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Chapter 387: Want to Try

「Bfft. 」
Hauron spurt out.

「Coug…urk 」
Khan seemed to choke on something.

「Ouch… 」
Dinosso bumped his teeth on his cup.

「Ahh…. Is it just me, or does it kinda feel like contracts between humans and spirits are no big deal? 」
Retze muttered to no one in particular.

「Cough, cough, cough! 」
Hauron was in a coughing fit.

I think we should do something about the thing choking Khan else he’s gonna turn blue from lack of oxygen. Dinosso was motionlessly clutching his head.

Retze was observing Nenet and Skos.

「From what I heard from the tiny spirits, contracts are nothing special to this human, and nothing really happens even after being contracted to him. 」
Skos took a sip from his cup.

「Ah, yes. I tend to leave them as is. 」
Since it’s too troublesome.

「So you don’t do contracts to borrow power? 」
「Well, I’m already living well just by borrowing power from the small spirits I named on the spot. 」

「Hack, hack, hack, hack!! 」
Hauron started another violent coughing fit.

「… 」
Khan was completely frozen.

「… 」
Dinosso was completely frozen.

Even if I use magic, it’s not like I’m going to destroy everything around me, and I only use the bare minimum amount of mana when defeating monsters, so it’s plenty enough for me. Plus, I can just take a moment to name specialized spirits when doing something specific, like diving in lakes or something.

Well, I also frequently ask for help from the spirits in my 『House』and on the island. Ah, but right now it’s only Seabird-kun being sent on errands outside.

「Then let us do the contract. 」
「Let us do the contract. 」
Skos and Nenet were staring at me.

「Skos, Nenet, I’m in your care. 」
If the other party gave their consent, then I just have to call them by name and the contract is done. Super simple.

「Ohh, this is ambrosia. 」
「How nice. 」
Skos and Nenet happily narrowed their eyes, before turning back into a stout crocodile and pink snake. They were twisting on the ground.

「So these are their true forms, then? 」
Retze slightly furrowed his brows as he stared at the couple.

「Nobody ever said that my mana tastes good before. 」
「The spirits dwelling in uncivilized, barbaric lands just eat whatever is given them as long as it’s compatible with their attributes. We, on the other hand, are far more discerning! 」
Doggy puffed his chest and proudly declared.

「Hm? I see that you remain unfaltering despite contracting Asas, Doggy and now these two, all in succession. Mortal, you seem to be far more capable than I presumed. So, what about me? 」
Es stared at me coldly — it was extremely condescending, derisive and even provocative, as if I was but a mere scum that won’t be able to do it.

「S!? Whoa….! 」
It felt as if something had been forcibly pulled out of me. It’s been a while since I had this sensation of being on the verge of completely running out of mana.

「Oy, are you alright!? 」
It took a moment before Retze’s voice reached me. I could hear him, but it took a while before I could process what he was saying.

That must be why Retze rummaged through his backpack and began taking something out of it. Urk, you’re going to force feed me something bitter, aren’t you!!

Hey, Khan and Dinosso, stop drawing your swords out, will you.

「Hm, I’m okay. 」
So please put that dark greenish or brownish something away. Please don’t shave it off with your knife. And Hauron, put that magic circle away, put it all away, I say.

Doggy was flustered and had been looking back and forth towards Es and me, but he stiffened and grimaced when he saw the thing that Retze was holding.

Ah? Yup, I bet that thing is really terrible, I could totally smell how bitter it is. I wanna ask him to teach me how to make it, but I won’t ever drink it.

「It’s a type of reviving potion, but it can also scare away spirits by scattering mana 」— that’s the explanation for this thing. So, it can make the patient regain consciousness, and at the same time help that person recover a bit of mana if there are spirits around, apparently.

Hauron taught Retze how to make it and he tweaked the recipe a bit based on what he learned from a priest adventurer, apparently.

「Hoh? So you can endure it, hm? 」
Es seemed elated.

「Stop testing people on a whim, will you. 」
I was about to slip and name you Goddess S*!!

「Hack!! 」
Retze tossed the bitter pill in without a second thought as soon as I opened my mouth.

So mean!

「Hngg…..! 」
「Urgh 」
「Ugh 」

The moment I swallowed the pill, Doggy started pawing the ground with his sharp claws, while Skos and Nenet staggered backward.

The 『Tiny Ones』born from Skos and Nenet were left on the spot where the couple initially stood, and they started floating towards me.

「Eh? Does this pill deal damage to spirits? 」
『Tiny Ones』 ‘s existence are very unstable, kinda like the ones born in the night after which they melt into the moonlight. They are generated from various natural phenomena such as water sprays and sunlight. Although they tend to vanish just as easily, they could gather together and combine into a spirit that doesn’t disappear, or they could also engulf other spirits and become stronger in the process.

The 『Tiny Ones』 also emerge from the spirits’ body as a remnant of their power, or perhaps a remnant of life, then hey float back into the air.

「The effect is usually pretty mild, but this one must be extra strong, since it has to make up for the mana that’s been lost. The amount of magic you had and the amount you lost this time are off the charts…」
Hauron heaved a sigh as he returned the magic circle back to his bosom.

「I did feel a bit of zap, and it’s been so long since I had this sensation. 」
Es laughed.

— I might’ve accidentally named her S, but they sound the same, so there shouldn’t be any problem. Right, no problem at all.