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Chapter 10
Am I dreaming right now?
Just like I had on the first day of possession, I pinched my cheek. It hurt a lot. Right—so this wasn’t a dream either.
I rubbed my eyes. As if to prove that it was a spirit, the bird’s body was translucent.
It looked more like a ghost than a spirit, but a ghost wouldn’t talk to someone like this, would it?
“A contract?”
[Yes. A contract. A promise that binds our souls into one and is engraved for a lifetime.]
That sounds like some kind of slave contract. I shook my head.
“No. I’m not doing it.”
[…You’re refusing?]
The spirit spoke in a flustered tone.
“Yeah. I don’t even know what a spirit really is. Why are you suddenly proposing a contract?”
To be honest, I did know. Spirits were a half-forgotten power in a world ruled by magic, swordsmanship, and divinity.
They were said to be the first to be born—and the strongest power of all.
But in the original work, the explanation about spirits ended with just those two lines. The strongest, yet only two lines before it was over.
Frankly, I found it a little hard to trust.
And there was one more reason I didn’t want to contract with a spirit.
If I did, it would feel like I was taking on some truly important role.
By now, it was practically a cliché that when a possessed character gained a power that didn’t exist in the original story, they ended up rolling straight into disaster.
All I needed was to succeed with the Cupid of Love Project. I didn’t want to get entangled in incidents and accidents by gaining some unnecessary, overwhelming power.
Though I already seemed to be partially entangled—but I could explain that.
Even if they didn’t believe me, what could they say if I insisted it wasn’t me?
“So just go.”
But the spirit didn’t seem willing to give up despite my curt reply. It kicked off the branch and flew down.
The flapping sound felt oddly familiar.
[If you had any shame, it’d be hard to refuse, you know?]
“What? Shame?”
The spirit pecked my forehead lightly with its beak. I frowned, but it didn’t really hurt.
[Saving those two children—that was my doing.]
“Really?”
I hurriedly recalled what had happened before.
Paul’s safe landing had definitely involved some kind of power.
I hadn’t looked into it deeply because everything turned out fine—but that was actually the spirit’s doing?
The spirit preened its feathers with its beak and puffed up proudly.
[And I’m the one who saved you when you slipped.]
“…That part was the Duke helping me, but… fine, I get it.”
At my words, the spirit shrugged its wings and flew upward. Then it said,
[If you contract with me, situations like those won’t happen anymore! And there’s an even bigger advantage.]
Unrevealed settings from the original were tempting me.
I still didn’t want to sign a contract, but surely it wouldn’t hurt just to hear about it?
“Then tell me about that advantage.”
[Wind is the power of flow. Flow can pierce, block, connect, and link.
It allows abilities of perception, concealment, movement, and transmission.]
It was a bit vague, but they sounded like impressive abilities.
Concealment might mean hiding documents the way I’d imagined—but that was just a joke, so I let it go.
One ability in particular caught my attention.
“Putting the others aside—if you say movement, does that mean you can do something like teleportation?”
[Of course. I can take you anywhere you want.]
Like teleport magic?
[You could say it’s similar to teleportation.]
“Do you get motion sickness, by any chance?”
[I do not.]
No motion sickness. With my heart pounding, I spread my arms and said,
“Then move me from here to my room.”
[I don’t have enough power for that yet.]
What was that supposed to mean? When I immediately made a dumbfounded face, the spirit continued awkwardly.
[Our ranks are divided into lower, middle, upper, and Spirit King. Only from the middle rank onward can you do the kind of movement you want.]
“…You’re not telling me you’re lower rank?”
[That is correct. So my powers are still quite limited.]
The spirit added that such abilities couldn’t be used right away and that it would need to train and evolve into a higher rank.
So there was no immediate benefit. Feeling deflated, I turned my head away from the spirit.
[No, wait! Just listen a little more! If you contract with me, you won’t have to dry your hair yourself after washing it. I’ll automatically dry it and make it perfectly dry!]
Oh?
Did it just say it would become my personal hair dryer?
I stopped mid-step. Seeing me hesitate, the spirit raised its voice.
[You won’t have to bend over to pick up dropped objects either. I’ll lift them up for you!]
Now it was saying it would become a ball boy?
I thought about how much wind affected everyday life.
A warm breeze began to blow through my previously barren heart.
Then came the spirit’s final words—the decisive blow.
[I’ll make sure you never suffer from summer heat again! I’ll be a wind that can control temperature and humidity!]
So it was saying it would become an air conditioner?
I spun around and faced the spirit directly.
Among the magical tools scheduled for commercialization, air conditioners didn’t exist yet.
The benefits of the contract made me turn back. The spirit looked deeply moved.
Right. Even if I contracted with a spirit, if I just used it for personal convenience, what could go wrong?
And thinking about it, a spirit might actually help with my Cupid of Love Project.
Situations where two people trip and end up tangled together in an awkward position—I could probably engineer those using the spirit.
I could even create a strange atmosphere with petals fluttering around.
The temptation of a hair dryer and air conditioner fully under my control was overwhelmingly strong for someone who had lived a past life.
“Fine. Let’s do it—the contract.”
[This will be the best decision of your life!]
The spirit shouted joyfully. Well, not necessarily the best decision of my life, but still.
[Come closer. We must bind our souls.]
“Wait. Explain this ‘binding souls’ thing in detail. You said it’s a promise engraved for a lifetime—what exactly does that mean?”
Careless contracts were one of the fastest ways to ruin a life. The spirit spoke in a dignified tone.
[Spirits are beings that evolve. And evolution is only possible if there is a contractor.]
“Oh—so you mean you can only evolve if you bind your soul to someone?”
[Correct. If a spirit fails to evolve and spends long years without a contractor, this is what happens.]
The spirit spread its wings wide, showing off its shabby feathers.
“Isn’t there any other way to evolve without binding souls?”
[No. Increasing intimacy between contractor and spirit through repeated training after binding souls is the only way.]
So it was like raising a Pokémon.
“And the promise engraved for a lifetime?”
[Once contracted, it cannot be broken unless one dies by their own will.]
Hearing that, I finally understood clearly.
“So we become eternal partners.”
[Yes. Eternal partners. That’s how it’s put—don’t think of it too heavily.]
Most of my questions were answered. Only one remained.
“Why me?”
Why had the spirit offered me a contract?
[Because you are a bundle of contradictions.]
“…?”
[Being a mix of black and white is a human trait, but you go beyond that. To my eyes, you are chaos itself—past and future intertwined.]
Did it know I was possessed? I swallowed nervously.
[Yet despite being so mixed, you weren’t repulsive. On the contrary, you were so clean it felt alien. Those who live their original lives are usually sticky and muddled…]
“What are you talking about? I’m living here.”
[Yes. You are living ‘here.’]
It was an answer that ended on an unsettling note.
As if asking whether all my curiosity had been satisfied, the spirit drifted closer. I shrank back, trying to pull away, but the spirit pressed its small forehead against mine.
[I will form a contract.]
At the same time, a dazzling light began to pour out from where our foreheads touched.
The light scattered into the shape of chains, stretching long. The chains of light slowly wrapped around us.
I cautiously opened my tightly shut eyes. The spirit spoke in a solemn, calm tone.
[I, Riventa, lower wind spirit, form a contract with Rasha Berni. Our souls shall be bound as one, sharing all things, and this contract shall be engraved for a lifetime as a sacred promise.]
Riventa continued. The chains of light wrapped around us even more tightly.
[Should this contract be broken, Rasha Berni’s soul shall fail to find peaceful rest and wander an endless path. In return, I, the wind spirit Riventa, swear to live my entire life for Rasha Berni alone, and if I break this vow, I shall be extinguished.]
The brilliant light drew a dizzying vortex.
[I, Riventa, wind spirit— the one and only unique spirit for my contractor Rasha Berni alone. My name shall belong to Rasha Berni, and the chains of our souls shall perfect our bond for all eternity.]
Flash—!
The chains of light lost their form, scattered, flared brightly once more, and vanished. Riventa murmured softly,
[My contractor… your story will be carried far and wide on my winds, and in the end, it will be recorded in history.]
I pretended not to hear. I couldn’t lift or lower the corners of my mouth.
As Riventa finished speaking, the sun completely set. It was a quiet evening all around.
Rubbing my warm forehead and catching my breath, I looked at Riventa.
Unlike before the contract, it was no longer translucent, and it looked vividly solid.
It’s like a rainbow bird. Colorful and pretty.
[Hmph. Thank you.]
“What? You can read my thoughts?”
[We’re partners now.]
That was a relief. I didn’t want to look like a crazy person talking to a bird in front of others.
[And unless you want me to, others won’t be able to see me, so don’t worry.]
“Nice. Then let’s go inside.”
I was so hungry it felt like my internal clock would start ringing any moment. Riventa hopped onto my shoulder, humming happily.
And so, after one person and one spirit left, no trace remained behind.
Except for a single gaze watching the spot.
‘The aide talked to a bird… and then the bird disappeared in a flash of light?’
A man stood on the balcony, fixing a suspicious gaze on the place where Rasha had departed.
To be continued, late into the night.
