Evil

What Makes Me Happy?

"What? Has my sudden question caused a dilemma?"

What if...I grant you Godhood? Hm?

"Tom, I've known you for a few years now and I know that you're as good as your words."

Why thank yo—

"And your word ain't good for shit."

...Do you distrust me so?

"It's not that distrust you specifically Tom, it's that for the past few years, you've been a generally dislikable and disagreeable person is all."

I'm being sincere here, Artemis.

"Sincerity is often accompanied by idiocy. And I know, Tom, you're not an idiot."

He cannot grant Godhood. It is something that must be earned, Artemis. On the other hand, it is very much possible to make you a demigod.

"If there's one thing I hate, it's that there's always the T&C at the end. There's always a caveat whenever you offer something good."

It is give and take after all. You need to lose some to win some.

"But you see, I don't want to lose some. But I want to win all."

What do you want then, Artemis?

As I heard his question, my heart palpitated, mind rushing at top speed to think of something. I was in a very delicate situation. A place where I was perched atop a knife's edge thinner and more brittle than a sheet of ice, Damocles' sword hanging overhead.

If Tetris taught me anything, it was that mistakes stacked up and accomplishments disappear.

"What I want, you ask?"

Right.

What did I want?

Power? No. I had enough power. I had no want to become a God. I didn't want to become a queen.

Money? No. I could get that in any number of ways. I was content. There was no need for money.

Love? No. I had Charlie. She is more than sufficient.

Just what did I want?

Then—It hit me.

"There were many injustices in my life, times where I felt so useless. So helpless, unable to do anything. Inaction or action, neither worked. I am a monster. A feral beast that kills."

A feral beast can learn to grown humane.

A monster that can find love is no monster at all.

"Nature, nurture—There's no point debating. The people I despise are long dead. However," I paused for a moment, collecting my emotions,"So are the ones I hold dear to my heart."

...

...

"Out of all the injustices, there has only been one I could not avenge. Because no one caused it. What I want is not power. Not money. Not love. I want an item. An item that can resurrect my parents with no caveats. If you can do that, I am willing to do anything."

Artemis, you must realise, reincarnation is a complicated thing. There's a reason why I picked you. Because at that moment, you had just died. But to reincarnate a person who has passed so long ago, that is...Impossible.

"Tarkyol?"

It is as he has put it. It's not that we refuse, it is that we simply are unable to. God, or otherwise. Unless we were Deumtra, I'm afraid this is impossible.