My head hurts. It feels like I'm getting crushed under a boulder, and if any more force was used, my head would actually burst apart.
Ah… so painful…
Did I not die?
As far as I remember, wasn't I in my room, waiting for the premier of that ecchi anime… ah, what was it called again?… tsk… I seemed to have forgotten…
But, where am I? And how am I able to think?
"You are currently in limbo, child." A melodic voice spoke to me. I couldn't see who it belonged to, but it seemed feminine and pleasing to hear.
"Limbo?" I asked, unaware of what my current circumstances were.
"Yes. It's a realm where the souls who cannot reincarnate are at. The limbo shows them their happy times until their consciousness slowly fades and they dissipate permanently, becoming one with the cosmos."
"I see."
I was surprisingly calm despite hearing such a horrifying thing. I mean, I was already dead and expected that I wouldn't live again. So in a way, this was one and the same thing.
"You don't seem to have a will to live."
"Yes." I said. "With all that has happened in my life, I don't think I would want to repeat it again. It's better if I die completely. I'll get some proper rest that way."
"Huhuhu… what an adorable thinking…" The feminine voice seemed to be giggling heartily. "But I'm sorry to say, that won't happen. You won't get to die like other souls."
"Why?" I asked out of curiosity. Honestly, now this was scary.
"It's because you are cursed." The feminine voice dropped a bombshell on me. "You are cursed with immense misfortune. And your misfortune would not allow you to die. Your fate is to suffer for eternity and you will have to serve it."
"Huh!?!"
"What did you just say!?!"
"You heard it right. You will suffer for eternity. This is your fate."
My thoughts were in a disarray as the shock I just got was immense. I wasn't able to digest the information easily and began asking questions like why, what, and who caused it, and as such.
The voice did not answer me and turned silent while I panicked and slowly broke down as I realized there was no end to my suffering even in death.
I did not know how much time had passed, but when I felt my mind go blank due to the shock, I heard the feminine voice again.
"I never said there's no end to your suffering."
My broken mind was slowly coming together and listening to her.
"Let's change the setting up a bit. It feels too congested to talk this way."
Snap!
After I heard the snap, I could actually see as my vision returned.
I was in the dark expanse of space, standing on a bed of clouds. When I looked at my hands, I could only see a blurry outline.
The clouds beneath me were moving and took me towards a giant red lotus.
Nestled within the red lotus was a veiled woman. I couldn't see her face properly. Only her raven hair and seductive figure resting on the lotus was visible.
"Do you like what you see?" The feminine voice asked me.
I had no answer to that as I felt nothing from watching her. I had no raging hormones or a physical body to actually feel attracted to anyone. I was just a soul. A pitiful soul in the vast expanse of the cosmos.
"Huhuhu… you sure have some interesting thoughts…" the lady's body shook as she giggled. "In any case… we do not have much time for idle chatter as your soul is soon going to be taken out of the limbo."
"Taken out?"
"Yes. As I said, you are cursed and won't die. You'll only suffer."
I wasn't fazed by this comment anymore. "Okay. And?"
The lady giggled. "And what? You're just going to suffer. That's it. There's no other thing behind that."
Did she just bring me to this place to repeat the things I already know of?
"No. I brought you here to make you an offer."
"An offer?"
"Yes." The lady got up from her resting state and sat in a lotus position. "I will tell you exactly what caused you to be cursed and how you can remove it. Not only that, I will also ease some of your suffering initially and let you have a peaceful life."
"Don't forget though. My ways are going to be temporary as your curse is just too strong. It could come back anytime, so you have to fight it yourself and eradicate it."
I nodded my head in understanding.
"Since you understand this much, then let me tell you what you have to do and what's the offer."
"It's quite simple, actually."
The lady raised her hands up and stretched.
"All you have to do is conquer the Tower and give me one thing I ask you to."
"The Tower?"
What was that?
"You'll know once you reincarnate." The lady said in a leisurely voice.
If that's the case, then what about her request? Assuming if I do conquer the Tower, what then?
"Don't worry. My request won't be something absurd."
"Something absurd?"
"Yes. I won't ask you for your life or your happiness or your wealth or anything dear to you. What I want is something that goes beyond these things. I'll let you know when the time comes."
I stayed silent and listened.
The lady yawned and went back to her lying down state. She looked at me and continued, "I'll repeat the offer again. You'll conquer the Tower and give me one thing I ask you, and in return, I'll tell you the reason for your misfortune and how you could end it. I would also be helping you reincarnate properly and in living a peaceful life initially."
I nodded my head. I didn't have much of a choice, so I accepted her offer.
The lady was not amused by my acceptance and just congratulated me. Then, she said, "…since you've accepted the offer, I'll now let you know about your curse…"