‘Oh no. It’s angry.’
Rumble… Rumble…
The roar of a dragon echoed over the ridge.
I couldn’t see it, nor did I know what kind of conversation was taking place.
“Why are you getting angry! I said it was cute as a compliment!”
“…”
“Think about it from my perspective. If Aslan called me cute… Ugh. Just imagining it is awful.”
“…”
“But cute is cute! What? You’re embarrassed? What’s there to be embarrassed about…!”
One thing was certain: Julia was angering the Great Spirit of Earth.
Looking at the drawing Julia made, it was clear…
“Pffft.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the cute drawing.
Not only was Julia’s drawing skill adorable in its own clumsy yet earnest way, but this brown lump of a figure looked utterly harmless.
It looked like something kids would love if it were made into a toy.
“Cute? Where?”
“Let me see the drawing too!”
“Me too! I want to see!”
Rumble.
Crowds gathered to see Julia’s drawing.
Of course, they were curious.
This thing had been causing earthquakes and driving everyone to the brink of madness.
But just before they could flip the drawing over to see it…
“Kwaaaah!?”
Crumble!
The mountain began to shake violently.
The drawing fell into the mud, becoming unrecognizable.
However, the earthquake did not stop there.
It grew even stronger, making it impossible to stand.
Damn it. This isn’t just throwing a tantrum.
It’s trying to kill us all…!
“Damn it. Everyone, evacuate immediately.”
“Mister! Shouldn’t Knight Sylvia deal with the Great Spirit here with Kaboom…!”
“The spirit’s form isn’t affected by physical force or ordinary magic. You need a special power to interfere with a spirit’s form.”
For example, my Touch of Death.
But the Touch of Death only works on weaker opponents, so it’s useless here.
Another method that can interfere with spirits is…
“Aura.”
“Little Flame?”
“Aura can do it.”
“Then I’ll…!”
“Stop. Even if you can attack, how will you fight an invisible opponent?”
I stopped Charlotte, who was eager to step forward.
Sure, Aura can cut spirits. But that’s only theoretically possible; there’s no guarantee of winning.
Charlotte can’t even see the Great Spirit of Earth.
Even if Julia relayed its location in real-time, it would be tough to fight if it kept changing positions.
Fighting a Great Spirit in such uncertain conditions is akin to s*icide.
“What should we do then? People are going to get seriously hurt at this rate…!”
“We retreat, what else.”
If we continue this recklessness, there will be a major disaster.
I quickly handed Charlotte to Sylvia and grabbed Julia.
With a quick grip, I easily lifted Julia.
She struggled, throwing a fit.
“Wait a minute! I’m in the middle of persuading it!”
“Persuade it and everyone will die.”
“Ah…”
Seeing the chaos and panic, Julia’s mouth fell open.
People were rushing to escape, tangling with each other. If the earthquake continued, casualties would be inevitable.
“It doesn’t seem like the spirit wants to hurt people!”
“Probably not. If it wanted to, it would have buried people alive on the first day. But it’s definitely in a state of extreme agitation.”
“Just because its true form was seen, it doesn’t need to go this far…! Such a mean thing!”
“Julia, use that.”
“The Spirit Language? I didn’t want to use it, but if it’s come to this…!”
“…!”
Julia frowned deeply, clearly angry.
She took a deep breath and shouted.
It looked like she was just opening her mouth, but in reality, she was speaking in a language only spirits could hear.
It wasn’t just any ordinary language.
The Spirit Language.
A unique ability of Spirit Masters, a language that binds spirits.
‘Will Julia’s Spirit Language work?’
Persuasion had failed.
The question now was whether Julia’s Spirit Language, as a novice Spirit Master, could work on a Great Spirit.
She had only used it on lower-level spirits before.
…Will it work?
“The earthquake stopped!”
Rumble…
The fierce dragon roar ceased.
The shaking that seemed like it would collapse the mountain stopped.
Julia had done something!
“Did it work?”
“Julia, what did you say with the Spirit Language just now?”
“Just… I told it to become cuter! I was annoyed…”
“…”
Become cuter?
What the heck does that mean?
I was so dumbfounded that I froze for a moment.
Then, a light began to gather in the sky.
The light concentrated in one spot.
It started to form a familiar shape.
Round and plump with stubby arms…
Huh? This looks like the figure in Julia’s drawing!
[Kyaaagh! What did you do to my body!]
“…”
The light faded, revealing a brown, small creature.
It looked exactly like Julia’s drawing come to life.
But wasn’t it supposed to be enormous?
Now, it was only about the size of a human head.
This was definitely…
“It’s cute. Was this the true form of the Great Spirit of Earth?”
[Kyaagh! No! Don’t look at me! Don’t look! This isn’t my true form…!]
The Great Spirit of Earth tried to cover its large face with its tiny, stubby hands.
But it was no use.
It even attempted to burrow into the ground to hide, but Charlotte quickly snatched it up, leaving it flailing helplessly in the air.
‘Is it completely incapacitated?’
I worried it might use some kind of magic.
But the now-miniaturized Great Spirit of Earth just floundered in Charlotte’s grasp, unable to do anything.
It didn’t even seem particularly strong.
‘No, that’s not it. If Charlotte is struggling to hold it, just how strong is it?’
I thought for a moment.
Charlotte, who could easily handle the Super Super Strong Sword, was barely managing to hold onto it.
Aside from her, only Sylvia might be strong enough to handle it.
[Let me go! Let me go, I say!]
“Julia, your drawing skills are amazing. It looks exactly like this…!”
[Ahhh!!!]
“Mister, what should we do with it…?”
[Don’t hug me like a doll! I’m not a toy!]
Kkoooo.
Charlotte looked at me with a longing gaze, hugging the Great Spirit of Earth tightly.
She clearly wanted something.
She probably wanted me to spare the Great Spirit…
‘Honestly, I’d prefer to eliminate any future threats here and now.’
Frankly, I didn’t care if the Great Spirit of Earth had absorbed spiritual energy for a thousand years.
My only concern was Charlotte, Julia, and Yuri.
I didn’t care about anyone else.
Even though it’s small and cute now, it might seek revenge once it returns to its original form.
So the best option might be to kill it.
After all, spirits aren’t human…
‘Damn. Have I been corrupted by being in Aslan’s body?’
I snapped back to reality.
Pretending to be a villain was making me think like one.
Killing the spirit can’t be the best option.
I am a benevolent person who even showed endless mercy to Count Ariente despite his constant rudeness.
“Can I keep it? I’ll feed it, wash it, and clean up after it so you won’t be bothered.”
[I don’t eat! I don’t need to be washed! I don’t poop! Do you think I’m like you humans!]
“He says he doesn’t need any of that. Please, Mister. I really want to keep it! It’s always been my dream to have a talking doll!”
“Julia, what do you think?”
“Me? I… I want to get along with it. I used to resent spirits because they kept me up at night. But now that I can talk to them, I see they’re pure beings. I believe this one is kind and pure at heart, despite its rough exterior…”
If Julia said so, then I had no choice.
I nodded slightly in agreement, and Charlotte jumped for joy, still holding the Great Spirit of Earth.
It didn’t seem too pleased, possibly feeling dizzy from all the shaking.
“Alright, the situation is resolved for now. Once we finish the road construction, we can start the operation immediately.”
“It’s… over? Just like that?”
Count Ariente stood there, gaping at the sky in disbelief.
He was a mess, likely from rolling around during the earthquakes.
Speaking of which, although the road construction was mostly finished, paving it would still be a significant task.
If it were just the road in front of the mansion, Sylvia could handle it. But this road stretches across the mountain.
It would take Sylvia over a week of non-stop work to finish it.
She could do it, but who would guard me if she were occupied?
“Count, the road construction only needs the paving completed. I’d like to subcontract this to Ariente Construction. In return, I will waive next month’s interest. Does that sound acceptable?”
“You’re giving us work! Thank you! This will give us some breathing room next month! I am deeply grateful to you, Lord Vermont!”
“Hahaha. Please rise.”
Count Ariente grasped my hand and wept with joy.
Although I was technically giving them back the job they should have had in the first place, it was still a heartwarming sight.
