I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 213

213. The Happy Colas

[When are you arriving tomorrow?]

[Around 7 PM Korean time! Is that okay?]

[I happen to have nothing planned for the evening. That’s perfect. I’m free then.]

[Just tell me where you are, Shin-hwa! I’ll come to you! Let’s grab some delicious food together!]

[I’ll come to the airport.]

[No! It would be rude to make you pick up someone like me! I want to pick you up myself, treat you to dinner, and all that! Just tell me where to go!]

Nicholas’s personal messages were as bright and eager as a sunflower facing the sun.

In truth, anyone could dismiss it as nothing special, but Shin-hwa felt a warmth bloom in his heart as he read them.

‘I guess I can’t be a complete heartless bastard. I’m disgustingly soft.’

Shin-hwa chuckled.

Nicholas’s current behavior mirrored how Shin-hwa had treated him in his past life after his regression.

To Shin-hwa, facing a dark future, Nicholas, who suddenly appeared one day and offered to join him, was like a savior.

He knew everything and, more than anything, he knew how to make Shin-hwa strong.

So Shin-hwa had always followed him.

Just being with him was enough.

But now, Nicholas seemed to be a spitting image of his former self. ‘Am I really that great?’

‘Okay. Let’s meet up and have some fun. It’s been a while since I’ve had a change of pace, and I can hear more about his childhood. That’s what I’ll do.’

A meeting with a pure heart.

That’s how Shin-hwa summarized the meaning of this meeting.

He decided not to talk about when he would regress or anything else that the current Nicholas wouldn’t understand.

He would meet Nicholas simply as a ‘fan’ who admired him and as a ‘Shin-hwa 바라기’ [Shin-hwa 바라기 is a Korean term for someone who only looks up to and supports Shin-hwa].

[Okay. Then the address is…….]

Shin-hwa sent Nicholas an address he had in mind.

It seemed like the perfect place to meet and spend time together.

Just then.

Drrr.

This time, a phone call came.

The caller was Yoon-byeol.

“A popular person’s smartphone doesn’t get a moment’s rest. Hello?”

-Shin-hwa, are you busy?

“Not at all. What’s up?”

-Oh, I have a settlement report to give you. I was told to let you know about the financial matters quickly.

“That’s true, but it’s almost midnight, so don’t push yourself too hard, Noona [Noona is a Korean term used by a male to address an older sister or female friend]. Morning is fine too.”

-Still. It’s not like I’m incapable, so I don’t want to slack off for no reason.

“Just take it easy. No one is rushing you. It’s okay to just tell me at the scheduled time.”

-Anyway, I’ve finalized all the sales and scheduled sales contract signings. I’ve received all the advance payments too.

“What’s the total amount?”

-Including the scheduled sales of enhancement and mana potions to be produced by April 15, five days from now, it’s 200.5 billion won [approximately $150 million USD].

“It seems like the market price is being maintained well?”

-Yeah. There’s steady demand because I’m adjusting the sales volume appropriately. I’m deliberately creating competition.

“Okay. I’ve confirmed it.”

-Okay. Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep well, and have good dreams…… okay?

“Kekeke, you’re saying things you don’t normally say. It’s awkward.”

-I know. Everyone said I was too stiff, so I tried to change, but it’s not for me.

“I’ll have good dreams. You sleep well too, Noona, and dream of me if possible. Got it?”

-Ah…….

“Heh, I’ll hang up now.”

Shin-hwa played a prank on Yoon-byeol and hung up the phone.

The money was pouring in.

If you include the amount received from selling potions to Isla’s Golden Sky Guild during this visit to Australia.

It was a whopping 300 billion won [approximately $225 million USD].

Of course, most of this money would go towards the construction costs on Krivia Island and Yulianes Island.

However, with this amount of money, it seemed like it wouldn’t be difficult to create a luxurious retirement place now.

Of course, the cost would increase each time various facilities were added, but it’s easy to make money anyway.

“Anyway, I don’t have to worry about money anymore. I won’t have to worry about money in the future either. There are also plans to sell special suits, and I’ve listed a few stocks.”

Shin-hwa had a satisfied expression.

Not having to worry about money. That alone meant that one big worry in life had disappeared.

* * *

Immediately after entering the dummy dungeon.

“Wow, muscle grass is growing right from the dungeon entrance. To think I’d find this hard-to-find plant so easily?”

I chuckled and diligently dug up the muscle grass that grew lushly near the entrance.

‘Health Juice’ made from muscle grass is being diligently consumed by all of Team Mystic, including me.

And in preparation for the possibility of ‘other colleagues’ in the future, I ground it all up and prepared it.

Since there’s almost no risk of it going bad, no matter how much time passes, if it’s kept in the subspace.

-Hyung-nim [Hyung-nim is a Korean term used by a male to address an older brother or close male friend], you’ve arrived!

“Ah, you startled me. I thought you weren’t you because you were standing still like a tree, but it was you.”

-Hehe, I was diligently tending to my lovely children.

쿵! 쿵! [Sound of heavy footsteps]

The Dient, who had been disguised as an old tree (?), fully revealed his massive form.

If you only look at his height or size, he’s more than enough to overwhelm me.

But thanks to being severely ‘corrected’ last time, he has become very docile.

As Dient said, plants full of vitality were growing vigorously where his hands had touched.

“Plant these kids. They’re very important, so you have to take good care of them in the future.”

-Oh? It seems like these guys are completely different from the ones we have in our dungeon?

“That’s why I got them from outside. First, take a look. Will you be able to keep growing them in the dungeon in the future?”

I asked Dient, handing him Katra and a number of other plants.

I had obtained Katra, which is an essential element in the production of enhancement potions, as well as awakening aid plants such as Madonas.

In the first place, all the plants I obtained on this trip to Australia were necessary for mana, awakening, and concentration enhancement.

-Hoo……. They’re all finicky, but they should have good compatibility with the dungeon’s soil.

“How do you know they’re finicky?”

-Look. Can’t you see them subtly avoiding my touch?

“Wow, really.”

As Dient said, Katra fluttered to the side as his hand tried to touch it.

Of course, it was held in Dient’s grasp and couldn’t avoid it any further, but it seemed to convey a strong emotion.

“Anyway, everything’s okay?”

-It will take some time to adapt to the environment, but these guys won’t be too picky.

“Please take good care of them. They’re very precious to me, so I’ll be very sad if they die or disappear.”

-Heok! Please don’t punch me…….

I just clenched my fist without thinking, but Dient was startled and took a step back.

Perhaps because of the fear effect of the previously learned ‘threshing’, he was terrified.

-Ah, right, Hyung-nim.

“Yeah?”

-As I mentioned before, moonlight is now falling on the dungeon. So the vegetation has changed a bit.

“Ah, now that you mention it, that’s right? The moonlight is so bright that I didn’t realize the sun had disappeared.”

As Dient said, a full moon was shining high in the sky, illuminating the world.

Unlike the moon on Earth that I know, it was so close that the surroundings were as bright as sunlight.

-So I’m thinking of plowing up the northern fields and planting new guys this time.

“Hmm? What’s that?”

Just then.

I looked at the plants that Dient had piled up on one side and was surprised.

It was clear that he had pulled them out in clumps and brought them to be discarded.

“……This is Happy Colas?”

I looked at the plants piled up like trash and was dumbfounded.

To say it by its official name is very long, and its nickname is ‘Happy Colas’.

As you can guess from the name, it’s a nickname that Nicholas gave himself in his past life by adding Happy to his name.

That’s because it’s a very useful plant that makes himself and the people around him happy.

First of all, Happy Colas is particularly difficult to obtain even among rare plants, so it’s called an ultra-rare plant.

In terms of value in the Awakened world, it has a rarity comparable to flowers.

-Yes? Is it a plant that Hyung-nim knows? It’s just a weed.

“Hey, this! Is there any more?”

-Yes. I only cleared a little bit, so the rest is still there.

“Is this a plant that keeps growing here?”

-Not really. It’s a weed that grows for some unknown reason, but it grew again this time. I got rid of all the ones I pulled out before.

“헐…….” [헐 is a Korean expression of disbelief or shock, similar to “Wow” or “Unbelievable”]

I shouldn’t be regretful about the past, but knowing the value of Happy Colas, my mouth dropped open.

-Perhaps I did something wrong…….

드드드드. [Sound of trembling]

I could see Dient trembling like an aspen tree. He must have read the murderous intent I felt for a moment.

The characteristic of Happy Colas is that it instantly increases the flow of all mana in the body without side effects as soon as it is eaten.

In the process of increasing, it expands the passage through which mana circulates and greatly increases the affinity with mana.

In my past life, it was really a coincidence that I found this grass.

I remember Nicholas being very happy even after discovering only a few roots.

He was so happy, saying that it was a plant that he didn’t even know where it was with his regression knowledge.

There’s dozens of times more Happy Colas here than at that time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like I can keep growing it steadily.

“First of all, give me all those plants. And guide me to where these guys are.”

-Are you talking about weeds?

“It’s not a weed to me, you idiot! It’s a plant that gives me tremendous power!”

-Yes! Yes! I’ll guide you right away, Hyung-nim!

쿵! 쿠우웅! [Sound of heavy footsteps]

Dient hurriedly led me with his heavy body.

Happy Colas is a plant with a truly enormous ripple effect.

Eating it will cause a mana surge of up to 3 stages, or at least 1 stage, ‘unconditionally’ in one sitting. It’s unconditional, not conditional.

And that rise ‘always’ leads to a change in rank.

Even considering that the higher the rank, the lower the fluctuation, I also expect to become SS-rank.

But to think that there’s not only enough of this plant for me to eat, but more, I can’t help but be surprised.

About 20 minutes later.

I arrived at the northern end of the dummy dungeon and saw the plants growing on a hill where the soft moonlight was shining.

It was Happy Colas.

As Dient said, there weren’t many, but there were enough for me and a dozen other people to eat.

Changes occur in the body every time you eat about five roots on average.

“Crazy, crazy…….”

It felt like I was experiencing a 기연 [A lucky encounter or serendipitous event, often leading to significant gains or advancements] that I had only seen in novels or movies.

A ‘weed’ that had been growing lonely in a place no one knew was actually a panacea, like?

I’m glad I came to this dungeon today, otherwise the Happy Colas that Dient pulled out would have almost become fertilizer.

“Hey, Dient. Why didn’t you tell me there was such a plant a long time ago?”

퍼억! [Sound of a punch]

-크허어어억! [Sound of pain]

I punched Dient in the side with all my heart.

Of course, it’s not his fault…… but he still needs to be hit a little.