Chapter 46
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Third Random Draw (2)
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"Hamang!"
"......Huh?"
Lloyd's eyes went wide.
He felt a small, plump butt wiggling on his palm.
A round head and sparkling eyes were gazing up at him.
"A water-drinking hippo?"
"Hamang!"
"You're really a hippo, huh?"
"Hama-mang!"
The pink baby hippo on his palm bobbed its head cutely up and down.
Was it feeling joy at being brought into the world thanks to him?
The baby hippo was grinning with pure delight.
It was pretty adorable.
'But you can't judge a fantasy beast by its appearance alone.'
Cuteness was just the first impression of a fantasy beast.
Its true nature emerged after feeding it sunflower seeds.
That was the moment a fantasy beast revealed its real worth.
Harboring that anticipation, Lloyd asked the baby hippo,
"Anyway, nice to meet you. Your name's Hamang, right?"
"Hama-mang? Hamang?"
"You wanna know how I knew? Am I a genius or something?"
"Hamang!"
"I'm no genius. Just your average guy."
"Hama-mang! Hamang!"
"For real. I just guessed from your cries. Nice to meet you anyway, Hamang."
"Hamang!"
A new fantasy beast was always welcome.
The senior fantasy beasts watching from the side greeted Hamang sincerely too.
"Podong!"
"Bangul!"
"Hamang!"
The three fantasy beasts' introductions(?) were complete.
Lloyd asked,
"Hey, Hamang? Do you have an instruction manual too, by any chance?"
"Hamang? Hama-mang!"
"Can you show it to me?"
"Hamang!"
Hamang opened its mouth.
Sure enough, there was a crumpled note inside.
Lloyd took it carefully and unfolded it.
[Hemang Instruction Manual]
[Hamang is an adorable baby hippo. Please care for it with love and attention.]
[Hamang offers absolute trust and loyalty to you, its summoner. A fantasy beast is a lifelong companion and family member. Please do not abandon it carelessly.]
[Unlike other fantasy beasts, Hamang does not eat sunflower seeds.]
[Unlike other fantasy beasts, Hamang has no separate gigantification transformation ability.]
[Hamang's Skill List]
[One Shot (Lv. 1)]
'Huh?'
Lloyd tilted his head.
'One Shot? That's the only skill it has?'
It felt a bit odd.
On the other hand, doubt crept in.
'And it doesn't eat sunflower seeds or have gigantification?'
It seemed very different from Podong or Bangul so far.
A slightly ominous, foreboding vibe.
Lloyd pushed down the rising dread of a total gacha bust and asked Hamang,
"Um, Hamang?"
"Hamang?"
"Sorry to ask this, but... um, do you hate sunflower seeds or something?"
"Hama-mang? Hamang!"
Hamang nodded vigorously.
"Hamang! Hama-mang! Hamang!"
"......That much?"
"Hamang!"
It was firm.
Lloyd asked again.
"So, you don't go 'boom' and grow big like big bro Podong or sis Bangul?"
"Hamang!"
"No need for that?"
"Hama-mang!"
"Because you're cute enough as is?"
"Hamang!"
"......"
Ah, damn it.
'We're screwed.'
This baby hippo really seemed to be a fantasy beast whose only ability was 'cuteness.'
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
'Tch. Well, yeah. I've been lucky so far.'
Come to think of it, this was a 'random' fantasy beast gacha.
No one knew what would come out.
There were jackpots and total flops.
But so far?
'Podong was a hit, Bangul was a hit—back-to-back luck. They came out right when I needed them most, with exactly the abilities I wanted. So, uh, I was hoping for the same this time.'
No, even setting abilities aside, if it had at least been able to gigantify, that would've been fine.
His basic plan was to use a massive body to soak up and drain the water from Marez Wetland.
'And of all things, it can't gigantify.'
Was this draw a flop?
He felt a twinge of disappointment.
But Lloyd didn't show it.
It was still a fantasy beast he'd summoned.
Once summoned, he had to embrace it and take responsibility.
'And even if it's not useful now, things could change later.'
Maybe find new ways to use it.
Or the fantasy beast itself could grow.
Situations could always shift.
With that in mind, Lloyd warmly cradled Hamang.
"So, Hamang? Wanna come into my arms?"
"Hama-mang?"
"Let's snuggle with big bro Podong. There you go. Good boy."
"Hamang!"
He tucked Hamang into his bosom.
He checked his remaining RP.
[Current RP: 831]
'Good. Still plenty.'
He'd stockpiled so much.
Even after summoning Hamang, over 800 remained.
That was enough for three or four more random draws.
Lloyd opened the random draw menu.
[Fantasy Beast Gacha]
[Random Draw Cost (4th Draw) = 150 RP]
'The cost went up, as expected.'
But it had to be done anyway.
Resolved, Lloyd selected execute draw.
[Execute random draw?]
[YES / NO]
He chose 'YES.'
But at that moment—
Zzzzt!
Sparks suddenly flew in the air.
His finger that had selected 'YES' tingled sharply.
"Huh?"
He reflexively pulled back his hand from the sting.
Then an unexpected message appeared before his eyes.
[Fantasy Beast random draws are limited to once per day.]
[Next random draw available in: 23h 47m 16s]
'No way.'
There was a limit like that.
Caught off guard, Lloyd smacked his lips.
'Tch. Totally skunked today, huh.'
He'd ambitiously planned to summon a few more fantasy beasts in a row.
He'd meant to start the Marez Wetland reclamation tomorrow.
But now the plan had to change.
'The summoned one isn't satisfactory, can't draw more. Tomorrow's construction is off the table too.'
If only Hamang could gigantify.
The more he thought, the more regrettable it felt.
Of course, it couldn't be helped.
'Well, rethinking plans on-site isn't new to me.'
Memories of his tough days in Korea surfaced.
Back then, desperate for cash, he'd done the most site labor gigs.
Because they paid daily in cash.
At first, he'd even had fantasies.
'If I work every single day without missing one, the cash at month's end would be huge.'
He'd truly believed it was possible.
He had decent stamina.
Motivation overflowed.
But reality differed.
'Couldn't work every day like I thought. No matter my will.'
Bad weather like rain meant many sites shut down.
That wasn't all.
As a newbie, he'd head to the labor office at dawn only to strike out sometimes.
Even after steadily working sites and earning recognition.
Even with a fixed team.
If the foreman had to take an unavoidable day off, he did too.
Because ultimately, he was just a demo— the foreman's assistant.
'Surprisingly, off days piled up. Full-month earnings? Pure fantasy.'
But he couldn't afford to get discouraged.
Making the most of those forced off days was key.
If he filled the void with distractions?
Yesterday's hard-earned pay would melt away.
Earn one day.
Spend the next off day.
Truly living hand-to-mouth.
Lloyd had seen plenty like that on sites.
'So I spent off days catching up on studies. Even after taking a leave to save money.'
Someday, a full-time job.
He'd dreamed of turning his life around.
Tough memories from scraping by in Korea day by day.
'Compared to that, this is nothing.'
Just because things weren't going smoothly for a bit.
Just because not everything flowed perfectly.
No need for big disappointment.
If things stalled temporarily?
Do what you can right now.
Like checking out the one skill Hamang had.
Steeling himself, Lloyd peered into his bosom.
"Hamang?"
"Hamaaang?"
Warm and cozy inside, had it dozed off?
Hamang looked up with slightly drowsy black eyes.
A fond smile crept onto Lloyd's lips.
"Hamang, mind if I ask about your skill?"
"Hamang?"
"You've got that skill, One Shot."
"Hamang."
"What's it do?"
"Hama-mang? Hamang. Hamang!"
"Drink water?"
"Hamang!"
Hamang bobbed its head cutely.
Lloyd asked,
"Hm, I can drink water too, but. Do you like drinking water?"
"Hamang!"
"How much?"
"Hama-mang! Hamang!"
"A mountain's worth?"
"Hamang!"
Hamang nodded again.
Gazing up, it stretched its stubby arms wide as it could.
"Hama-mang. Hamang. Hamang! Hama-mang."
"Hm, you can drink as much as your arms stretched?"
"Hamang!"
As far as its arms stretched.
He couldn't help smiling.
'No big expectations, then.'
Hamang's size didn't even reach fist-sized.
Arms fully spread was barely a handspan.
And it could only drink that much.
Even gulping hard, maybe a small water balloon's volume.
'No, but who knows.'
Lloyd shook his head.
Don't judge prematurely.
Confirm with his own eyes first.
'Maybe it swells bigger than expected. Like a zeppelin. Or even larger.'
If it reached that, it'd be plenty.
Thinking that, Lloyd started walking.
He left the nighttime backyard training ground.
"So, Hamang?"
"Hamang?"
"There's a place with tons of water. Wanna go drink some with me?"
"Hamang!"
Hamang nodded excitedly over and over.
Lloyd patted the eager Hamang and headed out of the mansion.
He crossed the territory under the moonlight.
Might as well go where water abounded.
He headed south.
He reached the northern boundary of Marez Wetland.
Whiiiine—!
The moment he arrived, swarms of mosquitoes gave him an enthusiastic(?) welcome.
Lloyd swatted away the voracious horde buzzing at him.
And resolved himself.
'Whew. Gotta fill this wetland ASAP.'
Mosquitoes were the root of all evil.
Etching that eternal truth in his heart, Lloyd reached into his bosom.
He gently extracted Hamang, who was snoring softly in sleep.
"Alright, Hamang?"
"Hamaaang?"
"Sorry for waking you. You like drinking water, right?"
"Hamang!"
At the word 'water,' Hamang's eyes sparkled round and wide.
He gave a wry smile.
"Glad you do. That's why I brought you here. Wanna see what's ahead?"
"Hamang?"
Hamang's round head turned.
A vast wetland stretched before Hamang's eyes.
"Hamaaaang?"
Hamang's mouth fell slightly open.
Ecstasy gleamed in its eyes.
Like someone who'd starved for three days entering a buffet.
Lloyd wryly smiled and patted Hamang's plump butt.
"Glad you like it. Brought you to drink your fill."
"Hamang! Hama-mang?"
"You can drink it all?"
"Hamang!"
"Yeah, of course."
"Hama-mang!"
Overjoyed, Hamang bounced in place.
Lloyd's wry smile deepened.
'If it really drank it all, how great would that be.'
But he decided not to expect too much.
Given Hamang's size, it seemed unlikely.
Realistically, a bucketful at most.
While he thought that.
Hamang was already in drinking position.
"Hama-mang! Hamang!"
It wiggled its butt upward.
Head dipped down from the momentum.
It pressed its open mouth to the rippling wetland surface.
And started drinking.
With tremendous momentum.
Shwaaaaaaaa—!
"......Huh?"
The wetland's surface dropped instantly.
Water lapping at his feet receded several steps in a breath.
And Hamang gigantified in real time!
"Hamang! Hama-mang! Hamang!"
2 meters, 3 meters, 5 meters—it kept ballooning.
As it swelled, the wetland surface fell further away.
Hamang grew even larger, shoving its head toward the receding water.
"Hama-mang!"
Shwoooooooo—!
The wetland's water vanished in real time.
No—it was sucked into Hamang.
Soon, one section bottomed out.
Only then did Hamang lift its head.
It raised its enormous head, beaming with satisfaction.
"Hamang! Gulp—ergh!"
"......"
Lloyd gazed up at Hamang in awe-inspired shock.
No—first he scrambled back to avoid getting squashed.
A colossal water balloon, nearly 50 meters across.
That was his first impression gazing up at Hamang.
"Um, Hamang?"
"Hamaaang?"
"You okay?"
"Hamang! Hama-mang!"
"No tummy ache or anything?"
"Hamang!"
"......"
It really seemed fine.
Lloyd looked incredulously at the wetland—no, former wetland.
The rippling water was gone.
Stranded loaches, tadpoles, and aquatic critters flopped on the exposed bottom.
Of course, it wasn't the entire wetland drained.
Marez Wetland was vast.
What Hamang drank was just a portion of that expanse.
But this was more than enough.
'One Shot' on a wetland section.
'This is insane. Total jackpot.'
He'd thought this draw was a dud.
But flipping it over? Jackpot—no, super jackpot.
'This is perfect. No need for more draws—I can start construction tomorrow.'
Pumping out the wetland water.
Applying vertical drainage techniques in that state.
Draining even the water soaked into the subsurface peat layer, accelerating consolidation to stabilize soft ground into farmland.
He could take that first step tomorrow.
Certain, Lloyd clenched his fist.
The true start of tideless land reclamation on Marez Wetland.