Aaahh!
My head…!
With a Herculean effort, Elric Armstrong pushed himself up, one hand flying to his throbbing temple. Or he tried to.
Every nerve ending was on fire, like scalding lava itself was flowing in his veins, replacing blood. His limbs felt like lead.
So instead of struggling in futility, he just sat on the ground, one hand supporting him, the other still on his temple messaging it.
He was a tall man, 1.87 metres, with a frame that should have carried itself with ease. His black hair was slicked back, his eyes a sharp grey—or they would have been, if they weren't screwed shut in anguish. Any handsomeness was eclipsed by the raw pain contorting his features.
What is this?! Where am I?!
He forced his eyes open, blinking the blurriness that clouded him.
All that greeted him was a white room. It was… vast. Unnaturally so.
"Ahhhhh!!!"
A fresh wave of pain lanced through his mind, stealing his breath.
It hurts! But why…? How did I get here?
He scrambled for a memory, to remember how he got here, any memory—a face, a place, a name—and found nothing. Just Blank.
No, wait… why am I here?! …Who… who am I?
Out of nowhere, a cold female voice rang out— seemingly directly in his mind.
Emergency protocol has been initiated.
Purging the remnants of old consciousness. Successful.
Forcefully merging the foreign soul to the host body. Success.
Initiating Full Body Regeneration. Failure.
Re-Attempting.
Failure.
The Host Body lacks sufficient nutrients for a forceful cell activation.
Processing.
Successful. Infinite Regeneration has been temporarily granted.
The hellish agony vanished. Disappeared like it never was there. Leaving profound relief and crystal-clear clarity.
The chaos of his mind subdued, as it settled into an unnerving rhythm. Just theessentials.
Who am I?
The Name of this body, and your past self, is Elric Armstrong.
Finally a name.
What is this place?
This place is a pocket dimension created by your Skill.
Skill?
A special ability that residents of Cardinal World obtain.
Cardinal World? Is that the name of the place I am in? Or am I going to be in?
Yes. It is the name of the world you will be in.
...Why…why have I been brought here? What happened to me?
You were reincarnated. You chose to forget all your past life memories before reincarnation. You have been brought here to fulfill your contract. The price of reincarnation. You are now a consultant. A member of the Consultancy Firm that I run.
What does that entail?
Providing assistance to anyone for a right price. We have no alignment. Only the right price.
...
Worry not, the price is always decided by our consultants. Clients come after our employees. Always remember that you matter more than a deal everwill.
The thought may have been considerate by a being of great power, but perhaps due to his current condition and this strange hypnosis, he couldn't feel any warmth right now.
…Thank… you? I don't know what to say.
Then don't.
…Who are you?
The Boss of your company.
I mean, yourname?
I do not have one. Not the one you can understand, at least. You would not have been able to talk to me after you took form, but I am using the world system of Cardinal World and your Skill to interface with you.
Oh. That's why you sound like a robotic lady.
Yes.
There was a short pause, then,
So there are no essential questions left that you wish to ask me?
'There are,' Elric thought, his new mind already turning to practicalities. 'How will I get clients? What are the payment methods I am allowed to receive? What manner of services am I to provide? And the likes'.
Nothing about your previous life?
'No,' Elric's response was delayed, but certain. 'If I chose to forget it, then it was not worth remembering. Unpleasant. Why fret over something I dislike?'
A good attitude to have. There was a hint of amusement in the voice, but Elric ignored it. As for your questions; you have gained a Unique Skill, 'Consultant'. That is all I will say. Learning is also an important part of employment. You will have to discover the ebbs of the skill yourself.
...
…Nothing else?
…No. I can't think of anything right now.
Well then, Happy working. Get clients, and earn yourself some good fortune. If you have any doubts in the future, you can contact me through your Skill. But be careful. No meaningless calls, or there will be penalties that you'd wish you never knew.
You seem like a good boss, He replied, What do you gain from doing all this for random souls?
The pause that followed was longer than any before.
It was just a pledge. Then greed took over. Then just indifference and routine. The voice was, if possible, even more detached. Very well then, valiant soul. May your journey be fruitful.
And just like that, the voice disappeared, leaving a young man alone with his own thoughts to accompany him.