Chapter 37: The customer who was kicked out because he was a real person, turns out…

What did I just hear?

“So…”

A variant gate appeared in Busan…

It’s a massive gate requiring a 20-person raid, with a limit on the number of potions?

And despite multiple attempts by national awakeners, they all failed?

“Are you asking me to enter that gate?”

“Yes.”

The director nodded.

“I’m really sorry, but… I don’t think I’d make much of a difference even if I went…”

As my words trailed off, he interjected immediately.

“No.”

“Huh?”

His short, firm response made me blink at him.

“Right now, the person most likely to clear this variant gate is you, Chorok, and you alone.”

“What does that…”

A gentle smile appeared on her lips.

“I heard about your outstanding performance during the artificial Lumina Bell incident. You single-handedly outperformed other healers by multiples.”

But soon, she composed herself, her smile fading.

“This gate relies heavily on a healer’s capabilities. That’s why we desperately need your help, Chorok, and no one else.”

“Ah… Haha… Is that so?”

This guy’s dangerous.

He’s got a real talent for flattery.

“But I have a lot on my plate right now…”

I tried one last excuse to escape, but it didn’t faze the director.

“Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time before the gate goes berserk. We’re also planning to assemble a new party.”

And without a hint of hesitation, he delivered the final blow.

“We’ll adjust the entire party’s schedule to fit yours.”

…There’s no way out now.

But being dragged into a gate like this? No way.

A massive, variant gate with a potion limit—loaded with terrifying keywords.

If I’m going into something like that, shouldn’t I get something out of it?

Swallowing hard, I slowly spoke.

“…Alright.”

The director’s tense face lit up instantly.

Seizing the moment, I continued.

“But I have a condition.”

He nodded, a calm smile returning.

“Very well. Within my authority, I’ll meet any condition you have.”

After the director left—

I decided to tackle the tasks I’d planned for today, one by one.

First, I picked up the seeds from the Rubidel fruit.

…Come to think of it, I haven’t been to the greenhouse since moving here.

Expecting a messy, neglected greenhouse, I was surprised to find it neatly organized.

Sunlight poured softly through the glass walls and ceiling.

A water system lined one wall, and the floor was evenly covered with drainage gravel.

A satisfied smile crept onto my face.

It’d be nice to make an orchard with small trees.

With that thought, I planted the Rubidel seeds in the flowerbed by the entrance.

Then, carrying a pot of Harnella flowers, I headed to the garden in the yard.

As I busily pulled weeds, cleared stones, and tilled the soil—

“Are you planting flowers?”

An unfamiliar voice came from behind.

Turning, I saw a woman with striking features gazing curiously at the garden.

“Who…”

My cautious greeting was met with a radiant smile.

“I’m late with introductions! Hello, I’m Han Ga-eun, your new neighbor from the house in front.”

She had a beautiful, charming smile, but for some reason, an inexplicable unease stirred within me.

“Oh, hello. I’m Chorok.”

But her next words melted my wariness like snow.

“Oh? You’re growing Blueboy Rosemary?”

She knew the plant’s name exactly.

“I love Blueboy Rosemary too! Its colors are so pretty when it blooms.”

Calling plants ‘kids.’

“You know Blueboy Rosemary…?”

“Of course I do!”

Maybe she was a kindred spirit from the ‘plant gallery.’ A small fondness bloomed in my heart.

“That one’s a Scindapsus, that’s a Sansevieria, and that’s a Spathiphyllum…”

She began naming the plants by the window one by one.

Naturally, my small fondness for her snowballed.

“I’m actually a plant enthusiast. I moved here because the nearby nature is so beautiful…”

From her reason for moving to her love for plants, she felt oddly similar to me.

“Huh…? Hold on.”

Staring at my face, she suddenly seemed to remember something and dashed toward her house—

Soon returning with a small potted plant in her arms.

“Pant, pant… The moment I saw you, this flower came to mind. It’s a gift to say, ‘Let’s get along!’”

“Primrose?”

“As expected! You recognize it!”

I accepted the pot with a slightly bewildered expression.

Maybe because it was my first time receiving a flower, an indescribable feeling washed over me.

“…Thank you.”

“Let’s get along, neighbor!”

My heart raced with the feeling that I’d made a good friend.

And watching it all with a dark gaze was one person.

“So that’s where the foul stench was coming from.”

It was Lee Hyun, the leader of Manyeol.

Her refined brow was deeply furrowed by the ‘unwanted guest’ clinging to her ‘idol.’

The former actress who once shook Korea, called an angel, saint, Mother Teresa, walking UNICEF—loaded with all sorts of nauseating titles…

Lee Hyun was certain.

That woman’s true nature was rotten to the core.

Call it animal instinct, perhaps.

Whatever it was, her gut feelings were never wrong.

At that moment, her chief secretary cautiously approached as she peered through a telescope by the window.

“Leader, are you observing the healer again?”

“Observing? I’m protecting her.”

“…Right.”

The leader, who used to stay glued to the monitor room, had suddenly spent a fortune on a telescope-shaped artifact after moving.

The ominous feeling that she’d spend all day staring through it seemed, unfortunately, spot-on.

Since getting the telescope, she hadn’t shown her face at headquarters, fixated on it all day.

“…”

At a loss for words, the secretary stood blankly as the leader generously offered the telescope.

“Want a look?”

“No… I’m fine.”

As if waiting for the refusal, she pressed her eye back to the telescope.

What was so fun about staring through it all day?

As primal curiosity stirred in the secretary’s mind—

The leader threw out an unexpected question.

“Seyon, can digging dirt be cute?”

“Most people wouldn’t find that cute.”

“Even with such tiny hands?”

“The necromancer has pretty small hands too.”

“Doyeon’s far from cute.”

“…Right.”

She went on for a while, insisting how cute the figure in the telescope was, then finally looked at Seyon.

“Seyon, buy me some plants I can grow at home.”

“Plants…? Why?”

“I want to try raising them.”

The secretary struggled not to let her emotions show.

The leader, raising plants…?

Why?

Had she finally grasped the value of life…?

No way.

Bowing deeply, she silently mourned the plants that would likely die in a day or two under the leader’s care.

Before entering a variant gate with a potion limit—

I wanted to be as prepared as possible to feel at ease.

So I dove into preparations for the massive gate raid.

First, I closed the café, harvested a large batch of Lumina flowers, and traded with Ha Doyeon for a bulk supply of purified water.

I coaxed the Lumina Spirit to bloom sparkling flowers.

The sparkling flowers were set aside, while the rest were supplied to Sprout Guild.

Not wanting to leave the empty flowerbed bare, I planted seeds with the spirits.

Using the sparkling flowers, I carefully crafted mana expansion potions.

Then, visiting medical centers and consistently using heal and purification skills—

Mana permanently increased by +35

My mana pool was now large enough to manage without potions.

Argh! I wish I had two bodies!

Amid the whirlwind of tasks, time flew by… and the gate raid day arrived.

Arriving in Busan via the director’s arranged transport, I saw a gate unlike anything before.

A massive rift, as if swallowing the city, soaring to the sky.

Swirling black currents.

A spiral tearing through the heavens.

And the countless awakeners in front, spotting me, rushed toward me.

“Huh…? It’s the healer!!”

“Hello, Healer-nim!”

“Are you joining this gate raid too!?”

Online, I’d worked hard to draw attention.

“Hello…!”

But facing so many eyes in person…

It was harder than I’d thought.

“You’re way cuter than on screen! Can I get a photo…?”

“Are you not uploading videos anymore? I check every day…”

“You healed me last time—do you remember me?”

The awakeners surrounding me poured out words nonstop.

I was drained before even entering the gate…

“Healer-nim…? Are you okay? You’re pale!”

As my head spun and my vision blurred—

BOOM—!

All eyes turned toward the sound.

At the center, a woman in white armor spoke with commanding authority.

“Focus. We’re about to raid a massive gate.”

Her single command silenced the crowd instantly.

Surveying the area, she tilted her head slightly and continued.

“I’m the Baekya Guild Leader, in charge of this massive gate raid.”

Her low, resonant voice made the awakeners around me hold their breath, looking up at her.

“Wow… It’s the Baekya Guild Leader…!”

“She’s leading this herself?”

“The director must’ve put a lot into this party…”

And I, more shocked than anyone, stared at her.

• How did you tame those spirits!?
• Please, tell me the secret!!
• LUMINA!!!!

The troublesome customer I’d kicked out of the café… was the leader of the national Baekya Guild?

My mind went blank from the shock.