The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 16
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I'm resuming updates for Golden Haired Summoner now. However it's going to be either a 2 or 3 chapters per week release, unless it gets more reads then I will make it a 5x a week release.
“What are you doing, Jinny?”
“Huh?”
“What are you doing just sitting there daydreaming? You should be studying instead!”
A middle-aged woman with permed hair tied back and a plump face stood before me. Who is she?
“Who…?”
“What’s with this girl!”
*Smack!*
“Ouch!”
A stinging pain struck my back. Ow, ow, ow! It really hurt! Is it going to leave a bruise?
Startled by the sudden blow, I opened my eyes wide. When I heard the response that followed, I became even more confused.
“It’s your mom, of course! Were you dozing off?”
“Mom…?”
Mom? I stared at the person in front of me.
Ah, yes. My mom, who always had more gray hair than others her age, and constantly dyed it. Her hands were wrinkled… Why had I forgotten about her?
Without thinking, my body moved first. I reached out with both hands and hugged her tightly.
“Whoa, why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“Mom… Mom…!”
I clung to my startled mother even tighter as tears began to stream down my face.
Wait, hadn’t I promised someone that I wouldn’t cry? Who was that again?
“Geenie, what’s wrong?”
“Mom…”
As I leaned into her chest, my mind felt hazy, and everything started to blur.
“Yes, it’s your mom. What’s gotten into you?”
Ah, this feels so nice. I could stay here forever.
I burrowed deeper into her embrace, but suddenly, my mom pushed me away and stood up.
“Mom?”
“Geenie, my dear… you’ve grown up now, haven’t you?”
“No, no, I haven’t grown at all.”
I shook my head firmly. For some reason, I felt that once I grew up, I’d never be able to see my mom again.
So, I won’t grow up, Mom!
“No, my dear Jinny, you’ve grown up. Look how tall you are now.”
Suddenly, a ripple appeared between us and turned into a clear, shimmering mirror.
The image reflected in the mirror was a woman with long, golden hair reaching down to her waist and bright blue eyes. She had pale white skin, rosy lips, and a high, sharp nose—someone completely foreign, yet exotic.
“I don’t know this person, Mom! My eyes aren’t that big, and I don’t have such sharp features.”
“This is you, Jinny.”
“No, it’s not!”
I shook my head again, but then I felt the sensation of hair brushing against my cheek.
Was my hair always this long?
Without thinking, I reached up and grabbed the hair. It was vibrant, golden, and radiant. And the hand holding that hair—long, pale fingers… Whose hand is this? My hands aren’t this pretty.
I looked back at the mirror, and the woman in it mirrored my actions, holding her hair as she stared back at me.
But unlike me, she radiated confidence and strength, making me shrink back.
Jinny, listen to your mother. You are her, and she is you. Geenie and Jinny are one.”
“Geenie? Who is that?”
“She is another part of you. Just as you are my daughter, so is Geenie. You’re one and the same.”
“Geenie… is also your daughter?”
Mom smiled gently in response to my question, and the wrinkles around her eyes made my heart ache.
“Yes, both of you are my daughters.”
“I see. Then, I’ll become one with Geenie. I’ll be a woman like her.”
Ah, was the promise not to cry made with Geenie? No, if Geenie is me, then did I make that promise to myself?
It felt like someone was calling me, but as I thought about it, an overwhelming drowsiness washed over me. No, I can’t fall asleep yet. I need to stay with Mom a little longer.
“Genie, be happy.”
Yes, Mom. I… am happy.
I wanted to answer, but my mouth wouldn’t move. My eyes slowly closed, and everything went dark.
—
[Master! Master!]
Ugh, this is getting old! Rai’s voice woke me up, as usual.
I turned over in bed, covering my eyes with my hand.
“Just a bit… more…”
[Master! I finished making it last night! Isn’t it best to go at dawn?]
At Rai’s words, I shot up from the bed, wide awake.
“Really? You made it perfectly?”
[Yes, Master! It’s perfect! Just like you asked, you can use it multiple times.]
Hearing Rai’s confident reply, I quickly got out of bed. Alright! Today’s the day!
“Great, let’s go!”
[Master, wouldn’t it be better if you changed your clothes first…]
“Oh, right!”
Realizing what I was wearing, I hurried to open the wardrobe.
The first things I saw were dresses, either gifts from Eluzena and Mia or the ornate ones sent from home. Beneath them was a jewelry box filled with gems from various places, including those bestowed by the king as a graduation gift from Drike Academy.
Although my eyes lingered on the extravagant items for a moment, I quickly grabbed my usual armor. Humming to myself, I changed into it and sat in front of the vanity to brush my hair.
[Master, you seem to be in a good mood today.]
“Huh? Yeah, I guess I had a good dream, but I don’t really remember it.”
[A dream? What’s that, Master?]
My hair was a bit curly, so if I didn’t brush it every day, it would tangle easily. Like it or not, I had to brush my hair every morning. I used to leave it as it was when I was younger, but now that I’m older, I can’t do that anymore.
“Well, it’s something you experience while you sleep.”
[Huh, I wouldn’t know. I don’t sleep, after all.]
“Well, it might not be because of the dream. Maybe it’s just because you finished the item.”
[Haha! You’ll definitely love it, Master. I put all my effort into making it just for you.]
After setting down the brush, I braided my hair again. Leaving it loose wasn’t bad, but it was inconvenient when moving around, and it tangled too easily no matter how much I brushed it.
“All done. Let’s go, Rai!”
—
We rode up the mountain on horseback. Since I had already learned how to ride, it wasn’t difficult. In fact, I had come to enjoy it lately.
Now that I’m 19 and have graduated from Drike, I’ve taken on the position of a teacher in the summoning class, replacing Instructor El.
However, since there are no students in the summoning class, the role of teacher is mostly nominal. As a result, I have plenty of free time, which I’ve devoted entirely to training.
Instructor El has returned to the royal court as a summoner and is focusing all her efforts on summoning high-level spirits. But, Master! I’m going to get there first!
“Haha!”
[Master, why are you laughing?]
“Hmm, I just have a good feeling about today. Don’t you think so, Blondie?”
“Prrrr.”
The white horse I was riding was named Blondie.
Although its fur was white, there were hints of gold mixed in, reminding me of myself, so Bright gave it to me as a graduation gift from Drike.
Blondie was a very gentle horse, and, being of a good breed, it was also quite smart. It seemed to understand when I spoke to it, as it neighed and pranced in place.
By the way, Bright is now working as an assistant mage at the royal court after graduating from Drike. Most of his work involves replenishing mana in the warp zone.
I had considered becoming an assistant summoner at the royal court when I graduated, but I wasn’t ready to be tied down to the court just yet.
Well, the position of teacher at Drike is somewhat binding, but I figured that much was acceptable.
After riding for a while, I caught sight of the lake through the trees in the distance.
Somewhere around there, Rai had etched the summoning circle for the high-level water spirit, Endairon.
At 14, I made a contract with the mid-level water spirit, Undain. However, I only revealed this when I was 18, and now that I’m 19, my goal is to summon Endairon.
I’ve already failed twice, but I feel like today’s the day. The location is perfect, after all.
I hope that all the intense training I’ve endured will finally pay off today!
Every day, I’ve risked my life, pushing myself to the limit, all for this moment—to contract with a high-level spirit!
Once I have Endairon, the first thing I’ll do is find Rovenin Fedri… and finally get my revenge for that day. I swear it!
—
[Oh no! I forgot to make a path… What should we do, Master? We’ll have to go through the forest…]
Smack!
“Neighhh!”
I threw Rai from my shoulder right in front of Blondie. Blondie’s eyes widened, and she lifted her front hooves, as if preparing to trample Rai.
Yeah, trample him, Blondie!
[Hiii! Master, help me!]
“Whoa, calm down, Blondie.”
“Prrr… Prrrrr.”
As I patted Blondie’s long, sturdy neck to calm her down, I noticed Rai was half-buried in the ground.
Hmph, it was worth making Blondie’s horseshoes out of diamond. It cost a bit of mana, but it was worth it.
“You know what you did wrong, Rai, so you won’t complain, right?”
[Sob… You’re too harsh, Master… I just got so focused on drawing the summoning circle that I forgot…]
“Pfft.”
After smirking at Rai, I dismounted and made my way into the brush. Of course, I didn’t forget to give Rai a warning.
“Watch over Blondie while I’m gone.”
[Yes, ma’am…]
Leaving Rai’s weak response behind, I stepped into the forest.
The slope was steep, with large and small rocks scattered along the path, making it difficult to walk.
The place where I had Rai carve the summoning circle was behind Lake Varesa, a secluded area due to the sheer cliffs. Though many people came to enjoy the view from the front of the lake, few ventured to the back.
Due to the terrain, the back of the lake was hidden from view, making it a perfect place to draw a summoning circle.
“Ouch!”
But the path was difficult. A branch I had pushed aside snapped back and struck me in the forehead.
I briefly considered using Undain to sweep everything away, but I needed to conserve my mana for the contract with Endairon, so I dismissed the thought.
Mana was the only thing holding me back when it came to summoning spirits. Although my affinity had naturally increased thanks to my constant time with Rai, and my mental strength was overflowing, I lacked sufficient mana.
When I made the contract with Undain, it had been relatively easy due to my overwhelming affinity. But Endairon wouldn’t be so easily coaxed.
In spirit summoning, affinity is the most important factor.
A higher affinity reduces the amount of mana needed to summon a spirit or use spirit magic.
It also allows for contracts with spirits that are beyond one’s usual capabilities. My contract with Undain was one such case.
Though I lack mana, my high affinity compensates for it. Once I complete the contract, I won’t have to worry about mana as much. If I can just make the contract…
—
I lost my footing and slid down the leaf-covered ground, landing hard on my rear.
“Ouch! Seriously!”
The rough terrain made me worry even more about the climb back up later.
If Rai had only cleared the path, it would’ve been much easier to descend. But Rai, with his snake-like body, could slither anywhere, while I couldn’t.
He didn’t understand how difficult it was to climb a mountain with such a large body.
Hmph, next time, I’ll make him a much bigger body!
Rubbing my sore rear, I finally reached the bottom of the slope, where a rocky cliff awaited.
My carefully braided hair was a mess, and my clothes were covered in dirt, especially around my rear.
I sighed softly and looked around. The summoning circle should be nearby. I searched the boundary between the mountain and the rocky cliff but couldn’t find it.
Didn’t I tell Rai to carve it around here?
“Rai, you’re dead meat…”
I spotted the summoning circle at the base of the cliff and felt my anger boil over. How am I supposed to get down there? Did I say to carve it *below* the cliff?
“Tsk, Undain!”
I had no choice but to summon Undain. Water from the lake rose in a soft, jelly-like form and took the shape of a blue dolphin.
Undain, the mid-level water spirit, had a sleek body and a transparent, blue hue.
Undainswam through the air gracefully and approached me.
[Did you call for me, Master?]
Her voice was soft and gentle, distinctly feminine.
“Take me down there, Undain.”
[Climb aboard, Master.]
Undainturned her back to me, signaling for me to get on. I grabbed onto her fins, feeling a cool, squishy sensation, yet the grip was firm. However, no water seeped onto my hands.
Undaingracefully glided through the air and brought me to the base of the cliff in no time.
“Well done. You may go now, Undain.”
[Yes, Master. Please call me again soon.]
Undaindissolved into water, which flowed down the rocks and returned to the lake.
The ground was covered in jagged rocks, except for the area where Rai had carved the summoning circle, which was smooth and flat. He must have worked hard on it.
Since I hadn’t meditated that morning and had used up some mana, I sat down on the smooth surface of the circle to recharge.
Though there was no place to lean against, I didn’t mind. I straightened my legs, placed my hands on my lap, and closed my eyes, entering a meditative state.
The mana flowing through the area responded to my will and slowly entered my body, seeping through my skin. As I tried to control it, the mana resisted strongly.
The mana that had entered tried to leave again, but there was no way I would let it escape.
I forcefully pulled the mana deeper into my body, and it began to circulate throughout.
From my navel, it traveled down my legs to my toes, then back up past my navel, along my back, through my arms, and to the tips of my fingers.
After completing its cycle, it returned to my navel, rose to my head, circled around, and then descended once more.
After repeating this several times, the once rebellious mana became docile, like a lamb, and I guided it to my mana core, located just below my sternum.
The mana I had gathered swirled within me, constantly moving without rest, as if wanting to escape.
But the very fact that it swirled so vigorously helped me absorb more of the new mana.
The fresh mana I had drawn in was swept up in the vortex, and while some of it merged with my own, the rest naturally returned to the environment.
At this stage, I didn’t stop the outgoing mana. Just a small, imperceptible amount of mana accumulated in me. It wasn’t noticeable now, but someday, it would become a valuable reserve.
“Phew…”
My new clothes were soaked with sweat. I briefly considered washing up in the lake, but I didn’t want to lose this refreshing feeling before summoning Endairon.
Shaking off the dirt from my clothes, I reached into my backpack and pulled out a bottle of mana concentrate and a pouch of fairy dust.
The amount of mana concentrate was significant, and it had to be. The summoning circle for a high-level spirit is four times larger than that for a low-level one—about the size of a room.
Filling such a large summoning circle naturally required a lot of mana concentrate. This amount alone would cost an ordinary person a month’s worth of living expenses.
Fortunately, I had obtained it through Mia, so I didn’t know the exact price.
Before pouring the concentrate, I pulled out the paper on which I had copied the high-level water spirit summoning circle and carefully compared it to the one Rai had carved, checking for any mistakes.
Luckily, there were none. Satisfied, I began pouring the concentrate.
As I carefully moved along the lines, pouring bit by bit, I felt a sense of irritation rising. But this was my third attempt, and I had learned to be patient.
The first and second summoning circles had been destroyed after failing the summoning ritual.
Since I’m publicly known as someone who made a contract with a mid-level spirit only a year ago, it would cause trouble if someone discovered the summoning circle. I preferred to keep as much hidden as possible.
“It’s done!”
*Plop!*
After pouring all the mana concentrate, I tossed the empty container into the lake without a second thought. I was so tired of carrying it around.
With a shrug of my shoulders, I grabbed the pouch of fairy dust.
There was quite a bit of it, and since we weren’t in a sealed room, I brought extra to account for the wind.
This was something I had bought with my own money—around five gold, I think.
I fiddled with the dust, wondering how much to sprinkle, but then I grabbed a generous handful.
Might as well use it all. After all, I had my personal “bank” crawling around somewhere! (I assume you know what I mean by that.)
*Sprinkle, sprinkle.*
I scattered the dust liberally, even shaking the pouch over the summoning circle.
Since the circle was large, it required a lot of fairy dust. Fortunately, there was no downside to using extra. I remembered using only about half this amount last time, but I didn’t care.
Soon, the fairy dust settled on the mana concentrate, and the two substances merged, causing the summoning circle to glow. The intense arrangement of mana lit up the circle in a brilliant display.
“Oh spirit of the blue waters, with your powerful and steadfast healing strength, I call upon the forces of nature to bring forth your great power. In accordance with the ancient pact, answer my call!”
As soon as I finished the incantation, a massive chunk of my mana drained from my body.
At that moment, light exploded from the summoning circle. A gigantic shape began to rise from within. My heart pounded wildly, and my throat went dry.
During the last two attempts, the spirit had almost materialized, only to vanish at this crucial moment, leading to failure.
Afterward, I scoured every book related to spirits to find the cause, but the answer was always the same—insufficient mana.
The way to overcome this was through affinity and an overwhelming presence of water energy! This wasn’t the ocean, but this vast lake should be enough to satisfy Endairon.
“Come forth, Endairon!”
Please! I desperately wished for Endairon to appear. Was it my fervent desire, or the abundant water energy of the lake that helped?
As the light from the summoning circle faded, a colossal water dragon emerged.
It was a deep, ocean-like blue! Its enormous body left me in awe, and though its coils were tucked in, I estimated its length to be at least 20 meters.
Endairon had been described in books as a serpent, but the creature before me resembled an oriental dragon from my past life, minus the mystical pearl.
The lake rippled violently at Endairon’s arrival, and small stones scattered in all directions.
[Who dares… summon me…]
Endairon’s form wavered, flickering as if it might vanish at any moment.
I had only about half my mana left. To think I had barely managed to summon it, and it was still this unstable… Had all my effort been for nothing?
“It’s me! I’ve come to make a contract with you, Endairon!”
[You shall undergo… a trial.]
“A trial?”
Information about high-level spirits was scarce. Their exact appearances weren’t even well-documented.
There are 13 sword masters and 5 seventh-class mages known on the continent.
And there’s only one known high-level spirit summoner. Their numbers are incredibly rare. Because of this, the mention of a trial from a high-level spirit was something I hadn’t anticipated.
Before I could even express my confusion, Endairon brought its massive face right in front of me.
Damn it, one of its eyes is as big as my entire body! What is it trying to do?
Before I could figure out Endairon’s intent, its eyes, long and narrow like a cat’s, opened wide and fixed their gaze on me.
Despite its blurry body, Endairon’s eyes were crystal clear.
As I stared into those eyes, I felt as though I were being sucked into the depths of the ocean. My breath caught in my throat. Cold sweat ran down my back.
Is this what they call dragon fear, where even a mere gaze can kill? My entire body tensed, as if it were about to burst.
Why am I like this? I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t respond.
Being unable to move my body as I wanted was a terrifying sensation, and I summoned all my willpower to move.
My hand trembled violently as I barely managed to grasp it with my other hand, but the pain was excruciating, as if my wrist was about to snap.
As I forced myself to move, my muscles screamed in protest.
[What is your name?]
Suddenly, Endairon asked for my name, but my lips wouldn’t move.
I felt an overwhelming pressure. Sweat poured down my body like rain.
“My… name… is…”
[Your name?]
I could barely force my lips to move, and even then, it was a struggle.
Dammit! This is so frustrating…
“Urgh! Just let… go… now…”
I wanted to shout in anger, but it wasn’t easy. I felt like I was going to lose it.
[Your name?]
Is this thing ignoring me? Does it think it can just do whatever it wants because it’s a high-level spirit? Just say it already!
“My name… is Geenie Crowell! Now release me, you…!”
[Very well, Geenie Crowell. I accept you as my master.]
“Good, now… disappear!”
[As you wish.]
My heart, which had been racing, felt as though it was coming to a stop. I couldn’t breathe.
But soon, the suffocating pressure that had bound my body vanished like a passing breeze as Endairon disappeared.
*Thud!*
“Huff… Huff…”
What the hell just happened?
I collapsed onto the ground, dazed for a while.
Did I just do that? Did I make the contract? Was that the trial? Judging by the amount of mana left, it had only been a few seconds.
But to me, it had felt like several minutes—no, maybe even an hour.
The intense pressure had made time crawl, and my body had felt like it was dead weight, refusing to move. Was it a dream?
I tried moving my fingers. They were a bit stiff, but they moved.
My mana core was still empty. It didn’t seem like a dream. So… did I make the contract?
Ah, I did. Only then did I realize that I had successfully made a contract with Endairon.
But instead of feeling happy, it felt like I was reading a passage from a story: “He did this. She did that.”
Maybe it was because Endairon had been so much larger and fiercer than I had imagined, or perhaps because of its oppressive presence?
My mind still felt foggy as I stared blankly at the calm lake.
The serene, still water. Should I go for a swim?
The sudden thought appealed to me. The water was clear and clean.
Besides, after meditating and dealing with Endairon, my clothes were drenched in sweat.
I jumped to my feet and peeled off the sweat-soaked clothes, feeling the cool breeze against my bare skin. Suddenly, my mind cleared.
*Splash.*
As I dipped my toes into the water, a refreshing sensation washed over my body. I finally felt like I was awake. Yes, I did it!
“Woohoo!”
*Splash!*
Feeling a surge of happiness, I let out a joyful cry and dove into the water.
The water rose up to my neck, and I submerged my face beneath the surface. The cool water flowed over every inch of my skin, even soaking into my mind.
How refreshing. Ah, it feels like the whole world belongs to me.
As I soaked in the blissful feeling, I had the faint sense that someone was behind me. My clothes are back there, right? Are there goblins in this mountain?
Just in case, I climbed out of the water and turned to look behind me.
Huh? For a moment, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Why is *he* here?
Standing right on top of my discarded clothes was a familiar figure.
He was staring intently at the summoning circle, as if trying to figure out what it was, while holding… my underwear.
Wait, I’m still wearing the bottom part, so that means… the top…
I felt my eye twitch as I tried to figure out how to handle this situation.
At that moment, the figure standing on the summoning circle turned around and looked at me.
His brown hair shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and his purple eyes stared right at me. His pale skin still looked as flawless as ever.
“Geenie?”
“…”
Seriously, Bright. Just look at the summoning circle or something. And give me my underwear back, you pervert!
*Splash!*
“Kyaaah!”
—
The scream should’ve been mine.
Bright’s loud scream echoed across the lake.
—
It was a bright and sunny day, perfect for a leisurely outing.
But there was one person whose sour expression didn’t match the beautiful weather as they looked out the window of a carriage.
“Bright!”
It was Bright, the young man who had become a royal court assistant mage in Dmitri. At the age of twenty-five, he had already reached the level of a fifth-class user and was regarded as a rising star.
But despite the rare outing, his expression was far from cheerful.
Calling his name with a flushed face was a young woman sitting beside him.
“What is it?”
“Is there something to see outside? Why do you keep staring out the window? Wouldn’t you rather have a deep discussion about magical theory with me…?”
“Be quiet!”
At Bright’s cold reply, the woman’s eyes welled up with tears. She was a young lady three years younger than Bright, also responsible for the warp zone. At 22 years old, she was a beautiful fourth-circle user with remarkable skill for her age.
“Hey, Bright, don’t you think you’re being too harsh? You should treat a lady gently.”
The man who spoke was a fifth-circle master who oversaw the warp zone mages, Lord Roald Kenyon.
He was Bright’s uncle.
Upon hearing his words, the young woman nodded as if to say she agreed.
“Don’t say that, Uncle! We’re mages, not knights. I can’t stand those who wield swords!”
“Hmph, you’re too prickly… Whether you’re a knight or not, a man should treat a woman with kindness. Just like how I won over your aunt.”
“Won over? That’s not the best choice of words. Should I tell Aunt about that?”
“Hmph, go ahead! And I’ll tell your father a little something in return.”
Bright’s expression shifted slightly, but he quickly smirked, unfazed.
“And what would you tell him?”
“About how you gave that white horse to a girl!”
Roald squinted his eyes and grinned mischievously as he spoke. Bright jumped in shock and opened his mouth to protest.
“T-That’s because the horse wouldn’t follow me!”
“Haha! We all know you’re smitten with that summoner girl. Who else would give a woman a birthday present they got from their father?”
“Don’t call me a boy! I’m 25, Uncle! And… and yes, I’m smitten, but…”
Bright’s face turned red, and he couldn’t continue speaking. The young woman sitting beside him looked surprised and asked,
“A summoner? Who is she? What class is she?”
“You have no business knowing that!”
Bright shouted, clearly irritated. It was obvious he was angry. Once again, Roald stepped in to mediate.
“Come now, what’s the harm in telling her? She might become your rival. Our family is full of mages, so your father would prefer a mage daughter-in-law over a summoner. And by the way, Arwen, summoners aren’t classified by circles like mages.”
“Oh, really?”
It seemed the young woman’s name was Arwen. Meanwhile, Bright’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, as if his head was about to explode.
“Now then, Bright, what can this summoner summon?”
Bright, who had been on the verge of losing his temper, suddenly seemed eager to boast and quickly replied,
“She’s an incredible summoner! She’s only 19, but she’s already able to summon a mid-level water spirit! She made the contract last year.”
“A mid-level water spirit? Is that impressive, Lord Roald?”
“Well, water spirits are known to be the most difficult to summon. And… a mid-level spirit would be comparable to a fifth-class mage, I suppose? So she’s about on par with you, Bright.”
“Of course! She’s amazing! A wonderful woman.”
In his excitement, Bright had completely forgotten about his earlier anger and practically shouted.
“But what about the horse…?”
Just as Roald was about to offer some advice, he suddenly furrowed his brows and looked out the window.
For a few seconds, he stared outside, his eyes narrowing, before he tilted his head and settled back into his seat.
“What is it, Uncle?”
“What’s the matter, Lord Roald?”
As Roald sat back down, both Bright and Arwen eagerly asked.
“Well, it’s just… I thought I felt a strong flow of mana coming from behind Lake Varesa. It’s hard to say for sure since it’s quite far away.”
“Lake Varesa? Isn’t that where we’re headed?”
Arwen asked nervously.
“Yes, but we’re heading to the front side. The back is inaccessible, unless you take the right path at the upcoming fork and cross the mountain. It’s not a place people usually go.”
“The back of Lake Varesa… isn’t that the rocky mountain area? Uncle, how strong was this flow of mana?”
“Well, if I had to guess… I’d say it was on the level of a seventh-class spell. But again, I can’t be sure.”
At the mention of a seventh-class spell, Bright’s eyes widened in excitement, and he eagerly spoke.
“Let’s go check it out! Let’s go, Uncle! It’s far more exciting than some casual outing, isn’t it?”
“You fool! I came here to relax!”
“Uncle! Mages live for research and die for curiosity, don’t they? Let’s go! If it seems too dangerous, we can always turn back.”
“Hmph, but we’d need Arwen’s permission as well…”
Roald sighed, and Bright turned to Arwen with a hopeful look in his violet eyes, practically begging her to agree.
“Well… I’d like to go too, Lord Roald.”
Clearly harboring feelings for Bright, Arwen couldn’t refuse and timidly voiced her consent, hoping Bright might thank her.
But as soon as she gave her approval, Bright immediately opened the window leading to the coachman and gave instructions.
“Change course! Head to the back of Lake Varesa!”
“Huh? But that’s the mountain path…”
The coachman asked, confused.
“Just go! Take the right fork ahead!”
*Smack!*
Without waiting for the coachman’s response, Bright shut the window and hummed to himself, clearly in high spirits as he stared out the window.
Meanwhile, Arwen pouted in frustration, and Roald chuckled at the scene.
—
After climbing for a while, the path became a bit rough, but the incline wasn’t too steep, so it was manageable. As they ascended further, the view of Lake Varesa came into sight in the distance.
Bright, who had been keeping a close watch out the window, suddenly widened his eyes in shock.
Not far ahead, tied to a tree, was a familiar white horse. If his eyes didn’t deceive him, that was the horse he had gifted to Geenie.
As the carriage neared the horse, Bright hastily ordered the driver to stop.
“Bright?”
“Where are you going, Bright?”
As he got out of the carriage, the other two followed suit.
Ignoring them, Bright approached the horse, but the moment he drew near, it reared up and began to kick wildly.
“Neigh! Prrr!”
“Is this… Blondie?”
Seeing the horse’s extreme agitation, Bright was certain.
This was indeed the horse he had given to Geenie. Strangely enough, Blondie never reacted this way to anyone else, but whenever Bright approached, she became aggressive.
It was one of the reasons he had gifted the horse to Geenie. In a way, Blondie reminded him of Geenie.
That meant Geenie was nearby.
Bright looked around, searching for any trace of her, and soon spotted a trail leading into the forest. He immediately dashed into the woods.
*Crunch!*
He stepped on something round and slipped, but he didn’t care. He hurried down the forest path, Arwen’s scream ringing out behind him.
“Kyaah! A snake! There’s a snake!”
“Oh, it’s a fine, nutritious snake.”
(Tune: “A snake, a snake, oh what a tasty snake…”)
Ignoring both Arwen’s shriek of terror and Roald’s delighted remark, Bright hurried deeper into the forest.
There were signs that someone had slipped and fallen multiple times. Could they be Geenie’s tracks?
Bright quickened his pace.
After descending a bit further, he arrived at a rocky cliff. The ground was a mix of dirt and stone, but there was no one in sight.
Looking down the cliff, he spotted an unfamiliar circle etched into the stone, with bits of cloth scattered around it.
“I command the skies. Fly!”
Using a flight spell, Bright descended easily to the bottom of the cliff and picked up one of the cloth pieces.
It was a long, soft strip of fabric. All he could tell was that it was delicate and typically used for women’s clothing.
Tilting his head in confusion, Bright turned his attention to the circle carved into the stone.
“Rune script? No, that’s not it. What is this?”
At first glance, the script resembled runes, but it was far more intricate.
The beautiful characters were deeply etched into the rock. And faintly but unmistakably, there was the scent of mana concentrate—or rather, mana essence—lingering in the air.
Recognizing the scent, Bright traced the carvings on the stone circle. The lines were deep and clean, but he couldn’t tell what had been used to carve them.
Why was something like this here? What were these cloth scraps? And was this circle related to the mana flow his uncle had sensed earlier?
As Bright’s mind raced with endless questions typical of a mage…
*Splash!*
The sound of water splashing behind him broke his concentration.
In his focus on the summoning circle, he had forgotten that this area was by the lakeside. Bright turned around and looked toward the lake. Could it be a large fish…?
“Geenie?”
“…”
The glittering golden hair and vivid blue eyes were unmistakably Geenie’s.
She was standing in the water, arms crossed over her shoulders. Her pale, rounded shoulders stood out starkly. Wait… pale, rounded… bare shoulders?
*Splash!*
“Kyaaah!”
The water around Geenie rippled as she splashed, and her long, golden hair floated on the surface, obscuring her body. That was fortunate, though also… unfortunate.
Before Bright could stop himself, a scream escaped his lips.
He quickly turned away, only to see that Roald and Arwen had also descended the cliff and were now standing there with their mouths agape, having also spotted Geenie.
Roald, who must have arrived during the part where Bright called out Geenie’s name, suddenly spoke.
“She’s… quite a fine woman, indeed.”
“Uncle! You… Fireball! Feel the fury of the flames!”
*Boom!*
A fireball exploded at Roald’s feet, causing part of the cliff to collapse.
*Sigh…*
Bright heard someone sigh beside him, though he wasn’t sure who it was.