I expected the [Companions Banner] to give me something like a game guide. Something helpful, cute... Something nice.
Maybe a small mascot, a clunky robot, or even a spirit or a fairy.
In a way, I got it right.
When I opened my eyes, what I saw before me was indeed a fairy. Or at least, a woman so beautiful, she might as well have been one.
Her long, light-blue hair resembled the sky more than the sea, flowing smoothly down her shoulders, turning wavy and swirling into small, unfinished spirals near her chest. The richness of those spirals mesmerized me; even in a disheveled state, I could see the absolute care behind them.
Her skin was vivid, flushed with the pinkish hue of a young, healthy girl. Her eyes matched the blue of her hair, but they lacked its light. Flat and dull, they remained fixed on the floor, refusing to meet mine.
She stood before me entirely bare, her body the very definition of flawlessness. Yet, it was the solemn expression on her face that captured my gaze, drawing me further in until it was all I could see.
She felt tragic.
And also...
Miwen: "Beautiful."
Oh.
I...
?????: "...Pervert."
My heart raced as my mind slowed to a crawl. My thoughts had turned into words without me noticing, and without my command, my feet had carried me closer to her.
Too close.
Our faces were so close to touching that I couldn't tell whether the heat I felt was my own embarrassment or her warm breath against my skin.
Still a prisoner of my rebellious body and numbed mind, I struggled to put a couple of steps between us. Once I finally succeeded, I dropped to the ground, surprised at myself.
Something so simple shouldn't have taken such effort.
I might've put more distance than necessary between us, but after what just happened, I couldn't trust myself near her.
Even if caught off guard by the circumstances, nothing justified my actions. A pretty face and a striking body should never have been enough to make me lose control.
Something about her, beyond her appearance, captivated me.
I couldn't describe it, I could only feel it.
Deep within her, something called to me. Something powerful enough to pull me, even against my better judgment.
Miwen: "I'm..."
I knew I had screwed up the first impression pretty badly and that the least I could do was apologize.
However, I hesitated.
I had no reasoning to give her, and I couldn't brush it away with some vague attraction.
I worried that careless words would only worsen the situation.
Each second I took to gather my thoughts tightened the anxiety gripping my heart until it hurt.
When I saw the lonely teardrop trailing down her face, these feelings shrank into nonexistence.
The tears still caught in her eyes reflected the light, testifying to the resolve it took to hold them back.
Yet, more than her resolve or the light, what changed my perception of her lifeless eyes was the fragility that let one tear slip through.
I would've been happy to see those blue eyes filled with light, had I not been the cause of her sorrowful tears.
?????: "Please... No... Don't hurt..."
The voice that escaped her lips was mellow and faint, almost as if afraid of being heard.
How absurd that something so weak could be so devastating.
She hadn't said my name, but I understood well what she meant.
Facing someone who frightened her so much, this meek protest was all she could afford.
I would've understood anger and spite. I'd be fine with name-calling and even being pushed away.
It'd be fair.
It'd be easier.
Instead, she asked for the bare minimum of a human, afraid that even that, I'd negate her.
That expectation directed at me... it hurt more than anything I've ever felt.
Without solace, the air around me grew colder.
I felt isolated inside my own room, pressed against a wall I couldn't escape from.
Before me, a naked girl, alone, defenseless, and afraid.
She brought her hands before her face, closing her eyes and turning her head away from the man who had approached her with such sharp, focused eyes.
I couldn't take it anymore.
It was an act of selfishness. Guilt and regret had eaten away at me for far too long.
No matter what, I had to undo the damage.
Miwen: "S-sorry... I was..."
I didn't know how to approach her.
My reasons for summoning her? I was frustrated and didn't think about what could go wrong.
Why did I approach her? I wasn't thinking and couldn't control myself.
She deserved honesty, and telling the truth should be so easy...
Yet, I didn't know how to frame it.
Truth is, I was also afraid.
I didn't want her to think that I had toyed with her life for my own amusement.
I didn't want to admit to myself that... even if I didn't mean to, that was the case.
Still sitting on the floor, her body began to tremble.
Whether it was from cold or fear didn't matter.
They were both the result of my inability to help her.
?????: "Fate must really hate me... To now have my body defiled by a necromancer... Do I not deserve peace even in death?"
The fear in her voice had lessened a little.
Her sentence became longer and clearer. By the end, she let out an exhausted sigh, wiping away her tears and letting our eyes meet for the first time.
She only glanced at me with the corner of her eye, but it was enough for me to see my own reflection, distraught by what she had said.
If she was right about her own death, by using the [Companions Banner], I had not only toyed with her life, but also everything it meant.
Her history, dignity, rest, and peace. Someone who had nothing to do with her had just decided on all of those, with no regard for what she thought or wanted.
A coward might've denied her thoughts, shutting her up to escape whatever inkling of truth she had found.
But I didn't have the courage required to be a coward towards her.
Instead, I tried to see it through her lenses.
For her to have said something so dreadful, she must've been in a tough spot before appearing here.
Perhaps she had faced a hopeless situation.
Perhaps the fear she showed earlier wasn't all because of how I acted... maybe there were circumstances before-
That wasn't a good line of thought. I shouldn't avoid responsibility.
It was better to focus on her.
There were no signs of decay or rot in her body. No dirt or burn marks, either, so... No cremation or burial. Though she also had no clothes, so whether those would appear was questionable.
Her mind wasn't in a great state, but that was understandable. The important part was that she didn't have a blank stare, and I didn't seem capable of controlling her.
As long as she wasn't a puppet, then...
Tch.
It still didn't sit right with me.
However, my feelings had to wait.
After all, the dread I felt didn't compare to hers.
Miwen: "I'm not a necromancer. You're here because of my Gift. I believe..."
I couldn't be honest, so I chose to be reassuring.
Convincing myself that this was for her own sake, I put every ounce of confidence I had into my words.
Unfortunately, she gave me her full attention, wearing a pure and honest expression that did nothing but contrast with mine.
The strength I had mustered vanished into the shame of a liar. At the end, I sounded unsure, and before long, my white lies drowned before her purity.
Miwen: "..I summoned you. Not as an undead. You can take a look for yourself."
Like a pendulum, I used her honesty to build momentum and pushed out the most honest thoughts I had.
Silently, her expression began to change from fear to suspicion.
Before I could decide on my next words, I noticed her gaze had drifted down towards her own hands.
She raised her eyebrows, seemingly surprised by the warmth and color of her milky-white skin.
Despite all the conflicting feelings in my heart and the chaos in my mind, a soft chuckle escaped me.
Paying me no mind, she touched her lips, stroked her hair, and pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her own heartbeat.
I didn't try to stop the relieved smile my lips curled into.
It was a cute moment; her reactions were slightly exaggerated from my perspective.
However, more than that, the reason for my smile was that she had listened to me.
It was like a small bridge between us. A fragile connection, but one I could build upon.
Without any cruelty whatsoever, her next words shook the bridge like an earthquake.
?????: "Um... This is strange... You are right. I feel alive... But I'm sure I have died."
She looked at me in search of answers, but I had none to give.
It also didn't feel right to contradict her when I couldn't be sure.
?????: "This place... It is completely different from... From where I was. So I can't think of another explanation..."
I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed.
This woman wasn't naive. Despite the confusing circumstances, she collected her thoughts quickly and reached a logical conclusion.
And yet, instead of clinging to the certainty of her own memories, she extended me an olive branch I didn't yet deserve, intentionally leaving room for my explanation.
She was willing to let me try, and I was determined not to betray her goodwill.
Miwen: "...I'm sorry. I know it's hard to believe me, but I mean you no harm."
As each second went by, it became harder to face her.
Thankfully, at least on this, I had no doubts.
I could tell her the whole truth with peace of mind.
Miwen: "I can prove my ability to you. I don't want to summon another person, but I can summon clothes for you. You just need to become my [Citizen]. I can unregister you right after if you wish."
I saved every single [Kingdom Point] I ever received, and from what I could tell, I wouldn't be missing anything by spending them now.
Her trust was the most valuable thing I could spend them on.
Even if it didn't fully convince her that I was a summoner, it would still cover her up, and hopefully-
???: "...Citizen? Are you a noble? I... S-sorry. I... Let me go..."
Oh...
Oh no.
I thought I had seen her frightened before, but I was wrong. The look on her face then wasn't even comparable.
Before, she was trembling and avoiding me with her eyes.
Now, she desperately crawled away, making sure I was still caught within her sight.
She only stopped because there was a wall in her way, and even then, her feet didn't stop moving.
Her eyes briefly glanced at the window and the door out of the room.
I was unintentionally blocking both.
She started begging. Incoherently.
Her fairy-like face contorted, filled with confusion and despair.
I almost extended my arms in shock before I stopped myself. Approaching even a centimeter would've been a mistake.
Even asking her about it seemed wrong.
No matter how much I worried, I had struck a chord. I shouldn't touch it anymore.
If she were to ever tell me about it, it'd have to be her initiative.
For now, I could only appease her.
Miwen: "I'm also not a noble. Really, I'm not even that well off. If not for my parents, I wouldn't have enough to live on every day..."
I watched carefully how she reacted to my words.
Denying I was a noble made her legs stop moving, but she was still analyzing the room, searching for something to defend herself with.
When I said I was well off, she grew wary. She looked at the lamp and the bed near her, almost as if calling me out for lying to her face.
Everything in the room was on the cheap side, but it didn't matter. I couldn't afford to have her think of me as a liar.
Pathetic as it was, I started rambling dejectedly about my finances.
Miwen: "And I get pocket change for a pay as an adventurer..."
The word "adventurer" seemed to trigger a different reaction.
Her lips curled into the tiniest smile imaginable, but it made her expression completely different.
I might've even heard a laugh, though it was too faint to tell, and it didn't take long for her cold expression to return.
Still, this was working.
Miwen: "As for letting you leave. Sure, I'm cool if that's what you want. But you'd have to do with my clothes, and I'm not sure they'll fit you."
I bluffed.
The clothes were the most obvious problem to her, but what worried me the most about letting her go was her mental state.
Had she asked to leave, I would've tried to convince her otherwise.
?????: "Umm..."
She narrowed her eyes.
It felt like an eternity had passed.
So far, every lie I told was meant to protect her.
Every time I told one, I felt the weight of a planet falling on me.
I wanted to give her space and time to think.
I wanted to guide her thoughts to what I believed was best.
The contradiction was killing me inside.
?????: "If I decide to leave, will you let me go at any moment?"
With a sharp look, she spoke fast, almost as if forcing the words out.
Despite being on the other end of her cold treatment, I thought this determined look suited her more than any other she'd shown so far.
Miwen: "Yes."
Her rapid-fire strategy backfired.
If she had taken a second to watch me in silence, I might've crumbled from the pressure.
?????: "Tell me your name, and promise me in your God's name."
This condition raised a few flags, but I didn't let my confusion show and happily obliged.
Miwen: "I, Miwen, promise that you may leave this house anytime you so wish; Should I fail this promise, may Catherine strike me down."
I had never done this before, nor had I heard of someone doing it.
Hopefully, she found it good enough.
?????: "...Alright. I'll agree to be your [Citizen]. For now..."
I don't think a million victories in battle would make me prouder than this one moment.
Even though I wasn't a strong follower, I was so glad to Catherine that I decided to pray tonight.
Miwen: "I'll need your name. So, if you could, please..."]
It was the first time I messed with this part of my Gift, so I didn't know I needed to focus on a name and face.
I thought just thinking about the person would be enough.
Unfortunately, this was problematic.
Names could be cursed.
Normally, such curses were weak, but it was one of the reasons I wanted to avoid unnecessary attention.
At least until I was strong enough.
Thankfully, the girl seemed to notice what was on my mind and, instead of refusing, she asked for mine first.
???: "...Licia, 'The Frost Sword' from Redrock Village in the North Dowa Kingdom."
...I introduced myself as Miwen.
Naturally, she worded out her resume.
It felt like she had rehearsed the line several times before, and I even noticed her puff her chest a little before she said it.
But being cute didn't distract me from how strange it was.
The North Dowa Kingdom wasn't a name I had ever read in a book.
Thanks to earlier flags, I already had a vague idea of why this discrepancy existed, but for the time being, it was best not to say anything.
Although it was hard not wonder a little about everything I had summoned thus far.
They were either skills or mundane things easily found on Earth, but perhaps that wasn't the case.
I didn't want to make her wait too much, so I kept a footnote about it and moved on, inviting her to be a [Citizen] of my kingdom.
Her eyes briefly darted around. She was reading invisible text.
I imagined she was navigating her own Gift's menus, but then, a touch of disappointment briefly colored her face.
Miwen: "...Is everything alright?"
She barely glanced at me before dropping her gaze.
Her voice wasn't weak, but it lacked weight.
Licia: "Yes. I confirmed myself as your [Citizen]."
I was curious, but she had chosen not to tell me, and I could only accept it.
My [Kingdom Points] dropped from 7 to 2 in a single blow. It was the crash of the century for the Kingdom's economy, but I would survive. It just meant I'd have to wait a couple more days before building the well.
Unlike the gachas, my mind didn't go blank when I used the points.
I saw the exact moment they appeared in thin air before me.
I quickly grabbed and left them on the ground before her.
Then, I turned my back and faced away, which helped me cool my head a little.
Licia: "Thanks... Thank you!"
I stood up, ready to leave the room for her, when I heard quiet rustling behind me. Her soft voice was muffled by her sobbing, but I didn't miss a single word.
Licia had endured a lot while I flumbed my way, and I could only imagine what happened to her before she was... summoned.
Yet, she only allowed herself to cry from joy.
Perhaps reality had finally kicked in for her. Maybe the clothes meant more than I imagined.
It could be that she was simply glad to be alive. Maybe it was something else entirely.
However, I was amazed. The strength to stop tears from fear and save them for joy... I couldn't imagine how much it took.
I still didn't know one thing about her.
All I could do was silently accept her tearful gratitude.
The world had finally started spinning again, and my mind began to clear.
I finally did what I should've done from the beginning.
Miwen: "Everything's gonna be alright..."
My words reached her, but they failed to stop the falling tears.
Miwen: "I'll be here for you."
I made a promise.
Not only to her, but to myself as well.
She wiped the tears and lifted her chin.
Our eyes met, this time, as our true selves.
Miwen: "You're fine now, you don't have to worry."
She allowed me to approach her.
I didn't close a centimeter of distance without considering her reaction.
Even though I wasn't a sinless man, I felt the need to take responsibility.
Not only for her tears, but for bringing her here.
Throughout my life, I've had many goals.
She was the second person I've made this promise to.
However, I had no doubts that I wouldn't regret doing everything I could for her.
I sat by her side.
I waited for the tears to stop, without saying a single word.
In time, she calmed herself down.
Miwen: "...I said you could leave at any moment. But if you want, you can also stay. At least until you can sort out your feelings and decide on what you want to do."
It was my goal from the start.
Inside my home, she was safe.
Licia: "..."
I became used to her silence.
Instead of trying to convince her, I let her consider it as much as she wanted.
Licia: "...What you gave me... The clothes I mean... They suit my taste, is this also thanks to your Gift?"
...Hm?
She seemed so deep in thought, I was expecting... Something else.
Out of all things, this is what was on her mind?
Pffft.
The clothes that appeared weren't very modern, but they also wouldn't look out of place. They were a perfect fit for her, but I couldn't tell whether this happened because of my taste or hers.
Miwen: "Honestly... I have no idea. I don't yet understand my Gift very well. I need to test more before I can say for sure..."
Licia: "I see... It's a mysterious Gift. But it's also kind. These are very warm..."
While I was happy to have my Gift praised that way, the clothes she got didn't seem so warm.
Even summer clothes were warmer than nothing, and seeing her hug them with such love left me no room to doubt her.
Licia: "...Can I really stay here? For now, I mean-"
She was fidgeting with her thumbs.
Miwen: "Yeah. As long as you want to."
After she calmed, it was hard for me to read her emotions. I wouldn't be able to refuse anything she asked so meekly, and she was clearly smart enough to do it on purpose.
Yet I didn't think that was the case here. After all, she was gentle enough to watch my reactions to every word.
Licia: "Ah... Um... Do you want me to do anything for you in exchange? You've been very kind, and I would like to pay you back somehow..."
It was impossible not to be tempted after hearing something like that from a girl like her, but even though it might've been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, there was no way I'd take advantage of this.
She also probably didn't mean anything by it.
It was just her trying to be polite.
Or so I thought.
While I thought of a reply, I noticed her face flush red with shame, the weight of her words hitting her a moment too late.
Miwen: "Well... My Gift is more useful the more [Citizens] I have, so could you keep yourself registered for now?"
Licia: "...! That's...Fine. That's great!"
After making me sit through her cold silence so many times, I finally got a bit of revenge, waiting just a moment to let her embarrassment settle.
Seeing the smile plastered all over her face and how relieved she seemed confirmed that we had thought the same thing.
I pretended not to notice, though.
Miwen: "I don't have the power to do so right now, but if you keep your registration, I can get you a change of clothes tomorrow. Hopefully, they'd look more modern."
Buying clothes online would be easy, but this way, I had an excuse for her to stay a little longer.
Licia: "If you don't mind me asking, how would you do that? I thought you said you didn't understand how your Gift worked."
Whenever I brought up the topic of citizenship, she got a little agitated, and despite the improved mood, she remained sharp.
Given how she reacted when she thought I was a noble...
I should be more careful.
Miwen: "Well, there are four possibilities for that: Either the clothes are completely random, they suit what either of us wants, or they are a combination of our desires."
The clothes being random was unlikely. They were feminine and the perfect size for her.
As for the other possibilities...
I would have to test more to know, but for the time being, it wouldn't matter.
Miwen: "As for how we'll make it so that we get just the clothes we want... I'll just show you what clothing looks like here, you decide on what you want, and tomorrow we will both wish for the same. If we both wish for the same thing, we should get exactly what we want."
This was more of a band-aid fix than a solution, but as long as the clothes weren't random, it should work.
Licia: "...That's a little confusing. If you have the clothes to show me, why wouldn't you just let me wear them?"
Miwen: "Ah... I don't have them with me, but I can still show them to you. Here."
I searched for online stores and showed her my phone screen.
She seemed to be around twenty years old, yet she reacted as if it were the first time she had seen a phone.
Even though I already half-expected something like this, it made my day.
She flooded me with questions, quickly overwhelming me with her curiosity.
Miwen: "...I forgot to ask, but what is your level? The higher the level of my citizens, the more I can do with my Gift."
Licia: "I am lev.... I was level 83. Now I am only level 1. As for my skills, well... I lost them? I only have the ones I was born with."
I knew of a few debuffs that could make someone lose levels temporarily, but it didn't seem to be the case for her.
If I had to guess, it was probably a side effect of being summoned.
It was interesting; however, there was a bigger issue with what she said.
Miwen: "When you were born? Do people get Gifts and skills at birth in your world?"
Licia: "Yes, of course! Is it different here?"
Miwen: "We only get them at age 18 here..."
Licia: "That's... How do your people fight monsters without Gifts? How do you survive so long?"
For the most part, we shoot them.
But I felt like introducing guns to her, at least for now, was not a great idea.
She was definitely going to have a few questions about that, too.
Also, in cities like the one I lived in, it was rare for monsters to roam around.
The few places suffering from ongoing rampages due to bosses escaping and hiding were at least a few kilometers away from us.
If a problem were to happen, we'd evacuate, and either the army or the veterans would deal with it.
It wasn't that difficult to survive until reaching adulthood.
Miwen: "Well, we have some weapons that are effective against most monsters as long as their level is not too high, and we also have a way of knowing where Rampages are happening, so people often evacuate safely, and we manage to keep our distance from monsters in everyday life, outside of exploring dungeons, of course."
Licia: "Hm... I've never heard of a world capable of that... But that seems nice. Forgive me for being a little lost. This is quite different from where I came from."
I figured as much...
Miwen: "It goes both ways, I'm also quite surprised by you being level 83 in the past, that would put you among the strongest in this world."
Licia: "Really? I was only a B-rank adventurer in my world... I had a bit of fame in the areas close to where I lived, but my name wasn't even worth mentioning in the capital. I doubt anyone would recognize me there..."
Woah.
With such a high level, at least in this world, even the top parties would do their best to recruit her.
Even if her Gift is just decent, she'd be among the strongest top-rankers, and with her looks, probably something of a celebrity.
Miwen: "I'm curious now, what was the highest level in your world?"
Licia: "I don't know about the entire world, but at the North Dowa Kingdom, the strongest was Sir Varehan Of The Silent Magic. He was level 143 and could fire any magic spells without making a sound; they were unusually fast, too."
High speed and no sound, huh?
Maybe he was breaking the speed of sound with his magic.
It would make sense for someone who doesn't understand the concept to fail to associate the sound if there's too much delay.
Well, it's a Gift, so it might just be silent magic too.
Miwen: "I see, did you know him personally?"
Licia: "Not at all, he worked at the royal court, and since I never managed to go to the capital..."
I thought I'd be able to talk casually with her, but she cut herself short.
It felt like she couldn't continue without mentioning her own death, so I decided not to pry further.
After everything that happened, I completely forgot about the mana depletion I felt today.
Licia and I talked a little more, trying to find some common ground.
I decided to take a shower before preparing dinner, which reminded me I should teach her how to use it.
Because of her curiosity, this became a tour of my house.
It wasn't anything too impressive, but she seemed amused at everything I explained.
After bath and dinner, I let her sleep in my room while I took the couch for myself.
This night, I didn't do any rolls in the [Mana Banners].
Not because I was afraid of her having put on an act all this time and attacking me in my sleep.
I wanted to be ready in case she needed my help.