Reunion

"Kyaaa!"

"What the...!"

"Ow, shit!"

Three women were summoned into the Temple, each reacting in her own way. In an instant, the quiet sanctuary turned into a noisy clamor. They began looking back and forth between me and the goddess Mercury, trying to assess the situation.

"Sigh..."

Clutching my throbbing head, I glared at the bitches of Rosemary standing right in front of me.

"What the fuck is this place... Huh? That pig?"

Lee Cheri flinched in surprise when she spotted me. Seriously, does she wash her mouth out with garbage?

"W-why are you here? Just a moment ago... Wait. Are we dead? Is this heaven?"

"Heaven? Don't make me laugh."

"What?"

"You crazy bitches! You killed someone and ran? You're worse than dogs!"

The last thread of my sanity snapped. Seeing the murderous look in my eyes, Lee Cheri and the other Rosemary members flinched. Of course, I had no intention of stopping at mere threats.

"Perfect. Let's see how you like dying."

"W-what...? Kyaaa!"

I marched straight toward them. Idol or not, I was going to start by punching them square in the face. Lee Cheri stumbled backward in terror at my heavy, thudding footsteps.

Right then.

"Stop!"

Mercury's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠voice echoed through the Temple. Instantly, my body froze solid. I was stuck mid-stride, unable to even wiggle a finger.

"Huh...?"

It was completely sudden. All I could do was blink my eyes.

"What do you think you are doing? I went through the trouble of summoning your loved ones!"

Mercury, looking down at us from the top of the altar stairs, spoke in an irritated voice.

"Um, girls? I can't move my body..."

"Shit! Me too! What is this?!"

"W-what? We didn't do anything wrong! It was our manager who hit him!"

It seemed I wasn't the only one frozen. The Rosemary members were all clamoring at once.

I grit my teeth in silence. To have that kind of attitude after killing someone... I wanted to beat them to death right then and there. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one annoyed by their screeching.

"Silence!"

At Mercury's command, the Rosemary members' mouths snapped shut.

"Speak one at a time. First, you. Park Yeong-sik, was it? Explain what is going on."

"...Excuse me, Goddess, but shouldn't you have at least asked for my opinion first?"

I couldn't let my anger get the best of me. Mercury was the one trying to grant my wish. Therefore, I held the upper hand here, not Rosemary.

Calming myself down, I explained the situation leading up to my death in detail. How they insulted me, killed me, and fled the scene. I threw in a desperate plea for them to be severely punished for good measure.

"Hmm, so that is what happened."

"As a goddess... did you not even know how I died?"

"Earth has a population of over eight billion. How could I possibly keep track of every single one?"

"..."

She said it so confidently that I had no comeback. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I swallowed the urge to ask if she was just a child with creation powers rather than an actual deity.

"I understand the situation. Yes... even if someone else was driving, the sin of standing by and watching the death of a child I cherish cannot be overlooked. Do you girls have anything to say for yourselves?"

Cherished child, my foot. If you cherished me, why did you make me completely talentless?

As Mercury finished speaking, the paralysis binding the Rosemary members was lifted.

"..."

"That's our fault. Oh, Goddess..."

"T-that's..."

Only now did the three of them shut up. Seriously, stubborn people only listen when you show them who's boss.

"You see, Goddess? If you really cherish me, send those bitches straight to hell. Preferably the most painful corner of it."

"..."

"...W-wait!"

"Hold on! CherryLover? There must be some misunderstanding. You were my fan, weren't you? You didn't mean hell, right?"

Lee Cheri's voice trembled with anxiety.

Hmm. Seeing the Rosemary members panic like this, as a former fan, my heart ached... like hell it did.

Who do they think they're fooling?

Did they think only their lives mattered? They were the ones who insulted me, killed me, and ran away. I didn't have a single shred of mercy left for them.

"Goddess, they aren't even worth listening to. They're idols; they're just acting. Those wretched things killed a person, so they should pay the price. Don't you agree?"

Seizing the moment, I demanded severe punishment. The Rosemary members' faces turned pale. I could only imagine how priceless their expressions would be when they fell into hell.

But for some reason, Mercury seemed lost in thought.

"This is quite troubling."

"...Pardon?"

"I did not summon you all to send you to heaven or cast you into hell. Rather, I want you to fulfill a request of mine in a new world."

At Mercury's words, the Rosemary members let out sighs of relief. On the other hand, I was growing increasingly anxious.

"G-Goddess? They're the ones who killed me! You're going to let them live?"

"Yes, it seems I made a mistake. I simply summoned the people you wanted..."

"...What?"

"What did you just say?"

Lee Cheri and Scarlett reacted instantly to Mercury's words. Their heads whipped around to glare at me.

...Oh, shit.

Their gazes turned razor-sharp in an instant.

"Goddess? What did you say?"

"So, you're saying that pig wanted us here, and that's why we were summoned?"

"Oh? Did I not mention that?"

"Ha..."

"Are you kidding me? You're saying we died because of that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bastard?"

"Well, I suppose you could look at it that way...?"

Sensing they had leverage, the two of them began aggressively pressuring the goddess. This was bad. If I stayed quiet, I'd get swept away. I had to say something...

"My goddess! What about my family and friends?!"

"Does that make any sense? All because of that one damn pig?"

"Are we really dead, unnies? *Sob*, what do we do? We just made our comeback...!"

There was absolutely no room for me to cut in. Watching the Rosemary members vent their endless complaints, Mercury's expression grew thoroughly annoyed.

"Silence, silence! Ugh, you are so noisy!"

Thud!

Mercury slammed her staff, which had appeared out of nowhere, hard against the floor. Instantly, our mouths were frozen shut once again.

Dammit. Why me too...?

About an hour passed with us frozen in place. Thick drops of sweat formed on my forehead and dripped down my chin onto the Temple floor.

My joints ached, and my mouth was itching to speak. If this went on any longer, I felt like I would truly go insane.

All because of those damn bitches.

Even while frozen, Rosemary and I glared at each other with pure hatred. Believing they had died because of me, their eyes burned with murderous intent.

"Whew, quiet at last. Are you all ready to listen to me now?"

No one was able to answer.

"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Mercury. I oversee two parallel worlds: Earth and Ruesellon. Now, I shall tell you why I summoned you here."

Wait, what? So she wasn't reincarnating me out of pity?

"Recently, the monsters on the planet Ruesellon have been acting strange. During the period of the Total Lunar Eclipse, they leave their habitats and attack humans. I want you to investigate the cause."

When I blinked rapidly at Mercury, she snapped her fingers.

"Speak."

"Um, Goddess Mercury? Why do you want me to do that, of all people...?"

"A good question. I shall answer."

She snapped her fingers again, and my mouth was forced shut. Hey, I wasn't going to say anything else anyway.

"I did make a, *cough*, slight mistake regarding you. It is the law of the universe that deficiencies must be compensated for. Thanks to that, you are specially permitted to receive a gifted ability."

An ability? Is she talking about that 'Learning Talent' thing she mentioned earlier? Even so, asking me to save the world is absurd.

"Mmph, mmph...!"

"Do you have something to say, noisy friend?"

Snap.

With Mercury's gesture, Lee Cheri's paralysis was lifted this time.

"H-hold on, Goddess. What about our opinions? Why do we have to leave Earth just because of some otaku?"

"Otaku? I do not know what that is, but you seem to find this situation quite unfair."

"Of course it is!"

"Then let me ask you one thing. Do you wish to return to Earth?"

"...Is that even a question?"

"I have seen the future that awaits you if you return right now."

"What? What about it...?"

Lee Cheri stopped mid-sentence as if realizing something.

"W-what happens?"

"Abetting vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run, and covering up a crime. A total sentence of fifteen years."

"..."

"I ask you once more. Do you truly wish to return?"

Lee Cheri remained silent at Mercury's question.

"I will ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠promise you one thing. If you save Ruesellon from its crisis, I will grant each of your wishes. Whether it is returning to Earth, or living a life of luxury in Ruesellon."

"..."

"Well? That is a fair trade, is it not?"

"T-that's..."

Snap.

"If anyone has a complaint, speak now."

The paralysis was lifted from both me and the Rosemary members, but no one opened their mouths. It was obvious she would just freeze us again if we said anything useless.

"No one? Then I shall assume you have all accepted. Whew, you should have just listened in the first place. What insolent children."

Look at her holding a grudge. There wasn't a shred of divine dignity to be found in her.

"Now that you understand the situation, I shall show you the abilities I will bestow upon you."

Thud!

Mercury slammed her staff onto the floor once more. At that moment, the Temple floor shook with a heavy rumble. The Rosemary members shrieked in terror.

What is this...?

Soon, white light began to seep through the cracks in the floor. Particles of light drifted upward, rising slowly over the surface. It was a mesmerizing sight. The light gathered like water droplets, eventually forming a massive star shape across the Temple floor.

Is this a magic circle?

I could only gape in awe at the surreal sight.

"Each of you, approach the holy water at the tips of the constellation and submerge your hand."

Just as Mercury said, large pedestals were placed at the five points of the star.

I couldn't shake off an uneasy feeling, but I had no choice but to follow her instructions. The Rosemary members were also grumbling as they began to move to their spots.

I walked toward the pedestal at the furthest point, the very top of the star shape.

"Is this the holy water...?"

I saw water sloshing inside the pedestal. The light reflected off the clear liquid, showing my face. My chubby face was exactly as it had been on Earth.

Well, I'm already dead. It's not like I can die again.

I dipped my right hand into the holy water.

Then—

Flash!

A translucent message window floated before my eyes. I waved my hand through it, but it just passed right through.

Can only I see this? And what's with this cheap phrasing?

Since I was well-versed in dating sims and web novels, a system window wasn't particularly shocking to me. However, the Rosemary members seemed to react differently.

"Kyaaa!"

"What's this?!"

"Whoa, scared the shit out of me."

...Seriously, they are so loud.

Ignoring their chatter, I turned my attention back to the message window.

I couldn't touch the screen with my hand. Did that mean I had to select the answer with my eyes?

I focused my gaze on the option I wanted and imagined clicking it. Of course, my choice was obvious.

Obviously, YES!

Click.