Tap the text to show or hide reading controls.
The place where I was summoned was a small farming village. Amidst the winter-withered landscape, snow-covered fields and livestock exhaling white breaths wandered leisurely. In that scenery, a shock of blue hair caught my eye, standing out remarkably.
“Thank goodness. I managed to summon you!”
“Ria!”
The two of us reflexively rushed toward each other.
“You’re safe.”
“Thanks to you, I was able to make it back to my village. Thank you so much! …Ah, I can understand your words.”
“Yeah. I’ve become able to speak the language.”
Being able to communicate properly is wonderful.
Viva, Linguistic Proficiency Skill!
“I see! I was so surprised earlier when you disappeared before I could even thank you properly. But I’m so glad I could meet you one more time.”
I’d thought so even when we couldn’t understand each other, but this girl really is a sweetheart. She’s incredibly friendly, and her smile is adorable.
“At that time, when the Dungeon Spider attacked me from behind, I thought it was all over. So, I prayed to the God of Space-Time, whom I worship daily, to please save me…”
“And then I showed up?”
“Yes! I was injured, I hadn’t eaten in forever, I was starving, and I felt so incredibly lonely. That’s when you appeared, Kota-san.”
Ria gazed at me, looking deeply moved.
Man, I guess I really was useful.
Good, good.
“Kota-san, you’re the person sent by the God of Space-Time, right?”
“Uh, yeah, I suppose that’s how it works.”
I haven’t actually met the God of Space-Time, but I guess that’s technically the situation.
“I knew it! That’s why I felt I had to thank the God of Space-Time too. As soon as I got home, I offered a ‘kumotsu’1 at the altar. Right after that, the summoning formula just flowed into my head.”
I see. It looks like the God of Space-Time chose Ria to be my summoner.
“This was my first time using summoning magic, so I was really worried about whether I could do it right.”
“But you called me out perfectly.”
“I did! But summoning magic really is exhausting. My mana is almost completely empty now. I don’t think I’ll be able to use any magic for about ten days.”
Ho-ho, so calling me requires mana, huh?
And apparently, consumed mana doesn’t recover easily. It’s not like she can just summon me on a whim whenever she feels like it.
That’s a shame. If she could, I would’ve asked her to summon me constantly so I could collect all the Skills I wanted.
Well, I guess I’d also be in trouble if I were being called away every five minutes. Still, Ria is such a cute, good girl that I want to help her out however I can. I guess you could say she’s the type that triggers a protective instinct. She just gives off that vibe that makes you want to protect her.
“Call me again if you’re ever in trouble. But to be honest, I’m not great at fighting. If possible, try to summon me for requests other than that.”
“Thank you. But won’t I be a nuisance?”
“Not at all. I’d welcome a summons from a cute girl like Ria anytime.”
God, that’s embarrassing.
I can’t believe I just said that with a straight face.
Is this thanks to Courage x6?
“By the way, is there anything you want to ask of me this time?”
“Eh? A wish? I just wanted to say thank you to you, Kota-san, so…”
“By the covenant with the God of Space-Time, I have been summoned to this land. O Summoner, what is it you desire of me… remember? Since I’m a summoned beast established by the God of Space-Time, it’ll actually be a bit of a problem for me if you don’t make a request.”
If I don’t fulfill Ria’s wish, the Skill won’t become mine. Well, it’s just the “Sowing” Skill. I feel like I don’t really need it, but since I have the chance, I’d like to acquire it.
Is this just a poor man’s mentality?
“Is that so? If it causes you trouble, Kota-san, then I should definitely ask for something. …I know! I made some food because I wanted to thank you for earlier. Please, come to my house and eat. That is my wish!”
Every single thing she says is adorable!
“Is that all? Alright, that’s an easy one!”
To be honest, I’d already eaten a large serving of ten-zaru for lunch, so I wasn’t hungry at all, but I was definitely going to push through for this.
“Then, let’s go inside.”
It seemed the place we were standing was the yard of Ria’s house. She led me inside a small wooden house right in front of us. The interior was dim. It was winter and cold, but one window was left open to let in some light. To compensate, a fire was burning in the hearth.
“I’ll warm up the stew now, so please sit in the chair and wait.”
“Thank you. Take your time, there’s no rush…”
I glanced around the room. The house consisted of a single room, containing one table and three beds. The only other thing visible was a clothes rack. It didn’t look like a very affluent lifestyle. I spoke to the back of Ria’s head as she prepared the meal.
“Ria, what about the rest of your family?”
“My younger brother and sister are out helping at a nearby farm. They should be back soon. I help out there sometimes too, but usually, I spend more time gathering magic stones in the Labyrinth of Lagas.”
“Gathering magic stones?”
“Magic stones are crystals of mana that monsters carry inside their bodies. They’re used as materials and fuel for making magic tools, so they trade for a high price.”
So things like that exist. But is it really okay for a girl to go into a labyrinth alone to gather them?
“Isn’t it dangerous? You were in a real spot of trouble earlier, weren’t you?”
“Yes… but if I don’t go get those stones, I can’t support my brother and sister. It’s risky, but it’s better than having to sell myself…”
I suspected their parents were gone. Ria had said she was sixteen. A sixteen-year-old girl raising two children on her own…
Wait, if that’s the case, isn’t the financial situation of Ria’s household pretty bad?
Calling it “difficult” would probably be an understatement.
“Kota-san, do you like rabbit meat? I bought some from a hunter earlier.”
Hold on!
Did she overextend herself just to treat me…?
“Fufu, it’s starting to smell delicious. I’m not that confident in the taste, but please eat your fill.”
Seeing Ria’s smile, I found myself unable to say anything.
“Thank you…”
While Ria hummed a tune and warmed the stew behind me, I opened my Spatial Storage. I decided I should at least put out some bread and fruit. I was truly glad I’d done that shopping earlier. I began arranging bread, apples, and mandarin oranges on the table.
“I’m home! Whoa, something smells awesome!”
“I’m hoooome. Big sis, I got some goat milk!”
Lively voices echoed from the entrance as Ria’s brother and sister returned.
“Now then, Zotto, Noel, greet our guest.”
Since the room was dim, they hadn’t noticed me sitting at the table.
“H-hello.”
“Hello.”
The two of them greeted me with nervous expressions. The brother, Zotto, was nine, and the sister, Noel, was seven. Zotto looked like a typical brat, but he had a face you couldn’t help but like. Taking after his older sister, he was friendly; after chatting for a bit, he took quite a liking to me. Noel, the younger sister, seemed very natural and was smiling without a hint of tension.
“Whoa! What’s with this fruit?! And this bread looks amazing!”
Zotto let out an excited shout when he saw the food spread across the table.
“Kota-san, this is…”
Ria was looking at me, her expression clouded with worry.
“Well, since I’m being treated to your stew, I thought I should provide something as well.”
“But then… this doesn’t count as me thanking you…”
Ria looked down apologetically.
I guess I’d made her feel indebted instead.
“Don’t worry about it, Ria. A feast tastes better when everyone shares it together, right?”
“…I’m very sorry.”
Avoiding Ria’s apologetic gaze, I called out to Zotto and Noel.
“We’ll all eat this together later, okay?”
The young children flashed me innocent, bright smiles.
TL/N: a ritual offering of food or alcohol made to a deity ↩️
Reading Settings
