Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Eagle Spirit
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The rock spirit Lukkar was hunkered down in his domain within the ogre's sanctuary.
-Ignis? Can you hear me, Ignis?
At that moment, Claude's voice echoed from somewhere. Even though it wasn't calling for him.
"Fire Spirit Queen, your contractor is calling for you."
Lukkar closed his eyes and pushed his consciousness into the spirit realm.
"His desperate voice has called out several times already. Wouldn't it be best to answer him?"
"...I want to, but I can't."
That place was empty at the same time, a space where countless energies existed and vanished repeatedly.
He could see the Fire Spirit Queen, shrunk to the size of a child, curled up. Lukkar moved his consciousness toward her and asked.
"You look very different. Are you alright?"
"I'm not alright. Not right now."
Ignis peeked open one eye and shook her head.
She still hadn't recovered from the shock of that moment.
Ignis recalled the instant when Claude, who had escaped the otherworld, leaped out of Zectbaya's body.
The possession time had already reached its limit.
By her calculations, if the possession ended like this, Claude wouldn't survive.
No matter how much he had linked life with the tree spirit.
So she first dismantled her own possession over Lukkar.
It was fine without Claude's orders. At that moment, she was almost the same existence as Claude.
At the same time, she slightly sealed Claude's consciousness, knocking him out.
The Ignis left alone in the flesh then absorbed the entirety of the shock from Lukkar's possession unraveling.
And then she herself dismantled the possession.
In the end, Claude's body only had to endure the damage from the possession with Ignis. And 90 percent of that had been taken by the tree spirit in his place.
"That was a dangerous choice. For a contractor who won't even live a full hundred years, for a spirit queen to risk annihilation."
Lukkar grumbled at Ignis. She shook her head with a smile.
"It wasn't that bad. Do you think I'd die from something like that?"
"There was a possibility."
"It was as good as none."
Ignis smiled as she looked at her regenerating body.
"Heh heh. It all went according to plan. The three-day recovery just stretched to about six days."
"If your calculations had been off even slightly, and it had taken eight days, you would have been annihilated."
"Yeah. It would have."
Ignis nodded readily.
"But it was worth it. You saw it too, didn't you? That world beyond the dimension."
"I couldn't see it properly. Your majesty controlled most of the will."
"Really? What a shame I missed out on the show."
Ignis narrowed her eyes, recalling that moment.
"It was an unbelievable sight. Beings composed of thousands, tens of thousands of pure streams, gathered in one place, reveling in another's death. Even as a spirit queen, if I'd seen it alone, I would have been overwhelmed and unable to do anything."
"Is that true? For you, Fire Spirit Queen Ignis?"
"It was that shocking. And yet that guy jumped right in there and started sweeping away the enemies."
Ignis gazed at Claude's face beyond the dim space, anxiously calling for her with an uneasy expression.
"He's truly an astonishing human. To explode with rage in a place like that."
"Wasn't he even more fired up because your majesty was possessing him?"
"No. Even I was overwhelmed by Claude's emotions in that moment and had to completely hand over control. The feeling that Claude and I shared then. It went beyond mere rage, a long, deep regret...."
Ignis started to say something but shook her head.
"Anyway, Claude is worth it. So prepare yourself, Lukkar, creation of Terajik. You've got a rough road ahead too."
"I'm already walking the roughest path imaginable right now."
Lukkar glanced back at his body in the real world as he spoke.
"Every time the contractor summons me, I'm always shattered to pieces."
"But in a possession state, you can endure even worse."
"You're right. If that moment comes, I won't hesitate."
"Good attitude."
Ignis beamed at Lukkar.
"This is so fun. Even in the spirit realm, to have a conversation like this with you, of a different attribute."
"Indeed. I was quite surprised at first too."
"It's because you and I both possessed Claude's body at the same time. Our domains lightly intertwined."
"It was something that had never happened before and won't again."
"That's why it's fun. Ah, I'm recovering nicely now."
In an instant, Ignis's body grew from a child to a young woman. Even amid this, she burst into laughter at Claude's voice calling her.
-Ignis! Can't you hear my voice? Is something really wrong...
"Hahaha! What am I to do with this? That voice sounds even sweeter today. Is it because we've already become one?"
"I don't feel that way particularly."
"Of course not. A spirit queen's possession mixes the two together."
"I don't mix. I just provide power."
"True. And for a first experience, it was this good...."
Ignis gazed at Claude's face with an affectionate expression.
"I'm looking forward to how much greater joy this guy will bring me. That desperate voice calling me—how could I not answer?"
* * *
-Stop calling, Claude. I can hear you fine now.
"Ignis!"
I shot up from my seat without thinking and shouted.
"What happened! You didn't respond for three days—I was worried!"
-I'm finally recovered. But keep in mind you can't summon me for another three days.
"Eh? Why...."
Only then did I realize everyone's eyes were on me. Oh no, my mistake. I forgot this is the knight order headquarters conference room.
"Prince? Why'd you suddenly stand up and talk to yourself? Have a dream?"
As everyone glanced around awkwardly, unflappable Tolari asked. I gave an embarrassed smile to Kyle, who had been briefing on the Bangar region's damage.
"Sorry to interrupt the report. The spirit queen suddenly connected in my head, and her voice popped out."
"No problem. It seems important, so please handle it first."
At the mention of spirits, the knights all went "ooh" and started murmuring. The queen whispered softly in response.
-My spirit possession is always like that. Usually need about six days rest.
'But summons have a three-day cooldown at most, right?'
-Summoning and possession are different. Just know that and deal with it. I need more rest, so unless it's urgent, leave me alone for three days.
Then the connection cut off. What? Possession has a longer cooldown? Six days is way too long.
'Lukkar? Can you hear me, Lukkar?'
-I hear you, contractor.
Phew, at least Lukkar picks up right away.
'You need six days rest after possession too? But you possessed again after almost just one day fighting Zectbaya, right?'
-I'm not a spirit queen.
'Does it vary by spirit?'
-It varies by spirit and situation. Ask when you need it. I'll tell you then.
The connection cut off again. Hmm... the vibe feels different from usual. Like he's hiding something.
"You really stay calm in any situation, Prince."
Dabi, sitting next to me, gave a wry smile.
"Even facing that monstrous thing that popped out suddenly, you handled it coolly. And now the spirit queen speaks to you out of nowhere, and you regain composure right away. Impressive."
"Nah, it's nothing."
I waved it off like it was no big deal.
Of course, inside I'm a raging storm, boiling with fury. I just don't show it.
If you keep repeating nearly a century's time in 10-year loops....
It becomes natural. Though sometimes excitement makes something slip out.
Excitement, passion.
Maybe it's because every regression puts me back in a young boy's body?
No matter how cunning the soul inside has lived over a hundred years.
Packed into a 15-year-old's body, it naturally gets influenced by the flesh.
Maybe that's why I can keep doing this without getting sick of it—fresh youth supplied every time?
"The spirit queen thing was no big deal. Kyle? Continue the report?"
"Yes, Prince. Next is the damage report for Neft."
Neft, the village smashed by Zectbaya's breath.
"Neft had 447 registered residents. Six dead, 17 injured. Of course, all the injured recovered fully thanks to your quick treatment, Prince."
"Only six dead?"
"There was a harvest festival going on."
"Harvest festival?"
"A kind of celebration. All nearby villages gathered in the big city of Vindyr, eating tree cakes and enjoying the harvest festival, they say. We can call it really lucky."
"Yeah, lucky indeed."
Come to think of it, the city we heard about ahead of time was packed with people? Meanwhile, the villages we rescued had too few people for their size.
Exhausted after rescuing survivors and treating the injured, I passed out without checking details, but that's the story.
"Afterward, reconstruction of the destroyed villages began under your name, Prince. Support funds for all residents and condolence money for the dead—all paid out."
That was my order. Village turned to rubble—they need money to hold on.
"Good job. Handled it fast despite short time."
"The Guspf Merchant Guild folks we rushed in worked hard. And the search operation up to just before I returned...."
Kyle flipped a page in his documents and took a deep breath.
"Whew. Over 2,000 gold coins recovered so far."
"2,000? For real?"
"Seems the Arch Wizard hoarded more money than expected."
"Hey, not all Arch Wizards are like that. That old man was just a pirate."
Tolari wagged his finger in retort. Kyle gave a wry smile and corrected himself.
"Sorry. The recovery from Arch Wizard 'Baya's' ruined mage tower will continue. Huge assets scattered outside, but we suspect an enormous warehouse underground too. Just clearing the debris will take days."
"What if the guild folks pocket some?"
"Never happen."
Kyle shook his head gravely.
"The Guspf Merchant Guild survived thanks to you, Prince. They would never do anything to tarnish your name."
"Yeah, got it. No need to get serious."
"Oh, about that recovered money."
We already settled with the ministers at the palace yesterday on this.
"It's all mine. Of course, gotta cover village and ruined farmland restoration costs."
"That's a relief. Huge relief."
Kyle suddenly patted his chest. His reaction's off? Does rebuilding smashed villages cost that much?
"Our funds are still plenty, right? Short on cash? Want ten thousand more gold from the vault?"
"Actually, the land...."
"Land?"
"Land, well, farmland restoration costs are uncalculable."
"The farmland around the mage tower? Yeah, Zectbaya trashed it bad."
"Worse than that—it's the corpses. Monster corpses are so huge, disposal costs alone, plus fluids leaking out contaminated the surrounding soil. Might not be farmable next year."