Chapter 95: The Angel That Touches the Hearts (7)

Episode 95: The Angel That Touches the Hearts (7)

Bethel’s nightmare was limitless, potent enough to even manifest the beings you fear most, the end of the world you couldn’t even imagine, and the darkness of truth that you never wanted to know.

‘But there’s no answer to be found here.’

A dream is just a dream, it could never be reality.

‘The answers we seek… are not here.’

Soya wiped away her tears, then reached out her hand toward Leffrey, who was crying.

“Leffrey.”

“…S-Soya.”

Leffrey, who had exhausted all his Angelic Power.

Just like mana was like air to mages, Angelic Power was a vital force for an angel.

What would happen if someone had no air to breathe?

They would desperately crave for air with all their might, and eventually… die, yearning for something they need to live.

The same applied to Leffrey.

It was obvious, even to a blind man, that the boy’s condition wasn’t good.

He was just clinging to Soya, letting out ragged breaths.

“Leffrey…”

Soya realized that Leffrey’s condition was her fault.

She almost burst into tears.

But the little witch, holding back her tears, gently embraced Leffrey and spoke,

“I can’t say that those embarrassing things I said earlier were all lies. Even though I am the great black mage, I have my weak moments.”

Soya straightened her shoulders, appearing confident.

“But still, I believe.”

Soya looked at the crumbling nightmare and reached out her hand towards it once again.

“I believe that if we keep living… we’ll be able to find the answers we were searching for.”

One by one…

Quickly, but surely, she formed hand seals.

What if it’s a terrifying nightmare? What if it’s an Ultimate Skill created by a Succubus Queen? Even a demon like Bethel, no matter how hard she tried, a nightmare she could create is…

It’s just filled with darkness.

Black mages are more familiar with darkness than any other elemental mage. Some sacrificed their eyesight, staring into the abyss, to see what others cannot. Some lost their voices reciting cursed spells that had to be spoken. They are true heroes.

And Soya was a girl destined to become the best black mage.

A dream made of darkness. A wicked nightmare crumbled before Soya’s will.

A great evil, that had broken countless heroes, and spread despair and fear throughout society.

Even Leffrey, who remembered the War of Annihilation, couldn’t find a way to defeat her. Even the academy professors couldn’t defeat her. She survived until the very end.

That demon’s Ultimate Skill… was being conquered at the hands of a mere girl.

Soya wasn’t a girl who would become the best black mage.

She was a girl who would become the greatest mage.

Leffrey, looking at the brightening world, mulled over Soya’s words.

‘She believes. Soya said she believes.’

Belief. Such a strange word to the boy.

As his heart, that was once filled with Angelic Power, emptied… sad thoughts crept into Leffrey’s mind. His breath grew ragged as his Angelic Power was depleted.

‘That fancy apartment, those delicious meals, fame. To live peacefully, without being trampled by the powerful. I wasn’t fighting for those things.’

But his eyes didn’t close.

Even if he couldn’t bring himself to believe in this world, if there was someone who could believe in it in his place…

If there was someone who still held onto hope in this world.

‘I will protect heroes. I’ll fulfill my mission.’

Leffrey could keep fighting.

[Saving a future hero from a nightmare is a truly angelic act!]

[You have gained a large amount of Angelic Power.]

[Conquering a nightmare that tormented countless people is a truly angelic act!]

[You have gained a large amount of Angelic Power.]

* * *

Thus, the boy and the girl woke up.

“Leffrey…”

“Soya…”

Drowsy, after rubbing their eyes, they looked at each other.

Soya, noticing they were lying together in bed, or rather, the fact that she was practically clinging onto Leffrey like a monkey on a tree while sleeping… let out an “Uwaaa!” sound and pushed Leffrey away with a pillow. And Leffrey was sent tumbling off the bed.

Well, he *had* no choice but to be sent tumbling off the bed.

Actually, Leffrey was on the verge of dying.

Even though he had received an emergency supply of Angelic Power due to his previous good deed, he needed more to fully recover.

But Soya, oblivious to that…

The blushing Soya cleared her throat, pretending to be okay, then wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.

“Well, I don’t know where that damned succubus has gone… but she won’t be in good shape, since her nightmare was broken.”

It was a correct judgment.

Bethel was a mental being without a physical form, so what could be considered her true body was…

‘Probably Bewitching Dreams itself, the nightmare she conjured. That must be Bethel’s true form.’

And so… The nightmare that Soya destroyed could be said to be Bethel’s true form.

“Those stupid magical studies seniors, who were seduced by the succubus, they’re back to normal. An-And it seems most of the citizens are back to normal too. The nightmare is over. I’ll go and visit the Corrupted Saint… ”

Soya said those words.

Leffrey, hearing them, his eyes lit up.

‘Corrupted Saint? You’re calling the professor Corrupted Saint?’

Leffrey, who’s currently weakened without Angelic Power, desperately needed to farm some.

“Soya! Mind your manners!”

Leffrey scolded Soya, trying to sound stern despite not looking stern at all. His voice was weakened by Angelic Power deficiency, making him sound anything but intimidating.

If she had been the arrogant and proud Soya of before, she would have ignored him.

However…

“…Hmm, I’ll go see Professor Rebecca first thing tomorrow morning. Professor Rebecca’s divine power should be able to cleanse any remaining traces of the succubus.”

“You speak so well. You’re such a good girl.”

[Correcting a future hero’s actions is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

Pat pat- Soya, blushing, lowered her head in embarrassment and shouted.

“A-Am I a child?!”

“Of course, you’re still a child. Our adorable little Soya!”

More head pats followed.

[Enduring the childish behavior of a future hero is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

Every action Leffrey did was so angelic.

Truly, a professional Angelic Power farmer.

Leffrey, the Farmer Angel.

“Ugh, Stop it. E-Even feeling these emotions… must be because of the succubus… Right, that’s the rational conclusion.”

Soya, after saying those words, mumbled to herself,

“Well… since the succubus is gone, It’s pretty much over now, right?”

Soya’s cute cheeks were flushed.

But Leffrey couldn’t agree.

“No, Soya, it’s not over yet.”

“What?”

“The Succubus is still alive.”

That’s right. In the dream, Bethel couldn’t tell the difference between Leffrey and Leffriel and dragged Leffriel instead. Bethel was still very much alive.

Or rather, to be precise… still alive within Leffriel’s dream.

“It’s just like you said, this succubus’ territory is broken, but… This succubus is different from others. She won’t disappear so easily. She’s a Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings. Queen of the Succubi.”

“What? Heavenly King? The D-Demon army?”

Soya, who had boldly stood up to the succubus before, was now huddled beneath her blankets, as if shrinking.

“…I see. To think such a thing is one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings. I’m not scared at all.”

Soya, while saying she wasn’t scared, glanced around.

Seeing that, Leffrey took out a black bible from his pocket.

“…Leffrey?”

“Then… Shall we begin the exorcism?”

Leffrey, holding the bible, offered a prayer.

“By the name of God, forged, this sword without sin.”

As soon as he finished his prayer, Soya’s room was engulfed in a holy light. Before they knew it, Leffrey held the Inquisition Sword in his hand.

The sword taken from that Church eldest grandson.

A sword recognized by Heaven itself as being flawless, a sword that could judge heresy fairly. Leffrey, gripping the sword,

“Leffrey, what are you doing?”

…pointed its dark blade, towards his stomach.

‘Bethel is currently residing in my mind. To be in my mind… means that she’s a part of me.’

Bethel was sin itself.

An angel harboring sin?

According to Leffrey’s knowledge, that was more than enough to be subjected to inquisition.

Leffrey could judge himself.

‘The Inquisition Sword can even sever divine power. Divine power is even more incorporeal than Bethel. It’ll definitely be able to cut Bethel. But… the price I’ll have to pay for that is.’

Leffrey thought about the consequences he would face.

The Inquisition Sword is a sword that judges heretics, cutting the divine power of the corrupted, inflicting great damage to their soul and their power.

Leffrey would be severely wounded.

Guaranteed.

But he was certain that Bethel, a corruption itself, would be wounded even more greatly.

Then.

‘However, this is… the only way to defeat Bethel, who has no physical form.’

Leffrey made his decision.

Then he heard the familiar voice of the archangel in his mind.

‘Fulfill… your… mission.’

Leffriel had already closed his eyes.

He showed no intention of stopping Leffrey.

Then…

Leffrey thought about when he first met the angel.

“Soya.”

“…Why?”

“You’ll make sure to eat properly even when I’m not around, right? And you won’t oversleep and be late for class?”

“Wh-Why… are you suddenly saying that…?”

Soya trailed off.

Leffrey, without waiting for Soya’s answer, he closed his eyes and thrust the Inquisition Sword deep into his stomach.

“Leffrey!”

“…It’s okay. The Inquisition Sword can’t cut humans.”

“I know! But the Inquisition Sword can only cut divine power! So someone like you, who possess divine power, will…”

Cough- Leffrey coughed up blood.

The Inquisition Sword hadn’t cut Leffrey’s physical body.

It stabbed at something much deeper within him.

“It hurts.”

“Ah… Ah! I’ll get Hexi… J-Just wait here a little. I’ll go quickly…”

“No, Soya, don’t leave me.”

But the boy had no other choice.

He had to completely eliminate Bethel right now.

This very moment was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that wouldn’t come again, like the miracle of all planets aligning.

To seize this miracle…

“Sob… sob… Wh-Why, why are you doing this…?”

“There’s a succubus in my heart. For a succubus to be in my heart… that’s heresy.”

Leffrey felt pain.

To feel pain meant that the Inquisition Sword had begun to work, slowly burning away his divine power (Angelic Power), and in turn, burning away Bethel, the core of this heresy.

“It’s worthy of judgment.”

But Leffrey’s angelic power was now too low, and the amount of angelic power being burned by the Inquisition Sword was immense.

Leffrey might just turn to ashes before Bethel burned.

Bethel, knowing that, cried out in pain,

[Angel! Stop! You don’t want to die with me, do you?!]

Leffrey didn’t answer.

He just endured the pain.

And managed to smile.

[If you die, all the angels who could protect this world will be gone. Don’t tell me, you’re going to… just to get rid of one succubus like me?]

Leffrey ignored her struggles.

Her voice became even more desperate.

She even sounded like she was pleading now.

[Angel, think carefully. If you die here… Then who will face the Demon King? Hmm?]

“The heroes will fight the Demon King.”

Leffrey, enduring the pain, barely spoke.

“For their sake…”

And he was sure, he wouldn’t become ashes before Bethel.

He had witnessed a miracle.

How an angel saves a dying world, how they create hope in the most desperate of situations.

He had seen it with his own eyes.

[Sacrificing yourself for the sake of the world… is the most angelic act of all!]

“Leffrey!!”

A girl’s sob.

Those were the last words he heard.