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Chapter 113: Under the Floorboards

I went to bed early that night…maybe because I’d been drinking.
That being the case I was able to wake up earlier than usual and stock up on juice.

I thought I’d used up a lot of juice yesterday, but it seems like I had more left than I thought…there was almost 1,000 portions left over.

….I might as well just use it up today.

As I was thinking to myself…

「Good morning Daichi-oniisan~」

Athena and Karen arrived.

They were here earlier than yesterday, but I’d woken up early so it wasn’t a problem.
I let them inside when,

「Sorry to keep bothering you like this. First of all, please take the reward money from yesterday.」

I hadn’t said anything when Karen took out a leather bag and gave it to me.
Inside the bag wasn’t money…but instead various gems and stones.

「These are……?」
「Jewels with magic inside of them…..a kind of magic stone. We found some in the process of searching for the spirits. This can be converted into money easily…but for now this is our crude apology.」
「Ah…no it’s alright.」

I wasn’t aiming for the reward in the first place.
However, once again I’ll accept what I’m offered.

「So, Karen and Athena you came for the water spirit as well right?」
「Yes. I’m glad you’re quick on the uptake. Where would it be?」
「It’s in the kitchen sink.」

I said and looked in the kitchen.

「Sui~」

The water spirit was half assimilated with the faucet attached to the sink.
Once the spirit woke up it had taken up residence there.

Once that happened the faucet still let out water, in fact the water was extremely clean, it was as if we had a water purification system.

「Th-the water spirit voluntarily served you and did such a thing….Daichi’s power has truly subdued it…」
「Is that how it is?」
「Uhh, well yes. The water spirit is almost as whimsical as the wind spirit…it’s quite uninhibited.」

I could understand what she meant by uninhibited.
It could naturally blend itself in with people partying and drinking.

「B-be that as it may, it should return to the pendant.」
「Go ahead and do as you will.」
「Th-thank you very much. We just need to approach a bit and…」

Karen approached the faucet and took out the pendant from her chest. The water spirit looked at the pendant and seemed to close its eyes in thought for a while then…

「Sui~」

It changed its body into water and split.
Then half of it was sucked into the pendant.

「Once again a spirit has split itself here Daichi.」
「So it seems…」

Well, as long as it isn’t on the loose then it should be fine.
What bothers me more is…

「That pendant took in the fire spirit yesterday and the water spirit today right?」
「Uhh, yes. This pendant was made to collect all the powers as one. It can contain all four spirits.」

I see…it seems quite convenient.

「Since it is made to have all of them together it is dangerous when even one escapes. It’s also difficult to collect them all again….but thanks to Daichi it’s been much faster.」
「Un, thank you very much Daichi-oniisan.」

The two of them thanked me, but I didn’t come to the festival just to be given the job of collecting spirits…but whatever, it’s fine.

「So is that all for today?」
「Ah, yes. All that’s left is to find the Earth Spirit and Wind Spirit.」
「I see. Do your best. I’ll be selling juice here, so if you feel like it come have some.」
「Un, I understand Daichi-oniisa……eh?」

In the middle of her sentence Athena stopped and looked at me with wide eyes.

「What’s wrong?」
「U-ummm…Daichi-oniisan what is that on your leg?」
「My leg….?」

I looked down and spotted a light brown semi-transparent creature holding onto my ankle.
I remembered seeing it before.

It was the spirit I’d captured under my house then released.

「Did it follow me here?」
「……Sha~」

As I watched it, it slipped under the floor and assimilated.
I see…so that’s why I hadn’t noticed it.
Once they blend in it’s hard to see them, that’s a bit troublesome but anyways…

…semi-transparent…light brown?

It looks just like the other spirits…and judging by Athena and Karen’s reactions…

It’s probably what I think…

「Umm, Athena? You know this one don’t you?」
「Y-yes! Th-that’s the Earth Spirit after all!」
「Yep…I thought so.」

It seems like I’ve caught the Earth Spirit unexpectedly as well.