Chapter 344: The Spirit King's Resentment Against the Age (1)

The spirits.

Beings condensed from the pure forces of nature.

Ghost-like entities, rarely visible to the human eye.

They were entities that were difficult to touch or feel.

Moreover, they disliked humans.

It was only natural.

They lived in and drew their power from untouched, pure nature.

So, when humans encroached and developed, damaging the natural world?

They would gradually lose their homes and their power.

Just like now, in the Pantara Mountain Range.

“…….”

Pantala, the Spirit King of the Pantara Mountain Range.

His sorrowful gaze swept over the ground.

Scattered with broken rocks.

But to his eyes, these weren’t mere pieces of stone.

He remembered.

“……You were beautiful and noble for millions of years.”

He recalled the day when the mountain range first rose.

The days when the earth’s pressure pushed it slowly toward the sky.

The years standing tall and proud, enduring blizzards and winds.

This rock had guarded one side of the mountain range.

It had been a silent and sturdy friend.

But now?

“…….”

It was ruined.

Shattered miserably.

The rock spirit that drew power and lived through this rock had vanished.

Whether it had perished or relocated its home was unknown.

But one thing was certain, he had lost an old friend.

And that wasn’t all.

Crunch, crunch.

The Spirit King walked among the fragments of shattered rocks.

Numerous traces of recent human destruction and damage passed by him.

The perennial snow, unmelted for centuries.

The procession of snowflakes walking on the eternal snow.

The lively mountain breeze carrying the snowflakes.

The moss growing stoutly in the crevices of the rocks despite the mountain breeze.

The spirits dwelling within them had all disappeared.

Perhaps they had perished or fled.

Fleeing in despair and sometimes in tears at the sight of their lost home.

This fact saddened the Spirit King.

It angered him.

“…….”

His gaze slowly shifted.

He left the debris of the shattered peaks behind.

And fixed his eyes on a small cave on the side of the mountain range.

From it, the light of a campfire flickered.

The shadows of two humans danced on the cave walls.

The two humans who had recently entered the mountain range.

They were the culprits who had damaged this place.

“……What should I do with you?”

He wanted to kill them immediately.

Tear them apart with the wrath of nature.

But he couldn’t.

Spirits were pure spiritual beings, incorporeal.

It was impossible for them to physically touch humans.

This fact fueled the Spirit King’s anger even more.

‘This Pantara Mountain Range was one of the few places untouched by humans. And yet, how…?’

How could he deal with these two humans?

How could he drive them out and reclaim the spirits’ home?

The Spirit King’s gaze on the cave grew colder.

♣

Five days passed.

During that time, Lloyd had visited the Frontera estate.

He went alone on Yongyong’s back.

But returned with the Golbeom Squad, packed onto Yongyong’s back.

Immortal beings.

They never complained about hunger.

They never grew tired without rest, like Energizers.

Lloyd spoke to the 200 stalwart Golbeom Squad members.

“You get it, right? You guys are the advance team. So, what are you an advance team for?”

The leader of the Golbeom Squad, Turtle Neck, raised his hand.

He stepped forward and wrote in the snow.

[The most handsome advance team!]

“……Disqualified.”

[……]

“I definitely explained it to you while coming here on Yongyong’s back. Doesn’t anyone remember?”

This time, Square Jaw stepped forward.

[Construction workers’ shower facility!]

“Well, close. Anything else?”

[Lodgings! Cafeteria! Gym! Arcade!]

“……No need for a gym, and the arcade is too much. But overall, you got it. You’re here to build lodgings for the construction workers.”

Lloyd looked at each Golbeom Squad member.

Undead beings.

They didn’t need to eat, or rest, nor were they affected by the freezing cold.

Perfect for the advance team in these harsh conditions.

‘The environment here is extreme. There’s practically no infrastructure.’

An area subjected to freezing cold all day long.

With frequent blizzards and snowstorms.

Moreover, there were no decent living facilities.

To stay here long-term for construction?

They needed essential infrastructure like lodgings.

Especially because they planned to freeze time and continue construction.

‘Once time is frozen, the rest of the world will stop. We can’t have workers commuting from other areas. All workers must stay here until the construction is complete.’

So, he initially considered working with only the Golbeom Squad.

But the project was too large.

If only the Golbeom Squad worked on it?

They wouldn’t finish within the one-year limit of time freezing.

Hence.

‘The Golbeom Squad alone isn’t enough. We need experienced, numerous workers. And they need a stable infrastructure to live here for about a year.’

Thus, the Golbeom Squad was here to build that infrastructure.

Lloyd spoke to the Golbeom Squad.

“So, how you work from now on will determine the safety and well-being of the other workers.”

Creak!

The entire Golbeom Squad nodded.

Lloyd continued with his earnest instructions.

“But don’t overwork yourselves. Even though you can work without eating or resting, it’s too cold here. Remember the precautions I told you about on the way here. Frozen Shoulder, you answer this time. What was the precaution?”

[Warm your joints by the bonfire once every hour!]

“Good. You remembered well.”

Frozen Shoulder beamed with pride at the praise.

Lloyd continued his instructions.

“No matter how immortal you are, if you keep moving in this cold, frost and ice will form on your joints. This will make your movements unstable, and you could dislocate or have accidents. So, remember the bonfire every hour. Don’t forget the precautions.”

Creak!

“Now, let’s focus. We’ll start by looking at the blueprint for the workers’ camp lodgings.”

Lloyd held up a parchment.

The blueprint for the workers’ camp lodgings, which would be the foundation of the Pantara Mountain Range railroad.

The design was laid out before the Golbeom Squad.

♣

The construction of the workers’ lodgings went smoothly.

It had to.

They adopted the simplest form.

“Got it? From here to there, as indicated on the blueprint. In a terraced fashion along the cliff face.”

Lloyd explained the concept of the workers’ lodgings to Javier.

Javier studied the blueprint and spoke.

“We’re erecting log walls along the cliff face.”

“Yes. In a terraced fashion.”

“So the ceiling of the lower level becomes the front yard of the upper level.”

“Exactly. You catch on quickly.”

“That’s why I don’t like it.”

“What don’t you like?”

Javier frowned and grumbled.

“You’re going to leave the construction of the lodgings to me and wander around again, aren’t you? Abandoning the site.”

“Hey, it’s a necessary process. So, you supervise the Golbeom Squad’s work. Check for any mistakes in construction. And remember, the elves’ lodgings need a different construction method, right?”

“Yes, I remember. No wood, including logs, should be used.”

“So, just dig some caves. Make the entrance doors from carved ice.”

“……Alright.”

From then on, Lloyd and Javier focused on their tasks.

Javier dedicated himself to constructing the workers’ lodgings with the Golbeom Squad.

He also kept an eye on the other side of the mountain range.

Meanwhile, Lloyd traveled around the Magentano Kingdom on Yongyong.

He transported the food, materials, and supplies he had purchased in bulk from Kremo and Namaran to the Pantara Mountain Range site.

It was a massive shopping spree, like stocking up for a month-long trip to the mart.

Of course, he didn’t just transport supplies.

After supplies, it was workers.

“Alright, let’s board quickly!”

Every time he left the Frontera estate.

Workers cheered as they boarded Yongyong’s back for takeoff.

The first group to take off for the Pantara Mountain Range site was 300 orc warriors.

Whoooosh-!

Yongyong’s skeletal wings spread wide.

He soared into the sky at tremendous speed.

The scenery of the Frontera estate quickly shrank below.

The lord’s mansion, the Mares reclamation, the terraced farmland, the beehive apartments, and the dam, all familiar sights, turned into tiny toys below.

The orc warriors were thrilled.

“Squeak, we’re flying, squeak!”

“Mom! I’ve become a flying orc, squeak!”

“Dad! I’m flying so high, squeak!”

“Honey! I love you, squeak!”

“……There’s a couple here, squeak!”

“Traitor! Throw them out, squeak!”

……It was like that.

The robust orc warriors, perfect for heavy labor, arrived at the site.

The second group was the White Spear Cavalry.

The third group was the elf archers.

The fourth group was the estate engineers.

The final fifth group included Kogidus and the dwarf blacksmiths.

But among the dwarfs, there was an unexpected presence.

“……Solitas, why are you here instead of staying at the estate?”

Seeing Solitas among the dwarves, Lloyd was puzzled.

He pulled Solitas aside and asked.

Solitas’s answer was surprising.

“……I felt uncomfortable.”

“What?”

Uncomfortable?

Lloyd tilted his head at the unexpected answer.

Solitas shuddered and spoke.

“Did you know? About the guest staying in the lord’s mansion.”

“The guest room? Oh, you mean…”

“Yes, Lord Berquis.”

Solitas’s eyes burned with flames as he stared at Lloyd.

“Shouldn’t you have told me if such a person was staying in the estate? Why didn’t you even hint at it?”

“Did you meet him?”

“Yes. I met him. Didn’t recognize him. And because of that… never mind.”

Solitas sighed deeply.

The Dragon Lord Berquis.

Solitas had encountered and failed to recognize him.

The consequence was harsh.

He had to spend 24 hours in the form of a lizard.

It was humiliating, degrading, and terrifying.

‘That was the first time I felt so powerless. I could do nothing.’

At first, he tried to break the spell.

But it was impossible.

So he spent 24 hours in constant anxiety.

Worrying about being caught and eaten by a neighborhood cat.

Or being captured by mischievous children and turned into a toy or roasted lizard.

He endured the 24 hours hiding in the crevices of rocks like someone with paranoia.

‘But… I don’t want to tell him that.’

It was too embarrassing.

Solitas, feigning nonchalance, spoke.

“Anyway, with such a person around, it’s uncomfortable to stay at the estate. Besides, I still have much to learn from my master.”

“Yes, of course.”

Lloyd nodded, understanding Solitas’s position.

‘It’s like a low-ranking employee suddenly having to live next door to the chairman. It must be incredibly uncomfortable. And he still wants to learn more from old man Kogidus.’

Time would soon be frozen.

During that time, there would be no need to burn sewage sludge in the Frontera estate.

Having Solitas here seemed fine.

“Anyway, welcome. Now, let’s settle into your lodgings.”

Thus, all the workers arrived at the site.

They were assigned adequate lodgings.

Food, materials, and supplies were stocked.

All preparations for the construction were complete.

‘Alright. After tomorrow noon, let’s freeze time.’

Lloyd thought as he watched the darkening sky through the falling sleet.

All that remained was to choose the right time to freeze time and begin the Pantara Mountain Range railroad construction.

He went to bed with anticipation.

But the next day.

Everyone at the site faced a severe blizzard summoned by the Spirit King of the Pantara Mountain Range.

A biting cold that cut through the skin.

A snowstorm filled with the wrath of nature.

A fierce blizzard howled relentlessly.

It was a brutal and vicious weather condition that made it impossible to start construction.

As a result, the workers at the site?

They were all thrilled with an unexpected holiday.