Summoning

Laid Risha down on the bed.

She was too drunk to stand on her own, so I carried her here.

"Master..."

I thought she’d woken up, but no.

Just a sleepy, goofy grin. Like a dream.

"More..."

More?

"More... make me work... please..."

"Work? Really?!"

I couldn’t help but scoff.

No charm at all in that mumble.

You’d think something like this would come with more... you know... *flirtation*.

"No, no... that’s impossible..."

Huh?

"Working thirty hours straight... that’s contradictory..."

So she *is* working after all!

"Hehe..."

And she’s happy about it!

I was exasperated. Seriously. But somehow... it was fun.

Turns out Eternal Slaves are Eternal Slaves, after all.

They want to work for their Master. They want to serve, endlessly.

That’s the kind of earnest, adorable thing they are. These girls.

I thought I already knew it, but I confirmed it in a mumbled sleep-talk.

Words aren’t as real as actions—actions, same as sleep-talk.

That’s how I confirmed Risha’s earnestness again.

I’ll pamper her when she wakes up. (And give her work, too.)

That’s what I thought, and I left the room.

Stepped outside the building, arrived at the beach.

Remembered today.

It was fun, despite everything. Risha held back, being a slave and all, but she probably enjoyed herself anyway.

I recalled the three of them—Mira, Yuria, Rirya.

I wanted them to enjoy this place too.

Just like Risha.

So I pulled out the DORECA.

A new feature added via the black card—saved everything I’d built at this resort.

I could use it again later, or copy it to another sea and tweak it a little.

Either way, next time I’d bring the other three. That’s what I decided.

I put the DORECA away, turned to head back inside.

“……?”

I stopped mid-step.

Something odd was in the air.

Not wind—just the air itself felt unnervingly agitated.

Someone was there… and a lot of them.

Enemy or monster—either way, I thought, better just kill them. Then I remembered: no sword at my waist.

Left it in the room.

Right now I’m half-naked in a shirt and swim trunks, and I didn’t bring my Eternal Slave.

Thought about going back for it.

“Huh.”

Before that, though, they appeared right in front of me.

Giant spiders. Each one as big as a human, but with legs stretched out, they looked ten times larger.

Thick fur all over body and limbs—combined with the gross look, it was seriously oppressive.

And there were more than one.

One right in front, one behind. Packed all around the beach.

Thoughts racing.

What the hell should I even do right now?

“——”

The spider lunged forward, shrieking a sound too strange to put into words.

Unseemly for a body that size— I dodged sideways, barely.

She dashed off at full speed after exchanging a glance.

Heading toward the room.

Spiders swarm the building.

"Menu open!"

Made ten swords at once with the new function. Saved it from the first time I tried.

She threw the swords she’d conjured in an instant all at once.

Dodo-dodododod—!

The sword pierces the spider.

In that split second of hesitation, she slipped past and vanished into the building.

She raced up the stairs.

“Risha!”

Master!

Risha was cornered in the farthest corner of the room by a spider that had come through the window.

"Menu open!"

Threw ten swords at once, used the moment of hesitation to dismantle the floor beneath them.

The spider was sucked into the gaping hole, tumbling down to the floor below.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes!"

"Good... let's go up."

"Up? But then we can't escape."

"No need to run."

Taking Risha's hand.

"The True Eternal Slave is above."

"——Yes!"

Risha smiled, nodding vigorously.

We left the room, dragging her along.

The spider at the entrance caught up.

"Demolish!"

I shattered the stairs, sending the spider crashing down to the lower floor.

Clang! The building lurched violently.

"Ah!"

"Did I break it too hard?"

"Are you alright, master?"

"No problem!"

We climbed upward, Risha clinging to me.

Racing up, breathless—reaching the top floor, my room.

There, standing by the wall, was the True Eternal Slave—guarded by a spider.

The annoying spider between us and the sword.

"Master..."

"Stop looking at me like that."

I stepped toward the spider.

"——"

It screeched, threatening me with a shrill cry.

Two front legs swung up—slammed at me.

"Master!"

I heard a scream in my ears, and lunged straight into the spider’s grasp.

My foot tangled.

I pressed my hand against its belly.

"Menu open—load!"

In an instant, the sword sprouted from the spider’s abdomen.

Like a seed cracking open, ten blades formed inside its body.

The hedgehog-like spider writhed, then collapsed.

"Amazing... you can do something like this?"

"Been experimenting."

"Truly the master's skill!"

Risha’s complete trust felt good.

Slipping past the spider, she reached out and picked up the True Eternal Slave set against the wall.

Touching the red gem, she absorbed Risha.

The blade blazed with fire.

Looking out the window, she saw spiders swarming the night beach.

Dozens. Maybe more.

But that was it.

The slave sword returned to her hand.

"Alright, then."

(Yes!)

She hooked her foot on the windowsill and leapt down into the battlefield, sword and slave in tow.

The swarm of spiders fell in an instant.