[Is it you? The one who called ?]
The bird that had approached with quick steps shook its head.
“Cute.”
From behind , Maronnie mumbled to herself.
A tiny baby bird with a white belly beneath brown feathers. It was so small, smaller than my fist, making question if it was indeed a spirit, but its cuteness was undeniable. Though its ability as a spirit was questionable, it wasn’t unusual—after all, the cuckoo bird, which had a contract with Jin Dallae, was also a spirit.
Tap tap.
The little creature, hopping toward us, circled around the three of us before chirping in a low voice.
[What, haven’t you seen a spirit before? Should I gouge your eyes out?]
Despite its cute appearance and voice, it spewed rciless insults that created an intense contrast. The atmosphere around us grew chilly.
“……”
[At least you recognize beauty when you see it.]
A creature barely the size of a bite yet so full of itself. Maronnie stepped back with a stiffened expression, while even the Sage glanced at . The smile on her face seed to ask what I was going to do.
[So, why did you summon ? Don’t you know I have a busy schedule? You, with the black hair.]
“What? ?”
A laugh slipped out.
[Massage my feet. You called , so you can at least do this, right?]
“What are you, anyway?”
[Hmph! Don’t talk back. Oh, right~ You, the one with blue hair?]
“Yes!?”
[You look like you can sing. Give a chirp.]
Fluttering its pure white feathers and stretching its hind legs, the little bird struck a pose, its behavior anything but ordinary. Even rri, known to be conceited, didn’t act like this right from the start. Clearly, it was used to being pampered.
“Shiheon?”
“Yes, Sage?”
[Co on, massage~]
Ignoring the impatient creature the size of a rat, I quietly conversed with the Sage.
“To form a contract, mutual consent is required. You’ll need to prove your superiority or establish so kind of dominance.”
“…Aha.”
“In most cases, the contract involves offering part of your magic, life force, or even food. It has quite the pride, doesn’t it? You understand what to do?”
Even though it was drawn to my magic and summoned, to ensure it could be summoned at will, a contract with mutual terms and oaths had to be made. So now, I needed to show this bird its worth.
[Hey, you black-haired one, hurry up!]
I looked blankly at the terrible little creature spouting a blatant insult.
“He doesn’t look like he’s going to listen.”
“Well, that’s expected. The tree spirits… hehe.”
“Why? Are they famous?”
“You’ll find out soon enough if you succeed in the contract. We might be here all day.”
While talking with the Sage, I glanced again at the little creature. Never mind Maronnie, who had started singing, I just wanted that fluffy backside out of my face.
“Maronnie.”
“Yes, Sage?”
“Let’s be on our way. Shiheon will need so ti to form the contract.”
“…Ah, understood.”
Maronnie looked at with a sympathetic expression, as if pitying for being stuck with such a creature.
I felt a slight headache coming on, unsure how I’d handle this. Could this little rascal really control my magic? It looked neither trustworthy nor dutiful, just foul-tempered.
“Shiheon.”
The Sage whispered a small piece of advice.
“If it tries to run, cut off its magic flow through the spell circle.”
“That ans…”
“I trust you’ll figure it out.”
Hearing that, I gave a slight nod. As always, the Sage offered a solution imdiately. Leading Maronnie away was probably part of his plan too. I hesitated to expose innocent Maronnie to a cruel scene.
“I’ll co by tomorrow morning.”
“That long? Shiheon, are you okay?”
The Sage winked, and I winked back. The little creature, oblivious to its fate, wiggled its small feet before . I waved Maronnie off, telling her not to worry.
I’d slept outdoors countless tis in Dowon, even with severed limbs.
-Bzzt.
[Whoa, you startled ! I nearly had a heart attack! Don’t use magic recklessly in front of !]
The creature jumped in surprise as a surge of magic crackled. For all its attitude, it was sensitive to magic. It chirped nervously on the spell circle, which only amused more.
Hearing the explanation of spirit contracts reminded of a famous monster-raising ga from Japan. You captured cute, small creatures in balls, calling them “friends” even after battling them into submission.
I kneeled slightly to look directly at the little creature.
[Ugh, dirt got on my one-of-a-kind, beautiful feathers! Hey, black-haired one, clean up.]
“I’m not a tree, you know.”
[What?!]
The tiny bird instantly shot back at my reaction, spreading its wings wide in annoyance and hopping around.
[Where did the others go?]
“It’s just you and . We’re here to form a contract.”
[Contract?]
At the word “contract,” the creature finally stopped to look at . Not long after, it let out a small, mocking chirp.
Chirp.
A quick, unimpressed sound. It was clearly a laugh.
The bird placed its wings on its belly, though the structure made it impossible to cover its whole white belly, and it laughed aloud.
[Hahaha! A contract? A contract! You really think you can form a contract with ? With your pitiful connection to spirits? You, wanting ?]
The more it babbled about its beauty, the more irkso it beca. No matter how pretty soone was, if they were a full-blown narcissist, they would lose their charm quickly.
[Ah… If you wanted to make laugh, that was a good joke, darkie. I might ask my treasurer to throw you a coin.]
Treasurer? Could it be that spirits had a hierarchy or economy among themselves? The creature had no clue about its own situation.
[Let go now. I’ve laughed enough.]
“No.”
Letting it go was up to .
This tiny bird, no bigger than my finger, dared to mock . It was ti to show this spoiled little creature a dose of reality.
I extended my hand and touched the spell circle, drawing out a blade of black magic at my fingertip.
[What are you doing?]
I sliced the spell circle in half.
Crack!
With a strange noise, the magic was severed, and the creature shrieked in surprise.
[What do you think you’re doing!?]
“What does it look like?”
To deal with trash, one must beco trash. It had asked for a foot massage, didn’t it? That, I could provide. Although I might accidentally break a bone if I misjudge my strength.
At the very least, it needed a lesson in manners. For troubleso little creatures, nothing works better than a 30cm ruler or a stick.
I gripped the bird firmly by its neck. The creature flapped its wings wildly, trying to escape as I lifted it slowly.
[Don’t touch !]
My face lood closer, reflecting in the small bird’s beady eyes.
[Wh-what are you going to do?]
“What could it be?”
[Do you… do you know who I am? I am the Third Princess of Arcadia, Tree Legs-]
I released my grip on it montarily. Seeing an opportunity, the little bird flapped its wings and shot up into the sky.
Fwip fwip!
[…Hah!]
It was struggling desperately to escape. I infused myself with magic, slowly floating up into the air.
I prided myself on my wind magic affinity, renowned worldwide. Flying through the air was nothing to , even for a creature like a bird that spent most of its life in the skies.
Boom!
A jet-like gust kicked up a huge dust storm from the ground. It wouldn’t get far with those short wings. Spirits relied on their contractor’s magic to use their own powers, but since we hadn’t ford a contract yet, it was just a bird.
Even if I threatened Tree Legs physically, it wouldn’t affect its true self. A spirit’s real form existed in another realm, and this bird was rely a projection. However, it could still feel unpleasant sensations, even if it didn’t hurt enough to make it scream. That much, I’d learned briefly.
Of course, whether Her Highness could withstand even a small amount of pain is another question.
I was not keen on forcing submission through pain either. I’d prefer to demonstrate my power first, to show that I could supply high-quality magic.
[Aaahhh!]
And so, the ga of tag began.
“Your Highness?”
The princess had vanished. Disappearances were not uncommon in the Spirit Kingdom, after all.
However, it was unusual for a princess with even a trace of the Spirit King’s bloodline to disappear. Perhaps the summoner was exceptional, or the gemstone used as a dium was of unusually high quality.
Spirits didn’t have a fixed appearance. They often resembled elents of nature, and even when humanoid, they were usually small for ease of movent.
“…Her Highness is calling for .”
The princess’s knight.
Spirits also had a hierarchical system, and a princess would naturally have a knight to protect her.
The knight, sweeping back her bright yellow hair, bit her lip.
Spirits responded to summons from humans or Tree People. The Spirit Realm and the Human Realm were like light and shadow, unable to see each other but occasionally linked through magic. This was why so spirits responded to calls.
While so might see it as an unfortunate situation, it was not entirely so.
Usually, a spirit could gain necessary magic or resources for survival. However, there were also those who responded mischievously.
Even if a projection was destroyed, it was not that painful—like the sting of a torn hangnail.
‘But… Her Highness would have trouble even with that level of pain.’
Overprotection. The knight picked at her nails.
The ergency signal that had been sounding since last night had abruptly gone silent. She had no choice but to act.
With her mind set, she prepared to take form herself.
Flash!
Spreading her wings wide, she lifted her head. Though burdenso, she’d enter the human realm if it ant protecting Her Highness. Her Highness was calling her.
‘…Please wait for , Your Highness. I’m coming!’
[If… if I just make the contract… Ahh!]
The knight’s eyes widened.
Her adorable and delicate princess, who wouldn’t hurt a fly, was being manhandled by a human male.
The man’s touch revealed the white belly hidden beneath Tree Legs’ feathers, arching her neck like a bow.
[…Magic… such… magic, I’ve never felt anything like this… my mind is blank….]
“Where did the screeching bird from before go? Hey.”
Tap tap.
The man tapped her beak lightly, opening her mouth slightly. The princess, subdued by his magic. The casual way he handled her was an act so disturbing that Her Highness, if herself, would be enraged, cursing him for days.
Magic gathered at the man’s fingertips. Even to the knight, the quality was astounding.
In the past few hundred years in the Spirit World, she had never seen magic with such superior properties.
Gulp.
The knight swallowed hard as his fingers brushed against Tree Legs’ rear. The magic intensified the spirit’s presence and strength.
Smack.
[Aahhh…]
Tree Legs wailed, experiencing a slight pain.
This was Her Highness. The princess who whimpered at the slightest touch on her feet was being spanked.
“See, I told you to stop acting up. You even tried to attack with magic.”
[I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I’ll never act up again-]
Smack!
[Ugh…]
To others, it looked like re taps, but to the princess, it was an assault on her pride. The sheer humiliation made Tree Legs tightly close its eyes, mouth open as if drooling.
The knight’s heart stirred.
[You… you fiend!]
Unable to hold back, she shouted at the man. How dare he defile Her Highness with that magic! She drew power into her wings, ready to attack.
“…And who are you?”
[Release her at once! Do you even realize the honor of the one in your hands!?]
She yelled in fury.
[W-Wait a mont…]
[Your Highness, hold on a little longer!]
Tree Legs finally recognized her and tried to intervene. But the knight, filled with righteous anger, couldn’t hear the princess. Her only thought was how to deal with the man in front of her.
The knight fashioned a sword from magic, preparing to strike him down.
“Are you two acquainted?”
[You don’t need to know! Release Her Highness at once!]
The man frowned briefly before shrugging. Then, casually, dark magic with hints of the Tree Spirit King and Heavenly Demon began to rise around him.
It was unnoticeable to most, but the knight instantly recognized its rare nature.
“A yellow-bellied woodpecker… having two is better than one, I suppose.”
He tapped Tree Legs’ rear once more with his finger.
[Ugh… Sniff… How am I supposed to face my father now…]
A bird in each hand. Perfect. He had found a fitting companion for the empty slot.
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