"Come again?"
Is this a dream? I guess so because there's no way that this could be real. Even my surroundings doesn't match with what it was several minutes ago. No matter how far I let my gaze wander to the left or the right, I don't recognize this place at all.
"This is no dream, Ryuu. Unfortunately you died."
Died. That word echos through my mind nonstop.
"Wait! You can read my mind? And what do you mean by died?"
Is this little doll-like girl serious? I was just sitting at my computer right now so how could I possibly die there?
"Of course I can! I am a Rui, the goddess, after all! Regarding your death... exhaustion" she answers. "Sometimes I get the felling like that is your main reason of death on earth, but anyway!"
Between us a little frame appears, showing my body inside my room. From here it looks as if I just fell asleep.
"I'm not sleeping but dead, you say?"
"Uh-huh." she confirms with a nod.
"However, as I said I want to reward you for your hard and honest work and let you be transferred to another world."
A god... huh. It still feels surreal to me but for now I can only thrive with the story I guess. Though I can't trust her really, there is nothing much left.
"I'm not here to deceive you!" she pouted. "Just see it yourself."
The little girl points towards her left where a big frame appears. Hundreds of words are written on it.
"These are possible skills for you to choose. Normally it's forbidden, but to show my good will this once I will allow you to choose everything you want. There won't be any limitations, okay?"
She explains the skillboard with a smile on her face. It remembers me of the smiles I had seen when I still worked at the company back then.
"So many skills..."
The sheer amount stumbles me. Never have I seen so many skills not even in the best MMORPGs my old world had to offer. From simple language skills to complex magic there is everything. But I never played those games really, so I don't know much about magic chants and stuff.
"For now I will go with appraisal, language knowledge, magic detection, insight, slight of hand, instant casting, rapid chain casting.... is it really okay to take this much?"
"Yeah, but...you haven't picked anything strong yet. Why don't you go for some magic, since you've already chosen instant casting and rapid chain casting?"
"Yeah..."
It's not that I don't want magic. To be honest even in a fantasy world I don't see myself swinging some weapons around. However, on that list there is so much that I just can't decide since I even have complete free choice. Poison breath, fire breath, ice breath... do I look like a dragon or so? And then there's the usual stuff like all kind of attribute magic, physical enhancement magic, teleportation and the lots.
As I look through the entire list like it's some code I've written, only two skills catch my gaze on sight. Unbound imagination and rune magic.
"That's... unexpected to be honest." Rui says just as I choose the skills. "But in the end it's your decision and you can choose even more."
"Wait!"
Just as I was about to look at the skill board again, another girl appears behind me.
"Huh?"
No matter how I look at it, I can't see any difference between those two little girls except for their dress. Rui, the goddess who invited me wears a bright dress, almost as if she represents the light. As for the other girl who just appeared, she wears a purple dress.
"Don't fall for my unwholesome sister's trick!" the other girl shouts.
"What do you mean?"
Confused by the second girls appearance I look at Rui and how she plans to handle the situation.
"Don't come near to the new hero, you evil goddess!" Rui shouts as she places herself in front of me.
"Human, get away from Rui quickly. She is the Goddess of misfortune and chaos! Don't fall for her tricks and no matter what don't choose any skills there!"
Just now I take a step away from Rui. I don't know really what's going on but this situation gives me a bad feel. On one side there's a self claimed goddess who smiles like she is about to hide something, on the other side there is her sister who is more dressed like a demon or something like that. Neither of them gives me a good feeling about the whole situation at all.
"Seems like Rai's intervention made you suspicious but it's to late, anyways!" Rui laughs.
"What have you done?" Rai shouts toward me.
"I've just chosen some skills as the goddess offered. Are they fake after all?"
I don't really understand the situation but there's no use in panicking. For now I can only act as a bystander and get as many information as possible.
"Of course my skills aren't fake!" Rui retorts.
"The skills you have chosen are the real deal," Rai sighs "but taking skills from my evil sister's board comes with a downside. You can't increase your level no matter what you try..."
"Are you for real?"
Looking at both little girls standing next to each other it feels like I'm looking after two children who can't take care of themselves. Even know they are staring at each other with a glance that could possibly kill people.
"This time it's my win!" Rui says with a grin on her face. "Our rules are set, you know that."
With a sweep of Rai's arm, Rui disappears.
"This witch has caused enough problems for now." Rai sighs. "Now for you..."
"Rui said something about her win. What was that about? And who are you exactly?"
Somehow I feel like I've gotten into the conflict between those two twin goddess.
"It won't change anything, but I will explain it. That evil girl is my twin sister. I am Rai, goddess of creation and peace. Her name is Rui, goddess of chaos and destruction."
"So I really got into the conflict of you two." I sigh.
What a pain in the ass, but unlike her sister's smile, Rai's feeling look rather sincere. But can I trust here? Not really. Who would trust a goddess, that gets played by her sister?
"It's not my fault! She... you... argh this is so annoying! You are supposed to be the hero who fights the demons. The outcome of your clash with the evil of this world will decide about whether humans or demons will reign for the next 1000 years." she bursts out.
"But now that you're limited, mankind has no chance at all!"
"Wait... I am forced to."
I can't even finish my sentence as a bright light engulfs me. After a few moments I open my eyes again, but that white, endless room is gone. Instead a forest is surrounding me.
'Where the heck am I?'