Chapter 73: Flowers That Refuse to Wither

It wasn’t exactly a new project.

After all, all I had to do was take the Blue Flame Herb Flower Crown I’d made for Red before and add something related to recovery.

[Blue Flame Grass]

[Observation Progress: 100%]

[Absorbs mana as it grows……(Read more)]

[(Omitted)]

[Effects]

[1. Has the effect of Mana Purification.]

[2. Has the effect of .]

[<Soul of the Wizard> : If you use magic three times in a row within 10 seconds, 20% of the total damage dealt by the first two spells is applied as additional damage.]

Still, I couldn’t guarantee that I’d end up with a flower crown as exceptional as the last time.

“Back then, I hit Legendary and even Legendary Success, so extra effects were added that weren’t even there to begin with.”

And as for one of Red’s additional requests—a counter to slow effects—I had made my decision.

[Windflower]

[Observation Progress: 85%]

[The flower at the tip of the long reed becomes increasingly translucent depending on the strength of the wind. (Read more)]

[(Omitted)]

[Effects]

[1. Increases movement speed.]

[2. (Unconfirmed)]

It wasn’t quite a finished flower at 100% yet, but the core effect—movement speed boost—was far more efficient than the others, so I chose it.

That just left the flower to handle recovery, but in this case, there were so many options that I couldn’t decide.

“He said price wasn’t an issue, but… still, I can’t make it out of nothing but the most expensive flowers.”

The price standards Jaeho set depended on the number and rarity of the flowers.

Since the items would eventually wither away and disappear, cost-effectiveness was inevitably important.

Just cranking out the best things possible wouldn’t increase their durability.

“As expected, for cost-effectiveness, the Epfeltz Flower is perfect.”

[Effects]

[1. Has a minor health recovery effect.]

[2. Has the effect of <Weak but strong>.]

[<Weak but strong>: If health drops below 5%, damage taken is halved for 3 seconds.]

It may be described as “minor health recovery,” but when applied to an item, it became a sustained recovery effect.

I knew this better than anyone, since I’d been making Epfeltz Flower potions to the point of exhaustion.

“Guess I’ll head out to the garden for a bit…”

Jaeho left the Flower House to search for the flowers he’d need.

***

The moment Jaeho entered the garden, spirits gathered from all directions and began to chatter excitedly.

It was because of the abundant vitality radiating from Jaeho, the effects of his aroma, and countless other reasons—so many that it was hard to list them all. Just looking at Jaeho made the lower spirits crowd around him, bursting into laughter.

“Wow… It looks like a halo!”

Mei, who was in the garden, exclaimed in awe.

Just as she said, the spirits sparkling and flitting around Jaeho made him seem sacred.

“I’m jealous…”

Yet spirits swarmed around Mei as well.

It was just that, compared to the overwhelming glow surrounding Jaeho, she looked a bit shabby by comparison.

“Do spirits gather around you elsewhere, too?”

“No. Spirits only manifest physically here in Elysia Garden.”

If something like this happened in Embay Forest…

“That would have been a nightmare.”

Shaking his head to erase the awful image, Jaeho returned to the Flower House with the flowers he needed.

As he began the work in earnest, the spirits followed him inside and perched on his broad shoulders, watching with great fascination.

Thanks to those spirits, the flowers he was working on received a buff to their status as well.

[Due to dense vitality, the completed item’s durability increases.]

“Nice.”

He carefully braided each flower, and the crown gradually began to take on a beautiful shape.

Swish—

He took out a small bag of growth powder and sprinkled it generously.

Before, he only sprinkled it after completing an item, but now that he could produce it directly in Bloria, he could afford to be a bit bolder.

“There aren’t any customers anyway…”

Burying the depressing truth, Jaeho finished the work that had taken nearly an hour.

[<Gentle Breeze Crown>]

[Grade: High]

[Usage Requirements: None]

[A crown woven harmoniously from three kinds of flowers brimming with love.

It is also a playground for spirits; with proper care, it may retain its effects semi-permanently.]

[Effects: 1. Increases movement speed by 10%.

2. Increases basic health recovery by 15%.
3. <The Wizard soul>
4. Conditional Semi-permanence]

[<Soul of the Wizard>: If you use magic three times in a row within 10 seconds, 30% of the total damage dealt by the first two spells is applied as additional damage.]

[<Weak but strong>: If health drops below 10%, damage taken is halved for 3 seconds.]

It was a bit disappointing that it only came out as “High” grade.

Even so, just the fact that Jaeho made it meant the performance far exceeded the standard options.

“Well, this is good enough.”

Legendary-grade wasn’t something that popped out every time, anyway.

Besides, there was a meaningful gain this time, too.

“It’s a flower crown, but how do you manage it to maintain semi-permanence?”

Jaeho asked Stringdae, who was crouched on the worktable.

—Ha, isn’t it obvious? Intensive care from the ones here, just like the spirits do.

“Then it’s impossible.”

—It’s not impossible.

Thunk—

The spirits playing atop the flower crown drooped their shoulders in disappointment.

Pitiful, but also adorable.

—Ahem, how about this instead?

As if worried the blight would spread, Dae-wa Jingjing-i, who’d been hiding in the farthest corner of the Flower House, offered an idea.

—You could come here regularly for repairs.

“Repairs?”

It was a word that didn’t really fit, but Jaeho immediately understood what Jingjing-i meant.

“You mean, before it withers completely, you come here for intensive maintenance?”

—That’s exactly it!

It was actually a pretty good idea.

Other items, like weapons and armor, also had durability; if you didn’t repair them, they’d break and become useless.

In that context, it was obviously necessary.

—For a fool, that guy had a good idea. Elysia is so full of vitality it could even revive dead flowers.

With Stringdae’s agreement, Jaeho made up his mind.

There weren’t any other customers anyway, so he could just ask Red to cooperate.

***

Red made his way to Elysia Garden.

Last time, when he’d visited Elysia, he’d had to sneak around, worried about his guild’s suspicions, but this time was different.

His steps were much lighter!

And the reason was…

—You traitorous bastard!! You’re marked for elimination, no matter what!!

—What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?!

—Did you think we wouldn’t know?! We know you and Alcia have something going on!

—H-hyung, what are you talking about?!

—Watch your back at night! If you get stabbed from behind, it’ll be a Bear!

…That’s the gist of it.

Thanks to that, Red was currently a fugitive.

But he didn’t actually feel that bad about it.

After all, he mostly operated in Rasel Kingdom, where the Red Mage Tower was, and that was far from Bear Kingdom.

Besides, Bear Guild’s main turf wasn’t Rasel Kingdom, so there were no guild members around.

—Huh? What are you going to that backwater for?

He’d heard that line more times than he could count.

On top of that, ever since he’d first requested Jaeho’s work, he’d been under suspicion and it was mentally exhausting.

He’d wanted to wear the flower crown and experience its effects again, but he’d hesitated, wary of prying eyes.

But now, all that discomfort was gone.

Bear or no Bear, he could go to Elysia with his head held high!

“Ah, I see it now!”

The city of flowers sparkling beyond the desert.

It had changed completely from the last time he’d visited.

“I saw it in a video, but… in person, it’s even more amazing.”

As he followed the directions of the call center staff and headed for the Flower House, Red muttered to himself.

“Haha, it looks even better at night. Videos don’t do it justice. Even when we work shifts, everyone wants to take the night shift.”

“Oh…”

The dungeon he was planning to tackle wasn’t far away, and since he’d be going alone, he figured he had plenty of time.

“Ah, Red!”

Jaeho greeted him warmly as he arrived at the Flower House.

“Long time no see, Alcia-nim.”

Red, too, greeted him confidently.

Now that he wasn’t part of Bulgeom Guild, he had nothing to hide.

Jaeho led Red inside and handed over the flower crown.

“Oooh! As expected, this is amazing!”

After checking the options, Red nodded in satisfaction.

“I’m glad you’re satisfied. To be honest, I was a little worried since the stats are a bit lower than last time.”

“Come on, I’ve played enough games to know—Legendary items and Legendary Success don’t drop that often, right? Even the base options on this are insane. The effects stack with other items of the same slot. But…”

He then noticed the “semi-permanence” option.

“Huh? Does this mean durability has been improved?”

“Ah! Actually, I was going to ask you for a favor, Red.”

Jaeho explained to Red about testing the flower crown’s durability.

“The last flower crown lasted for a few days, right?”

“I think I used it for just under a month…”

“Then could you visit after about twenty days or so? I don’t think it’s possible for you to maintain it yourself.”

“Of course. I have no problem with that!”

Red nodded readily.

Instead of spending a fortune to have a new one made every time, it was much better to keep it maintained for a fraction of the price.

“Oh, and please take this, too.”

“??”

Jaeho handed over a modest flower bracelet.

[<Bracelet of Strong Spirit>]

[Grade: High]

[Usage Requirements: None]

[A bracelet that will support you no matter the circumstance.]

[Effects: 1. Increases recovery efficiency by 1.2 times.

2. Conditional Semi-permanence]

“Just think of it as a little bonus for your trouble. It’s nothing special, but it should help you in the dungeon.”

“T-thank you!”

Red happily put on the bracelet and the flower crown immediately.

“Oh, by the way, a staff member said I should check out the night view… Is there somewhere I could stay here for a bit?”

Red knew this city wasn’t exactly a place where humans could roam freely.

“Hm… Then I’ll speak to the Strategy Cooperative for you. You can stay there, and when night falls, I’ll come get you.”

As expected, Jaeho’s choice was the Strategy Cooperative.

They might seem a little fanatical, but among the humans here, they were the most adaptable…

***

That evening, Jaeho personally showed Red around the city—their only customer.

Red was completely entranced by the softly glowing Milkway and the spirits painting the sky.

The beautiful sight stirred something deep within his heart.

“…Alcia-nim, there’s something I want to say.”

In front of the Milkway’s elegant fence.

Standing there, Red shut his eyes tight and spoke.

“The truth is… I… Alcia-nim… That is…”

“Eek!”

“??”

“???”

Suddenly, a breeze carried a sound from beyond the fence.

“Huh? Mei?”

Jaeho spotted Mei crouched as if hiding beyond the fence and called out to her.

“What are you doing there?”

“Huh? Ah, ahahaha! J-just passing by! W-well, I’ll be going now!”

Mei dashed off in a hurry.

Jaeho shrugged, baffled by her behavior, then turned back to Red.

“Ah, sorry. Please go on with what you were saying.”

“Ah! Yes?”

Red, flustered, took a deep breath.

“There’s no need to worry about the Bears anymore, right?”

Summoning his courage, Red finally spoke.

“The truth is, I was supposed to kill you, Alcia-nim.”

“I… was part of Bulgeom Guild until just recently… I’m sorry.”

Jaeho just chuckled at his confession.

“I already knew.”

“…What?”

Red looked up at him, bewildered.

“I did business with you knowing everything.”

“!!”

At those words, Red was overcome with a thrill.

“This man… is truly magnanimous!”

As the Flower House’s only customer, Red knew what Jaeho’s true feelings were.

He might not look the part, but he really did love flowers.

And as long as a customer came to buy his flowers, even if it was an enemy, he would welcome them!

“Sniff.”

Moved by Jaeho’s generosity, Red began to weep.

Up until now, he’d just gone along with his guild’s prejudice, discriminating against others just for being a different race…

Jaeho’s big-heartedness touched Red’s soul—but Jaeho, meanwhile, was a bit taken aback by Red’s reaction.

“Why, what’s with you?”

Jaeho had learned about Red’s past after the Bear Kingdom incident, through Taylor.

—Because I died by your sword, I wasn’t suspected. Red got blamed all by himself, got kicked out of the guild.

That’s why Jaeho decided to deal with Red.

If Red were still with Bear Kingdom?

Then, instead of handing him a flower crown, Jaeho might have handed him a trowel.