The space between worlds. Should one be summoned to another reality, this is where they will find themselves, without exception.
"Hello, there. I am what you people call the [Goddess]. I will briefly explain your situation… Ara? You… have you not come here a moment ago?"
"Ahh… it's been awhile, or should I say, it's been ten minutes or so?" Scratching the back of my head, I asked. "Uh… if possible, I would like an explanation about my current situation in 20 words or less."
And it is here that they are bestowed a single power─a gift for the newly departed. Call it a compromise for being dragged away from your home. But what if one were to visit this place multiple times?
"… and before I knew it, I'd already came back to the starting point. What's going on?" I recounted what I experienced before asking her of the current situation.
If I were to explain in place of the Goddess that has grown senile in front of me, this is what you'd call an Isekai, another world transfer.
Not only myself, my entire class was summoned to another world by a kingdom called Belze, but as the king was introducing himself, a magic circle appeared under my feet, and mine alone.
"I'm sorry, I have no idea either. For the time being, I'll give you a [Gift] since it is the rules. I don't quite understand it but, do your best!"
And with such a carefree cheering, I was whisked away to another, other world.
This time, unlike the king and his attendants, the summoner wasn't as hospitable. I was greeted by the sight of an old man, yellow teeth, white hair, and a stained lab coat.
What's more I was chained up, my mouth was covered by a metal brace. The man introduced himself as an alchemist, his main topic of study? Magic Eyes.
Using his own Magic Eye, Magic Eye of Appraisal, he saw that I have two Magic Eyes. Magic Eye of True Sight and Magic Eye of Sigils.
"Splendid! He has two! The [True Sight] is a common one for Otherworlders, but [Sigils] is one not even I've heard of!"
The man revels in enthusiasm, calling for his two guards, "Put him on the bed, and get my tools ready. Let's start the experiment!"
The man held up his palm towards my face, and suddenly a magic circle formed on his palm.
I could recognize that it's a mind control spell. It works by exploiting the brain's neural pathways and manipulating the flow of neurotransmitters to influence a target's thoughts and actions. The magic circle acts as a catalyst, facilitating an interplay of the magical energy that interfaces with the target's neurological system.
How do I know this?
Even I can't tell you.
But I was able to identify what it did in a split second, before it could take its effect on me. I say that because the summoning circle appeared again below me, and I was met with Goddess again.
"Eh? Hold on. This is the third time, you know?" She raised her brows in surprise. "What? Did you fall for me?"
"It's not like I keep coming here because I want to. It's beyond my control." I stood up, brushing myself off.
"Hmmm… Even so, this is the first time for an abnormal situation like this." The Goddess flips through her book again. "I'll try to look into this matter. Hopefully I can find a solution when you come again."
"I'm counting on you."
With that, I was sent away again.
They say that what happens twice will happen thrice. But… it'd be kind of a bummer if the thrice didn't happen.
"Haa… Haa… I… I did… I did it! Teacher! The summoning is successful!"
"As expected of you, Riede-sama!"
"Hmm…?"
I look at the girl who seemed overjoyed despite how pale her face was.
Was summoning me such an achievement that she forgot her fatigue?
The girl and her teacher had long ears. The summoner this time is what they call Elves.
The teacher patted the girl's head, saying how proud she should be because her very first summoning ritual summoned a Humanoid Demon
Wait, what?
"He seems to be a Vampire, those sharp fangs are their characteristics."
I looked at my sides and I saw bat wings sprouting out, ripping through my school uniform.
"Eh? Did I stop being human?"
"Uwaa—! He talked, Teacher!" The girl's shout surprised me.
"My name is Inori, nice to meet you." I introduce myself just in case that'll stop me from being summoned again.
"To think that he's [Named] as well. Interesting."
The woman got closer, examining me. She says that only a small number of high ranking demons can talk. Theorising that I might be an "Earl-class" or a "Baron-class."
But their joy didn't last much longer. The summoning circle showed up once again to bring me back to that place.
"You're getting sick from being summoned over and over again?" The Goddess puts a hand on her chin, adopting a thinking face. "Maybe you should make a contract the next time you're summoned and bind your soul in that world?"
"Contract huh?"
The first one aside, compared to that creepy alchemist from the second time, you could say that the third time was a jackpot, and there's a good chance that I'd get something even worse in the next summon.
"I'll keep looking on my side, you try to bind your soul on your side. Well then, take care!"
The smoke dissipates and I decide that, if everything looks good, I'll do it seriously.
"E…err, sir Hero! Thank you for coming this late in the night, pleased to welcome you to our world. I am the first princess of…"
I step closer to her. A beautiful princess with light blue hair and light blue eyes, she was wearing a white tube dress and jewelry adorned her necklace and wrists.
"You'll do."
The summoning detail is to be a Hero, I don't think they'll treat me badly.
I grab the princess by the wrist.
"There's not much time. Is there a way to seal a contract with me?"
"Y-Yes! There is, but it requires a ceremony."
I click my tongue.
A ceremony usually requires preparation and can't be done immediately. But I don't have a choice either way.
Taking her to the top of the tower where the ceremony would take place, the princess looks flustered.
"W-Wait! Please, slow down! I… I need to prepare my heart for this!"
"No. There's no need for that. I want to exchange vows with you as soon as possible and spend the rest of my life here with you."
Her face turns beet red. "Y-You can't just say things like that so suddenly, sir Hero!"
And… Ahh… It caught up to me.
"Sorry, my time's up. It was a short time, princess. I wish I could've made it in time."
Smoke swallowed me up in the summoning circle. As I vanished, I heard her voice one last time:
"Wait no! Don't—leave…"
"Ara! That was too bad wasn't it. You almost got yourself a princess."
With a tired expression on my face, I dropped down on the floor. Not even wanting to talk to the Goddess.
"Ah, he's sulking."
The Goddess examines me, more specifically, my Astral Body, thinking how I'm getting less and less Human every time I come here.
"It might be strange coming from me who gave you those [Gifts], but right now you have multiple of them where you could say you're in a cheat state."
"So they're piling up." I hold my head with my arm. "Status, was it?"
————
[Inori Takafuji]
Demon / Vampire (Baron) Lv.1
HP 105/105 | MP 100/100
STR 105 | END 115
DEX 110 | VIT 95
INT 100 | AGI 120
[Gifts]
«Improved Growth Rate»
«5 Times Gained Exp»
«Halved Required Exp»
«Magic Eye of True Sight»
«Magic Eye of Sigils»
«Hatred of the Sun God»
«Vampire: Baron-class Authority»
«Skill Plunder»
————
Not only have I been demonized, but also gained Magic Eyes, making me odd-eyed.
"Maybe I should get an eyepatch."
I sigh at the thought of going through more of these summonings. It's making me wear out, mentally.
"Since there's not much time, I'll summarize it. Summoning basically means choosing someone with a strong enough soul, since the strength of your soul is needed to cross over between worlds."
"So why am I the only one chosen over and over?" I asked her without bothering to stand or even sit. That was how drained I was.
"Simply, you have a powerful soul. It could even be classified as a rare one."
Without even a proper send-off from the Goddess, the summoning circle flung me to yet another world.
"Haa…haa…"
The summoner this time looked exhausted. I mean, the saintess from the first time also looked exhausted, but this girl looked like she'd drop dead.
"Thank god. I made it in time." She breathed a sigh of relief. "My name is Shiina and…haa… I'm proud to say I'm the best dark magic user in the world."
The girl explained, in bated breath, her purpose of summoning me. Apparently, her dark magic was shunned by the masses, but she saw hope in it. After dedicating her life to her research, she was able to reach the pinnacle of dark magic, but because of that, she's being hunted.
"I don't have much time left. So I'm begging you—take my power. Save the world in my place."
"No, I refuse," I snickered.
Her face paled further, as if all warmth had been drained from her. Yet, despite my cold response, she didn't lash out. Instead, she swallowed hard, forcing her trembling hands to still.
"I… I understand. You were taken from your home. You have no reason to trust me."
Her fingers curled into fists.
"But I have nothing else to offer. Everyone I knew betrayed me, stole all of my possessions… I only have myself." She hesitated, then whispered, "Even if my time is short… my body is still young. Untouched. If that's what it takes—"
"It doesn't matter," I cut in, sitting up to meet her gaze. "I'm sorry, but it's impossible."
"Why?" Her voice cracked. "Is my offer not enough?"
I pointed at the floor I was sitting on, and like death's relentless pursuit, the summoning circle followed me here as well.
"Oh… what a pitiful girl. I'm sure she regrets spending the last bit of her life for someone like you."
I look at her with a deadpan face. "She could just summon someone else, can't she?"
"She forcibly exchanged her remaining life force into magic power to do that summoning. So it's impossible even if it kills her," the Goddess explained, her voice carrying a mix of concern and pity.
"It was her fault for summoning a failure like me. I did nothing wrong," came a voice tinged with minor regret.
"If only she had delayed the summoning by just one day. The thing called the twist of fate is surely frightening…"
The summoning circle interrupted.
"...Well, if we're talking about fate, you can say that you're also its victim."
When the smoke cleared, I was laying on top of an altar. It was elevated by a flight of stairs, separating me from the people… Um… things below.
"The time has come! The Demon Lord has revived!!"
I was summoned as a Hero twice before, it was about time I was summoned as a Demon Lord.
So these must be lesser demons, huh?
One of the demons climbed the flight of stairs, saying to the other demons below to, in its words, behold my magnificent form.
"Your vileness, what kind of weapon will you make this time?"
A weapon creation system even though I'm a Demon Lord?
I had thought ruling over an entire species doesn't sound so bad, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.
"To be honest, you've gotten so many [Gifts] that it's almost disgusting. What'll you do after you've settled in one world? It looks like you can be either a Hero or a Demon Lord."
I finally stood up and turned to her, "Well, I was actually summoned both as a Hero and a Demon Lord."
"Come here. Since the next will be your last summoning. I'll put the [Gifts] you've accumulated in order."
Surprised by the revelation, I couldn't help but respond with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh, you managed to figure it out?"
"Since the reason for you being summoned over and over was your soul, I thought about draining the energy from it so you won't have enough to be summoned again,"
the Goddess paused before continuing to explain,
"But if I send you to one of my worlds, you'll recover your soul energy immediately and be summoned again. So I'm sending you to a world not under my jurisdiction."
Curiosity mixed with concern, I couldn't help but ask, "There are other Gods out there?"
"Yes," the Goddess confirmed, her voice tinged with a touch of nostalgia. "Though you won't find the God of that world. He has long retired."
After she finishes arranging my [Gifts], she looks at me with a pitiful look, "Well then, this time it'll be a farewell for real. It's been a while since I've had a conversation this long with one human. It was fun."
"Well, I also had fun," I chuckle at that comment.
The summoning circle concealed my form in smoke and I was gone.
When the smoke cleared, I found myself in a dark room, three other people standing beside me. My eyes fell upon a massive magic circle on the floor, larger than all the others before.
Around us were, by my count, 32 people in white robes on their knees, their hands clasped in a praying form. And in front of us, a wrinkled old man in a purple robe.
"I thought we were summoning three… No matter! It's a fortunate accident," he says under his breath. "Forget whatever status you may have had in your original world, because now you four are the property of the Kingdom of Falmuth!"
This is a story about another world invasion by the [Irregular] that has received multiple blessings.