Chapter 513: Michael
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 513: Michael
“So you really came.”
“Did I not say? We wish to talk.”
“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much…”
“That’s to be expected. If I were you, I would have had the same reaction.”
About fifty of them had come to the Temple City. It was neither a large nor a small number, but it was hardly enough to attack the city. Not only that, but most of the members looked as if they possessed no military strength.
Most of them looked like they’d fall over if you so much as tapped them.
It made me feel like an idiot for having prepared troops just in case. Looking at the faces of Michael and those behind him, it seemed a number of what you might call elders had graced us with their presence.
“Hmm…”
What stood out was an angel being protected by the others. Only two of them were armed, and they were the ones guarding her. Of course, even their equipment was incredibly basic. It felt less like a threat to us and more like a minimal means of self-defense.
“Looks like someone quite noble has arrived.”
It was Michael who answered.
“Who are you referring to?”
“The angel at the back.”
“That is Lady Seraphim.”
“Seraphim, I see.”
I could tell at a glance that a very precious pigeon had arrived. She had the most wings, and the robes she wore, layered several times over, looked quite luxurious. But what stood out most of all was her beautiful appearance.
The looks of Michael and our own pigeons were far from ordinary, but this woman named Seraphim truly didn’t look human. With her long, golden eyelashes and wavy hair that cascaded down to her waist, she honestly looked like a goddess from some legend.
It seems the higher their rank, the better their looks.
It made me feel foolish for once having mistaken the Sword Saint Ha Yuri for an angel. Compared to the real angel before me, Ha Yuri was several leagues below her. She’d probably claw her way out of the underworld if she heard me say that, but since she’s still going through a rough time, she’s not part of this discussion.
As I stared blankly at Seraphim for a moment, Choi Seulgi, who was glaring at me, came into view. Jung Hayeon, whom I’d brought along for diplomatic purposes, also had a rather disappointed expression. But contrary to what they might think, my heart wasn’t fluttering.
It was an inappropriate comparison, but I was staring at her like a monkey in a zoo. She seemed to be aware of this, as she quietly lowered her head. Her appearance was fascinating. She truly felt like an angel. I roughly composed myself and spoke.
“Let’s go inside.”
We headed for the temple’s grand conference hall. I glanced at Michael, and he too was leading his companions to follow. Their complete lack of defense was so baffling that I couldn’t help but speak.
“Didn’t you think we might attack?”
“I simply trusted you.”
“Puhahahat.”
It was absurd, but his eyes didn’t waver. There was no falsehood in them, either. I had no idea why he trusted me, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. At the same time, suspicion began to creep in—a natural reaction for someone like me, who doesn’t trust others easily.
“That’s the most bewildering thing I’ve heard recently.”
“You must not have heard it before.”
“Of course not.”
“I can tell by looking at your eyes.”
It was true in my past life, and it’s true in this one: I’ve rarely earned anyone’s trust. Especially when in an ambiguous relationship, my history of backstabbing is quite colorful.
“With those battered eyes… you must be seeing things. Did the shock drive you mad?”
“My torture was merely the consequence of my sins. That aside, my eyes have never been wrong.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am certain.”
I’d thought it before, but this guy was truly strange. I had no memory of ever doing anything to make him see me in a good light. In fact, it was quite the opposite. And yet, he was placing his trust in me. It was incomprehensible.
“I hope nothing happens that makes me betray your expectations. Unless you’re hoping to commit suicide, I recommend you don’t try anything funny.”
“That won’t happen.”
Entering the conference hall with Michael, I summoned the Iron Throne and sat down. Since this was an official meeting, Choi Seulgi didn’t cling to the armrest, and Jung Hayeon waited with a slightly tense expression for the people we would be speaking with today. Baek Ahyeon and Choi Eunju were also present, but no one else.
It was a bit of a shame that Jang Ye Ri, and especially Lee Wanyong, weren't here. Of course, the other Green Skins didn’t participate either.
This was a matter for the Great Eastern Temple, so I wanted to resolve it here. As an awkward silence filled the hall, Michael slowly nodded his head. At the same time, Seraphim began to speak. Her voice, absurdly, was like rolling pearls.
‘Fucking beautiful.’
“Before we begin, I would like to express our deepest apologies for the trouble we have caused. We have heard most of the details from our Archangel. We know how the incident occurred and what transpired.”
“Mm.”
“We have made a grave mistake.”
“Good to know you realize it was a mistake.”
I jeered a little, but her expression didn’t change.
“We wish to sincerely atone for the sin of trespassing in your city without permission, the sin of destroying an important symbol of your faith, and the sin of impersonating an Apostle of your temple. We are truly sorry.”
It was quite overwhelming.
“We, too, understand the immense value of religious symbols. They are things that cannot be measured in coin. We can understand the great devotion with which you must have built the statue, and the great sorrow you must have felt when it was destroyed. We understand not only your feelings, but also the anger you have shown. You may find this insufficient, but we will provide for all costs of reconstruction, as well as support you with materials and manpower. If there is anything else you desire… we will do our utmost to provide it. Should you wish for punishment, we will also see to it that the angel of Nazareth is disciplined on our side.”
It was because they were taking a far more deferential stance than I’d expected. It’s common sense that in these kinds of talks, you downplay your own faults. That’s how you seize the initiative in the negotiations to come. Their reason for bringing this up before the discussion even began was painfully obvious.
They weren’t interested in gaining an advantage.
They were already prepared to take a loss.
That was my personal conclusion.
“Enough. The apology is accepted. I didn’t call you here just to receive an apology. First, let’s introduce ourselves.”
“Yes.”
“Blood Dagger, master of the Great Eastern Temple.”
“I am Seraphim, a Seraph.”
I already knew from the Nazareth pigeons that they didn’t sort their ranks by titles like empress or princess. A Seraph was the highest rank among them, so it seemed a true big shot had come.
However, a high rank didn’t necessarily mean high military power. She didn’t seem to possess any significant strength, nor did her divine power feel particularly potent.
“Someone of quite a high station has come.”
“I may be lacking… but yes. That is how cautiously we wish to approach this matter.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
I couldn’t know if they would have taken this stance had we been powerless. But her words about approaching this cautiously didn’t seem to be a lie. At least, that’s what Michael appeared to think.
“What do you mean by wanting an alliance?”
“It means exactly what it says. We hope to engage in various exchanges as friendly nations, for each other’s benefit.”
“That sounds nice.”
It sounded nice. But I had a feeling something was fishy. To be honest, I wanted a little more time to think. There were too many suspicious things. I glanced at Seraphim and spoke.
“Is this for the Ritual of Salvation?”
“The Ritual of Salvation, so you knew. I cannot say that is our only purpose. The Ritual of Salvation is conducted with the other party’s consent, so it can only be performed on those who desire it. Of course, if you, Lord Blood Dagger, do not wish for it, we need not even bring up the ritual. The Ritual of Salvation cannot be forced.”
“I’ll ask again. I’d like you to explain the Ritual of Salvation in detail.”
“It means to abandon one’s mortal flesh and ascend to heaven.”
“…”
“That’s ridiculous. Have you ever proven it?”
“…”
No answer came.
They didn’t know exactly what it was either. Or perhaps they were just pretending not to know. But the fact that they wouldn’t even mention it if we didn’t want them to was also a bit baffling. I couldn’t get a grasp on what it was they wanted.
Deciding I needed some time to think, I fell silent. When I did, Seraphim also quietly took a step back from the discussion, and Jung Hayeon, knowing my thoughts, took the baton and began to lead the meeting. She was joined by the other old angels who had come from Agape.
There was nothing particularly noteworthy discussed. Most of it was about the alliance.
In fact, there was hardly any need for a meeting at all. Agape yielded on almost everything, and Jung Hayeon accepted their terms with a bewildered expression.
“In that case…”
“Yes. Of course. We accept.”
The ceasefire negotiations with the Western Continent felt more difficult than this. I didn’t know if they were determined to give generously or if they were just showing off how much they had, but the negotiations were proceeding smoothly.
“The cycle…”
“Yes… I understand.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
I had been sitting there, lost in other thoughts for a very long time, when the hall fell into silence. It wasn’t just that the conference room had gone quiet. A strange, uncomfortable atmosphere was hanging in the air. And what’s more, everyone was looking at me.
Choi Seulgi’s expression was incredibly grim, and Baek Ahyeon’s was the same. Choi Eunju and Jung Hayeon looked a little worried. The situation was no different in the angels’ camp. Michael was looking at me with anxious eyes, the old angels had expressions of anticipation, and Seraphim had her eyes quietly closed.
I hadn’t been following the conversation. If spacing out during such a simple negotiation was a mistake, then it was my mistake.
Seeing my expression, Jung Hayeon spoke up again. It was a consideration for me, who had missed the details.
“Could you please repeat that one more time?”
And the old angel’s mouth opened once more.
“O-Of course. As a condition for this treaty, we at Agape formally request the marriage of Blood Dagger, master of the Great Eastern Temple, and the Seraph Seraphim.”
The news was utterly absurd. I knew that being joined by blood was the surest way to trust one another, but I never thought I’d hear something like this so openly.
“…”
“…”
Now I understood why Choi Seulgi and Baek Ahyeon had those expressions on their faces.