Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Please. Help Me.
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"I refuse."
Alice's voice was as firm as if she were drawing a straight line with a ruler.
Tail fell silent for a moment before opening his mouth.
"A refusal... May I ask why...?"
"No."
Alice's response shot out before Tail could even finish his sentence.
She showed no sign of offering help, no matter the reason.
But Tail didn't falter.
No.
He even smirked, as if he had expected it.
"Fine. Then let me turn the tables and tell you."
"...Pardon?"
Alice furrowed her brow slightly.
Before she could continue, Tail spoke first.
His words made Alice flinch.
"The problem is that the spirits won't listen to you, right?"
Alice's eyes trembled faintly.
"H-How did you...!"
That was right.
She, the princess of the Rite Kingdom, had been born with overwhelming spirit affinity.
And so, perhaps.
She had been able to see all spirits since birth.
During her childhood, she wielded the power of an intermediate wind spirit at the youngest age ever recorded.
After that, everyone had great expectations.
Wondering what magnificent spirits she would command. The eyes of the entire kingdom were on her.
However.
'After that, no spirit ever listened to Alice again.'
She became the sole princess of the Rite Kingdom unable to handle spirits.
Because of that, the prince of the Rite Kingdom—who had forged bonds with advanced spirits of every element—must have felt pity and anxiety for her, like a child abandoned by the riverside.
And so Alice began building walls between herself and the spirits.
The princess without a spirit's blessing.
Due to that humiliating title, she closed off her heart even from other people.
'But the real cause was something else.'
Tail recalled what Yerin had told him about the story.
He opened his mouth.
"I'll help you regain the power to use spirits."
She was shaken.
And wary at the same time.
"...How could a human like you possibly do that?"
"That's a trade secret."
Tail chuckled inwardly.
'Using Khan's line here, huh.'
I wonder if that guy's doing well.
As Tail pondered to himself, he added,
"But one thing's for sure—if you make a deal with me, not only will you regain your spirit powers,"
Tail smiled gently.
"I'll also guarantee your enrollment."
At Tail's words, Alice looked anxious.
'Her mind must be racing right now.'
Elves were sensitive.
Especially to others' emotions.
So she must have realized it.
That his words were sincere.
"The moment you agree, I'll tell you. The way to regain your spirit powers."
After a moment of deliberation, Alice replied with a sigh in her voice.
"...Fine. Let's do it. But if it doesn't work, I won't let you off easy."
Tail nodded.
"Of course."
"So, what's the method?"
Tail's lips slowly parted.
Alice swallowed hard.
The way to command spirits again.
There was no way that could be possible.
However.
"Our poor princess. What are we going to do?"
"At this point, doesn't the princess have some kind of problem?"
"Hey! Don't say such irreverent things!"
"But there's never been a case where every spirit rejected someone of the kingdom's bloodline!"
Whispers from the crowd.
Gazes clinging to her.
All of it tormented her.
It had been so suffocating and painful that she had left the kingdom.
Even after leaving, spirits lingered around her.
But strangely, whenever she tried to borrow their power, they fled.
'This might be my last chance.'
With her heart pounding, Alice waited for Tail's words.
At the same time, Tail spoke.
He said it in a crisp tone.
"Consider the spirits' feelings."
And his following words left her quite flustered.
"Ask them politely. Don't command them."
Ask instead of command?
Alice stared blankly.
Yerin's story went like this.
Alice, who had grown close to Chloe, opened up about spirits.
And Chloe pointed out something truly unexpected.
Simply.
Asking spirits politely, rather than commanding them.
Spirits were beings akin to living creatures.
Each with their own thoughts, feelings, and distinct values.
If she treated them like mere tools, issuing orders without regard for their perspective?
Even though she wasn't their contractor, they would feel disrespected and leave.
In fact, after that, following Chloe's advice, Alice had been able to wield spirit powers again.
'So it's definitely the way.'
Convinced of that, Tail was certain she could wield spirit powers again if she just did this.
But Alice's thoughts were a bit different.
"Ask the spirits... politely?"
"Yes."
Just say "please" or "I beg you." What's the problem?
Alice's face flushed with shame.
"No. I can't do that."
She clenched her fists tightly.
"You want the princess of the Rite Kingdom to bow her head?"
No. He just said to ask the spirits politely—is that bowing?
Alice was clearly hostile to his words.
'According to Yerin, she changed right away. Why is she digging in her heels now?'
At the same time, a hypothesis flashed in his mind.
'Ah, maybe... because the Alice back then and now have different personalities?'
The Alice who had befriended Chloe and taken her advice had already softened through encounters with many at the academy.
'But right now, she's fresh out of her princess role.'
Right now, she was just a haughty, prideful princess.
Tail sighed.
No helping it. Time for tailored education at her level.
"Miss Alice. Listen carefully."
Tail calmed the frantic Alice, who insisted she absolutely couldn't, and spoke.
"I just said I wanted you to use your power, right?"
Alice didn't respond. She just glared at him.
"But suppose I had asked you,"
Tail's voice carried a deep weight.
"to lend me your power, roughly and rudely. Would you have accepted my proposal?"
Alice's face reddened at the same time.
It was shame of a different kind.
She realized what Tail was getting at.
"From my limited knowledge, spirits have thoughts, feelings, and emotions too. If you're going to 'borrow' their power, wouldn't asking politely be better?"
Alice was speechless, as if at a loss for words.
Finally, she opened her mouth with difficulty and said,
"...I'll try. But."
Her eyes glared at him fiercely.
"If it doesn't work, you'll pay the proper price."
With that, she turned on her heel.
To ask the spirit hovering by her side.
Indeed, due to her strong affinity, spirits were always plentiful around her.
Especially wind spirits.
But they had never once met her eyes.
After she gave up, she stopped approaching them first.
And much time had passed.
For the first time, she was facing a spirit again.
Alice swallowed hard.
Before her was a small child with white hair, white eyes, and an overall translucent glow, tilting its head.
Alice knew this spirit well.
Ren, a low-level wind spirit.
Spirits are given unique names at birth.
When contracted, they use the new name given by the contractor during the contract.
And this Ren was the spirit that had stayed by Alice's side the longest.
For some reason, it always lingered nearby but never lent her its power.
'But now it'll be different.'
Just once. Just try once.
She gripped her skirt tightly.
At that moment, the spirit beamed and said,
-Pretty big sis! Hi!
A bright, innocent laugh filled Alice's ears.
-But why? Why? Why are you looking at me? It's been so long since you looked at me!
Ren spun around her in a whirlwind.
And at the same time, Alice opened her mouth.
"...Please."
Her voice was so soft that Ren blinked.
-I didn't hear pretty big sis!
Then Alice cried out a bit louder.
"Ren... help me."
Just once. Even once, she wanted to use spirit power again.
She wanted the spirit's blessing again.
She didn't want to be the problem princess anymore.
She was desperate.
Alice looked straight at Ren and said,
"Please. Help me, Ren."
Ren's eyes widened at Alice.
Then Ren burst into laughter.
-Okay!
"!!!"
Alice's eyes widened.
-I like pretty things! I can grant a pretty big sis's request!
Ren flew through the air.
-If pretty big sis kindly reaches out her hand, I can do anything!
Ren laughed merrily and flew right up to Alice's nose.
-So don't cry, pretty big sis.
A warm breeze emanated from Ren's body, gently wrapping around Alice.
The tears at the corners of Alice's eyes scattered in the wind.
-I'll help with anything!