The Spirit King Of Light.

The next morning, I woke up a bit later than usual.

As expected, nothing beats sleeping in your own bed.

Starting today, I have no plans lined up for a while.

With the reward from this recent mission, I can easily live without working for the foreseeable future.

Besides, requests taken on by S-Rank adventurers are highly difficult, so the compensation is usually substantial.

“Morning, everyone.”

When I went down to the living room, Misa and Hana were already awake.

“Good morning.”

“You two are up early…” I said, rubbing my sleepy eyes.

I figured if I slept any longer, I’d be a complete slacker, which is why I finally dragged myself out of bed.

“It’s already noon, you know. Though I understand you must be exhausted.”

“Yeah, fair enough.”

I sank into the sofa.

“We don’t have any plans for a while. Are you two going to do anything?”

“Not particularly. Hana and I were just talking about that.”

“I see. Well, it’s good for girls to let their hair down and relax together once in a while.”

“Are you not going anywhere, Lord Vim?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan. There’s actually something I want to do.”

I wanted to use this time off to work on a few personal projects.

“Make sure you get proper rest too, Vim.”

“Thanks.”

After finishing my meal, I stood up to head to the study for what I wanted to do.

It was right then.

“Respond to my voice.”

A voice—one that felt strangely nostalgic—echoed in my head. It was the voice of a beautiful woman.

It wasn’t Misa, Hana, or Aria. It belonged to someone entirely different.

“Who’s there?”

I called out in the middle of the living room.

Misa and Hana looked at me with puzzled expressions. It seemed only I could hear the voice.

“Respond to my voice.”

The voice echoed once more.

As if guided by it, I stepped outside the mansion.

“I’m responding. Show yourself.”

Standing in the garden, I called out toward the sky.

“So you truly can hear my voice.”

“Yeah, I hear you loud and clear.”

Hana and Misa watched me from a distance.

To an bystander, I probably looked like a strange guy talking to himself.

“Very well.”

A intense white light suddenly enveloped the area.

Instinctively, I shielded my eyes with my hand.

When I opened them, a woman was standing there.

Rather than “cute,” “beautiful” was the far more accurate way to describe her.

She had stunning golden hair that reached past her waist, porcelain-white skin, and a sharp, elegant nose. Anyone who looked at her would call her gorgeous.

“Who on earth are you?”

She exuded an aura so overwhelming it made even me forget to breathe.

“I am Diana, the Spirit King of Light. Vim Abel, I have come to acknowledge you as my new master.”

“The Spirit King… of Light?”

I had heard of her before.

Diana was famous as the spirit who governed all light.

In this world, most magic relies on borrowing the power of spirits.

The primary attributes are Fire, Wind, Water, Light, and Dark.

Among them, Light spirits were considered particularly prestigious.

If the person standing before me really was Diana, that was an absolutely incredible revelation.

“Indeed. I am Diana, the Spirit King who rules over all light,” she said in a clear, beautiful voice.

“Vim, will you form a contract with me?”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I came all this way for that exact purpose.”

There exists a class called Spirit User, where one forms a contract with a spirit to use its power directly.

However, I had heard that no matter how exceptional a Spirit User might be, the highest rank they could contract with was a High Spirit.

A Spirit King was an existence far above even a High Spirit.

“Why contract with me?”

“You used Seraphic Gate, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I did.”

Seraphic Gate was the highest-tier Light magic.

During the battle against the Demon, I had used Seraphic Gate.

“It has been 120 years since I last saw someone capable of using that spell. I thought to myself that an interesting man had finally appeared.”

Spirits are an extremely long-lived race.

In Diana’s case, she had likely lived for well over 2,000 years.

“And that’s why you want to contract with me?”

“Yes. My previous master could also use Seraphic Gate. It brought back fond memories.”

So the condition to contract with Diana was being able to use Seraphic Gate.

Spirits choose the humans they contract with.

If it’s a Spirit King, the conditions for a contract must be exceptionally strict.

And spirits can only unleash their full power once they find a contract master.

“Diana, have you really not contracted with anyone for the past 120 years?”

“Indeed. No Spirit User worthy of contracting with me appeared during that time. So I have been wandering this world ever since.”

“You know I’m a sorcerer, not a Spirit User, right?”

“I am well aware. Seraphic Gate belongs more to the realm of sorcery than spirit arts anyway.”

“What happens if I form a contract with you?”

“Well, all the light spirits in this world will become yours.”

A Spirit King stands at the apex of all spirits.

A human who forms a contract with a Spirit King gains access to the full power of all spirits of that element.

“Got it. Form a contract with me.”

“Well said. As proof of our contract—kiss right here.”

With those words, Diana dropped to one knee and extended her right hand.

When I kissed the back of her right hand, both of our right hands glowed, and a magical crest appeared on them.

“The contract is complete, my Master.”

Diana smiled brightly, overjoyed to have found a master for the first time in 120 years.