Memorize

"It's been a while since you called me. What's up?"

After sitting at the table, Vivienne spoke with a bright, cheerful smile. I gazed at her for a moment, lost in thought. Should I bring up Shin Sang-Yong first or talk about the elixir refinement? I figured starting with her Rare Class, Chimera Alchemist, would be the better move.

"I called you because there are a few things we need to wrap up. It's about player Shin Sang-Yong and also about elixir refinement."

"Oh, the stuff we talked about before?"

"Yeah. It's about time we made a decision regarding Sang-Yong. You've been observing him closely for a while now. What do you think of him?"

"Hmm."

Vivienne closed her eyes, her expression turning pensive. After about three minutes, her eyes sparkled as she nodded and spoke.

"Honestly, I'd give it to him. In terms of character and personality, he's flawless. Plus, he's diligent, and his abilities seem compatible. I don't think you'd regret it."

By ability compatibility, she was likely referring to the Harmony Magic Square. Since Vivienne and I were bound by a contract, she'd probably put in her best effort to fulfill my requests. Her words just now were likely the most thorough response she could give within her capabilities. Though it was a subjective judgment, I shared her opinion, so I quickly made up my mind.

"I think so too. It might be a bit late to give it to him now, but a Rare Class is worth it. So, I'd like you to grant him Chimera Alchemist as soon as possible and provide him with the appropriate training."

"Great! A disciple like him is hard to come by, so this is exactly what I wanted. Hehe, I'm excited. He's gonna be shocked, right?"

Vivienne giggled like a child, visibly thrilled. I could already imagine how grateful Sang-Yong would be when he found out, and a wry smile crept onto my face. I'd always felt a bit guilty for not giving him enough attention, so this made me feel a little lighter.

"Alright, let's wrap up the talk about Sang-Yong then… Now, let's get to the main point."

After finishing, I laid out the items I'd prepared in front of Vivienne: an elixir for +4 Vitality below 80, an elixir for +2 Vitality below 70, Vivienne's Elixir, the Heart of the Demon Belphegor, and Horrence's Magic Stone. These were materials that would make any alchemist drool. Sure enough, while Vivienne wasn't exactly drooling buckets, her eyes were practically watering as she looked at them.

"Wow. Just looking at these is mesmerizing."

Watching Vivienne let out continuous gasps of awe, I picked up the +4 Vitality elixir for below 80.

"Players who take this elixir can slightly boost their Vitality stat. What I want is to increase that boost even further. Think it's possible?"

"You added the Vitality elixir and the magic stone from the one we just took down. Hmm~."

The innocent, carefree expression was gone. As an alchemist, Vivienne always became serious and focused. Her sharp gaze was fixed on the materials, and I could tell from the way she occasionally moved her hands that she was running countless calculations in her head.

I felt a bit anxious but didn't do anything as crude as pressuring her for a quick answer. I just sat patiently, waiting for a positive response. A few more minutes passed. Finally, having seemingly finished her calculations, Vivienne looked up and met my gaze.

"So, what do you think? Can you do it?"

"Su-Hyeon, do you remember what I told you before?"

She'd once said it would be a waste to squander materials like these in such a crude workshop environment. It was a rare moment of clear, logical reasoning from her, so I remembered it vividly. I nodded once or twice, and Vivienne let out a big sigh before continuing.

"You said you're leaving Mule soon, right? When are you planning to go?"

"Soon. As soon as we're ready, we'll leave Mule quickly. Why do you ask?"

"Got it. Then I'll hold onto these materials for now. I'll need to do some research on them."

"Oh? Sounds like there's a chance of success."

Seeing her carefully gather the materials gave me a spark of hope. But Vivienne shook her head with a serious expression.

"It's not easy. Honestly, I'm not sure. If it weren't for Sang-Yong's Harmony Magic Square, the odds of failure would probably be higher. You know I can't do it right away, right? We'll need to build a workshop at the new base, and the refinement process will take at least a week, not to mention the enormous amount of supplementary materials required. Anyway, since you're not asking me to make it here in Mule before we leave, I'll analyze it in my own way for now."

"That's fine. I'm counting on you."

"Leave it to me. I, Vivienne La Clacidas, swear on my name to make this a success."

"Wow, you're brimming with confidence. But if you fail…"

Maybe because she was choosing such sweet words today, Vivienne seemed even more adorable. As she started to stand, a mischievous urge welled up inside me. I was about to say, 'I'll tease you mercilessly,' but I instinctively clamped my mouth shut. I didn't know why. It just felt like saying that would lead to something irreversible.

"If I fail? You're gonna punish me?"

There was a strange tone in her voice. I mean, sure, I'd teased her before, but I'd never punished her. Vivienne seemed to be realizing things on her own—things that could change her irreversibly. I thanked my instincts and calmly shifted my words.

"…Punish? I know you'll do your best, so there's no helping it if it doesn't work out. But if you succeed, I'll be thrilled. You know how important Vitality is to me right now. So, if you pull it off, I'll grant you one wish."

"A… wish?"

"Not something ridiculous, of course. But if I think it's reasonable, I'll make it happen."

In that moment, I saw a fierce spark flare up in her eyes. The intensity was so striking that I briefly wondered if I'd said something wrong.

A little later, after getting one more confirmation from me, Vivienne turned and left the room. There was an inexplicable air of determination in her steps.

*

Since returning from the Cave Of Wailing, time seemed to pass even faster. The dim twilight settling over the ground and the cold breeze blowing told me it was now the dark of night. It was the late night Yeon-Joo had mentioned this morning. I lit the cigarette in my mouth and took a deep drag.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. After ten drags, the cigarette was nearly burned out.

I flicked the butt toward the ground and quietly opened the door to enter the inn. By now, the others were probably all asleep. The first-floor lobby, with its Light Stone turned off, was a familiar sight, but it carried an oddly eerie atmosphere.

When I glanced toward the kitchen, a faint light was leaking out. I walked toward it and reached the door in less than a minute. Taking a deep breath, I knocked.

Knock, knock.

A dull sound echoed twice, followed by Yeon-Joo's soft voice saying, "Come in." I carefully turned the handle and stepped inside, where I saw her elegantly wielding a quill pen over a small desk.

"Oh, just a moment. I'm almost done. The vagrants who fled due to the extermination plan are showing some unsettling signs, but it's not certain yet, so I've been compiling the information."

I didn't say anything. It wasn't that she was withholding information; it seemed more like the information wasn't complete enough to share. I felt a renewed sense of awe at her intelligence-gathering skills, already picking up on the trouble brewing a month from now. No wonder IstanTel Law had marked her as the top priority for elimination in the first life.

Even with my arrival, Yeon-Joo remained focused on her writing for a while. Occasionally, she glanced at scattered records and maps around her, sometimes tearing up what she'd written to start again. I sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching her from behind.

"Ah, done. Finally finished~."

Yeon-Joo tossed the quill down with a clack and stretched with all her might. Only then did she turn to me, gently waving the records she'd written. I instinctively stood and reached for them, but she quickly pulled them back, leaving me grasping at air.

Tilting her head playfully, she gave me a coy look and spoke.

"If I hand these over now, it feels like you'll just take them and leave."

"Maybe."

My vague response seemed to displease her, as she slightly furrowed her brow. She soon placed the records on the desk and lightly snapped her fingers. With the sound of her fingers brushing together, the bright Light Stone instantly lost its glow.

The light vanished, and darkness settled over the room. In that faint darkness, I noticed Yeon-Joo rising from her chair and slowly approaching me.

"I've told you time and again, Player Kim Su-Hyeon, you need to rest a bit. It feels like you're starting to get worked up again."

When had she gotten so close? I could feel her sweet breath tickling my neck. Swallowing hard, I looked straight ahead, where the Shadow Queen reached out with both arms, gently grasping one side of my neatly tied Glory of Sun.

"So, here's a question. Why do you think I called you here in the dead of night?"

"Maybe."

"Pretending not to know when you do? Or do you really not know?"

Her voice seemed to rise slightly, as if my same vague answer had annoyed her. I closed my eyes. The emotions I thought I'd burned away with the cigarette outside were stirring again. A certain person kept coming to mind—not Han So-Young, but player Jung Ha-Yeong.

I couldn't quite grasp why I was suddenly feeling this way. From our first meeting, Yeon-Joo had consistently shown interest and even tried to seduce me. And I didn't dislike her. In Hall Plain, it was no big deal for like-minded players to spend a night together. I'd already told her as much. When I opened the door, I thought I was fine with it, so why was I hesitating now?

Just as my thoughts grew tangled, I opened my eyes, startled by a strange sensation at my waist. Looking down, I saw my red waistband being slowly untied. The fully loosened belt was now half-held in Yeon-Joo's hand, the other end dangling to the floor.

As the front of my Glory of Heaven parted, Yeon-Joo took another step forward, leaning toward my chest. And in that moment

"Ah…"

I instinctively stepped back. Surprised by my reaction, Yeon-Joo froze mid-motion, her head halting as she stared into my eyes with a blank expression. I couldn't help but look away.

"…"

Despite the lingering gaze and uncomfortable silence, I managed to turn my eyes back to her. As I struggled to read her expression in the dim darkness, I saw her face gradually tinged with unmistakable hurt. Seeing that expression, memories of things she'd said to me over time flooded my mind all at once.

My step back was, in essence, a form of rejection. In Hall Plain, rejecting intimacy usually meant one thing: 'I don't like you.' Or 'I don't want to be with you.'

Of course, that wasn't how I felt. The conflict arose from my desire to accept Yeon-Joo and the feelings I held for player Ha-Yeong—a reflexive reaction born from that dissonance. But to her, it was more than enough to cause a misunderstanding.

Finally, Yeon-Joo's lips slowly parted.

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