SRS 93

“A mid-level spirit? It’s so small?”

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen a materialized spirit besides the ones the professor summons.”

“How on earth did you contract with a mid-level one?”

“Yohan, show us the spirit’s abilities!”

Crash. The students, scrambling to their feet, crowded around Yohan’s seat, chattering like sparrows.

“Uh…”

Feeling the pressure, Yohan unconsciously leaned back, tilting his chair precariously as Mikael leaned his upper body toward Yohan and whispered.

“If it’s too much, tell me. I’ll cast a silence spell for you.”

“…….”

It was a very thoughtful suggestion, but it was distinctly Serdik Agor-like.

In other words, it was demonic.

But Mikael, no matter how much punishment you receive from the heavens, you are still an angel…

Worried that this might worsen his punishment, Yohan shook his head and declined his friend’s consideration.

Fortunately, amid the misfortune, the chirping of the classroom students didn’t last long.

“It’s not easy to encounter a spirit by chance within Fantasiademia… Let alone a mid-level spirit. Where did you make the contract?”

Thanks to Professor Shinbi adjusting her glasses and curiously starting the conversation, everyone quieted down. Yohan met the single pair of eyes replacing the dozens of burdensome gazes and moved his lips.

…Where do I start and how much should I say?

It was questionable whether he could reveal to Professor Shinbi, of all people, that the Phantom Sword Master had gathered waters from other dimensions in one place and even captured a spirit to guard that lake. Professor Shinbi, who cherished and loved spirits, would surely be furious, and if the enraged professor went to challenge the Phantom Sword Master to a duel, it would be a big problem.

Who would teach Spirit Studies if she were absent?

Having just contracted with a spirit, Yohan was newly enthusiastic about Spirit Studies. It would be troublesome if the quality of the class dropped at such a timing.

In the end, Yohan struggled at the crossroads of conscience and chose a clumsy disclosure.

“……I entered the closed chamber and happened to meet it.”

“The closed chamber, you mean the training ground owned by Professor Sword Master?”

“Yes.”

“There was a spirit there?”

“…There was.”

“Really? That place isn’t one where spirits would appear…”

Perhaps having visited the Phantom Sword Master’s closed chamber before, Professor Shinbi tilted her head with a confused look. Yohan awkwardly avoided her gaze and cleared his throat.

“Ahem…. I guess I was lucky. …While we’re on the topic, since I ended up contracting with a mid-level spirit, is there anything wrong? I’m curious if the contract is somewhat unstable or if one side is forcing it.”

Yohan tried to divert the Professor Shinbi’s attention and ask what he’d been wondering. The professor, adjusting her thick-rimmed glasses and examining Yohan, smiled.

“Hmm! Fortunately, there’s no such issue. The contract was successful. Congratulations, Yohan. You’re probably the third student to contract with a spirit this quickly!”

It was welcome news amid what he’d heard. The contract had been rushed and done without a professor present, so Yohan had been anxious. Greatly relieved, he accepted Professor Shinbi’s congratulations.

“Thank you, Professor.”

Hearing the congratulatory words from the professor made it feel real that he had truly contracted with a spirit.

As he stroked the purring, laughing spirit and relaxed into a smile, Professor Shinbi, who had been watching the harmonious pair, clapped her hands.

“I was just thinking it was about time to demonstrate handling spirits directly, and this is perfect! This will be a great opportunity for the other students too. Yohan, could you come up front and show the spirit’s power?”

The professor requested, her eyes sparkling brightly beyond the lenses. With no reason to refuse and thinking it would be a chance for him to receive the professor’s guidance as well, Yohan went forward and called the spirit’s name.

“Undine.”

Envisioning what he wanted from the spirit in his mind as he called, the mid-level water spirit spun once in the air.

The next moment, cute and transparent water droplets formed here and there in the classroom, floating in the air.

“Wow!”

“Oooh, like snow?”

“Pretty, Yohan!”

Yohan received cheers for the spirit’s trick. As the embarrassed Yohan called Undine once more, the spirit purred and burst the water droplets. The droplets soon turned into semi-transparent flowers, landing on the students’ palms. The expressions of the kids watching the wondrous demonstration brightened.

“…Without using destructive power, this seems to be about all I can show.”

Yohan, feeling proud as he looked at his delighted friends, reported to Professor Shinbi. The small professor smiled brightly and clapped.

“That’s more than enough! In fact, since you contracted so recently, it’s surprising you can handle the spirit this well. Everyone, how about we give a round of applause to Yohan for his hard work?”

At the professor’s request, the students clapped. Yohan suppressed his embarrassment, feeling his heart tickle.

“The ability Yohan just demonstrated involves borrowing the spirit’s power for water creation, movement, explosion, and transformation. Each attribute on its own is tricky! It’s also a request that the spirit will only heed if the trust relationship is deep. In that sense, it seems Yohan has already built sufficient trust with the spirit. If there’s a secret, could you share it with the class?”

“Uh…”

Secretly smuggling out a spirit that was being exploited for labor and sharing a life-or-death experience on the way back?

A sentence popped into his mind, but it wasn’t something he use as advice.

As Yohan couldn’t say anything, Professor Shinbi nodded.

“Hmm. Everyone has their own training methods they might want to keep secret. I understand!”

“No, it’s not like that…”

“I’ll respect Yohan’s wishes and share my secret today. Now, let’s open to page 281 in the textbook? Ways to deepen the bond with a spirit include…”

Yohan hurriedly tried to deny it, feeling unintentionally selfish, but Professor Shinbi didn’t give him a chance and quickly advanced the lesson. Yohan, flustered by the professor winking at him, gaped before weakly returning to his seat.

“…That’s not what it was.”

As he rubbed is face and muttered aggrievedly, Mikael patted his back.

“It’s alright, Yohan. Don’t worry too much. The demonstration was cool.”

“…Thank you for saying that.”

Yohan smiled a bit bitterly and opened his textbook. With the time spent on the demonstration, following the lecture content with a heavy heart made the class time fly by.

“Oh dear, the bell rang. That’s it for today’s lecture; see you next time? There’ll be a quiz on today’s material next class, so keep that in mind. Good work, everyone!”

“Good work!”

Professor Shinbi, who had been passionately continuing the lesson, wrapped up at the bell. The first-years, toughened after surviving their first monthly aptitude evaluation, could now take quiz announcements in stride.

The students rose with happy faces and exited the classroom. Yohan, too, put his textbook in his locker and was about to leave with Mikael when…

“Ah, Yohan!”

…Professor Shinbi’s call caught Yohan’s ankle.

“Yes?”

Yohan turned his head with a perplexed expression. The spirit studies professor, aided by a wind spirit, flew to Yohan’s seat. Floating in the air, she looked down at Yohan with sparkling eyes.

A mystical wind enveloped the professor, making her hair flutter.

“If it’s okay, would you come to my office? I can teach you more about spirits…”

Her voice, like the chirping of sparrows in nature, calmed the mind. Yohan unconsciously relaxed as he listened, then bowed.

Contrary to his polite demeanor, his mind was entirely different.

As expected, Professor Shinbi is also a Fantasiademia professor. She doesn’t miss an opportunity.

Yohan hadn’t forgotten the seniors’ advice not to enter their office.

Straightening his back in a proper posture, Yohan smiled.

“Thank you for the offer, but I have to prepare for the next class, so I’ll have to decline today.”

“Hmm. Really? It won’t take that long…”

“Oh. It seems class time is up. I’ll be going, Professor. See you next time.”

“Yohan? It’s break time right now… Yohan?”

The flustered Professor Shinbi’s voice came from behind, but Yohan pretended not to hear, grabbed Mikael’s hand, and quickly stepped out of the classroom.

After passing through the hallway and descending one flight of stairs, fearing Professor Shinbi might follow, Yohan even ran at full speed. Only upon reaching the dorm building did he catch his ragged breath.

“Haa, ha…. I thought I was going to get dragged to the office.”

He wiped the flowing sweat with the back of his hand and relieved that he hadn’t been caught. Mikael pulled out a handkerchief and handed it over.

“Thank you.”

Yohan leaned against the wall and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“You don’t have to be so tense, Yohan. It’s Professor Shinbi, not someone else; she wouldn’t drag you by force.”

Mikael advised his friend who was overly wary of the professor. Yohan gripped the handkerchief tightly and shook his head.

“No, Mikael. She’s a Fantasiademia professor too. You never know how she might change.”

“…….”

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just….I was thinking Fantasiademia is quite exceptional at changing people’s natures.”

Mikael sighed, used magic to cool Yohan’s sweat, and entered the dorm.