The hours passed in a daze as Eleanor sat alone within her room, the flickering light from the skies beyond lazily trickling inside.
Ariel, the woman who had turned out to be a True Angel, had left her soon after confirming her status and explaining the general situation to her once more.
The blonde-haired girl, nearly seventeen years old, was the anomaly of all anomalies, the truth of everything fuzzy.
Sea Fallen had been critically corrupted by a substance Ariel referred to as 'Death Particles,' the very same material present in the Spores that drip from the roof of the Great Beyond.
Long ago, the Core of Dreams—something that Eleanor had learned to be an object on the level of demigods—had been implanted with the consciousness of a certain man.
That man would later be described to the young girl as a monster, one capable of slaying gods and destroying entire dimensions.
Ariel had never referred to him by name; however, Eleanor could clearly read the fear in the Angel's face as she spoke of him.
All the things she had told her about the mysterious god slayer were closely guarded secrets throughout the entire universe, only divulged to the girl due to her special situation.
"After convening with the other Angels, we have come to the conclusion that someone has begun to aid that man in his efforts to regain freedom. Any attempt to contact his human vessel in the Dimension of Waves has been prevented, and the Gates of Heaven have been amplified to a maximum."
Words that Eleanor didn't understand had been thrown at her by the blue-haired saint, from which she could only deduce the basic rundown of things.
With her background knowledge that she didn't dare say, she came to her own hypothesis, a lump of concern constructing itself deep in her chest.
Aaron mentioned that man in passing before… Not only that, but in the mausoleum, a man who claimed to be a God Killer spoke to me directly. He granted my wish and called me the blessed of Aaron…
She stared up at the ceiling with a blank look, the possibilities too numerous to count and too horrifying to address.
Could Aaron be working with that monster to set him free…?
Imagining the blond boy's smile as he fought with Mr. Crab over who had the larger fish, she couldn't help but laugh.
No. He's certainly being manipulated into helping that man with his plans. I wonder if Aaron even knows what that man has done…
She shuddered, wondering what her friend had done to earn her such rough treatment after arriving here.
"Furthermore, sister, we have determined that through the actions of his chosen helper in the Dimension of Waves, the Slayer has roused your body from death. The Lord has yet to comment on it; however, considering his many ill-fated encounters with this monster, we can assume he is displeased."
The True Angel had been calm when saying that, even though Eleanor could detect a faint trace of irritation in her mana.
In theory, what the woman had said about Eleanor's revival was true.
Her body in her homeland had been restored, the only issue being that her mana core had fractured when she had faced the deity, and thus she ended up stranded in the Great Beyond with no way back to her body.
"If your core were to be repaired and your soul stirred enough, then it might be possible for you to return to the land of the living. And with some luck, also keep your humanity."
Her words had been simple, yet even in their simplicity, they had replenished the hope that she had thrown away in her sobs.
She did not know what was happening in her homeland, nor was there any way to be certain she would actually be able to return there.
It was a chance, one that was infinitely unlikely and far too risky to believe in, a chance less than one in a million.
Regardless of the slim odds, she clung to that hope, silently praying to the god not to forsake her in the pits of the Beyond.
Now, as the clock Ariel had left behind for her rang to signal a new day, July 2nd, she heaved a long sigh.
But why…
She reached to her side, picking up a pillow, then placed it over her face and sat in the darkness.
Why would Aaron save me again?
Of course, there was the likely option that the boy was infatuated with her, something she could obviously not overlook.
However, in her memories, there wasn't a single one that reflected such feelings within his heart.
If she were to put a name on it, what he felt for her was probably closer to appreciation.
When they had travelled together, they spoke frequently and brought up various topics—at some point, even discussing what they were grateful for.
Not wishing to reveal her deepest tragedies to Aaron at the time, she opted to mention her faith, a clear and indisputable truth.
He, however, had frowned at the answer, turning his gaze towards the wooden deck that was covered in odd runes.
"What am I grateful for? Hell, I'm happy I can just talk to someone human for once! Crabs aren't good company, you know!"
Back then, she had laughed, but now, as she pondered the reasoning behind his answer, she couldn't quite determine what to make of it.
Taking another deep breath and pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind, she stood up, resolved to adapt to her new environment.
If I'm going to be here for a while, I should start getting familiar with this place…
Deciding to go for a walk—something the True Angel hadn't prohibited—she checked her outfit quickly, making sure it was presentable, and then made her way towards the door.
After navigating a confusing set of hallways and a long flight of stairs, both of which were void of any other people, she made her way outside, into a street.
A label on a nearby wall informed her that she was at 23 Droskyn Street, a name that she instantly recognized.
Was it Death who named a street after his Sea King? Or was that simply a coincidence…
Shaking her head, she stepped onto the cobblestone path, taking in the surroundings that she could only barely see from her room.
The buildings were shoved together, similar to Sea Fallen, their height extending at most three floors above ground, with rickety pillars preventing gravity from sending them tumbling.
From what she could tell, no two buildings were identical; they all varied either in color, shape, size, height, or even number of windows.
Furthermore, as she walked through the empty street, she noticed a certain pattern to it.
There is an intersection after 15 buildings forming a grid-like shape, and the roads are only as large as three buildings.
Nodding her head absentmindedly, she took a turn to leave the side street she was on and enter one of the main roads, which the Angel had shown her before.
Instantly, she was overwhelmed by her surroundings—hundreds, if not thousands, of souls mingled together without a single trace of hostility despite the high crowd density.
Whether it be satanic creatures, humanoid animals, regular humans, or even a race of dwarfs resembling goblins, they all interacted peacefully and with joy.
None paid her any mind, fully focused on the bustling market that stretched for kilometers into the distance.
Standing in awe for a moment, she mindlessly approached one of the small shopfronts that she was most interested in.
It was a bookshop, one selling tomes that had been lost, burned, stolen, or destroyed in any of the mortal realms.
Hurrying towards the front door to get away from the crowd, Eleanor heard the chimes ring as she stepped inside, welcomed by the owner's mildly surprised, yet enthusiastic greeting.
"Oh, a customer!"
An elderly lady, perhaps in her late seventies, hurried from the back of the store up to the register, standing behind it with a smile.
"What can I help you with, sweetie?"
She radiated a warmth that reminded Eleanor of the nuns who had raised her in the orphanage, a smile coming across her own face as well.
"Do you know of any books that are useful for those who are new to… death?"
As she walked over to the counter, she noticed the elderly woman pause for a moment, looking at her curiously, then blink rapidly as if she suddenly remembered her job.
"Yes! It's our most sold book after the one on that rack right there!"
Pointing towards a shelf near the register, the woman turned around and tore into boxes stacked behind her, trying to find a new copy of the guidebook she mentioned.
While the blonde girl waited, she glanced to the side to read the title of the store's bestselling book, a frown coming across her face.
Tales of Cauron Thorn. The Man Who Defies Fate!
Written and illustrated by the Goddess of Life herself!
"Are most of your customers from the Dimension of Waves…?"
The girl inquired quietly, attempting to figure out why a Sea King's name popped up in a bookstore in the Great Beyond of all places.
The older woman chuckled under her breath, finally fishing out a large book from one of the boxes she was searching through, and then responded to the girl's question.
"Ah, the innocence of youth! Of course, you wouldn't know, as it's likely only your first few days here, but in the Great Beyond, the only people that can read this type of book are those from our realm!"
Pressing a button on the register, the woman smiled at the girl and announced the guidebook's price without waiting for her reaction.
"That'll be 2 Bronze Draughts."
Eleanor instantly raised her brow in shock.
"You use Draughts even in the Great Beyond?"
The old woman laughed, sliding the book over the counter.
"Heh… If you don't even know that, then you need this far more than I need your money."
The shopkeeper paused, taking a short breath before explaining further.
"When we die, all the possessions we have with us are brought into the Heilos Depository on the east side of the city. Don't ask me why, but ever since Draughts started showing up, the government has officiated them as the currency. Makes life a hell of a lot easier for us Wavers, but for the others, they have no clue what's going on."
Glossing over the strange new terms that the woman used, Eleanor nodded slowly, another question coming to mind.
Even in death, people aren't free from bureaucracy? Thank the Depths I have hope of returning…
Sighing, she bowed to the woman as thanks and accepted the book, tucking it between her arms.
"What should I address you as, Ma'am?"
She had planned to come back to the bookstore often after finishing the large guidebook, so she preferred to be on good terms with the woman.
"Me? Eh, it's been a long time since somebody asked me that…"
She pursed her lips, thinking hard.
"Ah! The name's Aurora!"
Eleanor smiled at the woman's words, and they exchanged a quick mix of pleasantries before she finally departed.
As she exited the store, she started her way back through the same path she had previously taken to get there.
What a kind woman… I hope she peacefully met her end…
Taking a breath and looking up at the sky, she froze, the sight above her stopping her dead in her tracks.
The massive Spore that she had been informed would bring the new arrivals from Sea Fallen—the victims of the Death Particles—swayed dangerously in its place, high on a large root.
Then, with one enormous pop, the Spore peeled itself off the root and soared through the heavens, down to the ground.
THUMP!
The entire city shook as one of the largest quakes to date rocked its very foundation, and thousands of freshly transferred souls arrived in mere seconds.
It hadn't fallen far from the city gates, therefore allowing the new waves of people to enter without much delay.
There must be people I know there! I could ask them about what happened if they still remember!
Forgetting about the book, she kept it tightly between her arms as she rushed towards the gates, opting to talk first, read later.