“In any case, regardless of where it came from, you now have a summon beast. The proof is the symbol you have on your hand. Basically, you have that rather than a seal stone like the one I showed you before.”
“Hum… So it’s just sealed? I can’t summon it?”
“That is proof that the summon beast has accepted you, so you should be able to summon it.”
“Hou…”
It would be incredible if I could summon that. Having it fight with me would be reassuring, and even if it just carried my things, it would be good enough. I want to try hugging it too. Would a summon beast let me do that?
I’m also curious about how much I will have to spend feeding it, but I should be able to afford it now… Actually, I heard feeding a panda costs a lot of money. Are red pandas different? I’ll have to search the internet. But then…”
“Mister Oonuki! Are you listening?”
“Ah!? Ah, I’m sorry. I was just thinking.”
I got lost in thought. Can’t do that. I need to listen to Miss Sawaki. I don’t even know how to summon this.
“Is there a specific way to summon it?”
“Yes. Mister Oonuki… Do you feel anything from that symbol?”
“Hm… I wonder. I feel something calling out to me. A key, tie, bond… That kind of image…”
Yes. I have been feeling those sorts of images since yesterday, but I just had an uneasy feeling, because I didn’t know what they were. They didn’t seem connected to anything, and it was as if I could reach them if I could reach out, but had no hand to do so. Like that.
“That means it is asking for the conditions to summon it. You need to name it, and use that as a key to summon it.”
“Ah, name it?”
“Yes. Once the connection to the summoner is established, the link will be kept even if the summoner is away from the summon beast. I am not too familiar with this either, but in theory, that is how it is explained.”
“I see, so a name…”
A name. It’s a red panda, so red? No, too direct. Then…
“Hum, Mister Oonuki. Please don’t decide it here. The report says it is two and a half meters tall. If you summon it here and it takes a threatening pose, it might break the ceiling.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I will try it in the dungeon.”
Yes, its size would be a problem. That was close.
“Please do. And if an unidentified magic beast is detected here, seekers affiliated with the association might attack it.”
“Yes. I will be careful.”
I really should refrain from doing that.
Well, I guess… Seekers have physical abilities that outperform regular people, so obviously, the association that manages them has the means to deal with this.
“This is half the reason why you were called here.”
“Half?”
“Yes, explaining the summoning technique and how to use it. But we also need to talk about its drawbacks.”
“Drawbacks…?”
What are they?
“Yes. Please listen closely. Having a summon beast means…”
Her face turns grave, and my eyes open wide when I hear what she says.
“Some might be after your life.”
———————————
What the woman expressed was a sound of grief.
Zenjurou Oonuki. This man is not normal, and she can see a chaotic future after experiencing a small glimpse into his madness.
She laments alone, feeling unable to escape this fate.
I am wondering if he will have more summon beasts in the future. 🤔