Chapter 79: Rinne, the New Family of Spirits

The sudden shout.

The voice belonged to the ghostly girl who had been threatening us just moments ago.

“When a hero rescues a princess, there has to be a dramatic kiss! And what’s with carrying her on your back? Don’t you know how to cradle a princess? You have no sense at all!”

…What?

Standing awkwardly, unable to draw my sword with Yuri on my back, I stared at the ghostly girl, who had suddenly reappeared and was spouting nonsense.

“What…?”

“Eek!”

Yuri let out a startled scream, frightened by the sudden reappearance of the ghostly girl.

“Ah… This isn’t what I meant.”

But instead of attacking us, the ghostly girl appeared to be gauging our reactions.

Her appearance had changed. The horns, wings, and claws she’d brandished earlier were gone.

In the meantime, I quickly set Yuri down and drew my sword.

“Fine! You caught me, so I have no choice! Ghosts, come on out!”

Snap!

With a snap of her fingers, the ghosts that had blocked Celian, Anne, and Presia earlier reappeared.

This time, instead of swarming, they formed a translucent dome around us.

“If you’ve rescued the princess, you have to seal it with a kiss! You can’t leave until you kiss!”

The dome trapped us.

I walked to the edge and struck it with my sword, but the resistance I felt was solid, almost unbreakable.

It seemed soundproof too, as the muffled voices of our friends outside were inaudible.

“A… kiss…?”

Yuri, having heard the ghost’s proclamation, covered her mouth with both hands and looked up at me with wide, startled eyes.

Her gaze locked on me, and as the realization sank in, her cheeks flushed bright red.

“Uh… it’s probably just another one of her pranks.”

It was clear now. All the strange rooms and traps we had encountered in the basement had been orchestrated by this ghostly girl.

Floating above us, she observed us like an audience member watching a play. Her power was undeniable, and breaking through this dome seemed impossible.

If previous encounters were anything to go by, the only way out was to comply with her demand. As embarrassing as it was, a kiss might be the only solution.

“Earlier, while looking for you, we got trapped in some strange rooms,” I explained to Yuri, hoping to provide some context.

“So… if we kiss, we can get out?”

“…That seems to be the case.”

Outside, our friends continued trying to break through the dome with swords and magic, but their efforts were futile.

“Okay! I’m ready!” Yuri declared, taking a deep breath and holding out her arms toward me.

Her sudden resolve caught me off guard. I glanced at the ghostly girl, who was now lounging in midair, resting her chin on her hands, watching us with a wide grin.

Her amused expression made me want to smack her, but there was no choice. We were being made into her entertainment.

I slowly approached Yuri and placed my hands on her shoulders.

I’d already kissed Anne, but this time, the ghost explicitly said “kiss,” so a simple peck might not suffice.

Even though my heart was racing, I leaned in slowly, inching closer to Yuri’s lips.

Our breaths mingled, and just as our lips were about to touch—

Slash!

A sharp sound broke the silence inside the dome.

Startled, I turned my head to see Celian stepping through the sliced edge of the dome, her sword in hand.

“How… How did you break through the ghost barrier?!”

The ghostly girl was stunned, staring at Celian in disbelief. Celian, unfazed, turned her calm gaze toward the ghost.

“Eek!”

The moment their eyes met, the ghost shrieked and fell backward, scrambling away on all fours.

While the rest of us froze in confusion, Celian walked steadily toward the ghost.

When she finally reached the ghost, who was trembling in fear, she calmly spoke.

“Can we leave now?”

“N-nod…”

The ghost couldn’t even speak, frantically nodding in response.

What could have frightened her so much?

The answer became clear when Celian turned to me.

“El?”

“Y-yes?!”

She approached with her usual serene smile, but something in her voice sent chills down my spine. It was calm, yet colder than the icy air earlier.

“Shall we go?”

“N-nod…”

Just like the ghost, I found myself nodding uncontrollably, unable to speak.

“I’ll carry Yuri,” Celian said.

“No, I’m fi—”

Before Yuri could refuse, her shaky legs betrayed her, leaving her no choice but to climb onto Celian’s back.

“W-wait! Take us too!”

As we prepared to leave, the ghost, still cowering in the corner, suddenly shouted.

The sudden exclamation.

All eyes turned to the ghostly girl, who hesitated momentarily before speaking.

“I’ve had enough of this basement. It’s so boring here. No one visits anymore, and I’m just… lonely!”

“Be careful. If that ghost uses her full power—”

“I’m not a ghost!”

Presia’s warning was cut off as the girl interrupted, visibly frustrated.

“Ghost, ghost, always calling me a ghost! Have you ever seen a ghost this cute? And look how adorable my ghost friends are!”

She pointed dramatically at the dozens of spirits, who had reverted to humanoid forms from their dome-like structure.

The spirits scratched their heads awkwardly or twisted their translucent forms bashfully, as if embarrassed.

…Their demeanor made it surprisingly believable that they weren’t evil spirits.

Even if the term “ghost” were adjusted to “spirit,” it didn’t justify why they should come with us.

“But aren’t you still a spirit? You’d be weakened by sunlight, and leaving this place would be difficult, right?”

Most spirits were bound to a specific location, either because of tragic circumstances surrounding their death or because negative energy had accumulated, giving birth to them—like here.

“It’s fine! This friend here will solve everything!”

The girl ghost suddenly vanished with a pop and reappeared beside Celian, or more specifically, near Yuri.

The spirits had silently gathered around Celian and Yuri as well.

“She has amazing compatibility with us! If we stay near her, we can maintain our forms!”

“Eek!”

The girl ghost placed her hands on Yuri’s shoulders, prompting a terrified scream as Yuri buried herself into Celian’s back.

Yuri’s grip around Celian’s neck tightened so much that, despite their physical differences, Celian let out a strangled cough, struggling under the pressure.

“Hey, hey! Let’s make a contract! Take us with you!”

“No! I hate this!” Yuri sobbed, her tears soaking Celian’s back.

The spirits, sensing Yuri’s fear, didn’t push the issue further, but the girl ghost clung to Yuri persistently, as if it were her last chance.

“You’re the first person who could handle all of us! Come on, don’t cry, and let’s make a contract!”

“Go away!”

At Yuri’s words, the spirits backed off en masse, seemingly obedient to her for some unknown reason.

However, the girl ghost stayed firmly by Yuri’s side.

“Enough of this…”

I was about to intervene when the girl ghost spoke again.

“You’ve seen our power, right? If you agree, we’ll help you if you ever run into trouble!”

“Sniff… Power? Really?”

“Of course! Maybe not as strong as we are here, but that’s because this basement amplifies us. Outside, we’ll still be strong enough to handle most enemies.”

“Then…”

“Yuri, don’t trust them so easily. What if they’re lying?”

“I don’t think they are. If they’re not evil spirits, then they’re like elemental spirits in a way—though that’s just a comparison.”

“Exactly! Have you ever seen spirits as kind as us? Sure, we like a bit of mischief, but we’re not bad spirits!”

The girl ghost defended herself fervently.

Her earnestness seemed to reach Yuri, who gave a small laugh and addressed her directly.

“Okay. You must’ve been really lonely. Let’s go together from now on.”

“R-really? No take-backs, okay? If you break your promise, we might actually become evil spirits!”

“Sure. You said this was a contract, right? My name is Yuri Atilea. What’s yours?”

Despite finally securing the agreement she wanted, the girl ghost’s expression turned somber. She lowered her head.

“…I don’t have one.”

“Huh?”

“Why would I have a name? I was born here and have only ever been with my ghost friends.”

Her voice was melancholic, carrying a deep sadness beyond just being a ghost.

“Then… can I give you a name?” Yuri asked gently.

“My… name?”

“Unless… you’d rather I didn’t…”

“No! It’s just… I’m surprised. No one’s ever offered to give me a name before.”

Her voice trembled, betraying her flustered emotions.

“Celie, can you let me down?”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I feel better now.”

Now steady on her feet, Yuri stood before the girl ghost and reached out, taking the ghost’s semi-transparent hands in hers.

“Your name is Rinne. Rinne Atilea. I’ll be your family from now on. We’ll be sisters, friends, and companions.”

“Rinne… Atilea…”

“Do you not like it?”

Shake, shake, shake!

Rinne, now with a name, shook her head so vigorously it seemed like she’d topple over.

“No! I love it… I’m just… I’m so happy! Yes! Rinne! I’m Rinne Atilea now! Yuri’s family and friend, Rinne Atilea!”

With Rinne’s words, a faint light enveloped the two, her ghostly hands clasping Yuri’s.

After a moment, the light dissipated, leaving a noticeable change. Rinne’s form was more tangible than before.

Though still translucent, it was now difficult to tell she wasn’t entirely corporeal unless observed closely.

“Yuri!”

Rinne rushed to support Yuri, who suddenly slumped to the ground.

Yuri gave her a weak smile, her voice soft as she spoke.

“Hehe… I feel a little tired.”

“It’s probably because of the contract,” Presia said, stepping closer to Yuri to explain.

“Forming a contract with a name binds your souls together. Since you gave her a name and solidified your bond, it’s surprising you’re only this tired. It must be thanks to your exceptional spiritual compatibility, as Rinne mentioned earlier.”

As if on cue, the remaining spirits began moving closer to Yuri, their gestures suggesting they, too, wanted names.

“Eek!”

Unlike Rinne, who Yuri had grown accustomed to, the other spirits still frightened her. She shrieked and buried herself in Rinne’s embrace.

“Um, Yuri? Rinne is also one of them, you know?”

Presia smiled softly, then added, “But it’s impossible for you to give them names right now. Maybe someday, if your strength grows.”

“Then… these spirits will have to stay here…?”

Even as she trembled with fear, Yuri worried about the spirits.

Disheartened, the spirits hung their heads and shoulders low in unison.

“Well, I could help with that. Naming them might be out of reach, but forming simple contracts? That’s something I can assist with.”

At Presia’s encouraging words, the spirits perked up, embracing each other in joy, their previous sadness forgotten.

Thanks to Presia’s help, Yuri ended up forming contracts with all 99 spirits, excluding Rinne.

It had seemed like a lot, and sure enough, there were 100 spirits in total.

“Whether or not you can name them depends entirely on you. So, work hard,” Presia said, giving Yuri an encouraging nod.

“How… can I do that?”

Having received Presia’s guidance, Yuri naturally slipped into a polite tone.

“Well, I’m not exactly an expert in this area. But maybe learning summoning magic or contract magic could help.”

“Magic…”

“Um, but won’t this cause chaos if we go back to the dorms or the academy like this?” Anne chimed in, cutting through Yuri’s musings.

It was a valid concern. With so many spirits following Yuri, it could easily create a scene.

Even if we explained that they were bound to Yuri and harmless, there were bound to be those who’d react poorly or make an issue out of their presence.

“Don’t worry about that!”

While all of us—Yuri, Presia, Anne, Celian, and I—were deep in thought, Rinne raised her voice confidently.

“Spirits, stealth mode, activate!”

Snap!

Rinne snapped her fingers toward the air, and just like that, the spirits vanished entirely.

Not only did their forms disappear, but even their presence and energy became undetectable.

“Oh, that’s impressive,” I muttered, secretly marveling. This was a skill I’d love to learn as an assassin.

“Hehe… It’s not just them. I can do it too! But I’d have to hide within Yuri, so I can’t stray far from her.”

“Well, that resolves everything. It’s gotten really late. Let’s head back,” Celian said, her voice steady.

We couldn’t tell the exact time, but it was clear a significant amount of time had passed.

And so, with Rinne and the other spirits—our new companions—we made our way back to the dormitory.

“Eek!”

…Even after forming contracts, Yuri still jumped at every little thing the spirits did. It was such a Yuri-like reaction that I couldn’t help but smile.