Chapter 33 - part 1 : Delivery in paradise

"Hey kid, you're doing pretty well."

"Shut up."

The mark is burning me, damn it. My heart is slowing down; I can't possibly die a second time...

"Just hope the necromancer shows up before your human heart gives out."

The beast is watching me agonize, its gaze a mix of curiosity and disgust.

"I have access to your memories, you know."

"W…what do you mean?"

I'm having trouble breathing.

"You had a life before coming here, a pathetic and miserable life, but you seemed to manage it well; you even had friends just as pathetic as you."

"I… forbid you to talk about them like that!"

I can't take it anymore, damn it.

"What a shame, I couldn't fully exploit life in a human body."

I can hear my heart slowing down more and more until it stops.
---
When I open my eyes,  a blue sky welcomes me, the same one I saw after my first death.  Does this mean I'm going to be reincarnated again?!  

"Back again?" says a voice I take time to recognize.  The angel from last time looks at me skeptically while sipping her tea. "And you're not alone, I see."  I turn around, and surprise—a guy with white hair and blue eyes stands behind me, looking bored.  "Are you the beast?"  

The guy gives me a toothy grin, "kid."
---
The angel returns with a green folder that she opens before sitting down in her chair.  "I just found your file; you died from a heart attack, your healer wasn't by your side, and on top of that, you brought a beast with you."  

"He infected me!"  

"How cute."  

I grit my teeth, glancing at the guy sitting next to me; both girl and boy angels are looking at him with love-struck eyes. 

No one has ever looked at me like that.  No one has ever looked at you at all, kid.

You can still read my thoughts here !?

Why do you found this angel girl attractive ?

She starts coughing 

“You seem to have been quite popular in your second life; would you like to go back?”"Can I?"  She takes a sip of coffee while looking at me; angels around us are starting to gather.  "Yes."  The angels just took a heavy breath.  "Good."  She sets her coffee cup down and claps her hands together as if preparing to pray; a black folder materializes as she separates her hands.
"Before that, you will first make a delivery for me with the help of your new friend."  "And why would I agree?" he asks, still with that toothy grin.  "Because you can reincarnate too, and this time in your own body."  "Interesting..."  "I don't think that's a good idea," I panic, looking at her, but her face is calm, almost serene.
Calm down, idiot; I know what I'm doing.

You can read my read my thoughts too !?

You are not my type sorry.

The beast laughed.The angel, still wearing that enigmatic smile, leans forward slightly, as if she wants to capture our full attention.  
"The delivery won't be simple," she says. "It requires discretion and a bit of... creativity."  I furrow my brows. "And what exactly do you expect from us?"  She starts flipping through the folder, her eyes shining with a mysterious glint. "A precious artifact has been stolen from our realm, and it must be retrieved before the cleaners take care of it."
"The cleaners?"  "They're in charge of eliminating souls that have reached their quota of reincarnations; they have no reason to go after you, but... they can be quite unbearable; they're a bit like what humans call demons."
I shiver in fear.
"And why us?" the guy next to me asks, his grin still plastered on his face. "Why send us and not someone else?"
"Only humans can make this delivery," she replies confidently.
The angels around us murmur; the excitement in the air is palpable. I can feel the gaze of these celestial creatures weighing on me, and I wonder if I'm really ready for this.  
"And if we fail?" I ask, my voice betraying a hint of worry.
"Well then, you won't be reincarnated. But I'm convinced you have what it takes," she says, a hint of challenge in her eyes.
I glance at the beast, who seems to be already imagining the delivery. "What do you think?" I ask him.
"I think it could be fun."
I sigh, realizing I don’t really have a choice. "Alright, let's do it."
The angel smiles, satisfied. "Very well then. Get ready. Your adventure starts now."
She stands up, and with a wave of her hand, we find ourselves in front of a shimmering portal.  She claps her hands a second time, and delivery bags appear on our backs.
"Your turn, boys," she says, gently nudging us toward the entrance of the portal.
I take a deep breath, my heart racing, as I take a step forward. This will be my first delivery in paradise.