..
..
..
hmmm…
no matter how I look at it. It's a…
"…A parrot?"
yes, it's a 『Indian green parrot』.
They only lived in the Indian sub‑continent in my previous world.
Its feathers were ragged. Wings bent at odd angles. It trembled, chirping weakly.
It broke my heart.
This world really is a "strong eats weak" world.
I crouched beside it, hands hovering.
Can I… heal it?
I remembered my mother using healing magic. I guided mana to my hands. Imagined.
My mana… healing the parrot.
swoom
a green shimmer shot out from my palms. Mana flowed through me, gentle and warm. The parrot's wings twitched, bones straightened. Its feathers gleamed as if polished by light.
"chirp…" it muttered. then—
"…thank you, human."
I froze. Breath caught.
I looked around. Then back at the parrot.
That voice… came from it? No way.
"I've gone crazy. I'm hearing things now."
Its beady eyes glowed faintly. Not normal. Not ordinary.
"You're not crazy. I can really talk."
I froze again.
"Whoa! A bird is talking to me!"
whak
"ouch… what was that for?"
"I'm not a bird. My name… is Aria."
The voice echoed in my head. Like a whisper on the wind.
I squinted."You look like a bird, no matter how I look."
The parrot sighed. Long.
"I'm what you humans call a 『spirit』."
my eyes widened.
"a spirit? …then—"
"I'm a water spirit. I sensed interesting mana and came to Edrasia from Seren." its voice lowered."unfortunately… I ran into a dark spirit."
so it was my fault, huh.
"I see…" I said awkwardly, "So, did you find whose mana it was?"
"Nope, not yet. but… I'm surprised. You can kill a dark spirit, and heal me too."
"…is that so?" I scratched my cheek.
It paused. Eyes narrowed.
"wait—"
"Sorry for the trouble… it was me."
"No, you misunderstood," it snapped sharply. "Make a contract with me."
"Eh!?"
I shook my head. Refused. A contract means taking its freedom. Absolutely no.
but—
"STOP CHASING ME, YOU DAMN BIRD!"
"I'M NOT LEAVING UNTIL YOU FORM A CONTRACT WITH ME!"
It chased me day and night. even scared me awake at midnight.
I couldn't sleep.got scolded by mother.
"WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE!?"
"it's to survive!"
"survive?"
"non‑king spirits without a contract will be expelled," she said firmly."please… after I evolve, I can even be used for transport. I'll be useful to you. you don't need to worry about my freedom."
"but…"
its eyes went teary.
cute. …too cute.but I won't say that.
"fine…" I sighed.lost to a bird.
it wasn't bad.my first… spirit bond.
Part 2 — [Somewhere near Konra household's territory]
Moonlight spilled over the cobblestones of Konra's noble quarter.
"may i come in, my lord," a sharp male voice rang.
"hmmm.."
"your cousin who was in the region of Starmreach has sent a message... want me to read it?"
a middle‑aged man in a butler outfit said.
the two persons could be seen talking about something.
"oh!... is that so?"
a sharp yet cunning male voice could be heard.
"it's been truly long time... since i last saw him... Navir.. so he is coming to our duchy huh"
"yes, my lord... he seems to want to discuss something about something"
"accept the appointment..." the figure said. "let him come... it's been a while since we drank"
T.S: who is this mysterious person? what is his relationship with Navir?
[Starmreach Region]
— Aria's POV —
my name is Aria.
one of the high‑level 『water spirits』.
in my homeplace that was located in Seren continent, i was considered the advanced water magic user... i can also use ice magic and I'm also one of the high‑level spirits that got recognition of the spirit king.
one day as usual I'm having a conversation with the spirit king.
then i felt an amazing surge of mana.
the spirit king also seemed to notice it.
"aria"
"yes, your majesty"
"you don't have a contract right?"
"yes?.."
"i think you might've already noticed it," he said calmly. "then head to continent of Cindra in Edrasia."
i don't understand why i'm the one to be sent here.... there are spirits without contracts... then why..
i decided... i'm gonna find this guy faulty and claim this mana as false.
while i'm here i happened to run into a high‑level dark spirit.
i tried fighting it... but ended up getting injured instead.
"『Minor Heal』"
who is it?
a human?
it was a human child who healed me.
and the source of the mana i felt.
it was the real deal... i decided to form a contract with this human.
"i refuse"
"eh?.."
he refused?
he refused a contract from a high‑level spirit like me.
unforgivable.
i'm not gonna give up.
the reason for his refusal is that he thought it will cost me my freedom.
such a weird and strange human.. he is.
but one thing keeps bothering me.
how much i look like a bird... he shouldn't keep calling me a bird.
also this kid's mother is the real problem.
she clings to me every time she sees me.
keeps giving me bird food.
i won't be tempted by this lowly bird food.
but...
"what the hell! is this... it's so good"
i lost completely to this thing called 'bird feed'.
the real thing is... this human's magic.
he can do ice magic... that's fine but the thing is.
he can perform this magic called 『crystal』 magic.
he says it was like 'ice' magic to earth magic.
he even asks, "CAN'T YOU SPIRITS DO THIS"
"absolutely can't"
this guy is a monster.
also he can do this 『pressure bullet』.
it looks like a 『wind bullet』 at first but it was water magic.
he says he boiled the water and says some unfamiliar word called 'hydrogen bond' or something.
and when i say 'i don't know it' although i hate to admit it.
he makes an intense expression.
later he draws something called 'periodic table' of elements that fill this world's matter. and he uses these elements to imagine and create this steam bullet and crystal magic.
now i understand why spirit king sent me here.
while looking at the kid who is now training sword with his father like nothing.
i can't help but feel awe about his knowledge about this 'science' thing.
"what a wonderful child," i sighed in relief. "if i stay with this kid i may be able to evolve"