[POV: Golem Guardian]
I swung the blade in wide arcs, following the instincts that had settled into my stone body after countless hours of practice and testing myself upon the battlefield. The sword felt lighter than it should have in my grip, each cut flowing naturally into the next as though the weapon itself remembered the path. Dust rose from the packed earth of the training yard with every step.
The Great Lord watched from a short distance away, his arms folded across his chest.
“Your swordsmanship feels different from what I know,” he said at last. “It lacks the viciousness I see in warriors, yet it possesses a certain refinement… something that reminds me of the swift rogues who move like shadows.”
I lowered my blade and straightened.
The comparison did not offend me. I had never claimed to possess the fury of flesh-and-blood warriors. My movements were born from the instincts granted to me by my creation, tempered through practice and battle. Though this was more of a recent development.
“Seek advice from Sun Jian,” the Great Lord continued. “I must say, the strange energy that envelops your movements intrigues me. Congratulations on your progress.”
I inclined my head respectfully. “Thank you for the advice and praise, my lord.”
The Great Lord reached into a pouch at his side and produced a small, shiny stone. It glimmered faintly beneath the sunlight. “A favor, if you would. Can you eat this?”
Golems did not eat.
I knew that as surely as I knew the weight of my own limbs. I possessed no stomach, no organs, and no need for nourishment in the manner of living creatures. Still, I accepted the stone between two fingers. I brought it toward my mouth. The moment it touched the rough surface of my face, the stone sank inward. There was no chewing or swallowing. Instead, the stone dissolved directly into the denser core of my body. Warmth spread through every joint and crack. A quiet surge of power coursed through my stone frame, and for a moment, the air around me seemed thinner and clearer.
The Great Lord raised an eyebrow. “How did it taste? Explain it to me.”
I considered his question carefully. “I do not know about the taste, my lord. I felt only that it empowered me.”
He nodded, apparently satisfied with my answer, before stepping backward and giving me room once more. “Can you show your swordsmanship to me again?”
“Gladly, my lord.”
I raised my sword. This time, the forms came without conscious thought, yet they were no longer the same. Each cut carried a new weightlessness, a strange refinement that seemed to draw upon the power I had absorbed. The blade whispered through the air, cleaner and more precise than before. It was as though the power contained within that small stone had taught my body a secret language of motion that I had only just begun to understand.
“Excellent,” the Great Lord said with a smile.
His approval filled me with an unfamiliar warmth.
Since it pleased my creator so greatly, I decided that I would continue honing my skill with the sword. There was immense joy in seeing the Great Lord so invested in my growth. If I could obtain more of those mysterious shiny stones, perhaps I could become stronger still.
“My lord,” I said, lowering my sword. “May I have your permission to consume more of those stones?”
The Great Lord stared at me for a moment before chuckling. “You may. Just do not overeat. If you feel that something is wrong, stop immediately.”
“I swear that I shall be careful.”
“You should be able to find more of them in the mines the slimes created.”
“I understand.”
“Then I shall leave you to your training. Farewell, Guardian. Take care.”
“Thank you, my lord. May your path be safe.”
The Great Lord departed. I watched him leave for a moment before returning my attention to my sword. The slimes had bored a cave deep into the mountains, mining all manner of unknown minerals and shiny stones. Gryphon frequently lingered there, claiming that the stones were delicious.
I had not thought much of the matter before.
Now, however, I wondered whether those stones possessed mysterious powers capable of making one stronger. I headed toward the foot of the mountains. The recent battle had taught me much about the dangers of this world. It was vastly different from the world I knew, yet strangely similar in certain ways. There were not as many roaming monsters or constant enemies as I had once expected. Nevertheless, dangerous beings still existed. There was the dragon who had fought my lord. There were also the numerous trespassers who had repeatedly attempted to enter the Great Lord's territory.
Strength alone was not enough. A knight had to remain vigilant. When I reached the mountain's foot, I found the entrance to the mine. A great pile of shiny stones had accumulated around the hole. And lying atop that glittering mound was Gryphon.
I approached. “Greetings, Gryphon.”
The majestic bird lifted his head. “Crrrk.”
It was a soft cry, acknowledging me.
...
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[POV: Gryphon]
I sat proudly upon the mound of mysterious stones gathered by the slimes. My belly felt pleasantly full, so I rested it against the pile and gazed down upon the beautiful mountains below me. The scenery was worthy of a creature such as myself. It was majestic, grand, and magnificent. Through my bond with the Great Lord, I felt the curiosity of the Golem Guardian approaching. I turned my head toward it. “You may feast upon the mountain of stones if you wish. They are a bounty gathered by the slimes, and such bounty should be shared among all who serve our Great Lord.”
The Golem Guardian froze. I felt its confusion through our connection. Then came his question. “You can speak?”
I puffed out my chest. “Of course.” Well… perhaps I should have said that more confidently. It was a trick I had learned from the enemies who had attempted to invade the mountains claimed by our Great Lord and precious master. According to Sun Jian, this technique was called sound transmission. The stones possessed a mysterious energy that allowed me to emulate it, granting me the ability to speak. Of course, I was still learning my words. Sometimes, I fumbled on my words.
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“Eating these stones can make you erect,” I said rather too confidently. "They can also make you high. And hairy between the legs.”
There was a long silence from the Golem Guardian until it decided to speak up. “Perhaps you mean something else.”
I considered its words and thought more carefully about what I just said. Ah. Yes. I had meant something else. “I meant that they help me fly higher, make my tail fluffier, and greatly improve my self-confidence.”
That was the truth. Ever since that dragon had one-sidedly shoved me aside, my self-confidence had suffered. I could not allow such humiliation to continue. I was the majestic and mighty rook-class summon of the Great Lord. I had dignity. I had grandeur. I had magnificent feathers. Even the Golem Guardian and Nature Sprite looked upon me with reverence. Surely, that was enough proof.
I looked toward the Golem Guardian. “So, how did it taste?” He looked down at the stones. I continued eagerly, eager to make conversation about such a magnificent culinary delight. “You should try the red ones. They are spicy, almost like fire. The pale ones are sweet. The round ones are crunchy. The dark blue ones have a strange bitterness, but it grows on you.”
I hopped onto another section of the mound. “The jagged ones are especially interesting. Their flavor lingers for quite some time. There are also some that crackle when you bite them. Those are excellent.”
The Golem Guardian picked up one of the stones. He placed it against his mouth. The stone disappeared into his body. I watched him carefully. He picked up another. Then another. I waited.
As a summoned creature, I lacked the ability to eat in the conventional sense. The summons of the Great Lord perfectly resembled the creatures they were based upon in appearance and ability, but we lacked certain details, such as the organs inside our bodies. It was because we were all made of mana. Despite that, we possessed the innate and instinctive knowledge of our respective species. I knew how to fly. I knew how to hunt. I knew how to carry myself with majesty. I knew, beyond any doubt, that I was a magnificent beast destined to soar through the heavens and rule over a forest. I also knew that the stones were delicious.
The stones did possess a limit, however. After consuming them continuously, I stopped noticing any significant changes in my strength. The mysterious energy within them could only increase my power so much. That did not stop me from eating them. A magnificent creature such as myself should not waste good food.
Eventually, the Golem Guardian turned toward me.
“Well?” I intoned.
I waited for his judgment. He had sampled several of my recommendations. Perhaps he would praise my refined palate. Perhaps he would ask me which stones he should consume next.
Instead, he gave me the most boring answer imaginable. “I cannot tell the difference in taste.”
I stared at him. He continued in the same cold, emotionless tone. “They all feel the same.”
Silence descended upon the mountain. I was disappointed. Deeply disappointed. Utterly disappointed. How could someone consume such magnificent stones and have absolutely nothing interesting to say about them?
I looked at the Golem Guardian’s expressionless stone face. Perhaps I had been expecting too much from him. He was a golem, after all. Still… I had hoped for better conversation.
…
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[POV: Nature Sprite]
Oh my! Oh my! I could scarcely believe what I was seeing!
Why?! How?! Was I not enough?!
Before me stretched the most ludicrous sight I had ever witnessed. The entire hallway was spotless. It was not merely clean, but shining, gleaming clean. The floor practically sparkled beneath the light. And the culprits responsible for this outrageous display were none other than the slimes. They bounced and wobbled across the hallway, using their squishy little bodies to wipe away dust, polish the floors, and squeeze into corners that even I had to struggle to reach.
I fluttered in place, staring at them in utter disbelief. How dare they?!
I glared at the true culprit.
That human.
The human who had only recently entered the Great Lord’s service. The human who, I was beginning to realize, might very well be here to steal my job!
I immediately flew closer. Sun Jian stood in the middle of the hallway, calmly supervising the slimes.
“Only eat the dust,” he ordered them. “Do not damage the structure or the furniture. Be careful around the walls and decorations.”
The slimes wobbled in obedient response.
“Good work. Thank you.”
They jiggled excitedly at the praise.
I nearly exploded.
Unbelievable! It wasn’t enough that he had stolen my one precious job. Now he was bringing others into the household to steal it from me as well!
I remembered the first orders given to me by my super-handsome, mighty Great Lord: remove the debris, clean the place, keep everything tidy. Basically, he had entrusted the sacred duty of maintaining his magnificent residence to me!
At the time, I had assumed that when the Great Lord hired this human to perform household chores, he would fail miserably. Then I would swoop in, show off my charm, demonstrate my superior cleaning techniques, and teach this clueless newbie how things were properly done.
But what was this?! The newbie was overstepping his bounds!
“What are you thinking?” I asked calmly. Very calmly. Extremely calmly.
My tiny figure fluttered directly in front of his face as I puffed out my cheeks to show him exactly how angry I was. Sun Jian didn’t seem to understand the meaning of my expression.
“I thought the slimes were the perfect fit for cleaning away the dust and helping polish the floors,” he answered honestly. “Even the webs and dust that gather around hard-to-reach corners can be dealt with because of how flexible they are. I’m right. With this, we’d even have less work to do, Aide Sprite.”
Ugh…
The only reason I was forgiving him for this transgression was because he called me Aide Sprite. A cute name. A very cute name. Perhaps even a little adorable.
But this was too much! Less work meant even less work for me!
I was about to explode and complain when a familiar little voice suddenly rang through the hallway.
“Daaad~! Let’s go play!”
Little Feng Cai came running toward us. Sun Jian’s expression immediately grew complicated.
“I told you, I’m not your dad,” he sighed. He paused. “You know what? Forget about it. I give up.”
Feng Cai happily reached for him. I deflated, defeated.
This was a crisis. A catastrophe. My sacred cleaning duties were under attack, and now the Great Lord’s little princess was stealing the human’s attention.
Then an idea occurred to me. My eyes sparkled.
Oh. Oh ho. I was a genius.
I fluttered toward Sun Jian. “You should spend time with your daughter,” I said.
“I’m not—”
“Go with her. Leave the rest to me.”
Feng Cai looked up at Sun Jian with those enormous, teary eyes. “Play with me,” she pleaded. “I want to learn martial arts, too.”
I nodded vigorously. “It’ll be fine! Go on!”
Sun Jian looked between the two of us. Then he sighed. “Very well. Thank you, Aide Sprite. I’ll return as soon as I can. Perhaps I can start patching up the roofs afterward.”
“No, no! It’s fine!” I waved my tiny hands enthusiastically. “Take as much time as possible!”
Sun Jian gave me a strange look. I smiled innocently. He eventually relented and left with Feng Cai.
The moment they disappeared from sight, I pumped both fists into the air. “Hee hee hee!” Ho ho ho ho~! I was so smart! My plan was clearly working!
With my rival gone, I immediately returned to cleaning. For a while, I worked with incredible enthusiasm. I sent little gusts of wind sweeping through the hallways, gathered dust into neat piles, and blew away cobwebs from the ceiling. I fluttered from one corner to another at tremendous speed.
Look at me! I was the greatest aide in the world! No one could replace me!
However… my enthusiasm eventually began to fade. I slowed down. Then I slowed down some more. Finally, I stopped. My mind wandered.
The Great Lord…
My cheeks grew warm. I thought about his handsome face. His beautiful brown hair. His elegant ears. His splendid nape. And… his huge, mighty chest.
“Ehehehe…” I covered my mouth. “Hee hee hee…” A weird little laugh escaped me.
“Huh?”
I suddenly noticed something dripping from my mouth. I was drooling. I quickly wiped it away.
Ahem! That was embarrassing. I definitely wasn’t neglecting my cleaning duties. I was merely taking a short break. Yes. A completely reasonable break.
I looked around. Where was the Great Lord? Perhaps I could take my break while admiring him. That was perfectly reasonable too!
I searched the bedchambers first. He wasn’t there. Then I checked the nearby rooms. Nothing. I flew through the halls, peeking into one place after another. I definitely wasn’t neglecting my cleaning. I was simply taking a break while simultaneously searching for the Great Lord. Those were two completely different things!
Eventually, I discovered him in the library. My eyes lit up. “There he is!”
I immediately fluttered toward him at full speed. “Great Lord!” I flew around him excitedly before settling in front of his face. “How are you doing? Are you well? Have you been resting? Have you been eating properly? Do you need anything? Your wonderful Aide Sprite is here!”
The Great Lord looked up from his book. “Oh, it’s you.” His expression remained calm. “You need something?”
I clasped my tiny hands together. Of course I needed something. I needed to gaze upon his magnificent visage.
“My Great Lord, how could I possibly need anything when I have been blessed with the opportunity to look upon your beauty?” I fluttered closer. “I merely came here to take a short break.” I placed both hands against my cheeks and gazed at him with sparkling eyes. “By admiring your handsome face.”
That was all. Nothing suspicious whatsoever. I was simply appreciating the beauty of my Great Lord. As any loyal and devoted Aide Sprite should.