Unexpected Friendships

The moment felt suspended in time: faces inches apart, breaths mingling in the quiet space between them. Rio’s heart raced as she met Ren’s gaze, eyes shining with a mixture of hope and hesitation. There was a tension in the air, unspoken but palpable, as if the world had narrowed down to just the two of them.

Yet instead of moving closer, Ren’s next gesture surprised her: a gentle hug, grounding them both in the safety of each other’s presence.

The gentle scent of Rio and the warmth of her embrace soothed Ren’s troubled heart. He had been anxious, fearing that he might never find her, and his mind was haunted by worries that something had happened to her inside the mansion, perhaps a dangerous encounter with the player and their unknown intentions. 

The guilt of having left her alone for a long time overwhelmed him. Above all, he didn’t want her to endure any further suffering, especially after she had opened up to him about the immense hardships she faced adapting to this strange new world.

Río, somewhat disappointed but aware of separating her fantasies from reality, asked Ren why he had taken so long.

Ren explained what had happened and the reasons for his delay, omitting the details about the sphere and the librarian, which he kept to himself. He said he encountered an invoked person in the garden and shared some trivial details:

He mentioned seeing you pass by the garden, which calmed me down, but then he started talking about his life and tools with such enthusiasm that I couldn't get a word in. Most importantly, the gardener insisted that he wanted us to be his friends.

While saying this, Ren crossed his fingers. He was telling the first lie since they started their friendship. Although he felt bad, he believed it was better to avoid worrying her with things he wasn’t sure would help her. 

Even if she wanted to know the truth, at that moment he could not tell her due to the sphere’s surveillance.

Then Ren asked to transfer ownership of the coins Río had entrusted to him. He wanted to change the subject, and although he looked a little nervous, he convinced Río.

She didn’t make much of it, knowing Ren felt bad keeping the coins that were originally hers, so she accepted without problem. While exchanging the coins, Río casually mentioned she planned to buy a good-quality prosthesis for the maid who had an artificial hand.

— Why does the ‘system’ allow someone to live without an arm? — she asked. — It should regenerate, right? Just like in video games. —

— I don’t know, but that’s a very good question. Let’s focus on what we can do, okay? —  Ren replied, avoiding talking about those delicate topics related to the system.

Shortly after, the gardener came across the two as they were wandering through the mansion. He approached them on his own, greeting them with a warm smile.

— Oh, look. This is Noah, the gardener, one of us and the one I told you about — Ren said.

— Nice to meet you, I’m Río. I’m sorry for ignoring you in the garden — Río apologized, looking embarrassed as she recalled he only wanted to greet her.

— Don’t worry! I saw the player and understood your situation. It's ok—  Noah replied.

Ren, standing behind Río, made a gesture with his index finger to his lips, signaling “quiet.” Then he pressed his palms together, as if asking a favor: not to tell her anything. Noah understood the message perfectly.

— We’ll talk later in the male wing, Ren, you should have told me you were after your companion, who is so pretty. I wouldn’t have held you up so long — Noah said jokingly.

The three laughed at Noah’s teasing expressions. Then he continued:

— You two really got lucky. Well, at least here in the mansion... When I saw you leave, the main door was unattended. The guards had just started their perimeter rounds. And when you returned, the guards had already gone to their lunch break. Although, if they had been at the door, the ‘player’ might not have even gotten close, let alone gotten in. Although I don’t know their attitude, they look big and scary — Noah said with a terrified expression.

— Come on, I’ll show you the service door — Noah said, leading them.

— There, the workers record their departures, including the reasons for leaving and an approximate time of return. The latter is noted in case something happens. Those like us, the 'invoked', who are considered government-subsidized by them, are also allowed to go out, probably with even more freedom, but only through that door.— Noah said as they walked down the mansion’s side corridor.

— That’s good to know! Thanks! I was looking for a way to go train self-defense. I really liked that class — Ren said, excited by the convenient news.

— You interested in that? Why don’t you go to the mansion’s teachers? They’re for the young master, the son of the master official, but when he isn’t around, which has been often lately, they don’t have much to do. The teacher gives lessons to improve physicality, fencing, and archery, and boxing classes to the young master. Most NPCs are very receptive to these kinds of requests, so they won’t ignore you— Noah told him.

Río, seeing how much Noah knew about this world and how well he answered Ren’s questions, couldn’t help but ask:

— I also have a question, Noah. Do you know of any kind of work besides this? Or any way to make money grow? — Río asked, remembering her concern for the maid with the prosthetic hand.

— What a surprise, Río! It’s possible. Just tell me what your skills are so I can recommend the best option — Noah exclaimed.

— Oh! Sorry Noah, my skills haven’t appeared yet. We arrived recently and need to level up for them to show — Río replied, disappointed to lack the information.

— Wow! I didn’t know you were such novices. Don’t worry, Río. Even though I don’t know a job for you under these conditions, I suggest that during your day, after missions, you do the things you used to do in your former world. That way, the skills you already had will appear, and since you’ll do them as before, they’ll often be high level — Noah mentioned, surprised to meet people truly new to this world, acting as a mentor.

The trio spent the rest of the afternoon talking. They discussed how they had been summoned to that place and talked about their favorite anime. They even talked about the anime that inspired Noah’s outfit. The two men laughed and nudged each other when mentioning the "Boss" of that anime, concluding that she is very attractive, which annoyed Río.

As the afternoon fell and near the fourth meal round in the cafeteria, the couple decided to leave before the fifth hour started, which, according to their instructor, they should avoid. They said goodbye to Noah, who would have dinner during the fifth meal.

At the cafeteria, they took their food and sat in the dining hall. In the distance, they could see a lonely girl. It was the girl with the prosthetic arm. They sat far enough to observe her without being noticed.

The cafeteria had its usual tone: people chatting at various tables, aromas filling the air, and appetizing flavors. But suddenly, the scene turned unpleasant.

Some maids came over to the girl with the prosthetic to mock her inability to carry her food tray “elegantly.” They told her, with disdain, that it was good this would be their last year seeing someone so pathetic trying to be something she clearly can’t be.

Río recalled a scene in high school where some girls bullied her and Ren defended her. In this case, Ren also stood up to defend the girl in a very similar manner, telling the maids:

— We’re all different; it’s our right. But people like you are different in a negative way. To me, these kinds of people are the worst— Ren exclaimed, pointing his finger at the maids. His strong expression silenced the whole cafeteria and prompted the people around to boo the girls, who then left.

The girl with the prosthetic hand thanked him with a bow and left the cafeteria, accustomed to such treatment.

Río, standing up from her seat, decided to let Ren act on this occasion. She knew her impulses would have made her lash out at the girls, so she gripped the table tightly to hold herself back.

However, Río didn’t want to remain idle. Thinking to herself, she clenched her fists and teeth, promising to help the girl from then on and try to become her friend in the future.