Level Up Machine

Chapter 102 Preparing for Business (5)

“……So, you’re saying that you want to receive a portion of the compensation in land, correct?”

In the main office of the Leviathan Guild, Park Si-a’s characteristic cold voice echoed through the room filled with a mountain of paperwork.

—

[Installation of the automatic manufacturing device has been completed. If you insert 50% of the materials needed to manufacture a ‘refrigerator,’ it will automatically produce one.]

“Wow……”

“It was made in an instant.”

Yu-na and Han-seong, who had been watching, exclaimed in awe. The blue powder gathered in the air had transformed into a massive machine, about 30 meters long.

Han-seong, fascinated by the automatic manufacturing device, began to examine the gigantic machine from different angles.

“I thought it was a factory with people standing on rails assembling machines…… but it doesn’t seem like that, does it?”

“Haha. If it were like that, things would’ve gotten much more complicated.”

Yeong-sik responded with a light chuckle.

The ‘automatic manufacturing device’ he created this time couldn’t exactly be called a factory.

Unlike a typical factory that mass-produces parts and then assembles them into finished products, the automatic manufacturing device was a system where you only had to insert the metal materials that Yeong-sik had refined, and it would automatically produce the designated item.

‘Without the help of skills, it would have been impossible to create modern items in the first place.’

Yeong-sik smirked as he looked at the automatic manufacturing device.

In reality, making a refrigerator required far more materials than just metal. Especially, acquiring Freon gas, essential for the core of a refrigerator, was impossible on the Elnore Continent.

Aside from Yeong-sik, who possessed the skills of a mechanical engineer, no one could create such items.

“If you just put the material items in here, it automatically starts up and makes a refrigerator. You don’t need to worry about labor costs either.”

“Hoho…… I see.”

“And since the materials required to make the refrigerator are significantly reduced, the cost savings are substantial as well.”

“Yeong-sik! Does this big thing also run on batteries?”

Yu-na asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Yeong-sik extended his hand and placed it on Yu-na’s shoulder. He looked at her with intense eyes.

“That’s a good question.”

“Huh? Uh?”

“The automatic control device is powered by an internal battery. But since it’s a battery that runs such a massive device, charging it is no easy task.”

“So, what do we do?”

With his hand still on her shoulder, Yeong-sik led her closer to where the automatic manufacturing device was.

“If you look over there, you can see a small generator, right? You have to run it about once every three days to fully charge the internal battery.”

“Oh, I see.”

Yu-na, with a fascinated expression, approached the generator. It was the first time she had seen one up close.

“How does the generator produce electricity? Does it use sunlight or wind?”

“No. This is a thermal generator.”

“Hmm. Interesting. So, you put in coal and light it up?”

Yu-na’s eyes sparkled as she stroked the generator. Yeong-sik, smiling gently, spoke to her.

“In that sense, I’m counting on you.”

Yeong-sik guided her hand into the generator.

“Ah, but don’t use too much firepower, or it’ll break. You need to control your strength.”

“What?! Were you planning to use me as a substitute for coal?!”

“Saving money is always a good idea, don’t you think, Han-seong?”

“You’re absolutely right.”

Yu-na looked at Yeong-sik and Han-seong, who were perfectly in sync, with a tearful expression.

“To think that my first task as a ranker is something like this……”
Feeling an unavoidable sense of self-pity, she infused magic into the hand she had placed inside the generator. Red flames erupted from her hand.

[Battery charge rate: 5%]

“Okay. I’m counting on you, Yu-na.”

“What? Are you planning to leave me here alone?”

Despite Yu-na’s desperate cries, Yeong-sik turned away without hesitation. He still had a lot to do.

“Hey! You jerk!”

Ignoring her cries, Yeong-sik returned to the guildhouse.

“Phew. Now I just need to meet with the Goldrun Guild representative.”

With a slightly tired expression, Yeong-sik looked towards the storage room. It had been three days since he had activated the automatic manufacturing device. The storage room was now filled with a considerable number of refrigerators and microwaves.

All that remained was to meet with the Goldrun Guild members and ask them to handle distribution, and the business could officially begin.

‘Once I’ve accumulated enough money……

Yeong-sik thought about why he was gathering money to the extent of starting a business and sharpened his gaze.

“Maybe I should rest until I get contacted.”

For the first time since the dungeon raid ended, Yeong-sik had some free time. He returned to his room and lay down on his bed. Although his body didn’t feel much fatigue, the several days spent preparing for the business without a break had taken a toll on him.

‘Maybe I should sleep for an hour.’

With that thought, he slowly closed his eyes.

It was then.

– Knock knock.

He heard a cautious knock at the door. Yeong-sik sat up from the bed and called out.

“Tiria?”

Thinking that the only person who would knock so cautiously was Tiria, Yeong-sik tilted his head and opened the door.

“…Have you two gotten a lot closer? You call her by name so naturally.”

“Oh, it was you, Ara.”

The one who knocked on his door was a beautiful woman with long black hair, Seo Ara. She was glaring at Yeong-sik as if she didn’t like how he had just called out Tiria’s name.

“What’s the matter?”

At his question, Ara shuddered slightly and lowered her head. An awkward silence hung between them.

“……There’s something I want to talk about.”

“Hmm. Come in first.”

Yeong-sik said, sitting down on the bed. Ara cautiously approached him and sat next to the bed.

With her head lowered, Ara clenched her fists. Yeong-sik waited patiently for her to speak.

“It’s about what happened during the dungeon raid……

“O”.

“……I’m sorry.”

Ara said in a voice that sounded like she was trying to hold back tears.

It wasn’t difficult to guess what she was apologizing for.

“Is it because of what you said to me back then?”

“Yes……”

“If it’s that, don’t worry about it. The situation was what it was.”

“B-but!”

Ara raised her head with a desperate expression. Her hands gripped Yeong-sik’s hands.

It was hard to believe that he had a mechanical body, as a warm sensation spread from her hands.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for saying such harsh things. For saying you don’t have emotions…… I’m sorry.”

Ara, as if she had been holding it in all this time, spoke with a trembling voice.

In the end, transparent tears streamed down her cheeks.

Yeong-sik looked at her and gave a bitter smile.

Honestly, it would be a lie to say that her words didn’t affect him at all back then.

He could eat food just like any other person, and he could sleep.

He could feel pain and get angry. He had the desire to hold a woman in his arms and the yearning to connect emotionally.

But even so, he wasn’t human. He was too alien a being to be called human.

That difference was of great significance to Yeong-sik, who had no memories of his own past.

“……I’m really, truly sorry.”

Ara continued. She buried her face in Yeong-sik’s shoulder, repeatedly apologizing. Yeong-sik raised his hand and gently stroked her head.

“It’s okay. Besides, what you said wasn’t completely wrong.”

“W-what do you mean by it wasn’t wrong?”

“It’s true that I’m not human, after all.”

Ara couldn’t respond to his casual statement. The fact that he wasn’t human was undeniable.

But.

“I don’t care.”

“Hmm? About what?”

“I don’t care if you’re not human, Yeong-sik.”

Ara said with a resolute look in her eyes. Her words made Yeong-sik smile faintly.

“Thanks, even if it’s just words.”

“I-it’s not just words!”

She suddenly stood up and shouted.

Gulp.

She swallowed nervously.

“I’ll prove it’s not just words……”

As she said that, she kissed him.

—

“Hmm…… It’s not a bad offer on our side either. After all, there’s a lot of unused land around here.”

The Leviathan Guild was located near the northern border. It wasn’t the kind of place where many sane people would want to live.

“Then, excluding the payment for the land, we’ll transfer the remaining amount within a week.”

“Yes. Thank you. Oh, and there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

“Please, go ahead.”

Yeong-sik nodded and continued.

“I’d like to meet with the Goldrun Guild directly to discuss some matters.”

“The Goldrun Guild? Why all of a sudden……

“There are some things I want to buy and some personal matters to discuss.”

“Hmm. Understood. I’ll contact the vice guild master of the Goldrun Guild to set up a meeting.”

Since the Goldrun Guild often bought the monster carcasses and drop items that the Leviathan Guild obtained during their expeditions, setting up a meeting

wasn’t difficult.

“But why do you need such a large piece of land?”

Park Si-a looked at Yeong-sik with a puzzled expression.

“I’m planning to start a business.”

“A business?”

“Yes. I can’t afford to waste a whole year.”

“Hmm……. I see.”

She looked at Yeong-sik with a slightly skeptical gaze.

It was only natural for her to give him that look since most guilds earned money through monster hunting and dungeon raids, but now he was suddenly talking about starting a business.

“I’ve prepared a gift for you, too, Park Si-a.”

“A gift?”

“Yes. It’s something I’ll be using as a key product in the business.”

Yeong-sik said as he took out a refrigerator from his inventory and placed it in the office. It was a weight that an ordinary person would find difficult to lift alone, but for someone with superhuman strength like him, it wasn’t a problem at all.

“What is this…?”