Echoes in the Valley

The dazzling sunlight poured down on the long, translucent body.

No matter how one looked at it, the water-colored body, sparkling in the sunlight, didn’t seem to belong to a human.

Although its appearance took the form of a human, its entire body was made of water.

More than anything, the aura it exuded was extraordinary.

An alien being with a refreshing and cool energy.

Sian immediately realized that the being in front of him was a water spirit.

‘They say that the more human-like a spirit is, the higher its rank.’

Sian thought, recalling the knowledge of dragons and the memories of reading the original story.

The lowest-ranking spirits took the form of small animals, and the spirits above them took the form of large animals or children.

The more similar to a human and the more aged the spirit looked, the higher its rank was said to be.

‘At least…… is it a high-ranking spirit?’

The lower-ranking water spirit was said to be in the form of a small fish, and the spirit above it was said to be a large ray.

And from the high-ranking spirits onwards, they were said to take the form of humans, but the spirit in front of him was in the form of a girl wearing a long dress.

Since only the spirit kings could perfectly embody a human form, the spirit in the form of a girl made only of transparent water was at least a high-ranking spirit, or perhaps even a supreme-ranking spirit.

‘The talent of the protagonist is…….’

Just touching the water in a stream one came to visit for fun, and a high-ranking or higher spirit popped out.

Sian looked back and forth between Theodore and the spirit, astonished.

“M…… Master.”

“…….”

Theodore, who had been blankly staring at the spirit, was belatedly startled and hid behind Sian.

The spirit, who had been staring intently at Theodore, slowly blinked its eyes.

And it moved its lips.

“……?”

Could it be that it couldn’t speak?

The spirit desperately tried to speak to Theodore, but no voice could be heard.

Sian turned around, wondering if Theodore, who had a high affinity with spirits, could hear it, but Theodore was also just looking at the spirit with a puzzled expression.

Why?

At this rate, they wouldn’t even be able to contract with the spirit after going to the trouble of summoning it.

After pondering, Sian looked down at Theodore and said.

“Theo, try talking to the spirit.”

“Yes?
A spirit?”

Theodore was surprised and stared at the spirit as if it were something new.

Upon receiving Theodore’s gaze, the spirit in the form of a girl smiled brightly.

“That person is a spirit?”

“It seems so.”

“Wow…….”

Theodore, who had been afraid of the strangely shaped spirit, changed his attitude once he knew its identity.

Theodore, who had been looking at the spirit with curious eyes, cautiously opened his mouth.

“Hello……?”

“…….”

“Um…….”

However, it was the same even when Theodore spoke.

The spirit kept trying to say something, but Sian and Theodore couldn’t hear it.

Theodore turned to Sian with a troubled expression.

What’s the problem?

Sian frowned, lost in thought.

Only people with a high affinity with spirits can summon spirits.

And Theodore, befitting a munchkin protagonist, had a higher affinity with spirits than anyone else.

Enough to summon the water spirit king.

But when was that?

Sian tilted his head, recalling the memories of the original story.

It was definitely inside the dungeon he attacked around the time he became an adult.

Before that, he contracted with supreme-ranking spirits and fought, and then summoned the spirit king when his life was threatened.

It was a much more distant future event than now.

“……!”

Thinking that, Sian suddenly realized.

Theodore was still young.

Summoning a high-ranking or higher spirit today was just a coincidence, and it seemed that he couldn’t communicate with a high-ranking spirit because his affinity wasn’t high enough.

After pondering, Sian stared at the spirit and asked.

“Can’t you summon a lower-ranking spirit?”

“…….”

He wondered if it would understand his words, but fortunately, the spirit nodded at Sian.

And it slightly raised its hand.

Energy gathered small on the raised spirit’s hand.

Soon, with a clear, tinkling sound, water droplets gathered to form a small shape.

“……a fish?”

The high-ranking spirit had summoned a small fish, but somehow its appearance was a bit familiar.

‘Where have I seen it?’

While Sian was recalling his memories, the small fish spirit began to flit around Theodore.

“Ah, it’s cold.”

“……!”

The fish spirit, which had approached Theodore, fluttered its fins and splashed water.

Theodore, whose cheek was splashed with water droplets, giggled and looked at the fish spirit.

Sian looked at Theodore and asked.

“Do you know what that spirit is saying?”

“Um…… yes.”

“Really?”

“It said it’s glad to meet me.”

The water lower-ranking spirit that the high-ranking spirit had summoned was definitely an Undine.

Its appearance was exactly the same as the description in the book.

As Sian had expected, Theodore was able to communicate with lower-ranking spirits, but not with high-ranking or higher spirits.

Sian looked at the spirits hovering around Theodore.

‘Since we’re already out, it would be nice to contract with the high-ranking spirit as well, but…… that would be greedy.’

Sian shook his head inwardly and opened his mouth.

“That child is a water lower-ranking spirit called an Undine.
I taught you about it before in class, right?”

“Undine…….”

“……!”

As Theodore murmured softly, the Undine fluttered around even more excitedly.
Theodore smiled and followed the Undine with his eyes.

“Haha, yeah.
I like you too.”

“…….”

Looking at Theodore bursting into laughter towards the Undine, Sian’s heart warmed.

Then Sian realized why the Undine was so strangely familiar.

‘It looks like NiX.’

A clownfish.

It was a lovely fish with a plump, flat body, pretty stripes, and small fins.

The Undine looked similar to a clownfish, but he hadn’t recognized it right away because its body, like a high-ranking spirit, was made only of translucent water, so he was hesitant.

Sian, who had been lost in memories for a long time, watched Theodore giggling and playing with the Undine before opening his mouth.

“Theo, do you want to be friends with Undine?”

“Yes?”

Theodore tilted his head, puzzled by Sian’s question.
The Undine was sitting quietly on his finger, fluttering its fins.

“If you contract with Undine, you can be together all the time.”

“Contract?”

“Yes.”

Sian nodded and continued.

“I taught you about spirit contracts before, right?”

“Ah…… yes.”

Sian’s classes had a very wide range.

All of those classes were to help Theodore.

He had put a lot of effort into creating the curriculum to prepare for the difficult things that Theodore had experienced in the original story.

So when he taught magic, he naturally taught about spirits as well.

Although Theodore was just amazed throughout the class.

Talking about spirits must have felt like listening to old stories.

But Theodore was a genius.

Of course, the content he had taught in class would all remain in Theodore’s head.

Sian looked at Theodore with certainty.

“Then shall we try contracting with Undine?”

“Um…….”

Theodore looked at Undine with a slightly nervous expression, and then slowly nodded.

“I’ll try.”

“……!”

As if sensing something, the Undine, who looked like NiX, fell from Theodore’s finger and floated upwards.

And she approached his face closely, as if making eye contact with Theodore.

“Water spirit Undine.

I, Theodore Ren Kailos, ask that you become my contractor.
Can you lend me your power?”

Theodore’s voice was stiff, perhaps because he was nervous.

Sian watched Theodore’s back, who was contracting with a spirit for the first time, with a proud expression.

“…….”

As soon as Theodore’s words were finished, the Undine fluttered her fins.
After a while, she put her head against Theodore’s forehead.

Whoosh!

Water droplets gathered in the air, creating a small stream of water.

Soon, transparent water surrounded Theodore and Undine.

It felt as if a clear aura was filling the surroundings.

“Ugh.”

As soon as Undine took her head away, a drop of water fell on Theodore’s forehead.

A pattern was drawn there in a faint color.

It was a sign that he had contracted with a spirit.

“How do you feel?”

“Um…… it’s very cool.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to feel any particular foreign sensation, and Theodore smiled brightly as he turned to Sian.

Sian was relieved to confirm that Theodore had safely contracted with the spirit.

It was fortunate that he had contracted with a lower-ranking spirit, even though he couldn’t contract with a high-ranking spirit yet because his affinity was still low.

If he builds up his spirit affinity through Undine, he will be able to contract with that high-ranking spirit as well.

Sian glanced at the high-ranking spirit, who was still hovering around Theodore.

“Wait a little longer.
You’ll be able to contract with me soon too.”

“…….”

It was just a casual remark, but the high-ranking spirit turned its head and stared intently at Sian.

Come to think of it, dragons and spirits are said to have a bad relationship.

Sian tilted his head, recalling the memories of the original story.

But the spirit in front of him didn’t seem to be avoiding Sian in particular.

Was it because the Drake in the original story was a psychopath that they had a bad relationship?

Since Sian wasn’t hostile, the spirit didn’t seem to be very displeased either.

“……Theodore.”

“Huh?”

At that moment, a small voice brushed past Sian’s ear.

Sian looked at the high-ranking spirit, puzzled.

“This time, be happy…….”

“What did you say?”

“…….”

As soon as Sian asked back, the high-ranking spirit’s body flowed down.

It turned into water as it was, and fell like rain around the valley.

Sian blinked and looked at the spot where the high-ranking spirit had been.