The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 41

Hansen, who had been sipping a drink, turned around.

He couldn’t hide his delight either.

He was currently the deputy commander of the 2nd Knights Division, if I recalled correctly.

We had known each other for nine years, and he was one of the rare knights I had a close relationship with.

Ah, that man, he took quite a beating because of me, didn’t he?

“Miss! This… this can’t be… You’re truly alive. Sniff!”

[Oh, that knight was the one who absorbed the mithril, wasn’t he? And later, he broke that treasured sword…]

[Say that again, and I’ll hit you.]

Hansen, after looking me over, even teared up as he approached.

Wow, he really missed me?

“Well, I am, eh-choo, pretty persistent, you know. But Sir, let’s… oh, hold on. Let’s go upstairs. It’s not ideal to talk here, and I’m about to sneeze again.”

I shrank back under the curious gazes of the inn patrons who had gathered around us.

The chill wind made my nose tickle too.

I led Hansen up to the room I was staying in.

Luckily, there was a small table in the room.

The warmth inside helped calm my sneezes.

“Have a seat. But how did you come here?”

“Ah, I was given a mission from above. A direct order from His Majesty the King—he permitted the use of the warp spell and commanded me to confirm that you were indeed safe. I was chosen because I knew your face well… sniff… and it seems you are unharmed, just as you were before… What a relief, Miss!”

Just as before?

I was drenched in sweat, emitting an unpleasant odor, and my hair was a mess. Was I always this much of a wreck?

“Haha, it’s an honor that His Majesty is so considerate. I was planning to reach out soon, but I put it off because I was unwell.”

“Oh, yes. His Majesty wishes to speak with you directly. If you contact the palace at 2 p.m. tomorrow, His Majesty will personally take the call…”

“Really? That’s great news! There’s something I needed His Majesty’s permission for anyway.”

In Dmitri, wizards were so rare that the royal palace housed the mage tower. This meant the use of warp arrays required royal approval—for both arrivals and departures.

It was mostly reserved for royal or noble envoys or when distinguished guests arrived from abroad. For Hansen to have used the warp to get here was quite unusual.

And I needed to use that warp to send Annie back to our home country, for which the king’s authorization was absolutely necessary.

“Then, I’ll speak with him tomorrow. His Majesty said he had many questions for you. Also, the academy headmaster and your parents… Oh, right! Miss, this…”

Hansen suddenly took out two letters from his coat.

“Letters? Who are they from?”

“One is a telegram from your family, and the other is a letter from the headmaster. They told me to hand them over only after confirming it was truly you.”

Telegrams were part of the local mail system here. Regular letters took a long time to deliver because of the undeveloped road networks. In contrast, telegrams used communication magic to convey brief messages when face-to-face communication wasn’t possible, for event invitations, or during wartime.

It seemed my family sent one because they couldn’t contact me directly.

Was something happening at home?

Why not just use direct communication?

I decided to open the telegram from my family first.

┏

Crowell family has been elevated to marquisate. Address changed. Communication network unstable. Hard to contact.

Zeras and Denika ran away from home looking for Geenie. More than a month and a half. Geenie, return safely.

Congratulatory. A visit home is strongly advised.

┛

Both pieces of news were surprising, but the one that stood out was that my older brother, Zeras, and younger brother, Denika, had run away from home.

Damn, I had a bad feeling when I met that dark elf, Zeras, and it turned out to be right.

And why were we suddenly elevated to a marquisate?

Now that I thought about it, I vaguely heard something like that the last time I used communication magic.

“My family… we were promoted to a marquisate?”

“Yes, Miss. Your act of rescuing the Emperor and His Majesty the King in Elan, as well as saving other members of royalty and nobility, earned you recognition as an imperial hero and thus your family’s elevation to a marquisate. But… how did you survive the dragon’s grasp?”

“Ah, I, well, I made friends with the dragon. I think it found me endearing, haha.”

“Gasp! Is… is that true? You befriended a d-dragon?”

Yes, that’s right.

I flashed a grin at Hansen’s astonished rabbit-like eyes and then unfolded the letter from the headmaster.

—

Dear Geenie Crowell,

I am Marquis Lyle Dert, headmaster of Drike Academy, part of the Royal Academy of Dmitri.

And if you, the one reading this, are truly Geenie Crowell, then it must be you, alive and well.

It’s hard to believe that you’re still alive.

If you have indeed survived the dragon’s grasp and are on your way back to the kingdom, it is nothing short of a miracle.

You should be thankful that a god exists, and even more so, that they favor you.

(Geenie pouted slightly at this point, recalling, “Oh right, the headmaster is a devout believer.”)

You may not be aware, but you are now famous across the entire continent.

They say you rescued the Emperor and the King, sacrificed yourself, and were taken by a dragon, comparing you to Anais, the goddess of sacrifice.

Some even claim you are the reincarnation of the goddess Anais herself.

You have amassed supporters who even propose establishing an order in your name, and your five-letter name carries enough weight to bring even birds out of the sky.

Your sacrifice was truly noble, a tale to be passed down for generations.

—

Wait, what? I’m considered that significant? A goddess in a past life, huh…

What an honor.

Though I was just an ordinary high schooler.

Remembering that fact was frustrating.

—

And all of this came to be despite the belief that you were dead.

If you’re alive, however, the story changes.

You could become the living embodiment of devotion.

One thing is certain: you now wield enormous influence across the continent.

Though some may not know my name, no one is unaware of yours.

Your reputation spread so widely because, after decades of peace, the continent relished such an extraordinary story.

Nobles recounted your sacrifice, and commoners made you the hero of tales and songs.

You are now the most celebrated person on the continent.

If word spreads that you’re alive and if you so much as call for aid, tens of thousands would rally behind you.

—

That much?

I glanced over at Hansen’s eyes beyond the letter, and sure enough, they sparkled with an intensity that made me uncomfortable.

Oh no…

—

One piece of advice: keep your identity a secret until you reach the royal palace.

You’ll likely travel by land since you can’t use the warp, correct?

Revealing your survival will not be beneficial on your journey.

Unlike before, many seek you now. Some foreign powers may try to sway you before you reach your homeland, form alliances, or even kill you out of spite.

Your influence over the people, especially across nations, is immense.

Foreign royals will covet this.

Elan even claimed you as one of their own, insisting you were an imperial citizen after you disappeared.

This is why they named you an ‘imperial hero.’

Future generations might mistakenly believe you are Elan-born.

It’s unfortunate, but I trust you are aware.

You are a proud citizen of Dmitri.

There is much more I wish to share, but I’ll tell you the rest in person.

For now, this letter ends here.

Please destroy this letter after reading.

—

That much influence?

“Gah!” was all that escaped my lips.

I didn’t feel like I had done anything special.

I had no intention of betraying Dmitri, but if my presence impacted the common people to that degree, the headmaster’s concerns made sense.

Should I feel proud? Or was this just troublesome?

It seemed more like a hassle.

I mentally retraced my steps to see if I had ever fully revealed my identity.

Luckily, although I had introduced myself as “Geenie,” I had never used “Geenie Crowell.”

Not for the grand reason the headmaster suspected, but because I didn’t want to flaunt my nobility. That turned out to be the right choice.

As I folded the letter, I realized there was a postscript.

—

P.S.: Oh, right, Bright took an extended leave from the mage tower and set off to find you.

It’s been over ten days since his leave started, and he hasn’t returned.

So if you happen to see him on the road, feel free to give him a good smack.

—

Roger that!

I shredded the letter into pieces as instructed.

Most likely, it was to avoid the sensitive details about Elan from being discovered.

I could have done without that postscript. I never imagined Bright would also be searching for me.

First Zeras and Denika, and now Bright too!

What do they think a dragon is, to set out searching for me?

I’ve been struggling ever since I left home—or rather, the academy.

First, I barely escaped the mountains, then I lost an important sword, Annie got kidnapped, met Ash and Grak, and ended up dismantling a slave group on a whim.

It had been a string of relentless events.

At least taking care of those slavers was somewhat satisfying.

“Oh, Sir Hansen, there’s someone I’d like to introduce.”

“Introduce? To me?”

“Yes! When you return to the palace using the warp, could you take a child with you? I will ensure His Majesty gives his approval.”

Sending Annie with Hansen would put my mind at ease.

It would be more convenient too.

I was confident I could secure the king’s permission.

“…A child? Do you mean that silver-haired girl downstairs?”

“Yes, that’s her. I have to travel overland to get to the academy. You know about my severe warp sickness. I’d like to send her ahead. It’s too burdensome to travel with her.”

[It’s more bothersome, Master.]

Hansen, who was aware of my severe warp sickness, nodded in agreement, giving me a look of sympathy.

“Ah, but Miss, why is it so important to send her to the palace?”

“…This is confidential, Sir. Keep it between us.”

“Confidential?”

[W-what is it, Master? Even I don’t know?]

Perhaps it was the joy of meeting an old acquaintance, but a playful urge stirred in me.

And Rai fell for it too.

Feigning caution, I covered my mouth with one hand and whispered:

“She is…”

“…She is?”

“My daughter!”

[Huh?]

Stifling my laughter, I watched Sir Hansen’s expression.

He was an earnest man, easily fooled by even the most obvious lies.

First, he seemed to question his hearing, then widened his eyes and furrowed his brow, tilting his head in confusion.

Then, as if realizing something, he spoke:

“Ah! So, is the father a dragon, after all?”

[What?!]

…What? How does that conclusion even make sense?!

Flustered, I hastily corrected myself.

“Of course, that was a joke! How could I, at my age, have an eight-year-old daughter? And why a dragon as the father?”

“Ah, of course, that makes sense. I was momentarily shocked when you mentioned having such a grown daughter… There’s also a rumor that you became the dragon’s lover. So, I thought maybe if the child was born of a dragon, it might have grown that fast…”

[Even I almost fell for it, Master.]

You’d be a fool if you did, considering you were there!

I quickly refuted Sir Hansen’s claim.

“The dragon’s lover? No, no, absolutely not! That’s ridiculous!”

Who started that nonsense about me and the dragon?

Sir Hansen’s words unsettled me more than anything I’d heard that day.

Even if it’s a dragon, how does one conceive and have an eight-year-old in just a month? This is absurd!

Ugh, my big mouth always gets me into trouble.

“Haha, I suppose so. But then, what about the rumor of you becoming a chimera at the dragon’s hands…?”

“Might as well say Undine drowned herself in the lake!”

I didn’t know how these bizarre rumors spread, but it seemed I had indeed become famous.

It wasn’t a pleasant realization.

After going to bed early the night before, I managed to shake off my cold by the next day.

Leaving Rai to guard Annie, I headed to the mage tower.

Arriving at the tower, I glanced around the lobby for a clock.

A clock on the counter showed it was about 1:50 p.m.

I used the word “showed” because in this world, clocks weren’t like the ones with hands or digital numbers from my past life. Instead, a glass vessel shaped like an hourglass, with sand inside, was used to tell time.

In my previous life, it would be called an hourglass.

Each side represented 12 hours, making a full day 24 hours when combined.

Marks indicated the passage of time, and people judged the hour by how close the sand was to these marks.

If the sand ran out and wasn’t flipped, one couldn’t tell the correct time.

Hence, in towns and cities, the guards would ring bells according to the time, alerting everyone.

The hourglasses used by officials were imbued with magic to flip on their own and ring an alarm.

An automatic alarm hourglass.

Wealthy families, state institutions, and magic-related facilities had their own versions.

The mage tower was no exception.

“Oh, hello! When did you arrive?”

A young staff member at the front desk noticed me and greeted me.

Today, she was working on a level 2 magic formula.

She should have it memorized by now, I thought.

“A little while ago. By the way… that’s wrong.”

“Huh? Where?”

“The part you’re adjusting now. The rotation speed should be squared, not added.”

“Oh, right! Thank you! You’re quite good at math, huh?”

Oops, I blurted out without thinking.

Old habits from teaching Magi magic theory lingered.

“I’m a teacher, a math teacher.”

“Really? You don’t look it at all…”

Hey, that’s something you mutter to yourself!

“Anyway, I’d like to use the communication magic. Here’s the code number. The location is Dmitri’s capital, Sharan. Here’s the payment—1 gold and 20 silver, right?”

“Ah, I’ll connect you. Please go to Room 1.”

There were only two rooms, so the numbering felt unnecessary, but this was only my second time using the communication magic, so I didn’t dwell on it.

The room was dimly lit, containing only a communication orb and a chair.

The darkness helped make the transmitted image clearer and ensured my own image was more visible to the other party.

When I sat down, the orb signaled.

A voice came through first.

[We need verification. If you are the reserved party for the 2 p.m. call on May 10, 922 of the Rune Calendar, please provide the password.]

“The golden sword never rusts and shines forever; glory to my homeland.”

[Thank you for your cooperation. Connecting now.]

As expected, even with an appointment, it wasn’t easy to connect to the king.

The call went through a screening office before reaching him.

This method prevented eavesdropping and wasn’t recorded, making it suitable for discreet conversations.

Soon, the image of the king appeared in the orb.

I stood up and bowed deeply in greeting.

“Geenie Crowell, presenting myself before His Majesty.”

[Oh, is there ever a moment as moving as this? You may rise.]

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

[You seem as healthy as ever. Sit. I have many questions for you.]

I sat down and noticed the same gleam in the king’s eyes that I had seen in Hansen’s.

Well, meeting a dragon really does change one’s life.

“Ask anything, Your Majesty. I will answer truthfully.”

[Then, without further ado—how did you survive the dragon’s grasp?]

“Your Majesty, the dragon was as noble and wise as the legends. It found me endearing and spared my life, even proposing we remain friends.”

[Is that true? Did you truly form a friendship with a dragon?]

Of course not. Would a benevolent dragon raid the royal palace?

“It’s true, Your Majesty! Moreover, the dragon appreciated my being a summoner and asked me to visit once every ten years for in-depth discussions on spirits.”

That wasn’t entirely a lie, just polished up a bit.

[Once every ten years? That sounds taxing. I could barely breathe before the dragon.]

“I feel the same, Your Majesty. But how could I refuse such an invitation, even if it’s under the guise of friendship? It’s still… a dragon.”

Even if it’s a bit dense, a dragon is still a dragon.

And honestly, it felt more like a nanny-and-child relationship than friends.

[So, in ten years, you must go to the dragon again?]

“Yes, Your Majesty. That was the condition for my release. As long as I’m alive, I must continue to visit the dragon. Oh, and as a token of our friendship, the dragon gave me this.”

To bolster my reputation, I subtly revealed the sword I had brought with me.

A sword given to me by Magi, notable for its extraordinary blade.

[Is that… a sword? Given by the dragon?]

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please observe the blade.”

Normally, drawing a sword before the king would be punishable, but since this was a communication spell, I carefully showed the blade.

A bright golden blade!

How about that? Impressive, right?

As stated in the password earlier, the symbol of Dmitri was a golden sword.

They also revered a golden bird, but that was beside the point.

A golden bird holding a golden sword was the pinnacle of prestige.

[Oh! That’s a golden sword, isn’t it? If it came from a dragon, it must be extraordinary.]

“Indeed! I was told it holds both level 5 defensive and offensive spells. Moreover, Your Majesty, this golden blade embodies the spirit of a Gold Dragon, adding to Dmitri’s glory!”

[Ah… does that mean…?]

“Yes. I wish to offer this sword to Your Majesty. I know it will shine most brightly in your possession.”

It wasn’t useful to me, after all.

Not that I’d say that aloud.

[Oh, to have such a loyal subject! This sword is as if you saved my life twice over. I will cherish it as a royal treasure for generations to come!]

Haha! Life was looking up.

Several more topics were discussed.

I told him about Annie, the talented child I found, and requested that she be admitted to the academy for proper education. I also asked for permission to send her ahead via warp, which the king readily granted.

I secured permission to return by land under the condition of keeping my identity secret.

The king, familiar with my severe warp sickness, agreed without hesitation.

“I shall see you in three months, Your Majesty.”

Riding on Rai, I could have arrived in two months, but I planned to take my time and enjoy a leisurely journey, so I spoke more generously.

[Yes, travel safely… wait! I almost forgot to ask.]

“What is it, Your Majesty?”

[The spell you used to block the dragon’s breath… what was that? Did you cast it?]

Oh no.

I hadn’t prepared for that question.

The king seemed convinced that I had cast the spell.

What to do?

In moments like this…

“Your Majesty, that was actually a ‘forbidden spell.’ I believe I may be the only summoner who knows it.”

[A forbidden spell?]

“Yes, Your Majesty. I read about it in an ancient manuscript when I was young. It’s a spirit art that sacrifices a part of both the spirit’s and the caster’s life.”

[Sacrificing one’s life?]

When in doubt, speak dramatically. Mentioning sacrifices and forbidden techniques added a touch of solemnity.

“Indeed. It’s a forbidden spirit art that sacrifices the most powerful spirit one possesses, along with a portion of one’s remaining life, to block any attack, just once. Please, Your Majesty, keep this to yourself. I fear others might try to replicate it if they knew.”

[Such a thing? Then… how much life do you have left?]

“I’m not certain, but… I don’t believe it will be long, Your Majesty.”

Let’s say… just a brief 70 years.

With the average lifespan here around 100, that seemed fair.

Spirit arts were so shrouded in mystery that the king believed me without question.

I felt bad for lying, but I couldn’t just say, “Rai did it. Can I get a reward?”

[Unbelievable… why did you use such a spell recklessly?]

“I only thought of saving Your Majesty and His Imperial Majesty. I don’t regret it, as I would have died otherwise.”

[A tragedy! Understood. I will keep this secret. So think only of enjoying your remaining years.]

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

That was my original plan, Your Majesty.

Hmph, if anyone questioned my longevity later, I’d just say I took a rare herb.

Was there ginseng here?

At least knowing I supposedly had limited time would mean fewer demands on me.

Whoever devised this strategy had a quick mind.

Leaving the mage tower after my communication with the king, I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

Most of my worries about Annie were resolved.

The absence of Rai also made everything feel slightly different.

Humming a tune, I headed back to the inn.

On the way, I passed through a bustling market filled with people of various skin tones—white, brown, red, black… Huh?

I suddenly noticed a woman with black skin and golden hair tied back with a headscarf.

Her delicate frame and long hair indicated she was a woman.

She sat by a street stall, sticking out like a sore thumb in the busy market.

Golden hair already drew attention, but paired with dark skin, she was impossible to miss.

“Wow, is this really only 30 silver?”

The familiar voice piqued my curiosity.

I’d bet Annie that she was someone I knew, or more safely, I’d bet Rai.

She flipped a small hand mirror around in her hands before pulling out her coin pouch.

Wait, that’s worth 30 silver? Thirty thousand won?

Hey! Is it gold-plated?

Even if she was an acquaintance, I couldn’t stand by and let her get swindled.

I approached the street vendor where she stood.

The vendor’s face lit up as if hitting the jackpot.