The Angel Awakening to Reincarnation (7)
Refri raised his head and gazed at James Tardun, the principal of the Eastern Academy. Without the sunglasses he always wore, he might have passed for an ordinary old gentleman—were it not for those eyes glowing red.
"Principal, you called me to the mansion... This wasn't part of the exam, was it?"
Refri spoke up. He had been trying to escape the exam and head outside. But when he came to, he was inside the mansion?
A spell that summons selected candidates to the mansion...?
That was the only conclusion Refri could draw.
"It is the exam."
"How can it be an exam if you've already picked who passes?"
James chuckled.
"Announcing the results is just an extension of the exam, isn't it? Can't exactly call it not an exam."
Wordplay. Refri eyed James suspiciously.
I should have failed the exam. No matter what kind of spell past-life awakening is... if it activates, James will find out I'm an angel!
The Shaman King James, humanity's greatest shaman and America's strongest hero. Principal of the Eastern Academy.
And there's one more fact only I know, from seeing the future... The Shaman King James hates the heavens and their angelic apostles.
The boy remembered it clearly. Not far in the future. The image of Shaman King James, seething with rage, toppling the church's cathedral. Pointing at the sky, spewing his hatred. Shattering the angel statue into pieces.
Those eyes had burned with hate and madness.
It was terrifying.
What would happen if such a being learned he was an angel? No matter how he thought about it, the future looked grim. Maybe James would smash him to bits, just like that future statue...
But why does James hate the heavens?
Refri pondered. Why did James despise the heavens? What evil had they done?
...When I think about it, there's too much to count.
Heaven's first sin: Tolerating the church's corrupt legacy. What had the church done? Heresy trials? Witch hunts? Acts that bred hatred for the church and the heavens alike.
Did he suffer a witch hunt as a shaman?
But that seemed unlikely. Even an otherworldly church wouldn't dare bare its teeth at the Shaman King. And he wouldn't have meekly submitted anyway.
Heaven's second sin: Failing to right the world's overflowing injustices. Massive guilds abusing their power, giant corporations dancing on absurdity. Even the thugs who tormented his mother.
This one was certain. This world was closer to hell than heaven.
With so many villains in this world... what are the angels doing?
Refri was an angel himself, but still. He was truly curious. What were the other angels up to?
Heaven's third sin: Not subduing the rampaging Demon King. Countless heroes hated them for this alone. The Demon King swept through everything with world-ending fury, and what did heaven do?
What's James's reason for hating heaven?
With his shallow knowledge, Refri couldn't figure it out. So he decided to ask directly.
"Principal."
"...?"
"Didn't you say you wouldn't select divine power users?"
James nodded.
"That was the original plan."
"But I am a divine power user."
"Plans change."
And then he clamped his mouth shut. Seeing this, Refri let out a small sigh before asking the question only he, with his future knowledge, could pose.
"Principal James."
"Yes?"
"Why do you hate the heavens?"
James laughed at first. Then his face hardened. He tried slipping back into his sly demeanor, but his lips twisted as he took a step back.
"Student, did you read my soul? A high shaman like me?"
James asked warily. Refri shook his head.
"Just a hunch. You said no divine power users, and you've been oddly guarded around me and the church folks from the start."
"...Haha, you picked up on that subtle wariness."
Of course, Refri hadn't noticed any such thing. He knew James hated heaven, so he assumed he'd hate or at least distrust the church and divine users. He was probing James in reverse with that assumption.
"Your guess is correct. Yes. I do hate the heavens."
James stroked his chin silently, then let out a long sigh.
"Haa... Wonder if I should even tell you."
James gestured.
"Let's walk for a bit."
And so Refri and James headed side by side into the depths of the mansion.
"Answering a student's question is an educator's duty, I suppose."
James continued.
"Your first question, about not selecting divine power users... and your second, why I hate the heavens."
James opened his mouth with a bitter expression.
"The answer to both... can be summed up in one."
"One?"
Refri tilted his head. What answer could cover both questions at once?
"Student, do you know of the angel Lucifer?"
"...Never heard of him."
"Lucifer, Lucifer of the Dawn's Light. Leader of all angels, the mightiest. Heaven's firstborn, the supreme being."
Lucifer? Leader of the angels? Refri should have heard of heaven's leader...
But he'd never heard the name.
"That angel shone brightest, flew highest, was most beautiful, most valiant."
James went on.
"No created being could match him."
"...So there was such a powerful angel. First time hearing this."
"Bound to be."
They had reached the end of the corridor. James opened the door wordlessly. Beyond it hung a massive painting.
Refri shivered at the sight. Heaven engulfed in civil war, and one angel plummeting, wings charred.
James stared at the painting silently, then spoke quietly.
"Ever heard of the Demon King?"
"Yeah, king of the monsters? The bad guy ripping gates open to invade our world."
"Then have you heard the Demon King's name?"
James pressed. Refri had to shake his head.
"The current Demon King's name is Lucifer. And his ancient name was Lucifer."
"...What? So the Demon King's true identity is—"
"A fallen angel. Damn those angel bastards."
Refri looked at the painting again. The falling angel somehow resembled him.
"That's the answer to your question."
"Fallen angel."
"Why not select divine power users? They fall easier than anyone. Even Saintess Rebecca lost her faith, like me. And the strongest divine user, Lucifer, fell long ago."
James pressed on rapidly.
"Why hate heaven? Isn't it obvious? They created Lucifer. They birthed the monsters. Why wouldn't we hate them? Heaven's angels are humanity's true enemies!"
James had grabbed Refri's shoulders. He cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at Refri.
"Student, my apologies."
"...Principal."
Refri's head spun from the shocking tale.
The Demon King's a fallen angel? And the strongest one at that?
No, that wasn't the point now. Refri steeled himself and spoke.
"You distrust divine users... hate heaven... so why select me as a past-life awakener?"
"...That's."
James bowed his head.
"I don't know either."
Tears welled in James's red eyes, inexplicable even to himself. He crept closer to Refri.
"I don't know. Even in this situation... do I still want to believe in something?"
"P-Principal?"
"That there's light that doesn't fall..."
And James naturally seized Refri.
"I know you're scared of past-life awakening, student. You tried to run earlier."
"...Busted."
"Why?"
Refri spat excuses hurriedly.
"My past life is worthless! Wasting awakening on me is a waste of resources!"
"Haha, so that's it. Doesn't matter. If I misread your soul... you bear no responsibility."
James's eyes were glazed; Refri struggled futilely against the Shaman King's strength.
"Let go—let me go!"
"Student, don't be so scared. It's not a painful procedure. Think of it like hypnosis."
"No, really, don't!"
Thus Refri was dragged to the center of the ritual circle. He bit his lip.
Truth is... it's not fear of James hating angels that made me avoid awakening.
James learning he was an angel? Dangerous, but not instant death. Whatever his true feelings, Refri fought for humanity, and James was a hero who could set aside hatred for mankind's sake.
Like Park Jinho sparing Hexi... James would spare this angel for humanity. Though I'd end up dragged to a lab... broken like the angel turned artificial hero...
Refri shuddered. But something scared him more.
But...
Refri bit his lip again.
I confirmed it with Drumark. My past life is the mighty angel 'Lephriel.'
Lephriel, judge of this world.
Lephriel can't be controlled. He's just a machine. A machine to judge this corrupt world.
If Lephriel awoke, James would shatter like Drumark... and Central Superhuman Academy would vanish in his ultimate techniques. Everything gone. His friends... Yumari staring blankly... Hongwol swishing her tail to block the monitor... Soya hiding her face under her hat when shy.
Tears welled in Refri's eyes. Even if sold to a superhuman clan as an angel. Even used as a lab rat, hated by all. Even if dreams of a happy future shattered.
He had angel duties.
"Principal... I really don't need past-life awakening."
"Huh? What do you—"
"I already know what my past life is."
Refri removed his hood. He unleashed his angelic power fully.
A force holier than holy power flowed from the boy... and his golden hair began to sway with it.
"Ever heard of Lephriel?"
The boy was crying.