“Sit down, sit down. Why are you being so formal? Just relax as you usually do.”
Clarice entered the room and gently made Lindy, who had been awkwardly standing, sit down. I followed her lead and returned to my original seat.
“Um… How did the discussion go?”
Given that Lindy and I had been conversing on this very topic until Clarice arrived, my immediate curiosity was about the outcome of the conversation between Spirit Kings.
“Without even having a drink first, getting straight to the point—I see you’re pretty curious.”
I wondered if I had been too hasty in bringing up the topic, but Clarice’s expression did not seem particularly annoyed. Instead, she smirked as if contemplating ways to frustrate us further.
Thankfully, Clarice seemed to understand our desperation and soon abandoned her teasing. She quickly shared the results of the discussion.
“For one, today’s outcome was two against two. The only problem is that thanks to me making the decision on Flora’s behalf, the vote was evenly split, though with only me on my side, I failed to convince the other two. So, not only was lifting Lindy’s restriction out of the question, but we also had to put on hold the decision of whether her restrictions should continue indefinitely.”
Though it wasn’t the ideal result we had hoped for, it certainly wasn’t the worst-case scenario. Had Clarice not been on our side, the situation could have been far more dire. Now, Lindy and I will need to persuade the Spirit King of Fire and the Spirit King of Earth.
But above all, what came first was expressing gratitude to Clarice, who was standing right here in front of us.
“Thank you, Lady Clarice, for helping us. It’s a relief to have you on our side.”
“Nah, it’s nothing. Honestly, I don’t think Lindy deserved such harsh punishment. Lindy didn’t even cross any significant lines. Of course, what Lindy did wasn’t exactly right, but still…”
Though Clarice’s words felt innocent, I began to question whether Lindy had truly committed such a serious offense. However, recalling the nature of spirits, her attitude made sense.
Initially, assigning gender to spirits is somewhat laughable. They can freely change their appearance at will, without limitation to gender. Didn’t we even see spirits following us during our way to the palace, all taking feminine forms?
So, it made sense why Clarice would view Lindy’s actions, which were driven by passion, so lightly.
“Well, well. If you’re so thankful, why don’t we share a drink? There’s not much to enjoy in this dull Spirit Realm.”
As Clarice waved her hand in the air, wineglasses made of ice instantaneously formed. Despite being made of ice, touching them revealed no signs of melting.
Before Lindy and I could receive the glasses, Clarice had already filled all three with wine, each brimming as though about to spill. She then handed one each to Lindy and me.
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted us. This was already the third visitor, with Clarice and Lindy included. However, considering I couldn’t possibly know anyone in the Spirit Realm without the use of spirit magic, I became curious as to who it could be.
When the door opened, the figure there was familiar to me.
“Sorry to bother you while you’re resting. I went to Lindy’s room but couldn’t find her. So, I thought I’d check if she was with you.”
Her name was Silfi, wasn’t it? Though Lindy had been prohibited from summoning spirits above a certain level, her contract with a spirit remained active. This was certainly the case with Silfi, Lindy’s highest-level spirit.
Silfi, a top-tier spirit, was one such example. Since Lindy hadn’t visited the Spirit Realm separately, this was their reunion after thirty years, making it natural that they wished to catch up.
“Lindy? Silfi is here.”
“Silfi!”
Lindy, who had been casually chatting with Clarice, quickly rose from her seat and rushed toward us. Although I momentarily worried if Clarice felt neglected, her dismissive shrug suggested she understood Lindy’s feelings.
Thirty years of accumulated stories between Lindy and Silfi began to unravel right at the doorway. I considered inviting them inside but desisted. Given the nature of Lindy’s restrictions, discussing such topics in front of her contracted spirit, Silfi, might prove awkward.
Thus, it seemed better if Lindy and Silfi were left alone to catch up properly.
“Why don’t you two head over to Lindy’s room to talk? There’s no need for me to be here; I’d only end up in the way, anyway.”
“Huh? There’s no need for that…”
“No, please don’t hesitate. Surely there are things you want to discuss privately, right?”
But Lindy, oblivious to my plan, began to protest. Before my carefully laid plan unraveled, I rushed to push Lindy and Silfi out of the room. I even closed and locked the door to prevent them from returning.
“Now that there are fewer people around, the atmosphere is quieter—though I wonder if they’re okay.”
Returning to my seat, I noticed Clarice already sipping her drink, unable to wait any longer.
“Is that so? There’s nothing we can do. Don’t worry about it.”
“Since Lindy is absent, let’s make the most of it and have some fun.”
Contrary to what I expected, Clarice remained seated. Rather, seeing this as an opportunity, with Lindy absent, I resolved to ensure that Clarice remained an ally.
Though Clarice stands by us now, there’s always the possibility she’ll change her mind later, perhaps opposing us. Although convincing the two Spirit Kings is one thing, it’s equally crucial to show favor to Clarice, our ally, who has already shown kindness toward us.
Seeing Clarice about to drink her wine alone, I picked up my glass to toast with her.
“Clarice, cheers!”
Fortunately, Clarice giggled slightly, gently clinked her glass with mine, then took a sip. I, too, brought my glass to my lips. The icy glass touched my lips with slight coolness—not excessively cold, but just enough to feel refreshing.
I cautiously tested the wine with my tongue, as drinking alcohol in my right mind was a first. However, there was no reason to worry. The wine Clarice had was anything but burdensome. Surprisingly, it tasted sweet. Judging by its sweetness, it must not be very strong.
Considering the fruits of the Spirit Realm that Lindy had previously brought, this flavor made sense.
Before I could savor it, noticing my glass was already empty, I quickly finished it. Despite intending to pace myself, the wine was so delicious that I couldn’t help but drink the entire glass.
“Yay… I drank it!”
*
Clarice harbored feelings for a hero, Alicia. Though these feelings weren’t strong enough for her to lay down her liver or kidneys as ancient tales describe, they were enough for her to extend her goodwill lightly. Perhaps Alicia’s status as a Hero also contributed to Clarice’s favorable attitude.
Thus, when the Spirit Kings of Fire and Earth insisted on maintaining Lindy’s punishment, Clarice stood up for Alicia, arguing the issue didn’t need to be settled so swiftly, resulting in a deadlock.
Happily, a higher spirit who had returned recently from the material realm gifted this bottle of wine, saying it was a fun little creation. Clarice had no expectation of this event unfolding as it did.
“Heheh… Cheers, Clarice!”
How many glasses had we already finished? Clarice, a spirit, would remain unaffected no matter how many she drank. But the human before her was another story. Already, Alicia’s condition was worsening—struggling with her first glass. Several more and she was completely drunk.
Even now, the once-reserved and respectful Alicia had scooted her chair to sit closer to Clarice and clung to her arm, acting uncharacteristically clingy.
“Shouldn’t we stop now? You’re quite drunk.”
Clarice rarely interfered with such matters, enjoying interactions with other species. She usually wished to prolong such rare occasions.
“Absolutely not drunk!”
But Alicia’s current state was troubling even for Clarice. She incessantly giggled, her words slurred, all social boundaries erased as she physically clung, unaware of her intoxicated state, continuing to push more drinks.
Even in her state of complete inebriation, Alicia’s purpose remained unwavering: lifting Lindy’s restrictions, ensuring Clarice’s full support of their cause.
What was the best way to persuade her now? While trying to think despite her impaired state, Alicia devised a plan. To prove Lindy’s past actions weren’t wrong.
Gently, as if naturally continuing their conversation, Alicia reached out to gently caress Clarice’s forearm, reminiscent of Lindy’s subtle advances in the past.
“Heheh… Clarice…”
