[Holy Spirit].
The origin of demons, angels, and spirits alike, and the first step toward the so-called [Divine Spirit], a state one can reach by forming a contract with a [Hero].
It was said that a [Hero]'s [Holy Spirit] could surpass the five great [Spirit King]s and stand on par with the light and darkness [High Spirit]s, and depending on the potential of the [Hero] who made the contract, it could grow without limit.
In fact, Chronoa's [Holy Spirit], hailed as the strongest [Hero], had accumulated experience through all her regressions and evolved from [Holy Spirit Armament] into the form of [Divine Spirit Armament]. And Granber's [Holy Spirit], known as the Hero of Light, possessed power greater than Hinata, who could rival Gazel through a contract with the earth [Spirit King].
"..."
'More of them gathered than I expected.'
That was why spirits, regardless of era or place, always answered the call of a [Hero] who could turn them into [Holy Spirit]s.
Just like now.
'Thankfully, it doesn't look like any [Spirit King]-class beings showed up... but among the [High Spirit]s, all seven attributes are here, including Shizu's Ifrit.'
Fire, water, earth, wind, space, and light and darkness.
Unlike the young [Lesser Spirit]s chattering away above the children's heads at Adelio, the six [High Spirit]s, who had appeared in forms resembling humans, were watching him with calmer expressions than he had expected.
Of course, the curiosity shining in their eyes was not all that different from the other spirits.
"W-what is this?! They never showed up when I called for them, so why are there this many when Rio calls?!"
At the moment when every spirit was waiting for Adelio to speak, Ramiris, who was sitting on top of his head, shouted out.
She might bear the name of the [Spirit Queen], but ever since her fall and transformation into a Pixie, she had never once seen so many spirits answer a summons like this.
"Hm? Ramiris?"
"Oh, you were here too?"
"What's this? The shut-in queen actually came out?"
A king of any race would normally be a figure who inspired awe from their own kind at all times, but spirits were the exception. They paid no heed to Ramiris's words at all and instead snapped at her as if asking why the owner of the house was even here.
"Y-you little...! This place is my house! I made it myself!"
Even though she knew perfectly well that the spirits were only teasing her, Ramiris still took the bait and flailed her tiny arms in outrage.
"Back when I was the [Spirit Queen], you couldn't even squeak in front of me, and now just because I've gotten a tiiiny bit weaker lately, you all think you can provoke me and pick fights and—"
As her wildly swinging arms kept bonking the top of Adelio's head, he gave a wry smile and cut her off.
"Calm down, Ramiris. You've just been hitting my head this whole time..."
It didn't hurt, but with her fists thumping against him on top of the constant chatter of the [Lesser Spirit]s around him, Adelio felt a dizziness that should have been impossible. Deciding he needed to send the spirits away quickly, he spoke again.
"...Whew. First, there's something I want to ask you spirits."
"Hm? What is it, what is it?"
"Ask us anything!"
"We can answer anything!"
The spirits replied with innocent, childlike voices, while the [High Spirit]s each nodded in agreement.
Adelio looked at them with calm eyes, then pointed to the children standing before him.
"..."
His young disciples, who had noticed the commotion around them at some point and were now staring at the countless spirits with wide, startled eyes.
And then—
"Most of you seem to have come here because you want to form a contract with me, but I'm sorry. I have no intention of contracting with you. Not yet."
—whether the spirits were shaken by his words or not, Adelio spoke plainly, without so much as twitching an eyebrow.
For an ordinary [Hero], forming a contract with a spirit was obviously beneficial, whether for power or for symbolism.
But at least for Adelio, that was not the case.
What he needed right now were spirits willing to contract with children who needed help.
That was the kind of spirit Adelio needed most.
"So let me ask you this."
He did not want spirits who were merely innocent and full of mischief.
If possible, he wanted those who could reach out on their own to someone in need—
"Do any of you intend to form contracts with these children?"
—because he wanted only spirits worthy of truly being called spirits to remain.
"......"
Only a few seconds passed after Adelio's words echoed through the [Dwelling of Spirits].
Yet in that brief instant, half of the spirits lost interest in what he had said and vanished in a flash.
It was only natural.
Most of the spirits gathered here had come in the hope that they themselves might contract with a [Hero] and be reborn as a [Holy Spirit].
If anything, the more surprising thing was that half of them were still here.
Especially considering that all six of the [High Spirit]s had remained.
'...Again, more stayed than I expected.'
He had originally expected only about thirty percent at most.
Seeing the unusually welcome result, Adelio let a faint smile curve across his lips and raised his gaze toward the [High Spirit]s, who still wore expressions of interest.
"If you're all still here, then I can assume that means you're willing to contract with these children, right?"
When Adelio asked, the darkness [High Spirit], stepping forward as the representative of the [High Spirit]s, gave a faint smile and nodded.
"You clearly said that you have no intention of contracting with spirits 'yet.' Which means that someday, like those who came before, you do still intend to form a contract with a spirit."
As expected of a [High Spirit].
The [High Spirit]s had easily seen through the card Adelio had prepared as his last resort, and had already grasped what benefit there was for them in contracting with the children now.
"When the day comes that you desire a contract with a spirit, you intend to grant priority to those of us who are contracted with these children. That was your aim, was it not?"
Unlike a demon's contract, a spirit contract could be dissolved easily with the agreement of both parties. So even if five out of the six contracted with the children, they could still leave enough room to contract with Adelio later through the one remaining slot.
"There is no span of time more familiar to us than waiting. This too should prove an entertaining game."
The [High Spirit]s, who had never intended to let a [Hero] who had appeared for the first time in centuries simply slip away, accepted Adelio's hand with playful smiles.
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