“Normally?”
- After the Vampire left the Dragon Palace, a Diplomatic Letter was sent from the Beastmen Nation to each race. It said that the King of the Beastmen Nation had changed.
“Don’t tell me….”
Seira slowly nodded and continued speaking.
- It said that one of the Fox Beastmen had become the new King, and the other Fox Beastmen had become royalty.
Seira said that neither she nor the other Merfolk knew the reason why, and since they couldn’t touch the royalty of another country, this current situation had unfolded.
“To get the liver of a Fox Beastman, you’d have to go to war with the Beastmen.”
- That’s right. Of course, coveting a liver is wrong to begin with, but we have no choice.
That’s true.
Every life is precious, but the weight one places on it can vary depending on the individual or group.
“I think I have a general idea of what happened.”
The Vampire had pulled strings behind the scenes.
They incited the Beastmen and the Merfolk to fight each other.
Despicable bastards.
- Do you have any more questions? I have to go back as well.
“I think I’ve heard everything. I’ll also go back and look for a way to cure the illness, no… a way to lift the Curse.”
- Yes. I hope to see you again….
Seira went back.
Hmm, it’s better to seek help from an expert rather than worrying alone.
Now that I have a car, I plan to drive directly to the Research Center where Baek Seonwoo is.
The destination is Incheon.
I took Kasia and headed to the Research Center under the Kanghan Group.
As I drove on the highway and breathed in the cool breeze, my worries disappeared and I felt much better.
Kasia also seemed to be in a good mood, closing her eyes and feeling the wind.
As soon as I arrived at the Research Center, I called Baek Seonwoo and abruptly informed her that I had arrived.
While I was waiting in the Association Hall, Baek Seonwoo came out to greet me in a hurry after a short while.
“What brings you here so suddenly?! To come visit in person like this.”
As she asked that, Baek Seonwoo had a smile on her face, as if she were happy about the unexpected visit.
“I’ve been curious about the Research Center, and I had something to ask as well.”
Then, Baek Seonwoo said she would show us around the Research Center and led us through the security gate.
Kasia also seemed curious, looking around everywhere as if she were sight-seeing.
Just as I imagined, the atmosphere of the Research Center was overall quiet.
Because researchers in white gowns were passing through the hallways, the fact that this was a Research Center really hit home.
“How is it? It’s boring, right? I don’t know how the Kanghan Group managed to gather only people who are so engrossed in research.”
Just as Baek Seonwoo said, in every room we passed, I could only see the backs of people immersed in their research.
“Tada~ This is my office! Come in. You too, Kasia.”
Her room was simple.
All it had was a desk full of a computer and various documents, a sofa, and a coffee machine.
- There isn’t even a television, how desolate.
“Oh, I thought we’ve known each other for a while now, is this our first conversation? I couldn’t understand what you said.”
I quickly used ‘Communion-Bond’.
“You’ll be able to communicate now.”
“Did you do something, Minho?”
Then, one of Kasia’s eyebrows went up.
- …Minho?
“Oh! Communication really works. Nice to meet you, Kasia.”
Baek Seonwoo reached out her hand.
Kasia reluctantly took that hand.
- …Nice to meet you.
“What did you say earlier?”
- I said it was desolate because there is no television.
“That’s true. But I thought if there were a television, I’d keep wanting to watch it, so I just got rid of it.”
As expected, she is one of those people engrossed in research that she mentioned earlier.
To me, as I looked around the room silently, Baek Seonwoo asked.
“So, what is the reason you came all this way? It seems very important.”
I brought up the topic immediately without hesitating.
“Sunwoo, has a Curse Purification Potion made from Porti Root been developed yet?”
I remember hearing that they were researching a Curse Purification Potion in addition to the Healing Potion.
I was told it would be good to develop them together since Porti Root has the Ability to purify Curses.
“Of course! There’s been progress recently. Read this.”
Baek Seonwoo rummaged through a pile of documents, pulled out a file, and handed it to me.
Title: Curse Purification Potion.
Content: The Curse Purification Potion is being developed using Porti Root as the main Ingredient. However, according to research results to date, a Potion using a single Ingredient does not show a significant effect on Curse purification.
…(Omitted)…
Therefore, it has been confirmed that the Curse purification effect can be maximized by mixing it with a Healing Potion that uses Leaves and Flowers along with Porti Root as ingredients.
In future research, we aim to further improve the effect of the Curse Purification Potion based on this combination.
“So the effect is weak with just the Root.”
“Usually when making a Potion, you don’t see a big effect by using only a single Ingredient. The Healing Potion made from Porti is also a mixture of several things.”
Then again, if it were easy to make, anyone would have made it.
“Actually, I heard the Merfolk’s Dragon King is unwell. For over 160 years. I heard he’s been consumed by a powerful High-grade Curse. So I came here to see if purification is possible with a Potion.”
“A Dragon King, and a High-grade Curse maintained for over 160 years…. I read about the Merfolk in an article about you, Minho, but there were even more hidden stories. However, it will be difficult with the Curse Purification Potion I’ve made. It’s still in the early stages, so it can only treat something like a low-grade Curse.”
She seemed disappointed.
Since Curses themselves are rare, opportunities to treat them directly wouldn’t be common.
“Do you happen to know about the symptoms?”
“Ah, the symptoms. I didn’t get a chance to ask. However, they said the liver of a Fox Beastman is the cure.”
“A Fox Beastman? My goodness, first Merfolk and now Beastmen!”
Baek Seonwoo’s eyes sparkled with an expectant expression.
“How fascinating! I really want to go to another world. Wait, that’s not what’s important. A liver….”
Baek Seonwoo muttered as she fell into thought, and after a moment, she opened her mouth.
“The liver is an organ where many nutrients of a living creature are concentrated. Perhaps our ancestors knew this through experience, which is why they made up the story about a Nine-tailed Fox eating livers. Can you get the liver of a Fox Beastman?”
“Unfortunately, I think that would be difficult. That’s why I came here to see if there might be another way.”
In the end, do I have to wait until I can get a Fox Beastman’s liver or until a High-grade Curse Purification Potion is developed….
Seeing all the Merfolk trying to stay with the ailing Dragon King, I think I know what the Dragon King’s usual personality is like.
He must be benevolent and worthy of respect.
Even so, I don’t necessarily have to fulfill Sailun’s request for help.
I don’t think I can gain anything, and above all, to go to the Dragon Palace, I have to pass through the dangerous Elia.
And yet, the reason I’m trying to help.
My head says no, but it’s purely because my heart is telling me to do so.
When I was young, my parents were unwell, and I felt a sense of helplessness and frustration.
Seeing Sailun, that version of myself overlapped, so I couldn’t just turn a blind eye and move on.
‘If only someone had reached out a helping hand back then…. Or if Minjun and I had a solution.’
I wouldn’t have regretted it like this.
“Then how about trying it this way?”
At Baek Seonwoo’s words, my mind, which had gone into the past, returned to the present.
“How?”
“If it’s the liver of a Fox Beastman, it would be similar to an actual fox, right? Then we can analyze a fox’s liver, extract similar nutrients, and develop a new Potion!”
It’s a plausible method.
Since a Beastman would have the physical characteristics or abilities of an animal.
“That’s not bad. But would it be possible for you? It sounds difficult just hearing about it….”
“It’s a challenge! You only know if you try.”
It’s a positive and enterprising mindset.
That’s probably why she can whip up a Potion just like that.
“Thank you for caring this much. I hope you achieve good results.”
If it’s Baek Seonwoo’s ability, it seems entirely possible.
Because the Baek Seonwoo I’ve seen so far has skills as great as her confidence.
Moreover, she seems to be overflowing with motivation after hearing the sad story.