Let it never be said that I, John Dirk, am a man who can't adapt.

I find myself in an impossibly strange situation, which defies all of my common logic, and I am proud to say that it only took me a precious few seconds to completely adjust to the new information. Maybe not fully, but enough to act.

I find myself in a fairly dark room with only moonlight pouring in through a stone window to light up its stony walls. Aside from the rugs and furrs that decorate the room, there is a white, glowing circle underneath me that I can only describe as arcane, along with a faint trail of blood leading to the circle.

I am completely naked, unabashedly showing off my form to the whole world, or at least the moon and the three people in front of me. Before me are two people in bright blue robes, hiding their faces with their hoods, and a single woman in a rather soft looking toga-esque dress.

The three people before me seemed fairly short compared to me, even excluding my large build. The two in robes seemed to be perhaps 5'4", but the woman in the dress was easily under 5 feet tall, and likely closer to 4'6". I towered over all three of them with my 6'6" build.

Height aside, I also made note of their rather petite builds. While the woman in the dress seemed childish, her green eyes felt far too sharp to belong to a child. I instinctively knew she just suffered from a baby face, as her demeanor almost seemed to radiate authority.

My mind quickly took stock of the situation. Despite my own towering, and (self-proclaimed) barbarian-esque build, I didn't trust in the unknown. The simple fact that I instantly deduced was the presence of magic. It's not something I felt, or anything along those lines, but I was more than amply aware that my situation could only be explained as such. 

The biggest giveaway, ironically, wasn't the magic circle under me, but the instinctual wrongness I felt when I saw the moon. I knew in my heart the moment I saw it that it wasn't Earth's moon. The image didn't match my lifetime's unchanging moonscape, and stood as an unspoken and uncontested proof that it wasn't the Luna that I know.

The woman with authority stepped forward before speaking, catching my attention, and causing me to be aware of her differences from any human I knew. Her skin was a little too pink for any human, as if a touch of opaque pink dye was added to pale human skin tones. Her eyes felt just a tiny bit larger than normal, and elf-like long ears extended several inches from the side of her head. Golden jewelry dangled from their sharpened tube-like shape.

The woman cleared her throat, causing the two in robes to bow their heads and step back. The moment they did, the magic circle under me drastically reduced its bright glow, but didn't completely fade. The small, but authoritative woman spoke in a voice that definitely felt too mature to belong to a child, even if the tone had hints of childishness.

"Can you understand me?"

"Yes."

I was shocked by my voice. It was definitely lower than I remember, as a smooth bass-like sound left my voice. If the situation wasn't so strange, I might have started humming a tune just to hear, heck, just to feel the abnormally deep tone coming from my own body. It had the same body and style as normal, if those are the right terms, but the tone was definitely down a distinct notch.

"Very good. I'm glad the translation effect is working. Now then, I'm not sure how to handle this, so I'd like to hear your most important questions first."

I paused for just a second, and did my best to understand her words, and their deeper meanings.

"Was it an accident to summon me?"

"No, however the effect was somewhat random, so I didn't summon you in particular."

"What were you aiming to summon?"

"A person from another world, one whom I can happily marry. "

"In which way? Physical preferences, or mental preferences?"

"I believe that it should match our spirits and energies well."

"I have a lot more questions on that, but I'll hold off for now. Am I the only one who got summoned?"

"You're the only one I summoned, however you're likely not the only person to be summoned. The royal family has most likely performed their own summoning tonight as well."

"Is there a way for me to go back, if something happens?"

"Not in your lifetime. The bridge between our worlds is short-lived, and infrequent. Every two or three hundred years the bridge opens up again."

I paused, and took that information in. No matter what, I was here for the rest of my life.

"So, you've explained at least one reason why you summoned me, but why is the royal palace summoning people?"

"I can answer that later, however the magic sustaining your mind right now will wear off soon. Is there anything else you want to know before you pass out?"

Pass out? There were far too many things to figure out, so let's just start with the most basic. I quickly picked my words carefully.

"I am called John Dirk. What should I call you?"

"Astrid Volker."

"Astrid…"

In a moment, my body was overwhelmed with fatigue as the lights belonging to the circle under me ended. It was like I was suddenly aware of having stayed up for multiple days straight, and my strength and awareness were leaving me. The feeling was faster and more powerful than any anesthetic I've ever been under. I think.

With the last of my consciousness and strength, I managed to set myself down before I blacked out.

–

My eyes snapped open to bright sunlight, in a room that I've never seen before. I was on a bed that I've never been in before, covered in a thick quilt, and being poked by feathers in the pillow. As a man who was used to memory foam pillows and a water bed, I felt abnormally hot without the cool, heat wicking effect of the water bed underneath me.

I have no idea what time it is, and there wasn't a single person or clock in the room with me. I was incredibly thirsty, as if I haven't had any water in quite some time, and my stomach felt empty. Strangely, I have no urge to use the restroom.

As I got out of bed, I felt myself wearing clothing completely unlike anything I've ever owned. It was simple, but fairly nice toga draped over my body, and unfamiliar underwear covered my manhood. All things aside, I felt like I was in a nightgown instead of normal clothes.

I looked at my arms for a moment, remembering the difference between my voice in memory, and the voice I spoke with last night. It didn't take long for me to figure out the source of the incongruity. This wasn't my body. At least, it wasn't my body as I knew it. The signature scars, calluses, and the single tattoo on my right arm were all gone.

While all of my moles were in the right place, my hair seemed the same, and my build matched my memory, the proof of aging was entirely gone. The scars from having my appendix removed were lacking from my stomach. The strange comet-like scar from being burned by the exhaust of my dirt bike was gone from my leg. The countless little scars on my forearms from years of labor were gone as well.

It's like my body was either remade or completely restored. None of the signs of damage were present, though I can't confirm my face right now; there's no mirror in the room. I was standing and examining my body, touching my strangely smooth skin when a loud knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

Without waiting for a response, someone entered my room, holding a bowl of water and a towel. That someone was dressed in a fairly plain outfit that I'd classify as a medieval servant's, and they had non-human features. Two perky, white triangles poked out above her head, and a fluffy tail escaped her backside. She was clearly a wolf/dog-girl.

"Ah… you're awake. Excuse me. I'll drop off this, and you can wash up while I fetch the mistress. Please stay here."

She maintained a perfectly calm and collected face, but she moved with impressive efficiency and speed as she set down the tub of water, all but bolting out of the room. I was so bewildered that I forgot to speak.

I looked at the tub. It seemed to be clean and pure water, but right now I was painfully thirsty. I know it's probably inappropriate, but I lifted the tub and began drinking the water. Gulp after gulp, the wonderfully cool liquid poured down my throat, before I released a satisfied sigh. I might have just chugged a half gallon of water in one go, taking up half of the available water.

Not wanting to be rude, I did my best to wipe myself down using the cloth, and the remaining water. I almost didn't even notice how sweaty I was in the unfamiliar situation. I quickly did my best to remove any sweat or dirt on my body as I reexamined the room.

If this was the medieval era, or something similar by my guess, then this room should be considered fairly opulent or wealthy. The walls were covered in rugs, furrs, and the odd painting. They were white, likely plaster, with the stone giving some shape underneath the exterior. I was a little slow to notice that there were even rugs on the floor of the room. While the base floor looked like some well polished tile or stone mosaic, the few ruggs added comfort and life to the room.

I'm still not sure of the details, but it was obvious to me that whoever summoned me, they were wealthy. No, a correction. I know who summoned me. Their name was clearly etched in my mind as the last thing I heard before blacking out. Astrid… Astrid Something-or-another summoned me. I can't remember her last name. Astrid is clearly wealthy. That's the impression that I have.

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By the time I was cleaned up, and done assessing the room, there was another knock at my door, this time a familiar voice called out.

"John, are you dressed?"

"I am."

"Good."

The short woman from before, Astrid, entered. She was once again in a fairly simple dress as she moved into the room with familiarity. She was being trailed by the wolf-girl from earlier, and someone dressed in a blue robe. They were likely one of the mages from before, though I still can't see their face. Astrid quickly sat down at a table and chairs that I almost didn't even notice.

I took the initiative to silently sit down with her. Once again, my height difference was abundantly clear. While the chair felt a little too small for me, it was clear that it was actually fairly tall for Astrid, and perhaps even the two people with her. Not one person in the group was over 5'6", and I'm sure of it.

After just a second of looking at each other, Astrid spoke.

"I'm sure there is a lot we need to talk about today, but first some diligence is due. Is there any pain, discomfort, or concern regarding your body right now?"

"Nothing pressing. I seem to be well rested, and in good physical condition."

"I would hope so. You've been asleep for two and a half days. Are you hungry or thirsty?"

"I am, yes."

"Should I assume that your appetite matches your size?"

"That's probably for the best."

"Very well. For today, we will stick to foods that should be easy to digest, just to be safe, and we can move onto regular meals tomorrow if all is well."

Astrid made a gesture with her hand, and the maid silently left the room, accepting the unspoken order.

"Thank you."

"You're beyond welcome. Now then, Nicholas will examine your body with light magic, just to check for any dangerous abnormalities. He must touch you for this, so please don't resist."

I nodded.

"I understand."

The man in the blue robe stepped forward. Now that I was sitting, I could easily see that he had a fairly pale and dainty face, along with two long ears, similar to Astrid's. Unless otherwise told, I am going to assume that he's an elf as well.

Nicholas placed his hand on my chest and began chanting. Suddenly a burst of words and meanings left the man's mouth in a manner that forced me to furrow my brow from the sudden headache it induced. It didn't take long, but a light began glowing in his hand, and lit up my chest for a moment, like a bright flashlight showing the bones through my hand.

"He seems to be in excellent health as far as I can tell, Madame."

A nod was all the thanks that the man called Nicholas got, before Astrid continued on.

"That is good news. We were concerned, given the fact that your summoning is a little more unorthodox compared to the heroes'."

Hero… just that title told me a lot, and gave me a great deal of questions.

"Hero?"

"Yes. That is the term generally referring to the people summoned by the royal palace historically. Now then, unlike two days ago, I've actually had time to prepare for this discussion, and have some things that may help to inform you first in order to smoothly move things along. I also have one question for you before we start, if you're prepared. Are you Japanese?"

"I am not, no."

"I thought so. Summoned heroes are historically from the same country, and you look nothing like them. Are you at least from a neighboring nation?"

"I'm pretty much from the opposite side of the world. I know of Japan, however I've never been there, don't speak the language, and I don't have any direct connection to the nation."

"Interesting. Excuse me if it's rude, but you also seem older. The summoned heroes are always adolescents, but you seem to be a mature man."

"I am a grown man, and quite far from my teenage years."

"That's good to know. Now then, I believe the most pressing question you must have at this point is why you and the heroes were summoned, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then, I shall explain the general details now. In general, our world aligns with the astral bridge every few centuries, allowing us to summon people from your world for just a short few moments. Sadly, this window is always shortly predated by a demonic infestation that comes from another world as well. This has been the case for a large part of recorded history, with the invasion being repelled by heros from another world."

"So, in essence, heroes are summoned to fight the demons?"

"That is one reason, yes. Specifically, they get called to defeat the demon that allows others to invade; the one we call the Demon King."

I nodded. It was cliche, but it seemed simple enough.

"If that is one reason, what are the others?"

"The second reason, and one that applies to you too, is for their aether. It will be quite a long discussion if we try to talk about what aether is right now, but what you can think of it as is the base fuel for magic and other energies. Unlike people from our world, people from your world naturally make and shed aether, and you can potentially do so in great amounts."

"So, we're a resource."

"It's a bit cruel to say it that way, but it's not necessarily wrong. This ties into the third reason to summon people from your world. Bloodlines. Children with parents from another world have a low chance of also being able to make aether, and generally have good aptitude with its use."

I nodded.

"Does that mean that I should be able to use it?"

Astrid's face finally shifted from a factual and noble-esque neutral, to an apologetic face. Her tone matched with it as well.

"I'm afraid that it's rather unlikely. Unlike the heroes, you weren't summoned through a divine ritual. We weren't able to give you any divine boons or the like in our arcane ritual. Even the translation effect is limited, and will wear off here in a month or two."

"Well, I would be lying if I denied being disappointed, but I've lived my whole life without magic. Not having it won't change anything."

"And I apologize for that. I'm amply aware that I've summoned you one sidedly for my own reasons, and can't even give you the basic boons that all the other heroes will have."

"Are you implying that you intend for me to be a hero as well, even without that?"

"No. Excuse my wording. Might I be frank with you about what I intend?"

"I would prefer it, instead of having it thrust upon me unexpectedly later."

"Very well. I desire for you to live here, as my husband, and to provide me with aether."

"As your husband?"

She nodded solemnly.

"Yes."

"That's quite a proposal from someone I've never met before, and one that I'm not inclined to trust yet."

"The proposal is honest, even if I do have ulterior motives. Before I press any further, were you already married, or father to any children?"

"No, I've never been married, nor have I had any children."

"That's good. I'm sure you'll need time regardless, but I'd hate to have ripped you away from such a family, if you had one already."

"Let's not discuss that right now, or the situation may overwhelm me. The most pressing question, regarding this. Why marriage?"

"I need your aether, and since it's quite likely that you can't use it on your own, I need to have access to yours. This will require bodily contact. I am a nymph, so it's in my best interest to only bond with one person, especially if I must do so regularly."

Ah. We needed to do things, like have sex.

That thought flashed through my mind, as I found myself adjusting.

"I see. Will there be any issues with bloodlines, even if we are different races?"

"No, there won't be any issues. Ideally, I'd like your bloodline to produce children."

"I see. Is there a reason why it has to be you, and not someone who serves you?"

"Besides my body, do you already have displeasure with me?"

She may have spoken in a calm tone, but her eyes shook. Technically speaking, I have a number of valid reasons not to like her in this situation, but they're not reasons I'm giving any value to right now.

"No. I'm just trying to understand the situation."

"That's good. Ideally, yes, It has to be with me for a number of reasons, but if that's impossible, you may marry someone else belonging to the Volker household."

"Alright. I take it from your tone that this marriage isn't exactly optional in my case."

"I… No. It's not, nor do you have a particularly long time to adjust either."

"Thank you for being honest. How long do I have?"

"At the latest, for a number of reasons, including your own safety, three months is the most time that I can give you. Regardless of the circumstances, we need you to be married to someone within that time frame."

"That's not long, but I'm thankful for that much time. It'll at least give me a chance to get my bearings and figure out the situation."

"I'm sure it won't be greatly useful for that. Remember that you only have about a month before the translation effect wears off. You will need to be able to speak our language on your own after that."

"One month isn't enough time to learn a language through any way that I know of."

"I know. That's why it'll be important to learn as much as you can. There is nothing we can do to extend your time either."

"This is going to be quite a rough adjustment period."

"I can't imagine, but I'll do my best to assist you. During this month, I'm also going to make dedicated time for us to get to know each other, if that's acceptable to you. Like it or not, I am pressured to marry you, and I must pressure you to marry me as well."

"I see. Since you're being so honest, I feel that it's prudent to inform you that I won't tolerate my wife being with another man romantically."

She chuckled.

"Nor will I tolerate my husband being with another woman in such a way. While male and female concubines are common in households like mine, I personally can't accept it."

"So we can at least agree that it'll be a one-on-one marriage then?"

"Yes."

"Just to be clear, I have no flexibility on this, regardless of the situation. Even if the situation is that someone else's life is on the line, I will let them die first."

"That is a somewhat extreme statement, but it's one I can accept, and will reciprocate. As a gentleman from another world, I should encourage you to have a number of concubines, or to at least impregnate a number of women, but I personally can't stand the idea of sharing my husband."

"If that's the case, then I can feel relief in knowing that our feelings match in that aspect."

"I know our circumstances are greatly different, but the nature of your summoning should ensure that we're both fairly compatible as people. I'm not sure exactly how much so, but it would be worthwhile keeping it in mind as we interact. I am also in a situation where I am unsure, like yourself. After all, I know nothing about you, nor your values, and I must ask you to marry me. I'm even more at a loss because you aren't Japanese, so I have no reference to your culture."

I nodded. I was still overwhelmed, but I felt strangely comfortable knowing that she was in a similar situation, even if she was in charge of everything, and clearly had all of the authority and power in our current dynamic.

"So, that aside, are there any other important things that I should know as soon as possible, like any rules?"

Astrid lowered her head once again.

"Yes. For the most part, any other rules can be addressed as prudent, but there is something major in your case. Before you are married, you may not go outside. After that, you're free to roam the estate, but you may not leave it without me."

"That's a pretty strict rule."

"It is, and I apologize for placing a burden like that on you. We will have time today to go into reasons why if you wish, but this is something else that can't be compromised on."

"I don't know the situation, so I'll refrain from saying anything rude if possible. That said, I do feel that I should make it clear that this situation seems fairly similar to being kidnapped and held prisoner."

I could tell that my statement upset Nicholas and Astrid. Astrid looked apologetic, but Nicholas looked angry at my words.

"I can't deny the fact that the situation is essentially the same. I can only apologize. I'm sorry."

"I accept your apology. I just ask that you have patience with me when I grow frustrated with it."

"Naturally. I must ask for your own patience and understanding as well. I will do my personal best to help ensure you come to think of this as your home, and not a prison, but I do understand the situation and that such efforts may frustrate you even more. I am sorry that I won't be able to give you your freedom fully for quite some time."

I sighed, and let out a soft smile.

"Truthfully, if you can remain this honest with me, this whole situation will be a lot easier to adjust to. It's a lot to take in, but honesty, even if hurtful, will help me greatly."

"And I will say the same. There is a time and a place for everything, but when we speak in private, like this, I hope you will be honest with me. I can't help you, or react to any distress you may have if I don't know."

Like that, our first talk was done, and my first meal of mush was brought into the room.