338 So Comfortable~ I’m Going to Sleep (1/2)

Was that supposed to be a leveled-up version of ”Winners in life should go explode?”

Just like the last time, Seiji didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to say something, but Hana abruptly cut off the stream.

'Well, we can take things slowly,' he thought as he went back to his study. He then stopped the stream and started cleaning up the equipment.

Later that afternoon, Seiji arrived at the president's residence. Natsuya was waiting for him. She even put on the shrine maiden outfit beforehand.

The two of them went to the room at the end of the second floor.

Seiji acted according to the instructions he received last time. He stood in the center of the Yin-Yang diagram inscribed on the floor, closed his eyes, relaxed his body, and calmed his mind…

After Seiji said his name and agreed to be bound by the contract just like the previous time, Natsuya began muttering her incantation. Seiji's head was gradually filled with strange voices.

He concentrated and focused his mind, trying to listen to the voices. However, the voices gradually quieted down, and after a while, he was unable to hear anything.

This differed from his previous experience, and Seiji was left somewhat confused.

”So warm… looks like a nice bed,” a lazy-sounding female voice said, breaking the mental silence. ”This one would like to sleep here. I'll pay an appropriate rental fee, so is it acceptable if I do so?”

Seiji felt that this spirit was different from Light-chan. She seemed somewhat inscrutable, but he also sensed that she was an equally strong existence, so he agreed.

”Spirit, descend! I summon thee as a Spirit-Branded Retainer!! I decree it so!!!”

As Natsuya's mutters turned into shouts, a strong power entered his head and filled his body.

”So comfortable~ I'm going to sleep, so good night.”

Eh? She wasn't even going to say her name first?

”It doesn't matter what my name is. Anyway, when you need to use my power, just go ahead and use it.”

Then, the spirit yawned. Seiji was rendered speechless.

She didn't ask his name, nor did she introduce herself. She only cared about sleeping… what exactly was all this?

Seiji opened his eyes, a confused expression painted on his face.

”What's the matter?” Natsuya asked.

Seiji explained the situation.

The president revealed an equally confused expression. ”A female spirit that loves to sleep and is too lazy to even introduce herself…”

”Do you know who this is?”

”I… don't know. She's probably a major demon... yet she faintly feels like a heroic spirit. I can't figure out what she is.”

Both of them fell silent.

Seiji tried mentally asking the spirit within him, but there was no response.

”I tried asking her, but she didn't respond. I think she's asleep already.”

”Can you try using her power in such a condition?”

Seiji tried using his powers.

”I can… but not any new spells. I can only use her power to strengthen… no, 'evolve' the current spells I know.”

Having a bonded spirit with him and turning into a Spirit-Branded Retainer would greatly increase his stats in all areas, which also included the strength of the spells he could use.

And if the spells that the spirit knew were the same or similar to the ones that the Spiritual Ability user knew, then the spells could be combined into a stronger version of the original spell—this was known as ”spell evolution!”

”Spell evolution… unless you have a very high synchronization ratio, it's usually impossible to do this without extensive practice. Are you really capable of immediate spell evolution already?”

”I feel like that's the case, yes.” Seiji nodded. ”However, that's all I can do. I'm unable to use any of her spells that she knows.”

”If you can immediately use spell evolution without any practice at all beforehand, that means that this female spirit has an incredibly high synchronization ratio with you. However, logically speaking, if you can use spell evolution, you should be able to use the spirit's other spells as well, but you can't. How strange.” Natsuya had a confused expression. ”What exactly could that 'sleep' status of hers be?”

Spirits needed to rest as well.

Even so, that would typically be a status that they would only enter after using up too much energy. Sleeping would help a spirit to recover their energy, but while they were sleeping, the human host would be unable to use any of the spirit's spells, including spell evolution.