Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Spirit (2)
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I rubbed my eyes and checked the status window once more.
But the trait visible to me remained unchanged, still radiating its brilliance.
"This is insane."
I unwittingly let my inner thoughts slip from my mouth.
Could the Genius trait really extend this far?
I could somewhat accept it when it came to magic or weapons.
But to possess talent in spirit affinity as well...
At this point, a question arose.
How had Deron, who was this much of a genius, died without ever appearing even once?
It wasn't as if the duke hadn't cooperated.
Had I not come to the academy, he would have steadily supplied me with elixirs.
Hold on.
I was mistaken about something.
Why had I assumed Deron had definitely "died"?
He might not have died.
Deron Phillasia was a character who never appeared in the original story.
"Um..."
Medea spoke up.
She wore an expression of utmost fear, but it was an act.
For some reason, I could tell it apart.
"What."
With one hand fiddling with the low-grade spirit, I looked slightly down at her.
Medea flinched in pretense and struggled to open her mouth.
"By any chance... can you see the spirit?"
"This one stuck to my hand? Clear as day."
No need to hide it.
Medea already knew I was toying with a spirit anyway.
Pretending a little not to know, I said nonchalantly.
Then Medea's expression faltered slightly.
[She really seems to hate seeing you handle spirits.]
'You think so too?'
[Yeah. That elf race has always been deluded into thinking they're special.]
'They must think handling spirits makes them special too.'
[Exactly. That's why they utterly despise human spirit users.]
At Arxius's words, I nodded inwardly as if I'd known it all along.
Even with Lee Han's help, Christina's constant nitpicking and refusal to acknowledge the protagonist...
'Was sweet potato incarnate.'
Perhaps because of the cathartic moments and catfights to come someday, her public opinion wasn't bad, but I hated her.
And.
"Explain why there's a spirit near me. I know elves handle spirits, at least that much."
I had no intention of eating that sweet potato.
The saintess had asked me not to treat the elf like a slave, so I wouldn't do anything too extreme.
But I needed to crush that arrogance to satisfy my mood.
"I-I summoned spirits for cleaning, and one of them went to you, young master..."
"Hah. So you summoned spirits you can't even control for cleaning and sent one to me?"
To be honest, early-game Mede—no, Christina—was trash-tier.
She had the power to handle spirits, but couldn't control it.
The reason was singular.
"You think that makes any sense right now?"
She hadn't practiced with spirits.
I stared down at her in disbelief, eyes wide.
Whether it was talent for intimidation or not, Deron's body naturally exuded presence.
Facing that presence fully, the elf trembled.
She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tight.
I could tell that much wasn't an act.
Right now, she was the weakest heroine.
A frail one who couldn't even withstand my presence.
"I've heard from ancient tomes that elves receive a spirit's choice from birth and can fully control it."
An exaggerated truth.
The ancient tomes likely mixed in stories told by elves.
"But seeing you, that doesn't seem to be the case."
Provoked, Medea glared with fierce eyes.
Having scratched her greatest strength and weakness—her pride.
"Th-that's not..."
"Not what?"
She could no longer act.
She couldn't even compose her emotions.
An actor performs emotions, doesn't let them run wild.
In that sense, she had stepped off the stage herself.
Medea now wore an almost tearful expression.
"It was just a slight mistake. I can fully control them."
"You can fully control spirits?"
"Yes."
A grin.
I smiled.
The elf off-stage was perfect prey.
"Then teach me."
"Pardon?"
Medea looked puzzled.
No wonder. Me suddenly telling her to teach me.
But Arxius seemed to understand, bursting into laughter.
[Man, I thought you were up to something provoking the elf like that. So that's it?]
'No reason to turn down a high elf teacher when one's available.'
[And smash that elf pride a bit? Killing two birds with one stone.]
No, three birds.
As I learned spirit arts, she would have to grow too.
Me handling low-grade spirits at our first meeting—she couldn't accept me reaching mastery like Azure Jade Enlightenment.
Her pride wouldn't allow it.
To avoid being surpassed by me, she'd practice and practice.
Faster and cleaner than in the original.
"Got a problem?"
"A human can... handle spirits."
"That's why I'm asking you to teach me. Dumb pointy-ears."
"D-dumb?"
Medea's face flushed red like a ripe tomato.
Probably the first time she'd been called dumb, so the shock was huge.
Not my problem.
"You're going to teach me spirit arts anyway."
Saying that, I raised the back of my hand.
The slave seal engraved there glowed faintly.
A seal that only revealed itself when I willed it.
Medea stared at the seal with a hollow expression.
Realizing she had no choice but to obey.
"Get up."
I pulled up the dazed, seated Medea and said.
"Before the lesson, let's ditch that filthy rag first."
I needed to do something about that irritating sackcloth wrinkling my brow.
**
The capital's streets were still beautiful.
True to the imperial capital maintaining its splendor under the shining sun.
The bustling crowds blended perfectly with buildings and nature.
Weaving through the waves of people, I moved quickly.
Behind me followed Medea, hooded to hide her body and face.
Not fully concealed like the saintess, she drew passersby's eyes.
Perhaps ashamed to face people in that sackcloth, she pulled her hood tighter.
For now, I'd dressed her in casual clothes from my wardrobe, but they didn't suit her figure.
The capital's streets grew more luxurious the closer to the palace.
Gold flowed instead of silver, so product quality was top-notch.
Even the food scents from restaurants were fragrant.
Tempting enough to recall Pibore meat, but I resisted and kept walking.
The place I took her was a clothing store.
I'd never properly been to one, but this especially lavish one in the capital should suffice for dressing her.
Entering the store, a dazzle of countless garments greeted me.
Seeing the racks made me think of shopping, dizzying my head.
Even before possession, I'd only been dragged along.
'Couldn't understand how anyone shops for four hours.'
To think I'd walk into such a place willingly.
Somewhat sentimental.
I turned to look at Medea.
She kept her head down under the deep hood.
To hide her face as much as possible.
But even the baggy hood couldn't conceal her figure.
Her slim waist, prominent chest, and slender thighs drew eyes.
Stray locks peeking from the hood sparkled, reflecting the store lights.
Her transcendent beauty left me gaping briefly before I snapped out of it and lightly smacked my head.
"Pick whatever clothes you want."
"..."
"I'm telling you to pick."
Why wouldn't she listen when I said pick freely.
Aside from the seal, something seemed off.
She hesitated, then shyly pulled a garment from the rack.
The moment I saw it, I was speechless.
Christina Lohenbelt.
She was an elf with worse fashion sense than me.
Now I understood why she didn't pick clothes.
She'd never chosen her own before.
Obviously, subordinates dressed her.
If she tried picking, they'd shudder at her disastrous taste and choose otherwise.
'Even if told to do it on purpose, she couldn't.'
At that level, it transcended shock into the realm of wonder.
With that face and body, she picked the ugliest clothes like a ghost.
Watching Medea blush while selecting wasn't a sight for long.
As frustration built and I moved to call a clerk.
Tap tap.
Someone tapped my shoulder.
"Junior? Fancy meeting you here."
Oh, savior.
Clena, the senior from the club, stood there blankly before me.