"Have you lost your memory?" Nia tried to read something in me, but even I had no clue—how could she possibly see anything?

"...Impossible. I’ve been like this since I transmigrated. If I were that powerful, would I have nearly starved to death days after arriving? Besides, I kept a diary. I documented everything except the first twenty-something days."

"Eh? A diary? Why no records from the start?" Nia perked up instantly at the mention of a diary.

"I was originally in a city. Pirates raided it and took me along by accident… I only started the diary after reaching their hideout."

"...You kept a diary safely after being captured by pirates? Something shady must’ve been going on behind the—"

"Get out of here! They accepted me as a comrade because my cooking skills maxed out!"

"Tch. So that’s how it was…" Nia, why do you look so disappointed? You’re giving me dangerous vibes all of a sudden!

"What if you’d visited this world before and gone back? Novels pull that trope all the time—you grow strong during your first transmigration, return to your original world, then come back again later for some reason, but lose all your memories."

"Look at me. Do I look like someone who can fight?" I might as well have a sign on my head screaming *weakling*.

"Then… did you lose your strength too?"

"What’s the difference between that and being an ordinary person?!"

"Maybe it’s sealed somewhere. You’d need to retrieve both your memories and power from that place?"

"Sounds plausible, but I was always with someone before. After she left, I inherited my dad’s restaurant. When would I have had time to become some ‘Glory Level Transmigrator’ here?"

"So you ran a restaurant… Uncle Luo Sa."

"Yeah. But if I hadn’t met her, I’d probably still be a NEET right now—let alone transmigrating."

"Eh… your girlfriend?" Though Nia had no eyes, I felt her glance flick toward Aefina.

"No. Just partners who supported each other. If anything… she was more like my mentor. I learned a lot from her." We got along well back then, but I never had *those* kinds of feelings for her…

"What about before you met her? As a NEET, wouldn’t disappearing for a while go unnoticed?"

"I got dumped by a girl and spiraled into self-destruction. Before meeting her, I’d never have become a transmigrator—not even if someone held a knife to my neck demanding I save the world. Besides, I played online games nonstop back then. I was a top-tier legend server-wide. No way I transmigrated."

"...I see. What was that girl’s name? She sounds amazing—like a life coach."

"Her? Li Lingyin."

"HOLY CRAP?! Same name as my sister?!" Nia nearly jumped out of her seat.

"Coincidence. It’s a common name, especially for sisters."

"She had a sister too?"

"Yeah, she mentioned it once. I don’t know the name."

"But it’s probably just coincidence. My sister said she and her husband are happy together—they never separated. Why did your Li Lingyin leave?"

"She… died." I sighed. That memory again… What kind of person sneaks off to die somewhere without even saying goodbye?

"Eh… died… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up."

"It’s fine. Years have passed. She’d be happy knowing people still remember her."

I didn’t notice my own mood darkening as this deliberately buried memory resurfaced.

But I wasn’t alone anymore. What I missed, others caught.

"Luo Sa…" Aefina gently squeezed my hand, her soft voice brushing my ear.

"...I’m fine." I forced a faint smile, trying to appear calm.

"Liar… I understand the pain of losing someone important. I don’t know how to help, but I’ll stay by your side, Luo Sa."

"If none of that fits… could your memories have been altered?" Nia ignored the lovey-dovey moment entirely.

"...Saying that makes it sound terrifying! What do I do now?!" I feigned panic.

It was just speculation anyway—proving it would only cause trouble. Like trying to prove the world wasn’t created five minutes ago. Pointless… Well, maybe not pointless, but none of my business.

"The System Lord isn’t that bored. Altering an independent sentient being’s memories is incredibly troublesome—even more than creation. It’s impossible." Mo Mo, who’d vanished earlier, suddenly reappeared.

"Where were you just now?" Nia reached up with a tentacle to pat Mo Mo perched on her head… A slime and an elf. I’ll bet five bucks this becomes doujin material.

"Checking something in my room. Nia, how many reward points do you have left?"

"Plenty… a little over 120,000. Why? If it’s not enough, we’ll have to wait for next month’s refresh."

"I just thought—we have no idea what’s going on with Luo Sa. Why not teach him the Appraisal skill? Our permissions are too low, but if Luo Sa uses it on himself, he might see something. Gathering intel could help figure out his situation."

"Oh! Brilliant. How didn’t I think of that?" Nia bounced twice on the spot before hopping off her chair.

"Woah… stop jumping!" Mo Mo, flung upward, grumbled and punched Nia’s head lightly.

"Sorry, sorry… Here, Luo Sa. Give me your hand."

"Why go this far for me? We’ve known each other less than two days." Though touched, I couldn’t fathom why. System points were versatile currency—no one ever had enough. A casual helping hand was one thing, but spending points? Why this eagerness?

"Oh, that? Because it’s… well, look! You’re a Glory Level Transmigrator. Helping you in your time of need means hitching a ride on your super-thick leg! Once you regain your Glory Level power, I’ll ride your coattails to greatness too!" Nia almost said something else but quickly backtracked. I’ll never know what slipped almost out.

"I never took you for a tsundere! Luo Sa, don’t believe her nonsense. That’s the lamest excuse ever." Mo Mo called her out mercilessly… Though honestly, the reasoning made sense. If that *was* Nia’s motive, it’d be perfectly normal.

"She’s just homesick… It’s been years since she transmigrated here. Nia’s lonely. The only people she can talk to are me, Mira, the Eight Virtues, and Lilith. Lilith lives far away—we rarely see her. Locals either flee screaming or attack on sight. Other Earth transmigrators? Most just scheme against us." Mo Mo explained.

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! Mind your own business!" Nia squirmed anxiously… Could Nia really be a tsundere?

*Homesick…* Everyone struggles. Even successful transmigrators like her. I’ve only been here a short time and already miss home sometimes. What about after years? And transmigrating into a slime… That must be rough. In some ways, I’m luckier than her…

Anyway, I think… I finally understand Nia’s obsession with pudding.

"Here." I held out my hand to Nia. "Missing home isn’t shameful. Besides… I’m here now, aren’t I?"

"Tch." Nia tried to look utterly disdainful as she placed a tentacle in my palm, but the emotional waves radiating from her betrayed her completely—the downside of Truth Eye. She sold herself out effortlessly.

"Skill Transfer—Appraisal!" Golden light erupted from Nia like a miniature sun. I shielded my eyes with my free hand. The tentacle in my grip grew warm, almost like holding a human hand.

Normally, Nia’s body ran slightly cooler than human skin—pleasantly cool to the touch. And despite being a slime, she lacked that slimy stickiness I hated. Her texture was like firm, bouncy rubber. No wonder Mo Mo loved sitting on her head.

The light vanished as quickly as it came—lasting only three or four seconds.

As the glow faded, Nia let out a confused "Eh?"

"Did it work?" I examined my hand. Felt no different…

"Failed. The system says you’ve already learned Appraisal—and your level’s higher than mine. I can’t transfer it to you…"

"Huh? I already know it?" A strong sense of unreliability washed over me.

"Try using it. Focus on a target, then mentally activate Appraisal. Pointing can help concentrate." Nia gave quick instructions. Such a simple activation condition…

"……" I followed her steps.

"How is it? Successful activation will show the info in your mind."

"...Nothing. Not a single reaction." I tried until I doubted my own existence.

"Ehh—so you really are just a level 5 weakling…" On this point alone, I had no rebuttal.

"Why not stay here awhile? We might find a way to restore your power." Mo Mo suddenly suggested.

"Eh? Stay here?" Her words caught me off guard.

Honestly, the idea tempted me. Though I’d only been here two days, I’d already grown fond of this place. Nowhere else on this planet felt so authentically Earth-like. Nia, another transmigrator, was easy to talk to—we shared so much common ground. The newly-transmigrated me would’ve jumped at this offer. But…

I glanced at Aefina sitting quietly beside me. Beyond our promise to travel to the capital together, staying here would bore her. Earth-style decor aside, this was just a large manor. Our conversations were peppered with transmigrator jargon she couldn’t understand. Asking her to stay for my sake felt selfish…

"I still—" I started to refuse, but Aefina interrupted as if reading my mind.

"My scales are due for renewal soon. Staying here awhile won’t hurt. Luo Sa will be safe here too." She spoke with serene certainty. I looked between Aefina and Nia… Was this what harem novels called "main wife aura"?

"If Luo Sa likes it here… staying longer is fine…" Aefina’s telepathic voice, absent for so long, echoed in my mind.

*You can treat this place as your own home.*

Mo Mo spoke with a bright smile. I felt like she had her plan all figured out—probably just my imagination.

"This big house will be livelier with more people. Welcome, two new members~" Nia extended two tentacles and clapped enthusiastically.

"Shouldn't tsundere lines be like, 'Fine, you can stay... I'm not happy about it, hmph!' or something?" I quipped.

"Tsundere my ass!" Nia jumped up and down in annoyance. But this time, Mo Mo had already left Nia's head, so she wasn't flung away.

Aefina watched me chatting and laughing with Nia, a faint smile touching her lips.

"Don't worry, Aefina," Nia said, clueless about why.

I smiled back at Aefina's expression. Maybe this isn't so bad after all?

And so, in this cheerful atmosphere, Aefina's and my journey came to a temporary pause.