Kays Translations

Just another Isekai Lover~

Chapter 40: Money-Obsessed?

The moment the mention of cutting down trees reached the forest guardian, its massive, towering form seemed to dissolve into the very air and sky, vanishing in a cascade of pure, radiant energy that flowed directly into Stacie’s body.

A wave of guilt flickered across Stacie’s heart, but the forest guardian did not show the slightest hint of anger toward her. It seemed to understand her current situation perfectly and let out only a soft, contented hum, like the whisper of leaves in the wind.

The Windspeaker circled excitedly around her, relishing the chance to emerge into the open air. Its exhilaration was almost palpable, each beat of its wings stirring currents that made the nearby grass ripple.

“Dongdong is the forest guardian,” Stacie said affectionately, reaching out to stroke the Windspeaker’s sleek feathers. “It has a natural aversion to logging.”

“But don’t worry,” she added with a smile, “Fufu is more than willing to help.”

Merlin, watching with an amused expression, nodded. “Alright. We’ll give you one gold coin for every sturdy log you cut. The more you cut, the more you earn. Of course, you’ll also need to process the logs—strip the bark, and prepare them as usable building materials.”

Merlin didn’t mind hiring the elf girl in front of him. Even from a glance, it was clear that the contract spirit she had summoned was powerful.

Spirits, known as fairies in the lands of Aize, were rare elemental beings, each a cherished child of the world itself. Yet only those with a special innate talent could perceive them—or, as it was said, fairies chose to appear before those they deemed worthy.

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Every fairy was precious beyond measure. Unlike magical beasts, which could be forcibly bound in contracts, a fairy required consent to form a bond. Without mutual recognition, a contract was impossible. Merlin, for example, lacked the talent to sense fairies; he could never become a fairy master.

“One sturdy log for one gold coin?” Stacie’s eyes instantly lit up. Such a generous wage—she really had come to the right place.

“Yes,” Merlin confirmed. “But the logs must be properly processed. Strip the bark, and for the exact method, Gallant will guide you.”

Merlin gave Gallant a gentle nudge with his hand, pushing him toward Stacie.

Stacie blinked at Gallant with her bright, lively eyes. Gallant, seeing his goddess before him, felt his cheeks heat up with shyness. He stammered, words tripping over one another.

“Uh… well… um… I have some pre-processed logs here… you can, uh, use them as reference… Of course, if you’re not able to process them yourself, you could hire other students to handle it, though there’s a small fee… just two silver coins.”

He looked like a young man caught in the throes of first love, unable to meet Stacie’s gaze.

Stacie waved her hand dismissively, then flexed her arm in a confident motion. “Don’t worry—I’m quite skilled with woodworking.”

No way was she going to hand over two silver coins. That money had to be earned by her own hands.

Without wasting another second, she whistled sharply. Fufu, the Windspeaker, shot into the sky, wings slicing through the air as they approached a sturdy hardwood tree in the back mountains.

“Gale Blade!” Stacie whispered, swiping her hand with precise motion.

Fufu’s wings folded tightly, gathering a concentrated storm of wind around its emerald-green feathers, which shimmered with a vibrant green glow.

Then, with a sudden expansion of its wings, twin blades of wind erupted from Fufu, slicing cleanly through the tree trunk.

Crash!

The hardwood toppled, and Stacie’s delicate, pale fingers gestured gracefully, guiding miniature wind blades that danced around her. They darted to the fallen trunk, cutting away tangled branches and peeling away the bark with precision.

In just five or six minutes, a single processed log was ready, neatly placed before Merlin.

Wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead, Stacie let out a small sigh. “Phew… didn’t realize it would take this much effort.”

“Take this for time-consuming?” Merlin was stunned. Most people would take at least ten minutes to fell a hardwood, and half an hour to process it properly. But Stacie—five or six minutes a log—was astonishingly efficient.

“Impressive,” Merlin said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Stacie beamed and continued directing Fufu, who darted from log to log under her command.

The afternoon passed swiftly. By the end, drained of magic, Stacie sat atop the neatly processed logs, catching her breath. Just then, Jean waved to her.

“Stacie, time to get paid!”

At the mention of money, her spirits surged. She leaped from the logs. “Coming, coming!”

Merlin observed the scene. Freshmen dug foundations, while a few second-year students used earth magic to soften the soil for easier excavation. Merlin thought wryly how such talent might go to waste if not applied to construction.

“Stacie, today you processed twenty-three logs. Your speed even surpasses some second- and third-year students. Here’s your pay—twenty-three gold coins,” Jean said with admiration. The little girl had earned so much in just one afternoon, making him half want to go chop trees himself.

Eyes sparkling with greed, Stacie quickly tucked the shining coins into her handmade pouch.

“Thanks, Senior Jean.”

“Don’t thank me. You should thank Boss Merlin.”

“Thank you, Boss Merlin!”

Merlin waved his hand. “You earned every coin yourself. Seeing you so exhausted, go rest. We’ll need you again tomorrow.”

Stacie nodded earnestly. “Yes, yes! I’ll rest immediately, and I’ll come back tomorrow to work for you again.”

Merlin chuckled, thinking she might be worth hiring long-term—she seemed easy to persuade. “Alright, we’re counting on you tomorrow.”

Having spent the afternoon so productively, Stacie lingered a little longer on the empty field before leaving. Merlin glanced at the time, deciding it was late enough to head back to the dorm to rest.

“Jean, tomorrow, same place. Bring the carts. No need to wait for me after class; just sell directly. Same price as yesterday,” Merlin instructed before leaving. He intended to meet with Professor Harrington, hoping to be introduced to reliable alchemy students to build more alchemy furnaces.

The next day, as the alchemy class ended, Professor Harrington seemed to leave in a rush. Immediately, alchemy students poured out, sprinting with no regard for decorum.

Merlin barely had time to tidy up when he saw Kris and Fitt hurriedly snatch his alchemy notes from the desk, organizing them as they dashed out.