Chapter 54

Rai, as if to show off his greatness, wagged his tail and brought it to the barrier.

Before I could stop him, he acted on his words.

You fool of a snake!

*SCREEEEECH!*

The alarm this time was ten times more grating than the previous one. The piercing, high-pitched noise clawed at my nerves, and I reflexively clamped my hands over my ears.

It felt like my brain was being shredded by sound.

“You… idiot!”

Rai, still pressing his tail against the barrier, was yanked away and tossed under Undain.

That snake’s skull must be filled with rocks.

How else could he do something that might as well be a giant neon sign saying, *“I’m here! Come and get me!”* during an escape?

Despite falling from a height of at least 10 meters, Rai emerged unscathed.

[Ma-Master, how could you abandon me like this? Woe is me! Take me back, Master-oooh!]

“Stop whining! You nearly made me deaf!”

[Master, I’ll stitch your ears back together. Just don’t leave me behind, please, sniff sniff.]

From below, Rai squirmed like a pathetic little worm.

Meanwhile, the guards, who I had so painstakingly shaken off, heard the alarm and quickly closed in.

Rai, you imbecile!

Leaving Rai to sort himself out, I made a break for it.

[Catch up on your own, you dumb snake!]

[What? Masterrr~ How could you subject me to such trials? Waaaah!]

*Whoosh*

As I swiftly glided along the curved edge of the barrier to avoid the guards, someone entered through the barrier from the opposite side.

Judging by the gray hair, it was an older man.

The way he opened the barrier and the palpable hostility radiating from him marked him as an enemy.

Not that I expected an ally in this situation.

“Stop, Undain!”

[That old man… he’s a powerful Wind Spirit Summoner, Master.]

I focused on the approaching figure, feeling a mix of familiarity and unease.

He was a summoner, like me, but unlike me, he specialized in wind spirits. His skill and experience might rival or even surpass mine.

If he was from Heidricke, there was only one upper-rank summoner it could be: *Lidrat Theatrazen.*

Theatrazen was a notorious figure—reputed to be both greedy for money and deeply perverted. Yet, as an upper-rank summoner, he was revered by others in our field.

Tch, I’m an upper-rank summoner too.

Of course, I live by the famous mantra: *“Hide your wings, hide your claws, and pretend to be prey.”*

Still, I doubt anyone sees me as a harmless herbivore.

“Give up. You can try flailing around uselessly if you wish, but it will be futile.”

Theatrazen’s grating voice reached my ears, carried by spirit magic.

Using mana to transmit his voice directly to me? How extravagant. He must have an abundance of mana to waste it on theatrics.

[Hmph, Undain. Water Strike!]

I didn’t bother replying; speaking up would only reveal I was a woman. Instead, I retaliated immediately.

Let’s see just how skilled this revered summoner really is.

*Swish!*

Water droplets rapidly converged, forming a massive whip.

It looked almost like a sea serpent—or, if you squinted, a giant water snake. But appearances didn’t matter. What mattered was how fast it could strike.

*BOOM!*

The colossal water whip lashed out, striking Theatrazen’s position without mercy.

The Heidricke palace floor bore the scar of the attack—a dark, serpentine mark where the water had struck.

Ugh, I felt a pang of guilt. But with the damage I’d already done to a building earlier, I decided to ignore it.

What I couldn’t ignore was the old man standing smugly within his barrier, unharmed.

Wind spirits are well-balanced; his defense was formidable.

“Hoho, an intruder. So, you’re a summoner too? And a rare mid-rank Water Spirit Summoner at that!”

Wait, he didn’t know?

How incompetent could he be to not recognize another summoner immediately? And he calls himself an upper-rank summoner?

His dismissive attitude stung, especially when he referred to me as a “rare mid-rank Water Spirit Summoner.”

On this continent, when someone mentions a mid-rank Water Spirit Summoner, the first name that comes to mind is mine: *Geenie Crowell.*

And the fact that he could block my Water Strike so effortlessly? Unacceptable.

“…Oh, great water spirit slumbering in the depths, heed the call of your contractor. Appear before me and unleash your grandeur—Endairon!”

While I didn’t feel personally threatened, I needed to erase any impression of being “mid-rank.”

If I was going to fight this old man, I had to assert my superiority.

Murmuring the incantation, I summoned Endairon.

Using the lingering water from the Water Strike, the majestic sea dragon materialized, radiating an aura so oppressive that even I, its summoner, felt overwhelmed.

[Is this… a mortal’s castle?]

[Why don’t you greet your summoner first?]

I didn’t expect Endairon to be as sweet as Undine or as loyal as Undain, but his aloofness and overbearing attitude were grating.

He even reminded me of Rovenin, someone I summoned just to outdo but ended up being as insufferable as.

[…Greetings.]

“E-Endairon! A Water… Upper-Rank Spirit? Impossible!”

Theatrazen visibly recoiled as Endairon appeared, exclaiming in shock.

Wait a moment… Theatrazen.

I quickly rummaged through the pages I had torn from the book earlier.

One of the summoners mentioned in the text had the surname Tetron.

According to my lessons on noble genealogies, a family with the Tetron surname had once defected to Heidricke and changed their name to Theatrazen.

Theatrazen was a renowned upper-rank summoner lineage across the continent, which is why the detail had stuck with me.

I knew that name sounded familiar!

This old man belonged to the same family.

I hurriedly skimmed the pages:

*“My previous name was Sergeino Marcio.

My new name is Sergeino Tetron, a surname chosen to mark my break from my old lineage and the start of a new one.

Tetron, a name derived from the legendary bird said to carry the gods to their sanctuary.”*

*“My name is Sergeino Tetron, the last summoner of the Spirit of Space in this era.”*

This was it!

The piece I had been looking for.

It felt like divine intervention. Perhaps the gods felt guilty about how unfairly I had died in my past life and were trying to make amends—though only when it suited them.

A summoner of space… I wasn’t too keen on the idea, considering my motion sickness with warp spells, but the utility of such a spirit was undeniable.

It could move objects, bring others to me, or even alter the space around me. Its potential was boundless.

I already felt as if the summoning circle for the Spirit of Space was in my grasp.

Tetron had combined two summoning circles into a single emblem to create his family crest.

If I could find the Theatrazen family crest in a book or see their noble insignia in person, I could obtain both circles simultaneously.

It would require separating them, but that was a task I was willing to undertake.

*“Heh heh… heheheh.”*

Meeting Theatrazen turned out to be quite advantageous.

Sure, I was playing the role of the villain here, but the rewards outweighed the risks.

First, I had the chance to test myself against another upper-rank summoner.

Second, I’d uncovered the whereabouts of two summoning circles I’d thought would be a headache to locate.

“You! What nation sent you as a spy? What is it you want?”

A spy, huh?

I suppose that was a reasonable assumption. The sudden appearance of an upper-rank summoner might make one think of a secret foreign operation.

Rumors of such things were rampant across the continent.

I wondered how best to spin this story without tying it back to myself.

Should I play along and act like a spy?

No, I had a better idea.

[Undain, repeat exactly what I say so that old man hears it.]

[Yes, Master.]

The existence of an unknown upper-rank summoner was already an anomaly. To further distance myself from suspicion, I crafted a story that would make them doubt any connection to me.

[“…I am the twentieth daughter of the great Cloud, Seer of the Watchful, who slumbers in the Peaceful Greens. I am on a mission under the orders of Cloud. Human, do not interfere.”]

I had cobbled together this introduction from vague memories of how Dark Elves spoke.

I felt a little guilty borrowing the name of Xerath, who shared the name of my brother, and adding “twentieth daughter” to align with my upcoming twentieth birthday.

I also borrowed the name of a girl I’d met on a ship recently—Derylsa. I’d helped her find her pendant, so I figured she owed me this much.

Undain faithfully echoed my words in her ethereal voice.

Theatrazen listened intently, his expression shifting as he clapped his hands together.

Theatrics worked.

“Are you an elf? No, an elf noble, perhaps?”

[Yes.]

“Yes.”

“Why do you speak through a spirit? What is it you are searching for?”

Maintaining Endairon drained mana at an alarming rate. I had no patience for idle chatter.

Either he should get out of the way, or we’d settle this with force.

[“I do not wish to sully myself by speaking directly to humans. What I seek is of no concern to a lowly human. Step aside, now!”]

Undain repeated my words perfectly, her voice somehow more regal than mine.

Endairon, as if bored, swished his massive tail, sending a powerful gust of wind through the area.

[“Why was I summoned?”]

[“Just stay put for a bit longer.”]

[“Hmph.”]

Despite his reluctance, Endairon obeyed, emitting a watery gurgle that sounded suspiciously like a sigh.

Theatrazen, however, remained unconvinced.

“Elf or not, trespassing into a human palace without permission is a crime you must answer for!”

Of course, I hadn’t expected him to let me go easily.

Fine. If words weren’t enough…

[“Then we shall use force!”]

– “Then we shall use force!”

[“Endairon! Ice Rain!”]

– “Endairon! Ice Rain!”

Before Undain even finished relaying the command, Endairon began casting.

From his gaping maw, a frigid vapor condensed into a massive, ominous cloud.

The air grew bitterly cold as chunks of ice, akin to hailstones, began raining down.

Upon hitting the ground, the icy rain spread frost along the surface, freezing everything in its path.

The spell was powerful enough to freeze not only the target but also any barriers they might create.

“This won’t do! *Sillaphe Boom de Wind!*”

Tch. Rather than defend, Theatrazen counterattacked.

The spell created an explosive surge of wind across a wide area. I’d seen my mentor use it once before.

The gale was so strong that it tore the hood from my head, even though I’d tied it securely.

The icy hailstones scattered, melting into harmless droplets.

Damn it, my spell!

Worse still—my hair, my hair!

[“Endairon! Dust Chip!”]

– “Endairon! Dust Chip!”

As I hastily pulled my hood back over my golden hair, I cursed the slip. My hair was a beacon of recognition, and it was now a liability.

Dust Chip was a suppressive attack spell.

Endairon’s body unleashed a flurry of razor-sharp ice scales, which shot out in every direction like tiny projectiles.

If they hit, the target would be paralyzed.

Unsurprisingly, Theatrazen wasn’t going to be hit so easily.

His wind spirit, *Sillaphe*, deflected most of the scales.

Still, a few broke through his defenses, grazing his robe.

“*Sillaphe! Levitation!*”

Apparently rattled, Theatrazen cast Levitation, the most basic aerial movement spell.

Damn it. Aerial combat wasn’t my strong suit.

And maintaining Endairon had already drained a significant portion of my mana.

This old man still seemed full of energy.

Tch, I needed more mana.

[“Undain, listen carefully. Find Rai and bring him to me. Drop me on Endairon’s head first.”]

– “Undain…”

[“Yes, Master.”]

Undain gently placed me atop Endairon’s massive head before diving back toward the interior of the barrier.

I was now within the second barrier.

I had broken through the first, but there were still several more ahead.

And standing in my way was one of the continent’s most renowned upper-rank summoners, Theatrazen.

“…Are you truly an elf?”

He was starting to suspect me.

It seemed he had noticed the absence of the long ears typical of elves when my hood came off.

Instead of answering, I simply nodded.

In my mind, I gave Endairon a command.

[“Endairon, prepare Bind Rain. Wait for the right moment when he lets his guard down.”]

Bind Rain was a powerful restraining spell that drew water from the air and ground, binding the target in icy chains before freezing them completely.

Once caught, escape was nearly impossible.

Even though Theatrazen was within a shield, Endairon’s *Bind Rain* was powerful enough to breach it—or so I hoped.

“Prove you’re an elf by…” Theatrazen’s demand was cut off mid-sentence as Endairon unleashed his spell.

A white mist surged around Theatrazen, rapidly expanding and coalescing into thin, gleaming threads of ice.

The shimmering threads wrapped tightly around Theatrazen. However, to my frustration, they encased not just his body but his shield as well.

Endairon should’ve understood my intent to target Theatrazen directly, not waste energy on the shield.

From atop Endairon’s head, I stomped my foot in irritation.

[You were supposed to wrap him, not his shield! Wrapping the shield might break the Bind Rain!]

[It’s tedious to bypass the shield. Breaking it takes effort.]

[Fine! Just control the power so it doesn’t shatter!]

I watched nervously as the glowing *Bind Rain* formed a large sphere around Theatrazen.

Encasing the shield made the spell unnecessarily large, draining more mana than necessary.

This rebellious spirit! High-rank or not, Endairon rarely listened to me.

It was my first time feeling so uneasy while using Bind Rain—probably because my opponent was one of the continent’s most renowned summoners.

Tch, I’m an upper-rank summoner too, you know. There are even better ones among other races!

[Master!]

[Huh? Rai! Finally, where have you been?]

Undain glided gracefully through the opening I had created earlier, and perched atop her was Rai, barely registering any presence.

From a distance, he looked like a worm.

[Master abandoned me… sniff.]

[Whatever! You’re here now, so I’ll forgive you. Consider yourself lucky nothing happened.]

Rai slithered from Undain onto my wrist, then up to my shoulder, where he perched himself, his small, pointed snake head near my face.

[Master… you’re mean.]

[What did I do?]

[Sniff! I thought humans were selfish, but I believed my master was different. I’m disappointed in you.]

[Oh, now you realize I’m selfish? I’m disappointed in you for being so slow.]

Scoffing, I glanced back at the glowing *Bind Rain* encasing Theatrazen.

Please don’t break out, please stay frozen, I silently prayed.

You’ll survive if I thaw you later, so just stay frozen!

[What’s there to be disappointed about, Master? I’m a perfect spirit—no one as versatile as me exists anywhere!]

Rai clearly knew his value as “great stock,” yet his boast only irritated me.

Ignoring his antics, I kept my eyes on Theatrazen.

Something felt… off.

Before I could analyze my unease further, the air around the Bind Rain violently rippled with a surge of mana.

And at its center was Theatrazen.

*Snap! Crackle! Snap!*

The icy threads of Bind Rain fractured and snapped, releasing a suffocatingly fierce wind.

The surrounding air became turbulent, more chaotic than when I’d summoned Endairon.

This intensity could only mean one thing—the emergence of an upper-rank wind spirit: *Silairon.*

“Ha! So, you’re no elf. Impressive as your water spirit is, the fact that it crumbled before my Silairon proves you’re human!”

Theatrazen was babbling something, but I was too entranced by my first glimpse of Silairon.

What elegance!

Her magnificent attire, her radiant presence…

A towering, regal female figure, exuding an aura reminiscent of a goddess of war.

Honestly, I preferred Silairon’s aesthetics over Endairon’s.

Purely from a design perspective, of course.

[Master, what’s with that guy yammering about elves?]

[Oh, that’s Theatrazen, an upper-rank wind summoner. We need to take him down to escape.]

[Oho, are we killing him?]

[Hmm, killing someone that famous would cause a big stir and trouble for me. But honestly, I don’t know if I can subdue him without going that far.]

I wasn’t sure how far my abilities would go against his.

Still, my heart pounded with a mix of anxiety and exhilaration.

The thought of a duel between upper-rank spirits was thrilling.

Even though he had figured out I wasn’t an elf, and he was a formidable foe, I couldn’t help but feel excited.

Fine. Let’s see whose upper-rank spirit is stronger.

“Have you lost your senses, staring at Silairon’s magnificence? I’ve already determined you’re human. Surrender now!”

[Hah! Let’s see how great you really are. Endairon, *Icicle Lance!*]

Unlike the scattered assault of *Dust Chip*, *Icicle Lance* was a single, massive ice spear—more like a glacier shard.

Endairon opened his enormous maw wide and launched the gigantic spear toward Silairon.

The concentrated destructive power was immense.

The speed of the attack left a fleeting blur in its wake—too fast for the eye to follow.

“Silairon! *Wind Shield! Air Barum!*”

*Air Barum* was a thick wall of wind for frontal defense.

The combination of *Wind Shield* and *Air Barum* created a double barrier.

The Icicle Lance spun furiously, trying to penetrate the barriers, but eventually shattered into countless fragments.

Faster defense than offense? Damn it.

[Tch, Endairon! Try *Water Strike* again!]

Furious that my Icicle Lance had been neutralized without even scratching the enemy, I ordered another strike.

Stomping on Endairon’s head, I urged him to attack once more.

But his effort was blocked by a tornado-like wind spear from Silairon.

“Hah! I won’t just sit back. Silairon, *Aero Boom!*”

I hadn’t seen this spell before.

Silairon’s pointed lance swelled, transforming into a massive, transparent fist.

The fist hurled forward, slamming into Endairon with divine-like force.

*Boom!*

The blow sent Endairon reeling, his massive body writhing in pain.

[How dare that wind harpy strike me! I’ll destroy her!]

[Hah! Serves you right!]

Rai cackled, rolling onto his back in laughter as Endairon thrashed about.

Unintentionally, Endairon’s wild movements made me lose my balance, forcing me to jump onto Undain for safety.

I realized one thing clearly from that attack: the speed of a wind spirit’s magic was terrifying.

Spells were cast almost simultaneously with the incantation.

Though I prided myself on my speed, it was nothing compared to the instantaneous magic of a wind spirit.

[Unbelievable! Me, losing? This cannot stand!]