The woman set her teacup down, her lips curling into a calm smile.
"Welcome to my space, Reo Carter," she said, her voice soft but firm.
Reo narrowed his eyes, his body tense. "How do you know my name? And where am I?"
She gestured gracefully to the chair across from her. "Sit, Reo. We have much to talk about."
He hesitated, glancing at her, then the chair. "I don't have time for games," he snapped. "Start talking."
Her smile didn't fade. "Then we're alike in that way. Sit." Her tone left no room for argument.
Reluctantly, Reo sat down, his movements stiff. She poured him tea, the steam rising in curls, but he ignored it, his eyes fixed on her.
"Who are you?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the calm.
She met his gaze with steady calm. "I am Celestia, the Goddess of this world. It's an honor to finally meet you."
Reo leaned back, folding his arms. "I don't care about your title—or your tea. What's going on? Why am I here?"
Then, giggles.
Goddess Celestia giggled after hearing his words.
Her laughter was soft, almost teasing. "Such defiance. Most would be in awe, kneeling before me. But you? All fire and stubbornness." She tilted her head, studying him. "I find it... refreshing."
Reo clenched his jaw, his patience running thin. "Try me, lady. You've got two minutes."
Celestia's amusement faded, replaced by a serious look. Her glowing eyes seemed to pierce through him. "Very well," she said quietly. "You have been brought here for a reason."
She leaned forward, her gaze steady. "This world faces a disaster—one that will destroy everything. And you, Reo Carter, are the only one who can stop it."
Here's a simpler version with smoother dialogue:
"No."
He said as he casually sipped his tea, his calmness almost unsettling—as if saying no to a goddess meant nothing to him.
The Godessdidn't flinch. She simply smiled, a smile full of wisdom and understanding. Her glowing eyes rested on him.
"I thought you might say that," she said, her tone soft but firm. "But this is no small matter, Carter. The fate of this world depends on you. Without you, everything will fall apart. You know how hard it's to find perfect vessel foryour soul?"
He set the teacup down carefully, his tone sarcastic. "Let me guess. I'm the 'chosen one,' right? The big hero destined to save the world? This feels like the start of some strange fantasy story."
The Goddess chuckled. "Maybe it does," she admitted. "But tell Carter—how many sins weigh on your soul? Do you even know?"
Reo's eyes darkened. He stared at the tea, his reflection rippling on the surface.
His voice was quieter now, heavy. "I stopped counting a long time ago. But if you're asking, my whole life has been one big sin."
Her smile softened. "If I hadn't given you this second chance, the price for those sins would've been eternal suffering. You would have faced the worst of hell. This…" She gestured to the garden around them. "…is your chance to rewrite your story. To make things right."
He looked up at her, his gaze sharp. "I don't want it," he said harshly. "I'll take the punishment. I deserve it. A 'second chance' means nothing to someone who's already lost everything."
Celestia sighed, her glowing eyes showing sadness and understanding. "I see." She straightened, her tone more measured. "Very well, Carter. I won't force you."
She raised her hand, and two portals appeared at the exits of the pavilion. One glowed blue, calm and soothing. The other burned red, its edges flickering like flames.
She pointed to the blue portal behind Reo. "This leads back to the body of Leonhardt Caulem. If you walk through, you'll return to the life you woke up to."
Then, she pointed to the red portal behind her. "And this," she said, her voice steady, "leads to the consequences of your sins. Eternal judgment awaits you there."
Reo pushed back his chair with a sharp scrape, standing up. "Fine," he said curtly. "Thanks for the tea. "it's nice fragrance." He got up without hesitation, walking toward the red portal. His steps were firm, his resolve clear.
Just as he was about to step through, a single word from Celestia stopped him.
"Chloe."
Reo froze. The name hit him like a thunderclap. His breath caught, and for a moment, his calm mask broke. His shoulders stiffened, and he slowly turned to face her, his voice barely a whisper. "What… did you say?"
Celestia sat poised, her expression calm but with a deeper understanding. "Chloe," she repeated softly. "The woman you loved. The one you lost."
Just as he was about to step through, a single word from Celestia cut through the air.
"Chloe."
Reo stopped. The name hit him hard, shaking him to his core. His breath caught, his shoulders stiffened, and for a moment, his cold mask shattered. Slowly, he turned to face her, his voice barely a whisper. "What… what did you just say?"
Celestia sat calmly, her serene expression unchanged, though her eyes showed deeper understanding. "Chloe," she repeated softly, her voice gentle. "The woman you loved. The one you couldn't save."
Reo's lips parted, but no words came. When he finally spoke, his voice was shaky. "Don't…" He swallowed hard, trembling as his fists clenched. "Don't you dare say that name."
Celestia didn't flinch. Calmly, she sipped her tea before setting the cup down. "You loved her more than anything, didn't you?" she asked, her voice steady but gentle. "Your whole world revolved around her. Every decision you made, every risk you took—it was all to protect her."
"Stop." Reo's voice cracked, but she continued.
"You even kept her identity secret from the underworld," Celestia said, her tone almost casual. "Hid her so well that none of your enemies could touch her. She was untouchable because of you. A fortress built out of your love."
"Stop it!" he snapped, his voice rising, but Celestia remained calm.
"And then," she said, her gaze steady, "you decided to leave it all behind. The violence. The darkness. For her. You were ready to start over, to live a life of peace. But she…" Celestia paused, her voice softening.
"She was taken from you. Your hope. Your child. They were both ripped away. And then, Reo… you became numb, didn't you?"
"SHUT UP!" Reo roared, his voice raw and broken. His body trembled as he staggered forward, his knees buckling.
When he spoke again, his voice was hollow. "I gave up everything for her. I lived for her. And when they took her from me…" His hands dug into the ground as he knelt, his head hanging low.
"I made them pay. Every single one of them. I burned their lives to ash, ripped everything apart. I killed every… last… one." His voice faltered, and he squeezed his eyes shut, unable to continue.
Celestia watched him, her gaze steady. "And yet, after all of it," she said quietly, "you felt nothing. Did you?"
Reo didn't respond. His silence said everything as his shoulders shook, the weight of her words pressing down on him.
Then Celestia leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "What if I told you that the one who crossed into this world from another… wasn't the only one?"
Reo's head shot up, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What are you saying?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. He stumbled to his feet, unsteady but driven. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Before he could move closer, his body froze mid-lunge. He strained against the invisible force holding him, his breathing heavy. "Let me go!" he growled, his voice full of anger and desperation.
Celestia's expression softened into amusement, her eyes sparkling. "What if," she said slowly, her tone playful but deliberate, "You are not only one who traveled to this world."
Reo's breathing stopped. His entire body went rigid, and for the first time in a long time, his mask of indifference was gone. "You're lying," he whispered, his voice trembling. "That's not possible."
Celestia's smile widened. "Oh, it's very possible," she said lightly. With a flick of her wrist, she released him, and he stumbled back. "Sit down, Reo," she continued, gesturing to the chair. "Let's talk about how to find her."
For a moment, Reo just stared at her, his chest heaving. Slowly, cautiously, he sat back down, his eyes locked on hers with a mix of desperation and hope.
"If this is a trick…" he began, his voice low and deadly.
"It's not," Celestia interrupted, her tone firm. "She's here, Reo. But if you don't act up as my instructions, she might die with this world…" She leaned back slightly, her gaze steady.
"So, You'll need to do something for me."
Reo's jaw tightened, his hands gripping the edge of the table. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice urgent.
Celestia smiled faintly. "Good. Let's discuss the details."