《The Villainess' Purpose》


 1 - Welcoming Death With Open Arms

    Reincarnation was something I never really believed in, if I do say so myself.


    I wasn''t a hardcore Catholic. Yes, I was baptised when I was a baby but that didn''t mean I was going to be God''s most loyal servant when I grew up, did it? I don''t really know why, but religion was never something that crossed my mind frequently. It just... wasn''t my thing, you know?


    The same went with love, school, friends, family, and everything else. Even as a child I would walk to school not opening my mouth even once, and it stays that way for most of the day. I''d speak when I was talked to, but only for a bit. As a result, the other kids thought I was hard to approach and most likely boring as well so they stopped trying to talk to me.


    Years passed, and I went from being that quiet kid beside the the window to that. Just that. A thing.


    It''s as if I existed, but wasn''t an important piece in the board. I was no king nor was I a queen. I was not an officer nor even a pawn.


    I was simply there. An undeniably real, yet incomprehensible piece that served no real purpose.


    High school felt like a breeze. Fleeting. Not even leaving a memory I would have liked to remember when I grew older and had to reminisce.


    Well, not that I even had a chance to grow older.


    -


    It was May 14, 2018 when it happened. The memory''s still fresh in my mind even though I couldn''t tell exactly how much time had passed since then.


    I was thinking about a lot of things that day, as per usual, but the thought that victoriously stood at the top was:


    Man, it''s hot.


    Indeed, it was. The sweltering heat made my body sweaty, and despite just coming out of the shower around fifteen minutes before, I had a sudden urge to jump back in and hang out in the tub for hours on end.


    Still, I walked. I had somewhere to get to, and while summer sucked more than I would like to admit, it was a fact that it was going to be almost unbearably hot today. Duh, it''s summer. So I didn''t really complain.


    ...Much.


    The streets that were normally bustling with activity were... well, still rowdy, but not as much as I''d expected. I didn''t know if it was because the heat was too much to handle, or because it was Sunday and everyone had something to do. Usually, they had household chores. Or babysitting chores. I wouldn''t know.


    I knew I had to do something, though. It wasn''t important, but I thought it was interesting, so I made an effort to walk underneath the harsh glare of the sun although I''ve never gone out like this before.


    Yeah, I was alone. That part was unusual. Usually, my family would send a group of men that would tail me wherever I went, but since I had sneaked out of the main compound, I wouldn''t have to see their shady faces again. Honestly speaking, they unnerved me.


    And so I walked alone, no men in suits, no weird dress, just me, my shirt, shorts, cap, and wallet.


    My wallet contained around twenty-thousand yen. I had to take a big chunk of my money out of it because I saw in the internet that the city had many bad guys who might take it from me. Now I''m left with only a fraction of my monthly allowance. It made me feel a little naked. It''s weird.


    Remembering what I read in the site, I pulled on my cap and instinctively inched closer to the buildings.


    Bam.


    An unknown projectile crash into the my right leg, making me lose my balance. I stumbled for a second before regaining complete control over my weight and turning to the--


    "Oh, sorry!"


    --little girl.


    I stared blankly at the blonde girl with shimmering blue eyes that only sparkled more beneath the sun. Despite wearing clothes akin to rags, she still stood out, and in a good way.


    ... Adorable.


    She rubbed her nose and looked up at me with droopy eyes that looked slightly teary. "Miss, I''m really--"


    She suddenly paused mid-sentence and gaped at me. I blinked. She continued to stare at my face like she''d just seen something shocking enough to traumatize a little girl with blonde hair and sparkly blue eyes.


    Oh, wait. Huh? I feel like I just thought of something humorous but kind of dead, if you catch my drift. Well, never mind.


    She was still staring. Was it creepy? Should I consider it creepy? I didn''t really know. And I didn''t care enough to know.


    I blinked one last time at the little girl. I leaned down just enough for our faces to be on equal height, then patted her hair, mumbling, "It''s okay." The little girl looked even more surprised at the action, but she didn''t say anything. I immediately stood up and walked past her.


    That was kind of embarrassing.


    But oh, well.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I didn''t even know the kid. Everyone thought I was weird anyway so this encounter didn''t really mean much to me.


    After walking for a while, I finally found my destination.


    A video game store.


    Wordlessly, I reached out to push the doors open when I saw my clenched fists.


    Clenched... fists...?


    I loosened my grip, then placed my palm flat onto the glass door, before pushing.


    Why was I angry?


    I didn''t really know. And I didn''t need to know, so I didn''t try to know. Instead of dwelling on the past (0.00000001 second ago is considered something in the past), I stepped inside the store.


    Looking around, I felt slightly taken aback. There were tons of games displayed on the wall, merchandise of both anime and games that I have watched and played more times than I could count, and of course, manga.


    I could almost feel my eyes shining at the wide assortment of entertainment as I walked. I didn''t let it bother me too long, though. I had something to do.


    I walked a bit before ending up in the games section. If my eyes could shine brighter than they were right now, I was positive I could be a human source of light. A star? Not quite what I was hinting at, but better, so I''ll accept it.


    Then, I found it.


    The limited edition for the game I''ve wanted ever since it came out. The second installment of the game I loved the most.


    Complete with 3 hidden routes and the already amazing plot made better.


    The cashier guy let out a gasp when I practically teleported in front of him, but I paid him no heed. I simply slid the game closer to him and muttered. "Just this, yeah. Thank you."


    The guy stares at my face for a bit longer but gets to work anyway. After giving him the money and ignoring the receipt he gave me, I walked out of the store.


    I continued walking with my gaze plastered onto the cover of the video game I just bought.


    Springtime Serenity. An otome game created by a video game publishing company that was slowly but surely making its way to the top. The thing is, the aforementioned company wasn''t rising because of this game. In fact, SS was the reason why they''re still not at the top despite the amount of four and five - star reviews from gamers all over the world.


    Springtime Serenity was a complete and utter failure.


    It was the first game Eyeline, the company that gave birth to SS, had ever published. And it didn''t, to say the least, gather a lot of positive reviews.


    "this shit sucks."


    "so many bugs wtf why is this still being sold"


    "crappy character development"


    "holy shit nothing in this game even makes sense"


    These are only a few of the harsh comments SS got since its release, and some of the milder ones, too. The others could almost be considered harassment, but of course, no one in the company spoke against them.


    As for me, I loved SS because I saw art within it and just completely fell in love with it.


    Too cheesy? Well, honestly... That''s just what I felt when I tried playing it.


    First thought... There were so many glitches. Clicking one choice only for the game to process the other, thus giving you the exact opposite of the ending you wanted. It was annoying. The art was good, yes, but a lot of video games have great art these days. It wasn''t anything special.


    What I completely fell in love with was the storyline.


    It was deep, meaningful, and absolutely mesmerizing. Other people said it didn''t make sense, and that it had crappy character development, but that''s because they never saw what the game was trying to show them.


    It was never about love, no. It wasn''t about the nobles, crown princes, or the heroine acting like the typical doe-eyed clueless cinnamon roll you see in every game.


    It was about reality. A metaphor, filled with millions of possible interpretations. A world with endless possibilities.


    It showed the darker side of humanity with words that people found hard to understand.


    The truth behind the world. The reality that others were too blind to see.


    That''s what the game represented for me.


    But few can appreciate art hidden in the shadows. So while everyone else continued to spit and step on the name of SS, I continued to play the game repeatedly, at least 8 hours a day, clearing every route, even the hidden routes, and achieving both the bad and good endings.


    Then, I noticed something.


    In the game, there was something really weird going on, and whatever it was, I didn''t know, but I had some theories.


    But up till now, I haven''t had the chance to test it out.


    Not until they announced the release of the second installment that is.


    I couldn''t help smiling as I walked, probably attracting weird stares despite my attempt to hide my face from public view. I think I was still doing a good job hiding it, though. After all, some of my classmates passed by but they didn''t give me the look that they always directed towards me at school.


    They thought I was weird.


    But that''s okay.


    I had another world with me anyway. A sanctuary.


    My refuge from everything else.


    I hugged the game case close to my chest.


    Then I heard a voice.


    A familiar one.


    My grip on what I was holding loosened a little, and I looked up, only to see that face again for the second time today.


    "Lady, I''m so sorry!" There she was. That girl who bumped into me around half an hour ago.


    She was standing near beside the road, with just a step between her and the pedestrian crossing. There was a lady in front of her, I noticed, and they were surrounded by a small crowd that was steadily growing as the seconds passed by. I paid no mind to the others and stared at her instead. Her head was lowered, her cheeks red, and her eyes tightly shut, as if she was scared of something. "I''m really sorry!"


    Not knowing why, my heart clenched. And despite the emptiness in my mind, I found myself walking closer and closer to the two people that were causing a commotion.


    Then the woman spoke. Her voice was cold, ruthless, and demeaning.


    "You little bitch!" The lady shrieked. "You did it, didn''t you? Give me back my wallet!"


    I felt my grip on the game case tighten once more.


    I saw the girl look up at the lady with the same glassy look in her eyes that I''d gotten a glimpse of before.


    "N-No, lady, I-I didn''t," she stuttered out, looking up at the lady with teary eyes hoping for even just a trickle of faith. "Please believe me... Ana wouldn''t do something like that..."


    But, of course, would reality be so kind as to grant a bit of leniency to a child?


    Yeah.


    No.


    "You even have the decency to ask me something like that!" The lady fumed, and even though she was facing the opposite direction, I knew this wasn''t going to end well for the kid.


    "But lady--"


    Stop.


    "Children like you should just rot away in some ditch like the maggots you are!"


    Stop.


    This time, the tears that the girl was trying to keep at bay broke free. Her hands formed into fists. Fists clenched so tightly you could see the veins beneath her pale skin.


    Stop.


    "B-But that''s..."


    I stared at the truck that was coming nearer and nearer. Unstable direction. A panicked driver.


    Stop.


    "I''m sorry, lady," the girl said in a weak voice. "I-I... Ana only wanted to help... I didn''t know... Didn''t know he''d take it..." She sniffled.


    Looking at some of the coins on the ground, I think I got the gist.


    Lady drops wallet and spills its contents on the floor with no one voluntarily helping her aside from one street kid dressed in clothes that could barely be called such.


    Probably something like that.


    The lady acted like she never heard the child speak. "You bitch, stop talking and give it back to me!"


    My eyes widened slightly when she backhanded the little girl. The little girl stumbled backwards, holding her cheek and looking up at the woman with fearful eyes. The crowd did nothing but stare and whisper among themselves.


    I looked up again.


    The truck was close.


    Too close.


    Then I looked back at the girl, and met her gaze. Her ocean blue eyes radiated a strange mix of fear, hope, and helplessness.


    She''d seen the world, but she wasn''t giving up.


    It was that moment when something just kind of clicked.


    I didn''t know exactly how many seconds it took, how the people stared, or how my cap got knocked over the wind, but I felt my legs move.


    It was so fast.


    Everything felt like a blur.


    I was moving, and then I wasn''t.


    That was all there was to it.


    But I felt the warmth pooling around my body and the rough texture of cement. The smell of smoke filled my lungs, and I could feel the initial numbness slithering away, only to be replaced by a maddening dose of pain that paralyzed my already still body all over.


    I heard the screams. I saw the people staring at me in disbelief. I couldn''t see them properly anymore though. Everything looked like blots of colors now.


    I could feel myself gasping for air. My sides hurt, and despite wanting to touch them, I remained motionless. I wanted to do something that could maybe ease the pain a little, but I couldn''t move.


    "Call an ambulance! Hurry!" I heard someone yell. My eyes flashed in their direction, but instead I found myself staring at the little girl.


    Her eyes were glued on me, and I could almost see the fear in them. Again, I felt something inside me.


    That something just made me want to protect her, whatever it was.


    For some reason, even though my quivering lips made it hard to do so, I mouthed something that made tears flow down the side of her face once more.


    My breaths were starting to become scarce. Each one made it feel like someone was scraping my lungs with pieces of broken glass. I knew, in a few moments, that it was all going to end.


    The last thing I saw was the little girl running towards me.


    And so I whispered the words I mouthed, wishing that she''d be able to hear it somehow.


    "...It''s... okay..."


    And then that ceased to exist.


    Or so I thought.

 2 - Empty Space

    Black.


    There was nothing but black.


    It was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes, and even now, everything''s black. No changes. No ripples. No color.


    Nothing.


    Wait, did I even have eyes?


    Whether I did or didn''t, I had no way of knowing. I would''ve liked to say that my curiosity was bothering me, but it wasn''t. I wasn''t bothered, nor was I curious. Peaceful, maybe? But no, it didn''t quite feel like something so... positive.


    I felt empty.


    Drained of who I was supposed to be.


    Who was I?


    Who...


    Who am I?


    These questions filled my being. Questions about myself... selves? I wasn''t sure. I wasn''t sure about anything. My speculations held no grounds. I had nothing but inquiries and uncertainties--nothing that can provide an answer.


    In other words, I was stuck at a standstill.


    But I knew one thing.


    I...


    Continued to exist.


    -


    I didn''t know how much time had passed since I first ''woke up''.


    Time was a foreign idea to me. I knew how to count, yes, but the words weren''t coming. I had ideas but lacked the knowledge to express them.


    Because I wasn''t alive.


    I existed, but had no body.


    I lacked the most important aspect to process thought more thoroughly than I could at the moment.


    Life.


    I needed life.


    But I felt conflicted.


    Emotions welled up in me and fluctuated constantly, only to turn back into the empty void that was the initial state of this self of mine. Somehow... Those emotions never felt like my own.


    Except the confusion.


    And the haunting feeling of desolation.


    I was alone.


    I knew that.


    Why was I alone?


    Why was I here?


    How was I capable of thought?


    Why did I lack feelings except for a few that were unrelated to being sad, angry, happy, or shocked?


    Why did I not remember anything?


    I knew I was dead.


    But why did I still exist?


    What...


    What was my purpose?


    As time passed by, the thoughts and questions that came to me became more and more numerous. I asked about everything. I thought up theories about my own questions. I didn''t have anything else to do, anyway. I had no one with me. My knowledge was void. I seemed to have had something that I believed in sometime ago, but it felt like that part of me had been forcefully pulled away, my consciousness being unaware at the moment.


    Just like every other part of me.


    Which made me ask another question.


    What makes me... me?


    And every time I thought about it, a series of questions would follow. All of them, I''ve asked before, but remained unanswered. Strangely, somehow I knew I was making progress.


    I lacked everything else, but I had awareness.


    I knew.


    I had the ability to think for myself.


    And of course, I also knew.


    That something like that was extremely odd for a soul.


    Yes, a soul.


    I knew.


    I don''t know how exactly, but the thoughts that came to me said it all.


    In truth, I could''ve answered some of my own questions, but whenever I was close to doing so, I start to feel faint. The answers become blurry. Thoughts become scarce, and I fall into a deep sleep, only to wake up bombarded by new questions.


    I exist, and am a soul.


    And for the first time since I started thinking and feeling, a new one made itself known.


    Desire.


    I wanted to be someone.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I wanted to have an identity.


    I desired the validation of my existence.


    And then he came, bright light and all, wearing all black, a scarf around his neck, and separate pieces of cloth covering both his upper and lower body.


    His skin glowed in contrast to his dark clothing, pale--no, translucent, even. His hair was a shade of blue that came closest to being black than anything, and his golden eyes glimmered with wisdom and mischief, as well as unconcealed amusement.


    "Child," a deep voice boomed throughout the space, yet his mouth remained unmoving. "Why do you exist?"


    I paused and stared at him. A smile was etched on his face, neither mocking nor happy. It was just there, as if it was naturally supposed to be there.


    "I don''t know," I thought.


    I was taken aback when I heard a voice that came with the words I thought of. It was neither deep nor high, but somewhere around the middle. It sounded more like a whisper than anything else.


    He raised an eyebrow, the amusement his eyes clearer than ever. He took more steps towards me, each one exuding elegance and calmness, his gait seemed to contain way too much certainty for his being to be considered human.


    A new feeling bubbled within me. I looked up at the man, who was now closer to me, within arms'' length. The new emotion, which my consciousness dubbed as ''curiosity'', coursed through me as I thought, "Are you God?"


    The man paused, then chuckled all of a sudden. I stared at him, waiting for a reply. He stopped laughing, but kept the amused smile on his face. His golden eyes seemed to glow brighter in his mirth.


    "My answer depends on which God you are talking about, little one," the voice hummed in the space we were in. This time, I wasn''t taken aback.


    Hearing his answer, I kept staring at him, the intensity of my gaze increasing by the minute. There was something in the back of my mind--knowledge, I presume--that was pulsing, throbbing in a way that was almost painful, as if wanting to break free. But my limitations won''t allow it.


    "I.." I began, but found myself unable to continue. I had no words left to say. Or rather, I couldn''t push through the invisible barriers that kept me from the knowledge I used to have.


    The knowledge that I might never reclaim.


    Still, I touched the strange area within me, and felt the ripples that tore through me right after. What was supposed to be gentle, brought me pain much worse than everything I''ve ever experienced.


    "Oh?" The man started, a hint of surprise in his voice. Unlike before, it held no underlying amusement, only genuine surprise. "The little one is capable of touching the rift?"


    He examined my intangible self as I floated amid the empty space that was slowly but surely suffocating me. Not that I had to be concerned about it since I didn''t have a physical body to begin with. Shock made its way onto his face bit by bit.


    "Little one," he started, "How can you be aware of everything else after death?"


    I didn''t reply, simply looking--uh, focusing my attention--on him. What was I supposed to say anyway? That was something I myself didn''t know the answer to.


    "This, these emotions, living the life of a mere human yet achieving enough for the soul to contain traces of Divination," he gasped, eyes wide. Somehow, despite not knowing him prior to this meeting, I felt like such an expression was more than a little out of character.


    "How in the world..." He ran a hand through his hair, still in shock. "I''ve never heard of a case like this before. What are you?"


    Again, I said nothing.


    Noticing my lack of response, the man closed his eyes and sighed, rubbing his nape. "A human soul halfway to the first stage of Divinity... And one that has its own awareness, immune to the System''s laws, even... Not to mention..." His gaze went back to me, drilling deeper, as if searching me for answers. Unfortunately, I was empty.


    Existing, but empty.


    The man blinked, and for some reason, I had a feeling he could read my thoughts.


    "Oh, yes, I can."


    ...At this point, I didn''t even know how to react, so I just stayed silent. The amused glint in his eyes returned.


    "In fact, I know who you were, where you lived, how you died, why everything happened to you... I know everything about you, child. And now, it''s my turn to ask," he crossed his arms, observing me with narrowed eyes, "How are you not destroyed by the those things yet?"


    I was positive I was creating question marks out of thin air at that point.


    "Those things?"


    "Yes." The man sighed. "You know, I''m really not supposed to be telling you this but since you''ve violated a lot of laws anyway, what''s another, right?"


    So, I''m breaking laws simply by existing. Perfect.


    "It''s not that bad..."


    I saw his face twitch a little when he tried to smile reassuringly.


    ... Not that bad, huh?


    "Actually, it is," A hint of a scowl showed on his defined features, but quickly vanished, returning to the weird smiling face he had before. "Well, those things tend to hunt abominations such as yourself, but I think I can do something to prevent that."


    The smile on his face widened, to the point where it could be considered charming instead of a reserved smile like the one he had a few moments ago. It felt a little wicked, though. It made me wonder what this man--I''ve really got to ask for his name already--was thinking about.


    He started pacing while I watched from a slight distance, not ''saying'' a word.


    The things he was referring to were just one of the things I was aware of yet am forbidden to know about. I knew they were there but I didn''t know what exactly they were. And the stuff I felt about them weren''t pleasant. Not one bit.


    It felt... disgusting.


    My chain of thoughts was interrupted when he paused in his steps, his head suddenly whipping in my direction. For some reason, his eyes twinkled with an emotion I wasn''t entirely sure of. And I didn''t exactly trust that gleam.


    "Soul," he began, "Do you want a chance at another life?"


    A ripple went through my corporeal self. Except it wasn''t the pain-inducing, torturous one that acted as punishment when I tried to reach into the ''rift'' as the man said. Or rambled. I was just eavesdropping.


    The feeling was more... pleasant that I would have liked to admit.


    The grin was etched on his face, one eyebrow raised teasingly. "Do you want to have a new identity? Unbound by the rules of this plane?"


    I had no clue how I could understand what he was saying, but somehow I was aware of the ''plane'' he was talking about, and the idea he was proposing was starting make the ripples within me bigger and bigger.


    Each one more... emotional than the last.


    "Is that a yes or what?"


    Yes, I thought.


    But first, I would like to hear an explanation about some th--


    "Alright, then, reincarnation it is!" As soon as he said that, he jumped and floated around like he owned the place. And he probably did. This space, anyway. Any traces of seriousness vanished from his face, body, and even aura. I don''t know how I knew that, but I did.


    "You know, little one, it''s been a while since I''ve had some fun, and I''m so bored!" The image I had of him as an elegant man shattered into pieces. Divine? Elegant? Childish was more like it. "And so, you''re gonna help me have a bit of entertainment and counter this undying boredom of mine, at a cost."


    He cleared his throat.


    "You will be reborn, and any restrictions placed on living things upon birth will be rendered invalid. Or cancelled, if you will," He smiled. "This doesn''t necessarily mean that you will be invincible, though. Keep that in mind."


    I paused to take in what he had just said. The idea of rebirth should''ve taken longer before it sank in, but it felt natural for some reason. The ripples felt really nice.


    "Okay, then! Since everything''s been said now," he beamed and pointed a finger at me.


    "Off," Yellow light started building up from the tip of that finger, "You..."


    I was too entranced by the light to hear the sound it made as he fired it.


    "Goooo!!"


    It made a little bouncy noise when it hit me. But despite it sounding so cute, the impact was no joke.


    I was flung backwards with no chance to even react.


    The space I had resided in for years upon years, maybe even decades or centuries, was starting to fade from my view.


    Yet even from that far away, he shined, almost like a light at the end of the tunnel.


    Wait.


    What was his name?


    I never got to ask.


    Just then, a strong force started pulling me in. Shocked, I resisted, but I could only do so much in my current state.


    Then I started falling.


    The light he radiated was gone, and everything was dark.


    Just as that same darkness crawled over me, I heard a voice echo around me.


    "Young one, I''ll be watching you. And do not worry, despite my title, I can keep promises if I want to."


    A screech followed, and everything started getting blurry.


    "My name is Loki, child, and I will be your Guardian. Good luck."


    Those words were the last ones I heard before my consciousness faded away.

 3 - Conscious

    My consciousness came back like fog.


    My memories were muddled, my thoughts crashing desperately yet vaguely into my mind, and my awareness present, but weak.


    It felt like I was there, but wasn''t, all at the same time.


    It stayed like that for a few moments. And when my turbulent feelings settled down a bit, I opened my eyes.


    I didn''t know exactly what I was expecting to see, but when I saw trees and leaves and the warm sunshine trying to peek through them, I felt... weird. For some unknown reason, the strangely familiar sensation of my pulse quickening made itself known. Not long after, my breaths began to come out in an uncontrolled, ragged manner. A sinking feeling in the back of my mind made my stomach churn.


    Ignoring the slightly disturbing feeling, I slowly got up, supporting my weight with my arms that were shaking slightly even though it didn''t seem like I was particularly heavy. As I did so, I caught sight of my forearms. Again, I wasn''t sure what I expected to see, but seeing thin, lanky arms covered in soot and dirt just added to the feeling of weirdness that was settling in my gut. I shook my head and looked up, taking in the sight around me as I stood on my feet.


    I was in a forest.


    A rainforest, to be exact.


    Everything felt damp, so damp it was almost too uncomfortable. Especially since I wasn''t used to feeling . The animal noises I was anticipating hadn''t come. There was simply silence. No birds, no howls, no crickets...


    Nothing.


    Just me, the wind, and the constant dripping sound of drops of water hitting solid surfaces.


    The unease increased tenfold.


    Wait.


    I froze.


    How... Can I feel these things?


    Familiar and unfamiliar...


    Discomfort...


    Unease...


    A soul isn''t supposed to have the privilege to feel, and myself being a little different from others shouldn''t be enough of a reason for this to happen.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    So why is this happening?


    Suddenly, my throat felt dry. My eyes seemed to stay focused on the dry earth I was stepping on, but in truth, everything was blurry. The blood running through my veins was gradually becoming colder and colder and eventually, the idea of movement became a distant reality.


    Why? What''s happening?


    Why me?


    Where am I?


    What the hell am I doing here?


    While I stood--trembling all over as my eyes burned a hole into the ground--a sudden name came to mind.


    Loki.


    And with that thought, a somewhat transparent bluish box made itself known with a little pop that resounded in my head like a bomb.


    I had been barely holding on to my consciousness during my episode, but when I saw what was written on that box, whatever hold I had on myself was completely blown away.


    [ Hi. ]


    For some unknown reason, as I read that statement, a voice read that very same thing out loud.


    And it was an extremely familiar voice at that.


    ...Wait.


    Huh?


    [ Yo, it''s Loki. How''s your new life goin''? ]


    Ah.


    Shit.


    ___


    Loki blinked at the portal.


    Then he turned to a man clad in black armor.


    The god had a complicated expression on his face. After a few moments, he opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. This was repeated a couple of times before a word finally got out of his mouth.


    "She fainted."


    "..."


    The way Loki said it almost made the armored man slap his hand on his forehead. But with his respect for the lord, he opted to keep his hands by his side and spoke in a slightly strangled voice.


    "... Yes. She did, master."


    Loki stared at the portal which showed the figure of a young girl laying on the ground, her pale skin almost glowing underneath the glare of the sun.


    "...Why?" Loki muttered, "I didn''t do anything wrong, did I? Were there problems with the unification of the body and soul? But the vessel was empty..."


    Before Loki could mislead himself even further, his companion spoke out.


    "Master, I don''t think that''s it."


    Loki looked at him. "What could it possibly be, then?"


    "I think she''s just starting to process the shock of... Well, your existence," The man coughed out, his expression beneath the obsidian helmet slightly distorted. "You aren''t exactly something that humans from that realm consider real."


    Loki stared at him for a second, before looking back at the window portal, humming in agreement. "I know. But I don''t think that''s it."


    "Eh, then maybe it''s the memories coming back," the armored man muttered thoughtlessly, his gaze focused on the same thing that his Lord was staring at.


    A breath passed.


    Loki stiffened.


    The man blinked.


    Then their eyes met.


    "Memories...?"


    Loki gaped at the portal.


    "They''re not supposed to exist anymore," he whispered under his breath. "I made sure of that...!"


    His voice rose in volume and despite his face desperately trying to look like something between angry and scared, the interest that flashed in his golden eyes betrayed his efforts to portray a sensible reaction. The man in the armor simply stared at the portal, speechless. Loki didn''t know what expression he was making either. He never really takes his helmet off.


    "I wonder if she''s that soul Hades used to talk about..." Loki muttered under his breath, the beginning of a smirk forming on his lips.


    All of a sudden, a loud bang resounded throughout the space white room, shocking the master an servant pair out of their stupor.


    Following the thunderous noise was a female voice that was more than capable of bringing millions of men to their knees if they heard even only hum of it.


    "Loki."


    The god froze in his seat.


    That voice... He was very familiar with it.


    "Loki," the gentle voice called out for a second time, and was, for some reason, laced with the venomous sharpness similar to that of a snake''s fangs.


    His throat felt somewhat dry.


    "Loki."


    A slight warning.


    Loki refused to move.


    The newcomer sucked in a breath, as if trying to hold herself back.


    "Child, do tell me--"


    Loki felt the cold, instantaneous embrace of the wind, and along with it, as if riding on the gale, appeared something similar to a distortion in space, almost making the god knock himself over as he desperately tried to stay away.


    In a split-second, the inhuman thing that suddenly appeared in front of him slowly settled, and in its place stood a tall woman with platinum blonde hair. Her beauty was something that could never amount to anything less than ethereal, and her green eyes shone with controlled wisdom and dominance.


    Loki opened his mouth to explain, despite the woman not having said a thing except his name just yet.


    "A-Athena, I--"


    Unfortunately for him, the goddess never intended to listen to his so-called explanation that would most likely just be a masterpiece of firmly woven lies.


    She walked towards him with slow, elegant steps, then suddenly disappeared, only to flash right before his eyes, her accusing green orbs staring into his guilty, frightened golden ones.


    "What did you do this time?"

 4 - Vessel

    I awoke to a world of white.


    Letting out a small groan, I raised my hand to cover my eyes, momentarily blinded by the brightness that filled my vision all of a sudden. Why was it so bright anyway? The last thing I could remember before I passed out was seeing a tiny, slightly transparent blue box.


    Oh. There was also that person. Loki, if I remember correctly.


    Recalling the times I''ve met him made everything seem increasingly ridiculous. And I bet, with my luck, everything was just going to get worse from here.


    Wordlessly, I lifted my arms a little to take a look at them. I didn''t have a chance to do so before due to my sudden losses of consciousness, but now that I had... I was really thin. Too thin, almost like I''d been starved for days. It was bad enough to describe myself as scrawny. I never had to refer to myself as such in my previous life. Despite being slim, I was still healthy, and I ate the same amount as every other person did. I never had to go on a diet, though, since I never ate too much in the first place. Currently, however, it seemed like I was just as unhealthy as I looked. I could feel my ribs sticking out of my skin, and some belly fat. I supposed I was a milder version of a malnourished kid. It hadn''t helped that I felt just as hungry as I looked.


    Ah, now that I think about it... I haven''t even eaten anything yet. My saliva felt sticky in my mouth. I frowned. I didn''t even want to remotely try to smell my breath.


    Putting a hand on my stomach, I raised my head and looked around me, and was surprised a little.


    I hadn''t been aware of my surroundings until now because I''d been too busy thinking about my present situation, but it seemed that I was taken somewhere. Now, usually I would''ve been alarmed and would''ve tried to find a way out at once, every other thing thrown aside. But I didn''t think I had to.


    The room I was in was not very big. It was probably as small as my former bathroom, but it did the job, and felt very... comfortable. Every piece of furniture, and even the room itself was made of wood. It didn''t look like it had been assembled by someone particularly skilled, but it was pretty impressive nonetheless. Pretty fancy for a cabin in the middle of the woods if you ask me.


    That made me pause for a bit.


    Was I even still in the woods?


    At this point, if I had not seen the food prepared on the table, I''d have bolted.


    But since I saw the bowl filled with porridge and egg, as well as the sandwich on the side, I supposed I''d have to throw that thought away.


    I stared at the food, all too aware of the hunger in my system. Every cell in my body wanted to just grab  and eat everything all at once, but I refrained from doing so. Despite the apparent warm treatment directed at me, I still wanted to determine the other person''s intentions first. After all, I was just a girl in the woods. Stick thin, filthy and barely alive. What use would I have to anyone?


    I couldn''t help but feel doubtful.


    So I waited.


    But it seemed that someone couldn''t.


    A suspiciously familiar blue box materialized a few inches away from my face, displaying the text:


    [ Hello, my young champion! ]


    And accordingly, a certain God''s voice entered my ears.


    I blinked, and stayed silent.


    Loki didn''t.


    [ So, what have you eaten for dinner? Want to get something with me? ]


    My eyebrow twitched at his overly casual words. He made it sound like everything was perfectly normal. Even his manner of speech made it seem like we''d known each other for years. It threw me off guard a little.


    I mean, he reincarnated me. Into another world. In a used body. Well, it''s the body of a girl that didn''t seem to be any older than six, but I wasn''t sure. I hadn''t seen myself yet anyway. Just my arms and legs.


    I mean, he was the one behind my reincarnation. It had been uncalled for and, frankly, unneeded. I could''ve just been reborn normally like everyone else, but he simply had to interfere with the process, and for his own amusement, no less. He didn''t seem very responsible to me, and gave off an air of a powerful but naive person of higher society. It was inevitable that I''d resent him a bit.


    [Ahem. Dinner?]


    Dinner, he said.


    I turned to the window. It was open, and despite the filmy curtains obscuring my sight slightly, I could make out the stars littering the vast, navy blue skies and a strangely purplish... moon. Nighttime?If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Suddenly, my stomach growled, and very loudly, too.


    I waited for the feeling. For the blood to rush to my head, and for the thoughts about the ground swallowing me or something. For the tiniest sliver of shame.


    But I didn''t feel anything out of the ordinary.


    I licked my chapped lips. Uncertainty about my own-- though yet unfamiliar--body coursed through me.


    I heard a gasp. [ What? You haven''t eaten yet. ]


    I shook my head, then realized that he might not be seeing me at the moment. I spoke, albeit very slowly, "Ha...ven''t..."


    Strangely, the language I used hadn''t been the same one I used in my past life. It sounded a little like French, but a bit different. A little rougher. And I had never learned French in my life, yet it felt completely natural. My throat was dry, though, so it hurt a little.


    [ Eh, you know how to speak Erylian? ]


    Loki''s voice contained a hint of surprise.


    I almost nodded again. "It seems... so...?"


    I thought I heard him mumble "truly spectacular" but that''s probably just me.


    [ All right. So, do you want me to--oh... ]


    I was half-expecting him to jokingly offer me something knowing that I''d feel conflicted just for the sake of it, so when he suddenly went quiet, I couldn''t help but raise my eyebrows. And, as if he could read my mind, Loki cleared his throat and explained, his words still displayed on the blue box. It was like someone was typing it as he talked. Considering the sheer absurdity of my current situation, I wouldn''t be surprised if someone actually was.


    [ Um, don''t be so weirded out--]


    I snorted.


    [--but I can see you from here. ]


    ...Oh.


    Well, that changes things.


    Maybe it could have been something that I considered creepy. However, my usual thoughts weren''t present. If anything, I felt more relaxed knowing that he could see me. I didn''t know if it was because of the security that the attention of a God brought with it, or if I was just too trusting. At the same time, I couldn''t sit still. My body alternated between having my fingers rub the blanket and shifting at the slightest sound that entered my ears.


    It wasn''t long before Loki caught onto my unease.


    [ Is something wrong? ]


    His tone seemed more curious than concerned. It made me feel a little like a test subject under the hands of a scientist. Whether he was mad or not was still up for debate, however.


    As if on cue, I suddenly flicked my wrist and winced when it emitted a cracking sound.


    "Just... a little jumpy," I murmured, knowing full well that he could still hear me, and examined my forearms.


    [ Oh, well that--]


    This time, my shoulder popped, and pain flooded my senses completely. I let out a small whimper before I caught myself.


    [--doesn''t look like just a little. ]


    I bit my lip at his remark, my free hand flying to my left shoulder and gripping it tightly as the pain traveled my veins slowly. Harsh, shallow breaths left my lips as I opened them ever so slighly, resisting the urge to scream.


    Then the pain was completely gone.


    Like it had never been there at all.


    I didn''t have a chance to relax, though, because the next thing that popped was my neck.


    And for the second time since I woke up in this world that I didn''t even know the name of yet, I fainted.


    Somehow, I had a feeling that my track record was just going to improve over time.


    Come to think of it, I still hadn''t had a bite of anything.


    _


    Loki stared at the portal with wide eyes.


    "Well, that was... " A smirk gradually graced the God''s features. "Quite interesting."


    He didn''t have to turn in the knight''s direction to know that he''d been scribbling something. Loki hummed a tune happily, twirling his body before crashing onto a bed that had materialized out of nowhere. He stared at the skies that stretched for miles, suddenly deep in thought.


    "Hey, Thor," he suddenly called out.


    Th man in black armor stilled for a second. Then he turned to Loki and let out a breath. He seemed frustrated, but with the helmet, no one other than Loki could really tell. "I would prefer it if you refrained from calling me that but what is it, Master?"


    Loki turned over so he was laying on his stomach. He set his chin on his hand and stared at the black knight. "Does vessel adjustment happen right after souls reincarnate?"


    Thor stayed silent for some time. He also stopped writing. He simply stayed in the same hunched position, his head turned in his master''s direction.


    Somehow, Loki felt like Thor was insulting him quietly.


    "What the he--" Thor cleared his throat before the word fully slipped out of his mouth. "Excuse my mistake. I meant, master, vessel adjustment only happens when souls ascend to godhood."


    "What, so it doesn''t happen when someone gets reborn?"


    Thor resisted the urge to hit the god with the clipboard in his hands. "Of course, it doesn''t. How would their spirit manage to adjust physical objects anyway anyway? Besides, bodies only go under vessel adjustment when their current state is unable to handle the influx of stellar energy."


    Loki furrowed his eyebrows. "What stellar energy?"


    The black knight gaped at Loki under his helm. "Master, stellar energy is what all Gods as well as humans absorb in order to attain an immortal body." It''s the thing that keeps your dumb ass alive, he wanted to add, but he opted to bite his tongue.


    "Oh! You mean cultivation?"


    "...Yes, master."


    Loki suddenly took on a weird expression. It looked somewhat like a cross between questioning and excited. Thor only thought that it was creepy.


    "Then why did she have to go through it at this time?"


    All of a sudden, silence reigned between the two people. The black knight was shocked stiff, while a grin was slowly forming in Loki''s face.


    "She? Did you mean that soul that you found in Hades'' plane?" Thor asked slowly, and each word that rolled off his tongue made him feel as if he was saying something utterly ridiculous.


    "Yes... Yes!" Loki''s face was split by a wide grin. Thor felt his excitement all the way from the door which was about 3 meters away from him, and he couldn''t exactly blame him.


    This wasn''t normal.


    Vessel adjustment was a process that a body is required to go through once the storage of stellar energy inside it reaches a particular bottleneck. To be precise, it happens because mortal bodies were fragile and would be unable to bear the violent nature of divine stellar energy, which the Gods absorbed and lived off of. It wasn''t something that happened to a child, and one that had yet to start cultivating, no less.


    Souls never transmigrated to a body of a dead person in the first place.


    None of this was normal.


    And Loki loved it.


    A sigh escaped Thor''s mouth. "I swear to God, you have the weirdest methods of having fun."


    Loki faced him. Then, he grinned. "Which God?"


    "...You''re hopeless, master."