I collapsed to the ground, gently pressing both hands to my chest as I tried to calm my racing heart. That black knight had been astonishingly fast and skilled with his sword. If my reflexes had been any slower, I would have been run through.
Still shaken, I looked at Si Nan Xiao—or, more precisely, at the book in her arms.
It was huge and thick, with incomprehensible symbols carved into its brown leather cover. A strap and buckle ran along the edge to fasten it shut, making it look just like a spellbook from a fantasy novel. If I remembered correctly, that black knight had burst out of this very book. Could it be some extraordinary Spirit Artifact—or even a Treasure Artifact? Or was it her ability?
"I'm terribly sorry. I was too impulsive!"
As I pondered this, Si Nan Xiao suddenly bowed at a ninety-degree angle, her long hair trailing all the way to the ground.
"Um... it's fine. I was in the wrong, too."
I stood up and met her eyes, but after less than a second I looked away again. We both lowered our heads and fell silent, once more trapped in that awkward atmosphere of "feeling like we ought to say something, but not knowing what to say."
"..." "..."
"...That thing just now—was it your ability?" I tried to break the silence.
"...Yes."
She'd answered. That was a start! I should take the chance to build a rapport—and maybe ask about her ability while I was at it.
"Can you summon characters from books? It looked pretty powerful."
"It's not as if I can summon anyone I want. They have to be characters I've 'invested my feelings in.'"
"Invested your feelings? So the black knight just now is a character you like?"
"No. He