The Angel Who Drew the Holy Sword (4)
‘Why is she panicking? From what I know… Hongwol’s the type who’d try to intimidate us instead, all bold and proud…’
Refri couldn’t figure out why Hongwol was so flustered. In fact, he didn’t understand why she’d suggested teaming up with him in the first place, or why she’d bullied Soya just because they were getting close. Nor did he get why she’d let the swordsmanship kids badmouth her without a peep…
‘At first, I thought she was holding back from causing trouble to steal the holy sword. But that doesn’t add up. Then why pick a fight with Soya?’
Refri knew next to nothing about Hongwol. The Hongwol in his knowledge was…
‘Heir to the Dalgoyang clan. After they sided with the Demon King’s army, she fell with them and became an assassin. Hated anyone from Central Academy especially. Her profile speculated it was…’
…jealousy and inferiority complex driving her behavior.
That meant Hongwol yearned for academy life. And what was her end?
‘Hongwol might as well have committed suicide. She pretended to love thieving and killing, but confessed it was hell… then died pierced by Yumari’s hand.’
And she’d been smiling in death. It was from that Yumari special documentary—solid fact.
‘She longed for a normal school life, hated her clan’s thieving and murdering ways, and most importantly…’
Today, when Refri had argued in her place, he’d gotten a message: Saving a future hero from despair to hope is truly angelic!
So the status window still saw Hongwol as a ‘future hero’…
Putting it all together, logic-angel Refri reached one conclusion.
‘Hongwol could generate new Angel Power too… no, she could become a hero candidate to fight the Demon King?’
If he could fully recruit her as a hero candidate…
Soya, Hongwol. Main base and multi… double the minerals? To an Angel Power-starved Refri, it was an irresistible offer.
“Boy, why are you here?”
Hongwol asked again. Refri sorted his thoughts and replied.
“As Soya’s friend.”
“Black mage. Quite the blabbermouth.”
“Kuk, I didn’t tell him. He already knew. I told you, black mages keep promises. Unlike you cats…”
Hongwol scowled.
“Don’t call me a cat.”
“What’re you saying? You beast, catty-cat-nya…”
“Soya. Enough!”
‘She’s begging for a forehead flick…’
Refri sighed and covered Soya’s mouth. She’d gotten beaten last time and was terrified enough to hide behind him—yet here she was provoking her. What a personality.
“You knew? No surprise. You got to the exam hall before me, boy. Must have some trick I don’t know.”
“…Yeah.”
“Then you know everything.”
Her pink eyes sparkled under the moonlight. Her flowing pink hair swayed gently in the evening breeze.
Hongwol smirked slyly.
“That I enrolled here to steal the holy sword. You said you trusted me, boy? Too bad. Should’ve trusted someone trustworthy. Pathetic.”
Open mockery. He’d noticed before—Hongwol loved sneering. Refri understood that sadness. Lonelier than anyone, trusting no one. Desiring something more than anyone, only to hate it when it slipped away. Sleepless children…
It reminded him of his past life, believing in nothing.
Refri met her gaze.
‘Sneer all you want. If I can make my multi—er, a new hero candidate to stop the Demon King, I can handle cute sneers like this.’
Even without Angel Power…
“What can a kid do? If adults force you to steal and kill, and that’s all you’ve learned, what choice do you have?”
“Boy, what’re you…”
“Some say once you grow up, you can change easily. Bullshit. Do you know how hard that is? Denying every moment you’ve built up… how agonizing?”
“What the hell are you talking about!”
“What I mean is…”
Hongwol stared at the boy’s angelic expression. Smiling, yet somewhere sad… unforgettable.
“I trust you.”
Showing the way to a lost girl is an angelic act!
Angel Power gained.
Leading a future hero to the light is truly angelic!
A large amount of Angel Power acquired.
‘As expected…’
Just as he’d predicted, Hongwol wanted to live as a hero, not a villain. Guiding a wandering child to the light was an angel’s duty. And such duties came with hefty Angel Power rewards…
Refri couldn’t help but beam at the surging Angel Power.
‘Angel Power double event…!’
Hongwol turned away from that angelic smile. She couldn’t let her flushed cheeks show. Showing a man this side was shameful for a Dalgoyang.
“…Whatever. Let’s talk strategy.”
“Yeah, strategy time!”
Soya suddenly agreed with Hongwol, shoving Refri behind her to take the front.
‘Refri… smiling at that damn cat. He said he trusted only me, but he said it to her too. Black mage stuff should stay with black mages…’
Soya glared at Hongwol again. She hated to admit it, but a beauty straight out of TV—hair brimming with life, untainted by mana. Taller than her. And those curves… She couldn’t help comparing.
Soya bit her lip under her brim, feigning calm as she muttered.
“Okay, the plan has three parts. First, a mage to open a gate under Central Academy. That’s me, obviously. Next, someone to breach the barrier. And finally…”
“Someone to get the key from Professor Rebecca.”
“Right. We need her key for the sanctuary.”
“Obviously the hardest part. Academy professors are… insanely strong.”
Ignoring the girls, Refri thought.
‘No, if my guess is right, dealing with Rebecca’s the easiest. She left the sanctuary door wide open for the Dalgoyang cats to take the holy sword.’
But they couldn’t steal it. Why? Not just anyone can draw the holy sword. Rebecca probably opened it to watch them fail and panic…
So facing her would be easiest. And as a C-grade—not even B—angel, Refri wanted the easy jobs.
“…I’ll handle the professor.”
“What?”
“Hongwol, no chance for you. I’ll take it.”
“What’re you saying! Facing a professor’s the riskiest! The strongest—that cat—should do it!”
“I know. But… I’m the only one who’s taken Rebecca’s class, right?”
Refri murmured calmly. All while plotting the easy route in his head.
“So I have to.”
Taking on the hardest task first is angelic!
Angel Power gained.
‘Ha… taking on the professor herself? This should be a girl’s…’
Despite her thoughts, Hongwol’s tail swished. All men she’d known obeyed her clan. None took charge like this.
…Not a bad feeling.
“Boy, you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Then…”
Hongwol whispered softly.
“I’ll trust you too.”
“As expected, Refri. I knew you’d come.”
Rebecca smiled at the boy entering her room. An irreverent comparison for a saintess, but he was a beautiful boy like an angel descended.
And his actions matched. Look—he’d come to face her in the girls’ place.
“How’d you know I’d…”
“Someone with your heart would take the greatest risk for those poor girls.”
Greatest threat? Refri was here because it was the easiest.
‘Sweet-talk her into the key. And ‘poor girls’… Rebecca saw through it.’
“Stepping up for no gain… just risk… to save one clan and two girls.”
Rebecca caressed his cheek gently.
“As expected, you professors knew. About the Dalgoyang curse from the Demon King.”
“Yes. Of course.”
“If they fall, the Demon King’s army gets a stable path to the human world. We must stop it.”
“We professors want that too.”
Good. Conversation flowing. Refri reaffirmed professors were the easiest marks.
“Then…”
The boy held out his hand.
“Lend me the sanctuary key. I’ll stop it.”
“No.”
Rebecca smiled.
“Why should I give you the key?”
“Huh…?”
Refri panicked, naturally.
“I could give it to the Dalgoyang… but not you, Refri.”
“Why?”
“For your sake.”
“Ah, no. How’s not giving it to me for my sake?”
Rebecca gripped his shoulders, whispering.
“You still have faith. In heaven and people. But failing to draw the holy sword brings divine punishment—you’d lose that purity and faith. I can’t let that happen.”
“Faith?”
“Park Jinho or the dean would scream at you to draw it, blind to the sacrifice. But I won’t.”
What pie-in-the-sky nonsense? Refri shook off her hand.
“Give me the key. I get your worry. If I can’t draw it… divine punishment, holy sword backlash wrecking my body?”
“Your body’s not the issue. Your faith is. You believe you can draw it. You’re kind… you believe in heaven.”
“Then no worry. I’ve got no faith.”
Professor… we’re in a hurry…
Refri stomped, staring at her.
“…How about this?”
Unaware or not, she slowly set down a white bead fragment.
Refri recognized it.
‘Anathema of Lie. The Evil of Falsehood. Otherworldly item that turns black on lies…!’
“Prove you have no faith, and I’ll give you the key. Okay?”
No choice left. For the Demon King, for his Angel Power—he needed that key.
“Fine.”
“First question.”
Gulp—Refri swallowed.
What would she ask?
“Refri, what is your true identity?”