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It’s ending. This world is ending again. A torrential downpour struck, only to stop all at once as fierce winds began to howl. The seas raged, rivers overflowed, and the ground split open.

How many times has it been now? I used to count, at least up to ten, but eventually I stopped thinking about it at all. Then, at some point, I started struggling again. Now I’ve given up. I’ve been resigned for a long time… yet, I still want to live. At least until I reach the end of my natural life, I want to keep living.

And then, the world was engulfed in flames. All around me, people were suffering. Men, women, adults, children, everyone burned, unable even to cry out, as if their very souls were being consumed by the inferno.

I want to tell them that accepting it makes it easier in the end, but unfortunately, my throat can no longer make a sound. I have no idea how many times it takes before you get used to it. Even if it becomes easier, the heat and pain never change.

There’s no fear anymore, just disappointment.

In the haze of my fading consciousness, I think I saw a girl with green hair.

(Ah… looks like I couldn’t make it past the world’s destruction this time either.)

◆◆◆

I’ve lost count of how many worlds I’ve been to. How many times I’ve been reborn, I couldn’t say. In one of those past worlds, people called this kind of rebirth into another world reincarnation, and it even became a trend for a while. I don’t remember my original name, but this time around, my name is Lili. I’m the daughter of a florist in a not-very-advanced world, and I spend my days selling flowers.

“Lili, I’m heading out for a delivery. Watch the shop for me, okay?”
“Okay!”

Our little wooden shop has a living space in the back, and in the garden, we grow a few flowers to sell. It’s not enough to stock the whole store, so we buy most of our flowers from others. Still, growing them ourselves helps us get them cheaper and learn more about them. My father works as a town guard and doesn’t come home until night. My mother runs the flower shop to help support us.

That’s pretty much what my family looks like this time around.

I greet customers kindly, listen to anyone who looks troubled, but since not many people come by a small flower shop, I usually spend my free time behind the counter experimenting with what I can do in this world. I’ve lived through a lot of worlds, after all.

There were worlds where people could use magic. Worlds where you could gain skills by repeating the same actions. Worlds where you could level up. And worlds without any of those things, but filled with dragons and other powerful creatures. I’ve lived many lives. But the only time I died because of my actions was in the very first world I can remember.

Every other time, the world collapsed before I did. Even in the longest cases, I never made it past thirty. Sometimes, the world ended before I even reached my late teens. If this world follows the same pattern… its end should be coming soon.

As if to prove that thought, the world began to tremble. To me, it’s just another earthquake, nothing new, but for the people here, unused to such things, it’s a disaster. Screams echo from outside. A few days ago, a stronger quake destroyed a shop at the end of the street. This time, I doubt any buildings will collapse, but still, everyone rushes out into the open.

“Lili, are you okay?”

My mother bursts into the store, panting. When she sees me, she exhales in relief. “Looks like you’re fine.”

“I told you this house would be all right, didn’t I?”
“Even so… you can’t just expect me to believe that what you said would come true, Lili?”
“That’s fair.”

I made a few adjustments to this house, so it won’t fall apart easily. At least until the world’s destruction truly begins, this is one of the safer places to be. Of course, if I explained that properly, people would call me cursed or possessed by demons. So I just say it’s a kind of charm, one of those harmless superstitions young girls like to believe in.

That’s also why I don’t go outside much. Even if the ground split open right under my feet, I’m confident I could escape, but if anyone saw that, they’d definitely think I was strange. I’d rather stay indoors. But in a world like this, being a shut-in isn’t exactly acceptable, so if I have to, I’ll make do. Worst case, I could always leave town and go somewhere completely new.

But I haven’t lived enough times to be able to act so defiantly.

Now I can hear the roar of rain pounding against the ground outside.

“Again? With rain coming down like this, how’s anyone supposed to do laundry in peace?”
“I hang ours indoors, so it’s fine. Honestly, it’s funny, you’ll believe me about the rain, but not about the house.”
“Well, anyone can see the rain’s been acting strange lately. I’ve been drenched more times than I can count. What in the world is happening…?”

Maybe it’s because the world’s end is near, I thought to myself, but of course, I had no intention of saying that out loud.

◇◇◇

Once again, the end draws near for this world. Natural disasters keep striking faster than people can recover, and aside from our house, only a handful of homes still stand. And even those are barely livable. Most people have already fled, seeking safer ground elsewhere.