Agreement

One of Lyrica's features is her ability to accurately recall things that happened for a very long time. Make it the time when she started playing Role Playing Games or RPG, or the time when her parents bought their family computer with her. Even the time when she first met her friend Erika on the first day of their Kindergarten, she can vividly remember the time, date and place when it all happened.

That's why she is confident about her memory skills. That is, until a voice started speaking to her inside her head.

"Impossible. I couldn't remember you talking about the condition, nor me answering you so nonchalantly. Why can't I remember that moment?"

"Maybe you're just becoming a little forgetful?"

"No, that can't be."

Seemingly in a conflict, Lyrica went to sit beside the tree near her before pressing the back of her head on its trunk. She then began to ponder.

"Does forgetting about something that big of a deal for you?"

"Shut up. I'm trying to think."

"Sheesh, what a grumpy kid."

No matter how many times she replayed the moment inside her head, Lyrica's conversation with the voice always ended with her telling the voice about her ideal world. It doesn't go on like what the voice showed her. Another thing that boggled Lyrica's mind is that she gave an answer to the voice so nonchalantly when she knows that she herself is the kind of person who would avoid something as troublesome and stressful as trying to make a peaceful and quiet world. She kept thinking for a while, but nothing comes up to mind.

A sigh of exasperation came out of Lyrica.

"Oh? Why the long face?"

"..."

Lyrica swore to lead a life without getting into trouble. No matter what happens, she'll avoid doing things that will only bring or cause her trouble, which would then lead to stress. Lyrica is true to her word. However, there are times when things are just too unavoidable for her.

For example is her friend, Erika. Ever since she left the municipality of Rizal, Erika has been sending her messages on a daily basis. Erika wouldn't miss a day without saying good morning to Lyrica, as well as sending her a goodnight message before she finally retires to bed. Every weekend, or when there's a holiday where students have a day off school, Erika would always come to Lyrica's apartment. She would then spend the entire day studying with Lyrica in her room, watching anime with the television Lyrica never opened unless Erika is around, or just chilling in the living room with the novels she always has with her until late afternoon.

There are times when Lyrica would think of kicking Erika out for using her apartment as her place to hang out, or changing her contact numbers so that she doesn't receive messages more frequently than the daily weather update messages. There was also the moment where she thought of getting rid of their friendship because she got so annoyed of Erika for not getting what she's teaching her for the fifth time.

But despite all the stress Erika is giving her, Lyrica had never done anything to get Erika out of her life. Because unlike everyone else who left Lyrica and moved on with their own lives, Erika is the only one who never turned her back from her. Although she never needed anyone's concern, Erika is always there to stand behind her and give her a push whenever she feels down or alone.

For that reason, Lyrica sees Erika as her only family, as well as the only one she wouldn't mind troubling her.

"Are you thinking about something?" Asked, the voice.

"... Incidentally, is it possible for you to take me back into my world?"

Lyrica is thinking.

"Yes. If you decline to my condition and you decided to return to your world, I can do that in a snap. But then, if you decided to return, you will have to die by getting hit by a car."

"Why?"

"Because that was the last moment you're facing before I put everything into a halt. You may be alive and well here, but in your world, everyone on that street saw your final moments as if the world didn't stop at all. In your world, you're already dead."

Lyrica is already getting troubled just by thinking about making Alteria her ideal world by herself.

"I see."

But as she was getting stressed, Erika suddenly came to her mind.

"Then, is it possible to summon more than one person in this world?"

"Yes. Actually, you're the fifth person who were summoned here in Alteria."

While she was just a few months old, Erika lost her parents after a fire broke out into their house. So in a way, Lyrica and Erika are in a similar situation.

"All right. If that's the case, I'd like to add one more thing to our agreement."

"Oh? So you have decided to do it?"

"Only if you agreed into my terms."

Lyrica and Erika sees each other as a family, they've always been together since they were little. But now, they're two worlds apart from each other. Even if Lyrica decided to go back, only death awaits her on Earth.

"What is it, then?"

"If you can bring Erika into this world, I will do everything I can to make Alteria a peaceful and quiet world."

"Erika?"

"Erika is my friend. No, she's more than a friend to me. She's my family. Erika always bugs me and annoys the hell out of me, but Erika is a kind girl."

Lyrica could no longer go back on Earth. But, Erika can definitely be summoned into Alteria.

"Erika and I only have each other left. If I really did die on Earth, then I'm sure she's heard the news. I bet she's mad at me. I bet she's crying with sadness right about now. Thinking why I left her behind just like her parents."

Lyrica thought it would be unfair of her to just leave Erika alone on Earth, while she gets a chance to have her desirable life in another world. If Lyrica decided to just leave Erika on Earth alone, she'll end up doing the same thing that everyone else did to her. She'll become like those people she despised more than anything.

"I know what it feels like to be left behind by people. I don't want to do what my parents did to me to Erika."

If Lyrica can start a new life in Alteria, then so can Erika. And so...

"That is why, I want you to bring Erika in Alteria."

Lyrica asked the voice to bring Erika into the world of Alteria. It was a very simple demand. But it showed how Lyrica, the girl who despises people, the girl who avoids people for the trouble they cause, still cares about someone.

Before long, the voice gave an answer to Lyrica's demand.

"I don't see any reason for me to decline."

"...!"

"All right. I will bring Erika in Alteria."

And the voice's answer was a resounding yes.

"But first, you have to show me that you're willing to do everything to change the world. Only then I can bring your friend... Or family."

With a newfound motivation, Lyrica clenched her fist with determination.

"I know that such a thing as changing the world is not an easy task to do. But I'll do it, I'll make Alteria a world of peace and quiet."

And thus, Lyrica's journey to unite the world begins.