The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

Chapter 57: Great Fire Spirit and Loved One

No, that’s not it.

There’s no doubt the origin of the raging spirit energy is from that burning location.

The Spirits around were making a ruckus.

I feel like even the temperature has increased.

“That’s the Great Fire Spirit-sama.” (Rifreya)

“Great Spirit…that is? It burns that much?” (Hikaru)

“The Great Spirit-samas take the form of nature. The Great Fire Spirit-sama has the manly figure of being embraced by fire. You still haven’t shown up at the church, huh, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

“Right. I didn’t have business there after all.” (Hikaru)

I already have a contract with the Great Dark Spirit, and was having a plain lifestyle so that viewers wouldn’t watch me, so I have basically not gone to any place I didn’t need to.

“Even so, why has it come out from the church…?” (Rifreya)

“Is it something rare?” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, in order for a Great Spirit-sama to stay in one place, there’s the need for great labour…no, sacrifices.” (Rifreya)

I was munching on my yakisoba and wasn’t thinking too deeply about it.

Even if that is a Great Spirit, it is different from the Great Dark Spirit I called.

That’s what I thought.

The Great Spirit was floating its way here.

By the time the distance closed to around 100 meters, I heard a voice.

—Tasty! Tasty! There’s a tasty smell coming from here!

—Calling me, telling me that they want me to find them, want me to eat them! It is the scent of someone wishing for that!

—Found ya! See, I found ya! A person that wants to be loved by me!

The Great Fire Spirit was looking at me. Straight at me. With fiery burning eyes.

A man with fire covering his whole body. A manly guy in a single piece of loincloth.

He is being tied by several chains, and women that seem like priestesses were desperately pulling those chains.

But the Great Spirit couldn’t be stopped by the power of the priestesses, and they were simply being pulled.

“S-Something is strange, isn’t it…? No, in the first place, the Great Spirit-sama coming to the main street itself is already abnormal…” (Rifreya)

“Rifreya, sorry. It seems the objective of that is most likely me.” (Hikaru)

I stood up from my seat, touched the shoulder of Rifreya, and then took out the Barrier Stone from my Shadow Bag, and broke it.

It was the same pattern with the Great Dark Spirit. No matter how you think about it, it is aiming for me.

—Hmm~? What’s this ability?

—Damn it! I can’t get close! Even though I know he is there!

—Oi! What’s this?! Uooooh!

The Great Fire Spirit was gradually getting away as he got angry.

A barrier that ‘distances dangers’. The more you try to approach it, the stronger the repulsion force.

Also, it is fortunate that this guy seems to be more smooth brained than the Great Dark Spirit.

“…That was dangerous. So this is what happens when I get close to a church, huh.” (Hikaru)

From here on, I should consider the very act of getting close to a church as dangerous.

It is a shame that I won’t be able to come to a good place like this anymore.

“Hikaru…? What’s this film-like thing?” (Rifreya)

“A barrier to distance danger. That Great Spirit seems to be targeting me, so I placed it… Without this, I would have been eaten.” (Hikaru)

“Eaten, you say… In other words, you really are a Loved One…?” (Rifreya)

“No…is what I want to say, but I don’t know.” (Hikaru)

Does a Loved One mean a person that has received the Affection of Spirits?

I can only think that’s the case with this development.

“Rifreya, what’s that Loved One thing?” (Hikaru)

“You don’t even know that… You really are weird, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

In other words, I lack common sense.

Obviously. I have only been here for a few months.

Should I have confessed that I came from a parallel world immediately just like Alex?

I don’t think there’s any point in hiding it here anymore.

“Uhm…have you felt gazes or laughing at places where there’s supposed to be no one…?” (Rifreya)

“Eh?! Y-Yes, I have! Why…?” (Hikaru)

“I knew it…! That’s the trait of Loved Ones. Spirits gather around the Loved Ones.” (Rifreya)

Those laughs and gazes were from Spirits?

The scorn and the gazes of curiosity…

Does that mean they were all my delusions?

“I see. Then I really am a Loved One…probably.” (Hikaru)

“But I can’t understand. Why is a Loved One able to use Spirit Abilities…?!” (Rifreya)

“Wa, close, too close!!” (Hikaru)

She grabbed both of my arms with incredible strength, approaching me suddenly with strong panic.

But I can’t really follow here.

“The gazes and laughs were from small Spirits. You would hear their voices, gazes, and at times even see them… That’s a Loved One.” (Rifreya)

“So I am a Loved One. Does that have anything to do with Spirit Abilities?” (Hikaru)

“Rather than saying if it has anything to do… Loved Ones normally can’t learn Spirit Abilities.” (Rifreya)

“Why?” (Hikaru)

“When they try to form a contract, they end up being eaten by the Great Spirit-sama.” (Rifreya)

Yikes!

Or more like, of course that would happen. The Great Spirit of today was also saying tasty tasty.

I think the Great Dark Spirit that showed up in the forest said so as well.

“Great Spirit-samas love Loved Ones. You have to be careful too, Hikaru. It would be one thing with the Great Spirit-samas that are bound by the church like the one of today, but if you were to be found by a Great Spirit-sama in the wild, you would be devoured.” (Rifreya)

“Aah…yeah, got it. I will be careful.” (Hikaru)

I do have firsthand experience after all…

That avatar of darkness really must have been a Great Dark Spirit. She was completely trying to eat me.

If the Barrier Stone didn’t work, I would be dead.

No, today as well, if I didn’t have a Barrier Stone, who knows what would have happened.

If I had run to the dungeon, I might have been able to manage somehow, but I don’t think I would be able to get away if I were to be chased seriously.

“Well, anyways, is there a connection between Loved Ones and Spirit Abilities?” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, you are Loved by Spirits after all. In the first place, Spirit Abilities are performed by borrowing the power of Spirits. In your case, Hikaru, I think there would be several tens of times more Spirits who would want to help you compared to me. I have spoken a lot with my little sister about how, if Loved Ones were able to use Spirit Abilities, they would be the strongest, but…to think one would exist…” (Rifreya)

“Is that how it works…?” (Hikaru)

“Hikaru, do you know how many times us Spirit Users can use Spirit Abilities in 1 day?” (Rifreya)

“No…” (Hikaru)

“3 to 10 times. 15 would be considered a lot. If you use more than that, you lose consciousness.” (Rifreya)

“Seriously…?” (Hikaru)

I didn’t think there would be that much of a gap.

As expected from the Affection of Spirits that cost 30 Points…is what I would like to say, but thinking about the fact that their natural enemy is Great Spirits, it is basically the big gains, big pains logic? This is complicated.

Even so…Loved One, huh. How ironic.

Even though I am a hated one.