"Oh, nice. Let's see, we actually have a lot of uncommon ones around here... Time, gravity, metal, sound, ice cream - no idea how that works - and now psychic. Not a traditional fire or lightning slinger in sight. Is your Puchuu paying attention to you right now?"

"It's right over there, yeah, should I ask it to go?"

"...There's a few things they don't like to tell people. Like how we 'go away' for a while instead of calling it death and reincarnation."

"Ah. I think it used the word 'nap'."

"How cute. Their typical recruitment audience probably appreciates it more."

"Usually going for younger? I'm seventeen."

"Ten to fourteen, typically. Longer tail on the older side, almost none below that."

"Mmhm. What's the death rate like?"

"High, if you're active. But the reincarnation is high quality, does not feel like much, personality and memory all intact and accounted for. And consistent with old record cache for that matter. I speak from personal experience."

"Do you have to start over as a baby?"

"No. You are locked into a specific age and appearance. For me, unfortunately, that is 'ten', but the tradeoff made sense at the time."

"So you - respawn like a video game character? After how long?"

"It does vary. Years to decades, typically. I had the sense to put up an insurance policy, as it were. A trusted ally with a silver coin and instructions to wish me alive, so I was back the same day."

"Oh, that's not too bad, if it was same-day I could go back to my same family."

"Silver is rare, mind. Copper does cantrips. Bronze anchors a simple spell like alarm or magic light for a year and a day. Silver is where we get into serious wish territory. And only Puchuu and gods have gold."

"Can't I save some from my - awakening or whatever?"

"I mean... Yes, but bad plan. Coins right at awakening are massive. Massive. Extra powers, extra strength, twisting whatever forces try to make you disgustingly cute or make you wield an impractical weapon."

"Forces that what now."

"Has it not told you? You get a magic uniform and weapon, supposedly random, and coins can change this from something absurd to one more sensible. I don't know what yours would be."

"Why are they absurd?"

"Mine was going to be a full on ballroom dress, complete with corset and wire hoop skirt! Impossible to move and fight in! And gem-studded silver gauntlets for punching things. Luckily, a pair of bronze fixed that. I have a sensible dress shirt and trousers, and a gun. Though, not that this is unpleasant conversation, but perhaps we can focus on things Puchuu can't tell you?"

"Yeah, absolutely, what can't it tell me?"

"Quite a bit. Hmm, most of all, and this is the bit I am trying to keep from trumpeting too loudly, do you think ordinary humans are psychologically stable and productive when placed in an endless ageless war against monsters and have to deal with their friends and families growing older and dying?"

"Oh, probably not, but I think I'd take to it actually? If I can compensate for my incredibly disablingly bad balance."

"Magic makes you better in almost every way, I'm sure it will fix your clumsiness. But the thing is, Puchuu make a couple subtle... Adjustments. To keep you motivated and out of depression, you see. It seems to be the same for all new girls, Puchuu or god or lesser force, perhaps something innate about the process rather than designed? I accepted this, on balance, but I think a coin could probably prevent or change it."