Thanks, Star Lady...

Chapter 2: No Harem For Me...

I blinked, disoriented, as stars and cosmic dust swirled around me in a mesmerizing dance. Each particle shimmered with an otherworldly glow, casting ethereal reflections in the ankle-deep waters where I stood. Was I dreaming? Had my late-night gaming finally caught up with me? No, this felt too real, too bizarre for my overactive imagination.

The air was thick with the scent of ozone and something indefinably celestial. With each step, ripples cascaded through the fluid beneath me, revealing reflections of distant galaxies and nebulae. "What the hell just happened?" I muttered, spinning in place to take in the surreal panorama. "Did I... die?"

An ethereal, commanding voice echoed around me. "Subete Owari," it called out, as if testing the syllables of my name against the fabric of the universe itself.

"God?!" I blurted out, panic rising to match the bewildering circumstances. My voice echoed back at me, swallowed by the vastness of this cosmic realm.

The voice chuckled softly, resonating from the stars themselves. "Not exactly, young one," it replied with amusement. "However, I have brought you here as you have been chosen."

"Chosen?" I scoffed, sarcasm dripping. "Chosen for what? The 'Save the Universe' gig?"

The voice, now dubbed The Star Lady in my mind, seemed amused yet stern. "You are to be the first person reincarnated on the world of Eldravia," it announced solemnly, its tone carrying a weight of inevitability.

"Reincarnated?" I protested, incredulous. "So I'm dead, and now I'm supposed to start over on some alien planet? Just my luck to die young..."

The Star Lady's voice took on a motherly tone laced with amusement. "Childish as ever, Subete Owari," she gently chided. "You will need to learn manners if you are to rise to destiny and fulfill your role."

I bristled at being scolded by what felt like a cosmic entity. "And what's my role, exactly?" I demanded, feeling a surge of defiance. "Do I get a cheat skill? Maybe become an overpowered hero? Though, I'd prefer not to be reincarnated as a slime or a spider; that trope's been done to death..."

The Star Lady's voice grew more commanding. "Your responsibility is to usher in a new age on Eldravia," she explained patiently. "To guide its people towards harmony and prosperity."

"Ugh, responsibility," I groaned, feeling suddenly claustrophobic in this cosmic sea. "I didn't sign up for this. Can't you find someone else?"

The Star Lady's response was firm. "You have been chosen, Subete Owari," she stated, her tone brooking no argument. "You must embrace this duty, whether you like it or not."

I crossed my arms defiantly. "And what if I don't?" I challenged, feeling reckless. "What if I just want to take it easy in this new world? Keep being a shut-in?"

The Star Lady's tone turned solemn. "Then you will fail, and Eldravia will face a darker fate," she warned, her voice carrying the weight of centuries of wisdom.

I scoffed, but deep down, a flicker of uncertainty gnawed at me. Could I really turn my back on this chance, absurd as it seemed?

"Fine, fine," I muttered begrudgingly, waving a hand dismissively. "But if I'm stuck with this cosmic babysitting duty, can I at least get a harem? That's a thing in these isekai stories, right?"

The Star Lady's laughter echoed gently. "You have much to learn, young one," she replied cryptically. "You will have to figure things out on your own, my child."

I sighed, my mind racing with a million questions. "Damn, no hot girls to give me lore dumps and exposition," I muttered half-jokingly.

But my jests fell silent as The Star Lady's presence seemed to swell around me, granting me a sensation of weightlessness and clarity. "As a blessing, you shall sense those stronger than you and where they dwell," she intoned, her voice taking on a tone of ancient wisdom. "Defeat those mightier, and you shall rise to their strength. You will speak the common human tongue but not all languages. Magic is within your grasp, yet its mastery lies in your hands alone."