Chapter 3: From Ashes to Abyss

As Lucien opened his eyes, memories of being in the car with his family flooded back. He remembers an overwhelming darkness surrounding him, accompanied by the distant echoes of exploding sounds.

'Don't tell me... Was our car blown up? Did I die?' the realization struck Lucien.

Nothing seemed impossible occurred to his family, even when rival groups planted entire bombs in their car. It would be just another day in the exceptionally abnormal life of the Ashbourne.

Despite numerous assassination attempts, every member of his family had always managed to survive. However, now Lucien couldn't help but think that their luck had finally run out.

He attempted to look around, but the darkness held no answers. He couldn't see anything, even his body.

He reached up to touch his face and hair, relieved that they were still intact. Yet, confusion settled in as he tried to discern his position.

'Is this the afterlife? Or perhaps just a dream? Maybe I'm not dead; perhaps I'm in a coma.' Lucien clung to denial.

At 22, he had recently graduated, ready to embark on his journey into society. The abrupt idea of his death seemed too surreal.

Lucien tapped on his legs, a surge of anger coursing through him. It felt unfair that his family's presence at his graduation had led to this disaster.

What was supposed to be a beautiful day had turned into a fucking nightmare!

Amidst the jumbled chaos of his mind, Lucien was startled by a sudden sound – childlike and cute, informing him:

[You have died!]

Ah, the first shocking revelation of the day.

"Wait, who are you?" he asked, unsure if it was a figment of his comatose imagination or something else.

People often spoke of experiencing an afterlife during a coma, waking up as devout followers of God. But that wasn't Lucien's style; he harbored no love for any divine entities.

[I am the sound of this world, my name is Freya! And you're dead!]

Lucien sighed, finding it hard to take such a cute voice seriously. He may not be in a coma after all.

"Please don't joke with me." Lucien crossed his arms, skeptical. "Are you perhaps someone my family paid to mess with me?"

It made sense to him; his family might want to teach him a lesson because he never called his parents during college.

They must be harboring resentment and turning all of this into a theatrical play to mess with his head. They were all freaks anyway.

Although it's kind of a weird way to punish Lucien, considering his parents were straightforward individuals. If they wanted to discipline him, they would usually just shoot him or slash him with a katana.

[What!? You insufferable brat!]

[I am the voice of the world! My name is Freya!]

[You and your family were bombed by the enemy, and you're all dead! Dead! Dead! Dead!]

The voice kept screaming in Lucien's mind like a persistent mosquito in his ears until it drove him crazy.

He shouted, "Stop it! I want proof that I am dead!"

[Fine!]

[Look at this; this is your family's funeral!]

A massive screen materialized before Lucien, showcasing a funeral scene. It was undeniably real, set in the midst of a grand cathedral.

Four closed caskets adorned with family photos and surrounded by white lilies dominated the scene.

The sight of many members of the Ashborne family, even Baldwin delivering a heartfelt speech for Cassiel, left Lucien in a state of shock. They appeared genuinely mournful.

As Lucien took in the heartbreaking scene, it felt as if the world had crumbled before him. He hadn't even begun his first day as a corporate slave, and now he was dead, along with his family.

Feeling wobbly, he collapsed onto whatever surface lay beneath him.

"FUUCCKKKKKKK!!!!!" he screamed in frustration, tears streaming down his face.

Rolling on the ground, he unleashed a torrent of non-stop swearing, expressing the depths of his despair.

Lucien drowned in misery and hopelessness, barely registering the persistent voice of Freya.

The voice, now manifesting as a flying orange kitten with a splash of pink and purple in its fur, grew annoyed and scratched Lucien's cheek.

[Hey! Stop screaming! Hear me out!]

With a face marked by scratches, Lucien halted his screams, glaring at the cat before grabbing and shaking it vigorously.

"What are you doing!? Don't you know how important my face is!" Lucien shouted.

For him, nothing was more vital than his face. It allowed him to attract any woman with just a nod and a smile.

It secured him a job effortlessly, even before graduating. Lucien's face was his life, granting him numerous privileges.

[Stupid human! What are you doing? AAAAA---]

Ignoring the cat's protests, Lucien continued stretching it until its body expanded. "Give me my beautiful face back!"

[Yes! Yes! I will do it! Now let go of me!]

The colorful kitten, flew away from Lucien, feeling threatened by his actions. Freya considered him a psychopath for hurting such a cute kitten.

[Now, now, you need to calm down, human!]

[Don't you know the Goddess gave you another chance at life?]

The kitten moved around happily, while Lucien glared at it, upset over the scratches that marred his once-beautiful face.

"How? I woke up in a casket in the middle of my own funeral?" Lucien growled impatiently.

He wanted his life back, no matter the cost, even if it meant being revived from his ashes or becoming an undead.

[What? No way! Why would you want that boring life anyway!]

[You will be transferred to another world full of fantasy, with monsters and dragons!]

[You can become an adventurer, king-]

Before Freya could continue, Lucien grabbed the kitten by the neck and threatened, "I don't want another world! Bring me back to my own!"

[Wha... I can't do it!]

Freya emitted lightning, making Lucien let go of it as he felt the pain in his hand.

[You crazy human! You're as crazy as the rest of your family!]

[So, I won't negotiate with you! Let's just start the spinning for your Path!]

A roulette wheel appeared in front of Lucien, ready to be spun. It had planks above it, reading, The Wheel of Fate: Moirai. It has many symbols that he didn't understand.

Lucien didn't care about the outcome, as he would start a new life in a new world. "Damn it!" he cursed again, frustrated by the idea of starting from scratch.

The roulette spun rapidly, gradually slowing down, and then suddenly stopped. The wheel transformed into a colorful plank that read, "Badge of Shire."