The weather was transitioning from late spring to summer, a warm and pleasant season.
I had been living here for a fortnight already.
Today, Lina dressed me in a snowy white hoodie dress with long, dangling rabbit ears. The pink frills swaying at the hem of the skirt looked like flower petals—it made me feel wonderful!
I’m so happy!
“The library is down these stairs and then a left turn. Are you truly sure you’ll be okay on your own?”
“Umm! Of couwse!”
Lina had originally intended to walk me to the library, but I refused. I could go there bravely, all by myself!
“Hello.”
The library was empty when I arrived. Still, I greeted it out of habit. After closing the door firmly, I opened my eyes wide in the vast forest of books.
‘So, so many!’
How was I supposed to find what I needed here? All I wanted was… something about spirits.
‘I’m curious about the names of the Spirit Kings.’
If I could, I wanted to form a contract, too!
In the meantime, I had been running around asking people about it.
‘Spirits? And Spirit Kings at that? If you manage to form a contract, it would be a grand event!’
That was what Carmine said first.
‘Hahaha, if you contract with a Spirit King, I shall give you something very good. I will even grant you time to have tea with this old man separately.’
The Head of House said that, looking somewhat smug for some reason.
‘It would be nice if you could, but don’t force yourself if you can’t.’
That was what the Admiral said.
‘Kya! I’m sure you’ll be able to do it!’
‘That’s right! By the way, if you contract with a Fire Spirit, could you send one to the kitchen hearth? It’s been such a troublemaker lately…….’
‘And a Water Spirit so we can scrub the dishes properly!’
Hans the chef and the kitchen maids shouted. Even the gardener I ran into while playing slipped me a roasted sweet potato and said:
‘If it’s possible, uh, *ahem*, please send me one Earth Spirit.’
It seemed like everyone was rooting for me to contract with a Spirit King. Since I eat delicious food and wear pretty clothes here, I wanted to grant everyone’s wishes if I could.
“Excuse meeee.”
There didn’t seem to be any teacher in the library. It was also incredibly quiet. Feeling like I shouldn’t run, I moved stealthily to look around.
‘Huh?’
How far had I wandered? Beyond the forest of bookshelves, a wide-open space suddenly appeared. There were heaps of sofas, cushions, and floor cushions that looked as soft as clouds. Behind them was a desk, and to the side, a large window.
“……!”
And next to that wide-open window, someone was asleep. Quietly, hardly even breathing.
“Pwetty…….”
I said that without realizing, then quickly covered my mouth, hoping not to wake them. Relieved that they hadn’t stirred, I approached cautiously. I couldn’t help it; I was completely mesmerized.
‘He’s a boy, right?’
The older brother looked so pretty that for a moment, I mistook him for a girl. His plump lips and rounded cheeks, the wispy, light pink hair covering his forehead, and his pale complexion. His slender frame and relaxed posture—everything looked so sparkly to my eyes.
He looked just like a spring flower tree!
‘I have pink hair, too.’
This older brother had pink hair as well! I approached him and smiled bashfully, finding our common ground.
That was when—
*Swish.*
His long eyelashes fluttered once, and eyes the color of magenta, just like the Admiral’s, turned toward me. Even though I felt a bit intimidated by his cool gaze, which was different from what I imagined, I greeted him bravely.
I wanted to be friends! Because, because…….
He was pretty!
“Hello.”
“What is it?”
His voice, raspy as if he were annoyed, was as sharp as an arrow. I flinched, but I explained why I was there.
“I am, looking for books.”
“And?”
“Please help me. I’m too short, so I can’t reach the books.”
If there had been an adult around, I would have asked them. I wiggled my toes, waiting for an answer. The older brother looked at me steadily, then chuckled as if he had realized something.
“Ah, you must be the one. The younger sister who just arrived.”
“Do you know Chu?”
“I’ve heard of you. That you kicked out Ricardo for not knowing his place. I quite liked that.”
As soon as he realized who I was, his tone softened. I rolled my eyes and swallowed hard. He wasn’t an adult, but he wasn’t a peer, either. This was my first time talking to such a big, older brother.
Luckily, he continued the conversation.
“Do you know how to read?”
“Umm.”
“Well, Awakeners learn everything faster than others, so I suppose it’s no surprise.”
*Cough, cough.*
As he said that, he sat up and let out a dry cough. I was stunned by how sickly he looked.
“What kind of books?”
“Uh, I am, curious about spirits.”
“You want to learn about the Spirit Kings. I’ll find them for you.”
*Cough, cough.*
The unknown older brother moved through the forest of books as easily as a squirrel. A moment later, three books were cradled in his arms.
『Let’s Visit the Spirit Forest』
『The Complete Spirit Encyclopedia』
『The Struggles of a Spirit Contractor’s Life』
The first was a fairy tale book. The second was a dictionary filled with pictures, and the third… I didn’t know. It was too hard. I looked at the titles, then stopped when I spotted one more book.
“Can you get that one for me, too?”
“About Bijou? Sure.”
『Even a Goldfish Could Understand! What is Bijou?』
The title was simple, and I could tell exactly what was inside at a glance. The older brother stacked the books I wanted on the desk. As I followed him, I snuck a peek at the title of the thick book he had been reading.
『A Study of the Mysteries After Death and My Brief Personal Experience of Actually Dying』
Death?
“Oppa, do you die?”