61: Meeting God Again

A few days later, they checked the hideout of the assassin organization established in the royal capital according to Zau’s information. Having completed the investigation, the operation to crush it finally began.

And that day was precisely the 30th day that Kuuga had been waiting for.

Last time, he left in the afternoon and ended up staying overnight, so this time, he’ll go to the floating islands in the morning.

[I’ll be back.]

“Don’t be too late.”

Gadillas and Uros saw off Kuuga, who was about to go out directly from the bedroom… at that moment, Kuuga’s body disappeared from the spot.

[!?]

Merdechalan was gracefully enjoying tea in front of Kuuga, who was confused by the sudden change in his surroundings. He was already on a floating island. He intended to spend the day coming here, but he arrived in an instant for some reason.

“It’s hard to come here because you can’t fly.”

[By the way, when I returned from here last time, I also moved in an instant…]

If possible, Kuuga wanted to get a notice in advance. Merdechalan snapped her fingers as if nothing happened.

Kuuga’s body was wrapped in light, and he humanized. He’s already used to the feeling. Kuuga muttered in his mind that it would be convenient to have clothes when he humanized.

“Now then, 30 days had passed since then, so I’ll release the seal a bit more――hn?”

When Kuuga sat on the chair facing Merdechalan, she began to speak but then glanced at Kuuga and made a suspicious look.

Kuuga, who was staring straight at her, tilted his head to ask what happened. Merdechalan had a mysterious look.

“…what’s going on with your soul? A new power is blooming again.”

“Haa?”

Kuuga was told something he had never thought of and blinked owlishly.

“I wonder if it’s because you’re so compatible with having the body of a Divine Beast… you really have an incomprehensible soul.”

“I don’t understand even if you say that.”

Even if she said it’s a new power, Kuuga was unaware of it. Was it a kind of power that he wouldn’t feel until it fully developed? He didn’t feel anything at all.

“Pull out one hair and try to blow it away with your breath.”

“What am I, the Monkey King?”

While giving out a tsukkomi, he reluctantly pulled out a hair as he was told and blew on it. The hair that fluttered down to the ground became a black lump with a popping sound.

“…”

At that moment, he felt something uncomfortable in his vision, so Kuuga moaned and held his forehead.

Kuuga was now looking down at his former hair, which had become a black wolf… which was looking up at his humanoid self, who was holding his animal ears to his forehead…

Was the intention to hold down his forehead transmitted? Because the little wolf failed in raising its paw.

“This is the power of the alter ego. I asked you to use the hair because your memories and beliefs influence it. Don’t complain about the method.”

“…I see. My eyes felt quite uncomfortable, though…”

“Just close your eyes until you get used to it, and you can also move your alter ego. At the same time, as your power developed, your brain functions should have changed so that it can handle both movements.”

“..I became dual-core before I knew it.”

Feeling uncomfortable, Kuuga decided to close his eyes and operate the wolf. When he tried to move its body, his humanoid self also tried to move, but he managed to control it.

Looking up from the wolf’s point of view, he tried to jump on the humanoid’s knee and then jumped to the table. It was difficult.

“I like my alter ego, but why does it look like a puppy…?”

“I don’t know because it’s not a power I gave. It blossomed because you wanted it and your soul decided that it was possible. Did you really want to have a small body that much?”

“Ah.”

He wished for it when the children cried. Recalling that, Kuuga wondered if just wishing for it would give him a new power. By the way, both the alter ego and the main body tilted their heads together.

Because he was tired of operating it, he let his alter ego sit there and close its eyes. Kuuga then opened the main body’s eyes.

“Is it so easy to bloom a new power?”

“I can’t do it. Are you joking?”

“…”

When he was clearly told that, Kuuga’s ears hung down. His alter ego’s ears also went down.

“If your soul was suitable for the power to change your body size, you’d have that power. But it wasn’t suitable, so you were only able to make a small version in the form of an alter ego. To think it’d develop that way. Even I find it funny.”

“My soul… just what the hell is that…”

There’s a clinking sound as a cup of tea appeared in front of Kuuga, who dropped his shoulders. Even though she didn’t say it clearly, she seemed to be comforting him.

However, Kuuga still received the feeling and took a breather with a cup of tea.

“We’ve gone off-topic, but let’s release the seal, which was the original purpose, for the time being… or maybe just loosen it.”

“…ahh, thank you.”

“First of all, humanization. This… well, I’ll increase the time by one hour and make it twice a day.”

“Oooh…!”

“I was planning to do it three times, but I reduced it to two times because of your alter ego power making you stronger.

“…oh…”

He would have been happier if he didn’t know that. This was on purpose, right?

Kuuga was looking for comfort, so he picked up his alter ego on the table and enjoyed its fur. He performed a self-comforting act… it felt empty.

“Also… this time you’ll be able to control magical power.”

“Really!?”

Now he’s also a witch…! Kuuga’s heart began to beat loudly.

Although it had withered until a while ago, it quickly became excited. But then, Merdechalan muttered, “you looked downhearted but you’re quite the simple guy” while showing a dismayed face.

“Do you know about the magic of this world?”

“Isn’t it spirit magic? Draw a formation, then pass magical power to the spirits through blood…”

“That’s right. The magic used by the Divine Beast is also spirit magic. However, unlike humans, you’ll be making a contract with me.”

“Contract?”

“Human beings have a temporary contract on the spot through the formation. In the case of the Divine Beast, this contract will eliminate the need for formations and blood.”

“Is it like the difference between a day laborer and a full-time employee?”

Speaking of which, when he researched the Divine Beasts before, it was written that they could use magic without using blood. Kuuga was convinced this was the reason and nodded.

“However, only two attributes can be contracted.”

“Attribute? …is the attribute like fire or water?”

‘Yes. There are six spirit attributes: fire, water, wind, earth, light, and darkness.”

“Can you choose the attribute I want?”

“No, they’re the ones who’ll choose.”

When Merdechalan snapped her fingers, familiar lights like fireflies appeared around her hand. Those were the lights he always saw when the others used magic, which was in six colors: red, blue, green, brown, white, and purple that was close to black.

“Ahh, so these are the spirits.”

If he thought about it, he could understand. Kuuga thought about the things that he’d always been able to see.

“By the way, humans couldn’t see them.”

“…ahh, so that’s why…”

The spirit lights would fly around where the magic was applied, so the magic being applied was only reflected in Kuuga’s eyes.

While they were talking about that, two of the spirit lights orbiting around Merdechalan’s hand came closer to Kuuga. ――a blue and green light.

“Ara, both are very peaceful attributes. I’m relieved.”

“Is the blue water and the green wind? …what do you mean peaceful?”

No matter how he looked at it, Kuuga frowned at Merdechalan, who seemed relieved that he didn’t get selected by a troublesome attribute.

“Because water is not aggressive, and you can only push something with the wind.”

“…do you know the principle of water jets?”

“I can’t hear you.”

“Do you know the principle behind lightning?”

“I can’t hear you.”

“I think it’s easy to cause friction with the wind.”

“Mou-! It’s because that’s the knowledge from that world!!”

Apparently, Merdechalan also knew the various possibilities, but because it wasn’t as aggressive as fire, she seemed to want to induce him only to do peaceful things. As if he wouldn’t notice.