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Jinseong carefully received the cordyceps that Lee Yang-hoon had given him and, with a clenched hand, drew something like a cooler from the corner of the room.

Creeeak.

As Jinseong opened the box, what appeared was a line made of blue light.

The glowing blue light filled the box, drawing the shape of the line.

It resembled the sight of an artifact being disassembled.

However, unlike a typical artifact, the lines drawn inside the box had no discernible meaning.

They simply stood still, then moved; moved, then stopped.

They disappeared, then reappeared, existing, and then vanishing again in a chaotic dance without any rules.

And if one were to follow that line, they would see the bottom of the box.

The bottom was filled with worn trinkets.

A rusted and broken necklace.

A ring caked with mud.

A broken watch, heavily smeared with fingerprints.

…

…

…

To put it nicely, they were antiques; to put it badly, they were closer to trash.

Those items piled high, filling the bottom.

“What’s that?”

But that was the perspective of the average viewer.

Lee Yang-hoon didn’t think that way.

The guy named Park Jinseong didn’t treasure meaningless trash as though it were a valuable gem.

Regardless of how old or useless it looked, he treated anything related to magic as treasure, while he wouldn’t consider items of high monetary value to be of significant worth.

Thinking in that context, it was clear that the items inside that unremarkable-looking box held some kind of meaning.

“Nothing special. Just divine objects with weak powers.”

Jinseong replied, confirming that what was inside was not garbage, as Yang-hoon thought.

“But everything in this world has its own usefulness, doesn’t it? Even things deemed useless hold their own value; just because something is of little use doesn’t mean we can’t make use of it. So, I’ve gathered them all here to amplify their power.”

Saying that, Jinseong placed the cordyceps given by Yang-hoon atop the assortment of junk in the box.

“Are you perhaps going to use it as a refrigerator?”

“Indeed. I made it with my humble skills.”

Yang-hoon looked at Jinseong with a peculiar gaze.

Creating a device that could store elixirs was certainly impressive.

‘He has always had a strange scholarly vibe about him…’

While Jinseong spoke lightly, it wasn’t as simple as his words suggested.

Of course, it wouldn’t compare to the affluent managing their elixirs or magical items.

They employed all kinds of technicians to create cutting-edge equipment, mobilizing artificial intelligence for real-time management while utilizing demonology and alchemy to maintain optimal conditions.

‘It may seem like a makeshift contraption…’

But that didn’t mean it was completely useless.

It was perfect for field use or makeshift situations.

While it couldn’t maintain the highest quality for long periods, it could keep the quality for a certain duration.

In a sense, it resembled what field experts might create based on their experiences, sporting an awkward appearance.

‘He’s definitely a peculiar character…’

Yang-hoon thought as he shifted his gaze away from the box.

Thus, Yang-hoon’s turn concluded.

“Jinseong? It seems pretty desolate here; are you eating properly?”

The next to speak to Jinseong were Yang-hoon’s wives.

Though they spoke kindly and amicably, there was a curious distance felt between them and Jinseong. The fact they waited until Yang-hoon finished speaking indicated this distance.

If they were truly close, they wouldn’t wait until Yang-hoon’s turn was over before interrupting.

Waiting until the end of a conversation was courteous, but at the same time, it signified that they weren’t completely at ease with someone.

Perhaps this was to be expected.

Even Yang-hoon, who had encountered countless eccentrics while building his company, regarded Park Jinseong as a peculiar individual, someone he absolutely couldn’t comprehend—how could his wives, who had only seen the good things while living amongst the upper class, possibly handle him?

They didn’t think of him as part of their family.

It wasn’t that they harbored any unkind feelings.

Yang-hoon’s wives were caring and kind-hearted, so they quickly accepted Jinseong.

But suddenly having a man enter their household, particularly one who regularly engaged in bizarre behavior, made it hard to get close.

Seeing him come home with hideous bugs that would make anyone faint was the least of it; he had also grilled them or boiled them to make strange infusions, and butchered animals, painting himself with their blood…

No matter how kind-hearted they were, they found it necessary to keep their distance.

“Of course. I’m getting my nutrients on time.”

“…No, not nutrients. I mean meals.”

Moreover, behavior was not the only issue.

Their conversations posed problems as well.

Jinseong’s way of thinking—like he was living in another world—was hard for the privileged women to handle.

After a conversation, they would feel oddly enchanted or unusually drained compared to a typical exchange.

His bizarre words could muddle their minds, and there were often cases where they intended to scold him about something and instead ended up exchanging pointless banter.

Therefore, among Yang-hoon’s wives, Jinseong was literally a “peculiar person.”

As if he were someone from a fourth dimension… like an alien.

“I knew it. Even in the mansion, skipping meals was customary, and you relied entirely on supplements without eating properly…”

“Here, take this. I got it from my younger sister after pestering her. That hotel isn’t too far, so go there and make sure to eat. I’ll be keeping track of how often you visit.”

But even so, Jinseong was someone they couldn’t help but find lovable.

He might engage in all manner of outlandish antics, but he never caused them direct harm; in fact, he often helped them.

When a deceitful person offered them strange cosmetic products, he would help them spot it and avoid disaster. He also occasionally offered divinations to help them evade danger.

When Iarin and Iserin, the sisters, had conflicts during their teenage years, he even mediated between them.

Considering those deeds, despite his lack of biological connection, Jinseong was undeniably part of their family.

He held an undeniable presence, almost palpable, since leaving the mansion.

Thus, while his wives felt a strange awkwardness towards Jinseong, they also shared a sense of intimacy with him.

“And Jinseong. I told you to take care of your skin! Looks like you haven’t been doing it properly.”

“The burns aren’t the problem. It’s clear you haven’t been keeping up with your skincare routine.”

“This is something I got from the research institute. It hasn’t been released yet, but it has incredible effects for soothing and moisturizing the skin.”

“And this one is flying off the shelves from the premium line, with effects for whitening and anti-aging. I brought plenty, so don’t hesitate to use it.”

They handed Jinseong an array of gifts.

From vouchers for hotel restaurants to unreleased cosmetics, and high-end skincare products worth their weight in gold.

When Jinseong placed them on the shelf, they finally seemed satisfied, returning to their seats.

They chatted amiably near Yang-hoon, almost as if they’d finally become accustomed to the space.

Jinseong briefly observed them.

The absence of Iserin and Iarin from their midst.

Then he turned his gaze to the floor, beginning to search for the mischief those two might have been causing.

Clank.

Clack clack.

“This won’t open? Hey, you know how to open this, right?”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Don’t just say you know; actually try to open it. There’s a lock on the refrigerator, you know? Aren’t you curious about it?”

“Nope.”

“You don’t know how to open it, do you? That’s why you’re saying that?”

“No. I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do. It’s just that a fool can’t open this lock. I can open it.”

“Then it means I can open it, and you can’t?”

“No. Only that silly Iarin can’t open it.”

“Yeah, no. I can open it, too. The lock just needs to be broken.”

“…You beast-brained fool. Don’t do something stupid.”

Sure enough, the two were about to cause trouble in front of the refrigerator.

Iarin was curious about what her brother lived on in this place, looking to discover what lay within the refrigerator, while Iserin stood beside her, feeling intrigued yet exercising restraint, trying to dissuade Iarin.

She was unlike her usual self, making an effort to suppress her curiosity.

 

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