BSS 11

chapter 11

[Hello?]

“What are you talking about with this candlestick?”

“Can’t you hear it? It’s greeting you. This is a metal spirit!”

The look on Eiel’s face at that moment…

“Sigh. Miss Genie? Are you trying to win my sympathy with a stunt like this? It won’t work.”

“…You think I’m spouting nonsense right now?”

“Yes.”

Wow, that was quick.

“It’s real! What do you take me for?!”

“You’re doing this because you want to form a spirit contract, aren’t you?”

Does he think I’m a child dragging around dolls because I want a little sibling? I’m not actually ten years old!

“Can’t you hear this voice? This guy’s been talking nonstop!”

[Nonstop? I’m a very dignified spirit. This is so unfair, Master!]

“There is no such thing as a candlestick-shaped spirit, Miss Genie.”

“I know that! That’s why I’m saying it’s a metal spirit! Metal!”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing. If you’re going to make something up, it should at least sound convincing.”

This is driving me insane. I actually succeeded—why won’t he believe me?!

Unfortunately, it seemed only I could hear Rai’s voice.

How do I make Eiel hear him too? I fidgeted, frustrated, before shouting:

“Fine! It’s because he doesn’t have a physical form yet… If I absorb metal and, uh— anyway! He’ll get a body, and then you’ll be able to see him too. Then you’ll know I’m telling the truth!”

“My… you’ve read too many fairy tales, Miss Genie. That’s some amusing babble. Playing pretend-contract is fun and all, but let’s stop here.”

“Aaah! I’m telling the truth! I used that book from the library and—bam!”

“…Are you talking about that ancient summoning circle you asked about yesterday?”

“Yes, that one! It actually worked!”

Was he finally believing me? Eiel’s expression eased—just a little.

I eagerly held the candlestick out, emphasizing that I wasn’t crazy.

Hurry up and praise me! Tell me I’m amazing!

“See? I performed the contract all by myself! I told you I could. The thing that came out was an attribute-less spirit.

He doesn’t wander off—he stays inside the candlestick. He’s really unusual—”

“Attribute-less spirits are a difficult topic. I planned to teach you about them later. Where did you even hear the term?”

“This candlestick—no, the metal spirit—told me—”

“No matter where you heard it, attribute-less spirits are theoretical entities. Miss Genie, they cannot be summoned. They were rare even in ancient times, and humans cannot handle them. You can’t just pull things from books and claim they’re real.”

“…That’s not true. Aren’t you the one mistaken? The summoning circle worked. And here is my proof.”

[Hem, I am a bit rare indeed.]

A worrying thought crept up on me. What if I hadn’t summoned a spirit… but a ghost? Maybe I had talked all night with a clueless ghost that didn’t know how to read the room.

“Miss Genie. You’re believing this because you’re still young, but that summoning circle is obsolete. It’s nothing more than a relic.

For a spirit to come through there… that’s as likely as a whale jumping out of a lake.”

“Ehhh?”

“I know that summoning circle well. I once tried summoning with it myself as a child. Of course, I failed.”

Eiel laughed kindly, shrugging as if reminiscing about old memories.

“Every young spirit-user tries it once. It’s practically a rite of passage. But there isn’t a single record—hundreds, no, thousands of years—of that circle functioning as a real summoning device.

It’s an abandoned gate spirits no longer use. Understand?”

“But…”

“Even if I wanted to humor the idea, it’s too far-fetched.”

“…”

“Signing a spirit contract at age ten is already incredible.

But a contract with an attribute-less spirit using an ancient summoning circle? Even the scholars wouldn’t consider that a joke.”

He clearly thought I was making up a childish story.

Eiel was an upright, decent man who never mocked others—yet this was different.

And since I definitely wasn’t possessed by a ghost, the only conclusion was that I had done something too unbelievable for him to accept.

I needed to get serious.

I stared at the candlestick.

“Are you, by any chance… something amazing?”

[Of course. I am unique in this world.]

“I’m also unique in this world.”

[…Now that you say that, you’re right.]

Maybe… I did something huge.

Either this slightly defective-looking guy was actually too powerful to believe… or I summoned something so extraordinary Eiel couldn’t accept it. I didn’t really understand either way.

“Why did you appear when I summoned you?”

[Because I liked you, Master.]

“What about me did you like?”

[You smelled different from ordinary humans.]

Do people who remember their past lives smell different? Can you tell I’m on life #2?! I sniffed myself, but obviously couldn’t tell.

[I wanted to return here. I wandered for a long time, waiting for a suitable contractor. But it wasn’t easy. Just as humans can’t choose their parents, we can’t always choose what we want.]

“What kind of comparison is that?”

[It means it was predestined, Master. Humans call it fate.]

While I was having a serious conversation with a candlestick, Eiel finally snapped.

“Ugh, enough! I understand!”

“Why? Are you going to believe me now?”

“…Fine. You win. Since you want a spirit contract that badly, I’ll prepare a training session.

But I warned you. It’s still too early.”

“You’re going to let me try a real contract?”

I didn’t intend this outcome, but it was a delightful surprise. My eyes sparkled.

Even if I say it myself, I was cute and adorable.

Eiel looked at me like I was a con artist.

“I’ve said this repeatedly—trying does not guarantee a contract.

The spirit chooses entirely. Contracts fail far more often than they succeed.”

“What about first-try success?”

“Impossible.”

“What if someone did succeed?”

“That would be a genius among geniuses.”

Wait. Hold on.

“Does that mean… I might be a once-in-a-century genius?”

I didn’t dare speak it out loud—it sounded too arrogant—but it seemed likely. This body was clearly not ordinary.

***

I decided to keep quiet about Rai for now. There was no point talking when Eiel didn’t believe me, and honestly… this felt like something big, so it was better to keep it hidden.

Most importantly, I did NOT want attention from the scholarly world.

[Master! What is that? And that?! Good heavens! When did the world change so much?!]

If a bunch of researchers came running to study the rare chatty spirit living in my candlestick, it would be a nightmare.

And trouble was the last thing I wanted.

Life always felt exhausting—but knowing it might be because of my genius talent made it more understandable. Haah… so this is the pain of being gifted.

“Miss Genie?”

“Yes?”

“How far do you plan to carry that candlestick?”

“Hmm… think of it as a lucky charm?”

“…The candlestick that every dorm room already has?”

“Yes. You have a problem with that?”

One great thing about Eiel—he didn’t argue pointlessly.

Respecting personal taste, he turned away and continued walking. I followed him closely, clutching the candlestick that held Rai.

[Master! There’s a huge chunk of metal rolling over there! Can I absorb it?]

“…Are you insane? That’s the armor of Sir Varolde, the headmaster’s prized paladin!”

[The material looks excellent. Just a little—]

“No! It’s not rolling—it’s displayed!”

[…Fine.]

Even a starving dog wouldn’t drool over everything like this.

The more time passed, the stranger Rai became. Not just his nature as a metal spirit—his behavior, too.

He didn’t even return to the spirit realm. Unheard of.

[But Master. Why are you speaking so quietly?]

“Because talking to a candlestick makes me look crazy.”

[But I’m a spirit.]

“And our contract is a secret!”

[Ah, I see. Then you can just speak with your mind. I’ll hear you perfectly.]

“…That’s possible?”

[We made a soul contract. Our souls are connected, so we can do things others can’t.]

Mind communication, huh?

They never taught that in class.

“How do you do it?”

[Just wish for me to hear you. Speak with your heart.]

“With your heart?”

[Your heart and mind. If you sincerely will it, the intention reaches me. Just like I’m doing now.]

Alright then.

Sincerity… intention… heart…

I glared at the candlestick, focusing intensely.

[I see. You’re hungry.]

[Well, I didn’t eat breakfast yet.]

[You’re doing great.]

[Huh? It works?! You can hear me?!]

[Perfectly.]

As expected—I’m a genius!

Feeling justified confidence rise inside me, I hurriedly ran to Eiel.

“Teacher! Mr. Eiel!”

“What is it, Miss Genie?”

“When you sign a spirit contract… can you communicate without speaking?”

Eiel paused and turned around.

He seemed pleased that I was asking a serious question.

“Of course. As long as your affinity with the spirit is high, and the spirit is willing to listen to your voice. It uses mental energy, so it requires training.”

“Can YOU do it? With your wind spirit?”

“It’s possible, yes. But speaking is faster and easier. More efficient too.”

“I see.”

“Any other questions?”

“Nope! Let’s go!”

We were headed to a very important place.

The site where Eiel planned to test my first official spirit contract—which he was convinced would fail.