Chapter 47: Not Magic, but Hope

The fact that the Rice Paddy and The Field of Dusik had changed had to be seen as the power of a Spirit.

To implement such power artificially?

It was something I hadn’t even thought of.

As I blinked, Dusik chuckled.

“Is it that surprising?”

“To be honest… yes. I thought it would be impossible to return this Rice Paddy and The Field to its original state without me.”

“I thought the same.”

Dusik told me honestly.

“Even while making preparations, I thought these preparations were only for deceiving the eyes of the elders Deul. To be precise, I thought it was for the purpose of giving them hope.”

“You meant that a possibility of seeing improvement would arise?”

“Yeah. I thought that would be enough. Anyway, if I left it alone, wouldn’t you have remodeled the Rice Paddy and The Field here one by one?”

I wanted to say no, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Even with Dusik just now, if I saw the elders Deul showing signs of struggling before my eyes, I would have stepped up to help.

Since I couldn’t answer easily, Dusik grinned.

“You’re just too kind-hearted, kid.”

“No, well. Is being kind-hearted a crime?”

“It’s not a crime, definitely not. If that were a crime, there wouldn’t be anything in the world that isn’t a crime.”

“Then please stay still.”

“But I’m saying this because I don’t like you suffering because of that kindness, kid.”

“It’s not suffering.”

“Forget it. Anyway, Professor Kim Jun-pil stepped up and investigated, and fortunately, he found a solution.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Still, it won’t unfold like the Magic-like events you showed. It’ll probably be the same as now for a year, and from then on, it’ll get better. Little by little.”

What I did was like Magic using the power of a Spirit.

Recreating that exactly with human power was close to impossible.

It would be a long time.

“Still, the elders Deul will suffer quite a bit for the time being…”

“Even so, unlike before, hope is visible. Just with that, the elders Deul will be able to endure. And we’ve prepared another method.”

“Another method?”

“Chansung, why do you think our Hahyeon County is having a hard time?”

“Well… it’s probably because the harvest is bad right now?”

“No.”

It’s not?

As I rolled my eyes here and there, Dusik clicked his tongue.

“You’re a guy doing business, and you don’t know this?”

“No, well. I might not know.”

“Pfft. It’s money. Money. Money is the problem.”

“…Ah.”

Hearing those words, it was true.

If they had a lot of money, a poor rice harvest would only be to the extent of being heartbreaking.

However, they have no separate savings and their livelihood depends on it, so the elders Deul are more desperate.

‘If I didn’t have leeway in my funds, I would have been calculating how many cups I had to sell every day.’

The leeway I had was close to the leeway that came from such things.

As I understood and nodded my head, Dusik continued his explanation.

“So, if enough income is generated until the Rice Paddy and The Field are normalized, wouldn’t it be fine?”

“Is that possible?”

“It’s difficult.”

“…You’re playing with me, aren’t you?”

“Heh heh heh. Did you get caught?”

When Dusik took out a cigarette from his pocket, I quickly stopped him.

“Smoking is prohibited in the Tea Home.”

“Geez, you’re strict.”

“Tsk.”

“I get it, I get it. Anyway, I’m saying it’s difficult, not that it’s impossible. You know Gihyun, right? The guy who drives a truck around doing business.”

“I know him.”

“I’ve opened a path through him.”

A path.

“You found a distribution network?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that possible? You said the condition of the crops in Hahyeon County is overall bad.”

“Even bad crops have a place to be used. We just couldn’t find that distribution network, so we were handing them over for nothing to those trashy scumbags.”

A few more ten-won curses popped out of Dusik’s mouth.

I’ve seen this scene somewhere.

Thinking carefully, I remembered.

It’s the same as when Hyun-woong and Hyun-seo were cursing while selling Watermelon.

Looking at it, there must have been someone more like a thug than I thought.

“It’s even more so because there were rumors that man gave good wholesale prices. For some reason, other fellows Deul who approached were in worse condition.”

“It seems it was a pretty difficult period.”

“You can say that again. Investigating this time, I realized it. They’ve truly spent some difficult times. If things had gone wrong…”

Dusik trailed off.

Even so, I felt like I knew those words.

‘Hahyeon County could have disappeared. It must be something like that.’

Of course, it wouldn’t have gone that far, but it wouldn’t be much different.

Even if it’s a simple neighborhood, hard times are hard times.

“Still, we’ve secured a distribution route, and now we just have to wait and see. If you’re really frustrated, will you lend a hand little by little?”

“I could change it overnight, you know?”

“Just don’t make it obvious that it’s you. I’m leaving now.”

“Yes, take care.”

“You work hard too. Don’t worry about this matter anymore.”

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t just try, do it, kid.”

Dusik said that and left while waving his hand.

Seeing his back, Siu cautiously approached.

“Was it resolved well?”

“It seems so.”

Without borrowing my hand, the problem was resolved within Dusik’s bounds.

The problems of Hahyeon County won’t be resolved instantly, but the anxiety settled on everyone’s faces will gradually disappear.

Before that.

“Siu.”

“Yes?”

“There’s something I want to confirm.”

“I’ll answer anything I can.”

Then…

The changes in the town elders Deul.

Things I’ve seen but missed.

“Can I know what is happening to this land and what kind of influence people Deul are receiving because of it?”

“Hmm…”

Siu showed a thoughtful look with a finger on his chin.

He seemed to know something but was hesitating.

Still, after waiting a little, Siu spoke with difficulty.

“…You’ve heard the story that a Spirit is the incarnation of nature, right? Nature and a Spirit influence each other.”

“Ah, I remember.”

It was a very important story about Spirits, so I couldn’t forget it even if I wanted to.

“It’s a story that came from there, but if a Spirit is too sad, nature receives that influence. Think of it as a specific region receiving that influence greatly.”

“…I see.”

“Hahyeon County became noisy three years ago, right?”

“That’s right.”

Dusik and the siblings also said it was from after grandfather passed away.

Hearing the story that far, the puzzle pieces seem to fit together.

‘When they realized they couldn’t drink the Tea again, they were very sad. They said they’d never be able to drink it again.’

Since all the Spirits Deul mourned grandfather’s passing, it was natural for that influence to reach.

Thinking like that, I felt a bit pitying and sad, yet paradoxically, I also envied grandfather.

“…It’s a story grandfather would have liked to hear. Then how can we solve the fundamental problem?”

“What story are you two sharing so interestingly?”

The answer came not from Siu but from the side.

Turning my head, Yue was standing there, though I didn’t know when she had arrived.

As I looked with blinking eyes in surprise, Yue said primly.

“Am I not allowed to come?”

“No way. I just thought you wouldn’t show your face for a while.”

“I suppose you know exactly what you did wrong?”

“…I don’t think it was to the extent of being a ‘wrong’.”

“Owner Chansung, care to say that again? Do you have no idea how much I suffered because of you?”

“Yue, calm down, calm down. I was wrong.”

At Yue’s murderous aura, I said while raising both hands.

Yue didn’t seem to be truly angry, as she quickly extinguished her energy and said.

“I felt that being angry was meaningless, so I just brushed it all off. So let’s leave that story there, and what were you talking about?”

I briefly explained the events that had occurred to Yue, who was sitting at the bar table.

And Yue, having heard the whole story, spoke.

“Were you worrying about such a thing?”

“Such a thing? I’m serious.”

“I know. What I mean is that you’re already doing well, so I don’t know what more you’re trying to do better.”

“Huh?”

“As Siu explained, the cause of what happened in this small countryside is the Material Jars of the heart of us Spirits Deul.”

Material Jars of the heart.

Yue spoke with emphasis on that part.

“We owe grandfather a lot. That’s why when grandfather passed away, everyone Deul was sad. We thought that sadness could only be soothed by time.”

“Right.”

“In that situation, Owner Chansung appeared. The Existence that would comfort everyone’s hearts appeared to us.”

It’s a bit embarrassing to have it put so grandly.

I hadn’t acted with that much in mind.

“Your The Existence, and the . By these two things existing, the Spirit world is greeting a gradual change. That change will soon make this place happy and warm again.”

“So, just keep doing what I’m doing now?”

“It’s better than doing something clumsily.”

Yue took a small piece of the biscuit placed in front of her and put it in her mouth.

It was just like Yue, who always showed a modest and dignified attitude.

After chewing and swallowing a few times, Yue spoke.

“If you really want to try something, I have one fun idea.”

“A fun idea?”

“Yes. Whether to attempt it or not depends on Owner Chansung.”

I wonder why.

Yue’s smile felt exceptionally mischievous compared to usual.

A trick of the mind… probably?

“What is it?”

“Right now, what Owner Chansung makes is Tea and desserts. How about trying to make something a bit more unique here?”

“Something unique?”

“Yes. For example. Yes, something like alcohol.”

Alcohol…

I’ve never even thought about it.

Even at the company in my previous life, I made drinks, but I didn’t handle alcohol.

“Spirits Deul are as diverse as humans Deul. Naturally, their tastes are bound to be varied. As part of that, I’m telling you to brew alcohol.”

“Hmm. It’s a fun idea.”

“Can you do it?”

“I wonder.”

It might take some time to learn how to make it, but there’s something that comes to mind right away.

Something like Makgeolli.

“Even if I don’t, if the Rice Paddy comes back to life, the rice harvest will also increase.”

If that much rice remains, processing it is also something to consider.

Of course, it will take a lot of time and effort, but that level of investment is worth trying.

“How about it, are you interested?”

“I’m interested.”

“Good. Then please let me taste it as soon as possible.”

“…Yue, by any chance, do you like alcohol?”

“Of course. There’s no reason to dislike something with various flavors and good taste.”

“No…”

I opened my mouth and then closed it.

Yue looks like an elementary schooler on the outside, but she is a Spirit who has already lived for over a thousand years.

It didn’t fit the vibe to talk about minors and whatnot here.

However.

“…I’ll make it for you, so drink it where others can’t see.”

“Pfft, it will be strange to people’s eyes that I am drinking alcohol, right?”

“People here might understand to some extent, though.”

In the countryside, children Deul used to secretly drink a cup of Makgeolli that appeared as a snack.

It’s a possible thing because the rules are loose, but it’s a scene that others would find strange enough.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of doing something that would make things difficult for Owner Chansung.”

“Is it because if I become troubled, you won’t be able to drink alcohol?”

“Pfft. Owner Chansung, you seem to be very quick-witted.”

Yue continued her story smoothly while finishing the biscuit.

“I prefer something with a strong original taste of alcohol rather than something with a lot of fruit fragrance. That cloudy taste is also fine.”

“…Were you a heavy drinker?”

“Won’t you use a good expression like connoisseur?”

No, isn’t connoisseur not that great of an expression either?

I smiled and then nodded my head.

“I get it. I’ll reflect that and try making it.”

“Pfft, I’ll look forward to it. Owner Chansung’s hand-taste is considerable. Probably a good alcohol will be born.”

“Don’t look forward to it too much. I might know drinks, but I’ve never made alcohol. And for a good alcohol, there are cases where the power of time is needed.”

“I can’t not look forward to it at all. You’re Owner Chansung, aren’t you?”

Those words were exactly like the words said when calling grandfather.

“Anyway, I’ll try making it once. Hmm… I’ll try starting with Makgeolli for now.”

“Makgeolli, it’s not bad. Because the original taste of the alcohol is well-preserved.”

“Right?”

“If you need help, tell me. I’ll help you anytime.”

“…You’ll help with any kind of help?”

“Hohoho. Just try calling me for moving meat again.”

“You’re strict.”

We finished speaking and looked at each other and laughed.

By the way.

‘If I start making alcohol, will it become the  now?’

That would be quite fun too.