CH 70

Mm, maybe the spirits could use it as an example, so I also planted veggies from my food storage. Alright, that’s the end of it.

Alright, time for drawing up some magic circles! I removed some of the potion-making apparatus on my desk to clear up some space. Okay, first step: make some ink.

I poured my mana while crushing the medicinal herbs and minerals as directed and then mixing them with water that the spirits played in.

Let’s start from the small ones, first. I poured some of the freshly made ink into the ruling pen attached to the compass.

This ruling pen was a drawing tool used to draw uniform lines. In order to refill it, a thin brush filled with ink was brushed lightly on the inner side of the ruling pen’s blade, instead of just pouring it directly into the inkwell or plate. Yeah, it’s a bit troublesome, but the lines it made were beautiful.

The tools used for spirit summoning were usually available in specialty stores. They were not geared towards the commoners, of course, especially since they were pricey and only a handful of stores carried them.

They also had tools for writing on the ground. It was basically two sticks attached together with a string, but it was crazy expensive and they were decorated. Hmm, frankly speaking, any stick would probably do, as long as it was straight, though. Yep, it wasn’t based on the spirits’ preferences, but on the user’s, huh. Well, it would still take a while before I’ll be able to progress to the large ones, though, so whatever.

I sketched while reading the book and matching the info with the diagram written in the other book. Moreover, I had talked to myself while working, so I muttered the instructions and what I wanted to do under my breath, but it ended up sounding like I was chanting and begging — ‘Oh Spirits, I’m calling you, I’m summoning you’, see.

Hmm, what type of spirit should I summon now?

「 Earth 」

A spirit clad in brown with tiny flowers growing from the clothes appeared suddenly on the magical circle I drew.

「 Water 」

The brown spirit changed into a translucent, aquamarine, blob spirit and it posed.

「 Fire 」

A small salamander that looked as if it was a gas fuse burning in a blazing fire ran on top of the magic circle.

「 Oy, you guys, stop going through the table and appearing like that. I’m still not yet done with my drawing. 」

I was already done halfway through. It’d be a pain in the neck if the paper was damaged, so I drove out the spirits who were waiting for their turn under the table.

「 Hmm. ‘Ice’ should be here, I guess? 」

Riche suddenly poked his head out between my knees while I sat on my chair.

「 Oh, right, Riche is Ice and Darkness, huh. 」

I grabbed Riche’s face with both hands and started rubbing it fast.

「 Can you freeze the pot for me later? 」

Riche wagged his tail energetically when I said that. Only the tip of his waving tail peeped out under the chair.

Alright, I’m going to request him to freeze the pot so I can make the ice cream. Can he do it?

「 I made a field, so ‘Abundant Harvest’, too, huh.」

I drew the last symbol on the magic circle. There’s an appropriate single symbol for wishing an abundant harvest because folks in this world frequently wished for it, given that food security was easily dependent on the weather, and they were prone to experiencing crop failures here.

I poured my mana after I finished drawing. The ink hadn’t dried yet, and just when I thought that it glowed with a faint light — Pal sat on her knees right on top of the table.

「I am Pal. I govern Earth and Harvest.」

「 Uh, I already knew that, though… 」

Hey, are you also pranking me? Or is it a success? Which one is it!? I’m troubled about your response, though.

「 Maybe the ink is bad? 」

A hand stretched forward and pulled out the magic circle under Pal.

My eyes trailed up the hand — it was Van. He still had that healthy tan that looked like leather, manly through and through. How I wished he also gave me those muscles and height.

「 I made that by following the instructions step-by-step, though. 」

「 Then the book is probably wrong. 」

Ludere said. I didn’t sense him at all!

「 Hmm, it’s just enough to summon the spirits you already have contracts with. 」

Khadar also appeared out of nowhere. He took the inkwell and peered inside, examining the contents.

Ludere governed Earth, Silence and Magic. Khadar was responsible for Verdure, Magic and Order. Alright, we have a final answer — the ink was a failure. I felt like I was being graded.

「 Hehe. Jean looks like he’s enjoying himself, and I’m also having fun just by looking at you. 」

Mischt’s tinkling laugh resounded as she also peered.

「 You could’ve just asked us if it’s about Spirits. 」

Ish said. He still had that poker face on.

「 Eh, will you teach me? 」

「 Ooh, there’s a lot of teeny spirits. It’s lovely being here. 」

Halfalfa smiled bewitchingly.

She was referring to the pin dot spirits that were glowing faintly, and they were smaller than even the light of the fireflies. They were easily extinguished. Their existence was fleeting; they were born in the morning and would disappear at nightfall.

They could lump together to become a bigger spirit, but they would usually stick to the spirits that were already big, disappearing after that. They didn’t have consciousness, just floating around to be consumed by someone else.

「 Alright, let’s have a match. You’re already bored from sitting all the time, right? 」 .

That’s not true, Van. I’m the type who will become fired up when I’m starting to do something — as if I could say something like that, so I could only obediently follow.

Hey, why do you look like you’re having fun while hauling me up by the scruff of my neck, huh? I can walk by myself, thank you. It would have been enough to just say that we’re going to the garden, like a normal person, you know? I’m also grateful to you since you’re going to teach me swordsmanship again, after all.

I turned to look at Khadar and the other guys while being towed away. They were checking the books I bought, or else looking around the house that is different from the one they gave me. Pal was already out in the garden before I knew it, and she was admiring the stuff I planted.

Spirits are creatures that really do whatever they want, huh.

I pat Riche on the head while still being dragged away.