04. Metal Box

Hearing the explanation of the woman in front of him, Reynard was stunned, for a moment he couldn't believe what he was hearing, 'so what he's saying is, I transmigrated to another world because there is a path to the afterlife under maintenance?! What kind of joke is this?!'

Reynard wanted to scream, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't speak at all. What he could not figure out was the 'reason' why he had transmigrated to another world. While he enthusiastically thought that he could possibly be the 'main character', the facts told him that he was just one of the misprinted characters in the novel that shouldn't exist.

It was more like fate was playing tricks on him. Now he one hundred percent believed that Goddess Fortuna had never been on his side, ever.

The woman who called herself the Goddess of Heaven continued to stare at Reynard, waiting for his answer. "Why did you just keep quiet? Ah, I forgot." The Goddess of Heaven grimaced softly and snapped her fingers.

"Hah... Hah... Damn it, what do you think my life is, a mistake when the road to the afterlife is under maintenance? Hahaha! What a very funny joke, you managed to make me laugh to death!" The Goddess of Heaven as the ruler of the Dream Nebula let Reynard speak as soon as she released her mouth seal.

Reynard could not calm down in this situation, knowing that all his dreams of becoming a 'leading man' in the Isekai world were instantly dashed, all that remained was real bitterness.

The Goddess of Heaven waved her hand, the projector screen in front of her showing the scene of Reynard free-falling from the balcony of his apartment, in other words, committing suicide.

"I am not playing with your life at all. As celestial beings, we've made sure no one dies while the path to the afterlife is being repaired, but you defied your own destiny in order to seek peace that ended up transmigrating to another world. You killed yourself, and none of the celestial beings foresaw your suicide, because that despicable act is only known by God and the perpetrator," the Goddess of Heaven explained quite clearly, making Reynard realize that this whole damn scenario was all about him from the start.

The Goddess of Heaven spoke again, "How? Your life is in your hands. Do you want to go to the afterlife with me or return to the other world?"

Reynard did not immediately answer the Goddess of Heaven's question, he was silent for a long time, thinking about his future fate. He had spent 21 years of his life in adversity, there was not a single moment that made him feel that Earth was a beautiful place.

Raised in an orphanage until the age of 10, adopted by a foster family at the age of 11, and abused by her adoptive parents until the age of 15. Friends? Best friends? Girlfriends? To hell with all that context of human relationships, they were just a bunch of hypocrites who made him even more miserable in a world that was never beautiful to him in the first place.

Reynard never expected to be rich, nor did he expect to have complete parents or affection from them. He just wished for a quiet life, eating when he was hungry, going to class when he had class and playing with his friends. Simple but difficult to realize.

Who asked him to be born? Did he ever ask for it? If Reynard knew his 21-year life would be filled with misfortune, he would have chosen not to be born. Should he blame his parents? Or should he blame his best friend and lover for betraying him?

He was too tired to blame everyone who had ever been present in his life, he was tired of everything and finally decided to kill himself, looking for the fastest way to achieve peace.

Reynard held back the turmoil of disappointment, anger, sadness, pain, in his heart. He bit his lower lip, trying to stay strong, "as a celestial being, I don't know if you've ever felt what it's like to live in constant misfortune. Are you asking if I value my own life? Yes! I valued my life more than anything, until all those bastards made it clear that I had nothing left to fight for in my life. Then what should I do?! Huh?! What should I do?! Isn't death the only way I can find peace?"

All the emotional turmoil that had been building up in his heart, he let out. His voice was hoarse, his sobs loud, his whole body limp and helpless. The anger he had been holding back, the disappointment he had been hiding and the cries he had been silencing, all came pouring out unstoppably.

"Hiks... I'm... I'm tired... I just want a quiet life, but why doesn't the world ever give it to me... Why... Hikss..." The figure of the adult Reynard faded away, replaced by the figure of the little Reynard who was shrinking his own tears and snot with his two tiny hands.

Maybe all he needs now is a gentle pat or a gentle stroke on his head, maybe he just needs a few soothing words. Being an adult is not always good, sometimes they need what toddlers have always gotten, like the loving cradle of their parents or the loving feed of their parents when meal time comes.

The Goddess of Heaven sighed, she tugged at the corners of her lips, forming a sweet smile that could put the world to shame with its charm. She stepped on a pair of beautiful feet, approached little Reynard and then took little Reynard into her arms.

"Cry as much as you want, humans are born to be weak, but it is their weakness that ultimately strengthens them in the future. If the world is not in your favor, no problem, make the world favor you and support you. If luck is completely absent in your life, then make your own luck. The one who holds your destiny is not someone else, but yourself..." The Goddess of Heaven said in a soft tone, like a mother giving advice to her child.

Reynard raised his head, staring at the beautiful pair of eyes belonging to the woman in front of him with his face still puffy from crying. The two remained silent for a while, enjoying the silence in the Dream Nebula that felt so peaceful.

"I want to keep living as little Reynard in the Isekai world..." He said, he had made up his mind and decided to live out his days as a little Reynard in the Satar Star.

The Goddess of Heaven nodded her head, "alright, I will transfer your soul back to Satar Star and let your soul and that little body merge completely. I also have a small gift for you, I myself do not know what the function of this item is, but let's just say that this is like fate that brought the two of us together here..." She handed him a small metal box with golden runes on each surface.

Reynard accepted the gift from the Goddess of Heaven and said, "thank you for the gift and goodbye..."

***

As the moonlight illuminated the Viryon Continent, at the same time Reynard opened his eyes, waking up from his sleep in his front yard.

"Goddess of Heaven, Dream Nebula, it all feels so real..." he muttered. He then glanced at his right hand which was holding something, as he opened his grip, he saw a metal box exactly like the one the Goddess of Heaven gave him in his 'dream'.

"Ah, it wasn't a dream after all..." Reynard got up, he looked at the metal box given by the Goddess of Heaven carefully, but unfortunately he did not find anything special about it other than the fact that the surface of the metal box was filled with mysterious runes.

"What exactly is this thing? I'm sure the Goddess of Heaven's gift isn't a simple item, but she herself doesn't even know what it's used for, let alone me who is just an ordinary human..." he muttered.

Each sharp metal edge of the box accidentally cut his hand, making Reynard grimace in pain, "awh!"

[Connection established]

[Supreme System activation process]

[Activation complete!]

[Name: Reynard Fillmore]

[Age: 7 years old]

[Level: 0 (0/10 EXP)]

[Occupation: - ]

[Skills: - ]

[System coins: 100]

[Skill Points: 0]