The Spirit King's Spirit User (3)
[Ahahaha!]
Aqua's pride exploded in a burst of laughter. A fountain spurted from her shoulders amid her lofty cackles.
[Mm! Mm! Of course!]
Aqua nodded vigorously, her face brimming with overflowing pride.
[Come on, take a look!]
At Aqua's urging, I lightly gripped the trident and lifted it. Despite its size, it was surprisingly light.
"It's made of coral."
The reason the trident was white was its material—pure coral. I held it with both hands, admiring its straight form from tip to base. The Spirit King's trident was crafted entirely from coral, blade and shaft alike. The only thing distinguishing the blade from the shaft was the blue gem embedded at the base.
"Whoa……."
Han Areum, who had sidled up beside me to inspect it together, let out a mesmerized murmur as she stared at the gem. She wasn't the only one. We were all captivated by it.
"Are there fish inside the gem?"
Incredibly, three small white fish were swimming within the blue gem. We gaped at the sight for a moment. The three tiny fish—each no longer than two finger joints—swam playfully inside the gem, oblivious or perhaps aware of our stares.
"……Is this even possible?"
"Those are real fish, right?"
Swallowing my awe, I handed the trident to Aqua. As she took it, the tip dragged against the yacht deck. For her small frame, the two-meter spear was far too long.
[The Spirit Realm's trident……!]
Aqua gazed at it with eyes sparkling so intensely they seemed ready to burst.
'Truth be told, beating Niagara didn't actually make her the Spirit King.'
I knew nothing of the Spirit Realm's rules or ecology, but it was clear the power of a Spirit King wasn't something handed over with mere words. There was no dramatic surge in her spirit power or anything like that. Her title had simply shifted from "Spirit King's successor" to "Spirit King."
'And yet, he handed over this trident.'
That alone showed how seriously Niagara had taken our duel—how earnestly he'd fought us. Of course, it carried an element of atonement too.
[Heeheehee!]
Aqua beamed and hugged the trident tight.
[Waaah!]
[Lady Aqua!]
The undines erupted in cheers once more. It was a historic moment: the seal of authority passing from the former Spirit King to the new one.
I crouched beside Aqua, matching her eye level. She looked up at me with eyes shining brighter than the gem.
"Aqua."
[Yes! I'm listening!]
"How does it feel to have achieved your dream?"
Back when we first met, Aqua had said she wanted to become the Spirit King. Though it was just a name for now, she'd halfway realized that dream—in the ultimate form of recognition from the previous king.
[What a silly question!]
Aqua twisted her body back and forth, still clutching the trident.
[I feel like I'm about to fly!]
A smile crept onto my lips, then lifted my cheeks high. I slipped my hands under her armpits and hoisted her up.
[Eek?!]
"Ahahaha!"
Laughing, I lifted and lowered her repeatedly—like giving her airplane rides. Aqua, startled at first, soon giggled delightedly.
[Are you making me fly?]
"How about it? Feel like you're flying now?"
[But I'm already flying!]
Aqua laughed, her plump cheeks turning her eyes into slim crescents—not half-moons, but new moons. Laughing from on high, she was like the sun itself.
[Sisit!]
Mandu scrambled up my arm to join in, clutching Aqua's hair like he was on an amusement ride.
[Sisit! Sisit!]
[Ahahaha!]
"Hahaha!"
Forgetting Sia Clearwater and Niagara were watching, I laughed joyfully with my little friends.
* * *
Aqua and I returned to the cabin and collapsed into bed, sleeping like the dead. When I woke the next morning, two figures sat at the living room table, waiting for me.
"……."
"……Tch."
Jang Gilsan looked utterly displeased, while Jeong Ri-on avoided his glare.
I eyed the two contracts in front of me.
~Union Guild~
~Phoenix Guild~
Astronomical sums were written on them.
'Contracts, huh…….'
Aqua, nestled in my arms, tilted her head.
[How big a number is this, exactly?]
She started counting the zeros herself.
[One circle, two, three, four…….]
After tallying nine zeros, she cocked her head, pondering the enormity.
'It feels so overwhelming.'
Not because of the massive amounts, but because choosing either felt impossible. Both sides were precious connections I was deeply grateful for.
Jang Gilsan and Jeong Ri-on, each with half-empty cups of tea, stared at me expectantly—as if saying it was time to choose.
'Contracts.'
The reason was simple: both guilds wanted to contract with me.
'Pushing contracts on academy cadets violates academy rules.'
Guilds couldn't afford to antagonize the academy, alma mater to all awakeners. In other words, Aqua and I had become tempting enough to bend those rules.
It wasn't just these two guilds. They were here because of our personal ties, but plenty more at home and abroad were eyeing us.
I knew why all too well. I'd braced for it even before facing Niagara.
'The only two Spirit Kings in the world and their contractor. Every guild wants to recruit us.'
The wind throne was vacant, and the fire king hadn't contracted. Only the earth and water kings had contractors. Now that water had shifted from America to Korea, whichever guild claimed us would instantly become Korea's—and the Northern Hemisphere's—top spirit guild.
'Union and Phoenix are already Korea's top two, so the rivalry's fierce.'
The perks didn't end there. A Spirit King's presence alone would draw spirit users to the guild—spirits instinctively craved their kings' sides. And since Aqua was water, cosmetics ventures were viable too. That was the power of the title.
'But Aqua's just a name for now. And they're offering this much…….'
These two guilds were betting on our future. After all, Aqua bore the name, and she'd ascend the throne someday.
Jang Gilsan and Jeong Ri-on stared again, urging a choice. I spoke slowly.
"I need to discuss it with Aqua first."
They both nodded. They understood spirits and contractors were equal partners, not lord and vassal.
* * *
The moment Kang Hyunwoo left the dining area, a chill wind stirred.
"……."
"Ahem. It's, uh, kinda cold, huh."
More precisely, Jang Gilsan was blasting cold air at Jeong Ri-on.
"Isn't the AC cranked too high? Gonna catch a cold……."
Jeong Ri-on pretended otherwise, but Jang Gilsan's icy glare lingered. Finally, Jeong Ri-on surrendered.
"I get it. You're thinking I'm some godless oathbreaker."
"Self-awareness suits you."
Jang Gilsan replied coolly.
They'd once bet: if Kang Hyunwoo beat Jeong Ri-on in sparring, Jeong Ri-on wouldn't scout him.
Jang Gilsan smirked cynically.
"Don't worry. I never expected a casual bet—not even put to paper—to sway guild affairs."
"No, it's not that……."
Jeong Ri-on grumbled on.
"It might sound like an excuse, but this isn't me scouting. It's the guild master. I'm just the messenger."
"A fine excuse for a vice-master."
"It's not an excuse—it's true! I tried to talk him out of it. Even brought up our bet. Begged him to cut me some slack."
"Sure. Blame your rigid guild where the vice-master can't even advise the master."
"I know you're mocking me, but it's true! Our guild's a one-man show under Undead!"
Jeong Ri-on vented his innocence, but Jang Gilsan never raised his score above zero.
* * *
I entered the room cradling Aqua and Mandu.
"Phew……."
Finally, I could breathe. I set Aqua down and sat opposite her. She peered up with round eyes.
[Are we joining a guild?]
"Who knows…… If we contract, which side do you think is better for you and Mandu?"
[Mm…….]
Aqua crossed her arms, deep in thought.
[Sisit.]
Mandu flopped belly-up in a sunny spot by the window, indifferent.
'I've received so much from Gilsan.'
Not just 200 million in credit, but the Poison King's armor sourced and even Sia Clearwater brought along. If picking the biggest contributor after me and Aqua, it'd be Jang Gilsan, no question.
'But Jeong Ri-on and the Spirit Knights helped hugely too.'
Thanks to chartering the water park, we trained there. As the duel neared, the entire order halted their own training to assist us. Their potions healed my internal injuries mid-battle.
Jang Gilsan's aid was massive, but without Jeong Ri-on's, we might not have beaten Niagara.
'If measuring total help, Gilsan's edges out.'
But I'd already granted him exclusive healing water supply—a huge boon. I'd done next to nothing for Jeong Ri-on.
"Hmm……."
A groan escaped me unwittingly. My real dilemma wasn't whose help was greater.
'Both helped so much—can I pick one just because theirs was slightly more?'
Wouldn't that dismiss the other's efforts and feelings?
'I'm so grateful to both, I can't choose.'
That left me paralyzed. A real pickle.
After much deliberation, Aqua asked:
[Won't the other side feel slighted if we pick one?]
"They would."
Choosing one might hurt the other's feelings. Even if not, they couldn't treat a rival guild's Spirit King contractor as casually.
[Mm…….]
"Hm……."
The debate seemed endless.
[Do we have to pick one? Can't we stay friends with both?]
"Both?"
Ideal, sure—but impossible to contract with both. Pick one or none.
"Wait."
One idea struck: perhaps the most ideal.
"If I can't pick either, then I pick neither."
Grinning at the solution, I beamed.