Translation We Dwell at the Base of the Dragon’s Peak

71.1 Inheriting it

“Now then, how about telling me about what you just did?”

Gild-san, inside his house, pours some water and hands it to me. The two of us then sit down next to each other on his modest bed.

Eetto.”

Where should I start? How should I explain? This is hard. The current me is combined with the spirit girl of the spirit tree. Would Gild-san believe such a wild story?

While I’m wondering that, I feel the power draining out from me.

“We did it. It was great, great.”

Grains of light rush out from my entire body and gather together, transforming into the same blond haired girl I saw earlier in the morning. She then leaps into my chest with a smile on her face.

Gild-san’s eyes goes round from shock.

Eetto, this girl is the spirit-san who resides inside of this wooden spirit tree sword. By combining with her, I was able exert overwhelming power. I thought borrowing power from of others would be cowardly, but because I absolutely had to win…”
Towards the end, I’m awkwardly mumbling out my words.

Haa, haa, haa, this is incredible.”
However, Gild-san laughs from the bottom of his heart and stares at me with excitement.

“I’ve been alive for three hundred years, but never have these eyes of mine beheld the highest form of spirit technique.”
Ehh?”
“What? Did you combine with a spirit without knowing you were using it?”

Gild-san then explains it to me while tugging on his beard.

“Combining with a contracted spirit, that is the number one ultimate technique of spirit envoys. Users of the technique, by combining with a spirit, are able to acquire the spirit’s immeasurable power.”
Uhehe, is it really that incredible of a thing?” (spirit girl)

I stare at the spirit girl without blinking.

“Except, I don’t have a contract with this girl.”
“The spirit tree likes Ernea. I like Ernea too. That’s why, no worries.” (spirit girl)
“I see, so because Ernea has the extraordinary good favor of this spirit, this union happened not by Ernea’s will, but by the spirit’s?”
“Is something like that even possible…?”
“If you are asking whether such can happen or not, it can. Actually, didn’t Ernea combine with her?”
“You’re right.”

What I did proves it’s possible.

“Even so,”
Gild-san smiles as he continues.

“Ernea was more than I expected.”
“How so?”
Fuhaha, you haven’t realized it?”

Gild-san is in a good mood.

“Even though Ernea is a human, you requested the ancient dragon in the Dragon Forest for teaching. Furthermore, you have close ties with the Dragon Princess and have the affections of a spirit of a spirit tree.”
Ahaha.”

Hearing that, I give a wry laugh at my circumstances.

“Thus, you should succeed me.”
“?”

Wondering what he means, I tilt my head.

“Well then, our conversation has gotten off topic. Let’s go back to the beginning.”

Gild-san, without worrying about my confusion, once more requests me to explain what happened.

Eetto, let’s see. I combined with this girl and learned how to utilize the spirit tree.”
“You mean those countless leaves and the growing of the ivy?”
“Yes, there seem to be various other techniques too, but those were the only ones I could use at the moment.”
“I praise you for being able to use them in combat without practice. As they were techniques I had never seen nor experienced before, you lead me around.”
“Thanks to that, I was somehow able to win.”
“Deceived your opponents and lead them around? Isn’t that the advice I gave to you not long ago?”
“Yes, today, it can be said that with this girl, you fought against two. So, I also used a dirty hand.”
Ha, ha, haa, Ernea combining with a spirit is a dirty hand?”

Gild-san gives a heartful laugh.

“I thought you’d use a different hand.”
“A different hand?”

Did Gild-san anticipate a hand I didn’t think of?

“I said you only needed to beat me once in a match.”
“Yes, and then you would give me your important treasure.”
Umu, however, I never specified how to fight me.”
Ehh?”
“I knew from the beginning that no matter how much Ernea struggled, getting a victory against me would have been impossible.”
“Ye- Yes.”

There is an obvious difference in power between me and Gild-san. Although I kept searching for a sliver of hope, Gild-san knew I wouldn’t find one.

“For you to beat me alone is impossible. As such, I was wondering if you would beg someone to help you beat me.”
Hmmm??”

What does that mean?

“I didn’t say you had to face me in a one on one battle. However, I did say to use a dirty hand. That, in other words, means you could have fought me with numbers. I thought for sure you’d bring the Dragon Princess.”

Haa,” I feel my eyes opening.
“Well, being a union of two by combining with a spirit is something I would have never expected.”

Is that how it is?

After all this time, I realize a blind spot to the match.

As was just said, there was no need to go through with my match against Gild-san alone. There was no limit to the number of participants. More importantly, if I was doing anything for victory, then I could have gotten the help of others once I realized my strength wasn’t enough.

How did I not realize that?
My shoulders drop at my foolishness.

Ha, ha, ha, Ernea is so straight forward, the idea never occurred.”
Gild-san strokes my head. He comforts me with his rugged and firm hand.

“You can rely on everyone. That’s because everyone loves Ernea very much.”
The girl smiles at me.

“Yeah, I don’t have to do everything alone.”

Old Sleigstar also thrusted a strict condition on me, but I was never told I couldn’t rely on Mistral or that I couldn’t turn to Ruiseine for help. I arbitrarily decided I had to overcome this ordeal by myself all on my own.

My strength still has a ways to go, but I get the feeling Old Sleigstar knows me better than I do myself. He must have known what would happen when he sent me to face Gild-san. Thus, for the current me, victory was absolutely impossible. That’s why I was told it would be difficult even though I had just received the command. This was Old Sleigstar’s test. To overcome a desperate crisis.

Finally realizing Old Sleigstar’s true intentions, I sigh upon noticing my own incompetence.


T/N: Asking Mistral for help was practically impossible though. Old Sleigstar said not to return to the plaza until after he won. Being unable to go back made directly asking Mistral for help impossible.

<70. The Spirit and Ernea
71.2 Inheriting it>