I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 510

There was a lot obtained from the Kangaroo Arena.

First and foremost, medicinal herbs.

Allfather mentioned that it was an herb helping mana circuits, making it perfect for Ludwig.

However, simply handing over the herb as-is wouldn’t extract its full potency. That was why I used a decoction pot.

’The decoction pot given by Heavenly Demon is meant for moments like this.’

Furthermore, even the liquid mixed into the decoction pot was far from ordinary. It was none other than Empty Sky Stone Milk.

Added to that were the inner cores I had steadily stored up, so it would surely boast quite an extraordinary efficacy.

You might ask if this isn’t just a random mishmash, and yes, it is. To be precise, a healthy mishmash for the body.

"Master. If you mix it like this, won’t it be immensely bitter?"

"Good medicine is supposed to taste bitter."

And so, the decoction brewed with the pot. The color of the tonic was purple.

At first glance, it looked like extracted poison, but it was indeed a medicinal tonic. I could be certain of that.

[Cain: Could it be the poison brew given to condemned prisoners in Zhongyuan?]

"Poison brew is black."

[Cain: Rather than poison brew, it looks like poison given to death-row convicts.]

Just go ahead and pour curses on him to die, why don’t you. Talking like that when it’s meant for your own junior.

Of course, Cain was probably speaking jokingly. He already knew I had sought advice through the Gallery.

Since I received advice from the master of alchemy, Starlight Lady, no major issues should arise.

"Here. Chug it down."

"...."

Despite my urging, Ludwig merely stared blankly at the tonic for a while.

A tonic that was purple yet possessed a transparent glow. Strictly judging by appearance alone, it was truly disastrous.

Still, the fact that it was good for the body remained unchanged. Knowing this, Ludwig downed it in a single gulp.

"How is it?"

"Kkkeee..."

Ludwig’s face crumpled intensely. His dignified, handsome face turned into an ugly grimace in an instant.

For Ludwig, who silently endured most pain, to react like this... just how awful did it taste?

’I’m so glad I’m not the one drinking it.’ Harboring such trashy thoughts, I spoke up.

"Like I said earlier, bitter medicine is good for the body. Hurry and perform your Mana Cultivation Method."

With a face as crumpled as could be, Ludwig sat cross-legged. Operating on the mindset of ’what must be done must be done.’

Thus, while Ludwig entered into Internal Energy Regulation, the rest of us decided to finish up our remaining tasks.

Since we were going to stay at the shelter for a while anyway, our tasks weren’t much to speak of.

Going up to the river to retrieve fish caught in the fish traps, or cultivating vegetables.

We were spending our carefree, leisurely life fruitfully. Anyone watching would think we weren’t suffering even a bit.

’Well, strictly looking at life in the shelter, it’s true I’m not suffering.’

It was just that every time I went exploring, a road of hardship opened right up. Even so, it was tricky to refrain from exploring.

I had already uncovered countless secrets, and I was directly or indirectly connected to a past I myself didn’t even know.

’First off, it’s certain that I lost my memories...’

Dreams I had whenever I fainted or whenever my realm advanced.

So far, I had dreamed up to the point of being recruited by the NIS to become an agent.

I had no way of knowing what happened after that. I would either faint after a violent battle or advance my realm—it was one of the two.

So what did I do? Having already awakened Unity of Self and Object, I asked Heavenly Demon for the next passage.

It had already been over two months since I mastered the third passage.

Since I was now in a state where I could control most of my mana, it should be fine to move on to the next passage.

[Heavenly Demon: I am sorry. This one is not yet prepared, so I cannot impart the teachings.]

[Wild Grylls: Huh? What do you mean? Don’t tell me the Divine Art of the Heavenly Demon was originally an incomplete Mental Cultivation Method?]

[Heavenly Demon: All Mental Cultivation Methods are incomplete. Had there been a realm beyond, it would have been compiled.]

Though, before compiling it, the body would fail to endure and undergo Ascension to Immortality anyway.

...Or so was Heavenly Demon’s theory.

According to Lackey’s account, Wi Ho-chang had also lived in the Forest of the Four Seasons before undergoing Ascension to Immortality.

The minimum realm required for Ascension to Immortality was presumed to be the middle stage of the Profound Realm. Additionally, most martial arts were created with individuals touching the Profound Realm as their baseline standard.

[Heavenly Demon: In most cases, one has no choice but to undergo Ascension to Immortality because the physical body cannot withstand the Internal Energy. This is something even this one realized through bitter experience.]

[Wild Grylls: Don’t tell me you were sick recently?]

[Heavenly Demon: Do you remember when noble friend passed the Crescent Moon Spirit Herb to this one? It was back then.]

Ah. That time.

I remembered immediately. There was no way I couldn’t remember.

Back then, I just thought, ’Ah, she got an incurable disease like Starlight Lady~’, but looking back now, it was a deadly serious event.

If I hadn’t given the Crescent Moon Spirit Herb to Heavenly Demon back then, she wouldn’t be among the living right now.This story is hosted at novelping dot com.

Or she would have been forced to undergo Ascension to Immortality against her will. Though listening to Heavenly Demon’s recollection, actual Ascension to Immortality would have been difficult.

[Wild Grylls: I’m really glad I gave you the Crescent Moon Spirit Herb back then. If I had given it to someone else...]

[Heavenly Demon: That is precisely why noble friend is both a stroke of destiny and a benefactor to this one. As the elders said, one must treat a stroke of destiny with utmost respect, and treat a benefactor politely not as the Heavenly Demon, but as a person. Since noble friend is both, I treat you as an individual, not as the Heavenly Demon.]

[Wild Grylls: Oh. Then can I speak casually? Pardon me, but how old are you, Heavenly Demon-nim? You looked really young in the video.]

I asked playfully, but there was no response for a while. She seemed to be genuinely contemplating it.

Lest things become awkwardly tense for no reason, I hastily changed the subject.

[Wild Grylls: By the way, when will the Divine Art of the Heavenly Demon be ready?]

[Heavenly Demon: In that case, not noble friend, but...]

[Heavenly Demon: Ah.]

If it felt like countless meanings were packed into that single word, was it just my imagination? A strange tinge of disappointment seemed embedded in it.

Right before the atmosphere turned awkward again, luckily Heavenly Demon shifted the topic.

[Heavenly Demon: I am currently compiling it anew in a manner tailored to noble friend.]

[Wild Grylls: A manner tailored to me?]

[Heavenly Demon: As this one sees it, the Unity of Self and Object you attained seems to be the true Unity of Self and Object.]

I just did it using a loophole, though. Surprisingly, it was similar to the advice Sword Matstar had given earlier.

Setting Sword Matstar aside, for even Heavenly Demon—who belonged to such a high realm—to leave such words... could it really be true?

It was still something I couldn’t fully comprehend, but with not just one person but two saying so, my heart swayed toward it.

[Wild Grylls: Then about when will it be compiled?]

[Heavenly Demon: Regrettably, as this is a path even this one is treading for the first time, it will take time. If busy affairs overlap, it will take even longer.]

[Wild Grylls: Take your time. You shouldn’t neglect your main duties on my account.]

[Heavenly Demon: Thank you for your consideration. However, this one cannot forget the grace received from noble friend. I shall strive further, so please wait just a little.]

Heavenly Demon asked for my understanding while saying so. In reality, my heart felt like giving her something in return.

Going so far as to defy even original traditions for my sake. I felt apologetic for no reason.

’I should tell her to drink Empty Sky Stone Milk and gain strength.’

I contacted Heavenly Demon again and handed over Empty Sky Stone Milk. Heavenly Demon left words of gratitude.

After that, I contacted other regular handles. First off, I needed to check on Dwarf.

The Adamantium hide obtained from the frilled lizard earlier. I had requested armor to be crafted from that hide.

Since it was Adamantium hide, Dwarf had pre-declared that it would take a long time. I wanted to know the progress.

[Passing Dwarf: Hey. I got good news and bad news for you.]

[Wild Grylls: Just tell me the good news.]

[Passing Dwarf: That Adamantium hide is ridiculously tough and hard.]

Mmm. I can roughly tell what happened.

It feels just like getting a text from a friend saying their car’s airbags work amazingly well.

Even so, instead of getting mad, I became curious. Dwarf usually fulfills my requests under normal circumstances.

So hearing that he failed spectacularly, I couldn’t help but wonder.

[Wild Grylls: Your friend says the work is too tough?]

[Passing Dwarf: Yeah. Completely hit a wall right from the start. The hide won’t cut.]

[Wild Grylls: Even when channeling mana into it?]

[Passing Dwarf: Ordinary blades don’t even scratch it. Got annoyed and slammed a pickaxe onto it, but it’s totally fine;;]

So there was a concrete reason. I nodded.

Since it was an obstacle that could be solved simpler than expected, I spoke up.

[Wild Grylls: By any chance, can that friend be trusted?]

[Passing Dwarf: He made your shoes. Give him one drink and his mouth stays shut tight yeah.]

[Wild Grylls: Then I’ll forge tools out of Adamantium for you, so roughly tell me what they look like. If that’s tough, you can send the tools over.]

[Passing Dwarf: Can I sell them?]

[Wild Grylls: I’m lending them, so if you sell them, you guys are the only ones who’ll suffer;;]

These weren’t empty words; I was completely serious. Giving solid Adamantium tools would cause an absolute uproar.

The hammer I gave Dwarf earlier seemed to be hidden well enough, but now was different.

It was being given to his friend, and that friend was presumably not even using the Gallery.

[Wild Grylls: I’ll contact you again later, so explain it well to your friend. And don’t worry because I can get all the materials. Failure is the mother of success, as they say. There are plenty of chances, so no need to rush.]

[Passing Dwarf: OK, I’ll explain it to him well.]

It was a bit disappointing, but waiting patiently should do the trick. Dwarf rarely scam-and-ran anyway.

What’s more, it was Adamantium hide. A metal harder to obtain than Mithril, and handling it would naturally be tricky.

’And it’s not even pure Adamantium, but mixed into hide.’

Either way, a new task had come up. Crafting tools for Dwarf’s friend.

In truth, it was something that should have been done long ago, but I forgot, and Dwarf likely found it difficult to ask easily.

’The time has come to test the furnace.’

There were still plenty of Adamantium daggers left. There was no need to go toward the frilled lizard carcass immediately.

So I thought I would live at ease, but no one ever knows what lies ahead in life.This story is hosted at nоvelping.com.

—I apologize for dropping by out of nowhere. But I have something to ask.

"Uh... yes."

Vanir, who was originally scheduled to visit once a month. She dropped by out of nowhere.

I startled because she flew in in dragon form, but having grown used to it bit by bit, I was able to brush it off smoothly.

More importantly, since she said she had something to ask, I couldn’t be entirely at ease. If Vanir was in a hurry, it must be a serious matter.

—Calculating it now, it is the time for my hatchling to shed. If it goes by what the elders taught, it should have shed either now or earlier.

"Uh... yes. She shed her skin, right? I even made gloves out of it. Is the shed skin important by any chance?"

If it was important, things would be troublesome on my end. And Vanir would be even more troubled.

Fortunately, as if the shed skin itself wasn’t necessary, Vanir shook her head.

The issue was that it was Tyranno’s ’first’ shedding. In human terms, it was a state of having just taken her first steps.

—As I thought. Then I shall take her with me for a short while. If not now, her growth might be delayed.

"Can you tell me what you’ll be teaching her? Magic?"

—Those things, and things done as a dragon. While I’m at it, I shall take that gorilla over there as well.

"Huh?"

Lackey, who was eating candied sweet potatoes for dessert beside us, startled in shock.

Although it was something discussed before, he probably never expected that time to be right now.

Since they only needed to be away for about a week anyway, it should be fine.

I also planned to rest at the shelter for the time being, so I could easily hold out.

It was slightly regrettable that our mage was leaving temporarily, but hearing that our overall power would increase, I let it slide.

"Then have a safe trip. I’ll be waiting."

"Master. Before leaving, I request a week’s supply of candied sweet potatoes."

"Just shut your mouth and go."

Thus, Tyranno and Lackey departed. Though only two companions were gone, the place felt remarkably empty.

"Kkyuuuung..."

"Wonmo-ya. You just have to wait one week. Don’t be too sad."

"Bpi-yung."

"Look at this. Even Maengkkongi is comforting you."

’What should I do for a week?’ I thought to myself.

’Nothing bad will happen, right?’

No way.

I had an intuitive gut feeling that another weird incident would break out. Because this was the Forest of the Four Seasons.

Meanwhile, Passing Dwarf, Gareth, who received encouragement and support from Grylls.

A born heavy drinker, thanks to the support received from Grylls, he got relatively less drunk no matter how much he drank.

Even if he did get drunk, he even had Empty Sky Stone Milk, which was tailor-made for hangover relief.

Despite drinking heavily, he actually became healthier instead—truly enjoying a kill-two-birds-with-one-stone effect.

"Hey, hey. Don’t get your pride so hurt. It’s Adamantium, isn’t it?"

"Phew... Still, hard is hard. I thought with my skill, I’d easily be able to handle it."

And today, he willingly shared his booze to comfort his gloomy friend.

Wagner, the craftsman and friend who had previously crafted Grylls’s shoes.

He was depressed because he couldn’t even make a dent in the Adamantium hide.

To comfort such a friend and deliver good news while he was at it, Gareth had invited him over.

"A friend I know said that since it seems too hard, he’ll give you separate tools. Instead, he’s lending them, so he wants them back when you’re done."

"A craftsman does not blame his tools. I have my pride too."

"I’d prefer Adamantium be a bit picky about tools, though? Fold up that pride of yours."

Craftsmen possessed a unique stubbornness. Just like right now.

Persuading him wasn’t easy, but restoring his shattered confidence was higher priority than that.

"That... what was it again? That guy said failure is the mother of success."

"That’s something Lucas-nim used to say often. I know that too."

Lucas was the god of blacksmiths, holding a position no different from a Chief God to the dwarves.

It wasn’t for nothing that dwarves encouraged invention. This was something Gareth knew as well.

’What was next... what did he say?’

Just because he didn’t get drunk easily didn’t mean he didn’t get drunk at all. Being tipsy was the same.

While trying to recall what advice Grylls had given, he blurted out whatever came to mind.

"That... what is it? Ah, right. You have many mothers, so you’ll definitely succeed. For sure."

"...?"

"Is that not it? Whatever. It’s similar enough. Let’s just drink."

Although he had accidentally hurled a yo-mama insult without intending to—

"Sigh. I’ll let it slide because the booze tastes so good."

The alcohol tasted far too good to get angry over.