I woke up to warm sunlight touching my face and birds chirping outside.
Even though I had slept on the couch, I felt much better than on other nights, thanks to not suffering from mana depletion.
Had I not spent a few hours worrying about Licia and the possibility that I'd never wake up again, I'd probably feel even better.
I could always escape to the Kingdom and deny her access, but only as long as I was awake.
But as I expected, there was no reason to worry.
She didn't leave the bedroom once throughout the entire night.
Such a peaceful night felt like a good first step, and with so much energy, I decided to work on the chores I had been neglecting.
Not long after I had started, I heard the quietest, most careful steps coming from the room behind me.
Her hair was a little messy, falling in uneven strands.
She rubbed her eyes, but she couldn't wipe away all the drowsiness.
Seeing the redness in those eyes bothered me, but... I was glad that she seemed to have enjoyed at least a few hours of sleep.
Messy or not, for someone like me, who'd never had a friend sleep over before, the sight of such a beautiful girl first thing in the morning was quite pleasant.
Licia: "Morning..."
The morning tiredness made her voice slightly mellow, but without the confusion and fear of yesterday, her eyes seemed much less cold.
She felt more... alive.
Miwen: "Good morning. Did you have a good night's sleep?"
Licia: "Yes, your bed was amazing! Honestly… if not for this pleasant smell, I might've stayed there all day..."
It was something so small, and so dumb...
The bed wasn't even particularly good or anything, but...
Hearing her excited praise made me relieved. And a little proud, too.
I had already explained so many things to her yesterday, but those cute reactions were so amusing that I ended up going overboard again and again.
Because of this, we ended up in a small loop.
I'd show her something important that she might struggle with, she'd try to figure it out on her own, and after giving up, she'd ask for an explanation.
She'd reward my explanation with an amused reaction and more questions, which only fed the loop.
Miwen: "Whoops. Sorry for waking you up then. You can rest more if you want, but... I made breakfast for two. Would you like to give me a hand?"
Licia: "Absolutely!"
I planned to take it to the room and give her some space, but that would've been a big mistake, as I'd miss her eating so enthusiastically.
Even though I had a few years under my belt, I only started cooking to take care of my sister, so I felt undeserving of her nonstop praising of my meal.
Distracted by her, it took me a few minutes longer to finish breakfast, but once we were done, I asked her to choose a set of clothes she wanted me to summon.
The plan I devised on the spot when we talked yesterday worked, and she got exactly what she wanted.
That left me with zero Kingdom Points, but since I wasn't using them on anything, it hardly stung.
Actually, seeing her gently holding and admiring the clothes she got made me glad that there was such a good use for these points.
Noticing I was still in the room, she quickly excused herself, entering the bathroom to change.
A few minutes passed, and then a few more.
I started to worry and approached the door. The very same instant, she yelled, asking if SHE could use my things.
Obviously, I didn't mind.
However, a giggle escaped me when I saw that she had fixed her hair.
With her figure, she would've looked great even without trying, yet watching me struggle not to stare too much brought a satisfied smile to her face.
Every time I tried to avert my gaze, she would make sure to move back into my sight, smugly waiting for a comment.
The pressure to say something was building fast, but I had very little experience complimenting girls, so I went for the good old strategy of changing the topic.
In this case, I chose to ask her opinion on what she'd like to do next.
Miwen: "I will raid a Dungeon today. You're free to join me or stay home, if that's what you want. Also, if you decide to leave, I won't impede you..."
Usually, I wouldn't suggest something this dangerous when she still had barely gotten used to navigating my house, but since she used to be a high-level adventurer, I thought there was a good chance she'd be interested...
She could also gain a few levels by exploring the Dungeon, which should help make her feel safer.
Licia: "Hm..."
She seemed to be deep in thought, thoroughly considering all of her options.
But, ultimately...
Licia: "It's been a long time since I stepped into a Dungeon. This might sound weird, but I kinda miss the feeling..."
Anticipating that I'd judge her, she scratched the back of her head with an awkward smile.
While it was a little weird, people get used to all sorts of lifestyles, even the dangerous ones.
If before being summoned, raiding dungeons was such a big part of her daily life, it would make sense that doing it would make her feel more at ease.
Licia: "I was also looking for a way to thank you for everything you've done for me, so this is the perfect opportunity."
If she had the skills to back up the confidence, she could help our party improve dramatically.
Miwen: "Got it. I'll tell the others you're coming too."
Despite it taking me longer than most to trust others, I had seen enough of Roy and Sam to believe they weren't the type to start trouble.
After all, we had already experienced quite a bit together.
Licia: "That's fine. I'll patiently wait for your return..."
As I changed into an old shirt I called my adventurer gear, Licia sat on the couch, fiddling with her thumbs while looking around.
I stopped in my tracks and stared at her for a moment, both of us tilting our heads for a moment.
Miwen: "Why would you need to wait?"
Licia: "Even if you live in a small village, you'll need a few minutes, no? Unless... Have you established a telepathic link?"
I knew there was a disconnect between the two of us, but I would never have expected it to be this big.
I could understand her thinking I'd talk with Roy and Sam personally, but beyond that... Ignoring the existence of phones and suggesting a technique as advanced as a telepathic link was surreal.
Miwen: "Remember the thing you used to look for clothes? It can also be used to communicate with others over long distances..."
Explaining every little thing a smartphone could do was impossible, and from my experience with her, saying too much could do more harm than good.
She was smart, so it was usually better to keep explanations concise and let her experiment as much as possible on her own.
It also helped that she liked trying to figure things out first before getting a lecture.
Licia: "Impressive... A magic tool this convenient must have been expensive..."
She gently pushed my phone closer to the center of the table, as if it were something incredibly precious.
Miwen: "...Not really? The ceiling can be somewhat high, but this model is pretty standard... It's also not a magic tool, but that can wait for another day."
Almost everything I introduced to her, she seemed to believe was either mechanical or magical.
While I loved her curiosity and reactions, explaining electricity to her was beyond my ability.
I tried more than once, but she'd always understand it as [Lightning Magic], and at some point, even I couldn't explain the difference anymore.
I eventually learned my lesson and began focusing my explanations on the general use of things, rather than how they worked.
Still, thinking there'd be a day she wouldn't react as amused at me controlling the flames of the stove or the house's lights without magic made me a little sad...
Before I could dwell on the thought, I received a notification from Roy and Sam saying they wouldn't mind having someone join us.
However, they were curious about her level and Gift.
Since exposing her Gift could be dangerous, I had avoided the subject to make her feel a little safer, but...
After spending the night in the same house, without anything bad happening, I thought she'd trust me at least this much.
Licia: "I don't really mind..."
Her Gift's name was [Magic Swordswoman of the Freezing Degree].
The title was a handful, and it didn't make it look impressive, but what it lacked in name, it more than made up for in effects.
Not only did it give her the ability to freeze most things without using mana, even at level one, she had [Ice Magic] unlocked.
It also decreased the cost of [Ice Magic], gave her the ability to apply a special [Freezing] property to weapons and armor in the form of a frost coating, and came with two other skills, [Swordsmanship] and [Mana Control], both starting at level 1, just like her [Ice Magic].
On top of that, it increased the power of her [Ice Magic] and her control, alongside the decreased cost of casting ice spells as she leveled up.
While it was incredibly combat-oriented, it also seemed fairly resourceful.
I couldn't be certain without seeing her in action, but from the effects alone, I had the impression hers was the strongest Gift in our party.
Even though her level only qualified her as a B-rank adventurer in her world, this Gift, paired with the level she had, would put her among Earth's top adventurers.
Yet, someone so powerful died so young...
I knew it wasn't good to think about this, and rather than asking, I definitely should wait for her to tell me about it, but the thought stuck in my head.
Miwen: "...Can you do me a favor when we reach the Dungeon today?"
Unfortunately, I had a selfish request for her.
Miwen: "...Also, they don't know about my true Gift. I've lied and told them my Gift was called [Godspeed] and that it simply increases my speed, so if you can, please, don't expose [Gacha Kingdom Building]."
She seemed like an honest person, so my requests made her a little troubled.
I could tell she disapproved of them, but she forced herself to accept my conditions anyway.
Licia: "I know you have your reasons, but... Being able to trust your party can be the deciding factor for the success of an adventurer..."
As I thought, she wasn't too comfortable with my way of doing things...
While I had no choice when it came to her, I still wanted to keep my Gift a secret, at least until I was strong enough not to worry.
However, I kept her advice in mind and took a step out of the house, only to look back and see her mesmerized by the city surrounding her.
I thought she could get used to this world passively by watching TV, but it was still too much for her.
Licia: "What is... Everything?"
That was hard to answer.
Actually, it was impossible.
Miwen: "...Let's try to focus on one thing at a time."
I was worried about her running straight into a car, so I asked her to walk by my side and stay close to me.
She seemed a little surprised, but quickly approached me.
Her reactions were the most charming yet.
As we walked, I tried to explain to her how traffic works and why it would be better to cross the road at a crosswalk, if possible.
While listening, she pointed to cars and buildings, and flooded me with questions about them.
Licia: "Hm... What about the yellow light?"
Surprisingly, even though she was so curious about the world around her, she was also paying attention properly.
Miwen: "It's meant to warn the driver that a red light is coming. In theory, they slow down and prepare to stop."
Licia noticed that there was only one car in the street, and from what she had seen so far, it wouldn't be able to reach the crosswalk before the red light at the speed it was.
Thankfully, she was close to me, so before she could take a second step, I was able to pull her back before the car zoomed past us.
Licia: "Eh? That wasn't slowing down, was it?"
Miwen: "To be safe, keep the traffic lights in mind, but focus on that little stick figure signal, alright?"
Licia: "Okay..."
My heart almost jumped out of my throat.
Meanwhile, she seemed more embarrassed than frightened.
It didn't take long for her to calm down, but just in case, she kept holding onto my arm.
Licia: "Of all the different worlds I've ever been to, yours is by far the most unique. There are so many things I don't understand, and you live your lives so differently..."
I was surprised by her words.
In many ways, they didn't make any sense.
Her Gift didn't seem to possess any power to transfer her to other worlds, and she didn't seem like she had lied to me.
But even if she had, why wouldn't she return home?
While I tried to process what she said, she looked at me, her eyes filled with confusion.
In that moment, seeing her innocent reaction, I realized that instead of cracking my head thinking about it, I could just ask her.
Miwen: "Oh, so you've been to other worlds?"
Licia: "Yes, have your people never attacked another world from the Dungeon?"
Miwen: "No? We've never met people from other worlds, only monsters."
The Dungeon, even to this day, was full of mysteries.
However, throughout the world, innumerable adventurers explore the Dungeons for hours, days, even months on end.
Be it Easy Dungeons, Hard Dungeons, high floors, low floors...
If somehow other worlds were connected to our Dungeons, we would know about it.
Licia: "That's... Strange..."
Yet, even though logic would dictate Licia should be wrong, there wasn't a trace of doubt in her eyes.
Licia: "Every world has access to the dungeons. Unless yours are unique, you should've met otherworlders inside them. No... At least one of your Dungeons should also exist in another world, it's just too unlikely for them not to..."
She seemed adamant.
But no matter how questioning her stare was, I had no answer to give.
If Earth were the odd one out of the whole universe, however many worlds that may be, there must be a reason, but how would I tell?
I struggled to finish high school; there's no way I'm answering any mysteries about the world in this lifetime.
Miwen: "...If that makes you feel better, we know of other worlds because of Divine Events."
Because I already knew of their existence, Licia being from another world wasn't as much of a surprise to me.
There was also a chance she could have been summoned from the past, or maybe the future, but the first seemed unlikely due to the existence of Gifts, and the latter it's hard to believe.
It doesn't seem like technology is going anywhere, so if she came from the future, she would probably be saying things like "Oh, that's a 21st-century car, how very nostalgic", or something along those lines.
Licia: "Yes! You have those too! If you've participated in a Fallen God Subjugation, Divine War, or World Punishment, you must have visited other worlds temporarily!"
Right...
It was such a shame to rain on her parade when she seemed so happy...
However, unfortunately, even with the best technologies and the knowledge that other worlds capable of life exist somewhere out there, we haven't been able to locate them, much less contact their inhabitants.
We have a few hypotheses about the reason, but we can't know for sure.
Miwen: "Well... I don't know about those. We've only ever been to normal Divine Events..."
She had finally found something that was common sense to her in our world, so the revelation that even this was different shocked her to the core.
Fallen God Subjugations and Divine Wars did seem pretty cool, though...
Licia: "Your world doesn't make sense to me..."
She looked genuinely upset...
Miwen: "Who knows, though? Maybe those things have just not happened yet. After all, everything has been changing after Dungeons and magic started appearing..."
Licia: ".....?"
I tried to offer her a few comforting words, but it didn't have the expected effect.
Instead, something in what I said seemed to have made her even more confused.
Licia: "What do you mean by ever since dungeons and magic started appearing? Was there a time without magic?"
Miwen: "Yes, it was only 20 years ago when Catherine, the Goddess Of The Red Night, blessed our world with Dungeons and Gifts. Before that, magic was something of fantasy for us, something you'd read about in a book."
Every single one of my words was common sense to the people of Earth.
They were things I, having been born after the events of the First Contact, learned not to question and accept.
Yet, the more I spoke, the more surprised Licia became.
Although even in her shock, she still tried to make sense of as much as she could.
Licia: "20 years... Now it makes sense why the levels in your world are so low... But still... A world without magic and dungeons... Maybe this is why this world is so different from all the others ?"
It was hard for me to say since, unlike her, I had not gone to other worlds.
But the idea didn't seem far-fetched.
If we had magic, humanity would probably have focused a lot of its collective effort on it.
I'd like to believe technology and magic would walk hand in hand, and we'd be more advanced thanks to it.
I mean, while our world was chaotic for a while, nowadays there are regulations in place to prevent people from using magic carelessly in the streets and their workplaces.
There's no outright ban, though. It's more about preventing ruckus and injuries.
Magic and Gifts have proven themselves extremely useful to our society, even with our current technology.
Because of this, it's a little hard for me to believe other worlds wouldn't benefit from magic and technology at the same time, however...
Maybe there's a point where one stunts the other? And somehow, magic is preferred?
Neither Licia nor I had the answer to these questions, however...
I felt like we were each other's best chance to learn.
Miwen: "Maybe..."
It was too early to say, though.
Miwen: "Speaking of which, I have to tell you about the First Contact. It's common knowledge in this world, and I'm not sure how I could excuse you being unaware of it to others."
There was just no way to hide her origin without explaining this world's most well-known and discussed moment.
Licia: "Hm... Sure, go ahead..."
As such, I told her everything I knew about the events that happened twenty years ago.
I got a little passionate about it, and even included some slightly off-topic things, but given how curious she had been, I thought she'd actually appreciate it.
And sure enough, she attentively listened to it all.
Unfortunately, I only finished moments before we arrived at the Dungeon Gate, where Roy and Sam were already waiting for us, so I didn't get to confirm whether or not she remembered everything.
Somehow, though, I felt like she was smart enough not to raise suspicions, even with basic knowledge.