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8. Unique Skill (2)

「Well, then.」

I unloaded my luggage in a grassy field on the outskirts of the city. The breeze blowing under the blue sky was soothing.

I received my bounty and retirement allowance in advance. Since I left Altora and the others underground in the dungeon, I went through the guild for the withdrawal procedures. So now, I no longer have any lingering attachments to that city. It would be troublesome if my skill became known and caused a ruckus.

I just came out here after vacating my inn. I wonder when was the last time I felt so cheerful.

「Koe-san, can you hear me?」

[Yes.]

「I am going to give you a body.」

[May I suggest something?]

「Yeah.」

[I am sure you’ll meet a wonderful woman before long.]

「No, that’s now what I’m talking about.」

It seems like there has been some misunderstanding. I wasn’t trying to give her a body because I’m feeling lonely without a woman or anything.

I just wanted to thank her for watching over me and appreciating me.

「If it’s okay with you, will you please accept it?」

[There should be no problem with my function as a support role for skill use.]

「For now, please just tell me your honest thoughts.」

A moment of hesitation.

[…If it can be realized, I would like to touch you with my own hands.]

「Got it.」

I confirmed my wishes. All that’s left to do is do it.

[But is it possible?]

Truth is, I’ve been thinking about this ever since I was in the “Protected Area”.

No matter how many skills you have, life cannot be created from nothing. However, if a personality already exists, then it’s a different story.

「My consciousness was protected by simply placing it elsewhere even when my brain ruptured. And once you repaired my brain, I was able to return to normal. In other words, if we can prepare a body, we should be able to put your consciousness in there. Which means, we will form your “vessel” from now on.」

For that purpose, I will exercise the second claim.

「[Skill Lender], activate. Execute seizure.」

[Skill has been selected. Executing process.]

We have seized [Angel’s White Wings] from debtor Tina.

[Angel’s White Wings] has evolved into [Seraph’s Grace].

「[Seraph’s Grace], activate.」

[Angel’s White Wings] can repair even missing limbs. Now that it has evolved, it should be capable of even beyond that.

With just the skill, the most we can do is create a beautiful corpse. But we have an exceptional being who is simply a consciousness without a body.

「Koe-san, get ready.」

[Personality function is being moved into the realm of reality. Coordinate range settings. Alignment with every muscle fiber, complete. Initial response to neurotransmitters using mana was successful. Synchronization start, synchronization start, synchronization start――]

Koe-san’s voice receded from my head, and her presence began to fade. In tandem with that, a new warmth was born in my arms.

A few minutes later, I cradled a body with pure white skin in my arms and felt a steady heartbeat.

「……uhh」

She had long, inorganic silver hair and amber pupils that resembled sunshine. What I felt when those silver eyelashes, which were the same color as her hair, quivered and her eyelids opened was the exact same gaze I felt in that white space.

Her eyes squinted, looking at the sunlight for the first time in her life. She moved her gaze to me and slowly opened her lips.

「I have two questions. Is that alright?」

Those were her first words.

「What is it?」

「Until now, I have only ever addressed you as “you”. Now that I have a body in this world, what should I call you?」

「Just Marge is fine.」

「You are one of my parents and also my master. I think that is inappropriate. Considering the information I have seen and observed from you in the past… either “Goshujin-sama～!” or ‘Master’… I think that would be appropriate, but which one would you prefer?」

「Let’s just go with “master”.」

This is a memory from the maid bar that Gordon secretly frequented. When I went to look for my party members to lend my skills to them, I came across a scene where they had the bar maids call them “Goshujin-sama～!”. The shock was so strong that I can’t forget it.

「Then, Master, I have a second question.」

「Yeah.」

「…What about clothes?」