Chapter 46
Jade spoke without a moment's hesitation.
As if he had never intended to go in the first place.
Besides, the surrounding territories were only baronies and viscounties, so there was no need to worry about offending them.
If anything, they were more likely to worry about offending him.
Thud, thud.
As he once again leisurely watched over the elephant tribe's village and enjoyed tea, measured footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Then one of the servants approached Alfredo and whispered in his ear.
-Even if they talk like that, we can hear everything!
-They don't know that.
-But when will the werewolves attack? They must know the pursuit party was wiped out.
Kkyuuuuung.
Even as Silestin and Elestra conversed, Whid remained in Jade's arms, looking around the elephant village.
It was fascinated by how the village scenery changed from day to day.
Perhaps because it was still young, it was full of curiosity.
“My lord.”
“Speak.”
“A magical message has arrived from the House of Caesars.”
“An invitation?”
“Yes.”
Alfredo's expression stiffened slightly.
As Jade had said, he did not need to worry too much about communications from the surrounding lords.
Jade's rank was higher than theirs.
But the House of Caesars was another matter.
“Use the same excuse.”
“Would that be all right?”
“Why wouldn't it be? I haven't lied.”
Alfredo's expression grew complicated.
It was an invitation sent by none other than a ducal house.
Moreover, the House of Caesars was the head of the noble faction and the only ducal house in the Polstein Kingdom.
That was why Alfredo answered with difficulty.
“……I understand.”
“Don't worry too much. The ducal house won't really expect me to come, either. Of course, they'll wish I would come. But that's all. So just show them some sincerity, that's all. We have a perfectly valid reason.”
“Yes.”
Alfredo flushed.
Hearing Jade say that, he realized he had been taking it too seriously.
His faction might be weaker, but Jade himself was a master-level powerhouse.
Even the Duke of Caesars was no match for him.
On top of that, Jade had the Crown Prince and Haines on his side.
When he thought about it, there was nothing to feel inferior about.
Srrk.
Having said all he needed to, Jade got to his feet.
He had rested enough, so now he planned to get back to work.
Kkyuuuuuu!
Whid noticed it first, its eyes sparkling.
Watching the elephant tribe was fun, but nothing was as fun as being active himself.
“Good work.”
“Yes.”
As Lloyd had said, minor matters within the territory were settled by Alfredo.
As befitted a capable butler, he kept bothersome matters from reaching Jade.
Of course, Jade had the final say.
But there were very few matters requiring his approval.
In the training yard in front of the residence Jade had built himself, ten boys stood in a row, their faces tense.
They were all nervous because they had been told spirit-contract lessons would begin today.
But a faint excitement mingled with their nervousness.
They were thrilled at the thought of attempting to contract with spirits they had only ever seen.
“I hope I succeed on the first try.”
“That would be great, but it won't be easy. Spirit mages are incredibly rare.”
“It's incredible that ten of us gathered here. There are fewer than fifty spirit mages active in the Polstein Kingdom, including our lord.”
“Most of them are mercenaries, too. Strictly speaking, they aren't citizens of our kingdom.”
Perhaps to ease the tension, the children began speaking one by one.
Even so, they had grown close after spending several days together.
“Hmm!”
Of course, not everyone was like that.
Farzali, the oldest of the ten, stood ramrod straight without the slightest fidgeting.
It was probably a habit left over from his time in the militia.
The children also obeyed his instructions quite readily.
“Aren't you too nervous, big brother?”
“I can't help being nervous. I know how incredible a gift I've received. A complete mana cultivation technique is a secret art even among noble families. Yet he taught it to us in exchange for nothing more than an oath of loyalty. To us, who aren't even kin but complete strangers.”
“He really is different from the other nobles. Maybe it's because he came from a commoner background, but he seems to think differently.”
Rael, standing beside him, nodded.
Whenever he quietly watched Jade, the word unconventional came to mind.
At the same time, he felt grateful.
No one could simply take them in like this, no matter how talented they were as spirit mages.
“He certainly is. That's why I'm looking forward to it, too. But first, we mustn't disappoint our lord.”
“What kind of spirit do you want to contract with?”
“I don't care what element it is. I just want to make a contract. We won't be able to train properly until we do.”
“The lord is coming!”
The noisy training yard fell silent all at once.
They all stopped talking at the sight of Jade walking toward them from afar.
Then, like the militia members in Baden Village, they stood at attention.
Kkyu kkyu kkyu!
Seeing them standing in a straight line, Whid, held in Jade's arms, waved its right forepaw.
It was greeting them, having grown somewhat accustomed to them.
The children, who looked around ten years old, gave a small wave in return.
They moved their hands just a little as they looked at Whid.
-They're cute. The kids are like chicks.
-They look like seasoned young soldiers and boy soldiers.
The two spirits smiled at the sight.
Seeing the children so tense had made them seem adorable.
“You all heard about today's lesson, right?”
“Yes!”
“You can answer quietly. I'm not deaf yet.”
“Yes!”
Jade shook his head at the voices, which had not diminished in the slightest.
Training with the militia had apparently taught them nothing but useless things.
What soldiers needed was skill, not loud voices.
-I love their youthful vigor! You can feel their fresh energy!
-At least half of them should be able to make a contract today, don't you think?
Silestin flew around excitedly, energized by their youthful spirit.
Their youthful vigor was palpable even just from watching them.
Whid was likewise excited, its tail swishing repeatedly.
“Who wants to go first?”
“I will.”
“Hmm, the beginning is important.”
“I'll do my best.”
Farzali answered with a determined expression.
He sounded as though he would make a contract no matter what.
“I like your spirit.”
“I will definitely contract with a spirit.”
“Good. Then sit comfortably.”
“Yes.”
Though he had suddenly been told to sit, Farzali did not question it.
True to his former militia training, he immediately followed the order.
“Close your eyes and feel the energy around you. Don't try to picture any of the four major elements in particular; just feel nature as it is. Imagine yourself becoming one with nature.”
“Yes.”
“You don't need to answer. Just listen and concentrate.”
“……”
As Jade had instructed, Farzali did not answer.
Instead, he gradually focused his mind more deeply.
Following Jade's instructions, he immersed himself in the natural sensations he could feel against his skin.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
When he could no longer hear Jade's voice, a strange sensation arose from his buttocks along with the sound of his heartbeat.
It felt as though something were playfully tapping the part of him touching the ground.
‘Did I imagine that?’
Farzali furrowed his brow at the feeling of something poking the exact center of his buttocks.
The location was particularly awkward.
The sensation of being poked precisely in the center, as if someone were jabbing him right in the middle of his backside, put him in a foul mood.
But he endured it for now.
‘Focus.’
Though he had sworn loyalty to Jade, he had nevertheless been taught a mana cultivation technique practically equivalent to a secret art.
Although he was by no means exceptionally talented, to him, who had been nothing more than an ordinary commoner, a complete mana cultivation technique was practically a treasure.
That was why Farzali did not want to disappoint Jade.
Tap. Tap.
As he concentrated, trying to ignore it and open himself to all five senses, the sensation in his buttocks grew clearer.
It poked his buttocks even more forcefully, as if telling him not to ignore it.
‘What is this?’
-Gnome.
‘Huh?’
Farzali was startled.
It was because an incredibly clear voice had echoed inside his head.
It sounded like a young child's clumsy pronunciation, but Farzali heard it distinctly.
-Gnome.
Perhaps because it wondered whether he had heard, the spirit's voice came again.
At the sound, Farzali reflexively opened both eyes.
“You are…….”
-Gnome!
Sitting right in front of Farzali was a gnome, a lesser earth spirit in the form of a small, squat old man.
It smiled broadly, apparently delighted to meet his eyes.
“Now we need to make a contract.”
“Ah, yes!”
Farzali, who had worn a dazed expression at the spirit's actual appearance, hurriedly extended his hand.
Though there was no standardized method, contracting with a spirit required a ritual of sorts.
Thus, Farzali extended his hand toward the gnome with a tense expression and continued.
“Will you make a contract with me?”
-Gnome!
At Farzali's cautious question, the gnome smiled brightly and reached out its hand in return.
Soon, the hands of the two beings touched, and the contract was forged.
“Ah…….”
Unable to put it into words, Farzali let out an exclamation at the feeling that his soul had become connected to the gnome.
He didn't know what to do with himself over an emotion he had never felt before in his life.
The other nine children watched him with intensely envious expressions.
-That's a good start.
-Of course it is, with Jade here. Farzali's spirit affinity was pretty high, too.
-True. Just having our Jade here is practically half the contract already.
There was a reason Silestin and Elestra called Jade a human loved by spirits.
The people here did not know it, but simply having Jade present made it several times easier to summon spirits.
A considerable number of spirits were unconsciously drawn in by Jade's monstrous spirit affinity.
Then, after seeing Silestin and Elestra, they would give up, thinking it was beyond their reach, and approach the children instead.
“Congratulations on your contract.”
“Th-thank you! It's all thanks to you, my lord!”
-Farzali really gets it!
-Though it doesn't really sound like something he came up with himself.
“Next.”
Jade said, turning his gaze away from Farzali, who was still moved.
He saw no reason to drag things out.
Today's goal was for more than half of the ten to form contracts, so Jade looked at the remaining nine.
“I'll try!”
“So you're Rael.”
“Yes!”
Rael raised his hand high at Farzali's success.
Then he was moved despite himself when he realized Jade remembered his name.
To Jade, Rael was just one of countless residents of his territory, so he was touched that Jade remembered his name exactly.
“You saw how Farzali did it, right? Do it that way. In whatever way feels most comfortable to you.”
“Yes! I will definitely make a contract too!”
“Don't feel pressured. Take it easy. The more pressure you feel, the more the spirits will feel it too.”
Unlike Farzali, Rael remained standing.
He stood straight, closed his eyes, and quickly focused on his five senses.
He drew up all the mana in his body and devoted every bit of his attention to the sensations touching his body.
‘I want an earth spirit too!’
Rael pictured the lesser earth spirit gnome that Farzali had just contracted with in his mind.
At the same time, he wished for it fervently.
Following Jade's advice that forming a definite image was more helpful than vaguely imagining one, he pictured the gnome and cried out inwardly.
‘Gnome, come here! Come to me!’