Chapter 58: Change(5)

Angels lived in the Holy Kingdom.

“Angel, have one of these fresh apples!”
“Thank you. I’ll pray for your well-being!”

Aside from the halos above their heads and the wings on their backs, these beautiful beings were indistinguishable from humans. In fact, very few angels were permitted to use their wings, so even that difference was negligible. In the devoutly religious Holy Kingdom, they blended in seamlessly.

In a nation of 100,000, the 1,000 angels lived in harmony with the humans.

At least, on the surface.

“…How is Cedric handling this?”, “We ordered him to arrest her, but he’s treating her like royalty.”, “This is why I hate humans. They always misinterpret the Goddess’s will. Receiving divine revelations is my domain, not theirs.”

The Archangels, ten angels who ruled the Holy Kingdom alongside the high priests, were gathered in a council chamber.

“Silence.”

Metatron, a violet-haired angel with sleepy eyes, called for order. She was the second-highest ranking Archangel, responsible for maintaining order and law within the Holy Kingdom.

“Gabriel.”
“Yes, Meta?”
“Don’t shorten my name. Now, are you absolutely certain the Goddess hasn’t issued any pronouncements?”
“Are you doubting me, Meta? That hurts.”
“…It’s just a confirmation. A simple answer will suffice.”

Metatron narrowed her eyes, and the golden-haired, boyish-looking Gabriel nodded.

“There’s no reason for me to lie. The Goddess hasn’t bestowed any blessings upon the Eastern Great Forest. The last one was Saint Eriph, 400 years ago.”
“I see. Then I believe I understand.”

No divine blessing had been bestowed. Yet, the silver-haired girl who had appeared there possessed miraculous powers. There was only one possible explanation.

“Sylvain must have sent an emissary.”

The mention of Sylvain’s name caused a stir in the council chamber.

“Haven’t heard that name in a long time.”
“What’s she complaining about now?”
“ ‘Complaining’ is disrespectful, considering her contributions.”
“Given what happened in the West and North… perhaps we should listen to what she has to say.”

Metatron listened to their discussion in silence. Then, after a moment, she spoke, summarizing their opinions.

“We shall prepare to receive a guest.”

If it was an emissary from Sylvain, it was worth hearing them out. While not on the same level as the Goddess’s direct messengers, a representative of a Transcendent Being deserved some respect.

The Archangels agreed, completely unaware that they were only half right.

Cedric, the Inquisitor, awoke at his desk, in his familiar office.

“…Huh?”

As the mental fog cleared, a chill ran down his spine.

“Oh, you’re finally awake.”

The silver-haired girl, who had held him captive for nearly a month, was sitting on his sofa, casually snacking.

He instinctively reached for the sword at his hip, but it was gone. He was dressed in his pristine white uniform, though he didn’t remember changing.

“…What have you done, witch?”
“First a criminal, now a witch? You’re so predictable.”

The girl swallowed her mouthful of sweets and then popped another one into her mouth, a blissful smile on her face.

‘…Blissful?’

Cedric shook his head, rejecting the thought. He must still be under the influence of her magic. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and avoiding eye contact, asked,

“…What have you done with my men?”
“They’re fine. They’ve just… lost the last month of their memories. But that’s their problem, not mine.”

She replied casually.

“How dare you do this to knights of the Holy Kingdom—”, he began to bluster.

“Let’s have a productive conversation, shall we?”

Her cold tone silenced him. It was a clear warning, a reminder of who held the power here.

“…Why didn’t you take my memories?”
“Someone has to report to your superiors, right? They need to understand what happened, to understand my power… so they’ll listen.”
“So you deliberately left my ego intact.”
“Actually, that surprised me.”

She shook her head. So, Cedric’s hazy memories of the past month weren’t part of her plan.

“Your willpower is stronger than I anticipated. It… kept me entertained.”
“…What is your purpose?”
“I should be asking you that. What have the villagers of Asha done to deserve being treated like criminals, terrorized by your knights?”
“That was…”

Cedric remembered clearly. It was his last memory before succumbing to her mist, before his mind was clouded.

“…an order from above.”, “Your superiors didn’t tell you the details?”, “I follow orders. That is my duty as an Inquisitor.”

His unwavering conviction… and yet, Cedric felt like he was making a confession.

Though he hadn’t committed any crime—
—he felt like he was revealing his deepest, darkest secrets to the Goddess herself—

“Orders, then. It can’t be helped.”

The silver-haired girl’s clear voice startled him. It was definitely some kind of mind-altering magic; there was no other explanation for the tremor in his heart.

“Then you should continue with your duties, Inquisitor.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. You were ordered to bring back a criminal, right? I haven’t committed any crime, but your ‘superiors’ seem to think otherwise. You’ve brought me here. Now report back. That’s what an employee does.”
“Employee…?”
“Or… civil servant, perhaps. Don’t worry about the semantics.”

The girl stood up.

“Let’s meet these superiors of yours.”
“…Very well.”

Cedric agreed readily, which seemed to surprise the girl.

“No ‘criminal’ comments this time?”
“I’ve realized this is beyond my authority to handle.”

Cedric said, bringing his hands together in prayer. Within the Holy Kingdom, even such a simple act could invoke divine power.

“They’re coming now.”
“…That’s… incredibly convenient.”

While the girl muttered to herself, Cedric walked to the window and opened it. A cool breeze brushed against his face, and—

“You’re late, Cedric.”

—Cassiel, the Archangel of Balance and Harmony, a gray-haired boy, was floating outside.

“I apologize, Cassiel. My… competence… was lacking.”
“It’s not your fault, Cedric. There are always unforeseen circumstances.”

Cassiel stepped through the window frame and into the office. The trembling that had been wracking Cedric’s body subsided.

‘…Thank you, Cassiel.’

The ten Archangels were the Goddesses’ direct subordinates, beings of immense power. He must have dispelled the girl’s magic.

“Welcome. How should we address you?”
“Avalli.”

There was an unmistakable note of displeasure in her voice. It was a rather impertinent attitude for an emissary, but Cassiel chose to ignore it.

“Avalli. Now that I, an Archangel, am here, will you deliver Sylvain’s message? We can… celebrate your arrival later.”
“…What?”

Avalli’s reaction wasn’t what he expected.

“Celebrate?”

“Of course, you must be tired after your long journey—”
“Inquisitor, did you relay my message correctly?”

Avalli interrupted Cassiel, her gaze fixed on Cedric.

“…I did as you requested and informed my superiors. I didn’t expect an Archangel to come personally, though.”
“This is… confusing. Could you explain the situation to me?”

Cassiel asked gently, and Avalli frowned. Even that slight frown was… breathtakingly beautiful.

‘…Uriel would have appreciated this.’

He thought, recalling his fellow Archangel, who had a keen eye for beauty and art—just as—

—he was grabbed by the throat, slammed against the wall with a speed he couldn’t even register. Before he could comprehend what was happening—

“Are you… mocking me?”

—a cold voice whispered in his ear.