kscans

Chapter 13 - Gods, Spirits, and the Little One

"Not again."

A dream visitation after several years.

Once again, the Little One was in the Celestial Realm. Before her stood the Creator God, wearing a difficult expression.

"No. That is our line."

"You. What happened to the pilgrimage?"

Seeing the twins at the baptism, the two gods had apparently been on the verge of sending down an oracle. They had summoned Chihiro to the Celestial Realm. Years had passed without her setting out on her pilgrimage. They demanded to know what this meant. The Little One explained, her face a picture of exasperation.

Before, she had been a royal and the Golden King. She had been able to move with the knight order at her own discretion. Things were different now, she said. She couldn't even leave the castle grounds until her seventh birthday baptism was over. Hearing this, the gods, who knew nothing of human customs, were dumbfounded. So that was it, they thought.

And then the Little One noticed what she was holding in her hand.

"By the way, what kind of aptitude is this for?"

Somehow, the circlet had come with her. Twirling it on her finger, the Little One tilted her head. "You have no outstanding aptitudes."

"You can handle most things, can you not? Therefore, that is what you lack."

"What I lack?"

The two gods nodded deeply.

"You are a girl, are you not? And yet you are always running around in work clothes. If you wear that, work clothes will not suit you. Be conscious of it, and dress in a way that befits it."

Abyss’s face was rather stern. It seemed he was concerned about Chihiro not being very ladylike.

Huh?

So it's an item to make me act more like a girl? Who even benefits from that?

It was true that overalls wouldn't suit her while wearing this divine-looking circlet. But if I wear a poncho and put the hood up, no one will notice, right? Yup.

"Then what about Nii-ni’s?"

"He is too pure and straightforward. It is so that people's words may more easily reach his ears. The creatures known as humans whisper their malice only faintly. It is so that he may pick up on it."

So his is a practical item. Is giving me a critique-item just a form of harassment?

The two gods gave a wry smile to the pouting Little One, then exchanged a meaningful glance and gave a small nod.

"You will understand in time. The effect it has."

"Whether you make it a mere ornament or a useful tool is up to you."

Hm? Does it have some meaning?

As the Little One stared intently at the circlet, the two gods’ expressions grew a little more serious.

"So, you will be setting out on your pilgrimage. I hope you make it in time."

"The borderlands are losing their magic as well. The Lords are in danger."

Hold on.

"Wait, wait! Tell me more about that."

The Little One listened, flustered.

According to the gods, with the disappearance of the golden magic, the monsters remaining in the borderlands were in decline. The situation seemed quite serious, with small stampedes occurring and withered forests spreading. Moreover, with human monster hunts added to the mix, the number of monsters was decreasing at an alarming rate. In the past few years, the monster population had dropped by more than half, and the Lords of the border forests were apparently on the verge of death.

You should have told me that sooner!

This isn't the time to be explaining fashion accessories! What a mess. If I had known, I would have flown off on my pilgrimage no matter what.

The panicking Little One woke up right then, and the thread of the oracle was broken.

"There’s no time to waste, I have to go now."

Drago and the others, puzzled by the Little One who was tearing through the house like a whirlwind, heard her story and advised her to consult with Romel first. And so the Little One shot off to the palace and, in a fluster, explained the situation to Romel.

"It sounds like it’ll be bad if I don’t go right away. I’ll take the carriage and go."

"Wait, wait, wait, you’re planning on entering illegally, aren't you? It takes several days just to issue a border crossing permit, and if we don’t lay the groundwork, you could end up being chased by soldiers. Just wait a bit."

The Little One’s mouth turned down in a tragic expression. Romel gave a wry smile and put a hand to his chin in thought.

"This is happening because the golden magic has disappeared, right? If you make a pact and give them golden magic, it will subside. Is that correct?"

"Probably. Once the Golden Ring is complete, I think the four elemental attributes will stabilize in the borderlands too."

The power of an O-saki was equal to that of the gods.

If Chihiro, who was permitted to wield it, did not go, the matter could not be resolved. The little girl chewed on the edge of the desk. Romel stopped her and lifted her into his arms.

"If golden magic is all that’s needed, there is a way. Let’s go."

She’s gotten so big.

Before, when he held her, she would have to look up at him, but now her face was at the same level as his. Lost in thought, Romel headed to the research tower with the Little One.

"Where are we?"

"The magic tool research tower. It’s commonly known as the Tower of David."

The Tower of David?

Come to think of it, the royal family’s crest was the Star of David. That was the name on Earth, but was it the same here? The imposing, large tower was five stories high. Vines snaked around it, and its moss-covered outer walls spoke of its long history. When Romel placed his hand on a glowing crystal-like object, an entrance opened soundlessly, as if melting away.

"Only those who have registered their magic can enter. It’s a valuable research tower, after all. And it can be dangerous."

I see.

The first floor was a large hall, and in the center was something like an armillary sphere, taller than an adult. It was made of countless shimmering, silvery wire-like objects with intricate workmanship, and sparks erupted here and there, making `pashu pashu` sounds. The Little One looked up at it with curiosity.

"This is a magic circuit. It’s a model representing the principles of magic construction using the four elemental attributes. Like this…"

As he spoke, Romel channeled his magic into a part of the circuit. The magic then traveled through the circuit, mixed, and with a loud `bon`, it exploded at the center.

"That was a mixture of wind and fire. The result is an explosion. It’s a tool for deriving simple results like that, by changing the amount of magic mixed in. Researchers use these results as a basis for various experiments."

Whoa, what an otherworldly tool.

Romel watched with a smile as the Little One stared at it, her eyes sparkling, then slid his finger across a pedestal in front of the circuit. Romel’s magic flowed, and a complex magic circle appeared on the pedestal, glowing with a pale blue light. He said it was a magic tool that had existed since before Frontier was founded. It was unknown who had created it, but it stored a vast amount of magic and was an indispensable circuit for magic tool research.

"Place your hand here and release your magic. We’ll register your magic too… just tone it down so no one around notices."

Romel whispered into the Little One’s ear. He explained that a certain level of magic was required for registration, and once registered, she would have free access to the tower. As told, the Little One gently channeled a small amount of magic. The moment the magic flowed through the circuit and gathered at the center, the circuit glowed brightly.

"Eh?"

"Wha…?"

Before they could even utter a word, the circuit cracked with a `pikiri` sound. The outer shell of the circuit opened slowly like a lotus flower, and in a depression at its center, a seven-colored wind swirled. The wind, which had deconstructed the magic, separated into seven colors and formed a ball the size of an adult’s two hands. Before their staring eyes, it popped with a `pon` sound.

"Kyau."

From the popped ball emerged a small lizard. The palm-sized lizard was a dull color overall, but depending on the light, it had a complex appearance that looked iridescent, like a jewel beetle. It was more of a salamander than a lizard, with a strange, stocky shape.

"Kyuu?"

The lizard looked up at the Little One with its large, round eyes. Its gaze was sweet and endearing.

Um?

The Little One’s thoughts couldn’t keep up with the sudden turn of events. Romel was also frozen, his eyes wide. Paying them no mind, the lizard crawled up the Little One, `peta peta`, slipped into the hood of her poncho, and curled up on top of her head.

"Uh… what is this?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing…"

Romel, who had involuntarily covered his face with his hand, suddenly noticed that the many researchers around them were also frozen solid. They were unable to move, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Then, as if nothing had happened, the circuit’s outer shell closed, and silence filled the area.

Did I mess up again? This.

In any case, it seemed her magic had been registered, so leaving the frozen researchers behind, Romel fled to his research lab on the top floor. He placed his hand on one of the crystals lining the wall and channeled his magic. With a `shurun` sound, the location changed.

"Whoa? Teleportation magic?"

"How did you know? It’s a magic that can only be used inside the tower."

Oh, no. Oops, is that so.

It was a common magic in the light novels and games of her past life, so she had said it without thinking, but she didn’t know how it was here.

This is bad. The mouth is the source of all misfortune.

Romel stared intently at the little girl whose eyes were darting about, then sat down on the sofa in his lab. On the simple reception set, there were magic-powered tea and sweet containers, from which he took out tea and sweets and gave them to the Little One.

"You know. I’ve reached a point where I’m no longer surprised by being surprised. What is that lizard?"

"I don’t know. What could it be?"

Sitting on Romel’s lap, Chihiro pulled down her hood and gently patted the lizard that was presumably on her head. The lizard then crawled down Chihiro’s hand and perched on her shoulder. It opened its mouth wide and licked the Little One’s cheek with its round, springy tongue.

Oh my, how cute.

But then, she felt something being drawn out of her. And with a start, Chihiro stared at the lizard.

She recognized this feeling.

"It’s the same as a pact. This little one is connected to me."

It was the same as when she had been giving magic to the Lords. This lizard was receiving golden magic from Chihiro. Which meant there should be some kind of price in return. The lizard, while the Little One stared at it, just patted her face with its small hands and smiled innocently.

"Hmm. I don’t know. I wonder if it’s a familiar, just like the Lords."

However, the Lords would become her familiars in the Little One’s next life. Only when the Little One officially became an O-saki could she make the Lords her familiars. That was why, even though they had a pact now, her golden magic was not being drawn out.

The two of them sat in silence before the smiling lizard.

A short while later, until a visitor from downstairs was announced, the two of them were lost in the sea of their own thoughts.

The visitor would bring the answer.

The visitor who was shown in was Chihaya and Dorfen. They had apparently chased after the frantic Chihiro and come all the way to the palace. Seeing the somewhat troubled looks on Romel and the others, Dorfen spoke with suspicion.

"Is something the matter?"

"Dorfen, look at this."

In Chihiro’s hands was the mysterious lizard.

Seeing it, Dorfen’s eyes went wide.

"Is that not a Salamander? How rare."

""Eh?""

The two of them let out a dumbfounded reply and looked at the lizard. The dull-colored lizard was scratching its face with its front paw.

A Salamander is a fire lizard, right? Isn’t the color wrong?

Romel seemed to know this as well and voiced the same question.

"Shouldn’t a Salamander be red?"

"Ah. That is the case if it leans toward one attribute. However, a Salamander that possesses all attributes is iridescent."

Can you even call that a Salamander?

According to Romel, those with high magic were sometimes granted spirits, and literature on the subject remained in the royal family’s archives. It had been several hundred years since anyone had been granted a spirit, so Romel only knew of it through written records. Dorfen, however, knew that an even older text was in his family’s library, and that the spirit granted to the first Golden King was an all-attribute, iridescent spirit.

Just how much of a Golden King fanatic was Dorfen’s ancestor?

The Little One’s eyes narrowed.

But now they knew the lizard’s identity.

"So, you’re my spirit, I guess?"

The lizard grinned broadly, as if in agreement.

"It is said that a spirit protects its master from all misfortune. I’m happy for you, Chihiro. Why don’t you give it a name?"

Chihiro nodded at the smiling Romel and looked at the lizard.

"You’re a dull color, but you’re a fire lizard, right? A name, huh. Fire… Corona… You’re kind of stout, so how about Colon?"

The lizard happily clung to her finger.

Chihaya, who had been watching, raised his voice indignantly.

"Hiro, that’s not fair! I want a spirit too."

At that, Romel’s eyes widened.

"It’s worth a try. Let’s go."

Taking the three who were tilting their heads in confusion, Romel went back downstairs.

"Ah, just as I thought."

On Romel’s and Chihaya’s shoulders were red lizards.

The tower’s circuit could not be registered with unless one possessed magic of a certain level. In other words, it was a circuit that required magic of a certain level. So, what would happen if one channeled magic above that certain level into the circuit?

The result was plain to see.

The true, proper use of this circuit was a system for being granted a spirit by offering up magic above a certain level. Someone must have kept it a secret, and the oral tradition must have been lost. And so time had passed, with its proper use forgotten.

Learning the true potential of a new… no, an ancient relic, the researchers were suddenly energized. They pushed and shoved to try it out, and as a result, several others were also granted Salamanders.

A large amount of magic was being poured in one after another.

Watching this, Romel’s brows furrowed slightly.

Where was all this vast amount of magic being sent?

The fact that spirits were involved meant it was a mechanism beyond human comprehension. The mystery of why such a grand thing existed in the royal palace. And the magic that must have been channeled into it over many long years, without anyone knowing its meaning.

Could it be that something exists in Frontier that requires such an enormous amount of magic?

For a moment, a shiver ran down Romel’s spine at his own vague thought.

Unaware of Romel’s unease, the twins were delighted with their new friends.

"I’ll name my lizard Jirō. Get along with Tarō-kun, okay?"

"Good idea. Let’s go show Dad and Mom."

Dorfen and the researchers watched the innocently laughing children with a smile.

The next day, it was a charming sight to see Chihiro, having remembered her original purpose, shoot off to the palace once again.

There are new discoveries every day.

The Little One is doing well today. ♪