BSS 27

Chapter 27

“What? Why are you looking for the jeweler?”

“I have to go and retrieve the other one too, obviously.”

The boy flinched and shook his head violently.

“No! You can’t! It’s dangerous. There are always thugs waiting around Dunhell Jewelers. If anyone causes a disturbance, they kill you without anyone even knowing!
My father almost died at their hands too. I absolutely cannot tell you!”

“So, it is Dunhell Jewelers.”

“…Ah.”

“You really need to study more, kid.”

I nodded casually and pulled out a pouch of money from my bag. How much would be reasonable for two spirit stones and a book?

“It’s really impossible! Even if you’re a noble lady, they’re not the type to hand anything back just because you ask!”

“It’s fine. I’ve got two knights with me, and also a snake.”

[I’m a spirit! A spirit! Not a snake!]

Rai insisted loudly, but only I could hear him.

“I’ll take care of getting the item back myself, so don’t worry. And this is the payment for the two spirit stones—book included. This should be enough, right?”

I handed the gold coins to the boy. The more coins dropped into his hand, the wider his eyes grew.

And when his eyes couldn’t get any wider, his mouth dropped open instead. Cute kid.

“Gasp!”

“I paid, so it’s mine now. Fair?”

“This… this is too much, my lady!”

“I paid what I wanted to.”

“I can’t accept this much…”

“Quiet. It’s my money.”

For the record! The more money, the better!

“But—”

“It’s fine, so take it. Anyone who understands the value of that item would pay a hundred times this much.”

I gave him the highest amount I believed he could safely handle.

If I gave too much, it was obvious it would only endanger him.

“Buy lots of delicious bread and go home. Maybe go to the temple with your parents and get your injuries healed. And if there’s still money left, you could even learn to read.”

The life of a commoner seemed harsher than I expected.

To someone like me born lucky as a noble, their lives were full of inexplicable unfairness—at least that’s how it seemed.

“My lady… even so, 10 gold is too much.”

The boy kept bowing, and Philo seemed convinced I didn’t know the market price. Which, okay, was partially true.

“Is that too much?”

“It’s not ‘too much,’ it’s enormous! 10 gold is enough to support a family for a year!”

“Yes! You could even build a small house with it!”

They desperately tried to stop me, but the money was already given. And honestly, I didn’t regret a single coin.

“It’s not like I have anything to spend it on. My monthly allowance is 1 gold.”

“…What!”

“Your allowance is 1 gold?”

“And even then, since I’m always at the academy, I never spend any, so it just keeps piling up. Plus the scholarship money I got for contracting with a spirit. I probably have around 100 gold?”

I muttered without much thought, and Hansen and Philo looked even more shocked than when I pulled Rai out of my clothes.

I could guess what had shocked them.

“Our salaries…”

“How much are they?”

“N–nothing.”

“We misspoke.”

“Hmmm… it’s not less than 1 gold, right?”

Their silence was an answer.

Knights really had it rough. Low pay, guarding a kid, getting scolded by superiors for trivial things…

Pitiful, truly.

My pitying gaze must have been too obvious, because they couldn’t even raise their heads.

[What do you think, Rai? Should I comfort them? Tell them low salary isn’t something to be ashamed of?]
[I think that would make it worse.]
[Yeah, I thought so.]

I shrugged and began walking. I should find Dunhell Jewelers before sunset.

People still parted the way when I walked by, and I was starting to get used to it.

What were nobles to commoners, really?

The thought flickered for a moment but faded quickly.

*******

At Dunhell Jewelers

Finding the jeweler shop wasn’t difficult. It was the largest establishment in the city, after all.

[Well? Can you sense a spirit stone?]
[Yes, faint but definitely. It’s inside.]

That confirmed it. I crossed my arms and looked up at the signboard. It was so overly decorated it looked tacky.

[Good. Then you know what to do, right?]
[Retrieve the spirit stone?]
[Your instincts have improved. Good boy.]
[Heheh.]
[Go on then. Bring it.]

Just a little praise turned Rai into an eager puppy. His tail wagging, he slithered into the jeweler’s shop.

Now all I had to do was wait. Perfect!

“Um, my lady?”

I stood proudly while Philo approached with a troubled look.

“The snake… it’s escaping.”

“It’s not escaping, it’s retrieving the spirit stone. Don’t you get it?”

“The spirit stone the boy said was stolen?”

“Yes, that one. I paid for it, so it’s mine. Obviously I should retrieve it.”

“…”

His face said he had a thousand objections.

“Why! I’m completely in the right! The jeweler thugs stole it from him without paying! Since they took it by force, I’ll take it back by force! Even if you’re dissatisfied, keep quiet!”

“No, it’s not that. I meant… how can a snake do that?”

“Oh, that.”

“Snakes are low-intelligence creatures.”

“Normally, yes. But that one is special. And don’t bother asking; it’s annoying to explain.”

Philo still looked unconvinced, but I didn’t see any need to elaborate.

The fact Rai was a spirit was still known only to me.

I hadn’t planned it this way, but explaining was bothersome, so I postponed it until it became a habit.

I’d thought about telling Professor Eiel, but I was afraid I’d get scolded for acting without permission.

“So what do we do now?”

“Wait until Rai comes out.”

“That’s your answer?”

“Yep.”

They must have expected some heroic action, but I hated troublesome things. Sending Rai to sneak in was the most peaceful option.

No point barging in when all we needed was to slip one spirit stone out.

Rai was the best at this sort of thing, after all.

While waiting, I reviewed the plan:

Retrieve the spirit stone → identify which spirit could be summoned → if useful, form a contract → then let Rai absorb the stone so no one else could use it.

Would be a waste to leave it lying around for someone else. I found it, so why share?

But four spirits is a bit excessive, isn’t it…? No, actually it would be four: Rai, Undine, and the two stones.

I wondered if I was being too greedy.

Truthfully, contracting with four spirits was theoretically impossible.

Spirit mages usually had only one contract because of elemental compatibility.

For example, since I had contracted with a water spirit, I could never summon a fire spirit.

Water and fire weakened each other’s existence.

Earth, which had good compatibility with water, could be contracted, but spirit mages rarely did so.

Because managing two different elements made it harder to reach the higher ranks.

To reach high-grade spirits, most people focused on one element.

“Well… whatever. I’ll take it first.”

A greedy person doesn’t give up easily.

I leaned against a tree and reopened the book to review the parts I skimmed earlier.

Excerpt from the book

“Why do spirits help humans?
This has long been an unsolved mystery.

Do they enjoy serving us?
Do they demand souls or offerings like demons?
No.

According to the Creation Myth, when the gods created the human realm, they made it so bountiful that the celestial and infernal realms fought over it.
To balance power, the gods birthed dragons, blessed humans to strengthen them, and commanded spirits to assist humans.”

But there is a contradiction. Spirits are not exclusive to humans.
It is unknown whether celestials or demons can summon them, but it is certain that dragons, elves, dwarves, and most high beings of the middle realm can use spirits.

If spirits were commanded to help humans, then were they also commanded to help all beings of the middle realm?
If so, another question arises.

Why do spirits help all living beings of the middle realm?
Even when asked, they offer no clear answer.”

—Will I be able to solve this mystery before I die?”

The book was filled with spirit studies. No daily stories, no anecdotes—just spirits from beginning to end. The author must have been a hardcore spirit fanatic.

Maybe I’d give it to Professor Eiel after finishing it. I’d pretend I just found it, of course.

But anyway…

“Why is Rai taking so long?”

It had already been ten minutes. Strange. Rai wasn’t slow—he was quick.

I grew irritated and walked toward the jeweler.

No reason to take this long to retrieve one spirit stone.

I am an impatient person!

[Rai?]

I called, annoyed, but there was no answer. Too far away.

Mental communication had limits—about ten meters, in our case.

[Answer me! If you’re eating something off the floor without permission, you’re dead!]

I felt like I’d let a cat loose in a fish shop. He might be ignoring me while causing trouble.