As the last flicker of the seventeen souls vanished, leaving the vast white expanse empty, the space around Ren began to shift. The endless void of light rippled and bent, shapes forming where there had previously been none.
The change was subtle at first but quickly transformed the world around him into something entirely new.
Ren found himself in what could only be described as a luxurious living room. The walls were made of pristine white marble, their surfaces polished to a mirror-like sheen and adorned with delicate carvings of stars and constellations.
The floor, too, gleamed with marble, its surface veined with subtle streaks of silver that seemed to glow faintly. A grand chandelier hung above, its crystalline ornaments refracting soft, golden light that bathed the room in a warm glow.
At the center was an elegant rectangular table, its surface a polished black stone inlaid with intricate patterns of gold. Surrounding it were plush, exquisite couches upholstered in deep velvet blue, their cushions embroidered with celestial motifs.
In the midst of this opulence stood Laquila. Her form had shifted from her celestial radiance to something more human-like. She now stood tall—an imposing yet graceful figure, six feet in height.
Her attire was a flowing, high-collared gown that draped her frame from neck to toe, a seamless blend of sophistication and modesty. The fabric shimmered faintly, as if woven from threads of starlight, while faint golden patterns traced along the edges of her sleeves and hem.
Her skin was fair and unblemished, her features refined and striking. Light purple hair cascaded from a high ponytail, reaching her waist, while her deep blue eyes glimmered with amusement and curiosity.
Laquila moved effortlessly to one of the couches, sitting with a casual grace. With a flick of her hand, a teapot and delicate porcelain cups appeared on the table before her.
The teapot was adorned with constellations, the same golden patterns glowing softly. As she poured an unseen liquid into one of the cups, steam rose in gentle wisps.
She smiled playfully and gestured with her hand. "Come here, have a seat. You must have a lot of questions, right?"
Ren's unformed soul drifted hesitantly, though not of his own will. Laquila's presence seemed to pull him forward like a silent command.
As Ren moved closer, Laquila blinked, as though realizing something. Her lips curled into an apologetic smile. "Oh, right. You probably can't comprehend what I'm saying, and even if you could, you don't exactly have a body to sit down with, do you? Ehe, silly me~ Sorry~."
Her tone was light and casual, a stark contrast to the dignified and polite manner she had displayed before. There was an almost playful lilt in her voice now, as if she found the situation amusing.
"Well then," she said, patting the spot beside her on the couch despite Ren's lack of a physical form. "Come here first."
Ren's soul slowly floated closer to her, though he could not explain how. He had no limbs, no control over his movement—it was simply her will that guided him.
When Ren was close enough, Laquila extended a hand. Her fingers, delicate yet firm, reached toward him. As she touched his unstable soul lightly, a faint light flickered at her fingertips, glowing for only a moment before it dimmed and disappeared. She withdrew her hand and tilted her head slightly.
"Hello, can you hear me?"
Ren's awareness shifted abruptly. Where before her words had been muffled and incomprehensible, now they were clear, as if spoken directly into his mind. He startled slightly, though his formless state allowed no physical reaction.
"Hmm… it seems like you can hear me now," Laquila said, her smile widening. "Good~."
Ren tried to process what had just happened, but Laquila continued without pause. "I just temporarily enabled you to hear what I'm saying. Don't bother asking how I did it—it's constellation stuff, you wouldn't get it."
Laquila placed her teacup down, resting her chin in her hand as she gazed at Ren's fluctuating, formless soul.
"You've probably realized it by now," she said, her tone soft but direct. "Something's... amiss with you."
Ren's soul rippled faintly, as if responding.
"You've lost something essential," Laquila continued. "Parts of your soul are completely detached—scattered. And without them, well…" She trailed off for a moment, her expression unreadable.
Hearing this, Ren's unformed soul fluctuated erratically, as if in distress.
Laquila sighed softly and leaned back against the couch. "With your current state, you can't pass into heaven or hell. And reincarnation? That's also off the table. You're stuck, little soul."
Ren flickered again, this time more violently.
"Now, now, don't go unraveling on me," Laquila said with a hint of amusement in her tone, raising her hand as if to calm him.
"There are solutions. Two, to be exact."
Ren's soul stilled, as though holding onto her words.
"The first option," she explained, "is to find the missing pieces of your soul and recover them. But, let me tell you, that's no small task. The moment those fragments separated, they began to wander. A soul fragment doesn't have a consciousness or direction—it drifts aimlessly, fading into the aether, or worse, consumed by other entities."
Ren wavered again, his dim hope flickering.
"Which brings us to the second option," Laquila said, clasping her hands together.
"You could merge with another soul. More specifically, a weaker soul. By fusing with it, you might stabilize and regain enough essence to continue existing."
Ren's soul pulsated faintly, as though considering the idea.
Laquila's playful smile returned. "Oh, don't get too hopeful just yet. Even that isn't easy. First, it's rare to find a soul weaker than yours. Second, compatibility is a huge issue. Souls aren't one-size-fits-all; their strength and structure depend on the essence they're born with—their very nature, even before they enter a body. And if the two souls are incompatible…"
She snapped her fingers, creating a small burst of sparks for dramatic effect. "Boom. Mutual destruction, completely annihilated your existence."
Ren quivered slightly, the faint light of hope dimming once more.
"Now, don't go despairing yet,"
She clapped her hands together, the sound echoing through the luxurious room. "Lucky for you, I'm feeling generous—and a little excited! Cases like yours are so rare that I can't resist getting involved."
Without another word, Laquila closed her eyes and extended her hand. A golden light radiated from her, spreading outward as though searching. "Let's see… The Airet Realm—the world you were supposed to reincarnate into—might have something."
The light vanished as quickly as it appeared. Laquila opened her eyes, shrugging. "Nope. Nothing. Tough luck, huh~?"
Ren's soul dimmed further.
She leaned back with a chuckle, her tone playful once more, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Hmm, well, I could try something else. Let's take a look at the other realms under my jurisdiction."
She extended her hand again, the golden light returning. One by one, she checked each realm with an almost lazy efficiency. Her eyes lit up as she reached the sixth realm. "Ah, there we go. What luck~."
Her tone shifted slightly, a mix of amusement and urgency. With a flick of her wrist, the golden light condensed into her palm before vanishing. Moments later, a faint groaning sound echoed through the room.
A soul materialized on the floor before her, faint and weak. Its form flickered as though it were on the verge of dissipating.
Laquila tilted her head, examining it with a satisfied smile. "This poor thing was practically at death's door. Had I waited a second longer, it would've ascended."
She muttered softly, almost to herself, "I'll probably get into trouble for this later. But, well… never mind that~."
Turning her gaze back to Ren, she gestured toward the newly arrived soul.
"There's your candidate. Go on, get closer. I'll help you… devour it."
Ren's soul fluctuated sharply, as if startled. Her choice of words made the process sound far worse than it probably was.
Noticing his reaction, Laquila chuckled. "Oh, don't look at me like that—not that you have eyes. I could've said merge, but devour is so much more dramatic, don't you think?"
Ren hesitated, his soul wavering as though questioning her.
"Fine, fine," she said, waving her hand.
"Call it whatever you want. Just get close to it. Time's a-wasting."
Ren, heeding Laquila's instructions, approached the groaning soul before him. As he drew closer, an unseen force gently nudged him forward, and Laquila's hand glimmered with a faint light.
"Alright then, let's begin. Hold still," she said with a smirk.
The moment Ren's unformed soul touched the other, Laquila flicked her fingers, and a brilliant burst of light erupted around them. It enveloped both souls, swirling in intricate patterns, until the smaller, weaker soul merged into Ren's.
When the light faded, Ren's soul was no longer formless. Though still ethereal, it now resembled a humanoid figure with defined limbs and faintly glowing edges.
Laquila leaned forward, inspecting her work with a satisfied grin. "Not bad. So? How do you feel?"
Ren flexed his hands—or the ghostly semblance of them. "Different," he replied. His voice, though still soft and hollow, now carried a tone of thoughtfulness. "It's… strange. Like something foreign is still settling in."
"That's perfectly normal," Laquila reassured him. "You'll adapt soon enough. Now, with this done, you're finally eligible for reincarnation into the Airet Realm."
Ren nodded slightly, but Laquila raised her finger. "Before that, though, I imagine you have questions. You couldn't quite catch the important bits earlier, after all."
He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Yes. About the power system you mentioned to the others. Could you explain it again?"
Laquila smiled patiently and began her explanation. She outlined the world's system of affinities—innate connections to elements such as fire, water, earth, and others more mysterious.
She spoke of gifts, rare abilities that only a few were born with, and how even among the reincarnated, the chance of receiving one was slim.
Lastly, she described blessings, unique boons granted by constellations like herself, bestowed at their discretion.
When she finished, Ren took a moment to absorb it all. "And about reincarnation," he continued, "do I get to choose where or to whom I'll be born?"
Laquila's grin widened.
"Oh, no. That's entirely up to luck. You might end up in a noble family, or perhaps a poor one. Maybe you'll be born to doting parents, or assho—strict parent or even perhaps a....parentless. Fate spins the wheel, and you'll see where it lands."
Ren's shoulders dropped slightly, though his expression remained neutral. ".....I see. That's fair."
"Good attitude," Laquila said with a chuckle.
Ren then thought of another question. "Will the world I'm going to… is it at war? Or under threat from something like a demon king? You know, like in stories…"
Laquila's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Nope. The Airet Realm is at peace. Humans and demons coexist, and while there are the occasional squabbles, it's nothing like the grand wars you're imagining."
She let out a small laugh. "If you want details, I suggest reading the history books once you're there."
Ren tilted his head slightly. "Is that so? I see..." His tone was even, betraying no strong emotion, though his glowing form flickered faintly.
"Ah, but don't get too comfortable," she added with a smirk.
"Peace doesn't mean there's no danger. Life has its risks, and you'll need to navigate them wisely."
With that, their conversation continued, touching on smaller clarifications and curiosities Ren had.
When all his questions were answered, Laquila stood, her amused grin softening into something more genuine. "Well, then. That's all from me. Good luck, Ren. May you find what you seek in this new life."
Before Ren could respond, his vision was suddenly washed in a blinding white light. His consciousness faded as he felt himself being pulled away from Solum Astra, leaving behind the enigmatic constellation who had set him on this new path.