Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

Chapter 640

Chapter 640

Zeon and Tesserina were walking through the slums.

Tesserina spoke with an exhausted expression.

“What a mess.”

“Seriously.”

Zeon agreed with her words.

It was no surprise, considering construction was underway all across the slums.

After achieving victory in the war against El Harun, the slums had expanded explosively.

So many people had flooded in that the old buildings could no longer withstand it and were being torn down. In their place, larger and sturdier buildings were being constructed.

Countless people had been mobilized for the construction.

Not only humans, but dwarves and elves could also be seen everywhere.

It was a change that had occurred after the war with El Harun.

Originally, dwarves and elves rarely came out of the Northern District, making them difficult to see, but after the war with El Harun, they now freely came and went even through the slums.

The humans no longer rejected those elves and dwarves either.

Because they had seen them take the lead in the war against El Harun.

“Hey! I said move those materials over here.”

“Damn it! The foundation needs to be reinforced more.”

At the construction sites, the authority of the dwarves was absolute.

No one had ordered them to, but they stepped forward and directed the construction themselves.

When it came to construction and technology, no race could rival the dwarves.

The humans and elves followed the dwarves’ instructions without much complaint.

“Everyone’s working hard.”

“They found out spirits exist elsewhere. They’re probably working hard so they can go there someday.”

During the battle against El Harun, the existence of spirits had become widely known.

The elves living in the Northern District had cried tears of joy upon hearing that spirits had been born.

For now, the path to the place where the spirits existed was blocked, but the hope that one day the portals would open and they too might be able to go there was what drove them forward.

They needed money to use the portals, and they had to sharpen their abilities if they wanted even the slightest chance of forming a contract with a spirit.

That was the reason the elves voluntarily participated in construction work and became more active in hunting magical beasts.

Thanks to that, not only the slums but Neo Seoul as well had become full of vitality.

The rulers of each district except Serian had asked Jin Geumho where the High Elves had come from, but of course, he did not tell them.

The World Tree Village was a place that had not even been opened to Jin Geumho yet.

There was no reason to reveal such a place in advance to the rulers of the districts.

Of course, Serian, being an elf, was an exception.

In any case, for various reasons, the buildings near the portal area were undergoing full-scale redevelopment.

Zeon suddenly clicked his tongue.

“Tsk! I never thought redevelopment would reach this place too…”

Zeon’s gaze turned toward the street where his building stood.

The entire area around his building was being redeveloped.

Tesserina smiled faintly.

“It can’t be helped. The existence of the underground city became known.”

“More precisely, it’s because of Lemura.”

The figure who had drawn the most attention during the war against El Harun was none other than Lemura and the healers of the underground city.

Thanks to their incredible abilities and achievements, countless people had been saved.

There were simply too many people who had directly experienced and witnessed miracles.

Naturally, rumors about them could not help but spread.

The underground city could no longer remain hidden either.

That was when it began.

The redevelopment around Zeon’s building.

People had learned that the only entrance to the underground city was through Zeon’s building.

Jin Geumho had already sealed the other passages leading into the underground city.

As a result, the only way to enter the underground city was through Zeon’s building.

There were many sick people in both El Harun and the slums.

Even though potions had become widely available, they were ineffective for those suffering from serious illnesses.

The seriously ill wanted to meet Lemura and receive treatment.

Such people gathered around Zeon’s building, and among them were those with money and power.

As those kinds of people bought buildings and stayed nearby, property values naturally skyrocketed.

Even now, people were camped in front of Zeon’s building, asking for the door to the underground city to be opened.

The Awakeners guarding the building could only feel troubled.

This place had been directly designated as a strategic facility by City Hall.

Though the ownership was under Zeon’s name, the actual management and protection of the place belonged to the City Hall Awakeners.

Unless separate orders came down from City Hall, they could not open this place to anyone.

Of course, Levin and the children from the Solver Office, who had always used the place, were exceptions.

Naturally, Zeon, the building owner, was also an exception.

“Mr. Zeon!”

The Awakeners guarding the entrance recognized Zeon and greeted him.

“You’ve all been well, right?”

“Yes! Thanks to you… though as you can see, things are a bit difficult.”

At the Awakeners’ words, Zeon nodded in understanding.

“I’ll discuss this issue with the Mayor.”

“Thank you.”

The Awakener thanked him.

If healthy people had gathered here, they could simply beat them up and drive them away, but everyone gathered here was sick.

They had not fallen so far as to use violence against people like that.

Zeon opened the door and entered the building.

Inside, Levin and the children were gathered together with troubled expressions.

“Hyung!”

“Noona!”

“You’re here.”

The children all stood up from their seats to greet Zeon and Tesserina.

Looking around, Zeon asked,

“Where are Lemura and Jetoya?”

“They still haven’t come out. I think they’re troubled because so many sick people are camped outside.”

“I can understand that.”

“We feel the same way.”

“I figured.”

Zeon nodded.

With people camped outside like that, even the children from the Solver Office couldn’t easily come and go.

Having to watch people’s reactions every time they entered the building had become exhausting.

It had gotten to the point where it interfered with their work.

Just then—

“Hyung!”

“Oppa!”

Jetoya and Lemura entered the Solver Office.

Zeon asked Jetoya,

“Shouldn’t you be starting dungeon raids again soon?”

“We should. But with all those people gathered outside…”

Jetoya looked troubled as well.

It had become routine for them to prepare in this building before heading out, but with sick people gathered there, it was hard to leave freely.

At that moment, Lemura cautiously opened her mouth.

“Oppa!”

“Yeah?”

“I discussed it with Grandfather, and at this point, we’re thinking of just opening the underground city.”

“Really?”

“So we need your cooperation.”

“I suppose so. If you open the underground city, this building will have to be used as a waiting area for everyone.”

“Yes! We’ve been grateful to use it this whole time, but in the end, this place belongs to you, Oppa Zeon. And Levin Oppa uses it too. So Grandfather said he’d give you a new building nearby.”

“Really?”

“Yes! He said one of the nearby buildings being redeveloped would be transferred under your name, and asked whether you’d use that place instead while this place is managed entirely by us and City Hall.”

Lemura spoke very carefully.

What she had just said was entirely Jin Geumho’s intention, not something discussed with Zeon beforehand.

If Zeon refused, everything would inevitably return to square one.

That was why Lemura could not help but watch Zeon’s reaction nervously. But Zeon’s answer was simple.

“Do that.”

“Really?”

“But make the building City Hall gives us under Levin’s name.”

This time, Levin was shocked.

“Huh? Hyung, why?”

“It’s just a hassle owning buildings. You saw it yourself, didn’t you? This building was only under my name. You guys handled all the management anyway. In that case, it’s better if it’s under your name. Besides, you’ve got a lot of mouths to feed.”

“But…”

“Do as I say. If the kids are going to come and go freely without worrying about others’ eyes, it’s better if you own the building.”

“Hyung!”

“Let’s do it that way, Lemura.”

Zeon turned to look at Lemura.

“Do it the way I said. You can handle that, right?”

“Of course. Thank you, Oppa!”

“But don’t push yourself too hard. It’s fine to open the underground city and treat sick people, but there’s no need to do it at the expense of your own health.”

“I will.”

Lemura’s expression was much brighter now than when she had first entered.

Zeon looked at Jetoya.

“You’re still going to use this building, right?”

“Yes! Since it’s the only passage leading to the underground city.”

“That works out well.”

Zeon smiled.

The more people came seeking treatment, the more prosperous the underground city would become.

No one knew why, but even now, many people in the underground city were Awakening as healers.

Normally, healers appeared only once in hundreds or thousands of people, but for some reason, they appeared in unusually high numbers only in the underground city.

City Hall had tried to discover the reason, but found nothing.

In the end, they decided to simply accept the phenomenon as it was.

Whatever the reason, the more people Awakened as healers, the better it was for Neo Seoul.

Still, healers needed protection.

Since they lacked combat power, if someone kidnapped or harmed them, they would have no choice but to suffer helplessly.

To prevent that, City Hall decided to guard the underground city even more thoroughly.

Tesserina spoke.

“This is good for the people living in the underground city. The more visitors come, the more work they’ll have.”

“Yes! If things go well, they might even become self-sufficient. As we gradually open up to the outside and interact more, people’s resistance will lessen too.”

“You did well.”

“Hehe!”

Tesserina patted Lemura’s head.

Zeon also smiled as he looked at Lemura.

“You really are like a saintess.”

“You too, Oppa? It’s embarrassing enough every time people call me that.”

“You’ll have to get used to it.”

“Why?”

“As long as you keep saving the sick, people will keep calling you that.”

“Ugh! That gives me goosebumps.”

As if the thought alone was horrifying, Lemura rubbed her shoulders with both arms and shivered.

To Zeon, Lemura still looked nothing more than young and adorable.

But to the people outside, Lemura truly looked like a saintess herself.

No matter how severe the injury, as long as there was breath left, she somehow saved them.

If she had saved only one or two people, no one would have called her a saintess.

During the war against El Harun alone, she had saved more than hundreds of lives.

Most of them had been critically ill patients that even potions could not heal.

People everyone else had given up on—Lemura restored them completely without leaving a single aftereffect.

No healer before her had ever shown such ability.

Previous healers could barely treat external wounds.

But Lemura perfectly healed not only injuries but diseases as well.

Among the wounded she treated was even someone suffering from a hereditary disease.

Lemura’s healing skill had completely cured not only the patient’s injuries but also the illness they had carried beforehand.

Through that Awakener, it became known that Lemura could even cure severe diseases.

No matter how much the era had changed and a new race called Awakeners had been born, they were not perfect.

As long as they were human, they could never completely escape aging and disease.

In fact, there were many Awakeners who had suffered from serious illnesses and eventually died.

The diseases Awakeners suffered from were far more vicious than those of ordinary people.

Naturally, they could not be easily treated.

But Lemura could easily cure such diseases.

Naturally, countless people sought her out.

“The fate of the underground city will depend on how you handle things. I’m sure you’ll do well.”

“But you’ll help me a lot too, right?”

“If you need me, call anytime. I’ll come running immediately.”

“Thank you. And I respect you too, Oppa!”

“Out of nowhere?”

“Hehe! I’ve thought that for a long time.”

Lemura looked at Zeon with a bright smile.

A similar smile appeared at the corners of Zeon’s lips as well.