Chapter 129: Third Kind of Close Encounter
The True Korean Republic, which controls the entire Korean Peninsula, is a country formed when North and South Korea merged during the chaos of the Gremlin disaster.
Or rather, it seems war simply broke out, but accurate records don’t remain. Officially, records remain stating that North Korea attacked first and South Korea pushed back and counter-invaded, but the truth is unknown. It was a chaotic era.
Like most countries, the True Korean Republic was devastated by the Gremlin disaster, its industry destroyed, and it experienced a long dark period.
It recovered by establishing its position as a trade relay point between China and Japan.
Historically, Japan first built economic power centered on the magic staff industry, then China developed the gremlin industry.
As a result, the True Korean Republic found itself between China, which exported gremlins to Japan, and Japan, which exported magic staffs to China.
Since China-Japan trade ships basically operate by detouring around waters inhabited by ferocious sea demons, the route via the True Korean Republic is the cheapest, fastest, and most reliable.
In ancient times, cities flourished along Roman roads, wealth spread along the Silk Road, and even in the Edo period, post towns were full of vitality. In the magic age, these fundamental principles haven’t changed.
By acting as an intermediary for China-Japan trade, the True Korean Republic successfully rode the wave of economic growth in both countries and has been growing remarkably in recent years.
Above all, the port of Busan, the gateway to the peninsula, gathered people, goods, and money, bustling with prosperity.
We disembarked, completed immigration procedures, and were welcomed into the port town swarming with people.
What incredible energy.
“Don’t get separated.”
“Even though we’re holding hands this tightly?”
Hiyori shrugged and began walking through the crowd with practiced steps.
The roads were wide and straight, lined with tall brick buildings. There were street trees too, but they slowly extended branches onto the road and stuffed discarded garbage into gaps in their trunks, munching away—so they must be tree demons.
The pouch sparrows that were mainstream in Japan were nowhere to be seen. Instead, pouch swallows flew in formation, busily crossing the sky.
The smell of spices was strong too. A spicy aroma wafted from restaurants to the streets, and I felt nostalgic seeing well-built men devouring kimchi and fried chicken at standing stalls. Much has changed, but the stereotypical image of Korea remains.
Different country, different scenery, different smells, different atmosphere entirely.
Unfamiliar words like “Kenchana~” and “Nanchareoyo~” and “Mocha mocha” flew about, and I deeply felt, ah, I’ve come to a foreign country.
While looking around like a complete country bumpkin, Hiyori, pulling my hand, tilted her head curiously.
“You seem fine. What happened to your anthropophobia?”
“I told you, I’m fine with travel. It’s not being surrounded by people that’s bad—it’s being noticed by people that’s bad.”
“Hmm…?”
It didn’t seem to get through, and Hiyori nodded vaguely.
She doesn’t get it. If I vomited blood just from being surrounded by people, I couldn’t go to school! I’m a university graduate, you know?
When someone’s gaze is directed at me, when my consciousness is divided, when I’m spoken to—whenever others’ attention is directed at me, my stress spikes instantly. No matter how large a crowd surrounds me, as long as I’m an insignificant presence that no one cares about, whether I’m there or not, I only get slightly tired.
This subtle, damp nuance is probably incomprehensible to Hiyori, who was apparently originally a cheerful person.
The port area of Busan was packed with people and overflowing with noise, and we two travelers from Japan attracted almost no attention.
Even the Blue Witch, who attracted major attention when walking in Japan, is like this when the country changes. I don’t know a single celebrity in the True Korean Republic either; mutual ignorance of other countries’ celebrities is mutual.
Hiyori occasionally attracts curious gazes because of her good looks, but the potato placed next to the bouquet—that’s me.
Less than a garnish. No attention directed at me at all. This is relaxing.
“Hiyori, Hiyori. What’s that?”
“Hmm, which one?”
“The stall with the yellow sign. The person sitting there with gremlins lined up, doing something.”
When I pointed to the person wearing a deep hood and mumbling to customers, the tour guide answered smoothly.
“Ah, that’s fortune telling. The sign says ‘Magic Stone Fortune Telling’ in Korean.”
“Oh. Like Foresight magic?”
“No, it’s the same as previous-era fortune telling. Just using gremlins instead of crystals to create atmosphere—essentially life counseling.”
“It’s a scam!”
“Don’t get so worked up. That sort of thing is mental refreshment. No one actually believes in magic stone fortune telling… almost no one.”
According to Hiyori, it hasn’t caught on in Japan because of the real deal—the Foresight clan—but fortune telling is quite popular in other countries. The act of fortune telling is far more convincing and authentic than in the previous era.
They say chemistry began with alchemy, so perhaps dubious studies and techniques can become real too.
“Then what’s that? What’s that? The red horizontal sign.”
“It’s a pharmacy. Seems to handle both traditional Chinese medicine and magic medicine. …Come on, let’s get to the inn quickly. The sun is setting.”
“Why did you go quiet for a moment? Is something there?”
“…There’s contraband displayed in the show window.”
“Seriously?”
Th-they’re openly dealing contraband!? The public order is terrible!
When I widened my eyes, Hiyori explained, albeit reluctantly.
Pharmaceutical laws differ between Japan and the True Korean Republic.
Drugs that are contraband in Japan are legal in the True Korean Republic.
It seems illegal items by Japanese standards are openly displayed.
Hmm, interesting. Does that mean there are rare magic medicines you can’t see in Japan?
“Let’s take a look!”
“I knew you’d say that. Don’t carelessly touch the merchandise, okay? Some shops will force sales on you with false claims that you dirtied or damaged something.”
Hiyori sighed but still led the way into the shop.
The shop was filled with the thick smell of traditional Chinese medicine that stung the nose. A shopkeeper who obviously lacked motivation sat at the back counter reading a newspaper. He glanced at us entering and mechanically threw words that seemed to lack any heart in Korean (probably something like “Welcome”), then immediately returned his eyes to the paper.
Customer service attitude: flower mark. Isn’t this a good shop? My tension is rising.
Besides us, there was only one elderly gentleman customer, who was also looking intently at the medicine shelves without glancing at us. Good vibes.
“Oh. They have Heavenly Bamboo Dew Tea too. Shall I buy some… Dairi, don’t approach that shelf.”
“Why?”
“That’s the adult section. Still too early for you.”
“Don’t look down on me. I’m over a hundred.”
When I protested by poking Hiyori’s side with Reficle’s ferrule, Hiyori laughed as if tickled.
The medicine shelves covering the walls of the narrow shop were packed with medicine bottles, containing dried roots, leaves, mushrooms, scales, nuts, and such.
It was interesting just to look, but unfortunately most labels were in Hangul, so I couldn’t read them.
“Ah, this is in kanji. Fire-loving insect…?”
“Fire-loving insects are parasites native to China. They parasitize fire-type demons’ scales and teeth, absorbing heat to grow. Effective for burns. I think they can also be used as antipyretics.”
“Oh.”
The price tag on the bottle containing red beetle-like insects was higher than other bottles. I can’t read Hangul, but I can read numbers. Hooray for Arabic numerals.
“This one I can read too. D… Draxir? Draxir? Even if I can read it, I don’t get it. Hiyori, what’s this?”
“Contraband. Draxir is a coined term combining Dragon Blood and Elixir.”
“It’s a miracle drug made from dragon’s blood. Drinking it grants high physical strengthening effects and magic resistance.”
“You can see white crystals in the liquid, right? Heat it to dissolve the crystals before use. When cooled, some components precipitate out like this.”
“Oh. Interesting miracle drug.”
“Sometimes causes magic illness when consumed. Banned in Japan.”
“Magic medicine with side effects sounds cool…”
“What’s cool about it? We’re not buying it.”
While enjoying browsing and talking with Hiyori, the gentleman was standing next to us before I knew it. The elderly gentleman who had been in the shop before us. Wearing a stylish hat and a quality beige coat over his shoulders, he had more of an English than Korean atmosphere. He was holding a staff-type magic staff too.
The elderly gentleman, holding a paper bag bulging with dried medicinal herbs under his arm, was looking alternately at Reficle at my waist and Kyanos in Hiyori’s hand with interest.
“Fine staffs. Interesting.”
The elderly gentleman’s eyes were drawn to the staffs, but my eyes were drawn to the gentleman’s hands.
Oh. Interesting.
These are a craftsman’s hands. And first-rate at that.
His knobby, wrinkled, spotted fingers were thin and delicate, yet conveyed solid strength.
Not as much as mine, but he must certainly be a renowned craftsman.
“Hmm… primitive yet highly original. And well refined.”
“Wait. What language have you been speaking since earlier?”
When I leaned forward to ask the elderly gentleman’s identity, Hiyori shielded me behind her back and glared at the gentleman with sharp eyes.
Delayed by Hiyori’s words, I realized too.
The noise from outside the shop was Korean.
What we were speaking was Japanese.
What language was this elderly gentleman speaking?
I hadn’t noticed because despite being completely unfamiliar to my ears, the meaning permeated my head perfectly.
Speaking an unknown language, yet understanding what was being said.
Could it be… translation magic!?
An unknown magic that humanity hasn’t yet discovered.
“Who are you? A magic user? A monster?”
When Hiyori pressed him with strong vigilance in her voice, the elderly gentleman, who clearly seemed to be no ordinary person, removed his hat and answered with an elegant bow.
“My apologies. I am Hatobato, a doll craftsman. I wished to inquire where the magic staff craftsman who polished this staff might be found?”