Chapter 135: Festival (1)

Several days had passed since then.

Ding dong!

<You have entered the ‘Unrest’ zone of Morgue’s Magical Spear.>

A giant mushroom colony filled my entire field of vision.

“……Alright, let’s go then.”

My destination was Hecate Citadel.

I was now so familiar with the route I could find it with my eyes closed.

The path leading to the citadel was quiet and peaceful.

Only the occasional small creature with a bizarre shape appeared.

That was because Jeanne, the Shadow Knights, and the Hecate guards had completely eradicated every zombie in the surrounding area.

Soon, as I advanced through the gaps between the giant mushrooms, Hecate Citadel came into view.

A stone fortress standing tall in a deeply sunken basin.

During the battle with the zombie legion, Hecate Citadel had looked like it could collapse at any moment—bricks missing in patches, melted barricades, shattered gates, and more.

But over the past few days, the citadel’s exterior had changed beyond recognition.

Flawlessly repaired castle walls, densely installed barricades, and a firmly closed gate.

Hecate Citadel was now perfectly maintained, as if it had been newly built.

……All thanks to this thing.

Flutter—

<Nano Gray> 

– Storage Number: MRG-2197 

– Storage Grade: Safe  

Nano Gray solution.  

A substance that restores damaged objects to their most perfect and complete form.  

With just a few drops, it had transformed Hecate Citadel into an impregnable fortress.

The traps installed around the citadel had also been upgraded several levels thanks to Nano Gray.

I skillfully avoided the traps as I advanced.

As I drew near the citadel, the soldiers’ cheers began to ring out.

“The Benefactor has arrived! Open the gates!”

The gates swung wide open, and the soldiers assembled in perfect order.

Soon the vice-captain of Hecate Citadel saluted with a crisp, disciplined posture.

At that moment, a piercing flight sound tore through the air.

Bwoooong—

At the same time.

Thud!

The General Zombie landed right in front of me.

It knelt and bowed its head.

[……You have arrived, my lord.]

“Anything happen?”

[……As ordered, I am eliminating all dangerous entities around the citadel.]

“Nice. Good job.”

Just in case, I had ordered the General Zombie to guard the citadel.

Unless something around S-rank attacked, there was no need to worry.

Perhaps because of that, the Hecate soldiers’ gazes toward the General Zombie had become quite gentle.

As I entered the citadel, loud battle cries echoed across the training ground.

Archers shooting arrows. Swordsmen swinging blades. Spearmen thrusting spears.

Intense military training was underway with ferocious momentum.

Soon a resounding roar rang out.

[Your voices are weaker than newborn babies! Do you plan to step onto the battlefield with that kind of resolve!]

Shadow Knight Yi Seonggye stood tall on the platform of the training ground.

And he wasn’t alone.

Yi Seonggye, Cheok Jun-gyeong, Sogi Pa, Kim Hyeong-eon, Jeong Gi-ryong, Lee Ui-min, Kim Deok-ryeong.

Famous generals who had once dominated their eras were personally overseeing the soldiers’ training.

How to swing a sword, how to handle a spear, how to shoot a bow, and more.

As a result, the Hecate soldiers’ skills had risen noticeably in just a few days.

Meanwhile.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sharp metallic clashes erupted from the sparring arena set up on one side of the citadel.

Jeanne and Hyal were sparring with real swords.

One exchange.  

Two exchanges.

Three exchanges.

Four exchanges.

Every time the two blades met, sparks flew in all directions.

At first glance the match looked even.

But while Hyal’s breathing was ragged, Jeanne’s expression remained perfectly calm.

Soon Hyal straightened her posture.

Woooong— Woooong— Woooong— Woooong—

Black mana coiled around her blade and spun.

That’s……

It was the aura of the Seven Demon First Strike: Gluttony Slash.

However, the way it wrapped the blade was crude and rough.

Then Hyal swung her sword.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!

The Gluttony Slash sword energy shot out in every direction.

But.

Slice—

Jeanne precisely severed the center of the Gluttony Slash.

The sword energy vanished like dying flames.

At the same time.

Shweeeek—

The sharp tip of the blade stopped right beneath Hyal’s chin.

Hyal lowered her sword and said,

“I-I lost……”

The match had ended in an instant.

Jeanne looked at Hyal and spoke.

“That last strike wasn’t bad. However, your way of utilizing black mana is still immature.”

“Even though Your Highness taught me personally…… I am ashamed I couldn’t perform better.”

“Let me teach you one trick. Don’t squeeze the mana out—use the sensation of drawing it out.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

The guard captain’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Jeanne.

Soon Jeanne walked over to me.

“You’ve arrived, Master.”

“The technique the guard captain just used……”

“Exactly.”

Jeanne looked at Hyal and continued.

“It was one of the Seven Demon Strikes, wasn’t it? Her talent for handling mana is quite outstanding. At this rate, she should be able to master the Seven Demon Strikes before long.”

Hyal was still practicing on the sparring ground.

A faint smile spread across Jeanne’s lips as she watched her.

At that moment, the vice-captain approached, dragging a burlap sack.

“Benefactor, here are the mushrooms you requested last time.”

“Oh~! There are so many!”

The sack was packed full of colorful mushrooms.

All kinds of poisonous mushrooms that couldn’t be eaten.

They were ingredients requested by alchemist Paracelsus.

With these he could make useful medicines—paralysis drugs, antidotes, sleeping pills, and more.

The vice-captain smiled and said,

“Compared to the grace you have shown us, these are trivial. It is an honor to be able to help you even in this small way.”

Soon the guard captain stood before me.

She spoke with a refreshed expression.

“Benefactor, and Your Highness. The festival preparations are complete.”

The reason I had come to Hecate Citadel today was because I had been invited to Ravianglily’s festival.

“Please enjoy yourselves today as honored guests.”

We followed the guard captain toward Hecate Village.

***

The Hecate Village square was overflowing with vitality.

Hundreds of fireflies fluttered about, scattering lights of every color.

Adults moved busily while children ran around in pure delight.

In the center of the square stood a large stage, and women in black robes were preparing something.

Then Jeanne spoke softly.

“It is a festival commemorating the founding day of Ravianglily. If I compare it to your homeland, Master, it would be similar to holidays like Lunar New Year or Chuseok. I thought I would never see a sight like this again……”

Kingdom and citizens.

Jeanne had witnessed the moment when everything vanished before her eyes.

That was why the moment must have felt even more profound.

Meanwhile, in a cauldron tucked in a corner of the village, chicken porridge was still bubbling away.

As long as the fire wasn’t extinguished, the Eternal Soup Cauldron would endlessly produce food.

At that moment, the children munching on chicken porridge spotted me and waved.

“Mister!”

“You’re here! It’s the festival today!”

“Do you want some chicken porridge too, mister?”

I ruffled the children’s heads.

“Aren’t you tired of chicken porridge? You’ve been eating it for days.”

“Not at all!”

“It’s delicious no matter how much I eat!”

“I could eat it until I become a grandma!”

“It always feels new. It’s thrilling. Delicious food is the best!”

The children laughed with chicken porridge smeared all over their faces.

After eating well for several days, their cheeks had turned a healthy peach color.

It felt like the heart of a grandmother watching her grandchildren come home for the holidays.

At that moment, a clean, fragrant soap scent drifted from the children.

The first essential for health was sufficient nutrition.

The second was thorough hygiene.

The people of Hecate had been drawing drinking and household water from underground springs.

But the amount was barely enough for drinking.

Washing had been a luxury.

Both children and adults had been covered in layers of grime.

They used to say washing once every ten days was a blessing.

So I had installed shower facilities in Hecate Village.

The key was where to get the water.

……Just borrow the Mage Emperor’s private property for a bit.

Flutter—

<Piwi Pump>  

– Storage Number: MRG-150  

– Storage Grade: Safe  

Long ago, a highly skilled technician named Piwi lived in the kingdom.  

His craftsmanship was so legendary that rumors spread throughout the entire kingdom: “There is nothing Piwi cannot make.”  

One day, the kingdom’s richest man summoned Piwi and said,  

“Build me a bathhouse that pours water without aqueducts or pipes. I will fund any amount you need. But if you fail, I will cut off both your hands.”  

Piwi traveled between the Blue Mage Tower and the Gray Mage Tower, researching methods, and eventually succeeded in creating a magical pump that produced water without any pipes by applying spatial magic.  

The rich man was greatly satisfied and bathed with the magical pump.  

But there was a problem.  

Piwi had taught him how to make the pump spout water, but not how to stop it.  

In the end, the magical pump never stopped, and the rich man drowned along with his mansion.  

“A pump that spouts water without pipes? What principle does it operate on? You want me to figure that out right now……?” —Piwi—  

A magical pump capable of spouting water even from bare ground.  

The usage was simple.  

Clap twice with your palms to make the pump spout water.  

Clap twice with the backs of your hands to stop it.  

After installing the shower facilities and distributing soap, the cleanliness of the Hecate people had improved beyond recognition.

Plentiful nutrition and clean hygiene.

Now the people of Hecate wouldn’t be felled by any ordinary minor illness.

At that moment.

Boom— Boom— Boom-boom— Boom— Boom-boom—

Drumbeats began to echo from the stage.

The children’s faces lit up with excitement as they ran over.

“It’s starting!”

“Hurry, hurry!”

“I want to sit in the very front!”

The villagers gathered around the stage.

Flute and string sounds blended with the majestic drumbeats.

Women wearing black robes stepped onto the stage.

Rustle— Rustle—

As they shed their robes, dazzling traditional costumes were revealed.

Gold, silver, red, blue, green, purple, black, and more.

Vivid, brilliantly colored outfits.

The fitted vests accentuated feminine silhouettes with thin fabric over the shoulders and waist.

Flowing long skirts swayed gently with every movement, their frills dancing.

Translucent veil masks covering the lower half of their faces added an air of mystery.

Then Jeanne spoke.

“These are traditional garments. In the past, the female warriors of Ravianglily would wear similar attire when heading into battle. It is said their movements resembled dancers performing on water.”

Like flower petals floating on a lake, like willow branches swaying in the wind.

The dancers on stage continued their splendid performance.

At that moment, I spotted a familiar face on the stage.

The girl who had been bedridden with a cold just days ago.

The High Priestess’s granddaughter was dancing in traditional costume.

……Her name was Leah, right? She looks completely recovered.

After the cold incident ended, I had immediately administered influenza vaccines to the Hecate people.

The supplier was none other than White Mage Tower Lord Yun Yeobaek.

I had used the wish ticket I earned from the volunteer work last time.

……Well, I tried to use it.

Yun Yeobaek had refused to count it.

‘This doesn’t count. How could I use the wish ticket from the White Mage Tower Lord for something this small? Besides, why am I cooperating? Because…… I know someone like you, Mr. Cha Hasang, will use it for something truly meaningful!’

She had also sent samples of every essential vaccine on the list.

Influenza, tuberculosis, tetanus, typhoid, measles, and more.

Paracelsus was currently analyzing the components and mass-producing them.

As soon as production was complete, I planned to vaccinate every person in Hecate with modern vaccines.

This simple preventive measure would stop them from losing their lives to easily avoidable illnesses.

“Well, anyway. Kids really do look best when they’re healthy, right?”

But Jeanne was no longer beside me.

She had been sitting right there a moment ago—where had she gone?

The moment I thought that.

Boom! Boom! Boom-boom-boom! Boom! Boom~!

The drumbeats subtly changed rhythm.

The villagers around the stage burst into cheers.

“Waaaaah—!”

At the same time.

Swish—

The curtains on the stage parted left and right.

A familiar face stood beyond them.

But.

For a moment I lost the ability to speak.

Ravianglily’s traditional dancer attire made of translucent black fabric.

With every graceful step, gasps of admiration erupted from the crowd.

The one who stepped onto the stage, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful and alluring figure, was……

……Jeanne.