CH1 Princess for companion?

✧ "Simulation successful! Likelihood 93%. Clarity 13%."

The whiteness of the Heavenly Realm returns before my eyes. Timer loses one more second. One-third of my Mana has disappeared.

I am overjoyed! I swear! You know I can't lie.

I have not lost it, not yet! In this light, buying the items I had marked before being interrupted, it's a no-brainer. That leaves me with only 20Ls. The poorest Mao in the world. I hate this Goddess.

It's time to move on to the next task – "[Rare] Companion summoning scroll".

"Magical item that allows summoning a travel companion of the opposite gender."

That means a female. Is this item supposed to be a cursed relic? Knowing that Goddess, it must be a trick of sorts. That being said, to not end up like in that simulation, I need all the help I can get.

How do I get it out of the inventory?

White specks gather in front of me and turn into an item very similar to the picture in the Inventory. The icon, on the other hand, disappears. I try to grab the item, but gravity is quicker. After hitting the ground, the scroll rolls away.

Intention? Is it safe to assume that intention is what forces things to happen? If so, it is an easy to use system. If only intention could make this scroll roll back to me. I sigh and go, pick it up.

I untie the knot and unroll the parchment. The scroll dissolves startling me. Symbols left floating in the air rush to fill the insides of a magical circle emerging beneath. White light softly rises from the exquisite formulation creating a column of warm, impenetrable fog. When this soft glow has filled the circle all the way up to above my head and then some, a tall, slender girl with sharp, pointy ears and blue radiant eyes steps out almost slamming into me. I hastily step back to avoid a direct collision.

✧ "Elfen princess (slave) [16] SR summoning successful!"

✧ "100Ls acquired!"

Black collar encloses girl's neck, then disappears. Suddenly caught up in gravity, the long, wavy hair and the blue, lovely dress unwillingly fall towards the ground. Wooden staff with incrustations appears in her right hand. Girls turquoise eyes gauge me with notable surprise. She politely bows.

― I am Shea. I have arrived, as per the contract. I shall serve my owner Matsuda until the death of either separates us.

The way she just pronounced my name was weird, broken. She chopped it into syllables, adding a tonal intonation to each bit. This contract must be a stressful experience for her. It certainly is for me. Meeting someone for the first time is always making me very nervous. Meeting a dazzling beauty of a race that does not even exist is beyond nerve wrecking. Besides, it's working. Goddess' curse, it really works. This young lady must be an Ancient, no doubt about it. I do not know how can I understand her words when I know not the language of Ancients, but the more I look at her, the more bewitched by her I become.

― I am Matsuda. I... From today I will be your companion. Please take good care of me.

Girl nods and steps closer. To keep her in a tolerable distance, out of my personal space, I subconsciously move back.

✧ "New skills available!"

The surfacing of another notification takes me out of my bewilderment. I almost can hear Goddess' disappointment resound in my head. I rise my eyes and swiftly switch to the Skills tab. A few new skills, all with a suffix "[linked]" appended to their name, are now listed there. I see mostly healing and support skills. All of first or second level.

The Menu now contains a tab that previously was not there – Partners. It lists the name of the summoned girl – Shea. A very beautiful name for a very beautiful being.

― Name Shea suits you well! ― words rush out of my mouth before I can stop ― I don't know how to explain, but it sounds so befitting.

Shea looks clearly surprised about my sudden compliment, but shows no hesitation in expressing her gratitude with a light bow ― If the owner feels so, Shea will proudly wear this name.

✧ "Slave's name confirmed!"

Her race is Elfen, archetype an Ancient. Relation to me – slave.

I don't think I can properly express how troubled about our partnership being listed as that of a "slave" and its owner I am, but there is no changing it right now. I see and somewhat can accept the practical usability of that, but it's neither my fetish, nor my way of doing things. The fact in itself that slavery even exists in this world is not pleasing. Many light novels use slavery in their world-building in some form, but I can not stand the ones where slaves are mistreated.

― I'm sorry. Having you as my slave really doesn't seem right. I don't want to be your owner.

For a moment an expression of utter terror appears in girl's face. That expression is then replaced with a face distant and emotionless. A tear appears in the corner of the eye. She rushes to clear it away. The black collar reappears.

― If the owner is displeased with his Shea, he can order the magic collar to dispose of it. That ends the contract and the owner can select a different, more suitable slave.

― No, no, that's not it! ― I hurry to explain my grave miscalculation ― I am satisfied with you. I could not wish for more. What I do not like is that you call me "owner". Can you refer to me by my name instead?

― Shea is sorry, own... Matsuda. Shea should have known Matsuda would want to be honorably called by his birthright instead. From this moment Shea will call the owner Matsuda. Matsuda can punish his Shea if it has angered him by calling him the wrong way.

― I will not punish you. You did no wrong. I am grateful for your understanding. I would instead like you to always speak your mind when talking to me. That is an order, if it helps.

― It is unforgivable for Shea to speak its mind, but Shea will try if that is what Matsuda has ordered.

Black collar hides itself from the view.

Being a slave must be tough in this world. An important note to myself – never become a slave, and more importantly – abolish slavery if possible. Now that I think bout it, the notification mentioned she is a princess. Is that her type of sorts, or is she an actual princess I just made into a slave. Something from deep within is nudging me to ask.

― You are a princess? Aren't you?

― Yes, before Matsuda summoned it, Shea was a princess, but Shea can no longer have that title, so now Shea is only Matsuda's Shea. How could Matsuda know?

Could it maybe be that only the reincarnated people, or perhaps only I, are the ones who can see the notifications? If so, maybe I should keep them in secret for now. It could come in handy at some point. Besides, I do not know is it safe to tell her. The problem then is, the absolute rule that I must say the truth.

― Your dress looks like something a princess would wear. Truly beautiful, pleasant to the eye, well made, a masterpiece from high-quality fabric. It perfectly embraces your body. Something produced in bulk would never fit so well. That is why I concluded that you must be a princess.

I did not lie, miss Goddess, do not get me wrong. Each statement that came out of my mouth was perfect truth. Not the only truth, but still the truth.

― Shea is happy that Matsuda likes its clothes that were designed by the best Elfen craftsmen. Shea is truly proud that Matsuda praises Elfen craftsmanship so much... ― her voice cracks and trails off as the collar quickly blinks twice.

Elfen Shea (slave)

Level ........ 16

Life ....... 1100

Mana ...... 2400

Stamina ... 210

Physical attack ..... 110

Physical defense ..... 130

Magical attack ... 345

Magical defense ..... 420

I shake my head in aversion and shift my glance back to the Menu. Her stats are slightly above the average. Her physical properties surprise. Does she use her staff for physical attacks? That sounds impractical. More importantly, why would a princess even participate in any fights at all.

― Is this your only weapon?

― Shea has a bow if Matsuda would prefer that ― the staff disappears from her hand and a small bow appears in its place ― Shea is a skillful archer.

✧ "New skills available!"

Once again, a notification interrupts me. I swiftly navigate to the Skills tab. A few new skills with the already familiar "[linked]" added to their name are listed there. This time a few bow skills. Some of them marked as physical attacks, some as magical.

This could very well be influenced by the place we are now, but it seems there is some interesting mechanic behind changing the weapons.

As the timer is already nearing the end, I am ready to switch to the final phase of my preparations. But before that, I want to see what this "simulation" will say about our chances. I don't want to die again, but better do it this way, than for real.

✧ "No free simulation slots available! 0/3"

It would have been an excellent cheat, if not this sudden limitation. I need to learn more.

― I want you to listen carefully. In less than two minutes we will move back to your world. I do not know where. I want you to change into the clothes I will give you. Right now, I would like to hide your status as a princess. These will not fit you, but it is the best I can give you right now.

I clone my Novice armor set and give it to Shea, then turn away ― We could be transferred to some dangerous place, please, be ready to fight.

― Matsuda can turn back. Shea understood. Shea will prepare to fight.

Vested in the plain-looking Novice armor Shea looks less perilous. Even though this outfit has some magical ability to resize to fit any body shape, there are some areas that visibly do not fit a female body. Finding a proper outfit for her is going to be one of my priorities after arriving in the new world.

From the Cosmetics tab in the Shop, I purchase the "Fake Elfen ear effect" and straightaway apply it. That is the last thing I manage to do before the time runs out.

"Before transferring to the Lyalia, do you want to clear current identity of Shea?" – an important-looking popup appears before my eyes. After thinking about it for a bit, I select "Cancel". A new popup appears in its place – "Are you sure? It is not recommended to cancel the clearing of the previous identity information of Shea!" I press "Yes". The room is filled with white light. I had seen something very interesting written on the popup – "[Moderator] Warning!!!".