“Oh my oh dear! You formed a contract with a spirit who was contracted to the water miko that existed in ancient times? Wonderful! But where is this spirit? I would like to ask her about the past!!”
I return to Miss Lan with Freinet and Wea, and her eyes shine when I tell her about Wea.
Mister Nirushi on the other hand says ‘this time there was no problem because it’s not an evil being, but that could have been dangerous’.
He has a point.
Wea doesn’t have bad intentions and formed a contract with me, but it could’ve turned into a dangerous situation.
Now that I think about it, Freinet and Wea aren’t showing themselves to Miss Lan. I think Wea is taken aback by how excited she is.
“…Miss Lan, can you calm down a little? You’re startling Wea.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just so exciting that there is a living witness of ancient times… Hum, Miss Wea, I don’t mind if you don’t want to show yourself to me, but can you tell me what you know through Lerunda? I am very interested in the era when you lived with the water miko.”
Wea tells me she doesn’t mind if it’s through me.
I tell this to Miss Lan and she looks happy. Freinet and Wea can show themselves if they want, and even make it so other people can hear them, but they usually don’t.
“What was this used for…? Eh, really? In the past magic items were used even to draw water? I see I see.”
Miss Lan starts asking Wea questions that are on her mind.
“This whole area used to be lined up with stores in the past. I assume everything that remains were products sold there.”
Wea says the place where we’re walking right now was full of stores. We only have one in the village, so it feels weird to imagine that many.
“There were that many? I’ve never seen so many stores.”
“Really? I guess you have never lived in a city. When it was discovered that Stacey was a water miko, she became very important to the country, and moved to the royal capital…”
“Yes, I only know villages. I have no idea what it’s like to see so many stores.”
“I see… Then I’ll show you.”
“Eh?”
I respond, and Wea laughs.
I don’t understand what she means, but before I can ask, water starts flowing from Wea. I’m guessing it’s magic.
That water spreads in front of me, and on this big surface of water that’s floating in the air, a picture starts being drawn.
I see buildings, and people.
“Lerunda, this is in my memories. It’s the view of this area.”
“Wah… Incredible. You can show them to us like this?”
“Oh! Is Miss Wea doing this!? Wonderful! She can project her memories in this manner… That means my research will…”
“Miss Lan is off to her own world again… Still, water spirits can do this…”
I say with admiration, and Wea looks proud. Miss Lan is in her own world again, and Freinet sounds exasperated.
Mister Nirushi shakes his head as he watches us.
But now I know that a water spirit like Wea has different powers than a wind spirit like Freinet.
The buildings I see on the surface of the water all have letters on them. I can tell all stores sell their own things, like hats and clothes, vegetables, cups, and all sorts of other things. The one that sells hats has a drawing of a hat on it. So they use that sort of thing to tell what store sells what, not just words…
“Hum, Wea, can you show this to everyone in the village once we get back? It’ll be easier to understand if you show them what it was like, instead of just explaining it.”
“Fine, but what for?”
“We want our village to be bigger one day. No, we’ve decided we’re going to make it bigger. That’s why we want to know more about how people here lived.”
“Hm… That’s a funny thought. But it’s fine, we formed a contract and everything. If that’s what you want, I will help you. I like grander, and busier places, so I would also like your village to become more prosperous.”
She agrees with me.
I can’t wait to see a lot more of what she remembers and can show us.
After talking for a while, we return to our base here in the ruins.
We tell everyone about Wea, and she shows herself for a bit, so she can greet them.
—Girl and ruins – Part seven
(The miko is shown images of the past projected on water by the spirit contracted to her.)
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