Otherworld Express?

It happened in an instant. The strange man pulling a kitchen knife from inside his jacket. Me yanking the schoolgirl standing at the tip of that blade. And that knife, robbed of its intended target, plunging straight into my solar plexus.

The rush-hour hell-train erupted into pandemonium. I didn't even register that I'd been stabbed before I crumpled to the floor. Forcing my sluggish head to turn, I looked at the man who'd stabbed me — he seemed just as shocked, dropping the bloodied knife and collapsing to the floor, trembling.

I turned my head again, searching for the schoolgirl who'd been the original target. But she was already gone — either fled or swallowed up among the surrounding crowd. It was a little disappointing she hadn't even checked on the guy who'd saved her, but at least she was safe…

…

Yeah, right. Why the hell did I do that? I'd never given a damn about justice or protecting the weak. Why would I… Even as my mind fogged and my vision blurred, I couldn't make sense of my own actions.

Hey… stop filming me with your phones, you psychos…

Absurdly, not a single person was trying to help the guy bleeding out on the floor. Every last one of them had their phones out, just recording.

The thought that my dying, blood-soaked form would be converted into their SNS view counts filled me with boundless joy.

Ah, I should've just stayed home raising slaves… What riches was I hoping for by going out…

In my fading consciousness, I thought of the game I'd left unfinished — and then I blacked out.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the sky…

I was definitely stabbed on the subway, wasn't I?

—blink blink

I closed and opened my eyes several times at this incomprehensible situation, but the sky was still all I could see.

"Are you awake?"

"!!?!"

Startled, I turned toward the sweet voice and found a woman of eye-popping beauty leaning over me, looking down.

Her face, her figure — not a single flaw. Overwhelmed by her appearance, I couldn't get a word out before that sweet voice came again.

"That's a relief. You took so long to wake up, I was worried something had gone wrong. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Kylie, an intermediate goddess who assists Lady Marian, one of the high goddesses in charge of judgment."

A goddess?!?! Wait — so that stabbing was an isekai stabbing?! Thank you, knife guy!

…

No, no… Don't jump to conclusions. Nothing's confirmed yet.

Hearing her introduce herself as a goddess, I forcibly shut down the happiness circuit that was about to overload and calmed myself. I'd already confirmed across multiple light novels that getting ahead of yourself and getting all excited alone never ends well.

First, I moved my left hand and pinched my thigh.

…

It hurt. A cliché method, sure, but it hurt, so this was reality. Confirming the current situation wasn't a dream, my happiness circuit started overloading all over again.

Still, I did a good deed and got stabbed for it — shouldn't I get good treatment? Will I get to choose? Then what should I choose? How many can I pick?

Whether she knew my happiness circuit was about to explode from overload or not, Kylie continued speaking.

"Well. First, I'd like you to get up. We need to move to the Hall of Judgment where Lady Marian is waiting."

"Yes!"

Unable to contain my blazing happiness circuit, I answered in a voice so excited anyone could tell, and stood up.

"Then I'll transport us. Don't be startled!"

Before I could even react to Kylie's sweet voice, my surroundings changed. From a meadow. To a courtroom.

The irritated gaze looking down at me from a slightly elevated seat did not, by any measure, seem like a good situation for me.

Uh… I haven't committed any sins, righ…t?

Come to think of it, in webtoons and movies alike, they seemed to weigh the ratio of good deeds to bad deeds for the final judgment.

My happiness circuit started going cold.

I'd done a good deed right before dying, but… had I done anything wrong before that? In some novels, people get punished for sins they don't even remember…

Just as my misery circuit was about to spin into high gear, a sharp, irritable voice cut through.

"Han Mir. That right?"

"Yes!"

My voice answering the name confirmation boomed through the courtroom.

"I'm not deaf. Speak softly."

"Yes…"

"Too quiet!"

"Yes."

My prediction was correct. This was not a good atmosphere. Whatever sin I couldn't remember must have outweighed the good deed right before death.

"Right. You died taking a knife meant for a schoolgirl on the subway. Correct?"

"Yes."

"Age twenty-three. No family. Grew up in an orphanage. No criminal record. Correct?"

"Yes."

"Hah… Why'd you take that knife for her? Doesn't make sense to me."

Same here… Why did I…

If I could go back to that moment right now, I'd grit my teeth and pretend I didn't see it. If I could go back to that morning, I'd grit my teeth and never leave my blanket.

But that option was no longer available…

"Hey. You know what kind of bitch that girl you saved was?"

"No…"

"Volume."

"I don't know."

Calling her "that bitch" — she wasn't a good kid, then. No, she was definitely a bad bitch. Otherwise ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there's no way she'd vanish without even checking on the man who saved her life.

"Good. Keep that tone. Anyway, that bitch had people rape the girls her age she didn't like, filmed it for blackmail, forced them into prostitution, and when the kids killed themselves she'd crush it with her family power and claim she knew nothing. The guy who tried to stab her was the older brother of a kid who'd been tormented by her and killed herself a week ago."

Uh… so she was one of those dynamic absolute bitches you only see in the news sometimes.

"And she's saying you weren't trying to save her — you were trying to sexually assault her and got stabbed for it."

This bitch?

"Unfortunately, your school life, community activity, the adult games installed on your computer, and your extensive history of porn, hentai anime, erotic novels, and hentai galleries have come out, so her statement is trending toward being accepted as truth."

So this is what they mean by being dragged through the mud even after death…

"Anyway. Originally that bitch was supposed to die and come here for judgment, but you interfered and things got weird. There clearly wasn't anyone in that car who would've stopped that knife."

Listening while thinking about that bitch who should be alive instead of me, it almost sounded like she'd been fated to die that day.

"Does that mean… there's such a thing as fate?"

Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked, and a thoroughly annoyed look stabbed into me.

"You joking? There's no fate. You just extrapolate from their track record. A kid who killed herself a week ago. Looking at her older brother, you can predict the day something's likely to happen. The place. It mostly lines up."

"So you keep observing them?"

"Are you insane? Only important figures get constant observation by the lower gods. Famous people or evil people. Important figures have complicated judgment procedures. Takes a long time. You have to collect the materials needed for judgment by the expected date of death so it finishes quickly."

"Then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what about people who aren't like that…?"

"Everyone else, when they die, intermediate gods go and do a summary judgment. People who live ordinary lives barely have anything to judge. Look at you. What did I even confirm with you?"

That was true.

"Most people live ordinary lives and leave ordinary. No incidents, no accidents. The ones we specially judge are the ones who aren't ordinary. For good or for evil."

A fascinating system.

"Then what judgment was that bitch originally going to receive?"

"Well. She'd reincarnate for about five hundred years with her memories, living as a human toilet."

"Hup."

Five hundred years was one thing, but I never expected the word "human toilet" to come out of a goddess's mouth.

"Don't look so shocked. Think of how many kids died because of her, how many families suffered. Of course, since you saved her, she'll be judged ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠again a bit later."

So the period might get longer? That aside, given how thoroughly she's explaining everything — and looking at her speech and behavior — maybe the cold exterior is just a disguise for a warm heart?

"Enough. One way or another, the fact that you performed the highest good doesn't change. I grant you the right to choose your reincarnation, along with a blessing."

A blessing!!! Finally! It's here!

Get to work, happiness circuit!

"Is there a world you desire?"

"Medieval! Fantasy!"

Where I can freely use slaves!

"Volume."

"Sorry."

I got too excited. But still — how can I not be excited!

"Kylie."

"Yes, Lady Marian. The worlds Han Mir ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠desires exist in plurality. We should be able to determine the world based on the blessing Han Mir desires."

Oh yeah!

"The forms of reincarnation are: reincarnation as a member of that world starting from a fetus with no memories of your previous life; reincarnation starting as a fetus while retaining your memories; or transfer in your current state. Which will it be?"

No need to think.

"I'd like to go in my current state."

"Doubt a guy who lived on modern Earth can adapt well to a fantasy world, but… if that's what he wants… What kind of blessing do you want? Give me a rough idea."

"Status Window. Ability editing. Hypnosis. Super virility. Aphrodisiac powers. Harem. Slaves. Immortality… Ack!"

Something hard cracked against my head as I excitedly listed everything I wanted.

A gavel…?

"Lady Marian, you mustn't. Please restrain yourself. Lady Marian. The High God is watching."

"I don't care! That bitch was right! That bastard was clearly trying to molest her and got stabbed by mistake! Where's the gavel! Judgment! This is a judgment! One hundred years in the kobold mines!"

"Oh come on. You can't. Lady Marian, please calm down and come this way. It's fine. He's trash you won't have to see starting tomorrow. No god gets angry at trash. Lady Marian."

Kylie took the enraged Marian and disappeared.

…

I feel like I just heard some pretty harsh words delivered in a lovely voice?

After a moment, Kylie returned, having taken Marian away.

"Whew. I knew you enjoyed those kinds of games alone, but how could you voice such trashy wishes."

Huh? Lady Kylie?

"And the High God too. How could they order a blessing of the High God bestowed on trash like this… Is he an illegitimate child?"

Excuse me? I can hear you?

"Well, fine. I'll grant as many of your wishes as possible. But blessings have limits. First, I'll let you see a Status Window. Editing will be possible on a limited basis. Things like hypnosis, you'd do well to learn once you get to that world if possible. Harem and slaves, you can build those yourself with your own abilities once you're there. Immortality is difficult, so let's compromise on being able to achieve eternal youth and longevity. This already exceeds the High God's blessing quota, but super virility isn't difficult, so I'll grant that as my own blessing."

So in the end… I only got a Status Window and super virility…?

"Still, I'll put you in a good state for acquiring slaves or building a harem, so don't worry."

Can I trust that…

"Shall I pass judgment? No further complaints or requests, correct?"

I have a few…

Kylie declared the judgment and struck the gavel before I could say a word.

And…

I was reincarnated.