novelraw Chapter 474: Reward
Chapter 474: Reward
"Since you have agreed, please reside within the Ideal State for this duration. After lunch, I want to commence immediately, seizing as much time as possible. Only this way can we complete the mastery of the loom before the World Tree concludes the Elf King's transformation... I will be troubling you for this period, Asuka."
The negotiation contents concluded rapidly. Seemingly because they were all Transferred Persons, Margaret treated Fisher's group with exceptional leniency. After drafting a rough plan, she stated so.
Fisher and the others largely untouched the tea break. Pondering for a moment, Fisher nodded. Subsequently standing up, he spoke.
"Alright, then for this duration we will..."
"Apologies, we haven't prepared housing to entertain guests. After all, our schedule over this half-year has been too packed... Lord Tsubaki, could I entrust this matter to you?"
Seeing Fisher inquire about the subsequent arrangements, Margaret belatedly recalled this matter, realizing after the fact. She gently displayed a hint of apology, then spoke to Tsubaki. He quickly assented, standing up and heading down the high tower.
"Please follow me."
Asuka Karasawa cupped the macaron Margaret last handed her in both hands. She turned her head, watching her companions stand up preparing to leave first. Yet, seeming to need to assist Margaret in controlling the loom, she momentarily didn't know whether to leave or stay, appearing somewhat restless and uneasy where she stood.
Margaret, however, seemingly noticed her small movements. Subsequently, smiling and pointing at the macaron in her hands, she asked.
"Apologies, as the dessert maker, I always enjoy watching others finish everything I make, which is why I kept feeding you. I'm not even sure if it suits your taste... if you don't want to eat it, just put it down, it's fine.""No, no, not at all, I just felt it's very impolite to continuously eat while others are speaking..."
Hearing this, Asuka Karasawa immediately brought the macaron up and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it whole.
Margaret watched her entirely focused on eating with flushed cheeks, as if trying to prove she didn't think that way. Some macaron crumbs still fell around her lips, making Margaret unable to help laughing. She produced a strip of cloth from the nearby table and wiped her lips.
"Alright, alright, I understand, Asuka."
"...Thank you, Madam Margaret."
Asuka Karasawa repeatedly chewed the sugary sweet macaron in her mouth, staring somewhat bashfully at the gentle woman before her, seemingly somewhat nervous and unnatural before Margaret.
Fortunately, Margaret discerned her predicament. After wiping the food crumbs around her lips, she withdrew her hand.
"Then Asuka, go find a place to rest with your companions first. Come over after finishing lunch; we will formally begin then, alright? Naturally, your companions can also come over if they are worried."
"O-okay! I will arrive punctually."
Margaret nodded smilingly, watching her stand up and follow Fisher's group who were about to leave. Fisher was also looking in this direction. Only after Asuka Karasawa ran back to his side somewhat apologetically did he gradually withdraw his gaze, following Earl Tsubaki ahead down the spiral staircase they came from.
As the footsteps of Fisher and the others gradually receded, a slight breeze swept past the towering tower, causing the waves in the central water pool of this hollowed-out platform to undulate. It was as if some sparkling existence existed within that abyss, imparting a sparkling, rippling sensation to the water surface in the center of the room.
Margaret remained motionless, looking at the largely untouched tea break items in front of Fisher and the others. After a long silence, she finally reached out, took a macaron, slowly took a small bite, and began to chew.
"Lord Tsubaki, is there anything you need help with?"
"Ah, no, you guys can go back."
After exiting the high tower, Tsubaki's gaze searched the Ideal State for available space, prompting Fisher to follow his pace and begin walking around the Ideal State. Along the way, Fisher quickly discovered that a type of plant emitting purple light was planted within the residential areas of the surrounding populace. Before he could ponder what those things were used for, Gou Wen beside him preemptively spoke up.
"Elven Secret Planting Method. I didn't expect Earl Tsubaki to actually use his own power on this..."
"Secret Planting Method?"
Fisher turned to look at him. Hearing this, the others also turned their heads over. Gou Wen nodded and said.
"Ah, an Elven secret art. Simply put, it's utilizing the Elf's inherent Mythical Species power to catalyze and modify products. The effects produced by the Secret Planting Methods used by different Elves vary somewhat. Some Elves' powers can cause strange mutations in crops, while others can increase yield. But undoubtedly, executing the Secret Planting Method is very time-consuming. General Elves utilize the Secret Planting Method for specific purposes, much like the Elf King secretly planting flesh and blood into fruit to extend his life."
Earl Tsubaki ahead hadn't expected Gou Wen's understanding of the Tree Continent to be so profound, even knowing the Elves' secret arts. But he didn't take it too much to heart, merely explaining while searching for available space.
"The geographical location here is extremely unfavorable for production. I don't know if it's because of the proximity to [Death], but if this method isn't used, the crops supplying the residents wouldn't be able to survive. After utilizing the Secret Planting Method, our food can fully supply the tens of thousands of people residing here."
Gou Wen looked somewhat staring dumbfounded at the purple food products covering the mountains and plains in the Ideal State. What astounded him wasn't the miraculous nature of the Secret Planting Method, but the fact that Earl Tsubaki was genuinely willing to exhaust his own power to assist these beings whose Ranks and powers were far inferior to his.
Even though Gou Wen himself was renowned as a "traveling doctor" offering free medical treatment to living beings on the Ocean Continent, before Tsubaki, he still felt somewhat ashamed of his own inferiority.
The reason was also very simple: the Secret Planting Method consumes life force. If one doesn't consume others', one must consume one's own.
The Elf King's innate life force wasn't enough; the source was obviously the slaves he demanded from various Marquises. Then what about Tsubaki? There appeared to be no ritualistic or sacrificial acts here, so the consumed life force came directly from himself.
Gou Wen retained that touch of shock internally, verbally saying no more. Fisher, however, constantly stared at Tsubaki's back and those purple plants, not knowing what he was confirming.
Conversely, Asuka Karasawa following behind Fisher seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. Even her footsteps became visibly sprightly; the surrounding flora, as well as the Demi-human Races of diverse appearances and even bizarre shapes, all became pleasing to the eye.
Finally, in a location far apart from the residences of other inhabitants, Tsubaki built several rooms out of thin air using trees grown from the ground. Considerately, he even assigned everyone a single room. That method of erecting a complex building within a few minutes would bring tears to the eyes of Naris' engineering teams of future generations, making them kneel on both knees and pray to the "God of Civil Engineering."
Although generally speaking, assessing the Rank of a Mythical Species was typically intended to compare its destructive power, it was easy to overlook the miracles brought forth by their power. If a Mythical Species desired it, they could completely defy natural laws, rapidly establishing a nation capable of supplying the survival and development of tens of thousands of people within half a year. They could increase food production, construct exquisite architecture in an instant, and enclose this nation with a wall rejecting enemies.
In fact, Fisher always felt that when Ramastia bestowed such immense power upon His three descendants back then, this was exactly the intention. He hoped His descendants would utilize their mighty power to display the grace of life, leading all things toward a flourishing future.
But the outcome was obvious.
A long time later, what Fisher saw were merely the Demigods and their descendants reduced to ashes and smoke, the devastated land and ocean, and that Hydrus deity acting like an empty-nester elder hanging onto Jasmine, constantly muttering...
"Everyone, please rest here for now. I will have someone deliver lunch and utensils shortly."
Under the effect of Earl Tsubaki's power, an exquisite wooden building quickly rose from the ground, materializing before the eyes of Fisher and the others. After accomplishing all this effortlessly, he was about to turn and leave, but Fisher abruptly called out to him, inquiring.
"Earl Tsubaki, has your Upper Minister Kuin followed you over? And Lu An and Lu Ming; if possible, I wish to see them."
The departing Earl Tsubaki's figure paused slightly. Several seconds passed before he turned his head and responded.
"Kuin has already passed away. The Death Rule affected by Margaret can only persist for a period of time, thus Kuin passed away not long after you left. Lu An and a portion of the people were unwilling to leave the land they lived on for generations, remaining in the Tree Continent. I requested Marquis Zhong to look after them. Also, I am no longer an [Earl]; just call me Tsubaki from now on."
"I see, how truly regrettable."
Tsubaki didn't linger long, and Fisher and the others quickly entered this newly constructed wooden house. The wooden house not only contained their individual resting rooms, but also an extremely spacious living room serving as a basic public space.
The process was naturally to select a room first, then inspect it. Fisher chose the room furthest from the living room, Helaire picked the one beside his, and Asuka Karasawa's room was beside hers.
Fisher had barely entered the room, not yet having time to size up the room, when Helaire, with her hands behind her back, sprightly followed him in.
Without knowing the context, seeing that natural demeanor, one would think this was her room and not Fisher's.
Fisher raised an eyebrow, asking her.
"Why aren't you going to your room? What are you doing entering mine?"
Hearing this, Helaire turned to look at him, smilingly saying.
"But don't you want to rest together with me tonight? This way, I won't have to sneak over again on the seventh day. How about you secretly make a small door on the wall between our rooms, then we can sneakily commute, how about it?"
This secretive manner seemed to remind Helaire of something thrilling, and Fisher also felt his heart heat up due to this single sentence of hers. However, he remained relatively calm on the surface, adopting an unmoved appearance, merely saying verbally.
"We'll talk about it later."
"Eh, are you sure? Once you pass this village, you won't find this shop again."
This room generated by Earl Tsubaki's power was actually not just an empty room; inside it were also a bed, table, and chairs resembling trees. Helaire lazily flew up and leaned on Fisher's bed, seducing him in such a manner.
Although this was still on the territory of Earl Tsubaki and Margaret, Fisher was already too lazy to make the superfluous move of asking her if people would discover them.
Looking at her appearance, Fisher sighed and sat beside her. Ignoring her words, he changed the subject and asked her.
"Helaire, you are a Mythical Species. Don't you feel that Earl Tsubaki's power is very similar to the power that assassinated me outside the Phoenix garrison back then? At the time you said the one attacking me was a Mythical Species. Is it possible the one attacking me then was Tsubaki?"
"Hmm, that's hard to say. The technique that Mythical Species used at the time was illusion; there was no concrete Mythical Species fluctuation, and you didn't grow branches resembling Lord Tao on your body either, right? So I'm also not entirely certain whether the one who struck was Tsubaki, I can only say it's possible."
Helaire's explanation not only failed to resolve Fisher's problem but instead made him even more perplexed.
First of all, since entering the past this time around, basically apart from offending Lord Tao, he had no other obvious enemies. Yet back then, he hadn't even met Lord Tao, yet a Mythical Species had attacked him. This left him unable to understand despite much thought, not to mention he constantly felt Tsubaki's power and the power that assaulted him back then were very similar.
Then the problem arises: If it truly was Tsubaki, exactly what reason would compel him to take action to assassinate him?
Or perhaps, it wasn't his intention.
Fisher narrowed his eyes. Leaning against the bedside, he turned his head to look at that stone high tower, the place where they met Margaret just now.
Though he couldn't completely prove the one assaulting him back then was Tsubaki, being a bit more cautious never hurts.
Beside him, Helaire seemed completely asleep, lazily leaning sideways against Fisher's back. Before Fisher's eyes, golden light began to illuminate bit by bit, subsequently quickly presenting the familiar light of the Demi-Human Girl Completion Manual.
Recall previously that Fisher had already bound the Elf-kin. His sole purpose for binding the Elf-kin then was entirely to complete the [Gift of Fate] tag sequence. Now, it was time to claim the reward.
[Congratulations, you have gathered a brand-new Demi-Human Species tag sequence: Gift of Fate]
[Contributor's Note: The Path of Fate lies in 'Yu' and 'Zhou'. Though possessing them individually is sufficient to be termed a potent power, unquestionably, only by combining the two into one is it the true essence of 'Fate'. And there is only one race in this world capable of possessing such a complete gift.]
[You have unlocked the sequence reward: Gift of Fate (Blue)]
[Constitution +1, Chaos Resistance, Source Magic Book Fragment (One)]
[Chaos Resistance: You have gained a faint capability to resist the erosion of mysterious powers originating from outside the world. This can provide you with slight resistance when directly facing certain chaotic products or situated in localities affected by chaos.]
[Contributor's Note: Hmm, I guarantee, this is an exceedingly handy ability. However, judging from my past experiences, the more resistant one is to chaos, the more likely one is to attract the attention of chaos, thereby being targeted by chaos... Mmm, but perhaps, you have long since been targeted by chaos (Smiles)]
Just as before, the tone of the contributor of the Demi-Human Girl Completion Manual was just as punchable, but Fisher was already entirely accustomed to it.
As regards the [Source Magic Book], Fisher had already obtained a fragmented volume previously, only it was the second volume at that time, and what he obtained now was the first volume.
The second volume recorded the mystery regarding the birth of Witches rather than Magic. One wonders what content the first volume would record. Reasonably speaking, while the second volume claimed to be Magic, in actuality it discussed how to obtain the attention and Blessing of the stars in the Spirit World, scarcely qualifying as Magic at all. Fisher conversely hoped the first volume could record some long-lost Magics, such that he could even employ them moving forward.
The increasingly lesser Constitution bonuses didn't surprise Fisher at all; the Demi-Human Girl Completion Manual couldn't even be bothered to pretend anymore. It seemed the closer his Rank approached the Mythical Rank, the lesser its corresponding bonuses in this aspect. Whether this correlated with his previous speculation that possessing the corresponding Completion Handbooks would reduce the corresponding bonuses remained unknown.
But the most crucial part was that he was almost reaching the tail end of the Fourteenth-Tier. This signified he already possessed the prerequisite condition to enter the Mythical Rank.
Whether dealing with the power displayed previously by Earl Tsubaki, Helaire, or Lord Tao, or responding to present potential threats, Fisher believed entering the Mythical Rank was necessary. Furthermore, following Helaire's reminder, he already possessed the corresponding method.
He might immediately become the first human in history to enter the Mythical Rank?