"Naaza, have you ever thought about starting over and adventuring with Orsted and the others?" After Orsted left, Miach brought up the topic again.
This time, Naaza still fell silent, but compared to the last time Miach had asked, there was a new glimmer of light in her eyes.
'Should I start over?'
On the other side, after Orsted sold the Magic Limb to Miach, Naaza regained possession of her broken arm.
After chatting with Miach and Naaza for a bit, Orsted left.
This time, Orsted returned directly to the church without wandering around outside.
"The random summoning card… I don't know who it'll summon," Orsted murmured, looking at the card in his hand.
This was the sign-in reward Orsted had received when he reached the 18th floor.
The next moment, Orsted activated the card in his hand.
As he used it, the card shattered into glowing particles.
A burst of light erupted in front of Orsted, and a human-shaped silhouette slowly took form.
Soon, the light dissipated, revealing the figure within.
She had the face of an angel and the figure of a devil.
Her long, shiny black hair cascaded down her back.
She wore a white top with a black suspender skirt, black sleeves on her arms, black stockings, and a pair of red boots.
Looking at the figure before him, Orsted was reminded of a popular saying from his previous life.
Damn, the system's summoning card had actually summoned Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy—the bartender from Seventh Heaven.
Tifa Lockhart was a member of the anti-Shinra organization Avalanche.
She ran a bar called Seventh Heaven on Sector 7 in Midgar and participated in resistance activities alongside Barret and others.
She was the childhood friend of Cloud Strife, a former member of Shinra.
On the surface, Tifa was lively and cheerful, but in truth, she was self-controlled and somewhat shy.
'Now that I've summoned Tifa to this world, does that mean I've separated her and Cloud?' Orsted thought blankly as he looked at the girl from his past life.
However, he quickly realized he was overthinking it.
"Orsted, we finally meet again," Tifa said warmly, showing no signs of confusion or discomfort.
Her reaction suggested she was completely familiar with Orsted.
Then, a stream of information flooded Orsted's mind.
After processing it, Orsted understood the situation.
The system was truly incredible.
It had rewritten the first half of Tifa's life, seamlessly integrating her into this world.
In Tifa's memories, Orsted was her childhood friend.
However, he had been taken away by some mysterious force when they were young.
After that, Tifa's life had continued much as it had in her original world.
She still joined Avalanche and ran Seventh Heaven.
Just moments ago, she had been cleaning the bar when the system summoned her.
Moreover, Tifa had been informed about this world, Orsted's situation, and various other details.
That was why Tifa had greeted Orsted so familiarly when she appeared.
Even Orsted now had memories of growing up with Tifa.
They were genuine childhood friends, not fabrications.
After understanding everything, Orsted smiled and nodded gently.
"Long time no see, Tifa."
***
"I never imagined there could be another world," Tifa said, sitting on the sofa and observing the church with curiosity.
"How have you been these past years?" Orsted asked with concern.
At this, Tifa's face lit up, and she began recounting her experiences over the years.
She spoke for nearly an hour.
Throughout, Orsted listened attentively, not interrupting.
When Tifa finally finished, he handed her a glass of warm water.
Tifa took it, drank it all in one go, and let out a satisfied sigh.
Then, she turned to Orsted, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Orsted, how have you been these past years?"
"Hmm… how should I put it?"
"I guess you could say I've been living well," Orsted replied thoughtfully.
It hadn't been long since he arrived in this world, but he'd already been fighting monsters and going on adventures.
Still, Orsted shared the memories he'd received during his transition to this world and explained the situation here.
"Gods, Familias, adventuring, growing stronger…"
"What an incredible world."
"Orsted, can I also become a member of the Hestia Familia and adventure with you?" Tifa asked eagerly.
"Why? If you're not coming with me, where else would you go?" Orsted countered with a raised eyebrow.
"You're right. You're the only person I know in this world, so of course I want to stay with you," Tifa said with a smile.
"Alright. I'll introduce you to Hestia when she and the others return."
"We'll have Hestia accept you into the Familia."
"By the way, don't mention your past to Hestia," Orsted added as a warning.
"Don't worry, I understand," Tifa replied, her gentle smile unwavering.
"Speaking of which, this place is the Hestia Familia's residence. Can we really live here?" Tifa glanced around the church, her expression slightly worried.
"Hestia and Lili sleep on the bed. You'll have to share the sofa with me," Orsted said with a smirk.
At this, Tifa glanced at the sofa beneath them.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she seemed to consider the implications.
"Alright, I'll squeeze in with you tonight," Tifa said softly.
"Wait, you're actually serious about sleeping with me?!" Orsted was stunned.
"What do you mean?"
"That bed can only fit two people."
"Instead of us squeezing here together, do you expect me to share with Hestia or another Familia member?" Tifa raised an eyebrow, looking slightly annoyed.
Orsted: "..."
This Tifa seemed a little…
"There's a possibility that a new mansion is brought. When Hestia and the others return, the Hestia Familia will move there."
At this, Tifa's cheeks turned bright red, the color spreading to her ears, which also grew warm.
She glared at Orsted before crossing her arms and turning away, refusing to speak to him.
Orsted didn't say anything, simply watching Tifa and silently reflecting.
'Tifa's reaction means she really likes me, right?'
'I replaced Cloud and became her childhood friend. It seems… it's really possible.'
---
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