Vol. 1 Chapter 06: Birthday party (part 1)

Since then, our family has made regular visits to the lake. 

Kris got two other spirits besides the wind spirit, and Alan got a fire spirit following the wind spirit. Since my parents have to work, they haven’t had much time to increase their number of spirits, but they’ve been feeding them properly. Their spirits are growing well. 

And I have complete spirits!!

Fire, water, wind, and earth are circling behind my shoulders. 

People look at me with respect, but honestly, it’s disturbing.

The spirits gather and play freely during family meals, making me uncomfortable as the round light darts around. 

Are they children? Will they settle down as they get older? 

Which reminds me, the fire and water spirits that have been around since I was a baby didn’t dart around much. 

The guests at my birthday party were invited and signed a magic contract in advance. 

There are more people than I had imagined. 

There were over fifty children alone because we gathered the important people in the territory, their families, and families with children close in age to my siblings and me. If you include the adults, there must be over 200 people. 

First, we gathered everyone in the hall for a brief briefing and then moved to the lake. 

The lake is a fantastic turquoise green, glistening under the sunlight. 

We headed to the forest’s meadow, where various colorful flowers were blooming. 

There are pathways with fine gravel, wooden chairs, and tables set up in some areas, so the visitors can stroll around without destroying nature. 

When my grandparents were children, I heard that they used to invite guests to visit here many times. My father’s butler told me. 

It was common for children to come here to meet the spirits in the old days. 

Although it wasn’t that long ago, I didn’t take the prewar story too seriously before. 

Kris is leading the children and walking in the front of the group while answering questions from his friends. 

I was like an alien with Alan holding one hand and Rex holding the other. 

Since the party was outdoor, I was dressed in a pale peppermint green one-piece dress with white sleeves and collar and a fluffy skirt that covered my shins and white socks.

Most of the girls are dressed in similar colorful dresses, and the boys wear shirts and pants with thin coats that allow them to run around. 

I will eventually have to choose my aides and maids among these children. 

Children from families such as barons, viscounts, or knights who don’t have fiefdoms, or if they do have small fiefdoms, are educated by becoming aides, guards, or maids to great nobles’ children. If they rise in the world, they can work at the imperial palace or be chosen for marriage.

This is why it’s so important to know who you’re going to work for. 

If the employer doesn’t have power, it is impossible to connect with a person of high status. 

Unlike my brother, I don’t think any boys want to be my guards or aides. 

It doesn’t seem to lead to a future job. 

At least the girls can get to know each other and help each other find potential suitors. 

Playing cupid sounds like fun. 

Today is a beautiful day for an outdoor party with nice weather, pleasant temperatures for spring, and a nice breeze. 

Upon arriving at the lake, we will walk around nature as explained to us, releasing a little bit of our mana as we walk and talk with the spirits on our own. 

If they get bored or tired, they can go to the table where the food is laid out for them to rest. 

Because there were so many people, it felt like a dubious new religious group. Some people might not believe in it or make fun of it, but surprisingly, many people were serious. 

Children in higher education are very serious because they don’t want to lose to rivals from other territories. They just started learning magic, and getting a new spirit is a bonus. 

This was followed by Kris, who had acquired more spirits, and Alan, who had received a sword spirit, which is said to be rare. When he showed off his shining hand in front of everyone, it filled their motivation to the brim. 

Me?

What’s with this girl? Is she a monster? They gave me that look. 

It is unusual for a four-year-old to have enough mana to raise all attributes’ spirits. 

I’m probably someone with the most mana in the castle. 

I haven’t used up all my mana every day for a long time. 

After an hour, people started saying they got a new spirit. 

Most of them are students learning magic or people who work with magic. 

Some even manage to find a sword spirit with Alan’s advice. 

“No need to rush. Take a break, so you don’t run out of mana.”

“Children need to get a spirit by the time they graduate from school. They don’t need more than one.”

Father and Kris’ voices can be heard from far away. 

As people around me found more and more spirits, I started to feel anxious. 

If so many people can easily find the spirits, how many of you have not communicated with them?

Even if you want to use magic in Japan, you can’t. There are no spirits there. 

Since we live in such a wonderful world, we should be more friendly with spirits. 

They probably didn’t appreciate it because they took everything for granted. 　

“Ano, may I ask you something?”

While I was explaining things to the confused children, a voice called out to me from behind. 

The girl with blueish silver hair, blue eyes, and a doll-like beauty with sharply defined eyes was there when I turned around. 

“The truth is, I’m not supposed to talk to you first.”

“I believe it was explained earlier that it wouldn’t be necessary today. Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay. I’m Iris, Baron Lloyd’s eldest daughter. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you. How old are you, Iris-sama?”

“I’m five.”

“You are older than me. Let’s get along from now on.”

“Alright! Um, so….”

“Are you unable to find a spirit? What kind of spirit do you want?”

“Water?”

Why the question mark?

Oh no, she’s so cute. 

Most noble children are good-looking. They have the wealth and power to choose a beautiful wife and mistress. But among all of them, she’s the best. 

She seems honest and sincere. 

I wonder if she will be my brother’s wife. 

Maybe that’s why her parents told her to talk to me. 

“Oh, here they come. Hold a little more mana in your palm.”

“Like this? It glowed!”

“It’s a water spirit. Talk and befriend them, and they will follow you.”

“Will you be my friend?”

The way she tilted her head and asked timidly was cute. 

I wish I could take a picture of it. 

At some point, satisfied with the feeding, the spirit flopped onto Iris’ shoulder as her worried parents watched behind her. 

“Good job, Iris.”

“It’s all thanks to Diadora-sama, who taught me.”

“Thank you, Diadora-sama.”

“No, no, no. With Iris-sama’s mana, you can raise at least one more spirit.”

“Really?”

“I hope you and Iris will get along.”

Ah, they’re pushing it. 

Granted, everyone here would like to be on good terms with us. Isn’t it better to say that to my other family members?

“If possible, we would be grateful to be kept close to Diadora-sama.”

So, they’re that kind of parents. 

“Aiyaa, such a pretty, fairy-like young lady.”

“I’ve never seen anyone with all attributes’ spirits.”

“I look forward to seeing what the future holds.”

Wait, wait, wait.

The adults shouldn’t crowd around. 

What? Why are they looking at me? Noooo.

“Please be patient. There will be time for that kind of talk later. Please move over there!”

Rex and Brad help me disperse the adults who have gathered around me. 

The family butlers helped, leaving me alone with the kids again. 

“That surprised me.”

“Don’t let your guard down. There are a lot of people out there who are after Ojou.”

Rex would remain right next to me. 

And Brad will be keeping an eye on me from a bit of a distance. 

“I didn’t know why they came after me instead of Onii-sama.”

“May I remind you that you look needlessly pretty, and there is no one else in our empire that has all the attributes.”

What do you mean needlessly?

Right, how could I forget how I look.

Huh?

“What did you say?”

“You’re needlessly pretty.”

“Ugh. Not that one, just me?”

“You didn’t know? I believe Ojou is currently the only one who has all attributes’ spirits.”

Crap. I stand out. 

Lately, I haven’t looked at Wiki-chan because I’ve had a lot to do. 

Or rather, I’ve been trying not to look at it. 

“Amazing. No one has four colors?”

“For now. I bet lots of people will soon have them. Iris-sama, if you keep using your mana and get stronger, you can do it, too.”

“I will do my best. So please make me your aide.”

Wow, I didn’t see it coming. 

Do children appeal to me, too?

“I want to be a guard!”

Eh? He suddenly jumped in.

“Etto.”

“I’m Harry. Harry Buckland.”

I think Buckland was a Knight family. 

The children are more mature. 

“I also got a sword spirit. I will be a knight.”

The palm that he extended was stained with a red light as he said it. 

“How old are you?”

“I’m four.”

Seriously? Is he that big at the same age?

The palms of his hands are huge, and he has sword calluses. 

“I’ll be your guard, too!”

“I want to be your friend!”

This time, I was surrounded by children. 

Rex was at a loss as to what to do. 

I’m popular with children. 

I feel like a daycare worker. 

“It’s about time for lunch. Let’s go over there!”

“Woow.”

“Lunch!!”

Mother’s two attendants, who couldn’t bear to look at us, called out to the children and took them away. 

Rex sighed as he watched the children runoff.

Thank you for your hard work. 

There are still people around trying their best to get spirits, but Iris and Harry are the only ones left near me. 

They have no intention of leaving me. 

Are these kids going to work for me?

“Hey, you.”

Who is it? Who is calling me, the person who currently has the highest status in this place you?

I will return all the kindness I can get from those who are kind to me, but I will also return the hostility fivefold. 

“Say something. I’m the one talking to you.”

The boy was about ten years old.

With short, dark green hair, a child with poor eyesight. 

Despite his good looks, he looked even cockier than he was. 

“Are you, by any chance, addressing me?”

“That’s right. You are cute. Let’s have lunch together.”

You’re hitting on four years old!!

And his dialogue almost sounds like an uncle!!

Although it’s okay to talk to me today, a person with a lower rank usually isn’t allowed to speak to a person with high status. 

It doesn’t matter how young they are. If any of our men find out you called me ‘you’ in my father’s castle, they will kick you out.

“Who are you?”

“Don’t you know who I am? I’m Dennis, Lord Horun’s eldest son.”

I see. 

Our father is the one who appoints Lord Horun. 

I’ve heard he’s quite a sharp and able person.

Is he the type of guy who is too busy working and leaving his children’s education to his wife? 

“You, what’s your name?”

You have no right to earn my name!

“Aren’t you going to look for spirits?”

“I already have a sword spirit, earth sword spirit.”

“Can you make it glow?”

“The sword spirit doesn’t glow.”

“Did you listen to the explanation before you came here?”

“Shut up. You are a girl, what do you know about sword spirit? Just be quiet.”

Whaaaat. I’ve been trying to be very patient. Can I hit this guy with a rock?

“The sword spirit can glow, too.”

Harry called out from the side. 

No matter how big he is, four-year-olds and ten-year-olds have different builds. 

And yet he’s not afraid, it’s amazing. 

Rex stands right next to me, ready to grab Dennis at any moment. 

He won’t move unless I command him to do so.

He would probably lift Dennis and dunk him in the lake if I ordered him to do something. 

“They can’t glow. Chichiue also has a sword spirit, but it doesn’t glow.”

Ah, we’re back talking about Lord Horun again. 

Which means his father doesn’t have a spirit. 

His kid exposed him. 

“You were being rude to Diadora-sama earlier. She is the frontier Count’s daughter.”

“Hm, is she? It’s a pity that she’s a lowborn, even though she’s so pretty.”

“What?”

This guy is mistaking a frontier Count for a Knight. 

“We’re Count!”

Ah, I get it. Counts are the most common, the difference between the top and the bottom is huge. 

Some Counts hold large estates and essential positions in the imperial court, while others work in the fields together with people who live in their fief. 

There is a big difference in power and wealth even within the same rank as any other rank. 

My family protects important locations, and we have navy and border troops. We are the top frontier Count and treated the same as a Marquis. 

“Mother said the current frontier count is no good because he’s young and inexperienced.”

Oh, I’m getting fired up again. 

There it is. It’s like a kindergartener who tells his teacher that his parents kiss at the door every morning when his mother comes to pick him up. 

But the contents are much more serious. 

“Wow. why did you say something like that?”

“My father is far better than yours. He said that the frontier count alone can’t do anything.”

“Haaa. As expected from a sharp and able person.”

“Of course. Our territory collects so much tax money that Okaasama is rich enough to buy another new jewel.”

Taxes shouldn’t be spent on your household’s expenses. 

What’s going on with the account book?

“Rex, don’t encourage him.”

“I thought it would be better to end the conversation on a high note.”

Rex said it with a huge beaming smile when I whispered a warning. 

Yup. Before you know it, people are gathering around us. It’s going to be the end of their household. 

He’s talking too loud. 

“Why don’t you go and get something to eat? I’ll still be here.”

“I told you to come with me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“What did you say?”

“I don’t want to talk to anyone who insults Otousama. Goodbye.”

“You impudent brat!”

I don’t know whether he’s trying to grab me or hit me. 

When Dennis raised his arm, Harry stretched and grabbed his arm, Iris screamed, and Rex stepped forward to protect me. 

And then—

『Is this child your enemy?』

『Can I make him disappear?』

Among the lights floating softly above my head, the fire and water lights disappeared. Only to be replaced by the appearance of Fenrir, a giant wolf-like creature wrapped in a full-body flame pelt, and an oriental-style dragon with light blue lights flowing from its head to the tip of its tail, like a flowing river. 

“Eh? Ano… you guys—”

『What? Don’t you recognize us?』

『We’ve been by your side since you were a baby.』

As I thought, they are fire and water spirits. 

The wind and earth spirits I recently acquired are still in round shapes. 

But they were also trying to protect me, quivering delicately between Dennis and me. 

“When the spirits have grown up, can they talk?”

『They do.』

“Is that how they’re going to look?”

『They can take on different forms.』

『I can also be in human form.』

Wait, wait, wait!!

“Diadora! What’s wrong?!!”

“Otousama, they say that they can even take human form when spirits grow up!”

“Ooh!”

“When I was taking a bath, I took the spirits into the bathroom too!! They saw me!”

I thought they could have feelings, but I didn’t know they could be this conscious.

Not to mention, they could be in human form!

“They are my spirits. You can’t hurt them!”

Father, stop pulling out your sword!!

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