Chapter 15- Their official meeting in their own world  

With his heart beating slightly faster than normal, and just enough yearning for excitement. Riyoko sat still on his couch in the living room, closest to the door as if he was waiting for something.

"Reine said she'll send someone this morning… though she didn't specify what time, she did say in the letter that I should hurry though. Maybe they'll come soon, I wonder who it could be…?"

He suddenly recalled a person fitting his image.

"Wait a minute… If it's going to be someone I know, then isn't Arisa the perfect choice…?"

"I wasn't sure until last night, regarding what to think about what happened back at the park… but now that Reine had appeared in front of me, then what happened at the park would…"

He suddenly stood up feeling pressured, "what do I do…? Our last encounter was…"

Shivers went up his spine as he recalls the fearsome feeling he had upon their meeting recently.

"There's got to be other options… right? Like another person whom I don't know to explain to me the details of stuff… yeah…"

He let out a sigh, "I'll honestly be more ok with that actually… for some reason, I can't forget her scary eyes back then…"

Ding* Dong*

He was suddenly stunned shocked by the doorbell as it rang in the middle of his fearful thinking.

Ding* Dong*

Not long after, the doorbell once again rang, forcing Riyoko back to reality.

Instinctively, he ran to the door with a subtle response.

"Yes! Coming…!"

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped to prepare himself. Taking deep breaths, he calmed down and opened the door.

"who is it…?" he asked.

Fully opening the door, he felt relieved to see an unfamiliar mature-looking woman. Standing with dignity and wearing a respectable suit, she slightly bowed her head upon seeing Riyoko.

"Good morning, Mr. Riyoko, Madam Reine has sent me to pick you up,"

"Madam…?" he thought, feeling confused.

The woman raised her head, "My name is Amanda and I'll be you're current… Manager is what I would say," she paused in the thought of what to call herself.

"Manager…? What is this, some sort of talent agancy like thing?" he thought as he nodded with respect to the woman.

"Pleased to meet you," he said.

"Now, forgive me for saying this directly upon our meeting," Amanda added, "but for further efficiency, I have called someone else to tell you the details of things as you two walk together to the designated area,"

Riyoko nodded, "wait… what?" he thought.

Noticing a hint of confusion on his face, Amanda added, "don't worry, this person is someone of your age and she knows a lot about what's going on, you're going to be a fellow traveler like her so I thought it would be better to get to know your peers as you learn… do you disagree?"

"N… no. So, it's someone like a classmate, huh?"

"Yes, that's the best way to put it, it would seem," she nodded.

"I see, and this thing called Traveler, is what we're going to be called?"

"Yes, people who can travel through worlds, we label them generally as travelers,"

Riyoko nodded, "I see… by the way you said it, I assume there are a lot of others like me?"

"There probably isn't any… not as far as I know,"

"Huh…?" he tilted his head in confusion, "but didn't you just say that later on, someone will…"

"Oh? Were you referring to specifically yourself as a traveler? If so forgive me," she bowed her head.

"What did you think I was talking about…?" he thought.

"Then referring to travelers, I wouldn't say there are a lot of you… but there are a number of them and they are all being gathered in this city starting today,"

"I… I see," he said, feeling somewhat excited.

Ding*

Suddenly Amanda's phone rang as she received a text.

"Please excuse me for a moment," she said, taking her phone from her pocket.

After reading and replying to the text, she turned back to Riyoko, "it seems the person I called who is one of your peers is already nearby, she'll be coming shortly.

"One of my peers… A woman and A fellow Traveler is coming," he thought, "I wonder what she's like…"

Suddenly, he felt shivers go down his spine as he began connecting the dots.

"Wait a minute… now that I really think about it…" he began to feel weak as he creates the image in his head.

"A woman… the same age as me… someone who can travel worlds… If I connect all the dots carefully, Isn't one of the most likely people she's talking about is…"

"Ah, so it was here!" A familiar tone of voice emerged from a short distance behind Amanda's back.

"Good, you finally made it…" Amanda said.

"I would have arrived earlier if you gave me clearer instructions," the woman said, approaching them from behind Amanda.

"So, who's going to be this new peer?"

Amanda moved aside.

"Gah!"

"Eh?"

The woman looked at Riyoko with a blank expression as he stared back at her with the same look, with Riyoko looking slightly paler and nervous as sweat begins to slowly drip from his forehead.

"What…? Do you know each other already?" Amanda asked with an intrigued look, swinging her head between the two with a look of confusion.

"A… Arisa…" Riyoko thought with shivers as Arisa let out an awkward smile and laugh.

"Is this situation… complicated after all…?" Amanda said, sounding worried.

"No!" Arisa quickly replied, "It's all ok, we just need to talk for a bit, right?"

Arisa tilted her head and put her hands together as she stared at him with innocent and non-hostile eyes, clearly trying to show she is not a threat as she emits a cute aura similar to a charming and friendly kitten.

With short hesitation, Riyoko nodded, making Arisa breathe out in relief.

Amanda's face brightened as she let out a smile, looking relieved, "I see, thank goodness then…"

"Well… we should get going now, right?" Arisa said, walking closer to Riyoko, "the sooner we get this done the better. You also have something to do, don't you, Mrs. Amanda?"

"Yes, now that you mention it…"

"W… wait, let me just lock the door for a sec," Riyoko said, turning around to his door, avoiding further eye contact with Arisa.

"Arisa, was there anyone nearby when you walked over here?" Amanda asked.

"Nope, it's all clear," she replied.

"I see, then I'll be going now, take care of each other and be careful,"

"Yes, ma'am,"

As Riyoko turned back around, he was shocked to see that only Arisa was there, as if Amanda disappeared in thin air without a trace.

"W… where did Mrs. Amanda go?"

"She teleported. she's super busy right now so she tasked me with showing you the ropes,"

"I… I see," Riyoko looked at the ground, trying to avoid eye contact as a moment of silence occurred.

"they can do that kind of stuff in this world too…?" he thought.

(…)

(…)

"This is awkward…"

"Just so we're clear… you're Riyoko… the same one from that time? Reine's cousin?" Arisa said, looking uncertain.

Riyoko nodded.

"I see…" she let out a sigh, "then while we're here… about yesterday, sorry,"

Riyoko raised his head, "huh?"

He felt surprised as he saw Arisa with an embarrassed look and a guilty tone.

"I… I used intimidation magic that I haven't really mastered yet to you yesterday, for that… I'm sorry,"

"Wait… you used magic on me yesterday? So you can do that in this world?" he asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah… it was intimidation magic to force you to tell the truth, at least that's what it was supposed to be," Arisa nodded, feeling slightly baffled, "I see… so we have to start from there?" she mumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"N… nothing… can I just ask something?"

"Go ahead,"

Arisa took a deep breath, "How much do you know?" she asked with a slightly nervous expression, "did Reine explain to you anything…? Anything at all? You two are cousins, right?"

"I'm completely clueless and Reine didn't tell me anything," he said blatantly with a blank expression, striking Arisa in the head, "though you're right about us being cousins,"

"That's what Reine told me to say," he thought, "well, it's not like I know anything for sure after all,"

She began to wobble and shiver, "then what about the last time you were there…?"

"I think It'll be a long story, but in short… I was so confused I decided to play along to whatever was happening," he said with an ignorant look.

Arisa smacked her head with her palm, "that Reine!" she said with stress, as her hand shivered on top of her forehead.

She slowly approached Riyoko

"Riyoko…"

"Y… yes?" he replied, feeling nervous.

She then grabbed his hands and put them together as she raised her head and looked him in the eye with pity.

"you poor soul…"

"Eh?" Riyoko made a blank expression, feeling confused.

"Don't worry, I'll do my best to explain to you everything it is that you need to know so don't hesitate to ask me anything!"

Riyoko nodded, still feeling a bit confused.

"Though I'm confused… you were able to go to another world so you must at least know something, can you tell me something about that? How were you even able to travel?"

"Well…"