The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 1
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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.
Hey guys! If you know where I can find the raw "revised" version of this novel which has about 600+ chapters already, please send me the link! Currently, I only have 70 chapters from where I'm getting it.
My consciousness was faint.
When I was a baby, I was only as aware as a baby could be, but as I grew older, my awareness gradually awakened.
Yet, even at that level, I was still considered exceptional among my peers.
By the time I was fully conscious at the age of five, I had left my parents’ side to join a space filled with books. There, along with a few other children my age, I received difficult lessons every day.
Among them, something called magic captivated me with its brilliance.
They said that if I became a wizard, the whole world would be mine.
It was alluring.
In addition to magic, there were various other subjects like alchemy, administration, and economics.
At ten years old, we were taught to choose one subject that suited us best and dedicate ourselves to it, offering everything to the king of this kingdom.
It was almost brainwashing, and their purpose seemed to be exactly that.
However, I didn’t hesitate to let those words go in one ear and out the other.
After all, life is uncertain, and I wanted to live as I pleased.
Comfortably, that is.
The sunlight pouring through the holes in the hall was so dazzling that I found myself staring blankly at the drifting clouds when someone called out to me.
I knew who it was, so I slowly turned my gaze to look at her.
Sitting with a large book on her lap, she kindly asked me, “Geenie? Why aren’t you reading?”
Her golden hair fluttered in the sunlight, and her light blue jade-colored eyes shone. She had the smooth, fair skin typical of children and a cute, delicate appearance.
Although I didn’t see it, people around us often said we looked alike.
I didn’t mind much since we were quite close.
There were a few differences between us, though, and the most obvious one was our eyes.
My eyes had an upward slant, giving me a fierce, unkind impression, while hers were slightly droopy, making her look gentle.
And most importantly, unlike this girl, I wasn’t a genius!
I was just a seven-year-old with the intellect of a seventeen-year-old.
“Yeah, I don’t like reading.”
The reason I was in the library, despite my dislike for books, was that it was very quiet, and the open space in the middle offered a peaceful, beautiful view of the sky.
Leaning against the bookshelf and gazing at the sky often put me to sleep.
But today, Mia had followed me, ruining my nap.
Her full name was Camia Drilla, but everyone called her Mia.
Mia, holding a thick book, looked at me with an expression of complete bewilderment.
“Why? Books are so interesting.”
“Really? How?”
The book title was ‘A Brief Study on Alchemy,’ and it was as thick as an average person’s head, scaring me just by looking at it.
If it was that thick, shouldn’t it be titled ‘A Long Study’ instead of ‘A Brief Study’?
Moreover, it was written in the original, ancient language, not the common language of the continent.
If she wasn’t a genius, who could be?
Of course, I read it too, but I should be an exception since I have the mental age of seventeen. Oh, if I add seven to that, am I twenty-four?
“Well, firstly, the author, Dona Verser, was a very great alchemist. He is said to have succeeded in turning gold into copper, which implies that turning copper into gold is also possible. Dona Verser’s research is very systematic and logical…”
That’s not what I asked…
Mia, who enjoyed asking and answering questions, began to explain her thoughts on the book.
As she launched into her long explanation, I started to doze off from the first sentence.
Just as I was about to close my eyes, Mia’s sharp scolding voice rang out.
“Geenie! Are you listening to me?”
“Huh? Yeah, I’m listening!”
I hurriedly wiped the drool from my mouth and nodded at Mia.
“Geenie, you’re mean! Why don’t you ever listen to me?”
Oh dear, she doesn’t believe me. I was listening, really.
Seeing Mia with tears welling up in her eyes, I smacked my lips.
“Mia, I’m not into alchemy. Besides, it’s rare for someone who isn’t even ten to have already chosen a major like you.”
I might not be able to decide even when I turn ten.
“Then… What are you good at? What will you major in?”
“Me? Well… I’m not sure yet…”
“Then… why don’t you do alchemy with me? It’s so much fun!”
How do I explain this?
Mixing the wrong reagents could cause an explosion, potentially setting my hair on fire or even destroying a building. It’s too risky for someone like me.
“Mia, alchemy suits calm kids like you better. So, work hard for both of us, okay?”
I praised Mia lightly, and she soon smiled brightly. Even geniuses are still kids, after all.
“Okay! I’ll work hard for both of us! Then, can you learn magic for me? I can’t sense mana, so magic is impossible for me. But the teacher said you have excellent mana sensitivity. You could become a great wizard!”
Oh boy, this kid is already talking about such high-level stuff…
“Mia, I’m not good at calculations. You know I’m bad at mental math, right?”
Although I’m considered exceptional for a seven-year-old, in this place filled with geniuses, I’m only barely average.
And I hate using my brain.
“Then, how about becoming a priest instead of me? I want to be a priest helping the heroes! Or maybe a princess?”
She tries to act smart but can be so naive sometimes.
“I don’t have the status to be a princess. Besides, being a priest doesn’t suit my personality.”
I don’t like helping others, nor do I have the patience to pray all day to a god who ignored me.
If anything, I’d blame the god who forsook me.
“Then… I heard that if you don’t choose a path by the age of ten, you become a knight’s squire. Do you want to be a squire?”
“No! Absolutely not! I hate physical activities!”
There’s a rumor that kids who haven’t chosen a path by the age of ten become squires.
But I think it’s just a scare tactic to make kids decide.
Why would they waste geniuses on squires?
Some teachers offer to teach swordsmanship if you want, but I have no interest in such tiring work.
“Then… are you going to do nothing? Poor Geenie…”
This brat really knows how to get on my nerves.
“I never said I wouldn’t do anything!”
“Then… what will you do?”
At Mia’s question, I raised a few fingers and listed my criteria.
“Well… something that doesn’t require thinking, doesn’t involve physical activity, is safe, and pays well! Anything that fits those four criteria is good!”
“Is there such a thing?”
I wish there was. I didn’t answer Mia’s question and just looked up at the sky again.
The sky, showing a different scene every day, was magnificent.
As I gazed at the sky, I wondered, ‘What happens when it rains? Won’t it leak? Is there a cover?’ I had such trivial thoughts.
As I stayed like that for a while, I started to feel sleepy.
Feeling my consciousness fading, I was about to fall asleep when Mia’s voice pulled me back.
“Genie!”
Oh, come on… it’s ‘Geenie.’
“What?”
I squinted and replied in a dragging voice.
“Let’s go put the books back!”
Next time, I’ll make sure to come alone.
Grumbling inwardly, I reluctantly got up and followed Mia.
How long did we walk?
We reached a somewhat secluded area, surrounded by bookshelves. Mia said she’d fetch a ladder and left.
She should have come alone in the first place.
The area was filled with old books, probably because they were in the original language, creating a gloomy atmosphere.
Determined to sleep more, I sat down and leaned against a bookshelf, closing my eyes.
Usually, I’d be deep in sleep by this time, but thanks to Mia, I was doing this nonsense.
Feeling my consciousness fade again, someone interrupted my sleep once more.
Smack!
“Ouch!”
Something hit my face and fell to the floor.
Rubbing my nose, I looked up to find the cause of my pain.
I was ready to tear apart whoever it was… but it was a book?
Did it fall from above?
A thin book, about the thickness of a finger.
After glancing at the top of the bookshelf, I picked up the book and checked the title.
It was written in ancient language, but it wasn’t too difficult to read.
**”Simple ## Contract Law”**
…What’s ##? A term I’ve never seen before? Without much thought, I opened the book.
If it had been thicker, I wouldn’t have opened it!
As I flipped through to about the middle, I saw strange drawings.
There were things like a bird, a lizard, a fairy, and an old man.
Underneath each drawing, it said, ‘The above is a lower-level ##, and the forms of higher-level ones are not consistent.’
On the first page, there was a formation that looked similar to a magic circle but different.
The formation wasn’t composed of runes.
Nor was it in ancient language. It was strange letters.
Or rather, were they pictures?
As I was flipping through the book, Mia returned.
With her was a man, probably the librarian, carrying a ladder.
“Mia, what does this mean?”
I pointed to one of the words in the title, and Mia, not recognizing it either, shook her head.
“I don’t know. Ask the librarian.”
Since it wasn’t something I needed to know urgently, I handed the book to the librarian, indicating that he should shelve it.
However, he seemed to misunderstand my intention and, after squinting for a moment, exclaimed, “Ah!”
“I think it means ‘spirit.’ This book seems to be about how to contract with spirits… but the content doesn’t seem very advanced.”
A spirit? Like that cheerful-looking thing?
At that moment, an epiphany struck me.
Geenie, enlightened.
* * *
As expected of the kingdom of knights, Dmitri, the king’s office, where the king spent most of his time, was heavily guarded by knights.
Two knights stood guard right outside the king’s office, serving as the king’s personal guards, an honor unmatched in the kingdom.
When they saw an elderly man approaching the office, they bowed deeply.
Their faces showed admiration, not as much as for the king, but enough to reveal their respect for the old man.
After standing straight again, one of the knights knocked on the office door and said, “Your Majesty, Marquis Rael is here.”
It was a pre-arranged audience.
Even without prior notice, Marquis Rael and King Dikel III of Dmitri were close, so the audience wouldn’t have been difficult to arrange.
Soon, the king’s voice, granting permission, came from inside the office.
“Let him in.”
The voice was clear and authoritative, reflecting the nature of King Dikel III.
The knights opened the door and bowed again.
As Marquis Rael entered the office, the door closed firmly behind him.
King Dikel III was a man with a very solemn atmosphere.
His dark blue hair, neatly combed back, and gray eyes made him look even colder and more composed.
When Marquis Rael entered the office, King Dikel III greeted him with a look of genuine pleasure.
Marquis Rael was an old man over seventy, while King Dikel III was in his mid-thirties.
They couldn’t have been friends.
So, what was their relationship? It was simple.
Marquis Rael had been the king’s tutor, teaching him the ways of kingship when he was the crown prince.
And currently, he was also the dean of the Driche Academy.
Marquis Rael bowed deeply to King Dikel III.
“Your Majesty, Rael Dert greets you. Have you been well?”
King Dikel III waved his hand lightly and said, “Ha ha, come now, Dert. Let’s set aside formalities between us and speak freely.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Rael nodded lightly, and King Dikel III pulled out a document from his drawer.
“Hmm, the child who wishes to become a spirit mage is named Geenie Crowell. It appears she is a noble?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. However, she is merely the daughter of a local baron.”
King Dikel III nodded lightly and flicked through the document, saying, “What kind of child is she? Why are you making this request personally?”
“She is a very peculiar child. She’s undoubtedly intelligent but extremely cunning… almost too clever for her own good. She told me just one thing: ‘I want to be a spirit mage. If I can’t, I’d rather die.’ In a place filled with geniuses, there are many children whose true intentions are hard to discern. Geenie is particularly inscrutable. But I firmly believe that she must become a spirit mage for the future of our kingdom.”
“Hmm… A spirit mage. That’s unprecedented, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. However, think of why the Driche Academy was established. Wasn’t it to fill the gap in our nation’s knowledge compared to other countries? Additionally, we aimed to nurture more wizards due to the critical role they play in warfare. By the same token, we cannot ignore the potential of spirit mages. They are immensely versatile. But in our Dmitri kingdom, spirit mages are virtually nonexistent. If we can nurture one, it would be beneficial for our kingdom.”
“Hmm, a spirit mage… According to this, you’ve already summoned a court spirit mage to assess this child’s potential. Does she have talent?”
In response to King Dikel III’s question, Marquis Rael bowed deeply.
“Your Majesty, if a thousand have the aptitude to be knights, fifty have the aptitude to be wizards. And only one has the aptitude to be a spirit mage. This child has enough affinity to summon spirits already. This is truly a blessing for our kingdom, isn’t it?”
Raising his voice with excitement, Marquis Rael’s words made King Dikel III tilt his head in curiosity.
“Affinity? What do you mean?”
“Affinity determines whether a person can summon and command a spirit. It is an essential trait for a spirit mage. If Your Majesty desires a detailed explanation, I can have the spirit mage summarize it for you.”
King Dikel III nodded and stroked his chin.
After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again.
“Then… what does this Geenie need to become a spirit mage?”
“She needs a mentor, a spirit mage of at least intermediate level.”
King Dikel III shook his head.
“Aren’t there only five spirit mages in the palace? And only two of them are intermediates? You want to…”
“That’s precisely why, Your Majesty! The intermediate spirit mage Yael Roenin confirmed her affinity. He said she has the potential to surpass him. If she does, she’ll be advanced, Your Majesty! Equivalent to a Sword Master or a 7th class Great Mage. Each one of them surpasses a thousand knights in ability. This is for the future of our kingdom. The potential is there, Your Majesty!”
King Dikel III pressed his temples with his fingers.
After a moment of serious consideration, he nodded.
“Very well, I will spare no support for this child. Ensure she becomes an exceptional spirit mage!”
The king’s voice echoed powerfully through the chamber.
* * *
“Geenie, meet your new mentor, Yael Roenin, the kingdom’s chief spirit mage. You’ve met him before, right? Go on, greet him.”
At the vice-dean’s words, I lifted my skirt just enough to show the tips of my shoes and tilted my head to the left.
“Hello, I’m Geenie Crowell, currently enrolled in the general class at Driche Academy. Nice to meet you.”
The man, with light green hair and in his late twenties, extended his hand towards me. His hand was pale and soft, not like a man’s hand.
“Yes, Miss Genie. Nice to meet you too.”
Human, it’s Geenie, not Genie! Why can’t these people pronounce it right?
I placed my hand on top of his.
Indeed, a man’s hand. It looked three times the size of mine.
He lightly kissed the back of my hand, completing the greeting.
“Alright, now that introductions are over, Miss Geenie, you may go. We will inform you of the detailed schedule later.”
“Yes, Vice-Dean. Geenie Crowell, at your service.”
After bowing my head to the right, I turned sharply and left the vice-dean’s office.
As I walked down the corridor, my footsteps echoed loudly.
But soon, the sound changed to a lighter ‘thump, thump.’
Today, I felt good for a change.
It felt like I had finally found my path after a long period of wandering.
My cheeks were so filled with excitement that they felt like they were about to burst.
“Mr. Yael! I want to make a contract! Teach me, please!”
“No.”
Despite my earnest pleas, Yael Roenin, the intermediate wind spirit mage, remained firm.
His appearance was gentle, but he was quite strict.
Even though I was a cute ten-year-old girl with teary eyes, he easily avoided my pleas.
“Why? You said you’d teach me today!”
“I did say I’d teach you how to make a contract, but only if you attended classes diligently for a week. Out of five class days, you missed three! How can this be acceptable?”
With a sharp snap, Yael closed the book he was holding, ready to start scolding me.
I turned my head away sharply.
“Tsk.”
“Tsk? Don’t ‘tsk’ me! You’ve turned ten now, so you should start behaving more properly. Think about it! I acknowledge that you’ve been diligent in mana training, but you’ve been neglecting other classes! Summoning a spirit requires more than just mana! You need solid mental strength and…”
I tuned out his nagging, a skill I’d mastered, and drifted into my own thoughts.
If I couldn’t persuade Yael, I’d have to attend all the classes for a week.
But I hated that idea, so I had to come up with another plan.
There must be another way…
“Ah!”
“Spirits are… Yes, do you have a question, Miss Geenie?”
“Teacher! Tell me about the summoning circle needed for a contract!”
I recalled the day I first decided to become a spirit mage.
The book I saw then was titled ‘Simple Spirit Contract Law,’ and it had a summoning circle on the first page.
“A summoning circle… Hmm, we covered that two weeks ago, didn’t we?”
…Did we? I don’t remember. Did I miss that class? Oh right, I’m the only student in the spirit class.
“Ah, it was a difficult topic. I’d like to hear it again!”
“It wasn’t a particularly difficult class…”
If I don’t remember, it’s definitely difficult!
“I still want to hear it again!”
Since it was the first time I showed such enthusiasm for a theory class, Yael reluctantly picked up the chalk and started drawing circles on the blackboard.
“Well, since you insist. Look, there are basically four types of summoning circles. First, there’s the wind spirit summoning circle, which includes these characters. These are spirit words. Then, the fire spirit circle has the characters for fire on the right, left, and center… Do you understand, Miss Geenie?”
As I looked at the relatively simple drawings, I vaguely recalled the summoning circle from the book and tried to match them.
Compared to that circle, these were too simple.
Was the one I saw not a summoning circle? I wondered as Yael called my name again.
“Yes? Yes, of course.”
“Hmm… Then, let’s continue. Here, we have the characters for fire, water, wind, and earth, indicating the type of spirit to be summoned. And these four types are further divided into lower, intermediate, advanced, supreme, and spirit king levels. The summoning circles for the spirit king and supreme spirits are almost lost, making it nearly impossible to contract with them… Yes, what is it, Miss Geenie?”
Raising my hand for the first time in class, Yael looked surprised.
“So, there are sixteen summoning circles in total, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. But seven of the supreme and spirit king circles are so deteriorated that they’re considered lost.”
“…I thought there was only one summoning circle for spirit contracts?”
The book had only one summoning circle. The rest were illustrations of lower spirits.
“Why do you think that? These circles have been passed down for about 8,000 years, created in a systematic and safe manner… Oh, come to think of it, there was indeed a time when only one summoning circle existed. From that one, the current sixteen circles were derived.”
“Why were they divided into sixteen? Wouldn’t one be more convenient?”
“That’s a good question. The original circle couldn’t specify the type of spirit to be summoned. You couldn’t know what spirit would appear.”
“…So, could it potentially summon a supreme or spirit king?”
Yael shook his head slowly at my question.
“That circle summoned the spirit with the closest resonance to the summoner. In ancient times, an evil spirit mage summoned a spirit known as the ‘Spirit of Curse,’ which had never been summoned before. The spirit mage, using the Spirit of Curse, committed numerous atrocities. A king and those who opposed him were cursed horribly. The mage died within a year of making the contract.”
“Wow, invincible?”
“Invincible… Perhaps. But he died within a year because the Spirit of Curse fed on the summoner’s life force instead of mana. It was a dangerous entity. When the Spirit of Curse was revealed, the Spirit Academy leaders created the current sixteen circles after extensive research. There are nine more circles, but their whereabouts are unknown. Unfortunately, many of these ancient circles have been lost over time.”
“Hmm, then…”
The circle I saw was in the ancient language, so it must be one of those ancient ones from 8,000 years ago.
But it could summon anything… is that it?
“Let’s continue the lesson… Miss Geenie? Miss Geenie! Where are you going?”
Ignoring Yael’s calls, I ran towards the library.
Might as well take a risk!
“Mia?”
I peeked into the alchemy class and called for Mia.
Mia, working at her usual spot near the door, turned and greeted me with a bright face.
“Oh! Geenie? What brings you here?”
Mia, removing her gloves covered in some unidentifiable liquid, approached me with sparkling eyes.
“Do you have any mana concentrate? Could you spare a little?”
“Mana concentrate? I have some, but… I need it for my experiments. It’s a vital ingredient for almost every experiment.”
Tsk, so it’s not free, huh?
“Just a beaker’s worth. I’ll trade you my yellow frilly ribbon. How about that?”
“Really? Hmm… But a beaker can be used for three experiments…”
“…Okay, how about I throw in some fairy dust and my pink skirt with the ribbon? I’ve only worn it twice. Deal?”
“Hmm, I do have some spare fairy dust… But, hmm.”
As Mia closed her eyes and pondered, I discreetly flipped my middle finger behind the door where she couldn’t see.
“Alright! How about a box of candy? It’s brand new, unopened! If you don’t agree, I’ll ask Iruse.”
“No! Don’t play with Iruse! Iruse is bad!”
“…So, will you trade?”
“Alright. But promise to give me the ribbon, skirt, and candy, okay?”
“Got it! Now, hurry up!”
Though it was a significant expense, I wasn’t fond of candy, and I rarely wore anything other than my uniform.
After ensuring I made several promises, I finally got the materials I needed.
Unconsciously, a satisfied smile spread across my face.
History will be made tonight!
Night fell.
When silence enveloped the surroundings, I quietly got out of bed.
Though my room had only a bed and a desk, it was the perfect place for me.
First, I moved the bed aside.
Dust that had accumulated under the bed scattered into the air.
“Cough! Cough!”
Damn it, who cleaned this room? Pushing all the dust under the bed? Just wait until I catch you.
Unexpectedly, I found myself cleaning in the middle of the night, sweeping all the dust towards the door.
Then, I pulled out a few items hidden in my pillowcase.
First, a carving knife to etch the pattern onto the hard floor.
It wasn’t just any knife but a magic-infused one that could carve through stone with ease.
I borrowed it from a friend in the magic class who specialized in magic circle research.
Since books written in the ancient language couldn’t be borrowed, I had copied the drawing onto paper.
Despite my poor drawing skills, I managed to copy it after struggling for thirty minutes.
First, I picked up a piece of chalk and traced the drawing onto the floor.
Accuracy was crucial, so after erasing and redrawing a few times, I finally completed a precise circle.
“Damn…”
Drawing the circle alone took ten minutes.
Carefully carving each character and symbol, I inspected the finished drawing with satisfaction before picking up the carving knife.
Afraid to make any mistakes, I lay flat on the floor and meticulously carved the pattern.
How long did I stay crouched like that?
My legs started to ache, and sweat formed on my forehead.
“It’s done!”
I let out a small cheer and smirked as I pulled out the mana concentrate from my pillowcase.
Carefully, I poured it into the etched grooves.
Soon, the green mana concentrate filled the carved lines, revealing the contract circle.
After double-checking for any mistakes, I sprinkled fairy dust over it.
The golden fairy dust sparkled as it spread throughout the room.
When the green mana concentrate met the fairy dust, it emitted a bright light.
Hastily, I picked up the copied contract circle and recited the incantation written on it.
Since it was quite long, I had to control my breathing.
“wkdusdml wjddldu, tptkd ahems rjtdml wjddldu,durl rm fuddmf qnffjsorhwk gksek,skdhk rPdirdmf aowdj dudghsdml dkvskfdmf gkaRpgkf wjdfuddldu,so qnfmadp ekqgkdu skmeodml wndlsdl ehlfusl meo skdml whddl ehldjfk.”
(*TN: Yes, that’s what the raw says. )
There were many unfamiliar words, so I read them phonetically.
Occasionally, I recognized a word or two.
My small voice echoed in the room.
The contract circle, which was still glowing, seemed to emit an even stronger light.
Startled, I closed my eyes tightly.
It felt like someone was sucking the mana out of my body.
Was the summoning successful?
I felt a chill. When I opened my eyes again, the green liquid in the contract circle had disappeared.
A bit of fairy dust still floated in the room.
But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t see the spirit.
There should have been a spirit standing in the circle. I felt a deep sense of disappointment welling up inside me.
Was it a failure?
“…Spirit?”
I called out just in case, but there was no answer.
Disheartened, I slumped to the floor. Then I heard a tiny voice from all around.
But it was too faint to understand. It was like a high-pitched sound coming from everywhere.
“Spirit? Are you there? Where are you? Let’s make a contract!”
When I said ‘let’s make a contract’ while looking around, the voice became clearer.
[Name… Give me a name…]
The voice still came from all directions.
“A name? What kind of spirit are you? A dark spirit?”
[I’m not a dark spirit. There’s no word in the human world to describe me.]
The buzzing voice soon unified.
The multiple voices merged into one.
“Then… Are you a lower-level spirit? Or an intermediate? I only have enough mana to contract with a lower-level spirit.”
[I have no levels. My power varies based on my master. If you must know, I’m a spirit of minerals… no, metals.]
“A metal spirit?”
That’s when I noticed the faint vibrations in the nearby objects.
The metal curtain rods were buzzing, vibrating slightly as if they were about to detach from the wall.
The nails embedded in various places were shaking and falling to the floor.
[Give me a name…]
But before that…
“Can you put the nails back in? The desk is about to collapse.”
There was a brief silence.
[Before the contract is completed, I can’t use my power. You must give me a name to establish the contract.]
“I know.”
After all, that’s what I’ve learned over the past three years.
My impatient tone made the spirit fall silent.
After another brief silence, I spoke again.
“Are you male or female?”
The gender is important for naming!
[I have no gender.]
“…So, you’re neutral?”
Oh, right, most spirits are neutral.
[No, I’m genderless.]
“…Is that different?”
[Yes, it’s different.]
Damn, I got caught. Hmm, a name. I’m bad at naming things. I lack creativity.
After much deliberation, I finally came up with a name.
“Arie, how about that?”
It’s the name of the dog I raised in my previous life. I didn’t mention that part.
[Good. My name is Arie. What’s your name, Master?]
“My name is Geenie Crowell.”
[Genie Crowell, I shall serve you until the end of your days. Glory to my master…]
Even the spirit ignores my name. It’s Geenie…
The sunlight streaming in through the window made me close my eyes.
I didn’t want to wake up. Then, a voice echoed in my ears.
[Master, Master, someone is approaching. Master!]
What is it… I ignored it and continued to swim in my dream.
But then I remembered why Arie was there and opened my eyes.
“Arie? Where are you?”
[Here. The door handle.]
“…Why aren’t you returning to the spirit realm?”
[I’m a natural spirit, so I don’t return to the spirit realm. I stay with my master for life.]
…A natural spirit? That’s… a spirit born in nature, not in the spirit realm.
“But… why don’t you have a form?”
[I need to absorb metal to form a body. But there’s nothing here to absorb.]
Hmm, absorbing the door handle would definitely earn my ire.
So, I need to feed this guy metal? Metal… There should be plenty in the alchemy class.
“Alright! Trust me. I’ll fill you up.”
I got out of bed and started putting on my uniform.
[Master, someone is standing at the door. What should I do?]
“Huh? Who is it?”
[A man with light green hair. Judging by the scent, he seems to be a wind spirit mage.]
Oh, he’s quite useful. Like an intercom? That must be Yael, right? Why is he here? Morning class… Oh, it’s already past twelve.
Is he here because I missed class? He has no patience.
After putting on my uniform and tying my neck ribbon, I opened the door with a bang. And, as expected…
Bang!
The sound echoed. Yael was holding his forehead, trembling slightly.
“Hello?”
“Ugh! Geenie! What are you doing?”
“Why?”
“When you open the door…”
About to say something, Yael realized this was my room and closed his mouth.
“…? When I open it? Should I say ‘Excuse me~’? Or ‘Knock knock’?”
“Hmph, no… Just be careful.”
“Yes~.”
I glanced at the door handle.
Is Arie really in there? It feels just like usual.
“Geenie, I came here in person because I have something important to tell you.”
“Something important?”
I turned my gaze from the door handle to Yael.
“Yes, I’m here to help you form a contract. But you must promise not to be late for classes again.”
“Ah, already…”
“What?”
“Ah, nothing. I mean, I’m so happy I could cry.”
Avoiding Yael’s gaze, who was looking at me suspiciously, I quickly racked my brain.
I’ve already contracted with Arie, but talented people hide their abilities!
Plus, some spirit mages contract with two spirits of compatible attributes, so it should be fine to contract with another spirit.
“Hmm, then follow me, Miss Geenie.”
“Yes!”
I followed Yael’s slow steps out of the dormitory.
I felt like I’d hit the jackpot. Smiling to myself, I suddenly remembered Arie’s presence.
Oh, Arie… Is he still the door handle? He said he’d always be with me.
Turning my head to look back at my room, I heard Arie’s voice.
[What are you looking for, Master?]
If Arie had been in front of me, I might have slapped him for startling me.
Holding my pounding heart, I muttered softly.
“Hey! Where are you?”
[Me? I’m in the zipper.]
“What? Zipper!”
I inadvertently shouted, causing Yael to stop and look at me.
I shook my head, indicating it was nothing.
I then felt for the zipper on the back of my dress.
“You’re here? You’re in here?”
[Yes, Master. But why are you speaking so softly?]
“Because our contract is a secret!”
[Ah, I see. But I can hear you even if you speak in your mind. Only the things you want to tell me, though.]
…Damn it, Yael, why didn’t you teach me this?
[Is that so? You can hear me?]
[Of course. Loud and clear.]
Flipping my middle finger at Yael behind his back, I called out to him.
“Teacher!”
“Yes, Miss Geenie?”
“After forming a contract with a spirit, can you communicate without speaking?”
Yael stopped walking and turned to look at me.
“Of course. Although… it does consume some mental energy, but it’s not significant. Why do you ask?”
“Ha ha, just curious!”
Smiling as if it was nothing, Yael shrugged and resumed walking.
[Hey, can’t you move somewhere else? Why the zipper?]
[Because the zipper is the only metal on your body, Master.]
Is that so? Well, there’s not much metal in clothes other than the zipper… Hmm…
[So, you need metal to stay with me?]
[No, once I form a body, I can change to any form I want.]
[Oh, that’s good to hear.]
Metal spirits seem more useful than I thought.
[But, with your current abilities, it’s impossible to change forms.]
This guy… is he kidding?
[Hey, then don’t say anything!]
[But if I have a corpse, I can use its shell. In other words, the inside is metal, the outside is the shell.]
A corpse? Geez, a shell? I felt nauseous.
[Ugh, a corpse? Does it have to be a human?]
[No, it doesn’t have to be. It can be an animal.]
That’s a relief.
[A corpse… Do you prefer having a body or not?]
[I prefer having a body. It’s more convenient to move around.]
A corpse… Hmm, where can I find one… Oh!
[How about a mouse corpse? They’re everywhere.]
[I’ll just stay like this.]
This guy… Ugh! He’s ignoring my goodwill? Just as I was about to retort, Yael stopped.
“Miss Geenie.”
“Yes!”
“We’re here. This is where the summoning circles are.”
Rooms lined up on both sides. Each door had a spirit word indicating fire, water, wind, or earth.
“Wow…”
The pleasant feeling from all around made me feel refreshed.
“Miss Geenie, which spirit do you want to contract with? It’s time to decide.”
Yael’s words made me ponder.
Yael had often told me to think about which spirit I wanted to contract with, but I couldn’t make up my mind.
Even if I wanted to contract with a specific spirit, if I didn’t have enough affinity for that attribute, the contract would be impossible.
“Hmm, um… hmm.”
Seeing my serious contemplation, Yael smiled awkwardly.
“Ah, how about a fire spirit? They’re quite useful for both offense and practicality. The fire spirit has the strongest attack power among the four elements.”
“Rejected!”
“What?”
“I hate fire! I’d rather die!”
“What?”
Would you want to contract with a fire spirit after dying in a fire?
I clicked my tongue.
Although not certain, I must have died in that fire, so my body would have been burned.
How could there be a greater betrayal? Thinking of my mom and dad made my heart ache.
If I could go back to my world, I’d become a magician, but since that’s not possible…
Sighing, I felt both angry and despondent, then sighed again. Seeing my erratic emotions, Yael scratched his head.
“Hmm, you’re a wind spirit mage, right? What’s good about a wind spirit?”
“Wind spirits? They’re versatile, although difficult to control. Their attack and defense powers are average. In wartime, they’re used for communication.”
Hmm, I recalled what I’d learned about spirits. Excluding the fire spirit.
Wind spirits are difficult to control due to their fickle nature. However, summoning them is relatively easy.
And as Yael mentioned, they’re balanced in abilities, neither excelling nor lacking in any area.
Water spirits are gentle and easy to control, but summoning them is the hardest.
Their defense is strong, but their attack power is weak.
But from the intermediate level, they gain healing abilities.
Intermediate water spirits can heal minor wounds, while advanced ones can heal deep wounds.
Supreme water spirits can reattach severed limbs, and the water spirit king can revive the dead.
Water spirits are known as healing spirits. In this world, water represents life and healing.
Finally, earth spirits. Their temperament is average, and summoning them is easy.
Their defense is unmatched, but their attack power is average.
An advanced earth spirit can cause widespread earthquakes, creating chaos.
Honestly, I was most interested in water spirits, so my knowledge of other spirits was limited.
The healing aspect of water spirits attracted me.
[Master, why are you dazed?]
[I’m not dazed; I’m deep in thought.]
[What are you thinking about?]
[Which spirit to contract with… Oh, which spirit aligns well with you? Wind? Water? Earth? Not fire!]
I absolutely hate fire! It’s terrifying! No way!
[My attribute can be considered neutral, but… if I had to choose, it would be earth. Most things that come from the earth fall under my domain. But I don’t necessarily adhere to attributes.]
Hmm, earth… In that case!
“Teacher! I’ve decided!”
“Oh, what will it be?”
“Water!”
When I said that with a bright smile, Arie’s voice echoed in my mind.
[…Why water, Master?]
[Just because, haha.]
Yael pulled out a bunch of keys from his sleeve.
He began to fiddle with the lock bearing the water spirit symbol.
But even after a minute, two minutes, and then ten minutes, the door showed no sign of opening. This is frustrating.
“…Teacher?”
“Yes, Miss Geenie. Just a moment, please.”
…He doesn’t seem to be able to open it, does he? What’s he doing?