Chapter 19

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 19

Chapter Title: Summoning of the Spirit King

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"Young Master Kasian!"

Kael's voice rang out. He was charging from behind, sword at the ready.

"I'll hold it off!"

Kael leaped in front of the monster and swung his blade.

Clang!

Claw met steel in a shower of sparks.

"Nngh...!"

Kael skidded back, his boots scraping the floor. But he held his ground.

"Hah...! This much... won't stop me...!"

He rushed in again, unleashing a flurry of strikes.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The monster blocked with its claws. It was an even match. No, Kael was being pushed back just a little.

I couldn't just stand there either.

Glancing around, I spotted a broken chair leg nearby.

I snatched it up and circled to the monster's side.

With Kael drawing its attention from the front, I aimed for the flank.

Whoosh—

I hurled the chair leg.

Thwack!

It struck the monster's side.

Grrr?

The monster whipped its head toward me.

Rawr!

Its claw slashed out.

Whoosh—

It grazed my arm.

"Nngh...!"

Blood welled up. It hurt like hell.

But I couldn't stop.

The monster kept coming for me.

"Haat!"

Kael struck from behind. Reacting, the monster spun around.

The deadlock dragged on.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

...

How much time had passed?

Time lost all meaning.

My lungs burned like fire. My legs trembled, and my grip shook on the chair leg.

My body was covered in wounds. Blood streamed down, clothes torn to shreds.

"Hah... hah..."

Gasping for air, my vision blurred.

Kael was in the same state.

"Hah... hah..."

His sword arm trembled. His armor was shredded in places, blood flowing freely.

"Ngh... It's strong... this thing..."

"Hah... hah..."

I had no breath left to reply.

We were both at our limits.

The monster was still fine. It had wounds, but nothing fatal. If anything, it looked angrier.

Grrrrr...

It growled, eyes glowing a deeper red.

"Hah... hah..."

My legs gave out, and I dropped to one knee.

I had to stand, but my body wouldn't move.

"Young Master Kasian!"

Kael shouted and stepped in front of me protectively, raising his sword. But even that shook in his grasp.

"I'll... hold it off..."

His voice quivered. He was at his limit too.

The monster raised its forepaw.

This time, I'm really done for. That's what I thought.

Then.

Poke poke.

Something prodded my back.

What the...?

"Um...?"

A voice came from behind. A woman's voice.

I turned my head.

A woman stood there. Purple hair, purple eyes. She wore a dress embroidered with starlight and a silver mask.

Even through the mask, I could tell.

She was beautiful. Stunningly so.

"Are you alright?"

She asked, her voice laced with concern.

I couldn't answer. Too out of breath. Bleeding too much. And... she was too beautiful.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

She asked again. Still, no reply. I just stared blankly.

She smiled brightly.

"I'll take that as a yes."

She said lightly.

Then she stepped forward briskly toward the monster.

"W-Wait!"

Kael cried out.

"It's dangerous! You need to—"

The woman raised a hand and opened her mouth.

"Come forth."

Short and simple.

In that instant.

Kaboom!

The air exploded, whipping up a ferocious gale. I couldn't keep my eyes open.

"Wh-What?!"

"What is that?!"

Murmurs rose from around us. The people who'd fled were watching from afar.

The wind died down, and I opened my eyes.

And there.

A colossal figure had appeared.

Bigger than the monster. Five meters... no, six meters tall. A form made of wind, shaped like a human wearing a crown. Its eyes glowed green.

"Th-That's...!"

Kael shouted, voice trembling.

"The Spirit King...?!"

Spirit King. The pinnacle of spirits. I'd only heard legends, never seen one before.

"Mistress."

The Spirit King spoke. Its voice like rushing wind.

"You called?"

"Yeah. Get rid of that thing."

She pointed at the monster casually, like it was no big deal.

"Understood."

The Spirit King raised its hand, and the wind gathered, compressing into a vortex.

Whooooosh—

The blast shot toward the monster.

Rooooar!

The monster screamed as it was hurled away, smashing through the wall and out of the building.

Rumble...!

A massive boom echoed. Dust billowed up.

And then.

Silence.

It was over. In an instant.

A hush fell over everyone. We all stood there, dumbfounded.

"Good work."

The woman said to the Spirit King.

"No trouble at all."

The Spirit King bowed and vanished like the wind.

The woman turned and walked back toward us.

Step by step.

Light footsteps, that same smile on her face.

She stopped in front of me.

"You've got a lot of injuries."

She looked over my wounds. Arm, face, everywhere was a mess.

"Let me heal you."

She extended her hand, and a warm light flowed out, mending my wounds. Healing magic.

"Oh, I suppose I was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a bit late with introductions?"

She removed her mask, revealing those purple eyes that sparkled like stars.

"I'm Elysia von Arcana."

She smiled.

"Nice to meet you?"

The daughter of the Tower Lord. Head of the empire's premier magic institution, the Magic Tower?

I opened my mouth to reply.

But.

My vision blurred, strength drained from my body. The limit. The real limit.

"Hello? Are you oka—"

Her voice faded away.

After that, nothing.

"..."

I drifted in darkness.

How much time passed?

"...Are you alright?"

A voice echoed from afar.

"Are you okay?"

It came again, closer now.

I opened my eyes.

A ceiling came into view. High and ornate, patterned with constellations.

Where...?

I turned my head.

Purple hair, purple eyes. A woman sat there.

"Are you alright?"

It was Elysia.

"...Yes."

I managed to reply. My throat felt parched.

"That's a relief."

Elysia smiled.

"You slept for two days."

Two days? I'd been out for two whole days?

"You were hurt pretty badly. Took a while to heal you up."

"...Thank you."

"No need."

Elysia stood and looked me over.

She chuckled softly, a peculiar smile on her lips.

"Rest well."

With that, she turned and walked out briskly, opening the door and leaving.

"..."

I pushed myself up and surveyed the room.

It was spacious and lavish. Constellations on the ceiling, magic circle motifs on the walls.

Out the window, the sky stretched endlessly. Clouds floated right beside us.

"Whoa..."

We were high up. Incredibly high.

I approached the window and peered out.

A tower. A massive tower piercing the clouds.

"..."

No way.

The door opened, and someone who looked like a servant entered.

"You're awake, sir."

He said politely.

"This is...?"

"The Arcana Magic Tower."

As expected.

"Arcana Magic Tower main building, guest quarters. The young lady brought you here herself."

"..."

The Magic Tower. The Tower Lord's daughter carried me here personally.

"If you need anything, just say the word."

"...Sure."

The servant left.

I gazed out the window again. Clouds, sky, and far below, the distant ground.

"..."

What the hell happened? Why am I here?

Beats me.

For now, my body felt fine. All wounds healed.

"..."

Still,

things were complicated in all sorts of ways.

The clouds outside drifted slowly by.