Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 13 – Give And Take (4)

Tiny bundles of light whirled around her in excitement.

“Kyaak!”

Sienna was startled and sat down, closing her eyes. When she opened her eyes, the light that had filled the room had disappeared.

“…Uh.”

‘What the hell is this?’ Sienna grabbed her pounding heart and barely opened her mouth.

“…Wh-what?”

— I’m a spirit. I was waiting for the Master.

Sienna took a step back and shook her head at the spirit with an excited approach.

Thud.

Her back hit the wall. She was startled and muffled her words.

“I-I never summoned you.”

‘What kind of spirit comes out on their own?’

She used to read some fantasy novels.

A spirit can only be summoned by drawing a magic circle, pouring magic solution, and sprinkling fairy powder on it. Besides, it doesn’t just show up to anyone. It was a law to show themselves only to the person they liked.

However, this bundle of lights, which calls itself a spirit, cut off the start and end of the explanation and just jumped into it.

— Come on, let’s make a contract.

“Huh? Suddenly, what…”

— It won’t take long. It’ll be over soon.

It doesn’t make sense.

What kind of contract, all of a sudden like this? This is just like roasting beans with lightning and eating them.*[ T/N: Meaning to behave in an impatient and hasty manner. ]

Besides, that lump of light, whether it’s excited or impatient, doesn’t sit still.

She asked, grabbing her throbbing head.

“I’m dizzy, can’t you just stay still?”

— Yeees.

Well, it seems to be good at answering, too.

Sienna patted her chest in surprise and decided to start step-by-step.

“Really, spirit?”

— Yes. I told you so.

“Then where do you belong?”

— Belong?

“Water? Fire? Wind? Earth? Or is it electricity or light because you’re twinkling?”

She was curious for once.

Spirits aren’t something you can easily meet.

Sienna peered through the beams of light with her twinkling eyes, but that beam of light avoided her gaze.

Even without eyes, nose, and mouth, Sienna certainly felt that way.

— Uh…

“Uh?”

— Well…

“Well?”

— It’s a bit vague.

“Vague?”

— Is it the air that surrounds this world?

‘So… not water, fire, earth, or wind? Light or darkness?’

“So, you’re saying you’re the air? Then, the spirit of the air?”

—Yes. That’s the closest explanation.

“If it’s right, it’s right, and if it’s wrong, it’s wrong. What’s the closest explanation?”

— What do you know? Originally, spirit cannot be summarized in a word.

For whatever reason, the spirit rambled about stories she didn’t ask for.

— Humans don’t know us in the first place. They just name us as they please, and think it’s convenient.

“So, it’s not like the water or the fire spirit that I know.”

— I’m a bit more complex and awesome than them!

She calmed the angry spirit with an unfeeling voice.

“Wow, that’s right. I’m sorry I didn’t know.”

— Well, that’s fine.

“What’s your name? I’m Sienna.”

— I don’t have it yet.

“Yeah? So, for convenience, I’ll call you Bell.”

Well, since it came out of Stern’s Bell, Sienna quickly decided on the nickname.

— What? That’s too tacky! It doesn’t match my greatness at all!

It’s picky as well…

“It’s just for convenience. You don’t like that?”

— What is the Master asking me?

The bundle of lights, no, Bell shone as if they were patronizing.

“By the way, I was wondering what spirits look like, do they all look like this?”

— Spirits do not have a fixed appearance. This world is its nature itself. It just looks different depending on what the master has in mind or what they want.

‘This look must be…’

The smooth, round—

“Dandelion?”

— Oh. Do you like dandelions?

The voice, which had not been impressed the whole time, became a little brighter.

“Yes. I like it.”

There was a big and precious dandelion that now took over Sienna’s head.[ T/N: *cough* that Dandelion *cough* ]

‘I want to see him…’ Although it’s only been a day since she was apart from him.

Besides, she forgot to tell Anna.

The spirit she met by chance was strange, but she decided to hurry up a bit.

Sienna picked up Stern’s Bell that had fallen to the floor and put it in place before stopping.

“But you mean, did you come from this jewel?”

— Yes.

“How, no, why were you in there?”

Everyone believed that Stern’s Bell contained the divine protection that protects Stern. But, the one who lived there was not a guardian deity, but a spirit.

She felt betrayed in many ways.

When she asked a question, the spirit was excited again and began to explain. It seemed to like to talk.

— It will be quick if you understand that this Stern’s Bell itself is a magic circle. It is also the gateway to the spirit world. Of course, not everyone has access to this passage. It meant that only I can do it.

Of course, the end was always self-bragging.

What it was, she didn’t fully understand how this situation was going, but she was clear about one thing.

“Then, was it you who made the bell sound twelve years ago?”

— Yes. I was joking around. It’s been a long time since I’ve met a person with the right wave, so I was excited.

“You said… my wave hit you?”

— Yes. Perfectly.

“No way.”

The spirit, who misunderstood her remarks, added comfortingly.

— This is why the world is unfair. There are people who are gifted. So, you can have confidence.

“You think I have talent as a psychic? What the hell are you talking about?”

— Well, you have a big mouth for starters…

“I can hear you.”

Bell quickly changed the subject.

— Hmm. Anyway, the master’s friendliness is amazing. Great, I just recognized it at a glance. If you are with me, you will surely become a great Elementalist. Although my magic is not good right now, so let’s train a little every morning… Ah, water lilies are good at dawn because…

‘…You, you’re too much of a talker in this area.’

Bell was already making plans for Siena’s life at will.

As there was no sign of it ever ending, she decided to intervene.

“Last time I skimmed through the book, I heard that spirits need a clear soul.”

‘Am I not too depraved?’

Sienna scratched her neck.

“It’s a little bit odd saying this with my mouth, but I like money. My dream is to have fun and eat.

— Yes. I know it very well.

“How?”

— The Master is very, very, very transparent. So, your desire is clearly visible. How could such a person exist? I was impressed.

“Well, I guess you can take it that way.”

Interpretation is free, though it’s more of an interpretation than a dream.

At this point, she decided to ask a question.

“But are you a man or a woman?”

— Spirits have no gender. Oh, of course, it depends on the spirit, but it’s different from humans anyway.

“Sorry. I was too narrow-minded.”

Bell circled around Siena in admiration.

— You admit it quickly. Certainly, you are the master I have chosen.

“What is this?”

Hahaha. The two looked at each other and smiled.

The situation seemed to be moving in a haha-hoho, harmonious, and good mood, but Sienna soon stopped her laughter.

The density of the air flowing between the two became even higher.

“But Bell, I’ve been thinking about it since a while ago.”

— What is it, Master?

“Why am I your master?”

— What?

“No, why should I sign a contract with you in the first place?”

— That’s…

At last, she smiled kindly at Bell, who had lost its words. She concluded,

“Because I have no intention of making a contract with you.”

— …Yes?

For the moment, Bell thought it had heard wrong.

Although it was the first contract, Bell had watched the contracts of other spirits, and most of the choosing positions came from the spirit side—This person is too low on magic. That person is so evil. That person is also very nice. That person, um, it’s funny for some reason.

For each of their tastes and reasons, the spirits decided whether or not to sign a contract. Thus, it was almost impossible to meet a human who perfectly matched their taste and wavelength.

Bell has been waiting for a contractor for a long time.

Spirits that did not contract were limited in their actions and abilities. The time it could stay in the human world was also short, and it could not fully utilize its original powers.

Obviously, very few people were aware of this fact.

So, of course, it thought this young human would like it—What an honor it is to be chosen by a spirit!

It even cheered her up and even offered to sign a contract, but Siena felt hostile.

“Bell, I don’t know if this applies to spirits as well, but we are intelligent.”

— Huh? What is that…

“Twelve years ago then, what made you so shiny the moment I touched you?”

— That’s just a joke…

“You said you had the same wavelength as me, you said you liked me. If you appeared in such a beautiful way with such a beautiful sound, you should have taken responsibility.”

Of course, she didn’t think that the misfortunes of her childhood were wholly the spirit’s to blame… because Pierre was a bad guy from the beginning.

However, she also knew that if the bell hadn’t rung that day, things would have been better than it is now.

“You left me alone.”

A spirit is obviously stronger than a human child.

“Why did you show up now?”

Would it have been different if it had appeared a little earlier? Such expectations and disappointments could not be relieved. Thankfully, Sienna soon came to her senses.

What’s the use of all this?

“Haa.”

She let out a deep sigh.

“Bell, I’m sorry.”

— Yes?

“There is someone else who I really need to be angry with, but I easily did my anger on you.”

— ‘Easy’? ha!

Bell, who was a little embarrassed by her anger, had no reaction at all, though she was furious at the word ‘easy.’

“Oh, but it’s true that you have a share in my misfortune.”

— Uh… I mean…

Bell was still looking for something to say.

Just saying ‘I’m sorry’ would be enough for her, but it might not have been a word in the spirit dictionary.

Well, it didn’t really matter now, anyway.

“Have you forgotten about my request earlier?”

— You mean not to react to Pierre?

“Isn’t our Bell smart? Let’s go with that. I just need that.”

Only she would know the identity of the guardian deity forever and ever.

For once, that was it.

…It was the beginning of a small revenge.

“Then, I’ll get going. Goodbye.”

— Master!

Sienna turned without hesitation.

It was not without a bad result at all. She also got a way to raise Pierre’s blood pressure from time to time, and besides…

‘When will I see the spirit again?’

It was worth experiencing at least once.

She swallowed the belated yawn and tried to open the door. Nonetheless, Bell was more clingy than expected.

“What are you doing?”

Bell grabbed her ankle tightly and didn’t let her go.

— Once a master, forever a master.

“Since when have I been your Master? Let go of this. Let’s just say goodbye beautifully.”

— No! I can’t let you go! Please sign a contract!

The strength was so strong that her feet did not move no matter how hard she tried. In the end, Sienna, exhausted, sat down on the floor.

“Ha. Okay, let’s hear it first, then.”

— Yes. Ask anything!

Bell’s voice had changed to a gentle one.

It seemed to be in a hurry to get a contract.

“If I make a contract, what can you do for me?”

The corner of Sienna’s lips raised as she asked that question.

If there is something to give, something must come in return. Isn’t it?

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Advanced Chapters!

Rate the novel on Novel Updates.

Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible!