Having vaguely brushed off Seokyung’s interrogation, I returned to my home.
–Seokyung, just look at me. How could anyone possibly mistake this for a man? I am clearly a woman.
–You’re right. So, it must be an older sister, right?
–…Yes, an older sister.
‘It would have been better if she had called me ‘oppa,’ but I held back from suggesting it, knowing she would then discover my original gender.
‘Of course, even if my secret were exposed, it wouldn’t truly be a problem.
‘It would merely mean the children’s gazes would grow even more terrifying, leading to a scenario straight out of a doujinshi titled ‘The Summoned Beasts’ Eyes Are Too Dangerous!’—and that would be the only issue.
‘…That’s a joke, of course. There’s simply no benefit in revealing my original gender, so I’ve chosen to keep it to myself.
‘It doesn’t matter if there’s no particular reason, does it?
“Oh, come to think of it, didn’t I place a summon stone in the incubator that’s due to hatch soon?”
Just moments ago, the summoner’s watch on my wrist had notified me of Kkongkkongi and Ppireusi’s successful fusion, or perhaps it was the hatching completion alert.
Presumably, this functions as the notification system.
On a side note, why does this summoner’s watch bear such a striking resemblance to a GalXxy Watch…?
“The attribute of this newly hatched creature… is it ice, or fire… where should I house it…?”
Upon reflection, I realized I hadn’t constructed a dwelling appropriate for the attributes of this new arrival.
This… feels like a significant oversight.
–Emmerrgencyyy!!!
Hurriedly retrieving the blueprints, I rushed outside and began searching for a suitable plot of land to construct a new home.
“–This area is where the grass-attribute children play, so it won’t do…”
“–And this side… it’s near Seokyung’s house? That wouldn’t be good for a newborn’s emotional development, so that’s out…”
“–…Even with an ice attribute, building a home directly on the river would be utterly insane, wouldn’t it?”
However, a suitable location proved elusive.
Had I foreseen this, I would have expanded the land much earlier; it was entirely my oversight.
“–Haa, is there truly no other option…?”
Given the circumstances, my only recourse is to temporarily entrust the new summon to one of a similar attribute.
“–Well then, Tsundere, I’d appreciate it if you could look after this new arrival until its home is completed…”
“–…Why me, of all people?”
“–Uh… well? Among all the ice-attribute summons, Tsundere, you were simply the first one who came to mind.”
“–I’m a Hard Ice, though?”
“–You’re aware that Hard Ice is still considered an ice attribute, right?”
Tsundere is a Hard Ice-attribute summon, a rare variant that emerges with a low probability when two ice-attribute summons are placed upon the altar and fusion is initiated.
Of course, ‘Tsundere’ isn’t her original name; it’s one I bestowed upon her. Her true designation is the ‘Ice Princess’ summon.
“–Anyway, I’m counting on you for this. Alright?”
“–…If you buy me the new ice cream that just came out.”
“–Oh, come on, that much I can certainly do for you.”
“–What? Even if it’s an incredibly expensive premium product?”
“–…How much?”
“–100,000 gold.”
“–Ah, that’s perfectly manageable.
For 100,000 gold, I could purchase a hundred of them without a second thought.
In this game, acquiring gold is astonishingly simple.
The more summons one possesses, the greater the influx of gold.
Of course, even I remain oblivious to the precise reason for this increase.
‘My children aren’t being subjected to forced labor somewhere, are they…?’
‘If that were the case, I would unequivocally tell them to stop, even if it meant foregoing all earnings.’
‘Subject my precious children to forced labor?’
Incidentally, Tsundere, with her rare Hard Ice attribute, accounts for the vast majority of the gold I acquire.
‘…Which means I’m essentially buying Tsundere ice cream with the very gold she helped earn.’
“–I have plenty of money, so I’m quite adept at providing for all of you, aren’t I?”
Unable to state the full truth, I opted for a more roundabout explanation.
“–That’s true…”
Despite a prick of conscience, I promised Tsundere an ice cream and agreed to entrust the newly hatched summon to her care.
Ah, the appearance of this newborn creature was quite remarkable.
Its initial form seemed to be a curious blend of a cat and a dog.
It clung to me readily upon our first meeting, so much so that when I attempted to entrust it to Tsundere, it refused to part from my side.
It likely possesses a disposition akin to a puppy.
“–It’s a relief I have some Churu (TL Note: A popular brand of liquid cat treats in Korea and Japan) with me.”
I usually carried these treats for my cat-type summons, so it was fortunate I had one remaining.
If I hadn’t possessed it…
“–…Would that have been alright in its own way, I wonder?”
Reflecting on it now, perhaps I needn’t have bothered entrusting it to Tsundere at all; I could have simply kept it with me.
Still, it’s a matter already settled, so let’s move past it.
With the immediate crisis averted, I must resume my search for a suitable dwelling for the child.
If I absolutely cannot find a spot, expanding the land will be my only option, though I possess ample funds for it.
It’s merely a matter of time constraints.
“–No, actually, let’s just expand the land while I’m at it.”
While a new house was the immediate concern, expanding this cramped plot of land was an inevitable task that needed addressing eventually.
Therefore, it makes perfect sense to tackle it while the thought is fresh in my mind.
“–The land expansion cost is… 20 million gold?”
What? The expansion cost is considerably cheaper than I anticipated!
Honestly, given this is the sixth stage of expansion, I’d expected it to cost hundreds of millions of gold, yet it’s only 20 million?
My current holdings alone amounted to nearly 10 billion gold.
Moreover, it was almost time for my next gold influx.
With a ‘ding!’ sound, I glanced at my summoner’s watch, which displayed a notification of incoming gold, now totaling 10.1 billion.
‘…It seems I ought to spend some money this time around. I’ve been far too frugal.’
“–First, I’ll initiate the expansion, and then construct the houses proactively…”
As I was verifying if anything else was required, shadows began to stretch across the sky above.
“–Hmm? It didn’t seem like rain was in the forecast for today, did it?”
Fearing rain, I cast my gaze skyward, only to discover a colossal bird soaring above.
‘…There are no summons of that immense size residing in my home.’
This implied the bird was a wild creature.
And that wild bird was rushing straight towards me…?
–Kyaaahk!
‘…This might not be the appropriate thought for the moment, but didn’t I just shriek ‘Kyaaahk!’?’
‘I’ve truly become a full-fledged woman now, haven’t I?’
–Summonerrr!!!
“–Oh? That voice sounds familiar… could it be?”
Lifting my head, I saw the colossal bird transform, becoming half-avian, half-human, as it slowly descended before me, its wings beating gently.
And what alighted before me was none other than the fire-attribute basic summon, the firebird, Phoenix.
‘…Didn’t I just call it a fire-shaped bird? That’s a genuine phoenix.’
‘How could a creature straight out of myth be categorized as a basic summon?’
‘Perhaps I, who named it Phoenix, shouldn’t be the one to comment.’
I merely gave it that name because it was a firebird… In any case, it doesn’t seem to be my fault.
Nevertheless, once I acknowledged its true identity as Phoenix, I felt entirely at ease.
“–Hehe, the Summoner is stroking me…”
Oops, I instinctively stroked its head… Thankfully, it’s Phoenix’s preferred spot.
Had it been a part Phoenix disliked, I would undoubtedly have been roasted alive.
Of course, even if I were roasted, I wouldn’t actually perish.
Within ‘Everyone’s Summoner,’ there exists a specific game mechanic:
‘A Summoner cannot be harmed by their own summons’ attacks.’
This means that even if a summon’s attack is akin to an instant-kill ability, the damage inflicted upon me will register as zero.
Consequently, it’s exceedingly rare for a Summoner to suffer harm while attempting to mediate a conflict between their own summoned beasts.
–…Thank you, game developers!
Thanks to the thoughtful mechanics you incorporated into your game, I can now enjoy a safe and secure life as a Summoner!
“–Summoner, here is the map you requested.”
“–Ah, now that you mention it, I did make that request.”
Earlier, before embarking on the land expansion, I had indeed asked for a map to be prepared.
Truthfully, while it’s referred to as a map, it’s essentially just an aerial photograph.
Only after further processing this raw image can a complete map be created.
“–…Huh? But why is my house designated as the central point?”
“–The Summoner’s house is, after all, the very heart of our village.”
‘…Right, that particular game setting slipped my mind.’
In a Summoner’s village, the Summoner’s own residence invariably serves as the central hub.
Why on earth was such a setting implemented? What could possibly be the rationale?
“–Thank you for informing me. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“–Hehe, I’m glad I could be of assistance. Oh, by the way, Summoner, do you happen to have some free time?”
“–Time? I was actually planning to go home and sleep, so I do have some, but… why?”
“–Ah… no, it’s nothing. I couldn’t possibly disturb you when you’re about to sleep… Please, go on in!”
With a final, powerful beat of its wings, Phoenix ascended and then soared away, its departure accompanied by the instruction to ‘go in.’
‘…So why did it ask about my time, then?’
I watched the receding Phoenix for a moment before heading back home.
Ugh, so much happened today…
I need to get home and sleep soon…
****
The Summoner’s appearance…
I saw them for the first time today, and they were incredibly beautiful.
And…
‘…They were precisely my type.’
They were so much my type that I almost instinctively tried to seduce them. What a terrible summon I was.
Above all, the Summoner belongs to all the summons in this village; they are by no means exclusively mine.
I absolutely shouldn’t harbor such feelings, yet why do they persist?
‘…No, wait. Couldn’t I just make them *my* Summoner?’
I could eliminate all other summons and ensure the Summoner only sees me.
Wouldn’t that resolve everything?
‘…No, I can’t do that.
‘Such an act would only wound the Summoner’s heart.
‘Besides, the other summons are also my friends, aren’t they?
‘Harm my friends? I could never do that.
‘But… how am I supposed to resolve this feeling of loving the Summoner?
‘My chest tightens every time I recall their face.
‘I feel breathless every time their smile comes to mind.
‘…Yes, why didn’t I think of this sooner?
‘I can’t monopolize the Summoner, nor can I harm the other children…
‘So, why not share the Summoner with everyone?
