A Desperate Plea for Strength
Blue moonlight bathed the quiet clearing behind the academy dormitory. The daytime clamor had vanished entirely, leaving only the chill night air swirling as proof of the silence.
"Haa..."
In the corner of the clearing, Alice sat blankly on a bench and let out a deep sigh. Her legs still trembled from the hellish class earlier that day, and even the slightest movement sent waves of muscle pain through her body.
Alice gazed at the translucent blob of liquid floating in the air beside her. It was the being that had protected her from Seongjin's sharp tentacles during the day. With its smooth curves and cute snout, it was unmistakably shaped like a dolphin.
"...Thanks, Blue. If it weren't for you, I really would've died today."
Alice reached out and hugged the dolphin tightly. At a glance, it looked like it was made of liquid, but that was just how it appeared to the eye. Spirits were, in truth, living beings formed from mana. The sensation against her chest was soft and squishy like jelly, yet comforting.
The dolphin, Blue, nuzzled happily against Alice's chest. Ah, bliss. How wonderful it would be to feel like this all the time. Alice unwittingly let out a soft "Hee" and grinned.
After sharing some warmth with Alice for a moment, Blue soon turned into a cluster of small bubbles and seeped into the pale skin of her wrist. There, a small green pattern was etched, alongside a similar yet distinct blue one. Blue entered the blue pattern.
Unsumming the spirit. Now the water spirit would rest there, awaiting its next summons.
"......"
Alone once more, the worries she'd been suppressing crashed over her like waves. In the end, during the group sparring that afternoon, Seongjin's bizarre form hadn't teleported even once. Despite every cadet throwing everything they had at him, his tentacles had been destructive and overwhelming, like a typhoon.
'A typhoon at least has a calm eye.' A dry chuckle escaped her lips unbidden. Truth be told, Seongjin wasn't a typhoon—he was more like an energy bomb. The kind that detonated in an instant, obliterating everything around it without a trace. Top-tier firepower among energy weapons. That was exactly like him, Alice thought, recalling how he'd dominated all the cadets at once.
And the words he'd uttered then.
Those four words echoed in Alice's mind like a death sentence.
"Not only no reduction in class intensity... but starting next week, no monorail either."
Alice's vision darkened. She'd have to descend 500 meters to the training hall below, run her heart out for three hours, then climb back up 500 meters on foot. Every day. Tricks like using a wind spirit required mana, and with her reserves depleted like this every week, even that would be impossible.
"This is definitely abuse. A human rights violation... You think the Hero Association would take a report? Nah, that professor would probably send their people flying too..."
Just imagining it made her shiver. Especially at the end of class today, when Seongjin had approached her—her heart had nearly stopped.
-A spirit? A water spirit? Just summon it and it handles everything, huh... Oho...
That smile he'd flashed. Proud, like he'd found an intriguing new toy. She couldn't forget that glint in his eyes.
"He said something about making me a TA earlier, right...? Must've been a hallucination. Please, let it be a hallucination."
Alice hugged her knees and buried her face. Somewhere in the distant professor dorms, he was probably plotting even harsher training for next week. Or honing those wicked powers of his.
"Haaa..."
'No future. No future at all.' Sensing a pitch-black path ahead without even a speck of light, Alice sighed as if the ground might cave in.
At that moment.
-Whiiiish.
The grass in the clearing trembled feebly. The wind brushing her nape felt cooler than usual, strangely purified and crisp.
"......"
Silence. But not the everyday kind—it was alien, squeezing her insides.
The eerie tension right before something big happens. That sensation filled the space without a single gap.
Something was coming.
Alice tensed up as she sensed it. Then—
"Contractor, your sigh disrupts the air currents."
A low, solemn voice resonated in Alice's ear.
"...Huh?"
Alice jerked her head up in surprise. The air behind her rippled, and soon bright green particles gathered to form the shape of a massive raptor.
-Goooohhh.
The surrounding air flowed along its feathers, drawn into the core of its form. Though it wasn't a fully materialized body—just a spiritual projection of air—its majesty was utterly real.
One of the pinnacle spirits. The Wind Spirit King, Alperion.
"...What? Alperion? Why show up like this, so scary..."
"This place's spiritual energy is abundant, so I failed to control my power properly without realizing. I apologize."
The massive raptor's head looked down at Alice, slumped on the bench.
"Girl, what has made you so frail? Is it because of that black-tentacled man you faced today?"
"Yeah... That guy—no, Professor! Next week starts physical training, classes'll get even tougher, and no monorail. I'm done for. Even today, without Blue, I'd be in the infirmary already!"
Alice clenched her fists and swung them wildly at the air in indignation. But Alperion responded calmly, his eyes gleaming not with sympathy, but resolve.
"Indeed, that man is no ordinary being. He far transcends human limits. But contractor, do not think only of fleeing. His teachings, though harsh, will nourish your growth."
"Help or whatever, I'm about to die here!"
Alice pouted and grumbled. "And you too, Alperion. What's the point if we can only talk? With my mana pool, I can't even summon you, let alone manifest your power!"
Haa.
"If I could've called you out, I'd have flattened that professor's nose..."
Alperion gave a faint smile at Alice's complaint, like a mentor watching a child's tantrum.
"You still underestimate the potential slumbering within you."
Alperion's beak pointed to the spirit pattern on Alice's wrist.
"Have you forgotten? Last vacation, you succeeded in awakening and contracting the Water Spirit King, Ibretias. Weakened by long sealing, yes, but his essence remains the ruler of the seas. You already hold the potential to draw forth a Spirit King's power."
"That was... just a fluke. A one-time thing."
Alice fiddled with her wrist and muttered.
"You called our first meeting a fluke too. Coincidences repeated become inevitability. Spirits aren't wielded by mana alone. What matters is the heart."
"......"
"Contracting two Spirit Kings proves your soul's vessel is extraordinary. These trials are merely filling it. The Fire and Earth Spirit Kings would acknowledge you too and lend their power."
Alice bit her lip at his words. The heart over mana? Spirit summoning itself consumed mana—what heart could matter more?
'What unbreakable heart...'
The Wind Spirit King Alperion, the Water Spirit King Ibretias. These mighty beings saw too much in her. She was just an ordinary girl from the city outskirts, lucky enough to communicate with spirits.
That was the sole reason she'd even entered the academy. Nothing else special about her. Her body and mana were utterly average. She was already gasping after one class—practical exams and the final duel evaluation? Her fate was obvious.
If not for cramming professors' tendencies and class styles, sacrificing sleep for top written scores, she'd have been expelled long ago.
'Expulsion... can't happen...'
Alperion gazed at the dejected Alice, then lifted his head toward the dorms.
"Someone approaches. I shall withdraw."
With those words, Alperion's form began to fade. The air forming the raptor dispersed in all directions, soon turning fully transparent.
"Remember. You are the contractor I chose. If you can't believe in yourself, believe in me who believes in you."
-Shrrk.
Thus, Alperion vanished completely. Typical Spirit King— even his exit was on his own terms.
Once his presence fully dissipated, silence returned to the clearing. Moments later, steady footsteps broke the quiet and approached.
"Alice? What're you doing out here? I've been looking everywhere."
Turning at the familiar voice, she saw Lien standing under the moonlight.
In her usual neat uniform, but the day's class had left faint fatigue around her eyes.
'You're human too, huh.' Alice felt a bit relieved knowing even she got tired from classes.
"Lien? What brings you here this late?"
"Stopped by the academic affairs office and picked up mail addressed to you. Said it was urgent."
Lien, approaching Alice, held out a plain white envelope.
"A letter? Urgent?"
Alice took it, tilting her head. Who sends letters in this day and age? What could it be?
"Anyway, thanks, Lien."
"Sure. Don't stay out too late—gotta circle the training field tomorrow morning too."
"Ugh, right..."
Ah, yeah. Remembering the fitness training she'd briefly forgotten, Alice's face froze mid-smile.
Lien gave her a small smile, waved lightly, and headed back to the dorms.
Once Lien was gone, Alice opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside. What could it say? Parents, maybe? But they'd video-called just days ago.
She unfolded the letter fully.
"......Huh?"
Alice's expression hardened instantly as she read it slowly.
"......"
Silence hung in the air.
The next morning, in Han Seongjin's lab on the 7th floor of the professor building.
Seongjin tapped the academic schedule on his desk.
"So, from today until Monday's class next week, it's fine if I step away from the academy?"
Reina, sorting documents, nodded.
"Yes. No semester events scheduled. Monday's class is the soonest."
"Perfect."
A satisfied smile curved Seongjin's lips. A week off. Ideal for the volcano expedition he'd postponed.
'1200km, right? Better fly.'
High-rank demon beast—excitement already built. With "high-rank" in the name, not just the core, but meaningful gains for his Demonic Body experience too.
"Then I'm off. Take care of things while I'm gone."
"Yes, sir."
With Reina seeing him off, Seongjin waved casually, adjusted his coat, and opened the door to leave.
-Creak.
"?"
What entered his view was unexpected.
"Cadet Alice Hayes? Isn't it class time? What are you doing here?"
"...Professor."
A trembling voice. Clearly different from her usual demeanor—Seongjin narrowed his eyes.
"W-Well, um..."
Alice avoided his gaze, fidgeting with her fingers.
'Her approaching me first?'
An unforeseen situation left even Seongjin flustered. Hadn't she been shivering just from him nearing yesterday?
After a long awkward pause, Alice finally spoke. And her words were the last thing Seongjin expected.
"P-Please! M-Make me stronger..."
"...What?"
Seongjin doubted his ears for a moment.