Nnngh… Aaah…"
A questionable moan slipped from my mouth.
If anyone had heard that, I swear I would've died from embarrassment… though technically, I already had.
Anyway—let me start over.
My name is Dain. I was sixteen years old when I died. Just an ordinary high school student on Earth—average grades, average looks, average life. Not a hero, not a genius… or so I thought.
My death came fast. A building had collapsed. In the chaos, I noticed an old man trapped under falling debris. I didn't even think. I just ran in.
I managed to push him out of the way.
I didn't make it.
It was painful for a second. Then cold. Then… nothing. The world went dark, like someone had turned off the switch on existence itself.
And that's when things got strange.
I wasn't in pain anymore. In fact, I couldn't feel anything at all. My body was gone—or at least, I couldn't sense it. There was no sound, no light, no air. Just… a void. Silent. Empty. Infinite.
I drifted, weightless, like a thought without a voice.
Time didn't seem to pass, or maybe it did. I couldn't tell. Minutes? Hours? Years? There was no way to measure it. I just floated—calm, lost, and oddly peaceful.
Was this death? A soul wandering through the space between?
I had no answers. Only questions. And yet, somewhere deep inside, I felt something waiting. Watching. As if the void itself was holding its breath.
Then, all at once, light.
Then… something changed.
The stillness of the void began to stir, like a current pulling me in. Slowly at first. Then faster. And faster. Light bloomed from all sides, blinding, brilliant, like falling through a thousand suns.
And suddenly—
I opened my eyes.
I was no longer drifting. I was standing—somehow—in an endless black space, deep and vast like the universe itself. But it wasn't empty.
Stars. Not just thousands, but millions of them—tiny glowing lights floating around me, each one pulsing softly, like tiny heartbeats.
It was beautiful. Quiet. Mysterious.
Then, a voice echoed through the space, calm and amused, like someone had been watching me with interest for a while.
"Oh… this is unexpected. You didn't end up with the others. Your soul came to me instead."
I blinked, startled.
"H-Hello?" I called out, my voice small and uncertain. "W-Who are you?"
My words came out more innocent than I meant—soft, like a curious child peeking into a world far too big to understand.
The stars pulsed gently in response, like they were listening.
"Who am I?"
The voice spoke again—soft and feminine, yet layered with a commanding power that made my heart pause.
Before I could respond, a hand reached out from the starlight. A single, slender finger gently touched the underside of my chin, lifting it.
I looked up—and time seemed to stop.
She stood before me like a vision from a myth. Her hair shimmered like liquid gold, cascading down her back in waves that sparkled with stardust. Her eyes—impossible eyes—glowed with every color of the rainbow, as if they were made of living crystal. Her skin was smooth, pale, and soft like moonlight wrapped in silk.
A goddess.
Truly, there was no other word for her.
She smiled slightly, and her voice echoed again, closer now.
"I am the Goddess of Divine Authority."
Then, with a graceful motion, she stepped closer. Her presence was overwhelming yet gentle, like being wrapped in warm light.
She leaned down just a little, her eyes meeting mine with quiet amusement.
"Astridelle," she said. "That's me."
With a casual flick of her fingers, space itself rippled. A chair formed behind me—ornate, carved from glowing threads of light—and I found myself seated before I could react.
I sat upright, hands in my lap, like a polite child in front of a queen. I wasn't scared… just awestruck. Curious. Respectful.
"U-Um… I'm Dain," I said softly, glancing up at her. "Nice to meet you…?"
Astridelle moved with a kind of fluid grace, like every step and gesture was part of some celestial dance. She didn't walk so much as glide, and then—she sat.
Not too far from me. Just enough for me to breathe, yet close enough that her presence still wrapped around me like warm light.
She crossed one leg over the other, smooth and natural—and in that moment, her long, silken gown shifted just slightly.
I saw the curve of her thigh.
Pale. Soft. Shining like polished silk under starlight.
My breath caught, and I quickly looked up—straight into her rainbow crystalline eyes.
She was already watching me.
A knowing smile touched her lips.
"I suppose your soul really is special in some way," she said softly, her voice as gentle as velvet, brushing against the air. "It's rare for someone to drift beyond the usual cycle. Rarer still to land here—with me."
A delicate porcelain teacup appeared in her hand with a soft shimmer of light. No snap, no flash. Just effortless grace. She stirred it with a tiny silver spoon, her fingers slender and elegant, the liquid swirling in slow, hypnotic circles.
"If I offered you a second chance," she continued, not looking at me just yet, "you must understand—it won't be in your world. That door is closed."
She raised the cup to her lips.
Then she tasted it.
Her eyes closed, just for a moment, and her pink tongue slipped out to trace her lips—slow, unhurried, almost… playful.
Even beautiful.
Even a little seductive.
My heart thumped. I didn't know if it was nerves, awe, or something I wasn't used to feeling.
I sat up straighter, hands still neatly in my lap, trying to look respectful—innocent, like always.
"W-What kind of second chance…?" I asked softly.
"You already know it," she said gently, placing her teacup down with a soft clink that seemed to echo in the quiet cosmos.
Then her gaze lifted—slow and deliberate—until her radiant, multicolored eyes met mine. I felt small under her stare, but not in a bad way. Like a single note caught in a vast, divine melody.
"You will be reincarnated into a world I created," she continued, her tone steady and serene. "A world where magic flows like wind and monsters walk beneath moons. A place of power, mystery, and endless possibility."
I swallowed hard, eyes wide.
"I've… read about worlds like that…" I thought to myself, a flicker of recognition lighting up in my chest. "In comic books… and manga…"
Almost as if she'd heard my thoughts, her lips curved into a small, knowing smirk.
"Don't worry," she said, voice gentle. "It's wide. Very vast. There are infinite places—hidden valleys, floating cities, oceans made of starlight. You'll never be bored, little soul."
And then—she vanished.
Like a wisp of golden dust caught in the breeze, her form scattered and faded into the void.
I blinked, stunned.
"…Huh?"
Before I could even move, I felt something—warm fingers brushing against my shoulder from behind.
The touch was soft, almost comforting. It slid gently down, tracing along the slope of my back—and then I felt it.
Something large… and incredibly soft… pressing against me.
My body froze, unsure of what I was feeling. My thoughts scrambled.
Wh-What is this?!
Then came the voice—close to my ear, sweet and smooth, like silk poured over flame:
"I promise… you'll enjoy it."
"And… I'll give you some assistance," her voice whispered, still lingering in the starlit space around me.
Another flick of her fingers—graceful, casual, divine.
Suddenly, I felt that same soft, large surface behind me move… slightly up, then gently down. My back tingled from the sensation, and I stiffened, unsure if I should react or pretend it wasn't happening.
Then—pop—a book appeared before me, floating in midair. It spun slowly, its cover elegant and old-looking, with glowing golden letters I couldn't read yet.
"That," Astridelle's voice echoed again, "is the World Encyclopedia. It's locked for now—you haven't arrived there yet. But once you do, it will unlock, little by little."
I stared at the book, wide-eyed. "It's beautiful…"
"And for the second gift," she said with a hint of amusement, "I'll give you a guide."
I blinked. "A… guide?" I asked innocently.
"Yup." I could hear her smiling. "Something to help you grow—and increase your chances of survival."
A soft chime rang out.
Suddenly, a glowing screen appeared in front of me, transparent yet pulsing with soft light. Letters formed one by one.
> [Hello. Nice to meet you, User.]
[You may call me your System… or Ginny.]
My eyes sparkled. I grinned a little and tilted my head.
"Hi! I… think I prefer both," I said, still a little shy.
There was a brief pause. Then—
> [Understood.]
Pop!
The screen vanished in a soft sparkle.
"And now… for the last one," she murmured.
Her hands rose slowly—one gently gliding along my throat, the other cupping my chin, tilting my head upward. I didn't resist. I couldn't. My body moved on its own, like her touch had weight beyond gravity.
I looked up—and froze.
Her face loomed above me, radiant and mesmerizing. But half of it was… hidden.
Obscured by a soft, enormous surface—round, plush, and unmistakably divine.
My cheeks went hot.
"O-Oh…"
Astridelle blinked, then giggled softly. "Oh, sorry." She leaned back just a little, as if she'd read the very thought rising in my stunned mind. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, but her voice remained as smooth as silk.
I was blushing. I knew it.
Then, with a gentler expression, she placed her hand on my forehead. Her palm was cool, soothing, and filled with an odd warmth beneath it—like sunlight settling into my skin.
"I will boost all your base stats," she whispered. "And grant you a few additional skills as a starting gift."
A soft ding chimed in my ears.
> [Title Acquired: The Master of the Infinite Armory]
"H-Huh? Wha—" I blinked, startled.
"That's my gift to you," she said calmly, lowering her hand. "A title fit for someone special… And the skills? They're all in there."
She tilted her head ever so slightly, smiling as she pointed toward the floating book still hovering nearby—the World Encyclopedia, glowing softly.
"Use them well, Dain."
Just as I began to process everything—the title, the gift, the glowing book—her voice returned. Softer now, but with a gravity that pressed gently on my chest.
"Dain," she said, her tone calm, but unwavering. "If someone—anyone—were to make a wish… a wish strong enough to destroy the world… one that would erase countless innocent lives…"
Her crystalline eyes narrowed slightly as she looked into mine, testing something deeper.
"What would you do?"
The stars around us seemed to still.
My heart pounded. My thoughts stumbled—but not out of fear.
I looked up at her, confused… but then my answer came, quiet and natural, like breathing.
"I… I'd want to stop them," I said, my voice small but steady. "Even if I didn't know how. Even if I was scared. I'd want to save everyone… even the person who made that wish, if I could."
I looked down for a second, then back up at her with innocent eyes.
"Because… no one really wants to destroy everything, right? Maybe they just feel alone. Maybe they forgot how to hope."
Silence.
Then—
A breeze brushed through the starlight, as if the universe had exhaled.
Astridelle gazed at me for a long moment. No smile. No nod. Just quiet understanding.
But something in her eyes shimmered—approval, perhaps… or a faint sense of pride.
Astridelle watched me with those brilliant, crystalline eyes—quiet for a heartbeat longer.
Then, her lips curved into a soft, breathtaking smile.
"Okay… Are you ready?" she asked gently.
I took a breath, nodding once, my voice light but sure.
"Y-Yes."
She raised her hand once more, but didn't move just yet.
"You will be reincarnated into a world called Fleurodil," she said, her voice flowing like a sacred song. "A place of wonder and danger… and I think," her smile widened just a touch, "I know the perfect spot to send you."
With a graceful flick of her fingers, light began to gather at my feet—then spiral upward, surrounding me in a gentle cyclone of glowing energy.
I felt weightless again, my body lifting slightly from the starry platform.
Then—she appeared beside me.
Closer than before.
Before I could even blink, she leaned in—her golden hair brushing against my cheek—and pressed a light kiss to mine.
Warm. Soft. Divine.
My entire body lit up like a flame.
"W-Wha—" My face turned bright red, too shocked to form words.
She winked, voice playful.
"That's an extra skill."
"Wha—Wait—!"
But I didn't finish.
Suddenly, my body dropped—light shot downward, pulling me into the spiral. I felt myself descending fast, through layers of golden clouds and drifting stardust.
Above me, fading from view, the goddess watched in silence.
Then—just before I vanished—she whispered something softly, a language that echoed across realms but reached only her own ears.
"Sera'thalen, melune."
A blessing. A secret. Or perhaps… a promise.