Healing After Sweeping Spirits with an Almighty Skill - Chapter 70
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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 70
Episode 70. Jeong Ryong
With Bulldog’s help, I managed to upgrade all eight Chefmanders to Intermediate Spirits.
‘Good. That gives me enough Coins for what I need.’
Now, with the eight Chefmanders who’d grown wings and learned to fly, I left the Matap Guild’s guild house.
“Safe travels, Jeong Ryong!”
“We look forward to seeing you again!”
“We love you!”
The Matap Guild members waved goodbye to me with tears in their eyes. Their words were so heartfelt, yet so sincere.
‘They’re genuinely good people. Here I am just trying to make money, and they’re thanking me like this.’
I waved back once and boarded the elevator heading downward.
[Shaa?]
[Shaaaa.]
The Chefmanders, mid-flight for the first time, seemed uncomfortable with their wings, fluttering them as they called back and forth to each other.
I imagined they were saying things like, ‘How do you move these wings properly?’ ‘Just do it like this, see?’ or something along those lines.
‘It’s almost quitting time for the spirits.’
The current time was five o’clock.
Within the hour, I’d need to return to let the spirits at Undine Laundry clock out.
‘Better browse the shopping district than make two trips.’
I changed direction and headed toward Exit 1 Shopping District instead of going directly to the territory.
“What do you want to do? You can head back to the territory now, or stick with me and look around for an hour.”
In response to my question, five of the Chefmanders flew back to the territory, and three remained.
Three stayed behind—that was nothing short of a miracle, given how reclusive they usually seemed.
The Chefmanders settled on my shoulders, one on each side, while the third clung to my back like it was gripping a tree.
[Shaaaa.]
The Chefmanders hummed contentedly, apparently comfortable in that position. As I walked through the arcade, people smiled and took photographs.
Spirits were now treated almost like celebrities in the Waystation. Or perhaps it was me being treated that way, not the spirits.
~ Spirit Territory Festival ◇◇ Month ◇◇ Day Held! ~
Banners with this message hung from the ceiling of Exit 1, spaced at regular intervals.
Among them were banners with different colors and designs, each featuring the concept of the Four Element Spirits.
The garlands and triangular flag wreaths hanging between the banners were ones I’d asked them to put up.
‘That’s what gives a festival its atmosphere.’
Perhaps it was the influence of school sports days, but it felt like nothing was truly underway without those decorations.
“It’s a spirit!”
“Wow! An actual spirit!”
Children who recognized me and the spirits approached with gleaming eyes.
“Mister! Can we touch the spirit just once?”
At their request, I looked at the Chefmander perched on my left shoulder.
Shake, shake.
The Chefmander was vehemently refusing, but I couldn’t resist the sparkling eyes of these innocent children.
“Sorry about this. It’s happening.”
The moment I lifted it from my shoulder and handed it to the children, the Chefmander took on the expression of Caesar betrayed by Brutus, regarding me with resentment.
[Shaaaaat!]
After this, that one definitely wouldn’t want to come to the Waystation with me again.
But Chefmanders rarely leave the Spirit Special Zone anyway, so it probably didn’t matter much.
Whoosh—!
The Chefmander on my right shoulder and the one clinging to my back flew up at lightning speed and bolted toward the Spirit Territory.
“Wow! It’s so smooth!”
“And it’s so warm!”
I used the Chefmander as bait for the swarm of children and browsed the area a bit more.
Every shop had set up signage related to the festival. Many of them even used photographs of the spirits, with my permission.
– Get a Festival Raffle Ticket with every purchase of 10,000 Coins or more!
It was an event being run in cooperation with the Merchants’ Association.
The merchants could absorb the greatly increased foot traffic as customers, which benefited them, and I didn’t have to go through the hassle of handing out raffle tickets myself, which benefited me.
In exchange for waiving fees, I laid down two conditions.
First: the Merchants’ Association would handle all safety management and order maintenance for the increased crowds.
Second: they would not engage in profiteering by raising prices under the guise of the festival.
Since I was putting my name behind this festival, it had to run smoothly without accidents or complaints.
‘Don’t I seem awfully lenient for someone getting unconditional cooperation?’
The “moving event” from back then had been meant as both a way to voice discontent with the Exit 6 Merchants’ Association and to build public interest in the festival.
Their willingness to cooperate unconditionally was enough—I felt I’d already extracted everything I needed from the Merchants’ Association.
Beyond that, I wanted this festival to be a celebration for everyone. And that “everyone” included the merchants themselves.
‘Revitalizing the local economy! Mutual prosperity for the region!’
Jeong Ryong!
As I stood surveying the shopping district, now bustling with a noticeably increased flow of visitors, people began approaching me one by one.
“Excuse me, would it be okay if we took a photo together?”
“Of course! What kind of pose would you like?”
The Spirit Territory Festival was a celebration for all.
I enjoyed my growing reputation and took photos with the visitors.
* * *
After Undine and the others clocked out, I bought dinner and returned to the Spirit Territory.
I left the evening preparations to Steward and Chefmander, then sought out the Spirit Forest alone. It was time to achieve my goal of cultivating the Salamanders into Intermediate Spirits.
‘Mandrakes grow by consuming other plants around them.’
Among all the plants available, the Thousand-Year Tree Seed was what Mandrakes craved most.
I didn’t know whether it was because of the unique nature of the Thousand-Year Tree species itself or because of the seed form—but I didn’t need to understand that.
‘After all, I have a perfect upgrade item.’
I stood before Rani in the heart of the Spirit Forest.
Whoosh.
Rani greeted me with her usual gentle rustling. But I knew well just how stubborn a little deer was hidden inside.
‘Treasure vault.’
The tower’s treasure vault.
Remaining Coins: 31 Coin
The Intermediate Spirit that had come seeking the lighthouse, the Intermediate Spirits I’d cultivated, and the Salamanders I’d grown today—thirty-one Coins in all.
I exchanged thirty of those Coins for a single item.
World Tree Seed item purchased.
Remaining Coins: 1 Coin
The World Tree Seed.
An item whose very name proclaimed it a perfect upgrade over the Thousand-Year Tree Seed had come into my hands.
Or rather, into my arms.
‘This is way bigger than I expected.’
The World Tree Seed was not just superior in name. Unlike the pineapple-sized Thousand-Year Tree Seed, this one was as large as my entire upper body.
…Whoosh?
Rani sensed the delicious aura and her movements grew more frequent. I grunted, lowering the enormous seed at her roots, then turned away with flair.
“Here you go. Either eat it or plant it.”
I’d barely walked a few steps when I heard a sound like waves crashing behind me.
Splash!
It was the sound of Rani trembling her leaves like an aspen in delight.
“Heh.”
Pleased with her delighted reaction, I wiped my nose and checked my skill window.
Construction Available List
┼ Spirit Forest LV. 3
└ Material: Jeong Ryong’s Magical Power (Perfect)
└ Material: Delicious Fertilizer (Perfect)
└ Material: Care and Affection (Perfect)
Customer Satisfaction Survey Results: Highest Grade.
The existing evaluation categories had been completely replaced with a consistent perfect score.
‘Good. Then right away….’
I was about to level up the Spirit Forest immediately when I stopped myself. After a moment of hesitation, I lowered my hand.
‘That’s right. You don’t disturb a dog while it’s eating.’
It was already late in the night anyway.
I decided to give Rani time to enjoy her meal in quiet solitude.
* * *
The next day.
As soon as my morning routine began, I visited the Spirit Forest. There was no trace of the enormous seed near Rani.
Whoosh.
Instead, Rani seemed slightly more serene and gentle than before.
“Did you enjoy it?”
Whoooosh.
She seemed quite satisfied.
After asking about various things, it appeared the World Tree Seed had been fully absorbed, though digestion would take some time.
Just the seed alone was already the size of my torso; growing the whole thing into something I could call my own would take considerable time.
‘The Thousand-Year Tree Seed unlocked the underground district. What will happen when the World Tree Seed takes root?’
Would another region open?
Perhaps Rani would grow to an absolutely colossal size.
I pictured the Spirit Castle situated in the shadow of a tree that had grown larger than a snow-capped mountain.
Rani, transformed into something vast, and me—an ant-sized speck trying to converse with her. It was rather an amusing image.
Level 3 Spirit Forest Construction has been completed.
Special materials were used in this construction.
An unknown additional scoring factor exists in this construction.
Level 3 Spirit Forest Construction is being enhanced. Level 6 Spirit Forest Construction has been completed.
The effect of Rani’s perfect evaluation was extraordinary. The Spirit Forest leaped ahead by three entire stages, reaching level six in a single bound.
Rummmmmble—!
The Spirit Forest’s grounds expanded more than twofold in an instant. Saplings burst forth and completely filled the southern reaches of the Spirit Territory.
Yet the Spirit Forest did not merely grow wider.
Rustle.
A squirrel scurried up a trunk and tilted its head at the sight of me. The Spirit Forest had become a complete ecosystem unto itself.
[Aha! A new animal friend has come to the forest!]
[Oh wow…! It’s gotten so enormous!]
The spirits welcomed the transformation with unbridled joy. Undine, the forest keeper, bounced in place with such delight that she seemed ready to spring into the air.
“I’m counting on you to manage the forest well from here on.”
[Yay! I’m so happy!]
A being that took joy in the expansion of her work—truly, she was both charming and endearing.
With this, all the conditions to evolve the territory to level six had been met. There was only one thing left to do.
‘Racing.’
The Racing Karts had arrived by container just moments ago.
[The urge to race surges within me!]
[Déjà vu!]
My heart raced as wildly as the sylphs who were making all the commotion.
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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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