New Family Member (3)

What a troublesome situation. I mean, my alarm. It was blaring through the roof. Gosh, when I adjusted the time, don't tell me I accidentally adjusted the volume as well?

I raised my head from the side of the bed. Man.. I can't believe I slept. Oh shit. My back, my BACK! I totally forgot I got hit by that fatso truck yesterday. UGGGHHH!

I reached over to knock the alarm off. Then look towards my bed to check on her condition.

I saw her silhouette under the night sky. Each individual strand of her hair sparkling in the moonlight. Her pretty red eyes looked right at me— pretty creepy.

Gulp.

"H-Hero-sama," her voice was hoarse, sounding severely dehydrated.

"Wait, wait. I'll go get some water. Stay here."

"Hero-sam.. thank you," she lowered her head.

"I think you're misunderstanding," for some reason, when talking to her, the pain in my back magically disappeared. Hah, placebo is amazing. In any case, I opened the door and left my room in search of water.

Coming downstairs, the first person I found was my mom. She had a bewildered look on her face. I know, I don't usually wake up so early. She was just about to prepare breakfast as usual.

"Mom, good morning," before giving her any chance to speak, "I'm sorry but I think I'll skip school today. I just found out what my TALENT is."

"Morning Noel. Your TALENT?"

While ignoring my mom's suspicious gaze, I went to the kitchen, got myself a glass cup and filled it up with drinking water.

"What's the TALENT?"

"Summoning," Yeah... I'll skip the details for now. "And I'm sorry to trouble you but please cook a little more. My summon is probably hungry."

Summon. Yup. Can't be more vague than that.

My mom nodded, "I suppose I'll see."

Yeah. She knows I'm hiding something, she's just being considerate.

"Then I'll skip school today. I'll introduce you to.. my summon later on," I went back up to my room.

I turned on the lights and she squirted her eyes.

"I-it is true... Hero-sama.." her voice was quivering in self delusion.

"Here," I passed her the water, "Stop calling me that. I'm not a hero. I'm just a normal everyday person— to me at least.."

I suddenly didn't know what I should say. The girl drank the glass of water in one go. The liquid spilled over and some flowed down her nape then to her—

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Do you need more?"

"It's enough," her gaze casted downwards.

"Can you tell me about yourself? You see... um, you're probably no longer in your own world."

When I said that her eyes suddenly opened wide.

"Ah. It's alright if you don't tell me now but.."

"This is.. where?"

"Earth. The country— Gilgamesh."

"Gilga.." she leaked out a sigh that sounded satisfied. She fell back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry?"

"L-Liliath Toren, the fourth Princess of Toren Kingdom."

"I-I'm sorry?"

Fourth Princess?

Sitting up, she gave me a look.

"No, I mean, why are you in those.. clothes."

She observed herself for a moment. a frightened expression flashed across her face.

"Ah, normal cliché."

"C-Cliché?"

"Nevermind."

She probably doesn't know that word.

"Can the collar be removed?" I'm surprised I could even converse with her so calmly. I mean, she's a slave, a Princess, a summon, a girl I LITERALLY summoned right out of my phone.

She tried tugging at it. It didn't work. She shook her head.

"Can I try?"

"T-The task of removing it is said to be impossible unless the owner of the collar either dies or allows removal of it," she said in panic, scampering a distance.

"Look. You aren't even trying to pull that off. How long exactly have you been a slave? Have you heard of the goldfish in a goldfish bowl problem? Or a grasshopper problem," I'm sorry, I'm randomly naming experiments here. By that I mean, the situation where the goldfish which had become used to the small goldfish bowl when placed into a larger tank filled with water would not try to escape even though all it needed to do was swim up. Same goes with the grasshopper. It has been hitting the ceiling so many times, when the lid is removed, it doesn't jump any higher.

That's the situation I'm seeing. Plus, I'm sure earth doesn't have anything like 'mana'. So the collar should've ceased to function.

Liliath gripped the bed sheets, "a year," she whispered.

Tears dripped from her eyes.

I reached my hand over, gingerly and grabbed hold onto the collar. She wasn't resisting so I guess she's alright with this? I lifted the metal tab, and slid the open end out. There, removed, gone. The skin around the neck was red.

"Oh right, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Noel. Noel Bougainvillea."

"Noel.. sama."

That's wrong.. very wrong. She called out to me while shedding tears.

"I think you should get yourself cleaned up first."

She kept crying, crystal teardrops falling from her eyes.

*

"N-N-N-Noel??!"

"Yes. I know, it's a weird TALENT."

There's no way I can explain this to my mom in like, two seconds. Leaving that aside, I was now in the bathroom together with Liliath. Not literally together, but I need to teach her how the tap, bath and shower works. Also, the notorious toilet bowl that I saw her quizzically stare at.

For the clothes, I think my mom should have a few spares she could borrow.

Liliath turned the tap of the faucet, water came pouring out.

"After that, pull the center tab."

With her timid hand she tugged.

"Hiih?" She released the tab, the water kept pouring from above. The rag around her slid down due to the weight caused by absorbing too much water.

"I think I'll leave now," I turned around; I saw nothing.

I saw nothing.

No. I saw something. Those scars all over her body, most probably caused by a whip.

I closed the bathroom door.

"That girl—"

"That's my TALENT. I summoned her. I'll explain it in detail later, do you have any extra clothes you could lend her?"

"I do. But it may be a bit big."

"Should be alright.." we have to buy clothes her size soon. Welp, looks like we have an additional member in our family.

In regards to her wish to return to her world since I forcefully summoned her by accident— or purposely, whatever. She didn't seem keen on going back. Which was a good thing. Usually, most summoned people would try to figure out a way to return. And it wasn't like I knew of any way to help Liliath do so anyways so...

My mom went to the bathroom to help her. Wait, how old is Liliath? Though she's a little taller than my sister, it's impossible to determine her age by looks alone.

My sister, Novelle, who just woke up, climbed down the stairs. She, in her pastel green pajamas stretched her arms with a yawn.

"Morning big brother," she rubbed her eyes.

Cute. Unbelievably cute. What a devil.

"Morning."

"What's that sound?" She turned her head left and right, still in a daze.

"Um. I'll explain later alright? All you need to know is that we have a new— a guest," Is it too quick to assume Liliath as a part of our family? I practically just met her.

Liliath, who's hair was wrapped in a white towel, was ushered out by my mom who was pushing her from behind.

My sister's eyes shot wide open.

When Liliath saw her, she bowed. Then my mom who was all smiles pushed her upstairs.

"W-who is that? Your girlfriend?" My sister asked.

"My summon. It's my TALENT.. I think."

"What?!" She looked like she was shorting lasers out of her eyes. That glare. Stop it already.

"I'll explain, I'll explain during breakfast. Ladies first, go to bath," I pointed in the direction of the shower.

She growled.