Chapter 693 Servants of the Goddess and the Whispering Spirits
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Kazumi’s POV)
You really have a knack for this, Kazumi. You’ve become quite proficient with both Swift Gale¹ and Crushing Gust².”
Rena stood with her arms folded, leaning back against the rough bark of a tree. Her eyes narrowed with a flicker of satisfaction as the sky began to bleed into shades of pale orange. A stray breeze caught her silver hair, making it dance lightly against her shoulders.
”It is certainly… something else. So this is what it feels like to be weakened by magic,” Carla remarked.
Having acted as the target for my magic training, Carla seemed to be struggling under the invisible weight of the Crushing Gust. She leaned her body forward, her breath coming in short, shallow hitches. Beneath her boots, the fallen leaves gave a dry, papery rustle.
”Are—are you all right?” I asked.
”Yes. I do not feel ill, per se, but to find a comparison…” Carla replied.
At my words, Carla braced her knees and adjusted her grip on her sword. The blade’s polished surface caught the dying light of the orange sky, reflecting it in a sharp glint.
”It feels very much like the heavy, dull lethality of a body-wracking fever,” she said.
Having finished her explanation, she turned back toward the tree trunk she had been using to test the efficacy of the spells. She brought her sword down with a determined grunt.
”Hmph! See—just as I thought. There is no strength behind my Slash³!”
Thwack!
A dull, uninspired sound echoed as the blade bit shallowly into the wood. There was none of the sharp, biting impact she usually achieved; the wood fibers were merely bruised and slightly frayed.
”Very well. You pass, Kazumi. Now, the sky is changing colors, so let us call it a day—” Rena began.
”Hold it right there! Do you honestly intend to leave after doing such horrible things to the trees of this forest without so much as an apology?!”
A sharp, high-pitched voice cut through Rena’s words, scattering like shards of glass across the clearing.
* * *
”Who goes there? Show yourself!” Carla demanded.
The moment I released the spell, Carla leaped in front of Rena and me, her eyes darting around the perimeter. Her sword, held out in a defensive stance, shimmered under the orange glow.
”Over here! Are you making fun of us just because we’re small?!” another voice rang out.
It seemed there were several of them. The wind picked up, mingling with the frantic rustle of the leaves.
”Up there, Kazumi, Carla. On the branch of the great tree right in front of us,” Rena pointed out.
I squinted toward the direction she indicated. Several tiny silhouettes began to take shape. Despite the distance, I could see they were small girls, perhaps thirty centimeters tall. Their transparent wings shivered, translucent against the green of the leaves, as they glared down at us with their arms crossed.
”How cute! They look just like fairies!” I exclaimed.
”They are spirits,” Rena explained calmly.
”Spirits… I’ve only ever heard of them in stories. They actually exist?!” Carla’s eyes went wide as saucers. I couldn’t help but let my voice rise in excitement at their adorable appearance.
”Hmph, so you’ve heard of us—wait, you’re…”
One of the spirits flew closer to us, but she stopped dead in her tracks the moment she saw Rena. For a fleeting second, Rena’s expression hardened, and she pressed a finger to her lips. Carla, completely captivated by the spirit’s form, didn’t notice the exchange.
”I see. I understand. Indeed, we are spirits. We were once known as the ‘Servants of the Goddess,’” the spirit continued.
Her voice was polite, yet it carried the lingering resonance of her earlier anger.
”We thought our existence would vanish once the influence of Frejya⁴ and Lilith⁵ left this world… but it seems you were being protected here by Frejya.”
Rena let out a breath of understanding. Sensing their irritation, I hurried to bow my head in apology.
”I am so sorry for hurting the trees with my magic and swords. I was told that the nature within this Closed World⁶ would be restored by the magical power⁷ drifting through the air…”
”We are the ones entrusted with the management and restoration of this forest! Honestly, look at the extra work you’ve given us!” the spirit huffed.
The other spirits on the branches took flight as well, swirling around us in a dizzying, fluttering vortex.
”Ah, but wait a moment…”
”Yes… these humans, they have a rather nostalgic scent.”
”Especially these two. They smell like Lady Frejya and Lady Lilith!”
The spirits suddenly stopped their movement, chattering amongst themselves as they began to circle us even more frantically than before.
* * *
”Now then, have we all calmed down?” Rena asked.
She spoke gently to the spirits who had now perched themselves on our shoulders and heads as we sat at the base of the great tree. The orange of the sky was deepening into a bruised purple, and the shadows were beginning to stretch long across the forest floor.
”We apologize for showing you such unseemly behavior,” the leader of the six spirits said.
Sitting atop Carla’s head, the leader bowed her head politely.
”As your—the young lady said, we are a race heavily influenced by the two goddesses of the ancient civilization⁹. Without their power, we cannot truly exist.”
The leader had nearly said ‘Current Goddess,’ but she caught herself and corrected her wording after receiving a sharp, warning look from Rena.
”Frejya has already been liberated from this dungeon. And Lilith, in time…” Rena said.
At those words, the air was suddenly filled with the frantic hum of wings as the other spirits began to buzz with excitement.
”Does that mean… we can go back to the outside world?!”
”Can we fly to all sorts of places?!”
”We’ll get to see Lady Frejya and Lady Lilith again!”
”Everyone, please calm down! Please!” I cried out, waving my hands in a desperate attempt to quiet them. With five of them darting around in a frenzy, the conversation was going nowhere. Only the leader remained still, sitting quietly on Carla’s head.
”…It depends on how much the power of the two goddesses expands across the world from here on out,” the leader said, her expression turning somber amidst the joy of her companions.
* * *
”I see. It is true that the influence of the current Goddess does not reach you—the spirits born from the two goddesses of old,” Rena muttered.
She began to bite her thumbnail, a look of irritation crossing her face as if she were annoyed by her own limitations. She shook her head slightly, her silver hair shimmering.
”That is the case. Furthermore, only the six of us were able to adapt and remain within this Closed World that Lady Frejya created. Our many comrades lost their very existence when the goddesses were sealed away,” the leader replied, looking up at Rena.
”At—at any rate, you are able to live here in this Closed World, right?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation toward something more cheerful.
”Yes. This place, created by Lady Frejya, is still supplied with a dense amount of magic taint⁸. The environment remains one where we can live healthily.”
I felt a surge of gratitude toward that gentle old gentleman, Sir Wash. I offered a silent prayer of thanks in my heart.
”Then, once this training camp is over, I’ll ask Frejya and Lilith! I’ll ask them what we need to do so you can live in the outside world and increase your numbers!” I declared.
”Is—is that true?” the spirits asked, their eyes sparkling.
”Well, Lilith isn’t in her true body yet; she’s only a temporary existence…” Rena added.
Even so, as I had thought, Lilith—even in her temporary form using Yamikirimaru¹⁰ as a vessel—would surely be able to offer her wisdom.
”In that case… would you allow this one to accompany you?” the leader asked.
She reached out and took the hand of the smallest spirit among the six.
”I—I don’t mind, but will she be all right? Can she even go to the outside world?”
”Yes. If she has a special vessel to inhabit, she can…” the leader explained.
I began to wonder what kind of ‘special vessel’ they meant, but the leader simply pointed at me.
”That staff you are holding. That is a ‘Spirit Staff,’ you know?”
”Wha—?!” I squawked.
I couldn’t help but let out a bizarre, strangled noise at the sudden revelation of my old, worn-out staff’s true identity.
—
Summary:
Kazumi practices her buff and debuff magic on Carla under Rena’s supervision. Their training is interrupted by a group of tiny spirits who are angry about the damage done to the forest. Upon realizing the girls’ connection to the goddesses Frejya and Lilith, the spirits become friendly. It is revealed that the spirits are survivors from the ancient era, and one decides to accompany Kazumi by inhabiting her staff.
—
Character Insight:
Kazumi shows significant growth in her magical control, moving from basic spells to complex debuffs. However, her core personality remains empathetic and quick to apologize, contrasting with Rena’s more clinical and authoritative stance. Rena’s protective nature over her secret identity as a goddess is highlighted when she silences the spirit leader with a look, showing she is still wary of how much information is shared with Carla.
—
Behind the Scene:
The author notes a long two-month hiatus due to work and a slump, followed by a bout with illness. The ‘Closed World’ is revealed to be a controlled environment sustained by high concentrations of mana, explaining why these ancient spirits can still exist there despite the goddesses being sealed.
—
T/L:
¹ [Swift Gale] A support magic (buff) that likely increases speed or agility. ↩
² [Crushing Gust] A negative status magic (debuff) that exerts heavy wind pressure to slow down or weaken an opponent. ↩
³ [Slash] A basic sword skill or physical attack technique. ↩
⁴ [Frejya] One of the two primary goddesses of the ancient world. ↩
⁵ [Lilith] The second of the two primary goddesses, currently in a temporary form. ↩
⁶ [Closed World] A specialized pocket dimension or sealed area within the dungeon. ↩
⁷ [magical power] The ambient energy (mana) found in the atmosphere. ↩
⁸ [magic taint] (Maryoku-sen) In this context, it refers to a high concentration or localized supply of magical energy necessary for spirit survival. ↩
⁹ [ancient civilization] The era before the goddesses were sealed, when magic and spirits were abundant. ↩
¹⁰ [Yamikirimaru] A specific sword or artifact acting as a vessel for Lilith. ↩
Notes:
• Leo – A character reflecting on his surroundings and the conditions of their journey.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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