Chapter 178: Just Me
In the end, the bracelet hasn’t done anything like creating documents or sending messages; it’s just a gift.
But as long as the people around Ash misunderstand it, that’s fine by me.
“Okay, okay, hide, hide!”
Aoshizuku and Ryokuen move away from the bracelet and hide in Ash’s sleeve.
“Basically, when there are people around, you should stay hidden. So when you want to call them out, just touch the bracelet—well, you’re already touching it. Just wish for them to come out.”
“Got it.”
Az hops down from Ash’s shoulder, bouncing lightly across the desk, tilting his head as he peers into Ash’s sleeve.
It looks like they’re having a bit of fun now that they’ve reunited. It’s nice to see them getting along.
“Play with them sometimes.”
“Sure.”
“Can spirits attached to objects really be that far away…?”
Dinoss seems puzzled.
If it’s a strong spirit, it can be away for a short time, but normally, a spirit of this strength would have at least part of its body attached to the object.
“They’re just there because I asked them to be. They’re not technically attached.”
It’s the same as Az being with Ash.
“My common sense!”
Dinoss mutters to himself.
“What kind of spirits are they?”
“A girl in a blue outfit the size of a thumb and a small round spirit in yellow-green. Both are adorable.”
“Really?”
Ash answers Retze’s question.
“Hmm, so the yellow-green spirit might not grow larger when it gains power, but instead, it could multiply.”
The Butler has returned.
“Yeah, the yellow-green one multiplied, so one is with me. It seems we can communicate even when apart, so if things get dangerous, I should get a warning.”
Like the fire spark spirits, they’re easy to multiply and disappear, and while they’re not strong individually, they can form groups.
Spirits that take on human or animal forms tend to grow stronger as individuals, while simpler forms tend to multiply more. In the spiritology books from the Kingdom of Luf, they’re classified as primordial spirits.
“It’s convenient to be able to deduce abilities from their appearance.”
“You can tell the attribute by color, but usually, other spirits just look like Balls of Light, and the smart ones disguise themselves.”
Dinoss responds to Retze, who seems intrigued.
“Wait, a Ball of Light?”
“Hmm?”
Hold on, a Ball of Light?
“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence falls.
“Ash, you saw the flower on Dean’s head, right?”
“Yeah, the lasting traces of a spirit used by someone else are easier to see because they’re away from the main body. However, unless the spirit itself thinks it’s okay to show its form, it’s hard for me to identify it. Plus, if the spirit is particularly suspicious, it might hide its traces of power.”
He’s still quiet, but he answers when asked. It reminds me of the tourist guides in the Royal Capital, bringing back some nostalgia.
“The spirit that was attached to Dean’s sister was the assertive type—this is why I concluded that both Dean’s sister and the spirit attached to her were unintentionally spreading their power.”
I see. Even though I thought the handling was a bit lenient, it makes sense that they didn’t mean any harm. If they had hidden it, the judgment might have been harsher.
Now that I know how spirits can act whimsically, I can somewhat understand.
“…So it’s just me. I was the only one suffering through that…!”
I bury my face on the desk.
Chris’s Jaw Spirit, Dean’s stinky spirit, and Reed’s muscular horse spirit! Of course, if the only thing nearby is a Ball of Light or if it’s just flying around, it wouldn’t be that bothersome!!!
The spirit attached to Reed resembles a horse’s head with horns, but since it’s white, it’s not a hellish spirit but rather a type of Light Spirit, somewhat flamboyant. It sometimes strikes a muscular pose while stroking Reed’s chin.
So it’s just me.
“Well, I guess having visibility comes with its own troubles. Sorry for saying it’s convenient.”
Retze pats my head, which is still buried on the desk.
“Hmm.”
Ash doesn’t need to join in; it feels like a rice cake being pounded when both of them are patting my head, so stop it.
And I feel like I’ve created some misunderstanding.
“Oh, right. If you don’t mind, take that package over there too.”
“What is it?”
“Ash’s clothes.”
It’s summer, and they’ve probably become ill-fitting again. There’s no chest, but it looks good enough to pass for a beautiful woman in disguise.
“It’s designed to avoid wrinkles.”
“That will be quite useful for traveling.”
The Butler manages Ash’s clothing.
The clothing store in Kanum mainly deals in second-hand clothes, especially those sent from Fortress Cities, except for underwear. Usually, underwear is sewn at home, but since there are many single male adventurers here, there are places that offer sewing services. There are tailors, but the fabric quality isn’t that great.
So, aside from underwear, I handle everything for a fee. Recently, even ordinary fabric can turn into suspicious clothing, so I often work in Kanum. Sometimes I sew while chatting with Shiva. Tina is also next to me learning embroidery, and I enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of a cozy home.
“I wonder how the Second Prince will react when he sees a beautiful young lady resembling his mother.”
The Butler smiles with a hint of darkness.
Also, she’s beautiful but flat-chested. She might attract attention from women, right? Does the Butler’s judgment falter when it comes to Ash?
“Wouldn’t it be a problem if she stands out and has a hard time returning?”
Retze lightly pokes fun.
“…That’s true. I want to restore the young lady’s reputation, but it’s a difficult task.”
The Butler lets out a small sigh.