WCSVL 04

Chapter – 04

The Power of Spirits.

She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the crisp morning air of the forest.

“Ahhh, this feels so refreshing—”

“*—eshing—*”

“*—ing—*”

Around Ruri, the spirits were imitating her, stretching just as she did.

It had been several days since she started staying with Chelsea. Though there was still a lingering loneliness from not being able to go home, she was thoroughly enjoying her carefree daily life, free from the annoyance of Asahi.

Living in one of the many rooms of a house far too large for someone living alone was full of surprises.

First, she had been eager to learn magic, but the method she was taught was so ridiculously simple that her eyes had gone wide.

Apparently, the most common way to borrow the power of spirits was simply to visualize what you wanted and pray to the spirits to grant it.

It was so simple it was almost anticlimactic, but depending on the wavelength and amount of magical power, what you visualized wouldn’t necessarily manifest as actual magic. That, she was told, depended largely on how favorable your magical wavelength was to the spirits.

In that regard, Ruri was a bearer of a wavelength that even Chelsea vouched for—one that spirits loved. Whenever she asked, they would eagerly rush to help her. In fact, the spells came out so powerful that Chelsea scolded her and strictly ordered her to learn to control the amount of magic she released.

She was told it was all a matter of getting used to it, so she spent her days repeatedly casting spells that wouldn’t cause any damage.

At first, Ruri had wondered, *What even is magic power?* But as she kept using it, she began to feel a faint sensation of something draining from her body whenever she cast a spell. She started to recognize this as her magic power—the tangible presence of it.

Once she could sense this unseen force, she began to understand how to suppress it as well. Though she still failed occasionally, she was gradually getting better at controlling it.

And with that, her daily life changed dramatically.

First, since she was staying as a guest, she insisted on helping with cleaning, laundry, and cooking.
For cleaning, she gathered all the dust and dirt into one spot with wind magic and burned it away with fire.
For laundry, there was a purification spell—a wonderfully convenient magic that didn’t require drying afterward like a washing machine. The water simply washed away the dirt, leaving no moisture behind.

This magic could also be used on clothes and even on oneself. Ruri couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness as she recalled her survival days in the forest, covered in sweat and grime, wishing she’d known about this spell much sooner.

Cooking wasn’t magic, but the spirits, eager to please Ruri, brought her plenty of nuts and fruits that grew wild in the forest—earning them a rather unreadable look from Chelsea.

And what was Ruri getting up so early to do? A bath!

No matter how much she was told that the purification spell made baths unnecessary, she was still Japanese. She wanted to soak in a tub and relax.

Purification was a relatively simple spell that most people could use as long as they had even a basic affinity for water. Apparently, the Dragon Kingdom had no culture of soaking in bathtubs. But Ruri had passionately lectured Chelsea on the wonders of bathing, and whether he’d been worn down by her enthusiasm or simply found it too troublesome, he eventually gave her permission to build one behind the house.

“Alright, let’s make it!”

“*Make what—?*”
“*She says a bath*”
“*What’s a bath?*”
“*No idea—*”

She visualized the small log cabin and the bathtub inside in as much detail as possible.

Then, from the ground, several branches sprouted, breaking through the soil. They stretched upward as if guided by will, gradually taking shape and forming a log cabin just as Ruri had imagined.

Seeing it turn out exactly as she’d pictured, she pumped her fist in triumph.

“Yes! Magic is amazing! You guys are incredible.”

“*We got praised—*”
“*I’m awesome*”

The delighted spirits twirled joyfully through the air.

She opened the wooden door and stepped inside. Beyond the changing room, through another door, was a spacious wooden bath that exuded a luxurious atmosphere—reminiscent of the private open-air baths at a high-end ryokan.

All that was left was to fill it with hot water, and it would be ready to use at any time. It was impossible not to get excited.

She immediately used magic to fill the bath with hot water, threw off her clothes in the changing room, and jumped in, melting into the warmth she hadn’t felt in so long. Curious about her blissful state, the spirits floated lazily on the surface of the water as well.

“Ahh, this is heaven…”

While Ruri was enjoying her morning bath, inside the house, Chelsea was reading a letter that had just arrived.

It was from his grandson Joshua, who served as an intelligence officer in the Dragon Kingdom. It had only been a few days since Ruri told him about Natasha, and already a report had come in.

The contents covered Natasha’s current situation, the matter of the Shrine Maiden Princess, and the prophecy.

As Ruri had said, some of those close to Asahi displayed abnormal levels of obsession and devotion. However, according to Joshua, it wasn’t much of a problem.

There were indeed traces of charm magic being used, though whether it was intentional or not remained unclear. But Asahi’s own magical power wasn’t strong enough to be a real threat.

While her magic was above average for a human, the charm effect only persisted in those who spent prolonged periods by her side. For anyone else, it would fade quickly.

Yet Ruri’s report had claimed that anyone who so much as interacted with Asahi fell into a state resembling slavery.

Chelsea reasoned that this discrepancy was likely due to the difference in resistance to magic. In this world, people had been steeped in magic since birth, whereas in the world Ruri came from, magic didn’t even exist as a concept. People from that world had no immunity to magic, so the effect was far more pronounced. Like medicine becoming less effective with repeated use.

The fact that the people of Natasha—who weren’t charmed—still held Asahi in such high regard was apparently linked to the prophecy.

One line of the prophecy stated: *The Shrine Maiden Princess who appears from another world shall lead the nation to prosperity, but any treatment unbecoming of her will bring about its decline.* That was likely why, when it seemed Ruri had tried to harm Asahi, everyone—including the prince, who was charmed—overreacted.

It was certainly unfortunate for Ruri. But for Chelsea, it was a stroke of luck.

Natasha had long harbored ill will toward demi-humans. Envious of their vast territories and prosperity—far surpassing their own human lands—they had repeatedly waged war.

Demi-humans, after all, possessed various abilities. Their kingdoms flourished by making full use of them, while Natasha had prospered by excluding such abilities, proclaiming humans as supreme. Which nation would thrive was obvious.

The thought of Ruri being absorbed into a nation that refused to see that truth, a nation that harbored nothing but malice, sent a chill down Chelsea’s spine.

In the Dragon Kingdom, the most powerful among the dragon clan—the strongest bloodline in this world—became king. And Ruri, though human and possessing the least magic among races, had magical power rivaling even that of the Dragon King. She was beloved by countless spirits.

Occasionally, someone beloved by spirits would appear. But it was rare for spirits to actively rescue a person or bring them food. Spirits were the stewards of all creation. Though they appeared cute, they could easily destroy an entire nation if angered.

And Chelsea sensed that these spirits held Ruri in deep affection—like a mother’s love for her child. If anything happened to Ruri, they would surely retaliate.

If that same Ruri had been taken in by a nation seeking to eliminate demi-humans and indoctrinated with their ideology… it could have led to the genocide of demi-humans at the hands of humans.

What was even more frightening was that Ruri herself was unaware of this.

And a line in the letter confirmed those fears.

“This can’t be ignored.”

Chelsea stood and headed toward Ruri.

—

“Ahh, I guess being Japanese means you just have to have a bath. Oh, Chelsea! Would you like to try it too? It feels amazing!”

Ruri, fresh from her long-awaited bath, was approached by Chelsea, who wore an unusually serious expression.

“Ruri, do you have a moment?”

“Huh? Yes, what is it?”

She braced herself, wondering if she’d done something to upset him.

“Ruri, you went through a lot in Natasha. Do you hold a grudge against them?”

“Of course! Revenge is my number one goal!”

Ruri answered without hesitation, her voice full of conviction. Chelsea’s voice carried a faint edge of tension.

“Revenge… What do you want to do to them?”

“I want to make them cry! Make them grovel! Asahi, the source of all my troubles, the king and priests who abducted me, the prince and classmates who framed me, the soldier who kicked me—I want to line them all up and punch them in the face!”

“Ah… I see…”

Chelsea looked at her with a dumbfounded expression, yet there was a hint of relief in his eyes. She wasn’t as dangerous as he’d feared.

“In that case, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Well, you see, magic suddenly stopped working in Natasha. The spirits won’t respond to any calls.”

“Why?”

The answer came from the spirits floating around Ruri.

“*Those guys bullied Ruri.*”
“*Punishment—*”
“*Ruri said revenge, so we punish.*”
“*We hate anyone who bullies Ruri.*”

Their tone was light, but their words carried clear anger.

“The timing of when magic stopped working matches the day Ruri was abandoned in the forest. I suspected as much, but it really was because of Ruri.”

“*Because Ruri was angry.*”
“*She said she’d get revenge.*”

“Because I said that?”

“*Yeah.*”

The spirits nodded happily, as if waiting for praise, and Ruri broke into a cold sweat.

“So… it’s my fault that the spirits are boycotting them…”

“In this world, not being able to use magic is a matter of life and death. You need the spirits’ power for everything—cooking, cleansing yourself, daily life. Of course, humans have the least magic among all races, so in Natasha, only a select few like the priests can use decent magic. But still, the spirits withdrawing their power has thrown Natasha into complete chaos. If your revenge isn’t to the point of destroying the nation, could you ask the spirits to stop?”

Ruri did want revenge, but she had no intention of plunging an entire nation into chaos or destruction. The idea that a nation could be thrown into disarray simply because magic stopped working was hard for Ruri, who had grown up in a world without magic, to fully grasp. Still, seeing how serious Chelsea was, she immediately spoke to the spirits to call them off.

But the spirits responded with dissatisfied voices.

“*Ehhhh, why why?*”
“*Ruri said you wanted revenge, right?*”

“Well, yeah, but… that’s my problem. I want to make them eat their words with my own power. So please, don’t interfere.”

“*Are we… a bother…?*”

As the adorable spirits teared up, Ruri faltered.

“That’s not true at all! I’m really grateful to all of you.”

“*Really?*”

“Yeah, yeah. When the time comes, I’ll ask for your help. But for now, please don’t do anything. Okay?”

“*Okay, we got it—*”

Chelsea’s gaze was piercing, but Ruri was relieved to see the spirits’ moods lift.

Chelsea sighed helplessly.

“Ruri, let me give you one piece of advice. As you’ve seen, if anything happens to you, the spirits will act without hesitation. There will be people who try to use your power for their own gain. I’ll teach you everything I know. So don’t let yourself be used by anyone. Think for yourself, judge for yourself what’s right and wrong.”

“…Are you sure you should be telling me that?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you were the one who took me in when I was lost in the forest with nowhere to go. I owe you a debt I can never repay. I’m as ignorant as a newborn about this world. Right now, you could easily instill your own values, your own sense of right and wrong, into me. I’d probably trust whatever you said, since you’re my benefactor.”

Ruri was essentially asking, *Why not take advantage of this opportunity?* Chelsea gave a wry smile.

“It might be easy, but it’s also very dangerous. You’re smart enough to realize the risk of being brainwashed. I’m sure you’ll also understand the danger of being able to move the spirits and will keep them from running wild. But there are fools who know all that and still only care about their own gain. That’s why you must never be swayed by anyone’s intentions. Don’t ever forget that.”

“I’ll keep it in mind, but what if I decide to use the spirits to conquer the world or something?”

“I’ll pray that doesn’t happen. But you seem like a bit of a coward, so I doubt you’d commit such grand evil. A little mischief here and there is fine.”

“You’re not denying it, but are spirits really as dangerous as you say?”

Her expression seemed to say, *They’re so cute, though.* Not just in appearance—their speech was so childlike that Ruri couldn’t see them as dangerous.

She also thought that even if magic were useful, even if the spirits hated her and she couldn’t use magic anymore, she could still live somehow.

“I’ll explain that to you later. …More importantly, it’s getting noisy.”

Chelsea suddenly looked off in an unexpected direction, frowning. Ruri tilted her head in confusion.

“I don’t hear anyone making noise.”

The spirits around Ruri were quiet too.

“Not here. Outside the barrier.”

“Barrier?”

“The area around this house is protected by spells that make it invisible and prevent others from entering. Didn’t you feel anything when you approached?”

Ruri thought back and remembered the sensation of passing through some kind of membrane just before she discovered the house.

“Come to think of it, I did feel like I passed through something…”

“Normally, the barrier would have blocked you from entering. But it doesn’t work on anyone with stronger magic than the caster. I was pretty surprised when you showed up. And you collapsed the moment we met.”

“…I’m so sorry about that.”

They went together to check on the barrier. Ruri hadn’t noticed it when she first arrived, but now that she could sense magic, she could perceive its presence from the magical traces around it.

As Ruri was curiously examining the barrier, she spotted what seemed to be the source of the commotion.

“…Ah! That beast! And hey, it’s wearing my wig!”

It was the enormous beast that had been chasing Ruri right before she found Chelsea’s house—a creature with a bear-like body, a boar-like face, and a scorpion-like tail. It was repeatedly charging at the barrier.

And on its head was the brown wig Ruri had dropped while fleeing. *It actually went and picked it up…*

“Maybe it was just hungry and chasing me… Chelsea, we need to run!”

Ruri grabbed Chelsea’s clothes and tried to pull him away, but he didn’t budge.

“Wait. The barrier can only be crossed by those with stronger magic than mine. That magical beast won’t get through, so don’t worry.”

“Magical beast?”

“Beasts that possess magic power, unlike ordinary animals. …But it’s strange. I’ve never seen it behave like this before.”

As Chelsea tilted his head in confusion, the spirits chimed in.

“*That one just brought back Ruri’s hair.*”

“So it wasn’t trying to attack?”

“*No—it picked up what Ruri dropped and brought it.*”
“*It wouldn’t attack. It’s been protecting Ruri in the forest this whole time.*”

According to the spirits, Ruri had survived in this forest, home to many beasts and magical beasts, because this creature had been secretly following her, guarding her from others. It had hidden itself to avoid scaring her, but eventually couldn’t contain itself and appeared before her—which, as expected, frightened Ruri. When she ran, it instinctively chased after her. The excitement wasn’t from finding prey, but from sheer joy. Once it lost sight of Ruri, it came to its senses, picked up the wig she’d dropped, and waited for her to reappear so it could apologize. When she didn’t, it resorted to more drastic measures. It was as devoted as a loyal dog.

“Because it has magic, it was probably drawn to Ruri’s wavelength, just like the spirits.”

“If they can communicate with the spirits, couldn’t they have just asked them to relay a message…”

Even as she said it, she heard the spirits cheerfully respond, “*We forgot—*”

They stepped outside the barrier and cautiously approached. The beast slowly lowered its head, still wearing the wig. Ruri hesitantly took it from him.

“Th-thank you…”

When she expressed her gratitude, the beast let out a loud “*Bumooo—*” and Ruri flinched.

“*It wants Ruri to pet its head.*”

“Wait, really?”

It was terrifying to approach a beast so much larger than herself, one she’d never even seen before. She wanted to refuse if possible. But with its massive body crouched low, looking up at her with gleaming, expectant eyes, it was impossible to say no.

With her legs trembling, she reached out and gently stroked its boar-like head. It let out a sound that seemed affectionate, but its low growl was still more than a little frightening. Yet, contrary to its tough appearance, its fur was surprisingly soft.

“Oh, it actually feels kinda nice.”

From that day on, a large pet joined Ruri’s life.