Chapter 355: Seabird Spirit
It was the spirit from Lady Rosa’s place. Its appearance resembled a muscular seagull, using its wings like arms to gesture, with an unusually thick wingspan. Can it even fly? I thought for a moment, but then I remembered it was a spirit after all.
“Magic Power is quite tasty, you know, but…”
And it was rather grumpy. I had already dealt with the seventh one.
“Oh, I’ve mentioned this before, haven’t I?”
Prodded by the spirit I brought along, it seemed we were finally getting to the main topic.
“My job is to deliver messages to a place called Sattar, as humans refer to it. I flap over to that second tallest chimney house and deliver the voice, you see. Despite my appearance, I’m a Shell Spirit, so I’m quite good at trapping voices.”
Shell!? I instinctively turned to the other spirits, and the one I brought along gestured, “No, no,” beside the seabird spirit.
“Well, that’s just a joke. I’m quite skilled at delivering voices, really. However, I can’t stray too far from the sea, so any work beyond that is for someone else.”
This spirit certainly had a strong personality. So, being a Shell Spirit means it’s good at trapping sounds? I wasn’t quite sure, but maybe it had something to do with how you can hear the ocean when you hold a seashell to your ear. Well, I decided not to think too deeply about spirits.
“Would you like me to showcase the most recent voice I’ve delivered?”
“Since there are a lot of people here who aren’t involved, can I ask you again tomorrow? If that’s not possible, I can step outside right now… oh, here comes another one.”
After getting one Earth Folk drunk, another arrived almost immediately, making it hard to catch a break.
At first, I was startled, thinking of acute alcohol poisoning, but it seems the Earth Folk lose consciousness before that happens, or rather, they just fall asleep. When they wake up, they’re back to normal.
“It looks like you’re busy, so I’ll come back tomorrow. Since I just delivered a voice recently, I don’t think I’ll be called again so soon. Let’s just consider today a meet-and-greet.”
“Ah, thank you. Don’t worry about it, but if you two want something to eat, feel free to grab a bite. By the way, is there anything available? I can bring out what I have.”
I remembered that the dishes laid out were rather limited and added that.
“I’ll have a bit of alcohol, if you please.”
The seabird spirit said, floating—well, more like flapping—over to the barrel of alcohol.
The cute spirit with curly eyes that I brought along also bowed its head happily and went for a roasted carrot.
I think it’s a spirit of the sea wind, but why a carrot? Spirits are full of mysteries.
After that, other spirits gradually joined in, and the food and drink began to disappear. I made sure to provide water and fragrant flowers, which most spirits could enjoy. The Earth Folk were either drunk or passed out, so they wouldn’t mind if something odd happened.
In the case of the Earth Folk, they might even accept such things as normal, even when sober. They share a resemblance to changelings in that regard. The descendants of Luf might actually be Earth Folk.
“I’m sorry. I’m reaching my limit here.”
I wasn’t getting drunk, but my stomach was definitely full.
“That’s why the Island Soleil can’t grow big!”
“Wait, Gamri of the Black Iron Pit. The Island Soleil is human, unlike us Earth Folk. Even if he’s the man who obtained the Goddess’s Great Tree, he surely can’t carry such a magnificent belly!”
“Can’t carry it!”
Following the two, the others echoed back, laughter erupting around us.
So that’s what they meant by not being able to grow big! Sure, everyone had a fine belly, but I didn’t want to grow in that way.
The one who spoke to Gamri was probably Grid from the Red Silver Valley. With everyone’s faces flushed from drink, and their beards and hair all disheveled, it was becoming hard to tell them apart.
Eventually, the chaotic banquet began to wind down, and I used [Teleportation] to send the Earth Folk back to the Northern Lands.
I handed over a few to their wives in the Red Silver Valley, rolled a few into Sulfur Valley, and tossed a few into the Black Iron Pit. Each of their homes received two barrels of alcohol and a gold coin.
Since I was entrusted with the Goddess’s Great Tree, the Earth Folk who couldn’t accept rewards had already been compensated when I handed over the Great Tree for making furniture. The barrels of alcohol and gold coins were a token of gratitude for the wonderful items they crafted.
“Island Soleil, wait. I’ll get the rope.”
Gamri, slightly unsteady on his feet, disappeared down the back corridor.
Before he got drunk, he had readily agreed to discuss the sturdy rope and the office desk. Especially since he felt he had received too much of the Goddess’s Great Tree, he was willing to take on the desk for free using the Great Tree as material.
Indeed, the trunk of the Goddess’s Great Tree was about the same circumference as my tower, and just giving one extra would be a tremendous amount. But it wouldn’t make sense for me to keep it as a log; it was something the Earth Folk should have.
The rope was a remnant of a piece made by the ancestors of the Earth Folk long ago. He promised to lend me a bit of it.
I think Rishu would be happy with as many toys as possible, and there should be a good texture to the rope, so I planned to look for other options as well.
I wonder if Rishu will be pleased?