Chapter 23 (1/2)

“Oh my…”

The woman raised a hand to cover her mouth before the gates of Hyeminwon, stricken with surprise.

“Welcome. May I know what brings you here, Dear Guest?”

A clerk greeted her with a bright smile.

“I’ve been getting headaches lately…”

“Ah, is that so? Then please come over here.”

The clerk moved to the left wall and lifted one of the many potion bottles sitting on display. Each bottle was as long as a finger.

“For headaches, I’d like to recommend this Gaworin.”

“Gaworin?”

“This is the best remedy for headaches, toothaches, and menstrual pains.”

She accepted the bottle on the alchemist’s recommendation.

Gaworin. What a rather peculiar sort of name.

After paying for her purchase, she stepped out of the shop and mused to herself, her head aslant. ‘Would something like this really prove effective?’

But her worries were unfounded because as soon as she consumed the medicine, her headache instantly vanished as though it had never existed in the first place!

‘Impossible…’

She reentered the shop. It was no time for hesitation. Having confirmed the effects firsthand, she needed to buy several more of these potions.

* * *

[ Hyeminwon ]

Kynemeia looked up at the signboard inscribed in cursive script.

‘People are coming here in droves.’

Talk of an alchemists’ workshop had spread like wildfire, and even people from nearby fiefs were descending on the site.

“I told you, I’m one of the villagers here!”

“Ey, don’t lie! I told you to show your proof of identification if you really belong to this village!”

“Argh, I told you I’ll bring it next time!”

It seemed that some customers, wanting to benefit from the local villagers-only discount, were growing violent, claiming to be a local.

“The racket at the shop is getting out of hand.”

At Eian’s bleak observation, Kynemeia firmly shook her head.

“Don’t you do anything. Just stay still.”

“I only said that because I thought Mia might find it too noisy.”

He shot her a bright smile.

‘Everything will be fine as long as you stay still.’ She silently held in her tears. ‘Dangerous guy…’

Still and all, if the Hyeminwon was going to be this packed more often than not, they would have their work cut out to operate it.

“Shall I assign some soldiers?”

At her question, Xuan Tian exhaled a puff of tobacco smoke.

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

He nodded knowingly as if to tell her ‘Just you watch’.

“You little—!”

At that moment, the clerk who was arguing with the man leapt out from behind the counter. Seeing that the man was bent on being pigheaded, the clerk shoved his hand into his breast pocket.

“W-What?”

“What else! It’s a needle to catch bugs!”

With the long needles secured between his fingers, the clerk swung his hand. The needles pierced through the air and stabbed the hooligan in the neck and nose.

“…?!”

“Most alchemists practise acupuncture.”

‘Woaahhh! It’s like a martial arts movie…!’

Kynemeia’s hands rose to cover her slack-jawed mouth, and her eyes sparkled. The needle-wielding clerk then hauled the hooligan off the premises. Meanwhile, another clerk took out the man’s proof of identification and jotted down his name and description in a black notebook. Thuggish customers would be put on a blacklist, apparently.

“Hey there—”

“Welcome, Sir Xuan Tian.”

An alchemist came out to greet him with a bow when he strolled into the shop.

“Oh, why, if it isn’t the Little Angel! How have you been, Miss Little Angel?”

‘Little Angel?! Me?!’

“Okay, let’s leave the greetings for later. First, lead us to the workroom.”

Xuan Tian directed with a nod, his hands folded at his back, while Kynemeia was still recovering from her surprise of hearing this new nickname for the first time.

“Y-Yes.”