Chapter 95
Chapter 95
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Birth of the Nitrogen Fertilizer
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* * *
How many days had passed since posting the announcement?
Contrary to Isaac's worries, a surprisingly large number of mages started showing up at the shabby Wood Magic Tower tucked away in the forest.
"Turning air into bread? I like the sound of that crazy talk!"
"Is it really okay that the roof looks like it's about to collapse?"
It fell to Stella, the Vice Wood Magic Tower Master, to greet the flood of applicants at the front lines.
Though the crowds kept her busy, her expression was brighter than ever—likely thrilled at the Wood Magic Tower's revival.
"Welcome! Thank you for coming! Oh, you're from the Water Magic Tower? As mentioned, we'll guarantee you a high position—just have a quick meeting with the Tower Master tomorrow!"
"Don't worry about the roof; we'll fix it soon! Why not join the Wood Magic Tower while you're at it? We have our own advantages! If you want more details, come find me after your meeting tomorrow!"
When Tower Master Reina had suddenly called Stella away from her frantic budget-hunting and declared they were recruiting new mages, Stella had been honestly worried.
She never imagined it would turn out like this.
And today, Reina had strutted off with a confident look, saying she'd "solve the budget issue"!
'Reina's finally awakened!'
Stella had no idea what conversation had lit such a fire under the notoriously lazy Reina during her VIP meeting—
But whatever it was, it was nothing but good for Stella.
"Next!"
As she diligently scheduled meetings with the new mages—
"Huh? You're—"
"Ah, Stella. Long time no see."
A boyish woman with black bobbed hair covering one eye and red eyes waved cheerfully at Stella.
Her voice was strikingly androgynous, and at a glance, she had the refined, sharp features of a handsome man—
But her overwhelmingly massive chest fiercely betrayed her as a woman.
It was no wonder Stella was shocked.
This was none other than Yunos Arturia, the pride of Telos Academy's 38th class—a "sage of our era" who had ditched the elite mage tower-to-Imperial Mage path because she "refused to be the Imperial Family's dog," rising to Archmage on her own.
"Here."
"What's this?"
The box she handed over was stuffed full of snacks.
"I heard you get extra points for bringing treats."
"......"
Right—Reina had put that in the announcement.
Still, Stella hadn't expected anyone to actually show up with them.
"How've you been?"
"I'm fine, but... how did you end up walking here to the tower yourself?"
As mentioned, she'd abandoned the mage tower-to-Imperial Mage elite track.
It wasn't just a simple refusal. She'd badmouthed it everywhere, saying, "Catering to old, stuffy, idiot mages in a tower is beneath me!" As a result, her academy classmates got side-eyed by Tower Masters just for knowing her!
Of course, half her classmates had followed her lead, charmed by her charisma.
Stella, being in the same 38th class, knew it well. Yunos was a central figure in every sense.
"I trained hard to slay the Demon King and become a hero... but it all turned out meaningless."
"...Ah."
The Saintess's arrival had changed so much.
Like the Wood Magic Tower, Yunos had her own twists and turns.
"Eh, whatever. If talking solves it, better than fighting. Less blood that way. I heard the Demon King's speech myself—hit me right in the feels."
"Anyway, so?"
"I was pondering, 'Should I just scrape by, or what was the point of all my Demon King-slaying efforts?' Then I heard about turning air into bread. Is that for real? Your Tower Master said so."
"Honestly, I don't know the details. But our Tower Master would never lie about something pointless like that."
"Wow, Stella—who never listened to me—showing such blind faith? How amazing must she be?"
"Less 'amazing' and more 'not the type to stir up trouble without reason.'"
"What? Pfft!"
Yunos laughed in satisfaction, then nodded.
"Got it. What time tomorrow?"
"Just like this."
"See you then!"
Yunos took the paper from Stella and fluttered away, waving it.
And so, as mages from across the nation gathered in response to the unprecedented announcement—
* * *
—Reina dragged her heavy hips out of the Wood Magic Tower for the first time in about six months to "solve the budget problem."
"Heavy hips" meant two things here.
She rarely went out, and her lower body was impressively sturdy and birthing-ready.
Her chest had some weight too, but Reina's physical appeal was no exaggeration in that phenomenal pelvis.
Anyway—upon arriving at Igugwoden Cathedral with her hips swaying, Reina cut straight to the chase with the Saintess.
"You need support from the Imperial Mages?"
"Yes. It's hard for me to meet Empress directly, so I need your help, Saintess. To fully utilize Plain Fact, we need an absurd amount of mana... We've posted the announcement, but direct support would be a huge help."
Even the greatest Archmage had limits to the mana one person could handle.
Sure, skill let you manage more—but she was trying to perform the miracle of turning air into bread.
Impossible alone, obviously.
"Can you?"
"Of course! I'll talk to Lady Eirene myself. Once I explain it's the god's will, she'll help big time."
"Yes. And with mobilizing mages, we'll need extra budget too..."
Reina glanced at Erin as she said it.
And Erin, ever the god's woman, caught on quick—
"Of course, I'll cover that with the Empress too. How about double the standard budget for all towers, just for the Wood Magic Tower?"
"Double the combined total...? R-Really...!!?"
Reina had hoped for maybe a 50% raise, but this absurd response left her stunned—
The Saintess beamed refreshingly.
"Of course! If it's not enough, just say so. I'll help with everything I've got!"
"Thank you, Saintess...! To support our tower like this, body and soul... We'll make the Miracle Fertilizer as fast as possible!"
Erin clasped the beaming Reina's hands, smiling in satisfaction... and whispered to her lord.
'Lord Igugwoden. Sending one more to your side soon...!'
―All for Lord Igugwoden.
The god's Plain Fact was spreading smoothly across the world.
* * *
A few days later.
Reina gazed proudly at the green-robed mages gathered in the lab.
The Wood Magic Tower had gained 67 new mages.
With over twice as many applicants, more people than expected had come to this rundown tower drawn by the announcement.
Plus, 30 Imperial Mages dispatched directly from the Empress.
Add Stella, and that made a whopping 98 mages assembled for one research project.
When a typical joint study with 5 mages felt like "a lot," this was unprecedented on a massive scale.
"Alright! This is a joint study, but your role is simple: supply me with mana while I complete the ritual! To finish fast, we'll do 12-hour shifts with 49 mages each!"
"Two shifts?! With this many, couldn't we do four...?"
Despite Stella's worried voice, Reina shook her head firmly.
"We need as much mana as possible for this new power."
"But—"
"You'll get overtime pay to cover it."
"......!!"
Reina shouted confidently to everyone.
"I know it's grueling! But we'll compensate you fairly! And that's not all! Succeed, and as I said in your interviews—you'll be part of the Archmages who turned air into bread!"
"Let's do it."
"We'll follow you, Tower Master!"
These were the applicants who'd fought through competition to get here.
They had no choice but to accept the packed schedule.
And so—
Reina began envisioning a ritual never attempted before—one wielding a god's power.
* * *
"Shift change!"
"Team 1, move to positions! Team 2, take your rest now!"
At Cohen and Isaac's calls, the mages moved like precise machines.
Lacking the skill to channel large mana flows, the two couldn't join the research directly—
But they handled all the miscellaneous tasks, proving indispensable.
"Good work."
"Twelve hours straight, not moving, just channeling mana—tough stuff."
"Tell me about it. Even resting doesn't feel like rest..."
It was no surprise the participating mages grumbled—
"But... the pay's good, and it's way easier than what the Tower Master's doing."
"Drawing rituals nonstop for 24 hours without sleep? Incredible."
Watching Reina weave a new ritual from the center using everyone's mana, no one could complain freely.
It was day three of the research.
Meaning Reina had pulled three all-nighters straight—yet her eyes sparkled amazingly.
Empty bottles of special potions from the Wood Magic Tower littered beside her. They eased fatigue without sleep.
Made by Cohen and Isaac.
Fitting a genius like Reina's design, they worked perfectly—but high material costs and the fact sleep solved it meant they weren't practical...
Until Saintess Erin and Empress Eirene's unlimited support proved their worth.
"Impressive they can make potions like that."
"It's the Wood Magic Tower. Second only to Fire in prestige."
"New fertilizer, right?"
"Yeah. From the air, they say. If the Tower Master's right, it'll be like turning air into bread."
"If it works right, the Wood Magic Tower's status will skyrocket."
"Got ambitions, huh?"
"Yeah. Nail down a spot here if it succeeds. Water Magic Tower doesn't care if I'm there or not, but here I'd get respect. Tower rivalries are old news anyway, right?"
"Fair enough. Good luck. See you in twelve hours."
"Rest well."
They kept shifting, shifting, shifting...
* * *
...How many days of endless shift-marathon research had passed?
"......!!!!"
—Boom!
A sudden explosion drew all eyes from the mana-focusing mages.
The source: right in front of Reina, who'd been ritually crafting with shining eyes.
Reina grabbed the explosion site with a hand sweep.
Then, slowly opening her hand...
"This is...!"
Snowy white, round somethings filled her palm.
Not sure exactly, but like tiny rice cakes.
Reina closed her eyes, swung Plain Fact with massive mana.
—Boom!
Another air-splitting grab yielded the same small, snowy white rice cake.
Now Reina was certain.
Using the just-established ritual, with vast mana and a bit of Plain Fact—this was—
"...Complete!!!"
Reina cupped it in both hands and raised it to the sky.
That moment—heavenly bells rang in her ears, and angels' hymns echoed.
* * *
[ Igugwoden ( Sponsorship /
20,000 won
/ Added extra Plain Fact ) ]
[ Igugwoden: Use on a mage worth researching modern tech including nitrogen fertilizer ]
* * *
20,000 won sponsorship hurray!
God's miracle to feed the world.
The paradigm-shifting item.
Grace from the 'god's domain'—Plain Fact!
! ! ! 20,000 won sponsorship hurray ! ! !
'This is... the revolutionary soil-booster made with Plain Fact...!!'
――Nitrogen Fertilizer.
The historic moment a 'god's domain' item descended to the world—
Exactly seven days after research began.
* * *