My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 179

“Can’t form a contract, huh?”

I couldn’t understand.

Both Ariel and the Spirit Kings looked puzzled.

“Try again.”

“Ah, okay.”

Ariel unfolded a magic circle around me, attempting the contract again, but it quickly lost its effect and dissolved.

“This is strange. It feels like my mana is being rejected by Praus’s body. How can this be?”

In terms of the world settings I knew, this was absolutely impossible.

Could it be that Ariel had unknowingly formed a spirit contract with someone else?

No, that couldn’t be it. If that was the case, she wouldn’t have said she wanted to make a spirit contract with me.

So then why…?

Did I have a history of forming a contract with a spirit before I possessed Praus?

No, that couldn’t be right either.

When I possessed his body, I remembered all of Praus’s past that I didn’t know. There was no record of a spirit contract in that.

Even if there was, humans can have dual contracts with spirits. It doesn’t make sense for a contract to not form.

So what could the reason be?

“I cannot form a contract with the Spirit King… Please wait a moment.”

Naiad closed his eyes and murmured something, and the room was illuminated with a blue light. I waited with my eyes closed for the light to fade.

When I opened my eyes, a jelly-like figure in the shape of a woman that looked like it was melting was standing there.

It was Undine.

“Ah, um! I see the Spirit Kings!”

The summoned Undine hurriedly bowed as she saw the four Spirit Kings. It seemed Naiad had called her for an experimental contract.

“Undine, do you currently have anyone you are contracted with or are planning to contract?”

“I don’t have anyone at the moment.”

“Then would you like to try contracting with Praus?”

As Naiad pointed at me, Undine turned her head.

“Excuse me? Ah… You’re the one who passed Glacer’s trial before, aren’t you? I distinctly remember how well the low-level spirits were following you.”

“That’s because they mistakenly thought I was a hero.”

“Even low-level spirits wouldn’t let their guard down around a human they met for the first time, even if they thought he was a hero.”

Now that I think about it, when I released them after capturing them, they immediately let their guard down, didn’t they?

I hadn’t questioned their unusual friendliness at the time, but hearing her words, it did seem odd.

“Moreover, your demands were accepted by the low-level spirits without hesitation, weren’t they? I should have been the one to deal with you as an intermediate spirit and directed you to Glacer.”

“So does that mean I’m compatible with spirits?”

“I doubt it. There’s probably another reason.”

“Is that so?”

I thought there was a chance I held some unknown power! Turns out I’m just an ordinary guy after all!

“Anyway, I’ll proceed with the contract.”

As expected of Naiad’s subordinate spirit, Undine meticulously recited the formal contract procedures and asked for my consent. I nodded.

A blue magic circle enveloped me. But the blue light of the magic circle gradually faded. It was the same as when I was with Ariel.

“The contract isn’t forming. Humans can have dual contracts, so… this is the first time I’ve seen such a case, and it’s perplexing.”

Undine bowed her head apologetically to the Spirit Kings.

“I apologize. My incompetence seems to have caused trouble for Naiad.”

“No, this issue lies with Praus.”

I appreciate the cold judgment.

Given that my attempt to contract with another spirit failed, it seems his words imply there was something wrong on my end.

However, this is such a peculiar case that I couldn’t identify the cause. Naturally, if I didn’t know the cause, I couldn’t find a solution.

“It’s a phenomenon I haven’t seen in hundreds of years, so I’m not sure what the problem is.”

I’ve never seen it either.

Even after pulling all the information I knew from my mind, I couldn’t resolve the questions.

“If this continues, I cannot allow you to step into the Spirit Realm. If you try to cross over without a contracted spirit, the flow of mana could twist, and you wouldn’t even be able to cross over if you wanted to.”

Ah, seriously? Why can’t I form a spirit contract?

As someone who needed to gather information about the player at all costs, I found myself increasingly frustrated.

“…But there’s one thing I’m curious about.”

Orient chimed in quietly.

“I’ve been feeling this for a while, but how come Praus can have more mana than a Spirit King?”

It was a sudden question. Other Spirit Kings also expressed curiosity at Orient’s remark.

“Praus is neither a hero nor does he have a contract with a Spirit King. He’s not an S-Class Adventurer or Archmage blessed with abilities from the World Tree. I honestly can’t figure out the source of your magical power.”

At Orient’s words, everyone present cast peculiar looks at me.

“Could it be… because he’s a player?”

Someone else spoke. The owner of that remark was the Phoenix.

She had a puzzled expression on her face, but her voice hinted at a strange conviction.

“Now that you mention it, it did say ‘player’ near the World Tree. The World Tree didn’t explicitly say anything about it… No, it’s like it deliberately kept it hidden.”

The Spirit Kings, who were created from the primordial spirits that split from the World Tree, were the most significant beings under the World Tree itself.

The fact that this was a matter to be kept secret from them indicated that it was something only the World Tree or those closely related to it should know.

“Then could it be that Praus’s contractor is the World Tree?”

“That can’t be.”

Ariel pondered momentarily before Naiad immediately dismissed it. It seemed he thought it absurd that the World Tree would contract with a nobody like me, someone lesser in rank than itself.

“There’s no reason for the World Tree to make such a contract.”

“Yeah, but if the Demon King can corrupt the World Tree, then…”

“If that were the case, Praus would have helped the heroes right from the start.”

“But only those who have wandered outside the causality can adjust causality in this world, and that’s only the World Tree. If the World Tree is Praus’s contractor, then wouldn’t that explain why we can’t form a contract?”

“……”

“Besides, the word ‘player,’ which only the World Tree knows, was also known by Praus. Regardless of how we interpret it, there’s definitely a connection between the World Tree and Praus, isn’t there?”

As Ariel’s reasoning became more plausible, Naiad remained silent. The growing suspicion led him to sigh deeply.

“Praus, have you ever met the World Tree?”

“……No.”

If had a chance to meet it, I wouldn’t be in such a state of confusion.

Although the World Tree had never directly revealed its power in the game, if it intervened, the chances of reaching a happy ending would significantly increase.

In this world, the World Tree is a being as powerful as the Demon King.

It wasn’t for nothing that people said the game balance breaks when the World Tree intervenes in the community.

“If that’s the case, we can only confirm this directly with the World Tree. Speculating amongst ourselves is meaningless.”

“Then hypothetically, what if the contractor of Praus is the World Tree?”

“That would mean…”

Naiad hesitated to answer. In his stead, the Phoenix spoke.

“That would mean Praus is a figure even more important than the heroes.”

With the Phoenix’s decisive words, silence returned to the room.

“……Anyway, what’s certain is that there’s nothing conclusive right now. Given Praus’s reactions, we can’t confirm that he has a contract with the World Tree. So I’ll ask the World Tree directly. To find out what’s going on.”

“Is that so? Then I hope to hear that answer next time we meet.”

“I’ll do it if necessary. However, if it’s not something you’d benefit from, I won’t. I’m leaving now, Undine.”

Having said his piece, he wrapped up the conversation.

“Yes! I’ll take my leave first, Your Majesties.”

Naiad created a blue circular portal on the wall and stepped inside. Undine also bowed to the Spirit Kings before entering. Then, as if it had been waiting, the portal disappeared.

“I’ll take my leave too.”

Orient glanced at Ariel before vanishing as if absorbed by the ground. Seeing this, the Phoenix sighed.

“I’ll go too. I feel like Naiad will cause another ruckus.”

With the Phoenix gone, only Ariel and I remained in the room.

“Praus, what will you do?”

“……I must enter the Spirit Realm no matter what.”

“But don’t you have any memory of a contract with the World Tree?”

“I’m not sure about that either. After all, I’ve never met the World Tree. Let alone a contract. That’s absurd.”

“I see…”

Ariel and I sighed almost simultaneously. The lingering frustrations didn’t dissipate.

The numerous questions swirling in my mind continued to prod at my brain. From the reason I possessed this world to the holograms I could see.

The thought that the World Tree might hold the answers to these alien phenomena that don’t belong to this world made me even more anxious.

In the end, I could not supply an answer to any of it, and I erased the questions pouring out like a tail chasing its own.

*

Returning to the Spirit Realm, Naiad sought out the enormous tree at the center of it.

A huge, bright blue tree visible from anywhere in the Spirit Realm.

The World Tree.

Gazing up, I felt a sense of elation accompanied by a majestic splendor, making me feel overwhelmed with emotion.

In a moment of enchantment, Naiad shook his head to dispel his heightened spirits.

“World Tree, if you’re watching, please listen to my story.”

He bowed his head.

The only existence he bowed to, who would never bow to anyone, was the World Tree.

“World Tree, have you perhaps formed a spirit contract with Praus? If so, may I know the reason?”

[Naiad, I can hear your worries up to here.]

A woman’s voice resonated in his mind, and Naiad raised his head. His eyes trembled as he looked up at the towering tree. It was such a noble voice.

But right now, something more important than faith was at stake.

“World Tree, may I hear the answer to my question?”

[One must question whether a contract formed without regarding the will of the other can truly be called a contract.]

“Excuse me?”

[……Praus is the one who will save this world from its crisis. Just remember that for now.]

“To save the world… Isn’t that the hero’s duty? Praus is not a hero.”

[Anyone who fights risking their life is a hero.]

“That definition is too vague. The real heroes are just Tina, Iris, and Maria.”

[If Naiad says so, then that must be true.]

Even just hearing the voice, Naiad was engulfed with the feeling that the World Tree was benevolently smiling down upon him.

However, with no straightforward answers to his questions, a restless frustration remained in a corner of his heart.

“What on earth is Praus?”

[That’s something I cannot disclose. At least not at this moment.]

“Does that mean you’ll be telling me someday?”

[Well, whether I choose to tell it or not seems to depend on Praus himself.]

Naiad was choked by the ambiguous and vague responses from the World Tree. Every question he threw seemed to leave room for interpretation.

“Then what does being a player mean?”

[……There is only one thing I can tell you right now.]

A melodious voice washed away Naiad’s question.

[Trust in Praus.]

“Trust? What does that mean…?”

[Praus has gone through more ‘trial and error’ than anyone else, so he knows exactly what he needs to do. Don’t doubt his actions.]

“……Is he really a being I can trust? He said he wanted to meet the World Tree when he came to the Spirit Realm.”

[It’s something he’ll have to meet eventually, but it’s still too early.]

“Why is that?”

[Surely, Praus must be extremely angry at me. So it must not happen until everything is over.]

“What…?”

Naiad could only be astonished at the thought that the absolute being of this world, the World Tree, seemed to be troubled by just one human.

[Ah, everything you’ve heard from me is a secret, Naiad.]

Seeing the World Tree, which was so high he couldn’t even look up to it, acting as if it were being cautious left Naiad in utter shock.

‘Could it be that Praus is a being of an even higher rank than the World Tree?! H-But…’

Recalling the conversations I shared with Praus, Naiad found himself lost in a maze of complex thoughts.