If anyone had told Allen Royce that his life would end because of a packet of chips, he would have laughed them straight out of the room.
Not a glamorous death in a daring rescue. Not a tragic death in a noble sacrifice. Not even the cinematic beauty of dying in your sleep.
Nope. Chips. Seaweed-flavored, at that.
It had started innocently enough: a quiet evening, a warm summer breeze through the open window, and Allen's stomach staging a loud protest against his decision to skip dinner. He'd been too tired after work to cook, but not quite tired enough to sleep without eating. The vending machine at the corner of his apartment building had seemed like the perfect solution.
Allen had strolled down in his slippers, coins in hand, eyeing the familiar display of snacks. Rows upon rows of brightly colored packets, each promising a quick fix for his hunger. His target: Row C, Slot 7 — seaweed-flavored chips. A personal favorite.
The coins clinked into the slot, and with a decisive press of the button, Allen watched the metal coil turn. The packet shifted forward… and stopped.
"…You've got to be kidding me," he muttered.
The chips dangled from the coil, as if mocking him. They swayed with the tiniest breeze but refused to fall.
Allen gave the machine a light tap. "Alright, buddy, let's not do this tonight. Just let go."
It did not let go.
He tapped harder. "I'm warning you. You're on thin ice."
The vending machine, perhaps sensing his desperation, remained obstinate.
Allen sighed, put one foot on the machine's lower base, and gave it a firm shake. "Come on—"
The machine wobbled. The packet wobbled. The machine tilted forward.
Allen froze. "Oh no."
THUD!
And just like that, his snack run turned into an obituary headline no one would believe:
Local Man Dies in Tragic Vending Machine Incident
––––
When Allen next opened his eyes, he wasn't lying on the cold concrete of the apartment entrance. In fact, he wasn't lying anywhere that could be called earthly.
He found himself on a surface that looked like clouds — soft, thick, glowing clouds that stretched endlessly in every direction. They were warm under his palms, not the wet and chilly texture he'd always imagined clouds would have. Above him stretched a vast sky, painted in shades of gold and pearl-white, as if the sun had decided to permanently hover just before sunset.
Allen sat up slowly. "Okay… this isn't the hospital."
"You've finally arrived, Benefactor."
The voice came from his right — deep, resonant, and warm enough to seep straight into his bones. It carried a subtle weight, like each word was too important to be rushed.
Allen turned and promptly forgot how to speak.
A man sat a short distance away on an ornate throne of gleaming gold, positioned atop the clouds as though it had always belonged there. He wore flowing white robes embroidered with constellations, and Allen swore the stars actually moved — gliding gently across the fabric in a slow, hypnotic dance. His hair was long and black, cascading over his shoulders, with threads of silver glinting like moonlight. But it was his eyes that made Allen pause — molten gold, ancient and yet startlingly… human.
Allen pointed at himself. "…You mean me?"
The man smiled faintly. "Of course. There is no one else here worthy of the title."
"And you are…?" Allen asked cautiously.
"The Heavenly Emperor," the man said simply, as if that explained the throne, the robes, and the fact that they were both sitting on clouds. "Ruler of the Celestial Realm. Arbiter of the Mortal Cycle. And—" his gaze softened, "—your eternal debtor."
Allen blinked. "…Come again?"
"You saved my life."
Allen opened his mouth, then closed it. "I'm pretty sure I'd remember saving the life of someone who… radiates like that."
The Emperor's lips twitched, almost amused. "Not in this life. In your previous one."
"My… previous life?"
"Yes. I was nothing more than a wandering scholar then — no throne, no power, merely a mortal bound for an unremarkable end. An accident nearly claimed my life, but you, without knowing who I truly was, intervened. That single act allowed me to live long enough to fulfill my destiny… and ascend to what I am now."
Allen rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't… recall doing anything like that."
"You would not," the Emperor replied gently. "Mortals rarely recall their past lives. But the heavens never forget. And neither do I."
Allen was quiet for a moment, taking that in. "Well… I'm glad I could help? I think?"
"That is why," the Emperor continued smoothly, "I will now repay my debt. Not with mere words of gratitude, but with the one gift worth giving — a life that leaves no desire unfulfilled."
Allen blinked. "…Unfulfilled?"
"Yes. You shall be reborn into a world not unlike your own, yet more refined, more beautiful, where you will want for nothing. You will be born into the greatest family that world has ever seen — wealth, influence, and power beyond measure. And should you wish for something…" the Emperor's eyes gleamed, "the heavens themselves will deliver it to you."
Allen stared at him. "…You're describing one of those absurdly overpowered protagonists in wish-fulfillment novels."
"It will be precisely that," the Emperor said, entirely unbothered. "Except this is no fiction, Benefactor. This is your second life. And it shall be indulgent beyond mortal imagination."
Allen tilted his head. "Why do I feel like you're way more excited about this than I am?"
"Because you mortals never ask for enough," the Emperor said without hesitation. "Give a mortal the sun, and they'll still hesitate to ask for the moon."
Allen chuckled. "I mean, fair enough… but what's the catch?"
"There is none," the Emperor said simply. "This is my repayment. Live however you wish — whether in pursuit of grand achievements… or in blissful idleness. The choice will be entirely yours."
Allen sat back on the clouds, letting the weight of that sink in. His first life hadn't been bad — but it had been… normal. Bills, deadlines, little pleasures scattered in between long stretches of work. And now he was being offered a redo without the headache of responsibility?
"…Alright," he said finally, a slow grin forming. "I'll take it. But, uh… maybe no vending machines this time?"
The Emperor's laugh rolled through the skies, deep and unrestrained. "Consider it forbidden by heavenly decree."
They sat in companionable silence for a moment — or at least, Allen did. The Emperor seemed to be watching him closely, as if waiting for something more.
"…You're not going to ask me what I want to do in that life?" Allen asked.
"That is for later," the Emperor replied. "A special companion will guide you once you are reborn — a system that will answer your every call. But for now, all you need to know is this: you are my Benefactor. And in the life ahead, you will be the world's favored child."
Allen arched a brow. "World's favored child, huh? Sounds like you're trying to make me a walking magnet for jealousy."
The Emperor smirked. "Those who are blessed by the heavens do not fear the envy of mortals."
Allen laughed under his breath. "Alright, I'll trust you on that one. But if I get hate mail in my new life, I'm blaming you."
"You may," the Emperor said without a trace of offense. "And I will answer it with thunderbolts."
"…I'm starting to like you," Allen admitted.
The Emperor inclined his head. "That is good. You will see me again — though perhaps not often. It would be… inelegant for the heavens to hover over your every step. But should you need me…" his gaze sharpened, "call, and I will come."
Allen glanced around the endless expanse of clouds and gold-lit sky. "So… what happens now?"
"Now," the Emperor said, rising to his feet in one smooth, regal motion, "you return to the mortal cycle. The life I promised awaits you."
Allen opened his mouth to say something — but the clouds beneath him began to glow brighter, so bright that he had to squint.
"Hey, wait, you're just sending me off like—"
His voice dissolved into the light, and the world faded to white.
~~~~~~~~~
Hello guys It's your Author here.
If you guys have any questions regarding the novel then don't hesitate to ask in the comment section I'll try my best to reply to it.
And I'll also leave a quote beneath every chapter.
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Quote of the day:
The walls you build to keep danger out can also keep you in.