(Ah, this feels nice. The light’s warm, but not too hot. I’m probably dead right now aren’t I. I’m gonna miss the cake shop man.)
“I’m glad to see you enjoy this place. Have you come to now?”
Kei opens his eyes and looks around him and he can see and feel the faint white light around him. It’s the warmth of a summer breeze passing by while idly laying grass he thought to himself. As he turns around he sees an old man in clad white.
“Ara, looks like you’re fully awake now Kei-dono, do you recall the events that occurred before hand?”
(Events… This must be the afterworld, it’s all too peaceful. Wasn’t I making a delivery? Ah, that’s right. The kid just bought a cake from the store and he was about to crossing the road. I feel bad for his cake, it’s probably ruined after I pushed him away.)
“I think that’s the least of his problems, you do remember that in the process of saving the kid, you sacrificed yourself instead.”
“Ah, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was speaking my mind… was I?”
“Hmm, you know by now, most people would start to panic and make assumptions about this place, but you seem rather calm. May I ask why?”
“Well, it’s not that I’m calm, but rather I accepted the fact I died. I mean what else could I be expecting after jumping in front of a speeding truck. Somehow surviving the impact and gaining superpowers or something? Though that doesn’t sound so bad.”
“Well then, not many have the resolve to accept their death, not as quickly as you perhaps. Do you have any last words, not that it counts anymore.”
“Ummm, the cake in the fridge is gonna spoil, such a waste of a good cake.”
“... ok, why not. Well since things settled faster than anticipated let’s talk about what’s to happen now. As you may have noticed, I am the God that watches over your Earth and the universe before it. Kei Tatsumi, your soul has passed on from your body and you have been given the chance to relive your life in another world as you see fit.”
“Another world you say… if I did that, is there a chance that I can perhaps meet my family again?”
“I’m sorry kei-dono, but as there are many stars in the sky, there are just as many possibilities of where your family members reincarnate, and even if you do end up where they are it’s a slim chance that they will have their memories intact. The same goes for you.”
“Oh, I see.”
His expression seems pained for a bit, but he returns to his casual smile.
Name: Kei Tatsumi
Age: 17 years old
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Family: father (deceased), mother (deceased), sister (deceased), grandmother (deceased)
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Status: orphan, high school boy, part time worker at a cake shop, friends with everyone
“From the looks of your life, I’d say you lived a peaceful yet a lonely life. Though I can’t do much, but if you choose to live another life you can make a small wish, rather a resolve. But just take your time and choose which path to take. If there was anything you regret in your past life, now’s the time to let it all out.” - God
Hearing this Kei makes a pained face again. Remembering all the time he yearned for a warm home.
“Regrets, if anything, I regret not having a family. I closed myself off to anyone else, I guess. Maybe, perhaps someone liked me or something, I don’t know. But all I wanted was to be with someone.”
Plop, ripple, plop, ripple.
He sees the floor beneath him break apart into a ripple and then another one. Kei reaches for his smiling face and he realizes the ripples were caused by him. How many years has it been since he felt his eyes wrinkle.
sniff
“It was … it was hard. DAMN IT, WHY DID THEY HAVE TO ME LEAVE ME LIKE THAT, WHY?”
As he falls to his knees, Kei weeps of his sorrow like never before. It’s been too long. As the God watches over him, Kei looks remembers the shadow of his childhood, the one where the little boy just heard the death of his family. The one who didn’t cry at his family’s funeral cause the little boy was too young at the time to accept their death, rather he refused to accept it. All of it came crashing down on him.
***
After awhile Kei regains stops and comes to an acceptance. He sits on the rippled floor and looks up to the God before him.
“I’m ready to choose now.”
“Oh, looks like your rather refreshed now Kei-dono.”
“Yeah, I had to accept it sooner or later, I’m just embarrassed that I chose now.”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, rather it’s good to let it all out you know”
“It’s been awhile since I heard someone tell me that. Thank you.”
“No no, it’s the least I can do to help you transition yourself. Now then have you decided?”
“Yes, I choose to live another life. If my resolve holds anything, then I wish to live a life with the people I care about.”
“I see” A smile appears on the God’s face. “Well we hope that you can live the life you wished for.”
“Thank you” (But we?)
“You’re in the process of your soul getting transferred in another place, and by we, I mean the blessings from both me and the God of the other world. After hearing your wish, he decided to give you a gift of vitality, the other world is different from here. Legends of swords and magic of this world exists in the other world. Oh, looks like it’s time. Godspeed Kei-dono.”
“WAHHHH” Dumbfounded by the sudden news, a bright light shines around him, sending his soul to the other world.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After some time, Kei feels light pouring into his eyes. He feels a slight sway to his body.
(Huh? What was that? Wait, where is God-sama? … Wait is this the other world? HUHHH? WAIT WAIT WAIT? Am I alive yet?)
Kei opens one eye and he adjusts to the sun’s light.
“Oh, finally awake kid. Sorry I took so long, if I knew the state of your being, I would’ve done ‘em in faster.”
A burly man with a heavy beard and a receding hairline came into his vision. From the looks of it, it seemed that Kei was being carried by this man, and that he wasn’t himself anymore, but a little kid.
Giving a blank stare back to the old man, Kei fell asleep again.
sigh “I scared another kid. Damn it, what am I supposed to do about it? I can’t help looking so strong. Psh, well I can’t believe this kid is still alive after all that. Maybe he can be my successor, agh who knows, I’ll save it for later.”
Behind the man a caravan was set on fire along with the people tied to it. The caravan seemed to have cages attached to it, but it was burning away peacefully.
Name: Eren Brave
Age: ??? years old
Race: Dwarf, ???
Gender: Male
Status: ???, wise one, axe wielder, blacksmith, caretaker of orphans