The morning air felt surprisingly normal.
Too normal, considering everything that had happened.
He stepped out of the house and closed the door behind him, adjusting the strap of his school bag.
Beside him, the goddess followed quietly.
For about three seconds.
Then she stopped walking.
"…What is that?"
He turned back.
She was staring at the road with wide curiosity.
"That?" he said. "A car."
A black sedan passed by at that exact moment.
Her eyes followed it like a fascinated child.
"It moves very fast."
"Yes. That's kind of the point."
Another car drove past.
Then a motorcycle.
Then a bus.
She slowly turned in place, observing everything around her.
The road.
The houses.
The people walking by.
"This world is… lively."
"It's just a normal neighborhood."
She looked at a group of students walking in the distance.
"They all appear to be going to the same destination as you."
"That's called school."
"Ah."
She nodded as if recording the information.
They continued walking.
After a moment, he suddenly realized something.
He had been talking to her for a while now.
But—
"Wait."
She looked at him.
"Yes?"
"…What's your name?"
She blinked.
For a brief moment, she looked genuinely surprised.
"I did not introduce myself."
"Yeah. That's usually how conversations start."
She thought for a second.
Then spoke calmly.
"My name is Amoriel."
The name flowed softly, almost like a quiet melody.
He repeated it slowly.
"…Amoriel."
"Yes."
"That sounds… expensive."
"I am a goddess."
"Fair point."
She tilted her head slightly.
"And you?"
"My name?"
"Yes."
He shrugged casually.
"Caelum Ardent."
Her golden eyes focused on him.
"Caelum," she repeated softly.
"…Your name means sky."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You know that?"
"I study language quickly."
He sighed.
"Of course you do."
They kept walking.
For a moment, things were strangely peaceful.
Then Amoriel spoke again.
"Tell me something."
"What?"
"In human relationships… how does first love begin?"
He almost tripped.
"Why are you asking that while we're walking down the street?!"
"Because you are my teacher."
A couple of students walking past glanced at them.
He lowered his voice immediately.
"Keep your voice down!"
"Is love something people hide?"
"No—but talking about it out loud like that is embarrassing!"
She seemed genuinely confused.
"Why?"
"Because people are listening!"
Right on cue, a group of students nearby began whispering.
"Is that a model?"
"Who is that girl?"
"She's with Caelum, right?"
He felt heat rising to his face.
"See? This is exactly why!"
Amoriel looked around calmly.
"They appear interested."
"That's the problem!"
She continued speaking normally.
"So first love often begins with increased heart rate and emotional awareness—"
"Stop analyzing it like a science experiment!"
She paused.
"…Was that incorrect?"
"Yes!"
He rubbed his forehead in defeat.
"Just… please don't talk about love theory in public."
She nodded once.
"Understood."
Two seconds later—
"What about heartbreak?"
He groaned.
"Amoriel."
"Yes?"
"…Please be quiet."
"Oh."
For the first time since meeting her, she looked slightly embarrassed.
"I will remain silent."
"Thank you."
They walked for a while without speaking.
Finally, Caelum sighed and looked at her again.
"…Hey."
"Yes?"
"There's something I'm worried about."
"What is it?"
He hesitated.
"Well… yesterday I died."
"That is correct."
"And today I'm walking around like nothing happened."
"Yes."
He looked uneasy.
"…Isn't that weird?"
"Not anymore."
He frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I adjusted the memories of the people involved."
He stopped walking.
"You what?"
"The witnesses, the drivers, the authorities."
She said it calmly.
"They now remember the victim as someone else."
He stared at her.
"So nobody thinks I died?"
"No."
"…That's terrifying."
"It is efficient."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side."
"I do not have a bad side."
"That's somehow worse."
They continued walking again.
After a few minutes, a large gate appeared ahead of them.
Students were entering in groups, chatting loudly.
Amoriel slowed down.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"So this is…"
"Yep."
His school.
Tall buildings stood beyond the large gate.
Students gathered near the entrance, chatting before class.
Morning announcements echoed faintly from the speakers inside the campus.
She looked around in amazement.
"There are so many humans."
"That's kind of the point of school."
She quietly observed the students entering through the gate.
Their uniforms.
Their conversations.
Their laughter.
"This place feels… energetic."
He adjusted his bag again.
"Get used to it."
She looked at the gate once more.
"So this is where humans learn about the world."
"Unfortunately, yes."
She smiled faintly.
"Then this will also be where I learn about love."
He sighed.
"…This is going to be a disaster."