The sandwich was too much for three average people to finish, but in a cozy atmosphere, it was devoured without a hitch.
Unlike how they looked, both of my companions were actually big eaters.
Especially Professor Liana and Elia needed to eat a lot to maintain those figures.
“Phew… That was delicious~!”
[I’m glad you enjoyed it!]
“Hmph, I’ll make sure to stuff you all later.”
[Okay!]
Thankfully, their reactions were positive.
Elia, patting her full belly with a playful grin, promised to return the favor, and Professor Liana, next to her, kept shoveling sandwiches into her mouth with sheer delight.
“Hmm, shall we start?”
After filling our stomachs and letting the sunlight help with digestion, the training finally began.
“…King Lee Ha-yul, shall we take a short nap before we start?”
[Huh?]
It was right at that moment, just before we were about to kick things off, that this random comment landed.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Professor Liana was staring at me with a peculiar expression.
[What do you mean?]
“Well, you look incredibly sleepy from the outside. You kept nodding off earlier… It’s not urgent, so would you like a quick nap?”
She spread her arms slightly, a gesture I understood perfectly well.
With a mix of temptation and reluctance, I shook my head.
[…No, I’m okay.]
“If you’re really sleepy, you must tell me, okay?”
[Ugh…]
With my full belly, the warm sunlight, and the gentle breeze, and above all, the presence of Professor Liana and Elia right next to me, it was no wonder drowsiness was creeping in.
But not enough to lose consciousness outright. This body could go over a week without sleep and still be fine.
…On the flip side, I could totally sleep for a whole week if given the chance.
Maybe that’s why the way they treated me was increasingly strange. I couldn’t say I disliked it outright, but my heart was heavy for reasons I couldn’t quite pinpoint…
“While I’ve already taught you about spirit promotion, let’s review it once more.”
Thus, after all that, Professor Liana continued her explanation. Sitting on a stump, she looked down at Elia and me on the grass as she began to speak.
“Over 90% of the spirits in this world are lower spirits.”
Spirits use a different measuring system from monsters.
They’re categorized into three groups: lower, middle, and upper. Humans didn’t arbitrarily create these categories; spirits actually undergo hierarchical changes at each level.
“The spirits that most people are familiar with are lower spirits. They take on colors appropriate to each attribute and take the shape of shining orbs. In fact, all lower spirits look pretty much the same. The only differences are their size and brightness, if any?”
Professor Liana stretched out her arms. Long, slender arms. Magic began to ripple over her left hand, and a wind spirit popped out.
That’s the spirit I usually refer to as a light swirl. It shone with a light green color, taking the form of a gust.
“In other words, there’s not much differentiation between individual spirits. You all know this already, but lacking uniqueness in this world isn’t necessarily a good thing.”
– Wheeeeee…
Keeping her left hand raised, the spirit appeared around it, but just like she explained, aside from slight differences in brightness or size, there were no remarkable distinctions.
Uniqueness and individuality.
Being distinguishable is quite beneficial in this world. When those traits stand out significantly, they can even function as abilities.
“Lower spirits lack individuality and uniqueness. Because of that, their self-awareness is very weak—by no means at the level of a child—they can basically be understood as mere instinct-driven entities.”
I nodded along to that explanation.
In reality, ordinary lower spirits don’t convey much meaning. At best, they like the energy suitable to their attributes and instinctively request more of my mana.
“And that’s the difference between lower and middle spirits.”
Snap! Professor Liana snapped her fingers to bring a breath of fresh air into the conversation as she waved her empty right hand.
“Starting from middle spirits, they begin to develop their own personality and individuality. Their appearances change, and they attain self-awareness, along with character and preferences.”
Magic gathered in her right hand. The same flow continued.
With a whoosh!, the air swept past and swirled together in one spot, taking shape.
– Peeeeeek!
With sharp claws, a beak, and wings that stretched out on either side, a bird made entirely of wind perched onto Professor Liana’s forearm.
[Ah, it’s that one from before!]
That was a spirit I had bumped into when Professor Liana transported me from China.
– Peep!
[Ah, tickles… Hehe!]
The spirit seemed to recognize me, producing a bright sound as it flapped over to me. I gently petted its head while it nuzzled against my cheek.
More spirits began to emerge around Professor Liana.
Some were colorful, some resembled animals, and others looked like bizarre creatures you’d see in fantasy games.
Seeing them rushing to greet me rather than their master made Professor Liana’s expression quite interesting.
“…The reason lower spirits comprise such a large proportion of all spirits is similar to how few humans awaken as superhumans, and even fewer awaken their unique abilities.”
Just as humans awaken their mana and realize their unique talents, spirits also ascend from lower spirits—where they’re basically just mana balls—to middle spirits with personalities.
“Very few reach middle spirits on their own in nature. Here’s a question! Why is that?”
“Because they gain insights through sharing mental images with their contractors. It’s hard to grow on their own in nature, but with a contractor, they can gather a variety of experiences quickly.”
“Ooh, your previewing paid off! It’s not yet time for Elia, but this will be useful later, so pay attention! As a reward, here’s a piece of candy!”
“Ah, thank you!”
The answer came from Elia. With a bright smile, Professor Liana handed her a piece of candy.
“That’s a royal candy that hasn’t been touched for over six months by one of our esteemed kings!”
[Excuse me…?]
“Hahaha, just kidding, just kidding~”
I was suddenly caught off guard, gasping for air. Laughter bubbled from Professor Liana as she patted my head.
“Cough, cough, all joking aside, Elia’s answer is exactly what you, King Lee Ha-yul, need to do next.”
Her fingers that had been resting on my head pressed down on my cheek.
“Though we’ve shared experiences while being in a contract, what we need to do now is to establish a more direct connection and transfer. This is called promotion among spirit tamers.”
Promotion of spirits. It was a procedure known even in the original story. While there wasn’t a clear route for an expert tamer, there was indeed a loop using spirits.
“Before we start, let me ask just once. How many spirits do you have under contract now?”
[I… just hit 711.]
“Wow, over 700 in just half a year? And already promoting? You really are fast. Was I told you brought around 100 from the last dungeon?”
[Yes.]
“Then that means there’s about 600 eligible for promotion… Usually, spirit tamers do about 10 a day, but…”
With a gentle smile, Professor Liana squeezed my cheek.
“Judging by my experience, I think you, King Lee Ha-yul, will probably manage it all today. Honestly, it’s fine if you fall short. After all, it’s not only today, right? Let’s go at a relaxed pace as far as we can!”
[Yes!]
The explanation was over. With a gentle hand rubbing my face, I jumped right into the promotion.
– Woosh…!
The red hot fireball held in my hands ignited.
It was the fire spirit with whom I made a contract. It too seemed to understand what was happening, showing an excited flicker in the flames.
“The promotion process isn’t complicated. Simply manipulate your mana to connect with the spirit. Use your mana as power for promotion, and through it, instill your mental images into the spirit.”
Professor Liana was seated beside me, adding to the explanation.
“This is also akin to an additional contract. While the contract with lower spirits was merely a signature of sorts, connecting with middle spirits is more about deeply embedding your mana and leaving a mark.”
Elia was there too.
This was for Professor Liana’s guidance, and Elia was there to witness the promotion she would undergo in the future.
‘Phew…’
I took a deep breath while I listened to Professor Liana’s explanation.
As she described, it was all about connecting with the spirit by manipulating mana.
‘Hmm…’
I could feel the eager flames of the fire spirit roaring with anticipation.
Through the power of observation, knowledge was accumulating and updating itself.
But even beyond that, I felt a warmth enveloping my hands, and the mana coursing through me was clearer than before.
The mana that constituted the spirit, its rules, its uniqueness, the contract string binding us. The energy of the spirit was palpable.
I released the mana stored within my core. The mana surged through my circuits and reached my extended hands. Adjusting the mana like a thread, I embedded it into the spirit cradled in my palm.
– Woosh!
In that moment, the red spirit turned pure white. Whoosh! The momentary blaze engulfed my wrist and condensed back to its original size.
What a peculiar sensation. The bond between us was once solid, but now it felt even deeper.
– Gulp… gulp…
Now, two threads connected me to the spirit.
The strange sensation radiating from the already established bond… was likely part of the process of sharing experience and mental impressions.
And through the newly inserted mana thread, it felt as if the spirit was sucking up the energy, like sipping through a straw.
One connected to infuse my mental images, while the other was to fortify the mana needed for promotion.
‘…That’s quite a lot you’re taking in.’
But wow, the amount being siphoned felt excessive. I hadn’t felt mana-deficient until now, but the spirit was drawing quite a bit.
Of course, it wasn’t enough to leave me gasping, but I worried it wouldn’t suffice for hundreds of repetitions.
It seemed I’d need to supplement with external mana from around the middle point onward.
While I mulled this over, the mana continued to be drawn. The spirit’s rhythmic pulse resonated through my hands.
Like the pulsing heartbeat that resonated, each throb signified the spirit changing.
The mana, the rules, the uniqueness—it shifted, like assembling a jigsaw puzzle under my influence.
– Huff, huff…
[Huh?]
How long had I been fueling it with mana?
At some point, the spirit I held completely vanished.
No, that wasn’t accurate. To be precise, the spirit had grown too large to be contained in my hands and was now wriggling in my embrace.
Flame-like fur, stout little legs, sparkling red eyes, and a tongue hanging out panting from its mouth.
A tail wagging energetically from behind.
– Woof!
– I’m hungry…!
[Is that a puppy?]
“It’s a puppy!”
“It’s definitely a puppy!”
The transformed spirit took the shape of a puppy. It was comparatively large—smaller than me yet big enough to snuggle in my arms.
As the spirit began barking excitedly, incredibly, its intentions were conveyed directly into my head. No more guessing or interpreting; it was straightforward communication.
‘…Is the first thing you want to say about food?’
I mean, could we ask for a better first conversation? I inwardly whined about this, but I suppose it’s unreasonable to expect much from a childlike spirit…
“Wow, a puppy made of flames! It’s so cute!”
[Jealous!]
[Really?]
“Well…? Now that you mention it, it feels slightly less cute…?”
Hmmm—Elia twitched her lips, correcting her thoughts, and pressed her palm onto my cheek.
“Promotion was super fast! A maximum of three minutes? Normally, even the quickest promotion takes at least ten minutes… guess talent does its trick.”
Meanwhile, Professor Liana, who had tilted her head with a puzzled look, quickly came to a realization and glanced at my condition.
“How do you feel? Any headaches or chest pains…?”
Condition…
I glanced at the puppy spirit, which was fidgety due to its hunger, and then examined my own state.
[Yes, I’m fine. We can continue right away.]
“If anything unusual happens, you must NOT hide it and tell me straight away! Understood?”
[Yes!]
There was nothing wrong. The amount I used wasn’t excessive, and I could easily recover any lost mana.
Feeling unwell wasn’t a concern for me.
I shrugged my shoulders and patted the pup that had calmed down after eating. The puppy spirit gazed up at me, nuzzling against my neck.
What kind of looks and personality would its next forms take on?
My heart raced with anticipation.
.
.
.
Continuing onward, I didn’t stop promoting spirits.
My mana, willpower, and body were all in a state of plenty, so there was no reason to halt.
Afterward, I faced no issues, allowing me to promote lower spirits to middle spirits without any interruptions.
…However…
“Another puppy?”
“A puppy again?”
– Huff huff…
Contrary to Professor Liana’s explanation that they would possess individuality, many of the spirits, once promoted to middle spirits, also took on puppy-like appearances.
Even the water spirit cuddled in my arms was a puppy, along with several others lying around resembling adorable pups.
Every single one was unique in its own right, but they bore a puppy spirit in their forms…
As I tried to suppress the feeling of discontent, Professor Liana’s strange gaze landed on me.
“…Well, spirits share the mental images of their contractors, so they inevitably get influenced by them.”
“Oh? That makes sense!”
[What’s this about understanding?]
What does me and the puppy have in common…
Yet, despite my protests, the odd gazes from Professor Liana and Elia didn’t change.
What an unfair predicament.
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