Chapter 36: The Angel Who Makes It Rain (6)

Episode 36

Watching Leffrey hand out the oil, Naiad stood at a distance and muttered,

“That’s Leffriel…?”

Leffriel was the judgment of Heaven, the enforcer of the world’s rules; he would never do something like this.

He wouldn’t interfere in a mere human squabble, nor would he consider the hearts of those disappointed by the conflict.

All that mattered to him was the rules. As long as the rules were upheld, it didn’t matter what tragedy unfolded on Earth…

‘Leffriel would be indifferent…’

But look.

The young swordsman who had fallen into the lake, approaching the group with an embarrassed expression, then flinching in surprise at the sight of Leffrey.

“E-Excuse me…”

Leffrey silently handed him the oil. What was even more surprising was that he wasn’t angry in the slightest as he did so.

He was even smiling.

‘Is he that happy to see them taking his fragrant oil? Even though he was the one tried to stab him…’

[Blessing future heroes is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

[Forgiving a child who made a mistake is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

Actually, the reason Leffrey was smiling was because of this Angelic Power… but Naiad had no way of knowing that. And neither did the countless people watching this on TV.

‘Is this an angel…’

‘He’s so kind. This is what a hero is…’

As the misunderstanding among the spirits and humans deepened, Leffrey decided to start his business in earnest.

“I’ll give more to those who need oil for their dishes. But in return, will you share some of the ingredients you’ve gathered?”

Tasting was a traditional marketing strategy.

Naturally, the materialistic angel Leffrey wouldn’t hand out this precious oil for no reason, right? He was doing this to secure Angelic Power and do marketing at the same time.

‘I don’t know where the Reflection Flowers are planted. So going deep into the forest to gather ingredients is like suicide.’

Right now, Leffrey and Yumari couldn’t go around gathering ingredients. It was because of the Reflection Flowers, of course. Leffrey might be okay, but if Yumari encountered a Reflection Flower…

Yumari’s dark past would be revealed, and people would tear her apart.

And the Seocheon Yu, who should be protecting her, would coldly abandon her just like in his past life.

If that happened…

‘Yumari would truly despair of humanity and this world. Then she would betray humanity again. No, no, that’s not what’s important…’

If that wasn’t important, then what was?

Wasn’t the reason Leffrey was helping Yumari, first for Angelic Power, and second, to prevent her from betraying humanity? Leffrey had been betrayed by Yumari. And so had the rest of humanity.

Yet…

Leffrey whispered to himself,

‘Still, still, I…’

Even if he didn’t get any Angelic Power…

‘I wish that child wouldn’t hurt anymore…’

Leffrey muttered to himself, without anyone, even himself, knowing.

*

*

*

*

From then on, it went according to Leffrey’s plan.

Yumari and Leffrey didn’t have to go far, they sold oil in the center of the lake, and others entered the forest around the lake to gather various ingredients and traded them with Leffrey and Yumari.

“It’s so delicious even when eaten plain, so imagine how flavorful it would be if you sprinkled this as a salad dressing. Try it. Ah, if you give me that too, I’ll give you one more bottle.”

And Yumari’s acting skills…

‘She was totally thinking about beating everyone up just a moment ago…’

Look at Yumari selling the oil now.

Sparkling eyes, lively expressions, and even friendly agreement. Her charisma overflowed and practically radiated around her.

And as soon as the customer left, her expression turned cold.

It was a bit scary.

‘She’s a bit scary…’

So Leffrey didn’t have much to do. Leffrey would secretly refill the bottles with oil, and Yumari would use her charisma to exchange them for more ingredients.

Yumari, with her arms full of ingredients from around the lake, muttered with a blank expression,

“Leffrey! I’ve gathered the ingredients.”

“W-Wow.”

He could make any kind of dish.

Leffrey’s master-level cooking skills were screaming to be unleashed on those fresh ingredients.

‘It’s not a black flame dragon or anything… just wait, I’ll let you go wild soon.’

Leffrey clenched his left hand, which was trying to cook the ingredients on its own. And he muttered,

“I think this is enough.”

“I think so too.”

“Then…”

Leffrey and Yumari looked at each other for a moment, and the boy couldn’t help but blush and avoid Yumari’s gaze.

‘What did I say earlier… while crying?’

Leffrey glanced at Yumari.

Even that cold Yumari had slightly flushed cheeks.

And she was even lowering her head…

‘Is Yumari embarrassed right now?’

And a cold voice came from behind,

“Leffriel.”

At that moment… just like at the event headquarters, everyone around them suddenly disappeared. The only ones left at this wide lake were Leffrey and Naiad.

‘Is it some kind of barrier?’

Leffrey looked around.

But all he could see was the enraged Naiad.

“I told you. In this competition, you can only use ingredients from Naiad’s lake…!”

“Oh, didn’t you know? Actually, this fragrant oil… it’s from Naiad’s lake.”

Leffrey chuckled.

It was a mischievous smile, like that of a little devil.

“What nonsense are you talking about?!”

“Look at this.”

Leffrey used his Angelic Ability to make oil appear in his hand.

“What’s the origin of this oil?”

“What are you…”

“I made this oil at Naiad’s lake. Then where should we say these ingredients came from? America? China? No. Naturally, we should say they came from Naiad’s lake.”

Leffrey continued to smile mischievously.

And seeing that, the spirit king… bubble bubble- it wasn’t just an onomatopoeia, Naiad was actually boiling.

“I don’t accept it.”

Naiad declared. But Leffrey nodded calmly, not surprised.

“Well, I expected that. If I hadn’t used the oil, you would have found another fault and come to me, right?”

“…What?”

“Because you… were ordered to make Yumari fail… no, to humiliate Yumari, right?”

Leffrey looked at Naiad with cold eyes.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I, the spirit king, try to humiliate a girl like that…!”

Naiad was visibly flustered. Leffrey looked at her pathetically.

But how did Leffrey come to have such suspicions? To understand that, we have to go back to the time when he was handing out oil.

‘The Angelic Power isn’t coming in as much as I expected.’

Leffrey, who had stopped the students’ fight by giving out the heavenly fragrant oil, wondered why the Angelic Power that was supposed to be given for fulfilling his duty hadn’t come in yet.

[Humanity begins to distrust humanity!]

[Darkness begins to envelop the world!]

[It is your duty as an angel to dispel this darkness!]

This was the status window message that appeared for Leffrey.

Then if something made ‘humanity distrust humanity’, if he stopped the bloody battle between students, it should have counted as fulfilling his duty.

‘But the Angelic Power related to this hasn’t come in yet.’

That meant Leffrey still had work to do as an angel. And it also meant that there was still something that would make humanity distrust humanity.

‘If I hadn’t intervened in this Blessing of the Spirits…’

According to the scheme of Yu Si-hyun, the eldest daughter of the Seocheon Yu and the student council president, Yumari would have suffered all sorts of humiliation during the competition.

And that would have been broadcasted worldwide.

‘People would have been deeply disappointed in superhumans after watching that broadcast. Not because of the humiliation Yumari experienced, but because… the students of the Central Academy were the ones so insidiously bullying a girl.’

If you thought about it carefully, it was true.

Even Yu Si-hyun, the student council president, couldn’t win over all the students. There would surely be students from different factions, and if this scheme reached the ears of many people…

‘It would be difficult to keep it a secret.’

So Yu Si-hyun must have won over just one person. The host of this competition, the game-maker, the water spirit king, Naiad.

She must have used Naiad to make the other students bully Yumari.

“The water spirit king… was bought to bully a girl? Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Nonsense. You’re saying this without any evidence.”

Despite saying that, Naiad scattered water spirits to search the surroundings. To see if there was any hidden magic or Angelic Ability.

‘Hmph, to think someone who claims to be pure would do something so suspicious.’

Leffrey raised one finger.

“There’s the first piece of evidence. Naiad, why did you come to me today of all days?”

“Th-That’s because I recognized you today…”

“No. You’re saying that the master of all water spirits recognized and came to me today? That’s impossible.”

Leffrey glared at Naiad.

“You came to intimidate me in such a hurry today… because you know I’m here to help Yumari, right?”

“You…”

Naiad couldn’t refute him. Seeing that, the boy raised another finger.

“Second, why are you so blatantly targeting Yumari?”

“Blatantly targeting… I’ve never done anything to that girl!”

“You said to gather ingredients from the Reflection Flower-infested forest. Naturally, that’s a disadvantageous condition for Yumari, and it’s fine to have a bloody fight during a cooking competition, but using oil obtained here is not allowed. Honestly, that’s too biased. Isn’t it?”

Now for the final blow.

If he had pressured her this much, the final blow was always…

“Lastly, I know that you colluded with Yu Si-hyun. I wonder what kind of collusion it was? I’m really curious.”

It was a bluff.

If she didn’t fall for it here, things would get complicated…

Leffrey quietly clutched his phone.

‘It’s time to start the surefire strategy…!’

Leffrey smiled.

It was a devilish… no, an angelic smile.

“…You’re quite something.”

Naiad let out an awkward laugh, then muttered coldly,

“But what do you know? You’re just a puppet of the heavens. A being who devours countless prayers but never answers them.”

Naiad looked at Leffrey again.

“Yes, I was ordered. As you know, the Seocheon Yu hasn’t chosen a successor yet. For Yu Si-hyun, Yumari is a target that must be eliminated someday.”

And she avoided his gaze and said,

“But they said that if they could prove Yumari’s incompetence through this competition… they wouldn’t have to kill their own sister. How about it? I had no choice but help with this out of compassion.”

“Don’t make excuses.”

Nonsense… Leffrey cursed his angelic trait that prevented him from swearing.

“What exactly did Yu Si-hyun promise you? Money? Power?”

“Everything…”

“No, I can’t believe it. What good are money and power to you, the spirit king?”

Then Naiad muttered in a sad voice,

“So I can protect what’s precious to me…”

“…While harming what’s precious to others?”

“…!”

Leffrey shook his head.

And fiddling with his phone, he shouted,

“Okay, I’ve heard enough.”

“Heard enough of what?”

Naiad frowned, confused.

“I’ve heard enough of your testimony.”

And Leffrey showed Naiad his phone. It contained a video recording of their entire conversation.

“W-What is this…!”

This was Leffrey’s aim.

Spirit kings were ancient spirits who had lived for hundreds and thousands of years. It was highly unlikely that such spirits would know how these machines worked or what functions they had.

‘She must have only been wary of magic or angelic power.’

Leffrey declared confidently,

“If you, the spirit king, try anything funny with Yumari! Or if you try to use other students to bully Yumari! I’ll release this data to the whole world.”

“This isn’t some movie… you recorded this with your phone?”

“It’s not an audio recording, it’s a video.”

Leffrey struck a pose and uploaded the data on his phone to the cloud. Of course, the spirit king wouldn’t know what the cloud was…

Anyway, it was a victory for Leffrey, The Mecha Angel.

“And if you give our team a bad evaluation… even if you give us a good one and we don’t end up in first place… you know what I mean?”

“You… you… are you really an angel?”

This was the surefire strategy of angels.

Evil blackmail… no, righteous negotiation.

‘With this, victory in this Blessing of the Spirits is ours…!’

Leffrey smiled slightly. Seeing that, Naiad couldn’t hide her flustered expression.

“Okay, Leffriel, but…”

“But…?”

Why was she dragging it out? Leffrey took out his phone again.

“But Yu Si-hyun’s plan is already out of my hands.”

“What do you mean? Already out of your hands…”

As Naiad’s barrier was lifted, people reappeared.

The first thing that caught Leffrey’s eye was Yumari. Then, a magical studies student approaching Yumari.

He was holding a glass bottle in his hand.

A bottle sealed with magical symbols…

“Hey, we also want to trade this ingredient for some oil…”

“Yes, what kind of ingredient is it?”

The magical studies student grinned and said,

As he spoke, the seal on the glass bottle was broken.

“It’s called a Reflection Flower…”

Leffrey ran. He ran with all his might. He used the fastest movement technique of Fairy Martial Arts, Thunderstruck Tree, and even his Martial Arts of the Archangel Angelic Ability…

“No!”

Leffrey reached out towards the Reflection Flower.