"Then let's begin negotiations."
"Who do you think you are, brat—"
Judging by how Gaia suddenly shot him that sharp sideways glare, the old man shut up immediately and stared at me like a worker who just found out he has overtime after a 16‑hour shift. Meanwhile, gentle Gaia pulled up a chair and sat in front of me.
"Reiner…" she began sweetly. "What kind of world, abilities, and path do you want for your next life? Even though we are gods, we still can't just do—"
"I raised my hand to stop them. "Stop."
A sudden silence descended.
"First," I continued, "put the deal on the table. A real trade, a proper agreement, starts on paper. I want to know exactly what you are offering me."
Both of them froze as if time had stood still.
Frankly, their surprise was unwarranted. If a negotiation is starting, the seller always makes the first move, and here, I held the upper hand. They should have realized perfectly well who needed whom.
Gaia cleared her throat.
"Ahem. Very well. We are offering you a chance to be reborn into a vast world. You will draw three talents from the wheel behind you and—"
"Yeeeah no." I cut her off.
Gaia stopped.
"Three talents, huh? First, that number is low. Second, I can't choose them. And a wheel? What is this, a pay‑to‑win mobile game? You're gods. Who came up with that nonsense? Do you think you're entertaining toddlers? I won't gamble my new life on a kiddie game mechanic. Whoever invented that deserves a standing ovation for the dumbest idea I've ever heard."
"H‑hik… I‑I'm sorry…"
Seeing Gaia suddenly tear up right in front of me caught me off guard.
Wow… her mountains actually look like they shrank a centimeter from sadness. God, I'm horrible… but how was I supposed to know it was her idea!?
"Ahem… haha… well… anyway." I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
"I'm not playing that game. Instead, you give me the talents I choose. Immediately. Now."
Fukurokuju finally snapped.
"YOU BRAT! THIS ISN'T A MARKETPLACE! YOU'RE NOT PICKING VEGETABLES! DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT TALENTS ARE—?!"
I scratched my cheek again.
"True, I don't know much about them. But if you have a problem, instead of yelling, you can just destroy me. Then disappear with me. So, could you shut up, old man?"
It looked like someone shoved a cactus onto his tongue, but he stayed silent. Gaia turned to him with a smiling expression that was somehow terrifying. I never knew a face could change expression that fast. Still — if I must choose, cold‑eyed Gaia is better than crying Gaia.
"Fukurokuju, from now on, keep your mouth shut."
"Wha—!? But— I— UHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Ignoring the old man whining like a child who just had their tablet taken away, Gaia turned back to me.
"Alright, Reiner… I understand you want to become stronger. But this is complicated. The reason we limit you to three talents is because your soul can't contain more right now. Without a physical body, three is the maximum."
My grand plan fell apart, and Gaia smiled gently again.
Still salty about the wheel criticism, huh? What do you want me to do, apologize for having taste?
Can't you go back to being the soft, sweet goddess version of yourself?
"F‑Fine. If it has to be three, then I'll choose them."
""Of course you can, but you're not thinking of something childish, are you? You're not going to ask for an army of the dead, a fruit that turns your body into rubber, or a sword that gives you power when you coolly say its name, right?"
"…"
"…"
How. How is she reading my mind?
She's a god — so technically it makes sense… But she didn't do it before.
If she can read my thoughts… how am I supposed to negotiate? She'll see every plan I come up with.
For some reason… this feels exactly like the time Angelina caught me browsing forbidden websites…
AHHHHHHHH!!!!! I'm going to lose my mind…
Gaia gently interrupted my mental suffering.
"Reiner… I can give you the talents you desire but instead of asking for childish fantasies… wouldn't you rather ask for something you truly want?"
"Something I truly want, huh…"
Do I even have something like that?
Hmm…
I sighed and covered my eyes with my hand.
I thought of my life before death.
I lived surrounded by fiction — fantasy, drama, comedy — always imagining worlds outside my own.
It wasn't a satisfying life. Not even close.
Remembering it brought nothing except emptiness and depression… But I knew my answer.
"…I want to be loved."
No matter what world I imagined myself in — one thing was always the same:
I wished for someone who would love me with their whole heart.
"No matter how pathetic or flawed I am… I wished someone would love me."
Maybe that makes me selfish. Maybe childish. But still—
"I… I want unconditional love. The kind that doesn't demand anything from me."