I Became the Academy's Disabled Student-Chapter 256: Spirits and Fairies? (2)

The sandwiches were a bit too much for three regular people to finish, but in the cozy atmosphere, we managed to eat them all.

Not surprising, since the three of us—me and the other two—are all surprisingly big eaters.

Especially Professor Liana and Elia; they have to eat a lot to maintain their figures.

“Phew... that was delicious~ I’m so full!”

[I’m glad you enjoyed it.]

“Hehe, I’ll feed you a lot later too.”

[Yes.]

Thankfully, the response was positive.

Elia, patting her round belly with a mischievous grin, promised to repay me, while Professor Liana, next to her, continued munching on her sandwich with a slightly surprised expression.

“Hmhm, shall we start soon?”

After filling our stomachs well and digesting in the sunlight, the training began.

“...Your Majesty Iha-Yul, shall we take a nap before we begin?”

[What?]

It was at that exact moment, just before we were about to start, that I heard the unexpected remark.

I tilted my head in confusion, and Professor Liana, who was about to begin the lesson, stared at me with a peculiar gaze.

[What do you mean?]

“Well, you looked like you were really sleepy. You kept nodding off earlier... Since it’s not urgent, would you like to take a short nap?”

With that, Professor Liana subtly spread her arms, showing the gesture. I wasn’t foolish enough not to understand what she meant.

I shook my head, mixing hesitation and reluctance.

[No, it’s fine.]

“If you’re really sleepy, please tell me, okay?”

[No...]

My full stomach, the warm sunlight, and the gentle breeze—most of all, the presence of Professor Liana and Elia right next to me...

With all these elements around me, it was natural for drowsiness to set in.

However, I wasn’t so tired that I’d lose consciousness. I could pull an all-nighter for a week and still be fine.

...On the other hand, I can also sleep for a whole week if given the chance.

For that reason, my treatment was starting to feel quite strange. I couldn’t directly say I disliked it, but it did leave me feeling unsettled.

...

“Now, let’s go over the spirit ascension process again, as we’ve already covered it, but let’s review it once more.”

After a brief delay, Professor Liana’s explanation continued. Sitting on the stump, she looked down at Elia and me, who were seated on the grass, and began to speak.

“Over 90% of the spirits in this world are lower spirits.”

Spirits follow a classification system that is different from monsters.

There are three classifications: low, mid, and high. These categories aren’t something humans made up. In fact, spirits undergo changes in rank in these three stages.

“Typically, the spirits people are familiar with are lower spirits. They have colors matching their attributes and take the form of orbs of light. In fact, most lower spirits look similar. The only difference is their size and the intensity of their light.”

Professor Liana stretched out her arms. Her long, slender arms. Magic swirled around her left hand, and then a wind spirit popped out.

It was the same type of spirit I often describe as a glowing orb of light. The wind spirit had a pale green hue, in line with its attribute.

“In other words, there aren’t any clear distinctions between individuals. As you all know, having no individuality in this world isn’t exactly a good thing.”

Wheeeng...

She lifted her left hand, and with that, other lower wind spirits emerged, just as she described. Aside from their light intensity or size, there was no significant difference between them.

Individuality, uniqueness.

Having distinguishing features is highly beneficial in this world. When such features are pronounced, they can even function as a form of extraordinary ability.

“Lower spirits lack individuality and uniqueness. Because of that, their self-awareness is also extremely weak. They aren’t at the level of children; they’re more like instinctual beings driven solely by their elemental attributes.”

I nodded in agreement with that explanation.

In truth, typical lower spirits don’t convey any specific meaning. At best, they instinctively crave more of my magic and seem to enjoy the energy corresponding to their attributes.

“That’s the difference between lower and mid-tier spirits.”

Snap! Professor Liana snapped her fingers to lighten the mood, then shook her empty right hand.

“Once you reach mid-tier spirits, they begin to develop their own individuality and characteristics. Their forms change, and they develop self-awareness, which leads to having personalities and preferences.”

She gathered magic in her right hand, continuing the same flow as before.

Whoooosh! The wind swirled and stirred her hair. Immediately after, the wind gathered at a single point, forming a shape.

Peep!

A sharp beak, claws, and long wings—this was a bird made entirely of wind, sitting on Professor Liana’s forearm.

[Ah, that’s the one from before.]

It was a spirit I had encountered before. I had met it when Professor Liana was transporting me from China.

Peep!

[Ah, it tickles... Hehe.]

The spirit seemed to recognize me too, letting out a clear sound and flying toward me. It rubbed its head against my cheek, and I gently stroked it.

More spirits appeared around Professor Liana, some taking the form of colorful creatures, while others had strange, fantastical appearances reminiscent of fantasy games.

I noticed that many of the spirits were approaching me instead of their owner, and Professor Liana gave me a curious look.

“...The reason why lower spirits make up such a large percentage of spirits is because of the rarity of humans who awaken as superhumans, and even rarer are the superhumans who awaken unique abilities.”

Just as humans awaken magic and unique abilities...

Spirits also go through a similar process where they evolve from being basic magic clusters into mid-tier spirits with individual traits.

“Only about 10% of spirits evolve naturally on their own into mid-tier. Now, here’s the question! What’s the reason for this?”

“It’s because of the shared vision they receive from their contractor. It’s hard to grow alone in nature, but when they’re with a contractor, they can gain diverse experiences much more quickly.”

“Oh, looks like you did your homework. Elia, it’s not your time yet, but this will be useful later, so pay attention! As a reward, here’s a candy!”

“Ah, thank you.”

The answer came from Elia. Professor Liana, smiling brightly, handed her a piece of candy.

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“Unlike some kings, who haven’t eaten their royal candy for over half a year!”

[That’s...!]

“Hahaha, just kidding~”

I almost choked on the sudden attack. Professor Liana, laughing, patted my head.

“Ahem, that’s enough joking. Elia’s answer is exactly what Iha-Yul should be doing now.”

Her finger that had been on my head pressed my cheek.

“Although you’ve already shared experiences with your spirits through contracts, from now on, you’ll need to make a more direct connection and transmission. This is what we call ‘spirit ascension’ among spirit magicians.”

Spirit ascension. It’s a known process from the original story. While there wasn’t an established path for traditional spirit magicians, there were cycles involving the use of spirits.

“Before we continue, let me ask a quick question. How many spirits have you contracted so far?”

[Well... 711 now.]

“Wow... 700 in just half a year? And ascension already... that’s really fast. Didn’t you bring about 100 back from this dungeon?”

[Yes.]

“So, about 600 are eligible for ascension... Normally, a spirit magician does about 10 a day, but...”

Professor Liana, who had been gently rubbing my cheek, smiled.

“Based on my judgment, I think His Majesty Iha-Yul could probably do it all today. Honestly, it’s fine even if it’s not complete. We don’t have to rush today. Let’s take our time and do what we can.”

[Yes!]

The explanation ended. I gently rubbed my cheek where her hand had been, and without hesitation, I began the ascension.

Whoosh...!

The red flame spirit I had contracted flared up in my hands.

It knew what was happening, so it was filled with anticipation, swirling around in the flame.

“Ascension procedures aren’t that complicated. You just manipulate your magic to connect with the spirit. You use your magic as the power needed for ascension and immerse the spirit in your essence through your magic.”

Professor Liana, sitting next to me, added further explanation.

“It’s also similar to making an additional contract. A contract with a lower spirit was just a simple sign, but for a mid-tier spirit, it’s more like embedding your magic deeply and leaving a mark.”

Elia was next to me as well.

Professor Liana was here to guide me and ensure everything went smoothly, while Elia was observing this process in preparation for her own ascension later.

‘Hoo...’

Taking a deep breath while listening to Professor Liana’s explanation, I focused on manipulating my magic.

‘Hmm...’

The flame spirit, burning brightly in anticipation, could be felt as it grew eager for the connection.

Observing the connection was like seeing information being accumulated and refreshed.

At this moment, I could clearly feel the warmth in my hands and the magic flowing through them.

The magic of the spirit, its laws, its individuality, and the connection between us were all tangible, even without my observing powers.

I released the magic contained in the core. The magic coursed through the circuit and arrived in my hands. I adjusted it like a wire, embedding it into the spirit that was in my palm.

Whoooom!

In an instant, the red spirit turned pale white. The flame surged, engulfing my wrist for a moment, before contracting back to its original size.

It was a strange feeling. Although the contract had already been made, it felt like it had deepened further.

Gulp... Gulp...

Now, there were two connected lines between me and the spirit.

The strange sensation from the already established connection... It felt like the experience and essence were being shared.

And from the second line where I had just inserted the magic, it felt like the spirit was sucking the energy out of me, much like sipping a drink through a straw.

One line infused the spirit with my essence, and the other replenished the energy needed for the ascension.

‘...It’s taking a lot of magic.’

But the spirit was taking more energy than expected. I hadn’t felt a shortage of magic until now, but the amount the spirit was absorbing was quite large.

Of course, I wasn’t at a dangerous level yet. But it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to repeat this process hundreds of times without running out of energy.

I’d likely need to start absorbing magic from the outside once we get to the middle stage.

Even while I was thinking this, the magic continued to be drawn from me. The spirit, now fully nourished, gave off a strong thud, signaling its transformation.

It felt like a heartbeat, pulsing with regularity. As it beat, I sensed the spirit changing its form, influenced by my magic.

Hah... Hah...

[Hm?]

I wasn’t sure how much longer the spirit would continue absorbing energy, but at some point, the spirit that had been in my hand disappeared.

No, that’s wrong. To be precise, it had grown too large to stay in my hands and was now wriggling in my arms.

The spirit had transformed into a dog-like form with bright, fiery fur, short legs, sparkling red eyes, and a tongue hanging out, panting.

Its tail wagged energetically.

Woof!I’m hungry...!

[Is it a puppy?]

“Is it a puppy?”

“It really is a puppy?”

The spirit’s new form was a dog. Its size was quite big, smaller than me, but big enough to cuddle in my arms.

As it barked, surprisingly, the meaning was transmitted directly into my mind. It wasn’t me interpreting it on my own; it was a direct message.

‘...Is this really the first thing you say, asking for food?’

I thought to myself, feeling a bit frustrated. But then again, it was a puppy-like spirit, so I couldn’t expect much more from it...

“Wow, a fire dog! It’s so cute!”

[Jealous]

[Really?]

“...Ah? Actually, it’s kind of less cute now, isn’t it?”

With that thought, Elia, who was next to me, smirked and gently pressed my cheek.

“Ascension happened incredibly fast. What, three minutes? Normally, it’d take at least ten minutes... But, I guess if you’re talented, that’s how it works.”

Meanwhile, Professor Liana, who had tilted her head in confusion, soon accepted the situation and looked me over.

“How do you feel? Any headaches, chest tightness...?”

Well, I felt fine.

The puppy spirit was pestering me about food, and for a moment, I examined myself.

[Yes, I’m fine. I can continue right away.]

“If anything feels off, you must tell me right away! Understood?”

[Yes.]

There’s no issue. The amount used wasn’t too much, and I could recover quickly.

I shrugged, patting the puppy spirit’s head, which had calmed down after eating the enchanted fruit. It looked up at me and began nuzzling my neck.

I wondered what kind of form and personality the next spirit would take.

My heart fluttered in anticipation.

...

Since then, I continued to ascend spirits without stopping.

The magic, the heart, my body—there was no reason to stop, as I had plenty of energy.

Things proceeded smoothly, and I was able to ascend several lower spirits to mid-tier without any problems.

...However...

“Another puppy?”

“Yeah, another puppy?”

Woof...

Contrary to Professor Liana’s explanation that spirits would develop their individuality, many of the spirits that became mid-tier took on dog-like forms.

The puppy-shaped water spirit in my arms, and the other dog-like spirits scattered around, all had their unique personalities.

Yet, they were all similar in form.

As I tried to hide my awkwardness, strange looks were directed at me.

“...Spirits share their essence with their contractors during ascension. They inevitably end up influenced by their contractors.”

“Ah, now I get it.”

[What do you mean, "get it"?]

What does being linked with a puppy even mean...

Despite my protests, Professor Liana and Elia’s strange stares didn’t change.

It was frustrating.

[Player Adjustment System: Measurement] ▶Title

"Dog"