Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: A Deal with an Archangel
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[...What?]
Uriel blinked blankly.
[Did I hear you correctly?]
“No, you heard me right. Connect me to an archangel. You can do that, can't you?”
[Being able to do it and actually doing it are two different things!!]
Uriel shouted, her voice filled with horror.
Uriel was not a high-ranking angel.
Though she was assigned to help me, she was, in reality, a simple pawn whose main purpose was surveillance.
And who had ordered that ‘surveillance’?
I jerked my chin, showing my annoyance.
“Just do it. No harm will come to you. Your superior knows full well that this conversation requires the authority of an archangel.”
[N-no! No, no, no! How could I dare summon an a-archangel! I've never even properly seen the faces of the Cherubim!]
Uriel reacted as if she were about to faint on the spot.
It was like asking a private to summon a corps commander.
It wasn't that I didn't understand, but I was only asking because I knew it was possible.
“Once they understand the situation, they'll have no choice but to respond. Just do as I say.”
[Ugh, ughhh. I don't know anything. I really don't. I'm going to get in so much trouble.]
Uriel, on the verge of tears, vanished.
But if that private had received a secret order directly from the corps commander, the situation would be different.
Such things were rare, but that was exactly Uriel's situation.
I crossed my arms and waited quietly for Uriel to reappear.
‘Who will show up?’
I was already acquainted with archangels.
Two of them, in fact.
One was the 'Angel of Benevolence', who was constantly watching over me.
The other was Zadkiel, who had now completely attached himself to Jeong Ha-yeon.
Zadkiel was unlikely to appear, and the Angel of Benevolence didn't typically handle external affairs.
Ultimately, an angel close to those two, one who primarily handles external affairs, would have to appear.
[This is the first time we've met in person, Kim Se-hyeon.]
Before long, an archangel revealed himself.
As I expected, it wasn't the 'Angel of Benevolence' or Zadkiel, but a different archangel.
“Gabriel.”
[...You know me.]
Gabriel was surprised.
The only male archangel with long, fine blue hair was Gabriel.
He was a spitting image of how he looked in the game, so I recognized him immediately.
To think it was Gabriel who had given Uriel this task.
I felt a sense of unease and asked Gabriel,
“That’s not important. You’ve heard Uriel’s report, I assume?”
[I have. A while ago.]
Gabriel’s gaze met mine.
His eyes, like the blue sea, seemed to project a fleeting glimpse into my mind.
[Your request for an audience with an archangel of authority must mean you have something to say.]
“I do.”
[Unfortunately, I do not have much to say to you.]
Gabriel said so without a change in his expression.
His high-handed personality was still the same.
“'Not much' implies there's still something.”
<...>
Gabriel simply looked down at me.
This is why I don't like angels.
That look they give you, as if humans are naturally beneath them.
It was unpleasant in the game, but seeing it in person made it palpable.
These beings were definitely not entirely on our side.
[If this is about the system being disconnected, that is a natural phenomenon.]
At last, Gabriel slowly began to speak.
[The system is limited to Earth. It cannot function in other dimensions. That is how it was ordained, and it cannot be otherwise.]
“That's not it.”
[...Human. You know little of the system. This is not a lie...]
“That's not what I'm talking about.”
I smirked at Gabriel.
Uriel anxiously glanced back and forth between my face and Gabriel's.
A small smile playing on my lips, I continued.
“You owe me compensation, don't you? Why haven't you mentioned that?”
<...>
“System Treaty, Article 5. If a player from Earth is transported to another world by demonic beasts, they must be promptly returned to Earth. But you failed to do so.”
Gabriel's eyes wavered.
He clearly hadn't expected me to know about that.
‘Even though you were the one who told me about it.’
During a late-game encounter with the angels.
Gabriel himself had once explained to me the treaties the angels had to abide by following the creation of the 'system'.
Among them, Article 5 was a clause I had specifically memorized, thinking it might be useful later.
“According to your treaty, failure to comply requires you to provide substantial compensation to the player in question. And the player gets to choose the compensation. Surely you're not about to make excuses for your failure now, are you?”
[Human.]
“Don't be ridiculous. I returned entirely through my own power. In the end, you did nothing to bring me back to Earth. You completely violated Article 5. Are you going to break the treaty?”
[The 'Angel of Benevolence' bows her head apologetically.]
[The 'Seat of the Blindfolded Scales' acknowledges your words.]
[The 'Guardian of the Holy Spear' expresses displeasure at your tone.]
It seemed every archangel was watching.
All the better for me.
[K-K-Kim Se-hyeon-nim. Perhaps you could lower your tone a bit...]
“You stay out of it.”
[Hic.]
Gabriel remained silent.
Aside from his attitude toward humans, Gabriel was an upright angel.
He valued principles to the point of being a stickler for the rules, strictly adhering to regulations and order.
Such a Gabriel would never break a treaty.
“You need me anyway. It's the only way to stop the apocalypse. Why not just think of this as an investment in me?”
I drove the point home to the silent Gabriel.
Ultimately, the angels were also working to protect Earth.
There was no strong reason to oppose a human who was striving to prevent the apocalypse from becoming stronger.
The reason for the chapter stat restrictions was purely because of the devils.
[...Your words are reasonable.]
At last, Gabriel slowly blinked.
[In accordance with Article 5 of the treaty, I shall grant your wish. So, what is it that you desire?]
Success.
I immediately voiced what I had been thinking.
“I want to know what happened in the United States that caused people from there to be sent to another world as well. I'd like information on that.”
[Denied.]
“...What?”
Denied?
He rejected it instantly, without a moment's thought?
“Why not? I should be able to choose the compensation, shouldn't I?”
[You have the right to choose, but that does not mean anything you ask for is possible. Furthermore, the treaty is not above all else.]
“By that logic, you could just say no to anything I ask, making the treaty meaningless.”
[It is not to that extent. I simply refused because the information you requested is not something I can disclose carelessly.]
“Damn it. What's so classified about that information?”
It was information about a major deviation from the game.
I needed to know about it to prepare for what was coming.
But it was obvious that demanding an S-rank trait out of the blue wouldn't work either.
And there wasn't any A-rank trait worth getting.
[...If you have no suitable reward in mind, then I shall propose one.]
As I bit my lip, mulling over the compensation, Gabriel interjected.
[I will review your actions in the other world and include them in your official records for proper compensation.]
“You were supposed to do that anyway. Don't try to shortchange me.”
He really was an infuriating fellow.
If it had been the 'Angel of Benevolence', I could have sweet-talked her into giving me a generous reward.
Even if it had been one of the righteous, hot-headed archangels like Zadkiel or Uriel, I could have skillfully played up my grievances and they would have given me a good reward out of guilt.
But of all of them, it had to be Gabriel.
The only silver lining was that the others were watching this scene, which might help build a favorable opinion for me.
[Then I shall make a proposal.]
“...What is it?”
[Even I cannot manifest here for long. If you cannot decide readily, how about we postpone it? I will confirm what can be offered as compensation, discuss it, and deliver the options through Uriel later. Does that sound acceptable?]
It wasn't a bad offer.
I didn't have anything I needed or could think of right now either.
However, there was one point I had to make clear.
“Then I'll give Uriel a list of rewards I want soon. You can hear them in her report and judge them as well.”
[Understood.]
Uriel, who had suddenly been given an important role, stood frozen like a statue.
If I didn't state it like this, they might come back with a ridiculously low-balled offer.
I had no choice.
[I shall await the day you reach this place.]
Gabriel's form gradually faded.
The higher a being's rank, the more restrictions there were on them manifesting in the mortal world.
We had only spoken for about three minutes, but his manifestation had already reached its limit.
It was now certain that I could connect with high-ranking beings on the angelic side through Uriel.
I might be able to achieve a similar effect by having subjugated the 'One Who Covets Treasure', but I'd have to test that to be sure.
‘No.’
Angels had a sense of community, but devils did not.
They were all about strict individualism and hierarchy.
Contacting a high-ranking devil through the One Who Covets Treasure was something to consider after making other preparations.
[To think an archangel would agree so readily to a private meeting...]
The devil muttered, sounding dumbfounded.
From Chapter 11 onward, higher-ranking devils begin to get involved.
The 'One Who Covets Treasure' was a low-level devil.
Being low-level was why he was stuck with grunt work like collecting usage fees.
This connected to what he had said before.
His words about whether the other devils would stand idly by.
Devils didn't much care what happened to other devils... but the one directly above the One Who Covets Treasure would be a different story.
[Ah, there was one more thing I had to say.]
As I turned to leave, Gabriel, whose form had almost completely disappeared, added one last thing.
[Your existence has been exposed to 'them'. It would be wise to be careful.]
‘Them?’
I was suddenly reminded of what the King of Disease had said.
‘Are you the human that 'He' spoke of?’
At the time, I wasn't sure what he meant.
Now, I thought I understood.
‘The beings from the other world's legion are watching me. Is that how I should see it?’
Even so, they wouldn't be able to interfere and do something to me just like that.
Everything happens in a predetermined order.
Forcibly twisting or changing that grand design would require a massive payment of coins.
When I became the Conqueror of Seoul, the devil had paid millions of coins just to forcibly create a quest to kill me.
But to go beyond that, to forcibly intervene and make a future disaster appear now...
I couldn't even imagine how many coins that would require.
‘It's not likely to happen so soon, but...’
Most importantly, they didn't have any coins.
Since it was an act of interfering with causality, it was practically impossible.
Still, I had to be prepared.
I glanced over at the devil.
There was no way Gabriel hadn't noticed the presence of the 'One Who Covets Treasure'.
He must have been briefed by Uriel about what had happened, which is why he said nothing and let it go.
Still, I thought he would at least give a light warning.
<...>
Whether by coincidence or not, the devil was also watching me.
His eyes were filled with such longing that it was obvious what he was after.
I knew what he was thinking without having to ask.
He was probably thinking he'd be free from me soon.
I could faintly feel his aura as well.
“Keep dreaming.”
[H-Huh?]
“It's not going to happen.”
[What are you talking about all of a sudden...?]
Seeing the devil feign ignorance, I smirked and walked away.