“This is the divine tree inhabited by spirits.”
Under Lunia’s guidance, the tree they arrived at looked thick and massive, as if it had been standing for hundreds of years.
The sunlight streaming through the branches illuminated the entire tree brightly, perfectly fitting the term ‘divine tree.’
Despite being in a forest, the area within a 5-meter radius had no other trees growing, adding to the mystical atmosphere.
“This place serves as a central base. There are landmarks in the east, west, south, and north. This is where you can see the spirits of each element… For detailed information, please refer to the announcements, and if anything happens, please come here, as I will be here. Now, let’s get started!”
Clap!
As Professor Lunia clapped her hands, the students began to chatter among themselves.
After their conversations, they dispersed to the east, west, south, and north.
Sion checked the announcements through his student ID.
‘This is an unusual place.’
The map, presumably drawn by Lunia, was quite simple.
A massive tree drawn in the center served as the reference point, surrounded entirely by a forest.
From that tree, precisely in the east, west, south, and north, there were landmarks corresponding to the four major elements.
– Eastern Rocky Area (Earth Element Spirits Appear)– Western Waterfall Area (Water Element Spirits Appear)– Northern Cliff Area (Wind Element Spirits Appear)– Southern Grassland Area (Fire Element Spirits Appear)
In each area located east, west, south, and north, one could see spirits suitable for that region.
Just as there were many water element spirits in the waterfall and river, the number of spirits living varied by the region.
In other words, it was akin to choosing the spirits of the element one wished to contract with.
‘Lunia didn’t build that hut here for no reason.’
Lunia’s hut was beyond the southern grassland area.
It was about a 30-minute walk from there.
He felt a bit remorseful for cursing the distance every time he walked up to the hut.
Of course, it wasn’t that it was easy.
“Student Sion, please, sit here…”
Tap, tap.
Lunia sat quietly under the divine tree and patted the seat next to her.
There were already no other students around.
It was a situation where they would have to walk at least 10 minutes to get to any of the areas.
In summary, only Lunia and Sion remained in front of the divine tree.
“…Excuse me.”
Sion sat down a little distance away from Lunia.
Leaning against the divine tree felt strange.
The branches swayed with the breeze, and the sunlight that passed through drew patterns on the ground as if dancing.
“Professor, is it okay to just stay here?”
“Uh, yes… I can guide the students as they move around, but… just in case something happens…”
“What could happen…?”
He understood the need to wait in the center.
But what could possibly happen?
Lunia, as if reading his thoughts, answered.
“This land is owned by the Byzantium Academy, but… sometimes monsters appear…”
“Monsters?”
“Yes, yes… I’ve seen them occasionally… Ah! Of course, they’re not so powerful, so it’s not dangerous…”
“……”
Monsters appearing.
Since the first-year curriculum included classes that entered E-rank dungeons, as long as they weren’t D-rank or higher, it shouldn’t be a problem.
“I’m a bit worried about the other students.”
“You don’t need to worry…. If such monsters appear…”
“If they appear…?”
With a swipe, Lunia took a long staff out from her cloak.
The staff looked like it was made from a skinny, gnarled branch.
The gem at the tip and the fresh leaves surrounding it were just like an elf.
Lunia firmly grasped the staff with both hands and puffed her cheeks.
“As a professor, I will protect the students…! Of course, I’ll also protect you, Sion…”
“…….”
“Why do you have that expression…?”
“It’s nothing.”
Sion nearly burst into laughter but bit it back.
He failed to manage his expression, and Lunia’s gaze felt piercing.
He averted his eyes, glancing around.
“Well, should we just wait here?”
“Are you trying to change the subject?”
“The sunlight feels nice. It seems like a perfect day for practice.”
“…Hehe, actually, I prayed last night that it wouldn’t rain. I think the heavens have heard my prayer!”
“…….”
Fortunately, Lunia soon moved past that topic.
It was a relief that she was such a simple person at times like this.
Afterward, Lunia and Sion engaged in various conversations.
“Did you personally cut the logs that covered the auditorium?”
“No! I didn’t cut them… I bought them at the academy shop…”
“You bought them?”
“Considering the number of logs that need to be put in there… it wouldn’t be right to use the trees in this forest.”
“Oh….”
“…Um, Student Sion.”
In the midst of their conversation, suddenly,
Lunia looked up at Sion without speaking.
Wondering what she meant, he looked into her green eyes, which were wavering slightly.
“Please, go ahead.”
“…I believe that if you hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have made so many changes… The students just now also reacted positively for the first time…”
“You put in a lot of effort, Professor.”
“No! It’s all thanks to you, Sion. So, um… that…”
“?”
Lunia fidgeted with her fingers.
As if wanting to say something but merely moving her lips.
An ominous feeling crossed Sion’s mind.
‘Could it be a suggestion for graduate school…?’
But he shook that thought off quickly.
After all, he was still a first-year student at the academy.
He was a newcomer far from even graduating, let alone being a graduate student.
What kind of professor would encourage a newcomer to become a graduate student…?
‘…Right?’
However, since this was a medieval fantasy world,
things were very different from the university he had attended in his previous life…
He couldn’t be entirely sure that such a thing would not happen.
Watching the shyly parting lips of Professor Lunia, Sion eventually—
“W-would you like to spend the weekend together if you have time—”
“Professor!”
“Eep!”
Thud, thud.
A woman was walking towards them.
The woman with white hair, walking like a model, sparkled under the sunlight.
Sion knew who she was.
“Estroja?”
“…You’re here too, Sion. I came because there’s been a bit of a problem.”
“A problem? What is it?”
Suddenly,
Sion quickly took his wand out from his bag and approached her.
Could it be that a monster had appeared, as Professor Lunia had mentioned?
Estroja averted her gaze as if it were difficult to talk.
“…Well…”
“Did a monster show up?”
“No, it’s not that… It’s just…”
“Tell me what happened. Otherwise, I won’t know.”
“…….”
“Quickly.”
At Sion’s urging, Estroja mumbled.
“The spirits… are avoiding me.”
“The spirits are avoiding you?”
“They, the spirits… are avoiding me!!!”
Flap!
The birds startled by her scream fluttered into the sky.
Sion and Lunia froze in shock, their eyes wide.
They were dumbfounded by a reason they had never even imagined.
*
Splash.
In the western waterfall area.
The refreshing waterfall cascaded down, and the splashing water from the river sprayed droplets on their cheeks.
In that place,
Estroja was crouched down, sulking.
“…It’s true.”
“Would I lie?”
Before her stood a small spirit.
Just as Lunia mentioned, there were many spirits in this area.
Other students were busy conversing or bonding with the pure white wind element spirits.
– Kyu! Kyu kyu!
“Oh….”
However, as Estroja waved her hand, the lowest rank spirit sitting on the ground sprang up.
As if it had seen something appalling, the spirit scampered away in a hurry.
…It was a bit sad to see the expression on Estroja’s face, which was vacant.
“Why is this happening…?”
“…That must be it. Spirit affinity.”
“Spirit… affinity.”
Spirit affinity.
That was a necessary talent for learning spirit magic…
The higher the spirit affinity, the more and higher-ranked spirits one could contract with.
Conversely, a low spirit affinity would make it difficult to contract with spirits.
‘Now that I think about it…’
Sion recalled the moment when Estroja had her spirit affinity assessed by Silphia in the past.
– Hello there, spirit. Nice to meet you.
– Hiyahhhh!!
– W-what are you suddenly…
– What’s with this filthy girl! It’s been decades since I’ve encountered a human this rotten! I want to wash my hands! Please, let me wash them!!
The once calm cat-shaped spirit Silphia was terrified by Estroja’s spirit affinity.
Estroja had the lowest imaginable spirit affinity.
Because he had helped Professor Lunia with the spirit affinity assessments, Sion was well aware of her spirit affinity level.
“Now that I think about it, it was said to be F-rank.”
“…….”
“If it’s F-rank, it’s no surprise the spirits would dislike you. Silphia mentioned that no spirits exist below an F-rank of affinity.”
“F-rank! F-rank! Enough with that!”
With a glaring look directed at Sion and her cheeks puffing up,
Sion couldn’t help but chuckle at her.
It was amusing that Estroja, who always acted superior and thought herself the best, was struggling to connect with spirits.
“If you’re going to laugh, please go back. To where Professor Lunia is.”
Estroja straightened up and walked past Sion.
Professor Lunia remained in the divine tree as the other students would arrive.
As long as she returned to Lunia, there would be no problem.
“What are you planning to do during practice time?”
“…I’ll just watch the others bond with the spirits.”
“…….”
“So please, don’t mind me and go. I’m really fine.”
She said with a pout.
Estroja’s gaze was fixed on the spirits that were interacting with the other students.
Her expression betrayed a tinge of unhidden longing.
“…Sigh.”
“What’s with the sudden sigh…?”
“She could just be honest about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just wait a moment.”
Sion walked closer to the waterfall.
A smile crept up as he felt the refreshing droplets hitting his face.
As he observed the waterfall up close…
– Kyu?
– Kyu kyu!!
The little low-level spirits hiding within the waterfall.
Drawn out by Sion’s spirit affinity, one or two of them began to reveal themselves.
