There was a saying: People had to pay for their crimes, either alive or in the afterlife. Rory knew it was a lie the weak had come up with to feel better about their powerlessness.
Unfortunately, he was the weak one.
That's why he was headed towards the guillotine. The restraints tied around his wrists and ankles clanked as two demons pushed him towards the stage.
He had seen countless humans get sacrificed there. Hell, the guillotine's wooden frame had turned dark from the dried blood of heroes, soldiers, and whatnot.
And now it was Rory's turn.
The first demon to be executed.
His crime?
Cucking the demon lord.
The demon lord had a grand ambition: to conquer Elysium and turn it into a haven for demons. Unfortunately, the only thing big about him was his ambition. That's what the queens told Rory.
That aside, to fulfill his ambition, the demon king worked hard. He was barely home. While he found countless companions on the road, the women of his harem back home grew tired and lonely.
They needed companionship.
That's when they learned about Rory's complex set of diseases. The third leg syndrome, also called macrophallia and priapism—a disease in which blood loves the third leg more than the heart.
Soon, Rory went from a lowly palace guard to the queen's personal guard.
That's how his perfect life began.
Unfortunately, that life didn't last long.
Jealous of his closeness with the queens, the demon lord's seventh general ratted him out. At least, that's the theory Rory came up with to soothe his aching heart. And now, he was headed to become the first demon to be publicly executed.
Of course, that wasn't the reason told to the populace. After all, the demon lord couldn't stain his image. That's why Rory was made a traitor who colluded with Hero Leon to take the throne for himself.
It wasn't a well-thought-out lie, with obvious faults. But the demons weren't known to be smart. They ate up any explanation given to them by the demon king.
From receiving head to having my head taken away… oh well, I can't say I regret this life.
Rory looked up and saw the demon king's furious gaze on him. He felt a deep desire to flip him off, but couldn't because of the restraints. Behind the king were his wives, all of whom had tears in their eyes.
Were they crying for him? It was doubtful.
Despite the countless nights they spent, the queens barely shared any emotional connection with him. It was more likely they would miss his services more than him.
But Rory didn't resent them.
He had more fun than they did. Besides, he did something even the heroes couldn't. He hurt the demon lord. No, he had destroyed him. Every time he had intimacy, Rory's smug face would appear before him.
That should be enough entertainment for those gods. It's time to go home.
Rory's head was placed on the plank as two guards held him in place. The demon king's hand fell, and so did the glinting blade.
A sickening clench was the last thing Rory heard as his head fell into a basket.
The crowd cheered.
The king sneered.
The queens shed a tear.
That's how Rory's life ended.
***
When Rory opened his eyes again, he found himself in front of a familiar building. He looked up and saw the bold, golden letters.
The Department of Reincarnation and Related Affairs.
It was a place he had visited a dozen times. Most souls had to visit that place. After all, everyone was a sinner.
Rory once saw a literal newborn go through a grueling process since he had caused his mother too much pain during childbirth and perished soon after.
Even a baby could be a sinner, then everyone was one.
He had even seen priests and saints there, though they were sent to the executive lounge instead. Only those in the executive lounge could choose a planet of their choice for reincarnation.
Thankfully, there was a way to become an executive, even if one wasn't a saint.
They needed to have over nine hundred reincarnation points.
A person could gain those coins by entertaining the gods or completing tasks in various worlds. Rory had ground hard for those coins to return to Earth. It might be a flawed planet, but it was a peaceful place for him.
[Please insert your membership card.]
The voice snapped Rory out of his thoughts. He checked his pockets and found a card, which he promptly placed on the scanner.
[Ding!]
[Account balance: 999 points.]
"I did it…"
Rory couldn't believe his eyes.
He did it. He hit the jackpot. Nothing could stop him from returning to Earth now!
That's what he thought until he met the settlement agent.
"I'm sorry, but your selected planet was destroyed a decade ago," she said, smiling.
"What do you mean!?" Rory yelled.
"I mean, you have to select a different planet for your next incarnation."
The office woman's smile didn't falter, as if she were talking about the weather and not a planet.
While Rory processed the news, the woman placed seven forms before him.
"Based on your points, we can offer you seven worlds to reincarnate in. You can go through their information and select one of your choice."
Even if Rory didn't want to believe it, he didn't have a choice in the matter.
He could either take the offer, or he'd hang out in the afterlife as a ghost. Since his karma wasn't as high as his reincarnation points, the former was a better choice.
Rory read through the forms.
+++
— World 106: Ninja Paradise.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆.
Life path: Find your ninja way.
— World 420: Smoke Realm.
Difficulty: ☆☆☆☆☆.
Life path: Smoke weed every day.
— World 151: Pocket Monster Realm.
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆.
Life path: Go catch them all.
— World 228: Pirate's Grand Voyage.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆.
Life path: Become a pirate king.
— World 117: Spartan's Crucible.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆.
Life path: Save the galaxy with a (crazy) AI waifu.
— World 333: Heroic Adventure.
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆.
Life path: Become a hero or a villain.
— World 007: Agent's Shadow.
Difficulty: ★★★★★.
Life path: Become Bond.
Warning: The difficulty shown doesn't represent the challenges of the world but how difficult the life of the body your soul will take over.
+++
"Please sign a form once you've decided," the woman reminded Rory.
"…Smoking might not be too bad."
It was the easiest life path. However, fate had something else planned for him. Just as Rory was about to sign it, someone snatched the form away.
Rory looked up to see a frantic office worker. The man had forcefully entered the executive lounge and grabbed the form to live the easiest life.
"I DESERVE THIS LIFE! I WAS GREEN-CAPPED AND DIED FROM HEARTATTACK! I DESERVE THIS!"
"Sir, please calm down," the woman urged. "We can sort this out."
From the corner of his eyes, Rory saw three demon guards inching closer to the green-capped man. The woman was buying time for them by distracting the salaryman.
Just then, a notification appeared before Rory.
+++
Daily Quest 1: Reward for another man.
Task: Decide the green-capped man's fate.
Reward: Karma +1~99, hidden reward(s).
+++
Karma was the most precious currency in the afterlife. Even one point was enough to enter the executive lounge. In other words, it was something Rory had to have.
"It's alright," Rory said, stopping the woman. "Let the man have it."
"But sir, the procedure—"
Rory knew the afterlife worked on coins, not procedures. There was a price for everything, and Rory was willing to pay that price to gain karma.
"How many points?"
"After applying the offer code, it comes down to 899 coins."
"…Let him have it."
"As you wish, sir."
+++
Quest complete!
Reward: Karma +69
Hidden reward: World Ticket x1 (Use it to enter a world of choice for free.)
Additional reward: New life path unlocked for World 333: Incubus Overlord.
+++
"Which world will you pick, sir?"
"This one," Rory said, presenting the ticket.
Rory made the obvious choice and chose World 333 as his reincarnation point. Just like that, he disappeared, awaiting his new beginning.