62
Chapter 62
Clairvoyance, the great Authority that looks down upon the earth.
Known as the 'Eye of God,' this power allows Archangel Michael to survey the entire continent.
Yes, only the 'continent.'
Due to the pact made between the Demon God and the Lord regarding the Heavenly Realm and the Demon Realm, the two worlds must not interfere with each other's dimensions. Even the Authority of Clairvoyance cannot reach the Demon Realm.
Angels must not set foot in the Demon Realm. By the same logic, devils or demons cannot enter the Heavenly Realm. They are bound by the Law.
Unless one side 'summons' the other.
'This is a difficult situation.'
Archangel Uriel had been summoned to the Demon Beast Forest.
Michael, who is closest to the Lord, immediately activated Clairvoyance. This was because he was worried about Uriel.
The Demon Beast Forest is part of the Demon Realm. Although the dimensional wall is warped, connecting it to the continent, it is not a place Uriel's Clairvoyance should naturally reach. However, he could see specifically where Uriel was.
When Uriel first contacted Lucifer, Michael wasn't overly concerned. Lucifer and Uriel had been rivals for a long time, but neither possessed enough power to truly destroy the other.
However, the moment a certain demon boldly approached Uriel...
Michael felt a fear he had never experienced before.
It wasn't the kind of fear felt when facing a powerful opponent.
The battle between the Hero and the Demon King has been a tradition for ages... Usually, the Hero wins, but if the Hero fails, Michael's role was to intervene in the human world and kill the Demon King.
Of course, most of the 'battle'-related duties were handled by Archangel Gabriel, the 'strongest of all.' But wasn't it Archangel Michael who punished Satan, who once turned into an evil dragon and led the 72 demons in a rebellion?
For such a Michael to feel fear toward a mere demon—not even a Demon King—was absurd.
But it was reality. Within his vision, the demon was shaking Uriel with a 'few words,' just as Michael had feared.
Yes, that was the source of Michael's fear.
Fear of the unknown.
An instinctive dread born from ignorance.
He couldn't tell if it was good or evil.
The act of bringing Uriel to ruin was certainly rooted in evil.
Yet, the demon's words were not wrong. He hadn't lured her into a trap with clever rhetoric. He had simply brought the hideous side sleeping within Uriel to the surface.
Like a pure child who had found a fascinating new toy.
He was still doing so.
"Choose! From the four options I just gave you! Ah, since there's also the option of leaving Ms. Uriel alone, should I change it to five options?"
The demon looked genuinely 'happy' as he cheerfully posed the question, like a teacher giving a student a test.
It wasn't merely that he felt pleasure seeing them struggle. He was simply enjoying the situation he had so meticulously prepared.
Using Clairvoyance instead of his physical eyes, Michael slowly scanned the surroundings.
Lucifer, struggling to comprehend the rapidly unfolding situation.
An unknown demon, grinning behind a white mask with arms wide open.
A Wolf Beastman, snarling fiercely while standing between them and the demon.
A Holy Knight, unconscious after losing too much blood from a pierced abdomen... and Raphael, who had approached and was now healing the knight with Holy Power.
Losing reason to emotion would be useless in this situation. Maintaining an unwavering mind, Michael thought slowly.
"Don't worry too much! Just leave her to whoever makes you think, 'Ah! I could trust this guy with Uriel for the rest of her life!'"
The best move would be to take Uriel themselves or move her to a safe location, but...
Clank-.
'...Damn, I took too long.'
The moment red iron chains erupted from the void and coiled around Michael's limbs, he cast those thoughts aside.
"Wow, it's been a while since I've seen the Chains of Causality personally bind those who broke the rules."
'The Saint is also pinned by the nails of causality; this makes me think of her. I wonder what our Saint is doing right now?'
Clank, clank, clank-!
It wasn't just Michael. Gabriel and Raphael, who had descended into the Demon Beast Forest by twisting providence rather than through summoning, were also seized by chains.
'Lord, what must I do?'
There was no time.
The Chains of Causality were pulling him away.
Michael furrowed his brow.
Asking his noble Lord for an answer that would not come.
Saint Michael, the 'one closest to the Lord,' solemnly weighed the four options.
"Michael, look forward."
It was Gabriel's voice, sounding like a celestial song, that broke his concentration.
"The Lord has shown mercy."
In truth, this game is practically decided.
Michael had been watching Lucifer and me through Clairvoyance.
He likely knows exactly which one of us is more dangerous.
Since Beatrice and Aru are under my command, there is no reason to consider them. It is essentially a choice between two people.
And Michael probably knows that Lucifer and I are on completely different levels.
Furthermore, Lucifer just introduced me as 'Chaos.' Of course, that is nothing more than the rambling of a senile old man.
Well, everyone is free to be mistaken. Michael might actually believe I am Chaos. And Chaos is incomparably more dangerous than someone like Lucifer.
Moreover, the deciding factor is this.
Lucifer hinted that he has no intention of killing Uriel. They share a bond from the past, and as former comrades, he harbors feelings of both love and hate.
Sure, Lucifer might suddenly snap in a fit of rage and kill Uriel one day. But this is a game; one must accept that kind of risk.
In the first place, why wouldn't the angels, including Michael, kill Lucifer? It's because of lingering attachment. They pity their fallen friend. If they truly wanted to annihilate Lucifer, they wouldn't have mediated the war between Uriel and Lucifer; they would have sided with Uriel to erase him.
For these reasons, Michael will choose Lucifer as the one to entrust with Uriel. Since Lucifer even appeared frightened by Uriel, Gabriel, and Raphael, he is the perfect candidate.
Entrusting an angel to a devil is completely illogical, but what can you do? I need to get out of here.
Breaking the contract between Lucifer and Beatrice. That is my goal. To achieve this, I brought about Uriel's downfall, who was the cause of Lucifer's contract with humans, and as a consequence, the three Archangels arrived.
I have no desire to earn the grudge of an Archangel. As long as I am in the Demon Beast Forest, they cannot interfere with me, but a grudge inevitably grows into future trouble. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael aren't exactly nobodies.
"Ga, Gabriel...? What should we do...? If this continues, Uriel will..."
"Raphael, be quiet. There are too many eyes watching."
"B-but there's so little time..."
"Michael will reach a conclusion on his own. It is regrettable regarding Uriel... but follow Michael's decision. He is the one and only representative of the Lord."
"I understand..."
At the words of Gabriel, the 'strongest of all,' Raphael, who 'heals the sick traveler,' lowers his head as if disheartened.
At a glance, he looks like a beautiful youth of endless softness.
But one must not be fooled by that appearance. I still remember Raphael in my previous life, weeping tears of blood and launching a fierce assault on the Demon King after the Demon King killed Uriel for refusing to tolerate evil.
Back then, Raphael ended up fighting me, the second-in-command, rather than the Demon King, and after an hour of fighting, I left him on the brink of death.
Of course, that was 400 years in the future. At this moment, in terms of raw power, I can't even reach Raphael's toes. Therefore, it's better to redirect the grudge elsewhere.
"...Lucifer, there is one thing I wish to ask of you."
"Michael, have you decided?"
"I need your help. For the sake of the face of one who once shared the Holy Eucharist at the same table, I want you to look after Uriel."
"..."
Lucifer remains silent.
Good, very good.
Michael, push a little harder. Lucifer is wavering. This is the time to show the charisma and intimidation of an Archangel.
"Is the descendant, or rather Chaos, not also here?"
"Lucifer, I am asking this of you."
Thud-.
Michael kneels before Lucifer. Am I really that untrustworthy...? I'm a baby angel who decided to believe in the Lord in my own way, so seeing an Archangel trust a devil over me bruises my pride a bit. Though it is exactly what I intended.
"I do not ask for anything troublesome. I simply mean for you to keep the embers of Uriel's life from going out. Your Authority is surely not so limited that you would find even that burdensome."
"Uriel tried to kill me. What happens if she puts a blade to my throat again?"
"Uriel is no longer an angel. She no longer possesses the power to threaten you."
"..."
"Lucifer, please, for the sake of the bond you once shared. No matter what, we cannot entrust Uriel to a dangerous element presumed to be Chaos."
Wait, why am I already 'presumed to be Chaos'? He should have just suspected me a little and moved on.
Honestly, I like that he's trying to leave her with Lucifer, but I don't like the motive.
"..."
Lucifer rests his chin on his hand and contemplates. He doesn't seem entirely at ease. He cackled at Beatrice's tragedy, but now that his enemy and friend is facing a tragedy, he's acting all miserable.
Rustle-.
"Ugh... aaah..."
Right then, the fallen Uriel let out a groan, drawing everyone's attention. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael approached her, pulling against the Chains of Causality.
"Uriel, are you awake?"
"U-Uriel...? Are you okay...? I poured in some Holy Power, but... since this is the Demon Beast Forest, the Holy Power isn't working properly..."
"Michael... Raphael... Gabriel... ugh."
Surrounded by the touch of the three angels, Uriel struggled to open her eyes and surveyed her surroundings.
Where her gaze stopped, there were wings that had been unsightly burned to ash by the Hellfire of Sin. The pure white wings that symbolize an angel.
Tears began to well up in Uriel's golden eyes.
"H-how am I supposed to live now...?"
"..."
"All my life, I only wished to stand by your side... I only desired to realize the truth..."
None of the angels could answer Uriel's sobbing question.
A gloomy silence lingered among them. A thrilling silence.
"Young Demon...? What's happening...?"
I heard Aru whispering beside me. To avoid breaking this delightful situation, I raised a finger to my lips.
"Shh."
"Whimper..."
After quickly suppressing Aru, I began to empathize with the angels again.
The pathetic Uriel, whose life, effort, years, pride, and self-esteem had all collapsed.
And her three friends, who, knowing how much she craved the 'truth,' were deeply sympathizing with the intense emptiness she felt.
What a truly beautiful masterpiece.
"Michael... I never dreamed of a future like this."
"..."
"I wanted to reach the truth. The one you emphasized every single day. Reaching that was the sole mission of my millions of years of life. Not the destruction of evil, nor judgment."
"I am sorry, Uriel. I was the one who stifled you."
"You only ever spoke the truth. I am the loser who put my own neck in the noose."
A thick sense of despair wafted through the air. She seemed to have lost all will to live.
"Michael, I would rather you kill me here. Even if your Authority is limited, surely that would be easy."
"..."
"I don't want to be helplessly entrusted to Lucifer. Nor do I want to live a wandering life without a goal. The moment my wings were torn away by the flames of sin, I, Uriel, died."
"Uriel, you..."
"However, there is one regret left. The Lord. I am sorry to say this to you, Michael, but as I burned, I presumptuously resented the Lord. Even though I was the one who committed all the wrongs."
"Urie..."
"I simply received the appropriate retribution. I only paid the price for my blasphemy toward the Lord. Now, I regret that fact so deeply."
As the poignant confession continued, the three angels, including Michael, grew more teary-eyed.
"Lord... Great Lord... I am sorry... I am truly sorry..."
Uriel offered an apology to the heavens, knowing no answer would come.
"Please... punish this foolish one. I shall accept it gladly."
It was then, while Michael was deeply immersed in the moment.
Swoosh-.
Uriel's back was covered in a golden light.
It was an unexpected phenomenon.
"Michael, look forward."
Gabriel spoke in a firm voice to Michael, who had been hanging his head hopelessly.
"The Lord has shown mercy."
"...!"
At Gabriel's low words, Michael's eyes widened as he tilted Uriel's body back.
Then, her bare back, which had been hidden, was revealed to the world.
And a 'small, white thing' attached to the middle of her smooth back also revealed itself.
Shock flashed across the faces of those watching—Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Lucifer, and even me.
"...Huh?"
"M-my wings...!"
"Wings! Wings grew back!"
Clearly, Uriel's original wings had been burnt to pieces and crumbled. I had confirmed it with my own eyes.
However, another pair of wings were now attached to Uriel's back. It seemed they grew after a faint streak of light settled on her back just now.
The Lord's mercy.
The Lord's blessings.
The Lord's miracle.
It had descended upon the fallen angel, Uriel, resonating with her repentant heart.
"B-but this size... it's too small! They aren't big enough to enter the Heavenly Realm!"
"A test... Uriel, it seems the Lord has given you a test."
"Hic... A test...?"
"You were destined to lose your wings and live as an ordinary human... but the Lord responded to your sincerity. New wings have sprouted. However, these wings are far too small. It means you are not yet ready to enter the Heavenly Realm."
"Does that mean..."
"Walk the path of the Lord's Apostle once more. Grow your wings and reach the truth. That is your task from this moment on."
Gabriel calmly delivered the Lord's will to Uriel.
I hadn't anticipated this development.
"You are no longer Archangel Uriel. You begin again, starting from a Baby Angel. It will be difficult and grueling, but if you have the will to uphold the Lord's will, do not give up."
"G-Gabriel is right! Uriel, you've lost all your Authority... but you still have your experience and knowledge..."
"...Uriel, let me ask you one thing."
Michael, who had remained silent until now, spoke.
Just hand her over to Lucifer already. Whether she's a Baby Angel or whatever, there's nothing you can do to help her. You can't even take Uriel back to the Heavenly Realm.
"There are two kinds of lives. One is to live as an ordinary human and accept the end. The other is to wander in search of the truth, however uncertain that may be."
"Michael...?"
"Choose one of these two lives, Uriel. I respect your will. I cannot decide your future or your life with my own hands. The choice, the responsibility, and the life given are entirely yours."
"..."
"Choose the life that you truly desire. Regardless of your choice, I will respect it."
It was an incredibly solemn question. Uriel answered immediately without a moment's hesitation.
"The truth."
"Is this your sincere wish?"
"I want to reach the truth. I want to meet the Lord and learn His noble will. If there is a test the Lord has set for me, I want to pass it proudly and stand before Him."
"It is a dangerous choice."
"Since I've already returned from the brink of death, if there is a choice that allows me to realize the truth, even if it's risky—"
"...I understand. I accept your will."
Michael stood up. She whispered softly toward the awkwardly standing Lucifer.
"Forget my words, Lucifer. You are no longer concerned with us."
"...That's welcome news."
Wait, hey, hold on. Why is Lucifer no longer involved?
Just because two tiny wings sprouted doesn't mean you can take Uriel back to the Heavenly Realm.
Turning toward me, Michael spoke.
"Demon of madness."
"Ahem... Has the decision been made? Haha..."
"It makes little difference whether I entrust Uriel to you or to one of the two under your command."
"Does that mean... you're choosing me? No, why on earth? Do you know how dangerous a demon I am? You know that, don't you, Angel?"
I couldn't understand Michael's sudden choice. I asked in disbelief, but Michael did not answer.
Gabriel and Raphael, who were standing beside Michael, stepped forward. Were they just as confused as I was?
"Yes, if this is what Michael has chosen, we must follow."
"Michael! What does that mean! Even if Lucifer is untrustworthy, you're entrusting her to that demon! That demon is the one who made Uriel like this!"
Nice one, Raphael. You've got to push back when it's necessary.
"This is the path Uriel chose, Raphael."
"But...!"
"If Uriel stays by Lucifer's side, she will learn nothing but evil. Lucifer, who failed to reach the truth, cannot teach Uriel how to realize it. But Chaos is different."
"Huh...?"
"Chaos is chaos. In chaos, there is neither good nor evil. Therefore, no one knows what Uriel will learn from him. She might realize the truth, or she might fall further and become something dangerous. However, Uriel chose Chaos. Even if she stays with the one who brought about her ruin, she chose the gambling path where she might attain the truth. Uriel decided to walk this path to leave no regrets."
"Ah..."
"Therefore, Demon of madness, Uriel has chosen you. Take responsibility for her. Never forget that if you should kill Uriel, the judgment of the three Archangels will fall upon you."
As Michael's words fell like a sentence, my mind began to race.
Damn it.
What a predicament. I never imagined Michael would make such a choice; my head is throbbing.
It's a headache, but it's exhilarating. Being with Uriel will certainly be tedious in many ways, but I'm secretly looking forward to the future. A mindless smile naturally formed on my face.
What can I do?
I'm just that kind of species. I was born this way, so who is there to blame?
I should embrace it. Since I posed the problem, and Michael solved it beautifully in tandem with the Lord, I should give a reward.
I spread my arms wide and shouted brightly.
"Yes! Thank you for participating in the show, Angel! Please participate actively next time as well!"
The true first-rate person is the one who can smile in hard times. And I am first-rate.