I don't remember anything about my previous life but remember my life after reincarnation. When Arbiter granted my wish, I didn't transfer to Earth 2126; instead, I was reincarnated in Earth 2126, so I had a mother, and I know the pain of losing a mother.
In Yelena's case, she lost both her mom and father.
Yelena sat a little apart from the others, her legs drawn close, arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to keep from falling apart. Her gaze was lost somewhere far beyond the firelight—maybe in the faces of her parents she would never see again.
I didn't say anything. Words felt… pointless sometimes. Instead, I walked over and sat down beside her. No grand gestures, no condolences—just silent company. Sometimes that's all that's needed.
For a while, we just sat there. Listening to the soft rustle of the wind and the faint breathing of those around us.
After a moment, I spoke quietly.
"My friend used to say, 'Death is the greatest gift a human ever has.'"
Yelena's head turned slightly toward me. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "What happened to your friend?"
"He died," I said simply. "He tried to fight someone far greater than him. Foolish, maybe… but brave." I looked at the flickering fire, the orange light reflecting in my eyes. "He believed that when you live through hell, heaven is what awaits at the other end. So, I think your parents are in heaven now. Watching you. Hoping you don't coil up like a snake and let guilt eat you alive."
A faint breath left her—a sigh, or maybe the ghost of a bitter laugh. "You talk too much for someone who barely knows me."
"Maybe," I said with a small smirk. "But I know enough. Black Widows aren't supposed to show emotion. Yet here you are."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "How do you know I was a Black Widow?"
"I know a lot of things," I replied, leaning back on my hands. My gaze drifted toward Blade Knight. "Like the fact that bastard Khonshu is still peeping at me."
Blade Knight looked up from his silent vigil by the fire, meeting my eyes. His voice came, calm but wary. "Khonshu says he still doesn't trust you."
I gave a dry chuckle. "When has he ever trusted anyone?"
That earned me a slight twitch in his expression—almost a smirk—but before he could respond, a loud growl broke the silence. Everyone turned their heads toward Kamala, who froze mid-breath, face reddening.
"What?" she said, glaring at us defensively, hands clutching her stomach. "It's been days since I ate something that wasn't canned!"
I couldn't help but laugh softly. "Seems like nobody's eaten much lately, huh?"
Kate sighed, brushing her hair back. "Well, all our supplies were in the tank. You know, the one that exploded."
"Ah." I nodded, then opened my inventory, pulling out the slab of bison meat I'd saved earlier. The smell of it—roasted and fresh—instantly turned a few heads.
"We just need to heat it," I said.
Even Blade Knight tilted his head slightly, though his expression didn't change. His eyes, however, betrayed faint surprise.
Shalltear grinned, hands on her hips. "You all look so happy over a bit of meat. I wonder how you'd react if you saw everything else my lord can pull out of thin air."
Kate laughed softly, looking at me. "When I woke up after being healed by him, this—" she gestured to the meat—"was the first thing I saw. Honestly, it smelled so good I thought I'd died and gone to heaven."
After heating it on the fire.
Kamala had already taken a piece, blowing on it before biting in. Her eyes widened, and a muffled groan escaped her. "God, I forgot what real food tastes like."
Kate chuckled. "See? Told you."
Even Yelena eventually took a portion, chewing slowly, eyes distant. The warmth of the food, the firelight, and the rare sense of peace softened the edges of everyone's exhaustion.
For a brief moment, it felt… normal. Like a group of travelers sharing a meal—not survivors in a dying world.
When everyone was done eating, the camp fell back into a gentle quiet. The fire crackled, and the tension that had clung to us since arriving here began to ease.
Yelena shifted slightly closer to me. Her voice was quiet, almost hesitant.
"What was your friend's name? The one you mentioned earlier."
I looked at her, then at the stars above. The name felt strange on my tongue after so long. "Bellliver," I said at last.
He was the only one who had the guts to publish about corporations' corruption back in Earth 2126. For that, the corporation put him six feet under. And he permanently exited from both game and life.
She repeated it softly, as if committing it to memory. "Bellliver… sounds like someone strong."
"He was," I said, smiling faintly. "Too strong for his own good."
She nodded, her eyes reflecting the flames. "Then… may he and my parents meet in that heaven you talked about."
"Maybe they already have," I replied.
~~~
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