Volume 1, Chapter 1: I woke up

*****

I feel...light...

For some reason, I felt like I was floating. Floating in nothingness...

As soon as I opened my eyes, I already knew-

"Oh...I'm dead..."

I mean, what else could be a reason as to why I'm here? In this place full of stars and constellations? Is this what they call the afterlife? Pretty far from what I've heard...

"Aki Hikari, male, age 25, died from an illness. Am I right?"

Soon after, an unknown voice spoke to me

"God...? No...that was a woman's voice just now..."

A woman showed up before me, golden hair, blue eyes, and a divine figure...one glance from her and you can tell that she's the most beautiful girl you'll ever see...

"I'm the goddess, your goddess of your world specifically, Aki kun"

So I'm really dead...

...

wait...

"Eh? You're a woman?!"

"That's your first question?!"

"I'm sorry, I thought you're a man like most people have known"

"*Chuckles* I don't take seriously those kinds of things. I'm just happy that many people believe that I exist"

"I see...you said earlier that you're our goddess specifically our world's goddess, does that mean...?"

"Each planet has their own gods and goddesses. I was assigned as your overseer by the almighty being"

So she's talking about the god of gods...god himself...

"You seem pretty calm about what happened to you, Aki kun"

"Oh...Its just that...I already knew this time would come..."

I tried to smile it off, but I knew the goddess wasn't buying it

"Do you have any regrets?"

"Regrets...?"

I do...I have many regrets...

"Abandoned by my own family and friends, I was left at the hospital all by myself. Ever since I got a job, I worked day and night just to support my family and tried to hang out as much as I can to my friends...but the time my illness got to me, things started to fall"

"..."

"I spent my last few days at the hospital, bedridden, nothing to do but stare at the window and watch as time goes by. At first, my friends and family came to check up on me and even spent time with me, but after that, they suddenly stopped coming. I wondered why...no...rather, I know why...why they didn't come..."

"Aki kun..."

"I'm not blaming them, I'm blaming myself...for not being able to hold up to their expectations..."

I noticed the atmosphere that was getting heavier and heavier around us, thus why I tried to end the topic

"Despite all of that, I believe that I lived a good life. Hahaha"

I tried to laugh it off, but it wasn't enough to ease the tension...

Suddenly, the goddess spoke

"Aki kun, would you like another fresh start of your life?"

"Another...life..?"

At first, I pretended to not know what she was saying, but I've been watching many animes now that I knew what she meant by that

"Another world, completely different from yours, different from the reality you know, and different life forms"

"Such a place like that...exist?"

I never thought that what anime always depict about another world could be a reality...to think that it exists...

"It's not reincarnation, more like I'm transporting you into it"

"Does it involve magic and supernatural stuff?"

I asked out of the blue, being an isekai fan and stuff

"Good guess! This world consists of many things that are aren't in your own world. Including magic"

"No way! Magic exists?!"

I said as I perked my eyes in excitement

"You're cute when you're in that state *chuckles*"

Getting embarrassed, I tried to hide my face from her

"So? What would it be?"

"..."

"Is there perhaps, something troubling you?"

"Am I gonna be transported there with this kind of frail body?"

"Is that your concern? I can make you the healthiest guy in the world if that's what you want"

"Really?!"

"You sounded like a kid just now *chuckles*"

"I-I'm not!"

Can't believe a 25 year old man like me is getting embarrassed infront of a goddess...

But I don't want to be only the healthiest guy in the world...rather-

"C-Can I request, m-my goddess?!"

"My-my, what's with the sudden formality, Aki kun?"

Ignoring her playful, teasing reply, I said the following words

"I want to be the strongest! Everyone's hope!"

The goddess was shocked from my request, but then quickly let out a slight laugh

"*Chuckles* that's so like you, Aki kun. I knew you'd say that"

"S-stop it!"

"It seems that my decision was right to ask you for this after all..."

"? Did you said something just now?"

"Did I?"

"..."

I wonder what she mumbled to herself just now...wait...she knew...? Does this goddess know more about me...?

"There, all set up, you're ready to go, Aki kun!"

As the beam of light flashed before my eyes, I walked towards it and turned myself back to see the goddess once more

"I won't ever forget about this encounter. Thank you goddess, for giving me a new life"

"It's my duty, Aki kun, take care"

I smiled as she smiled back to me

The beam of light closed between us as everything around me started to get brighter and brighter 

"This time, I will live my life to the fullest!"

And be able to live up to everyone's expectations!

Making my resolve, I closed my eyes once again as I entered to a new world, new environment, new sights, completely different from where I was born...

And thus I, woke up, resting at the big tree

*****

End of Volume 1, Chapter 1