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“Shinsu*, summon the Sea Dragon.”
“Wow! I don’t know what that is, but it’s cool, right? Admiral, you’re so cool!”
Twitch.
The Admiral’s lips slightly curled upwards.
Even a whale dances when complimented, so the Admiral must feel the same way.
“Well, I’m the only one among all the past Pashayen who can summon and control the Sea Dragon.”
“Wow!”
I also want to do something cool like that. Something huge and powerful.
“Today, we learned about the Spirit King. The Spirit King isn’t a special ability, right?”
“That’s right. Being loved by spirits is an innate talent. Among them, receiving the blessing of the Spirit King is something very special, an affinity that shouldn’t even exist… In any case, summoning the Spirit King is a separate domain from special abilities.”
“Ehehe.”
So, I’m someone who’s very loved.
Just thinking about it made me feel so happy.
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ is warmly watching over you.]
[Anyone would love you, child. How could they not?]
Shimmering letters passed in front of me.
I whispered to myself, ‘I’m a loved Shupetty,’ and felt a surge of pride.
“For the last… take this.”
It was at that moment.
“It’s not exactly a leader’s position, but it’s just as good.”
The Admiral pushed something toward me.
A name tag shaped like a crab.
And the words written there—
“My daughter.”
“Heeing.”
The moment I understood the meaning of the words, my nose started to tingle.
“We may still be awkward with each other. But since the great whale has chosen, I will accept you as my daughter.”
“……..”
“It’s my job as your father to make sure you can trust and rely on me. All you have to do is continue living as you are, and if you ever feel like leaning on someone, come find me.”
His voice was extremely gentle, despite his awkward tone.
With trembling hands, I picked up the name tag and held it to my chest.
It’s even prettier and better than the last one.
‘My number one treasure.’
In the end, I shed a few tears.
The Admiral hugged me and gently patted my back.
Even in that moment, I held onto the name tag tightly with both hands, worried it might get crumpled.
This time, I must protect it.
I made that resolution.
Chapter 2. ‘Well Done’ Stamp!
In the warm season transitioning from late spring to summer.
It’s already been fifteen days since I’ve been here.
Today, Lina dressed me in a white hoodie dress with dangling bunny ears.
The pink frills swaying at the hem of the skirt looked like flower petals, which made me feel great!
I’m so happy!
“The library is straight down these stairs and then take a left. Are you sure you’ll be alright on your own?”
“Yes! I’ll be fine!”
Originally, Lina was going to accompany me all the way to the library entrance, but I refused.
Because I can walk around boldly on my own!
“Hello!”
There was no one in the library when I arrived.
But out of habit, I still greeted the empty space.
After closing the door tightly, I opened my eyes wide at the vast forest of books.
‘There are too many!’
How am I supposed to find what I need here?
What I’m looking for is… information about spirits.
‘I’m curious about the names of the Spirit Kings.’
If possible, I’d like to form a contract with them too!
In the meantime, I had been wandering around doing some investigations.
‘Spirits? Even the Spirit King? If you could form a contract, it would be a huge event!’
That’s what Mr. Carmen had said—
‘Hehe, if you manage to form a contract with the Spirit King, I’ll give you something really good. I’ll even set aside time for us to have tea together, separately from others.’
The head of the family had said this with a rather proud expression.
‘It would be nice, but don’t push yourself if it doesn’t work out.’
The Admiral had said this as well—
‘Oh my! You’ll definitely succeed!’
‘That’s right! And if you form a contract with the Fire Spirit, could you send one to the kitchen hearth? It’s been acting up lately…’
‘And send a Water Spirit too, so they can help with the washing up!’
The kitchen chef, Hans, and the kitchen maids had said these things.
Even the gardener I ran into while playing had slipped me a roasted sweet potato and said:
‘If possible, could you send a Spirit of Earth? Ahem, please.’
It seems like everyone wants me to form a contract with the Spirit King.
Since I get to eat delicious food and wear pretty clothes here, I want to grant all their wishes if I can.
“Excuse meee.”
There was no teacher or librarian in sight inside the library.
It was incredibly quiet.
I got the feeling that I shouldn’t run, so I quietly tiptoed around as I explored.
‘Oh?’
How long had I been wandering?
Beyond the rows of bookshelves, I came across an open space.
There were sofas and cushions that looked as fluffy as clouds, along with lots of pillows.
Behind them, there was a desk and a large window beside it.
“……..!”
And next to that wide-open window, someone was asleep.
Sleeping peacefully, barely even breathing.
“So pretty…”
Without realizing it, I said that out loud, and I quickly covered my mouth, worried I might wake him up.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem to have woken up, so I sighed in relief and cautiously approached.
Because, honestly, I was enchanted.
‘He’s a guy, right?’
For a moment, I mistook him for a girl because he looked so pretty.
Full lips and plump cheeks.
Light pink hair that gently covered his forehead and a pale complexion.
A slender body and a relaxed posture.
Everything about him sparkled in my eyes.
Brother, you resemble a spring flower tree!
‘I have pink hair as well.’
And this Brother also has pink hair!
Before I knew it, I had approached him, smiling to myself as I noticed the similarity.
Then, suddenly—
Swish.
His long eyelashes fluttered, and a pair of violet eyes, just like the Admiral’s, looked straight at me.
His gaze was cold, different from what I had imagined, and I felt a bit intimidated. Still, I greeted him confidently.
I want to be friends!
Because, because…
He’s so beautiful!
“Hello.”
“What is this?”
His voice, rough and full of irritation, was as sharp as an arrow.
I flinched, but I quickly explained why I was there.
“I… I’m looking for a book.”
“And?”
“Could you help me? I’m too short to reach the books.”
If there were an adult around, I would’ve asked them.
I wiggled my toes nervously, waiting for his response.
The brother stared at me for a moment, then smirked as if he had realized something.
“Oh, so you’re the new youngest sibling.”
“You know me?”
“I’ve heard about you. I heard you drove away that impudent Ricardo. That part I liked.”
As soon as he recognized who I was, his tone softened.
I rolled my eyes and swallowed hard.
He wasn’t an adult, nor a peer my age.
This was my first time talking to someone who seemed this big.
Luckily, this brother continued the conversation.
“Do you know how to read?”
“Yes.”
“Well, Awakened ones tend to learn everything faster than others, so it’s not surprising.”
Cough, cough.
As he spoke, he sat up and let out a light cough.
Seeing how frail he looked, I couldn’t help but be taken aback.
“What book are you looking for?”
“Well, I’m curious about spirits.”
“You want to learn about the Spirit King. I’ll find it for you.”
Cough, cough.
The nameless brother navigated through the sea of books like a squirrel, easily finding what he was looking for.
After a short while, he returned with three books in his arms.
‘Let’s Go Play in the Spirit Forest!’
‘The Ultimate Spirit Encyclopedia!’
‘The Sorrows of a Spirit Master’s Life’
The first book was a fairy tale.
The second was a picture-filled encyclopedia, and the third one… I didn’t know. It looked difficult.
As I looked at the titles of the books, I suddenly noticed another book and stopped.
“Could you get that one too?”
“About Bijou? Sure.”
[Even a Goldfish Could Understand! What Is Bijou?]
The title was simple and immediately conveyed the content.
The nameless brother piled the books I wanted onto the desk.
As I followed him, I sneaked a glance at the thick book he had been reading.
‘A Study on the Mysteries After Death and My Brief Experience with Dying’
Death?
“Brother, are you going to die?”
🍓 ; *Shinsu usually represents powerful mythical creatures with divine powers, often tied to nature, gods, or ancient legends. These creatures may have supernatural abilities and serve as protectors or key figures in the story’s world-building.
