Healing After Sweeping Spirits with an Almighty Skill - Chapter 43

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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 43
Episode 43. The Magic Tower and Mandrake
I finished breakfast and went looking for Boru.
I needed to shop for building materials and food supplies, and then visit the Magic Tower.
The Magic Tower’s guild house was located on the third floor of Boru. I walked down a corridor that felt strangely quiet and cold, unlike the first floor, until I reached the Magic Tower guild house.
I’d submitted a visit request in advance, so I rang the bell and pushed the door open immediately.
“Hello—”
“Welcome!”
The moment I stepped inside, dozens of people bowed their heads toward me. For an instant, I thought I’d wandered into some yakuza office by mistake, so I backed out and read the sign again.
– Magic Tower Guild House
‘This is the right place.’
I opened the door again and went back in, and the guild members bowed once more as though nothing had happened.
“Welcome!”
“Ah… hello.”
“What an honor!”
“We admire you!”
“We respect you so much!”
Each mage threw in their own line. The gleam in their eyes as they looked at me was somehow a bit unsettling.
[Hi there!]
[Wow, these humans are really enthusiastic!]
[Tee-hee!]
Meanwhile, the spirits seemed delighted just to be meeting humans.
Three people stepped forward in front of the guild members, whose eyes burned with fervent intensity. I recognized two of their faces.
“Ah, Ji-su.”
“You remember me! What an honor, Jeong Ryong!”
Dae Ji-su, the Earth Magic practitioner.
He was the man I’d made my first trade with for Spirit Special Zone specialties. Though the business card he’d given me had long since found its way into the trash, I couldn’t forget his distinctive face.
“Khi-khi-khee… good to see you again…”
“Good to see you again, Bulldog.”
The oddly-spoken man was Bulldog, the Guild Master of the Magic Tower.
Bulldog, who wore a wide-brimmed hat like a true wizard and bore a gloomy expression, was among the most formidable A-rank Hunters.
And the third man was…
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Jeon Woo-chi.”
I swallowed hard without meaning to.
S-rank Hunter Jeon Woo-chi.
The founder of the Magic Tower guild and a member of the Round Table.
‘Is this what an S-rank looks like.’
Whether it was because of his reputation or not, Jeon Woo-chi was definitely different from any Awakener I’d met before.
There was something about how Jeon Woo-chi’s presence seemed emphasized and pronounced. If the other Awakeners I’d met were regular typeface, Jeon Woo-chi was bold sans-serif.
“The honor is all mine to meet you.”
With a slightly excited heart, I clasped his hand. One item from my life’s bucket list had just been checked off.
* * *
The four of us and the spirits sat in a conference room of the Magic Tower guild house.
“I want to be with Jeong Ryong too…!”
“Let us see your face! Or at least give us an autograph…!”
Outside the door, the Magic Tower guild members who hadn’t been chosen were clamoring loudly. It seemed the Spirit Special Zone specialties were far more popular with the Magic Tower guild than I’d imagined.
“I apologize. Our guild members can be a bit… intense.”
“No, it’s fine. My spirits are just as intense.”
The spirits were sitting on top of the conference table, chattering among themselves.
[Wow! This is a human table! It’s huge!]
[So big and smooth!]
[The snacks taste good too!]
[Nyaa-nyaa-nyaa!]
[Ooh!]
At their noisy antics, Jeon Woo-chi let out a soft chuckle.
“They’re quite charming creatures.”
“They’re good kids.”
I spoke quietly in the midst of the commotion, but the spirits had a supernatural ability to hear anything about themselves.
[Tee-hee-hee!]
[He-he-he.]
The spirits twisted their bodies awkwardly, glancing up at me as if embarrassed. I pretended not to notice.
“Haha. You two seem to get along so well.”
“Thank you.”
I took an awkward sip of coffee and set it down. Coffee still wasn’t for me.
“First, I apologize for dropping by so suddenly when you must be busy.”
“Not at all. I’ve finished today’s farming, and there’s nothing left on my schedule except heading home.”
“Then I’m glad to hear it.”
In any case, it was clear my presence would interfere with his departure, so I got straight to the point.
“Is it possible for mana to change its properties depending on one’s emotions?”
“Mana’s properties?”
I told him about what I’d experienced through Agamander.
How I’d drawn up mana based on joy, and Agamander had absorbed it. Whether it was because of that or not, Agamander had become remarkably docile afterward.
Jeon Woo-chi’s eyes curved into crescents of delight as he finished listening.
“You’re experiencing the Resonance Phenomenon.”
“The Resonance Phenomenon?”
“It’s a phenomenon where additional properties are granted to mana depending on one’s emotions.”
According to Jeon Woo-chi, not all Awakeners experienced this phenomenon. Because of that, it wasn’t widely known to the public. Dae Ji-su and Bulldog had no connection to the Resonance effect either.
“Is there some kind of law or rule to this Resonance effect? Like, if you mix a certain emotion with certain mana, a specific effect appears?”
“First, the more negative the emotion, the more barren and destructive the properties tend to be. As for positive emotions… I apologize. I haven’t actually drawn up mana in that direction before.”
He said that since each person’s skills varied so widely, there was no universal law that applied to all. The only way was to learn through repeated practice on your own.
After finishing all my questions, I was quietly watching the spirits eat their refreshments when Jeon Woo-chi spoke.
“Jeong Ryong. Would it be alright if we asked you a few things as well?”
“Of course.”
“The specialty products from the Spirit Special Zone. Besides Mana Ore and Mana Water, are there any mana-infused fire or wind?”
I had no trouble understanding what his question was aimed at.
“There isn’t. If I discover any, I’ll let you know immediately.”
“I see. That’s too bad.”
“Though I have to say, it’s surprising. I thought the Magic Tower had its own growth route for fire-attribute mages.”
“We do?”
“Well, isn’t Bulldog here one of the world’s finest fire mages?”
High-rank Awakeners who wielded wind and fire magic were extraordinarily rare, regardless of nation.
That Bulldog was an A-rank Hunter who nonetheless ranked among the world’s top fire mages was for this reason.
“Ah, that’s because this fellow is a special case.”
“I see.”
I assumed he must have some unique skill and moved on. The world had so many unusual skills, after all.
Whoosh—
Bulldog was playing with Agamander.
He juggled ten balls of flame floating above his fingertips, and Agamander watched, entranced.
[Hisss~.]
Or rather, he wasn’t entranced—he was waiting for an opening.
Gulp—!
The next instant, at a speed barely visible to the eye, he swallowed one of the flame balls.
“K-keek?”
Bulldog started in shock.
I was equally startled.
“Hey, why did you eat that!”
I grabbed Agamander in alarm and examined him.
[Belch.]
Agamander burped contentedly with a satisfied expression. Since he was a fire spirit, I suppose it was fine—I was beginning to feel relief.
[Hiss?]
Agamander’s expression grew slightly startled, and he began to wriggle.
“What’s wrong? Does something hurt?”
Contrary to my concern, Agamander, who had been squirming for some time, suddenly curled his body inward.
Burst—
Then Agamander’s back tore open.
“……….”
So startled I could only stare blankly, I watched as the smoke gradually dissipated from his back, revealing something I never expected.
Flutter—
Wings had sprouted from Agamander’s back.
“…….?”
“???”
Bulldog and I exchanged bewildered glances back and forth.
“Bulldog, could this be the Resonance Phenomenon?”
“I don’t… think so…?”
Meanwhile, Agamander gnawed at the wings sprouting from his back and let out a satisfied laugh.
[Hiss!]
Then a notification window appeared.
A Lower-rank Spirit has evolved into an Intermediate-rank Spirit.
You have been awarded one Coin as compensation.
‘Out of nowhere?’
My shock was short-lived.
I analyzed the current situation carefully.
Agamander had consumed Bulldog’s Mana and evolved into an Intermediate-rank Spirit.
That meant there might be a significant correlation between the Mana of Awakeners and the growth of spirits—specifically among Awakeners with magical affinities.
I extended my hand to Bulldog, the Guild Master of the Magic Tower, and spoke.
“From now on, let’s establish an even closer and more intimate partnership.”
“With open arms and legs, we welcome it… Kee-hee-hee….”
We clasped hands.
The partnership between the Spirit Special Zone and the Magic Tower had grown even stronger.
* * *
Dwae-ji-mander’s reaction to Agamander becoming an Intermediate-rank Spirit was simple.
[Shaat.]
It was nothing more than an expression and tone like a seasoned veteran saying, ‘You’ve had it rough. Hang in there.’
“At least a seasoned veteran has a conscience. This one’s just a jaded old thing, isn’t it.”
[Shaat!]
“Oops, my apologies. My true thoughts just slipped right out.”
[Shaaaat!]
“Get out of your lighthouse? Why is it your lighthouse anyway? It’s my lighthouse.”
Agamander laughed with delight watching us bicker as usual.
With wings now grown, Agamander no longer used the stairs and fluttered about like a sylph.
‘Do all fire spirits grow wings once they become Intermediate-rank?’
I looked at Dwae-ji-mander before me. This one probably wouldn’t be able to fly even if wings sprouted.
[Shaat!]
I stopped tormenting the back-room swine and came down from the lighthouse.
The spirits, finished with their afternoon duties, were sledding again, and watching them, I felt inclined to join in—before I knew it, the sun was setting gently on the horizon.
“All right. Now that the sun’s going down, how about a nice hot spring soak?”
[Chirp!]
[Hot spring? That sounds amazing!]
Just as we were about to climb Snow Mountain again in our lively way, a familiar face tapped on the castle gate. It was Jeong Jin.
When I opened the gate, Jeong Jin entered with an exhausted expression, then brightened at the sight of Suwho-gi on my head.
“Suwho-gi! Did you miss your sister?”
Jeong Jin’s footsteps slowed as she approached.
Her eyes swept over my clothes, then to the Pouch Sack in her hand, and finally to the distant Sledding Slope on Snow Mountain.
“A sledding slope…?”
[Snow sledding! It was so much fun!]
[Kee-kee-kee!]
[We’re going to the hot spring next! Want to come?]
“…A hot spring?”
Jeong Jin looked at me with an expression of utter disbelief.
After a week’s hard labor, her face had grown gaunt, and frustration welled up in her eyes.
“Snow sledding and a hot spring? Snow sledding and a hot spring?”
I couldn’t pass up the chance to tease a friend—not if I was Jeong Ryong.
“Poor soul, you’ve picked the wrong profession. What a shame.”
“You bastard.”
“Oh, immediate cursing?”
“You’re paying ten times the taxes, for real.”
Unfortunately for her, I’ve been tax-exempt for ten years.
* * *
That night.
Under cover of darkness, a shadow moved stealthily through the Spirit Castle.
It was a rather chubby and rotund silhouette.

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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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