Stay-at-Home Summoner

When Elaine was summoned for the first time, I didn’t press her with many questions.

As a being summoned to this world, how did she feel about the fact that she was a character from a game?

Fortunately, it seemed she had sorted out her feelings about that to some degree, and I was getting along well as Elaine’s summoner.

When it came to summoning another person, I had those worries.

-What if she was shocked to find out she was a character from a game?

Elaine had also been deeply shocked.

No matter how strong-willed a character might be, it was impossible not to lose one’s mind in the face of such a shocking situation.

So, I wanted to be cautious.

Though my priority was a healer that was neither male nor female, the reason I chose Kiharu, whose performance in [Fermata 8X] was ambiguous, was because of all that.

-If it’s her, she probably won’t think much of it.

-She’ll likely think that her world and this one are somewhat similar. After all, the background is modern.

I chose the cat swordsman Kiharu because this being was a character with a modern-day background. I also thought that she would adapt well to the modern setting and easily support Elaine in our situation.

But what was this?

“What are you embarrassed about, partner? I am your summoner. It was merely that I was ‘a being that was a goddess.'”

The so-called goddess, Kiharu Fermata, sat back on the sofa, leisurely crossing her legs.

She was wearing only the oversized boxy t-shirt that Elaine had bought, and I thought I could see a glimpse between her legs, but at that moment our eyes met, and I shut my eyes tight out of embarrassment.

“Hehe. Do not worry. Right now, I am like a ‘mannequin.'”

Kiharu slightly lifted the end of her hoodie.

I immediately turned my head and aimed my sword at Elaine, but before I turned my eyes, I saw there was nothing—

“What is this?”

“I merely took on the ‘form’ of a human; there was no need to implement anything beyond that.”

Kiharu pointed to her chest, lower abdomen, and the area beneath it.

“This appearance is merely a manifestation of magical power that assumes a human-like form. The only functions I have as an actual human are the ability to move my hands and feet.”

“……I’ll ask one thing.”

“Not just one; feel free to ask as many as you like.”

“Then, are you really a goddess?”

“Yes.”

At my question, Kiharu rose from the sofa and clasped her hands behind her back.

“Partner, if I borrow the expression from your world… in the game universe, our story has only progressed up to ‘version 2.8.'”

“……!!”

“And within that story, this body has defeated five ‘villains’ as your partner. As the main story progressed, my identity…”

“Did not reveal itself at all.”

“Exactly. That’s only natural. From an in-game perspective, the story has not progressed enough to unveil identities.”

“…I didn’t expect this.”

To summon a being from a world within a game.

I realized that blind spot through Kiharu.

“I never thought I’d get spoiled about unresolved secrets within the game world through you.”

Lightly speaking would lead to spoilers.

If I were to discuss my powers and this summoning, it could be said like this.

“Does that mean what you see is not everything?”

“Exactly. Did you think I was merely a simple cat? That’s quite unfortunate. The truth is, this body was the final boss who borrowed the form of a cat.”

Kiharu stood by the window in the living room, looking down at the citizens in the street below.

“Yes. Through you, my partner, I was another goddess deliberating whether to sustain or destroy humanity. That is I, Fermata.”

That gaze felt like one you could find in any work of fiction—’a divine being looking down upon inferior beings.’

“…Even so, now that I realize I am ultimately a being created by someone, I want to recognize my certain identity as my ‘existence.'”

“You, right now…?”

“Precisely.”

Twitch.

“I’ve decided to live as your summoned spirit.”

Kiharu perked up her cat ears and tail while giving a thumbs up.

She did not just raise a single thumb; she dual-thumbs up with a serious expression.

“Partner, as I live as your summoned spirit, let us think about the ‘future.'”

“The future?”

“Have you never considered it? Just as games have endings and novels have conclusions, our ‘tower exploration’ will one day reach its climax.”

“…….”

“When that time comes, the summoning ability might disappear, and the summoned spirits may return to their original world.”

“That may not be the case.”

To be honest.

“I can’t ascertain exactly how you feel about this world and humanity, but I don’t want to lose my power that I’ve obtained.”

Having finally awakened, I didn’t want to revert to being someone who wasn’t a summoner.

“Don’t think I summoned you lightly. I’ll be responsible for both you and Elaine until the end.”

“Even if that could result in the destruction of this world?”

“…If you seek to destroy this world, then I will stop you together with Elaine.”

I held Elaine’s hand with one hand and the summoner management app with the other.

“I don’t want to resort to threats, but if you don’t cooperate, you’ll be stuck in this app forever.”

“Hmm.”

“Summoning stacks? That doesn’t matter. If you don’t help me conquer the tower and prevent the destruction of the world, then my choice is clear.”

I moved the app with just my thumb, sending a firm warning to Kiharu.

“If I reverse summon you and delete the game, you’ll be trapped in a world from which you can never escape.”

“…….”

Kiharu’s expression stiffened.

“If you were to cross over to another player’s world, I’d find you and eliminate you. If you hid in the game company’s server, I would use all my connections to destroy it. Any means necessary.”

“…Hah.”

Kiharu chuckled softly and shook her head.

“It seems that since I mentioned being the final boss, you’ve developed quite an animosity towards me.”

“You’re the one who set the tone like that?”

“Is that so? My apologies. It’s a learning process, getting to know humans through my partner, but… having conversations with humans is still not easy.”

Kiharu shook her head again.

“In the end, whether in the game or out, the direction of the life I pursue remains the same.”

“What direction is that?”

“If you are my partner, surely you know what kind of life I envision?”

Kiharu approached me with her arms outstretched.

Elaine still aimed her sword at Kiharu, but even amid the sword’s threat—

“?!”

Thud.

Elaine’s sword pierced Kiharu’s chest.

The sharp blade cut through Kiharu’s body as though slicing through jelly, and a liquid flowed from within her.

Not red blood, but golden, shimmering blood.

“O my partner. Do you know what kind of life I wish to lead by your side?”

“…By my side.”

I pulled at Elaine’s shoulder.

She hesitated for a moment, but slowly withdrew her sword and stood by my side.

“By my side, you can observe me and make judgments about humanity. It will not be dictated by the lines and choices set by the PD and story writers in the game, but rather the choices made by me as an existence.”

“Am I to judge humanity through you?”

“If a good outcome arises, we live together; if a bad one arises, we will face the final boss battle in reality before the players of Fermata 8X do. So.”

I reached toward Kiharu and wiped the golden blood off my sleeve.

“Just as Kiharu ventured into the human world to learn about humans, let’s do it once more. Not by the side of the in-game hero, but by my side.”

“…That is correct, partner.”

Kiharu grasped my hand with both of hers.

“Though there is still a long way to go, it seems sufficient for the humans of this world to be given hope through you.”

“…….”

“To prevent any misunderstanding, let me clarify: I do not, in fact, intend to destroy the world.”

“Mm?”

“I do not know how that final boss battle will unfold, but if it occurs, it would be because humanity chose to surrender to the darkness they possess.”

Kiharu shrugged lightly.

“Though the humanity of that world is corrupt enough for the goddess—me—to give up on, I can only hope that humanity in this world will not be the same.”

“Uh….”

“Still.”

Kiharu released my hand and brushed her face with one hand.

“Partner, if there were reasons why I would not need to destroy the world through a human like you, then the story would change.”

Twinkling.

A slight brightness sparkled, and Kiharu vanished from before my eyes.

“Master, down here.”

“…….”

“What’s wrong?”

The goddess had disappeared, and a 2D cat of shorter height than the sofa was looking up at me.

“Weren’t you supposed to be a 4-star healer?”

“…What was that transformation a moment ago?”

“Oh, that.”

Kiharu raised her hands.

“I used up all my mana.”

Those hands did not rise above her head.

* * *

A little while later.

“What happened to your injury?”

“I healed it with my healing ability.”

We sat on the sofa while Kiharu, transformed into a real-life cat, shared the abilities she possessed.

“Regrettably, though I am a goddess, my abilities have their limits. To put it in game terms, it’s like being a 4-star with six duplicates and no five-star enhancements.”

“Could you please unify the terms ‘this body’ and ‘I’?”

“I refuse.”

Despite Elaine’s polite request, Kiharu stretched and declined.

“I do not listen to the commands of those weaker than I am.”

“…….”

“Of course, you, who assume the role of my partner, are now stronger than I, so I will obey.”

This cat goddess seems to be learning a bit about humanity.

“Alright. Then… how will we handle the healing?”

“Mm?”

“In game terms, I am an action RPG while you are a turn-based RPG, right?”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that.”

Kiharu reached out toward something and soon shimmered with magic, appearing on Elaine’s shoulder.

“This way, I can heal at the right moment.”

“…….”

A flying magical cat.

Perched upon a tablet PC.

“Kiharu.”

“What is it, summoner?”

“You’re not suddenly going to eat ramen instead of healing while fighting, are you?”

“Oh, what a good idea! Elaine, you fight. I will heal you immediately if you get hurt.”

“…….”

“As long as I have enough mana, ‘revival’ is also possible! Praise my divinity!”

“Ha.”

Elaine pressed her forehead with her hand.

“Master, next time, summon a robot.”

“A robot?”

“Yes. A robot that is neither male nor female.”

“…….”

“Master?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

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