Panting, I draw a magic circle on the floor of the spacious room, which is white as far as the eye can see. After receiving the list of Heroes from Great Goddess Ishtar, I sprinted all the way to the Hero Summoning Chamber in the sanctuary as quickly as I could.
Since I broke the rules of the unified spirit world when we saved Gaeabrande, I was put in charge of saving the world of Ixphoria, an SS-ranked world, next. Ranking higher than Gaeabrande, Ixphoria has already become a world overrun by demons. But even so, I feel no despair. Brimming with emotion, I chant the summoning spell while gazing at the Hero’s status written on the list. I thought I had run out of tears, but the corners of my eyes begin to burn anew.
I’m sure Seiya has lost all the memories of our adventure together after his stats were reset. But that’s okay. I’ll be able to see him again, and that’s all that matters. I read the Hero’s name aloud. Before long, the magic circle expels a powerful light, summoning the Hero from the human realm.
He has a tall, fit body with youthful black locks of hair hanging over his masculine face. Just like when I first summoned him, Seiya Ryuuguuin is wearing a T-shirt and jeans while emitting a powerful, godlike aura. I thought I would never see this overly cautious Hero again, and yet here we are, reunited.
Seiya…!
I desperately hold myself back as I unconsciously reach out to touch him.
Ristarte! No! Pull yourself together! Seiya doesn’t remember anything about you!
I tell myself even as the corners of my lips fight to curl upward. After standing up straight and making myself presentable, as a goddess should, I turn my gaze to Seiya once more.
Let’s start over and take our time. Right…Seiya?
I introduce myself to Seiya the same way I did the first time we met.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Ristarte, a goddess of this unified spirit world. I have summoned you to this dimension for a certain mission. Seiya Ryuuguuin, you shall become the Hero who saves the parallel world Ixphoria from the evil clutches of the Demon Lord.”
…Silence follows, as expected. Seiya casts me a dubious look just like he did the last time he was suddenly summoned to this world. It feels very nostalgic to me, though.
After a few moments, he finally speaks up.
“Rista. What’s gotten into you?”
“…Huh?”
W-wait. What? Huh? Wait. Did he just call me Rista? Huh? Why?
“You already told me all that last time. Or do you have to say that every time you summon a Hero?”
Wh-wh-wh-what?!
My mouth flaps open and shut like a fish out of water.
“Y-you… You remember me? But when Heroes are summoned, their memories of the past world are supposed to be erased. Why…?”
“Beats me. I remember everything, though.”
I suddenly think back to my conversation with Ishtar.
“This will be an exception.”
Did she mean…that she would allow Seiya to keep his memories?! Th-that’s the only way this makes sense! What a wonderful arrangement!
I am so moved, I begin to tremble when…
“Hang on. After all that training I did, my stats went back down to level one… This is ridiculous. Please tell me there’s some way to fix this system.”
Seiya fires off complaints, but that’s so like him. Seeing the Hero just how I remember him causes the urges I had been fighting back to spill out from within.