Chapter 89: The Angel That Touches the Hearts (1)

Episode 89: The Angel That Touches the Hearts (1)

Karma is fluctuating.

He, dwelling in darkness, thought those words.

That’s impossible.

By now, there should be only ‘one’ left on Earth who can wield karma, and that’s himself.

He stirred within the Abyss, calculating his odds of victory once again.

Where is the direction of this world fixed? What kind of future does this world dream of? What kind of karma rules this world?

He pondered these questions in the darkness.

‘Taxes have gone up again. Those damned government bastards.’

‘Special Act? Another Special Act to reinforce the barriers of rich villages?’

‘Ha, what? Are you saying I can’t report it to the police? Wh-What family are you from? Are we still living in Joseon Dynasty? My child is hurt like this, and you…’ (TL Note: The Joseon Dynasty is a period of Korean history where the country was an absolute monarchy where the nobles basically ruled society.)

Smirk-

He smiled.

As expected, this world’s karma… It was mostly flowing in his direction.

Towards a darker path, towards an ending he desired.

He looked deeper, grinning in an eternal night.

‘Lonely… Everyone on TV looks so happy.’

‘Why doesn’t anyone notice I’m in pain? Just a little empathy, that’s all I…’

‘I want to die.’

‘I just want, this world… to end.’

He calculated the karma.

The only future remaining for this world now was darkness. His victory was practically guaranteed.

From a place where the sun would never rise again, he stretched out his hand.

To dance, to celebrate his victory.

But at that moment.

‘Still, I’d like… to live a little longer.’

‘There’s still… hope.’

‘Because…’

Karma, began to shift, bit by bit…

‘I saw that boy trying so hard.’

‘I saw him stopping it all by himself.’

‘I saw him heal others.’

Little by little…

‘I saw him forgive.’

‘I… have seen it.’

A karma that was heading towards the light existed.

He calculated the karma again.

99.9%.

Seeing those odds, he frowned.

Even though it was only a few possibilities among millions… a possibility of him failing now existed.

‘There’s someone wielding the karma of light.’

He, shrouded in darkness, thought.

‘There’s an angel remaining on Earth.’

He, deep within the Abyss, judged.

“My kind is dreaming of a futile hope.”

The demon king opened his mouth in the darkness.

“Who will invite him to darkness?”

The demon king’s order fell.

Immediately kneeling at those words was a woman.

That woman was so alluring and close to primal desire, so deep and dark that it was almost disgusting.

Drugs, spiders, carnivorous plants, swamps.

A trap in the shape of a human.

“Grant me that honor, Demon King.”

One of the demon king’s Four Heavenly Kings, the Succubus Queen, the Midnight Dancer, Bethel. Began to move.

“I will surely corrupt that boy and bring down the professors.”

“….”

Bethel, as if yearning to be chosen, continued,

“Not a single human knows of my ability.”

“….”

“Not even the survivors of the old empire, nor the heroes of the human world, nor even those insolent professors who dared to point their swords at you, Demon King…”

Bethel, with a seductive smile, grinned confidently.

“No one knows of my power.”

“You’re arrogant, but with your abilities… it might be possible.”

The demon king chuckled.

The demon king, smiling more arrogantly than any other being, muttered,

“Good, then try it.”

“I will not fail you.”

“However, Bethel.”

The demon king looked at Bethel, who was kneeling, and spoke again.

“…Remember Drewmark’s failure.”

* * *

How can Koreans be defined as a people?

Some say they are a delivery nation, obsessed with delivery, while others say they are a people obsessed with speed. (TL Note: South Korean like to use delivery service a lot, at least that’s what I found when I researched it. They also have a very interesting ‘hurry hurry’ culture or the phrase they say in korea ‘Pali, Pali!’ in which they like to well be fast in what they do.)

‘I think differently.’

But Leffrey’s thoughts were different.

‘In my opinion, we Koreans are.’

Leffrey, looking at the incoming Angelic Power, smiled like a true angel.

‘A nation of auto-hunting!’

[Teaching future heroes about good deeds is an angelic act!]

[Giving future heroes a chance to do good deeds is an angelic act!]

[Making future heroes protect the weak is an angelic act!]

Right now, Leffrey was eating expensive shaved ice and lounging, doing nothing.

But why was he earning so much.

Angelic Power?

‘I’m getting Angelic Power just by breathing.’

The reason could be found in the Volunteer Club’s huge success.

Leffrey, under the name of club activities, had been taking his future heroes on volunteer activities, Hongwol joined reluctantly, Soya whining all the way, while Mari readily followed along.

And they began to help people within and outside the academy.

The volunteer work done by the club was diverse.

First, helping the students of the Central Academy.

Attending the Central Academy wasn’t easy. It was a cruel and harsh place in many ways.

‘But if they were able to enter the Central Academy, they’re all talents worthy of being called the future of humanity. I can’t let such children break down over trivial things.’

So Leffrey, along with his friends, began volunteering.

Saving future heroes, making future heroes do good deeds. This is what they call double dipping?

The club’s second volunteering activity was helping those in the outside world.

Korea, due to the influx of refugees from the other world, was facing various social issues. Beyond simply increasing income inequality and crime rates…

Racial discrimination, criminal guilds, corruption.

And even gate breaches.

They were all problems that required superhuman abilities.

‘But the Superhuman Management Bureau is notorious for their laziness.’

Then what could he do? Leffrey had no choice but to step in and save the people. And gain some Angelic Power in the process, and enjoy being treated well, eating expensive shaved ice for free, and so on.

“Nom nom.”

“Wow, you’re so cute. Student, try this too.”

“Thank you!”

Leffrey was currently outside the academy.

He had received permission to leave the academy for club activities and was wandering the slums of Old Seoul, hunting down monsters that had escaped from gates.

Volunteer work done by angel-like, handsome boys and cute girls.

Naturally, they were quite popular.

“Then, I’ll be heading back now.”

Leffrey bowed, then left the small restaurant on the street.

[Making future heroes save the people is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

Soya, using black magic, eliminated monsters that were hiding.

And Hongwol, with her agility, snatched away children caught by those monsters.

Lastly, Mari, with a warm smile, comforted those children.

‘This is great.’

Leffrey nodded.

And when the children’s parents expressed their gratitude towards the girls, Soya, her shoulders rising excitedly, strutted with pride, and Hongwol, acting as if she didn’t care, ignored them.

But her cheeks were slightly flushed.

Well, Mari, as always, was radiating her charisma, saying “We’re the ones that should be thankful,” and “No need for tears, your mom’s here now.”

‘Actually, I started the Volunteer Club because of this, more than because of Angelic Power.’

Leffrey thought.

Can someone really be called a hero just because they’re strong? Like the first head of the Seocheon Yu from long ago?

‘No.’

That wasn’t true.

Only those who can empathize with the weak and those who are willing to care for the weak are worthy of being called heroes. Leffrey wanted to teach these things to the girls.

That humans live together, therefore helping others is something to be proud of.

‘Soya and Wol are happy. That’s good. Slowly but surely, they’re experiencing the joys of being heroes.’

And Mari.

He wasn’t sure about Mari.

Since she rarely reveals her true feelings.

Leffrey, smiling warmly, looked at the girls.

“We earned a lot of Angelic Power. Let’s go back.”

He said those words.

And on their way back, they bought snacks to eat.

Thus, another day passed.

* * *

One month into the second semester, as Leffrey’s Volunteer Club slowly became known…

A few students at the Central Academy started having nightmares.

In truth, the Central Academy students having nightmares wasn’t unusual. Even ordinary people had nightmares sometimes.

Imagine children who were raised as warriors since they were young. Surely they must have experienced at least one traumatic incident.

Yes, it wasn’t strange.

That’s why…

They didn’t know.

That there was a demon who picks at the wounds of a young soul and devours them greedily.

“Hmmm.”

Leffrey, placing his hand on a boy’s forehead, as if he were a doctor, asked about his symptoms.

“You’re saying you keep having nightmares?”

Leffrey withdrew his hand and looked at the student, who had come to the Volunteer Club for counseling.

“Yes.”

“What did they say at the infirmary?”

The student muttered, as if embarrassed,

“Well, they said, that it’s because my mental state isn’t good, so I should train my inner self…”

Actually, even Leffrey had no other answer for him.

Even after checking with Healing of the Seraphim, there weren’t any abnormal symptoms.

Even the expensive machines in the infirmary would probably give him the same result.

That’s why this demon’s invasion was so terrifying.

A demon who possesses others by invading and breaking their minds. This power was never revealed to humanity, and people were always helpless against Bethel.

The Central Academy spy incident from before, was also Bethel’s work.

She devoured a Central Academy student’s mind, possessed their body, and used that body to conduct espionage.

Bethel.

No one knew her name.

Except for one.

“…Hmm.”

Leffrey made a serious expression.

And whispered softly,

“What kind of nightmares do you usually have?”

“…It’s a bit personal, but I keep having dreams of my mistakes. Dreams where I’m falling into a pit of guilt, thinking ‘if only I hadn’t made that mistake then’, ‘if only I had done better then’.”

“I see.”

The student opened his mouth,

“There’s one strange thing. I keep hearing a beautiful woman’s voice.”

“A beautiful woman’s voice?”

“Yes, she’s telling me to escape this nightmare, and come to her… that kind of voice.”

“…Hmm, I’m not really sure.”

Leffrey tilted his head, truly unsure.

Seeing that, the student looked disappointed.

“…I see. Sorry for wasting your time.”

“No, I believe you’re having nightmares. Wait a moment.”

Leffrey confidently got up and said it was okay.

‘Because there’s the scent of Angelic Power from you!’

Then Leffrey naturally took the student’s hand.

And.

[You have used Blessing of the Power Angel who Graced the King by consuming Angelic Power.]

He placed a blessing on that student.

To prevent further nightmares,

And to give him more strength.

[Blessing a weary child is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

Angelic Power is flooding in, more than what he consumed, and Leffrey smiled.

‘It seems investing heavily in the Healing of the Seraphim and Blessing of the Power Angel was the right choice. Now that their levels are higher, I can earn even more Angelic Power by using just a little bit of it.’

He was Leffrey, the Efficiency Angel, always thinking about efficiency.

And.

‘The Volunteer Club is so easy! Angelic Power just comes to me!’

He was also Leffrey, The Honeybee Angel, always seeking easy ways to earn Angelic Power.

“The blessing’s done. Huh, hu! Good!”

Buzz buzz- Oblivious to the Honeybee Angel, rejoicing over gaining Angelic Power so easily.

‘He believed me. He’s so happy, thinking he healed my nightmare.’

The student, not knowing that, looked at Leffrey, who had blessed him, with a moved expression.

He had been ridiculed for faking an illness, even the infirmary and the hospital called him mentally weak and dismissed him as a malingerer (someone who pretends to be ill to gain benefits)

This boy was the only one who believed in him.

And he even gave him this powerful and warm blessing.

“Thank you. I’m… I’m the mage student from the department that ignored you.”

There were tears in the student’s eyes.

But Leffrey couldn’t focus on those tears.

Because he had gained even more Angelic Power.

‘Huh, even more Angelic Power is coming! Honeybee Angel loves Angelic Power! Buzz Buzz~’

And then came a really suspicious message that made Leffrey’s eyes widen.

[Driving away a Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings’ curse is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

‘Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings? Curse? Wh-What? Why is this message appearing?’

He had lifted the curse of a Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings? He had never done anything so grand. All he did was give a blessing to that mage student, so…?

‘Wait, could it be?’

Nightmares, a seductive voice, a curse.

Leffrey felt like he was close to remembering something.

One of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings revealed themselves near the end of humanity’s fall. That Heavenly King possessed an Ultimate Skill that allowed her to take over the bodies of those she seduced.

Her ability was revealed after everything ended.

She was a hidden weapon of the demon army, and that’s why it remained a secret for so long.

Leffrey, after comforting the crying mage student and sending him away, muttered as he watched his retreating figure.

“Bethel…”