In early December, when there was a light dusting of snow, we were gathered in the garden of a mansion in the capital.
It was a day off from work, and everyone was at the mansion. It was a good opportunity to do something we had been wanting to try since the other day.
Rico and Mei, who have big bellies, are both out of the house, overcoming my instructions to stay inside the house because it would be too uncomfortable for them. Naturally, I have put up a protective barrier around them to absorb the shock and keep their temperature constant even if they fall down.
And a little further away from us is Soleil. She is now making M! and is trying to concentrate on her chanting.
Since we became a couple, Soleil's skill level in the spiritual arts has reached its maximum. So far she had been using forest spirits, but now she can make a contract with a higher level spirit. She has decided to cancel the contract with the spirits she has contracted so far and make a contract with a new spirit.
It seems that my worries about failing to make a contract with a higher spirit are unfounded, and the spirits who have made a contract with me are likely to make a contract with me again. So far, Soleil and the spirits of the forest have been building a good relationship, so that is probably not a problem.
Soleil has been taking deep breaths with her hands outstretched in front of her. She seems to be concentrating her magic power on her lower belly. While I was wondering what she was doing by concentrating her magic power on such a place, Soleil started chanting.
"نا حبك نا حبك نا حبك نا حبك نا حبك ساعدني ساعدني ساعدني هيا هيا ساعدنيا..."
I have no idea what the hell he's talking about. The magic power in Soleil's lower stomach was transmitted to her hands. Then a magic circle appears in front of her hands. They are quite large. And it slowly descends to the ground.
"Come before me!
Soleil's dusky voice echoes through the winter sky. At that moment, a dazzling light emanates from the magic circle.
"Soleil!"
Soleil, who has released all her magic power, is lying limp. It was the middle of winter, but her face was covered with sweat. I immediately fill Soleil with magic power.
"Are you all right, Soleil?
"...I'm fine. The spirit...
I look around, but I don't see anything.
"... I don't see anything, okay?"
"... I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm afraid I failed to summon it.
Soleil nods in disappointment. I urged everyone outside and entered the house. I carried Soleil in my arms as a princess. Of course, I had Rico's permission.
"Well, I didn't expect the summoning to fail. Does that happen often?"
We talk in the dining room of the mansion over a bowl of zenzai. It's delicious to eat hot zenzai since we were in a cold place earlier. By the way, this time, I put a baked rice cake in it. The slightly burnt rice cake goes well with zenzai.
"Yes...it often happens when we summon spirits of high rank. If the spirit doesn't approve of you, it won't sign a contract with you. I'm sure they didn't sign the contract with me because of my inexperience."
Soleil, perhaps in shock, did not touch the zenzai at all.
"Well, don't be so down. Don't be discouraged. Even if it doesn't work out this time, you can always try again. Eat up. Your zenzai will get cold.
"Yes..."
"Considering that, it's amazing that Mei-dono was asked to sign a contract by a genie..."
Gon is talking while eating a rice cake. Mei smiles,
"No. It's just a coincidence. The spirit that Soleil summoned this time was a very high-ranking spirit, wasn't it?"
Soleil put down the zensai she had been eating little by little and looked at Mei.
"Yes, that's right. I invoked a divine spirit.
"Divine class?"
I screamed out in a crazy voice.
"Hey, Soleil, are you okay? Don't summon any strange gods, okay?"
Soleil looked surprised and shook her head.
"Oh, no, I'm fine. I won't summon an evil god by mistake.
"No, there are many kinds of gods. God of pestilence... God of poverty... God of death..."
"Master! It's bad luck to be the god of death!
Gong got mad at me. I shrugged and apologized in a small voice. For some reason, everyone laughed hysterically.
"Well, nothing happened, so it's all right. I made a lot of zenzai. Don't hesitate to ask for more! There are more rice cakes, too. How's it taste?"
"It's delicious!"
"It's delicious!"
"It's really delicious!"
"Delicious!"
"It looks so good!"
...Is there one word in the mix that I don't recognize? I look around the table. Rico, Peris, Gon, May, Ferris, Matocal, Ruara, Ferari, Children, Considie, Soleil... Hm? A child? ... Who is it?
For some reason, there was a child there with pure white skin and even white hair. He had big, green eyes. In addition, he was wearing what looked like a wizard's robe, but it was also white.
"This looks delicious! Let me have some!"
"...Who is it?"
As I'm standing there in a daze, the faerie suddenly flies up to my chest. I hold her in my arms and see that she is trembling.
"Feri, what's wrong?"
<>
He seems to be confused and cannot understand the telepathic message coming from the faerie.
"...well, the dragon seems to understand me..."
Basically, the house is warded against anyone with malicious or hostile intent. The kid has a lisp, but it's pretty suspicious when he comes through my wards.
I say so and activate my appraisal skill on this kid. At that moment, everything goes black in front of my eyes, and a loud explosion echoes in my head.
I crouch down, holding my head. Everyone around me is screaming my name, but I'm not interested. My head is about to explode. I end my evaluation. At that moment, cold sweat oozes from my body.
"Oh, you have evaluated me? They're tough guys. Normally they would explode."
Although his tone is nonchalant, what he is saying is outrageous. I wipe the sweat off my face and continue to speak.
"...Who are you?
The white child looks surprised.
"It is not you who have called me? Isn't that why I took the trouble to take on this form?
Uh... who are you?
I am Shenlong.
"What? No way!
It was Soleil who stood up in surprise. She was holding a bowl of zenzai with her mouth gaping open. Looking closely, she sees Ferris sitting nearby.
Soleil is trembling in a pose like she is praying to God.
"Hey, what's going on, Soleil! Explain! Ferris! Hey, Ferris!"
Ferris is frozen and will not move. Then he hears a slow clapping sound.
"Since you are here, why don't you let him have some zenzai for now? Would you like some rice cakes?"
"Ooooh. That looks delicious. I'll eat it.
"Then please wait a moment."
Rico heads for the kitchen with a big belly. He came back a little later with a bowl of zenzai with rice cake.
"It's hot, so please eat it carefully.
"Ooooh."
Before I know it, a white kid is sitting in my seat. And instead of using the spoon that was offered to him, he deftly used my chopsticks to sip the zenzai.
"Mmmm, it's so good!
"There's plenty more where that came from, so have a lot of it."
"I'm not bitter.
I look at Rico's face in horror.
"Rico... aren't you afraid?"
"I'm not afraid. He's a sweet child. There's nothing wrong with children.
Rico then sits down beside the white child.
"If you don't mind my asking, please tell me. You said you were a divine dragon.
"I heard a divine summoning spell. The music was beautiful and the atmosphere was pure, so I came here.
Soleil is still trembling. Ferris remains frozen. And Ferris is trembling in my arms. But Rico is calm.
"Of course. That's it. But you look like a child.
"When I came here, I found a human being. When humans see me, they die instantly. That's why I took on this form when I restrained my strength to the utmost so that I wouldn't die. I can't speak very well.
"Well, I didn't know that. Would you like another drink?
Please. And a white one, please.
Rico heads for the kitchen again. The white child is swaying happily. A few moments later, Rico brings zenzai.
"Here you go."
"I'll have some!"
The white child who called himself Shenlong then continued to eat the zenzai. As we could not let Riko go over and over again, we asked Peris to take her place. After that, Soleil, who had regained her composure, explained that this divine dragon seemed to be of the highest rank among the spirits, and that it was a legendary being. They are called "messengers of God" and have the power to annihilate all evil spirits.
I am truly, truly sorry for summoning you.
Bowing her head, Soleil apologizes to Shenlong.
"No, I was summoned. Don't worry about it.
"So, Master Shenlong, what are you going to do now?"
When I fearfully ask him, he replies in a relaxed voice.
It's obvious, isn't it? Now that I have been summoned, I will make a contract with you.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?"
Soleil is full of surprises. Shenlong held up his index finger, and Soleil's body glowed white. Apparently, this was a sign that the contract was completed.
"That dragon who sensed me has good taste," said Soleil. And is that a dragon that is frozen there, too? This is also in good taste."
Shenlong is in a good mood, eating zenzai. In the end, he finally disappeared after eating all the zenzai he had made and all the rice cakes he had prepared. All the zenzai that I had planned to offer to the goddess was eaten, and I started to make zenzai again.
By the way, Ferris, who couldn't move, crawled back to his room. Riko told me later that he fell down from the chair the moment he found out that he was Shenlong, and that he had apparently done a coarse job at that time. I'll keep this in my heart and Rico's.