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All around me there was nothing to see but deep darkness, like a dream from which you never awaken. Released from the pain of the body, my consciousness felt strangely calm. I embraced the death I had feared so much, along with the demise of my body.

I had been executed against my will, but somewhere, perhaps, I felt a sense of relief. That now, I no longer had to suffer.

The darkness that enveloped me trembled slightly, and a light seemed to shine from somewhere. Having no body, I had no eyes, but out of habit from my former life, I tried to strain my eyes.

As I became aware of my own body, the light grew even brighter, as if it had been waiting for me.

“Wake up, Glass Dimelia,” a calm voice urged me, and simultaneously, I felt a tugging sensation in my consciousness.

“Open your eyes.”

My consciousness seemed to take on an outline and form a face as I was quietly commanded. As I opened my eyes as instructed, a strong gust of wind blew, and I moved into a space different from the darkness that had surrounded me before.

“…This is…?”

I blinked at the scene unfolding before me. When I closed my eyelids, the light was blocked out, and when I opened them, I was greeted by a white space filled with dazzling light.

“What’s the meaning of this? I’m supposed to be dead…”

I should have been executed, so why did it feel like I was using a body? I looked down at my feet and saw that I was standing firmly on my own two legs, not prosthetics.

My hands moved freely, left and right, with no trace of the black stone disease on my body. I breathed easily, and when I put my hand to my neck, there was no scar where it should have been cut. Yet, the skin I touched was as cold as a dead man’s.

It felt like a dream but different.

In this expansive space, enclosed by white marble, lights like ice crystals drifted in the air. They began to gather around me slowly, then formed a cage of transparent crystals.

“What are you going to do with me, Kamut?”

There was no response to my question. If I was dead, then perhaps this was heaven. But even so, I couldn’t fathom their intentions.

“Show yourself, Cassius.”

Was it the divine who had brought me here? I called out, but there was no appearance. Instead, three luxurious velvet chairs materialized out of nowhere, floating in the air, unoccupied.

This white space, resembling a temple, stretched out in a vast circle as far as I could see from my crystal prison. Apart from the cage and the floating chairs, there was nothing—no sign of anyone else.

Perhaps by some supernatural force, the chairs continued to float silently.

“What is this prison? Are these the remnants of my crimes?”

I looked up from my confinement, glaring at the chairs. Then, one of the thrones illuminated.

“Your body in this life was ‘executed’ by Cassius,” replied the same voice that had urged me to wake.

“Your Soul was transferred to this heaven. This is the reincarnation hall where the souls of heroes are managed.”
“Heroes? Reincarnation?”
“That’s you, Glass Dimelia.”

As I echoed the words, spheres of light began to float over one of the chairs.

“Ah…”

The spheres quickly assumed a human-like shape. A woman with long, soft silver hair flowing to her waist and a serene expression sat gracefully on a chair.

The pure white wings unfurling gently revealed the true nature of the woman who had appeared so suddenly.

“A Goddess…”
“I am the Goddess of Creation, Aurora.”

The Goddess, who named herself Aurora, let her slender fingers glide over her blue jeweled staff and looked down at me with a calm expression.

“What does a Goddess want with me?”

I asked defiantly. Aurora smiled softly and gazed down at me through the crystal cage.

“I recognized you as a hero for your great contributions which helped us attain victory in the great war between demons and humans.”
“Even though it was a goddess who ordered my execution?”

Behind the movements of a Kamut lies the will of a goddess.

Aurora had lowered her eyebrows just slightly at my question.

“Even though you broke a taboo and were executed, your accomplishments remain unchanged, Glass Dimelia.”

Her tone felt like that of someone trying to soothe a child. As if an adult close to forty would be pleased with that.

“Even if I’m recognized after death, I have nothing left. All achievements in my life have been stolen by the Alchemy Society.”

I repeated, my life was also taken by a goddess. And probably by the verdict of the goddess before me.

“Such things are trivial. If we goddesses recognize you as a hero, your achievements will be known to all, even after your death.”

Aurora’s attitude did not waver. Her tone was still soothing, her eyebrows lowered, her eyes looking at me with a hint of sadness.

“…Is this how you atone for executing me?”
“No. Our verdict is always correct.”

I had asked in irritation, but Aurora only offered a sad smile.

“Your crimes were cleared with your execution. From here on, you will be treated as a hero and we will discuss your coming life.”
“…Coming life?”

I had to ask, but then I remembered Cassius had also mentioned this. After death, my soul would be granted a new body and reincarnated.

“If you wish, I will allow you to immediately reincarnate and lead a new life.”

When I thought about it, how did I plan to live after switching my body to a homunculus? I was going to ‘continue’ as the same Glass Dimelia. I simply didn’t want to die. It was the only way I knew how to live.

“A new life…”

If it were offered to me now, how would I live? What would I do? These were questions I had never considered before my death, now swirling inside my head.

“That’s right. It seems you’re interested.”

If I didn’t reject reincarnation, then at least I was accepting the idea of a next life. I hadn’t realized it until Aurora pointed it out, but it felt as though I was confronted with the true nature of the worries that had been swirling inside me.

“I am interested.”

I felt an elation that could not be described as merely curiosity or hope. At the very least, I was interested in reincarnation.

“Well, let’s continue our conversation. There’s a reason I suggested reincarnation without taking the time.”

Aurora smiled softly and raised her wand above my head. A portion of the crystal cage turned transparent, melting into space and vanishing from sight. The barrier on the ceiling of the cage was erased, giving me a clear view of Aurora’s expression. Perhaps Aurora could now see me better as well.

“Your origins, your life after your adoptive father took you in—and your life after his death, were not befitting a hero who made so many contributions to the Great Human-Demon war.”

Aurora did not condemn me for my crime either. Creating a homunculus was prohibited, but the murder of a parent, even if it was an adoptive one, was not condemned.

“Therefore, as a consolation, we would like to offer you a new life as a reward.”

As Aurora announced this with a smile, one of the empty chairs floating next to her suddenly glowed red.

“Hey, hey, Aurora! Don’t start the talk without me!”

Along with a shrill voice, a burst of red light emerged. After reopening my eyes, another woman was seated next to Aurora, clad in a crimson costume that resembled flames.

“You said no more sneaking ahead!”

The woman, chiding Aurora in a discontented manner, had shoulder-length blonde hair adorned with a red hair ornament. As she was seated in one of the chairs floating in the air, she was undoubtedly another goddess.