Chapter 61
“So, this is the situation… Anyone want to volunteer to share a double room?”
Back at the inn, Ash quietly posed the question to the group.
But no one raised their hand or showed any willingness.
Well, who would want to leave the group and share a room with a stranger?
[Master, tell Chad to go. He’s the biggest, after all.]
[Oh, I like that idea.]
At Rai’s suggestion, I quietly raised my hand.
Ash gave me a questioning look that seemed to say, “You? Why?”
Hey! I’m not volunteering myself here.
I just have a suggestion to make.
“Geenie, are you volunteering?”
“No, I’m recommending Chad.”
“What?! Who decided that? I object! I nominate Geenie instead!”
Chad, who had been spacing out, immediately bared his teeth in protest when his name came up and tried to nominate me instead.
But I wasn’t backing down!
“Don’t be ridiculous! It has to be Chad! He’s the biggest one here! That walking slab of lard!”
“This is muscle! Don’t insult my sacred muscles by calling them lard!”
“Anyway, it’s Chad! Chad it is! Alright, who’s in favor? Raise your hand!”
Not wanting to go themselves, Gale and Enk sheepishly raised their hands.
But Ash, Lox, and Withry stayed firm.
Ahh!
Three against two?
No, including me, that’s three against three!
And then there’s Rai!
I looked at Rai with a meaningful gaze.
You’re voting too.
[Huh? You want me to vote, Master?]
[Of course!]
[Front paw or back paw?]
[…Do you want to get hit?]
Rai reluctantly raised a front paw.
That made it official: in favor of “sending Chad to the double room” were me, Gale, Enk, and Rai!
Even if Rai wasn’t human, we had four votes. A majority.
I smirked triumphantly, but Chad crossed his arms in an X and declared, “No dogs allowed.”
“What? Why not? Rai is undeniably one of our teammates!”
“He’s a dog!”
Technically, he’s a wolf!
Even I sometimes forget that.
Chad’s protests grew louder, but I wasn’t about to back down.
“You made Rai wait in line earlier! You made him do a harsh task, and now you’re denying him a vote? What kind of person does that make you?”
“T-that was something you agreed to, too!”
“Still! You had my delicate and oh-so-precious Rai do a human’s job. He deserves the same voting rights as a person!”
“Don’t make me laugh! That ‘precious’ dog of yours bites through swords! And you’re always trying to yank out his whiskers!”
That’s my way of showing affection!
As Chad and I clashed once again, Ash and Lox intervened to mediate before things got out of hand.
“Can you two please stop fighting? You argue whenever there’s a chance. Enough already!”
“Exactly, Geenie. This isn’t just any decision; we’ll be using these rooms for a whole week. Let’s be a bit more careful.”
“Fine. Then let me ask the ones who haven’t voted yet. Will you vote against Chad? Yes or no, just answer one way or the other!”
I pointed at Ash first.
“Alright, what’s your answer?”
“Well, um… no. Let’s wait and see…”
“Next, Lox! Yes or no?”
“I’ll follow Ash’s decision…”
“And Withry! What about you?”
I didn’t even bother asking Chad since he was obviously against it. That already made two definite no’s.
Now, Withry’s answer would either bring us back to square one or seal Chad’s fate.
Knowing the weight of her answer, Withry hesitated.
“I, I… um…”
“Hurry up! Yes or no?”
“Well… Gale…”
Withry looked at Gale with a desperate plea, but Gale just shrugged.
You need to decide on your own! He’s your boyfriend, not your dad!
Growing impatient, I pressed Withry for an answer.
“Speak up! Yes or no?”
“I-it’s… ugh! Y-yes.”
And with that, the scales tipped.
Even without counting Rai, it was four votes against three. Including Rai, five against three!
Heheh.
I flashed a victorious grin at Chad, who crossed his arms in frustration.
“This is ridiculous!”
Ridiculous? Ha! Good riddance, Chad.
I sincerely hoped he’d have a miserable week sharing a room with someone even more temperamental than himself.
I must be too kind, really.
Selfish, but kind. Heh.
Usually, my wishes don’t come true that often. Maybe two out of ten times, if I’m lucky.
But oddly enough, this time my wish hit the mark. Less than an hour after we boarded the ship, Chad stormed into my room, looking like he’d swallowed a bitter pill.
It was the room shared by me, Withry, and Enk.
Since couples couldn’t share rooms, the arrangement split us into three-person rooms: Ash, Lox, and Gale in one; and me, Withry, and Enk in another.
—
“Can we switch rooms? If I stay with that person for a whole week, I might commit murder!”
“No.”
[No way! Hahaha.]
Chad scowled, but no one knew better than Chad himself that I wasn’t going to budge.
Even Rai chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.
“Please! I’m begging you, let’s switch!”
“Why? What kind of person is it? Tell me, and if it sounds reasonable, I’ll think about it.”
Enk offered kindly, probably because he felt awkward sharing a room with two women.
Hey, you should be grateful to be surrounded by beauties!
Even if both are taken…
“Sorry, Enk. I appreciate the offer, but it has to be a girl.”
“Why? Is the other person a woman?”, Geenie asked.
“Yes, and… an extremely bad-tempered one. Even worse than Geenie.”
“Huh. Then let’s send Withry. Being a ‘bad-tempered woman’s servant’ is part of her training, isn’t it?”
Withry’s task, assigned by her mentor, was indeed to serve under a bad-tempered woman.
Although she hadn’t explicitly said her mentor was Theatrazen, it was obvious.
I can be perceptive like that.
Sharing a room with Chad was unappealing, but hearing he might kill someone shifted my thoughts slightly. I turned to Withry and offered a suggestion.
“How about you take my place, Withry?”
Withry, reacting almost as if she were having a fit, leaped back and shrieked.
“Ahhh! No way, no! I absolutely can’t do it! There are… limits, you know! Blonde hair, blue eyes, a Water Spirit Summoner—that kind of thing!
“Hmm… Chad, the woman isn’t a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Water Spirit Summoner, is she?”
“No, she’s a redhead with green eyes. And she seems to be a Fire Spirit Summoner. Just look at my pants! See this scorched spot? She did that to me!”
Chad spun around and pointed to his blackened, charred pants.
Gross! Put that away!
“Get that out of here!”
[Should I bite him, Master?]
[Resist, Rai.]
But… a Fire Spirit Summoner? That’s quite a feat.
Among the spirits, the summoning difficulty ranks as follows: wind, earth, fire, and water. Wind is the easiest to summon, while water is the hardest.
This order also reflects the number of summoners: wind is the most common, followed by fire, then water, and lastly earth.
Earth spirits are often considered inefficient and less versatile, so very few humans form contracts with them. Wind spirits, on the other hand, are both efficient and relatively easy to contract, making them highly sought after. For instance, the continent’s most powerful summoner, Theatrazen, as well as my mentor Master Yael Roenin and Withry, are all Wind Spirit Summoners.
Fire spirits, though difficult to contract, are highly valued for their unparalleled offensive power. That’s why Fire Spirit Summoners are the second most common. Their spirits may be hard to contract, but they’re easier to control compared to others.
Water spirits, while the hardest to summon, are quite adaptable depending on the user’s training and methods. This makes them somewhat more prevalent than earth spirits.
Lastly, earth spirits are at the bottom of the hierarchy. Though they are the easiest to summon, the gap between lower- and mid-tier abilities is massive, making it hard to progress further. Additionally, they’re seen as inefficient, which greatly diminishes their appeal.
“So, Withry, want to switch? The conditions are similar, right? She’s a woman, a summoner, and bad-tempered.”
“No way! Absolutely not! She’s not blonde-haired!”
“Then just dye her hair! Come on, let’s—”
“No! No way! I refuse! Never!”
Was it the idea of someone more temperamental than me? Withry rejected the notion with such force that she seemed ready to cry.
Then Chad turned his pleading eyes to me.
But I didn’t even snort in response.
“G-Geenie…?”
“Get lost.”
“Please, Geenie! Think of it as saving a life and grant me some mercy. Please?”
I didn’t know exactly how bad-tempered this woman was, but for Chad to beg like this, she must have been formidable.
Still, how could she possibly be worse than me?
I’m a self-proclaimed certified bad-tempered egotist, after all.
“Well, if Pikachu pays the electricity bill, I’ll think about it.”
“What’s a Pikachu? Is it food?”
“Go ahead and eat it. Every child in the world will hate you for it, Chad.”
[Wait! Who’s this Pikachu, Master? A rival? Somehow, it feels like a spark of competition in the air!]
To be honest, I can’t clearly remember what Pikachu was. It was some yellow electric mouse from a popular cartoon or something.
Man, it’s been 20 years. No wonder my memory is fuzzy. It vaguely reminds me of Chirri, though.
“Geenie! Please, just… help me! That woman terrifies me!”
“…She terrifies you? More than I do?”
“At least I’ve adjusted to you. You were scary because you were unpredictable, but this woman… she’s like touching a flame.”
“Really? Well, good luck with that.”
I turned over on the bed, ignoring Chad entirely.
He kept whining pitifully, but I just decided to leave it to Rai while I took a nap.
“Geenieee…”
[Go awayyy.]
“You mangy mutt! Keep baring your teeth, and I’ll turn you into soup!”
“Grrr! Woof woof! Huff, ptoo!”
Rai barked fiercely.
Hey, hey, we’re on a ship.
Keep it down.
I tugged lightly on Rai’s tail, which was serving as my pillow, and told him, “Quiet down, Rai.”
[Yes, Master. Got it.]
Ah, so sleepy.
What a peaceful day.
Except for the barking dog, that is.
—
It was so peaceful that I found myself appreciating the blessings of the mermaid-scale necklace, which kept seasickness at bay. Truly, this was an enjoyable boat ride.
As the slightly salty sea breeze brushed past me, I looked up at the spring sky adorned with fluffy clouds.
This was the first quiet moment I’d had in nearly 20 days.
I was soaking in the tranquility.
Once this ship docks at Femmington, it should only take about two weeks to reach Elan’s capital. Then it’ll be time for the Guardians’ competition… what was it called again?
Oh, right. “Haelos’s Judgment.”
Haelos, the only female deity among the main gods, is the Goddess of Fortune.
She’s also known as the Goddess of Fate. It’s said that all the good and beneficial cycles in the world are orchestrated by her.
In essence, the outcome of the Guardians’ competition is supposedly decided by Haelos’s will.
Ridiculous.
They’re going to determine the crown prince through a “judgment”?
No matter how divine the scales may be, it’s the Guardians who are doing the fighting.
As someone who’s not particularly fond of the gods, I didn’t like the name one bit.
In any case, the point is that the competition, the culmination of the “Path of Trials,” is almost here. The outcome of “Haelos’s Judgment” will determine whether the second prince, Ash, ascends as the crown prince.
Of course, I’ll do my best to ensure Ash’s victory, no matter what. But I was uneasy because I didn’t know anything about the first prince’s Guardians.
“Geenie? Where are you, Geenie?”
Lost in thought, I heard Ash calling out from afar.
I’m literally racking my brain over you, Ash.
I got up and approached him as he came onto the deck.
“Here. What do you want?”
“Well, it’s about Chad…”
“Rejected.”
That scoundrel! How dare he drag Ash into this?
And only three hours after I’d refused him, too.
Ash looked troubled at my curt response and tried to reason with me.
“Hear me out, Geenie. That woman apparently refuses to share a room with any man, especially a commoner.”
“Send Withry, then. Also, I’m a commoner now, too.”
“I tried, but… she started crying. Gale scolded me for it.”
“Scolded? Gale scolded you for making Withry cry?”
Seeing Ash sulking over Gale’s reprimand softened my resolve a bit.
Both Chad and Gale seemed to exploit Ash’s kind nature whenever possible. These guys… I really need to set them straight one of these days.
“Yeah, Gale is scary. He wasn’t like that before…”
“Aren’t most guys about friendship over love? That guy is just odd.”
“Well, sorry to say, but I’m all about love over friendship too, Geenie.”
Ack! Goosebumps!
Wait, no—my face is starting to heat up!
Hurriedly, I covered my face and stammered, “D-don’t say stuff like that so openly!”
“Anyway, please, Geenie! You’ve got to help me! I really don’t want to see Chad bawling again. When he came back after trying to return to the room, he was practically sobbing because she slapped him! I almost lost it.”
“Hm, I don’t like the idea of sharing a room with a stranger…”
“But it’s better than seeing Chad cry again.”
That much was true.
The image of Chad weeping… definitely unappetizing.
Ash’s earnest request made me consider it.
And she slapped Chad? Why? Just because he’s a commoner—and a man—daring to share the same room?
Even I’ve never slapped Chad before.
This woman must be something else.
“Tsk, tsk. A grown man crying? Pathetic.”
“She’s apparently a noble. Chad said that’s why he just took it without a fight. Please, Geenie, help out.”
“Alright, I’ll go. But it’s not for Chad! It’s just that I can’t stand his whining.”
“Thank you, Geenie! Chad won’t forget this kindness, I’m sure of it!”
Hah, as if I’d expect gratitude from that ungrateful lug. The only reason I couldn’t refuse was because Ash asked. Plus, I really didn’t want to see Chad’s teary face either.
Oh, and I was curious about this Fire Spirit Summoner.
A few hours ago, I had dismissed Chad’s complaints without much thought, but now I found myself packing my things to switch rooms.
Let’s see, just a few clothes and some books… nothing left behind, right?
“Here, take this, Ash. Let’s head to Chad’s room.”
Handing over my oversized bag to Ash, I climbed up to the second floor where the double rooms were located.
As soon as we entered the hallway, I saw Chad squatting by the door to the room.
Ugh, what a pathetic sight…
“Geenie! You came!”
“Etch this into your heart and remember it forever.”
“Eh, well… anyway, thanks. Go on, head inside. Be careful with her.”
Predictably, there was no grand gesture of thanks from Chad. His expression, however, brightened instantly upon realizing I’d agreed. Annoying.
I momentarily considered heading back to my own room, but Chad, clearly worried I’d change my mind, quickly opened the door he had been squatting by.
“What’s this?”
Through the slightly open door, I spotted a familiar head of crimson hair.
Ah, it’s her. The woman I saw yesterday. A Fire Spirit Summoner, wasn’t she?
The woman turned her head sharply, one eye narrowed, as if annoyed at being interrupted while brushing her hair.
“We switched rooms. With this… lumbering giant.”
“Hm…”
It was indeed the same woman from yesterday. I recalled seeing her on the road atop a fine red horse, catching a fleeting glimpse when Chad had pointed her out.
Yesterday, I hadn’t paid much attention, but now I could tell she was definitely a Fire Spirit Summoner—and mid-level at that.
She appeared to be in her mid to late twenties, which made her skill all the more impressive for her age.
The woman and I briefly sized each other up.
My verdict? Not bad.
Perhaps because we shared the same profession, any hostility I might have felt was significantly reduced.
“Ash, move my luggage over there by the bed.”
“Ah, right… sure.”
Ash placed my bag beside the empty bed, and I stepped into the room. It was undeniably more spacious and cleaner than the triple room.
Well, no wonder the double rooms cost more.
I was satisfied with the room.
“You… You’re a Summoner? Water?”
“Yes. Just a low-level one, though. You’re fire, aren’t you?”
“…Not bad for figuring that out. Fine, I’ll allow you to stay here.”
Wow, thank you so much for your gracious permission.
She definitely had a strong personality.
I gestured for Ash and Chad to leave. They both scurried away in a flash.
“Hm, for a low-level Summoner, your energy seems unusually strong.”
“Really? I don’t notice it.”
Of course, it’s strong. Even though I suppress it, I’m actually a high-level Summoner.
I glanced at the woman again. She seemed to have contracted only with fire spirits, and she hadn’t been a mid-level Summoner for long—maybe a year at most.
Transitioning from low-level to mid-level takes a long time.
For instance, if someone starts summoning spirits at age 10, and contracts with a low-level wind spirit around 15, they might reach mid-level by age 27 or 28, which would be considered highly successful. Some never advance beyond low-level.
Most mid-level Summoners, too, remain stuck at that rank for life, with just a few mid-level contracts to their name. This is due to the natural limits of their affinity.
While summoning spirits repeatedly can improve affinity to some degree, there’s a hard cap. Summoning is, after all, a privilege of those born with the gift.
Even within that gift, there are vast differences in affinity.
Contracting with a high-level spirit before death is a monumental achievement.
Theatrazen, the continent’s only high-level Summoner, was 52 when he formed his high-level contract. That’s considered early by historical standards.
But my mentor, Master Yael Roenin, plans to make a high-level contract in his 40s. If that happens, it will mark the first time in 5,000 years that a single generation has produced three high-level Summoners: myself, my mentor, and Theatrazen.
Of course, that’s assuming the old man lives that long.
He’s still pretty spry, though. He’ll easily last another ten years.
Ah, suddenly, something came to mind. According to ancient records, a legendary Summoner named Larvake supposedly contracted with Endairon at the age of fifteen. Considering that I made my contract with Endairon at nineteen, that would mean he beat me by four years in forming a high-level spirit contract.
He’s said to have died at 203, and by then had contracts with the Spirit Kings of Fire, Wind, and Earth—excluding Water.
But I’m willing to bet he wasn’t human.
He was likely a dragon passing time in human form.
If he truly were human, I’d feel utterly humiliated.
—
“Hm, so… which one of them?”
“Which one of what?”
She was obviously referring to Chad and Ash, but what exactly was she asking? I couldn’t figure it out.
As the woman flashed a mischievous smile, I frowned slightly.
Could she be a bit more specific?
“Ugh, come on. Between the two… which one’s your lover?”
“Huh? Why is that… so important?”
“Curiosity! When two women get together, that’s the best topic of conversation.”
It seemed this woman had taken quite a liking to me. Well, I liked her as well.
I’d been a bit miffed about her slapping Chad, but looking at her now, she was undeniably stunning. She knew it, too—confidently waiting for my answer as she paused her brushing.
“…The one with brown hair.”
“Oh? Unexpected. Someone like you with someone so plain? Is he rich or something?”
“Does that matter? I just like him, that’s all.”
“It absolutely matters. Men are all about their capabilities, you know. Hehe.”
Is that so?
I mean, I guess it’s fine if both partners are capable, but if not, it’s okay for just one of them to be, right?
Our views on men didn’t quite align, but I lost interest quickly and began unpacking my things as I sat on the bed.
The woman seemed satisfied now that her roommate had been switched to another woman, and she resumed brushing her hair.
Still, something felt off. A strange emptiness…
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
“Hm?”
“What’s that sound?”
The woman set down her brush, her sharp eyes sparkling with curiosity.
As expected of a mid-level Summoner, she was highly alert.
But I was even more sensitive than her and quickly realized the sound was coming from the door.
Scratch, scratch.
