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Vur’s eyes glowed golden as a green light enveloped the pink-haired woman lying on the ground. She was wearing an outfit made of a scaled hide, one that changed from blue to green depending on how the light hit it. Her eyelids fluttered, and the woman gasped as her body jerked to the side as if she were dodging an attack.

The pink-haired woman’s eyes shot open, and Vur took a step back as she sat up straight. “I’m alive?” she asked and patted herself a few times, touching her face, chest, arms, and legs. She hugged herself and wriggled from side to side. “Thank Feathered Serpent, I’m alive!”

Melody exhaled as she released herself, turning her head upwards to look at the torsos belonging to the legs and feet surrounding her vision. Her gaze landed on Vur, and her eyes widened as her pupils shrank to the size of pinholes. Fear paralyzed her body, her muscles stiffening as a chill ran down her spine. “F-Feathered Serpent?” she asked. She tried to swallow the spit in her mouth, but she ended up gulping air instead, hurting her throat. “Am I … dead?”

Vur blinked and squinted at the pink-haired woman, causing her to tremble. A few seconds later, Vur shook his head. “No.”

Melody stared at Vur with a blank expression. Her left eyebrow lowered as her right eyebrow rose. “No, you’re not Feathered Serpent, or no, I’m not dead?”

Vur tilted his head. Then, he glanced down at his chest and tapped on the purple, flower tattoo. Stella flinched from her spot on Tafel’s head. The fairy queen whirled around and pouted at Vur. “You could’ve just said you wanted me to talk to her instead of ringing the doorbell.”

Vur looked at Stella and nodded at her. Then, he gestured towards Melody with his head. The fairy queen let out a sigh and flew over to the pink-haired woman. “Hello,” Stella said, nodding at Melody. “You’re in the presence of Feathered Serpent. You were on the brink of death when we found you, but Feathered Serpent healed you.”

Melody’s head nodded once, the motion as slow as a turtle’s pace. She fixed her sitting posture, adjusting her legs to place her ankles underneath her butt. Her head remained still, but her eyes shifted from one corner to the other as she took in the sights around her. From what she could tell, she was in an ordinary passageway? Regardless of where she was, there were things she needed to address first. “Thank you, Feathered Serpent, for healing me. If it’s not impudent of me, I’d like to ask where you found me.”

“Yeah, about that,” Stella said and nodded. “You were struck by misfortune, a terrible stroke of bad luck.” She nodded again. “If I were you, I wouldn’t think too hard about why you’re here, but what you’re going to do now that you are.”

Melody stared at Stella with a blank expression. Although she was a believer of Feathered Serpent, she only believed because her family believed. Now that she came face to face with the judge of her soul and being, she wasn’t sure how to behave.

Kim Hajun cleared his throat. “Hello,” he said and squatted by Melody’s side. “I’m from Earth as well. It’s true that he’s”—the well-dressed man gestured at Vur with his head—“Feathered Serpent, but you don’t have to treat him like a god. Just think of him as an explorer from the tower.”

“Feathered Serpent is just an explorer?” Melody asked in a small voice. It certainly did make sense. If someone on Earth had entered the tower long ago and became an explorer, their abilities would seem godlike to regular humans. It wouldn’t be difficult to deify himself. Melody turned her head towards Vur. “Is that true, Feathered Serpent?”

“No.”

Melody blinked and turned towards Kim Hajun with a questioning gaze. What nonsense was this Asian man spouting? Was he trying to trick her into blaspheming Feathered Serpent? Was she actually dead, and this was simply a test to see if she could enter the god’s kingdom? In case it was, shouldn’t she do her best to promote herself? She ignored Kim Hajun’s flustered expression and bowed her head towards Vur. “My name is Melody of the Larks, and I’m a dutiful follower of yours. My life is yours to judge; I open my soul to you.”

Vur raised an eyebrow at Tafel, and the demon shook her head. “Don’t look at me,” she said. “You’re the one who did deity stuff. All I did was lead a revolution.”

Vur turned his head towards Lindyss, but the cursed elf snorted and turned around before walking over to the wooden tablet nearby. “Your religion, your problem,” Lindyss said. She placed her hand on the tablet and disappeared in a flash of amber light.

Vur scratched his head and looked down at Melody. “You’re my follower?”

Melody’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the ground. According to the scripture, once someone died and returned to Feathered Serpent’s embrace, their lives would be played out before them, and their souls would be judged: If someone lived a life of good, they’d enter the Kingdom of Feathered Serpent and spend an eternity in bliss. If someone lived a neutral life, they’d be sent back to Earth to live once more. If someone lived a life of evil, Feathered Serpent would devour their souls, ending their existence. The pink-haired woman took in a deep breath. “Yes, Feathered Serpent. I am your devout follower.”

Vur nodded. “Then follow me.”

Melody raised her head, meeting Vur’s gaze. His eyes seemed to glow, the golden color piercing through the dim tunnel. Cold sweat rolled down Melody’s back. She stared at his eyes for what felt like a year but probably only lasted a second before Vur’s gaze shifted. He walked past her towards the wooden tablet, his footsteps thudding like thunder within Melody’s head.

The pink-haired woman swallowed. Vur had told her to follow him. Was that it? She had passed the judgement just like that? Melody climbed to her feet and closed her eyes, silently thanking her parents for indoctrinating her even if she didn’t like it. Chills ran down Melody’s spine as she opened her eyes; she might’ve died, but she had entered the Kingdom of Feathered Serpent! An eternity of bliss awaited her!

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