I Offer My Life To You (1)

“When elves were first created, it is said that in the process of instilling wisdom, a love for nature, longevity, a tendency to maintain stability, and beautiful appearances, there was no room left for primal emotions.”

“Huh? Then do elves not get married?”

“No, they do. That’s why half-elves are born and the elf race can continue. Among elves, there are those believed to be crafted by the original creator. High elves are such beings. They all share common traits, like having hair and eyes that seem dusted with mithril.”

The professor pointed to the photos playing on the screen as he spoke.

“Divine power is known for handling both spirit and divinity. But what truly distinguishes them from other elves is that spirits themselves hover around high elves to protect them.”

—From the third lesson of the Academy’s beginner class on sex education.

Hazel entering the study looked like a painting.

This guy is too handsome for his own good. Especially those light sky-blue eyes that no woman could easily look away from.

Even men could be captivated by his looks.

In fact, there are many men like that, but then what’s the point in saying more?

“Sit.”

“…….”

Without any response to the command to sit, he took a seat. And seeing Hazel staring at me intently, I can’t help but sigh.

There are no normal representatives around me.

“Have you thought about it?”

“About what?”

“The legion.”

“…Do it.”

“Are you saying you’ll do it or not? Speak clearly.”

“I’ll do it! Geez!”

Is he the type to subtly get under your skin? I really don’t want to be with someone like this.

“Then speak to me like the other representatives. Tell me about your traits. Since the God of Space, Spatium, is in charge, do you have a knack for spatial design?”

“More or less. I can dominate the space within my perception range. I can completely isolate that space from the outside or even annihilate it. I can also design and analyze space.”

‘Damn! Is he omnipotent or what?!’

“Does that mean you can commit mass slaughter? Especially since your specialty is massacring civilians…”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. Just mumbling, it sounds like an incredible power, so why are you always so grumpy?”

“Of course! The reason I became a representative wasn’t for this kind of power, but to find my identity.”

“Identity? Why are you trying to find that in the ‘Battlefield of the Gods’? Are you going through puberty?”

“Who’s going through puberty?! Damn it. You, a human, wouldn’t understand what it means for a high elf like me to be rejected by spirits.”

“…What elf? A half-elf?”

“How dare you compare me to such a half-breed! I’m a high elf, a high elf! A supreme spiritual being and a noble existence respected by elves!”

What is he talking about now? He doesn’t show any characteristics of a high elf, yet he’s insisting that he’s one.

“Isn’t silver hair a characteristic of high elves? And… I thought they dealt with spirit and divinity, not force? Also, I heard their eyes are the same mithril-like color as their hair? And the spirits…”

“Hmph! But I am indeed a high elf!”

There’s no need to lie about something like this, so does that mean Hazel really is a high elf…

“Then why are you like that?”

“I don’t know either. Neither my parents nor the elders of our clan knew the reason. When Spatium visited, I wished to be able to summon spirits, but it wasn’t granted. I barely managed to avoid being shunned by spirits, but I still can’t summon them. So this time, I plan to use the registration card to summon a spirit.”

A chuckle escaped me. There’s no way this spirit stalker has held back until now.

Yet, pretending as if he hasn’t been to the Spirit Guild is just laughable.

“You’re talking as if you haven’t shown your registration card at the Spirit Guild yet?”

Flinch!

“Tell me, self-proclaimed high elf. There can’t be a lying high elf, right? Haven’t you been to the Spirit Guild?”

Hazel remained silent in response to the question. He couldn’t bring himself to lie and say he hadn’t gone, but he didn’t admit to going either.

“Alright. So what you want is to summon a spirit, right?”

“…Yes.”

“There are two ways. No, to be precise, there are two opposing paths. If you want to summon a spirit.”

“…Really?!”

Hazel jumped up from his seat, leaning over the desk as if he was about to grab my collar, and asked.

When I nodded without giving a specific answer, he leaned in even more.

“What is it?”

“Before that, let me ask you one thing. Do you simply want to summon a spirit, or do you want to become stronger through the spirit?”

Was it a slightly out-of-the-blue question? Hazel, who always maintained a sullen expression comparable to Tess, tilted his head cutely(?) and asked.

“Is there a difference in that?”

“It’s different. Completely. If you adhere to the premise of contracting with a spirit, even the lowest-grade spirit is still a spirit. But if you must summon a strong spirit, there are many things you have to give up.”

He tilted his head, perhaps puzzled by the unexpected situation, and paced back and forth in the study, pondering for a long time.

Unable to easily make a decision, the words he finally managed to utter were, as expected, the anticipated response.

“Can’t I have both?”

“Of course not. To gain one, you must give up another. There’s no having both. I thought high elves weren’t greedy, but maybe that’s not the case?”

“Could you… explain it in detail?”

Despite the sarcastic tone, Hazel’s desperate expression as he pleaded made it clear that spirits held a special meaning for him.

Seeing Hazel’s attitude, I straightened my posture. I decided to treat him more seriously and much more cunningly.

“Of course. But first, why don’t you sit down? My neck hurts from looking up at you.”

“Ah… alright.”

Hazel hastily picked up the fallen chair and sat down, his eyes shining brightly like a child waiting for Christmas.

“I mentioned there are two methods. One is to convert force into spirit. By mastering a few techniques, you can contract with at least a high-grade spirit. This is the case where you become stronger through spirits.”

“High-grade…!”

His eyes sparkled. With his hands clasped to his chest, Hazel looked at me with eyes full of anticipation… huh?

“However, the downside is that as force turns into spirit, most of Spatium’s powers become unusable. No, given the nature of spatial powers, I think it’s probably impossible to manifest them with spirit.”

“Ah…”

“Next, you leave the force as it is and open the spirit. This allows you to use both force and spirit without any conflict. Naturally, in this case, the power of Spatium won’t be an issue at all. It might even become stronger.”

“Indeed…”

“However, the downside is the low spirit level. If you summon a spirit in that state, it would probably only be the lowest of the low, not even a low-level spirit, to start with. And it won’t just happen; you’ll need a lot of preparation, but as long as you’re thorough, it’s entirely possible.”

I finished speaking. The choice was Hazel’s, but the answer was already decided.

Nevertheless, I explained it because he’s different from Arun.

With Arun, it’s due to compatibility, but with Hazel, who hasn’t yet built as much trust as Arun, I need to explain all the methods to avoid any minor misunderstandings later.

In the ‘Battlefield of the Gods,’ matters concerning registration cards, abilities, and skills are very sensitive issues for representatives.

“I’d like to summon a high-level spirit directly, but I can’t abandon the power of Spatium.”

“Right.”

It was a question with an obvious answer.

A high-level spirit? Even the highest-level spirits or spirit knights would pale in comparison to the power of Spatium. Maybe only a spirit lord would be somewhat comparable.

“Then let’s begin the explanation.”

“Please do.”

“To the west of Exorsus, there are forces belonging to the Dark Empire, including the magic tower. Do you know? You don’t? It doesn’t matter. Naturally, there’s no temple there that can heal most wounds instantly with divine power. Instead, there’s a clinic that uses magic and herbalism for healing. Ask the coachman to take you to the only clinic in the western region. It’s the only one in the entire western area.”

“Yes, the clinic in the western region.”

“When you enter the clinic, a staff member will approach you. Tell them, ‘I’ve come to find the poison that can even raise the dead.’ Then they will probably guide you further inside the clinic. It’s useless to wander in on your own. You must say this code and go where they guide you.”

“…Understood.”

Judging by the delayed response, it was clear that was his intention. He doesn’t look it, but he does have a very impatient personality?

“Once you’re in the guided room, they’ll ask what poison you’re here to buy. Then say, ‘I’ve come to buy the poison that saves lives.’ That’s when they’ll finally take you to the woman you’re aiming to meet. If the guide is indeed a woman, give her the registration card and say you want to learn the Harmonious Divine Technique.”

“Harmonious Divine Technique?”

“Yes. Then they’ll probably perform a ‘transfer’ for you. This is important from now on. Once you receive the ‘transfer,’ you’ll be able to handle different powers as if you always knew how. At that moment, take this.”

What Hazel received was the elixir left as a gift from the Dark Empire. Among them, the Spirit Elixir.

“This is…?”

“Hmm? It’s an elixir.”

“Isn’t this precious, though?”

“Well, if you think of it that way, it is, but it’s best used by someone who needs it.”

With trembling hands, Hazel carefully and cautiously placed the elixir into a magic pouch.

“The effect of the elixir might not be as great as you think. Actually, there are two elixirs. But while you accumulate spirit stats with wealth, there are those whose main divine power is spirit. That’s why I can only give you one.”

“No! No, really, I am grateful. For this method, and even for this elixir.”

“It’s fine. It’s only natural since you’re a legion member. It’s not over yet. Once you accumulate the Spirit stats like that, the initial preparation is done. Then come back. I need to prepare the rest.”

“I see. So it’s not something that ends there… Is it possible that you have to bear a loss because of me?”

“Huh?”

Look at this. Isn’t he like a fish begging to be caught and eaten by jumping into the net on its own?

“It’s okay. Well, I do take a bit of a loss, but it’s something I can easily handle. As I said earlier, you’re a legion member.”

A loss? Sure, I do lose some time. About 10 minutes? That’s how long it takes to create one skill book.

Instead of openly saying I’m taking a loss, I said it was no big deal, and Hazel’s face was shouting ‘I’m touched!’ all over.

“Don’t make that face and remember well. The order is important. You must consume it only after you feel the Harmonious Divine Technique has fully settled. If you rush, it could strain the Force Core. Never make a hasty decision! Judge as leisurely as possible. If you’re unsure, just come straight back to the mansion and find me. Got it?”

“Yes, thank you. I mean it.”

Hazel, who was pounding his chest and saying he meant it, suddenly stood up and grabbed my right hand.

This guy, just as I was about to shout what the hell he was doing with another man, he led my my right hand to touch his left chest.

Squish.

Squish? S-squish?

“Hazel, daughter of the high elf Animismus, beloved by the forest, and Religans, swears in the name of the forest to make Mr. Kim Han her sole Comes in life.”

Before I could even ask about the soft chest, a peculiar rhythm flowed from Hazel’s lips, and as soon as the word of oath ended, a gentle breeze carrying the freshness of the forest swept between Hazel and me in the study.

“Wh-what are you…?! More importantly, you’re a woman?!”

“Huh? Are you asking the obvious? To this body that is clearly a born woman?”

C-crazy. How is that a born woman?! What kind of female elf talks like that and has the nickname Spirit Stalker! Even at a glance, and even more so upon closer inspection, this elf is a man!

‘Ch-check!’