Chapter 299 - Nicole’s New Task

"Once it fails, this place will turn into a cage." Lord Virginia, with her rich associative skills, lit up as she continued, "The fools you mentioned? Are you referring to the followers of Chiaranlisha? You plan to unlock the Mystlock Locks and let them in on purpose?"Those who knew Gaven was in Weizemay Manor and bore a grudge against him, the ones who would send assassins, were only the devotees of the Goddess of Undead Vengeance.

"There’s no need to completely unlock the Mystlock Locks, just open them up for the Dwarves Elves. The followers of the Goddess of Undead Vengeance mainly gather in the Dark Domain, among those very Dwarves," Gaven said with a proud face.

In the Consciousness Sea, the key to the Weizemay Manor was being endowed, and this option was selectable and had already been set up, just waiting for the fish to swim right into it.

"Everything that reaches your hands, you play with in new ways. A perfectly fine Mystlock Lock, you’ve actually managed to use it as a trap." Lord Virginia couldn’t help but shake her head, offering a silent prayer for the followers of the Goddess of Undead Vengeance for three seconds.

If they weren’t cautious, they would likely fall hard, judging by what she knew about the man before her.

The strategies he prepared were all linked together. He enjoyed laying out idle pieces and being prepared for everything. The moment the Mystlock Locks were disengaged, it would mean the interior of Weizemay Manor would be layered with defenses, traps everywhere, pits everywhere, and even a small-scale army would find no exit once they entered.

But such a style of acting is really likable... Haha... She was almost eager to see the situation when the adversaries would show up at the door.

The second wave of reinforcements that Lord Virginia teleported in were Pikespirits, four Pikespirits, and three Dragonized Aircraft Carrier Insects that had been subjected to a Shrinking Spell.

The three Pikespirits were Bishop, Blair, and Jennifer, one at level eight and two at level seven in the Druid Profession.

They were the result of a three-for-three exchange between Gaven and Nectar Village. After signing a covenant with the Dragonized Aircraft Carrier Insects, they swore to pledge their loyalty to Gaven for a century.

With them on board, the defensive force on the Weizemay Manor side was essentially in place.

Gaven was confident that with them, he could hold off an assault by a hundred Elite troops.

If there were too many enemies, it wouldn’t be a fight with them; instead, he would simply drag Weizemay Manor into the Shadow Plane to avoid disaster.

As for the extra Pikespirit, it was none other than Nicole. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs ɴovᴇl(F)ɪre.ɴet

"Why are you here and not in the Dragon Oak Dream Realm working on your designs?" Nicole wasn’t within Gaven’s call-up range; she was a typical internet addict, spending most of her time immersed in the Dragon Oak Dream Realm.

"Now, even if I’m not in the Dragon Oak Dream Realm, I can create whatever I want whenever I want. Look at this." Nicole said proudly, doing a flip in the air and completing a change of outfit.

She had donned a silver shimmering princess dress, the fabric of which was quite special. It looked like Star Cotton but was shinier and had a touch of leather-like texture. It seemed to have a life of its own, moving with Nicole’s twirls, enhancing her extraordinary Charisma.

Gaven was surprised and said, "Stellar material? Psychic Minor Creation Art? Have you turned into a Psychic Sorcerer Creator?"

Even though he had never seen Star Material extracted from the Starry Realm, it didn’t stop Gaven from recognizing the essence of the princess dress Nicole was wearing.

It was clearly something she had just molded out of thin air using her Special Ability.

"Hehe..." Nicole chuckled proudly, "Didn’t expect that, did you?"

"I truly didn’t," Gaven acknowledged earnestly, nodding. The thought had crossed his mind after all.

Although Nicole’s Intelligence Attribute wasn’t low, compared to her already Transcendent Charisma, and soon-to-be Transcendent Perception, there was still a significant gap. Moreover, the Fae Race naturally had an advantage in the Druid Profession.

Even if she hadn’t pursued the path of a Druid, with Virginia there, there was a greater possibility that she might have followed the path of a Mage instead.

"It’s all because of you," Virginia looked at Gaven with a roll of her eyes. "A perfectly good budding Druid has been led astray by you."

"It’s not Mr. Gaven’s fault; it was my own choice," Nicole quickly defended Gaven, "Compared to a Druid or a Mage, a Psychic Sorcerer Creator suits me best. It allows me to create what I desire, not just limited to the Dragon Oak Dream Realm. Even if the dream realm feels real, it’s not reality; everything still comes back to this world."

Gaven couldn’t help but think of Nicole’s extraordinary creativity upon her words, and indeed, the profession of a Shaper seemed extraordinarily fitting for her.

He also couldn’t help but agree, "What suits you is the best, and maybe Nicole will truly carve out a path that is her own."

Virginia sighed and said, "I don’t oppose Nicole changing her profession to Psychic Sorcerer; the problem is, she has now become a role model, and many other Fae of her race have also taken an interest in Psychic Sorcerers.

Many of them did not give it as much thought as Nicole but are purely attracted by the novelty. If they also make the same choice, they might end up taking a detour. Until this fad fades away, Nicole should refrain from returning to the Dragon Oak Dream Realm.

It would be perfect for you two to complement each other and exchange views on the Special Abilities of different factions."

Considering the Fae Race’s child-like fickleness and short attention span, Virginia’s concerns were not unfounded.

They might make such a choice on an impulse, but not every Fae is suited to be a Psychic Sorcerer; Druids are their optimal choice.

Even Magicians fit under Spellcasters, requiring to delve calmly into one’s own spirit or bloodline for power, a quality most Fae lack.

The Druid Profession, however, is ingrained in their way of life; in fact, their lifestyle closely resembles that of Druids.

Which is easier to achieve, it goes without saying.

Without Nicole’s heated presence to stoke their fervor, those of the Fae Race might cool their heated brains.

I believe it won’t be long before most will change their minds.

The remaining steadfast ones may be special beings like Nicole, capable of walking an exceptional path.

"Mm-hm," Nicole nodded eagerly, looking at Gaven with anticipation. "Can you teach me your Psychic Bullet? The control ability of this special ability is perfect for my Stellar Construction."

"Psychic Bullet is a second-level ability that you can’t learn yet. However, I can teach you the simplified version, Psychic Blast. And also share the secrets of your Stellar Construction and Psychic Minor Creation Art," Gaven was generous with his legacy.

Although they’re just two first-level abilities, they are fundamental to the Creator’s skill set. Especially the Stellar Construction, which involves the extraction and shaping of star material. Once mastered, even if some unique Creator abilities are beyond reach, they can produce other variations, turning things like the Crystal Cluster into their regular versions without the need for Spirit Crystal Stones.

"I’d love that!" Nicole’s enthusiasm wasn’t hidden; she was brimming with eagerness.

"Good, because I have a job for you," said Gaven. With Nicole’s arrival, there was no reason to idle. "I need uniform attire for everyone in our manor: maid attire for maids, work clothes for workers, battle gear for combatants, and leisure wear for relaxation."

"Maid attire? Work clothes? Battle gear?" Nicole’s eyes sparkled at the mention of her specialty. "Are there any specifics? It won’t be like what they’re wearing, will it?"

Nicole was referring to Estelle’s maid attire, unable to hide her disdain. Not only was the material coarse, but the craftsmanship was rudimentary, with rough and large stitching exposed, as unsightly as could be. Even the Pikespirit men, who knew nothing of tailoring, could produce finer garments than these.

"No frills or fanciness," Gaven quickly added, recalling Nicole’s usual design aesthetic. "Avoid all unnecessary embellishments, especially lace and the like. The most important qualities are durability, practicality, and ease of mass production; aesthetics are secondary."

"Ah?" Hearing these requirements, Nicole’s enthusiasm plummeted. "Such designs aren’t needed if they’re just close-fitting; the primary focus should not be design, but material. As long as the material is durable and sturdy, simple assembly will suffice."

"That mindset is a grave mistake. The simpler the object, the more it can reveal a person’s proficiency in that area. There’s a term ’Less is More.’ When you convey the most complex ideas and thoughts with the simplest of items, your ability is truly polished.

Especially this work attire, which will best showcase skill, as its use will be widespread. Just imagine the spectacular sight of thousands, all clad in the clothes you designed, toiling together.

Picture walking through rural fields or city streets, seeing everyone wearing your designs. What kind of sight would that be?" Even Gaven, as he spoke, was caught up in the excitement, his own inspiration bursting forth.

It has already been mentioned.

In Felen, there is a stark dichotomy in lifestyle.

Fashionable, luxurious silks, laces, and magical fabrics such as Radiance Cloth and Night Silk from the Fairy Wilderness do exist.

However, their prevalence is quite low.

The value of Radiance Cloth and Night Silk is so high that even among the Fae Race, they are valued like precious metals, not to mention in the material world where the flag of the Dragon Oak Territory that adorns Thornspike is, disregarding everything else, made of materials worth a fortune and impossible to buy even with wealth.

The clothing of the common folk is mostly made of cotton or linen; animal skins are rather expensive, and most garments are handmade at home.

Many places’ mechanization is at a standstill, limited to water wheels, mills, windmills.

The stagnation of mechanization is mainly due to two reasons.

First is the isolation of settlements where various sentient beings reside, often forming self-sufficient agricultural economies that lack the stimulus of a large market; naturally, the development of industrialization is slow.

Second is the undeniable role of magic. Once someone acquires the ability to cast spells, they transcend into two worlds. Things that are ordinarily complex can be easily solved with a single spell.

But since regular people cannot cast spells, no matter how sophisticated the spells, they do nothing to help the overall industrial system, instead creating a form of passive resistance.

Gaven deeply understands this. Initially, with the Gnolls.

Before the Dragon Seeking Ritual Ceremony and the emergence of a large number of Gnolls capable of using spell-like abilities.

Life was as primitive as it gets, with efficiency at rock bottom.

But with the initiation of the Dragon Seeking Ritual Ceremony, an influx of Gnolls skilled in spell-like abilities emerged, boosting quality of life, medical standards, and workplace efficiency.

Once they connected with the Fae Race of the Fairy Wilderness, various spells were seamlessly integrated into every aspect of life.

For any issue, the first solution considered was magic.

If a spell could solve the problem, all other options were disregarded.

Even with Gaven’s background from an advanced industrial society, with knowledge and insight to match, he often failed to recall or create new means of production or lifestyle.

Only when he returned to human society, ready to face a crowd of ordinary individuals, the majority of whom lacked bloodline powers or spell-like abilities to exploit, the only resources available were their capacity to learn, create, and their relatively large population.

Good tools can exponentially increase productivity and deserve extra consideration.