Chapter 35: It Would Be Nice if They Said Yes

Three transparent containers were filled with mysterious contents that looked like a cross between liquid and porridge.

Green, gold, and red.

They resembled the colors of a traffic light.

The first container held a well-blended green juice. It looked very healthy.

In other words, it looked unappetizing.

The second was a thick, deep-golden porridge. It exuded a sense of luxury that made one wonder if it was truly okay to eat.

Finally, the vivid red juice looked like a blood pack if one glanced at it the wrong way. Kim Jae-won opened the lids one by one and made eye contact with Park Seong-yeon, who wore a weary expression.

"You acted like you were going to save me, but now you're trying to poison me? You were thinking that just now, weren't you?"

"Hey, how could you say that...!"

"The young master's face says exactly that, Mister."

Pretending to tease the frantic Park Seong-yeon, Kim Jae-won winked. Only then did Park Seong-yeon catch onto Kim Jae-won's intention and joined in the act.

"Anyway, I'm really full... but since you've already brought it out, Mister, please have a taste instead."

"You! You're trying to use me as your royal taster, aren't you!"

"Hey, Kim Jae-won! How could you..."

Their bickering efforts were admirable. In truth, Yang Man-chun had played the role of a royal taster from the very beginning. He decided to play along and taste the food with them in turn.

They started with the cucumber juice, the one with the most unappealing color. However, the moment it was poured into a cup, they couldn't resist the refreshing fragrance that wafted out. Both reached out at the same time. The moment a single gulp went down, thunder struck inside their heads.

Shock, astonishment, admiration...

Yang Man-chun and Park Seong-yeon could see their own expressions mirrored in each other's faces. However, their specific impressions differed slightly.

'It's a good thing I'm still alive!'

Park Seong-yeon was simply piling admiration upon admiration.

'Mana... how is this possible?'

Yang Man-chun's eyes widened in shock. He had already been tipped off by Jeong Sang-myeong, but he hadn't realized it would be to this extent.

Yang Man-chun had also been a Hunter who challenged the fiftieth-floor range. His ability to perceive the effects of mana-infused crops might even be superior to Park Ki-beom's. Moreover, the taste added to the shock. When he came to his senses, he found himself tilting the cup to catch every last drop of the cucumber juice that had already hit the bottom.

'How could I behave so pathetically?'

In that moment, he locked eyes with Park Seong-yeon.

"It's really delicious, isn't it, Mister?"

"Yes... yes, it is. It's truly delicious..."

Kim Jae-won nodded as if he understood everything.

"My family was the same way at first. When you get better, Seong-yeon, come visit our house. I'll treat you to some delicious food... No, I'll serve you my mother's cooking!"

At Kim Jae-won's banter, the redness in Yang Man-chun's face gradually faded. By the time the second lid was opened, Yang Man-chun could no longer hide his anticipation.

The moment the lid opened, Park Seong-yeon shouted out the identity of the luxurious golden liquid.

"It's pumpkin porridge!"

Kim Jae-won ladled it into two bowls and handed them out.

As the sweet gold entered their mouths, both men fell silent. After scraping the bottom with their spoons, they eventually ended up licking the bowls. It was a flavor that made one throw away all sense of dignity.

By the time Kim Jae-won handed out the final blood-red juice, they snatched it like hawks hunting prey.

"Drink it slowly. Tell me if you feel okay after finishing it. I'll ask Brother Nam-tae to bring more."

It was doubtful whether Park Seong-yeon even heard him as he started by savoring it before gulping it down. Yang Man-chun also remained silent for a while after drinking the tomato juice.

It was just as Park Seong-yeon was about to respond with a smile. Suddenly, he clutched his stomach and began to scream.

"Argh, aaargh!"

"S-Seong-yeon?"

Kim Jae-won shook his head with a helpless expression.

"W-we were all fine. Everyone loved it and said it was delicious. It shouldn't be like this, it shouldn't be..."

While he muttered excuses, Park Seong-yeon began to thrash his body as if having a seizure. Yang Man-chun shouted.

"Jae-won, hurry and hold Seong-yeon's legs!"

"What? ...Yes, yes!"

Yang Man-chun threw himself over Park Seong-yeon to hold him down. It was hard to believe a man who was barely skin and bones could struggle with such strength.

Fortunately, the seizure-like thrashing stopped before long. But in that short time, Park Seong-yeon had sweated so much that the sheets were soaked. It was black sweat. Only then did Park Seong-yeon collapse, utterly exhausted.

"Seong-yeon, Seong-yeon!"

Kim Jae-won called out to his friend desperately, tears streaming down his face. Yet Park Seong-yeon replied with a faint smile, strangely enough.

"I'm... okay."

"Seong-yeon, Park Seong-yeon! Are you conscious?"

"Man, I never passed out."

"Are you... really okay?"

Park Seong-yeon squinted his eyes and pointed with a trembling finger.

"I'm thirsty. Give me more cucumber juice..."

"Y-yes...!"

However, Kim Jae-won was trembling like an aspen leaf and couldn't even touch the container. Once Yang Man-chun poured and brought the cucumber juice, Park Seong-yeon drank it refreshingly, making his recent near-death seizure look like a lie. Yang Man-chun held out the remaining tomato juice to him again. For a moment, a slight tension filled the air.

But it was brief.

Before Kim Jae-won could even stop him, Park Seong-yeon emptied the glass.

"Seong-yeon!"

Park Seong-yeon froze again. *Thud.* The glass fell, and Park Seong-yeon's head dropped.

"No, why... hey, Park Seong-yeon!"

As if in response, Park Seong-yeon slowly raised his head. Fortunately, there were no signs of another seizure, but his expression looked somewhat dazed.

"Park Seong-yeon?"

Park Seong-yeon looked at Kim Jae-won and whispered softly.

"I love you, Kim Jae-won."

"Eek!"

With a scream, Kim Jae-won scrambled away from the bed. As he prepared to bolt if necessary, Yang Man-chun added his own remark.

"Young Master Jae-won, I love you too."

"Aaaaaagh!"

Kim Jae-won kicked the door open and fled. This was more terrifying than being surrounded by monsters. However, before he could even step outside the door, he was caught by Yang Man-chun and brought back.

"P-please spare me! Buddha, Allah, Jesus, Confucius, Thor! No, Brother Nam-tae!"

As he rubbed his hands together with tears and snot running down his face, Kim Jae-won noticed Park Seong-yeon's shoulders shaking. Only then did he remember who Park Seong-yeon was. On the surface, he was a refined young master from a wealthy family—which was true—but in front of those close to him, he was a prankster full of mischief.

"Hey, Park Seong-yeon!"

"Pfft, hahaha!"

"Hahahaha!"

With shouts and laughter, the tension that had accumulated melted away.

The purification ability in the tomatoes was even more incredible than Go Nam-tae had expected. With just one glass of juice, the shadow of the curse had been almost entirely driven away. However, Park Seong-yeon had to endure pain as the curse that had taken root for so long was uprooted. Yang Man-chun grabbed Kim Jae-won's hand.

"Our Young Master Seong-yeon is really going to live. Thank you, thank you so much!"

"Ah, Mister...?"

Since Yang Man-chun had also drunk the tomato juice, he knew better than anyone. One could tell just by looking at Park Seong-yeon's state. Now, a true opportunity for a second life had come to him.

As the two men looked at him with teary eyes, Kim Jae-won's mind went blank.

"T-this was all sent by Brother Nam-tae..."

"I don't know how to repay this debt to our benefactor. Please convey my deepest gratitude to him."

"Yes... But Brother Nam-tae doesn't really like being called a benefactor..."

Kim Jae-won stopped mid-sentence. Only then did he remember the secret errand Go Nam-tae had entrusted to him. Recalling how he almost ran away without saying a word because of Park Seong-yeon's 'love' nonsense, he spoke quickly.

"Actually, Brother Nam-tae had a message."

"Oh, what is it! Tell me anything!"

It was a bit uncomfortable how the butler's tone suddenly became so formal, but Kim Jae-won continued his explanation diligently.

"Brother Nam-tae says that it might be dangerous for me to keep bringing food here. So, until Seong-yeon is fully recovered, it's better not to do food deliveries."

"Ah..."

That was something Yang Man-chun had also been considering. For now, people didn't mind Kim Jae-won coming and going because of the rumors that Park Seong-yeon was at death's door, but if his life was prolonged, it would arouse suspicion. One couldn't say the roots of the curse were entirely gone yet. They needed tomatoes—no, they needed even more crops.

"So Brother said it might be better if he brings the food to Seong-yeon himself."

"The benefactor himself?"

"Brother actually... um... has a spatial ability. The way he supplies us with goods is also through that spatial ability. Brother opens a door to give us items, and we put in things he needs."

Yang Man-chun's eyes widened. Although he was retired, he still had access to information about active Shadows. Among those reports was the supply method of Kim Gu-bok's shop, which was clearly a spatial ability. It was the only explanation for how goods were supplied when no one was seen entering or leaving. But a bidirectional spatial ability? The benefactor possessed a much more formidable power than he had imagined.

"Does the benefactor want the coordinates of our house?"

"Ah, he said he doesn't need coordinates. Actually, Brother is quite skilled with his hands. He made these containers himself, and he said that just having these would allow him to open a door instead of using coordinates."

"...!"

Unaware that Yang Man-chun was even more shocked by that statement, Kim Jae-won agonized over whether to say the next part. But he couldn't back out now. That was the core of the matter.

"But, you see... that spatial ability... it might look a bit special."

"How is it special?"

"It looks like a... Rift."

Kim Jae-won's voice trailed off. Park Seong-yeon urged him on.

"What? I couldn't hear you."

"A Rift! It looks like a Rift."

"...!"

"So I'm asking... Is it okay to open a Rift here?"

---

'**[Milling]**!'

The well-dried stalks of grain were stripped of their husks, revealing their pale inner flesh. White rice grains were piling up like snow. Go Nam-tae muttered to himself.

"It would be nice if they said yes."

But he knew that was a very optimistic thought. Nine times out of ten, they would get hung up on the 'Rift' part.

A 'Rift' was the synonymous term for the absolute 'enemy' trying to exterminate humanity. He only had to recall when he first opened a Rift in Kim Gu-bok's shop to know that.

"Still, this method really is the best."

[That is true!]

[They will also realize that, realistically, this is the only solution for their survival.]

There was one small problem. How would he, who had even opened a pinhole door into someone else's veranda, designate Park Seong-yeon's location? To be honest, that veranda had belonged to the President's bedroom. He had closed it immediately, so the alarms probably hadn't been triggered. Maybe?

...Go Nam-tae still didn't know the level of South Korea's security alerts.

A way to designate and open those once-random doors had appeared. Like a miracle, it happened just today.

[If there is an object infused with the Boss's mana, that location becomes similar to a familiar place.]

If he looked at it broadly, mana-infused objects included crops. But this was referring to something even more powerful: items manufactured through **[Production]**. For example, the **[Boss's Kimchi Container]**. It was the very item he had sent to Park Seong-yeon.

Kim Jae-won had helped him practice locking onto fixed coordinates. He thought it would be difficult since practice was required, but the door opened correctly eight out of ten times. Because of that, he was only just starting to make rice cakes now. After all, making rice cakes starts with the milling.

...Still, the harvest had been done yesterday.

"Now, let's go make some real rice cakes!"

'Rice cakes!'

'Squishy and chewy!'

*Drip.*

A single red jewel rolled down beneath a tiny creature. *Tap.* A slender vine nudged the little fellow.