The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 7
“Hehe, isn’t our Undine just the cutest and most lovable? You wouldn’t believe how well she listens.”
“Really, I’m so jealous. But I heard spirit summoners are weak, aren’t they? It seems like something that would be perfect as a hobby.”
…Weak? A hobby? Being a spirit summoner is an incredibly difficult job! That’s a pretty annoying thing to hear.
“Weak? Who on earth said that?”
“Hmm? I overheard Teacher Dinell talking with the knight commander. Teacher Dinell said, ‘What’s the point of having weakling spirits? Spirit summoners are so feeble. I don’t understand what the principal was thinking. If only Leo had come instead, we’d be much more secure. Don’t you agree?’ And then the knight commander laughed and said, ‘Haha! Exactly! Spirit summoners aren’t good for much besides being rare. I’ve heard they’re so scared that they run at the sight of a little blood. I hope they don’t tarnish Drike Academy’s reputation.'”
Just hearing the dialogue was enough to picture the situation clearly.
As expected, Iruje, you’re a genius. How did you manage to remember every word without missing a beat? I couldn’t help but look at Iruje with a hint of admiration.
[Master, I found Arie. He’s on his way here.]
Undine, who had flown in through the window, perched on my shoulder.
[Did he agree to come quietly?]
[No, he asked if that girl was still here. So I told him that if he was late, you’d break his neck.]
[Good job. As expected, my Undine, you’re quick to learn.]
I gave Undine a thumbs up.
[Hehe. Really?]
“Ah, Undine, right? She’s so cute! Geenie, can I hold her just once?”
“Sure, just once.”
Iruje was excited as Undine flew over to her at my gesture.
“Wow! She’s cold? That’s amazing.”
“Right? Isn’t our Undine just… Arie!”
I quickly grabbed Arie, who was slithering in quietly through the corner of the window.
[Ahh!]
[You! How dare you sneak off and do as you please without Master’s permission?]
[But Master! That girl is terrifying! Her persistence is overwhelming! No matter how far I ran, she kept following me, slashing at me with a sword… it was terrifying.]
Arie trembled all over.
What in the world did Iruje do to make Arie react like this? I glanced at Iruje.
Sure enough, she spotted Arie and her eyes lit up.
“Ah! It’s the Diamond Snake!”
[Master, save me!]
Arie instantly wrapped himself around my arm and then slithered into my clothes as if trying to hide.
[What? You usually act all tough around others.]
[If not for your orders, I would have snapped her neck hundreds of times over. But I couldn’t defy your command. That girl kept following me, laughing strangely, and torturing me. She slashed at me with a sword, tried to chop me with an axe, and even attempted to boil me alive once… it was terrifying.]
Was it that bad? I did tell him never to turn into liquid, bite anyone, or hurt anyone in front of others, and to always act like a normal snake.
Though, to be fair, he was far stronger and smarter than any normal snake.
“Oh my, that speed! As expected of the Diamond Snake. Geenie, can I touch Arie?”
Tears welled up in Iruje’s eyes as she asked.
[Master, please don’t abandon me.]
…What should I do?
“Um, Iruje, I don’t think Arie is in a good mood right now. If you touch him, he might bite you.”
“Then how about if you hold him while I just look at him? Would that be okay?”
Sorry, Arie. I’m having a hard time with her. I pulled Arie out of my clothes as he struggled.
[Nooo…]
“Here, just look at him. If you touch him, he might faint.”
Arie seemed to give up and just lay there limply.
[Arie, are you pretending to sleep?]
[No, I’m pretending to be dead. How’s my act? Does it look real?]
…Arie, you’re such an idiot. I gave him a disappointed look, but Iruje nodded with satisfaction.
“Yep, as expected, he’s got an amazing sheen. The toughness, speed, intelligence—he’s perfect. The only thing that bothers me is that the Diamond Snake from legend is said to be pure white, but Arie is black. Maybe he’s a variant? That would make him incredibly rare.”
“Is that so?”
If anyone ever asks what kind of snake Arie is, I’ll just say he’s a variant of the Diamond Snake.
“Hey… Geenie.”
“Hmm?”
“If Arie sheds his skin, can you give it to me?”
His skin? You mean the kind that snakes shed occasionally? That’s never going to happen with Arie.
“Why?”
“I want to use it for an experiment! If that’s not possible, could you pluck about 20 scales from him instead?”
[Kyaaa!]
Arie went berserk, writhing violently and escaping from my grasp.
“Kyaa!”
Iruje screamed as she fell backward onto the floor of the carriage.
Arie didn’t miss the chance and quickly fled the carriage. What the…? Arie, did you think I’d actually pluck your scales? How rude…
“Oh, I’m sorry! Did I scare you? Here, let me help you up.”
I helped Iruje back to her seat as she wiped the sweat off her brow.
“Wow, as expected, the Diamond Snake is amazing! Geenie, please, could you get me Arie’s shed skin or even just a few scales? Please?”
“That might be a bit diffic—”
“I’ll give you ten boxes of that chocolate. How about that?”
I was slightly tempted, but Arie’s scales are made of metal, and if anyone found out, it would raise too many questions…
“Sorry, I don’t think I can. Arie seems to really hate the idea.”
“Then how about a year’s supply? My dad is the president of the chocolate company. I always keep my promises!”
“A… a year’s supply?”
Gulp.
I swallowed hard. What should I do?
“Is that not enough?”
“Uh… what are you planning to do with Arie’s scales?”
“Well, I heard that Diamond Snake scales are made of pure diamond. If Arie is a Diamond Snake, then his scales would be diamonds, right? But since Arie is black, that means his scales are made of black diamonds, which would be incredible!”
I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds like I just need to make black diamonds, right?
“A year’s supply?”
“If that’s not enough, I can make it three years’ worth…”
“Alright, Iruje. Your father must be amazing. Let’s be good friends from now on. Hehe.”
“Yay! Thanks, Geenie!”
“Don’t mention it…”
Hehe. Looks like I’ll be feasting on chocolate from now on. Arie is definitely useful for times like this.
“But Geenie…”
“Hmm?”
“Arie is really cute. I’ve never seen him up close before!”
I had to clean out my ears. Did I not clean them recently?
“…Who did you say was cute?”
“Hmm? Arie, of course.”
As expected, Iruje, you’re beyond imagination.
“What about Undine?”
“Undine is cute too!”
[Gasp!]
Undine let out a small scream. Being compared to Arie dealt a huge blow to her.
“Then, who’s cuter, Undine or Arie?”
“Hmm… That’s a tough question. But if I had to choose, it’d be Arie. His charming face is just perfect.”
[Waaah! Master! I’m so sad! Waaaah!]
I felt a chill run down my spine from the mental shock.
If Arie had heard this, he might have laughed in victory…
***
The sun had set quickly since we were in the mountains. As darkness fell, the carriages stopped, and the bell signaling bedtime rang.
“Oh! It’s already night? Geenie, I should head back to my carriage. Elizabeth must be waiting for me.”
Well, that’s music to my ears. But, Elizabeth?
That name sounded grand. Was she a friend? So, she left her alone to be with me all this time?
“Elizabeth?”
“Hmm? Oh, Elizabeth the Third, my special silk lace pillow. Sadly, the previous Elizabeths have all passed away.”
“I-I see? Well, take care!”
You can never understand the mind of a genius, I thought as I waved goodbye to Iruje, who got off the carriage, and then settled in for a good night’s sleep.
Drike might be known as a place for geniuses, but there probably aren’t even ten real geniuses among them. The rest are just prodigies, at best.
The general class at Drike Academy consists of about a hundred students, so could there really be that many geniuses? A fine line separates prodigies and geniuses, but still.
[Master! I’m back.]
Just as I was about to close my eyes, Arie’s voice reached me. Ah, I almost forgot something important.
[Arie!]
[Yes?]
[I distinctly remember telling you to absorb the commander’s armor, sword, and anything else made of metal. Did you do it?]
I glared at Arie with wide eyes. He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly turned his body.
[I’ll go right now.]
Typical.
[On your way, get Teacher Dinell’s stuff too. You know who I mean, right? The teacher of the physical training class.]
[Yes, leave it to me!]
As if I could trust you. I watched as Arie slithered out of the carriage, his body turning to liquid as he went. Just as I was about to close my eyes again, something else popped into my mind.
“Oh, right, Ador!”
A glowing ball of light appeared in the dark carriage, making it a little brighter. Ador, who had just been summoned, was flying around the carriage excitedly.
[Kahaha! This feels great! So good! That… huh? Master, what’s going on?]
Ador’s curious voice made me frown.
“What were you doing just now?”
[Well, I was just burning a little pest on my way out.]
I see. Well done. I smacked my lips and got to the point.
“Do you know what happened to the spirit stone you were summoned with? I lost it when I changed rooms.”
I’ve been forgetting a lot of things lately. But since it was a gem and the room’s records were kept, if someone found it, they might send it back…
[That stone? It broke when I came out.]
“What? You idiot! That was expensive!”
Why couldn’t you just come out calmly without causing a scene?
[It’s not my fault! It was already old and wasn’t going to last much longer. It would’ve broken after one more summoning anyway!]
Well, it was a bit unstable from the start. Tsk, it’s a shame, but since I succeeded in the contract, I guess it’s not a total loss.
“Alright, then you can go back now.”
[Already? But I just got here! Isn’t there anything else to burn?]
Burn? Is there anything to… Aha, I got it. It’s night, and everyone’s asleep, so a brilliant idea popped into my head.
I immediately took my coat out of the bag under the carriage seat. The things in the burnt bag were just money, pens, paper, and light stuff I used often, so clothes and other things were stored separately, which spared them from the fire.
It wouldn’t make sense to carry all this heavy stuff around every day, would it?
“Hehe! Ador? You can go back now. I’ll call you again in a bit.”
[Huh? You’re sending me back already? Are you really going to call me again? When? Can I trust you?]
This guy sure talks a lot. I cut off his mana, and he disappeared. I slowly opened the carriage door.
In the distance, I could see knights bustling around near the front of the carriages. They must be keeping watch.
Creak.
The door made a small sound as it opened, but no one paid attention to me.
I got off the carriage and moved toward the back, away from the people.
My carriage was at the rear, so it wasn’t hard to slip away unnoticed.
I started running down the path the carriages had taken.
After running at full speed for a while, I could no longer see the carriages. I cautiously glanced around before heading into the forest on the opposite side.
I hadn’t taken more than a few steps when I had to curse. The overgrown branches and tall grass kept hitting my head and clothes, making it difficult to move forward.
I finally managed to push through the brush and enter the forest.
Looking back, I could no longer see the path. It made me a bit uneasy, but I figured I could call Undine later to help me find my way back, so I kept moving forward until I found a small clearing. Bingo.
“Undine, Ador!”
[Yes, Master?]
[Master! You took exactly 10 minutes! 10 minutes! How could you keep me waiting so long?]
A small ball of light and Undine appeared. The baby mermaid-shaped Undine looked around the dark surroundings anxiously before flying over to me.
Thanks to Ador, the clearing was brighter than I expected.
“Ador, if you keep complaining, I won’t summon you again.”
[Gah!]
Ador, who had been grumbling about the delay, shut up immediately. The reason I found this clearing was simple.
I wanted to test how well Undine and Ador could work together.
And so, I ended up doing midnight exercises.
“By the way, Ador, what kind of abilities can I use with you?”
Come to think of it, I knew nothing about the abilities Ador could use.
[Hmm, let’s see. For someone at your level… there’s ‘Light’?](ㅋㅋㅋ)
It sounded like a magic that was just about turning on a light. But it could be useful, I guess. Hehe.
“What else?”
[Hmm, that’s about it, I think.]
“…Are you kidding me? Do you want to go back?”
[Gasp! W-wait a minute! It’s just that it’s been 8,000 years, so my memory is a bit fuzzy.]
All that trouble for just ‘Light’? That’s disappointing.
“I mean something offensive! It doesn’t have to be super strong. Undine is here, so we can maximize its effect.”
[Hmm… Ah! There’s ‘Shock’! It’s a spirit magic that gives a sudden electric shock.]
Shock? That sounded useful. At least it’s something worthwhile. But it still felt a bit lacking.
“Anything else? Dig deeper!”
[More…?]
“Yes, more!”
[Hmm, there’s also ‘Shocking Grasp,’ which gives an electric shock to anyone who touches you, preventing them from getting close. Or ‘Lightning Arrow,’ which shoots an arrow made of electrical energy. Then there’s ‘Lightning Bolt,’ which calls down a strong bolt of lightning… but those might be too much for you.]
So there were quite a few offensive spells… but they were all too much for me? Hmph! I once heard that in some people’s dictionaries, the word “impossible” doesn’t exist.
“Too much? So it’s not impossible, right?”
[That’s correct. But it would use up a lot of mana and mental energy…]
That’s good enough for me! I felt a surge of determination.
I’ll start with ‘Shock,’ then master ‘Shocking Grasp’ and ‘Lightning Arrow,’ and if possible, ‘Lightning Bolt’ too! With that, I’ll wipe the smirks off those arrogant physical training kids’ faces… Hehe.
“Hehe, good. Starting today, we’re going to train until I can use those spells! Adol, let’s work hard!”
[Oh, it’s nice to be summoned often… but Adol?]
“Hmm? I shortened it from Adol. It’s a nickname. Ador is a bit awkward to say.” [1]
Adol, Adol… I felt like my tongue would get tied if I kept saying it.
[Adol? Isn’t that a bit crude? I prefer something more refined…]
“Crude? Then how about something cuter, like ‘Chirri’?”
[Adol! Adol is perfect. Did I mention? I really like crude things, Master!]
“Glad to hear it. Now, Undine? Can you do an Aqua Ball?”
[Yes!]
Undine nodded enthusiastically, and water droplets quickly gathered in front of her, forming a ball about the size of a human head, which then shrank down to the size of a fist.
It seemed like she was compressing it to increase its attack power. Does that mean the more it’s compressed, the stronger the water pressure?
[Master! Where should I aim? Please designate a target.]
“Hmm, Undine.”
[Yes, Master!]
“Can you compress it even more?”
“Even more? I’m not sure. I’ve never tried.”
Hmm, so it’s not impossible, but for now, the priority is testing how well Adol and Undine can work together. I’ll save that experiment for later.
“Alright, fire at that tree ahead!”
*Whoosh*
*Boom*
The Aqua Ball shot through the air and hit the tree, scattering into droplets.
The speed of the Aqua Ball was faster than I expected, but it only managed to peel off some of the tree’s bark. It didn’t have much destructive power beyond that.
“Adol, Shock!”
*Crackle*
Sparks flew over the tree soaked in water.
Steam rose as the water evaporated.
The tree bark crumbled and fell off in chunks. But it was hard to gauge the exact destructive power just from experimenting on a tree.
Water conducts electricity, amplifying the current while preventing fires. That weakened the explosive force of the electricity.
“…How many volts was that?”
[Volts? What’s that?]
Adol asked, not understanding my question.
“Then how do you measure the amount of electricity used?”
[Measure the amount… there’s no set standard. As long as Shock is enough to startle someone, that’s good.]
In a world where electricity is rarely used, there are no terms like voltage or volts.
They use torches instead of light bulbs and flint to start fires.
It’s a far cry from the scientific level of where I came from.
No, this isn’t a world where science exists at all.
“Alright, fine. Then, Adol, let’s make our own standard. You and I will establish one.”
[A standard? What do you mean, Master?]
“We’ll arbitrarily set the amount of electricity used for each spirit magic. When there’s no special instruction, use the standard amount. But if I give specific orders, adjust the electricity level accordingly. Can you do that?”
[…I can’t.]
This spirit really doesn’t like to cooperate!
“Really? Then go back.”
[W-wait! Master, give me a moment. If it’s simple, I can do it.]
Hehe, I know Adol’s weakness. He doesn’t like being sent back. Is it because he’s lonely? I guess it makes sense since I’m the first person he’s met in 8,000 years.
“Good, then listen carefully. We’ll keep it simple. 1 volt will be enough to give someone a jolt. That’s the standard for Shock. 2 volts will paralyze someone, and that’s for Shocking Grasp. 3 volts will knock someone out, which is for Lightning Arrow. And 4 volts won’t kill but will leave lasting effects. That’s the standard for Lightning Bolt. So, we have levels 1 through 4. Got it?”
[…But Master, Lightning Bolt is a wide-area attack. Does that mean I should use 4 volts on everyone within the attack’s range?]
If I were to set it at thousands or tens of thousands of volts, even I would get confused, so I decided to keep it simple.
“Yes, but generally, we’ll stick to 3 volts. And when Undine is helping, lower the voltage by one level. When water is involved, the current is twice as deadly.”
[Simpler than I thought. So, it stops at 4 volts?]
“No, there are two more levels. 5 volts is strong enough to kill someone.”
[To kill? So, what’s the 6th level?]
“6 volts is a one-hit kill. It’s where you pour all your power into a single strike. Just because you think ‘this should kill them’ doesn’t mean they’ll actually die. Got it, Adol?”
Adol spun around in the air.
[I get it… but do we really have to do this? It seems tedious.]
“…Really? Then you can just go ba—”
[Wait! I’m smart, Master. This is easy for me. Of course, it is! Haha!]
“Good. Thanks, Adol. I trust you. More than I trust Arie.”
Adol, who had been spinning in the air, suddenly froze.
[R-really? Hahaha! Of course! Trust me!]
Why is it that all the people—no, the creatures—around me laugh so ridiculously? I laugh so elegantly, after all.
Just as I shrugged my shoulders, I heard a strange noise from one side of the clearing. It sounded like a pig being slaughtered?
“…Hold on! Adol, be quiet!”
I stopped Adol’s endless laughter and listened intently in the direction of the sound. Did I hear wrong?
[What’s wrong, Master?]
“I heard… a pig squealing?”
No sooner had I spoken than something burst out of the bushes.
A massive figure, easily three times my size, with an unbearable stench!
It was obscured by the shadows of the forest, but under the moonlight, I could see it clearly…
“Squeal! Who are you calling a pig, squeal? How dare you! Squeal!”
“Kyaaa!”
An orc with bloodshot eyes charged at me. What? What is this? It’s bigger than the ones I’ve seen before!
I ran through the forest as fast as I could.
I believed I could reach the path if I just kept going a little further.
Though I managed to run through the bushes without falling, the orc was faster than me. This was strange. I thought orcs were supposed to be slow! Or am I just slow?
Just as the orc’s yellow tusks came into view, I noticed Adol floating beside me.
“Hey! You jerk! Attack it! Attack!”
I was out of breath, but I couldn’t help shouting.
[Hmm! I can’t use my power without your command.]
“Use Shock! Shock!”
*Crackle*
With a small spark, the orc stopped in its tracks. I hesitated and watched the orc.
But the orc scratched its armpit as if nothing had happened. On top of that, it was muttering something. What’s it saying?
“Squeal? I just washed a year ago, squeal, why is there static, squeal? Is this a sign from the heavens, squeal?”
“…What a moron!”
I bolted again, and the orc followed.
The ground shook with every step the orc took.
[Master! I used 1 volt.]
“Hey! Try 3… no, 4… no, 5 volts!”
I was so out of breath that my chest hurt, and my legs throbbed. I didn’t even run this hard when I was escaping from the market!
[Hmm? 3 volts is your limit, Master.]
“Should’ve told me that earlier! Then 3 volts!”
*Crackle*
A large amount of mana drained away. I had about 50% mana left. I smelled something burning.
When I glanced back, I saw the orc’s fur was burnt, but far from fainting, it seemed even angrier and more violent.
[Hmm, maybe because it’s not human? It doesn’t seem very effective, Master.]
“You jerk! You… Ah, Undine!”
[Yes, Master!]
Undine, who had been summoned, was about to greet me when she saw me running and quickly flew over.
“Undine! Aqua Ball at the orc! Huff!”
I was so out of breath that it was hard to speak. The Aqua Ball flew quickly and hit the orc’s face, bursting on impact.
I didn’t expect to use Aqua Ball in a real fight so soon! Where are those damn knights? The terrain was getting rougher.
It also felt like I was going downhill.
[Direct hit!]
Undine exclaimed happily. Undine, you’re so cute, I’ll let it slide.
“Ador! 3 volts!”
A foul stench mixed with the smell of burnt hair filled the air.
*Thud*
Something heavy fell to the ground. I stopped running and looked back.
“Huff, huff. Is it dead? Ador! Go check it out.”
[Huh? Why me, Master?]
“Just go!”
Grumbling, Ador flew over to the orc, circled its head once, then came back.
[Master! It’s breathing… but I think it’s unconscious.]
“R-really?”
Hearing that, I collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed with relief.
What was I doing to end up in this situation? I went out to train and then… an orc appeared… and now… did I win? Really?
[Master?]
[Master?]
*Rumble*
“Ha! We took down an orc… huh?”
As I was reveling in the victory, the ground beneath me, which had been firm, suddenly crumbled. My body lost its balance and began to tip over.
Before I could even register the sensation, I felt the ground beneath me give way, and a cold wind swept over me, sending chills down my spine.
That’s when I realized the spot where I’d been sitting was the edge of a cliff.
Why now?! In a panic, I looked down and saw rocks tumbling down with me.
*Swoosh*
“Kyaaaaa!”
The deafening sound of rushing water hit my ears as I fell.
Why? Why? Why? How does a ten-year-old girl weigh enough to make a cliff collapse?! I mean, it was the edge of a cliff, but this is ridiculous.
I screamed again.
I tried to grab Undine, but my hands passed through her. I didn’t want to grab the electric ball, Ador, either. Damn it.
“Undine, Water Breathing!”
The name of the spell came to me just as my feet touched the water.
*Whoosh*
A round barrier formed around me with a sound like water vibrating.
Water Breathing, a spell that allows you to breathe underwater. A spell of Undine’s that I thought I’d never have to use is now saving my life.
“Haa…”
I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I stared blankly at the transparent barrier surrounding me.
When I touched the barrier, a cool sensation wrapped around my hand. Amazing. This world is full of wonders.
Though I was startled by the situation, the more pressing issue was my rapidly depleting mana.
I immediately cut off the mana flowing to Adol. He would’ve been forcibly desummoned. At the current rate of mana consumption, I had maybe two minutes before it ran out.
I had to figure out a solution quickly.
“Undine!”
[Yes, Master!]
“Push this barrier up! To the surface. Can you do it?”
[I-it might be a bit difficult… but I’ll do my best!]
Undine fluttered her tiny tail and pushed the barrier upward.
We were underwater, but the current was so strong… Even though all Undine was doing was pushing the barrier, my mana was draining.
“That’s it! Good job, Undine. Keep going! As fast as you can!”
[Yes!]
Through the transparent barrier, I could see the strong current flowing outside. The barrier slowly but steadily rose upward.
Because we hadn’t sunk too deep yet, the barrier soon reached the surface.
“Undine! Now use Water Walking.”
The barrier disappeared, and with a splashing sound, I floated to the surface.
I felt the water flowing beneath my knees.
I had to keep my legs moving against the current. But with a child’s body, it was impossible to go against the strong current.
In the end, I changed my plan and started running with the flow.
Now I had 20% mana left. Once my mana dropped to 10%, I couldn’t use any more magic.
If I did, my body would lose balance, resulting in internal injuries.
[Master! There’s a waterfall ahead!]
Damn it, when it rains, it pours.
In the end, I stopped running.
Now what? I had no more spells to use.
In desperation, I turned around and ran toward the lowest spot I could find. But the current was so strong that it wasn’t easy.
I finally reached the edge, but I couldn’t reach the protruding rocks on the cliff’s surface.
“Undine! Help me out! Use water to push me up. Can you do that?”
[Yes!]
The water beneath my feet rippled. Just as it seemed to grow stronger, I kicked off the ground and grabbed the protruding rock.
At that moment, my mana was dangerously low. In the end, I had to desummon Undine.
“Phew!”
I let out a deep sigh of relief. I leaned against the cliff and looked up.
The cliff was about ten times my height. Could I climb up there? All I had left was my body.
The only good thing was that there was a place to put my feet.
I rested against the wall for a moment to catch my breath. The darkness around me was getting thicker.
I needed to organize my thoughts. It would take about three hours for my mana to recover. But since it didn’t need to be full, I only needed to hold out for about an hour.
Could I hold out? But there was no other option.
Below was the waterfall, so I had to climb back up. Even with full mana, it wouldn’t be enough.
What should I do? Am I going to die here? At ten years old? Am I destined for a short life? I felt so sad that I almost started crying.
But there was nothing I could do, so I clung to the cliff as best I could, determined to hold on.
I didn’t know how much time had passed, but my mana had only replenished about 30%. The darkness around me was so deep it felt suffocating.
There was moonlight, but it was too faint. My fingers tingled, and my legs shook.
Should I just let go? Suddenly, something slid down my hand. The familiar feeling of something heavy wrapping around my hand…
“Arie!”
My voice was hoarse from tension.
When I looked up, I saw Arie’s face glistening in the faint moonlight. I could imagine it—he was probably flicking his tongue and wagging his tail.
[Master! I was looking everywhere for you. I was so scared you had left me behind!]
“Arie… I never thought you’d look so beautiful.”
[Hehe! I’m glad you finally noticed. But… what are you doing there?]
Considering the situation, I’ll overlook your foolishness for now.
“I’m in a life-or-death situation! So pull me up!”
I felt like kissing Arie, but my hands and feet weren’t free, and I was too exhausted to hold on much longer.
[How?]
“How? Either pull me up or create a platform under my feet! You said you could control rocks, right?”
[Hmm, but I’m very low on mana…]
What can I expect from you? I was so angry I shouted.
“Then do something! If I die, it’s your loss!”
[Die? I guess humans would die from this…]
That’s right. Arie and I have completely different values. To him, human life was nothing. What now? I can’t just die like this… Oh!
“Fine! Go get help!”
[Help? But how can I call for help? They can’t hear me unless they have an affinity for spirits.]
“…Just grab something valuable and run! If it looks like trash, bite it and run!”
[Yes, leave it to me.]
Arie slithered up the cliff. I watched his retreating form, feeling a bit anxious.
I know Arie has never succeeded in anything I’ve asked him to do, but at this point, I was desperate enough to grasp at straws.
“Please, Arie, I’m counting on you.”
How long had it been? The limits of my endurance crept up on me again. My fingers trembled, and my legs quivered. My calves and thighs ached.
*Splash*
The water surged up and splashed against my feet. I slipped and lost my footing.
I fumbled with my foot, but I couldn’t find anything solid. I glanced down.
It was so dark I couldn’t see anything. The encroaching darkness filled me with dread. Damn it, I hate the dark!
[Master! I got something.]
“A-Arie?”
Suddenly, I heard Arie’s voice. In this pitch-black situation, hearing his voice should have been terrifying, but I was more relieved than scared.
[As I was bringing it over, those dull humans didn’t seem to notice me. So I bit one of them, then grabbed a bag and ran off. I did well, right, Master?]
“Y-yeah! Good job, Arie! Where are the people?”
[They should be looking for me up there.]
I looked up, but I couldn’t see anything. I thought I could faintly hear voices.
But the sound of the rushing water drowned them out. In that case…
“Adol!”
[Hmm? Master! You desummoned me without warning earlier. How rude…]
“Shut up and go get those people to come this way! Hurry, it’s an emergency!”
I felt like I could slip into the water at any moment. Adol grumbled as he flew upward.
After a while, a bright light flashed, and Ador quickly returned to me. That jerk must have done something, seeing how much mana he used up!
“Hey, Kenta! There’s someone down here! Come quickly.”
Someone had spotted me and shouted. It was a woman’s voice, high-pitched and sharp. Sob, I never thought I’d be so happy to hear a human voice!
“No! I’m not coming! Where did those things go? I’m going to kill them when I find them!”
The voice was so loud that it was clear to me.
“What? You’re not coming? There’s also a glowing ball that attacked you and a snake that bit your butt?”
“Kyaaa! My butt’s nemesis!”
Did you have to bite his butt, Arie? Anyway, the man’s voice sounded strong and dependable.
I heard them bickering above me for a while.
“Here! Grab this!”
*Rustle*
Along with the woman’s voice, a thick vine-like rope dropped down. My hands were weak, but if I didn’t grab it, I’d be done for, so I used every ounce of strength I had left to grab the rope.
“Pulling up!”
The man’s rough voice rang out, and the rope I held onto pulled me up.
I wrapped my arms around the rope to keep from slipping.
My hands stung, but scraped hands were better than falling. The cliff that had seemed so high was scaled in no time.
I collapsed onto the ground, utterly drained.
“Oh my, it’s a child? Are you alright?”
The woman with silver hair helped me to my feet. Her concerned voice made me burst into tears.
“Huuuh. I thought I was going to die. Huuuuh.”
I clung to her and cried my heart out, only to hear Arie screaming in the background.
[Ahhh! Master! Please help me!]
“Kyaaa! Why is this thing so tough?”
A huge man with a body that was more giant than muscular flexed his arms, the size of most people’s thighs, as he grappled with Arie, twisting and smashing him into the ground while breathing heavily.
When I glanced over, I saw Ador flying around in the distance.
“Hic…”
“Is that your snake?”
The silver-haired woman asked as she looked at me. I nodded and replied.
“Yes, but you can ignore him. He needs to be disciplined now and then.”
I was willing to offer up Arie to my saviors.
[Hiss! Let go! Let go, you bastard!]
And so, Arie and the giant man engaged in a bloodless battle.
The proud Royal Drike Academy of the Dmitri Kingdom, on its way to the Winkan Festival.
The delegation consisted of 20 representatives, 4 instructors, 25 knights for escorting, 16 additional staff, including coachmen and cooks, for a total of 65 people.
The number of luxury carriages used for transporting students and teachers during the journey and for sleeping was 12, with 2 wagons for important luggage and 6 carts for tents and cooking supplies, making for a very concise and efficient convoy.
The next morning, 16 days from Bailan, the delegation’s day began with the screeching screams of the knight commander.
“Waaahhhh!”