Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Seolbaek's Slothful Power
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After contracting with the spirit Jeron had gifted her.
Changes began to appear in Yuria's daily routine.
“Lord Seolbaek, you really need to get up now for your meal!”
She would start her day by waking Seolbaek on the bed, scooping it into her arms, and feeding it mana.
“Just focus once, okay? Then later I'll give you a tasty snack and pet you nice and soft.”
She would coax and cajole it into training, somehow.
“Good job~ You did so well!”
Finally, when it responded to her command by accomplishing something, she would stroke it proudly.
...Even if all it had managed was rolling over once in place.
Anyway, after spending two days like that, Yuria suddenly felt something off.
‘This... kinda feels like child-rearing?’
For some reason, it felt less like tending to a spirit and more like raising a pet or a baby.
And...
‘It looks exactly like Jeron...?!’
It even felt like she was raising a being that looked just like Jeron.
Yuria alternated glances between Seolbaek, snoring away on her desk, and Jeron, slumped over asleep next to it, looking utterly peaceful.
She tried not to notice, but the similarities were impossible to ignore.
Jeron had silver hair bordering on white, and Seolbaek was pure white, which only made it worse.
‘Hehe— So that makes Jeron the daddy, Yuria the mommy, and this one the baby—.’
She recalled what Ciel had said last time.
It was just like that.
If she married Jeron and raised a child, it would probably feel exactly like this...
‘W-what am I even thinking?!’
Yuria startled, shaking her head vigorously.
***
***
Yuria had another thought occupying her mind these days.
‘What attribute is Lord Seolbaek, exactly?’
Spirits usually displayed clear physical traits tied to their element.
Fire spirits had a reddish glow, water spirits a bluish one, and so on.
But Seolbaek was nothing more than a pure white puffball, showing no signs of any element.
‘And... what rank is it?’
According to her Spiritology textbook, higher-ranked spirits were harder to contract, possessed greater intelligence, and had more complex forms.
‘The contract went super easy... intelligence... well... doesn't seem high.... And the form couldn't be simpler....’
Every indicator pointed to Seolbaek being a ‘low-grade spirit.’
But the most crucial factor in ranking was a spirit's unique ability.
Yuria had tried all sorts of ways to draw out Seolbaek's power, but its laziness made it no easy task.
The abilities she had discovered so far? Rolling over once? And rolling over like a ball when called?
That was it.
In the end, after Spiritology class, Yuria showed Seolbaek to the professor in charge.
“Professor, I have a question about this spirit...”
The elderly professor examined Seolbaek closely before opening his mouth with a regretful expression.
“Hmm... This spirit appears to be a ‘mongrel spirit.’”
Mongrel spirit.
A rare term for spirits not born with any specific element.
Most were known to handle no element properly, rendering them nearly worthless in combat.
“Cadet Yuria. You know spirit mages have limited slots for contracts. In my opinion... it would be better for your future to annul this contract and seek out another spirit.”
It was utterly practical, reasonable advice.
She knew that, rationally.
‘B-but...’
Even in this short time, she had grown attached to Seolbaek.
It required far more care than other spirits, which only deepened their bond.
And...
‘Lord Seolbaek needs me to survive...’
Of course, she had released a few low-grade spirits in the past to contract stronger ones.
But those had the strength to live on their own.
Seolbaek, though? Without her, it would starve, sleep all day, and probably just die.
Above all...
‘...Jeron gifted it to me, and even named it himself.’
How could she abandon such a precious spirit just because it lacked power?
She simply couldn't.
She fell deep into thought, but still cared for Seolbaek with unwavering devotion and love.
***
***
Busy tending to Jeron and raising Seolbaek, Friday arrived before she knew it.
Today featured afternoon practical duels.
With all students' rank placements finalized after the last round, proper rank matches were about to begin.
Yuria's first rank match opponent was a cadet from the Swordsmanship Department.
Upper B-Rank, like her. Yuria was 7th in B-Rank, her foe 10th.
A bit below her, but still a formidable opponent.
‘I can do this...!’
Yuria steadied her nerves.
She recalled Jeron's words from before—you're special—and drew courage from them.
Before entering the arena, Yuria tried sending Seolbaek back to her spirit space.
But Seolbaek kept popping back out.
“Seriously...! It's dangerous, you can't!”
Hands on her hips, Yuria put on the scariest face she could muster. Only then did Seolbaek reluctantly return to the spirit space.
Right before vanishing, Seolbaek looked so dejected. Yuria felt a pang of guilt deep down.
But she couldn't fight while cradling it...
For safety's sake, it was unavoidable.
***
***
‘Nngh, such a tough opponent...!’
The duel began, and the Swordsmanship cadet pressed her fiercely from the start.
Clang! Clang clang!
Sharp sword strikes rained down without respite.
The attacks from Yuria's summoned low-grade spirits were all blocked by her opponent's blade. She didn't even get an opening to cast her signature spell, [Butterfly Sleep].
Borrowing an earth spirit's power for a barrier barely held off the onslaught... but cracks were starting to form.
A clear disadvantage.
‘I need some kind of breakthrough...!’
As Yuria gritted her teeth.
Poof—!
Seolbaek burst out of her spirit space.
And settled familiarly on her shoulder.
‘...Lord Seolbaek!? I told you it's dangerous...!’
As Yuria fretted.
Seolbaek opened its mouth wide and let out a massive yawn.
—Yawwwn.
And in that instant.
Her opponent's movements, which had been beast-like until moments ago, slowed dramatically.
Even the sword swings lost their power, making them trivially easy to handle.
‘...Huh?’
Yuria blinked in confusion.
Puzzled reactions erupted from the stands.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“Was that Swordsmanship guy always that slow?”
“Looks like he can’t be bothered to fight...”
From there, the battle flowed smoothly, like a dream.
Dodging her slowed foe's attacks effortlessly, Yuria finally found the perfect opening for [Butterfly Sleep].
A single purple butterfly bloomed from her fingertips, fluttered its wings, and alighted gently on the opponent's head.
“Zzz... Snore...”
The foe collapsed on the spot with a blissful expression, plunging into deep slumber.
“Combat incapacitated! Victory for Yuria Izolde!”
With the referee's call, Yuria claimed a stunned victory.
Then, she realized something.
‘Ah? Could it be...?’
Yuria looked at Seolbaek on her shoulder and asked.
“Was that you helping me just now...?”
Seolbaek was already fast asleep again, as if nothing had happened.
But a bright smile spread across Yuria's face.
***
***
‘...So that’s Seolbaek’s ability?’
Watching Yuria's duel, I felt fully awake in an instant.
To others, it might've looked like her opponent suddenly weakened. But to a veteran of [Stella Academia] like me, it was crystal clear.
The moment Seolbaek yawned.
Her foe's movement and attack speeds plummeted, the power behind her strikes weakened, and her battle fervor seemed utterly crushed.
A blatant debuff.
Similar to the status ailment ‘Exhaustion’... but somehow a superior version.
Exhaustion only drained physical stats, but this hit the mental realm too.
So what should I call it...?
‘Sloth?’
Yeah, ‘Sloth’ debuff fit perfectly.
‘Does that make Seolbaek... a Sloth spirit?’
It matched the usual laziness and the ability just shown.
Not a spirit from the game, so not certain.
‘Talk about a broken power.’
An ability that sapped the target's will to fight.
A mental attack rare for a 1st Year, triggered by a mere yawn—evasion or blocking looked insanely tough.
Lucky for me I have [Emperor's Aura] for mental immunity; without it, even I'd be threatened.
And I suspected that wasn't even its full kit.
If it grows with Yuria, the potential...
The future looked even more promising.
‘Plus, a debuff like that... would be insanely useful in the comprehensive evaluation event.’
A scenario where defensive abilities outshone offensive ones.
In some ways, better than a high-grade spirit.
Unknown spirit meant some uncertainty, sure...
“Jeron...!”
Lost in those thoughts, I looked up to see Yuria rushing over, beaming with joy after her duel.
Clutching Seolbaek preciously.
“What do I do? Turns out Lord Seolbaek’s a genius, just like you!”
She shouted, brimming with excitement.
“Hehe... I'm so happy. Jeron, could you pet it?”
I was deep in event planning, so I mindlessly reached out and stroked Yuria's head right in front of me.
Her face flushed beet red.
“Uh... Th-that is, I meant pet Lord Seolbaek... not me...”