Chapter 1 – Let’s Take the Initiative

「Otou~shama」

I somehow manage to open the door to my father’s office, peek inside and call to my father who’s working.
Un, my articulation is disappointing……
I’m not able to pronounce correctly.

「What’s the matter, Ria?」

A man with blond hair and green eyes whom I can see only like a youth is working behind a desk.
That is my father.
Father walked up to me, lifted me up in his arms, went to the sofa and placed me on top of his lap.
Ooh, so dazzling……
Good-looking father is even better looking when he smiles.
But you see~ let’s move to the real issue at hand first.

「Umm, you see~ Lia, you know~ doesn’t want an engagement」
「Engagement? What is it, all of sudden? Ria won’t marry and stay in our house for a long time」

Father, are you suggesting to delay my marriage?
Let’s leave tsukkoming aside for now.
The discussion would get led astray.

「Un. But you see~ if told by an important pershon, you can’t lefuse, wight~?」
「…… Certainly, the royal family and the other Duke families have boys of similar age, so there’s a sound possibility in the future」
「Wight~ But, Lia doesn’t like it. If that happens, will you be awble to lefuse?」
「Mmm. If it were the royal family or other Duke families I wouldn’t be able to free you…… I would be able to decline the other houses, but……」
「Is thee no way?」
「Mmm…… Let’s see, if you made a contract with a spirit, you would be able to refuse without a problem, but……」
「Spiwit-shan? Contwakt?」

Spirit?
Spirits do exist in this world, but are spirits and breaking off an engagement related?

「Yeah. The power of every spirit differs, but they can produce crops, create lakes in deserts, they possess amazing power. By contacting a spirit, you will be able to use that amazing power」
「But, if you have amashing power, won’t you become desirawble?」

You would normally want that power, right?
Normally, you would get entrapped by the country or nobles.

「No, if the spirit’s contractor is forced into something, the spirit will get angry. In the past, there was a country that got ruined because it tried to forcefully possess a contractor. That’s why every country forbids making a move on the contractors」

I see, I see.
But if that happens, won’t you become a dangerous character?
It would be troubling if you were treated by the country as dangerous.

「Ostwacized?」
「Ostracized…… where did you learn such word……」

Father, don’t mind it.

「Oh well. Any country would treat a spirit’s contractor with care. Just by staying at their place would benefit them」

Meddling is prohibited, treated with care instead……
That sounds nice.

「Then~ Lia will make a contwakt with Spiwit-shan. How do I make it?」
「Hahaha. It would be nice if you could. But you see, it’s incredibly difficult to make a contract with a spirit. It’s rare to even come across them」
「What should Lia do if I meet Spiwit-shan?」
「You just have to name it」
「Name~?」

Give it a name?
It’s fine with something so simple?
Some difficult spells or special tools are not needed, huh.

「That’s right. But you must not name them without permission. If you name a spirit without them giving a permission, it will become a serious thing」
「Got it~ Lia will give name if Spiwit-shan wants~」

Which reminds me, there was a warning about not carefreely speaking a spirit’s name or naming them without permission, right?
So it was about this……

《Will you give me a name?》
「Eh!?」

A Spirit-san appeared right before my eyes.
A young boy the size of Licca-chan doll, with dark green hair and eyes.
Father cried in surprise at the sudden appearance of a spirit.
In fact, this Spirit-san has appeared in front of me several days ago.
But at that time, I could think only『Wow~ it’s a spirit~』, I split my snacks with him and we ate together.
Un, he then took to me.

《Give me a name!》

Oh, it appears he wants a contract.
Let’s see~

「Umm~ Hughley?」
《Hughley, is it? I’m Hughley. Best regards, Ria》

It appears he likes the name.
He’s looking somewhat happy.
The moment the Spirit-san――Hughley received the name, a light green light fired from him into me.
This is probably the contract.

「Un. Hughley, take care of me」

Yay, a made a contract!
With this, I can avoid the worst possible future.

「Ria!!?」
「Otou~shama. Lia made a contwakt~」
「Really? Did you really make a contract?」
「Un! This child, Hughley~」
《I’m Hughley. A green spirit. Are you Ria’s Father? Best regards》
「Yeah……」

Father was dumbstruck, but he still is a hunk~