In summary, both Kim Ye-ri and Sun Hee-young have joined our party. Initially, we only needed Kim Hyunsung's authorization for their inclusion. However, the higher-ups in the guild had some concerns since we hadn't consulted with the administrative team beforehand.
For other parties, this might not have been a significant issue. However, our party is still new, and Kim Hyunsung has been a member for less than a year. Despite the initial skepticism, the fact that we recruited someone as valuable as Sun Hee-young, who was highly sought after by other guilds and clans, outweighed their reservations.
"We also managed to get her at a great price," I added.
It's no surprise that Sun Hee-young's reputation within the guild has soared since she announced that she wouldn't be joining any other clan or guild.
Kim Hyunsung's party, which was already in the spotlight, has once again become the center of attention in the Free City of Lindel. While I don't know the history of every survivor who has reached Lindel, I'm fairly certain that no one has received as much attention in the past as our party.
"Hey, it's time to eat," Park Deokgu interrupted.
"I know," I replied.
Lately, our party has made it a point to eat together for every meal. This is a way to help Kim Ye-ri and Sun Hee-young get better acquainted with the group and to discuss our party's plans.
Compared to the four of us who have been close since the beginning, it has taken some time for Kim Ye-ri and Sun Hee-young to warm up to the gang.
Surprisingly, Jung Hayan and Sun Hee-young seem to get along well and have quickly become close friends. On the other hand, I haven't had many opportunities to converse with Kim Ye-ri, as she always hides her face and shies away.
"She's quite clever, though," I mused.
Even though she is exceptionally quiet, she sticks close to Kim Hyunsung, as if she can sense safety within his power. I know it will take time for her to warm up to us, but it's still frustrating to see her being so unresponsive to me.
In an attempt to ease the slight awkwardness, Park Deokgu chimed in, "By the way, what have you been so busy with, Hyung? I hardly get to see you outside of mealtime."
"I've had a lot on my plate. I'm juggling multiple projects at once, so I can't really focus on just one."
"Could you tell me about one of them? My curiosity is driving me crazy. It's been so long since you started; don't you think it's time to share one of your secrets?"
I hesitated for a moment. "Well... okay."
"Great! No more suspense; just spill it."
"The most recent project I've been working on is a potion to control emotions..."
"Is that even possible?"
"It was just a theoretical experiment; you can think of it as virtually impossible. I simply wanted to see if I could influence basic human needs, like sleep or appetite, without directly altering emotions. It's more about inducing drowsiness or physical tiredness..."
"So, it's not exactly controlling emotions?"
"Exactly. It's the subtlety of emotional manipulation. For instance, imagine creating a potion that relaxes your muscles and makes you drowsy. The brain interprets these bodily signals as affecting emotions."
"Ah..."
"It works similarly for other cases, like heating the body or increasing heart rate. You just need a slight stimulus or to plant a seed of thought in someone's mind to make it work."
"That sounds a bit... unsettling."
"It's more effective on individuals with lower intelligence or those who are a bit unstable."
"Uh..."
"Well..." Park Deokgu hesitated, an expression of mild fear on his face. The idea of a potion that could control people's emotions was quite unsettling. Although it had been entertaining to work on, it wasn't practical for our purposes.
It required dramatic situations and different materials for its creation. In short, it wasn't a viable option yet. The one I had was just a prototype for my desired final product, but it wasn't entirely useless.
"It's just a joke," I reassured him.
"Huh?"
"It's a joke. There's no way a potion like that could exist."
"Ah, Hyung!"
"I'm just exploring the boundaries of what's possible. All experiments start with one's imagination, after all. Every idea matters."
"So, even a completely wrong idea can be explored?"
"Only if the circumstances align."
"Like the idea of a love potion?"
"That's an extension of the potion I mentioned earlier."
"How about a potion that enhances your stats when you drink it? Or one that makes you invisible?"
"Oh, what about a potion that turns you into a monster? Is that possible?"
As Park Deokgu continued to brainstorm, I realized that he was discussing the exact potions I had been studying. Some of his ideas were things I had never even considered, and I started to see him in a new light. For now, I only had theories I wanted to turn into reality, so I made a mental note of his unique ideas.
As I descended into the guild house's basement, I saw the group gathered there.
"Kee Miyoung, you're here!"
"Kee"
"Let's all sit down."
Jung Hayan looked up at me as she sat, and Sun Hee-young was already seated at the table. Kim Hyunsung nodded in welcome, and Kim Ye-ri, the youngest, still looked around warily.
"Good morning."
"Yes, good morning."
We began to eat in silence after Kim Hyunsung, our party's leader, gave the signal. However, after a few moments, some of us started engaging in conversation.
They discussed various random topics, but I didn't object. This was my only respite from work, and I found it to be a pleasant distraction.
However, I could tell that Kim Hyunsung had an important announcement to make.
"I have something important to share with everyone."
The atmosphere immediately grew quiet.
"Yeah?"
"I received an offer from the Vice Guild Master this morning."
"What's the offer about?"
"It's about a dungeon expedition. Our party, along with parties from nearby large guilds, will be participating. I'd like to hear your thoughts."
This was unexpected. While I expected us to go hunting or explore dungeons eventually, our party is still relatively new, and we need time to grow.
Currently, we have six members, and if Kim Ye-ri, the young kid, joins us, it wouldn't be considered bad timing since Kim Hyunsung managed to recruit enough members in time.
However, what surprised us was the idea of joining forces with other guilds.
Dungeon explorations can sometimes lead to dangerous and unexpected situations, so it's crucial to go with people you trust.
That's why the thought of teaming up with other guilds hadn't crossed my mind.
"I need more details," I said.
Kim Hyunsung smiled slightly and continued, "I don't have all the details yet, but a medium-sized party has discovered a new dungeon near the tutorial dungeon."
"But..."
"The issue is with the party members. It was discovered during a gathering of several guilds, so the ownership is a bit ambiguous."
"Ah..."
I understand now.
"Aren't they directly involved in the exploration?"
"Yes, they are. There's no need to assault the dungeon; it's classified as a normal-grade dungeon. But it's still considered a rare discovery. They likely want to divide the rewards among themselves. We've also agreed to share some of the stakes from dungeons we conquer."
"So, it's based on the degree of contribution?"
"Exactly. But the main goal of this expedition isn't to obtain items or goods; it's for gaining experience."
I know what Kim Hyunsung is getting at. We will use this opportunity for our growth, and any extra rewards will be a bonus. There's no reason to refuse such an opportunity.