Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: How to Grow Lazily (6)
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“…This thing is actually sleeping, right?”
“…Y-Yeah, it seems like it.”
Ignoring our conversation entirely, the white cotton ball puffed up its body slightly at regular intervals, then deflated, repeating the process.
No matter who looked at it, it was clearly deep in sleep.
What kind of thing falls asleep the moment it appears?
“Do spirits normally sleep?”
I asked Yuria.
“They do, but usually spirits are very cautious and don’t just sleep anywhere. Especially not in front of strangers like this.”
Yuria also seemed completely flustered, as if she’d never seen anything like this before.
Hm.
From the first impression, it didn’t seem like a ferocious or dangerous one.
That was a relief, but… would a kid like this be helpful in combat?
And could we even contract with it in the first place?
I guess we’d have to try to find out.
“Should we wake it up and finish the contract?”
When I suggested that, Yuria thought for a moment before shaking her head slightly.
“No. I think… it’s better not to wake it right now.”
“Really?”
If Yuria said so, then that must be it.
Even by game standards, her spirit affinity was unmatched, so it made sense to trust her instincts when it came to spirits.
“Spirit, excuse me for a moment.”
Yuria carefully lifted the sleeping cotton ball spirit from the floor and cradled it in her arms like a newborn baby.
“Wow… it’s so soft and fluffy…”
Yuria marveled as she gently stroked the spirit in her arms.
“Can I touch it too?”
I was a bit curious. What would it feel like?
“Yes. It seems gentle, so it should be fine.”
With Yuria’s permission, I reached out and touched the cotton ball.
The outer fluff was as soft as clouds, and a warmth emanated from its squishy body.
It felt somewhat like petting a rabbit or a cat.
“Feels nice.”
“Right?”
While chatting with Yuria about the cotton ball spirit’s true nature and what to do next, we headed back to the classroom.
For now, we decided to wait until it woke up on its own.
***
The cotton ball spirit cradled in Yuria’s arms drew quite a bit of attention.
Passing cadets glanced at it curiously every now and then.
But perhaps because of my image, no one dared approach us to talk.
Instead, there were people in the classroom who could.
Ciel and Arte.
Ciel was unraveling the black magic scroll I’d given her, and Arte was studying.
Spotting us, Ciel came running over first.
“What’s that—what’s that—? It’s so cute—! A spirit?”
Ciel examined it from every angle with fascination.
“But what attribute is this one—?”
“Yeah…? I don’t really know that yet either…”
“Yuria, a new spirit? Where’d you get it?”
Arte asked as she followed behind.
Yuria answered proudly.
“It’s the spirit Jeron gave me.”
“Jeron…”
“Hehe—. So Jeron’s the dad, Yuria’s the mom, and this is the baby—.”
Yuria’s face turned bright red at Ciel’s ridiculous comment.
She bowed her head deeply and replied.
“…I-Is that so? Maybe…”
Amid the brief commotion, the cotton ball slowly opened its eyes.
I nodded toward it.
“Hey, it’s awake.”
( ´-` )
But this time, unlike before, it had a somewhat sullen expression.
“What’s that mean?”
“Hm… I think it might be hungry.”
“What do spirits eat?”
“All sorts of things… but what they like most is mana.”
“Wanna try giving it some?”
At those words, Arte stepped up first.
She drew out her pure mana and offered it to the cotton ball.
But the cotton ball shook its head side to side and refused.
“…….”
Arte looked a little hurt by that, and seeing it, Ciel jumped in.
“I’ll try—.”
Ciel offered her mana.
This time, the cotton ball took a bite.
“Oh. It ate it.”
“Hehe—.”
Ciel struck a triumphant pose with her hands on her hips.
But at that moment, the cotton ball made a face like it tasted bad and spat it right out.
“Kugung—.”
Ciel collapsed dramatically, complete with sound effects from her mouth.
Arte, beside her, seemed oddly relieved.
‘…This thing is super picky.’
Even Ciel’s mana was no good?
“Then, let me try.”
At that point, Yuria cautiously offered her own mana to the cotton ball.
It latched on immediately, munching away deliciously, as if it had been waiting.
(๑´ڡ`๑)
Even making a satisfied face.
Yuria didn’t miss the opportunity.
She gently stroked the cotton ball as it enjoyed the mana, whispering sweetly like she was coaxing a child.
“Spirit, does it taste good? I can give you my mana every day…. Won’t you contract with me?”
The cotton ball paused for a moment, then nodded.
A faint pattern appeared on the back of Yuria’s hand.
The mark of a successful contract.
“Wow…!”
Yuria rejoiced.
‘…That easy?’
I was dumbfounded.
Contracting with upper-class or higher spirits was supposed to be extremely difficult.
Even for Yuria, I’d expected it to take days for an upper-class one, or up to a week in the worst case.
Top-class ones seemed outright impossible.
Yet this thing, judged top-class, contracted just because we offered food…
Not content with that, right after the contract, it rubbed its face against Yuria’s chest, whining for more.
“Wow— it loves it so much—.”
“Definitely Yuria’s spirit.”
After confirming Yuria as the new owner, Arte and Ciel nodded as if they had no choice but to acknowledge it.
“Got a name for it?”
Arte asked.
Spirits with distinctive traits were usually given names, and this one overflowed with them.
“Hm… Jeron, could you name it maybe?”
Yuria asked me shyly.
“Because it’s the precious spirit you gave me…”
“Hm. A name, huh.”
I thought for a bit.
White cotton ball….
How about just calling it Whitey since it’s white?
“Whitey.”
“W-Whitey…?”
Yuria’s face fell a little at my naming sense.
Then Arte gave me a rare scornful look.
“Jeron…. Isn’t that a bit too half-assed?”
[Half-Assed Naming!]
[This is slothful behavior!]
[Sloth +5!]
‘Gasp.’
Even the system acknowledged it as a half-assed name…!
Seeing Yuria’s dejected face made me feel kinda bad.
But what could I do? My naming sense has always been trash. Even making game characters, I’d just hit random generate instead of thinking up nicknames.
“W-Well then…”
I racked my brain to salvage it.
White and squishy cotton ball… white and squishy…
Kinda reminds me of Snow White?
Then Snow White (雪白). Sounds more classy.
“Snow White. How’s that?”
“Snow White…! Such a pretty name. Do you like it, Spirit?”
( ˘ω˘ )
When Yuria asked, the cotton ball puffed up contentedly. It approved.
“Then, Snow White, go rest in a comfy place now.”
Normally, after contracting, spirits enter the contractor’s personal space to rest, only coming out when needed.
So Yuria tried sending Snow White to her space now that the contract was done.
But.
Poof-
“Huh?”
No sooner had Snow White entered Yuria’s space than it popped right back out into the real world.
And burrowed naturally back into Yuria’s arms.
“Snow White…?”
Yuria tried sending it again, but it kept popping out.
“Is it feeling claustrophobic or something?”
That seemed to be it.
In the end, Yuria had no choice but to attend afternoon classes with Snow White cradled in her arms.
‘Hm….’
It was cute, but also a bit worrying.
Succeeding in the contract was great, but…
Would Snow White really help in the comprehensive evaluation?
Just then, Ker, the shadow cloak, spoke via telepathy.
[That child got quite the fine spirit.]
‘A fine spirit?’
[Indeed. I just recalled—it was around the time I was with my old master that I saw a similar spirit. It was quite strong, as I remember.]
‘Really…?’
That’s pretty good. And quite strong.
For Ker to praise it this much was high praise indeed.
‘What abilities does it even have?’
But based on what it had shown so far, it seemed so pathetic and useless that I headed to my class half-doubting.
***
That Friday, practical duel time returned.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“Isn’t the swordsmanship department guy fighting Yuria always faster than that?”
“He looks… like he doesn’t wanna fight or something?”
I got to witness Snow White’s abilities.