Grrk... The Spirit's Persistent Warning
"So, this little guy talked to Kal?"
"Yeah."
Dangling limply. The small dark lump stretched out long.
Trapped firmly in Sinat's hand, dangling helplessly as its cheeks were pulled mercilessly—the dark lump was a spirit.
"But... is it really okay to handle it like that?"
"Yeah. It's what we do every day, so it's fine. At first, it put up a big fight, but now it's given up and behaves."
Kalen wondered if it was really alright to treat a spirit that way, but since he hadn't met many contract attribute mages to compare, he accepted it.
"Karyong, I told you not to hide things from your big sis!"
She treated it like a real little sister. The sight of her standing the spirit at attention and scolding it was beyond normal comprehension.
"...It was a woman?"
"Show me?"
"No."
Seeing the spirit flinch in surprise made it clear just how roughly Sinat had handled it. Sinat truly suited the word pure. She must have showered the cute, palm-sized spirit with affection—though her version of affection was anything but ordinary.
"That's weird... Usually, it'd sigh and spill the truth by now..."
She scolded it relentlessly, but the spirit only peeked at Sinat nervously, refusing to speak or show any sign.
But Kalen remembered clearly. How it had flown in through the window and jammed something—words?—straight into his mind. Now that the throbbing headache had subsided, Kalen sighed and stood.
There was no point keeping it pinned like this. He'd confirmed nothing had happened to Sinat, so there was no reason to drag out this pointless interrogation late at night.
"It's fine, Sinat. Let it go."
"Why!"
"Nothing happened to you. Sorry for waking you. Go back to sleep."
"Hmph..."
Sinat sent Karyong back to the spirit realm, feeling deflated.
"Kal."
As the spirit vanished, she called to Kalen, who had turned to leave. Dressed in her flimsy nightgown, Sinat held out both hands.
"...What're you doing."
"I'm sooo sleepy~. Carry me to bed?"
It was close enough that she could just roll over and climb in herself. Kalen nearly refused her request but noticed the playful glint in her sky-blue eyes.
Sinat often did this—asking for unnecessary favors she could easily handle alone. Since he'd already woken her from a sound sleep, he felt guilty refusing.
Kalen took her hand. "Sinat."
"That's not it~."
But her small, fragile body didn't budge. It was a token resistance; with real effort, he'd lift her easily. But if he did, he'd endure her nagging all day.
His hand shifted from her arm to cradle her delicate frame, gently placing her on the bed.
"Goodnight, Kal."
Only then did she smile in satisfaction, waving softly.
Karyong. Kalen repeated the name of the little spirit that had caused this midnight commotion, vowing silently to flick its forehead next time it appeared.
"Don't focus on achievements. Approach it with sincerity, like you're reaching out with your heart."
Behind the cabin, in the simple training ground. A girl grunted, trying to commune with the small spirit.
Her grandfather watched pitifully yet proudly.
That was the scene reflected in his monocle.
Whoosh, whoosh.
The staff had become so familiar in his hand that he twirled it absentmindedly. He'd once thought it a bit worn, but now he spun it habitually when deep in thought.
His mind lingered on yesterday's events.
—Save Sinat.
Save her? It was too vague. Coming from a spirit glued to her side all day, maybe he'd overreacted.
The only concrete detail was the target: Sinat. No clue what danger, when it would strike. Not even why it asked him instead of Blamia.
Spirits loved mana, so Blamia made more sense than mana-less Kalen. Was this some unprecedented "monarch" phenomenon?
Mysteries upon mysteries. Kalen wanted specifics from the spirit, but his throbbing head reminded him why it shook its head no.
"Danger..."
Imagining Sinat in peril was a future he refused to entertain. To prevent it, he needed to know what threat the spirit meant.
He couldn't ignore words from a spirit exceptional enough to mimic human speech.
He'd already told Blamia. For something involving Sinat, excluding his help was absurd.
So Kalen's task: uncover the danger.
Thud. Catching the staff, Kalen adjusted his monocle.
He'd thought he could relax until Dranus revived. But getting dragged into crises right after returning meant no rest.
Rakatus, Hiatt, now Dranus? Kalen swallowed a dry laugh and headed to Sinat.
To the girl who always sought him out during breaks, leaning on him reliably.
"Kal..."
"Talk. I need to know what's happening to deal with it."
Sinat had never seen Kalen like this. He was cool and quiet, sure—but always warm inside. Calm, never snapping even at her forced pranks.
Now, he gripped her spirit, interrogating it. And it wasn't sudden; he'd explained it came every day since that night, begging him to save her before vanishing. He'd even skipped sleep to test if it was a dream.
That was why Sinat couldn't protest strongly.
"You understand me. That's why you come to me every day."
Even now, he stayed calm. Tormenting as it was, he gripped the spirit firmly but otherwise terrifyingly composed.
Sinat found it novel, but Kalen grew icily calm when real danger loomed.
"I hate the idea of you in danger more, so tell me. I can handle the headache."
When the spirit's language—or mimicry—forced its way into his mind, it felt like a red-hot needle piercing his brain. Likely overload; humans couldn't process it, so his brain strained.
That's why it delivered one line then refused more. But endless vague warnings? Better to push for truth, pain be damned.
Kalen stared coldly at the dark spirit.
—Grrk, grrk.
The little lump surrendered first, nodding vigorously in agreement while wriggling.
Kalen released it. It sat on the ground, folding its wings. He gritted his teeth, bracing for pain.
—Grrk.
But contrary to expectations, no words came.
"Karyong...?"
As Sinat's puzzled voice trailed, it scurried up Kalen's back, nuzzling as if urging him to undress.
"It wants me to take off my shirt?"
"..."
He hated showing his body. Especially not to Sinat.
But this was for her. Using her as an excuse while acting for her sake wouldn't do.
Kalen hesitated, then—
Swish—
"...Ngh."
As expected, Sinat turned away, unable to bear seeing his scars. After that incident, she'd fussed over him endlessly. Time had dulled it, but facing it directly still hurt her.
That was why he especially avoided showing her. No need to reopen old wounds.
Unfazed, the spirit climbed his bare back. Unable to look, Kalen only felt it crawling.
No one saw what the dark spirit did.
—Grrk.
A short cry echoed.
Then, a dark world filled Kalen's vision.
"What are you—"
The dark world was all too familiar. Kalen whipped around.
His mental image shattered like glass, burning and distorting.
Summoning his mental image severed the spirit's manifestation—like blocking the monster that day. For a split second, he thought it a trick to escape.
He reached back frantically, but his back was empty. The lying spirit had slipped away.
As the brief dark world faded, Kalen patted the still-shivering Sinat, head turned away.
"Sinat, call it back..."
But then—a stinging pain bloomed across his back. Kalen winced.
"What the hell."
Just like the spirit's mental speech. But not in his head—directly on his back.