I would be happy to meet my family again, but not in this place. This is the Afterlife, as Anubis has explained.

"Are you all dead?"

"That's not important now, sister Seria. I'm happy to meet you again," Vivy said, hugging me. She's taller than I remember. I just noticed my soul is in Seria's appearance, not Ruby's. "You know how sad Vivy was when she heard sister Seria passed away," she added, starting to cry.

"How many years have passed?"

"Five!"

Five years have passed on Earth, while it's been only almost one year for me.

"Big bro Hiro, have you found a girlfriend yet?" I turned to my big brother after my sister finished her hug.

"Fortunately not. Your big bro has been focusing too much on his work," he said calmly.

"You should take some rest too, big bro."

"I did."

I then turned to my parents.

"Papa, mama, I—"

"You still can't express your feelings. You never grew up! I heard you caused so much trouble for your new parents!"

"No... Papa, I—"

"I'm glad you're still yourself."

He then hugged me, and I slowly hugged him back.

"Talk to your mother. She has many things to discuss."

My father then pushed me towards my mother. I smiled awkwardly, remembering I didn't have a good relationship with her in my last life.

"Have you found anyone you love?"

"Huh? I... No."

"So you don't love us?"

That's the reason I hate her.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now? This is probably the last chance we can talk, but you're still talking shit!" I screamed at her, letting out everything I've kept inside all this time.

"Good. In the future, keep talking like that. Express your feelings so people know how you actually feel. Don't keep pushing yourself to avoid hurting other people's feelings or expectations. Be more honest with yourself."

"You..."

A scale appeared out of nowhere.

"Time is over, Seria. I shall grant you the honor of witnessing how Reincarnation works," Osiris declared.

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Osiris descended from his floating chair, dividing into four entities as he approached each member of my family.

"If your heart is lighter than this feather, you will enter a new life as a human. However, if your heart is heavier, you will be reincarnated as livestock for 50 lifetimes."

Osiris extracted their hearts and placed them on the scales. The scales remained motionless.

I couldn't hear my family's conversation, nor could I approach them. They walked towards a massive door that had materialized.

I wanted to say this one last time.

"FUCK YOU, SUCKERS! I LOVE YOU ALL!" I screamed, raising my middle finger.

They all smiled and vanished into the light.

"It is also time for you to return to the middle world. Do not dare cause problems in the cosmic realm again," Osiris warned as he returned to his levitating chair.

"Can I use your authority?"

"To some degree."

"Thanks."

"Anubis, guide her."

"As you wish, Sir."

I returned to Chronos' space.

"How was it?" His face looked gloomy.

"Why did you do that?" I asked him about his intention to make me meet my old family.

"I needed to sever your attachment to your previous world."

"Wait, does that mean you killed them?" My mind was in chaos, immediately jumping to negative conclusions.

"I'm not that crazy. They died a long time ago, things are dire—the gods of order will have a heart attack if this continues," he said, his forehead wrinkling.

"What happened?"

"In your language, you'd call it a dungeon break. It happened in your old world. Don't worry, we gods will solve this problem in no time."

"So my family was involved in one of those?"

"Yes. Just focus on your current world. Remember, things happen because they must happen. Please don't ask anymore," he said, unleashing his godly aura. It made me feel nauseous.

"O-okay."

"Remember, focus on your current life. Anything happening on the other side isn't your concern. Regarding Anima, I used you as my pawn to make her fall. I'm the one who kept sending you invitations to the mobile party."

"So I'm not useful anymore?"

"..."

"Why aren't you answering?"

"Return to your world, Ruby," he said, pointing his finger at a spot.

"Fine..."

I walk away to the door Chronos opened for me.

"Until you find out your identity, I will not permit you to come here by yourself unless I pull your soul to come here," he said.

"I won't ask anything right now, but be prepared for next time," I replied.

"Sure, you'll be able to ask anything if that happens."

"What do you mean 'if'?"

"Bye, don't ask your parents for clues, okay? It's cheating."

He pushed me with his aura to enter the door. I woke up on a bed.

"What am I supposed to do?" I muttered.

I started crying, unable to process what just happened. Suddenly thrust into gods' drama, nearly sent to hell for helping a stranger, learning my family on Earth had passed away—it all made me lose motivation to improve my magic.

Oh... Could I use my authority to open dimensions, go back to Earth, and use time authority to return to before the dungeon break and save them? But Chronos warned me not to think about it. What if I was the one who caused the dungeon break?

"What have I gotten myself into?!"

"Ruby! Ruby!"

I heard someone calling my name. Right, my current name is Ruby—Seria has been gone for a year now.

"Fa-Father!"

He hugged me, and I felt warm and comforted. I slowly calmed down as my mother poured me a cup of hot chocolate. I drank it while wiping away my tears.

"Is she okay now?" I saw my grandfather walk into my room with Uncle Luke.

Yes, I have them now. I should focus on them. I'll learn magic to protect them. I won't let them suffer the same fate as my previous family.

I should thank Chronos if I meet him again... if...

"Sorry for making everyone worried!"