Memoir seemed to be the only thing capable of answering Shion's questions, even if it felt a little strange.
"What exactly are you?" Shion asked, sitting cross-legged.
—✧—
Memoir:
Call me Memoir.
My sole duty is to help you settle into this new world.
I also possess several functions designed to accelerate your growth.
—✧—
'Speed up my growth…?' Shion thought, a frown forming on his face.
The fact that it dodged the question, explaining what it could do instead of what it was, made Shion question its motives. Suspicion crept into his mind, but he chose to conceal it. He didn't want to drive Memoir away.
"Then, Memoir," Shion said, "tell me how I got here, and why."
—✧—
Memoir:
You were summoned to this world as a Hero Candidate.
Your sole mission is to save those you are able to save.
—✧—
Reading that, Shion bit at his fingernails as he tried to organize his thoughts.
He had been brought here to become a hero, whatever that meant. His mission was to save people? And once again, Memoir had ignored part of his question.
Did that mean if he learned how he came to Eldratonia, he could return the same way?
Was that why Memoir refused to answer?
…Because it wanted to keep him here?
Shion turned his attention back to the interface.
"Was it you who brought me here?"
—✧—
Memoir
~Nervous~
No.
You arrived here of your own free will.
It was not me.
Do not suspect me, master.
I am merely a parasite…
~Sweating~
Oh… no…
—✧—
After writing those words, the interface shattered into dust, only to reappear at Shion's right side, acting as if nothing had happened.
—✧—
Memoir:
~Calm Expression~
I am called Memoir.
How may I assist you, master?
—✧—
A faint smile formed on Shion's lips.
It finally slipped up.
From that single mistake, he understood something important—Memoir needed him far more than he needed it.
"So you're a parasite?" Shion said, his smile widening.
"Something that can't survive without a host."
—✧—
Memoir:
~Averting Gaze~
I am not a parasite.
Master must have experienced a strange dream.
This is our first meeting.
~Nervous giggles~
—✧—
"Stop calling me master," Shion said, his tone firm.
"And tell me the truth. I've already figured it out, so stop wasting time."
His gaze softened.
"Please, Memoir," he added gently. "Tell me…"
Memoir interrupted, drifting farther away from him.
—✧—
Memoir:
~Searching for escape~
My memory is overheating.
Yes. Overheating. Therefore, I cannot answer any further questions.
~Fidgeting anxiously~
Please check your status. It will assist you.
Goodbye.
—✧—
With that, the interface vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving Shion shouting after it.
"Parasite! Come back here!" he yelled.
"Didn't you need me?! Fine—I'll become your host, so don't leave me alone…"
No response came.
"Damn it!"
He slammed his closed fist into the ground, a dull thud echoing across the ice. The only certainty he had gained was that he wasn't on Earth, and that Memoir was a parasite. Not that it mattered right now.
Shion fell backward, staring up at the sky. At least the night view was beautiful.
He was exhausted. Even if his body felt fine, his mind was worn thin.
He had died, been sent to an unfamiliar world, and encountered a screen that communicated not through sound, but through written words.
'Nothing makes sense…'
His eyelids grew heavy. As they closed, darkness swallowed his vision, and he dreamed of his mother.
She was frail and sickly, lying flat on a bed while holding her son's hand.
"Shion," she said softly.
"If you ever feel like giving up, set a goal for yourself. If you do… you'll find happiness.
Please promise me, Shion. Promise me you won't end up like your father…"
Shion squeezed her hand tightly.
"I promise, Mom. So please… rest."
She smiled warmly and closed her eyes as the dream faded away.
Shion's eyes slowly opened.
The sky was bright. He raised an arm to shield his eyes from the light.
'How long did I sleep…?'
It was already daytime. The sky stretched endlessly blue, without a single cloud, and the sun shone gently—warm, but not harsh.
A small smile appeared on Shion's face, followed by a quiet chuckle.
His mother really was an amazing person. Her words always gave him the strength to keep moving forward.
He pushed himself upright and sat cross-legged once more. Strangely, the ice beneath him felt neither cold nor melted beneath the sun's warmth.
Once again, reality reminded him—
He wasn't on Earth.
Shion glanced around, searching for Memoir, but it was nowhere to be seen.
"I guess it's really gone now," he muttered.
"But thanks to that parasite… I know what I need to do next."
Memoir's last instruction echoed in his mind, check your status.
But how was he supposed to do that? And what exactly was a status?
Shion tilted his head back and forth, trying to piece it together. Nothing happened when he merely thought of it, but when he spoke the word aloud, something changed.
Black letters appeared, floating in midair on a translucent window.
——•°•——
Status › /////////////////////////////////////////>
Name: Shion Kurogane
Race: Human
Age: 25
Fate: Hero Candidate
Rank: F
Psyche: 100
Aspects › ////////////////////////////////////////>
| Strength: 5 || Luck: 10 || Wisdom: 520 |
Dominance: 535
Skills › ///////////////////////////////////////////>
None
Stigmata › //////////////////////////////////////>
Moral Code:
"I will always save those I am able to, even if it means sacrificing myself."
Personal Code:
"I will always strive to complete the goals I have set for myself."
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Gift of Knowledge (Bonus):
• Skills can only be obtained when a Stigmata activates.
• Refusing to follow an activated Stigmata will reduce your Psyche by 20 points.
• If your Psyche reaches zero, you will enter a state of nothingness. That meaning Eternal sleep.
• Lost Psyche cannot be recovered.
Good luck, Hero Candidate.
——•°•——
Shion didn't know how to react.
Should he be surprised?
Or afraid?
He clenched his fists.
Hero Candidate.
It was the second time he had heard those words.
Everything seemed to be pushing him toward becoming a hero, the interface made that painfully clear.
And yet…
Just what was Eldratonia?
Only Memoir could answer that question.
And it had already begun integrating with its host.
Unbeknownst to Shion, a mark slowly formed on the nape of his neck, a symbol resembling a bicycle wheel, except the lines connecting the inner circle to the outer rim were uncountable.
It glowed faintly.
The word Memoir appeared—followed by [99.9%], as it took its place.