Liria returned to the Spirit Tree, exhausted, and collapsed with a thud.

“I barely made it through. Wow, I almost couldn’t come back.”

Liria took out the golden compass from her pocket and managed a smile.

“Phew, it was so hard… but I got it!”

It wasn’t over yet.

The most important third gate remained.

Liria, clutching the golden compass tightly, climbed up to the last floor.

There, a huge circular magic circle was spread out in two layers, with symbols representing each element drawn on it.

The basic attribute magic circles of fire, water, wind, and earth were silver, while the larger golden magic circle had higher attributes (lightning, ice, plant, metal, darkness, light) drawn on it.

Thump.

It was natural that the original Liria couldn’t manifest magic. She wouldn’t have reached the third gate to obtain the golden compass due to her weak magical power.

This time, thanks to the brooch and guide, she was able to come this far, so maybe she could manifest magic?

‘Light attribute would be nice, but that’s unlikely.’

Such a thought flashed briefly, but Liria’s purpose for coming here was clear.

To meet the elf and obtain the key with healing power.

‘If only I could save Father with this…’

Liria placed the golden compass in her hand and stepped into the magic circle. Then, the compass opened by itself with a click and began to emit light.

Dong!

Dong!

A huge resonance, like beating a drum, was transmitted to Liria’s body through the compass.

‘It feels like my heart is about to burst.’

Concentrating, Liria carefully gathered mana as instructed in the guide and poured it into the golden compass.

Whisk whisk whisk!

The needle of the compass spun wildly. A massive wave that would be lost if not held tightly.

‘What’s this?’

Eventually, as the compass needle pointed to one place, a golden beam of light stretched out.

Fwoosh!

A tiny teleportation portal gate was created there. Something emerged from the portal.

Rustle.

A fluffy creature with a round face and an elongated body. It was the ferret that had been guarding the compass earlier.

“Oh? You’re…”

Recognizing it, the ferret hopped onto Liria’s lap.

“Kuku kuk!”

It seemed happy, pushing its head against her and playing around, then climbing up Liria’s body and plopping down on her shoulder. Its entire body was covered in soft fur, which felt nice.

“Eek, that tickles. But why did you come here?”

As if remembering something belatedly, the ferret quickly went back into the teleportation portal it had ridden and returned.

In its mouth was a golden key with a rainbow-colored radiance.

“…!”

The magic key that Liria had so desperately wanted sparkled before her eyes.

Vwoom.

The moment her hand touched the key, a golden door appeared before Liria’s eyes.

As if magnetized, the door and the key were pulling each other.

Click!

Drawn by that force, she inserted the key into the hole, and the door opened. Then, as if it had served its purpose, the key disappeared with a poof.

“…Huh? My key!”

Muttering dejectedly, Liria looked at the space that unfolded before her.

Beyond the door was a luxurious room decorated with jewels and gold.

Her eyes met with a blonde beauty in the room. She shone with a halo, as if she wasn’t of this world.

“Welcome, child. Come here.”

The beautiful woman with a gentle voice said with a smile. Liria approached slowly, unable to take her eyes off her.

Pointed ears and snow-white skin.

An elegant figure and noble attire emanating from her entire body.

Soon, she realized who she was.

It must be that elf who gave the magic key to Tiana in the original story.

“…Ah, hello. I’m Liria von Roberg.”

As Liria greeted her, blinking her large eyes, the woman smiled once more.

Every time she smiled, it was as bright as stars shattering. It felt like she had never seen such a beautiful person in her life.

It felt as if she was enchanted by something.

“So you’re Liria. Classid and Serna’s precious baby. Liria, do you know who I am?”

Liria shook her head gently.

“I am the second Spirit User and descendant of the Light Elf Ainaf, Lillian von Roberg. In short, I am your grandfather’s wife. I would be your grandmother.”

After saying that, she looked at Liria with warm eyes.

“What? Then, am I now seeing the gh-ghost of a deceased person… I’m sorry! That’s all I could think of to say.”

Liria said, fidgeting with her fingers in embarrassment.

She was really surprised.

‘The elf who appeared in the original story was my deceased grandmother, and moreover, a Spirit User?’

“Yes, as you said, I am a ghost. Even after death, I protect the Spirit Tree, the Spirit Forest, and the precious items of the family. I’m sorry if I startled you, child.”

“Ah, no. Then I should call you a guardian spirit.”

As Liria said with a soft smile, Lillian gently caressed her plump, soft cheeks and said, “That sounds nice too, but I’d be happier if you called me grandmother.”

Lillian maintained her youth, so she didn’t look like a grandmother at all on the outside.

But thinking it would be best to call her as she wished, Liria nodded.

“Grandmother! Thank you so much for protecting the Spirit Tree. It’s thanks to you that so many magicians of Roberg continue to be born, right?”

Seeing the child’s clear, sparkling eyes, Lillian’s lips curled up slightly as if moved.

“My, my. I didn’t mean to receive such gratitude… Thank you, child. In all my time here, that’s the first time anyone has greeted me with such gratitude. I sometimes see through the hearts of people who come and go to the Spirit Tree, you know.”

At that moment, Lillian’s gaze fell on the moon brooch attached to Liria’s dress.

“That’s Classid’s brooch. It’s something I gave him as a gift.”

“Ah, I was going to receive it as a gift from Dad too. I really needed it because my magical power was weak. I hope using the brooch doesn’t invalidate all the qualification tests I passed?”

As Liria asked worriedly, Lillian stroked the child’s fluffy hair.

“Of course not. Liria, you have successfully completed and passed the qualification test. Congratulations.”

“Really? Then will I be able to manifest a magic attribute?”

“Hmm, but you haven’t become a magician?”

“Gasp, I’m not a magician?”

Startled, Liria’s mind flashed back to the contents of the guide.

「Therefore, only Spirit Users, who have been chosen by the spirits and can see their true form, can fully use the power of the elements.」

“Ah, is it because I saw the spirit in the forest?”

“That’s right. Not just anyone can see spirits until they materialize themselves. They’re usually invisible to human eyes. So you’re a very special child.”

As Lillian extended her white hand, the ferret in Liria’s arms moved over to her, making cooing sounds. She stroked its fluffy fur.

“This one is the Spirit of the Key. It materialized as a ferret due to its habit of protecting precious things. Its name is Kiki. Since you’ve been chosen by Kiki, you, Liria, are the Spirit User of this generation.”

“…M-me?”

“Yes, I’m so glad that a child worthy of becoming the key’s owner has finally appeared!”

As Liria blinked and asked, Lillian wrapped her arms around Liria’s small shoulders with an expression of deep emotion.

“Ah, but the key disappeared when I inserted it into that door earlier.”

“No need to worry, child. I have that key here. It can move anywhere. It was the power of that key that created this door just now.”

Ting!

Lillian pulled out a golden key from thin air and hung it around her neck. A key that could move anywhere was an incredible power.

“Is the key Grandmother has the power of movement?”

“Yes. I’ve been waiting for a long time for a child who would become a Spirit User after me.”