The scent of sizzling meat filled the bustling streets of Luminastra, the capital of the Kingdom of Luminvale. Stalls overflowed with fresh fruits, roasted nuts, and skewers of meat grilling over open fmes. Children ughed as they chased each other past colorful banners, while merchants shouted their prices with wide smiles.

  I strolled casually along the cobblestone path, taking in the sights and smells. Beside me floated a small, glowing figure, radiating warmth and light that seemed almost alive.

  “This is Luminara,” I said aloud, smiling as she twirled in the air. Her loli-like form, cute and innocent, hid a presence so powerful it could influence the ws of the world if revealed.

  “My name is Amamiya Aiko,” I continued, drawing attention to myself as casually as if I were introducing a friend. “But you can call me AI. I was reincarnated into this world of Aetheria, and, as you can see, this adorable little companion beside me is my contracted spirit, Luminara.”

  Luminara giggled, the light around her flickering in a way that made her seem even more alive. “Hello, everyone! I’m going to protect AI!”

  I chuckled. “In this world, spirits are revered. High-ranking spirits are treated almost like deities. And this little one? She’s a Spirit King. Yes, really—though no one else knows it yet. She’s newborn, loli in form, but without a doubt, she is a Spirit King.”

  People in the market passed us without noticing anything unusual, unaware that the glowing figure beside me was anything more than a charming companion.

  I took a bite of the grilled meat in my hand and smiled. “It all started when I woke up… in a strange white room.”

  As my eyes gradually adjusted, I realized something strange — I could see, but everything around me was completely white. I tried to move my arms and legs, and they responded. Sitting up carefully, I asked myself, Where am I? What is this pce?

  The emptiness stretched endlessly in all directions, yet as I pondered, a presence appeared behind me. Slowly, four figures came into view.

  The first was a woman with long, silky silver hair that shimmered in the strange white light. Her eyes were warm and motherly, radiating a gentle care that made it impossible not to feel comforted. Her figure… well, she was voluptuous, the kind of presence that naturally drew attention.

  The second figure was slightly taller, with long bck hair cascading down her back. She was slimmer, her proportions delicate yet elegant, exuding a quiet grace that seemed to demand respect even without a word.

  The third was smaller than the others, almost like a younger sister among them. Her short blonde hair framed a lively face, and her eyes sparkled with curiosity and pyfulness. There was a mischievous energy to her, as if she were constantly observing the world with delight.

  The st figure had long green hair and a body that could have been lifted from a Hollywood model — tall, poised, perfectly banced. Her eyes were straightforward and kind, like an older sister carefully watching over her younger siblings, calm yet always aware of everything around her.

  The first woman spoke, her voice soft yet commanding.

  “I see that you’re awake. How are you feeling right now?”

  I blinked, taking in her form, and immediately thought to myself, Is this… some kind of goddess? She’s beautiful… Then a thought struck me — the cliche scenario from all those novels and manga. Does this mean I… died?

  Memories flooded back: the experiment I was performing, the chemicals mixing in ways they shouldn’t, and then — the explosion. Calmly, I considered my options. No panic. Analyze first. I looked at the figures before me and asked,

  “So… what’s going to happen to me now?”

  The four gods froze. Their expressions shifted from serene to flustered — shock evident in their eyes. This calmness, this calcuted composure… it was unlike anything they expected from a mortal.

  After a moment, the first goddess—the One True God—cleared her throat.

  “You will be reincarnated in our world, Aetheria. A world of swords and magic. There are also monsters, dragons, and multiple races. We will expin more in time.”

  I nodded slightly, still analyzing the situation. “I see. That’s… surprisingly straightforward.”

  The goddess smiled and gestured.

  “For now, let us go over here. Sit. Drink tea.”

  Before my eyes, a table and chairs appeared, accompanied by a set of delicate teacups and pastries. The warm scent of freshly brewed tea filled the air, and though the room remained white and featureless, it now felt inviting.

  After I finished my tea, the goddesses began introducing themselves.

  The beautiful woman sitting at the center spoke first.

  “I am Eria, the One True God of Aetheria,” she said gently. “I oversee the bance of this world and guide the other gods who manage its domains.”

  Her presence felt warm and comforting, as if she genuinely cared about every living thing.

  The woman beside her spoke next. Her aura felt calm, yet strangely heavy.

  “My name is Mortheira, the Goddess of Life and Death. I govern the cycle of souls — birth, death, and the return of spirits to the world.”

  I nodded slowly. So she was basically the administrator of the world’s soul system.

  The next goddess leaned forward slightly. Unlike the others, her expression was pyful, almost mischievous.

  “I am Liminara, the Goddess of Spirits,” she said cheerfully. “All spirits belong to my domain.” Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at me.

  “And stly,” the final goddess spoke, her voice calm and steady, “I am Sylvaera, the Goddess of Nature. I oversee the bance of the natural world — forests, rivers, mountains, and the flow of elemental mana.”

  After they finished their introductions, all four of them turned their attention to me.

  So it was my turn.

  “My name is Amamiya Aiko,” I said politely. “I’m twenty-eight years old. In my previous life, I worked as a professional chemist. My hobby… was experimenting.”

  Out of habit, I gave a polite bow. A proper introduction was simply basic manners for a civilized human from modern times. The goddesses seemed slightly amused by my composure.

  After that, they expined the reason I was here.

  Apparently, my soul had somehow wandered into the soul cycle of Aetheria without anyone knowing why. When they discovered it, they decided to retrieve my soul and bring it here before it became lost within the cycle.

  As they expined this, the scene from earlier resurfaced in my mind: the endless white space, the strange moment when my sight returned, and the four goddesses standing behind me.

  “So that’s what that was,” I murmured.

  After processing everything, I leaned back slightly in my chair.

  “All right,” I said calmly. “I accept the reincarnation.”

  The goddesses nodded.

  “But since I’m going to some unknown and potentially dangerous world, suddenly…” I continued, “give me cheat codes.”

  The goddesses froze. For the second time since meeting me, they stared at me with completely stunned expressions.

  Eria blinked in surprise before letting out a soft ugh.

  “Very well,” she said. “Tell me, what kind of power do you want?”

  Instead of answering immediately, I asked a question.

  “In Aetheria, what is considered the strongest power system?”

  The gods exchanged gnces before answering.

  “The Spirit System,” Liminara replied.

  “In that case,” I said without hesitation, “I’ll take that.”

  Liminara smiled.

  “Very well. We will grant you an SSS-Rank Spirit Affinity. With this, you will be able to form contracts with spirits far more easily than anyone else in Aetheria.”

  She tilted her head slightly.

  “Is there anything else you want?”

  Affinity alone isn’t enough, I thought. If I was entering an unknown world without knowledge or allies, information would be my greatest advantage.

  “In that case,” I said, “I’d like an AI support system—something that can help me gather and organize information about the world.”

  The goddesses blinked in surprise. Their eyes widened slightly as they looked at one another. Then they smiled.

  “That is… certainly a unique request,” Sylvaera said.

  “But it is within our power to grant.”

  Eria looked back at me again.

  “Anything else?”

  I answered immediately.

  “If I’m starting from zero in a new world, I need to grow faster than anyone else.”

  The goddesses listened attentively.

  “So I’d like something that accelerates my growth,” I expined. “That way I won’t be completely vulnerable while exploring the world.”

  Eria smiled warmly as she watched me.

  “That is perfectly reasonable.” Her expression carried a hint of amusement. After all, instead of panicking about dying in an accident, the young woman sitting before them was already calmly pnning how to develop herself in their world.

  The One True God, Eria, looked at me with a gentle smile.

  “The abilities you requested will be activated after your reincarnation,” she expined. “Once you arrive in Aetheria, you may check them through your status window.”

  “Status window?” I repeated.

  “Yes,” she continued. “Simply say ‘Status,’ and a window will appear showing your abilities and personal information. Only you will be able to see it unless you intentionally allow others to view it.”

  “I understand,” I replied with a nod. Then I raised one more request.

  “But I do have one more favor to ask.”

  The goddesses looked at me curiously.

  “Could you make it so that my body becomes fifteen years old after reincarnation?”

  For a moment, the goddesses exchanged gnces.

  “That is acceptable,” Eria answered.

  She then stood from her chair, her divine presence filling the white space around us.

  “Very well. It is time.”

  The other goddesses rose as well.

  “We wish you a safe and prosperous reincarnation,” they said.

  A soft light began to gather around my body.

  “May your new life in Aetheria be blessed.”

  What I didn’t know at that moment was that Eria secretly granted me a divine blessing as well. Its true nature would only appear ter on my status window as:

  Blessing of ______

  The light around me grew brighter and brighter until my vision faded.

  When I slowly opened my eyes again, my vision gradually returned.

  The first thing I saw was a vast field of lush green grass, gently swaying under a clear blue sky.

  Tall trees stood nearby, their leaves shimmering in the sunlight. A soft breeze brushed against my face.

  I slowly sat up and looked around. I was standing on a small hill, and below it ran a quiet dirt road that seemed to lead toward a distant vilge.

  The scenery was breathtaking. Endless green fields. Fresh air. A world that felt completely new.

  For a moment, I simply stood there, quietly taking in the scenery.

  Then I raised my fist toward the sky and decred loudly,

  “I’m going to live my best life in this new world!”

  End of Chapter 1