WAACD 00

Prologue

The Exhausted Goddess

Ordinary—that was the very word that defined me.

As a first-year in high school, I scored exactly the average on both midterms and finals. I wasn’t particularly good at sports either; my fitness test results were all average.

I want to be special… At some point, I’d started harboring that desire.

But no matter what I tried, I could never stick with it for more than three days.

So my wishes only grew stronger.

—

“Next up, we have the awards for the soccer club.”

“Awards, representing the soccer club—”

The principal’s voice and the exchange of certificates with the representative players were silently watched by the entire student body.

*(Man, I’m jealous.)*

I muttered that in my heart, comparing myself to my own empty existence.

The sound of thunderous applause echoed enviously around me, and before I knew it, the school assembly was over.

On the first day of the second trimester, I finished my half-day of school feeling as if I’d been there the entire day, and walked the path home.

When I got home, I’d do the usual—read web novels and cast envious glances at the protagonists living fulfilling lives in another world.

*(Man, I’m jealous…)*

I wasn’t particularly good at games, and my family loved me well enough—so surely, even if I went to another world, I wouldn’t fare well.

My feelings grew more and more self-indulgently sensitive, and without seeing my surroundings, the sidewalk flew by like it was on fast-forward.

I didn’t even notice the red light, my vision consumed entirely by the road and the white lines.

I didn’t even hear the car horn blaring *”Beeeeep!”*—surely, even if I went to another world, I’d—

—

This is the prologue of an isekai reincarnation.

A scene impossible in reality, yet one I’d seen countless times in web novels.

I understood it in less than a split second.

“Finally… my turn!”

I’d probably died. Despite being dead, for some reason, I couldn’t stop my excitement right now.

More than my family, more than my friends, this very moment made my heart race louder than anything.

Suddenly, a figure appeared from the empty void, and before me stood a goddess.

“…Huh?”

No! Someone who *used to be* a goddess appeared.

“Again… is it…”

That was her first words.

She had the same listless exhaustion as my father after a long day of work. A weariness that was painful to witness.

“Um, Goddess?”

I timidly called out to her, and she let out one heavy sigh before speaking in a reluctant tone.

“I don’t want to work anymore.”

“…”

I, who hadn’t even noticed the car horn, I, who died as a minor—surely, even if I went to another world—

—

Nothing good was going to happen.

—

“Lately, you know, there’ve been so many people wandering into other worlds.”

“…”

“It’s nice being human, isn’t it? You die and you just casually think you can go to another world.”

“…………”

“You know that takes a ton of effort, right? You might not know this, but I’m exhausted, okay?”

“…………”

Man, right now I feel like going back to the living world and coming back to life.

“So, what kind of person do you want to become?”

“Huh… Wha?”

Her complaints suddenly shifted to a question, and I couldn’t help but act flustered—but it seemed she actually did intend to hear my wish.

“Well, I want to be a hero who wields a sacred sword… or maybe hide my powerful abilities and get exiled—that sounds good too.”

My desires spilled out one after another, thanks to all the stories I’d read.

And the goddess, seeing me like that, made a look of utter disgust and said:

“Again with this crap…”

Then her wings grew murky and black, and her eyes went wild.

“UGHHH! I’M SO TIRED! HOW MANY PEOPLE DO I HAVE TO REINCARNATE BEFORE YOU’RE ALL SATISFIED?!”

“Wha… S-Scary…”

Naturally, all I could do was watch the goddess throw a fit, panicking all by myself.

“I’ve had enough. Can’t you just go back to the living world?”

Just when I thought that, she suddenly went blank and started crying.

“But… I want to be reincarnated…”

“Reincarnation, reincarnation, reincarnation—enough already! It’s not that easy! There’s no way it’s not better to just live happily in the real world!”

“…”

She was basically a spoiled child throwing a tantrum at this point.

“Let’s… do our job properly, okay?”

I timidly called out, but she stared at me like I was her mortal enemy and spat out a single word: “Huh?”

—

“…Fine. You want to be reincarnated, right?”

She spat the words at me in a half-hearted tone and pressed her index finger against my forehead.

“Fine. I’ll just scrap everything. I’m not going to give you the world humans wish for.”

She flashed me a smile like a demon.

“Eh?”

“Goodbye!”

Suddenly, my consciousness was lost, and the next time I opened my eyes—

—

*(Wh—WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY??!!!)*

I wasn’t a hero, nor was I a warrior who gets exiled—

—

I was the baby girl of a count’s daughter.

My second life had begun with a beginning that was less turbulent—and more like being swallowed by a massive wave.