BSS 14

chapter 14

It was something excessively adorable.

Its body was made of water, only the size of my palm, shaped like a tiny mermaid. It was round all over, the kind of creature that made you want to protect it.

“Hello, Undine.”

Undine hesitated, then reached out its tiny hand toward me.

When its fingers touched mine, the spot turned icy cold, as if snow had fallen on just that part.

“Oh my, you’re so pretty. So different from someone.”

The four elemental spirits had designated names depending on rank.

Low-ranking water spirits were called Undines. And unlike a certain someone—specifically Rai—this one was gentle, calm, and sweet. That guy was arrogant from the moment he appeared.

I wanted to enjoy this fairy-like loveliness a little longer, but I could feel my mana draining fast, so I hurried to initiate the contract.

“My name is Genie Crowell.”

Undine fluttered and lightly landed on my palm.

“Little spirit, will you contract with me?”

Undine seemed fascinated by me.

It stared for a long moment, then shyly nodded and made a soft chirping sound, like a tiny dolphin. Being this close, I could hear watery, bubbling sounds—as if bubbles were popping underwater.

Pop pop pop.

When Undine smiled, my heart hurt from how cute it was, and I had to clutch my chest.

Ah, this was it. This is the kind of spirit I wanted! Not some haunted candlestick!

“Alright. I’ll be counting on you, Undine. I’m happy to meet you.”

Was this destiny? Undine and I felt comfortable together immediately, like old friends.

When I leaned in as if to kiss it, the Undine sitting on my palm floated up, lightly kissed the tip of my nose, then—POP!—vanished like foam.

“It disappeared.”

[Get lost! Never come back again!]

Rai cursed at Undine like he’d seen something filthy.

What’s wrong with him? Rabies? Wait, he’s a spirit—so should I call it spirit-rabies?

[Why are you yelling at Undine?!]

[You never treated me that kindly! This is discrimination!]

[Huh? You’re not cute. And you’re literally a candlestick.]

I didn’t know why Rai was so offended, and I didn’t care.

Instead, I poked Teacher Eiel’s side, grinning slyly.

“Ahem.”

Low-ranked or not, I had contracted with a water-element spirit—one of the hardest to summon—and at only ten years old. If that didn’t make me a genius, who would be?

Even if I did have a secret past.

“M-Miss Genie?”

Eiel’s voice trembled as he called my name. His expression was one I’d never seen—full of awe and shock, like he couldn’t even form words.

“What did I tell you?”

“Good heavens…”

“When I say I can do something, I mean it.”

“You… you’re incredible! I knew you were talented, but not to this extent! This will go down in history!”

Yes, good. Be more touched!

More praise! More astonishment!

This body is the genius of this academy!!

Mwahaha!

Being a genius was exhilarating. I couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter loud enough to shake the Contract Chamber. And now that I was contracted—I was free.

A genius studies on their own!

I’d blast through the academy and graduate at lightning speed!

My comfortable future was practically within reach.

✧✧✧

Even geniuses needed to eat. And go to the bathroom. As I leisurely evaluated today’s cafeteria meal, I thought, Ah, peace.

Not enough meat today!

It’s always vegetables. And stop putting honey in the milk! Geniuses want something better!

“Ahh… spicy pork trotters…”

[Master? What about my body?]

“Hm?”

[I want to move freely as soon as possible.]

[I don’t want to be carried around as a candlestick.]

The candlestick on the table was being annoyingly loud. Always wanting things.

If I tried to leave it in the room, he threw a tantrum, so I had no choice but to carry him everywhere. Never expected I’d end up bringing him into the cafeteria too.

Thankfully, the other students were too busy eating to notice me muttering or glaring at a candlestick.

The cafeteria was noisy enough that staying quiet made me blend into the background.

[As for my body, something with four legs would be nice. Humans would disgust you physiologically, so a dog or a cat is ideal.]

[What is that supposed to mean?]

[Oh? I didn’t explain this?]

[First time hearing it, you shameless spirit.]

I was starting to regret signing a contract with Rai.

If I had waited just one more day, I could’ve contracted with Undine—so how did I end up with this weirdo?

He stuck to me 24 hours a day—unbearably annoying.

He had a strange attribute, did strange things, and required strange treatment.

[I told you I need a body. A metal body to operate in the physical world.]

[Yeah, you said that.]

[Most spirits need a continuous mana supply to exist physically. Like Undine.]

[Hmm?]

[But if I have a body, I can persist without your mana. A self-contained existence.]

Rai required multiple kinds of metals.

If I melted them together, he said he would absorb it and make it his body. I remembered that much.

[So what’s your point?]

[When we melt the metals, right?]

[Yeah.]

[We need to toss a corpse into the molten metal.]

“PFFT—!”

Did he just say corpse?

I ended up spitting milk all over myself. I tried to pretend it didn’t happen, but a random kid was staring at me like I was insane.

Stop staring!

I glared until he looked away, though my face was already covered in milk. Honeyed milk stuck annoyingly well.

“So… when we make your metal body, you want me to put a corpse inside?”

[If you drop it in while it’s boiling, it melts together. Easy, right?]

[Why would I do that?!]

[Because the metal remembers the shape. Once I absorb it, I can shapeshift into whatever that corpse looked like!

I’m probably the only spirit who can do that. Pretty useful, right?]

Not even slightly! And NONE of that makes sense!! You cult-spirit!!!

I seriously had to consider breaking the contract.

All he did was chatter—and now he expected me to acquire corpses for him?

I’m a spirit mage, not a necromancer!!

[Impossible! Where am I supposed to get a corpse??]

[I said animal corpses would be fine.]

[That’s not… actually, no! Still disgusting!]

I was learning how to scream silently in my head.

Why was he so troublesome? Undine never asked for anything like this.

[Master, please! I may be stuck as a candlestick now, but with a body I could do so much!]

[So far the only things you can do are possess metal, act like an intercom, and remove rust!]

[…You liked it when I removed the rust.]

[That’s because I didn’t know it drained so much mana!!]

[Th-that aside! Think about it! With a body, you won’t have to carry a candlestick everywhere! Convenient, right?]

[Hmm… well… that is true.]

Just a little tempted, I thought about where to get an animal corpse while munching milk-soaked bread.

The alchemy class? They probably dissect things.

Ah—there was one thing rolling around everywhere… and easy to get.

[How about mice? They’re all over the place.]

[…Hahaha.]

[If it’s that—]

[Actually, never mind. Life as a candlestick is great. I love being a candlestick. I don’t need to do anything. Perfectly happy.]

Wow. Even for a spirit, his preferences were picky.

[You just need something that moves, right? Mice can be cute! People keep them as pets.]

[No. That won’t highlight my charm at all.]

Was he—jealous? Because I called Undine cute?

Being cute isn’t an automatic win, you know.

[Can’t we just do a mouse?]

[Any animal… except a mouse.]

[You know you’re being really picky?]

[Spirits resemble their masters.]

[Did you just insult me?]

[Of course not. It was a compliment.]

It felt like an insult…

I was chewing grumpily when a group of teachers suddenly rushed into the cafeteria. The atmosphere was serious. Eiel was leading them. I even saw the Headmaster.

And they were all heading straight toward me.

[Uh… what?]

[What’s happening, Master?]

What was going on?

Had they found out I borrowed the magical scalpel? Or that I siphoned mana solution from Mia? Or maybe because I took a book in Ancient Script from the library without registering? Or—

Forget it. I hurriedly shoved the rest of the bread in my mouth and jumped off the chair—to run.

“Miss Genie!”

Instant regret.

I’d eaten too fast, the bread got stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t move. Eiel reached me in seconds, and I was instantly surrounded by teachers.