# Chapter 32
Well, I can laugh about it, why not? I knew about my ability but couldn’t properly use it, which was frustrating. So I’m allowed to be a little happy, right? Feeling awkward, I pretended not to know and looked away.
When a bit more water was added, turning it into water, the sensation disappeared instantly. The feeling that had been “mine” was gone.
Still, through this experiment, I was able to determine how much power I needed to infuse to change the water, and what the optimal amount was. Dohyun reached out his hand and transformed the water tank again.
“If you add water, it’ll change right away. Back to its original water form.”
At Dohyun’s words, the researcher dropped a little water as if conducting an experiment, and the potion instantly turned back into water. Using his ability brought on a headache, but it was still bearable. Unlike when he first used his ability or made potions after washing dishes, knowing how much energy he could use while still being able to move made things so much easier.
“How many do you think you could make in a day?”
Seeing the researcher’s eyes light up, Dohyun considered. The amount he’d just transformed felt right. If he changed too much and made his body hurt too badly, it would only extend the Guiding time. But the more he produced, the more money Dohyun could earn. The safety level for Espers during expeditions would be better guaranteed, and treatment after accidents would be faster.
“I think… about 15 at most would be possible.”
It definitely wasn’t about the money. It was about safety.
❖ ❖ ❖
Dohyun boarded Haegang’s car, clutching three potions that a lab staff member had bottled for him. They were emergency medications for when injuries or dangerous situations arose. Since the guild researchers had already confirmed the safety using previous potions, Dohyun’s job was simply to consistently produce them.
“Esper Baek Dohyun.”
“Yes?”
“How many will you make per day?”
I wonder why he’s curious about that. Dohyun, holding the potions, looked at Haegang, who met his gaze as he stopped the car at a traffic signal.
“Regardless, if you make them, you’ll need Guiding, won’t you?”
“That’s right…?”
“What will you do if there’s a period when I can’t provide Guiding?”
“…?”
Would that happen? We live together, don’t we? When Dohyun showed a confused expression, Haegang spoke again.
“Esper Baek Dohyun, you’re going to find another place to live, aren’t you?”
“Of course…”
Thinking about it, making potions was only possible with Haegang’s Guiding. There was also the option of receiving Guiding from another Guide, but that wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Dohyun needed a Guide with not only sufficient Vigor but also strong physical stamina.
“Will you make them every day?”
There would certainly be many people who needed the potions. Healing Espers were severely limited in the country, and those who actually entered gates could be counted on one hand. Among them, the number of Espers with meaningful healing power was fewer than ten. No matter how diligently Dohyun made potions, he clearly couldn’t meet the demand.
“Don’t I need to give you time to rest too?”
At Haegang’s words, which sounded like something an exploitative boss would say, Dohyun made an expression that showed he hadn’t even considered it. He could make them every day. But if he made too many, he’d be stealing Haegang’s time. He couldn’t ignore the safety of Espers during expeditions, but…
Moreover, Dohyun himself recovered quickly because he was an Esper. But Haegang as a Guide was… different from Espers, wasn’t he? Dohyun fell into serious contemplation about what an appropriate amount would be.
“How many bottles could you handle earlier without strain?”
“About three bottles…”
“Was that manageable without Guiding?”
“Yes.”
Would it be good to consistently make three bottles a day? Dohyun opened his mouth to suggest three per day, but closed it at Haegang’s words.
“Let’s do three bottles every two days.”
“What?”
Who’s supposed to benefit from that? Working at that rate, supply would never keep up with demand. Dohyun shook his head at the thought.
“There will definitely be many people who need them, so that won’t work.”
“If you’re not thinking of doing a high-volume, low-margin business, you’d better follow my advice.”
“It’s not about high-volume, low-margin. If we make even a little more, we can have more stable expeditions. So why make fewer?”
Dohyun firmly believed his thinking was correct. Therefore, he asked with a hardened expression, unable to understand Haegang. If Haegang tried to persuade him with concerns about his own body or complaints about the inconvenience, Dohyun was ready to counter immediately.
However, Haegang casually opened his mouth.
“The scarcer it is, the higher the price will be.”
“…What?”
Isn’t that unethical? No matter how financially desperate his life had been, helping people was better. Hadn’t Haegang said it would be fine to use it even in small places?
Dohyun shook his head, thinking there was no need to listen.
“I understand what Esper Baek Dohyun is thinking, but the probability of accidents during gate expeditions is lower than that of traffic accidents.”
“But when an accident does happen, the damage is greater than a traffic accident.”
“That’s just the extent of that person’s luck.”
How can someone be so insensitively talk about luck? Couldn’t those unlucky, potentially fatal situations happen to people around him, or even to himself? Dohyun’s thoughts were plainly visible on his face.
“To add one thing, it means they’re already conducting expeditions that safely.”
“So for even more safety…”
“In the first place, if that kind of accident happens inside a gate, healing potions alone can’t solve it. Healing makes people better, it doesn’t save lives.”
Dohyun felt that what was just said was actually the key point.
If an accident occurs, damage is inevitable. Healing is for injured people, not for helping those who have died. Currently, gate expeditions had a very low possibility of accidents. Of course, this excluded rare circumstances like when more than the appropriate number of people entered a gate or when there was a sudden increase in gate level.
“It’s better to make as few as possible, and only as much as needed.”
Haegang said casually while parking.
“Having a lot of potions accumulated isn’t necessarily good. Whether the potions will deteriorate is unknown, but in any case, isn’t the essence to have them for emergency use?”
“…That’s right.”
“A person doesn’t get stronger by holding emergency medicine. Of course, they can be prepared. The number of healing Espers is limited, and potions can be used in various ways.”
“But… they can be used by ordinary people too.”
“Anyway, Esper Baek Dohyun can’t save everyone. Not everyone has the wealth or ability to use potions.”
“……”
Dohyun calmed the rebelliousness that had welled up inside him. Unlike having to bring someone with healing abilities into a gate, potions provided preparation for treatment just by carrying them. That’s a good thing. But just as follow-up measures are needed even with healing Espers present, follow-up measures would be needed even with potions.
The same applied to supplying to ordinary people. If Dohyun could produce unlimited healing potions, it might be different, but otherwise, there would inevitably be gaps in distribution.
“It seems like you shouldn’t think of potions as miracle cures. Am I wrong?”
“…You’re right.”
It’s not some panacea that can fix everything. It just helps a bit with the treatment of already injured people; it can’t prevent accidents. Rather, selecting skilled Espers for expeditions would be more appropriate for the situation.
“Rather make fewer. Completely. It’s better to make a small amount and manage them so that guilds can obtain only what they need. The same goes for base hospitals.”
“…Are you saying to monopolize?”
“If no Esper with abilities like Esper Baek Dohyun appears in the very distant future, what will you do then? Espers are also human, and lifespan is something that’s predetermined. What humans can do should be kept within human limits. Everyone will want to use potions, but if you let them use as much as they want, Esper Baek Dohyun won’t be able to handle it.”
“Well… that’s true.”
“Since only one Baek Dohyun Esper can make them, it’s as good as a monopoly until another potion maker emerges. But it will actually be safer. Instead of thinking about who the potion will save, it’s better to just provide a framework for preparedness.”
“……”
“If you don’t do it this way, someone will start doing business with these potions.”
The firmly added statement gave Dohyun chills.
❖ ❖ ❖
“You’ve thought well.”
After thinking for about two days and conveying his message to the guild, Dohyun was rather surprised by the response he received.
“Is it really okay?”
“We should go with what Esper Baek Dohyun wants. We also thought that producing large quantities daily would be burdensome and dangerous for you. If you had said you could continue making them as long as your condition was fine, problems would definitely have arisen.”
Dohyun hadn’t expected his decision to be accepted so easily. Of course, he’d heard that guilds were created for the rights and interests of awakened individuals, but still, weren’t their own benefits most important? But the reaction that it was rather fortunate was surprising. It was as if they trusted Dohyun. How could they trust someone so much when they hadn’t known each other for long?
Everything had been strange since becoming an Esper. Both the guild and Haegang didn’t spare words that would benefit him. Though it was hard to judge whether their intentions were genuine, they had done their best to help somehow.
Even though he had just gained a different ability, Dohyun realized how his circumstances had changed from before. It wasn’t entirely sweet. It felt as though his past self, without abilities, had been nothing.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
