I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 192

Forcing heavy labor on a man who had barely recovered and had an impaired foot to boot.

Anyone hearing just this without knowing context would curse at me, asking if I was too cruel or even human.

But I didn’t do it for no reason. Even with a bad leg, that man was vastly stronger than me.

He was a man with only an impaired leg, and he was gradually adapting to that leg as well.

Wasn’t it far more efficient to do what one could rather than staying still and doing nothing?

’Volunteer work is something you do when you have leeway.’

As long as we were in a place directly tied to survival, one had to work even if physically impaired.

What’s more, once summer passed, winter was scheduled to strike soon.

Having experienced firsthand what occurred during winter, I had to prepare even more thoroughly.

Furthermore, with both Lackey and Kirin having joined, we couldn’t just sit around.

’Building a home for Kirin is tough, even if Lackey is manageable.’

A giraffe, a sad animal with a long neck.

Sadly, its size was also extremely large. Even its legs were long.

Because of this, numerous complications blossomed in designing a home or enclosure.

The height alone was roughly equal to a two-story apartment. It had to be built larger than the cave I lived in.

’I also have to consider cold insulation. And since he has to live with Lackey, the space needs to be spacious.’

It was virtually equivalent to crafting another cave. I hadn’t mobilized Ludwig for nothing.

Starting from expanding the site by logging, to leveling the ground, and laying bricks afterward.

Laying bricks on the floor wasn’t the end of it. We had to block the cold air too, right?

’Laying mats on the floor will be fine, but... a fireplace is a must.’

Vent holes had to be crafted, and there were many factors to consider.

Plus an emergency exit in preparation for heavy snow accumulation.

Nothing was easy, but these were tasks that absolutely had to be done.

’I should also make an emergency exit for the cave.’

If I had done it alone, it would have been daunting. But right now, there were excellent workers here.

Lackey went without saying, and Ludwig was a human.

"Apply it there, please. No, you already applied it there."

"%^^#?"

"Yes. Right there."

Occasionally communication broke down, but once he realized what was needed, it went very smoothly.

Thanks to that, floor construction was completed quickly. This would make things much easier.

However, the amount of sand was hopelessly insufficient, so we needed to head down to the lower reaches of the river tomorrow.

"Kkwooo-ung."

Sensing that this was his home, Kirin crept over as well.

I told him to wait and logged into the Gallery.

All that was left was to procure a reasonably plush and comfortable mat.

"Here. Lie down and sleep here. Lackey, I’ll give you one too."

"Kkwoooo-ung."

"Ooh."

Lackey and Kirin headed to their respective designated mats.

Both checked the plushness of the mats with hands or feet before lying down.

"..."

"Ooooh..."

Both showed satisfied responses.

Having slept on hard ground their whole lives, the soft plushness of the mat must be a whole new world.

Even if one gathered leaves to somehow make something similar, the plushness itself would be fundamentally different.

’Come to think of it, what’s that giraffe’s name?’

Since Ludwig was his owner, shouldn’t he know well?

I approached Ludwig, who was finishing up cleaning, and asked.

"Ahjussi. What’s his name?"

"?"

Ludwig looked at me as if asking what was up.

I pointed to myself so he could understand.

"Grylls."

Next, to Ludwig.

"Ludwig."

Finally, to Kirin.

Realizing what I was conveying, Ludwig nodded.

"Largo."

"Largo?"

His name was Largo. Ludwig kindly wrote the name down on paper.

I knew the pronunciation, but did it have some sort of meaning? Curious, I posted it to the Gallery.

└ Says it means neck?

└ Wild Grylls) Neck? Human neck?

└ Yeah, human neck. Guess he named him that because his neck is so surprisingly long.

└ Wild Grylls) ;;

└ Damn, named him with zero effort lolol

└ But there’s no trait more distinct than his neck lololol

The meaning was weird, but the pronunciation sounded cool, so I let it pass.

The key point was whether the Kirin fellow could understand it or not.

I called out to Largo, who was sitting blankly on the mat.

"Largo?"

"?"

Kirin looked at me with an expression that asked if I had something to say.

Whether a bond had formed in that short time or he was highly intelligent.

At the very least, he seemed to clearly recognize his own name.

’Time to eat dinner soon.’

The time when the sun was beginning to set.

It was only because it was summer that the sun hadn’t set completely, but by the clock, it was dinner time.Enjoying the story? Read on at novel​ping.com.

As for me, I’d eat the same old thing as usual, but not Ludwig.

I planned to feed him fish porridge until at least tomorrow morning.

Though almost fully healed thanks to honey and Elixir, I couldn’t recklessly feed him local food right away.

I had to delicately adjust the quantity and variety so his body could accept the food here.

Adapting him to the food. That was the primary task.

Otherwise, he might end up running back and forth to the restroom all day like I did.

"By the way, do you know how to cook?"

"$%&^#"

As I gestured roughly asking if he could cook, Ludwig nodded his head.

However, he didn’t seem particularly confident. Well, he was from a combat branch, so that made sense.

In the end, I did the cooking instead. I’d probably handle it until he adapted.

"Let’s eat."

"Kkyu!"

"Food. Food."

"..."

Just adding one human and one animal made mealtime feel bustling.

Fortunately, Kirin could just eat leaves from trees, so he ate separately.

I wanted to give him Fasting Pills, but I held back fearing Bbareumbo would glare at me.

Still, since we were one family now, I’d have to give him some eventually, so I’d just have to gauge the mood carefully.

Speaking of Fasting Pills, Papa Raccoon was steadily giving herbs as a token of gratitude.

’Come to think of it, what was that yellow herb I received earlier?’

After dinner, I checked the yellow herb.

Usually by this time it should have withered and drooped, but it was still standing stiffly upright.

I didn’t know what kind of herb he had brought, but it was definitely extraordinary.

’I should send this to Heavenly Demon right away.’

If it was Heavenly Demon, she would quickly figure out the identity of this herb.

When it came to herbs, she boasted knowledge no less remarkable than Allfather or Starlight Lady.

Before long, after sending the herb to Heavenly Demon, a reply arrived.

[Heavenly Demon: Following the Snow Ginseng, you have brought yet another precious herb. The name of the herb you provided is Lesser Yang Herb.]

[Wild Grylls: Lesser Yang Herb?]

[Heavenly Demon: It is an herb positioned just below the Sun Herb. It is famous for being rich in yang energy. I would rather recommend that you consume it yourself.]

[Wild Grylls: It’s fine. Fasting Pills are more important than me consuming it. We have more mouths to feed now too.]

[Heavenly Demon: Understood. However, it would be wise to sell this like the Snow Ginseng as well. It is an exceedingly precious herb.]

[Wild Grylls: Go ahead.]

As long as I could receive Fasting Pills steadily, it didn’t matter. In fact, it might be the most crucial factor.

Because the decisive reason I had survived until now was tribute.

[Heavenly Demon: Also, according to rumors circulating, the Blood Cult is said to be entering the Forest of the Four Seasons.]

[Wild Grylls: What? All of a sudden?]

In the middle of conversing with Heavenly Demon, I learned unexpected news.

Currently, the Gallery was packed with political topics due to Ludwig’s exposure.

Because it was focused on El Dorado, there was no leeway to pay attention to the Blood Cult.

[Heavenly Demon: A close aide informed me of this. However, they seem to be hesitating briefly due to that paladin’s testimony.]

[Wild Grylls: Because they can’t use mana?]

[Heavenly Demon: Indeed. They might even demand weapons from you.]

[Wild Grylls: Who do they think left weapons in my care?]

If they actually did that, I intended to easily ignore them.

The Blood Cult side would fly into a rage, but well... why should I care?

Unlike Ludwig, I never wanted to have anything to do with that lot in the first place.

Even if they were absurdly lucky like me and survived, they were highly likely to become enemies.

[Heavenly Demon: A splendid attitude. Those Blood Cult bastards ought to be eradicated.]

[Wild Grylls: Did you suffer damage from the Blood Cult too, Heavenly Demon-nim?]

[Heavenly Demon: It is not that. I simply find them distasteful.]

Why did the recent Real-Life PK incident suddenly come to mind?

Thanks to that incident, the attention that should have gone to the Blood Cult shifted to Heavenly Demon.

Whether the real-world Heavenly Demon and fixed-handle Heavenly Demon were the same person was unknown, but it didn’t matter much.

Because the fact that she was giving me immense help remained unchanged anyway.

Above all, real-world matters could be left to the real world.

Instead, the moment they entered the Forest of the Four Seasons, the story would change.

[Wild Grylls: Thank you for letting me know. Now I can prepare.]

[Heavenly Demon: Think nothing of it. If you need assistance, speak up anytime.]

[Wild Grylls: Thank you.]

El Dorado could be ignored. It was their affair anyway.

But the Blood Cult was different. They might enter the Forest of the Four Seasons.

Furthermore, based on the survivor Ludwig’s testimony, they would make thorough preparations.

’He said entry itself was a problem too, right?’

I heard they get dropped randomly upon entering.

Ludwig started in the plains, but there was no telling where others might land.

In unlucky cases, they might drop into places like volcanic zones where survival itself was practically impossible.

’Though the most important factor is probably being unable to use mana.’

How on earth would the Blood Cult cope? I was somewhat curious.

Still, what mattered most was my survival and Ludwig’s role.

"Ahjussi. What do you want to do now?"

"..."

Though I was using him as labor, it felt wasteful to leave it at just that.

Combat was also best avoided if possible. Every single creature here was nothing short of a monster.

’Should I teach him the language too?’

Communicating through hand gestures and body language was frustrating.

Good thing Ludwig was quick on the uptake, otherwise my head might have burst from frustration.

"#%%"

Ludwig roughly understood my question and answered with gestures.

It was like plowing a field with a plow and scattering seeds over it.Visit novеlping.com for the full chapter.

Thanks to that, I quickly understood what he wanted.

"This is right, isn’t it?"

"#%#"

I even drew a picture to confirm whether it was farming.

Seeing my drawing, Ludwig nodded his head.

I thought it was a bit unexpected, but surprisingly it wasn’t a bad option.

’Since this man has an impaired foot.’

Unlike me, long-distance travel was difficult for him unless he prepared thoroughly.

Riding Kirin around was also practically difficult.

Unlike the wide-open plains, this was a forest dense with trees.

Places where a massive Kirin could enter were bound to be limited.

’It might unexpectedly not be bad. Though it’ll have to wait until winter passes.’

Winter would arrive soon. Therefore, farming would start after that.

I explained this fact carefully to Ludwig. This was also quite difficult.

Telling someone that winter was coming when the sun was beaming brightly right now. Who would believe that?

Moreover, having lived in the plains, he’d find it hard to swallow.

"If you really can’t believe it, experiencing it yourself wouldn’t be bad either."

"#%%#"

"I’ll try to get farming tools and seeds. Instead, let’s discuss where we’ll do it."

If Ludwig took up farming, food issues would decrease significantly.

Humanity had relieved food shortages to some extent once they began farming.

It wasn’t that I disliked farming. Quite the opposite, I welcomed it.

It was just that I lacked manpower, which prevented me from implementing it until now.

Now that an extraordinarily fine worker named Ludwig had arrived, it could be implemented.

"Do you actually know how to do it?"

"%^^"

Even without knowing what he said, one thing was clear.

’No.’ He was simply someone who wanted to farm.

Though slightly absurd, he was quite advanced in age, so I passed it off with an ’it is what it is.’

After all, a common romantic dream among older folks was retiring and returning to farming.

’Let’s look for what’s needed first.’

For now, I’d better figure out the methods before winter comes.

The Messiah Empire’s succession ceremony. Ludwig’s survival and exposure. The chaos in El Dorado.

Naturally, when one nation falls into chaos, other nations become chaotic as well.

Especially if that nation has unresolved issues remaining.

Just as the Central Plains had failed to completely eradicate the Blood Cult.

Originally, they had been devising an operation to enter the Forest of the Four Seasons, but the situation changed.

It was due to Ludwig’s testimony. In particular, the inability to use mana—that is, Internal Energy—came as a major variable.

Even for the Blood Cult, whose individuals boasted formidable strength, it was meaningless without Internal Energy.

Thus, each had no choice but to exchange opinions. Ignorant remarks like last time barely emerged.

"Our Blood Cult’s martial arts will have no problem. Since we boast vast Internal Energy, we will withstand external pressure!"

Of course, there were those whose brains were not just stiff but completely melted.

Such people received sharp glares and cowered back on their own.

After endless deliberation, a surprisingly simple yet solid solution emerged.

"How about directing all Internal Energy into External Arts?"

"Into External Arts?"

Converting Internal Energy into External Arts. Hearing it alone, it sounded like a decent method at first glance.

What were External Arts? Muscles, skin, bones, and so forth. Closer to basic physical durability.

It didn’t mean body fortification through energy. That too was strictly Internal Energy.

Only pure physique. Simply put, referring to basic physical weight class and build.

"Indeed. If we cannot use Internal Energy, can we not simply temper External Arts?"

"Is that even possible? If Vajra Indestructible Body were easy, everyone would be invincible."

The elder’s words were correct. There was a reason people focused on Internal Energy over External Arts.

Not only was the ceiling of Internal Energy high, but External Arts were difficult to temper.

Furthermore, the remnants of the Blood Cult were currently advanced in age. Their muscle mass was relatively lacking.

However, what the proponent presented was an unexpected approach.

"I am not asking for a Vajra Indestructible Body. It is simply striving until we gain pure physical strength."

"Do you truly believe such a simple-minded method will work?"

"Then are you saying we should all hold hands, enter, and die together? Speak up if you have another method."

"..."

No one raised a hand. For there was no proper solution.

Unable to use Internal Energy, they should build up External Arts—meaning pure physical mass and build.

Could there be another method as simple yet definitive as this?

"How about asking that man? The new survivor reportedly received items as well."

"Do you think he would give them to us? Besides, what if the Heavenly Demon steps in upon seeing that? We must go secretly."

In their hearts, they wanted to ask Grylls. Just to give them a single sword.

But the Heavenly Demon might catch wind of it. Fear toward the Heavenly Demon still lingered within the Blood Cult.

They had to go secretly. That was what the Blood Cult thought.

Phew. "Understood. Then we will set our course on focusing on External Arts."

"A good idea. Are there any other opinions?"

"None from me."

"Me neither."

Opinions narrowed down to one.

Whether this method would work or be meaningless could only be known upon actually entering.

But did they know? That even at this very moment, information was leaking out continuously.

"...is what they say."

"They are up to amusing antics."

That all of these things were entering Heavenly Demon’s ears one after another.