Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Wings of the God of Flight
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"Park Cheon-ho."
"Lu-Lucille."
Cheon-ho spoke with a smile, and Lucille hurriedly bowed in greeting. The angels and heroes standing behind them followed suit.
The Goddess of Painting spoke.
"The scouting party for the forge did an amazing job. I even painted a picture for you all."
The Goddess of Painting smiled brightly and snapped her fingers. Angels brought forth a large painting.
It depicted the scouting party climbing a mountain amid a raging blizzard.
"Sorry about the song—I'll make one later."
"A picture is more than enough. Thank you so much."
Liliel bowed on behalf of the entire scouting party, her face filled with emotion. It was embarrassing in all sorts of ways, but holding the actual painting made it incredibly moving.
The Goddess of Music smiled again and said,
"The Goddess of Healing insisted on giving you the best welcome possible, so I put in some real effort. Did you like it?"
"Yes, very much so."
Cheon-ho answered immediately, and Lucille inwardly admired his quick response. To push past the embarrassment and reply like that—Cheon-ho truly was impressive.
[...You really like it.]
As Mitra murmured softly, the Goddess of Painting clapped her hands.
"Anyway, we sincerely welcome you to the Citadel of Justice. Everyone, give them a big round of applause!"
"Woo!"
At her sudden call, the hundred angels burst into applause and cheers.
As the group grew embarrassed once more, the Goddess of Music giggled brightly.
"This is just the welcome. The Goddess of Healing nagged me so much that I prepared the maximum rewards possible. First off, this."
The Goddess of Music pulled several sheets of paper from thin air and handed them to Cheon-ho. They were written in elegant script:
"These are specially prepared by the God of Cooking. Make sure to stop by on the 13th floor. Even gods can't get these easily—they're invitations."
With a playful wink, the Goddess of Music distributed the rest to the group.
The angel trio, the combat angels, and the rock dwarves blinked in honorable confusion, but the scouting party's angels and heroes reacted explosively.
"And this. You're Lucille, right? Could you open your angel network account for a second?"
"Y-Yes? Sure!"
At the Goddess of Painting's kind words, Lucille hurriedly activated her angel network.
"It's your bounty and reward money."
The moment the Goddess of Painting wiggled her fingers, Lucille's account glowed with golden light. Lucille's mouth fell open, leaving her speechless. The watching angels behind her had similar reactions.
With that much money, she could probably buy a city.
No, maybe even a small country.
The amount was so staggeringly huge that Lucille fidgeted anxiously instead, and the angel trio looked just as uneasy.
Truth be told, they were clueless about it, but if Lucille and the angel trio learned the value of the scrolls used at the forge, they'd faint on the spot.
Cheon-ho didn't know, Mitra didn't know, and neither did Lucille—but the scrolls alone from the forge cost more than this reward.
Fortunately, no one knew.
So the Goddess of Painting giggled and continued.
"It's fine, it's fine. You earned it. The rest of the group will get their shares too. You all know how generous the Goddess of Healing is."
"Truth be told, like in hero stories, it feels like we should hand down a sword or armor or something... but we didn't have anything fitting."
The Goddess of Music made a mock pout, and Eizel blinked in surprise.
That made sense—this was the Citadel of Justice, after all.
In a place filled with divine blessed weapons, it was hard to believe there was nothing suitable for Cheon-ho.
But Aurael, Silikiel, and Saschiell, skilled in combat, nodded knowingly.
"What you have is already too good."
His weapon was Mitra, the greatest holy sword in the Labyrinth World. His armor was forged from otherworldly dragon scale mail combined with gear from the first hero, Leon. And it had been reinforced at no place other than the Primordial Forge.
"There's nothing better available from the mid-layers. Things change deeper down, but... it's hard to come back up from the depths, whether you're a person or an item. And we can't give you something worse than what you have now. That'd be embarrassing."
The Goddess of Painting gave an awkward smile, as if helpless, and Cheon-ho reflected on his own gear. She was right—it was incredible equipment.
"The rest of the group... well, we'll prepare something for them too."
The rest of the party had armed themselves at the Primordial Forge as well.
[The songs and paintings seemed overly lavish... so that was why.]
No matter the reason, the rewards felt a bit lacking now.
But right then, the Goddess of Music suddenly grinned broadly and turned to the Goddess of Painting, who grinned back.
"But you know, we dug around and found something we could give after all."
"Yeah, yeah. I saw it myself—I'm sure you'll love it."
The Goddesses of Music and Painting exchanged smiles again.
What energetic sisters they were.
"Hehe, I kinda want to tease you a bit more. How about we head inside and rest first? Shake off the travel fatigue."
"Going down multiple layers at once isn't good for the body."
As they spoke, they subtly watched Cheon-ho's reaction. They seemed to hope he'd get antsy.
But Cheon-ho's poker face held firm, while Lucille, Eizel, and Lucillia fidgeted in his stead.
If they weren't goddesses, Eizel and Lucillia might have begged to see it already.
"Well, fine. No point in dragging it out."
"Let's go!"
The Goddesses of Music and Painting linked arms, laughing as they strode straight toward the large door ahead.
"Let's follow."
"Yes, Hero!"
Cheon-ho and Lucille led once more, with the rest trailing behind.
Passing through the door transported them somewhere entirely different—the door itself functioned as a portal.
"Sub-level 7."
"Where the treasury is."
The Goddesses of Music and Painting winked at each other and spread their arms dramatically, like they were showing off.
Behind the two goddesses stretched a pure white, pristine yet grand space.
White walls and massive pillars. Large doors spaced between them.
The two goddesses stopped at the third door from the left.
"It's in here."
"We picked it out specially."
The two goddesses opened the door themselves. A divine energy poured out from within, literally flooding forth.
What could be inside to cause that?
What did the goddesses think Cheon-ho lacked?
"It's pounding."
Lucille whispered softly, clutching Cheon-ho's arm. He could feel her heart thumping through it.
"Let's go see."
"Yes, Hero."
Cheon-ho and Lucille took the lead again. Inside was a vast space with a single altar. The Goddesses of Music and Painting stood side by side, obscuring the item on it.
"We did find something worth giving, but the Goddess of Healing didn't say we'd hand over something this big."
"Our big sis really is generous."
The two goddesses giggled, making Lucille's heartbeat quicken further. Eizel groaned, her face screaming, *What is it already?*
Having fully enjoyed everyone's reactions, the Goddess of Music gave a glance, and the Goddess of Painting followed suit. The two stepped aside in unison.
And there it was revealed.
Beautiful wings.
But not angel wings. Something more.
"Wings of the God of Flight."
"A relic of a hero-god who fell battling giants that invaded from another world to protect the people of the Labyrinth World long ago."
The two goddesses' expressions turned solemn, unlike moments before.
"It's been stored away for ages."
"But items aren't meant just for storage—they're meant to be used. The God of Flight would want his wings to soar the skies again."
Even so, it had remained stored until now because no worthy owner had appeared.
"To wield the God of Flight's wings properly, you need divinity first."
There were a few other conditions as well. Among all heroes summoned to the Labyrinth World thus far, only Cheon-ho met them all.
"With these wings, you can fly now too."
The one thing Cheon-ho had lacked.
The party had plenty of fliers, but flying on your own versus riding someone was a different story.
Elriel, who had served as Cheon-ho's wings, smiled with a mix of joy and reluctance. Lucille gazed up at him with sparkling eyes.
"Hero."
Cheon-ho nodded. Instead of his poker face, he offered a faint smile.
Wings.
Even his father, conqueror of the world, had none.
Lucille released Cheon-ho's arm, and he slowly approached the two goddesses. Mitra, who loved seeing Cheon-ho grow stronger more than anyone, smiled warmly.
"May the Wings of the God of Flight be with you."
"May the swiftest wings once more cleave the heavens."
The Goddesses of Music and Painting sang the words. Each took one wing and approached Cheon-ho, pressing the luminous wings to his chest.
"Oh my, so firm."
The Goddess of Music teased as she touched Cheon-ho's chest, and Mitra unwittingly growled.
At that moment, Cheon-ho felt the God of Flight's divinity. Rather than simply accepting it, he unleashed his Divinity Devourer power, reinterpreting and fully assimilating it as his own.
"Ah."
With a soft exhale came a new sensation—like wielding a hand for the first time, or feeling a new organ sprout.
Cheon-ho adapted effortlessly. He unfurled a pair of radiant wings.
Golden wings matching his eye color spread wide. His body lifted slightly into the air.
Reading the tiny glowing script, Cheon-ho turned to the group. Lucille spread her own wings in response, soon followed by the other angels.
"Good timing."
"Perfect timing."
The two goddesses sang again, and Cheon-ho looked back at them. That was enough—they read his intent and spoke first.
"Right, now that you have wings, time for a test flight."
"Go fly as much as you want."
The two goddesses opened a spatial door in the air. It clearly led outside.
"I'll be right back."
Cheon-ho said, and Lucille nodded.
"Take care."
Cheon-ho passed through the spatial door. He saw the sky from the rooftop and soared upward without pause.
He became a streak of light.
* * *
"Did you like the first reward?"
Invitation to the God of Cooking's banquet.
[You have acquired Flight Lv1.]
[Flight has become Lv2.]
[Flight has become Lv3.]
Cheon-ho had flown the skies plenty already.
Aboard the heavenly horse Elriel or Saschiell, locked in embrace with Lucille, even on a flying craft.
But this was different.
Relying on something else versus your own power—night and day.
Freely roaming the heavens.
Flying as he wished, as he thought.
It surpassed his wildest imaginings in joy.
"Wow, wow, wow."
Cheon-ho kept exclaiming in awe. He couldn't stop smiling.
*'Men are boys at heart,' Mom said, and Dad agreed. Now I do too.*
[My liege, is it that good?]
"Yes, that good."
Grinning at Mitra, Cheon-ho flipped in midair and looked down at the ground. When he first took off, crowds had gathered on the rooftop to watch, but after nearly an hour of practice, few remained.
[Time to head back, I suppose.]
"Yes, Mitra."
Cheon-ho dove toward the rooftop like a hawk snatching prey. His skill was unbelievable for a beginner.
"Hero!"
Lucille greeted him first upon landing.
"Sorry, I flew too long?"
"No, you looked so thrilled—I enjoyed watching."
Lucille's bright smile held not a speck of reproach. Truly an angelic angel.
"Where's everyone else?"
"They unpacked and have reports to make, so they scattered. We'll meet for dinner."
"Maquina too?"
"Yes, she went to the 10th-floor forge. Got... half-dragged there."
Lucille smiled awkwardly. Apparently, the 10th-floor smiths had taken intense interest in Maquina, a Primordial Forge graduate.
"More importantly, Hero, how are the God of Flight's wings?"
"Great."
Cheon-ho answered simply and clearly, spreading his wings slightly to float effortlessly.
This was the best part.
Like Lucille's wings, these were more symbolic. They could catch wind, sure, but that was secondary. The true flight came from the divinity within.
It enabled flights birds couldn't dream of—hovering just off the ground, instant dashes in any direction.
As Cheon-ho frolicked, lying back in midair, Lucille smiled radiantly again. His antics were fun, but seeing him like this was pure joy.
*'It's the first time.'*
Seeing Cheon-ho so childishly happy.
It made sense. Around Mitra and others, he always armored himself in poker face and cool-guy act.
*'I want to keep making him this happy.'*
And ideally, not because of something else—but because of me.
How? What could she do to make the Hero happy?
As Lucille pondered angelically...