Warmth.
That was the first thing I felt.
Like being covered in a comfy blanket.
I haven't felt this comfortable since… well, ever.
Is this what the afterlife feels like for everyone?
If I had known such bliss awaited me, I wouldn't have bothered so hard to survive in my previous life.
I wanted to feel more of this warmth, so I nuzzled closer to the source.
I am happy.
Huh?
The warmth is gone.
I feel like I am being suspended mid-air, upside down, while being held by my legs.
HEY! That's rude!!
Give me back my warmth!
PAT!
HUH!! I definitely just got hit on my bum! Whoever you are, it's beyond rude to hit a grown man on his butt!
"UWAAAAAAA!!!"
God! Now there's an annoying baby crying sound right next to me.
Why would a baby be sent to the same afterlife as me? Shouldn't they have their own baby heaven or something?
I do feel bad that a baby met such misfortune before it even got to experience life.
I tried to look for the source of the crying, but for whatever reason, my eyes wouldn't open.
I resorted to the next best option—my ears.
Hmm… The crying baby is really close by. If I had to pinpoint it based on sound alone, it would be around…
Hmm??
The crying is coming from me?
Wait, what's going o—
Ah! The warmth is back!
I have a lot of questions, but honestly, I don't care anymore as long as this comfort stays with me.
I am kind of tempted to just stop thinking and doze off. I can leave… all my doubts… for later…
..
NO! Sleep can wait. I need to gain as much information on this place as possible, presuming I'm going to live here.
First of all—my body. I feel close to no motor ability or energy in it. It feels detached from my mind.
I try to form fists with both hands… Success!
Wait, both hands? My left arm is restored… Now that I think of it, I was suspended just seconds ago by my legs—which I had lost in my previous life.
My entire body is restored. Or, more likely, I got a new body.
A body of an infant, that is. Then the crying sound that came from me also makes sense.
As for this addictive warmth… it's an embrace.
My entire body is being hugged by a woman.
How do I know it's a woman? Well, let's just say biology doesn't allow most men to have such an ample chest.
Let's focus on my other senses. I still can't see, so I focused on my ears.
"Zai lora theli, tir vey sal miren zai!"
A cheerful and beautiful voice can be heard from the woman holding me, speaking a language I've never heard in all my years.
She's even pinching and poking my cheeks as if I'm cute.
Quite audacious. Not many have had the privilege of treating me, the Devil, like this and continued living.
But I am willing to overlook this rudeness for the one providing comfort to me.
Rejoice, woman! You should feel honored for being forgiven by m—
Ah! Now she's aggressively patting my head!
…I will overlook this rudeness as well.
It's because I am so forgiving, and definitely not because I'm enjoying these head pats. 100% not.
Anyway! I really want to see my surroundings now. I focus on my eyelids and try to open them.
I face the direction where the woman's face should be.
Her face is the first thing I want to see for some reason.
I feel my heavy eyelids finally fluttering open little by little.
And the thing I see is… nothing.
Are my eyes still closed?
"Ava! Tir lu veyna lora'sa miar? Hm? Lora, vor tir noren vela? Dazir, lu ven lora'sa noren!!"
The woman started off cheerful as usual but suddenly turned distressed at the end of her speech.
I hear hurried footsteps approaching us.
A person forces my eyelids open with their fingers gently, as if to examine my eyes, but I still can't see anything.
"... Zai nor veyna, lora nezien."
"Nezai!!!"sob*
The atmosphere turns grim, as if the previous joyous moment was a mere daydream.
This person—who I assume is a doctor—delivers some kind of dire news.
The woman breaks into sobs.
I can guess what the doctor told her.
And I do not like it one bit.
Srrrk*
The sound of a door opening.
What follows are heavy footsteps entering the room. Most likely a man's.
Suddenly, it feels like the room temperature drops to absolute zero.
The doctor and the woman fall silent.
Only the heavy footsteps echo.
I felt my body shake, more precisely the woman holding me is trembling, her breathing short and panicked.
...Even I feel fear.
Fear is not new to me. It has been a great ally all my life, allowing me to survive situations that not many could.
Over the years, I have felt many kinds of fear. Fear of injury. Fear of disability. Fear of being overpowered. Fear of abandonment.
The list goes on.
But this… This is a new type of fear.
It's instinctual.
I am not consciously afraid of this man, but my mind and body are screaming at me to get as far away from him as possible.
A prey in front of an apex predator.
The footsteps finally stop. He's standing right beside us.
"Veyt sa lora."
"H-Hm? Y-Yela, veylor!"
The woman, with trembling hands, hands me over to the man.
Firm, large hands hold me.
There is no warmth.
I would much rather be held upside down by the doctor than be in contact with this person.
I already hate him. Irrationally, unreasonably, completely.
His bare palms are calloused, I feel it clearly against my skin. A warrior's hands. Someone who has wielded weapons all his life.
He presses his left palm against my belly.
What is this action supposed to mean? Some act of affection?
I didn't had much time to contemplate as a cold, volatile energy surges within my body.
'Ahk!'
I reflexively tense up and hold my breath, just wishing for this moment to pass quickly.
After what feels like several minutes, the man removes his palm.
"...Nelor va shivren."
His voice carries an undertone of disappointment.
He swiftly hands me back to the woman, as if touching me any longer caused disgust to him.
"Tir neven nor veyna zel ora ven, drak nor veli veylor. Zai vel norren tir, ves nai liven, Va nor veli zai veyna."
The woman's voice hitches, as if holding back tears.
I can somehow feel his gaze shift towards me.
"...Veyna drak nor liven zai."
After whatever he said, he turns and starts leaving with firm step.
"Varon! Vela nai veyran sa, ves tir noren!"
The woman calls out, making him pause.
He seems to be contemplating something.
"...Nelor."
With that one word, he walks out.
Soon after, the doctor also leaves the room, giving space to the grieving woman.
"Vor drezin..."
The woman finally lets out the tears she had been holding.
For some reason, my heart aches.
Unconsciously, my tiny hands reach towards her face. My palms touch her cheeks. Feeling the moisture, I try to wipe it.
She jolts a bit at my unexpected action.
But then, she lets out a small giggle.
"Pfft! Tir veyna lora'sa veli veylin? Vor theli!"
She hugs me tighter.
No longer crying—just savoring the moment.
As time passes, her breathing evens. She's asleep.
I, too, feel drowsy.
I know many hardships await me.
But that is a worry for later.
For now… I sleep.