"Hmm...? Where... am I?"
The man blinked around, muttering under his breath, wondering if he had gotten blackout drunk somewhere—when three people appeared before him, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Awake now?""Can you think clearly yet?""We'd be grateful if you could respond."
"Yes, I'm fine. The suddenness of everything surprised me, so I was slow to respond. My name is Takebayashi Ryoma."
"It's fine, it's fine. There's no need for any formalities. Come, have some tea."
An old man with a long beard smiled gently at Ryoma's reflexive politeness and waved his hand across the ground. A coffee table appeared out of thin air, along with cushions and teacups for everyone present.
"Now, why don't you sit down first?""Okay, thank you."
Out of the three people who appeared, just one was a woman. The young woman smiled cheerfully as she gestured for Ryoma to sit, which he did with a polite nod. The others followed: the elderly man sat across from him, the woman to his right, and the boy to his left.
As they began to sip their tea, Ryoma broke the silence."Pardon me, but I have a few things I'd like to ask about, if you don't mind answering?"
"Of course. That's what we're here for," said the old man kindly. "However, I have a good idea of what your questions may be. Would you listen to us speak first? It might clear up some of them."
"I understand. Please go ahead."
The old man nodded, setting his cup down."We are what humans refer to as 'gods.' I am Gain the Creator, and the woman to your right is the Goddess of Love, Lulutia. The boy to your left is the God of Life, Kufo. We live in a world different from your Earth. And I must regretfully inform you that last night, you took your last breath while you were sleeping. We brought your soul here after your death. Here, as in heaven."
"I see, so that's what happened."
Ryoma nodded in calm acceptance, taking another sip of tea. The gods exchanged confused looks.
"Wait, that's all?!" Kufo, the young boy, blurted. "Shouldn't you be more like, 'No way!' or 'Why did I die?!' or something?"
"Those who have come here before you were a little more shaken up…" Lulutia added.
"I am surprised," Ryoma admitted, "and I do think it sounds a little unrealistic. But if this was a dream, then I'd wake up eventually. If this is real, then humans die eventually. The work at my company was relentless—I saw many coworkers collapse or quit from overwork. I figured I'd die early too. Honestly, it's a miracle my body held out to thirty-nine going on forty. Plus, reading stories like this is a hobby of mine... I love it. I don't have any family or relatives, so this is a much better option than just turning into ash."
The gods stared at him, speechless.
"R-Really? Are humans supposed to think like that?" Kufo said, tilting his head.
Lulutia sighed with an amused smile. "There have been others with similar hobbies, but they were a bit more... excitable. You're certainly calmer."
"Well," Gain said, chuckling, "I suppose that saves us the trouble of convincing you. That leaves far fewer topics to go through. Was there anything you wanted to ask?"
"In that case... How did I die?" Ryoma asked.
Gain raised an eyebrow. "You want to start there?"
"Yes. I don't consider it a surprise that I died—I just don't have any memory of it."
Gain folded his hands. "Your death was caused by a brain hemorrhage from head trauma."
"Huh? As far as I remember, I was just trying to sleep in my room."
"Yes, you did fall asleep," Gain replied. "But during your sleep, you sneezed numerous times—four, to be exact. Each time you sneezed, your pillow shifted, until the last sneeze caused your head to hit the floor. Your futon was cheap and thin, so it didn't cushion the impact. You didn't wake up, but it was enough to burst a vessel in your brain."
Ryoma froze, then lowered his gaze. His expression twisted. "That's ridiculous... How could I die such a pathetic death?"
The gods exchanged puzzled glances.
"I've taken bottles and metal pipes to the head before and turned out fine," Ryoma muttered. "Even got punched plenty during training. And a sneeze does me in? What a way to go…"
The gods said nothing, merely sipping their tea as Ryoma sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Phew... Oh, oops. Sorry. I was lost in my own little world."
Gain smiled faintly. "It's fine. You're remarkably composed for someone who just learned they're dead."
Ryoma chuckled awkwardly. "Guess so."
At that moment, another figure appeared beside the gods—a tall, tired-looking man in a white lab uniform. His eyes opened slowly, scanning the strange room.
"Huh… I guess that explains why this place looks so weird," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "Always figured I'd die in that lab, though."
The gods turned to him. Gain smiled knowingly. "Ah, the second soul has awakened."
Ryoma blinked. "Second soul?"
Jack glanced toward him, offering a small nod. "I'm fine, and you can call me Jack."
"Takebayashi Ryoma," Ryoma replied politely.
"Nice to meet you," Jack said simply, taking in the situation with a calm, almost analytical look. "So... gods, huh? And we're dead. Figures."
Lulutia giggled softly. "You're taking this rather well."
Jack shrugged. "I've seen stranger things in theoretical physics meetings."
Gain chuckled deeply. "Well, you two seem more composed than most. Good. That will make this much easier."
And thus began the story of two souls, each from different walks of life—one an overworked salaryman, the other a scientist—blessed by the gods and bound for a new world.
Jack raised an eyebrow, sipping his tea. "Sure, might as well. I was also wondering some things."
Gain nodded in approval. "Good. Now then, as for why we called you here…"
He stroked his beard thoughtfully before saying, "Perhaps it's easier to describe it like this: it's the trope."
Ryoma tilted his head. "I see, so I'm going to another world. Is it a transfer? Or am I being reincarnated, since I'm dead already?"
"You really are quick on the uptake…" Lulutia smiled.
"It'll technically be a transfer," Gain clarified. "The bodies you will use are ones we created. You will have no parents or relatives in that world."
"Your body on the other side will be fairly young," Kufo added joyfully. "Ten years old, in fact!"
Jack paused mid-sip. "Huh. Kid again? Well… fewer responsibilities, more free time. I'll take it."
Ryoma nodded. "Thank you very much. Please make sure my appearance on the other side is somewhat normal. Also… what should I be doing once I reach that world? Do I have some kind of mission?"
Gain waved his hand reassuringly. "No particular mission. Simply arriving fulfills your duty. Our world's supply of magical energy has been declining due to… ah… a minor divine miscalculation."
Lulutia coughed into her hand, cheeks reddening.
Jack raised an eyebrow lazily. "So… a god messed up?"
Kufo looked away quickly. "Let's just say… someone accidentally overloaded a leyline because they thought it would make fireworks prettier…"
Gain cleared his throat loudly. "Anyway! Transferring unused magic from Earth to our world stabilizes things. And your souls are the perfect anchors."
Jack nodded slowly. "So we're magical batteries being recycled. Could be worse."
Ryoma smiled faintly, oddly excited. "Umm… would I be able to use it too? Magic, that is."
"You can,""Yes,""Definitely,"the three gods replied in harmony.
"Oh—pardon my rudeness," Ryoma said, bowing his head.
Jack leaned back with a satisfied hum. "Magic… childhood… quiet forest… Sounds like a vacation package."
"With magic involved, please prioritize control," Gain warned. "We'll ensure you can use every element—though mastering them all takes time."
Jack waved a hand lazily. "Take it slow, learn fun stuff, keep stress low. Sounds perfect."
The gods smiled warmly at the two strangely mellow souls.
"It's rare to see humans take death and reincarnation so well," Lulutia said happily.
Gain brought out a wooden board, parchment, and a quill. After confirming their blessings and preparations, both Ryoma and Jack signed without hesitation.
A faint glow surrounded them. It gently brightened… and grew stronger with each passing moment.
"It's time," Kufo said softly.
"We'll always be watching over you," Lulutia assured them.
"Have fun, live freely," Gain said with a fatherly smile.
Ryoma bowed deeply. "Thank you so very much for everything."
Jack gave a small salute. "And hey—thanks for the second chance. I'll be sure to enjoy it properly this time."
The gods raised their hands, radiance swirling around the two men.
"Open the path to the new world!""We grant you our blessings!""Let there be light on your journey!"
"""Enjoy your new lives!"""
The light swallowed them whole.
And when it faded—both Ryoma and Jack were gone.