Healing After Sweeping Spirits with an Almighty Skill - Chapter 63
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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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Chapter 63
Episode 63. Playtime in the Spirit Territory!
Under normal circumstances, this would have been a time when something had gone wrong a few times over.
Moon Tae-seong’s workshop—a master craftsman of traditional wooden furniture, designated by the government as an Intangible Cultural Property—was ordinarily a place where harsh commands fell without respite, not a single day exempt.
‘Why is he so quiet today?’
In modern society, where Awakeners held sway, the government designated only non-Awakeners as holders of Intangible Cultural Properties and provided support accordingly.
Among them, Moon Tae-seong had earned a notorious reputation for being fastidious and ill-tempered. On any day when wood arrived with even slightly compromised grain or insufficient moisture content, the workshop would shake from his roaring displeasure.
‘By this time, he should have been angry multiple times already.’
The master craftsman’s youngest disciple, unable to resist the prodding of his senior brothers, cautiously peeked into his mentor’s workshop.
And he witnessed a remarkable sight. His mentor was caressing an unfamiliar piece of timber lying on the workbench as if entranced.
“Truly remarkable wood.”
From Master Moon Tae-seong’s lips came an exclamation, barely more than a murmur to himself.
“Such a specific gravity….”
Moon Tae-seong’s wooden furniture was crafted using the Joinery Technique, where wood interlocked through grooves alone, without nails—making the wood’s specific gravity a matter of life and death.
Specific gravity meant the density of cellular tissue. Furniture made from low-gravity wood could not endure the seasons’ changes; the joints would loosen and warp.
“Furniture made from this wood would last a thousand years without trouble.”
Only then did the youngest disciple remember the identity of that timber. It was wood that the government had sent down some time ago as support.
What had they called it? He’d been told it was wood obtained through some kind of “special procurement,” though resembling his mentor’s own indifference to worldly matters, the youngest disciple hadn’t quite retained the details.
“Hah, the wood is so fine that I’m left wondering what to make with it.”
The master ran his rough palm gently across the surface of the ivory-colored timber. From that touch and gaze emanated an affection his disciples had never once witnessed directed toward them.
The disciple swallowed involuntarily.
Watching his mentor’s secret side from the shadows stirred something strange—even jealousy at having his master’s affection stolen did not surface.
“Yet among all things, it would make truly excellent charcoal.”
A judgment unbelievable from a workshop that produced premium wooden furniture—it was the craftsman’s purest compliment, one only a master who had pierced through to the very essence of wood could offer.
* * *
Clang!
When two white pieces of charcoal struck each other, they made a sound as if two lumps of metal had collided.
The meaning was unmistakable.
“Success!”
At my declaration, the spirits who had been watching me with tense eyes erupted in unison with cheers.
[Shaaah!]
[Hisss!]
[Ooooh!]
[We knew you could do it!]
The spirits who had poured their strength into creating Bija Charcoal with me for twelve hours.
[Waaah!]
[Congratulations!]
[Now we can play together!]
And alongside them were the spirits who, though they hadn’t worked directly, had finished their own tasks and come to cheer us on.
‘Is this really the first time we’ve worked overtime in the Spirit Domain?’
The charcoal-making work that had begun in the morning finally ended only as evening descended and supper had been consumed, drawing near the hour of sleep.
Clang!
Yet hearing that beautiful sound, there was no doubt that all that labor had been worthwhile.
Most of all, the Skill window itself had confirmed it was proper Bija Charcoal.
Constructible List
┼ Furnace Lv. 4
└ Material: Iron (50kg/50kg)
└ Material: Bija Charcoal (10kg/10kg)
└ Condition: Intermediate Fire Spirits (5/5)
Ten kilograms of Bija Charcoal created over twelve hours.
Windbreak Wood from the Spirit Forest went into the materials, the Smeltery became the production facility, and spirits of every element were mobilized as workers.
So this was unquestionably a strengthened construction scenario. Otherwise it would make no sense.
‘The hard work was worth it.’
In truth, making Bija Charcoal would require twelve days of labor, not twelve hours, if one couldn’t rely on the power of Skills. Without them, it would be impossible.
‘Long live the Awakener society.’
After an exhaustive internet search, I’d managed to find a video of a flame-element Awakener from Bangladesh making charcoal.
Based on that video and running it through a translator while studying diligently, I reached the conclusion that by using Salamanders, one could produce Bija Charcoal in just twelve hours.
‘Having Noum refit the blast furnace into a charcoal kiln, instructing the Salamanders on step-by-step temperature control, commanding the Sylphs to manipulate air flow and smoke dispersal….’
And though they didn’t really have much role, I had the Undines spray water around the Smeltery to cool the heat—purely for appearance’s sake.
I’d given quite a lot of instructions. In other words, most of the work had been done by the spirits, not by me.
“Everyone worked hard! As a token of my gratitude, I’ll distribute snacks to all of you tomorrow, and the Sylphs get a brand new board game!”
[Yaaay!]
[I knew you’d come through!]
The spirits leaped with both hands raised, delighted by the modest reward. Spirits who could find joy in the smallest offerings had always been my source of happiness.
Having given the spirits a satisfying reward, it was now time for me to claim my own prize for the labor. There was one thing I needed more than anything.
“It’s so hot!”
Twelve hours spent pressed against the furnace, sweat pouring until my pores ran dry—that’s what I needed to recover from.
What I craved was ice-cold water.
“So it’s swimming time!”
I rushed to the Water Source with the spirits and threw myself in without bothering to change into a swimming suit.
Splash!
A pond dozens of meters across. If anyone thought I’d use this only as a water source, they’d be sorely mistaken.
[Ahahaha!]
[Drifting away~!]
The Undines bobbed gently atop the enormous wave I’d created, and one of them even perched on a fish that had bolted away in panic.
The sensation of my body, scorched from hours of labor beside the Smeltery, cooling under the cold water was exhilarating and refreshing.
“All right, swimming race!”
[We won’t lose!]
I competed with the Undines in freestyle, though unsurprisingly, I didn’t win.
“Wow, you’re incredibly fast!”
[Hehehehe! We’re water spirits!]
I did backstroke with the Noums perched on my chest.
[Ooooh!]
[Oh!]
The Noums sang with delighted energy, chanting strange rhythmic calls as if they were on a boat ride.
After a long swim, I settled into the shallower water to rest when a Salamander fluttered down onto my shoulder.
[Hiss-hiss!]
Against my chilled, wet skin, the Salamander’s distinctive warmth felt wonderful.
“By the way, you won’t die or anything if you go underwater, right?”
[Hiss!]
“No? Good. Then let’s dive!”
[Hiss?]
Kerplunk!
The moment I submerged, the Salamander yelped in terror and fled. I tried to grab it, but the lizard underwater was impossibly fast.
“Suhogi, Suhogi—come here for a moment, would you?”
[Hahaha! Don’t like diving!]
The Sylphs quickly put distance between us. Quick-witted spirits like these sure know how to spoil the fun.
“Where are you going! You’re playing too!”
I swung my arms hard, splashing water toward the Sylphs.
[Ahhh! Did you really think you’d hit us~?]
[Evasive maneuvers! Evasive maneuvers!]
The Sylphs wove through the splashing water with acrobatic artistry, evading with grace.
[Then try dodging this!]
[Oho, bring it on, Suhogi!]
The Undines and Sylphs played joyfully, splashing each other.
Beneath a bright full moon, water spray shattered into light, and spirits laughed with radiant joy. It was a scene I would not forget for a long time.
* * *
The next day.
The Chandelier was finished before lunch.
Making the Chandelier was far simpler than making the Bija Charcoal. I formed the metal framework, crafted glass lamps, and fitted them onto the branches—that was all there was to it.
‘Glass is something I’ve made before, so that’s no problem.’
The glass lamps and the decorative pieces that went behind them were shaped by the Sylphs blowing air through them. The wind spirits showed off glasswork artistry that was, frankly, sublime.
[Ta-da! The Contemplative Sylph!]
[Wow! It’s amazing!]
Since both the Sylph and the glass were equally transparent, without the shine of the material, it would’ve been almost impossible to tell which was the real Sylph.
[And here’s the Whimpering Undine!]
[Whimper.]
I felt a little bad for the Undines, but their glass counterpart was just as indistinguishable from the real thing.
The sculptors had captured that distinctive pouted lip and guilt-inducing expression perfectly—so realistic it stung.
The Chandelier had been completed long ago, and as I watched the Sylphs still hard at work on their glass art, a construction complete notification appeared.
LV. 5 Lighthouse construction has been completed.
True to its requirement for red paint as material, the lighthouse was painted a vivid crimson—the sort of color one typically sees in tourist spots.
At first it struck me as oddly out of place, but the more I looked, the more it seemed to suit the Spirit Castle’s distinctive pastoral atmosphere.
‘The light count has definitely grown stronger.’
With this, far more spirits would visit the Spirit Castle every day.
LV. 4 Furnace construction has been completed.
Materials and facilities from the Spirit Domain were used in this construction.
LV. 4 Furnace construction is being reinforced. LV. 5 Furnace construction has been completed.
Yes!
As expected, a reinforcement breakthrough occurred for the furnace. But the notification didn’t end there.
The furnace has reached its final construction stage.
As a reward for constructing a building to its final stage, 2 coins will be awarded.
Final construction stage.
At those words, I opened the furnace’s information window.
Furnace LV. M
Maintains optimal temperature in the Spirit Domain at all times.
When a fire spirit rests near the furnace, temperature and luminosity increase by 100% for one day.
It seemed LV. M stood for Max Level.
The buildings in the Spirit Domain had a maximum level. Learning one more useful thing, I confirmed the completed furnace with my own eyes.
Crackle, crackle—
Inside the massive iron furnace, white charcoal burned fiercely. It was Bija Charcoal—made by me and the spirits, then multiplied several times over by the Spirit Domain.
A few salamanders rested against the furnace like laundry on a line, their eyes narrowed in satisfaction with the temperature of the Bija Charcoal.
‘The furnace’s heat will naturally feed into the Smeltery’s reflected heat as well.’
The Spirit Territory developed day after day. Now, only one building remained before expansion to the next level.
Constructible List
┼ Main Castle LV. 4
└ Material: Marble (0kg/50kg)
└ Material: Chandelier (1/1)
└ Material: Territory Crest (0/1)
The marble—we just had to wait for delivery.
Which meant there was only one thing left to do.
“The Spirit Territory Crest Design Contest shall now commenceee!”
The second drawing contest was held.
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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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