“So, what exactly are spirit crystals?” I asked the pope once her tears had subsided.
“They are a place of solace for spirits as well as the source of their powers,” she explained. “Spirits typically remain in their birthplace for an extended period, and over time, the particles of their mana coagulate, eventually forming what we call a spirit stone—a portable home for them.”
So it wasn’t just a random gem with a spirit’s power inside it.
“Then, if spirit stones are basically solid spirit mana, I take it spirit crystals are even more special. Do they form after a spirit has been alive for a really long time?” I asked.
“Exactly. However, this one is a little special. It is a spirit stone into which my father has imbued some of his mana.”
Lord Reinstar sure could do everything, huh?
“I see. What are spirit crystals to the spirits?”
“A spirit stone evolves as the spirit matures, until it eventually turns into a crystal—the most powerful form it can take. This serves as proof that the spirit has met the conditions to become a supreme being,” the pope explained.
“So the spirits I’ve met up until now all have one?”
“Indeed. There are some exceptions, but they should all have a spirit crystal.”
I glanced at the Spirit of Dusk, and she turned away without a word. It seemed like the pope was telling the truth.
“What happens when they don’t have their spirit crystal in their possession?” I asked.
“This is akin to a heart or a core, if you will. They need it to maintain their existence. Without it, their powers are sealed off, and they cannot rest or regenerate their mana, gradually becoming weaker and weaker until they eventually disappear,” the pope told me.
“Got it. So, what is this special spirit crystal Lord Reinstar created?”
“This takes on the burden of a spirit’s mana to prevent their stone from turning into a complete core. It ensures that the spirit does not perish, even if their crystal is destroyed.” Lord Reinstar’s biography had called him a “friend of the spirits,” and it looked like that hadn’t been a lie.
There was still one last thing weighing on my mind. “Can anyone see and touch spirit crystals?”
“Only those with the proper qualifications—people who have received the protection of the spirits, that is. Aside from that, any being with a higher status can also perceive them, and I believe they can touch them as well. However, this particular spirit crystal has been away from its host for so long that it has almost completely lost its powers.”
It was finally starting to make sense. Galba and Kefin had only seen it as a plain necklace, which was why they hadn’t collected it.
“Hmm? Hold on a minute. Would a spirit’s host be able to wield their spirit’s power as their own using the crystal?”
“I shouldn’t have expected anything less from someone blessed by the spirits,” the pope said with a nod.
It seemed like I’d gotten it right. Since Dongahar had the crystal in his possession, did it mean that he had been blessed by a spirit as well?
“Oh, I just realized that I’ve been bombarding you with questions since earlier, but shouldn’t we do something with the crystal? Its owner must be really weak by now, so we should probably start looking for them soon,” I said.
“You’re right. I plan on returning it right now. The spirit this crystal belongs to has exhausted all of their mana manifesting itself to humans and lost its spiritual form. As such, it had to bear being seen by people who can otherwise not perceive the spirits.”
From our conversation, I was pretty sure this spirit crystal belonged to Forêt Noire. The pope must have been incredibly frustrated to have lost her spirit crystal. That explained why she’d cried so much when I’d shown it to her, even though there were people around.
But Forêt Noire had given me her protection before I’d fought the Wicked One, even though she couldn’t use her spirit form anymore. Was that why she was always biting my head? I couldn’t know for sure, but I felt like I should be even more grateful than I already was for her protection.
“Your Holiness, you mentioned earlier that if a spirit lost their crystal, their powers would be sealed. How does that work? Do they seal their own powers? Or did you mean that whoever has the crystal in their possession can suppress the spirit’s abilities?” I asked.
The pope shook her head. “The spirits seal away their powers of their own volition.”
“I see. But something’s been weighing on my mind. I’m not entirely sure, but I think that I can feel two distinct mana signatures coming from that crystal, so I was wondering if someone had blocked the spirit’s away on purpose.”
Perhaps that other mana signature belonged to Lord Reinstar, in which case it probably wasn’t an issue, but I still wanted to bring it to the pope’s attention.
“Two distinct mana signatures, you say?” she asked. “Now that you mention it, I do indeed feel one that isn’t my father’s... Hmm? The chain around it is also different from the one I remember. Is it a seal? Is that why I’ve been unable to track it down all these years?” she muttered before looking at me and demanding, “Luciel. Remove the enchantment on it—right now.”
“Huh?! Ah, uh, sure. Dispel.”
The chain surrounding the crystal instantly disappeared, and the gem began shining much brighter.
“Luciel, bring Forêt Noire over,” the pope told me, visibly anxious.
“Yes, Your Holiness.”
I opened Forêt’s stable with the hermit key, and she slowly came out of it. The crystal immediately flew over to her, as if it had been waiting for its master, before being absorbed into her forehead.
I watched, flabbergasted, as Forêt Noire’s coat emitted a blinding light, so bright that I had to close my eyes. It faded almost as quickly as it had appeared and, when I opened my eyes, I was met with the sight of a white horse with wings sprouting from its back—a pegasus. This must’ve been Forêt Noire’s true form.
As I stood there, frozen in shock, the pope and the Spirit of Dusk controlling Estia’s body threw their arms around her. A stupid question came to my mind as I watched them. Well, hear me out: Forêt Noire meant “black forest” in French, right? Would she get a new name now that her coat was white? Judging by the way the pope kept repeating “Forêt Noire” as she clung to her, I guessed not.
At any rate, it was high time I joined the celebration. “You’re Forêt Noire, right?” I asked. “So, you’re back to being a spirit now?”
Forêt turned to me, the pope still embracing her. “Thank you, Luciel,” a voice echoed inside my head. “I was able to regain my powers thanks to you.”
I had expected her to sound more androgynous, considering she was a spirit, but her voice was unmistakably feminine. I’d always thought that she felt like a “she,” so I wasn’t too surprised.
“I accidentally came across your crystal. Besides, you’ve saved my hide more times than I can count, so this makes us even. Right, partner?”
“It would seem it does. I look forward to our next adventurers together, partner.” She sounded happy, and it made me smile.
“I’m thinking of heading to Illumasia next. Will you come with me?” I asked.
“All this time, I could do nothing but run away... Heh. I’m looking forward to it.”
That was a yes...right? Also, was it just me, or had I had a similar conversation with someone else very recently? I decided not to dwell on it and asked the next question on my mind.
“What happened to your spirit crystal?”
“It’s currently inside me. Once it has finished optimizing my mana, I’ll be able to take it out again.”
“I see.” I nodded. “So, can I ask you to stay with Her Holiness and the Spirit of Dusk tonight?”
Forêt seemed to hesitate but eventually agreed. “I will. I have a promise to fulfill to Fluna, and there is something I’ve been meaning to discuss with Dusk. I’ll stay the night.”
I really wanted to ask her how she’d lost her spirit crystal, but I decided to let her spend the night with the pope.
“Got it. I’ll return tomorrow, Your Holiness,” I announced and noticed that her shoulders were shaking.
I glanced at Galba, and he silently mouthed to me that we should leave the room. Lydia and Nadia looked like they wanted to follow suit, so the four of us began heading for the door, leaving the pope with Rosa, Catherine, and Estia.
“Luciel!” The pope’s voice stopped me. “Thank you for finding Forêt Noire’s spirit crystal.”
When I turned around, her form was obstructed by Forêt’s. “Please don’t mention it, Your Holiness. I’m just glad things turned out all right in the end. If you allow me, I will take my leave now,” I said, and I did just that.