Chapter 139
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Angels of Scripture
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"Would you like one?"
"Ah, no thank you. I was actually planning to give you some of what you mentioned before."
I pulled out the small box I'd prepared in advance and handed it over. Her eyes lit up.
"Ah! Can I eat it?!"
"Of course. I made it as a gift. It tastes even better than last time."
At my explanation, she beamed like a child unwrapping a present and opened the box. Inside was a serving of ice cream, kept perfectly frozen.
"Oh my... I never dreamed I'd get to eat this again. It was so delicious."
"Is that right."
I gave a faint smile and snapped my fingers.
An invisible barrier swept over the area, swallowing all sound completely.
"Young Master?"
"I have a few questions for you, Lady Navel."
It wasn't anything major, but I was a little curious.
"Of course. If I know the answer to whatever you're wondering about, I'll tell you anything."
"It's nothing big. I've never really read the scriptures properly. Are there any stories about angels or demons?"
Her eyes sparkled at my question.
"I see! You're curious about the myths, Lord Leon!"
The guy who wasn't thrilled about his own stigmata seemed pretty enthusiastic about myths.
"More interest than I expected."
"Myths... aren't they fun? Super exciting. There are all kinds of myths, though... What part do you want to hear about?"
"Like I said, about the existence of angels and demons."
She fell silent for a moment before speaking up.
"Commonly, angels are called the servants of the good gods. Demons are evil spirits that stay by the side of the wicked."
"I see."
"But I think a little differently."
"Differently how?"
She pondered for a bit, then slowly opened her mouth.
"Honestly, isn't it a bit much to divide angels and demons strictly into good and evil?"
Luna had said angels and demons weren't all that different as races.
Humans were the same.
Maybe Navel was onto something.
"Any basis for that?"
"Not really. But from the holy covenant I've studied, it says demons stay by the wicked, yet those people's ends are never good."
"What if demons drag those wicked ones into the mire?"
"That's possible, sure. But couldn't there be another way to look at it? Why do demons only stick to the wicked? If they were just dragging them down, they wouldn't need to stay by their side."
Made sense when she put it like that.
"Nothing certain, but if demons exist, maybe they don't possess people to make them evil—they just attach to the already evil and pull them down. Hehe, of course, saying this in the Holy Kingdom would get me branded a heretic."
She gave a playful wink, as if asking me to keep it secret.
"Got it. One more question, then."
"Sure. What's on your mind this time?"
"Do you know about the types of angels?"
"Types of angels... The scriptures say there are three kinds."
She continued.
"First, the common angels with one pair of wings—servants of God. Above them are the punishers, or God's might, with two pairs: the strong angels."
Of course, even in the Holy Kingdom, almost no one had actually seen these angels—just talk, no proof.
"And the last one..."
"The beings from myths, the ones we revere. Archangels with three pairs of wings."
She smiled reverently.
"Transcendent existences that carry out God's will to benefit the world. They're angels like the common or strong ones, but completely different. That's the saying... but truthfully, no one knows the real details."
Naturally, that sparked more curiosity.
"So, how many kinds of archangels are there?"
"The well-known ones are the seven archangels. Like the Archangel Uriel, who handles God's knowledge. The angel of God's blessings and song, Remiel. The Archangel Raguel, who wields the flames of life and death. The angel of the heavens, Camael."
She stood and pulled a worn scripture from her belongings.
"That's what this book says. 'The archangels with three pairs of wings descended, proclaiming God's will and writing the myths. Their eyes hold the truths of the world, their very existence aligned with truth. God's words are conveyed through them.'"
Raguel... Was that the three-winged angel of fire I met in Labyrinthos?
I asked again as I listened.
"But didn't you say seven?"
"Ah, yes, right. There are four archangels with three pairs. But even among them, there are three higher archangels with four pairs."
"Three..."
"God's right hand, bearer of divine might with four wings: Michael. Known as the strongest among archangels."
Hmm...
"The angel of God's revelations, the herald called the four-winged Archangel Gabriel. They say everything he speaks echoes God's own words."
She closed her eyes briefly, smiling softly. A holy aura emanated from her, befitting the Holy Kingdom's most sacred maiden.
[Preparation to receive the Sword Hall's memories is almost...]
Now's not the time. I waved my hand, scattering the floating text.
"Finally, God's left hand, the angel of love and healing—and the four-winged Archangel Raphael, who banished the god of death Adam and the goddess of life Eve from paradise and punished them. Raphael is actually the one we revere most deeply in the Holy Kingdom. She's the foundation of the recovery magic healing priests borrow."
As she spoke, her eyes widened.
"Come to think of it, Luna's name kept feeling familiar. Raphaelina does sound a lot like Archangel Raphael."
So that's why she reacted to Luna's name.
It didn't mean much to begin with.
Still, it nagged at me a bit.
"So, do those three greater archangels still exist?"
"Who knows? Us mere humans can't sense or see beings who are practically God's incarnations, right?"
She smiled lightly.
Even a saintess wouldn't know the world's truths. And if she did, she wouldn't share with outsiders.
I hadn't gained anything concrete, but I was satisfied here.
"Thanks for making time."
"I enjoyed it too."
Leaving her elegant smile behind, I stepped back onto the deck. There was Melissa, silently watching a seagull perched on her hand.
The sight felt wistful, drawing a chuckle from me.
The mermaids' ship stopped periodically during the voyage to recharge their magic.
The vessel was fast to begin with, so even with 30-minute halts, we made great time.
No wind stirred the sea, the still surface evoking a thick silence.
In that quiet, Melissa stared at the horizon beyond the railing, her silence heavy as if the world had ended.
This somber mood wasn't good. In a way, it felt disrespectful—I hadn't brought her along to watch her mope.
I'd have come alone if that was the plan.
Watching her, I started hearing phantom voices in my head.
A black-clad version of me seemed to mutter in one ear.
"What're you doing? Just gonna put up with that?"
Then, a white-clad me whispered in the other ear, or so it felt.
"Future's crystal clear, you idiot. Do it now."
Decision made.
"Eek?!"
Splash!!
Action swift—I shoved Melissa's back, sending her tumbling into the sea.
"Pfft! Leon, you lunatic?!"
I smirked at her furious outburst. Enraged, she dove underwater and erupted back up with a massive splash.
Then she charged straight at me.
"Get over here! I'll dunk you too!"
She lunged like a nimble hyena, but I casually dodged, weaving side to side.
The moment she swung wide to grab my collar, I countered—wrapped her arm and flung her back overboard.
Her face a storm of curses, Melissa sailed through the air again.
Next, Luna descended from the mast. Spotting her, I snatched and tossed her too.
Luna went wide-eyed—"Huh?!"—and hit the water before she knew it, staring blankly up at the ship like she hadn't seen it coming.
"Leon, what the hell?"
"Feels refreshing, right?"
"..."
Luna gazed at me vacantly. Then she raised one hand.
"Uh... wait, hey!"
Boom!!!!
I swung my arm lightly in response.
Light swing or not, the sheer raw power creating a massive wave was downright shocking.
The ship rocked violently. The giggling mermaids fell silent, eyes bulging.
The jolt was so sudden, the saintess and holy knight in the cabin leaped out in alarm.
"What happened?!"
The saintess rushed out, voice urgent, clearly baffled. The holy knight, thinking attack, had drawn his sword.
No assault, just awkward quiet.
Whoosh!!
Luna, bobbing on the surface, pointed at the sea with a finger while staring up at me blankly.
Her colorless vibe sent chills up my spine reflexively.
[For survival—and considering her future behavior patterns—immediate immersion advised.]
I swatted away the advisor's snide tip and dove into the sea without hesitation.
I'd planned to jump in anyway.
Splash!!!
Surfacing after my clean dive, the mermaids manning the ship burst into laughter.
Only then did the saintess realize we were just playing and sighed in relief.
"But that huge noise just now... where did it—"
As she spoke, Luna raised a hand and lightly splashed toward me.