Healing After Sweeping Spirits with an Almighty Skill - Chapter 44

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

Chapter 44
44. The First High Spirit Council Meeting
A week had passed since visiting the Mage Tower Guild.
In that time, Jeon Woo-chi and Bulldog, along with several other mages, had come to visit the Spirit Castle.
“Is this really the Spirit Castle we’ve heard so much about?”
“That’s the mine where Mana Stones come pouring out!”
“Ah, it feels like we’re on a pilgrimage to a holy site…!”
The mages had been invited to the Spirit Castle for one purpose: an experiment. It was to test whether other spirits could evolve into Intermediate Spirits the way Agamander had after consuming Bulldog’s magical power.
In the end, it turned out to be something limited to Bulldog alone. Jeon Woo-chi nodded as though he’d expected as much.
“Bulldog’s fire is the only one of its kind in the entire world.”
It was disappointing, but at least all the Salamanders could be grown into Intermediate Spirits, so we counted ourselves fortunate.
“Hehehehe… Should we try feeding the poison to Undine too…?”
I had to refuse that request, no matter what.
Either way, all four other Salamanders besides Agamander also became Intermediate Spirits.
Even Pigmander, who had been stuck at the Lighthouse, was forcibly brought along and evolved.
[Hissssss.]
Pigmander, as though annoyed, crawled back toward the Lighthouse on its stubby legs. Even with wings now, it clearly wasn’t using them properly.
In fact, every Salamander except Agamander was the same way. Wings seemed like mere decoration—they all still stuck to the ground as they moved.
‘I suppose lizards really are meant to be ground-dwellers.’
The Mage Tower Guild members took photos as though they were on some kind of training retreat, even collecting my autograph before heading back.
“If anything comes up, please contact us right away!”
“For the Spirit Special Zone, we’ll even stand against the Round Table!”
Wasn’t your own boss Jeon Woo-chi not even affiliated with the Round Table?
Displaying limitless loyalty, the Mage Tower Guild members returned to the Fort.
I had also been conducting experiments on the Resonance Effect that I’d heard about from Jeon Woo-chi, squeezing them in between training sessions.
“A Resonator? There’s such a thing?”
Jeong-jin, hearing about it for the first time, looked fascinated and began pulling her own magical power in various directions.
“But why did you suddenly want to do this training?”
“That Mandrake over there….”
I pointed toward the Herb Garden and was about to continue.
“…The Mandrake…?”
But there was no Mandrake in the Herb Garden.
“Huh?”
I was startled and rushed to the Herb Garden. The spot where the Mandrake had been planted was empty.
“What in the world?”
Shocked, I summoned all the spirits. Then I heard something even more surprising.
[Oh.]
[Oh oh.]
“What are you guys saying right now?”
[The Mandrake moved away!]
“It moved away?”
How could the Mandrake have moved when it didn’t even have legs? Actually, wait.
‘No, does it have legs?’
I lifted my head and gazed out at the Wasteland beyond the Castle Wall.
The Mandrake had moved. I felt an odd mixture of sadness and relief.
It had been an uninvited guest, dangerous and troublesome, but somehow I’d grown rather fond of it.
‘That creature. If it was going to leave, it could have at least said something.’
I recalled the brief moments I’d spent with it and lowered my head.
[Oh oh oh.]
[It moved to the Spirit Forest!]
“Wait, that’s practically right in front of us.”
Close enough to touch your nose if you fell forward.
To begin with, the Herb Garden and the Spirit Forest were both in the same Windmill District, less than twenty meters apart. What kind of move was that over such a trivial distance?
Besides, the Mandrake’s move was still ongoing. It had been inching along bit by bit, traveling at night when everyone was asleep.
It would secretly emerge above ground while others slept, moving its short legs eagerly, covering barely a few steps before wiping sweat from its brow with its forelegs and burying itself back underground. Imagining that scene made it seem utterly pathetic.
‘But why did it suddenly decide to go to the Spirit Forest? Is Mandrake some kind of plant creature?’
I wondered if herbs grew well in the Spirit Forest and planted a few specimens there, but that wasn’t it. Unable to find the reason, I crouched down beside the Mandrake and asked.
Though its location had changed, it still only had a few leaves poking above the ground.
“Hey, friend. Could you tell me why you’re doing this?”
[…….]
“We’re neighbors, after all. Come on, let’s talk openly. Why are you suddenly moving?”
…….
Mandrake didn’t answer, didn’t even flinch.
But getting angry just because someone won’t talk is amateur hour.
Like so many moody younger kids he’d dealt with at the orphanage, the best move in situations like this was to smile and meet them with an open heart.
“Aha ha. Looks like our friend Mandrake doesn’t feel like chatting~?”
…….
“Even Pigmander gives answers, but you can’t manage that much, friend~. Maybe I should just call you Mandrake, yeah~.”
Whack!
One of Mandrake’s leaves smacked me across the mouth. Apparently they were listening, even if they wouldn’t speak.
* * *
Jeong-jin had returned to her usual work at the Spirit Castle.
The first thing she did was create and upload the videos she’d fallen behind on.
Of course, that came only after she’d finished the hot spring bath with Suho-gi, sledding with Suho-gi, snacking with Suho-gi, a stroll through the Spirit Forest with Suho-gi, and everything else besides.
– [New Video] A Drawing Contest Among the Spirits! And the Final Twist Revealed…!
Jeong-ryong’s YouTube channel had amassed quite a following by now. For this highly anticipated concept video, subscribers rushed to hit play.
“We’re starting the drawing contest for the lord of the castle, everybody!”
With Jeong-ryong’s shout, the contest began. Soon after, the different drawing methods of various spirits were introduced.
[Whimper…!]
When Suho-gi’s drawing smudged and she teared up, the comments flooded in.
─ Don’t cry, Undine ㅜㅜ
─ My heart is breaking.
─ Sniffling and sniffling ㅜㅜㅜㅜ
[Hooray!]
When Team Undine was declared the winners, even more comments poured in.
─ Oh, seriously so cute.
─ The way they’re acting like they won the whole world just because they won one little drawing contest ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
─ By the way, where can I adopt an Undine?
─ That’s strange. The spirits I know aren’t this cute—they’re just terrifying….
The video ended with the spirits having a happy snack party.
Gnome chewing through sticky rice cakes until their cheeks bulged. Undine drinking Carbonated Drink and filling up with bubbles throughout her body. Salamander swallowing whole a piece of Firewood as large as her own torso.
Warm comments followed the wholesome content.
─ [50,000 won donation!] Taking a leaf from your book on the kids’ snack budget…. Please buy them something tasty….
─ God, I really want to live there too.
─ Do you sell residency rights or something?
─ At least sell entrance tickets. I want to visit ㅜㅜㅜㅜ
Jeong-jin smiled brightly as she read the comments.
“Good, good. Now this is the stuff.”
Jeong-jin immediately got to work on the next video. It was going to be footage of the Sylphs’ expedition sendoff.
She hadn’t been able to make it to their first sendoff, but four days ago at their second one, she’d managed to be there.
‘They’re going to go crazy with how noble this is, aren’t they?’
Jeong-jin herself was overwhelmed by how admirable the explorer Sylphs were.
They said they couldn’t just stay comfortable while their friends were lost out there—they’d go find them. Wasn’t that the sort of textbook nobility that belonged in a schoolbook?
Jeong-ryong didn’t say it out loud, but he climbed up to the Castle Wall several times a day to gaze toward the direction the Sylphs had disappeared.
[Clink!]
A cup appeared on Jeong-jin’s table as she edited busily away. Suho-gi followed a moment later, setting the table beside the cup.
[Drink while you work…!]
Jeong-jin took the Cola cup Suho-gi offered with a happy smile.
“Thanks.”
[Oh, no, I…!]
Suho-gi squirmed all over, flushed with embarrassment.
Though Suho-gi had grown quite close to Jeong-jin recently thanks to her relentless affection, it hadn’t diminished Suho-gi’s shyness one bit. What, you don’t like that?
‘I love it, actually.’
How could something be this cute? She could edit a million more videos just on moments like this.
The truth was, the reason Jeong-jin had even started editing videos and uploading to YouTube in the first place was to spread this adorable sight far and wide.
“All right then. Let’s keep it up!”
[Keep it up…!]
Jeong-jin threw herself back into editing.
* * *
The Spirit Castle has been expanded to Level 9.
Rumble-rumble-rumble.
With a tremendous tremor, the Spirit Castle expanded another level. Now it stood at the final single-digit level.
Spirit Castle LV. 9
┼ Construction Completed
└ Main Keep LV. 3
└ Spirit Forest LV. 2
└ Mine LV. 4
└ Herb Garden LV. 4
└ Water Source LV. 4
└ Nest LV. 3
└ Kiln LV. 3
└ Smeltery LV. 3
└ Workshop LV. 3
└ Storage LV. 3
└ Lighthouse LV. 3
└ Spire LV. 2
└ Plaza LV. 2
└ Hot Spring LV. 5
└ Sledge Track LV. 3
└ Wind Turbine LV. 3
┼ Construction Available
└ Blacksmith LV. 1
└ Lighthouse LV. 4
└ Spire LV. 3
└ Main Keep LV. 3 (Pre-completed)
┼ LV. 10 Expansion Conditions (0/3)
└ Blacksmith LV. 1 (0/1)
└ Spire LV. 3 (0/1)
└ Spirits (72/100)
The Spirit Castle’s next level would be Level 10. I felt a strong certainty that something awaited me at that threshold.
Perhaps a Skill Evolution like when I transitioned from Spirit Village to Spirit Castle, or a new territory expansion like what had happened at Spirit Castle Level 5.
“First, let me check what materials I need.”
Construction Available
┼ Blacksmith LV. 1
└ Material: Hammer (0/1)
└ Material: Anvil (0/1)
└ Material: Lumber (20kg/20kg)
┼ Lighthouse LV. 4
└ Material: Steel (20kg/20kg)
└ Material: Solar Panel (0/1)
└ Condition: Intermediate Fire Spirit (3/3)
┼ Spire LV. 3
└ Material: Mithril (10kg/10kg)
└ Material: Mana Crystal (1kg/5kg)
└ Material: Walkie-talkie (0/1)
‘Walkie… what? What kind of rabbit?’
While there were materials I’d never seen before listed, ultimately I only needed to construct three buildings to advance to the next level.
‘Right now, the only thing I can build is the blacksmith.’
I immediately assembled Salamander and the Gnomes at the Smeltery.
For reference, the responsibility for firepower had shifted from Agamander to a different Salamander. Having an older Salamander handle it seemed to provide much more stable heat output.
[Hisss.]
“Ah, of course your flames have their merits. But everything has its proper place and time, you know.”
[Hisssss.]
Agamander narrowed her eyes at me. I whistled carelessly, pretending not to notice her gaze.
Rumble-rumble-rumble.
Molten metal glowed bright red as it poured into the molds.
Whoosh. Sizzle-sizzle!
As the Smeltery’s level rose, the newly added channels were used for quenching, which was repeated several times.
Once the hammer head had cooled, I fitted it with a wooden handle that I’d carved in the Workshop. The hammer was complete.
After the anvil cooled sufficiently, I immediately began constructing the blacksmith.
LV. 1 Smithy construction has been completed.
LV. 1 Smithy construction utilized materials produced from Spirit Special Zone facilities.
LV. 1 Smithy construction is being reinforced.
LV. 2 Smithy construction has been completed.
Satisfied that the reinforcement had succeeded, I inspected the smithy with the Gnomes.
The smithy resembled the Smeltery in function but differed in form.
A small furnace positioned along the inner wall connected to an outer furnace building, and before it stood an Anvil, a Hammer, and a primitive bellows, all sized to suit the Spirits perfectly.
‘Until now, the Smeltery had been doing half the work of a smithy, but now we’ll have proper separation.’
The Gnomes examined their newly sized Hammers with fascination, swinging them this way and that to test the fit. Supervisor Gnome practically glowed with delight at the prospect of expanded responsibilities.
[Ooh!]
“Hm? Already have something you want to make?”
[Ooh ooh!]
“You want to craft that? Now this should be interesting.”
Supervisor Gnome’s creative fire had been kindled.
* * *
That afternoon.
The first High Spirit Council meeting was convened in the Nest of Spirit Castle.
The agenda was singular.
The Jeong-ryong Allocation System.

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