Chapter 17: I made an ultra rare potion
Do spirits have a hierarchy too?
The Lumina spirit, now thoroughly disciplined, began cleaning up its mess.
It scrubbed the dirt-streaked floor,
gathered empty purified water bottles,
and returned scattered gardening tools to their places.
It even fluttered its wings, sprinkling shimmering light on the plants it had tormented.
[Stucky, blessed by the spirit, stretches vigorously.]
[Kalanchoe, blessed by the spirit, dances merrily.]
[Rubber plant, blessed by the spirit, falls into a peaceful slumber.]
Messages popped up, showing my beloved plants’ satisfaction.
For the first time, the Lumina spirit, once just a troublemaker, looked endearing.
But Pristine, still unsatisfied, gestured sternly, ordering the Lumina spirit to clear every last bit of debris.
‘So this is how spirits act around each other…’
It was a new side of Pristine, who’d always seemed sweet and innocent.
Having established dominance with a single gesture, Pristine returned to its angelic demeanor, flitting back to my shoulder.
It nuzzled my cheek, as if asking, “Did I do good?”
The Lumina spirit, dazed by Pristine’s duality, jumped at another sharp gesture and frantically grabbed cleaning tools.
—Bbiing…
Its pitiful trembling tugged at my heart.
So, I…
“Here, hide this quick.”
While Pristine was distracted, I slipped one of the two remaining purified water bottles into the Lumina spirit’s hands.
—Bbiing…?
It looked between me and the bottle, then hugged it tightly with its tiny arms, as if it were a treasure.
—Sniff, bbiik…
With teary eyes, it bowed to me before scurrying off, glancing nervously at Pristine.
Why’s it crying over something like that?
Good thing I secured a steady supply line with the necromancer.
I’ll need to order a lot more purified water…
The Lumina spirit’s constant chaos had delayed my mana potion crafting.
But now, with Pristine keeping it in line,
I could finally get to work.
I steadied my breath and laid out the materials.
Thirty Lumina Bell flowers and the last bottle of purified water.
With only one bottle, I wanted to use the freshest flowers possible.
“Hm, maybe that one?”
My gaze landed on the Lumina flower with the oversized bud and elongated stem—the one the spirit had emerged from.
Since it birthed a spirit, wouldn’t it make a better potion than ordinary flowers?
I washed its petals carefully, placed them in a mortar, and took a deep breath.
“Let’s do this!”
Slowly, with care,
I turned the pestle clockwise.
The petals crushed, releasing clear sap tinged with blue light.
I tilted the mortar, pouring the sap into a small glass vial.
“Now, just add the purified water, and it’s a mana potion, right?”
As I poured in the water,
the sap and water merged, and an unsettling glow pulsed within the vial.
Startled, I picked it up. The wild light settled, forming a tiny galaxy inside.
I stared at the faintly glowing vial.
‘Why’s there no info?’
I was certain I’d created something extraordinary,
but since my unique ability wasn’t alchemy, I couldn’t glean more details.
I opened the marketplace app and searched “mana potion.”
None of the listed potions shimmered with light particles or glowed blue.
Then, a memory from the community flashed through my mind.
‘The Awakener Administration!’
They could appraise rare gate materials or items to determine their exact value and grade.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the potion and headed to the Administration.
The Administration was far busier and noisier than I’d expected.
A massive screen in the lobby broadcasted gate-related news nonstop,
and shouts from awakeners echoed everywhere.
The tense atmosphere made me shrink instinctively.
“Number 301!”
After a long wait, my number was called.
I cautiously approached the desk.
The clerk, frowning deeply, typed furiously, eyes glued to the monitor.
‘Should I say something… or wait…?’
They looked so busy, I hesitated to interrupt.
Sighing heavily, the clerk finally noticed me standing there after a while.
A brief silence fell.
“Uh…? Aren’t you… the healer from the news?”
With that single sentence, the chaotic lobby went dead silent.
Clerks, awakeners holding tickets, and people chatting—all eyes turned to me.
The attention was suffocating.
My face burned.
“Uh… hi.”
“Oh my! Healer-nim! Goodness, where’s my head? Hello!”
I greeted awkwardly, and the clerk leapt up, bowing deeply before scrambling to tidy their desk.
The earlier scowl was gone.
“What… brings you here?”
Beaming, they clasped their hands politely.
Scratching my neck, feeling the weight of their enthusiasm, I cleared my throat and pulled out the mana potion.
“I made a mana potion. Could you appraise it?”
The clerk stared at it, then snapped to attention, rushing to my side.
“Yes, yes! Of course! I’ll escort you to the appraisal room!”
…They didn’t have to go that far.
I didn’t want to trouble someone so busy.
“Just tell me where it is. I’ll find it.”
“Are you sure?”
The clerk hesitated, glancing over my shoulder.
I followed their gaze.
“You might get swarmed…”
Awakeners, tense and clutching business cards, stared at me intently.
Were they trying to recruit me for a party? A guild?
I wasn’t sure, but the clerk was right—going alone might trap me in endless pitches.
“…Please lead the way.”
Guided by the clerk, I reached the appraisal room safely.
As I entered, a man rifling through papers looked up, eyes widening.
He shot to his feet and greeted me.
“Hello, Healer-nim!”
Why does everyone know me?
Is the news coverage that big?
He carefully seated me on a sofa and spoke again, his tone excessively polite.
“Thank you for visiting. Do you have an item for appraisal?”
“Yes…”
I rummaged through my bag, pulled out the mana potion, and handed it to him.
He donned intricately patterned glasses and examined the vial.
His gaze deepened as the blue light reflected through it.
As time passed, his brow furrowed more.
Muttering “Hm…?” “Huh…?” “Uh…?” he tilted his head repeatedly.
Finally, with a serious expression, he spoke in a low voice.
“Where… did you get this potion?”
“I made it myself.”
His eyes changed instantly.
“You… made this yourself, Healer-nim?”
I felt like I was being interrogated, my chest tightening.
“Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s not a problem, but…”
He trailed off, unable to tear his eyes from the potion.
His face betrayed a mix of shock and awe.
“In all my years doing this, I’ve never seen a potion that permanently expands mana capacity…”
I swallowed hard.
A potion that permanently boosts mana capacity?
I’d never seen anything like it on the community or marketplace.
“And with this level of purity… Honestly, it’s hard to believe you made it.”
After a brief silence, he continued.
“Since nothing like this has ever hit the market, an auction would be the best way to determine its true value…”
No way…
My potion is that special?
“There’s an auction tonight. Would you like to participate?”
Curiosity about the potion’s value overwhelmed me, and I nodded without hesitation.