Elqueeness

Reborn…and meeting.

“So, it’s already this time.  You have to hurry.  We do not have time to delay the Arkadon’s Water Spirit King.”

We haven’t talked that long, but Arehis and the two grim reapers acted like they were about to be late to school by one minute.

They even started urging me and leading me away when I was sitting peacefully.

We are already late, so don’t we have time to have a cup of tea?  Isn’t their treatment of their customer messed up?

I initially wanted to give them a word of rebuke, but I couldn’t after looking at Arehis’ face.  As we walk with my arm in his hand, he looks to be in discomfort so I could only complain internally.

It’s usually the nice, friendly, and calm looking people that become worse than the Japanese Yakuza when you disturb them.
I’m sure that this person who reached such a high position at a young(?) age would be much worse.

If he gets mad, he’ll probably just forget about reviving a Spirit King and he might just pick a fight.

Because of that, I meekly followed Arehis out of the room with the table and started walking on the white corridor.

The corridor had no one occupying it and it had high walls with tunnels going everywhere like a labyrinth.  The various corridors had fog filling it and it was hard to distinguish what was in front.

Either Arehis has great eyesight, or there is some secret technique to travel.  He didn’t hesitate once to find the direction to take.

The continuous footfalls stopped.  It felt like I was walking all day and it seemed like a lot of time had passed.
They stopped in front of the end of the corridor, where a wooden door was unexpectedly placed there.  The fog was still preventing a clear view, but the decoration carved on the door looked old-fashioned.

The stress that accumulated from the forced march started unraveling.  I started carefully reading the sign hung on the door.

“‘Dimension 17, Arkadon’s Spirit World’…it can’t be that if I were to enter this doorway, I will be born in Arkadon’s spirit world?”

Yeah. No way it’ll be like that.

It can’t be that cheesy and simple to be born.  Yes, it can’t be.

I was trying to brainwash myself into thinking otherwise, but Arehis’ answer was like an arrow that flew and embedded in me.

“How did you know? ‘This is the ‘Door of Life’ and if you pass through it, your appearance and identity will change depending on the destiny you were given.
You figured it out in one go? You sure have a sharp intuition.”

“………..”

Damn.  Why am I so good at answering useless questions?

My face crumpled instantly like I chewed on a bug.

Arehis said I was exceptional and smart, but I decided to ignore it.

I don’t welcome kiss-ass compliments that come out even before your spit dries in your mouth, chet!

“Now let’s head inside…ah…Right. Right.  I almost forgot.”

Suddenly, he stopped acting hurried as if he lacked time.  Arehis was reaching for the door handle when he stopped for some reason.

“………?”

The two grim reapers who were standing next to Arehis were staring absently without speaking – that’s why I forgot they were there – Frenis stepped in front of me.

From somewhere, he produced a steaming mug to me like he had it all along.

I didn’t know what that action meant and thought, ‘What is he doing?’ My gaze fell on his superior, Arehis, and he proceeded to explain as if we were waiting for it.

“It’s a solution that will lessen the pressure when you enter the door into another dimension.  It would be good for you to drink it.  It also blocks many side-effects when you reincarnate.”

“…So…I should drink this?”

The liquid had a red color like lava.

Now and again, there were bubbles rising to the top and popped.  I was hesitant to receive it after seeing that.

This…Do I really have to drink this?

I didn’t mean to, but my expression naturally crumbled.

After realizing my feelings, Arehis quickly spoke some words at the end.

“It’s a bit bitter, but it shouldn’t taste bad. It’s not harmful to your body, so don’t worry too much about it.
Do you think I would give you something I couldn’t eat?”

“Ah..Ha Ha.I..Guess?”

To speak frankly, Arehis?  I think you are scary enough to do it and more..

I couldn’t say ‘yes’ to the embarrassing presence, so I laughed nervously.  Still, the overbearing feeling crystallized more and more as I saw this mysterious liquid.

Did I talk back to Arehis earlier?  Or did he rebel unbeknownst to me?

Let’s think on it.  It might be that Arehis is trying to trick and kill me after letting me relax!

So let’s think of any bad thing I did and ask for forgiveness-!!

“Now, now.  Why are you hesitating?  Don’t you know the better the medicine is for your body, the more bitter it is?  Hurry up and drink, hurry~”

“Ooh, what-!!”

It happened in a blink of an eye.

I gave into the strong pressure from Arehis and I started to put the cup to my mouth.  Then, he suddenly hit me on the shoulder and I drank the lava-like elixir before I could even use my hand!!!

I was going to taste a little bit to see if it tasted okay, and then drink the rest…Kuu-huk.(TL:sound when you are bitter)

My bitter life.  I tried to be more structured to cling to life, but my attempt failed.

The watery beverage didn’t even allow me to speak before the bitter taste travelled through my throat.

Gulp..

“UUUEHHHHHHEEEEEEK!!!!” (TL: throw up sounds)

I’ve eaten all the different types of bitter medicine before, and I’ve even chewed on raw ginger before.

But, I swear to god that I’ve never tasted anything as bitter as the liquid sliding down my throat.  Even if I had control over my tongue, I wouldn’t dare to move it!

I didn’t have the time to complain at Arehis’ half forceful treatment because I was too busy feeling nauseous.

Despite how hard I tried to throw it up, once the liquid went down it would never see the outside world.

My thoughts were scrambled thanks to the bitter taste and an unsettling feeling in my stomach.  It took a while to calm down, so I wasted a lot of time.

I glared at the person who insisted that this stuff was not harmful to the body.

I tried to glare at him with murderous intent, but he was showing a relaxed posture.  He was even smiling and observing me.

His image made me think of a psycho professor experimenting with medicine.  It gave me goosebumps.

Rotten son of a…did I just become a human guinea pig?
Did he lie about the Spirit Kings so that he could confuse me and experiment on me…hmmm…
Even though I thought it up, I can’t help but think that this idea is too much.  Calm yourself, Kang-Ji-Hoon.

However, those thoughts didn’t last long.

I guess he felt that I calmed down, as Arehis immediately asked a weird question..

“Now then, Elqueeness-nim!  I have one question. What is 1+1?”

“………”

After that question, I started to scheme on how to kill a high positioned official of the underworld.

They forced me to drink enough medicine to pass out…and now?  What the heck did they just say?

1+1 is what now? Huh? 1 +1???!!!

If I could, I would have wrung his neck on a rainy day and shake him like a rag until dust flew out.  My desire strongly permeated from my entire body.

The answer can’t be nonsensical like hard labor or window…What the heck (!! my speech is getting coarser) do they think my intelligence is?!!

They have serious faces as if they really thought I didn’t know the answer.(Gulp[TL note: sounds effect like forcing bile down your throat.])

It’s really no wonder that my demeanor changed when answering.

“What kind of question is that? Even a 5 year-old would know what 1+1 is.  What the hell!  Am I stupid? Huh? Am I stupid?!!
Its 2, 2! Isn’t it 2?  Is 1+1 not 2 here in this world? Is that it?!!!”

“Hmm, hmm…Ah…I understand.  Please calm down…Hmm…it didn’t work…What should we do…”

I guess my rebellious attitude was over the top, causing Arehis to sweat profusely and forget what he was about to say.

Suddenly, the hot gaze they sent towards me when I had my temper tantrum quickly disappeared. The grim reapers started seriously whispering among themselves.

I couldn’t hear the content of their conversation since they were whispering. However, I was able to hear something about having me drinking more lava or force feeding me until it works.
Unbeknownst to myself, I tried hard to start edging away from them.

Once is enough! One gulp of that foul beverage is enough for one lifetime. No, even if it were to overflow, there will be some leftover!!(TL note: he doesn’t want to drink it, you get the idea ^_^;)

I won’t eat that crap twice.  You aren’t taking me seriously as the human Kang-Ji-Hoon!

Do you really think I’ll take this treatment while lying down?

When their conversation finished, 6 pairs of eyeballs started focusing on me.  I desperately looked for a spot to escape.

While I was looking around frantically, I suddenly noticed the door of life and it grew in my awareness like a chick becoming a chicken.
It was a natural progression.

I know that strange liquid is supposed to decrease the pressure when entering a different dimension.
I don’t know what will happen if I enter without drinking more, but still…

“AHH! Please wait -Elqueeness-nim!!”

“Damn, I don’t know!  Whatever, I guess I have no choice!  Frigging hell. I’d rather die than drink that liquid again!!”

..As I think about it right now, I can’t believe I risked my life for such a trivial reason.  I think I have an affinity to gamble.

I lost my sense of reason after drinking that nasty bitter medicine.  I didn’t listen to Arehis’ shout and I opened the door of life without fear.

“OOOAAHHHK!”

I got sucked in so hard that I almost lost my consciousness.   I fell in towards the door.

I could faintly hear Arehis’ shout, but I lost complete consciousness when I got swept up by the air current.  I couldn’t answer back.

I guess they were looking out for me and was preparing this and that for me.  I guess I was ungrateful and I regretted my action internally.

That’s how I left the Underworld and embarked towards a new world.