Chapter 295 : Chapter 295

Chapter 295. Spirit Counseling Booth

‘Confidentiality ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Guaranteed!’

‘Life’s answers, revealed by the Spirit of Knowledge!’

‘Share your worries with a wise spirit!’

- First-Year Summoning Magic Major Booth -

Arteo twitched his eyebrow as he looked at the flyer in his hand.

“A first-year booth?”

Did that mean a mere first-year had summoned a Spirit of Knowledge?

Then again, spirit affinity was something one was born with.

Even back when Arteo was enrolled at the academy, there had been students who, thanks to innate affinity, summoned spirits far beyond their station.

‘It must be one of those cases.’

Still, going to a first-year booth to resolve his worries wounded the pride of the empire’s 2nd Prince.

As he hesitated, people passed by his side.

“Have you been to the counseling booth?”

“The one at the first-year Summoning Magic booth? Yeah, I went earlier.”

“I heard it is no joke. Is it really that good?”

“It gets everything right. Way better than a fortune-teller. Maybe because it is the Spirit of Knowledge, but it does not seem to have anything it does not know.”

Nothing it does not know……

Arteo felt his resolve waver.

“Come on, better than a fortune-teller sounds like an exaggeration. A spirit cannot read people’s hearts, can it?”

“No, I am serious. It even guessed who I like!”

“Friend, that is something everyone knows except you and Sylvia…….”

Arteo’s eyes widened.

It even guessed someone’s secret affection?

It seemed the Spirit of Knowledge at the counseling booth really was extraordinary.

What truly caught his eye, however, was the line written at the bottom of the flyer.

‘Open only from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.’

Checking the time, he saw it was nearly four.

If he was going to go, it had to be now.

Pulling his robe low over his face, Arteo moved quickly.

***

The first-year Summoning Magic major booth.

Summoning Magic students had called forth their spirits and were showcasing them in various ways.

Fire spirits spun in circles, forming rings of flame, while water spirits floated atop droplets, bobbing gently as they greeted visitors.

“Wow! The spirits are greeting us!”

“The earth spirit is so cute!”

“I wish I could summon a spirit too……!”

Since ordinary people rarely had the chance to see spirits, the booth was extremely popular.

Some visitors even went around exclusively visiting Summoning Magic booths just to see the spirits.

Beyond the well-known elemental spirits, encountering unfamiliar spirits added an extra layer of fascination.

These first-years, in particular, had contracts with a wide variety of spirits, making the display especially rich.

“The first-years’ booth is fun.”

“Seriously. Look at that— I have never seen a spirit like that before.”

“Even the fourth-year booths did not have anything like this.”

People stared in amazement at the spirit of dance performing on one side.

Beside it danced a large-built first-year who appeared to be its contractor.

When the spirit jumped, he jumped.

When it stretched out its arms, he did the same.

It did not match his intimidating appearance at all, yet his movements were perfectly synchronized with the spirit, without a single wasted motion.

A joint dance performance between a human and a spirit.

It was a sight one would never see anywhere else.

Clap, clap, clap.

Applause erupted from all directions at their flawless harmony.

There was yet another rare sight to behold at the first-year booth.

The Spirit of Knowledge.

“What is a Spirit of Knowledge? What kind of spirit is that?”

“I am not sure, but I heard it is extremely rare. Apparently, it is famous for being very selective about its contractor.”

They had even set up a small tent inside the booth specifically for the Spirit of Knowledge.

“The tent is not open yet?”

“I guess it only appears at fixed times.”

“That sounds interesting. Let us wait and see.”

Seeing the notice that it was only available at certain times, along with the claim that it would answer any question, some people even lined up in advance.

Inside the tent, a spirit and its contractor were preparing to receive visitors.

It was Radel, cloaked in a suspicious, fortune-teller-like mantle, and the Spirit of the Library.

“There are a lot of people. It looks like it is going to be a success.”

Radel smiled pleasantly as he peeked outside the tent.

The Spirit of the Library, however, looked utterly dumbfounded.

“You are telling me I have to run this kind of business……?”

“It would be more accurate to call it an event.”

“That is the same thing! To think that this great being has to sit inside a tent and listen to people’s petty worries!”

The Spirit of the Library fumed, clearly indignant.

Radel, however, was unfazed.

He knew his spirit’s preferences all too well.

Sure enough, before long, the Spirit of the Library was enthusiastically shouting at visitors.

“Tsk! You fool! Do you call that an argument? Your judgment is wrong!”

“T-that cannot be…… I was told that if I invested there, I would make a huge profit.”

“Who told you such nonsense? Is there any guarantee that land prices in that area will rise?”

“They said there would definitely be good news in two years. A businessman I met at a party—”

“If you were him, would you share money-making information with someone you met at a party? Use your head and think!”

The spirit’s scolding left the visitor on the verge of tears.

“T-then what should I do?”

“What do you mean, what should you do, you idiot? You should grab the bastard you met at that party by the collar and get back whatever you can! Or lose everything! Hah!”

Watching from the side, Radel noticed that the Spirit of the Library grew more and more animated as time passed.

It loved nothing more than giving unsolicited advice.

While listening to people’s stories and offering counsel, the Spirit of the Library would occasionally use its powers to resolve matters directly.

Those who tried to test it out of suspicion clearly annoyed it.

“You were raised by your grandmother, were you not? She spoiled you rotten, and now you have no discipline!”

“H-how did you know that……?!”

Though it might seem trivial, the Spirit of the Library possessed knowledge of everything in the world.

After invoking its power, it shouted angrily,

“And when your grandmother fell ill, you did not even visit her because you were out drinking with your friends, did you? Wretched fool!”

“Ugh! You really know everything…… Then, what should I do? I think of my grandmother, and I cannot sleep at night.”

“What do you do? She is already gone from this world! Go volunteer at a nursing home with elderly people like her. That will at least ease your guilt a little. Hmph!”

“I will do that……!”

Once a consultation ended, Radel would naturally hold out a box.

“You may place the consultation fee here.”

It was remarkably profitable.

They were not even selling goods, yet a few words were enough to earn money.

For a brief moment, Radel even considered touring the empire with the Spirit of the Library and running counseling booths everywhere.

Flap.

A man swept into the tent, his pure white robe billowing.

Intricate magic circles were embroidered in gold thread across the fabric.

It was the emblem of the Imperial Court Magicians, an organization that rivaled the Imperial Knights.

Simply joining the Imperial Court Magicians granted a noble title, making it highly coveted.

It was also a gathering place for the empire’s finest mages, beyond the reach of ordinary talents.

For Combat Magic majors, it was a place of admiration.

‘A few of them came earlier too.’

Radel recognized the emblem but remained silent.

Confidentiality was a fundamental principle of the counseling booth.

However, the moment he saw the man’s face, he was slightly taken aback.

Though his hair and eye color had been altered, it was unmistakably the face of the 2nd Prince.

The 2nd Prince also recognized Radel, his eyes widening.

“It seems I came to the wrong place.”

He twisted his lips and turned to leave, but at that instant, the Spirit of the Library thundered,

“What do you mean, the wrong place?! Do you think you are the only one like you who comes here?!”

“……What?”

Only then did Arteo recognize the Spirit of the Library, his expression going blank.

It was a being he had believed he would never encounter again after graduating from the academy.

“Why is that thing here……?”

Yet because of the academy’s binding restrictions, he could not speak the spirit’s name aloud.

Come to think of it, he had once heard that the 8th Prince had contracted with some kind of spirit.

But contracting a spirit was practically standard for academy students.

To Arteo, it had not seemed particularly noteworthy.

‘To think he is insane enough to contract with the Spirit of the Library!’

Arteo glared at the 8th Prince.

Whatever underhanded methods he had used, that man was clearly no ordinary fool.

Who in their right mind would even think of forming a contract with the academy’s library spirit?

“Be grateful that you have the chance to confess your worries to a great spirit like me! How dare you try to leave after seeing my face! Why am I here? I am here to solve a worry you will never be able to untangle yourself, you wretch!”

Whether or not it understood Arteo’s thoughts, the Spirit of the Library did not stop shouting.

All it cared about was correcting the insolence of a client who had tried to turn around and leave the moment he entered the tent.

“Wretch? Do you have any idea who I am—”

“And why should I care who you are? Once you enter here, you are all the same! You must have some kind of worry!”

“……I have no worries.”

“No worries, my foot.”

The Spirit of the Library snorted, then said,

“Your maternal grandfather.”

Thud.

Arteo’s heart dropped.

“You came here because of your maternal grandfather, did you not?”

The Spirit of the Library curled its lips into a wicked smile.