Saito asked. “What is it?”
And Montmorency answered, “Strange.”
“What's strange?”
“The water level has risen. Ragdorian's shore should be further down.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Look over there. That is a rooftop sticking out. It seems that the village has been flooded.”
Following Montmorency's gaze, they could indeed see the roof. Saito could even recognize the dark shadow of a sunken house in the clear water.
Montmorency walked up to the shore, dipped her finger into the water and closed her eyes. After a while she stood back up with a worried expression on her face.
“It seems as if the Water Spirit is angry.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I am a Water-element user, Montmorency the Fragrant. The Tristain Royal family is connected with the Water Spirit of Ragdorian lake by an old oath. The Montmorency ‘Water’ family has been negotiating with it for many generations.”
“And now?”
“And now, for many reasons, other nobles are doing it as well.”
“Then, have you seen the Water Spirit?”
“Only once when I was young. When we needed to create a drainage for the territory, my family sought the Water Spirit's cooperation. A big glass container was made to transport it. However, because the Water Spirit has a lot of pride, it can be extremely aggressive. In fact, it is because of it's aggressiveness that my family's drainage scheme failed. My father said to the Water Spirit ‘ Don't walk. The floor will get wet’…”
“What does the Water Spirit look like?”
Saito asked while showing curiosity.
“I have never actually seen it.”
Guiche, flapping his wet shirt that he took off, nodded in agreement. Louise, who had absolutely no interest in the discussion, hid herself behind Saito’s back and unconsciously held on tight to the hem of his parka.
“Beautiful! Quite so…”
At that moment, an old lonesome farmer hidden behind a tree stepped out.
“I suppose, my lords, that you are nobles.”
The farmer looked away with an embarrassed face.
“What’s the matter?” Montmorency asked.
“My lords, did you come to negotiate with the Water Spirit? If so, then we have been saved! Please, quickly make your negotiations and solve this flood problem.”
The party looked at each other. It seemed like this farmer was a resident of the village that sank into the lake.
“That, well, we... came here just to see the lake.”
Ultimately, Montmorency could not tell him that they came here to get the Water Spirit‘s tear.
“I see… Really, lords and the queen are now only interested in the war against the Albion, not even noticing such remote villages as ours. They can’t even imagine how hard it is to collect the harvest…”
“Haa,” the farmer sigh deeply.
“What on earth happened to the Ragdorian lake?”
“The water started to rise about two years ago. The water level increased slowly, flooding the port first, then the temple and fields... See? Now even the eagles' nests are flooded. The local lords that are responsible for this territory indulge in entertainments in the royal court and pay no attention to our pleas.”
“Yoyoyo,” the old farmer weeped bitterly.
“For years we lived on this land, depending on the moody Water Spirit. Honestly, it‘s good when it stays at the bottom of the lake... We really want to understand why it has suddenly become interested in our land. Because this land belongs to men! But, only a noble could communicate with it. I'd like to know what we poor farmers did to make it lose its temper.”
Saito and the others bent their heads in embarrassment.
After the farmer finished grumbling and left, Montmorency took something out of the bag attached to her waist. It was a tiny frog. It was bright yellow with many black spots.
Montmorency put the frog in the palm of her hand, it stared up at her inquisitively.
“Frog!” Louise, who was afraid of frogs, screamed and drew closer to Saito.
“What is with this poisonously colored frog?”
“It is not poisonous, I tell you! It is my dear familiar!”
Apparently this tiny frog was Montmorency's familiar. Montmorency raised her finger, and ordered her familiar.
“Listen Robin, I want to contact an old friend of yours.”
Then Montmorency reached in her pocket and took out a needle, in one brief moment she stuck her finger with it allowing a ruby of bright red blood to gush. Turning her finger over she let a drop fall on the frog.
After that, Montmorency cast a spell, treating the wound on the tip of her finger. Then she brought the frog close again.
“Since she knows who I am, she should know who you are. Robin, please, in the name of the great spirits of the dead, seek the old Water Spirit, and tell her I wish to speak with her because of our alliance. Do it for me, understand?”
The frog slightly nodded and disappeared into the water with a splash.
“Now, Robin went to call the Water Spirit. If she can find it, she is likely to bring it here.”
Saito looked doubtful. He hesitantly said “When it comes, we have to tell it a sad story, but I wonder what could be good. Maybe this story I know about a master and a dog would do. However, it is very old and I wonder if it would be suitable…”
“Sad story? What are you talking about?”
“Because we need tears of the Water Spirit. How else would we get it if not making it cry?”
“You really are ignorant. Well, I guess since even non-water element mages don't know it either so it is unreasonable to expect a commoner like you to know. The Tear of the Water Spirit is only a name. It doesn't really shed tears.”
Saito and Guiche looked at each other. Louise, lonely without Saito’s attention, rubbed her cheek against his back. It was really weird! Though one could die from such a cute Louise, all that mattered now was Montmorency’s story.
“Then, what is the tear of the Water Spirit?” Guiche asked.
“The Water Spirit... compared to human lifespans, it can live a long, long, long time. It is said to have existed 6,000 years ago, when the Founder Brimir established Halkeginia. Its body, like water, can freely change its shape... and in a sunshine it glistens with seven colors…”
The moment Montmorency said this, the surface of the water began to shine.
The Water Spirit had appeared.
30 meters away from the shore where Saito and others were standing the water was shining.
The surface of the water was churning non-stop. Then the water swelled up like a rising cake. Saito watched it with an expression of surprise. The water was constantly changing shape so one could not even see hands. It looked like a huge amoeba. Though its flashing lights were beautiful... it made them uncomfortable.
The frog, Montmorency’s familiar, hopped back to its master with a splash. Montmorency held out her palm and caught the frog and patted the frog’s head with her finger.
“Thank you for helping to bring it.”
Then Montmorency stood up, spread her hands towards the Water Spirit, and opened her mouth.
“I am a Montmorency Margarita La Fère de Montmorency. User of water, member of the lineage of old oath. I have put my blood on the frog to help you remember. If you remember, answer in a way and with words that we understand.”
The Water Spirit... rising out of the surface of the water... slowly started to gain shape like a clay figure.
Saito's eyes popped out from surprise while watching this.
The mass of water slowly shaped itself into Montmorency‘s form and smiled faintly.
However, it was bigger than her and had no clothes. It looked like a nude, transparent Montmorency. It was just like an ice statue.