Summoning
Coming June 24th from DASH X Bunko—thank you very much for your support.
I woke up floating on top of clouds.
Only the spot where I stood was white and soft, like cotton, while everything around was pitch black—thunderclouds rumbling with distant thunder.
An empty patch of sky, like a clearing in the clouds.
There was me… and another man.
“Where the hell is this!?”
The man, who’d woken up after me, screamed right away.
He scanned the area, spotted me, then stormed over, shouting.
“Hey, you! Where the hell is this?! What’re you gonna do with me?”
“Don’t know. I just opened my eyes and I was here.”
“Huh?!”
He stared at me, eyeing me like he was inspecting livestock.
After a long pause, he sneered down at me.
“Huh. I guess that dumbfounded face of yours could pull off something like this.”
A real piece of trash kind of comment.
I stared back at him, dead serious.
Nice face—could pass for a looker, I guess. But the way he yells and sneers down his nose? Honestly, a real disappointment. Feels small. Petty.
‘You two have awakened.’
A woman’s voice, sudden and out of nowhere.
Me and the guy spun around, scanning the air for the source.
No one there. Just the two of us floating above the clouds.
‘Akito… and Seiya.’
Akito’s my name. So this guy must be Seiya.
‘Who the hell are you!’
‘I am Ilia, the Goddess of this world.’
‘Goddess? Don’t bullshit me—show yourself.’
Seiya barked, still growling at the invisible self-proclaimed goddess.
‘…What does this goddess want from us?’
Seiya glared. I ignored him.
Better to talk than yell. I wanted to know what the hell was going on.
‘We summoned you. We called you from the world you once knew, to restore this one.’
‘We summoned you—because we wish for this world to be reborn.’
‘Summoned? Reborn?’
‘Look for yourself.’
The moment Ilya spoke, the clouds beneath our feet turned translucent, revealing what lay below.
The ground was far away. Extremely high.
Like standing on a transparent glass platform at the top of a tower—my balls tightened up.
The view from there… was a wasteland.
A barren land, nothing but ruin.
‘What the hell is this place!’
Seiya shrieked louder.
‘This is the world of Laskars. A world nearly destroyed by a dark god.’
‘What the hell are you talking about? Just come out already!’
‘…So this is a world of swords and magic, then?’
‘Huh? What the hell are you saying? Can’t you even tell the difference between manga and reality—’
“That’s right. This is a different world from the one you came from—a world of swords and magic.”
…….
“Once, this world was prosperous, filled with happiness and laughter. But it was nearly destroyed by a dark god.”
“……”
“So I summoned a hero from your world. The hero defeated the dark god splendidly, but he was a man who only knew how to attack. He never protected a single human being. So yes, we defeated the dark god—but the world ended up looking like this.”
“…So what the hell do you want us to do?”
“What the hell are you talking about? Can’t you even tell the difference between a conversation and a damn monologue—?”
Saint Night keeps barking. Naturally ignored.
“I want you to restore this world.”
“How the hell am I supposed to do that?”
“From now on, I’ll grant you magic. A magic that lets you create anything, using various materials. Depending on the materials and your magic power, you can make anything—from a paper airplane to a dazzling castle.”
"Recreate the world with that magic, you mean?"
"Yes."
Ilya’s voice softened just a little.
"Hah. Ridiculous. You expect me to play along with childish nonsense? Even if all that talk was true, what’s in it for us?"
"Whatever you create—it’s yours to do with as you please."
"As you please?"
"Yes. Build things. Build towns. Build nations. Whatever you create, it’s yours to do with as you please. That’s the final benefit this world can offer."
"A nation? So you’re saying we can build a nation and become king?"
For the first time, Shinga spoke in a voice that wasn’t a scream.
Nation. King. She latched onto the words.
"Yes."
"Then I suppose I’ll do it, if it’s that easy."
"How did Akira feel about it?"
"What if I said no?"
She asked back. She wanted to hear it—just in case she refused, she’d know what came after.
"All we need to do is send you back to your original world to summon something else. But once you return, you'll likely die."
"Why?"
"You were hit by a truck just before being summoned here. Returning to your original world—your original place—means instant death."
"——Ah! Wait, I was hit by a truck!"
Shin'ya shouts, as if just remembering.
"So there's no choice, huh."
"……"
The Goddess didn't answer. That was probably it.
"I'll do it. I'll build a town. I'll be king, right?"
"Got it. Let's do it."
"Then, I'll grant you magic. I'll give you two tools to use it. First, this—"
Right after Ilia spoke, my hand glowed.
The light coalesced into a single card.
Kind of like the IC card you use on the train.
"What's this?"
‘This is called a Doreca. When using magic, hold it and say “menu open.”’
Doreca… even the name sounds like it belongs in a fantasy game.
“What’s the other tool?”
Shin’ya asked.
‘Here it is.’
This time, light flared from nowhere.
A burst of light, then it condensed.
Two women appeared.
Both had long golden hair and pointed ears jutting sideways.
Elf, the word popped into my head—but for some reason, both wore mouse-gray slave uniforms.
Both looked nervous, glancing furtively between me and Shin’ya.
“Who are they?”
‘They are creatures of this world—known as Eternal Slaves.’
‘Eternal Slaves.’
‘Yes. Born as slaves. Die as slaves. Shin’ya, which one do you choose?’
‘Me? Then this one!’
Shin’ya pointed to the woman on the left. She flinched.
"Then, this one will be your slave from now on. You’ve had your first slave—how will you treat this one?"
The word "first" tugged at something.
"Slave? So I can do anything?"
"Your slave."
"Alright, then—lick my boots."
Shin’ya suddenly issued a hard command.
The woman flinched, then knelt, trembling, and did as told, her face wet with tears as she licked the boot.
Shin’ya watched, satisfied.
Moments later, Shin’ya’s DORECA flared.
"Oho? Hohoho—charged up 100 magic points?"
"What’s that?"
I asked. Shin’ya smirked.
"Thought popped into my head. Charged 100 magic points. That’s it."
"Inside my head?"
"Doing something to a slave accumulates magic in your DORECA. Use it to create things. Rebuild the earth."
"Kukuku… a slave… kukuku…"
That annoying way of laughing, Saint Eve.
She used to scream at first, but ever since she got her slave, she’s been smiling like this.
“Then, I’ll send you to your first destination.”
Irya says it, and Saint Eve and her slave vanish, swallowed by light, disappearing from above the clouds.
“Next, you. What will you do with your own slave?”
Irya asks, and I look at the other woman left behind.
At a glance, she’s clearly elven—part of the race known as Eternal Slaves.
Unlike Saint Eve’s slave, she’s got a determined expression.
The kind that accepts every command without question.
“Alright, laugh.”
“Huh?”
She’s startled.
“L-Laugh…?”
“Yeah, laugh.”
“U-Um… like, smile? Like ‘ni-koh’ or ‘ni-yah’? That kind of…?”
“Nyah isn’t needed. Just a nice little ‘ni-koh’ will do.”
“W-Why?”
……
I don’t answer. It’s a little embarrassing.
I’ve seen slaves in all kinds of stories—mostly online novels.
The kind who obey their master’s orders without question? I think they’re the most admirable creatures in this world.
I couldn’t bring myself to treat someone as admirable as that—like Yuria, harshly.
Slaves should be loved, I think.
“Are you sure? You’re a slave, after all.”
Ilya asked.
“Yeah.”
I answered without hesitation. Without doubt.
“……”
“Let’s get along, okay?”
I reached out my hand, offering a handshake.
She hesitated, then took it.
“Y-Yeah, nice to meet you.”
“My name’s Akito—‘autumn’ and ‘person.’ What’s yours?”
“L-Lisha.”
“Lisha. Nice to meet you.”
“—Yes.”
I smiled. She smiled back, shyly.
Yeah. Slaves really should be loved. Even if it’s not the proper way to treat a slave.
Right after I thought that. A voice echoed in my head.
——Magic power charged: 10,000.