"Huh...?"
The six-year-old royal princess Charlotte Frontera Magentano confusedly stared into the air, still half-asleep. At the receiving end of her gaze was the system message window.
"Random... Creature... Summon...?"
She had never seen this before. But ever since she was just a baby, she would see strange texts and hear unexpected voices telling her she had won someone's favor and some RP as rewards. The royal princess hadn't paid much attention to this, because the world was full of other interesting things to engage in, and because others were probably going through the same thing. In her mind, this was completely normal.
"...Creature?"
But it felt different this time. Charlotte quickly woke up from the slumber and examined the message again, as though she had forgotten about using the toilet.
[Would you like to perform a Conditional Random Draw?]
[YES / NO]
The child selected yes without even realizing it. She couldn't care less about anything else such as how much RP she had accumulated thus far, and how much it cost to perform the random draw. Nothing else mattered to her at the moment save the result that followed.
Ding-dong!
[Performing Random Special Creature Draw.]
The royal princess spent 500 RP. A small something transpired five steps in front of the little girl, on the floor of the bedroom.
Flash...
Pale light graced the luxurious rug, and it soon formed complex shapes to turn into a magical seal emanating mysterious glitters.
Wh-whoa...
Charlotte's small jaw dropped from the phenomenon. She knew not what was going on, but her little heart was beating fast with excitement.
Bzzt! The magical seal sparked, and something ascended from the floor. It flew towards the princess straight into her arms.
"Roo-roo!"
"...Whoa!"
Small, round butt, relatively large hind legs, smaller forelegs and paws, chubby tail, huge pupils, and round face, not to mention an adorable pouch by the belly. It was clear.
"A baby kangaroo?"
"Roo-roo!"
"Really? That's what you are?"
"Roo-roo! Roo-roo!"
"You're happy to be summoned for the first time?"
"Roo-roo!"
"I'm so glad to meet you as well!"
The small, cute baby kangaroo looked up at the princess from her arms. Charlotte quickly fell in love with the special creature and was overjoyed at the feeling of accomplishment. She had successfully summoned a creature of her own just like Papa had. This was her first special creature friend.
"Hehehehe. Hahahaha."
Charlotte jumped for joy in the spot with the baby kangaroo Roong still in her arms, who responded with a smile of its own. The royal princess glanced at Roong again and asked.
"Uhm."
"Roo-roo?"
"What about your mommy?"
"Roo-roo!"
"You don't have a mommy?"
"Roo-roo!"
"Don't you miss her?"
"Roo-roo!"
"I'm your mommy and family now?"
"Roo!"
Roong nodded robustly, before taking something out of the pouch.
"Roo-roo!"
"...Huh?"
Roong was holding a small piece of paper folded multiple times.
"Is this for me?" The royal princess asked.
"Roo-roo!"
"You want me to open it?"
"Roo!"
"...Okay."
Charlotte took the paper and unfolded it. Fortunately for her, early education in the royal capital had made her literate at a young age.
"Hmm. So this is the instruction on how to utilize you, Roong?"
"Roo-roo!" Replied Roong with glitters in its eyes. Charlotte quickly read the instructions.
[Roong Instruction Manual]
[Roong is an adorable kangaroo that needs your love and care.]
[Roong will remain absolutely loyal to the summoner. A special creature summoned this way is a life companion and family; please do NOT ever abandon the summon.]
[Roong can change its size by consuming the two types of sunflower seeds that are complimentary to the manual.]
[Red Sunflower Seed: It will turn Roong into a giant state. Giant form duration: 12 hours]
[Blue Sunflower Seed: It will shrink Roong back to its original size if consumed before the 12-hour duration expires. Roong will return to normal without consuming the seed after 12 hours pass, but will enter a state of fatigue and growth will be unavailable for the next 24 hours.]
[It costs 1 RP to purchase a set of 2-color Sunflower Seeds.]
[Roong offers a variety of skills while in giant mode.]
[Roong's Skills]
[Big Jump (Lv. 1)]
[Power Hug (Lv. 1)]
[Drop Kick (Lv. 1)]
[Recovery Pouch (Lv. 1)]
Whoa...
Charlotte was genuinely astounded. She still didn't understand what skills meant, but it certainly looked so cool.
What about this?
The child opened the small pack that came with the manual, in which were ten red and ten blue sunflower seeds. The color and shapes of the seeds were so fascinating, that she inadvertently grabbed some.
"Nom. Ugh. Ptoo."
But it did not taste great. Charlotte wiped her lips and stared at Roong.
"Roong."
"Roo-roo?"
"Do you really become big if you eat this?"
"Roo-roo!"
"Really? How big?"
"Roo-roo!"
"That big?!"
"Roo!"
Roong proudly stretched out its small arms.
"Whoa."
Charlotte wondered just how big was that big.
As big as Unco Ppodo?
Full of curiosity and anticipation, the little princess picked up a red sunflower seed.
"Roong. Can you eat it?"
"Roo-roo!"
"You want me to step back?"
"Roo-roo!"
"How many steps?"
"Roo-roo!"
"All the way there?"
"Roo!"
Charlotte quickly scurried off to the spot Roong pointed at, after handing over the sunflower seed to the small beast. She then watched ecstatically from the side, as the kangaroo consumed the red seed.
"Roo!" Nom.
And... the result was phenomenal. Roong now stood nearly forty feet tall.
Wh-whoa!
The floor crumbled from the weight of the enlarged creature, and the bedroom broke apart upon contact with the expanded butt. The head and shoulders of the summon also broke through the ceiling, and the furniture and fixtures in the process.
Crumble! Rumble! Crush!
The prestigious table passed down to all royal princesses of the kingdom shattered, not to mention the rocking chair, a cushioned sofa that served as the trampoline, the containers holding drawing and painting tools, silver candlesticks, and chandeliers. The bedroom of the royal princess had turned into an absolute shipwreck, but Charlotte hadn't sustained any injuries thanks to Roong's timely intervention with her enlarged hands.
"Whoa! Amazing!"
Charlotte's eyes sparkled with excitement. She was now holding a blue sunflower seed in her hand.
"This, too, then!"
"Roo-roo!"
The forty-foot tall, muscular kangaroo opened its mouth, and Charlotte threw the seed into it.
"Roo-roo!" Nom.
And the result was instant.
Poof!
Roong was a small, baby kangaroo again, as if it hadn't turned into a giant. Charlotte became ecstatic. She couldn't care less about the wrecked furniture in her bedroom.
"Let's do it again!"
She took out the red seed again.
"Roo!" Nom.
Crush!
The kangaroo instantly grew to forty feet again, breaking other heritage items within the bedroom. Guards on duty outside of the royal princess's chamber were flabbergasted by the mysterious event. They had been, ever since the first growth.
"Y-your Highness! Are you alright?!"
"Your Highness!"
"Urgh! The door won't budge!"
"Push harder!"
The broken bed and other fixtures had blocked the entrance to the chamber, causing the guards to panic outside.
"Break it!"
Thwoosh! Crush!
Each of the elite guards on duty was at least an intermediate sword expert. The door broke down along with the fixture blocking the path thanks to their endeavor, turning Charlotte pale in the process.
"...I think I'm in trouble."
The little child finally saw the catastrophic aftermath of what she had done.
"Roong. What should I do? I'm gonna be in trouble."
"Roo-roo?"
"C-can you take me and run away?"
"Roo-roo!"
Roong nodded robustly in response. In fact, the enlarged beast thought it was a walk in the park.
"Roo-roo!"
The kangaroo stretched out its enlarged hand and picked up the child cautiously, before placing the princess in its cushiony, comfortable pouch. Charlotte felt warmth and coziness from within, as she saw the system message window pop up again.
Ding-dong.
[You have entered Roong's pouch in giant mode.]
[Conditions for Roong's skill Recovery Pouch have been met.]
[Skill will activate immediately.]
[Recovery Pouch]
[You will recover from fatigue and most injuries with 20 times more efficiency while you stay within the pouch of Roong. It also offers unusual comfort of sleep, even to those that suffer from Swordmaster Syndrome.]
Stomp! Roong stomped on the floor while Charlotte was busy reading the message. The forty-foot, colossal, and muscular kangaroo then jumped forward and crushed the wall, leaping across in the air from a five-story height. The royal guards on duty by the royal garden saw something they could bring up again and again while having a drink with their friends.
Thump!
The landing was massive and shocking. But the beast stomped on the ground again, before it stopped shaking.
Stomp!
"Wh-what the hell is that?"
"Her Royal Highness has been abducted!"
"What?! Stop the beast!"
"S-stop what? Urgh!"
The gorgeous, well-maintained royal garden was no more, as the forty-foot tall kangaroo wreaked absolute havoc, uprooting trees and boulders from the ground and leaving royal soldiers panicking in its wake. The huge commotion reached the ears of Lloyd and Queen Alicia, who had been enjoying their beauty sleep on the bed next to each other, and woke them up.
"What's going on?" Asked Queen Alicia, looking out through the window.
"Uhm... That looks like a special summon," replied Lloyd, who was just as confused.
"Special summon? Like Sir Ppodong and Sir Bangul?"
"Yeah."
"How do you know?"
"Because that gigantic kangaroo just shouted out Roo-roo. And I can understand it."
"What did it say?"
"Well..."
"Speak."
"It said... I love playing with my new master! I love my master Charlotte!"
“...”
"So, basically..."
"That kangaroo was summoned by our child," the queen intervened.
"Looks like it."
"Are you hearing things?"
"No."
"Did you drink without my knowledge?"
"No."
"...Well, but our child isn't in danger."
"Except the royal guards probably are."
“...”
Lloyd and Alicia breathed a deep sigh at the same time as they looked out at the garden full of uprooted trees and boulders, through which the colossal kangaroo was frolicking joyfully. They then saw the face of their daughter inside the pouch of the creature, as well as those of royal guards who clearly seemed flabbergasted. Something had to be done. The wife and husband quickly made eye contact and changed into everyday clothes.
"Hang onto me, since time is of the essence."
"Okay," Lloyd followed immediately, as Queen Alicia carried Lloyd like the knight in shining armor carrying the princess and jumped out the window.
Step. Dash!
Having landed softly like a cat, Alicia did not hesitate to dash towards the gigantic kangaroo. Lloyd shouted out while hanging tightly onto her arms.
"Hey! Kangaroo! Stop it!"
"Roo-roo…?"
Roong paused for the first time at the voice of a human that sounded rather familiar and friendly. It was the first time it heard a voice like this aside from its master Charlotte.
"Papa...?"
"Yeah. Papa and mama."
"Ugh," said Charlotte, before completely placing her head inside the pouch.
"Daughter! Time to stop playing! You must go to sleep!" Lloyd shouted out more desperately.
“...”
"I won't get mad! I promise!"
"...Promise?" Charlotte took a peek out again and looked down on the ground. Mama and Papa were staring at her, but not with the intent to scold her.
"Of course! I promise!" Lloyd shouted again.
"Really?"
"Really!"
"But you're gonna say that wasn't what you meant."
"I promise as well," said Queen Alicia.
"Really?" Charlotte's response was finally bright. She looked at Roong and spoke.
"Roong!"
"Roo-roo?"
"These are my parents!"
"Roo-roo!"
"Time to eat this!"
Charlotte took out the blue sunflower seed and fed it to Roong, who became small in an instant. Lloyd quickly reacted and captured the falling child with his arms.
"There. I got you."
"Tee-hee."
"Tee-hee? This isn't funny, my princess."
"...But you promised you won't get mad."
"Well, I certainly did," replied Lloyd, before turning his gaze to his wife. "Tsk."
Alicia shook her head, and there was nothing else Lloyd could do except ask Charlotte what he wanted to know.
"Are you alright? Did you get injured?"
"No. I'm fine."
"Did you get hurt?"
"No."
"Okay, then how did you summon Roong?"
"Random draw!"
"...What?!"
Lloyd was astonished by his daughter's response. He had thought he was the only one that was able to perform such a task.
"You did... a random draw?"
"Yeah!"
"Did you by any chance... see strange texts in the air?"
"I did!"
The response that followed confirmed Lloyd's suspicions.
"I have RP too!"
"You have RP...?"
"Yeah! I had RP since I was a baby!"
"How much?"
"53!"
"Haha. Hahaha."
Lloyd burst out laughing. It was surprising and cute. But he was yet to be done.
"And some circles after 53."
"Circles?! Zero, you mean?"
"Yeah!"
"How many?"
Lloyd was flabbergasted. He finally realized that the child had seen the system message ever since her birth, and saved RP as she grew.
But she didn't show any signs, not because she deliberately tried to hide it, but because she thought seeing the system message and collecting RP was a natural thing that everyone probably did. It was so natural, just like water and air in the atmosphere. She probably didn't find this strange at all.
Perhaps she grew up thinking that everyone around her was constantly being harassed by such messages, Lloyd thought.
But zeros after 53...? The estate developer wondered just how much RP his daughter had. Maybe 530... or even 5,300.
Even that was an immense amount, as he had about 7,000 RP when he was battling the king of hell, and had gathered a little more than 20,000 RP in the past eight years.
Adorable.
Lloyd was delighted to know that the child he dearly cherished had inherited this strange skill and ability. It was cute that his only daughter had gathered what little RP she could like treasure. But yet another shocking information awaited him, as Charlotte folded and unfolded her small fingers.
"Uhm... One. Two. Three. Four. Four circles!"
"...Four?!"
"Yeah!"
"Hold on a sec. So you have... 530,000 RP?!"
"Yeah!"
“...”
Lloyd felt like he was struck by an extraterrestrial being from the galaxy. It was as if he was bragging about winning five dollars in front of someone who had won the jackpot.
"W-well, I see. Listen."
"Yeah."
"Daddy will teach you how to best use RP. Okay?"
"Okay!"
"Shall we go back and get some sleep?"
"But I don't have a bed. My bedroom broke."
"It's okay," replied Lloyd with a satisfactory smile, as he picked up his daughter and gently tapped his wife on her shoulders. "You can come and sleep with mommy and daddy."
It was time for the three of them to share the bed, and it was going to stay that way for some time. Lloyd turned around, looked at everyone, and spoke with a huge smile on his face.
"Right?"
