Paradise (1)
“What lies beyond death?”
One day, the Hero asked me that.
“Beyond death?”
“Yes. When life comes to an end, death follows as a matter of course. But doesn't death itself have an end too? So what lies beyond that death?”
“The end of death... If you're talking about the very bottom of the Underworld, then there are the three gods of the Underworld.”
The Hero shook his head slightly at my words.
“You've told me about the Underworld before. That souls face judgment from the gods of the Underworld, receive their punishment or reward, have their souls cleansed of memories, and are reborn into new lives.”
“Yeah. That's right.”
It was a story I'd shared back when we traveled together, and he still remembered it clearly.
I picked up an apple from the bedside table next to the bed where the Hero lay. I carefully peeled it with a blade of mana, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and brought one to his mouth.
But he couldn't take the piece into his mouth.
“Can't eat?”
“Yeah. No appetite.”
“You didn't eat breakfast either.”
I clicked my tongue softly.
If I wanted to, I could extend his lifespan as much as I liked. But the Hero kept refusing.
“Isn't it the natural order to be born, live, grow old, and die? Even if I've journeyed with you, sis, and the Life Goddess, it wouldn't be right to escape that order.”
“Even if that's not what I want?”
“Yes. It's my stubborn little whim.”
The Hero lay back down on the bed, his face weary.
“Let's get back to the story. What lies beyond death?”
“Souls get cleansed and reborn. With a soul unstained by the past.”
“Then what happens to souls that pass the judgment of the three Underworld gods?”
I fell silent for a moment at the Hero's question.
“There haven't been any... yet.”
“The standards for judgment must be pretty strict, huh.”
And they were. How much does a human do in their lifetime? Are all those deeds free of any malice? Do good intentions permeate everything? Or have they accomplished feats so great that even such malice becomes meaningless? Feats worthy of being called a hero? Praised by the world?
At least so far, no such soul existed.
The three gods who passed judgment had even muttered that maybe they should loosen the criteria a bit.
“Truth is... since no souls have passed, we haven't made a place for them to go yet.”
If we're talking about that place... for now, let's call it Paradise on a provisional basis.
I'd planned to gather any souls that passed judgment separately until Paradise was ready, but... hmm...
“Is that okay?”
“Since no souls have met the criteria. We could make it ahead of time, but...”
Traveling the world with the Hero had been more fun than I'd expected, so I'd put it off.
“It's been on hold provisionally anyway. And... you seem like you'll be the first soul to pass that judgment. Guess it's about time I made it.”
I even had a method in mind for creating this new world.
“Me? What have I even done to deserve that?”
“You've performed good deeds for the world.”
As a hero who saved the world and vanquished monsters, his feats were incomparable good deeds.
If the Hero couldn't pass that judgment, who could?
“If you don't pass, no one will.”
The Hero gave an awkward smile at my words.
“I don't think I'm that great...”
“Puff out your chest. You're going to be the first one worthy of being called a hero in this world.”
The aged Hero straightened his chest with a slightly stiff motion, then coughed.
I took his hand and infused it with life force to ease his body a little.
“You really don't need this?”
“No. This is enough.”
The Hero sank back deep into the bed.
“My wife passed long ago. Most of the people I knew are gone now. My daughter has become a wrinkled old grandmother, and my grandchildren have all built their own families... There's no reason to keep going in this life, is there?”
“Yeah. I suppose so.”
The Hero was over a hundred years old. His daughter was a grandmother in her sixties, and his grandchildren had married, had kids, and raised families of their own. They were on the verge of forming a whole village of his descendants.
“Arcadia's founding king is gone now too. Hmm. No one left I could really call a friend.”
“But that guy got to set foot on his homeland again before he died.”
The curse on Akad's land had lifted. Life was blooming there once more.
Akad's last prince had returned to his homeland before dying, falling asleep with a peaceful expression amid the ruins of the city, never to wake again.
“Returning home was his wish. He must have been happy to sleep there in the end.”
“Mm.”
He must have longed for his homeland that much. Enough to want to be buried there.
“Even founding such a great nation wasn't enough to pass the Underworld's judgment... It's way too strict.”
“In his case... the judgment is on hold.”
His soul was so tangled in good deeds, evil deeds, and great feats that they couldn't easily pass sentence.
Given how he was hailed as a founding king among humans, he'd probably pass eventually, even if it took time.
“You said the place for those who pass judgment... hasn't been made yet?”
“Yeah. For beings worthy of passing the Underworld's judgment and the three gods' approval... they deserve a fitting place. I'm still pondering what that should be.”
Heaven. Paradise. It could go by many names, and I had ideas for how to make it, but its form was still up in the air.
A non-material place. One for souls only. Filled with nothing but happiness. A place of eternal happiness.
That might be Paradise... but... hmm. I don't know.
Is eternal happiness really Paradise?
If it's unchanging happiness until the world ends? Change the perspective, and isn't that like being taxidermied? Preserved forever in a happy space, like a specimen?
I don't know. I have no idea what's right.
Even called a god, with powers close to one, and I don't truly know a damn thing.
“You seem troubled.”
“Yeah. No end to the worries.”
It'd be easier if I'd just let everything run its course and watched from afar.
But I'd meddled too deeply for that.
“Think of it simply. Just relax.”
“Can't exactly do that.”
It was a place for souls worthy of utmost respect. Half-assing it wouldn't do.
“Why not make the place they desire?”
“The place they desire?”
“Yes. In my case... it'd be a landscape like this village. I really loved this simple life here.”
Hmm... that could be tricky. If lots of people end up in Paradise someday, who knows how vast it'd need to be.
And if they want to spend it with loved ones... even more complicated.
Not easy. Nothing's easy.
“Well, I don't actually want to go there.”
“Wh-what?!”
Hold on, what the hell?! If you don't go, who will?!
“Didn't you say only those who pass judgment go there?”
“Yeah. Only the select few who pass.”
“Then my wife won't be there.”
I had no words for the Hero's statement.
“I didn't know you cherished your wife that much.”
“Yeah. Guess living together built that bond... Now I just want to see her face one more time.”
The Hero gave a small smile.
“But after Underworld judgment, her soul would be cleansed. Even memories of you would be wiped clean. You still think of her as your wife?”
“Eh, what do memories matter anyway? Hers got wiped once before. We still lived well together.”
I couldn't say anything.
“If you go to the place you make for souls that pass judgment... you might never see her again.”
“High chance. Even if she passes in her next life, that soul will have new memories.”
“Hmm... Then I want to reincarnate too.”
“You want to meet again in the next life?”
The Hero nodded faintly.
Oh man... you foolish guy...
“Souls that fail Underworld judgment have their memories fully cleansed and live new lives. It'd be hard to call her your wife anymore, but you're saying you'd be reborn just to find her?”
“Yes. A foolish choice, right?”
I had nothing to say.
Was there a choice more foolish than this?
But.
“Fine. I'll respect your choice.”
“Really?”
“On one condition: you go to the space I make... Paradise.”
“But you said you'd respect my choice.”
Yeah. I respect it. But that doesn't change you being Paradise's first resident.