End Game

I slept for quite a long time.

It’s kinda weird how nobody told me to wake up, although I’m sure I’ve slept in for quite a long time.

Since I’m already up anyway, I decided to just open my eyes and be up by my own.

When I looked at my surroundings, it’s not my own room.

“Eh?”

Oddly enough, my voice reverberates throughout the whole room.

No, I am not sure if this is a room at all.

There is no wall, nothing at all.

Aside from my bed, the wall, the floor—everything is pitch black.

Can I even set my foot on the floor?

Is this a dream?

What a weird dream this is.

Also, how can I be conscious if I am dreaming? I mean—one doesn’t normally realize she is in a dream, no matter how weird that dream might get.

Aha, I know!

Is this some sort of illusion?

“Alt-nii? Daddd?” I called out to the two people who can use illusion magic very well.

“Hey, come on, if this is your prank, then it’s not funny! I won’t fall for this!” I proudly announced.

...

...

And my announcement was returned by a silence, that follows after the echoes.

“...Uhm, seriously? Cut it out already!”

...

This is not a joke, but the eerie atmosphere is making me afraid.

This is all weird.

Or, is it an enemy’s doing?

But, who might be my enemy? My family’s enemy?

I started to shiver.

Am I in a danger?

I tried to stand up on my bed. I don’t know what will happen if I try to set my feet on the pitch dark floor.

Will I fall down?

If yes, when will I end up in?

The bottomless abyss, an eternal darkness?

This is why I kinda hate dark element...

It’s scary.

“Uhm... please, if there is anyone here, please show me your face...”

My voice trembled.

“It doesn’t matter if you are that ugly, that scary, or my enemy... please.”

Nothing else is scarier than noticing yourself all alone in an unknown, eerie place.

But I got no response, again.

I sighed and decided to wrap myself in the blanket, again.

Perhaps if I close my eyes, I will wake up from this horrible, weird dream.

***

I don’t know how long have I closed my eyes, but when I decided to open it again, I was greeted by the same scenery I witnessed earlier.

“...”

I am utterly speechless.

Please, can anyone tell me what is going on?

As I was about to despair, suddenly, a spectre of light made its way and passed by me.

I reflexively stood up.

“!! God!! Is that you?!” I shouted, calling out desperately to the familiar spectre of light.

The light suddenly stopped moving, and went to approach me.

“God, thank goodness you’re here! Can you tell me what’s going on here?”

“Oh, you’re back here.”

The same kind of communication happened. His words were being sent out to me via telepathy.

“Huh, what do you mean by that?” I asked, I clearly didn’t understand what he meant.

“...Welcome back to the after life. How did you like your second playthrough in life?”

“!!”

WHAT?!

That means... I’m already dead... again?!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

“Hey, stop joking around!”

But the spectre of light didn’t waver.

“...Wait, is this real?!”

“Unfortunately, yes... Did you enjoy the second life so much that your reaction towards this death was exactly the opposite of last time?”

I looked down... Everything feels so surreal.

No, no, no, this can’t be true.

“...Yes. I truly enjoyed my second life... as Lyra... But I thought... my life’s barely started... Why should I die at the age of four, God?”

“...You had a cardiac arrest in your sleep, dear.”

“...But, aren’t you the one who control life and death? Why are you so cruel? You gave me back my hope, but then crushed it with your own hands?!”

I can’t hold back my emotion.

“...wait, what about my parents? Alt-nii? Niina, Chloe, Vince, and Clavis-nii...? Grandpa, grandma..., everyone else?”

“They will surely grief over your loss...”

“No... please, please return me to life, I don’t want them to be sad because of me! Please, I finally got my will to live!!”

I desperately clung to my wish.

I didn’t even want to live when I was Reinst, but God forced me to reincarnate on a whim, and now here I am, wanting to live.

He successfully converted me from [not wanting to live] into [wanting to live]. Was it all for naught?

...I didn’t even know my first life’s raison d’etre, and now I don’t even know my second life’s raison d’etre, as well?

“I’m sorry... it was something beyond my control... But I can reincarnate you again.”

...God, please, I’m tired of this!!

“This time, you can make any wish!”

“Then, return me to life. As Lyra.”

“...that, I can’t.”

“Then, can you just... let my soul rest? I don’t want the same thing to happen again.”

“Alright, got it. You don’t want to repeat the same thing over and over again.”

Yeah.

That’s it. Finally. An [End Game], just for me.

Although the timing is not right, as I still want to live...

I closed my eyes, trying to let go of all my regrets as Lyra. Funny, I didn’t have any regret dying as Reinst, but I have a lot of regrets and unsettlement as Lyra.

“Then, I am going to reincarnate you as a chicken nugget! You will get a valuable experience! Then, next to the list, you shall be reincarnated as a dinosaur poop! Then, then, you can be reincarnated as a demon’s horn, a werewolf’s tail, a precious jewel... want to add something to the list?”

...?!

Wait, what?

I opened my eyes in a shock, and blinked several times in succession.

“...you got to be kidding me.”

My heartbeat is increasing rapidly.

This is just... way too ridiculous.

“I’m glad you’re excited with my idea! Now then, aboard the long reincarnation track---“

“HOLD ITTTTTT!!”

But God showed me no mercy and plunged me to the world, once again, as I felt the same sensation.

Wait, the first one is a chicken nugget, huh?!

What. The. Heck?!!!!

WHO THE HELL IS THE AUTHOR OF MY LIFE?!

Please don’t turn my life into a big joke!!!

***

And that is how, Lyra’s adventure comes to an end. And coming on as a new series, [The Long Ridiculous Reincarnation Story]!

Planned length : 9999 chapters!

Bear in mind that we will get to see how one lives as a chicken nugget, a dinosaur’s poop, a demon’s horn, and so on...

~fin

***

I reflexively woke up, gasping roughly, opened my eyes widely, and sweated profusely.

“Lyra, what’s wrong?” I was greeted by Mom, who just entered my room.

“Uh, huh?”

“You just shouted, ‘what?!’ in a very loud voice. Is something the matter?”

“Uh... I...”

Come to think about it, what was wrong? I got the feeling that I dreamed something really horrible...

“Uh... I had... a very awful nightmare, but I don’t remember what is it... I just remember that... it’s truly, truly frightening.”

“Aww, there, there. No need to bring yourself to recall something that frightening.”

Mom proceeded to hug me and pat my back.

I instantly feel calmer.

“Now, now, breakfast is almost ready, I think. Let’s take a bath first. Are you ready to greet this new day?”

Another new day.

As Lyra.

With my beloved family and friends.

I nodded.

“Yeah!”