The Angel Who Makes It Rain (6)

Watching Refri distribute the oil, Naiad muttered from a distance.

"That's Lephriel...?"

Lephriel was the heavenly judge, the enforcer of the world's rules. There was no way he'd ever do something like this. He wouldn't intervene in petty human squabbles, nor would he care about the disappointment in people's hearts from witnessing such fights. To him, only the rules mattered. As long as they were upheld, whatever tragedies unfolded on earth...

'He wouldn't care... that's Lephriel.'

But look at him now. A young swordsman who had fallen into the lake approached the children with a shameful expression, then flinched in surprise upon seeing Refri.

"Um, excuse me..."

Refri handed him the oil without a word. What was even more astonishing was that he didn't show the slightest anger while doing so. He was even smiling.

'Is receiving his holy oil back such a joy? Even from someone who tried to stab him...'

In truth, the reason Refri was smiling was because of this Angel Power... but Naiad had no way of knowing that. Nor did the countless people watching this scene on TV.

'Is this what an angel is like...?'

'He's so kind. So this is what a hero is...'

As the misunderstandings between spirits and humans deepened...

Refri decided to start some serious business.

"Anyone who needs oil for cooking? I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠give you more. In exchange, share some of the ingredients you've gathered?"

Tastings were a classic marketing tactic. Of course, the materialistic angel Refri wouldn't hand out this precious oil for nothing. He was securing Angel Power and doing marketing all at once.

'Who knows where the Reflection Flowers are scattered. Going deep into the forest to hunt ingredients would be suicidal.'

Right now, Refri and Yumari couldn't go foraging for ingredients. All because of the Reflection Flowers. Refri might be fine, but if Yumari encountered one...

Her dark past would be exposed, and people would tear into it gleefully. Then the Seocheon Yu family, who should protect her, would coldly cast her out just like in her previous life. And if that happened...

'Yumari would truly despair of humanity and this world. She'd betray them all over again. No, wait, that's not the point...'

If that wasn't the point, then what was? Wasn't Refri helping Yumari first for Angel Power, and second to prevent her from betraying humanity? He'd been betrayed by her before. So had the rest of humanity. And yet...

Refri whispered to himself deep in his heart.

'Still... still, I...'

Even if no Angel Power came...

'I just don't want that girl to hurt anymore...'

Refri murmured it in his heart, unknown even to himself.

* * *

After that, things went according to Refri's plan.

Refri and Yumari sold oil from the center of the lake without needing to venture far, while others entered the surrounding forest, gathered various ingredients, and traded them with Refri's group.

"It's delicious even plain, but imagine drizzling this as salad dressing—how much richer the flavor would be! Try it once. Oh, if you give me that too, I'll throw in an extra bottle."

And Yumari's acting skills...!

'She was ready to beat them all up just a moment ago...'

Look at Yumari selling oil now. Sparkling eyes, lively expression. And friendly banter to boot. Her affinity was overflowing, practically spilling over.

But the moment the customer left, her face turned icy. It was a little scary.

'Kinda frightening...'

So Refri had little to do. He'd sneakily fill bottles with oil, and Yumari would trade them for heaps of ingredients with her charm.

Yumari returned from around the lake, arms full of ingredients, muttering expressionlessly.

"Refri. Got the ingredients."

"W-Wow."

Enough to make any dish imaginable. Refri's artisan-level cooking skill was screaming to chop them up right now.

'Not some Black Flame Dragon... Hold on. I'll let you run wild soon.'

Refri grabbed his left hand, which was itching to cook.

And muttered.

"This should be enough, right?"

"I think so too."

"Then..."

Refri and Yumari exchanged glances for a moment. The boy blushed and averted his eyes.

'What did she say to me while I was crying earlier...?'

Refri sneaked a peek at Yumari. The usually cold girl had a slight flush on her cheeks. And she was even bowing her head...

'Is Yumari embarrassed right now?'

Then a cold voice came from behind.

"Lephriel."

In that instant... just like at the event headquarters, everyone around vanished. Only Refri and Naiad remained in the vast lake.

'Some kind of barrier?'

Refri looked around. All he saw was the furious Naiad.

"I told you. This contest only allows ingredients from Naiad Lake...!"

"Oh, didn't you know? This holy oil... it actually comes from Naiad Lake."

Refri grinned mischievously, like a little devil.

"What nonsense is that?!"

"Look."

Refri used his Divine Ability to form oil in his hand.

"Where's the origin of this oil?"

"What are you..."

"I made this oil from Naiad Lake. So where do these ingredients come from? America? China? No. Obviously, from Naiad Lake."

Refri kept his devilish grin. The Spirit King watching...

Bubble bubble— not just onomatopoeia; Naiad was actually boiling.

"I won't accept it."

Naiad declared. But Refri nodded without surprise.

"Yeah, figured you'd say that. If I hadn't used oil, you'd have nitpicked something else to come after me."

"...What?"

"Because you... were paid to drop Yumari... no, to humiliate her, right?"

Refri stared at Naiad with cold eyes.

"What nonsense? Why would the Spirit King target one girl...!"

Naiad was visibly flustered. Refri looked at her pitifully.

But why did Refri suspect this? To understand, go back to when he shared the oil.

'Not as much Angel Power as I expected.'

Refri had stopped the students' fights by sharing heavenly oil, fulfilling his duty. So why hadn't the Angel Power come yet?

This was Refri's status window. If stopping the students' bloody fights should fulfill the duty against humanity distrusting itself, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠why no Angel Power yet?

'Related Angel Power still pending.'

That meant Refri still had angelic work to do. And something was still eroding humanity's trust.

'If I hadn't intervened in this Spirit's Benediction...'

Under Yusihyun—the Seocheon Yu family's eldest daughter and student council president—Yumari would suffer all sorts of humiliations under the guise of the contest. Broadcast worldwide.

'People would be deeply disappointed in superhumans. Not because of Yumari's shame, but because Central Academy students tormented one girl so viciously.'

Think about it. Even Yusihyun couldn't control every student. There were bound to be those outside her faction, and if word of the plot spread...

'Hard to keep secret.'

So Yusihyun had recruited exactly one: Naiad, the contest organizer and game master, the Water Spirit King. Using her to make other students bully Yumari.

"The mighty Water Spirit King... recruited to bully one girl? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Nonsense. No proof."

Even as she spoke, Naiad scattered water spirits to scan the area for magic or Divine Abilities.

'Hmph, if you're so innocent, why act suspicious?'

Refri raised one finger.

"First evidence. Naiad, why come to me only today?"

"B-Because today I recognized you..."

"No. The lord of all water spirits only notices me today? Unlikely."

Refri glared.

"You came rushing today to scare me off because you knew I was helping Yumari, right?"

"You..."

Naiad couldn't retort. Refri raised another finger.

"Second, why target Yumari so blatantly?"

"Blatantly? I've never—!"

"Gather in the Reflection Flower forest. Unfair to her. Bloody cooking battles fine, but no lake oil? Too biased, don't you think?"

Finally.

After cornering her, the finisher was always...

"Last, I know you colluded with Yusihyun. Wonder what about?"

A probe. If she didn't bite, trouble...

Refri gripped his phone quietly.

'Time for the sure-win strategy...!'

Refri smiled. A little devil's... no, an angel's smile.

"...Not bad."

Naiad chuckled awkwardly, then muttered coldly.

"But what do you know? A mere heavenly puppet. You devoured countless prayers but never repaid a single one."

Naiad eyed Refri again.

"Fine, I was paid. You know the Seocheon Yu family has no set heir. To Yusihyun, Yumari must be eliminated someday."

She averted her gaze.

"But proving Yumari's incompetence here means no need to kill her sister. See? I had to help out of humanitarianism."

"No excuses."

Damn... can't swear. Refri cursed his angelic trait.

"What did Yusihyun promise? Money? Power?"

"Everything..."

"No, unbelievable. What's money or power to a Spirit King?"

Naiad muttered sadly.

"Only way to protect what's precious..."

"...By harming others' precious?"

"...!"

Refri shook his head and fiddled with his phone.

"Good, got it all."

"Got what?"

Naiad frowned, confused.

"Recorded your testimony."

Refri showed her the phone. Their entire conversation was video-recorded.

"Wh-What is this...!"

This was Refri's aim. A Spirit King, centuries or millennia old, unlikely to know modern tech.

'She only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guarded against magic or Divine Abilities.'

Refri declared confidently.

"If you mess with our Yumari! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Or use other students to bully her! I'll release this worldwide."

"Like some movie... recording with a phone?"

"Video, not audio."

Refri posed, uploading to the cloud. Naiad wouldn't understand, but...

Victory for mech-angel Refri.

"And if you score our team low... or we don't win first even if high... you know, right?"

"You... you... an angel?"

The angelic sure-win strategy. Wicked blackmail... no, righteous negotiation.

'This wins Spirit's Benediction...!'

Refri smiled faintly. Naiad couldn't hide her panic.

"Fine, Lephriel, but..."

"But...?"

Too wordy? Refri pulled out his phone again.

"But Yusihyun's plan is already out of my hands."

"What? Out of your hands...?"

As Naiad's barrier dissolved, people reappeared. First in Refri's sight: Yumari. Then a magic engineering student approaching her, holding a glass bottle sealed with magical runes...

"Hey, wanna trade some ingredients and oil...?"

"Yes, what ingredients?"

The student grinned.

The seal broke.

"Reflection Flowers..."

Refri ran. Using every power: Fairy Fighting Method's fastest move, Lightning-Struck Tree, plus martial Divine Ability...

"No!"

Refri reached for the Reflection Flowers.