TRPM 286

chapter 286

Are they really going to impose taxes just for making products using skills from the Awakener System database?

In a way, it’s understandable.

Will this law cause prices to rise?

That’s quite an exaggeration.

Will someone suffer from the increased prices?

That’s almost nonsensical.

“So, while you can check the creation of laws by expressing a negative stance, you can’t force them not to make a law.”

In the first place, forcing someone not to make a law is not done in the UN unless it’s a truly serious issue.

It’s essentially a form of governmental interference.

“Jihang… contacting the association was a good choice, but not a definitive one.”

The head of the Korean Awakeners Association muttered this to himself as he sent materials to his subordinates.

He instructed them to prepare documents predicting price increases or public backlash if copyright laws were enacted.

With that, it would at least be possible to sway public opinion negatively toward the law.

Sigh…

Even while doing what he could, the association head sighed.

He had an instinct that, no matter how hard he tried to sway public opinion, it wouldn’t prevent the artists from running rampant.

“What kind of potion is this?”

The next day, after telling Jihang, Yeon Mirae, Sophia, and Alex to stay still for a bit, I followed Kim Eun-yeon to her lab after school.

Yesterday, I had refused to check the potion she made, so today I thought I had to see it.

“Hehe… it’s an exercise potion…”

“…Exercise potion?”

“Yes… if you drink this… even if you stay still… for several hours… it’s like you’ve exercised…”

Hmm… so it’s some kind of workout supplement? Like a protein shake?

“No… for that you’d still have to exercise… this… is like you’ve exercised… even if you do nothing.”

“…Ah.”

I understood.

So, drinking this potion gives the effects of exercising without actually working out. Probably a byproduct of her research on a diet potion.

And…

“You really didn’t want to exercise, huh…”

“……”

At my comment, Kim Eun-yeon turned her head, embarrassed.

This potion must have been made out of sheer determination to lose weight without exercising.

“Ah… it’s not… fully finished yet… I need to check… for side effects…”

She spoke while deliberately changing the subject.

I sighed and drew the potion into a syringe, then administered it to a white mouse in a corner of the lab.

Pik?!

The mouse squeaked in surprise as the needle pierced its body, but quickly settled down.

It wasn’t unconscious or dead. The mouse was just startled by the needle, and likely didn’t feel much pain.

‘Hmm… it takes a little time for the potion to fully take effect.’

I observed how the potion affected the mouse’s body.

Unlike normal potions, this exercise potion didn’t act instantly; the effects spread gradually.

Over time, I could understand how the potion simulated the effects of actual exercise.

‘…It burns fat to generate energy, which then gradually applies load to muscles all over the body.’

Not enough to damage the muscles. Adjusting for individual muscle strength must have been the hardest part, but Kim Eun-yeon somehow managed it.

‘So it’s not completely without side effects.’

Well, that’s natural. The potion applies just enough load to avoid muscle damage, so normal daily activities would be difficult while under its effects.

This can be managed by taking the potion during rest or before sleeping.

“…So?”

Kim Eun-yeon asked cautiously as I observed the mouse.

She couldn’t precisely tell what had happened to the mouse just by looking, so she asked me. Only someone like me, without special equipment, could observe the potion’s movement inside the body, fat burning, and muscle load.

“It’s fine. Daily life is difficult while the potion works, but that’s natural given its structure.”

I reassured her, and then explained ways to enhance its strengths while minimizing its weaknesses.

“Anyone who drinks the potion will have muscle soreness the next day. You need to slightly reduce the rate at which load is applied to muscles. Or you can help with blood circulation. Also…”

Kim Eun-yeon recorded everything in her notebook. Even if she can’t implement all improvements immediately, gradually applying them will eventually allow her to complete her ideal diet potion.

“Oh, by the way, how much did the ingredients cost?”

“Huh…? I’m not sure…”

After a brief pause, she turned away as if she couldn’t recall the cost.

An association employee waiting in the lab reported the material cost for making one bottle of the potion.

“…Whoa…”

In short, the potion used extremely expensive ingredients—so much that even most high-grade elixirs were cheaper.

Buying this potion to simulate exercise is less cost-effective than simply buying an elixir to gain strength quickly.

‘Of course, elixirs only work effectively for those who respond well to them, and their effects diminish with repeated use.’

Unlike elixirs, the potion doesn’t create immunity, so it can be taken continuously. In the long term, Kim Eun-yeon’s potion would be preferable… though expensive.

“…Should I… try to reduce the cost of ingredients?”

“Well… cheaper herbs often have less effect, but you can try if possible.”

Even for practice, using only expensive herbs could be burdensome for Kim Eun-yeon, despite her earnings as an alchemist.

Bang!

“Hey, Han Geon-woo!”

Eliot suddenly broke into the lab.

“……”

“……”

Kim Eun-yeon and the association staff were startled and stared at Eliot without saying a word.

“Fix the door later… what’s going on?”

“Oh! Uh… allowance… Ah! Geon-woo, come out quickly! It’s urgent!”

Not knowing exactly what was going on, I told Kim Eun-yeon I’d see her tomorrow and followed Eliot.

“So what’s the matter? Where are we going?”

“The training arena inside the school! Ryu Amin and Jin Cheon-ha got into a fight with the upperclassmen!”

“…What?”

Ryu Amin and Jin Cheon-ha? The two weakest students aside from non-combatant Kim Eun-yeon?

“How did it happen?”

“Seems like it’s about Jin Cheon-ha’s family issues…”

…His family?

Before my regression, I was friends with Jin Cheon-ha but didn’t know about his family dynamics. I didn’t know why he was obsessed with Taoism and Taoist arts either.

‘…Actually, I just didn’t try to find out.’

Even now, I don’t fully know Jin Cheon-ha’s family. I only know they’re wealthy enough to provide bodyguards and care for him.

Family issues, huh…

“I don’t know why it led to a fight with upperclassmen…”

But I still had to go. I ran toward the training arena.

“Hey… wait! I’ll come too!”

Eliot couldn’t keep up, but I ignored him; he’s the one who said it’s urgent.

It didn’t take long to reach the arena.

Thud…!

Thud…!

There, I saw someone’s offensive magic repeatedly striking another’s defensive magic.

‘Hmm…?’

I had imagined Ryu Amin and Jin Cheon-ha being beaten one-sidedly. They are weak first-year students, so I assumed they couldn’t win.

‘Actually, they’re only defending.’

But it wasn’t one-sided.

“Fire Spear!”

“Frozen Spear!”

The upperclassmen fighting them used magic spells. Considering they’re high schoolers, the spells were decent, but threatening to Ryu Amin and Jin Cheon-ha.

“Block it…!”

“I know, I’ve blocked it several times already… Shield!”

Jin Cheon-ha used shield magic to block both attacks. I expected him to fail, given his mediocre skill.

“Transform…!”

But Ryu Amin, with transformation ability, altered the energy of the incoming spells, weakening them.

Though the weakened magic collided with the shield, Jin Cheon-ha’s shield held.

‘They’re impressive.’

Considering their abilities, it was remarkable.

Of course…

‘The upperclassmen are holding back as well.’

Family issues? Looking closer, the upperclassmen resembled Jin Cheon-ha’s bodyguards I’d seen in a dungeon.

…Not resembled.

‘Those are Jin Cheon-ha’s bodyguards from before.’

Disguised in school uniforms, mimicking upperclassmen.

“…Guess I worried for nothing.”

I thought Jin Cheon-ha was being attacked due to family grudges, but it’s just his bodyguards testing him.

Eliot could misunderstand because he doesn’t know the relationship between Jin Cheon-ha and those bodyguards.