Healing After Sweeping Spirits with an Almighty Skill - Chapter 49

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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 49
49. Spirit Special Zone Enhancement Token
The Spirit Special Zone Enhancement Token, purchased for 10 coins, was certainly worth the price.
You may attach any adjective of your choosing to the Spirit Special Zone.
‘A subjective enhancement window…!’
I couldn’t help but gasp at the notification that appeared before my eyes.
What kind of absurd enhancement token mocks human greed like this?
What if I suddenly wrote an adjective like “the Spirit Fortress where the lottery always wins” or “the Spirit Fortress that dominates all humanity”?
‘Of course, such things couldn’t possibly come to pass.’
No matter how remarkable the Spirit Special Zone might be, it was still just a skill. It couldn’t ignore the natural order or violate the laws of the world.
So then, within those constraints, what adjective should I choose to gain maximum benefit? First, I decided to test the waters by writing an adjective that would be absolutely impossible.
– The Spirit Fortress that produces a universal president.
This enhancement token permits only a single-word adjective.
Immediately came the rejection window.
‘Only one-word adjectives are allowed, then.’
Following that rule, I tried a second adjective.
– The Spirit Fortress of immortality.
This enhancement token permits only adjectives written in pure Korean.
A startling revelation.
The Spirit Special Zone was a patriotic skill!
Every single character in its name — spirit, special, zone — was written in Sino-Korean, yet here it was!
‘What a hypocritical skill this is.’
A single-word adjective in pure Korean.
That constraint cut away countless options.
‘Happy, eternal, radiant, infinite — those are all Sino-Korean words too.’
Of course, there were some pure Korean substitutes available. Words like “joyful,” “long-lasting,” “shining,” and the like.
‘Something about this feels too vague.’
The joyful Spirit Fortress.
Frankly, if it just released some mood-boosting gas, wouldn’t that make it a joyful Spirit Fortress?
‘Kind, dreaming, abundant, beautiful, joyful, lovely….’
Every single one was either weak in power or unclear in meaning.
‘I shouldn’t rush this decision.’
If nothing suitable came to mind right now, I could simply take some time. It wasn’t as though anyone was standing over me with a blade, demanding I choose immediately.
Once I searched the internet a bit more, a decent adjective would surely occur to me.
‘Skill window.’
┼ LV. 10 Expansion Conditions (2/3)
└ 1. Sledding Slope LV. 1 (1/1)
└ 2. Spire LV. 3 (1/1)
└ 3. Spirit (99/100)
Good fortune comes all at once, as the saying goes.
And indeed, the spirit count had just reached 99.
With the lighthouse now at level 4, three or four new spirits were knocking on the Spirit Fortress’s doors each day, so reaching level 10 expansion was practically just around the corner.
* * *
It was time for dinner.
I made my way to Boru to dismiss the Undines from their shift.
There was still a long line at the laundry. I stood at the front and raised my voice so everyone could hear.
“Everyone, I apologize, but as we announced, the Undine Laundry will close for the day in thirty minutes.”
Groans and cries of dismay erupted.
“However, for all of you currently waiting in line, we’ll create a reservation list and contact you in order when business opens tomorrow.”
Cheers and relieved sighs burst forth.
At this point, I’d done enough good that I wouldn’t end up being cursed despite my best efforts.
“Welcome!”
“It’s our first time meeting! Thanks to the Matte Stones you sold, Jeong Ryong, my skill level went up! Thank you so much!”
“Haha, you’ve been working hard. Thank you.”
Standing guard in front of the laundry were Matop Guild members with different faces than those from opening — their usual evening shift. I pulled out an envelope I’d prepared and handed it to them.
“Here, it’s a small token for dinner.”
“What? Oh, you don’t need to give us anything!”
“That’s right! We volunteer with one hundred percent sincere gratitude in our hearts!”
“You still need to eat while you volunteer. Here, take it.”
I forced the envelope into the pocket of the protesting guild member and stepped inside the laundry.
[Oh?]
[Ooh!]
The gnomes, who had ceded their outer guard posts to the Matop Guild members and were now focused on internal security, recognized me and jabbed their sticks toward the sky.
[Hee-hee-hee!]
The undines didn’t seem to tire at all, still squealing with delight as they splashed about inside the washing machine.
“I’d like to entrust this to you.”
[Magic Stones, is it? Then first, sign this consent form agreeing to a 10% commission fee!]
“Here? Got it.”
[Gnome! Take this much with you!]
[Got it!]
Sylph attended to the next customer, while gnomes stacked the Magic Stones received as commission into the back storage room. Everyone was diligently at their post.
Everyone except the spirits resting in the Break Room.
I approached the spirits who were lounging in the Break Room I’d set up that morning, snacking away. Being able to eat snacks endlessly from the fully stocked snack cabinet was a privilege reserved only for the spirits who worked outside the laundry.
[Oh! It’s Jeong Ryong!]
Suhogi looked at me with a bright smile and waved. Watching that innocent face, a spark of mischief stirred within me.
“What’s this? All the other kids are working, and you’re just playing around?”
[Ah, no! I was working hard until just a moment ago…!]
In an instant, Suhogi’s face filled with grievance and sadness. I chuckled and gently ruffled her hair.
“Ha-ha. Just kidding. I know better than anyone how hardworking our Suhogi is.”
[Really?]
“Of course. You receive the most Excellence Badges of anyone except Sylph, our expedition leader.”
[Ehehe…!]
“Now, wrap things up in thirty minutes and we’ll head back to the Fortress. Get ready.”
[Okay!]
At my announcement, all the spirits resting in the Break Room jumped to their feet and scattered like leaves. They worked with even greater fervor at the mention of the final stretch.
I stepped outside with a suitable notebook and writing implements in hand, ready to collect reservations from tomorrow’s customers.
“Hello there!”
Someone suddenly greeted me. When I turned to look, the guard was restraining a man.
“Look, I’ve told you—this isn’t allowed!”
“But Jeong Ryong might think differently, no?”
I told the guard to stand down, and the man introduced himself.
“Hello! I’m Hunter Hunter, a professional YouTuber specializing in hunter information!”
Hunter Hunter was a YouTuber whose name I knew.
He was famous for editing and uploading information about the hunter society and Boru’s guilds faster and more accurately than anyone else.
‘I’ve watched a few of his videos before.’
Unlike so-called “wreckers”—YouTubers operating in the shadows—he was an above-board content creator who researched information himself and edited with integrity.
“You came to cover the Undine Laundry?”
“And interview you, Jeong Ryong!”
I mused that these days it was YouTubers rather than journalists coming for interviews, and asked bluntly.
“How much is the interview fee?”
“I’ll throw down a generous five million won!”
Five million won for a single interview.
A successful YouTuber really was different.
“Make it fifty instead of five.”
“What? You’re discounting it that much?”
“Fifty percent of the video’s revenue.”
Hunter Hunter fell silent for a moment.
“Fifty percent?”
“I should be worth at least that much in terms of buzz.”
“Look, I don’t want to brag, but I’m doing you and this laundry a favor promoting you. Yet you’re asking me to pay you advertising fees instead?”
I shrugged and gestured with my chin toward the long line stretching in front of the laundry.
“Do I look like someone who needs promotion?”
Honestly, if it weren’t for improving spirit awareness, I wouldn’t have let my face be filmed by anyone’s camera except Jeong Jin’s. Hunter Hunter laughed good-naturedly, as if he’d made a misstep.
“Aha-ha-ha! You’re tougher than I thought! I’ll adjust the terms to your liking, so let’s do this right!”
Jeong Jin’s videos rarely featured me. I’d made cameo appearances, but his content was always centered on the spirits.
So in a way, this was my proper YouTube debut.
* * *
That night.
After the dinner celebration for the new spirits, we gathered in the Home Cinema Room.
“We need to show the new spirits the pinnacle of human civilization!”
It was because Jeong Jin had requested a film he wanted to watch together with the Spirits.
After all, evenings at the Spirit Fortress were a time for everyone to enjoy themselves. Given that, showing movies to the newly recruited Spirits—still unaccustomed to human pastimes—struck me as a rather sound choice.
[Movies are great~!]
More than anything, the Sylphs, who had agreed to take their labor compensation in the form of entertainment, adored films. In truth, whether it was a movie or anything else, they simply enjoyed hearing sound emerge from the Home Cinema Room’s sound system.
Seeing them deliver more than enough return on the investment, I felt nothing but satisfied.
“The film we’re watching today is from Ghibli Studios!”
“Ah, I see.”
Come to think of it, I’d never actually watched a Ghibli film before. I’d heard they were famous, famous, famous—but I’d never had the time or reason to actually see one.
“Turns out Ghibli has way more films than I expected.”
Jeong Jin, too, hadn’t had much time to watch movies.
“So I just asked for a recommendation of their representative entry-level work.”
“From whom?”
“From Gilma.”
It was something I always thought about, but Jeong Jin seemed to treat his Gilma as though he were a friend.
[This is my seat!]
[Oh! Then I’ll take this one!]
[That’s not fair! Let’s do rock-paper-scissors!]
The moment I settled onto the sofa, sure enough, the Spirits came charging toward me en masse. Jeong Jin watched me enviously, then gave his own legs a few light taps.
[Sniff.]
[Whimper.]
The Undines, defeated in the battle for seating, had no choice but to swallow their disappointment and content themselves in Jeong Jin’s embrace.
[Here, popcorn.]
In the meantime, the butler Undine handed a warm bucket of popcorn each to Jeong Jin and me before departing.
“Come sit with us, butler.”
[I’ll just wipe down the microwave and join you to watch together.]
“Take your time. No rush.”
And so the film began shortly after.
The noisy Spirits fell silent in less than a minute and focused intently on the screen. Of course, I was no different.
‘Wait. Look at that.’
Though I couldn’t quite concentrate on the film’s plot itself.
‘That would work beautifully with the Spirit Special Zone Enhancement Token.’
Some rather promising imagery had flickered across my mind.

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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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