“Reaper!” Sistielle called out to her friend.

  A beautiful woman with long bck hair and a rather generous bust stepped forward. She was Reaper—the goddess of death, and sister to Sistielle. Many believed the gods of life and death were eternal enemies, but in truth, they were family who lived side by side. Life and death. Order and freedom. Night and day. Two sides of the same coin.

  “That was uncalled for,” Reaper pouted. “Why did you change my name?”

  “Well, apparently one of our little games got leaked on Earth and turned into a mediocre web novel. So I tweaked our names to avoid suspicion,” Sistielle said casually.

  “That’s because you leaked it, didn’t you? What about the one before that? And the one before that?” Reaper grumbled.

  “Hey, that st one had a great ending! The pyers even managed to wound you, Repeara,” Sistielle said, grinning from ear to ear. The joy from her previous victory was still fresh on her face.

  “Guh! I’ll make sure you lose horribly this time,” Reaper was fuming, plopping down into a chair and crossing her arms.

  With a snap of her fingers, a tea table appeared between them, complete with delicate porcein cups. A round ghost floated in to serve them—chamomile for Reaper, jasmine for Sistielle.

  Even as she sipped her favorite tea, Reaper’s sour mood refused to lift. Her mind was already spinning, thinking about the next round of their never-ending divine game.

  “So,” she said, “what changes are we making this time?”

  “Well, I’ve decided to switch things up. This time, I’m blessing Alicia,” Sistielle said.

  Reaper raised an eyebrow. “That’s a surprise. I thought you’d go with Cire again. And you're picking an otherworlder this time? What’s so special about that brat? He looked like a NEET you could find anywhere.”

  Sistielle just smiled. “She has potential.”

  “Hmph. Well, I’m still sticking with Elidranthia. She’s amusing.”

  “But Sana was an otherworlder. We can’t use her again. Shall we go with the original Eli?” Sistielle asked.

  “Please. You’ve got to be kidding me,” Reaper scoffed. “There are plenty of other disabled kids out there. I’m not using that invalid bitch again even if I could. I gave her the world, and she dared to wound me.” She pouted, arms crossed. After a moment of pondering, she asked, “And honestly, why does it always have to be an invalid anyway?”

  “Well, Sana was literally an invalid. She spent her entire life in a hospital bed, remember?”

  “Shit… the book version of that arc’s already out, huh? Nathan’s read it, hasn’t he?”

  “Yes. If he finds out Elidranthia wasn’t some poor, tragic reincarnated girl who suffered all her life, he’ll kill her without a second thought. That wouldn’t be fun.”

  “Hm… good point. So... got any candidates?”

  “I do, actually,” Sistielle replied, handing Reaper a tablet. “Take a look. Anyone catch your eye?”

  Reaper scrolled zily through the list of names—until her finger stopped, and a grin slowly spread across her face.

  “There we go,” she said, eyes gleaming. “A disposable child soldier. Biteral leg amputee. Fought in Afghanistan. Trained with firearms from age six. At ten, she suicide-bombed a U.S. embassy—but survived. Later switched sides in exchange for clemency. Two years of rehab. Further training. By the time she was seventeen, she’d assassinated ten high-ranking targets. Then, just when she was supposed to be rewarded with US citizenship, the FBI killed and dumped her body like garbage.”

  She chuckled darkly. “She’s perfect.”

  Sistielle blinked and took the tablet from her. “Wow… how did you even find her? Earth is even more messed up than our world.”

  “I read,” Reaper said smugly. “You should try it sometime instead of pying with computers all day.”

  “So, what’s the goal? If Eli dies, I lose—and if Alicia dies, I win. That’s it?” Reaper asked.

  “Hm… the destruction of the world should count too,” Sistielle mused. She gnced at the glowing world map in front of her—Umbraluxian, the continent of light and shadow. “Should we bring demons into it again, like the st few games? Or go for a world war, like the ones before that?”

  Reaper raised an eyebrow. “Eli will conquer the world. I’m giving her the power to govern death. Not just those mindless zombies from before—real vampires. With that, she’ll take everything.”

  “So no world war? No demons?”

  “Nah. We don’t need them this time.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Now hush. Go hide in a corner or something. I’m starting the interview.”

  “I’ll be watching~” Sistielle sang, before vanishing into light, her presence fading into shimmering motes.

  Before Reaper, golden light swirled and condensed, slowly taking the shape of a girl.

  A petite brunette y on the ground, barely one and a half meters tall. Her body looked thin and delicate, like it might snap in a strong breeze. Malnutrition in her early years as a child soldier had stunted her growth, even though she’d regained some health during her time with the U.S. Intelligence Department. She looked far younger than her age.

  Reaper grinned. The resembnce to Elidranthia was uncanny—except for the hair.

  “Fuck you! I swear, I’m gonna kill you!” the girl shouted the moment she regained her consciousness, fists clenched. “Wait… where the hell am I?”

  Her rage faltered as her surroundings registered. The endless white. The divine presence. Her target was gone. Confused, she looked around, her voice dropping.

  “Am I… dead?” Her eyes finally met Reaper’s. “Ah, um—Goddess—could you maybe ignore what I said just now?”

  The girl panicked.

  She’d never believed in religion—always thinking God was just a tool for manipution, a fairy tale used for propaganda. But now, staring at a literal goddess cloaked in bck, her worldview shattered. Her gaze flicked to the woman’s clothing.

  Was this hell? No... the room was white. Pure and still. Maybe this was the pce where souls were judged.

  She quickly scrambled to form excuses in her head.

  Yes, she had killed a lot of people—but none of it had been her decision. She was only following orders. That should count for something, right?

  The girl in the white tunic remained calm and composed as she stood up. When Lai noticed her legs were intact again, it confirmed what she already suspected.

  She was in the afterlife.

  “Greetings, Lai,” the woman said with a serene smile. “My name is Repeara. I am a goddess. You have been chosen as a candidate to be reincarnated into another world. Will you accept the offer?”

  It was almost the same line Sistielle had used.

  “Huh? Another world? I’m not here to be judged?” Lai blinked, confused.

  “Erm… no. We’re offering you a chance to redo your life. In another world.”

  “Why?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “Child,” Repeara said gently, “we have seen your life on Earth. It must have been hard, right? You served your country so loyally. And what did you get in return? Scorn. Betrayal. In the end, they threw you away like a dog. So now, my child... I shall give you a chance—to decide your own fate.”

  “Yes! I’ll be a good girl! So please, don’t send me to hell!” Lai blurted, nodding rapidly.

  She was lying, of course.

  Years of training had made her a natural at it, and Repeara saw through it immediately. But she wasn’t angry. In fact, the lie only made her smile.

  This girl was exactly what she was looking for.

  “You don’t need to pander to me, child,” Repeara said. “From this point forward, your fate is yours alone. You can become a bloodthirsty queen… or a shadow ruler who maniputes nations from behind the scenes. It’s up to you.”

  “Eh?” Lai tilted her head, confused. “Shouldn’t I be doing good things to go to heaven? Like, not killing people and stuff?”

  Repeara didn’t sound like a god. She wasn’t giving commands or rules. Lai had assumed she’d just be switching masters—from a traitorous FBI handler to a divine one. But this… this freedom felt alien. Suspicious.

  “Is killing really a bad thing?” Repeara asked calmly. “Have you ever heard of the trolley problem?”

  “Yes. I know it,” Lai nodded. “It’s the one where someone has to make a choice, right? Like if they flip the switch, two people die, but five people are saved. And if they don’t flip the switch, five people die instead.”

  “I’m sure your boss thought the same,” Repeara said softly. “That if they didn’t kill those people, even more would die. That’s why they ordered you to kill.”

  “I just wanted to live a peaceful life!” Lai shouted, her voice cracking. “Why did they have to kill me too?!”

  “Well, deep down, you already knew the answer,” Repeara replied, her tone calm. “But that’s beside the point. This time, you won’t be reincarnated as a sve. You’ll be a noble—and soon, be a princess, in a sense. But first, you’ll be the first daughter of a count.”

  “Hm? First daughter? Of a count?” Lai repeated, puzzled.

  “Well, think of a count like a prefectural leader,” Repeara expined. “Just below a governor, but a bit above a mayor. Your family will rule over several towns and vilges.”

  “Why not a real princess or a queen…” Lai muttered with a pout. Sure, it was better than being cannon fodder, but she immediately realized—if she wasn’t at the top, she’d still be following orders.

  “Being a princess would be a bit too much for you right now,” Repeara said with a knowing smile. “Besides, royalty has its own dangers. If you make a mistake, you might not even survive your first month. And unlike the actual princess of that kingdom, you will have magic.”

  “Magic?” Lai perked up.

  “Yes. You’ll be granted Level 6 Darkness Magic.”

  “I see... so I have to marry the prince and become a queen, right?” Lai asked ftly.

  “No. Like I said, your life is yours to live,” Repeara reminded her. “You can even abandon everything—leave politics behind and settle in the countryside, raise a small family. With Level 6 magic, you’ll never need to worry about money or safety.”

  Lai stared at her, brows furrowed. “Why are you being so nice? You haven’t even given me a mission.”

  Repeara chuckled. “I am the Goddess of Freedom, after all. But if I had to give you a mission… just be careful of Sistielle’s apostle. She’s the Goddess of Order. Her champion will come for you eventually—and in your current state, you won’t be able to beat her.”

  “So… I should run the moment I see her?” Lai asked.

  “That would be wise,” Repeara nodded. “You also need to level up. By killing living beings, you’ll gain experience and unlock new skills. Eventually, you’ll surpass her.”

  “Wait—she can’t level up?”

  “No. Sistielle’s apostle can’t gain new skills or grow stronger. She was designed to be powerful from the start—but stagnant. You, on the other hand, can evolve. So long as you survive and stay ahead, victory will be yours.”

  “I see. How do I even find her? Or avoid her?”

  “If you sense someone abnormally powerful—someone who feels out of pce—you’ve likely found her,” Repeara expined. “But be careful. If you lock eyes, she’ll sense you immediately. So don’t get caught staring.”

  “I see… How many apostles are we talking about here?”

  “Just one,” Repeara replied with a shrug. “It’s not like they’re hiding in every church, waiting to ambush you.”

  Lai let out a deep breath of relief. For a moment, she’d pictured apostles hiding in every holy pce like CIA agents, ready to put a bullet through her skull the moment she prayed.

  “Alright… anything else I need to know?”

  “Stay safe. And may your life be fruitful,” Repeara said with a gentle smile. She waved her hand in farewell, and motes of white light surrounded Lai, carrying her away—toward her new life as Elidranthia, a blue-haired girl with dangerous potential.

  As the light faded, Sistielle appeared beside Repeara.

  “Wow… you gave her less of a cheat than I expected,” Sistielle said, arms crossed.

  “Level 6 is more than enough,” Repeara replied. “Her core strength isn’t in her base magic. It’s in the vampirism. Once she kills her first human, she’ll awaken blood magic. That’s where her true power begins.”

  “I see. Alicia and Eli will meet about a week after they arrive. Are you sure Eli will be ready? You didn’t even give her cirvoyance. She’ll die the moment they csh, you know.”

  “Nah,” Repeara smirked. “I’ll leave that to fate. Nathan shouldn’t kill her immediately—not unless he knows who she really is. This time, you get all the buffs. I’ll wait and watch.”

  “Fine. Then I won’t hold back either,” Sistielle said. “I’m giving Alicia Earth and Wind Magic attributes. In addition, I’ll add Sword and Archery Masteries once she enters school.”

  “Huh? Wait a minute. If you add that much, she’ll be totally broken!”“Well, I’ll allow you to give Eli more cheats too—as long as you loosen the growth curve when she starts killing humans.”

  “Fine…” Reaper growled.

  They both assumed Nathan wouldn’t strike unless Elidranthia had blood on her hands. But emotions weren’t so easily controlled. If Nathan felt like it, he might kill her on sight—and call it justice. That, too, would count as a win for Sistielle.

  Even if it was… a bit boring.

  “Let the game begin,” Repeara whispered.

  The two goddesses took their seats and gazed at the shifting map of Umbraluxian, their divine game board now set.