The Angel's Wrath

The angel's saliva, mixed with the peach and rabbit's, slides down my throat. Gulp. When I pull my lips away, a thin strand of saliva stretches and snaps. It always feels like the angel's peculiar tastes are some kind of territorial marking. "Hnnng." She sounds pleased. When I stare straight at Ariel, she meets my eyes at first, but soon glances away toward her phone. The more I burrow into her embrace, the stronger the comforting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scent of sunshine grows. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Soft and warm. Watching Ariel absentmindedly scroll on her phone while cradling me only makes me want to bother her more. Thanks to the angel's body heat, my stomach feels pleasantly warm. Maybe this is how house cats feel when they sprawl across their owner's laptop just to be annoying.

"Found one?"

"Still looking."

"Still?"

"Because you keep distracting me, Ga-eul."

"Fair enough."

I wriggle out of Ariel's arms and flop onto her lap so I can see what she's doing. She's browsing for a sofa in a color that looks impossible to keep clean. "Wouldn't black be better? Dust shows up less."

"I can just clean it."

Ariel glances down at me, then gently brushes the hair that had piled up on my forehead. "When do you ever clean the duplex? Just thinking about it sounds exhausting."

"You should start by cleaning your own pocket dimension first."

"I already organized it, thank you very much."

Her hand presses a little harder as she keeps stroking my hair. Pat. While we're chatting, Baek Seol starts scratching at the door to the yard, apparently bored. "Want to go play outside?"

"Eung!"

My body feels too relaxed from Ariel's touch to move. Just as I'm gathering the strength to get up, Ariel lifts her hand and flicks a finger through the air. Click! The door swings open on its own. Baek Seol hops out excitedly, tail bobbing. She must like this house more than I thought.

"Whoa, telekinesis?"

"Basic stuff."

Ariel's hand settles back on my forehead. "Can't you clean with it too?"

"I can erase things from existence."

The answer is a little terrifying, but at this point even abnormal statements like that feel normal. "I should get a small pet door installed so Baek Seol can come and go freely."

"I'll add it."

I only handed her the phone after opening the furniture site, yet she's already navigating to pet supplies like a pro. An angel shopping online on the sofa looks surprisingly natural. "Baek Seol's small, so get the tiniest pet door."

"I'll choose one that suits her."

She picks a cute design with fluffy clouds around the frame and drops it into the cart. It clashes with the gothic interior, but it fits Baek Seol perfectly. Even in small choices, Ariel's personality shines through. In a good way, it feels like she only thinks about the person in front of her.

"Once we finish furnishing the place, we can invite people over for a housewarming."

"What's a housewarming?"

"It's like an old folk ritual from where I used to live. After moving into a new house, you invite friends and family for a small party."

Ariel brushes my hair again. "Sounds nice."

"We also do a house blessing. We pray to the gate guardian for protection against evil, and ask the sun, moon, and stars to shine brightly on the house."

"Why ask them to shine brightly?"

"Everyone interprets it differently, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I think it's because people here believe ghosts move around when it's dark. So we ask for more light, brighter light."

"I see."

"Anyway, it's just asking for peace and safety."

Thump-thump-thump. Light footsteps race toward us. Before I can turn my head, a white fluffball leaps straight into my arms. "My little star is here."

"Eung!"

I slip my hands under Baek Seol's armpits and lift her. The cotton ball dangles in the air. "If you've been playing, you should shake off the dirt first."

Shake-shake!

"Outside, please."

"Okay!"

More grass and dirt scatter everywhere. "Baek Seol, did you dig holes again?"

"I did!"

"I can tell without looking."

After happily digging for a short while, the cotton ball is covered in soil. I pull out a wet wipe and clean her paws until they're spotless. "Hungry!"

Ding!

"Time to eat."

"Yay!"

Eat well, sleep well, play well. When they're little, just doing those three things well is enough to make you proud. I pet her head while she perks her ears and munches on flowers. "Baek Seol is an interesting friend."

"Thanks for staying with me."

"Being together makes me happy too, so it's fine."

Having her around is incredibly reassuring. Especially in this tower full of insane people. I can rely on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my own body, but the only protection Baek Seol has is the item Ariel gave her. Even if the glowing orb she plays with like a toy is powerful, it's better to be careful. "Oh, right. Speaking of which, I think I need to head out again."

"Who summoned you this time?"

"Plenty of places."

When I open the folded messages, countless lines of text appear. Invitations have piled up from everywhere. "For some reason, a ton of the gods who sent invitations are demons."

"Why wouldn't they be?"

Ariel, still playing with my hair while shopping, gives me a strange look. "That angel stare is really weird."

"It's nothing."

"It is, though?"

"It's nothing."

"It is."

"It's nothing."

Even while talking, Ariel keeps stroking my hair. I understand the feeling—she's probably thinking the same thing as she watches Baek Seol eat. A human lying on an angel's lap while a rabbit eats on the human's stomach. Anyone watching would probably laugh at how bizarre it looks, yet the moment feels strangely peaceful and happy.

"So this time I'm thinking of going to cause trouble at—"

"Hey! Don't say 'cause trouble.' They invited me, so I'm just going as a guest."

Ariel's eyes turn strange again. "I'm thinking of visiting the Echoing Thunder. I was doing the first-floor trial when the invitation suddenly showed up."

As I answer, Ariel's hand, which had been stroking my hair, freezes. "There aren't many sane gods among the divine seats, but I especially don't recommend him. Go to a demon instead."

"Why a demon?"

"Demons are cunning but thoroughly calculating. Their cunning cancels out with yours, so it'll be fine."

"How does it cancel out?"

"If you smash their heads, they won't have time to scheme. That's your specialty, isn't it?"

"Fair enough."

"They'll be the ones horrified by you instead."

While having this ridiculous conversation with the angel and being petted, drowsiness creeps in. Maybe that's why Baek Seol sleeps so much. "The demon who smashes foreheads whenever he does anything—that's Satan, right?"

"He's dangerous."

She just said it would be fine, and now she's changed her mind. He must be that dangerous. "Then I'll go visit the thunder guy and come back."

Ariel silently continues stroking my hair. "Still, he at least pretends to be on the side of justice, so it'll probably be okay."

"Do you know who he is?"

"Yeah. He's really familiar."

There's something unsettling about it, but I'm also curious how stern he'll be. Compared to the other divine seats I've met so far, he might actually be reliable. "Once I get back and finish furnishing the place, let's have the housewarming. I'll invite Master Staff and Master PT too. We'll throw a little party just us. I'll cook lots of good food."

When I look up at Ariel, she has a faint smile. The kind of smile that anyone else would call expressionless. "I'll be looking forward to it."

I'm in a position where I need to prepare for war. I still can't control them properly, but I've gained a large number of soldiers. And until now, I didn't have any attribute power. If I had to name one, it would be a joke—my physical strength is my attribute. If I can learn something from the thunder god like before, lightning abilities will be excellent in one-on-one fights. "I'll be back soon."

"Safe travels."

Ariel lowers her hand after one last stroke through my hair. "Baek Seol, I'm heading out."

"Eung!"

"Ughk!"

No matter what I'd done until now, I'd always had power to spare. I'd never felt this much strength before, but thanks to it, the hands binding me slowly begin to be pushed back. "W-what? How can a human…?"

"Graaaah!"

Malevolent Spirit Counterattack activates.

Boom!

The divine seat is pushed back slightly. In that split-second, my left eye opens and I see everything. Thanks to that, I'm freed from the restraints. The problem is the thing proudly hanging at his waist, crackling with sparks. One strike from it makes the sea boil, and two strikes deafen even the dead in the underworld with thunder—that's the lightning this thing will unleash.

Taking advantage of the tiny opening in his stance, I reach out. He notices and immediately fires lightning. The skin on my reaching hand turns to ash in an instant, exposing white bone. "Aaaagh!!"

Even the bone melts away in the blink of an eye. "You bastard!"

Pop!

I burst Geunduun behind my shoulder, propelling myself forward as my shoulder explodes outward. Tap! The tip of my melting finger bone barely reaches him.

"Graaaaaah!!!"

Zeus rages, tearing apart the body in front of him. "Spit it out!! Spit it out!!!"

Every time Zeus moves his hands, the pink-haired woman's body is ripped apart. Crunch. An arm is forcibly torn off. Crunch. A leg is pulled out whole. Still not satisfied, his face flushes red with fury. "Hand it over! Then I'll spare you."

"……."

Even with her limbs torn off, the woman laughs weakly. Her shoulders, now just chunks of meat, twitch. "You vicious bitch! If you don't hand it over right now, I'll rip off your last remaining arm too!"

"Heh……"

The blood-soaked woman slowly raises her one remaining trembling arm. From her clenched fist, her middle finger rises. "Thanks…… for the meal…… you…… bitch."

"Ugh!! Uuuugh!!!"

"Kuh……erk."

"You!! You'll suffer eternally without dying!! Just like Prometheus!!!"

Zeus forcibly rips off her last remaining arm. Blood gushes from the empty shoulder socket.

Mara Papiyas smiles.

Crackle!

Space is forcibly torn open. "H-how can the divine realm be forced open……"

Zeus stares blankly at the torn space. Something appears. Thud. An expressionless angel bathed in sunlight steps out and lands. "You……!!"

"Iuppiter Pater."

Grind. Zeus's face flushes as if about to burst. "I don't know how you forced your way into the divine realm, but don't call me by that name."

"Iuppiter Pater."

The angel ignores him and repeats the name. "……."

The angel slowly walks toward the pool of blood. She dips her hand in it, then brings it to her nose. She smells a strong peach scent from the blood on her hand. "Where is my friend?"

"……."

After a long hesitation, Zeus extends his hand. A pinkish cluster of light moves from it and transfers to the angel. "I sent her body to another dimension, leaving only the soul. It must be hell."

Hearing his answer, the angel stares blankly at the blood on her hand before turning her gaze to Zeus. "I am the one who transcribes the history of the heavens. I am the time of the heavens, the past of the heavens, and the present of the heavens."

"So what……"

Zeus panics at the angel's murderous glare. "Therefore, I am the heavens. Iuppiter Pater, she is mine, and you stole what belongs to the heavens."

"Damn it! That crazy bitch took Astraphe…… Gah!"

The angel's wings spread wide behind her. Seeing this, Zeus stumbles backward. The angel's calm voice reaches his ears.

"From now on, I will erase Olympus from existence."