This princess will not back down

chapter 3

In the grand halls of the guild, I presented the revered crystal, a relic brimming with ancient power, and received a reward that glittered even more brightly - 2000 gold coins, a generous bounty that hinted at the crystal's profound value.

As the guild's ambient chatter provided a backdrop, a voice cut through, familiar and intriguing. "Is the mission complete?" The question hung in the air like a mist, and I turned to find its source - the 4th son of the Duke, one of the enigmatic triplets. His presence in this distant guild raised questions, shrouded in the mystery of noble affairs far from the familiar dukedom.

Puzzlement etched my face as I observed him being escorted to the VIP room, a gesture signaling an important mission for S rank adventurers. The air crackled with curiosity and whispers as guild members exchanged glances, wondering about the noble's unexpected appearance.

The guild's ambiance faded behind me as I hurried home, driven by the anticipation of exploring the summoning skill.

Entering my room, I carefully traced the arcane lines of the magic circle with chalk, committing them to memory. The circle, intricate and vast, was crafted for spirits of middle to high rank.Chanting the spell, I dropped a few droplets of my blood onto the center of the circle. A mesmerizing blueish-white glow enveloped the room, a testament to the mana being drawn into the ritual.

Time, however, became a nebulous concept as the process extended far beyond the expected five minutes, stretching into an hour or two. Doubt crept in - had the summoning failed?

A sudden surge of wind echoed through my room, its force tangible. Was it a wind spirit responding to the incantation? The unexpected phenomenon heightened my anticipation, signaling the potential success of the summoning.

"About time you called!!" A voice resonated from a forming white figure. Soon, the ethereal manifestation transformed into a boy floating in mid-air. Staring at him in disbelief, I dared to ask, "Which rank do you belong to?"

"Rank?!! I'm the Spirit King," came the unexpected reply. The room's atmosphere shifted as I questioned the compatibility of a spirit king with the summoning circle intended for middle to high-ranked spirits.

"But this is a magic circle for middle ranked or high ranked spirits not spirit kings" I stated clearly.

"I felt compatible with you when I first saw you in that carriage..... So I had to barge in through the circle."

As the magical ambiance enveloped the room, the Spirit King's words resonated with an air of authority and assurance. "Oh and you don't have to speak to me politely as I'm going to choose you as my master." The unexpected revelation struck a chord, dispelling the need for formality or customary speech.

Caught off guard and seeking clarification, I stammered, "W-wai.......Wait..In the carriage?" The mundane setting of a carriage seemed an unlikely stage for such extraordinary occurrences, yet the Spirit King's affirmative response only deepened the enigma surrounding our connection.Amidst the confusion, I questioned the source of the mysterious whispering that had accompanied me during the carriage ride.

In response, the Spirit King urged, "Let's calm down...mhmmmm. yes it was me. I couldn't appear in front of a human like that. And it is not even possible to whisper to them. But since you are a special case....... I was able to."

The Spirit King, now under my command, inquired about our plans with keen interest. "So what are your plans?" he asked, his ethereal presence hanging in the room.

My response carried a calculated confidence, "If my calculations are correct, the floating island's next destination would be the port of Murraya. And that would be approximately 6 months from now. By that time, the entire port would be ready for battle. I'm going to seize that island before that happens."