Chapter 54
Such perfect purification power.
'Impossible for existing purification sorcerers to achieve!'
This level of purification power means at least a 4-star purification sorcerer.
To such a great figure, the purification-type magic tool they created would feel crude.
Daspir hurriedly clutched the note and entered the room.
He woke the mercenary Gis and purification sorcerer Helen sleeping in the same room.
"What's going on?"
"Why the sudden fuss?"
Unlike him, the two morning people were annoyed, but their moods were irrelevant.
"Something tremendous has happened."
"Wh-what?"
Daspir explained the situation incoherently.
"I looked outside, and suddenly someone purified that land and left!"
"You're crazy."
"Who purifies land? What nonsense is this?"
"Even left a warning!"
Helen scanned the note with a serious expression.
"It does contain strong energy. Like an ancient summon with tremendous power."
Of course.
Cookie was indeed an ancient summon.
"Probably some being who deemed our purification magic tool insignificant tried to show off their power."
"Well, otherwise, no reason to purify this flower bed specifically."
Iri had simply chosen a nearby spot since she couldn't go far from her room as a child.
Their misconceptions were ballooning wildly.
Amid this, someone downplayed the situation—none other than the mercenary Gis.
"Sigh, what are you all doing? Don't get worked up. It's not even big land, just a tiny patch. Maybe someone with shady intentions faked it..."
Daspir's eyes flashed like a beast spotting prey.
"You idiot mercenary. Even small land is hard to purify perfectly! And I saw it! Magi was zero!"
Helen too peered cautiously out the window and said.
"Lord Daspir is right. Even at a glance, no magi can be felt from the soil."
Just as everyone wondered who purified the land in unison.
Gis muttered.
"Then why not just claim we used a purification magic tool, take the money, and bolt? No evidence anyway."
"...Are you insane?"
"We got totally dissed before even activating the magic tool—if we scam by saying we did it, it'll be obvious as hell!"
Daspir shuddered.
Cookie's quick-witted arrangement had hit precisely the right spot.
"Ah, come to think of it, where's Duke Bechen? Shouldn't we tell him?"
"Him."
"Hm?"
Helen rummaged through her pocket watch and muttered with a flustered expression.
"He's probably negotiating the purification magic tool purchase papers right now..."
Daspir's face paled instantly.
"We must tell him right away."
If this 'purification-type magic tool' deal went through, it would be trouble.
Who knew how that dangerous being who purified the land and vanished would react.
And, contrary to his thoughts.
The 'dangerous being' Iri had even forgotten about going to her grandfather for a bit.
Perhaps thanks to unexpectedly obtaining the bittersweet Life Spirit Grass?
She was thrilled at the thought of making rice cakes with it.
Thus, the little one, Iri, was dancing secretly in her room with Cookie under the moonlight, unknown to anyone.
* * *
Meanwhile, between Duke Bechen and former Grand Duke Milligan.
A humiliating negotiation was underway at the top tower of Ghost Castle.
"How about stamping the seal already?"
The oblivious Duke Bechen pressured alone.
The equally oblivious Milligan furrowed his brow.
"...Not yet."
"Heard the right time to hatch that spirit beast egg ends tomorrow? Tomorrow it'll just be a rotten egg."
Bechen crossed his legs with a mocking sneer.
Milligan ground his teeth seeing the humiliating papers Bechen proffered again.
But Milligan knew too. That signing this would allow even a weak spirit beast to hatch.
"...Damn it."
"Purifying it should allow about 1-star hatching. Might rot anyway. Anyway, take the gamble."
Milligan's knight orders he had to protect flashed in his mind.
'Even a 1-star spirit beast would help tremendously.'
No matter how weak, a spirit beast is a spirit beast.
"Urgh..."
"Sign already."
As Milligan finally lifted the quill hearing Bechen's urging.
Just then, the tanuki spirit beast preening haughtily on Bechen's lap flinched.
And...
"Lord Milligan! Loooord Milligaaaaan!"
The door burst open with a huge commotion.
Milligan, right before signing, glared irritably at the doorway.
"What is it, Kalben?"
"Th-the thing is! L-listen to this!"
"Enough. Are you utterly lacking in manners? Even if the guy here, Bechen, is a pathetic wretch with zero personality or sense, he's still a guest—why barge in opening the door like that?"
"That's not the point! Come see this! Quick! Perfectly magi-free purified land appeared! We can hatch the spirit beast egg here."
"...Wh-what? No way."
Only Bechen, unaware of the situation, looked baffled.
Then, the mercenary Gis following Daspir grumbled gruffly.
"In summary, Lord Bechen, you're the dog that chased the chicken."
* * *
Hearing 'purified land appeared,' Milligan headed there immediately.
A majestic golden plaque stood over soil the size of a flowerpot handful.
[Perfectly Purified Land - Access Forbidden]
"What's this plaque, and what's this purified land?"
"Daspir here made it hastily."
"Did you purify it?"
"No."
"Then who did? Where are they?"
"Don't know."
"What? So someone just dropped from the sky out of nowhere?"
"Yes."
"..."
Milligan, veteran of battles on land, sea, and air.
Even he couldn't help but be wary of this sudden windfall.
As Milligan's trembling gaze lingered on Daspir's lips.
"I mean it. We don't know either. Just this note and what I saw. Perhaps someone with great power hoping for a summon to hatch in Ortejo Castle—that's our only guess."
"Not some trick?"
"No. Truly perfectly purified land with not a whiff of magi. Thoroughly checked."
Senior purification shaman Haroz and mid-level purification sorcerer Martin, urgently summoned, reconfirmed the land's purification.
"Probably the smallest and cleanest land in the world."
The suddenly purified land was palm-sized.
Tiny size, but enough for an even tinier spirit beast egg.
Milligan touched the soil once more with trembling fingertips.
No trace of magi infestation could be found.
"If we hatch the spirit beast here, it will become the strongest being."
Finally, words of感動 fell.
"Put the spirit beast egg in."
The spirit beast egg would hatch immediately once placed in soil.
They carefully nestled the white egg in the clean soil mound.
Soon, faint vibrations came from the soil.
Finally, the soil covering the spirit beast egg began to crack.
