Chapter 37: The Three-Year Gap
A few days after hearing that Admos had acquired a Summoner, Ivern brought in some new information.
“It seems there are two Summoners this time.”
“Two?”
What does that mean?
I was summoned alone, and the records indicated that past Summoners were also alone.
This is…
“Are they the ‘involuntary type’? Does that mean the one who got dragged in is actually the strongest?”
“…Is that how it works?”
“I don’t know.”
“You…”
When I casually muttered my thoughts, Ivern gave me an honest reaction, slumping his shoulders in disappointment.
“There are often such settings in creative works from the original world. The protagonist, who gets dragged into the summoning by misfortune, is deemed useless or something, but through effort, they overcome adversity and become the strongest.”
“Oh, I see. The comeback from adversity is indeed thrilling.”
“However, summoning in this world isn’t like that, right? There are no stats involved.”
“Stats?”
Ivern wouldn’t understand.
“Things like how much strength or magic power you have, quantified.”
“Oh, that’s convenient.”
“If only it were real.”
Well, that’s just a game reference.
Actual physical strength and magic power can’t be expressed in numbers.
“In this world, due to the power of the magic circle or the influence while crossing dimensions, the summoned humans arrive with enhanced physical abilities and magic power. In other words, they become a being that is a multiple of both Humans and Demons. That’s why they’re strong in this world.”
“And now there are two… That seems a bit tough, doesn’t it?”
Ivern was concerned, but I wasn’t particularly worried.
“…Hmm. Well, if it happens, it happens.”
“Hey, is that really okay?”
“I don’t mind. I still don’t feel like losing.”
When I said that, Ivern let out a small sigh.
“We’re both Summoners, right? Isn’t that more overconfidence than confidence?”
“Overconfidence? What are you talking about?”
“That’s an objective fact. I told Meileen too, but the years since we were summoned are different. I’ve already lived three years in this world.”
“That may be true, but still, there are two of them, right? That’s simply double the fighting power.”
Ah, I see. Ivern’s common sense is distorting his perception.
“It’s not just a numbers game. Listen. Including myself, all past Summoners were summoned from the same world. If this time is the same, then those summoned in the last hundred years or so have never experienced combat… never had to kill.”
“Oh, I see what you mean.”
Looks like he finally understood.
“I was shown a clear enemy in the Demon Tribe Nation. I was dangled a false bait that if I defeated the king of the Demon Tribe, I’d be sent back to my original world.”
“That’s a terrible story no matter how many times I hear it.”
“Yeah. Because of that, combat was forced upon me against my will. I still remember the first time I laid hands on a Demon.”
I had become quite jaded now, but when I was first summoned, I was just a Pure Boy who had never even been in a fight.
When I faced a Demon for the first time in a life-or-death battle, I was so terrified that I wet myself.
And when I somehow managed to deliver the finishing blow and won, I vomited from the overwhelming guilt of taking a life.
Honestly, I wanted to avoid combat for a while, but Lindor and his crew didn’t allow that.
It wasn’t that I was forced to fight; it felt more like I was guided by that same lie.
“You can’t return to your original world unless you defeat the Demons,” they said.
As a Pure Boy, I believed that and went around defeating Demons.
The guilt I initially felt about killing faded with each encounter, and eventually, I became numb to the act of taking a life.
Could I really lose to someone who had just been summoned?
“I’ll say it outright. Even if they came here now, it wouldn’t even be a proper fight.”
When I said that, Ivern finally seemed convinced.
Then he asked me, “What if they attacked anyway?”
“If the rulers of this world decided to do that, it could happen…”
After all, they think they’re the strongest and the smartest.
If the two Summoners were stronger than everyone else, they might make such a decision.
Then…
“If that happens…”
I looked at Ivern and grinned.
“Should we recruit them as allies?”
When I said that, Ivern’s face contorted in disbelief.
“You… People are going to think you’re seriously aiming for world domination, you know?”
“Wouldn’t that serve as a deterrent?”
I didn’t deny Ivern’s words, causing him to cover his face and look up at the sky.
It’s a good idea, right?