“Oh, I was contemplating. Trying to do it in front of the Master of the Magic Tower makes me nervous.”

Kana calmly made up an excuse. Kiriel, with an indifferent expression, snapped his fingers.

A paper and pen appeared from his palm. He lightly drew a complex magic circle on the paper with the pen. The paper fluttered as it was placed in front of her.

“It’s not something so difficult that you should be this nervous. Place the spirit stone on the magic circle and put your hand on it. Think of it as drawing the energy of the spirit stone into your body.”

“Ah, yes.”

With him setting up everything and even offering help, it was hard to back out now.

‘Anyway, it’s beneficial for me too, so I should just think of it as making good use of the sub male lead’s abilities.’

Hoping that nothing suspicious would happen, Kana followed his instructions. Soon, the spirit stone turned into powder and disappeared, while a cool breeze wrapped around her hand.

The breeze brushed over the back of her hand and gathered. The gathered wind transformed into a translucent sky-blue cloud-shaped spirit.

[Round, it’s been a while! Is this novel’s world one where I can stay with you?]

The spirit’s voice rang clear and refreshing, like a wind chime shaken by the breeze. Kana nodded with a smile.

‘Yes. Nice to see you, Celia.’

[Me too! I really missed you. What’s your name this time?]

‘Kana. Kana Round.’

[Then I’ll call you Kana in this novel.]

‘Alright.’

Meeting her reliable partner warmed Kana’s heart. Their touching reunion was interrupted by Kiriel’s low exclamation.

“Oh, it seems to be a lower-grade spirit, but its form is surprisingly clear? It also seems quite close to you, Lady Round.”

Kana’s eyes widened slightly at his words.

‘Huh? Isn’t my dear Celia a high-grade spirit?’

When she glanced at Celia, the spirit swelled up and then shrank, whispering.

[Hehe, the guy with you is a mage, right? Just in case, I hid my energy!]

‘Good job, Celia!’

After responding to the spirit with a satisfied voice, Kana deliberately put on an amazed expression and spoke to Kiriel in an excited tone.

“Indeed. I was scared and nervous, but it seems to be quite gentle.”

“You’re lucky. Wind spirits are usually exceptionally free-spirited and mischievous among spirits. Now, try forming the contract.”

“Yes.”

Kana signaled to Celia with her eyes. Having shared experiences in many novels, they could understand each other without speaking.

[Since we’re already contracted, I’ll disguise it as a provisional contract. Anyway, unless they’re a spirit summoner, they won’t be able to distinguish properly.]

‘Yes. But be careful. Our opponent is the Master of the Magic Tower.’

[What’s his position?]

‘Sub male lead.’

[Hmm, got it.]

Since Kiriel Curtis was a major character in ‘Fake Saint,’ he received significant narrative support and had genuine talent, so she had to be cautious.

‘Well, Celia will handle it well.’

They naturally disguised the contract. After the contract was completed, Celia settled on her shoulder. Kana, wanting to divert Kiriel’s attention, spoke in an overly excited voice.

“Wow, it seems I succeeded in forming the contract!”

“Yes.”

Kiriel’s response was brief. Even though he was knowledgeable about spirit magic, his main field was magic. He might feel suspicious, but it would be difficult to figure out that Celia and she had planned it.

Kana hid her true feelings and spoke with a slightly trembling voice, smiling bashfully.

“Thank you for helping me. Thanks to the Master of the Magic Tower, I’ve made a new friend.”

Kiriel gave her a peculiar look, tilting his head slightly as he observed her flushed cheeks.

“Are you not disappointed that it’s a lower-grade spirit?”

“Why would I? I’m happy to form new bonds and gain new abilities. It feels like my heart is overflowing.”

Kana was sincere. Initially, she had met and contracted with Celia in a romance fantasy novel world where spirits existed.

Like a side character with insignificant talent, she started at the lowest grade. Excited about her first ability, she put in grueling effort until the end of that novel, but her grade only reached the lower level.

‘But then, by actively participating in other novels, I gradually raised her grade. From the lowest to the highest level.’

Therefore, Kana did not discriminate against the grades of the skills she acquired, as long as they could be utilized in other novels. Even if the start was insignificant, steadily building up abilities was something that couldn’t be ignored.

[Wow, I’m really touched.]

‘Although I can’t express it fully because of the sub male lead… my feelings for you are even deeper than this, Celia.’

[Yes! I know, I know.]

Celia burst into a refreshing laugh. True to her nature as a wind spirit, it was light and breezy.

Although the characters in the novels were just fleeting connections for her, who wandered as a side character, the spirit was different.

Even when entering different novels, Celia stayed with her. Of course, in worlds without fantasy elements, summoning her became somewhat restricted, but Celia was the only being she truly bonded with.

Kiriel’s eyes sharpened.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes.”

Kana’s attitude was firm. Kiriel’s eyes narrowed. He scrutinized her calm face to gauge her sincerity and then bluntly remarked.

“Usually, spirit summoners get discouraged if their spirit’s grade is low.”

“Because spirit magic heavily relies on talent and affinity, and once a grade is determined, it’s hard to raise it, right?”

“You know well. But you’re still okay with it?”

Kiriel seemed convinced that lacking talent was extremely distressing. Given the characteristics of the four great families, they were blindly devoted to inherited talents, and his personality also seemed to play a part.

‘Not everyone in the world gets discouraged just because they lack talent.’

Regarding talent, she had reached a state of enlightenment both in her original world and while working as a side character. Kana answered calmly.

“Yes. I don’t mind the grades that much.”

“……”

“Who knows? The grade might go up later.”

“Realistically, it’ll be difficult.”

His cold remark poured cold water on the already tense atmosphere.

‘Who doesn’t know that?’

Kana shrugged and replied nonchalantly.

“Then I’ll live as is. It’s not like having a low grade makes it impossible to live.”

“Even if it doesn’t cause problems, isn’t it inconvenient and hard if you’re weak?”

“Yes, but that’s something I have to deal with.”

Kana drew a polite line. She had started at the lowest grade in other novels too and had climbed up just fine; this novel wouldn’t be any different. Watching this, Celia muttered in disbelief.

[Why is that sub male lead so mean? In this novel, you’re supposed to be a beginner who just made your first contract with a spirit, yet he keeps discouraging you. So mean.]

‘It’s okay. That’s how it’s supposed to be. Don’t waste your emotions on it. He’s just a passing character.’

Kana brushed it off and comforted Celia.

Initially, she had been upset and hurt by the way the main characters treated her, but now she was used to it and could let most things slide.

[…Okay. But I’m always on your side, Kana!]

‘Thank you. You’re the only one I trust.’

She responded with heartfelt gratitude. Meanwhile, Kiriel’s expression subtly changed. He frowned, seemingly unable to understand her mindset.

“Do you have something to rely on?”

“No.”

She immediately shook her head. She had always run alone as a side character; what could she rely on? Kiriel stroked his chin and asked.

“Then why are you so confident?”

“That’s a strange question. Should I be dejected just because my spirit’s grade is low? Instead of that, it’s better to communicate with the spirit and find what I can do.”

Kana plucked the flowers from her braided hair and tossed them to the ground. Small, white flowers settled at the hem of her dress.

There was never a novel that granted brilliant talents to a side character meant to fill the background. Because of that, she had adapted to working while compensating for her lacking abilities.

“Is that so.”

Kiriel’s expression softened considerably. He didn’t despise people who worked hard despite their lack of talent. Celia praised her contractor.

[As expected of our Kana. You speak so well. Even that sub male lead seems to have relaxed a bit.]

‘A supporting character needs to know how to say the right things optimized for the main characters without twisting their role too much. This time, I got lucky.’

Kana mocked herself. The female protagonist easily gained the favor of other characters, but it was different for her, a supporting character. She had to quickly grasp the situation and engage in thoroughly calculated conversations.

No matter how favorable her lines were, she would never become deeply involved with them. This was more about lubricating her human relationships so they wouldn’t interfere with her future tasks.

Kana slightly lifted the corners of her mouth.

“Do you understand my thoughts now?”

“Yes. I understand your intentions well.”

Kiriel answered slowly, nodding his head. Silence descended on the garden once more. He sipped his tea elegantly without a word, and Kana played with Celia sitting on her shoulder.

The soft and cool touch felt very nice. It felt like touching a cloud-shaped doll. It made her feel at peace. Celia quietly accepted her touch and then, as if waiting, spoke.

[Kana, tell me about the content of this novel and your situation.]

‘Sure.’

Since Kiriel wasn’t saying anything, she immediately shared the details of ‘Fake Saint’ and ‘my information’ with Celia. The wind spirit, who listened silently, encouraged her contractor.

[I hope everything goes smoothly until the end. Let’s earn those star ratings!]

‘I hope so too.’

She needed to earn more star ratings than her target. Because she wanted to bring Celia to the world she would eventually settle in.

‘Celia also seemed to want to stay with me.’

She had heard that other supporting characters had such additional options. Depending on the existence, there were restrictions, but spirits, being close to nature, could be brought along relatively easily.

Kiriel, seeing Kana’s face soften as she played with the spirit, bluntly remarked.

“You’ve already become close even though it hasn’t been long since you contracted.”