And then it happened.
Riko, whom Riito had protected, opened her eyes with a snap.
「Riko…?」
Riito held his breath when he noticed that she sat up differently than usual.
(What…what is this magical power…!)
It was as if a gigantic mountain or a vast lake, like power spots that were prone to generate underground ruins (dungeons), were concentrated in a small body of just one person.
No.
It wasn’t just the concentration of her magic power—she was generating it herself.
「…What are you doing to father?」
Riko murmured quietly.
Her innocent expression was replaced by a blank, ice-cold gaze.
It was as if she was the embodiment of a god or something of that sort.
In the face of such a being, and if met with hostility…
「Hiiii…!」
Julian, who was sweating and trembling uncontrollably, was no longer in any condition to fight.
He fell flat on his back, scrambling to back away.
「Do not touch, my love ones…leave this place, at once.」
Riko ordered Julian in a calm voice as she hugged the mysterious egg.
「Ubuh…」
Julian’s face turned pale as he pressed his mouth shut and moved back.
Looking around the village, the soldiers Julian brought with him were scattered everywhere. The twelve mages (covered in cow dung) were dumbfounded as they looked up at Riko.
Well, that was to be expected.
A girl with an abnormal amount of magic power beyond common sense.
Witnessing that was like seeing a grade-schooler lifting a light truck with one hand. It was more terrifying than a ghost.
—Retreat.
Julian and his group fled, bringing peace to the Togen Village.
「…We won.」
Riito muttered.
His arms were trembling.
Without using the plant magic that could devastate the earth, they had managed to protect their beloved Togen Village.
That’s because…
「Riito-sama!」
「Father」
「…Frau, Riko.」
The two girls hugged Riito tightly.
In the distance, Adel and the others were waving at them.
The sun, which had been hidden in the clouds, appeared.
「…My contractor.」
Under the dappled sunlight of the world tree, Undine manifested herself.
Undine, a high-ranking magical life form, normally sleeps in the Undine Temple in order to conserve and replenish her magic power in this world where the World Tree has not yet fully revived.
「My counterpart is awakening…」
「Huh?」
Riko handed the mysterious egg to Riito.
Just like what happened in the Undine Temple, Navi, an artificial spirit, who was in sync with Riito, was enveloped in a faint red light.
The source of the light was the mysterious egg that Riko held.
The red spots and patterns on the bottom of the egg lit up, resonating with the bracelet that appeared on Navi’ wrist.
『…World Tree’s Divine Protection, activate 』
Navi’ voice, which had a hard quality to it, echoed as the Skill “Almighty Exploration” was activated.
His senses expanded.
Riito felt a different kind of power flowing in, different from Undine’s.
His partner, Navi, made a declaration.
『Contractor: the Blessed of the World Tree. Target: Fire Spirit (Ifrit). Activate. 』
「Eh…?」
The egg broke, and a dazzling light burst forth.
Everyone there instinctively closed their eyes.
When the light subsided, they opened their eyes and saw…
「Pikyuuu…?」
A very young boy was sitting there.
With horns sprouting from his head and a bottom half resembling that of a red lizard, the boy had a plump tail growing from his behind.
「Funyaa… could this be a Dragonkin?」
When speaking of Dragonkin, they were a rare species with immense magical and combat abilities. They hardly ever revealed themselves to other races, and had almost become a legendary existence.
They were said to be part-human and part-dragon, but this child was different.
The Skill “Almighty Exploration” was activated, revealing that he possessed powerful fire magic.
「…The Fire Spirit (Ifrit)!」
That must be the counterpart that Undine was referring to.
Around Navi’s neck was Undine’s precious gem, and on her wrist was the Fire Spirit’s gem.
And then.
「–Obtained the title of [Guardian of the Fire Spirit (Ifrit)]」
「Ga… guardian?」
「Obtaining new skill, unconfirmed– It may appear with the stabilization of the Fire Spirit (Ifrit)’s existence in the future.」
Riito didn’t know what that meant.
He let out a heavy sigh.
While he was curious about what Julian and the empire would do next, for now let’s celebrate and be glad that they were able to protect themselves today.
「Piggyuu」
The Fire Spirit smiled brightly, and was… incredibly cute.
A shiny-cheeked, chubby-tailed little boy.
He was just too cute.
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