I didn't get a single wink of sleep from all the thinking last night. I woke up from my bed early and went for my usual jog in the morning. It was nice to have the fresh morning wind to hit my face.
After the forty-minute jog, I returned home. I washed up and had breakfast. It felt great to get back to the routine. It seemed yesterday's bombshell of a reveal had shaken me up more than I believed it to have.
*Ding*
I saw that Celeste had seen my message and replied to it.
"I apologize for not seeing your message. I hope you have understood all the info, we had one-sidedly dumped on you. You can take your time before deciding what to do going forward."
That was formal.
I replied, "Thank you for your consideration. I hope we get another chance to converse soon enough."
"Your welcome and looking forward to our next meet-up."
Yeah, she is definitely being very formal and too polite. Makes sense I guess, considering she works as an idol at just nineteen. She and Vivienne were seniors to me, in their last year. Iris was younger than me by a year.
I spent the morning completing the different homework given to me. After lunch, I felt sleepy and slept. Very normal. Then why the hell did a Penguin just spawn into my room when I woke up?!
"Hey, how long are you just going to keep on staring at me?"
I literally jumped back a little in my bed. The Penguin was speaking. Though its beak didn't move, it was the one speaking, as it was staring through my very soul.
"So, what abomination are you?"
"That's rude. Also, aren't you too relaxed, don't you think I could end you if I wished?"
"AAH, nice scare. If you wanted to kill me, I would have been dead by now."
"Makes sense."
"Right. So, what and why are you here?"
"I am Penguin, a system from the Causality Management Department. I am here to assist you as there has been a mistake in the assignment of your causality points."
"So, you mean, you have messed up my fate. Was it this life or the previous one?"
"The last one."
I threw the pillow on it.
"Hey, it happened. The past is past. Hey! Stop it fucker! Stop throwing stuff at me, right now. Hey, why are you trying to catch me? Fuck off. Ahh."
After a few more attempts, both of us ended up panting.
"I thought you were a machine. Why are you even panting?"
"I am a machine. That doesn't mean I don't have to be charged."
"What charger type?"
"B-Type."
"You can leave, send a C-Type. In this household, everything is C-Type after all."
"Wireless?"
"Too expensive. Take your leave."
I went back to lie down on the bed.
"Hey, I will take care of that. Don't you want to hear ab-"
"Nah, I am good. I have enough worries, I don't have time to entertain your circus of a department, who couldn't even handle a single soul's causality properly."
The bird got quiet. Even after a few minutes, there was no reply from it. I opened my eyes to see if it had gone away. Glancing ahead while still lying down, I noticed it was gone. Thinking it had finally left, I turned to my side. The fucker was standing right next to my face and pecked my left eye.
"AAh! AAHha..AAAAH!" I screamed and tried catching it.
"That's what you get for talking too much, you bastard. Better act properly now."
Even in pain, I threatened it, "You better not get caught. I don't care if you are a machine, I will make a bird stew with you, you fucker."
"Now, that you are sitting down, listen to me."
"Nooo way." I closed both of my ears with my hands. But before I completely closed them, the bird spoke out,
"Are you sure about it, even after knowing that your soul-linked partners are in trouble?"
"Explain." I got serious.
Sensing the change in my tone, the bird understood the seriousness. It opened a holographic projection from its wing.
In the screen, it showed my photo with a few details like my name and stuff. It also had four portraits under it. Three of them were the three girls who were my past wives. The fourth portrait was just a person's silhouette with a question mark on them.
The bird began its explanation,
"As I said, due to the department's mistake in handling your previous life, I was sent to help you in this life. As this is your 'Graced Life', I was to help you ascend properly. I will provide you help, step by step to reach that level."
I quickly raised my hand.
"Yes, you can ask your query."
"What does 'Graced Life' mean, Penguin Sensei?"
"It means that you have a chance to ascend to the next realm of existence in this life. This life is what we call 'Graced Life'. This also includes the people you have soul-linked with, that is your partners. Unfortunately, you will not be able to take others with you, for example, your parents."
I was visibly shaken by the information.
"What if I denied it?"
"It doesn't matter. You and your partners will go back to be part of the reincarnation cycle after your deaths, until all of you have earned your place to be back in the 'Graced Life' once more. That time, you will again get the chance to ascend. But, regardless of whether you choose this 'Graced life' to ascend or not, it is better to do what I say. You will ultimately grow strong, which is what you need to do now."
I was genuinely perplexed by all of this. But, if it means that I could grow stronger without any strings attached, I will have to take it. I've got the rest of the day to grill this thing about everything else anyway.
"Alright, how does this work? What do you actually mean by help? The Department better compensate me generously. I spent my previous life fully bed-ridden because of your mistake."