Chapter 17

Chapter 17

◈ Everyone Else is a Regressor (17)

Where did KiJun's light magic and spiritual power come from?

Without a doubt, it was from his contractual spirit, Lucy.

If the answer couldn't be found in combat using spirit magic, then focusing on the spirit itself for skill and stat growth was the natural choice.

—Hehe, I'm a little embarrassed.

"Let's all work hard together since it's for everyone."

—Huff, okay, contractor! Let's do our best together!

"......"

The Demon Lord watched as KiJun and Lucy faced each other.

She was plagued by a reasonable suspicion that Lucy was purposely not telling KiJun how to advance to the next grade because she enjoyed their continuous sweet nothings.

Lucy, being a high-ranking spirit with long years of life, couldn't possibly have forgotten how a contractor's advancement works, even if she had been sealed for a long time.

'It's better for him to realize it himself rather than being taught directly.'

But if that took too long, it would be troublesome for the Demon Lord.

She was absolutely, absolutely not jealous that the hero was only concentrating on the spirit.

It was simply because she had no one else to play with.

And it was inconvenient for meal times to be delayed.

The meals made by the hero were delicious, after all...

So, she thought it was time to intervene, to pry them apart at the right moment, and to coerce the spirit into revealing the growth method if necessary.

Just then, KiJun and Lucy abruptly stood up.

"What's going on?"

"It's time for our morning run. Let's go, Lucy!"

—Alright, I'll run diligently today too!

What's the point if a spirit runs, they just flail in the air?

The Demon Lord watched the two with a twisted gaze.

She couldn't really know Lucy's appearance, being without spirit power and not the contractor, but she seemed to be grinning foolishly, or so the Demon Lord felt.

"Whatever, light spirits... if it were spirits of mischief, then maybe..."

While they were running, she resisted the urge to interfere and spoil their fun, for the sake of maintaining the dignity she had kept in front of the hero.

In reality, that dignity had long vanished, but the Demon Lord was unaware of it.

"Phew. You worked hard, Lucy. Next up is breakfast time."

—Got it, I'll keep watching!

That was what she always did.

Staring as if possessed...

The Demon Lord inwardly scoffed at Lucy's usual behavior, completely ignorant that she was doing the same.

"Having Lucy watch seems to make cooking go better."

—Oh dear, contractor really...

"Eurgh... I can’t look anymore! (Enough watching, I can't take it anymore!)"

The Demon Lord got up with a start.

She was determined to confront that spirit today.

She would smash that pathetic pretense of a romance with the fist of justice and make the spirit confess the method of advancement!

But the next moment, she saw Lucy reaching out to the nearly finished cooking, and a light seemed to infuse into it.

"No, why is this happening."

It couldn't be real...

It must be just a lighting effect; there couldn't be any real change.

Believing so, the Demon Lord waited for the cooking to finish, but the completed golden fried rice was indeed much more exquisite than before.

It even had an addictive quality that tugged at the heartstrings.

"What is this? It's delicious..."

KiJun and Lucy also expressed their amazement in turn after tasting it.

"It's really so much tastier? Maybe Lucy's spell made a difference."

—Truly! Our contract was surely meant to be!

"Cut the crap... hero."

Receiving a refill of the golden fried rice without any gap, the Demon Lord spoke.

"Why don't you just keep cooking today?"

"Because when that spirit uses her power, the cooking tastes better. Didn't you know this could be a sign of skill growth?"

"Of the cooking skill?"

"And the spirit magic skill too."

Really? KiJun's incredulous look prompted another firm nod.

If only they had realized this during combat... But perhaps, to increase the synergy between a bound spirit and a contractor facing their limits, it wasn't destructive action that was needed, but something they could both invest their sincerity and heart into.

He spontaneously thought of this after his realization.

Then, like a deluge, system messages flooded in.

—Your uncommon-grade [Cooking] skill, influenced by light spirit magic, has grown into a rare-grade skill [Cooking of Light]! It will not only make the dishes look more beautiful but also boost the eater's vitality and resistance to fatigue, giving them courage to stand against evil!

—Your rare-grade [Light Spirit Magic] skill has evolved into a unique grade through the realization of merging magic power with spirit power! This will allow more efficient use of the spirit's power and enhance recovery and attack capabilities using the light spirit!

—A positive adjustment is added to your rare-grade title [Skill Creator] for creating a new skill.

—You've earned the qualification for a new class 'Spirit Chef,' which is of rare grade. Would you like to transfer classes?

As he refused the Spirit Chef class change at lightning speed, KiJun felt a fundamental change within him.

It was a sensation he'd experienced before.

His status grade was growing.

—Successfully drawing closer to the light, you've unleashed your inherent potential. Your Light Magic (Uc) stat surpasses its limit and evolves into a Rare (R) grade! Light Magic (R) is now 1.

—The immense spiritual power within you stirs for the first time due to the union with the spirit. Your Spirit Power (R) status surpasses its limit and evolves into a Unique (Unique) grade! Spirit Power (U) is now 1.

—Sometimes your fatal charm can be poison, but those intoxicated by you will willingly swallow even that venom. Your Charisma (Uc) status surpasses its limit and evolves into a Rare (R) grade! Charisma (R) is now 1.

Wait a minute.

There seemed to be something odd in the last part.

"Suddenly poison...?"

Until now, KiJun had never understood why his Charisma stat grew from Common to Rare grade.

Moreover, calling his charm 'fatal' could have been dangerous if those who knew him on Earth heard it.

"You've worked hard, hero."

Any questions he had dissipated at the sight of the Demon Lord smiling knowingly at him.

The fairy had already left, but there was a pile of ingredients on one side, possibly as payment for the cooking.

"I've heard about the second round. Everyone's running hard, aren't they?"

"What a service from that fairy."

"Your party members, especially, are doing incredibly well. They're picking out exactly what they need and growing rapidly, so they might even manage a stat advancement, not to mention a race advancement."

"Good to hear."

A fleeting thought crossed his mind—'I hope they weren't too shocked by my absence'—but he dismissed his worries upon hearing they were doing well.

If they forget about him... well, that would be regrettable, but it's better for him to be a bit sad than for them to fret needlessly over him.

"They're really looking for you, you know."

That thought faded with the Demon Lord's next comment.

A fleeting joy followed by a surge of self-disgust at such thoughts.

As KiJun frowned in confusion, the Demon Lord laughed as if understanding his complex feelings.

"People's hearts aren't easy. But since they're converting their feelings for you into motivation and working hard, they'll complete the tutorial just fine."

"Is that so?"

"Don't worry, the fairy didn't deliberately omit talking about you. During the tutorial, discussing the outside world is strictly forbidden."

"I didn't expect anything from that fairy."

"But instead."

The Demon Lord, having approached closer, reached out to smooth the wrinkles on KiJun's forehead and said.

"It seems your cooking was too delicious today. Within the limits of not breaking the rules, she said she'd pass on that you're still alive and well."

"Really?"

Watching the complex expression on KiJun's face, the Demon Lord smirked mischievously.

Lucy, attempting to break away from KiJun to attack the Demon Lord, was easily caught in one swoop now that KiJun's spiritual power and spirit magic grade had become visible even to others.

"Yikes, what are you doing, you demon!"

"How about it? Cooking for others isn't so bad, right?"

"Well... maybe, you're right."

Still with a complex expression but nodding agreeably, KiJun added,

"Then let's just sleep tonight and head back to the dungeon tomorrow. We've grown everything we can."

"Oh."

—Ah.

The Demon Lord and Lucy suddenly looked aghast, but it was too late to turn back now.

Who would have known that they would complete an advancement in just one day!

And that night.

—The rose has a magic that brings back even those pricked by its thorns. You have now become such a rose. Charisma (R) has increased by 1.

Now, what on Earth does that mean?

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