A/N: I have made some changes in terms of writing style for this story.

Felice sipped her tea.

It was warm, sweet. Comfortable, even.

'Not like the awkwardness in this room.'

They were currently inside her office in the Ministry of Magic. It was plain and bare. Her desk was between them as they both sat facing one another. The room was quiet now as both of them remained silent. She had just finished giving him the general overview of this world and the surrounding nations, painting the Empire in as much light as she could without sounding like propaganda.

Felice was feeling anxious as she observed the man in front of her. She was unsure of how to proceed from here. She knew that whoever she summoned would be different from the rest of her summons. After all, she was summoning a person from a different world, but he was too different.

"May I offer you some tea, Lord Lumen?"

"No thank you."

"Can I get you something else to drink then?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm not thirsty."

That was one thing. Usually, summons were absolutely loyal to a fault. They never refused anything. They always obeyed whatever commands she gave them. Whether it was to sacrifice themselves in battle or to work on a farm indefinitely, they never betrayed her.

Now, he was refusing even just a cup of tea. Not even her colleagues or subordinates would have refused. It was frustrating for her. After all, she was trying to subtly get him to remove his mask. She had to make sure he was human.

'I should just ask him directly.'

"Miss Ritter, can I ask you a question?"

Her guest beat her to the punch. She took a moment to respond, as it caught her a bit off guard.

"S-sure. What is your question, Lord Lumen?"

"Why was I summoned to this world?"

Felice cursed mentally. What was she supposed to say? That they intended to enslave him and force him to obey their every command? If there was one thing about his guest that was undeniably true, it was that he was powerful. If his demonstration in the summoning chamber was any indication, he was more powerful than her Master. The magical pressure he released when he shouted nearly choked them to death, despite how short it was. Even someone like her, a fourth-tier magic caster, was greatly affected. Some of her subordinates were traumatized by it, and a few were even sent to the medical chambers for difficulty breathing. Lord Lumen could easily check the magic caster box. She now only needed to present him to her Master to confirm how much of a master he was.

'If he can release such pressure so casually, we can't ever underestimate his capabilities.'

No. She believed this required more tact than that. They brought a potentially dangerous, unpredictable element to the heart of the Empire. She must take the initiative to prevent worse-case scenarios from occurring.

That still left the question of what she should say. For what reason should one summon a powerful being other than selfish desires? She could say the Empire needed his power to defeat a dangerous threat, but what threat? She can't say that it was the Re-Estize Kingdom threatening the Empire since the Empire was clearly superior. The next thing that came to her mind were the beastmen currently invading the Draconic Kingdom, but that would cause him to leave. No matter what direction her mind took, there were always possibilities for undesirable outcomes and precarious risks.

An unbidden thought entered her mind. It was about an absurd theory one of her colleagues once told her about. Not only was it absurd, it was downright ridiculous. But, it was her only option that had the least risks and highest chance of getting him to stay, at least until they came up with another reason to give him. For now, buying time for her Emperor and Master should suffice.

"Miss Ritter?"

"Apologies. Please, just Felice is fine. Also, I apologize for not explaining it earlier, we did not mean to hide it from you. One of the reasons we summoned you was because we believe a... calamity is imminent.

"A calamity?"

"Yes, that's right. You see, according to our world's history, otherworldly beings of unimaginable power have arrived here several times in the past. But, each time, there was always a gap of at least a hundred years between them. The Six Great Gods were the first we know of, six hundred years ago. They were followed by the Eight Greed Kings five hundred years ago. Then, there were the Demon Gods, and although it's unclear when they arrived, the earliest record we have is at least a hundred years after the Eight Greed Kings. The Thirteen Heroes, who defeated the aforementioned Demon Gods, hold the most recent record. Since then, we have entered the second century. To sum it up, each and every time these beings appear, an upheaval occurs."

Felice paused.

"I see... You believe more of these beings are coming soon?"

Lord Lumen sounded hesitant. She didn't know what to make of that.

"It's a theory we have. The hypothesis is that these otherworldly beings will appear once every century. Whether for good or for evil, these beings have the power to enact changes in the world. A centennial cycle, if you will."

"So, I was summoned to this world to handle these beings when they arrive?"

"The Empire must be prepared for every eventuality that threatens its existence, no matter how unlikely it is. We intended to summon a master of magic the likes of whom we had never seen before to help us prepare and teach us higher magic."

This time, Felice spoke some truth.

"Higher magic?"

"Yes, higher magic. We have a magic system we call Tier Magic. I, personally, can cast spells from the first tier up to the fourth tier, and the highest we know of possible is the sixth tier. However, we know that higher tiers exist, such as the seventh and eighth, but they are only possible through rituals that require a lot of masters and take time to cast. We believe it is possible to cast such magic just like we usually do, but we lack the knowledge and expertise to do it."

Felice sighed and looked down dramatically.

"I see. I understand, but I will need time to think about it."

"I can understand. If there's even a chance to make it possible, the Empire is willing to remunerate you generously for it."

The room returned to silence, but Lord Lumen soon broke it once more.

"Is that all, Mi- Felice?"

She knew it was now or never.

"Lord Lumen-"

"Please, just Lumen is fine as well."

"I see. L-Lumen, I have a request."

"What is it?"

Felice took a deep breath.

"May I see your face?"

The question was met with the same silence as before. She could feel his eyes examining her through his mask.

"Why?"

"Because I am obligated to confirm that you are human."

"Is seeing my face sufficient for you to confirm I am indeed human?"

"Yes..."

"I see. I'm sorry, but I can't comply with your request at this time."

"May I ask why?"

Felice was starting to doubt him. Was he not human? If so, she was in trouble.

"It is... it's for my own safety."

Now, she was suspicious. How would showing his face risk his own safety? Was he really not human? Or was he just ugly?

"Can you elaborate, Lord Lumen?"

"I can't at this time. Perhaps once I've done certain tests. I am, after all, in a different world."

Perhaps what he was saying was correct. Even so, the Emperor and her Master would disagree. Still, antagonizing him for it was not the right course of action.

"What kind of tests do you need?"

"The personal kind."

"I see. I understand."

'Calm down. Calm down.'

Knocks on her door interrupted her unrest. She had half a mind to simply ignore it, wishing it would just go away. She was still far from finished. However, when the knocks continued, she knew she couldn't.

"Come in."

A man with greying hair and small beard entered the room. He was her assistant and trusted friend. At first, he was assigned to watch over her. But, over the years, they warmed up to each other.

"What is it, Rollan?"

Before he answered, he glanced at the figure of her guest.

"It's about an important matter, Lady Ritter. Can I speak with you in private?"

She was about to refuse when Lord Lumen spoke first.

"Please don't refuse on my account. In the meantime, do you have a library I can visit? I believe I still have a lot to learn about this world. Also, it'll give me time to think about everything you just told me."

Felice resisted the urge to sigh again. Nothing was going her way. With nothing else to do but comply, she nodded. Whatever Rollan had to say had better be important.

'Finally! Some peace and quiet to sort my thoughts out.'

He was now sitting in a corner of a library. Felice had a servant guide him here and attend to his needs. There was a pile of books next to him on the table. He was still technically not alone, but at least she wasn't following him around anymore.

Now he could take stock of his current situation. He took one of the books so he could appear to be reading.

'Right. Let's see. First off, I am in a different world. There's no refuting that. Secondly, this is as real as my other world. This is not a game anymore. I am a living and breathing person. Although my senses are acute now, they are still largely the same. I can still see, smell, hear, taste, and feel the same way.'

Although it took some time to calibrate his motor functions with his mind, he could still move as naturally as before.

'The third is the language. I spoke in Nihongo, and everyone understood me just fine. When I watched Felice talk, her mouth didn't match the words I heard. It's like there's an automatic translator doing the work for me.'

Lumen focused his attention on the book he's reading.

'The written language is the same, but also different. I can read this book just fine, but it's not being translated. It's as if I know the language in which the book was written. It's as if I am an expert on the language.'

He flipped to the next page. Then he flipped again. And again.

'This is definitely not normal. I am not this fast at reading. It's like I just need to skim over everything to read all of it and not miss a thing.'

Lumen was astounded at how greatly his reading ability had improved. He finished the book in minutes, which should have taken him hours or even days. He quickly took the next book and began reading with increasing excitement. His face behind the mask was all smiles.

It took him until the third book to realize he'd gotten carried away.

'Right, as much as I want to read as many books as I want, I need to focus for now. Just for now.'

He took deep breaths to calm down.

'Okay, the fourth thing I need to think about is the fact that I am my avatar in the game. I'm no longer the quiet and rough librarian that I was in the real world, but the level 100 immortal human magic caster that I was in YGGDRASIL.'

Although he hadn't tested yet to see if he could cast any of his spells, he felt the magic deep inside of him. He also instinctively knew every detail about every spell he knew. Before, he had only completely memorized his favorite spells while only knowing the basic details about the rest. He even forgot about some of them. But now he knew everything.

'I could try testing one harmless spell that has an obvious, undeniable effect.'

Lumen zeroed his mind on one of his spells. He spoke instinctively, without any strain or awkwardness.

"[Hawk Eye]."

His vision promptly became even more acute and laser-focused than it was before. Also, the text that he was reading looked way bigger than before. He looked up and regretted it almost instantly. It was like his vision jumped forward, and he felt like stumbling. Almost.

He closed his eyes to calm himself down. He knew what the spell would do, but it still caught him off guard. Once he'd regained equilibrium, he reopened his eyes. It was like looking through a pair of binoculars, and he could naturally zoom in and out just by thinking about it. Testing it further, he examined as many faraway details as he could. The cobwebs on the corner, the various lamps posted everywhere, and the scores of books stacked on the shelves—he could really see them all clearly.

'This is amazing.'

If the servant nearby could see through his mask, he would see wide eyes and an open mouth.

'I can really do magic, like actual, real magic with tangible effects.'

Lumen returned his attention to the book he's holding. While he could still read with the spell on, he wanted to try another thing. He imagined himself letting go of the spell, and voila, the spell ended, and his vision returned to normal.

'Just amazing.'

Now he wanted to test every single spell he had, so much so that he had to bite down on his tongue to prevent himself from uttering another incantation. That could wait later in a more appropriate location. Besides, a lot of his spells were deadly or destructive in nature, so he couldn't test them out willy-nilly.

'No, not right now. I bet I'll have plenty of time later, so it can wait until then.'

The fifth and last point he wanted to cover was Felice's story behind his summoning. Normally, he would've believed her right away because she sounded zealous with a hint of desperation. Normally. However, with his game avatar, it was like there was this part of him that was signaling him that she was deceiving him one way or another, but it never gave him anything specific. He wasn't sure which parts were deceiving and which were not. But just the fact that she was partly deceiving him made him wary of her, so he decided that delaying giving her his answer was the right solution. It still boiled down to his ignorance of this new world, of Felice, and of this empire, which meant it aligned with his current objective of gathering more information.

That meant reading plenty of books, which he was more than happy to do. After all, these are the books of another world. Thus, without further ado, he requested the nearby servant to retrieve dozens of different books for him.

While waiting, another matter came to his mind.

'Oh, right, she wanted to see my face.'

There was only one reason he needed to refuse her request.

'It's embarrassing. If this is really my game avatar, then there's no reason to doubt that my face is the same. The same archetypal, attractive face of a hero that I always wanted, but could never have. There is no way I'm showing that off without at least looking at myself in the mirror, and I am not trusting these people to give me any privacy. Who knows, maybe they have their own magical version of hidden cameras and the like.'

Lumen shook his head in amusement at the ridiculousness of his situation.

'This is all so interesting. I can't wait to learn and explore everything about this world. I wonder if Felice is having as much fun as me.'

Felice was not having any fun. In fact, she was very unhappy.

First of all, she just learned that the crystal they used to summon Lumen was effectively worthless now. Not only can they not use it for anything else, they also can't resupply it with souls anymore. It was like it returned to being just another normal crystal in the world. It was maddening.

This meant that she could no longer use it to summon more of her other permanent summons that she was providing to the Empire. That, in turn, meant that her value to the Emperor was drastically lowered. Though she was still the master of her summons, and they only obeyed her commands, her chances of achieving her dream suddenly seemed bleak to her. Who knows how many years this would set her back? Now, her plans hinged on her success with Lumen.

'I just hope the Emperor won't relegate me to being a mere supervisor.'

After all, managing and dealing with all of her summons required a lot of work. It was only her project's enormous potential that allowed her to set them aside and delegate them to someone else for now.

The other thing that made her unhappy were the various demands for her summons' assistance. Apparently, something big was happening in the Empire's capital while she and her team were busy.

"Explain to me why all of this is important. You know that my summons are all currently busy doing important work for the Empire, not to mention that some of them are even undead!"

"Lady Ritter, the demands are only for the angels, most notably the Principalities of Observation and Peace we currently use for studying divine magic."

"To do what exactly?"

"They are to help out with the current crisis happening in the capital. It appears that while we were busy doing our test, thousands of the Empire's citizens have died."

"What, how?!"

'Thousands of dead, here in the capital?'

Felice was truly shocked that such a thing could or did happen.

"No one knows yet, not even Master Fluder have figured it out. They are hoping your angels can help shed some light on the situation."

"That makes sense, but how do they expect mute summons to figure out the mystery behind this?"

"I do not know. At this point, they are grasping at straws, hoping for a miracle to happen."

"They may be angels, but they are not miracle workers."

"Still, their presence can help alleviate the anxiety of people knowing such beings are around."

That made sense to her, and she was about to agree when another idea popped into her mind.

'Why not use this chance to see what Lumen is actually capable of?'

While it had its merits, she still couldn't put it into action. Not only had she not won him over yet, she also still had to give her report to the Emperor and her Master and consult them on what to do next.

Felice stood up from her chair.

"Rollan, keep an eye on our... guest. I will need to go to the Imperial Palace to deliver my report to His Imperial Majesty and Master Fluder about our test and consult with them about the angels."

Rollan nodded his assent.

"Very well. What shall I do if he requests to leave?"

"Just... tell him we're still checking on whether his summoning was permanent or not. Anything to keep him here for now. Understood?"

"Yes, Lady Ritter."

Felice took a deep breath and exhaled.

'Alright, let's get this over with.'