Athena visited the store around when we finished lunch.

  「Daichi-oniisan, Today~…..wait What!? It’s bigger.」


  「That’s improper Princess Athena.」


  Athena entered the living space in high spirits but Karen reproved her. She then turned to me and bowed.

  「Daichi, I’m sorry for barging in on you.」


  「If you have business here then don’t worry about it. Even if you don’t have business here, as long as you aren’t an enemy then it’s fine.」


  「I’m grateful for your words.」


  We greeted each other and made our way to the kitchen.

  It was where I’d left the fire spirit yesterday.

  It was still sitting their obediently.

  「I-it’s really one of the four spirits! It’s real!」


  Athena looked at the semi-transparent red spirit with excitement.

  With how she reacted it seems like it was the right one. Thank goodness.

  「It seems strangely docile, how did Daichi-oniisan catch it?」


  「Eh? Well, it kind of attacked us while we were walking. The golem reflexively kicked it down to the ground.」


  It just happened to be the right spirit.

  「Th-the golem’s kick defeated it? Umm, Daichi-oniisan’s golems are made of wood right?」


  「Yep.」


  「Wood suppressing a fire spirit….is that even possible? Karen?」


  「If it had much more magic power within it then it is possible. But it’s quite impossible with such a weakness in attributes.」


  「Right……」


  Why are you so dumbfounded? I’m quite sure that living green wood is hard to burn, so it might unexpectedly win out over flames.

  It was weaker than Hesty’s flames after all.

  「Well, take it with you when you go. This guy can’t stay here forever.」


  「Ah, yeah. Understood. Karen the pendant.」


  「Certainly.」


  Karen said and took the pendant out from between her breasts.

  The one with the pitch black gem.

  「So Flame Spirit. Return to the magic stone please.」


  She said and pointed the pendant at the spirit but,

  「Fu~…..」


  For some reason the flame spirit was patting the floor of the kitchen.

  A few moments later a portion of the kitchen began glowing red.

  「…..what is this guy doing?」


  「It seems like it likes this place. It seems to be splitting its power here.」


  Then after several seconds the flame spirit had split itself.

  A small spirit that could be held in the palm of your hand sat down on the kitchen floor.

  「What is this?」


  「I said it was splitting its power, it seems like it wants to leave a part of its body here. The four spirits rarely split and leave parts of themselves places, it must respect Daichi very much.」


  「Fu~」


  The split fire spirit looked satisfied as it turned to face the pendant.

  It touched the black stone and was sucked into the pendant.

  As soon as the spirit completely disappeared the pendant lit up with a red light.

  「Alright, the seal has been completed.」


  「You say it’s sealed, but part of its body is right here?」


  It was now standing on top of the kitchen table celebrating with its arms in the air.

  「The four spirits have enormous power even if they split themselves. But if they become too weak then we will once again seek out and find a different spirit to contract with. In one sense this trip out was for Princess Athena to find possible contracts. After all the four spirits aren’t the only ones protecting the country.」


  「Un, thanks for worrying Daichi-oniisan. But if it’s not enough I’ll do my best so it’s ok! I’ve been trained by Karen after all.」


  Athena smiled and stuck out her chest with pride.

  She’s a hard worker just like Dianeia.

  「That’s right, Karen is a Dragon King…why are you training Athena?」


  「Ah…I collapsed from hunger and Princess Athena picked me up.」


  「YOU TOO!?」


  Hesty, Karen, and you could even throw in Anne…why can’t Dragon Kings ever realize that they’re hungry?

  「When in human form I misjudged my energy. Also if we use power then we just need to sleep to recharge our magic, that being the case our stomachs get neglected.」


  That’s right isn’t it? Hesty and Ramiyuros have only had to sleep so far to recover their energy.

  「So, when we start feeling hungry that means we’re almost completely out of energy so we’d best find food fast. If not then we usually collapse…it happens more often than you’d think.」


  「How should I put this…I’m starting to worry if dragons are really ok as a species……」


  Hesty doesn’t say anything and goes and eats grasses and things so I haven’t had the opportunity to eat with her.

  But recently I’ve been seriously thinking that their weakness is definitely food.

  「It’s a good thing that Daichi understands us Dragon Kings so well.」


  「Well……honestly it’s pretty obvious from observing…」


  I’d seen an ‘acquaintance’ of mine munching on weeds…so I think it’d be pretty easy to lure them using food.

  「Ah Hesty is the same as always huh? Brings back memories…….but I think it’s about time for us to leave and stop bothering you.」


  「Un, we still need to find spirits after all. Ok then, see you later Daichi-oniisan~!」


  「Yeah, see ya.」


  They said and left my store.

  「They’re quite a lively bunch huh.」


  「Yes indeed——ah」


  We had seen them off when Sakura went back into the kitchen and let out a sound.

  「Huh? What’s wrong Sakura?」


  「Nothing, it’s just that the stove’s heat has increased.」


  When I looked it was true. The flames were bigger than when we’d cooked lunch. I tilted my head and looked at the stove.

  「Fu~」


  The split off flame spirit was sitting inside of it.

  Actually it was more like it was halfway fused with it.

  「Could it be this guy?」


  「Most likely.」


  It seems like there was some benefit in catching the spirit after all.