Chapter 413: Orlando
“It seems like there are more Magic Circles at the Fortress and here at the ‘Spirit’s Branch’… Did Grandfather do this? Huh?”
“The castle has been reinforced at the request of Soleil and Auro, with the bare minimum measures taken to ward off Contracted Spirits from other nations,” Grandfather replied.
“…What about the stairs here?” I asked, feeling like they might give way if I stepped on them.
“Have you noticed? There’s a Magic Circle that ‘alerts to those with malicious intent.’ If someone with harmful intentions touches it, the attention of those nearby will be drawn to that person. It seems to emit a warning sound that many, including myself, cannot hear, but the effect still applies even if it’s inaudible.”
Miel stepped on it and made a sound, right? Is it broken?
“Occasionally, it seems that the sound will trigger even if someone favored touches it. The Magic Circle was drawn by Miel when he guided Nii-sama here earlier. So you heard the sound when Miel touched it, did you?”
“Ah…” Well, it was more like he stepped on it. And Miel is the culprit!
He didn’t seem to notice, so I guess it can’t be helped. Can it?
“According to the writings of those who can hear the Spirits’ sounds, it’s described as an indescribable sound. I envy those who can hear it.”
…Indescribable sound, huh? What’s that like?
“No, it was just a regular sound,” I said.
“A regular sound…?” Grandfather looked puzzled.
Sometimes it’s better not to hear certain things!
“Excuse me, is something wrong?” Orlando, who had brought drinks, seemed to sense the awkward atmosphere and asked.
“Nothing at all. Thank you.” He brought me a glass of water with slices of lemon and orange.
The water that flows vigorously from the Fortress first passes through the Temple, where the stone buildings are cooled by the constantly flowing water, making it cooler than other places. The island is almost always in summer, after all.
The water, which has a hint of honey mixed in, is refreshing and delicious.
“I heard Miel is teaching the people of the island about the Magic Circles. How many people is he teaching?” I asked.
“Currently, there are four. Three of them have low Magic Power, so they’re only learning basic protective charms. Miel seems to struggle with using Magic Power, but he has a Spirit by his side, which likely gives him a good amount of Magic Power,” Grandfather explained. I still don’t quite understand if having Magic Power is common or rare.
Well, I read somewhere that living in a place with many Spirits or hunting a lot of Demon Beasts can influence one’s Magic Power. So it seems to vary by location.
“Miel can inscribe Magic Circles onto stones with astonishing ease. And the Magic Circles he inscribes activate without issue, so it’s likely that the Spirit nearby is related to the stones.”
Wait, does this mean there’s a suspicion about Rune being a Spirit?
“Are any of Miel’s siblings among those he’s teaching?”
“There are none. There are two adults and two children, a boy named Miel and another named Tes,” Grandfather replied.
So it’s almost confirmed that Rune is a Spirit! The true culprit behind the sound is Rune!
Still, when Miel said, “My sister is my younger sister. We have the same face,” did that mean she was really favored, or was she present when the Spirit was born? Speaking of which, I didn’t ask about their sizes, just that they looked alike.
Wait a minute. What kind of horror is it for Miel to see his siblings since childhood while others can’t? Is that normal here?
Oh. —Could it be that I also have to pretend not to see Spirits in front of those who can’t see them? That sounds like a dangerous situation!
“This place seems to have many Spirits. It’s possible that being possessed by a Spirit could significantly boost your Magic Power. Even if you’re not possessed, being influenced by the Spirits for an extended period will likely increase your Magic Power to some extent. All four of them are studying diligently, so they have a promising future,” Grandfather said, holding a glass.
“That’s good to hear.”
“Orlando has already included a Contract in the Magic Power test on the first day, and confidentiality is assured,” Grandfather mentioned, and Orlando looked a bit pleased to be named.
Paperwork is such a hassle, and I respect him for that.
“This glass and the Spirit’s Branch… It seems this island is overflowing with miracles…” Grandfather mused, looking at the glass in his hand.
“Is that so?” The thin, transparent glass is something they recently started making on the island.
I taught them how to make it, but they haven’t produced enough to sell, so for now, it’s being used in the Residence and here, as well as for high-profile guests.
Unlike the thick ones that are commonly available, this thin, highly transparent glass has quietly become a topic of conversation. I just thought it was nice and cool since the island is hot.
“Indeed. The Spirit’s Branch changes its pose slightly every morning during greetings. Occasionally, I can hear the sound of string instruments, and even if I can’t see them, I experience the wonders of the Spirits every day.”
Orlando’s reaction is quite different from what I expected… Ah. Does Orlando hear the voices of the Spirits!?
Can he hear the sounds of the “afoons” too!?