The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 53

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World – Episode 53

I exited the Training Facility and climbed back to the top floor.
Knock, knock.
“Im Chung Soo, can I come in?”
The moment I opened the door, a chattering voice greeted me from inside.
“Why are you scared? You’re the older one!”
Im Chung Soo was standing on his bed, delivering a full lecture to Maeng Yi.
“Baek Young Ee might be a bit bigger than you, but he’s completely docile! There’s no need to be so frightened and run away with your tail between your legs!”
And before him, Maeng Yi stood with both hands clasped together, wearing an aggrieved expression.

[ ( •̥́ ˍ •̀ ) ]

“Ah, why are you making such a fuss over a kid? There must be some history between those two.”
“Still, it’s upsetting!”
“He’s still young, so it happens. Right, Maeng Yi?”

[ (っ ̯ -｡) ]

The little one had some backbone, quickly stopping his tears and composing himself.
“Come on, Im Maeng Yi, follow your hyung. You can do it!”
“Chirp!”
“Im Maeng Yi is brave!”
“Chirp!”
“Make your face look fierce! Next time you meet Baek Young Ee, you’ll stand tall like a proper older brother, got it?”

[ ᕙ(⇀‸↼‵‵)ᕗ ]

“I’m teaching her something good.”
I stroked Maeng Yi’s head as she clenched both fists, taking her side and soothing her.
“Maeng Yi doesn’t have anything like that. Can you talk back to Guild Master Kang Han?”
“T-that’s different!”
“Not really. Each Awakened has different specialized abilities. Maeng Yi is non-combat type, but Baek Young Ee is combat type through and through.”
“Huh? How does noona know that?”
“What do you mean? It’s obvious just looking at her. She climbs rocky mountains so well with just her bare hands.”
“Wow, no wonder she’s the Guild Master’s Awakened.”
“Right. Plus, our Maeng Yi has her own strengths.”
“What is Maeng Yi good at?”
Like treasure hunting in Dungeons, for example?
“Maeng Yi is good at being cute.”
I tickled under Maeng Yi’s chin with my fingertip the way Kang Han had done, praising her.
“Maeng Yi is cute, and smart too.”
“Kyaaaa!”

[ (´∇｀) ]

Once Maeng Yi returned to normal, I spoke to Im Chung Soo.
“Im Chung Soo, get ready to go out.”
“Where are we going?”
“Let’s go sightseeing in Seoul.”

* * *

By then, Maeng Yi had opened up to me quite a bit, perching on my left shoulder.
With Maeng Yi on my left and Im Chung Soo on my right, we arrived at our destination.
“This is the Maestro Guild.”
“Wooooow!”

[ (´▽｀) ]

“Today, we’re going on a tour.”
I wondered why Im Chung Soo had been able to appear suddenly in the novel and demonstrate such remarkable abilities.
It was precisely because, as a member of Maestro, he had access to countless items.
Even if he couldn’t reach that level, I planned to bring him to Maestro frequently and broaden his horizons as much as possible.
“Let’s start with the first floor.”
I led Maeng Yi and Im Chung Soo, both of whom couldn’t seem to close their mouths, into the Maestro department store.
As I’d mentioned before, the first floor was lined with all manner of beauty items and health-enhancement products.
“Oh, so you can make things this way too.”
Im Chung Soo, who had been pouring out nothing but admiration outside—”Seoul really is different,” “the colors are so vivid it’s dazzling”—suddenly shifted his demeanor the moment he stepped inside the department store.
His expression turned serious as he began examining each product on the display counters in meticulous detail.
“So you can grind up Rekiment Stones and use them this way.”
“Rekiment Stones?”
“Yes. Well, it’s this gem-like thing that’s incredibly hard and shiny, like a diamond, and they’ve ground it up to make whitening cosmetics. I never would have thought of that.”
Im Chung Soo’s eyes sparkled.
No matter how talented an S-rank crafter he was, Im Chung Soo’s world was still narrow.
The only Dungeon he’d frequented was that single small one he’d made his hideout.
“Going forward, when I travel with the Justice Guild members, I’ll see lots of new materials, right?”
“You sure will. Plenty of them.”
Enough that he’d eventually get sick of it and complain?
“Ah, I’m so excited.”
Im Chung Soo looked genuinely thrilled.
“Want to go up? There’s a floor that mainly sells potions.”
“Oh! Yes! Let’s go right now!”
Im Chung Soo bounced on his feet.
From my left shoulder, I heard Maeng Yi chirping urgently as well.
“Alright, let’s go. Quickly now.”
Truth be told, the potions sold at Maestro were exactly what I’d most wanted to show Im Chung Soo.
After all, Im Chung Soo had a specialized ability in creating potions from the various materials he gathered in Dungeons.
In the Hunter community, potions crafted by Maestro’s artisans were famous for both their high price and excellent efficacy.
But Im Chung Soo’s reaction on this floor was quite different from downstairs.
“Hmm. Whirlwind Grass shouldn’t be handled this way.”
“Whirlwind Grass? That’s the one you said had fever-reducing effects last time?”
“You remember. I kept getting confused about it.”
Back then, I’d pretended not to know just to get him to talk to me.
Did he really not know even that much?
And then came the words I’d been waiting for from Im Chung Soo’s lips.
“I think I could make this myself. If I had the materials.”
“Really? You’re saying you could make it if you had the materials?”
“I’d need to practice a few times, but… it doesn’t seem that difficult.”
“Then let’s go!”
“Where are we going now?”
“To buy materials!”

* * *

Seoul’s largest Dungeon raw material market was located in Garak-dong.
It had naturally developed alongside the existing agricultural market in the area.
Perhaps it was inevitable.
After all, the place already had an extensive logistics network spanning the entire nation.
“Besides, it’s close to the Maestro Guild too.”
I suspected this proximity was one of the factors Jung Je Hwa had considered when he first purchased the Maestro Guild Building.
He needed to be able to easily supply Dungeon materials flowing in from across the country to the craftspeople.
But our first destination wasn’t the raw material market.
“You said we were going to buy materials, so what is this place?”
“This, you see…”
I gestured toward a street that resembled the Jongno Back Alley.
“It’s the Second-hand Market.”
What emerges from Dungeons isn’t limited to mana stones and raw materials.
Sometimes items of unclear purpose appear, and such goods circulate among Hunters until they eventually flow to their final destination—this Second-hand Market in Garak-dong.

[ Black Hairpin ( F )
: Holds back stray strands of hair well. ]

[ Flexible Ring ( F )
: Not particularly durable. ]

Even a glance at the haphazardly stacked displays, devoid of any proper arrangement, told me everything I needed to know about the Second-hand Market’s condition.
Im Chung Soo, apparently having read the item information just as I had, spoke from beside me.
“Yeo Joo noona, it doesn’t look like there’s much worth seeing here.”
As expected.
The boy seemed far more interested in Maeng Yi, who had returned to his side.
“Really? Hmm. Is that so?”
I nodded reluctantly before calling out to Maeng Yi, who was enjoying Im Chung Soo’s touch.
“Maeng Yi.”
“Chirp?”
“Is there really nothing useful here?”
“Chirp.”
“Really nothing at all?”
“…Chiiiirp.”
After tilting his head in thought for a moment, Maeng Yi raised his front paw, pointing deeper into the street.
“In there? Ah, that shop over there?”
“Chirp.”
“Wow, our Maeng Yi is amazing!”
“Chirp chirp!”

[ ∩(︶▽︶)∩ ]

I stroked Maeng Yi, who seemed pleased with himself, and headed toward the shop he had indicated.
I’d wondered if that ability from the novels—where he’d pluck out only the finest treasures from Dungeons—would work out here in the real world. Apparently, it did.

[ Maeng Yi
Ability – Treasure Hunt, □□□□□…. ]

I’ve always found treasure hunting to be incredibly entertaining.
“Noona.”
“What?”
Im Chung Soo, who had been following me, squinted and asked.
“How did you know Maeng Yi was good at this sort of thing?”
“Well, Maeng Yi’s a squirrel.”
“And?”
“Squirrels are good at finding acorns and things like that. I just thought I’d ask to be safe. Maeng Yi’s a really skilled familiar, you know. Take good care of him.”
“Our Maeng Yi does have a way about him. He’s not just good at this—you should see how well he does forward rolls and backflips. I’ll show you later.”
“That sounds adorable.”
“He’s small, so you wouldn’t think it, but he knows how to do so many things.”
Im Chung Soo, utterly devoted to Maeng Yi.
The moment I mentioned Maeng Yi, his attention shifted entirely to that topic.
And then we arrived at the shop.
“Is that what Maeng Yi was talking about? That palm-sized statue?”
I heard Im Chung Soo murmur beside me.
He was probably looking at the same thing I was.

[Benevolent Deity
(God)
Statue (C)
: A peaceful god bestows blessings.]

The information window itself was ominous.
“Im Chung Soo.”
“Yeah?”
“Put Maeng Yi away for a moment.”
“Maeng Yi? Got it.”
After confirming that he’d placed Maeng Yi into the hood pocket as instructed, I gave Im Chung Soo one final direction.
“Alright, from now on we’re professionals. Keep your expression in check.”
“What do you mean?”
Just then, I saw someone emerge from the dim shop, sliding open the door.
I stepped forward with a bright smile plastered across my face and entered, raising my voice slightly.
“Oh my. Hello there, boss. How’s business these days?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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