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Stay-at-Home Summoner Chapter 23

It's Not All About What You See (3)

When Elaine was first summoned, I didn’t question her much.

 

As a being summoned into this world, how does one feel about knowing they are a character from a game?

 

Thankfully, she seemed to have come to terms with that reality on her own, and as her Summoner, I’ve been getting along with her just fine.

 

But when I had to summon someone else, I worried about this.

 

– What if they were shocked to discover they were a character in a game?

 

Elaine was deeply affected by it too.

 

No matter how resilient a character might be, there’s no way they could remain completely unfazed by such a shocking situation.

 

So, I was cautious.

 

While a healer, regardless of gender, was my primary consideration, I deliberately chose Kiharu from Fermata 8X, even though their stats were mediocre.

 

– They probably wouldn’t think too deeply about it, right?

– They’ll likely find this world similar to their own, since their backstory is set in a modern era.

 

I selected Kiharu, the cat swordsman, because they were a character from a modern background.

I thought they would adapt to this world smoothly and be able to support Elaine effectively.

 

But what is this now?

 

“What’s there to be embarrassed about, Partner? I am your summon. I just happened to be a ‘being who was a goddess.’”

 

The self-proclaimed goddess, Kiharu Fermata, sat casually on the sofa, crossing her legs.

She was wearing only an oversized boxy t-shirt that Elaine had bought, and for a moment, I thought I could see between her legs. But as soon as our eyes met, I closed mine tightly in embarrassment.

 

“Fufu, rest assured. I’m practically a ‘mannequin’ right now.”

 

Kiharu lifted the hem of her hoodie slightly.

I immediately turned my head as Elaine pointed her sword at her.

Still, before I looked away, I saw… nothing.

 

“What the…?”

“My form resembles a human’s, but there’s no reason to replicate unnecessary parts.”

 

Kiharu gestured toward her chest, her lower body, and her stomach.

 

“This appearance is merely a form constructed with magic to mimic a human. I can move my hands and feet, but that’s about it.”

“…I have one question to ask.”

“Not just one—ask as many as you’d like.”

“Are you truly a goddess?”

“Indeed.”

 

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

 

“Partner, if I were to use terms from your world… In-game, the story has only progressed to version 2.8, correct?”

“…!!”

“And in that story, as your partner, I have defeated five ‘villains’. With the progression of the main storyline, my true identity would…”

“…Not have been revealed.”

“Exactly. It’s only natural. In-game, the story hasn’t advanced enough to unveil my identity.”

 

This was unexpected.

Summoning beings from a game world… I learned a glaring flaw through Kiharu.

 

“To think I’d get spoilered about unresolved in-game lore through you.”

 

A casual conversation could spoil the plot.

When it comes to my Summoning ability, this much can be said:

 

“Things aren’t always as they seem.”

“Indeed. Did you think I was just a simple cat? How unfortunate. In truth, I was the final boss disguised in a cat’s form.”

 

Kiharu stood by the living room window, gazing at the people below.

 

“Yes, the protagonist—you, my Partner—are the one who determines whether humanity survives or perishes. I, Fermata, am another goddess of Earth who pondered that question.”

 

Her gaze felt like the archetypal ‘divine being looking down on inferior creatures’ often seen in fiction.

 

“…Though, having realized now that I am a created being, I have chosen to anchor my identity to my existence here.”

“You mean…?”

“In short.”

 

Flick.

 

“I have decided to live as your summon.”

 

Kiharu perked up her cat ears and tail, giving me a double thumbs-up with a stern expression.

 

“Partner, as your summon, I’ll consider what lies ‘beyond’ this life.”

“Beyond?”

“Have you never thought about it? Just as games have endings and novels conclude, our ‘Tower Conquest’ will one day reach its final stage.”

“…”

“When that time comes, your Summoning ability might disappear, and summons might return to their original worlds.”

“That’s not a certainty.”

 

To be honest…

 

“I don’t know exactly how you or Elaine feel about this world or humanity, but I don’t want to lose the power I’ve gained.”

 

Having awakened as a Summoner, I don’t want to revert to the person I was before.

 

“Don’t think for a second that I summoned you on a whim. Elaine, you, all of you—I’ll take responsibility until the end.”

 

“Even if that leads to the destruction of this world?”
“…If you try to destroy this world, Elaine and I will stop you.”

 

I held Elaine’s hand in one of mine, while the other clutched the summon management app.

 

“I don’t want to resort to threats, but if you refuse to cooperate, you’ll end up trapped in this app forever.”
“Hmm.”
“The Summon Stack? I don’t care about that. If you don’t help me conquer the Tower and prevent the world’s destruction, I only have one option.”

 

With just my thumb, I moved the app interface and sent a clear warning to Kiharu.

 

“If I reverse-summon you and delete the game, you’ll be trapped forever in a world that can never progress.”
“…”

 

Kiharu’s expression hardened.

 

“If you cross into another player’s world, I’ll find you and erase that world too. If you hide on the game company’s servers, I’ll use every connection I have to destroy them. One way or another.”
“…Hah.”

 

Kiharu let out a low laugh, shaking her head.

 

“Because I said I was the final boss, it seems you’ve grown quite hostile toward me.”
“You’re the one who set that tone, aren’t you?”
“Did I? My apologies. Learning about humanity through you is a process, but… conversations with humans remain difficult.”

 

Kiharu shook her head again, as if frustrated.

 

“Whether in the game or out here, the direction of my life as a being remains the same.”
“And what direction is that?”
“Partner, you must already know what kind of life I seek.”

 

Kiharu spread her arms and stepped closer.

Elaine, still aiming her sword at her, thrust it forward—

 

“?!”

 

Thunk.

Elaine’s sword plunged into Kiharu’s chest. The sharp blade pierced through her as if slicing through jelly, and liquid spilled from her body—not red blood, but shimmering gold.

 

“Partner, do you know what kind of life I desire to live by your side?”
“…By my side.”

 

I pulled Elaine back by her shoulder.

She hesitated for a moment but slowly withdrew her sword and stood by me.

 

“By my side, observing me and continuing your judgment of humanity—not through preset dialogue or choices dictated by the in-game producer or writers, but through decisions made by you, as you are.”
“To judge humanity through you?”
“If the results are good, we’ll live together. If they’re bad, we’ll face the true final boss battle in reality before the Fermata 8X players even get there. So—”

 

I reached out to Kiharu, wiping the golden liquid from her chest with my sleeve.

 

“Just as you once explored the human world and learned about humanity as Kiharu, do it again. Not as the protagonist’s sidekick in-game, but by my side.”
“…That’s the right answer, Partner.”

 

Kiharu clasped my hand with both of hers.

 

“There’s still much to learn, but what I’ve seen through you gives me enough hope in humanity to keep going.”
“…”
“To prevent any misunderstandings, let me make one thing clear: I don’t particularly wish to destroy this world.”
“Huh?”
“The outcome of that true final boss battle will depend on humanity’s own choices. If it happens, it will be because humanity’s darkness drove me to give up on them.”

 

Kiharu shrugged lightly.

 

“The humanity of that world fell so far into corruption that even a goddess like me abandoned them. But I hope that’s not the case for this world.”
“Uh…”
“Unless.”

 

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

 

“Partner, if there’s a reason through you that convinces me not to destroy the world, then things might turn out differently.”

 

Flash.

 

With a faint glow, Kiharu disappeared before my eyes.

 

“Master, look down.”
“…”
“What’s wrong?”

 

Where the goddess had been, a small, 2D cat now stood, gazing up at me from a height even lower than the sofa.

 

“Weren’t you supposed to be a 4-star healer?”
“…What happened to that transformation just now?”
“Oh, that?”

 

Kiharu raised her tiny paws.

 

“I ran out of mana, nyah.”

 

Her paws didn’t even reach above her head.

 

* * *

 

A little later.

 

“What about the injury?”
“I healed it with this body’s own abilities, of course.”

 

We were seated on the sofa, listening to Kiharu—who had now transformed into her cat (realistic) form—explain her abilities.

 

“Unfortunately, despite this body being a goddess, my powers have limitations, meow. To put it in game terms, I’m a 4-star with six breakthroughs and a fully refined exclusive weapon.”
“Could you please settle on either ‘I’ or ‘this body’ when referring to yourself?”
“No.”

 

Even with Elaine’s polite request, Kiharu stretched leisurely and declined without hesitation.

 

“This body does not take orders from those weaker than me.”
“…”
“However, since you, Partner, claim to be my master and are currently stronger than me, I shall follow you for now.”

 

This cat goddess seems to be learning something about humans after all.

 

“Very well. Then… how do you plan to handle healing?”
“Hmm?”
“If we were talking in gaming terms, I’m action RPG, and you’re turn-based RPG.”
“Ah, don’t worry about that, nyah.”

 

Kiharu extended her paw toward something, and with a glow of magic, she leapt gracefully onto Elaine’s shoulder, settling there in an instant.

 

“Like this, I can heal you whenever necessary, meow.”
“…”

 

A flying magical cat.
Now perched atop a tablet PC.

 

“Kiharu.”
“What is it, Summoner?”
“You’re not going to suddenly stop healing mid-battle to order ramen or something, are you?”
“Oh, what a splendid idea. Elaine, you keep fighting. I’ll heal you as soon as you get hurt.”
“…”
“If I have enough mana, I can even resurrect you. Worship my divinity, meow.”
Hah.”

 

Elaine pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

 

“Master, next time, summon a robot.”
“A robot?”
“Yes. Something neither male nor female.”
“…”
“Master?”
“Ah, nothing. Forget it.”

 

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Stay-at-Home Summoner

Stay-at-Home Summoner

집구석 소환사
Score 7.6
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Released: 2024 Native Language: Korean
The Age of Hunters, where humans climb the Towers. The characters I summoned from a gacha game ascend the tower.

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