Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: My Sweet Home
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Heavenly Demon: Chew up that inner core and swallow it.
At the Heavenly Demon's command, I immediately chewed and swallowed the inner core.
In that instant, an unpleasant sensation flooded my entire body, as if it were packed full of nitrogen.
It felt like some unrefined, formless something was rampaging wildly through me.
Heavenly Demon: How does it feel?
"...My body reeks. I feel like shoving my fingers down my throat and puking right now."
As I grimaced and spoke, the chat window erupted.
💬 Chat — Anonymous Ate an inner core and it feels bad? — Anonymous From what this lowly one has heard, it's supposed to feel like a beautiful naked beauty holding you warmly. — Anonymous I ate a small one once and it felt just like Mom's embrace. — Anonymous Did you get a defective one? The word "defective" made my heart sink with a thud.
I was worried something might be wrong with my body.
Heavenly Demon: Heh heh. That's because you, the Vice Cult Leader, have talent.
Talent makes it feel worse?
Heavenly Demon: You look like you can't comprehend. Let me explain simply. Your qi sense is exceptional, so you're detecting the impurities in the inner core.
Impurities.
That must have been the source of this stench.
"So how do I get rid of this stench?"
I spoke a bit irritably.
It felt like my whole body was submerged in a sewer, with cockroaches crawling all over me.
Heavenly Demon: Think of your body as a pathway. Have your qi run along that path.
The moment I heard the Heavenly Demon's words, I circulated my qi.
I didn't need to wonder where to send it.
The instant I imbued it with my will...
It knew the way and started racing on its own.
That was when the qi, diligently weaving through the winding paths while avoiding blockages, returned to the starting point.
The Heavenly Demon's chat popped up again.
Heavenly Demon: Any changes?
"My qi has halved."
The clump of qi that had been burning away as it ran.
It had been the size of a duck egg before, but now it was half that.
Heavenly Demon: That's the Lesser Heavenly Circuit. It burned away what you perceived as impurities while circulating. Now, slowly sink it down to the vessel...
"No. It's not enough."
My body was still emanating that stench.
Fleas were still swarming.
Sewer rats were still gnawing at me.
My discomfort hadn't been resolved yet.
I imbued my will into the qi once more.
'Run.'
The clump of qi started racing along the winding path again in response to my will.
Thus, the qi circulated once more.
But the discomfort lingered.
'Keep running!'
I kept pouring the command to run into the qi clump.
One lap, then another.
It was on the tenth lap.
Finally, the stench vanished.
"Hoo..."
With a sigh of relief, I opened my eyes.
The world had changed.
I could hear the sound of ants walking, which I hadn't noticed before.
The flower petals swaying in the wind appeared in slow motion.
Heavenly Demon: ...Pure light overflows from your eyes. How much did you refine it?
At those words, I probed the qi clump nestled in my lower abdomen.
It had started as a duck egg, but now it was only half a bean.
"About half a bean."
Heavenly Demon: ...You're truly abnormal in every way, Vice Cult Leader.
"Is that bad?"
My voice trembled slightly at the words "not normal."
The Heavenly Demon fell silent for a long time before replying.
Heavenly Demon: I don't know. I've never experienced it myself. But purity means density. The higher the density, the more solid it becomes, and the higher you can build.
Heavenly Demon: The path you're on demands that.
"In other words, my chances of becoming the world's greatest have gone up?"
Heavenly Demon: Eek! I said that's me!
That was when it happened.
Unfamiliar nicks appeared for the first time.
— Sword Rice-Eating Man Ha ha. Daring to speak of being the world's greatest with that level of skill? How laughable. — Martial World Twin Swords Elf Get Lost You're really making fools of yourselves. It was a jab meant to tease the Heavenly Demon a bit.
But it turned into an area-of-effect spell.
The scratched ones jumped out, trembling with rage.
And that trembling soon turned into ugliness.
Heavenly Demon: The gallery barks so well. Things that couldn't withstand a single one of my strikes.
— Sword Rice-Eating Man Ha ha. Delusional. Fine, want to have a go? — Martial World Twin Swords Elf Get Lost Great. Today, I'll break the noses of you martial world brats. Starting with the Heavenly Demon, the chat turned into a flame war.
"...Grown adults."
Tsking my tongue, I immediately set off.
I stepped into the Phoenix Flower field.
That was when it happened.
A nick I hadn't seen in a while appeared.
Snow Girl: Young master. Are you going to be okay?
"Yeah. Long time no see, Snow Girl. But okay with what?"
Snow Girl: To neutralize the poison, you need qi. But you've expended too much, young master. I'm worried if you can fully detox it.
Hearing Snow Girl's concern, I scratched the back of my head and replied.
"It'll be fine. Probably. Just a hunch."
Snow Girl: A hunch. For a martial artist, senses are more important than anything.
Leaving Snow Girl's comment behind, I plucked a flower bud right away.
Pssshhh—
With the sound of gas spraying, the surroundings turned hazy.
A massive amount of pollen had been released.
The moment those poison-laden particles touched my skin...
Ssssl—
The poison trying to absorb into my body melted away completely.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Snow Girl: Your inner power is so pure that the poison dies the instant it touches you.... This is a first for me, young master. Impressive. Hearing Snow Girl's praise, I initiated a trade with the Knowledgeable Person.
The trade request was accepted without a second's delay.
I placed the Phoenix Flower bud in it.
Knowledgeable Person: ...Thank you. Truly, thank you. I'll repay this favor.
"No need for repayment."
I really didn't need it.
If he hadn't helped me on the first day, I'd have been 'ooh-ooh'-ing at the bratty dinosaur and gotten eaten.
Knowledgeable Person: No. I will repay it. Is there anything you need?
Even though time was of the essence, the Knowledgeable Person was offering rewards.
Impressed by his character, I mentioned what I needed most right now.
"Then, could you get me some lumber for building a house?"
Knowledgeable Person: Top-grade, prepared right away.
With those words, the trade was accepted immediately.
Gazing at the closed trade window, I felt a strange sense of pride.
The viewers caught it and asked.
— Anonymous You look happy about something? "Just... y'know... I've always been the one receiving help from viewers, so giving back like this and repaying a favor feels pretty good."
Once I said it, I felt a bit embarrassed.
As I looked around for a mouse hole to crawl into, a flood of chats poured in.
⭐ Top Comment — Anonymous Lol so cringy. But not bad. I stan Shihanbu. — Anonymous This guy's cocky 'cause he's talented and annoying, but he's not a bad guy? Heavenly Demon: Heh heh. Our Vice Cult Leader is quite the virtuous one.
Snow Girl: Young master is cute.
— Anonymous Your favorability +1 It was the first time.
The first time since coming to this world that the chat window was filled with heartwarming messages.
The only problem was...
"Ugh. Super cringy. Gross, so stop rubbing your peppers."
That Shihanbu had already been corrupted by the gallery.
— Anonymous ? — Anonymous This bastard? — Anonymous You started it. Ignoring the nitpicking viewers, I ended the broadcast right away.
As I tried to close the gallery too, posts calling for me caught my eye.
📰 Post Shihanbu-nim, my dad has Red Bloom Syndrome too.... 📰 Post Shihanbu, I'm the Galler from last time who gave you flint, my daughter too.... "There sure are a lot of sick people in the world."
Sighing, I began plucking the Phoenix Flowers.
I put the picked Phoenix Flowers up for auction.
Price: all at 1 point each.
I didn't want to profit off misfortune.
And since I'd need the gallery's help a lot in the future, I figured I'd build some goodwill now.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Trade has been completed.] With the notification window, the flower bud rested in the earl's hand.
Seeing it, the earl bowed his head toward Shihanbu's broadcast screen.
It was a bow he had never given to anyone but the royal family.
"Thank you... truly, thank you."
The earl muttered his inaudible gratitude for a long while.
After bowing deeply for some time, he sincerely hit the like button and crushed the flower bud between his palms.
Then, the Phoenix Flower's sap gathered in his hands.
The moment he poured it into his daughter's mouth...
Twitch—
His daughter's finger, swollen like a water balloon, twitched.
The bruises covering her body began to fade slowly.
Blood started flowing back and draining from her bulging temples.
"Ha... haaa..."
Finally, breath escaped his daughter's lips.
It held no pain.
No agony.
Just a peaceful breath, one he couldn't even remember hearing.
"Ahh..."
The Knowledgeable Person let out a cry of emotion and reached out.
He grasped his daughter's hand, which was gradually returning to normal.
Shoulders shaking in sobs as he held it...
"Thank you. Truly, thank you, Shihanbu."
He kept expressing his gratitude to one person until sunset.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Valencia Earl family main hall.
Lord Rodrigo de Valencia was browsing the Unique Gallery.
The screen was filled with stories about 'Shihanbu'.
📰 Breaking News [Got Phoenix Flower, Mom's alive] -(Photo with healthy mom) Shihanbu, really thank you. From today until the day you die, I'll pray at Dinosaur Island every day. — Anonymous That guy's got nine lives. Three days max? — Anonymous Lol yeah — Anonymous Yeah, you're the worse one lol 📰 Post [Is Shihanbu really a saintess?] - Wow, how do you just hand those out for 1 point? If it were an elf beauty little sis, I couldn't hold back — Anonymous Agreed — Anonymous Fuckin' agreed — Anonymous I could still go for it now — Anonymous ? — Anonymous Gay gay... "Heh heh."
As the earl skimmed through the praise posts for Shihanbu, he began writing one himself.
📰 Post [For Shihanbu's eyes] [Author] Knowledgeable Person -Thanks to you, my daughter has fully recovered safely. Truly grateful. And I promise. I'll provide unwavering support to help you escape that island. So once you get out, let's share a drink. Right as he was about to post the lengthy thank-you...
Bang—
The door flew open, and his now-healthy daughter burst in, panting.
"Father! I heard! The one who saved me is Shihanbu-nim! Is it true!?"
As the earl smiled to answer his daughter's question...
"I want to meet him!"
The earl's face twisted.
He had seen the red flush on his daughter's cheeks.
"...I'll see what your father can do."
"You promise?"
His daughter left the room after saying that.
Watching her back, the earl edited the post he was writing.
📰 Post [For Shihanbu's eyes] -Just die there. If you come out, I'll kill you myself. A father's ugly jealousy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Finally."
Muttering in a trembling voice, I looked at the hill in front of me.
There stood my sweet home, built from the lumber the Knowledgeable Person gave me.
The log gaps were a bit wide, and it leaned slightly, but it was my sweet home.
"Yep. In the wild, this is Silla Hotel level."
I excused my crappy handiwork somehow, then immediately opened the house door.
That was the moment.
My face crumpled.
"...What are you doing."
There was an intruder inside the house.
Ruby, the rabbit girl, had appeared again out of nowhere.
The problem was that she was in my blanket—the one from the Knowledgeable Person—without even washing up.
"You're back, meow? This is so fluffy, meow!"
She patted the spot next to the single-person blanket as if inviting me.
Each time, her white fur fluttered in the air.
"Kieeeek!"
My sanity flew out the window.
"Eek! The human's in heat again, meow!"
Ruby leaped up and fled to the corner at my wild-eyed glare.
I ignored her, grabbed the blanket, and headed outside immediately.
Pat pat—
I shook it out.
Watching me, Ruby furrowed her brow.
"I specially scented it for you, so why shake it out, meow!"
"...I don't need it."
"Meoooow!"
Ruby stomped off irritably.
I called her back.
"Wait."
Then I reached toward her ear.
"Meow!"
Ruby recoiled in shock.
I wondered why she was overreacting so much, but then...
I pointed at her right ear.
"You have a leaf stuck there."
She hurriedly removed it herself and turned to leave, looking displeased.
"I won't come back ever, meow! You'll die of boredom, meow!"
I called back the sulking rabbit girl.
"Hold on a sec."
I went into the house right away.
Then I tossed her one of the pouches from the Knowledgeable Person.
"What's this, meow?"
"Dried horse meat. You look skinnier again. Eat well."
Ruby stared at me for a long moment.
Then she took out a piece of jerky, popped it in her mouth, and walked off.
"I'll come again, meow."
Chucking at her words, I went back inside.
There, in the corner on her own cushion from the Knowledgeable Person, the wolf pup was sleeping curled up.
Chuckling, I lay down on the blanket too.
"This is heaven."
After a brief laugh...
I opened the Unique Gallery right away.
To thank the Knowledgeable Person.
"Hm?"
A puzzled groan escaped me as I logged into the gallery.
[Snow Girl has requested a 1-on-1 chat.] An unexpected person had sent a 1-on-1 chat request.
"What is this?"
Wondering, I accepted the chat.