The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 67

“Oh my gosh! Is that really Geenie Crowell?”

“Th-Then doesn’t that make Prince Ross more likely to succeed?”

“That…but, Prince Rene has Lord Rovenin by his side…”

“No! Compared to Lord Rovenin, Miss Crowell is far more famous…”

‘Ugh, I don’t enjoy being the subject of gossip, but I will forgive the nobles’ confusion with my ocean-like broad and deep understanding.’

Feeling a surge of pride, I glanced over at Rovenin.

But wait, why does his gaze seem more burning with rage? What’s with that?

Not a look of surprise, not even a hint of intimidation!

As expected, I can’t figure this guy out.

I mean, I’m Geenie Crowell, aren’t I?

“I cannot accept this! Suddenly claiming to be Geenie Crowell… It could very well be an impersonation. Isn’t the continent already flooded with those falsely claiming to be Geenie Crowell?”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right. It could be a lie, couldn’t it?”

“Impersonating a trusted figure of the Empire is punishable by death. And naturally, Prince Ross would be disqualified as a candidate for Crown Prince…”

Oh, what the heck? Are they always this gullible?

I pouted at the unexpected resistance from the Council of Elders.

I had heard there were people impersonating me.

But these old geezers seemed unwilling to acknowledge that having a “Geenie Crowell” on Ash’s side was a significant advantage.

As staunch supporters of Prince Rene, it was no wonder they saw me as an enemy.

Hilarious! They welcomed Rovenin with open arms, yet I’m an inconvenience?

“Look at me. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a Water Spirit Summoner. Isn’t that the perfect Geenie Crowell? Sure, the world might be filled with lies, but isn’t this mistrust a bit much?”

“I can’t believe it. Blonde hair can be dyed, blue eyes aren’t rare, and while Water Spirit Summoners are uncommon, they’re not unheard of. Without solid evidence, this is nothing but an impersonation.”

All I planned to do was casually reveal my identity and give Ash a boost, but the noble elders were arguing like petty children.

They didn’t seem inclined to let it slide, and if I failed to provide evidence, they looked ready to disqualify Ash as a candidate.

These people… Should I just wipe them all out?

Are they so bitter about Ash doing well?

But how could I prove… that I’m me?

I rummaged through my mind for something convincing.

Evidence, evidence… Oh, right! There was that person!

“…I don’t have evidence, but I do have a witness. Someone with a very reliable identity.”

“Who is it? This supposed witness? Can they come here right now?”

The Emperor showed interest.

He seemed to favor Ash as the successor over Rene.

It had to be someone trustworthy and living in Neikal, who could recognize my face without a doubt.

“Rovenin Fedri…”

“Lord Rovenin? Rovenin, can you vouch for her identity…”

“Ah, just a moment, Your Majesty. I wasn’t referring to Lord Fedri but to his younger brother, Lord Lashamu Fedri. He was with me during the founding celebration party and wouldn’t have forgotten my face. If you need a witness, please summon him.”

The nobles, who had been eager to dismiss me, grimaced at the unexpected mention of a witness.

Of course, a few who seemed to support Ross looked delighted.

Hey, Council of Elders! The person I’m talking about is Rovenin’s brother.

He’s also a noble of Neikal, so you can’t complain about him.

“Tch…”

The discontented sound of a noble elder’s tongue clicking echoed in the hall.

Hey, the magic here is on, you know?

My existence had caused quite a stir in this contest.

Originally, after my introduction, the balls were supposed to be drawn, but the match was halted to determine whether I was truly Geenie Crowell, and Lashamu was being summoned.

The unexpectedly serious situation made me feel a little guilty toward Ash.

“Sorry, Ash. I didn’t expect things to get this far.”

“It’s fine. The contest will resume soon… It’s just a slight delay. Besides, I don’t lose anything from this. I’m more sorry for burdening you two.”

Well, the ones competing are the Guardians.

All the princes do in the “Scale of Heios” is wait for the results.

Apparently, in the past, even the princes would compete, but in recent times, it had changed since not all princes trained in martial arts.

Now, only the Guardians fight, as there are princes like Ash, who hone their physical strength, and those like Rene, who focus on knowledge.

“Hey, is this really the time to be apologizing so casually?”

A large hand rested on my head.

Judging by its size, it had to be Chad’s.

Ugh! Let go of me!

How dare he touch my head!

He’s at least a million years too early!

“Hey! Let me go!”

“Stop messing around and deal with that guy! We don’t care if you’re Geenie Crowell or a dragon, as long as you help Ash. But what about him? He’s completely lost his mind!”

“Huh?”

The hand on my head turned my face like a bottle cap.

How dare he!

Neither Rovenin nor this guy understands my greatness!

With a fierce glare, I turned my head and saw a poor soul who had lost his mind—Lox.

“Miss Geenie is Crowell, Miss Geenie is… Crowell, Miss Geenie… Crowell. Haha, yay, oh dear.”

“…Haha.”

Now that I think about it, Lox was a devoted follower of Geenie Crowell.

If I were to establish an official church of Geenie Crowell, he’d probably become a fanatic overnight.

Hey, don’t fall into those kinds of cults.

Getting involved in those makes you a fool, a complete fool.

At worst, I’d call you a lunatic.

Well, now that he knows the reality of my twisted, hypocritical, and selfish self—acknowledged by all as the continent’s best—he wouldn’t fall into it.

As a result, Lox’s mind being out of it was secondary.

“How desperate must they be to deny reality like that?”

“But… is she really Geenie Crowell? What if she’s lying?”

“Come on! She said she’s the real one, and she even has a witness. Gale, why are you doubting her? By the way, Miss Geenie, do you actually have a church? I’ve heard rumors about three different ones: Glory of Geenie Church, Revival of Geenie Church, and Reverence for Geenie Church.”

“I’ve heard those rumors too. They say the Glory of Geenie Church already has over 100,000 members…”

Hey, hey. Those are all cults!

And why would they form churches without even consulting me?

At this rate, I was worried they might even create mandalas in my name.

Sure, it meant I had influence, but it wasn’t flattering at all.

“I have no idea what that’s about. I’ve been with you all this time. Those are just cults comforting the lonely and the desperate. Ignore them.”

“Oh, they’re cults? My cousin said they joined one. Apparently, people with blonde hair get a free membership. Those with blue eyes get a 50% discount.”

“That’s right. Even in Heyke, a lot of people joined. It’s rumored that Dmitrians get interest-free 12-month payment plans for the membership fee and are exempt from annual fees.”

Could you please tell them all to disband?

Whenever I heard these kinds of rumors, all I could do was laugh in disbelief.

With so few major incidents on the continent, they had been milking my name for far too long.

Wasn’t it time for them to get bored of me already?

As I failed to hide my exasperation, Withry leaned in to whisper.

“By the way, Miss Geenie, about Lox…”

“Hm?”

“Tragically… I think he’s joined all three: the Glory Church, Revival Church, and Reverence Church. I saw his membership cards before. All of them… gold tier.”

Oh dear, we’ve got another fanatic on our hands.

While Lox, now a member of a cult founded on the glorified image of me, was probably questioning the line between life and death after discovering my true nature, Lashamu finally arrived.

It took less than two hours.

“Is this person truly Geenie Crowell?”

“Y-Yes. She is unmistakably… Geenie Crowell herself.”

That dazed expression of his hadn’t changed one bit, Lashamu.

I waved lightly at him and then shot a triumphant smile at the noble elders.

You know you’ve lost, right?

With the appearance of a reliable witness, the hall erupted into chaos again.

Most were stunned, some were scared, and a few were… Rovenin, could you stop glaring at me with such hostility? It’s becoming uncomfortable.

“Miss Geenie, look over there. Lady Cridit is trembling.”

“Of course she is. She called me a commoner, a lowly peasant, and earlier even suggested I be severely punished for supposedly ‘plucking the Imperial Palace’s flower.’ She must feel pretty guilty.”

“True. It’s kind of pitiful. Even now, she reeks of desperation. She must be suffering both mentally and physically.”

“Well, it’s her own doing. She probably has no regrets. Pffthaha.”

– Ack, pffthaha?

That was Rai’s laugh!

Have I caught the Rai-virus?

No, no.

Miss Geenie must maintain her dignity and not laugh in such an undignified manner.

Covering my mouth discreetly, I saw Lashamu approaching.

“Miss Geenie…”

“Please call me Miss Crowell.”

“M-Miss Crowell. I never imagined we’d meet like this.”

“Indeed. It’s quite unexpected for me as well.”

I never thought Lashamu would actually be of help to me.

I needed someone to vouch for my identity, but I couldn’t summon anyone from my homeland. Rovenin? He probably didn’t even remember the Geenie Crowell he fought with ten years ago. Lashamu was my only option.

Good thing I struck up a connection with him back then.

A brilliant move, if I do say so myself!

Pffthaha—Ack! Compose yourself.

“Um… did you… hear about it?”

“…About what?”

“Well, um, you see… It’s not me, but… my father sent it, and, uh…”

“Oh, the marriage proposal?”

That’s right. Along with news of my survival, marriage proposals had flooded into my family.

Despite being 20 years old—slightly late for marriage by noble standards—I’d gained sudden fame, prompting prominent suitors from various nations to send proposals.

According to my father, two of them were from ducal families, one of which was Lashamu Fedri.

Father seemed to favor Lashamu as my ideal match.

A duke’s son from Elan, the second son, with a stable career and a bright future.

Of course, I just let it go in one ear and out the other.

“Y-Yes, that’s it!”

“Oh, so you want an answer?”

“No, um… That would be improper. I just wanted to know if you were aware of it, that’s all. Truly.”

Hey, your expression is clearly asking for an answer, isn’t it?

Since dragging this out wasn’t my style and I didn’t want to give him false hope, I answered him directly.

“I have no intention of marrying anyone. So don’t get your hopes up. It’s not happening.”

“E-Eh? Then… what about dating? Or do you already have someone in mind?”

“Well… that’s hard to say…”

Ash gave me a ring, but I’d postponed responding until after the competition.

Since the situation was ambiguous, I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

“If it’s uncertain, then how about me? I’m considered a top-tier suitor…”

“Oh, Miss Geenie already has someone she’s dating! Over there!”

“…The one with glasses?”

“No, next to him. Prince Ash, or rather, Prince Epiros!”

As Lashamu tried to seize an opportunity, Withry’s words left him frozen in shock, turning to glance at me.

Even for a top-tier suitor, what could he do against a prince?

Sorry, it just turned out this way.

“I-I see. Hahaha… Well, then… I’ll go find my brother now. Please excuse me.”

Watching Lashamu walk away dejectedly, I felt a little sorry for him.

Should I introduce him to a girl who’s like me?

Someone kind, albeit a bit eccentric.

Just as Ash approached, curious about the mention of his name, I turned to face him.

“What were you talking about, Geenie?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing much. Lashamu proposed, and since he seemed to want an answer, I gave him one.”

“A proposal? From Lashamu Fedri? To you?”

“Mm-hmm. Why? Are you jealous? Hehe.”

Ash’s face turned red as he stammered in surprise.

Seriously, he’s too cute sometimes.

“And… what was your answer?”

“Obviously, I turned him down. I have you, don’t I?”

“Ahem…”

I don’t have any plans to get married anyway.

Ash, who had been blushing like a ripe apple, turned away as the displeased voices of the Council of Elders filled the air.

“Now, we’ll prepare the matchups. Come forward in the order your names are called and draw a ball from the center of the arena. You’ll face off against the person who draws the ball of the same color. The matches will proceed in this order: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.”

As expected, the main character goes last.

That means I’m blue!

And so are you, Rovenin.

So stop glaring at me with that intensity. You’re making me sweat.

I had thought everything would go smoothly as Rai rolled the balls, but then something unexpected happened.

Or rather, Rai did something that made me want to strangle him.

I had specifically told him to pair Withry against that 5th-class mage named Hardaf. Instead, the person who drew the red ball was Enk.

A 5th-class mage versus a spearman.

This is dangerous.

Rai, you idiot! Why did I trust you?

That alone was enough to make me furious, but then Rai, thinking he was fixing things, handed yellow balls to Withry and Cridit.

Oh great. Now a Fire Spirit Summoner is going against a Wind Spirit Summoner.

That match will never end!

At least he paired Chad and that female swordsman Nickel properly with orange balls, but my carefully planned matchups were completely ruined.

Come on, Rai. The teams were evenly balanced as it was…

Now there were only four balls left: two green and two blue. The remaining participants were Rovenin, a 3rd-class mage named Foneya, Gale, and me.

When Foneya picked a green ball, Gale clasped his hands together and started praying.

“Green, green, green…”

“You idiot…”

Hey! I’m a woman, you know!

Shouldn’t you at least pretend to want to take on Rovenin out of courtesy?

But with Rai involved, the outcome was already predetermined. Gale cheered as he drew the green ball.

Two of the matches had already gone off track from my plan, but I decided to let it go.

I’d settle the score with Rai later.

Even though the remaining balls were already decided, I stepped forward to draw mine.

Honestly, it felt less like drawing a ball and more like dragging Rai out of hiding.

[Master, I missed you! Master! Sob.]

[Alright, alright, just stay still.]

Ugh, he’s such a pest.

I shivered as I felt the metaphorical bugs crawling all over me.

Rovenin stepped into the arena and addressed me.

That guy, he’s annoyingly confident.

“Geenie Crowell, I’m looking forward to this.”

“Same here.”

“I heard you even stopped a Breath attack. Let’s hope your skills haven’t rusted.”

Get lost!

Hmph. Even after ten years, this guy still made me nervous.

It seemed the rest of the group felt the same, as they each focused on their preparations.

Except for Withry, who was visibly trembling at the thought of facing Cridit.

She was clearly nervous about going up against a terrible matchup.

Wind strengthens fire, making it an advantageous element for Fire Spirit Summoners.

In fact, many Fire Spirit Summoners form contracts with Wind Spirits as secondary spirits.

I tried to offer some encouragement.

“Cheer up, Withry. Just blow away Cridit’s stink.”

“Miss Geenie… Can I really defeat a Fire Spirit Summoner? Especially one of her level? If I lose here, I won’t be able to face Ash or my master ever again!”

Honestly, Withry’s chances of winning were slim—barely 10%, at best.

Both were intermediate-class Spirit Summoners, but Cridit had been contracted for at least a year, while Withry’s contract was only a few days old.

It was going to be like pouring oil on a fire—a hopeless fight.

This was why I’d wanted to pair Withry against the 5th-class mage.

[You’re dead, Rai.]

[Master, please forgive me! I was trying my best and got confused.]

[Prepare to die.]

[But I’ve only lived for ten thousand years…]

You’re joking, right? That’s plenty!

And get it straight—it’s not “only ten thousand years”; it’s “up to ten thousand years.”

As I tugged on Rai’s ears, I felt Withry’s desperate gaze on me, silently pleading for advice.

Oh, come on…

“Withry, the only advice I can give you is…”

“…Yes?”

“If it feels like you’re about to die, just forfeit. There’s no hope anyway.”

“Isn’t there any other way?”

Another way… there was one.

But could Withry actually pull it off?

After some hesitation, I decided to share it.

“There is, but it’s a bit underhanded.”

“What is it? I’ll do anything!”

“Really? Lean in.”

“Yes!”

I whispered the strategy into her ear.

It was a technique I’d devised through years of experience.

But judging by Withry’s serious expression, maybe it was too underhanded.

Still, in a match held in front of the Emperor and nobles, it was the best way to increase her odds.

“What’s wrong? Can’t do it? If not, there’s no helping it. But it’s the most effective method.”

“Is it really possible? If I eliminate that, then they can’t…”

“Is it difficult? It’s simple. Like how there’s no wind underwater… Wait, that’s a bad analogy. Anyway, try it. It’s your only chance, Withry!”

“I’ll try! I need to practice, even if it’s just for a bit!”

It might seem like a waste of mana, but with such slim chances, practicing was better than nothing.

Do your best, Withry.

The key is… speed!

The match had a time limit of ten minutes.

That was unusually long, considering most duels or matches only allowed five minutes.

Also, participants couldn’t kill their opponent, and standard match rules applied.

Enk, who had drawn the red ball, was the first to step into the arena.

The group offered their encouragement.

“Those mages are nothing! Take them down before they finish chanting their spells!”

“Don’t lose, Enk! If you lose, Geenie will kill you!”

“F-Fighting, Sir Enk!”

“Make sure to win.”

“We’re counting on you, Enk.”

Hey, hold on.

I never said I’d kill him! I just said I’d half-scare the soul out of him.

Enk seemed to relax slightly under the team’s enthusiastic support.

As for Lox, he didn’t join in the cheering.

His soul still hadn’t returned—probably because he wasn’t very happy with the real me.

I didn’t join the cheering either.

Why? Because I had done something better than cheering.

[Rai, did you make sure this time?]

[Yes, Master! I’ve given it a complete overhaul. Same weight, but maximum durability. It should even withstand a Breath attack.]

[Good. Now go work on Chad and Gale’s weapons. Oh, and since they’re swords, make them as sharp as possible.]

I had Rai adjust Enk’s spear. Not like it’s cheating or anything.

Is there a rule that says weapons can’t be good?

Is there? No, there isn’t!

So it’s not cheating. Hehe.

The winner is justice, after all!

I chuckled to myself as the match began.

[Hencho Hardaf versus Enk. Participants, take your positions. Three, two, one!]

‘Ka-kang!’

The match started, and Enk’s spear struck Hardaf the moment he charged.

But as expected from the standard mage combat style, a shield was already up, and Hardaf was chanting inside it.

Mages had long adopted the strategy of casting shields first, as they couldn’t dodge the attacks of well-trained warriors.

Next would probably be an attack spell followed by Haste.

‘Ka-ga-kak!’

But no one’s stupid enough to just stand by and let that happen.

Enk struck the shield again with his spear, harder this time.

The shield wavered significantly.

Part of it was because Enk imbued his spear with mana—spear aura? Whatever it’s called. But it was also thanks to Rai’s upgrades.

As the shield began to crack, Hardaf widened his eyes.

Enk, surprised by the shield’s reaction to his second attack, narrowed his eyes but didn’t stop.

He pressed his spear into the shield again, forcing Hardaf to abandon his chant and deactivate the shield.

“Let my mana become wind… Haste!”

“Tch!”

Haste—it was exactly as I thought.

In an instant, Hardaf appeared behind Enk, light mana swirling in his hand.

It was probably Magic Arrow or Magic Bolt.

The sequence might have shifted a bit, but it still followed the standard formula.

“Double Magic Arrow!”

‘Ki-king!’

Magic Arrows—two of them, as expected from a 5th-class mage. But Enk’s spear wasn’t long for nothing.

He easily deflected the arrows by twisting his spear, then aimed for Hardaf’s lower body. However, the attack missed, hitting only an afterimage.

Readjusting his grip, Enk charged again.

“What do you think? Who’s going to win?”

I asked Ash, who was clenching and unclenching his fists while watching the match intently.

“Huh? I’m not sure. Maybe…”

“I’m betting on Hardaf.”

“…That makes sense. But the one with more mana left will win in the end.”

“Exactly. Enk is fast, but he can’t keep up with Haste.”