Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Why Is Everyone So Kind?
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Why is everyone so kind to me?
I might've overworked the land a bit, but we successfully pulled up the tree anyway!
That said, the tree looked a little unusual.
It had a different vibe from the trees you commonly see back in Korea.
Totem... probably referring to totemism, right?
Wonder what that's even used for.
A magic that turns a 1-star summon into a 3-star? Amazing.
Summons really are something else.
So you make summoner figurines to upgrade their rank!
No need to make them by hand.
Just print 'em with the magic printer!
"Alright. Let's do this."
The moment I raised the machete high to chop down on the tree...
A message came flying in from Tree of Truth.
I tried to ignore it, but it seemed pretty urgent, so I paused the logging to check.
No way they're gonna say I should spare it.
Like it's the child of the World Tree or something, can't cut it down.
Not preaching nature conservation or anything, right?
Why should I protect nature?
Nature sure didn't protect me!
The whole world burned fossil fuels.
Shredded the ozone layer with CFCs.
And yet, an ice age still came.
No matter how much puny humans freak out and cause global warming, the Earth just snaps its fingers and boom—ice age.
I know elves love trees, but I can't help it this time.
So it really wasn't some common tree.
Feels like I pulled a 5-star tree on the first try.
With perks like that, I should definitely keep it.
Leave the spirit tree be and grow some others instead.
"Land, you can do more, right?"
-What...?
"Gonna try pulling a few more trees."
-What do you mean...? It hasn't even been long since the last one... W-Wait! Not again on your own!
It complains with words, but always ends up letting me do whatever. That's the best part.
Feels like it'll grant any request?
Land must be the type that can't say no.
Anyway, the second try was a huge success too.
I grew two more after that.
'No way, all of them...?'
I grew three more in a row after that, and every single one turned into a spirit tree.
Didn't they say these are super rare?
They're just popping out like crazy.
Showing off a bunch of spirit trees broke Tree of Truth.
Tree of Truth just kept spamming question marks.
Couldn't give a proper answer. Totally glitched out.
What now?
They said not to chop spirit trees, so I tried for normals...
Ended up with 4 spirit trees. Awkwardly thrilled.
With 4 already, maybe keep one and chop the rest?
But they have intelligence, so chopping kin might make 'em mad...
Companion plant, huh? They share fruit if you bond.
Spirit trees suddenly look adorable.
Logging's on hold for now.
If Magic Emperor shows up, might actually be good.
Everything's frozen anyway—let him pioneer it. I wanna leech off the emperor.
What? That's straight-up space pirate!
Strip resources and dip. Evil of evils.
To run planet lord ops in Sage Time Gallery, you need that kinda scum morality...
Amazed by Planet Lord's character as the land spoke up.
-Um... the trees wanna say something...
"Huh? The trees?"
-Yeah... They're hungry.
The land went silent after that.
No reply even when called.
Probably passed out from exhaustion today.
"Bingbing. What do trees like to eat?"
"Quack?"
"Fertilizer, huh."
"Quaack!"
I cast the soil restoration spell from Nature Lover, then brought magic grass growth solution made from ghoul corpses.
Fed 'em everything I had. Hope they're satisfied?
Affection should be up now, right?
"Full now? Right?"
No reply from the trees.
Silence is affirmation, they say.
"But y'know, nothing in this world is free lunch. So I'm gonna collect some rent."
Give and take.
Cosmic Dust's favorite logic.
Everything comes with a price.
One-sided leeching ain't healthy.
Plus, spirit trees had too many branches. Bad for fruit growth.
"Let's prune ya for better fruit. Ahh, want fruit."
I swung the machete at the spirit tree branches.
Chopped the first one's branches, and somehow the others looked like they were trembling.
Scared? Nah, trees don't get scared.
Probably just the wind making 'em shake.
Thud.
"Huh? What! Fruit!"
Merciless pruning and it dropped a fruit as thanks!
Spirit trees love machete trims!
"Bingbing. Look! Spirit tree fruit and firewood!"
"Quaaack!!"
"Hey, no! We share! You little thief!"
This damn penguin's lost it!
Showed Bingbing the spirit tree fruit and it pecked it down super fast.
Fine, it lays eggs if fed well.
Plus, tons of fresh wood—total win.
But burning it might attract trouble with smoke and smell. Can't use as firewood.
Scavengers and cannibals gotta stay cautious.
There's a way to warm up without burning.
"These are all going into totems."
"Quack?"
"Bear statues."
Best way to warm up without fire?
Hug a furry beast and sleep!
Even Bingbing boosts body heat—imagine a polar bear.
Stuffed spirit tree branches into the magic printer and printed pre-designed bear totems.
Yeah, made a ton.
Like 40 of 'em.
I just drew a bear pic.
Cosmic Dust's magic printer did the rest.
Put a bear statue in the black box.
It vanished, replaced by a small wooden ring.
The ring fit perfectly on my ring finger.
Cosmic Dust has hobbies like this, huh.
Lately, Firepower Enthusiast's taken to sending me her pics.
Keeps sharing selfies for the pettiest reasons.
She's having fun, and she's cute, so win-win.
Mutual aid, right?
One bear statue and I get all this praise.
Gallery sages shower attention on the smallest things.
Why is everyone so kind only to me?
No clue.
"Quack!"
"Yeah, Bingbing. Time to go?"
Grabbed the bear totems with Bingbing and headed to the ruined church.
The hunters, ghouls, and dead survivors' corpses were right where I left 'em.
Arranged the bodies like Human Lover taught, lined up bear totems by the summoning circle.
Prep done. Just chant the spell.
Then we'll get a new friend.
"Quack!"
"What? You're scared? Why?"
"Quack! Quack!"
"Nah, nothing to fear. Don't worry. With all these totems, a nice polar bear uncle's coming for sure."
No need to be scared.
Time to summon Ice Waddler.