Limbo

Why are these guys chasing me?

“Are you sure you want to catch me? I haven't done anything!”

“You know what you did, so do us a favour and stop right now!”

Surely the first thing that happens to me in my reincarnation can't be being chased by the police? The worst part is that it's not just one of them anymore. While I was escaping, two more joined in the chase.

But what could I have done to make them chase me?

Is there something illegal about my clothes?

"If you want, I can take my clothes off right here!"

“We don't want you to take your clothes off, we just want you to stop!”

Huh? Wait a minute.

Maybe they don't want to arrest me after all.

I remember them often telling me in my previous life that a tag was sticking out of my clothes.

Maybe they just want to help me.

“I understand. I'm sorry I ran away. What 's going on?”

As soon as I stopped, I saw the police officers rushing towards me.

“Gaagh!”

The three of them caught me and, even if I tried to escape again, I wouldn't be able to.

“Stay still, damn it!”

“Let go of everything and tell us what you know about your organisation!”

“Organization?' What are you talking about? Is there a sect of beautiful people in this world?”

“Stop!”

Hey, whose voice is that? It sounds feminine. Is this finally the goddess I've been waiting for?

“He didn't do anything!”

I barely lifted my head off the ground and saw a beautiful young woman with blue hair leaning against a building, catching her breath.

“Ha! I finally caught up with them.”

Her hair complements the colour of her unusual necklace very well, although the necklace itself is not very attractive.

Would it be rude to mention it? I couldn't be sure. In my previous life, I never spoke to many people other than my grandmother, let alone women my age.

“And who are you?”

When the policeman looked up to see who it was, I noticed something.

The police officers also wear similar necklaces, but theirs are a different colour. Is that to show their profession?

Perhaps they were looking for me to give me one as a newly reincarnated person. Or maybe it's a way to show a person's status or profession.

My thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the blue-haired girl.

“My name is Aixa, and I'm here to protect this poor soul.” She said, pointing at me.

She sounded cheerful as she spoke.

But she didn't seem to understand that if she helped me without explaining why, she could be arrested too.

She's not much of a goddess if she can't even work that out.

“Have I seen you before?”

I would certainly remember someone with hair that colour, but I needed the police not to target her.

I did the right thing because, as soon as I said that, the police officers took their hands off her legs.

“Not at all, but I saw you coming down the driveway to Limbo, and I wanted to follow you out of curiosity.”

When I said that, the police officers got off me.

“So you don't belong to the organisation?”

“I'm sorry, but I'm not the person you're looking for. I haven't had time to join yet.”

The police officers didn't look very happy after I said this.

“Sorry, it was just a joke...”

“You're lucky this girl saved you. These days, we're arresting all the collarless people we find on our rounds.”

“Collarless?”

“The name doesn't leave much to the imagination. As you can see, the girl and we are both wearing one.”

My deduction wasn't entirely wrong, but I still don't know why wearing one is so important.

“Is it that bad not to wear one?”

“In normal times, you would only be reprimanded. But recently, the gates of Hell cracked open because of an organisation that opposes the Limbo system. That's why the criminals there began to escape.”

“Hell? Limbo?”

I don't understand what you mean, but I assume the organisation responsible doesn't wear the collar. That's why I caused a small scandal.

“Didn't you read the welcome stone?”

“That old sign by the door?”

“I guess not. You see, you're in limbo right now because you died in your previous life. Here, you'll decide whether to be reincarnated or enter Heaven. Otherwise, you may be imprisoned in Hell.”

So I'm in transition between death and the afterlife? Even if that's the case, there should have been a goddess to welcome me.

But joking aside, this information is too important to have been omitted.

“And how do I get the necklace?”

"You should have picked it up from the stone, but you didn't, here.” The officer threw me a transparent necklace. “You're lucky we always carry a spare or two.”

After thanking the police and saying goodbye, they left, leaving me alone with the strange blue-haired girl.

Wait a minute, I feel like I'm being watched.

I turned my head slightly and confirmed my suspicions: the blue-haired girl was staring intently at me.

I put on the necklace and walked back to the main street.

*Tap, tap.*

Without turning around, I knew that a girl was following me.

Come to think of it, I've finally met a cute girl! She might not be a goddess, but that still counts for something. Why am I avoiding her?

“Do you need anything?”

“Yes.”

“...”

Normally, when someone answers 'yes', they tell you what they need. Who is this girl?

“Could you tell me what you need?”

“You still haven’t thanked me.”

“Huh?”

“You still haven't thanked me.”

I'm sure she knew I'd heard her perfectly the first time.

“Oh, yes, thank you very much for helping me earlier.”

“Much better.”

*Tap tap.*

*Tap tap.*

This girl won't stop following me! Does she have any hidden agendas? Is she actually part of the organisation?

“I've already thanked you. Is there anything else you need?”

“I should be asking you that.”

“What do you mean?”

“You're new here. You must have lots of questions about the area.”

I can't deny that, but are there really people who are so kind as to help someone like that?

“Isn't this some kind of scam?”

“Hahaha, you're such a joker.”

“I have some questions about this place, but why are you helping me?”

“I already told you: because you're a newcomer.”

“That doesn't quite answer my question. Besides, why did you follow me in the first place?”

“To help you. You seemed lost, and you weren't wearing your necklace.”

He doesn't seem to be lying.

“If you're after money, I'm afraid I don't have any.”

“See! You really don't know anything about this world.”

Isn't money used in this 'limbo'? Everything looks very similar to how it was before I died, which is why I assumed the same rules would apply here as on Earth.

“Money isn't used?”

“Here we use merit for everything.”

“Merit?”

“Yes, you earn merit for doing good deeds and lose merit for doing bad deeds.”

When you put it like that, it leaves a lot to the imagination. Apparently, this girl is quite straightforward.

I don't want to cause her any more trouble.

“I understand. Thank you very much. See you later.”

“...”

She didn't answer, but I'm sure she heard me.

I kept walking, trying to lose her, but it was impossible.

“Hey.”

“I'm going in the same direction as you. We'll say goodbye soon.”

She can apparently be quite cunning when she wants to be — or so I would say if I hadn't been going around in circles for the last ten minutes.

“If you keep following me, you might end up in trouble.”

“So you were from the organisation?!” She jumped back, stopping abruptly.

“It's not that, but there could be a misunderstanding.”

“I don't think that will happen, don't worry.”

“The police almost arrested you because of the way you introduced yourself.”

After a few seconds' thought, she came back to stand next to me.

“So we saved each other, like a team!”

“Haha…”

I don't understand her. Maybe she's just being honest.

Because of what I experienced before I died, I've never been able to relate to people very well.

“Hey!”

Her voice rang in my ears like a bell.

“You haven't told me your name.”

“Huh?”

“I'm Aixa. Who are you?”

I had forgotten; this is a common human interaction.

There are no ulterior motives.

It seems that, in this world, I will be able to relax for a while.

“Sorry, I'm Misumi Okan.”

“You didn't sound so cold this time.”

What does that mean?

“It 's nothing.”

Did I pull a strange face? I'm sure I didn't answer out loud.

“So, are you going to let me accompany you?”

“The way things are going, I won't be able to stop you.”

“I'll take that as progress.”