“Huh?”
[Yoo Jin: 0.02%]
[Known to a few people. Presence is very small.]
Was it originally 0.02 percent?
Did it go up a bit?
“Well, it’s all the same anyway.”
Two decimal points can change at any time.
Honestly, there are only two beings in this world who know my name: Mi Jeong and me.
Seems like that little increase is because Mi Jeong has been hanging out with me.
If it had shot up by 1 percent, I would have been tense, but it’s not like that.
It probably isn’t a big deal.
I close the reputation window and look up.
An incredible view is about to unfold, and I wouldn’t want to miss it.
“Wow, it’s such a fascinating place to look at. Right, Mi Jeong?”
“······Yeah.”
Mi Jeong lifts her lips to answer reluctantly.
No matter how you look at it, it’s just empty words.
And I can see why.
The picturesque scenery of the village unfolding right before my eyes is cute, but it’s not that astonishing.
At least not yet.
Quaint buildings and colorful roofs.
This is Basel, a village famous for its craftsmanship.
Also known as the ‘Mirror World.’
Basel is the only dwarf village in this area.
The story goes that all the original craftsmen who settled here were dwarves.
“Shall we find an inn first?”
Mana stone processing takes a long time.
It’s not uncommon for the total work time to exceed 24 hours.
Usually, you can’t get the result on the same day; it’s typical to collect it the next day or the day after.
So I think about staying here for about two days.
In the meantime, it wouldn’t be bad to explore the dungeons nearby.
“Hey. Take off your shoes in advance.”
“······Why?”
“You’ll know soon.”
Mi Jeong tilts her head in confusion but eventually takes off her shoes, holding them in her hands.
I also take off my shoes and walk barefoot.
As I reach the plaza and look around, I see everyone is also barefoot.
Most are in shorts, and I even spot some in swimsuits.
“Do you hear that sound?”
“······Huh?”
A whoosh sound is slowly growing louder from afar.
It’s the sound of this village’s identity.
And it reveals why this village is called the ‘Mirror World.’
Soon, water starts filling up the ground at the end of the plaza.
In an instant, shallow water approaches and soaks my feet.
“······Water!”
“Oof!”
But at that moment, I had to groan in pain as if my neck was snapped in half.
Suddenly, Mi Jeong shouted “Water!” and climbed on my back, forcibly sitting on my head.
As if she wouldn’t care whether I go bald or not, she grips my hair tightly, trembling.
Mi Jeong, who never moved, shakes like a soothing massage chair.
For a moment, I was at a loss for words, but I carefully asked Mi Jeong.
“Are you seriously afraid of water?”
“······.”
Mirror World.
Another name for Basel, the city of water.
This village has a unique setting.
It’s set up to regularly have floods.
Of course, floods don’t really cause any big issues.
The water that overflows only rises to ankle-deep.
The dwarves tried to solve this problem by brainstorming, but eventually gave up.
Not because it was technically impossible.
Actually, because the floods started making Basel a popular tourist attraction.
Since they’re used to floods, this village takes on a somewhat unique form.
All the buildings are elevated on foundations to avoid flooding, and all the stalls have long-legged chairs.
This bizarre appearance, which can’t be found anywhere else, gives it great appeal as a tourist spot.
As the water rises, it glimmers with minerals, casting a blue hue around my feet.
The city’s scenery reflects upside down in that clear water, creating an extraordinary view.
I’ll never forget sipping on drinks at a stall in Basel while watching the sunset.
Seeing the sun disappear beyond the horizon in this mountain village is a sight that never gets old.
But why am I…
“Why are you…”
Why am I carrying Mi Jeong on my back?
My shoulders are starting to ache.
However, even with subtle hints, Mi Jeong clings to my head as if it’s her lifeline and shows no signs of getting down.
‘Now that I think about it, there were signs all along.’
I had a feeling something was odd.
She didn’t ask for food even when she was about to collapse from hunger.
She just sat still when bandits pointed a knife at her.
Aside from what I ordered her to do, she stayed frozen in place—that was her default.
That girl who called out to me in the dungeon last time, saying water dripped on her head.
I didn’t think much of it then, but reflecting on it now, I realize.
For Mi Jeong, having water fall on her head was a much more critical situation than almost dying from hunger.
“You don’t want to soak your feet either?”
“Yeah.”
She immediately responds without delay, forgetting to play coy.
A single drop of water is okay, but just a _flood_ of it seems to freak her out.
I start to feel a bit mischievous.
“Oooooof!”
“Ouch!”
As I tilt my body slightly as if to drop her, Mi Jeong crawls over to the other side while whining.
Just when I was about to play around, it looked like my hair was about to be ripped out.
I had a sudden impulse to toss Mi Jeong into the water, but decided against it.
It seems she’s not just scared; it’s an innate fear at a genetic level, so I have to keep carrying her like this.
“What a hassle.”
Do blood ghouls have a fear of water?
I’ve never met a blood ghoul throughout the 12 rounds, so I wouldn’t know.
Now that I think of it, Mi Jeong only drinks blood and has never looked for water.
But how about when it rains?
Will she lose her mind and start dancing a tap dance?
I felt a bit curious.
I hope it rains soon.
“Sigh. I wanted to enjoy a bit longer before going in, but because of you, my head is pounding. I should find an inn first.”
“······Yeah.”
Her voice seems a bit down.
Is that just my imagination, or does she sound like she’s apologizing?
“One room, please. One bed is enough. Two nights.”
“Room 201. Please wipe your feet well before going up the stairs.”
The overly formal but surprisingly kind attitude feels strange.
Am I too used to the adventurer’s guild?
I dry my feet with a towel and put my shoes back on.
Only then does Mi Jeong slowly get off my shoulders and put her shoes on, following beside me.
She acts as if nothing happened.
We quickly find the room and insert the key into the lock.
“Are you just going to stay holed up in the inn? Water comes down at least twice a day. You can stay here, and I’ll take care of things alone…”
Just as I open the door roughly, my lips freeze.
Did I just find the wrong room? I glance back at the room number on the sign.
This is the right one.
It’s a cozy room with a double bed, perfect for a couple’s stay.
“Ugh…”
I forgot to mention it’s a single room.
Naturally, they would give a double bed since we asked for one bed for two people.
But I have no intention of changing rooms now.
The price difference between a single and double room isn’t that much anyway, and more importantly, it’s a hassle.
Having a larger bed makes it even more comfortable, so it’s a good thing.
Of course, Mi Jeong will sleep on the floor.
“Let’s go in.”
“······Yeah.”
We step inside and close the door, starting to unpack.
When I glance back, Mi Jeong just stands there, staring at me without even taking off her coat.
I feel frustrated and finally take her coat off and hang it up.
Even so, Mi Jeong continues to follow me with her gaze.
“Why? Do you want something?”
I’ve learned a habit of Mi Jeong after a few days together.
When she has nothing she wants, she just stares blankly into space, but when she desires something, she gazes at me intently.
Speak up!
“What is it? Are you hungry? Or do you need the bathroom?”
“······I don’t need the bathroom.”
“Of course. So what is it?”
“······I’m hungry.”
“I told you to say it on time when you’re hungry. If you pass out, I’m leaving you behind.”
“······Okay. I’ll say it from now on.”
I’ve got blood packs I kept frozen using freezing magic.
I toss one to her, and it hits Mi Jeong’s face and falls to the floor.
Grab it already!
“Drink that.”
“······Yeah.”
Only after I gave her the command does Mi Jeong pick up the fallen blood pack from the ground.
As I think about looking for a craftsman, Mi Jeong suddenly tugs at my sleeve.
Turning around, she passes the blood pack back to me.
“Why?”
“This… it tastes bad.”
“Just eat it.”
“I don’t like the smell. I prefer Yoo Jin’s blood.”
“Ugh.”
I’m going crazy.
Where’s a blood ghoul who has preferences for blood?
I think I got scammed by that slave dealer.
With this troublesome little one, should I take care of awakening her later?
“Open your mouth wide.”
“······Okay.”
After all, she was a freebie.
What a luxury to think of awakening her.
I have zero expectations.
“Is this the place?”
This is the workshop I’ve visited countless times.
It looks much more shabby than in my memory, but it’s definitely the one.
Of course, it’s natural since I came here long before this workshop became famous.
“Welcome, esteemed customer. What brings you here?”
“I want to sell some raw mana stones. One of them, I’d like to process.”
“Please follow me.”
As I step inside, I see dwarf craftsmen busy at work.
Though it looks shabby, it’s nothing compared to its prosperous future; the workshop is not small at all.
Mana assessors are inspecting the stones with magnifying glasses on one side.
On the other side, various tools are being used to shape and process the stones.
“Could you show me the mana stones?”
“I’m selling these.”
“Whew. There’s a lot.”
The low-grade and medium-grade mana stones tumble out of my bag.
Some high-grade stones are mixed in as well.
But the staff remains unperturbed, calmly sorting the stones and passing them to the appraisers.
At a workshop like this, having this amount of mana stones isn’t surprising.
“And this is the mana stone I’d like to process.”
“This is… ?!”
But the moment I take out the special stone I had set aside, not only the staff but also the craftsmen who were working all turn to look at me.
And rightfully so.
This mana stone seems to emit a light of its own, shining brilliantly as if it holds the universe inside it.
It’s clear at a glance that this stone is miles above the others.
“U-um, are you sure you don’t want to sell it?”
“I’ll just process it. It’s for my personal use.”
“Oh my, how regrettable. But rest assured, we’ll do our best to process it. What will be its use?”
If they bought it, they could process it however they wanted to resell, but knowing they have to process it as I request makes them a bit regretful.
They seem so regretful they totally forgot they are in front of a customer and keep sighing deeply.
It’s a particularly high-quality mana stone, so their disappointment is even greater.
I don’t need to worry that they won’t compromise in their work.
“Um, can I first choose the craftsman who will process it?”
“Of course. You seem to know our craftsmen well.”
“I do. I know a really skilled one.”
“Please call Hans! Allen! Karl! These three are the best craftsmen in our workshop, so you can choose from among them. If you know the name of the person you’re looking for…”
A bunch of nobodies stand in line.
I lose interest and turn away.
The staff rushes after me, trying to get my attention.
I boldly step deeper into the workshop, starting to examine the faces of the dwarves.
“Hahaha! It looks like you want to give it to someone you know personally. But please, trust me. Among the three, any one of them would be the best choice for your needs. I don’t know who it is you’re looking for, but it would be better to choose from one of the three…”
“Oh, there you are.”
“Excuse me? Who are you talking about?”
I finally found her.
With a wide smile, I wave to the girl beside a craftsman, covered in soot.
She looks bewildered as if to ask if it’s really me calling her.
Yeah, it’s you.
“I’m giving it to that girl.”
“Excuse me?!”
The workshop erupts into chaos.
