The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 2
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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.
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[Master!]
[What?]
[The door is rusted.]
…I see, rusted. So the metal has oxidized, changing color or even crumbling. Is that it?
[Then you can fix it, right?]
[If you wish…]
[Go ahead.]
As soon as I spoke, I felt a slight drain on my mana.
Cheap trick. Taking my mana for such a small task, like a flea biting me.
“Ah! It’s open. Sorry for the wait, Miss Geenie. Please, come in.”
That was fast…
“Yes.”
[I’ve reconstituted the rusted part, Master.]
[Reconstituted?]
[I dissolved the worn-out part and reshaped it to its original form.]
Hmm… Wait a minute! If that’s the case… with this guy, all locks are mine? That’s awesome!
“Miss Geenie?”
“Yes! Coming in!”
Wiping the drool from my lips, I stepped into the room, having discovered a groundbreaking fact.
As I entered, the light turned on like a sensor light, illuminating the room.
On the floor was a summoning circle similar to the one I used to summon Arie, but it looked much simpler. It seemed to be for summoning a low-level water spirit.
“Miss Geenie, over here…”
“Here?”
Mr. Yael positioned me in the center of the room and began pouring mana concentrate onto the summoning circle.
It was something I did just yesterday, but seeing it in a bright place felt different.
The emerald lines forming the drawing seemed almost mystical.
Mr. Yael handed me a bag of fairy dust.
“Alright, Miss Geenie. I’ll teach you the summoning chant now. It goes like this: ‘O pure and gentle spirit of water, with your compassionate power, answer my call according to the ancient covenant.’ Can you memorize that, Miss Geenie?”
“Um, pure and gentle spirit of water… with your compassionate power… ancient covenant… answer my call?”
“Miss Geenie, please listen carefully and repeat after me.”
Damn…
“Alright, sprinkle the fairy dust and start the summoning.”
“Yes!”
Mr. Yael’s demeanor was more like practice than a real summoning. He probably thought it would be impossible to succeed.
But… I already succeeded once.
Gulp
Feeling a bit nervous, I grabbed a handful of fairy dust and scattered it over the summoning circle.
Light burst forth just like yesterday, but it didn’t seem as bright because the room was already lit.
Less excited than the first time, I chanted the incantation.
“O pure and gentle spirit of water, with your compassionate power, answer my call according to the ancient covenant.”
Unlike with Arie, the light dimmed briefly before tiny water droplets began forming on the circle.
Bubble
“Wow!”
“Ah!”
Ignoring Mr. Yael’s sharp intake of breath, I focused on the tiny droplets gathering into a shape.
The water spirit taking form was adorably small, looking like a baby mermaid.
“Wow, you’re so cute. Unlike someone…”
That “someone” was definitely Arie. No cuteness whatsoever.
Falling in love with the adorable low-level spirit, I quickly felt my mana draining and hurried to complete the contract.
“My name is Geenie Crowell. Little spirit, will you contract with me?”
The little spirit nodded, and I almost fainted with joy.
This was it, the spirit I wanted!
“Nice to meet you, Undine!”
The four elemental spirits already have names, so there’s no need to name them. But non-elemental spirits complete the contract by naming them, like with Arie. Ha, basic knowledge! Those three years of lessons paid off!
Watching Undine’s bubbly form disappear, I felt my pride soar.
Though it was a low-level spirit, successfully contracting a water spirit was a big deal! I was truly a genius! Even if not in intellect.
“Miss Geenie?”
Seeing Mr. Yael trembling with excitement, I flashed him a triumphant smile.
Do you see my rising status?
Mr. Yael always said it was impossible for a ten-year-old to form a spirit contract. But I had skipped so many classes that he tried to bribe me with a contract if I attended classes regularly. I also pulled the “I’ll die if I can’t” card.
So, he intended to let me experience a real summoning. The fact he didn’t stop me from summoning a water spirit, though difficult, means he expected me to fail.
But I succeeded! How hard did I train my mana for this? No way my hard work would go unrewarded! Haha!
“Wow! Miss Geenie, this is truly amazing!”
Yes, praise me more! But keep it classy, Geenie.
The youngest known spirit mage was thirteen. But now that record will be broken by me.
I got lucky that my talent aligned with my goal and I had strong support. My ultimate aim is the spirit king!
“Teacher, Drike Academy is full of geniuses. Didn’t you know?”
I tried to act nonchalant, but Mr. Yael, still wide-eyed, grabbed my shoulder.
Hey, this is too much!
“Miss Geenie! Please summon Undine again! Quickly!”
“Uh… I’m almost out of mana, so not for long.”
“Fine. Just summon… I still can’t believe it!”
If you don’t believe it, that’s your problem. Move away.
“Fine… Undine!”
Responding to my call, water droplets gathered in the air, and Undine reappeared.
Unlike before, Undine appeared quickly, and it required less mana than during the contract.
However, I was almost out of mana, so it felt like a lot.
“Wow, it really is Undine! A real Undine!”
What did you expect? This wasn’t your usual reaction, teacher.
Seeing Mr. Yael’s excited and intense gaze, I briefly waved at Undine and dismissed her.
Dismissal is simple. Just cut off the mana supply.
[Master!]
[Yeah?]
[Why is he acting like this?]
[He skipped his meds.]
[Ah, I see.]
Feeling hungry, I turned to Mr. Yael, who was still in a daze, and complained about my hunger.
“Teacher, I’m hungry. Can we eat now?”
With a bright smile, I displayed a childlike, victorious grin.
Contracting with Undine put me in a great mood, and I liked today’s meal too.
Cream stew, beef bacon, freshly baked bread. Common, but delicious.
With my mana almost replenished, I thought about summoning the cute Undine again while eating.
Suddenly, a group of people rushed into the dining hall, led by Mr. Yael.
What’s going on? Why are they coming here? Reflexively, I swallowed the bread I was chewing.
“Geenie! Summon Undine! Quickly!”
“Mm?”
Chewing bread, I looked at the stern-faced people behind Mr. Yael.
The vice principal, some spirit mages I had seen before, and… the academy’s headmaster! He’s quite friendly with me.
He’s a renowned sage with the title of Marquis… something like that. Oh, his name is similar to Arie’s! That’s my dog’s name.
“Geenie, quickly summon Undine!”
Reluctantly swallowing the bread, I summoned Undine.
“Undine!”
Water droplets quickly gathered, and Undine appeared in the form of a mermaid.
Since I had summoned her, I asked her for water.
“Undine, can you fill this cup with water?”
Undine nodded and filled the cup.
It was amazing to see the water level rise from the bottom of the cup. Wow, she’s like a living water purifier! The mana consumption was less than I expected.
“Wow!”
Drinking the water quickly, I glanced at the fascinated people around me.
What’s so fascinating? It’s just Undine. After finishing my drink, I thanked Undine.
“Thanks, Undine. The water was delicious!”
Undine shyly shook her head.
Wow, this is the spirit I wanted! I couldn’t resist hugging Undine and rubbing my face against her.
The pleasant coolness touched my cheek.
[Master! Anything I can help with?]
[Nope.]
Arie was ignored.
Just one day after the contract.
* * *
“Hic!”
I realized how overly confident I had been, clutching my chest in an attempt to calm down.
Why is this happening all of a sudden? Just because I contracted a low-level spirit, I get an audience with the king?
“Hic!”
“Calm down, Geenie. His Majesty just wants to see you because he’s impressed.”
The overwhelming scent of roses filled the area, making my nose tingle. Red, white, pink, yellow… the various colors of roses made my head spin.
The king… The Great King… His Majesty… Hic! The absolute ruler of the knight’s nation, Dmitri, and the Sword Master, King Dicel III!
I had heard about the king so much it felt like I had cauliflower ears.
Hic! Is this what it feels like for an ordinary citizen to meet the president? Hic! No, the king is higher than the president!
While I was struggling with my nerves, the king finally appeared.
His blue hair glittered in the sunlight, giving off an almost halo-like effect, and his indifferent gray eyes clearly showed he was the king.
His tightly closed lips added to his dignity. In short, he must have been quite popular in his youth.
Fear, admiration, reverence. Despite ignoring it, the loyalty indoctrination from Drike teachers must have worked wonders.
“Geenie, greet His Majesty.”
At the headmaster’s words, I instinctively knelt and pressed my forehead to the ground.
Then I realized the awkward silence and the “Oops” feeling. I hurriedly stood up. But…
“Pfft!”
Laughter I couldn’t identify, followed by more laughter.
“Hahaha!”
The king’s laughter.
My face flushed with embarrassment.
“Hahaha.”
Must be the headmaster.
“Snicker.”
Maybe the palace maids? Come on, stop laughing! I felt like dying from embarrassment.
[Heehee!]
Damn, even Arie…
[Hey! Stop laughing!]
[Snrk.]
[…You’re staying as a rat’s skin from now on.]
[…Master, I wasn’t laughing! I’m innocent! Master!]
Ignoring Arie’s useless pleas, I decided to pick up a rat carcass on the way back.
“Haha! Geenie, greet His Majesty properly. No need for a full bow.”
“Ah, Geenie Crowell, Your Majesty. It is an honor beyond measure to meet you.”
I curtsied, lifting my skirt slightly and bowing deeply.
It’s not really beyond measure, but it’s an honor, Your Majesty.
“Haha! What a funny child. Did you say Geenie?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Whether it’s Geenie or Jinny, it’s all the same. For the first year or two, I corrected people to Jinny, but I gave up. And there’s no way I’d dare correct the king. Besides, Geenie sounds better here.
“So, you succeeded in contracting a spirit at ten years old? Remarkable.”
“Your praise is too generous, Your Majesty. It’s just a low-level spirit.”
When I humbly responded, the king looked at me with admiration, and the headmaster seemed to think I was crazy.
Arie’s excuses still rang in my head.
“A low-level spirit is still impressive. Our kingdom of Dmitri lacks both spirit mages and magicians. Your achievement is very gratifying to me.”
“It’s all thanks to your great benevolence, Your Majesty.”
It’s true, the king’s support made this possible. The headmaster kept giving me odd looks, but gaining the king’s favor couldn’t hurt.
“Oh, how commendable! I wish to reward you. Is there anything you desire?”
“…A reward?”
A reward from the king just for contracting a low-level spirit? Being a spirit mage was a great decision. It seems I have a knack for this.
[Master, I really wasn’t laughing. Master, are you listening?]
Maybe I shouldn’t have contracted with Arie. But he’s a handy key, so I’ll let it slide.
“Yes, I hear your father is a baron. How about I elevate your family to the rank of viscount, no, an earl? Would that be satisfactory?”
“An earl?”
An earl? That’s two ranks above baron. But my parents aren’t people who care about titles.
As nobles, even viscount status would be just a nominal middle-upper class title.
“Yes, an earl. You would be the daughter of an earl. What do you think? Shall I grant this?”
“If you deem it so… I would be grateful. However…”
“However?”
“My abilities are still insufficient to accept such a grand reward, Your Majesty.”
While secretly plotting for the future, I watched the headmaster gape in disbelief.
“Oh, how commendable! Then what shall I grant you?”
…I need to ask for something small. But what should I ask for? Jewels? No. Rare metals to feed Arie? What should I ask for? Orichalcum? No, that’s too much. Dream metal. Besides, I can get metal easily enough. Hmm… Ah, yes…
“Your Majesty, may I have permission to keep a pet?”
“…A pet? What do you mean?”
“I want to keep a pet in the dormitory. I’m the only one in the spirit class, so I get lonely during lessons…”
It might end up being a rat, but I should get permission first. Pets were strictly prohibited in the dormitory. Arie should appreciate my effort.
“Oh, how could I refuse? Very well. Marquis Lyle! Allow this girl to keep a pet.”
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty.”
The headmaster, still bewildered by my sudden change, nodded at the king’s command. Now that I had permission, I wanted to keep something rare, something powerful. An alligator? Are there alligators here? Or maybe an iguana? Something without fur and easy to carry… What could it be?
While I pondered, screams erupted from the maids’ side.
“Eek!”
“Eeeek!”
“Glug!”
Most scattered in fear, and one faint-hearted maid foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
Judging by the foam, she must be a Pisces.
I looked over to see a thin snake slithering out of the rose bushes. Ladies, you were giggling earlier, serves you right.
“Hmm, what’s this commotion?”
“A snake seems to have appeared. Guards, deal with the snake!”
“Yes, sir!”
One of the knights accompanying the king approached the snake.
The snake, sensing danger, bit at the knight’s foot, but it was futile against the knight’s armor.
Eventually, the snake was beaten to death with the knight’s scabbard.
Poor thing. It’s easier to cut its head off, but who would dare draw a sword in front of the king? So the scabbard was used…
“Wait! Knight, wait a moment!”
I shouted desperately at the knight about to take the snake’s corpse away.
All eyes focused on me.
“…What is it, lady?”
“Could you give me that snake?”
“…What?”
The knight, towering over me, asked in disbelief.
“…What do you mean? What will you do with a snake’s corpse?”
The king, puzzled, looked at me.
I hesitated, but then my well-honed skills kicked in.
“Your Majesty, I feel sorry for the snake that died so suddenly. I wish to bury it in a sunny place. Please grant me this favor.”
Moved by my tearful plea, the king nodded and gestured to the knight.
“Oh, what a kind heart! Very well. The snake is yours. Bury it in a sunny place. The snake will be grateful.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I bowed to the king and looked at the snake the knight offered.
It was about three fingers thick and had a dull color with yellow stripes on its belly. A venomous snake, its head was triangular.
The knight, urging me to take it, seemed impatient.
“Could you wrap it for me?”
I couldn’t bear to touch it with my bare hands. I’m a lady, after all.
Anyway, mission accomplished.
[Master, you’re not serious?]
[Of course I am. Haha.]
That night, the moon was bright and the stars were shining, but it wasn’t a beautiful night for me.
In the middle of my room was a large cauldron.
It was filled with boiling black liquid, a mix of copper, bronze, silver, gold, iron, and some of my jewels.
I hoped for a prettier color, but it looked so dull.
I was doing this bizarre task because Arie had instructed me to.
[Now? Should I put it in now?]
[Just a bit more. Wait for the right temperature, Master.]
[Damn, it’s so hot!]
Arie had explained that mixing ten or more metals and dropping the snake in would cause the snake to dissolve and merge with the liquid metal.
The liquid metal would then remember the snake’s shape, and Arie could take that form when he absorbed it.
It wasn’t scientific, but this world was full of magic and spirits, so I went along with it.
[Master, now!]
“Now? Okay!”
At Arie’s cue, I poured the white bag into the cauldron. Do I have to return this bag to the knight? It looked like his money pouch.
I thought about the knight briefly but quickly forgot as I watched the snake’s corpse dissolve into the cauldron.
[Wow, it’s melting! Poor thing.]
I felt genuine pity for the melting snake.
[…Master, that’s not something you should say.]
[…Should I add the rat too?]
[No, no. I’m sorry, Master.]
Tsk, this dull spirit never understands my delicate heart. Maybe it’s because his head is metal?
Then it happened.
The boiling liquid in the cauldron solidified and began to evaporate, decreasing in volume.
“What?”
The black liquid disappeared, and a snake coiled in the cauldron.
The snake lifted its head and wiggled as if to show off.
[Master! Success.]
[It looks quite snake-like.]
[Is that an insult?]
[It’s a compliment!]
The black snake sluggishly crawled out of the cauldron and raised its head toward me.
Thinking it wanted to be held, I grabbed its neck to lift it. But…
[Master?]
[You can crawl.]
It was too heavy. The cauldron full of metal weighed a ton.
[Shall I reduce the weight, Master?]
[…Is that possible?]
[Of course. I can adjust the weight and strength of any metal I absorb. Even change its properties.]
Hmm, the cauldron full of metal was reduced to one snake’s worth? So…
[Can you make diamonds?]
[Yes!]
[Really?]
[If I absorb them.]
…Damn.
[What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t get it!]
[So, I can only use what I absorb. I have absorbed gold, silver, bronze, iron, copper, emerald, sapphire, ruby, pearl, onyx, platinum. I can transform or combine them.]
So… only what he absorbs? Wait…
[But… Pearl isn’t metal. Others may be, but pearl comes from the sea.]
[True. I mentioned I’m hard to describe in human terms.]
[…Can you explain simply?]
The snake-shaped Arie shook its head and sighed.
[Do you remember I introduced myself as a spirit of minerals but called myself a metal spirit?]
[Yeah, sort of…]
It had only been about a week. Contracting Arie, then Undine, meeting the king today… Not long.
[Minerals include metals, jewels, and more. But I said metal spirit because it’s closest. Orichalcum, from meteorites, isn’t from the earth but is called metal. And it’s part of me. Pearls are similar. Though from the sea, they’re jewels, so part of me. I almost called myself a solid spirit, but that includes wood and sand, which don’t fit. Understand?]
[Not at all… It’s too complicated!]
[…That’s why I said human language can’t describe me.]
Nodding, I felt a chill run down my spine as Arie’s glowing eyes met mine.
It was an unsettling feeling, but I had more urgent matters.
Swoosh
Crash
[Master?]
Throwing Arie to the floor, I grabbed my throbbing wrist.
[You’re annoying.]
[Such harsh words!]
The weight was no joke. My wrist hurt. Damn, I shouldn’t have thrown him.
After that, I started gathering all kinds of metals and rare gems.
But I could only leave the academy four times a year.
So my collection was limited.
* * *
“Sigh.”
“Geenie, why the sigh? Do you have worries like me?”
Mia looked concerned.
“Sigh, I want to go outside. What’s your worry?”
“Me? It’s not directly related to me, but in the alchemy class, there’s a storage room for various metals.”
“…There’s such a room?”
Wow, that’s good news. I should send Arie to collect them.
“Yes, but all the metals in that room disappeared. So difficult experiments are on hold until they restock. Sigh…”
“That’s too bad. Hang in there, Mia.”
That guy… he’s fast. Arie was out hunting, but he always came back at night looking better.
“Whew, it’s tough. Geenie, so…”
“…Yeah?”
“To cheer me up, call Undine!”
…Right, Mia is a master negotiator!
“Fine. Undine!”
Feeling a bit guilty, I easily called Undine.
Undine circled around me and Mia.
It’s been about four months since contracting Undine.
I diligently trained my mana and summoned Undine often to increase our bond.
Because of that, I could now keep Undine summoned for about 30 minutes.
But that’s only if she did nothing. Any action drained mana quickly.
Arie, on the other hand, didn’t drain my mana even though he was always with me.
Arie explained he’s a natural spirit, staying by his will, not summoned. He only used mana when using power.
In short, Arie is in standby mode, not summoned.
“Hehe, Undine is so cute! I want one too…”
“Well, you have zero affinity, right? I got lucky.”
“Hmm, Undine is low-level, right? What’s mid-level called?”
“Mid-level is Undain, high-level is Endairon, top-level is Elestra, spirit king is Elaim. The difference in mana needed between levels is huge! Mid-level needs five times more mana than low, high needs ten times more than mid, top needs twenty times more than high. The spirit king is forty times more than top. But no one has summoned a spirit king, so it’s not certain.”
Using gestures, I explained. Mia tilted her head.
“Five times? Ten times? What does that mean? Power?”
“Oh, that’s the mana difference. It’s enormous, right? It’s also a power difference. I want to summon Undain soon! Undine is adorable, so I wonder what charm Undain has.”
I rolled on the grass, talking.
“Wow, so you aim to be the youngest high-level spirit mage in the continent?”
“Oh? Well, I hadn’t thought about it. But that sounds cool!”
Youngest spirit mage… Haha, perfect for me.
I was basking in my fantasy when Mia shook me.
“Geenie! Look, Arie is coming.”
“Huh? Oh, leave him.”
Arie was known as my pet snake in the palace.
Some worried he was venomous because of his triangular head, but after a few months without incident, they left him alone.
Arie said some tried to make snake soup, but their knives broke, and they left crying.
Arie maintained a constant weight but grew stronger as he ate more rare metals and gems.
I was lost in thought when the academy headmaster’s amplified voice echoed through the auditorium.
ㅡEveryone, please be quiet.
The noisy students gradually quieted down until the auditorium was silent.
Students of various ages, including some tall ones from the older groups, filled the seats.
Drike Academy has two divisions: the Junior Division for ages 5 to 13 and the Senior Division for ages 14 to 18.
At 19, students are assigned positions within the kingdom based on their skills and preferences.
I was still in the Junior Division, so I didn’t know much about the specifics.
I knew Drike was an elite academy for geniuses, but not much more.
ㅡNow, we will start a special assembly. In one month, the Winkan Festival will take place. As some of you know, this festival is hosted by the Elan Empire and includes our Dmitri Kingdom, the western Bailan Kingdom, the eastern Koran Kingdom, and the northern Heidrick Kingdom. Every ten years, it’s held at the Wintide Academy in Elan. Each kingdom’s royal academy selects their best students to showcase their skills.
The headmaster paused before continuing.
ㅡToday, we will announce the students representing our Drike Academy at the Winkan Festival. Each kingdom selects 20 students, so most of you won’t be chosen. But don’t be discouraged and continue to excel in your studies! That is all.
What? There’s such a thing?
“Mia! Did you know about this?”
“Of course! Everyone knows. Are you an undercover agent or something?”
…Am I an undercover agent?
“So, what’s the festival about?”
“Well, I don’t know all the details, but alchemy students like me will conduct experiments, and the best will get awards. Martial arts, swordsmanship, and magic students will compete in matches to determine the winners.”
“…But Drike only has a magic department.”
Martial arts? Swordsmanship? We have those?
“Geenie, what are you talking about? Of course, we have them! Drike is the royal academy of Dmitri, known as the nation of knights. We have a magic department and a physical training department for students with exceptional physical abilities. Drike Academy is an elite institution, unlike other royal academies that accept anyone who pays. Those schools have thousands of students. Imagine the crowd! It would be awful. I hate crowds! Anyway, Drike has 300 students in the physical training department and 120 in the general department, totaling 420 elite students!”
Wow, I never knew! So that’s why there were rumors about becoming a seed if you didn’t choose a career path.
But Mia, you’re still a kid too. And the general department has so few students compared to the physical training department. Have I been too indifferent to my surroundings? I might end up isolated. I need to pay attention!
I was chiding myself internally when a voice called out names.
ㅡMagic department: Bright Kenian, Koga Isterra, Yuppie Sanirun, Peter. Spirit department: Geenie Crowell. Please come to the stage.
Before I knew it, I was on the stage, guided by surrounding hands.
The headmaster’s speech about representing Drike’s honor was barely registering in my mind. Wait! Am I going too? With spirit magic? Against swordsmen? Magicians? Martial artists? This isn’t right!
* * *
“Singe, remove all buoyancy from water to sink a designated target. Water Screen, create a water barrier to block fire attacks. Water Walking, walk on water even with heavy armor. Water Breathing, breathe underwater. Purification, purify desired water. Aqua Ball, attack with a low-pressure water ball…”
Rattling
In the carriage, I read the spirit magic book Mr. Yael had given me, focusing on the spells for the low-level water spirit, Undine. I felt despair. Only six spells, and just one for attack! This book is useless… I looked around the carriage, feeling defeated.
The tournament team had 12 students: three from the martial arts department, four from the swordsmanship department, four from the magic department, and one from the spirit department.
The rest were two from the alchemy department, two from the economics department, two from the business department, and two from the administrative department, making eight students for the theory team.
In the tournament team, two students from each department were from the Senior Division and two from the Junior Division, competing separately.
The theory team collaborated across divisions for experiments and reports.
Deep in thought, the carriage stopped, and someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
“Miss, it’s time for lunch.”
“Ah, okay!”