Chapter 2
"The Beginning."
...Odd.
I was just minding my own business when my sight turned black and now, I'm in a… uh…
Room? I wanted to say it was a room but it's too dark. Well, there's a strange illuminating flash near me but from the way that my surroundings don't reflect it could be the indication that this… 'room' is massive.
Vast.
Is it even a room? I don't know. Or maybe I'm just blankly standi-
Oh, I'm sitting. Let me repeat that.
Or maybe I'm just blankly sitting on a chair while I was in the wilderness with nothing but wastelands in a certain radius from here? Like I said, it feels strange.
Why am I even telling these things to myself?
'...Nothing came to mind when I wanted to recall what happened before.'
He looks up, down, right, left! But it's just him, this wooden chair, and darkness.
'So… wonder what the culprit's objective…'
A light pillar.
Huh.
Penetrating the darkness within his surroundings and as it dispersed, came out a blue-haired woman.
Is this even a woman? Like…
It's like someone who was just meant to be perfect looking when they were made by artists in a painting. And he could witness such a person before his very eyes. In reality.
And surprisingly, because of how surreal she looks, he isn't really attracted to her. It's just too unreal. There's this boundary that separates reality and imagination and while this woman appearance nearing perfection, she looks too imaginary.
How could anyone look this perfect?
"Haha! Greetings, Mortal! I, from the above, have descended before your very pathetic presence. Let me introduce myself-"
"Why am I here?"
"Have your parents taught you to not interrupt a person when they talk?!"
"Not since 15, and before you said such a thing, please take a look at the mirror."
Magically, a small mirror appeared on her hand and she just stared at it for a moment. Face muscles in motion later and she looks back at him and scoffs.
"What do you mean? I look gorgeous!"
He stared blankly, brain trying to proceed with the recently acquired information in the middle of confusion.
Alright, let's be positive here, maybe she just-
"Oh? Maybe you were too amazed by this self and couldn't comprehend it? Hahaha! Mortals, as always, are amusing to watch their foolishness."
"No no, I mean, you interrupted me in the middle of my life and now, you are accusing me of being a disrespectful person who likes to interrupt people?"
"You don't know that!"
"...It's too apparent."
"So what?! I have the rights!"
'What kind of person would say such an excuse?'
"Do you even understand what I was saying?"
"You said you wanted me to look at myself through the mirror."
"Yes, I said that, so do you know what it means, right?"
"..to look at myself?"
"No no, the other meaning."
She just looks at him blankly and blinks a couple of times continuously. A few minutes have passed and she's still in the same state. Really?
"You do know, right?"
He has a conclusion about this individual but he doesn't want to accuse a person based on an occasion-
"You're playing tricks, aren't you?! You are a lowly being! Dare to deceive the above ones?! I may forgive you for this one occasion, but make sure you watch your attitude from now onwards! Or else!"
"To reflect, I mean."
"Oh. Well I did, Idiot. I reflected on myself in the mirror and witnessed perfection."
"N-No, the other aspects of yourself, I mean. You know, the attitudes, heart, uh… brain?"
"You think I'm gonna rip myself?!"
She even skipped the attitude part…
"Perhaps you have the "ID Space 10 Space T" syndrome?"
"ID… Space 10, Space and T… syndrome? What sort of terms have you mortals made? Hoh?! You're trying to play tricks again huh?"
It's like talking to a person whose mind is so narrow he doubted that an atom could go through. And trust him, is freaking difficult. Really, really difficult.
"Whatever! Whatever! Now quiet mortal. This esteemed one has been told to grant you an opportunity. A chance so you could contribute, and be seen as a useful person by the people."
Well, that's mean. He's not useless.
...right?
"Before I start, I have to introduce myself. Which didn't proceed because YOU selfishly interrupted me. Tsk, what an uneducated mortal you are."
...yeah… right…
He simply stared at her in deadpan. He really wanted to be that guy who frantically asks the culprit who possibly was the one who knows what's going on but… Nah.
Watching the culprit's attitudes, he's worried he might get Alzheimer instead-
And with that, he merely nodded at her. If he replied with words, he might be spouting insults subconsciously. Worried that she would actually punish him or turn confused that could possibly branch to pointless conservations.
She smiled at him and sat down on a throne that appeared out of nowhere. Strange, but not enough to surprise him. Anymore, at least.
And with a cough as the start, she began.
"Ehem, my name is Aqua, the Water of Goddess-"
"The Goddess of Water-"
"Shut u-!"
"-Aqua-sama."
She silently stared at him in suspicion, and he just shut his mouth. He has another speculation about her. It's so easy to guess that even he's certain anyone could do it! Well, except idiots.
A brief period and she nodded haughtily. Which he snickered internally.
"Ah, it seems like you do understand manners, huh? Haha! I was tricked by you once again. I'll give you another chance, but don't interrupt me. Or else."
This person really likes to laugh haughtily
"Yes, of course."
Without even thinking hard, he could tell she is obviously the kind of person who got swayed easily with courteous façade.
"Let me continue. My name is Aqua, the Goddess of Water, and I stand before you presently as your guide. And you might ask, "Why?" Well! Because you are the chosen one to get this marvellous opportunity!"
"What opportunity?"
"Ah, screw the script, I'll do it on my version. Go to heaven. Reborn. Reincarnate. Choose one."
"Umm… the details, please?"
Going to heaven is good and all but he was pretty sure he's not a diligent prayer. Plus, he heard from a source that before you could enter such a holy place, you have to be cleaned first from your sins. Where? Obviously, hell.
Which makes sense. Sinners couldn't go to heaven. And he, as a human, definitely has done things that are against the will of God.
Revealed to such a place, he couldn't deny that divines and above ones exist. He's not that narrow-minded. Though the attitudes are what he was shocked at.
...yeah, he doesn't really want to dig deeper.
Move on to the other options.
Reborn, and Reincarnate.
Reborn is a process where a soul is reborn as a new person, started as an embryo within a pregnant woman and couldn't recall what happened in their past lives.
Reincarnate, on the other hand, is a system where a person was completely recreated as what they were before. Same age, same attitudes, same memories, nothing was different from the life they have lived. Except for... appearance. It could be random. You could be a baby, a teenager, an adult, or even an old man!
So… he couldn't choose carelessly. He needs the details first!
"Heaven filled with abandoned people and wandering souls with nothing to do but interact with others. Reborn to the world you lived in. And reincarnate in a medieval-themed world with a game system as what you are-"
Ah yes, of course. Nothing good came with no shortcomings.
Fuck though.
It's already expected, but still, fuck.
The third option isn't that bad thou-
"-Oh, also, for the third option, a wish of yours will be granted. To accompany you through the world… and to defeat the demon king himself. And also… uh… screw it! I forget it anyway!"
...
Ignoring her last phrase so anxiety wouldn't invade, from the three options, the third one is definitely the best. Demon King is scary and all but he already heard such a name like, thousands of times already.
Nothing but interacting with others? Yeah, no. Just no. Reborn to that terrible world? Nu-uh. He could gamble to be reborn with a happy family but no. The chance is probably like 12%.
So… the one that makes sense to choose is the third one. And while he knew the terrible occasions that happened in the medieval era, he couldn't deny that most of him was yearning for such a place. Why?
Obviously, shows. Fantasy-themed anime. You know, those sorts of things.
And seeing the near-perfect looking person before him, what kind of NEETs wouldn't recognize where this is going?
Was greeted by such a being(a fool though) and be told that a wish could be granted to accompany him through a medieval-themed world? Even he's not that oblivious.
"Third one, please."
"Ah! As expe- I-I mean wonderful choice, Mortal! Alright, choose a wish."
"Are there some options or I just… wish whatever I want."
"Hmm, you're perceptive. I admit, you are really cautious compared to others."
Others?
"It's common sense though. Why would I ever want to choose an option carelessly that could possibly change the course of my life?"
"Anyway, go choose. Raeppa!"
A spell, he guessed. And with a mere wave of her hands, papers come raining down from the unreachable ceiling. He already saw a couple of mystic occasions since he was here, but seeing papers raining down is still really fascinating.
"Oh, and I have a warning. You can look throughout the wishes within the papers but do not place your opened palm on the paper. Unless it was the one you chose."
"Affirmative."
Weird.
He just nodded at her words and started to look for what he was looking for. Honestly, while this choice could drastically change the course of his life, he doesn't really feel anxiety. Or tense, or even doubt. He just…
Go along with it.
He liked the things he wanted to come true. But a person said that one day, when we get the things we want, as the time goes, we will… lose our satisfaction towards them, and we will want more. More, more, and more.
Going to something bigger and bigger is applaudable. But the things we enjoyed, cherished, treasured will lose their worth in our eyes. And he actually was concerned about it.
What if he got something that became powerful as time went on?
Let's make a scenario. If he acquired such an item, when he just started, he might enjoy the adventurous life. But as time goes, as the item gets stronger, the intensity of fighting the enemies in that world he will get in will be reduced. And the enjoyment will just… cease.
And while greediness could take over him to choose such an item, if it even exists. He's more attracted to enjoyment. Why?
A game he played in the past. RPG, medieval-themed, multiplayer and F2P. The game was made by the developer purely for fun. And it was really popular.
He grinds, grinds, and grinds. Hunting monsters, using tactics, struggling to kill them, and when he won, he would celebrate and laugh. That is a satisfaction, an enjoyment, a pleasure.
But when he became one of the top players, all of them were gone. And he got bored of the game. A game that could have made him literally jump on his seat is now a worthless time-consuming game.
While he just used a game as an example, what's the difference?
And from thereon he learnt a lesson. That while life is a struggle, it's… Not entirely filled with it. You could pursue, fight, seek. But take days off, enjoy what life has to offer and don't be excessive. Free yourself from your thoughts and just do whatever the heck you want. Don't be greedy, as they'll lose their worth in your eyes when you get them because of your greediness.
What's the point? After you get them, you'll pursue something better yet again.
He smiled slightly, searching through the sea of papers to find the right one.
'You know, I was in doubt when they said perspectives are really essential. But now I get it.'
...Ah.
His eyes lighted up, picking up the paper he was searching for. Surprisingly, the goddess noticed his sudden movement and negligibly widened her eyes when she saw what's in his hand.
"...What? W-What moron? Why would you pick that useless thing?!"
"Hey! Don't judge me."
"I could judge you without your consent Mortal!"
"Anyway, so I just placed my opened palm on the paper?"
She stared at him blankly, and he stared back. Two blank gazes staggered each other, before she sighed and shook her head.
"Ah… what dumbass I've met."
'Says the one who doesn't even know the ID 10 T syndrome is-'
"Shut your mouth!"
"...You could read my mind?"
Then why didn't she use it beforehand?
"Haha! Just realize? What possibly could not be achieved by this esteemed one? Hahahahaha!"
Figuring out such a person is just asking for constant perplexion. So nope, not going to ask her why.
Nu-uh.
"...right, so, can I continue the procedure?"
"Yes, yes, go on, go on."
He gave her a last disgruntled look before solely paying his attention to the paper in his hand. This wish might be worthless, and stupid in so many eyes, but for him, this thing is worth everything.
And what's the wish?
A Life No One Could Ever Own.
Life, what is life? What's its purpose? What's the meaning? What's the goal?
But with this blessing, life isn't a purpose, is not a meaning, or a goal.
Life is a place, where you fight, and cherish. Fight for what you pursue, and cherish what you do. In every single second of your life.
Enjoy your life to the fullest!
Type: State of Mind and Heart.
Consequences: No Advantages.
What's the point of being able to enjoy life to the fullest when you have to struggle too?
That's the fun part!
Not all people are greedy and trickery. Some people just want to enjoy and feel the pleasure life could bring.
Not all people think they deserve everything they have no matter how they got it. Some people just enjoy the feeling of being able to get what they have fairly by their own capabilities.
Diverse these sort of things are really important, after all. Though often it was overlooked...
He didn't really care about it, but now's different. He'll live his second life, and he sure as hell don't want to live it like he lived his first one.
Just to pursue, chasing things that required him to do something he hates...
What's the point of repeating the same course?
Of course, some people considered it. But not him.
Let's just enjoy this second chance.
"Alright! Place my opened palm on the paper and-!"
"Wait, you moron! I haven't given the tutorial yet-"
Shrink!
Edit: As always, mistakes. Gotta fix em.