Dream Life Chapter 4.1: “An Omen”

　The long day is truly over, and it is finally time to go to bed.

　As I had expected, there was no bath, and I wiped myself with a wet cloth – not a soft one like a towel, but a stiff linen rag – and crawled into bed naked.

　I didn’t have time to notice in the morning, but the bed was just a cloth over a bed of straw or something. The quilt was heavy, stuffed with wool or something, and smelled of an animal.

　Tired as I was, I paid little attention to it and soon fell asleep.

　Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by a bright white light.

　I was aware that I was dreaming, because of the surreal sight.

(It would be hilarious if I ended up back in Japan. Still, it is so bright.) (Zack)

　I squinted against the intense white light. But the light gradually became so strong that I could see the blinding light even with my eyelids closed.

　I held my hands over my eyes and waited for the light to subside, but there was no sign of stopping, and I was getting a little frustrated.

(The glare is starting to hurt my eyes. Enough, stop it!) (Zack)

　Perhaps my wish was heard, and the light gradually subsided.

　When I slowly opened my eyes to see that it was probably safe by now, I saw a dozen or so huge human figures towering above me.

　They were large enough to look up at, and about a dozen meters tall visually. Within the hazy profile, there appeared to be a head, arms, torso, and legs, which seemed to be the human figure. It looked as if they had no substance, like balloons used in some kind of attraction, but for some reason, there was something about the figures that made me feel overwhelmed.

　The feeling of being overwhelmed was unpleasant.

(I don’t know what this dream is about, but I can’t wait for myself to wake up.) (Zack)

(Do you hear me?) (Voice)

　Suddenly, some kind of thought, not a voice, rushed at me from one of the human figures.

　The thought had a physical weight, like a rough wave, crashing into me. Before I knew it, my butt was on the ground.

“That hurts! What the hell are you doing all of a sudden!?” (Zack)

　I was angry and was yelling at one of the human-shaped silhouettes that seemed to have released the thought.

(Pardon me. Is this better?) (Voice)

　Instead of the rough, surging thoughts of earlier, the current had turned into a steady, restrained flow, like a ripple on a pool of water.

“It’s better, but what the heck is this place?” (Zack)

(You wanted to talk to us, didn’t you?) (Voice)

　I didn’t know what their intentions were, and I asked, “I wanted to talk to you? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, sounding a bit annoyed.

(We are the ones who brought you into this world. You asked for an explanation, didn’t you?) (Voice)

　I’m finally starting to see the bigger picture.

(Are you saying that you summoned me like a god or something, and answered my wishes?) (Zack)

(That’s right. We are the keepers of this world. I have a favor to ask of you. I need your help to avert the annihilation of the world.) (Voice)

(Keepers of this world? Do you mean a god? Why me?) (Zack)

(I don’t deny that we are called gods. I called you because you wanted to. We have given you a second chance at life, and in return, we want you to help us.) (Voice => God)

(Gave me a second chance at life? As Zack, umm, you mean the life of Zacharias Lockhart?) (Zack)

(Yes, that’s right. You had a strong desire to start your life over. That desire has reached us.) (God)

(My desires… If it’s in my dream, it wouldn’t be strange if my desires came out, but if they’re gods…) (Zack)

　I was going to listen to what they had to say, whether they were gods or not.

“I don’t really get what you mean, but I kind of understand what you mean. So, what do you want me to do?” (Zack)

(Our world may be destroyed within a few hundred to a few thousand years from the time of your reincarnation. To prevent this, we are sending a certain someone…) (God)

“Someone?” (Zack)

(Someone from your world. Our enemies will try to eliminate them. I want you to prevent that.) (God)

　I had no idea why God would want to ask for my help, a mere mortal.

“Isn’t it faster for you gods to do it directly?” (Zack)

(We are forbidden to interfere directly in the world including our enemies. It is best to send people under who can influence it instead. However, the enemy is hundreds of years ahead of us. To overturn it. We have to send xxxx.) (God)

　I didn’t catch the important parts.

“I didn’t hear you. Please try again.” (Zack)

(As for xxxx, it doesn’t matter how many times you heard it, but you won’t understand it. It is trying to prevent our interference from becoming too strong.) (God)

(I wonder what those parts that I can’t hear. No choice, let’s move on…) (Zack)

　I decided to make sure we had a specific way to proceed.

“So, what do you want me to do? Any specific instructions?” (Zack)

(Two years from now, I will send a certain person. That person will have interference from the enemy’s agents. I want you to shelter him from that interference and, if possible, to pave the way for him like a guide.) (God)

(Paving the way? Are they asking me to play a similar role of John the Baptist to Jesus?　 Teaching might be a good fit for me, if you ask me…) (Zack)

　I used to be asked to be the instructor for training new employees at my company. I also had a bit of an interest in the unsung heroes versus the eye-catching hero.

　I was trying to get some information about the man in question.

“Who is it? If I don’t know, how can I help them?” (Zack)

(I can’t reveal anything at this time. But when the time comes, the Wheel of Fate will have your paths crossed. Then you will know.) (God)

　I was planning on enjoying my second life. However, I was baffled by the fact that I will meet this person on my own, through fate or something, and I’ll be involved.

(Can I refuse? Is there a penalty if I refuse?) (Zack)

(You may refuse. There is nothing like a “penalty” as you call it.) (God)

　I finally realize that the gods are reading my mind.

(You’re reading my mind? Then why did you need me to say it out loud? …If I could say no, why did you speak to me?) (Zack)

(We thought that you would cooperate with us even if you did not understand our purpose. There is no need to be so anxious. Live your life the way you want to live it, and you will naturally fulfill your purpose.) (God)

　I decided to take these gods’ word for it, just in case.

(I don’t understand, but if that’s what you say, I’ll accept. So, I’m going to live the way I want to live. If that someone interferes with my life, I won’t get rid of them, but I won’t help them either. I will not plan my life for that someone. Is that fine?) (Zack)

(That’s fine.) (God)

　I had a few things I wanted to make sure of.

　Especially about my abilities, because I was uncomfortable with the TRPG-like method of character creation.

(Is the character creation a method you made?) (Zack)

　The gods seem a little confused,

(I’m not sure I understand what you mean, but we gave you the ability to do exactly what you wished for?) (God)

(So, is that what I wished for was this person named Zacharias?) (Zack)

(That’s right. How you decided that is none of our concern.) (God)

　Apparently, it was my desire to use the TRPG character creation.

(Would it have been possible to wish for better abilities?) (Zack)

(Of course. But you did not want them. You received many of our blessings, but you did not ask for the ability to be a demigod.) (God)

　I finally understood what I was truly wishing for.

　I didn’t want to be a hero. I just wanted to redo my dull and colorless life.

　In other words, I guess I wanted the ability to live as a person with my friends, not as a lonely hero with absolute power like some man of steel superhuman.

　Whether they took my silence as a signal to end the meeting, or whether time was running out, the gods ended the meeting.

(Then enjoy your second life. You will see us no more… Farewell.) (God)

(Wait. Tell me your names…) (Zack)

　My consciousness was immediately cut off.

　When I woke up, it was still midnight and my father and mother were sleeping peacefully beside me. In my dream, I was remembering a conversation I had heard from a god-like being.

(Two years from now, which makes them five years younger than me. If they want me to teach them, shouldn’t I teach them a little while later? Or is there a reason for this age difference? Where and how will I meet this person? Oh well, the gods gave me the green light to live my life the way I want to. I’m going to enjoy my second life…) (Zack)

　I immediately fell asleep.