My Own Spirit (1)
I stared blankly at the spirit right in front of me.
Is that... an undine?
Her sky-blue, translucent body was the most defining feature of water spirits known as undines. Typical undines had heads about the size of two fists and bodies roughly the length of a handspan—a dwarf-like form made of liquid.
But this spirit is different.
Around 60 centimeters tall, with short, chubby limbs and cheeks so plump they looked ready to burst. And those eyes—pure and sparkling with curiosity, as if they'd been crafted from every ounce of innocence in the world. She looked exactly like a three- or four-year-old girl.
I asked cautiously.
"You're a water spirit, right?"
[Of course I am!]
"An undine?"
[I am Aqua!]
"Aqua? Not an undine?"
The spirit Aqua crossed her arms and proudly thrust out her chin.
[I am Aqua, the supreme water spirit!]
As far as I knew, there was no such thing as a "supreme" spirit. They were classified as lower, intermediate, upper, and then spirit kings. That was it for spirit ranks, and aside from spirit kings, all water spirits were collectively called undines.
Did the water spirit king change in the meantime or something?
No way. If that had happened, the news would have reached Awakener Education University, the forefront of spirit studies.
[No, I am the supreme-supreme-supreme-supreme spirit!]
With those words, water shot up from Aqua's shoulders like a fountain. I could tell right away that was her way of showing she was happy. Aqua seemed to have tremendous pride in herself.
Well, the Spirit Realm is still shrouded in many mysteries.
Human-spirit interactions had only been going on for a decade. And no human had ever set foot in the Spirit Realm. It wouldn't be surprising if there were supreme spirits we didn't know about.
But that's not what's important right now.
I didn't care if the spirit before me was supreme-grade or the lowest of the low. With a trembling voice, I asked,
"So, when you say you want me to raise you... that means you want to contract with me?"
[Exactly!]
Aqua nodded vigorously.
A contract...
My heart pounded. A spirit contract. A spirit who wanted to contract with me. My heart was thumping so hard my hands and feet were shaking.
"Ah..."
Then it hit me belatedly. The real reason I couldn't contract with a spirit.
"Aqua. My Spirit Affinity is F-rank."
Aqua tilted her head.
[I know.]
Spirits could sense a spirit user's Spirit Affinity. Clutching at my chest with stabbing pain, I explained,
"Even if we contract, I can't cover your manifestation costs in the human world."
To exist in the human world, spirits had to leave their realm and pay with their own spirit power, called "spirit energy." A spirit user's Spirit Affinity trait covered those costs instead. Higher-grade spirits required enormous amounts of energy.
If Aqua really was supreme-grade, an F-rank like me couldn't sustain her for even a few hours.
[Don't worry!]
Aqua shouted as if it was no issue at all.
[This body is supreme-grade! With my own spirit energy, I can last months!]
Spirits without contractors did sometimes use their own energy to stay in the human world for a few weeks before returning home. But that was mainly for wild spirits—it was practically taboo for contracted spirits.
"If your spirit energy runs out, you'll get banished back to the Spirit Realm."
Unlike wild spirits, if a contracted spirit was banished, the contract forcibly tore apart, inflicting massive damage on the spirit. That's what everyone knew.
"I can't put you through that kind of pain."
Contracting with a spirit had been my lifelong dream. But I didn't want to achieve it by harming one I couldn't properly support.
Aqua pouted her lips.
[What's that? You don't like me?]
A child's face with balloon-like cheeks pouting like that was a weapon in itself. My heart stung at her sulky expression. I hurriedly crouched down to meet her eye level.
"How could I not like you?"
[Then why won't you contract with me?]
"The damage from banishment would be too great for a contracted spirit."
[I'm supreme-grade! Something like that doesn't scare me!]
Spirits were pure beings. Purity often overlapped with ignorance. That was Aqua right now. She was focused on the sweet fruit in front of her, ignoring what came after.
In cases like this, humans—adults—had to persuade them properly.
"......"
But I couldn't do it. Because Aqua's eyes were too pure. Because I was fully reflected in those eyes.
While I hesitated, Aqua spoke.
[I like you! If you like me too, don't hesitate over something like that!]
Torn between my own greed and dreams, and Aqua's purity and well-being, I barely managed to ask,
"Why do you want to contract with me?"
Aqua huffed, crossing her arms again.
[I'm supreme-grade. Of course I need a spirit user on my level!]
I couldn't understand that. I was an F-rank spirit user. There were countless better ones out there—plenty to trip over.
[I looked around the human world for a long time, but you were the only one with a warmth that pleased me!]
"......"
The moment I grasped her meaning, I was speechless.
They say there are no bad spirit users. Spirits read human auras and only choose the good ones. And Aqua was saying mine was good.
She knows she'll be banished, but she chose me anyway, risking it all.
Aqua had picked a half-baked spirit user she couldn't even sustain herself with.
"I..."
I fumbled for words.
"I'm not that great a person."
I wasn't particularly warm or good. Just ordinary. Getting mad like everyone else, working hard, compromising, living the same life.
I was nothing special. Even if I was different, being F-rank didn't change. I wasn't worth her risking banishment for.
Aqua covered her mouth and giggled.
[Humans are idiots, and you're the same! You don't even know how good you are?]
Aqua puffed out her chest, hands on her hips proudly.
[I am Aqua, the supreme spirit! Do you think my eyes could be wrong?]
Something stirred deep in my chest.
[I like you. You're the only one worthy of being my spirit user! Anyone else is no good!]
She said it plainly, like announcing breakfast. As if it was simple truth, needing no embellishment.
Aqua wasn't choosing a powerful spirit user to match her lofty pride. She chose a warm one worthy of it.
"......"
Speechless again. Overwhelmed by her unconditional trust in me, all I could do was feel moved.
It wasn't because I was F-rank or had longed for a spirit through lonely years. Who wouldn't? Before someone who truly sees you, likes you—who offers such pure affection and faith—who wouldn't feel this choked up?
I've lived a good life.
That thought came to me. My eyes started to well up. The corner of my heart unmoved by professors' praise or my parents' pride began to shake violently.
[What? Are you crying?]
Aqua tilted her head, puzzled why I'd cry.
Suppressing my quivering voice, I replied,
"I'm just happy."
[Water flows when you're happy. Perfect attitude for a water spirit user!]
At that not-comforting comfort, I burst out laughing.
"Ahahaha!"
The lump and tremor in my chest turned to excitement and joy. I laughed for a good while, as if that's what had happened.
When my laughter faded and I looked down, Aqua was gazing up at me. As if saying, decide now.
Contracting with another spirit user would surely be best for her.
But I couldn't push this spirit away. I couldn't let go of this tiny miracle who saw me and chose me.
Aqua slowly raised both hands toward me. A gesture begging to be held.
I extended my arms and gently scooped her up.
[Heeheehee!]
Aqua beamed and nestled into my embrace. Poing-. The soft, squishy feel unique to water spirits filled my arms—like hugging a water balloon stuffed with jelly.
As that sensation made my heart tremble, I felt a thread connecting where our chests touched.
Is this the contract?
As the thread thickened, dots of joy and happiness spread through my chest. The euphoria filled me instantly, tingling through my limbs.
Aqua, surely feeling the same, rubbed her cheek against mine with a radiant face.
My spirit.
I rubbed my cheek back against hers, overcome with emotion.
I've contracted with a spirit.
How I'd envied other spirit users. How long had I comforted myself, saying someday I'd contract one, raise my Spirit Affinity?
Now I had a spirit too. After six years of waiting, Aqua was finally by my side.
I hugged her tight and whispered softly,
"Thank you."
[Heeheehee! That's my line!]
I pulled back a little, and Aqua looked up at me with a bright smile. Her eyes sparkled with excitement for the days ahead together—like a kid before a field trip.
I was probably wearing the same expression.
[Take good care of me from now on!]
"You too, Aqua."
I hugged her once more. Her cool, water-spirit body warmed my heart. The sea showered us with applause, as if blessing our contract.
That was when it happened.
You have acquired a new trait.
It had been six years since I got Spirit Affinity—a window I hadn't seen since popped up.
Unique trait, Spirit Shop, has opened.
Welcome to the Spirit Shop!
A large window appeared before my eyes, like a simple shop interface from a mobile game.
What is this...?
[What's that?]
Aqua looked up at me from my arms.
"First time seeing it for me too."
[Is this the 'trait' thing?]
"I only had Spirit Affinity..."
Recalling the earlier message about acquiring the Spirit Shop trait, I pulled up my status window.
The Spirit Shop had been added to my trait window, which had only one before. I stared at it in shock.
Aqua craned her neck to check my status and said,
[That's your trait, right?]
"I never had anything like this before."
Little was known about trait or skill upgrades and acquisition conditions. But one thing was clear.
"It must have triggered from meeting you."
Aqua's shoulders rose little by little, her face smug as she crossed her arms and shouted,
[See? It's all thanks to this body! Impressive, right?]
Her overflowing pride was so cute my lips curved up on their own. A spirit this adorable and lovable had contracted with me—it still felt unreal.
I hugged Aqua again.
[Heeheehee!]
Delighted, she wrapped her arms around my neck and rubbed her cheek against mine. Her chewy, glutinous rice cake-like cheeks—made of jelly—stuck to my face.
"Eua..."
A groan slipped out involuntarily from the sensation.