#1 Living in another world 5

The gaze was undeniably captivating, yet Grim remained entirely uninterested. For Grim, the woman's mesmerizing eyes and stunning appearance were nothing compared to Pandora's enchanting smile from earlier. 

"It seems Pandora was right. You are not a perfect human." 

Once again, Grim heard those words. From Pandora, he had already learned what it meant to be considered a perfect human. He himself lacked certain emotions, which was why he was deemed imperfect. But to Grim, that was of no concern—he had no desire to chase perfection. He simply wanted to remain as he was. 

"As per Pandora's request, I will give you two choices. The first is to reside in the home of the gods." 

The home of the gods—meaning Grim could choose to go to heaven. Though not all gods lived in heaven, just as the world was home to humans, heaven was the dwelling place of the gods. 

"The second option is to enter the Wheel of Reincarnation and wait for your turn to be reborn. Now, which do you choose?" 

"Before I decide, may I ask something?" 

"Go ahead." 

"What will happen if I choose to live in the home of the gods?" 

"As I said, you will be given a home there. However, even if you live there, your status will remain that of a human. No matter what you do, you will never become a god." 

Even if a human were to live for hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years, they would still remain human. They could never ascend to godhood. A god could only be born from the union of other gods—such a being was known as a true god. 

On the other hand, if a god and a human conceived a child, that child would become a demi-god, a being neither fully human nor fully divine. 

"And what will happen if I choose to reincarnate?" 

"If you choose that path, you must enter the Wheel of Reincarnation and remain in deep slumber until your turn for rebirth arrives." 

Grim carefully considered both options. Between the two, he was more inclined toward the second. After all, what he truly sought was death. If he were to reincarnate, even if his soul remained the same, everything else—his name, memories, and personality—would surely be different from who he was now. 

In the end, to Grim, reincarnation was no different from true death. 

"Is there a possibility that my memories from this life will carry over to my next life?" 

At first, Grim had been prepared to choose reincarnation. But now, he hesitated. While it was likely that his next life would be drastically different from his current one, he couldn't ignore the possibility that his memories might persist. 

If that were to happen, it would defeat the purpose. That would not be the eternal death he longed for—it would simply be a temporary death, like falling asleep at night, only to awaken with all the memories he wished to forget. 

Meanwhile, the woman before him smiled slightly. She had anticipated that Grim would ask this question—not because she could see the future, but because Pandora had warned her that Grim was unexpectedly perceptive at times. 

Pandora had also shared some details about Grim's emotions. While he seemed devoid of most feelings, a few still lingered within him. However, these emotions were faint. If the emotions of a "perfect human" could be compared to a roaring fire, then Grim's emotions were merely the tiny flame of a match. 

Depending on the circumstances, those emotions could either be fanned into a larger fire—like a small flame doused in gasoline—or snuffed out completely, like a candle in the rain. 

Pandora had made one request: the woman was not to interfere with Grim's emotions. She was only allowed to observe and fulfill her primary duty—offering choices to the dead. 

The woman did find Grim somewhat intriguing, but due to Pandora's request, she could not act on her curiosity. In the end, she would do only what was asked of her. 

"Of course, that possibility exists. After all, you are a great sinner. When the Wheel of Reincarnation grants you a new life, it will place you in the situation you fear most." 

Grim understood her words perfectly. During the war, his orders had saved countless lives. But those same orders had also led to the deaths of many. 

With the countless soldiers who had perished under his command, it was no surprise that she called him a sinner. 

More importantly, Grim now knew what would happen if he entered the Wheel of Reincarnation. His perspective had shifted. The likelihood of him becoming a completely different person after reincarnation was slim, while the chance of him retaining his memories was high. 

Thanks to the woman's explanation, Grim realized what awaited him—he would be reborn into the situation he most dreaded. In other words, he would be reincarnated in the midst of a great war. 

Whether it took ten years, a hundred years, or even a thousand years, until the world was engulfed in a massive conflict, Grim would remain trapped in the Wheel of Reincarnation, asleep until the moment he awakened on the battlefield. 

"So, what is your choice?" the woman asked. 

Grim hesitated. Neither of the two options would grant him what he truly desired. 

The woman continued to observe him. Just by looking at his expression, she could tell he was struggling with indecision. If possible, she would have let him remain in this state of uncertainty for a while longer—but she didn't have much time left. 

Not because time itself was important to her. For gods, time was merely a meaningless number. Whether a thousand, ten thousand, or even a hundred thousand years passed, they would never die. 

But Grim was different. Unlike her, he was not a true god—he was human. And for humans, time was precious. 

Even just a single hour could hold immense value. 

Though Grim was technically dead, as long as he remained in the underworld, he was still considered alive in a way. 

But his time here was limited. 

Unless he entered the Path of Trials. 

"If you can't decide now, you may do so later. But you do not have much time left."