Judging that spending any more time in their current situation would only make things more awkward, he quickly rattled off whatever came to mind, trying to give priority to the simpler ones first.
“R-Right. Good health. Check.”
“Plus, I’m apparently pretty fond of eating and drinking, so I need a stomach and liver that can take plenty of abuse.”
“I see. Alcohol resistance and a voracious appetite.”
“I also need to make money, so I’ll want some sort of ability for doing that. You said this was a sword-and-magic world, right? I assume the fastest way is through more dangerous work?”
“Indeed. I’ll just add a few things here and there for fighting prowess…”
The girl listened intently as Renya spoke. She also pulled out a notepad from somewhere and was frantically taking notes on what he said. He took a moment to acknowledge the mismatch in what he was witnessing. For someone who could materialize windows from thin air, her notetaking was jarringly analog.
“I also want to try making something,” he continued. “I don’t know why, but the thought of being a blacksmith — a swordsmith, specifically — appeals to me.”
“Mmhm. Oh, speaking of which, I do believe you used to be a ranked kendo practitioner.”
“Is that so? Wait, you erased those kinds of memories, too?”
“The skills are probably still with you, though. As muscle memory.”
“Let’s see… If there’s magic in the world, I’d like to be able to use it. I won’t ask to wield every form of magic available, but I’d prefer to at least excel in one type.”
“I see, I see. By the way, which do you think is more important: damage or attack speed?”
“Attack speed, obviously. Is there a point to this question?”
The way Renya saw it, “devastating if it hits” was the same as “useless if it doesn’t.”
“Certainly. It’s for reference.”
“Also, I don’t expect to be the strongest man alive right off the bat, but try to make it so training pays off a lot for me. And I think that’s about it.”
“Hmm, I see. Oh, do you have any requests regarding your physical appearance?”
The question caught Renya off guard. He gave the girl a questioning look. She continued unperturbed.
“Your original body, having met its end in its original world, has been cremated and is now lying in a grave somewhere. When I send you to the other world, I’ll have to fabricate a new body for you to inhabit.”
“Oh, I see.”
“For this, there’s a little bit more leeway, so I can be more accommodating of your demands. A dashing Casanova whose gaze alone can cause the ladies to swoon? A luscious beauty before whom lies countless men fallen to the ground in unmoving prostration after a single look? Whatever you want, feel free to hit me with it.”
“I can swap genders?”
“It’s a new body, after all. I’ll be making it from scratch, so either way is fine.”
Renya had the distinct notion that he was male. The framework of his memories had been reset, so he could not say for sure. Even from his name, however, he doubted he was female. With that in mind, he pondered his options. It was, honestly, not rocket science. The question was simple: did he want to thrust or be thrust upon? Simple, but most certainly crucial. After a moment, he made up his mind.
“Male, please. As long as I’m not ugly. The kind of normal person you can find anywhere.”
“Understood. An average physical appearance that neither offends nor charms.”
After scribbling all the way down to the bottom of the page, the girl ripped it from the pad, scrunched it up into a ball, and placed it on her hand. She puckered her tiny lips and blew a small breath at the paper ball. It burst into flames in her hand and soon turned to ash.
Renya watched it happen, wondering what she was doing with the note she spent so much effort writing. Just then, he saw a message appear out of the corner of his eye. It was the same kind as when the angels disappeared.
《 Notification: You gained “Healthy Body,” “Super Regen,” “Alcohol Resistance,” “Voracious Appetite,” “Blacksmith,” “Sword Mastery,” “Physical Mastery,” “Magecraft Mastery (Aptitude: Wind),” “Quickcast,” “High-Speed Recharge,” “Simulcast,” “Limit Break Leveling,” “Appraisal,” “Foreign World Language.” 》
“What the heck is this?”
“Uh, you can think of those as skills you get in video games— Oh, I suppose a 94-year-old wouldn’t have played games.”
“Actually, I sort of get it.”
Thanks to his memory wipe, he could not recall whether he took up playing games in his senior years to keep himself from getting bored, but got the gist of what the girl was trying to say.
“Really? I guess I don’t have to explain, then. In any case, I’ve given you the skills that you asked for. Please try out each of your skills and learn how to use them. Aside from the skills, I’ll also provide you with a hotline to me that you can use once per day. I can’t promise I’ll answer everything, though. Just keep that in mind, please. To use it, just visualize it in your head.”
“I see. Okay, when are you going to send me there?”
“Anytime. We can get going as soon as you’re ready,” answered the girl. A faint orb of light, elliptical in shape and as tall as a person, appeared beside her. Renya figured it was probably the gate that led to his otherworldly destination.
“Well, I guess I’m off. How long do you think until we meet again?”
“If things go awry, immediately. Normally, it should be a few decades later. If things go well, it’s possible we might never meet again.”
“Are you telling me there’s a way to gain immortality? Huh. Well, if I like what I see there, maybe I’ll try looking for it.”
“I cannot answer that. I do think it’s worth looking around, though.”
With a resigned smile, Renya gave the girl a look that said, “Seriously? That might as well have been a yes.” He turned around and, waving casually back at her, walked toward the gate.
“All right. See you, then.”
“Please allow me to apologize once again for dragging you into this. I wish you well, and hope that your new life will be a good one.”
As he stepped through the gate, Renya saw the girl give a quick bow. A line of words appeared in his view.
《 Notification: You gained the blessing of the Creator. 》
Thus did Renya Kunugi, who neither wanted nor wished for any of this, take his first step toward a brand new world and his new life.