Chapter 121 - Chapter 22: The Wind Barrier
"Have you met the water spirit?"
Ignoring James-sama, the spirit floated closer to me.
"Ah, yes. We are friends."
"Then, call her."
"Eh?"
"I'll ask her, just for reference."
"But..."
I've been calling her frequently lately. There's the matter of the lake, too. I don't think I should call her so casually.
"It's fine. If it's only for a short time."
"W-Wait a moment, then."
I rummage through my food supplies. There's one Highway Cookie on the desk. Since I have dried meat, I can make a stew.
"I tried drawing something like this."
Beatrix showed me the drawings she had been working on to buy time.
One depicted James-sama offering a ring to the spirit, with light shining down on both of them from above. The other showed James-sama standing by a pond, watching the spirit drink water. The fact that James-sama was the only character featured was likely for dramatic effect.
Both looked like scenes straight out of a fairy tale.
"Oh, how lovely."
She seemed to like them.
"Since I don't have paints, they're just line drawings, but if you'd like, I can color them for you. Once they're finished, I'll have them delivered to James-sama via Roberts-sama."
"A magnificent work. By all means, please finish them. If you send them to my place, I shall deliver them immediately."
As expected of Beatrix. Since food didn't work, she tried a different approach.
In the meantime, I asked Stephens-san, and it turns out there's eel pie available.
Alright, preparations complete.
When I called Dune, she arrived wearing the blue one-piece dress I had bought for her. It was the one she wore to the Class of 175's debut party.
"Sorry, Dune. Were you busy?"
"It's fine. I figured it would turn out like this. It seems things went well."
The wind spirit was flying vigorously around Dune.
"Are you really Water?"
"That's right. And you're Wind. When I'm in this form, I'm called Dune."
"What's with those clothes? Where did you get them?"
"My human friend bought them for me. Nice, isn't it?"
She sat down next to me and stroked my head.
"Dune. We have Highway Cookies and eel pie."
"Really! Thank you, Beatrix."
She immediately started munching on what Beatrix handed her. Mary poured mead into a bowl.
"Hee, hmmm. I see."
Floating in the air, she watched with folded arms as Dune socialized harmoniously with us.
"You can take human form too, can't you? Why don't you do it?"
At Wilson-san's words, she hummed with her arms crossed for a moment before deciding, "I guess I will," and changed her form.
She was wearing a blue-green one-piece dress. She was smaller than Lyudmila, looking no older than a child of seven or eight. She had no wings. Her hair was a beautiful blonde, just like Dune's.
Lyudmila pulled on her sleeve, saying, "Matching, matching!"
"My, my, how very adorable."
When Eleanor-sama beckoned her, she walked over with small steps.
She sat on Eleanor-sama's lap as if being held and had her head stroked.
"Brother. This appearance..."
"Yes, it's in the castle's legends."
It seemed Gladys-sama and James-sama knew something.
"Have you seen it before?"
When Beatrix asked, both of them nodded.
"Paintings remain. The one that appears in the castle's flower garden, that, how should I put it..."
"The daytime ghost, right?"
While James-sama was hesitating, the wind spirit interjected.
"Well, yes. My apologies."
"It's fine. It was a long time ago."
She seemed miffed.
A somewhat awkward atmosphere filled the room.
No living creature would be happy being treated as a ghost.
"By the way, we must decide on a name. Calling her 'Sylph' lacks intimacy. It's like calling us 'Humans.'"
Paul-san proposed this to change the mood, but she said she already had one.
"It's Mel. The person who gave me this ring gave it to me."
It was an unfamiliar name, but apparently, it was because she liked flower nectar.
"In that case, do you not drink mead?"
"I hate alcohol. It makes my head spin. I'd rather have honey diluted in water; it's much tastier."
Even among spirits, they were quite different. Well, perhaps it was appropriate for her apparent age.
"By the way, are Dune and Mel acquaintances?"
I asked just in case, but both said they didn't know each other.
"We're fellow spirits. We can just tell."
The wind spirit said she was born on a windy, sunny day and flew around looking for a place to live. Mel had apparently been on the mountain for about two thousand years.
The two spirits were talking about something. Apparently, it was about whether it was okay to give the ring to James-sama...
"Royalty is busy, right?"
Mel was asking James-sama.
It seemed the screening had begun.
"Well, I suppose so. There are various duties."
"The person who gave me the ring before said they'd call me at least once a month, but it wasn't really like that. They said they couldn't call me much because of official business, and then they went off to war. On top of that, they died before I knew it."
Come to think of it, the first King of Sertoria ended up like that too. He left an excuse on a stone monument at the end.
"If we're going to be friends, maybe someone with a bit more free time would be better."
This was a crisis for James-sama. He was one step away from being rejected.
"N-No. If a short time is fine. Besides, you can drink as much nectar as you like in my castle's flower garden. It is well-maintained. There are professional gardeners. I shall introduce you to them as well. That way, you won't be lonely."
"The previous person said the same thing. Then, I was treated like a ghost, and no one came anymore. I want to have slow, quiet chats."
James-sama and Gladys-sama were shrinking. The wind was definitely blowing the wrong way.
"Can't you two-time?"
"Two-time?"
Beatrix made a radical proposal. Normally, you wouldn't suggest two-timing to someone. In fact, it's treated as being unfaithful.
"James-sama wants to be your friend while also learning from past reflections. But, well, he is busy after all. So, why not make him a friend you meet occasionally, and decide on someone else to play with normally? We humans are the same. We can't be together all the time just because we're friends. But people you meet occasionally are still definitely friends, right?"
This proposal seemed to work. Spirits want to go to various places to satisfy their curiosity. Humans want to deepen their understanding of living things through interaction with spirits.
Mel stood up, went toward the pond, and called Dune.
James-sama clenched his hands, sweat breaking out on his forehead.
The verdict was about to be delivered.
"What do you think?"
"Isn't it fine? It's not like it has to be just one person. It doesn't have to be a ring; it could be a pendant or a bracelet or anything, right?"
"I see, you're right. What will you do, Dune?"
"I'm fine as I am. Jeanne keeps her promises properly, and she calls me to all sorts of places like this time."
"Then, can I give her one?"
"I don't mind. Why not do as you like, Mel?"
After the discussion between the spirits, it seemed a policy had been decided. Mel went to James-sama, and Dune sat next to me.
"I've decided. I'll give the ring to you."
"Really! Thank you. I'll make sure to take time to call you. Once a month. We'll decide on a Spirit Day every month and have time to talk in the flower garden. I'll introduce you properly to the gardeners too."
"You don't have to push yourself. I'll play with Jeanne normally."
"Eh?"
James-sama was making a foolish face. It seems the bloodline can't be denied.
But what does that mean?
Looking at Dune, she was nodding with a smile.
"Instead of a ring, I'll give you this."
Dune told me to hold out my hand, and when I did, the bracelet Mel had been wearing on her arm was handed over. It had one pale green stone attached. Like the ring, a blue-green vortex swirled in the center.
Apparently, I can call Mel with this, just like the ring.
"I made it instead of a ring. Wear it on your arm. The password... let's see. 'Mel, let's have a chat together' will do."
When Mel touched the stone with her fingertip, it glowed softly. The registration seemed complete.
Um, is this okay?
When I looked at James-sama, he just said, "I'm counting on you."
Dune was smiling.
"Isn't it fine? Just take it. We have to show it off to the others. When we get back, let's call them both and have a party immediately."
Beatrix said lightheartedly.
Lyudmila and Mary were rejoicing together. On the other hand, Mel stared intently at my face.
"Just to be sure. I saw it once, but try chanting light magic."
When I chanted Light as told, she said, "You pass."
"Normally you'd have to break through the barrier, but this time it's fine."
"Um, was it that you get blown away by the wind?"
"You know it well. Just before the summit... where you get on the bubbles. You climb from there, and on the opposite side, you get blown to the summit by the wind, but since you broke through Dune's barrier, it should be fine."
That's a rather dangerous barrier. I might not be able to return if I get blown away.
"It's fine. If you give up on climbing, you can go home."
Dune nodded when I looked at her.
"Where exactly is the 'opposite side'?"
"The opposite side is the opposite side. That's all."
When I asked Mel just in case, I got a curt reply. It's probably better not to pry.
"If possible, I'd like to try going to that 'opposite side' or whatever it is."
Once again, Henry-sama said something troublesome.
"You can't go unless you can use light magic. Besides, there's nothing there for humans. You can come if you want... want to take the test?"
I'd rather not go if possible...
"What do you think, Eleanor? Shall we go as a souvenir for the afterlife?"
"Indeed. If it's a place we can go, I would certainly like to."
"The rest of you stay here. I'll go with Jeanne and the three of us."
Before I knew it, my participation was confirmed.
I'd prefer it if the two of them just went together.
"I will go too. Since I am to become a friend of the spirit... Mel, I wish to fulfill the conditions."
Even James-sama was showing enthusiasm. Mel looked happy too.
"Then, it's the four of us. No more than that."
In the end, I ended up going with the four of them.
Why does it always turn out like this...
Paul-san took us as far as the place where we got on the bubbles.
After dropping us off, he flew toward the highest point, but he couldn't seem to go any higher no matter what, and he returned having given up on reaching the summit. Mel had already vanished.
"I don't know if it's wind or what, but I became unable to go up midway. This too must be the power of the spirit."
"Umu. You did well. Just knowing what cannot be done is an achievement."
"Thank you. Then, I shall wait here."
Next was us. In short, we had to climb on foot.
"Then, shall we go?"
The four of us tied ourselves together with rope and climbed what was more like a rock than a mountain. Although it should have been clear, a mist-like substance had gathered before we knew it, and the summit that had been visible from below was gone.
Henry-sama, leading the way, used a silver knife to gouge holes, thrusting his hands and feet into them to climb.
I was second, and although Henry-sama's body acted as a bit of a windbreak, it was a terrible ordeal.
"We'll go as far as we can. If we don't pass the point where Paul stopped, we surely won't reach it."
Because the wind was strong, we climbed by pressing our bodies against the rock face. It felt like we were doing a low crawl upward.
It was truly exhausting.
My hands hurt, but I couldn't let go. If one person slipped, we could all be wiped out. I had cast Defend on my body just in case, so I didn't have a single scratch, but the pain was the same.
Midway, the slope of the rock became strange. No matter how I thought about it, it was the opposite of normal. Far from being steep, if I was careless, my feet would lose their grip.
"When you move a hand or foot, absolutely do not move the other limbs! If you become unable to move, I will support you from below, so just stay still!"
Encouraged by James-sama from below, I struggled to climb while clinging to the rock to avoid dangling in mid-air, when Henry-sama called out from above.
It seemed he had hit something and could no longer climb higher.
"Eleanor. Fire a Fire Ball!"
"Understood!"
Eleanor-sama was at the very back.
As I clung to the rock, I heard a whoosh behind me.
The fireball vanished near Henry-sama's head. It seemed we had reached the wind barrier.
"Alright! Just a little more. Hang in there!"
After going up a bit, I said, "I'm using Light," and had everyone cling to the rock. I raised my right hand and chanted Light toward the top, and an intense light shone down from above.
It's the same as that time...
As I continued to make it glow with effort, the surroundings changed. We were enveloped in white mist. We were still clinging to the rock face.
"The window, please look for the window! This is the opposite side. You should be able to see the destination through the window!"
I shouted while looking around, but I couldn't see anything.
"Where is it? There's nothing!"
"I don't see anything like that anywhere!"
"Is it okay to enter the mist!"
None of the three could find it.
How was it back then...
"Climb! It should be near the top, close to the center of the barrier! If you go down into the mist, you'll just go back to where you were!"
I shouted back and resumed the rock climb.
"Oh! I can climb now!"
It seemed we had broken through the first barrier.
That time, there was a window on the water's surface on the way to the center.
As we climbed further, a voice said, "There it is."
Continuing up, a hole had opened in mid-air, and beyond that hole, I could see what must be the mountain's summit—a flat area of bare rock. The hole felt quite far from the rock face.
If what Mel said was true, we should be blown away by the wind from here.
I have to brace myself.
When I shone Light toward the hole, a sudden, powerful wind began to blow toward it.
At this rate, we'll be sucked in... but we have to be blown away.
"Everyone! Let go! Be careful because you'll be blown away! If we don't reach the destination, let's meet in heaven!"
The moment I let go with both hands, my body floated... or so I thought before I was sucked in.
When I came to, all four of us were lying on a flat area.
It seemed we had reached the summit.
I got on my knees to check the situation.
There was no wind, and while it was a bit cold, the sunlight was pleasant.
It was just a bare rock top, but it looked like about twenty people could stand there if they tried. Grass grew in places, and small flowers were blooming.
Seeing a small shrine, it seemed to be Mel's home.
First, we untied the ropes and separated.
"It seems we truly reached the summit."
Henry-sama stood at the edge of the rock, looking down at the world below. How can he do such a thing?
"Look. See? Stephens's fortress looks so small."
Since he was beckoning me to come, I went over on all fours. The view was indeed magnificent. Looking down, the wind was howling, making a vuvu sound. My spine went cold, but here, it was only blowing gently. I looked toward the pond where everyone should be, but the ridge was in the way. Instead, I could clearly see the valley where the landslide had occurred.
If a dragon appeared there, it would be in plain sight from the mountain top.
No wonder she'd go to drive it away.
"Good work. It must have been hard, right?"
Mel flew over in her spirit form with wings. She seemed fine despite the strong wind. She then took her human form and stood next to Henry-sama.
"Did you find out what the opposite side is like?"
"No, I didn't understand it at all. We were just enveloped in something like a pure white mist."
"There's nothing there. If you had gone down into the mist, you would have just returned to the original rock face."
"No, it was a good experience. Thank you, I give my thanks. Next time, come to the Sertoria Royal Capital with Jeanne. We will welcome you. Wilson is there too."
"I look forward to it."
Didn't she actually want to give the bracelet to Wilson-san? As proof, he appeared far too conveniently.
While she had the dragon confined in the barrier because they were fighting, she had apparently looked after him, diligently bringing flower nectar and fresh water, and occasionally having verbal spats.
I don't think a magic circle can be used continuously for five years. Even if it were remade, there should be a gap. Perhaps he was only pretending to be caught.
"Ufufu. You think so? But you see, I can't give it to a Revenant. Because it's not the form they should be. This was just something I made."
Since she was looking at the bracelet somewhat sadly, I gave her a hug.
"If there's a chance to go to the Sertoria Royal Capital, I'll definitely call you. Let's have lots of chats with Wilson-san."
"You're kind. I see why Dune chose you."
Mel, who whispered "Thank you," was a small girl appropriate for her appearance.