Runa found herself training quite rigidly. It was about time, school was about to start and she was hyped to partake in classes. It was something she never experienced and was excited about it. It was unsure what kind of people she would encounter but she did hope to find good friends or at least a friend.
Her schedule was divided since she still had to visit Rachel's store, she still had work there. Wilhelm would help her out with that problem by using teleportation and Runa was convinced that Wilhelm could go anywhere he wanted at any time he desired.
"So how was it?" Patricia asked as she waltzed near Runa and wiped the table.
She was asking about her experience inside the academy. It was something she wanted to know ever since hearing that her friend had enrolled there. After she heard the news about it she was so happy and proud of Runa, and she was a lot more excited about it.
"How was it? I d-don't know how to explain it."
"Start with what you saw obviously."
"Well, the place was big and very spacious... And there are different buildings with specific uses. There were classrooms for teaching and laboratories for research... Ah! T-there was this wide area for magic practice and dormitories for housing. They had everything there... Master Wilhelm showed me around the area. It was super fun."
Their conversation was interrupted when new customers arrived. They decided to talk about it some other time and focused on their work. Runa was still adviced to keep working at Rachel's store even if they were miles away from Gressaia.
After a few hours of working Runa went back to Gressaia using the teleportation crystal Wilhelm handed her. It was the only way she could work again all the way from Gressaia.
She was teleported right in front of the house. She entered and went straight to the study knowing that Wilhelm would be there. He was on his usual routine, reading books. Runa didn't disturb him and waited until he finished.
The book closed and Wilhelm saw her, "You could have told me that you've arrived. It's not like I would get mad at you, you know?" He said, concerned that he always makes her wait for him to finish his reading.
Not that Runa minds though, she happens to be patient and she can't deny that she simply doesn't want to disturb him because of how concentrated he was but she doesn't know how to say that.
"Follow me outside, I'll teach you something useful"
The tip of Wilhelm's finger started glowing and he slowly drew a magic circle in the air, pointing out the descriptions on every scripture written inside it.
"This is a summoning circle, a passage connected to the spirit world. If you draw it like I did you'll gain access to the spirit world and will have a possible contract with a spirit that resonates with your soul"
With that advice, Runa tried to copy the circle, although she didn't know how to make her finger glow and write it in the air. It was a problem but Wilhelm advised her to make a scribble on the ground and apply mana to it after it was drawn, not that it worked on her first time since she was having difficulty during the process of applying mana to the ground.
It was solved when she filled it with water and use it as a channel that traces the drawing, knowing that she has a strong affinity for water magic the process became successful. Wilhelm was amazed that she solved a problem on her own. It was easier compared to tracing it using the ground itself.
"Now, close your eyes and circulate your mana throughout your body. The circulation would shape your image and it will attract spirits that want to form a contract with you. They will show themselves so try to communicate with them as much as you can after all spirits could communicate within the--"
Runa's consciousness dived inside the circle and Wilhelm's voice slowly fades. At first, everything was dark, and a shine slowly grew by the second until everything became bright and Runa was forced to close her eyes.
The sound of water falling from a height, crashing over large mossy rocks, a great waterfall. Then a large river, old trees, and grass mixed up with wildflowers were present. She was inside a forest, she noticed creatures began to flock near her.
They were mixed with different classifications. Fur, scales, and feathers. She was unfamiliar with all of them. They were starting to flock around her. There were some notable features that were present. Like the large wolf at the back and the horse with a horn.
"Are you... Spirits?" She asked, uncertain about it but she wasn't feeling overwhelmed or scared of them, an undisturbed feeling that was similar to calmness and ease.
"Will you make a contract with us?" A silver-furred wolf approached her from the group of spirits, they were rather delighted after hearing her talk to them.
"York, her mana is not enough for all of us. At best, she could only form a contract with one of us right now." An owl from the tree reminded the wolf.
"Then who?" Asked the wolf as he looked above the tree.
"I think it's up for her to decide, it would be unfair if someone would nominate themselves, and I think no one would argue with that idea, right?" The owl turned his head to face the others.
None of them disagreed with him, he was right. Not that any of them wanted to nominate themselves and talking about fairness it is only right for Runa to choose.
"What's your name, girl?" Asked the owl.
"Runa"
"Then Runa, we all would like to form a contract with you but your mana is not enough for all of us. That is why, we would like you to choose whom you'll form a contract first"
Runa instantly had a decision in mind, the fluffiest of them all. The silver-furred wolf. Not that the others weren't fluffy enough, there was the rabbit, the the hamster, and other fluffy mammals.
The reason why it had to be York the wolf was because of his eyes, a light gray color, and he had thick-sharp black eyeliner making him look magisterial in terms of appearance amongst them.
"I guess it was expected for York to be the first contract." The owl said, they didn't seem to have a problem with it, rather they were glad. They were all friendly and kind creatures.
And naturally, as it went, Runa reached for his forehead and the wolf lowered his head to give her access. The closer she got to him the difference in size could be seen, he was taller and bigger than Runa, about the same height as Wilhelm but a foot taller.
After the touch, Runa slowly dissipated, before she was about to completely vanish from the forest, the owl told her, "We will wait for the next contract on your next visit..."
With the flash of light, Runa opened her eyes and saw the magic circle she drew glow.
"Seems like you succeeded. Now, repeat after me, [Summon Spirit], and imagine feel his presence."
"[Summon Spirit]"
The silver wolf jumped out of the glowing summoning circle. Wilhelm expected for a larger summon but the wolf didn't look bad at all. He also thought that Runa's summoning and forming of contract would fail but it was unexpected that she got a summon for her first time.
Even Wilhelm tried about six times before Dale approached him. Not that he had a weak soul, it was the latter. His soul was too strong for any spirits to resonate with it and his personality is also taken into account making it difficult for him to find a spirit strong enough to form a contract.
Spirits do not live within the world they live in, they are creatures from a different world. Summoning them means borrowing their strength and service, these spirits materialized the moment they passed through the summoning circle.
Runa started to feel dizzy, the ritual made her lose a lot of energy. Wilhelm predicted that that was the case and prepared mana crystals for her.
Mana Crystals are minerals that are abundant in energy, barely holding a crystal would restore the lost mana inside the body.
"Hold onto this, it'll make you feel better" It did made her feel better, "You did a good job finding a contract on your first try but your mana pool is still small, you'll need to train a lot more if you don't want to feel sick after summoning him next time."
In a while, after she regained some of the energy, Runa wanted to ask Wilhelm if she could walk York around the area, not that he was too big for their yard, she simply wanted to play with him. Her childish impulse was driving her to cuddle and roll with him on the ground, which was embarrassing for her if Wilhelm were to see her acting like a child. Wilhelm wouldn't mind watching her be herself or seeing her having fun, in fact, it would make him smile.
York, on the other hand, was acting more like a pup. Contradicting his magnificent fierce appearance, it was cute to see him act like a pup around Runa and the girl was trying hard to contain herself. Wilhelm left them to have their bonding moment, he went to visit the library hoping to talk with Maribeth.
He was not sure whether she would be there but he heard that she was in charge of the library now. There is a big chance she would be there thus it was the first place Wilhelm visited.
Runa after seeing Wilhelm leave began to play with York, she found a new friend that would keep her company in Gressaia. She found a companion who would be there for her no matter where she was. She'll feel less lonely with him around, not like being with Wilhelm was making her lonely it just feels different for his case.
He makes her feel company for sure but he is always on his book when he's at home, and only when they eat or train were the only time he would talk with her.
This is one reason why she's always excited during training and eating because those are the times when he lowers his guard and starts talking to her. Only if he could talk to her most of the time but that would spoil the excitement she was anticipating to have a chat with him.
Later in the evening Wilhelm will bring home their dinner and will start a conversation with her about random stuff and that was still fine even if sometimes she couldn't understand what he was saying or couldn't relate to it. Having a chat with him is more than enough.
She wanted to at least offer him something, a gift of appreciation. The money she earned from working in Rachel's store was saved inside her room, they were hidden under her bed. She planned to use them to buy him a present but she was still unfamiliar with the place and she needed permission to leave the house.
Wilhelm advised her that she could leave the house anytime she wanted but Runa insisted on asking for his permission as a form of informing him that she'll be leaving the house.
She will be sure to bring that topic up later when Wilhelm arrives, until then she decided to clean the house. York was left outside the house, and Wilhelm forgot to tell her how to return York back to the spirit world, Runa doesn't know the duration of York's stay in their world but it had been a while since she summoned him. She doesn't know if they just go back naturally after a period of time or if they can't return without the summoner sending them back.
After an hour's worth of cleaning, she glanced by the window and saw York sleeping outside, he was still there even after another hour. Now that she noticed it, while cleaning the house there was a chest that was placed inside the kitchen.
Runa was curious about it but she didn't try to open it to see what's inside it. She also noticed that some of the kitchen wares were used, she doesn't know about her master cooking a meal and baking a pie during Celestine's stay. She concluded that Wilhelm wanted to try cooking and dropped the thought.