Chapter 57: Spirit’s Power and Magic
In the room, just the two of us, a woman fresh from her bath.
However, she’s leaning on the desk, half her face hidden by her clasped hands, her sharp gaze resembling that of an assassin. On the other side of the ten-centimeter-thick wall, there’s a naked elderly man.
It’s a surreal scene, with the atmosphere of a killer yet the warmth of steam rising. And then there’s Az perched on top of Ash’s head.
“What’s wrong?”
The furrow in her brow—could it be worry or some kind of trouble? Even with that scary expression, she loves sweets, yet she hasn’t touched the pound cake or tea.
Az, too, seems a bit uncomfortable, frequently shifting his position on Ash’s head. Usually, he’s on my shoulder, coming over to play when I’m around… but I should probably stop him before he forms a fake crown on Ash’s head.
“Ah, forgive me. Have you seen any Spirits in the Forest, Jean?”
“Yeah.”
Thanks to the Spirit of the jaw and the Spirit of the scent, my fetish theory about Spirits has begun to flourish.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Spirit in such a pitiful state, not since the rampage of the Court Mage.”
“…”
So it’s about the Black Spirit!
I barely managed to suppress the urge to capture it when I saw it.
“I haven’t seen many instances of people using magic, but what’s it usually like?”
When I use magic, I ask the Spirits to lend me their power in a relaxed manner, and they gradually pour their strength into me—though it often feels like they’re giving too much.
“Spirits lend their power to humans either because they genuinely like them or because they’ve been summoned through a spell, which acts as a kind of contract. It’s said that a Spirit lends about two out of ten of its own power. Anything beyond that requires a contract or spell to forcibly draw it out, or it can be extracted by breaking the Spirit’s existence with magic. Once a Spirit has used up its power, it disappears.”
“So that melted Spirit was broken?”
“Indeed. And turning black is a sign of hatred towards humans; it brings no good influence to the caster or those around them.”
So it ultimately becomes a Demon Beast, huh?
My sister might end up as the Demon King instead of a Hero. No, maybe she’s equipped with Mental Resistance? Even without it, she seems like she could brush it off with her steel-like mentality. I wonder how her friends are doing? It feels like a flag for a brutal mutual annihilation.
“Listening to this makes me feel like it’s better not to use ordinary magic either.”
Is lending power to humans just a friendly gesture? The Gods said that if I use my power, the Gods themselves would grow stronger.
“No, Spirits actually gain a bit more power than they use, allowing them to recover and grow. Moreover, magic stabilizes the existence of Spirits. If it’s fire, it’s like the essence of fire; if it’s water, it’s like the essence of water, condensed and imbued with will. Normally, things that would scatter and disappear are held in place, making magic attractive to Spirits. As long as you don’t push them too hard, they’ll gladly lend their strength.”
“Really?”
“Az could have easily turned black, yet he’s still by my side. I can’t help but compare him to those Spirits.”
Ah, now I understand the reason behind her scary expression. She was feeling down seeing the Spirits that had turned black. It’s hard to read!
“Wait a moment.”
I stepped into the kitchen, rummaging through [Storage] to pull out various items and arrange them on a plate, trying to make it as colorful as possible to lift the mood.
“Sorry for the wait. Keep this a secret from the Butler.”
“A secret? —What is this?”
An apple cinnamon tart, shortcake, chocolate cream puffs, and macarons.
I originally intended to prepare an Afternoon Tea Set, so everything is made in smaller portions.
“It’s sweets. Please enjoy.”
I poured tea into a new cup.
This tea has a bit of an earthy taste, like it’s been left in the cupboard too long, so I set it aside.
“I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“Yeah, that’s why it’s a secret. I can’t guarantee you’ll like it, but it’s sweet.”
“Hmm…”
“It’s not something to forget, but being downcast doesn’t seem healthy either.”
Unfortunately, I’m not used to comforting people, so I try to distract her with sweet treats.
“I’m sorry for bringing the mood down. I’ll gratefully accept this.”
As he popped a bite-sized cream puff into his mouth, the furrow in his brow relaxed, and a joyful expression bloomed on his face like a flower. It’s a bit cute.
“Aren’t you going to eat, Lord Jean?”
“I already had a meal. If you can eat it all, go ahead.”
I had enjoyed some boiled daikon with yuzu miso, sashimi of yellowtail, rice, and miso soup, along with some pickled shallots. After a long time, I savored Japanese food. I even had a second helping of rice with salted squid.
Ash and the others probably had their meals at the Guild’s tavern or grabbed something simple from a nearby stall. The others are likely still drinking somewhere.
I watched Ash eat the sweets for a while. He often falls silent while eating, seeming to truly enjoy it. He took the most time with the shortcake, so it seems to be his favorite.
“This tea is fragrant too. I’ve had apple tarts before, but this is something else. Everything is delicious, especially the one with the white cream. What was that red fruit?”
Finally finishing everything, Ash began to speak.
“It’s called a strawberry.”
I can’t help but worry if she can eat it without knowing what it is, the daughter of a duke. I feel bad for serving it without clarification.
“This is wonderful; I didn’t think I could be so easily pleased.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. You seem happier now, and so does Az.”
Right now, Az is perched comfortably on Ash’s shoulder, looking quite content.
“Is that so?”
“Indeed.”
I’m just glad to see him looking better.