# Chapter 156
—
Arthur’s mouth fell open.
“…Gnome?”
The two spirits who had not shown themselves ever since he was freed from the White Beard’s curse.
One of them, the higher earth spirit Gnome, was standing before his very eyes.
When Arthur let out an exclamation of surprise, Gnome hastily cried out.
**S-Spare me, Arthur! I don’t want to die, please!**
“……”
Arthur closed his mouth and muttered inwardly.
‘What is this…? Why is Gnome suddenly here?’
From the moment he was freed of White Beard’s curse, he had been summoning his spirits constantly.
Yet for some reason, neither Gnome nor Undine had appeared.
Arthur had assumed it was because of Jeannie. Thanks to her special bloodline she could handle spirits, so he thought the problem must have been on that end.
But his guess had been wrong.
When he reunited with her, she still boasted a strong bond with her partner, Sylph.
That had left him puzzled again, but with events erupting one after another, Arthur had pushed aside the matter of the spirits.
And now, right after Willet breathed his last, Gnome had suddenly appeared.
As Arthur stroked his chin in this wholly unexpected situation, Gnome timidly raised his head and pleaded.
**Arthur… Arthur… please spare me. I don’t want to die yet….***
Arthur blinked.
“Uh… Gnome? Why would I kill you?”
At his question, Gnome hiccupped as he answered.
**Y-You suddenly swung your sword at me!**
“That’s because you suddenly appeared out of nowhere.”
**……**
“Think about it. In the middle of the night, if the bushes suddenly shake, who wouldn’t draw their sword?”
Gnome’s eyes widened.
‘Oh… come to think of it, that’s true?’
Arthur was right. Anyone would have reacted sensitively if the bushes had rustled in the dead of night.
The only reason Gnome hadn’t considered that simple common sense was because of Arthur Bayern’s past displays of madness.
‘He’s always hacking at people, cutting them down at the drop of a hat!’
But this time it had indeed been Gnome’s mistake, leaving him with nothing to say.
Awkward, he scratched his head.
**…….**
“……”
An uncomfortable silence fell between them as Arthur and Gnome stared at each other.
After a long moment, Arthur’s lips curved upward.
“Gnome.”
**…Eh?**
“It’s so good to see you again.”
Gnome’s eyes went wide.
‘Wh-What?’
For Arthur Bayern to say something so gentle?
Though flustered, Gnome calmly answered.
**Uh… me too, Arthur.**
“That’s a relief. Now, explain something to me.”
**Explain what?*”
“Why haven’t you shown up all this time? Was there a problem with the contract?”
At this, Gnome’s eyes glinted.
**I should be the one asking you, Arthur. Where on earth have you been?**
And he began to explain.
It was seven years ago.
That day of battle with the monstrous black magician.
The fierce clash with White Beard had not been Arthur’s alone.
Gnome and Undine had also fought against the monsters White Beard summoned.
**Then suddenly, a meteorite fell!**
At that instant, both Gnome and Undine were forcefully recalled to the Spirit Realm.
They had sustained damage beyond their limits, and so were dragged back.
**In Spirit Realm time, that was thirty years. In human time, almost a year I couldn’t move at all….**
And when they finally awoke again, Arthur’s presence could no longer be felt.
**So… I thought you were dead, Arthur. But strangely, the contract itself was still intact.**
So Gnome had done what he could, traveling across the continent to find him.
But nowhere could he find any trace of Arthur Bayern.
So he had returned to the Spirit Realm—only to suddenly sense Arthur’s presence again.
**At first I couldn’t believe it… It had been nearly seven years in human time since I last felt your presence.**
Gnome shuddered.
**I thought it was that evil black magician. He can even meddle with spirit contracts. I thought the one who killed you was trying to get at me next.**
That was why, when Arthur had tried to summon him at Jeannie’s mafia hideout, Gnome had not answered.
He needed to confirm whether it was truly Arthur Bayern before showing himself.
With his story finished, Arthur let out a sigh of amazement.
“Gnome, you’ve… been through a lot too.”
**…That’s right. I’ve been through plenty.**
At that, Arthur slowly stepped closer.
Startled, Gnome instinctively stepped back—until Arthur bent down.
And gently patted Gnome’s head.
Caught off guard by the sudden gesture, Gnome’s mouth opened, and an unexpected voice came out.
“I’m sorry, Gnome.”
**…!**
“Did you wait long? I had my own circumstances… but this time, I truly want to apologize.”
Gnome blinked, then lowered his head.
**…Not that long.*”
“Oh really?”
**Still… I really missed you, Arthur.**
Arthur smiled broadly.
And suddenly, he thought of another spirit who had always stood by him with Gnome.
“…!”
His eyes widened.
‘If my contract with Gnome is fine… then chances are my contract with Undine is intact too.’
And Undine’s ability was regeneration.
‘Water spirits… they’ve always been the greatest healers.’
Her power was known to rival that of high priests, sometimes even surpassing the Pope’s healing under special circumstances.
Arthur’s heart raced.
‘If Lord Willet is still alive, and my contract with Undine isn’t broken… there may still be a chance.’
Eyes shining, Arthur hurried to Willet.
He placed a finger under his nose to feel for breath.
“……”
It was difficult to tell whether he was breathing.
Arthur frowned—when suddenly, Gnome, who had approached unnoticed, offered advice.
**Arthur. This man is still alive.**
“…!”
Startled, Arthur asked, “How do you know that, Gnome?”
**Because his life force hasn’t ended. Faint, but it’s there.**
Arthur’s heart thundered, his face flushing with excitement.
Gnome nodded.
**There’s still a chance, Arthur.*”
Arthur clenched his fists.
—
—
Following Gnome’s counsel, Arthur headed toward Lake Eldium.
**Undine’s contract should be intact like mine. If she isn’t answering summons, there are two main possibilities.**
Arthur tilted his head. “And those are?”
**First, that something’s wrong with your qualifications as a contractor.**
“Hm… but that doesn’t seem to be the case, does it?”
**Right. Since our contract is fine, your qualifications aren’t the problem.**
**Which leaves the second possibility—something happened to Undine herself. But… I don’t know what that might be.**
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“You don’t know? You mean you haven’t seen Undine either?”
**No. From the moment your contract was cut off, I haven’t seen her.**
Arthur’s expression hardened.
‘Could it be the aftermath of that meteor strike?’
If anything had gone wrong, that would be the likeliest cause. The magic White Beard wielded had been apocalyptic.
But Gnome reassured him.
**Don’t worry too much, Arthur! Spirits can’t die.**
Arthur turned to him. “Right? There won’t be anything wrong, will there?”
**Of course! It might not even be her—it could just be the contract itself that’s unstable!**
Arthur nodded.
By now, they had reached Lake Eldium. A cool breeze blew across the water.
He set Willet down and turned his head.
Before him spread the vast, shimmering lake.
“……”
Bathed in moonlight, it was breathtakingly beautiful.
Arthur stepped forward and dipped his hand into the water.
Cold ripples brushed against his fingertips.
Gnome spoke.
**Arthur. Call for Undine.**
Arthur focused.
‘…Undine.’
In that moment, Jeannie’s bloodline within him stirred violently.
Whoosh—!
But that was all—no further response.
Opening his eyes, he saw Gnome stroking his chin.
**Strange. The contract is still connected.**
Arthur nodded. The reaction of Jeannie’s bloodline proved the contract was alive.
‘So maybe it isn’t that she won’t appear… but that she can’t.’
For some reason, something was preventing her from coming forth.
Arthur rose to his feet.
“Gnome. The closer you are to nature, the easier it is to connect with spirits, right?”
Gnome nodded.
**That’s right. Becoming one with nature—that’s the first condition for a contractor.**
Arthur stripped off his upper garments.
\[A-Arthur!?]
Gnome cried out in alarm, but it was too late.
Arthur Bayern was already swimming toward the center of the lake.
“…Hoo.”
Once submerged, Arthur exhaled and focused, drawing up Jeannie’s bloodline.
‘Undine.’
The bloodline surged even more fiercely than before.
Arthur’s lips curled.
‘As I thought. It’s not that she won’t come—it’s that she can’t.’
Unlike with Gnome, Undine had yet to manifest at all in this world.
Certain now, Arthur took a deep breath and dove.
Splash—!
He swam down into the dark, icy depths, shivering as the cold pierced him.
But he steadied himself, invoking the bloodline again.
‘Undine.’
The blood boiled within him, stronger and clearer than before.
Arthur grinned.
‘The deeper I go, the stronger the response.’
So he dived deeper still.
The further he descended, the more fiercely the bloodline surged.
‘Undine, please come out. I need your power.’
A tingling electric sensation raced across his body, and he felt a barrier begin to weaken.
Arthur pressed on, whispering to her again.
‘It’s just like when we first met. Someone precious to me is in danger.’
Deeper and deeper he went.
‘With your power, Undine, maybe we can save him. So please… appear before me.’
The deeper he swam, the hotter his body burned, pain lancing through him.
But he ignored it, for the pain meant the wall between them was breaking.
He swam desperately, calling Undine’s name—
Suddenly, something surged up his throat.
…!?
Startled, Arthur opened his mouth. Black blood spilled out.
‘Undine’s name… and I spat blood?’
What did it mean?
Was Undine rejecting him?
He shook his head.
‘No… this isn’t rejection.’
It was backlash from forcing his way through the barrier.
Arthur’s eyes glinted.
‘So summoning Undine now… comes with a price.’
He gave a faint, wry smile.
Whatever that price was, he was ready to pay it.
He awakened Jeannie’s bloodline to its fullest.
Whoooosh—!
A massive whirlpool engulfed him.
Pain tore at his body as though it would be ripped apart.
If not for his vampire lord and troll bloodlines, he might already have been destroyed.
Still, through the agony, Arthur’s eyes burned.
‘Undine. My body can be torn to shreds for all I care.’
He sank to the lakebed.
‘Just… appear before me. Save the one I treasure.’
Again, black blood spewed from his mouth.
The pain choked his breath, nearly making him faint—when his hand brushed something.
He turned his head—and saw bones lying on the lakebed.
“…?”
He blinked, realization dawning.
‘Oh… the mercenaries Lord Willet spoke of?’
It must be them. These remains could hardly belong to anyone else.
Then one of the skeleton’s hands moved.
“…!”
Arthur blinked, but the hand had stilled again.
‘Hallucination? From the bubbles?’
As he wondered, a strange voice resounded in his mind.
**Tell Lord Willet… it’s not time yet.**
Arthur’s eyes flew wide.
At that moment, the whirlpool yanked him upward.
“…!”
The force was irresistible.
The lake erupted like a storm, massive waves surging.
\[W-What!?]
Gnome, startled, grabbed Willet and retreated.
A towering water column shot skyward.
Gnome gaped.
The column became a colossal gate.
\[…Huh?]
As he stared in shock, Arthur burst from the water, coughing blood.
“…Kugh.”
Black clots splattered across his chest.
Reeling with dizziness, he barely held on.
‘One slip and I’ll lose consciousness.’
He clenched his teeth and scorched his own body with Julie’s lightning bloodline.
Crackle—!
The searing current dulled the pain, anchoring his mind.
Panting, Arthur turned his eyes to the vast gate above the lake.
Thump, thump—!
With its appearance, Jeannie’s bloodline roared to life.
Arthur’s heart pounded as he whispered, “…Undine?”
The enormous gate opened.
Shhhhhh—!
A refreshing, pure energy flooded the lake.
Gnome trembled.
**That… can it be….**
Such a gate appeared in only one case: when summoning a Great Spirit.
He instinctively prostrated himself.
Light blazed—
And from within the azure realm, a woman stepped forth.
From her eyes to her hair to her very toes, she was blue.
She surveyed the area briefly, then saw the man collapsed upon the water.
Her face tightened, and she walked toward him.
As she moved, drops of starry water fell beneath her feet with a chime.
Arthur weakly turned his head, gazing at her.
Her features had changed in many ways, yet traces he knew remained.
His lips curved faintly.
“…Undine.”
At last, the woman spoke.
**…Arthur.**
“What took you… so long?”
She smiled, but tears streamed down her face.
**What about you… where have you been?**
“I don’t really know myself.”
She lowered her head, her icy touch brushing his cheek.
Pain vanished from his body.
Arthur gasped, and she whispered.
**There’s much I wish to say… but no time, Arthur.**
Her voice was urgent.
*”Our meeting is brief. So tell me.**
Her blue eyes shone.
**What do you desire, my contractor?**
Arthur hesitated.
The dizziness pounding in his skull told him his own state was dire.
He had little time too.
So he answered.
“Save Lord Willet, Undine.”
Her lips curved.
**As you wish, Arthur. But… you have my name wrong.**
“…What do you mean? Undine?”
**A spirit’s name is its power. Call me by my true name.**
Waves burst from her body, overwhelming.
Arthur’s eyes widened as she whispered.
**My name now is Elquines—the sovereign of all waters.**
The world flipped.
Her voice rang in his fading mind.
**Speak my name, Arthur. That is the price for my power.**
On the brink of losing consciousness, he forced out the word.
“Elquines.”
She smiled brightly.
“Save Lord Willet.”
With that, Arthur collapsed.
Elquines cradled him gently, smiling.
**As you command, my contractor.**
And in that instant, a miracle began.
—
Woooow