BSS 78

Chapter 78

Because it was the upper side of a cliff, the slope was steep, and the path was littered with rocks both large and small, making it difficult to walk.

The reason I was climbing down such a dangerous place was because the advanced spirit summoning circle I’d had Rai create was down below.

I needed a location not far from the academy, rich in water, and difficult for other people to access—and this place fit perfectly.

The front side of Baresa Lake saw plenty of foot traffic, but the back side I was descending to now was a secluded area that could only be reached by passing through the cliff.

Because of the lake’s warped terrain, it couldn’t be seen from the front, making it an absolutely perfect place to draw a summoning circle.

“Yah!”

Naturally, since it was a place people normally couldn’t reach, the way down was extremely rough. No—there practically wasn’t a path at all.

A branch I’d shoved aside snapped back with recoil and smacked me square in the forehead.

As I rubbed my forehead, my foot slipped, and a curse flew out of my mouth without thinking.

Shrrrk.

I completely wiped out, and the sharp pain shooting through my backside left me unable to get back up. I could only sit there, slumped.

“Tch, Undine!”

I wanted to conserve my mana in preparation for summoning an advanced spirit, but with my dull, clumsy body, getting down there on my own was impossible.

Perhaps because the lake was nearby, water rose up from its surface with a soft, heavy motion, forming the shape of a dolphin before swiftly flying toward me.

Its sleek body—transparent yet infinitely beautiful with a deep blue hue—gave off a low, resonant water-like hum, almost like a whale’s cry, as it drew closer.

It was Undine, an intermediate water spirit.

$Didyoucallforme,Master?$

If Undine had a cute, childlike voice, then this one sounded more mature—neutral and calm.

“Take me down there.”

$Pleasegeton,Master.$

I climbed onto Undine’s back and grabbed its fin.

It felt cold and soft, yet clung snugly to my palm—like solid water. Despite that, it didn’t leave my hand wet.

Undine moved as though swimming through empty air, gliding smoothly and gracefully until it reached the bottom of the cliff.

“Thanks. You can go back now.”

$Pleasecallmeagainnexttime.$

Using Undine merely for transportation felt like a waste of such an outstanding ability, but since I couldn’t ride the lesser Undine, there was no helping it.

As Undine dissolved back into water and disappeared, the water that had formed its body flowed over the rocks and returned to the lake.

The lakebed connected to the cliff was entirely made of uneven rock, except for the area where Rai had carved the spirit circle—there, the surface had been carefully smoothed and leveled.

I could easily imagine how hard Rai must have worked on it.

“Alright, let’s do this!”

I took out the mana concentrate and fairy powder I had prepared in advance from my backpack.

The amount of mana concentrate was staggering, but it had to be. Compared to a lesser spirit’s summoning circle, an advanced spirit’s circle was roughly five times larger.

It was about the size of an average room.

To fill such a massive summoning circle, the amount of materials needed naturally increased as well.

Before pouring in the solution, I opened my book and carefully checked whether Rai had made any mistakes while carving it.

Fortunately, since this wasn’t the first time I’d had him do it, the quality was extremely satisfying.

As expected of my number one subordinate!

As I followed the lines and slowly poured the solution, irritation began to bubble up.

I truly had no talent for work that required such precision and patience.

Still, since this was my third attempt, I was doing better than before.

The first time I tried to contract an advanced spirit, I was seventeen.

Of course, I failed. The contract circle didn’t emit even the slightest light.

My second attempt was last year, and all I managed to glimpse was the faint shadow of an advanced spirit.

Honestly, being an intermediate spirit contractor at my age was already considered extraordinary talent. Even my mentor, Iel, was still an intermediate spirit contractor well into his thirties. By all accounts, summoning an advanced spirit before turning twenty should have been impossible.

Theoretically, anyway.

But who was I?

I was a genius destined to trample over the likes of Robenin Pedri.

“Done.”

I roughly tossed the empty container over my shoulder and generously sprinkled fairy powder by the handful.

In the end, I even shook out an entire pouch directly over the summoning circle.

I thought I’d used about half this amount the last time I tried, but I didn’t really care.

As long as I could summon an advanced spirit.

Even if these materials were worth enough to buy fifty horses at market price, it didn’t matter.

“I’m sorry, Master—but I’ll be taking the first step.”

Before summoning the advanced spirit, I thought of my mentor, who was striving toward the same goal as me.

My poor mentor, Iel Roenin, suffering mentally from having an excessively talented disciple.

It wasn’t exactly for the sake of his mental health, but I’d already hidden the fact that I’d contracted an intermediate spirit for about four years. Even if I succeeded in contracting an advanced spirit, I planned to keep it thoroughly secret for the time being.

Trying to form a contract in secret like this was because I absolutely hated drawing attention.

I didn’t want to become a famed prodigy like Robenin Pedri.

I just wanted to reclaim my pride.

“O spirit of blue waters.”

As the mana solution and fairy powder mixed perfectly and began to glow, I started chanting the spell as well.

I’d obsessed over studying it so much that I’d memorized it long ago.

“O mighty and steadfast power.”

Chunks of mana began draining from my body.

The light emitted by the summoning circle grew so intense I couldn’t keep my eyes open, and suddenly, huge waves surged across the lake—

Despite there being not a breath of wind.

“Here and now, I stake everything I possess to walk alongside that great power. In accordance with the ancient, unbreakable covenant passed down since the dawn of time, answer my call. I will offer myself to reach you, and together we shall stand—so come to me. Endairon.”

I wished with all my might.

That the owner of that immense name would come to me—come and lend me a power so overwhelming it would drain me of everything I had.

Was it because my desire reached him?

Or was the overflowing energy of the radiant lake aiding me?

The ground shook, and the lake roared as its waters surged and rose violently.

I braced my legs, feeling as though I might be sucked into the light and the waves.

All I’d done was chant the summoning spell, yet more than half my mana was already gone—and before I could even register the emptiness, it appeared before my eyes.

A water dragon of such colossal scale it felt unreal.

It had to be at least twenty meters long.

Books usually described Endairon as resembling a sea monster, like a sea serpent, but the Endairon standing before me was closer to the eastern dragons I remembered from another life.

As Endairon, formed from deep, ocean-blue water, emerged, the once-clear lake churned violently. I could only gape, mouth agape, as I stared up at the dragon’s head reaching toward the sky.

$Theone\dots whocallsme\dots$

It was my first time hearing its voice.

Deep—so deep it felt like the abyssal sea itself—it made me feel as though my mind were submerged underwater.

“Endairon….”

$Human.$

“It’s me! I called you! Please—contract with me!”

$\dots Ifyoudesireit,youmustundergoatrial.$

Information about advanced spirits was extremely scarce. Only their appearances had been passed down, barely.

On the continent, there were thirteen Swordmasters and five seventh-circle mages—but only a single advanced spirit contractor known to the public.

That was how rare it was.

“A trial?”

So I had no idea what kind of trial Endairon was talking about.

There was such a thing?

Why do spirit contractors never share information?!

As these questions swirled in my head, Endairon lowered its terrifyingly massive face right in front of me.

Good grief—one of its eyes was as big as my entire body.

What was it about to do?

$Willyouproceed?$

My mana was already nearly depleted.

This wasn’t the time to be picky. I shouted back without hesitation.

“I don’t know what it is, but I’ll do it!”

This alone was farther than I’d ever gotten before. I was going all in.

I didn’t know what kind of trial it was, but… wait—why was it opening its mouth so wide?

$Welcome.$

“Gah?!”

$Iinviteyou—intome.$