Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 064
Chapter Title: Side Episode: Blissful Heavenly Demon
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Pantheon. A grand temple existing somewhere in the unimaginably high celestial realm, its walls, floors, and ceilings all gleaming white marble.
At its deepest point stood a towering throne upon a massive altar bathed in moonlight.
Before it, the thirteen angels who managed the world knelt with their wings folded, prostrating themselves.
Angels, by nature, did not show emotions. Arael, who was still young and immature, was an exception, but the rest were adept at concealing their feelings. Yet at this moment, the faces of all thirteen angels gathered here bore a similar expression.
Unease. Anxiety. And fear.
Why were the angels who governed the world so shaken, so anxious, so terrified?
The answer lay with the woman seated upon the throne, to whom they bowed their heads.
Snow-white hair like fresh-fallen snow, crimson eyes. Her eyes slanted upward in a hysterical manner. A black martial robe embroidered with gold clung to her body like a cheongsam, revealing its contours perfectly. Her beauty was such that the phrase "nation-toppling allure" fell short, though her deeply furrowed brow dimmed its luster slightly. Even so, no one could deny she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Her name consisted of three soft-sounding characters that matched her exquisite appearance, but no one present dared call her by it.
Instead, they called her by the epithet she herself claimed: the Blissful Heavenly Demon.
She was the owner of that playful nickname Ahn Su-ho had cursed hundreds of times, the creator of the thirteen prostrating angels before the altar, and the undisputed ruler of this world.
Legs crossed arrogantly, she looked down upon the angels. Her irritable gaze swept over them slowly. That look alone made the angels tremble in fear. Among them, the youngest, Arael, seemed on the verge of wetting herself.
There was only one angel who did not tremble under that overbearing stare.
The Second Angel, Ramiel of Lightning.
The Blissful Heavenly Demon fixed her gaze on her and asked offhandedly.
"...So, who was it that selected 'Knight's Grave' for this double dungeon?"
"It was I, Creator."
Ramiel lifted her head slightly and answered the question immediately. Deep wrinkles formed between the Blissful Heavenly Demon's brows.
"Explain yourself. Why did you choose that?"
-Rumble!
With the question came an immense pressure that crushed down on the angels.
"Urk!"
"Kuh, kehuk!"
As if plunged into the deep sea, the angels struggled to even breathe. Some could no longer maintain their prostrate position and crawled on the floor. Arael was the same. Clutching her throat, tears and saliva dripping messily, she looked up at Ramiel with agonized eyes.
Ramiel's back remained straight. The halo above her quivered faintly, betraying the pressure she endured, but that was all. Eyes closed, she withstood her master's onslaught like a serene lake. Arael couldn't comprehend how she held her posture.
"...I am too foolish to grasp Your intent. What exactly do You command me to explain...?"
At Ramiel's cautious question, the Blissful Heavenly Demon roared like a beast.
"Why choose the Knight's Grave, which has an intelligent being as its boss monster! Because of that, an unnecessary variable cropped up, and the ordeal I prepared so carefully went to hell! Why not just pick something tame like 'Black Flood' or 'Swamp of Despair'? Why go for a dungeon with an intelligent being—and of all things, the one with that damned Wilhelm!"
The intangible pressure in her shout targeted Ramiel. The other angels gasped for air, panting heavily. Ramiel's expression twisted severely, though her posture held. Her halo above churned wildly.
"Wilhelm was originally prepared as a trial for Ryu Tae-hyun! Even if pulled forward, he should never have crossed paths with the possessor! That guy's senses are sharp! Contact with a possessor touched by my authority would naturally tip him off to our existence! If the puppet on stage learns of those outside, the world's laws warp, and eventually the stage itself collapses! You knew that too! So why!"
The Blissful Heavenly Demon was furious. Her rampage seemed too emotional and passionate for a transcendent being at the pinnacle, a god of this world.
"Why pick Wilhelm specifically as the trial for Ahn Su-ho. Ramiel, there must be a proper reason for this mess that I don't know about, right?"
Go on, say it. All eyes turned to Ramiel. She opened her eyes and looked up at her master. Golden irises gleamed with intelligence through her short white hair.
"What reason could there be, Creator? This was simply my clear negligence and laziness."
"...What did you say?"
"Living Armors naturally appear in dungeons, so Knight's Grave came to mind. Though Wilhelm is intelligent, he shows no mercy to intruders in his master's tomb, so I thought he could surely carry out Your intended extermination of Kang Ha-neul. I was too foolish to foresee the possibility You mentioned."
"...Are you seriously saying that?"
"Punish me. I will gladly accept any penalty."
"Hah."
The Blissful Heavenly Demon laughed incredulously at Ramiel, who had bowed her head after speaking. Her laughter echoed loudly through the grand hall, stirring the mana filling the space into chaos.
"Laziness, you say. Yes, like with the Breath of the Morning Star last time, your negligence has gone too far. Ramiel, weren't you supposed to be the most brilliant among my children? Has receiving the rank of Second Angel made you arrogant? I've wondered why nothing goes right lately—turns out it's all because of your sloth."
"...Yes, Creator."
Ramiel listened to her master's reprimand with head bowed. Watching her, Arael wore a sorrowful expression. The Breath of the Morning Star incident was clearly Arael's blunder, but Ramiel had taken the fall. Seeing Ramiel scolded even more because of her own mistake made Arael feel guilt-ridden to the point of madness.
"Kang Ha-neul was originally prepared for Ryu Tae-hyun. But somehow she got tangled with that damn Ahn Su-ho, making her unusable. I planned to discard her through this trial, but instead, it just drove the wedge deeper into that affection. What to do about this..."
"Creator. May I dare to speak?"
It was Ramiel, just scolded moments ago, who spoke up. The Blissful Heavenly Demon let out a hollow chuckle at her boldness. Go on, speak, she nodded toward Ramiel.
Though Ramiel had made several mistakes lately, she was fundamentally her loyal servant.
Hearing her advice couldn't hurt. Despite the harsh scolding, she dared to speak, so she must have something in mind.
"If I may dare suggest, it would be best to cease intervening in the story's flow any further."
That was Ramiel's unexpected words.
"What?"
"A transcendent's intervention distorts the world's laws. Yet You have already intervened multiple times. Adjusting four possessors and various variables, even twisting the flow directly. To speak boldly, the current level of intervention is already at the limit. Any more interference risks drawing His attention—"
"How dare you!"
-Boom!
A massive explosion rocked the hall.
All angels raised their heads. One arm of the throne had crumbled. The Blissful Heavenly Demon had slammed it down in rage. Face flushed, seething, she rose and bellowed at Ramiel.
"How dare you exalt another before your master, Ramiel! Have your insolence reached such extremes that you've forgotten a servant's decorum?!"
The other angels bowed deeper, though not directed at them. Ramiel bowed apologetically, but no remorse showed on her face.
That thing's a god...? Pathetic.
Ramiel swallowed a sneer at her master's outburst over a mere title. Blasphemy unimaginable for other angels, but Ramiel didn't care.
"Huuuuuh."
The Blissful Heavenly Demon exhaled to calm her fury. Watching, Ramiel thought how childish she was. For all her claims of divinity, she was neither omnipotent nor omniscient, swayed by human emotions like a mere brat.
Judging her master had regained composure, Ramiel spoke again.
"I apologize for my earlier slip. But Creator, my concern stems purely from worry for Your well-being as master."
Ramiel looked up with worried eyes. Whatever her inner thoughts, the emotion in those golden irises seemed utterly genuine—even the transcendent Blissful Heavenly Demon couldn't doubt it.
"...What difficulty level is set for him now?"
Her anger somewhat assuaged by the gaze, the Blissful Heavenly Demon asked Ramiel.
"Him?"
"Obviously Ahn Su-ho! Speak plainly!"
"...Third from the highest level."
"Raise it to the maximum immediately. The system operates under the world's laws, unlike direct intervention, so adjust it freely!"
"So direct intervention..."
"I'll heed your concern and refrain from direct interference for a while. That should suffice, right?"
"...I am deeply grateful for granting my request, Creator. I shall obey Your command."
"However, Ramiel, I cannot forgo punishing you for your recent blunders."
The Blissful Heavenly Demon raised a finger slowly. It pointed at Ramiel.
-Crack!
"Guh?!"
In the next instant, Ramiel's glowing halo shattered with a sharp burst above her head. She collapsed, the light orbs around her vanishing, her pure white wings fading to ashen gray.
"Hearken, sinner Ramiel."
Ramiel struggled to rise at the call.
"I hereby temporarily strip you of the Second Angel rank I bestowed, revoke all your authorities, and for reflection on your negligence, remorse, and regret, I consign you to the deepest underground of Cocytus. If you are my faithful servant, accept this decree without complaint."
"...I accept."
Ramiel bowed politely. Though the halo's destruction twisted her body and mind, a faint smile lingered on her face.
Not bad. I've achieved most of my goal anyway.
Her smile was one of triumph, but no one present could fathom her true intent.
A moment later.
Escorted by the hands of her former fellow angels, Ramiel was imprisoned in Cocytus, the deep underground prison of Pantheon filled with biting cold. Her body shivered in the flesh-cutting chill, but her expression remained calm.
Locked in the dim cell, Ramiel leaned against the cold wall, wrapping her body with her wings. The lusterless, ashen wings, though frayed, served well as insulation.
-Step. Step. Step.
Footsteps echoed through the underground.
Ramiel didn't bother peering out. She knew who it was.
"Sister Ramiel..."
The visitor was the Thirteenth Angel, Arael, the lowest-ranked of the thirteen. Ramiel smiled faintly at the worried youngest.
"Go back, Arael. Nothing good comes from being near a sinner."
"S-Sinner? I don't think you're a sinner at all!"
"In this world, the Blissful Heavenly Demon's word is law. If She calls you a sinner, you are one. Or do you intend to defy Her?"
"Th-That's..."
Arael fidgeted awkwardly. Unable to respond, tears welled in her eyes. Ramiel chuckled softly.
"Arael. I always think this, but you're such a human-like angel."
"Ahaha. Th-That doesn't sound good..."
"I meant it positively. An emotionless angel is just a machine following orders. A machine can't think, reflect, or grow from reflection. But Arael, an angel with emotions is different. Like the humans below, you have infinite potential for growth. So don't be ashamed of those human emotions—cherish them."
Ramiel's detached tone gave Arael a strange sense of dissonance. The suspicion that had lingered in her lately resurfaced. She wanted to voice it, but fearing the consequences, she only bit her lip.
"S-Sister..."
But soon, resolved, Arael broached the subject. Ramiel looked at her.
"D-Did you... do it on purpose? With the Breath of the Morning Star. And now. P-Pretend to mess up so the Blissful Heavenly Demon's plans would..."
Arael trailed off and swallowed. Ramiel's cold gaze pierced her. Despite losing her authority and halo, those intelligent golden eyes gripped Arael's heart tightly.
"A s-s-slip of the t-tongue!"
"Arael. Despite your youth, you're growing remarkably fast."
"Y-Yes?"
Arael blinked stupidly at Ramiel's sudden warm smile.
"The pure you who once followed orders blindly without question now thinks and reasons for herself. As your sister, I'm truly proud of your growth. Well done, Arael."
"Th-Then, does that mean—"
"Of course, your suspicion is wrong. The Blissful Heavenly Demon is our Creator who made me, our parent, our master, the supreme being beyond comparison. Why would I sabotage Her on purpose? Questioning the immediate is fine, but this time, your direction was off."
"Ah. Ahaha..."
Arael laughed sheepishly.
"R-Right. I must've misunderstood. Why did I think that? You'd never do such a thing. The audience earlier was so shocking, I wasn't in my right mind."
"It was your first full angelic audience, so you're exhausted. Go rest above. And try not to come down here again."
"Y-Yes. I'll go up then."
"Oh, Arael?"
Arael, half-turned, looked back at the call.
"What is it?"
"Last time, when Ahn Su-ho discovered your identity, he asked you for a favor. If an unexpected crisis hits him, to give him a heads-up."
"Ah."
Arael recalled that day—when her foolish mistake exposed them to the possessor.
Cold sweat trickled down her back. If the Blissful Heavenly Demon had learned of it, what punishment? Seeing how She treated Ramiel, it wouldn't have been light. Worse than demotion and imprisonment, for sure.
"Wh-Why bring that up?"
Arael asked uneasily. Why mention it now? She couldn't guess Ramiel's intent.
...Huh?
A belated realization.
She hadn't told Ramiel about contacting Ahn Su-ho. During the Breath of the Morning Star recovery failure, she'd only reported that Ahn Su-ho had been there first.
How... how did she know?
Arael paled. She'd thought no one knew. Fortunately, no one was observing her then.
But why? How?
"..."
Arael trembled, unable to even ask. Her mind swirled with worries about her own fate, unimaginable punishments from the Blissful Heavenly Demon.
"About that favor from Ahn Su-ho..."
"Yes..."
Arael swallowed dryly. Tension made her palms sweat profusely.
"Try to grant it, as best you can. Within your abilities, of course."
"...Pardon?"
Arael blinked dumbly at the unexpected words.
"Gr-Grant it? What do you—"
"Help Ahn Su-ho. Though the Blissful Heavenly Demon will refrain from direct interference, max difficulty means crises ahead for him. Help him overcome them, to the extent you can."
"Wh-Why? Doesn't She hate that possessor? Isn't that why She's manipulating variables to heap trials and hardships on him—"
"Ah, Arael. You've grown, but you know one and not the other."
Ramiel stood and approached the bars slowly. Grasping them, she exhaled warmly. The breath tickled Arael's cheek.
"Yes, She hates the possessor. But She also loves and cherishes him. What She wants isn't just his suffering. It's him struggling desperately, overcoming trials and adversities."
Arael half-understood, half-didn't. Ramiel added gently to her puzzled face.
"Remember what She said today, Arael? She wanted to discard the now-useless Kang Ha-neul. That's why She prepared the double dungeon variable."
Arael nodded slightly. Terrified throughout the audience, but she remembered the exchanges.
"Isn't it odd? If discarding Kang Ha-neul, there are simpler ways. Why order the complicated double dungeon?"
"T-To give Ahn Su-ho hardship...?"
"Correct. Specifically, entertaining, thrilling hardship."
Arael nodded as if grasping it. Ramiel smiled inwardly.
As if.
Most of what she told Arael was lies. The Blissful Heavenly Demon didn't cherish Ahn Su-ho. She just wanted him to suffer. Stories of triumph over adversity? Hard-won victories through desperate struggles? Not what She craved.
Yet She hadn't inflicted direct, insurmountable crises on him.
Despite wanting to discard Kang Ha-neul, She hadn't killed her outright, instead dragging a future double dungeon event to the present.
Simply because She lacks the power. For all Her god claims, She's neither omnipotent nor omniscient.
But Ramiel wouldn't tell Arael that. She wove truth and lies to deceive the young angel. It sounded plausible to the uninformed. This naive angel wouldn't doubt her.
"...I see. So that's how it is."
See? Ramiel smiled at Arael's innocent nod.
"So help Ahn Su-ho. Without other angels or the Blissful Heavenly Demon noticing. You know why, right?"
Arael nodded ambiguously. The reason was vague, but asking felt awkward.
"All to provide Her more enjoyable entertainment. Now go."
"Y-Yes..."
Arael glanced back hesitantly before vanishing toward the prison exit.
"..."
Alone, Ramiel leaned against the wall again, wrapping herself in her wings. The bone-chilling cold invaded her body, but her pounding heart warmed it with excitement.
Gesturing into the air, a translucent image appeared. The basic angelic power of lower-world observation. Though her halo was shattered and powers lost, this remained.
The hazy image showed bustling people. At the center: Ahn Su-ho unconscious on a stretcher, Kang Ha-neul glued to his side.
Please, struggle hard.
Struggle and struggle until he could hold a blade to the throat of the false god who dragged him into this world.
Ramiel hoped for that day. A deep smile curved her lips.