Chapter 106 - 106
"I can talk here."
I picked up the approaching Kuro and peered into his face. He stared back with sparkling, round eyes.
...I see. I could feel Kuro's magic much more strongly here than before. This place must amplify a spirit's power, making conversation possible.
"You surprised me... but I've always wanted to talk to you, so I'm happy!"
"Kuro too. Rachel didn't understand anything Kuro said at all."
"Eh? Really?"
I had no idea. I thought our communication had improved lately, even if I wasn't on Theodore-sama's level. Kuro looked around, seemingly oblivious to my slight shock.
"Kuro wanted to bring Rachel here."
"Here? Come to think of it... I came to this place once while I was unconscious. I met you then, but was that... a dream? Or did I really come here?"
"You came. Kuro guided you."
Just as I thought. That meant the past I had seen wasn't a dream either.
"So that... what I saw then really happened. It was definitely my past."
Kuro tilted his head curiously at my murmur.
"Kuro was told to stay by Rachel's side."
"Told? By whom?"
At my question, Kuro abruptly turned his head away. When he acted like this, it meant he wouldn't say another word.
However, Kuro's words revealed something. Someone else was involved in Kuro's contract with me. But who? I couldn't figure it out. Perhaps it was related to that voice I heard in the forest before, telling me to remember.
"By the way, what kind of place is the Spirit Land?"
"It's home."
"Home? You mean where the spirits live?"
"Yes."
With the change of subject, Kuro finally looked back at me. This question seemed fine, and he looked around happily as he explained.
"Kuro will take you to his favorite tree!"
"I look forward to it."
Just then, a great gust of wind brushed against my cheek.
"Cat. There is no time for idle chatter."
A voice more mature than Kuro's suddenly rang out from above. Startled, I looked up to see a black horse galloping through the sky. It descended and landed regally before us.
"Are you... the spirit Theodore-sama mentioned earlier?"
"I am."
The horse spirit I couldn't see before was now standing right in front of me. I was quite surprised, but Kuro reached out a front paw toward the black horse, looking delighted.
So Kuro really wasn't the only Spirit of Darkness. Seeing another dark spirit in person felt strange. Perhaps because I was contracted to Kuro, I felt a sense of calm and familiarity from this black horse, despite its cool tone.
"Why are you staring so curiously?"
"The humans of this country find darkness rare."
"Is that so?"
I must have been staring too much; the black horse brought its face close to mine, looking puzzled.
"Well, fine. We have no time, so get on my back quickly."
Get on its back? I assumed it meant for me to ride it, but what did it mean by having no time? Noticing my hesitation, the black horse muttered, "Ah, you can't get on?" and pressed its head against my cheek.
In an instant, my body felt light. Ignoring my cry of surprise, I floated up and landed perfectly seated on the horse's back.
"I shall take you there."
"Wait, where?"
My question vanished into the air, barely audible. The black horse, carrying both me and Kuro, galloped high into the sky, high enough to overlook the entire forest. I was speechless. I never imagined I could fly through the sky like a bird.
The sky felt so close. I could see the tops of the trees. A lake lay just ahead, and majestic mountains stretched into the distance.
What a magnificent view.
"To think I could see such a beautiful place from the sky..."
It was hard to believe. I scanned the surroundings, trying to etch the scene into my memory. My cheeks flushed with excitement, and a smile naturally formed on my lips.
"We cannot survive without nature. Therefore, spirits protect the forests that are our homes."
"So this place is so vibrant because of the magic of you spirits."
"That's right!"
How incredible the power of spirits was. And the source of that power was this very nature. The rivers, the lakes, the sea, the grass, the flowers, and the earth itself. I could feel the life force emanating from everything.
"Long ago, humans and spirits lived together in nature. Times have changed, but we must still protect nature together."
I see. So that's how it is. I had wondered why powerful spirits would contract with humans. But if humans and spirits were once much closer, it made sense.
"By the way, where are we heading?"
"The lake."
"The lake? Is there something there?"
"You'll see when we get there."
Kuro gestured toward the lake with his gaze. There, hidden by a canopy of trees, was a beautiful lake. The sunlight reflected off the water's surface, and leaves dancing in the wind fell silently into the water. It was so beautiful it seemed otherworldly.
"This is... how beautiful. The water looks like it's glowing."
The black horse let me float gently down to the ground, just as it had when I boarded. Peering into the lake, I saw my own face reflected in the water. Kuro stood beside me, his reflection as clear as a mirror. I instinctively scooped up some water with both hands.
"It's cold and feels so good..."
Kuro leaned in and took a lap of the water in my hands. I couldn't help but smile.
"Do you like it?"
A voice suddenly came from behind, making my shoulders jump. The water I had scooped slipped through my fingers and back into the ground.
"Who's there?"
I turned around timidly to find a young man standing there, stroking the black horse's head. The horse leaned into him docilely.
When did he... I didn't sense a thing.
The young man appeared to be around my age, with black hair reaching his shoulders and large, slightly upturned eyes. His gaze held friendliness and curiosity, with no hint of malice. Most of all, the snaggletooth visible when he smiled gave him a charming, approachable air.
"You finally made it here."
The young man walked up to me, his eyes narrowing with joy.
Thank you for the bookmarks, ratings, comments, and typo reports.
It's a dire situation, but... with the book release coming up, I plan to update on the 9th and 10th.
Everyone, please take care of your health.