32 - The Spirit King
“Huaam…!”
In the Selafi Black Dorm, Yeriel—the dorm supervisor—was alone in her room, immersed in research on elemental magic.
Even among the second-years at Clarice Academy, she was hailed as a genius, but elemental magic was no simple matter. It required mastering all four elements, making it far more demanding than standard magic, which focused on specializing in a single attribute. The symbols and artifacts for each spell, the incantations, the flow of mana—all differed, so harmonizing them into elemental magic was an exceptionally tricky endeavor.
Fortunately, she'd consulted today with the master of elemental magic, Professor Limentra, and had grasped at least a thread of insight.
“She said success comes only when you can commune with spirits…”
Each of the four basic elements had its corresponding spirits. Yeriel wasn't a spirit summoner who wielded them in battle, but to elevate her magic as an elemental sorceress, she needed at least to reach the level where she could summon and communicate with them.
Her current goal was to summon a higher spirit, commune with it, and gain enlightenment.
“I really should have borrowed that book…”
She regretted not stopping by the library today. That was Yeriel for you.
And the reason she was so absorbed in her magical research? None other than Lev Denek.
Yeriel simply wanted to get along with him. Sure, they weren't close, and if anything, rumors about him weren't great. But that didn't matter. What did was that he was a member of the Selafi Black Dorm.
“I was just worried about him…”
Her words to him had been out of pure concern, yet he'd shot back that she should focus on her own duties.
—Instead of worrying about me, Yeriel, I'd rather you concentrate on what you need to do.
“He didn't have to put it so bluntly…”
But it was the cold, hard truth. Midterms were one thing, but leading the freshmen party for Elder? That was mandatory for every cadet at Clarice Academy to strengthen senior-junior bonds. As a senior, she had to take the lead, and with her low self-esteem, she'd been fretting over it for days.
The practical was held in a real dungeon to hone the freshmen’s combat sense. Even if it was a low-difficulty one, tension led to mistakes. And minimizing those required immense practice.
So she needed to prepare diligently from now on.
“But how does he know my schedule so well…?”
Yeriel was a second-year; Lev was a freshman. Same age, but their enrollment dates were months apart. Yet he'd pinpointed her responsibilities with eerie precision.
“Was he actually worried about me…?”
His tone might have offended an outsider, but thinking back now, it felt like he'd been looking out for her. After all, he was essentially telling her not to botch her important duties over something trivial like fussing about him.
She couldn't help but understand.
“If he got demerits because of something like this… it'd be so unfair.”
He was an intriguing guy. Straight to training after classes, surprisingly meticulous about self-care. He didn't seem to have close friends, yet a few female cadets showed interest in him…
Is it because he's a bad guy…?
Like that cute friend of his, Aria, the other day.
“He's such a mystery…”
But Yeriel's verdict? Lev Denek was no bad person, at minimum.
When I returned to the dorm, Yeriel was brewing tea, looking a bit weary from late-night magic research.
She smiled at me right away, as if yesterday's awkwardness never happened.
“You're back? Shooting range practice again today?”
“Here. Take this.”
I replied curtly and handed her the book. Borrowed from the library—on elemental studies. In the game, out of countless tomes, only this one interacted with her for elemental mastery. It'd help.
“Oh! How did you… ? Thank you. I was going to borrow it tomorrow…”
Her delighted surprise confirmed she needed it badly.
“Ah, wait a sec!”
Yeriel set the book aside and fiddled with the ends of her hair.
“Something to say?”
She hemmed and hawed before speaking.
“Tomorrow… right?”
“Duel? It's past midnight, so today.”
“Then… can I come cheer you on?”
“My rep at school sucks. No good looks if you show.”
“I don't care! I just want to cheer for you, Lev.”
Unlike yesterday, her words today carried real conviction. Time for the pitch.
“Fine. Do this.”
“?”
“Succeed at spirit communion, then come.”
“Huh…?”
“Feels like if you pull it off, I'll win too.”
She looked baffled at the connection, but soon her golden eyes sparkled with life.
“Got it! Don't give up on me, okay? And you better not lose. As your supervisor—and roommate—I'm asking.”
She beamed, then grunted as she hauled the heavy book back to her room.
‘Roommate…’ Word choice aside.
Yeriel succeeds at higher spirit summoning after meeting Edwin in the dungeon practical and facing the giant beast. No way she'd nail it in the ten hours before my duel, no matter how hard she tried.
But for me? Plenty of time.
I headed out again. Dawn was near; the pitch-black night had softened to a dim glow.
—Swoooo…
As Yeriel tried communing with spirits, lowliest and lesser wind spirits began filtering into view. No spirit affinity trait for me, but I'd learned Wind Archery, so I could at least identify these.
The lowliest, Sylphids, were orbs of etheric light. Rarer lesser Sylphs had faint wings and vague forms. Neither could speak.
—Swish.
As they floated around me playfully, status windows popped up.
Sylphid wishes to contract with you.
Accept?
Contract grants Wind Archery access.
Sylph wishes to contract with you.
Accept?
Contract grants Wind Archery access.
“Oh ho…”
Contract here, and I'd get Wind Archery. Essential to beat Gailon.
But I passed clean.
“Nah, pass.”
The spirits blew a gust at me in a huff before vanishing.
Simple reason: I needed the strongest one.
Register skill upon contracting with a wind spirit.
In-game, elves auto-contracted for Wind Archery. Not being one, I had to do it manually. Key detail: tooltip just said “wind spirit”—no Sylph specified.
Per Reincarnated Hero lore, wind spirit ranks:
Lowliest: Sylphid
Lesser: Sylph
Mid: Sylaphe
Greater: Syllairon, Jinn
Supreme: Syllestine
Sylphs were merely lesser. Contracting one for Wind Archery? Fine for elves raised with them, maybe. But I had zero spirit skills. Had to be born with a winner—or snag one.
Mid-rank or higher for no-loss trade. Enter: Yeriel bait.
I scoured the area, reviewing Reincarnated Hero archives. Innate elementalist Yeriel had a part drawing wind spirits—sensing her talent, no doubt. Let me hijack for higher contact.
Her awakening moment: now. One-shot contract meant snag the best.
As I strayed farther from the dorm, a sound rustled from behind a tree.
—Kyarruk!
—Kyruk!
“!!”
Playful voices, somewhat articulate—mid or greater, at least.
I bolted toward the noise.
…
“Wha…?”
How far did I run? I ended up at Demen Lake—where I'd slain the naga and stopped the water dragon manifestation.
—Chirrrp… Crickets, lapping waves. Twilight and dawn blended, the lake a breathtaking vista.
No time to admire. In the center, atop the surface…
“Jackpot.”
A sky-blue silhouette with multiple horns and wings—a silver Pegasus. The Wind Spirit King, Ariel.