章 2: Afterlife Encore

"Huh?" My voice echoes in the void again.

The woman on the throne remains silent, her eyes filled with clear amusement, as if reveling in my confusion.

'Okay… Take a deep breath,' I tell myself, attempting to regain composure.

'This... totally looks like an isekai situation! I mean, come on! Just look at this shit!'

My mind races as I try not to freak out.

I gaze back at the stunning woman.

'No matter how you slice it… that's definitely a goddess…' I conclude.

"Ara, you're right! Full points for you!" The woman/goddess interrupts my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.

"Heh, I was righ- WAIT JUST A SECOND!" I suddenly shout.

"You just read my mind! Those are going to be your next words, right? Well, yes, I did just read your mind. I wouldn't be much of a goddess if I couldn't do that, right?" A playful smile graces her face.

I stare with my mouth wide open as my mind settles.

"Umm… so… what's going on? What is this place? Who are you, and why am I here? Didn't I just die a minute ago?" I slowly ask for answers.

"Hm… those are a lot of questions, kid, but to answer your questions in order…" The playful smile on her face widens as she swiftly addresses my queries.

"This is your afterlife. We are currently in the Celestria Nexus, more commonly known as the Nexus. I am the strongest Origin Goddess in existence. I have many names, but I won't bore you with that. You are here because I have a proposition for you, and that's why I have snatched your dying soul from the Karmic Cycle of Reincarnation and summoned you here."

"And finally, yes… you're, in fact, dead as dead can get." she finishes and takes a long breath.

"Was that all, kiddo?" She asks.

"…" All I can do is stare at her in silence.

I hold the bridge of my nose in silence as I process her words.

'So I really am dead, huh?' The moment I reach that conclusion, I look back up at her.

"So um… Miss Goddess… What's going to happen to me now? What is this proposition you mentioned earlier?" I ask the two biggest questions on my mind.

The Goddess looks at me with interest.

"You're handling this with surprising calmness. I half-expected you to freak out and turn my carpet into an abstract art masterpiece by barfing all over it…" She says with that same playful smile again.

"I won't do that! And what carpet? We are literally in space!" I shoot back.

"Hm? What are you talking about? I'm talking about that carpet." She points at my feet.

"What?" I look down and see myself standing on a white fur carpet.

"Alright haha, very funny…" I was about to respond but then I realized.

'Oh shit, I'm talking to her casually. She's a goddess for crying out loud!' I yell in my mind.

I look up and find her barely able to contain her laughter.

"Pfft… hahaha… haaa… It's been thousands of eons since I have last laughed. Consider that a big achievement, kiddo." A beautiful smile spreads on her face.

I sigh as I open my mouth again.

"So? What this proposition you mentioned earlier, Miss Goddess?"

She settles back down on her throne, putting a finger to her cheek cutely.

"Hmmm… How do I say this? Eh, I'll just say it outright. I want you to do me a favor, but first…" She points at me as her beautiful amethyst eyes shimmer for a brief moment.

"Human… What is your greatest desire?"

"I want to be free…" Before I even realized it, those words had already escaped my lips.

"Eh?" I put my hand up to my mouth as I look back up to the goddess.

She has a meaningful smile on her face as she leans back onto her throne again.

"I am offering you a second chance at life… In exchange, I ask for a favor…"

My mind goes white as I instinctively mutter.

"Eh?"

'A second chance at life?' My dull eyes regain their lost shine again.

I immediately shake my head.

'No, there's a catch… there's always a catch…' My eyes narrow as I stare back at her again.

"What favor can I possibly do for you? I'm just a normal guy…" I ask her.

"It's no use asking me. It's not time yet. Even if I want to tell you, I can't. The Veil of Silence restricts me," She sighs, setting her eyes back on me.

"Huh? Didn't you just say that you were the strongest Goddess in existence? I am surprised something can restrict you…" I ask her in doubt.

Her eyes twitch a bit as she puts her chin on her hand.

"Allow me to rephrase; dismantling that fragile seal is well within my capability, but the aftermath repair poses quite a challenge. Furthermore, if I disclose my request at this juncture, it might prove more detrimental than beneficial for you." She says with a cute pout on her face.

'Why did she start talking formally…?' I think to myself as I try my hardest to not react to her adorable actions.

"Anyway, are you up for it?" She asks again.

I think a little as I unconsciously clench my fist.

'Screw it, I'm dead in the first place. Let's see where this takes me.'

The answer was clear from the very beginning.