Outside the audience hall's grand doors, the girls whose wishes Altair had promised to fulfill gathered, chatting excitedly.
Claire's wish was already realized through Altair's decree as Fire Spirit King. Rubia was safe, and her parents, freed from prison, were on their way. Ellis and Fianna had gained their own rewards, while Kamito and Restia, though pleased, wrestled with how to awaken Kamito as the Dark Elental King.
"Where's Rinslet?" Claire asked.
"Her wish was to save her sister, right?" Ellis said.
"Rinslet's sister?" Fianna prompted.
"Yes, she's sealed in ice by the Water Spirit King." Claire explained. "Rinslet wants to free her."
"With the Water Spirit King consud by the darkness Lord Altair ntioned, responding is impossible, so her wish might be trickier." Claire mused.
"Probably." Kamito agreed. "The Water Spirit King was on his throne but silent. Even Lord Altair would struggle without his authority."
"Well, let's wait a bit longer." Fianna said, her tone light despite the words, the girls laughing and talking.
After a while, the massive doors creaked open with a rumble.
"Rinslet's out!" Claire exclaid.
From the twenty-ter-high gateway, Rinslet, dressed in a Divine Ritual Institute maiden's outfit, erged arm-in-arm with Altair. He'd shed his darkened state, reverting to his blue attire and silver armor, his hair a radiant gold, his eyes a serene blue, his smile warm and bright.
"Lord Altair's out too!" Ellis said.
The girls rushed forward, thrilled, but curiosity sparked as they neared.
"Lord Altair's back to normal." Fianna noted.
"And… why is Rinslet in a maiden's outfit?" Claire asked.
They'd bathed at the Divine Ritual Institute but wore Areishia Academy uniforms. Even Kamito, as Ren Ashbell, donned a female academy outfit. Yet Rinslet wore a maiden's garb.
"Rinslet, why the maiden's clothes?" Claire, ever direct, blurted out.
"Um…" Rinslet's face flushed, her expression stiffening. "My uniform… got torn by accident."
"Torn? So torn you replaced the whole outfit?" Claire pressed, skeptical.
"And where'd this co from? No one was inside, and we didn't see anyone bring clothes in. That's odd." Claire added.
Rinslet's blush deepened. She ducked her head, pressing it against Altair's arm, her grip tightening as she pinched his skin through his clothes.
Altair's deicidal physique and Est's steel-like resilience rendered him impervious, but sensing her pinch, he played along, wincing dramatically. "Ouch!"
"Inside, I accidentally tore Rinslet's uniform." He said. "So I had a new outfit brought for her."
"The audience hall had a maiden's outfit?" Claire asked, unconvinced.
"Of course not." Altair chuckled. "But as Fire Spirit King, I ordered a Fire Elental Princess to deliver one. They used a different entrance, so you didn't see."
"Oh, so that's it. You were careless, Lord Altair." Claire said.
"Guilty as charged." He admitted, earning another pinch from Rinslet.
"Really?" Claire eyed Rinslet, sensing sothing off but unable to pinpoint it.
"Hm? Rinslet, what's that on your shoulder?" Fianna asked.
"Huh?" Rinslet glanced down, noticing her maiden's outfit had slipped, revealing a faint red mark.
"That's… uh…" She stamred.
"That's my fault too." Altair cut in. "I was showing Rinslet my new powers inside and accidentally bumped her shoulder."
He tugged her outfit up, only for Rinslet to pinch his waist again, head still bowed.
Claire, trusting and straightforward, saw no issue. Ellis, ever practical, thought little of it. But Fianna, sharp and knowing, caught Rinslet's expression and Altair's cover. Though inexperienced, she pieced it together, a sly smile spreading across her face.
"Alright, since Lord Altair and Rinslet are here, let's celebrate!" Fianna said.
"We've been waiting ages." Ellis added.
"To the feast!" Claire cheered.
The group headed toward the sanctuary's dining hall. The chattering girls laughed as they walked, Claire turning to Rinslet. "Did Lord Altair save your sister?"
Rinslet glanced at Altair beside her, smiling softly. "Yes. She'll be free soon."
"Amazing! Everyone's wishes ca true!" Claire bead, then darted off to Kamito, where Ellis and Fianna were clinging to his arms. "That's my spirit!" She huffed, diving into the fray.
Trailing behind, Altair watched their antics, chuckling.
"You're still laughing!" Rinslet whispered, scolding him with another pinch.
"Ouch, Rinslet, easy!" Altair put on a pained act.
"Did I hurt you?" Rinslet softened, releasing her grip. Embarrassed earlier, she'd pinched hard, but with the others distracted, she couldn't bear to hurt him.
"Nah, not a bit." Altair said, shaking his head.
His dismissal made Rinslet feel she'd overdone it. She gently rubbed his waist, her gaze falling to her left hand. The mark of her contract with Fenrir was gone.
Only pure maidens could contract spirits, and Rinslet was no longer…
"I'm sorry, Rinslet, for costing you Fenrir." Altair said, noticing her expression.
"It's alright, Lord Altair." She said, smiling and shaking her head. "Fenrir's our family's ancestral spirit. After our contract ended, he returned to our clan's shrine, awaiting the next contractor."
"Besides, I have a far more important contract now, don't I?" She pressed her left hand to her chest, where her bond with Altair resided. Once a false contract forged with his magic, it was now real, empowered by his Fire Spirit King authority. Rinslet could summon him through it.
At her call, Altair could lend her his power or appear in person.
Her family had long contracted ice spirits, like Claire's clan with fire spirits. Yet Rinslet, the eldest daughter, was now the only elentalist bound to the Fire Spirit King.
Through their true contract, Rinslet gained Altair's passive abilities: a deicidal physique, Est's shared steel resilience, vastly enhanced physicality, and fire manipulation. When Altair's power descended, she could dragonize, wield atomic breath, and tap Est's magic-breaking might, without bearing Est's curse, which passed to Altair.
Thanks to this bond, Rinslet had beco the world's mightiest elentalist.
Clinging to Altair's arm, she leaned against him. "Lord Altair, you're my only spirit now. Don't you dare abandon ."
Altair nodded solemnly. "I'll stay by your side forever, as your spirit and your husband."
"Then… as your wife, may I make a request?" Rinslet asked.
"My darling wife, na it." Altair said, leaning down with a teasing tone.
Rinslet glanced at her friends ahead, ensuring they weren't watching. Blushing, she whispered in his ear, "Tonight, I'm biting your shoulder, hard enough to hurt, leaving my mark. Hmph!"
***
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