Chapter 14

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When the thieves attacked, the spirits were trembling with fear.

There was nothing the spirits could do, as they could not directly intervene in the real world.

Lulia unconsciously activated a healing spell just before falling asleep.

Without even realizing it, she had instantly and completely healed the puppy and the nursemaid’s injuries.

Then, despite being just a baby, Lulia, exhausted from casting the spell, quickly fell asleep.

“Quack!”

The puppy, whose wounds had been instantly healed, licked Lulia’s cheek as she slept.

“It was so scary!” “Waaan!” “Lady Lulia!”

The spirits clung tightly to the sleeping Lulia and cried.

Even though some of the spirits had grown and could speak, they were still essentially like children.

The spirits, who loved humans, hated to see them fight.

It was like being tied up and gagged, forced to watch one’s beloved cat and dog fight to the death.

It was terrifying and sad, and most of all, it was sad to be unable to do anything.

Every time they saw humans fighting, the spirits would cry.

“You did well. You protected Lady Lulia so well.”

The Spirit King, though feeling both fear and sadness, mustered the strength to praise the puppy.

“Quack!”

“Good job. Daru is a fine guardian beast.”

“Great!” “Thank you, Daru.”

The spirits called the puppy Daru

Because the puppy itself recognized itself as Daru.

When Lulia saw the puppy, she said, “Daa-oo.” From that moment on, the puppy was Daru.

As for Leonardo, Daru didn’t quite understand what it was about.

“Sniff, sniff. Hah, hah.”

Daru sniffed Lulia’s scent.

It was a very comforting and good smell.

Feeling reassured, Daru became very sleepy.

He had been moving intensely and had been slashed by a knife.

Even though Lulia had healed his injuries, his physical strength and fatigue remained.

“Sleep well, Daru.”

“...Quack.”

“Take care of Lady Lulia when you wake up.”

“Au.”

“Please take care of Lady Lulia.” “You were so cool, Daru.”

Praised by the spirits and enveloped in Lulia’s good smell, Daru fell asleep.

Looking at Lulia and Daru’s sleeping faces, the Spirit King murmured.

“...Still”

Lulia had canceled the spell the thieves were trying to cast.

“To make a spirit without self-awareness... obey...”

Typically, mages borrow the power of young spirits who lack self-awareness to cast spells.

Because they lack self-awareness, they have no will, no sense of right or wrong, and no likes or dislikes.

Thus, they simply lend their power as requested.

Lulia, with just one word, “Daa! (No!),” made those selfless spirits obey.

“Moreover... the wind magic that blew the thieves away, and the two consecutive healing spells...”

Lulia did all of this unconsciously.

Though she was both human and a spirit, Lulia’s power was too strong.

“Well, you all”

“What?” “Are you angry?”

Naturally, the spirits were less energetic than usual after what had happened.

“I’m not angry.”

The Spirit King spoke to the spirits in a gentle voice.

“Lady Lulia said before that, as a baby, she shouldn’t borrow our power.”

“Yeah, I heard! It’s tiring.”

The spirits nodded in agreement, bobbing up and down.

“That’s right. Generally, lending power to a baby should be avoided.”

Borrowing a spirit’s magic to cast a spell is similar to eating and running.

People get the energy to run from their food.

However, even if you eat while running, you can’t keep running forever.

Eating and digesting, and converting that into energy, also takes energy.

The magic power from the spirits is like food, and casting a spell is like running.

Just as you would get tired and stop running if you kept running without a break, even if you keep receiving magic power from the spirits, you would still get tired from casting spells.

“But Lady Lulia can use magic without our power.”

“Hm?” “Hoom?”

“So, it’s okay to lend her the minimum amount of power. Hmm. I and you and you. That’s all the power you should lend.”

“Why not?” “We want to give Lady Lulia more power!”

“You can’t give her an endless amount. Only a grown spirit who understands moderation can do that.”

“Eh?”

“Do you understand?”

After explaining to the spirits, the Spirit King said,

“Grow up healthy.”

And he gave Lulia a blessing kiss on her forehead.