Ch.157157. A Procession in Succession (4)

“You’ll be incredibly grateful to me.”

How repulsive can an elf be when lost in self-absorption.

Even that appearance that makes countless men’s hearts flutter in this world couldn’t hide the creepiness that was seeping from her smile.

No, rather, the bright expression overlapping her dark intentions seemed to have the opposite effect.

‘Well…’

I stepped back to distance myself from this burdensome elf.

As I put several steps between us, Friel also took notice and maintained the distance.

While she took a moment to compose her expression and contain her leaking emotions, I organized the information that had poured from her mouth all at once.

‘So she’ll help me contract with a spirit.’

Well, if she’s an elf who has already contracted with other spirits.

With the help of the spirit in Friel Arielt’s grasp, she could somehow summon a spirit that hasn’t yet contracted with anyone.

Certainly, if she helps me, I could contract with a spirit and successfully summon one, which has been impossible until now.

‘…It’s definitely not bad.’

No, I could say it’s quite good.

A spirit mage without a spirit is like missing an arm, a leg, or even an eye. It’s an unstable state where something essential is missing.

Even with a lowest-grade spirit, the difference between having one and not having one creates significant differences in magic operation, freedom, and power.

‘If you were going to bring me here anyway, you could have received that oracle a bit earlier.’

How nice it would have been if she had come a little earlier to help with the defense battle with her elven might, or if she had connected me with a spirit then.

If I had a spirit, I could have more easily dealt with those monsters crawling on the castle walls with magic instead of bothering with bowstrings.

‘Well, enough idle thoughts.’

What she’s asking for is simply my goodwill, nothing special.

She’s not actually demanding anything tangible.

Since we’ll be seeing each other quite often until we reach the Great Forest, and even within it.

I think she brought this up because she wants to improve our relationship, which has been somewhat strained since our first meeting.

Still, I should probably ask directly.

“You want to earn my goodwill… may I humbly ask about your intentions, Lady Friel?”

“Hmm… Worried, are you? Afraid I might change my words later and demand something else?”

That’s correct.

But I don’t show it on my face.

“Well, humans are weak but they doubt and agonize multiple times. Since Ray is human, you must be suspicious of my words.”

“……”

“The reason I want to earn your goodwill is—”

Friel’s eyes narrow slightly.

Her lips curve upward in a parabola mixed with ambition and greed.

“It’s like the hearts of our family members who cherish the newly sprouted branches of the World Tree. A newly sprouted branch is small and cute, not much different from that of an ordinary tree. But when a branch grows large, it becomes a beautiful bow, or sometimes an elegant staff, bestowing its blessings upon us.”

With her arms crossed, she raised only her right hand to stroke her lips.

Her white, long hand concealed whatever expression her lips were making.

“You are like a young branch. Someone worthy of my continued attention and nurturing.”

She was clearly savoring the moment.

…

Honestly, I’m curious about what fresh, precious words will come out next.

With a mindset of “go on, say more,” I just nod my head slightly.

“You and the young lady will eventually have to form a closer bond with House Arielt than anyone else in the Great Forest. Because besides us… or rather, no other house will be as favorable to you as we are. Until you achieve feats that shake the minds of our children, you’ll need our help.”

“……”

“If I can’t have you completely… wouldn’t it be entertaining to keep you close to me, observing you alongside members of our house rather than other houses?”

Just as Friel was about to open her mouth again, as if that wasn’t the end.

Step, step.

Elisa, who had been quietly listening to our conversation.

She approached right behind Friel and stared at her back with cold eyes.

Then she spoke in a somewhat chilly tone.

“Lady Friel, your words are excessive. You must consider the social prestige of our honorable House Arielt and the weight of words carried by the family’s direct heir. Also…”

Elisa’s gaze turns directly toward me.

Unlike Friel, who is mixed with various greeds, her relatively clear pupils capture me.

“Isn’t Ray one of the two heroes who will save the Great Forest as instructed by the World Tree?”

Elisa openly told Friel to watch her words in front of me.

The coolness of an old maid elf well past marriageable age subtly clashes with the aura of the high elf who is only 60 years old.

Not pleased about being scolded by a subordinate in front of a human.

Friel, without even turning her head, chilled her expression while only rolling her eyes.

Elisa stands to Friel’s left side. As Elisa’s voice reaches her, Friel’s teal pupils suddenly move left to visually confirm Elisa’s presence.

‘…Why are these bastards fighting in front of me again?’

With the unpredictable flow of the situation, I’ve never missed Korean so much. I feel like I could vent my frustration if I could just curse freely.

I hold back a sigh that’s about to escape and quietly observe them.

“…I understand, Elisa. I’ll be careful, okay?”

“I am grateful that you understand the intention of your humble servant.”

As soon as the conversation ended, Elisa bowed her head, and Friel simply rolled her eyes without saying anything.

Friel’s previously excited mood cooled down due to the unwelcome advice.

She simply continued her words in that state.

“After entering the Great Forest, you and the young lady will be working with members of House Arielt for a while. The noble of the Count’s house will achieve the merit of saving the Great Forest alongside our family, and in the process, we will also benefit from the trickle-down effect of your brilliant progress.”

“Hmm…”

“If the noble of the Count’s house successfully twists fate, we will be able to solidify our legitimacy and merit as those who assisted the heroes from the closest position. Perhaps, who knows, we might even outrun the other two houses.”

“You mean…”

“I want you and the young lady to continue moving with our house even after your adaptation period in the Great Forest ends. And that is why I want to earn your goodwill.”

I nodded.

It’s much more comfortable to clearly know what benefits both parties get rather than receiving goodwill without any apparent reason.

As I listened to her words, I organized something that particularly bothered me.

‘Other houses, huh.’

As talk of houses and affiliations emerged, certain pieces of thought inevitably followed.

The existence of two major houses in the Great Forest besides House Arielt caught my attention.

I began to organize my thoughts based on what Friel had said so far.

‘So… there are people who look down on me, as expected.’

It’s only natural.

The entire elven race is steeped in a chosen people mentality, thinking they’re superior.

Among them, short-lived races like Sione and me, who have nothing special except large populations, are quite ordinary compared to dwarves with their innate craftsmanship or beastkin with their powerful strength.

How pathetic must we look to elves who are born with spirits, longevity, and absolute beauty?

To them, it must be quite insulting and absurd that two insignificant humans will save their fate.

‘And I’m a man, too.’

Sione will be quite disrespected for being human.

How much worse must it be for me as a male?

Men in this world are generally frail, making male mercenaries who do rough work quite rare.

When they’re about to be devastated by demons, if some unknown human male appears claiming to be their savior.

If I were an elf, I’d probably feel resistant too.

‘Affiliated with House Arielt, huh.’

Friel mentioned it.

People from House Ianet, one of the houses on par with Arielt, and soldiers of the Great Forest particularly look down on us.

If I’m going to be involved in the Great Forest’s affairs anyway, rather than dealing with discrimination.

House Arielt, where Friel will carefully manage us, seems a bit better.

‘I’ll have to think about this more later.’

We’ve just left the Count’s territory.

There’s still quite some time before we reach the Great Forest.

I’ll need to discuss this in depth with Sione later.

I finally gathered my thoughts.

“…I see. I’ll discuss matters related to houses in depth with Lady Sione later.”

“Good. Just remember that no house will be more favorable to you than House Arielt.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Then shall we move on to the topic of contracting with a spirit? It’s almost time for lunch preparations to be finished… let’s proceed quickly without delay.”

Whoosh—

Wind begins to blow in the previously quiet clearing.

“Sniff, sniff…”

Friel sniffs the air.

She smiles gently, as if smelling the fresh morning air.

“As expected… you have a strong scent of fresh wind and burning firewood.”

The wind gathers in the air.

Leaves caught on trees get caught in the wind, showing the path the wind takes.

The wind was condensing, gathering at a single point.

“You seem particularly good at handling wind… I’ll help you contract with a wind spirit.”

Bang!

The compressed wind at one point suddenly burst horizontally.

The spirit that appeared simultaneously floated around Friel, flaunting its elegant dignity.

The spirit she summoned was something in the shape of a small human. Not elaborate, but with just the necessary parts attached properly, probably a mid-grade spirit.

As an essence of nature’s guardians, even a mid-grade spirit possesses considerable power.

But for the direct heir of House Arielt blessed by spirits, it seemed like a rather modest spirit.

“Being far from the Great Forest, I can’t properly summon my true power bound to the spirit realm. Although reduced to mid-grade, this friend is sufficient to call a spirit for you to contract with. Right?”

Friel’s spirit nods and quickly buzzes around above her head.

Wind blows along the path the spirit moves, making Friel’s hair disheveled.

“You’ve messed up all my hair. Stay still for a bit.”

The spirit looked at Friel and shook its head.

Whoosh!

As the spirit flapped its wings slightly, a strong wind blew and completely tangled Friel’s hair.

Hahaha.

“Oh, really…”

—Getting angry is bad!

The spirit flew away with fluttering wings and repeatedly hit Friel’s forehead with its small fist.

Its thrashing skills were not ordinary, as if it had often hit Friel’s forehead before.

“…This is why I didn’t want to bring out the shrunken Piel.”

Friel caught the spirit swiftly, like catching a fly.

Hahaha. Hahaha.

The spirit found that amusing too, laughing in Friel’s palm.

But acknowledging that this troublemaker was its master, it tightly hugged Friel’s index finger and rubbed its cheek against it.

“Haah…”

Friel could only sigh at her spirit, as if she couldn’t help it.

“Piel, could you call another spirit friend?”

—Another friend?

“Yes, I’d like a spirit friend to come for that human over there to contract with.”

—For that human…

The spirit turns to look at me.

The spirit, which had been tightly holding Friel’s pinky like a parent’s hand, suddenly froze.

—Huh?

Slowly…

The spirit’s hand holding Friel’s finger loosens.

The spirit slowly flies toward me with small wing flaps.

When I extend my hand, the spirit smells the scent of my hand and makes a startled gesture.

—Wow!

Buzz! Buzz!

The spirit rapidly orbits around me.

After flying around me from toe to head in a circular motion, the spirit perches on top of my head.

—Human smells so good! More pure and refreshing than Friel!

Thud.

Piel…?

The spirit named Piel comes down from my head and sits on my hand.

—What’s your name, human?

“…I’m Ray.”

—Then from now on, Ray’s left hand is my spot!

“…?”

I looked in disbelief at this excessively cheerful spirit, unlike any I’ve seen before.

Friel too, though her spirit often played pranks, had never seen it act so friendly toward others.

With an uncharacteristically distrustful expression, she stared at me and her spirit with her mouth slightly open.

In this situation, Elisa looked at me and the spirit and nodded.

“You lost it.”

“Ha… Elisa, what did you say?”

Friel Arielt could only let out a hollow laugh in this bewildering situation.