With a languid, yet determined gaze, I greeted the being before me. The master, seated atop a colossal white serpent, welcomed me with an expression of half exasperation and half admiration.
“I truly didn’t expect a human to break through. It’s quite surprising, though it was a brute-force victory, of course.”
The woman, resting her chin on her hand and speaking with a languid tone that didn’t match her expression, addressed me from her perch on the serpent. She had an unremarkable appearance, easily fitting in with anyone you might see at a supermarket. If I had to point out a distinguishing feature, it would be her slightly full face, with a soft contour that complemented her gentle features. She wasn’t directing any hostility toward me, but her gaze was still assessing me.
I met her gaze directly.
“You broke through my trial,” she continued, her words as airy as her demeanor. “Did you really think I would impose an impossible trial upon you?”
I couldn’t help but retort, “Did you believe I would impose an impossible trial upon you?”
She chuckled, “As if! Even a child could do it if they wanted to. My trials are simple, requiring only perseverance. If you accurately complete all thirteen hundred and forty-eight steps, you can leave that space in about three days. Yes, if you have the perseverance.”
I sarcastically questioned her statement, but she brushed off my jab as if it were nothing. She declared that the trial was not impossible, implying that those who had attempted it before were simply too inept. Then, with a cheerful laugh, she concisely explained how to conquer it. While her instructions seemed achievable with enough time, I realized the incredibly difficult conditions under which the trial had to be performed.
“No hints?” I asked.
This trial wasn’t like a game, where clues were provided and a little thought would lead to a solution. It was akin to being presented with a blank piece of paper, no problem statement, and being asked to deduce the answer solely from the paper itself. Without any information, it would be impossible for even the most brilliant mind to succeed. The only ones who could possibly clear it through conventional means would be individuals blessed with extraordinary luck, where every step was accompanied by a fortunate turn of events, or perhaps those with a chaotic streak of misfortune that triggered inexplicable outcomes. As the one who underwent the trial, I had to ask if she had any intention of lending assistance, my voice growing rough.
“Yes, no hints,” she confirmed. “If you deviate even slightly from the starting position, you’ll have to start by discovering where you are again. But isn’t that what a trial is? If you seek to borrow supernatural power, you must pay a commensurate price. In fact, I’m kinder than some. There are spirits who will take your life with a single trial.”
She didn’t seem bothered by my raised voice. Instead, as if to confirm the legitimacy of the power gained from this trial, she asked, “Isn’t that right?” I could only offer a wry smile in response. Her trial, which was reckless, unreasonable, and audacious, left me feeling exasperated.
“My senses tell me this is something that warrants the word ‘impossible’?”
Ignoring my emotions, Spirit Valse explained that this was how trials for higher beings should be.
“Are you saying that, considering you ignored the entire process and succeeded? I suppose it’s my fault for not anticipating that someone capable of tearing through that space would challenge my trial.”
She added that I shouldn’t be saying such things, considering I had literally cut through and discarded her “reckless, unreasonable, and audacious” trial. The phrase “tit for tat” seemed most appropriate at that moment.
“…”
“…”
“There’s no point dwelling on what’s done. Would you like some tea?”
“I’d love some.”
Understanding each other implicitly, we avoided pressing the issue further. To continue would undoubtedly lead to a quagmire and prevent us from discussing the contract.
“Now, having overcome the trial, you have the right to make a contract with me. What do you say? I have quite a few quirks, you know.”
“From that trial and our conversation just now, I’ve gathered a general idea. You’re quite sweet.”
“Delicious, aren’t I?”
A small white serpent immediately brought a wooden cup made of a bamboo-like material, containing a yellow liquid. Her gesture of offering it, reminiscent of a kindly neighbor giving a child a drink, caused my lips to curl into a slight smile. Steam rose from the cup, indicating a warm beverage. Seeing that the spirit drank without hesitation, I assumed it was not harmful. I took a sip, surprised by the faint, honey-like sweetness that lingered, more so than any bitterness or astringency. Finding it genuinely delicious, I drank it down.
“Since you seem to grasp things quickly, I’ll get straight to the contract discussion.”
The spirit cut to the chase without any further small talk. I silently urged her to continue with a glance. Having passed the trial, I had earned the right to a contract. However, it was merely a right; the extent to which I could borrow her power would depend on negotiation.
“Frankly, I don’t want to fight. So, please keep that in mind for our contract, okay?”
“You’re being very direct. If people came here seeking a contract for a spirit’s combat power, they might go mad hearing that after the trial.”
“Normally, they might, but I’m not a normal spirit, you see.”
Without any apparent concern about the shift from her initial formal tone, she stated her reluctance to fight, even while agreeing to a contract. While I had expected some level of combat ability from the spirit, it wasn’t a necessity for me. What I sought from the spirits this time was not eternal life, but rather a life lived alongside them, a span of time. In the extreme, as long as her power didn’t diminish, her inability to fight wouldn’t be an issue.
“May I ask, are you strong when you fight?”
“Hmm? There was an incident where a high-ranking Fire Spirit and a high-ranking Earth Spirit challenged me…”
“And?”
“I recall defeating them soundly while snacking.”
“So you are quite strong.”
“To that extent. But being strong doesn’t mean I enjoy fighting. I have no desire to make enemies by fighting unnecessarily. If I were to do that, I’d rather indulge my elder’s curiosity by listening to young people’s love stories. Or, even better, talk about delicious food.”
I had initially thought she was trying to avoid fighting due to a lack of power, but even in her ordinary, almost grandmotherly appearance, she was a high-ranking spirit. Her combat prowess seemed considerable. It appeared this spirit simply disliked fighting and was purely defensive; she would extinguish sparks that flew her way but disliked wielding fire herself. At that moment, I understood the meaning behind Spirit Valse’s assessing gaze.
“You’ll extend my lifespan, won’t you?”
“Yes, I suppose I can do that. I’ll stop your aging to the extent that you can live alongside humans. I’ll also allow for your growth.”
“That’s sufficient for me.”
“Oh, you’re surprisingly ungreedy. I expected you to ask for more.”
“Having power beyond one’s measure can lead to undesirable outcomes. Moderation is best. That implies your power is quite formidable, wouldn’t you say?”
“Oh, you figured that out?”
“Your phrasing was a bit off. And your gaze was rather intentional. You were provoking me too much.”
As a spirit named for controlling time and space, her abilities were undoubtedly immense. And her initially nonchalant attitude—perhaps intended to taunt me and potentially void our contract—also hinted at an underlying intention to test my mental fortitude and self-control.
“So, what would happen if you used your power violently?”
“I’ll leave that to your imagination. Rest assured, it will far exceed it.”
“You’re quite an enigmatic spirit.”
“I haven’t lived this long for nothing.”
The being I was about to contract with hadn’t revealed the full extent of her power. If my assumptions were correct, she possessed power comparable to, if not exceeding, that of a Demon Lord. In this untested state, forcing her to grant me power would be detrimental to both of us. In fact, the likelihood of me being annihilated unilaterally was far greater. It was one thing if she willingly granted power, but she was cautiously revealing it, observing me. Opportunities to gain power would arise as I honed myself. I just needed to wait for that time. Pushing for it now might jeopardize my original objective, which would be counterproductive.
“Is that so? Then I am content with the current situation.”
“Oh? If you’re satisfied, then I am too. Are you truly alright with this?”
“You’re teasing me… Fine, then, can I have a space that can store anything and retrieve it freely, where the contents do not degrade?”
Even after reaching this conclusion and stepping back, the spirit continued to tease me as if I were a pet. It was likely that my demeanor had met her approval for this encounter. Therefore, she probably decided to lend me a little extra power as a bonus. Seizing this opportunity, I thought about the inconvenience of transporting materials during dungeon raids and how to carry healing items. I had previously forgone purchasing a magic bag, as I heard they were expensive and, if broken, their contents would be scattered everywhere, with no possibility of repair. This situation presented a perfect chance, so I decided to give it a shot.
“Also, when you have time, please let me use that training space.”
“Oh? If it’s a request in that direction, then alright. Still, even though I suggested it, you’re quite unusual. You’re the first contractor to accept such terms.”
“Our mutual benefits align. That’s all there is to it; I’m not unusual.”
I hadn’t expected my additional requests to be accepted, but if she agreed, I wouldn’t object. What I had requested at this stage were conveniences. While they wouldn’t directly enhance my combat power, they would be indirectly useful. Furthermore, I now had the potential to renegotiate and improve the contract’s terms in the future. While I had sought her power to transcend human limitations, the outcome was, all in all, satisfactory. Spirit Valse nodded, understanding that the contract details were acceptable.
“Well then, shall we proceed with the contract?”
“…Are we being interrupted by an unwelcome guest at this timing?”
She looked up at the sky, her mouth forming a pout as if a troublesome presence were obstructing our contract. She gave off an air of impending trouble. I inquired about the reason, and she pointed to the sky in affirmation.
“Do you expect a human like me to see something all the way over there?”
“If you can tear through space, you should be able to see what’s beyond, shouldn’t you?”
“That’s like telling a newborn deer to sprint at full speed. You’re setting the bar too high.”
However, I couldn’t discern anything in the direction she pointed. The white sky was empty, but if she claimed something was there, then perhaps something was. Placing my hand on an ore tree and focusing my gaze in the direction she indicated, I began to see a tiny black speck, like a grain of rice, against the white expanse.
“Haa, it seems the trend these days is not to mend space, but to break it. I didn’t expect my space to be breached twice on the same day. And worse…”
The speck grew larger, forming a black, swirling vortex. It wasn’t breaking or tearing space. It was violating and eroding it, gradually expanding the vortex and expelling a mass of what looked like a crumpled black cloth. They fell, one after another.
“To drop something like this into my space…”
“…Undead?!”
I recognized that presence. It was black, ominous, and exuded a heavy aura that any living being would detest. With every breath the being took, all life seemed to wither. I exclaimed the true identity of the black cloth, recognizing the deathly aura of the undead that Instructor Fushio usually suppressed.
“Are these your guests?”
“I have acquaintances among the non-living, but I have no friends among those who flaunt such overt hostility!”
“Oh? Either way, I dislike beings who aren’t bound by time. So, you deal with them. If you can handle it, I’ll make the contract.”
The undead are those who have transcended death. They are freed from the chains of the concept of time. This made them naturally incompatible with Valse, who governed time and space. Although I wanted to complain to the spirit, who was clearly disgusted and was trying to pawn off the responsibility, there was no time for an argument. Those glowing red, malevolent eyes were undoubtedly fixed on me. While the enemy had been lured as planned, it wasn’t exactly a convenient turn of events. Exasperated by the ill-timed arrival, I took a step forward to deal with it.
Word of the day: There’s nothing more irritating or bothersome than an interruption.
This concludes today’s update. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review, rating, or bookmark. I have made some revisions to the contract details with the spirit based on feedback received in the comments. Thank you for continuing to support this work.
