You want to know about me? I'm not too interesting. My name is Elijah. I was a thirty year old civil servant. I lived in the United Kingdom. My job was mostly to feed my anime and games addiction and pay for my high speed internet, but I guess I didn't mind the paperwork. I wore glasses, was slightly overweight, had dull brown hair. Pretty unremarkable, but I had a close circle of friends and was mostly a model citizen. I wasn't a slob or a neckbeard, I kept clean-shaven and well-showered. I had a girlfriend in the past and I slept with her a few times, many years ago.

Well, besides the high-level nerd-power, I do have a slight other problem. I'm an equal opportunist when it comes to age for girls. Which is to say, I can find appeal in the loli-spectrum. But I wouldn't set my sights too low either. I just really, really appreciate that small section between child and adult.

I'm not a dangerous man, though. I wouldn't think about hurting a real child. I'm an eldest brother, so that's probably a partial trigger for appreciating the cuteness of a blossoming girl and wanting to protect her. But unlike those siscon obsessed fools who have clearly not had a sibling before, I also know just how fantastically irritating girls of this age can be and I sure as hell wouldn't want a relationship with my sisters.

It's also not like I can't appreciate a mature woman, or the wonders of a good pair of boobs. But the appeal of freshness from a young girl is just even better. It's a strange place, but I enjoy being here, and my preference was even a public secret amongst my friendship circle.

The last thing I remember is sleeping with my Flan-Chan Dakimakura. So I didn't get acquainted with Truck-san. I guess the first thing to confirm is the circumstances around my being here and what happened to other-world me.

Legato, the king, nods, as if expecting my question. He steeples his fingers atop the long table we are now acquainted with in a rather magnanimous looking study. Aria is sat to my left, and he is across from me.

"Of course. For this, I need to explain something understood by our magicians. A summoning of a hero connects to another dimension, and forcibly creates a link between the worlds, and maintains it. In so doing, prana from your previous world flows directly into you. It does so because, fundamentally, you are still a resident of your previous world, and your previous world hence still has a hand in protecting you. It is a somewhat cheeky process, as it means most of the maintenance cost is not shouldered by the summoner. Which would be impossible even for those with great wells of power."

"So, I am still technically an Earth citizen, as far as Earth is concerned, so it protects me like a foreign embassy would?"

"That's right. You're quick in understanding. A foreign embassy is a fairly new concept to us since the fourteen kingdoms have allied. Your world already has the concept, I assume?"

"Yes. In fact, the country I was from was once a great empire, and it believes quite strongly in protecting its own, most of the time."

"I see. An honourable place indeed. You were a soldier of the empire?"

I can't stop myself from laughing.

"Ahahaha... sorry. No. There are many powerful soldiers, and especially sailors, in my land, but no, I was a civil servant."

Aria and Legato look somewhat surprised. I can't blame them. When I was dressed by maids in front of a mirror, I was truly able to inspect myself for the first time. It wasn't like I was Arnie, but I had a six-pack on my body, and it wasn't of cheap German lager. Legato seems to come to a conclusion.

"It is your world's hero blessings then; to give you this frame."

Wow, thanks Gaia. I should recycle more when I get back. Sure beats hitting the gym. Legato looks mildly excited and says:

"Do you feel ready to fight? What about the guard by the door, do you think you could take him?!?"

"I do feel stronger than my old self, but I'm sure he could kill me in seconds. I have no battle experience."

"T-Then... do you have knowledge of great magic imparted to you?"

"Not to my knowledge, if you'll pardon the pun. In fact, magic doesn't work at all in my world. I'm excited to try it!"

"A-And... were you not a high ranking civil servant? A learned man? Did you have a big say in your empire?"

"Not really. I filled in paperwork and talked to people on occasion to get their details. I could probably give you some amateur advice on how my country was run and the good parts of that, because I had a university education, but I don't think I'm an expert."

Aria and Legato look crestfallen. I guess I'm not much of a hero specimen. Actually, is a moderate stat-up my only cheat?!? I've changed my mind, Gaia, I want a refund! But let’s confirm...

"So, I take it that summoned heroes, sorry, I mean, Etranger, are meant to have exceptional abilities granted through their bond to their worlds?"

Legato looks up at me and clears his throat again, taking a sip from a silver goblet of some hard looking liquor that a maid just placed down. Where the hell did she come from? Is this the legendary Ninja-Maid? I should keep an eye on her; she's pretty smoking... and hey... she has honest to god blue hair. I really am in an Isekai! Well... let’s not get excited... let’s see what his response is...

"Ahem... I'm sorry, yes... we got off track. It is as you say. The bond of protection grants a vast boon of prana across the dimensions. It is not strange for the recipient to gain powerful abilities... called Ougi."

Really, translation-function-san? Well fine, that's… fine… I guess.

"And I should know about my powers straight away?"

"Yes. Our previous example said it was like a flood of memories all at once. He could summon a powerful light-sword from his world, and cast great storms of fire. Ah... he would chant 'Youpens Taytuss Iyndoe!' and know instantly what he was capable of, apparently."

That was 'open status window', right? The clichés just keep turning up. Well... it’s worth a shot. I nod to Legato and try it. As expected, I get an honest to goodness holo-UI pop up in my retina; that lists my abilities; and they get narrated in my ear as well. I don't remember buying a Glass?

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ELIJAH

LVL 1 ETRANGER

CITIZEN OF EARTH

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HP>> 43/43 (=STR+END)

MP>> 52/52 (=INT+PER)

30 YEARS OLD

(-6 YEARS APPEARANCE BOOST DUE TO SUMMON POWER)

SKLPNT>> 0 (30 USED)

STATUS>>

ETRANGER REGENERATION (Permanent, +1 HP per Minute)

TRANSLATION FUNCTION (Permanent)

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Strength 7 (+12)

Agility 5 (+12)

Endurance 12 (+12)

Intellect 19 (+12)

Perception 9 (+12)

Charisma 7 (+12)

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(4) > (Increases skill with Paperwork, treats Endurance as +40 higher when completing it; original skill)

(7) > (Gives appreciation for Literature and Art, boosts Base Intellect by +5; original skill)

(6) > (Has withstood pain to watch many animes, read many manga and LNs and WNs. Reduces Base Charisma by -2, Boosts Base Endurance by +5; original skill)

(3) > (Has an extensive gaming knowledge and good skill level; not quite a Pro. Boosts Base Perception by +1; original skill)

(3) > (Wide experience in running Tabletop Roleplaying Games, +3 Charisma and Intellect when running a game or telling stories; original skill)

(1) > (Experience in constructing own computers)

(6) > (Can defensive support young girls, and take damage from them, with a +50 Endurance bonus. +5 Charisma when viewed by girls aged 11-15; original skill)

(S) > (+12 to all stats; boost as level rises)

(S) > (No Boost- Requires Higher Affection)

(S) > (Ougi of Earth: Earth's power is allow all potential skills ever learnt by its people, and stored in its collective Akashic Record, to be learnt by its Etranger. Still requires Experience and meeting prerequisites, but no limit on total knowledge and acquired knowledge, and skills witnessed by the Earth Etranger get added to the collective memory as well, as an Earthling is witnessing them. Chant this skills name to activate the full skill-forest.)

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Okay, yes, Earth, you've redeemed yourself again a bit; you offer me Neuromods! And I'm also a Blue Mage! This is versatility city! I chant 'Multivultus Scientica' under my breath, and am indeed presented with a dizzying skilltree that recalls the shit certain exiles had to deal with, only in a full three dimensions for extra mind-fuck. Handily, though, it has a search engine front-page I can operate by thinking and doing little hand motions. I do have some concerns that a certain preference of mine was actually a skill, but… this is useful stuff. But I guess it is pretty underwhelming compared to some Ikemen who can instantly call forth Excalibur and use Meteor Swarm and shit.

I look up again and the literal skill forest sinks from my vision again. Aria is looking fidgety and Legato is waiting patiently for me to finish, still savouring his liquor.

“So, how is it? Are you skills just mighty passive boosts!?”

“Nope, I’ve got nothing!”

I dropped a bomb, ma! It was fun times! I loved the smell of napalm in the morning!