"What would it be like if I could reincarnate in another world?"
As my body fell to the ground, my mind tried to understand what was happening. Had I been shot? By my own classmate?
Everything went black, it felt cold, I could feel every second as my life drew closer to its end...
And yet, it felt so unreal.
"Perhaps, if I could go back and avoid making the same mistakes..."
"But you can't, human."
As soon as I realized it, I was no longer in my classroom...
"You have the will to live. Do you carry any regrets?"
It was a female voice. I tried to turn my eyes toward it, but I had no body, no eyes to move.
"..."
The words wouldn't come out; I had no mouth to speak.
"Do you think life is worth living?"
Where was I? What was I doing there? Why can't I feel my body? Why can't I see anything? Is this hell?
"You're already dead, and yet you want to live? Even after you hurt so many people?"
It was scary, very scary. I was terrified. I didn't understand anything that was happening. Aren't there supposed to be heaven or hell after death? I wasn't expecting something like this.
"Do you have anything to live for?"
Suddenly, everything turned extremely white, as if a light had been switched on in my dark room.
The first thing I noticed was the sound, a deafening commotion that left me in shock for a few seconds.
Then my eyes finally adjusted to the daylight. I was in some kind of rural town.
"Well, well, you look like a lost dog with that face, buddy."
A man with blond hair approached me and tried to help me compose myself.
"I'm sure being in a new place can be stressful. I'm Rei Ko Fang, but my friends call me Rei. You must be the baker's new assistant. She asked me to help you get there."
That guy, Rei Ko Fang, was speaking so fast it was dizzying. I couldn't understand half of what he was saying because I was so overwhelmed.
"Just stop, Rei. You're overwhelming him."
An almost feminine voice was my salvation. I saw a slender woman with a flat chest and bluish hair. Her solemn demeanor almost made me feel cold at that moment, but in a good way, like air conditioning in the middle of summer.
"Come on, Ju Li, I'm just trying to be nice. It's rare for Beato to ask us for a favor like this."
"Beato won't pay us if we take him more dead than alive. Give him some air."
Rei Ko moved away from me a little, as if she'd noticed I was overwhelmed.
"Please excuse my brother. It's a bit... emotional, to put it mildly."
"No, it's okay, it's okay, I just..."
I come from another world. I just died, and suddenly I'm here...
No, I couldn't say it. My throat, tongue, and mouth wouldn't let me, as if they were forcing me to be silent.
"It's alright. My younger brother and I will take you to Beato. I hope you don't mind."
"Brother Ju Li, you don't mean I'll bother him, do you?"
Rei Ko and Ju Li were speaking a language that wasn't Japanese, English, or Spanish. It didn't seem like a language from my world, and yet, I seemed to understand them perfectly.
"Wait, Big Brother Ju Li?"
It dawned on me a little late, but... Ju Li is a man?
"Yes, you probably thought he was a woman, didn't you? It's normal to get confused, but he's not really a MAN as such."
Rei Ko explained as if it were something she often explained to all visitors.
"I'm surprised Beato didn't tell you beforehand."
Ju Li continued (although honestly, this Beato hasn't told me anything).
"This is a Wiccan village. Wiccans like me are spiritual beings of nature. We adopt human forms to facilitate coexistence, but we are more related to the Trent and Dryads than to humans."
Ju Li explained in a rather relaxed, calm, and fresh voice.
"Basically, there's nothing down there,"
REI KO finished.
"Anyway, it's about time we started going to the bakery,"
JU LI led the way.
On the way, REI KO kept asking me strange questions, which I didn't understand and only answered with "Maybe," "Perhaps," and "It's likely."
And eventually, we arrived at the "Bakery."
But to me, it seemed more like an ordinary store. There wasn't even the usual smell of bread from a bakery.
JU Li opened the door and went in, saying something like, "We're here, BEATO."
I followed him, and REI KO went in after me.
I froze the moment I saw her.
JU LI and REI KO acted normal, but how come they didn't feel that? I knew I had felt this before, but I couldn't remember where.
It was the feeling of death.
Her reddish hair fell in curls to her shoulders, her pink eyes seemed unique and magical, and in an amber dress she looked like an elegant young lady.
But just seeing her made me feel like I was about to die.
"Oh wow, it seems you've finally come."
And just like that, she jumped toward me with a friendly smile.
"I was waiting for you to arrive, we have a lot of baking to do."
I was about to reply
When...
He leaned close to my ear and whispered,
"Play along or I'll send you back to your death."
"..."
No words came out of my mouth.
"Perfect, you arrived just in time. I just got a fresh batch of bread out." Beato spoke with a cheerful expression and tone.
"Honestly, I'm not hungry, Beato," Ju Li excused herself. "But I'm sure Rei Ko will want some."
"Yes, but not right now. I'll come and pick them up later if that's alright with you."
"Perfect, that way I can catch up with my friend here."
Ju Li gave a small bow, and Rei Ko took a kind of fritter from a shelf.
"Goodbye, Miss Beato."
"Goodbye, Granny Beato."
As soon as they left, their act vanished.
"Spare me all the details of your death. I'm the one who summoned you here. If you don't like it, just let me know, and I'll send you back where you came from."
"Huh?"
I was confused by the change in her tone of voice.
"My name is THE WITCH OF THE BEATO ROSES, and you're here because I need cheap labor."
I took a step back, somewhat terrified.
The Witch extended her hand, and a piece of paper and a pen appeared in midair.
"This is a contract. For four years of service, or until I die, you will serve as my personal slave."
"And if I refuse?"
"I will return your soul to the limbo it was in."
I thought about it silently for a few seconds. What limbo was she talking about?
"It's normal that you don't remember. Even your past memories begin to fade. A soul cannot carry too much information without some being lost."
Could she read my mind?
"You are my summoning. I can read your thoughts, emotions, and more. Now, do you sign the contract?"
"I..."
I picked up the pen and tried to sign. The paper was in a language I couldn't quite understand... but I didn't have any other options.
"No... I don't remember."
I couldn't remember my own name.
"That's fine, just make up a name. As long as you answer to that name, you'll be considered as such."
Signed: Tsuyo Tamashi