I entered the turret.
It was an achievement after a whole week, and it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.
“If the princess is loved by the spirits, then the spirits would naturally want to look good in front of her too.”
Of course, there’s more than one or two spirits lingering around the princess. And the princess can’t possibly share the same love with all of them.
Naturally, some spirits get closer while others get left out, and for those spirits, Kyle Galli, which the princess has recently become obsessed with, would be the best solution.
Teaching the Water Tiger and Wind Horse the rules of Kyle Galli and letting them play to gain experience might as well be considered bribery.
After all, the tiger and the wind horse started acting friendly toward me, so maybe they actually got closer to the princess.
Strangely enough, after becoming somewhat friendly with the spirits, I could somewhat understand what they were saying.
[Growl.]
“I know. I’ll only go up to the door.”
That growl doesn’t exactly sound like human speech, but I could roughly grasp what they were trying to say from the tone.
It probably sounds like perfect speech to the princess, though.
Thud. Thud.
With the tiger on my left and the wind horse on my right, the turret I was climbing was… eerily quiet in many ways.
Since there was no one else but the princess, the spacious area felt lonely despite its size.
[…………….]
[……………….]
[……….]
[…………….]
At the same time, the silence was also because those who filled the turret instead of people were keeping quiet.
In the corridors and staircases, spirits of various forms were holding their breath and staring at me.
Small rabbits, birds, squirrels, pigs, cows, sheep, lions, leopards, elephants, and even giraffes.
Spirits so big it’s a wonder how they could move around the turret, and spirits smaller than my feet—all of them.
All of them staring at me without moving a muscle.
Since they didn’t even make a sound, I couldn’t tell exactly what they were thinking.
…But at least it was clear that it wasn’t friendly.
How long did I walk under those gazes?
Soon, the tiger, the wind horse spirit, and I reached the top floor of the turret.
Unlike the other floors, which were divided into multiple rooms, the top floor had only one door.
A door larger, more antique, and more luxurious than any I’d seen before.
And from inside, voices could be heard.
──Hmm… I won again.
──Whoosh…
──This is my 56th win in a row. Hey, aren’t you guys just bad at this?
──Ding.
──Just kidding. So, yeah. Wanna play another round?
──Meow!
From beyond the door came the voice of a woman presumed to be the princess, along with the sounds of spirits trying to get closer to her.
As I quietly listened, the tiger spirit tapped me with its front paw.
[Growl.]
“Should I speak now? Hmm… I don’t know.”
[Click?]
“Well, it’s true that I came to talk. But still.”
I don’t want to interrupt while they’re playing a board game. That’s pretty rude.
How many times have I been in the middle of a game, only to have the momentum and fun cut off by someone barging in?
Especially since I need to make a good impression on the princess to even have a conversation. If I interrupt while she and the spirits are enjoying Kyle Galli, I might just end up being disliked.
‘That said… the princess’s voice did sound a bit subdued.’
Anyway, for those reasons, I decided to hold off on knocking or calling out to the princess from behind the door.
It wouldn’t be a long time anyway, and standing here doing nothing felt awkward.
“Wanna play a quick round of Kyle Galli?”
[……Growl!]
[Click!]
Yeah.
You guys are the best!
*
Leisha Everts.
The youngest of the Everts Duke’s House, a Spirit Master loved by spirits, a princess who never leaves the turret.
All of that refers to her, but Leisha didn’t care how or who called her.
After all, her life was only filled with spirits.
That’s why, a few years ago, she blocked anyone from entering the turret and kept only honest, straightforward spirits by her side, unlike humans.
But even so, there were times when she felt like this.
*Ding!*
“I… won again, huh!”
[Whoosh, whoosh!]
“Yeah, thanks…”
Unbearable boredom and monotony.
Of course, the spirits were kind and gentle, but that didn’t mean every day with them was always fun.
Just like how even loving couples hit a rut.
Just like how even the closest friends can feel awkward at times.
*’I’m bored.’*
Leisha occasionally fell into such thoughts. It was a thought she’d had countless times over the past few years, but she never left the turret.
Sure, she sometimes got bored with the spirits inside the turret, but other than that, it was truly enjoyable.
Because she hated even talking to people outside the turret.
Leisha had decided to live in this turret with the spirits. Even if she were to be exiled from the duchy, she could just build a cabin in the forest and live there.
Anyway, until a few days ago, Leisha had been feeling that boredom intensely. More intensely than anything she’d felt since entering the turret.
In the midst of that, her father had handed her something through a spirit: Kyle Galli and a piece of paper with its rules.
It was truly a rare gift from her father, which was also why Leisha hesitated about it.
But because she was so bored at the time, she tried playing it with the spirits once.
*’It was fun. Really, really fun.’*
It was more fun than Leisha had imagined. When she first played Kyle Galli, she spent the entire day doing nothing but that.
It wasn’t like there were no books or board games in the turret, but she had already read all the books, and the only board game was a 1v1 strategy game. There was no way she could properly play that with the spirits, and since Leisha’s skill level was quite high, it didn’t even serve as a distraction.
But Kyle Galli was different.
The rules were easy for the spirits to understand, the gameplay was simple, multiple people could play at once, and most importantly, it was genuinely fun.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she’d spent the entire past week playing Kyle Galli… but.
Leisha was starting to feel the limits of Kyle Galli too.
*’It’s boring because I keep winning.’*
She was on her 57th consecutive win. It wasn’t like she’d rung the bell 57 times in a row, but she’d met the victory condition of collecting all the cards 57 times in a row.
At this point, no matter how many more rounds she played, she’d just win anyway, so what was the fun in that? At first, she enjoyed the wins, but after a certain point, it just became less interesting.
Even now, she was playing Kyle Galli, but only because the spirits seemed to want to play, so she went along with it.
*Ding!*
“Yeah, I won again!”
*’I won again.’*
[Meow!]
[Woof woof!]
[Whoosh!]
[Ding!]
“Thanks, everyone. But… let’s take a break, okay? I’m going to lie down on the bed for a bit!”
[Ding?]
With that, Leisha put down her cards and lay down on the luxurious bed. Immediately, the spirits who had been playing Kyle Galli climbed onto the bed and snuggled up to her.
Leisha loved moments like these. Nap time with the spirits. It was always a healing time for her.
But.
──Grrr!
──Clack clack!
──Isn’t this cheating? Isn’t this proof that humans are superior to spirits? Hmph.
──Grrr!
──Hey, you should stop making new legs. Should I start calling you an octopus?
──Clack… clack!
──Right…
Well, it’s not wrong that you’re in third place, but you’re also last, right?
──Grr?
──Clack clack clack!!!
‘…What’s going on?’
I already knew someone had arrived outside the door. It was surprising enough that the Water Spirit and Wind Spirit, who were supposed to guard the tower’s entrance, let someone in, but the fact that they escorted them all the way to the top floor was even more shocking.
Thanks to the spirits whispering, I quickly found out that the person they brought was the creator of Kyle Galli.
That made it even more surprising. The spirits had never once disobeyed Leisha’s requests before.
Not that it mattered—I couldn’t lose in a fight anyway. By this point, even Leisha was getting curious.
Of course, it was just curiosity. There was no way someone from outside the tower would enter her room or talk to her. Even if they knocked or tried to speak through the door, she had already decided to ignore them.
They’d eventually leave, and she could ask the Water and Wind Spirits what had happened later.
‘Why is he sitting in front of the door playing Kyle Galli…?’
The creator of Kyle Galli didn’t knock or try to speak.
He just played Kyle Galli with the two spirits who had brought him.
At this point, it wasn’t just curiosity anymore. She felt a strong urge to see what was going on outside the door.
So, Leisha pretended to sleep, lying on her bed with her eyes closed.
And then, she focused her mind.
‘Synchronized.’
<Synchronization> is one of the ultimate techniques of Spirit Magic, achievable when the bond between a Spirit Master and their spirit reaches its peak.
For most Spirit Masters, it’s a last resort, something only possible with a spirit they’ve spent their entire life with.
But for Leisha, who was naturally loved by spirits, it was just a playful trick she could perform with any spirit.
The effect of synchronization is simple: becoming one with the spirit.
From this moment on, Leisha became one with the Water Spirit, which took the form of a tiger.
[……Grr!?]
“Huh? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”
[……Grr, grr.]
“Ah, if it’s because of bugs, there’s nothing we can do.”
With her eyes closed, her vision should have been pitch black, but now it shifted entirely. At the same time, the sensation of controlling her body felt completely different.
The Water Spirit was momentarily startled by the sudden synchronization, but realizing Leisha had entered, it obediently handed over control of its body to her.
And so, while still lying in her room, Leisha was able to step outside.
‘Let’s see.’
Raising her head to look around, she saw the Wind Spirit, who had realized Leisha had synchronized, and a strange man.
This person must be… the creator of Kyle Galli.
She already knew his name was Kyle Byron, since he named the game after himself. The spirits who roamed outside had told her that this man was in the Byron family’s carriage.
‘Kyle Byron.’
Leisha had one question about him.
What kind of person could make the spirits open their hearts to him? And to the point where they could understand his words?
To figure him out, Leisha turned her gaze to the Kyle Galli game spread out on the floor.
Somehow, it seemed like the two spirits had gotten much better at Kyle Galli. Was it because they’d been playing with Kyle Byron?
*Flip.*
Anyway, she flipped a card in turn. If she played a few rounds and won, maybe she could figure out what kind of person Kyle Byron was.
Even though it had been years since she last synchronized, and even though she was facing a human instead of a spirit, and even though she was playing a board game with him, Leisha couldn’t help but feel a bit bored.
After all, she was going to win.
Look, Leisha’s cards had five stars now.
[Clack… clack.]
While the Wind Spirit, who wasn’t as skilled as her, hesitated, she rang the bell──
Ding!
[……Grr?]
“Yay! What, tiger, were you spacing out? Why are you so slow?”
…
…Slow, you say? Me?
No, more importantly.
I… couldn’t press the bell?
“With this, I’ll turn the tables! I’ll win two in a row this time…!!”
It, it must be luck.
It’s just that I lost the bell once. Even when playing with the spirits, there were rare times when Leisha couldn’t press it.
Every time that happened, all the spirits’ gazes would turn to the one who pressed the bell. Probably cheering them on.
Anyway, the game isn’t over yet. Still—
Ding!
“This one’s mine too!”
Ne, next time—
Ding!
“What’s wrong with you two? The tiger suddenly got worse, and you, Wind Horse, are hesitating… Are you even trying to play? I’ll take this round.”
Ah, there are still cards left—
Ding!
“This is how it goes, right? Then I’ll neatly take the cards. At this rate, the tiger might end up in last place for the first time.”
Last place is absolutely not—
Ding!
“That’s it! My victory! Seems like this round was served to me, it’s too obvious. Want to go for another round? This time, let’s get serious?”
——I lost.
I gave it my all from the middle. I even borrowed the Water Spirit’s superior physical abilities.
I really did my best… but I still lost.
And to Kyle Byron, without winning a single card.
“………Ah.”
The sync broke. It seemed like the sync, which required calmness, was forcibly cut off due to the intense emotional turmoil.
Leisha, who woke up not at the door but on the bed, immediately got up.
[Ding?]
“Eek…!”
I lost? Me, who had a 57-win streak? Even if he’s the Creator, did I really lose so miserably?
What did he mean by suddenly getting worse? And what was that about being served?
And more than that.
‘I’m so pissed!!’
The expression, tone, and gestures Kyle Byron had when he won.
Even though it’s been just a few days since my last loss, every little thing about it is so infuriating.
Leisha, not caring about the people outside the tower, roughly ran out and slammed the door open.
Creak!
“You! Get inside right now!”
“………Princess Leisha?”
“That’s right! It’s the princess you were looking for, so whatever, just come in right now—”
“Then wait a little.”
“——Huh?”
“Aren’t we in the middle of a board game? It’s rude to interrupt other players. I’ll come in after this round… Ah, you tiger! You can’t flip the card when I’m not looking!”
[Grrr………]
[Click.]
“What? Then can I just go in now? I’m in first place right now? If this keeps up, you’ll be the defeated spirits who lost three times in a row to a regular person?”
[………Grrr!]
[Click!]
“Right, this is how my player should be! Anyway, please wait a little. I’ll definitely win three in a row and then come in…!!”
“…………….”
Leisha didn’t know.
But her expression now was exactly like her father’s when he watched Kyle playing board games.
Leisha, unable to say anything, just stood there dumbfounded, waiting……
