<Chapter 39. New Party Member - 5>

"You've found traces of spirits, huh."

[Yeah. I found a message they left behind. If I trace the message, we might be able to find living spirits.]

Lee Shin Woo, who'd returned to his lodging, was hugged by Sinea (no matter how he thought about it, the spirits' 'skinship' was too much) and he looked at her again. Although she seemed happy in his arms, she sported a complicated expression.

[To be honest, I don't expect there to be any living spirits. We'll probably just find where they had lived...]

"Why is that?"

[Mm. Once I became an Elder Dryad Princess, I was able to very faintly see through our entire species' memories... It's a blurry memory, an image of when the spirits were driven from the surface.]

...Why was she telling him this now? Lee Shin Woo stared softly at her and Sinea sported a prickly expression and explained.

[It hasn't been very long since I became level 7, Paul Zero. Plus, I didn't think there was any reason to tell you since the memories were fragmented and there hadn't been a way of getting to the surface before.]

"Hoo... It's fine. Keep going."

[Ok. According to my ancestors' memories, the humans feared the spirits' power and ostracized them. Contrary to magic, which could be fully controlled by humans, spirits possessed a power that was erratic and atypical, which couldn't be trusted. So, not only were contractors oppressed and killed, but the Magic Empire also attempted to drive out the spirits from this world.]

He felt like he'd heard something really important at an unexpected moment. Moreover, something she said bothered him: that the Empire was trying to drive out the spirits.

"They attempted to drive them out... With the others?"

[Yeah, probably.]

"So, the Underground Empire wasn't formed by a gathering of eccentric individuals, but by those who were driven out of the Magic Empire."

They were driven out because of the spirits? No, that probably wasn't the only reason. Perhaps those ostracized by the Empire were gathered up all at once and were banished underground, like gathering a bunch of criminals and putting them in prison.

"The spirits must've not liked the underground very much then?"

[It probably wasn't a very conducive environment for them, regardless of the presence of death energy. Though it's a livable place for us Dryads due to your help, Paul Zero.]

"Then, why didn't they escape from the surface? Wait, I suppose I should be asking why they couldn't escape... There shouldn't have been much death energy back then either."

Yeah, this was the core of the matter. From the very beginning, Lee Shin Woo didn't think that the Underground Empire had been formed and developed naturally.

The Underground Empire was built by those who had been driven from the surface. If that's the case, then why were they stuck underground... or turning it around, why couldn't they 'return to the surface'?

'And if I'm right, then it's because...'

Now it was time to check his answer. Lee Shin Woo looked squarely at Sinea. Sinea looked shy and turned her head away.

[Don't look at me like that. It's embarrassing.]

"Hey."

[Sorry, but I don't know anymore. However, I do know that the spirits and the people underground wanted to escape like you said. Even if they had to risk their lives in doing so...]

"Risking their lives, huh..."

Lee Shin Woo repeated after Sinea like a parrot and recalled the Underground Empire.

Although it possessed an artificial sun, the world always seemed dreary, grey and was teeming with the undead. The master of these undead, the Emperor... Did he really seek immortality? Probably not. He sought something beyond that.

"...As I thought, I really need to see the Emperor at least once, face-to-face."

[Paul Zero, can I keep going? It's regarding the traces of the spirits.]

"Ah, sure. Now that you mention it, we went off topic. Keep going."

He had forgotten what she'd originally brought up, as he'd been thinking about the capital, the Empire, and the Underground Empire. Lee Shin Woo urged her to keep going, and Sinea continued calmly.

[So, there probably aren't any that are still alive, but there's a high chance that spiritual power or an artifact that contains the spirits' power resides within the place the spirits once lived. If we can, I'd like to collect those.]

"Alright. Then let's go together."

[You're willing to come with me!?]

"The surface is just as dangerous as the underground, so I can't just send you off by yourself... Moreover, I just sent the Pope a message, so it'll be some time before I can move to the capital."

Moreover, establishing a branch of the Lawrence shop in Kuroa's Glory wouldn't take just a day or two. He'd already made various preparations with the help of the merchant's guild, but it would still take some time before Ye Jin Jin could fully take the reins, so Lee Shin Woo was currently free.

[Hoo. Hoo. Thanks. I knew I wasn't wrong.]

"While we're at it, let's go."

Lee Shin Woo and Sinea went down to the 1st floor. Ye Jin Jin was listlessly sitting on the sofa.

"You did good, Ye Jin Jin."

"Ah, Mr. Shin Woo! Eut."

Once she noticed Lee Shin Woo, Ye Jin Jin's eyes shined and she stood up. However, she immediately sunk back down onto the sofa. She had acted like a completely different person at the auction house and it seemed like it was all catching up to her now.

Seeing that, Lee Shin Woo thought, 'it sure is a pain being human'. Mental fatigue had a direct effect on the body.

"Rest up. But since you're going to taking over starting tomorrow, it'll become a lot busier around here."

"Ah, ok."

Lee Shin Woo couldn't just leave Ye Jin Jin in Kuroa's Glory. Since she needed to act as Lawrence's representative in the capital as well. The Lawrence shop would draw even more attention to itself, due to today's events, so she would have to work even harder in the capital.

If he knew it would be this much trouble, then he wouldn't have created the Lawrence identity and would've had the hero, Kay manage the shop instead. However, he hadn't known things would turn out this way, so there was nothing he could do about it.

"Um, then what are you going to be doing, Mr. Shin Woo?"

"I'll be back soon. It's a matter regarding the spirits."

"The spirits... Mm, I want to go too."

While Lee Shin Woo considered Sinea an ally, Ye Jin Jin thought differently; she had already considered her a rival.

She was reluctant to let her rival and Lee Shin Woo go together without her, but unfortunately, her body wouldn't comply right now. Then at the very least...

"Then, Jin is going with you as well, right?"

"Ah, yeah. That's probably for the best."

"That's a relief. Please take care."

[Tch.]

Lee Shin Woo didn't know what Ye Jin Jin was trying to say and tilted his head, but it seemed as though Sinea understood her, as she openly clicked her tongue. She could only do that because she didn't know that Jin was the reason that the death energy was sucked from their bodies.

"How far is it?"

[Mm, with this horse's speed... It'll take 6 hours if you go with me. We could've taken our time if we were alone, though it would've taken a lot longer... Tch.]

"Ho."

Jin was surprised when he heard her. Even though he'd reached level 7, it would take them 6 hours to get there, so they might circle around the Magic Empire. Jin was genuinely happy, as it had been a long time since he'd run at max speed, but Lee Shin Woo had a hunch.

"Is it spatial magic?"

[As expected of you, Paul Zero. Yeah, the mana is interfering with the space. A magic that allows you to go there wherever you are in the world, but also makes it difficult to get there... Normally, non-spirits cannot go in, but you should be able to, right Paul Zero?]

"Yeah, I should be able to."

He could already create life or death energy. Imitating the spirits' mana wouldn't necessarily be easier than creating life or death energy, but he should be able to copy Sinea's mana somehow, as he'd observed her for such a long time.

In addition, he'd become adept at disguising other's mana, so he should be able to bring Jin along with him no problem.

[Good. Then let's go. We have to go to a secluded place first.]

"Ok."

They left the city immediately. Lee Shin Woo shabbily disguised the two of them (Sinea could disguise herself; to see through her disguise, the opponent would need to be a higher level than her, or be a spirit), and it was already dusk by the time they left the city.

"So now what?"

[Paul Zero, assimilate my mana.]

Lee Shin Woo matched his mana with hers. He could easily make his mana resemble hers, as he used the Mana Bone, Mana Acceleration, and even the Disguise skill. In the process, Lee Shin Woo's body shook like leaves blowing in the spring breeze, and became very slightly translucent.

"Oh, so a spirit's mana has this kind of effect."

[Paul Zero, how closely did you copy me...?]

Sinea was speechless at the sight. Lee Shin Woo hadn't just nonchalantly copied a spirit's mana, but he had made his body like a spirit's!

It was no longer on the level of changing one's mana; he was changing his very existence. Where the hell would you find a level 7 like this? Even a level 8, or a level 9 Archmage wouldn't be able to enact this miracle!

"Oh. I kept using my Disguise skill after I came to the surface, so I got a lot more familiar with it. I should be seeing a message right about now... Oh, there it is."

Whenever Lee Shin Woo did something crazy, a skill message would appear as if waiting for that moment. But that message, like always, was shocking.

[The Disguise skill has become Lv9. Nothing is as it appears. You disguise truth as lies and show this to the world. If you succeed in fooling all, then it becomes no different from being real. Change is a form of creation. You only have one task that remains. You already know what that is.]

[You have indirectly gained the power of a Dryad, and have been approved by the world. You have acquired the High Rank Earth Element Lv1. Magic has increased by 100. You have acquired High Rank Earth Resistance Lv3. Magic has increased by 120.]

"Oh, ooh...?"

"I'm not sure what it is, but you got another cheat skill, didn't you? Give me that."

"Mm, my bad. I don't think I can give it to you just yet."

Once he'd gained a Dryad's power, Lee Shin Woo immediately disguised Jin and attempted to give him the Earth element and resistance, but he couldn't, perhaps because he hadn't yet mastered the skill. He was limited to disguising Jin's mana to resemble a spirit's.

[It's the Earth element. Since we (the Dryads) rely on trees, we can only use that power through trees, but you've memorized the Earth element, so you should be able to use it now, Paul Zero.]

"Yeah. I think so too."

However, Lee Shin Woo wasn't analyzing the Earth element right now. He had this feeling when his Disguise skill went up to level 9.

'I think I can fully transform into a human now. Not just the outside, but even the internal organs; a proper human... Ha, like this?'

Why had been so conservative with the Invisible Heart, gathered so much Perium, and attempted to study said Perium... Lee Shin Woo felt skeptical. Indeed, things didn't always go as Lee Shin Woo wanted.

Lee Shin Woo had finally become able to transform into a human.