The girl shot up straight, eyes wide and shocked.

That truck, that man… Shit! This isn’t how I wanted to go out at all! Ngargh! I’m so angry right now!

She angrily scrubbed her hands through her hair before sighing.

So is this the afterlife or what? I didn’t believe in there being anything after death, but whaddya know.

She just knew, somehow, that she was dead, in the way that you just knew things in dreams.

The space she was in was a dull, soothing white, empty but for the steady ball of light above her illuminating the place. If there were walls, they blended seamlessly into the floor.

The floor was strangely comfortable, despite being flat and solid. She felt like she could just lay down and take a nap. If she had tried to sleep on a hard surface while she was alive, she would have just failed.

Well, I am dead after all. I guess it’s not as weird as waking up again despite knowing for sure that you died. But…

“What now?”

She spoke out loud more because she wanted to hear her own voice and affirm her existence than anything else. She hadn’t really expected an answer and was a little surprised when she actually got one.

[I’m glad you asked, host!]

“Wha- who’s there-”

Her eyes stopped on the only other thing in the room and she cut herself off.

“Oh. Is that you?” she asked the floating ball of light. It bobbed in response to her question.

[Ding-ding-ding! Co~rrect! Hello, host, it’s nice to meet you at last!]

The girl cocked her head to the side and thought for a bit before answering.

“Can’t really say the same. This isn’t what I think it is, is it?”

[‘What you think it is’…? Oh, I see, so you have read novels with transmigration systems! Yes, host! You’re quick on the uptake!]

Thanks, I guess, she thought. The way the light praised her felt kind of patronising though.

“Can you read my mind?”

[Of course not! I’m a system, not a degenerate! I’d never do that without your consent!]

“Then how do you know that I’ve read transmigration novels?”

The ball of light froze. After three seconds, it began moving again.

[…Everyone has come across a transmigration novel at least once in their lives!]

The girl could practically see the system sweating nervously despite being just a ball of light.

“Logical argument, but the way you froze before answering gave it all away. Spill it.”

She was banking on the apparent inexperience of this system to give her answers. Had it been a more experienced system, it would have known it could have just ignored her questions. Luckily for her, it seemed that this system really didn’t know how to deal with people who weren’t complete idiots.

[…I can’t read your mind, but I have access to your full personal history. I’m sorry! I won’t look at it again without asking! Please don’t hate me!]

The girl just sighed. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Wow, I sure was lucky to get a naïve and eager to please one. If I had gotten one of those wily and manipulative ones I would’ve been screwed. Looks like karma’s finally paying its dues.

“I don’t like it, but I supposed it can’t be helped. So will you please stop flying all over the place?”

She leaned back, frowning, when the system’s panicked flight path took it too close to her face.

[-I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m-]

The girl had intended for the system to finish freaking out by itself, but patience had never been her strong suit. Finally, she reached her limit.

“Shut up!” she yelled, smacking it when it flew too close to her face again.

[Eek!]

When her hand made contact with the system, she had been surprised. She hadn’t actually expected it to be tangible.

The system lay on the floor, quivering but silent. When it didn’t get up after a few seconds, she crouched down next to it and poked it.

“O-oi, are you still alive?” Can you really be called alive in the first place?

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It suddenly shot up back up into the air. Startled, the girl jerked back and fell.

[I am a-okay, host, thanks for asking! Now, to business!]

You sure recovered quickly, huh.

“You haven’t actually introduced yourself,” she said.

[Oh, how rude of me! Well!]

The system made a noise like someone clearing their throat. It seemed to glow brighter as it spoke.

[I am the wondrous No. 159: Wingman Tranmigration System! Through me, you will travel to different worlds and help the leads get together! Isn’t that a wonderful job? I’m far better and more advanced than those Side Character and Villain Transmigration Systems! Main leads have to endure all kinds of hardships, villains always lose in the end, and side characters aren’t guaranteed to have a good life either! But a wingman can always be counted on to have a good end!]

It bobbed, as if nodding in agreement with itself.

I… don’t think that’s actually true.

But the naïve system was literally glowing so brightly in pride that she couldn’t bring herself to shatter its delusions. And maybe with a system like this, the people she’d be transmigrating into did all have good lives.

[So what do you think, host? Oh, I’ve been calling you host so far, but we haven’t actually made a contract yet! But I know you won’t reject me, right host?]

I’m already dead anyway, so I might as well. Being dead is kinda boring.

Instead of saying that though, she looked coyly to the side and pretended to be thinking.

“Hm, I don’t know… it sounds like a lot of work. What’s in it for me?”

[E-eh? What’s in it for you? Um, well…]

It floundered for a bit before finally coming up with an answer.

[You get to live again! You can’t go back to your original life, but living many lives in many different and interesting worlds is just as good, right!]

“Laaaame. Is that it?”

[There are a lot of other benefits as well! You get points for completing missions in every world! Points can be exchanged for all sorts of awesome stuff in the system store! There are also hidden missions in every world that you can get items from too!]

“Oh?”

The girl eyed the system but didn’t display any other indications of interest. Seeing this, the system hurried to explain.

[Successful main missions will give you 1000 points, with a multiplier based on how well you did according to the requirements. S-rank is 3.0x, A-rank is 2.0x, B-rank is 1.5x, C-rank is 1.2x, and D-rank is 1.0x. An E-rank is given when you do not complete the mission but come close to it and is 0.3x. F is for failure and will not give you any points and a penalty will-]

A loud sigh interrupted the system’s explanation and the system panicked to see its host obviously lose interest at the word ‘penalty’.

[-not be given! Nothing will happen if you fail the mission, so host, please don’t say no!]

Too easy.

“Go on.”

[Side missions will give you 100 points while hidden missions will be unlocked under by specific actions under specific circumstances and give you 1000 points. Only main missions are graded, so you can complete side and hidden missions however you like.]

“Hm, I see. Those sound like a lot of points, but if the cheapest item in the store is 10,000 points or something I’m going to have to say no.”

[Nothing like that!] the system reassured her. [I can’t show you the catalogue until we form a contract, but you can get things for just 1 point!]

“Like?”

[Like… a pebble! Or a tissue. Or a piece of tape.]

“You have things like that in your store?”

The system puffed up proudly.

[We have everything! The catalogue is really only there to show you the kind of stuff you can get and set prices, but if you want anything that’s not there, I can get it for you and we can negotiate a price!]

The girl perked up at the word ‘negotiate’.

So if I saw an expensive item that I wanted, I could think up something that does the same thing but cheaper?

[Do you have any questions, host?]

“I do,” she said, but hesitated.

[I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have, host, so don’t hold back!]

“Alright then. Then answer this for me: What’s my name?”

[…] Host, you don’t know your own name?

“Well? Do you know my name or not?”

[Of course I know your name! It’s… huh?]

The system scoured through the girl’s history but couldn’t find even a trace of her name. Not even a nickname remained.

[Eh? Um, huh? That can’t be right…] it muttered as it searched.

The girl sighed and ran her hand over her scalp and through her hair.

“So you don’t know either, huh…” she said. “Well, whatever. Can’t do anything about that, I suppose. I’m going to be transmigrating into other people’s bodies so it’s not like I’ll need my own name anyway.”

[Host…!] The system was nearly in tears at the mental resilience shown by its host.

The girl eyed it uneasily. I don’t know why, but I get the feeling that if it were human, tears would be streaming down its face right now.

“O-kay then. Next question. What’s in it for you?”

[It is the duty of every system to assist their host in best completing their missions in the worlds they stay in! I am here to help you be the best wingman you can be!]

“I didn’t ask for a spiel on duty or whatever. I asked what’s in it for you. What benefit do you receive by doing this?”

[This is my purpose…? I was created to do this.]

“Sure, but what’s stopping you from going in there and being a wingman yourself? On that note, why does anyone have to transmigrate at all? Why can’t we just leave those worlds be? Who created you? Why were you created? Why do you exist?”

[That… huh? I, I don’t…]

The system fell silent and went still.

Whoops. I think I broke it.

The girl counted a full minute before giving into the temptation to poke it. The ball of light was warm and soft. When it didn’t react, she grabbed it and started squishing it.

Whoa, this is pretty fun.

Finally it recovered from bluescreening and begged her to stop.

[A-ah?! What are you doing? Host, please stop! Why are you bullying me?!]

“Oh, you’re back. Don’t worry about the questions I just asked, I was just messing with you.”

[Host, that was really mean…]

She pinched either side of it and started pulling.

[W-wait, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Host is the best! Please stop!]

It was fun so she didn’t really want to, but she did still have to make that contract. She reluctantly let go of the system.

“Let’s make that contract now.”

[Really?! Really, really? Really really really?]

It flew around in joy and the girl grabbed it again.

“Yes, really. Now stop flying around. What do I have to do?”

The ball of light was so overjoyed it even didn’t complain about being squished again.

[Host doesn’t have to do anything! Just accept me into your heart and we’re good to go!]

Sounds kinda sketchy but okay.

To her surprise, the ball of light dissolved and went into her heart. She felt a brief warmth in her chest, then the system appeared before her again.

[Contract complete!] it cheered. [Initialising transfer into first world…]

The girl turned into a ball of light similar to the system.

[Beginning transfer…]

A portal appeared beside them and the two of them were sucked through it. Once through, they found themselves above a medieval city. They flew down into it and phased through the walls of a mansion. Eventually they reached the bedroom in which the vessel the host would be using in this world was resting.

The balls of light sunk into the vessel’s chest and dissipated.

[Transfer complete!]

Theodore Vasellian opened his eyes.