I'll Normalize You Soon

I'll normalize you soon.

Mirne had excellent affinity with spirits, but she didn't possess the power to contract with a high-ranking one. Normally, in such cases, one would start by contracting low-grade spirits step by step. But Mirne, who received the world's love, was an extraordinarily special case when it came to forming bonds with spirits. Specifically, the spirit would use only its own power to lend strength to Mirne.

If a normal spirit contract was like a sender-paid call, then for Mirne alone, it was uniquely switched to receiver-paid. The more power she used, the burden fell not on the spirit user, but on the spirit itself. The advantage of this structure was that she could borrow a spirit's power without a formal contract.

And without a contract...

"...Wh-what are you talking about? I have no idea what you're saying."

...she could play innocent in a situation like this.

No matter how reckless Mirne's actions had been, she knew full well how dangerous the current situation was.

'A minor kingdom like ours tried to spy on the empire's crown prince through a spirit.'

This was a blatant declaration of war—something that could spark conflict without batting an eye. Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠without outright war, they could lose a great deal. In this scenario, all Mirne could do was...

"You have no idea what I'm talking about? Haha, so this spirit really just happened to come to me by chance?"

"Y-yes... that's right. That's why I was so surprised I didn't even say its name, wasn't it?"

"And yet, just from hearing its scream over what isn't even a video link, the crown princess of Maselin Kingdom discerns its true name. Who knew you had such spirit affinity? What a blessing for your nation."

"Th-thank you."

...desperately wriggle out of the suspicion.

Tzzzzzzt!

"Kyaaaaack!"

"Ho, so it really isn't contracted to you... The spirit's in agony, yet the crown princess feels not the slightest burden."

"Wh-why would I ever lie?"

Even as Silpiner's cries of pain echoed, there was nothing Mirne could do.

What if, in this moment, she admitted the spirit was hers? 'Unpredictable... The crown prince's actions right now—he looks ready to start a war.' She couldn't bear the aftermath.

So she had to turn a blind eye.

'But how the hell... how can the crown prince catch a spirit? Is that even possible?'

She never imagined he had such an ability. She'd ordered surveillance from a vast distance away—not up close—so how had she been found out?

As tangled thoughts swirled in her head...

"Haha, so I contacted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the crown princess on mere suspicion? If I've upset you, my apologies."

"...N-no, not at all. Far from it—I'm not upset in the least."

Mirne felt cold sweat trickling down her neck. No face in sight, just voice transmission. Not even face-to-face. Yet for the first time in her life, she felt a razor-sharp blade at her throat.

Beneath the goodwill she'd always taken for granted—the kind that made her wonder why everyone treated her so well—a unfamiliar killing intent now pierced through.

"This artifact's purpose is quite convenient. You used it to chat so intimately with the second prince, public or private matters alike."

"...Isn't that all thanks to Your Highness the Crown Prince's grace?"

"Precisely—so I've set the limit on that grace. No need for mere friendly chit-chat between man and woman."

"Y-yes, exactly. From now on, everything goes through Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Then why share it with the crown princess when Maselin Kingdom has a king?"

"...."

Complete exclusion. It was logically sound, a point no one had ever raised before.

"Anyway, thanks for the true name. It'll make contracting much smoother."

The crown prince's calm words continued amid the tension.

"Y-You're going to contract with it?!"

"Of course. A spirit with such obvious potential rolls right into my lap, and now I even know its true name."

"C-congratulations."

"Haha, thanks. Sorry for wasting your time like this."

"N-no, please contact me anytime."

"Hearing that cheers me up."

Just as she thought the call might end...

"Oh, and our second prince made a foolish judgment, unilaterally naturalizing our empire's subjects into Maselin Kingdom."

"...Naturalization, you say?"

"Yes, naturalization. That's not something he can decide alone, but he acted on his own. Tsk."

"Ah, a-ah... I didn't realize it wasn't within the second prince's authority."

"Exactly, exactly. You didn't know, right? That's why you so readily accepted our empire's precious talents, nurtured at great cost."

"Y-yes... th-that's right."

In a situation where anyone would have to grovel flat, the crown prince's demand emerged.

The naturalization of Bellos Empire talents—Mirne knew it well. She'd skillfully manipulated Second Prince Bedin to naturalize key personnel. Of course, Bedin had treated it lightly.

"Those are valuable personnel dispatched by the Bellos Empire. Does it make sense for the recipient nation to swallow them whole? Or do you see it as a mistake from the second prince's misguided decision?"

The crown prince had no intention of letting it slide lightly.

"...Obviously a mistake, right?"

"Precisely, that's it. Glad we're on the same page. So, we'll treat naturalization as never having been discussed. All personnel support, current investments... everything negotiated with the crown princess falls under the second prince, who won't be involved in imperial affairs for the time being. It'll all be reset to zero."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"H-how can you just... so easily...!"

"Haha, what's so hard about it? If even such an 'easy mistake' can happen."

Easy mistake.

On the surface, it looked like the crown prince had caught the spirit and called her immediately. In truth, lacking hard evidence, it was her blunder exposed by circumstantial proof alone.

"...If Your Highness deems it a misunderstanding and a mistake, then it should be handled as such."

"Quick to the point—excellent. But is it right for me to keep discussing this with the crown princess? Shouldn't it be with the current king?"

"N-no, all matters great and small in Maselin Kingdom go through me. No need to worry."

Thus, Mirne could only grovel desperately.

"So it's fine to discuss with the crown princess instead of the king?"

"Y-yes, indeed."

"Haha, good to know. Then please send back our Bellos Empire subjects safely."

"A most righteous command."

"I hear our empire's talents were fully supported by the Bellos Empire for food, lodging, everything while in Maselin... If you have any shame, they won't return empty-handed."

"O-of course not!"

"I've kept a busy person too long."

"No, it's truly fine."

"Good, it had better be. Well, I'll end here."

Click.

The call cut off, and Mirne collapsed onto her bed.

From birth until now, she'd assumed days of endless favoritism would last forever. Was that why this sharp reaction hit so hard? Her mental strength was utterly drained.

"...What on earth changed in the crown prince?"

At least the empire hadn't fully turned against her yet. But with this clear variable, Mirne resolved to act with greater caution henceforth.

"Sob, sniff..."

Late guilt over abandoning the spirit before her eyes welled up, tears bursting forth.

'I'm sorry, Silpiner...'

A consequence of her own foolishness, not anyone else's mistake. Never had Mirne loathed herself more than today.

The call hadn't even ended...

"Kieeeek!"

"Damn, you're strong."

It thrashed wildly, trying to escape my grip. I shoved more flames into the spirit's neck.

'As expected, she denies it completely.'

The conversation unfolded just as anticipated. Without a contract, she had ample grounds to play dumb.

'Though I didn't expect her to spit out the true name right away.'

Thanks to that, I'd scored a great card.

'But isn't the crown prince way too strong?'

While watching the second prince get beaten, I'd sensed an alien energy beyond the palace and instinctively reached out. When I came to, a translucent spirit was in my hand.

This wasn't mere spirit affinity—it was spirit domination. Even a wind spirit, by nature intangible, was solidly pinned in my grasp, unable to flee.

"Silpiner, choose. Dissipate here, or become my tool."

Spirit contract? Sure, but I don't bother cozying up to someone who hates me. At my position as crown prince, I could contract spirits anytime anyway.

'Releasing it isn't an option.'

Only two choices for this spirit in my fist—because it was the protagonist's partner in the original story.

Thus, claim it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or shatter it. No third path. Release it? Predictable where it'd go; no way I'd make that idiotic choice.

"Kreeeek!"

By the way...

"Sol Bellos... What the hell is this? Why can it deal real damage to a spirit? Enough to dissipate it...?"

Sol Bellos was absurdly overpowered. The founding myth told of a great prophet seeing two suns in the sky and swallowing one. Maybe it wasn't mere mythic exaggeration to praise the prophet.

Anyway.

"Screaming won't communicate—say something else, or you'll just die like this?"

As I considered crushing the spirit outright and gathered power...

"Sp-spare me... Spare me...!"

A cave-echoing voice reached my ears. Was this the spirit tongue?

The begging spirit Silpiner, throat gripped and flailing, frantically rubbed its tiny hands even then.

Slither.

Slowly, it adhered to my wrist—then vanished from my grasp in an instant.

Escape impossible. So the meaning of Silpiner's action just now...

"Contract complete, no fuss—it handled everything itself."

A spirit fit for the protagonist's side had to be at least king-class at minimum. Snagging such prime quality without effort felt amazing.

'Used like this, even the protagonist has plenty of utility.'

In romance fantasy, the core was emotional lines between characters. The heroine's bonds with various male leads, culminating in choosing one and 'the world finds peace.'

Preserving those emotional threads was the true charm and flower of rom-fantasy.

Thus...

'Until those relationships resolve, I couldn't touch the protagonist directly.'

I'd expected difficulty pressuring Maselin Kingdom starting from her. But here she was, hand-delivering a spirit.

'A wind spirit pairs perfectly with Sol Bellos's fire power.'

If she pulled a few more idiotic stunts like this, how great would that be?

With such thoughts...

"Un-uncle! Please, please stop...!"

"Hm, indeed."

"You'll listen to me?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince ordered one hour. Time's up. Tomorrow, same time, same place."

I confirmed the Grand Marshal halting the second prince's beating and outlining the plan. Bedin still looked clueless as to why, showing grievance.

'Doesn't matter much.'

Eventually, beatings would reveal all—that's true discipline.

From naturalization issues to talent repatriation and compensation—all settled in one go. I woke the next morning refreshed.

Tap tap, tap tap.

"Hm?"

A sound like someone knocking on the window. I rose from bed.

"What."

Yesterday, spirits spying from afar. Today, knocking on the window? Who the hell?

I had Silpiner open it.

Rumble rumble.

Screech, screech.

Bird cries rang out in succession.

'What is it.'

Messenger birds? One white, one blue. Each leg bore a letter.

Who could pinpoint my chambers so precisely to send messengers? Pondering that, I extracted the letters. The birds flew off immediately after.

They'd come from afar, yet no rest—straight back.

'Heavily trained, and not ordinary birds.'

Opening the letters...

"Ha."

I let out a hollow laugh. Right—romance fantasy meant multiple male leads. Where were they, showing no presence? I'd wondered.

"No wonder doom probability wouldn't drop fast despite beating the second prince."

One from the Northern Grand Duke. The other, Eastern Grand Duke.

Just from nudging Maselin, these grand dukes—elevated to their titles—contacted me directly.

The letters' contents were identical. Strip the polite formalities...

...and it summed up to that.

I got it immediately. These were the male leads from the supporting cast.

'Wait, does that mean three sub-male-leads in the empire alone?'

Divide the empire into central, north, east. These three backing a single Maselin Kingdom?

'No wonder the country falls.'

But fortunate indeed. Stepping forward first, outing themselves as male leads.

'Wait just there, you lot.'

I'll normalize you soon.