Chapter 132 - A Chat With God [III]

"Why me?" I asked, finally gathering up the courage. "Why was I the one who had to shoulder such a difficult task when it could've been anyone else?"

Astrid stared at me for a while, as if contemplating something. Eventually, she sighed. 

"Sometimes," said she, "I reincarnate souls to other worlds without putting much thought into it, and maybe that's why so many worlds get struck with disaster. Your world, Wisteria, specifically,"- Astrid stared off into the distance- "I wanted to save it from its miserable future." 

"But you're literally God!" I blurted out. "Can't you just flick your fingers and make everything right?"

Astrid smiled, a sad mist enveloping her glassy pupils. "I wish it were that easy."

I sat back, disappointed.

"But every time I reincarnate a soul to take on the job," she continued nonetheless, "they somehow manage to mess things up. The princess's role in this story is key, and one must know how to deal with the advancing troubles that come along with the otherwise enchanting title. Still, no matter how strong headed the person is, the princess always ends up dying and the empire declines towards absolute destruction, just like it has since eons." Astrid paused. "But this time, the flow of the original story has somehow taken an unexpected turn due to a sudden intruder. Can you guess who I'm talking about?"

I nodded, a smile coming to my lips. "Reynard?"

Astrid chuckled. "You really do get on well, don't you? Yes, it is indeed that mischievous boy. No wonder things are going so smoothly this time."

I frowned, wondering. "Is his appearance not a typical one?"

"Not at all. I have to look into the trigger for his sudden intrusion, but I'm sure it's nothing big. Anyways, I hope you do well. Don't let anyone kill you, since that's how the story usually ends."

I laughed awkwardly. "I'll pay more attention to that."

We had not much left to talk about, and I still couldn't fathom the fact that I was really seated opposite to God themself, so the long silence that followed was deafening. 

"Say, Astrid…" I started eventually as a thought aroused in me. "What happens if I die in this world?"

There was a pause, as if time had stopped flowing in the void. Astrid stared at me, her face the epitome of calm, yet tense.

"What do you think will happen?" she asked, leaning in eerily. "You'll die, of course. Is that not what you expected?"

I gulped. "But won't I be reincarnated again?"

Astrid smiled. "My darling, everyone always gets one more chance." With that, she leaned away, leaving me with so many more questions than answers. "I think it's time we part ways. I had a nice time chatting with you, though I see you've let my special blend of tea go to waste." I glanced down at my now cold cup of tea. "But alas, 'tis but a trivial matter." -Astrid held my face in her hands and stared intently into my eyes, and I felt unable to move, my eyes transfixed on hers. Strangely, scarily, it felt like deja vu. "See you soon, Seonhee dearest," Astrid whispered before letting go.

And just like that, the divine beauty disappeared before my very eyes and took with themselves everything that existed amidst the black nothingness. My surrounding started dissolving in itself until the void turned into a shining white light that enveloped me whole. It was so bright that I had to clench my eyes to keep myself from hurting…

...but then I woke up.

I sat up, blinking.

For a moment, I wondered where I was, but soon realized I had woken up back in Mama Ruth's inn. The sun had risen without me noticing and the early morning light flooded my room through the one window at the very foot of my bed. 

I got out of the covers and stretched, reminiscing my earlier interaction and wondering where to go from here onwards.

✿

I was cleaning the landing when there was a knock on the front door before Reynard burst in, full of enthusiasm and vigor. 

"I've found it!" he declared, waving a piece of paper in the air. "I've found a way we can sneak into the palace!"

I let my broom drop to the floor.

"You're kidding." Hurriedly, I ran up to him and tried to snatch that paper from his hands. "What is that? Hey! What have you discovered?"

Reynard smiled, looking upon me with fond delight. "Now, now, no need to get so excited. I was only taking a stroll when I saw an advert from the palace saying that they are in need of maids for hire."

"Maids for hire?" I exclaimed, finally snatching the paper from his grasp and quickly scanning it. Indeed, it was a handwritten flier with all those fancy words, which relayed that the palace was indeed short of female staff. 

"Wait," I said, looking up at Reynard, whose face was red with excitement, "are you implying that I sneak into the palace as a maid? Are you serious?" 

He laughed. "Think about it! We don't know if the red-head lady would be able to actually kill the Emperor, so we might as well do it ourselves. By the looks of it, there hasn't been any news yet."

I scoffed, scrunching the paper up in my hand. "That's crazy, Reynard. There's no way this will work. I haven't killed anyone before, and there's certainly no way I can do it now." 

"Calm down," he sighed. "No need to get so riled up over a mere thought."

"It's just absurd! Can you picture me killing the Emperor?" I pointed at myself incredulously. 

Reynard stared at my face for a minute before nodding. I scoffed, turning away.

"No, wait!" he said desperately, following me. "Don't you want to take revenge for what he did to your parents? To our parents? For all the lies he has fed you with all this time?"

I hesitated. My parents… How could I tell him that the people who died by the Barion's hands weren't people I've ever even met before. This world is a world of fiction. The people… I paused again as Astrid's words came to mind.

'The story your little friend read in the real world was based on an account of a person who had lived their past life in your current world.' That was what God had said. 

So this world isn't fictitious. I had been wrong the whole time. 

My face took on a grave expression as I realized he had killed real people, and had driven a real little boy away from his house. What a vile creature.

I scoffed.

"Fine, I'll do it."

"Will you really?" Reynard asked, following me upstairs as I stomped to my room, adrenaline flowing through my body. "Are you sure you can do it? As your brother, I can't help but worry."

"Don't fret," I said before pushing open the door to my room.. "I want him gone just as much as you do."