How a D-Class Alchemist Avoids Death

She wasn’t even sure how much time had passed since she had chosen to isolate herself. The savory smell of oil wafting in from outside was more explosive than any bomb, a brutal assault on her resolve to simply quell her hunger, having forgotten the joy of eating.

“If I were asked to eat with… no, no. It’s not that I couldn’t afford to eat pork belly.”

The thought of pork belly lingered explosively in her mind, causing Woo Hanseong, who had been murmuring unconsciously, to lower her head. The wounds from the betrayal she experienced when she first entered this place had faded with time. 

He was no longer particularly afraid of people. However, she didn’t particularly want to form any relationships due to the pain of that time. If she didn’t form relationships in the first place, there would be no unnecessary hurt or obligations. The wounds she had experienced were painful, miserable, and extremely sad.

After some hesitation, Woo Hanseong, seemingly resolved, shook her head. 

“Right. It’s a bit strange to ask for something, I better told him not to eat here.”

If only that person wasn’t here, she wouldn’t be so hungry, or desire something to eat. With this in mind, Woo Hanseong started to move back towards the gate.

***

The sound of the door opening with a creak was heard.

“Ppi.”

Salt, concerned that I might not have heard, kindly informed me that the tightly shut gate had opened.

‘It looks quite cute like this. Besides… Yes. Even if you live secluded in a room, you can’t resist pork belly.’

I pretended not to hear the door opening and cut the pork belly into perfect bite-sized pieces.

“Ah. This golden color.”

The wisdom of life accumulated from various part-time jobs since my underage years before joining the military is often a big help in unexpected places. For instance, right now…

Having worked part-time at a barbecue restaurant for three years, I became proficient not only in identifying the quality of meat and the best way to grill it, but also in how to spread its aroma more intensely.

‘Everyone wanted to sit at the same table as me during company dinners.’

As I was smiling nostalgically, thinking of those times that are now just a part of my imagination, a light touch on my shoulder suddenly brought me back to reality.

‘Got ya…. Wait a minute, Woo Hanseong… why does she look like this?’

As I turned my head, I was taken aback. Woo Hanseong looked far too young, with her fair skin, light brown hair, and large cow-like eyes, even setting aside her blacksmith-like appearance. It’s been three years since she made a name for herself as a blacksmith, and two years since she was reported dead1, so I naturally assumed that she was an adult, about my age.

‘A middle schooler… at most a high school student?’

“You shouldn’t be doing this here—”

I reflexively grabbed Woo Hanseong’s wrist as she averted her gaze and started to speak. Then I was shocked again.

‘Whoa. Why is her wrist like this?’

Her wrist was so thin, as if she hadn’t eaten in days, that I quickly loosened my grip, feeling like I was holding a twig. 

Despite her SS-ranked blacksmith abilities, her wrist looked so fragile, as if she couldn’t even properly hold a hammer. I clicked my tongue in frustration.

“…Let’s eat.”

“Excuse me?”

“You should eat some meat since you’ve come out. I’ve bought too much and I can’t eat it all by myself.”

“But why…”

“They say you’ll be punished for wasting food, so help me out a bit to avoid punishment.”

“……”

For now, I managed to seat Woo Hanseong with a line of flawed logic.

“Do you like animals? You don’t seem to like people much.”

“Uh? Oh… Yes, well……”

“Then while I finish grilling the rest of the meat, could you pet this little one? I need an extra hand.”

“Uh… Yes……”

I showed her my hands, one with scissors and the other with tongs, both full, then put Salt in Woo Hanseong’s hand, who looked flustered.

There’s no contamination issue, so there’s no need for purification, but there’s such a thing as animal therapy.

“Ppi ppi?”

“But this isn’t a… bird.”

“Oh.”

I hadn’t expected her to realize so quickly that Salt was not a real animal.

Is it because she’s a blacksmith that she noticed the true nature of Salt so quickly? But just the fact that she started to speak is quite encouraging.

I thought I couldn’t miss this timing and added more words.

“What do you think it is?”

“Hmm.”

As a problem was placed before her, Woo Hanseong, forgetting even her caution, was completely engrossed in Salt.

‘The book said that the common traits of blacksmiths were endless exploration and creation…… Those words hit the mark exactly.’

While Woo Hanseong was engrossed in Salt, I chopped the partially cut pork belly and kimchi into bite-sized pieces.

“Alright. I will slowly reveal the answer later, so please take your time pondering. Let’s eat this first.”

Lifting Salt back up and extending chopsticks to her, Woo Hanseong jerked awake as if from a dream and stood up from her seat.

“I, I…”

“Hey. It’s not proper to act like that at the dining table.”

I made her sit down with some force and handed her the chopsticks, her eyes trembling. I thought she just looked like a child, but it seems her inner self is just as young.

“Hurry up. You must be hungry, right?”

Just then, a growling sound emanated from Woo Hanseong’s stomach. It was loud enough to be heard quite clearly, making me wonder if she had really been starving.

“I won’t say things like ‘I need your blacksmithing skills, let me scout you, make it for me.’ Just eat and leave. As I said earlier… it’s too much for me to eat alone.”

Looking at the pile of pork belly on the grill, Woo Hanseong’s eyes shook. She had not inspected it properly due to her confusion, thinking it was an empty promise, but there was really an excessive amount of pork belly.

‘I did twist my words to grill outside her house, but it’s a lot.’

After the initial visit, I had requested additional information about Woo Hanseong from the information guild. Even if someone were to hide and live alone at home, there were always necessities to survive. I was intending to approach Woo Hanseong when she went out to buy things, trying to coax her from all directions.

But.

“She doesn’t go out?”

“Yes. We don’t know if she can be self-sufficient indoors, but she hasn’t gone out even once in two years.”

After hearing that story from the information guild, I realized I had never seen smoke rising from Woo Hanseong’s house or smelled any food.

‘I thought she was eating canned food or instant food, so I grilled the pork belly.’

Though I grilled it fervently under the belief that there’s no better attack than a delicious smell, I didn’t expect it to work this well.

“It doesn’t taste good when it’s cold. Please eat it quickly.”

I picked up a piece of pork belly and put it into Woo Hanseong’s mouth.

‘But, is it okay for a kid who doesn’t eat much to eat meat?’

Before I knew it, I was watching Woo Hanseong who was avidly chewing the meat. Her slightly flushed cheeks seemed to suggest that she was enjoying the food.

‘She’s really just a kid.’

I could see why a child might feel betrayed and hurt. She seems so innocent now with her defenses up, how much more innocent must she have been when she was younger.

‘Oh, they must have completely ripped her off.’

While I was clicking my tongue internally, the kid coughed abruptly, possibly from swallowing the meat too quickly.

“Eat slowly. There’s plenty of meat here.”

When I opened a bottle of water and handed it to her, she guzzled it down quickly.

‘Could it be… she didn’t even have water at home?’

As I glanced at her suspiciously, Woo Hanseong flinched. 

She looked like a wary herbivore, so I raised my hands and said, “I was just surprised because you drank the water so quickly. Please continue eating.”

Woo Hanseong, alternating her gaze between the pork belly and me, hurriedly shoved a piece of meat into her mouth. It seemed as though she had a hard time giving up on the pork belly she encountered after a long time, so she stuffed it into her mouth as if planning to run away.

‘If I push her here, I might ruin everything. It would be better to let her do as she pleases.’

I pretended not to notice and put both the pork belly and kimchi in my mouth at the same time.

‘It’s cooked perfectly as expected.’

The thick pork belly is exploding with juicy flavor. Choosing pork belly to coax Woo Hanseong was a good move, morning pork belly is indeed the truth.

“You can eat..mo—.”

Woo Hanseong stood up, covering her mouth while mumbling. It seemed like she was filled to the brim, her cheeks bulging to their limit.

“You can eat more, you know?”

Without responding, Woo Hanseong dashed back into the house.

‘Well… at least I took the first step.’

One setback is enough; I have no intention of experiencing a second. Shrugging, I proceeded to eat the remaining pork belly.

“Want some too?”

“Ppi!”

“Such a temper.”

Anyways, what kind of pet is this? It’s even temperamental with its owner.

“Ppi ppi ppi ppi. Ppi.”

“It’s okay. I’ve made progress, haven’t I?”

The first step in coaxing Woo Hanseong is to open up a rapport. If there had been absolutely no interaction with people, it might be different, but those who hide in the middle of social interaction are more likely to open up when a connection is made.

“Ppi?”

“What? You think I’m pretending to be relaxed? It’s not a pretense; it’s genuinely going well.”

“Ppi ppi ppi?”

“Oh, how do I know? Well… because I’ve been there too.

The deep compassion I felt when I first came face to face with Woo Hanseong wasn’t just simple sympathy. Because I too had once fallen into such a state. Of course, I didn’t completely sever ties with the world and fail to eat properly like her… but I still understand a little.

“People go mad when they live alone. Haven’t you seen the movie? The one where a man stranded on a deserted island lives with a volleyball? It’s a story about how humans are social creatures.”

If it weren’t for the words of the benefactor I met during the time I was isolating and rotting myself, I might have ended up like Woo Hanseong now, or even worse. And the benefactor’s words were the right answer. Having been quiet in both the orphanage and school, conversing with that person changed many things for me. 

I, who used to disdain people, gradually started talking with others, started living together, and eventually even became a detective who helps people.

“Ppi?”

“Yes. I’m a bit worried.”

Why didn’t I check Woo Hanseong’s age when I recognized her? If I knew she was this young, I would have tried to rescue her earlier.

I looked at the deserted house Woo Hanseong had entered.

“Ppi?”

“No, it will get easier. The first time is always the hardest. The second time is easier. And I think she wants to come out now.”

“Ppi.”

At the question of how I was so sure, I gave a sly smile.

“Just watch. What I’ve given her now is meat, but what she needs will turn out to be me.”

‘Just like how I became a cop following my benefactor.’

And just as I predicted, three days later.

Creak—

The rusted door, which had never been opened before, opened once again.