(Huh, what happened to me...)
My head feels hazy like right after waking up. My vision is pitch black and I can't see anything. Oh wait, I'm just closing my eyes.
"It's morning! Wake up already!"
The sudden voice rapidly awakens my consciousness. At the same time, a question wells up. Who is the owner of this voice? The person who would speak such words to me died many years ago.
While thinking such things, I open my eyes. There, an endlessly pure white space spread out. Front, right, left, up, down - everything was white. Where is this place? I'm sure I was heading to a convenience store.
"Haah, you finally woke up. I was really worried that you wouldn't wake up at all."
That voice came from behind me again - the only direction I hadn't checked. Feeling slightly tense, I turn around. Standing there was a middle-aged woman with a perm, wearing an apron, with a shopping bag hanging from her elbow, looking at me with a cheerful smile.
"...Mom"
That was my first impression of this person. Yeah, even I wonder what it means for my first impression to be Mom, but that's all I could think of. This person is a mom. No matter what anyone says, she's a mom.
While I was thinking such things, the mom opened her mouth again without breaking her smile.
"Ah, sorry about that. But don't worry. I'm not a suspicious person. You see, even though I look like this, I'm actually a goddess."
"...Excuse me?"
"That's right, I'm a goddess. I may look like this, but I'm pretty amazing. There's like a ranking system among gods, and I'm third place."
"I see... What does a goddess want with me?"
When I asked that, the mom showed an expression with slight confusion.
"...Don't you think this is strange? Honestly, I thought you'd be put off if I suddenly claimed to be a god."
Well, normally people wouldn't want to get involved. They might try to sell me some weird pot or something. But I don't like to doubt things. So if this person says they're a god, then they must be a god. Besides, the aura they're giving off - or whatever you'd call it - seems somehow inhuman.
When I answered that way, the self-proclaimed goddess mom took out a handkerchief from her pocket and suddenly started crying. She said something like "You're really such a good child."
"Um, I'd like to ask - where is this place, and why am I here?"
Then the mom took on a serious expression and gave a shocking answer.
"You died. You protected a child who was about to be hit by a truck."
Her words brought my memories rushing back. Yes, it started when I was organizing the closet in my room. I, Kanzaki Ryouma, discovered something nostalgic from the back. It was a Game Boy Advance with Super Robot Wars J inserted in it. Driven by nostalgia, I headed to a convenience store to buy batteries so I could play it after a long time, when I witnessed a child running into the road and a truck approaching, and the moment I pushed the child away, I received an unprecedented impact and---
I had died... But I wonder why. I wasn't that shocked by it. I'm more worried about that child. Was I able to save them properly?
"You don't need to worry about that. Thanks to you, that child was saved. Well, they scraped their knee when you pushed them, but that's all. They're completely fine."
"I see. Haha, it was worth dying for then. So I came to the god's place?"
"That's right. And this is the 'Reincarnation Room' that I created. It's a place to give selected humans a second life."
"...Which means I'm here because you selected me?"
"That's right. This is a sacred place that only humans recognized by me can enter."
I don't understand why I'm in this sacred place though. As I tilted my head in confusion, she started speaking again with her handkerchief in hand.
"You see, I was moved by your final moments. Not just the end - I was moved by your entire life. Your life was used to 'help people.' Not for personal gain. Your actions, thinking purely of others, had me unable to put down my handkerchief."
Helping people... Well, it's true that I helped many people, both acquaintances and strangers. So much so that I was called meddlesome and too kind. But for me, that was natural.
I became this way because of my parents' influence. Both my father and mother lived for others even more than I did. And... in the end, they died for others.
Right after losing them, I hated everything. But I quickly realized that was wrong. It would have been denying my father and mother's way of life.
My father often said: "If there's someone in trouble, help them unless there's a very good reason not to. That should lead to your own happiness."
And I decided. I would also live for others. No matter how small the matter, if someone was in trouble, I would help them. That was my role as the son of those two hopelessly kind people.
When I came to my senses, the mom's crying had gotten louder than before. Tears were flowing like a waterfall. Amazing. Just like in manga.
"You... how can you be such a good child! I've come to love you so much!"
That's an honor, but those were my inner thoughts that I didn't actually voice. So why such a reaction...
"Sniff... Ah, in this space, everything you're thinking is transmitted to me."
So all my thoughts up until now were completely exposed. Well, it's not unpleasant, but it's somewhat embarrassing.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about! I wish I had a son like you!"
Do gods have children too? ...Well, I've gotten quite off topic. Anyway, it seems this mom has recognized me. But what does second life mean?
"It means exactly what it sounds like. I give life again to humans who have died."
So I can come back to life?
"However, there's one restriction. You can't return to the same world. You must be revived in a different world. But even accounting for that, there's a big bonus that more than makes up for it!"
A bonus?
"That bonus is... the right to 'reincarnation with any wish fulfilled'! If you want power, you get power; if you want money, you get money; if you want the woman, you get woman - I promise reincarnation with everything you desire!"
I see... Then my answer is no.
"...Eh?"
The mom looked dumbfounded. ...Dumbfounded and mom sound similar. Well, just the sound though.
While I was thinking such irrelevant things, the mom showed a confused expression.
"N-no, what do you mean? ...Ah, maybe brain? I get it! You want a genius-level intellect!"
"No. I don't need anything. Normal is fine."
The mom looked dumbfounded again.
"W-why!? You can really get anything!"
Being able to get anything I wish for is certainly attractive, but for ordinary me, that's an undeserved right. For ordinary me, ordinary suits me best.
"More than that, please make sure that child doesn't feel guilty about my death."
When I said that, the mom looked like she was about to cry again. She's quite emotional.
"You know, it wouldn't be wrong to state your own wish at a time like this! I'll grant that too, so tell me your own wish! Three of them. I'll grant up to three!"
But that IS my wish. It seems like she won't budge unless I say something!
Three wishes... hmm, let me go with something safe.
"I understand. Then I'll state my wishes. I want to live a long life next time, so I'd appreciate a healthy body. Also, I don't know what world you'll send me to, but if possible, please make it a peaceful world. Finally, um... just a little bit is fine, but I'd be happy if you could make me a bit more handsome."
The last wish feels a bit pathetic, but the mom beat her chest as if to say "leave it to me."
"Got it. Now I'll reincarnate you, so lie down there."
Following her instructions, I lay down and the mom began praying. At the same time, my body began to glow little by little. ...I wonder what this is. I'm getting sleepy.
Then suddenly the mom shouted. I wonder what she was holding back... I think with my increasingly hazy mind.
"You've lived for others! Then this time you should live for your own happiness! So this is a present from me to you! Look forward to it!"
(Pre...sent? What could... it be...)
Hearing those words, I let go of consciousness
----
Goddess's Pov
"Now then, what kind of world should I reincarnate him into?"
As I pondered, a brilliant idea suddenly came to mind. Other gods besides me also reincarnate humans they like, but lately there are many requests to be reincarnated into anime or game worlds. Well then, maybe I should jump on that boom too.
"That said, finding a world that child would enjoy from all those anime and games seems difficult."
With that personality, he probably couldn't enjoy much of his youth, so I need to consider that.
"...Hmm? This one looks good."
"High School D×D"... Since they bothered to put "High School" in the title, surely he'll be able to enjoy a fun school life.
"Alright, decided!"
And so, without properly checking the content, I reincarnated that child.