Chapter 32

Translator: True Detective

Chapter 32. 13th Floor (2)

I set down the empty teacup and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looked at the Imperial Princess.

"Princess, to resolve the Empire's famine, one material is needed."

At my words, Cassia's eyes flashed wide open.

"What is that? If it's something in the Empire, I will get you anything."

"It's Angler Grass."

"......?"

Cassia narrowed her brow as if doubting her ears.

Her reaction wasn't unreasonable.

To ask her to bring the very culprit that is currently devastating the Empire's land and starving its people.

She examined my face wondering if I was making a joke, but I was extremely serious.

"Do you mean that hideous weed? How could that be the solution?"

"Poison is caught with poison. It's a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long story to explain, but that weed's strong absorption power is absolutely necessary. Please gather as much as possible."

Seeing my confident eyes, Cassia remained silent for a moment, then soon nodded.

With eyes that said there must be a reason, she seemed to have decided to trust me.

"Hear me!"

At her call, a servant waiting outside the door hurriedly entered.

"Did you call."

"Go harvest the Angler Grass around the castle right now. The more the amount, the better."

"Yes? Ah... Do you mean the Angler Grass?"

The servant's face also clearly showed bewilderment.

To bring the weed they usually busily pull out and burn into the Imperial Palace.

But at the Imperial Princess's cold gaze, he quickly bowed his head.

"I will obey your command!"

Not long after the servant withdrew, the office door opened again.

Servants entered carrying large sacks with difficulty.

As the sacks were set down on the floor, wriggling purple stems stuck out.

A nauseating smell vibrated.

"We brought it here."

I got up from my seat and checked inside the sacks.

It was full of Angler Grass that was more than fresh, full of toxicity.

"Good. The amount is sufficient."

I tied the sack's opening and said to the Imperial Princess.

"Please wait for a moment. I will be right back."

"Be back? Where do you mean?"

I smiled and cast the skill.

[Primeval Workshop]

The air vibrated with a vwoom sound.

A transparent film formed around my body, and space began to twist.

Cassia widened her eyes and watched the sight.

It felt different from when I disappeared from the battlefield last time.

A heterogeneous sensation as if defying the laws of the world.

Truly... an unpredictable man.

Even though a person disappeared without a trace right before her eyes, Cassia did not panic.

She just looked at the empty spot and waited quietly.

Because trusting was all she could do right now.

—Ding!

Familiar heat and an acrid smell welcomed me.

I put down the sack I carried on the floor and lined up the materials on the workbench.

The pulsating red [Blood Stone of Hob Goblin].

The [Purifying White Crystal] emitting clear and transparent light.

And the purple [Angler Grass] sticking out of the sack and wriggling.

Three completely unmatched materials gathered in one place.

"Guide, let's start right away."

I shoved the purple stems into the large cauldron as told.

The guys reached out their tentacles toward my wrist instinctively as if trying to wrap around something.

"Hey now, stay still."

I placed the fist-sized Blood Stone on top of the Angler Grass.

Then the Angler Grass began to wrap around the Blood Stone like a beast finding prey.

I covered the cauldron lid and adjusted the fire to match the temperature.

As time passed, bizarre sounds were heard from inside the cauldron.

—Kieeeeek!

It sounded like the malice dwelling in the Blood Stone screaming, and also like the Angler Grass groaning intoxicated by the toxicity.

I checked the time without blinking an eye.

When about 30 minutes had passed.

I opened the cauldron lid.

An acrid smell wafted out.

Looking inside, the purple Angler Grass had turned like a burnt black lump of charcoal.

The Blood Stone placed in between had changed from dark red to a pale pink color.

The toxicity was drained out.

I finely ground the White Crystal.

Sparkling powder scattered on the workbench.

I took out the pink Blood Stone and ground it together with the White Crystal powder.

With a pleasant sound, the two materials mixed.

Red and white mixed, creating a beautiful crimson liquid.

I carefully poured the liquid into a round pill mold.

A moment later.

—Ding!

I picked up the finished red bead.

A warm and soft energy was transmitted from my fingertips.

That ominous and sticky feeling from earlier was nowhere to be found.

I placed the finished [Purified Blood Stone of Hob Goblin] on my palm and sighed.

It emitted massive life force with a brilliant crimson color, but the size was the problem.

Purify the land of the entire Empire with this single bead the size of a fist at most?

This wouldn't be anywhere near enough.

"Is there no way... a way to amplify this life force or inject it continuously...."

I stopped and looked at the hammer placed on the workbench.

A hammer...

A tool...?

Instantly, an idea flashed through my mind like lightning.

"Wait, I don't necessarily have to bury it in the ground, right?"

I excitedly called the Guide.

"Guide! Please find a recipe to combine this Blood Stone with farming tools."

—Ding!

"Red Oak?"

Iron is piled up in the inventory, and I just made the Blood Stone.

But Red Oak was a material I was seeing for the first time.

I went out of the workshop.

Imperial Princess Cassia made a puzzled expression when I came back out so quickly.

"Is it already finished?"

"No. I need one more material. By any chance, is there Red Oak near here?"

"Red Oak? If it's that, it's scattered all over the forest behind the Imperial Palace...."

"That will do. Please chop some down immediately."

At the Imperial Princess's command, the servants moved busily once again.

Not long after, sturdy-looking red logs entered the workshop.

All materials are gathered.

I rolled up my sleeves in earnest.

"Guide, let's start crafting."

I raised the sensation of my fingertips to the extreme and carved down every single particle.

Fine red powder was created, and looking closely, it looked like red stars.

I scattered the red powder over the crimson molten iron.

—Fwoosh!

As soon as the powder touched, the molten iron fluctuated red.

The molten iron soon transformed into a metal with a subtle rose tint.

I took out the cooling metal lump and placed it on the anvil.

—Clang!—Clang!

Every time I struck down the hammer, the inside of the metal aligned.

The more I pounded, the higher the strength became, and the energy of the Blood Stone gathered at the tip of the blade.

"Phew...."

Sweat formed on my forehead.

Finally, I carved the Red Oak to make a handle.

I optimized the grip feeling by utilizing the grain of the wood and dug a minute groove at the part connecting with the metal part.

When I inserted the handle and hammered a fixing pin, the tool emitted a subtle red light.

Making dozens, before I knew it, over triple digits of farming tools were piled up.

Since I churned them out in mass, the grades came out variously.

I picked them up one by one to check how the performance differed by grade.

First was the most common Normal grade hoe.

"Oho, even if it's Normal, the basic function is certain."

Next was a Rare grade sickle.

Double harvest, huh.

With anticipation, I picked up an Epic grade shovel.

And finally.

Among hundreds of farming tools, I saw the only Unique grade pickaxe that came out.

It had a much darker blood-red color than the others, and the wood grain on the handle seemed to move alive.

"What is this...."

5 times harvest amount and growth speed, and 5 times work speed.

With just this one, I felt like I could cultivate effortlessly alone.

"This much should be enough, right?"

I swept the finished farming tools into the inventory and left the workshop with light steps.