Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Spirit Sorcerer Leo (1)
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Even a slowpoke has a talent for rolling, as they say.
This body of mine apparently had its own knack for something.
'And that something turns out to be spirit magic, of all things.'
Spirit magic.
Magic that literally commands spirits.
In Throne of the Academy, spirit magic was often classified as an incredibly overpowered skill. It had low mana consumption, outstanding destructive power, and high versatility.
It was even part of the skill tree for Isolde, the mage character. Thanks to its excellent performance, I often went down the spirit magic path when building her up.
So, it was like hitting the jackpot.
"So you're saying I have talent as a spirit sorcerer."
I beamed. But Isolde's expression remained subtly odd.
"It's just... really strange."
"Is there a problem?"
"Spirit affinity is usually proportional to one's affinity for mana. Spirits are magical beings themselves, so they tend to be drawn to talented mages. But Priest, you lack talent as a mage, yet the spirits love you. It's a rare case."
In short, a magic dunce like me shouldn't normally be loved by spirits.
Thinking about it that way, it did seem strange.
"I've definitely read about cases like this in books... Ah."
Isolde pondered deeply before letting out an exclamation.
"Priest, by any chance, have you ever visited the Astral Realm before?"
"What's the Astral Realm?"
"It's another world. A realm inhabited by spirits and mana-based lifeforms. I read in a book that spirits like souls that have visited other worlds. That's why mages desperate to boost their spirit affinity often attempt astral journeys, even if it's a bitter pill to swallow. The survival rate isn't high, though..."
"..."
"That otherworldly monster that popped out during the Twin Towers incident—the Predator, was it? Could fighting that beast have boosted your spirit affinity?"
Isolde proposed her hypothesis, but I shook my head right away.
I'd never encountered a Predator.
But I had a pretty good idea why my body had such high spirit affinity.
'It's because I'm a possessor.'
The soul that entered this body wasn't from this world.
Earth could be considered another such realm.
In that sense, Isolde's hypothesis was wrong, but her conclusion was spot on.
'A perk for possessors, huh.'
Yeah. After rolling my ass off this whole time, I deserved some kind of reward.
I grinned at Isolde.
"So, Miss Isolde, does that mean I can become a spirit sorcerer?"
"Well... hmm."
Contrary to my expectations, Isolde rested her chin on her hand, looking troubled.
"High spirit affinity means great talent as a spirit sorcerer... Yes, that's true. But it's just a prerequisite."
"What does that mean?"
"Even if spirits approach due to high affinity, you need mana to bind them to this world through a contract."
"Ah."
"In your case, Priest... You could attract plenty of spirits, but you lack the mana to command them. It's like trying to light a lamp with no oil."
A bottomless jar.
A lamp without oil.
Elise had a knack for pithy sayings, and so did Isolde.
"...So it's a bust, then."
I sighed.
No use getting excited over nothing.
What good was high spirit affinity if I had no mana to wield them? And apparently, unlike divine power, mana couldn't be stored externally.
'Fucking hell.'
As I scratched my head in frustration, Isolde pulled her chair closer to me.
"No. It's not completely meaningless."
I looked up, and her gray eyes sparkled. She grabbed my hand. Otilie's gaze turned icy.
"There's one method."
"A method?"
"You have great spirit affinity, and I have more than enough mana to contract with those spirits. So we do a three-legged race."
"...A three-legged race?"
What was this, a school sports day?
"What does that mean?"
"I'll be your oil, Priest."
"...Pardon?"
"I'll lend you my mana. You call the spirits with your high affinity, and I use my mana to contract and bind them to this world. It's like joint ownership."
Hearing Isolde's explanation, my eyes widened.
"Is that even possible?"
"Normally, no. But your spirit affinity is so high that most spirits would accept even an unfair contract."
"But the spirits would be manifested through your mana. Wouldn't that make them your spirits?"
"It's fine. My affinity isn't that great. The spirits will want to go to you anyway."
I nodded along as I listened.
I didn't fully get it, but if the great witch Isolde said so, it had to be right.
Still...
"But... wouldn't that mean you're providing free service to me?"
She'd be contracting the spirits I summoned with her own mana and handing them over to me.
Like killing the deer and letting someone else take the credit.
"Why would that be a problem?"
Isolde tilted her head as if I'd said something odd.
"You're the benefactor who saved the magic faculty students. Is it so strange to share some of my mana with you?"
"..."
I barely held back tears.
'Isolde, you're the best.'
The one true constant in this godforsaken world.
How could I not be moved?
"Let's do it right now. I'll become a spirit sorcerer."
"Hahaha. Sounds good. But not right now."
Isolde glanced at the clock. Supplementary classes were about to resume.
"How about after classes end and the sun sets?"
"I'm good anytime."
Who was I to complain when I was getting a free gift?
I'd be bowing in gratitude.
"And just in case you didn't know... one more thing."
Isolde held up her index finger with a serious expression.
"This 'three-legged race' requires some pretty tricky conditions."
"Conditions?"
"To see the spirits, I need to share your senses. For the contract, we share mana too. Not just physical distance—we have to sync our mental wavelengths. In simple terms..."
Isolde's cheeks flushed slightly.
"We need to create a mana link between our souls."
"Mana... link?"
"Think of it like a thread. Like how Otilie controls her doll from afar."
"Ah..."
I still didn't quite get it.
Some kind of connection between Isolde and me?
Was that a big deal?
As I stayed silent, Isolde gave a wry smile.
"...If you're against it, Priest, then I..."
"No. I'm fine. Let's do it."
I cut her off firmly.
I'd already survived death three times over. I'd tangled with Shades, been ambushed by chimeras, even skewered on an archangel's spear.
And in three months, the Fourth Act disaster, Nemesis, would hit the academy.
I needed some power to protect myself, by hook or by crook.
"Ah..."
Isolde smiled shyly at my response.
"Teacher."
Otilie, who had been quietly listening, cut in.
"Creating a mana link isn't something to decide lightly. It's incredibly dangerous, and if she turns malicious after success, she could control or destroy your mind at will."
"Is that a problem?"
"Pardon?"
"Why would Isolde harm me?"
In the original story, Isolde was one of the most righteous and kind protagonists, alongside Sophia.
She didn't even have an awakening event. She didn't need one. She was born with the vessel of a grand mage.
Could I really doubt someone stepping up for me like this?
"...Ugh."
Her dissuasion failing, Otilie tried another tack. She cautiously raised her small hand and clutched my sleeve tightly.
"Teaccher..."
"What now?"
"Link with me too..."
"No... that's a bit..."
Who links mana with a puppeteer mage? Only a madman.
"Hmm..."
Saintess Candidate Elise Aurora de Lua was in a foul mood today.
Just that morning, things had been fine. She'd spent intimate time with Priest Leo. The interloper Sophia was absent, learning swordsmanship from the princess's guard knight.
She'd judged this the perfect moment to make progress.
Of course, not Elise herself, but Helena.
- "You want me to wear this?"
- "Yes. With your sexy figure, milady, he'll drop dead for it."
- "...Miss Helena, what on earth do you take me for?"
- "..."
Anyway, Operation Leviathan was proceeding steadily.
Victory was in sight, or so Elise thought.
But...
"Suddenly... going off to see another woman..."
At lunchtime, Leo abruptly left the chapel. To meet Isolde, the top student of the magic faculty. And not only that—when he returned, his face was bright throughout the afternoon.
Unable to bring herself to ask about it, Elise returned to her dorm.
And just moments ago, shocking news arrived from the canary she'd dispatched to the chapel.
——Chirp chirp.
"So... late at night, the priest went into a secluded forest?"
Elise's eyes narrowed. This was clearly an emergency.
"...Miss Helena, are you there?"
"You called?"
"Track him down immediately."
"...Milady, doesn't that man deserve some personal space?"
Helena replied awkwardly, but it fell on deaf ears.
——Chirp chirp chirp.
"What? A woman with brown hair?"
——Chirp!
"Holding hands, strolling through the woods?"
——Chirp!
"...Milady?"
Helena cautiously called out to Elise. But Elise was already ignoring her, conversing solely with the canary.
'...Now she can talk to birds too?'
Helena got chills.
Milady was drifting further from the realm of ordinary humans.
No, this was probably her true nature.
The mask she'd worn was slipping now that Archbishop Balua was dead, revealing her unfiltered self.
"H-Hello, Miss Helena... The priest is on a nighttime stroll with the magic faculty's breast-obsessed boy-crazy girl. In a secluded forest... Th-this... has to be a rendezvous!"
"Hmm..."
Helena let out a groan, while Elise anxiously bit her nails.
There was no reason for Leo to hang out with Isolde. They barely had any connection.
How did this happen?
Helena pondered before sighing deeply.
"It seems... my approach was wrong."
"Approach?"
"Seduction through the body inevitably loses to someone with a more overwhelmingly vulgar figure..."
"Miss Helena, I'm a saintess candidate, you know?"
"...My apologies."
Either way, physical seduction was impossible for Elise.
"...No helping it, then. Why not just ask him directly tomorrow morning? Hearing it from him would be best."
Helena offered sensible advice.
Elise's brow twitched in irritation.
"H-Helena, how do I even ask that?"
"Pardon?"
"'What did you do last night?'... It'd make me sound like a stalker..."
"...Well."
Helena had plenty to say.
"...Never mind."
She held her tongue.