novelPrologue The View is Better From The Top…?
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D001 - Prologue The View is Better From The Top... ?
Posted on June 10, 2016 by crazypumkin
Editor: Yufimu
He provided a very readable version for this. No more complains now.
TN: This is Chapter 001 of the Digest version which consist of Chapter 001 and 002 for the original story. Enjoy~
That day. It was a bright sunny day which was a welcome change from the rain that you would usually be plagued with at this time of the year. And that placed me in an exceptionally good mood.
The slightly worn down station located in a rural area just right outside the city that can be access to with a swap in trains. This was the sort of station that would only ever be busy during the evening or in the morning. This was due to the fact that it was mostly used by students commuting to and from school.
The majority of the state schools had been located in this area, largely due to the fact that land was relatively cheap compared to other places.
Though, luckily for me, the distance to the school that I attended was not so far that I would need to take a bus. I mean, having to do that much exercise in the morning would most definitely kill me.
[TN: It's just taking a bus... ]
Come to think of it I won't even choose that kind of school in the first place. Yep I won't.
Ah.. But the weather was so good today. I wonder if I should skip? At least summer's only just around the corner. Walking while lost in these thoughts, someone tap me from behind.
" Shou, good morning!"
" Ohh! Morning Terao."
Ehh.. Why is it not a girl from my class.. Wait. It's not like I always think about that sort of stuff! I am not thinking about it!
Terao.
I first met Terao when I entered high school and, due to our similar personalities, we became close quite quickly. I suppose you could now call us best friends.
" What's with that face? You must be thinking about something rude like ah, why is it Terao, right?"
" Ah. I was exposed."
Although I was laughing, I was really wondering how life could be so cruel.
Terao is popular. He is what they call an 'Ikemen'. [TN: Handsome]
What a troublesome guy I am? Can't be helped, that is the kind of guy I am.
" Ah... I am jealous of your looks."
Compared to the sunny sky, it was getting cloudy in my heart.
"Seriously? This again? Why do you always say this stuff? I'm so tired of hearing it."
Terao rolled his eyes at me. We have almost the same conversation every morning. I suppose you could even call it our daily greeting.
Not discriminating to anyone, friendly, yet not frivolous and kind... That just about sums up Terao.
And then there's me.
I really hate to admit it, but I just don't seem to be liked by the ladies.
Whenever I try talking to one of them in class, the strangest thing happens. Either they'll only talk to me briefly, in what only can be described as a whisper, before turning red and running away. Or, they'll be dragged away by someone before I can even say anything!
Honestly, the only logical explanation that I can come up with is that when they run away, I've unknowingly angered them in some way and when they are dragged away by one of their friends, it's obviously so they can tell them 'Don't get close to someone like that!'.
Damn it! Why is that guy so popular!?
Ohh, the world can really be unfair sometimes...
While ranting in my heart, I caught the strange look that Terao was giving me.
" It.. It's nothing."
Ahh, why did I say it like that? I might as well have told him that there was something! But Terao just accepted it with a" Okay." and a smile. I see. What a gentlemanly response. Let's learn it.
As I'm secretly nodding to the fact that I have a good role model by my side...
A vase fell.
... hm? Eh?
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The vase hit my head directly.
The world started spinning in slow-motion.
the world begins to spin in slow-motion and, just like that, after a slight feeling of pressure, my skull cracked.
I died... !
Having that thought, my eyes opened to a field of flowers all around me. What is happening?... That's right. I was hit on the head by a vase. But why am I in a field of flowers?
Is this real? Was I really killed by something as ridiculous as a vase?
Wait. What about the wheel of reincarnation or King Enma or the last judgement? [TN: I like the name Enma so I'm not gonna use Hades. ]
Ahh, being dead is surprisingly boring.
what kind of messed up irony is it to have me wake up in a field of flowers after being killed by a vase? And why is everything flowers? Don't tell me that this is a hint about my entire life? My head is not full of flowers!
In the midst of senselessly retorting myself, the field of flowers around me suddenly disappeared, leaving me standing in a seemingly empty white void.
" I am really so sorry!!" [TN: He's doing old man speak]
From out of nowhere someone jumped and kneel in front of me... An old man.
[TN: He is doing dogesa]
Erm... What is with this situation?
" Erm, what is happening? Please raise your head."
For now, I supposed I will just accept the situation and even though I had no idea what I should do. But I would really like an explanation first, in order to understand the situation.
" You... forgive me?"
After hearing my words, the old man raises his head, eyes sparkling.
... Not amused.
I am not happy despite I am in heaven. The fields of flowers, this kneeling old man, is this harassment? Are you making fun of me?
As the subtle unpleasantries continue, I suddenly had this thought making my face pale in an instant. Nothing good is happening, and everything unpleasant kept on happening... Don't tell me... could this really be hell?
" This is not heaven. Yet neither is it hell"
While having these thoughts, the old man suddenly stops apologizing and stands up. Have you stop apologizing? Although I have no idea why you are apologizing, seeing how desperate you are means something really bad happened. Your attitude sure changes fast.
I looked at the old man, thinking, while touching my lips. I'm pretty sure that I wasn't just absent-mindedly speaking my thoughts aloud. Which could only mean... can this old man read my thoughts!?
" I am not a human but a god."
... Eh. Seriously?
My jaw dropped. I began to look around this empty void. All I could see was white. White, white. White all around. Much like those countries you see on the news from time to time that are attacked by snow storms and render everything white. This space is definitely not man-made!
Ah... This is for real...
I sighed.
" Please don't tell me... that I died because of.. you?"
That's what happened in the web novel that I was hooked up with reading. It cannot be that right, I laugh bitterly.
" Yes, it is my fault."
The old man puffed out his chest while saying that. Almost like he was somewhat proud of what he had done.
This old man... he's not really sorry at all is he?
" Would you like to hear the reason?"
It seemed like he was speaking in a different language or something.
I sighed.
" Eh... Ah, my beard caught onto the plants without my knowing.."
...... His beard.
The reason for my death is his beard. That long beard of his.
Isn't there supposed to be some kind of special reason when a God kills someone!?
And it turns out to be his beard! Isn't this too half-assed? Oi! This is really just a bit too much.
".... . And? What should I do?"
I sit down with my head tucked into my legs, giving up.
".... You accept that pretty fast."
God exclaimed as his eyes peeked out from below underneath his long eyebrows.
"Ah... it's pointless. I can't laugh it off and forgive you for killing me. To be completely honest I'm extremely pissed off. I mean, it's not like you're going to send me back if I make a ruckus right?"
After hearing this, God looked at me, visibly shocked at my response. I mean, a being such as God knelt and apologized to me. If he was able to send me back, he would have done so in the first place.
" Even so, most people would probably try to go against this fact."
Ah. Is that right.
It must be because I am a lonely existence.
My sigh got seen by God.
" And what's gonna happ?en to me?"
" Well, even though I killed you, which was my mistake, I cannot resurrect you. You will either have to reincarnate or disappear. What do you know of the wheel of reincarnation?"
" I've heard about it..."
The souls of the dead are guided by the wheel of reincarnation and return to the world with a different life. That sort of stuff. In short, they are given a new life.
God, who was looking at me, nod with satisfaction. I realized that he must still be reading my thoughts and determined that my knowledge was correct. I am surprised that reincarnation really exist but hey, sure, why not?
... But I am not disappearing! That's horrible!
Against reincarnation is disappearance.. You are really... there was never really a choice to begin with was there?!
".... . I'll reincarnate."
At that answer, God nodded deeply and said" This time really...". I did not pay attention to most of it but it ends with" To truly apologize, I will grant you any of your wishes."
Isn't this the legendary [Cheat] around the net? Magic cheat or maybe strength cheat? There are so many different kinds of cheats float around in my head but I just can't seem to find any that appeal to me. Also, it's usually the case that the people who receive these cheats will often find themselves getting into many troublesome situations.
I mean it's not like I have some mind of god complex and have a desire to become some sort of unparalleled master. If you were to ask me what I really want, I would have to say that I wanted to be liked, to be loved. Is that too much to asked for.. ? Right.. hmm.. at least I don't want to be hated like I am now..
There are also some things in life which I would do differently if I had the choice. Should I make use of my previous experiences??
" I want to retain all of my memories of from this previous life."
" Is that all?"
" If I ask too much, it probably won't end well for me."
As I laugh bitterly, I recalled the largest trauma from my previous life. Tongue-Cut Sparrow.
[TM: It's a folktale, search it up. ]
" I see."
Upon hearing my answer, God smiled gently towards me.
" And so. Let's send you on your way."
With that, my body is wrapped in a warm glow.
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TN: I finished!! Well, it did get easier as it went on but it took me close to 4 hours.... Enjoy!
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