Healing After Sweeping Spirits with an Almighty Skill - Chapter 35

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 35
Episode 35. The Great Lord’s Portrait Drawing Contest
“Let me announce the beginning of the Great Lord’s Portrait Drawing Contest!”
The Spirit Special Zone’s first-ever painting competition had commenced.
Twenty-two spirits participated—all the spirits in the zone except for the exploration party and the Pigmander.
“The rules are simple. You have two hours to paint me. Materials are free, backgrounds are free! As long as it’s a portrait with my face in it, you’re good. The prize for the winner is…!”
I deliberately drew out my words, and the spirits gazed at me with eager eyes.
Gulp.
Someone swallowed hard, and I revealed the prize.
“The chance to have your work hung semi-permanently in the castle once it’s constructed! And the Outstanding Employee title for this week!”
[Ooooh!]
[Waaah!]
The spirits threw their hands up and cheered at the spectacular grand prize.
[I can’t let go of the Outstanding Employee title!]
[This time, I’m definitely going to win!]
[Ooooh!]
The spirits burned with determination, each for their own reasons.
“Outstanding Employee what?”
Jung Jin, standing beside them, looked utterly baffled.
“You’re really offering something like that as a prize?”
“What a pity. You’ve never been an Outstanding Employee, so you don’t understand its value.”
“What are you talking about? I’m totally an Outstanding Employee! …Oh.”
Jung Jin’s expression crumpled as he belatedly realized that his indignation itself proved the prize’s worth.
But since Jung Jin’s point had some merit, I added one more award.
“Additionally, the winner will also receive about one kilogram of snacks!”
[Waaah!]
[Now that’s real value!]
They seemed noticeably happier than before—though that was surely just my imagination.
I distributed painting supplies to the spirits. The tools had been delivered through the porters.
[Huh?]
[What is this?]
The spirits touched the brushes, palettes, and paints with curiosity. But given that painting was an intuitive art that had existed since ancient times, they quickly grasped how to use them.
The spirits divided themselves into three teams.
Five Sylphs formed one team.
Nine Gnomes formed another team.
Seven Undines and an Agamander formed the third team.
“All right. You have one hour from now. Start!”
The final building upgrade for Spirit Castle’s level 4 evolution—the portrait-drawing contest that was essential for the castle’s advancement had just begun.
* * *
Suho-gi diluted the paint with an appropriate amount of water first. Since Undines were spirits who could manipulate water, this would allow them to paint exactly as they wished.
[We’re going to win!]
[That’s right! We have the advantage!]
[Hisss!]
Suho-gi steeled her resolve alongside the Undines and Agamander. Without question, the Undines were the most enthusiastic participants in this competition.
The Undines had lacked any notable accomplishments recently. Unlike other spirits who were finding new jobs, they were simply continuing their existing work.
Weren’t herb cultivation and ore mining the foundational operations of the Spirit Special Zone? True enough, but it couldn’t dispel the sense of existential crisis Suho-gi felt.
[I’ll win this and finally get some praise…!]
Suho-gi renewed her determination and loaded the brush with a generous amount of paint, applying it to the canvas. The brush was merely a tool to transfer the paint; it was the Undines’ Spirit Force that moved the paint itself.
Swish, swish-swish.
The paint began moving on its own and started drawing the portrait.
Watching Jung Ryong, who stood posing as the model at the front, the paint moved fluidly and produced an astonishingly photorealistic image in an instant.
[Oh!]
Then the paint began to dribble downward.
Suho-gi hastily fixed the dripping paint. She had mixed water into the paint too much, and it couldn’t support the weight.
[U, uh…!]
Suho-gi caught the paint that began dripping in various places with her Spirit Force. She planned to hold it in place until the paint dried.
[Aaah!]
But this time, the paint began to soak into the paper.
[Dry it up!]
[Hisss!]
Suho-gi quickly asked for help from Agamander.
Whoosh—
Agamander’s carefully controlled flames dried the paint in an instant, but by then unwanted streaks had already bloomed across the canvas.
[Oh no…!]
Suho-gi felt tears threatening to spill.
[I have to win…!]
Suho-gi clenched her lips and glared at the streaked canvas.
* * *
I’d slipped away from my portrait modeling session to greet the judges.
Since I’d projected my photo onto a massive screen in front of the spirits, there would be no problem with them continuing the painting.
Another distinct feature that emerged when the Spirit Special Zone evolved into the Spirit Castle: I no longer needed to physically lead visitors in by the hand.
Grind—
Now, all I had to do was open the gate, and those waiting outside could enter on their own.
“Jung Ryong!”
“Jang Dae-in!”
Jang Dae-in, director of the Tower Management Bureau, removed his Protective Gear and shook my hand, his eyes gleaming as he surveyed the Spirit Castle.
“Goodness, so much has changed since last time!”
His gaze swept across the newly constructed buildings and lingered on the towering clock in the Plaza.
“It’s truly become a small domain now. I could live here myself!”
“Ha, thank you for saying so.”
“Ah, I’ve prepared a small gift for your visit.”
Jang Dae-in handed me an elongated box with “Hoengseong Hanwoo” written on its side.
“It’s a gift to commemorate our first successful transaction.”
“Can a government agency give gifts like this?”
“Well, Special Corporations have a separate Business Promotion Fund allocated, so there’s no issue.”
He meant there’d be no health risks in eating it.
‘Hanwoo. It’s been a while since I’ve had some good meat.’
Jang Dae-in had no particular reason for visiting the Spirit Castle. There was still considerable time until the second delivery, and it wasn’t as though I’d specifically asked him to come.
If I had to attach a purpose, I’d call it a visit for “Special Corporation Management.” But even meetings without special occasion could become significant depending on what was discussed between contract partners.
“The 60s Floor Field seems to be what they’re calling the Snowy Field.”
While we were taking a leisurely walk and exchanging various observations, Jang Dae-in mentioned this almost casually.
“The information’s been confirmed?”
“It’s more of an educated guess, but I’d say it’s ninety percent certain. The supply fluctuations of materials delivered to Dragon’s Guild have changed significantly in recent weeks.”
The Tower climbing race was watched by the entire world.
Only one person stood at the forefront of that race with a foothold in the 60s floors: Dragon, America’s world-ranked number one.
Since information about the Tower was classified as state secrets, our knowledge was severely limited, so we had no choice but to follow Dragon’s footsteps based on various conjecture.
“If it’s the Snowy Field, it would be poison for Dragon.”
“Actually, it’s poison for all of us. That’s why we haven’t been selling the Attugo Fruits you supplied.”
“Are you planning to sell them at a premium once the Snowy Field opens?”
“That’s part of it, but we’re actually collaborating secretly with the Alchemy Castle Guild.”
The Alchemy Castle Guild was South Korea’s largest alchemist guild.
“We’re developing an improved version of the existing Hot Drink Potion—provisionally called the Fire Chicken Drink.”
I didn’t ask the unsophisticated question of why it was named that. That wouldn’t be cool.
“So your Attugo Fruits go into that.”
“Exactly. They’re the finest quality Attugo Fruits you can’t find anywhere else in the Tower World. Which brings me to this, Jung Ryong.”
“I understand. I’ll focus the next planting on Attugo Fruits.”
“Thank you. Thanks to your efforts, our nation continues to prosper.”
It was no loss for me either. If that Fire Chicken Drink succeeded, demand for my Attugo Fruits would increase and prices would rise.
‘Hmm. Increase demand, then.’
Now that I thought about it, Mithril kept piling up in my warehouse from the mines.
Even making ingots in my spare time, the Spirit Castle had almost no use for Mithril Ingots. The Wind Barriers I’d created for the sylphs used some, but that was only a fraction of what I had.
“Director. You mentioned there was a Blacksmith Guild among the sponsored guilds?”
“To be precise, they’re still sponsorship candidates.”
“Is there a problem with the contract?”
“They seem worried about being controlled by the government down the line.”
Government-sponsored guilds.
That was the term for guilds that received special products from the Spirit Special Zone through the government, like the Magic Tower and the Alchemy Castle Guild.
The Blacksmith Guild, being larger and more successful than the other two, apparently didn’t want to fall under government influence.
‘That won’t do.’
If I didn’t have the Blacksmith Guild under government sponsorship, I couldn’t expand the number of special products I could sell.
What good is building a massive mine if Magical Ore simply sells day and night without end?
“Let me show you something.”
I handed Jang Dae-in a piece of fabric.
“What is this?”
“Spirit Condensed Laminated Reinforced Fiber.”
“Spir—? Excuse me? Spirit Con—?”
“Spirit Condensed Laminated Reinforced Fiber. We’re calling it Spirit Fiber for short.”
What I’d handed to Jang Dae-in was a fabric made by layering Mithril thread over Mana Plastic. Unlike the pieces I’d made for the sylphs, it wasn’t shaped like proper clothing but rather a small square, roughly half the size of a palm.
Because of that, it had been created as an ‘S-rank Material Item’ rather than an ‘S+-rank Wearable Item’ like the Wind Barrier, but that made no difference in recognizing its true value.
I watched as Jang Dae-in carefully folded the Spirit Fiber and tucked it into his pocket, then asked him a question.
“Do you have any commitments after this?”
“No, not at all. Why do you ask?”
I pointed toward the Plaza with my thumb.
“Would you and your staff be willing to serve as special judges for the competition?”
“We’d be honored.”
Of course, the scoring was set so I would award fifty points, while everyone else would give ten points each.
* * *
“Alright. Time’s up! That’s all!”
After the appointed time had passed, I declared the competition closed.
Some spirits had finished their drawings long ago and were already playing around, while others clutched their brushes until the very end, their faces etched with regret.
“Now we’ll move into the judging phase. Everyone, prepare to explain your work.”
I, Jang Dae-in, Jung Jin, and the other judges slowly walked among the displays.
“Hmm.”
The first piece that stopped us in our tracks was none other than Undine’s team’s painting.
Gulp—!
Suho-gi, with paint smeared across various parts of her body, stared at us with trembling eyes.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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