starvation.

“Don’t you want to dip your feet?”

“No.”

He immediately responds without hesitating, forgetting his usual hesitation.

It seems he’s okay with a drop or two hitting his head, but he dislikes it when water flows like this.

I feel a bit mischievous.

“Eeeek!”

“Ouch.”

As I lean back as if to drop him, Mijeong crawls over to the other side, whimpering.

I almost ended up pulling out his hair while playing around.

I had an impulse to throw Mijeong into the water once, but I decided against it.

It seems he doesn’t just dislike it; it’s more of an instinctual fear from a genetic level, so I have no choice but to keep piggybacking him like this.

“He’s not even a vampire, what’s the deal.”

Wasn’t there a setting where vampires fear water?

I’ve never met a vampire throughout the 12 rounds, so there’s no way to know.

Come to think of it, Mijeong only drinks blood; he has never sought water.

But what will he do on rainy days then?

Will he go crazy and tap dance in the rain?

I’m a little curious.

I hope it rains soon.

“Sigh. I was planning to enjoy a bit more before heading in. But my head hurts because of you, so I should book an inn quickly.”

“…Okay.”

His voice sounds slightly subdued.

It must be my imagination that it sounded apologetic.

“Please give me a room. Just one bed is fine. I’ll stay for two nights.”

“It’s room 201. Please wipe your feet well before going up the stairs.”

Despite the rather businesslike attitude, it feels surprisingly friendly.

Am I too immersed in the Adventurers Guild?

After wiping my feet on the towel, I put on my shoes by the road.

Only then does Mijeong slowly come down from my shoulder, put on his shoes, and stick by my side as if nothing happened.

He quickly finds the room and inserts the key into the keyhole.

“Do you just want to stay holed up in the inn? The water comes down twice a day like this. You stay at the inn, and I handle the work alone…”

As soon as he swings open the door, my lips freeze.

Did I pick the wrong room? I check the room number on the sign again.

This is the right room.

A cozy room with a double bed suitable for a couple.

“Ugh…”

I forgot to mention it was a single room.

Since two people came and asked for just one bed, they would naturally give a double bed.

But I don’t feel like changing rooms now.

The price difference between a single and double room isn’t that big anyway, and above all, it’s too much trouble.

Having a wider bed means I can sleep more comfortably, so it’s actually better.

Of course, Mijeong plans to sleep on the floor.

“Let’s go in.”

“…Okay.”

We enter, close the door, and start unpacking.

Glancing back, I see Mijeong standing still without even taking off his coat, just staring at me.

Frustrated, I finally took off my coat and threw it down.

Yet, Mijeong continued to gaze at me with her eyes fixed on me.

“Why? What do you want?”

After spending a few days together, I noticed a habit of Mijeong’s. When she doesn’t want anything, she just stares blankly into space by herself. But when she does want something, she relentlessly fixes her gaze on me.

Speak up, for heaven’s sake.

“What is it? Are you hungry? Or do you need the restroom?”

“…I don’t need the restroom.”

“I see. Then what is it?”

“…I’m hungry.”

“If you’re hungry, you should speak up in time. If you faint from hunger, I’ll just leave you behind.”

“…Fine. I’ll say it. From now on.”

I had some blood packs stored in advance with cryogenic magic. Swiftly tossing one to her, the blood pack hit Mijeong’s motionless face and started dripping down.

Catch it.

“Drink this.”

“…Okay.”

Only after the command was given did Mijeong pick up the fallen blood pack from the floor.

While she was drinking, I briefly considered whether to go find a craftsman.

Just then, as Mijeong pulled my sleeve taut, I turned around to see her offering the blood pack back to me.

“Why?”

“…This. It tastes bad.”

“Just drink it.”

“…The smell. I don’t like it. Yujin’s blood is better.”

“Goodness.”

She’s picky.

Where in the world would you find a vampire who’s a picky eater?

I seem to have been properly scammed by that slave trader.

If she’s this troublesome, maybe I should awaken her later.

“Open your mouth wide.”

“…Okay.”

She’s a freebie I got in the first place.

Talking about awakening on a full stomach.

I don’t even have any expectations.

“Here we are.”

It’s a workshop I’ve visited several times.

It looks much shabbier than I remember, but there’s no mistaking it.

I came here long before this workshop became famous, so it’s only natural.

“Hello, guest. What brings you here today?”

“I want to sell some mana stones. And I want to entrust the processing of one of them.”

“Please come this way.”

Upon entering, I see busy dwarf craftsmen working.

Although I described it as shabby, compared to the prosperous future, the size of the workshop is not small at all.

Appraisers are grading mana stones and passing them to craftsmen for processing.

In another corner, craftsmen are engrossed in shaping mana stones with various tools.

“Could you show me the stones?”

“I will sell these.”

“Oh, there are many.”

Mana stones of low to mid-grade pouring out of the bag.

Occasionally, there are some high-grade stones mixed in.

However, the staff calmly categorizes and hands over the stones to the appraisers without batting an eye.

In a workshop like this, this quantity of mana stones shouldn’t be surprising.

“And this is the stone I want to entrust for processing.”

“This…?!”

But the moment I take out the stone kept separately in the pouch.

Not only the staff but also the craftsmen working glance over in unison.

It’s inevitable.

This stone, shining as if emitting light on its own, exudes a brilliant glow like it’s holding the universe within.

At a glance, you can tell that this stone is leagues ahead of the others.

“Oh, do you have plans to sell this?”

“I will only entrust it for processing. It’s an item I will personally use.”

“Oh, I see. That’s a shame. Nevertheless, I will do my best to process it. What will be its purpose?”

They can process and sell as they wish with other stones, but they must process this one according to my requirements, which must be disappointing for them.

So disappointed that they seem to forget they’re in front of a customer, sighing deeply.

Especially since it’s a top-quality stone, the disappointment seems even greater.

Indeed, very dwarven to have no compromises when it comes to work.

There’s no need to worry about them doing a sloppy job.

“Well then, before its purpose, shall we choose the craftsman to proceed with the work?”

“Of course, that’s fine. It seems you are familiar with the artisans in our workshop.”

“I do. One of them is truly exceptional.”

“Hans! Allen! Karl! Come here! Among these three, who possess the highest skills in our workshop, you can choose one. Perhaps you came after hearing their names?”

As the unfamiliar faces lined up, losing interest and turning away, an employee hastily followed me.

I strode confidently into the workshop, beginning to inspect each dwarf’s face.

“Hahaha. You might prefer to entrust someone you know well. However, believe me when I say, these three are undoubtedly the best in our workshop. While I’m not sure who you are looking for, entrusting one of them would be…”

“Oh, there he is.”

“Yes? Whom are you referring to?”

Finally, I found him.

I waved my hand warmly at the lad, who then looked up from assisting a craftsman, covered in soot, a puzzled expression on his face as if questioning if it was really me he heard being called.

Yes, Yonseok. It’s you.

“I will entrust this child.”

“What?!”

The workshop erupted into chaos.