Mastore 83 - Dumpster

Magic Realm Convenience Store – Ch. 83

The Drug Carries Love (3)

She said she couldn't talk for long because she was on the subway and that she would arrive in 20 minutes. I told her I’m fine with it.

Exactly twenty minutes later, the succubus walked into the store, and as soon as we made eye contact, she clammed up and wore this gloomy expression. I greeted her first.

"It's been a while, Customer-nim."

“....”

No response. We just stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, so I went ahead and apologized.

"Alright. I won't bring up the pancakes anymore."

This succubus probably doesn't want to be remembered as a certified Korean cuisione cook. As I said that, the succubus brightened up and asked back.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

I do think sometimes mentioning these things helps people remember not to repeat certain mistakes, but… if she doesn’t want to hear it, well, what can I do?

So I said that. Now, she finally relaxed her expression and trotted over to the counter. Might as well finish my greeting.

"Seems like I haven't seen you for a few days, you must have been busy."

“Super busy! Scouting target diseases, writing papers, drafting proposals...”

Apparently, she’s been buried in tasks I wouldn’t understand even if I asked, but I wonder if pharmaceutical companies require you to write papers even after getting hired. I didn't voice it because I thought it would be a show of my short-sightedness.

"I couldn't even leave work for the past two days! Preparing for Phase 1 clinical trials—"

Right after saying this, she abruptly stopped talking and started staring at me intently. A moment later, she spoke in a voice full of admiration.

“I didn’t know that Boss is an anti-magic specialist. I heard the license is crazy competitive.”

"It's understandable you didn't know. I wasn't one when we last met."

“Huh? Then....”

“I got licensed five days ago, actually. And this is pretty much my first job.”

I knew it wasn't the best thing to say in a situation where we had to work together, but I said it anyway. Even if I lied about my career, it would be obvious the minute she saw my license anyway....

Besides, this succubus doesn’t seem like the type to look down on someone for having little experience. The succubus seemed to think about something for a second, then said this in a serious voice.

"Then, I need to explain everything really well to Boss, huh?"

“Uh... I guess you should?”

"Don't worry! I'm actually in charge of training new researchers at our company."

I didn’t say it to reassure her, I just said that because I was worried about her having to work with a total rookie...

"You've always listened to me well, Boss, so I want to return the favor."

I was about to say I didn't listen expecting anything in return. But the succubus had an eager face. There was no reason to extinguish her enthusiasm.

"Well then, where should we start?"

"Let's start with something to drink. My throat’s parched."

When she offered to pay, I declined and brought two cans of Americano from the beverage display and paid. Then, I took off my uniform, stashed it under the counter, and we sat together at the table.

"I feel like I'm always just receiving things from Boss...."

"Don’t worry about it. So, this… love drug, what exactly does it do? How is it used?"

I can guess it's related to that field since it's a love drug company. But... what mechanism does a love drug actually work by?

In my mental encyclopedia's Western Folklore section, it goes something like this: 'When a man and woman split and drink one bottle of drug between them, they fall in love with each other.'

If you apply that old folklore to this world, it’s a drug you ingest. And there must be a premise of mutual consent. Otherwise, someone’s bound to end up in jail.

And here the question arises. If both people are agreeing to drink a drug to fall in love, doesn’t that mean they would already be in love without the drug? Why bother taking it at all?

Well, in the old Western world, it might have been useful in their messed-up worldview where arranged marriages between people decades apart in age had to happen if the head of the household said so. If you have to marry anyway, you may as well love each other for the sake of mental health, right?

But it's puzzling that the concept of love drugs exists in this world where people openly use smartphones. To this question, the succubus gave a clear answer.

"We can't create love that doesn't exist. It would violate pharmaceutical laws."

"Then, uh... is it more like helping maintain the love that already exists?"

"Similar. This new drug's effect is making people more honest with each other."

“More honest with each other... .”

Right away, another drug with a similar effect popped into my mind.

"Isn’t that just a truth serum?"

Sounds more like something you would see in a paper cup on an interrogation room table than in a bottle in a newlywed’s fridge.

“I guess you could think that way. But do you know how truth serums actually work?"

“Honestly, I don’t.”

"Truth serums don't make you honest. They just make you talk, period."

Many media portray truth serums as if they're treatments for silence, but it isn’t. It’s actually a psychoactive drug that disrupts your cognitive abilities by directly affecting the brain.

And it doesn’t even work by itself. Other ‘treatments for silence’ like beatings, electric shocks, or molar extractions need to be employed.

"And there's no guarantee that what they say under it is truthful."

Since it messes with cognitive abilities, whatever they say isn’t coming from clear thinking. The person talking might not even know what they’re saying.

"Hmm...."

I learned something new. But how does this succubus know all this?

"We got the same criticism when applying for Magic Bureau approval. They were concerned it could be used as a truth serum. So while looking for counterarguments...."

“I see. Still, you managed to get approval."

"Actually, the reason we got approval was for a totally different reason."

"What reason was that?"

"Since it's a drug that makes people honest with each other, for it to work, the interrogator would have to take it too, not just the subject."

Meaning, if the subject asks ‘Will you let me go if I tell the truth?’ the interrogator would have to answer, ‘No? Do you take me as a crazy person?’

Naturally, no interrogator would be thrilled with that, and it could even provoke resistance from the person being questioned, potentially weakening the drug’s effects. They submitted this as a counter-argument, and somehow it got approved.

"We also mixed in several types of protective agents in the new drug."

“Protective agents?”

“Yes. Actually, that’s one of the main things I’d like Boss’ help with, too.”

The intended purpose on the label reads ‘For two loving partners to be more honest with each other’.

Sounds simple enough, but there are two major issues to consider. The first is, ‘How honest, exactly, are they being with each other?’ And the second is: ‘Do loving partners really need to be honest about everything?’

For example, regarding the first issue, if someone asks 'Do you love me?' and gets 'Yes' as an answer, that could be considered honest.

But, if someone answers, ‘Well, I do have feelings for a few people other than you, but you’re definitely my favorite,’ will the other person feel grateful for the honesty? Or, more likely, cough up blood?

If the drug’s too strong, this can become a real problem. In other words, it could blur the line between what should and shouldn’t be said. To solve this issue, they mix in a 'magical supplement that makes people give short answers to questions' as a protective agent.

For the second issue, here's another example: even lovers must have at least one thing they absolutely want to keep secret.

Say, for instance, someone asks, 'Honey, are you hiding anything from me?'

And the answer comes out, ‘Well, when I was young, I once stole some cash from my mom’s wallet to buy a gift card. And I’ve wet my pants a few times, too.’ Well, it is a hidden fact, after all.

To prevent such unfortunate incidents, they added another magical supplement that aligns both parties' thoughts about the conversation topic. It helps steer the conversation toward more suitable responses, even with vague questions.

After hearing all this, I had a vague idea of what I would be doing.

“Feels like there are probably even more things added in there, huh….”

"That's right. Besides what I mentioned, there are quite a few additional supplements—"

There are bound to be side effects, and they want to work with me to prevent them preemptively.

It is unknown exactly what type of side effects will occur. They predict problems might arise from the psychological aspect, but that's as far as they know.

“When do you need this by?”

"Ah, there's no set deadline. This is all aimed at commercialization after all."

Then she added that the average success rate for new drugs to reach commercialization is less than 9.6%. It seems like she’s saying that there’s no use in rushing, nor any guarantee that rushing would get them anywhere.

"So, Boss don't need to feel too pressured! Rejection is a daily occurrence in our industry."

"Hmm...."

Regardless of industry norms, I can’t help but want to do a good job if I’m taking this on. If things fall apart because of my mistake, I don't think the Magic Bureau officials would count it on my record.

"That's all for now, but do you have any other questions?"

“There is, but let me think for a moment."

I think I've heard the gist of it, now I need to make an estimate.

First, I know jack shit about new drug development. Add to that, I can’t offer any fancy theories about magical side effects, either. Still.

"...About that new drug, I can see it directly, right?"

“Of course, I’ll have to show it to you.”

“And I can try it out?”

“Of course, you could even… wait, what?”

I know what I’m capable of. I can wipe magic away, or just get rid of the unnecessary bits, or even just look at it and confirm that there’s magic on it.

Side effects must be magical too. Then I should be able to erase them.

I could even get rid of just the unwanted side effects—or see the side effects happen right in front of me. Though it seems questionable whether drug side effects being visible makes any sense....

If I’m going to start questioning what’s possible, just about everything I’ve been through in this world has been impossible anyway. What difference would one more thing make?

"Boss. Since this drug hasn't even started Phase 1 clinical trials yet...."

"Is there a legal issue?"

“No, not exactly….”

She went on to explain that they had received permission from all the necessary places. It’s just that they haven’t posted the clinical trial announcement yet, so they could just include me as a volunteer later. It's a bit of a workaround but—

After saying this, she showed an extremely worried expression, and I immediately understood what she meant. Legal issues aside, just what am I trying to do?

I figured showing her would be easier than explaining it.

“Do you have anything on you with magic on it? A drug or something?”

"Uh... just a moment."

She rummaged around in her handbag and pulled out a perfume bottle. Looked pretty fancy, and it was full—seemed like she hadn’t even used it once.

"Yes. I bought this out of curiosity from home shopping."

"What's its effect?"

“It makes it so anyone looking at you can’t look away so easily. The effective range is three meters, and the effect is stronger the more attractive they find you...."

"Is 3m even meaningful?"

“The radius used to be wider, but it caused too many traffic accidents…”

So they recalled everything, reduced the radius and started reselling, and they're even using the fact it caused traffic accidents as reverse viral marketing. Is this what they mean by turning a crisis into an opportunity…

“Go ahead, spray a few pumps of that on me.”

It looks useful enough for now. The succubus tilted her head but opened the cap and sprayed a few pumps of perfume on me.

“That all of it?”

"Yes."

"How is it now? Do you feel any more drawn to me?”

When I asked, the succubus who had been staring at me suddenly whipped her gaze to the right. Then she looked at me again, then whipped her gaze to the left.

Seems like it’s working. Just as I was about to explain how this was going to work, she tilted her head and muttered again.

“It’s not working. Does Boss have zero charm or something…?”

“...uh....”






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