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After Luria drifted into sleep, Kuro gently stroked Loa.
“Welcome back. I’m so glad you have returned.”
Spirits, even in death, reincarnate unless their souls are completely obliterated.
This time, Loa had been reborn as a spirit with a physical body—essentially, as a guardian beast.
Perhaps in Luria’s past life as Louisa, she carried a deep regret for not being able to keep Loa warm.
That’s likely why Loa reincarnated as a guardian beast with a physical body.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Lady Luria is living a happy and healthy life.”
“Yuu…”
Loa was quietly sleeping. It seemed that, due to reincarnating from a spirit without a body into one with a physical form, Loa had no memories of her previous life.
In contrast, Luria retained her memories when she reincarnated from Louisa because her transition was from one human body to another.
Luria is a unique existence, resembling both a guardian beast and a spirit king, but her foundation remains that of a human.
Her magic circuits underwent significant changes, likely preserving her memories.
Even without memories of her past life, the emotions etched into Loa’s soul remained.
That’s why Loa found her way to Luria’s side.
Kuro, still mulling over everything, stepped outside the manor and headed toward the owls and goats.
In the forest a short distance from the estate, the goats stood in the shade of trees, unbothered by the rain.
“Aren’t you cold?”
“Meh.”
The goats assured Kuro they were fine. Their guardian beast fur repelled water.
Unless it was midwinter rain or snow, the spring rain didn’t trouble them at all.
“If you’re not cold, then all is well… Still, I must thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
“Meh-meh (We only did what was natural).”
“Ho-hoo (There’s no need for gratitude).”
“Without your help, Loa’s transformation into a cursed one would have progressed further.”
It seemed that Loa, born somewhere else, had been captured by a malicious sorcerer and cursed.
“A barrier to keep spirits and guardian beasts apart…”
The curse circuit embedded in the massive stone that Luria destroyed created a barrier.
It reduced the presence of spirits in the area and deterred both spirits and guardian beasts from appLoaching.
This was likely set up to advance Loa’s transformation into a cursed one without interference.
In fact, neither the owls nor the goats had noticed Loa’s existence until Luria destroyed the barrier.
“Turning a guardian beast into a cursed one is extremely difficult and time-consuming.”
Even though Loa was a baby, she was still a guardian beast. Transforming one into a cursed being wasn’t a simple task.
“Meh (But… is it truly possible to turn a guardian beast into a cursed one?)”
“Bo-bo (Loa was nearly transformed, so it must be).”
“Hoo (It’s clear that an extraordinary method was employed).”
“Moo? (Kuro, do you have any idea what that might be?)”
“Even so…”
Kuro pondered deeply. The guardian beasts had a point.
Guardian beasts are natural enemies of cursed beings, with immense resistance to curses.
Cursing a human or turning one into a cursed being was a far simpler task.
“Hmm… Strengthening a curse to an extreme degree… Maybe it involved tapping into the power of the land?”
“Kyui (Do you think the curse circuit was meant for that?)”
“I don’t know.”
“Meh (But what exactly is the power of this land?)”
“That’s something I don’t know either.”
One common method to amplify a curse using the land’s power is through the spilling of significant amounts of blood.
Land that has been the site of countless battles often carries a stronger curse.
The history, folklore, and other aspects tied to the land can also strengthen both spiritual and cursed energies.
“But… I’ve never heard of this area being a battlefield.”
On the contrary, with its legend of spiritual rain, this area should enhance spiritual power, not curses.
“I don’t know!”
Even after thinking it through, Kuro couldn’t come to a conclusion.
“What we do know is that the curse circuit was prepared specifically to turn Loa into a cursed being.”
“Meh? (So you think it was a deliberate, planned effort?)”
There was no doubt this scheme didn’t originate overnight.
“Lady Luria’s sudden decision to visit her lakeside villa must have been unexpected for the enemy as well…”
“Moo (The thought of Loa turning into a cursed being is terrifying).”
“Bo-bo (We can call it a stroke of luck that it didn’t happen).”
Without Luria, the goats, and the villagers who mistakenly thought the Grand Duke had arrived and brought their grievances to her…
Neither the spirits nor the guardian beasts would have noticed Loa’s transformation until it was too late.
“Meh (What must have shocked the enemy the most was Lady Luria and her incredible power).”
Even a top-tier mage would have struggled to destroy that curse circuit.
Even a top-tier healer wouldn’t have been able to lift Loa’s curse.
Had any guardian beast ventured into that domain, they would have been overwhelmed by cursed beings.
It was that perilous a place.
“Even I didn’t expect there to be so many powerful cursed beings gathered there.”
“Ho-hoo (It chilled my feathers. Lady Luria was placed in great danger).”
“It was Loa’s crisis, so I believe even I would have asked for Luria’s help.”
Kuro consoled the remorseful owl, who regretted the risk they had taken with Luria.
Indeed, without Luria surpassing all expectations with her power, they might all have perished.
The enemy had likely intended to ambush any guardian beast that found Loa and turn their bodies into more cursed beings.
“…Lady Luria is truly strong. I was considering ways to help her escape, but…”
Luria swept away the danger with her power in an instant.
Neither Kuro nor the guardian beasts had expected her to be that strong.
“Kyui (That healing wind was extraordinary).”
“Exactly. That wind not only healed everyone but also annihilated the cursed beings.”
The healing wind that Luria released to destroy the cursed beings.
The cursed beings were purified and disappeared, and the guardian beasts’ wounds were healed.
It was similar to how healing magic on undead causes damage.
“I have something to tell everyone… Luria-sama is strong.”
“…”
The guardian beasts looked at Kuro with a “What are you talking about?” kind of expression.
“Among you, there may be those who think there is no need to protect her.”
“Meh!”
“Mooh!”
“Bobobo.”
“Hoho!”
“Pii!”
The guardian beasts were saying, “No matter how strong she is, protecting Luria-sama is our pride!”
“Thank you.”
After expressing his gratitude, Kuro spoke to the guardian beasts.
“Luria-sama’s power is powerful. No, it’s too powerful… More than what her small body can handle.”
“Meh?”
“Ho?”
“If she uses too much of her overwhelming power, her small body might not be able to withstand it.”
“Meh?”
“Ho!?”
Kuro thought inwardly, “Perhaps she might be able to handle it?” Luria seemed fine despite using such powerful magic.
Historically, many holy prodigies and saints would have collapsed and potentially died after using such a large amount of magical energy. But Luria is abnormal. She is not like an average saint.
That said, Kuro couldn’t test it to see if it was truly safe. If the conclusion were that it had harmed her body, it would be irreversible.
“We must avoid making Luria-sama use magic as much as possible, at least until she’s twenty… or at least until she’s around eighteen.”
The guardian beasts listened seriously to Kuro’s words.
“Everyone, please take care of Luria-sama.”
“Ho!”
“Kyu.”
“Pii.”
The guardian beasts strongly said, “Leave it to us!”
“Thank you. It gives me strength.”
After thanking them, Kuro spoke to the goats.
“…Meh~ (Kuro-sama, should we not teach Luria-sama how to protect herself?)”
“Protect herself? No, no, using magic would not be good for Luria-sama’s growth!”
“Mooh! (Sadly, we can’t always protect her ourselves.)”
Indeed, when baby Luria was attacked, the only one nearby to help was the weak child Daru.
“Y-Yes, that’s true… but once she learns how to use it, she’ll want to use it.”
“Bobobo (Even if that happens, it’s better than Luria-sama losing her life because she couldn’t protect herself.)”
“Hoho (Besides, since Luria-sama is smart, even if we teach her, she won’t use it recklessly.)”
“Bu-But even practicing requires using magic.”
To practice magic, it’s necessary to actually cast spells.
“Pyu~i (We’ll have to make her imagine and practice, just like with swordsmanship.)”
“Imagine? Hah.”
Kuro remembered Luria’s swordsmanship training.
Luria would imagine enemies and swing her sword, and even the swordsmanship instructor praised her greatly for it.
“Ah, if she could do that with magic too…”
It might be possible to practice without using magic and without hindering her growth.
“But, what would we teach her? Luria-sama is already a battle-hardened magician.”
Luria is five years old, but Louisa had constantly been fighting strong enemies.
If you searched the world, you wouldn’t find another magician with as much battle experience as Luria.
“Meh~ (Luria-sama is not yet accustomed to spirit power.)”
“Spirit power…”
Magicians convert spirit power into magical power to activate it. Louisa did the same.
However, Luria doesn’t need to convert spirit power.
That’s why the “Healing Wind” she used had such overwhelming power.
“Let’s try… an experiment. I will need your cooperation, as guardian beasts.”
The guardian beasts are, like Luria, half-spirits. They are like spirits with physical bodies.
Therefore, they don’t have as much spirit power as actual spirits, but they can activate magic using spirit power directly.
“Teach Luria-sama about spirit power… have her practice how to use it.”
“Meh (We must have her do it without actually activating it, just imagining.)”
“Mooh (It’s difficult, but we must do it.)”
Kuro and the guardian beasts thought about how to teach her while experimenting.
Recently, Amaria had planned to teach Luria common sense by taking her outside.
And today, Kuro and the guardian beasts planned to teach her how to fight.
In both cases, the goal was the same: to teach Luria how to fight and protect her from danger.
Kuro returned to Luria’s room at dawn.
He told Carro and Koruko, who were already awake, the results of the Spirit King Guardian Beast Council.
Carro and Koruko listened seriously.
Meanwhile, Daru was lying beside Luria, lying on his back, and sleeping peacefully.
“Daru… well, that’s fine.”
Daru is strong, but still a child. In a way, he is another being who should be protected, just like Luria.
Finally, Kuro patted Loa, who was sleeping next to Luria’s face.
“Loa-sama, welcome back. I hope you find happiness in this life.”
Kuro kissed Loa’s forehead.
