-You...you are a summon ? how come I don't remember seeing you ?

I asked awkwardly seeing melonys unfitting wink made me slightly lost for words I could tell what she said was the truth because the clavicula was actually reacting to her,but what I couldn't understand was where she came from ?

Hearing my question melony laughed awkwardly she seemed to be slightly intimidated by the weapon I was holding after a few seconds she finally recovered and said energetically...

-You see I am actually your very first summon...

She said with a smile...but her explanation didn't explain to me anything if that was the case why did I never meet her ? when was she even summoned ?

I sighed shaking my head I didn't have the energy to continue like this instead I just started to walk towards the exit leraje simply followed me and melony seeing our sudden departure followed suit as we made our way back to the restroom.

Fortunately I didn't have to go through the dark passage once again it seems like if you go once you don't need to go twice and instead you will be send directly back to the original location which was the restroom of course.

Going out and back into the mall I checked the time and it seems like we were in the restroom for about 10 or 15 minutes cecilia and the others must be probably wondering what happened to me and leraje and on top of that...how do I explain this woman ?!

I stopped in my tracks for a second and once again looked at the woman who called herself melony...the array master I think...her appearance was sudden and really out of the blue she was also a summon that came from the clavicula a new one at that too...

While I was thinking deeply melony noticed my gaze and turned her head towards me with a refreshing smile on her face her facial expression was gentle and she seemed more of a pure lady compared to the brute hestia.

There were questions I had before we would go back...

-Where were you before ? If you really are the first summon what did you do when you got summoned ? From what I know I never even met you before..

Hearing my question melony got embarrassed she obviously was ashamed to have left the moment she got summoned,but it seems like she had her own reasons for that,she was smiling,but behind her eyes I could see a lot of sadness and regret resurface through her thought...this woman wasn't simple.

My face wasn't joking or smiling the mood was pretty awkward since she was the only person who was smiling idiotically,but soon enough she got a bit more serious pursing her lips she stopped smiling and blinked a couple times before answering me.

-I...I had unfinished business that I needed to attend to...I am really sorry if I may have had inconvenienced you young master...

She said very apologetic her voice was feeble and she was also fidgeting with her hands showing her guilt in this matter...but nonetheless I could understand where she was coming from she isn't like leraje and hestia who had lived in the clavicula for thousands of years she was new to this and probably felt curious about her past or the people she was close to when she was alive even I wouldn't be able to control myself if something like this would happen and in the end even if she was with me or not it wouldn't have made that much of a difference would it ?

I pondered,but as I was doing so I realized that a lot of people were staring at us...looking around I could feel a lot of scornful looks from the guys that were passing us by not sure why they were showing us such faces I looked at melony again and realized that our image right now looked like we were bullying a feeble woman in broad day light.

Feeling slightly perplexed I just told melony to follow me she nodded her head and didn't say anything further.

On our way back her head was down and her expression was also off a bit depressed not because of me,it was because of something else that was on her mind,I didn't want to see her like this any further so instead I tried to start a conversation with her to get to know her a bit more better.

Melony took the conversation with a lot of enthusiasm over all she seemed to be a very optimistic person she was also a honest person.

-Where did you come from ?

I asked not really looking at her rather concentrated on my path melony who was standing behind me quickly came to my side her steps were faint and small so she would always get somewhat behind in steps.

-I..I came from oaklahoma a town called burn ville..

She said explaining to me her life story and what she did before she ended up like this.Before all of this melony was a magic scholar and also a housewife,it seems like this topic in particular is something she didn't seem to like talking about so I didn't ask her further and just let her explain it in her own pace,in her time melony was known as a genius magic researcher who made different kinds of spells and produced theories on magic law,contributing to the magicians society greatly her life seemed so satisfying and full of hope until one day melony was infected with the backlash of a spell she experimented with...the backlash of the spell was very severe and slowly drained her vitality her last moments when she was alive were spend inside of her house in her bed with her husband sitting next to her,crying after that melony didn't have any memories on what happened next she naturally died,but when she woke up again she realized that she was now part of the clavicula summoned by me she quickly left abandoning her duties as a summon and searching for knowledge of the past to make her understand what happened afterwards..

-Did you...find out ?

I asked not sure if I should ask something so personal about her.

-Yes,i did...it was eye opening to see what changed after I was gone...

She said with a look of nostalgia while looking through the different kinds of shops we were passing by with clear interest in her eyes,she looked to be between 20 to 30 years old her mannerism and speech was also very delicate and refined asking her from what kind of family she came from was probably not good and thinking about it more clearer it may have been only half a decade since she died people from the magicians community may even recognize her if they see her...that was bad...I wouldn't know how to explain it to them if it was the case and actually bringing her back with us to cecilia and the others was also bad cecilia may recognize this woman...

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

I immediately stopped when I realized this,my sudden stop pulled melonys attention as she asked me what was wrong in which I proceeded to tell her about my work and about the current situation that I would attend a celebration this night bringing with me leraje and another summoned one which was hestia.

When I talked about the greenwood family and the current events that I would partake in melony understood why I was mentioning this,if anyone found out that she was still alive then explaining it would be very difficult for me thats why I proposed melony to wear my mask for now.

Seeing the white mask melony accepted it and put it on her face she understood why she needed to wear it and didn't try to argue with me about it I could see some amount of unwillingness in her eyes while she wore the mask,but she swallowed those thoughts and just wore the mask.

Accepting that you are dead isn't something easy to do I myself accepted it pretty easily,but her situation was different she was alive and dead at the same time there is a reason why the dead should stay dead if you give hope to someone and rip it of their chest once again you can hurt a person to a more higher level then the first time,melony was a kind person she didn't want to hurt her loved ones once again,hiding would help her loved ones to continue moving on even if she didn't like it she still forced herself to do it.

-I...I am sorry..

Melony said as we walked up the staircase towards the second floor her apology was sudden and something unexpected I wasn't sure what she was apologizing about.

Melony noticed my expression and giggled for a bit stopping herself she coughed for a moment and made a serious tone.

-What I mean is that I am sorry that you have to deal with me...even thought I am already dead my soul still haunts that book and now you even have to take care of it...meaning me of course..

I nodded understanding her worry and nervousness,but honestly up until now I never really thought of summons as something as inconvenient or troublesome maybe sometimes I would be just pissed off by them,but arguing and making them out to be a burden wasn't something I thought of them as they all had their pros and cons no one was really perfect for example:Leraje,he was an efficient killer,but his lack of talking or making obvious solutions sometimes bugged me he was smart,but he lacked our times common sense hestia on the other hand was just too talkative and direct she would immediately say if she didn't like something making her mostly very rude when she was in the presence of someone who she disliked.

In the end they were all people melony probably believed that they were chains that were binding me and at some point it may be even true,but I didn't want to think of it that way this wasn't anything different from creating your own company and building up.

-Don't worry about it just work hard and I am sure that you won't worry about it later on..

-yes ! your right !

Melony said very optimistic about my words,I also nodded acknowledging and like so we soon met up with cecilia and the other girls when we reunited again I wasn't sure what to say really or how to explain melony,but thankfully hestia came to the rescue and pretended to know melony as a fellow working companion,melony of course didn't know what was going on,but still acted along with hestia and got introduced with everyone as my subordinate at that point cecilia just didn't seem to care anymore and greeted melony normally introducing herself to her which surprised melony for a bit,but she didn't let it get to her and just replied with "I see" slowly getting to know everyone else in this group.

While the girls were chatting away with their new friend hestia slowly walked up to my side her eyes glancing at me with a curious look as she leaned onto the wall next to me.

-So ? What did you find ? I can see that the 2 demons don't seem to be here anymore and I can guess where they are right now actually..

Hestia said looking at leraje who was standing to my left with a grim look on her face. Leraje didn't answer and just stood still like he always does.

-Actually I found this...and also there may be something very big coming up soon..

I said while pulling out both of the badge and necklace from my pocket,hestia seemed to recognize the badge since I personally used one before,but she didn't know what the necklace was which I explained to her patiently at the end of it her face was as clueless as I was since what they were doing didn't make much sense in the first place.

-Maybe we should get the leader of this group and rough him a bit...

Hestia suggested with a smug smile on her face on the other hand I wasn't really sure about that plan we didn't even know where to find that person and from what I understand it isn't a him...

-Its a "her" hestia...

I said while snatching away the badge she held on her hand she seemed displeased by my sudden grab,but also very playful towards my aggressive manner on which I shook my head against as I tried to remember what the name of their leader was again...it had been only mentioned once by that guy in the hotel...what was it again..

-Lena hellborne...

-ehh ?

I muttered and as I did leraje immediately reacted to something as he looked at me confused and also slightly intrigued.

-What is it ? Do you know something ?

I asked a bit curious about his behavior it was rare to see leraje get out of character sometimes much more so in this kind of situation.

Hearing my question leraje thought for a bit,but in the end he decided to stay quiet as he shook his head a bit unsure about himself for some reason.

-No,it was nothing sorry..

Both me and hestia exchanged glances for a moment...it didn't sound like it was nothing though.