Knowing Your Place

* * *

<<<HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT!!!>>>

The more Falweasel struggled to escape, the more the net of flames clung to him, inflicting the torment of scorching heat!

Luctoria's magical flames used Falweasel's magical power as fuel, and continued to burn fiercely.

Probably, when these flames are extinguished... it will be when his magical power is completely consumed.

It will be when the life of Falweasel, a magical lifeform whose body is composed of magical power, is extinguished!

<<<Help... Help me, SOMEONE!!!>>>

Falweasel desperately called for help.

But his voice only echoed vainly through the night forest.

His comrades, who might have helped him, whose foolishness he always scoffed at... have all been killed or eaten by that terrifying human!

<<<Ah!! Ahhh!! Useless!! Trash!! Idiot!! Scum!! Aaaaaaah!!>>>

Realizing that, Falweasel wailed... and cursed the powerlessness of his comrades.

And.

<<<Hey... Hey! Help me! Aaaaaaah...>>>

He switched the object of his plea.

To the girl in front of him, the Mad Dog Princess Luctoria, who was trying to burn him to death!

<<<Hot... It hurts, Luctoria... Help me, help me...>>>

Falweasel, while being tormented by the magical flames, begged for his life, crying with the most adorable voice he could muster, "nnneeeeh nnneeeeh"!

<<<Oh, th-that's right... a contract, a contract! If you help me, I'll become your contracted spirit, Luctoria! I'm useful, you know!? My wind, and your specialty, fire magic! We're a perfect match, aren't we!?>>>

No matter how many words he piled on, Luctoria's gaze remained cold...

However, Falweasel did not give up!

<<<I've... I've made contracts with many humans before! It's true! And I've made many humans happy! I'll definitely... definitely make you happy too, Luctoria!>>>

Falweasel believes in it!

His own brain!

And his own power of words!

His own... value!

<<<Please, Luctoria! Help me! I'm going to die if this continues! That would be a loss for the world, you know!?>>>

"............"

Was it because she felt pity for Falweasel's state?

The intensity of the flames tormenting him weakened a little.

This is a chance!

Convinced of that, Falweasel, while enduring the heat, rattled off at once!

<<<Hey Luctoria, let's make a contract!? Because now is the chance, you know!? Right now, the spirits of this forest are, well, for some reason, gone, and if this continues, I can become a great spirit even if I'm left alone! Isn't that amazing!? If you become the contractor of such a spirit... with my backing, you can return to the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom! You like politics, don't you!? This time, no one will get in your way! You can remake the country as you please! You won't let even the royal family interfere! What do you think, Luctoria, let's build a win-win relationship!!>>>

...A long, long plea for life from Falweasel.

Luctoria had been staring at it with unreadable eyes, but.

"...A spirit contract, is it?"

Finally, although in a tone like she was talking to herself, she spoke.

<<<Yes! That's right, a spirit contract, Luctoria! A contract, let's make a contract with me! My body is about to burn out, hurry, hurry up, aaaaaah!>>>

Seeing that as an opportunity, Falweasel continued to rattle off without a breath, and pressed for the contract.

His limit was approaching.

Most of his magical power had been consumed by the flames, and it was about to run out.

"...If you wish to form a contract, mutual understanding is necessary, isn't it? Do you know what I dislike?"

Whether she noticed Falweasel's limit or not, Luctoria, still in her prisoner's uniform, deliberately spoke in a slow, graceful, and elegant manner befitting a young lady, with an unreadable smile, and asked Falweasel.

<<<I, I don't know, aaaaah, p-please tell me, please...>>>

Don't be pretentious, hurry up, you idiot, I'll kill you!!

This was Falweasel's true feeling.

However, he had no choice but to go along with this conversation.

Because getting into Luctoria's good graces was the only way left for him to survive.

"The things I dislike... first and foremost are harmful trash that are only good at demeaning people."

<<<Luctoria, you were tormented by the incompetent nobles in the country, weren't you, of course you'd think so! Ah, it's hot...>>>

"Secondly, are annoying scum who are full of baseless confidence."

<<<E-Everyone hates that, don't they! I hate it too! Hey, Luctoria, that's enough, isn't it, hurry up and make the contract...>>>

"Thirdly... are the scum species called spirits, who act like they are superior beings to humans."

<<<That's right, that's right, spirits are... huh!?>>>

"In other words, it's all about you! Get the hint, you damn moron!!!"

<<<GIKEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?>>>

The next moment!

The flames that enveloped Falweasel's entire body began to burn with even greater intensity!

Due to the excessive heat, and the fatigue from the mana absorption, Falweasel could no longer even struggle!

He could only prostrate himself on the ground and scream miserably!

<<<Hot, hot, hot! Why, why, aaaaah, why would you do this!? I see, I see, Mad Dog Princess, you are hopelessly stupid, aren't you!? To try to destroy someone as competent and wise as me, I see, you are an evil demon! Ah, what should I do, if this continues, I see, it's a crisis, a world crisis! Because you're a demon, by destroying me, who has the makings of a future Spirit King, you're trying to cause a loss to the world, aren't you!?>>>

"Shut your incessant rambling!!!"

To that scream, Luctoria interrupted and shouted back with an even louder voice!

"If you're such a great being, then pray to the god you believe in! I'm sure they won't abandon a competent you, and will surely help you! Huh!? Hurry up and do it, you idiot!!"

Falweasel heard those words and was startled.

That's right, that's certainly true.

In this world, there is no end to the examples of gods loving and protecting the beings they favor.

It's a common thing.

In other words, a being of his stature would surely be helped by a god!

Why didn't he realize that possibility!

And Luctoria, in front of him, is, after all, a foolish lower creature!

She has given Falweasel the hand to turn the tables on her own!

Falweasel, while being burned by the scorching flames, smiled smugly, and towards the god he believed in, he shouted!

<<<Spirit God Pirisuyu-sama! Your competent, wise, and pious follower is about to die, due to the dirty, malicious, and cowardly trap of a foolish lower creature! That would be a great loss for you too, wouldn't it!? HELP MEEEEEE!!!>>>

Then, what happened!

The moment Falweasel's precious and sincere prayer ended!

...Nothing in particular happened!!

The flames that tormented Falweasel did not go out, and no divine punishment fell upon Luctoria!

Nothing, at all, happened!

<<<Wh-Why...?>>>

"Because you're not a big deal, not as wise as you say, and a completely insignificant existence, you moron."

In the dire situation of being seconds away from death, finally.

Luctoria's words pierced Falweasel's heart.

The words that he would usually ignore and dismiss, the words that denied his own specialness.

However, at this point, he had no choice but to admit it.

Falweasel is not special.

Surely, as Luctoria says, he is not that wise.

He is not loved by the gods either.

That Falweasel is just a weasel medium spirit.

<<<I... I...>>>

Falweasel was frustrated.

He was truly frustrated that he was an insignificant existence.

So frustrated and frustrated, he shed large tears.

They were immediately evaporated by the flames that burned him, and disappeared, and were gone.

<<<The one who says 'moron' is the moron...>>>

That's why Falweasel relied on the power of words.

Somehow maintaining his hazy consciousness, desperately trying to say at least one sarcastic remark to Luctoria.

As a result, words that were about the level of a child's insult were produced.

Luctoria heard those words.

Hmph, she scoffed.

"...I know, you moron."

Smiling sarcastically... she succinctly replied.

Falweasel, who was no longer in a state to think logically, did not know the reason, but.

In any case, filled with a hopeless sense of defeat—

He burned out and died.