God tapped my head and my vision faded to black, my other senses shot up though.

"Who are you?"

I am Kei Kadoya.

"What do you desire?"

I wish to live an easy life, devoid of tedious things.

"What do you make of God and other worlds?"

It was impossible, irrational, and meaningless to me until today.

"Are you human?"

Human as anyone else.

"Do you see your own worth?"

Of course, I do; It's my pride.

"So, this is who you are."

I guess so. But, who are you?

"Me? Irrelevant."

"..."

"But, you are you: through countless times and every thought."

My vision switches to light.

---

My field of vision has clearly shrunk, and I'm reading a book. But, it's noisy. The reason is a group of my classmates playing around the play structure. This is the park close to my elementary school. Well, I'm on the bench, alone as always. But, I don't feel sad. In fact, I feel superior because I'm not interacting with them. Those idiots.

My field of vision increases.

"Kadoya-kun? What are you spacing out for?"

I'm in a classroom, I recognize it to be my high school classroom for chemistry. Kawada-sensei glares at me who's looking listless.

"Eh?"

"So, I take it you can solve this problem then?"

I stand up at squint my eyes.

"Oh, the precipitate is silver chloride."

I remember this, when this happened in the past, I also answered correctly.

"Tch."

My field of vision increases for the last time, my height must've stopped growing at this point.

"Kei-chan, when are you going to get married?"

"Mom, I'm 23--I have plenty of time."

Dad interjected,

"That's true. Well, we'll support you regardless of your choice. Anyways, you got a promotion at work? Wonderful! You must be one of the youngest on the managing side of the company!"

"Haha, thanks."

My vision switches to the hospital room. My heart is gripped by death and my breathing grows disorderly.

"Aaah...!"

I gasp for air and the doctors rush over.

My vision switches to static and darkness. I then begin to finally speak,

"...Don't you get it? My past won't be very effective to test my soul and spirit, it won't shake my will. After all, I've been like this for a long time, and nothing much of note happened to scar me in the past. I lived a perfectly normal, content life."

"This is the result of that?"

"Yes."

"Then, how about we test that will of yours to the brink. Don't you want to protect your easy life? Then, withstand this."

Pain.

Pain. Pain.

Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!"

I screamed as every part of my body felt the stab of 1000 swords, the burnings of 10000 torches to the skin. It lasted mere seconds until, 

"Stop that!"

I heard God's voice cut through the darkness. Everything brightened and my tears stopped flowing. God looked to me apologetically as my distorted face met his, though my eyesight was blurred.

"Sorry about that, my angels are mischievous little ones, aren't they. Well, with that, you've cleared the [God's Trials]. Congratulations! You'll be going to another world! Now, let's finalize some things."

I stood up and checked my body. Nothing of the previous pain remained. I wiped my eyes and surveyed my surroundings; It's the infinite hallway I initially found myself in when I died. But, the door to the initial room was gone.

"Let's walk and talk shall we?"

I nervously walked alongside him, down to nowhere. He then began to speak,

"So, how was it? The tests, I mean."

I breathed in and out, recollecting myself.

"They were interesting, to say the least. Really, why even do them, you could've just sent me off."

"I have my reasons. Anyways, I don't want to give you spoiler information on the other world or what I want you to do there: you'll have to find out for yourself. But, I will tell you one thing since it seems fitting for the occasion."

"That is?"

"In the other world, there exists powerful magic that anyone can cast under the right conditions. This magic is known as [Contract]. It creates an inviolable contract between two parties. The conditions for activations are, the two party's recognition of use, the two party's recognition of fairness, and the magic itself's recognition of legitimacy. Like the [Contract], these conditions are inviolable."

"I see, now that's a convenient thing to have as law in the world. So, you couldn't activate this magic unless both parties have recognized its use and its fairness in conditions. What does the magic itself's recognition of legitimacy mean?"

"It means that you can't abuse the magic. The magic, [Contract] itself, will essentially determine fairness as well--leniently, but cuts down on absolute abuses of the power. If I made a contract with you that you'd grow wings if you gave me a rock, and we both agreed, the other conditions for the magic would be reached. But, this has no legitimacy based on [Contract] so it is null and won't activate. If I gave you a pile of dirt and contracted that you never lie again, it wouldn't activate. The nuance of this feature I leave to you to find out. If you don't understand it now, you'll have plenty of opportunities to in the future."

"So, why are you telling me just this?"

"Let's make a [Contract]. It's a formality considering the world I'm sending you to. Well, you'll be under its influence when you arrive there too."

"I see, so what are the conditions."

"In exchange for Kei Kadoya's soul going to another world. He will, from then on, follow this God's and subsequent angel's orders when asked of him."

"Hmm, I see. Can I add some extra conditions?"

Check.

"I don't see why not, go ahead."

"I want to choose my birth conditions, can I?"

"Birth? Oh, well, I guess you can. After the trials, it's the least I can do."

"Then..."

This is the moment I've been waiting for.

"Make me a super cute girl! Black hair if possible."

"..."

"..."

Hahaha! Fine! I'll grant you that condition, what else?"

"A good, economically well-off family."

"Noted, any other conditions?"

"I might be pushing this, but a special power? Some sort of skill or something?"

"Hmm, I guess I'll ensure a good physique and affinity with magic. Besides that, is a bit much."

"Lastly, if I'm going to be your 'apostle'..."

"Yes?"

"I want you to allow me to do things my way."

"Excuse me?"

"If you give me tasks, I will definitely complete them. But, since I want to get back to my simple life, I want to find the most efficient ways to complete your task. Is that alright, to carry out your orders at my own discretion?"

"I don't see why not."

"Since I don't want any of my plans to be ruined either, can I ask that you and your subsequent angels do not directly involve yourselves with my actions there?"

"Well, we can't interfere much with that world anyway, so that should be no problem. As long as you carry out what you've been assigned."

"That means I should be safe from you killing me, right?"

"Ha, so you doubt my trust in you to fulfill the [Contract]."

"Indeed, what if I don't complete something and I end up being disposed of?"

"If it's just one thing, you won't be disposed of. It has to be a multitude of things, and it depends on severity as well. At any rate, you are of use to me and I don't want to have to kill you."

"Now that's reassuring, add that to the conditions."

"Fine, but this is the last one. You're pushing it, but I'll turn a blind eye due to your outstanding results thus far."

That's right, don't see it.

"Finalizing, you will be sent to another world with guaranteed physical and magical might, in a well-off family, and as a black-haired girl. You will follow this God's and subsequent angel's orders, carrying them out at your own discretion. We won't involve ourselves with your actions there besides orders. We won't bring harm to you as long as you work towards fulfilling orders."

"Perfect."

"Then, that's the end of that."

He opens a portal in front of us, the contents are pitch black and swirly.

"Go through there, and begin your new journey."

"I'll do that."

"..."

I begin walking. 

*step*

"Oh, and thank you, God, for this opportunity."

"No problem."

*step*

"You know..."

*step*

"You really should've checked those [Contract] conditions more thoroughly, God."

I was halfway through the portal.

Checkmate.

I smiled wide. Will he realize it before I leave?

"K-K-Kei KADOYA!!! YOU--"

So starts, my new life. No strings attached.