Not long after the birth of the four Mothers of Spirits, each of them settled in the land where they had first appeared, naturally claiming it as their home.
Though they were aware of each other's existence, they did not meet.
Not until I summoned them, a few days after their birth.
---
Lying on my couch as usual, resting on my left side, my long hair spilled down and brushed gently against the grass beneath me. I hugged my arms together beneath my head, using them as a pillow, my eyes calmly fixed on the four figures standing before me.
The creatures I had summoned.
Each one knelt on one knee, their right hand placed over their chest. Their heads were lowered, their gazes fixed on the grass.
It seemed they understood that their existence had originated from me.
Perhaps they saw me as their creator.
Or maybe… their mother.
Just as I expected from beings born purely from mana, they were all incredibly beautiful. Their presence alone carried an elegant, almost sacred aura.
Even though none of them had yet dared to meet my gaze, I could sense it.
They loved me.
They loved my existence.
And that realization filled me with warmth.
"Hmmhm~, there's no need to be so formal with me. Raise your heads."
Slowly, the four of them obeyed. one by one, they lifted their faces, and the moment their eyes met mine… they all shared the exact same expression.
"Hihi~~"
I couldn't help but chuckle, suddenly remembering someone I had met before who had made the exact same face.
Then—
"Wooooowww!"
The green-haired spirit was the first to react.
Her eyes widened as if they were shining jewels.
"Soooooo beautifuuul!"
She exclaimed, her voice overflowing with amazement. I could almost see little hearts sparkling inside her eyes.
On her left side, I noticed the fire representative.
She was still completely frozen in shock. the moment my eyes met hers—
whoosh!
Her head snapped right back toward the ground at lightning speed. not out of fear. but from embarrassment.
Her cheeks burned a deep, glowing red, i could see she was burning even from her inside, witch was weird considering she has authority over fire.
"Pfuu—!"
I barely managed to hold my laughter in. My shoulders shook slightly.
The mighty spirit of fire… burning from her own.
On the other side of the nature representative, who was still staring at me with heart-shaped sparkles practically exploding from her eyes, the water representative calmly looked up at me.
Unlike the others, she composed herself quickly.
"This lowly creature greets Her Highness."
She lowered her head again with perfect elegance, placing her hand over her chest in respectful greeting.
Very proper.
Very dignified.
Then my attention drifted to the last one.
The wind representative.
She stood there with a cold, unreadable expression. Almost bored. Her pale sky-colored hair moved slightly with an invisible breeze as she stared at me.
Not with reverence.
Not with excitement.
But like she was trying to solve a complicated puzzle.
Looking at all four of them together, something became clear to me.
"…I see."
Each of them represented a natural phenomenon. And their personalities matched those elements perfectly.
Fire, easily flustered and explosive.
Water, calm and disciplined.
Nature, emotional and overflowing with affection.
Wind… distant and unpredictable.
Watching them with a gentle smile, feeling the love they held toward me, I decided it was time.
They needed names. and a set of rules
"Let's give you cuties some names. So for the fir—"
"A NAAAAAAAME!!!"
The green-haired spirit suddenly screamed with explosive excitement, her eyes glowing even brighter than before.
Then—
SMACK!
"Grrgh!"
The water representative delivered a perfectly aimed slap to the back of her head.
The nature spirit's head bounced forward like a poorly secured melon.
"We are standing before Her Highness. No joking here."
The water spirit spoke with a deadly serious expression.
"B-b-but—!"
The green-haired spirit looked ready to cry, her sparkling eyes wobbling like they might overflow.
"Shut up."
The water spirit turned toward her slowly. Her smile looked polite... her eyes looked like they were considering murder.
Meanwhile, the fire spirit on the side watched the entire scene with visible discomfort, still half-red from embarrassment.
And the wind spirit? She didn't care, not even a little, or a least that what it looks like it.
She simply looked down at the chaos with the exact same bored expression as before… like someone watching a mildly disappointing stage play.
Honestly, I was starting to think summoning them all at once might have been a mistake.
But at the same time, this kind of atmosphere was warm, filling a weird void inside me. and it wasn't bad at all.
"Alright… let's give you cuties some names."
I said, pushing myself up slightly on my couch while looking at the four spirits gathered before me.
They all immediately straightened.
Well… almost all of them.
The green-haired one was practically vibrating with excitement.
I pointed gently toward the red-haired spirit first.
"The Origin Spirit of Fire…"
Her shoulders tensed instantly.
"Pyrelia."
Her eyes widened slightly, her fiery wings giving a faint flicker behind her back.
Then my gaze moved to the sky-haired spirit.
"The Origin Spirit of Wind…"
She watched me silently, her expression still calm and unreadable.
"Zephyra."
A quiet breeze suddenly brushed across the clearing.
Next, I looked at the composed blue-haired spirit.
"The Origin Spirit of Water…"
She already looked prepared, as if she had been expecting this moment.
"Maristella."
For a brief second, the distant oceans stirred.
Finally, I turned toward the green-haired spirit, who looked seconds away from exploding from excitement.
"And the Origin Spirit of Nature…"
She leaned forward eagerly, eyes sparkling.
"Sylvaria."
The moment the name left my lips, the grass around us gently swayed, flowers blooming a little brighter.
And then—
"MY NAME IS SYLVARIA?!"
She shouted with absolute joy.
I could already see the water spirit slowly raising her hand again ...Another slap was definitely coming.