Chapter 1

Water flows from our home's water purifier 001

Prologue

There are many water purifiers in the world.

But ours is a bit special.

"Should I have a drink?"

Even stab wounds.

Even diseases that require surgery.

"Ugh, the water tastes good."

One glass of water is enough.

Why?

Because the water purifier at our house dispenses potions.

"What's this all about?"

But other things seem strange too.

Water flows from our home's water purifier 002

1. My water purifier is strange (1)

"Add more meat to table 7."

"Sejin, go help in the dining area now!"

"Um? But..."

"There's no one to help, so the dining area is going crazy. Hurry up!"

"Yes."

The boss's urgent words as he entered the kitchen.

I stopped washing dishes and started serving in the dining area.

About 30 minutes later, my body reacted.

"Excuse me."

"Yes, I'm... uh!"

Just as I was naturally about to bring the meat to the table.

My body wouldn't listen, and I fell forward.

"Ah!"

"What, what is this!"

The tray I was holding tipped forward and fell to the ground.

My head felt like it was spinning, but I quickly said, while lying on the ground.

"I'm... sorry..."

"Someone call an ambulance!"

"...I'm... fine."

Clutching my chest, I frantically searched my pocket.

A small bottle in my hand. I took the medicine without water.

After lying there for about 3 minutes, I wiped the cold sweat and got up.

"I'm sorry!"

People who were about to enter the restaurant turned around when they saw me.

The people inside stopped eating and all looked at me.

I couldn't even lift my head.

'...I messed up again.'

When I tried to clean up the dishes I had spilled, a coworker stopped me.

"I'll do it. Sejin, go rest."

"I can do it..."

"It's fine. Go rest."

It was a familiar situation. I thought this time it would last longer.

To avoid causing more trouble, I slipped to the back.

As time passed and the restaurant was about to close.

When all the other employees had left, I faced the boss.

"I'm sorry, but please don't come in from tomorrow. I'll send you your pay for today on the next payday."

"I'm sorry."

"Tsk. What do you have to be sorry for? It's hard to say, but try to find a better job."

"Yes."

Once again, I was fired from my part-time job.

I should be used to it by now, but my heart still ached.

"It was a hard-earned part-time job."

Damn heart.

Why did it have to act up at that moment?

That's why I decided to stick to the kitchen.

I punched my left chest with a fist, filled with frustration.

"Ha..."

Just as I was about to head home, I saw a street stall.

I was told to avoid drinking, but today I couldn't bear it without a drink.

"Give me a drink and the cheapest side dish."

I sat down and drank with instant noodles as a side dish.

Of course, there was no one to drink with.

Looking around, I was the only one eating alone.

"Heh..."

Thinking it was a bit ridiculous, I drained a glass of alcohol.

When did my life become like this?

As the drinks went down, one after another, my thoughts grew deeper.

I was once an ordinary person. Both my parents were alive, and I had ordinary friends.

My parents passed away suddenly when I finished middle school.

It was then that I learned they had both suffered from marble disease.

The reality that the same disease was dormant in me.

My parents had barely managed with painkillers due to our poverty.

I was the same.

There was no technology to cure marble disease, and even similar treatments were too expensive.

Without proper insurance, there was no solution for me.

'...Right, marble disease wasn't even covered by insurance.'

The only action I could take.

To barely survive by buying painkillers with the money I earned.

'Is there any meaning in continuing this life?'

Such thoughts made me want another drink.

I had already finished a bottle, and I was about to call the boss for another.

"Another bottle of drink..."

I searched my pocket, thinking, 'Oops.'

Eight crumpled thousand-won bills.

I counted the small amount of money and sighed.

Who am I to drink?

I finished the last glass and paid.

"I can't even drink a drink properly."

I consoled myself that drinking more wouldn't help and headed home.

Perhaps because it had been a while since I last drank, I felt a bit better.

I didn't have the courage to shout, so I whispered.

"I want to live a cool life once!"

Awakeners and such people really live cool lives.

Unlike me, they have bodies strong enough to be called monsters.

If my body was even 1% as healthy as theirs, I wouldn't have to go through such hardships.

"Huh..."

Perhaps because my emotions were heightened, my chest started to hurt.

I stopped and caught my breath for a moment.

Just as I was feeling better, a drunk old woman staggered over.

"Hey? What are you blocking the way for, you fool!"

Her hand pushed me, annoyed. It was just a light touch, but my body fell backward helplessly.

Thud!

I hit the wall, and my heart started beating rapidly again.

I sat down and took deep breaths.

"Huh... I should go home quickly."

If I go home and take my medicine and rest, I'll be fine.

A shabby apartment building, with an attic room on top.

That was my home.

I finally arrived and fumbled with the key to open the door.

As soon as I entered, the pain in my chest intensified.

"Ugh! Hey, the medicine..."

I rushed to the water purifier and searched for the painkillers in my pocket.

But no matter how I searched, the bottle didn't appear.

"Maybe I dropped it when I was hit..."

I must have dropped it then.

"Breath... breath..."

Sometimes the pain would subside on its own, but based on my experience, this time it seemed dangerous without the medicine.

"Heh..."

To think I would die just because I couldn't take a single pill.

Suddenly, everything seemed meaningless.

The sound of my heart grew louder, and my mouth dried up.

-You should drink more water regularly.

Why does this thought come to mind now that I'm about to die...

I dragged my legs and moved to the water purifier.

"Let me at least have some water."

At least I wouldn't feel as wronged if I quenched my thirst.

I couldn't find a cup, so I cupped my hands.

I caught the water from the purifier in my palms and drank it all at once.

"Ah, it's sweet!"

I didn't realize I had made such a sound.

It was just water, but for some reason, it was incredibly sweet.

Was it because I was about to die?

Was the water from the skull that Wonhyo Master drank this sweet?

'Heh. I'm having strange thoughts as I'm about to die.'

For some reason, I felt sleepy. I fell asleep in front of the water purifier.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I saw the ceiling of my home.

"Am I alive?"

I was clearly about to die...

I hadn't taken any medicine.

I had only drunk a glass of water from the old water purifier, whose filter I couldn't even remember when I last cleaned.

"...Why do I feel so light?"

My body, which always felt heavy in the morning, felt fine today.

"...I must have been lucky."

Luck. That was the only explanation I could think of.

I got up from my bed.

Perhaps because I had just woken up, my throat was dry.

"I was going to quench my thirst before dying yesterday."

Now that I'm up, my throat is dry.

I chuckled to myself and picked up a cup to fill it at the water purifier.

My smiling face gradually turned serious.

Something was wrong.

"...? What color is this?"

Red water was coming out of the water purifier.