198th Episode
Hassan’s Business
198 – Hassan’s Business #1
While chatting with Antiope, I realized it had gotten late.
I thought about how Luna might be waiting for me in the courtyard by now, and the thought of her pacing barefoot there made me feel a mix of emotions—nostalgic warmth and sudden dread.
Then, it struck me—what if she finds out about the strange things I did with Antiope?
So, I made sure to shower thoroughly at the paid well near the North Gate of the inn, paying five copper coins for the water. Although it was just rubbing spices on my body and splashing water from a bucket, the difference it made was significant.
After washing my hands and body until they squeaked, I finally felt somewhat relieved.
Next time, I should ask Antiope to get me a bottle of Thunder Mandarin duck oil. It might be rare, but as Antiope is quite well-off, getting a bottle shouldn’t be too hard.
I marveled at my own wisdom as I headed to the cottage where Luna would be waiting for me.
It was very late, with the two moons shining brightly. I had even prepared an excuse in case she asked why I was so late.
Surprisingly, no one was in the yard.
Luna hadn’t come out to meet me?
A mix of relief and disappointment.
Just as I was hesitating, placing my hand on the doorknob—
“Stay still, will you.”
“Auugh! Huhuhu, it hurts so much!”
The sound of Luna and Paranoi talking inside reached my ears. I could clearly sense the presence of both Luna and Paranoi on the other side of the door.
Is Paranoi still here? Does she plan to stay the night? Or have they not finished making potions yet?
“Stay still, or it’ll hurt even more.”
“Huhuhu… Ugh!!”
I couldn’t quite figure out what was happening, but Paranoi’s occasional cries of pain were unsettling.
I hesitated to open the door and ended up clearing my throat loudly enough for anyone to hear.
“…Is there a noise outside?”
“Master Hassan! It sounds like Master Hassan is here!”
There was a cacophony of sounds from inside.
A little while later, Luna’s clear voice followed.
“Is Hassan there? Hassan has come?”
“Hm, yeah, it’s me. It’s alright to let me in unless you’re doing something urgent?”
“Please, wait a moment! I’m just cleaning up! It’s already this late?”
The sound of scuffling and barefoot steps on the wooden floor continued before the door was pushed open.
There stood Luna with her usual bright smile.
“You’re late! Did you practice all the way until evening again?”
“Meh, more or less. Anyways, can I come in now? Were you busy?”
“Mhm, pretty much everything is done for today!”
As I entered the first floor of the cottage, sure enough, there were two large sealed jars made of pottery that I hadn’t seen before.
A pungent scent wafted from inside, giving me the impression that whatever potion was in there would have quite a strong taste.
Luna was hovering around me, subtly sniffing the air. She wore a look suggesting her senses were a bit confused, and perhaps it was due to the overwhelming smell of potions in the house.
“Master Hassan, you’ve come…”
From the corner, Paranoi stood there quietly.
However, her face was unusually red, and her eyes shimmered with moisture, as if she had been crying just moments before.
Why would she cry?
Did Luna bully her?
I briefly imagined Luna teasing or pinching Paranoi’s cheeks or poking her. Everyone has that latent desire to bother someone weaker, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Luna had secretly been tormenting Paranoi.
Then again, given how Paranoi often betrays and gossips, maybe she deserves a few slaps to straighten up.
In that moment, I thought I understood why the native nymphs of this continent were diminishing in number compared to the foreign elves.
Nymphs seem to provoke a desire to bully them, which might be why they’ve been bullied out of existence.
While reflecting on this, Luna, who had been re-checking the seals on the jars, picked something up from a corner.
It was a stick of hardened yellow substance that reminded me of amber gemstones, solidified tree resin.
Luna handed it to Paranoi.
“Here, Paranoi! Eat this. It’s today’s wage!”
“It’s honey candy… Thank you very much!”
“It’s not just any honey. It’s Basikir honey, incredibly expensive, and I’m giving it to you because you worked well.”
“Hm, it’s delicious… Honey taste… Candy taste…”
Slurp. Slurp.
Paranoi, who had been looking so distraught moments ago, now happily licked the yellow solid on her tongue, completely transformed.
It was honey candy.
I remembered Paranoi liked sweets to the point she might have symptoms of diabetes, so offering her candy clearly cheered her up significantly.
She’s easy to handle, it seems.
Luna thus seemed to have mastered the way to manage Paranoi.
*
The day after interrogating Antiope.
I prepared to step out early in the morning to gather some information.
“Luna, you’re making potions again today?”
“Mhm, the Alchemist Guild has ordered five more jars!”
Luna was busier than ever, leaving little time for us to be together lately.
As I watched her carve grooves into an already-filled jar with a dagger—“Tschhh… Tschhh…”—a slightly wistful feeling overcame me. Luna then turned to me, showing some strange drawings she’d made.
“What do you think? It looks like the Sun and Moon, right?”
Luna was delighted with her design of a rotating sun and crescent moon.
Since the workshop was named “Sun and Moon Potions,” she seemed intent on incorporating this as a signature mark.
Is the sun shape derived from my name? Thinking that made me feel warm inside.
“Cute.”
“Right? But I’m very busy these days. I can’t even take a day off.”
Though Luna complained about her workload, it was clear she thoroughly enjoyed it, thrilled by the recognition of her work and the prospect of earning money.
I was slightly saddened by the decreasing time I could spend with her, but I guessed these busy days would continue until Luna established her fledgling workshop’s reputation.
It’s admirable how my girlfriend found a stable position before me.
I wondered if dating during university felt like this—if the boyfriend was held back by things like military service while the girlfriend of the same age found employment first, thus leading them to drift apart.
Suddenly, an unpleasant thought struck me.
There are quite a few stories where women, after finding jobs, succumb to the advances of senior colleagues and leave their still-student boyfriends.
Of course, this wasn’t relevant to Luna, but still…
“An order from the Alchemist Guild’s Apothecary Bynas for three vitality potions… better annotate the name carefully. Bynas…”
Seeing how Luna often interacted with the Alchemist Guild lately, I felt a twinge of unease.
Who is this Bynas, an alchemist? I thought I heard her name mentioned occasionally.
So, I casually asked.
“Seems you’ve been in contact with that alchemist, Bynas, quite often?”
“Yes! She’s interested in researching my Vitality Potion! She’s already purchased seven units. Seven! That’s over one gold piece. She must be rich, being an apothecary!”
“Rich?”
“Her age is similar to ours, but she’s already independent from being an Alchemist Guild apprentice and owns her own lab! Isn’t it amazing?”
“Really?”
I understood how remarkable she was, yet inexplicably, I felt annoyed.
Luna praising another man rankled.
Still, I didn’t want to blurt out something petty like “Don’t praise other men in front of me!” and embarrass myself, so I just stewed internally.
Who is this guy, Bynas, who purchased seven units of Luna’s potion? Is he boasting about his wealth? Maybe he’s trying to sway Luna with money.
No one would buy seven units of Luna’s vile-tasting potion without a scheme of some sort—he clearly intends something.
In my mind, the alchemist called Bynas was already deemed a scoundrel trying to steal another’s girlfriend.
The j*rk.
As I silently fumed, Luna added,
“And she said I remind her of her younger sister back home. She’d like to remain close friends. She’s very kind!”
“Ugh.”
I hadn’t dealt with much womanizing before, but this sounded suspiciously like a line someone might use to flirt with Luna.
To be honest, I was irritated that this Bynas—whose face I don’t even know—is getting close to Luna.
Still, I struggled to find a way to bring it up without upsetting her.
Do all men in relationships face this same frustration and dilemma when their girlfriend is admired by others?
Their solutions didn’t come to mind.
“Luna, does this alchemist Bynas know you’ve taken a vow of chastity?”
“So what?”
“Just curious…”
In this world, the vow of chastity holds considerable weight.
Even charming women are less pursued once men know they’ve taken this vow.
“Of course, she knows! That’s why she likes me even more!”
Indeed, there are those who specifically target women with these vows—as proof of their purity—often seeking them out for ill-intentioned purposes.
Although it bruised my pride a little, I decided it was best to straightforwardly express my feelings: stay away from that man.
“Luna, I think…”
But before I could say more, Luna added,
“She also took a vow of chastity!”
“She?”
“Bynas, my big sister!”
She’s a woman.
Suddenly, all my anxiety vanished.
“Good person. We should befriend her. Maybe she’ll become a regular customer.”
“Right? Hassan, help me carry the potion jars to the Alchemist Guild sometime tomorrow!”
“Sure.”
Carrying potion jars was something I could certainly assist with. Earlier, I had been genuinely troubled, fearing Luna was being seduced by another man.
Perhaps this unease stems from my lack of confidence in my own appeal.
I remembered that in some cases, the university boyfriends of career women chose to break up because they felt overshadowed by their partner’s success and growth.
At the time, I didn’t understand, but now it seems clearer.
Luna continues to flourish and solidify her standing.
I shouldn’t remain idle.
So, I stepped out with the resolve not to return to the cottage until I had clearly established my own reputation.
I aim to resolve the issue of goblins appearing near Sodomora and causing harm to civilians’ properties and safety.
If I bring back the enormous head of the Goblin King or something, the city folk will surely be shocked.
My name will top the front page of the newspaper, and upon reading it, Luna will proudly exclaim, “Hassan, you’re incredible!”
Even Hippolyte, who has become my strict instructor, might say, “We meet again, Samaritan,” praising me and perhaps even granting me a day off from training.
“Hmm…”
The thought brought a smile to my face.
This is why people with dreams have so much vitality. It’s truly delightful to have a personal plan and work towards it.
So, I headed to the central underground district of Sodomora—once the site of the Thief Guild, now the old underground market—to gather information.
There’s no better place to learn what’s needed.
—
[Author’s Note]
DategiRyu, JoongeonGom, HanNaDang, Kadeom, Halliday, Hotball, Writer’s Clock, PotatoServer, and Tailed—thank you so much for your support and coupons!
I truly appreciate the manuscript coupons as well. On the day that passed from August 1st to Sunday the 2nd, I, Mit-chule, will bark out my gratitude like an animal… Aruf, Karrr! Keng Keng!
