When I opened my eyes, I could see nothing but darkness. I tried to walk around, but there was only more darkness. Suddenly, I heard a melody—a beautiful, enchanting melody.
I followed the sound, and as I got closer, it became clearer. A dim light flickered in the abyss. I moved toward it, and as I drew nearer, I saw a figure—a human figure.
To be exact, it seemed to be me? No, it was Oliver. She was taller than I was. When she noticed my approach, she turned around and smiled. Her smile was gentle, perhaps one of the kindest I had ever seen in my life.
"Hello, other me," Oliver said, kneeling to my level and patting my head. This version of me had a two-block haircut and looked much more mature. She was beautiful yet handsome, an androgynous figure that made me question if she was a boy or a girl.
I was captivated, stunned by this person. If I had met someone like her in my past life, I would surely have developed a crush. Oliver chuckled softly, continuing to pat my head. "Do you have any questions?"
I thought for a moment. "Is it possible that our fate will be the same?"
Oliver smiled and picked me up, carrying me effortlessly. I was shocked, but she snapped her fingers, and the dark background transformed into a field of lush green grass, dotted with colorful flowers.
Not far from us, there was a small round table with two chairs, set with a tea service and sweets. Oliver set me down in one chair before taking a seat herself.
She poured tea into my cup and gestured for me to drink. As I sipped, I glanced at her. Oliver looked up at the sky, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You and I may share the same body and the same people around us, but… Oliver, you can change your fate."
Resting her elbow on the table and her cheek in her hand, she gazed at me with a charming smile. If only I had known that her body was the same as mine; I would definitely have developed a crush on her. It sounds strange, but her charisma was on another level. Her appearance deserved the title of twin sibling to the main character; indeed, she could have been the main character herself.
"Oliver, we are the same, but at the same time, we are not. Compared to me, you're much stronger, and you possess a will that makes you even stronger." She sighed, her gaze dropping as sadness flickered in her eyes, yet she continued to smile.
Oliver traced patterns on the table with her long finger. "My sin was not fighting back against my brother. I could have, but I didn't want to." She laughed, a self-mocking sound, before sighing again. "I loved my brother so much that I let him kill me without putting up a fight. But I realized that this decision resulted in a huge mess."
She looked directly at me. "Young Oliver, the other me, I'm not telling you to take revenge on Claudius. What I want is for you to live a life different from mine."
As I gazed at Oliver, her form began to fade. She seemed to notice as well and smiled softly, touching my forehead with her index and middle fingers.
"Oliver, the other version of me, I'm actually a fallen god who chose to reincarnate as a human. At the time, I almost lost my life, and I used every ounce of power I had left to create another universe and timeline, different from my own. That old geezer probably knew about it and decided to send you here." Oliver chuckled softly, as if reminiscing about the past.
"I'm sorry for making you live this life, but I hope everything is going well. I used almost every power I had left to communicate with you…" Oliver began to fade further, but her gentle smile remained. Her fingertips, still touching my forehead, glowed. "With the power I have left, I bestow upon you a blessing that I hope will help you in your life. Please use it well." Her smile didn't disappear until every part of her had faded away.
I reached out, chasing after her vanishing image like ashes scattered by the wind. "Wait!" I shouted, running desperately, even knowing I wouldn't catch up. I ran and ran as the world around me began to dissolve into darkness.
Suddenly, I woke up, my hand still reaching out. I was breathing heavily, my heart racing. It felt like a nightmare, and for some reason, I started to cry.
With watery eyes, I looked out the window and saw that the sun was just beginning to rise. I stood slowly, making my way toward the window, and placed my palm against the glass. I smiled while gazing outside.
I felt different, as if my body had transformed. Looking up at the sky, a sincere smile spread across my face. "Thank you, Oliver."
Author's Note:
What do you think of this chapter? I know it's shorter than usual and might be the briefest chapter I've written for this story, but I hope you loved it.
I may or may not post another chapter today, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
As for Oliver (the real and former one), she is actually a fallen god who chose to reincarnate into a random world because she felt lonely and wanted to experience life and hardship as a human. She sacrificed everything and her divine status to reincarnate, earning her title as a fallen god. Oliver was also known as one of the kindest gods among the others. The old geezer she mentioned was likely the one who ruled the world where Oliver (the current one) was reborn.