Chapter 49 Part1 (1/2)
<chapter 49.=”” arranging=”” the=”” stage=”” -=”” 1=””>
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo let the others rest (unlike before, the women complied, but considering the fact that Ye Jin Jin was shooting some kind of 'SOS' signal, something must've gone down) and went to the Spirits' Spring with Dana. They were able to arrive quickly with the use of the Heaven Door's Key.
”T-This is...”
”This is the Spirits' Spring. The real Spirits' Spring.”
”The Spirits' Spring... I see, this truly is...”
The moment they entered, Dana realized that this was what she'd been looking for. The Undead Emperor had tricked her into thinking that they were creating a paradise for the spirits, a place where they could relax and put them at ease. But this was the true Spirits' Spring! To think it existed on the surface!
[Ah, the Contractor has arrived.]
[It's been a while, Contractor. You've gotten even stronger. I'm always ready to fight.]
[Someone tell her that he's here. The person she's been waiting for has come.]
The spirits of the Spirits' Spring greeted him somewhat differently from the Dryads in the wine factory. The Dryads treated him as if he were their lover, their husband, or their father, but these spirits treated Lee s.h.i.+n Woo as if he were their boss.
”Contractor...? You're contracted with this many spirits? Now that I think about it, I feel a faint connection between you and these spirits.”
Dana quickly noticed. How could he have formed a contract with several thousand spirits? She looked on in disbelief, but as she observed the spirits, she realized something even more astounding.
”No, wait. That's not it. Hero, did you form a contract with this entire s.p.a.ce...?”
”You (an Elementalist) catch on quick. You're right. I've formed a contract with this s.p.a.ce, the Spirits' Spring itself to be exact. It's less effective than forming a contract individually with each and every spirit, but... it's still a win-win.”
”To think... that that was possible.”
She knew that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had done some amazing things, but of those achievements, this was the most surprising. Of course, she was already surprised about the fact that the Spirits' Spring even existed in the first place. But then...
[Huh? That girl is...]
[In terms of being an Elementalist, she's better than the Contractor!?]
[Who exactly did the Contractor bring? Oh my G.o.d!]
The spirits trickled in, one or two at a time, to greet Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, but soon realized how skilled his companion was and were shocked. It was only natural. After all, she was the Underground Empire's greatest Elementalist.
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was highly skilled in forming contracts rather than being an Elementalist, while Dana's ability to draw spirits to her was unmatched.
The Emperor had bedded the most powerful of the exiled Elementalists, creating Dana in the process. She was born with high magic and a strong affinity with spirits! It was only natural that she would be loved by spirits. Moreover, by transforming her into an Immortal, she had gained the ability to use the darkness element. This allowed her to more easily form contracts with spirits.
”It's nice to meet you, everyone. My name is Dana.”
[A peculiar energy. She's not human, but something else. She's like us spirits.]
[The contractor did something to her. If that's the case, then she is like us.]
[Come in, friend of the spirits. We'll take you inside.]
The spirits immediately swarmed Dana. Dana didn't know what to do and looked at Lee s.h.i.+n Woo. He looked at her kindly and nodded his head.
”Go ahead and follow them. Since that was my intention from the very beginning.”
”Hero...! I understand. Then, please excuse me for a bit!”
Dana bowed at Lee s.h.i.+n Woo while looking overjoyed and went inside the cave with the spirits. Once he'd given her away to the spirits, the Elder Dryad Princess Sinea appeared behind him and hugged him. It felt like she was hugging him tighter than normal; maybe he was imagining things.
[Paul Zero, who's that pretty lady? I smell your scent on her.]
”Sinea, not you too. I'm getting tired of it.”
[S-Sorry. That wasn't my intention... Are you tired? Come here, I'll give you a lap pillow.]
While Dana was enjoying herself with the spirits, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo rested on Sinea's lap. Her soft and refres.h.i.+ng scent really made him want to unwind and just keep resting.
Of course, he didn't come here just to rest. He was able to a.s.sess the state of the spirits here through Sinea, who had taken over command of the Spirits' Spring as Zenon was still outside travelling with Ye Jin Jin. And he also briefly explained his plans from now on.
[Will it go well? They're really strong.]
”If the stage is set properly. I'm preparing just in case that doesn't go well, so don't worry. All you need to do is do your best.”
[I'm ready to whatever you need me to do, Paul Zero. I'm just... worried about you.]
”That's why I'm preparing so much. And...”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo pointed at Dana, who was chatting and laughing along with the spirits.
”She's a good person. I'm not good enough to command the spirits of the Spirits' Spring, but Dana should be able to draw more power from them than normal.”
[Are you going to make her form a contract with the spring?]
”Yeah.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's contract with the Spirits' Spring was very irregular. However, something that happened once could happen again. Thus, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo would personally connect Dana, the princess who was universally beloved by spirits, and the Spirits' Spring together, allowing her to control the power of the spirits here.
He had enough on his plate already, so it wasn't a good idea for him to command the spirits as well. So Dana's timing couldn't be better, as she had a strong affinity with spirits.
[It can't be helped, I suppose. She seems capable of commanding the Spirits' Spring too...]
”If we add her power into the mix, then the spirits should no longer have to fear the undead curse. Since that's the base of her species.”
[Paul Zero, you did something incredible somewhere else again, didn't you?]
”Mm. I'll start telling you now.”
[Oh my. Hoo, hoo.]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo noticed that Dana wouldn't be free of the spirits for a while, so he drew Sinea towards him. She obviously didn't resist. That sweet repose lasted another hour.
”Will I... really be able to do it?”
”Think of it in more simple terms. I've already formed a contract with the Spirits' Spring, and I've formed a contract with you as well. It'll be easy to form a contract between you two.”
”I'll form a contract with the Spirits' Spring... Me...”