I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 63
CHAPTER 63
“Is it possible?”
I looked at the spirit kings, holding the successor of Elam dearly in my hands.
“Is this even possible?”
Is it possible to contract with someone who hasn’t even properly become a spirit yet?
Even more so, when they’re a water spirit.
“Duplicate contracts aren’t allowed between spirits of the same element.”
For example, if I had a contract with Undine, I couldn’t contract with another water spirit.
If I wanted to, I had to terminate the contract first and then re-contract, but such cases were extremely rare.
The contracted spirit partner also had to agree to the termination.
“Did you agree to terminate the contract while I was unconscious?”
“Of course I did!”
At my question, Elam exclaimed loudly.
“Then why did I end up contracting with them?”
“I don’t know either!”
<Baa!>
As Elam and I raised our voices, the successor trembled excitedly, making noises.
“What on earth is happening!”
I pulled at my hair.
Contractors with the spirit kings?
Rare, but they existed.
Someone who contracted with all four spirit kings?
Considering the age of chaos, there might have been.
Not only humans but also dragons contracted with spirit kings.
But.
‘I’m the only one who contracted with all five spirit kings… right?’
And it was only me who contracted with a successor who wasn’t even a proper spirit yet.
It was an unprecedented event.
An event so unprecedented that even the gods couldn’t provide an answer.
“Why so serious, Contractor.”
Gnome began the conversation lightly.
“It’s understandable to be confused by sudden events. But think about it, what’s the harm?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“After all, there’s nothing wrong with your body, and there were no issues summoning the successor.”
Isn’t that right?
I blinked.
Listening to Gnome’s words, my confusion subsided.
Right, I’m not losing anything.
I muttered quietly.
“After all, I’ll be in the spirit realm anyway, and if I decide, I can terminate the contract.”
It was still a bit difficult to terminate or contract due to being too young.
But it should be possible soon.
I smiled as I looked at the successor floating above my hand.
Yeah, that’s how it is.
I was momentarily confused by the sudden events.
“You look cute like this. Just like a rabbit.”
As I poked it with my finger, it cried out again.
“….”
But the four spirit kings were different. Even Gnome had shut her mouth and was looking at Elam again.
Why, what’s happening again?
“For heaven’s sake, just tell me at once!”
“Well, that’s…”
Elam frowned and rubbed his face nervously.
“It seems like my successor has recognized you as its cradle.”
“….?”
“So, I hope you’ll keep carrying it until it grows up.”
“Hey, Elam.”
I looked at Elam and spoke up.
“You know, no matter when, it won’t be strange if I die.”
Did Elam put the cradle of the successor in the deepest part of the spirit realm for no reason?
It must have been judged safe there.
Every living creature right before birth was fragile, very fragile.
Handing that thing over to me?
Me, who has the health and stamina to die at any moment???
“I know.”
Elam scratched his head. Irritation seeped deeply into every movement.
“But there’s no other way. When you were unconscious, I tried to somehow bring it into the cradle.”
<Baaa!>
“It refused. It seems it liked you.”
<Baa!>
The successor, which had been floating around in front of Elam, fluttered back onto my hand.
“But…”
“It won’t be bad for you either, contractor.”
Elam nodded.
“I’ll often materialize to check on your territory, and it’s not like this one lacks strength either.”
“Not lacking in strength?”
“Yeah, even though it’s my successor. It’s not weak at all, right?”
Hmph, Elam said arrogantly.
It annoys me even more if that’s the truth.
“It could be at the level of an intermediate, or even advanced spirit.”
“Already?”
I looked at the successor in surprise. Its two black ears wiggled.
“It hasn’t even been a day since it was born, though?”
Isn’t that right? It looks completely like a baby.
“It’s been over 500 years since its birth.”
I’m sorry, it’s much older than I thought.
Gnome chuckled, poking Elam’s side.
“He’s been preparing for his death since way back when. Even though it hasn’t fully stabilized yet, it’ll be helpful in dangerous situations~”
“Hmm.”
Elam frowned.
“Anyway, I’m counting on you.”
“It will be needed.”
Ifrit handed me something.
It was the condensed power of the spirit king I saw earlier.
I accepted it.
With this, there shouldn’t be any problem calling the successor and sharing power.
I nodded.
Since I’d already made the contract, I didn’t need affinity, but I needed mana every time I summoned the successor.
I wondered where to get that mana, but it seems it can be replaced with the power of the spirit king.
“Hmm?”
After looking at the power for a moment, I turned my gaze to the spirit kings.
“Why does it look darker than before?”
“We added a bit more~”
“Yeah, that’s right. The contractor will have to work harder from now on.”
“Take courage, contractor.”
“It’s fine by me.”
I chuckled, holding the power.
“Is it okay to distribute it like this?”
The conscience that had protested when I exploited it was now poking at my heart.
“I know how to use it.”
It’s not the usual value of the power of the spirit king.
As I asked, the spirit kings glanced at each other, and Gnome chuckled first.
“Oh, that. We talked amongst ourselves about it.”
“T-There doesn’t seem to be a problem with the contractor.”
“That’s right.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, because you’re too weak.”
The last words popped out of Elam’s mouth.
“No matter how much we put a master sword in the hands of a child, its value decreases. So we could trust you.”
“That’s right. Especially since the contractor’s body is weak, even if they use the successor’s strength, it’ll just leak out. In other words, efficiency is extremely low.”
“Contractor being weak is reassuring, right? It means trustworthy.”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s good, the contractor being weak makes her trustworthy!”
…Is this a compliment or sarcasm?
When I glared, all four of the spirit kings avoided my gaze.
These rascals?
“Oh, right, contractor.”
Gnome called me as if she remembered something.
“You can give the child a name.”
“Huh? Do I have to give it a name?”
I blinked as I looked at the successor.
Isn’t its name Elam?
Gnome, Ifrit, Sylphid, Elam.
The names of the spirit kings remained unchanged and were passed down.
So, naturally, this child’s name should be Elam.
“But I’m here now, right?”
Elam said.
“So, we need a name to use until my successor becomes the real Elam. We can’t keep calling it the successor forever.”
“That makes sense.”
Like a nickname concept.
I nodded.
“But can I give it a name?”
“Because you’ll be the one to call it the most.”
At Elam’s words, I looked at the successor.
Name, I’m bad at naming.
“It looks white, so how about Albino?”
Oh, look at Elam’s face… I guess not.
“Then, since it’s a rabbit, how about Cotton…?”
Alright, that’s not it either.
“Then.”
I narrowed my eyes at the successor.
“What about Shu?”
<Baa!>
“Shu?”
“What does that mean?”
“It doesn’t mean anything.”
I laughed brightly at Sylphid’s words.
“It’s just cute!”
At my words, Elam’s face wrinkled again.
But he soon sighed, shaking his head.
“Well, do as you please… It’s better than Cotton or Albino.”
It was a face that seemed to have let go of many things.
Isn’t it better than Alexander Alfred Sebastian Thunder III?
…Is it similar?
“Anyway, I’ll send you home now.”
Elam came up to me.
“It’s good for you to rest soon too.”
I nodded.
When I approached Elam, he took my hand.
The bloodstains and tear marks on my face disappeared cleanly.
Along with that, my face became neat as if I had just washed it.
“Oh.”
Except for the loosened hair and slightly torn hem of the dress, it was the same as when I came out of the ballroom.
“Thank you.”
Elam shrugged silently.
“How much time has passed?”
“Well, it hasn’t been a day yet.”
“It’s not even dawn yet~ Don’t worry, don’t worry.”
I nodded at Gnome’s words.
When I left the ballroom, it was early evening, so it wasn’t that late.
‘It might be just the right time.’
The ball should be ending now.
As people start to disperse, if I move in between, no one will know that I disappeared.
“Oh, right.”
I should take this!
“Can I take a few of these? They’re good for insomnia.”
“Sure, take as many as you want.”
“I’ll do it for you.”
Sylphid pulled out a few flowers from the nearby spirit and even materialized them.
“Why? Haven’t you been sleeping well lately?”
“Oh, no, it’s not me. It’s someone else.”
I accepted the flowers from Sylphid.
‘Did I get it all?’
I’ve got the powers.
The relic… Oh, this sacredness is enough. I should leave it in the temple.
And Shu is here.
<Baa!>
I’ve got the spirit’s flower.
Alright, got everything.
“Now send me off.”
Elam nodded and approached, taking my hand.
At that moment, one of the Undines stealthily approached.
“Huh? Why is an Undine…?”
Gnome chuckled.
Just the presence of the spirit kings was imposing enough.
In a gathering where all the spirit kings were present, and even most spirits kept their distance, the weakest lower-level spirit, Undine, approached.
<Wanderer.>
While trembling with the pressure from the Four Spirit Kings, Undine gradually came closer to me.
Swoosh, the little hand made of water touched my arm.
<Tha-Thank you…>
I could tell at that moment.
Ah, it was Undine who had rushed to me earlier saying there was trouble.
“It was you.”
As I recognized her, Undine’s face lit up.
<Y-Yes! I’m Undine, who waters the Starlight Flowers every day.>
Undine giggled bashfully.
<I wanted to say thank you, thank you.>
As her words ended, the surroundings rumbled with gratitude.
<T-Thank you.>
<Nice to meet you, Wanderer! Thank you.>
<We won’t forget your kindness.>
It was a thank you from the water spirits who, although unable to come close because of the spirit kings, had been watching over me from afar.
<Thank you for helping us.>
I smiled as I heard the shower of gratitude pouring down like dew.
Until just now, I honestly thought I couldn’t do it twice because it hurt too much.
But somehow, I found myself smiling.
“…We’re thankful too, contractor.”
Gnome stepped forward.
“We gave something in return, but we didn’t say thank you.”
“Thank you, contractor.”
“We offer our thanks once again.”
Following Sylphid, Ifrit also expressed gratitude.
“Contractor.”
The last one was Elam. Holding my hand, Elam looked at me with transparent eyes.
“…Thank you for helping.”
I looked at Elam’s face for a moment, then grinned.
“It’s nothing for what you’ve done.”