Chapter 14

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

---

The Great Water Spirit and a lower water spirit arrived. The water spirit was a gentle and serene woman, so it would be delightful if she decided to stay here.

"Silphi, I'd like you to take a look at the water source. Is that okay?"

"Oh, right. Yuta, please move the rock blocking the well."

Following Silphi's instructions, Yuta stored the large rock that had been blocking the well.

"Diene, this is the well I told you about. Please check it out."

"Goodness, what a large well. And it's so deep. I can definitely sense water at the bottom. Yuta, you did a great job."

For some reason, she patted my head, praising me. It wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Hey, Yuta. Stop getting all mushy and let's go."

Apparently, I had been getting mushy from the praise. Silphi, who was muttering under her breath, was a bit scary. Occasionally, I could hear her say things like, "What's with the big boobs?" or "Comparing me to humans, of all things." It seemed that talking about breasts was a sensitive topic for Silphi. I should remember that.

"Got it."

I descended the stairs, creating a light orb. The deep hole seemed impossibly large, as if I hadn't dug it myself. Bell was flying around with a dolphin spirit, looking very happy. They had clearly become good friends.

---

It took a long time to reach the water source. It would be a real problem if it took this long every time. I have a vague idea of how a hand pump works, but I can't handle something this deep.

"Diene, what do you think of this water?"

"Let me check. Just a moment."

Diene dipped her hand into the water and closed her eyes. I wonder what she can tell from that. After a night, the water had cleared up and become much cleaner. It would be great if this water source was safe to use.

"Hehe, it's a wonderful water source. The water is abundant and not polluted. It flows in from a clean layer of earth, which is still alive. You can drink it directly without any issues."

The "living earth" is a place that takes a hundred days to reach... Nature is truly amazing. Being able to drink the water directly is even better. Even if Diene doesn't stay here, we can secure drinking water. However, it would be much better if she did stay.

"Diene, can you stay here?"

I asked, a bit nervously.

"Hmm, I'm sorry, but it's difficult right now. However, if you can properly prepare the environment, it will be fine."

"What do you mean by 'environment'?"

"I heard from Silphi that you have some amazing tools. I want you to reinforce the well with rocks, widen the entrance to a bowl-like shape, and reinforce that area with rocks to prevent soil from flowing in. If you do that, I can bring the water up to the surface and create a spring. It will be a lot of work, but can you do it?"

Hmm? It will be a lot of work, but it's a good thing for me, right? A spring might be overkill, but just eliminating the need to go up and down the stairs is enough.

"Silphi told me that you can't directly use your power without a contract. A spring would be a huge help..."

"Oh, don't worry. We're creating a water source in the Dead Land. It's well within the duties of a water spirit. I'll be praised, not scolded."

Is that so? The boundaries are unclear, but since Silphi nodded, it should be fine.

"Got it. Even with amazing tools, I'm still an amateur, so don't expect professional results. But I can do it. Is that okay? Also, I want to go to the sea to secure food first, so the work will start tomorrow or later."

"That's fine. I'll stay here, so please block the entrance with rocks. I don't want zombies falling in. Also, if you're going to the sea, it would be good to make a contract with that one. It can bring you fish."

Fish!! Really? Without fishing rods or hooks, I was planning to dive for shellfish, crabs, and seaweed, but if it can bring fish, our meals will be much richer.

"But, is it okay to leave the water source and move around in the Dead Land? Won't the natural balance be disrupted, and won't you lose your power?"

"That's why we need a contract. If I can get Yuta's magic power, it will be fine."

"In that case, I'd like to ask you, too."

I beckoned the dolphin spirit.

"Hey, will you make a contract with me?"

The lower dolphin spirit nodded and rubbed against me. It was very cute.

"Hehe, it seems this one likes you too. Yuta, give it a name."

Ah, right. I need to give it a name. I was about to give up. ...No, it brings fish. I need to come up with the best name.

"Dolphin's fin is too simple. I need a better name. It's a water spirit, so a name related to water would be good. Water... Mizu... Mizuumi. Lake isn't bad. Rain is Rain. That sounds good too. Water has more name-like sounds than wind."

"Alright, I've decided. Your name is Rain. It means 'rain.' I named you Rain because I hope it will rain in the Dead Land. How does that sound?"

"Kyu! Kyu!!"

It made a sound and rubbed against me, so I guess it likes the name.

"The contract is complete. Take good care of it."

Yeah. The second contract was also easy. It's a bit too easy to appreciate...

"Yuta, what's wrong?"

"Well, the contract ended so quickly that I couldn't really feel it."

"Oh, I see. In that case, look forward to the contract with me. As a Great Spirit, the contract will have a special performance to make it feel real."

"What? What kind of performance?"

"Hehe, it's a secret. If you want to know, work hard to level up."

Hmm. I want to know if it's hidden. I'll work hard to level up.

"I need to reach B-level magic power. I'll work hard."

While petting Rain, who was playing around, I filled a water bottle and climbed the well stairs to part ways with Diene.

---

I climbed the long stairs and sealed the well with a large rock again. I made miso ramen on the stove I had prepared. I put the noodles and hot water in a bowl and mixed in the powdered soup. In Japan, I would add chopped green onions and an egg, but unfortunately, they weren't available here.

...Itadakimasu. I should savor it, but I was so hungry and the smell of ramen was so good that I finished it in one go.

"You must have been really hungry."

"Hehe, yeah."

A bit embarrassing. I drank the water from the water bottle. It's great not to have to worry about the water supply. Next, I'll go to the sea to get a lot of food so that I can eat my fill every time. Let's head to the sea.

---

"Silphi, thank you."

"What's this all of a sudden?"

Well, I just wanted to say thank you, but when she looked at me with concern, I felt a bit down. What position do I hold in Silphi's eyes?

"Well, you're guiding me to the sea, and thanks to you, I met Diene and Rain. I just wanted to express my gratitude."

"Oh, I see. It surprised me. But don't worry, I'm enjoying it too. If you really want to thank me... how about living an interesting life?"

"An interesting life... If it means a series of accidents and a life without rest, I'll definitely refuse."

"That sounds fun too. Just live as you like. As a person from another world who can see spirits, you'll get involved in something. I'm looking forward to it."

"I don't need that kind of expectation."

I don't necessarily yearn for a peaceful life, but I want to avoid a life of constant hardship. Surviving in the Dead Land is enough of an adventure. After getting through this, I'll live for my hobbies.

"By the way, Silphi, Bell and Rain became friends so quickly. Is there such a thing as compatibility between spirits? For example, do fire spirits and water spirits not get along?"

Bell was riding on Rain and flying around. A little girl riding a dolphin... Is she okay? Just accepting that a dolphin can fly shows how much she's been influenced by this world.

"Hmm, no, that's not the case. The balance of nature is maintained regardless of which spirits are present. However, there are spirits who simply don't get along due to personality differences."

"Is that so? Do you have any spirits you don't get along with, Silphi?"

"Yes, I do."

The moment I asked, her eyes became sharp. Maybe it was a sensitive topic? As I was trying to change the subject, my reliable contracted spirit came to my rescue.

"Mmm."

"Kyu."

Bell, Rain, you're such good kids.

"Oh, I can see the sea. Let's hurry. We need to get a lot of food and work on the well."

"Right. Oh, before we return to the well, why don't we secure a lot of stone from the nearby rock mountains?"

"Hmm? Oh, right. There weren't many rock mountains around the well, and we'll need a lot of stone for the well's maintenance."

"Yes, and how about creating a large, rock-enclosed space around the spring? It won't stop ghosts or wraiths, but it will be convenient to have a large, open space that other monsters can't enter."

"That's a good idea. Since there's water, it would be easier to live around that well."

"Yes, it would be unpleasant if the water source we created was destroyed by monsters."

If we enclose the area with rocks, it shouldn't be too cramped. A large gym-sized space would be comfortable and luxurious. With plenty of water, maybe we could even create a field.

The soil is dead, so just tilling and watering won't work. If we could go to living land, we could get a lot of leaf mold and soil from the forest, but if we go to town, we might not need to create a field.

Well, the stone can be easily cut, and with the magic bag, installation won't be much trouble. It's a good idea to secure a large space.

"Right. Let's get a lot of food and stone and return."

"That sounds good."

Alright, first, let's get a lot of seafood. Let's work hard.

Thank you for reading.