The White Cat That Swore Vengeance Was Just Lazing on the Dragon King’s Lap - Volume 2 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Spirit of the Wind

Rin had gone to see Kotaro not long before meeting Ruri. Only twelve spirits sat at the highest level. Out of those twelve, the spirit that governed water, aptly referred to as the Spirit of Water, went to go visit her old friend. That old friend was also a member of those twelve spirits. As the Spirit of Wind, he was the most flighty, detached, and misanthropic spirit, who ironically enough was the same spirit that had allowed a human to name him.

For spirits, allowing someone to name them had extreme significance. Once a person gave a spirit a name to recognize their individuality, they had the ability to constrict and subjugate that individuality as well. It was different from the terms of a contract between spirit and human. With a contract, both were ultimately on even terms. If a spirit disliked the person they signed a contract with, then they could annul the contract at any time they desired, but subjugating a spirit by naming it lasted so long as the human contract-bearer lived.

That was why it wasn’t something just anyone could do. A person with strong mana could coerce lower-level spirits, but if they did the same to a supreme-level spirit, it meant certain death. Or rather, if a high-level spirit were to actually be coerced into subjugation, then other high-level spirits would supply backup and the subjugator would probably rue the day they ever tried.

The Spirit of Wind would not let anyone attempt to shackle him down. However, the fact that someone named him regardless basically meant that the same prideful and freedom-loving Spirit of Wind allowed someone to subjugate him. This was a shock, to say the very least.

Upon hearing this, the Spirit of Water went to go see the Spirit of Wind, curious as to whether a contract had actually been drawn. They wanted to see who the contract-bearer actually was, but two years had passed since the event and the person in question was absent. Since spirits didn’t have lifespans, their perception of time was extremely loose.

Details aside, the Spirit of Water was stunned when they went to visit the Spirit of Wind—stunned that this loner spirit had morphed into a brainlessly faithful pup.

“What kind of idiot are you? What did you think would happen if a wind spirit used a magic beast without any wind-type attributes?”

He actually wasn’t even able to use telepathic speech in that form. Spirits didn’t have to necessarily use that power and could mutually understand one another regardless, but it was only natural to be exasperated at the gigantic beast who was depressed from not being able to communicate with Ruri through telepathy.

As for why he ended up in that body, he apparently thought it would please Ruri if a big, strong presence was around to protect her from the Nadashian soldiers. But once he found out that Ruri liked cuddly and cute types more than strong and burly, he felt the despair come over him once again.

“Wind, if you’re that unhappy, then why not just change bodies already?”

“I am not Wind. I am Kotaro now. It’s the name Ruri gave to me. My own name now.”

From an outside perspective, it simply sounded as though he was making a bunch of wild “bmoos,” but he also seemed to be extremely happy at the same time. The usually standoffish Spirit of Wind was the happiest the Spirit of Water had ever seen him, which piqued her interest.

“Say, is a name really that great to have?”

“Yes. I never understood why Time and the other spirits who have names cherished their names so much, but now I see clearly. Ruri calling me by name makes me so happy.”

“Is that so?”

“If you want a name, just have her give you one. I’m sure you’ll like Ruri as well. Time made a contract with her and allows her to call her by name, after all.”

The one thing that name-bearing spirits had in common was that they all cherished their names. Allowing someone to refer to them by name was proof they liked the person they were speaking to.

“Wow, did she now? Still, color me surprised. If you fancy this person so much, I feel like you’d be telling me to stay away from them.”

“Ruri is all alone in this world. Even now, she is lonely, longing to see her family. I want Ruri to smile and be happy. So I’ll try anything I can to make sure she isn’t sad or lonely. You being with her, too, would stop her from feeling that way.”

Not even the Spirit of Water was partial to the idea of being subjugated, but judging from the immense joy and concern the Spirit of Wind showcased, the Spirit of Water thought it might not be a bad idea to let this person name her.

“You’re right. I’ll give her a visit. I might as well go with a body like you,” said the Spirit of Water.

The Spirit of Wind looked at them with a grimace.

“What’s wrong?”

“I want to go, too. But Ruri told me to stay with the old dragonkin lady,” said the Spirit of Wind, slumping his shoulders.

Seeing how dejected he was, the Spirit of Water couldn’t help but reflect on how completely different he was from before. “I don’t see why you couldn’t go if you just got the dragonkin’s permission. Since you’re incapable of telepathy right now, why don’t I go ask for you?”

The Spirit of Wind lifted his head up excitedly and wagged his scorpion-like tail in delight, mowing down the grasses and vegetation around him.

They both found Chelsie and proceeded to explain the situation to her. She seemed a little surprised to find out that Kotaro was actually a spirit in beast’s clothing, but she approved of him venturing away from the forest to join Ruri, nonetheless. Preferring to keep it a surprise, the Wind and Water Spirits told Chelsie not to inform Ruri of them coming.

The Spirit of Water headed off to Ruri, while the Spirit of Wind went off to the Nation of the Spirit King in search of a body that would be to Ruri’s liking.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Using information he gained from other spirits, Kotaro’s preliminary investigation was a success. There was a race in the royal capital of the Nation of the Spirit King that had the cute and cuddly features that Ruri enjoyed so much.

Behind the white-walled royal castle that towered on the surface of a lake, there was a deep forest called the “Sacred Domain.” In that forest, there was a certain creature which Kotaro had his eye on. It was called a “sacred beast,” a life-form with a divine status among the people of the Nation of the Spirit King. While it resembled a wolf, its physique was several times bigger than an average wolf. Its coat was smooth and fluffy, composed of white, shining fur that exuded a sublime aura worthy of its moniker as a sacred beast.

Kotaro smiled in satisfaction, thinking he would surely please Ruri, as he stared at some prime examples who gathered because they noticed something wrong. All of them had a strong sense for wind-based powers and were highly intelligent. Once they affirmed his presence, the pack of wolf-like animals prostrated themselves to show they meant him no hostility. Then, the most leader-like out of the group stepped forward.

Kotaro expressed his desire for a sacred beast for his new body, prompting the leader to suggest that Kotaro use the body of a member of their tribe that had passed away just the other day.

“Does it have beautiful fur?”

To Kotaro, the coat of fur was the most essential point. If it couldn’t fill that requirement, then it was worthless. In fact, Kotaro was ready to hunt the beasts before him if necessary, but the pack nodded their heads to his question.

There was apparently a member of their tribe who had been poisoned to death recently. By their account, the curious youngster lapped at poison in a moment of carelessness, and while it wasn’t the absolute best coat they had to offer, it was more than serviceable. It had a youthful luster, and since the young beast died from poison and nothing else, it remained in pristine condition. They then added a request—a request that Kotaro not set his sights on anyone else in their tribe in return.

Kotaro pondered on this. A beast with a better coat was more desirable in order to please Ruri. Plus, the younger, pre-adult body was much smaller than the other beasts, so it might appeal more to Ruri since she was a fan of cuter things. Coming to his conclusion, Kotaro accepted the pack’s proposal.

He walked to the temple built in the forest. There, atop its altar, was the body of a single white wolf. It was indeed much smaller than the other sacred beasts, but its body was so well preserved it almost looked as if it were still alive.

Kotaro shed himself of the huge body he had been using thus far and entered the body resting on the altar. Now emptied, the gigantic body collapsed in place with a heavy and loud thud. At the same time, the snow-white sacred beast that once rested lifelessly on the altar slowly started to rise.

Kotaro looked over his new body and expressed his joy by wagging his bushy tail. He still felt a bit stiff in this new form, but he was certain he would acclimate in no time. Since the sacred beast belonged to Kotaro’s attribute of wind, he was able to use the powers that he couldn’t handle in the body he formerly occupied.

His task accomplished, Kotaro was ecstatic. He could finally go see Ruri, who was currently living as a white cat, according to what he was told.

“I’ll match with Ruri’s white fur. Also, with how fluffy it is, it’s sure to please her.” Imagining Ruri giving him a great big hug, Kotaro howled in delight.

He started to descend the altar in order to make his way over to Ruri, but suddenly a surge of soldiers of the Nation of the Spirit King flooded the temple with weapons drawn.

“What is this magic beast doing here?!”

“Where did it come from?!”

The soldiers cautiously surrounded Kotaro’s former body lying motionless in the middle of the temple. One of the soldiers then poked it with a spear to see if it was alive or dead.

“Is it dead?”

“Seems so.”

All of the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. In the next moment, one soldier whose eyes drifted over to the altar looked as if he had seen a ghost.

Another soldier, noticing how strange his comrade was acting, called out to him. “Hey, what’s the matter?”

“L-Look at that...” the soldier stammered, pointing toward the altar.

As soon as the other soldiers simultaneously looked over in that direction, their faces took on a similar look of shock.

“Why is that sacred beast moving around?! It’s supposed to be dead!”

“Don’t tell me it was actually alive the entire time?!”

“That’s impossible. I’m positive it was confirmed dead.”

As he glanced at the soldiers, who all seemed to be confused over what was transpiring, Kotaro casually descended the altar.

“This body now belongs to me.”

Sacred beasts shouldn’t have been able to speak, so after hearing the beast make his proclamation, the soldiers’ caution shifted from the lifeless magic beast over to Kotaro.

“W-What is this thing? Is it not a magic beast...?” Their minds racked with fear of the unknown entity before them, they readied their weapons as a means to escape from the terror set in them.

Kotaro was in a good mood from gaining his new body and had no intention of fighting, but if he were to be attacked, he would have no other choice but to retaliate. He obtained this body to appease Ruri, which meant he would be crazy to let damage come to it. Kotaro had no intention of showing mercy if these soldiers attempted to harm his new acquisition.

Kotaro stood his ground and growled menacingly at them. “Move. I shall not let anyone get in my way.”

The situation was volatile, liable to explode at any moment, until suddenly...

“Stand down!” said a harsh voice, echoing throughout the area.

Hearing the voice that seemingly came out of nowhere, the soldiers all froze in place, but they kept their weapons still at the ready.

“Great Spirit of Trees...”

“Oh, it’s the Great Spirit of Trees.”

The harsh voice belonged to Kotaro’s brethren, a member of the twelve highest level spirits—the Spirit of Trees.

“That is my brethren. It seems he has come here to claim a sacred beast’s body. If you value your lives, then lower your weapons now.” Although its form remained invisible, its serene and majestic voice projected well across the interior.

The soldiers, startled and wide-eyed, quickly lowered their weapons.

With the hostility directed toward him gone, Kotaro also dropped his threatening posture.

“I swear, you’re such a fool. If you had just said something, you could have avoided all this commotion.”

“I see. Anyway, I’m in a hurry; I’m going to see Ruri.”

“You’re a hopeless case. Well, no matter. I know asking you for ‘consideration’ is asking for the impossible,” the Spirit of Trees said, their exasperated voice echoing. “It appears you’ve made a contract. I would have never imagined that you would allow anyone to give you a name. Bring her here next time.”

“I will. You should speak with Ruri.”

“Next time, make sure to say something in advance before you come barging in.” With those parting words, the voice of the Spirit of Trees disappeared.

Kotaro took a step forward. The soldiers all warily cleared a path for him. No longer paying them any mind, Kotaro slipped between the mob outside the temple and leisurely jumped into the sky with one destination in mind—Ruri’s side.