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─…Do you even know how much I’ve worried!!

The prelude of the spirit echoed in my head. A fire spirit taking the form of a small child, floating in mid-air.

The spirit clenched its fists and seemed ready to charge at me any moment, looking all riled up.

‘Really…’

I took in the sight of my spirit while observing the reactions of those around me.

Everyone was intrigued, trying to ascertain what kind of conversation was transpiring between the spirit and me based on its intense reactions.

They seemed lost in their own imaginations.

Somehow, it appeared the spirit was communicating only within my head.

The bond was palpable, but beyond that, it was just a feeling represented by the atmosphere.

And among all the people around, two were reacting the most.

“That spirit…”

Before I had died and fell into this world.

Shione, who had a vague idea of how I managed to survive, was staring at the spirit with her mouth slightly agape, completely captivated.

─…Mew!

Cotton Puff, startled by the sudden appearance of a top-grade spirit, displayed a hint of surprise.

Perhaps out of a sense of rivalry or jealousy, it was weakly murmuring something to the spirit.

…But it seemed like the friend it hadn’t seen in ages was completely ignoring Cotton Puff.

It couldn’t be helped. She was too focused on her contractor, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.

─Just stand there and watch…. Why don’t you say something, anything…!

I was sure I had called its name at least once, but apparently, that wasn’t enough.

Even though I wanted to greet it and ask how it was doing, I was completely drained of mana, energy, and mental strength from summoning the spirit before me.

That sense of mental fatigue was the most significant issue.

To form a coherent sentence, I needed to recover a bit more from the dizziness and exhaustion clouding my head.

For now, I could do nothing but watch the spirit slowly approaching me, my shoulders tensed.

─Ugh… you son of a…

The spirit flapped its tiny wings, dancing through the air with grace, even with its prickly expression and surroundings. Memories of her came flooding back.

‘Tania.’

She was my first spirit, summoned back when I had only the rudimentary skills of a child in spirit magic.

Back then, Tania was smaller and weaker than the Cotton Puff now sitting on my shoulder. She had been with me ever since, growing into this top-grade form.

My appearance was likely quite different from when I had last summoned her. Yet, having spent some time together, she recognized me immediately.

Tania, known for her rough tongue among spirits, was directing her irritation squarely at me.

─This is…!

Tania raised her hand as if to hit me.

I broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly opened my mouth.

“Tania.”

─……!

Finally hearing her name, Tania looked up at me with wide eyes.

“If you’re going to hit me, control your strength. If you hit me like before, I might actually die.”

─Just die already.

Tania whipped her fist toward my solar plexus.

If a top-grade spirit genuinely punched me, I’d end up with a huge hole in my chest.

Nonetheless, thanks to Tania controlling her strength, I didn’t end up with a hole where my heart should be.

It was just that.

Tap… tap…

A weak little fist lightly punched my solar plexus and fell away.

“Is that all you have to say after we finally meet again?”

Tania, a spirit who had lived in Korea all this time, finally spilled her grievances in fluent Korean instead of prelude.

“Uh… How have you been?”

I also spoke in Korean for the first time in a while, rather than the common language of the continent.

“…The spirit world is dull. If I’m alive like this, you should summon me faster.”

“If I summon you now, I won’t be able to watch the drama.”

“What? I was so looking forward to the ending of Happy House!”

“Just by looking at the story, I already know how it ends. The main lead and the female lead will definitely break up!”

“Ugh… You don’t know until you watch it to the end. The title is Happy House, after all! That’s not happiness!”

After briefly fussing over the drama’s plot.

Tania stopped her playful punches and shifted to a serious expression.

Her previously playful demeanor vanished with the change in atmosphere, revealing her sharp-eyed gaze.

As her coldness resurfaced, Cotton Puff shut its mouth, and I began to feel tension from Shione’s arm supporting me.

And there was Edelin, the high elf who had enabled me to summon Tania, watching over us with a doll-like expression.

“By the way….”

Tania’s ruby-red eyes deepened in color.

“How are you still alive? Our spirits disintegrate and are re-summoned if we take any damage… but you’re human.”

“…….”

“I was just watching everything unfold beside that guy while it happened.”

“Did I really die that violently?”

“Other humans at least died in one hit from that demon. You probably suffered the most.”

“…….”

Unpleasant memories and sensations from that time resurfaced.

“But now that I see you again… the energy feels so much smaller, and your once-ugly face has become good-looking.”

“I’m not saying I was ugly. That face back then wasn’t bad either—”

“Shut it. You’ve never even held a girl’s hand properly.”

“No, I’ve done at least that.”

“Don’t tell me you’re counting when you briefly held a wounded girl hunter’s hand to wrap a bandage?”

“…Alright, I apologize.”

It’s maddening.

My long-lost spirit dragged up every little detail of the past, making my already dizzy head spin even more.

At least it was lucky Tania was speaking Korean; if it had been the common language of the continent, I would have been in real trouble.

As I let out a deep sigh, Tania, who’d been staring at me penetratingly, suddenly hugged me.

“I’m just… glad you’re alive.”

“…….”

“It feels like a lot has changed in various ways. You must tell me everything.”

Nodding quietly, Tania glanced back over her shoulder. She was aware of Edelin’s presence.

“…It seems like the high elf wants to say something. So I—”

Whoosh!

─…Cough!

Tania suddenly snatched up Cotton Puff.

“I can’t let my junior spirit be bored. Don’t just sit still!”

“She’s still a low-grade spirit. Be a little kinder—”

“Hmph… Contracting with another spirit while we were away? You can summon us but can’t handle the new contract.”

“No, the difference between upper and lower grade is—”

“I’m disappointed. Plus, being the wind? If Changsik finds out in the spirit realm, he’ll truly be sad. He may look indifferent, but he’s actually quite sensitive.”

Changsik.

He had originally been the other top-grade spirit contracted with me.

Tania had come up with that nickname for Elvis while watching the drama.

I rubbed my temples and waved my hand vaguely at Tania.

Only then did Tania smile a little, just like old times.

“…Just go play over there.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After Tania said that, she flew away with the squirming Cotton Puff toward some spot in the garden.

Now only Shione, Edelin, and I remained on this side, and the high elf slowly approached us.

Her shimmering ash-gray eyes betrayed the interest she held in me.

It made sense.

Not only was I casually conversing with a freshly summoned top-grade spirit, but I was also speaking in a language they had never heard before.

‘Even if you’ve lived for over a thousand years like a seasoned veteran, this sight must be fascinating.’

But putting that aside, addressing my current state came first.

To alleviate my weary body, I leaned closer to Shione, wrapping my right arm more securely around her neck.

“Oof, Ray.”

“It’s difficult to stand. Could you support me a bit more securely?”

“How about you just ride on my back?”

“It’s a bit… embarrassing for a grown man to ride on a girl’s back…”

“Then how about being held in a princess carry….”

“Y-Yes?”

“Honestly, if I carry you in a princess carry, it’ll be surprisingly comfortable….”

“…I shall decline.”

What in the world is a princess carry?

This novel has thoroughly messed up Young Lady’s image.

As we engaged in this meaningless chatter until Edelin approached, she, perhaps having been listening to our conversation, smiled gently.

“Shall we talk over there? There’s a small table and chairs set up to enjoy tea and sunlight in the garden. It’s the perfect spot for a discussion.”

I followed Edelin’s gaze. She wasn’t looking at me or Shione.

She was merely directed towards wherever Tania and Cotton Puff had flown off to behind me.

“How about talking about that recent spirit and the biggest headache in the Great Forest… along with the future we glimpsed in the prophecy? Let’s slowly discuss it while enjoying the fragrance of flowers and tea.”

After a brief commotion, it was time to address the fundamental reason we had come to the Great Forest.

We’d have to talk about the prophecy and the damned demons.

 

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