BSS 29

Chapter 29

I lay blankly on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, when Rai’s voice echoed.

[Master, humans are supposed to die originally, aren’t they? It’s only a matter of when. Why do you cling to that fact and get hurt by it?]

[…It’s not because I saw someone die.]

[Then why?]

[It’s not like what comes after death is necessarily painful. I understand death itself. But I hate it when someone dies because of me.]

I sat up on the bed and grabbed my head. The unfamiliar stress made it feel like my skull was about to crack open.

[Honestly, we spirits don’t even have the concept of death. So I don’t really understand Master’s struggle.]

“If you don’t die, then?”

[We disappear. That’s all.]

“Then spirits… spirits…”

Do they not get reborn?
I wanted to ask that, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Even though I remembered my past life vividly, for some reason I just couldn’t speak it aloud.

Whenever I intentionally tried to say it, my tongue wouldn’t move. Something was blocking me.

Sometimes, I wondered—

Maybe something went wrong, and a person like me wasn’t supposed to be born here.
Maybe remembering a past life was something that shouldn’t exist.
Why do strange things keep happening to me?

My tangled thoughts spiraled out of control.

I wanted to spit the words out, but nothing followed, and my insides twisted into a mess.

What the hell is blocking me? Why?
Why is this happening to me?
What do you want from me?!

The intensity of my own emotions felt overwhelming, but I couldn’t stop.

Things I usually brushed off felt unbearably disgusting today.

I felt sad, angry, irritated—like I wanted to smash everything around me—but I couldn’t control it at all.

“I don’t know… I said I don’t know! Why are you doing this to me!”

[Master? Why are you…]

I shouted with all my strength—
And then, from one side of the room, a sudden surge of energy exploded.

Rai and I both turned toward it.
A strange light was flickering on the table, burning something.

“My… bag!”

The source of the energy was the table, where my bag and coin pouch sat.

A blazing golden light emitted a burnt smell as it melted my bag.

Golden droplets dripped from the table’s edge—my coins.
Well… what used to be my coins.

“What the hell is that!”

I forgot all about being depressed and jumped off the bed, rushing to the table, but there was nothing I could do.

The leather that had been my bag lost its shape and drooped, and electric sparks danced intensely over the surface—one touch would absolutely get me electrocuted.

I want to live a long life, damn it!

[It’s a spirit of electricity. You put the spirit stone in your bag, remember?]

“Of course I know that! I know! I’m asking why it suddenly did that!”

[Uh… It seems like it wants to be summoned?]

Was that a question?!

Rai was suddenly perched on my shoulder—his favorite spot.

“My money! My bag! My… my…!”

[Master’s mood is extremely low right now, right? It must have been drawn to that. Spirits react strongly to a summoner’s negative emotions. It’s showing its desire to come here. But generally, we can’t cross dimensions without being summoned, so this is its way of saying ‘Call me!’]

“So basically it’s an attention seeker!”

[Yes. It wishes to serve Master of its own will.]

Crackle—

CRACKLE!

The discharge continued violently. At this rate it looked like it’d burn the table, the inn, and everything else. Buildings in this world were mostly wood and horribly vulnerable to fire.

“How do I stop it?!”

[Its power is unstable, so if you call it out, it should calm down.]

“…Damn it. I’m not in the mood to sign a contract right now.”

[That thing seems to like Master’s mood just fine.]

A spirit of electricity, huh?

I was annoyed all around, but I couldn’t just sit and watch everything burn.

“So how do I summon it? I don’t know a summoning chant. I don’t have a contract circle!”

[Spirit stones are simple. Just inject mana. Hold it in your hand and—]

“You want me dead, don’t you?”

[Of course not. Misunderstanding!]

“How do I grab that?!”

It’s not like I could get anywhere near it.

The golden light buzzed threateningly, scorching anything it touched.

Watching anxiously, I reluctantly grabbed my shoe.

The sole was leather.

“Ugh, I don’t want to stick my hand in my shoe…”

[Oh! The light is settling down. It must be running out of energy. Now, Master!]

I slid my hand inside the shoe like a glove and reached out during the momentary lull.
I wasn’t sure mana would go through the shoe, but fortunately, I could still push mana into it.

Mana usually disperses into the air, but the spirit stone sucked it in like a madman.

Like someone dying of thirst drinking water for the first time in days.

“Ah! Hot!”

Even with the leather barrier, the heat was intense. I shook the shoe off and flapped my hand desperately to cool it.

When that didn’t work, I grabbed Rai.

This little guy looks cool-minded!

[Aagh!!]

“Hold still!”

[Master! Metal is weak to heat! No! My shell!!]

While I wrestled with Rai, the spirit emerged—but I didn’t notice because my burning hand was the priority.

[Its name…]

“Oh, it came out?”

The voice sounded faint and weak.

And asking for a name meant—
Definitely a natural spirit.

Thanks to Rai, I was used to this, so I didn’t panic like the first time.

A small ball of light floated weakly where my bag had been, nibbling at my mana.

[…Master? Most summoners don’t react so half-heartedly when a spirit appears. Perhaps a little awe…]

“But I’m a genius. I’m used to it.”

[…Ah. Yes…]

Besides, I didn’t summon it.
It forced its way out wanting a contract.
So obviously the power dynamic was in my favor.

“A spirit of electricity, huh?”

Feeling irritated, I looked up at the trembling ball of light.

[Correct.]

“That tone is rude.”

[I shall allow you to be my master. Now give me a name.]

Even though it was wobbling, its tone was full of confidence—almost arrogance.
Like it was looking down on people.

“If I don’t?”

[…Y-you don’t want to?]

“If I don’t need a cheeky brat, you can crawl back inside.”

Wow. This thing had zero manners. Taming it would be difficult.
I preferred polite spirits like Undine.

[How dare you reject me! I’m offering you a contract!]

“What kind of begging attitude is that? If you can’t be polite, go back. It’s not like you’re the only spirit of electricity.”

The little ball of light spun through the air in a figure-eight, shrinking and expanding in fury.

[You’ll regret this! I am one of the highest-ranking spirits of—]

“Yeah, yeah. Go inside.”

[Pfft.]

Natural spirits don’t have ranks.
Liar.

Rai, who’d been quiet, finally burst into laughter.

[How dare you laugh at me! What are you?!]

[I am Master’s first spirit, Rai! A metal spirit!]

He lifted his head proudly.
Even though he had a snake head.

[A metal spirit? What kind of unheard-of mutt—]

[WHAT did you just say?!]

[Shall I repeat? A mutt! I’ve never heard of such a thing! Must be a low-ranked—]

[You little—! Do you not recognize your senior—]

“Both of you, shut up.”

Why did I have to hear all of this? Couldn’t they fight quietly?

[Who are you telling to shut up?! I am the spirit of—]

[But Master! He insulted me first—]

“I said shut it.”

[…Yes.]

Ugh. Two noisy ones are worse than one.
I should definitely send this electric brat back.
I could just summon a different one—

…Right?

“…Rai?”

[Yes, Master!]

“That spirit stone… kinda looks broken… You can fix it, right?”

Before the loud brat appeared, it had been intact enough. But now it was shattered to pieces.
It was old, so the shock must’ve been too much.

[I examined the other spirit stone I brought earlier…]

“Please tell me it’s repairable.”

[…Unfortunately, it’s hopeless. It’s not just a rock—more like a magical artifact. It’s beyond my ability.]

A wave of dizziness passed over me.

“Broken? You weakling!”

“This is all YOUR fault!”

[I am strong!]

“You’re insane.”

I’d heard spirits had personality differences, but this one was especially weird.

[You rude little human! But I like that. I shall give you another chance! Will you contract with me?]

I hesitated.

Rai and this one clearly wouldn’t get along…
And its personality seemed awful—similar to mine, unfortunately.

Should I accept the contract?
Or refuse and lose my chance to ever contract an electric spirit?

If only the spirit stone were intact, I wouldn’t have to agonize like this.

“Fine. But I have a condition.”

[Condition? A mere summoner dares make conditions? You should be grateful I’m agreeing! Such a thing has never happened in the history of spirits!]

“Alright then. Negotiations over. Goodbye.”

To send a spirit back, you just reduce the flow of mana—like turning off a faucet.

[W-wait. Fine! I’ll listen!]