Chapter 42 – 041 Twin Mountains
Four days had passed since he returned to the cave on the cliff and started recuperating.
In the meantime, thanks to warming up and exercising properly, my muscle pain and joint pain were completely cured, and the ratio of cold to warm was about 10:8, and I regained my condition similar to before the attack on Hob Village.
Of course, I didn’t spend all my time just getting my body back in shape.
From the next day, he went on a hunt twice a day to warm up and find out the identity of the lowest green soul.
And what I was sure of was that the lowest level souls with very pale colors were not souls.
‘Should I call it a spirit?’
It was everywhere
In the water, there were spirits of pale water, in the sky there were spirits of pale blue, in the woods there were spirits of pale green, and in the wilderness there were spirits of pale yellow.
At the spot where the soul was found, I ordered emergency food to find the animal carcass, but since I couldn’t find it for 10 minutes, the hypothesis that it was a soul would be meaningless.
‘The spirits of the dead are also called spirits, so it’s not wrong to call them spirits…….’
Hwanin, who decided to call the spirit of nature a spirit for convenience, immediately entered the test of skill, and it was found that the skill used with the spirit bead was no different in power from the skill used with the soul bead.
‘I’ve already checked the Code.’
The next thing I checked was the difference in technical power due to the presence or absence of a staff and the presence or absence of a pearl-colored stone.
With the ability to command spirits and spirits without a wand, it became possible to use soul explosions, soul arrows, and soul shields.
‘The strengthening effect of the code is the same. But the power and durability of the technique is stronger when holding a staff.’
Antler Staff + Pearl Stone 〉 Antler Staff = Pearl Stone 〉 This is the bare-handed formula.
“Hmm.”
Ability growth occurred when the maximum number of soul beads reached 12.
That means that the more soul orbs you have, the stronger your psychic powers will be.
Then, when will the next growth occur?
‘I have to train hard.’
Even while verifying his ability, Hwanin took Huini and Ennel to catch two animals whenever he had time.
They were able to catch more than that, but it was because they didn’t have to stock up on soul marbles anymore, and the sisters were crying, saying, “I can’t even eat them all, and if I kill them all, the ecosystem will be ruined.”
Of course, monsters have to catch and kill all the tribes that can be seen without such a thing.
The animals thus caught were separated into skins and meat by the women, and the meat was smoked by Epnis, and the hides were tanned and trimmed by Huini and Ennel.
After tanning (as much as possible), Ryuhi cut and sewed the leather to make clothes and shoes.
‘It’s amazing hand movements.’
Grinding a thumb-thick bone into a needle and twisting the thinly cut leather into a string left a strong impression on Hwanin.
In any case, the women were prepared to leave the cave for four days, one after the other, as they shared their specialties.
Huini and Ennel are the daughters of a blacksmith family, so they know how to tan, and can even repair weapons, albeit a little.
She is the daughter of a general store in town, and she loves books, so she knows a lot of miscellaneous things. Smoking is also a skill he learned while making preservatives for arms at a general store.
Lastly, Ryuhi, who is dexterous with his hands and can create anything easily.
Each of them were women who made smoked meat, groomed weapons, tanned, made clothes, and made food in their fields, but in Hwanin’s eyes, Ryuhi did the most work.
It was Ryuhi who restored Agung’s older brother, Hun Smoke, from which only her skeleton remained.
It was Ryuhi who made an impromptu trap out of her grass stems and leaves to catch killifish and moderately large fish.
It was Ryuhi who made clay and made it into an earthenware pot that could be sold in the market, and it was Ryuhee and Epnis who gathered wild spices at the entrance of the Twin Mountains, which became the realm of Hwanin.
In addition to delicious stews made from the meat, fish, and spices they caught, they also made various dishes with wild vegetables they gathered.
Even those who made clothes and shoes from animal skins.
A wooden bob to hold the smoked meat and a leather cover to cover the bob.
Of course, a luggage bag to contain a wooden wine bottle whose role has been changed to a water bottle.
Even a leather cloak to shelter from the cold dew of the night.
Most of the items needed to prepare for departure were made by Ryuhi.
Watching Ryuhi meticulously making a leather cloak, Hwanin admired it.
“You are very versatile.”
= It’s a skill I had to learn in order to live…….=
Saying that, Ryuhi’s face as he joined her skin together was filled with inexpressible sadness.
Huini secretly overheard that she had a sister who was her only blood relative, but after she escaped the cave, her whereabouts were unknown.
=The two older sisters were living by relying on each other. Ryuhi unnie was in charge of the housekeeping, and Lua unnie was in charge of the outside housekeeping…….=
Huini, who didn’t speak further, seemed to believe that Lua was dead.
Hwanin looked at Ryuhi, who was sewing leather.
The side profile of Ryuhi wearing leather clothes like a civilized person in the Paleolithic Age…….
‘It’s similar to that woman.’
A woman’s corpse washed ashore in the torrent, she noticed a striking resemblance to the body’s owner, a woman’s spirit.
“…… ?”
Hwanin, who suddenly felt unnatural, quickly realized what was causing it.
He said that he had come to the rescue at the request of a woman’s soul, but no one remembered it.
I don’t know if it’s because he doesn’t remember it or because it’s nonsense, so he dismisses it as something he hasn’t heard and doesn’t mention it, but either way, Hwanin was worried.
She must be Lua that the woman she buried is Ryuhi’s sister.
The point is whether to let them hold out the slightest hope that they are still alive somewhere, or to tell them honestly that their one and only blood relative is dead.
‘A choice like this is embarrassing.’
She is aware that her own way of thinking is different from that of ordinary people. That’s why I didn’t like the situation where there was no right answer like now.
From Hwanin’s point of view, it doesn’t matter either way.
All that matters to him is Ryuhi’s willingness to guide him out of this damn forest and into civilization.
There is a possibility that the initial purpose of being a guide will not be fulfilled if you are immersed in sadness. If you tell me later…….
‘If you tell the truth after arriving in the village, you might be resentful. If I tell them before leaving town, they might think I’ve been taken advantage of and get angry.’
Kindness is important in human relationships.
Knowing that the accumulated resentment could explode in an unexpected place, Hwanin pondered over and over again.
“…….”
Hwanin, who had no choice but to choose the option that was judged to be the least risky, asked after explaining the appearance of the woman presumed to be Lua when all the women gathered.
Is she a woman you know?
=…….=
After hearing Ryuhi’s explanation, Hwanin, who saw Ryuhi’s eyes shaking violently, thought that his conviction was correct and took everyone to the place where the woman was buried and showed them.
“I buried her here.”
Ryuhi, who had been hardened at the sight of her grave, hurriedly began to dig up her grave, like a woman distraught.
As she begins to remove the stones piled on top, the three of them cling to each other and remove the stones.
Then Ryuhi, who was almost pushing away the soil that was making the shallow burial mound, sat down when she saw her pale hand exposed through the soil at some point.
=Ah, ah.=
‘It’s cool underground and there’s not much moisture, so it must’ve not rotted yet.’
The other three also stopped their hands in surprise, so Hwanin stepped forward and pulled the body buried in the soil outside.
= Lua……. Ugh… I hoped that she escaped safely, that she was alive…… Ah… Aaaaa…….=
She hugged her sister, who had cooled down and became a corpse, and she caressed her sister’s face as she wept bitterly as if her longing had worn off.
She had experienced the pain of losing her relatives once, and even though her emotions were dry, she could understand that feeling, so she waited until Ryuhi stopped crying.
Ryuhi, who had let go of her sister after mourning her for three hours, cut her sister’s hair neatly into a bunch with her tear-stained face, tied it up with several strands of her own hair, and tied them up in her arms. Took it to
After that, Ryuhi, who dug up the ground alone, lays her sister down again, takes a broad leaf separately, covers her face, and then covers it with the finely selected soil.
“What does covering your face with leaves mean?”
=That’s…… It is a ceremony of congratulations asking us not to look at the bad things anymore, and not to look at the world where we have regrets, and to leave for the world of the beast god in peace.
“Did you pack your hair?”
= I’m going to put it in the grave of his sister’s parents in the village cemetery. We can’t move the body there…….=
This was the explanation of Epnis, who read a lot and was good at miscellaneous things.
Ryuhi, who completed Lua’s tomb again with his own strength, bowed down to Hwanin with his muddy body.
=Thank you, Eunin.=
“May the souls of the deceased refrain. The person who becomes my sister must have fulfilled her request and attained Buddhahood with peace of mind.”
= Yes…… ?=
Ryuhi, whose face was swollen from crying for a long time, looked at Hwanin with a face that she did not understand.
Hwanin explained how he was able to find you and why.
It was because Ryuhi, who had come to terms with her sister’s death, was more rational than she thought, and that telling her this story would help her regain her stability.
The women who heard all the stories are amazed.
= Huh?! Ugh, did you buy the soul of benefactor?!!=
After ringing in her ears, she asked, slightly furrowing her eyebrows at Ini’s shout.
“What is the history of souls?”
=He is an amazing person who leads the souls of the dead to rest and bestows peace!!=
“…… Epnis, please explain in more detail.”
= Yes? Yes Yes. Spirit attendants are people who can communicate with the dead. As Huini said, they are the ones who can give rest and tranquility to prevent things from turning into confusion in advance.
“Is that important? I’m not being sarcastic, I’m asking because I don’t know anything.”
= Yes? Uh, there…… When mixed, both the body and the soul become dirty. Because you can’t enter the garden of the gods with a dirty body…….=
Why don’t you know this obvious thing? Thanks to the smiling face of Epnis, Hwanin learned that it was related to funeral etiquette.
Until modern times, funeral directors, feng shui experts, and grave keepers were people with professions that people could not carelessly treat.
It was an era when it was thought that proper funeral procedures and tomb management were essential for the ancestors’ souls to take care of the family.
I wonder if there was a custom of wearing mourning clothes and staying at the grave for several years, like a three-year mourning ceremony.
‘If you really have a job that deals with souls, not scammers…… It’s just like that.’
When he nodded his head and thanked him for the explanation, Ryuhi knelt down in front of Hwanin and bowed down as if to pray.
= Thank you. Eunin-nim, thank you so much! To lead Lua to rest and tranquility…… Thank you very much! Thank you…… Whoa…….=
“I just did what I had to do.”
= Ah…….=
It was Hwanin who nodded inwardly at the sight of all the women moving and looking at him with thrilled faces and sparkling eyes.
It can be seen that everyone’s liking has risen to the maximum level with just a few words.
You can expect full cooperation while escaping the forest, as well as a welcome from the entire village when you return.
Afterwards, Hwanin explained that he was transported to this area due to an unknown transmission accident, and because of that, he did not know the culture or customs of this place at all.
=So there are many things that the spirit master doesn’t know!=
=Huni!=
Seeing it as rude, Chi Ryuhi stopped scolding Huini and nodded her head.
“It’s okay. Because it is true.”
= I’m sorry. She’s a nice girl, but she has a habit of putting her thoughts right in her mouth…… No matter how many times I get scolded, I can’t fix it.=
=Hee hee.=
=Not a compliment.=
=…… Heeing.=
= Huini. Come and sit down. You really…… How many times have the village elders told you to correct what you say right away without thinking about it? To the savior of our lives and the great soul master…… ! But you end up…… !=
The figure of Ryuhi nagging Huini seemed to have completely shaken off the death of her relative in that short time, and she was finally relieved.
It made me wonder if it would have been better to just hide it as I couldn’t stop crying for hours while holding my dead sister in my arms.
Of course, my only blood relative died. You may feel sad whenever you think of your sister, but there will be no such thing as losing all motivation or attempting suicide due to lack of will to live.
‘It’s a big achievement to learn how much the natives value the profession of a spiritist.’
If you listen to the stories of the women, their village was a small village with a population of about 300, where both fishing and agriculture were carried out.
300 is the number of children and the elderly combined. It is the size of a small rural village.
If one considers the dependence of such rural adults on folk beliefs, the importance of the profession called spiritist cannot be underestimated.
With this ability, no matter where you go, you won’t starve to death. Maybe it will help you find the source or use of gold coins.
I’m worried that the gold coin, whether it’s pure gold or not, has been slightly warped from fighting the greatsword monster…….
Shaking his head slightly, Hwanin brushed off his worries and asked Epnis, who gave him a look of envy.
“How finished is the smoked meat?”
=I’ve made about 20 days’ worth now. If you go ahead while collecting edible plants and hunting animals, you can eat more than a month.=
“Everyone wore clothes and shoes, and their weapons were properly repaired…… We may set off now.”
=Yes.=
As if he was happy that he was going back to the village from now on, Epnis waggled his thick straw-colored tail from side to side.
