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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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I was falling.
Into a deep, dark abyss.
I felt no resistance, no friction, just the sensation of an endless descent.
I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t respond.
I fell, and fell, and fell.
Just as I was about to succumb to the monotony, the speed of my descent slowed, and my back met a hard surface.
A soft thud, and a faint scent, sharp and refreshing, filled the air.
“Hmm…? A human? How did you get in here?”
“…A horse?”
The scent, unlike anything I’d ever smelled before, was invigorating.
And the voice…
I turned and saw a white horse, its form shimmering like leaves in the wind.
“A human? How did they get in here? Is there a hole somewhere?”
But the voice wasn’t alone.
“Don’t be an idiot, Ignil. You know that’s not possible—”
“Ah, shut up, you noisy wolf!”
“…Both of you, be quiet.”
Three pairs of glowing eyes—red, blue, and green—emerged from the darkness, approaching me.
But their faces remained hidden, even as they drew closer.
“Hey, hey! How’d you get in here?!”
“Isn’t it rude to be so aggressive with a stranger?”
“Why should I be polite? He could be an intruder. Hey! Who are you?!”
Something poked my shoulder, gently at first, then with increasing force.
And the point of contact grew warmer, almost hot.
I tried to move away, but it followed.
“Hey, where are you looking? Why aren’t you answering? Can’t you talk?”
“Hmm, he doesn’t seem to be mute.”
I could see the glowing eyes, hear the disembodied voices, but nothing else.
“…He’s being rejected.”
“Huh? By whom?”
“Explain yourself, Plante.”
A calm, almost languid voice cut through the others’ bickering.
“…He’s human. And this is the Spirit Realm.”
“…Can you simplify that?”
“Heh, I believe I understand.”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous, wolf.”
Their bickering continued, laced with a faint mockery.
Then, a small hand, much smaller than a human’s, touched my head.
And the darkness vanished.
“I’ve allowed you to see us… can you see now?”
“Huh? He couldn’t see us?”
“Of course not. It’s unnatural for humans to see spirits in the first place.”
“Y-You didn’t know that until just now!”
And then, I saw them.
A massive wolf, its body composed of a shimmering blue liquid, like the legendary Fenrir.
A small girl, her dress a cascade of flames, her skirt trailing behind her.
And a woman, with hair like fresh green leaves, gently stroking the girl’s head.
The girl ran towards me, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“Hey! Who are you?! How did you get in here?!”
“W-Wait…”
“Ignil, stop—”
“Hahahaha!”
She grabbed my collar and started shaking me, when the wolf tried to intervene, and another voice, the first one I’d heard, burst into laughter.
“Hahaha… stop it, Ignil, you’re killing me.”
“Why are you laughing, you horse-headed idiot!”
“Can’t you tell? He was sent by Mother.”
All eyes turned to me.
But their gazes weren’t hostile. They were filled with curiosity, even a hint of admiration.
Their reactions were varied.
“M-Mother?!”
“Yes. I could sense her aura on him from the beginning.”
Ignil, the red-haired girl, looked at me in disbelief.
“It’s been a long time since Mother sent a human.”
“Indeed. A very long time.”
The blue wolf seemed lost in thought, reminiscing.
“…So? What’s going on?”
“If Mother sent him, she must have blessed him… and she likely wants us to form a contract.”
The woman with the green hair, stroking a leaf, seemed indifferent.
As I observed them, the wolf approached and licked my face.
“Ugh…!”
“Hmm, his affinity with water is… adequate.”
“Huh, huh? Hey, mutt, are you really going to make a contract with him?”
The wolf chided her for her impertinence.
Her already large eyes widened even further.
“Hey! Are you crazy? We’re Spirit Kings…!”
“What of it? I am simply following Mother’s will.”
“But… for us to make a contract directly—”
“W-Wait a minute…”
The blue wolf and the red-haired girl both turned to me.
Her gaze was a silent warning to stay quiet, but his was genuinely curious.
“…What do you mean… Spirit Kings?”
“What?”
“Hmm? You didn’t know? All four of us are Spirit Kings.”
“…”
“Well, it’s understandable. Humans can’t even see spirits.”
“Ah, about that…”
I was speechless. Spirit Kings?
The white horse, interrupting my thoughts, spoke.
“This human… for some reason, he can see spirits.”
“…Say that again.”
“…”
The atmosphere shifted. The light, refreshing air grew heavy, pressing down on me, making it difficult to breathe.
“A human… can see spirits? And… Mother sent him?”
“This is a cruel joke, Sylph.”
“…Agreed.”
Even the woman, Plante, who had been silent until now, spoke, her voice laced with suspicion.
“Whoa, whoa, calm down. We don’t know if ‘they’ sent him.”
“Shut up and be clear, you horse-headed fool. Before I roast you.”
“I agree with her, for once.”
Sylph, the white horse, tried to placate them, but they wouldn’t be swayed.
Flames danced around Ignil, and sharp blades of water formed around the wolf.
“Calm down. This child is innocent.”
“…Then explain.”
“Tsk, tsk, such a fiery temper.”
She clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed.
“This child is a victim, just like us.”
“…What?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Humans have always been favored by the gods—”
“Do you really believe that?”
The wolf’s water blades faltered as a powerful gust of wind swirled around her.
“If humans are favored by the gods, then what about those who die from starvation, from natural disasters? Those who are torn apart by monsters, murdered by their own kind, driven to suicide by despair?”
“…”
“Are they the abandoned ones, unworthy of the gods’ love?”
“…”
“The gods are petty, selfish, hypocritical. We all know this.”
“…”
“Do you really think they love humanity?”
“…Then why do they only choose humans as their representatives…!”
“Because they’re weak.”
The wind intensified, forming a small whirlwind around her, obscuring her form.
And then, she emerged, transformed.
Her hair was a translucent silver, her skin pale and luminous.
And her voice, though still beautiful, was chillingly cold.
“Humans crave security. When they’re at their lowest, what do they do? They search for a pillar of support, something to lean on, something that asks for nothing in return. Some of them find it.
But what about the rest?
When they’re pushed to their limits, where do they turn?
Religion. God.
A few whispers of hope, and they’ll offer their unwavering devotion. It’s a profitable investment. A few tricks of light, and they’re filled with gratitude and joy.
And even if their followers use their power for selfish gains, the faith they generate far outweighs any damage to their reputation.
No other creature is as rewarding as a human. Who wouldn’t keep a pet that showers you with affection in exchange for a few treats?
Isn’t it obvious why they favor humans?
…Why? Do you want that again? Do you want to go back to that time? To forget everything and grovel at their feet—”
The room fell silent, the chilling coldness of her voice, the raw emotion in her words, silencing everyone.
She looked so fragile, as if a single touch would shatter her.
“…”
“…My apologies. I got carried away.”
She brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and pointed at me.
“My point is, this child is just like us.”
“…?”
Three pairs of eyes turned to me.
I felt a surge of unease under their combined gaze.
“…You’re saying I have something in common with Spirit Kings?”
“Yes.”
“And what would that be…?”
She smirked and leaned closer, her expression a mixture of amusement and… something else.
She placed a finger on my chest.
“Because you, and I, and all of us… we hate the gods.”
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