The Ecliptic Goddess

Chapter 1: Lucy and Lenore

"Perfect, Lenore and Lucy Heartfilia."

And that was the beginning of my new life as Lenore Heartfilia, twin sister of Lucy Heartfilia. Now if only I could figure out why all these names sounded so familiar...

—

This is just a secret between you and me. See, the truth is that I'm a rich heiress hailing from the kingdom of Fiore. The name's Lenore Heartfilia. But really, really I'm an American high school student, Ophelia Beaumont. That's right. It's embarrassing, but I'm one of those 'reincarnated into another world' people.

I was always an ambitious, overachiever. When it came to studying, sports, art, chess, talking with adults, I was a bit of an oddball. Top of my class, extra credit, all that; I was a bit of a wunderkind. Everyone had high hopes for me...far too high. I definitely stood out. Which of course translates into I never had a single friend. All I wanted to do was gossip after school and gush over cute boys with my peers. I wanted to live like a normal girl, not some freak placed on a pedestal above the rest.

Oh! But my family was great! My parents were both honest and kind people, and my little sister, who was always such a lively person, all loved me very much.

But one day, on the exact day of my high school graduation...

It came for me! The famous "reincarnated into another world, out of control" truck! Okay, not exactly literally, but you get the point. There was just this little girl trying to cross the road, who was about to be struck by a truck. Time almost seemed to freeze for me at that moment. But for some reason, everyone just stood there, watching.

Why didn't anyone do anything? Someone standing closer should've had more than enough time to save her. Yet no one else moved to act.

So, I took it upon myself to do something about it if no one else would; I rushed across the road and pushed the kid out of the way, ignoring the passersby's comments about my bravery and how I was going to be the one to save her. The last thing I saw and heard was the resounding screech of tires as the huge vehicle just began to brake and the shiny metal grating on the front of the truck as it struck my body, shoving me to the ground.

So, I died.

No, I legit died. Crazy right?

In any case, the next thing I knew, I woke up in a beautiful arching room with colorful stained-glass windows and almost heavenly light pouring in to complete the serene setting.

Sitting up from the oddly comfortable stone dais I lay on, I listened to the gushing of a nearby fountain as I examined my oddly beautiful surroundings.

"Where am I...?" I wondered aloud, taking in the unfamiliar room. It looked like some kind of sacred temple, like the type you see in things like Zelda games which usually housed some important artefact.

"Miss Ophelia Beaumont?"

I turned to see a young man standing quietly beside a lovely circular fountain. He was actually pretty handsome with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a white semi-formal yet foreign-looking suit, with a serene smile adorning his features.

There, I met a god-type person who regretfully informed me of my demise.

"I do hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I am sincerely sorry to say that you are dead."

I blinked. "I see."

He peered at me with his inscrutable gaze, seeming to be looking for something.

"You are...taking this surprisingly well Miss Beaumont," he commented, head quirked curiously. "Most would be panicked or demanding why this happened to them, yet you do neither."