NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 38
I came back from doing laundry, and what a funny sight it was.
Two pretty girls were awkwardly sitting apart, fidgeting as they glanced at each other with their eyes full of unspoken words, just like students sitting next to a friend they just met at the beginning of a new semester.
It’s a talent to summon a spirit that looks just like you.
Master! Help! The desperate look on Lena’s face made me feel like I really needed to step in.
I swear, this awkward atmosphere feels like it’s contagious!
“You summoned a spirit, huh? Good job.”
“Eh, eh-hehe. Th-thank you… but, Master. Um. Uh…”
Lena, who was hesitating, rushed over to me.
What was she planning to whisper to me, tiptoeing and all?
“Uh, do all spirits act like this?”
“What do you mean by ‘act like this’?”
“Ah, um. They… don’t talk. And… um.”
“Are they generally this cold? It varies from one to another.”
“R-really? D-did you not form a contract, Master?”
“Me?”
I raised my hand and summoned the spirit I had contracted using my mana.
– Gwahahahaha! You summoned me?! Wow~! Where the heck is this place? Hmm~! It smells so much like nature! But seriously, how could you leave me in the spirit realm for so long after forming a contract? If you keep this up, I’ll be in serious trouble. Pffft! Gwahahahaha~! You see? The main actress from a play I did once acted like this! Huh? But who’s this? Oh my gosh~! Such amazing mana! If I hadn’t contracted with you, I’d want to contract with you right now! Hi there! Miss? Are you happy? I’m a water spirit! Want to guess my name? Gwahaha! Why that face?~! Lee Hyun. Lee Hyun! So cute~. I can’t help but want to gobble you up! But from now on…
I sent the chaotic spirit back. I swear my ears were going to burst.
After a moment of silence, Lena looked a bit overwhelmed.
“D-do spirits usually act… like this…?”
“Not necessarily… It varies from one to another.”
I didn’t think a chatterbox like that would show up when I first formed the contract. I considered contracting with another spirit because of how talkative it was, but it turned out that its basic and growth stats were double compared to other spirits, plus it was a rare water spirit. Looking back, maybe I made the right choice.
“Oh, I see…”
“Well, if you’re not satisfied with the current spirit, you can always summon another one.”
Even if a chatterbox with golden retriever levels of friendliness is troublesome, having a silent one can also be exhausting, especially considering Lena’s personality; it would be tough for her to approach anyone first. That situation wouldn’t help build her rapport with the spirit in the long run.
“Then… I guess I should… do that.”
Nodding slightly, Lena approached the spirit.
To dismiss a spirit, you just need to retract the mana infused in the ring. Now that she knew how, she should just do it…
So why was she hesitating?
*
I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Was it really right to send back the spirit that had come all this way?
Lena was sneaking glances at the wind spirit awkwardly sitting next to her.
The wind spirit was doing the same, looking a bit scared and subdued.
It was carefully watching for cues, just like Lena did herself.
“Uh, um… hey…”
Jolt. Just speaking made her shoulders tremble.
The beautiful green girl shrank away.
“…Hah. Huh. I… um. I don’t have anything to say…?”
Once she started talking, Lena fell silent.
How long had it been? In that unbearable silence, Lena waited. Just like Master Lee Hyun had waited for her.
– …I. I am…
After what felt like ages, the green girl opened her mouth.
How much courage did it take? How much strength did she muster?
– …Uh. I… don’t really know how to, um, talk… I’m not good at speaking, either…
“……”
– I… have always been… alone. So… I’ve never… formed a contract before… So… so…
“Y-you finally… gathered your courage.”
Lena faltered too, but the green girl didn’t point it out.
Perhaps they didn’t feel uncomfortable since they were alike.
– Ah. Um. I… I understand that I’m frustrating. You might not want to form a contract… um, I understand that.
Lena silently gazed at the green girl.
This spirit was just like her.
A girl who thought social interactions were awkward and had always been alone.
Lena knew all too well how painful and frightening that can be.
‘If it hadn’t been for Master…’
She glanced away.
If it weren’t for Master Lee Hyun, she would have lived like this girl, alone for her entire life.
She would have always envied others.
Master had reached out to her.
Then, didn’t she also need to extend a hand to someone?
‘But someone like me…’
Feelings of unworthiness pricked at her heart.
Was it really right for someone who hadn’t even lived up to her potential to reach out and try to save someone else?
Unconsciously, Lena turned to look at Lee Hyun.
– What matters is how you choose to act.
At that moment, Lee Hyun’s words echoed in her mind. Whether to reach out or not was up to her.
The girl in front of her was looking at her.
Not at Lee Hyun.
Then it was time for her to decide. Lena squeezed her eyes shut.
According to Master’s words, she could summon another spirit, maybe one that was more sociable.
No, maybe that would be better after all.
For someone like her, lacking confidence and struggling to connect with others, a spirit like that would be a better match.
But what would happen to this girl?
Would she have to live in the spirit realm forever, without anyone rescuing her?
Just like Lena would have, had she not met Lee Hyun.
Would she have to resent herself for her entire life?
‘That can’t be…’
Lena reached out her hand. The green girl looked at the white hand that came toward her. The wind spirit gently raised her head.
“Um, uh. I… Is it okay if… y-you form a contract with me…?”
– …Is it really… okay?
“Y-yes, yes!”
– …Th-thank you! My name is… Silphid. Um, call me whenever!
The once fearful green spirit, Silphid, smiled brightly and took Lena’s hand.
At that moment, the winds of mana began to swirl around Lena.
Feeling it, Lena closed her eyes.
This has to be good, right?
“Lena, did you just form a contract?”
“Y-yeah.”
As Silphid, who told her name, disappeared, Lee Hyun approached.
What if Master is disappointed? Lena hesitated. While she kept her eyes shut, she tilted her head at the hand resting on her head.
“Eh?”
“Well, that was your choice. Just make sure you get along from now on.”
She wasn’t scolded. That alone made Lena smile brightly.
.
.
.
A month passed after forming a contract with the wind spirit Silphid.
Since forming the contract, it seemed like she was absorbing the natural mana faster.
Thanks to that, her magic skills had progressed rapidly; she had fully mastered basic magic.
“I feel like I’m getting used to the shadow spear and multi-casting.”
“Y-yeah…”
Reciting spells in her mind and interpreting them in multiple ways to realize them.
It wasn’t easy, but somehow she managed to do it.
“Um, er, will this… be enough?”
“It’s more than enough. Leaving aside the shadow spear, you’re better at multi-casting than I am.”
I meant it.
Lena’s multi-casting reminded me of that terrifying dark magic barrage from the game; it was nothing short of a monster’s magic.
‘She casts one spell, and it rains magic arrows in the hundreds?’
No matter how much she had contracted with a spirit to absorb natural mana better, this was something only possible with tremendous talent.
If she kept progressing like this, it would only take her a year to meet her goal, I concluded.
“How about we finish the lesson here for today and head to the village?”
“W-whoa, whoa!”
Lee Hyun chuckled at the delighted Lena.
“We’re going to the hot springs too.”
“Aahhhh…”
“Let’s soak in the hot water and relieve our fatigue… And we’ll have dinner in the village. Order whatever you like.”
“R-really?!”
“Yeah. You’ve completely mastered the basics of multi-casting, so I’ll treat you to something nice.”
“Oh! I’m so excited!”
With that, Lee Hyun took the delighted Lena and headed to the village. As they passed through the tranquil village and arrived at the market area, something unusual caught our attention.
“Hmm?”
A group of adventurers.
What are adventurers doing here? Are they here to cause trouble like last time?
I carefully placed a hand on my sword’s hilt and noticed one of them talking to Luceia.
‘Those adventurers were after Luceia’s necklace last time, right?’
Were they of the same kind?
If so, they’d have to deal with me. Just as I thought that and approached…
“Lee Hyun! Come here!”
“What is it, sister?”
“These people…”
“Greetings. I am Valtein, a senior adventurer affiliated with the Adventurers’ Guild. We’re looking to purchase this necklace from this lady because it’s the key to ruins we’ve been seeking.”
Was it because of the intense aura around me?
Valtein, who had been trying to talk to Luceia, spoke politely, and I gave Luceia’s necklace a scrutinizing look.
“Hmm…”
“This is my late husband’s keepsake. I can’t give it up.”
“Could you at least let us borrow it for a moment?”
“Why should I trust you to borrow it?”
Luceia appeared very guarded.
Rorian, who was next to her, seemed to recall something from the past and started to choke up.
“Hmm… Luceia, why don’t you let me take the necklace? I swear I’ll return it.”
“Eh? I can trust Lee Hyun, but…”
Luceia nodded and handed the necklace to me.
After I received it, I lifted the necklace and spoke to Valtein.
“We’d like to participate in the ruins exploration as well.”
I subtly glanced at Lena.
It would be a great opportunity to train Lena.