Chapter 1

The sound of a singular drop of water hitting the surface of a lake jolts me awake. It's wet underneath my hands, but also strangely solid. I push myself up to take in my surroundings, but there's really not much to them. Despite the fact that I can see clearly, I appear to be the lone object in the endless darkness around me. Slowly, I stand up and turn around to see if there's anything else at all, but there's nothing. A vast sea of nothing stretches before me, and for some reason I feel completely at peace.

"You're awake," a beautiful voice chimes, echoing in the infinite space. The water beneath my feet begins to ripple, and the figure of a woman seems to be pushing through the water to take shape. The surface snaps, and from it emerges a woman whose appearance could only be described as godly. Her hair seemed to be of a golden hue, but that color would never do her justice for it was more like sunlight given tangible form. Her eyes shone of rose and flame, and her skin was as beautiful as a serene sea. Words were insufficient, and even me, gay as all hell, could tell that she was drop dead gorgeous.

"How are you feeling?" she asks, though I note without a hint of emotion. It feels perfunctory rather than out of any concern for me.

"I'm not entirely sure," I respond. "To be honest, I'm not even sure what happened. Did I die?" She nods. "Huh."

"You're taking this rather well," she says, cocking her head to the side and taking a seat in mid air, a chair made from the strange liquid beneath us materializing as if to meet her every whim. "Most people scream and shout when they realize they're dead."

"Well, there's not much that I can do about it at this point," I sigh. Just thinking about dying before my first kiss was embarrassing and I feel my cheeks heat up.

"True enough." She grins, and I can tell it's because she knows what I'm thinking. I already do not like her.

"So, where are we? Is this the afterlife? Because, I have to say, it's nothing like I envisioned it would be."

"We're in the In-Between. You're dead, but you haven't been sent on to the Underworld yet for formal processing."

"I'm guessing that has something to do with why you're here?"

"You catch on quick," she smirks, her eyes flickering like small fires, perhaps in a semblance of amusement. "I knew I'd like you." I feel a chill go up my spine, and my earlier feelings were right--I don't like her, and she's also definitely dangerous.

"Do you mind if I sit? It feels kinda weird to just keep standing when we're having a conversation and it's also making me nervous."

"Oh, certainly," and with a snap of her fingers everything around me changed and I found myself seated in an ornate chair in the middle of a beautiful rose garden like something you'd find in Victorian England. The goddess sipped at a cup of tea and waited for me to pick mine up. I took a sip, and it was the most delicious liquid I had ever tried.

"Delicious," I whispered.

"It's one of my favorites," she stated. "It's a blend grown only in the Heavens that few mortals ever get to try."

"Why do I get the feeling then, that you're trying to butter me up?" She grinned at me again, this time with true amusement, and though she was beautiful it felt like a trap.

"It's because I have an offer for you." And there it is. However, given she's probably a goddess of some kind, I should play along with whatever she wants or who knows what will happen. Crazy shit happens in light novels all the time when the main character flips on the god or goddess they're talking to. Especially the goddesses.

"I'm listening."

"It's unfortunate you died so young," she began. "The prime of your life, and on the cusp of your first love." I nodded, not really knowing what to say. If she was a goddess, then it's not surprising that she'd know what happened. "That's why I've decided to take pity on you and offer you a second chance."

"A second chance? Do you mean like, reincarnation? Like out of a light novel or something?"

"Sure, whatever helps you wrap your mind around it. I'd like to make you an offer--you agree to be reincarnated in the world of my choosing, and you'll get your chance at the love you always dreamed of. Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to me."

"It sounds almost too good to be true," I reply. "What's the catch?"

"The catch?" she says with an almost catlike grin. "I'm glad you asked. Some of you mortals are too eager to start over that you skip over the fine details. Always know what you're getting into before signing any kind of contract." With a flourish of her hand a scroll appears in mid-air with a small pop and an almost cartoonish puff of air. She hands it over to me, and as I unfurl it she says:

"I, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, Inana, do hereby enter into a contract with the soul of a one Takuya Mineguchi, for the purpose of giving him a second chance at living his life and finding love in exchange for the following services:

1. Takuya Mineguchi, hereafter referred to as Takuya, will be reincarnated into the world of Reinfreitz;

2. Takuya will use his gifts and powers to solve the problems of Reinfreitz, no matter what may arise;

3. Takuya will serve as an agents of the High Heavens during the remainder of his time on Reinfreitz.

"In return for these services, Takuya will be granted the right to reincarnation with his memories intact and blessings from the Goddess of Love and Beauty, Inana.

Should these conditions be amenable, sign below."

With that, the Goddess ceased her recitation and watched me expectantly. I reread the contract, short as it was, and turned to speak to her.

"I have some questions."

"I knew you would," she smirks, and I'm keenly aware that I'm in the grips of something dangerous. Even still, the thought of another chance, a chance to finally fall in love and be happy, is almost too good to refuse.

"Can you tell me more about Reinfreitz?" I ask, jumping directly into the questions. "Why that world in particular?"

"That world has been a bit of a problem among the other gods," she said with an off-hand wave. "No matter how many people get reincarnated there, the problems never get solved. Great warriors, magicians, politicians--no matter what we throw at it, nothing seems to work. That, and none of us seem to actually know what's even going on in Reinfreitz. It's a complete mystery.

"Normally, I don't get involved in these matters because they really don't interest me, but," and her face screwed up in equal parts disgust and anger, "the other gods have kept failing and joked the the only thing they hadn't tried yet was love and how that would never work. I told them that it would be better than the thousand other ideas they tried, and that asshole Ares made a bet with me."

"So, you've chosen me to resolve a bet between gods?" I ask incredulously. "That's why I'm here?"

"Why else?" she asks simply. "We're bored and have our whims, and you get to benefit for it so why does it matter?"

"I mean, I guess," I stammer, "it doesn't matter does it. If it benefits me that is."

"And it does," she said simply.

"Okay, so you said that there's something wrong with Reinfreitz? What exactly do you mean?"

"From what we know, it's basically overflowing with magical energy and creates many problems fo rreincarnating souls. They get drawn there rather than the Underworld, and in turn this creates an imbalance in the Karma of the many realms. It's causing disruptions all over the Heavens and the Underworld, so it's basically the biggest problem child world for everyone. But, no matter what we do or who we send, nothing gets resolved. And for some reason, we can't interfere with the world ourselves either. It's a complete mystery, so that's why I'm going to take a stab at it, beat Ares and the other gods, and figure this out."

"You mean, I'll figure this out."

"You, me, whatever. At the end of the day, I'm helping you to help me. So, what do you say?" I stop to consider everything Inana has said. Basically, this world is a nightmare mess, and she's going to send me to fix things all so she can win a bet. This is ridiculous, and I let out a long sigh.

"And how am I supposed to solve all these problems?" I ask. "I'm not exactly a powerful warrior or a wizard or anything. I mean, I was about to start medical school, but that was all that I had going for me before I died out of nowhere. I'm guessing this is the second item on the contract?

"Indeed. I will provide you with my blessings in your next life so that you will have a better chance to succeed. I'm not going to throw you out and expect you to just succeed when you lived a perfectly ordinary life up until this point."

"So, what is this blessing then?"

"Hmm," she tilts her head, pondering what to say. "Although I'm the Goddess of Love and Beauty, I am also the Goddess of Warfare. I will bless you with good looks, a strong chance at love, and physical and magical prowess so you will excel in combat. That way, no matter what the field of battle, be it love or war, you will win." She grins and looks infinitely pleased with herself, and to be honest, it's a really good deal. I might actually succeed with that blessing, but it also sounds too good to be true, so I say as much.

"Too good to be true," she muses. "I suppose so. Good looks, strength, smarts--it's a very good offer. But, it's certainly counterbalanced by the fact that Reinfreitz is a mess. No matter what gifts other gods have given their mortal champions, they've all failed. Something is happening down there, and it's beyond anything we've dealt with before. Whatever it is, it's something that can handle the blessings of the gods, so even with what I'm giving you, you might still fail." A chill goes down my spine at that realization.

"Then, I guess I'll just have to make do with what I'm given," I smile to Inana.

"So you accept the terms of the contract, even knowing what could happen on Reinfreitz?" I pause, thinking about what it means. I'll be reincarnated with my memories intact, in a new world where I have no clue what the language is, what the culture is like--I'll be a new person, but also still me. What will that mean for my sense of self? Who will I be on Reinfreitz? It's all so confusing and terrifying--but a second chance at life, to not be scared to be myself and go for love, it's too good to pass up.

"I've made up my mind," I say with conviction. "I accept."