Chapter 133

 

While eating together, I suddenly felt like I should tell them first, so I casually brought it up.  

 

“Sorry for not saying it until now. Actually, I’m Kang Eui-jin.”  

 

“Pfft─!!”  

 

Clatter. 

 

The sound of dishes dropping echoed everywhere. Amid the shocked adults, only the little kids—too young to grasp the significance of a Potion Master’s status—tilted their heads in confusion.  

 

“How, how…?”  

 

“You all had your suspicions, didn’t you?”  

 

I muttered nonchalantly, stabbing an egg with my fork as if it wasn’t a big deal, which only made Baek Da-in’s face turn red, her voice rising in response.  

 

“Suspicions?! Of course, that guy—that guild leader—Ho, Ho-hyun—”  

 

“Just call me Eui-jin.”  

 

“I did hear the name they rudely called you when they kidnapped you, Eui-jin nim… but I couldn’t believe it right away.”

 

“Exactly. The idea that the boss we knew was actually Potion Master Kang Eui-jin? Haha… Honestly, it felt much more realistic to think we were all collectively hearing things.”

 

As the adults clamored over one another to speak, Baek Da-hye tugged on Baek Da-in’s sleeve and asked,

 

“Eonni, is a Potion Master really that amazing? Even more than an S-Class?”

 

“Da-hye… Yes. The title of ‘Master’ is reserved only for the best in the world. And on top of that, Eui-jin nim is also S-Class.”

 

“Really?”

 

Da-hye, her mouth agape, looked at me in disbelief. Feeling amused and triumphant, I grinned broadly and said,

 

“From now on, call me Master, kiddo.”

 

“I-I refuse! So what if you’re a Master? I’m still going to call you ‘Ajusshi’!”

 

“Da-hye!”

 

Baek Da-in hastily covered Da-hye’s mouth. Amused by her defiance, I chuckled to myself while glancing around—only to spot Su-cheol acting very strangely off to the side.

 

“K-Kang Eui-jin. Kang Eui-jin… I’ve been working at Potion Master Kang Eui-jin’s shop… This is insane, this is huge…”

 

“What’s wrong with Su-cheol?”

 

“Su-cheol didn’t hear the Nox Guild leader calling out your name that day, Eui-jin nim…”

 

Yeon Seung-yeon whispered to me, explaining that Su-cheol had just found out about me.

 

Su-cheol, meanwhile, was frantically typing something on his phone, muttering, “No, I must resist!” as he smacked the back of his hand with his other hand. Then he turned his phone on, only to turn it off again, repeating the process several times before finally hurling the phone across the room.

 

‘What is he even doing?’

 

As I watched Su-cheol’s antics with curiosity, I suddenly felt a tug on my clothes. Looking down, I saw Ha-jeong, her hair neatly braided into two pigtails, staring up at me intently.

 

“What?”

 

“Master nim… Mom said that Masters are stronger than Healers. Is that true?”

 

Ha-jeong, who had promptly switched to the new title after hearing me tell Da-hye to call me that, looked up at me with wide, earnest eyes. Feeling proud of her quick adaptation, I patted her head and nodded.

 

“Of course.”

 

“Then, when I awaken, I want to be a Potion Maker too.”

 

Ha-jeong said this shyly. In truth, the abilities granted upon awakening were entirely random, and the chances of becoming a Potion Maker were extremely slim. Still, I nodded, satisfied by her enthusiasm, and promised her that if she did awaken as a Potion Maker, I’d take her on as my apprentice.

 

After the commotion settled down, the conversation among the group naturally shifted back to the party quest.

 

“Da-in ah, if the Tower really opens… let’s go together. My team members are all on board.”

 

“I’d really appreciate that.”

 

It seemed word had already started spreading among the Hunters about the quest taking place inside a tower. The uncertainty surrounding entering an uncharted dungeon was clearly making everyone nervous.

 

“Seung-yeon ah, have your quests progressed any?”

 

“Yes, the materials I need seem to be obtainable inside the Tower. Once Hunters clear the quests and the items hit the market, I plan to buy them then.”

 

The notion that Hunters would clear quests by hunting monsters, which would in turn supply the crafting community with resources to complete their own quests, felt like a self-sustaining cycle. I couldn’t help but wonder about the purpose of the quests themselves as I pondered the system.

 

While I was lost in thought, Ha-yan’s worried voice broke through my musings.

 

“What about Da-hye? You’re not planning to send her, right?”

 

Holding Da-hye in her arms, Da-in firmly shook her head.

 

“For now, I’m planning not to send her. But I don’t know how the Hunter Association will act….”

 

“No way. Even the Association can’t forcibly conscript children. Just in case, let’s leave Da-hye with Jeong-hyuk.”

 

“Da-hye, you heard that, right? You’ll stay with Ha-jeong.”

 

“Ugh, but I want to go to the dungeon.”

 

Da-hye grumbled. But despite her complaints, she obediently nodded.

 

Beyond the crowd of people, the large tower visible through the window caught my eye. Every Hunter’s attention was drawn toward it. Seong San-ha had said I’d have to enter the tower as well, but I wanted no part of it. If I could, I’d run far away from all of this.

 

The long-running main quest had finally disappeared. I wanted no more troublesome entanglements.

 

‘Let’s avoid getting involved as much as possible. If I can, for the rest of my life!’

 

Propping my chin up with one hand, I continued to stare blankly at the tower outside the window until I received a call from Lee Cho.

 

***

 

Zero, who claimed that he had something to do, left first, and Seung-yeon and I headed to the annex where Lee Cho had called us. When we arrived, Icho and quite a few other people greeted us.

 

“Hello, Eui-jin nim! We’re from the Cheon Rang PR team. We thought it would be good to meet today to go over the concept and do some image consulting before the shoot!”

 

“Yeah, I heard from Lee Cho. Nice to meet you.”

 

“Ah, as expected! Your presence is exactly what we imagined. Perfect! Perfect! Could you sit here for a moment? I’m Sierra, the head of the PR team.”

 

Before I knew it, I was seated in front of a large mirror, surrounded by people. Behind the mirror, I could see Seung-yeon nervously sitting in the corner, holding a juice in his hand, his eyes darting around.

 

My brief moment of calm vanished as countless hands reached toward me, leaving me bewildered.

 

“Your hair is pretty long, so there’s a lot we can do with it. It just needs a bit of trimming.”

 

“Your skin is amazing. Not even any baby hair! It’s so elastic and firm that makeup will go on flawlessly.”

 

My hair was pulled up and let down, soft hands checked the structure of my face, and my cheeks were stretched. This was the first time I’d ever experienced such a thorough inspection, and I was so flustered I couldn’t even open my eyes. I didn’t even notice the man kneeling below me, taking my measurements.

 

“The sizes are different from what we heard. Your legs are even longer than we thought. We’ll have to adjust all the pants.”

 

It tickled, but I couldn’t bring myself to swat away the delicate hands of the staff. I tried silently pleading for help from Lee Cho, who was leaning against the mirror, but he acted as though he was used to this situation and didn’t even glance my way.

 

“We also manage the PR for San-ha nim, so don’t worry and just trust us.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

“We’ve already selected a few concepts that we think suit you after discussing them during our meeting. But before we introduce them, is there a style or image you’re aiming for? If you let us know, we can take it into consideration.”

 

Sierra placed a long pin in my hair as she asked the question. The soothing touch of her hands as she worked on my hair made me lean back against the chair in thought.

 

“My style, huh? Hmm… well, I’d like to look strong. You know, something with charisma, like really cool and imposing….”

 

“Ah, haha. I see. That kind of preference… Hmm, alright. Got it. I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

“Oh, and you know what I saw the other day? Torn clothes that show off muscles underneath! That was awesome! And a tanned look!”

 

The more I rambled, the more the staff’s expressions turned… complicated. Sierra quickly schooled her face into a neutral smile and gently turned my chin to face the mirror.

 

“So you like the classic battle-hardened style, huh? That could definitely suit you, Eui-jin nim.”

 

“Right?!”

 

“Of course. But… since this is your big debut, how about we go with something a bit more special and unique? Something that’s distinctly your own style. Not just the typical, generic battle aesthetic.”

 

“Something special and unique…? Alright, I like that!”

 

Sierra gestured with a flick of her hand, and another staff member brought over a sleek-looking album.

 

“Eui-jin nim, since you’ve maintained a mysterious image until now, your first public reveal will have a lasting impact on how the world perceives you. Of course, your reputation already guarantees attention, but since the intent behind this reveal is to establish your presence and secure various forms of protection, we believe the concept should aim to win public favor. What do you think?”

 

“Sounds good! But, I mean… I’m a Potion Master. Doesn’t that automatically make everyone like me?”

 

I couldn’t help but ask, still feeling a tiny pang of regret about giving up on the classic battle-hardened style. Sierra covered her mouth and chuckled.

 

“Of course. Anyone who meets you in person would naturally like you. But when it comes to the public, it’s a little different. Eui-jin nim can’t possibly meet everyone one-on-one, right? For the general public, it’s your appearance and the image you project that does the talking.”

 

“Alright, fair enough. So, what concepts do you have in mind?”

 

“There are two major concepts that we believe would perfectly align with the information soon to be released about you. These concepts are designed to amplify your impact: one focuses on empathy, and the other on awe.”

 

“I think I prefer awe—”

 

“First! The Prince of the Tower!”

 

I blinked. The dramatic title caught me off guard, and I couldn’t help but lean forward with curiosity.

 

When I was about to pick one without even looking, Sierra’s sudden exclamation drew the attention of the staff, who was rushing over the stage, holding a large scrapbook. 

 

My gaze darted back and forth as they flipped through the pages of the scrapbook, filling my vision with dozens of photos. In the center of it all was an illustration of a prince trapped atop a tower, tears streaming down his face.

 

“Captured by Nox, his abilities exploited, and his fame stolen by an imposter. Yet, he didn’t give up. He escaped the tower and bravely took a step forward to save the world once more! How could anyone resist reaching out to help someone like Eui-jin nim?”

 

Sierra clasped her hands together and gazed into the air, completely immersed in her own narrative. Meanwhile, other staff members presented photo references to back up her pitch.

 

It was then that I noticed one staff member trying to open another scrapbook, only for Sierra to stop them.

 

“The key concepts are purity, fragility, and melancholy! We’ll use soft ocean lighting to create an emotional, almost ephemeral atmosphere.”

 

“For the hair, we’ll keep it slightly trimmed, long, and neat. The makeup will be light and natural, paired with a simple white shirt and jeans…”

 

“…”

 

“The next concept emphasizes Eui-jin nim’s expertise. We aim to embody the fantasy of a ‘Master.’ A touch of eccentricity, with a slightly unhinged vibe. Light curls to make the hair appear soft but messy—”

 

I stopped listening at some point, their words blurring into the background. My gaze locked onto the scrapbook that had been hidden earlier, replaying the words I’d caught a glimpse of. Slowly, I turned to glare at Lee Cho, who was lounging nearby.

 

When our eyes met, Lee Cho smiled awkwardly.

 

“Eui-jin nim? Why are you looking at me like that…”

 

“I’m not doing it.”