Conversation with Nahama continues for another short while; this is actually the longest I've talked to one girl who's not a family member or already in a relationship, ever. Are we going steady or something? ... if this were an anime, I'd be experiencing an inadvertent 'exposed underwear' scene, and subsequent nosebleed-
-except no. Can't have that kind of scene across worlds now can we?
Her mental attitude does improve as I make some general humorous statements, which seems to work well cross worlds. Hmm; the more things change, the more they are the same? Or something; I don't think each of our states of humanity are so different then; only some specific cultural values.
As long as this stays out of yandere territory, my bits and pieces will stay okay-
Today is still the Thursday before the day of my transfer ― four days until my final Monday here. I'm calmly catching up on some reading ― reading aloud too ― of some random web novel my coworker reminded me to finish. I still don't get how a truck driver could run over a world creator ... but Nahama seems interested in the one helper with the personality's affinity to the main character being a new world creator.
She's calmly eating her own noon lunch, listening to me narrate chapter after chapter ... but chuckling from time to time at the antics of these characters. Well she did say, her world didn't have any such 'spirit magic' known ... not to say something like it couldn't exist; but nothing of it was known.
This seems to be the longest stretch of time Nahama has got to 'hold' the view to me; for some reason the king smiles a bit while the royal family is eating ... oh I got a sudden shiver. I think, maybe ― as he cannot see me, I also cannot see what he's planning for me behind mine and the princess' backs?
So what do I do. Once the meal is over and Nahama and I are again 'alone' with each other, I stop reading right in the middle of chapter nine, to confront her with a statement. I'm not going to get to the rest of this story if I cannot get through talking this out with Nahama. Besides halfway through chapter nine is as fine a place to stop reading as anywhere.
"Ama."
"... who, what?"
"You." I grin calmly. "Or rather, can I say it's my special nickname for you, a secret you and I can share?"
She grins too, then frowns. "But I don't have anything similar to call you. 'Levi' is pretty short as it is, and I don't think it works to call you 'Lee' or 'Vi'."
"I've been called either; but there's another few options. My family name is Diamond; and we humans here also have middle names, often of recent ancestors or of notable people who inspired our parents. My middle name is Ezekiel. This makes my full legal name in this world, 'Levi Ezekiel Diamond'."
"... so, your initials would be 'LED' then, right?" she teases, with a playful grin.
"Yes but that doesn't have any weird-"
"-which means mine does! Admit it-" she presses me. "When you said 'NTR' before, don't think I did not see that smirk."
... oh I fell right into that one. I honestly thought she might have forgotten by now.
"..."
"Come on, say it!"
"... I don't think I should. Besides, me thinking of you as 'Ama' instead will bypass this."
To her burning glare, I say nothing to the initial meaning. But to another sense, I must come clean.
"Listen. Nahama. The day after tomorrow, I ask you ... you might want to ... take another day off, from watching me."
"Why. What are you going to do Levi!"
"I have a date, with a girl. Actually, two girls. And I might want to spend all day with the both of them-"
She's red ― from either the embarrassing thoughts of what she thinks I will do, or from wanting to watch anyway.
... actually it's Samantha's idea ― I take her and a friend out on a 'practice date', just to iron out a few wrinkles in my dating technique ― like hell do I have one yet!
But. Sam will be with me, all day Saturday ― along with one of her girlfriends ― showing and telling what I should do, when with a girl. How to flirt, how much teasing is too much, where to go, how much to buy for the girl, and most importantly ― do not mention the figurines collections! -oh just for that, I will tell about each one of the figurines. Especially the posable Hikari model!
Maybe I should be angry she's been telling her friends about my miserable love life ― but I won't be. Ah, yeah; life is really, in this situation, just too darn short.
I'd almost laughed at Samantha's initial offer the second she gave it, considering ― Sam's still such a tomboy; does she even count as a girl, anymore?
I got a sudden chill up my spine, as if I just offended a whole large subset of the feminine populace. Ugh; shivers up my spine ... and a sensation like someone was beating me up, far from here ... why? Author-san, please do not put your hero into such precarious predicaments you cannot get him out again!
It has to be the day after tomorrow, anyway ― because that's Saturday, the weekend; and then there's Sunday too; and then back to Monday ― the mid morning then will be my last-
Ahem. No. I ... I'm not crying, I'm only sentimental about my collections ― because I sunk a lot of my pay into getting those things dammit!
After this, Nahama 'returned' me to her father- actually for this I'm offended that it sound like I'm a library book, being returned for an overdue fine. I hate this odd feeling; as if she's dismissing me at her personal convenience. Even the king doesn't really 'get it', as to why she just storms off; he's left with only glaring into his view of me. But, at least I do understand why, after the info I dumped upon her-
Did Nahama think for some reason too, that I would 'save myself' for her use, upon my arrival there? Heck no! Got things to do before then ... which is why I had to be so direct.
Well that's fine too. I've got some last minute shopping things to do; then when I get back ― I'm cleaning up around the house, a full spring cleaning (two months late, it's early summer). Maybe have an impromptu 'garage sale' or something, clear out the basement, closets, and garage too. Maybe misdirect the king into thinking this is the extent of our localized economy.
I didn't say Nahama could not watch, tomorrow; but somehow I think she might back off from watching and talking to me, at least until I'm there, with a collar on. And then she'll be telling me what to do. She truly did seem displeased, for me to announce I had a date, with not just one girl but two of them. Oh she must think me a lecherous man, or someone with a specific set of perversions; but I cannot help it, I can only 'blame' my sister.
Instead I'm planning on doing some of the most boring things imaginable ... in lieu of the surprise to come. Let the king watch me to scrub a bathtub, or sink, or toilet ― and clean out the wastepaper basket, next to my bed. Somewhere in there I may even count each and every last used tissue in the basket, before throwing them all out. Really, drag it out, making me seem the most extraordinarily strange yet mundane person in existence. He's gonna be terrified of hanging onto my leash by the time I'm done, in fear of how much I could bore him to tears, from what I do. Maybe if I randomly play super loud hard rock music while I'm at it, I can keep myself motivated too? All of the greatest (and loudest) of bands. All sorts of music 'strange' to his hearing.
Oho, it's going to be a couple days to remember. I guarantee it.
At least this sly grin, the king doesn't know what I'm planning. The next time she is back through here, he dares ask his daughter what I've been doing? and why I'm smiling so broadly? Bah ... well all she can really say is, that I have a couple dates a day after tomorrow, which might be why-
Actually I'm surprised at how this is all going to work together for my advantage. (Unless I miss my guess on any of the factors here.) I do regret having to keep Nahama in the dark for the larger purpose; but to keep her in the dark also means I can keep him in the dark as well. And to keep him in the dark then circles back around to keeping her in the dark too and- aah this is almost too much even for me.
Author-san, have this foolish kingdom and its king summon me or let me go already!
But ... if you do summon me, you're gonna pay a heavy price! In your SANITY!
'Tomorrow' turned into 'today'; a calm Friday, with beautiful weather outside I'm missing, for which I'm only partially sorry to drive the king mad with the classics blaring throughout the house. Hits of the last half century or more, all the 'greatest hits'.
... if I were really trying to be devious ... I would have done this last night, while he would be sleeping too. But no, I had to wait til morning ― aah if only I thought this one detail through. (The best part would have been, I would be well within my rights to do all I wanted, in the privacy of my own rented home. Well I would not have played 'loud' music overnight; but even mild music would have done the trick. Or talk radio. Yeah that would have got to him ... but unfortunately me too.)
Now all the things were scrubbed, and rinsed clean, and shined to a polish. Bathtub, toilet, sink, even under the sink. Started some laundry while other things were going, too. Floors and walls and furniture, all given the once-over view and touch up where needed. This cleaned state is probably the nicest this rental home has looked since I first moved in, only a couple years back.
I never had a date before to bring back here ― shut up, I'm embarrassed enough about it ― so I don't know how some of these things got so dirty- aah yes I do. Um, not going there-
Even managed to eat some rapidly microwaved foods in a cardboard container. All in all, this day has been spent, and I am now spent ― but dammit, things got done. So I'm happy, strangely.
Now tonight. The radio is going to stay on!
... then if I plug my own ears to dampen the sound, will he still hear it at full volume? I can only hope. And he cannot get me to 'shut it off' because I'm not supposed to hear him, right?
-yawn- *stretch* -yawn-
Hmm, where's the mus- oh- I forgot. My radio has an auto-off feature; so it seems my plan did not last as long as I thought it would. But I see the king asleep yet ... he, he ― I am feeling devious-
Ah, here. Jailhouse Rock. It's far enough into the Saturday morning here, so nobody can complain, right ... so, crank it!
LOLOLOL!!!!!
He had to have shot two feet outta bed for that!
I try to coach my face to not betray this witty humor; but anyway he's glaring and again saying some things I don't think another human should say properly. Even Author-san should not repeat those things. That? Anatomically impossible, dear king. Why don't you try it and see?
Song over? Oh oho nonono you are not going back to sleep, dear king, are you? are you? oh well then Linkin Park's New Divide. Turn it up!
Ah next I need a song that starts out soft, then switches to a hard harsh tune. Something to tweak him once again and make him fear me. Um ... well if there is one, I don't have it in my collection. Well okay then, go to some YT channel for a playlist of 'death metal' songs, and ... randomize playback ... I don't really like those but at least it will keep the king up and off his game. Maybe he'll even drop the summoning attempt on me-
-no. Nahama did say, 'deities were involved, promises were made' or something like this. That means, the king will definitely lose face if he backs out now. I'm fine with it even though it will hurt Nahama in the end. Because ― yes she's pretty enough to find someone else. At least then that king and his kingdom should seriously think twice in regards to summoning again ... ever.
And that empire or mega-kingdom snatching up others? Not my problem, I'm not there to help them or hinder them or even stop them.
About three minutes after this, the king hands my view off to the queen who heard none of this in all this time, Sam and her friend arrive, to go take me out ... er, have me take them out. For the queen, I'll show the nicer side of me; so she'll see how eager and attentive I can be to a 'woman' ... *cough* sorry I cannot yet think of my sister as a woman yet- *cough* tomboy *cough* OW I felt that, Author-san please come to my rescue-
But even if Samantha and Tamara think of themselves as 'women' teaching a man how to treat a woman ... even the queen I see in the corner of my vision is slightly grinning and rolling her eyes at some of this.
Queen Paza did mutter just this second, "Jeez those girls must still be virgins too, with those ideas-"
I laugh unfortunately, and say what the queen said, though using different words.
"You silly girls, you both are still virgins too, if you think all that-"
Sam's cheeks burn red a bit; but Tamara seems to shake it off. I look harder at my sister but she's trying to turn away for some reason.
"What, what is this reaction-"
Tamara interprets. "You don't know? Sam's done just about every senior-"
"Have not!" Sam shot back.
"That's not the rumor-"
"... oral, only!"
And then, Sam tries to hide her face.
-click-
Tamara just finished recording this with her camera's built-in feature.
"Did you just-"
"-maybe, maybe not-"
"Give it here!"
"... too late, it's in the cloud-"
"Fu-"
After a brief bout of hearing my sister swear ― and I don't think I ever have, before this ― I deftly reassess the situation. Hmm. It seems my sister and her friend, who seemed to want to 'correct' me from the toys and figurines collections mentality, were no less 'hentai' themselves.
At least me, myself ― I do sense what is right or wrong on a date ― a lot of what they told me seems to be severely biased. A man should always hold a door and pay for the dinner check, yet not bat an eye if she should want to pay her half? Or other scenarios ... like when it comes to parting at the end of the date, how a girl might sort of hint how she wants the boy to keep interested in her, or rather if she wants the man to 'lose' her contact info and never call her again-
Well. Some of that might be right, or wrong ... but the bias seems so real.
I dun git it, she neva be dis way afore.
... the whole rest of this 'doubled date' is ... mostly now Sam trying to not burn red at my teasing, or Tamara's teasing, or ... her own rampant thoughts in her head causing her to self doubt her own words. I gotta say, this other side of Sam can be a bit cute, if toned down. So she's done a few things with the boys in school ― what girl in school hasn't, nowadays; I mean they're all typically promiscuous- OWWWW!
Author-san, please stop letting dear Reader-chan to hit me! Or surely I will die!
But at long last, the 'Saturday date' with my sister and her classmate is done and over. It's lasted from late morning through lunch and then afternoon through dinner. Then, Samantha says one last thing like, 'I hope you learned something about dating', before ditching me and Tamara. Her friend tapped her phone to mine, gave me a more practical 'until next time' lean in for a hug, before hurrying to catch up with my red faced sister.
From other thoughts and words though ... I think I would like to date my sister's friend ― if this summoning thing wasn't-
Also distracting, the fact I suddenly wonder if my sister is still so tomboyish; or if this new reveal from moments ago changes things ... between us.
Well, anyway. At least the queen who would be staying back on that fantasy world will see, I'm somewhat casual and mundane, not at all the 'madman' the king tried to claim me to be. I think, I will have a decent bit of rapport between myself and both queen and princess. And maybe a fair amount of the maids and adjutants who the king only bossed around ― if I show due consideration to each one.
Out of the corner of the queen's forward view, I sense Nahama peering through a doorway ... curious to know if the dates were done or not, but not asking. Still, Queen Paza did intuit this with a giggle, and called to her daughter just out of range.
Nahama walked slowly forward, as if dreading the words her mother might say.
"... relax, dear child," Paza broke through her fearful look. "He's done with his dates; it seemed to be some kind of practice session ― this boy and his sister and her friend must be real oblivious to the more honest romantic things. You won't have to fear he did anything behind your back, though-"
What the- like hell am I 'oblivious', Paza! You take that back, and right now!
Nahama sighed, visibly easing up and almost slumping to the floor. But she caught herself, then stood erect by her mother's side to ask her stream of questions for what I did. I wasn't about to tell Nahama what had happened, even if she begged me ― but also I could not tell the queen to stop talking either, unless I revealed my awareness of them. Well ... the queen will meet me soon enough-
Paza summarizes at the end, "All you have to do, dear one, after he's collared ― tell him what you want him to do with you ― and how he should make you feel ― and use him as you need him-"
"Yes, mother, I already plan to."
I've never wanted to shout back at these royals like I do now. Even coaching my face to remain neutral is not helping ― I'm about to have a security breach of epic proportions here ... with no way out. All I can do is, take a subtle drive out of the suburbs, out to a rural place outside the city, and ... vent. Scream. Blow the car horn loud and yell out for all it's worth-
... but no; then the queen would think me a madman, to prove her husband the king, in the right. I really don't want to prove either of them right, or even wrong; but I don't like this assumption of a collar and being enslaved to another person's whims. Life is hard enough even if I am free, much less if I were enslaved to be used like that-
Now, wait a minute ... was Nahama actually just playing, agreeing with her mother for her sake, but then later would attempt to "explain" the fact away? Could I maybe trust she might actually understand ― I won't be used like that?
This is Saturday, late in the evening. It's dark out now, so I don't really feel like going for a drive to vent, even if I did want to do so. Tomorrow is Sunday, and the day after is Monday ― the day where at some point I will be 'summoned' away from this planet Earth ... against my will. Even if I wanted to vent just about that, I clearly cannot ― not to the queen, anyway. To the princess, I'd let it all out ... to the point even she may get sick of me, and just hand me back to her father for the rest of the time.
... no matter what. I am sure, both the king and queen, and probably even the princess, still thinks nothing is out of the ordinary. They think I will arrive to be captured, collared, subservient to whatever person was the proper 'holder of the leash' tied to me. In other words ... I don't think they actually know ... the king will disappear. It's not like I have any responsibility to tell them this! And also it's fitting justice ― they dared to summon me, and think to get away scott free?!
Sunday. For some reason now, I am ... incredibly, overwhelmingly ... tired. Cannot move, more than a few inches, I'm going to stay right here in bed, and-
... and besides. Tomorrow is it. 'The' Monday, to end all Mondays. So yeah, laze around until-
Oh wait. I ... still got things to do. Somehow found my way back to the kitchen and make a breakfast and ate it, then looked around this seemingly more clean and more livable residence. I actually may like what I see here, now that things are put into the right perspective.
I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING!
Well ... why can't I ... you know, with that 'portal creation' skill set ... maybe, make a way back here too?
OH. Problem being, I'd pretty much have to wait until the last moments before my transfer, or else they'd have something to plan for, against me being there and possibly getting free.
But actually as a plan, it seems good. From gaining the skills at the same time as the king has for looking into those things, I somehow now have latent knowledge that I will have to place the first 'anchor' portal, then have a half day to place the second connecting portal ... and some system would do the rest to link them up and provide the way through each. By this logic ... would I then not stop existing in this world, in this life on Earth, if I can then somehow keep this one anchor?
Okay but. The anchor portals can also be damaged, and if setup improperly can also fade or weaken, and then disappear altogether. I have no realistic way to ensure my survival and privacy in transferal between the worlds but- aah, the king's secret sanctum space. Yessss-
But where. Here, this end, ... where for an anchor point? Now if I do 'fade from existence' or otherwise cease to exist to Earth ... it should not be placed in this residence, right? Somewhere fairly accessible to the public, yet as discreet as possible. Local library, or other civic building? Some hallway within? I've always had a soft spot for the library, the occasional nooks and crannies for patrons to hide away and read a bit. Plus the apparent time for this summoning of me to another world would occur about the time of library closure ― not exactly sure I want the old king to arrive and cause a scene there, of all places.
Conversely. The king. For the flip side ... will he fade away like I would have ― to the royal family and kingdom affairs? And how would that exactly leave a balance in this other world, if I somehow end up there in his place too?!?!
Except I can also think up another oddity to plan with ... if I can trust Nahama for her part ... I place the portal here now, and 'send' the other half to her, also somehow. It's doable; I have the Inventory storage system now, and I'm sure Ama could also get it. How to link our inventory, and how to send the portal to her? Then, she could place it, and come through to ... ahem. I'm sure she'd be coming to me in a heartbeat.
It does pose a problem. Any said portal cannot and should not be within range of my own sight, no less ― lest the king see it because I see it.
Queen Paza once again took a turn, this time to be her 'last' turn watching me. Always before she's been somber and quiet, watchful; but now for some reason she's scrutinizing her view of me, and I'm thinking of saying something a little dangerous, just to get a reaction. Any reaction.
Here, it's just after noon; I've whiled away the day to this point, when Paza took a turn. Where does she go, what does she do, when she's not in the throne room?
Well today ... she shows me. She's got a private garden, and she's entering and pruning some things. Perhaps therapy for her own nerves; perhaps just a hobby to while away the hours. Maybe both.
Funnily enough, I'm getting into this, her horticultural talent. Watching someone trim the grasses and leaves isn't always exciting; but somehow I'm expecting something more to happen.
Almost started humming the same tune she was ― caught myself on not the first note but the second, and turned it into a subtle 'cough' sound, clearing a throat. She did stop, briefly, then continued on for another minute. Until, she exhaled with a sigh ... in tune with my sigh.
"The game is over," she called out. "You can hear here too, Levi ... can't you."
-gulp.
gabrielsky211· May 24, 2020
