Chapter 126

“You don’t need to worry about that part too much, so don’t give it a second thought.”

 

When Caldeon replied calmly to Eva’s question, every eye in the drawing room shifted toward him.

 

“You mean the amount is so minuscule that it’s negligible?” Silri asked.

 

“Exactly. It’s not as if the heavens would carve out chunks of a young child’s life force just for that.”

 

“But if that’s the case, shouldn’t the prerequisite of needing life force have been omitted from the ability entirely?” Lonn interjected, joining the back-and-forth between Silri and Eva.

 

Graum shook his head at Lonn’s remark. “Without a condition, the ability would be abused.” He explained that the flaw was likely placed there because the Divine does not fully trust humanity with such power. He then looked at Caldeon and asked if it was true that this flaw wouldn’t significantly impact Hayden.

 

Caldeon nodded once in confirmation. “As long as he doesn’t overindulge in the ability, it’s fine.”

 

“That is quite a relief,” Graum agreed.

 

“But how exactly does he use the Absolution power? I want to see it, but I felt bad asking Hayden if I could tag along when he went alone…”

 

“I’ve never seen it either, so I’m not sure. Maybe I should have followed him…” Enria whispered back to Roseanne.

 

Graum watched the two women and spoke with a stoic face. “Didn’t you already get a general look when he resurrected that dragon hatchling? Right now, Rahar’s life is more important than your curiosity, so put those useless questions away.”

 

At that, Roseanne and Enria both gave sheepish laughs and nodded.

 

“‘Dragon hatchling’… I feel like I can almost hear Panz shouting in protest,” Lonn said playfully. Undy looked at him with a slightly worried expression.

 

“Don’t you think his personality became even more prickly after the resurrection?”

 

“He was always prickly, that guy,” Silri remarked, resting her chin on the arm of the sofa. Undy nodded, conceding the point.

 

“He’s probably grumpy because he doesn’t like his resurrected form and he can’t shift into a human. But… has his contract with Rahar been automatically terminated?”

 

“Seeing how he follows Hayden around and obeys his orders, it seems so,” Lonn replied to Silri’s question, causing Undy’s eyes to widen.

 

“Then… does Rahar become a spiritist without a fire spirit?”

 

“Usually, the basic contract involves the four spirits of Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind, so wouldn’t he just contract with a different fire spirit?”

 

“Ah, is that how it works?”

 

“I don’t know for sure,” Silri added. “Even when Panz left after being possessed by the black wizard, the fire spirit’s seat remained empty. And since Rahar died and is being resurrected just like Panz was, who knows if his very abilities might change as well.”

 

As soon as Silri finished speaking, Graum seemed to remember something and looked at Lonn. “Are the rest of you still maintaining your contracts with your contractor?”

 

At that question, the expressions of Lonn, Silri, and Undy stiffened. It was a situation where they shouldn’t be worrying about the absence of a fire spirit, but rather whether their own contracts were still intact. Silri asked Lonn if he knew anything about their status, but Lonn shook his head.

 

“Contracts between humans and spirits naturally dissolve when the human dies. Wouldn’t you be in that same boat?”

 

“But Rahar is coming back because of Absolution!” Undy argued, looking a bit defensive at Blizan’s remark. Eva chimed in with a shrug.

 

“Face the reality that your contractor might become a completely different human, just like Panz did.”

 

Undy’s face paled. If the contract had truly been severed by Rahar’s death, she would have to form a contract with a different spiritist. It was an unavoidable choice, as spirits needed to eat spirit stones provided by spiritists to increase their elemental magic power. Especially for an intermediate spirit like herself—unlike a high spirit like Silri—staying contracted was essential to gaining more power.

 

“I don’t want a different human…” Undy muttered to herself gloomily. Silri nodded in agreement.

 

“I want to keep my contract with Rahar for as long as he lives, too.”

 

“Agreed,” Lonn added. A soft laugh escaped Caldeon’s lips—a pleasant, resonant sound.

 

“Rahar is certainly loved by his spirits.”

 

“Well, his personality is exceptionally decent for a guy like him,” Tearen agreed with a smile. Belona also nodded in agreement and looked toward the door.

 

“I hope they come back soon…”

 

 

***

 

 

[You want me to do what?]

 

Panz asked, hovering in the air while fluttering his tiny, pathetic wings. He looked at Hayden as if he had surely misheard something. Hayden, whose hand was resting on the heart of the deceased Rahar, looked at Panz with a blank face.

 

“Come here and put your hand on Uncle Rahar, just like me.”

 

[But why?]

 

Panz took two steps back, eyeing Hayden warily.

 

Windel, who was resting near him, gave a huge yawn while watching the wings flutter tirelessly. “Why do you think? To save the Uncle.”

 

[Why do you need my hand for that? Is my power required to save Rahar? How much of it? You’re not going to use all of it, are you?]

 

Panz asked suspiciously. Hayden quirked one eyebrow—an expression strikingly similar to Caldeon’s—and signaled with his head.

 

“Come here before I make you vanish again.”

 

Somehow, his pronunciation was perfectly clear, lacking any childish slur. Panz’s face stiffened, and he slowly flapped his tiny wings toward Hayden. Windel, watching while lying down, spoke up.

 

[Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to just walk on two legs?]

 

[What?]

 

[Your wings are barely the size of your nostrils. Is there really a need to keep fluttering them just to stay airborne?]

 

[Size of my nostrils! How dare you insult my nostrils and my wings like that!]

 

Panz flared his nostrils in anger. Hayden waved a small hand at him.

 

“Hurry up.”

 

[I’m coming! I’m coming!]

 

At Hayden’s urging, Panz flew over with a serious face. He clearly looked like he hated it, but the sight of him moving his wings out of fear of being “vanished” again was quite pitiful.

 

[…You’re really not using all my power, right?]

 

Arriving in front of Rahar, Panz reached out a tiny hand to place it on Rahar’s heart, then stopped and looked at Hayden again. Hayden nodded.

 

“Not using it.”

 

[Then why do I have to add my hand?]

 

No matter how much he thought about it, Panz felt uneasy, his golden eyes darting around as he looked at Hayden. When Hayden’s brow began to furrow, Panz whined that he had every right to be cautious.

 

[If you’re planning to shave off my life force to save Rahar, isn’t that something I should know beforehand?!]

 

“I said it’s not.”

 

[If that’s not it, then what part of me do you need that requires me to touch him?]

 

“Too lazy to explain.”

 

[Don’t be lazy about something this important!]

 

When Panz practically started fuming at the response, Hayden let out a short sigh and looked him in the eye. “Listen carefully.”

 

[… ]

 

“Baby saved Pangs. Right?”

 

[It’s Panz, not Pangs. But yes, that’s right.]

 

When Hayden stared at him, Panz immediately nodded in concession.

 

“When Baby saved Pangs, baby gave all his power to Pangs. Because Pangs is a spirit, not a human.”

 

[Hmm?]

 

“So, Pangs is baby’s power now.”

 

[Eh?]

 

“Since you are baby’s power, if baby has to use Absolution, baby uses Pangs’ power too.”

 

[…Uh-huh?]

 

Panz tilted his head, looking like he didn’t understand a single word. Hayden sighed again.

 

“Simply put, Baby summoned Pangs using Baby’s power.”

 

[I am… your power?]

 

Panz’s golden eyes shone clearly. To be Hayden’s power itself… that suggested he might be far stronger than a normal spirit who had to collect spirit stones from humans to grow.

 

Panz, who naturally gravitated toward strength, found his ears practically perking up at the mention of power.

 

“Yeah. So Pangs is baby’s power. That’s why baby needs Pangs’ hand for Absolution.”

 

Of course, Hayden could do it without him, but he decided not to mention that there was no reason not to use the extra strength available. Panz’s face brightened visibly.

 

[But I don’t know how to use Absolution?]

 

Panz asked, tilting his head curiously.

 

“Baby’s power just has to touch where baby touches. Baby is the one who uses the ability.” Hayden motioned with his chin for Panz to hurry up and touch Rahar’s chest now that his curiosity was satisfied. Panz stared at Hayden for a moment, then finally reached out and pressed his hand against Rahar’s chest.

 

[So it’s true that half my strength won’t just drain away or anything, right?]

 

“Strictly speaking, Pangs has no strength of his own. Since Pangs is baby’s power.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, a light so bright it was blinding erupted from Hayden and Panz’s hands, spreading across Rahar’s entire body.

 

The golden flash enveloped Rahar like an embrace and began to be absorbed into him. As the radiant golden light seeped into his body, the deathly pallor of Rahar’s face began to give way to a vibrant glow.

 

And a moment later.

 

Rahar’s eyes snapped open.

 

“Hello, Uncle Rahar.”

 

Hayden’s lips curled up into a small smile as he looked at him.

 

[I feel like some of my power just disappeared…?]

 

Panz muttered, staring at his hand. Hayden ignored him and spoke to the bewildered Rahar.

 

“Uncle, Auntie Belona cried a whole lot.”

 

At that, Rahar’s eyes—already wide with shock—grew so large they looked ready to pop out.