Astraea 

The dawn-lit celestial realm, a place said to be reachable only by the chosen ones…
There, she resides.
Beyond the heavens, myriad phenomena intersect. It’s a place where ordinary humans would instantly lose their balance.
Yet this exceptional deity remains serene and smiling, capable of making the right decisions in all situations.

JUSTICE signifies legitimacy and righteousness to her.
Before her, no injustice can be committed.

In the heavens, she waits for challengers.

It was you who answered my call, wasn’t it?

So, let’s get to the point…
Was it a golden axe you dropped?
Or a silver one… Huh? None of them?

…My apologies.
Let me verify once more.
You are a linked being.
And your outstanding talent has been recognized by heaven.

As I watch over you from the heavens, I shall verify it.
That you are worthy to visit this place.
And that you can be guided into the next world beyond.

…By the way, do you need these axes?

Where should I begin…?

First, the place where we are now is the celestial realm.
In this world, we can almost touch the stars.
Don’t be afraid, look down just a little.
You’ll see everything.

Ah. Truth be told, I’m not fond of heights either.

There was a time when I too lived on earth.
I stood at the same level as humans, observing them.
Long ago… it was the Golden Age. Humans still lived individually.
In the Silver Age that followed, they learned to cooperate, but on the other hand, those with different beliefs began to fight.
Then came the Copper Age, and all humans took up arms and entered conflict. As if it were inevitable.

The world became more convenient… but what convenience means differs from person to person.
That becomes the spark of war.

Then came the Iron Age.
The earth grew richer, yet at the same time overflowed with chaos and desire.
Conflicts among humans intensified, and those who rose to command them appeared.

They were authorities who exercised absolute control through the law.
They declared that to err is a sin, drawing a line between themselves and those who broke the law.
The end result was excessive control.
And in response, excessive desire resisted it relentlessly.

Both sides fought, destroying not only their own dwellings but even those of the gods, causing the gods to depart.
It became a human world where both desire and control had gone too far, and convenience for humans vanished entirely.

I remained in the gods’ dwelling until the end, and then fled to heaven.
At that moment, the earth was stained crimson red with blood.

This dawn that stains the heaven crimson is a remnant of that time.

I apologize for the lengthy preamble.

What exactly is sin?
As I said before, error was once deemed sin on earth.
But fearing to err prevents the achievement of justice.
At least, that is how I see it.

However, to decide what is right as right, a certain standard is necessary.
Human feelings are not easily measured.
Even so, I must weigh them on the scales.
As a goddess, I must use human values for convenience.

I admit, it feels a bit strange even to me.
But I’m sorry.
If I don’t do this, I cannot select the chosen ones from among humanity…
Yet you, standing here now as a linked being, possess sufficient qualifications and talent.
Rest assured.

After escaping to this celestial realm, I watched the human world recover from ruin.
That’s how I remembered the feeling of trusting others.

Values differ from each individual… Ultimately, what humans call justice is based on relative decisions.
But the existence of justice is something everyone can equally believe in.
It is that believing heart I weigh on my scales.

The shared feelings inherent in humans can connect even those in distant lands into one heart.
As long as there is a will to trust one another, they can understand each other no matter how far apart…

These are the chains of the heart.
How wonderful!
A lonely goddess in heaven cannot achieve such a thing.
It is an act of justice that only humans can do!

…I too wish to connect with someone… Oh, nevermind.

I am a Star Maiden Goddess who gained wings.
From this celestial realm, I can see the relationships between all humans at a glance.
As well as the values of justice drawn from each individual.
It is my duty as a goddess to transform what is weighed on the scales into a single righteous action shared by all.

This sword, together with the scales, can split the sky.
In the firmament, there are invisible strings connecting to humans’ hearts. I bind those that connect to righteous hearts and sever those that do not.
This act demands resolute, wise judgment.
The responsibility is immense.

Sometimes, there are things I cannot decide alone.
There are currently no other gods here that I can consult with.

Therefore… This is where you come in.
As a chosen one, should possess the wisdom close to a god! Now, make your decision!

Have you made your wise judgement?
Then, let us proceed to the Zenith.
Should you reach it, I shall bring forth the next world beyond for you.

…Why do I go to such lengths for you?
As I said, countless invisible strings binding the wills of people exist throughout this celestial realm.
The heavens require a Performer for them.
This player must never be bound by any specific earthly order or desire, nor commit injustice.

Ah. Becoming a Performer is impossible for me.
As you can see, my hands are occupied by the scales and the sword… He he he.

You are a linked being with the necessary qualities.
You will surely come to freely wield the world’s celestial desires with your own hands.
Well then, I’m counting on you.

Those capable of wise judgment are called heroes.
You have already acquired the fitting abilities!
No one will question your justice anymore!

Oh… Do you still harbor some hesitation?
I thought heroes never wavered…
That must be because you still have people left on earth, and a desire to fight them.
Since you’re the chosen hero, you don’t need to fight at all; just make the right decisions.

Or do you still have some attachment to earth itself?
Do you lack the resolve to live in heaven forever?

Hmm… That’s a bit of a problem.
But please, think about it again.
Earth has four seasons, but up here in heaven, there are none.
You won’t be troubled by the heavens and earth clashing against your personal will at all.
So, there’s no need to worry, right?

What’s wrong? Did I misunderstand?
I thought you would make all decisions of justice and become my proxy…

Co-could it be that I made the wrong choice?
No… I refuse to believe that.
It’s not about my decision; I firmly believe your talent is absolutely, undoubtedly, more than sufficient.

If my faith in justice were to waver, it would spell disaster not just for the heavens, but for the earth too!
If the justice decided by your wise judgment were to be questioned, the very existence of the heavens would be overturned!
If that were to happen, it would mean the end of the world!

I won’t let anyone allow that to happen.
My justice is absolute.

But… as a hero, you must act.
Conveying what justice truly is to people is difficult.

I see, I understand.
Justice is still something that varies between each individual.

But even so, a hero must lead humans.
And show them new values.
I want to be your strength too… If you feel uneasy alone, then let’s do this.

…Don’t let go of the hand you’ve grasped.
From now on, others seeking the hero’s seat will come.
Each will hold a different sense of justice.
And they will all strive to be a true Performer.
Each will seek to strike a chord within the hearts of others.

So, what will you do?
Yes… your justice is yours alone…
But I am with you.

Now is the time to show what justice means.
Let’s go together. For our world.

Astraea takes her name from a goddess from Greek Mythology. The Greek Astraea is a goddess of justice, and lives among the stars (she left humanity to live there because it was getting more and more corrupt).

I think Chunithm’s Astraea being a goddess of justice and the fact she is searching for someone with exceptional talent is a play on the fact that a full combo in CHUNITHM is “all justice”. Also, her associated song has the highest difficulty on CHUNITHM, so one who manages to perfectly clear it must have exceptional talent, right?