Chapter 19: I hope that the future will be filled with only happy things

I’d never held over 100 million won in my life,
nor spent 80 million in one go.

‘My hands are still shaking.’

Even long after the auction ended, my fingertips trembled.

‘But… this was a necessary investment.’

After cultivating thirty Lumina Bells, I’d gathered plenty of seeds.

I was thrilled that mass production was within reach,
but I’d been worrying about where to plant them all.

My tiny basement studio couldn’t fit another pot,
and even moving to a bigger place would only delay the same problem.

In that sense, the 80 million won was the ‘minimum investment’ for mass-producing Lumina Bells.

And there was another reason I poured such a sum into a gate everyone shunned.

“One side will be a Lumina field, the other a café.”

The gate’s location was perfect.

Situated in the heart of Seoul, surrounded by major guild headquarters and awakener facilities,
it was prime real estate.

Initially, I planned to grow Lumina Bells inside the gate and buy a nearby shop separately.

But why bother?

Why go through the hassle of acquiring a shop when I could turn the gate itself into a commercial space?

‘If it was once a tourist spot, the scenery must be stunning.’

I’d restore its natural beauty with my Cleanse skill and open a scenic café!

‘A café inside a gate—sounds fun, right?’

The café would just be bait.
Behind the scenes, I’d conduct discreet deals with regulars.

– We got a new rare flower in today… Want to take a look?
– Obviously. That’s the whole reason I came to this café.

I could already picture the conversations with my loyal customers.

With that excitement and anticipation,
I stepped into the gate.

What greeted me… crushed my hopes entirely.

“They seriously used this as a tourist spot?”

The gate was buried in trash—plastic bags, cans, bottles, flyers, fishing hooks—piled past my ankles.

Torn tents, broken speakers, and gas burners littered the ground, asserting their presence.

“The hologram didn’t show it this bad…”

The hologram at the auction must’ve shown the least ruined part of the gate.

Even then, no one else bid.

“…”

I stood frozen, staring at the wasteland, then reordered my priorities.

‘Restoring nature with Cleanse isn’t the issue.’

The urgent task was clearing this mountain of trash.

I spread out garbage bags and started picking up debris.

Cans in one bag, plastics in another, bottles stacked, boxes folded, fishing line rolled…

After what felt like over five hours, the trash pile still seemed endless.

“This might be too much for me alone.”

But I wasn’t worried.

I had two reliable workers.

—

“Alright, soldiers! Before us lies an army of trash! Today’s mission: annihilate the enemy! Are you ready?”

-Pipik!

At my words, Pristine Frost, the ice spirit, raised a hand in a crisp salute.

‘…Where’d she learn that?’

Without a hint of complaint, she dove into the cleanup.

Her eyes sparkled as she battled the trash,
unlike the Lumina spirit, who stared at it with dead fish eyes.

-Pii…

Its expression screamed disgust,
as if thinking, “Why should a princess like me…?”

-Pik!

Pristine’s sharp glare landed on the Lumina spirit, who was halfheartedly nudging trash with its foot, wings drooping.

‘She’s gonna get scolded again.’

Worried, I hurried over and whispered before Pristine could act.

“Help clean, and I’ll give you two bottles of purified water.”

-Pii…?

Its sagging wings perked up.

I pressed the advantage to boost its morale.

“Outclean Pristine, and I’ll add three more bottles. This deal won’t come again…”

-Pik… pii…

Counting on its tiny fingers, the Lumina spirit snapped to attention and grabbed a garbage bag.

Its once-dull eyes blazed with determination.

-Piit!

With a spirited cry, it charged into the trash pile.

“…That worked like a charm.”

Chuckling, I bent down and resumed sorting trash.

As the three of us worked diligently—

“Healer-nim, hello. I brought the purified water you requested.”

My first guest arrived.

The necromancer, Ha Doyeon, stood with an armful of purified water.

“Welcome, Necromancer-nim!”

I carefully took the bottles, then spoke hesitantly.

“I’m so sorry for getting these on credit. I’ll grow the flowers as fast as I can and get them to you…”

Needing mana potions for the purification, I’d ordered a ton of purified water from Doyeon, but there was a hitch.

All thirty Lumina Bells I’d grown were reserved for Sprout Guild.

I had no flowers to give her right now.

‘I feel awful…’

Credit wasn’t part of my trading principles.
But this time, I had no choice.

“We agreed on five flowers, but I’ll give you ten to cover interest!”

“Interest? No need. Take your time, don’t worry.”

Smiling, she waved off my concern, then surveyed the trash-filled gate.

“Is this… the gate you got at the auction?”
“Haha… yeah, that’s right.”

Her worried gaze lingered on the trash, then she gasped.

“…Oh! Spirits…!”
“Oh, those are my workers. Cute, right?”
“Workers!? You’re using spirits as workers!?”

Frozen for a moment, she nodded slowly.

“No wonder I sweat and feel drained around you… Now I get it.”
“Drained?”
“Oh, nothing!”

Changing the subject, she pointed at the trash pile.

“You’re planning to clear all this, right?”

Raising her skull-topped staff, she flashed a confident smile.

“I felt bad that you were losing out on our purified water and Lumina flower trade. Now I can repay that debt.”

A dark red magic circle formed around her.

Muttering ominous chants, she summoned three spectral beings.

A wraith in black armor.
A skeletal giant in a red cape.
And the grotesque boss that had terrorized me…

Pointing at the trash, Doyeon murmured in a low voice.

The summons charged, clearing trash at breakneck speed with thunderous steps.

“My summons will handle all this, so you and the spirits can rest.”

Seeing the boss that once filled me with dread now meekly picking up trash felt… surreal.

-Piik…!

Sharp frost crystals swirled around Pristine, perceiving the summons as threats.

Realizing they were just cleaning, she lowered her guard and approached curiously, inspecting them.

-Grooo…
-Grooo…

The summons, facing the tiny spirit, flinched and trembled, clearly unnerved.

“Hahaha…!”

Doyeon clapped, laughing hysterically.

“That’s hilarious… I’ve never seen them scared!”

Meanwhile, the Lumina spirit, determined to outdo Pristine, was frantically cleaning trash far off, fueled by the promise of purified water.

Watching it all,
a quiet warmth spread through my heart.

Doyeon, jumping in to help.
Her summons, clearing trash at lightning speed.
Pristine, giggling atop a summon.
The Lumina spirit, diligently cleaning despite its dislike, all for a bottle of water.

“…”

Just days ago, I’d wished a meteor would fall while I slept, ending it all.

Now, little moments of happiness were seeping into my life.

‘May it always be filled with happy things…’

With a silent prayer, I walked toward the Lumina spirit, still quietly cleaning.

I couldn’t let it work alone while I stood by.

.

.

Hours passed.

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, the gate’s trash was completely cleared.

“Healer-nim, I’ll head out now.”

Doyeon, having recalled her summons, bowed slightly.

“Please invite me back once the purification’s done. I’m dying to see how it turns out.”
“Of course! You’ll be the first I call!”
“Really? I’m thrilled…”

I escorted her to the gate’s entrance, her hands clasped in delight.

Taking a deep breath, I began the real purification work.

Without enough Lumina flowers to make mana potions in bulk,
I’d push my mana to its limit today.

Let’s start…
with the lake.

—

At the deepest part of the polluted lake,
a frail being struggled to breathe amid the toxic sludge.

‘It’s dark… scary… it hurts…’

Its faint bubbles would soon cease.

‘I want to live… someone, please save me…’

If that wasn’t possible,
then at least, in death,
let it see its homeland’s verdant scenery one last time…

As the small being teetered on the edge of consciousness,
the oppressive pollutants began to lift.

A beam of light pierced the water’s surface.

With fading vision, it looked up.

Above, a pure, warm green aura gazed down softly.

‘What… a spirit come to save me…?’

The curled-up being mustered its dwindling breath and rose.

In its eyes, a cautious spark of hope—long forgotten—began to flicker.