The story of how I became an adventurer after dying

Is it wrong to wish for something more of life than just living such a boring existence?

Where's the adventure? The fight, the war of love!? I can't understand why life is so lackluster... If to be alive means to be forever stuck in this loop of working and sleeping, I don't want to be alive anymore.

Those were my last words before a truck hit me in the middle of the road.

I honestly wasn't expecting it, the idiot ignored the stop sign and killed me just like that.

I thought that the end would be either heaven or simply nothing, that maybe my consciousness would simply cease to exist and I would only exist in memories of those who knew me.

But I was wrong.

Almost right after I got hit, I felt an impact on my chest and when I opened my eyes, I was sitting half-naked in a dark cavern.

"W-where?" It was so sudden, so unexpected...

The cave was moist and somewhat illuminated by improvised torches, the flickering of the flames casting shadows on the stones was like creepy images of claws that made my heart pump up blood faster than normal.

Then I heard her voice.

"Ah, so you're finally here..." She wore a black dress of sorts in which the edges turned into mist before they could reach the wet floor, her head was slightly covered by a hood, but it couldn't hide her lustrous, long, and sleek black hair.

Beautiful. It was the only thing I could say in my mind after first seeing her, it wasn't normal though, her appearance gave off a sort of... ethereal feeling like it wasn't supposed to be real, and something about her shining teal blue eyes probably meant that I was right.

"W-who are you? Where am I?" I stood up and took a few steps away from her, my back standing just a few dozen centimeters away from the cavern wall.

The woman simply smiled and clapped her hands. The fog of her dress spread across the cavern and started changing it, the floor dried and the drops of water disappeared, the stone on the center where I had woke up slowly turned into a table, and furniture born of the fog soon filled the place.

"Sit, my hero. Calm yourself down first, and then I'll explain everything." Her sweet voice reached my ears and soothed my heart, it was so attractive, like a melody of sorts in the middle of the night.

Although still wary of her, I felt a strange feeling of trust from deep inside me and decided to do as she asked. The fog chair I sat on actually had substance, it wasn't an illusion or hallucination, this realization struck me deeply, for now, I knew that this woman was very special, how else would she be able to do something like that?

When she decided that I had calmed down enough, she smiled and reached her hands to hold mines. "I heard your prayers from afar, you wished for a better life, one filled with adventures and love. I can give you that, all I ask, is that you become my servant. If you agree to this covenant, you shall receive my blessings and the opportunity to live once more among mortals, and perhaps one day ascend to become something greater."

"But... I know nothing about you..."

The woman nodded and after thinking for a moment she sighed and said. "Although I wished to give you proof of my words, this world limits the extent of my divinity, I can only use it for more simple things at the moment. While I know that it's too much of me to ask blind trust from you, I can at least vow in my divine name, Hecate, to never betray or actively do something that would cause you harm."

Hecate? Like... the greek goddess? She is actually real...

Ignoring the part where my worldview was completely shattered, I couldn't help but take her proposal into consideration, while I wasn't sure if she was telling the truth, based on how I got here, that I definitely died, and that she could even do all those things...

I decided to trust her. With all that power she probably could have easily forced me into obedience, and yet, she actually gave me choice. Besides, if she was truly Hecate, her reputation was already credible enough, a new opportunity to live and besides such a goddess feels more like an afterlife gift rather than becoming a servant.

"Alright... I can agree with your proposal, but..." I wanted to make sure... That she wouldn't lie to me. "I want to know if you betray me, will I be allowed to leave? Or will I be forever bound to you once I agree with the covenant?"

She shook her head and flashed a bitter smile. "I... I won't betray you, it's not my nature to do such a lowly thing. And yes... if you eventually feel like I wasn't good to you and... betrayed you. You'll have permission to leave and live your life as you wish."

"Then... is there anything stopping me from leaving now? Do I have to become your servant if I wish to live?"

Hecate was stunned by my words it seems, her eyes were wide open as she stared deep into my soul. "You're quite the wise one, aren't you?"

"You're correct, if you so wish to leave, I can't do anything to stop you. A new life has already been granted to you after all upon my request. To serve me or not, is merely me asking of you to return the favor I granted upon your soul." With her head lowered, she explained and rested her hands on the stone table. "If you wish so much to leave, then feel free to do so."

I looked at her, then at the exit of the cavern.

The question crossed my mind a few times, but in the end, I shook my head in shame, a goddess gave me the opportunity to live once more, and all I thought was about myself, this kindness, I shall return it by becoming the servant you asked for...

"Alright, it's a deal then, for giving me life once more, I'll be your servant."

Hecate smiled hearing my words. "Don't worry, I don't want a servant in the sense of a cult as the gods use to do with the other worlds, I want you to be part of my Familia. An adventurer who fights in my name basked in the glory of my blessing."

"An adventurer you said? What does that mean? What about that fighting thing, who will I have to fight against?" I was scared hearing her words, what fight was she talking about? The only thing I had ever fought against in my life is my will to wake up in the morning!

"Monsters, creatures like the ones you must have heard of from myths and legends. By defeating them, you'll be able to grow stronger and carve a legend of your own in the Labyrinth City Orario, or the city of adventures as I like to call it. Gold, women, power, and fame! Everything will be in your reach so long as you strive for it."

Her enticing words made my body shook. Could I really have those things? Although my legs were already shaking from fear of getting hurt, I straightened my back and nodded. "Very well! I shall become an adventurer in your name then!"

And that was how I reincarnated and became the first member of the Hecate Familia.