Chapter 143
Chapter 143
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: I've Chosen You
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“I thought I was gonna die. No. I actually died twice.”
“So who's this here? Lee Seong-hoon number two? Or maybe the Lee Seong-hoon you thought you were was just a clone all along for the ending?”
“What, so you're out for revenge on the world now?”
“Everything up till now was just the intro!!”
Give me a break. I brushed the dust off my clothes with a few pats. It'd only been a few hours in real time, but it felt like ages since I'd last been outside.
I glanced up at the clear blue sky, then at Raphael.
“...”
She kept sneaking peeks at me. Then she cleared her throat with a 'ahem!!' and flapped her six wings proudly, nose in the air like she'd done something impressive.
Anyone could see she was radiating a 'please ask me about it' vibe—
“Let's go. Lily. Levatein.”
“Whatever Levatein wants.”
“Homemade it is.”
What, homemade's a problem? It's the maid's job. She has to do her duties. That's what keeps society running. If maids don't do maid work, society grinds to a halt. Doesn't she know how gears work?
As we started walking, Raphael let out a 'ding~~' and came running over.
“Wait a sec. Wait!!”
“What now. Oh, right. I didn't thank you yet. Thanks so much for saving me when I got out on my own!!”
“That's not it!! Not that!!”
“Then what.”
“Can't you see this? This?”
Raphael spread the four wings that had been wrapped around her body. With all six unfurled, she gave off a faintly divine aura.
“What.”
That was it. She was pointing at her own wings like an idiot—divine, my ass. Just a fool.
No way I'm asking. She'll get all smug. Why bother?
“Hmph. I get it. You're the shy type, Seong-hoon. Or as they say, a tsundere.”
What the hell is this?
“For your sake, I'll tell you myself!! Even though I don't have to!!”
“...”
At this point, it was just pitiful. I stared at her in disbelief. Levatein, cradled in my arms, tilted her head with a finger to her lips.
Lily... couldn't even say a word.
“That's right!! I'm a Seraphim!! Se. Ra. Phim. Raphael!!”
“Why emphasize it twice.”
“Because it's important!!”
She sucked in a breath—
Then declared it proudly, hand thrust forward dramatically.
“Actually, I'm none other than the Angel of Universal Love!!”
“.....??”
I didn't look at Raphael. Instead, I exchanged glances with Lachesis, perched on her shoulder.
The black cat looked utterly perplexed. I turned to Lily, who had her arms around my neck.
She tilted her head. Then I looked down at Levatein.
“It means loving everyone equally.”
“Apparently. Beats me.”
Levatein tilted her head too. I looked back at Raphael. She beamed innocently.
“Wanna all die?”
“Why?! Think about your usual behavior!!”
“You're an angel, right? Seraphim? Angel of Universal Love? Unlike the lower angels, you were granted a host—?!”
“Then act like it. Usually. No, you're just slothful period. Aren't you actually a demon? The Demon of Sloth? Just sloth? Or pride, sloth, gluttony, greed—”
“Aaah!! Stop right there!! There's a limit to blasphemy!!”
“Blasphemy my ass!!”
Finally losing her patience, Raphael lunged at me. She pinched my cheeks, so I yanked her lips.
“Seong-hoon. Repeat after me. Angel of Universal Love, Lady Raphael. Sorry for not recognizing you!!”
“Demon of Sloth, Raphael! Let go!!”
“Aaah!!”
We tussled like that, grabbing each other's faces, when the click of shoes echoed. It wasn't just the sound.
Even I, who couldn't sense mana well, felt the demonic energy. Boiling murderous intent.
A red suit came into view. Gaudy horns appeared. He adjusted his glasses and glared.
Raphael and I froze mid-pinch. It was ridiculous, but that wasn't the point.
Raphael spoke first.
“Huh. You're not dead?”
Botis approached. His grim expression made me glance at Raphael, who looked smug like 'did I do good?', so I roughly pieced it together.
He must've gotten thoroughly thrashed by six-winged Raphael.
Even normal hits hurt, but wings spread with mana infused? How bad would that be?
Just imagining it gave me chills, so I shook my head.
Raphael blinked blankly at Botis's ominous words and looked at me. I met her gaze.
“Seong-hoon.”
“Yeah.”
“What's this red moon? I've been hearing about it nonstop—red moon this, red moon that. It's annoying.”
“Oh.”
Did she not see it back on Eleven Island? She's asking now?
“Nothing. You don't need to know.”
I let go of her cheek and stood. The blonde got up soon after, dusting herself off.
“It's not happening anyway.”
I'll stop it.
“Really? So this guy's—or demon's—got a case of pathological lying?”
“Demons' words are half lies by default.”
“No wonder. I knew it when Lily said you were cool last time.”
“... Lily's the exception. She's bound by a master-servant contract.”
“Exceptions don't exist. All demons are the same.”
You're an angel and you're like this. I wanted to say, but held back. It'd just drag into an argument. I stayed quiet and prepared for battle.
I pulled out the [Reaper's Robe] and gripped the [Death Reaper]. Levatein naturally got sucked into the scythe without a word.
Lachesis jumped from Raphael's shoulder to mine.
Lily wrapped her arms around my neck. Why does she keep touching my collarbone?
“Hey.”
I cut Botis off. Alone, I'd never dream of it, but beside me were a six-winged angel and a four-winged demon.
“I'll tell you two facts.”
I raised one finger and spoke loudly enough for him to hear.
“The moon won't turn red. Neither will the sky.”
The sky does change, but that's not the point right now.
“Common knowledge. Remember that.”
I grinned. He grinned back. Was it a grin? Goosebumps everywhere.
His mouth tore open. To where it couldn't. I twisted my neck left. To where it couldn't.
Our eyes had already met. His face warped into a laughing mask as he stared at me.
Still, I raised a second finger.
“Next~ Yeah.”
I kept smiling. To piss him off, I smiled even brighter.
“Even if the red moon rises. You won't be around to see it.”
It happened simultaneously. Black-red wings and pure white ones enveloped me. Lily and Raphael each hugged half of me, blocking something.
sizzle—!!
Black smoke rose over the wings.
“You're weak, why provoke him!! So dangerous!!”
The blonde said that, but I couldn't help blinking.
What was that just now? Demons can't use powers in reality without a wish—
“Ah.”
It clicked instantly. It's because of me. That vampire's final wish was [Kill me the cruelest way in the world].
Meaning he can use powers to kill me.
Damn it.
“Lily.”
“Can you beat that guy?”
Figured. I patted her head reassuringly. Next, I looked at the blonde.
Our eyes met, and she blinked twice. Then she smirked in disbelief.
“Think I can't win?”
Her six wings glowed assertively. I nodded.
“I can't fight. Having me around just boosts your combat power.”
“Boost away. Doesn't matter.”
“I'll probably get sandwiched and die.”
“Then stay put.”
Quick answer, nice. I pushed her head down, and she ducked.
Huh? Isn't she supposed to argue here? Weird. Feeling puzzled, I explained to Raphael.
“Catch that guy, and no more demons for a while. Almost a year.”
“Got it.”
“So catch him. No matter what.”
“Got it.”
“Hm. If you don't~”
I pondered. What would shock her most?
“No dinner tonight.”
Raphael shot off. Didn't even hear the end. Just caught 'dinner'?
Her flying figure, wings beating through the air. Watching her, I couldn't hold back.
“Go!! Raphael!! I've chosen you!!”
Raphael flew. She soared toward Botis, who was walking this way, and landed right in the line of fire between me and him.
Blocking every path for him to attack me. Of course, his powers would then surge at Raphael.
Didn't matter. She was confident she could block it all. Even with only half her original wings restored.
That was enough for a demon like this. This time, the four wings didn't wrap around Raphael.
They spread straight out. The six wings shone like spotlights, emanating pure white light.
Botis hesitated, then reached out. His power targeted me behind her.
So naturally, it flew at Raphael. But it didn't connect. The demonic energy from his hand burned up before Raphael's light.
“I'll end this quickly.”
She had a lot to do today. Tease Seong-hoon all day, make him praise the Angel of Universal Love that she was.
And that was just the start? She owed Levatein too, so the three of them needed to pick a summer spot—not the beach.
Fighting games, cozy meals for five, snacks from Lily, board games.
Too much to do. Couldn't count on fingers. No time to waste on some demon.
So Raphael didn't even give Botis time to speak.
In one step. Just one leap to the demon, she opened her mouth.
“Please don't commit evil in the afterlife.”
The wings spread. Not the ones from before. Same pure white light, but the size was different.
Big enough to envelop a whole house.
“Don't be born a demon next life.”
The wings engulfed the demon. Like an embrace, they closed in, leaving Botis speechless. No chance to. He tried to teleport to Seong-hoon, but impossible.
Once wrapped, escape was off the table.
It was like a confessional with walls everywhere. Raphael even had that compassionate nun face urging repentance.
But what followed wasn't peaceful at all.
Feathers fell. Not one. Endless feathers rained from the six wings.
Not like before. Number, location. Everything different.
No dodging, no minimizing damage.
The quantity was beyond imagination. Counting with eyes? Forget it. Vision filled with white feathers.
One exploded. Another. Chain explosions turned the inside into pandemonium.
It didn't end. Feathers kept falling. A storm formed. Explosions grew fiercer.
Yet outside the wings, all was calm. Not a sound leaked.
The storm raged until not even ashes remained.
“Whoa.”
That was Seong-hoon from afar. He saw it—the storm inside the wings.
Mana Eye and the Blue Window explained what it was.
[「Seraph's Embrace (EX)」]
[The benevolent embrace of a loving angel. But within waits the angel's hidden side, which ceases not until the foe is annihilated.]
“Gotta make damn sure I stay on her good side.”
Seong-hoon vowed firmly.