Min Jae didn't expect to spend his Tuesday morning explaining the concept of syrup to a group of wide-eyed villagers. And yet, there he was, in the middle of the marketplace, holding a bottle of Korean maple-flavored pancake syrup in one hand and a waffle in the other, like some culinary prophet.
"This," he declared, "is the taste of breakfast evolution."
The crowd leaned in as he poured syrup over the golden square and took a slow bite. Gasps followed. One child fainted. Another screamed, "It shines like liquid sunlight!"
Min Jae wiped his mouth, looked at Yulena, and said, "How do you say 'Michelin Star' in your language?"
Yulena blinked. "...Star that falls from horse?"
"Close enough."
---
Meanwhile, in Korea…
Back home, Min Jae's online side hustle had quietly exploded. Glow crystals were selling fast. He'd already reinvested profits into better packaging, hiring a friend to design a rustic logo: "WIZARD STUFF: Locally Imported Goods From Not Here."
His room now had labeled bins:
"Definitely Not Radioactive (Probably)"
"Things That Float and Make Noise"
"Berries With Rules"
And one labeled: "Do Not Touch. Goji's Problem."
Goji the goat had started chewing wires.
---
Back in the Village
Trader's Week had transformed the sleepy village into a bustling mess of colors, carts, and people who didn't understand personal space. Min Jae found himself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of strange vendors and chaotic bartering.
One stall offered "invisible ink" (just water). Another had a cage full of invisible birds (which were suspiciously quiet). A woman tried to sell him a box that screamed when opened. He passed.
Kaldo met him near his stall. "You ready for your biggest sale yet?"
"I already sold five light sticks to a guy who thinks they're elf wands."
"He bought ten more. He's starting a school."
Min Jae blinked. "Of magic?"
"No. Fire safety."
---
Enter the Rival
Then came the trumpet.
A tall, smug figure arrived at the market, flanked by two assistants and wearing a ridiculous amount of shiny accessories. His name, loudly announced by one of the assistants, was Master Velin, High Mage of the Eastern Star Circuit.
He examined Min Jae's booth with disdain.
"These wares are crude. Not real magic."
Min Jae, sipping Pocari Sweat, replied, "You're right. They actually work."
Velin's assistants gasped. A crowd gathered.
Yulena crossed her arms. "Should I stab him?"
Min Jae considered. "Let's try waffles first."
---
The Challenge
Velin challenged him to a "Duel of Magic." Min Jae, not one for fireworks, counter-offered: "Breakfast Battle."
Thus began the First Annual Pancake Showdown of Rivertown.
Velin conjured fire and baked a magically risen oat loaf with glowing seeds. Min Jae plugged his sandwich maker into a power bank and whipped up kimchi-cheese waffles.
The local elder took a bite of each.
Then pointed to Min Jae.
"This one made me see my dead husband."
Victory.
---
Shady Business
Later that day, Kaldo pulled Min Jae aside.
"There's talk in the guild. You're shaking things up."
"I made breakfast."
"Exactly. That's disruptive."
Kaldo revealed a sealed letter from a larger trade hub requesting a "meeting" with the mysterious wizard-merchant.
Min Jae wasn't sure if it was a business opportunity or a kidnapping.
He checked his pack. Still had three choco pies, duct tape, and a backup waffle.
"Let's get dangerous."
---
Midnight Delivery
That night, back in Korea, Min Jae packaged a glowing orb wrapped in rice paper, labeled it as "Mood Light – Non-Electrical," and shipped it to an interior designer in Seoul.
He updated his spreadsheet:
Total earnings: ₩8,450,000
Magic-to-money ratio: Increasing
Risk of getting arrested for smuggling glowing fruit: Probably high
He sat at his desk, sipping banana milk, glancing at the trapdoor.
Goji bleated from the hallway.
"Tomorrow," he said, "we're getting you a leash."