She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman (LN) - Volume 7 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“LET US MAKE that contract!”

Mira, now in the best of moods thanks to earning Sanctia’s consent, thrust out her right hand and activated Contract Forging. This was the starting ability of the summoner class, and worked as advertised.

As warm light enveloped her right hand, Mira slowly approached Sanctia. Wasranvel and Anrutine watched from afar, tense. As for Sanctia, she had both hands folded on her chest, eyes closed and lips pursed as if expecting a kiss.

Mira reached up to place her hand on Sanctia’s forehead.

Summon contracts could not be formed without both parties’ consent. If one party refused, it would fail, and the light on Mira’s hand would disappear. This would also happen if one attempted to form a contract with a being that could not consent.

Even after being on Sanctia’s forehead for a while, Mira’s hand still shone with the light of the contract. In fact, it was growing brighter still, becoming many rays of light that danced across the chapel. It was like a miniature light show.

“Ooh! I’ve never seen it shine this bright!” Mira squinted, her voice full of excitement.

The reaction to the contract differed depending on the summon. Effects were typically flashier the stronger the partner, but this was beyond anything Mira had witnessed.

“Is this the light of a summon contract?” Wasranvel watched the scene in fascination.

The light gradually gathered on the ground surrounding them, inscribing a magic circle. In the next moment, the circle scattered into particles of light that were sucked into Mira’s palm.

“A-are you gonna do it or not?” Sanctia’s lips trembled as her face grew redder. Her eyes were still clamped shut, and she’d missed the whole thing.

“Success!” cried Mira.

“Wha?!”

Mira raised her right hand in triumph, shouting with joy. Sanctia’s shoulders jolted up at the sound, and she cracked an eye open to see what was going on.

“A holy sword’s weapon spirit! Now this is exciting!”

Ecstatic over learning a new spell, Mira focused her attention on where she would use the summon and promptly cast it.

[Evocation: Sanctia]

A shining, white magic circle rose into the air. It contracted into one point and then burst apart, sending fragments of rainbow-colored light spinning across the walls of the chapel. From there, Mira’s new power took form.

“What…?”

…And fell to the ground with a dry, metallic clank. As Sanctia was a weapon spirit, Mira had expected her to create something like a Dark Knight or Holy Knight. She picked up the object, stunned.

Mira had summoned a sword.

It was clearly the spitting image of the holy sword itself. But as the true holy sword lay at Sanctia’s feet, she obviously hadn’t summoned the real one.

“What is the meaning of this?” Mira demanded, feeling betrayed. Her mood had gone from an all-time high to an all-time low. She barely even bothered to hold the sword she’d summoned.

“How should I know?!” Sanctia answered, cringing. She had to wonder if Mira had been possessed by some bewitched sword.

“I can’t use swords…” Mira muttered with a sigh and stared at the sword in confusion.

Well, I have only just learned it. If I keep using it, maybe it will grow into a knight.

Mira maintained hope. The problem was how to make it grow. Since it was a sword, she would probably have to fight wielding it. But she had no idea how to wield a sword…and besides, she was a mage.

“Hrmm… Maybe I should give it a try?”

Leaning on her wealth of experience, she hit upon one idea. She summoned a Dark Knight. The three spirits watched from afar, speechless, as Mira had her Dark Knight release its greatsword. She handed it the summoned sword instead.

Hrmm. It looks a little small.

The Dark Knight held the sword firmly. After confirming that it had a good grip, she ordered it to use a sword technique. It ran into the center of the chapel and swung the sword. The simple sword technique, involving lifting and swinging down, left an arc that glowed like a rainbow as a bell-like chime rang out.

“Ooh, now that’s something new!”

Despite the difference in weapon weight, the Dark Knight’s swordplay remained sharp—but its echoes and afterimage were quite different. Mira mumbled in admiration; truly, the holy sword’s weapon spirit was on another level. 

Then the rainbow arc exploded, unleashing harsh light accompanied by a shrill tearing sound.

Mira managed to wrench open her eyes, whipped around, and demanded of Sanctia, “What was that?!”

“That’s one of my powers! When my mana resonates with the air, it goes BOOM!” Sanctia explained with some pride. She added with a beaming grin, “So, this is what summoning can do, huh?” The summoned sword seemed to be just as strong as the real one.

“Oho. And that’s the power of the holy sword? Incredible indeed!” Curiosity gripped Mira, and she ran over to seize the sword from the Dark Knight before raising it overhead. “Hi-yaah!”

With a shout, she swung it down. The sword was drawn by gravity and smacked into the floor, leaving neither a rainbow trail nor a bright explosion.

Mira’s arm strength and skill alone could not wield the sword well enough.

She turned to Sanctia wordlessly for an explanation.

“Well, I am a holy sword. Y’know? It’s not like just anyone can use me. You’re a summoner, so…right?” she rattled off.

“Hrmm… Either way, I am glad to have a new spell in my arsenal.” Mira relaxed her frown and gazed with feeling at the summoned sword.

Sanctia looked upon it like her own child and blushed. “You’re my first time, so treasure it, okay?”

“Only if it ever comes in handy…” Mira sighed and dismissed the sword. “Now,” she muttered, and approached Wasranvel with a grin, “I recall you were the spirit of stealth?”

Wasranvel understood from her grin that her sights were now set on him. He smiled sheepishly. “Er, yes…?”

“I’ve never met such a spirit. Can I assume you are a primordial spirit?” Primordial spirits were a subcategory of spirits who inhabited the natural world and governed phenomena and elements.

“Yes, that is correct.”

Mira looked up at Wasranvel and grinned wider. “And you said you’d do anything within your power…?”

The spirit of stealth met her gaze unflinchingly and answered, “Of course. If you desire my power, Mira…”

“Indeed I do!” Mira gave her heartfelt response and slowly reached her hand out to touch his brow. There was a small flash of light: the light of the contract. Before long, a summoning circle appeared and dissolved again. “Hrmm, it’s complete. Wasn’t very flashy, though.”

Unlike Sanctia’s contract, this one was just as low-key as the spirit of stealth’s name would imply.

“Yes, I’m surprised, too…” Wasranvel was evidently disappointed by the difference between his and the previous one.

Having felt the formation of the contract, Mira held her hand out with a satisfied smile. “Well, I’ll be counting on you.”

“And I, you,” said Wasranvel as he quickly recovered and accepted the handshake.

“Incidentally, I see you’re a greater spirit? I could tell during the contract process.”

“More or less.”

The words to summon the spirit of stealth had appeared in Mira’s mind like a forgotten dream. Greater magic was essentially beyond the reckoning of humans, and the incantation was like a ritual used to elevate one’s mana to that level. It wasn’t just there for show.

“Stealth alone isn’t much of a descriptor. What sort of power do you have, exactly?” Mira asked with great interest.

With a forlorn look, Wasranvel answered, “It’s sort of hard to describe, isn’t it…?”

“It’s awesome, but it’s as plain as his presence!” Sanctia laughed behind him.

Wasranvel shot a glare back at her and continued, “Allow me to explain.”

The power of the spirit of stealth was the ability to create quiet in any situation. And not just in regard to sound, either; it also extended to light, mana, and the like.

As it turned out, he had the ability to erase all sounds, hide one’s form, and make one's mana and presence undetectable. In other words, the spirit of stealth’s power was to be a perfect recluse.

“Oho…” Mira said thoughtfully.

Hearing her understated response, Wasranvel sank into sadness yet again. “Pretty boring, right…?”

But Mira broke out into a sunny smile. “That is incredible! I’d thought from your name that you would only be able to erase sound, but what you described is incredibly powerful!” Mira thought over the many applications of his powers, and arrived at the conclusion that his power was among the greatest. She was overjoyed at this chance encounter.

“Do you think so? Thank you.” Wasranvel beamed.

From there, Mira turned to the last spirit. Anrutine tensed visibly under Mira’s gaze.

“Might I ask that you return me to where you found me?” the summoner asked. Regardless of her good fortune, she was still under a lake, and only one spirit here could safely get her back on land.

“I was ready for you to demand a contract from me, too…” Anrutine seemed almost disappointed.

“I already have a water spirit.”

Contracts with different spirits governing the same element were impossible. If Mira tried to make a contract with Anrutine, she would have to give up her contract with Undine, whom she’d raised so lovingly. And that she could never do.

A mixture of relief and sadness crept across Anrutine’s face.

***

“Thank you for saving me!” Sanctia piped up before enfolding her in another bracing goodbye hug.

Mira grimaced at the breastplate pressed up against her face, but responded, “Of course. I’m sure this was fate.”

Then she grumbled about being princess-carried the whole way to the surface. As they emerged, the sky above the forest-ringed lake was starless—but in the air, there hung countless lights. They painted over the black of the night sky, flowing in a bright river like the Milky Way.

“What…in the world is this?” Mira asked.

“Migratory glowflies. This time of year, they all head north like that.”

“Goodness. What a magical sight.” It was an unexpected bit of good luck to see them. Normally she’d be fast asleep at this time of night.

After gazing at the night sky until she was satisfied, Mira strode back to the wagon. She passed by Aaron, who slept leaning against the wagon’s driver’s seat, and peeked at Scorpion and Snake, who were snuggled together atop the wagon’s roof.

“I can’t believe they’re still asleep. Even when I’m this close, they haven’t woken up at all…”

“I can even do this while they sleep.” Wasranvel flung open the door to the wagon with a clatter.

“How useful.”

Not even a veteran like Aaron reacted to the sudden noise. Mira was quite impressed by Wasranvel’s abilities.

“Well, Mira, I suppose this is goodbye.”

“Indeed. Tell the girls I said goodbye, too.”

“I’ll do just that,” Wasranvel promised as he closed the door. He then turned around once and bowed deeply before gliding back into the water with Anrutine.

After seeing the spirits off, Mira wriggled out of her dirty clothes and nestled into her futon. It was well past midnight, and she soon fell asleep once again.