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 had saved every single [Kingdom Point] I ever received, and as far as I could tell, nothing came close to being as valuable as her trust.
Even if it didn't fully convince her that I was more of a summoner than a necromancer, it would still cover her up, and hopefully that would-
?????: "...Citizen? Are you a noble? I... S-sorry. I... Let me go..."
Oh...
Oh no.
I thought she was frightened before, but I was dead wrong. The look on her face back then didn't even come close.
Before, she was trembling and avoiding me with her eyes.
Now, she was desperately crawling away, refusing to let me escape from her sight.
Even after she hit her back against a wall, her feet didn't stop pressing against the floor, as if trying to force her way through the solid wood.
Her eyes briefly glanced at the room's window and door.
I was unintentionally blocking both.
Even though I wasn't moving towards her, she extended her hand, incoherently begging me to stop.
Her fairy-like face contorted in confusion and despair.
I didn't know how to react. My first instinct was to raise my arms in an appeasing motion, but I stopped myself. I thought that it would be better not to move or approach her, even a centimeter.
After stepping on a landmine, it felt best to wait without asking her about it.
If she were to ever tell me about it, it'd have to be her initiative.
I decided to focus on pacifying her for the moment.
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 get by 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 claimed that I wasn't well off, she grew wary, briefly glancing 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.
Without an ounce of shame and with honesty to a fault, I began to ramble about my depressing finances.
Miwen: "...And I get pocket change as an adventurer..."
The word "adventurer" seemed to trigger a different reaction.
Her lips curled into the slightest smile imaginable, somehow making her expression completely different. I might've even heard a chuckle, though it was too faint to tell.
Before long, the cold, doll-like expression she wore before we started talking returned.
Still, we weren't walking in circles.
I could feel her growing acceptance the more we talked; our connection was turning into a thread that could tremble without breaking.
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 most was her mental state.
She wasn't going to fare well outside.
Had she actually asked to leave, I would have done everything in my power to convince her otherwise.
?????: "Umm..."
Seconds turned into an eternity as she narrowed her eyes at me.
I didn't enjoy the deception, but every lie I had told was a calculated move for her protection.
I wanted to give her the space to make her own decisions, while also guiding her toward the only path that kept her safe.
It was a bitter contradiction, but I judged my discomfort a trivial price for her safety.
?????: "Will you let me go whenever I want if I decide to leave?"
With a sharp look, she spoke fast, almost as if forcing the words out.
Despite being on the other end of her cold suspicion, I thought that this determined look suited her more than any other she'd shown so far.
Miwen: "Yes."
Funny. I could tell she wasn't simply seeking affirmation.
By emphasizing exactly what I was subtly denying her, she showed me she wasn't naive and that she could read through my dishonesty.
At the same time, she didn't call me out or panic. It was as if she were signaling that she understood my reasons, even if she couldn't yet trust my intent.
Yet, even though we could read what lay underneath our words so well, we were still too clueless about each other's most basic truths.
Her attempt at rapid firing words backfired completely, and how could it not?
It was her silence that tested my resolve. Had she kept watching me without a word, I might've faltered.
But when she spoke, she gave me an opening.
A clear direction we could walk towards together, even if at different paces.
?????: "Tell me your name, and swear upon your God's name."
Speaking of different paces...
I had worked hard to earn her trust, carefully approaching her from every possible angle without realizing we had yet to take the first, most important step: our names.
Her request had raised a few flags, but for now, I didn't allow my suspicion to spoil this victory.
Miwen: "I, Miwen, promise that you may leave this house anytime you so wish; Should I fail this promise, may Catherine strike me down."
Since I had never sworn or heard of someone swearing upon Catherine's name before, I improvised every line.
To make up for it, I kept my eyes focused and my tone firm, giving each word the weight it deserved.
Having seemingly realized the weight of her silence, she waited a few seconds before responding.
Unfortunately, knowing she was doing it on purpose made it much easier for me to withstand the eyes that judged my vow.
Without flinching, I calmly waited for her verdict.
?????: "...Alright. I'll agree to be your [Citizen]. For now..."
I had to remind myself that this was only a small victory, as it sure as hell felt like winning a war.
The image of the girl panicking to get away from me began to fade.
Still slightly uneasy, she brought a hand to her chest, steadying her breath with slow, deliberate exhales.
Even though I wasn't pious, I decided that tonight, I'd pray to Catherine as thanks.
Miwen: "I'll need your name. So, if you could, please..."
It was my first time messing with this part of my Gift, so I didn't know I had to focus on a name and face.
I thought just thinking about the person would be enough.
That could be a problem.
One of the reasons why I wanted to avoid unnecessary attention was that names could be cursed.
Even though curses that relied only on a person's name and face tended to be weak, they could easily cripple someone of my level.
Thankfully, after my vow, Licia seemed willing to trust me with her name.
?????: "...Licia, 'The Frost Sword' from Redrock Village in the North Dowa Kingdom."
She recited her resume so naturally that it felt like she had rehearsed the line a thousand times.
I even noticed her puff her chest slightly, as if by instinct.
It was adorable. But not adorable enough to distract me from how strange her introduction was.
Everything I had summoned so far was either a skill or an item that could easily be found on Earth.
The North Dowa Kingdom, however, wasn't something I had ever heard of.
Thanks to earlier flags, I already had a vague idea of the reason for this discrepancy, but I decided that it was best not to say anything for the time being.
After making a mental note of it, I moved on and invited her to become a [Citizen] of my kingdom.
I watched her eyes dart around, scanning the empty air as if she were reading invisible text.
She was likely navigating her Gift's menu, but a trace of disappointment briefly shadowed her expression.
Miwen: "...Is everything alright?"
She barely glanced at me before dropping her gaze.
Her lips slightly parted, but she stopped herself from saying anything.
Her voice wasn't weak, but it lacked the confidence of her "Frost Sword" introduction.
Licia: "Yes. I confirmed myself as your [Citizen]."
I was curious about why she hesitated, but she had chosen not to tell me, and I chose not to probe.
After a second had passed, my [Kingdom Points] dropped from 7 to 2.
It was the crash of the century for the Kingdom's economy, but it only meant I'd have to wait a couple of days before building the well. I would survive.
Unlike with the gachas, my mind didn't go blank when I used the points, and I saw the exact moment the clothes materialized in the air before me.
I grabbed them before they could hit the ground and placed them within her reach.
Then, I turned my back and faced the door.
It helped me cool my head a little.
Licia: "Thanks... Thank you!"
As I stood up to leave the room, I heard a quiet, hesitant rustling behind me.
Her voice was soft, muffled by her sobbing.
Yet, I didn't miss a single word.
Licia had endured a lot while I fumbled my way, and I could only imagine what happened to her before she was... summoned.
And still, she only allowed herself to cry from joy.
Perhaps reality had finally kicked in for her. Maybe the clothes meant more to her than I thought.
It could be that she was simply glad to be alive. Maybe it was something else entirely.
However, I couldn't conceive the strength it must have taken her to stop the tears from fear and save them for joy.
Even though I didn't know the first thing about her, it didn't feel right to just stand there silently accepting her gratitude.
Now that the world had finally started spinning again and my mind had cleared, I 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 just to her, but to myself.
I already knew the weight of these chains.
I had promised to wear them once before, to the only person I deemed worthy of them.
That they would still fit so well must've been fate.
As Licia wiped her tears and lifted her chin, our eyes met for the first time as our true selves.
Miwen: "You're fine now, you don't have to worry."
I took a step towards her.
This time, I knew exactly what I was doing.
She caught her breath.
Carefully, she turned her legs, giving me a spot by her side.
With her permission, I approached slowly and deliberately, until I felt the warmth of her arm spread to mine as we sat beside each other.
I wanted her to feel that she had someone with her, physically, emotionally, and however else she needed me.
So, I didn't look at her body, nor did I move my hands. I even controlled my breathing near her.
Silently, she wrapped her arms around mine.
Licia: "...Sorry."
Less than soft, her meaningless apology was almost inaudible.
I ignored it and instead answered by intertwining my fingers with hers.
This much was fine.
Without saying a single word to each other, we allowed ourselves to get used to each other's calming presence.
In time, the tears stopped.
Miwen: "...I said you could leave at any moment. But you can also stay if you want. At least until you can sort out your feelings and decide on what you want to do."
Having her stay was my goal from the start.
But only now did it feel earned.
Only now could I move past the shame of how this began and confidently say she was safe inside my home.
Now that she had accepted my hand, I could finally take responsibility for everything I had done to her.
Licia: "..."
I had grown used to her silence.
Instead of trying to convince her, I let her take her time.
Her grip on my hand tightened a little.
And then, a little more.
Licia: "...What you gave me... The clothes I mean... They suit my taste, is this also thanks to your Gift?"
Pfft.
Out of all things, this is what she had in mind? And I thought she seemed so deep in thought, too...
The clothes I had summoned for her included underwear and a two-piece short dress. Both the blouse and the skirt were pretty simple, with nothing frilly or overly ornate about them.
While not very modern, they didn't look out of place, either.
They fit her perfectly, but I couldn't tell whether that happened because of my taste or hers.
Miwen: "Honestly... I have no idea. I still don't understand my Gift too much. I need to test more before I can say for sure..."
Looking slightly confused, she tilted her head.
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 I gave her didn't seem so warm.
But even summer clothes were better than nothing, and seeing her hug herself, treating the fabric 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, looking down at her skirt as if afraid I would refuse.
Miwen: "Yeah. As long as you want to."
It was hard for me to read her emotions after she calmed down. I couldn't 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.
After all, lifting her head to watch my reaction to her words made her look too brave for that to work.
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, I refused to take advantage of her.
She probably didn't mean anything by it either.
She was just 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!"
She turned her head so fast, I was afraid it'd snap.
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 relieved smile plastered all over her face confirmed that we had thought the same thing, but I pretended not to notice.
Miwen: "I don't have the power to do so right now, but if you stay as a citizen, I can get you a change of clothes tomorrow. Hopefully, they'd look more modern."
Buying clothes online would be easy, but doing it 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 citizenship, she'd get a little agitated. Despite the improving mood, she remained sharp.
Given how she reacted when she thought I was a noble...
I should be careful.
Miwen: "Well, I can think of four possibilities: Either the clothes are completely random, they suit what either of us wants, or they are a combination of our desires."
The clothes were feminine and the perfect size for her. It was unlikely they were random.
As for the other possibilities...
I'd have to test more to be sure, but for the time being, I had an idea.
Miwen: "...I'll show you what clothing looks like here. You can decide on what you like, and tomorrow, we will both wish for the same. That way, we should get exactly what we want."
This was more of a band-aid fix than a solution since I'd still like to know the truth.
However, 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?"
She looked a bit smug, with a faint "gotcha" smirk on her lips.
I actually enjoyed the playful suspicion. It was a sign she was getting more comfortable.
Still, I could tell her confusion was real.
Miwen: "Ah... I don't have them with me, but I can still show them to you. Here."
I searched for an online store and showed her my phone.
Even though I already half-expected such a reaction, her darting eyes and raised brows made my day.
It didn't take long for her to flood me with questions, leaning close each time something on the screen caught her eye.
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."
I thought it would only be fair to ask a question of my own.
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."
The debuffs I knew that could lower someone's level only worked temporarily.
But if that were the case, I doubt her hands would be trembling.
If I had to guess, this was probably a side effect of the summoning.
It was quite a surprise in many ways; however, there was one thing I needed to confirm.
Miwen: "When you were born? Do people get Gifts and skills at birth in your world?"
Licia: "Yes, of course! Is it different here?"
She confirmed my theory without even realizing it.
Interestingly, she didn't blink an eye at the idea that she might be in a different world.
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.
However, at least for now, introducing her to guns didn't seem like 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.