《Demon's Journey》 Chapter 0: Prologue A shirtless man paced back and forth in front of a child sitting on a bench. Two red suns in the sky hung directly above their heads, making their pale-purple skin seem orange. The child seemed to be about ten years old, but his body¡¯s muscles had already developed well beyond his age. His bright-red eyes followed the movements of the adult ahead of him. Behind the man stood a tent that emitted a woman¡¯s shriek every minute or so. The man¡¯s pacing caused the line in the sand to become more prominent with each step. The woman¡¯s screams stopped, and the desert fell silent. The man sucked in his breath and released it again as the screaming resumed. The child frowned and said, ¡°You¡¯re going to faint if you keep doing that, Dad.¡± The man glanced at his son and stopped mid-stride. He let out a sigh and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said and clenched his hands. ¡°Mom is a lot stronger than she looks.¡± Seconds later, his body shuddered, and he clutched his shoulders. He shook his head and started pacing back and forth again while gnashing his teeth. The boy sighed and shook his head as he leaned back against the bench. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t inherit his cowardice when I grow up.¡± A gust of wind blew past, buffeting the man and child with sand. The boy gritted his teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to inherit wrath either.¡± The woman¡¯s screaming stopped. A minute passed. Two minutes passed. Sweat trickled down the man¡¯s face as he gripped his leather belt. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Why did the screaming stop?¡± He approached the tent and stretched out his hand to grasp the opening flap. A tiny hand appeared on his wrist before he touched the fabric. He looked down and saw his son staring at him. ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± the boy said without blinking. ¡°It¡¯ll bring you bad luck.¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t care!¡± the man said and jerked his arm to the side, knocking the boy¡¯s hand off. He took a step forward and touched the tent flap. His body shuddered, and his teeth started to chatter. His knees wobbled, and he fell over backwards, bringing his hands to cover his face. He wailed and kicked the ground with his feet. ¡°Why?! Why am I cursed with cowardice?!¡± The boy frowned and sat next to his crying father. He brought his knees to his chest and crossed his arms over them. He rested his chin on his forearms and stared at the tent flap, waiting. Another minute passed with the sand blowing past the two. A baby¡¯s cry broke the silence, followed by a woman¡¯s cursing. The tent flap fell open, and a woman walked out with blood dripping down her elbows, holding a baby by the back of its neck. ¡°My wife,¡± the man said with tears in his eyes as he stared up at the woman. ¡°Is she¡­¡± The woman shook her head. She dropped the baby in the stunned man¡¯s arms. It started to wail. ¡°That¡¯ll be 50 stones,¡± the woman said and cracked her neck by turning her head towards her back. ¡°Ah, I hate working in the morning.¡± She held out her palm and motioned with her fingers. Stolen novel; please report. The man didn¡¯t say anything as he stared down at the bloody baby in his arms with his mouth still open from the shock. The boy sighed and undid the leather pouch by his belt and placed it in the woman¡¯s palm. ¡°Leave.¡± The woman snorted as she weighed the bag with her hand. After a second, she nodded and said, ¡°I guess there¡¯s no more money to be had from your family. A shame really. I was hoping to get at least another hundred stones from her.¡± She yawned and stretched her arms above her head as she walked off into the distance. The boy took the baby from his father¡¯s hands as the man got up and staggered towards the tent opening. The boy took out a sagging leather pouch that flopped in his hand. He applied pressure on the pouch and a trickle of whitish-yellow liquid flowed out of a corner. He nodded and looked down at the baby. The spaces not covered by blood revealed pale-purple skin, similar to his. He walked back towards the bench and sat with the gurgling baby in his left arm and the pouch in his right hand. ¡°Hungry?¡± he asked the baby, ignoring the wails coming from the tent. The baby reached its hands towards the boy¡¯s face. He smiled, revealing two rows of pointed teeth. He reached his finger forward and tickled the baby¡¯s palm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the boy said and raised his head to look towards the tent. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Mom isn¡¯t around to hurt you. She can¡¯t hurt anyone anymore.¡± The suns burned overhead, causing a bead of sweat to roll in a zigzag down the boy¡¯s scarred back. The boy leaned back against the bench, rocking the baby with his arms, staring at the two red suns in the sky. The choked wails coming from the tent continued to ring throughout the desert, causing the baby in the boy¡¯s arms to cry. He sighed and bounced the baby with the help of his knee. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it soon enough,¡± the boy said and placed the trickling leather pouch against the baby¡¯s mouth. ¡°Just shut up and drink this, alright? At least you don¡¯t have to hunt for your own food.¡± The baby sucked on the leather pouch and deflated it within a minute. It let out a gurgle as it burped. The boy frowned and took out another pouch. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re going to be a glutton when you grow up,¡± he said and repositioned the baby in his arms. ¡°Not too bad. There¡¯s worse things you could be.¡± The boy sighed as he stood up after the baby drank the second leather pouch. He looked towards the tent and shook his head. ¡°Such a worthless person,¡± he said and carried the baby against his chest. ¡°He¡¯s afraid of his own shadow. Well, I guess that¡¯s how he managed to survive for so long. Let¡¯s go home, you little pig. Brother won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡± He smiled at the baby and pat its back. Chapter 1 A girl sat outside of a tent, looking up at the blue and green moon in the sky with her dark-red eyes. She seemed to be around eight years old with pointed claws in place of finger and toenails. Her pale-purple skin was tinged with green as the moon shone down on her. Her left ear twitched and she turned her head to the side. She blinked before narrowing her eyes and saw multiple figures trudging towards her through the sand. She stood up and held the hem of her dress as she walked backwards. A thin man with his ribs sticking out of his skin pointed at her and nodded. One of the men next to him asked him another question and the thin man nodded again while hunching his back and clasping his hands together. He faced the girl. ¡°Andrea, come here.¡± Andrea bit her lip and continued to walk backwards, but at a faster pace. Her child steps couldn¡¯t compare to the grown men walking towards her and they soon caught up. She let out a gasp when the moonlight illuminated a man¡¯s face with a burn scar covering his right eye. Her hands trembled as she shifted her gaze to the thin man. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come when I asked you to?¡± her dad said. ¡°You¡¯re just like Palan when he was little. He never listened and Mom had to beat him.¡± His face was paler than usual and multiple cuts decorated his shirtless body. Andrea stayed silent and looked at her feet. ¡°This is your daughter?¡± the scar-faced man asked and grinned. ¡°A coward like you isn¡¯t completely worthless.¡± The two other men behind him laughed and unsheathed the bone daggers at their waists. The scar-faced man grabbed the girl¡¯s black hair and yanked her towards him, causing her to yelp. ¡°Kill him.¡± The thin man trembled and gulped as the two men with daggers approached him. His knees knocked together and he fell over backwards with sweat dripping off his face. He used his arms to scramble backwards while kicking his feet. ¡°You said you would let me go if I gave her to you.¡± One of the dagger-wielding men laughed. ¡°He isn¡¯t just a coward; he¡¯s stupid too,¡± he said and circled around to the thin man¡¯s back. ¡°How long have you been alive? You still believe people¡¯s words?¡± The thin man screamed as blood splattered. A few seconds passed with only the sound of flesh being pierced and torn. ¡°What¡¯s next boss?¡± the dagger-wielding man said as he licked the blood off his dagger and raised his head. He froze and stared in the girl¡¯s direction. Blood gushed out of the scar-faced man¡¯s neck, dripping onto the girl¡¯s face. Another man stood behind the scar-faced man. His bright-red eyes twinkled as he smiled at the dagger-wielder, revealing three rows of bloody pointed teeth. ¡°Palan!¡± Andrea shouted and hugged the new man¡¯s leg. The two dagger-wielding men gulped as they stepped backwards. ¡°It was his idea! He forced us to do this!¡± one of the men said and pointed at the scar-faced man¡¯s fallen body. ¡°I swear. He forced us into this!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said and nodded without blinking. ¡°You can go.¡± He pat Andrea¡¯s head and released himself from her hug. The two men looked at each other before they turned around and ran. A smile flashed across Palan¡¯s face and he dashed after the two men, quickly gaining on them. He unsheathed a bone dagger and slashed downwards, hamstringing one of the men. He ignored his cry and pounced towards the second man, sinking his teeth into his neck. He jerked his head back, causing a fountain of black blood to shoot towards the sky as half the man¡¯s neck was removed. He spat out the chunk of meat and sighed as he faced the hamstrung man who was trying to crawl away. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Black blood covered Palan¡¯s face, including his eyes, but it slowly slid downwards. A membrane over his eyes flickered and the remaining blood disappeared. He sauntered towards the man while tossing his dagger up and down. He smiled at the man. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have targeted my sister. Why do the weak never learn?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± the man said as sweat rolled down his neck. He clenched the sand on the ground next to him. ¡°Let me go; I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Palan said and nodded as he crouched over the fallen man. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± The man didn¡¯t even have a chance to scream before the dagger stole his last breath. Palan licked the blood off his dagger and sheathed it before turning towards Andrea. ¡°Welcome home,¡± Andrea said and tackled him with a bear hug. She raised her head to look at his face. She smiled, revealing one row of pointed teeth. ¡°Did you bring me lots to eat?¡± Palan chuckled and pat her head. ¡°Your claws are digging into me,¡± he said and winced. ¡°Oops.¡± Andrea said and retracted her claws. ¡°Sorry.¡± She blinked at him. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Palan said and lowered her to the ground. ¡°I left my kill behind when I smelled blood here. I¡¯ll go back and get it.¡± He turned towards his father¡¯s corpse. ¡°It was Dad,¡± Andrea said and frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save him too?¡± ¡°Did you want me to?¡± Palan asked and snorted. ¡°He disappears for years and he comes back to sell you off. He¡¯s better off dead.¡± Andrea grunted and her stomach growled as she stared at the corpse. ¡°Don¡¯t eat him,¡± Palan said and sighed. ¡°It¡¯ll bring bad luck. You can eat the other three, alright?¡± ¡°¡¯Kay,¡± Andrea said and skipped towards the scar-faced man¡¯s corpse. Palan shook his head and walked back towards the place he dropped his prey. By the time he got back, dragging a giant lizard, the only things that remained of the three men were their shattered bones. Not even their marrow remained. Andrea sat in front of the tent, picking at her teeth with her claw. She raised her head and her stomach growled when she saw the lizard. Palan sat down and sighed as he watched his sister devour the beast in front of him. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you have been something else, like a pride? Then I wouldn¡¯t have to hunt so often.¡± His sister giggled and tore a chunk of meat off the lizard¡¯s body. ¡°Then I couldn¡¯t live with you,¡± she said. ¡°Two prides won¡¯t get along.¡± ¡°I knew that,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°It was just an example of something that wasn¡¯t a glutton.¡± The sounds of tearing meat and chewing were the only response. When the lizard was half-gone, Andrea let out a burp and smiled at her brother. ¡°You don¡¯t want any?¡± Palan shook his head. ¡°I already ate three days ago,¡± he said. ¡°Unlike you, I can go two weeks without eating.¡± ¡°I can too,¡± Andrea said and pouted. ¡°I just feel sad if I don¡¯t eat though.¡± She beamed at Palan. ¡°You¡¯re the best brother ever.¡± ¡°I know; praise me more,¡± Palan said and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m going to town tomorrow. Do you want¡ª¡° ¡°Yes!¡± Palan laughed. ¡°Alright. The suns are going to rise soon. Get some sleep.¡± Andrea yawned and nodded as she walked towards the tent and pulled the flap open. Palan followed after her and sat down in the center of the room, facing the entrance. Andrea used his leg as a pillow and pulled a blanket over herself. Palan combed her hair until her breathing turned steady. He stared at the entrance as his breathing slowed. His eyes remained focused on the entrance as he started to snore. Chapter 2 The day passed uneventfully with the two siblings fast asleep. A few times, a beast would come by and sniff the tent, but it would leave after smelling it. One beast bit the tent, but quickly left afterwards. The suns set and were replaced by the green and blue moon. A beastial roar rang through the air, followed by a series of howls. Palan¡¯s eyes flickered and regained their luster. ¡°Andrea,¡± he said and gently shook his sister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s night time. Wake up.¡± Andrea groaned and stretched her arms out in front of her body. She flopped to the side and nibbled on Palan¡¯s leg. Palan winced and extricated himself from her jaws. Andrea rubbed her eyes. ¡°Palan?¡± ¡°Right here,¡± Palan said as he inspected his now-torn pants. A tiny trickle of blood dribbled down his thigh. ¡°We¡¯re going to town today.¡± Andrea yawned and sat up. Her stomach gurgled and drool leaked from her mouth as she blinked a few times. She turned towards Palan and pouted. Palan sighed. ¡°There¡¯s still half of the lizard outside,¡± he said. ¡°You can go eat it while I pack the tent. I¡¯ll kill something else for you on the way to town.¡± Andrea beamed and hugged her brother before skipping outside the tent. Palan stepped outside the tent and frowned. His father¡¯s corpse lay next to the tent, missing its innards. A bird that was as tall as his knee was perched next to the body, staring at him with a bloody beak. Another bird stood behind it, eyeing Andrea as she gnawed at the lizard¡¯s body in the distance. Palan narrowed his eyes and kicked his father¡¯s corpse in a direction away from Andrea. The birds cawed and flew after the mangled body. Palan directed his attention to the green tent; there was an orange stain on its side. A small pile of dried vomit laid in the sand next to the tent. Palan frowned and pat a pouch on his waist before sighing. He cursed and muttered, ¡°Looks like I need to buy more poison in town too. Those stupid animals should learn to smell.¡± He picked up the tent by its corners and folded it, careful to avoid the green exterior. He rolled it into a cylinder and bound it together with the leather strips used to hold it up. He strapped the tent to his back and picked up a leather sack which he strapped to his waist. He turned around to look for his sister and walked towards the lizard corpse. ¡°Almost done?¡± Andrea nodded as she sucked the marrow out of a bone. She licked her lips and smiled up at her brother while discarding the bone on the ground next to her. She dashed in front of him and spread her arms out to the side. ¡°Carry me.¡± Palan flicked her forehead. ¡°You¡¯ll turn into a sloth,¡± he said. ¡°Walk by yourself.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Andrea said and pouted while rubbing her forehead. She walked next to her brother and held his hand. The two set off. ¡°It¡¯s so quiet,¡± Andrea said as the two walked through the desert, encountering no creatures on the way. Palan frowned and squeezed his sister¡¯s hand. ¡°Where are all my snacks?¡± A gale rushed past the two, causing their hair to fly parallel with the floor. Palan picked his sister up and buried her head in his chest. ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he said and used the tent to shield his sister¡¯s body. Moments later, a torrent of sand crashed into the two siblings. Palan crouched and kept his eyes open, staring into the storm. Ten minutes passed in this fashion before the sandstorm was beyond the two. Palan¡¯s nictitating membrane flickered and all the sand that had built up on it fell off, clearing his vision. Tiny lacerations decorated his arms and face. Andrea popped her head up. ¡°Is it over?¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Palan nodded and stood up, slinging the tent back onto his back. ¡°That¡¯s probably why there were no animals out here,¡± he said and spat out a clump of sand. ¡°Boo,¡± Andrea said and frowned as she held her brother¡¯s hand. ¡°Stupid weather.¡± ¡°Stupid weather,¡± Palan echoed and nodded as the two set off again. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Andrea asked and pointed to the side after they had walked for half an hour. Palan narrowed his eyes at a pile of bleached bones, half-buried in the sand. They looked humanoid, but spikes grew outwards from their surfaces, making every bone seem like a miniature porcupine. Palan frowned and pulled his sister away as he covered her mouth and nose with his hand while holding his breath. Andrea struggled to breath and clawed at her brother¡¯s hand. He lifted her and dashed forward for thirty seconds before letting go of her face. She coughed and inhaled deeply before glaring at her brother. ¡°Plague skeleton,¡± Palan said and placed his sister back onto the ground. ¡°The sandstorm must¡¯ve uncovered it.¡± Andrea¡¯s face blanched and she squeezed her brother¡¯s hand. Her voice was lower than usual as she let out an, ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Palan said and tugged her hand as he continued to walk forward up a hill. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± The two reached the peak of the hill and saw a cluster of stone buildings in the distance. Smoke billowed towards the sky as a fire lit up the center of the town. Two torches illuminated the entrance to the town, revealing a huge figure sitting in front of the gap with a cluster of people waiting outside. The pair of siblings reached the edge of the shouting crowd. Most of them were men with scars decorating their bodies. Weapons made of bones hung from their belts or were strapped to their backs. They all stared at the man sitting in front of the shabby bone gate leading into town. Palan walked through the crowd, shoving people to the side with his right hand as he held onto Andrea with his left. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!?¡± one of the shoved men yelled and extended his hand towards Palan¡¯s shoulder. A pair of tusks protruded from his mouth and his nose was shaped like a pig¡¯s snout. Palan stepped to the side right before his shoulder was grasped and pulled on the man¡¯s arm, causing him to stumble forward. Palan tore the pig-man¡¯s neck with his teeth and left a gaping wound, severing the man¡¯s jugular vein. The man let out a groan as his face blanched and he clutched at his neck. Seconds later, he collapsed onto the ground with a puddle of black blood expanding in the sand. The surrounding men narrowed their eyes and cleared a path as Palan ignored them and continued towards the entrance. The two stopped in front of the gatekeeper who was easily six hundred pounds of muscle. He had large floppy ears and in place of a nose was a trunk that extended down to his belly. A pile of corpses lay scattered in front of the stone walls around him. He stood up and stepped to the side while nodding. ¡°Palan.¡± Palan nodded back and placed a pouch in the gatekeeper¡¯s hand as he walked past him and entered the town with Andrea in tow. The gate clattered shut behind him and the ground shook as the gatekeeper sat back down. ¡°Why does he get to go in?¡± one man asked and crossed his arms over his chest. The gatekeeper ignored the man as he tucked the leather pouch away into his pocket. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the man who spoke. His trunk swished back and forth in the air. ¡°The boss will judge you soon. Just wait.¡± Chapter 3 Andrea squeezed Palan¡¯s hand as she turned around to look at the gatekeeper¡¯s back. She tilted her head as the two walked along a jagged stone road covered with sand. Her foot caught against an uneven rock and she stumbled. ¡°Hey,¡± Palan said as he held her up. ¡°Watch your step. Always pay attention to your surroundings.¡± Andrea nodded. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he let everyone else in?¡± she asked and turned her head towards Palan. ¡°He gets paid to keep unruly people out,¡± Palan said. ¡°Troublemakers aren¡¯t allowed in town. The boss decides who stays and who goes.¡± Andrea blinked as she stared at Palan¡¯s chin which was still covered in blood. ¡°You¡¯re not a troublemaker?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Palan said and ruffled her hair. ¡°The boss is a greedy glutton and I happen to be very good at feeding gluttons. This way.¡± Palan tugged Andrea¡¯s hand and pulled her into a one-story building. Inside of the building was a counter with a middle-aged woman sitting on a chair behind it, chewing on a plant¡¯s stem. A torch hung next to her on the wall, lighting up an assortment of clay jars on the shelf behind her. The woman raised her head when the door swung open, causing the torch¡¯s fire to flicker. ¡°H-hello,¡± the woman said and stood up, knocking her chair over. She removed the plant stem from her mouth and placed it on the counter. ¡°Buying or selling?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Palan said and placed his leather sack on the counter. ¡°I know the market price for everything in here. Cheat me and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°U-understood,¡± the woman said and nodded. Her hands trembled as she untied the sack and revealed the contents within. Inside were a few roots and jars, releasing earthy-smelling fumes, along with a pouch that contained animal teeth of all sizes. The woman weighed everything with her hand and sniffed the contents of the jars while peering inside. After ten minutes, she nodded and wiped sweat off of her brow. ¡°I can give you 327 stones for this.¡± Palan stared at the woman and she bit her lip. Three seconds passed before Palan nodded and held out his hand. The woman bent under the counter and wrapped a bunch of glittering stones inside of a pouch before she rose back up and handed it to Palan. Her hands trembled as Palan weighed the pouch and stuffed it into his sack. ¡°I need two jars of poison. 100 stones.¡± The woman nodded and took two of the clay jars off the shelf and handed it to Palan. He opened it and sniffed before letting out a cough. He nodded and handed the woman the payment as he wiped his now-bleeding nose. He grabbed Andrea¡¯s hand and the two left the store. The woman let out a sigh of relief and collapsed into her chair, placing the plant¡¯s stem back in her mouth. ¡°Why was she so scared of you?¡± Andrea asked after the duo left the store. They walked along the road, towards the center of the town. ¡°All the shopkeepers are cowardly,¡± Palan said and readjusted his bag. ¡°It makes it easier for the boss to control them. He provides them a safe place to live and they work for him. Speak of the devil.¡± Palan pulled Andrea closer to his leg and stopped walking. A man with leathery wings and two pointed fangs jutting out of his upper lip walked towards the pair of siblings. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Palan,¡± the man said and smiled. He raised his eyebrow and shifted his gaze to Andrea. ¡°Did you bring me another snack?¡± Andrea hid behind Palan¡¯s leg. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Not today, boss.¡± The man frowned and shrugged. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a shame. Some other time then,¡± he said and licked his lips as he looked beyond Palan towards the gate. ¡°I already do have quite a feast waiting for me. I mustn¡¯t keep them waiting.¡± Palan stepped to the side and the boss smirked as he sauntered towards the entrance. Andrea stared at the wings on the man¡¯s back as Palan pulled her forwards. She asked, ¡°He¡¯s going to eat them?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Some of them,¡± Palan said. ¡°He¡¯ll eat the aggressive ones and use them as a lesson for the cowards.¡± ¡°Did he try to eat you?¡± ¡°What makes you think that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re aggressive.¡± ¡°No one thinks I¡¯m aggressive.¡± ¡°Because you killed everybody who thought you were.¡± Palan smiled and ruffled her hair. ¡°I¡¯m glad my sister¡¯s not stupid. As a reward, you can pick out whatever you want here.¡± Andrea smoothed out her hair and looked around at the town square lit up by a fire. Vendors sat with their wares displayed in front of them. Women stood in alleyways on the fringe of the bonfire¡¯s light radius. People were wandering through the square, inspecting the items. Multiple guards stood near a watchtower with bone spears in their hands. ¡°Those guards look strong,¡± Andrea said and pointed at the cluster of armed men. ¡°Can you beat them in a fight?¡± ¡°Of course I can,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± ¡°What if they all attacked you at once?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I can beat anyone.¡± Andrea tilted her head. ¡°Is that your pride talking?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond and shifted his eyes away. He pointed at a stall with roasted scorpions impaled on a stick. ¡°Look, don¡¯t you love eating those? I¡¯ll buy you some.¡± Andrea followed his finger and her stomach gurgled when she saw the poor scorpions. ¡°I want twenty,¡± she said and weaved through the crowd of people while pulling Palan along. Moments later, the duo left the stand with Andrea gnawing on a scorpion. ¡°I just need to trade in these animal skins for some clothes and we¡¯ll go home,¡± Palan said as the siblings walked to another stall with leather garments on display. Palan engaged the shopkeeper while Andrea¡¯s eyes wandered throughout the square. ¡°Pst, little girl,¡± a voice said from next to the stall. A man was squatting with a plant stem in his mouth. ¡°Have you ever heard about the angel¡¯s world? They live up there.¡± He pointed towards the blue and green moon. Andrea shook her head. The man grinned and a line of saliva leaked out the corner of his mouth. He asked, ¡°Do you want to hear about it? Just one scorpion and I can tell you all about it.¡± Andrea glanced at Palan who was preoccupied with his bag. She shook her head. The man¡¯s stomach gurgled as he frowned. He said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯ve been there before. I even have a stone from their lands. See?¡± He pulled out a rock and covered it with his hands. A faint pale glow shone through the gaps in his fingers. Andrea¡¯s eyes widened and she nodded. ¡°One scorpion, but you have to tell me first,¡± she said. Palan glanced downwards at the man after handing his animal hides to the vendor. ¡°Oh, this story,¡± he said and pulled Andrea away. ¡°I can tell it to you better than he can. You can¡¯t believe everything you hear; he¡¯s a well-known liar in this town.¡± The man clicked his tongue and chomped down on the plant in his mouth. He mumbled, ¡°Just wanted one¡­¡± The vendor handed Palan a bundle of clothes and peered over the side of her stall. ¡°When did you get here?¡± she asked the squatting man. ¡°Trying to scam children again? Do it somewhere else; it¡¯s bad for my business.¡± The man grumbled as he stood up and walked down an alley. ¡°The angels were much nicer,¡± he said and spat out the chewed up stem on the floor. ¡°Damn brats, think they know everything.¡± Andrea watched the man leave before looking up at the moon. The blue surface almost looked like it was moving. Chapter 4 Palan and Andrea walked along the uneven road with a trail of sticks left behind them. There were only three scorpion kebabs left in the younger sibling¡¯s hands. She nibbled off a scorpion claw while speaking, ¡°Tell me the story.¡± Palan grunted. ¡°That man¡¯s name is Bogar. According to him, he was running through the desert, being chased by a herd of wildebeests when he saw a portal appear in the air next to him. He jumped inside the portal, figuring that it would be better than being trampled to death.¡± ¡°The portals you throw things in to get stones?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said and nodded, ¡°those. He¡¯s the only person I know who claims to have returned after falling inside one of them that actually has some sort of proof, the glowing stone. Of course, he could be lying and found it somewhere else. He said he was teleported to another world where the people he met were like children. They didn¡¯t have any sins and they didn¡¯t kill each other. Everyone worked together to help each other, even perfect strangers. He called them angels.¡± ¡°What? No way.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I said he was a liar. It¡¯s impossible for a place like that to exist.¡± ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t give him my scorpion,¡± Andrea said and finished her last kebab. Her ears twitched and a scream rang through the air. More screams followed along with curses and shouts. ¡°The boss is probably filtering the group now,¡± Palan said as the two continued towards the gate. Palan saw the gatekeeper in the distance, slamming two men into the ground while holding them by their necks. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit.¡± Andrea nodded and the two sat on the side of the road, waiting for the screams to end. She turned towards Palan. ¡°Was that the end of the story?¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You still want to hear it, knowing it¡¯s a lie?¡± Andrea frowned. ¡°Well, how did he get back?¡± ¡°An angel opened a portal by drawing a picture on the floor and sent him back. He said that the portals were opened by the angels in the first place.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There is no reason. He¡¯s a liar,¡± Palan said and looked towards the gate. ¡°Even if he was telling the truth, he¡¯s not exactly the smartest person around.¡± Andrea nodded and stared up at the moon. Palan¡¯s nose crinkled and he frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I smell something strange,¡± Palan said and stood up. He leaned his head back and wind rushed into his nose as he inhaled. ¡°It¡¯s coming towards us.¡± Andrea stood next to him and cupped her hands over her ears. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything,¡± Andrea said and tilted her head. ¡°How far away is it?¡± ¡°Very far,¡± Palan said and frowned. ¡°If you stood on that wall and looked for it, you wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. It¡¯s moving extremely fast; maybe it¡¯s flying?¡± He grabbed Andrea¡¯s hand and pulled her towards the gate. The gatekeeper sat on the ground, staring at a group of hunched over individuals. The winged-man was crouching over a man¡¯s body, biting his neck. He glanced upwards when the gate creaked open and Palan walked out with Andrea. He released the body and frowned. ¡°You can¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want,¡± Palan said and shook his head as Andrea¡¯s stomach gurgled. He raised the leather sack by his waist. ¡°We got what we came for.¡± The winged-man grunted and resumed snacking. Andrea pouted as she walked past the corpses decorating the ground while holding Palan¡¯s hand. After they were out of earshot, Andrea asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell them?¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No need,¡± Palan said. ¡°I was thinking of migrating more to the south. The boss and I haven¡¯t been on good terms recently; it¡¯s about time to find a new town.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Andrea said and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere with lots of water. Like that underground cave from before.¡± Palan sighed. ¡°It would be nice if we could find someplace like that again,¡± he said and frowned, ¡°stupid Dad.¡± The two climbed up the hill that overlooked the town. Palan stopped and turned around once they reached the peak. A bird¡¯s shadow appeared in front of the moon, gradually growing larger. ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Palan said and pointed at the growing shadow. His nose wrinkled as he unsheathed his dagger. ¡°It smells like death.¡± As the bird flew closer, its full size could be seen. Its wingspan was wider than the town and its silhouette blocked out the bottom half of the moon. Its body was completely black, including its eyes. Dark specks fell from its feathers onto the ground below, which made the night seem like it was snowing. ¡°It¡¯s huge,¡± Andrea said and stared at it with sparkling eyes. A line of drool leaked from her mouth. ¡°I wonder what it tastes like.¡± Shouts echoed through the area as the townspeople noticed the oncoming bird. Palan dropped his dagger and grabbed Andrea, shielding her with his body while dropping to the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t notice us,¡± he said as the bird passed over the town and headed towards them. The flapping of its wings caused the sand around them to swirl around and knocked Palan¡¯s dagger partially down the hill as it passed overhead, completely ignoring the pair of siblings. Andrea raised her head and watched as the bird shrank before disappearing in the distance, while Palan dashed down the hill to retrieve his dagger. A mote of black light drifted down from the sky in front of Andrea¡¯s face. She tilted her head and extended her palm. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asked as the speck of darkness landed on her hand. It disappeared when it made contact. Her hand turned blue and she let out a scream as her hand throbbed. The bones in her palm wriggled and tiny white protrusions grew out of her skin. Palan ran back up the hill and grabbed Andrea¡¯s shoulder, whirling her around to face him. His eyes widened when he saw the needle-like bones sticking out of her palm. ¡°It hurts,¡± Andrea said with a whimper and looked at Palan¡¯s face. Tears formed in her eyes. She sniffed. ¡°I¡¯m going to die, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said and gritted his teeth. A bloody tooth fell out of his mouth and dropped to the ground. ¡°I won¡¯t let you. You¡¯re not allowed to die without my permission!¡± He unstrapped the tent from his back and picked Andrea up, placing her on his back. She struggled, but sweat formed on her brow and she stopped resisting. Palan tied her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. ¡°You¡¯ll get sick too,¡± Andrea mumbled next to his ear. Tears fell from her face and landed on his collarbone. ¡°There¡¯s a town in the east,¡± Palan said as he double checked the leather knots holding her in place. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a shaman lives there. He can cure you.¡± Palan turned his head towards Andrea, but saw that her eyes were closed and her breathing was ragged. ¡°I won¡¯t let something as weak as a plague take you from me,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes. He sprinted down the hill, leaving the discarded tent behind. Chapter 5 A group of three men sat around a campfire with an antelope roasting over it. The two suns shone overhead, causing the three men to sweat. One of the men tore off a chunk of slightly raw flesh and grinned. ¡°Hey! Quit eating the bait,¡± one of the men said and snarled. ¡°Ah, stop whining,¡± the man with the meat said. ¡°¡®Tis just a small morsel.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t make quota, you¡¯ll be the one finding shelter tonight,¡± the last man said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± the man with the meat said as he licked his lips. He pointed behind the two men. ¡°Look, there¡¯s already some coming this way.¡± The two men turned around and saw a sand cloud in the horizon. A tiny figure, that seemed to have two heads, could be seen approaching them. ¡°That¡¯s a person, you nitwit.¡± ¡°So what? We can still rob ¡®im.¡± The man threw the remaining meat to the side and drew his dagger. ¡°Eh,¡± the other men grumbled as they unsheathed their daggers as well. All three of them may prone against the ground and waited. ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± one of them said and frowned. ¡°The sand cloud¡¯s too big for just one person.¡± Their eyes widened as a pride of lions appeared on the horizon, chasing the figure. All three of them swore at the same time. ¡°Is he nuts?!¡± The three men scrambled to their feet and started running away. Palan narrowed his eyes at the three men running away ahead of him. He took a glance behind himself and saw that even more lions had joined the chase from the last time he checked. The three men ran towards the side, but Palan beelined towards them, slowly closing the distance. ¡°How¡¯s he running so fast!? He¡¯s carrying someone!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring us down with you!¡± One of the men swore and threw his dagger at Palan who had almost caught up. Palan turned his body sideways and avoided it, but it hit one of the lions, causing it to roar and sprint even faster. After the man threw the dagger, he tripped and fell to the ground. He shouted and lunged at his companion¡¯s ankle, ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t leave me behind.¡± ¡°You!¡± the man who got grabbed said as he started to fall. He twisted his body in mid-air and stabbed the man¡¯s forearm with his dagger. His body fell, but he kicked the other man¡¯s hand off his ankle and scrambled to his feet. It was at this moment that Palan passed the two of them. He didn¡¯t even take a look behind as the men screamed and lions roared. The third man paled and veered off to the side, but Palan pursued him and stabbed him in the spine with his dagger, causing the man to fall over. He jerked the dagger out of the man¡¯s back and kicked his limp body towards the frontmost lion before continuing to run. A few lions pursued Palan, but gave up after a couple of seconds and returned to the three men. One week later. Palan stood outside of a bone gate with sweat pouring from his body, soaking him and Andrea. The moon was out and illuminated the stone walls, causing the stones to glow. A pile of skeletons lay scattered in the sand ahead of him. ¡°State your business!¡± a voice called out from above. A man with a beak and wings stood on top of the gate with a bow in his hands. ¡°I need to see the shaman,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes at the bird-man. ¡°My sister is sick with the plague. I can pay.¡± ¡°The shaman doesn¡¯t just see anyone,¡± the bird-man said and launched an arrow towards Palan¡¯s feet. ¡°Leave.¡± Palan frowned and took a leather pouch out of his sack. He lobbed it towards the bird-man who dodged it before picking it up. His eyes shone and he let out a chirp before flying down towards the gate. ¡°If anyone asks, it was the fatty who let you in, alright?¡± the bird-man said as he opened the gate. Palan nodded as he walked inside. ¡°The shaman¡¯s in that building.¡± He pointed at a building with a wooden cross on top of it. His eyes widened when he saw Andrea¡¯s back as Palan walked past him. He shuddered and eyed the pouch in his hands, hesitating. He sighed and placed it in the bag by his waist, before flying back up to his post. Palan made his way through the city, heading straight for the church-like building. A few men stepped forward to stop him, but stopped and gave him a wide berth when they saw the spikes protruding out of Andrea¡¯s arms, legs, and back. The church doors creaked as he pushed it open. A bloody stench invaded his nostrils, causing his body to twitch. A man sat at an altar with two women standing at his sides with platters of food in their hands. The man had light-red skin, white hair, and blue eyes. He raised an eyebrow as Palan walked down the aisle, heading towards him. ¡°Are you the shaman?¡± Palan asked as he stopped twenty steps away from the trio. ¡°Is that what people are calling me these days?¡± the man asked and smiled, showing a set of pearl-white teeth. ¡°I see your friend there is quite sick.¡± ¡°Can you cure her?¡± ¡°I can,¡± the man said and took a sip from a golden cup, ¡°but why should I?¡± Palan frowned. ¡°I can pay you.¡± ¡°I am not like you demons,¡± the man said and placed the cup down. ¡°Money does not speak to me.¡± Palan remained silent as he stared at the man, his eyebrows creasing slightly. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The man smirked and a puff of air escaped his nostrils. ¡°What is your sin?¡± ¡°Pride.¡± ¡°Pride?¡± the man asked and laughed. ¡°Your kind rarely asks for help.¡± The man leaned forward and propped his elbow on his knee while resting his chin in his palm. He pointed his toes towards Palan. ¡°Lick my feet clean and I will consider saving your friend¡¯s life.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. He ground his teeth together and spat out a tooth. He bared his teeth at the man and ran his tongue over the serrated edges. The man shuddered and retracted his toes. ¡°I was just joking,¡± the man said and waved his hand. ¡°No need to look like that. Typical demons. I do not want your money, but maybe you have some other use for me. What is your name?¡± ¡°Palan.¡± The man tilted his head and furrowed his brow. He mumbled, ¡°Palan... Palan. Are you the hunter? I think I have heard about you; you made quite a big name for yourself after killing Atria.¡± Palan stopped glaring at the man as his lips quirked upwards. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± The man laughed. ¡°Good! Very good,¡± he said and smiled. ¡°I have been hoping you would show up in front of me one day. I can cure your friend, but there is someone I want you to kill in return.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°Hear me out first,¡± the man said and smiled as he leaned back. ¡°Have you ever heard about the angel¡¯s world?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors.¡± ¡°It exists. I am an angel,¡± the man said and crossed his legs. ¡°I was exiled to this crappy world by a few fellow angels of mine. I want you to kill the one responsible for my miserable state.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°Is he here?¡± ¡°Not in this world, no,¡± the man said. ¡°I will transport you to the angel¡¯s world. Do you still accept?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to save my sister.¡± ¡°I will take care of her until you come back.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°And I do not trust you either.¡± Palan remained silent. The man smiled. ¡°That is why,¡± he said and waved his hand. A piece of paper materialized in the air above his palm. Palan¡¯s body tensed. ¡°We can sign a contract.¡± Palan narrowed his eyes as his chest started to pound. ¡°Contract?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the man said and nodded. ¡°A contract between angels and demons. We both agree to do something and if any of us does not abide by the contract, the contract is broken and the one who breaks it dies. I will swear to cure your sister now and take care of her until you return here with my target¡¯s head.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°I assure you, the contract is very real. How do you think I can rule a city of this size? You can feel it in your blood, can you not? The contract calls to you.¡± The man flicked the blank contract towards Palan. ¡°I will let you write the conditions down.¡± Palan stared at the piece of paper. ¡°What is write?¡± The man sighed. ¡°Illiterate demons,¡± he said and shook his head. ¡°Say the words, ¡®I wish to form a blood contract with Fallen Angel Abaddon. I will bring him the head of Sariel the Watcher. In return, Abaddon will completely cure my sister and ensure her wellbeing until I return.¡¯ After you say those words, add a drop of your blood to the bottom of the paper.¡± ¡°I wish to form a blood contract with Fallen Angel Abaddon. I will bring him the head of Sariel the Watcher. In return, Abaddon will completely cure my sister and ensure her wellbeing, along with keeping her well-fed, until I return,¡± Palan said and pierced his thumb with one of his teeth. He pressed his thumb against the paper and a golden light flashed. The paper flew towards Abaddon who pierced his thumb with his nail and added his blood next to Palan¡¯s. ¡°The contract is complete,¡± Abaddon said and nodded as the paper faded away. ¡°Just so you know, if one of us dies, the contract disappears. I will kill your sister if you die.¡± He stood up and walked down the aisle towards Palan. ¡°Untie her.¡± Palan undid the leather straps and laid Andrea¡¯s body on the ground. A groan escaped from her lips. Abaddon waved his hand and a line of stones circled around his body. They glowed with a golden light before being absorbed by his palm. He placed his palm against Andrea¡¯s head and the bone spikes on her body retracted. The holes left behind also closed up without leaking a drop of blood. Andrea¡¯s eyelids fluttered. ¡°Palan,¡± she whispered. She tried to raise her head, but couldn¡¯t. Her voice cracked. ¡°I¡¯m alive?¡± Palan nodded and squatted down next to her while stroking her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I told you I wouldn¡¯t let you die.¡± ¡°Time to keep your end of the bargain,¡± Abaddon said and waved his hand again. A stream of glowing stones flew out of his back and landed on the ground, forming a pentagram underneath Palan¡¯s body. A golden pillar of light appeared around him, creeping up his legs towards his head. ¡°Palan!¡± Andrea said and sat up as she reached her arm towards him. The light repelled her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± Palan said and smiled at Andrea. ¡°Wait for me.¡± The pillar of light enveloped Palan¡¯s head, obscuring him from view. A few seconds passed and the light disappeared, leaving nothing behind. Chapter 6 The golden light faded from Palan¡¯s view. He squinted his eyes and his nictitating membranes flickered. A yellow moon hung in the sky, illuminating the surrounding trees. His eyebrows furrowed as he walked next to a tree and sniffed its trunk. He tilted his head and squatted, observing the grass that was growing out of the ground. ¡°So this is the angel¡¯s world,¡± he said and raised his head, inhaling deeply through his nose. His nose twitched and his stomach growled. He smiled. ¡°I guess angels bleed too.¡± Palan weaved through the forest; twigs snapped and leaves crunched underneath his feet. He followed his nose and ended up at the edge of the trees, revealing an open plain. A road extended through the grass with a carriage parked in the middle. Four men stood in a square around the carriage, pointing spears outwards. They wore metal armor that reflected the moonlight. One man was leaning against the back of the carriage, clutching his bleeding arm. A pack of twenty wolves surrounded the men. The biggest wolf had a scar across its face. Its hackles were raised, and its teeth were bared. Palan unsheathed his dagger and crouched, hiding himself behind a shrub, still quite a distance away from the foreign group. The scarred wolf let out a howl and charged forwards, followed by its companions. A speartip pierced towards it, but the wolf twisted its body, causing the spear to just graze its fur. It bit the man¡¯s arm and tugged downwards, pulling the man off balance. Four other wolves lunged towards the man, nipping at the exposed skin underneath his armor. Palan held his breath as the wolves retreated backwards, pulling the man with them. The remaining wolves fended off the man¡¯s companions while avoiding their spears. Palan licked his lips, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the angels are poisonous.¡± CRASH! A lightning bolt fell from the clear sky. It branched off into five streams, striking the wolves who were biting the armored man. They let out yelps and retreated backwards with smoke coming off their fur. A woman stepped outside of the carriage with a metal orb in her hand. Her skin was light-red and her white hair flowed past her shoulders. She wore a simple white dress that covered her arms and dropped down to her ankles. She pointed the silver orb at the pack of wolves. Lightning crackled as it flowed out of her blue eyes and snaked down her body. The woman gritted her teeth and shouted, ¡°Scram!¡± A lightning bolt shot out of the orb and zapped another wolf, causing it to yelp and whimper. Sweat formed along the woman¡¯s brow and her face blanched. ¡°Don¡¯t let her efforts go to waste!¡± one of the guards yelled. He lifted his spear and charged towards the wolves, impaling the one that was just shocked. ¡°Charge!¡± the two other guards yelled and ran to their fallen companion. The wounded guard at the back of the caravan grit his teeth and staggered in front of the lady, holding his spear with one hand. Palan rubbed his chin and frowned. ¡°They aren¡¯t cowards at all.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just beasts!¡± one of the guards shouted and swept his spear in an arc, knocking the surrounding wolves to the ground. The men fought valiantly against the wolves with the woman shooting lightning bolts from behind. When there were ten wolves remaining, one guard succumbed and collapsed to the floor, blood leaking from underneath his armor. Soon, there were only seven wolves and two guards left. Then there were five wolves and the injured guard. Finally, four wolves surrounding the woman who was panting and gasping for breath. The wolves licked their lips and the scarred wolf eyed the metal orb in her hands. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°I won¡¯t die here! Not like this,¡± the woman said as she grasped the orb. A massive pillar of lightning struck the four wolves, enveloping them with a white light. The woman coughed up a mouthful of blood and the orb in her hand turned black as it lost its silver luster. She collapsed onto her knees on the ground and held herself up with one arm. She breathed in deeply before coughing out more blood. The scarred wolf¡¯s body twitched. It staggered onto its feet, and ash flaked off its charred body as it took slow steps towards the woman. It paused as its ear twitched and it turned its head towards the road. Palan was sprinting at it with his dagger in his hand. The wolf growled and stomped its paws against the ground, its tail pointing straight up. Palan continued to charge, staring into its eyes. The wolf let out a whimper as it dropped its tail and whirled around. It tried to sprint away, but its body spasmed, causing it to fall to the ground. It screamed as Palan plunged his dagger into the side of its neck, severing its jugular. He leapt backwards as the wolf spasmed and struggled, continuously losing blood from its wound. The woman stared at it with wide eyes and crawled backwards, attempting to distance herself from the dying beast. Soon, the wolf stopped struggling and lay down, breathing its last breath. Palan walked over it, retrieving his dagger in one motion, and approached the woman. He squat in front of her. ¡°Demon,¡± the woman said, her voice cracked. ¡°I appreciate the help. Who is your contractor?¡± Palan tossed the dagger from his right hand to his left. ¡°Sariel.¡± ¡°The Watcher?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I was not aware she made contracts with demons,¡± the woman said and frowned. ¡°My name is Menyel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Simon,¡± Palan said and smiled, showing his teeth. Menyel shivered. ¡°Do you need help?¡± Menyel bit her lip before nodding. ¡°Your aid would help me greatly. But are you not busy running errands for Sariel?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been separated from her due to a certain incident,¡± Palan said and sighed. ¡°Do you know where I can find her? Maybe helping you will allow me to reunite with her.¡± Menyel frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. Her body tensed. Her voice trembled as she spoke, ¡°Escort me and my goods to the border and I will do my best to help you.¡± Palan nodded and stood up. He extended his right hand towards Menyel. She hesitated, but grabbed onto his hand. She let out a yelp as Palan yanked her arm upwards, nearly dislocating her shoulder. She exhaled and winced as she collided into his chest. Palan raised an eyebrow and smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize angels were this weak.¡± He raised the dagger in his left hand and plunged it into the back of Menyel¡¯s neck before shoving her body away from him. Menyel¡¯s eyes widened as she fell over backwards and collapsed against the carriage. She opened her mouth, but no sounds came out. ¡°Even the most deceitful demon can¡¯t lie to me,¡± Palan said as he stepped backwards, eyeing the orb on the ground next to Menyel¡¯s body. Palan sighed. ¡°I wonder what gave me away. I suppose I¡¯ll find out when I meet another angel.¡± He squat on the ground, staring into Menyel¡¯s eyes as they dimmed. Her hands clawed at the dagger embedded in her neck before falling limp at her sides. Palan¡¯s stomach growled. Chapter 7 ¡°Interesting,¡± Palan said as he spun a silver orb in his palm. A bloody skeleton lay on the ground beside him next to a torn white dress. He glanced at a half-eaten wolf skeleton next to him. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder why this fellow didn¡¯t run away.¡± A single line of lightning snaked up Palan¡¯s arm from the metal orb. He tucked the orb away in the leather sack by his waist and stood up. Bloody metal armor jangled as his body moved. Palan flexed his bicep while opening and closing his hand. He raised his leg and rotated his foot around his ankle before stomping down on the road. The stones split and fractured in a web-like manner. ¡°I feel stronger, but only the female angel improved my strength; I wonder why.¡± Palan sighed and glanced up at the yellow moon. ¡°So the rumors were true after all,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s where Andrea is.¡± He shook his head and glanced around the field. Palan stepped over corpses¡ªwolf and angel alike¡ªas he headed towards the forest. His forehead tingled and he narrowed his eyes. He walked next to a young wolf¡¯s body and kicked it, causing it to let out a yelp. It scratched at the ground, uprooting clumps of grass as it scrambled to its feet. It lowered its head and rolled its eyes upwards to glance at Palan while tucking its tail between its legs before it started to whimper. Palan raised an eyebrow and squatted in front of the slightly charred wolf. He held his palm out in front of its mouth. The wolf licked his palm and rolled over, revealing its belly and throat. Palan rubbed his chin. He scratched its belly, causing it to tense, and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to kill you since you can¡¯t talk and I don¡¯t have any gluttons to feed.¡± Palan frowned as Andrea¡¯s image came to mind. He continued to rub the wolf¡¯s belly and mumbled, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the plague affected me? Is it not contagious?¡± The wolf tilted its head and relaxed its body as its tongue popped out of its mouth. Palan shook his head and stared into the wolf¡¯s eyes. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know who Sariel is, right?¡± The wolf blinked at him and pawed at his hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to anyway,¡± Palan said and headed towards the forest, turning his back on the wolf. The wolf rolled back onto its feet and glanced around at its fallen companions. It let out a whimper before following after Palan who disappeared into the sea of trees. *** A carriage ground to a halt on the road and five armored men stepped out. ¡°What happened here?¡± The men stepped forward in a triangular formation, approaching a mass of dead wolves and five skeletons near a golden carriage. The head guard¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This is Lady Menyel¡¯s carriage!¡± ¡°Is this her dress?¡± another guard asked and pointed at the discarded cloth with his spear. ¡°Clear the corpses,¡± the head guard said. ¡°I will report back.¡± He turned around and walked back towards the carriage he came from. A teenaged girl with light-red skin and blue eyes stood at the entrance with tears in her eyes. Her white hair stopped mid-neck and she wore silver metal armor that left only her head exposed. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°How could this happen?¡± the girl asked, her voice quivering. ¡°So many lives, gone.¡± The head guard sighed. ¡°The men are investigating while unblocking the road. The carriage belonged to Lady Menyel and most likely contains supplies that were meant for the border.¡± The four other guards finished moving the bodies to the side of the road and placed the angel corpses inside of the abandoned carriage. They left the carriage in the middle of the road and headed back to regroup with the head guard. ¡°Do you know what happened?¡± the girl asked, turning her head towards one of the men. He was shivering and his face was white. ¡°Hey!¡± the head guard shouted and thumped the back of his hand against the man¡¯s chest, causing a clunking noise to ring out. ¡°Lady Raea is addressing you.¡± The shivering man raised his head. ¡°They were eaten,¡± he said and clenched his spear. ¡°Lady Menyel was eaten. Her guards were eaten. Not even their organs remain.¡± Another guard spoke up, ¡°One of the wolves was half-eaten. Lady Menyel must have fought with the wolves and then a third party intervened at the end, killing and eating everyone.¡± ¡°A third party?¡± the head guard asked and frowned. ¡°I suspect the king of the forest is behind this. We must make haste to the border and inform Captain Ishim. Lady Raea, none of us are able to drive Lady Menyel¡¯s carriage except for you.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Raea said and wiped her eyes before handing the head guard a silver orb. ¡°You will drive mine.¡± She stepped off her carriage and headed towards Lady Menyel¡¯s. ¡°You three,¡± the head guard said and singled out three men, ¡°accompany her.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Raea said and raised her right hand, signaling for them to stop. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I said there was no need,¡± Raea said and raised her voice while whirling around. Her eyes were tinged with red. The three men stopped in their tracks and turned to face the head guard who sighed. The head guard nodded and entered Raea¡¯s carriage with the four other men in tow. Raea boarded Menyel¡¯s carriage and smiled. The surface was golden and shone brighter than Raea¡¯s silver carriage. She touched the carriage walls, ignoring the six bloody skeletons loaded inside. After a moment she slapped both her hands against her face. She muttered to herself, ¡°Stop thinking thoughts like that. This is why Dad sent you to the border.¡± She turned towards the corpses and lowered her head. ¡°Sorry for your loss. We will give you a proper burial soon.¡± Raea sat in the driver¡¯s seat of the carriage and spread her palms on top of a rectangular plaque which had a semi-sphere groove in the center. She closed her eyes and a rush of blue light flowed through her hands and pooled into the groove. The carriage¡¯s wheels shrieked and started to roll forward. Chapter 8 Raea stopped the carriage in front of a metal gate with stone walls on either side. She stood up and exited the carriage as her guards approached from behind. A man dressed in blue armor squinted at the group of people below from the top of the wall. ¡°Lady Raea? I was expecting you.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°On the way here, we encountered Lady Menyel¡¯s carriage and I took the liberty to bring it here.¡± ¡°Just her carriage?¡± ¡°She is no longer with us.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the man said and nodded. ¡°That is unfortunate.¡± He signaled behind him with his arm and the metal gate creaked as it rose. He turned around and walked down a set of stairs. Raea and her group entered the city with their carriages in tow. ¡°This way,¡± the man dressed in blue armor said and gestured with his arm. ¡°You can tell me all the details over tea.¡± ¡°I appreciate the hospitality, Captain Ishim,¡± Raea said and smiled as she walked next to the captain. Her guards glanced at each other before following behind the two. The group arrived at a two-story wooden building and was greeted by a purple-skinned butler. Raea sat down on a wooden chair with animal furs draped over it while Ishim sat across from her. The guards waited by the door and the demon butler disappeared before coming back with seven cups of tea on a platter. ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said as she accepted a cup. She turned towards Ishim. ¡°Is he your contracted demon?¡± Ishim nodded as he took a sip of his tea. ¡°I named him John,¡± Ishim said as he watched John pass out tea to Raea¡¯s guards who stood by the door. ¡°Care to guess what his sin is?¡± Raea raised an eyebrow and turned around to face the butler. ¡°He does not seem to have any special attributes,¡± Raea said as her eyes scanned John¡¯s body from head to toe. ¡°A minor sin then, cowardice or kleptomania?¡± Ishim smiled as he placed his teacup on the table in front of him. ¡°His sin is envy,¡± Ishim said. Raea¡¯s face blanched and her eyes shifted towards her tea. ¡°Interesting, right? He has no animalistic attributes, yet his sin is a major one.¡± Raea bit the inside of her lip. ¡°Interesting,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She took a sip of her tea and raised her head to look into Ishim¡¯s eyes. ¡°I wonder what your sin is,¡± Ishim said and smiled while clasping his hands together. ¡°Nonsense!¡± the head guard shouted and stepped forward, causing his tea to spill. Raea raised her hand, cutting the head guard off. Ishim chuckled and turned towards the guard. ¡°I was merely joking,¡± he said and leaned back into the animal furs. He directed his gaze towards Raea. ¡°Tell me, what happened to Lady Menyel?¡± ¡°She was eaten, organs and all,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°Her carriage was stopped in the middle of the road, surrounded by a pack of dead wolves. All that remained of Lady Menyel and her guards were bloody skeletons left by the road.¡± Ishim frowned. ¡°Eaten,¡± he said and furrowed his brow. ¡°The king of the forest? Why now?¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Perhaps it disapproves of us erecting a fort in the middle of its lands,¡± Raea said. ¡°It may feel threatened and is lashing out to express its anger.¡± ¡°Stupid beast,¡± Ishim said and shook his head. ¡°This fort was built to stop the halflings from invading. It also benefits if we keep them out.¡± ¡°It most likely does not realize this,¡± Raea said. ¡°We are the intruders in this situation; it must be frightened by us.¡± ¡°As it should,¡± Ishim said and nodded. ¡°Lady Raea, to prove your worth, I ask you to lead an expedition against the king of the forest. Bring me back its head. You may take twenty of my men.¡± Raea furrowed her brow. ¡°There must be better ways to deal with it,¡± she said and bit her lip. ¡°We can capture it and relocate it or placate it with gifts.¡± ¡°It has already killed Lady Menyel and her guards. In the future, there may be even more casualties. We have our orders to follow and if upholding our duty requires us to eliminate a savage beast, then so be it,¡± Ishim said. ¡°I understand that your virtues are kindness and forgiveness, but there are some creatures in this world that deserve neither. Do not disappoint me unless you want your father to hear about your disloyalty.¡± Raea gritted her teeth. ¡°I understand,¡± she said with quivering lips. ¡°I will set off immediately.¡± She stood up and whirled around, not allowing Ishim to see the tears forming in her eyes. She nodded at John and her men before she walked past them and exited the building. The head guard narrowed his eyes at Ishim before following after Raea. ¡°You do not have to be so obedient,¡± the head guard said as he walked alongside Raea on the brick road. ¡°Your statuses are equal.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± one of her guard¡¯s said and nodded. ¡°His attitude really irked me. Who does he think he is to order around our lady like that?¡± Raea sighed. ¡°Forget it,¡± she said. ¡°My father sent me here to be a subordinate of his. Even if our ranks may be equal, my status is lower than Captain Ishim¡¯s in this fort. We are no longer in the capital.¡± ¡°I will not allow your hands to be dirtied,¡± the head guard said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°When the time comes, I will be the one to give the orders that end the beast¡¯s life.¡± Raea wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said and tilted her chin up, ¡°I thank all of you.¡± The head guard nodded. ¡°The barracks are this way,¡± he said. ¡°I will gather the men. You should rest for now. Driving Lady Menyel¡¯s carriage without the key must have exhausted you.¡± ¡°Then I will leave you to it,¡± Raea said while nodding. She turned around and gazed at Ishim¡¯s building. She saw him standing by the second floor¡¯s window, staring at her group. He smirked. Raea murmured, ¡°So this is the borderland, where the sinners roam free.¡± Chapter 9 Raea stood in the center of a square with her eyes closed and hands clasped together in front of her chest. Her four guards stood in a square formation around her. A few angels gave the group odd looks before continuing on their way. The first sun had already risen and the second one was beginning to rise. ¡°Lady Raea!¡± a voice called out, accompanied by the sound of hooves clattering against stone. Raea¡¯s eyes shot open and she saw her head guard walking towards her with six horses in tow. Behind him were twenty people on horses, the majority of them being men. They all wore undecorated white armor with lances by their sides. ¡°We are ready to depart at any time.¡± ¡°Thank you, Owen,¡± Raea said and nodded towards the head guard. The head guard saluted and gestured behind him. ¡°These soldiers are all willing to aid you in the hunt for the forest king. They volunteered when they heard about the circumstances regarding Lady Menyel¡¯s death.¡± Raea smiled at the soldiers behind Owen. ¡°I thank all of you,¡± she said and walked towards one of the free horses. She stepped on its stirrup and swung on top of the saddle. Owen handed her a halberd, which she strapped across her back. ¡°We set out immediately. After eating so much, the king of the forest must be preparing to rest.¡± Her personal guards mounted the other horses and sped off towards the gate followed by the twenty soldiers in white. The gate opened as the riders approached, letting them through unimpeded. Owen rode next to Raea and turned his head to face her. ¡°Do you have a method to locate the beast?¡± Raea shook her head and directed her horse down the road, towards the wolf corpses. Owen furrowed his brow. ¡°You seemed awfully sure about yourself, I just assumed you did,¡± he said and sighed. ¡°The best thing we can do is return to the battlefield and try to locate which direction the beast went.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Raea said. The group rode in silence until they reached the bloody road. Raea pulled on her reins, causing her horse to neigh and trot to a halt. ¡°Lady Menyel¡¯s men fought well,¡± one of the soldiers said as he took off his helmet and scanned the surroundings. ¡°Five of them were able to defeat this many direwolves.¡± ¡°There is a path leading towards the forest,¡± another soldier said and gestured with her spear. ¡°Should we split up into groups?¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°The king was able to defeat six angels, even if they were weakened by wolves. I do not want to see any unnecessary loss of life in this excursion. We move as one.¡± The soldier who asked the question smiled. ¡°Understood,¡± she said. ¡°I feel glad knowing that Lady Raea cares about our wellbeing.¡± Raea tilted her head. ¡°Is that not normal?¡± she asked. ¡°No one wants to see their subordinates die.¡± A few soldiers chuckled, but no one said anything. ¡°Lady Raea asked a question,¡± Owen said and glared at the people who laughed. The soldiers glanced at each other. ¡°There are some captains who believe we should die to accomplish our duty,¡± one of them said as he smiled and looked down. ¡°They prioritize the mission over our lives.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°Were you not expecting this when you were sent to the borderland?¡± the soldier asked. ¡°Everyone who is sent here has been deemed broken by Lady Sariel, including you. I mean no disrespect when I say that.¡± He fidgeted in his seat. ¡°I see,¡± Raea said as she tightened her grip on the reins. ¡°Rest assured; I am not like the other leaders. Your safety is more important to me than the mission.¡± She nodded and turned around, directing her horse towards the forest. The soldiers raised their eyebrows and glanced at each other before following after Raea. One of them murmured, ¡°Makes you wonder why she was assigned here, huh?¡± Twenty minutes later, the group was trudging through the forest on foot, with the horses walking in the center of the group. Raea bit her lip as she cut down a swath of tall grass in front of her with a sweep of her halberd. Sweat rolled down the back of her neck, seeping into her cloth under-armour. She sighed and said, ¡°This is not what I was expecting.¡± ¡°Were you expecting the king of the forest to announce its presence and attack us as soon as we entered?¡± one of the soldiers muttered under his breath. ROAR! An ear-splitting roar rang through the forest, causing the birds to scatter and fly into the air. A wolf¡¯s howl followed after and snarls pierced through the air. ¡°That must be it!¡± Raea said and swiveled her head in the direction of the roar, oblivious to her subordinate¡¯s murmurs. She swung her halberd and cleared a path through the brush. Armor clanked as her soldiers followed after her. After minutes of travel, Raea stepped past a tree and entered a clearing. A pale-purple-skinned man stood with a dagger in his hands, dripping green liquid onto the ground. A wolf lay against a tree behind him with a bloody bone sticking out of its front leg. In front of the demon was a bear-sized honey badger. Its teeth were bared, and the white fur on its back was sticking straight up into the air. There were a few wounds on its neck, but only a few drops of blood fell onto the ground. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°It¡¯s the king of the forest,¡± Raea said and sucked in her breath. Her subordinates stopped behind her as the honey badger and demon circled each other. The demon had four gashes on his chest with black blood pouring out of them. His left arm hung limp at his side, with a chunk of flesh torn out of his bicep. Raea stepped forward. ¡°We have to help him.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Owen said and grabbed her shoulder. ¡°The beast may run if we all appear at once. We should let the demon weaken it some more and strike when it shows an opening.¡± Raea shook her head and brushed Owen¡¯s hand off her shoulder. She gazed into Owen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Lead half the men and circle around the beast. Cut off its escape route. I will charge it with the remaining soldiers. The demon is about to lose; we have to strike now.¡± Owen sighed. ¡°What happened to me leading the charge?¡± he asked and shook his head. ¡°I will do as you say.¡± He relayed his orders to the soldiers and mounted his horse. They charged around the two combatants, sticking to the tree line. The demon¡¯s bright-red eyes widened and the honey badger let out a growl as it turned its head to the side, distracted by the sound of hooves. The demon stepped forward and slashed his dagger downward while the beast¡¯s head was turned. It cut the fur on the badger¡¯s neck, but the blade shattered when it encountered its flesh. The honey badger let out a roar and smacked the demon with the back of its paw, flinging him into a tree. Before it could follow up, a horse neighed and a lance pierced into the badger¡¯s side. The rider let go of the lance as the horse sprinted away, narrowly avoiding the badger¡¯s retaliatory claws. Another rider approached from the other side of the beast and thrust his lance into the beast¡¯s side. The demon coughed out a mouthful of black blood and his vision blurred. A cold hand touched his shoulder. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Raea frowned as the demon¡¯s head lolled forwards. The injured wolf barked and dragged itself towards the fallen demon, snarling at Raea. It whimpered every time its broken foot touched the ground, but it continued to crawl towards the two. The demon coughed out another mouthful of blood and murmured, ¡°Stupid dog. Get out of here.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Raea said as the demon collapsed and fell forwards. Behind her, the soldiers were following Owen¡¯s orders and wearing down the honey badger with hit-and-run tactics. Multiple spears decorated its body, making it look more like a porcupine than a badger. Rae flipped the demon onto his back and sucked in her breath when she saw his wounds. She removed her silver gauntlets and placed her hands on his chest. She closed her eyes. The honey badger let out a feeble roar as it fell to the ground. It snarled at the group of angels surrounding it and struggled to raise its head. Owen dismounted and walked up to the badger with his spear in hand. He pointed it at the beast¡¯s face. ¡°This is for Lady Menyel,¡± he said as the spear pierced through the beast¡¯s eye. Owen turned around and saw Raea kneeling on the ground next to the demon¡¯s body. Her eyes were closed and sweat dripped from her brow. The wounds on the demon¡¯s chest wriggled as if they were alive. The torn flesh joined together and after ten minutes, the bleeding stopped. Raea opened her eyes and gasped for breath while wiping her brow with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of blood in her white hair. She wobbled to her feet and walked next to the wolf, ignoring the alarmed cries of her subordinates. She reached for the wolf¡¯s leg with her right hand, but it bit her arm. She gritted her teeth and ignored it, while grabbing its broken leg with her left hand. It released her and yelped, while Owen stepped forward and took the chance to restrain its muzzle with his hands. Five minutes passed as Raea healed the wolf, its body held down by her subordinates. They released the wolf and it sprang to its feet, running over to the demon¡¯s body. It stood over it with its teeth bared and hackles raised as it snarled at the angels. Owen sighed. ¡°Maybe we should have left it alone.¡± Raea¡¯s face was completely pale and rivulets of sweat rolled down her armor. ¡°Take the demon back with us,¡± she said while panting. ¡°Let the wolf do what it wants.¡± She staggered to her horse and hopped onto its saddle before collapsing on top of it. ¡°The lady is too kind,¡± Owen said and shook his head while he nudged the wolf away with the butt of his spear. He lifted the demon and placed him onto the back of his horse before mounting it himself. He grabbed onto Raea¡¯s horse¡¯s reins and led it out of the forest followed by the rest of the soldiers. The wolf followed behind, snarling the whole way. Chapter 10 Palan¡¯s vision focused on the brown ceiling above him. His eyes flickered, and he saw an armored figure in the corner of his eye, standing with its back to him in front of a door. He tried to turn his head, but found that he couldn¡¯t. His forehead, neck, chest, arms, and legs were restrained by metal chains. ¡°He is still unconscious?¡± a feminine voice asked. ¡°It seems like it.¡± The armored figure¡¯s back rustled. ¡°It can be hard to tell because his eyes are always open.¡± ¡°You can take a break,¡± the feminine voice said. ¡°I will watch over him.¡± Palan refocused his eyes on the ceiling and steadied his breathing. The armored figure stepped out of the room and an angel with short white hair sat on a seat next to the bed he was strapped to. A wolf barked from somewhere at the foot of his bed and chains rattled. The angel extended her hand and waved it over Palan¡¯s face. The angel sighed and sat back against her chair when she got no reaction. She pulled out a silver orb from a sack underneath her robe. ¡°Please hurry and wake up,¡± the angel said and sighed as she traced her fingers along the orb. ¡°There are so many things I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± The angel stiffened and dropped the orb while sitting up straight in her seat. Her heart rate increased as she bent over and retrieved the fallen sphere. She exhaled. ¡°That was unexpected.¡± Palan grunted. ¡°Sorry about the chains,¡± the angel said and pocketed the orb. ¡°My subordinates were afraid that you would be belligerent. My name is Raea.¡± Palan stayed silent as Raea stared at him, waiting for his response. Raea tilted her head. ¡°Are the chains on too tight?¡± she asked and leaned forward. She freed Palan¡¯s forehead and neck. ¡°What is your name?¡± Palan turned his head to face Raea, gazing into her blue eyes. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± Raea frowned. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Torture?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said as her brow furrowed. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Then what do you want?¡± ¡°I just want to ask you a few questions,¡± Raea said and crossed her legs. ¡°And if I refuse to answer?¡± Raea scratched her nose. ¡°I did not think that far ahead. I would appreciate it if you chose to cooperate.¡± Palan sighed and rolled his head back to face the ceiling. ¡°You saved me back then, right?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll answer your questions, but only if you answer mine as well.¡± Raea smiled. ¡°Alright,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Palan. Where am I?¡± ¡°You are in the town¡¯s prison. Captain Ishim insisted on keeping you restrained until we found out more about you,¡± Raea said. ¡°Why were you fighting the king of the forest?¡± ¡°King of the forest?¡± ¡°The black and white beast.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°It looked at me funny. Do you know who¡ª¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Raea said and stuck her hand out in front of Palan¡¯s face. ¡°You fought the king of the forest because it looked at you funny?¡± Palan frowned. ¡°Yes. It looked at me funny so I stabbed it.¡± ¡°Is your sin stupidity?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stop answering your questions.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°I was just startled. Forgive me.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Palan said and snorted before falling silent. Raea squeezed the hem of her robe. ¡°Um,¡± Raea said and tilted her head. ¡°It is your turn to ask a question.¡± Palan continued to stare at the ceiling. Raea frowned. ¡°Is it dead?¡± Palan asked. ¡°The king of the forest.¡± Raea nodded. ¡°It is. Why?¡± Palan gnashed his teeth together and spat out a bloody tooth. ¡°That was the first time I lost a fight in eight years,¡± he said. ¡°And now I can¡¯t even get revenge.¡± Veins bulged on his arms and legs as he strained against his fetters. The metal creaked, but didn¡¯t give. Palan¡¯s body relaxed and he exhaled before laughing. ¡°Can¡¯t even vent properly. Fu¡ª¡± The door to the cell swung open. Raea stood up and turned around. ¡°Captain Ishim,¡± she said and dipped her head downwards by a fraction. ¡°What are you here for?¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. A figure dressed in blue armor stepped through the door with two guards in tow. ¡°The demon is awake?¡± Ishim asked as he unsheathed a baton from his waist. ¡°Good. I could use another servant.¡± Raea bit her lip and stepped to the side, obscuring Palan¡¯s face from Ishim¡¯s view. She asked, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ishim asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Step aside. What I do with my prisoner is none of your concern.¡± ¡°He is not your prisoner,¡± Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I brought him here as a guest. He risked his life to fight against the king of the forest.¡± ¡°A demon as a guest?¡± Ishim asked and smiled. ¡°Then who is his contractor?¡± ¡°That is¡ª¡± ¡°Go eat a cactus,¡± Palan said and spat a tooth over Raea. It landed on Ishim¡¯s armor, leaving a splash of black blood on his chestplate. ¡°I¡¯d rather make love to a lemon than become your servant.¡± Ishim glanced down at his armor and frowned. His grip tightened on his baton as he stepped forward. He knocked Raea away with the back of his hand and slammed the baton down on Palan¡¯s chest. The wolf at the foot of the bed barked and chains jangled while its claws scratched against the stone floor. Palan gritted his teeth and grunted before laughing. ¡°You think that hurt? My little sister can hit harder than that.¡± ¡°Then try this,¡± Ishim said and snarled. He swung the baton towards Palan¡¯s face. Palan smirked and opened his mouth, catching the baton with his teeth. He crunched down with his jaw, biting through the wood like butter. He spat the wooden remnants into Ishim¡¯s face and grinned. Ishim wiped away the splinters with the back of his hand. He chuckled while gritting his teeth. ¡°So you want to play that way?¡± he asked and brought his hands together. His knuckles cracked as red fire surged out of his eyes, snaking down his body. He raised his right hand, that was surrounded by a ball of flames, into the air above Palan¡¯s stomach. ¡°Stop!¡± Raea yelled as she gritted her teeth and tackled Ishim with her shoulder. Her robe caught fire the moment it made contact with Ishim¡¯s body. She stripped it off, revealing a cloth tank top with shorts and a leather pouch around her waist. She glared at Ishim who was now-lying on his side on the stone floor. Ishim slammed his fist against the ground and stood up. The red flames encircling him turned black. He narrowed his eyes at Raea. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? The punishment for assaulting a superior is death.¡± ¡°I will report this to my father if you continue to use those flames,¡± Raea said and shivered. ¡°An angel should not call upon the power of wrath.¡± Ishim paused and glowered at her. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Raea crossed her arms over her chest. Ishim glared at Raea. She glared back. Ishim snorted and the black flames around his body dispersed. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this, Lady Raea¡± he said and sneered as he stepped past his guards and exited the cell without a backwards glance. One of the guards eyed Raea¡¯s underdressed body before he smirked and left. ¡°Creep,¡± Raea said as the door closed shut. She sighed and collapsed onto her chair. Palan turned his head towards her and frowned. ¡°Why did you help me?¡± Raea furrowed her brow. She shook her head. ¡°I wanted to. There was no other reason,¡± she said. She glanced at his chest. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said my sister hits harder than him,¡± Palan said as he rolled his head back to face the ceiling. He sighed. ¡°I wonder how she¡¯s doing.¡± Raea leaned over and propped her elbows on Palan¡¯s bed. She rested her head on her palms. ¡°Tell me about her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have better things to do?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Nope. I saved you,¡± Raea said. ¡°You owe me a story.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unreasonable.¡± ¡°Maybe, but you will tell me a story; I have a feeling,¡± Raea said and smiled. ¡°Your sin is pride, correct?¡± Palan grunted. ¡°Fine,¡± he said and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about her. It¡¯s not like I can do anything else.¡± Chapter 11 ¡°My sister¡¯s a glutton. When she was born, I fed her five full pouches of goat milk before she went to sleep, only to have her wake up an hour later begging for more food,¡± Palan sighed and shook his head. ¡°Do you know how difficult it is to get enough goat milk to support a glutton when you¡¯re only ten years old?¡± ¡°Your parents did not help?¡± Raea asked and tilted her head. ¡°My mom died during childbirth and my dad was too scared of his own shadow to leave the house,¡± Palan said. ¡°I raised her by myself, fed her at least ten beasts a day until I was able to hunt the larger ones.¡± ¡°I see. My condolences,¡± Raea said. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°No need. They deserved what they got,¡± Palan said. ¡°It¡¯s quite normal for people to be raised as orphans or slaves where I¡¯m from.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°That sounds terrible,¡± she said. Palan tried to shrug, but the chains on his body prevented him from doing so. ¡°You get used to it,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s every man for himself.¡± ¡°But you took care of your sister,¡± Raea said and combed her hair behind her ear, ¡°even under that toxic environment.¡± ¡°I know. Where¡¯s my medal?¡± Palan asked and snorted. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just abandon her.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I thought you said it was every man for himself. No one would have blamed you if you did.¡± Palan fell silent. ¡°Maybe it was my pride,¡± he said after a while. ¡°I wanted to show my dad that I was better than him.¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°I think it was your compassion that compelled you to help your sister,¡± she said. Palan laughed and opened his mouth, showing Raea his serrated teeth. ¡°You think these were made for compassion?¡± he asked and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Demons don¡¯t have compassion. The ones who do are taken advantage of and killed off.¡± Raea shuddered and Palan faced his head back towards the ceiling. Raea lowered her head and said, ¡°I still believe there is some good in you. Everyone has a virtue, no matter how small¡ªeven demons.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t last a day in my world,¡± Palan said and clenched his hands into fists. He sighed. ¡°Since you saved my life, I guess I should give you a warning. That angel who came in earlier, he¡¯s going to kill you if you don¡¯t kill him first. Consider my debt repaid.¡± Palan turned his head away from Raea. ¡°Captain Ishim? He would not go that far,¡± Raea said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°He can be a bit overbearing with his sense of duty at times, but he is still an angel. Murder is not an option for him.¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. There was a knock on the door to the cell. Moments later it creaked open, revealing Owen¡¯s face. ¡°Lady Raea?¡± ¡°I am here,¡± Raea said and turned her head. ¡°Why are you dressed like that?¡± Owen asked and tilted his head. ¡°Wait, no. More importantly, I wanted to ask you if you did anything to offend Captain Ishim. He has issued an expedition against the lizardmen to the south and ordered you to head it.¡± ¡°Has he?¡± Raea asked and frowned. ¡°Yes,¡± Owen said. ¡°We are to leave first thing in the morning tomorrow. I will gather the necessary soldiers and supplies. Rest assured.¡± ¡°Then I will leave it to you,¡± Raea said and smiled. ¡°There are a few more things I would like to discuss with Palan before I leave.¡± ¡°Palan?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded at the silent demon. Owen frowned. ¡°Lady Raea, I hope you are not considering forming a contract with him,¡± he said. ¡°It would be unbecoming of an angel of your status.¡± ¡°My status disappeared when my father sent me here,¡± Raea said. ¡°You do not need to worry about me.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Owen said and lowered his head. ¡°Excuse me.¡± He straightened his back and closed the door on his way out. Raea turned her head back towards Palan, who was still looking away from her. ¡°Tomorrow I will have to leave this fort,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not deaf.¡± ¡°I will not be able to protect you from Ishim.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Palan rolled his head over to face Raea. ¡°Then free me or kill me and get it over with already.¡± ¡°I cannot. I¡ª¡± ¡°Then why did you save me?¡± Palan asked and bared his teeth. ¡°What do you want from me? My sister¡¯s waiting for me to return. I don¡¯t have time to be locked up here because a girl thought she was doing me a favor.¡± Raea bit her lip. She rummaged through a leather sack by her waist and pulled out a silver orb. ¡°This orb,¡± she said and held it out towards Palan¡¯s face. ¡°Where did you get it?¡± ¡°I found it on the road, by a golden carriage.¡± ¡°Were there wolf corpses and skeletons there?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This really is Lady Menyel¡¯s orb then. This orb is a magical conduit given only to angels with heavenly virtues, untainted by any sin,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°I always wanted one of these.¡± Raea stroked the orb before placing it back in the leather pouch. She nodded at Palan. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°You brought me here and chained me up.¡± ¡°A demon is always accompanied by an angel. I considered the possibility that you were Lady Menyel¡¯s contracted demon, but it seems like that is not the case,¡± Raea said and leaned forward. ¡°How did you get to this world?¡± ¡°One moment I was with my sister. Then I stepped onto a strange platform and the next moment I was in front of that carriage. After I picked up that orb, I stumbled upon the beast when I started exploring.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Would I say it if it wasn¡¯t?¡± Raea lowered her head and furrowed her brow. ¡°Maybe Lady Menyel performed the summoning ritual while she was under attack,¡± she murmured, ¡°and you arrived after she was killed.¡± She sighed and sat up straight. ¡°I cannot let you free if you do not have a contractor,¡± Raea said. ¡°I can offer you two options: you can stay here and let Captain Ishim have his way with you or you can become my contracted demon and wait until I return to the capital so I can send you back home.¡± Palan narrowed his eyes. ¡°What is a contracted demon?¡± ¡°A contracted demon has to listen to their angel¡¯s orders, but, in return, they absorb some of the angel¡¯s powers and grow stronger.¡± ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°The contract lasts until both parties agree to end it. Of course, it can only be formed if both parties are willing.¡± ¡°Can you make me do things that I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°I cannot make you harm yourself.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re a better choice than Ishim,¡± he said. Raea¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d defy Ishim until he killed me. I¡¯m not swallowing my pride for you; I¡¯m doing this for my sister.¡± ¡°So you are willing to form a contract with me?¡± Palan sighed and gnashed his teeth. The bedsheet tore underneath his fingers. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Raea said and smiled. She freed Palan¡¯s right arm and stuck her hand out. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Handshake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a dog.¡± ¡°This is how we form the contract, unless you want to go through the whole wrist slitting and blood exchanging ritual.¡± ¡°Can we?¡± ¡°Just shake my hand.¡± Palan sighed and grasped Raea¡¯s hand. A golden light enveloped their hands and golden etchings appeared on both their foreheads before fading away. Raea grinned and sat back in her chair. She squealed. ¡°You seem awfully happy,¡± Palan said and frowned. He tried to tear off the remaining chains with his free arm to no avail. ¡°Of course,¡± Raea said as she started to unfetter Palan. ¡°There¡¯s never been a case where a pride demon submitted to a contract. Now there is! Aren¡¯t I amazing?¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Even your manner of speech has changed¡­¡± Raea flung away the last of Palan¡¯s restraints and stuck her tongue out as she skipped towards the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You¡¯re stuck with me now. No backsies.¡± Chapter 12 Raea walked with Palan next to her down an empty road. She wore a red robe while Palan wore a white cotton t-shirt and brown pants. Palan turned his head and frowned before walking off to the side. The sky was bathed in red as one sun began to set. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t wander!¡± Raea said and grabbed Palan¡¯s elbow. ¡°As a contracted demon, you have to stay within thirty meters of me at all times.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Palan said. ¡°Very serious,¡± Raea said as she tugged Palan along the road. ¡°I can¡¯t draw upon your powers and you can¡¯t draw upon mine if we¡¯re separated more than that.¡± ¡°Draw upon my powers?¡± Raea smiled. ¡°Did I forget to mention that?¡± Palan jerked his arm out of Raea¡¯s grip. ¡°There¡¯s nothing actually stopping me from going more than thirty meters away then.¡± Raea pouted. ¡°I order you to stay within thirty meters of me at all times,¡± she said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Whatever,¡± Palan said as he walked away from Raea and waved his hand in the air. ¡°I¡¯m warning you,¡± Raea said and cupped her hands over her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s really going to hurt if you don¡¯t obey my orders.¡± Palan continued walking. Raea tilted her head. ¡°He won¡¯t die, right?¡± When Palan was thirty meters away, he turned his head around to look at Raea. His chest constricted and he frowned as a bead of sweat rolled down his head. He took a step forward. His vision turned white as a bolt of lightning shot out of the clear sky, landing directly on his body. Palan fell to his hands and knees. He let out a yell and punched the floor with his fist before gritting his teeth and standing back up. He spread his arms out and tilted his head towards the sky. ¡°Is that the best you got?!¡± Raea¡¯s mouth dropped open. Palan took another step forward, causing another bolt of lightning to descend from the sky. This time, he didn¡¯t fall, but his body spasmed. He coughed out a mouthful of black blood and took another step forward while laughing. His body was struck yet again, but he remained standing, smoke drifting upwards from his hair. He raised his leg again. ¡°Stop!¡± Raea yelled as she regained her senses and dashed towards Palan. Palan ignored her and brought his foot forward; this time, he was struck by two bolts of lightning and fell to his knees. Raea stopped when she was a few steps away from Palan¡¯s body. ¡°Why?¡± Raea asked and walked closer as a white light enveloped her hand. She placed it on Palan¡¯s trembling shoulder. Palan flinched and raised his head. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth as he clenched his jaw. ¡°What are you trying to prove?¡± Raea asked as a tear formed in the corner of her eye. ¡°I really thought you were going to die.¡± ¡°Better to die free, than to live as a dog,¡± Palan said while shivering. His body twitched and tiny bolts of electricity flowed out of his fingertips. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to die!¡± Raea shouted and slapped Palan¡¯s face with her free hand. ¡°What happened to swallowing your pride for your sister? What¡¯s going to happen to your sister if you die here because you were too stubborn?¡± ¡°Err, Lady Raea,¡± a voice said. ¡°Is everything alright¡­?¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Raea raised her head and froze as Palan touched his stinging cheek. ¡°Was I loud?¡± Raea asked and bit her lip. A circle of soldiers stood around the kneeling angel and demon. Owen scratched his cheek as he stood behind Raea. ¡°Just a bit,¡± Owen said and nodded. The nearby soldiers chuckled. ¡°The thunder strikes were really eye-catching. That demon is a tough one, maybe a little slow in the head.¡± He nodded at Palan. ¡°Die in a fire, old man,¡± Palan said and brushed Raea¡¯s hand off his shoulder. His shivering stopped as he staggered to his feet and stared at Owen. ¡°Stop. No fighting,¡± Raea said and stood up while dusting off her robe. ¡°Is that an order?¡± Palan asked as he walked up to Owen. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and frowned as Palan and Owen glared at each other. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m debating on whether punching his smug face is worth getting hit by lightning or not,¡± Palan said. Owen crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I was complimenting your constitution, boy,¡± Owen said and smirked. ¡°Thanks,¡± Palan said and swung his fist, striking Owen on the nose. Lightning rained down from the sky and struck Palan as Owen staggered backwards, clutching his crooked nose. Palan¡¯s body shook and his teeth chattered. ¡°Worth it.¡± One soldier let out a whistle while the others laughed. They broke out into a commotion and turned to each other as Raea shook her head and sighed. ¡°What is going on here?¡± a voice said, piercing through the air. The crowd of soldiers cleared their throats and fell silent while straightening their backs. ¡°Captain Ishim,¡± Raea said as she stepped next to Palan and grabbed his hand. ¡°Everything is under control.¡± ¡°You contracted the demon?¡± Ishim asked and narrowed his eyes. He sneered. ¡°So that is how you treat your guests.¡± ¡°That is¡ª¡± ¡°No need to explain,¡± Ishim said and snorted. ¡°It just dawned on me. There is a rather large goblin mine near the lizardmen¡¯s city. Clear that out before you bring me the chieftain¡¯s head.¡± He smiled at Raea. ¡°I believe a leader as capable as yourself should have no issues with this.¡± Raea nodded as Palan frowned and opened his mouth. ¡°I understand,¡± Raea said and squeezed Palan¡¯s hand before shooting him a glare. Palan closed his mouth. ¡°Good,¡± Ishim said and nodded. He smirked at Palan before he turned around and left. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything back to him?¡± Palan asked and jerked his hand out of Raea¡¯s grasp. ¡°That would have caused more problems than it would have solved,¡± Raea said and wiped her hand on her robe. She sighed and faced the crowd of soldiers around her. ¡°Hello everyone. I am Lieutenant Raea. This is my contracted demon, Palan. We will be depending on you to help us accomplish our mission. I recognize many faces from our excursion against the king of the forest. I look forward to working with you all again.¡± ¡°No need to be polite, Lady Raea,¡± one soldier said. ¡°We decided to follow you as our leader ever since that day.¡± The other soldiers nodded and murmured in agreement. ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said. ¡°Get some rest. We have to get up early tomorrow.¡± Chapter 13 Palan stood next to Raea wearing a t-shirt and long pants with a frown on his face and a metal dagger on his waist. Raea wore full silver metal armor with her arms across her chest and a halberd strapped to her back. Owen held a horse¡¯s reins in his hands and stood in front of the duo with his eyes squinted as the first sun rose and shone in his eyes. ¡°What is this?¡± Palan asked as he stared at the horse. It shuddered and hid behind Owen¡¯s back. ¡°A horse,¡± Raea said. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°You are not supposed to eat a horse,¡± Raea said and pinched Palan¡¯s arm, causing him to jump and scowl at her. ¡°It is a mount.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow as he rubbed his arm. ¡°You want me to ride this thing?¡± he asked. ¡°Its legs are thinner than a cactus needle. I refuse.¡± ¡°Is the poor little demon baby scared?¡± Owen asked and tilted his head. ¡°Don¡¯t make me break your nose again, old man,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly get struck by lightning to see you cry.¡± ¡°Stop bickering, you two,¡± Raea said and stepped forward while holding out her hand. Owen passed her the reins and went back to the stables while Raea smiled at the horse as she pat its forehead. ¡°We¡¯re going to be doing a lot of traveling to get to the lizardmen¡¯s camp.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Palan said and nodded. Owen came back, leading another horse by its reins. ¡°So you will ride the horse?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll run.¡± ¡°You think you can travel more efficiently than a horse?¡± Owen asked. He turned to Raea. ¡°Are you sure his sin is pride and not stupidity?¡± ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to castrate you while you sleep,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms. Owen nodded. ¡°I am starting to think that no one has ever formed a contract with a pride demon, not because they were too strong to be subdued, but because their personalities were so insufferable that the angels killed themselves before they could succeed.¡± Palan traced his finger along his dagger¡¯s edge as he bared his teeth. ¡°I see you don¡¯t want kids.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°Please stop being so difficult.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being difficult. It¡¯s you two who are being difficult,¡± Palan said and gnashed his teeth together. ¡°Quit trying to cripple my mobility by making me ride your rations.¡± He stomped his foot towards the horse, causing it to neigh and duck behind Raea¡¯s back. Raea bit her lip. Owen put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Just leave him be, Lady Raea,¡± he said. ¡°He can find out the hard way when he gets zapped by lightning because he was running too slowly. We should stop wasting time and head to the gathering point.¡± Raea nodded and turned her head towards Palan. ¡°If you get tired, let me know and I will let you ride with me,¡± she said. ¡°Try not to overexert yourself because of your pride.¡± The two angels mounted their horses while Palan yawned and stretched out his leg. The three headed south towards their meeting point with Palan easily keeping pace. After fifteen minutes, they reached the southern gate. All the soldiers from last night were already standing in four rows of ten with their horses next to them while a muzzled wolf lay on its stomach next to the gate. Raea pulled on her horse¡¯s reins causing it to slow to a halt. ¡°All of you are early.¡± One of the soldiers standing in the front row saluted. ¡°Captain Ishim is very strict,¡± he said. ¡°Anyone that is late gets punished. You must be ten minutes early to be on time, and being on time means you are late.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°Since we are all here, we can prepare to depart. I want to reach the third outpost before the suns set tonight.¡± The wolf¡¯s ear perked up and it raised its head. It scrambled to its feet when it saw Palan and wagged its tail. Its metal leash rattled as it strained against it. Palan pretended not to notice and looked the other way. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said as the group approached the gate. ¡°Are you not going to greet your companion?¡± ¡°Companion?¡± Palan asked and turned his head. ¡°Never seen it before.¡± The wolf scratched at the ground and whimpered. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Are you sure¡­?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°It defended you quite earnestly while we were trying to bring you back.¡± ¡°Clearly it failed at that,¡± Palan said. ¡°Just leave it.¡± ¡°That would be cruel,¡± Raea said and dismounted. She walked over to the wolf and unclipped its leash. It dashed towards Palan before lowering its head and whining through its muzzle. ¡°Does it have a name?¡± ¡°Emergency Victuals,¡± Palan said and stripped its muzzle off. He pat the wolf¡¯s snout and whispered in its ear, ¡°You see that grumpy looking man over there? Go bite him in between his legs for me when you get the chance.¡± The wolf snarled and snapped its jaws as it glanced at Owen. Palan nodded and stood up. Raea frowned. ¡°Palan¡­¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t we setting off?¡± Palan asked and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the holdup?¡± Raea sighed and shook her head. ¡°Forwards!¡± she said and raised one arm. The squadron of angels and one demon and his wolf, following behind, dashed out of the gate as the second sun began to rise. They proceeded down a straight dirt road with trees surrounding them on both sides. Tree trunks could be seen on the sides of the road with a few wheelbarrows filled with dirt nearby. A wooden structure with a gate and wooden walls came into view after two hours of travel. The group stopped outside the outpost as an angel peered out of a watchtower. ¡°I am Lieutenant Raea,¡± Raea said as she raised her head towards the watchtower. ¡°I am leading an expedition against the lizardmen¡¯s camp under Captain Ishim¡¯s orders.¡± The angel in the watchtower frowned before signaling towards the ground. Moments later, the gates moved, leaving marks in the ground as they creaked open. ¡°I thought it was supposed to take longer to reach the first outpost,¡± Raea said to Owen as their horses crossed through the gate. ¡°The first sun has not reached its zenith yet.¡± ¡°I think your contracted demon can take credit for that,¡± Owen said as he pat his panting horse. ¡°Our horses must have been terrified because he chased us the whole way here with a wolf. They probably feel greatly threatened by him.¡± Palan opened his mouth and yawned as he sauntered through the gate. He scratched his head and glared at a horse that was shying away from him. He snapped his jaws at it. ¡°What¡¯re you looking at?¡± The horse neighed and skittered away, crashing into another horse. ¡°Stupid hornless goats.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and brought her horse in front of her contracted demon. ¡°From now on, when we travel, you will accompany me on my horse. That is an order. We cannot afford to have our horses collapse from exhaustion brought on by terror.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who freed the wolf,¡± Palan said and snorted. Thunder rumbled overhead and Palan sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll ride your stupid goat; there were a few questions I wanted to ask you anyway.¡± He grabbed onto Raea¡¯s shoulders and used her body to help swing himself onto her horse. ¡°We depart after our horses have their fill of water,¡± Raea said aloud to her troop before leading her horse towards another gate on the southern end of the outpost. Two guards watched the group of roughly forty angels, followed by a wolf, walk past them before they glanced at each other. The two angels pressed their shoulders against the just-opened gate and grunted as they closed it before placing down a metal latch. One angel wiped his brow and asked the angel next to him, ¡°That new lieutenant said she was going to subdue the lizardmen?¡± ¡°Looks like it,¡± the other angel said. ¡°She must have gotten on Captain Ishim¡¯s bad side. What a shame.¡± The other angel grunted as the two watched Raea¡¯s group move further away. ¡°She contracted a demon though. She might survive.¡± ¡°Anyone can contract a demon if they have enough essence stones,¡± the other angel said and shook his head. ¡°Contracting doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± ¡°Hmm. I think your envy is showing again. Keep it up and Ishim will place you in the second outpost before you know it.¡± Chapter 14 ¡°Are you sure this thing can support two people?¡± Palan asked with his brow furrowed. He sat behind Raea with his arms past her waist, grabbing the cantle with his hands while his feet were underneath Raea¡¯s in the stirrups. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and pat the horse¡¯s neck. ¡°My magic can cure other creature¡¯s exhaustion.¡± The troop of cavalry advanced at an even pace down the dirt road with Emergency Victuals running alongside Palan and Raea. ¡°If you say so,¡± Palan said and glanced at the wolf running beside him. ¡°Why are angels killing off lizardmen? I heard that angels were benevolent and loved everything. At least that¡¯s what the demon who claims to have been here said.¡± Raea tightened her grip on the reins. ¡°That demon most likely only visited the capital then,¡± she said. ¡°All the angels that live in the capital possess no sin. They would help send a demon home, unlike other places in Div¡¯Nya.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re killing off lizardmen,¡± Palan said. ¡°And how can you tell if an angel has no sin? Can¡¯t they just hide it?¡± ¡°We are subjugating the lizardmen, not eliminating them,¡± Raea said. ¡°We enlighten them spiritually and, in return, our powers increase. As for hiding sin, that is impossible. The Watcher, Sariel, can sense sin within a certain distance from herself. No one knows how far her range is, but it is far enough to encompass the whole capital.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Sariel,¡± he said and ran his tongue across his teeth. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet her one day.¡± ¡°Help me render enough merits in the borderlands and you will,¡± Raea said. ¡°Couldn¡¯t I just abandon you and go to the capital?¡± ¡°There are four checkpoints between the fortress where I found you and the capital,¡± Raea said. ¡°You would not get past the first one by yourself.¡± ¡°So I really am stuck with you for the time being,¡± Palan said and sighed. ¡°Unless¡­ I should form a contract with a new angel, one who appreciates me more.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Raea said as she smiled and leaned back into Palan. ¡°I refuse to break our contract until you help me get back to the capital. You can¡¯t form a new contract until ours is over.¡± Palan frowned and pushed Raea forward. ¡°What if you happen to suffer some accident and die in a manner totally unrelated to me?¡± he asked. ¡°Then you die.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°What happens to you if I die?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to give you a proper burial.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I mean, a contracted demon could just kill his partner while they¡¯re sleeping and get away with only a few shocks if that wasn¡¯t the case,¡± Raea said and turned her head to face Palan. ¡°Just because angels are nice doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re na?ve to the point of not deserving to live.¡± ¡°I feel like I got the short end of the stick,¡± Palan said and frowned. Raea nodded and refocused her gaze on the road. ¡°You should feel that way because you totally did,¡± she said. ¡°But you do get to draw on my awesome powers of kindness.¡± Palan rolled his eyes. ¡°And how do I do that?¡± he asked. ¡°Do tell.¡± ¡°You have to think positive thoughts about your target. Think about their situation and relate to them; try to love them,¡± Raea said. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have a fuzzy feeling in your chest which you direct towards your hands.¡± ¡°And that¡¯ll help me kill them?¡± Palan asked while raising an eyebrow. ¡°What? No!¡± Raea said and turned her head around to face Palan. ¡°Kindness is used to heal people! Who has ever killed anyone with kindness before?¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is your power is totally useless to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not useless,¡± Raea said and pouted as she turned back to the road. ¡°What if your sister was injured and you had no medicine around?¡± Palan furrowed his brow. ¡°Fair point. Can I heal myself?¡± ¡°No, but I can heal you and you can heal me.¡± ¡°I doubt it. I can¡¯t imagine myself thinking positive thoughts about you at all.¡± Raea sighed and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m patient,¡± she said. ¡°A different angel would¡¯ve disowned you by now.¡± ¡°Patience. Isn¡¯t that one of the virtues?¡± Palan asked. ¡°How do I use that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a defensive magic. You have to be determined to settle things peacefully with your target in order for it to work,¡± Raea said. ¡°You can¡¯t have any thoughts of injuring them and you have to forgive them for any wrongs they¡¯ve done.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°Do you have anything I can use?¡± Raea bit her lip before opening her mouth to speak. She hesitated and bit her lip again. ¡°No.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, but I¡¯m not going to press you for it,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t need to rely on anyone except for myself anyway.¡± Raea lowered her head and tightened her grip on the reins. A wooden outpost appeared in the distance and the cavalry slowed to a halt in front of the gate. A scene similar to the one at the first outpost played out and the group entered the outpost. Palan yawned and stretched his arms over his head after he dismounted. ¡°How many of these do we have to go through before we can start killing things?¡± ¡°Subjugating,¡± Raea said and slid out of the saddle. ¡°There are a total of three outposts. A fourth is currently being established, but some natives have been interfering with construction.¡± She turned around and faced the forty-odd soldiers following her. ¡°We will stop here for lunch. Remember to feed and water your horses before we depart. I heard there was food served in this outpost, but I have not been here before¡­¡± One soldier took off his helmet and stretched his back. ¡°There are plenty of stores around here that sell freshly caught meat and rations. Not all of us will be able to fit in a single restaurant. How about we split up?¡± ¡°We can do that,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Meet at the southern gate in two hours.¡± The crowd of soldiers cheered and dispersed into their own groups, leaving Raea with Palan, Owen, and her five other guards. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I will be fine with any choice you make,¡± Owen said. The guards behind him nodded. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked, turning towards her contracted demon. Palan glanced at the wolf by his side. He licked his lips. ¡°Something furry.¡± Raea blinked. ¡°I have never heard anyone use the word furry to describe what they wanted to eat before.¡± ¡°Well now you have. Something fluffy is also fine.¡± ¡°Furry or fluffy¡­¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°We can browse the stores and see what they have. Does that sound good?¡± Her guards nodded and started to head towards the center of the outpost. ¡°I don¡¯t have much of a choice, do I?¡± Palan asked and sighed before following after the angels. ¡°I would go hunting, but the lightning strikes make it impossible to stalk prey.¡± Chapter 15 Raea pushed open a wooden door and stepped inside a two-story building with Palan and her guards behind her. The first floor was filled with round tables and a couple of angels and a demon sat in the far corner. A green humanoid creature lifted its head off of a counter to the left of the door and cleared its throat. ¡°Hello,¡± the green creature said as it pointed at Raea¡¯s group while counting silently. ¡°Table for eight?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. Palan frowned and stepped in front of the green creature before sniffing it. His nose wrinkled. ¡°What is this thing?¡± Palan asked, ignoring the scowl on the creature¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m a goblin,¡± the green creature said and pulled out menus from underneath the counter. ¡°Never seen one before?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Palan said as Raea reached past him and grabbed the menus out of the goblin¡¯s thin hands. ¡°Sit wherever you want,¡± the goblin said and yawned. ¡°We don¡¯t get much business anyway.¡± Raea led the group towards the center of the room and sat down at a round table. She shot a glance at the trio in the corner of the restaurant before turning her attention to the menus. She passed them out and started to read the one in her hands. ¡°What is this?¡± Palan asked. He held the menu in front of his face and frowned. ¡°A menu,¡± Raea said and turned to face Palan. ¡°You are unable to read?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know what the word ¡®read¡¯ means,¡± Palan said. Raea sighed as a snicker came from the corner of the room. Palan narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze to the demon in the corner with fluffy rabbit ears sticking out of her head. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± ¡°You,¡± the demon said and giggled. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to read? How¡¯d a bumpkin like you end up in Div¡¯Nya? I bet you can¡¯t even use your sins properly.¡± Palan chuckled while staring at the demon as the menu crinkled in his hands. Raea shuddered and her face blanched. Her hands trembled and she turned towards Palan. ¡°Palan¡ª¡± Palan clamped his hand over Raea¡¯s mouth as he glared at the rabbit-like demon. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you interfere,¡± Palan said before he released Raea and stood up. He glanced at Emergency Victuals. ¡°Keep her here.¡± The dire wolf barked and leapt onto Raea¡¯s lap. Owen rose to his feet, but Palan struck him on the side of his jaw, knocking him out instantly. The other guards¡¯ mouths dropped open as they stared at their unconscious captain. A lightning bolt crashed through the ceiling of the restaurant and struck Palan, but he didn¡¯t even flinch as he licked his lips. He sauntered over to the group of angels and demon in the corner with smoke rising from his hair. He slammed his fist down on their table and stared into the demon¡¯s eyes. ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°A bumpkin,¡± the rabbit-demon said and smiled. Palan unsheathed his dagger and the rabbit-demon squealed as she hugged the arm of the male angel next to her. She traced a finger along his chest and whispered into his ear, ¡°He¡¯s scary. Do something, Jeffry.¡± The angel sighed. ¡°Hey,¡± he said and ignored Palan as he focused his gaze on Raea. ¡°Control your demon. Or do the angels out here not care about etiquette?¡± The other angel snorted. ¡°I told you we should have picked a different task,¡± he said, completely ignoring Palan who stood behind him. ¡°If we just asked him, Sir Remiel would have assigned us somewhere more civil. We should¡ª, eh?¡± He looked down and saw a bloodstain on his chest. It expanded as his arm trembled and reached for his heart, touching a cold metal edge. He coughed out a mouthful of blood and turned his head upward towards Palan. He opened his mouth to speak, but a blood-curdling scream came out instead as the blade in his heart rotated. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Palan¡¯s face was expressionless as he placed his left hand against the back of the angel¡¯s head and slammed it against the table. He gripped his dagger¡¯s handle and jerked it out of the angel¡¯s back, causing a fountain of blood to spray his face. The rabbit-like demon screamed and knocked over her chair as she scrambled to her feet. Jeffry¡¯s face blanched as he trembled and pointed at Palan. ¡°You¡ª¡± The dagger in Palan¡¯s hand blurred. Jeffry gurgled and reached for his throat. He touched it with his right hand, staining his fingers red. Palan stepped around the gasping angel and threw his dagger at the demon who was running towards the exit. It embedded itself into the back of her thigh and she fell to the ground with a shriek. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea shouted as she recovered from her stupor and shoved Emergency Victuals off of her lap. She sprinted towards Palan who lunged towards the fallen demon. ¡°St¡ª¡± Palan sank his teeth into the rabbit-like demon¡¯s neck, ending her screams. He tore a chunk of flesh and bone out of her neck as he jerked his head back. He smiled at Raea while he swallowed the meat in his mouth. ¡°Did you say something? I couldn¡¯t hear you over the dying rabbit.¡± Raea¡¯s shoulder slumped forward. Her brow furrowed as she gazed at Palan¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Why? Why did you kill them?¡± Palan shrugged as he pulled his dagger out of the demon¡¯s leg and walked towards the two dead angels. ¡°They deserved it.¡± ¡°What did they do to deserve death!?¡± Raea shouted and clenched her teeth as she watched Palan grab their bodies and throw them on top of the demon. ¡°There was no reason for you to kill them!¡± ¡°Sure there was,¡± Palan said as he wiped the blood off of his face with the back of his hand. ¡°They pissed me off.¡± Raea clenched her hands and lowered her head. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She whispered, ¡°Get out.¡± Palan grunted as he lifted the three corpses over his shoulder. ¡°What¡¯d you say? I seriously didn¡¯t hear you this time.¡± ¡°I said, ¡®GET OUT,¡¯¡± Raea yelled as she raised her head. ¡°NOW.¡± Palan flinched and cleared out the inside of his ear with his finger. ¡°No need to yell,¡± he said and rolled his eyes as he walked out the door. Emergency Victuals glanced at the trembling Raea before bounding out the restaurant to Palan. Raea¡¯s clutched her shoulders and bit her lip as her tears sprinkled the floor. Moments later, she fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands before she started to sob. One of Raea¡¯s guard bit his lip and rose to his feet. ¡°Lady Raea¡­¡± Palan sat outside of the restaurant door with the three corpses next to him. He held the rabbit-demon¡¯s arm¡ªwhich was missing sizable chunks of flesh¡ªin his hands, ignoring the horrified gasps of nearby angels. He peeked inside the restaurant and saw a guard rubbing Raea¡¯s back. Palan sighed and tossed the arm to Emergency Victuals. ¡°You want it? I lost my appetite for some reason.¡± Emergency Victuals barked and wagged his tail before sinking his fangs into the furry severed arm. Chapter 16 Palan licked the blood off his fingers and glanced at the two skeletons next to him. The rabbit-demon corpse remained mostly uneaten and intact except for her arm, which Emergency Victuals was still gnawing on. Palan let out a burp and stared at the dire wolf. ¡°You eat too slowly.¡± Palan leaned back against the wooden wall and gazed at the surrounding angels. He could still hear Raea sobbing in the room behind him. He rose to his feet, causing the spectating angels to take steps backwards. His bones cracked and his muscles rippled as he stretched his arms above his head. He muttered to himself, ¡°I got stronger again. Were they special?¡± He nudged the two angel skeletons away with his foot. ¡°There he is!¡± a voice called out from behind the spectators. An angel wearing a robe pointed at Palan. Four angels wearing armor stepped around and encircled Palan while raising their spears at him. One of the guards frowned. ¡°You are Lady Raea¡¯s contracted demon,¡± he said and slightly lowered the tip of his spear. ¡°Those people¡±¡ªhe pointed at the corpses near Palan with his spear¡ª¡±you killed them?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Palan said as his line of sight followed the spear, ¡°they were dead when I found them. I just ate their corpses.¡± ¡°Then who killed them?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Regardless,¡± the angel said and pointed his spear at Palan, ¡°we have to take you with us. Defiling a corpse is a serious crime and investigations must be conducted to find their killer.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Palan asked and tilted his head. He licked his lips. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Apologizing is good and all, but it does not change what you have done,¡± the guard said and frowned. ¡°Come with us.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do that,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°I have to be near Raea at all times.¡± The door to the restaurant swung open and Raea stepped outside with her eyes puffy. She frowned when she saw the angels surrounding the building and the bloody skeletons by Palan¡¯s feet. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± one of the guards said. ¡°We have to bring your contracted demon to the prison with us. He defiled the corpses of these two angels.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Raea said and nodded. She lowered her head. ¡°However, I am the one to blame; I gave him the orders. Let him be and take me away instead.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± the guard asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°You could be demoted or punished heavily if you choose to take the blame yourself.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Raea said and nodded as she unsheathed her halberd and passed it to one of her guards in the restaurant. She turned towards Palan and grabbed his arm. ¡°I¡¯m removing your distance restriction, but I¡¯m forbidding you from causing harm to any angels or demons.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really going with them?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Of course. This is Div¡¯Nya,¡± Raea said. ¡°We have laws that must be obeyed. We take responsibility for our actions here.¡± She released Palan and nodded at her personal guards before heading towards the armored angels. They turned her around and bound her wrists together with a metal chain. Palan scratched his head as Raea was taken away under the gazes of all the spectators. He glanced at Emergency Victuals. ¡°I guess that means I¡¯m free now?¡± The dire wolf barked and dropped the severed arm in its mouth. Moments later, Owen grunted and woke up with a headache. He glanced around at the empty restaurant and saw bloodstains in the corner. He slammed his palms against the table as he stood up and dashed outside while gathering the group¡¯s supplies. He saw his subordinates standing with furrowed brows outside the restaurant, staring at a group of guards leading Raea away in the distance. ¡°Lady Raea!¡± Owen shouted. He ran after her, ignoring his subordinates and Palan. Two guards blocked him with their spears before he reached Raea. ¡°Lady Raea, what happened?¡± ¡°I am being taken away for questioning,¡± Raea said. ¡°The expedition will be delayed until this matter is resolved.¡± The guard holding onto her chains tugged them, not letting her stop to talk with Owen. ¡°You cannot proceed beyond this point,¡± the two guards blocking Owen said as Raea rounded a corner. ¡°Please go back.¡± Owen furrowed his brow before turning around and marching towards his subordinates. He grabbed Palan¡¯s t-shirt and tried to pull the demon towards himself, but ended up ripping the shirt instead. ¡°What did you do!?¡± ¡°Lady Raea took the blame for her demon¡¯s actions,¡± one of the subordinates said. Owen gnashed his teeth and gazed at the surrounding spectators. ¡°What are you looking at? This isn¡¯t a show!¡± The angels whispered to each other before dispersing, leaving Palan alone with Raea¡¯s guards. Owen released Palan¡¯s shirt and stared him in the eyes. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± Owen asked. He raised his voice. ¡°Lady Raea sacrificed herself to protect you. Again. Are you fine with letting a teenaged girl take the blame for you?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°She offered.¡± ¡°You!¡± Owen yelled and clenched his hand into a fist. He punched Palan in the chest, causing him to take two steps back. ¡°You have the audacity to call yourself a pride demon!? You¡¯re nothing but a coward!¡± Owen raised his leg and kicked outwards towards Palan¡¯s chest. Palan frowned and caught Owen¡¯s foot mid-kick. Emergency Victuals took advantage of Owen¡¯s stance and chomped down on the angel¡¯s future children. Owen howled in pain and collapsed to the ground as Palan released his foot. He looked at the dire wolf and stuck his thumb up. ¡°Good job.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Palan turned to one of Raea¡¯s guards, ignoring the whimpering angel on the ground. He reached inside the leather sack by his waist and pulled out a yellow crystalline stone. He asked, ¡°Does this have any value?¡± The guard frowned and retrieved the stone. ¡°This looks like an unrefined essence crystal.¡± ¡°Is that worth something?¡± ¡°You can barter with essence crystals,¡± the guard said and handed the stone back. ¡°Some people may be willing to accept this as currency.¡± Palan nodded and placed the stone back into his sack. He stepped over Owen¡¯s twitching body and headed in the direction that Raea was taken. Owen raised his head and asked while whimpering, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Palan ignored him and continued walking with Emergency Victuals following after him. He sniffed the air and followed his nose, avoiding any angelic guards while making his way towards Raea¡¯s scent. He ended up in front of a stone building with a watchtower acting as a roof. He pushed open the door, shattering the latch holding it in place, and walked inside. An angel swiveled around and faced the door. Behind him was a desk and two chairs. Raea sat on one of the chairs, her hands still bound behind her back. She frowned. ¡°Palan?¡± ¡°How did you get here?¡± the angel asked. He wore grey armor with a white feather badge pinned above his heart. He glanced at the splintered door and frowned as he stepped towards a halberd which leaned against the wall. ¡°Are you the person in charge?¡± Palan asked and tilted his head. The angel tensed and grabbed the shaft of his weapon. ¡°Yes. I am Lieutenant Sharr,¡± the angel said. ¡°I run this outpost.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Good. I was looking for you,¡± he said. ¡°Can we talk privately? I can¡¯t hurt you because of Raea¡¯s orders.¡± Lieutenant Sharr frowned. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Palan ignored Raea as he continued to gaze at Sharr. ¡°Well?¡± he asked the lieutenant. ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± Sharr hesitated before nodding. ¡°Come upstairs, but leave your wolf behind,¡± Sharr said as he lifted the halberd and propped it on his shoulder. He turned around and proceeded up a stairwell, leaving Raea tied to the chair. Palan ordered Emergency Victuals to stay before he followed after Sharr. They entered a room which Sharr closed and locked the door to. Sharr traced the edge of his halberd and asked, ¡°What did you want?¡± Palan smiled and pulled out the unrefined essence crystal. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d let Raea go. I need her help and she doesn¡¯t have much use if she¡¯s locked up here,¡± he said and passed the stone to Sharr. ¡°You think you can bribe me?¡± Sharr asked and raised an eyebrow. Palan noticed he didn¡¯t offer to hand back the stone. ¡°It¡¯s not a bribe,¡± Palan said and pulled out a heavy-looking pouch. ¡°Think of it as a gift for following my suggestion.¡± Lieutenant Sharr eyed the pouch in Palan¡¯s hand. ¡°The angels you ate were students from the northern regions,¡± Sharr said and grinned. ¡°It would be difficult for me to explain what happened to them.¡± ¡°Difficult?¡± Palan asked and retrieved a second leather pouch. ¡°They were overconfident and got overwhelmed by a pack of dire wolves. I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so hard to explain about that.¡± ¡°What about the civilians in the town?¡± Palan shrugged and pulled out a third pouch. ¡°A few rumors won¡¯t matter once the ¡®truth¡¯ gets out, right?¡± he asked as he placed the pouches in Sharr¡¯s open hands. Sharr laughed and wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°How¡¯d you know my sin?¡± he asked as he placed the pouches in a corner of the room. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°This is just how I solved most of my problems back in my world when I couldn¡¯t resort to violence.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Sharr said and strapped his halberd to his back. ¡°Where¡¯d you get the crystals?¡± ¡°They¡¯re everywhere back at home,¡± Palan said and smiled. The two exited the room and proceeded down the stairs to where Raea was waiting. She furrowed her brows as the two men smiled at her. She frowned and asked, ¡°Why do I feel so uneasy?¡± ¡°There seems to have been a mistake,¡± Sharr said as he began to undo Raea¡¯s restraints. ¡°The issue has been resolved and the true murderers have been revealed. I apologize for my earlier behavior.¡± Raea blinked as the chains dropped off of her wrists. She turned towards her contracted demon. ¡°Palan? What did you do to him?¡± ¡°I convinced him to let you go with your awesome powers of kindness,¡± Palan said and extended his hand towards Raea. ¡°Now let¡¯s go earn you some merits so I can get home.¡± Raea glanced at Palan¡¯s hand and ignored it as she walked past him. ¡°I¡¯m still disappointed in you,¡± she said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have ki¡ª¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Sharr cleared his throat as loudly as he could. ¡°I can¡¯t hear anything you¡¯re saying. Please hurry and leave already.¡± Palan grabbed Raea¡¯s arm and dragged her out of the building with his dire wolf following after him. Chapter 17 Palan led Raea through the outpost, avoiding all the guards until the duo reached the southern gate. A frown was plastered on Raea¡¯s face the whole time, but she didn¡¯t say anything as Palan led the way. When she saw Owen and the rest of her cavalry waiting at the southern gate she opened her mouth and asked, ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Convince Sharr to let you go?¡± ¡°That too,¡± Raea said, ¡°but how did you know where to go?¡± Palan grunted and said, ¡°I have a very good sense of smell; I can smell things from up to three miles away. Aside from that, my hearing is superb.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Raea said. ¡°That isn¡¯t just your pride speaking right? Three miles seems awfully far...¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Even if you took away my sense of smell, hearing, and sight, I could still sense any movement from living creatures nearby,¡± he said. ¡°And I can see in the dark.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Raea hummed and nodded. ¡°Sure. How did you convince Sharr to release me?¡± ¡°I told him dire wolves killed and ate those people,¡± Palan said. ¡°He believed me due to my integrity and willingness to take responsibility for my actions.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I ask you questions,¡± Raea said and sighed as she shook her head. Raea waved her hand as her subordinates saluted towards her. The duo rejoined the group and Owen stepped forward with his brows furrowed. ¡°Lady Raea, is everything alright?¡± Owen asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I am not quite sure about that myself,¡± Raea said and glanced at Palan who released her arm. ¡°Palan did something to convince the lieutenant to set me free and drop all the charges against me.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Owen said as his body relaxed. He took out a sandwich from a pouch strapped to his horse. ¡°Then the mission will continue as planned? I saved you some food.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said and took the sandwich from Owen¡¯s hands. ¡°There are still ten minutes left before the two hours are up. Make sure the horses are ready by then.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Owen said and saluted. Raea grabbed Palan¡¯s hand and tugged him towards an empty bench. She sat down and pulled Palan down to sit by her side. ¡°I think I made a mistake when I contracted you,¡± Raea said and frowned. She placed the sandwich on her lap and looked into Palan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you setting me free?¡± Palan asked. ¡°No,¡± Raea said as she picked up her sandwich and studied the crust. ¡°So you just wanted to tell me I was a mistake.¡± Raea grunted in affirmation. ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± Raea bit into her sandwich. She tasted meat. Images of Palan sinking his teeth into the rabbit-demon¡¯s neck popped up in her head and she gagged before spitting out the food in her mouth. Palan stared at the blanching angel, but didn¡¯t say anything. Raea sighed as she put the sandwich down on the bench and turned her body to face Palan. Her lips quivered as she asked, ¡°Why did you kill them?¡± ¡°I already answered that, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Because they irritated you?¡± Palan nodded. Raea sighed. ¡°I guess I seriously misjudged you,¡± she said and lowered her head to stare at her hands. They were clasped together on her lap. ¡°I really did think you were compassionate. How can you care so much for your sister, but have no regard for others?¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple. They¡¯re not my sister.¡± ¡°But they could be other people¡¯s sisters. They could be other people¡¯s brothers, fathers, mothers. T¡ª¡± ¡°But not mine. And that¡¯s all that matters to me.¡± Raea fell silent and bit her lip. Palan placed his hand underneath Raea¡¯s chin and tilted her face towards him. ¡°How many times has someone tried to kill you?¡± Raea furrowed her brow. ¡°No one has ever tried to kill me before.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°How many people have you seen die?¡± ¡°Non¡ª, three,¡± Raea said, correcting herself. ¡°Today.¡± She removed Palan¡¯s hand and shifted her gaze back to her lap. Palan leaned back into the bench and stared at the two red suns in the sky. ¡°For me, a good day is when less than five people try to kill me,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s usually ten or so attempts a day.¡± He turned towards Raea. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m still alive?¡± Raea stayed silent. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve killed everyone who tried,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯ve lost count of how many people I¡¯ve killed. It all started when a town leader placed a bounty on my head because I refused to give him my sister. People kept trying to kill me even after I got rid of the man who placed the bounty. Of course, he had connections with other town leaders and I was forced to stay on the run while making sure my sister stayed safe. People would sell out our location when we relocated to new areas. The most effective way to stop someone from talking isn¡¯t to bribe them. It¡¯s to kill them; dead people tell no tales. ¡°You and I were born in two completely different worlds. I¡¯ve never had the luxury of considering anyone else¡¯s feelings and I don¡¯t think I ever will. So while compassion may be a good trait to have in this world, it¡¯s a death sentence in mine. The only thing that matters is absolute strength. If things don¡¯t go your way, you only have your own weakness to blame.¡± Palan sighed and stood up. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat that, we should get going.¡± Raea¡¯s vision blurred as her eyes grew hot. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the demon world through other people¡¯s contracted demons,¡± she said and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, ¡°but their experiences sounded very different from yours. Thank you for sharing part of your past with me; I feel like I can relate to you a little more.¡± Palan grunted. ¡°If you understand, then remove that restriction from me,¡± he said and snorted. ¡°It¡¯s going to suck if lightning struck me every time I had to kill someone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you kill anyone,¡± Raea said and frowned as she got off the bench. ¡°Then close your eyes; I¡¯ve heard nice things about that. Never done it myself though.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t close your eyes?¡± Raea asked and blinked. ¡°I always thought you were trying to intimidate people.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remove your restriction, but you have to promise that you¡¯ll let me know when you¡¯re going to hurt someone,¡± Raea said. ¡°If you can¡¯t do that¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°If you break your promise¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°Alright,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°You said it yourself. If you break your promise, then you have to come back to this world with your sister and continue being my contracted demon for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to that.¡± ¡°Should¡¯ve let me finish my sentence,¡± Raea said and stuck out her tongue. ¡°That¡¯s what you get.¡± Raea stretched her arms above her head. ¡°I guess I haven¡¯t been completely honest with you either.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Palan asked as he followed Raea back to the group. ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way to the third outpost,¡± Raea said and mounted her horse. Palan joined her and Raea gave the command to proceed. The gate creaked open and the cavalry charged through. An armored angel stood next to Lieutenant Sharr, watching the group leave from on top of the town walls. The angel asked, ¡°You are letting her go?¡± Lieutenant Sharr smiled. ¡°Of course. It was just a misunderstanding,¡± he said and nodded. ¡°What do we tell the school?¡± ¡°They were eaten by wolves,¡± Sharr said and waved his hand, dismissing any further questions. ¡°Close the gate.¡± Chapter 18 ¡°What were you hiding from me?¡± Palan asked as the horse galloped down the straight dirt road, heading towards the third outpost. Raea sat in front of him with her hands on the reins. Her short hair bounced in time with the horse¡¯s hooves. Her subordinates followed behind her in a wedge formation. ¡°It¡¯s not really hiding information,¡± Raea said, keeping her eyes on the road. ¡°It¡¯s more like not telling you things because you probably wouldn¡¯t have formed the contract with me if I told you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Palan said while frowning, ¡°so what were you hiding from me?¡± Raea sighed. ¡°I come from the Caelum household,¡± Raea said and used her hand to touch a badge that sported a pair of white wings pinned on her chest. ¡°It¡¯s a well-established family in the capital, producing generation after generation of virtuous angels. My father is the head of the family. I¡¯m the youngest child out of seven, but I¡¯m the only one that got sent to the borderland.¡± Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. ¡°My siblings are all much better than I am in nearly all aspects. I was jealous of them. I wanted what they had. And then I wanted more.¡± Palan stayed silent, waiting for Raea to continue. Her shoulders were hunched forward and her head was angled downwards. He thought he saw her back shaking, but it could¡¯ve been the movements from the horse. A minute passed in silence. ¡°You¡¯re not going to say anything?¡± Raea asked. Her brow furrowed as she turned around to look at Palan. ¡°You were done?¡± Palan asked in return. ¡°That¡¯s it? Your parents threw you away so I wouldn¡¯t want you either, is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case?¡± Raea asked while turning her head back to the road. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want you as my contractor for an entirely different set of reasons,¡± Palan said. ¡°I thought you were going to tell me something like¡ªI don¡¯t know¡ªyou withheld vital information about our contract that really screws me over or something along those lines. I contracted with you, mostly against my will, because that was the best choice I had for survival. I don¡¯t care what kind of person you are as long as I can use you to reunite with my sister.¡± Raea tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether I should be glad or offended by what you just said,¡± she said. ¡°Is this your awkward way of trying to be nice to me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. ¡°I hate you, simple as that.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Raea asked and turned her head around to face Palan. ¡°You¡¯ve forced me into the position of a servant. There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°But I did that to protect you,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°Without a contract, you¡¯ll just be killed.¡± ¡°I know that rationally, but I still resent you for stifling my pride.¡± ¡°You swallowed your own pride,¡± Raea said and turned back to the road. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have made the contract with you otherwise.¡± Palan grunted. ¡°It¡¯s easier to hate you than to hate myself because I¡¯m perfect.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°Sometimes I wish you were a standard greed demon.¡± ¡°That reminds me,¡± Palan said as he glanced at Emergency Victuals running alongside them, ¡°what did that rabbit-demon¡±¡ªRaea shuddered¡ª¡±mean by ¡®use my sins properly¡¯ before I killed her?¡± ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve asked her before biting her head off,¡± Raea said while frowning. Palan shrugged. ¡°Eliminate your enemies before they have a chance to do anything,¡± he said. ¡°I learned that the hard way once. My strength lies in surprising my prey, not confronting it head-on, although angels seem to be a lot easier to kill than demons.¡± ¡°Demons are inherently stronger than angels,¡± Raea said, ¡°but in return, angels can use magic. That¡¯s not to say there aren¡¯t any physically strong angels or that all demons can¡¯t use magic. Those two angels you killed would have given you trouble if you fought them fairly.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Fair? There¡¯s no such thing as fair,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°There¡¯s only those who are dead and those who aren¡¯t.¡± Palan¡¯s nose crinkled and he sneezed. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Raea asked and glanced at Palan¡¯s ripped shirt. ¡°No,¡± Palan said and sniffed. ¡°This place smells like a festering pile of lizard dung. Kind of like that green thing from before.¡± ¡°The goblin?¡± Raea asked and frowned. ¡°Goblins aren¡¯t allowed near the roads between outposts.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been many incidents with goblins interfering with construction after the angels subjugated them. So in return, the angels established a law prohibiting goblins from being near the roads during the day,¡± Raea said. ¡°Any goblins who approach the roads without permission from an angel are assumed to be aggressors and will be arrested on sight.¡± ¡°Angels and their laws,¡± Palan said. ¡°The only law that exists in my world is the strong can do whatever they want.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°Laws exist to keep order and protect the people.¡± ¡°Whatever. The smell¡¯s getting worse,¡± Palan said. ¡°I can¡¯t even count how many of them are up ahead. Their stench is too overwhelming.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you when it concerns your life. If you die, I die after all,¡± Palan said. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed Raea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wait a minute. Why didn¡¯t the rabbit-demon die when I killed her angel?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± Raea said. ¡°You really will die if I die. As for the rabbit, her contract could have had different terms. Not a lot of demons are willing to die if their angel dies; you should be proud to be one of them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me all the terms of our contract,¡± Palan said and breathed down Raea¡¯s neck. She shuddered and nodded. ¡°Tonight, when we¡¯re in a more private area,¡± Raea said. ¡°Even amongst friends, details of a contract should only be kept between the contractor and contractee.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Palan said and took his hand off Raea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The goblins are moving closer to the side of the road.¡± ¡°How far ahead are they?¡± ¡°About a mile.¡± Raea raised her right hand and spread her fingers apart while tugging on her horse¡¯s reins. The cavalry ground to a halt and Emergency Victuals glanced backwards with its head tilted and tongue sticking out before stopping. ¡°Why did we stop?¡± Owen asked as his horse trotted next to Raea¡¯s. ¡°Palan said there were goblins a mile down this road,¡± Raea said. Owen frowned and shielded his eyes from the sun with his right hand as he peered down the road. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Owen turned his head towards Palan and asked. ¡°Because I¡¯m awesome, old man,¡± Palan said. ¡°He can s¡ª,¡± Raea said before Palan clamped his hand over her mouth. She ripped his hand off and glared at him. ¡°Stop doing that!¡± ¡°My secrets aren¡¯t for you to give away,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes as he stared at Raea. Raea ignored him and faced Owen. ¡°Regardless of how he knows, I trust him. We proceed as if we are engaging a goblin army.¡± Owen¡¯s brow furrowed. He shot a glance at Palan before he nodded and turned around to address the cavalry behind them. ¡°You heard the lieutenant. Ready your weapons.¡± Metal clinked as lances were unsheathed and visors dropped down. Raea frowned as she unsheathed her halberd and grabbed onto the horse¡¯s reins while nudging its belly with her foot. ¡°Onwards!¡± Chapter 19 The forty-odd horseback riders charged along the dirt road with their weapons at the ready. Palan had dismounted earlier and was running alongside Raea. His face contorted as his nose wrinkled and his eyes narrowed. ¡°They¡¯re almost right next to us.¡± ¡°Stick to the right!¡± Raea shouted and held her right arm straight to the side. The wedge formation flattened as the soldiers moved closer to the edge of the forest while charging. ¡°How do goblins fight?¡± Palan asked and glanced at Raea. Her lips were pressed together underneath her visor with her brow furrowed. ¡°Like animals. They pose no threat against our armor,¡± Raea said, keeping her eyes peeled. ¡°The problem is defending our horses; their armor is in the third outpost.¡± ¡°Why is it there and not on them?¡± ¡°It limits their mobility,¡± Owen said from behind Raea. ¡°The road between the outposts are peaceful. Except for these supposed goblins of yours. Where are they anyways?¡± A scream that sounded like a pig squealing echoed through the air. The ground shuddered and a web of cracks emerged on the dirt road. Steam blasted out from between the cracks, causing the earth to shatter and shift into unstable hexagonal chunks. The horses neighed and the angels swore as animal and rider alike toppled to the ground. Only Palan and his dire wolf remained upright as a horde of goblins appeared from the forests on both sides of the road. Most of the diminutive goblins, which were half Palan¡¯s height, wore loincloths, while the larger goblins wore armor similar to the angels. All of the goblins were green, except for the largest one. Its skin was blue and it was taller than Palan by a head. A necklace of skulls rested in front of its chest and spiraling tattoos decorated its body. In its right hand was a staff made of bone and in its left was a brown metal orb. The diminutive goblins yelled incoherently as they charged at the fallen angels with crude clubs made of wood. The taller goblins followed behind the shorter ones, sporting lances along with their armor. The goblins encircled the angels while the blue goblin stood near the forest with four armored goblins by its side. It let out a pig-like squeal and raised the orb into the air. The orb visibly dimmed, but the ground rumbled again as the dirt turned into mud underneath the angels. The angels struggled to their feet and tried to fend the goblins off with their lances while sinking into the ground. The goblins¡¯ wooden clubs bounced off of their armor, but the angels still grunted when they got hit. Raea smacked a goblin away with the butt of her halberd as she pulled her right leg out of the mud. She shouted, ¡°Aim to disable! Minimize ca¡ª¡± ¡°Kill them all!¡± Palan roared as his metal dagger flashed in his hands. He kicked Emergency Victuals in the butt, breaking the goblins¡¯ encirclement with the dire wolf¡¯s body. The dire wolf whined as it scrambled to its feet while snapping at the throats of the fallen goblins nearby. Palan ran through the gap created by Emergency Victuals and charged towards the blue goblin. The four armored goblins stepped forward and created a semi-circle around the chanting blue goblin. Its staff was moving in circles above its head with a faint mist forming in the air above it. Owen pulled his lance out of the shoulder of an armored goblin and glanced in Palan¡¯s direction. He muttered and kicked away a goblin that hit his thigh with a club, ¡°What is he doing?¡± Palan was running at full speed towards the four armored guards who had their spears pointed at him. Raea knocked away a group of goblins with a sweep of her halberd and shouted, ¡°Palan! Stop! It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, Palan halted mid-stride and pulled a cloth pouch out of his leather sack. He loosened the string holding the pouch closed and threw it as hard as he could in the blue goblin¡¯s direction. The four guards ducked their heads and avoided the pouch before snickering. Palan sneered and crossed his arms over his chest. The cloth pouch landed by the blue goblin¡¯s feet and exploded into a cloud of green powder, enveloping it and its four guards. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.The unlucky goblins started to sneeze as their eyes teared up. Moments later, they began to cough and spasm. Black blood poured out of their nostrils and ears. They screamed and clawed at their necks as their throats swelled, blocking their air passages. The blue goblin dropped its staff and orb as it fell to the floor and began to writhe, clutching its neck. A bloated tongue lolled out of its mouth as its eyes rolled upwards into its head before it finally stopped twitching. Palan held his breath and charged into the green air, scooping up the orb by the blue goblin¡¯s corpse. He tossed it into his sack and picked up the staff before dashing out of the poisonous air. All the remaining goblins in the encirclement froze as their eyes glazed over. The angels took advantage of their stupor and knocked the ones that they could to the ground. Moments later, the goblins blinked and glanced around before letting out chirps. They tossed their weapons to the side and sprinted away, heading back towards the forests they came from. Palan ignored the goblins as they rushed around him into the forest as he traced his fingers along the contours of his newly acquired staff. The surrounding angels helped their horses out of the mud and applied first-aid where needed. They gazed in Palan¡¯s direction and shuddered as the green mist hovering over the five corpses began to disperse. Owen snarled as he marched towards Palan, gripping his lance with his right hand. ¡°What was that?!¡± Owen asked as he pointed the spear at Palan. Palan¡¯s gaze shifted from the staff to Owen¡¯s spearhead. ¡°What was what?¡± Palan asked as he lowered the staff. ¡°Why did you go off on your own?¡± Owen asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Lady Raea told you to stop. Orders are meant to be followed.¡± ¡°I followed her orders,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I stopped when she told me to. I think the lack of smoke coming out of my hair is enough evidence of that.¡± ¡°Do not play word games with me, demon,¡± Owen said and gnashed his teeth. ¡°It is fine if you die, but do not drag Lady Raea down with you. What do you think happens to her if you die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, old man,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes as he dropped the staff. He retrieved another cloth pouch from his bag. ¡°But I do know that you¡¯re really pissing me off right now.¡± He tugged on the pouches¡¯ string, loosening its opening. Owen¡¯s body tensed as he grasped his spear with both hands. ¡°Stop it! Both of you!¡± Raea shouted as she inserted herself between Owen and Palan. She turned towards Palan and lowered her head. ¡°You did a good job, but, please, do not run off on your own next time. I was worried about you.¡± She bit her lip before sighing and turning around to face Owen. ¡°It is my fault for not leading everyone properly. Please do not blame Palan for my shortcomings. Even though we had an advanced warning, we were still placed in a disadvantageous position.¡± Owen frowned and lowered his spear. He shook his head. ¡°Do not blame youself, Lady Raea,¡± he said. ¡°There was no way to know that the enemies had a magic user.¡± Palan snorted and sealed his cloth pouch before placing it back in his sack. He glared at Owen before picking the staff off the floor. Raea scratched her head and said, ¡°The staff is just a decoration. The only way to enhance magic is through the use of conduits. The orb you picked up¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have it,¡± Palan said and frowned as he placed his hand on his bag. Raea sighed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to ask for it, sheesh,¡± she said and turned around. She addressed the soldiers. ¡°How are our casualties? If there is anyone who needs me to cure them, please speak up.¡± ¡°My horse could use some healing,¡± a soldier said. A few others nodded in agreement. Owen shot a glare at Palan before following after Raea. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed before he tossed the bone staff to Emergency Victuals. ¡°Free snack,¡± Palan said. Emergency Victuals lowered its head and looked upwards at Palan. A footprint could still be seen on the dire wolf¡¯s butt. Emergency Victuals sighed before reluctantly chomping down on the staff. Chapter 20 Raea sat in a room across from a man wearing grey armor. Owen stood next to her while Palan leaned on the wall next to the door. The man had a frown on his face. ¡°So you encountered one of those,¡± the man said and nodded. ¡°There have been many reports about the natives using magic stolen from us angels.¡± ¡°This is not an isolated incident?¡± Raea asked. The man sighed and shook his head. ¡°We suspect it has something to do with the lizardmen village that you were sent to subjugate,¡± he said. ¡°There have been many attempts at subduing it, but they have all failed. I pray you are able to do what no one else has done before.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Raea said as she stood up. ¡°It was nice meeting you, Lieutenant Malak.¡± ¡°It was nice meeting you too, Lieutenant Raea,¡± Malak said and smiled. ¡°Perhaps I could teach you a thing or two about being a lieutenant tonight.¡± Owen¡¯s eyes narrowed, but Malak ignored him and waited for Raea¡¯s reply. She said, ¡°Sorry, but I have prior engagements.¡± Malak leaned back in his seat. ¡°A shame. Maybe some other time,¡± he said. He eyed Raea as she stood up and exited the room, followed by Palan and Owen. Owen shot a glance at the smiling lieutenant before closing the door on his way out. ¡°You should avoid that man in the future,¡± Owen said to Raea as the three walked down the streets of the third outpost and neared their assigned lodgings. ¡°Why?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°His sin is lust,¡± Palan said. ¡°Are you dense? It¡¯s a miracle how you survived for so long.¡± Raea blinked. ¡°Is that true?¡± she turned to Owen and asked. Owen sighed and looked up at the red sky. The second sun was about to set and the yellow moon was beginning to rise. ¡°Most likely,¡± Owen said. ¡°That¡ª, eep!¡± Raea¡¯s foot caught on a raised brick and she stumbled. Owen grabbed Raea¡¯s shoulder to steady her as Palan stood to the side and watched. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Owen asked Raea before turning to Palan. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°You are her contracted demon. Why did you not make a move to help her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a nanny,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Do you want me to burp her too? Feed her when her poor tummy growls?¡± Owen glared daggers at Palan. ¡°What is your iss¡ª¡± Raea raised her hand and cut Owen off. ¡°I am alright,¡± she said. Her face was pale as she shrugged off Owen¡¯s hand and raised her head. ¡°Healing the horses took a toll on me. All I need is a little rest.¡± ¡°I really think your demon needs to be taught some manners,¡± Owen said. ¡°I knew making a contract with a demon like him was unbefitting of your status. Any other demon would give their life to be your contracted demon; why did you contract him? He cannot even read.¡± Palan laughed and unsheathed his dagger. Raea stepped in front of Owen with her back to Palan. She spread her arms out as if she were protecting Palan. ¡°Stop it, Owen,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°Why do you insist on antagonizing him? If you respect me, then you will respect my choice and treat Palan fairly.¡± ¡°Step aside,¡± Palan said and placed his hand on Raea¡¯s shoulder. Her armor creaked as it threatened to bend underneath Palan¡¯s grip. ¡°No. I will not have my subordinates fighting each other,¡± Raea said. Her body glowed with a white light and Palan¡¯s hand was pushed back by an invisible force. Owen took a step backwards and shielded his eyes from the light. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Palan frowned and tried to take a step forward, but found that he couldn¡¯t. Palan gnashed his teeth as his body trembled. ¡°The hell is this?¡± Sweat poured down Raea¡¯s forehead and dripped to the floor. Her pale face turned even paler, almost losing its red hue completely. ¡°The restraints of patience,¡± Raea said in a shaky voice. ¡°Why am I bound too?¡± Owen asked and frowned. ¡°You should stop; using two virtues in one day is dangerous, even for you.¡± ¡°You two need to settle your differences peacefully,¡± Raea said as she grit her teeth. ¡°Apologize to Palan, Owen. You were also very rude today.¡± ¡°If it will make you stop,¡± Owen said as his head turned towards Palan. ¡°I apologize for my actions throughout the day.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said. ¡°Apology refused. Go jump off a cliff,¡± Palan said and snorted as he turned to Raea. ¡°You think you¡¯re the only patient one? I could stalk my prey for days just waiting for the right time to strike. I can wait until your already exhausted reserves run out.¡± ¡°Please accept his apology?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I really do not wish to see you struck by lightning.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not sincere enough,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°I refuse. If he wants my forgiveness, then he should get on his knees and address me as master from now on.¡± Raea bit her lip. ¡°Owen?¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Owen said as he glared at Palan. Palan laughed. ¡°I see that your pride is more important to you than Raea,¡± he said and sneered. ¡°You angels are no better than us demons. What right do you have to pretend to be better than us? Because you have honor? A sense of duty? Kindness? Pathetic.¡± Palan frowned as a hot object touched his thigh. He glanced down and only saw the leather pouch hanging by his side. ¡°Fine,¡± Owen said and gritted his teeth. His face contorted. ¡°I apologize, master.¡± ¡°Is that enough, Palan?¡± Raea asked the demon who had an eyebrow raised. ¡°He¡¯s not kneeling.¡± ¡°He is unable to move,¡± Raea said with a frown. ¡°Weak,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Alright, apology accepted. You get to live another day.¡± Raea sighed as the glow surrounding her body disappeared. She inhaled and raised her hands towards the sky while stretching. She glanced at the two men who were glaring at each other. ¡°We should get some rest. We have to get up early tomorrow.¡± ¡°You still have to explain the details of our contract to me,¡± Palan said and grabbed Raea¡¯s shoulder. Raea shuddered. ¡°Right,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°Come with me to my room.¡± ¡°I will accompany you,¡± Owen said and frowned at Palan. ¡°Contract details are private,¡± Palan said. ¡°Are you sure this is wise?¡± Owen asked Raea, ignoring Palan. ¡°Yes. I promised him earlier today,¡± Raea said. ¡°You should get some rest. I will see you in the morning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, old man,¡± Palan said as he followed after Raea. ¡°I won¡¯t be castrating you tonight. You can sleep well.¡± Owen gritted his teeth and clenched his hands as he watched Raea bring Palan into her residence before heading towards his own room. Chapter 21 Palan sat on a wooden chair in a room with one window that had a desk beneath it. Raea sat across from him on a bed with a simple white bedsheet, pillow, and blanket. The moon cast a faint yellow glow over Palan¡¯s face as he stared at it. He turned his head towards Raea. ¡°Well?¡± Raea sighed and pulled a yellow crystal out of the leather bag by the side of her bed. She crushed it into dust and a roll of paper materialized in the air in front of her. The crystal¡¯s dust flew into the air and formed glowing letters on the piece of paper. Once all the dust was used up, she retrieved the paper and cleared her throat. ¡°This is a receipt for the level six contract between the Pride Demon Palan and the Angel of Kindness Raea,¡± Raea said as she read the first line aloud. ¡°The contract was made between the Pride Demon Palan and the Kindness Angel Raea on the seventh day of the third month when the second sun passed its zenith. The term for this contract is set until both parties agree to dissolve said contract or until either party dies. In the case where the Kindness Angel Raea dies, the Pride Demon Palan agrees to surrender his life. In the case where the Pride Demon Palan dies, the Kindness Angel Raea agrees to surrender her use of magic and all of her five senses. ¡°The Pride Demon Palan agrees to follow the orders of the Kindness Angel Raea unless said orders will cause bodily harm to the former. The Kindness Angel Raea agrees to assist the Pride Demon Palan in reuniting with his sister. Under no circumstances may either party wound the other or cause grievous bodily harm with intent. ¡°Level six contract addendum. Range, thirty meters. The Pride Demon Palan may draw upon the Kindness Angel Raea¡¯s virtues and sins to activate their respective magicks. The Kindness Angel Raea may draw upon the Pride Demon Palan¡¯s sins and virtues to activate their respective magicks. In addition, the Pride Demon Palan may draw on ninety-five percent of the Kindness Angel Raea¡¯s mana reserves, unless doing so would result in harm of the latter, in order to bolster his growth. In return, the Kindness Angel Raea shall experience her own growth every time the Pride Demon Palan grows stronger. ¡°Failure to comply by the terms of the contract will result in lightning strikes to the offending party.¡± Raea raised her head and glanced at Palan. ¡°Any questions?¡± ¡°You slapped me before,¡± Palan said and frowned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that count as wounding me? Why didn¡¯t you get struck by lightning?¡± ¡°Are you holding a grudge over that?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°A wound is classified as an injury that breaks the skin.¡± ¡°So I can slap you too?¡± ¡°No. That would be counted as grievous bodily harm because you¡¯re that much stronger than me,¡± Raea said and smiled. ¡°What did that part about using your mana to bolster my growth mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what it said. You can use my mana to get stronger. I think demons refer to it as evolving?¡± ¡°Evolving,¡± Palan said as his eyes narrowed while he rubbed his chin. ¡°I see. What is mana?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the energy we use to activate our power or magic, as the contract calls it,¡± Raea said. ¡°My reserves are actually a lot greater than the average angel¡¯s. You should evolve at a faster rate compared to other demons.¡± Palan smiled. ¡°Interesting. Maybe this arrangement isn¡¯t as bad as I thought,¡± he said. ¡°Except for the bit where I get extremely irritated and want to kill everything around me every time I see your face, but I think I¡¯ll get used to it. Eventually.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°Do you really think that poorly of me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said and nodded while Raea¡¯s head drooped. ¡°But after hearing the terms¡­ Didn¡¯t you say nothing would happen to you if I died?¡± ¡°I said I would give you a proper burial. I never said nothing would happen to me,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°How could I make you assume all the risk by yourself? That would be unbecoming of a kindness angel. That¡¯s why I chose a level six contract, the lower level contracts have a lower risk for the angel and less mana consumed.¡± Palan grunted as he leaned back into his seat. ¡°You¡¯ve earned some of my respect,¡± he said as he stared at Raea, ¡°but just a little tiny bit that may as well be negligible.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Really?!¡± Raea asked as a smile bloomed on her face. She squealed. ¡°And you just lost it again,¡± Palan said and sighed as he shook his head. He leaned forward. ¡°But are you really fine with losing all your senses if I die?¡± Raea tilted her head. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d get yourself killed before you reunited with your sister,¡± she said and frowned, ¡°unless you do something stupid like poking the king of the forest again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault poison didn¡¯t work on it,¡± Palan said and shrugged. Raea bit her lip. She shuddered as she recalled the convulsing goblins enshrouded by green powder. ¡°Do you use poison often?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Palan said. ¡°You think it¡¯s easy to kill something ten times your size with only a dagger?¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I think we should explain what we can do. I don¡¯t know a lot about you and I haven¡¯t fully revealed everything that I can bring to the table. Since we¡¯re basically tied together by death, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to share our strengths and weaknesses with each other.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like others knowing what I can do. The less someone knows about you, the safer it is,¡± he said. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Raea said and pulled out another yellow crystal from her bag. ¡°We can sign a blood contract as insurance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one where we die if it¡¯s broken, right?¡± Raea blinked. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of them before?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°Educated guess.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Raea said and nodded as she crushed the crystal. A blank piece of paper materialized in the air in front of her. ¡°Yeah, if either of us breaks the contract, then we¡¯ll die. I wish to form a blood contract with the Pride Demon Palan. I will not tell anyone anything he wants me to keep as a secret, unless retaining the information will result in either my or his death. In return, he will not tell anyone anything that I wish for him to keep a secret, unless retaining the information will result in either of our deaths.¡± She bit her finger and pressed a drop of blood on the contract. Palan did the same and a golden light flashed before the contract faded away. ¡°Alright,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Everything we discuss in this room, including what we discussed before, will be a secret. Agreed?¡± ¡°Agreed. Keep the extent of my senses a secret too,¡± Palan said. ¡°So what do you want to know?¡± ¡°Everything that you can do that helps us,¡± Raea said while yawning. ¡°You already know about my senses,¡± Palan said. ¡°My primary weapon is a dagger. I supplement it with poison. For long-ranged attacks, I apply poison on objects nearby and throw them. My strength is above the average demon¡¯s and it seems to increase when I eat certain angels¡±¡ªRaea shuddered¡ª¡±like those two from earlier today. I¡¯m a hunter; compared to demons with claws and tails, I¡¯m weak in close combat. Also, I can regenerate body parts, but that happens over the course of a few months. Oh, and a few parts of my skin are pretty rough; like, I can shred things with the back of my elbows. That¡¯s about it.¡± Raea nodded. ¡°I guessed as much. As for me,¡± Raea said and yawned again, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow. If I use too much mana in a day, I¡¯ll get exhausted. Like now. Good night and don¡¯t forget to close the door on your way out.¡± Raea flopped onto her side and dragged the blanket over her body. ¡°Seriously?¡± Palan asked and frowned. ¡°Hey.¡± Raea grunted and turned her body to face the wall. Palan crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. He sighed while turning his body towards the door. He extended his legs and relaxed his body. ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Hell no. If you die, I die,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯m not dying because of an assassin that wasn¡¯t even targeting me.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s going to assassinate me,¡± Raea mumbled as she arched her back and stretched. ¡°That¡¯s what a demon told me once before he died. You never know.¡± ¡°Was he assassinated?¡± ¡°Yeah, I killed him.¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 22 Raea yawned and stretched as she rolled around in bed. She rubbed her eyes before opening them. Palan was staring directly at her, unblinking with his bright-red eyes. Raea¡¯s body spasmed as she jerked backwards and shouted. Her heart rate increased as she took in deep breaths before she finally settled down. She frowned. ¡°Are you sleeping?¡± Palan¡¯s nictitating membranes flickered and his body twitched. He tilted his head. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± he asked and yawned. The first rays of sunlight illuminated his face from the window beside him. He wiggled his teeth with his tongue, causing a tooth to drop out of his mouth. ¡°You were staring at me¡­¡± Raea said and glanced at the tooth on the floor. She sighed and shook her head. ¡°Forget it. Get out of here; I need to change.¡± Palan crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°Not until you tell me your abilities.¡± Raea groaned as she crossed her legs while sitting up on the bed. She placed her hands in her lap and sighed as her head drooped. ¡°You know I was sent to the borderland because I had a sin, right?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Well,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. She took in a deep breath. ¡°I actually have a mixture of two: greed and envy. My virtues are patience and kindness, ironic, I know. How can kindness and envy exist in the same person when they¡¯re polar opposites?¡± She raised her head to look at Palan. ¡°So?¡± Palan said, his countenance unchanging. ¡°Tell me how to use them.¡± Raea tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that? I¡¯m always mad when I see you,¡± Palan said and snorted. Raea¡¯s lips twisted into a bitter smile. ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your sins,¡± Palan said and propped his face up with his hand while resting his elbow on his armrest. ¡°Just tell me what they do.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not going to use them, but I can heal people with kindness and I can restrain people with patience. My skill with the halberd is well below average compared to other angels, but it¡¯s good enough to deal with goblins.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re useless in close combat,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°Why won¡¯t you use your sins?¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°My family kicked me out of the capital because of them,¡± she said and furrowed her brow. ¡°If I can get those feelings under control, they¡¯ll let me back. If I use them, then they¡¯ll just grow in me and I¡¯ll never get to go home.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I thought you just needed merits to go back to the capital,¡± he said. Raea scratched her head and combed her messy hair before she smiled while remaining silent. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Palan said and leaned forward. ¡°Why is the capital sin free? If they only have virtues, doesn¡¯t that make them weaker than the angels with both virtues and sins? Why not just kick them out?¡± ¡°That goes against the order of things,¡± Raea said. ¡°Even if angels have some sin, ultimately we¡¯re virtuous. We wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone to satisfy our sins.¡± Palan sighed. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll never understand how you angels think,¡± he said and leaned back, ¡°so I¡¯m not going to waste my time trying. The contract said that I could use your powers: virtues and sins. How do I use greed and envy?¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve only used envy once on accident,¡± she said and bit her lip. ¡°That¡¯s what got me expelled from the household.¡± ¡°So¡ª¡± There was a knock on the door. ¡°Lady Raea?¡± Owen¡¯s voice asked. ¡°The first sun has already risen.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Tell the soldiers to eat breakfast. We depart in an hour,¡± Raea said, facing the door. ¡°I understand,¡± Owen said. Footsteps faded off into the distance. ¡°Can I change now?¡± Raea asked, turning back to Palan. ¡°You said you had more to bring to the table,¡± Palan said. ¡°I already knew about your healing and restraining and clearly you aren¡¯t going to use your sins or tell me how to use them. You made me reveal my abilities for nothing in exchange?¡± Raea pouted. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d forget,¡± she said and sighed. She leaned over her bed and rummaged through her bag before taking out a silver orb. ¡°Remember this?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°That was mine until you took it from me.¡± Raea stuck her tongue out. ¡°Well, it¡¯s better off in my hands anyways,¡± she said as she spun it around on her palm. ¡°Lady Menyel was an angel of temperance and this orb was her conduit. I can use this orb to call upon lightning strikes, but it only has a limited number of uses before it has to be recharged through temperance. If I try to charge it, it¡¯ll just turn into another kindness conduit, which I already have.¡± Raea retrieved a similar looking orb and held it in her other hand. ¡°All it does is amplify my healing though, which is why I wanted this one.¡± She raised Menyel¡¯s orb. ¡°What can I do with this then?¡± Palan asked as he pulled a dull brown orb out of his bag. It belonged to the blue goblin that he killed the other day. A speck of blue light shone inside the orb, illuminating the murky brown innards. Palan frowned. ¡°That blue light wasn¡¯t there when I found it.¡± Raea reached for the orb, but Palan put it out of her grasp. She pouted. ¡°I just want to see it.¡± ¡°You see with your eyes, not your hands,¡± Palan said as he put it back in his bag. Raea sighed. ¡°Yesterday, that goblin shaman used it to call upon the powers of diligence to manipulate the earth,¡± she said and furrowed her brow. ¡°He must have taken it from an angel; his subordinates were also wearing our armor and using our spears. How did he manage to beat a squadron of angels though?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Anyways, it looks like your conduit ran out of power. You could probably use it as a crude mace? They¡¯re very sturdy.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said. He noticed Raea staring at his bag. ¡°You still can¡¯t have it.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes flickered back to Palan¡¯s face. ¡°I didn¡¯t, wasn¡¯t, no,¡± Raea said and shook her head. She slapped her face with both her hands and inhaled. She raised her head. ¡°I¡¯m okay now.¡± ¡°Weirdo,¡± Palan said as he stood up and turned around and crossed his arms. ¡°Get changed.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still here,¡± Raea said as her brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your body,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°If someone climbed in through this window and tried to kill you, you¡¯d die before I could get the door open.¡± Palan sighed. ¡°I felt more confident leaving my sister alone in the desert than I feel about leaving you out of my eyesight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that weak you know,¡± Raea said as she climbed off the bed and put her hands on her hips. ¡°And I¡¯m a cactus named George. Hurry up and get changed so I can try tasting some lizard people already.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°If you peek, I¡¯m going to order you to crawl after Owen and bark when he talks to you.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d kill him and he¡¯d no longer exist.¡± Clothes rustled. ¡°You always have to get the last word, don¡¯t you?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 23 Palan sat behind Raea on her horse with forty or so cavalry riding behind them, riding along on a dirt road. In front of the group was a naked, scaled humanoid figure riding on a boar the size of a horse. The figure was green with clawed hands and toes. Its back had a vertical set of spikes running down its spine all the way to the tip of its tail. The lizardman turned his head to glance at the angels riding behind him before he extended his left arm out and pointed. The boar he was riding on squealed and turned towards a clearing in the forest with the horsemen following after it. After another ten minutes or so of riding, the group arrived at a glade. The lizardman pat his boar on the head and it slowed to a halt. ¡°Why did we stop?¡± Raea asked as her horse trotted to a halt, its metal armor clinking. The second sun was at its zenith as it shone on the group below. ¡°This is as far as I can take you,¡± the lizardman said, his voice rasping. His sharp teeth clicked together as he spoke. ¡°Beyond this point is the lizardmen territory. They don¡¯t take kindly to traitors like me.¡± The lizardman¡¯s tongue flickered as he wet his lips. He pointed at a tree with a red line drawn on its trunk. ¡°If you can see those marks, then you know you¡¯re in their lands.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Raea said and nodded at the lizardman. ¡°Thank you for guiding us.¡± She dismounted and signaled for her soldiers to do the same. ¡°Of course,¡± the lizardman said and blinked its green eyes as it scratched at a metal collar on its neck. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be taking my leave. I wish you luck, Lieutenant Raea.¡± It pat the boar¡¯s head and disappeared back in the direction the group came from. Raea watched the lizardman leave before she turned to face her soldiers. ¡°We will establish our base here. For the time being, we should send scouts ahead to gather more information about the lizardmen¡¯s camp while the rest of us make camp.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not as incompetent as I thought,¡± Palan said as he nudged Emergency Victuals away with his foot. ¡°Here I was thinking you¡¯d just charge in and try to talk to them.¡± He glanced at Raea as the dire wolf whined and licked his foot. ¡°Palan. Please stop undermining my authority in front of my subordinates,¡± Raea said and sighed as she removed her helmet. ¡°Are there any among you who feels confident in scouting?¡± One soldier stepped forward and saluted. ¡°I am, lieutenant. I was raised near a forest and I used to go on hunting expeditions with my parents,¡± the soldier said. His voice sounded young, but his speech was confident. Another soldier stepped forward and also saluted. ¡°I am also confident in my ability to navigate through a forest. I apprenticed to an apothecary and used to gather herbs for her before I was sent to the borderland,¡± the soldier said in a feminine voice. Raea nodded. ¡°What are your names?¡± ¡°My name is Gerome Castor,¡± the young soldier said. ¡°I am Carmella Zul,¡± the female soldier said. ¡°Then Gerome, Carmella,¡± Raea said as she nodded at both the angels, ¡°I leave scouting to you. The rest¡ª¡± ¡°Let me go too,¡± Palan said, talking over Raea. He licked his lips. ¡°I¡¯m tired of sitting around.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Raea glared at Palan and frowned before she faced the rest of the soldiers. ¡°As I was saying, the¡ª, eep!¡± Palan poked Raea in the side through a gap in her armor. ¡°I want to go,¡± Palan said as he dodged Raea¡¯s hand swipe. Owen frowned, but didn¡¯t say anything. Raea growled as she put her hands on her hips. ¡°Were you not afraid of me getting killed?¡± Raea asked as she faced Palan. ¡°Why would you abandon me now?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re awake and wearing armor,¡± Palan said. ¡°And you can restrain whatever¡¯s attacking you for an indefinite amount of time, right? There shouldn¡¯t be any issues. I think. Maybe. Actually, now that I really think about it,¡±¡ªPalan frowned¡ª¡±you¡¯ll probably step on a poisonous bug and die or something. I guess I can¡¯t go.¡± He sighed. ¡°How fragile do you think I am?¡± Raea asked as her brow furrowed. The soldiers fidgeted in place as their lieutenant bickered with her contracted demon. ¡°If I hit you with an egg, you¡¯d probably break,¡± Palan said and nodded. Raea sighed as her head drooped. ¡°Go.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I said go. Go scout. You have to come back before nightfall though,¡± Raea said before straightening her back. She faced the soldiers and cleared her throat. ¡°Th¡ª¡± ¡°I thought you wanted me to stay? Why are you telling me to go?¡± Palan asked. Raea sighed again. ¡°Your talents would be of more use in the scouting party than out here. I am more than capable of keeping myself alive,¡± she said and sniffed. Palan rubbed his chin as Raea addressed the soldiers for the fourth time. ¡°Everyone else, set up a¡ª¡± ¡°Will you really be alright?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine! Stop interrupting me!¡± Raea said as she whirled around to face Palan. She inhaled. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Palan said as he scratched his head. ¡°Is that an order?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Raea shouted and put her hands on her hips. ¡°All of you¡±¡ªRaea glared at the soldiers¡ª¡±set up the base! Make sure nothing will be able to approach undetected. Do you understand?!¡± ¡°Y-yes, si¡ªma¡¯am!¡± the soldiers shouted in unison as their bodies tensed. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be patient,¡± Palan said to Raea as Gerome and Carmella stripped off their armor, revealing leather underarmor. ¡°What part of me is not patient?¡± Raea asked and tilted her head. ¡°I am literally the embodiment of patience. Why have you not left yet?¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Palan said and grunted. He looked at the wolf by his feet. ¡°Make sure she doesn¡¯t get herself killed. Got it?¡± Emergency Victuals barked and trotted next to Raea before sitting next to her. Palan glanced at the two angels who had volunteered to scout. They changed from their metal greaves into leather boots and their lances were nowhere to be seen. Gerome sported a buzzcut while Carmella¡¯s hair was tied in a bun behind her head. Germone said, ¡°We are ready to depart when you are.¡± Palan nodded and took one last look at Raea who was unloading supplies from one of the horses with Emergency Victuals glued to her heels. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Palan said to the two angels as he walked past them. ¡°I¡¯ll lead.¡± Chapter 24 ¡°The lieutenant really trusts you, huh?¡± Gerome asked as he stepped over a tree¡¯s root. Palan and Carmella walked ahead of him as he stepped through the forest. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Palan asked as he sniffed the air. He frowned and continued walking forward, crunching leaves beneath his feet as he walked forward. ¡°Most contracted demons have to stay by their angels at all times,¡± Gerome said. ¡°The lieutenant sending you to scout without her is proof enough.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Carmella cleared her throat as she picked a mushroom off the ground and put it in her bag. ¡°Should we really be talking so much during a scouting mission?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°There¡¯s no one around except for a few of those squealers with tusks.¡± ¡°Squealers with tusks?¡± Gerome asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°You mean boars?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Palan said. ¡°They¡¯re the things that smell like what the guide was sitting on.¡± ¡°Those are boars,¡± Carmella said as she followed behind the trail of broken twigs Palan left as he walked. ¡°You can sense them from here?¡± Palan grunted, but didn¡¯t elaborate as he hacked away at the foliage ahead of him with a dagger. A red line marked the tree next to him. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow before asking, ¡°What are your powers?¡± ¡°Powers?¡± Gerome asked as he slapped at a bug flying near his face. ¡°Yeah,¡± Palan said as he sniffed the air. ¡°Raea can heal people with magic. What can you two do?¡± Carmella frowned. ¡°Not all angels have virtues that manifest into magic,¡± she said. ¡°Your average foot soldiers, like us, are not capable of using magic. Right?¡± She turned her head to glance at Gerome. Gerome nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Only those with the seven heavenly virtues can use magic like Lieutenant Raea. That is what allows them to occupy the position of lieutenant after all.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said and frowned. ¡°I guess Raea isn¡¯t as incompetent as I thought.¡± Carmella scratched her head. ¡°Should you really be talking about your contractor like that?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Palan asked. He narrowed his eyes at the two angels behind him. ¡°N-no,¡± Gerome said as he looked at his feet. ¡°Demons are usually more,¡± Carmella said and hesitated as she bit her lip, ¡°docile, at least, the ones I have encountered. Though, I have only encountered around five during my time as an apprentice.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°They must¡¯ve been weak then,¡± he said as he sniffed at the bottom of a tree. Carmella shook her head. ¡°I do not think that is true,¡± she said. ¡°Their aura was much more intimidating than yours. When I saw them, I felt my heart go cold. You do not provoke the same reaction even if you may be a bit frightening. To be fair, their contractors were much more imposing than Lieutenant Raea.¡± ¡°Are you calling me weak?¡± Palan asked and smiled at Carmella. His hand shifted down towards the dagger by his waist. Carmella¡¯s body tensed as she followed Palan¡¯s hand. ¡°I was merely comparing you to demons that I have seen in the past,¡± she said. ¡°I do not think you are weak. The way you dispatched the goblin shaman and his guards was impressive.¡± Palan¡¯s hand relaxed and dropped past his waist as he turned around. ¡°I see you¡¯re not stupid,¡± he said. His body froze and he stopped. He licked his lips and lowered his body as he balanced on the balls of his feet. ¡°There¡¯s prey up ahead. Be quiet or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Gerome and Carmella glanced at each other as Palan slipped through the forest without making a sound before following after him. They could hear faint squealing that continued to grow louder as they followed Palan, careful to avoid any twigs or dry leaves. After five minutes, a wounded boar came into view of the trio between a few trees. Four green lizardmen followed after it with wooden spears in their hands and grins on their faces. ¡°We are supposed to scout¡± Gerome whispered towards Palan. ¡°We should leave them alone and report this back to the lieutenant.¡± Palan glared at the angel before unsheathing his dagger. He reached into his leather sack and pulled out a yellow cloth sack. ¡°Just wait,¡± he whispered back as his eyes followed after the four lizardmen. The boar stumbled and squealed as a spear pierced its hind leg. It scrambled onto its feet and sprinted away, with the four lizardmen laughing while chasing after it. Palan moved parallel to the group while crouching, followed by the two angels. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The boar let out another squeal as a second spear flew towards it and pierced it from behind. Blood trickled out of its wounds, but it refused to go down as it continued to charge forward. One of the lizardmen licked its scaly lips and laughed. ¡°It¡¯s almost down. Watch this.¡± The lizardman drew his arm back while running and launched the wooden spear in his hand, cleanly piercing the boar¡¯s uninjured hind leg, causing it to crash against the floor. It let out a scream as it struggled to prop its body up with its two forelegs as the remaining lizardman with a spear dashed forward and plunged it towards the boar¡¯s neck. The lizardman grinned as it took a step back from the twitching boar. ¡°Right through its windpipe,¡± he said as he turned around to face his companions. His eyes widened as he saw Gerome slinking towards the group and pointed. ¡°Behind you!¡± The three other lizardmen whirled around and bared their teeth at the trembling angel. Gerome raised his hands above his head while falling to his knees and said, ¡°Stop! I want to join you.¡± The lizardmens¡¯ eyes narrowed before they glanced at each other. A cloth sack flew through the air and landed on the floor behind them before exploding into a cloud of yellow powder. ¡°Eh?¡± one of the lizardmen said as he sniffed the air. ¡°Does something smell?¡± He looked down and saw a layer of yellow air hovering over the ground. He opened his mouth to speak, but found that he couldn¡¯t. Palan and Carmella stepped around the dying boar and approached the lizardmen from behind as Gerome climbed to his feet. The four lizardmens¡¯ bodies stiffened and fell to the ground as the trio approached them. Carmella frowned as she turned towards Palan and asked, ¡°Was that ground up cassava root?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°We just call it stop powder,¡± he said as he pinched his nose and dragged the lizardmen out of the yellow haze. He lashed their arms together with leather strips he retrieved from his bag. ¡°We can have these volunteers tell us where their camp is.¡± ¡°W-we w-won¡¯t t-tell y-you a-a-anyth-thing,¡± one of the lizardmen said as his body spasmed. He screamed as Palan plunged a dagger into his shoulder and twisted it. ¡°You¡¯ll come around,¡± Palan said and smiled as he propped the four lizardmen up against a tree. He squatted in front of them and licked the blood off his dagger. ¡°Um, we are not supposed to kill any of them,¡± Gerome said as he furrowed his brow and stared at the four lizardmen. ¡°We are supposed to be subjugating them.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°What exactly does that mean?¡± Carmella crossed her arms over her chest as she glanced at the dead boar next to her. ¡°It means we have to transport them to the third outpost so they can have their collars fitted,¡± she said. ¡°They will be used as labor to grow crops and construct roads along with future outposts.¡± One of the lizardmen hissed at Carmella and attempted to spit at her, but just leaked drool onto his chest instead. Palan raised an eyebrow as he turned his head towards Carmella. ¡°So you¡¯re enslaving them. And I thought angels were supposed to be virtuous. It would be kinder to just kill them.¡± His bright-red eyes stared at the lizardmen who shuddered beneath his gaze. ¡°That is not true,¡± Gerome said and shook his head. ¡°We are exposing them to a more civilized environment. As long as they work for us, they will not have to worry about starving or being murdered over territorial disputes. It benefits them in the end.¡± Palan snorted and pointed at the lizardman who tried to spit at Carmella. ¡°And what do you think about what they¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯d rather d-die than be a s-slave,¡± the lizardman said between twitches. Palan smiled. ¡°I know exactly what you mean,¡± he said as he stood up. ¡°Unfortunately for you though, this is something I have to do. Tell us where your camp is. I want to know how many capable fighters there are. If you lie¡­¡± Palan licked his dagger and grinned at the four captives. ¡°I¡¯m going to separate the four of you. If one of your answers doesn¡¯t correspond with the others, then painful stuff will happen.¡± Palan grabbed each lizardmen and tossed them aside, separating the group. ¡°Is this alright?¡± Gerome asked Carmella as he furrowed his brow while Palan began his interrogation. ¡°I am definitely not going to get on his bad side,¡± Carmella said and frowned as one of the lizardmen let out a scream. She turned around and covered her ears while looking up at the suns in the sky. Chapter 25 ¡°Interesting,¡± Palan said as he stood over a whimpering lizardman. The ground beneath him was soaked with red blood and fresh lacerations decorated the lizardman¡¯s body. ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± the lizardman said as it drew its knees to its chest. Its ankles were bound together and its hands were tied behind its back. ¡°I swear to Elbegon. Believe me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who Elbegon is, but whether you lose another finger depends on your friends¡¯ answers,¡± Palan said as he turned his back on the cowering lizardman and approached another one. He squat in front of the uninjured lizardman who glared at him. Palan smiled and twirled his dagger in his hand, causing a few blood drops to splatter on the lizardman¡¯s face. ¡°Your turn,¡± Palan said. ¡°Who¡¯s the strongest person in your camp? Your friend over there¡±¡ªPalan said and pointed at the bleeding lizardman¡ª¡±gave me an interesting answer. Let¡¯s see if you can continue to remain uninjured.¡± The lizardman¡¯s teeth clacked together as it turned its head to the side, avoiding Palan¡¯s gaze. He whispered, ¡°Anidun.¡± Palan grinned and pat the lizardman¡¯s face with the flat of his dagger, leaving a bloody smear. He stood up and sauntered over to a third lizardman who was sitting up straight with its teeth bared. ¡°As for you,¡± Palan said and lunged at the lizardman before sinking his dagger into the lizardman¡¯s shoulder. The lizardman let out a scream as it tried to grab Palan¡¯s arm with its hands that appeared from behind its back, the broken leather binding falling to the ground. Palan kicked the lizardman in the face and withdrew his dagger before plunging it into the lizardman¡¯s uninjured shoulder. Palan smirked as the lizardman¡¯s arms went limp and fell to the ground. ¡°Nice try. I was waiting for one of you to try to break free. Now speak; who¡¯s the strongest person in your camp?¡± ¡°Go die, you filthy dog of the angels,¡± the lizardman said as it spat out a strand of blood. ¡°Wrong answer,¡± Palan said and stabbed the lizardman in the throat. ¡°That¡¯s the third time you disrespected me. I don¡¯t have time to waste on you.¡± He removed the dagger and watched as bubbles of blood leaked out of the lizardman¡¯s neck as it gurgled in a final attempt to breathe. ¡°Carmella,¡± Gerome whispered to the angel next to him while shuddering. Carmella was sitting on a rock with her back to Palan while Gerome stood by her, watching the demon go about his interrogation. ¡°He just killed one of them.¡± ¡°What are we supposed to do about it?¡± Carmella asked without even turning around. She nudged at a pebble on the ground with her foot. Gerome scratched his head. ¡°Uh, never mind then,¡± he said and shook his head as Palan walked over to the last lizardman. After another hour of interrogations, Palan cracked his neck as he walked over to Gerome and Carmella with the three lizardmen following after him. Their legs were untied, but their arms were still bound behind their backs. ¡°Is it over?¡± Gerome asked. Palan nodded. ¡°Their camp is too far away from here to go there and back before nightfall. We¡¯ll head back to our base first with these kind fellows. They turned out to be very cooperative,¡± he said and smiled. The lizardmen glared at him, but remained silent. ¡°What if they run away?¡± Gerome asked as he eyed the lizardmen¡¯s unfettered legs. ¡°The stop powder is still in effect,¡± Palan said. ¡°If they try anything funny, I¡¯ll just cut off their tails and force them to eat it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Gerome said and gulped as Palan walked past him. The three lizardmen glanced at Gerome and frowned before brushing past him. His eyes widened as he saw the multiple lacerations decorating their bodies. ¡°Stop spacing out,¡± Carmella said as she nudged Gerome and followed after the lizardmen. ¡°Right,¡± Gerome said and nodded. ¡°This scouting mission could be counted as a success, yeah?¡± The crunching of leaves underfoot was the only response. The first sun was beginning to set by the time Palan returned to the camp. Around twenty tents had been erected in a neat rectangular formation with a large bonfire in the center. Wooden spike walls surrounded the camp with a gap, guarded by two angels, to let people in and out. Three boars were being spit-roasted over the fire while the angels sat around in a circle. Raea sat on a rock with her chin propped on her knees and Emergency Victuals lying next to her. Her body twitched and she raised her head as a movement caught her attention. Palan walked through the gap in the wall with the three lizardmen and two angels in tow. His gaze landed on Raea who stared at him before standing up. She smiled and said, ¡°You made it back safely.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Of course. What did you expect?¡± he asked Raea as he walked towards her. Emergency Victuals barked and trotted next to Palan, but got ignored. ¡°I brought back some souvenirs.¡± Palan gestured at the three disgruntled lizardmen behind him. ¡°Please do not refer to living creatures as souvenirs,¡± Raea said and sighed. She bit her lip. ¡°Did you injure them?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I found them like that,¡± Palan said, causing Gerome and Carmella to cough. The lizardmen grimaced, but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°They were quite cooperative and told me a lot about their camp. It¡¯s actually being run by an angel named Anidun.¡± The surrounding angels tensed and fell silent as they turned their heads away from the fire to stare at Palan. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Is that true?¡± She turned towards the lizardmen who were looking down at the ground. Palan¡¯s hand touched the dagger on his waist and the lizardmen shuddered. One of them opened its mouth and said, ¡°Yes. It¡¯s true. Anidun came to our tribe over three years ago and helped us become the strongest in the region.¡± ¡°Why were we not told about this before we were given the mission?¡± Raea asked no one in particular. ¡°We have to report this back to Captain Ishim. This mission is impossible with the numbers we have if Anidun is our enemy.¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± Palan asked and tilted his head. ¡°Who is Anidun?¡± Owen cleared his throat. ¡°Anidun was one of the thirteen council members in the capital nearly ten years ago,¡± he said and frowned. ¡°He was the only angel who was able to hide his sins from The Watcher and killed half the council members before he was forced to flee. I thought he went to Eljiam, but it turns out he did not.¡± ¡°Is he really that scary?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve been under the impression that every angel in the capital was a pansy except for Sariel. So what if this Anidun killed six or seven people? My sister¡¯s killed more than that and she¡¯s only eight.¡± Owen¡¯s face darkened as he glared at Palan. ¡°Watch your tongue,¡± he said. ¡°You are barely stronger than a lesser demon. An archangel, like Anidun, can easily eliminate you by lifting a single finger.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Palan asked as he snarled and unsheathed his dagger. ¡°Didn¡¯t you address this weak demon as master? Maybe it¡¯s you who needs to learn his place.¡± ¡°Palan!¡± Raea said and stepped in front of her contracted demon. ¡°This is not the time nor is it the place to be fighting amongst ourselves.¡± She turned towards Owen. ¡°You too, Owen. I thought I told you to stop antagonizing Palan.¡± She turned back towards Palan and said, ¡°But what Owen said is true. Anidun could eliminate this whole camp and not break a sweat. Ten years ago, he fended off four archangels by himself and escaped while gravely injuring one of his attackers.¡± Palan frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Raea grabbed his hand. She gazed into his eyes and said, ¡°Remember poking the king of the forest? Think of your sister before you act.¡± Palan sighed and looked up at the sky. The three lizardmen glanced at each other before gazing at Raea with open mouths, their eyes asking, ¡°Are you seeing what I¡¯m seeing?¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Palan said. ¡°Do what you want.¡± He jerked his hand out of Raea¡¯s grasp and walked towards the wooden spike wall before sitting down, propping his back up against it. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the camping angels while Emergency Victuals sat on the ground next to him. ¡°Owen,¡± Raea said and faced her head guard. ¡°Have a soldier send a message back to Captain Ishim about Anidun. We need reinforcements if we are to subjugate this camp. As for these three¡±¡ªshe gestured towards the lizardmen¡ª¡±interrogate them for information, but make sure to feed them and do not mistreat them.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Owen said and nodded before he went off on his own. Moments later, a soldier left the camp on horseback while the lizardmen followed after Owen. Raea watched the messenger leave before walking towards the bonfire. She sliced off a hind leg from one of the boars and walked towards Palan. ¡°Here,¡± Raea said and offered the roasted leg to her contracted demon. Palan frowned as he looked into her eyes. Raea tilted her head and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not hungry? You¡¯ve been gone all day.¡± ¡°Do you want something from me?¡± Palan asked as he eyed the roasted leg. ¡°No? If you don¡¯t want it, then I¡¯ll eat it by myself,¡± Raea said as she sat down next to Palan. She blew on the leg before taking a small bite. ¡°You know it¡¯s rude to refuse food when it¡¯s offered to you, right?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°No one¡¯s ever offered me food before.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. ¡°And you¡¯d have to be stupid to accept food from someone else. What if it¡¯s poisoned?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t poison you,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°I can¡¯t say the same,¡± Palan said, causing Raea to frown and lightly slap his arm. Gerome and Carmella sat off to the side with a plate of food in their hands. ¡°Lieutenant Raea is really brave, huh?¡± Gerome asked as he watched Raea interact with Palan. Carmella shrugged. ¡°She has a contract with him,¡± she said and bit into the boar¡¯s meat. ¡°Whether she is courageous or a coward has yet to be determined. I do hope she is the former.¡± Chapter 26 Palan sat on the ground outside of Raea¡¯s tent with his legs crossed and hands resting on his ankles, interlacing his fingers. His back was straight, and his head faced forward with his eyes slightly downcast, staring into a fire. A light-blue aura that looked like miniature wings enveloped his upper back and cast a faint glow on the tent behind him. Emergency Victuals was sitting next to him with its head tilted, staring at the demon¡¯s unresponsive face. A sliver of red light shone through a crack in the trees and illuminated Palan¡¯s hands as the first sun began to rise. Behind him, inside the tent, a girl groaned as a blanket rustled. Moments later, the tent flap next to Palan swung open as Raea stepped outside, wearing a brown leather tunic and gray cloth pants. A pale-blue light shone out of the collar of her shirt, illuminating her face from below. Raea crouched down and placed her right hand on Palan¡¯s bare shoulder. ¡°Good morning. Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± The blue light faded away from Raea¡¯s and Palan¡¯s body as the demon¡¯s eyes flickered upwards. He craned his neck to look at Raea. ¡°No,¡± he said as he lowered his head again. ¡°I figured out how to draw on your mana.¡± The miniature blue wings reappeared on Palan¡¯s back, causing Raea to shudder and close her eyes. ¡°I noticed,¡± Raea said as her eyes shot open. She inhaled through her nose and held her breath for ten seconds before exhaling through her mouth. Her red-skinned face seemed paler than usual as she pat Emergency Victuals on the head before sitting down next to Palan. ¡°Can you feel its effects?¡± Palan grunted and nodded as the wings faded away. He turned his head and stared at Raea. ¡°What did Owen mean when he said, ¡®barely stronger than a lesser demon?¡¯¡± Raea furrowed her brow. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± she asked. ¡°You seemed to know what evolutions were though. Was I mistaken?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only heard rumors about it,¡± Palan said and looked at the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve always lived on the outskirts of the outskirts in my world. It was safer for my sister there. The only things I¡¯m an expert in are hunting and killing; that¡¯s all I ever needed to learn.¡± ¡°Hey, where¡¯s your pride?¡± Raea said and frowned as she poked Palan¡¯s arm. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be bragging and making stuff up to at least pretend you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I only need to show my pride to other people,¡± he said. ¡°I can recognize when I¡¯m lacking knowledge in a certain area.¡± A smile bloomed on Raea¡¯s face. ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re finally trusting me more, since you don¡¯t consider me as an other person?¡± she asked and leaned closer to Palan. Palan¡¯s head tilted. ¡°It¡¯s more like you¡¯re an inanimate object to me,¡± he said. ¡°Who would show off in front of a rock? Anyways¡±¡ªPalan ignored Raea¡¯s dejected face¡ª¡±tell me more about lesser demons and archangels.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°You know how there¡¯s a limit to your pride?¡± she asked. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to see the limits of my patience.¡± She shook her head and slapped her cheeks. ¡°There are four classifications of demons and angels: lesser, regular, greater, and arch. Your physique barely qualifies you as a regular demon. As for myself, I am a greater angel.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re super weak,¡± Palan said and frowned. ¡°I could kill you in my sleep; your classification system seems faulty.¡± Raea pouted. ¡°Don¡¯t mistaken my mercy for weakness,¡± she said. ¡°I did tell you my mana reserves are a lot greater than an average angels. Not only that, I do have two heavenly virtues, but that¡¯s not important for classifications¡ª¡± ¡°So you¡¯re just bragging.¡± ¡°Hush. It¡¯s because your attitude is rubbing off on me,¡± Raea said. ¡°Do you want to know or not?¡± Palan rolled his eyes. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Your mana levels determine your classification,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°When you get enough mana, whether by chasing after your sins and virtues or forming a contract with an angel, you¡¯ll evolve to the next classification. I heard some demons actually undergo metamorphosis when they evolve, and when anyone evolves, they¡¯ll be able to use higher tier powers of their virtues and sins.¡± ¡°I see. So I just need to drain your mana until I become an archdemon,¡± Palan said and nodded. He corrected his posture and prepared to draw on Raea¡¯s mana reserves again. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and shook Palan¡¯s shoulder, ¡°that¡¯s impossible. At most, you can become a greater demon by using my mana. I can¡¯t even fathom how many years it would take for you to become an archdemon through my mana reserves alone, unless I become an archangel. But if I do become an archangel, then I¡¯d have to disband our contract. There¡¯s an unwritten rule against archangels forming contracts with demons; archdemons are frightening existences that no one wants to deal with.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°I see,¡± Palan said as he recalled Menyel¡¯s reaction to his words when he first arrived on Div¡¯Nya. He frowned. ¡°So what are you going to do about Anidun?¡± Raea shrugged. ¡°The only thing we can do is wait for Captain Ishim to report Anidun¡¯s existence to the capital so they dispatch archangels to subdue him,¡± she said. ¡°For now, we should clear out the goblin mine that Captain Ishim assigned to us, but first, we have to wait for our messenger to return.¡± ¡°So in the meantime, I¡¯ll be taking your mana,¡± Palan said with a nod. ¡°Even though I can¡¯t use any of your powers, I still feel myself growing physically stronger.¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so frail if you¡¯re loaded with mana.¡± Raea sighed and stood up as Palan resumed his meditation. She ignored the pale-blue light leaking out of tunic and wandered over to Owen¡¯s tent. Owen was sitting outside of the tent, fitting his metal gauntlets over his chainmail. His head turned upwards when he saw Raea approaching him from the corner of his eye. ¡°Lady Raea,¡± he said and nodded. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning, Owen,¡± Raea said. ¡°Did you find out anything useful during the interrogation of the guests?¡± ¡°I have received the rough location of their camp,¡± Owen said as he patted his gauntlets. ¡°They also claimed to have at least 1,800 lizardmen living on their territory and¡±¡ªOwen¡¯s face darkened¡ª¡±it seems like there is a greater demon working with Anidun. Not only that, but the camp will notice that their hunters, our prisoners, are missing within the next two days, and it is highly probable that the demon will personally look for them with an army; Palan killed the chieftain¡¯s son while interrogating them yesterday.¡± Raea¡¯s face blanched. ¡°Anidun formed a contract?¡± ¡°It seems to have been recent, thankfully,¡± Owen said and nodded. ¡°The demon has not had enough time to grow into an archdemon.¡± Raea bit her lip. The patter of hooves on grass brought Owen¡¯s and Raea¡¯s attention towards the gate. The messenger that left the other night charged through the gate on horseback with blood dripping from his right arm. ¡°What happened?¡± Raea asked as her hands glowed white, and she approached the messenger. The messenger dismounted while gritting his teeth. He ripped the helmet off his head and hurled it against the ground. His eyes were bloodshot as he said, ¡°I returned to the third outpost at night, but Lieutenant Malak refused to let me in. I told him that Anidun was leading the lizardmen and archangel reinforcements were direly needed, but he just scoffed at me and said, ¡®Captain Ishim would not have sent you on a mission that you were not capable of completing. If Lieutenant Raea accepts my guidance, then I may be willing to help.¡¯ When I persisted and attempted to go around the outpost, he ordered the guards to throw their spears at me and bar my way, forcing me to return here.¡± Metal screeched as Owen clenched his hands and gnashed his teeth. ¡°That snake,¡± he said and faced Raea. ¡°Just wait until your father hears about this.¡± Raea let out a hollow laugh. ¡°You already know about my relationship with my family,¡± she said and looked at her feet. ¡°Perhaps the best plan of action is for me to talk with Lieutenant Malak directly.¡± ¡°Why would you do that?¡± a voice asked. Raea turned around and saw Palan looking at her while leaning against a tent. ¡°It¡¯s not like Anidun is personally making a move, right? If we kill his contracted demon when he comes to attack us, then we¡¯ll be injuring Anidun indirectly, won¡¯t we?¡± Raea frowned. ¡°That depends on the level of the contract he formed with his demon,¡± she said. ¡°And I will not gamble Lady Raea¡¯s life on the whim of an archangel,¡± Owen said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°If Anidun does decide to personally move, then we will all die.¡± Palan touched his dagger the dagger on his waist and licked his lips. ¡°Looks like I need to ask our guests a few more questions.¡± Chapter 27 Raea frowned as she sat on a rock while chewing on a piece of meat in her hands. She faced a tent with Emergency Victuals blocking the entrance. Occasionally, screams permeated the air, originating from the tent. When Raea finished her meal, the tent flap opened, and Palan stepped outside, kicking the dire wolf out of the way. A few bloodstains decorated his pants and the dagger in his hand dripped blood. Raea furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°Did you learn anything?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Anidun came to their village three years ago with a demon. He asked for a place to stay and, in return, he¡¯d help the tribe grow,¡± he said as he sheathed his dagger. ¡°Apparently, no one is allowed to see Anidun except for his demon, so the lizardmen don¡¯t know much about him. He¡¯s never stepped foot out of the cave that they gave him, but his demon would go around to engage in slaughter, solidifying their territory.¡± Palan smiled. ¡°It seems like the demon won¡¯t be accompanied by Anidun.¡± ¡°You think we should stay?¡± ¡°I do want to see how strong this greater demon really is,¡± Palan said and licked his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve never failed at killing a demon that I wanted dead. Except for my mother, but she¡¯s dead now so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a good enough reason. I can still go to Lieutenant Malak and convince him to send the message to Captain Ishim,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯d rather not see my subordinates die in a skirmish.¡± ¡°You really think Ishim would do anything? He would accuse you of lying and wait for you to die before reporting to the capital,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°That¡¯s just the kind of man he is; he would¡¯ve been a good town leader in my world.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°How are you going to gain merits if you won¡¯t confront anything because you¡¯re afraid of your subordinates dying?¡± Palan asked. A breeze blew past the two, causing Palan¡¯s nose to twitch. ¡°The lives of the people following me are more important than merits,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms. ¡°Really?¡± Palan asked as the corner of his lips quirked upwards. ¡°Yes. Really.¡± ¡°Then you should¡¯ve thought about that before starting a fire right outside the lizardmen¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°They¡¯re here. I smell a demon,¡± Palan said and inhaled through his nose while facing his eyes towards the sky. ¡°What?¡± Raea asked and grabbed Palan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you serious? Owen said they wouldn¡¯t come for at least two to three days.¡± ¡°They probably noticed the smoke from the fires. Even I could see it while I was scouting yesterday,¡± Palan said as he knocked Raea¡¯s arm away. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything earlier?¡± ¡°I assumed you knew what you were doing,¡± Palan said and tilted his head, ¡°if not you, then that old man at least. Who¡¯s stupid enough to draw attention to themselves with a bonfire?¡± Raea pouted and looked at Palan¡¯s feet. ¡°I¡¯ve never done this before, okay? It¡¯s only because of my mother that I¡¯m here as a lieutenant and not a rookie.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re the one who should¡¯ve said something earlier,¡± Palan said. He frowned as he stared down at Raea. Her expression was similar to his sister¡¯s expression when she did something wrong. Palan furrowed his brow and poked Raea¡¯s forehead, knocking her head back. ¡°Stop moping and gather your troops already. They¡¯ll be here very soon; I didn¡¯t notice earlier because they were upwind of us.¡± ¡°R-right,¡± Raea said and nodded as she took in a deep breath. She shouted, ¡°All troops gather! Enemy attack!¡± A few exclamations of surprise and confusion echoed through the camp, but soldiers stood up or exited their tents with their helmets on and lances in hand before making their way towards Raea. Owen was the first to arrive. He frowned underneath his visor. ¡°There seems to be no enemies?¡± ¡°There is a greater demon leading a troop of lizardmen as we speak,¡± Raea said. ¡°Assume a defensive formation. If anyone gets injured, rotate to the center of the formation and I will heal you. Assume that enemies will be coming from all sides.¡± She turned towards Palan. ¡°And you should put on your armor. I bought it for you for a reason.¡± Palan sighed and went to Raea¡¯s tent as the soldiers assembled into a circular formation with Raea at the center. Owen stood facing the entrance with a buckler in his left hand and lance in his right. Rumbling sounds caused by footsteps could be heard approaching the camp. As Palan entered the formation and stood next to Raea, an army of a hundred lizardmen appeared in the trees facing the entrance of the camp led by a dark-purple demon wielding two axes. The axe-wielding demon was naked except for a necklace of teeth. It had a bull¡¯s head and a man¡¯s torso with its legs hairy and ending in two hooves. It stopped outside of the camp and glared at the formation of angels before smashing its two axes together. It pointed at the group of angels with its axe and roared. ¡°Kill!¡± The lizardmen¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot as they charged around the demon with their stone axes raised. They wore simple leather armor that covered their vital spots, but they had rectangular wooden shields that extended from their shoulders to their shins. ¡°That¡¯s a greater demon?¡± Palan asked Raea as the angels on the edge of the formation clashed with the lizardmen. ¡°Why does he get a better evaluation than me?¡± Raea frowned, but didn¡¯t reply. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. An angel kicked a lizardman off of his lance while grimacing. A dent could be seen on his armor near his neck. The lizardman writhed on the ground as it tried to struggle onto its feet, but the angel stepped forward and plunged the end of his lance into its neck. Another lizardman stepped forward and attempted to bring its axe down on the angel¡¯s head as he retracted his lance, but Owen knocked it off-balance with his shield. The angel that was saved shuddered and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Owen grunted as he plunged the lance through the leather armor guarding the lizardman¡¯s chest. He frowned as he raised his head and saw that the greater demon was standing outside of the camp with its eyes closed. The lizardmen fought with disregard for their lives, but their equipment was inferior compared to the angel¡¯s, and the angels retreated to be healed by Raea whenever they were injured. Palan stood next to Raea with his arms crossed, doing nothing because the lizardmen were unable to approach the center of the formation. Gradually, the number of lizardmen decreased by half. It was then that the greater demon opened its eyes and laughed. Its laughter echoed throughout the field, sending chills down the angels¡¯ spines. The greater demon bent its knees and placed its knuckles against the grass with its axes flat against the ground. The ground cracked beneath it as it leaped towards the formation of angels, crossing the distance in one bound. It raised both axes above its head while it was still in the air and swung them downwards. The axes crashed against an angel¡¯s shield, but it didn¡¯t stop; instead, it split the shield and the angel beneath it into three pieces. The demon swept its axes to both sides, knocking away ten angels, heavily injuring them. It raised its head towards the sky and roared. ¡°Slaughter them all!¡± The blood of the fallen lizardmen floated into the air and flew towards the demon, merging into its body. Its eyes turned completely red and its metal axes glowed with a dark-red light. The axes cleaved through the angels like a hot knife through butter before it was stopped by a wall of earth that emerged from the ground. Owen stepped forward and slammed the butt of his lance against the ground, causing an earthen spike to shoot out of the ground and impale the greater demon¡¯s thigh. Owen¡¯s face paled as he slammed his lance against the ground again, causing another spike to shoot towards the demon¡¯s heart. The demon laughed and swung its axe at the spike, stopping its forward momentum. It took a step backwards, ripping the first spike out of its thigh. It chuckled as it stared at Owen and said, ¡°So there was more than one blessed this time. I was wondering when you angels would learn.¡± As it spoke, blood flowed from the ground towards the demon¡¯s injured leg, repairing it almost instantly. ¡°And there¡¯s even a demon. Excellent!¡± It lunged towards Owen as it shouted, swinging an axe horizontally. Owen raised his shield that had a layer of dirt covering it. ¡°Stop!¡± Raea shouted as her body glowed white. The greater demon¡¯s body froze in place with Owen¡¯s shield split in half. The axe stopped right before it could injure Owen, trembling in place. The demon laughed. ¡°A greater angel with two virtues,¡± it said as its body shook. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to devour you. Let¡¯s see how much longer you can hold me after using so much mana on useless fodder.¡± Owen shouted as he stepped forward and thrust the lance into the demon¡¯s chest, piercing through its heart. It coughed out a mouthful of blood and grinned as the lizardmen and angel blood on the ground flew towards its chest. The light around Raea dimmed as the greater demon¡¯s body trembled. The demon laughed as its left arm moved. ¡°Too bad.¡± A cloth bag flew through the air and landed on top of the demon¡¯s head, enveloping its body in a green powder. The powder blew away from the demon¡¯s face as it coughed and wiped its eyes with the back of its hand as Owen let go of his lance and retreated, but not before summoning another earthen spike to impair the demon¡¯s movements. The demon howled as it hacked at the earth with its axes. ¡°That regeneration ability is really handy,¡± Palan said as he frowned and watched the greater demon struggle to free itself. Blood continuously leaked from its eyes, nose, and mouth, but the lizardmen blood on the ground replenished it. The surrounding angels steered clear from the green cloud of powder and fought the lizardmen instead. Raea¡¯s face was white as she leaned against Palan¡¯s body, gasping for breath. Palan glanced at Raea. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Raea¡¯s body shuddered as her eyes closed. ¡°I spent too much mana.¡± Palan grunted and retrieved another cloth sack while Owen picked up a lance from a fallen angel. Palan lobbed the sack into the air, hitting the greater demon on the head once again. This time, a cloud of yellow powder enveloped the demon. Raea slipped and fell to her knees, still leaning against Palan. Her body was limp and unmoving, shallow breaths passing through her mouth. Palan nudged her with his foot. ¡°Did you fall unconscious?¡± ¡°...¡± Palan smiled. ¡°I¡¯m keeping my promise,¡± he said and retrieved multiple cloth sacks from his hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill a lot of people.¡± Raea didn¡¯t reply. Chapter 28 The greater demon used its axe to hack at the earthen spike buried in its thigh while a layer of green powder coated its body. At first, it wanted to pull away from the spike, but surprisingly the earth was barbed and refused to let go of its flesh. Its vision was obscured by green, but it could hear groaning and screams resounding in the battlefield as metal lances pierced flesh and stone axes crushed metal. Nothing dared to approach the demon as it attempted to free itself. After the greater demon hacked halfway through the earthen spike, another cloth bag exploded on its head, causing its vision to turn yellow. It let out an enraged roar and slammed its axes against the spike with renewed vigor. However, after three more blows, its movements grew sluggish, almost as if it was trying to move in water. It let out a bellow as it panted for breath, inhaling more powder. ¡°You damned poison user! I¡¯ll rip you to shreds!¡± The blood on the ground flew into the air towards the greater demon¡¯s body. Its muscles squirmed as the blood seeped through its pores and coursed through its body. A burning sensation rose in its chest, causing its face to contort in pain, and it let out another roar, causing the blood that was still floating in the air to drop to the ground. It swung at the spike, finally breaking it. It charged forwards in an attempt to escape the cloud of powder surrounding it, only to find that there was no exit. The demon stopped moving as blood leaked from its nostrils, mouth, and eyes. The battlefield was silent, except for the sound of its blood dripping to the ground. It took a step forward and its hoof crunched on metal. Beneath its body, an angel lay on her back with blood seeping out of her orifices. The demon frowned as its body spasmed. Laughter echoed through the air from behind and it whirled around, charging towards the sound. Palan sat on top of a tree with Raea slung over his right shoulder. He held Emergency Victuals by its tail with his left hand. Beneath him, the battlefield was enveloped in a multicolored cloud of powder: green, yellow, purple, red, and white. The blanket of poison washed over angel, horse, and lizardman alike, killing them all. The only survivors were Palan, Raea, Emergency Victuals, and the greater demon who was still enveloped in the cloud. Palan laughed again, causing the greater demon to charge towards the tree even faster. ¡°How is it?¡± Palan asked as he smiled down at the demon. He couldn¡¯t see it, but he could pinpoint its location through his other senses. ¡°Like I thought, you can¡¯t regenerate if there¡¯s no fresh blood left.¡± ¡°Where are you!?¡± the greater demon shouted as its body shuddered. Blood continued to leak out of its orifices. ¡°Fight me like a man! I¡¯ll tear your body to pieces and choke you with your own intestines!¡± Palan didn¡¯t say anything as he watched the demon wander around in the cloud of poison. After five minutes, it stopped in place and shouted in frustration before dashing in a straight line. It staggered repeatedly while leaving a trail of black blood behind it on the ground. Palan smiled and tied Emergency Victuals and Raea to the top of the tree with leather straps from his bag. ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t make a sound.¡± Emergency Victuals nodded. Palan held his breath and descended from the tree, following after the greater demon with his dagger in his hands. The two demons left the clouded area, but the greater demon¡¯s vision was still obscured. Its vision was black, and it could barely see its axes in its hands. After traveling for a long while, it gasped for breath and muttered, ¡°How many poisons did he use?¡± A flash of pain burned its left hamstring and it whirled around while swinging its axes. It saw a blurry humanoid figure retreating. ¡°Five kinds,¡± Palan said and smiled as he circled around the greater demon. ¡°It seems you know them?¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The greater demon laughed as its body sluggishly turned to follow Palan¡¯s movements. ¡°Who are you? I¡¯ve never heard of any poison users in Haalbeh.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°So you¡¯re from Haalbeh. I always wanted to go there,¡± he said as he charged forwards with his right hand grasping his dagger and left hand making a fist. The greater demon grunted and swept its axe horizontally. Palan threw a scattershot of dirt in his left hand at the greater demon¡¯s face, blinding it. The greater demon let out a roar as Palan¡¯s dagger cut through its right hamstring. The greater demon fell forward onto its face with its arms splayed to the sides. It let out a weak laugh as it released its axes. ¡°I was so clo¡ª¡± Palan sank his dagger into the back of the demon¡¯s head and retreated ten paces away. Palan frowned and stared at the greater demon for a minute. He picked up a rock and lobbed it next to the demon¡¯s head. There was no response. Palan muttered, ¡°Maybe I used too much poison. I barely have any left.¡± He sighed as he walked up to the demon and yanked the dagger out of the demon¡¯s head. He cut out its heart and consumed it. He raised an eyebrow and cut into the demon¡¯s chest again, pulling out another heart. ¡°So he had two.¡± Palan nodded as he recalled Owen¡¯s surprised expression when the demon just laughed as it was impaled through the heart. After consuming the corpse, Palan rummaged through his bag and pulled out a vial of green liquid. He drank it and shuddered before discarding the vial. He muttered, ¡°The antidote needs to taste less disgusting.¡± He glanced at the skeleton of the greater demon and frowned. He walked up to it and stomped on its neck, ripping the skull off the rest of the body. ¡°A greater demon was only this strong. Pathetic.¡± Palan snorted as he carried the skull with its eye sockets and headed back towards the battlefield. In his bag, unnoticed by Palan, the brown orb heated up, the blue light growing larger. A layer of multicolored powder blanketed the ground of the battlefield like snow. ¡°Is she awake?¡± Palan yelled up to the top of the tree. There was no response except for a few whimpers. ¡°Guess not.¡± He placed the skull on the ground and pulled out empty cloth sacks, scooping up whatever powder he could. When he finished, he glanced around at his handiwork while drinking another vial of antidote. A layer of corpses blanketed the field, most of them already rotting and turning into sludge. He frowned when he saw the place where Owen¡¯s corpse should¡¯ve been. There was no body, only an empty patch of land. Emergency Victuals barked and Palan looked up. He saw Raea¡¯s eyes begin to flutter as her body stirred. Palan scratched his head and headed to the base of the tree. He climbed upwards while saying, ¡°I did tell her I was going to kill people. It¡¯s not my fault she wasn¡¯t awake to stop me.¡± *** In a dark cave, an angel sat with its legs crossed. His hands were clasped around a dagger that was pointed at himself, gripping it with bleeding hands; it was almost as if it couldn¡¯t feel it. His eyes were completely white, unable to see in front of himself. His body shuddered as the sounds coming from outside the cave gradually dimmed. Blue mist leaked out of his pores and accumulated above his body before dissipating. His body slouched and his skin began to sag as if he aged twenty years. Laughter echoed through the cave as the angel spoke, even though he was unable to hear the sounds he created, ¡°So he died. His potential really was a lot greater than the first one. It seems like my dreams end here. I¡¯ll wait for you in hell, Sariel.¡± Anidun lifted his hands and plunged the dagger repeatedly into his abdomen. He didn¡¯t even groan as his body collapsed forward and began to bleed out. Chapter 29 ¡°What happened?¡± Raea asked and bit her lip. She was looking at the carnage from above as she clung onto Palan¡¯s back while he descended from the tree. Palan didn¡¯t respond as Emergency Victuals whined. Palan was carrying the dire wolf by the scruff of its neck using his mouth. Raea¡¯s mouth quivered. ¡°Everyone¡¯s dead?¡± Palan grunted as his feet touched the ground. Raea tried to get off his back, but Palan stopped her. He picked up the greater demon¡¯s skull and exited the poisonous area before dropping his cargo unceremoniously onto the ground: Raea, Emergency Victuals, and the skull. He picked up the skull, ignoring Raea¡¯s protests, and handed it to the dire wolf. ¡°Good job; here¡¯s a snack.¡± The dire wolf tilted its head before biting the skull by one of its horns. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea said and grabbed her contracted demon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The greater demon¡¯s dead,¡± Palan said and pointed at the skull Emergency Victual¡¯s was gnawing on. ¡°What about everyone else? Owen? Carmella? Gerome?¡± Raea asked as tears formed in the corner of her eyes. ¡°Dead,¡± Palan said as he looked Raea in the eyes. Raea brought her hands to her mouth and sobbed as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her knees bent and she fell to the floor. Palan didn¡¯t say anything as he wandered off alone, but not before telling the dire wolf to watch over Raea. Forty minutes passed before Palan returned with the greater demon¡¯s axes slung on his back. Raea was sitting on the ground with her face buried in her knees, hugging her legs. She raised her head and peeked at Palan while sniffling. Her voice was hoarse as she asked, ¡°Was it my fault? If I weren¡¯t so stupid, then they wouldn¡¯t have died. Tell me; how did they die?¡± Palan rubbed his chin. ¡°The greater demon killed them. They died valiant deaths in order to protect you,¡± he said. ¡°The demon wiped out the majority of our forces, so I applied poison to the whole area in an attempt to weaken the demon and kill the remaining lizardmen. It¡¯s also why I stuck you in that tree. After poisoning the demon, it was a simple matter of stalking it until it showed an opening.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Raea said and lowered her head. She hugged her knees to her chest tighter and stared at the ground in front of her with a blurry vision. ¡°They would¡¯ve died regardless of your ability to lead,¡± Palan said as he dropped the axes onto the ground, startling Emergency Victuals. ¡°That demon wasn¡¯t something cannon fodder could¡¯ve killed.¡± Palan cracked his neck and lifted one of the axes with his right hand. His brow furrowed as he said, ¡°Hey, mutt. Try to lift that up.¡± He pointed at the axe on the ground. Emergency Victuals dropped the skull in its mouth as it licked its lips and trotted over to the axe. It bit the handle and attempted to lift it by straining its neck upwards. The axe didn¡¯t budge. It let go of it and sat down, whimpering at Palan. Palan nodded as he looked at the dire wolf. ¡°Go back to eating.¡± Raea watched the dire wolf trot back to the skull. She tilted her head and focused her gaze on Palan who was testing out the axes. She looked back at the dire wolf and said, ¡°Emergency Victuals, come here.¡± The dire wolf ignored her as it cracked off one of the skull¡¯s horns. ¡°Palan.¡± ¡°You¡¯re done moping? That was quick,¡± Palan said as he lowered his axes and gazed at Raea. ¡°I¡¯m not moping! It¡¯s grieving,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow, staring at Palan with puffy red eyes. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Whatever. What¡¯d you want?¡± ¡°Can you talk to animals?¡± Palan stared at Raea. ¡°Did you hit your head?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± ¡°Of course I can. What kind of stupid question is that?¡± ¡°Really? You can understand them?¡± ¡°Are you messing with me? Animals can¡¯t talk.¡± ¡°But you just said you could talk to them. Please stop looking at me like that.¡± Palan snorted and looked at Emergency Victuals. ¡°She¡¯s being weird, right?¡± The dire wolf barked in agreement. ¡°Um, Palan,¡± Raea said as she stretched her legs in front of herself. ¡°Talking to animals and having them understand you is not normal. It¡¯s actually a sign of wisdom.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Palan said in a monotone voice and raised an eyebrow. He glanced at the dire wolf. ¡°Do you understand what she¡¯s saying?¡± Emergency Victuals shook its head before continuing to feast on the skull. It cracked the bone open with its teeth and licked the marrow out. ¡°See?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Damn. I¡¯m amazing,¡± Palan said and glanced at Raea. ¡°My sister can talk to animals too. I guess that¡¯s why she¡¯s more competent than you.¡± Raea flinched and looked at her hands which were in her lap. They turned white as she grasped her armor. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said and bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m not competent at all. Owen was always there for me when I had to make decisions. It¡¯s my fault he died; if I didn¡¯t decide to set up camp right outside their territory, then none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Palan said and nodded, causing Raea¡¯s lips to tremble. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for choosing to camp there. It¡¯s everyone else¡¯s fault for not informing you of your stupid choice. It¡¯s Owen¡¯s fault for being too weak. It¡¯s the demon¡¯s fault for being too strong. You can blame anyone or anything you want, but you can¡¯t change what has already happened.¡± ¡°Are you¡±¡ªRaea furrowed her brow and raised her head to look at Palan¡ª¡±consoling me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°It¡¯d be terrible for me if you decided to kill yourself or became useless because you were depressed. I refuse to die because of something as stupid as that.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°I guess it¡¯s the action that counts, even if it¡¯s for the wrong reason.¡± ¡°Correct. Are you thoroughly cheered up yet or do I have to lather on some praise to boost your ego?¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°You¡¯re really excited about that wisdom thing, huh?¡± Raea said as she stood up and dusted off her pants. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Raea said and shook her head. She slapped her cheeks and took a deep breath. She looked at Palan. ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°For now,¡± Palan said and slung the axes on his back, ¡°we survive. You still haven¡¯t fully recovered, right?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯ll need some time to come to terms with what has happened also.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a decent looking shelter by the place I killed the greater demon,¡± Palan said as he walked forward. ¡°We¡¯ll rest there until you¡¯ve recovered and decide after.¡± Raea nodded and took in a deep breath. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Three figures stepped out of the woods as Palan and Raea turned around. Raea brought her hands to her mouth as tears formed in the corner of her eyes. Palan narrowed his eyes and snorted. ¡°So you were still alive, old man.¡± Chapter 30 ¡°Owen!¡± Raea shouted and tackled him. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡± Tears formed in her eyes. Carmella and Gerome stood on either side of the two angels. Gerome scratched his head, while Carmella eyed Palan who had his arms across his chest. The first sun was just beginning to set, the trees casting long shadows on the ground. Owen extricated himself from Raea¡¯s embrace and glared at Palan. His armor was caked in a layer of dirt. He snarled. ¡°The hell was that?¡± Palan tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°The poison!¡± Owen shouted. ¡°Everyone died because of you!¡± Gerome and Carmella took steps back as Owen marched forwards with his lance in hand. Palan snorted and unsheathed the two axes on his back. ¡°You¡¯re still alive aren¡¯t you? Maybe I should rectify that.¡± Raea¡¯s face blanched. ¡°Stop! Please,¡± she said and grabbed Owen¡¯s arm. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your demon ran away and scattered poison over the whole battlefield,¡± Owen said and spat on the floor. ¡°If I reacted a second slower, I would probably be dead.¡± Carmella and Gerome nodded. Gerome cleared his throat. ¡°I actually ran away with Carmella when I noticed Palan climbing a tree. Well, it was more like Carmella dragging me away,¡± he said. ¡°I had a really bad feeling,¡± Carmella said and nodded. Palan shrugged. ¡°I killed the greater demon and all the lizardmen. What¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°The issue is you killing everyone else,¡± Owen said and pointed his spear at Palan, jerking his arm out of Raea¡¯s grip. ¡°They would¡¯ve died to the greater demon anyway. It would¡¯ve endlessly regenerated as long as the blood around it was pure,¡± Palan said as he knocked the spear away with his axe. ¡°Everyone was resolved to give their lives for the mission, no?¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. Her lips quivered. ¡°Did you really?¡± ¡°I told you I was going to,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you didn¡¯t stop me; I took your silence as an approval.¡± ¡°I was unconscious!¡± ¡°Not my problem. If I didn¡¯t do it, you would be dead,¡± Palan said to Raea before making eye contact with the other angels. ¡°All of you would be dead. If I had the chance to do it over, then I would make the same choice.¡± Carmella bit her lip before nodding and walked over to Palan with her lance lowered. She stood next to him and turned around to face Owen, Gerome, and Raea. ¡°He tried to kill you,¡± Owen said and glowered at Carmella. The wavy-haired angel shrugged and planted her lance into the ground, leaning against it. Gerome drew his lips in a line before he sighed and also walked over to Palan¡¯s side. Owen¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You too?¡± Gerome scratched his head as his eyes flickered towards Carmella. He let out a weak laugh, but didn¡¯t say anything. Raea bit her lip and hung her head, staring at her feet as Owen¡¯s hand tightened around his lance. Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you two here?¡± Carmella hummed and brushed her white hair behind her ear. ¡°I feel as if fighting against you now would result in my death,¡± she said as her face warped into a bitter smile. ¡°Honor doesn¡¯t really mean much when you¡¯re dead, right?¡± Gerome nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to follow Lady Carmella, no matter what choices she makes,¡± he said, his face glowing a deeper hue of red than usual. ¡°Following that demon will only lead to your death,¡± Owen said. Raea¡¯s body trembled as she raised her head. ¡°Now is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves,¡± Raea said with her brows furrowed. She spoke in a low voice, but everyone heard her clearly. She looked at Owen and took in a deep breath. ¡°As an angel of patience, I have already forgiven Palan for what he has done.¡± A bitter smile appeared on her lips. ¡°I have already grieved and found my resolve earlier. Truthfully, I already suspected something like this happened, but I did not want to admit it. What has happened has already happened, and nothing I do can change that. The best thing we can do is to continue forward and not let their sacrifices be in vain.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You cannot be serious,¡± Owen said. His voice quavered as his lance trembled in his hands. ¡°They¡¯re dead: Karl, Max, James, Talin, Micah. Your guards who have followed you since you were a child, they¡¯re all dead, poisoned to death by the demon in front of you, and you want to forgive him?¡± Tears formed in the corner of Raea¡¯s eyes as Owen gazed at her. Palan snorted. ¡°Cut the crap,¡± he said as he raised the axes in his hands. ¡°Did you want me to wait for the greater demon to hack them into pieces before I applied the poison? If you want to be mad at someone, get mad at Ishim for sending us out here. Or get mad at Raea¡¯s parents. It¡¯s not my fault your friends were completely incompetent.¡± ¡°Raea,¡± Owen said with bloodshot eyes, ignoring Palan. His voice was gruff as he fell to his knees. ¡°Please punish him. He must be punished for what he¡¯s done. I can feel our companions¡¯ souls crying out to me in my heart. They want justice for what happened. We could¡¯ve killed the greater demon if we worked together, but he¡±¡ªOwen pointed at Palan¡ª¡±denied us that chance!¡± Raea shook her head as tears flowed down her cheeks. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Raea said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I, too, am at fault. What right do I have to judge Palan?¡± She touched Owen¡¯s cheek with her hand. ¡°You have to forgive him too or the unrest in your heart will fester and consume you.¡± Owen let out a hollow laugh as he lumbered to his feet. ¡°I will never be able to forgive him,¡± Owen said as he turned away from Raea. He trudged towards the forest, heading in the direction of the battlefield. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Owen,¡± Raea said and frowned as she touched his shoulder. Owen twitched and brushed her hand aside. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Raea¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°To bury them.¡± Raea bit her lip while turning around. She saw Palan sheathing his axes while Carmella and Gerome stared at Owen¡¯s back. Palan turned around, gesturing for the angels behind him to follow. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Raea. You¡¯ll get poisoned if you touch the corpses.¡± Raea stood in the center of the field, watching Owen and Palan walk further and further away from her in opposite directions. Her brow was furrowed as she yelled, ¡°Stop! Both of you, please!¡± Her body glowed white and chains made of light shot out from behind her, enveloping Owen along with Palan¡¯s group. The chains tightened and shrank, dragging everyone towards Raea before stopping right in front of her. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have done this in the battle?¡± Palan asked as his body futilely struggled against the white restraints. Raea shook her head, causing beads of sweat to roll down her face. ¡°You really have forgiven him,¡± Owen said and sighed. Raea nodded. ¡°We have to work as a team. I want Palan and Owen to hug each other and truly mean it. I don¡¯t care how long it takes. Until Owen and Palan are best friends, we won¡¯t be moving from this spot,¡± she said and closed her eyes. ¡°I am serious.¡± Palan frowned and asked Carmella, ¡°How long does it take for an angel to die of dehydration? I don¡¯t believe he can outlast me.¡± Chapter 31 ¡°Lady Raea, please reconsider,¡± Owen said. He stood upright with his arms and legs bound by a chain of white light. ¡°You know my virtues are diligence and loyalty. It is impossible for me to forgive that thing.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes were closed with five chains extending out of her back, binding her companions. The first sun had set and the second started to descend, illuminating the group with a red glow. Raea¡¯s eyes fluttered opened as she inhaled deeply. Her face was pale as she spoke, ¡°I am completely serious about what I said earlier.¡± She turned to Owen. ¡°If you want to blame someone for our companions¡¯ deaths, then blame me. I chose to contract Palan. Anything that Palan does is a direct reflection of my actions.¡± She turned to Palan. His eyes were dull as he stared at the ground. A breeze caused the grass beneath him to sway back and forth. ¡°Maybe if you explained why ¡­ Palan?¡± Soft snores escaped from Palan¡¯s lips as he remained unresponsive to Raea¡¯s voice. Carmella and Gerome turned their heads to stare at the sleeping demon with their mouths hanging open. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea said. The demon stirred and his head tilted upwards. Owen snorted and glared at Palan. Raea frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you sleeping at a time like this?¡± Palan yawned and ground his teeth together. He spat out a tooth and stretched his neck before looking down at the dire wolf by his feet. ¡°Eat and drink as much as you can,¡± he said. ¡°You never know when your next meal is.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Sleep whenever you can,¡± Palan said, ignoring Raea as he Emergency Victuals made eye contact with him. ¡°You won¡¯t always find a shelter to rest in at night.¡± He raised his head to face Raea. ¡°They¡¯re some of my rules for survival. You could do well to learn from them, instead of expending your energy on useless endeavors. I thought you could barely use both your powers in one day.¡± His arms flexed uselessly against the white chains binding him. ¡°That is no longer the case because you got stronger,¡± Raea said. A droplet of sweat dripped from her chin. ¡°Can you explain to Owen, to us, why you did what you did?¡± ¡°I already have,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I did it to kill the greater demon. As long as there was fresh blood around the demon, then he¡¯d be able to regenerate. The lizardmen I interrogated told me about that. The simplest way to stop its regeneration was to taint the blood around it.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Owen said as the veins on his neck bulged as he tried to move forward. ¡°There must have been other ways to deal with it. If you told us what you knew, then we could have developed reasonable countermeasures that didn¡¯t involve mass murder. They could have lived!¡± ¡°And now they¡¯re dead. Get over it,¡± Palan said as he stared at Owen. ¡°If you want to join them so badly, then kill yourself. Quit wasting my time. When you took up guard duty, you accepted the dangers that accompanied it. Why are you acting like a baby?¡± Owen¡¯s face flushed as he glared at Palan. Orange flames flickered within his eyes before bursting into life around Owen¡¯s body. Raea gasped as a jet of flame flew towards Palan from Owen¡¯s mouth. ¡°Stop!¡± she yelled as she jumped in front of Palan, spreading her arms to the side. The flames didn¡¯t yield and engulfed Raea, causing her to let out a shriek. The chains on Raea¡¯s back dissipated, freeing her captives. Owen¡¯s face turned pale as the flames around him extinguished. He fell to his knees and clutched the grass. ¡°Lady Raea! No,¡± he said as he tried to crawl forward, sweat pouring from his brow. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡­ no.¡± His body fell forward as he gasped for breath. Raea was shrieking as she rolled around on the floor, her cloth garments on fire beneath the plate armor. Palan¡¯s brow was furrowed as he stepped forward and grabbed Raea, stopping her from rolling, with his left hand, his dagger in his right. He cut off the leather straps holding her armor to her body as Carmella and Gerome hovered around, attempting to help. After cutting off the plate, he grabbed her flaming shirt and unceremoniously cut it off. Luckily for Raea, only her upper body caught fire, leaving her pants intact. Palan threw the burning cloth towards Gerome, who cursed and struggled to put it out, stamping on it with his feet. Raea whimpered as she blinked, staring into Palan¡¯s frowning face. Her shoulders, back, and chest were blood-red, skin hanging loosely from blackened flesh, fluttering in the breeze. She opened her mouth and asked, her voice barely above a whisper, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why¡¯d you step in front of the flames? Are you stupid?¡± Raea¡¯s body trembled as she raised her head. She winced and turned her neck towards Owen. He was lying face down on the ground with Emergency Victuals sitting on his head. Its tail swished as it barked at Raea and Palan. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Palan sighed and raised his head to look towards the blue sky while stripping off his gauntlets before placing his hands on Raea¡¯s shoulders. She winced as his hands touched her open flesh. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Palan said. ¡°You¡¯ll ruin my concentration, Andrea.¡± Raea squirmed. ¡°B¡ª¡± Palan glared at Raea, causing her to fall silent and shut her mouth. She lowered her head and covered her exposed, but burnt, chest with her hands. Carmella and Gerome glanced at each other, but didn¡¯t say anything as they walked away from the angel and demon, approaching Owen who was still pinned to the floor by a butt. Palan raised his head again and sighed. Raea bit her lip while staring up at Palan¡¯s throat as he squat over her. Raea opened her mouth and started to speak, but a cold feeling wrapped around her burning shoulders. A gasp escaped from her lips as her body tensed, and her back arched. The icy feeling spread from Palan¡¯s hands and enveloped her torso, washing over her burns. She closed her eyes and groaned as the hanging flaps of skin and burned flesh squirmed, wriggling like worms as it reattached and mended itself. Seconds turned to minutes as the cold pervaded her body from head to toe before dissipating. After the feeling went away, Raea fell silent and opened her eyes. Palan was still looking up towards the sky with his hands glowing white. Raea smiled and placed one hand over Palan¡¯s. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°Andrea¡¯s your sister?¡± Palan glanced at Raea and snorted before letting go of her shoulder, shaking her hand off of his. His back was drenched in sweat underneath his armor, and his face was pale. ¡°It would¡¯ve been problematic for me if you stayed injured,¡± Palan said as he broke eye contact and stood up. He wiped his bloody hands on his greaves and frowned as he turned in Owen¡¯s direction, placing a hand on an axe handle by his shoulder. Raea scrambled to her feet, keeping one arm across her chest. ¡°Step aside,¡± Palan said to Emergency Victuals. The dire wolf wiggled its rump a few times before standing up and walking away. Owen raised his head, his eyes wet with tears. ¡°Raea, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Owen said, his voice nearly cracking. ¡°I¡¯ve failed you. I¡¯ve failed you.¡± His words trailed off as his face fell back towards the ground. He shook as sobs wracked his body. Palan frowned and released his hold on his axe. ¡°I was going to kill you,¡± Palan said as he stepped out Owen¡¯s head and unsheathed his dagger, ¡°but that would be too merciful. I should disable your arms and cut your tongue out. Let you live knowing that you failed as an angel of loyalty and attacked your charge. Let you live, knowing that the killer of your friends is right in front of you, and you can¡¯t do anything about it. Isn¡¯t that fun?¡± Palan ground his heel, forcing Owen¡¯s head deeper into the dirt. ¡°You know? The demons who¡¯ve attacked my sister, it was fine for me to just kill them after terrorizing them for a bit. But you, I want you to suffer.¡± ¡°Palan! Stop!¡± Raea said and pushed Palan off of Owen. She grabbed Owen and rolled him over onto his back. Owen mumbled something incoherent as Raea stared into his face. ¡°I am uninjured,¡± Raea said. ¡°Perfectly fine, see? You lost yourself to wrath for a brief moment, but regained control. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has lapses from time to time; no one is perfect.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a failure as a guard,¡± Owen said and closed his eyes. ¡°I deserve to be executed on grounds of treason.¡± ¡°Stop that. I still need you,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t. I deserve to be punished,¡± Owen said and shook his head. ¡°What are you?¡± Palan asked as he crossed his arms and stared down at Owen. ¡°A masochist? Were you just using me to indulge in your sick fantasies?¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow as she glanced at her contracted demon. He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a failure. A failure as your guard. A failure as an angel,¡± Owen said and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve to protect you.¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± Raea said. ¡°I forgive you. Please, just go back to being you. Not the you from when I was banished to the borderlands, but the you from before, from when I was little. It hurts me to see you like this.¡± ¡°Just roll over and die, old man,¡± Palan said and snorted as he kicked Owen¡¯s arm and walked away. Carmella approached Palan with Gerome in tow. She said, ¡°I really thought you were going to kill him just now.¡± Palan grunted as he glanced at Raea kneeling over Owen. An image of Andrea crying while crouching by her favorite pet lizard, which was dying because she ate its stomach, superimposed itself over the angels. He scratched Emergency Victuals on the head and sighed. Chapter 32 Palan leaned back against the rough cave wall, the rocks scratching at his bare skin, and gazed at the four angels sitting around the flickering campfire. The yellow moon hung in the sky, illuminating the entrance to the cave with a pale light. Gerome was whispering to Carmella while gesturing with his hands. A piece of roast meat rested on a broad leaf in his lap. Carmella¡¯s expression remained unchanging as she grunted or nodded in reply, occasionally smiling while nibbling on a fruit. Raea and Owen sat on the other side of the fire from the two angels. Raea was silent as she ate her meal. She wore Palan¡¯s shirt, and her cuirass leaned against a rock behind her. Owen sat with his head hung, staring at an untouched piece of meat in his lap. He hadn¡¯t said a word on the way to the cave, not even when Emergency Victuals nipped his ankle for walking too slowly. The corners of Raea¡¯s lips turned down as she glanced at Owen. ¡°You should eat.¡± There was no sign of acknowledgment from Owen, but he grabbed the food in his lap with both hands and raised it to his mouth. Owen silently consumed his meal, still staring downwards. Raea¡¯s frowned deepened and she shot a glance at Palan, who was rummaging through his bag, his brows furrowed. She sighed and stood up, tossing her half-eaten piece of boar to Emergency Victuals before heading towards Palan. Gerome fell silent as he and Carmella followed Raea¡¯s movements with their eyes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Raea asked as she sat next to Palan, pushing a pile of ribs to the side with her feet. ¡°Organizing,¡± Palan said, not bothering to glance at Raea. He frowned as he picked up the orb he retrieved from the goblin shaman. The blue light had expanded to fill in half of the sphere¡¯s volume. The light slithered around the dirty brown color like oil through water. Raea blinked and reached for the orb, but Palan knocked her hand away before closing his bag. ¡°Did you need something?¡± Raea pouted as she retracted her hand and leaned back against the wall. Her blue eyes met Gerome¡¯s and Carmella¡¯s, causing them both to turn away. Owen was still mechanically eating the meat in his hands. Raea turned her head to meet Palan¡¯s gaze. ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said and lowered her head to look at her hands. Her face burned. ¡°For earlier.¡± ¡°I just pretended you were my sister,¡± Palan said as he tied his bag to his waist. It was noticeably smaller than usual. ¡°If my life didn¡¯t depend on yours, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered healing you.¡± Raea smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯m glad it does,¡± she said and raised her head. She stroked her slightly burnt hair, causing ash to crumble from her fingers. ¡°I guess this means I was right.¡± Palan tilted his head. ¡°It was your compassion that made you take care of your sister, not pride.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°You¡¯re still going on about that nonsense after what I just did? Ask that old man what he thinks of me. I¡¯ll bet you my left arm that compassionate is far from the top,¡± he said. Owen flinched by the fire, but didn¡¯t say anything as he placed down the bones in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m only putting up with you out of necessity. There¡¯s nothing more between us.¡± His voice sounded harsher than he intended. ¡°Is that so?¡± Raea asked, her voice quavering. ¡°I just thought, no, never mind.¡± She looked away from Palan; her vision blurred as she brought her knees to her chest. She sighed and closed her eyes. Carmella and Gerome glanced at each other before Carmella stood up and walked over to Raea and Palan. Gerome scrambled to his feet and followed after her. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Your skill in killing is excellent, but your communicational skill seems to be lacking,¡± Carmella said as she sat by the wall adjacent to Palan¡¯s. Gerome furrowed his brow and hesitated as Palan glared in Carmella¡¯s direction. His adam¡¯s apple bobbed in his throat before he tentatively sat next to Carmella, shivers rolling down his spine from the tension in the air. Carmella tilted her head. ¡°Am I right?¡± ¡°Want to see how communicative you are after I cut out your tongue?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and sighed as she opened her eyes. ¡°Can you not threaten our allies?¡± Carmella raised her hand towards Raea. ¡°No, let him,¡± she said and smiled at Palan. ¡°Are you upset because you feel as if I am insulting you, or are you upset because you know I am right?¡± Palan placed his hand on the metal axe lying beside him. Carmella¡¯s face cramped. ¡°You do not have to answer that.¡± Palan glared at her before removing his hand. Carmella¡¯s body relaxed as she leaned her head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling. ¡°I knew someone like you,¡± she said. ¡°He was a prideful person, very prickly. Every word that was not praise would set him off like sticking a wet finger down a cat¡¯s ear. He also had a problem with wine, but refused to admit it. People would avoid him because of his behavior, and his behavior would worsen because people avoided him. One day, he snapped and killed the only person who ever loved him¡ªhis wife. Luckily for his daughter, she was not home at the time, but, after that moment, he lost everything that he did not realize he had.¡± Carmella stopped talking and closed her eyes. Palan was silent for a moment. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes at Carmella. Carmella opened her eyes and smiled. ¡°Not every angel is as kind as Lieutenant Raea. Why must you make her cry?¡± Raea blinked and sniffed as she looked at Carmella, hurriedly wiping at her eyes. Palan frowned. ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°During my time as an apprentice, I met a few angels with contracted demons,¡± Carmella said. ¡°Their relationships¡¯ were akin to master and slave. Raea treats you like a companion, a friend almost. But I imagine you do not know how that feels.¡± Palan frowned as he stood up and strapped his axes to his back with strips of leather. Carmella stared at him and eyed his hands before relaxing when she realized he wasn¡¯t going to attack her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Raea asked as Palan walked towards the fire. ¡°Keeping watch. We invade the lizardmen camp tomorrow,¡± Palan said and sat outside the cave entrance with his arms crossed across his chest. Gerome let out a breath and stared at Carmella. ¡°That was crazy,¡± he said. ¡°I thought you said you were never going to provoke him.¡± Carmella shrugged. ¡°The story was true,¡± she said as she pressed her lips together. ¡°Maybe I wanted to tell him what I could never tell my dad.¡± She brought her hand to her chest. Her heart was racing. ¡°I do feel better for it, but I definitely will not be doing that again any time soon.¡± Raea watched Emergency Victuals wolf down the remains of the boar she gave him. The dire wolf trotted outside of the cave and sat next to Palan, tilting its head at him. Palan frowned. ¡°The hell are you looking at?¡± Emergency Victuals licked Palan¡¯s hand before lying down by his side. Palan stayed silent as he placed his hand on the wolf¡¯s back before staring up at the moon. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. Chapter 33 Palan hacked apart a shrub with the two metal axes in his hands. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped to the floor. Raea frowned as a rabbit scrambled out from the pile and asked, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have just walked around? There was no need to destroy it.¡± Palan shrugged and walked around the shredded shrub, propping his axes up against his shoulder. ¡°These are pretty fun to play with. Metal¡¯s extremely hard to come by back at home.¡± ¡°Destruction of a habitat should not be classified as fun,¡± Raea said as she glanced behind herself. Carmella and Gerome walked side by side, their bodies dressed in full plate armor with their visors raised. Owen was following behind the two with his gaze fixated on the ground ahead, his greaves leaving two lines trailing behind himself as he trudged forward. ¡°Can¡¯t agree with you there,¡± Palan said as he hacked at another shrub. ¡°This is a novel experience. All I¡¯ve ever seen was sand. Sand for miles and miles with the occasional cactus and oasis. There wasn¡¯t much to destroy.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re missing the point,¡± Raea said as Emergency Victuals sniffed at the fallen shrub. ¡°Is destroying things really that much fun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Raea sighed and shook her head as she followed after Palan. ¡°We should be there soon,¡± Palan said. ¡°I can smell a lot of them.¡± ¡°What do they smell like?¡± Gerome asked as he stepped around a cluster of white mushrooms. Carmella dropped to her knees and plucked the mushrooms. She dusted the dirt off of them before putting them into her bag. ¡°Like spicy sandroamers,¡± Palan said and licked his lips. ¡°I wonder if they taste the same. Their skin does look similar in texture.¡± Gerome made a face, but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± Carmella asked. ¡°There are hundreds of lizardmen and only five of us.¡± ¡°Well, what was the original plan?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Raea kept saying something about subjugation and not extermination.¡± Palan, Gerome, and Carmella turned to stare at Raea. Owen glanced at Raea before turning his gaze back towards the ground. Raea scratched her head. ¡°I was thinking of awing them with a show of force by subduing their military. Then we would negotiate with the chieftain by using their soldiers as a bargaining chip,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°That clearly did not go as planned.¡± Her face burned as she stared at her hands, trying to ignore the gazes of her companions. ¡°Captain Ishim asked for the chieftain¡¯s head though,¡± Gerome said. Raea nodded. ¡°We would just bring him back. A head attached to the body is still a head, right?¡± she asked. Carmella stared at her with a raised eyebrow. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed for a brief moment before he started to chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said and smiled at Raea, ¡°absolutely right.¡± Raea frowned as her brow creased. ¡°Why do I feel wrong now?¡± she asked and sighed. ¡°Palan is making fun of me, yes?¡± She glanced at Carmella and Gerome. Her lips quirked downwards when she saw Owen¡¯s downcast face. ¡°No,¡± Palan said and placed his axe against his shoulder. ¡°I just didn¡¯t think you angels would abuse loopholes like that. Interesting.¡± He chuckled again before proceeding to hack a trail through the undergrowth. ¡°Is he alright?¡± Gerome asked. Raea tilted her head, staring at Palan¡¯s armored back as bits of green flew into the air. Carmella shuddered before shaking her head. ¡°W-wait!¡± Raea called out after a moment. She ran up to Palan, followed by the rest of their companions. ¡°Did you have a plan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to go up to their gates and say that the greater demon wanted me to greet Anidun, using these axes as proof,¡± Palan said as he knocked the two weapons together, creating a ringing noise. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s going to work?¡± she asked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very safe.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the one with wisdom here?¡± Palan asked and snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t believe Anidun could kill me that easily. I have a plan for when I meet him.¡± His eyes narrowed, and he licked his lips. He knocked aside the hanging branches of a willow tree, revealing a wooden structure off in the distance. ¡°We¡¯re there.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Raea said and shook her head as she grabbed Palan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Even if I may not be blessed by wisdom, I can still tell your idea is completely stupid. Anidun is an archangel. He is fundamentally greater than us. If¡ª¡± ¡°According to you,¡± Palan said and shrugged off Raea¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m just a regular demon. But in the end, I still killed a greater demon.¡± ¡°That was that,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°This is this. I forbid you from approaching Anidun in this manner.¡± She placed her hands on her hips. Palan narrowed his eyes. ¡°I will go,¡± Owen said. The angels and demon ahead of him turned around and raised their eyebrows. Owen gripped his lance and raised his head. ¡°I will do it. I will kill Anidun.¡± ¡°Owen,¡± Raea said as her lips pressed together. Her eyebrows creased towards each other. ¡°Do you realize what you are saying?¡± Owen nodded. ¡°Your demon, though I hate to say this, may be onto something,¡± he said. ¡°Anidun is most likely impaired in some manner due to the death of his contractee. The best time to strike is now.¡± He lowered his head and took in a deep breath. ¡°And I have to prove myself. I should have died when I attacked you. Allow me to do this at least.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Owen said as he pulled out a yellow crystal. He crushed it with his gauntlets, causing a piece of paper to materialize in the air. ¡°I, Owen Caelum, will say hello to you within one month. In return, you, Palan the pride demon, will give me a bag of your most potent poison.¡± Owen scratched his face with the edge of his gauntlet and dripped a drop of blood onto the paper. Raea blinked. ¡°Eh? Wh¡ª¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Interesting,¡± he said and bit his thumb. He pressed it on the piece of paper before Raea could say anything. He reached into his bag and lobbed a closed cloth bag at Owen. ¡°You¡¯ll need these too, I suppose.¡± Palan dropped the axes onto the ground in front of Owen. Owen nodded and strapped his lance to his back before bending over to pick up the axes. He let out a groan and the muscles on his arms bulged as he picked them up. He gritted his teeth and propped the axes up with his shoulders. Owen shot a glance at Palan with his brows furrowed before he turned away and walked past the group, heading towards the lizardmen¡¯s camp. ¡°Owen!¡± Raea said and moved to stop him, but Palan grabbed her shoulder. ¡°How could you let him go?¡± ¡°He volunteered,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°It works out for all of us. If he dies then we¡¯ll know through this contract. With those axes as proof, the only thing that should be able to kill him is Anidun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Raea said and knocked Palan¡¯s hand away. She rushed after Owen. ¡°Stop her,¡± Palan said to Emergency Victuals. The dire wolf snarled and dashed towards Raea. It tackled her to the ground and sat on her back. White chains flew out of Raea¡¯s back, but Emergency Victuals pressed the angel¡¯s head into the ground, disrupting the magic. Owen didn¡¯t look back as he marched towards the wooden fort. Chapter 34 Owen stood in front of a wooden gate with the two axes¡¯ blades resting on the ground, the handles barely held up by his arms. Two blue lizardmen stood on a platform above the gate with bows in their hands. They glanced down at Owen and frowned, recognizing the axes he held. Owen dropped an axe and raised his visor, tilting his head upward at the lizardmen. ¡°I have come to see Anidun. I bring a message from his demon.¡± One of the lizardmen flickered its tongue. ¡°You come alone?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Owen said and released the other axe. He exhaled and rolled his shoulder before crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°It is an important message. There is no time to waste. Anidun will see me; I know you lizardmen are not allowed to enter his residence.¡± The lizardman who spoke scratched its scaly chin before nodding. ¡°I will tell the chief. It is up to him to decide whether you may enter,¡± it said and climbed down the watchtower, its claws sinking into the wood. Owen¡¯s face relaxed and he exhaled again. He glanced at the remaining lizardman who had its bow nocked and pointed at him. The body of the bow was made of a pitch-black piece of wood, and the bowstring was made of an animal¡¯s tendon. The body of the arrow was made of similar material to the bow, but its head was made of silver metal. Owen frowned as the sun glinted off of the arrowhead and lowered his visor. After waiting for what seemed like ten minutes, two lizardmen crawled up the watchtower; one of them¡ªthe guard that went to fetch the chieftain¡ªpointed at Owen. The chieftain was a green lizardman, wearing a headdress made of red feathers. A black symmetrical tattoo started from its chest and snaked towards its arms, ultimately ending at its clawed fingertips. ¡°You are seeking our holy guardian?¡± the chieftain asked as it narrowed its black eyes at Owen. ¡°You have our warrior¡¯s armaments. Where did you get them?¡± Owen raised his visor again. ¡°The demon gave them to me to use as proof of identity,¡± he said. ¡°The army he led was gravely injured and he asked me to deliver a message. It must be delivered directly to Anidun; it could mean the life or death of your people.¡± The chieftain frowned as its tongue flickered in and out of its mouth. It peered at Owen while scratching its chin. ¡°You may enter, but first relinquish your armor and weapons,¡± it said. Owen nodded as he unstrapped his lance and placed it on the ground. He undid the straps holding his plate armor together and stripped himself, leaving a leather bag by his waist and a cloth shirt with leather pants. The chieftain frowned. ¡°The bag too.¡± ¡°Part of the message is in the bag,¡± Owen said and crossed his arms, sticking his chest out. He held his breath as the lizardman guard continued to train its arrow on him. ¡°Fine,¡± the chieftain said and nodded. He turned to the guard next to him. ¡°Open the gates and take his items.¡± Owen wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, leaving a dark stain by his thighs. A clunking sound resounded from the door and, moments later, it swung open, revealing a crowd of lizardmen on the other side. Their reddish-orange bodies were smaller than that of their green and blue counterparts. They held onto even smaller lizardmen¡ªwho were half their size¡ªby their tails. One of the smaller green lizardmen turned its head towards the one holding its tail and asked, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Dad come home yet?¡± The corners of Owen¡¯s mouth drooped as he walked past the crowd of lizardmen, following after the naked chieftain with two armed guards behind him. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The parts of the city closest to the walls had houses made of wood with mud splattered on the sides. Their roofs were thatched and the ground was bare, save for a few cluster of weeds sprouting from the brown dirt. Lizardmen and goblins with metal manacles around their ankles and brands across their chests tilled the earth with stone tools. ¡°They are slaves?¡± Owen asked and raised an eyebrow as he turned his head towards the chieftain. ¡°Yes,¡± the chieftain said and nodded as its lips curled. ¡°Our warrior brings them back to help our territory expand. Why did he give you his armaments? Is he in danger?¡± ¡°The situation is complicated,¡± Owen said and broke eye contact. ¡°He said only Anidun can know.¡± The chieftain hummed and clacked its nails against the scales on its bare leg. It nodded and continued forward. As the two walked further and further towards the center of the city, the buildings progressed from muddy wood walls to baked mud-brick walls. The roofs were tiled and stones paved the road in between the buildings, but the streets were emptier compared to the outskirts. ¡°This is where our warriors live,¡± the chieftain said as it noticed Owen glancing around. ¡°Our holy guardian¡¯s residence is ahead.¡± It nodded at a hill-like boulder in the center of the city, the surroundings empty except for a stone fence. ¡°Only guests of the guardian may proceed beyond those walls.¡± Owen¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Do guests come often?¡± ¡°No. It is just a rule we created,¡± the chieftain said as its tongue flickered. ¡°We dare not anger our holy guardian.¡± The chieftain shook its head and sighed. ¡°He asked to not be disturbed unless it was a matter of utter importance. If you anger him, then not even Elbegon can save your soul.¡± Owen snorted. ¡°Are you worried? I assure you, my message is important.¡± The chieftain stared at Owen¡¯s face for a minute before nodding. ¡°He can see through lies, my dead father can attest to that,¡± it said. ¡°When he first arrived, he declared himself king and promised to bring our tribe great fortune as long as we listened to him. My father disagreed and the guardian killed him by blinking his eyes.¡± ¡°Do you hate him?¡± Owen asked as the two got closer to the stone walls. ¡°No. He has done what he said he would,¡± the chieftain said. ¡°Our tribe is now the greatest in the region, even the angels do not dare to interfere with us after our warrior slaughtered them. Our guardian needed to make a show of strength, and it was my father who was the unlucky demonstration. As we grow older, our attachments to others¡ªexcept for our mates¡ªfade, that is, if we even had any to start with. I can barely remember what my father looked like.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Owen said and touched his hand to the leather pouch by his waist. His face hardened as he stared at the boulder. A road made of mud-bricks led from the stone walls to a pitch-black entrance by the base of the boulder. The chieftain and his two guards stopped in front of the wall. ¡°I will wait for you out here,¡± the chieftain said and crossed its arms over its chest. Owen nodded and took in a deep breath as he crossed the threshold, stepping onto the brick road. The chieftain stared at the angel¡¯s back as he walked along the road before his figure disappeared within the shadows of the entrance. Chapter 35 Owen frowned as he walked into the darkness. A few stones glowed with a dim blue light along the walls, barely illuminating the contours of the cave. His nose wrinkled as the smell of rotting meat assaulted him. He placed his hand in his leather bag and gripped the cloth pouch containing Palan¡¯s poison as he continued forward, tiptoeing. After rounding a bend, he entered a circular room with a single green orb hanging from the ceiling, faintly illuminating the darkness, but not enough to see clearly. Owen squinted and peered into the room. ¡°Hello?¡± he asked, voice barely above a whisper, as he took a single step forward. There was no response. He took another step forward while holding his breath, his hand clenched the cloth sack which was now in front of his chest. He took another step forward, causing his foot to sink downwards. He inhaled sharply and leapt back, casting his gaze to the ground. A suspiciously humanoid object lay on the floor in the fetal position. ¡°A lizardman?¡± Owen murmured as he squat next to the body. It was impossible to discern anything other than its outline in the darkness. He frowned and looked up at the ceiling, reaching his hand towards the green orb. Dust fell from the ceiling as the walls trembled. A cylinder of stone shot out of the ceiling, knocking the orb towards Owen¡¯s waiting hand. He caught it and held it in over the body. The light shone on the person¡¯s face, revealing a pair of open eyes staring right at him. Owen swore and leapt backwards, dropping the orb. His heart raced in his chest as he hunched over, ready to throw the poison at a moment¡¯s notice. Several pounding heartbeats later, the corpse still hadn¡¯t moved and Owen slowly lowered the pouch to his side, taking in a deep breath. He straightened his back and walked up to the corpse. He wiggled his foot in front of the corpse¡¯s face before kicking its shoulder, causing it to splay on its back. He picked up the orb and dusted off the dirt before holding it over the body. The green light shone against the body¡¯s bare chest, creating a ruddy brown color. Multiple stab wounds perforated the corpse¡¯s abdomen, a dagger laying loosely in its hand. Owen frowned and picked up the dagger; it glowed red in the green light, blade untarnished. Inscribed along the metal was a single word. Anidun. Owen sucked in his breath and gazed at the angel¡¯s dead face. Its eyes still remained open, lacking pupils and an iris. A smear of coagulated blood trailed from its mouth to its ear like a snake. The body was naked, except for a cloth kilt, riding up to its thighs. Owen¡¯s hand trembled as he reached towards the corpse¡¯s neck, placing his fingers next to its adam¡¯s apple. There was no pulse. Owen frowned as he stood up and explored the rest of the cavern, illuminating the darkness with the green orb. The room was empty, save for a hole dug into one corner. A putrid stench wafted from the hole into Owen¡¯s nostril, causing the angel to gag. He rushed away from the corner and returned to the corpse, turning its body over. The only thing under the angel¡¯s body was a black stain that was soft and sticky to touch. He stared at the body and frowned before placing the dagger into his bag. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Owen squat next to Anidun¡¯s corpse and lifted it, his right arm by its shoulder blades and his left arm underneath its knees. His nose wrinkled, but he exhaled and headed towards the exit. The two suns hung in the sky overhead when Owen stepped out of the cave, squinting because of the light. He heard gasps coming from beyond the stone wall as he walked along the mud-brick road, still carrying Anidun¡¯s body. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± the lizardman chieftain asked as it crossed the stone threshold and headed towards Owen, its guards following from behind with their hands gripping metal lances. ¡°Anidun is dead,¡± Owen said and motioned at the corpse with his head. ¡°I was too late.¡± The chieftain frowned as it stepped forward and seized Anidun¡¯s face, turning it towards himself. Its claws pierced the corpse¡¯s flesh as a shiver rolled down the chieftain¡¯s spine. Its eyes swept over the body, stopping on the self-inflicted dagger wounds. ¡°This¡­¡± the lizardman said as it raised its head, glaring into Owen¡¯s eyes. It growled and punched Owen in the face, not giving the angel a chance to react. ¡°Capture him!¡± Owen fell to the ground, clutching his jaw as Anidun¡¯s corpse fell out of his arms. One of the guards marched forward and hit Owen in the temple with the butt of its lance, knocking him out, his body falling limp to the ground. The guards grabbed one arm each and lifted Owen up. The chieftain curled its lip as the guards looked at it. ¡°Stick him with the slaves; keep him separated,¡± it said as its eyes ran down Owen¡¯s body. It reached forward and tore off the leather bag by the angel¡¯s waist. The guards nodded and marched off, dragging Owen towards the outskirts of the city. The chieftain watched the guards disappear around a corner before it opened the leather bag and fished out Anidun¡¯s dagger, holding it in front of its face. The red suns shone on the dagger, but there was no reflection on its silver blade, almost as if it was absorbing the rays of light. The lizardman ran its fingers along the edge of the blade. It smiled before placing the dagger back in the bag and picked up the cloth pouch. It pulled it open and peered at the multicolored powder within. It brought the pouch to its nose and sniffed at it, inhaling the top layer. The chieftain¡¯s body shuddered and froze, a tiny rivulet of blood leaking from its nostril. It fell forward, face first onto the ground with the cloth bag plastered to its nose. No one noticed its twitching body on the mud-brick road within the forbidden area of the city until hours after it stopped moving. Chapter 36 Owen¡¯s eyes opened, red sunlight shining on his face. He groaned and touched a bump on his temple. A splotch of blood appeared on his palm as he withdrew his hand. He stretched his legs out in front of himself, finding manacles attached to his ankles, binding him to the wall. He looked around at the room he was trapped in: The walls were made of dirt, the ground was made of dirt, the ceiling was made of dirt. A metal grate with the width of a person was embedded in the ceiling, letting sunlight in through its slits. Owen sighed as he stretched his neck while staring out of the grate. His lips contorted into a bitter smile as he dragged himself to his feet. He glanced at a corner of his prison; an image of five frightened children huddling next to each other appeared in his vision. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He exhaled and opened his eyes, the children disappearing. He clenched his hands and muttered, ¡°Just like old times, huh?¡± Owen¡¯s face hardened as he placed his palm against the dirt wall. The ground trembled and cracks formed along the walls, radiating outwards from his palm. He jerked his legs forward, causing the ends of the manacles to fall off the wall. The metal grate fell to the ground as the ceiling deformed and collapsed. Owen used the rubble as a ramp to walk out of his prison. Surprisingly, there were no guards stationed nearby, and he was unimpeded as he climbed back onto ground level. Hundreds of grates lined the floor nearby, their surfaces red from the single sun in the sky. Behind Owen stood the spiked wooden walls of the city. Ahead of him, wooden buildings¡ªsome dilapidated¡ªstood erect with thatched roofs. Owen rubbed his chin as he surveyed his surroundings before walking towards the city wall. His face turned pale as he stomped his foot against the ground, causing the ground to shudder and crack, splitting underneath the wooden spikes. A section of the wall collapsed inwards, having lost its stability and Owen climbed out, the metal chains of his manacles dragging behind him as he walked. No guards appeared even after the thundering collapse of the wall. Owen glanced at the city behind him through the gap left behind; he could see lizardmen scurrying about, but they were heading towards the center of the city, away from him. He shrugged and broke out into a jog towards the forest where he last saw Raea and Palan. A trail of smoke was visible in the distance. ################################################################# Palan yawned as he leaned back against a tree, tossing a dagger back and forth between his hands. Raea sat next to him with her knees in front of her chest. She held onto the contract between Palan and Owen, her hands white from gripping the paper. A frown was plastered on her face as she lowered her chin to her knees and sighed. Carmella poked a stick into a dying fire pit and blew on the embers, adding more wood on top. She turned her head towards Palan and asked, ¡°You really want to keep this fire going?¡± Palan nodded as he pulled a dead rabbit out of Emergency Victuals mouth. He tossed it towards Carmella. ¡°You can cook that while you¡¯re at it,¡± he said as he sheathed his dagger, ignoring the dire wolf¡¯s whines. Palan flicked the wolf¡¯s nose. ¡°Alpha¡¯s eat first.¡± Emergency Victuals exhaled audibly through its nose and turned its head away, staring at Gerome who stood in the area behind the tree Palan rested on. Gerome was scratching his head as he stared at a group of seven lizardmen, hanging upside down by their ankles from a tree. Their arms were tied behind their backs and straps of leather held their mouths shut. Their bodies wriggled half-heartedly, but Gerome whacked them with a stick when they got too rowdy. He tilted his head and turned towards Palan. ¡°I think we need another tree if more of them come,¡± Gerome said with his voice trailing off. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°We can just eat the next one that comes,¡± Palan said and licked his lips, staring at the mangled rabbit above the fire pit. ¡°It¡¯s about time for dinner anyway.¡± He glanced at Rae. ¡°The old man hasn¡¯t died yet?¡± Raea glared at Palan as the paper crinkled in her grip. She didn¡¯t say a word. Palan snorted. ¡°So much for forgiveness,¡± he said. ¡°Killing your subordinates is fine, but you draw the line at being sat on? This scrawny mutt isn¡¯t even that heavy.¡± Emergency Victuals barked at Raea before yawning and resting its head on Palan¡¯s lap. Raea sighed as she relaxed her grip on the contract and shook her head before she resumed staring at the ground. Palan¡¯s nose twitched and he raised his head. ¡°Another one¡¯s coming,¡± he said towards Carmella. ¡°Go stand behind that tree¡±¡ªPalan pointed at a tree in the distance¡ª¡±and ambush it with a stick. I don¡¯t feel like moving.¡± Carmella nodded as she picked up a thick branch on the ground and positioned herself behind the tree, ready to swing. Moments later, the brush rustled and the branches of the willow tree were swept aside by a hand. Carmella¡¯s right foot shifted forward as she swung the branch with all her strength at the oncoming figure. The branch smacked against the figure, breaking at the base near Carmella¡¯s hands. She dropped the broken bit and retrieved the lance that was strapped to her back. She drew her arm back and stepped over the figure. Her head tilted as she frowned. ¡°Owen?¡± Owen groaned as he clutched his nose and blinked away tears. The shattered branch lay on top of his chest. ¡°That hurt,¡± he said and pinched the bridge of his nose before standing up. ¡°Owen!¡± Raea shouted and tossed the contract towards Palan as she climbed to her feet. She marched up to her head guard. ¡°Never do that again! I don¡¯t know what I would do if I lost you. I don¡¯t care if you lost yourself to wrath; I will still accept you.¡± Raea glanced at her feet. ¡°Lady Raea,¡± Owen said as he furrowed his brow. His lips quivered, and he took in a deep breath. ¡°I have returned with good news. Anidun is dead.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wh¡ª¡± ¡°Where are my axes, old man?¡± Palan asked from behind Raea. ¡°Hello,¡± Owen said to Palan. The contract on the ground behind Palan dissolved into golden dust. ¡°I was forced to leave them behind.¡± He turned back to Raea. ¡°Anidun was already dead when I arrived at his residence. It seems like he killed himself. The lizardmen imprisoned me in a cell made of earth, which was easy enough to escape from.¡± Raea blinked and opened her mouth to speak. ¡°Sorry about the whole ambush thing,¡± Carmella said as she scratched her head and strapped her lance to her back. ¡°I thought you were a lizardman.¡± Owen rubbed his bloody nose and grunted. Raea frowned before opening her mouth again. ¡°Anidun is dead?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Then subjugating the lizardmen should be easily accomplished.¡± Owen nodded. ¡°If we have Palan deliver the greater demon¡¯s head to the chieftain, then I suspect they would submit to us. Without a backer and the majority of their army dead, they cannot maintain their territory.¡± ¡°Not possible,¡± Palan said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I ate it,¡± Palan said and pointed at Emergency Victuals, ¡°and the mutt ate the skull.¡± Palan spat out a tooth and grinned. ¡°I have a better idea.¡± Chapter 37 ¡°Is it really okay to let your demon do as he wishes?¡± Owen asked as he dropped a dead boar onto the ground. The two suns shone overhead, illuminating a glade with a shoddy shelter made of leaves and branches. Raea sat next to a sleeping Palan underneath it, leaves blocking out the sun overhead. Gerome was tending to a small fire beneath a tree in an attempt to create as little smoke as possible. ¡°It should be fine, right?¡± Carmella asked in return. She was sitting on top of a tree¡¯s branch, keeping watch of the group¡¯s surroundings. The lizardmen city could easily be seen from her vantage point. ¡°But he will not even tell us what he is doing!¡± Owen said as he pulled out a knife and proceeded to butcher the boar. ¡°Hey!¡± Gerome said and snapped his head towards Owen. ¡°Stop! You¡¯re doing it all wrong.¡± He walked over to Owen and snatched the knife out of his hands. ¡°Give me that.¡± Owen frowned. ¡°That is not how you address your superior,¡± he said and furrowed his brow. Carmella burst out laughing as she watched Gerome scratch his head with a flushed face. ¡°Sorry,¡± Gerome said and stared at his feet. ¡°But you were really doing it wrong. Have you never butchered an animal before?¡± ¡°I have not,¡± Owen said and grunted. ¡°Forget it. I leave the meal preparation to you.¡± He pat Gerome on the shoulder and found a stone to sit on. Gerome exhaled and crouched next to the boar, sinking the knife into its hide. ¡°Should I wake Palan up?¡± Raea asked as she stared at the demon sitting next to her. Palan¡¯s eyes were dull and staring at the ground just in front of his feet. ¡°Just leave him,¡± Carmella said as she leaned her back against the tree trunk, keeping her head oriented towards the lizardmen village. ¡°He does everything at night.¡± ¡°But he has not eaten with us for nearly a week,¡± Raea said and frowned. Her face was smudged with dirt and a few leaves were entangled in her hair. ¡°Maybe he is eating at night,¡± Gerome said and shrugged as he slid the hide off the boar. ¡°In the lizardmen¡¯s city?¡± ¡°He did say he wanted to taste them,¡± Gerome said and made a face. ¡°I don¡¯t think Palan would forget to eat. He did mention it as one of his rules for survival.¡± Raea¡¯s face blanched. ¡°Maybe I should accompany him to the city tonight,¡± she said and shuddered as she stared at Palan¡¯s face. Palan¡¯s eyes suddenly shifted to the right and made eye contact with Raea. She gasped and fell over backwards. Palan frowned. ¡°No,¡± he said and wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ll get in my way. I¡¯m almost done.¡± ¡°I thought you were sleeping,¡± Raea said as she took in a deep breath and sat back up. ¡°With you blabbering in my ear the whole time?¡± Palan asked and snorted. He stuck his bare chest forward and arched his back as he stretched out his arms in front of himself. He cracked his neck and crawled out of the shelter before standing up. He glanced at the suns in the sky and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s still too early.¡± He glanced around. ¡°Where¡¯s that stupid dog?¡± ¡°Your wolf is hunting somewhere over there,¡± Carmella said and pointed towards the west. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°I see,¡± Palan said. Owen¡¯s gaze caught his eye. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Those scars on your back,¡± Owen said. ¡°Where did you get them?¡± Palan narrowed his eyes. ¡°None of your business,¡± he said and snorted as he walked up to a tree and sat down, resting his back on its trunk. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you wake me up again.¡± Owen frowned, but didn¡¯t say anything as he wiped blood off of his armor. Raea sighed and shook her head as she brought her knees to her chest. After a while, Gerome announced that the meal was ready and passed out portions of boar to each person except Palan. They ate in silence as Palan¡¯s eyes tracked their movements in his sleep. When they finished eating, Gerome put out the fire and Carmella climbed back onto her tree. Raea went to feed the lizardmen prisoners that they captured throughout the week while Owen went off to get water. Nighttime came and Palan began to stir. He nudged Raea¡¯s head off his shoulder and frowned as she mumbled in her sleep. Gerome and Carmella slept next to each other by a small fire, their bodies separated by their weapons. Owen was sitting on a rock, hunched forward and staring at Palan as the demon stood up and yawned. Owen asked, ¡°What exactly are you doing in their city?¡± Palan smiled at Owen as he pat his bag, confirming that it was still strapped to his waist. ¡°You¡¯ll see tomorrow,¡± he said and headed into the forest, going towards the lizardmen city. ¡°Make sure Raea doesn¡¯t die.¡± Owen grunted and glanced at the lance by his feet before watching Palan¡¯s figure disappear in the darkness. Palan inhaled deeply through his nose as he glanced at the yellow moon hanging in the sky. He smelled the woodsy fragrance interspersed with blood and droppings and smiled. Owls hooted off in the distance as he crept along the forest floor, feeling the twigs snap underneath his leather boots. His body tingled as he sensed the heartbeats of the nearby rodents, scurrying about in the undergrowth, picking up fallen nuts and seeds. His heart pounded in his chest, faster and faster as he increased his pace from a stroll to a dash. Critters fled from his path as they sensed the ground vibrating as Palan trampled his way through the forest, heading straight for the lizardmen¡¯s city. He approached the spiked wooden walls and unsheathed a red dagger with the word Anidun inscribed on it. He leapt upwards, sinking the blade into the wood and scrambled up the wall like a spider, occasionally using his teeth to support himself. He stood on top of the wall, hair flowing in the wind. Palan gazed at the sprawling city beneath his feet and inhaled, his chest puffing out as the air flowed nonstop. He smelled the fear in the air and licked his lips as he took a step off the wall, plunging towards the ground on the other side. He landed on the balls of his feet, his hands touching the ground with knees bent. He stood up and smiled, feeling his blood roaring through his ears. The city was silent. Not a soul wandered the streets, in fear of the being that plagued them for the last week. Palan took a step forward towards the center of the city. It was time to hunt. Chapter 38 Palan smiled as he strolled through the lizardmen¡¯s city. The streets were deserted and dark, the only source of light coming from the moon. The houses seemed empty with no candles or orbs to illuminate the buildings, but Palan could tell that they weren¡¯t: he heard the lizardmen breathing in the darkness, sensed their beating hearts, smelled their fear. His eyes inspected the doors of the houses as he walked by, large crosses painted in blood decorated their exterior. Palan chuckled as he sauntered past a house with an open window, heading towards the more affluent area of the city. A child screamed inside the house before it was cut short and muffled, most likely due to its parents. Palan smirked as he started to whistle, his eyes scanning the buildings ahead. His gaze stopped on a mud-brick house, its door pristine and unmarked by blood. He smiled as he walked up to it and pressed the red blade of his dagger into the doorframe before sliding it downwards, cutting the latch that held the door closed. The door creaked as Palan pushed it open. Shouts rang through the room as a lizardman scrambled out of bed and picked up the axe that was propped up against the wall. It was too dark to see and the lizardmen swung wildly as it pressed its back against the wall. After two minutes of swinging, it stopped and panted as it glanced around the room, unable to discern outlines in the poor lighting. Its heart pounded in its chest as it lowered its axe and tentatively took a step forward. ¡°Boo.¡± Palan¡¯s voice whispered in its ear. The lizardman screamed as it whirled its head to the side, swinging its axe. A hot flash burned the side of its neck as its axe cut through the air, hitting nothing. It touched its hand to its throat; a warm liquid flowed down its arm as it gurgled in an attempt to breathe. It coughed and sputtered as it slowly collapsed onto the ground. Palan stood in the center of the room and watched the lizardman¡¯s chest heave up and down until it stopped moving, a pool of blood spreading outwards on the ground. Palan kneeled next to the body and stabbed into its chest with his dagger. There was no resistance as he cut open its rib cage and pulled out its heart. He propped open the lizardman¡¯s mouth and wrapped its stretchy tongue around its heart. He left the mouth open as he pressed his palm into the pool of blood and stood up while walking to the wall. He drew a smiley face with the blood on his hand and took a step back, admiring his work. He nodded and left the building, leaving the door wide open. Palan¡¯s ear twitched as he heard footsteps on stone in an alleyway near his location. He snorted as he followed the sound with his dagger in hand. He rounded a corner and frowned as he saw a diminutive lizardman holding a piece of half-eaten bread. Its head reached half-way up Palan¡¯s thigh, and its orange skin seemed to glow underneath the light of the moon. The tiny lizardman froze when it saw Palan and dropped its bread as its body trembled. ¡°Y-you¡¯re real,¡± it said as it fell over backwards as Palan stepped closer. ¡°P-please, don¡¯t h-hurt me.¡± ¡°I dislike killing children,¡± Palan said as his nose wrinkled. He squat down in front of the lizardman and stared at it with his bright-red eyes. Scars could be seen on its body, and a layer of dirt and grime covered its scales. Palan twirled the dagger in his hand. ¡°Why are you out at night?¡± The lizardman nodded as its eyes widened and stared at Palan¡¯s red dagger. ¡°I-I was hungry,¡± it said and glanced at the piece of bread on the floor. Tears formed in its eyes and it hung its head while its body shivered. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the demon? About me?¡± The lizardman nodded as it sniffled. ¡°No one¡¯s s-supposed to go out at night.¡± ¡°Do you know why?¡± ¡°...¡± Palan sighed as he stood up and pat the lizardman¡¯s head, leaving behind a bloody handprint. ¡°Go home,¡± he said as he began to walk around the child. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± the lizardman whispered and started to cry. Tears rolled down its cheeks as its body spasmed from its sobs. It wailed. ¡°That lady won¡¯t let me. I want my papa.¡± Palan frowned and stopped moving. He stared at the curled up child before snorting. He walked forward until he was two buildings away from the child before turning back. The lizardman was still there, its sobs piercing into his ears. His brow furrowed and he sighed before walking back towards the child. He tapped its shoulder. ¡°Where¡¯s your home?¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The lizardman looked up and blinked at Palan; the scales around its black eyes were red and chafed. It pointed in a direction towards Anidun¡¯s cave. Palan grabbed the child¡¯s arm and lifted it to its feet. ¡°I¡¯m going that way anyways; I¡¯ll drop you off and have a talk with that lady.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°Lead the way before I change my mind,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms over his chest. The lizardman nodded and picked up the piece of bread on the floor before scurrying off. Palan followed the child while scanning the doors of the houses; all of them had crosses painted on their exterior. He arrived at a mud-brick house with the lizardman child. ¡°That one,¡± the child said and pointed. Palan nodded and walked up to the house, inserting his dagger blade between the doorframe and door. He slid the blade downwards and walked into the house with the lizardman child following after him. A scream resounded through the house as an pink lizardman scrambled up in bed. It opened a drawer and pulled out a glowing blue orb. The light shone off of Palan¡¯s smiling face. He tilted his head and pulled the lizardman child in front of his body. The pink lizardman shouted, ¡°I painted the door! I painted it!¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not blind.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± the lizardman asked as it shivered and clutched the glowing orb to its chest. Its eyes widened as it stared at the child. ¡°It¡¯s your fault! You cursed child! I should¡¯ve killed you!¡± The lizardman child bit its lip and hung its head. Palan chuckled. ¡°You remind me of someone,¡± he said and smiled as he ran the edge of his dagger along his tongue. He stepped forward and clutched the pink lizardman¡¯s neck as it screamed. He turned towards the child. ¡°Was it this person who gave you those scars?¡± The child looked down at its body and nodded. ¡°She hurt me after papa disappeared.¡± Palan licked his lips. ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy this,¡± he said and tossed the pink lizardman outside onto the road. She coughed and scrambled to her feet as Palan sauntered towards her, twirling his dagger in his hand. ¡°They said you wouldn¡¯t kill anyone who painted their door!¡± the pink lizardman said as she walked backwards, bleeding from some scrapes. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true,¡± Palan said and nodded. The lizardman¡¯s body relaxed. ¡°And what did they say about being outside at night?¡± The lizardman¡¯s face blanched. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I was inside. You¡ª¡± ¡°And now you¡¯re outside,¡± Palan said as he lunged forwards, sweeping his dagger. Screams echoed through the city, but no one dared to step outside and investigate. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the night fell quiet again. Palan exhaled as he looked up at the moon, blood dripping from his dagger. He turned around and stared at the lizardman child who was staring back at him with wide eyes and mouth agape. ¡°Did you enjoy that?¡± The child gulped and nodded as it walked towards the unrecognizable puddle of flesh beneath Palan¡¯s feet. It clutched Palan¡¯s pants as it peered at the body, tilting its head. The corners of Palan¡¯s lips quirked upwards. ¡°You really didn¡¯t like her, huh? Was she your mom?¡± The child shook its head. ¡°My mom died when I was born,¡± it said. ¡°This is my papa¡¯s second mate.¡± ¡°I see. You don¡¯t seem scared of me anymore,¡± Palan said as he poked the child on its head and separated it from his pants. ¡°You¡¯re not going to hurt me, right?¡± the child asked and blinked at Palan. ¡°Then I shouldn¡¯t be scared.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Even a few demons would be scared of me after seeing something like this,¡± he said as he gestured towards the lump of flesh. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Cleo,¡± the child said. ¡°Cleo,¡± Palan repeated. He nodded. ¡°Well, alright. Bye.¡± He turned around and started to walk towards another house in the distance. Cleo blinked as she watched Palan leave. ¡°Wait!¡± she said and dashed after the demon. ¡°Can I come with you?¡± ¡°The hell?¡± Palan asked and frowned. ¡°No. You¡¯ll get in my way.¡± Cleo furrowed her brow as Palan continued to walk away. She followed after him. Chapter 39 A green lizardman sat on a bed with its backed pressed against a wall. A blue orb rested on the bedside table next to it, illuminating the room with a faint blue glow. A scratching sound came from the door as a red blade sank through the wooden latch holding it in place. The hinges creaked as the door slowly opened. A humanoid outline stepped into the house, the blue light framing its face, revealing a smile that contained too many teeth. ¡°I followed your orders,¡± the lizardman said and hissed. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Palan didn¡¯t say a word as he pulled a chair out from underneath the table in the room and sat on it, resting his arms along the backrest. ¡°I just wanted to make sure you remembered what¡¯s going to happen tomorrow.¡± The lizardman¡¯s head bobbed up and down rapidly. ¡°Of course,¡± it said. ¡°You will send messenger angels and the killings will stop as long as we listen to them. ¡°Good,¡± Palan said. ¡°And you know what happens if they get hurt, right?¡± The chair creaked underneath his body as he leaned forward. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the lizardman said as it nodded. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t dare disobey.¡± Palan nodded as he stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind himself. He frowned. ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± he asked as his gaze shifted downwards. Cleo stood outside the house, her tiny figure illuminated by the moonlight. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to go home? No one¡¯s stopping you now.¡± Cleo shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t. The neighbors will take the house away.¡± ¡°Some things never change,¡± Palan said and nodded. He walked around the child and headed in the direction of the city walls. ¡°I¡¯m not taking responsibility for you. If you follow me and die, that¡¯s just your bad luck.¡± Cleo¡¯s eyes lit up as she followed Palan, her nails clicking against the ground as she walked. Palan froze and stopped walking. He slipped into the shadows of a building and lay prone. ¡°Stay there and don¡¯t say a word,¡± he said to Cleo who was about to follow after him. She blinked and tilted her head. Moments later, footsteps rang through the air as a group of seven lizardmen holding spears rounded a corner and appeared ahead of Cleo. ¡°Hey,¡± one of the lizardmen said as he lowered his spear and approached the girl with the other lizardmen in tow. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s dangerous? Who are your parents?¡± Cleo didn¡¯t say anything as she watched Palan slink onto his feet, approaching the group of lizardmen from behind. The lizardman who just spoke stepped forward with a frown. ¡°Are you deaf?¡± it asked as it prodded Cleo¡¯s stomach with the butt of its spear. She grunted and fell over backwards. A thudding sound echoed through the night as one of the lizardmen fell to ground, a fountain of blood spurting out of a gash in the back of its neck. ¡°Karl!¡± the lizardman standing next to the dying one said as he whirled around; it saw a figure retreating into the shadows of an alley. It pointed in the direction Palan escaped towards and said, ¡°Over there!¡± ¡°Damnit!¡± The lizardman who knocked Cleo over cursed and shouted. ¡°What are you standing around for?! After it!¡± It ignored Cleo as it sprinted towards the alley. Cleo climbed to her feet and bit her lip as she approached the dying lizardman on the ground. She relinquished its spear that was over twice her height and waddled after the group. The metal spearhead left a line in the ground as she dragged it into the alley. Palan glanced at the group of six lizardmen chasing after him. Their spearheads glinted in the moonlight as they bobbed up and down. ¡°You can¡¯t escape!¡± one of the lizardmen shouted. ¡°You only know how to sneak attack and kill women while they sleep?!¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he snorted and reached into his leather bag as he ran. He pulled out a cloth sack and pierced it with his dagger, letting a cloud of powder into the air behind him. The lizardmen ran through it, unable to discern the powder¡¯s color in the darkness of the night. Palan smirked as he dropped the bag and rounded a corner. He arrived at a field of crops with walls of stone surrounding the plot of land. The only exit and entrance was the one he came through. Palan frowned as he inspected the stone walls, deeming them unclimbable; they were made to keep thieves out. He turned around and faced the approaching lizardmen, their green and blue bodies illuminated by the moonlight. One of the lizardmen started to cough, causing a few specks of blood to fly out of its mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good,¡± it said as it groaned. After a bout of coughing it stopped and inhaled. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°So all of you can still move and talk,¡± Palan said as he tilted his head. He sighed. ¡°Reusing poison really lowers the efficiency, huh?¡± One of the lizardman spat as its body shuddered. ¡°You use poison too?!¡± it asked. ¡°Despicable! Surround him.¡± The lizardmen spread out into a semi-circle and pointed their spears inwards towards Palan. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! If we kill him here, the warrior will have to acknowledge us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about acknowledgement,¡± one of the lizardman said as he charged at Palan. The others followed after it. ¡°You killed my mate!¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Palan asked as he licked his lips, taking a step backwards. The lizardman charging him stumbled and slipped as its body twitched, its spear dipping downwards. Palan smiled as he slid forward and to the side of the spear, narrowly avoiding the blade. His dagger flashed upwards, cutting through the spear shaft as if it was cutting through air. The lizardman¡¯s eyes widened as Palan brought his arm downwards, sinking the dagger in between its eyes. ¡°Then join her.¡± The five other lizardmen arrived with their spears flying through the air towards Palan. He dodged to the side, avoiding the two attacks that came from ahead, but got grazed by the two blows coming from his side. His face hardened, and his body twitched as a spearhead stabbed into him from behind, protruding out of his left shoulder. He hissed and all the lizardmen¡¯s eyes widened as he pushed off with his feet, sliding his body along the spear¡¯s shaft until his back collided against the lizardman¡¯s hands. The lizardman let go of the spear out of surprise as Palan whirled around and blindly stabbed at it with his dagger, sinking the blade into its scaly arm. It hissed and pulled away, but Palan grabbed its face with his free hand, tilting its head upwards to expose its neck. He sank his teeth into its throat and jerked his head backwards, ripping out a chunk of flesh. Palan¡¯s throat expanded as he swallowed, and the lizardman fell to the ground, clutching at the bleeding hole in its neck. Palan turned around just in time to see four spears flying at him. He narrowly avoided two of them, but the others grazed him, leaving a bloody line on his chest and legs. He managed to cut through two of the shafts with his dagger before they could retract their spears. The group of lizardmen continued with their onslaught, preventing him from maneuvering into a favorable position. Palan ignored the blunt attacks from the spears without blades, and managed to remove the remaining spearheads after letting them puncture his flesh. He grinned as rivulets of blood flowed from his mouth and multiple wounds along his body. The lizardmen shivered as they hesitated, holding their blunted spears in front of their bodies. Palan took a step forward. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me with just sticks,¡± he said as he raised his dagger and winced. His muscles burned as he took in a deep breath and charged at the lizardmen. Thudding sounds and screams echoed through the night. After twenty minutes, silence blanketed the night once again. Palan sat on the ground with a roll of bandages in his hands. The six lizardmen lay around him, unmoving, as he cut strips out of the bandages and wrapped his wounds. He stood up and curled his lips as he kicked a corpse out of his way. ¡°I hate fighting head on,¡± he said as he staggered and caught himself before he fell. He glanced at the entrance to the farm. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Cleo stood with her body hidden behind a wall, her head poking out. ¡°You won?¡± she asked, her black eyes blinking. ¡°Of course,¡± Palan said and snorted as he straightened his back and walked past the child. ¡°It was easy.¡± Cleo scratched her head as she stared at the bloody bandages wrapping Palan¡¯s body, but didn¡¯t say anything as she waddled after him, spear dragging behind her. Chapter 40 The first sun was beginning to rise by the time Palan returned to the camp. The four angels were sitting around a small fire underneath their shelter with bleary eyes, boiling a pot of soup in a metal cauldron. Owen had gone back to bury the dead throughout the previous week and salvaged some supplies. Emergency Victuals raised its head, ears swiveling towards the approaching footsteps. Raea rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and followed the dire wolf¡¯s line of sight. ¡°Palan!¡± she said as the demon¡¯s figure came into view. She frowned and crawled out of the shelter before standing. ¡°You were injured?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said as he yawned and took Raea¡¯s spot in the shelter. ¡°Let me sleep until noon.¡± Raea frowned as she nudged Emergency Victuals away and sat next to Palan, her hands glowing white. Palan¡¯s body shuddered as she placed her hands on his chest¡ªthe region with the biggest bloodstain. A low groan escaped from hiss lips as his left shoulder contorted and stitched itself back together. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t get hurt,¡± Raea said and bit her lip as sweat rolled down her forehead. The white light spread from the demon¡¯s chest until his body was completely enveloped in a white film. ¡°I don¡¯t see any injuries,¡± Palan said as he undid the bandages on his body and rolled them back up, placing them in his bag. Raea rolled her eyes as the light retreated. A short yell caught the duo¡¯s attention and Raea turned her head to the side. Carmella was holding Cleo by the back of her neck, her arms and legs dangling in the air as she squirmed. ¡°Let go of me,¡± Cleo said as she tried to scratch Carmella. ¡°I¡¯m with him.¡± She pointed at Palan. Carmella raised an eyebrow in Palan¡¯s direction. ¡°Kidnapping children?¡± Carmella asked. ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve been doing this whole time?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I thought you got stuck at the wall,¡± he said towards the orange lizardman. Cleo pouted. ¡°That was really mean. You don¡¯t know how long it took me to climb that,¡± she said as she stopped struggling in Carmella¡¯s grip. ¡°And then following after your tracks; I almost got eaten.¡± ¡°So you do know her,¡± Carmella said and placed Cleo onto the ground. ¡°I was not expecting you to be so ¡­ kind.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Children are innocent,¡± he said as he leaned back against the tree trunk. ¡°It¡¯s not their fault that their parents are crap. Now shut up and let me sleep.¡± Cleo¡¯s stomach gurgled as she stared at the pot of soup suspended above the fire. Raea blinked and pat the ground in front of herself. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± she asked. ¡°You can sit here.¡± Cleo nodded and dashed over to Raea. ¡°We do not know if it is a spy or not,¡± Owen said and frowned as he gazed at Cleo. ¡°Should we be trusting it this easily?¡± ¡°Well, if Palan chose not to kill the child, then I think we can trust it,¡± she said and smiled at the orange lizardman. ¡°What is your name, child?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid,¡± Cleo said. ¡°And my name is Cleo.¡± ¡°Are your parents okay with you being out here?¡± Raea asked as she frowned at the bloody handprint that Palan had left on Cleo¡¯s head. ¡°He¡±¡ªRaea¡¯s eyes shifted towards Palan¡ª¡±did not really kidnap you, right?¡± ¡°My parents are dead,¡± Cleo said and shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I go.¡± ¡°That¡­,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. She hugged Cleo who squirmed. ¡°You poor child. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Cleo wriggled out of Raea¡¯s embrace and puffed her cheeks out. ¡°What are you apologizing for? And I¡¯m not a child. I¡¯m twelve summers old.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gerome asked and raised an eyebrow as he stirred the soup with a ladle. ¡°I thought lizardmen matured earlier than that. Why are you so tiny?¡± Cleo stared at her feet as her tail swished back and forth, smacking Emergency Victuals on the nose. It sneezed and shook its head before wandering over to Palan. Cleo mumbled, ¡°I couldn¡¯t get enough food for my growth spurt.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really twelve?¡± Palan asked as he pushed the dire wolf¡¯s head off his lap. ¡°My sister stopped crying after she turned three.¡± The scales on Cleo¡¯s face turned pink as she pursed her lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t crying,¡± Cleo said and stamped her feet on the ground. Owen stared at the diminutive lizardman. ¡°I think any child would cry after seeing his face,¡± he said as he gestured at Palan. ¡°It is not unreasonable to be terrified by his countenance.¡± Palan glared at Owen and threw a rock at him. Raea slapped Palan¡¯s wrist. ¡°I wasn¡¯t scared of him either!¡± Cleo said. Her voice quavered and fell to a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ he was the first person to talk to me in a really long time.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°What was that?¡± Raea asked as she turned back towards the lizardman. ¡°You have to speak properly.¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Cleo said and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re all bullies.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. She glanced at Palan, but his eyes were dull and staring at the dire wolf¡¯s ears. ¡°Is he alright?¡± ¡°He is just sleeping,¡± Raea said and nodded as she glanced at Palan. ¡°He has been wandering at night a lot.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°He¡¯s the shadow hunter.¡± ¡°Shadow hunter?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. Cleo blinked. ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s been killing people at night. They say that by the time you realize he¡¯s there, he¡¯s already standing in your shadow.¡± Raea¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Tell me more about this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you two know each other?¡± Cleo asked and tilted her head. The angels stared at her in silence. ¡°Okay, okay. Um, after the chieftain died, lots of important elders starting dying overnight. Then the chieftain¡¯s brother took over as the new chieftain and announced a few rules. He said that the city was plagued by a demon and the only way to get rid of him was to listen to its demands. We weren¡¯t allowed to be in the streets when the moon came out, and we had to paint a cross of blood on the doors. ¡°A lot of people didn¡¯t listen at first and formed patrols to catch him, but they were killed when they were careless. To be fair, all the warriors went out a while back and haven¡¯t come home yet. And when the people really grouped up, he killed their mates inside their houses instead. It was a lot easier to steal food at night when no one was around.¡± Cleo nodded. ¡°Soon, everyone listened and stayed home at night, but the few people who still didn¡¯t paint their doors were killed. He talked to the chieftain tonight and said that the killings would stop and angels would visit them tomorrow.¡± Raea¡¯s face was pale. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± Owen said. Raea glanced at her head guard and frowned. ¡°I heard that most subjugations come with a large cost to the angel¡¯s forces. He was able to subdue a whole village, albeit through some dishonorable methods.¡± Owen frowned at the sleeping demon. ¡°He is still an insufferable asshole though; that will never change.¡± Raea mumbled as she lowered her head. ¡°Surely there could have been a more peaceful way.¡± Gerome ladled out the soup into five wooden bowls. ¡°They¡¯re halflings,¡± he said. ¡°They can¡¯t be learned without force. No one¡¯s going to cry over a few dead lizardmen.¡± Cleo frowned, but didn¡¯t say anything as Gerome sheepishly passed her a bowl. ¡°Sorry, forgot you were here.¡± ¡°Your language is becoming more and more informal as time goes on,¡± Owen noted as he received a bowl. ¡°Well, we¡¯re all friends here, right?¡± Gerome asked. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t feel as stuffy as Captain Ishim¡¯s squads.¡± ¡°Captain Ishim may not be here, but you still have to conduct yourself properly,¡± Owen said as he took a sip. ¡°Not bad.¡± He nodded. ¡°More please!¡± Cleo said as she held out her empty bowl. She licked her lips as her stomach gurgled louder. Gerome gaped at her and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t even finished passing the rest out yet.¡± Cleo blinked at him, holding her bowl out in front of herself. Gerome sighed and ladled another portion for her. ¡°I thought you disliked halflings?¡± Carmella asked as she sat down and picked up a bowl. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike them,¡± Gerome said and shrugged. ¡°I was just stating facts. Everyone knows that their main emotions are fear and aggression. You have to show them who¡¯s boss before they¡¯ll consider talking to you.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Raea asked Cleo, placing her bowl down in front of herself as she waited for it to cool. Cleo nodded as she held out her bowl for a third serving. ¡°The strongest warriors have the loudest voice,¡± she said. ¡°We only stay attached to our parents until our growth spurt. After that, it¡¯s attachments to our mates. Everyone else has to be bullied or yielded to.¡± ¡°That sounds like a less extreme version of Palan¡¯s world,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°Are angels really the only ones who can function as a proper society?¡± Cleo snorted as she stared at the soup pouring into her bowl from the ladle. Her tail swished behind her. Chapter 41 The first sun rose to its zenith, shining its red light directly onto the glade below. Palan¡¯s body stirred, causing Emergency Victuals¡¯ head to perk up. His nictitating membrane flickered and cleared his vision as he tilted his head to the side, cracking his neck. His muscles were sore and burned in protest as he leaned forward. He frowned as he saw an orange-scaled blob clinging to his shin. ¡°What is this thing doing on my leg?¡± ¡°I think she is sleeping,¡± Owen said. He was sitting on a rock, polishing a new set of armor since his old one was taken away by the lizardmen. White stubble had begun to grow along his chin and jawline, framing his face. Palan snorted and used his free foot to push Cleo off of his leg. She hissed as she fell onto her back and scrambled to her feet, her cheeks puffing outwards. Her beady black eyes blinked a few times before she frowned and tilted her head, staring at the purple demon. Palan stood up and ignored her, stretching his arms in front of his body. He saw Gerome sitting in a tree, his body oriented towards the lizardmen city with his hand over his eyes to block out the suns. Palan inhaled through his nose, his chest expanding. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s Raea doing?¡± ¡°Lady Raea went to clean herself off in the river along with Carmella,¡± Owen said. ¡°They should be back soon.¡± ¡°River?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Cleo said as she walked next to Palan. ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± She pointed with a clawed finger towards the east. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it?¡± Palan stared at her. ¡°Loud, lots of fish, kind of green?¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said and nodded. His mind brought up images of the desert as he frowned. ¡°Such a waste of water. Using it to clean themselves?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cleo asked as Owen furrowed his brow at Palan. ¡°Everyone bathes in water.¡± ¡°Water¡¯s a luxury where I¡¯m from,¡± Palan said. ¡°We clean ourselves with sand.¡± ¡°I thought you would¡¯ve cleaned yourself with the blood of your enemies,¡± Gerome said and grinned as he climbed down the tree. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to remove,¡± Palan said. ¡°Vultures follow you if you smell like carrion. I¡¯ve tried washing blood off here with your clumpy sand and greens. It doesn¡¯t work as well.¡± ¡°You mean dirt and grass?¡± Cleo asked. Palan shrugged and turned his head towards the forest. Raea and Carmella appeared, wearing full metal armor, with their hair slightly damp and helmets under their arms. ¡°You woke up,¡± Raea said. The layer of dirt that had accumulated over the past week disappeared, revealing her unblemished red skin. Her eyes twinkled as she smiled at Palan. ¡°No. I¡¯m sleeping while standing on my feet,¡± Palan said. Raea rolled her eyes and tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°You can subjugate the lizardmen today. I finished with my part of the plan.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard,¡± Raea said and bit her lip as she glanced at Cleo. ¡°How many of them did you kill?¡± Palan shrugged as he took inventory of the items in his bag. ¡°Why would I keep track of something so insignificant?¡± he asked as he frowned at the one remaining pouch of poison. He could tell that replacing his stock was going to be a pain. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed, but she didn¡¯t say anything as she sighed and shook her head. ¡°Where did you get that dagger?¡± Owen asked as he stared at the red dagger that Palan retrieved from his sack. ¡°It was Anidun¡¯s.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I took it off the chieftain,¡± Palan said as he unsheathed the blade and inspected it for nicks. Raea blinked and stared at the red metal, her fingers twitching. ¡°Stop coveting my stuff.¡± Palan sheathed the dagger and placed it back into his bag, closing it in front of Raea¡¯s face, but not before a fully blue orb caught his eye. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t your stuff be my stuff too?¡± Raea asked as she sidled next to her demon. ¡°We¡¯re partners after all. Don¡¯t you think that an angel¡¯s dagger would be better off in the hands of an angel?¡± ¡°Does that mean your stuff is my stuff then?¡± Palan asked as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Nope. My stuff is my stuff and your stuff is my stuff too,¡± Raea said and smiled at Palan. ¡°I¡¯m an angel of kindness, not generosity.¡± ¡°Piss off,¡± Palan said and snorted as he turned towards Owen. ¡°Did you get me a set of armor?¡± Owen nodded and pointed at a burlap sack underneath a tree by the cooking supplies. ¡°Good. It¡¯s best if they don¡¯t see my face.¡± Palan walked towards the sack and pulled out a set of slightly bloody armor. ¡°What exactly is the plan though?¡± Raea asked as Palan donned his gear. She went to his side and retrieved her halberd, strapping it to her back. ¡°I terrorized them and destabilized their upper echelon,¡± Palan said as he held a helmet underneath his arm. ¡°I made the chieftain think the only way to preserve the city was to submit to the angels.¡± ¡°And you are sure this is going to work?¡± Raea asked, staring into Palan¡¯s bright-red irises. Hints of doubt floated in her eyes. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a plan I created,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms, holding onto the visor of his helmet. Raea pursed her lips. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t get hurt with your plan also.¡± ¡°Minor details,¡± Palan said and turned his gaze towards the sky. ¡°I¡¯ve seen many town leaders before; I know how they work. Bring them benefits while letting them know that you can kill them at any time and they¡¯ll be easy to manipulate. Fear and money seem to be universally understood.¡± ¡°You know, you can¡¯t accomplish everything through fear and money,¡± Raea said. ¡°It¡¯s better to establish relations based on integrity and respect.¡± ¡°Integrity will get you killed. Respect is earned through fear,¡± Palan said and wiggled his teeth with his tongue, causing a loose tooth to drop onto the ground. Cleo picked it up and put it in a leather pouch that Carmella created for her. Palan raised an eyebrow as the diminutive lizardman giggled while smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The second sun should be at its zenith by the time we get there.¡± The group marched through the forest with Cleo sitting on Emergency Victuals¡¯ back, her legs barely dangling past its belly. They arrived in front of the city; its gates were wide open, and lizardmen could be seen sitting in neat rows, watching the gates. A few tiny lizardmen could be seen squirming in their mothers¡¯ laps. Their eyes lit up when they saw the group of approaching angels. Raea gulped as she raised her visor and crossed the threshold into the city. A green lizardman with black tattoos on his chest, who Palan recognized as the acting chieftain, stepped forward and dipped his head downwards at Raea. ¡°You must be the savior,¡± he said as his tongue flickered, tasting the air in front of Raea. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you. Welcome.¡± Chapter 42 Raea and company walked down the streets under the gaze of all the sitting lizardmen. Most of them were thin and scrawny compared to the lizardmen in the army that had arrived under the banner of the greater demon. Raea frowned as she saw goblins and branded lizardmen kneeling in the mud beyond the general crowd. Their faces were dirty and flies buzzed around them. ¡°Are those slaves?¡± she asked the chieftain. The bulky green lizardman¡¯s tongue flickered as he turned his head to the side. ¡°Yes,¡± the chieftain said and nodded. ¡°They come from the tribes we¡¯ve defeated. The weak submit to the strong and we grow together.¡± ¡°There are children among them,¡± Raea said, blinking at a blue lizardman who was even tinier than Cleo. Its face was smudged and mud caked its legs, coming up to its thighs. Its eyes were glassy as it stared at the armored angels passing through, its mouth slightly parted. A grown lizardman smacked the back of its head, causing it to kneel and stare at the ground. The chieftain nodded again. ¡°Even children can weed the fields and sow the seeds. If they work hard enough, families can buy their freedom together and incorporate into our society.¡± The dirt road gradually changed into a stone walkway as the chieftain continued walking. The chieftain hesitated. ¡°Except for the goblins. They can never buy their freedom.¡± ¡°That is appalling,¡± Raea said. The chieftain¡¯s guards stiffened behind their group as they walked, but they didn¡¯t have weapons in their hands. They had relinquished them as a show of peace. ¡°Is it?¡± the chieftain asked and whirled his body around, tilting his head at Raea as he walked backwards. ¡°Then how do you describe what you angels do? I¡¯ve heard the rumors.¡± ¡°We take you under our wing to improve the quality of your life. We are seeking to help you,¡± Raea said as her brow furrowed. ¡°Ultimately, it improves your living conditions and the quality of your lives. Killing your neighbors and enslaving them to do your bidding is wrong.¡± Palan snorted, the sound muffled by his visor. Raea¡¯s lips pursed as she shot a glance at Palan. The lizardman chieftain¡¯s laughter was dry as his eyes narrowed. ¡°Do you really think we¡¯re that stupid?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You truly believe you¡¯re improving the quality of our lives?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Those words were decreed by the archangels of the council.¡± ¡°The same council that Anidun was on?¡± Palan asked. Raea frowned and ignored him. ¡°Then do you know what your council¡¯s definition of improving is?¡± the chieftain asked as his lips curled, revealing a row of pointed teeth. The boulder that Anidun resided in grew larger in the horizon as they got closer to the center of the town. The majority of the doors had brown crosses painted on them. The ones that didn¡¯t were open and creaking in the wind. ¡°I do not understand the question,¡± Raea said and drew her lips into a line. Her eyebrows creased slightly as the doors softly creaked, unsettling her. ¡°Improving means to make better, correct? Then we are making your lives better. Imagine a society where everyone loves each other and no one goes hungry. There are no murders because no one covets others possessions and no one loses themselves to wrath. There would no longer be any wars over territory. That is the kind of environment we are striving to create. People would stop dying in vain.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the chieftain said and nodded as he glanced behind himself, careful not to trip over a rock while stepping backwards. ¡°Instead, we can die while cutting down trees for you because it¡¯s cheaper than feeding us. Your described environment is for you, not us.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Raea blinked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Still feigning ignorance?¡± the chieftain asked and tilted his head. He wrinkled his nose and spat on the floor in front of Raea. ¡°Our scouts have seen what you make our kind do. You force us to build your outposts and roads, working us to death. You don¡¯t spare the women and children from heavy labor, yet you dare say our conditions are appalling. At least we feed our slaves. We recognize their use and acknowledge their purpose.¡± ¡°Th¡ª¡± The chieftain talked over Raea. His cheeks turned red as his chest expanded, making him nearly double in size. ¡°At least we give them a chance to incorporate into our tribe. You angels act like we¡¯re disposable and throw us away when we become weak. You think that we need you in order to survive when it¡¯s the other way around. Without us, you¡¯d be nothing. Improving the quality of our lives? Don¡¯t feed me that crap.¡± ¡°I,¡± Raea said and frowned. Her eyes glistened as she broke eye contact and gazed at the chieftain¡¯s feet. ¡°That¡ª¡± ¡°That is enough,¡± Owen said and placed his hand on Raea¡¯s shoulder, shaking his head at her. ¡°There is nothing left for either party to gain by continuing this conversation.¡± He faced the chieftain. ¡°We came here to discuss terms, not to engage in a verbal conflict.¡± The chieftain¡¯s face faded back to green as his chest deflated. ¡°For my people, I am willing to talk,¡± he said and nodded. ¡°But I refuse to be treated as an inferior.¡± He whirled around, the tip of his tail narrowly missing Raea¡¯s face, and marched towards his residence. Owen released Raea¡¯s shoulder as she bit her lip. She clenched her hands before following after the lizardman. ¡°Lady Raea is too kind,¡± Gerome whispered to Carmella and shook his head. Cleo tilted her head upwards to look at him, her beady eyes unblinking. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she realize that halflings aren¡¯t people? There¡¯s no need to treat them as you would treat an angel. Why was she sent to the borderland?¡± Carmella shrugged. ¡°I, for one, am thankful that she was sent here. Any other lieutenant would have been wiped out by the greater demon,¡± she said and shot a glance at Palan. ¡°You can hardly blame her for being na?ve; she was raised in the capital after all. It makes sense that she is oblivious to common sense at times. I do not think she is of marriageable age either.¡± Carmella shook her head. She asked Palan, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I think only fools keep slaves. You¡¯re just asking to be killed in your sleep,¡± he said and snorted. ¡°To create the strongest city, you just have to make it the only city in existence.¡± ¡°I think Carmella was asking about Raea,¡± Gerome said. Cleo turned her head to stare at Palan while holding onto Emergency Victuals¡¯ ears. The dire wolf looked slightly annoyed, but didn¡¯t say anything as it licked its own nose with its tongue. ¡°I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s managed to live as long as she has,¡± Palan said and frowned. He hesitated as an image of Raea¡¯s back standing over him appeared in his head. ¡°But I suppose that¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gerome asked. The chieftain entered a house and Raea followed after him, frowning at the blood cross on the door. Palan didn¡¯t respond as he brushed past the three other angels and entered the residence. Gerome and Carmella glanced at each other before shrugging. Chapter 43 The lizardman chieftain pulled a chair out from underneath the rectangular wooden table in its residence. His tail rose and draped over the seatback as he sat down and crossed his arms over his chest. Raea hesitated as she glanced at the remaining chair, which had blood stains running down its sides, before she took a seat across from the lizardman. She sat at the edge and placed her hands in her lap. ¡°Will anyone else be joining us?¡± The chieftain¡¯s lips curled upwards. ¡°All the elders were killed in the night,¡± he said as his tongue flickered in and out of his mouth. ¡°I make all the decisions. The shadow hunter has given me his approval.¡± The corner of Raea¡¯s lip twitched at the mention of Palan¡¯s new title. The rest of her group came through the door and stood behind her, except Palan who sat on the chieftain¡¯s bed and rested his back against the wall. The tattooed lizardman frowned, but didn¡¯t say anything as he stared at the armored demon. ¡°What have you come to discuss?¡± ¡°I would like for you to become my subordinate,¡± Raea said, getting straight to the point. Her blue eyes stared at the chieftain. He blinked a few times before tilting his head while parting his lips. He uncrossed his arms and drummed his fingers on the top of the table, leaving marks in the wood. ¡°What does that entail?¡± the chieftain asked as he straightened his back and leaned forward, narrowing his eyes at the angel sitting across from him. His voice was deeper than usual. His tongue rolled out of his mouth and wet his lips before retracting. ¡°I want you to submit to me,¡± Raea said. ¡°You will follow my orders and cease your attacks on the angels and surrounding halfling communities. I promise I will not abuse my authority over you and I will not use you or your people as slaves.¡± ¡°You just wish for us to cease our aggressions?¡± the chieftain asked and blinked as he leaned back against the seat, moving his tail to the side to make space. ¡°What sort of things would you ask of me?¡± ¡°An occasional taxation of supplies is all I ask for: lumber, ores, essence stones. The amount depends on how much your city is able to produce,¡± Raea said. The chieftain hummed as he closed his eyes. A minute passed before he smiled and opened them again. ¡°I can give you ores,¡± he said. ¡°But just ores. Our tribe has recently taken over a nearby mine and enslaved the goblins inside.¡± ¡°So you are willing?¡± Raea asked. She blinked. Underneath her calm demeanor was a racing heart that threatened to jump out of her chest. She hadn¡¯t expected it to be so easy, even with Palan¡¯s assurances. The chieftain nodded. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± he said. ¡°We will make peace with each other. We will cease our aggressions against our neighbors, and we will give you monthly tributes of ores. May I ask for this savior¡¯s name? This one¡±¡ªhe gestured towards himself¡ª¡±is called Nazgar.¡± ¡°I am Raea Caelum,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I am glad this was settled peacefully.¡± Nazgar eyed the dried blood on Raea¡¯s chair. ¡°Yes,¡± he said and chuckled. His voice lowered. ¡°Peacefully indeed.¡± ¡°I have one more request to make,¡± Raea said as she took in a deep breath. ¡°Ask,¡± Nazgar said and gestured outwards with his clawed hands. ¡°I will do my best to fulfill your wish.¡± ¡°This may seem disrespectful, but I wish to have your previous chieftain¡¯s and Anidun¡¯s bodies,¡± Raea said, her hands were white as she clenched them beneath the table. ¡°I need to bring back proof to my superior that I have accomplished what he asked for.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Nazgar raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why would that be disrespectful?¡± he asked. He turned towards the door. ¡°Brutii! Get in here.¡± The door creaked open and one of Nazgar¡¯s guards lumbered through. ¡°Did we incinerate the dead yet?¡± Brutii shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s been too many deaths. We¡¯ve been waiting for them to slow down.¡± Nazgar nodded and gestured towards Raea. ¡°Take her to the corpse shed. She wants to retrieve two bodies,¡± he said. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Owen frowned beneath his visor. ¡°You do not bury your dead?¡± Owen asked. Nazgar blinked at him. ¡°No. We burn them as an offering to Elbegon.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Owen said, his reply terse, as he dipped his head downwards. ¡°Is that all?¡± Nazgar asked. His eyes narrowed at Owen as he drummed his fingers across the table. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. She turned towards Brutii. ¡°Please, lead the way.¡± She stood up and hesitated before turning back towards the chieftain. ¡°I forgot. I would like you to prepare six mounts.¡± Nazgar nodded and Raea left the room followed by the angels and dire wolf. Palan was the last to exit, but not before staring at Nazgar through his visor. A chill ran down the lizardman¡¯s spine as the door closed behind the armored demon. ¡°What do you need Anidun¡¯s corpse for?¡± Palan asked as he walked next to Raea. ¡°To give him a proper burial,¡± Raea said as she glanced at Palan¡¯s visored face. ¡°Regardless of his betrayal, he was still an archangel that dedicated decades of his life to our society. Even traitors deserve proper burial rites.¡± Palan grunted. Raea couldn¡¯t tell what her demon was thinking through his visor. The group arrived in front of a shed that smelled like carrion. Brutii plugged his nose and opened the pair of double doors. Raea gagged as the smell overpowered her. Brutii gestured inside. ¡°Take what you want,¡± he said and walked away. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to close the doors on your way out.¡± ¡°And we just took a bath,¡± Raea mumbled as some tears formed in the corner of her eyes from the stench. The group stared into the shed, their bodies unwilling to move. Palan snorted and walked up to the pile of corpses before going around it. A few bodies flew into the air before Palan came back outside with the previous chieftain¡¯s and Anidun¡¯s corpses. The dead archangel¡¯s body was torn open and hollowed out, missing all of its organs. The four angels stared in surprise at Palan¡¯s quick actions. Raea asked, ¡°How did you know where they were?¡± Palan chucked the two corpses at Owen before closing the door to the shed. Owen made a face, but caught them, smearing his polished armor with rotting flesh and entrails. ¡°You really want to know?¡± Raea glanced at Anidun¡¯s body and saw bite marks on his white bones. ¡°I think I already figured it out,¡± she said, her voice quavering. ¡°I¡¯m going to be sick.¡± ¡°Can we leave? Please?¡± Cleo asked, her voice nasally. She was pinching her nose with both her hands. Even Emergency Victuals had its nose buried in the ground. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said as she half-jogged, half-walked away from the shed. The group saw Brutii waiting for them with six boars, wearing saddles, behind him. He gestured at the animals. ¡°The mounts you asked for,¡± Brutii said, avoiding the group while breathing through his mouth. Raea nodded. ¡°We will be leaving then.¡± Chapter 44 The first sun was just beginning to set when Raea halted her boar in front of the third outpost¡¯s gate. The lizardman chieftain¡¯s corpse was bound in bandages, looking like a mummy strapped to the single boar that Owen led. The group had decided to spend one more night in the forest to polish their armor and bury Anidun¡¯s corpse before heading back. ¡°Lieutenant Raea has returned from her expedition against the lizardmen and commands you to open the gate,¡± Raea said towards the soldiers in the watchtower. Her face was hard as she stared at the soldier¡¯s, recalling her subordinate¡¯s words when he returned after being driven away by spears. ¡°She actually did it?¡± one of the soldiers asked as he scratched his head. He squinted his eyes to stare at Raea¡¯s group of six. ¡°Go report this back to Lieutenant Malak. I will open the gate.¡± Raea watched the two soldiers vacate the watchtower. Moments later, the gate creaked open and her group traveled through. Cleo¡¯s eyes were wide as she sat on Emergency Victuals¡¯ back, gazing at the crowd of armored angels that had gathered just a few seconds ago. They chattered and pointed at Raea, noting the obvious lack of numbers that composed her group. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± the soldier who opened the gate said. He passed her a metal collar as she dismounted from her boar. ¡°This is for your lizardman.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she glanced at Cleo who was glaring at the collar. ¡°She is not a slave,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. Cleo nodded and puffed up her cheeks. ¡°Huh?¡± the soldier asked. ¡°But lizardmen are not allowed inside the outposts without one of these; you should know what happens to those who lack a master.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed, and she narrowed her eyes at the soldier. He gulped. Owen stepped forward and took the collar before Raea could say anything. He undid the clasp while turning to face Cleo and held it towards her. ¡°Wear it,¡± he said. ¡°Lady Raea may have promised not to enslave any lizardmen, but I have no qualms about it. You will be killed if you insist on living with angels without this.¡± Cleo¡¯s face blanched at the mention of death. ¡°How do these work?¡± she asked as her brow furrowed. Her cheeks deflated as she glanced downwards. ¡°It is a slave collar,¡± Owen said and sighed. ¡°The person who puts it on you becomes your master. If you disobey or attempt to hurt that person, then the collar will shock you. The name of your master will be printed on the collar to hold them accountable for your actions. Only your master can remove it.¡± Cleo bit her lip. Her body seemed to shrink as the surrounding angels stared at her, murmuring. ¡°What are you all staring at?¡± Raea asked as she glared at the soldiers, causing them to shut up. She faced Cleo and bowed her head. ¡°I apologize. I thought I could avoid this with my status considering you are only a child.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as Cleo pouted. ¡°You angels really have a thing for enslaving people with lightning, huh?¡± he asked and snorted. He snatched the collar out of Owen¡¯s hands and clasped it over Cleo¡¯s neck in one motion. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Palan¡¯s face. He was gritting his teeth with narrowed eyes. ¡°You¡¯re free to do what you want. Think of it as extra neck armor.¡± ¡°Palan¡­,¡± Raea said, her voice trailing off. She stared at her contracted demon with her soft-blue eyes before facing the soldier who gave her the collar. ¡°With this, there are no more problems, correct?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± the soldier asked. He nodded and tipped his head downwards. ¡°Ah, yeah. No problem at all.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± a voice said from beyond the idling soldiers. ¡°You have really completed your task?¡± The soldiers parted and a figure wearing gray armor came walking through. One corner of his lip was quirked upwards as he sauntered towards Raea. His gaze rolled down her body before meeting her eyes again. ¡°I applaud you.¡± ¡°Lieutenant Malak,¡± Raea said. She pursed her lips as her hands subconsciously clenched. ¡°Why did you drive away my messenger?¡± ¡°Messenger?¡± Malak asked. ¡°I am not quite sure what you are talking about.¡± He tapped his finger against his lips before glancing around at the surrounding soldiers. ¡°Do any of you know what Lieutenant Raea is talking about?¡± The angels stayed silent as they stared at their feet. A few of them turned their backs and left. Malak smiled as he faced Raea. ¡°I do not think we ever received a message. You will have to forgive me. That is what angels of patience do best, correct?¡± Raea¡¯s body stiffened before she exhaled and relaxed. She smiled back at him, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said. ¡°And if someone happens to kill you in your sleep, I will forgive him too.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow as his lips quirked upwards. Owen¡¯s eyes widened as he glanced at Raea¡¯s smiling face before his own face hardened. It was hard to tell what he was thinking as the tips of his fingers touched his lance. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± Malak said, his smile gone. ¡°It almost sounds as if you are threatening me.¡± ¡°Words can be construed in many ways,¡± Raea said. ¡°I was merely stating a fact. My squad will be spending the night in your outpost. I hope you do not mind.¡± Raea tilted her head to the side. Malak narrowed his eyes, but chose not to respond as he whirled around and marched away. Gerome laughed as Malak disappeared from view. ¡°I really didn¡¯t think you had it in you,¡± he said as he walked up to Raea with a grin on his face. He faced Palan and stuck a thumb into the air. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°What?¡± Palan asked. ¡°You should not be praising him for something like that,¡± Carmella said and frowned at Gerome. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Palan asked. Carmella sighed. ¡°In some cases, angels and demons influence each other when they make a contract. Gerome was implying that Raea was influenced by you when she threatened Lieutenant Malak.¡± ¡°Is this true?¡± Palan asked Raea, narrowing his eyes. Raea hesitated. ¡°We have acknowledged that this occurs, but not often enough for it to be common. I highly doubt that you would be influenced by me in any significant manner; you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Palan said as he glanced at Cleo. He frowned as Cleo tilted her head at him. ¡°For now, you should head to our lodgings,¡± Owen said, killing the tension. His gaze lingered on Raea before he marched ahead, parting the idling soldiers as he led the six boars. He said, ¡°I will have their stables prepare us horses. These boars are too slow.¡± Raea nodded and gestured for her group to follow after her, ignoring the murmurs of the crowd. ¡°Why does everyone just stand around?¡± Cleo asked as her head swiveled back and forth. She was still riding on Emergency Victuals while scratching at the skin near her collar. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else for them to do,¡± Gerome said. ¡°We¡¯re always on standby in the outposts.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Cleo said and yawned. ¡°Angels are weird.¡± Chapter 45 Palan leaned back against his wooden chair, causing it to balance on its hind legs. His bare feet were propped up on the desk in front of him with his arms across his chest. Anidun¡¯s dagger dangled from his waist on the opposite side of his leather bag. His head was turned to the side, facing Raea as moonlight streamed through the window in front of him and illuminated his face. His contractor sat on a bed with her knees against her chest. She wore a cotton robe that was provided with the residence. Beneath him, Emergency Victuals was curled up in a ball with Cleo sprawled out on top of its fur coat. ¡°You want me to kill Malak?¡± Palan asked as he stared at Raea. Her hands were white as she clutched the edges of her robe, eyes downcast. She didn¡¯t respond as her lips quivered. Faint red handprints could be seen on her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t care either way.¡± Palan shrugged as his lips parted. He exhaled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind eating him though. He seems like he¡¯d be very ¡­ nourishing.¡± ¡°Killing is wrong,¡± Raea said and bit her lip, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes glistened as she raised her head and stared at Palan. ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me today. My chest burned. My hands were hot. It felt like needles were being jabbed into my skin. I could feel my jaw and muscles tense.¡± Her body shuddered. ¡°There was a voice screaming inside of my head for me to kill him. I¡¯ve never felt that way before.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just anger?¡± he asked as his chair rocked back and forth. ¡°He did intentionally screw you over. It¡¯s reasonable to get angry and want to kill him.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Raea asked. Her brow furrowed as she rested her chin on her knees. ¡°So that¡¯s what anger feels like? I¡¯ve never been so angry at someone before.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you been angry at me a few times?¡± Palan asked and snorted. Emergency Victuals ears twitched at the sound, smacking Cleo¡¯s face. She made a sound halfway between a grunt and a squeak as her eyes blinked open. ¡°Like when I killed that rabbit-demon and her angels.¡± ¡°I think that was more akin to sulking,¡± Raea said as her face flushed. ¡°I did not wish for harm to befall you; I just did not want to talk to you at the time. With Lieutenant Malak, it was different. He¡¯s the very first person that I wished would die.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± Palan asked as he stared at Raea. ¡°Fifteen,¡± Raea said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What?¡± Cleo asked as she crawled out from underneath the desk. ¡°You¡¯re only three years older than me and you call me a child?¡± She latched her claws onto the edge of the table and pulled herself up. She turned around and sat with her legs dangling off the edge. ¡°Fifteen years old and you¡¯ve never wished for someone to die,¡± Palan said and tilted his head. He glanced at the orange lizardman. ¡°What about you?¡± Cleo tilted her head back at Palan. ¡°You killed her,¡± she said. ¡°The person I wanted to die.¡± The two turned their heads to stare at Raea. ¡°Well, I apologize for being so sheltered,¡± Raea said as her forehead wrinkled. ¡°Everyone has always been nice to me. The capital¡¯s a perfect place.¡± ¡°So why are you here?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Why not stay in the capital?¡± Raea ruffled her hair with one hand as she lowered her head. ¡°I was, er, kind of ¡­ exiled?¡± she said, mumbling into her knees. Cleo blinked as her tongue flickered out of her mouth. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I developed a sin, two sins actually, and hurt the people close to me,¡± Raea said as she sighed and raised her head to make eye contact with Cleo. ¡°Truthfully, I should have been executed, but due to my parents¡¯ influence, I was sent here as a Lieutenant instead.¡± A crooked smile appeared on Raea¡¯s face. ¡°My dad told me I could go back to the capital if I obtained enough merits to balance out my crimes. Whether I can stay there or not depends on the strength of my virtues and sins.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t killing Anidun a great merit?¡± Palan asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t kill him though?¡± Raea wasn¡¯t quite sure if she was asking a question or making a statement. ¡°Owen said Anidun was already dead when he found him.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what happened. I invaded the lizardman village by myself and killed Anidun. Then Owen found his body.¡± ¡°Wait. Really?¡± Raea asked. ¡°It¡¯s the truth if no one can prove me wrong,¡± Palan said and smirked. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°I cannot lie. Integrity is a major part of being an angel of kindness.¡± ¡°Then just keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes at Raea. ¡°That¡¯s not lying, right?¡± ¡°It falls under the same umbrella,¡± Raea said. ¡°Deceiving someone by not saying anything still counts as being dishonest.¡± She chewed her lip. ¡°If you take away my integrity, then what do I have left?¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Uh, compassion, patience, mercy, forgiveness, your hair?¡± ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. ¡°I am not going to lie to get merits. We¡¯ll get some for burying Anidun¡¯s body and reporting it, but it would¡¯ve happened to anyone who subjugated the lizardmen¡¯s city.¡± ¡°Must you make things so difficult?¡± Palan asked. He ground his teeth together and spat out a tooth. Cleo hopped off the table and retrieved it before returning to her spot. Raea blinked at the lizardman¡¯s actions. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°It defeats the purpose of coming to the borderlands if I just lie about what I¡¯ve accomplished in order to return to the capital. I¡¯ll get sent right back.¡± ¡°Do what you want,¡± Palan said and snorted as he climbed out of his seat. He pat his bag and dagger to confirm that they were still there as he made his way to the corner of the room and picked up one of the metal axes he obtained after killing the greater demon. He took them with him before the group left the lizardmen¡¯s city. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Raea asked. ¡°To vent off some frustration,¡± Palan said and made his way to the door. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stay here? Just in case?¡± Raea asked. ¡°What if an assassin comes while you¡¯re gone?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said no one would try to assassinate you because angels don¡¯t do that the last time we were here?¡± ¡°I changed my mind,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. Palan smiled. ¡°So it¡¯s possible for you to learn,¡± he said and opened the door. A crate rested against the wall, beside Palan¡¯s feet on the outside of the building. Palan lifted the axe and swung it downwards, smashing the crate into pieces of the back of the axe. A scream came from within the splinters of the crate and Palan thrust his hand towards the figure underneath the wood. He lifted up a bleeding angel by her neck with one hand and smiled as he twirled his axe in the other. ¡°Sneaking around this late at night with weapons. Makes one wonder if you¡¯re an assassin or not.¡± Blood poured from a gash on the angel¡¯s forehead. She tried to speak, but she couldn¡¯t. Her face turned blue as Palan¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°If you don¡¯t respond, I¡¯m really going to kill you,¡± Palan said and smiled. He laughed as the angel clawed feebly at his arms and deflected her kicks with his axe. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea said. ¡°You should question her first!¡± Palan glanced at Raea. ¡°I am questioning her,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s just not responding. There¡¯s nothing I can do about that.¡± Raea glared at him. ¡°We can find out valuable information from her,¡± Raea said. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her. Please?¡± Palan stared at the struggling angel in his grip. Her eyes were bulging as she held onto his forearm with her hands. Palan walked inside the room and closed the door behind himself before dropping the angel. She coughed as she gasped for breath and whimpered as Palan sank the blade of his axe into the wooden floorboard next to her hand. He smiled at her, showing his teeth. ¡°If you make any movements other than talking, I¡¯ll kill you. Understand?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± the angel said. Her body shuddered as Raea sighed and walked next to Palan who was stripping the guest of her weapons. ¡°Who sent you?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Lieutenant Malak,¡± the angel said. Her lips trembled as Palan squat next to her with his axe propped up against his shoulder. ¡°Are you here to assassinate me?¡± Raea asked. The angel bit her lip as her eyes shifted towards Palan. She hesitated before responding. ¡°Y-yes.¡± Raea stepped in front of Palan before he could swing his axe, causing him to frown. ¡°Have you done something like this before?¡± Raea asked. ¡°No,¡± the angel said, her voice quavering. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but Malak said he would torture my son if I didn¡¯t listen to him. I¡¯m telling you the truth. I swear.¡± Tears formed in the corner of her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her,¡± Raea said to Palan as she eyed the axe in his hand. ¡°She was going to kill you,¡± Palan said. ¡°Showing mercy is showing weakness.¡± ¡°Then I guess I am weak,¡± Raea said to Palan. She turned towards the assassin and bound her arms and legs. ¡°I¡¯ll protect your son from Lieutenant Malak. He is so despicable. He is in the highest position of authority in this outpost, yet he abuses his powers.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it works?¡± Palan asked as he snorted and sat on Raea¡¯s bed. He raised an eyebrow at Raea¡¯s handiwork, and the corner of his lips twitched in approval. ¡°But just so you know, there¡¯s more than one assassin. They¡¯d probably attack you the instant I left the room.¡± Chapter 46 Owen took a deep breath as he knocked on the wooden door in front of him. He wore a new set of plate armor without the helmet, and no weapons could be seen on his body. A voice replied from behind the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Owen exhaled as he gripped the doorknob and pushed the door open. He entered a windowless room that was lit up by crystals emitting a white light. Lieutenant Malak sat behind a desk, his body facing the door. In his hands was a book with no illustrations on either cover. Two guards stood in the corners behind him with their lances drawn. Malak raised an eyebrow and shut the book, placing it on the desk. He clasped his hands together and smiled at Owen, his gray armor faintly glowing. ¡°I was not expecting you. I suppose Lieutenant Raea sent you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Owen said as he stared at Malak. ¡°I am here of my own accord. Lady Raea does not have anything to do with this.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Malak asked. ¡°And you expect me to believe that? Regardless, state your business.¡± Owen glanced at the guards in the corners of the room before crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°The topic I wish to talk to you about may be a bit sensitive,¡± he said. ¡°It pertains to a certain archangel named Anidun.¡± Malak¡¯s face hardened as he narrowed his eyes at Owen. ¡°I am not the person who you are supposed to be reporting this to,¡± he said. ¡°Save it for Captain Ishim.¡± The corner of Owen¡¯s lip turned upwards as his heart raced in his chest. ¡°I really think you would be interested in hearing it,¡± he said and inhaled deeply through his nose. ¡°It may reveal something about your relationship to him after all.¡± His gaze flickered towards the guards before glancing back at Malak. He couldn¡¯t tell what the guard¡¯s expressions were like underneath their helmets. The lieutenant¡¯s body stiffened before he exhaled and leaned back into his seat. ¡°You two,¡± Malak said and gestured towards the guards. ¡°Leave.¡± They looked at each other before heading towards the door. Before they reached Owen, Malak called out to them, ¡°Stop. Look at me.¡± They stopped and turned their heads towards their superior. Pink rays of light shot out of Malak¡¯s eyes and enveloped their helmets in a bubble of light. Owen gasped as the two armored angels fell to the floor, their heads still glowing pink. Their bodies spasmed and twitched while letting out groans as Malak stood up. ¡°What did you do to them?¡± Owen asked. He eyed Malak as he crept forward and picked up one of the guards¡¯ lance. ¡°This is ... lust?¡± His eyes widened as the guards writhed and panted, making screeching noises as their metal armor rubbed against the stone floor. Malak smiled as he placed his arms behind his back and walked around his desk. ¡°I just put them into a trance they won¡¯t wake up from,¡± he said. ¡°It would be problematic if false rumors started to spread about me. Think of your next words very carefully.¡± The guards¡¯ faces turned blue as they tried to scream while bucking their hips. Their throats bulged outwards as their faces bloated. ¡°Stop!¡± Owen said. ¡°Do you have to go this far?¡± He frowned as he hovered over the guards, trying to think of a way to save them. There was nothing he could do as their bodies went limp and stopped moving. Their backs were arched with their arms at their sides, bent at the elbows. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Malak picked up two kiteshields hanging from the wall and sat on his desk while staring at Owen. ¡°Now speak. What did Sir Anidun tell you?¡± he said and narrowed his eyes as he equipped the shields, one on each arm. A pink dot of light meandered through the whites of his eyes, disappearing and reappearing seemingly at random. Cold sweat rolled down Owen¡¯s back as he realized Malak used an honorific to address Anidun. Owen¡¯s face was paler than usual as he raised his head and looked at Malak. ¡°We need to go somewhere more secluded,¡± he said and grimaced. ¡°I refuse to speak in the presence of recording crystals.¡± His heart raced in his chest as he tried to maintain a steady breath. Malak raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can assure you,¡± he said. ¡°There are no recording crystals in my room. Would I openly kill my guards if that were the case? The capital¡¯s too stingy to send something as expensive as that out here.¡± ¡°Perhaps you are the one responsible for monitoring them,¡± Owen said and dipped his head downwards. ¡°Forgive my paranoia. It really just is a delicate topic.¡± His body was tense as he raised his head back up and stared into Malak¡¯s eyes. The pink dot was still there, twisting and turning. ¡°Are you trying to lure me to a secluded area so Lieutenant Raea¡¯s pet demon can assassinate me?¡± Malak asked as he drummed his fingers against the tabletop. He frowned when there was no change in Owen¡¯s facial expression. Owen shook his head. ¡°That demon would never trust me enough to do something like that,¡± he said. ¡°I already told you; I am here of my own volition.¡± Malak wet his lips with his tongue as he stared at Owen. ¡°I would kill you right now, but I really am curious as to what you have to say,¡± he said and stood up. His kiteshields clanked against the desk as they hung from his forearms. ¡°Where do you want to go to talk then?¡± ¡°The forest. I believe you have a way to leave the outpost without being seen.¡± Malak smirked. ¡°Very well,¡± he said as he walked over and picked up one of the dead guards on the ground. ¡°Get the other one. We can dispose of their bodies in the forest while we are there.¡± He glanced at Owen. ¡°And leave the lance behind.¡± ¡°You are willing to go to the forest alone with me?¡± Owen asked and raised an eyebrow as he lifted up the blue-faced corpse on the ground. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯d do something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you would have returned alive if you had met Sir Anidun,¡± Malak said and opened the door. ¡°And since you returned with the chieftain¡¯s corpse and know of his existence, there are only two conclusions I can draw: one, you really do have a message for me, or two, Sir Anidun was killed. I do not think it is possible for your group to kill him though.¡± He smiled at Owen as the two walked down a flight of stairs into a rocky corridor. Malak kicked a wall, and the stones rumbled as they shifted apart, revealing another tunnel. ¡°Also, I have multiple assassins watching your little lady and her pet demon. I am not worried about being killed.¡± Owen¡¯s brow furrowed as he followed after Malak. ¡°Is that so,¡± he said as he squeezed through the winding tunnel. For once, he was hoping that Palan stayed in Raea¡¯s room for the whole night. Chapter 47 Owen squinted his eyes as he followed Malak out of the tunnel, stepping into a glade illuminated by the yellow moonlight. Malak lowered the body he was carrying onto the ground underneath a tree and turned back to look at Owen who repeated the same action. Malak crossed his arms and smiled. ¡°Is this secluded enough for you?¡± ¡°We should go a little deeper into the forest,¡± Owen said and glanced at the tunnel exit. Brushes and tree roots kept a majority of it concealed. It was nearly impossible to see without standing in the right spot. ¡°There may be crystals by the exit.¡± ¡°You really are paranoid, huh?¡± Malak asked and sighed. ¡°Very well. You lead the way. Don¡¯t go too far; I don¡¯t want to get lost in the forest at night.¡± Owen nodded and walked into a cluster of trees, his figure disappearing into the shadows. Malak narrowed his eyes as he adjusted the shields on his arms and followed after him. Owen held his breath as his hands clenched. His body was tense as leaves crunched underneath his armored feet. He ducked his head and avoided a low-hanging branch. In his pupils, small orange flames flickered and danced as he stared straight ahead. It was impossible to tell underneath the scattered moonlight, but his face was flushed and goosebumps ran down his arms. He past by a rotting tree and stopped. He heard Malak¡¯s footsteps come to a halt behind him. ¡°We¡¯re far enough,¡± Owen said and whirled around. He let out a low shout and stomped his foot. A hand formed from the earth shot out of the ground and slammed into Malak¡¯s side, smashing him into the tree. The lieutenant coughed as the air was knocked out of him. Bright flashes of light danced in his vision as he winced and tried to touch his head but found his arms immobile. The earthen hand pinned him to the tree, his head in between the index and middle fingers. Malak¡¯s breath was labored as he spoke, ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± He glared at Owen, but the angel was staring at the ground, avoiding eye contact. Malak tried to wiggle, but his ribs creaked as the earthen hand squeezed down, and he let out a cry. ¡°Karl. Max. James. Talin. Micah,¡± Owen said, his voice quavering. His body trembled as he tightened his fists and stared at a sprouting weed. With each name, the hand around Malak¡¯s body squeezed tighter and tighter, causing him to cough out a mouthful of blood. A faint rivulet of blood ran down the forearm of the hand, causing the ground to turn black by its base. Owen clenched his jaw. ¡°Because of you, they died.¡± Malak smirked. His face was pale, and a trail of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, running under his chin and along his throat. His adam¡¯s apple bobbed and he closed his eyes. A vertical blade of wind formed in the air in front of his face and shot towards Owen who was still staring downwards. The wind roared and Owen raised his head at the noise. His eyes widened and he leapt towards the side, but he didn¡¯t manage to completely avoid the strike. The blade of wind collided with the metal armor, causing a line to appear from his left shoulder down to his right hip. Moments later, pools of blood started to spread along the gash. Owen¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at Malak¡¯s face. ¡°Humility? You?¡± Malak chuckled, causing himself to wince as he raised his head. ¡°I was never one to brag about my achievements,¡± he said. His vision turned pink as he stared into Owen¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°Enjoy yourself before you die.¡± Malak¡¯s vision returned to normal as his face paled and sweat rolled down his forehead. His temples throbbed as Owen fell to the floor, head enveloped in a pink bubble of light. Malak¡¯s breath was ragged as he hung his head, chin resting against his chest. His vision turned light-orange around the edges, and he closed his eyes. Before he passed out, he mumbled, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this. I¡¯ll kill your little lady.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Owen opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed in through the window beside him as he furrowed his brow and blinked. He stared at the white ceiling above his head and frowned. ¡°What was I ¡­ doing?¡± ¡°Owen?¡± Owen turned his head to the side, his short hair rubbing against the pillow behind his head. Raea stared at him as she lay on her side with her right arm underneath the pillow. Her left arm clutched at the thin blanket in front of her chest. Her shoulders and collarbone were bare as she blinked at him, her white hair disheveled and framing her face. ¡°L-lady Raea?¡± Owen asked as he sat up in the bed. The blanket slid off of his chest, revealing his bare torso. ¡°What¡ª, why ... no. Are¡ª¡± ¡°Hush,¡± Raea said and giggled as she pressed a finger to his lips. She tilted her head as she sat up. ¡°You didn¡¯t enjoy last night? Shall we try again?¡± She pouted as her eyes shifted downwards. The mattress rustled as she inched closer and reached out to touch him with her hand. Owen scooted away from her and grabbed her wrist as his brow furrowed. ¡°Something is wrong,¡± Owen said as he gripped Raea¡¯s wrist tighter. She gasped and winced before trying to retract her hand. ¡°Where is Palan?¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting really scary right now,¡± Raea said, quivering her lips. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She let out a cry and arched her back as Owen¡¯s nails dug into her skin, causing the blanket to slide down her body. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes. ¡°Owen¡­¡± ¡°Your father assigned me as your bodyguard on the day you were born,¡± Owen said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°He took me in and raised me as one of his own. I would never betray his trust and do something like this, even if I was drugged. And when I accidently hurt you with wrath ¡­¡± Owen¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at Raea, comprehension dawning on his face. A black crack formed on her forehead and spread down along her body as if he was looking into a shattered mirror. The image in front of his face faded away, and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was back in the forest, lying with his back on the ground. He groaned as he sat up, the cut along his body burning with every movement. Owen glanced at Malak who was still pinned to the tree, careful not to make eye contact. Malak¡¯s body was still, and his face was pointed at the ground. Blood ran down his face, dripping onto the hand holding him up. Owen frowned as he walked next to Malak and placed his hand on the trapped angel¡¯s neck. He couldn¡¯t find a pulse. Owen swore and punched the earthen hand, causing it to disintegrate. Malak¡¯s body fell to the ground, lifeless. His body was twisted and the metal armor was scrunched up, digging into the angel¡¯s flesh. ¡°Did I tighten my grip on him because of the illusion?¡± Owen asked as he furrowed his brow. He sighed and shook his head before lifting up Malak¡¯s corpse. Owen walked through the forest, lost in thought as he returned to the glade. He placed Malak¡¯s body next to the two dead guards and sighed as he knelt beside them. He clasped his hands together and said a prayer before placing his palms against the ground. A fissure opened up underneath the bodies and swallowed them. They disappeared into the earth without a sound and the fissure closed. Owen stood up and sighed again as he stared at the yellow moon. The two orange flames in his pupils were gone. Chapter 48 Cleo yawned and opened her eyes as she stretched her arms upwards. The room was red from the sunrise when she crawled out from underneath the desk, stepping on Emergency Victuals¡¯ tail. She hissed and smacked the dire wolf¡¯s snout when it whined and nipped at her arm. She saw the tied-up female assassin sleeping in the middle of the room and tilted her head. Cleo blinked and yawned again while turning towards the bed. She walked to the edge and saw Palan staring at her, following her movements with her eyes. He was sitting with his back pressed against the wall, his legs lay horizontally across the sleeping Raea¡¯s stomach. Cleo grinned and reached out to tickle the bottom of Palan¡¯s feet with her pointed claws. Before she reached his soles, Palan stirred and retracted his feet. He yawned and stood up on the bed, causing Raea to groan. He asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Cleo said and smiled at him, blinking a few times. Her tail swished as she clasped her hands behind her back. ¡°I just wanted to know if you could really see or not when you¡¯re asleep.¡± Palan leapt off the bed and landed next to the sleeping female assassin. He lifted her by the ropes binding her arms and legs together and walked to the door. She stirred as the movement woke her and screamed as Palan lobbed her out of the room into the street. Palan closed the door while Cleo watched him with her mouth agape. Palan glanced at her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That was awfully rude of you,¡± Cleo said and scratched her cheek. ¡°You could¡¯ve untied her first.¡± ¡°Good morning, Cleo,¡± Raea said as she sat up in bed. Dark bags hung underneath her eyes as she blinked and ruffled her hair while yawning. ¡°Did someone scream?¡± She blinked and looked around the room. ¡°Where¡¯d the assassin go?¡± ¡°Palan threw her out,¡± Cleo said and pointed towards the door. Raea rubbed her eyes and stared at Palan. He shrugged. ¡°No point in keeping her,¡± Palan said as he sifted through his bag. He frowned at the lack of poison within. ¡°The angels probably won¡¯t attempt to kill you in broad daylight.¡± Raea grunted as she climbed out of the bed and walked over to the corner of the room with the closet. She pulled out her garments and started to change out of her robe. She undid the belt by her waist and turned her heads towards Palan. ¡°Did you kill Lieutenant Malak while I was sleeping?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said as he pulled out the glowing blue orb from his bag. All the brown colors had disappeared. ¡°The assassins were too spread out.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Raea said and nodded as she slipped a on a pair of leather pants. ¡°Good?¡± Cleo asked as she stared at the orb in Palan¡¯s hands. The surface seemed to squirm, as if he were holding a ball of water. ¡°I thought you wanted him to die.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind yesterday,¡± Raea said and buttoned up a cloth shirt. ¡°The proper way to deal with Lieutenant Malak would be to report him to Captain Ishim.¡± She smoothed out her hair and nodded as she closed the closet door and walked over to the stand holding her armor. ¡°Laws are made for a reason. Justice should be served by the court, not by vigilantes.¡± Palan placed the orb back into his bag and glanced at Emergency Victuals who climbed out from underneath the desk. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said. ¡°I bet he would¡¯ve tasted bitter.¡± He cracked his neck. ¡°Like Anidun. My strength didn¡¯t even improve after eating his organs.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.Raea sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t say that in public,¡± she said as she donned her armor. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Palan said and strapped the greater demon¡¯s axes to his back. He pat his waist, making sure Anidun¡¯s dagger was still there. ¡°It¡¯s just you and me here after all.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Cleo said and pouted. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t count,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°You¡¯re like that pup over there.¡± Cleo crossed her arms and stared at Emergency Victuals. ¡°Why do you follow this guy?¡± she asked with her cheeks puffed out. The dire wolf whined and licked her face, causing the orange lizardman to squeal in protest. ¡°Because I¡¯m awesome?¡± Palan asked and opened the door. ¡°Obviously.¡± Raea had finished putting on her armor and was in the process of combing her hair with her fingers. She sighed as she followed Palan out of the room. ¡°Keep telling yourself that,¡± Cleo said as she sat on Emergency Victuals¡¯ back and steered the dire wolf outside. The tied up assassin was nowhere to be found and the streets were empty. A few angels wearing armor could be seen sitting on the walls of the outpost, some of them clearly asleep. ¡°We agreed to meet at the stables at sunrise,¡± Raea said and yawned as she rounded a corner. ¡°The sooner we leave this outpost, the better I¡¯d feel.¡± The group headed towards the stables, keeping an eye out even though the streets were barren. They arrived in front of the wooden structure with no delays. Gerome and Carmella were waiting, sitting next to each other on a bench nearby. They stood up when they saw Raea approach and saluted her. ¡°Is Owen not here?¡± Raea asked after gesturing for them to stand at attention. ¡°He¡¯s saddling the horses over there,¡± Gerome said and pointed beyond the wooden double doors. Raea could see minute movements of shadows within the stables. She nodded. ¡°As soon as Owen prepares the horses, we depart. I don¡¯t want to see Lieutenant Malak again.¡± Raea sighed as she approached the entrance to the stables and pushed the doors aside. ¡°I do not think you will see Lieutenant Malak again,¡± Owen said as he led a horse outside. Dark marks encircled his eyes, and his cheeks were sunken in. He passed the reins to Raea and shuffled back into the stable, picking up a saddle from the wall on the way. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Raea asked Owen¡¯s departing back. ¡°You seem ¡­ tired.¡± ¡°It is nothing,¡± Owen said and waved his hand. He yawned as he opened the door to a pen and placed the saddle onto the horse inside. ¡°I just found it difficult to sleep last night. I should be fine.¡± He fitted the horses and passed the reins to everyone in the group. When he got to Palan, he frowned. ¡°What is it?¡± A smirk was on Palan¡¯s face. His nose twitched as he stared at Owen¡¯s fingernails. ¡°Nothing. It seems I need to re-evaluate my opinion of you.¡± Owen¡¯s brow furrowed, but he didn¡¯t say anything as he led the last horse out of the stable. The group mounted up and headed off towards the northern gate. As they exited, Palan passed by Owen to ride alongside Raea, but not before Owen said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how you found out, but don¡¯t tell Lady Raea.¡± Palan exhaled through his nose and continued on as if he didn¡¯t hear what Owen said. Cleo tilted her head. ¡°Tell her what?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Owen mumbled as he stared into the forest. His hands were white from gripping his horse¡¯s reins. Chapter 49 ¡°There are no goblins this time, right?¡± Raea asked, turning her head to glance at Palan as her horse jolted her up and down. Her contracted demon¡¯s plate armor shone red in the sunlight. ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything. They shouldn¡¯t be there,¡± Palan said. ¡°Unless they all wasted water and took baths.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Raea said and nodded. She faced the road and sighed. ¡°It would be difficult to fight a group of them with only the six of us.¡± ¡°Six? There¡¯s only five of us.¡± ¡°Stop forgetting about me!¡± Cleo said and pouted. Emergency Victuals ran alongside Palan¡¯s horse with the orange lizardman on its back. ¡°And don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid of goblins.¡± She stared at Raea. ¡°All you have to do is smack them around a bit and they¡¯ll run away or beg for mercy.¡± Raea glanced at Palan with a wry smile on her face. ¡°I think I¡¯m beginning to understand why you took her under your wing,¡± she said. ¡°You two are quite similar.¡± Cleo crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at Raea. ¡°Very similar.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. She¡¯s just following me,¡± he said. Palan squinted his eyes, staring into the distance. A wooden outpost appeared in the horizon as the group continued forward. ¡°Praise the Creator,¡± Gerome said. His voice was nasally and one hand pinched his nose. The lizardman chieftain¡¯s corpse was strapped onto the rump of his horse. ¡°We¡¯re finally there. Someone else rides with the body next time.¡± Carmella chuckled, but no one volunteered. They soon arrived in front of the wooden outpost¡¯s gate where Raea announced her presence, much to the surprise of the soldiers. The doors creaked open and Raea led the group through. They dismounted and passed the horses off to nearby angels while Gerome carried the corpse with a wrinkled nose. Palan raised an eyebrow as the horses were led away and asked, ¡°Are we stopping here for today?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°If we left now, we could make it to the first outpost by nightfall, but I would rather meet Captain Ishim during the day,¡± she said. She removed her helmet and brushed her hair behind her ears. She turned to face Owen. ¡°We should secure our lodgings for the night. Can you do that for us?¡± Owen nodded. Raea smiled and faced Palan. ¡°In the meantime, we will find a place to eat. No furry stuff this time, got it?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I eat what I want,¡± he said. He spat out a tooth that was promptly retrieved by Cleo. Raea sighed and shook her head. Heavy footsteps approached the group, causing them to turn around. Lieutenant Sharr was walking towards them with his arms crossed. ¡°So you made it back alive,¡± Sharr said and frowned as he rubbed his chin. ¡°I was not expecting that. Now what am I supposed to tell the school?¡± He sighed as he stared at Palan. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raea asked. Sharr glanced around to make sure no one was listening before he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°I told the school that a group of dire wolves killed their students,¡± he said. Raea¡¯s eyes shifted downwards as her lips drew into a line. ¡°Of course, the principal did not believe me, spouting some nonsense about excellent students. He gave me a little something¡±¡ªSharr grinned and scratched his head¡ª¡±to loosen my tongue. I figured you two were as good as dead and told him that his students died after encountering Lieutenant Raea. I think he is going to be upset when he finds out both of you are still alive.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Palan asked. His hand touched the hilt of Anidun¡¯s dagger as he stared into Sharr¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hey now,¡± Sharr said as he took a step backwards. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I was just giving you a heads up. The school can be pretty persistent and annoying.¡± He paused as he stared at the axes strapped to Palan¡¯s back. ¡°I could help you out, you know? If I don¡¯t testify as a witness, then there¡¯s no proof that you did anything.¡± ¡°You want these axes.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Sharr said and waved his hand. ¡°I was just¡ª¡± ¡°Here.¡± Palan dropped the axes onto the ground in front of Sharr. He cracked his neck and rotated his shoulders. ¡°They¡¯re fun to play with, but not very practical for me to carry around.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow as Sharr grinned and rubbed his hands together. ¡°Is this how you got me free last time?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Palan said and nodded. Sharr¡¯s arms bulged as he attempted to lift the axes off the ground. He exhaled and raised them up, propping them against his shoulders. A vein could be seen running up his neck. ¡°Good stuff,¡± Sharr said and nodded as a tremor ran through his legs. Owen returned to the group and frowned at the lieutenant as he stood behind Raea. ¡°Where¡¯d you get them?¡± ¡°I killed a greater demon,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Owen narrowed his eyes as he studied Sharr¡¯s face. ¡°Those were his.¡± ¡°A greater demon?¡± Sharr asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°From the lizardmen camp? Or did you kill another poor student?¡± ¡°The lizardmen camp,¡± Palan said. ¡°And I never killed any student.¡± Sharr nodded. ¡°Odd. Probably a runaway. It would make sense if no one found out with him escaping to the border and all,¡± he said. ¡°Did he have an angel with him?¡± ¡°No.¡± Sharr frowned. ¡°Well, whatever. You dealt with him just fine, yeah?¡± he asked and shrugged. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why no one else was able to subjugate that city before. Anyways, I have to go store these axes before people start asking questions. If you ever need my help, just throw a bag of essence stones my way.¡± He smiled as he turned around and staggered away, leaving behind a trail of deep footsteps. ¡°It seems Lieutenant Sharr was unaware of Anidun¡¯s existence,¡± Owen said as the group watched the lieutenant disappear around a corner. A few angels whispered and pointed at the axes he held. ¡°I still don¡¯t feel as if I can trust him.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s the most straightforward angel I¡¯ve met,¡± he said and walked towards the center of the outpost. ¡°Much easier to understand than all of you.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Raea asked as she followed after Palan. ¡°And I think I¡¯m very straightforward. Kind-hearted and patient. Those are easy to understand, no?¡± ¡°You¡¯re as straightforward as a spiral staircase,¡± Palan said and snorted. Raea pursed her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s get some food. Something smells fluffy over there.¡± Chapter 50 Palan knocked twice on the door before pushing it open, not waiting for a response. Raea frowned, but didn¡¯t comment as she followed after him into the room. Lieutenant Sharr raised an eyebrow as he closed a binder on his desk and stared at the intruders. They weren¡¯t wearing their armor, and the only visible weapon was Anidun¡¯s dagger which hung on Palan¡¯s belt. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± Sharr said, his brow slightly creased. ¡°And Palan. I wasn¡¯t expecting you two.¡± ¡°Sorry to drop by uninvited,¡± Raea said and dipped her head downwards. She glanced at Palan. ¡°Palan insisted on coming here.¡± Palan pulled up a chair and set it down across from Sharr¡¯s desk. A tiny lizardman followed by a wolf slipped into the room before the door fully closed. ¡°You can relax,¡± Palan said to Sharr as he sat down, ignoring the pouting Raea as she pulled up her own chair. ¡°I just wanted to ask you a few questions since my contractor is an airhead.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Raea said and pinched Palan¡¯s arm. He brushed her hand away and crossed his legs while staring at Sharr. Raea turned her head towards Cleo who appeared by her side. ¡°Am I really that clueless?¡± The orange lizardman blinked and scratched her scaled cheek as she stared into Raea¡¯s eyes. The angel sighed. ¡°Please don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°Why ask me though?¡± Sharr asked Palan as he leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve been around longer than most people since you¡¯re a lieutenant,¡± Palan said. ¡°Interrogating ordinary soldiers is probably a waste of time.¡± Palan took out a pouch from his bag and dropped it onto Sharr¡¯s desk. The corners of Sharr¡¯s lips turned upwards as he slid the pouch towards himself. ¡°What did you want to know?¡± he asked as he leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk, clasping them together. ¡°Why did you think we were dead?¡± Palan asked. Sharr tilted his head. ¡°No one ever came back after attempting to subjugate the lizardmen city. The first time Captain Ishim sent a group through¡ªI think it was around three years ago¡ªeveryone thought it¡¯d be done within a week, but none of the squad members ever came back. People were alarmed at first, but that kind of thing just happens, you know? People die all the time out here. It wouldn¡¯t be unusual for a squadron to fail. ¡°After they hadn¡¯t come back for two weeks, Captain Ishim sent another group and they were also never heard from again. He doubled the numbers for the next try, and they failed again. Even the scouts sent to the lizardmen¡¯s territory never came back alive,¡± Sharr said and raised his head to look at the ceiling. ¡°Eventually, it became a running joke. When Captain Ishim didn¡¯t like someone, he¡¯d send them out to subjugate the lizardmen camp¡ªat least that¡¯s what the soldiers say. That¡¯s why I was surprised when you two made it back alive. There were maybe twenty attempts made over the past three years, and you¡¯re the first ones to make it back.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t Captain Ishim personally go to investigate?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Surely he must have thought something was wrong.¡± ¡°And die?¡± Sharr asked. ¡°He spent fifteen years rising up to that position. Why would he throw it away over some curiosity? In the end, he just changed the plans for the fourth outpost and shifted the road out of their territory. That hasn¡¯t stopped them from raiding it though which is why Lieutenant Malak is positioned in the third outpost.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Tell me everything you know about Ishim: weaknesses, strengths, personality.¡± Sharr scratched his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you much about his weaknesses and strengths because I¡¯ve only been in correspondence with him. I haven¡¯t met him in person for about three years.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Around the time the lizardmen city became a problem? Tell me about his personality then.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Sharr grunted. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s about right. Ishim and I go way back; we were both soldiers in the same squadron working under Captain Fei. At that time, the first outpost was barely established and under assault from all sides: lizardmen, goblins, snake people, harpies, centaurs. We were even harassed by fishfolk in the rivers. Captain Ishim was really spirited at the time like he was working for a goal or trying to impress someone. He chased after merits, volunteering to lead squadrons into the most dangerous areas. It was odd, considering the fact that he was an orphan raised in the third sector. He was promoted pretty quickly and became a lieutenant. ¡°I worked under his squad for the next few years. He made sure to take care of his subordinates, which is why I stayed with him. He commanded from the front using his powers of temperance to pave the way. After we were in the army for five years¡±¡ªSharr¡¯s face hardened¡ª¡±the great betrayal happened. T¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s the great betrayal?¡± Palan asked. ¡°It was Anidun¡¯s attempted coup,¡± Raea said. Sharr nodded. ¡°Anidun led a group of angels and attempted to takeover the council. He failed, and the majority of the angels that followed him were executed. Only a few archangels managed to escape, but they were all badly wounded: Anidun, Meffi, Abaddon, and Solra are some. ¡°Anyways, after the great betrayal, Captain Ishim changed. He started sacrificing his men for the sake of the goal, pushing them into even greater areas of danger while commanding from the rear. He literally worked the conquered halflings to death, forcing them to build roads and construct outposts. Captain Fei acknowledged his work¡ªhe practically doubled the number of outposts¡ªand the long time survivors of his squad became lieutenants while he was promoted to a captain. As for Captain Fei, she retired and returned to the first sector. I bailed as soon as possible and formed my own squad because I didn¡¯t want to die for someone else¡¯s ideals. I secured myself this nice cushy spot right here. ¡°It seems like he mellowed out over the past three years though, as if he finally achieved what he was working for. The rate of expansion slowed, and now it seems like he¡¯s trying to repair his old bond¡¯s with his squadron. Of course, I don¡¯t think many of his men would readily forgive him,¡± Sharr said and shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll never forget that time a centaur nearly ripped my testicles off while he was working at a desk.¡± Raea made a face, but Palan was completely unfazed. Cleo looked confused. Palan nodded and said, ¡°I see. That was helpful.¡± He stood up and Sharr smiled at him. ¡°Anytime,¡± the lieutenant said as he watched Palan leave with his entourage. The door closed behind them and he reopened his binder, picking up a quill. He counted the essence stones in the pouch he just received and smiled as he wrote down a number onto the page. Outside of the room, Raea was questioning Palan. She asked, ¡°That was all you needed to know?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Knowing your potential enemies is a key to survival.¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°Then what did you learn?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± A man who rested on his laurels was like a dulled blade. Palan nodded to himself. His blade was still sharp. He glanced at Raea and frowned. Even if someone insisted on trying to weaken it. Side Story 1 Andrea yawned and stretched her arms above her head. The last remnants of red light from the sunset was just beginning to fade as she smacked her lips and sat up in bed. She blinked a few times before frowning and pulling on the blanket, wrapping herself up like a burrito. She hopped off the bed and shivered as her feet came into contact with the cold stone floor. She placed the ends of the puffy blanket underneath her feet and shuffled forward like a slug. Abaddon preferred keeping his residence at the freezing nighttime temperature of the desert. She wasn¡¯t quite sure how. Andrea placed her blanket-covered hand on the edge of the fabric blocking her doorway and slid through dragging the rest of the blanket along the floor. She looked both ways before frowning. A large crater could be seen on the adjacent wall. She shrugged and traveled down the hallway that could easily fit ten people walking abreast before arriving in front of an entrance with a purple curtain. She heard voices coming from the other side. ¡°We¡¯ve received a message from Haalbeh.¡± Shuffling noises could be heard and Andrea tilted her head. ¡°Leave.¡± The voice sounded like it belonged to Abaddon. It would make sense since this was his room after all. Andrea yawned again, her disheveled hair framing her purple face. The curtain was pushed to the side and a demon dressed in leather armor exited the room, jolting to a stop when he saw Andrea. He nodded at her before walking around her, his footsteps echoing down the empty hall. Andrea watched him round a corner before she shuffled into Abaddon¡¯s room. ¡°Was there something else?¡± Abaddon asked without raising his head. A hint of a frown could be seen on his face as he read the letter in front of him. It was written on a piece of leather, its characters marked in blood. ¡°Hungry,¡± Andrea said and plopped herself down onto a couch to the side of Abaddon¡¯s desk. ¡°Creator¡¯s left nut,¡± Abaddon swore as his body twitched. His face was cramped as he raised his head to stare at Andrea. ¡°You woke up. Are you sure you are feeling hungry and not something else?¡± ¡°Hungry,¡± Andrea said, drawing out the second syllable, practically singing the word. She smiled at him with her pointed teeth. The short-haired angel sighed as he stared at the demon burrito sitting on the couch. ¡°You know where the kitchen is; go there yourself,¡± Abaddon said and waved his hand, focusing his attention back on the letter. Andrea frowned. ¡°What if something happens to me on the way there?¡± she asked, causing the angel¡¯s face to harden. ¡°Where¡¯s the bodyguard I assigned you?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t there,¡± Andrea said and pouted. ¡°Did Palan come back?¡± Abaddon frowned and threw the letter into the fireplace behind himself. Andrea didn¡¯t quite understand why he¡¯d build a fire if he insisted on keeping the temperature low. ¡°Believe me,¡± Abaddon said and got out of his seat, ¡°I¡¯d kick you out of my house and ban you from eating in the city the instant your brother returns. I had to increase the quota for the hunters because of you. Where the hell does all that food go?¡± He stared at the demon that barely reached his waist. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Andrea giggled and hopped off the couch, shuffling after Abaddon as he marched out of the room. The two reached Andrea¡¯s room in silence, and Abaddon frowned when he saw the crater in the wall next to her door¡¯s curtain. Traces of blood could be seen within the cracks, and he ran his finger along the cracks. The blood was dry. ¡°You did not hear anything last night?¡± Andrea shook her head. ¡°I had a good dream.¡± She vaguely recalled the faint images of her eating exotic creatures in foreign lands. Abaddon frowned and stroked his chin as he stared at Andrea. He muttered, ¡°Not possible.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Whatever. From now on, you will be sleeping in the room adjacent to me. It would be bothersome if someone targeted you.¡± ¡°¡®Kay,¡± Andrea said and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and get food.¡± She shuffled past Abaddon. A tearing sound could be heard as one of her claws poked through the blanket by her feet. ¡°Oops.¡± ¡°Nothing to worry about,¡± Abaddon said. ¡°It was just one of my most expensive blankets. I was planning on destroying it anyway.¡± He shook his head again and stared at the crater in the wall for a moment before following after Andrea. They arrived at the kitchen and Abaddon pushed open the curtain. ¡°The void is back,¡± he said. A few groans could be heard as a demon appeared from behind a shelf. ¡°Already?¡± the demon asked as he wiped his hands on the apron he wore, leaving behind a trail of blood. ¡°We haven¡¯t recovered the losses from ten hours ago yet.¡± The demon stared at Andrea and sighed as he leaned back and stretched his arm behind the shelf. He pulled out a lizard¡¯s severed leg and handed it to her. ¡°You can eat this for now while I get the rest of them to get more.¡± He turned his head behind him. ¡°Hey! Get three of the largest bodies we have out here!¡± ¡°How are we doing on food?¡± Abaddon asked. ¡°We¡¯re managing,¡± the demon said and nodded. ¡°The extra quota really helps. And the fact that she eats everything raw really saves us time. I¡¯ve seen plenty of gluttons before, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen one as voracious as her, and she¡¯s only a child. Sins aren¡¯t supposed to develop that early.¡± Abaddon nodded and raised his eyebrow at Andrea who was already halfway done with her leg. She was holding it through the blanket, staining it with blood. Sins didn¡¯t develop early for regular demons that was true. A faint smile danced on the corner of Abaddon¡¯s lips. But what if she wasn¡¯t a regular demon? Chapter 51 After meeting with Lieutenant Sharr, Raea and Palan returned to their room with Cleo and Emergency Victuals in tow. The night passed uneventfully and the next day came, heralded by the red rays of sunlight streaming through the window. Raea sighed as she got out of bed and started to change. Cleo tilted her head at her. The lizardman¡¯s words were garbled when she spoke and yawned at the same time, ¡°You seem worried.¡± ¡°I am not,¡± Raea said as her armor clinked. Owen had polished it for her yesterday, giving the silver armor a mirror polish. ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ I¡¯ve never had to give a report to a superior before, so I¡¯m practicing in my head.¡± Palan frowned as he approached the closet after Raea finished using it. ¡°What happened to my armor?¡± he asked as he pulled out a black cuirass. He tapped his knuckles against it and furrowed his brow before attempting to bite the metal. Raea pulled it away from his mouth before he could. ¡°I had Owen request you a new set,¡± she said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for you to continue to use one of our deceased¡¯s.¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond so Raea bit her lip before continuing to speak. ¡°I specially asked for them to paint it black. I hope you don¡¯t mind. I thought you¡¯d like it more, since you didn¡¯t want to wear the white armor during the night while you were ¡­ visiting the lizardmen city.¡± Raea fidgeted as she waited for Palan¡¯s response. ¡°I¡¯m not going to thank you for this,¡± Palan said, his eyes slightly narrowed. He undid the clasps and began to put the armor on over his bare chest. ¡°Naturally,¡± Raea said with one corner of her lip turned upwards. She stepped behind him and helped him fit his greaves. Palan stared at her as she tightened a strap. ¡°We are partners after all, and honestly, I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve made it this far without your help. I should be the one thanking you.¡± She took a step back and observed the armor. Raea smiled at Palan who was testing the range of motion. He seemed to be at a loss of what to say, so he grunted and nodded instead. Cleo repeatedly shifted her gaze between the two who had their eyes locked. She tilted her head. ¡°Now kiss?¡± ¡°What?¡± Raea asked and whirled her head towards Cleo. ¡°No! We¡¯re not like that.¡± Cleo frowned as she stroked her scaly chin with her claws. ¡°But when a female gives a gift of armor or weapons to a male, that means she¡¯s courting him,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s what my papa told me.¡± Her tail swished behind her, thumping into Emergency Victuals¡¯ belly. ¡°We¡¯re not lizardmen. Angels send letters of courtship to the ones they¡¯re interested in,¡± Raea said as she shook her head and sighed. She faced Palan. ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something to her too?¡± Palan turned towards Cleo. ¡°If someone tries to kiss you,¡± he said and paused as he furrowed his brow. Cleo and Raea waited with bated breaths. Two seconds passed before Palan¡¯s expression relaxed and he nodded. ¡°Stab them first. Chances are they want something from you and have poison on their lips. I¡¯ve seen it happen too many times.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit,¡± Raea said and hesitated. She bit her lip. ¡°Bleak? Pessimistic?¡± She shook her head and pulled the door open. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this and go. Everyone¡¯s probably waiting for us.¡± She left the room with Palan following after her while Emergency Victuals scrambled to its feet. Cleo sat on top of the wolf¡¯s back. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°They¡¯re kinda boring, huh?¡± Cleo said as she held onto the wolf¡¯s neck. The dire wolf probably wouldn¡¯t have replied even if it could. ¡°They barely even reacted. Maybe I should ¡­ nah, that¡¯d be mean.¡± Raea and Palan arrived at the stables with their helmets under their arms. Owen was already inside, saddling the horses. Carmella and Gerome arrived soon after. The corner of Owen¡¯s lips turned down as he looked at Raea while coming out of the stable with a horse. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°No?¡± Raea asked back. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Owen said and shook his head. ¡°It must have been my imagination.¡± Cleo was biting her lip, looking as if she wanted to desperately say something. She sighed before shaking her head. As if sensing something, the dire wolf looked up and licked her face. ¡°It is finally time to return back after completing our mission,¡± Raea said to Gerome and Carmella as she took the reins that Owen handed her. ¡°I am curious. Why did you two choose to follow me? Surely you must have heard the rumors about the lizardmen city.¡± Gerome scratched his head. ¡°Well, I was there for the raid against the king of the forest,¡± he said. ¡°A lot of missions have been dangerous recently, and I thought it¡¯d be better to follow someone who may be a bit inexperienced but cares for her subordinates rather than someone who¡¯ll throw his subordinates away to accomplish the mission. Right?¡± He turned his head towards Carmella. Carmella nodded. ¡°I agree.¡± Raea lowered her head. ¡°I seem to have failed many of my subordinates in that regard,¡± she said. ¡°There are only five of us left out of forty-six.¡± ¡°You managed to succeed in a mission that had a one hundred percent fail and death rate,¡± Carmella said. ¡°I think that says something about you. And it does not say anything about being a failure. Many soldiers would be willing to follow you after this.¡± Raea hummed. ¡°Perhaps you two are right. Do you think I could go to the third sector?¡± Gerome raised an eyebrow. ¡°You just got here,¡± he said. ¡°You want to leave already? You¡¯d have to ask Captain Ishim; he many not want to lose you after you achieved the impossible.¡± ¡°There is no need to rush,¡± Owen said as he returned with more horses. ¡°It has not even been a month since we left the capital.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering,¡± Palan said as he mounted his horse and faced Owen. ¡°The capital is a place free of sin. Why weren¡¯t you kicked out earlier? You obviously have anger issues.¡± Owen frowned. Raea was about to speak, but Owen placed his hand in front of her. ¡°Every family is issued one seal,¡± he said. ¡°It can seal away the power of any sin and it was used on me. I volunteered to leave the capital when Lady Raea¡¯s sins were exposed so the Caelum family could seal her instead, but the seal only works on a single sin. Not two.¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°Makes sense,¡± Palan said. Raea sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said and steered her horse towards the northern gate. Her back seemed smaller than usual as she led the way. Chapter 52 ¡°Lieutenant Raea has returned.¡± Wooden gates swung open as a crowd of angels stood behind it. They had poured out of the nearby buildings, looking for some kind of entertainment to relieve their boredom. Murmurs broke out through the crowd as Raea rode through the wooden gates with Palan on her left and Owen on her right. Carmella, Gerome, and Cleo rode behind them. On Gerome¡¯s horse, a wrapped up lizardman corpse was riding with the angel, black splotches staining the bandages. ¡°That few?¡± a soldier asked. ¡°I thought they left with close to fifty people.¡± ¡°But they went to the lizardmen camp¡ªthe marked one,¡± the soldier next to him said. ¡°And Lieutenant Malak would not have let them come back if they failed.¡± ¡°Seriously? She looks too young to be a lieutenant, and why is that person wearing black armor?¡± Raea ignored the whispers of the crowd as her group dismounted. Carmella led the horses to the stables while Cleo yawned and rubbed her eyes. A soldier approached them and saluted Raea. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± he said. ¡°Captain Ishim wishes to see you immediately.¡± Raea nodded. Palan thought he saw her body tremble but didn¡¯t say anything as he followed after her. The messenger guided them towards Ishim¡¯s residence, the crowd clearing a path. The first sun was shining directly overhead when they arrived. The messenger attempted to stop Raea¡¯s entourage from following after her, but Palan tossed him aside with one hand. Cleo followed after her master, sticking her tongue out at the baffled soldier. Owen and Gerome chose to stay outside while Carmella was left wondering where they all went after returning from the stables. Ishim was sitting on a couch with a cup of tea placed on the table in front of him. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± he said and crossed his legs. He gestured towards the couch opposite himself. ¡°Have a seat. Did you bring back proof of your conquest?¡± Raea nodded as she took a seat and folded her hands in her lap. Palan stood behind her and crossed his arms, his visor obscuring his face. ¡°Yes, Captain Ishim,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°My subordinate is carrying it. He is right outside the building.¡± Ishim¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he drummed his fingers on his seat. ¡°John,¡± he said. ¡°Bring it here.¡± His demon butler nodded and left the room. Moments later, he came back carrying the lizardman corpse. Ishim¡¯s face wrinkled at the smell. ¡°I told you to bring back his head. Not the whole thing.¡± ¡°The tattoos are the main distinguishing factor between a chieftain and an ordinary lizardman,¡± Raea said as her hands turned white from squeezing too tightly. ¡°I figured it would be easier to identify than just the head alone.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ishim said as John undid the bandages on the lizardman¡¯s body. The black tattoos were easily identifiable even though the corpse was in the process of decaying. ¡°Get rid of it.¡± John nodded and tossed it out the window into the garden. Ishim faced Raea. ¡°Tell me everything that happened.¡± Raea frowned as she stared at the open window. ¡°I was going to write a report,¡± she said, turning her head back towards Ishim. ¡°There are some things better left off of paper,¡± Ishim said as he leaned forward and narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Tell me. What did the city look like? I need to be sure you subjugated the right place.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Raea bit her lip. ¡°The city was circular in nature and surrounded by wooden spike walls. At the center was a large boulder with a cave that the lizardmen called the forbidden region. Then ther¡ª¡± ¡°That is enough,¡± Ishim said and raised his hand. His face hardened. ¡°I will cut straight to the point. Did you see Sir Anidun?¡± Raea¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You knew about his existence?¡± Ishim leaned back in his chair and exhaled. ¡°So he approved of you? Is that why you were able to come back alive?¡± he asked. His voice was lower as he stroked his chin. ¡°It has been many years, huh?¡± ¡°Did you intend for me to die?¡± Raea asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She reached behind her back but realized she left her halberd with Owen before entering. John took a step forward with his hands behind his back, stepping just ahead of Ishim¡¯s couch. ¡°Tell me,¡± Ishim said, ignoring Raea¡¯s hostile gaze. ¡°Where is Sir Anidun now?¡± ¡°Dead,¡± Raea said. Ishim froze, his mouth slightly parted. ¡°I buried his body in a glade near the lizardmen¡¯s city.¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Ishim said and shook his head. ¡°You must be jok¡ª¡± His gaze fell onto the red dagger that Palan was holding up in his hand. The armored demon slowly moved it back and forth, causing Ishim¡¯s eyes to shift from side to side, before resheathing it with a snapping sound. The sound seemed to bring Ishim out of his stupor. He roared as he leapt to his feet. ¡°Where did you get that dagger!?¡± Flickers of flames danced around Ishim¡¯s hands. Raea¡¯s eyes widened as she stood up, emitting a white light. Glowing chains shot out of her back, instantly binding everyone in the room. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. The chains forced Ishim¡¯s hands towards the ground and turned his head towards John. ¡°Did you have to bind me too?¡± Palan asked. Seconds later, the white chains entangling his body disappeared. Palan lifted his visor and smirked at Ishim before lowering it again. He stepped forward and dangled the dagger in front of Ishim¡¯s face. The word Anidun seemed to be burned into Ishim¡¯s vision. ¡°You mean this? I found it on the floor.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Ishim said. Flames puffed out of his eyes and hands, but he was unable to target Palan due to the chains holding him down. Palan smiled at the struggling angel even though no one could see it underneath his helmet. He raised the dagger into the air above Ishim. Before he could bring it down, a chain branched off from one of the ones on Ishim¡¯s body and ensnared Palan¡¯s wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him,¡± Raea said and frowned. A bead of sweat rolled down her face as she sat back down. ¡°There are too many questions that we need answers to. Do you think we can settle this peacefully?¡± Her question was directed at Ishim. The flames dancing around Ishim¡¯s body disappeared as he took in a deep breath. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I lost myself for a moment. I was not expecting your chains of patience to be so ¡­ strong.¡± The chains of light disappeared and Ishim straightened his back. He glared at Palan before returning to his seat. Palan snorted and sheathed his dagger. It was true that Ishim could answer their questions and killing him here would be detrimental to his goal. With those thoughts in mind, he returned to Raea¡¯s side, standing in front of her instead of behind her this time. Chapter 53 ¡°Sir Anidun is truly dead?¡± Ishim asked, bouncing his leg. His face looked cramped as he stared at Raea who was sitting across from him. He didn¡¯t even look at the glowing white chains lying loosely beside him, waiting to bind him at a moment¡¯s notice. If his pale face lacked any more blood than it would be as blue as his armor. Raea nodded. ¡°My subordinate found his body inside of the cave within the forbidden zone,¡± she said. ¡°Anidun had committed suicide. There were multiple dagger wounds in his abdomen and his dagger lay by his hand.¡± Ishim¡¯s frown deepened as he sank into the couch. ¡°Why?¡± he mumbled. ¡°Then what have I been working for?¡± Raea furrowed her brow as she tried to make out his words. Ishim narrowed his eyes and sat up straight. He leaned forward, causing Raea to tense, and picked up his tea. ¡°John, send a letter to all my followers,¡± he said while snapping his finger. ¡°Have them all gather here with their most trusted subordinates.¡± The demon butler remained silent as he walked out of the room. Ishim finished his tea and placed the empty cup on the table. ¡°I will be going to the lizardmen city to confirm your words,¡± he said and stood up. ¡°I cannot place all my trust in an inexperienced lieutenant.¡± He narrowed his eyes at the glowing chains beside him. ¡°I will pardon your usage of patience against me given the circumstances.¡± Raea pursed her lips as Ishim stepped over the chains and flung open the door leading outside. ¡°Captain Ishim!¡± Raea said to his back as she stood up. The angel paused in front of the doorway and turned around. Flames and sparks intertwined and danced in his pupils, threatening to explode outwards. Raea seemed to wither under his gaze and shut her mouth. ¡°N-nothing. My apologies.¡± Ishim narrowed his eyes at her before starting to turn around again. ¡°Hey,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms. ¡°Stop right there.¡± He glanced at Raea and unsheathed his dagger. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we were going to interrogate him? Why¡¯d you stop me from killing him if you were just going to let him go?¡± Ishim stroked his chin as he met Palan¡¯s gaze through his visor. ¡°Would you consider joining me?¡± he asked. His eyes flickered toward Raea. ¡°Someone like you seems to be wasted on her.¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± Palan said before Raea could even open her mouth. Raea beamed at Palan. He ignored her as he continued speaking. ¡°She¡¯s easier to manipulate.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Raea asked. ¡°I am not!¡± ¡°If that is the case, then so be it,¡± Ishim said. ¡°Reconsider it while I am gone.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you stopping him?¡± Palan asked Raea as Ishim exited the building. A glowing white chain bound the demon¡¯s legs together as he stood beside Raea. She crossed her arms and turned her head away from Palan. ¡°Are you sulking? At a time like this?¡± Raea sighed as the chains dispersed, and she sank into the couch. ¡°There was nothing that I could do,¡± she said. She raised her head to look at Palan. ¡°Assaulting your commanding officer is considered treason and is punishable by death. Binding him with patience can be considered as assault. He already pardoned me once, a second time would not be forgiven.¡± ¡°Then we could just kill him,¡± Palan said and snorted. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go back home to the capital?¡± Raea asked. ¡°There¡¯s no way we could cover something like that up. We¡¯d be on the run and forbidden from even entering the third sector, forget entering the capital. If that happened ¡­ I won¡¯t allow it to.¡± Raea shook her head and sighed again. Palan removed his visor but didn¡¯t retort. ¡°That was scary,¡± Cleo said and popped her head up from behind the couch. ¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t be as scary as Palan,¡± Raea said and smiled at the lizardman. Cleo shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s scarier,¡± she said and smiled at Palan while scratching her cheek. ¡°No offense to you. There was something off about that man. Like he wasn¡¯t right in the head.¡± A shiver ran down her spine, causing her tail to stiffen. ¡°Like my papa¡¯s second mate after he died.¡± Cleo puffed her cheeks up while frowning. ¡°Is that so?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. She stared out the door. Ishim was already long gone, requesting a horse from the stables. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I¡¯ll write a letter explaining the situation to my father. Though I may have been exiled from the capital, my words still hold weight because of my honesty,¡± Raea said as she stood up and dusted off her armor. ¡°He will believe me about Anidun. If Captain Ishim is hiding something¡ªlike why he addresses Anidun with honorifics¡ªthen it will be investigated properly.¡± ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Stay by me of course,¡± Raea said and smiled as she tugged his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll teach you how to read and write since we don¡¯t have anything to do until Captain Ishim assigns us something. I also have to write a written report of what we¡¯ve accomplished too. It¡¯ll be good experience for you to watch.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°I guess expanding my horizons wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea,¡± he said as Raea dragged him out of the building. ¡°How did it go?¡± Owen asked as he approached the four. ¡°We saw Captain Ishim storm out of there. He did not seem to be pleased. Did you tell him about Anidun?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°Captain Ishim used honorifics when he addressed Anidun,¡± she said and frowned. Owen¡¯s face hardened. ¡°I am going to write a letter to my father informing him about the situation.¡± Owen turned towards Gerome. ¡°Secure us a messenger pigeon,¡± he said. Gerome nodded and walked away. After he was out of earshot, Owen turned towards Raea. ¡°Lieutenant Malak referred to Anidun with honorifics also. I suspect he had a subservient relationship with him, a very deep one. This may be more convoluted than it seems.¡± ¡°You spoke with Lieutenant Malak about Anidun?¡± Raea asked with wide eyes. ¡°When was this?¡± ¡°That was not my intention at first,¡± he said and scratched his cheek. ¡°I will tell you about it, but not here. Let¡¯s go to your lodgings and settle down.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I can include this in my report to my father too. If it is true that Anidun was recruiting subordinates here¡­¡± ¡°Then we can get merits for exposing it?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°That is certainly possible,¡± Raea said. ¡°Captain Ishim ordered a gathering of his followers. Could they all be related to this?¡± Chapter 54 Palan stood next to Raea on a porch, squinting his eyes at the blue pigeon flying away from them. A rolled up piece of paper that was twice the width of the bird was tied to its right talon. It continued to ascend until it was just a speck in the sky. ¡°That¡¯s really convenient,¡± Palan said. ¡°It knows where to go?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°Pigeons always know how to fly back home,¡± she said. ¡°We paint them depending on which area they came from. Once they reach their home, the people that take care of them remove the letter and deliver it to the addressee. It¡¯s not perfect, but it works the majority of the time. It should take a few days for the letter to reach my father. All we can do now is wait.¡± She turned around and opened the door. ¡°Since Captain Ishim left without giving us further orders, shall I teach you how to read and write now?¡± Palan sighed. ¡°There¡¯s really nothing else to do?¡± he asked as he followed Raea inside. Owen was sitting on a couch with his hands clasped in his lap, staring at the table in front of him. His eyes were half-closed, and he didn¡¯t react when Palan walked into the room. ¡°Did you have something else in mind?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no problem, right? Knowing how to read and write is essential.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve survived just fine without knowing,¡± Palan said and snorted. He took a seat on the couch across from Owen. ¡°I¡¯ll get more paper,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes as she walked up a flight of steps, disappearing from view. Palan grunted as he leaned back and stared at Owen while he stretched out his legs. His feet touched something furry. ¡°Hey,¡± Palan said. Owen didn¡¯t respond, still staring at the table. Palan picked up the quill that Raea wrote the letter with and threw it at Owen¡¯s face. The angel flinched as it left a streak of ink on his cheek. He raised his head and stared at Palan. ¡°What?¡± Owen said and frowned. He picked up the quill and placed it back onto the table. ¡°Your face irritates me,¡± Palan said. ¡°Leave.¡± Owen¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at Palan. He hesitated before sighing. ¡°Alright,¡± he said and nodded once. He stood up and shuffled out of the building, closing the door behind him as Palan watched. ¡°Wow,¡± a voice said from beneath the table. Cleo¡¯s head appeared near Palan¡¯s legs, and she climbed onto the couch. ¡°That was rude. I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t get mad at you.¡± ¡°He reminded me of someone unpleasant,¡± Palan said and ground his teeth. He spat a tooth into the palm of his hand and flicked it towards Cleo. ¡°That bastard used to watch me with those exact same eyes when I got whipped.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Cleo asked and tilted her head. She placed the tooth into her pouch while continuing to stare at the side of Palan¡¯s face. The demon¡¯s eyes narrowed as he absentmindedly cracked his knuckles. The scars on his back itched. Palan exhaled and turned his head towards Cleo. ¡°What are you doing with all my teeth anyway?¡± he asked. The orange lizardman blinked at him and revealed a toothy smile. ¡°I¡¯m making a necklace,¡± Cleo said and opened her bag. She pulled out a string that passed through six teeth. ¡°The shape of your teeth is very ¡­ necklacey?¡± She nodded as she took out a needle and proceeded to thread it through her newly obtained tooth. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Weirdo,¡± Palan said as he watched the lizardman work while humming to herself. Cleo stuck her tongue out at him before putting her supplies back into her pouch. The floor behind them creaked as Raea walked down the stairs with a stack of blank papers in her hands. ¡°Where¡¯d Owen go?¡± Raea asked as she placed the papers onto the table and sat next to Palan. Cleo opened her mouth. ¡°He¡ª¡± ¡°Ran away like a coward,¡± Palan said. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she leaned over the table and picked up the quill. ¡°He has been acting a bit strange after everyone died,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°They were like brothers to him. They grew up and did everything together after my father took them in.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem that sad,¡± Cleo said as she stared at Raea dipping the quill into the inkwell. The lizardman had pestered Carmella until she revealed the full details of everything involving Palan. ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to be sad after I got them killed. They all died because of me,¡± Raea said, her face expressionless. She began to write the letters of the alphabet on the paper and nudged Palan. ¡°You should study hard now before Captain Ishim returns. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be generous enough to give us a lot of free time.¡± *** An angel picked up a rolled up piece of paper in front of the door. She was wearing a white bathrobe while carrying a basket of laundry. ¡°Honey,¡± she called out and walked into a kitchen. ¡°Raea sent you a letter.¡± She placed the paper down in front of a male angel who was sipping on a cup of tea while reading a book. ¡°Oh?¡± the male angel asked and raised an eyebrow. He placed the book down and picked up the letter. He broke the wax seal and unfurled the paper. At first, he smiled while reading the paper, but his face gradually hardened as his gaze traveled down the page. He exhaled as he put the letter down and raised his head to meet his wife¡¯s stare. ¡°Well?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked. ¡°What did it say?¡± ¡°Read it yourself,¡± the man said and offered her the letter. She took the paper and started to read. ¡°She seems to be doing well,¡± Raea¡¯s mother mumbled. She raised an eyebrow. ¡°She contracted a pride demon?¡± Her husband didn¡¯t say anything as she continued to read. The corners of her lips turned downwards. ¡°Those five¡­¡± she mumbled as her hands trembled. Another moment passed. She gasped. ¡°Anidun?¡± She turned her head to look at Raea¡¯s father. ¡°You think everything written is true?¡± he asked. ¡°This could lead to a major incident that will be recorded in the history books. How far do you think Anidun¡¯s influence has spread?¡± ¡°Of course everything is true. Do you remember that one and only time Raea ever lied?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked. ¡°About eating the last cookie? She was bedridden for a month afterwards.¡± The man sighed. ¡°It looks like I have to go to the council on my day off,¡± he said as he stood up. Chapter 55 Loud church bells rang, their echoes traveling over the rows of buildings. The two suns blazed overhead as angels and demons scrambled to put on their armor and assemble in neat rows. Streams of elephants walked out of enclosures and joined the ranks, led by a few angels with whips. A bald angel wearing full red armor that seemed to be made of the same material as Anidun¡¯s dagger stood at the head of the assembled troops, facing them. He held his helmet underneath his right arm and a battleaxe in his left. Behind him, a figure stood fully dressed in a dull gray suit of armor. ¡°Attention!¡± The bald angel said, his voice was crisp and easily heard by all the assembled people. ¡°I am sure many of you have questions, since we have not assembled like this for a decade. However! It is not your job to ask questions. It is your job to follow orders. Am I understood?!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The two words were like thunder, the sound booming through the whole second sector¡ªperhaps even heard by the farmers in the third. The bald angel nodded and crossed his arms as he scanned the rows of angels with a measly amount of demons. Their backs were straight with one arm held in a salute. He scowled and pointed at an empty space in front of a block of soldiers. ¡°Where is Colonel Uzziel?¡± the man asked. ¡°You.¡± He pointed at the frontmost angel behind the empty space. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Fetching his demon, sir!¡± the singled-out soldier said. The bald angel scowled. Meanwhile, in a building five blocks away from the plaza where the army assembled, Colonel Uzziel kicked down a door and stepped inside a bedroom. He had short hair and wore green armor with a star-shaped badge in the center of the cuirass. He shouted, ¡°You demon! I called you over thirty times now and you are still lazing around in bed!?¡± The only response was a muffled grunt and the sound of shuffling sheets. Uzziel marched over to the side of the bed and grabbed the edge of the blanket. In one motion, he twisted his waist and arms, flinging the blanket into the air behind him. A female demon, fully-dressed in plate gear lied on the bed with her face planted into the pillow. Her silky black hair was unkempt and billowed out to the sides, the ends reaching the bottom of her back. She said with a voice muffled by the pillow, ¡°Let me ¡­ sleep ¡­ for five ¡­ more ¡­ days.¡± ¡°Get up!¡± Uzziel shouted and yanked the pillow out from underneath her head. Snoring sounds rang throughout the room. Uzziel buried his face into his hands. ¡°Why did I get so unlucky with my summon? Why, Creator? Why? I thought you gave me a mission to turn this demon into a more diligent and productive one. Was I mistaken?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the demon said and turned onto her side, curling up into a ball. Uzziel¡¯s face cramped. ¡°The assembly bell has been rung! General Michael will skin me alive if I arrive any later,¡± he said. ¡°Your problem.¡± Uzziel ground his teeth. ¡°I, Uzziel Desti, command you, sloth demon Tara, to get out of bed and accompany me to the assembled army.¡± A long drawn-out breath escaped from Tara¡¯s lips. Her eyes opened, revealing a pair of bright red irises. She yawned as she sat up and blinked a few times before turning her head towards Uzziel. She smiled at him, revealing a row of relatively normal teeth except for two pointed fangs. Her voice was raspy, yet pleasant to the ears. ¡°According to our contract, you can only give me two more commands to follow this year.¡± Uzziel¡¯s face hardened. ¡°I know,¡± he said as he whirled around and took a step forward. ¡°Wait.¡± Uzziel sighed. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Carry me?¡± ¡°No!¡± It was Tara¡¯s turn to sigh. She stared at the blanket that Uzziel discarded onto the floor. She narrowed her eyes at it, and a moment later, it rose into the air, flying towards her. It wrapped around her body and lifted her off of the bed, causing her to float in midair. A piece of string unwound itself from the blanket and tied itself to Uzziel¡¯s hand, pulling her along as the angel walked. Tara¡¯s eyes were closed as Uzziel walked like a child carrying a balloon until he arrived at the empty spot reserved for him in the army. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°What is this?¡± the bald angel asked, mouth slightly parted as he stared at Tara who was starting to let out a few light snores while still floating in the air. ¡°My demon, sir! You have never seen her before because she is always sleeping, but due to the gravity of the situation, I brought her this time,¡± Uzziel said and saluted with the hand holding the string. Even though the string rose into the air, Tara continued to float at the same altitude. ¡°I apologize for my tardiness, General Michael.¡± A shiver ran down Michael¡¯s spine as he frowned and stared at Tara. When was the last time he felt even remotely threatened? He nodded at Uzziel before returning to his spot at the head of the army. Uzziel¡¯s face contorted in surprise as he raised an eyebrow and parted his lips. His body relaxed as he realized he was not going to be punished, but it quickly stiffened again as Michael turned around to face the army and spoke. Tara¡¯s eyes shot open as she stared at Michael, and she furrowed her brow. ¡°Who is that?¡± she whispered to Uzziel. ¡°General Michael,¡± Uzziel whispered back. ¡°Archangel of temperance, diligence, humility, and chastity. We, the officers, call him Stormbringer. He usually serves on the council and does routine inspections of the army, but it seems like he is personally leading us this time around.¡± ¡°¡ªand with that, we march!¡± Michael said, lifting his battleaxe into the air. The giant metal doors behind the plaza screeched as they swung fully open for the first time in a decade. The army passed through, marching side by side with their war elephants into the third sector. The angel overseers who maintained the farms stared at the passing army with their mouths agape. The halfling slaves crouched down and hid beneath the crops, unwilling to even look at the procession. *** Ishim let out a hollow laugh as he stood inside of the cave that Anidun died in. Behind him, the new lizardman chieftain, Nazgar, stood with a torch in his claws. Ishim asked, ¡°You saw the body for yourself? He is truly dead?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nazgar nodded. A bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck. ¡°Where is Ulric?¡± Ishim asked as he exited the cave. ¡°His demon.¡± ¡°Possibly dead?¡± Nazgar said, unsure of whether he was asking a question of making a statement. ¡°An angel came by and brought his axes to us, saying our warrior was in danger and needed to pass on a message to our guardian.¡± ¡°¡ªless,¡± Ishim muttered, his body shaking. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said,¡± Ishim said as a vortex of orange flames danced around his body, ¡°you¡¯re all useless!¡± He roared, and the flames around him turned black, rapidly expanding outwards. Nazgar¡¯s body was instantly incinerated and the boulder that Anidun resided in began to glow red and melt. Screams echoed through the lizardmen¡¯s city as the straw roofs of the buildings on the outskirt of the city caught fire due to the extreme temperature. The black flames spread and the stone roads and buildings caught fire. Ishim stared at the suns in the sky, oblivious to the wailing of the lizardmen as a single tear rolled down his face and dropped to the ground. ¡°Sir Anidun,¡± Ishim said and clenched his hands while closing his eyes. ¡°All those years ago, you took me in, raised me as your own when no one wanted a child born of wrath. I will not forget what you have done for me. I swore my life to you. Even when you were crippled by your first contract breach, I stood by your side and fed you countless number of greater angels, but in the end, I still failed you.¡± Ishim sighed as he opened his eyes. Black smoke surrounded him, obscuring his vision. The city was silent. ¡°You once told me I should never lose myself to wrath. I have not forgotten those words, have not forgotten any of your words.¡± Ishim closed his eyes again and inhaled. The smell of burnt meat assaulted his nose. ¡°But just this once, I am going to disobey you. I will avenge you.¡± When he reopened his eyes, black flames and purple thunder danced in the whites of his eyes. ¡°The council will pay with their blood.¡± Chapter 56 Palan sat on a wooden chair, hunched over a desk with a quill in his hands. Papers lay scattered over the tabletop, their pages filled to the edges with ink. Raea stood beside Palan, observing his work as he muttered while writing the same letter over and over. Raea asked, ¡°And what sound does this letter make?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll seriously kill you if you ask me that one more time,¡± Palan said as the quill snapped in his hand. Raea pouted. ¡°Can¡¯t you just let me have my fun? It¡¯s not every day that I get to be better than you at something,¡± she said. Palan glared at her, causing her to sigh. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± She passed him a thin book. ¡°This is a beginner level book that I found for you. It is unbelievably difficult to find reading material in this outpost.¡± Palan looked at the cover. ¡°The Little Dog That Couldn¡¯t,¡± he said and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re genuinely trying to help me or insulting my intelligence.¡± ¡°Is it too easy?¡± Raea asked and scratched her head. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be better to build a foundation first.¡± The door to the room swung open before Palan could respond. Cleo walked into the room carrying a bundle of food wrapped in leaves. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± she said and placed the bundle onto Palan¡¯s lap. ¡°It was really crowded outside. There were lots of people coming in from the gates. I saw a lot of lizardmen and goblins.¡± Her cheeks puffed up. ¡°They were really rude too.¡± ¡°They must be the subordinates Captain Ishim wanted to gather,¡± Raea said. ¡°It¡¯s odd that he hasn¡¯t returned yet. It shouldn¡¯t take more than a week to go to the lizardmen¡¯s city and back.¡± ¡°We should leave before Ishim comes back,¡± Palan said as he unwrapped the leaves and took a bite out of the meat inside. ¡°Leave?¡± Raea asked. ¡°This place.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Why?¡± Palan shrugged as he took another bite and swallowed without chewing. ¡°Just a feeling,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡¯m feeling restless from staying indoors for over a week.¡± ¡°We cannot leave,¡± Raea said. ¡°Not without Captain Ishim¡¯s permission or else we¡¯ll be treated as deserters.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°The punishment for desertion is death,¡± Raea said. ¡°It¡¯ll be impossible to even get close to the capital if you¡¯re a deserter. We¡¯ll be killed at the checkpoints. And even if we somehow manage to make it to the capital, my family would instantly turn me in.¡± ¡°You angels really have a thing for killing people, huh? What happened to forgiveness?¡± Cleo asked as she climbed up the back of Palan¡¯s chair and rested her chin on his head. ¡°We just brand our deserters and exile them from the tribe.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t make the rules,¡± she said. ¡°I do not approve of death penalties. Everyone deserves a second chance.¡± There was a knock on the door. Raea raised an eyebrow and looked at Palan, but he was busy discarding the leaves in his lap. She pursed her lips before walking to the door and opened it. An angel who was a head shorter than her held out a letter. He asked, ¡°Are you Lieutenant Raea Caelum? There is a letter for her.¡± Raea nodded and took the rolled up parchment. Binding it was a wax seal with two crossing wings which were similar to the ones on her badge. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said and closed the door as the angel saluted and ran away. She hesitated before breaking the seal and unfurling the paper. Her brow furrowed as she read the letter. She sighed after she finished reading. ¡°What happened?¡± Cleo asked as Raea walked back towards the desk. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Let me see,¡± Palan said and snatched the letter out of Raea¡¯s hands. His eyes slowly but steadily traced the lines on the paper. Seconds turned into minutes as Raea and Cleo stared at him, waiting expectantly. ¡°Who¡¯s the Stormbringer?¡± ¡°One of the strongest angels on the council even though he has aged a lot,¡± Raea said. ¡°He¡¯s the one who forced the frost giants back north when they invaded over thirty years ago. Did you understand everything on the letter?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Is that your pride speaking?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Tell me what¡¯s happening!¡± Cleo said and pouted as her tail swished behind her. ¡°The Stormbringer is leading an army of one thousand people over here, and he wants to meet with Raea,¡± Palan said. ¡°Whether he takes action or not against Ishim and his people depends on how the conversation with Raea goes. Am I right?¡± He turned his head towards Raea. ¡°I guess I really did do you an injustice by buying you that book,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re correct.¡± ¡°And that part about earning enough merits to move up a sector?¡± Palan asked. ¡°If things go well, we should end up in the third sector by the end of this month,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°One step closer to the capital.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Palan said and smiled. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Who¡¯s stronger? The Stormbringer or Sariel?¡± ¡°Probably the Stormbringer? Sariel has never fought publicly,¡± Raea said. ¡°But strength isn¡¯t everything. Sariel plays a more vital role to the capital¡¯s well-being.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said as he leaned back, balancing on the hind legs of his chair. The room was oddly silent. The noisy atmosphere outside of the building had disappeared. Raea frowned and looked out the window. The angels were standing at attention and a figure could be seen approaching them from the distance. ¡°It seems like Captain Ishim is back,¡± Raea said. She bit her lip as she continued to watch Ishim walk towards the building. A crowd of angels and halflings followed behind him. ¡°And it looks like he¡¯s coming this way?¡± Ishim met her eyes through the window. His eyes were completely red with no traces of white. Raea frowned as he mouthed something. The door to the room exploded with a bang as a scaled foot pierced through from outside. Raea stiffened and Palan sighed as he got off his chair, unsheathing Anidun¡¯s dagger. He said, ¡°I told you we should¡¯ve left. My gut feelings are never wrong.¡± A flood of angels and halflings poured into the room as Raea retreated behind Palan. Cleo frowned as she scampered behind the duo. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Raea asked. Ishim walked into the room, standing behind his crowd of subordinates. ¡°We¡¯re doing some housecleaning,¡± he said. ¡°You have two options: swear loyalty to me or die. I hope you¡¯re smarter than those fools by the barracks.¡± Blood dripped from the soldiers¡¯ unsheathed weapons. ¡°Bind them,¡± Palan whispered to Raea. She nodded and chains flew out of her back, rushing towards the crowd in front of them. ¡°Emil,¡± Ishim said. A fully armored figure stepped forward and stretched out its hand. A white light flashed and the chains vanished. Ishim smiled. ¡°Did you really think I would come unprepared?¡± ¡°Charity nullification?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. Ishim ignored her question. He narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Seize her. It doesn¡¯t matter if she loses a few limbs. A Caelum is a great hostage, even if she¡¯s a disgrace.¡± Chapter 57 ¡°Why didn¡¯t your chains work?¡± Palan asked Raea as Cleo clung to his leg. The angels in the room seemed uncertain as they took hesitant steps towards Palan. Unfortunately, neither he nor Raea were wearing their armor. A lance thrust towards Palan. He snorted, and Anidun¡¯s dagger flashed across the angels¡¯ vision, cutting off the tip of the lance. Palan edged towards the window while glaring at the angels standing across from him. ¡°Charity nullifies any ability within a certain range,¡± Raea said as she continued to hide behind Palan. ¡°So right now, you¡¯re completely useless,¡± Palan said as he fended off another attack. ¡°Even now, you can find time to insult me?¡± ¡°Why are you buffoons hesitating!?¡± Ishim roared. ¡°Charge them all at once.¡± He kicked the back of an angel in front of him, causing the fellow to tumble forward. Palan furrowed his brow as all the angels took a step forward in unison. He turned around and hugged Raea to his chest with his left arm before defenestrating himself, going back first. Cleo screamed and closed her eyes as the glass shattered, wrapping herself even tighter on Palan¡¯s leg, her tail curling around his calf multiple times. Palan winced as glass shards dug into his back, but he scrambled to his feet¡ªstill holding onto Raea¡ªand dashed past the stunned crowd. ¡°Warn me the next time you decide to do something crazy like jumping through a window?¡± Raea asked and frowned as she freed one of her hands and picked glass shards out of Palan¡¯s hair. She pursed her lips when she saw multiple cuts on Palan¡¯s arms and back. Her hand glowed white as she closed her eyes and touched his shoulder. Fragments of glass were forced out of his body as his wounds wriggled and closed. Palan increased his speed and headed in a straight line towards the towering outpost wall. A horde of angels chased them from behind, shouting at them to stop. An angel walked out of an alley in front of Palan, staring up at the sky, completely oblivious to the chase happening. Palan released Raea, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck and legs around his waist in order to not fall, and grabbed the bystander by the collar of his shirt. Before the unfortunate soul could react, Palan swung his arm upwards, causing the man to scream as he was tossed straight up into the air. He flailed his arms and legs before landing on top of the pursuing crowd of angels. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice,¡± Cleo said as she turned her head to watch the angels stumble behind them. Her vision bobbed up and down as Palan¡¯s legs moved. ¡°You¡¯re next if you keep talking,¡± Palan said, eyes focused on the wall ahead. Cleo¡¯s cheeks puffed up as she shut her mouth and stared at the approaching wall. Palan leapt into the air and sank his dagger into the wall horizontally. He braced himself with his feet, slightly bending his knees to reduce the impact. He punched the wooden wall with his left hand, causing it to splinter as a hole was formed. Supporting himself with his left hand, he pulled the dagger out of the wall and stabbed it above. He climbed up the wall in this manner, ignoring the approaching crowd of angels. A few fireballs were directed at him, but Raea deflected them with her glowing chains as she clung onto Palan, her chin resting on his shoulder. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. One corner of Raea¡¯s lips turned upwards. ¡°See? I¡¯m not completely useLESS?!¡± She shrieked in concert with Cleo as Palan jumped off the top of the wall. Cleo whimpered as the impact with the ground ran through her body. ¡°That hurt,¡± she said with tears forming in her eyes, digging her claws into Palan¡¯s thighs. ¡°Raea can heal you,¡± Palan said, not looking down as he started to sprint away from the outpost into the surrounding forest. ¡°Warn me!¡± Raea said in a voice similar to a banshee¡¯s. She took in a deep breath. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to warn me when you were going to do something crazy?¡± ¡°Was that crazy?¡± Palan asked. The surroundings darkened as the trees blocked out the sun. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as no one dies, right?¡± ¡°No!¡± Raea sighed when Palan chose not to respond. ¡°How long are you planning to run for?¡± ¡°Until I can¡¯t smell the outpost anymore,¡± Palan said. ¡°Or when I reach that stupid wolf. I can smell it nearby.¡± ¡°How do you know it¡¯s EV and not some other wolf?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Cause this wolf smells like a lizardman farted on it.¡± Cleo pouted. ¡°It was only once or twice ¡­ a day.¡± The group fell silent as Palan continued deeper into the forest. He eventually made it to where Emergency Victuals was hunting, startling the prey. The dire wolf didn¡¯t seem to mind when it saw that it was Palan who scared away its meal. Palan stopped moving and said, ¡°Get off of me.¡± Raea released herself and stretched while Cleo let go of Palan¡¯s leg, looking slightly guilty at the puncture wounds in his thigh. Raea frowned as she looked at the trail that Palan left when he entered the forest. ¡°I hope Owen, Carmella, and Gerome are unharmed,¡± she said. ¡°Is Captain Ishim trying to continue the coup that Anidun started a decade ago?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still calling him captain?¡± Palan asked and snorted as he lay down on the grass and sprawled out his limbs. Raea¡¯s lips slanted into a crooked smile. She smoothed out her hair. ¡°I wonder if we¡¯re still counted as deserters?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know how your inane laws work. You should just meet up with the Stormbringer and tell him the situation. He did bring an army as a just in case.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°The letter said that the army was coming by foot from the second sector. It should take around another week before they arrive here. For now, we should head towards the checkpoint and wait for their arrival.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the checkpoint?¡± ¡°To the northeast,¡± Raea said. ¡°As long as we head in a straight line, we¡¯ll hit the wall. Then we can ask the patrols where the Stormbringer is entering from.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I want to see these checkpoints for myself,¡± he said. His eyes narrowed as he stared up at the sky, the cool ground relaxing the muscles in his back. His eyes shifted towards Raea who was busy healing Cleo. She noticed his gaze and smiled at him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Palan stared up at the sky again. He wanted to see if the checkpoints were as impermeable as Raea made them out to be. Chapter 58 After traveling through the forest for a couple of days, Palan made it to the wall dividing the borderland and third sector. Cleo¡¯s mouth fell open as she stared up at the towering red structure. The wall was made out of the same material as Anidun¡¯s dagger. Its surface was smooth and reflective, leaving no purchase for climbing. ¡°How do you even make something like this?¡± she asked and tapped the wall. ¡°This makes a full circle?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°Unless you can fly, you won¡¯t be able to go over,¡± she said. She squinted her eyes and shielded them with her hand as she looked up. ¡°And even if you could, there are patrols up there too.¡± ¡°This is pretty impressive,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. The wall was slanted towards him, the top hanging overhead. ¡°Are all the walls for the sectors like this?¡± ¡°The ones closer to the capital are taller,¡± Raea said. ¡°This is the shortest one. I think it¡¯s twenty feet tall?¡± She cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled, ¡°Anyone up there?¡± A few moments passed before the outline of a person appeared near the edge of the wall. The two suns were in the air behind the figure, making it impossible to discern the person¡¯s image. ¡°What is it?¡± the figure asked. ¡°Which way to the checkpoint?¡± Raea asked. The figure pointed towards the left. Raea bowed. ¡°Thank you.¡± The figure nodded before disappearing from view. Raea sighed as she raised her head. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take a bath when we reach the checkpoint. How many days has it been?¡± ¡°Two,¡± Cleo said as she climbed back onto Emergency Victuals. ¡°Only? It felt like so much longer,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever done this much walking before in my life.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°This is nothing,¡± he said as he started to walk towards the checkpoint, following the wall. ¡°I ran nonstop for a whole week before.¡± ¡°Of course you did,¡± Raea said and sighed as she massaged her feet before following after Palan. *** A procession of soldiers were walking along the road with fields of crops growing from either side. Leading the group was an armored elephant with a bald angel sitting on its back. His back was straight, and his arms were crossed as he stared straight ahead. A towering red wall could be seen in the distance with a black pair of double doors embedded in it. On either side of the doors were buildings that sat in the shadows of the wall. Michael turned his torso around to look at the army behind him. The soldiers looked lifeless as they marched along, the two suns bearing down from overhead. Michael clicked his tongue, but he understood their pain. Sixteen hours of marching every day for two weeks would do that to a person. Behind the soldiers, a procession of elephants traveled forward relentlessly, threatening to trample any stragglers. A floating gray blob caught his eye. It was the wrapped up sloth demon that Colonel Uzziel had contracted. The corner of his lips turned downwards as he turned back to face the approaching wall. How strong would a demon have to be in order to continuously exercise her power for two weeks? He had asked Uzziel why the demon didn¡¯t take a break while they were setting up camp one night. The colonel¡¯s response was, ¡°She is too lazy and does not want to wake up to cancel her power.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We are nearly there,¡± Michael said, his voice easily echoing over the thousand soldiers behind him. ¡°You have done well to keep pace, but it is only going to get harder starting tomorrow. We will recuperate at the checkpoint for the rest of today.¡± He believed his soldiers would have cheered if they weren¡¯t so exhausted. He had to make do with the sounds of their shuffling footsteps instead. The army approached the double doors, and they swung open. A male angel walked out with a few armored angels standing behind him. ¡°Welcome, General Michael,¡± the angel said and saluted. ¡°We have prepared the lodgings to accommodate your army. Also, there is an angel waiting to speak with you. She has been here for a few days now. Would you like to settle down first or should I send her to you?¡± Michael appraised the man standing beneath his elephant for a moment before speaking, ¡°I will meet with her now.¡± He dismounted from the elephant, kicking up a small cloud of dirt as he landed on the ground with his knees bent. He stood up and straightened his back, sending his gaze towards the saluting angel. The angel trembled. ¡°Very well,¡± he said as he lowered his hand. ¡°I will bring you to her.¡± He faced the armored angels standing behind him. ¡°Show the rest of the army their lodgings.¡± They nodded and walked around their superior, heading towards the waiting soldiers. The general followed after the angel and walked through the double doors. They rounded a corner and approached a one-story building. The angel knocked on the door. ¡°Lieutenant Raea,¡± he said. ¡°The general has arrived.¡± ¡°One moment,¡± Raea¡¯s voice said through the door. Michael crossed his arms over his chest and stared daggers at the door, almost as if he was trying to see past it. He wanted to see how his friend¡¯s daughter measured up to her father. The door opened, revealing Raea who wore a simple white robe. Palan stood behind her with Cleo peeking her head out from behind his legs. Raea¡¯s eyes met with Michael¡¯s and she involuntarily took a step back, taking in a breath. She exhaled and stepped forward before saluting. ¡°Lieutenant Raea greets the general.¡± Michael nodded and turned towards the angel who guided him here. ¡°You may leave,¡± he said. The angel saluted and ran away, almost as if he was expecting Michael to change his mind. The general chuckled at the retreating figure before turning his gaze back towards Raea. He entered the building as Raea stepped aside and dipped her head downwards. ¡°So you are Caelum¡¯s youngest daughter. Do you remember me?¡± Raea pursed her lips as she raised her head. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I do not.¡± Michael smiled at her. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± he said as he took a seat on the couch in the center of the room, ignoring Palan and Cleo. ¡°You were only a child the last time I met you. I still had my hair back then.¡± He glanced around the room. ¡°You¡¯re alone? Didn¡¯t that old man assign you any guards?¡± Raea bit her lip. ¡°My father did assign me guards,¡± she said. ¡°You will find out what happened to them soon.¡± She sat down on the couch across from Michael and placed her hands in her lap. Chapter 59 ¡°So Ishim is really intending on rebelling?¡± Michael asked as he rubbed his chin. His eyebrows were slightly creased as he made eye contact with Raea. ¡°And everything you say is true? There are no embellishments or hyperbole?¡± ¡°Yes. I swear that everything I just told you occurred exactly as it happened,¡± Raea said and nodded, turning her head towards Palan as if seeking his confirmation. The demon seemed relaxed, standing next to the couch with his right hand dangling loosely by his dagger, but Cleo knew that the muscles in his calves and hamstrings had been tensed ever since Michael stepped into the room. Palan chose to stay silent as he stared at Michael, ignoring Raea¡¯s gaze. Likewise, Michael didn¡¯t even seem to acknowledge Palan¡¯s existence, keeping his line of sight on Raea at all times. He asked her, ¡°Do you have any proof of Ishim¡¯s collaboration with Anidun? Just the word of a single angel is not enough to proclaim him guilty, even if your old man thinks it is.¡± ¡°I am an angel of kindness,¡± Raea said, creasing her brow. ¡°I do not lie.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that,¡± Michael said as he crossed his arms. ¡°But at the same time, you were exiled to the borderland for a reason. You should realize that this fact alone brings your credentials down. The world would be in chaos if people were punished because of the single accusation of a child.¡± ¡°But Captain Ishim is gathering all of the lieutenants and forcing the soldiers to join them,¡± Raea said and clenched her hands, wrinkling the robe¡¯s cloth at her lap. ¡°You will see that I am not lying when you go there to confront him.¡± ¡°That may indeed be the case,¡± Michael said and nodded, ¡°but I have to see it for myself first. Of course, I will proceed keeping your words in mind. I am not conceited enough to believe that I am invincible just because I have the support of the army; despite my old age, I am very keen and mindful of things like ambushes. I have been sent here as the judge, jury, and executioner, but before I can do any of that, I must know all the details from both sides of the story.¡± Raea lowered her head. ¡°I understand,¡± she said. ¡°I have said what I needed to say.¡± She turned towards Palan. ¡°Do you have anything you wish to add?¡± ¡°Do you consult with your demon often?¡± Michael asked before Palan could say anything. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raea asked and turned towards Michael, a slight frown on her face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let your demon speak lest he start to influence you,¡± Michael said. ¡°Dogs are meant to be commanded¡ªnot placed in charge. We are the ones using them. Do not forget that.¡± Palan narrowed his eyes and gripped the handle of his dagger. ¡°Wh¡ª¡± The room seemed to explode as a bolt of red thunder snaked out of Michael¡¯s eyes and slammed into Palan¡¯s solar plexus, launching him off his feet into the wall behind him. A series of cracks formed in a web-like pattern around Palan¡¯s torso on the stone wall before he slid to the floor, leaving a trail of blood. His chest and abdomen were torn open, his organs visible through the mangled flesh, and the splintered fragments of his sternum littered the floor. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea shouted as she jumped off the couch and ran to his side. She could see the bloody flesh in his chest, pulsing up and down in time with his heart. She pressed her hands against his shoulders and closed her eyes. Her hands started to glow, the intensity of the light increasing as her grasp tightened. Cleo had to close her eyes and turn her head away to prevent herself from being blinded. A groan escaped from Palan¡¯s lips along with a mouthful of black blood. The edges of his wounds squirmed and wriggled as new flesh grew in strands, twisting around each other. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Five minutes passed, and Raea opened her eyes. The wounds on Palan¡¯s body were completely healed. Raea tried to stand, but wobbled and fell over onto Palan. Her body trembled and sweat seemed to leak from every part of her body, drenching her robe. She noticed Michael¡¯s feet behind her, but couldn¡¯t raise her head to look up at him. ¡°Impressive,¡± the general said. ¡°Although it seems like you won¡¯t be able to move for a while, you were almost able to heal on an archangel¡¯s level. You focused on mending him too much and disregarded the toll it would take on his body. He probably feels more exhausted than you right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Palan said, blood dripping from his mouth. His bright-red eyes seemed to glow as he glared at Michael, unable to even raise his hands to push Raea off of his body. A visible green ball of wind flowed from Michael¡¯s right hand. It rushed towards Palan¡¯s face, slamming the back of his head into the wall with a cracking sound. ¡°Who said you could speak?¡± the archangel said as he stared into Palan¡¯s dimming eyes. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the little Caelum¡¯s contract with you, I would have killed you four times over.¡± Michael directed his gaze at Raea. ¡°I know you were envious of your siblings and wanted a demon for yourself, but there¡¯s a reason why that old man wouldn¡¯t let you make a contract. You should get rid of this thing as soon as possible. He¡¯s not a good fit for you; a sloth would suit you the best.¡± He frowned when Raea didn¡¯t reply, but shrugged it off. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to keep watch over you. Until I figure out the facts of the case, you will be treated as a potential deserter. Personally, I don¡¯t think that would be necessary, but protocols are protocols.¡± He turned around and walked out of the room, leaving behind two people collapsed in a heap and a shivering orange lizardman. A frown was plastered on Michael¡¯s face as he walked back through the pair of double doors, towards the lodgings for his army. The white light that Raea emitted was replaying in his mind. In order to heal someone on that level at such a young age, the number of lies she must¡¯ve told would have to be no greater than two throughout her whole life. It seemed like he really had to prepare himself for a war. He arrived at a building and pushed open the door. ¡°Uzziel,¡± he said, staring at the room¡¯s occupant. ¡°I need you to watch over a lieutenant for me.¡± Uzziel raised an eyebrow. The blanket string was still attached to his hand as Tara floated in the air beside him. ¡°I will do as you ask,¡± he said and saluted, ¡°but why me?¡± Everyone in the Stormbringer¡¯s army was capable of watching over a lieutenant. ¡°She made a contract with a troublesome demon,¡± Michael said. ¡°I do not think anything will happen, but I believe you are capable of managing if worse comes to worst.¡± ¡°Troublesome demon, huh?¡± Uzziel muttered as his gaze drifted towards the softly snoring Tara. ¡°I think I can relate. Leave it to me, General.¡± Chapter 60 Palan groaned as his eyes focused on the white ceiling in his vision. He sat up, wincing as the flesh on his torso burned in protest. ¡°So you finally woke up,¡± a voice said. Palan turned his head and saw Uzziel sitting on a chair in front of the door to the room. He saw Raea sleeping on a bed in the corner of his vision. ¡°I was under the impression you were a sloth.¡± The angel gestured towards the floor beside his bed. Tara was sleeping on her side, hugging Cleo to her stomach. Palan made eye contact with the orange lizardman. Her beady black eyes were watery as she stared up at him, lips quivering. ¡°Help,¡± she said, struggling to move her arms that were pinned to her side. Palan ignored Cleo and focused his gaze on Uzziel. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. He frowned as his hands sifted through his bedsheets, looking for his dagger and pouch. ¡°I put your belongings in the drawer next to you,¡± Uzziel said as he raised an eyebrow at Palan¡¯s actions. ¡°My name is Uzziel. I am a colonel serving under General Michael. I was assigned to watch over you two in case you plan on fleeing.¡± Palan ground his teeth together and narrowed his eyes at the mention of Michael¡¯s name. He spat a tooth out onto the ground and swung his feet over the side of his bed. He stood up and promptly fell over as a sudden sense of weakness assaulted his body, landing on top of Tara and Cleo. Cleo squeaked while Tara snorted and murmured as she rolled onto her other side. ¡°You should stay in bed,¡± Uzziel said as Palan propped himself up with his arms. ¡°I saw the carnage in the other room. I thought I saw portions of your ribs on the ground. Be a good demon and listen, alright?¡± Palan¡¯s chest burned as he got off the floor and glared at Uzziel. His vision turned red as he clenched his jaw, hot flashes burning his neck and face. ¡°Hey now,¡± Uzziel said and tilted his head as Palan took a step towards him. ¡°No need to react like that.¡± There was something about his voice that Palan couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. His vision gradually cleared and his body untensed. Uzziel smiled. ¡°Just relax and rest in bed, yeah?¡± Palan frowned as he sat down on the edge of the bed. His body moved against his will as he lay down underneath the covers. ¡°What did you do to me?¡± he asked, turning his head towards Uzziel. The colonel grinned and shrugged. ¡°Try not to think too hard about it. Just be quiet and lie there for me.¡± ¡°Are you an angel of chastity?¡± Raea¡¯s voice sounded out from the other side of the room. Palan gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to speak, but no sounds escaped from his lips. ¡°Bingo,¡± Uzziel said and smiled. ¡°It feels so great to actually have my power work on a demon for once.¡± His face hardened as he stared at Tara. The sleeping demon¡¯s arm rose, her hand forming a fist. The three conscious people in the room¡ªnot including Cleo¡ªstared at the hand. A middle finger rose up. Uzziel snorted and rolled his eyes before facing Raea. ¡°So you are Elrith¡¯s youngest sister? You two look nothing alike.¡± ¡°You know my brother?¡± Raea asked, biting her lower lip. ¡°Yeah,¡± Uzziel said and nodded. ¡°I went to school with him. How is he? I heard he was poisoned by someone with envy.¡± Raea¡¯s already red face turned even redder as she lowered her head and stared at the wall beside her. She mumbled, ¡°He is doing fine.¡± Cleo let out a squeak as Tara¡¯s embrace tightened around her scaly body. The sloth demon yawned and opened her eyes as she sat up. ¡°Where is this?¡± she asked, blinking a few times. She glanced at Cleo, her arms still wrapped around her. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Please let me go,¡± Cleo said and pouted. Tara tilted her head, staring at Cleo with half-open eyes. She shook her head and yawned. Cleo squirmed and let out a wail. ¡°Palan. Save me.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Tara turned her head to look at Palan who was still lying on the bed. ¡°A regular demon?¡± she asked and poked his cheek. Palan bit at her finger, but found that he couldn¡¯t fully close his mouth. Instead, his body floated into the air and rotated with his arms spread out to the side. Tara rose to her feet and inspected his half-naked body. ¡°How did you come here?¡± Uzziel¡¯s mouth fell open as he stared at Tara. ¡°Who are you and what have you done to my demon?¡± ¡°Hush,¡± Tara said and stroked her chin, dropping Cleo onto the ground. Tara¡¯s eyes were fully open and staring at Palan who was now hanging upside down. She glanced at Uzziel and pointed at Palan. ¡°Let him speak.¡± Uzziel raised an eyebrow and nodded. ¡°What is with you freaks? I¡¯ll kill every last one of you.¡± Palan spat a glob of spit at Tara. It stopped in front of her face and fell straight to the floor. ¡°Strong words for such a weak person,¡± Tara said. Palan¡¯s body fell to the bed like a puppet with its strings cut. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Palan glared at her as he reoriented himself. ¡°A son of a bi¡ª¡± Before he could finish speaking, his body buckled over and was thrown into the wall at the side of the bed. Tara nodded and said, ¡°I thought so. You didn¡¯t come from Haalbeh. Even though it¡¯s been three years since I¡¯ve ascended, I¡¯m pretty sure I left a big enough impression to not be forgotten.¡± Palan¡¯s body shuddered, and a trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth as he raised his head. Tara¡¯s eyes shone as she looked into his eyes. ¡°Sleeping Calamity. Does that mean anything to you?¡± Palan smiled as he stared into Tara¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes. It does,¡± he said, enunciating every word slowly. ¡°Get a cactus and stick it u¡ª¡± Tara sighed and shook her head as Palan was thrown at the wall again. ¡°I guess you¡¯re just some unlucky guy who tripped and fell into a random portal,¡± she said. ¡°It would¡¯ve been interesting if you got here the normal way as a regular demon.¡± She yawned and sat back onto her blanket on the floor. A squeaking sound resounded through the room as Cleo was lifted tail first into the air and thrown into Tara¡¯s waiting embrace. She closed her eyes and snuggled the protesting lizardman before resting on her side. Raea¡¯s mouth hung open as she watched the interaction between Tara and Palan. Uzziel scratched his nose. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s just how she is. I could help you replace your demon if you want.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act as if I died,¡± Palan said and snarled as he sat up. ¡°Be quiet,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡± Palan opened his mouth and yelled, but it was soundless. He screamed in silent frustration, staring at Uzziel with blood-red eyes. Raea let out a gasp and collapsed forward in her bed as her chest started to shine with a blue glow. She shrieked as a pair of translucent wings formed on Palan¡¯s back. Blue flecks of light streamed from her body towards Palan. Uzziel¡¯s face hardened, and Tara scrambled to her feet, distancing herself from Palan while dropping Cleo. The space around Palan crackled and distorted. A snapping sound echoed through the room as the bed collapsed underneath his body, and he rose to his feet. He took a step forward. The floorboards contorted and bowed inwards as if a great weight was placed on them. Palan opened his mouth to speak, glaring at Uzziel. Even though no words came out, the colonel easily understood what he was trying to say. I¡¯ll kill you. Chapter 61 Uzziel frowned as he crossed his legs and leaned back into his chair, staring at the approaching demon. He tapped his chin and tilted his head. ¡°That magic,¡± he said. Before the words even escaped from his lips, Palan had already stuck his fingers in his ears. ¡°He¡¯s a pride demon?¡± Uzziel turned his head to look at Raea. Her body was collapsed forward on the bed, unmoving. He clicked his tongue and faced Palan again. He shouted, ¡°Halt!¡± Cleo¡¯s body stiffened and fell over. Palan took his fingers out of his ears. Blood trickled from them as he continued to walk forward, the wood splintering beneath his feet. Laughter echoed through the room as Tara sat on the foot of Raea¡¯s bed, watching Palan approach her contractor. ¡°He punctured his own ear drums,¡± she said and smiled. ¡°What are you going to do now, Uzzy?¡± Uzziel narrowed his eyes as he climbed off the chair and picked up a sword that was resting beside him against the wall. ¡°Why are you acting like this doesn¡¯t concern you?¡± he shot a glance at Tara who was yawning and asked. ¡°Ah, what was that?¡± Tara asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you over my yawn. It¡¯s your fault for breaking his pride. You can take care of him.¡± She crawled towards Raea and reached over her body, taking the angel¡¯s pillow. Uzziel snorted. ¡°You¡¯re the one who tossed him around,¡± he said as he pointed his sword at Palan. ¡°It¡¯ll be troublesome for you if I die.¡± Uzziel hooked his foot underneath the chair beside him and kicked forward, launching it at Palan. Palan placed his hand in front of his body and blocked the chair. The instant the wood made contact with his palm, it accelerated towards the floor and splintered into pieces. Uzziel stepped forward and swung his sword right after he kicked the chair. The blade sliced downwards through the air towards Palan¡¯s outstretched arm. The edge of the sword made contact with the top of Palan¡¯s forearm. Palan¡¯s eyes widened as Uzziel smiled and released his grip, the blade accelerating downwards as Palan retracted his arm. He was too slow. The sword cleanly cut through his forearm at an angle, creating a slanted bloody stump where his hand used to be, before smashing through the floorboards and disappearing into the ground. Palan let out a roar as his severed hand fell to the floor. He punched Uzziel in the solar plexus with his stumpy arm, his radius and ulna stabbing into the angel¡¯s body like two crude spears, causing the flesh around the bone to disconnect. Uzziel¡¯s legs buckled, and his back hunched over as if a great weight was hung from his neck. ¡°Tara,¡± he gasped as Palan retracted his arm. ¡°Help.¡± Tara opened one eye and watched Palan kick Uzziel in the face, causing the angel¡¯s head to fly towards the floor. ¡°Is that an order?¡± she asked in a lilting voice. ¡°You only have two more left. Are you sur¡ª¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Uzziel screamed as Palan twisted his arm and lifted him into the air. Palan opened his mouth and sank his teeth into the flailing angel¡¯s bicep. Uzziel punched at Palan¡¯s face with his free hand, but Palan only released him after tearing off a chunk of flesh. ¡°You didn¡¯t let me finish my question,¡± Tara said and pouted as she sat up in bed. She smiled at Uzziel who was struggling to crawl away from Palan. Palan snorted and stomped on the exposed angel¡¯s exposed humerus bone, causing it to splinter beneath his feet. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I command you to save me! Get him off me!¡± Uzziel shrieked, bloody saliva flying out of his mouth as tears poured from his eyes. Tara sighed. ¡°That¡¯s no fun,¡± she said. Palan raised his amputated arm and stabbed downwards towards Uzziel¡¯s eyes. When the pointed bones were a few millimeters away from their target, Palan¡¯s body was lifted into the air and gently placed onto his bed¡ªor what was left of it. Tara stood up and walked over to Uzziel, crouching next to him. ¡°Why are you being such a baby?¡± she asked and giggled as Palan¡¯s severed hand floated in the air and wiped the angel¡¯s tears away. ¡°The medics can easily patch you up.¡± Uzziel whimpered as Tara traced her fingers along the cracks on his exposed bone. Tara stood up and beamed at Palan. The translucent wings on his back had faded away, and his face was contorted as he panted, sweat dripping from his forehead. ¡°Not bad for a regular demon. I was hoping you¡¯d struggle more so I would be forced to save him again,¡± she said. ¡°Oh right, you can¡¯t hear me.¡± She frowned and looked at Raea. The angel¡¯s body floated into the air and drifted towards Tara. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Raea didn¡¯t respond. Tara slapped her cheek, causing the angel to let out a yelp as her body twitched. Her eyes fluttered open, and she gasped as her gaze landed on Palan¡¯s severed arm. ¡°Let me down!¡± Raea said, ignoring the stinging pain in her cheek as her limbs flailed in the air as if she was trying to swim towards her demon. Her body fell to the floor, causing her to land face first. She shot a glare at Tara as a trace of blood started to trickle from her nose. Raea scrambled to her feet and placed her hands on Palan¡¯s chest. ¡°After you¡¯re done with him, heal my contractor too,¡± Tara said. ¡°He¡¯s useless, but I don¡¯t want to lose my senses even if it¡¯s only for a few days.¡± She yawned as her eyes drooped. She floated over to Raea¡¯s bed, scooping up the frozen Cleo on the way. ¡°I did so much work today. I deserve to sleep for at least a month, don¡¯t you agree?¡± She smiled at Cleo who was still stiff. Palan¡¯s eyes dulled as his body relaxed. The stump on his arm squirmed, and five fingertips began to protrude out of the flesh. His eardrums stopped bleeding while the few scrapes on his face faded away. Soon, his hand was fully regrown. Sweat poured out of Raea¡¯s body, causing her robes to become drenched. She wiped at the blood trickling from her nose as she stood up and walked over to Uzziel, her eyes widening. Uzziel stared up at her, tears still streaming down his face. Raea scratched her head as she knelt beside him. ¡°I apologize,¡± Raea said, returning Uzziel¡¯s earlier words back to him. ¡°That is just how he is. At this point, he is quite irreplaceable for me.¡± She took a deep breath and placed her glowing hands on Uzziel¡¯s chest. ¡°No hard feelings?¡± Uzziel let out a hollow laugh as his eyes began to close. ¡°I was wrong. You and Elrith are more alike than I thought. You¡¯re both bastards,¡± he said. ¡°Angel of kindness my ass.¡± The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was Raea¡¯s frowning face. Chapter 62 Palan¡¯s eyes shifted to glance around the room. After confirming his surroundings, he sat up stretched his arms. His right hand felt slightly stiff, but he couldn¡¯t complain. The last time he lost his arm to a lion as a child, it took two months to regrow. He was lying in the same bed¡ªthat was somehow repaired¡ªas before, but Raea¡¯s bed on the other side of the room was empty. ¡°Why are you hiding under my bed?¡± Palan asked out loud. ¡°Shut up and listen,¡± Tara¡¯s voice said from below him. Muffled voices entered his ears from beyond the door. ¡°Out of respect for your brother, I will not be reporting this to General Michael.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You should seriously consider replacing your demon, however. Any action he performs is directly reflected on you. If he kills a civilian, then the responsibility falls on you, the owner. You understand that, right?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°The look you are giving me tells me you aren¡¯t going to listen.¡± There was a pause followed by an exhale. ¡°Honestly, how did you even contract with a pride demon? Every time someone summoned one, they would fight to the death and kill themselves if they were subdued.¡± Another pause. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to answer. Just consider what I¡¯ve told you. There is no place in Div¡¯Nya for a demon to live as a peer. They¡¯re tools that can¡¯t be changed, only suppressed. You would¡¯ve been taught that if you went through the natural channels of summoning a demon.¡± Clothes rustled. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to show you; come with me.¡± Footsteps resounded through the room before fading away. ¡°And that¡¯s how it is,¡± Tara said as she crawled out from underneath his bed, holding onto Cleo. ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question,¡± Palan said as he glared at the demon. Tara yawned. ¡°Does it matter? How¡¯d you even know I was there? Are you psychic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you should already know why. Stop asking useless questions,¡± Tara said as her eyes drooped. She blinked a few times and forced them open with her fingers. Cleo escaped from her grasp and hid behind Palan. ¡°What were you two listening to?¡± Cleo asked as she peeked her head out from above Palan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You couldn¡¯t hear?¡± Palan asked, raising an eyebrow. Cleo shook her head. Palan stared at Tara who flashed him a smile, showing her two fangs. Tara pushed her hair back, revealing two pointed ears. They twitched. ¡°Do you know what a bat is?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Understandable,¡± Tara said, taking his silence as a no. ¡°They can only be found on Div¡¯Nya. Isn¡¯t it interesting how some demons resemble animals on a land so far away from where they were born?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Palan asked. Tara chuckled. ¡°Straight to the point,¡± she said. ¡°I miss talking to demons. Angels have a habit of dancing around the topic until finally narrowing in on it right when you¡¯re about to fall asleep.¡± She cleared her throat, and the smile on her face vanished. ¡°I want you to kill Colonel Uzziel.¡± ¡°Then why¡¯d you stop me before?¡± ¡°Obligations to my contract,¡± Tara said and waved her hand. ¡°He can only command me to act one more time. Then, when he uses that up, I can just laugh in his face as he begs for me to save him.¡± ¡°And what do I get for killing him for you?¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°I¡¯ll let you live,¡± Tara said and smiled. Palan¡¯s face hardened, and his hand instinctively moved to his empty waist. ¡°I¡¯m joking of course. I believe in positive incentives, not negative ones. Having someone want to do something for you is so much better than forcing them to do something. The results are ten times better.¡± Tara drummed her fingers on the floor as Palan continued to stare at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about your powers?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pride demon?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯ve killed dozens of them in my time at Haalbeh,¡± Tara said. ¡°They¡¯re so fun to break. Every time you beat them and leave them alive, they come back just a little bit stronger. And that expression of anger and frustration they get when they think they¡¯re finally about to win, and you crush their hopes by tearing them limb from limb.¡± She shivered and closed her eyes. ¡°It almost feels as good as sleeping.¡± Palan didn¡¯t even bat an eye as Cleo dug her claws into his skin, her body trembling. ¡°Tell me first,¡± Palan said. Tara reached into her bosom and pulled out a folded up piece of paper. ¡°You should know what this is,¡± she said and unfolded it. She took a yellow crystal out of her pocket and pressed it against the page. Letters formed on the paper as she spoke. ¡°I, the sloth demon Tara, will tell the pride demon Palan everything I know about the abilities of a pride demon. In return, the pride demon Palan will kill Uzziel Desti within a year. The contract will be void if Uzziel Desti dies before Palan can kill him.¡± A drop of blood appeared on her thumb, as if an invisible needle pricked her, and she pressed the droplet onto the page. She passed the contract to Palan. Palan hesitated before piercing his thumb with his teeth. ¡°I was going to kill him anyway,¡± he said and pressed his thumb against the page. The page disappeared with a golden light. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared at Tara. He already decided that there were three people that had to die: Michael, Uzziel, and Tara. ¡°Won¡¯t you be affected by his death due to the contract?¡± Palan asked. ¡°That¡¯s not something you need to worry about, is it?¡± Tara asked. ¡°I was the uncontested champion of Haalbeh for three years. Do you know what they call a one time winner of Haalbeh¡¯s arena?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Haalbeh.¡± ¡°The next archdemon,¡± Tara said. Her face was expressionless, but for a moment, Palan couldn¡¯t help but think she was threatening him. ¡°Tell me about Haalbeh,¡± Palan said as he frowned. He felt irritation at his own sense of fear, no matter how brief. ¡°Equivalent exchange,¡± Tara said and smiled as she leaned back, propping herself up with her arms. ¡°What are you going to give me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you live,¡± Palan said, smiling at her. ¡°Oh? You can tell jokes too?¡± Tara asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not in the position to even suggest something like that.¡± ¡°For now.¡± Tara tilted her head before nodding. ¡°Then sign a contract on it,¡± she said and pulled out another piece of paper. She smiled when Palan hesitated. ¡°Thought so. As if a pride demon would exchange his pride for some knowledge, who are you kidding?¡± Palan frowned. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you anyway,¡± Tara said and put the empty contract away. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a pride demon would leave himself indebted to someone either.¡± Palan¡¯s frown deepened. Chapter 63 ¡°What do you want to know first?¡± Tara asked as she tilted her head, her hair falling back over her pointed ears. ¡°My powers,¡± Palan said. ¡°You honestly have no clue, huh?¡± Tara said and smiled as she uncrossed her feet and lay on her side. ¡°You practically cut your own arm off earlier.¡± ¡°If I had a clue, I wouldn¡¯t be asking,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes. Tara yawned and rotated her ankle. ¡°A pride demon¡¯s power is the control of gravity. Do you know what gravity is?¡± Tara asked and smiled. She giggled as Palan scowled at her. ¡°It¡¯s basically the force that pulls you down. Right now, it seems like you can only control the gravity of yourself and the things you touch. That¡¯s perfectly normal. As you grow stronger, you¡¯ll be able to influence things that are further away. Eventually, you¡¯ll be able to control the gravity of people directly, as long as they¡¯re weaker than you.¡± She smiled. ¡°Just like how I can manipulate your body like a ragdoll.¡± ¡°So basically, I can make things heavier?¡± Palan asked as he recalled the knife that cut through his arm. ¡°Not quite heavier,¡± Tara said and tapped her fingers against her lip. ¡°It¡¯s more like, you make objects fall faster. You can also make them fall slower. I killed a pride demon who managed to make herself fly by making her body super light.¡± A grin split Tara¡¯s face. ¡°She was really disappointed when she found out I could fly better than her. Of course, that disappointment didn¡¯t last long because I killed her soon after. A shame really. A little more anger would¡¯ve made her taste better.¡± She licked her lips and sighed. ¡°Is that all I can do?¡± Palan asked. Tara shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s all I know. It¡¯s good to let your prey grow for a greater bonus when you eat them, but I know my limit,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen pride demons make objects float, but that¡¯s just a very crude version of my own powers. The most impressive thing I¡¯ve seen is a demon who made a rock really light and threw it into the air, then increased the gravity around it. Its accuracy was terrible and killed around thirty spectators instead of hitting me though.¡± Palan stroked his chin, a faint smiling dancing on his lips. ¡°Is there anything I can¡¯t use my powers on?¡± Tara shrugged again. ¡°I don¡¯t ... wait,¡± she said and frowned. ¡°There are a few universal laws. If two people use their powers on the same object, the stronger one¡¯s influence wins. Also, angels have a special metal that cancels out most powers. It¡¯s the red one that their big walls are made out of. And anything in the area of a charity user''s zone of control.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s just the extent of my knowledge,¡± Tara said. ¡°There may be more that I don¡¯t know of. Especially if you become an archdemon. Treat me well if you ever do.¡± She smiled at him and rested her cheek on her palm. Palan snorted. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said. ¡°And Haalbeh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that a real man remembers his debts,¡± Tara said in a lilting voice. She fluttered her eyelashes at him and bit her finger. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you going to tell me or not?¡± he asked, completely unfazed. Cleo mumbled something in a language that Palan couldn¡¯t understand. Tara sighed. ¡°You aren¡¯t cute at all, you know?¡± she asked, making it more of a statement than a question. ¡°Have you heard of Haalbeh before?¡± ¡°A few times in some towns,¡± Palan said. ¡°Nothing in detail though. They were mostly just comments in passing.¡± ¡°So you were a bumpkin,¡± Tara said and nodded. ¡°Where are you from? Sumalon, Zenoban, Esark, Redebeh?¡± Palan stared at her with a blank look in his eyes. Tara blinked and waited. A minute of silence passed. ¡°You don¡¯t even know that? Tara asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Did you live under a rock?¡± ¡°For a while, yes,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°I knew there were some isolated weirdos, but I never thought I¡¯d meet one,¡± Tara said and rolled over onto her back. ¡°My nickname was the hunter,¡± Palan said. ¡°Oh?¡± Tara asked and raised an eyebrow. The corner of Palan¡¯s lips turned upwards. ¡°Never heard of it,¡± Tara said and snorted. Palan¡¯s forehead creased. ¡°Forget it. You wanted to know about Haalbeh, right?¡± Palan crossed his arm over his chest. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Haalbeh is the center of the demon world, Eljiam. You knew that¡¯s what our world was called, right?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond and Tara carried on as if she never asked the question. ¡°Everyone, except for a few isolated weirdos, like you, knows about Haalbeh. It¡¯s the holy land that connects us to the angel¡¯s world, Div¡¯Nya. The summoning portal¡¯s to Div¡¯Nya are super concentrated in Haalbeh, whether it¡¯s because of how the angel¡¯s magic works or because they realized the summoning would always succeed there since so many of us were waiting. I¡¯m surprised you made it here. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Anyways, summoning portals don¡¯t open frequently, and there were a lot of demons that came back to tell us about the conditions in Div¡¯Nya: fresh water everywhere, abundant prey, easy mana sources that you can eat to get stronger rapidly. I wasn¡¯t there when the city was first founded; everything was already ingrained in the culture and taken to be truth by the time I arrived. Now, I think angels sent those demons to trick us into working for them.¡± Tara narrowed her eyes and sighed. ¡°Haalbeh had a ranking system. Only the top ten were qualified to take the summoning portal when it arrived. Rankings were decided through fights in the arena. It was only when I was about to take the portal that I found out an archangel named Meffi was in charge of the city. He marked me with some kind of magic before he sent me through.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were the champion for three years?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Tara said and yawned, causing a single tear to roll down her face. She made a motion to wipe it away, but decided against it and yawned again. ¡°But I was always asleep when the portals popped up, and everyone learned not to wake me due to a certain incident where a hundred demons died.¡± Tara shrugged and closed her eyes. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why demons keep asking me about Haalbeh,¡± Palan said and nodded as he recalled the words that Anidun¡¯s greater demon had said to him. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Tara rolled over and affirmed. She waved her hand and Palan stiffened as his body was lifted into the air and brought next to Tara. The blanket by her feet curled upwards and wrapped the two together like a cocoon. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Palan asked, unable to move any part of his body. ¡°Making it easier for you to do your part,¡± Tara said and smiled, her nose nearly touching his. She ran her fingers through her hair, making it disheveled. Moments later, Palan heard footsteps approaching their room. The doorknob turned. Cleo wriggled around uncomfortably before hiding herself under Palan¡¯s bed. Raea and Uzziel walked into the room. Raea¡¯s mouth fell open as Tara quickly separated herself from Palan and bit her lip. ¡°Hi, Uzzy,¡± she said and smiled. ¡°We didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back so early.¡± She combed her hair with her fingers. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Uzziel asked and furrowed his brow, his face turning pinker. ¡°I¡¯m an angel of chastity and you just ¡­ forget it.¡± ¡°Well. We were about to mate, obviously,¡± Tara said and nodded. Raea blinked a few times as her gaze shifted towards Palan. He raised his head and smiled at her¡ªif you could even call it a smile. It seemed as if invisible hands were tugging the corner of his lips upward. Tara stroked Palan¡¯s cheek as she glanced at Raea before turning back to face Uzziel. ¡°How about this? If you promise to keep Palan¡¯s owner close, I¡¯ll promise to be more agreeable to your orders from now on. You have to keep her and Palan safe, especially during the war. I don¡¯t want to lose such an interesting toy.¡± Uzziel grabbed Raea¡¯s arm, her mouth still open in shock, and exited the room. Tara turned towards Palan who still had the awkward smile on his face. She narrowed her eyes at him as she undid the blanket and pushed him out. ¡°I just set up perfect conditions for you. I know the contract had a year-long time limit, but if you screw this up ¡­ you won¡¯t even be around to see the end of next month.¡± Palan scowled. ¡°It seems like you¡¯d kill me even if I did succeed.¡± Tara smiled at him. ¡°Are you not planning the same?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re both demons. Let¡¯s not pretend to be something we¡¯re not. As long as you leave me alone when we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll let you live. Then, when you inevitably succumb to your pride and come back to kill me, I¡¯ll rip you to pieces and eat you for a power up. It¡¯s your choice. I think I¡¯m being really generous.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not part pride demon?¡± Palan asked. ¡°No,¡± Tara said and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m confident, not arrogant. By the time you become a greater demon, I¡¯ll be an archdemon.¡± Palan remained silent. Tara blinked at him. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this be the part where you interject and declare some kind of oath swearing to kill me and feed me my limbs one by one? That¡¯s what all the other pride demons did.¡± Palan snorted as he rummaged through the drawer beside his bed and pulled out his leather pouch and dagger. He tied on a belt and hung the two on his waist. He sat on the edge of his bed and crossed his legs, placing his hands in his lap. His back glowed blue as a pair of translucent wings formed behind him. Tara rubbed her chin. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re not an ordinary pride demon. Maybe you have some wisdom or temperance mixed in,¡± she said and frowned. ¡°Well, whatever. In front of absolute strength, nothing means much.¡± She pulled the blanket back over her body and rested her head on the pillow. Chapter 64 Raea frowned as she sat on her bed with her chest glowing blue, staring at Palan who was meditating across from her. By the door, Uzziel was standing guard with a lance and kiteshield, glaring at Palan. Even though Raea had assured him that nothing would happen, he wanted to be ready. Tara was sleeping on Palan¡¯s bed, occasionally letting out soft snores while holding onto the depressed-looking Cleo. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea mumbled and furrowed her brow. Palan raised his head and stared at her. She brought her hand to her mouth and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She lowered her hand and clutched the hem of her robes as she brought her knees to her chest. Her face hardened as she recalled the trip she just took with Uzziel. After lecturing her, the colonel had brought her to the checkpoint¡¯s lodgings for the army. The demons had been segregated from the angels, and their living conditions were noticeably worse than the angels. Their food consisted of the raw and unpleasant parts of the animals hunted for dinner: the intestines and organs. The angels, on the other hand, were left with the best parts which were in the process of being cooked and seasoned. She had asked, ¡°Why is there such a disparity between the two groups?¡± ¡°Demons are just animals that can speak,¡± was the reply that Uzziel had given her. ¡°They are incapable of feeling, always acting on their base instincts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Raea had said and shook her head. ¡°Palan is capable of experiencing all the feelings we can.¡± ¡°He¡¯s faking them in order to live more comfortably,¡± Uzziel had said. ¡°Give them an inch and they¡¯ll take a mile. You must be more firm when controlling your demon. They should be glad we take them away from their hellish environment.¡± Raea bit her lip and shook her head again, letting her hair fall over her face. Palan wasn¡¯t like that. His feelings for his sister were genuine. And wasn¡¯t there that time he used kindness to heal her? That would¡¯ve been impossible with fake emotions. But then, why would Uzziel lie to her? She sighed and raised her head to stare at Palan. Her chest tightened when she saw Tara curled up behind him, and she furrowed her brow. There was a knock on the door, causing Uzziel to flinch. He stepped to the side and opened it. A young looking angel was waiting on the other side. He saluted when he saw the badge on Uzziel¡¯s chest. ¡°I am here to inform you that dinner is ready to be served,¡± the boy said. ¡°Would you like to eat at the cafeteria or would you like me to bring your meal here?¡± ¡°We will eat in the cafeteria,¡± Uzziel said as he began to close the door. ¡°You are dismissed.¡± He faced Raea. ¡°Do you need to get dressed or will you be going like that?¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± she said. ¡°Go without me.¡± Uzziel frowned. ¡°Tonight is the last night we will be spending here before marching,¡± he said. ¡°We already delayed a few days because of your report to make ample preparations. If you don¡¯t eat now, you may not have the chance until the next time we make camp.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°Very well then,¡± she said. ¡°Are you coming, Palan?¡± Uzziel¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said as the blue light surrounding his body faded away. ¡°It would be unfortunate for me if you died. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that happened¡±¡ªhe shot a glare at Uzziel¡ª¡±knowing how these angels behave.¡± He wrinkled his nose as he started to stand. Before he could leave the bed, a pair of arms latched onto his shoulders, and cold metal touched his back. ¡°Carry me, thanks,¡± Tara mumbled, her body clinging onto him. Cleo smiled and stretched out her arms and legs before hopping off the bed. Tara¡¯s voice was barely audible as she spoke into Palan¡¯s ear. ¡°The one the angels will want to kill is you. I¡¯m not letting you die before you kill Uzziel.¡± Palan gritted his teeth as he channeled his power. The floor splintered underneath him, but Tara¡¯s body remained glued to his back, completely unmoving. Any motions he made to throw her off were stopped midway. Uzziel and Raea stared at the twitching Palan until he exhaled and spat out a tooth. Palan walked towards Raea while speaking under his breath, ¡°You¡¯re really trying to provoke me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tara only giggled in response. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°We can drop the two of them off at the demons¡¯ stables while heading towards the cafeteria,¡± Uzziel said and rubbed his chin. ¡°It would be a slight detour.¡± ¡°There is no need for that,¡± Raea said. ¡°Palan will eat in the cafeteria with me.¡± ¡°Miss Caelum,¡± Uzziel said as his eyes narrowed. ¡°Have you already forgotten what I showed you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said and stared into Uzziel¡¯s eyes. ¡°I read the rulebook for the army before I was dispatched to the borderland. There are no rules against bringing a demon into the cafeteria.¡± ¡°There are unwritten rules that everyone follows,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°Segregated¡ª¡± ¡°If it is not in the rulebook,¡± Raea said, her voice raising, ¡°then I am not doing anything wrong. I will have my dinner with Palan, or I will not have any dinner at all.¡± Uzziel stared at Raea before sighing. ¡°You¡¯re as stubborn as Elrith,¡± he said before shaking his head. ¡°Very well. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± He turned his gaze towards Tara. ¡°And what is with you? Are you really that enamored by this regular demon? Waking you up to eat was worse than pulling teeth.¡± There was no response. Uzziel snorted before opening the door. The group traveled to the cafeteria. It was within the walls of the checkpoint. The room was windowless and lit up by blue crystals hanging from the ceiling. Hundreds of tables that could easily fit ten people were lined up along one side of the room. On the other side, stands filled with food were manned by goblins and lizardmen. Cleo¡¯s mouth fell open at the sheer size of the place, and she tugged on Raea¡¯s arm. ¡°There¡¯s so much food here! You could feed my city for weeks with this amount of food.¡± A few soldiers turned to stare at Raea. They started to whisper. ¡°Weren¡¯t there rumors about General Elrith¡¯s little sister accompanying our army?¡± ¡°Yeah. Is that her? I¡¯ve never seen Colonel Uzziel accompany anyone here.¡± ¡°The Tyrant had a little sister? Seriously?¡± Gradually, a wave of silence washed over the room. People in the back noticed that the front was becoming less noisy and they turned their heads to observe, causing the people behind them to fall silent as well. Uzziel let out a sigh as he addressed Raea. ¡°I was in the same class as Elrith, you know? These people don¡¯t bat an eye when I walk in, but the instant Elrith¡¯s little sister, who they¡¯ve never seen before, walks in, the room falls silent. How is this even fair?¡± The room was completely silent except for the footsteps of Raea¡¯s group as they walked past a few tables before approaching a food stand. The soldiers were all standing and saluting in silence. Raea was flabbergasted. ¡°What did Elly do to these people?¡± she asked, turning towards Uzziel. ¡°And you say I act similarly to him?¡± Uzziel nodded. ¡°What are you all saluting for!¡± he shouted towards the room. ¡°She¡¯s only a lieutenant. All of you were at least captains before being promoted to this army!¡± The soldiers looked at each other before putting their arms down. They took their seats and gradually, the din began to rise. Raea took a seat with Palan, and the surrounding soldiers cleared out of the area. Uzziel sighed. ¡°I told you that you¡¯d be isolated because of your demon,¡± he said. Raea raised an eyebrow. ¡°I have a feeling that no one would want to sit with me regardless of whether or not Palan was here.¡± She stared up at the ceiling and recalled her oldest brother who would entertain her with hand puppets and funny faces. She wanted to ask him, ¡°Did you become this terrifying while I was gone, or did I just never notice who you truly were?¡± She sighed and bit into her sandwich. She found that it was only after seeing more of the world, that she realized how little she actually knew. She glanced at Palan who was sniffing his food for poison like he always did and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ________________________________ Author''s note: Demon''s Journey is now on topwebfiction. Vote for me here please. Only takes 5 seconds, and you don''t need to register. :) Chapter 65 After an uneventful dinner, Raea returned to her room with Cleo and Palan, feeling slightly disturbed by the stares she had received. Palan immediately went to his bed and began to meditate, causing Raea to feel a sense of weakness as her chest glowed blue. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you also a ¡­ a lust demon?¡± Raea asked, her voice barely audible. Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Palan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not answering stupid questions,¡± Palan said and snorted. Raea¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So you are!?¡± ¡°How did you even come to that conclusion?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°But ¡­ you and Tara,¡± Raea said and scratched her head. ¡°Weren¡¯t you two going to ¡­ you know?¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he ground his teeth together. ¡°The only thing I want to do to Tara is kill her,¡± he said. His bed collapsed underneath his body as he accidentally channeled his power. Cleo let out a squeal as she was flattened against the mattress. She had been tracing the translucent wings on Palan¡¯s back with her finger. The door to their room flew open. ¡°That¡¯s not very nice of you to say, darling,¡± Tara said as she appeared in the doorway. ¡°Are you throwing me away after using me? What happened to all the promises you made me before you climbed into my bed?¡± ¡°Shut up and die,¡± Palan said, spitting a tooth at her. It froze in midair before it could reach. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two friends?¡± Raea asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°With benefits,¡± Tara said and smiled as she sat down next to Palan, closing the door to the room with her power. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond as he inhaled deeply and lowered his head to stare at his lap. ¡°See?¡± Tara turned towards Raea. ¡°He agrees.¡± She grabbed Cleo¡¯s tail and pulled the lizardman to her chest before lying down and placing the back of her head on Palan¡¯s lap. ¡°If you say so,¡± Raea said, glancing at a vein that was protruding from Palan¡¯s forehead. Moments later, the door swung open. Uzziel stepped inside and froze when he saw Tara sleeping on Palan. ¡°Please,¡± Uzziel said and sighed. ¡°Behave yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one that didn¡¯t knock,¡± Cleo said, her tail swishing. ¡°And even a halfling is lecturing me now,¡± Uzziel said and shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up for this.¡± ¡°Did you need something?¡± Raea asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Uzziel furrowed his brow. ¡°I¡¯m here to watch over you,¡± he said. ¡°In case you decide to run away in the middle of the night, remember? And my demon seems quite attached to yours, so I¡¯ll be staying by your side for longer.¡± He pulled up a chair and sat down. ¡°Now let¡¯s get some rest. We have to wake up early tomorrow to march.¡± Raea nodded and pulled her blanket over herself as she lay down to sleep. The next morning, Raea sat up in bed and blinked a few times. Dark bags hung underneath her eyes. She turned her head towards Palan, who was still meditating. ¡°Did you not sleep last night?¡± she asked. Her chest had glowed from the time she went to bed until now. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I¡¯d rather grow stronger than sleep,¡± Palan said as he cracked his neck and stood up, causing Tara to grumble and roll over after her head fell off his lap. Raea frowned. ¡°You have to take care of your body first,¡± she said. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of strength if you destroy yourself in the process?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°A missed day of sleep won¡¯t kill me. Quit nagging.¡± Raea sighed and shook her head. She glanced at Uzziel who was sleeping in his chair. ¡°Did he fall asleep while watching over us?¡± she asked. ¡°Maybe Tara influences him.¡± She poked Uzziel, causing his eyes to shoot open and his body to spasm. ¡°Wha¡ª? I definitely wasn¡¯t sleeping, sir!¡± Uzziel blinked a few times. He met Raea¡¯s doubtful gaze and scratched his cheek while lowering his head. ¡°What time is it?¡± He opened the door and walked towards the nearest window in the hallway. The first sun was just beginning to rise. He let out an exhale in relief and walked back towards the room. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside for you to get changed,¡± he said, picking Tara up and carrying her out of the room. He stood by the side of the door, waiting for Palan to leave so he could close it. Palan flicked Uzziel, easily launching him into the air before closing the door. ¡°Interesting,¡± Palan said as a shout echoed through the door. He grinned before walking over to the drawer and equipping his gear. Raea¡¯s lips were slightly parted. ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked as she rummaged through her closet. ¡°You just flicked him and he flew so far away.¡± ¡°Apparently I unlocked my powers of pride,¡± Palan said as he donned a set of black armor. ¡°I can make things I touch heavier or lighter.¡± Raea smiled. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± she said and finished putting on her armor. ¡°Congratulations.¡± The door burst open and Uzziel appeared with his face redder than usual. Palan plugged his ears before Uzziel could speak, causing the colonel to grit his teeth and glare at Palan. He conversed with Raea while making threatening gestures towards Palan before storming out of the room. Palan uncovered his ears and double checked his pouch. ¡°You¡¯re really good at making people mad,¡± Raea said as she made her bed. ¡°Call it a talent,¡± Palan said and smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not something you should be proud of,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes as she approached the door. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Palan said as he followed after her. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t come to war,¡± Raea said and sighed as she shook her head, opening the door. Palan remained silent as his eyes met Tara¡¯s. He might not like her very much, but there was something he had to agree with. They were demons, and eating angels easily increased their powers. His heart pounded in his chest as he inhaled deeply, tasting the smells in the air. His pupils dilated as he smiled and cracked his fingers. He was looking forward to the ensuing bloodshed. Chapter 66 The second sun was beginning to set, and the army was starting to slow to a crawl. Tents were being pitched along the road, and giant bonfires were lit. Raea groaned as she stretched out her feet before falling over backwards onto a soft mattress. The elephants had been dragging the army¡¯s supplies behind them in wooden containers with wheels. Uzziel, who sat on the other side of the tent, grinned at Raea. ¡°You aren¡¯t too used to marching, huh?¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°Palan¡¯s pace was a lot ¡­ harsher than this when we were traveling towards the checkpoint,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m still not used to it. The only traveling I did back in the capital was taking a stroll through our garden.¡± She glanced at Palan who was staring outside the tent with his brows creased. ¡°Why do you look so apprehensive?¡± ¡°They¡¯re building fires,¡± Palan said. He returned Raea¡¯s gaze and relaxed the muscles in his face. Raea couldn¡¯t help but remember being ambushed by the greater demon and his lizardman army. She bit her lip and shuddered. Uzziel frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with fires?¡± he asked Raea, ignoring Palan. ¡°Won¡¯t we be attacked?¡± Raea asked in response. Uzziel laughed . ¡°By what? Nothing¡¯s stupid enough to attack an army of this size.¡± Palan smirked but didn¡¯t say anything as he closed the tent flap. Raea brought her knees to her chest. ¡°Aren¡¯t we giving our location away?¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± Uzziel asked. ¡°Chances are Captain Ishim already knows we¡¯re on the way. If a war does break out, then it¡¯ll be fought honorably. They wouldn¡¯t resort to some petty tactics like those disgusting halflings.¡± Cleo¡¯s cheeks puffed up as she squirmed in Tara¡¯s grasp, the two of them floating in the air. Palan snorted. ¡°Didn¡¯t we come to give your general a warning? You even claimed that he took an extra day to make precautions,¡± he said. ¡°Where are those precautions now?¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, demon,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t speaking to you.¡± Palan glared at him as his mouth snapped shut. Before he could even finish unsheathing his dagger, Raea spoke up, ¡°Please don¡¯t do that, Palan. I know he¡¯s hurting your pride, but could you forgive him just this once? For me?¡± Palan shot her a glance. She sighed because she could tell¡ªeven though he couldn¡¯t speak¡ªthat he was saying no. Palan frowned as he tried to finish unsheathing his dagger but found that he couldn¡¯t move his arm. He turned his head towards Tara. Even though it seemed like she was asleep, Palan thought he saw her shake her head ever so slightly. He exhaled through his nose before giving up and sitting down next to Raea with a scowl on his face. Raea looked pleasantly surprised and turned to face Uzziel. ¡°What precautions did General Michael take?¡± ¡°He sent out scouts to check the roads and woods for ambushes,¡± Uzziel said and crossed his arms. He opened his mouth to speak again, but a voice interrupted him. ¡°Excuse me,¡± the voice said from outside the tent. ¡°Dinner is ready. Would you like me to bring it here, Colonel Uzziel?¡± ¡°Yes. Bring two servings,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°Underst¡ª¡± ¡°Bring five servings,¡± Raea said, furrowing her brow at Uzziel. ¡°Colonel?¡± the voice asked. ¡°Five servings,¡± Uzziel said. He shook his head and muttered, ¡°If you weren¡¯t Elrith¡¯s baby sister.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± the voice said. Sounds of metal clinking on stone reached their ears and faded away. ¡°You know,¡± Uzziel said, staring at Raea, ¡°most demons can last for two weeks without eating. It¡¯s fine if you refuse to feed them for a few days. It¡¯ll teach them who the master in the relationship is if you dictate when they get to eat.¡± ¡°I mean no offense to you, but it seems like Tara is the master between the two of you,¡± Raea said. Uzziel¡¯s face cramped. ¡°What I¡¯ve been doing has worked out well for me so far, but I will keep your advice in mind.¡± ¡°Tara¡¯s a special case,¡± Uzziel said and looked down. ¡°If I knew then what I know now, things wouldn¡¯t be like this. I don¡¯t want to see you making the same mistakes I made with your demon.¡± He sighed and turned his head to look at the floating blanket in the air. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have made a level one contract with her. A level three or four would¡¯ve been best. I¡¯m guessing you made a level two contract with your demon?¡± ¡°Contracts should be kept confidential,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. Uzziel rolled his eyes. ¡°Here I was thinking you didn¡¯t care about unwritten rules.¡± Footsteps approached the tent. ¡°I have brought you your meals,¡± the voice said. Raea opened the tent flap and found a tray with five bowls of stew by the entrance. She saw a figure walking away from the tent, heading towards the nearest bonfire. ¡°Odd,¡± Raea said as she took the tray in. ¡°He left so quickly.¡± ¡°He has to deliver dinner to more people,¡± Uzziel said as he walked over and picked up a bowl before sitting back down across the tent. Raea shrugged and passed a bowl to Palan. He sniffed it and dipped his finger in it, pressing a drop against his closed lips. Uzziel rolled his eyes and drank deeply from his own bowl. ¡°Taraaaa,¡± Cleo said and wriggled while pouting. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let me down.¡± A bowl of soup levitated into the air and flew towards Cleo. She reached towards it, but found that it was just outside her reach. ¡°You¡¯re a bully.¡± ¡°It tastes better than usual today,¡± Uzziel said as he placed his empty bowl onto the ground. Palan¡¯s eyes glittered, and a smile danced on his lips. Raea returned to her seat next to Palan with a bowl of stew in her hands. She was about to take a sip, but Palan grabbed the edge of the bowl and stared at her. Raea tilted her head at him. He shook his head. ¡°Let him speak,¡± Raea said, facing Uzziel. The colonel sighed before waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Now he¡¯s dictating when you eat,¡± the colonel said under his breath. ¡°I think it¡¯s poisoned,¡± Palan said. Cleo stopped reaching for the floating bowl as her face paled. ¡°I smelled hints of my stop powder.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Uzziel said. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine. If it was poisoned, why didn¡¯t you try and stop me from drinking it?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t speak,¡± Palan said and smirked. ¡°You may be fine for now. Just wait until you finish digesting it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being serious right now?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°I want to meet this poison user. My own supplies have been far too low for far too long.¡± Chapter 67 ¡°Hurry up and heal me,¡± Uzziel said to Raea. His body was trembling and twitching in odd places. Uzziel wasn¡¯t certain that Palan was correct. His body could¡¯ve been twitching because of a placebo, but he didn¡¯t want to take that chance. ¡°I, I can¡¯t move,¡± Raea said, her eyes widening. ¡°You didn¡¯t drink the stew,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°Why can¡¯t you ¡­ Tara?¡± He turned his head towards the floating demon. Her eyes were half-open, and she was running her fingers back and forth over Cleo¡¯s scalp. ¡°Do you want me to release her?¡± Tara asked with a smile. ¡°You can easily command me to.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d be more agreeable to my orders?¡± Uzziel asked, his face scowling. He stood up and tried to grab Tara, but the blanket repeatedly avoided him. ¡°That¡¯s your fault for taking a demon at face value,¡± Tara said and laughed, her eyes twinkling. Cleo¡¯s face was turning green as the blanket continued to make sharp turns combined with sudden accelerations and stops. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Uzziel asked as his leg spasmed, causing him to fall to the floor. Palan couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the sight. ¡°It just seems like so much effort to fight in a war,¡± Tara said and floated just out of arm¡¯s reach from Uzziel. ¡°If you use your last command here, then you can¡¯t command me to fight. I just want to sleep.¡± Uzziel snorted. ¡°Things won¡¯t go your way,¡± he said. He crawled off the floor and approached the tent flap. He tried to push it open, but it was as solid as a rock. He glared at Tara before opening his mouth. ¡°Som¡ª¡° A sock flew into his mouth, cutting off his words. Tara blinked at her contractor before looking towards the ceiling and whistling. Uzziel spat the cloth out of his mouth. His voice was low as he spoke, ¡°You really want me to use up my last command?¡± Tara yawned and hugged Cleo in response. ¡°I, Uzziel Desti, command you, sloth demon Tara, to capture the person who poisoned our food,¡± Uzziel said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Unreasonable,¡± Tara said and shook her head. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°What? You can¡¯t refuse!¡± ¡°Sure I can,¡± Tara said. ¡°It¡¯s in the contract. Of the limited amount of commands you can give me a year, I can refuse them if they are unreasonable. If you don¡¯t know who the culprit is, how am I supposed to? Thus, I believe it¡¯s unreasonable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not unreasonable! If you go out and do some investigations, you can easily figure it out.¡± ¡°Nope. I refuse. I have to find out who the person is and capture them? Two commands in one is completely unreasonable.¡± ¡°I only commanded you to do one thing.¡± ¡°One thing that has multiple parts that can expand for an unknown amount of time. Are you sure you want to argue the meaning of unreasonable? How many more people do you think have been poisoned in the time we¡¯ve spent talking? Just command me to release Raea so she can heal you, and I¡¯ll let you out of the tent.¡± ¡°When we get back to the second sector,¡± Uzziel said, practically growling, ¡°I¡¯ll have you replaced and executed. I command you to release Raea and not interfere when she heals me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also unreasonable,¡± Tara said and smiled. ¡°Two blatant commands in one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not unreasonable at all!¡± Uzziel said. ¡°Not interfering should be the natural inclination of a sloth!¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Tara said in a singsong voice and glanced at Raea. ¡°You can move now.¡± Tara floated above Uzziel towards the tent¡¯s entrance. ¡°And that¡¯s your last command for the year. I¡¯m going to find a place to sleep now.¡± She rotated the blanket towards Palan and tossed Cleo at him. Her eyes narrowed and she spoke in a hard voice, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± She drifted out the tent as Raea placed her glowing hands on Uzziel. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop her?¡± Raea asked. Uzziel snorted as his body tingled. ¡°The only reason she stayed nearby was because she had to be ready to follow commands at a moment¡¯s notice. Now that I can¡¯t command her, she¡¯s free to go wherever she wants until the start of next year.¡± ¡°What about the rules? All demons must have an angel to accompany them or they¡¯ll be killed on sight.¡± ¡°She¡¯s better off dead,¡± Uzziel said and pinched his eyebrows together. ¡°Our link is only temporary sensory loss.¡± ¡°But her actions will reflect back onto you,¡± Raea said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you told me?¡± ¡°What actions? She¡¯ll just find a cave to hibernate in until the year¡¯s over,¡± Uzziel said and rolled his eyes. ¡°The joys of raising a sloth demon.¡± The tent flap flew open, and Tara came drifting back inside. Uzziel frowned. ¡°Did you change your mind?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tara said and nodded. ¡°I thought about it for a couple of seconds.¡± Cleo squeaked as she was lifted into the air tail first. ¡°I want her.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Cleo said and clung onto Palan¡¯s arm. She pouted. ¡°Save me.¡± Palan watched as lines of blood appeared on his arm as Cleo was slowly torn away from him, her claws digging into his skin. ¡°You can have her,¡± he said and nodded. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget to feed her or else she¡¯ll die and rot while you¡¯re sleeping.¡± Tara paused, causing Cleo to hang limply in the air. ¡°That¡¯s slightly problematic,¡± she said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to wake up to a rotting corpse. I changed my mind again.¡± Cleo fell to the floor and scrambled behind Raea, shooting a glare at Palan with her cheeks flared. Palan turned around, hiding his hands from view. ¡°So you just came back to leave again?¡± Uzziel asked. Raea could feel his muscles tense. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Tara asked and combed her hair with her hand. ¡°I¡¯m free to do what I want.¡± Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a golden light disperse by Palan¡¯s feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± The tent flap closed behind her as she drifted away. Raea exhaled and wiped away the sweat on her forehead as she separated from Uzziel. ¡°All done,¡± she said. Uzziel nodded and stood up. ¡°I have to inform the general about this,¡± he said. ¡°You two should stay here.¡± Raea turned towards Palan after Uzziel left the room. She frowned when she saw his thumb. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding,¡± she said. ¡°When did that happen?¡± ¡°The spoon was sharp,¡± Palan said as Raea grabbed his hand. His face softened as he thought about the contents of the contract Tara passed him while Cleo was struggling. ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raea asked as her hands glowed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure, but I am now. You stink of blood and some rot,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you get injured.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for you to worry about,¡± Raea said, her face turning redder than usual as she retracted her hand. The cut on Palan¡¯s thumb had disappeared. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± ¡°How can you be perfectly fine? If you¡¯re dying of an illness, I need to know,¡± Palan said. ¡°I feel glad that you are concerned about me,¡± Raea said and lowered her head, ¡°even if you are going to say something like, ¡®it¡¯s not for you, but for me,¡¯ but I am perfectly healthy.¡± Palan didn¡¯t look convinced. Ten seconds passed in silence. Raea sighed and buried her face in her hands. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be giving someone older than me the talk about babies.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± ¡°No!¡± Chapter 68 Uzziel frowned as he ran through the camp, heading towards General Michael¡¯s tent. The angels sitting around the bonfires were pale-faced and twitching. Their weapons lay close by. They had been told to wait where they were until the medics arrived. Uzziel arrived at Michael¡¯s tent and tossed open the flap. ¡°General Michael,¡± he shouted and saluted, panting slightly. ¡°We have an issue!¡± Michael raised his head. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor with a map on the floor in front of him. His brow creased as he asked, ¡°Another one?¡± ¡°The food was poisoned, sir,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°On my way here, I saw that nearly everyone had been affected by it.¡± ¡°I knew this ten minutes ago,¡± Michael said. ¡°The medics are already working on it, and I have Colonel Simon searching for the culprit with squad ten. We know that it was the cook who did it, but he fled before the symptoms appeared. Is that all you have to say?¡± ¡°Uhhh ¡­ yes, sir,¡± Uzziel said. He ground his teeth together. If only Tara hadn¡¯t delayed him, he would¡¯ve made it earlier. Michael sighed. ¡°This is why you are still a colonel,¡± he said. Uzziel lowered his head. ¡°And how is the little Caelum doing? Have you reformed her demon?¡± Michael knew that this wasn¡¯t the best time to ask, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned for his best friend¡¯s youngest daughter. Uzziel shuffled his feet. ¡°About that ¡­ her demon was a pride demon,¡± he said, not meeting Michael¡¯s eyes. ¡°I think I helped unlock his powers while trying to discipline him.¡± ¡°A pride demon?¡± Michael asked. He rubbed his chin. ¡°Are you sure you are not mistaken?¡± ¡°He displays the same powers as an angel lost to pride,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°I would have gone about it differently if I had known.¡± ¡°That is not your fault,¡± Michael said and shook his head. ¡°A pride demon has never submitted to an angel before. I suspect it may be because he is only a regular demon. The problem is, where did she find him? I thought she picked him up in the first sector, but that evidently is not the case. Hailing¡¯s headmaster told me about a gradual increase in stray portals over the last decade, but I did not think they would be so close to our borders.¡± Uzziel stared at his feet while Michael crossed his arms and closed his eyes. After a moment passed, Michael¡¯s eyes opened. ¡°Bring the little Caelum and her demon to me. I need to ask them some questions. Also, have the men outside wait in the ouroboros formation. I get the feeling that tonight is going to be rough.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Uzziel said and brought his fist to his chest before exiting the tent. Michael watched as the tent flap closed, blocking Uzziel¡¯s back from his view. After this mission, he was thinking of telling Uzziel to retire. The poor colonel lived his whole career compared to a genius, giving him an inferiority complex. He might not have even become a colonel if it weren¡¯t for the sheer number of years he had spent in the army. He was starting to get better, but after meeting the little Caelum¡­. Michael sighed and shook his head. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Uzziel shouted, ¡°Ouroboros formation. Medics in the center, healthy people and demons on the outside. Squad one take the north point.¡± Metal clanked as soldiers started to move, helping those who couldn¡¯t. Uzziel nodded and walked towards his own tent while the soldiers began to make a rough circle with their bodies, encompassing the whole camp. ¡°Be prepared for anything.¡± Uzziel opened the flap to his tent and stepped inside. Raea was speaking, ¡°¡ªbleed every month. It¡¯s really nothing you need to worry about.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it attract predators? If I can smell it, plenty of other animals can as well,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. ¡°How has your species managed to survive if you act like walking lures every month?¡± ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Uzziel asked and raised an eyebrow. Raea turned her head to look at him while Palan frowned and turned his head away. ¡°Periods,¡± Cleo said before Raea could speak. Raea lowered her head and sighed. ¡°Angels are so weird. We don¡¯t get anything like that. And you guys have live birth too. So gross.¡± Uzziel blinked a few times. ¡°Are the soldiers moving outside?¡± Raea asked, her face flushed. ¡°We heard a commotion, but no one has said anything to us.¡± Uzziel nodded. ¡°They¡¯re taking a defensive formation in case the people who poisoned us follow up with an attack,¡± he said. ¡°It would be pointless to use a non-lethal poison otherwise. As for you, General Michael would like to speak with you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Raea asked. She glanced at Palan who started to narrow his eyes and clench his hands. ¡°Do I have to?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°And your demon has to go too. Those are orders from the general himself.¡± Raea frowned and placed her hand on Palan¡¯s. He brushed it off. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll behave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sucker punch that archangel if I get the chance,¡± Palan said and snorted, meeting Raea¡¯s eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of shameless?¡± Cleo asked as she climbed onto Palan¡¯s back. The demon made no motion to stop her. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in winning,¡± Palan said, ¡°only in losing.¡± Uzziel stroked his chin, debating whether or not he should tell Michael beforehand. Raea noticed and spoke up, ¡°He is joking. Please don¡¯t take that seriously.¡± She turned her head towards Palan as she stood. ¡°Right?¡± Palan stared at Uzziel. ¡°You better watch your back too,¡± he said and used Cleo¡¯s hands to block his ears before the colonel could respond. Uzziel sighed and shook his head, but he wasn¡¯t mad; after all, the general would take care of the problem today. Then he would never have to worry about the demon ever again. He opened the tent flap and stepped outside, glancing behind himself to make sure Raea was following him. She was. Uzziel nodded to himself as he led the two¡ªtechnically three¡ªtowards General Michael¡¯s tent. Uzziel knew that Michael was definitely going to discipline Palan after he attempts to sucker punch the general. So why did he feel so uneasy? Chapter 69 ¡°You may leave,¡± Michael said. Uzziel nodded and walked out of the tent, leaving Palan and Raea behind with Cleo still hanging onto the demon¡¯s back. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Michael gestured at the cushions on the floor. He was sitting on a cushion with his legs crossed. A low wooden table rested in front of him, the top reaching his chest. The map that was on the floor was now on top of the table with humanoid figurines on top of it. Raea sat down, her thighs on top of her calves and butt on top of her ankles. Palan crossed his arms and remained standing, glaring at Michael, causing Raea to purse her lips. Michael paid him no heed and gazed at Raea. He asked, ¡°Do you know why I called you here?¡± ¡°No, sir,¡± Raea said. Michael chuckled as he swept the figurines off the map. ¡°No need to be so tense,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re practically my goddaughter.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Raea said. Michael sighed. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I just wanted to ask you a few questions. Where and how did you contract a pride demon?¡± The corner of Raea¡¯s lips turned downwards. She shifted her body, readjusting the weight on her legs. ¡°I first made contact with him when I was sent to subjugate the king of the forest after it ate Lady Menyel.¡± ¡°Lady Menyel? From the Aor family?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Palan was fighting the king of the forest and losing¡±¡ªshe heard a snort coming from behind her¡ª¡°and I used my powers to save him. My squad managed to bring down the weakened king, and we brought Palan back to the outpost.¡± ¡°Why was he fighting the king of the forest?¡± Michael asked. Raea turned her head to glance at Palan before facing Michael. ¡°He said that it looked at him funny so he stabbed it,¡± she said with a straight face. Michael blinked. ¡°That was not the answering that I was expecting at all,¡± he said. ¡°But why was he in the vicinity? Who summoned him?¡± Raea shrugged. ¡°I assumed Lady Menyel summoned him before she died.¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Michael said. ¡°It takes the academies ten greater angels to perform the ritual.¡± He turned towards Palan. ¡°How did you come to Div¡¯Nya?¡± Palan uncrossed his arms and stuck his middle finger at Michael. ¡°Under normal circumstances, I would kill you, but I do not want Miss Caelum to suffer any setbacks. I would gravely injure or maim you again, but then she would have to expend mana to heal you.¡± Palan smiled and held out his other hand, sticking his other middle finger into the air. Michael turned back to look at Raea. ¡°Did he tell you how he arrived?¡± ¡°I think he said that he stepped on an altar and appeared here,¡± Raea said. ¡°I see,¡± Michael said. ¡°And how did you form a contract with him? All the pride demons that were summoned killed themselves after they were captured.¡± Raea raised an eyebrow. ¡°I asked him to form a contract with me,¡± she said, smiling slightly, ¡°and then we shook hands.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you have to do anything to convince him?¡± Michael said and sighed. He cracked his knuckles underneath the table. ¡°Not really,¡± Raea said. ¡°I just told him he would die if he did not form a contract with me.¡± ¡°What level contract did you make with him?¡± ¡°That is confidential,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°You can tell me,¡± Michael said and smiled, placing his hands on the table and clasping them together. ¡°She said it was confidential,¡± Palan said as Raea hesitated. Michael ignored his outburst and continued to stare at Raea. Palan took a step forward and a white chain came out of Raea¡¯s back, tying his leg. It was almost as if she knew what he wanted to do. Palan clicked his tongue and snorted before spitting out a tooth towards Michael. Raea intercepted it and passed it to Cleo, wiping the saliva off on her armor. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I do not feel comfortable telling you,¡± Raea said to Michael and lowered her head. ¡°Forgive me.¡± Michael frowned. ¡°Fine,¡± he said and unclasped his hands. ¡°I am worried about you though, you know? I couldn¡¯t meet your father in good conscience if you were tainted by your demon and I didn¡¯t do anything to stop it. The subservient demons rarely transfer their traits to their owners. Your demon is the exact opposite of subservient.¡± Raea didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to replace your demon?¡± Michael asked. Raea shook her head. ¡°I am trying to bring him back to the capital to send him home,¡± she said. Michael¡¯s facial expression didn¡¯t change, but Raea sensed that he was not happy with that answer. ¡°Why the capital?¡± Michael asked. ¡°You can go to the academies to send him back.¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°I want to send him back to where he came from,¡± she said. ¡°I heard that the capital could send people to wherever they wished on Eljiam.¡± Michael grunted. ¡°I suppose that makes sense,¡± he said. ¡°Why would you want to send him back?¡± ¡°It is part of my contract.¡± ¡°Is there a time limit?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you can keep him until he¡¯s right about to die.¡± ¡°I cannot do that,¡± Raea said. She could sense Palan¡¯s body tensing through the vibrations in her chain. ¡°I made a promise.¡± Michael scratched his chin. ¡°Angels of kindness are too limited,¡± he said. ¡°Do you want me to take you to the capital after this is all over?¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± Raea asked, blinking her eyes. ¡°I was exiled.¡± Michael hummed as he rubbed his palm against his bald head. ¡°That may be slightly problematic actually. Sariel is a real stickler for the rules,¡± he said. ¡°Well, I am too, but not to Sariel¡¯s extreme. How about this? If a war really does break out and you manage to do something outstanding and noticeable, then I can bring you back to the capital for a promotion. It¡¯ll only be for a day or two at most, but you should be able to transfer your demon in that time.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°However, it¡¯s going to be quite difficult. All the soldiers I brought with me are seasoned veterans and not likely to make mistakes.¡± ¡°Literally everyone got poisoned,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Veterans my ass.¡± Michael ignored him and continued to speak to Raea, ¡°Do you think you can do it? Be careful not to push yourself too hard, or you¡¯ll wind up captured or worse. There¡¯s nothing wrong with a slow promotion.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Raea said and nodded. She turned her head and met Palan¡¯s eyes. She smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll be with Andrea soon.¡± Palan shifted his eyes away. She seemed so happy to be helping him. Would she still be able to smile like that when she found out he killed Uzziel and Sariel? For the first time in a long while, his stomach sank like someone placed a stone in it. He frowned. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked. He met her gaze. ¡°Work hard, okay?¡± Palan¡¯s face hardened and the sinking feeling went away. He gave her a slight nod. Chapter 70 An angel panted as he removed his hands from the back of a cuirass of a sitting soldier. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his brow. The sitting soldier stood up and nodded at the medic before walking towards the circle of soldiers surrounding them in the distance. Another soldier stumbled into the seat that was just occupied. The medic sighed as his hands glowed, and he pressed them into the soldier¡¯s back. Around him, there were roughly sixty other medics, some were busy healing while others were taking breaks. After he finished healing the soldier in front of him, the medic leaned back and sighed. Someone tapped his shoulder. ¡°Swap with me,¡± a voice said. The voice was raspy and low, as if its owner hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time. ¡°Alright,¡± the medic said and nodded as he staggered to his feet. He turned around and a cloaked figure walked past him, brushing a hand against the medic¡¯s chest. ¡°Is it that cold? Why are you wearing your cloak?¡± The medic tilted his head as he watched the figure approach a sitting soldier. Blood dripped from the figure¡¯s hand. The medic¡¯s eyes widened, and he tried to speak. Instead, a fountain of blood poured from his mouth. He let out gurgling noises as he fell to his knees. He looked down and saw blood streaming from an open hole in his chest, coloring his armor and the ground red. His vision began to fade as he fell forward, his face landing on the side, pointing at the cloaked figure. He thought he saw a heart fall onto the ground from the figure¡¯s side before his vision faded to black. The cloaked figure took no notice of the fallen medic and stabbed its hand towards the sitting soldier in front of it. Its hand easily pierced through the man like a needle through cloth. The man let out a groan and collapsed forward as the cloaked figure retracted its hand. ¡°Ambush!¡± a soldier shouted. She stood up, knocking the medic that was healing her onto the ground as she picked up her lance. Her body trembled slightly as she pointed her lance at the cloaked figure. ¡°Who are you!?¡± Blue lightning danced along her lance as she took a step forward. She paused as the figure unclasped its cloak, seemingly oblivious to the angels that were starting to approach it from behind. It tossed the cloak towards the female soldier and dove to the side as a bolt of lightning flashed towards it. The angel snorted as she deflected the cloak with her lance. She frowned when she saw the figure retreat behind a startled medic. ¡°Demon?¡± she asked. The air around her crackled and the lightning surrounding her lance turned purple. ¡°Then I don¡¯t have to hold back.¡± The demons hands raised into the air and smashed downwards, tearing the medic¡¯s arms off, causing the angel to scream. The demon sank his hand into the flesh of the medic¡¯s back and lifted him up, using him as a makeshift shield. The lance wielding angel clicked her tongue and redirected the lightning bolt that she had just launched towards the ground. A blade of wind rushed at the demon from behind, but he turned around and blocked it with the medic. ¡°Let him go!¡± an angel shouted as four glowing chains of light flew towards the demon. He threw the medic at the chains, but they twisted in the air and avoided the man¡¯s armless body. The demon leapt backwards and deflected the chains with the palms of his hands. ¡°It¡¯s a greed demon!¡± ¡°Try blocking this,¡± the lance wielding angel said. A purple thunderbolt crashed down from the clear night sky and struck the demon head on. His body stiffened and another three lightning bolts rained down on him, causing him to drop to the floor. The angel panted before regaining her composure as she straightened her back and marched towards the twitching demon. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Nice one, Justitia,¡± an angel said. Four chains of light extended from his back and wrapped around the demon. ¡°You too,¡± Justitia said as she strapped her lance to her back. Her body twitched¡ªstill poisoned¡ªbut she ignored it and crouched in front of the demon. She grabbed him by his hair and jerked his head upwards to face her. She frowned. ¡°You are the cook¡¯s demon. Are you not afraid of death?¡± The demon didn¡¯t reply. He was making eye contact with her, but his gaze seemed to be looking through her. Justitia snorted and let go of the demon¡¯s hair. She balled her hand up into a fist and punched the demon in the face. His body twitched uncontrollable as lightning traveled through it, causing blood to pour out of all his orifices. ¡°Why did you kill him?¡± a female angel asked. She was the one who threw the wind blade earlier. ¡°You could have let me interrogate him.¡± ¡°He was bewitched by chastity,¡± Justitia said as she wiped her bloody fist on her the ground. ¡°But he was a greater demon. Are you saying an archangel did this?¡± Justitia nodded. ¡°We have to let the general know,¡± she said as her neck spasmed, causing her to tilt her head. ¡°I will go. Stay here and get cured,¡± the female angel said before heading off into the distance. An angel walked up to Justitia and placed his glowing hands on her back. Justitia sighed as she looked at the medic that was used as a shield and shook her head. They were caught unprepared and three angels had died because of it. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± a voice shouted from the east. Justitia turned her head and saw the line of soldiers break ranks. Hundreds of spears of earth had emerged from the ground underneath the squad, causing cries of pain to ring through the air. ¡°How much longer?¡± she asked the medic behind her. ¡°Three minutes,¡± he said as sweat rolled down his face. He gritted his teeth and the intensity of the glow on his hands increased. Justitia clenched her hands and nodded. She turned her heads towards the direction of General Michael¡¯s tent. The female humility angel was still jogging to it. Before she reached it, the tent flap opened and the general walked out followed by Raea and Palan. Screams rang through the air as a wave of black flames washed over the line of soldiers to the south. Michael frowned and spoke, his voice piercing through the air, ¡°Fallback! Consolidate the formation.¡± The soldiers retreated and the circle formation shrank as the gaps between the men disappeared. A breeze picked up and whirled around the soldiers, increasing in speed as Michael raised one hand into the air. The wind eventually formed a wall, isolating the army from their surroundings. Michael floated into the air and glanced around, watching shadows disappear into the surrounding forests. He sighed as he thought back to his glory days. He was getting too old to throw lightning bolts while flying at the same time. After confirming the enemies retreat, he drifted back to the ground and dispelled the wall of wind. ¡°Give me a casualty report,¡± he said. ¡°Has Colonel Simon still not returned?¡± Chapter 71 ¡°Colonel Simon still has not returned, but he is close to catching the cook,¡± an angel said, approaching Michael and saluting. ¡°Squads eight and four have suffered some casualties, while a quarter of the troops are still poisoned. The angels who ambushed us have already fled the area.¡± The angel had no armor and had a white blindfold covering his eyes. He wore brown robes and wielded a simple wooden staff. The angel¡¯s voice deepened. ¡°But there was two people I could not see through¡ªexcluding you of course.¡± Palan tilted his head at the angel and waved his hand in front of the angel¡¯s face. There was no reaction. Palan turned to Raea with an eyebrow raised. ¡°Who¡¯s the blind guy?¡± he asked. Raea scratched her head and shrugged, turning towards Michael. ¡°This is Pyre,¡± Michael said, gesturing towards the blindfolded angel. Pyre nodded his head. The general¡¯s gaze was distant as he ruminated on the blindfolded angel¡¯s words. Pyre turned towards Palan. ¡°You must be General Elrith¡¯s little sister. The glow around you is as resplendent as his, maybe even greater. The Caelum¡¯s are truly blessed,¡± Pyre said and smiled. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you.¡± Palan didn¡¯t bother correcting him. Pyre turned towards Raea before she could speak. ¡°And you must be her demon. I saw something very interesting in you. You are like a burning candle in a large cave; there is still much that cannot be seen.¡± ¡°You got them confused,¡± Cleo said from Palan¡¯s back. ¡°Can¡¯t really fault a blind person though.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Pyre asked. He frowned, causing wrinkles to appear on his forehead. ¡°I am sorry about that. And you must be the little lizardman. It is quite odd that you haven¡¯t matured yet.¡± Cleo¡¯s cheeks puffed out. ¡°No need to apologize,¡± Raea said, nodding at Pyre before pausing awkwardly when she realized it was a futile gesture. ¡°Pyre is a greater angel of knowledge and self-sacrifice,¡± Michael said. ¡°By combining the two, he is able to ¡°see¡± the condition of everything around him. He¡¯s one of the greatest strengths of my army. It¡¯s a pity about the self-sacrifice part though.¡± The corner of the general¡¯s lips turned downwards as Pyre chuckled. ¡°Please,¡± Pyre said and tapped his staff against the floor, ¡°you rate me too highly. My skill is nothing compared to Sariel¡¯s.¡± He coughed into the crook of his elbow, staining his robe red. ¡°If you will excuse me.¡± His head turned towards the direction he came from. ¡°Of course,¡± Michael said as he waved towards a soldier standing nearby. The soldier ran towards Pyre and helped him walk away. Michael inhaled while closing his eyes. He hadn¡¯t wanted to use Pyre¡¯s ability so early, but he did find the cook¡¯s behavior too odd. ¡°Bury the dead. Heal the wounded. Get some rest. I will personally keep watch tonight and every night after if I have to.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Soldiers bustled about as the wounded were carried towards the medics. The dead were lifted and brought to the edge of the forest as a few angels split the earth and created tombs with the power of diligence. Palan wanted to dig up the corpses and feast on them, but he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of being stalked. It seemed like every time he turned to look at Michael, the archangel was gazing at him. In the end, he abandoned the plan but mentally marked the graves in his head. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Raea whispered into Palan¡¯s ear. He looked constipated while staring at the tent wall across from him. The two of them sat on the same blanket with Cleo sprawled out in front of them. Uzziel was sitting by the tent¡¯s exit, his face wrinkling because he was unable to decipher what his tentmates were saying. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of powers that I don¡¯t know about,¡± Palan said, whispering in return just to annoy Uzziel, ¡°and that really pisses me off.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Raea said and hesitated, ¡°it is understandable. You didn¡¯t exactly receive the greatest education. And I do not know many of them myself; there was never a need for me to know. I was only taught the basics of the seven heavenly virtues in case I developed them later on. The others that I knew were from hearsay.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I already know all seven of those by now,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve personally experienced six of them, and I saw your abilities get canceled by the seventh. It would¡¯ve helped if you told me about them a lot earlier.¡± ¡°You never asked,¡± Raea said and smiled. ¡°Although I guess I am partly to blame for expecting a pride demon to ask questions.¡± Raea paused and brought her finger to her lip. ¡°But you¡¯ve asked me many questions before, so it¡¯s actually all your fault.¡± ¡°Did you just absolve yourself of all blame?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Raea said. ¡°I can forgive myself quite easily for a minor matter.¡± Her face hardened. ¡°It¡¯s only for the larger burdens that I can¡¯t.¡± Palan¡¯s forehead slightly creased as he looked at Raea. A sudden impulse to reach out and place his hand on her shoulder attacked his mind, but he quickly suppressed it. He rested his weight on the hand that had lifted itself a millimeter off the blanket and frowned. Uzziel¡¯s eyes glinted as he watched Palan react to Raea¡¯s dejected face. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re staring at?¡± Palan asked, glaring at Uzziel. The blanket balled up beneath Palan¡¯s hand as it closed into a fist. To Palan, it seemed like it had been far too long since he last went out to hunt by himself, even though only less than a week had passed. Uzziel smirked at him before focusing his gaze on Raea. ¡°Bearing burdens is something a Caelum must do,¡± the colonel said. ¡°Those are the words of your brother. I wasn¡¯t sure what he meant at the time, and I still don¡¯t understand now, but I hope those words can help you.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°You can ask him what he meant the next time you see him.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said and dipped her head downwards. ¡°I will do that.¡± She seemed a little less troubled. Palan furrowed his brow and crossed his legs before clearing his mind. His face relaxed as his back started to glow blue. As a person hell-bent on survival, he had things he naturally worried about: his low strength, how he was going to kill Sariel, potential threats, Raea¡¯s physical health. There was no time or need for him to worry about Raea¡¯s emotional state. Just when did he actually start to care? He had forced her¡ªeven though she technically consented¡ªon a hellish march through the forest without any remorse just a few days ago. Palan shook his head and inhaled through his nose. The blue light on his back became brighter as Raea winced and panted. Uzziel frowned at the scene and crossed his arms over his chest, staring at Palan as if trying to see through him. Chapter 72 ¡°Palan?¡± Cleo asked as she poked the demon¡¯s unconscious body. She tilted her head and blinked at him. It was the first time she saw him sleep while lying down. He was always sitting up, but now he was lying on his stomach with his face planted into the floor of the tent. His arms were spread out to the sides, and his legs were slightly parted. In front of his head, there was a perfectly spherical rock. Cleo¡¯s tail swished as she glanced at Uzziel. He was dozing off with his chin resting against his chest. The blanket stirred behind Cleo, and she picked up the rock and stored it inside her pouch. Moments later, she heard Raea groan. ¡°Raea,¡± Cleo said and tore the blanket off of the sleepy-eyed angel. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with Palan.¡± Raea became instantly alert as her heart missed a beat. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked as she scrambled towards Palan. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cleo said and flipped Palan¡¯s body over. His eyes were dull and unfocused, constantly moving around but focusing on nothing. Cleo blinked a few times. ¡°Why weren¡¯t his eyes damaged?¡± She reached out and poked his eye with her claw before Raea could stop her, causing the angel to panic. Before the claw could reach the fleshy part of Palan¡¯s eyes, it hit his clear nictitating membrane. Cleo¡¯s jaw dropped open, and she tapped on his eye a few more times. ¡°That¡¯s so cool.¡± Raea seized Cleo¡¯s wrist and placed a glowing hand on Palan¡¯s chest at the same time. Raea pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with him,¡± she said and withdrew her hand. ¡°At least, nothing that I can fix.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Uzziel asked as he yawned and stretched. ¡°Are we under attack? It¡¯s not that noisy though.¡± ¡°Palan collapsed,¡± Raea said. There was a crease on her forehead. ¡°I think he overexerted himself with his meditation.¡± Uzziel laughed. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t gotten up yet?¡± he asked and opened the tent flap, poking his head outside. The second sun was beginning to rise. Uzziel brought his head back in and closed the flap. ¡°He was using his powers yesterday after you fell asleep. He seemed to reach his limit after using it four times and I told him that. I guess my comment provoked him. He used his power two more times before collapsing like a log.¡± Uzziel chuckled as he thought about it. ¡°I was never one for grudges, but that was really satisfying to watch.¡± A groan escaped from Palan¡¯s lips, and Cleo hid her hands behind herself while backing away. The three conscious occupants of the tent stared at Palan as tilted his head, trying to bring it off the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t try to move,¡± Raea said and placed a hand on his forehead, gently pushing him back down. ¡°You obviously went too far. After running out of mana, your body uses your stamina to power your magic. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t warn you about this. I figured the standard feeling of wanting to die after running out of mana would make you stop.¡± Palan breathed in through his nose and winced. His chest burned, and his face contorted. Raea sighed and placed a glowing hand on his chest, causing the fiery feeling to cool down. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Like I was swallowed by a diamondback that was on fire,¡± Palan said. ¡°If it only drained my stamina, can¡¯t you heal me? Didn¡¯t you say you could cure exhaustion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°Not even an archangel could cure you. Your body has to recover naturally.¡± She looked at Uzziel and opened her mouth to speak but closed it. She turned towards Cleo. ¡°Can you bring us some water? Maybe some stew too?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°Too bad EV isn¡¯t here. Walking feels so slow when everyone else is two times my height.¡± She sighed as she walked up to Uzziel who was still sitting on a chair in front of the tent¡¯s exit. She placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Move.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I can¡¯t let you do that,¡± Uzziel said. ¡°What if you¡¯re a spy for the rebels? It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to shirk my duties.¡± Raea frowned, and Palan felt her hand tense against his chest. ¡°Colonel,¡± she said towards Uzziel. ¡°Would you let Cleo outside? I can swear to the Creator that she is not a spy.¡± Uzziel shook his head. ¡°If she was and the general finds out that I¡¯m the cause for leaked information,¡± he said and crossed his arms, ¡°then it is my career that goes down the drain. If your demon heeded my advice, he wouldn¡¯t be in his current situation.¡± ¡°Plea¡ª¡° Palan covered Raea¡¯s mouth with his hand and glared at her. His arm was shaking, and beads of perspiration formed on his brow. Raea placed her hand on his wrist and lowered his arm to his side. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop cutting me off that way?¡± she asked, trying to sound stern but ending up sounding concerned instead. ¡°You may not have any pride,¡± Palan said, ¡°but I do. I refuse to eat anything brought to me with Uzziel¡¯s permission. ¡°But,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m not going to die if I don¡¯t eat or drink,¡± Palan said and snorted. He winced from the pain the snort brought on. ¡°So I don¡¯t need to get water?¡± Cleo asked and returned to Palan¡¯s side. ¡°I guess not,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°You know we are marching today, right?¡± Uzziel asked. ¡°The general decided to give the medics an extra three hours of sleep, but we begin when the first sun reaches its zenith. I suppose you could always break your contract with him and leave him behind.¡± ¡°I will not,¡± Raea said. ¡°I will ask the general to let Palan ride an elephant.¡± Uzziel frowned. ¡°Our elephants are very sensitive creatures,¡± he said. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let just anyone ride them. Only General Michael can freely do that. The wisdom angels who can speak to them and raise them aren¡¯t even allowed.¡± ¡°Then I will say he is wounded and needs to be carried,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°No one in their right mind is going to carry a demon for you. Most people refuse to even touch demons unless it¡¯s with the tip of their lance.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll carry him myself,¡± Raea said, squeezing down on Palan¡¯s chest, causing him to wince. Raea¡¯s face softened, and she relaxed her hand. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk,¡± Palan said. ¡°Do you really think you can walk for that long?¡± Uzziel asked. ¡°What if Miss Caelum wasn¡¯t around to reduce the pain? She¡¯ll overexert herself if she tries to accompany you the whole way.¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond, and Raea bit her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the general and work something out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± Palan said. ¡°And I refuse to accept his help as well. I still remember that bastard destroying my chest, you know? I¡¯m not going to let him repay his debt.¡± After all, Palan had already decided; the price of the general¡¯s debt was his life. Nothing more, nothing less. Trumpets blew and footsteps could be heard outside of the tent. Uzziel stood up. ¡°It¡¯s time to march,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to pack the tent.¡± ______________________ Author''s note: Vote for me on topwebfiction please. Voting refreshes every week. Thanks! Chapter 73 Palan stared up at the sky with his back on the ground. He only wore a pair of leather pants, putting on armor was too difficult for him in his current state. Raea and Cleo were packing the tent. After some fussing and arguing, the two managed to roll it up although it was larger than the rest of the soldiers¡¯. Cleo lifted the bundle above her head and trotted off to the elephants, placing it inside their mobile storage chests. Raea approached Palan, casting a shadow over his face. ¡°I never realized how difficult it was to pack a tent,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you for always doing it.¡± She offered Palan her hand. Palan snorted. ¡°Pitching the tent is ten times harder,¡± he said and made no motion to grab Raea¡¯s hand. She didn¡¯t seem to mind and placed her arms at her sides while sitting down next to him. Palan stared at the first sun. ¡°The sun is almost at its peak.¡± ¡°You can still rest for a few minutes,¡± Raea said, glancing at the suns¡¯ positions in the sky. Palan grunted. ¡°Do you need me to heal you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said, his voice raspy. ¡°I¡¯ll get used to this soon enough. I¡¯ve been through worse.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯m curious, but I¡¯m also afraid of what I¡¯d hear.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s probably better if you didn¡¯t tell me.¡± The two sat in silence, staring up at the sky while waiting for Cleo to return. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°The suns,¡± Palan said. A breeze washed over him and tousled his hair. ¡°They¡¯re the same. There were days when Andrea couldn¡¯t fall asleep and would watch the suns rise with me.¡± Raea gazed at Palan. She placed her hand on his, taking advantage of the fact that he was exhausted. ¡°I¡¯m sure Andrea is perfectly well,¡± she said. ¡°If she¡¯s anything like you, then everyone else should be worried.¡± ¡°I know she¡¯s fine,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I was just wondering why the suns are so much nicer here. They aren¡¯t as hot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Raea said and tilted her head. ¡°My theory is that the composition of the air is different on Eljiam,¡± a voice said from behind them. A wooden staff made tapping sounds as Pyre approached the two. Raea turned her head towards the blindfolded angel. ¡°Of course, I have never been to Eljiam to verify my theory.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you once tell me eavesdropping was rude?¡± Palan asked Raea. ¡°I am sure he means well,¡± Raea said in return. ¡°How are you doing¡±¡ªRaea bit her lip¡ª¡°err, Colonel?¡± Pyre laughed. ¡°I am not a soldier. At least not anymore,¡± he said and placed both his hands on the top of his staff while leaning forward. He gestured towards the starred badge hanging on his robe. ¡°Michael let me keep this after I retired. I was quite surprised when he requested for me to join this mission. Just call me Pyre.¡± He grinned at Palan. ¡°Or blind guy.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like you,¡± he said. ¡°Forgive his attitude,¡± Raea said with a crooked smile while standing and lowering her head. Pyre waved his hand. ¡°You do not have to like everyone you meet,¡± he said to Raea. ¡°I imagine he hates most angels.¡± He raised his head towards the sky and let the sun bathe his face in light. ¡°Which part of Eljiam are you from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Palan said. ¡°Step aside, you¡¯re blocking my sunlight.¡± Pyre shuffled over to the side, causing his shadow to cover even more of Palan¡¯s body. ¡°What was the region like? Frozen? Dry?¡± the old angel asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t angels supposed to ignore demons?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Why are you so damn talkative?¡± Raea creased her brow as she examined Pyre¡¯s expression. There was a faint smile on his lips. ¡°I grew up in the third sector when the wall was just being built,¡± Pyre said. ¡°The army frequently patrolled the area and lived in our lodgings. It was just me and my mother, who was exiled from the capital for her sins. The third sector, back then, was what you would call the borderlands now.¡± Raea sat down and made herself comfortable while the soldiers around the trio started to move and form ranks. Michael cast his gaze on the group, but he pretended not to see them as he watched the soldiers line up. Pyre sighed. ¡°Are we starting to march?¡± ¡°The soldiers are lining up, yes,¡± Raea said. Cleo returned and tilted her head at the blindfolded angel. Pyre nodded. ¡°Come, march with me,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± Palan said, making no motion to stand whatsoever. Raea sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t trust anyone,¡± she said and stood up. She placed her arm underneath Palan¡¯s back and lifted his torso. ¡°I trust you enough to let you sleep near me,¡± Palan said. Raea blinked a few times. ¡°But your decision making and judgment really needs to be reworked.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t compliment me without bringing me down again, can you?¡± Raea asked and shook her head. She placed his arm around her shoulder and attempted to get him to stand. ¡°Will you really be okay like this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I¡¯d walk by myself,¡± Palan said as he tried to slide his arm out of Raea¡¯s grip. She didn¡¯t let go. ¡°What happened?¡± Pyre asked. He placed his hand on Cleo¡¯s head. ¡°Guide me please, little one.¡± Cleo hissed and shook his hand off, her tail pointing straight into the air. Pyre chuckled and said to Raea, ¡°You sure keep strange company.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I guess I am weird,¡± Raea said. ¡°My values seem to differ greatly from everyone else¡¯s.¡± She sighed. ¡°Palan is unable to walk because he overused his powers, so I am helping him.¡± Pyre nodded. ¡°I see,¡± he said and followed after Raea and Palan. Raea was practically dragging Palan, his feet leaving two lines in the ground behind him. Cleo tried to lift his legs, but gave up after she tripped on a rock. ¡°I actually know that feeling pretty well. I can only use my sight ability once every three days. Any more than that and I would be feeling like you are now.¡± ¡°Do you have anything that can help?¡± Raea asked. She paused and wrapped Palan¡¯s arms around her neck and lifted him by his thighs, giving him a piggyback ride despite his protests. The group walked towards the end of the ranks. Even though the soldiers were disciplined, they couldn¡¯t help but turn their heads to stare. ¡°There really is not much you can do,¡± Pyre said and stopped after tapping a soldier¡¯s foot with his staff. ¡°And the feeling gets worse every time it happens. Would you like to ride in the storage chests with me?¡± ¡°But the general says everyone needs to march,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. Pyre chuckled. ¡°You are not even part of his elite army,¡± he said. ¡°Why should his rules concern you?¡± ¡°I am still a lieutenant,¡± Raea said. ¡°I have to follow the rules of a general.¡± ¡°It will be fine,¡± Pyre said and waved his hand. ¡°I will tell him that I have taken you as my guide. What do you think, demon? I don¡¯t believe I know your name yet.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ride the damn storage chests,¡± Palan said. ¡°My pride is seriously being damaged right now.¡± He glared at the angels who occasionally shot glances at him while marching. ¡°The hell are you guys staring at?¡± He paused. ¡°My name¡¯s Palan, old man.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Pyre said and nodded. The ground started to tremble as the elephants started to catch up from behind. ¡°With that, I know the names of every angel and demon here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Cleo!¡± the orange lizardman said. ¡°Cleo. A nice name indeed. Is that your first or second name?¡± Cleo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You know about that?¡± she asked and tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s my first name. I¡¯m twelve but haven¡¯t grown up yet.¡± Her tail dragged along the floor as she lowered her head and sighed. ¡°Really?¡± Pyre asked, unconcerned by the approaching elephants. Raea started to walk faster while gritting her teeth. ¡°There are a few reasons why lizardmen don¡¯t get their growth spurts. Are you a shaman?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Cleo said and raised her head. ¡°I just didn¡¯t get much to eat when I was ¡­ well, all my life until I decided to worship Palan.¡± She glanced behind herself and tugged on Pyre¡¯s hand. ¡°The big things are going to step on us if we don¡¯t hurry.¡± ¡°We will be fine. Miss Raea, wait here with me,¡± Pyre said. Raea hesitated and bit her lip, glancing between the approaching elephants and the leaving army. ¡°Let¡¯s wait,¡± Palan said. ¡°You obviously can¡¯t do this. Why did you even try?¡± Raea knit her eyebrows together. ¡°For you,¡± she said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to leave you behind. And just because I can¡¯t do something doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t try.¡± ¡°This is why I said I didn¡¯t trust your decision making,¡± Palan said as Raea brought him over to Pyre. Palan raised his head to observe the elephants. ¡°These things are pretty big up close. I wonder what they taste like.¡± The lead elephant lifted its trunk into the air and trumpeted out of it. It stomped its foot in front of Palan and glared at him before walking past the group. Raea frowned and turned her head towards Palan who was resting his head on her shoulder. Their noses touched, causing Raea to flinch and jerk her head away. ¡°What?¡± Palan asked. Raea sighed. ¡°Please don¡¯t talk about eating animals in front of them when they can understand you,¡± she said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Palan was about to respond, but Pyre interrupted him. ¡°Grab onto the handle and pull yourself up,¡± he said, stretching out his hand. It caught a wooden protrusion on the storage chest, and he pulled himself towards it, climbing up the side until he reached the top. Cleo scrambled up after him. Raea stretched out her arm and caught the protrusion. She got halfway up the side before stopping and locking her arms. She gritted her teeth and held tight. Palan felt her body tremble underneath his, causing his face to harden. ¡°Once again you try to do something you can¡¯t,¡± he said and stretched his arm out. He pulled himself up the storage chest before leaning over the edge and grabbing Raea¡¯s arm. He pulled her up and fell over backwards, his face contorting as sweat poured from his face. ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said and placed her glowing hands on Palan¡¯s chest. Palan mumbled. ¡°Stupid.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Raea asked, leaning her head closer to Palan¡¯s mouth. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°I called you stupid.¡± Raea rolled her eyes. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± Chapter 74 ¡°Hey, old man, you¡¯re an angel of knowledge, right?¡± Palan asked, staring up at the sky. His body protested every time the storage chest jolted, but it was far better than walking by himself. ¡°That is correct,¡± the blindfolded angel said and took out a pipe hidden in his robes. He pulled out a red orb and placed it near the opening of the pipe, lighting the contents on fire. Raea gaped at him and stared at the orb as Pyre placed it back into his robe. Pyre took a long drag on his pipe and exhaled, blowing out a fine cloud of purple smoke. ¡°Would you like some?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Raea said. ¡°Where did you even get an orb of wrath from? And inhaling these kinds of substances will surely decrease your lifespan.¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°What about you, Palan?¡± ¡°I never consume things other people give me,¡± the demon said. ¡°Makes sense,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Demons are very cautious folk, except for the gluttons. The fact that they can digest anything without getting sick probably helps.¡± Cleo was gazing up at the pipe, but Pyre and his blindfolded eyes took no notice of her. Raea covered the lizardman¡¯s eyes and directed her away from him. Pyre smiled and turned his head towards Raea as if he sensed her disapproval. ¡°This plant is a sort of poison¡±¡ªhe took in another drag¡ª¡°it numbs your senses but it also reduces pain. Without it, I would have gone crazy a long time ago because of my self-sacrificing nature.¡± The disapproval on Raea¡¯s face still didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°Those substances are banned in the capital,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re not in the capital,¡± Pyre said and grinned. ¡°I never liked that stuffy place. Too many rules made up by sheltered babies.¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°That is not something an angel should be saying,¡± she said. ¡°Then it¡¯s perfectly fine for me to say it,¡± Pyre said and pulled out the red orb. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You wanted to know how I got this, right?¡± Pyre asked, ignoring her question. ¡°My great-grandfather was the one who created these little orbs. It was revolutionary at the time¡ªstill is¡ªand it allowed the angels to expand their borders greatly. Of course, as one of his descendants, I know how to make them.¡± Raea¡¯s brow was furrowed as she tried to recall the name of the creator of the orbs. ¡°As for filling it with wrath, I just asked my friend, and he complied.¡± ¡°He complied?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make him less resistant to wrath in the future?¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°Demons don¡¯t care about stuff like that,¡± he said. ¡°Most of them are happy that I treat them as people. After being pulled from their world and forced to be slaves, who wouldn¡¯t?¡± Pyre chuckled as he blew out another cloud of purple smoke. ¡°I wonder what kind of expression you have on your face right now. Do you regret riding with me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°I am inclined to agree with you but only for the slavery part. You still shouldn¡¯t be smoking.¡± Her brow creased. ¡°And if your great-grandfather was the creator of the orbs, then your family name should be Khondra. But the history books said that the family line stopped with Yulia Khondra nearly eighty years ago.¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°I told you the truth,¡± he said. ¡°Believe what you want. Just know that not everything you read is canon.¡± Pyre sat down and tapped his pipe against the edge of the storage chest, causing some ashes to fall out. ¡°I believe Palan wanted to ask me something?¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°All the virtues and sins,¡± Palan said, still staring at the sky, ¡°do you know what their powers manifests as?¡± ¡°I know the majority of them,¡± Pyre said. Raea found it odd how they talked to each other while staring in totally different directions. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the wise and sheltered Miss Raea know? Why do you have to ask me?¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°I never learned the sins,¡± she said. ¡°You didn¡¯t find a book on it telling you what to believe?¡± Pyre asked and smiled at her. ¡°Clearly my words can¡¯t be verified unless there¡¯s a book agreeing with me.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°I apologize for doubting your words,¡± she said and sat down next to Palan. ¡°They just went against what I formerly knew so I was having a hard time accepting them as truth.¡± Pyre laughed until he started to cough. ¡°I was just messing with you,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m too old to bear any new grudges; after all, I still haven¡¯t dealt with my current one. Have you ever wondered why you couldn¡¯t find any books about the sins? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve tried before.¡± ¡°The council most likely banned them,¡± Raea said. ¡°They¡¯re bits of unnecessary information that can cause unrest through the populace.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Pyre said. ¡°They have no qualms about withholding information as long as it suits them. Remember that.¡± Palan exhaled loudly, interrupting Raea¡¯s train of thought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Raea asked and hovered over Palan. ¡°Do you need more healing?¡± ¡°Can we open this chest and hide inside of it?¡± Palan asked, wincing as he sat up. ¡°I¡¯m really not in the mood to hunt right now.¡± ¡°Are we¡ª¡° A wall of wind roared into life, surrounding the soldiers and elephants. Black flames crackled and flew against the wall of wind, slamming into it but unable to pierce through. The flames swirled around in the air and continued to expand until the only thing visible was a vortex of fire. The soldiers readied their weapons and stepped into formation. Raea couldn¡¯t hear any orders being given over the roaring of the vortex, but the soldiers seemed to have no issues as they moved like a well-oiled machine. The roaring of the fire slowly died down until there were only wisps of black flames circling around the soldiers. The surrounding forest and road where the wind wall was formed was charred, leaving behind a black circle on the ground. There were no signs of any angels or follow-up attacks. Raea frowned. ¡°Uzziel said that Captain Ishim would fight honorably.¡± ¡°Honor is overrated,¡± Palan said. ¡°Ishim would be stupid to fight honorably. Uzziel is stupid for thinking he would.¡± He lay back down on the storage chest and sighed. ¡°What color were the flames?¡± Pyre asked. He hadn¡¯t moved from the edge of the storage chest the whole time. Cleo had watched him leisurely take a drag from his pipe when the flames started up. ¡°Black,¡± Cleo said. ¡°That was really scary.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not as scary for someone who can¡¯t see. How is someone like me supposed to fight against that? It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°I found myself asking that question a lot as I got older,¡± Pyre said and chuckled, patting Cleo¡¯s head. ¡°Black flames of wrath. That¡¯s on the level of an archdemon.¡± He rubbed his chin, and a faint smile could be seen forming on his lips. ¡°Interesting.¡± Chapter 75 ¡°Interesting?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be concerned?¡± She frowned at Pyre¡¯s smiling face as the soldiers bustled and regrouped in front of the elephants. Michael started to approach Raea¡¯s group. ¡°When you reach my age,¡± Pyre said and tucked his pipe away, ¡°most things just cease to matter. I¡¯m most likely going to die within the next decade. Minor things like rebellions don¡¯t affect me; I wouldn¡¯t even care if the capital was overturned and ran by demons.¡± Michael stood on a layer of wind and floated up to the top of the storage chest. He walked behind Pyre. ¡°Pyre,¡± Michael said. The blindfolded angel continued to look off the edge of the storage chest. ¡°Michael,¡± he said. ¡°I borrowed Miss Caelum as a guide. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Michael said, not sparing a glance at Raea. ¡°I need your opinion on where to go from here.¡± Pyre raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ishim¡¯s side clearly has the advantage of the terrain. Our troops are a higher caliber than his however. The problem is we don¡¯t know their exact numbers, and they have two people at the arch level. Colonel Simon returned during the night and reported that the cook was under the effects of chastity, confirming the presence of an archangel who I suspect to be Solra. It is possible that he formed a contract with a wrath demon and promoted him to the archdemon level as well. ¡°I can take on Solra, and a dedicated squad can take on the archdemon, but they refuse to fight out in the open. My plan is to occupy the first outpost, which I suspect they have abandoned and use that as a base. The problem is I don¡¯t know the region well enough to determine where their forces are situated.¡± ¡°And I suppose that¡¯s where I come in?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°I know you read every book that comes out. There must have been a few atlases with details about the terrain among them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping mental tabs on where they could be considering our location and the angle of their attacks along with their retreating patterns. There¡¯s not enough information to figure out where they are, but if you let me have twenty scouts, then I would be able to figure it out.¡± Pyre scratched his head. ¡°They might die though.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Michael said and nodded. ¡°Then tonight, I¡¯ll get you everything you need. Is there anything else you know that may be relevant to our current situation? Any records of wars or battles fought in this manner? I¡¯d rather not repeat a simple mistake that was already made before.¡± ¡°You need to keep the morale up. You should give your soldiers time to relax and loosen their tensed nerves,¡± Pyre said. ¡°It¡¯s good to be prepared, but if they are in a constant state of alertness for a few months, then they¡¯ll begin to feel fatigued. During the genocide of the ogres, the troops became dispirited due to the nature of the war. The circumstances were very similar to the ones we are in now. I suggest you request for General Elrith to come with his army as reinforcements.¡± Pyre smiled and raised his head, facing the first sun. ¡°It¡¯s overkill, but it¡¯s not like angels are too prideful to cooperate.¡± Michael rubbed his bald head with his palm. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I will take your suggestion seriously. Why Elrith though? Didn¡¯t you say I should keep the morale up?¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Sometimes, I just want to watch the world burn,¡± Pyre said and chuckled. Michael snorted and rolled his eyes. ¡°But if the Tyrant Elrith is here, the war should end much quicker, eliminating the need for a heightened morale. He¡¯s still the best choice from the remaining three generals.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think my brother¡¯s that scary,¡± Raea mumbled. ¡°Alright,¡± Michael said to Pyre. ¡°I knew I made a good choice in bringing you along. Are you sure there¡¯s nothing you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Pyre said and shook his head. ¡°The chance to befriend a pride demon is enough for me. Once I get an orb of pride, I¡¯ll have every sin and virtue collected. Imagine what would happen if I used them all at the same time. My butthole is clenching in anticipation.¡± Pyre grinned. ¡°Too descriptive,¡± Michael said, shooting a glance at the wide-eyed Raea. ¡°I¡¯ll be off now. He leapt off the storage chest and floated to the ground before walking back to the head of the army. Raea sat down next to Palan, getting as far away from Pyre as she could. ¡°Hey,¡± Palan said. ¡°Is there a way to read without looking at the letters?¡± ¡°Not that I know of,¡± Raea said and tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She turned towards Pyre. ¡°How do you read books?¡± ¡°The same way you do,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I pick them up. Open them. And then I read the contents on the page. When I¡¯m done, I move onto the next page.¡± ¡°I mean, aren¡¯t you blind?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Who said I was blind?¡± Pyre asked and raised his eyebrow. ¡°Just because I wear a blindfold doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m blind.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You make too many assumptions. Observe the world with a more open mind; not everything is as you see.¡± ¡°Then why do you wear a blindfold?¡± Raea asked. ¡°When I was sleeping,¡± Pyre said and sighed, ¡°a special kind of spider came and burrowed inside of my right eye, laying its eggs in the gelatinous fluids before crawling out. Then the eggs hatched the next morning and formed a colony in my brain. The blindfold¡¯s there to prevent them from crawling out or I¡¯d die.¡± Raea shivered while Cleo shuddered. Cleo said, ¡°I think I just felt my butt clench.¡± She sidled away from Pyre. ¡°Are you ¡­ going to be okay?¡± Raea asked and bit her lip. ¡°Would you really die if the spiders left your body? Could I heal that?¡± Pyre sighed. ¡°And you can¡¯t believe everything you hear either. You capital babies are really sheltered,¡± he said and pulled out his pipe, lighting it with the red orb. ¡°You think someone wouldn¡¯t wake up if a spider dug into their eyes while they were sleeping?¡± ¡°Makes you wonder how they¡¯re still alive, right?¡± Palan asked. Raea¡¯s forehead was crinkled as she looked back and forth between Palan and Pyre. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m being bullied,¡± she said. ¡°At least you aren¡¯t completely oblivious,¡± Pyre said and blew out a cloud of smoke. ¡°There¡¯s hope for you yet.¡± The storage chest rumbled as it started to move. Raea sighed as she stared towards the top of the red wall in the distance behind the army. Chapter 76 ¡°I can finally move,¡± Palan said as he sat up in bed. He clenched and unclenched his hands while laughing. Cleo climbed off of Palan¡¯s legs and rubbed her eyes. She let out a yelp and curled up into a ball as a loud banging sound resounded through her ears. Powder fell off of Palan¡¯s fist as he brought his hand to his side. There was a new fist-shaped hole in the wall next to him. Raea sat up in her bed across the room. ¡°Palan?!¡± she asked as she threw off her blanket. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± a sleepy voice said. The door opened and Pyre stepped inside the room. The army had traveled to the outpost under much harassment and occupied it quite easily because it was empty. Uzziel was willingly replaced by Pyre as Raea and Palan¡¯s watcher. ¡°Young people are so lively.¡± Pyre yawned and pulled up a seat. He sat down and took out his pipe. Palan glared at Raea as she approached him. His contractor hesitated before speaking, ¡°You¡¯ve recuperated? That¡¯s great.¡± Palan¡¯s face hardened, and he bared his teeth at her. ¡°W-why are you looking at me like that?¡± Raea took a step back and gulped. Cleo shuddered and hid underneath Pyre¡¯s chair as Palan climbed out of bed. ¡°You¡¯re starting to make me nervous,¡± Raea said as she took in a deep breath and placed her hands on her hips. A slight tremble ran through her legs. Palan chuckled and grabbed the edge of his blanket. In one motion, he yanked it off the bed and wrapped it over Raea¡¯s head as if catching her with a net. Raea yelped and struggled to throw the blanket off. She heard wood splinter as she freed her head. Her hair was a mess as she glanced from side to side. ¡°What was that for?!¡± she shouted. The door was completely shattered and Palan was nowhere to be seen. She turned to the couple by the chair. ¡°Where¡¯d he go?¡± Cleo pointed at the empty hallway outside of the room. Raea stared blankly down the hall as Pyre burst out into laughter. ¡°I think you humiliated him too much this week,¡± the angel said. Puffs of purple smoke escaped from his nostrils as his body shuddered. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raea asked as she gathered the blanket in her arms. Her forehead was creased as she made Palan¡¯s bed. ¡°Think for yourself,¡± Pyre said and tapped his pipe against the side of his chair, scattering ashes over Cleo¡¯s head. The lizardman shook her head like a dog and crawled out from underneath him. She sat on Palan¡¯s bed and dusted off her face. ¡°What did you do to him this week?¡± ¡°I took care of him,¡± Raea said and frowned. She walked back to her bed and sat down. She drew the blanket around her towards her chest and leaned forward. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°You can only blame so much of your denseness on your age,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Do you really not get it? Did he ever ask for you to take care of him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said. She thought back to the times Palan adamantly protested against her feeding him. She sensed Pyre staring at her with his blindfolded eyes. ¡°But I had to! What else was I supposed to do? Leave him alone for a week? Do unto others as you¡¯d have done to you.¡± Raea pursed her lips. Pyre shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll just ask you this,¡± he said and took a long draw on his pipe before speaking. ¡°If you were the one that was debilitated, how would you feel if Palan changed your pants for you?¡± Raea froze before burying her face in her blanket. The tips of her ears were so red that they were practically glowing. Pyre brought his hand to the blindfold on his face and lifted it slightly. A smile erupted on his face, and he repositioned the cloth, making it seem like he didn¡¯t touch it at all. Cleo gaped at him. ¡°You¡¯re not blind at all!¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I already told you that, did I not?¡± Pyre asked and chuckled. ¡°But I thought you said we couldn¡¯t always believe what you said?¡± Cleo tilted her head. ¡°About the spiders,¡± Pyre said and nodded. ¡°Not about me not being blind.¡± Cleo¡¯s face wrinkled as she pouted. Her tail swished behind her, messing up the blanket. ¡°But no one else would change his pants,¡± Raea said, her voice barely audible as her head was still hidden. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have soiled them if you didn¡¯t feed him, you know?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°That was another thing you insisted on doing. And bathing him?¡± Pyre raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think the capital¡¯s repression raised you into some kind of pervert.¡± ¡°My intentions were pure!¡± ¡°Were? So they no longer are?¡± Pyre asked and smiled. ¡°Stop twisting my words!¡± Raea said as she threw her blanket to the side and dashed towards the door. Pyre stuck his leg out and tripped her, causing her to land on the floor face first. ¡°If I let both of my charges escape, then I really will have failed as a watchdog,¡± Pyre said and stood up. He walked towards Raea and sat on her back, causing her half-raised body to fall back to the floor. A glowing white chain snaked out of Raea¡¯s back and wrapped itself around Pyre¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯ll really be treated as a deserter if you leave like this. Are you sure you want to do that?¡± The chain disappeared as Raea sighed. ¡°What about Palan?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ll just say I sent him out on an errand,¡± Pyre said and shifted his weight. ¡°Your back is too bony, not comfortable at all.¡± ¡°Please get off me.¡± *** Palan frowned as he sat in a tree and watched a group of armored angels run underneath him. In his haste to get away, he left behind his dagger and leather pouch. The missing items left him feeling naked, almost like the silken white pants he was wearing. He gritted his teeth as the breeze blew past his bare chest, and he turned his head to watch the soldiers disappear into the underbrush. Images of Raea¡¯s concerned face appeared in his head. He smashed his hand into the tree trunk beside him, causing a squirrel to scream and run away. He didn¡¯t even want to think about the events that happened this week. He inhaled through his nose for a good thirty seconds, taking in all the surrounding smells before exhaling sharply through his mouth. His chest burned, and his heart beat louder, the pulse pounding in his ears. He dropped from the branch he was standing on, landing onto the ground on all fours. His eyes narrowed and followed the footsteps that the soldiers had left behind. He stared at them and the pounding in his ears grew louder until he thought his chest would burst. Palan exhaled and shook his head; those angels were off limits. But there were other angels that weren¡¯t untouchable. He straightened his back and gazed towards the northeast. Pyre said that the scouts hadn¡¯t returned from that direction. Chapter 77 ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right, Ross,¡± an armored angel said. He was holding a shovel that had dirt on the tip. Next to him, an angel was leaning against a tree with a shovel by his side. Sweat dripped from his brow, and he used the back of his sleeve to wipe his forehead. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s not, Kore,¡± the angel called Ross said. He sighed as he stared down at the mound in the earth between them. ¡°This isn¡¯t what we signed up for, but what can we do?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we run away?¡± Ross snorted. ¡°And get captured by Solra¡¯s dog?¡± he asked and shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope this all blows over peacefully. We can just say Captain Ishim forced us to fight for him once we lose the war.¡± ¡°But what if Captain Ishim wins against General Michael?¡± Kore asked and glanced at the end of his shovel. ¡°Then everyone is going to be executed by the council. Let¡¯s run, Ross. We can make it. The outpost isn¡¯t that far from here. We can alert the general, maybe even¡ª¡° ¡°Stop,¡± Ross said and threw his shovel onto the ground. ¡°He¡¯ll hear you and kill us both. The best thing we can do is wait for an opportunity.¡± He walked next to his friend and whispered into his ear. ¡°The next time we go out for a skirmish, we¡¯ll dive through the wind wall. It¡¯ll hurt, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll kill us.¡± Kore nodded. Ross clapped him on the shoulder and walked around him. ¡°I need to take a piss.¡± Kore sighed and turned towards the makeshift camp in the distance that Ishim had set up. Dozens of severed heads¡ªsome had already become skulls, picked clean by the birds¡ªlined the border on sticks. They belonged to the angels who had tried to desert Ishim¡¯s command. Kore shook his head and squat next to the earthen mound, picking up a nearby stick. He wrote letters on the freshly pressed earth and mumbled, ¡°Here lies Dave along with bits and pieces of Cathy and John. They died for no reason. May their souls find peace with the Creator.¡± Kore stood up and tossed his stick to the side while lifting his shovel. He sighed as he stared up at the reddening sky. The second sun was about to set, and he would have to head back soon before the curfew. A twig snapped behind him. ¡°Finally done?¡± he asked and turned around. ¡°I need to¡ª¡° Kore stiffened. He threw his shovel forward and reached for the lance that was strapped to his back. A purple hand obscured his vision and pressed against his face. He was about the shout, but his head suddenly accelerated towards the ground like a block of lead falling through water. He bent over backwards, dropping his lance when the back of his head collided against the ground. The last thing he saw was a foot stepping down on his neck before his vision faded to black. Palan picked up a clump of dirt from the mound next to the dead angel¡¯s head and wiped the blood off of his foot. He grabbed the dead angel¡¯s arm and dragged it off towards the direction Ross had gone earlier. ¡°The length of time and area of effect,¡± Palan muttered as he sweat rolled down from his forehead onto his eye. His nictitating membrane flickered, removing the bead. ¡°As well as the intensity.¡± He nodded to himself and sat down next to Ross¡¯ dead body, the angel¡¯s pants still around his thighs. Palan truly had no shame when it came to killing opponents effectively. He stripped the two angels of their armor and frowned when he found that they didn¡¯t fit his frame. He tossed the scraps of metal over his shoulder and placed his foot against Kore¡¯s shoulder blade. A snapping and tearing sound echoed through the forest as Palan ripped the angel¡¯s arm off. He bit down on its forearm and tore off a chunk of flesh. His nose wrinkled as he spat out a bloody chunk of meat. ¡°Raea fed me way too much,¡± Palan said as he recalled Raea shoveling spoonfuls of stew into his mouth until his stomach bulged. Palan flinched as a spray of blood splashed against his face. He had squeezed Kore¡¯s arm a bit too hard while he was lost in thought. Palan sighed and tossed the mangled arm onto Kore¡¯s body. If the bodies would improve his strength, then he¡¯d eat them, but these angels were apparently too weak. Palan used Ross¡¯ shirt to clean the blood off of his face and hands. In the middle of his actions, he froze. A smile spread on his face as he gently placed the bloody cloth next to him and stood up without making a sound. He picked up the lance that Ross hadn¡¯t been able to use and climbed up a tree. The last remnants of sunlight were beginning to fade away as day turned to night. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. A figure with glowing red eyes lumbered into Palan¡¯s view from behind a tree. It was as large as a bear but primate-like in stature. It walked on two webbed feet, and its shoulders were hunched over like a gorilla. The tips of its fingers were sharp claws, and a pair of horns sprouted from its wolf-like face. It raised its snout into the air and sniffed before lumbering towards the two dead angels. ¡°Madison?¡± the demon asked, its voice garbled like someone speaking through water. It lowered its head and sniffed the corpses. ¡°Not her.¡± It raised its head into the air and bellowed, ¡°Demon! Ally to Solra?!¡± It stood with its feet spread apart and back straight, its claws dangling and scraping the ground in front. After a minute passed, it snorted and picked up one of the corpses, taking a bite out of its abdomen. It made a face and spat out a line of entrails. ¡°Worthless trash.¡± It stomped on Kore¡¯s corpse, flattening it into a meat paste. The demon raised his head into the air again and howled. After twenty seconds passed, a sharp bird cry pierced the air. The wolf-gorilla demon pounded its chest and shouted, ¡°I ask one more time. Ally to Solra?!¡± Palan remained silent as he shifted the lance in his hand to point towards the ground. The wolf-gorilla demon smashed its knuckles onto the ground. ¡°Then I kill!¡± it said and brought its nose to the ground. It sniffed at the floor and traveled along the path Palan took to climb the tree. Palan tightened his grip on the lance and prepared to drop off the edge of the branch he was sitting on. His eyes widened when the demon stopped in front of the tree. He plunged downwards, aiming at the spot in between the demon¡¯s shoulder blades, his body accelerating as he focused his powers on his body and lance. The demon raised its head and dove to the side but not quick enough. Palan pierced through its left shoulder, pinning the demon to the ground. Palan opened his mouth and lunged towards the back of the wolf-gorilla¡¯s neck. The demon rolled over, yanking a chunk of flesh out of its own body, and smacked Palan away with the back of its left hand. At the moment of impact, Palan activated his powers and lightened his body, causing him to soar over the treetops and off into the distance. He heard the demon howl and saw it clutch its dangling left arm, copious amounts of blood pouring from its open wound before his vision was obscured by the trees. Palan¡¯s flight was rudely interrupted by a boulder colliding with his lower back. He coughed out a mouthful of blood and groaned. ¡°Why¡¯s every demon so damn beefy?¡± he asked as he sat up and examined the damage to his body. He heard the wolf-gorilla yelling way off in the distance, but he ignored it as he put his hands on his ribs. He winced and sucked in a breath of air as he staggered to his feet. ¡°A few broken ribs and a sprained or cracked hip. Just great.¡± He¡¯d have to be content with the damage he already inflicted; there was no way he could continue the hunt with his body in this condition. His chest burned, and his face flushed as he gritted his teeth. What had Tara said about pride demons and losses? That he¡¯d get stronger with every loss? The burning feeling gradually went away as Palan cleared his head of thoughts and limped towards the direction of the outpost. His kill list was getting longer. When was the last time it was longer than three names? Perhaps ten years ago when he was still just a child. The bitter feeling bit at him, forcing him to walk faster as the moon shone down on his back. Palan sighed as the howling of the wolf-gorilla demon faded into nothing. His eyes narrowed. Next time, he wouldn¡¯t fail his ambush. Chapter 78 ¡°What are you staring at?¡± Palan asked as he bared his teeth at the guards standing on the watchtowers of the outpost walls. Palan wondered why Ishim¡¯s army abandoned the fortified area for a glade in the middle of the wilderness but shook his head and inhaled as his ribs throbbed. ¡°Should we let him in?¡± one guard asked the other. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Jeb supposed to be looking for him?¡± The guard leaned over the railing and shouted down at Palan, ¡°Where¡¯s Jeb?¡± ¡°What kind of name is Jeb?¡± Palan said and snarled. ¡°Open the gates, or I¡¯ll open them myself!¡± ¡°I think we should open the gate,¡± the other guard said and readjusted the handkerchief hanging around his neck. ¡°He¡¯s the mini-tyrant¡¯s demon after all.¡± ¡°Mini-tyrant?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the handkerchiefed angel said. ¡°You know, the Tyrant¡¯s little sister. People are calling her the mini-tyrant now. I heard that she got into a fight with Uzziel over the quality of the food and killed his demon.¡± ¡°Over food? Just what I expect from that man¡¯s little sister,¡± the guard said and clicked his tongue. He shouted towards Palan. ¡°We¡¯re opening the gate right now.¡± The gates swung open, and Palan limped through with his arms at his sides and his back straight. The majority of the soldiers were sitting down and reading or meditating. The contrast between Michael¡¯s army and Ishim¡¯s was striking. No one turned to stare at Palan as he staggered along the streets and rounded a corner before arriving at his lodgings. He placed his hand on the doorknob and hesitated. He could hear Raea speaking within the house. ¡°Can I really play it?¡± ¡°Please do.¡± That was Pyre¡¯s voice. ¡°It looks so strange.¡± The high-pitched voice clearly belonged to Cleo. Palan¡¯s face blanched. What strange contraption had Pyre introduced to Raea this time? The last time Cleo said something was strange, Pyre had taken out a catheter and explained its uses. Palan had seriously considered killing himself after hearing the explanation, but luckily for him, Raea was just as opposed to using it as he was. Palan took in a deep breath and turned the doorknob. He froze. A thrumming sound pierced through the air, followed by another higher pitched one, then a lower pitched one. A chill ran down Palan¡¯s back as the sounds floated through his body, entering through his forehead, down along his spine, and out the tips of his toes. The hair on the nape of his neck rose, and goosebumps sprouted along his arms as a cascade of notes flowed past him, whirling and dancing. His burning ribs cooled down, and his chest relaxed while his fingers slowly slid off of the doorknob. The sounds washed over him like waves lapping on the shores of a beach, crashing and falling with a steady rhythm. Palan didn¡¯t know how long he stood there for, but the soothing sounds disappeared just as suddenly as they came, leaving behind the slightest traces of an echo in his head. ¡°How was it?¡± Raea¡¯s voice broke him out of his trance. Palan shuddered and ran his palms along the goosebumps on his arms. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what manner of sorcery that was. ¡°Exactly what I¡¯d expect from a Caelum.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Palan could imagine Raea lowering her head towards the blindfolded angel. ¡°But don¡¯t get too conceited. You¡¯re still far from a Caelum in nearly every other aspect.¡± There was a clunking sound followed by a squeak. ¡°You¡¯re proficient with the harp, now let me hear you play the bagpipes.¡± ¡°D-do I have to?¡± ¡°Of course! Didn¡¯t you agree to play whatever I wanted to listen to as long as Palan was gone? I want to listen to bagpipes.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°Alright.¡± Palan stood outside the door, wondering if he should announce his presence. His burning ribs and throbbing pelvis were telling him yes. Somehow, he got the feeling that Pyre was humiliating her, causing him to slightly wrinkle his brow. He pushed open the door and stepped inside the house. Just because he wasn¡¯t around didn¡¯t mean Raea could abandon her pride, no matter how miniscule the amount she was born with. Well, at the very least, he had to be there to witness her humiliation. Palan slammed the door behind him and walked down the hallway, his back straight and limp gone. An orange scaly head popped appeared in the lit doorway at the end of the hall. ¡°Palan!¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Palan said as he walked into the room and collapsed on his bed. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. She dropped the bagpipes onto Pyre¡¯s lap and rushed to Palan¡¯s side. ¡°Why did you run off like that?¡± ¡°All the events of this previous week never happened,¡± Palan said and turned his head to face Raea. ¡°Understand?¡± Raea bit her lower lip as her face turned redder than usual. She recalled Pyre¡¯s words and glanced towards Palan¡¯s lower body before closing her eyes and nodding. ¡°I may have gone too far,¡± she said in a whisper. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have realized that a week ago?¡± Palan asked and snorted. He winced from the action and exhaled with a shaky breath. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Raea asked. Her forehead crinkled as she reached towards him with a glowing hand. The light on her hand snaked along Palan¡¯s body before settling on his ribs, pulsing with a dark-red light. It continued to travel down his torso until it reached his pelvis where it pulsed with a lighter shade of red. ¡°What happened?¡± Raea placed her hands on Palan¡¯s ribs. He didn¡¯t stop her. ¡°I ran into a demon,¡± Palan said, not mentioning the two angels he killed. ¡°Do you know someone named Solra? I remember that bald bastard mentioning that name before.¡± Pyre exhaled violently through his nose. ¡°Very apt description of Michael,¡± he said and chuckled. He inhaled through his nose and stopped his body from shaking. ¡°Solra was one of the archangels that partook in the great betrayal. After Anidun was routed, Solra disappeared along with Meffi and Abaddon.¡± Pyre took out his pipe and lit it, biting its end. He seemed to be lost in thought as he inhaled before coughing out a lung full of smoke. ¡°I see,¡± Palan said. He sighed as his ribs twisted underneath his skin and melded back together. He was tempted to scratch the region, but Raea¡¯s hands were still pressed against it. ¡°I assume Michael was right?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Solra is really involved in this rebellion?¡± Palan didn¡¯t bother to shrug because he knew Pyre couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Who knows?¡± he asked. His eyes narrowed as Raea¡¯s hands moved towards his fractured hip. He didn¡¯t care if Michael¡¯s army suffered losses because he withheld information; that wolf-gorilla demon was his prey. His hands clenched, his nails drawing blood from his palms. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°Are you purposely making this harder for me?¡± After she finished healing his hip, she took his hands in hers and closed her eyes. A chill ran down Palan¡¯s forearms as the skin on his palms knit together. ¡°I won¡¯t ask what you¡¯ve been doing, but please take better care of your body.¡± She gazed into his eyes. ¡°Sometimes, I really worry about you.¡± ¡°You should be more worried about yourself,¡± Palan said and snorted as he sat up. ¡°You¡¯re a hundred times more fragile than I am.¡± He crossed his legs and placed his hands in his lap. The familiar blue wings formed along his back, causing Raea to gasp as her chest shone. Raea frowned but didn¡¯t say anything as she took in a deep breath, sweat rolling down her back from her neck. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what happened to her contracted demon this time. The last time he seemed so determined was after he got toyed with by Tara. Chapter 79 ¡°You¡¯re done already?¡± Raea asked and looked up from the book she was reading. The glowing blue light on her chest started to dim while Palan got off his bed and stretched. She was using the light to read in the otherwise dark room. ¡°I don¡¯t feel myself getting stronger anymore,¡± Palan said with a frown. He stood up straight and twisted his body while reaching down, touching the back of his feet while keeping his legs straight. Cleo tried to imitate him but fell over. ¡°If it¡¯s not working, then there¡¯s no point in continuing.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about demon growth, but maybe Pyre can¡ª¡° A snore interrupted her. Pyre¡¯s head hung low, his chin touching his chest. A line of drool leaked from the corner of his mouth onto his brown robe. He was sitting in a plush armchair with his arm hanging over the armrest, his pipe on the floor. Raea blinked. ¡°Or not.¡± Palan stepped to the window and pulled aside the curtain. The yellow moon hung in the sky. Palan squinted his eyes and thought he could see traces of white on the surface. He frowned. Raea tilted her head at him. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of going out again, are you?¡± ¡°Before I came back,¡± Palan said, still gazing out the window. ¡°What were those sounds?¡± ¡°You heard that?¡± Raea asked. She straightened her back. ¡°What did you think?¡± ¡°It sounded like a lizard¡¯s mating call but softer,¡± Palan said. A pillow hit him in the face before he could react. Palan raised an eyebrow as he faced Raea. ¡°I was unaware you were skilled with projectiles.¡± ¡°Lizard¡¯s mating call?¡± Raea asked while pouting. ¡°Even I can feel insulted sometimes, you know?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a lizard¡¯s mating call?¡± Cleo asked and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°That wasn¡¯t an insult though?¡± Palan knit his brows. ¡°How can it not be an insult?¡± Raea asked, glaring at him. ¡°Hey!¡± Cleo pouted and covered Raea¡¯s head with a blanket. The angel shouted before struggling and removing it. She pinned Cleo¡¯s arms to her sides and wrapped her up like a burrito with a tail. Cleo hissed and rolled around to no avail. ¡°The closest thing I¡¯ve heard to the noise from before was a lizard¡¯s mating call,¡± Palan said. Raea stared at him. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard music before?¡± she asked. Her face softened. ¡°I guess demons wouldn¡¯t have time to learn with all the time spent killing each other and all.¡± She placed her hands in her lap. ¡°That really wasn¡¯t an insult?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t insult you for something you¡¯re competent in,¡± he said. ¡°I think that¡¯s the closest thing to a compliment that you¡¯ve ever given me,¡± Raea said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether I should feel happy or sad.¡± She furrowed her brow. ¡°I thought you were just trying to bring me down, but you really did think I was incompetent in that many areas, huh?¡± Palan nodded, causing Raea to sigh. She got off her bed. ¡°So you thought my music was good?¡± she asked and walked behind Pyre¡¯s chair. ¡°I have nothing to compare it to,¡± Palan said, ¡°but I enjoyed listening to it. I lost myself in it like I lose myself to hunting.¡± He watched a smile bloom on Raea¡¯s face as she took out Pyre¡¯s set of bagpipes. ¡°Before, you heard me playing the harp,¡± Raea said. She gestured towards the bagpipes as she moved to the center of the room. Cleo stopped struggling and used her tail to prop herself up. ¡°These are the bagpipes.¡± ¡°You seemed reluctant to play those,¡± Palan said. ¡°Like you were embarrassed by it.¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s nothing wrong with the bagpipes,¡± Raea said and glanced at Pyre. She noticed he had stuffed his ears with cotton balls. ¡°It¡¯s just the look that Pyre had given me when he told me to play them made me uncomfortable.¡± A tremor ran through Raea¡¯s body. ¡°It was very lewd.¡± She shook her head and brought the bagpipe¡¯s mouthpiece to her lips. She inhaled deeply through her nose and started to play. Palan stood in a trance as he stared at Raea playing the bagpipes with her eyes closed, the yellow moonlight shining down on her. Goosebumps rose up along his arms, and his thoughts couldn¡¯t help but drift towards Andrea. She would enjoy this. He could imagine her reaction to the music, her widening eyes and rising eyebrows with her mouth opening into an o-shape. He wondered how he would describe the sound of music to her. ¡°Music,¡± he¡¯d say. ¡°It¡¯s an amazing thing.¡± How would she respond? Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The sound of the bagpipes stopped and Raea lowered the bag. She glanced at Palan while biting her lower lip. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it taste like?¡± That¡¯s what she would say. ¡°Pardon?¡± Raea asked. Palan shook his head. ¡°I was thinking of how Andrea would react.¡± ¡°Well, if my music could make you think about your sister, then I think it must¡¯ve been pretty good,¡± Raea said and returned the bagpipes back to their proper place. The corners of her lips curved upwards as she hummed to herself. ¡°I look forward to playing for your sister.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You made a promise, remember? You wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone without telling me first.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± ¡°You did,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°And we agreed that if you broke the promise, then you¡¯d have to come back with your sister and continue being my contracted demon for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall making a promise like that.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Raea said and sat down on her bed. ¡°You can¡¯t break a promise with a kindness angel, you know?¡± ¡°And you should never take a demon¡¯s words at face value.¡± Raea was silent as Palan rummaged through his drawer and pulled out his leather bag. He began to take inventory of the items inside. ¡°Do you dislike Div¡¯Nya?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Is Eljiam that much better?¡± ¡°I¡¯m more familiar with Eljiam.¡± ¡°But is it better?¡± Raea asked. She brought her knees to her chest. ¡°The stories I hear about Eljiam are ¡­ bleak.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much difference,¡± Palan said. ¡°People want to kill me in Eljiam. People want to kill me in Div¡¯Nya. At least in Eljiam, I can kill them first without consequences.¡± Palan paused. ¡°I will admit, resources are more abundant here.¡± ¡°That orb!¡± Pyre shouted. Palan was in the process of inspecting the blue orb that he seized from the goblin shaman so many weeks ago. Pyre wiped the drool off his mouth and stood up. ¡°What orb?¡± Palan asked as he closed his bag. ¡°You¡¯re blind, old man. There¡¯s no orb here.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m Raea?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°I can¡¯t be fooled that easily.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Raea said. She unwrapped Cleo and tossed the poor lizardman at Pyre, knocking him to the ground. ¡°What do you want for it?¡± Pyre asked Palan, pushing Cleo aside. ¡°I can give you two uncharged orbs. You can easily make those pride orbs. What do you say?¡± ¡°No way,¡± Palan said and tied the bag to his waist. ¡°This orb is something only I can create for you. I can pilfer orbs from any angel on the street.¡± ¡°You want me to offer something more,¡± Pyre said as he dusted off the back of his robe and sat back on the seat. He rubbed his chin. ¡°Crystals?¡± ¡°Worthless.¡± ¡°Books?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Exotic food?¡± ¡°Even worse.¡± ¡°Women?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said. Raea glared at Pyre. Pyre raised an eyebrow. ¡°Men?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re done here,¡± Palan said. ¡°You clearly have nothing to offer.¡± ¡°Name a price,¡± Pyre said and reached inside his robe. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t get what you want.¡± He frowned. ¡°Where¡¯d my pipe go?¡± ¡°I want the power to kill an archangel without any resistance,¡± Palan said. He ignored Raea¡¯s expression and stared at Pyre, observing the muscles on his face. The angel¡¯s mouth twitched, and he exhaled through his nose. ¡°Do you still believe you can get me what I want?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Pyre said and nodded. His voice was flatter than usual. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if it¡¯s worth the price.¡± Palan waited. ¡°You two really should not be talking about killing an archangel,¡± Raea said, clasping her hands together. Pyre sighed. ¡°Miss Caelum has some common sense in her after all,¡± he said and leaned back into his chair. ¡°Forget about the orb. Let¡¯s pretend this never happened.¡± The usual cheer in his voice returned, and he grinned at Palan. ¡°I had no idea your ambition was that great.¡± The demon snorted. Chapter 80 A moment of silence passed as Palan unsheathed and sheathed Anidun¡¯s dagger before strapping it to his waist. ¡°Why would you even want to kill an archangel?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Did Michael leave that bad of an impression on you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say we shouldn¡¯t be talking about this?¡± Palan asked in reply. He stood up and glanced out the window. The moon was still visible in the middle of the night sky. ¡°Yes. But I got curious,¡± Raea said and scratched her cheek. ¡°I just wanted to name a price that old man couldn¡¯t pay,¡± Palan said and glared at Pyre. ¡°His smug face was bothering me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Pyre asked as he pat the floor around his chair with his feet. He stepped on his pipe and broke out into a smile. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, right Palan?¡± Raea asked gazing at Palan¡¯s face. ¡°Of course not,¡± he said, his countenance unchanging. ¡°Have I ever lied to you before?¡± ¡°Well, you did deny making a promise with me,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°I still don¡¯t get why you¡¯d rather stay in Eljiam.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°There¡¯s still so much of Div¡¯Nya I have to show you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll change your mind after seeing the capital.¡± ¡°Are demons even allowed in the capital?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Nope,¡± Pyre said as Raea hesitated. ¡°Sure, they can visit for a day or two as long as their skin isn¡¯t exposed, but they can¡¯t permanently reside there.¡± The blindfolded angel stuffed some purple plants into the bowl of his pipe and lit them. ¡°And there¡¯s a bunch of bureaucratic hoops that you have to jump through to enter. Of course, it¡¯d be up to Miss Raea to solve those for you.¡± Palan glanced at Raea. She frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sure the first sector is just as pleasant as the capital,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve only seen the borderland. That¡¯s not a fair representation of Div¡¯Nya at all.¡± She stared up at the ceiling, a faint smile on her lips. ¡°In the capital, foods abundant and free; you can take what you want whenever you want. There¡¯s outdoor bathhouses with hot water that can keep you perfectly warm even when it snows. The library is open to everyone at any time. Crystals power the streets so it¡¯s never dark at night, and self-driving carriages cart people anywhere they want to go.¡± She sighed. ¡°I miss it. I especially miss the indoor plumbing system.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t have any of that,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°But the first sector should be similar!¡± Raea said. ¡°Demons are allowed in the first sector ¡­ I think.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Pyre chuckled. ¡°Does the capital really have all that?¡± he asked. ¡°Interesting, interesting.¡± A purple haze lingered around his face, and he scattered the smoke away with his hand. ¡°I live in the first sector now. It¡¯s a nice place but nowhere near as extravagant as you make the capital sound. We have self-driving trains, that run at set times to go in a loop around the sector. None of that personal carriage nonsense.¡± He broke out into a coughing fit that continued for half a minute. ¡°Excuse me. And our baths are cold unless you heat them up yourself by burning wood. Food costs crystals. The train costs crystals. The library and schools cost crystals. Hell, everything costs crystals. If you want to flush your toilet, it¡¯ll cost you a crystal.¡± He exhaled. ¡°And if you choose not to flush your toilet, they¡¯ll fine you for two crystals per day. I learned that the hard way. Worst thirty crystals I ever spent.¡± He nodded. Raea grimaced. ¡°You went fifteen days without flushing your toilet?¡± she asked. Cleo tilted her head and glanced at Palan. ¡°What¡¯s a toilet?¡± she whispered. Palan shrugged. ¡°It was actually thirty days, but they only charged me for fifteen. I bargained with them in the bathroom when they came to inspect it,¡± Pyre said with a smirk on his face. ¡°I guess they just wanted to get out as fast as possible. Bunch of pansies.¡± Raea gagged and shuddered. ¡°I am thoroughly appalled.¡± There was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Pyre said with a smile. The door opened and a young-looking angel with a bowl cut poked his head inside. ¡°Does Jeb happen to be here?¡± he asked and glanced around. ¡°I guess not, sorry about that.¡± The boy disappeared just as quickly as he came, shutting the door without a sound. ¡°How common is the name Jeb?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Not very,¡± Pyre said. ¡°He¡¯s probably referring to Jebriel, the angel who was sent to find you after you frolicked outside the outpost.¡± ¡°Do you know everyone in the army?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Michael gave me a roster to read with all the names and descriptions of the soldiers. I tend to remember everything that enters here.¡± He tapped his forehead with his pipe. ¡°I¡¯m responsible for rooting out spies or suspicious fellows, like yourself.¡± He smiled at Raea. ¡°Why am I suspicious?¡± she asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Nice try,¡± Pyre said and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you cover up your faults.¡± Raea frowned and glanced at Palan. ¡°Am I suspicious?¡± she asked. Palan nodded. ¡°How?¡± Raea asked. She pursed her lips and crossed her legs on the bed. ¡°Well, you¡¯re you,¡± Palan said. Raea tilted her head. ¡°Nothing about you is normal. You have zero survival instinct. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still alive.¡± Raea sighed and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± she said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked you.¡± She glanced at Pyre. He had a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Wait. Is that seriously why you think I¡¯m suspicious?¡± Her mouth fell open as Pyre began to chuckle. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a valid reason?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t expect a fish to live out of water for so long. But don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re pretty low on my list of suspects.¡± Raea pouted. ¡°Well, excuse me for being pampered in the capital all my life,¡± she said. Her shoulders seemed to shrink as she lowered her head. Palan¡¯s brow slightly creased as he stared at her. ¡°At least you can play music well?¡± Palan asked. Raea raised her head and stared at him. She blinked twice. ¡°Are you trying to cheer me up? I never thought this day would come.¡± Palan snorted and walked to the door, opening it. Raea followed his movements with her eyes. ¡°Where are you going?¡± she asked. ¡°For a short walk,¡± Palan said. But a long run, he added in his head. He closed the door before Cleo could follow after him. Chapter 81 Palan returned to the area where he killed Ross and Kore. By the time he arrived, the second sun was beginning to rise. The angels¡¯ remains were missing, only a bloodstain and a few flecks of flesh proving that they were even there. He narrowed his eyes at the scene and continued forward, heading towards the impaled heads in the distance. They acted as a demarcation between the forest he was in and a valley that was obscured by vines. The forest was unusually quiet as Palan passed through it, occasionally stopping near bloodstains. He wasn¡¯t sure if they belonged to angels or wild animals, but he had the feeling that it was the former. As he got closer to the macabre border, he began to see skeletal remains decorating treetops, causing him to raise an eyebrow. The amount of dried blood on the tree trunks meant the owners of the skeletons were still alive when they died up there. Palan frowned as he recalled the bird cry that responded to the wolf-gorilla¡¯s roar; he always had an issue with demons that could fly, though there weren¡¯t many. The gluttonous demon in the town Andrea was infected at was one of them. How long ago had that been? Palan shook his head and ignored the skeletal remains above his head. He arrived at the edge of the forest, and he could distinguish the features of each impaled head. His gaze roamed over them, searching for a recognizable face, but he didn¡¯t see Owen, Carmella, or Gerome. Then again, he didn¡¯t know what warranted being impaled; for all he knew, they could have died a long time ago. Beyond the line of heads was a series of buildings made of mud with vines growing on and hanging off of their roofs. He saw angels walking outside of the houses and gathering towards the center of the valley. On the roof of the centermost building, a humanoid figure was looking down over the angels with its back towards Palan. The figure was sky-blue with a two pairs of wings on its back and had giant talons for feet. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as his gaze fell upon a particularly bulky figure standing near the crowd of angels. It was the wolf-gorilla demon. He noticed that its left shoulder was bandaged; it seemed like no one was willing to heal it. Palan rubbed his chin as a figure wearing blue armor¡ªmost likely Ishim¡ªappeared at the front of the crowd. Palan cupped his hand over his ears and turned his head to the side, but he was too far to make out individual words. A particularly large boulder caught his eye, and a slight smile formed on his lips. Hadn¡¯t Tara told him about a technique that involved a rock? He walked towards the boulder that was twice his height and three times his wingspan. He touched it and gritted his teeth, focusing his powers on it. Dirt fell off of the bottom of the boulder, and bugs scattered as Palan lifted the rock above his head. He turned around to face the gathering of angels and squinted his eyes. The sky-blue figure¡¯s head suddenly turned one hundred and eighty degrees to stare at him with its body still facing forward. Palan stared back. Two seconds passed, and the figure blinked its red eyes. The expected bird shriek didn¡¯t come. Sweat formed on Palan¡¯s brow, and he stopped hesitating. If the bird-demon wasn¡¯t going to warn Ishim, then there was no problem. He threw the boulder into the air. Less than a second passed before Palan realized the fundamental issue with his plan. He couldn¡¯t reuse his power on the rock if he wasn¡¯t touching it. The boulder soared into the air and soared and soared. He and the bird-demon stared at it as it flew beyond the valley, eventually disappearing from view. A few of the angels in the crowd noticed the rock flying overhead but didn¡¯t dare to speak as Ishim was talking. Palan frowned. It had been a while since he did something as stupid as that. He had exhausted nearly three quarters of his mana reserves to lighten that rock. The bird-demon spread its wings and ascended into the air before making a beeline towards Palan. Palan cursed and unsheathed his dagger while inspecting the approaching demon. It had a giant beak on its face and a pair of normal-looking arms. Its chest was covered by a strip of white cloth, seemingly fragile. Three feathers sprouted from the top of its head, their ends reaching the demon¡¯s lower back. Palan positioned himself behind a tree and waited with his left hand inside his leather pouch. The bird-demon landed on a tree a stone throw away from him. It opened its beak. ¡°Hi.¡± A surprisingly normal voice came out of its mouth. ¡°Nice throw.¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond as he and the bird-demon stared at each other. ¡°I¡¯m Madison. People call me the scatterbrained fool,¡± the bird-demon said and clacked its beak. ¡°You are?¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you alert them?¡± Palan asked. Madison stroked the feathers on her wings and sighed. ¡°Aren¡¯t my feathers beautiful?¡± she asked. She sighed again. ¡°Very beautiful, yes you are.¡± She turned away from her wing and stared at Palan. ¡°What¡¯s that on your face? It looks very hideous.¡± Palan frowned and touched his cheek with his hand. There was nothing there. ¡°What?¡± he asked and furrowed his brow. He couldn¡¯t feel any bloodlust or hostile intentions from Madison at all. Madison blinked. ¡°Never mind. You¡¯re just ugly,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°I keep forgetting not everyone can be as perfect as me.¡± She wrapped her lower pair of wings around her body and shivered. Her upper pair of wings extended outwards towards the sky as she arched her back, sticking her chest out while closing her eyes. She inhaled through the two tiny slits on her beak and exhaled while returning back to her former position. Palan stared at her. She stared back. Five minutes passed in silence. ¡°You¡¯re not here to fight?¡± Palan asked. Madison tilted her head to the side, her temple touching her shoulder. ¡°Solra said to hunt angels,¡± she said to Palan as if she were speaking to a child. ¡°Are you an angel?¡± ¡°Do I look like an angel?¡± ¡°All ugly things look the same,¡± Madison said and chirped. She tilted her head to the side and preened the feathers on her wing. ¡°But you¡¯re purple.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re blue.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m blue,¡± Madison said. ¡°It is the prettiest color after all.¡± Palan sighed. ¡°So why are you here?¡± he asked. This whole time, he had his dagger raised, waiting for a strike. He lowered his dagger slightly and observed Madison¡¯s face, watching for any signs of an attack. The bird-demon just continued to preen her feathers. ¡°So why are you here?¡± Madison asked back. ¡°To kill that stupid oversized bipedal dog,¡± Palan said. ¡°To kill that stupid oversized bipedal dog,¡± Madison repeated. She crouched down on the branch she was perching on and hugged her scaled shins. Palan¡¯s left hand flashed, and a projectile flew towards Madison. Right before it hit her, it collided against an invisible barrier and flew back towards Palan. Palan frowned and caught the projectile. It was a rock that had been soaking in the stew that poisoned Michael¡¯s army so many days ago. ¡°Flight and a power that reflects projectiles,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. ¡°Flight and a power that reflects projectiles,¡± Madison said and smiled, her beak curving unnaturally. A breeze blew past, causing her wings to flutter. Palan ignored her and turned his head towards the gathering of angels in the valley. It seemed like Ishim had finished his speech, and the army was forming into ranks. ¡°What are they planning?¡± Palan asked. He figured it couldn¡¯t hurt to ask. ¡°What are they planning?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ugly.¡± ¡°You are.¡± Madison nodded. Palan sighed. The last time he felt this helpless was when Andrea was two years old. It was time to try a different approach. ¡°Madison.¡± ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± the bird-demon said. ¡°You¡¯re very smart, right?¡± ¡°The smartest,¡± Madison said. ¡°They don¡¯t call me scatterbrained fool for nothing.¡± ¡°Can you tell me what the angels were talking about? I couldn¡¯t seem to understand,¡± Palan said while gritting his teeth. ¡°They¡¯re too far away to hear. It¡¯s no wonder why you can¡¯t understand,¡± Madison said and sighed while shaking her head. ¡°It must be unfortunate to be so simple.¡± She preened herself. ¡°Not everyone can be as perfect as you Madison, don¡¯t feel bad for him.¡± ¡°I give up,¡± Palan said and sheathed his dagger. He turned around and walked parallel to Ishim¡¯s moving army. Madison alighted to the ground and bounced after him like a bird, maintaining her distance. Palan whirled around and pounced towards her in one motion, but she just flapped her wings and flew up into the air before landing the same distance away as before from Palan. ¡°You¡¯re like a pride demon but not really.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Madison said. ¡°You can use pride, but you¡¯re not very prideful.¡± She hopped closer to him and tilted her head. ¡°Stand still.¡± She gazed into his eyes while stroking her feathers, using Palan¡¯s pupils as a mirror. ¡°See? You take orders.¡± Palan snorted and turned around, walking away. ¡°Are you mad?¡± Madison asked as she hopped after him. Palan unsheathed his dagger. A bush rustled in front of the duo and an angel appeared. Her face was streaked with dirt and leaves were stuck in her disheveled hair. She froze when she saw Palan and Madison. Before Palan could even move, Madison had already impaled the female angel with her talon. Palan narrowed his eyes and lunged at the bird-demon, but Madison flew above the treetops and dove towards a tree, impaling the angel with a branch. The angel screamed as her face blanched. Blood trickled down the tree trunk as Madison alighted behind Palan and sighed while ruffling her feathers. She plucked a leaf from a nearby fern and wiped the blood off of her talons. ¡°Such dirty blood.¡± The angel¡¯s screams slowly became choked and died away. Palan glanced at Ishim¡¯s army before shaking his head and walking towards the direction of the outpost. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Madison asked as she hopped after him. ¡°Stay and admire my beauty for a bit longer. Igor¡¯s too thick-headed to see beauty, and all the angels die too fast to appreciate my splendor.¡± Palan ignored her and continued to walk away. Chapter 82 Palan frowned, the smell of metal entering his nose. Faint sounds and discontented grumbles entered his ears. ¡°Can¡¯t we just give up, Jeb?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going back until we catch that demon. I¡¯ve never failed a mission before, and I don¡¯t plan on failing one now.¡± Palan turned around to glance at Madison who was still hopping after him. She didn¡¯t seem to notice or care about the group of angels ahead, preening her feathers. She raised her head and stared back at Palan. He sighed and asked, ¡°Just how long do you plan on following me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not following you,¡± Madison said and tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re following me.¡± Palan took a step backwards. Madison hopped one step forwards. She let out a chirp. ¡°See?¡± Palan sighed and shook his head. The voices and crunching of boots became louder. Madison narrowed her eyes and crouched down, touching her palms to the floor. She jumped into the air, spreading her wings, and easily ascended over the treetops. Palan watched her as she dove downwards, and surprised shouts echoed through the forest. He headed towards the direction of the screams and screeches. A rush of air came at him from above, and he took a step backwards while looking up. He saw the body of a soldier fall to the ground and land on its back, the angel¡¯s helmet and greaves flying off its body from the impact. ¡°Rhine!¡± an angel shouted. The angel¡¯s helmeted face stared at Palan. ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡° Madison swooped down from the sky and stretched her talons out, aiming for the slit in the angel¡¯s helmet. The angel raised his lance and thrust his lance towards her, sparks of lightning dancing along its length. A thin translucent film appeared on Madison¡¯s talons, her course unwavering. Her right wings tilted downwards, causing her body to slant. Her talons touched the lance, and she slid along its edge, the lightning eroding the thin film. The angel tried to shake her off, but it was futile. She stretched her left leg towards the angel¡¯s face, keeping the lance at bay with her right. ¡°Jeb!¡± another angel shouted from the side. She made a throwing motion with her arm, causing a wall of wind to rush at Madison. Another translucent film appeared in front of Madison. The wind wall collided with it, pausing momentarily but broke through without losing much momentum. The momentary interruption brought enough time for Madison to sink her talons into Jeb¡¯s shoulders through the slits in his armor. He had dropped his lance and shielded his head with his hands. She was buffeted by the wind wall, but she oriented herself and flew into the air, still holding onto Jeb. Lightning attacked Madison, but she blocked all the bolts with just enough film to have both the lightning and her shields disperse. ¡°What the hell are you!?¡± Jeb shouted as he summoned more and more lightning bolts. He couldn¡¯t help but look down at the ground; it looked awfully far away. He saw both the outpost he came from and Ishim¡¯s army moving like a snake towards the checkpoint in the distance. ¡°I¡¯m the scatterbrained fool,¡± Madison said and smiled while looking down at Jeb. ¡°I was the champion of Haalbeh eight years ago.¡± Her beak stretched unnaturally as her smile widened. Jeb had fallen silent. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say? Like praise? It¡¯s okay to worship someone who¡¯s amazing.¡± The two¡¯s surroundings turned white as Madison flew into a cloud. ¡°O Creator who watches over us, please forgive me my¡ª¡° ¡°Boring,¡± Madison said and released the praying angel. She wrapped her wings around her body and dove headfirst towards the ground, falling faster than the screaming Jeb.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Meanwhile, on the ground, two angels were staring up helplessly at the two dots in the sky. The female soldier who threw the wind wall directed her gaze towards Palan while readying her weapon. She asked, ¡°Are you an ally?¡± Her eyes couldn¡¯t help but shift towards Rhine, the angel who had fallen from the sky earlier. He was dead. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of anyone as an ally before,¡± Palan said. Raea¡¯s image appeared in his head for an instant, causing him to scowl. He kicked Rhine¡¯s body out of his way and walked towards a tree trunk. He leaned against it and smiled at the two angels. Although their faces were hidden by their helmets, he could tell that they weren¡¯t happy with him. Their heartbeats had quickened when he kicked their dead companion away. ¡°Watch over him,¡± the female soldier said. The other soldier nodded, and the female raised her head towards the sky. The two dots were growing larger in size. ¡°I can catch him.¡± Metal screeched as her armored hands clenched. ¡°I can.¡± Palan and the other soldier stared at each other while the female soldier inhaled through her nose. She let out a short shout and violently raised her arms up towards the sky. Leaves rustled and flew into the air as a cushion of wind formed above the trio¡¯s heads, extending hundreds of feet into the sky. The closer dot, Madison, veered off to the side and avoided the wall of wind while circling around with her wings spread. The female soldier didn¡¯t pay any attention to the bird-demon; instead, she was staring at Jeb with sweat pouring out of the slits in her armor. Jeb was falling closer and closer to the cushion of wind. Before his body could make contact with the cushion, a screech came from behind the two angels on the ground. Madison appeared from the sky, using all the momentum gained from freefalling to pierce through the napes of their necks with her talons. Luckily for Jeb, the cushion of wind didn¡¯t disperse immediately after the female angel¡¯s death. He drastically slowed down before landing on the ground, the impact barely warranting a bruise. ¡°Is this heaven?¡± he asked as he sat up. His eyes had been closed the whole time. His body froze as his gaze landed on his two subordinates¡¯ bodies which were in a tree where Madison had left them. Madison was wiping the blood off her talons, standing closer to Palan than she was before. Palan approached Jeb. ¡°You¡¯re with her?¡± Jeb asked, gazing at Palan¡¯s feet. His shoulders were hunched over, and his hands remained motionless in his lap. ¡°Does this mean the Caelum¡¯s have betrayed us?¡± ¡°Who the hell would want to be with this birdbrained idiot?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Scatterbrained fool,¡± a melodious voice said from behind, correcting him. ¡°Would you do yourself the honor of killing him for me? I just cleaned up.¡± ¡°Kill him yourself,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Madison asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it please you to accomplish my wishes? It¡¯s very rare of me to think of someone else, you know?¡± She preened her feathers that had been ruffled during her flight. Palan sighed and hung his head. ¡°Do you see what I have to deal with?¡± he asked Jeb. Palan shook his head and sat down next to Rhine¡¯s corpse. Madison frowned at his inaction and hopped over to Jeb¡¯s fallen lance. She picked it up and flapped her wings. ¡°Aww,¡± Madison said as she barely rose a foot into the air. ¡°Too heavy.¡± She dropped the lance and shook her head. She blinked at Jeb. ¡°You can go.¡± Jeb¡¯s mouth fell open behind his visor. ¡°Huh?¡± he asked. ¡°How¡¯s that lance too heavy?¡± Palan asked as he stood up and walked over to Madison. He picked up the lance as she hopped away, maintaining an equal distance from him. ¡°You picked up two angels. You can¡¯t pick up this stick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s aerodynamics, silly,¡± Madison said and tilted her head. ¡°I can pick up a lot if I¡¯m already in flight with a lot of momentum. Starting flight with extra weight is a lot harder.¡± She clicked her tongue at Palan and sighed while shaking her head. Palan¡¯s eye twitched, and Jeb scrambled to his feet and started to run away. Palan gritted his teeth and threw the lance as hard as he could at Jeb¡¯s retreating figure. It impaled the angel¡¯s chest, knocking him to the ground. Jeb coughed out a mouthful of blood. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, straining his neck and raising his head to look behind himself towards Palan. ¡°Because if I threw this at her, I¡¯d miss,¡± Palan said and snorted. Jeb¡¯s eyes slowly dulled as his head dropped to the ground. ¡°And it¡¯d be problematic if rumors spread.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t it feel good to do something for me?¡± Madison asked and stared at Palan with her big red eyes. ¡°I hope you die in a fire.¡± Chapter 83 ¡°Hey, the sun is about to set, you know?¡± Madison asked as she hopped after Palan. He ignored her and continued to walk ahead. Wings flapped behind him, and he whirled around just in time to see Madison take flight. She hovered in the air, staring at him. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Palan asked, gripping the handle of his dagger. ¡°Yes,¡± Madison said. ¡°It¡¯s time for curfew.¡± As the second sun continued to set, Madison¡¯s feathers gradually darkened from sky-blue to black with a hint of purple. ¡°Let¡¯s go; I¡¯ll carry you.¡± She dove for Palan with her talons outstretched. His eyes widened as he leapt to the side and twisted his torso. Madison¡¯s claw grazed Palan¡¯s chest, leaving behind a line of blood. ¡°Eh? Why¡¯d you move?¡± She perched in a tree and tilted her head. Palan brought his dagger in front of himself and hunched over, readying himself like a sprinter. Madison dove at him again, but Palan managed to avoid her. She frowned. ¡°What are you doing? Solra will be mad if we¡¯re late.¡± ¡°I never said I was going with you,¡± Palan said, preparing to dodge again. Madison¡¯s talons passed by his head. ¡°Stop dodging!¡± Madison said and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t make me take my hammer out.¡± ¡°Why do you want me to go with you?¡± Palan asked as he inched towards a tree. ¡°I¡¯m a considerate person,¡± Madison said and placed her hands on her hip. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want you to get lonely while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Palan said. The wound on his chest dripped blood onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll be just fine without you, maybe even better off.¡± Madison stared at Palan who had half his body behind a tree. She looked up at the sky and frowned. ¡°Fine,¡± Madison said and sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t dally around here with you any longer. What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Madison the scatterbrained fool.¡± ¡°You already introduced yourself before.¡± ¡°I know, but I knew you¡¯d want to hear my name again. So who are you?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Palan.¡± Madison nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll remember your name, new best friend,¡± she said and flew into the air. ¡°See you tomorrow, Pi¡ª, err, Pe¡ª, no, that¡¯s not it, Pablo? Pablo!¡± Palan watched her figure disappear into the distance. He exhaled as a smile broke out on his face. The smile turned into a frown as he realized he didn¡¯t accomplish what he wanted today. His face hardened as he made his way back to the outpost. He¡¯d have to find a way to avoid Madison and isolate the wolf-gorilla if he wanted to get a chance at revenge. Palan stopped walking and turned around, staring in the direction Madison flew towards. He could stalk the wolf-gorilla and wait for the perfect chance. He¡¯d done it many times before in Eljiam. The only problem was Raea. What if the hunt took longer than a month and she did something stupid? No. Pyre would keep her alive. Palan shook his head and took a step away from the outpost. He was tired: tired of her worrying, of her incessant nagging, of depending on her to heal him, of her smile that made him feel strange. He crouched and dashed forwards, running through the forest and startling the mice that were starting to come out. Palan smiled as the wind blew past his face; it was time to shorten his list. *** ¡°You are late,¡± an angel wearing black robes said, staring up at the sky. A hood hung over his head, its shadows covering his face. Madison alighted to the grassy hilltop and tilted her head. Ishim¡¯s army had set camp in a circle surrounding the hill the two were standing on. ¡°I am?¡± she asked. ¡°But the sun hasn¡¯t set. See?¡± She pointed at the still red sky. ¡°Not you,¡± the angel said. The last vestige of sunlight disappeared. ¡°Him.¡± Madison turned around. Crunching sounds echoed out as the wolf-gorilla demon stomped into view. His left arm hung limp at his side, and the bandages on his shoulder were black. ¡°Did I not tell you to get that fixed, Igor?¡± ¡°I bandage. Is fixed,¡± Igor said. ¡°Tomorrow. Heal like new.¡± Saliva dripped from his mouth onto the ground. The angel turned towards Madison. ¡°Where did you go today?¡± ¡°I played with some angels and fed the trees,¡± she said and smiled. The angel stared at her, waiting for more. Madison stayed silent. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± the angel said after waiting ten seconds, ¡°we engage General Elrith¡¯s army. Both of you will participate. That man¡¯s army is very dependent on its demons. You will identify the demon contractors and kill them.¡± He nodded at Madison before looking at Igor. ¡°You will kill their elephants and destroy their supplies. They have so much more wealth than you. How does that make you feel?¡± ¡°Mad,¡± Igor said and curled his toes, leaving ten lines in the dirt. ¡°Everything belong to Igor.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the angel said and raised his head. ¡°Go and rest. No one will desert tonight.¡± The angel stared at the moon as it rose into the sky. Madison and Igor didn¡¯t even look at each other before leaving. ¡°Can you sense it, Meffi, Abaddon? The seeds we planted decades ago are starting to bear fruit.¡± Chapter 84 The first rays of sunlight were beginning to pierce the sky. Elrith finished putting on the last piece of his red armor and stepped outside of his tent with his feathered helmet underneath his right arm. A tower shield that was wider than he was hung on his back, its bottom scraping against the ground and its top rising slightly over his head. His white hair was longer than Raea¡¯s, extending past his shoulders. Traces of stubble could be seen on his jaw. ¡°General!¡± Close to two thousand soldiers stood in formation. The majority of the soldiers in the front were saluting with their lances in their right hands, tips pointing towards the sky and ends on the ground. The soldiers in the back were demons of varying sizes, each equipped with their own specialized weapons. Two soldiers appeared by Elrith¡¯s side and folded his tent within five seconds before dashing off towards the elephants standing behind the army. Elrith nodded and placed his helmet on his head. ¡°Passable,¡± he said. He whirled around and began to march along the road at the speed of an average person¡¯s run. In the distance, Ishim was watching Elrith¡¯s army with a telescope. The angel in black robes stood behind him. ¡°This will work, right?¡± Ishim asked. His brow was furrowed, and the telescope trembled underneath his grasp. ¡°Of course,¡± the black-robed angel said. ¡°I will take care of Elrith. Your men just need to distract his troops and sow confusion among the ranks. You will approach from behind and assist Igor in destroying their supplies. An army of that size is doomed to failure without their supply lines.¡± ¡°I understand, Lord Solra,¡± Ishim said and lowered the telescope. He pressed on both ends, shrinking it down in size before placing it into his breastplate. He turned around and glanced at the forest. His men were on the forest ground, their bodies prone and their eyes glazed over. Only a small handful of angels had clear eyes, their bodies trembling from either excitement or fear. Igor sat behind a boulder with his eyes closed. His arm was no longer bandaged, and his body was in perfect condition. Madison was resting in a nearby tree, preening her feathers. Footsteps echoed out through the forest, scattering the nearby birds. Madison raised her head and narrowed her eyes. A smile formed on Solra¡¯s lips as he tore off his cloak. His hair was patchy and disheveled, and one of his eyes was covered by an eyepatch. He opened his mouth and whispered, ¡°Begin.¡± Thousands of glassy-eyed angels rose up from their positions on the ground and surged towards the road from both sides. There was no possible way for the soldiers on the other side of the road to hear the command, but they still rose up and charged. They all had cloth pouches in their hands that they threw towards Elrith¡¯s army. The pouches exploded when they made contact with anything, bursting into clouds of flour which obscured the army¡¯s view. Immediately, a gust of wind blew past the army, removing the white powder, revealing the glassy-eyed angels surrounding the army. Elrith snorted and dislodged the tower shield from his back while turning around. He picked it up with both hands and slammed it against the ground. His voice echoed throughout the forest as he shouted, ¡°Surrender now and you will be spared!¡± The glassy-eyed angels charged forwards, their lances and armor shoddy compared to the ones in Elrith¡¯s army. Elrith snorted and let out a shout. His back seemed to explode with light as a humongous chain burst outwards and reached towards the sky. The end of the chain branched out into thousands of miniature chains and flew towards the glassy-eyed angels. ¡°Seize them,¡± Elrith said. His body trembled slightly, but his voice didn¡¯t quaver at all. His soldiers let out a battle cry and charged towards the restrained angels in an orderly fashion. A bird cry pierced the air, silencing the battlefield, and Madison flew down from the clouds, her body twisting rapidly in the air. Her hands were stretched out towards the side as if holding onto the handle of an object. Her body seemed to shine red, the sunlight bouncing off of her. Not her, but the translucent hammer in her hands. It was growing in size as her body twisted like it was being stretched out with each turn of her body. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened and twenty chains flew towards Madison, releasing the angels they were restraining. The hammer in Madison¡¯s hands collided against the chains as she spiraled downwards, shattering them into fragments of light that dispersed before reaching the ground. Elrith¡¯s soldiers didn¡¯t even look up as they continued to subdue the glassy-eyed angels, either by breaking their limbs or burying them in the earth. Their faith in their general was unwavering as they followed his previous order, ignoring the calamity in the sky. Madison let out another bird cry before shouting. Her voice sounded melodious like a harp, yet there was a hint of bloodlust, ¡°Not going to pay attention to me?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it As more and more angels were subdued by Elrith¡¯s army, the chains restraining them flew upwards to stop Madison¡¯s descent. The surface of the hammerhead was large enough to encompass the whole of Elrith¡¯s army, but it shrank every time it collided with a chain until it was the size of a battleaxe. When Madison was a hundred feet above the army, the chains suddenly stopped and the hammer rapidly expanded once again. Elrith seemed to be stunned as the chain extended from his back dispersed. He whirled around to see Solra standing behind him with his finger pointed at Elrith. Elrith shouted, ¡°Solra!¡± at the same time Madison swung her hammer towards the ground. Over a hundred soldiers let out short screams before they were instantly flattened, leaving behind nothing but a puddle of blood and shiny metal. Madison¡¯s eyes were wide as she smiled at her reflection in the lake of blood before jumping upwards and ascending once more. ¡°You bastard!¡± Elrith shouted and charged towards Solra with his tower shield in one hand. ¡°No need for such harsh words,¡± Solra said as he turned around and dashed away. Elrith gnashed his teeth and stopped his pursuit. He was too slow compared to the armorless Solra due to his armor and tower shield. Instead, he slammed his shield against the ground, causing a massive wall of earth that was over twenty feet tall and three hundred feet wide to rise out of the ground, separating the retreating Solra from Elrith¡¯s army while displacing the trees in the forest at the same time. Shouts and trumpeting echoed from behind Elrith, and he whirled around to see black flames engulfing the elephants. A lone figure was dashing through the flames, going from elephant to elephant, ripping their heads off in less than a second. A few of his soldiers that wielded the powers of charity were dispelling the flames, but the majority of his soldiers were busy fighting against the hundred demons that had suddenly regained their freedom. Elrith gritted his teeth and shouted, ¡°Back to the basics!¡± An invisible surge of energy exploded from his body and dispelled every single power in the area. The black flames vanished, and the rebelling demons found that their powers no longer worked. Elrith¡¯s army was also affected, but they quickly adapted and subdued the demons with their numbers. Elrith¡¯s face was expressionless as he walked towards the center of the army, surveying the damage. He hadn¡¯t used his powers of charity against Madison because he thought it was unnecessary, which proved to be a mistake. Elrith¡¯s army stood in silence with their heads lowered. The injured angels gritted their teeth and didn¡¯t say a word as blood dripped from their bodies to the ground. Elrith closed his eyes and the giant wall of earth in front of the army collapsed. The glassy-eyed angels that were subdued regained their clarity, but they remained silent due to the oppressive atmosphere. The rebelling demons were riddled with wounds and lying on the ground, a few dead. Elrith spoke, ¡°Where is the demon who killed the elephants?¡± A soldier saluted and raised his head. ¡°We fought against him,¡± he said and gestured towards the four angels behind himself, ¡°but he chose to flee. We did not dare overextend so we did not pursue, but he was definitely injured with a near fatal wound.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Elrith said, face still expressionless, ¡°and the bird demon?¡± ¡°She fled after the initial strike.¡± Elrith nodded. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. A tremble ran through the angel who just responded to his question. ¡°That was my fault,¡± Elrith said. ¡°We were misinformed, and I underestimated her. She was an archdemon.¡± He put his tower shield back on his back. ¡°Pieyah, deliver a message to General Michael. We need to rendezvous in the middle before the rebels can regroup.¡± An angel nodded and jumped on top of a demon that looked like a cheetah mixed with a rhino. The demon sprinted off into the distance, leaving behind a dust cloud. Elrith¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°As for those rebelling demons ¡­ kill them.¡± Screams rang out as the soldiers complied. ¡°This is your fate if you choose to go against me,¡± Elrith said towards the remaining demons. Some shuddered while others snorted. Elrith turned around and gazed in the direction Solra ran off to. ¡°So you thought destroying our supplies would weaken our resolve?¡± he muttered. His eyes narrowed and he raised his head towards the sky. His arms fell to his sides with his hands open, palms facing up. The ground shuddered beneath the remaining army. A massive cube of earth rose from the ground, towering way above the tree tops. The bottom half of the cube fell back into the ground, revealing eight pairs of spider-like legs. The cube began to scuttle towards the outpost that was just a brown dot in the distance. The soldiers stared at Elrith¡¯s back with fear and reverence in their eyes. ¡°He¡¯s like a mountain,¡± one of the captured angels murmured. A demon snorted nearby and kicked the captured angel off the walking cube. The angel screamed until his voice was cut short by the collision with the ground below. The demon glared at the remaining captives who cowered in fear. His eyes seemed to speak to them, ¡°If you talk, you die.¡± Elrith didn¡¯t say a word or make a single movement. His soldiers couldn¡¯t see it, but his usual red face was as white as a sheet, and perspiration dripped from every pore in his body, soaking his clothes underneath his armor. His jaw was practically glued together to prevent his teeth from chattering. He had to be strong. A weak tyrant would be overthrown in an instant. The spider-cube marched on. Chapter 85 Palan stared at the giant earthen spider-cube as it scuttled away into the distance. Cleo¡¯s words sprang into his mind, ¡°How is this even fair?¡± He could hear her high-pitch voice complaining away and couldn¡¯t help but to agree with her. The gap between him and an archangel ruthlessly pressed down on his pride. He gritted his teeth and sniffed the air. Maybe the gap would shrink after he ate that oversized dog-monkey. He wasn¡¯t counting on it. Palan had been hidden throughout the fight, watching Igor¡¯s every move while the wolf-gorilla demon hunted down the elephants and fought the angels. He found that, although he couldn¡¯t just bury himself underneath the sand, it was a lot easier to hide within a forest than out in the desert. He was confident that no one had noticed him, and nodded as he turned away from the earthen monstrosity in the distance. As he followed the trail of blood Igor left behind, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what method Pyre had to kill an archangel. Labored breaths reached Palan¡¯s ears, and his heartrate quickened. His pupils dilated, and a shiver ran down his spine as his pace increased. The wolf-gorilla was slowing down, the footsteps he left behind becoming shallower with every step. His broad back came into Palan¡¯s view, rivulets of blood trickling out of multiple puncture wounds that decorated the wolf-gorilla¡¯s purple skin. Igor stopped running and whirled around to face Palan. Igor¡¯s nose twitched, and he growled. ¡°You! Not dead?¡± Palan didn¡¯t speak as he took a step back, retreating towards a tree while observing Igor¡¯s wounds. His body had been skewered multiple times and entrails dangled from a gash in his lower abdomen. Palan¡¯s nose wrinkled. He asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that hurt? What kind of freak are you?¡± ¡°Igor stupid! No feel pain,¡± the wolf-gorilla demon said as he hunched over. He spat in his right hand and used his left hand to stuff his entrails back inside his body. He rubbed his spit on the gash and nodded before standing up straight while pounding his chest. ¡°Good like new!¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. He reached into his bag and sighed. His poison had been expended long ago; the only thing left was a leather pouch containing poisoned stew. ¡°I always serious,¡± Igor said and lumbered towards Palan. He stumbled but corrected himself by placing his palms against the ground. Blood continued to drip from his wounds. His tongue drooped as he panted, staring at Palan. Palan frowned and took out the leather pouch. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he asked. ¡°I have stew made out of an archangel that I¡¯m willing to share with you.¡± Igor hesitated. ¡°Is trick?¡± he asked as he eyed the pouch. A kidney fell out of his wound, and he stuffed it back inside his belly after dusting it off. ¡°No?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. He lobbed the pouch towards Igor who caught it with one hand. Igor pierced the skin of the pouch with a claw and sniffed the stew. ¡°Not fresh,¡± Igor said and frowned at Palan. His eyes seemed to be drooping as his body wobbled. The spit clearly hadn¡¯t healed him. ¡°It¡¯s one week old,¡± Palan said as his right hand crept towards his dagger. He stepped out from behind the tree. ¡°I was saving it for a tough time.¡± ¡°Make sense,¡± Igor said and nodded. ¡°You ally to Solra? Why silent when I ask?¡± He tore a slit in the pouch and drank the contents in a single gulp. ¡°If speak, then no hurt you, friend.¡± Palan furrowed his brow. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m your friend?¡± he asked.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Igor have many friend back home,¡± the wolf-gorilla said as he pinched the gash in his belly shut. ¡°Always nice to Igor. Give Igor food when hungry. I kill not-friends for friend; they praise Igor. Call Igor stupid. I laugh because joke.¡± ¡°So you were taken advantage of,¡± Palan said and nodded. His expression was strange as he stared at Igor. ¡°I can mend that wound for you.¡± Palan took a step forward and twirled the dagger in his hand. ¡°This dagger has healing properties. I took it from an archangel.¡± Igor¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Give Igor. Friend forever,¡± he said and extended his palm, dropping the empty leather pouch onto the ground. ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset that I stabbed you before?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Just itch. No problem,¡± Igor said and grunted. Igor¡¯s wolf-like ears flattened against his head, and he panted. ¡°You friend. Give dagger?¡± A puddle of blood had formed underneath Igor¡¯s body. His eyes continued to sparkle as he stared at the dagger, but his shoulders began to hunch further. Palan frowned as he stepped closer and held the blade of his dagger. He offered the hilt towards Igor. He had seen many animals, and every one of his senses was telling him that Igor was completely harmless. ¡°How do you know what I¡¯m saying if you¡¯re so stupid?¡± Palan asked as Igor grasped the dagger¡¯s hilt with a trembling hand, a smile on his face like a child that had just received a brand new toy. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Igor said as he raised the dagger above his head and let the suns shine on it. ¡°Friend speak clear. Easy for Igor. Not many like you.¡± The rivulets of blood slowed to a trickle. The wolf-gorilla demon¡¯s skin was pale, completely white with the faintest trace of purple. ¡°Igor see light. Very ¡­ warm.¡± Palan frowned. The wolf-gorilla in front of him was too stupid to realize he was dying. He watched as Igor¡¯s chest heaved up and down, the movement gradually getting slower. Palan crossed his arms over his chest. This wasn¡¯t what he was expecting when he started the hunt. Igor lowered his head to gaze at Palan. His red eyes had dulled. ¡°Igor glad,¡± he said. ¡°In strange world. Make new friend. Friend ¡­ name?¡± Igor fell to his knees; his head was now level with Palan¡¯s. ¡°Palan.¡± ¡°Pal ¡­ an,¡± Igor whispered. He closed his eyes. ¡°Igor sleep ¡­ now.¡± The wolf-gorilla demon fell over onto his face, still clutching Anidun¡¯s dagger as he fell over. Palan¡¯s expression was odd as he pried the dead demon¡¯s fingers off of his dagger. He wrinkled his brow as he stood up and inspected Igor¡¯s body. The hunter had caught up to his prey but found that it was already dying. He felt robbed. There was no release of any of his pent up frustrations. ¡°Damnit!¡± Palan shouted and stabbed the dagger into Igor¡¯s back. ¡°Rude.¡± Palan whipped his head around and saw Madison sitting in a tree. His head cleared instantly as a shiver ran through his body. How come he hadn¡¯t noticed her? He could sense her heart beating now, but there was no signs of her before. ¡°Did my beautiful face leave you awestruck?¡± Madison asked and smiled as she preened her wings. Palan smelled the traces of blood on her feathers and froze as he recalled the carnage that she caused by herself. Madison giggled. ¡°You simply can¡¯t speak! My presence has struck you dumb.¡± She let out a chirp and ruffled her feathers, rubbing her cheek against them. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I can¡¯t see my best friend, Picasso?¡± Madison asked and tilted her head. ¡°I told you I¡¯d see you tomorrow, didn¡¯t I? I saw you at the battlefield, hiding in some bushes.¡± She flew to the ground and flipped Igor over with her talon. ¡°The ugly lump has died. Solra¡¯s going to be mad. Oh wells.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Are you going to eat him? Maybe you¡¯ll turn less ugly when you evolve.¡± She waved her hand and a translucent sword appeared. Palan took a step back as Madison swung her sword, cutting Igor¡¯s body into bite-sized pieces. Madison tilted her head and looked at Palan as her sword vanished. She picked up one of the pieces and threw it into her mouth. ¡°Too dry. Did you exsanguinate him?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°He did this to himself,¡± he said and sat down next to Igor¡¯s dismembered body. He picked up a chunk of bloodless flesh and stared at it. ¡°I wonder if things could¡¯ve worked out differently between us.¡± ¡°Getting sentimental?¡± Madison asked. She nodded and hummed as if she figured something out. ¡°Two ugly people would get along.¡± Palan wrinkled his brow at Madison before eating the chunk of flesh in his hand. A surge of heat ran through his body, causing his eyes to widen. He hesitated while staring at the corpse on the ground. Madison picked up a piece with her talon and shoved it into Palan¡¯s mouth. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and change your ugly mug. You have to be semi-presentable even if you¡¯ll never be as stunning as me.¡± Chapter 86 After forcefully stuffing the remainder of Igor¡¯s body into Palan¡¯s mouth, Madison let out a yawn and sat on the ground with her legs crossed. Palan was twitching in front of her with a belly like a pregnant woman¡¯s. A black puddle of liquid spread out from underneath Palan and rose upwards in strands, trapping his body in a birdcage-like structure. Madison shuddered as the liquid began to fill in the gaps and fully cocoon Palan¡¯s body, forming a black egg at the end. She tilted her head. ¡°My egg was definitely better.¡± *** Raea paced back and forth across her room. Cleo¡¯s head turned back and forth like a pendulum as she watched Raea bite her nails and mutter to herself. Pyre sighed. ¡°Calm down, Miss Raea. You¡¯ll saw through the floor at this rate.¡± He tapped his pipe against the edge of the seat, causing ashes to fall onto the floor. Raea whirled around and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Calm down?¡± she asked, glaring at the angel who couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°You heard him, right? He said he was going to take a short walk. A short walk! It¡¯s been three days now and he didn¡¯t even leave behind a message. What if he was kidnapped by the person controlling the giant spider-golem that¡¯s heading for the outpost at this very moment?¡± She clenched her hands, scrunching up the robes by her waist. ¡°And how are you so calm? The controller of that golem could very well be here to destroy us.¡± Pyre blew out a cloud of purple smoke. He gestured towards his pipe. ¡°Want some?¡± he asked. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Your behavior isn¡¯t very fitting for an angel of patience,¡± Pyre said and shrugged as he brought the pipe to his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s only been three days. And I have a feeling that the golem commander is friendly. If not, Michael can deal with it. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. And isn¡¯t it your fault for not following after Palan when he left?¡± ¡°You were the one who stopped me!¡± Raea shouted and stomped her foot. She bit her lower lip as her eyes grew wet and turned around before heading for her bed. She threw herself on top of her covers and buried her face into her pillow while gathering the blanket towards her chest with her arms. She inhaled through her nose and smelled traces of mildew. Her mother had always lectured her for sleeping without drying her hair. She sighed as the heat in her chest faded away, replaced by a feeling of loneliness. Cleo seemed to sense something and hopped onto the bed, plopping herself down on top of Raea¡¯s butt. Raea raised her head and craned her neck to stare at Cleo. After confirming it was the orange lizardman and not the blindfolded angel, she dropped her head back onto the pillow. Cleo didn¡¯t say anything as she stared out the window. Her eyes widened when she saw a giant boulder hurtling towards a building across the street. A loud crashing sound and a shriek echoed through the air. Raea scrambled to her feet, knocking Cleo over. ¡°What was that?¡± Raea asked and looked out the window. The building across the street was in shambles, and her face paled at the sight of a severed leg. ¡°Are we under attack?¡± Pyre asked. He was still leaning back in his chair with the pipe in his mouth. Another crashing sound coming from the outside the room answered his question. Pyre raised an eyebrow. ¡°Trebuchets? There are dwarves out there?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Boulders fell like rain before a wall of wind rose up. When the boulders collided with the wind, they slowed down and drifted towards the ground, landing gently. Raea exited the building, dragging Pyre along by his forearm. Over the outpost walls, she could see the tops of hundreds of wooden structures surrounding the outpost. ¡°How did no one notice this?! Where are our scouts?¡± Michael¡¯s voice boomed through the outpost. The soldiers had stepped into formation; only the initial volley had managed to injure them. ¡°Spread out and eliminate all of them!¡± The soldiers streamed out of the outpost and headed towards the trebuchets. The boulders stopped flying the instant the soldiers started to move. Raea rushed around the wrecked buildings, searching for any injured angels to heal. ¡°The dwarves were wiped out decades ago,¡± Pyre said as he rubbed his chin. ¡°Their old-fashioned weapons couldn¡¯t compete with the power of the angels¡¯ orbs. Interesting.¡± He drummed his fingers against his thigh as Raea crouched down next to a pale angel whose leg was stuck underneath a boulder. ¡°Maybe Ishim¡¯s army reconstructed their siege weapons, but that wouldn¡¯t explain their sudden appearance.¡± Pyre chuckled and added more leaves to his pipe. ¡°Unknown variables are always thrilling, don¡¯t you agree?¡± His voice was directed at Cleo. Before the lizardman could answer, a pair of feet touched down behind her. Michael frowned as gazed at Pyre. ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked the blindfolded angel. ¡°I think I should wait for the soldiers to return before I make any guesses,¡± Pyre said. ¡°But probably dwarves.¡± ¡°General!¡± a soldier said and approached Michael. ¡°Colonel Simon discovered an underground entrance, but it sealed itself before he could investigate further. All the reports gathered say the trebuchets were abandoned before the soldiers arrived.¡± Michael nodded at the soldier and turned his gaze over the outpost walls. The tops of the trebuchets were either on fire or no longer visible. He saw the spider-golem steadily approaching from the distance and frowned. Coincidence? Michael frowned before shaking his head. He thought the spider-golem belonged to Elrith, but now, he wasn¡¯t so sure. Raea sighed as she stood up. The angel she was healing rolled the boulder off of his leg and stood up, thanking her in the process. Michael stared at Raea. ¡°Where¡¯s your demon?¡± he asked and narrowed his eyes. Raea froze. ¡°I sent him out on an errand,¡± Pyre said, stepping in front of Raea. ¡°He¡¯s doing some scouting for me.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Michael asked, looking around Pyre to stare at Raea. She bit her lip and furrowed her brow. ¡°That¡­,¡± she said and clutched her chest with one arm. She gasped and hunched over, sweat forming on her brow. Her body burned and glowed with a yellow light. She began to fall forwards. ¡°What¡¯s happening to her?¡± Michael asked as he lunged forward and caught Raea before she fell over. The yellow light¡¯s glow increased in intensity until Michael had to close his eyes in fear of being blinded. Pyre retrieved her from Michael¡¯s arms. ¡°I have a guess,¡± he said and grinned. ¡°Continue doing your army stuff. So many interesting things are happening today.¡± He chuckled as he retreated back to Raea¡¯s room with a concerned-looking Cleo following after him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cleo asked, shielding her eyes with her hand after the three were alone. Pyre had placed Raea on her bed. ¡°Is she dying?¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± Pyre said. Cleo looked up at him expectantly with her tail swishing behind her. The blindfolded angel chuckled at her. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand if I explained it. I¡¯m not even sure I¡¯m right.¡± Cleo pouted and turned her back towards Pyre. The old angel sat down in his chair and slightly raised his blindfold, staring in Raea¡¯s direction. A golden membrane covered her body. ¡°It looks similar to a demon¡¯s evolution, but there are very few instances of it ever happening to angels.¡± Pyre¡¯s red eyes glinted before he covered them. Chapter 87 Palan floated in a sea of white light. There was no ground or sky, his body suspended in nothing. He tried to speak but found that he couldn¡¯t move his mouth¡ªor any part of his body at all. Palan would¡¯ve frowned if he could. There were no sounds or smells; his body was unable to feel anything. The white light burrowed into his body, dissolving it piece by piece. His skin fell away, revealing the red muscles and tendons underneath. His muscles eroded strand by strand until only his bones remained. His eyes melted into a gooey mush, causing his vision to turn black. Holes perforated his bones, creating a structure similar to a termite mound before his bones dissolved completely. The only thing that remained was his brain which floated around aimlessly in the whiteness. Although Palan couldn¡¯t see, billions of images flashed through his mind. A humanoid figure with hunched shoulders pounded on its chest and shrieked before tearing apart a tree with its bare hands; its frame reminded Palan of Igor. An oversized lizard with two gigantic hind legs and laughably tiny arms roared, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. A four-winged bird flew through the air above an endless expanse of blue. A shark charged through black waters and sank its teeth into a seal. A praying mantis crept up on a fly and impaled it with its scythes. A black lizard crawled out of a volcano and belched out a fountain of magma. The images flashed through Palan¡¯s mind, hundreds at a time and never lasting for longer than a second. His attention was drawn towards certain images, and gradually the images changed to only reveal ones similar to those. A crocodile¡¯s back deflected a blade. A pangolin crawled out from a collapsed cave. A snake constricted a lion until blood poured out of the feline¡¯s mouth. A shark narrowed in on a wounded creature from hundreds of miles away. The scenes started to last longer until there were only a handful playing in his mind. And then he became the animals in the scenes, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and hunting with their bodies. The body of the shark felt completely natural to him: the sense of smell, the enhanced hearing, the electricity sensing organ in the center of his head, even the loss and growth of teeth. He was the undefeated ruler of the sea. No creature dared to fight him, only flee, that is, until a black and white creature came and flipped him over. It laughed as his chest burned and his vision turned spotty before fading away into darkness. Next, he entered the body of a crocodile. He swam around lakes, mostly sleeping and waiting around until a creature got close to drink water, then he would strike. Ambushing was nothing new to him and he excelled at it. One day, he ate a baby angel who was wandering around the lake, picking up sticks. A group of angels came after him and stabbed at him with their lances. His scales deflected the blows, but the angels persisted, refusing to let him flee. Eventually, his skin cracked and shattered into pieces under the relentless strikes. He let out a wail before he died, a spear embedded in his head. He entered the body of a newly matured bird. He jumped out of the nest and flapped his wings before falling to the ground and cracking his head open. He died on impact. Palan felt a vague feeling of annoyance as he entered the body of an anaconda. The last death had been too embarrassing, and he wiggled in frustration. The anaconda was another ambush hunter, and Palan thrived. He sank his teeth into prey and coiled his body around them, crushing their organs and compressing their frames before swallowing them whole. The jungle was his undisputed territory until it froze over one day, causing him to freeze to death.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He didn¡¯t know how much time passed or how many different lives he went through, but one day, his body started to reform. His bones materialized in the expanse of white, the skeletal frame humanoid. They were about ten percent larger than before, thicker all around and longer. His skull retained its teeth-filled jaws while his coccyx began to elongate, forming a fifteen-foot long tail bone that began to grow ribs and a serpentine skull at the end. Then, a layer of red began to grow from the bones, creating his muscles and tendons. His body was greater than six feet tall but less than seven with a tail that was nearly three times his height. The skin followed after the muscles, retaining its purple color. A layer of black scales with red stripes began to grow on his tail, covering it completely before extending a bit up his lower back and spine. Bumps began to form on his upper back in between his shoulder blades, creating a pattern similar to crocodile skin. The pattern spread outwards, encompassing his shoulder blades, upper arms, lower back, and the back of his thighs. The last thing to reform was his eyes. They were bright-red with slit pupils. The nictitating membrane reformed over them. The white light around his body disappeared, and Palan found that he could move again. Even though it was pitch black, he could still see a black layer surrounding him shaped like a deformed egg. He reached forward and touched the black surface. It crumbled underneath his touch and turned into a black powder. His touch caused a chain reaction, causing the egg to collapse, revealing his naked and hairless body. His leather pouch containing his pride orb, and his dagger were gone. The red stripes on his tail looked suspiciously similar to the color of his dagger. ¡°Somehow you became even more hideous,¡± a crisp voice said. Palan¡¯s body shivered from the clarity of the noise. The sounds of crunching grass entered his ears, and he turned his head. Madison was frowning at him while waddling in circles around his body. ¡°Where are your feathers? Your beak? Everything about you screams ugly.¡± She sighed and shook her head. ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be¡ªhelped?!¡± She shouted and flew into the air as a black and red blur lunged at her. ¡°Your tail has a head? Seriously?¡± Madison asked as she stared at the snake head watching her. She perched in a tree. Its tongue flickered as its head swayed above the ground before retreating. It coiled around Palan¡¯s waist and torso, making five rotations before it was fully wrapped around him with its head resting on his chest. Palan opened and closed his mouth, causing a cracking sound to echo through the forest. He licked his lips. ¡°I feel good,¡± he said and stood up. The ground sank slightly beneath his feet. ¡°How long was I gone for?¡± He hopped up and down a few times and shook his head side to side. Colors seemed to overlap with objects, marking them from red to blue. He recognized it as the anaconda¡¯s heat vision. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Madison said. ¡°Like three days?¡± Palan nodded as his tail uncoiled. ¡°This thing is really heavy,¡± he said. It began to crawl silently along the ground, pulling his body backwards. He lifted his feet off the ground and twisted his body to face the same way as his tail. ¡°Are you in control of both your heads?¡± Madison asked and tilted her head as Palan approached the tree she was sitting in. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said as his tail coiled around the tree. It began to constrict the massive tree, shattering the trunk, causing it to wobble and fall over. ¡°Hey! What was that for?¡± Madison asked and flew to a different tree. ¡°No reason,¡± Palan said, recalling his extremely short-lived life as a bird. His tail wrapped back around his body. He turned around and broke out into a sprint, heading back towards the outpost. The fact that he wasn¡¯t dead meant Raea was still alive, but something was gnawing at him near the pit of his stomach. ¡°Bye, Piano!¡± Madison shouted as Palan¡¯s figure disappeared from her view. Her expression was strange as she flew down towards the pile of dust that Palan¡¯s egg had left behind. She smiled as she gathered it and rubbed it into her feathers, turning her wings black. Chapter 88 Michael, Elrith, Elrith¡¯s attendant, and Pyre stood around Raea¡¯s bed with Cleo hiding underneath it. The golden cocoon was still pulsating on top of the covers. Elrith had arrived at the outpost, and berated Michael for providing false information. Michael got into an argument with him, calling him a young whippersnapper that needed to learn how to respect his elders. Pyre had walked in on them and informed them of the anomaly happening to Raea which led to the current situation. ¡°You walking corpse,¡± Elrith said, glaring at Michael. ¡°My baby sister was under your care and this happens? First you come back and beg for my help, and then you provide me false information about the rebel army. Was that not enough? Are you that bitter that I surpassed you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bitter about anything, you little brat,¡± Michael said and pointed at Raea¡¯s cocoon. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to cause that. Don¡¯t pin the blame on me when everyone knows she has two deadly sins.¡± Elrith¡¯s face darkened as he clenched his fists. He narrowed his eyes, staring at Michael like a starving lion. Pyre cleared his throat and tapped his pipe onto Elrith¡¯s shoulder, getting ashes on his shoulder-length hair. Elrith whirled around, looking at the blindfolded angel with a blank expression. ¡°What?¡± Pyre smiled and sat down, crossing his legs while leaning back into the seat. He dusted a crumb off of his robe and brought his pipe to his lips. Elrith waited, but Pyre didn¡¯t say anything as he sucked on his pipe. After Pyre finished inhaling, he blew a cloud of smoke into Elrith¡¯s face, causing the general to cough. ¡°Miss Raea probably isn¡¯t in any danger,¡± Pyre said. A faint smile danced on Michael¡¯s lips as Elrith batted the smoke away from his face with his palms. ¡°As archangels, you two know about the unwritten rule, right? The one that says you can¡¯t form a contract with a demon.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elrith said and frowned. The smell of burning plants lingered in his hair. He ran his finger through his curls, leaving behind a trace of purple on his skin. ¡°Do you know why that rule exists?¡± Pyre asked and grinned. Michael raised an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t it to stop the appearance of archdemons?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Greater demons would evolve under our contracts.¡± ¡°But they¡¯d still be contracted to you,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Why does it matter if they evolve? Archdemons under contracts are no greater threats than greater demons under contracts.¡± ¡°But if we die¡ª¡° ¡°Then a group of archangels can subdue the demon,¡± Pyre said and coughed. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault your reasoning is wrong since that¡¯s the common belief. Guess again.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Elrith asked and turned towards Michael.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Michael rubbed his hand against his bald head. ¡°He¡¯s Pyre Khondra, a genius researcher,¡± he said and added with a whisper, ¡°but he¡¯s a little bit¡±¡ªMichael traced circles around his temple with his finger¡ª¡°if you know what I mean.¡± Pyre chuckled. ¡°Let me tell you my theory,¡± he said, ¡°then you can judge whether I¡¯m crazy or not.¡± Michael grinned and scratched his cheek. ¡°The few incidents of golden cocoons recorded in writing always happened to archangels. After breaking free from the cocoons, the angels were blessed with ¡­ features that distinguished them from other angels. You¡¯ve probably heard of a few of them: Raphael with his hawk-like eyes, Uriel with her twin horns, Camael with his scorpion tail.¡± Pyre paused and cleared the ashes out of his pipe. ¡°Do you know what they all had in common other than being archangels?¡± Elrith and Michael remained silent. Pyre smiled. ¡°They all had life and death contracts with the demons under them and those demons evolved.¡± ¡°But Ray doesn¡¯t have a demon,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brow. Pyre raised his eyebrow and tilted his head towards Michael. ¡°But she does?¡± Michael said, forming his statement as a question. Elrith¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Who the hell approved of my sister getting a demon?¡± he asked. ¡°What institute, in their right mind, would give a Caelum a demon without seeking approval first? Was it Hailing Academy? Or was it one of those slimy backwater summoning centers?¡± ¡°I asked her where she found her demon,¡± Michael said as he took a step back. ¡°She said she found him on the road and formed a contract with him.¡± ¡°Are you stupid?!¡± Elrith asked, practically shouting at Michael. ¡°Demons aren¡¯t stray dogs! You have a greater chance of being eaten by a shark on land than finding an uncontracted demon on the road.¡± ¡°Is he always this loud?¡± Pyre asked, turning his head towards Elrith¡¯s attendant who was standing in the corner looking miserable. ¡°Only when it comes to his baby sister and animal abuse,¡± the attendant said. ¡°He¡¯s usually a very levelheaded person.¡± She shook her head and sighed. ¡°Well,¡± Michael said and took a step forward, bumping his chest against Elrith¡¯s, ¡°that¡¯s what your sister told me. She wouldn¡¯t lie to me, right?¡± He glared at Elrith. ¡°My sister would never lie,¡± Elrith said, not backing down as he took a step forward, forcing Michael back. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t put it past your senile brain to forget what she said. You¡¯re pushing triple digits, old man. You can¡¯t blame me for suspecting your memory.¡± Michael snorted, and his face turned a deeper shade of red as he tried to push Elrith back. A cracking sound drew both of the general¡¯s attentions. They turned their heads to see a black line forming on the cocoon in the bed. The generals stepped away from each other: Elrith took a step towards the bed, Michael retreated a step away. A red hand reached through the black crack in the cocoon, the fingers curling around the edge. Another hand appeared and tore the cocoon open. Raea emerged, naked as the day she was born, covered in a layer of golden goop. The first thing Elrith noticed was her eyes. They were no longer the sky-blue color he used to adore; instead, they were golden with black diamond-shaped pupils that reached from the top of her irises to the bottoms. Elrith opened his mouth, ¡°Rayray.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes blinked as her brow furrowed. ¡°Elly?¡± she asked. ¡°Am I still dreaming?¡± She glanced down at her naked body. She froze. Black scales grew on the back of her forearms to the top of her shoulders, stopping before her collarbone. Michael cleared his throat and turned around. Elrith did the same. Raea wrapped the cocoon around her body, revealing only her head. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask you,¡± Elrith said, his body still facing away. Chapter 89 ¡°The last thing I remember was healing someone who was crushed by a boulder,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°Then a series of dreams overwhelmed me. They felt so real.¡± She shuddered and pulled the cocoon tighter around her body. She raised her head and looked at Pyre. ¡°Has Palan returned?¡± Pyre answered as if he could sense her gaze. ¡°Not yet,¡± he said. ¡°But it seems like he¡¯s evolved, or you wouldn¡¯t have had to gone through that ¡­ metamorphosis.¡± ¡°All of you,¡± Elrith said and looked around the room, ¡°scram. I want to speak with Raea alone.¡± ¡°Can I just plug my ears?¡± Pyre asked. Elrith¡¯s attendant sighed and grasped Pyre¡¯s hand, tugging him outside the room. Michael narrowed his eyes and stared at Elrith while walking towards the door, continuing to make eye contact until Elrith closed the door in his face. ¡°Now then,¡± Elrith said and turned around. A white chain opened the door while another wrapped itself around his waist. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened as he was tossed out of the room. ¡°Let me put on some clothes first!¡± Raea¡¯s voice said from beyond the door. Michael chuckled at Elrith who was sprawled out on the hallway¡¯s floor. The door opened again and a squealing orange lizardman landed on Elrith¡¯s face before he could sit up. The golden cocoon slipped from Raea¡¯s shoulders as she stood up. She grabbed her blanket and wiped off the remaining mucus-like substance that clung to her body. Her hand trembled when she touched the layer of black scales on her forearm. She glanced down at her body. Another layer of scales grew along both sides of her thighs, extended from her hips to her ankles. She couldn¡¯t see what her back looked like, but she had felt two spherical bumps near her shoulder blades underneath her skin when she wiped herself off with the blanket. She inhaled through her nose and staggered backwards. ¡°What is this?¡± she muttered and shivered as she looked around the room. Colors overwhelmed her vision: red, orange, yellow, blue. She saw the outlines of the angels who waited outside her room, their bodies wrapped up in red and orange. The floor beneath them was blue. She exhaled through her nose, causing the colors to disperse. She hugged her shoulders and crouched down, bringing her knees to her chest. ¡°What happened to me?¡± A minute passed. ¡°Rayray?¡± Elrith¡¯s voice asked through the door. Raea¡¯s head jolted upwards. ¡°Not yet!¡± she shouted. She slapped her cheeks with her hands and pressed on her face before shaking her head. Her face hardened as she stood up and walked to the closet, putting on a simple white robe. Her armor had dissolved inside the cocoon. She took in a deep breath, ignoring the shift in vision, and opened the door. Elrith stepped inside and shut the door before anyone else could enter.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Elrith and Raea stared at each other without saying a word with Raea biting her lower lip. Elrith ran his finger through his hair and scratched his head. ¡°You got taller,¡± he said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really?¡± Raea asked and tilted her head. ¡°But it¡¯s only been a few months since I last saw you.¡± She lowered her head, recalling the image of Elrith lying in his bed with a green face. ¡°Yeah,¡± Elrith said and took a step forward. ¡°You changed a lot since I last saw you actually. Like those scales.¡± Tears sprang to Raea¡¯s eyes as she hugged her brother. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened as he took one step back before placing one hand on her head. He ran his fingers through her hair. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright,¡± Elrith said and pat her back as Raea sobbed. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡± ¡°B-but Mom a-and Dad,¡± Raea said, her body shaking. She raised her head, her face wet with tears. ¡°What happened to me?¡± Her body hiccupped uncontrollably. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Her hands tightened around Elrith¡¯s back, causing him to wince. Elrith continued to run his fingers through Raea¡¯s hair. ¡°Everything will be fine,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way to change you back. Mom and Dad won¡¯t even know, so don¡¯t cry. Okay?¡± Raea didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think you were going to die when your sins were exposed? You¡¯re still alive, right? I told you, you¡¯d be fine and you were, so believe in me this time, alright?¡± Raea took a step back and sniffled. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and nodded. Her body still hiccupped occasionally, but she gradually calmed down. ¡°Feel better?¡± Elrith asked as he led her to a chair and had her sit down. Raea nodded, still not talking. ¡°Good.¡± Elrith took a flask out of the small bag by his waist. He offered it towards his sister. ¡°Water?¡± Raea took the flask and drained it in one gulp. Elrith took the empty flask away and sat on the edge of Palan¡¯s bed. ¡°I heard you contracted a demon,¡± he said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I wanted my own partner,¡± Raea said, her voice raspy. ¡°Nina always read me fairytales about demons. And then I was exiled from my own home, a lot like most characters in the stories.¡± She bit her lip and sniffled. ¡°And you met a demon just like in the fairytales,¡± Elrith said and nodded. He sighed. ¡°I should¡¯ve came with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°You were ¡­ sick ¡­ at the time. I¡¯m really really sorry about that still.¡± She shut her eyes and clasped her hands in her lap. Elrith snorted. ¡°What kind of older brother would I be if I let my sister¡¯s weak and meager power kill me?¡± he asked and grinned. He stood up and ruffled Raea¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re still too young, Rayray.¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost an adult now,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°My birthday¡¯s next month.¡± ¡°To me, you¡¯ll always be the Rayray that peed her pants at night and came crying to me for help,¡± Elrith said and laughed. Raea covered her ears and made a half-squealing half-growling noise. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay, Raea.¡± Elrith paused. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a bit ¡­ creepy now, you¡¯ll always be my sister. Don¡¯t forget that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Elly,¡± Raea said and stood up. She hugged her brother and sighed. Screams drifted in from the window, startling the two. ¡°What was that?¡± Raea asked. Elrith separated from Raea, and the duo looked out the window, shielding their eyes from the sun. A soldier by the gates flew into the air while screaming. ¡°We¡¯re under attack?¡± Chapter 90 Raea rushed outside the room with Elrith. They could see Michael running down the hall ahead of them. Elrith reached out and snatched his tower shield from his attendant and dashed down the hall, gaining on Michael. Raea hesitated while watching the two general¡¯s run ahead. ¡°Go,¡± Pyre said and kicked her on the rump. ¡°No one¡¯s going to treat you as a deserter now that the Tyrant¡¯s here.¡± Pyre pulled out a blindfold and handed it to Raea. ¡°You might want to wear this though.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked and took the blindfold. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Your eyes look like a snake¡¯s,¡± Cleo said and blinked at her. Then she puffed her cheeks out and crossed her arms, turning her head to the side, still angry at being thrown out. Raea furrowed her brow and placed the blindfold into her robe before sprinting after her brother. Cleo and Pyre glanced at each other before charging into the room, dashing for the golden cocoon Raea left behind. ¡°It¡¯s mine!¡± Cleo said and tugged on one end. ¡°What are you even going to do with it?¡± Pyre asked, tugging on the other. ¡°Think of the research value it has.¡± ¡°Research smesearch,¡± Cleo said and overpowered the old angel, bringing the cocoon to her chest. ¡°I grabbed it first.¡± She folded it in the blink of an eye and shoved it into her bag. ¡°What are you, a magpie?¡± Pyre asked and sighed. ¡°How about we split it? I have some really nice stuff.¡± ¡°No!¡± Cleo said and dashed between Pyre¡¯s legs, making a break for the door. Elrith¡¯s attendant stood outside the room, running a metal comb through her hair while Cleo and Pyre dashed past her. Once the duo were out of view, she put her comb away and walked into Raea¡¯s room, shutting the door without a sound. *** Michael took a glance behind himself and saw Elrith stomping towards him with a giant towershield in one hand, his footsteps leaving imprints in the ground. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ol¡¯ Stormy?¡± Elrith asked as he grinned, a fire burning in his eyes. ¡°Your age starting to catch up with you?¡± The two ran down the streets, their soldiers parting and making way for their generals. Michael snorted and a layer of green wind enveloped his legs, increasing his speed towards the gate where screams continuously rang out. ¡°This old guy,¡± Elrith said and narrowed his eyes. He threw his towershield down in front of himself and jumped onto it. A mound of earth rose out of the ground and rushed forward like a wave, carrying Elrith like a surfer. He quickly caught up to Michael with his arms crossed across his chest, standing leisurely on his shield.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°This isn¡¯t a competition,¡± Michael said and furrowed his brow at Elrith. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t have a reputation to maintain because of your old age,¡± Elrith said and shrugged, ¡°but I do. It¡¯s my responsibility as a Caelum to be the best in everything I do.¡± A red and white blur dashed past the two generals and stopped in front of them, revealing Raea with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°Eh? Why are you guys moving so slowly?¡± she asked. She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll go first then.¡± She turned back around and dashed off towards the gate, leaving behind a small cloud of dust in her wake. ¡°You were saying?¡± Michael asked as he turned to look at Elrith. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong in losing to another Caelum,¡± Elrith said and looked up at the sky, avoiding Michael¡¯s stare. The two arrived in time to see Raea kneeling beside a soldier, her hands glowing white as she healed him. ¡°What is the situation?¡± Michael asked, climbing the stairs to the top of the gate. Elrith stayed by Raea¡¯s side, watching her lips purse in concentration as she mended the wounded man beneath her. ¡°There is a single demon outside the gate claiming to be the mini-tyra¡ªMiss Caelum¡¯s demon!¡± a soldier said and saluted before pointed at Palan who stood on the other side of the gate, thirty soldiers collapsed on the floor around him. ¡°Just let me in, damnit!¡± Palan said as he tossed a fallen soldier over the gate. His tail was wrapped around his torso; the snake eyes at the end were closed, seemingly asleep. He was still naked but not because he hadn¡¯t tried to put on clothes. There was simply no way for any pair of pants to fit with his tail, which was as thick as a thigh, in the way. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t make me break the gate.¡± A lightning bolt flew from one of the collapsed angels¡¯ hand and struck him on the back. The red stripes on his tail flickered, and the bolt of lightning dispersed without leaving a mark. Palan snorted and grabbed the offending angel by her shoulder and threw her over the gate. She shrieked the whole way until the sound was cut off by a thump. Palan¡¯s tail uncoiled from around his body, revealing the toned muscles on his torso. They bulged as he took a step forward with his right foot, lowering his right shoulder at the same time. His tail rose into the air as he spun his body around in one motion. Like a whip, his tail lashed out towards the gate, a layer of black light covering its length as he increased its weight with his powers of pride. The tail struck the gate and smashed it into pieces, splinters flying through the air. His tail crawled back to him and wrapped itself around his body again, acting as a piece of mobile armor. Raea raised her head as Elrith deflected part of the gate with his shield. ¡°Palan?¡± she asked, lifting her hands from the wounded angel. She stood up and furrowed her brow as she walked towards her demon. ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ bald?¡± Elrith covered her eyes with his hand. ¡°Of all the things to notice, that¡¯s what you notice first?¡± he asked. He glared at Palan. ¡°Who are you?¡± A smirk appeared on Michael¡¯s face as he watched Elrith staring at Palan. Sparks seemed to fly between their heads as they sized each other up. The surrounding soldiers, who hadn¡¯t already run away because they were injured, were crawling on the ground, attempting to distance themselves from the two. Normally, Michael would stop a fight before it escalated, but he was curious to see how strong Elrith had become. The soldier standing by Michael¡¯s side looked at his general but swallowed the words he was about to say. This was the first time he ever saw his general smile. Chapter 91 Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared at Elrith. ¡°Let her go,¡± he said as his tail uncoiled from around his body. Its mouth opened and hissed at the angel, showing a pair of pointed fangs. ¡°Or what?¡± Elrith asked and raised an eyebrow. He stepped in front of Raea, blocking her from Palan¡¯s view with his towershield held horizontally across his body. It still managed to cover the region between his shoulders and knees. ¡°Stop,¡± Raea said and tugged on Elrith¡¯s arm. ¡°He¡¯s my demon.¡± Elrith¡¯s brow furrowed, and he shrugged his arm out of Raea¡¯s grasp. ¡°All the more reason for me to fight him,¡± Elrith said and took a step forward. ¡°My baby sister can¡¯t be contracted to a weakling.¡± Elrith straightened his shield and thumped the front with his left hand. ¡°C¡¯mon, you exhibitionist. Give me your best shot.¡± ¡°This is your brother?¡± Palan asked. His tail floated in the air behind him, like a snake extending itself from a tree trunk. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and tugged on Elrith¡¯s arm, pulling him off balance. ¡°Stop it!¡± Elrith tried to straighten his posture but found that he couldn¡¯t resist Raea¡¯s pull. A layer of earth wrapped around his leg and helped stabilize his body. His forehead creased when he realized his sister was physically stronger than he was. ¡°Rayray,¡± Elrith said and exhaled. ¡°This is something I have to do as a brother. And he doesn¡¯t seem to mind either. I won¡¯t beat him up too badly, okay?¡± A heavy impact on his shield sent his body straight to the floor, ripping him out of Raea¡¯s grasp. Palan¡¯s tail rested on Elrith¡¯s body, its tongue flickering. ¡°I guess absentmindedness runs in the family,¡± Palan said as his tail bit Elrith¡¯s shield and dragged it towards his body. Elrith coughed and staggered to his feet, holding his right arm with his left. His right arm was bent the wrong way, a bone sticking out of his armor¡¯s joint. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t beat you up too badly since your Raea¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any honor?¡± Elrith asked, sweat pouring from his forehead as he gritted his teeth. He let out a shout and hundreds of glowing white chains flew out of his back, lunging towards Palan. ¡°Honor? Can that save your life?¡± Palan asked as he retreated backwards and circled around the chains, deflecting the ones that got too close with Elrith¡¯s towershield that was still in his tail¡¯s mouth. He ran until he appeared behind Raea and lifted her up, using her squealing body as a shield. Palan frowned as he retreated with her in his grasp, her body hanging underneath his arm like a sack. ¡°You look different. And you got heavier.¡± ¡°Put me down!¡± Raea said as she raised her head to look away from Palan¡¯s lower body. ¡°And stop fighting with my brother!¡± ¡°He started it,¡± Palan said as he placed Raea down on one of Elrith¡¯s chains. A moment later, he shattered the chain with his tail and picked Raea back up. ¡°Make him stop first.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Elly!¡± Raea shouted. ¡°Stop it! I won¡¯t talk to you anymore if you don¡¯t.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, her body still being carried by Palan. The chains stopped moving as Elrith hesitated. After a moment of deliberation, the chains completely dispersed. The surrounding soldiers stared at Elrith with wide eyes. One of them whispered, ¡°The mini-tyrant gave the Tyrant orders. Does that make her the bigger tyrant?¡± ¡°Hush. They¡¯ll hear you!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with her eyes? Don¡¯t they seem demonic?¡± Raea¡¯s lips trembled, but she didn¡¯t say a word as she climbed out of Palan¡¯s grasp. ¡°Can¡¯t you cover yourself up somehow?¡± she asked after peeking at his body. ¡°Pants don¡¯t fit,¡± Palan said and partially wrapped his tail around his waist. ¡°And where have you been?¡± Raea asked, glaring at him with her hands on her hips. Palan stared into her serpentine eyes for a good five seconds before looking away. He frowned and scratched his neck. His torso and lower neck burned. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± Raea said and stamped her foot, causing a series of cracks to form on the ground. The sound of a throat clearing drew her attention to the side. Elrith was standing next to the duo, staring daggers at Palan. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Raea asked as she grabbed her brother¡¯s arm, healing him with her powers. The bone retreated into his skin with a scraping sound, and his skin knit itself together. ¡°Apologize to him, Palan.¡± Palan glanced at Elrith. ¡°Your face irritates me; stop staring. Do you enjoy leering at naked men?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard not to stare when a pervert insists on exposing himself to everyone,¡± Elrith said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you enjoy prancing around like a floppy noodle?¡± Palan smirked. ¡°Raea seems to enjoy it,¡± he said. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened, and a growling noise rumbled out from his throat. He took a step forward and swung his fist at Palan with his left hand. ¡°Palan!!!!¡± Raea shouted with her face flushed crimson. ¡°Just shut up, okay!? Both of you, be quiet!¡± Her hands tightened around Elrith¡¯s elbow, causing a series of cracking noises to ring through the air. Elrith winced and let out a scream as he took a step back, touching his elbow with his hand. His right arm dangled uselessly as his left palm became slick with blood. The surroundings instantly fell silent, including the soldiers who were murmuring while watching the show. Raea released Elrith¡¯s arm and took a step back, bringing her bloody hands to her chest, staining her white robe scarlet. Elrith stared at her, his face twisted with confusion. ¡°No,¡± she said and shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡± Her brow furrowed as she took another step backwards. ¡°No,¡± she said again and fell over onto her butt. Her legs pushed against the ground, distancing her from her brother. ¡°Not again. Why does this always happen?¡± Tears formed in her eyes as she whirled around and ran away, leaving deep imprints in the ground with every step. ¡°Ray¡­,¡± Elrith said reaching out with his left hand but stopped himself. He bit his lower lip and hung his head. A purple fist collided with the side of his face, launching him into the ground. Elrith looked up just in time to see a glob of spit land on his cheek. His eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fists. He began to rise from the ground. Palan¡¯s face was expressionless as he spoke, ¡°Some brother you are.¡± Elrith stopped midway and paused. Palan snorted and dashed after Raea. Elrith recalled Raea¡¯s golden eyes and shivered before shaking his head. He slapped his cheek with his uninjured hand and scrambled to his feet, summoning a wave of earth to carry himself towards Palan and Raea. His broken arm hurt, but he gritted his teeth and stared straight ahead, ignoring the gazes of his soldiers as he flew past them. Chapter 92 Cleo squealed as she leapt over the wreckage of a collapsed building from the previous trebuchet bombardment. ¡°You can¡¯t have it!¡± she said and scrambled to the side of the road. Her eyes lit up when she saw a rapidly approaching figure dressed in white. ¡°Raea! Save me!¡± ¡°I can give you extra limbs! Four more arms and two more heads! Maybe even a beam of light that shoots out of your eyes!¡± a raspy voice said from behind the orange lizardman. Pyre climbed over the wreckage, gasping as he placed his hands against his knees while hunched over. ¡°Just give me half of that cocoon.¡± Cleo waved her hand over the road. ¡°Rae¡±¡ªa tear dropped on Cleo¡¯s face as Raea ran past her¡ª¡°a¡­.¡± Cleo whipped her head around and stared blankly as the running angel¡¯s figure disappeared behind a corner. More thudding sounds came from the direction Raea just came from. Cleo¡¯s eyes lit up again as she ducked and avoided Pyre¡¯s lunge. ¡°Palan! Save me!¡± Palan raised an eyebrow when he saw Cleo scratching Pyre¡¯s arms, struggling to get away. He ran past the two who were wrestling on the ground. Cleo let out a heartbreaking wail, causing Palan to sigh. His tail extended towards the orange lizardman and bit down on her rump, lifting her into the air with a yelp. Pyre could only stumble after the profanity-leaking lizardman as she was ripped out of his grasp and escorted down the road. He sighed as he stopped moving and stared off into the distance, still wearing his blindfold. Rumbling sounds came from behind him, but he didn¡¯t even bother turning around. The trembling stopped, and Elrith paused behind Pyre, the general¡¯s forehead was furrowed and his lips were pursed. ¡°Which way did they go?¡± Elrith asked, placing his hand on Pyre¡¯s shoulder. Pyre flinched and smacked Elrith¡¯s hand away. ¡°How would I know?¡± he said, practically snarling. ¡°This blindfold isn¡¯t just for show. Why don¡¯t you ask a deaf man what his wife said last night?¡± Elrith raised an eyebrow as he took a step back. ¡°Who pissed in your oatmeal today?¡± he asked and snorted before lifting his hand. The ground beneath him elevated, forming a small hill that lurched forwards along the road. Pyre frowned and shook his head before heading back towards Raea¡¯s residence. ¡°Ah, such a unique research sample,¡± the blindfolded angel said and clutched his chest. ¡°Such a pity. And after all the nice things I did for that little lizard too.¡± He sighed as he opened the door to the building and proceeded down the hall. He froze midway and reached inside his robe to pull out a translucent orb. He held his breath as he walked towards the door to Raea¡¯s room, slowing down with each step. His heart pounded in his chest and he ripped the blindfold off of his head, revealing his two bright-red eyes. His body trembled as he placed his ear to the door, listening for any sounds. ¡°Sir Khondra,¡± a monotonous voice said. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for the chance to speak with you alone. Please, come in.¡± Pyre frowned and put the blindfold back onto his head but kept the translucent orb in his hand. He recognized that voice. *** Palan frowned as he ran past a broken gate, leading outside the outpost, splinters pressing against the bottom of his feet. None of the wooden shards were able to pierce his skin, but they did make him itch. His tail stared at the gate, still holding the weeping orange lizardman in its mouth. A large hole was torn through the middle, leaving behind a jagged rectangular opening. Palan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was Raea who broke the gate or if it was already in that state. His tail couldn¡¯t see Elrith or any traces of his heat signature, causing Palan to snort. Cleo let out a squeal that fell on deaf ears as Palan¡¯s tail unconsciously bit down harder on her rump.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Palan sniffed the air and slightly altered his course, angling himself into the forest. The sound of roaring water entered his ears. He followed a trail of crushed underbrush until he arrived at a river. Raea was crouched over the edge, staring at the water with tears dropping from her eyes. Palan approached her from behind, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice or care, continuing to silently cry. He snorted and kicked her butt, causing her to yelp as she fell forward and entered the river with a splash. ¡°Cold!¡± Raea shouted as she flailed her limbs and clambered out of the river, looking like a wet dog with her hair and robes pressed against her. ¡°What was that for!?¡± Cleo fell to the ground with a thump as Palan¡¯s tail let go of her and partially wrapped itself back around his waist. ¡°You smelled funny,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I figured you could use a bath.¡± Water droplets fell to the floor underneath Raea¡¯s feet, staining the ground, as she stared at Palan. The tears in her eyes were gone. ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Raea sighed and lowered her head, staring at the floor. A purple foot appeared in her vision before pressing against her belly, knocking her backwards into the river again. Raea spluttered as her head broke through the surface of the water and gasped for air. ¡°Palan!¡± she shouted through chattering teeth as she floundered to the riverbank and crawled out, her body shivering. She raised her head and glared at him. He shrugged, offering no explanation as Cleo scratched at his tail, causing her claws to dull. ¡°I¡¯m freezing,¡± Raea said. ¡°Light a fire,¡± Palan said as he sat down, resting his back against a tree. ¡°With what?¡± ¡°Should¡¯ve thought of that before you went into the river,¡± Palan said and yawned. A slight smile appeared on his lips as Raea stared at him with her serpentine eyes. ¡°I can light a fire!¡± Cleo said as she reached into her bag and pulled out a red orb. ¡°But you have to make Palan apologize to me first.¡± Red fang-shaped imprints could be seen on her rump. A black blur dashed at Cleo and snatched the orb out of her hands. ¡°Did Pyre give you this?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow as his tail dropped the orb into his hand. ¡°Give it back!¡± Cleo said and rushed at him. ¡°You don¡¯t know how hard I worked to steal it from him.¡± She hissed as his tail kept her away from his body. Raea stared at the scene and burst out into laughter, her voice sounding like bells jingling in the wind. Cleo and Palan¡¯s tail stopped struggling, turning their heads to stare at the laughing angel. ¡°It¡¯s not funny,¡± Cleo said and puffed her cheeks out before deflating and sighing. Palan¡¯s tail wrapped around the tree he was sitting on and constricted, causing the massive oak to fall over with a crash. The tail methodically broke the tree into smaller and smaller pieces by constriction and soon, a pile of wood was formed in front of Palan. He pointed the orb at the wood but frowned when nothing happened. Cleo snatched it away from his hands while muttering and glaring at him. She pointed it at the pile of wood and a jet of flames flew out of the orb, creating a bonfire. She stuck her tongue out at Palan, who snorted, before packing the orb back into her bag. Raea was still shivering as she made her way around the bonfire and stood beside Palan. She asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say lighting fires was stupid?¡± ¡°Sometimes you have to do stupid things for stupid people,¡± Palan said as he watched her attempt to wring the water out of the sleeves of her robes. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Just hang them up on that branch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not wearing anything underneath,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. More water droplets fell to the ground. Palan shrugged and stared at the fire while Cleo played with his tail. ¡°Hey,¡± Cleo said after his tail wrapped itself around her body and prevented her from squirming. ¡°Does your tail have a name?¡± ¡°Does yours?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cleo said. ¡°But mine doesn¡¯t have eyes or a mouth.¡± She shuddered as she heard Pyre¡¯s voice in her head telling her he could make it possible. ¡°I¡¯m not naming part of myself,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Then I¡¯ll name it for you,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Danger Noodle.¡± She nodded and patted Palan¡¯s tail on the head. Palan¡¯s Danger Noodle swallowed her arm in response. Chapter 93 ¡°Stop trying to eat me, you stupid noodle,¡± Cleo said and smacked Palan¡¯s tail as she tried to crawl away. ¡°It¡¯s a good name!¡± Raea sat on the ground by the fire, her clothes still wet, and watched Cleo¡¯s futile efforts. A smile was on her lips, but her eyes still seemed sad, threatening to wet themselves at a moment¡¯s notice. Palan frowned as he stared at Raea and lifted Cleo fifteen feet into the air with his tail, causing her to scream bloody murder, scaring away all the birds in the nearby vicinity. The clasp on her bag came undone, and objects began to pour out: Raea¡¯s discarded cocoon, Palan¡¯s rotting severed hand, a necklace with over thirty teeth, multiple orbs borrowed from Pyre, a smaller pouch containing hundreds of essence crystals, a clump of musky wolf fur. Raea gaped as more miscellaneous objects continued to pour out of Cleo¡¯s bag. ¡°How do you even fit all of this inside that tiny bag?¡± she asked. A cloth object fell onto Raea¡¯s face, blocking her vision. She removed it from her face. She quickly flicked it to the side. ¡°Whose panties are those?¡± ¡°My stuff!¡± Cleo said with a wail. ¡°Let me down, Danger Noodle!¡± Her arms flailed in the air as she hung upside-down, reaching towards the ground. Raea stood up and picked up the cocoon she discarded with an odd expression on her face. ¡°Palan!¡± Cleo said. ¡°Stop bullying me!¡± ¡°I could make some nice garments out of this,¡± Raea said as she brought the cocoon to her nose and sniffed it. It smelled like flowers. ¡°That¡¯s mine!¡± Raea nodded as if she didn¡¯t hear the protesting lizardman. She covered her body with the cocoon like a cloak and stripped off the wet robe she was wearing underneath, hanging them up to dry in a nearby branch. She exhaled and sat down next to Palan, leaning her back against the splintered tree stump. She closed her eyes and let the warmth of the fire wash over her. The cocoon seemed to glow as a few sparks and embers flew towards it. Palan¡¯s tail lowered back to the ground and released Cleo who scrambled to gather up her stolen goods. Palan turned his head to look at Raea. Her wet hair clung to her cheek. ¡°Why did you run?¡± he asked. Raea opened her eyes and lowered her head to stare at the ground while pulling the cocoon around her body tighter. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said and bit her lip. Her body shivered, and she sniffled. ¡°I just wanted to get away from there.¡± She shook her head, droplets of water falling from her hair. Palan didn¡¯t say anything and turned his head away from Raea. He watched Cleo cram the innumerable amount of objects back into her bag, her mouth spewing a string of nonstop profanities. ¡°Do you want to see your brother again?¡± Palan asked, breaking the silence between the two. Raea¡¯s hand trembled and she clutched the cocoon tighter. ¡°Not right now,¡± she said.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Alright,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°Hold your breath.¡± ¡°What?¡± Raea asked and turned to look at Palan in alarm. ¡°Are you going to throw me back into the river?¡± ¡°No.¡± Danger Noodle crawled around Raea¡¯s body and positioned itself behind her. Its jaw unhinged and swallowed Raea whole before she could respond. Its body twitched as Raea struggled from inside. ¡°Where¡¯s Raea?¡± Elrith rode on top of his earthen hill, heading straight for Palan. Raea stopped struggling inside of Danger Noodle, which opened its mouth to let in air. The general stopped in front of Palan, glaring down at the sitting demon. Palan shrugged. ¡°I was attacked by angels and lost track of her,¡± he said. ¡°So I built this fire to send her smoke signals.¡± ¡°If you were attacked by angels, then Raea was attacked too!¡± Elrith said and clenched his fist. ¡°Which way did they go?¡± Palan pointed towards the northeast. ¡°Raea deserves a better demon than you. You don¡¯t even look injured.¡± He snorted as his hill traveled past Palan towards the northeast. Cleo¡¯s eyes gleamed as she watched Elrith disappear into the forest. Moments later, Danger Noodle vomited Raea out of its stomach, the cocoon completely undamaged, albeit a bit wet. ¡°Never do that again,¡± Raea said and glared at Palan. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on it,¡± Palan replied. ¡°You taste disgusting.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should be offended by that,¡± she said and sighed. She shook her head and walked over to the river, washing the stomach acid out of her hair and cocoon before returning to Palan¡¯s side. ¡°Where did Elly go?¡± ¡°That way,¡± Palan said and pointed towards the northeast again, not mentioning the fact that Ishim¡¯s camp was in that direction. Raea nodded and the two leaned back against the tree stump. Cleo was fighting against Danger Noodle with a stick she had picked up off the ground. The fire crackled and popped, releasing a steady stream of smoke into the air. Raea turned her head to look at Palan. ¡°So you evolved?¡± she asked. ¡°Did you just notice?¡± Palan asked, turning his head to face her. He smelled the flowery scent of the cocoon. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and slightly lowered her head, but quickly raised it up again when she remembered Palan wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t find the time to bring it up.¡± ¡°And what happened to you?¡± Palan asked, staring into her golden serpentine eyes. Raea bit her lip, and her gaze shifted to the side. ¡°Your eyes are¡±¡ªRaea flinched¡ª¡°a lot more impressive.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked. ¡°But they¡¯re not blue. Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± Palan stared at her with his red eyes. She blushed. ¡°I¡¯m not saying your eyes are weird, even though they are, but all angels have blue eyes.¡± She inhaled and closed her eyes, then exhaled and opened them again. ¡°Don¡¯t I look like a monster? I even have these scales.¡± She stuck her leg out of the cocoon, revealing the line of black scales running up her calves and thigh. Palan¡¯s face hardened. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a monster before,¡± he said, recalling the giant bird from the night he went to the town with Andrea. He snorted. ¡°You¡¯re cute compared to it.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Raea asked and retracted her leg. ¡°Stop. Why are you being so nice? Isn¡¯t this where you usually beat me over the head with my faults and insecurities?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say I don¡¯t make fun of you just because?¡± Palan asked and flicked her forehead. The corner of his lips turned downwards. ¡°If you looked like a monster, that¡¯d be the first thing I say.¡± Raea stared at Palan with her brow furrowed. Palan stared back. ¡°Now kiss!¡± Cleo said while hanging upside-down in the air from her leg. Danger Noodle released her, and she fell on her head with a yelp. She grumbled, ¡°Rude.¡± Chapter 94 Palan turned his head towards Cleo while Raea looked away, her face flushed. The orange lizardman froze and took a slow step backwards. ¡°W-what?¡± she asked and eyed the Danger Noodle approaching her. ¡°Don¡¯t let me ruin the mood. Just continue wha¡ª, eep!¡± She dove to the side, but she was too slow and Danger Noodle swallowed her tail. Raea stared at the bonfire that was starting to die down. ¡°What should we do?¡± she asked, still not looking at Palan. ¡°Find Elly? Go back? I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m ready to do either.¡± Palan shrugged as he dueled Cleo with Danger Noodle. ¡°Do whatever you want,¡± he said. ¡°When did you become so dependent on me?¡± He turned his head to stare at Raea. Her forehead was creased. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a wisdom demon too?¡± Raea asked and pouted. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be very smart of me to waste a resource like that.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± he said. ¡°I need pants.¡± Cleo let out a yelp as she was swallowed whole by his tail. Palan and Raea stood up. Raea gathered her dry robes that she had hung up earlier and put them back on while Palan put out the fire. Cleo managed to claw her way back out of Danger Noodle¡¯s mouth. The trio proceeded back towards the outpost, following the upturned line of earth Elrith had left behind. They proceeded in silence until they were just outside the outpost. The gates were already being repaired by a few demons. Palan turned to Raea. ¡°You know Ishim¡¯s camp is towards the northeast, right?¡± he asked. ¡°No?¡± Raea replied and raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know that and why does that matter?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Your brother went towards the northeast to look for you,¡± he said and continued towards the outpost gate. Raea didn¡¯t follow, her mouth agape. ¡°We should¡¯ve went after him!¡± Raea said after a moment and ran after Palan. She grabbed his arm and paused before lowering her head and letting go. Her eyebrows knit together as she raised her head. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°Forgot,¡± Palan said and yawned. He ignored Raea¡¯s glare. ¡°What could the three of us do against a whole army?¡± ¡°We could¡¯ve stopped him from going,¡± she said. A small crowd was starting to form beside the gate, and Raea paused. She reached into her robe and pulled out the blindfold that Pyre had given her and put it on. Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can you see?¡± he asked and waved his hand in front of her face. She smacked it aside and crossed her arms.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can call it seeing,¡± she said and inhaled through her nose. ¡°Everything¡¯s blue and red and flat. And orange.¡± ¡°Like a snake,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°It looks like you won¡¯t be completely hopeless in the future if this keeps up.¡± Raea frowned and walked past the broken gates. There was a slight smile on Palan¡¯s lips as he followed her. ¡°Miss Caelum,¡± Michael said. He approached the two as they walked along the road. ¡°Where is General Elrith?¡± ¡°General,¡± Raea said and saluted, her body slightly angled away from the bald angel. Her voice echoed through the outpost as she spoke. ¡°I believe he is heading towards the enemy camp by himself, and I request for you to bring your men and go after him.¡± A few murmurs rose up around them. Michael¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Going off to the enemy camp by himself?¡± he asked. ¡°Explain yourself. You run out of the outpost without permission like a deserter and come back alone when Elrith chased after you. I¡¯d be a fool to not feel suspicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°There were ¡­ circumstances. But I swear I¡¯m telling the truth! You have to send men after him or he¡¯ll be in danger.¡± Michael sighed. ¡°Then let me ask you this,¡± he said. ¡°Do you swear on your existence as an angel of kindness that you are not trying to work against me?¡± ¡°I swear,¡± Raea replied and nodded. Palan rubbed his chin. He wasn¡¯t actually sure if Ishim¡¯s army was still in the same spot as before. ¡°Alright,¡± Michael said and placed his hands on Raea¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I trust you.¡± He raised his head and shouted, his voice amplified by the wind, ¡°To arms! We march immediately! Soldiers under General Elrith will temporarily be placed under me.¡± The soldiers streamed out of the barracks and buildings, their armor clanking along with their lances. The demons at the gates stopped repairing the wooden structure and lined up next to their contractors. Michael turned to Raea. ¡°You¡¯ll be at the front with me,¡± he said. ¡°Can I put on some armor first?¡± Raea asked and turned her head to look at Palan. ¡°He needs some clothes too.¡± Michael narrowed his eyes at Palan who crossed his arms and stood with his legs shoulder-width apart, staring back at Michael. The general sighed and nodded. Raea saluted and ran towards the elephants, tugging at Palan¡¯s arm. His eyes widened as his stance was broken. He readjusted his feet and stood his ground, halting Raea. He realized why Elrith¡¯s arm broke when Raea grabbed him. Raea turned her head to look a Palan and tugged on his arm again. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said. ¡°We don¡¯t want them to be waiting for us. Is something wrong?¡± Palan shook his head. ¡°I was just thinking,¡± he said and recalled Elrith¡¯s charge through the forest with his broken arm, ¡°angels of patience really aren¡¯t too patient.¡± He brushed off Raea¡¯s hand and headed towards the elephants. ¡°Is there even any armor that would fit on me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Raea said and nodded as they rummaged through the storage chests. ¡°There are plenty of demons in the army of all shapes and sizes. There must be something.¡± After a bit of searching, they managed to locate pants that fit Palan¡¯s body. His torso hadn¡¯t changed much so it wasn¡¯t difficult to acquire a cuirass for him. The two returned to the front of the army, their bodies armored. No one took notice of Cleo who stayed in the storage chest with gleaming eyes. Chapter 95 ¡°We were unable to locate Pyre,¡± a soldier said to Michael as Raea and Palan were returning with their new armor. ¡°General Elrith¡¯s attendant has also gone missing.¡± Michael frowned and glanced at the Raea who wore a blindfold. ¡°Do you know where Pyre went?¡± he asked. ¡°I think I saw him when I ran out the gate,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really paying attention.¡± Michael frowned. ¡°Pyre is just as important to me as Elrith is,¡± he said. ¡°I refuse to leave without him.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t delay any longer,¡± Raea said. ¡°Elly¡¯s out there all alone with a broken arm. What happened to marching immediately?¡± ¡°General Elrith is an archangel; he can take care of himself,¡± Michael said. ¡°Pyre is barely a greater angel with no combat skills. If something happens to him¡­.¡± He shook his head and looked at the gathered army. ¡°Find Pyre and Elrith¡¯s attendant. They must still be in the camp.¡± Michael turned around and gestured towards the soldiers at the gate. ¡°W-wait,¡± Raea said towards the dispersing angels, her voice quavering. Palan looked at Raea who was trembling and biting her lips to keep her mouth shut. He recalled Andrea trying to reach him while he was in the midst of transporting to Div¡¯Nya. He wondered how Andrea felt when he disappeared. Was her body shaking like this? Palan frowned and watched the gathered army scatter, looks of confusion on their faces. He sighed and raised his tail into the air as far as it could go. A black glow gathered around it, surrounding it with a layer of light. A few angels noticed and placed their hands on their weapons while staring at him. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked and lifted her blindfold slightly; the inside of the cloth was wet. Danger Noodle flew towards the ground, crashing into it with an earthshattering boom. Dust rose into the air, and all the angels stopped moving, turning their heads to look at Palan. He crossed his arms over his chest. Michael¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared through the clearing dust. ¡°What was that?¡± he snarled and reached out to grab Palan¡¯s shoulder. Danger Noodle smacked his arm aside. Palan¡¯s voice echoed through the outpost as he roared, ¡°Raea has something to say, you dirty bastards. Listen up!¡± The angels fell silent and turned their heads to stare at Raea. Even Michael furrowed his brow and hesitated. Raea¡¯s face flushed bright red as she grabbed Palan¡¯s arm. Palan snorted and looked at Raea before brushing her hand off his arm. ¡°You wanted to say something, right? So say it. Have some pride.¡± Raea inhaled and nodded. She removed her blindfold and stared at the crowd. ¡°Um, Ell¡ª, General Elrith is in danger and he needs your help,¡± she said. Her heart pounded in her chest as all the gazes focused on her. A lump formed in her throat, causing her to gulp. Her hands trembled, and she clasped them together. ¡°I-if you come to his aid, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll appreciate it.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Are you trying to undermine my authority?¡± Michael asked. ¡°I¡¯ve already given them orders.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go!¡± a voice said from the crowd. An angel standing next to a bull-headed demon stuck his chest out and raised his lance into the air. More angels glanced at each other and also raised their lances. Soon, all of Elrith¡¯s soldiers had their lances in the air, and a few of Michael¡¯s participated as well. The first angel to raise his lance shouted, ¡°To save the general!¡± ¡°To save the general!¡± Elrith¡¯s soldiers shouted in unison. Michael glowered but didn¡¯t say anything. In reality, he didn¡¯t have the authority to command Elrith¡¯s soldiers; they weren¡¯t part of his division. The angel with the bull-headed demon shouted again, ¡°If the general dies, he¡¯ll kill us all! Nothing must happen to him!¡± Elrith¡¯s soldiers shouted in unison again. The angel with the bull-headed demon approached Raea. A bright gold star was carved into his breastplate. His white hair was cut short, and sideburns extended down his face. ¡°Lead the way ¡­ ma¡¯am? I¡¯m not sure how to address you.¡± ¡°Just call me Raea,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Tyrant¡¯s second-in-command,¡± the angel said. ¡°Just call me Tuic.¡± He paused. ¡°And don¡¯t tell the general I called him Tyrant.¡± ¡°Thank you, Tuic,¡± Raea said. She smiled at him. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as Tuic took Raea¡¯s hand and kissed it. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone with eyes like yours,¡± Tuic said as he released her hand. Raea¡¯s lower lip trembled. ¡°They look beautiful.¡± Tuic turned around as Raea¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Let¡¯s go! The general is waiting for us!¡± Palan flicked Raea¡¯s forehead and snorted. She frowned and rubbed it. ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°N¡ª¡° ¡°We¡¯re ready to depart, Raea,¡± Tuic said, interrupting Palan. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows the way. Do you have a mount?¡± He gestured towards the demon next to him. ¡°You can sit on his shoulder. He¡¯s very obedient and moves quickly.¡± Palan looked at the bull-headed demon as Raea tried to decline Tuic¡¯s offer, but was politely forced onto its shoulder anyway. ¡°Champion of Haalbeh?¡± Palan asked. Tuic climbed on its other shoulder. The demon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You know me?¡± it asked. ¡°No,¡± Palan said as he balanced on his tail, lifting his feet off the ground. Danger Noodle started to crawl forward alongside the bull-headed demon as the army left the outpost. ¡°Just a guess. Everyone seems to be a champion.¡± The demon laughed and nodded, causing Tuic to kick it in the face. ¡°Stop shaking so much,¡± the angel said and frowned before turning back to Raea. He grinned at her; her face was expressionless. Tuic scratched his head. ¡°Sorry, he¡¯s normally very docile. I¡¯m not sure what came over him. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± He gripped the demon¡¯s shoulder, drawing blood with his nails. The bull-headed demon glowered and exhaled a jet of steam out of his nose. Palan raised an eyebrow. Tuic noticed that his apology didn¡¯t brighten Raea¡¯s mood, so he tried a different approach. He reached into his bag and pulled out a crystalline flower, showing it to Raea. Palan snorted and rotated his body to look at the traveling army, with Danger Noodle still heading forward. He noticed a lot of disgruntled demons marching along silently, the bigger ones carrying multiple angels. If all of them were greater demons¡­. Palan laughed, causing Raea to look at him. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. Tuic glared daggers at Palan. ¡°Nothing. How do I make contract papers?¡± he asked. Chapter 96 ¡°Why do you want to know how to make contract papers?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. Palan ignored the glares Tuic was sending him. ¡°To make contracts,¡± Palan said. Raea sighed. ¡°Let me rephrase that,¡± she said and pursed her lips. ¡°Why do you want to form contracts? You can¡¯t form a binding contract with another angel since you have me, you know?¡± Tuic made a face and looked at Raea. ¡°Just tell me,¡± Palan said and snorted. The army proceeded deeper into the forest, following Elrith¡¯s tracks. They approached the river where Palan found Raea. ¡°Alright,¡± Raea said as she leaned over and whispered. Her warm breath tickled his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. ¡°That simple?¡± Palan asked. Raea readjusted her posture. ¡°Mhm. You can¡¯t tell anyone else though,¡± she said. Palan nodded and rubbed his chin before glancing around. Tuic frowned as he looked at Raea and placed his hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention. Raea stiffened. ¡°Should you really have followed his demands and told him?¡± he asked. ¡°I trust him,¡± Raea said and nudged Tuic¡¯s hand away. She stared at him with her serpentine eyes. Tuic shivered and retracted his hand. He shut his mouth and stared straight ahead, his gaze following the path Elrith left behind. Elrith had traveled in a straight line, overturning boulders and felling trees that were in his way. Raea turned her attention towards Palan. He was rummaging through his bag with a frown on his face. ¡°Are you looking for something?¡± she asked. ¡°Stones,¡± Palan said and pulled out a small pouch. He opened it and found three yellow crystals. ¡°I had a lot mo¡ª.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Where¡¯s Cleo?¡± ¡°She¡¯s right ¡­ here?¡± Raea furrowed her brow as she looked around. ¡°She¡¯s so unnoticeable that I didn¡¯t realize she was gone.¡± Raea lowered her head and scratched it. Faint sounds of metal clashing rang through the forest over the footsteps of the army. Raea raised her head. ¡°That must be Elly!¡± she said. ¡°Faster!¡± ¡°Full speed ahead!¡± Tuic shouted. A unified grunt sounded out from the army as they broke into a run. Their formation was undisturbed as everyone traveled at roughly the same speed. The sounds of clashing metal grew louder. Raea¡¯s face paled as the army reached the top of a hill overlooking Ishim¡¯s camp. The wall of impaled heads had turned into a wall of skulls, the flesh having been picked clean by crows. A single path of earth could be seen leading straight to the center of the camp. ¡°That¡¯s the general!¡± Tuic shouted as his eyes focused on a red figure that was surrounded by all kinds of halflings. ¡°Sweep through them! Pierce straight through; demons lead the charge!¡± The angels dismounted as the demons gathered towards the front of the army. Tuic glared at Palan who hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°That includes you.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Raea opened her mouth, but Palan spoke before she could. ¡°Piss off,¡± he said and snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not part of your army.¡± Tuic¡¯s face darkened. He turned his head away from Palan and shouted, ¡°Charge!¡± The demons were silent as they ran down the hill, heading towards the camp. The bigger demons with bulging muscles and heavy armor led the way. Some demons had flames surrounding their bodies. Others had greenish-black mist coming out of their mouth. Weapons floated in the air above some of their heads, while others hands were glowing. As soon as they stepped past the line of skulls, the powers surrounding their bodies disappeared, causing the angels faces to fall. ¡°It¡¯s Solra again,¡± Tuic said and frowned as he continued to run behind the mass of demons. ¡°Powers are useless; focus on the basics,¡± he shouted and lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, Miss Caelum.¡± He glanced to the side, expecting to see Raea running alongside him. She wasn¡¯t there. Palan stood at the top of the hill, looking down on charging army. Raea floated in the air next to him, her body constricted by Danger Noodle. One of Palan¡¯s hands covered her mouth. She bit him, but he didn¡¯t even flinch as he continued to stare at the moving army. ¡°Stop struggling,¡± Palan said. ¡°Why do you want to go down there? Can you even kill someone who¡¯s in your way?¡± Ishim¡¯s halfling soldiers who were surrounding Elrith reacted to the impending charge and created a V-shaped formation with a bunch of goblins and lizardmen in the front. He saw a familiar looking angel fighting alone against Elrith. Raea¡¯s body stopped squirming, and she stopped biting the finger that was in her mouth. Palan turned his head to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to order me, right?¡± A warm breath rushed through his fingers as Raea sighed and nodded. He withdrew his hand. Elrith¡¯s army collided with Ishim¡¯s, the charging demons were halted by an invisible wall, the ones at the front turning into a bloody paste. The invisible wall disappeared a second after it was formed, and the halflings charged forward, stabbing with their lances. Arrows rained down on Elrith¡¯s army as centaurs fired their bows from behind the formation. Palan looked up and saw a blue figure with four black wings flying in the air. Raea furrowed her brow. ¡°They¡¯ll win, right?¡± she asked. She glanced at Palan. ¡°Can you let me down?¡± Danger Noodle relaxed its grip, causing Raea to fall to the floor with a yelp. Palan shrugged. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re winning?¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. Raea squinted her eyes and shielded them from the sun with her hand. All the goblins and lizardmen were wearing blue armor, and their lance tips were red. Raea¡¯s face fell as the two armies fought. The two formations acted like a giant meat grinder, causing blood to spurt from angels and halflings alike. The demons were doing much better, making steady progress through the mob towards Elrith. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they using their powers?¡± Raea asked and clenched her hands. She pressed her lips together until they became white. ¡°Ishim¡¯s army has an archangel of charity,¡± Palan said as he watched Madison swoop down to harass the demons. There were no signs of her giant hammer. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± a high-pitched voice asked from behind Palan and Raea. Raea jumped and turned around. Cleo was staring at them with her head tilted to the side. There were an additional seven leather bags hanging on her belt. ¡°Nothing much,¡± Palan said as Danger Noodle swallowed Cleo. Moments later, it spat her out sans bags. ¡°My stuff!¡± Cleo said as she wiped the slime off of her body. ¡°Give it back!¡± ¡°Interest for stealing from me,¡± Palan said as stuck his hand down Danger Noodle¡¯s throat and rummaged around. He nodded as he opened a bag full of essence crystals. Raea gasped. ¡°That¡¯s Owen!¡± she shouted. ¡°Why is he fighting Elly?¡± Chapter 97 A lance struck Elrith¡¯s shield, causing him to let out a hiss. He was supporting his towershield with his broken right arm while maneuvering it with his left. His opponent relentlessly struck at him, not giving him a second to breathe. Elrith charged forwards, ignoring the screams and clanging metal behind him, and swung his shield outward, knocking his opponent to the ground. He panted and said, ¡°Damnit, Owen! Listen to me!¡± Owen climbed to his feet and used the back of his hand to wipe the blood leaking from his nose. His eyes were clear. ¡°Forgive me, Sir Elrith,¡± Owen said as he charged at Elrith, brandishing his lance. ¡°I have to do this for Lady Raea.¡± ¡°Help me rescue her, you blockhead,¡± Elrith said as he deflected a stab with his shield. Sweat dripped from his forehead. Behind him, the crowd of demons were steadily pushing through the army of halflings. ¡°If I lose to you here, Ishim will kill Lady Raea,¡± Owen said as he grunted and swung his lance again. ¡°Where is she?¡± Elrith said. He planted his feet on the ground and rotated his body to deflect Owen¡¯s continuous strikes. ¡°Ishim keeps her in the building by the harpies,¡± Owen said as he gestured to the side with a tilt of his head. A group of twenty harpies were rolling boulders onto a net with their talons. Elrith gritted his teeth and nodded once. He roared and swung his shield, bashing Owen towards the harpies. Elrith chased after Owen¡¯s flying body and hit him again, causing the pitiful angel to roll towards a wooden building. The nearby harpies let out shrieks of alarm and flew into the air, leaving behind the boulders. Owen climbed to his feet as Elrith kicked open the door to the building. The inside was dark, only lit up by the sunlight pouring in through a tiny window. ¡°Raea!¡± Elrith shouted. There was no response. Elrith furrowed his brow as he inhaled through his nose. He walked inside the building with Owen following after him. The sounds of battle coming from outside dimmed as the two explored the first floor. ¡°She is upstairs on the third floor,¡± Owen whispered and gestured towards the stairs with his lance. ¡°There is a single armored lizardman guarding her.¡± Elrith nodded as he bolted up the stairs, three steps at a time. He turned a corner and shouted while raising his shield. The hallway in front of him was silent. He furrowed his brow and approached the only door on the third floor. Owen appeared next to him. ¡°Did they move her?¡± Elrith shrugged and kicked the door. It swung open, causing a cloud of dust to swirl on the floor. ¡°She was here?¡± Elrith asked and turned around, separating his body from Owen¡¯s with his shield. ¡°This room hasn¡¯t been used in years.¡± Owen¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°That is not possible,¡± he said. ¡°I saw Raea here just yesterday. The day before that they let me talk to her.¡± ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Raea was captured today. I came here chasing after her.¡± He eyed Owen who dropped his lance onto the ground. ¡°Did you fall for an illusion?¡± ¡°Illusion,¡± Owen mumbled as he stared into the dusty room. ¡°Then all this time¡­?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Elrith¡¯s eyes widened as black smoke billowed up from the stairwell. ¡°Move!¡± he shouted. Owen turned his head and froze when he saw the smoke. Elrith pushed Owen into the dusty room and ran past him. He held his breath and charged down the stairs. A wave of heat engulfed him, causing his eyes to dry and itch. A black sea of flames encompassed the floor. The flames flickered and danced, spreading up the walls. Elrith ran back up the stairs. The smoke was getting thicker, obscuring his vision. ¡°How¡ª¡° ¡°Too dangerous,¡± Elrith said, cutting Owen off. He stepped inside the dusty room and raised his shield while lowering his posture. He let out a shout and charged forward while clenching his teeth. His towershield collided with the wooden wall, shattering it. Sunlight poured into the room as Elrith¡¯s body disappeared through the hole he created. Owen looked at the black flames that were crawling up the stairs behind him before running to the shattered wall. He saw Elrith, his body kneeling and arms clutching his leg. The ground looked awfully far away. A wave of heat brushed against Owen¡¯s back, causing him to grit his teeth. He jumped. He screamed. He landed. Owen gasped as he landed on his feet with his knees slightly bent. He doubled over and fell onto his side, clutching his ankle. A searing pain gnawed at it, eating away every other feeling in his body. Behind him, the building continued to burn, the black flames reaching the roof. Elrith was still kneeling, his body next to Owen¡¯s. Elrith ground his teeth together. His face was smudged with soot. He raised his head and saw a group of harpies approaching him. ¡°This sucks,¡± he said as he sucked in a breath and forced himself onto his feet. He staggered to the side but managed to prop himself up with his shield. The harpies stopped ten feet away from him, staring at him. ¡°Back off¡±¡ªElrith straightened his back¡ª¡°you don¡¯t even have arms to carry weapons.¡± The harpies glanced at each other before flying away. Elrith blinked and looked at Owen. ¡°That worked?¡± Owen asked as he shuddered and crawled away from the burning building. He arrived next to Elrith. A flapping sound drew their attention towards the sky. The group of harpies were flying towards them, their talon¡¯s holding the net with boulders. Elrith sighed as he looked at his possibly broken leg before looking back up at the sky. The harpies were above his head now. Time seemed to pause as the harpies made eye contact with each other and nodded. ¡°Well, fuck,¡± Elrith said and raised his shield, bracing himself for the impact. The harpies released the net. Owen raised his hand, attempting to manipulate the earth to create a shield. It didn¡¯t work. The flames engulfing the building had also vanished without the two angels noticing, leaving behind a charred framework that creaked and groaned. The boulders collided against Elrith¡¯s shield, instantly lowering his posture before covering his body along with Owen¡¯s. The harpies let out a cheer before flying down to retrieve their net. One of the harpies rolled a rock away and picked up a corner of the net. She waited for her sisters to do the same. A dull pain blossomed in her chest which caused her eyes to widen. She looked down and saw a pair of bloody hands sticking out from between her breasts. The hands moved away from each other, tearing her body apart. She opened her mouth to scream but no sounds came out, her lungs having been punctured. She fell forward, her wings splayed to the side, a pool of crimson spreading out from the gap in her body. A demon stood over her body, licking his hands while staring at the remaining harpies. Behind him, a group of demons and angels were rushing towards the boulders. The harpies let out a shriek and flew away without sparing a glance for their dead sister. Tuic approached the net. His face and armor were smeared in blood. Bits of entrails hung from the tip of his lance. He grimaced and kicked the dead harpy away. ¡°Clear the boulders and retrieve the general!¡± he shouted. ¡°Demons prepare to break through the enemies again!¡± The surrounding forest seemed to tremble as more halflings began to appear at the edge of the camp. ¡°Retreat after we secure the general!¡± Chapter 98 Ishim stood on top of a building overlooking Elrith¡¯s retreating army with his arms crossed over his chest. ¡°You are going to let them go just like that?¡± Ishim asked and turned his head to the side. Solra sat on the edge of the building with his legs dangling off the side. The one-eyed angel raised his head to look at Ishim. ¡°You¡¯re underestimating their abilities,¡± Solra said in a raspy voice. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t here to cancel out their powers, they wouldn¡¯t have lost a single person.¡± Ishim turned his gaze towards the retreating army. Arrows flew after them, most of the arrows bouncing harmlessly off their armor. ¡°Then what is the plan for the future?¡± Ishim asked. ¡°Do we have a chance if we can¡¯t beat them here?¡± His eyes narrowed as he stared at Elrith¡¯s unconscious body that was being carried by a bull-headed demon. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you trusted me?¡± Solra asked. ¡°Anidun and I have been waiting for decades.¡± He stood up and dusted off the back of his robe. ¡°Have some patience. The goal is the capital and the council, not some measly army.¡± Ishim exhaled and turned around. The sound of flapping wings drew his attention towards the sky. Madison flew overhead, carrying two figures, one in each talon. She alighted on the rooftop and released the figures. ¡°Well done, Liana,¡± Solra said towards the female figure. The figure removed her helmet, revealing a red face with white hair. She was Elrith¡¯s attendant. Solra¡¯s lone eye wandered until his gaze stopped on the second figure. ¡°You must be Yulia¡¯s son. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mister Khondra.¡± He paused. ¡°Your father was an interesting demon.¡± Pyre removed his blindfold, revealing his bright-red eyes. ¡°You knew my parents?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You must be ancient.¡± Solra chuckled and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be a hundred and ten by the time the year ends,¡± he said. He muttered, ¡°Or was it a hundred and twenty? It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Solra sighed and shook his head. He stared at Pyre. ¡°I assume you¡¯re willing to help us?¡± *** Raea¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the army marching up the hill. ¡°Elly!¡± she shouted and tackled her brother, wrapping her arms around his neck. Elrith grunted as the wind was knocked out of him. Raea looked up at her brother, tears in her eyes. ¡°I thought you died.¡± She lowered her head and sniffled. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Palan balanced on his tail behind Raea with his arms and legs crossed. Elrith glared at Palan, accusing him with his eyes before sighing and placing his hand on Raea¡¯s head. Elrith had been healed by his soldiers the instant they left Solra¡¯s zone of charity. ¡°I¡¯m still here, aren¡¯t I?¡± he asked his sister. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. We even found the location of their camp.¡± Raea raised her head, her eyes red. An angel walked next to Elrith and kneeled next to Raea.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Lady Raea,¡± the kneeling figure said. Stubble decorated his jaw, and soot covered his face. ¡°Owen!¡± Raea said and broke away from Elrith. ¡°You¡¯re alright!¡± she said. ¡°Where¡¯s Carmella? And Gerome?¡± ¡°They were sent away,¡± Owen said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to them.¡± He raised his head and looked at Raea. His eyes widened. ¡°What happened to you while I was away?¡± Raea touched her face and lowered her head, half-closing her eyes. Owen turned his head to look at Palan, his eyes widening even further. ¡°It was your fault, wasn¡¯t it? You did this.¡± Palan glanced at Owen before snorting and looking away. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You two really don¡¯t get along,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s great that you two reunited, but we really should be moving,¡± Elrith said as he turned his head towards Ishim¡¯s camp. The halflings had stopped chasing them after they exited the wall of skulls. ¡°I want to make it back before nightfall.¡± His face hardened as his gaze roamed over his army; nearly a quarter of them had died. ¡°Forwards march!¡± The second sun was just about to set, illuminating the sky with a red hue, by the time Elrith¡¯s army returned to the outpost. Palan hadn¡¯t said a single word to Owen the whole way back; instead, he spoke with Cleo and had her identify all the items in her newfound bags. Raea seemed to have mended her relationship with her brother. Tuic avoided her like the plague when she was with Elrith but spoke a few flirtatious words to her while her brother was away. The gates to the outpost swung open, and Michael appeared in the doorway of a nearby building. Elrith raised his head and nodded at Michael. ¡°Get some rest,¡± Elrith said and raised his hand while turning towards his army. ¡°You deserve it.¡± A few weary cheers echoed through the air. He whirled around and walked over to Michael. Tuic prevented Raea from following after her brother, causing her to bite her lip. Palan whispered something to Raea before following after the demons from Elrith¡¯s army. ¡°Elrith,¡± Michael said and crossed his arms. ¡°Old man,¡± Elrith said, also crossing his arms. The two generals glared at each other for a minute. Elrith broke the silence. ¡°Did you find Liana and Pyre?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elrith said and nodded before turning around to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll have a written report prepared for you tomorrow.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just tell me in person?¡± Michael asked, his brow slightly creasing. ¡°Too tired,¡± Elrith said and walked away. Michael watched as Elrith nodded at Tuic, sending him away, before talking with Raea. The bald general sighed as he turned around and walked back inside the building. He strolled into his bedroom and stripped off his armor before lying down on his bed. The mattress was lumpy. He sighed as he rolled onto his side and clapped his hands, turning off the lights. His gut churned. He couldn¡¯t help but think there was something wrong with the whole situation: Solra¡¯s unexpected appearance, the reemergence of the dwarves, Pyre¡¯s disappearance. He closed his eyes and shut out the noise coming from outside before finally falling asleep. Chapter 99 Palan stood in front of a building with an open door and wrapped his tail around his torso. Sounds of chewing drifted through the doorway, and Palan smelled the scent of blood, causing his pulse to quicken. He stepped inside of the building, his back straight and chest out. The room was filled with circular tables that held chunks of raw animal flesh and armored demons who were occupying the seats. A few demons raised their heads to look at Palan, but most of them continued to eat with their heads lowered. There were no angels. Palan cleared his throat. The demons carried on eating in silence. Palan frowned and slammed the door shut with a booming noise that rattled the walls of the cafeteria. The demons stopped eating and turned towards Palan with their eyes narrowed, blood dripping from their teeth. ¡°Alright, you miserable champions of Haalbeh,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s better. Who here is happy being a slave to the angels?¡± He looked around at the hostile glares. ¡°None of you? So why are you still contracted to them?¡± ¡°Are you new?¡± a demon with eight eyes asked through clacking mandibles. Its body was covered with a black carapace that had a red design on the back. Four spindly legs stuck out of the lower part of its body, and it had two arms holding onto a chunk of meat. Palan couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a female or male. ¡°You think none of us tried to get free?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it simple?¡± Palan asked and crossed his arms over his chest. Every instinct in his body was telling him to run as all the demons focused their gazes on him, but his voice was level. ¡°Kill your contractor.¡± The insect-demon snorted and resumed eating. ¡°Another stupidity demon,¡± it said and shook its head. ¡°You should keep your mouth shut.¡± It swallowed the chunk of meat in its hands. ¡°Some of us like it here.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°Well,¡± he said and shrugged. ¡°When you¡¯re tired of being dogs, come find me.¡± He turned around and opened the door. ¡°Wait,¡± a deep voice said. Palan turned around with a raised eyebrow. A shiver went down his spine as a fat demon stood up. It was humanoid except for the four pairs of octopus-like tentacles protruding out of its back. It opened its mouth, revealing four pointed tongues. It had no teeth. ¡°You come here and insult all of us, then think you can leave just like that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said and nodded before turning around and walking out of the door. The fat demon stared at the open doorway and blinked. The other demons turned back to their food, chewing silently. A light gleamed in a few of their eyes.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Palan exhaled as he stepped outside of the building into the street. The suns were down and there was no moon in the sky, but the place was well-lit from crystal towers that Michael had erected to make it difficult for spies to wander around at night. ¡°How long were you there?¡± he asked as he looked down and to the side. Cleo was staring up at him with her mouth gaping. ¡°Are you going to kill Raea?¡± Cleo asked and blinked three times in less than a second. ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°I forbid you from mentioning any part of what you heard tonight.¡± He flicked her forehead, causing her to grumble. She touched the metal collar around her neck and puffed her cheeks out. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t order me around,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I can silence you in other ways,¡± Palan said as Danger Noodle¡¯s eyes opened and tongue flickered. Cleo shuddered. ¡°What were we talking about?¡± she asked. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to remember anything.¡± Danger Noodle closed its eyes. Palan patted Cleo¡¯s head and returned one of her bags. Cleo stared at Palan¡¯s back as he began to walk down the street. She scrambled after him and opened her mouth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you beat that demon up?¡± Palan narrowed his eyes and glared at Cleo. ¡°Too many variables,¡± he said. ¡°I know nothing about him, and close combat isn¡¯t my thing.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you good at fighting?¡± Cleo asked in a whisper as she climbed up his back, using Danger Noodle as a foothold. Without Palan noticing, a second bag had appeared by Cleo¡¯s waist. ¡°I¡¯m good at hunting,¡± Palan said. ¡°There¡¯s a difference.¡± ¡°Then learn to fight,¡± Cleo said. She puffed her chest out, nearly falling off Palan¡¯s back. ¡°I can teach you.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°What do you know about fighting?¡± he asked. ¡°I used to watch the warriors in my town train,¡± Cleo said. ¡°And I won my share of fights on the streets.¡± She nodded and looked up at the sky, reminiscing. ¡°It was a vicious time for me.¡± She sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t even count the number of children I had to beat up.¡± She snorted. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have tried to take my food.¡± Palan continued to walk down the street. Cleo poked him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°I can probably learn more from watching the angels do their drills,¡± Palan said. ¡°But they don¡¯t have tails!¡± Cleo said. ¡°Tails are essential to fighting for lizardmen! What kind of lizardman are you!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a demon.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said and tapped the crocodile-like skin on Palan¡¯s back. ¡°I think you¡¯re closer to a lizardman than an angel though.¡± She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned past his shoulder, turning her head to stare at him with wide eyes. ¡°Let me teach you. I ca¡ªblagh.¡± Palan covered her face with his hand. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°It can¡¯t hurt, I guess.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cleo asked. She blinked twice and smiled. ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t be disappointed if I expect the worse.¡± ¡°Rude,¡± Cleo said. ¡°But we need to get you a sparring partner.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°How about Raea? There¡¯ll be lots of grappling too. Maybe you two could kis¡ªow!¡± Palan flicked her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help,¡± Cleo said and grumbled while rubbing her head. Chapter 100 ¡°Help with what?¡± Palan asked and snorted. ¡°Although ¡­ Raea does need to learn how to take care of herself. Her halberd skills are mediocre at best.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s a yes?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I¡¯ll have to charge double the payment for two people.¡± She nodded and was promptly thrown off of Palan¡¯s back. Her cheeks puffed up. ¡°I was joking,¡± she said and lowered her voice. ¡°Just one-point-five times.¡± ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re extorting here?¡± Palan asked and picked Cleo up by her tail. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you steal from other people but not from me.¡± He retrieved the pouch that Cleo nabbed earlier. Palan carried the squirming Cleo all the way back to Raea¡¯s room. Elrith was sitting outside, leaning his back on the wall next to the door. ¡°She¡¯s sleeping,¡± Elrith said, eyeing Palan and Cleo. Cleo quieted down and hung upside-down in the air with her body limp. Palan dropped Cleo and proceeded to the door. Elrith stuck his leg out, preventing the door from opening, and glared at the demon. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡± he asked. Palan raised his leg into the air, maintaining eye contact with Elrith. He stomped his foot downwards, aiming for Elrith¡¯s knee. The archangel¡¯s eyes widened as he retracted his leg and stood up, reaching for the towershield that was propped up on the wall beside him. Palan¡¯s foot left a web of cracks on the floor. He smirked at Elrith and pushed the door open, ignoring the angel when he shouted, ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not sleeping at all,¡± Palan said, staring at Raea who was in the middle of changing her clothes. Cleo wandered into the room and closed the door behind herself, making sure to turn the doorknob so it didn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°Who said I was?¡± Raea asked as she rummaged through her closet and pulled on a robe. A damp towel lay in the corner of the room along with the robe she wore earlier in the day. ¡°Your brother,¡± Cleo said and pointed at the door. ¡°I think he¡¯s having a moral dilemma.¡± The doorknob turned, and Cleo smiled before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t come in! She¡¯s changing her clothes!¡± The doorknob returned to its normal state, and the sound of a fist hitting a wooden wall reached the trio¡¯s ears. Cleo laughed. ¡°See?¡± Raea stared at Cleo with a wry smile on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s not good to lie,¡± she said. ¡°He started it,¡± Cleo said and humphed while crossing her arms over her chest and lifting her chin while closing her eyes. After two seconds she opened one eye. ¡°Did I do it right? It¡¯s my Palan imitation.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Raea brought her hand to her mouth and laughed. Palan reached out and pulled Raea¡¯s sleeve down, revealing the line of black scales on her arm. He ran his fingers over them, causing Raea to jump away from him while shuddering. ¡°What are those?¡± Palan asked. Cleo frowned and stamped her feet. ¡°I just got her to smile,¡± she said. ¡°Why¡¯d you have to go and ruin it?¡± Raea bit her lower lip and clutched her right wrist with her left hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said and looked down. Palan nodded while Cleo stepped on his foot. ¡°Now how am I supposed to ask her?¡± Cleo asked Palan and bopped Danger Noodle on the nose when it approached her. The door partially opened, and Cleo flew through the air, dropkicking it shut. ¡°She¡¯s still changing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think Cleo¡¯s been acting weird lately?¡± Raea asked Palan while watching Cleo shake her fist at the door. The orange lizardman turned around and glared at Raea. ¡°Nope,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t really pay attention to her.¡± ¡°Do you want my help or not!?¡± Cleo asked, standing akimbo with her tail swishing and leaving marks on the wooden floor. ¡°What is she talking about?¡± Raea asked Palan, turning her head away from Cleo. ¡°Ask me, not that blockhead!¡± Cleo said and waddled over, her hands still on her hips. ¡°Starting from tomorrow, I¡¯m going to train both of you in lizardmen combat techniques. Be grateful.¡± She humphed. Moments later she doubled over and clutched her stomach. ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good.¡± She groaned as she stumbled over to Raea¡¯s bed and buried herself under the covers. Raea furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°Do you want me to heal you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± Cleo said as she gathered the blankets around herself, morphing into a wooly blob on the edge of the bed. ¡°Wake me up when the first sun rises.¡± Raea stared at her bare sheets before walking over to Palan¡¯s bed and lifting his blankets, dragging them back to her bed. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted,¡± Raea said as she yawned and lay down on her bed, covering herself with Palan¡¯s blankets. Palan climbed onto the bed and sat down next to Cleo, using her as a foot warmer. Minutes later, Raea began to snore. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Raea?¡± Elrith¡¯s voice asked. ¡°She¡¯s sleeping,¡± Palan said. The door opened anyway and Elrith walked inside. He frowned when he saw Raea¡¯s head on her pillow with her eyes closed. He narrowed his eyes at Palan and whispered, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing on my sister¡¯s bed?¡± Palan raised his hand and stuck his middle finger at Elrith. ¡°Go away,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll wake her up.¡± Elrith trembled as he clenched his hands and gritted his teeth. A vein bulged on his forehead. He narrowed his eyes at Palan and said in a low voice, ¡°You and I are going to have a talk tomorrow.¡± Palan snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, lifting his head into the air, copying Cleo¡¯s actions from before. It was a shame he couldn¡¯t close his eyes. Elrith whirled around and left the room. He was about to slam the door behind himself but stopped at the last second, shutting it without making a sound. A warm and slimy object touched Palan¡¯s foot. He frowned and tilted the Cleo-blob upwards, reaching underneath. He picked up a wet, brown object with speckles. Palan raised an eyebrow as a moan¡ªfollowed by snores¡ªescaped from the woolen blob by his feet. Did Cleo lay an egg? Palan shrugged and placed the egg to the side. He concluded that lizardmen were weird before crossing his arms over his chest and lowering his head. Chapter 101 The next morning, Palan woke up to Cleo pulling a layer of skin off of her arm. Discarded bits of paper-like flakes lay on Raea¡¯s blanket. Cleo raised her head and smiled at Palan while waving the flap of skin in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m growing!¡± she said and laughed. ¡°No more tiny Cleo!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still a midget,¡± Palan said. There was no visible difference in Cleo¡¯s size compared to yesterday. ¡°And you laid an egg.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cleo said and blinked three times. ¡°What?¡± Palan pointed at the egg he placed on the bedside table. Cleo stiffened and fell backwards off the bed before scrambling to her feet. She picked the egg up and wailed. ¡°No! No, no, no, no, no!¡± Raea bolted upright, her hair disheveled and wavy. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked and threw her blanket off, causing flakes of dead skin to fly into the air like confetti. Raea stared at Cleo who was kneeling on the ground, clutching the egg to her chest with tears in her eyes. She scrambled out of bed and placed her hand on Cleo¡¯s back. ¡°What happened?¡± Cleo responded by sobbing and wailing. Palan raised an eyebrow as he dusted dead skin off of his head. Stubble prickled his palm; his hair was starting to grow back. ¡°She laid an egg,¡± Palan said, causing Cleo to sob harder. ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Raea asked as she hugged Cleo to her chest. Palan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s small, but we can still eat it,¡± he said. Raea gasped. ¡°Lizard eggs sold for a decent amount in Eljiam. I met a demon who raised lizards and had them lay eggs for him.¡± Palan licked his lips. ¡°He tasted like a lizard.¡± He glanced at Cleo, causing Raea to angle the orange lizardman away from him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Cleo?¡± Raea asked. ¡°It¡¯s all over,¡± Cleo said and sniffled. A line of snot trailed out of her nostril as she looked up at Raea. She hiccupped and held the egg out. ¡°All over.¡± She shook her head and sobbed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be unfertilized?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. Cleo raised her hand and threw the egg against the wall, causing it to shatter and splatter whitish-yellow fluid on the wood. ¡°It¡¯s not about the egg!¡± she said, the sunlight shining on her face causing her eyes to glisten. ¡°I can¡¯t grow anymore.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked as she stared at the yellow stain on the wall. ¡°Lizardmen stop growing once they mature,¡± Cleo said and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, leaving some dead skin on her cheeks. ¡°This is my final growth, and I¡¯m still so small.¡± She sniffled as her tail curled around her leg. She hugged her knees to her chest and buried her head in her knees. Raea frowned and pursed her lips, unable to think of anything to say. Instead, she placed her hand around Cleo¡¯s back and hugged her.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Raea raised her head and glanced at Palan, mouthing, ¡°Say something.¡± Palan laughed and got off the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at her!¡± Raea mouthed and knit her brow. Cleo didn¡¯t say anything as she trembled in Raea¡¯s embrace. Palan walked over to Cleo and separated her from Raea. He tapped her forehead, causing her to let out a whimper. ¡°Hey,¡± he said. ¡°Why are you crying? Because you¡¯re tiny?¡± Cleo raised her head and eyed Palan but remained silent. She sniffed. ¡°Do you know how much harder it is to steal things if you¡¯re bigger?¡± Cleo stopped trembling and froze. Her mouth fell open. Palan continued, ignoring Raea¡¯s disapproving gaze. ¡°People drop their guard around children too.¡± Cleo uncurled from the ball she had formed with her body. ¡°And I don¡¯t have to worry about strength because you¡¯re a freak,¡± she said and blinked. She placed her hand under her chin and scratched, causing flecks of skin to fall like snow. ¡°Why are you so smart? It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°Praise me more,¡± Palan said. Danger Noodle¡¯s tongue flickered. ¡°Genius!¡± Cleo said and clapped. ¡°More.¡± ¡°Partner in crime!¡± ¡°More.¡± ¡°A¡ª¡° ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Raea said and covered Cleo¡¯s mouth with her hand. She frowned and retracted her hand when she realized she just copied Palan. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t seem to notice or care. Cleo sighed and stood up. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to train you two,¡± she said. ¡°I have to be responsible and do adult stuff now like teaching the kids how to take care of themselves.¡± She glanced at Raea and shook her head. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow. Cleo nodded and strutted in a circle around Raea who tracked the lizardman¡¯s movements with her head. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cleo said. ¡°You¡¯re not an adult yet, so I have to watch over you.¡± She puffed her chest out and lifted her head to the side. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°Time for training. Chop chop.¡± ¡°Why do I need training?¡± Raea asked and frowned at the flakes of dead skin on her robe. ¡°Because you¡¯re pathetic,¡± Palan said. ¡°You can¡¯t control your own strength and rely on your chains too much.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with relying on something I have,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°And if you enter a zone of charity?¡± Palan asked as Danger Noodle slithered towards the closet and took out Raea¡¯s armor. It dropped the set by her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll just avoid those,¡± Raea said and looked away. Cleo, Palan, and Danger Noodle stared at her. Cold sweat dripped down her back and she sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± She stripped off her robe and began to put on her under armor. Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Raea?¡± Elrith¡¯s voice asked. ¡°She¡¯s changing,¡± Cleo said. ¡°How many times do you think I¡¯d fall for that?¡± Elrith asked. The door swung open. Elrith made eye contact with Raea and cleared his throat before turning around and closing the door behind himself. Cleo burst out laughing. ¡°Angels are so weird,¡± she said. ¡°Who cares about clothing? Right?¡± She turned her head towards Palan. He was staring at Raea, completely ignoring Cleo. ¡°Hey.¡± Cleo waved her hand, attempting to draw Palan¡¯s attention, but her fingertips didn¡¯t reach past his chest. ¡°Eh?¡± Cleo scratched her head and looked at Raea. She was just starting to put on her cuirass. Cleo turned back to Palan. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Palan asked and looked at Cleo. ¡°You¡¯re really looking forward to grappling, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cleo asked with a smirk on her face. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Palan asked and snorted. ¡°Nothing,¡± Cleo said in a singsong voice. ¡°Palan and Raea sitting in a tree. K-I¡ª¡° Raea bopped Cleo on the head with her bundled up robe. ¡°Go clean up the mess you made,¡± she said and pointed at the shattered eggshells on the ground. She glanced at Palan, her face redder than usual. His expression hadn¡¯t changed, and Raea wanted to hide in a hole after remembering that there were no trees on Eljiam. Chapter 102 After Cleo finished wiping up the yolk and eggshells, she tossed the dirty rag into a corner of the room. She glanced at Palan and Raea and snickered before dusting a piece of dead skin off her arm. ¡°Are you two ready?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on being nice with my regimen! I¡¯ll give you two the full warrior¡¯s course.¡± She wandered over to the door and opened it before closing it again. Elrith was standing outside with his arms crossed over his chest. ¡°You can open the door,¡± she said, looking at Raea while nodding and hiding behind Palan. ¡°First step of training.¡± Raea pursed her lips before walking past Cleo and opening the door. ¡°Good morning, Elly,¡± Raea said. ¡°Ray,¡± Elrith said and uncrossed his arms. His face softened. ¡°Can we talk? It seems like I haven¡¯t gotten the chance to sit down with you ever since we reunited.¡± Raea glanced at Cleo who frowned but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Does there have to be a specific topic?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Can¡¯t we just have a conversation?¡± His eyes shifted towards Palan then back to Raea. ¡°I just want to make sure you thought things through, you know?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be resting?¡± Cleo asked and pointed at his face. ¡°You got beat up pretty badly yesterday. Raea¡¯s busy with stuff.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the halfling?¡± Elrith asked Raea. Cleo shook her fist at him but ducked behind Danger Noodle when Elrith glared at her. ¡°Her name is Cleo,¡± Raea said. ¡°She¡¯s my friend.¡± Elrith furrowed his brow. ¡°Friends with a halfling?¡± he asked. ¡°I know you were always nice to even animals but don¡¯t you think there should be a limit to your kindness?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Cleo asked and wrinkled her nose. ¡°That I¡¯m lower than an animal?¡± She pat Palan¡¯s thigh and pointed at Elrith. ¡°Beat him up for me.¡± Elrith tensed as his right hand went behind his back and grabbed the handle of his shield. ¡°Since when did you get to order me around?¡± Palan asked and flicked Cleo¡¯s forehead. ¡°But he¡¯s bullying me,¡± Cleo said and pouted. ¡°That means he¡¯s bullying you because I¡¯m your slave.¡± She tapped the metal collar on her neck. Palan frowned. Cleo beamed at him. ¡°Right?¡± Raea sighed and sidestepped in front of Palan and lowered her head. ¡°Why does it always end up like this?¡± she asked to herself before turning around to face Palan. ¡°Elrith is my brother. Please don¡¯t antagonize and fight him.¡± She faced Elrith without waiting for Palan¡¯s reply. ¡°Palan and Cleo are my friends. Treat them as you would treat any other angel.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest and took a step to the side, letting Palan and Elrith stare at each other. ¡°Let¡¯s try to get along, okay?¡± ¡°I dislike you,¡± Elrith said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°You lied to me about Raea.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you hate yourself for believing me?¡± Palan asked. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you chose to listen to a demon.¡± Palan smiled, revealing his white, pointed teeth. ¡°And you¡¯re the one who made Raea run away in the first place.¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± Elrith said and took a step forward. ¡°You¡¯re the one who morphed her into a freak.¡± Raea flinched and looked down while biting her lower lip. ¡°Er, I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Elrith said and took a step towards his sister. Palan snorted. ¡°I just meant he was the one that transformed you.¡± Raea took a step back, her eyes staring at her feet. ¡°Please leave,¡± she said, her voice quavering. ¡°Ray,¡± Elrith said and took another step forward. Palan grabbed his shoulder and squeezed, causing the general¡¯s metal pauldrons to dent. ¡°She said leave,¡± Palan said and threw Elrith out the room with a single arm. The archangel crashed against the ground and rolled until he hit a wall, splintering it. Palan raised an eyebrow and looked at his arm. ¡°That was fun.¡± Cleo stuck her tongue out at Elrith before slamming the door. She turned around and looked at Palan and Raea. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll do training in the room. I¡¯ll begin with a lesson,¡± she said and shrugged. She climbed on top of Raea¡¯s bed and cleared her throat. ¡°What¡¯s the most important thing for a lizardman while fighting? Raea!¡± She pointed at Raea, startling her. ¡°Not dying?¡± Raea asked and scratched her head. ¡°Palan?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Winning.¡± ¡°Both of you are wrong,¡± Cleo said and sighed, shaking her head. She puffed her chest out. ¡°It¡¯s their tail!¡± Raea turned her head to look at Palan. ¡°Can she really teach us anything?¡± she asked. Palan shrugged and turned around to open the door. ¡°Wait,¡± Cleo said and jumped off the bed. She tugged on Palan¡¯s armor. ¡°I was just joking, joking. Jeez.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± Raea asked. Cleo chewed her lip and mumbled, ¡°It really is the tail though.¡± Her tail swished and knocked over a chair as she stared at Raea¡¯s feet. Her feet slid across the ground as Palan continued to walk, dragging the orange lizardman along. ¡°Wait, wait! I have an idea,¡± she said and released Palan. ¡°It¡¯s a good one this time. I promise.¡± She waited until Palan turned around to look at her. ¡°You try to kill Raea. And Raea tries to live.¡± Palan glanced at Raea, a light flashing in his eyes. Raea shivered and took a step back. ¡°Did you seriously consider that just now?¡± Raea asked. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Palan said recalling the time Raea tugged on his arm. ¡°Your strength is close to mine somehow.¡± He creased his brow. ¡°But I¡¯m not allowed to hurt you due to the terms of the contract.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°We should find some oth¡ª!?¡± Raea¡¯s eyes widened as Palan lunged towards her neck with his mouth wide open. She fell over backwards and covered her head with her hands. She lowered her arm and lifted her head. Palan stood over her with his arms over his chest. ¡°What was that for!?¡± ¡°If I get hit by lightning and you¡¯re standing right next to me, then wouldn¡¯t that hurt both of us?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Don¡¯t let me hurt you if you don¡¯t want to get shocked by lightning.¡± He grinned at her. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Raea said, her face blanching. ¡°I order¡±¡ªPalan plugged both his ears with his fingers¡ª¡°you to ¡­.¡± Raea turned her heads towards Cleo. ¡°Help?¡± Cleo climbed onto Raea¡¯s bed and smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute when two children play-fight?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll scream,¡± Raea said to Palan and furrowed her brow. ¡°I really will.¡± It seemed like Palan read her lips because he answered, ¡°The only weak part of you is your personality. Your physical strength is on par with mine after my evolution. Your control over your patience chains is praiseworthy.¡± Raea¡¯s face softened. ¡°You really think so?¡± she asked. ¡°I guess we can tr¡ª!?¡± She dove to the side as Palan lunged at her again. Eight glowing chains burst out of her back as she scrambled to her feet. She took in a deep breath as Palan stood up and smiled at her. She pursed her lips. ¡°I can do this,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°He won¡¯t actually hurt me. He¡¯s doing this for my own good.¡± She nodded, and the chains on her back flew towards Palan. Chapter 103 Owen stared at the skies with his mouth gaping. Lightning bolts continuously rained from the clear, blue sky, striking a building in the distance. They seemed oddly familiar. ¡°Hey,¡± a voice said from behind him. ¡°Get moving.¡± Owen blinked and scratched his head, causing a metallic sound to ring out. His arms and legs were bound together by a generous length of chain with enough slack to let him walk freely but cumbersome enough to make running difficult. ¡°Right, sorry,¡± he said and took a step forward. He approached a goblin who was sitting next to a bonfire. It glanced at the chains on his arms and pursed its lips before ladling him a bowl of stew. Turning his head, he asked the angel who told him to move, ¡°Excuse me, Colonel, do you know what that lightning is?¡± Uzziel frowned and stared at the shackled Owen. ¡°Our army works on a need to know basis,¡± he said. ¡°You do not need to know.¡± He snorted and knocked Owen out of his way, spilling some stew onto the ground. Owen scowled as Uzziel intimidated the goblin into giving him a larger portion. It was true that he attacked a general, but he didn¡¯t think he deserved this kind of treatment. A soldier noticed him glaring at Uzziel and decided to speak up, ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t worry about it. The Colonel¡¯s been in a bad mood ever since General Elrith showed up.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°He thinks the Tyrant is his rival, but I¡¯m pretty sure the Tyrant doesn¡¯t even know his name.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Owen said and nodded at the soldier. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the soldier said and smiled. He leaned closer to Owen and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone I told you this, but Colonel Uzziel¡¯s nickname is Slu. It stands for sore loser Uzziel.¡± A fist punched the soldier in the back of the head, causing Owen to nearly drop his stew. A female soldier grabbed the man by the back of his hair. ¡°Quit bad-mouthing our superiors,¡± she said. ¡°The last thing we need is for them to call a discipline assembly.¡± The male soldier laughed. ¡°Your ears are sharp as always, Justitia,¡± he said and winced as her fingers twisted his hair. ¡°Do you think you could let go now?¡± He half-heartedly raised his arm to point at the goblin serving stew. ¡°It¡¯s my turn to get some grub.¡± Justitia snorted and released the soldier¡ªwho scurried away¡ªbefore looking at Owen. She frowned. ¡°You¡¯re the one who fought the Tyrant?¡± she asked. A trace of purple lightning flashed through her pupils. Owen sighed. ¡°Is that what I am known for around here?¡± he asked. ¡°It was a misunderstanding.¡± Justitia nodded. ¡°You didn¡¯t die. Good job,¡± she said and pat his shoulder before approaching the stew-serving goblin. Owen watched her walk away with a crease in his brow. The only reason he survived was because Elrith knew he was Raea¡¯s bodyguard. He knew it had nothing to do with his own skill. He glanced the spot where she touched him and shook his head before walking over to a fallen log, taking a seat. The outpost wasn¡¯t meant to accommodate this many soldiers, leaving the generals no choice but to expand the cafeteria outdoors.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The chains hanging from his arms jangled as he raised the bowl of stew to his lips and took gulps of the hot liquid. The goblin had forgotten to give him a spoon. He sighed and chewed on a piece of potato, savoring the taste as the mush rolled over his tongue. Ishim had fed his army porridge made from grass. He stared into his bowl, the murky surface of the stew reflecting a rough outline of his face. Footsteps approached him and metal clanked. He raised his head and saw Justitia sitting next to him with a bowl in her hand. She had a spoon. ¡°Why?¡± Owen blurted out, staring at the wooden spoon. ¡°What? Is there a problem?¡± Justitia asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t see your name on this log.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Owen said and furrowed his brow. ¡°I have no issue with you sitting here.¡± He turned his head back towards his stew and took another gulp. Thunder boomed, and more lightning bolts flashed through the clear sky. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s causing that?¡± Justitia shrugged. ¡°It seems like a demon is violating its contract,¡± she said. She wrinkled her nose and sniffed her stew. Ever since she was poisoned by the cook and forced to kill that greed demon, she developed a habit of smelling her food even if she couldn¡¯t detect anything. She wanted to believe she would if there was actually poison. ¡°It¡¯s not too surprising considering the Tyrant¡¯s army is here.¡± After finding nothing odd about her stew, she placed the spoon in her mouth. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Owen asked. ¡°Did you live under a rock?¡± Justitia asked. She glanced at his unkempt face. ¡°That would explain the lack of hygiene.¡± Owen frowned and touched his hand to his face. He hadn¡¯t been able to shave ever since Ishim went crazy and forced the soldiers to rebel. ¡°I came from the capital,¡± Owen said. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about warfare.¡± Justitia stared at him and put another spoonful of stew into her mouth. ¡°Well, I do know about warfare from books and the like but not about the state of the armies.¡± Justitia nodded. ¡°I see. You¡¯re one of those,¡± she said. Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, causing both of them to raise their heads. ¡°Nearly half of all the angels in General Elrith¡¯s army is contracted with a demon. There are roughly a thousand soldiers in his army. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you think the lightning would stop after the first or second time?¡± Owen asked. ¡°It¡¯s been going on for the whole morning.¡± ¡°That is a bit odd,¡± Justitia said. ¡°Disobedient demons are usually killed pretty quickly. Maybe they¡¯re making an example out of one?¡± She shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about since there are two archangels here.¡± Owen grunted and finished his stew. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± he said. His stomach churned. Elrith had said he¡¯d take over watching Raea for now, but Owen couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that she was in danger. ¡°Everyone hopes they¡¯re right,¡± Justitia said and finished her stew as well. She turned her head to face Owen. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your name.¡± ¡°Owen.¡± ¡°Just Owen? Aren¡¯t you capital folk supposed to be proud of your household names?¡± Owen grimaced and nodded. ¡°Just Owen.¡± He clenched his hands. For now, he didn¡¯t think he deserved the name of Caelum. Chapter 104 Raea lay on her back, gasping as she stared up at the ceiling that had multiple holes in it. The lightning had broken through the roof to strike Palan during their training session. Luckily they were on the highest floor or the damage to the building would¡¯ve been greater. She turned her head to the side, causing her to wince. Her body hurt all over. ¡°How do you feel?¡± she asked. Palan grunted in reply. His armor was covered in a thick layer of soot, and his left leg was twitching. He sat on the floor with his back against the wall. The door to the room opened, revealing Cleo who was carrying a tray of food. Her eyes widened. ¡°You look dead,¡± she said to Raea and placed a bowl of stew next to her. She offered a bowl to Palan. ¡°You don¡¯t look that much better than her.¡± Palan sighed and grasped the bowl with his right hand. His arm trembled as he brought the bowl to his nose. He sniffed it before drinking the contents in one gulp. His body spasmed as dropped the bowl and stood up, walking over to Raea. He squat next to her and placed his hand on her forehead, causing her to tremble. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he said and inhaled. She smelled like smoke and burnt hair. His hand glowed white, and Raea gasped as her body shivered. She let out a groan as her eyes closed, a faint smile appearing on her lips. After a few minutes, Palan removed his hand and frowned. ¡°That was easy,¡± he said and stared at his fingers. He wiggled them in the air before clenching them into a fist. Raea sat up and beamed at him. ¡°Your turn,¡± she said and tackled him, knocking him over. She laughed and placed her glowing hand on his chest. His body lay still as the white energy coursed through him, removing the jitters while repairing any internal injuries he may have suffered from the lightning. After he was healed, she sat up and said, ¡°You know, I wouldn¡¯t have minded so much if I knew you could heal me afterwards. But can we never do this again?¡± Palan sat up and stared at her. His hand flashed, stretching towards Raea¡¯s neck. She instantly leaned back and smacked his forearm with her hand, deflecting his strike. Palan nodded. ¡°At least you¡¯re not closing your eyes anymore,¡± he said. Raea pouted. ¡°I have had official training before, you know?¡± she asked. ¡°Just not with someone as ¡­ violent as you.¡± ¡°What about you, Palan?¡± Cleo asked as she sipped on her own stew. ¡°Raea improved, right? Did you?¡± ¡°Barely,¡± he said recalling Raea¡¯s defense comprised of glowing white chains. He had to maneuver his tail properly to deflect them. There was no space to run around them in the small bedroom. The door swung open with a bang. Elrith entered the room and creased his brow. ¡°What happened here?¡± he asked. Wooden splinters littered the ground, sunlight streamed in through the holes in the ceiling, and the majority of the furniture in the room lay in pieces. After he was rudely thrown out by Palan, he went to his own residence and came back to inspect the source of lightning. Cleo blinked and continued to eat her stew with noisy slurps as Raea and Palan stood up while dusting their armor off. ¡°We were training,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Training,¡± Elrith repeated. He kicked away a block of wood, revealing the cracked floor beneath. He paused and furrowed his brow before looking up at Raea. Her stomach sank when she saw his expression. He spoke in a soft voice, ¡°I wrote a letter to Mom and Dad.¡± Raea¡¯s heart pounded in her chest. Her eyes narrowed, and she shifted her weight from one foot to another. ¡°About what?¡± she asked. The skin around her chest prickled as a wave of heat washed through her body. She lowered her head. ¡°You,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I told them everything: your new appearance, your personality switch, your contract with¡±¡ªhis nose wrinkled as he looked at Palan¡ª¡°that.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes grew wet, and Elrith took a step forward. ¡°Mom and Dad can help you. They¡¯ll find a way to turn you back. I didn¡¯t know what else to do, Ray. You just changed so much.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Raea asked as a tear fell from her eye. She raised her head. ¡°Do you think Dad would accept me like this? Do you think Mom would? Or Nina? Or Sely?¡± Her voice raised as her vision blurred. ¡°You can¡¯t even look at me without flinching! That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a monster! Just tell everyone, why don¡¯t you!?¡± ¡°Rayray,¡± Elrith said, his voice barely above a whisper. He reached forward to embrace his sister. ¡°That¡¯s not true. They care about you. They¡¯ll want to help.¡± Raea took a step to the side before Elrith could reach her. ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± Raea screamed. ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± She sobbed and choked out her words. ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­¡± Her body trembled as she glared at Elrith and took a step behind Palan. Elrith furrowed his brow and winced underneath his sister¡¯s gaze. ¡°I genuinely care about you, Ray. Please, just work with me. I want to help you.¡± He lowered his arms and sighed. Messy slurping interrupted his train of thought as Cleo stared at him with her lips on the bowl of stew. ¡°Look. I already sent the letter. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t ask you first, but I really do want what¡¯s best for you.¡± Palan crossed his arms over his chest. Danger Noodle raised its body and stared at Elrith, poised to strike. ¡°Where were you when Raea was exiled?¡± he asked and narrowed his eyes. Raea grabbed onto his arm and sniffed while wiping her nose with the back of her hand. Elrith responded by clenching his hands and gritting his teeth. ¡°And you say you care?¡± ¡°What would you know?¡± Elrith asked, practically growling at Palan. ¡°You¡¯re just a filthy demon. Everything that¡¯s happened to Raea is your fault. Would she be like this if you weren¡¯t here?¡± His words were belligerent, but he took no action, choosing to glare at Palan instead. ¡°No. She¡¯d probably be dead,¡± Palan said, unintimidated. ¡°Your family threw her away¡±¡ªRaea flinched and tightened her grip on Palan¡¯s arm¡ª¡°how can you say they care about her? At least demons don¡¯t try to pretend to be righteous after abandoning their children.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t throw her away,¡± Elrith said. ¡°We saved her. We had to send her away or she would¡¯ve been executed. Our Mother sacrificed her position to prevent Raea from being killed.¡± He spoke in a level voice, afraid of startling Raea and causing another outburst. ¡°Pathetic,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Get out of here. Raea obviously doesn¡¯t want to see you right now.¡± He glanced at Raea, who nodded her head once. ¡°How is that pathetic?¡± Elrith asked and took a step forward. ¡°It was all we could do to prevent her from being killed. What would you have done?¡± He straightened his back and glared at Palan. It would¡¯ve been more intimidating if Palan wasn¡¯t taller and bulkier than he was. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave the capital with her?¡± Palan asked. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened, causing his face to soften. Palan grabbed his shoulder and tossed him outside the room in the same fashion as earlier that day. Cleo hopped off the bed and closed the door, placing her empty bowl on top of Palan¡¯s discarded one. Raea whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Palan grunted in reply as her tears slid down his arm. Chapter 105 Raea squatted in front of a bucket with water dripping from her face. She sighed as she made eye contact with her reflection. In her mind, her eyes seemed to glow, becoming the most noticeable feature of her face. She dipped her hands into the bucket and splashed water over her face again, breaking the reflected image on the surface. She stood up and wiped her face off with a towel before walking outside of the cubical room she was in. Palan was waiting outside in the hallway with his arms across his chest while fighting Cleo with his tail. The tiny lizardman was losing. He turned his head and looked at Raea. Her eyes were still red and puffy, but the snot and tears were gone. ¡°You¡¯re not going to wear the blindfold?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Raea shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s better to embrace it since my parents already know,¡± she said as one corner of her lips curved upwards. ¡°It¡¯s not like I had many friends anyway. I won¡¯t be losing much.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Your choice,¡± he said and ate Cleo with his tail before spitting her out. Raea nodded and made a motion to exit the building. Before she took a step, the ground trembled and roaring noises echoed from the distant forest. Palan wrinkled his nose. ¡°It smells like lots of dirt.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Raea said and grabbed Palan¡¯s hand, pulling him along as she headed outside the building. The area outside of her residence was empty. She heard soldiers off in the distance and headed towards the noise. The ground continued to shake and sounds of booming continued to fill the area. The trio arrived at the open-air cafeteria, and saw a bunch of relaxed angels eating their meals. Raea wrinkled her brow as she scanned the area. ¡°It¡¯s Owen,¡± Palan said and pointed at Raea¡¯s old guard who sat next to Justitia on the fallen log. Raea¡¯s face lit up, and she pulled Palan towards the two. ¡°Owen!¡± Raea said and tackled the surprised fellow. He grunted and fell over backwards from the force while his armor creaked under Raea¡¯s embrace. ¡°I can¡¯t breathe,¡± Owen gasped as his arms were pressed to his sides. He exhaled when Raea loosened her grip and grinned at him. ¡°When did you get so strong?¡± Raea shrugged and stuck her tongue out. ¡°Your friend?¡± Justitia asked as she eyed Raea before turning her head to look at Palan. She frowned. ¡°You look familiar.¡± Her brow furrowed as she turned to Raea. ¡°You are Raea Caelum?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°You know me?¡± she asked. Justitia snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t believe there is anyone who doesn¡¯t know you,¡± she said. She looked at Owen.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Owen dusted himself off and returned to his seat on the log. He gestured towards Raea. ¡°This is Lady Raea. I¡¯m her chaperone of sorts,¡± Owen said and rubbed his chin. He gestured towards Justitia. ¡°This is¡±¡ªOwen paused and furrowed his brow¡ª¡°I don¡¯t believe I got your name.¡± ¡°People call me Justitia,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s an odd way to introduce yourself,¡± Cleo said and tilted her head. ¡°People call me Cleo the Magnificent.¡± She nodded and puffed her chest out. Justitia furrowed her brow. ¡°Is it okay for you to be here?¡± she asked the orange lizardman and pursed her lips. ¡°Who¡¯s your owner?¡± Cleo wrinkled her nose and sniffed while raising her head into the air. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes. Raea spoke up, ¡°She¡¯s my friend.¡± Justitia raised an eyebrow and turned her head to look at Raea. ¡°I thought you were a Caelum,¡± she said. She narrowed her eyes at Owen. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that you were a Caelum.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Raea asked. Justitia met her gaze, unperturbed by the serpentine eyes. ¡°Nothing, O Mighty Caelum,¡± Justitia said and snorted before standing up. ¡°Wait,¡± Owen said and grabbed her arm. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Do people not like the Caelums?¡± ¡°General Elrith¡¯s nickname is the Tyrant,¡± Justitia said. ¡°What do you think? Victory at all costs. He can use the powers of charity, but that¡¯s a load of horsecrap. What part of that man is charitable?¡± ¡°Elly¡¯s a nice person,¡± Raea said. She furrowed her brow and recalled the tiff she just had with him. She muttered, ¡°Sometimes.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Justitia said as the ground shook again. ¡°A very nice person. So nice of him to destroy all the trees in the nearby vicinity. No one needed them anyways.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not like there are animals or halflings who depended on them to survive, right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked over a booming echo. A flock of birds flew over the outpost. Justitia pointed towards the wall of the outpost. Raea turned her head just in time to see a tree fall over and disappear from view. ¡°Is Elly doing that?¡± Justitia nodded. ¡°He¡¯s leveling everything to eliminate the potential of an ambush,¡± she said. ¡°Hundreds of animals will be displaced, but it doesn¡¯t matter, right? They aren¡¯t angels. What right do they have?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he has his reasons,¡± Raea said. ¡°Like maybe he¡¯s upset because he was thrown out of his sister¡¯s room,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and frowned. He shrugged, causing Raea to sigh. Justitia looked back and forth between the two. ¡°You¡¯re not going to discipline him?¡± she asked and raised an eyebrow. Owen grumbled. ¡°She never does,¡± he said and shook his head. ¡°Even when he does things that would get him executed by anyone else.¡± Justitia blinked at Raea. ¡°Are you really a Caelum?¡± she asked. Raea scratched her head. ¡°I was actually exiled,¡± she said. ¡°And I¡¯m not sure what my family¡¯s going to think of me after ¡­ yeah.¡± She stared at her feet, and Palan flicked her forehead. ¡°What was that for?¡± she asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Testing your reflexes,¡± Palan said. ¡°You failed. I guess we have to do more training later.¡± Justitia hummed and sat back down. ¡°It seems like I judged you wrongly due to previous biases. Forgive me,¡± she said to Raea. ¡°My name is actually Blossom, but I ended up becoming an angel of temperance, much to the disappointment of my parents.¡± Chapter 106 ¡°So Justitia¡¯s just a nickname?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I¡¯m still Cleo the Magnificent though.¡± ¡°It is a nickname, but everyone calls me that,¡± Justitia said. She eyed Cleo and tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never met a lizardman who didn¡¯t mind speaking with angels. Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re still a child?¡± Cleo puffed her cheeks out. ¡°Who¡¯s a child?¡± she said and stamped her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m just a really small adult.¡± She wandered next to Justitia and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Is that so?¡± Justitia asked. ¡°My apologies.¡± She sighed. ¡°I used to live next to a lizardmen village. My mother never let me play with them, but I was free to watch. They were an interesting group.¡± ¡°What happened to them?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Subjugated and relocated. They were occupying fertile grounds that the military had been eyeing,¡± Justitia said. Cleo frowned while her tail swished and kicked up dirt on the ground. ¡°So you joined the army to stop the injustice?¡± she asked. Justitia blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it,¡± she said and pursed her lips, ¡°but no. The army pays well; it¡¯s the best profession a peasant can have. My parents used to live off the land. It was a much nicer and quieter life.¡± She exhaled and stared up at the suns in the sky and paused before turning her head towards Raea. ¡°For a Caelum, you don¡¯t look very angel-like.¡± ¡°I ¡­ things happened,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip, ¡°and now I look like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a cheap explanation,¡± Justitia said and laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t press the issue if it bothers you.¡± She glanced at the halberd on Raea¡¯s back. ¡°Would you like to spar?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Prestige,¡± Justitia said and smiled as she stood up. ¡°I have a bit of pride in my skills.¡± Cleo¡¯s hands flashed near Justitia¡¯s waist while the angel¡¯s back was turned. Palan raised an eyebrow at her, but the orange lizardman just put a finger to her lips and put her hands behind her back after depositing an item into her bag. She smiled at Palan and waddled over to him. Raea furrowed her brow. If it was a few weeks ago, she wouldn¡¯t have even considered the duel. ¡°Are we using powers?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± Justitia said. ¡°Just technique. We shouldn¡¯t exhaust our energy just for the sake of a spar. Even if the army won¡¯t be moving for a few days, we never know when the rebels will attack.¡± She removed the lance from her back and twirled it in her hand. ¡°So how about it?¡± Raea nodded and equipped her halberd. She took in a deep breath and steadied her gaze.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Palan crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back, balancing on his tail. He turned his head to the side and saw a demon in an alleyway, staring at him. The demon beckoned with his hand and turned around, disappearing into the shadows. Palan smirked and let Danger Noodle carry him towards the alley, away from Raea and Justitia who were just beginning to fight. Cleo tried to follow after him, but he glared at her, causing her to shrink back while pouting. Palan wrinkled his nose and followed the scent of the demon as he made his way through the outpost, avoiding angels along the way. He arrived at a nondescript building and got off his tail, wrapping it around his torso like another layer of armor. He could see multiple blobs of red and yellow in the basement of the building with his heat vision. His eyes narrowed as he opened the door and slipped inside before making his way downstairs. A group of demons sat in a circle, staring up at him as he made his way down the stairs. There were close to a dozen of them, and Palan unconsciously straightened his back as he stepped off the last stair. ¡°You needed something?¡± he asked and crossed his arms over his chest. Goosebumps rose on the back of his neck as the demons pierced him with their gazes. He recognized the insect-like demon from the first time he went to the cafeteria. ¡°You can free us?¡± one demon asked. All the demons were sitting in a circle, but Palan had a feeling that this demon was the ringleader. The demon had four arms and on the back of his head was another fully functional face. The demons that had their backs towards Palan turned around to look at him. ¡°Depends,¡± Palan said. ¡°What do you have to offer? You can¡¯t expect me to work for free.¡± The demons turned their head to look at their leader. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked in a deep voice. ¡°All of us were well known in Eljiam. The ones who wish to go back can give you a life of luxury.¡± ¡°Not interested,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°I need competent demons to work under me.¡± One of the demons laughed and smacked his own thigh. ¡°You want to free us from the angels so we can be slaves under you?¡± he asked and licked his lips. His face was narrow and furry like a fox¡¯s. He addressed the circle of demons. ¡°Who said he wasn¡¯t a stupidity demon?¡± The demons began to chatter. ¡°All of you are dissatisfied or you wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Palan said, cutting the din off before it could grow. ¡°It¡¯s clear that some people are happy with their situation or there would be more of you here. Maybe you aren¡¯t being fed enough or not getting enough sleep. I don¡¯t care what you do after I free you as long as you become my ally.¡± The demons fell silent and looked at the leader. Both of the leader¡¯s faces frowned. ¡°What are you planning?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯ll have to sign a contract if you want to know,¡± Palan said as he uncrossed his arms and pulled a yellow crystal out of his pouch. He didn¡¯t know if he would be able to use these demons to help him kill Sariel, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to have some allies. He was all alone in Div¡¯Nya after all. Raea¡¯s image flashed in his mind, but he dismissed it; she didn¡¯t count. The demon leader crossed three of his arms over his chest and used his remaining arm to stroke his chin. ¡°We¡¯ll have to work out the finer details,¡± he said. ¡°Tell me. How will you free us? Many detrimental things will happen to some of us if our angels die.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that simple?¡± Palan asked and snorted. ¡°Torture them until they agree to dissolve the contract.¡± The demon leader raised an eyebrow. ¡°You can hurt angels?¡± he asked. ¡°I can kill angels,¡± Palan said and smiled. Chapter 107 Palan left the building and looked up at the sky. Not much time had passed. He avoided any nearby angels as he maneuvered his way back to where Raea was dueling with Justitia. Cleo¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw him, and she dashed over to him. A crowd of angels had gathered around the two, and Cleo was too short to see any of the fighting. ¡°Who¡¯s winning?¡± Palan asked Cleo as she crawled up his back and propped her head onto his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cleo said and puffed her cheeks out. ¡°Owen kicked me out.¡± She smiled and swished her tail as she pat her bag. ¡°I did receive a lot of donations though.¡± Palan nodded and stepped towards the crowd, using his body to shove his way through. A few angels protested and threatened him, but he ignored them as he made his way to the front. Sweat was pouring from Justitia¡¯s forehead, but Raea wasn¡¯t even breathing heavy. ¡°Your stamina¡¯s pretty good,¡± Justitia said, catching her breath while leveling her lance towards Raea. ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said and charged forward, raising her halberd into the air. Justitia exhaled and stabbed forward with her lance, aiming for the blade of the halberd. She deflected Raea¡¯s strike and rammed into Raea¡¯s chest using her shoulder, knocking Raea off balance. Justitia followed up by jabbing the butt of her lance into Raea¡¯s gut before leaping out of striking distance. Raea grunted and hunched over but kept her hold on her halberd. Justitia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m fighting a demon,¡± she said and wiped away a bead of sweat that was threatening to fall into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not using any powers?¡± Raea shook her head and straightened her back while exhaling. Even though her strength and stamina was greater than her opponent, Justitia¡¯s technique managed to keep her in a disadvantaged position at all times. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Palan standing with his arms across his chest. How would Palan approach this fight? Justitia regulated her breathing while lowering her center of mass with the tip of her lance pointed at Raea¡¯s eyes. She furrowed her brow as Raea lowered her weapon and stared up at the sky with her mouth agape. Justitia turned around and looked up, thinking there was an aerial ambush¡ªshe heard of the harpies¡¯ assault on Elrith. There was nothing in the sky. Footsteps drew her attention back to the duel, and the edge of Raea¡¯s halberd was flashing towards her neck. Justitia¡¯s eyes widened as she attempted to raise her lance, but Raea kicked it away and brought the halberd to a halt before her throat. Justitia sighed and put her lance away behind her back. ¡°You win,¡± she said and snorted. ¡°It was my fault for thinking a Caelum would fight fairly.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Raea lowered her halberd and scratched her head. ¡°I was suddenly inspired,¡± she said and glanced briefly at Palan. ¡°But you were amazing. If I didn¡¯t do that, then there was no way I would¡¯ve won.¡± Justitia¡¯s lips twisted into a smile. ¡°At least you realize that,¡± she said. ¡°But you¡¯re fine with abandoning your honor in front of this crowd?¡± Raea shrugged and put her halberd back onto her back. ¡°I¡¯m sure I got the approval of at least one person,¡± she said and smiled at Palan. She grabbed Justitia¡¯s hand and pulled her towards the log where Palan and Owen were located. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Elrith¡¯s voice asked. The crowd of angels parted, revealing the Tyrant¡¯s figure. His body was caked in a layer of dirt, and woodchips were tangled in his shoulder-length hair. Raea raised her head and looked over the outpost walls. Not a single treetop could be seen. ¡°It looks like all of you are done eating. Disperse and get to your drills.¡± The surrounding angels saluted and quickly made themselves scarce. As for the soldiers who were under Michael¡¯s command, they returned to their barracks, suddenly feeling like the bald old man wasn¡¯t that strict of a general. Justitia wanted to flee, but Raea had held her back. Instead, she saluted Elrith as he stared back at her. ¡°Were you bullying my sister?¡± Elrith asked and narrowed his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s been in the army for less than three months and you wanted to duel with her?¡± ¡°Stop it, Elly,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips while walking in front of Justitia. ¡°She¡¯s my friend. Why are you always bullying my friends?¡± Elrith¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°But¡ª¡° ¡°No excuses,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°I want you to apologize to everyone, or I¡¯ll never forgive you for as long as I live. I¡¯m still mad at you for writing Dad.¡± Owen¡¯s eye twitched as he muttered, ¡°Is that something an angel of patience should be saying?¡± Elrith sighed and dug his foot into the ground. ¡°Are you really my little sister?¡± he asked. ¡°The Raea I knew was such a sweet little girl. I guess you¡¯re going through a rebellious phase?¡± He glanced at Palan. ¡°At least, I hope it¡¯s just a phase.¡± ¡°Are you going to apologize?¡± Raea asked. She chewed on her inner lip while waiting for a reply. ¡°Fine,¡± Elrith said and rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up into the air. His face was expressionless as he faced Justitia. ¡°I apologize for accusing you of bullying my little sister. Since you¡¯re her friend, you should watch out for her. If I ever find out¡ª¡° Raea smacked his shoulder. ¡°No threatening,¡± she said and wrinkled her nose. Her brow furrowed. ¡°I just realized I never made any friends in the capital because you kept scaring them away.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°I never did any such thing.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Raea said, her voice flat. ¡°Do you remember Julia from my harp school? I invited her over once, and I thought we had a great time. Then when I asked her again, she trembled and said no with tears in her eyes.¡± Elrith¡¯s expression turned strange. ¡°That was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But she pulled your hair,¡± Elrith said with his voice trailing off. He withered under Raea¡¯s stare and turned around while clearing his throat. ¡°I have important general things to take care of. I¡¯ll see you later, Ray.¡± The group watched Elrith march away with his head held high and back straight. Justitia exhaled. ¡°My image of him is ruined,¡± she said. ¡°I never expected him to be so ¡­ timid? Is that the right word?¡± ¡°Whipped,¡± Cleo said in a high-pitched voice, ¡°that¡¯s the word you¡¯re looking for.¡± Chapter 108 Elrith sat across from Michael with his arms crossed over his chest. There was a low table between the two generals with a map placed on top of it. Some squares and flags, representing their forces and the enemy forces, were scattered about. ¡°Have you gone senile, old man?¡± Elrith asked as he swept the pieces off the board and started placing them down again. ¡°How did you even become a general with such terrible tactics?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be lectured on tactics by a brat who suicide rushed into the enemy¡¯s base by himself,¡± Michael said and snorted, but he made no motion to stop Elrith from replacing the pieces. ¡°That was done for strategic reasons,¡± Elrith said, his face hardening. ¡°I discovered the location of their camp on the third day I arrived. You might as well have been twiddling your thumbs for the past two weeks.¡± ¡°I had their general location pinned down,¡± Michael said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lose any more scouts while waiting for your army to arrive.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame your incompetence on me,¡± Elrith said and slammed a flag onto the map. ¡°If you sent your scouts, maybe my army would¡¯ve received real information. Do you know how many people died because of your misinformation?¡± ¡°Now who¡¯s pinning the blame on who?¡± Michael asked and furrowed his brow. He picked up a piece that represented Ishim¡¯s army and placed it beside the formation Elrith was creating. ¡°What do you if this happens? You¡¯re not so sharp yourself.¡± ¡°Obviously, I smash it to pieces,¡± Elrith said and snorted as he intercepted Michael¡¯s piece with three of his own. ¡°You¡¯d use the captured prisoners?¡± Michael asked and frowned. ¡°They were only fighting against us due to the influence of Solra,¡± Elrith said. ¡°We¡¯ll give them a chance to redeem themselves. I had them captured and not killed for a reason.¡± ¡°I dislike your methods,¡± Michael said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°Well your methods are shit. Isn¡¯t that why you called me here?¡± ¡°I called you because Pyre asked me to.¡± ¡°You mean the person who ran away and kidnapped my attendant?¡± ¡°Your attendant ran off with my tactician!¡± The two generals glared at each other, neither willing to turn away. Elrith was the one who broke the silence. ¡°A challenge then,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll storm the enemy base. Whoever¡¯s army racks up the most kills, prisoners, and achievements wins. Loser has to kiss the others feet in front of the army.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Michael said and slapped his hand against the table. ¡°We set off tomorrow.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Elrith said and smiled, his face softening. The hard demeanor from earlier completely disappeared as he stood up and chuckled before leaving.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Michael furrowed his brow and watched Elrith leave his tent. He couldn¡¯t get rid of the sinking feeling in his stomach. The formation Elrith left behind on the map caught his eye. It was an image of two armies making a beeline towards the enemy camp just like how Elrith proposed his challenge. Michael growled. ¡°I¡¯ve been had. Cheeky bastard.¡± He snorted and flipped the table over before exiting the tent. He stood in front of his tent and watched his soldiers practice their lance drills. Ever since they heard Solra was capable of negating all powers in a large area, they focused doubly hard on the basics. ¡°Listen up!¡± Michael shouted, his voice amplified by the wind. The soldiers stopped and turned to face him. ¡°We set off tomorrow. Tonight we feast!¡± All of the newer soldiers cheered while the older while the older soldiers¡¯ faces hardened. They¡¯ve been through enough battles to know the only time the higher-ups were generous enough to give them a feast was when there was a high chance of dying the next day. Michael nodded and watched his soldiers resume their drills. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Elrith approaching the group of prisoners. Elrith pursed his lips as he made his way over to the prisoners. They were sitting around a fire, eating stew. Raea was still near them, sitting with Owen. He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair before adopting a stern expression. Raea raised her head when she saw him approach. Whenever he looked at her serpentine eyes, his stomach sank. Maybe he had been rash in writing that letter to their parents. He cleared his throat. ¡°Prisoners,¡± he said. ¡°Listen up because I¡¯m only going to say this once.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but all the angels stopped eating and turned around to look at him. ¡°General Michael wished to have you all executed for treason,¡± he said. The soldiers¡¯ expressions flickered and dimmed. It was like watching an army put out their bonfires before marching. He paused. ¡°But I convinced him not to.¡± The bonfires were lit once again. ¡°I convinced him to give all of you a second chance even though the ones you ambushed were my men. Tomorrow, we¡¯re setting off in a raid against the enemy. Those of you who wish to be redeemed will join a new regiment led by¡±¡ªhe gestured towards Owen¡ª¡°this greater angel.¡± His gaze passed over the prisoners. ¡°You have until tonight to make your decision. Go to General Michael when you decide.¡± He whirled around and left, not sparing Raea a glance. He couldn¡¯t afford to be embarrassed after making that speech. Two prisoners sitting on the edge of the crowd looked at each other. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Owen?¡± Gerome asked. Carmella nodded. ¡°I wonder why he¡¯s qualified to lead us,¡± she said. ¡°Should we join them?¡± Gerome asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Carmella said. ¡°Why not? Always join the team with the highest chance of winning.¡± ¡°But you threw Owen under the carriage when Ishim captured us,¡± Gerome said, his voice trailing off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Carmella said and laughed. ¡°Raea¡¯s there too, see? Besides, I don¡¯t think Owen¡¯s the type to hold a grudge. And it wasn¡¯t even that bad.¡± Gerome made a face. ¡°If you say so,¡± he said. ¡°I did say I¡¯d follow you no matter what decision you¡¯d make.¡± Carmella kissed Gerome and pat his back. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Remember not to provoke Palan,¡± she said. Gerome nodded and touched his lips before following after Carmella, the chains on their legs jangling as they walked. The two approached Owen and Raea who were having a one-sided conversation of Raea nagging Owen. Carmella cleared her throat. ¡°Lady Raea,¡± she said. ¡°Carmella!¡± Raea said while standing. ¡°And Gerome! You two were alive!¡± Owen¡¯s face hardened as Carmella smiled and winked at him before she hugged Raea. Owen snorted and looked the other way, unwilling to ruin Raea¡¯s good mood by accusing Carmella of her minor betrayal. It really wasn¡¯t that bad. ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I recognize you two now.¡± She nodded and made a circle around Gerome. ¡°The chains really suit you.¡± ¡°Thanks? I guess,¡± Gerome said and scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Cleo. Still haven¡¯t grown up, I see.¡± Cleo puffed her cheeks out and clawed Gerome¡¯s thigh, leaving four lines of blood. She sniffed and turned her head away while closing her eyes. Chapter 109 ¡°Ah!¡± Gerome cried out and clutched his thigh while Cleo walked away. ¡°When did she get so haughty?¡± He scowled and looked at Raea. ¡°And what happene¡ª¡° Carmella covered his mouth with her hand. ¡°It really is good to see you again, Lady Raea,¡± she said. ¡°We were worried.¡± ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t have it too hard under Ishim¡¯s reign,¡± Raea said. ¡°Oh, she had a swell time,¡± Owen said and snorted. ¡°I¡¯m going to see General Michael to discuss the new regiment with him.¡± He nodded at Raea before turning around to leave. The chains on his body jangled as he walked away. ¡°We should go as well,¡± Carmella said as she eyed Owen¡¯s back. She turned towards Raea and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll catch up with you later, alright?¡± Raea nodded, and Carmella and Gerome made their way to Michael¡¯s tent as well. The remaining prisoners followed suit, leaving Raea, Justitia, Palan, and Cleo alone in the outdoor cafeteria. Justitia sighed and shook her head. Raea raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Most of them aren¡¯t going to survive,¡± Justitia said as she watched the prisoners line up in front of Michael¡¯s tent. ¡°They¡¯re just regular angels. The general is letting us feast tonight. He never does that unless the upcoming battle is going to be brutal.¡± Raea pursed her lips and looked at Palan. ¡°This war,¡± she said, ¡°is it our fault?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t have wars in Eljiam,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, Anidun was already dead when we got there. This would¡¯ve happened sooner or later.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Raea said and bit her lip while lowering her head. ¡°You know ¡­ I never intended to for you to experience danger so many times because of me. You came back wounded so many times. And now there¡¯s going to be this battle. I¡ª¡° Palan covered her mouth with his hand and glared at her. ¡°Stop. You¡¯re giving me chills,¡± he said. ¡°Just continue being the unreasonable sheltered child you always were.¡± He wrinkled his nose and let Raea push his hand away. ¡°I am not the unreasonable one,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°Who was the one who came back half-dead a week ago? It certainly wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it was Cleo,¡± Palan said and nodded, ignoring the lizardman¡¯s indignant protest. ¡°And it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to be fighting on the frontlines. I have no intention of throwing my life away for no reason.¡± Raea opened her mouth, but Palan continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯ve never died before. That gives me a one hundred percent survival rate.¡± ¡°I think something¡¯s off about that logic,¡± Justitia muttered. Cleo nodded and sidled over to her. The lizardman whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t they make a good couple?¡± Justitia blinked at Palan and Raea who were staring at each other, their lips occasionally moving. ¡°Well, their relationship certainly isn¡¯t normal,¡± she said. ¡°She¡¯s the strangest angel I¡¯ve encountered in a long while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty weird too,¡± Cleo said and tilted her head while looking up at Justitia. ¡°You¡¯re too friendly.¡± Cleo placed her hands on her lips and stuck her chin out while narrowing her eyes. ¡°Hurdur, I¡¯m an angel. We bully the halflings because they aren¡¯t real people.¡± Her expression returned to normal as she nodded. ¡°That¡¯s how most angels are.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. A wry smile appeared on Justitia¡¯s lips. ¡°You know, a normal angel would have you executed or whipped for saying that?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, but like I said, you¡¯re weird,¡± Cleo replied while smiling. She pat Justitia¡¯s waist before walking back to stand behind Palan. *** Solra pushed open a door and walked inside. The smell of death and carrion caused him to wrinkle his nose. ¡°Is it ready yet?¡± he asked a figure that was hunched over a bench. Pyre raised his head and rubbed his eyes; they were bloodshot and out of focus. He turned around. ¡°Ah, Solra, my good buddy ol¡¯ pal,¡± Pyre said and dusted his brown robe off. ¡°You really had some fine quality materials here. And those angels and demons you, uh, recruited are quite sturdy.¡± He picked an orb off of the workbench and held it out to Solra. ¡°You see this?¡± ¡°It looks like a standard orb,¡± Solra said. ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Orbs are the most efficient design. But the difference between this orb and all the others is that it can hold two powers. Let me demonstrate outside.¡± He smiled and walked past Solra, causing the archangel to wrinkle his nose again. Pyre hadn¡¯t taken a bath or left the room to use the bathroom ever since he set foot inside the workshop. ¡°Behold!¡± Pyre shouted and raised the orb into the air. ¡°Wrath and diligence.¡± The reddish-brown orb glowed and the ground rumbled. Solra¡¯s eyes widened as a pool of lava began to form in front of Pyre¡¯s feet. The surface of the glowing red rocks began to bubble and a geyser of lava flew into the air. Pyre cackled as the halflings in the nearby buildings screamed as the lava fell to the ground. ¡°Impressive,¡± Solra said as the geyser of lava finished falling to the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever seen Meffi do that before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Pyre said as he pulled out a bright-green orb. His eyes twinkled. ¡°Envy and humility.¡± A green mist flew out of the glowing orb and flew towards a nearby tree. When the mist made contact with the tree trunk, it rapidly began to wither. The bark curled up and fell off while black sap began to leak out before the tree fell over¡ªits rotting trunk unable to support itself. ¡°Very good!¡± Solra said and applauded. ¡°I knew recruiting you would increase our chances of victory. It¡¯s stupid of Michael to not use your potential to its fullest.¡± Pyre chuckled. ¡°Angels don¡¯t like being weak. Of course they¡¯d never allow me to create things that can make a goblin as strong as a greater angel.¡± He pulled out another orb. It contained black and white lights that swirled around each other, neither mixing. ¡°My favorite,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Pride and patience. I think I broke your pride angel by the way¡ªI¡¯ll need a new one if you want more of these.¡± Solra shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many angels you break,¡± he said. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t fight for us willingly. Better to give their powers to someone else.¡± Pyre nodded and clutched the orb, causing the two different-colored lights to shine outwards. Black chains emerged from the orb and flew towards a boulder that was firmly wedged into the ground. The chains wrapped around the boulder and lifted it into the air without any resistance. Pyre licked his lips, and the boulder began to blur. Solra blinked, and the rock disappeared. Moments later, a booming noise reached his ears. He looked down and saw a boulder-sized pit leading into the earth. He couldn¡¯t see the bottom. Solra fell silent. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be willing to work for me so easily,¡± he said after Pyre put away his orbs. Pyre shrugged. ¡°My grandfather¡¯s contribution to society was extremely great,¡± he said. ¡°The angels experienced a rapid expansion due to his invention, but his legacy was forgotten and his name tarnished because his daughter fell in love with a demon. The only thing society has done for me is spit on me while I was down.¡± He snorted, causing his bright-red eyes to narrow. ¡°They exiled my mother and forced her to watch as her lover was killed in front of her. If they knew she was pregnant with me at the time¡­.¡± Pyre shook his head. ¡°The only thing I ever wanted was for my mother to be happy.¡± His face was dark as he looked at Solra. ¡°She died a miserable death drowning in sorrow, drugs, and alcohol.¡± Solra nodded. ¡°Society¡¯s not fair,¡± he said and placed his wrinkled hand on Pyre¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s why we, The Sinners, made our plans to overthrow the council so many decades ago. With your help, I don¡¯t believe we can lose.¡± Pyre took out his pipe and lit it, inhaling deeply before breathing out a cloud of purple smoke into the sky. His face lightened up and he smiled. ¡°I can finally watch the world burn.¡± He put his hands in his robe and made his way back into his workshop. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad feeling¡ªno wonder why demons sin; I¡¯m tired of self-sacrificing.¡± Chapter 110 Palan exhaled, and the blue wings on his back disappeared. The room was lit up in a red hue as the first rays of sunlight began to pour in from the window. Raea¡¯s eyes opened, and saw Cleo sprawled out on top of her, using the angel¡¯s discarded cocoon as a blanket. ¡°Is it tomorrow?¡± Raea asked Palan who was sitting on the foot of her bed. She had woken up multiple times throughout the night and asked him every time. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said as he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. After he evolved, he found that meditation began to work for him again and his mana was increasing steadily. Raea let out a sigh and lowered her head back onto the pillow. She stared up at the ceiling and stretched her arms out in front of her. The black scales along her arms glinted in the sunlight. She ran her fingers over them, causing a shiver to run down her spine. ¡°Why is there war?¡± she asked as her arms lowered. Cleo let out a groan and rolled over. ¡°Because angels are weird,¡± Palan said. ¡°Wars never happen in Eljiam probably because if you tried to create an army, they¡¯d kill each other first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s any better,¡± Raea said and made a face. She sat up in bed, knocking Cleo off of her stomach. ¡°Why can¡¯t everyone just be friends?¡± She ruffled her hair and got out of bed, walking over to the closet. Her robe fell to the floor as she began to get dressed in her armor. Palan had worn his throughout the night. ¡°It¡¯s the angels who¡¯re the warmongers,¡± Cleo said and yawned. She rubbed her eyes, and checked her waist, making sure her bag was still there. It was. She reached inside her belt and pulled out a gigantic drumstick that was the size of her body. Palan¡¯s mind almost broke. Raea turned around and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Where¡¯d you get that?¡± she asked. ¡°My bagh, umf,¡± Cleo said while chewing and swallowing. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Raea said and looked at Palan. She had never seen him so baffled before. His brow was furrowed and his mouth was slightly parted. If he had been holding something, he would¡¯ve dropped it. Cleo finished swallowing and lowered the half-eaten drumstick. ¡°Like this,¡± she said and yawned again. She pulled on her belt and dropped the drumstick into the tiny space¡ªno longer than a finger¡ªbetween the leather strip and her stomach. The drumstick vanished. Raea blinked and rubbed her eyes.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I think I need more sleep,¡± she said. Cleo shrugged and grasped at the air she dropped the drumstick in, causing it to reappear in her hand. She began to munch on it with her eyes half-closed. Her eyes widened, and she stiffened. Her hand slowly moved down and stored the drumstick away. She glanced at Palan and Raea and smiled. ¡°That didn¡¯t happen,¡± she said, enunciating each word as if she was afraid of startling the two. ¡°You are dreaming. Dreaminginging.¡± She grabbed the cocoon and covered her body before shuffling to a corner of the bed. Her tail stuck out like a sore thumb. Palan grabbed Cleo¡¯s tail, causing her to let out a yelp. He pulled her out from beneath the cocoon and held her upside-down. ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°When people go to sleep, sometimes they see things that don¡¯t actually hap¡ªpen!?¡° Palan tickled the bottom of her foot, causing her body to spasm. ¡°Okay! Okay! I¡¯ll expl¡ªain! Stop it!¡± Palan dropped her onto the bed, and she glared at him while wrinkling her nose. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone, okay?¡± she asked in a whisper. ¡°After I laid that egg, I discovered this ability later that day. I was steal¡ª, err¡±¡ªshe glanced at Raea¡ª¡°borrowing some stuff from the soldiers and I really wanted more space. Then I found out that the items in my bag disappeared. At first, I thought Danger Noodle stole it from me, but that wasn¡¯t the case.¡± She pulled at her belt, revealing that space between the leather and her belly. ¡°There¡¯s like a really big space here that I can put stuff in.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°How big?¡± he asked. Cleo looked at Raea and pursed her lips. She crawled onto Palan¡¯s lap and whispered in his ear. His eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡± Cleo nodded and placed a finger on her lips, shooting a glance at Raea. ¡°That¡¯s just mean,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°I want to know too.¡± ¡°Larger than an elephant,¡± Palan said. Cleo smiled and nodded at his answer before sitting on top of Danger Noodle. Raea furrowed her brow. ¡°Did she ¡­ store an elephant in there?¡± she asked. ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Cleo said, facing her back towards Raea. ¡°Is she lying to me?¡± Raea asked Palan. ¡°No.¡± Raea bit her lower lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe anymore,¡± she said. She exhaled and shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter ¡­ too much. Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t want to be late.¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± Palan asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be fighting.¡± ¡°People will get injured,¡± she said, ¡°and I can help heal them. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be respectful of me to Elrith if I showed up late.¡± The door opened and Raea walked outside. Palan followed after her and brought Danger Noodle, with Cleo, in front of his body. ¡°Did you store an elephant?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Cleo said and frowned. ¡°I tried, but it didn¡¯t work. I can¡¯t store live things.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°I did steal a storage chest though.¡± ¡°Your usefulness just went up by over a thousand times,¡± Palan said. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not just a scapegoat anymore.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Is that what you thought of me?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Palan said and petted her head. ¡°I¡¯d never consider abandoning you.¡± Cleo puffed her cheeks out and tried to bite his hand. Chapter 111 Palan and Cleo followed after Raea, and soon, the three arrived outside at the gathering point. All of Elrith¡¯s and Michael¡¯s soldiers were standing in formation. Raea spotted Owen at the head of the army, leading a group of noticeably less well-armored soldiers. She made eye contact with Elrith, and he looked away, causing her to frown. Michael turned to look at Elrith as the elephants began to fall into their ranks. ¡°Why are you bringing the storage chests?¡± he asked. Elrith snorted. ¡°What happens if we march their and they¡¯ve relocated their camp?¡± Michael nodded. ¡°It will give them an easy target for an ambush though,¡± he said. ¡°This rebellion is giving me a lot bigger of a headache than I thought it would. I even had to ask you for help.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re getting old,¡± Elrith said as the elephants finished assembling. He turned his head to face the soldiers. His voice echoed over the two thousand or so soldiers, ¡°There¡¯s nothing that I need to say that hasn¡¯t already been said.¡± He glanced at the back of the army and saw close to two hundred angels wearing crossbows on their backs. The harpies had clearly left a deep impression. ¡°We march!¡± ¡°Your brother sucks at motivating speeches,¡± Cleo said to Raea from Palan¡¯s back. ¡°Where¡¯s the cheers? The bloodlust? The cries for victory?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I feel cheated. My village had a lot more spunk than this.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Raea said. ¡°Motivating them right before a few hours march won¡¯t really do any good. The morale will die down as we walk.¡± ¡°Why are we even walking?¡± Cleo asked and sighed, resting her head on top of Palan¡¯s. Her tail swished in the air above Danger Noodle. ¡°Don¡¯t you angels have any cavalry?¡± ¡°You seem to be awfully dissatisfied today,¡± Raea said. ¡°Of course,¡± Cleo said and puffed her cheeks out. ¡°I was keeping my skills a secret, and Palan tickled it out of me. That¡¯s not fair at all.¡± Palan touched the bottom of her foot, causing her to yelp. Her toes curled while her body shuddered. ¡°Stop it!¡± Raea¡¯s lips twisted into a wry smile. The rest of the army was silent as they walked, but no one reprimanded the trio for talking. Palan stopped walking, causing Raea to stop as well. ¡°Palan?¡± ¡°I agree with Cleo,¡± he said as he walked back towards the elephants. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like walking.¡± He climbed on top of a storage chest and sat down with his legs crossed. He took in a deep breath and began to meditate, his back starting to glow with a blue light. Raea bit her lip and glanced towards the front of the army. No one seemed to care, so she climbed up the storage chest as well. Her chest glowed with a blue light as she sat across from Palan. Her brow furrowed. ¡°Do you really have to take my mana before a battle?¡± she asked.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to take it during the battle,¡± Palan said. ¡°The contract said I can absorb your mana anytime I want.¡± Raea sighed and pulled out a yellow crystal. Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m double-checking,¡± Raea said as the crystal dissolved into powder. The contract appeared in her hand. Palan shrugged and resumed his meditation. Moments later, Raea¡¯s face paled. ¡°Uh, Palan,¡± she said. Her voice quavered. ¡°We have a problem.¡± ¡°What?¡± Palan asked and sighed as his concentration was broken for a second time. ¡°You know how we had a level six contract before?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°Well, we did. It¡¯s level seven now,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°So?¡± Raea didn¡¯t say anything and handed the contract to Palan while keeping her head lowered. He furrowed his brow and took it from her, holding it up in front of his face. His expression hardened. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± he said. He lowered the paper and glared at Raea. ¡°Did you do this?¡± ¡°No!¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s even possible to adjust a contract without both parties¡¯ permission.¡± ¡°Then how did this happen?¡± Palan asked. He grabbed the top of the contract and attempted to tear it apart. The paper didn¡¯t budge or even wrinkle. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Raea said and chewed the inside of her lip. ¡°Dissolve it!¡± Palan shouted and grabbed Raea by the neck. Cleo¡¯s eyes widened, and she released Palan¡¯s back, inching away from the duo. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You read it yourself,¡± she said, her voice strained. Her eyes were wet. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t know that this would happen.¡± Palan glared at Raea with bloodshot eyes while taking in deep breaths. His teeth were bared, and all the muscles in his body were tensed. The hand wrapped around Raea¡¯s neck trembled, but she didn¡¯t do anything to resist. The two were as still as statues: tears rolled down Raea¡¯s face as they stared at each other. After a long moment, Palan released her, causing her to fall limply to the ground. He growled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the Creator¡¯s judgment?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Raea said as she sat up with a pale face. Her heart pounded in her chest. ¡°The Creator has a monument in the capital.¡± She lowered her head. ¡°That might be where it is.¡± Palan exhaled and crossed his arms over his chest before sitting down. He held his hand out in front of himself, palm facing up. He narrowed his eyes. Raea winced and her already pale faced turned as white as a sheet. A glowing, white chain shot out of Palan¡¯s palm and twirled around in the air. Sweat fell from Raea¡¯s and Palan¡¯s foreheads. The chain vanished as Palan snorted. ¡°At least there were some benefits,¡± he said. Cleo took tentative steps towards Palan, but Danger Noodle hissed at her, causing her to scurry away to the far edge of the storage chest. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± Raea asked after a moment of hesitation. Her brow furrowed as she gazed at Palan. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me right now,¡± Palan said as he wrapped his tail around his body. He crossed his legs and began to meditate, going over the contents of the contract in his head. The piece of paper in his hand glowed with a faint yellow light before disappearing. Raea wrapped her arms around her legs and brought her knees to her chest, watching Palan. The suns traveled across the sky. Countless numbers of trees passed by as the storage chest rolled on. Palan stopped meditating and sighed before turning around to face Raea. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad,¡± he said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°As long as we can still dissolve it in the capital, nothing¡¯s really changed.¡± Raea nodded and bit her lip. Going to the capital to send Palan back was one thing. Breaking into the council¡¯s room to see the Creator¡¯s monument was a completely different beast. ¡°So you two are good now?¡± Cleo asked from her distant spot. ¡°For now,¡± Palan said. Cleo smiled and tackled Palan. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have yelled at Raea,¡± Cleo said. ¡°You have to treat your wife nicely in the fut¡ª¡° Her voice was cut off as Danger Noodle ate her. Chapter 112 Palan crossed his arms over his chest and released Cleo. He didn¡¯t pay attention to her as she sputtered and clawed him. The words of the new contract still floated around in his mind: ¡°The contract was made between the Pride Demon Palan and the Kindness Angel Raea on the seventh day of the third month when the second sun passed its zenith. The term for this contract is set until either party dies. In the case where the Kindness Angel Raea dies, the Pride Demon Palan agrees to surrender his life. In the case where the Pride Demon Palan dies, the Kindness Angel Raea agrees to surrender her life. ¡°The Pride Demon Palan agrees to follow the orders of the Kindness Angel Raea unless said orders will cause bodily harm to the former. The Kindness Angel Raea agrees to assist the Pride Demon Palan in reuniting with his sister. The terms of the contract must be renewed after the Pride Demon Palan is reunited with his sister. Under no circumstances may either party wound the other or cause grievous bodily harm with intent. ¡°Added clause ¨C The Creator approves of the affinity between the Pride Demon Palan and Kindness Angel Raea and has increased the level of the contract from six to seven. If the affinity continues to increase, the level of the contract may continue to increase. The contract may not be dissolved unless the Creator¡¯s judgment is received. ¡°Level seven contract addendum. Range, 600 meters. The Pride Demon Palan may draw upon the Kindness Angel Raea¡¯s virtues and sins to activate their respective magicks. If he is unable to use them, he may forcibly draw upon their powers at the expense of the Kindness Angel Raea¡¯s mana. The Kindness Angel Raea may draw upon the Pride Demon Palan¡¯s sins and virtues to activate their respective magicks. If she is unable to use them, she may forcibly draw upon their powers at the expense of the Pride Demon Palan¡¯s mana. ¡°In addition, the Pride Demon Palan may draw on one hundred percent of the Kindness Angel Raea¡¯s mana reserves, unless doing so would result in harm of the latter, in order to bolster his growth. In return, the Kindness Angel Raea shall experience her own growth every time the Pride Demon Palan grows stronger. ¡°Failure to comply by the terms of the contract will result in lightning strikes to the offending party.¡± Palan reasoned with himself. In truth, not much had changed, and it could be counted as an increase of his powers. As long as the contract was dissolved before he returned to Eljiam, then this brought nothing but benefits. He still didn¡¯t like it. An existence he didn¡¯t believe in¡ªbut was pretty much forced to acknowledge¡ªinterfered with his personal matters, which was complete bullshit. It seemed to be spiting him for finding a way to dissolve other contracts through torture. He¡¯d have to ask Arjeh, the two-faced, four-armed demon leader from before, for his contract to see if the plan was still viable.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°It¡¯s really not too bad,¡± Palan said for the second time. Cleo desperately wanted to make a comment but held herself back. She still hadn¡¯t fully cleaned off Danger Noodle¡¯s stomach acid from her body. ¡°You mean it?¡± Raea asked, chewing her lip. ¡°Right,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°Now I can use these annoying chains of patience.¡± He raised his eyebrows as if recalling something. ¡°I thought it was strange how easily I could heal you before¡ªI guess this explains it.¡± ¡°And here I was thinking you finally started to love me,¡± Raea said and sighed. Cleo gave her a thumbs up from behind Palan¡ªout of his view. Raea wrinkled her brow as Danger Noodle ate Cleo again. Palan ignored the comment. ¡°How close are we to Ishim¡¯s camp?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, the hill that overlooks it is up there,¡± Raea said and pointed. The ground rumbled and the elephants came to a halt behind the army. ¡°Is Elly¡­?¡± The ground splintered as a giant hand made of earth rose out of the ground, lifting the hill into the air. It continued to rise into the air until a whole arm was formed. Elrith stood at the base of the arm with his eyes narrowed and sweat dripping from his forehead. He shouted unintelligibly, and the arm drew back before tossing the hill at the camp in the distance. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a bit overkill?¡± Michael asked as the hill landed in the center of the camp. He shielded his eyes from the suns and squinted. A few tiny figures scattered from the camp. ¡°No such thing,¡± Elrith said and took in a deep breath. ¡°Those bastards tried to crush me under a bunch of boulders. Let¡¯s see how they like it.¡± He raised his tower shield into the air and shouted, ¡°Onwards!¡± ¡°There¡¯s too few of them,¡± Michael said to Elrith as he marched alongside the young general. ¡°They must¡¯ve abandoned the camp.¡± ¡°So?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°That¡¯s why I left scouts behind last time.¡± The army proceeded towards the ruined campsite. Like Michael thought, Ishim¡¯s army had abandoned it. The remaining halflings living inside the camp were the wounded ones from the previous encounter with Elrith¡¯s army. Elrith snarled. ¡°No mercy.¡± Raea turned pale as she watched Elrith¡¯s army systematically round up the halflings before executing them. The demons grinned and feasted on the helpless prey while the angels gathered them. ¡°If it makes you sick, then you shouldn¡¯t look,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Disgusting, isn¡¯t it?¡± a voice asked from below them. Justitia climbed up the side of the storage chest and joined the trio. ¡°You¡¯re not taking part?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Only the Tyrant¡¯s army would do something this barbaric,¡± Justitia said and shook her head. ¡°If the Stormbringer called the shots, this wouldn¡¯t be happening. They would¡¯ve been enslaved instead.¡± Cleo comforted Raea while Justitia and Palan watched the massacre. ¡°This is the price Elrith pays for using demons in his army.¡± An angel covered in dirt and dressed in leaves approached Elrith. There were dark circles under the scout¡¯s eyes. Moments later, Elrith raised his shield into the air and shouted, ¡°Wrap it up! We have their location. Those dogs won¡¯t be getting away from us today! Don¡¯t let your demons eat too much; use the remaining halflings as shields. Have them lead the way.¡± Chapter 113 The remaining halflings were gathered up and herded towards the front of the army. Nearly all of them had visible injuries from the first fight or the one that just occurred, but they stood with their backs straight and chests out. Their eyes were clear as Elrith stared them down. ¡°They look too confident for a defeated army,¡± Michael said. ¡°Really,¡± Elrith said and shot a glance at the Stormbringer, ¡°I would never have guessed it.¡± Michael shrugged. ¡°You seemed too hot-blooded,¡± he said. ¡°One success doesn¡¯t mean more will follow. We should take it slow.¡± He frowned and walked up to one of the halflings. The three-legged centaur¡¯s tail twitched as Michael stopped in front of it. ¡°Did your leader kidnap two angels? One of them had a blindfold.¡± The centaur snorted, causing Michael to narrow his eyes. ¡°Speak.¡± The centaur stumbled as its eyes glazed over. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Michael furrowed his brow. ¡°You¡¯ll follow the orders of this man from now on,¡± he said and gestured towards Elrith. He continued down the line of captured halflings, using his powers of chastity to order them to speak. Elrith stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He thought the endeavor was pointless but didn¡¯t say anything because Michael was making the halflings compliant. ¡°Chastity¡¯s a pretty useful power, huh? I wonder how strong Raea is,¡± he muttered. He raised his head and scanned the crowd as if searching for something or someone. His gaze stopped on Raea who was still shuddering from the earlier violence. His eyes narrowed. ¡°That bastard¡¯s bullying her again.¡± He turned his head to look at Michael who was halfway through the prisoners. ¡°I saw an angel with red eyes,¡± a glassy-eyed harpy said. Her left wing hung to the ground with multiple burn marks. ¡°He summoned a pillar of fire-rock that burned us. I flew away but still got injured. The big boss didn¡¯t do anything even though the angel attacked us.¡± Michael¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Be his slave,¡± he said and gestured towards Elrith before moving on to the next halfling. In the end, the harpy was the only lead he had. He knew Pyre¡¯s eyes were red, but he didn¡¯t want to believe the angel the harpy was talking about was him. He knew Pyre for many years and trusted him. ¡°So?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Find anything?¡± Michael shook his head. ¡°I suspect Solra used his powers of chastity on Pyre,¡± he said. ¡°His mastery should be even greater than mine since he¡¯s at least forty years older than me. I also asked them about any ambushes, but they don¡¯t know anything. They really were abandoned after being injured. It seems Solra doesn¡¯t have many people with kindness.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Kind angels wouldn¡¯t betray the capital.¡± He turned around to face the army. ¡°Halflings! Fan out and march northwards.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°You¡¯d have our army follow behind cripples?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Damnit, old man,¡± Elrith said, ¡°weren¡¯t you the one who said to take it slow? Make up your mind. We¡¯ll use them to detect any traps that may have been left behind.¡± He shot a glance towards the storage chest Raea was sitting on before looking away. Raea had partially lifted her hand in greeting before Elrith looked away. Her head drooped and she lowered her hand. ¡°Is Elly mad at me?¡± she asked no one in particular. ¡°Didn¡¯t you publically embarrass him multiple times?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Like, all the times you¡¯ve seen him?¡± Raea sighed. ¡°I was going to volunteer to heal the halflings,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not right to make them walk in the condition they¡¯re in. Look at that centaur. He only has three legs.¡± ¡°You can restore limbs?¡± Justitia asked, hanging upside-down in the air because of Danger Noodle. She had tried to leave to rejoin the army¡¯s ranks, but Cleo didn¡¯t want her to and persuaded Palan¡¯s tail to act. ¡°Yeah!¡± Cleo said and reached inside her bag before Raea could speak. She pulled out a rotting hand. ¡°This used to belong to him.¡± She curled the fingers on the hand, leaving the index finger sticking out, and pointed at Palan. Raea screamed. ¡°Why do you still have that!?¡± ¡°Souvenir,¡± Cleo said and put the hand away. She wiped her hands on the roof of the storage chest to get rid of the sticky feeling in her palms. The storage chest started to move towards the north, following after the army. A few demons with more sensitive noses directed the halflings. ¡°How close are you to becoming an archangel?¡± Justitia asked Raea. Her face was extremely flushed and her eyes were starting to become bloodshot. ¡°Also, can you put me down? I promise I won¡¯t run away.¡± Palan didn¡¯t even glance at her before releasing her. She grumbled and rubbed her head before sitting up. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°No one ever really told me how to become an archangel, or even a greater angel.¡± She scratched her head. ¡°It kind of just happened.¡± Justitia sighed and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous how fast you people advance in the capital,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t even look twenty yet and you¡¯re a greater angel?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Elly became an archangel when he turned eighteen. And Nina became a greater angel when she turned six.¡± ¡°Your family is filled with freaks,¡± Justitia said and cleared her throat when Raea winced, ¡°no offense. For us normal people, becoming a greater angel is just a dream. It¡¯s too easy to give in to your vices.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a greater angel,¡± Raea said. ¡°That¡¯s because my family could never afford to feed me anything other than potatoes and cabbages,¡± Justitia said. ¡°It¡¯s hard to become a glutton when you have nothing to eat; of course temperance would increase.¡± Raea frowned. ¡°Where were you born that you could barely afford to eat?¡± she asked. ¡°I had plenty to eat,¡± Justitia said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Just potatoes and cabbage though. I was born in the third sector, but my parents were unable to own their own land. They had to rent under an overseer who took everything except the bare minimum to keep ourselves fed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°Why can they do that?¡± Justitia blinked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°They own the land, and we were lucky they lent us a portion to live on.¡± She scratched her head. ¡°How sheltered are you?¡± ¡°A turtle would be jealous of her,¡± Cleo said and smiled. Chapter 114 ¡°I knew angels from the capital were distant,¡± Justitia said and swung her legs over the side of the storage chest, ¡°but I guess I didn¡¯t realize the extent of how cut off from the rest of the world you really were.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to realize a bit of it myself,¡± Raea said and sighed as she sat next to Justitia. ¡°But is it really the capital that is cut off from the world or is it the world that is cut off from the capital?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a soldier,¡± Justitia said and shrugged. ¡°My opinion doesn¡¯t hold any sway over anything.¡± ¡°But if you became a general¡­,¡± Raea said. ¡°Impossible. Every general comes from the capital. That¡¯s just how things work,¡± Justitia said and glanced at Michael and Elrith. They were marching right behind the demons with sharp senses of smell. Elrith raised his arm, and the army came to a halt. The halflings in front of them shambled forwards into the forest. Moments later, a goblin limped back and reported signs of a campsite in the distance. Elrith nodded and raised his arm again, causing the army to go into motion. They headed in the direction the goblin pointed out and arrived at a massive clearing. ¡°What the hell?¡± Michael asked as he squinted. ¡°Was this always empty?¡± The land in front of them was void of trees and foliage. A cluster of shoddy buildings could be seen in the center of the land. It was as if the rebel army was inspired by Elrith¡¯s actions and removed the trees in their surrounding vicinity as well. ¡°There¡¯s only four buildings. And they don¡¯t even have walls,¡± Michael said. ¡°This is clearly a trap.¡± Elrith nodded and ordered the glassy-eyed halflings to advance. They stumbled forward in a triangular formation towards the buildings, weaponless and crippled. ¡°Solra¡¯s power can cancel my hold over them,¡± Michael said as he watched the halflings¡¯ figures shrink as they went further and further away. ¡°I know,¡± Elrith said. ¡°No need to point out the obvious. Who¡¯s in charge here?¡± ¡°Last time I checked, it was both of us,¡± Michael said and snorted. ¡°But now isn¡¯t the time to bicker.¡± His expression hardened as the halflings arrived at the four buildings. Their eyes cleared up, and they blinked while looking around, as if confused to where they were. A group of lizardmen stepped outside of one of the buildings and welcomed the group inside, causing Elrith¡¯s expression to light up.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°So Solra is in there,¡± he said and retrieved his shield from his back. ¡°You¡¯re not going to throw a rock at them again?¡± Michael asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can¡¯t do that too often,¡± Elrith said, ¡°at least, not if I want to be in top shape when I lead the charge.¡± He turned around and swept his eyes over the army, noticing Raea¡¯s group sitting on top of a storage chest. He didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Alright, listen up people. We are going¡ª¡° Michael tackled Elrith, bringing him to the ground. A stream of black flames flew over their heads towards the army, coming out of an orb that was out of sight in a nearby tree. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened, and he stretched his hand out, using his powers of charity. The black flames flickered and dispersed but not before setting a few of the nearby trees and foliage on fire. ¡°Damnit,¡± Elrith growled as Michael climbed off of him. ¡°How are they attacking from this far away?¡± He turned his heads towards the soldiers. ¡°Move! Into the clearing before we all burn down.¡± The fire spread rapidly as if oil had been poured along the ground ahead of time. The demons had smelled it, but their only orders were to report if they caught any scent of angels. The army charged into the clearing, and Palan and company were nearly knocked off of the storage chest as the elephants stampeded out of the forest. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Raea asked as the forest behind them crackled. The flames were up to the treetops and continuing to spread along the perimeter of the clearing. If they wanted to leave, they¡¯d have to travel through the flames first. ¡°They¡¯re trapping us,¡± Palan said and frowned. The heat coming from the forest reminded him of Eljiam during noon. He looked towards the shoddy buildings at the center of the clearing and pointed. ¡°What are those?¡± Spindly towers could be seen rising out of the ground. ¡°Trebuchets,¡± Raea said. Her face paled as she recalled the previous attack on the outpost. A rock whistled through the air towards the army. Before it could reach the soldiers, it bounced off of a wall of wind. Michael stood in the air with his arms across his chest. ¡°Can we win?¡± Palan asked as a group of nearly a thousand centaurs appeared from out of the ground with battleaxes in their hands. Their weapons were taller than they were. Lizardmen stood on their backs with bows in their hands and quivers around their waists. Palan looked at Elrith whose face was twisted into a grimace. Elrith muttered to himself as he looked up at Michael. The Stormbringer was busy shielding the army from the constant rain of boulders. ¡°I really hate dwarves,¡± Elrith said to himself and stared at the ground. ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± He slammed his shield against the earth, causing a tremor to radiate outwards with his body as the epicenter. The ground shook and cracks formed, but before the quake reached the buildings, the shaking stopped. ¡°Goddamn Solra.¡± The blaze behind them roared even louder as the flames continued to travel deeper into the forest. ¡°Forward!¡± Elrith shouted. It was too late to retreat, and the flames had already encircled half of the clearing. By the time they made it to the other side, the flames would¡¯ve spread there as well. ¡°We¡¯re stronger than them! We¡¯re more disciplined than them! There¡¯s no way we¡¯re going to lose to a bunch of halflings even if they outnumber us!¡± Chapter 115 Raea frowned as she stood with her back to the storage chest. An encirclement of angels stood nearby, defending the supplies and the medics. Occasionally, a severely wounded soldier would be dragged back for her to heal. Palan had left her behind before she could say a word. Cleo stood beside her with an orb in her hand. Palan had given her the orders, ¡°Make sure she lives,¡± before he left. Cleo pouted as she clutched the red orb in her hand while looking over the encirclement of soldiers. She could see the backs of hundreds of angels and demons interspersed with halflings. Colonel Uzziel grunted as he pulled his lance out of a dead centaur. He had pierced its chest and killed the lizardman rider in a single strike. He glanced to the side, looking at Elrith who was bashing people with his shield, and smiled. When powers were taken out of the equation, he was more efficient at killing than Elrith was. The two¡¯s choices of weapons may have played a part in that, but Uzziel was satisfied¡ªhe wanted to prove himself as Elrith¡¯s superior. He let out a roar and charged deeper into the enemy lines, stabbing through centaurs with the tip of his lance and deflecting their battleaxes with the end. An arrow flew towards Uzziel, heading straight for his face. He tilted his head, but the tip still managed to graze his temple, bouncing harmlessly off his helmet. He roared and increased the speed of his stabbing, helping the soldiers under his command breach through the centaurs¡¯ line. They formed a triangular formation with Uzziel at the head, pushing through the centaurs¡¯ phalanx. Uzziel¡¯s vision turned red as another centaur died by his hands. If his squadron was the first one to break through the enemy ranks, then maybe he¡¯d get promoted. That thought caused him to grip his lance even tighter. His heart pounded as he deflected wave after wave of attacks, ignoring the arrows that shot towards his armor, but dodging the ones aimed for his head. Uzziel gritted his teeth as a battleaxe smashed into his shoulder, denting his pauldrons. In return, he thrust his lance at the attacker. His eyes lit up. He could see the end of the enemy¡¯s ranks. Ten more centaurs and they¡¯d break through. A flash of metal caught his eye as an arrow was loosed from its bow, heading straight for him. He instinctively moved his head to the side, but a hand grabbed his neck from behind and pulled his body off balance, bringing his face on a direct collision course with the arrow. His eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to shout, but the arrow flew through the slit in his helmet and pierced his right eye. A groan escaped from his lips as his body fell to the ground. The last thing he saw was a snake¡¯s face floating in the air. It seemed to smile at him. Palan shouted, ¡°Keep pushing! We¡¯re almost through.¡± He stepped over Uzziel¡¯s body and assumed the position at the head of the formation as if nothing happened. Uzziel had really stretched his forces thin with only a single soldier to replace the ones in the front. He had dispatched Uzziel¡¯s backup before bringing about the colonel¡¯s death. In the heat of battle, no one seemed to notice especially since Uzziel¡¯s squadron was overextended.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it A battleaxe flashed towards Palan. He stepped past the blade and let the shaft of the weapon hit his shoulder. He dug his hands around the centaur¡¯s torso and lifted the halfling¡ªalong with the lizardman on its back¡ªinto the air before throwing the duo to the side. ¡°They¡¯ve broken through!¡± a voice shouted. Elrith turned his head to the side and saw a centaur flying through the air. The poor halfling crashed into a cluster of centaurs in front of his squadron, causing their defense to waver. His soldiers took advantage of the situation and pressed forward. Elrith raised his shield and shouted before lowering his head and charging, staggering the centaurs in front. His soldiers finished them off. With the formation of the centaurs broken, the angels were easily able to gain the upper hand. The centaurs near the breach now had to deal with angels attacking their sides along with the soldiers that were already in front of them. ¡°We¡¯re winning!¡± Cleo said and cheered. She had climbed on top of Raea¡¯s head to get a better view of the action. ¡°And Palan¡¯s at the front too. He kicked their asses.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°I wonder why he was so enthusiastic about this battle,¡± she said and knelt down to heal a soldier. Cleo protested as her vision was robbed. ¡°Maybe he just hasn¡¯t hunted in a really long time.¡± Raea bit her lip as her heart pounded in her chest. When the battle started, there was something urging her to join in on the bloodshed. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was due to Palan¡¯s influence or her own evolution, but it made her feel like ants were walking up and down her spine. Palan licked his lips as blood dripped down his fingers. His arms were by his side. Behind him, there was a path filled with corpses, centaur and angel alike, leading back to the encirclement Raea was in. On either side of him, angels were fighting and slaughtering centaurs. He realized now why Uzziel was so intent on breaking through the enemy¡¯s ranks. Palan raised his head into the air and saw Michael; the general was still deflecting trebuchet shots aimed at the encirclement. It seemed like Solra¡¯s range couldn¡¯t extend that far. Palan scratched his head and shrugged before making his way back to Raea¡ªhe achieved his goal this time around. Uzziel had died by his hand. His shoulders felt lighter, like a weight had been removed. Raea raised her head as more footsteps approached her. She had lost track of how many angels she had to help heal. Some angels would opt out of combat if they received a few gashes that only looked bad on the surface. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said and blinked. ¡°You¡¯re injured?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Palan said and patted Cleo¡¯s head, leaving behind a bloody handprint. ¡°I got bored after breaking through the enemy ranks. Fighting like that isn¡¯t as thrilling as hunting. There¡¯s no fear. There¡¯s no chase.¡± He shook his head and climbed on top of the storage chest. He sighed and lay down. He still had other obligations to fulfill with the demons in Elrith¡¯s army, but it was impossible to do those in an open field. His nose wrinkled. The smell of blood didn¡¯t bother him, but it started to smell like cow manure. Like goblins. Chapter 116 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cleo asked, tugging on Palan¡¯s hand. He crouched near the edge of the storage chest and squinted his eyes. He couldn¡¯t find the location of the smell¡ªit seemed to permeate the whole area. There were too many angels and demons along with dying centaurs and lizardmen; his heat vision and electroreception had no effect in a crowd this large. ¡°Are goblins fireproof?¡± Palan asked. The forest around the clearing continued to burn. ¡°How would I know?¡± Cleo asked in return. ¡°I never tried setting one on fire before.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Palan said and looked over the battlefield. Justitia was part of the encirclement protecting the medics and supplies. Owen was fighting on the frontlines. His ragtag group of soldiers stuck out like a sore thumb. The centaurs were being slaughtered, but none of them retreated. Their attacks were desperate as if they wanted to kill at least one angel before they died. The lizardmen were the same, picking up the battleaxes and fighting with them after their steeds had fallen. The trebuchets continued to fire from behind the centaurs¡¯ ranks. Their base was underneath the ground, obscuring their operators from view. A group of a dozen angels lay dead on the ground in front of the trebuchets, deterring others for the time being. Elrith had just broken through the centaurs¡¯ formation, dividing their ranks even further. It was only a matter of time until all the centaurs died. ¡°I guess they¡¯re hiding by the trebuchets then,¡± Palan said and sat down. ¡°Goblins?¡± Cleo asked and tilted her head. She peered towards the trebuchets and squinted. It was hard for her to see that far due to the wall of wind Michael had set up. Palan grunted. Cleo turned her head to face Palan. ¡°You¡¯re not going to warn them?¡± ¡°Not my problem,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure they know. It smells worse than a dead lion¡¯s rotting anus.¡± Cleo wrinkled her nose. ¡°What¡¯s a lion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a big wolf,¡± Palan said. ¡°Oh.¡± Palan looked over the edge of the storage chest and saw Raea down below. She was drinking a cup of water with herbs in it while waiting for her mana reserves to replete. He frowned and jumped off the chest, landing next to her. She flinched and nearly dropped her cup as the ground cracked beside her. Palan asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you limited to the number of times you can heal a day?¡± ¡°Well, yes,¡± Raea said. ¡°But that number seems to have increased recently. ¡°Can you still use patience?¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°I can ¡­ but I¡¯d be exhausted,¡± she said as an angel approached the encirclement and walked over to Raea. Palan wrapped his arm around Raea¡¯s waist, causing her to squeal. ¡°What are you doing!?¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on dying because of you,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you become a burden because you exhausted your energy reserves.¡± ¡°Let me go,¡± Raea said and squirmed around, but Danger Noodle bound her legs together. ¡°He needs medical attention.¡± She pointed at the approaching angel and lowered her head. ¡°And this is really embarrassing.¡± Palan glanced at the injured soldier. The soldier glared at him. ¡°I need healing,¡± he said. ¡°Do you want to be executed for treason, demon?¡± ¡°You walked here by yourself,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°You seem just fine to me. Now piss off.¡± He covered Raea¡¯s mouth with his free hand and climbed up the storage chest using only his feet. The injured soldier followed after him, but Cleo hit him over the head with a stick she pulled out of nowhere, causing the soldier to fall to the ground. The stick disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. Raea ripped Palan¡¯s hand off of her mouth. ¡°You two!¡± she said and sighed. ¡°Why am I friends with you again?¡± ¡°Because you love us,¡± Cleo said with a smile and clasped her hands together while blinking. Raea¡¯s head drooped. ¡°Oh,¡± Palan said as he dropped Raea. ¡°It looks like the centaurs are pretty much dead.¡± Thousands of corpses lay on the battlefield. The ground was damp and stained red with blood. The angels and demons finished off the remaining centaurs and pressed forwards towards the trebuchets. Palan couldn¡¯t get a good count of the number of dead angels, but there were at least fifty armored corpses. Even though they had been outnumbered, their armor made all the difference in the battle. Adding on the fact that the soldiers could be healed and back again in around a minute, it seemed like a miracle for the halflings to have even killed that many. He wondered how different the battle would¡¯ve turned out if the centaurs and lizardmen had similar equipment and healing capacities. ¡°It¡¯s over?¡± Raea asked. She wrinkled her nose. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± ¡°Probably goblins,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± Raea said while wincing. She pinched her nose and squatted. Her voice sounded nasally. ¡°I¡¯m so much more sensitive to smells now.¡± Palan ignored the slightly green angel as he continued to watch the army. The trebuchets had stopped firing, but Michael remained in the air as a precaution. A cluster of green goblins swarmed out of the holes the trebuchets were in and attacked the group of angels with sticks. They were quickly repelled. A squadron of angels were about to give chase, but Elrith stopped them from advancing. Elrith stood over the broken trebuchets with a frown on his face. They were in gently sloped pits with a system of tunnels leading underground. He tried using his powers of diligence, but Solra¡¯s ability was still in effect. ¡°We¡¯re not chasing them?¡± a female soldier asked. She had seen her friend die by an unlucky strike to the slit between the cuirass and helmet. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s down there,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Fall back and regroup. I don¡¯t believe Solra can keep this up forever. As soon as he stops, this tunnel system is going down.¡± He snorted and led the army back, reforming their ranks in front of the tunnels. ¡°Throw the dead centaurs and lizardmen inside. They can have them back.¡± The soldiers walked back and forth, tossing corpses into the tunnels as Elrith listened to a report about the damage done to the army. They had lost eighty angels and six demons. ¡°And we lost Colonel Uzziel,¡± the soldier who was reporting said. Elrith¡¯s face was expressionless. The soldier raised an eyebrow. ¡°You are not upset, General?¡± ¡°The army and death walk hand in hand,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Is that all?¡± The soldier nodded and left. Elrith frowned. The name Uzziel sounded familiar, but he couldn¡¯t place a face to the name. He shrugged and watched as his soldiers blocked off the tunnels with the corpses. Chapter 117 Ishim sat on the floor of a cave. Glowing blue stones were imbedded in the ceiling, illuminating the darkness. Across from him, Solra was eating a fried mushroom that was larger than his face. Solra looked up. ¡°You¡¯re not eating?¡± ¡°I was expecting a fight,¡± Ishim said and frowned. Solra tore off a piece of mushroom and offered it to him. Ishim had no choice but to accept. It tasted like dirt. ¡°How long are we going to stay down here?¡± ¡°Until we win,¡± Solra said and licked his lips. ¡°They were expecting a quick, honorable battle. We prepared for a siege. Do you think they have that many supplies?¡± ¡°They can hunt,¡± Ishim said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be best to strike while they¡¯re wounded and low on mana?¡± His thigh itched, and he clenched his hands. ¡°What are they going to hunt?¡± Solra asked as he picked up a wooden cup. Grey-colored liquid sloshed around inside. ¡°We burned everything down for miles. You underestimate how flammable this is.¡± He tapped on the side of the cup before downing the liquid. Ishim made a face. Solra laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? To avenge your teacher? You just have to follow my instructions and you¡¯ll get what you want; I wish I had it as easy as you.¡± ¡°I will follow your orders, Sir Solra,¡± Ishim said and bowed his head. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t deploy the hobgoblins along with the centaurs. The battle could have turned out much differently if you had.¡± Solra shook his head. ¡°You should learn more about the halflings¡¯ cultures,¡± he said. ¡°Once we win, you¡¯re going to be living with them after all. Centaurs and hobgoblins abhor each other. It was better to send them as separate groups. And goblins are better at fighting in caves¡ªless legs and all that.¡± ¡°But why did you send so few centaurs then?¡± Solra wrinkled his nose. ¡°You ask too many questions for a subordinate, you know?¡± Ishim lowered his head and walked away under Solra¡¯s gaze. After he left, Solra snorted and resumed eating his mushroom but not before grabbing an orb and injecting some power into it. This invention was extremely handy. He could probably maintain his zone of charity for three months at the very least. *** Raea bit her lip and climbed up the side of the storage chest. She found Palan lying on top of it with his hands behind his head, staring up at the sky. Cleo was sitting beside him, counting invisible items in her invisible pouch. ¡°Um.¡± Raea started. ¡°Palan.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Palan grunted and shifted his head to look at Raea. Two days had passed since Elrith had ordered the army to wait outside the tunnels. The general had unblocked on of the entrances and sent an occasional scout to determine the situation inside. ¡°Elly wants you to lead a hunting expedition,¡± Raea said. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to. I can¡ª¡° ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°¡ªtell Elly you ¡­ eh?¡± Raea blinked at him. ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯ll do it,¡± Palan said and licked his lips. ¡°How many people do I get to bring?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ What even ¡­ Are you feeling okay? You weren¡¯t hit over the head or anything during the battle, right?¡± ¡°Quit blathering,¡± Palan said. He ignored Cleo¡¯s squinty-eyed gaze. She was making a humming sound while rubbing her chin, staring intensely at his face while wrinkling her nose. Palan flicked her forehead, causing her to yelp. He jumped off the storage chest and walked over to a group of angels and demons. Cleo recognized the insect-like demon from the cafeteria amongst the group. Raea rubbed her eyes and regained control of her motor functions. ¡°Do you think Palan is acting strange?¡± she asked Cleo. ¡°He¡¯s usually never this agreeable. I thought he would outright refuse after hearing it was Elly¡¯s idea.¡± She frowned as Palan slapped an angel. ¡°Well. It was nice while it lasted.¡± ¡°He¡¯s cheating on you,¡± Cleo said and pouted. The two watched Palan¡¯s tail eat a different angel. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°He just needed an excuse to get away from you. He fell in love with one of those demons over there and wants to go hunting with them. Now that you gave him the perfect excuse, it¡¯s not suspicious at all. How can you ruin your own chances like that? You should claim your man. Don¡¯t let¡ªack!¡± She rubbed her forehead and puffed her cheeks out. ¡°You¡¯re just as violent as he is!¡± Raea frowned as she withdrew her hand. She glanced at her demon in the distance. An angel knelt next to him, covered in slime. Palan did seem awfully familiar with some of those demons. Maybe Cleo was ¡­ no. Raea shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s not my lover,¡± Raea said and pinched Cleo¡¯s cheeks, causing the orange lizardman to wail. ¡°He¡¯s free to do whatever he wants. If he has a lover, then that is completely fine. He always seemed so alone. I¡¯m happy for him.¡± Her hands pinched tighter with every word she said, and tears spilled from Cleo¡¯s eyes. Raea only realized what she had done after her fingers were wet with tears, and she released Cleo while apologizing. ¡°You¡¯re a bully!¡± Cleo said and sniffled. ¡°You¡¯re going to lose Palan and it¡¯s going to serve you right!¡± She crossed her arms and turned her head to the side. She would¡¯ve looked a lot more imposing if she wasn¡¯t sniffing and hiccupping. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Maybe I should go after him,¡± she said. She pat Cleo¡¯s cheeks with glowing hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, alright? I really didn¡¯t mean to pinch you that hard.¡± She sighed. ¡°I guess I was just ¡­ yeah.¡± Cleo tilted her head as the pain went away. ¡°Envy?¡± ¡°No!¡± Raea practically shouted, causing Cleo to flinch away. Raea slapped her cheeks and took in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m going after him.¡± Cleo watched as Raea climbed off the storage chest and ran towards Palan. He had finished his negotiations with Elrith and was just beginning to depart with a group of five angels and five demons. The orange lizardman wiped away her tears and grinned before picking the lock to the storage chest and climbing inside. Chapter 118 Raea caught up to Palan¡¯s group. ¡°I¡¯m going with you,¡± she said. Palan turned around and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you have angel stuff to do?¡± he asked. The group stopped moving. Raea recognized Tuic and his bull-headed demon. ¡°Like watching over my demon?¡± Raea asked and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going too.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Palan said. He really didn¡¯t want her to know about his plans to free some demons, but he couldn¡¯t see anyway to convince her to stay behind. The two-faced, four-armed demon raised an eyebrow at Palan, but he pretended not to notice. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Lady Raea,¡± Tuic said from atop his demon. ¡°Why don¡¯t you accompany me on my mount?¡± The bull-headed demon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°No, I thi¡ª¡° ¡°I insist,¡± Tuic said and smiled at her. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do for such a fair maiden to travel by foot.¡± He rapped the back of the demon¡¯s head with his knuckles. ¡°Help her up.¡± The bull-headed demon¡¯s nostrils flared, but it still lumbered forward and seized Raea before throwing her over its shoulder. ¡°No, seriously,¡± Raea said as she struggled. ¡°I am completely fine walking by myself.¡± She shot a glance at Palan, but he wasn¡¯t looking at her. Instead, he was floating¡ªslithering?¡ªalongside a female demon as the group entered the burnt forest. The fire could still be seen way off in the distance. They were heading towards a place where the fire had stopped. Raea frowned and pursed her lips as Palan seemed to be communicating with the female demon. She had a humanoid body except for a scorpion-like tail and cat-like legs. ¡°¡ªd? ¡­ Are you listening?¡± Tuic asked. Raea turned her head and blinked at him. Evidently, he had been talking the whole time. ¡°Huh? Of course,¡± Raea said. ¡°What was the question again? You were mumbling so it was quite difficult to understand.¡± Tuic cleared his throat, and Raea¡¯s attention turned back towards Palan. Was he chuckling? He was definitely chuckling. How come he never laughed around her? Wait. Why was she even¡ª. ¡°Hello?¡± Tuic asked again and waved his hand in front of Raea¡¯s face. She glared at him. He froze and withdrew his hand. ¡°Um, are you feeling well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You really need to speak up,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. She crossed her legs and angled her body away, letting her hair cover the side of her face. ¡°Well,¡± Tuic said and scratched his head. ¡°How about you come up with a topic to talk about? You don¡¯t seem very interested in questions about music.¡± ¡°Huh? I love music,¡± Raea said. Palan liked her music too. Her fingers itched to play her harp. She never really appreciated her mother forcing her to study music, but Raea was glad she did.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Really,¡± Tuic said, his face expressionless. Raea was looking at Palan again. Tuic sighed and stopped talking, narrowing his eyes at Palan. He tried to convince himself. There was no way an angel would fall in love with a demon. She was just making sure he didn¡¯t step out of line and embarrass her. That must be it. Palan frowned and turned his head. Both Raea and Tuic were staring daggers at him. The bull-headed demon had a smirk on its face, as if it was laughing at Palan. His brow wrinkled before he turned back. ¡°Something wrong?¡± the female demon next to him asked. She turned around and caught the two staring. She giggled and stepped closer to Palan while maintaining eye contact with Raea. ¡°Your angel is surprisingly docile. Is she in love with you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°What about your angel? He doesn¡¯t seem to be too overbearing.¡± He glanced at the fully armored angel marching next to Tuic¡¯s demon. ¡°He¡¯s a bit slow,¡± the female demon said. ¡°Ridiculously strong but not in the head.¡± The demon licked her lips. ¡°Your angel looks so angry at me. It¡¯s cute. Did you not want to torture her because of your feelings for her? That¡¯s so swee¡ª¡° Palan grabbed her by her neck and lifted her body into the air. Her tail flashed through the air, but Palan grabbed it with his free hand. ¡°If I can kill angels, I can kill demons,¡± he said and tossed her down. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke me.¡± ¡°Whew,¡± the female demon said and frowned as she climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. ¡°Tough guy, aren¡¯t you?¡± She glanced at Raea. The angel¡¯s previous gloomy expression seemed brighter now. The demon grumbled before wandering off to the two-faced, four-armed demon¡¯s side. ¡°That was your own fault,¡± the two-faced demon said. ¡°You¡¯re heartless.¡± ¡°I actually have four hearts.¡± ¡°And no fun.¡± The two-faced demon grunted in reply, causing the female demon to sigh. ¡°When do you think he¡¯s going to start?¡± she asked. ¡°Two years is quite a long time to be a slave.¡± ¡°There needs to be a diversion.¡± ¡°Like that?¡± the female demon asked and pointed at a ridge up ahead. Dozens of centaurs stood with battleaxes in their hands. A centaur with a staff that had a glowing orb on it blew on a horn. The centaurs charged forward while shouting. Tuic slid off of his demon. ¡°The general was right,¡± he said. ¡°Solra¡¯s trying to wait out our supplies. Alright, men! Kill them all! They think they can stop us when we have our powers?¡± The four accompanying angels¡¯ expressions were grim as they equipped their lances. ¡°If they want to stop us from hunting, then we¡¯ll feast on centaurs tonight!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit ¡­ gross,¡± Raea said with a pale face. Tuic¡¯s demon shrugged her off and charged ahead of the group, roaring at the approaching centaurs. The demon passed by Palan who whispered something into its ear. It paused for a brief moment before continuing its charge with gleaming eyes. Palan weaved backwards, heading towards Raea while speaking short messages to the demons. The angels paid no attention to them as they readied their powers for the inevitable clash. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go join the fight?¡± Palan asked Raea as she equipped her halberd. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like killing,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t die,¡± Palan said and wrapped his hands around Raea¡¯s waist. She screamed as he tossed her towards the oncoming centaurs. Palan licked his lips. He had a feeling there would be an ambush against a hunting party. It was something he would do: Weaken the prey. Starve the prey. Hunt the prey from behind. A hundred centaurs was a bit excessive though. He¡¯d have to remove a few before he could start freeing the demons. Chapter 119 Tuic gritted his teeth and thrust his lance forward, the tip piercing through a centaur¡¯s chest. These centaurs wore a heavy layer of metal armor, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop his strike. A thin layer of wind swirled around the surface of the lance, acting like a drill. The demons by his side were tearing through the centaurs with their powers. The two-faced demons four palms acted like unstoppable blades, severing battleaxes and centaurs alike. Tuic wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his arm, smearing a line of blood on the skin not covered by his helmet. This felt too easy. The small group of angels and demons hadn¡¯t suffered a single casualty, yet the centaurs already lost a quarter of their forces. Tuic lifted his lance as he charged forward, thrusting towards a nearby centaur. Right before his lance made contact with its armor, the wind circling around the lance dispersed. Tuic¡¯s eyes widened as the lance barely pierced the centaur¡¯s cuirass. The halfling snorted and swung his battleaxe downwards, aiming for Tuic¡¯s head. The angel leapt backwards, pulling his lance with him. He stumbled over a corpse and fell over onto his butt, narrowly avoiding the centaur¡¯s strike. The centaur stood on its hind legs and brought its front hooves downwards, aiming for Tuic¡¯s face. Right before it made contact, a blur crashed into the centaur¡¯s side, knocking it away. It was the bull-headed demon. ¡°Where the hell have you been?¡± Tuic asked as he scrambled to his feet. The demon glared at him and snorted before turning around to fight off more centaurs. Tuic saw the centaur with the staff that had the glowing white orb. Wherever it waved its staff, the powers of the angels and demons would dissipate. Tuic shouted, ¡°Regroup on me and push towards their shaman!¡± He looked around to get the location of his allies. They were spread out, enjoying the slaughter by themselves. He saw Raea deep in enemy lines with the scorpion-tailed female demon. Raea parried a strike with the shaft of her halberd, knocking the battleaxe out of the enemy centaur¡¯s hands. The halfling¡¯s eyes widened as his arms went numb. The flat of Raea¡¯s halberd flew towards his face and knocked him out before he could react. Raea bit her lip and took a step backwards. She had heard Tuic¡¯s shout. The female demon sank her tail into a nearby centaur before looking at Raea. ¡°You don¡¯t strike to kill?¡± ¡°Killing¡¯s not right,¡± Raea said as she dodged a strike and made her way towards Tuic. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go regroup with them. They¡¯re already starting to push.¡± A strange expression flickered over the female demon¡¯s face as she followed after Raea towards the group of angels in the distance. She turned her head and saw Palan slaughtering centaurs near her contracted angel. His gaze met hers, and his head nodded slightly. The female demon licked her lips. ¡°This way,¡± she shouted towards Raea. Raea knocked another centaur out before turning her head with creased brows. ¡°But Tuic is¡­,¡± Raea began to say but stopped. The female demon¡¯s eyes were glowing with a pink light. Raea¡¯s eyes glazed over as she wobbled and fell onto her side. The demon dashed forward and picked the angel up while fending centaurs off with her tail. She avoided the region of charity controlled by the centaur shaman and retreated to the back. She saw Palan following after her with the bulky, armored angel in his arms. He was using her contractor as a human club, grabbing onto his legs to bash the centaurs to death.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him, right?¡± the female demon asked as Palan dropped her contractor by her feet. She passed Raea to Palan. ¡°I just hit him over the back of the head,¡± Palan said. The centaurs that pursued the four redirected their attention towards Tuic¡¯s group who was fighting their way to the shaman. Danger Noodle wrapped its body around Raea. ¡°Wait here,¡± he said to the female demon before running back into the fray. The scorpion-tailed demon nodded and watched as Palan fought while keeping Raea out of harm¡¯s reach. She glanced at her own unconscious contracted angel and stuffed a sock into his mouth. Her tongue ran over her lips as she began to bind the angel. She could almost taste freedom. She finished tying the last knots and looked towards Palan. Palan had picked up two battleaxes¡ªone for each hand¡ªfrom a few corpses on the ground. He had absolutely no technique and just swung as hard as he could. The battleaxes dented and bent, but he discarded them and picked up more after they were broken. He was steadily making his way to Tuic. By now, nearly two-thirds of the centaurs had died. One of the angels had also fallen, and its contracted demon died soon after. The demon had lost its sight and hearing and was quickly dispatched. The centaur shaman growled as it deflected Tuic¡¯s lance strike with its staff. ¡°Demons! Why are you helping the angels,¡± it said as it dodged a strike from the two-faced demon. ¡°Are you not their slaves!? Join us in the rebellion. We will eradicate all the angels and reclaim our lands.¡± As the blows came from all directions, it was beginning to regret not listening to Solra. Its tribe had been too proud to cooperate with other halflings, and now they were about to be killed by a group of twelve people. Tuic¡¯s lance pierced the centaur shaman¡¯s chest. He lunged forward and grabbed the staff, placing his hand on top of the orb. The light shining out of the orb began to dim. There was a sharp pain in the back of his head and his vision went black. The two-faced demon ignored the shouts coming from the two remaining angels and lifted Tuic¡¯s fallen body. The insect-like demon knocked out the angels and clacked its mandibles. The surrounding centaurs stopped attacking and hesitated. Their leader had died, and it seemed like the demons were rebelling against their angels. ¡°G-give us the head of that angel and we will let you go,¡± one of the centaurs said and pointed at Tuic. The bull-headed demon snorted and stomped his foot, causing flames to engulf a group of centaurs. ¡°Piss off. He¡¯s my prey,¡± it said. Its nostrils flared, but the fire in its eyes dimmed when it saw Palan. ¡°You free us now.¡± Palan smirked as the remaining centaurs dispersed. The insect-like demon was releasing a green gas that caused their bodies to rot on contact. ¡°Don¡¯t forget our contract,¡± he said. Raea was still held up by Danger Noodle, her eyes glazed over and face flushed. ¡°Of course,¡± the two-faced demon said as the demons began to gag and bind the unconscious angels. None of the demons gave a second glance to the dead demon on the side. Chapter 120 Raea opened her eyes and frowned. Her head throbbed, and she brought her hand to her temple. A silk blanket slid off her bare arm. ¡°What was I doing?¡± she asked herself and blinked her bleary eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she could tell she was lying on a bed. She sat up and looked around after rubbing her eyes. She was in her room at the outpost. ¡°Something important was happening¡­¡± She climbed out of bed and shivered. The floor was freezing, and her body was covered only by a thin nightgown. She tiptoed to the closet and pulled on the handle. It was empty. Raea frowned and waddled over to the door. The floor was so cold that it burned her feet. She tried to pull the door open, but it didn¡¯t budge. Her brow furrowed as the room began to get colder. Icicles began to form on the ends of her hair even though there was no water. The bed seemed to glow with a soft-yellow light. She bit her lip and returned to the bed. Raea¡¯s body began to heat up. The icicles evaporated, and the burns on her feet disappeared. ¡°What is going on?¡± Raea mumbled with her brow furrowed. There was a knock on the door. She attempted to use her powers of patience but no chains appeared. There was another knock on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± The door opened and Palan stepped inside. He didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by the cold floor or the chill in the room. ¡°So you¡¯re awake,¡± he said and nodded at her. He began taking off his armor, chucking the metal into the closet. Raea frowned. ¡°Since when did you learn how to knock?¡± she asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°What do you mean what happened? Did you hit your head?¡± Palan asked. He took off his belt and leather pouch, placing them in a corner. He only wore his leather pants which had been modified to accommodate Danger Noodle. Raea averted her eyes. Her body burned, and she touched her feet to the floor. It wasn¡¯t cold anymore. ¡°I think I might have,¡± she said. ¡°What happened with Ishim?¡± ¡°Ishim?¡± Palan asked as he walked over to Raea¡¯s bed and sat down on the side. Raea thought she smelled blood. ¡°He died over a year ago. Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± Raea asked and blinked at Palan. ¡°Wait. What?¡± ¡°Are you ill?¡± Palan asked and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the last thing you remember?¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± Raea bit her lip and lowered her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I remembering Elly leading an army against Ishim. We were waiting for them to come out of the tunnels. And¡±¡ªher brow furrowed as she clutched her head¡ª¡°that¡¯s all I can remember.¡± Her head felt heavier.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Palan had placed his hand on Raea¡¯s head. ¡°That was over two years ago,¡± he said. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember anything?¡± Raea raised her head. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t. Are you playing a trick on me? Promise me you¡¯re telling the truth.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you, Raea,¡± Palan said and touched her cheek with his hand. Her eyes widened. His touch sent a shiver down her spine, and she backed away. Palan sighed and dropped his hand while lowering his head. ¡°So you really have forgotten.¡± Raea¡¯s heart jumped. ¡°Why do you look so sad?¡± she asked and bit her lip. ¡°Did something ¡­ happen between us?¡± Palan stared at her wordlessly. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Really?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Pyre if he has any cures for memory loss,¡± he said and looked away. A tremor ran through his lower jaw as he stood up. ¡°Wait,¡± Raea said and grabbed his right hand. It was rough. ¡°Tell me about ¡­ us.¡± She pulled him back down onto the bed. Her heart pounded, and blood rushed to her neck and face. Palan squeezed her hand and rotated his body to face her. He brought his left hand to her face. ¡°Is there anything that needs to be said?¡± he asked as his fingers slid down to her chin. He tilted her face up and leaned forward. A surge of electricity ran through Raea¡¯s body, and she closed her eyes, slightly parting her lips. Her heart beat harder. She could feel Palan¡¯s warm breath on her face. Their lips touched, causing her to arch her back and snake her hand around Palan¡¯s neck. *** A scream rang through the air as Palan retracted his battleaxe, pulling on the shaft. It made a squishing sound as it left the angel¡¯s flesh. Raea let out a moan, causing Palan to frown. He turned his head towards the scorpion-tailed demon. ¡°What the hell kind of illusion did you give her?¡± he asked. The female demon shrugged. ¡°Just a standard lust trip,¡± she said. ¡°She won¡¯t die or have any lasting damage.¡± She licked her lips. ¡°It sounds like she¡¯s enjoying herself though.¡± Palan snorted and returned his attention to the angel on the ground. It was Tuic. ¡°So you going to dissolve that contract?¡± Palan asked as he pat the side of the angel¡¯s face with the battleaxe. The bull-headed demon sat nearby with a yellow piece of paper in its hands. ¡°I refuse,¡± Tuic said and attempted to spit a mouthful of blood at Palan. Palan sidestepped the glob and shrugged, bringing the battleaxe down again. Severed fingers, toes, hands, feet, and arms lay around Tuic¡¯s body. This time, his arm was removed. Tuic started to laugh as the blade of the axe ground against his bone. He laughed harder with tears pouring from his bloodshot eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll die, and he¡¯ll die with me! I can see death coming. She¡¯s so beautiful.¡± ¡°Sorry to disappoint you,¡± Palan said and licked his lips. He crouched next to Tuic and placed a glowing hand on the dying angel¡¯s chest. ¡°Stop! No!¡± Tuic shouted and wriggled his torso. He screamed unintelligibly as tendrils of flesh snaked out of his stumpy shoulders and legs, reattaching his limbs. The other angels shivered as they saw Tuic scream and shriek. Their mouths were gagged, and the two-faced demon was forcing them to watch. ¡°Shall we start again?¡± Palan asked and stood up while lifting his battleaxe. Tuic¡¯s face was pale as he lay in a puddle of blood. He was too weak to move. Metal flashed and screams rang through the air. Chapter 121 After another cycle of torture and healing, Tuic finally broke down and dissolved his contract with the bull-headed demon. The demons knocked him out and assured the other angels that they would be kept alive if they cooperated. The remaining contracts were dissolved without the use of torture, much to the insect-like demon¡¯s disappointment. Palan didn¡¯t care either way and nodded at the four newly freed demons, with Raea in Danger Noodle¡¯s grasp, still enchanted. The four demons grinned and slaughtered their previous contractors before eating them. Palan went over to the corpses of the angel and demon who died during the battle with the centaurs. He cut out the demon¡¯s heart and stored it inside of a leather pouch before eating the rest of the organs. He found that mana was much more concentrated in the organs than within the flesh. He finished eating the angel as well, and tossed the corpses to the bull-headed demon. ¡°You¡¯re free now,¡± Palan said as he wiped the blood off his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the terms of the contract: It wasn¡¯t me who freed you. You all owe me a nonlife-threatening favor. You can¡¯t hurt me or my angel unless I attack first or allow it.¡± The insect-like demon nodded at Palan before scuttling away, carrying the corpse of its contractor. The other demons didn¡¯t stop him. The bull-headed demon lumbered away as well, taking away the skeletons of the dead. The two-faced demon stroked both of its chins before smiling at Palan. ¡°I plan on returning to Eljiam,¡± it said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see you there.¡± The scorpion-tailed demon raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can I go with you?¡± she asked the two-faced demon. ¡°Life¡¯s difficult for a lust demon when angels aren¡¯t attracted to you.¡± The two-faced demon shrugged. ¡°Do what you want,¡± it said. ¡°But I¡¯ll kill you if you get in my way.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± The two turned to leave. ¡°Wait,¡± Palan said. ¡°How long until she wakes up?¡± He jerked his thumb back and pointed at Raea. The lust demon¡¯s eyes glowed pink, causing Raea¡¯s body to shudder. A gasp escaped from her lips. The demon blinked and rubbed her eyes. ¡°She¡¯ll wake up in twenty minutes or so,¡± she said and waved, following after the two-faced demon. Palan licked his lips and looked at the battlefield. Dozens of centaurs lay dead on the ground with their armor mangled beyond repair. He began to gather their corpses and tied them together with the ropes the demons had used to bind the angels. He couldn¡¯t return to the camp empty-handed after all. Tuic¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t that bad. Raea stirred and let out a groan as her eyes cleared. ¡°W-where am I?¡± she asked. She was still suspended in the air by Palan¡¯s tail with her arms stuck to her sides. Palan turned his head and released Raea. ¡°So you¡¯re finally awake,¡± he said. ¡°How do you feel?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Awake?¡± Raea asked. She paused and blinked as memories of the battle came rushing back to her. She remembered the lust demon enchanting her. And then she remembered the illusion she went through. Her face turned bright-red. Raea lowered her head and mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel right now.¡± Palan shrugged and continued gathering the centaur corpses. ¡°W-wait,¡± Raea said as she raised her head. Her gaze avoided Palan¡¯s eyes. And body. And general direction. ¡°What happened to everyone? Where¡¯s Tuic?¡± ¡°They died, probably,¡± Palan said. Raea¡¯s mouth fell open as she turned her head to face him. ¡°What? How?¡± ¡°The centaurs beat them. I saw you twitching and moaning on the battlefield, so I retrieved you and retreated,¡± he said. ¡°The centaur leader had that orb which canceled out the angels¡¯ and demons¡¯ powers, and they were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. They were subdued, and the centaurs took them away.¡± ¡°We have to go after them!¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Palan said. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do anything except bring these corpses back to the camp. Our job was to find food. We found some.¡± Raea made a face and bit her lip. She did realize it was unrealistic to storm a camp by themselves, especially if they were connected to Ishim¡¯s army. ¡°Then,¡± she began to say but stopped. Palan had walked right in front of her, tugging on a rope connected to the centaurs. He had managed to tie most of them together. The ones he couldn¡¯t were thrown on top of the pile. ¡°Then what?¡± Palan asked and stared at Raea. She blushed and turned away, covering her face with her hands. She took in a deep breath and slapped her cheeks before turning back around. She turned away again and squatted while curling up into a ball. Palan furrowed his brow. ¡°In that illusion¡ª¡° ¡°Stop!¡± Raea shouted and covered her ears. They were redder than usual. She screamed as Danger Noodle snaked underneath her arms and wrapped around her waist, lifting her into the air. ¡°Put me down! Put me down!¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± Palan said and lifted his arm. A bolt of lightning split the clear sky and struck his palm, causing him to wince. His body spasmed, and the tremors reached Raea, causing her to stop struggling. ¡°Why?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. The sound of thunder seemed to have cleared her head for the moment. ¡°We have to go back,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What if the centaurs return? There¡¯s no time to amuse you at the moment.¡± Raea covered her face at the word amuse. She nodded wordlessly and let herself be carried off by Palan. After walking in silence for a few minutes, Palan opened his mouth. ¡°Was it me?¡± he asked. He tugged on the rope in his hands, pulling the centaurs over a stump. He was leaving a clear trail of blood on the ground he walked, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Was it you what?¡± Raea asked and bit her lip. She was still suspended in the air. ¡°In the illusion,¡± Palan said. ¡°Was it me?¡± ¡°What illusion?¡± Raea asked and squirmed, turning her head away. ¡°In the illusion you just had around an hour ago,¡± Palan said. ¡°Was I in that il¡ª¡° ¡°Stop!¡± Raea said and held her hands out with her fingers splayed. ¡°Please.¡± Palan fell silent. He knocked over a tree with a battleaxe and pulled the bundle of corpses over the leftover stump. ¡°So I was,¡± he said and nodded. He continued to face forward, sparing Raea the embarrassment of looking at him. She didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Do you know how the illusions work?¡± ¡°Can we please not talk about this?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m curious,¡± Palan said. The corners of his lips tugged upwards. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Okay!?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem very patient right now.¡± Raea took in a deep breath, clenched her hands, and pursed her lips. The two returned to the camp in silence. Chapter 122 Elrith greeted the duo when they arrived. It had been two days since they set off. ¡°Where¡¯s Colonel Tuic?¡± he asked Palan after realizing no one else was coming back. He frowned when he saw the mangled centaur corpses behind them. ¡°And the rest of the hunting squad?¡± ¡°There was an ambush waiting for us after we headed towards the only unburnt part of the forest,¡± Palan said. ¡°The rest were taken except for one who died in the scuffle. Tuic told me to bring these back to eat.¡± He gestured towards the dead centaurs. Elrith scowled and looked towards Raea. ¡°Is this true?¡± he asked her. She raised her head and blinked. She saw Palan staring at her and quickly lowered her head again. ¡°Err, now that I think about it,¡± she mumbled, ¡°Tuic did say something about eating centaurs.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Elrith asked and frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t seem well. I was against you accompanying the hunting party.¡± He sighed and placed his hand on Raea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Get some rest.¡± Raea nodded while pursing her lips before speed walking towards a tent. Palan¡¯s voice echoed in her ears, causing her to flinch. ¡°I¡¯ll go with her,¡± he said and appeared by Raea¡¯s side. Elrith furrowed his brow as he watched the two walk away. Something seemed different about them, but he didn¡¯t know what. He shrugged and tried to pull on the rope containing the centaur corpses, but the pile wouldn¡¯t budge. He had to use his powers to transport them. ¡°What is this?¡± Michael asked. Elrith turned his head and saw the bald general approaching him. ¡°Breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next month,¡± Elrith said with an expressionless face. He continued to walk forward with a platform of earth following behind him. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Michael said. ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Elrith asked ¡°We can send for supplies from the third sector,¡± Michael said and gestured broadly with his arm. ¡°Or we can even ask General Akurel to bring his army as well.¡± ¡°And leave our lands defenseless?¡± Elrith asked while narrowing his eyes at Michael. ¡°What if we¡¯re attacked from the east?¡± He snorted. ¡°We¡¯re more than enough to handle this.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t even know the full extent of their army,¡± Michael said. ¡°We didn¡¯t even know they had dwarves until a week ago!¡± ¡°Just because they have trebuchets doesn¡¯t mean they have dwarves. If they had dwarves, why didn¡¯t they just dig a tunnel underneath the checkpoint?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Michael¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°This needs to be reported to the capital at once,¡± he said and whirled around. He sprinted away before Elrith could say anything to stop him. He furrowed his brow and shrugged as he continued to transport the centaurs. If he knew the army would have to eat halflings, he would¡¯ve ordered them to smoke and salt the centaurs and lizardmen instead of using their bodies as a blockade. A normal-sized centaur weighed close to five hundred kilograms. Four centaurs could feed the army for a day. Elrith paled and looked at the massive mound behind him; how did Palan manage to drag this back here by himself? It was then that he realized he knew nothing about Raea¡¯s demon. He frowned and squinted at the tent Raea entered. It was the only bright-orange and pink tent in the whole camp. Cleo had set it up. Raea bit her lip and hugged her shoulders as she sat on the floor with her back to the tent wall. Palan sat on her bed which was really just a blanket and pillow on the ground. Cleo blinked and glanced at Palan before glancing at Raea. Her head turned back and forth like a pendulum. Finally, after a minutes of silence, she opened her mouth. ¡°Did something happen between you two?¡± Palan chuckled. ¡°You could say that,¡± he said and smirked. Raea didn¡¯t say a word as she covered her face with her hands. The orange lizardman narrowed her eyes at the two. Her face lit up. Cleo gasped. ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± she said and stared at Palan with wide eyes. Palan only smiled in reply. Cleo tried to tug Raea¡¯s hand away from her face but failed. ¡°Did he? Did he really?¡± She didn¡¯t reply. Cleo fell over backwards and blinked. She inhaled. ¡°Calm down, Cleo,¡± she told herself, ¡°you¡¯re the adult here. Relax.¡± She exhaled and closed her eyes. Moments later, her eyes popped open, and she cheered ¡°the eagle has landed!¡± before dashing out of the tent. Seconds later, before the tent flap even closed, she wandered back inside. She seemed deflated. ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone I can tell,¡± she said and frowned. She crawled up Palan¡¯s back. ¡°So tell me, how did it happen? I want to know everything.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t happen!¡± Raea said and raised her head. ¡°Nothing happened. Nothing, nothing, nothing!¡± She exhaled and buried her face back into her hands. Palan and Cleo stared at her. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s lying or not,¡± Cleo said and blinked. ¡°But she never lies. Why are you two acting so suspicious?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s acting suspicious?¡± Raea asked and glared at Cleo. ¡°I¡¯m being perfectly ¡­ Raea-like.¡± Her gaze fell onto Palan¡¯s face and her voice trailed off. She inhaled and slapped her cheeks before staring at Palan with her arms across her chest. ¡°S-see?¡± Palan chuckled and stood up before walking closer to Raea. ¡°Stop!¡± she said. Her body tingled as she pursed her lips and stuck her hands out in front of herself. Her arms trembled as she shut her eyes. ¡°Wow,¡± Cleo said from Palan¡¯s back. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Palan said. ¡°I need to find someone knowledgeable about lust demons before I can tell.¡± ¡°No!¡± Raea said. ¡°I forbid you from doing so. Under no circumstances¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Palan said. ¡°What if it costs me my life in the future because I didn¡¯t know what I was going up against?¡± He smiled as Raea wrinkled her nose at him. ¡°It¡¯s like you stepped on a cat¡¯s tail,¡± Cleo said as she slid off of Palan¡¯s back. ¡°Should I leave so you two can kiss and make up?¡± She hid behind Palan¡¯s back as Raea glared at her. ¡°What? It was only a suggestion. Jeez.¡± Chapter 123 ¡°How about some food?¡± Cleo asked and pulled a piece of smoked meat out of her invisible pouch. It was a boar¡¯s hind leg that was as big as her head. ¡°You always get grumpy when you¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°I do not!¡± Raea said as she took the drumstick out of Cleo¡¯s hand. The orange lizardman smirked and turned to Palan. ¡°Want one?¡± she asked and pulled out another drumstick. ¡°I already ate,¡± Palan said, recalling the dead angel and demon he ate two days ago. ¡°Still digesting.¡± ¡°Like a proper Danger Noodle,¡± Cleo said and nodded as she bit into the drumstick. She blinked her eyes at Raea who was staring at her. The angel had already finished her portion, and the boar¡¯s bone lay on the ground beside her. ¡°You want another one¡­?¡± Raea nodded and Cleo tossed her another piece of meat. ¡°Are you the reason why we had to go hunting?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. The meat was cooked in the same style as their lunches had been. ¡°Uh, no comment,¡± Cleo said. ¡°And it¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only one. You two are just as guilty as me! You think they always give such large portions?¡± She grinned. ¡°If you rat me out, you¡¯re ratting yourself out as well.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you meant by partner in crime,¡± Raea said with a frown. She couldn¡¯t resist taking a bite out of the smoked ham in front of herself though. ¡°Huh? No, that was something else,¡± Cleo said and nodded at Raea before smiling up at Palan. ¡°Did you know that when a lizardman is pregnant, her mood changes a lot and she craves food?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant! Nor a lizardman!¡± Raea said and tore a chunk of flesh off her meal. She devoured it within seconds with a furrowed brow. ¡°I already told you nothing happened between me and Palan.¡± She exhaled through her nose as she tossed aside another bone. Cleo blinked and whispered to Palan, ¡°I think we should really stop teasing her.¡± Her eyes shifted towards Raea before focusing on Palan again. ¡°Maybe she¡¯d like it if you teased her instead.¡± ¡°Out!¡± Raea shouted. Her face was bright red. ¡°Both of you!¡± Cleo scrambled up Palan¡¯s back. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be patient?¡± she asked while peeking over his shoulder. She stored the drumstick and pulled out a bag. ¡°Do you want a cookie? I have cookies.¡± Raea buried her face into her hands. She walked around Palan, not looking up, and crawled into her bed. She curled up into a ball and bundled the blanket over herself, covering her pillow as well. Cleo¡¯s tail swished back and forth. ¡°I think you broke her.¡± Palan shrugged and sat down beside the bundle. Cleo slid off his back and stripped Palan¡¯s tail of its armor. She wrapped Danger Noodle around herself until only her head stuck out. She yawned as her eyes drooped. ¡°I stayed up two days waiting for you, you know? It¡¯s not fair to leave me behind like that.¡± Her eyes closed and she started to snore.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Palan frowned. Cleo wasn¡¯t the only person he left behind. He wondered how Andrea was doing and sighed. A voice came from underneath the blanket. ¡°Are you thinking about your sister?¡± Raea asked. Palan didn¡¯t reply. ¡°You haven¡¯t been here that long. I hope she¡¯s alright. Your world sounds awfully dangerous.¡± Piles of armor flew out from underneath the blanket as Raea made herself more comfortable. Palan kept his on. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Palan said and crossed his legs and arms. ¡°She¡¯s much more adept at survival than you¡¯ll ever be.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Raea said. Her face was still hidden by the blanket. ¡°I¡¯m still alive, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You almost survived to adulthood, congratulations,¡± Palan said. ¡°Cleo¡¯s already done that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Raea said. ¡°Lizardmen mature earlier than angels.¡± Palan grunted. Silence pervaded the room. The occasional sound of laughter or metal clinking would come from outside the tent. Palan saw bonfires being lit with Danger Noodle¡¯s heat vision. The first sun had set a while ago, and the second was still barely over the horizon. Cleo¡¯s soft snores rang through Palan¡¯s ears. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked and pulled the blanket off of her head. Her brow was furrowed. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Palan turned his head and looked into Raea¡¯s eyes. His eyes seemed to shine in the dimly lit tent. ¡°I ¡­ No ¡­ Thank you,¡± she said and turned over, pulling the blanket over her head again. Her heart rate increased, and she could hear the blood rushing through her ears. Palan frowned. One day, he¡¯d have to kill Sariel and return to his sister. His stomach felt heavy as he looked at the blanket Raea was under. *** The next day, Michael¡¯s voice echoed over the field of soldiers. ¡°Everyone up! The capital has ordered us to withdraw!¡± Raea groaned and stirred. Her head popped out from beneath the blanket. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. Palan was already standing, putting armor onto Danger Noodle. Cleo was rubbing her eyes and yawning. ¡°The bald man said something about withdrawing,¡± Palan said. Raea shook her head and smoothed down her hair with her hands before crawling out of bed. She dressed herself and equipped her armor. The trio walked outside and froze. The army was bustling and forming into ranks, facing the tunnels where the goblins had retreated into. ¡°Weren¡¯t we retreating?¡± Raea asked. She saw Owen and his squadron of captured soldiers at the head of the army. A goblin with a metal collar around its neck walked over with a folded up tent in its arms. Raea stopped it. ¡°Why are they gathering like that?¡± The goblin blinked at her before rapidly shaking its head. ¡°I¡¯m just a slave. Please don¡¯t kill me, ma¡¯am.¡± Raea pursed her lips as the goblin scurried away. She saw Michael heading towards them and saluted. ¡°You and Palan will stay back here with the other medics,¡± Michael said. ¡°What was the talk about retreating then?¡± Raea asked. ¡°The capital ordered us to confirm whether or not the enemy has dwarves on their side at once,¡± Michael said. ¡°The announcement was to throw Solra¡¯s army off guard. We don¡¯t have time to besiege them if they¡¯re truly advancing towards the capital through dwarven tunnels.¡± He glanced at Palan. ¡°I¡¯m trusting you to at least watch over Raea.¡± Palan snorted. His arms were crossed over his chest. ¡°If you lose, I¡¯m leaving and taking her with me.¡± Michael nodded. ¡°Please do,¡± he said and turned around, heading towards the front of the army. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Didn¡¯t Elrith decide it was too dangerous to enter the tunnels? Our formations mean nothing in narrow tunnels. The ceilings could collapse,¡± she said and turned to Palan. ¡°My concerns are valid, right?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I¡¯d never chase a lizard into its nest,¡± he said. He sneered. ¡°But hey, everything for the capital, right?¡± ¡°The council wouldn¡¯t send us to die, would they?¡± Raea asked. Her lip trembled. She wasn¡¯t sure if she believed herself anymore. Palan snorted. ¡°They execute people for throwing temper tantrums. You tell me what they will and won¡¯t do.¡± Raea clenched her hands and stared at Elrith as he stood at the head of the troops¡ªeven further in front than Owen. She prayed to the Creator to keep him safe. Chapter 124 Madison¡¯s beak twisted into a frown as she hopped down a tunnel. The path was pitch black, but she easily maneuvered through the passage while stroking her feathers with her beak. She stopped in front of an entrance that emitted blue light. She raised her head and peered around the corner. ¡°Sollysolsol,¡± Madison sang. ¡°The angels are charging into the tunnel.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever call me that again,¡± Solra¡¯s voice said from within the cave. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Understood, Sollysolsa,¡± Madison said and giggled before hopping into the cave. Solra sighed. ¡°The centaurs came back and said their chief died while hunting the hunting parties. And the goblins volunteered to stay behind to fight. And the dwarves are playing with their black powder.¡± Madison¡¯s beak wrinkled. ¡°It smells like rotting eggs.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Solra said and stood up. He had been taking a nap. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Michael to be so reckless. He should know halflings are stronger than angels when they can¡¯t use their powers. I was hoping¡­¡± Soft snores echoed through the cave. Madison¡¯s head was buried under her wing, and her body was squatting on the ground. The old angel blinked and shook his head. ¡°I feel foolish now.¡± He picked up an empty cup and rapped the bottom against Madison¡¯s head. ¡°Wake up. We¡¯re leaving.¡± Madison blinked twice and rubbed her head. ¡°Are we still, err, tunnels?¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Yes,¡± Solra said. ¡°Lots of tunnels. The dwarves did a lot of digging.¡± ¡°Boooo,¡± Madison said and frowned as she hopped after Solra. ¡°It¡¯s too dark down here. And there¡¯s no sun. And it¡¯s damp and my feathers feel sticky. And I can¡¯t even use my powers. And even worse, I haven¡¯t seen my reflection in so long. I miss myself.¡± She sighed as Solra completely ignored her. ¡°Alas! This truly is a tragedy. The suns need me to shine. I bet they¡¯re looking for my beautiful face outside right now.¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t an archdemon, I would¡¯ve turned you to stew by now,¡± Solra muttered as he walked down the dark tunnels with his right hand on the wall. ¡°I bet I¡¯d taste delicious,¡± Madison said and blinked. She licked the back of her hand and made a face. ¡°Too salty.¡± She paused. Her head turned to the side as the sounds of metal clashing against metal rang through the tunnel system. ¡°Keep moving,¡± Solra said. Madison shrugged and hopped after the angel. The duo arrived in a chamber that smelled like sulfur. Dozens of dwarves turned their heads to look at the arrivals. Their bodies were pale and wiry due to growing up underground and living off of mushrooms. They were about three-feet tall with yellow eyes and scraggly beards. There were no female dwarves present. Solra looked around the room. ¡°Are they ready?¡± A dwarf stepped forward. ¡°Yes. With these, even regular goblins can win against angels,¡± he said. His voice was squeaky. ¡°But the impact may collapse the tunnel entrance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Solra said. ¡°What do you call this?¡± ¡°A cannon.¡± The dwarf stuck his chest out and straightened his back. His skin was pressed tight against his bones, outlining his ribs. ¡°You load them up with these balls and fill in this powder. Then you light the powder on fire which creates an explosion inside of the cannon. The force of the explosion propels the ball out towards your enemies.¡± The dwarf wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°We made wheels for the cannons to make them easier to transport.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Solra nodded. ¡°And thi¡ª¡° ¡°This is ingenious!¡± Pyre¡¯s voice echoed through the chamber. Madison¡¯s beak wrinkled as she inched backwards. She muttered, ¡°Oh great. The crazy person.¡± ¡°Have you thought of miniaturizing the design?¡± Pyre asked the dwarf. ¡°Imagine if they were small enough for a person to carry it with him. Or if you shrunk it even further, you could have them hold it in one hand! Granted, their destructive power can¡¯t match up to an archangel¡¯s, but if you caught them off guard ¡­ the possibilities are endless.¡± ¡°I see you made yourself quite at home with the dwarves,¡± Solra said and cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯d like to see a demonstration of your ¡­ cannons. The capital¡¯s army is rushing into the tunnels as we speak.¡± ¡°Is it okay to show ourselves?¡± the dwarf asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°Of course not,¡± Solra said. ¡°Teach the goblins. I predict we¡¯ll have a few hours or so before the angels even make it close to the entrance.¡± *** Elrith grunted as he slammed his shield into a hobgoblin that was taller than he was. The armored goblin fell backwards and another one stepped forward to take its place. Elrith furrowed his brow. ¡°Pull back!¡± he shouted. That must have been the twentieth goblin he knocked out, yet more kept on coming. It didn¡¯t help that the tunnels were only wide enough for three men to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. Whenever they killed a goblin, another one would pull the corpse away and strip its armor off, handing it off. It was an unending cycle. The army began to retreat backwards, keeping their eyes on the goblins at all times. They were using crude clubs made from a chunk of iron, but their weapons were effective on the angels¡¯ armor. Elrith blocked a swing with his tower shield and glanced to his side. Owen was beside him with a lance in his hands. After an extended period of blocking and walking backwards, Elrith felt the suns shine on his back. The goblins stopped at the entrance of the tunnel and jeered at the angels before turning around and retreating back into the cave. A few of them threw feces at the angels before leaving. The angels fell back to the four buildings they captured earlier, regretting the fact that they took down their camp. ¡°We need the demons up front to pierce through their guard. We¡¯re too weak without our powers,¡± Elrith said. ¡°The problem is, some of you are too big to fit inside of the tunnels.¡± He glanced at the wide demon with eight tentacles protruding out of its back. Elrith turned towards Michael. ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± Michael frowned. ¡°No,¡± he said and glanced over the army. His gaze stopped on Palan and Raea. He snorted. ¡°Why not ask your sister¡¯s demon? He¡¯s always full of ideas.¡± The soldiers remained silent as Elrith approached Palan. ¡°Do you have any tricks to break through their guard?¡± ¡°You just want to know if they have dwarves, right?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Essentially.¡± ¡°I have an idea, but it¡¯ll cost you.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Elrith asked and ground his teeth. ¡°All the merit. I want Raea to qualify for a promotion.¡± Elrith turned his head towards Michael. The bald angel nodded. Elrith snorted and glared at Palan. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°If it works, we can promote Raea. What¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°Just ask them,¡± Palan said. Elrith blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You know. Open your mouth. Ask the goblins if they have any dwarves down there,¡± Palan said. ¡°Do I have to teach you how to speak?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to work,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Are you messing with me right now?¡± ¡°Have you tried?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡± ¡°Then beat a goblin over the head, drag him out, and ask,¡± Palan said and looked at Raea. ¡°I feel like I should apologize to you. I thought only you lacked common sense, but it seems like it¡¯s a shared trait amongst angels.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should feel happy or insulted.¡± Cleo climbed up Raea¡¯s back and rested her chin on her head. ¡°Try feeling happy first. If you don¡¯t like it, then you can try feeling insulted instead.¡± She clicked her tongue as her tail swished, knocking against Raea¡¯s halberd. ¡°Angels really do lack common sense, huh?¡± Chapter 125 Elrith snorted once he heard Palan¡¯s words, but sent a squad of soldiers into the tunnels anyway. Michael came over to Elrith¡¯s side. ¡°I really do not think this is going to work,¡± the bald man said. ¡°What soldier would willingly give up information on their army? I can¡¯t use my powers to interrogate them like before.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t do it willingly,¡± Palan said. ¡°You torture them. How the hell did angels come to be the rulers of this land if you can¡¯t even do something as simple as that?¡± ¡°Well, it was really due to Khondra¡¯s invention of the orbs,¡± Justitia said. No one knew when she arrived by their group except for Palan. ¡°That¡¯s when our race started rapidly expanding. We no longer needed an archangel to watch over a captured camp, any soldier with the orb could do it.¡± ¡°So when your powers are gone, you become completely worthless,¡± Palan said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have lost a long time ago?¡± ¡°Against what?¡± Justitia asked in return. ¡°It¡¯s very rare for a halfling to develop powers. How could they hope to cancel out an archangel¡¯s abilities?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Other angels? Like now?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t fight amongst ourselves. The first time was a decade ago when The Sinners launched their attack,¡± Justitia said and sighed. ¡°Apparently the losses were extreme because no one was expecting it to happen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to order her to stand back in formation?¡± Michael asked Elrith. ¡°She¡¯s your soldier,¡± Elrith said as he recalled Raea¡¯s words about Justitia being her friend. ¡°I thought being relaxed and carefree was standard for your army.¡± Michael snorted. ¡°Are we really going to start arguing right now?¡± he asked. ¡°We are supposed to be working together.¡± Moments later, bustling near the front of the army caught their attention, and they turned their heads to see a group of angels carrying a hobgoblin. It was spewing profanities while squirming in the angels¡¯ grasps. ¡°Do you want to show us how it¡¯s done?¡± Elrith asked Palan as the angels forced the goblin to kneel in front of the generals. ¡°That¡¯ll cost you extra,¡± Palan said, making no move to step forward. ¡°You just asked for an idea. Don¡¯t forget to promote Raea once you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s a pride demon and not a greed one?¡± Michael asked Raea. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened. He spoke before Raea could open her mouth. ¡°He¡¯s a pride demon? What the hell?¡± ¡°You ¡­ didn¡¯t know?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No one ever told me,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Dad just said you contracted a demon.¡± ¡°You said you wanted what¡¯s best for me, and you didn¡¯t even know Palan was a pride demon?¡± Raea asked. Her hands clenched by her side. ¡°To be fair, I was more worried about how to change you back,¡± Elrith said. ¡°A demon is a demon. They can all be dealt with in the same manner.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you,¡± Raea said. ¡°I¡ªugh, never mind. You wouldn¡¯t get it.¡± She exhaled audibly through her nose and turned around, pulling Palan with her. He frowned but followed after her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop her, General?¡± Justitia asked Elrith. Elrith shook his head. ¡°When she¡¯s free of him, she¡¯ll understand what I was trying to do for her,¡± he said. ¡°There are more pressing matters to deal with.¡± He turned his gaze toward the kneeling goblin. ¡°I don¡¯t approve of torture, but I¡¯m willing to if it brings peace to the capital.¡± The goblin growled at Elrith and tried to spit in his face, but he was hit over the back of the head by one of the angels holding him down. Justitia wrinkled her nose and left the scene, following after Palan and Raea. She walked behind them and climbed up a storage chest after them. ¡°You really like sitting up here, huh?¡± she asked as a wry smile appeared on her lips. ¡°Cleo picked it,¡± Raea said and sighed as she lay down and stared up at the sky. ¡°She likes being around storage chests, I guess.¡± Cleo smiled, her pointed teeth glinting in the sun. ¡°You know your brother is a bit of an ass?¡± Justitia asked. ¡°Just a bit?¡± Raea asked. ¡°He only cares about my health. He doesn¡¯t care about how I feel at all. I think he¡¯d lock me up in a tower and say it was for my own good if he could.¡± Justitia chuckled. ¡°He just doesn¡¯t want to see you get hurt,¡± she said. ¡°But I understand how you feel. My parents kept pushing me to be charitable and chaste. You can see how that turned out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not chaste?¡± Raea asked. Her face turned a deeper shade of red as she looked at Palan. He was watching Elrith and Michael interrogate the goblin. ¡°Hey,¡± Justitia said. ¡°This is supposed to be about you, not me. I¡ª¡° ¡°I¡¯m chaste!¡± Raea said. Justitia blinked. ¡°I, uh, never said you weren¡¯t,¡± she said. Raea lowered her head and bit her lip. After a moment of silence, Justitia spoke up, ¡°You just seemed to resemble me a bit when I was younger. My parents didn¡¯t want me to join the army, but here I am. I haven¡¯t seen them in years, but I don¡¯t really miss them too much. It¡¯s funny how everything works out in the end.¡± ¡°You think everything will be fine?¡± Raea asked and raised her head. Justitia smiled. ¡°Stop!¡± Cleo said to Justitia before she could speak. ¡°Don¡¯t jinx her by saying something like ¡®I know so¡¯ or ¡®of course.¡¯¡± ¡°Alright, Cleo the Magnificent,¡± Justitia said and laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t. Take care of yourself Raea. I can feel General Michael sending glares my way, so I better be off now.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said. ¡°Anytime,¡± Justitia said as she climbed off the storage chest. She turned her head towards Palan and opened her mouth. After a moment of hesitation she closed it again. ¡°Hey,¡± Palan said when Justitia reached the ground. ¡°Ask them why they didn¡¯t just walk outside of the zone of charity and use Michael¡¯s powers to obtain the information. Isn¡¯t that what they did last time?¡± Justitia furrowed her brow. ¡°If you knew they could do that, why didn¡¯t you inform them?¡± she asked. ¡°I wanted to see the extent of their narrowmindedness,¡± Palan said. ¡°It¡¯s really interesting to watch. Like they¡¯re constrained to a certain line of thinking and can¡¯t make decisions for themselves.¡± He turned towards Raea. ¡°Kind of like you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I am not narrow-minded.¡± Palan grunted. She turned towards Cleo. ¡°Am I?¡± The lizardman scratched her head and shrugged. Raea sighed. Chapter 126 Palan watched as Justitia walked over to Michael and Elrith. She spoke with them, and moments later, the two generals stared blankly at each other before leading the goblin towards the outer edge of the camp, away from Solra¡¯s influence. ¡°So they really didn¡¯t think of it at all,¡± Palan said and snorted. Raea frowned as she walked over to his side to watch. ¡°Their creative problem solving skills are lacking,¡± Cleo said and tutted. ¡°I think we are just too dependent on our powers,¡± Raea said. ¡°Angels used them for centuries. Having them suddenly taken away is like taking away our tongues and telling us to talk.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there plenty of angels without powers?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Like Gerome or Carmella. Or those common soldiers that were under Ishim¡¯s command.¡± ¡°Well, yes,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°But you don¡¯t see any of them in the capital.¡± ¡°Something¡¯s seriously wrong with your heads,¡± Palan said. ¡°There¡¯s so much potential here, but you¡¯re handicapping yourselves. I don¡¯t get it. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m from Eljiam where power means everything. If you can gather a hundred demons under your command, then you¡¯d be unstoppable in Eljiam, but it¡¯s near impossible to do that. And here you are in Div¡¯Nya, throwing your people away.¡± He wrinkled his nose. ¡°I don¡¯t think angels pursue power,¡± Raea said. ¡°We are just following the wishes of the Creator. At least that¡¯s how it¡¯s portrayed in the books we have in the capital. Sadly, reality seems to be a lot different from what I expected it to be.¡± ¡°Your creator sounds like a terrible person,¡± Palan said. He recalled the unwanted changes made to his contract. ¡°And a nosy asshole.¡± ¡°That¡¯s blasphemy, you know?¡± Raea asked. ¡°You could be executed for saying those words in public.¡± ¡°The hell?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. He turned towards Cleo. ¡°You¡¯re witnessing this, right?¡± Cleo scratched her head and shifted her lips to one side. ¡°Hmm.¡± She stroked her chin. ¡°Us lizardmen have a god too. Its name is Elbegon. We don¡¯t really talk badly of it either.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t the demons have gods too?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I faintly recall reading or hearing about them in fairytales.¡± ¡°What¡¯d they say?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Well, the tale was mostly focused on the Creator and how he created our pure world. He banished the demon gods and created a separate world for them, which is why we don¡¯t have any sins,¡± Raea said and looked down. ¡°Some of us, at least.¡± ¡°When in reality, the reason no one sinned was because they executed the sinners or exiled them from the capital,¡± Palan said. ¡°Does that about sum it up?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Yes. Yes, it does,¡± Raea said. Her lips were pressed together in a tight smile. ¡°I thought about it a lot during the days leading up to my trial. I still think about it a lot now.¡± Her voice quavered, and she took a deep breath. ¡°Am I the imperfect one for having sins? But didn¡¯t the Creator make me who I am? Is the Creator the imperfect one? I¡ª¡° ¡°Blasphemy!¡± Cleo said and quickly covered her mouth. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Raea knit her brow. ¡°Oh, it looks like Elly¡¯s done,¡± she said and sniffed. She turned towards Palan. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t know you were a pride demon.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t use my powers while fighting him,¡± he said. ¡°The less information you provide about yourself, the safer you¡¯ll be.¡± He glanced at Raea. ¡°You should keep that in mind. Withholding information shouldn¡¯t really count as lying.¡± ¡°But if I my withholding of information purposely leads them to a false conclusion, it still counts as deceit,¡± Raea said. ¡°Then just keep your mouth shut,¡± Palan said and snorted. He grunted as Elrith and Michael began walking towards the storage chest. The army was beginning to set up their camp again. ¡°Well?¡± Palan asked when the two generals arrived. ¡°It worked,¡± Elrith said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to attribute the findings to Raea so she can be promoted.¡± He glanced at his sister. She had turned around and was sitting with her back towards the two generals. Elrith sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure this will make Mom and Dad happy, Ray. You know it took me close to a year for my first promotion. There¡¯ll be another general from the Caelums before you know it.¡± ¡°And now I understand why the army is so incompetent,¡± Palan said to Cleo. Cleo grunted. ¡°Imagine Raea as a general. She¡¯d be too nice,¡± she said and placed her claw on Raea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m being insulted and complimented at the same time,¡± Raea said and buried her head in her hands. ¡°Why do you two always do this to me?¡± She sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°We have to praise you, but at the same time, we have to keep your ego in check.¡± ¡°What about his ego?¡± Raea asked and pointed at Palan. ¡°Mm, well you see, some people are born specialer than others,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°Besides. He can eat me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think specialer¡¯s a word,¡± Raea said. Cleo shrugged. ¡°See why we have to keep your ego in check?¡± ¡°Did you hear what I said, Ray?¡± Elrith asked. Raea recalled Palan¡¯s earlier words and stayed silent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have tried to be more accepting of your de ¡­ Palan instead of thinking of ways to remove him. I shouldn¡¯t have sent that letter to Mom and Dad. I didn¡¯t know what to do, but I had to do something because I¡¯m your big brother. I realize now that I didn¡¯t consider your feelings. Do you think you can forgive me?¡± Raea blinked. Her eyes were hot. She turned around and peered over the edge of the storage chest to make eye contact with Elrith. ¡°It¡¯s not fair to ask an angel of patience if she can forgive you,¡± she said. ¡°You already know¡±¡ªshe paused and sniffed¡ª¡°what the answer is going to be.¡± Danger Noodle snuck behind Raea and shoved her off the storage chest. She yelped as the platform disappeared from beneath her feet. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened as he opened his arms, preparing to catch Raea. She landed in his embrace, causing them to both tumble to the ground. Elrith gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot heavier since I last carried you,¡± he said and smiled. He glanced at Palan, but the demon suddenly seemed preoccupied with tickling the orange lizardman by his side. ¡°I know I was wrong, Ray. You¡¯re nearly an adult now, and it¡¯s about time I started to treat you like one.¡± Raea nodded and climbed off of Elrith. She dusted off her greaves. ¡°I forgive you,¡± Raea said and extended her hand towards Elrith. He grabbed it and pulled himself up. The two smiled at each other. A cannon went off. Chapter 127 A booming noise echoed through the camp, and a few angels let out shouts. Elrith released Raea¡¯s hand and turned around. He saw a wisp of smoke streaming out of the entrance to the tunnels and a row of cannons pointed at the camp. A group of goblins were holding burning torches and lowered the flames to the cannons. More booming echoes resounded as cannonballs flew towards the angels. The majority of the cannonballs missed, but a couple landed in the camps, crushing a few unlucky people. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Michael asked as he and Elrith sprinted towards the head of the army. Raea was instantly forgotten as she stood there with her mouth open, gazing at the wounded angels. She wanted to help them, but she knew she couldn¡¯t use her healing abilities. Palan slid off the storage chest and stood beside her, frowning at the cannons in the distance. ¡°What are those?¡± he asked. Raea shook her head in reply. Another salvo of cannon fire rained down on the army. Elrith had them spread out their formations to avoid being struck. Elrith glanced at Michael. ¡°What do we do, old man?¡± he shouted. ¡°You¡¯re more experienced than I am.¡± ¡°Now you acknowledge that!?¡± Michael shouted back. He knew Elrith didn¡¯t want to take the blame if something went wrong, but that was fine. Michael was planning on retiring soon. ¡°Retreat! Everyone fall back!¡± The angels picked up their dead and fell back towards the burnt trees in the distance, the demons shielding them from cannonballs. The goblins jeered and made a commotion at the cannons as the angels retreated. Cleo, Palan, and Raea were the first ones to reach the trees, riding on the storage chest as the elephant pulled it away. ¡°Your army sucks,¡± Palan said to Raea. ¡°It¡¯s not my army,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°And they do not suck. The goblins just brought out something we¡¯ve never seen before.¡± The rest of the army caught up, and Raea climbed down from the storage chest. They had left the zone of charity and the injured could be tended to. Raea pushed her way through towards the section of the army where the wounded were gathered. Her face paled and a lump formed in her throat. Dozens of angels lay on the ground with missing limbs. A few of the angels were clearly already dead but had been carried out anyway. The other angels of kindness were working on the angels with the serious injuries. Raea saw Carmella sitting on the ground with a blackened eye. She half-jogged half-walked towards the injured angel and squatted in front of her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Raea asked.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Yeah,¡± Carmella said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Gerome though.¡± She bit her lip and glanced at Gerome who was lying next to her. One of his legs were missing, and an angel was hovering over him with a white glow in her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of your eye,¡± Raea said as her hands glowed white. She placed it on her friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Where¡¯s Owen?¡± ¡°I saw him walking around earlier,¡± Carmella said. The lump around her face began to shrink and turn from black to red. ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Did you get hit by one of those projectiles?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it only gave you a black eye.¡± ¡°No,¡± Carmella said. ¡°I was hit in the face by Gerome¡¯s leg after it was blown off. And that guy said he¡¯d never hurt me. What a liar.¡± Raea paled and bit her lip. Carmella frowned. ¡°It was a joke. The part about never hurting me, not the leg part. That happened.¡± ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re well enough to joke around,¡± Raea said and sighed as she withdrew her hand. Carmella¡¯s face had returned to normal. Raea stood up, but fell over when the ground started to tremble. Walls of earth rose out of the ground, slanting away from them with staircases forming alongside them. Raea raised her head and stared blankly at the walls that were still growing. Palan appeared by her side. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s your brother¡¯s doing,¡± Palan said. Spikes began to grow out of the tops of the walls. He guessed there were more spikes on the other side of the wall judging by the rumbling noise. Raea glanced to the side and saw Elrith standing on top of a pillar of earth at the center of the camp, his arms raised and eyes closed. ¡°And now I know how you angels never lost. This just isn¡¯t fair at all.¡± The rumbling stopped. Elrith had created a fortified fortress in less than ten minutes. Parts of the pillar that Elrith was standing on fell away as a spiral staircase was formed. The top of the pillar ballooned outwards to form a platform. Elrith walked down the staircase of the makeshift watchtower and crossed his arms over his chest. His brow was covered in perspiration. He said three words, ¡°Set up camp.¡± He marched past the army and ordered a goblin slave to prepare a tent. A tremor ran through his legs, but he bit the inside of his mouth to suppress it. The soldiers began to go to the storage chests to lay down their own tents. After the goblin finished, Elrith went inside and, once he was out of view, promptly collapsed onto the floor. Michael opened the flap to Elrith¡¯s tent but closed it after he saw the young general¡¯s condition. He sighed as he made a lizardman fetch him a pigeon and supplies to write a letter. Inside his designated tent, he lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. The pigeon cooed in his ear, causing him to sit up. He picked up a piece of charcoal and began to write. He wrote about Raea¡¯s contribution to finding out about the dwarves, leaving out some details about his lack of common sense, and the new invention that seemed like an improved version of a trebuchet that could target individuals. He wrote about the current situation of the army and asked for further orders before sealing the letter with wax and tying it to the pigeon¡¯s leg. He opened the tent flap and the pigeon flew out. Michael sighed as the second sun began to set. He watched the soldiers bantering and eating alongside each other. A few were grieving, picking at their food. He felt old. Chapter 128 Later that night, Elrith regained consciousness and sat up. His body was sore, but he stretched out his limbs anyway and stood up, picking up his shield before exiting the tent. The camp was quiet. He could see a group of angels on top of the watchtower he erected, using powers of humility to summon a windstorm around the fortress. If their powers stopped, it meant Solra¡¯s army was approaching. Elrith nodded in approval before making his way to Michael¡¯s tent. ¡°Finally awake?¡± Michael¡¯s voice greeted him when he walked inside. The old general sat up. ¡°I already sent a letter to the capital.¡± Elrith grunted as he sat down on a cushion. ¡°Those tubes. Have you figured out how they work? I¡¯m thinking they¡¯re an upgraded trebuchet: smaller, compact, easier to transport. Their rate of fire seemed faster too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my assessment as well,¡± Michael said. ¡°Must be an invention of the dwarves. It seems like they didn¡¯t go extinct and went into hiding instead. They had close to a century to proliferate and create weapons to get revenge on us angels. I wouldn¡¯t put it past the dwarves to create incendiary projectiles for those tubes as well. If they shot flaming projectiles over the checkpoint walls and burned our farms¡­¡± Michael grimaced. Elrith knit his brow. ¡°Unless Solra himself is at the wall, the guardians could take care of them,¡± he said. ¡°A few lightning strikes or boulders should do the trick.¡± He sighed. ¡°This whole thing is a lot bigger than what I expected when you told me you needed help. If I had known it would be like this, I would¡¯ve refused and passed the job on to Akurel instead.¡± Michael snorted. ¡°Your army is much more suited to fighting like this anyway,¡± he said. ¡°Akurel¡¯s cavalry wouldn¡¯t fare too well in the forests or tunnels. Your heavy infantry was definitely a better choice, and Pyre knew that.¡± Michael frowned and wrung his hands together. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he just disappeared like that. That¡¯s not like him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget my attendant went missing as well. She may have been old, but she was very effective at her job. Replacing her doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Michael nodded. Elrith smirked. ¡°Shall we have a drink?¡± ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡± Michael asked and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°An old fuddy-duddy,¡± Elrith said and sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯re an archangel of temperance and all, but you can¡¯t just hold everything in. You need to unwind sometime.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Michael said. ¡°What kind of Stormbringer would I be if I can¡¯t even use my lightning?¡± ¡°A terrible one,¡± Elrith said. ¡°But you already can¡¯t use your wind and lightning concurrently anymore, right?¡± Michael¡¯s eyes narrowed. Elrith¡¯s lips twisted into a wry smile. ¡°So even a legend can¡¯t win against time. Makes you wonder how Solra¡¯s able to maintain his zone of charity for so long. You¡¯d think his manapool would¡¯ve diminished to nothing by now.¡± Elrith sighed and took his shield off his back. He tapped on it a few times and a secret compartment opened. A small flask no bigger than his palm fell out. He unscrewed the top and downed the liquid in one gulp.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°You¡¯re really going to drink in front of me?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Nope. I already did,¡± Elrith said and put away the flask. ¡°What kind of general are you?¡± Michael asked and wrinkled his nose. ¡°You know alcohol is forbidden, right? I¡¯m not going to tell anyone, but I greatly disapprove of your actions.¡± ¡°It was water. Calm down,¡± Elrith said. ¡°It¡¯s my litmus test for finding people I can trust.¡± Michael frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªyou barely passed.¡± Michael stayed silent as Elrith closed the compartment in his shield. It was a tiny bulge near one of the handles. ¡°I assume that means you want to tell me something?¡± Michael asked. Elrith crossed his legs. ¡°Has there ever been a time where your virtues just flew out the window? Like, something happened and you abandoned your principles,¡± he said slowly as if struggling to find the right words. ¡°You just forgot everything you knew and ¡­ embraced the other side?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve sinned?¡± Michael asked. His face darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elrith said and shook his head. ¡°But has that ever happened to you?¡± Michael frowned. ¡°One time,¡± he said and closed his mouth. Elrith waited. ¡°When I was first promoted to the council. I felt a feeling I never had before in my life. Pride.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still using humility just fine?¡± Elrith asked when it seemed like Michael wouldn¡¯t say anything else. Michael nodded. ¡°I think it made me more humble in the end,¡± he said. ¡°Knowing what is on the other side of the spectrum allows you to appreciate what you have even more. As long as you fully commit to virtues after experiencing sin, then I think it¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing.¡± He hummed and rubbed his chin. ¡°The Creator created sin for a reason. I think that reason is to make us stronger in our virtues. If pride did not exist, then everyone would be humble. No one could be more humble than others ¡­ I guess?¡± Elrith looked down, his face deep in thought. After a moment, he raised his head. ¡°I think I understand what you mean,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s not always easy to let go of a sin after experiencing it, huh?¡± His lips contorted into a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s not. That¡¯s why we have fallen angels,¡± Michael said, ¡°the ones who gave up their virtues for sins.¡± He paused and gazed into Elrith¡¯s eyes. ¡°What are you struggling with?¡± Elrith scratched his cheek. ¡°Do you know how I became a general at such a young age?¡± ¡°Your meteoric rise was due to your merits in conquest,¡± Michael said. ¡°Even I know you established over eighty outposts in the northern region.¡± Elrith nodded. ¡°That was part of it,¡± he said. ¡°But the main reason was ¡­ I never lost a single soldier while doing it.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes widened. Elrith smiled that smile that wasn¡¯t really a smile. ¡°It¡¯s true, old man. There are plenty of angels who could establish outposts in the same timeframe as me. My casualty rate was the real reason.¡± Michael nodded. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And then I came here,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Ambushes are nothing new to me, but not knowing about Solra? That was fatal. No one had ever died under my command before, and then ten percent of my army was killed in a span of twenty minutes? If Solra¡¯s power hadn¡¯t been suppressing me, I would¡¯ve been shooting out black flames. I had never felt so overwhelmed in my life. The wrath just took over, biting at my chest. Setting me on fire. I couldn¡¯t think straight. My vision was red. Every muscle in my body wanted to tear Solra¡¯s body to pieces. I¡¯m still irritable even now.¡± He clenched his hands and gritted his teeth. ¡°I let my men down.¡± Michael sighed and lay down. He stared up at the ceiling. ¡°Do you still feel anger towards Solra?¡± he asked. ¡°I do. Just hearing his name makes my skin itch.¡± A trail of blood flowed from Elrith¡¯s closed hand and dripped to the floor. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive him you know. If you¡¯re able to forgive him for what he¡¯s done¡­¡± Michael¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± Chapter 129 Palan sat on top of a blanket, his back glowing with a blue light, with Cleo curled up by his feet. Underneath him, Raea was sleeping with her face buried in the pillow. He wasn¡¯t sure how she was able to breathe. She stirred and turned over onto her side, mumbling something incoherent. Moments later, her body spasmed and her eyes shot open as she gasped. She sat up and frowned while blinking her eyes. The room was still dark, lit only by the blue glow coming off the duo¡¯s bodies. Raea brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her knees while smoothing out her hair with her hand. She stared at Palan. His eyes were wide open and roaming around while he was meditating. It only took a short while for his gaze to land on her. The blue light began to dim. ¡°What?¡± Palan asked. His tail yawned. ¡°Isn¡¯t this where you¡¯re supposed to ask if I had a bad dream?¡± Raea asked and pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t ask questions I already know the answer to,¡± Palan said and rolled Cleo off his feet. ¡°Well, at least ask for the contents,¡± Raea said. ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable,¡± Palan said and shook his head before pulling out a loose tooth. He dropped it into Cleo¡¯s bag. ¡°If you want to tell me, then just tell me. I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll be listening.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms across her shins. ¡°I think I dreamed about the ¡­ Creator.¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond; instead, the blue light on his back began to glow brighter as he resumed his meditation. Raea frowned but continued speaking. ¡°The Creator told me you had bigger plans than just reuniting with your sister ¡­ and some other things that I don¡¯t remember.¡± Raea waited. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± Palan said. ¡°The Creator said he visited you too,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°I don¡¯t have dreams,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°But ¡­ the Creator told me you saw him too,¡± Raea scratched her head. ¡°Once again, stop being unreasonable,¡± Palan said. Raea pouted. ¡°Look me in the eyes and promise me that all you want to do is reunite with your sister,¡± she said. ¡°I want you to swear on your pride that it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°If I do this, will you stop bothering me?¡± Palan asked. Cleo stirred in her sleep and grumbled. Raea nodded and stared into his eyes. ¡°The only thing I want to do is reunite with my sister. I¡¯ll do that at any cost.¡± Raea knit her brow, and Palan¡¯s tail pressed its head against her forehead before she could speak, pushing her onto her back. ¡°Now go back to sleep.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Raea extended her legs and pulled the blanket up to her chin. She sighed. The dream seemed really realistic. She had found herself floating in a white space. A golden ball of light had appeared in front of her claiming to be the Creator. It had told her of many things regarding Palan. She was sure it had also mentioned future plans for her, but no matter how hard she tried to remember, the words wouldn¡¯t come back. After a decent chunk of time passed, Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Palan?¡± she asked. She heard a sigh. ¡°Those demons in the hunting party all died, right?¡± Palan shrugged even though Raea was still staring up at the ceiling. ¡°They were taken by the centaurs,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re not lying?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Would I lie to you?¡± Palan asked in return. ¡°Well, if I¡¯m speaking truthfully¡­¡± Raea said and raised her head to look at Palan. He wasn¡¯t looking at her. ¡°I used to think that you wouldn¡¯t. But now I¡¯m not so sure anymore.¡± ¡°Did your dream tell you this too?¡± Palan asked and rolled his eyes. ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll do something stupid or impulsive,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°Like that time you didn¡¯t tell me Elly was heading towards the enemy camp until after we got back.¡± ¡°You got smarter,¡± Palan said. ¡°Must be my wisdom that¡¯s affecting you.¡± ¡°So you were lying about them being taken by centaurs?¡± Raea asked. Cleo sat up and blinked her eyes. She looked around the dark room and frowned. ¡°No,¡± Palan said. His expression didn¡¯t change at all. Raea pursed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like this, but I have to be absolutely sure,¡± she said and looked down. ¡°From now on, I forbid you from ever lying to me. And I promise that I will never lie to you in return. That¡¯s fair, right?¡± She raised her head and saw Palan glaring at her. A shiver ran down her spine, and she quickly sat up. Images of him lunging for her throat during their training session appeared in her head. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were partially curled, revealing his teeth. ¡°I-isn¡¯t this perfectly reasonable?¡± Raea asked and inched backwards. She took in a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re tied together by life and death. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you ¡­ but you¡¯re not the only one who has to worry about your partner dying. We shouldn¡¯t be keeping secrets from each other.¡± Palan ground his teeth together. The blue light from his meditation had completely disappeared. Cleo shivered and slowly inched to the far corner of the tent before curling up into a ball. ¡°We,¡± Raea said and clenched her hands to stop her voice from trembling, ¡°are equals. We should be working together. You don¡¯t have to treat me as a child. You know I¡¯m strong. You said it yourself.¡± She bit her lip and met Palan¡¯s gaze. Her face burned, and her scalp tingled. A layer of moisture formed a thin layer over her eyes, blurring her vision. Palan sighed and turned his head away. Raea grabbed the corner of her blanket and dabbed it to her eyes, clearing her vision. ¡°Say something. Please.¡± ¡°So you want to know the truth?¡± Palan asked and smiled at her. She shivered. His eyes were dull, which made the smile unsettling. Raea tightened her grip on her blanket. She nodded. ¡°Well too bad,¡± Palan said and stood up. He turned around, plugged his ears, and walked outside of the tent. Raea stared blankly at the closing tent flap. A scrambling noise caught her attention, and she turned her head to the side. Cleo tackled her. ¡°You should¡¯ve asked him if he loved you too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked. The words took a moment to register, but after they did, Raea¡¯s face flushed crimson. She pinched Cleo¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Stop saying things like that.¡± Cleo whined and tried to pry Raea¡¯s hands off, but the angel was too strong. Chapter 130 Selena stood over a twenty-meter deep hole in the ground. She wore a simple brown robe with no pockets. Her silver hair was matted and disheveled. Most of it was hidden underneath her robe. She let out a sigh and wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve. She gazed down the hole and wondered why she was doing this. She had ridden a horse for over twenty hours and ended up in the middle of nowhere digging holes in the ground. As one of the respected teachers at Hailing Academy, she had volunteered to come to the borderlands when the capital asked for angels of diligence, hoping she¡¯d be able to see her brother and sister who were sent out here: one as a general, one as a sinner. The first rays of sunlight were beginning to peek over the treetops. Behind her, the wall to the checkpoint started to shine with a red light as the rays touched its base. A voice reached Selena¡¯s ears causing her to turn her head to the side. ¡°Did you find anything over there?¡± Selena shook her head and frowned at the armored angel who just spoke. He had already directed his attention towards another angel beside him. There were six other angels dressed in brown robes similar to Selena, each manipulating the earth beneath their feet. Selena cracked her neck and raised her arms. The mound of dirt by the entrance of the hole rolled into the pit by her feet, filling it completely. She crouched down and drew an ¡®X¡¯ over the spot before standing and walking ten steps over to the right. Glancing at the bossy angel one more time, she started to dig into the ground. The armored angel walked towards the wall, unequipped the lance on his back, and leaned against the wall, propping his lance up beside him. He glared at the seven angels dressed in brown robes and frowned. Over thirty ¡®X¡¯s decorated the ground beside him in a zigzagging pattern. If Michael were here, he would recognize the angel as the captain who greeted them at the checkpoint. The first sun rose over the treetops and shone in his eyes. He squinted and grumbled as he adjusted the visor on his helmet to block out the light. A yawn escaped from his lips as he rubbed his eyes. Ever since Lieutenant Raea showed up at his checkpoint gate, things had been hectic. She was a Caelum who defended the rights of her demon and halfling. He had refused to let the direwolf she brought along inside and kicked it out, afraid it would eat the chickens they were raising. The lizardman was the only one who complained; her demon had just smiled at him. It had unsettled him, and he avoided the lieutenant for the rest of her stay. Then the Stormbringer arrived. He was still in awe of meeting a living legend, but that admiration had dimmed when the Tyrant followed soon after. More events had happened in that short month than he had experienced in the five years he was stationed here. The captain wet his lips and glanced at the seven angels. They were angels of diligence, so it wasn¡¯t really necessary for him to watch over them. He was here just in case something bad happened. After the Tyrant passed through the gates, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of an impending calamity. Some nights, he would wake up screaming in a cold sweat. Was the rebel army so strong that two generals were needed to stop them? He was woken in the middle of the night yesterday by these seven angels. They had come from the first sector riding their horses into the ground. They had handed him a letter, and now he was here¡ªwatching over them as they dug holes in the ground. He was told another group of angels would be coming shortly to aid them. They were looking for tunnels. Apparently, hundreds of angels were sent to all the gates along the checkpoint. All the patrols were working overtime, in case halflings decided to attack the angels while they were digging. The captain peered into the woods. He had sent his patrols out over four hours ago. Someone should¡¯ve been back by now to give him a report. There was a sinking feeling in his chest. Just three more years, he told himself. Three more years and you can retire.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. *** Palan stomped through the forest, openly challenging any wildlife to come attack him. His tail left behind a wake of destruction, smashing trees to the side for no reason other than because he could. The sun was behind him as he walked. He had no idea where he was going, and he didn¡¯t particularly care. He had been hoping to find something to kill, but the surrounding region was devoid of wildlife due to the fire, so he walked until he reached trees that weren¡¯t dead. He thought back to Raea¡¯s face when she ordered him to stop lying to her. He knew he was being hypocritical, expecting her to always be truthful with him while he deceived her. But he had his reasons. The sounds of metal clanking and crunching leaves caught his attention. Thoughts of Raea disappeared from his mind as his tail coiled around his body. He climbed up a tree, causing the top to slightly dip downwards. He hadn¡¯t really noticed it before, but he had gotten a lot heavier ever since he evolved with his tail weighing as much as a boulder or two. Soon, a group of six angels came into view. Their lances were out and they stood in a triangular formation with their backs touching. ¡°You see anything?¡± one of the angels at the corner of the formation asked. The angel who was in the lead wet his lips as his gaze scanned the surrounding forest. ¡°Lots of fallen trees. It looks like a group of bears were wrestling with each other,¡± he said. His gaze landed on the sagging tree. ¡°Above us!¡± All the angels looked up and saw Palan pouncing towards them. He was dressed in black armor that looked dull in the sunlight. The angel in front raised his lance. It glowed with a blue light and lightning snaked around it. However, Palan ignored the lightning and batted the lance aside with the back of his hand. It barely tingled. The angel stared with wide eyes as the lance flew out of his arms. ¡°G-greater demon!¡± he said. He reached behind his back, but Palan seized him by the throat and used him as a club to stun the other angels. One angel fell out of formation and pulled an orb out of his bag. Blades of wind shot out of it, crashing against Palan¡¯s armor. The metal cracked and was split apart in multiple areas, causing blood to flow down Palan¡¯s body. Palan frowned and threw the angel in his hand towards the orb, knocking it away. From there, it was easy, and the angels were dispatched by Danger Noodle slamming against their heads. Palan crouched by their bodies and tore off one¡¯s armor. He tore out the corpse¡¯s heart and chomped on it. Moments later, he spat it out. ¡°Six regular angels,¡± he said and snorted, wiping the blood off his lips. ¡°They¡¯re still food, you know?¡± His body whirled around. No one was there. He looked up and saw a familiar bundle floating in the air. ¡°Tara,¡± Palan said. How was she always able to sneak up on him? His electromagnetic sense allowed him to feel the heartbeats of nearby creatures, but it never worked on Tara. Like her heart wasn¡¯t beating. ¡°You remembered me,¡± Tara said as the blanket unraveled, revealing the sloth demon. ¡°I noticed you killed Uzziel. It was quite disorienting to lose my sense of smell. But that other thing, did you get what I asked for?¡± Palan reached into his bag and pulled out a lump wrapped in a bloody cloth. It was the heart of the greater demon that died at the hunting party. He tossed it to Tara. It floated in the air and drifted into Tara¡¯s hands. ¡°And as promised, I¡¯ll leave your precious angel alone,¡± she said and smiled at him. ¡°How did you find me?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Coincidence,¡± Tara said. ¡°There¡¯s a large number of patrols going around. Some angels found me sleeping in a cave.¡± ¡°Poor bastards,¡± Palan said. Tara snorted. ¡°Like you have any right to say that,¡± she said and glanced at the dead angels by his feet. ¡°So you¡¯re a greater demon now?¡± She licked her lips. ¡°You want to try getting revenge right now?¡± Palan frowned as he stared at the demon hovering in the air. He raised his hand and tried to use Raea¡¯s chains, but it seemed like he was too far away from Raea. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t feel like fighting today,¡± Tara said and ate the demon heart in her hands. ¡°Bye.¡± She rose higher into the air and flew far towards the north out of Palan¡¯s view. Chapter 131 Palan frowned as he stood over the six dead bodies. If Tara had chosen to fight him, who would have won? He hated to admit it, but she had the advantage because she could fly and attack at range. His brow furrowed as a layer of black light covered his body. He hesitated before jumping into the air. His body soared above the treetops, his ascent gradually slowing, until he was starting to float towards the ground. He counted the seconds, while attempting to maneuver in the air, but he couldn¡¯t. The wind would push him at times, but nothing he did allowed him to move in a direction he wanted. He resigned himself to his fate and glanced at his surroundings. The treetops looked like spears underneath his body. Ahead of himself, he could see the tops of the checkpoint wall. Rows upon rows of crossbows and ballistae decorated the edge of the red metal. He saw ant-like figures dressed in brown digging holes in the ground in front of the wall. One of them seemed to be staring up at him, but he couldn¡¯t be sure due to the distance. Behind himself, he saw a circle of black and brown: The trees were dead. The ground was exposed. A few burnt carcasses littered the forest floor. He shielded his eyes from the sun rays and could barely make out the four buildings that the army was camping in. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he was getting close to a minute in the air. He increased the gravity on his body and plunged towards the ground, letting out a short yell. The wind was knocked out of him as he crashed through a layer of branches before landing on his back. He gasped for breath and stared up at the broken tree. Next time, he¡¯d just stop using his powers instead of increasing it. After a moment of groaning, he sat up and spat out a tooth. He almost expected Cleo to appear out of nowhere to snatch it away. His brow furrowed and he shook himself off, climbing to his feet. It was then that he realized he should¡¯ve embraced his powers a long time ago instead of being too stubborn. He was proud of his body¡¯s newfound strength and thought that was all he needed. His body wouldn¡¯t fail him in a zone of charity. Isn¡¯t that what he told Raea? Palan snorted and punched the already abused tree. The bark on the trunk shattered, causing the treetop to wobble and drop leaves down to the ground. He knew the real reason why he stopped using his powers. Having Raea carry him that one time when he overdrew his mana pool had mortified him. His usage of powers had been sparse ever since that day. Palan shook his head, removing the image of his weakness out of his mind. He ground his teeth to get rid of the bitter taste and took in a deep breath through his nose. What other powers did he have access to? He recalled the virtues and sins Raea had: patience, kindness, envy, greed. If only he knew how to use envy and greed. He should¡¯ve asked that two-faced demon before they parted ways. His forehead tingled. The sound of footsteps crunching over leaves caught his attention, and he whirled around while crouching, ready to pounce at a moment¡¯s notice. A brown-robed figure walked into view. He leapt, knocking the figure to the ground. The figure let out a cry which was cut off when his hand snaked around its throat. Just when he was about to squeeze with all his strength, he froze as his eyes widened. He recognized the face staring up at him. ¡°Raea?¡± *** Selena coughed as the purple demon released her throat. Shivers ran down her spine as the red eyes stared at her. The demon was still sitting on her chest, the shock on his face slowly fading away. His face hardened as a black and red snakehead hovered over her face. ¡°Y-you know my sister?¡± Selena asked. Her palm touched the ground. She could feel the earth beneath her starting to form into spears beneath the surface. Earlier, she thought she saw a purple fish flailing in the air before plunging straight towards the ground. It seemed like she was the only one who saw anything, and she went to investigate. She was confident in her abilities at a greater angel, yet here she was, pinned to the ground by a demon who mistook her for her sister.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°You¡¯re Raea¡¯s sister?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. His face softened again and Danger Noodle moved out of the way. ¡°What¡¯s your last name?¡± ¡°Caelum. My name is Selena Caelum,¡± she said. Tremors ran through her hand as the spears crept closer to the surface. Depending on his next actions, she¡¯d have to strike. ¡°Selena,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. He recalled something Raea had yelled at Elrith before. ¡°Sely?¡± Selena¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is that what she calls you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Selena said and nodded. ¡°You know her? Is she alright?¡± Palan climbed off of Selena and distanced himself from the angel on the ground. ¡°Stay right there, I still don¡¯t trust you yet,¡± he said when she sat up. He frowned and scratched his head. ¡°If I killed you, I wonder if Raea would still be able to forgive me.¡± Selena¡¯s eyes widened, and the earth beneath her feet churned. ¡°Calm down,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I could¡¯ve killed you three separate times already.¡± The earth stopped moving as Selena frowned. ¡°You seem a lot smarter than your brother.¡± He nodded. ¡°Who are you?¡± Selena asked. She narrowed her eyes at Palan. A second later, he winced and growled, charging at her and knocking her over. His hand was once again on her throat, squeezing this time. Her face started to turn blue as she clawed at her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you just tried to do to me, but if you ever try that again, I will tear you apart and feed you to your sister,¡± Palan said as his tail hissed. Selena¡¯s vision started to turn grey, and a dull droning sound reached her ears. Her arms tingled and fell to the side. Right before her vision fully disappeared, it started to regain clarity. She gasped and sat up, eyeing Palan as he took a step back. ¡°I tried to inspect you with my powers of knowledge,¡± she said, deciding it was best to reveal everything. He still looked pissed. ¡°It¡¯s a classifying type of power that allows me to compare you to things I¡¯ve seen before.¡± ¡°And what did you see?¡± Palan asked. His head still hurt from that stare. ¡°Nothing,¡± Selena said. ¡°You¡¯re on the same level as me or higher. Greater demon?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°So you¡¯re an angel of knowledge,¡± he said, thinking of Pyre. ¡°You don¡¯t seem very eccentric to me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°I wonder what I should do with you.¡± ¡°Are you my sister¡¯s contracted demon?¡± Selena asked and pursed her lips. She took a step back when Palan glared at her. ¡°Elrith sent a letter home saying Raea had some snake-like changes due to her demon.¡± Her eyes glanced at Danger Noodle before meeting Palan¡¯s gaze. Crunching sounds echoed through the forest, causing Selena to turn around. She saw the captain of the gate approaching her. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. ¡°You suddenly ran off. Did you find something?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Selena scratched her head and turned around. Palan was gone. ¡°No, I thought I heard something so I came to inspect the area.¡± The captain looked around. ¡°Well, you definitely heard something alright,¡± he said. ¡°Look at this tree. It¡¯s like a bear ran into it without looking. Let¡¯s go back. It¡¯ll bring trouble to me from the capital if you go missing under my watch.¡± Selena nodded and followed after the captain. She took one last glance behind her but didn¡¯t see anyone. She bit her lip. There were so many things she wanted to ask him. She felt a sense of frustration at the captain for interrupting, but she shoved it out of her mind. Chapter 132 The next day, Selena got out of bed at sunrise. The checkpoint provided lodgings for the seven angels of discipline. Her room contained a bed, a night table, a bucket, and a wardrobe with a few cheap woolen robes. She hadn¡¯t brought anything with her; the orders from above were urgent and allowed no free time. She yawned and put on a robe, not bothering with her hair. She walked over to the bucket and splashed some water onto her face before drying herself off with the robe. She frowned as a red liquid escaped from a stain on the robe onto her hands. Was that blood? She narrowed her eyes at the drop on her fingertip and frowned. It was blood. The door to her room creaked when she opened it. The blood could be explained easily as an accident during training, or unsanitary washing, but she still felt uneasy. She closed her door again and changed into a cleaner robe. Selena made her way to the cafeteria, walking past windows that showed the wilderness on one side, and the farmlands on the other. Some soldiers were lounging around, snacking on fruit as they bantered. Evidently, they had stopped training. Nothing had breached the gate since it was created, no thanks to the soldiers. The metal was near impossible to break. Even the windows could withstand a trebuchet shot. Selena placed her hand on the glowing red wall as she walked down the hallway. She had always wanted to know how the metal was manipulated. Powers couldn¡¯t be used on it, and it was harder than the iron weapons they used. Sadly, the method was kept a secret by the council and the specialists they hired. ¡°You¡¯re up early,¡± a voice said. Selena turned around and saw the captain walking towards her. He had walked out of a door that she just passed. She frowned. How did she not notice it opening? ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Selena nodded and did a slight curtsey with her robe. ¡°Good morning, Captain,¡± she said. She didn¡¯t mention the blood on the robe. ¡°You are also up quite early.¡± The captain grunted. ¡°I¡¯ve been having trouble sleeping lately,¡± he said. He ran his hand over the stubble on his jawline as he walked alongside Selena. ¡°These halls are so big¡ªsometimes you hear things that aren¡¯t there.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Like ghosts walking and murmuring. It¡¯s unsettling.¡± ¡°Ghosts are not real,¡± Selena said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°There is no evidence to support their existence. You may be hearing the chattering of mice, or a few goblin slaves walking around at night. I heard one cleaning rooms yesterday.¡± The captain snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you¡¯re a teacher at Hailing,¡± he said. ¡°I mean you no disrespect, but stay here for a while and you¡¯ll have your evidence of ghosts. Mice don¡¯t whisper. Not like that.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°Sometimes, they leave blood on things they touch.¡± Selena rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright,¡± she said and entered the cafeteria. It seemed like the captain was adept at playing practical jokes. Ghosts weren¡¯t real. She couldn¡¯t remember how many times she had to tell that to Raea was she was younger. The meal was a simple one, potatoes and beans with some pork. She polished off her plate and headed outside, ready to start another day of digging. The sooner she found those tunnels and completed her duty, the sooner she could go off to see Raea. She stepped outside the gate and stretched her arms towards the sky, letting the sunlight bathe over her as she closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream when she was yanked off her feet and accelerating with something binding her arms and legs to her body. *** Palan had a feeling Selena would be the first one out of the gate. Raea always woke up extremely early to start the day. He had spent all night watching over the checkpoint, observing the guards. They were extremely relaxed: sleeping on duty, gambling in a corner, drinking when they thought no one was looking. It was no wonder why they were sent to the borderlands. His tail tightened around the squirming angel he was transporting and swallowed her head when she began to scream.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. After traveling for a decent while, Palan released Selena onto the ground. Her body twitched as she opened her mouth and gasped for air. She sputtered and sat up, before wiping saliva off of her eyes. Danger Noodle¡¯s tongue flickered in front of her face, causing her body to tense. ¡°You!¡± Selena said and pointed at Palan. Her face contorted as she debated on whether to attack him with earthen spears or not. ¡°Hi,¡± Palan said. The two stared at each other in silence. ¡°Well?¡± Selena asked and sighed. She wiped the remaining saliva off of her face. ¡°I suppose you had your reasons for kidnapping me. What do you want?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an angel of knowledge, right?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I just wanted to ask a few questions.¡± ¡°You did all the question asking last time,¡± Selena said. A crease formed in her brow. ¡°Is it not my turn to ask you a few questions?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°Then what will it take to earn your trust?¡± Selena asked. ¡°You can start by answering my questions,¡± Palan said and smiled. Selena shuddered at the rows of teeth. Selena sighed. ¡°Fine. What do you want to know?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ll answer to the best of my ability.¡± ¡°Envy,¡± Palan said, ¡°what power does it grant?¡± Selena furrowed her brow. ¡°At its weakest, it grants a poisonous touch to the user. When it gets stronger, the poison can extend beyond the body like a mist,¡± she said and crossed her legs, still sitting on the floor. ¡°The poison is easily treatable with the right medicine if applied early. There have been very few cases of fatalities due to envy.¡± ¡°A poisonous touch, huh?¡± Palan said and smiled. That was right up in his alley. ¡°And greed?¡± Selena wrinkled her nose. ¡°Are you asking for Raea?¡± she asked. Palan stared at her in silence. She sighed. ¡°Greed reinforces the user. The hands become like unstoppable spears that seize what they want. At higher levels, the reinforcement can be applied beyond the hands.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Last question,¡± he said, ¡°what is a standard lust trip?¡± ¡°Where did you hear that term?¡± Selena asked and tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard it before. I assume you¡¯re asking about the abilities of lust?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Palan said. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that. When lust is used on someone, is there a particular person they see?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that has ever been documented properly,¡± Selena said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Mostly out of embarrassment for the test subjects. I would assume the illusion would produce the person you found most arousing to be at its peak effectiveness.¡± Palan smirked. Selena frowned. She had a feeling she just betrayed someone dear to her. ¡°And now it¡¯s my turn to ask you questions?¡± ¡°You can ask, but there¡¯s no guarantee I¡¯ll answer,¡± Palan said. He was still smirking. ¡°Is Raea alright? Where is she?¡± ¡°Raea¡¯s still alive at least,¡± Palan said. He pointed towards the direction of the army. ¡°She¡¯s over in that direction.¡± ¡°And Elrith, how is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an asshole and a bit of a pansy.¡± Selena fell silent with her mouth gaping. After a moment she shook her head. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I was asking. Is he alright?¡± ¡°He¡¯s also alive. Probably,¡± he said. Selena furrowed her brow at him. ¡°He was alive when I last saw him a day or two ago.¡± ¡°I have to finish my duty here at the checkpoint, but can you tell Raea that you saw me?¡± ¡°Sure. I have to tell her my source for the lust information after all,¡± he said and grinned. ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask any more questions?¡± ¡°As long as Raea and Elrith are safe, nothing else really matters,¡± Selena said. ¡°Although I am curious as to why you are here and not by Raea¡¯s side. You know you can be killed on sight for wandering around alone like this?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Killed by what?¡± he asked. Selena raised an eyebrow. ¡°Raea annoyed me, so I needed to take a break from her presence. I think I¡¯ll head back soon.¡± He couldn¡¯t advance in strength as fast without Raea¡¯s mana helping him. Selena nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your name,¡± she said. ¡°Since when do angels ask for demons¡¯ names?¡± Palan asked and laughed. Selena frowned when he turned around and leapt away, floating above the treetops with his body covered in a black glow. She sighed and turned around, heading back to the wall. Rotting flesh assaulted her sense of smell, and she wrinkled her nose. A pile of six corpses lay on the ground. Selena shuddered as she recalled Palan¡¯s earlier words. She knelt beside the corpses and said a prayer before using her powers of diligence to bury them in the ground. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it was extremely bad for her baby sister to associate with that demon. Chapter 133 Raea frowned as she sat up in bed, knocking Cleo over. The orange lizardman was sleeping on the angel¡¯s stomach. Palan had been gone for over two days, and she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something bad had happened to him. ¡°What time is it?¡± Cleo asked and blinked as she rubbed her eyes. ¡°Is Palan back?¡± She glanced around the room and saw that it was still dark. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°Was it my fault? I try to give him his freedom, but sometimes, he just¡­.¡± She furrowed her brow and shook her head as she stood up and put on her armor that was lying in a folded pile in the corner of the tent. She turned towards Cleo who was still bleary-eyed. ¡°Am I in the wrong?¡± ¡°Keeping secrets is bad,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°You should force them all out of him. What am I supposed to gossip about if both of you don¡¯t say anything? It¡¯s definitely his fault for trying to keep secrets from me.¡± She yawned and stood up while scratching at the metal collar on her neck. ¡°Who do you even gossip to?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow as she slipped on her greaves. ¡°Myself, mostly,¡± Cleo said. Her tail swished and wrinkled the floor of the tent. ¡°Where are you going?¡± She followed Raea out of the tent. ¡°I need to do something, or I¡¯ll go crazy,¡± Raea said and took her halberd off her back. ¡°I was thinking of doing basic drills. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve done them. Can you help me pack the tent? I¡¯m not sure how long we¡¯ll be¡ª¡° Raea¡¯s mouth stopped moving as Cleo crouched by the side of the tent and lifted a corner off the ground. The lizardman tugged on her belt and did an awkward hopping motion while crouching. The tent vanished in front of Raea¡¯s eyes. ¡°All done,¡± Cleo said and licked her lips. She blinked at Raea before whirling around. When she saw nothing was there, she tilted her head. ¡°What? Did you see a ghost?¡± ¡°Ghosts aren¡¯t real,¡± Raea said with a deadpan face. ¡°Wait. No. More importantly, what was that? I don¡¯t understand. Just how much space is in that pocket of yours? Can you interact with the objects inside your pocket? Did the tent fold to be smaller?¡± Cleo shrugged. ¡°Trade secret,¡± she said and stuck her tongue out. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to interrogate Palan, not me. I¡¯m just a harmless little lizard.¡± She clasped her hands together and tilted her head to the side while widening her eyes. Raea shook her head and sighed as she started walking towards the border of the camp. Cleo climbed on top of her back. ¡°It¡¯s too dark. How can you see?¡± she asked and rested her chin on Raea¡¯s shoulder. Cleo could usually see at night, but the moon wasn¡¯t out. The angels hadn¡¯t lit fires either, using angels of humility to create a wall of wind as an alarm instead. Raea frowned. She hadn¡¯t consciously noticed, but she had been using relying on her heat vision a lot recently. It was especially useful at night even if she couldn¡¯t see a few objects on the floor. At least she was able to see general outlines of some objects. Her vision had also improved since her transformation, allowing her to see in dimmer conditions. Maybe this was how Palan saw the world. She bit her lip and continued walking, ignoring the biting feeling in her chest when she thought of him. Was she annoyed? Worried? Cleo hit her lightly on the back of the head. ¡°Stop being so Raea-like.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± The duo had arrived in front of the wall of wind. Raea paused and decided it was a good place to start her drills. ¡°You know,¡± Cleo said. ¡°All mopey and insecure and stuff. Unless you¡¯re sad and your heart aches to see him. Then it¡¯s totally okay.¡± She slipped off of Raea¡¯s back and stretched before pulling a blanket out of her waist to protect herself from the chilling night air. ¡°Why do you keep insisting I¡¯m in love with him?¡± Raea asked and planted the butt of her halberd into the ground. ¡°We¡¯re just angel and contracted demon. There¡¯s nothing special between us. I¡¯m helping him, and he¡¯s helping me.¡± ¡°And you sleep in the same bed, share the same bathwater, eat the same food, use the same towels, share the same fire, do the same training,¡± Cleo said, counting the items with her fingers, ¡°the list goes on and on.¡± ¡°When you put it that way¡­,¡± Raea mumbled and furrowed her brow. ¡°No! That¡¯s just perfectly natural for angels and demons to do. Our well-beings are tied together. Doesn¡¯t it make sense to do everything with each other? If either of us is under threat, we can help each other before something happens.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± ¡°Yup. Of course.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not natural for an angel and demon to fall in love with each other.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Cleo¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Stop bullying me, please.¡± Raea sighed and lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Cleo said and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m agreeing with everything you¡¯re saying. How could I possibly be a bully?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the way that you¡¯re agreeing with me that is the issue,¡± Raea said and raised her halberd. She shook her head and started to do some basic swings. ¡°I think you¡¯re just being sensitive because you know I¡¯m right,¡± Cleo said and nodded. She yawned and looked up at the stars in the sky while lying down on the grass. She frowned. ¡°Hey. Is it just me, or are the stars blinking?¡± ¡°Blinking?¡± Raea asked and raised her head. She squinted her eyes. Her heat vision only extended a couple of meters away, so she held her breath to get rid of it. The stars seemed to wink in and out of existence. At first, she thought it was due to the wall of wind surrounding the camp in a dome-like manner, but she realized it shouldn¡¯t pick up that many objects to blot out the skies. ¡°Is something flying above us?¡± A bolt of blue lightning rained down from the sky and struck the top of the watchtower that Elrith had erected. The angels of humility didn¡¯t even scream as they collapsed, their bodies twitching. The wall of wind vanished. Lightning began to fall like rain, striking the tents in the camp and setting them on fire. The angels¡¯ response was swift and a massive blade of wind that was visible to the naked eye returned fire from the ground, screeching through the air and drowning out all other sounds. Raea stared in shock at the scene while Cleo stood up and walked over to her side, dragging the blanket with her. The lightning hadn¡¯t reached outside of the camp. Raea let out a yell as a bisected harpy fell to the ground in two pieces in front of her, holding a dim purple orb in its talons. The lightning stopped, but her ears were still ringing and splotches obscured her vision, making it even more difficult to see. For ten seconds, the night had been as bright as day. Raea picked Cleo up, who was looting the harpy, and rushed back towards the camp which was now bustling with commotion. Chapter 134 Angels were busy putting out the tent fires, using some unsalvageable ones to kindle a few bonfires. The army had chosen to leave the camp completely dark for the night so the halfings didn¡¯t have a brightly lit target to shoot at with their cannons. Raea rushed through the camp, healing the angels and halflings that were struck by lightning or burned by fire along the way. She wanted to make sure Elrith was alright. Her stomach churned every time she passed over a dead harpy or their limbs which were scattered on the ground, leaving behind bloody puddles. Raea found Elrith looking for her near the empty spot Cleo left behind after storing the tent. ¡°Raea!¡± Elrith said and hugged her, squishing Cleo who was held in Raea¡¯s arms. ¡°Thank the Creator. I thought something happened to you. When I saw your tent missing¡­.¡± Raea pat Elrith¡¯s back. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re safe,¡± she said and pulled away. ¡°But what was that? How do the harpies have orbs?¡± ¡°I think I know.¡± Michael stood behind them with his expression dark. ¡°Solra got his hands on Pyre. That¡¯s the only explanation for this. All the orbs are carefully regulated and accounted for. There¡¯s no way we lost this many to the halflings over the years.¡± ¡°That blindfolded old man can craft orbs?¡± Elrith asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°Aren¡¯t they extremely hard to make? Where could they have gotten the materials for this? You saw the number of harpies yourself. Every single one of them had an orb.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to understand everything to know I¡¯m right,¡± Michael said. ¡°Pyre is a Khondra; of course he¡¯d know how to make the orbs. Solra¡¯s army suddenly has access to large numbers of orbs. They would have ambushed my army when I first got here if they had them earlier. I can¡¯t even imagine what kind of torture Solra is putting him through. Pyre is an angel of self-sacrifice¡ªhe¡¯d die before helping our enemies.¡± ¡°Are you a moron?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Why would you ever bring someone with as much knowledge as Pyre to a battlefield? Did you even consider the consequences of what would happen if he was caught?¡± ¡°No,¡± Michael said and crossed his arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Solra would be here. I accept all responsibility for what has happened and what is to come.¡± Elrith snorted before looking away. ¡°How many people did we lose?¡± he asked with a slight tremor. The fire in his voice died down. Michael¡¯s expression softened when he recalled the talk he had with the young general. ¡°We lost the angels on the watchtower,¡± he said. ¡°And there were a few slaves who were sleeping outside without the tents.¡± He sighed. ¡°The biggest loss is to our morale. We were forced to retreat due to unknown weapons, and now our army can¡¯t even sleep properly. Adding on the fact that our own powers were used against us ¡­ I think we should retreat. Pull all the way back to the checkpoint and wait for orders from the capital. I had one of my men send a messenger pigeon informing the council about the orbs.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯ll trust your judgment,¡± Elrith said, completely ignoring the fact he called the older general a moron a few seconds ago. ¡°I¡¯ve never been on the losing side of an encounter before. So this is what it feels like, huh?¡± Michael nodded. ¡°Like your virtues and sins,¡± he said and placed his hand on Elrith¡¯s shoulder, ¡°you have to know what it feels like to lose to truly know what it means to win.¡± Elrith nodded at Michael and straightened his back. Raea and Cleo looked at each other. Cleo frowned and pulled a Palan-teeth necklace out of her bag. She handed it to Raea. ¡°Here,¡± she said. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow. She reached out to grab the necklace by the thread holding it together. ¡°Nothing,¡± Cleo said and quickly put the necklace away before Raea could take it. She shuddered, causing her scales to ripple. ¡°Ugh. Stealing feels so much better than giving.¡± She nodded to herself, taking Michael¡¯s words to heart. Raea made a strange expression as she looked at the orange lizardman in her arms. She sighed and raised her head. ¡°Um. Are we retreating right now?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Like, right now right now?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Michael asked, turning his head to look at Raea. ¡°Err, Palan¡¯s not back yet¡­,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. Her eyes shifted towards Elrith, asking for help. ¡°What do you mean not back?¡± Elrith asked. He tried to look intimidating, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to face his sister that way. Instead, he looked constipated. ¡°He, uh, went out for a bit,¡± Raea said. Her voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°Like two days.¡± She lowered her head and peeked at Elrith through the hair that fell over her face. ¡°He said he¡¯d be going away for two days?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s been gone for two days, and I have no idea when he¡¯ll be back.¡± She pursed her lips and stared at the floor. ¡°Ray,¡± Elrith said and exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to say to that. I¡ª¡° ¡°Then I¡¯ll say it,¡± Michael said, his voice hard. ¡°What were you thinking when you let him get away? I knew he was problematic the second I laid my eyes on him. That¡¯s why I struck him down to teach him his place. But you ¡­ do you even understand the consequences of him roaming free? He¡¯ll be attacked on sight. If he dies, what happens to you? You have a reputation as a Caelum to maintain. Do you think the capital would approve of someone who can¡¯t even control a contracted demon? What if he attacks someone? What if he kills someone? Can you shoulder that responsibility? If he killed a child¡ª¡° ¡°He wouldn¡¯t!¡± Raea shouted. There were tears in her eyes. ¡°Palan¡¯s not a good person; I know that! He¡¯s an asshole, and he¡¯s a bully. He can be a bit mean at times, but that¡¯s just his defense mechanism. Yes, sometimes I feel he¡¯s insecure about himself and takes it out on me, but he would never hurt a child. Never.¡± She lifted the stunned Cleo into the air. ¡°He saved a lizardman child from an abusive situation. I¡¯ve never heard of an angel ever helping a halfling before.¡± Raea¡¯s cheeks were flush and wet with her tears. ¡°Then forget the child part,¡± Michael said and snorted. ¡°My other words are still valid. As his owner, his reputation is also yours. His actions are yours. His words are yours. Can you honestly tell me you¡¯re able to accept all responsibility for him? All angels are screened and have to go through vigorous testing to form a contract with a demon. You may have skipped that step, but that doesn¡¯t excuse you from his actions.¡± Raea lowered Cleo and stuck her chest out. ¡°No matter what he does, I will take responsibility for him. I made him a promise.¡± ¡°Ray¡­,¡± Elrith said. There was a stinging feeling in his eyes. He felt like his baby sister had finally grown up. ¡°Very well,¡± Michael said and nodded, his voice returning to normal. ¡°As long as you realize the weight of your contract. We retreat at dawn. I hope your demon returns by then.¡± Chapter 135 A flock of harpies flew through the pitch-black sky, chattering the whole way. At the head of the group, Madison was flying while singing a song about her glorious deeds, praising her own beauty, cunning, charm, and sensibility. There was a purple, glowing orb in her talons that the harpies were using as a beacon. A harpy with light-brown hair and green eyes flew up to her. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± the harpy said and bobbed her head, ¡°why did we stop so soon? I thought our orders were to continuously harass the angels.¡± Madison¡¯s face turned dark as her song was interrupted. She smacked the harpy¡¯s wing, causing her to careen out of control and spiral downwards. Moments later, the harpy flew back up under Madison¡¯s hard gaze. ¡°It¡¯s not your job to think. Stupid birdbrain,¡± Madison said and clicked her beak. ¡°Who¡¯s the prettiest leader that¡¯s in charge here?¡± ¡°You are, ma¡¯am,¡± the harpy said. Her voice cracked. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand. I thought¡ª¡° Madison smacked the poor harpy¡¯s wing again. ¡°What did I just say?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the prettiest leader that¡¯s in charge here,¡± the harpies behind her chorused. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Madison said and nodded. ¡°You stupid birdbrains can¡¯t even see in the dark. I know that you¡¯re inferior to me, but in that case, you shouldn¡¯t resemble me so much. All of you armless, wings-missing, four-taloned, beakless fools are ruining my image.¡± Madison sighed. She had five talons on each foot: four in the front, one in the back. The harpies made illegible noises as they chattered amongst each other. Madison crinkled her beak as she turned her head one eighty degrees to stare at them with her body still flying forwards. An object whistled through the air and crashed into Madison while she wasn¡¯t looking. She let out a shriek as she was dragged downwards, plunging towards the ground. The harpies let out cries of alarm as their guiding purple light disappeared. The harpy that had her wing smacked blinked and peered towards the ground while hovering in the same spot. ¡°I think we should go after her.¡± ¡°No one cares what you think, Sally,¡± the harpies surrounding her said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what the glorious leader said? We¡¯ll wait right here. You¡¯re not the precious matriarch¡¯s daughter anymore. We don¡¯t have to listen to you.¡± Sally sighed and blinked back tears as she started to circle around in the air. *** Palan let out a groan as he sat up. Underneath him, a four-winged figure was pressed against the forest ground. ¡°What the hell?¡± Palan asked as he stood up. ¡°Madison?¡± ¡°You stupid Piano!¡± Madison screeched as she got off the floor and dusted her body off. She started to preen her feathers which were still black from Palan¡¯s leftover evolution residue. ¡°Do you even look at where you¡¯re going when you fly!?¡± Madison paused mid-preen. ¡°Fly?¡± Her head tilted as she lowered her wing. ¡°You can fly?¡± She blinked. ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve watched where you were going,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I was in the sky first.¡± His tail uncoiled from his body and started to size Madison up. Its tongue flickered.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Madison¡¯s beak wrinkled. ¡°You keep that stupid worm away from me,¡± she said and dismissed Danger Noodle with her hand. She cracked her neck and shook out her legs. ¡°But how did you fly? I¡¯ve never seen you sleep. Pride? Pride? You¡¯re a pride demon?¡± Madison¡¯s head extended forward, keeping her body still. She blinked at Palan and inspected his face. ¡°You¡¯re awfully weak for a pride demon.¡± Her wings flapped hard once, and she alighted in a tree, avoiding Danger Noodle who lunged at her. ¡°Just my luck,¡± Palan said and sighed. ¡°Of all the people to run into; I meet the idiot.¡± ¡°Scatterbrained fool.¡± ¡°Same thing,¡± Palan said. ¡°How about we pretend we never saw each other and continue on our respective ways?¡± ¡°Noooooope,¡± Madison sang and smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t been outside in aaages. I¡¯m going to follow you.¡± ¡°Do you even know where I¡¯m going?¡± Palan asked. His brow creased. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Doeeeeesn¡¯t matter. It has to be more pleasant than tunnels,¡± Madison said and sighed while shaking her head. She buried her face in her hands before glancing up at the sky. ¡°Alas, beauty such as mine should never be kept underground. It must be presented freely to the¡ªhey! Where are you going? I¡¯m still monologuing.¡± Palan tried to ignore her as he leapt into the air. Madison followed after him, but not before picking up the purple orb on the ground. The duo rose over the treetops. Bird cries reached their ears as the flock of harpies above them flew towards the glowing orb. ¡°What the hell?¡± Palan asked as he turned his head to stare at Madison who was flying alongside him. ¡°Are they going to follow me too? I can¡¯t go anywhere with a group of feather-people following me.¡± Madison¡¯s head bobbed up and down. ¡°They follow me because I¡¯m beautiful. And I¡¯m following you, so it makes sense that they¡¯ll follow you too,¡± she said and smiled. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Palan asked himself under his breath. ¡°I¡¯m never not not never serious,¡± Madison said. The first harpies began to arrive. They flew much faster than Palan floated. ¡°Hey, everyone,¡± Madison said and waved at the harpies. ¡°This is, Pi¡ª ¡­ Pa¡ª ¡­ Po? This is Pipapo. He¡¯s my best friend.¡± Sally blinked her green eyes at Palan. He didn¡¯t seem very enthusiastic. She could tell even though his face was barely illuminated by the orb. Sally opened her mouth, and asked, ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t think¡ª¡° ¡°What did I tell you about thinking?!¡± Madison screeched and smacked Sally¡¯s wing. She snorted and glanced at Palan. ¡°They¡¯re not as smart as I am.¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°They always have these ideas that should never be expressed. They wanted me to follow Solra¡¯s orders exactly. Can you believe that? An archdemon like me, following orders. The nerve.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have to follow orders?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that how the whole contract thing works?¡± Madison blinked at him. ¡°What contract?¡± she asked. ¡°You know,¡± Palan said, ¡°the yellow paper that binds you to Solra?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have one,¡± Madison said. ¡°Wait. What?¡± ¡°Come on, Pipapo,¡± Madison said. ¡°I¡¯m going to get mad at you. You¡¯re supposed to be smarter than them.¡± She gestured towards the harpies following behind them. ¡°Maybe you didn¡¯t hear me? Do I have to clean your ears? I have this secret recipe that leads to clean skin and clean ears.¡± She nodded and reached for Palan¡¯s face. He batted her arm away, the impact changing his flight course slightly. ¡°How did you meet Solra then?¡± Palan asked. ¡°He¡¯s my uncle,¡± Madison said. ¡°Huh?¡± Palan asked, even more confused than when he started. ¡°What kind of messed up family do you come from?¡± ¡°Oh, silly. You have to be ten times prettier before you can even be considered to meet them,¡± Madison said, her eyes fluttering. ¡°I give up,¡± Palan said and tossed his hands into the air. Sally sympathized with him. Her wing still stung. ¡°Give up what?¡± Madison asked and tilted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Maybe one more evolution will make you more handsome. What do you think? One more evolution, yes? Let me watch when it happens.¡± Her eyes gleamed. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m done. Done. Stop talking to me. I can¡¯t do this right now.¡± Chapter 136 Madison droned on and on while Palan did his best to filter out her nonsense. Even though he provided zero conversational cues, Madison kept on talking. A lot of it was complaining about her time underground. ¡°And there was this strange angel. Kind of smelly. Nowhere near as handsome as a single feather on my wing. But Solrara really liked him for some reason. He called him an inventing god. Can you believe that? How can a god be so old and so smelly and so not god-like? Only someone as pretty as me can be a god. You agree, right? Right, Pipapo? Pipapo? Hello?¡± Madison shrugged. ¡°And that smelly angel really likes torturing people: Sometimes he tickles them. Sometimes he cuts them. But he always gets what he wants. He makes them power up his orbs and other shiny things. And¡ª¡° ¡°Is his name Pyre?¡± Palan asked. Somehow, he got the feeling there¡¯d only be one eccentric inventor around these parts. ¡°Eh? Why are you interrupting me?¡± Madison asked and tilted her head. ¡°You were such a good listener too. But you knew that smelly old man? You think he¡¯s weird too, right? Right?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. At least he found out what happened to Pyre. Madison tugged on Danger Noodle, halting Palan¡¯s forward momentum completely. ¡°You¡¯re being really rude, Pipapopo,¡± Madison said and frowned. ¡°And you didn¡¯t even tell me where you¡¯re going.¡± She could see bonfires off in the distance in what looked like a fort. The place seemed suspiciously like the camp she just attacked. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t care,¡± Palan said as he released his powers. He began to fall towards the ground, despite Madison¡¯s wings best efforts at keeping them aloft. The harpies began to descend as well. ¡°You¡¯re so fat,¡± Madison said and gasped as her wings strained. Her fingers began to slip from Danger Noodle. ¡°Turn on your powers so I can fly away from here. That¡¯s a bad place to go to.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought any place was better than the tunnels.¡± ¡°Who told you that?¡± Madison asked as she gasped. The two were below the treetops now. ¡°Clearly they didn¡¯t know what they were saying. How can a place with two archangels possibly be pleasant? Answer me that, Pipopo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Palan said. ¡°No. No, no, no,¡± Madison said and shook her head repeatedly. ¡°I absolutely refuse to go there. And I¡¯m prettier, so you should listen to me. Clearly my life choices are better than yours otherwise you¡¯d be the prettier one.¡± She glanced at the harpies behind her. They were alighting in the trees. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m right?¡± ¡°Yes, glorious leader!¡± the harpies chimed. All of them except Sally. While Madison¡¯s head was turned, Palan twisted his body in the air and lunged towards her exposed neck. His face flattened as he crashed into a transparent shield.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Eh?¡± Madison turned her head and looked at Palan. ¡°What happened to your face? It¡¯s hideous.¡± ¡°Just let me go,¡± Palan said and sighed as a trail of blood leaked out of his nostril. ¡°No!¡± Madison said. ¡°Why do you even want to go there anyways? Are you friends there?¡± The two finally landed on the ground. ¡°You have friends? How?¡± ¡°Of course I have friends!¡± Palan said and snarled. ¡°And they¡¯re a thousand times more pretty than you.¡± Madison gasped and brought her hands to her mouth, releasing Palan. He scrambled onto his feet and sprinted towards the fortress. He didn¡¯t care if the flock of harpies followed him. Elrith or Michael could take care of them. ¡°G-glorious leader,¡± one of the harpies said to Madison. The archdemon was trembling with her hands still held to her mouth. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. Pipapo speaks false words. You¡¯re the prettiest in all the lands.¡± Madison didn¡¯t say anything. Her wings fluttered in the wind. Black wisps of smoke began to rise out of her wings. ¡°How dare he!?¡± Madison screeched towards the sky. ¡°The only reason he¡¯d leave me is if his friends really were prettier! I want to see them for myself.¡± The wisps of smoke began to circle around her body, covering it in a light layer of dark powder. She leapt into the air and spread her wings to their fullest. The first sun was just beginning to rise, causing the sky to turn blood-red. A translucent hammer appeared in her hands. The sunlight seemed to bounce off of it, giving it a fiery sheen. The harpies screeched as they flew into the air after the archdemon. One of the older harpy¡¯s eyes widened as she shouted, ¡°The harbinger! The glorious leader is the one we¡¯ve been waiting for!¡± Even Sally seemed shocked as she gazed at Madison with a strange expression on her face. When she was younger, her mother told her the prophecy of the harbinger. One day in the distant future, when all the harpy tribes seemed lost and hopeless, when the angels¡¯ might reached their peak, a four-winged messiah would appear: The Harbinger. She¡¯d carve the path to freedom using their oppressors¡¯ own tools against them¡ªa hammer made from the sun itself. The road would be harsh, but glory would come to those who followed the messiah. The legend stemmed from nearly three centuries ago, told by the greatest seer of the harpy tribes. Three hundred years ago, no one believed the angels would be strong enough to subjugate all the harpy tribes, but it had happened. Who was to say that the messiah wasn¡¯t real? Sally pursed her lips and flew after Madison with her heart pounding. Had she questioned the messiah? But who would¡¯ve possibly believed that the harbinger was a full-on idiot? She had always thought the harbinger would be a harpy. She had even fantasized about being the harbinger herself¡ªall the young harpies had. The older ones always spoke about evolution, but no one had ever seen it happen. There wasn¡¯t much to see when they were always trapped underground eating bitter mushrooms. Sally let out a sigh as she glanced at Madison. The demon was completely enraged: her eyes were glowing, and the reflections of the sun off her shield made her look as if she were encased in fire. Veins could be seen snaking up her arms which were straining to hold the hammer that expanded with each beat of her wings. Sally shook her head and blinked hard once. Maybe Madison really was the harbinger. Maybe she wasn¡¯t. Only time would tell. Chapter 137 Raea bit her lip as she stood on top of the watchtower in the center of the camp. She stared at the surrounding forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of Palan. The sun was just beginning to rise, and Michael was intent on keeping his word. He wanted the army to march at dawn, and they were already beginning to form their ranks. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll catch up,¡± Cleo said. She was standing on the tips of her toes, barely able to see over the watchtower¡¯s ledge. Her tail swished. ¡°He has to.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°I hope so,¡± she said and frowned. Was it just her or was the sun starting to fly towards them? ¡°Do you see that?¡± She pointed towards the approaching light. One of the three angels who was on guard duty walked to her side. ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± the soldier said. ¡°It looks like a swarm of bats.¡± He frowned. ¡°I¡¯m going to report this to the general.¡± The soldier nodded at Raea before sprinting down the stairs. The remaining soldiers came over and observed the growing light followed by dark figures. ¡°It¡¯s those blasted harpies again,¡± a soldier said. ¡°Let¡¯s go down. I don¡¯t want to be the first one struck by lightning.¡± The angels made themselves scarce before Raea could even open her mouth. Cleo blinked at the puffs of dust they left behind. Raea sighed and shook her head before squinting off into the distance. The light seemed to resemble a hammer now. ¡°I wonder if this is normal,¡± she said to Cleo. ¡°I know that the angels subjugated the other species, but was there always this much violence? It just doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Cleo snorted. ¡°There¡¯s always violence,¡± she said and nodded while crossing her arms over her chest. ¡°You still have much to learn, child. I remember when I was still just a kid; I had to fight for my own food in the streets. When other people have what you want and they won¡¯t give it to you, violence is the best answer.¡± Cleo sniffed and raised her head into the air. She paused. ¡°Or stealing. Stealing¡¯s a lot easier.¡± She scratched her cheek. ¡°Raea!¡± a voice shouted up at her. ¡°Get down from there!¡± Raea peered over the edge of the watchtower and saw Elrith standing below her while Michael began to climb the stairs to the tower. She lifted Cleo up and took one last glance towards the flying hammer. Her eyes widened when she saw a purple figure running amongst the burnt trees. ¡°Is that Palan?¡± she asked Cleo and lifted the squirming lizardman up into the air. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°That purple thing,¡± Raea said and pointed, nearly dropping her friend. ¡°Behind that tree. See? It¡¯s running towards the camp.¡± ¡°Raea!¡± Elrith shouted up again. ¡°That has to be him,¡± Raea said and ran down the stairs, almost crashing into Michael. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous,¡± Elrith said as Raea appeared in his sight. ¡°You¡±¡ªshe ran past him¡ª¡°should ¡­ Ray?¡± Elrith sighed as the rest of the army stared at him. He furrowed his brow and glared at them. ¡°What are you looking at? Yes, she gets special treatment, but that¡¯s because she¡¯s not part of this army. Is there an issue?¡± ¡°No issue, sir!¡± Elrith nodded and looked at his sister¡¯s back. She just finished running up the stairs to the fortress walls. Elrith frowned when he saw a blazing red light in the sky. Michael said he¡¯d take care of it, but Elrith had a bad feeling. He stomped on the ground and a column of earth upwards, bringing him on the same level as Michael who was on the watchtower. A glowing green orb of light was forming in front of Michael¡¯s chest. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± he shouted. His hands trembled, and the whole fortress seemed to shake.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Who?¡± Michael asked. The orb of light was getting brighter with every passing second. ¡°That narcissistic archdemon who ambushed us with Solra,¡± Elrith said. Madison was still a decent distance away, but he could recognize that hammer from anywhere. The impact and loss of his men was still heavily imprinted in his mind, haunting him while he slept. ¡°You know what narcissism is, right? She¡¯ll reflect your shot.¡± ¡°She¡¯s that strong?¡± Michael asked and raised an eyebrow. A bead of sweat fell to the floor. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not underestimating me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Elrith said. ¡°She was able to parry my patience chains.¡± He ground his teeth together. ¡°What about your charity?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Did you cancel her power out?¡± ¡°Solra was there. I couldn¡¯t do anything,¡± Elrith said. The earth rumbled and bulged in front of the two generals¡¯ armies. A massive hand rose out of the ground, loose dirt cascading off of its fingers. ¡°Go ahead and fire,¡± Elrith said, his breath short. ¡°If she does reflect it, I¡¯ll block it.¡± Michael nodded and clapped his hands together in the orb of green light. He spread his arms apart, stretching the orb into a line. For a split second, the surroundings fell completely silent. Then a high-pitched whine rang in the ears of all the angels. A blade of wind shot out of the light and flew towards the harpies in the distance, expanding and growing louder as it traveled through the air. *** Sally¡¯s eyes widened as the green wall approached the flock. What started out as a speck in the angel¡¯s hand became an impossibly huge roaring behemoth that threatened to destroy everything in its path. She realized now why her ancestors were forced to flee underground. When faced with something as destructive as this, anyone would want to get as far away as possible. She had thought that following Pipapo towards the angel¡¯s camp was a really bad idea, but no one ever considered what she thought. And she was right. This was a tremendously bad idea. She wouldn¡¯t even be able to tell the rest of them, ¡°I told you so.¡± They¡¯d all be dead. ¡°Harbinger!¡± the older harpy who first deemed Madison as their messiah screeched. ¡°The harbinger will lead us to victory!¡± But Sally couldn¡¯t see it. The green wind was impossible to escape from. It expanded and expanded with every passing second. Even if she started to fly upwards or downwards right now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape its attack range. Sally glanced at Madison to see her reaction. The demon¡¯s face still burned with rage, and the hammer seemed to be so heavy that it hung pointing straight at the forest floor, barely held up by her arms. Sally sighed as her head drooped. So this is how I die, she thought as her eyes roamed over the landscape. At least she wouldn¡¯t die underground of sickness like her mother had. At least she would die flying like a proper harpy. Her gaze landed on Palan. She wondered what he thought about the approaching winds. Her eyes widened at his actions, and she dove straight to the ground towards Palan. He was digging a hole. She could survive! *** Madison didn¡¯t notice the lone harpy leaving her flock. She didn¡¯t notice the screeching of the harpies as they chanted her name. She didn¡¯t even seem to notice the approaching wall of wind as she flew steadily onwards. Her eyes were looking ahead, but she seemed to be staring at something that didn¡¯t exist. Images of raging sandstorms flashed through her head. She heard screams of ¡°Madison! Madison!¡± Death wails, dying screams, moaning. Warm blood flew through the air splashing on her face, tinting her vision red. Specks of sand cut her body like razorblades. Her body shook. Her hands felt wet. ¡°-inger. Harbinger!¡± Madison¡¯s eyes widened as she was brought back to reality. The wall of wind was almost upon her. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­,¡± Madison said and arched her back as she strained to lift her hammer. Its shaft was thicker and longer than a sequoia tree, and its head was like a glowing, red mountain. The hammer rose until it was horizontal, parallel to the ground. She could hear the roaring of the wind, threatening to devour her. Madison swung the hammer while shrieking, ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way!¡± The hammer seemed to move in slow motion as its head traveled towards the green wind. The impact was like an oar pulling water. Part of the wind swirled and diverted towards the side before crashing into the distant forest while the rest destroyed the forest floor and parted the clouds in the sky above the flock. The hammer continued on its path and the harpies scrambled to get out of the way as Madison spun it in another full rotation. She released the hammer and watched it fly through the remaining green wind towards the fortress. It crashed into a giant earthen hand which crumbled into dust. The hammer dimmed greatly from the impact, but it still fell on top of the fort with a satisfying thud. Madison nodded and dusted off her hands. Chapter 138 ¡°Eh?¡± Madison looked around. ¡°Pipa disappeared.¡± The ground beneath her was leveled by Michael¡¯s strike. There were no trees in sight, just an empty brown plot of land. Behind her, the trees were piled up on top of each other, creating a semi-circular wall of dead plant life. Madison turned around to look at the harpies. ¡°Where¡¯d he go?¡± The harpies exchanged glances, but none of them could answer. ¡°Maybe he was blown away?¡± Madison blinked a few times before yawning. ¡°Oh wells,¡± she said and rubbed her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go find somewhere to sleep.¡± Her wings beat irregularly, and she wobbled through the air. Her hammer had taken a greater toll on her than she thought it would. Maybe she¡¯d get the smelly old man to make her an orb like Solsol. She nodded to herself and ignored the harpies¡¯ confused gazes as she warbled out a song about her feathers. ¡°Isn¡¯t this about the time for Sally to suggest something?¡± one of the harpies whispered as they followed after Madison. The harpies looked around. ¡°Where¡¯d she go?¡± ¡°Eh, doesn¡¯t matter. No one liked her anyway.¡± And the harpies went on their way, completely turning their backs on the wreckage Madison created. After they turned into small dots in the sky, the ground bulged and a purple arm erupted from the mound, followed by a dirt-covered face. Palan¡¯s torso popped out of the earth and twisted around, his brow furrowed. He wondered if angels were the cause of sandstorms on Eljiam. Madison was nowhere to be found, and he couldn¡¯t sense any other harpies nearby so he crawled out of the ground. His tail was suspiciously larger than usual, as if it swallowed a harpy-sized piece of food. Palan tried to wrap the tail around his body, but it refused to cooperate, so he began walking towards the fortress with Danger Noodle dragging against the floor. There were a few trees in front of the fortress that escaped Michael¡¯s strike because it had expanded after passing them, but they were in rough shape. The fortress walls were completely pulverized, and the watchtower had fallen over. Palan heard lots of groaning, and mounds of earth fell apart as angels and demons crawled out of the ground. The giant, earthen hand Elrith had created to block the hammer had disintegrated and covered the army. Palan scratched his head and ignored the cries for help coming from the angels¡ªthe demons dug themselves out silently. He was still alive which meant Raea was still alive. He tried sniffing the air to find her, but everything smelled like freshly-turned soil and blood. Lots of blood. He took in a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Raea!¡± Through the wails of the angels, he thought he heard someone say his name. He headed towards where he heard the muffled cry. ¡°Palan!¡± Cleo said as he walked around a mound of earth. ¡°Raea¡¯s buried here! Help!¡± Her face was covered in dirt and smeared with tears. A few cuts along her body leaked blood. Palan looked at the ground and saw a leg sticking out from underneath a fallen wall. There were claw marks stained with blood near Raea¡¯s leg where Cleo had tried to dig her out.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Palan frowned and hurried over to the exposed leg and grabbed the edge of the fallen wall. A black light enveloped the wall, and Palan raised his arm, tossing the wall aside as if it were made of feathers. Raea was lying facedown on the ground with her arms covering her head. Palan ground his teeth together and squatted next to Raea before placing his hand on her back. White tendrils of light snaked around Raea¡¯s body, soaking into her skin. After a while, Raea stirred and rolled over, causing Palan¡¯s hand to slide off her back and onto her belly. Her eyes were half-closed, and her breaths were long. ¡°Raea?¡± Cleo asked and waved her hands in front of the angel¡¯s face. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Raea blinked and began to cough. Being buried underneath a wall hadn¡¯t done much good for her lungs. ¡°Were you worried about me?¡± Raea asked and looked at Palan, placing her hand on top of his. Palan snorted. ¡°No,¡± he said. He was about to pull his hand away when a bolt of lightning came crashing out of the sky and struck him on the head. Raea let out a yelp as her belly began to tingle from the shock while Palan inhaled sharply and trembled. ¡°Liar!¡± Cleo said with a smile on her face. ¡°You were worried!¡± She braced herself for the impending Danger Noodle attack, but it never came. She blinked and lowered her arms before wandering over to Palan¡¯s tail. ¡°Did you eat something with your butt?¡± Cleo asked and blinked at the suspicious harpy-shaped bulge in Palan¡¯s tail. She pried opened Danger Noodle¡¯s mouth. ¡°Light! I see light! Help me,¡± a feeble voice said. Cleo¡¯s eyes went wide as she promptly shut Danger Noodle¡¯s mouth. Raea¡¯s face blanched as she exchanged gazes with Cleo. Cleo turned around and cleared her throat. ¡°See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,¡± she said and nodded to herself. Her tail swished behind herself as she looked up at the sky, stroking an imaginary beard. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea shouted. ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Palan said and cracked his neck. His arms twitched. ¡°No need to shout.¡± He shook out his legs and started to stretch. ¡°Explain!¡± ¡°What?¡± Palan asked. ¡°That!¡± Raea pointed at his tail. ¡°It¡¯s a snake. It eats things like snakes are wont to do.¡± ¡°Spit it out!¡± Raea said and scrambled to her feet. ¡°You can¡¯t just eat things that talk! Why is it still alive!?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°I thought it was dead,¡± he said. There was no lightning strike. ¡°Just wait a week and she¡¯ll come out naturally.¡± ¡°She!?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Why would you eat something you acknowledge as a her!?¡± Raea opened Danger Noodle¡¯s mouth and stuffed her arm down its throat. Her arm rummaged around a bit before latching onto something. Moments later, a harpy popped out of Palan¡¯s tail. ¡°H-harbinger,¡± the harpy said to Raea and reached for the angel¡¯s face before her eyes closed and arm dropped. ¡°What did she call you?¡± Cleo asked as she peered at the naked, slimy harpy. The simple clothes she had worn before were dissolved by Danger Noodle¡¯s stomach acids. A few patches of her skin were also raw and red. ¡°End bringer? That¡¯s awfully rude of her.¡± ¡°She said, ¡®Harbinger,¡¯¡± Raea said and healed the harpy. She sighed and wiped her hand on the ground after the treatment was finished. Her eyes widened and her back stiffened as she remembered what just occurred. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to relax!¡± She turned to Palan and pointed at the harpy. ¡°Carry her, but don¡¯t eat her! We have to help everyone as much as possible.¡± She stood up and promptly fell over. When Palan healed Raea, he was using her mana instead of his own which was extremely inefficient. Palan and Cleo glanced at each other. ¡°Can I name her?¡± Cleo asked. Palan shrugged. ¡°Alright. Buffalo Legs.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand your naming sense,¡± Palan said as he stared at the harpy¡¯s bird-like legs. Chapter 139 Sally¡¯s eyes fluttered open, revealing an orange lizardman standing over her face. ¡°Hi, Buffalo Legs!¡± the lizardman said and smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m Cleo. Nice to meet you.¡± Sally frowned and sat up. Someone had dressed her in a white robe while she was sleeping. A metal collar was latched around her neck, and she touched her wing to it. The metal was cold with runes spread along its surface. She hung her head. ¡°Hey,¡± Cleo said and pouted. ¡°Don¡¯t look so dejected. You¡¯re the servant of Cleo the Magnificent. I¡¯m the best master you could ever hope for here, you know?¡± She tapped her own collar. ¡°A slave can own a slave?¡± Sally asked and furrowed her brow. She looked around and saw Palan sitting down with his back to a wall. Her body involuntarily shuddered. In front of him was Raea sleeping in her cocoon. The four of them were in a room of sorts that trembled and shook. A small crystal illuminated the small room. ¡°Apparently,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I was the one who put the collar on you.¡± She pretended to whisper and pointed at Palan. ¡°He was going to eat you again. You should be grateful.¡± ¡°So you saved me?¡± Sally asked, her eyes brightening. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°I saved you out of the goodness of my heart.¡± Palan snorted. When he was about to eat Sally again, Cleo had intervened saying she wanted a flying mount. He didn¡¯t know where Cleo had gotten the slave collar from, but she pulled it out of her invisible pocket and latched it over Sally¡¯s neck before he could do anything. ¡°I see,¡± Sally said. ¡°I am in your debt, Cleo the Magnificent. What did you call me earlier? Buffalo Wings?¡± ¡°Buffalo Legs,¡± Cleo said. ¡°You passed out before telling us your name, so I took the liberty of giving you a new one.¡± Sally looked at her legs, checking to see if she grew hooves while she was sleeping. She blinked. Her talons were still there. ¡°My name is Sally,¡± she said, ¡°daughter of the blue-feather tribe¡¯s matriarch.¡± ¡°Sally,¡± Cleo said and wrinkled her nose. ¡°Doesn¡¯t have as much as an impact as Buffalo Legs, but I¡¯ll accept it. Does that mean you¡¯re royalty? You know, since you¡¯re the daughter of a matriarch.¡± ¡°Technically,¡± Sally said and frowned. ¡°But royalty doesn¡¯t mean much when your kind is oppressed. It is just a title in name.¡± She stood up and walked over to Raea while avoiding Palan¡¯s gaze. ¡°This is the person who saved me?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Cleo said and walked over as well. She stumbled a bit when the room jolted. ¡°She¡¯s his master.¡± Cleo pointed at Palan. ¡°And he¡¯s my master. And I¡¯m your master. So she¡¯s like your grand-grandmaster.¡± ¡°Is she alright?¡± Sally asked and crouched down, folding her wings to her side.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Yeah,¡± Cleo said. ¡°She just overexerted herself while healing you. Be thankful. Not a lot of angels like people like us.¡± Her cheeks puffed out. An elephant trumpeted, and the room ground to a halt. Palan stood up and pushed open a trapdoor on the ceiling and popped his head out. They were in a storage chest which was following after the army. The number of soldiers marching had been greatly reduced, and Elrith had been forced to abandon supplies to transport the wounded. Both Elrith and Michael had managed to reduce casualties by using their powers to mitigate the damage done by Madison¡¯s hammer. ¡°Why¡¯d we stop?¡± Cleo asked from within the chest. ¡°Some angels are leaving their storage chests. I guess they aren¡¯t wounded anymore,¡± Palan said and climbed back inside. He noticed Sally shying away from him with her feathers bristling. He snorted. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°Calm down? You ate me!¡± Sally said, practically screeching as she hid behind Cleo. ¡°I flew into your hole seeking shelter. You hit me over the head and ate me!¡± ¡°That was self-defense. I thought you were Madison,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°But it turned out you weren¡¯t. It was an honest mistake. I couldn¡¯t just waste your body, so I ate you.¡± Sally sighed. ¡°So she really wasn¡¯t your best friend, Pipapo,¡± she said. She was still glaring at Palan. Danger Noodle hissed, causing her to let out a whimper. ¡°Who¡¯s Madison?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°You can¡¯t keep picking up women on the side, Palan. Raea will get mad at you. And that includes people like Sally. I know she¡¯s really pretty and all, but you can¡¯t just kidnap people like this.¡± She shook her head and tutted before yelping when Danger Noodle swallowed her tail. ¡°I think he really had no intentions of kidnapping me,¡± Sally said as she watched Cleo hiss and claw at Danger Noodle. She pursed her lips and looked at Palan. ¡°Can you open the ceiling again? It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the suns.¡± Palan grunted and threw Cleo at the ceiling with his tail. She yelled before clinging onto a latch. Sunlight poured into the storage chest accompanied by Cleo¡¯s grumbles. The light landed on Sally, causing her to shudder and her feathers to ripple. Raea stirred. ¡°Oh. She¡¯s waking up,¡± Cleo said and dropped down from the ceiling. She stood over Raea¡¯s face and smiled at the still-sleeping angel. Sally figured out why the first thing she saw was Cleo when she had awoken. She tilted her head and stared at the excited orange lizardman. There was something about her that opened people up. It had been a long time since Sally had a conversation with anyone. She was usually avoided or picked on back in the caves. ¡°Cleo?¡± Raea asked, blinking her eyes. She tried to sit up but winced and spasmed. Her face blanched, and her head turned towards Palan. ¡°Did you use my mana to heal me?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to do that than to use my own.¡± ¡°How badly hurt was I?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I thought you died,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°But you didn¡¯t. So that¡¯s good. You fell from the wall, and then the wall fell on top of you.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°My mana¡¯s been overdrafted,¡± she said. ¡°It hurts to move.¡± ¡°You mean like that time you had to carry Palan? And feed him? And bathe him?¡± Cleo asked. A shiver ran down her spine, and she found Palan glaring at her with glowing red eyes. She cleared her throat and slowly stepped behind Sally. ¡°Why are you hiding behind me!?¡± Sally asked and flapped her wings in distress. A few brown feathers fell loose. ¡°You¡¯re bigger,¡± Cleo said and crawled up Sally¡¯s back. She peeked over Sally¡¯s wing and blinked at Palan. He was looking at Raea whose face was bright red. She recalled her insistence of cleaning him and wanted to sink into the floor. Cleo whispered in Sally¡¯s ear, ¡°They have a weird kind of relationship. I¡¯m trying to pair them together.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very brave,¡± Sally whispered back. She wanted to thank Raea for saving her, but she didn¡¯t want to approach Palan either. In the end, she chose to stay back and hide in a corner with Cleo. Chapter 140 Raea sighed, causing Cleo to sit up and blink. The group had been traveling for a week in the storage chest with Raea still incapacitated. Sally and Cleo were responsible for taking care of her needs while she was disabled. Raea had refused Palan¡¯s assistance and startled Sally with her vehemence. Cleo plodded over to Raea and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sally raised her head from underneath her wing. ¡°Do you need to use the toilet again?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Hungry?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said again. ¡°I just never thought I¡¯d be spending my sixteenth birthday in the middle of nowhere while disabled and transported like cargo.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a birthday?¡± Palan and Sally asked. They exchanged glances. Sally flinched. ¡°It¡¯s the day you¡¯re born,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Duh.¡± ¡°She was born sixteen times?¡± Sally asked and tilted her head. ¡°Of course,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°I think.¡± She turned towards Raea. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°No!¡± Raea said. ¡°It¡¯s the yearly anniversary of the day I was born.¡± She glanced at Palan and Cleo. ¡°Don¡¯t you two know your ages? Shouldn¡¯t you have some concept of birthdays?¡± Cleo scratched her head. ¡°All lizardmen turn one year older during the start of spring at our festival,¡± she said. ¡°We don¡¯t have any special days. What about you?¡± She turned towards Palan. ¡°We count the number of times one sun disappears behind the other and divide that by two,¡± Palan said. ¡°Age is largely unimportant.¡± Raea¡¯s gaze landed on Sally. ¡°I don¡¯t know how old I am,¡± the harpy said. ¡°I¡¯ve lived underground all my life.¡± ¡°Then maybe it¡¯s a cultural thing,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°I just assumed all of you knew your birthdays.¡± Cleo frowned and her tail swished. ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°why are birthdays important? Are you feeling sad that you aren¡¯t having one?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a little disappointed,¡± Raea said and smiled wryly at Cleo. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. Sixteenth birthdays just represent becoming an adult in angel culture.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°So it¡¯s like your final shed. Without the shedding. Or laying your first egg. You know, without the egg.¡± ¡°Or like getting your first real feathers?¡± Sally asked. ¡°Performing your first sacrifice,¡± Palan said and nodded. The three turned to look at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°S-sacrifice?¡± Sally asked and stepped behind Cleo.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Palan nodded. ¡°You find a demon who is also looking for a sacrifice, then you fight to the death. The winner drinks the loser¡¯s blood,¡± he said. ¡°You guys don¡¯t do that?¡± ¡°Barbarian,¡± Cleo said. ¡°N-no,¡± Sally said and shook her head. ¡°And you¡¯re telling the truth,¡± Raea said. ¡°How does that even make sense? Shouldn¡¯t demons cooperate to survive? Isn¡¯t the environment harsh enough already?¡± ¡°Cooperate to fight over resources fit for one person?¡± Palan asked and raised his eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s say there¡¯s one lizard and you have a starving sister to feed. Someone else is hunting the lizard. What do you do?¡± ¡°Work with them and steal their stuff when they¡¯re not looking,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Find a different lizard,¡± Sally said. ¡°Work together and ask for a share,¡± Raea said. ¡°No. You wait for them to finish hunting the lizard, then you kill them and have both of them for dinner,¡± Palan said. He spat a tooth onto the ground. ¡°Have you ¡­ done that before?¡± Sally asked, her eyes wide. ¡°It¡¯s the easiest way to hunt,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯ve done it hundreds of times.¡± Cleo frowned when Sally gulped. ¡°You¡¯re going to corrupt her,¡± Cleo said and protectively put her arms around Sally. ¡°What if she ends up as bloodthirsty as you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s better than being a coward,¡± Palan said and stared at Sally. ¡°There¡¯s so much fear coming off of her; it¡¯s disgusting. It would¡¯ve been better for her to have died in my tail. How can you live a life if you¡¯re afraid of your own shadow?¡± ¡°Palan!¡± Raea said and gasped. Sally¡¯s eyes glistened as she pursed her lips. She hung her head and stared at her feet. Cleo sighed and pat Sally¡¯s back. ¡°He meant everything he said,¡± Cleo said, ¡°but you have to remember that he¡¯s living in a completely different world than us. It¡¯s perfectly okay to run behind his back and make him fight for you. I do it all the time.¡± A tear rolled down Sally¡¯s cheek. ¡°But you¡¯re not scared of him,¡± she said and covered her head with her wings while crouching. ¡°He terrifies me. Every time I see him, I want to run away.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said and furrowed her brow. ¡°You know ¡­ I used to be very afraid of water. Like, I couldn¡¯t approach the river and my mother had to bring me water. That was before she died. Anyways, my dad got tired of that one day because I kept waking them up at night. So he cured my fear of water. I¡¯m going to use his method to cure you of your fear of Palan.¡± ¡°You can do that?¡± Sally asked, pulling her wing back to reveal half her face. ¡°Of course,¡± Cleo said and nodded while positioning herself behind Sally. ¡°You see, my father cured my fear of water by throwing me into the river. That¡¯s also how I learned to swim.¡± Sally stiffened when she realized where this was going. She screeched and flapped her wings when Cleo pushed her towards Palan. Cleo struggled to keep Sally from flying out of her grasp. ¡°Danger Noodle! Wrap yourself around Sally and don¡¯t let go. But don¡¯t eat her.¡± Palan stared blankly as his tail rushed forward and wrapped itself around the struggling harpy. His brow furrowed as he stared at the face of his tail. ¡°Did you just¡­?¡± Danger Noodle¡¯s tongue flickered. Palan frowned. ¡°Are you serious? My tail can think for itself? I thought I was moving you on instinct.¡± Danger Noodle¡¯s head bobbed up and down, completely ignoring the sobbing harpy in its grasp. Palan sat down and scratched his head. ¡°Interesting. Alright, I can work with this.¡± Danger Noodle brought Sally closer to Palan until she was face to face with him. Her eyes were shut and her lips were pursed. Small whimpers escaped from her body. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s going to work?¡± Raea asked Cleo. ¡°Won¡¯t she end up hating you?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Cleo said and shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll keep her there until it does work. And she won¡¯t hate me. I¡¯m cute and cuddly. Everyone loves me. Oh, and I¡¯ll go tell Elrith about your birthday thing. Maybe he¡¯ll know what to do.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Raea said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother him. You know he transports the whole army every night, right? He has to rest during the day.¡± ¡°What about Owen?¡± Cleo asked and tilted her head. ¡°And Blossom. And Carmella and ¡­ her follower.¡± ¡°Gerome?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cleo said. ¡°That guy. I¡¯ll go find them.¡± She turned towards Sally, but decided not to say anything, and scrambled up the ladder to leave the storage chest. Chapter 141 Raea listened to Sally¡¯s soft sobs and whimpers and sighed. She wished she could reduce the harpy¡¯s suffering, but she really had no idea how to help her feathered friend. The last time she had been truly scared was when she poisoned Elrith with her newfound sin. Her mother had solved that problem for her though, she couldn¡¯t do the same for Sally. Maybe it would be better to let her free. ¡°Sally?¡± Raea asked. A loud whimper was the only reply she received. ¡°Would it be better if you were set free? Like, free free, not just free from Palan¡¯s tail.¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know,¡± Sally said while hyperventilating. ¡°I can¡¯t t-think right now.¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks as her body swayed back and forth at the complete mercy of Danger Noodle¡¯s whims. She hoped Cleo would return already to free her, having forgotten that the lizardman was the reason she was in this predicament. Palan was sitting down with his elbow on his leg and face propped up by his palm. He had been bored for the past week. He couldn¡¯t meditate because Raea¡¯s body had no mana, and he didn¡¯t dare practice his powers outside in case something happened to Raea again. There were nightly attacks from the harpies, but thankfully, Madison never used her hammer like that first night. Michael had been able to minimize casualties while Elrith transported the camp on an earthen platform. Palan turned his tail upside-down, flipping the harpy over. She screeched when her hair touched the floor, and didn¡¯t stop screaming for a while. Then he flipped her right-side up. At least he could train his tail. Cleo returned after about half an hour with two trays of steaming hot food in her hands. She climbed into the storage chest using her feet and tail, balancing the food while sliding down the ladder. She placed the food on the floor and looked at Raea with a frown on her face. ¡°Owen¡¯s sleeping because he helped Elrith transport stuff at night. Carmella and Gerome are busy carrying supplies. Blossom¡¯s in charge of one of the squadrons and she can¡¯t leave either,¡± Cleo said and sighed. ¡°They all said they¡¯d make it up to you somehow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Raea said. ¡°I can¡¯t really celebrate much when I¡¯m disabled. I think I¡¯ll be better after a day or two. We should arrive at the checkpoint by then, I think.¡± ¡°Does anything special happen when an angel turns into an adult?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I know demons become a lot more sinful. The children are innocent until they grow up.¡± ¡°Err, it¡¯s more of a symbolic thing,¡± Raea said. ¡°It¡¯s also the age when we can get married.¡± Her face turned red. ¡°We meaning angels, not you and me. Usually the parents arrange the marriage, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to me, being an exile and all.¡± Her lips pressed into a wry smile.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the scales and eyes,¡± Palan said. Raea winced. ¡°I did,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks for reminding me. Another reason for me to remain an eternal bachelorette. Maybe I should try to become an angel of chastity too.¡± She bit her lip. Thinking of chastity reminded her of that lust trip. ¡°Or not,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Oh,¡± Palan said. ¡°Speaking of chastity. Remember that lust trip?¡± ¡°Yes¡­,¡± Raea said. She wanted to cover her face with her blanket, but her arms wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°Apparently, the person you see in the dream is the one who arouses you the most,¡± Palan said and chuckled. Sally involuntarily yelped from the sound. Her eyes were closed. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± Raea asked. She was more confused than embarrassed because Palan didn¡¯t get struck by lightning. ¡°From your sister,¡± Palan said. ¡°Selena. She looks a lot like you, but she has more common sense. It was refreshing really.¡± Raea sighed. ¡°Can you not compare me to her? Everyone already does that,¡± she said. She paused as the words sank in. ¡°But how did you meet Sely!? She¡¯s supposed to be in teaching in the first sector. Is she in the borderlands?¡± ¡°I saw her at the checkpoint,¡± Palan said. ¡°She was digging holes. And did you not hear what I said? Arouses you the most.¡± ¡°Cleo¡­,¡± Raea said. ¡°Can you lift the blanket over my face?¡± The orange lizardman pretended not to hear as she slurped her bowl of stew as loudly as possible. Raea sighed as her face burned. Did she really feel that way towards Palan? She cleared her throat and pursed her lips. ¡°About Sely. How was she? Is she alright? What do you mean digging holes?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°You can¡¯t just bring her up and not tell me anything about her! That¡¯s just cruel,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°How would you like it if I said I met Andrea and didn¡¯t tell you anything about her?¡± Sally screeched as Danger Noodle constricted for an instant before loosening again. Palan pat the harpy¡¯s head causing her to whimper. His fingers trailed down her cheeks and playfully wrapped around her throat. Her skin was unusually pale due to the environment she grew up in. He smiled at the harpy before releasing her. ¡°Fair point,¡± Palan said to Raea. ¡°Your sister¡¯s doing fine. We met on kind of bad terms, but she still answered a lot of the questions I had.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you attacked her,¡± Raea said. Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°No comment. She¡¯s mostly unhurt,¡± Palan said, ¡°maybe one or two scratches from falling over. She seemed very concerned about you.¡± ¡°And what about the hole digging?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There were a bunch of angels dressed in brown robes digging holes in the ground using diligence. Maybe they were looking for something,¡± he said. ¡°I wonder if they found it. Your sister will probably still be there if they didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I hope she¡¯s still there,¡± Raea said and sighed, ¡°but I also hope she found what she was looking for. Sely was the one who convinced my mom to save me, you know? She offered to come with me to the borderlands, but I didn¡¯t want her to. She¡¯s a very good researcher. I didn¡¯t want to take her future away from her.¡± ¡°Good thing I recognized her in time,¡± Palan said and nodded. He poked Sally¡¯s forehead. It amused him to watch her squirm. Chapter 142 Selena sighed as she manipulated a pile of dirt back into a hole it came from. She squinted her eyes and saw the gates to the checkpoint way off in the distance. The wall was still behind her back, and soldiers were above her manning the crossbows, but she still felt uncomfortable. Ever since Palan had kidnapped her right in front of the gate, she didn¡¯t believe in the security as much. She had been digging holes for a little over a week, but she hadn¡¯t found any signs of tunnels. Even though the seven angels were angels of diligence, they were starting to get tired. There was no guarantee that the tunnels even existed. The capital had sent a letter saying more angels would come, but there was no sign of them. Selena arched her back, causing a series of cracks to ring out from her waist. She was used to standing for extended periods of time due to her lecturing, but her powers made her sore. Once the dirt was back in place, she crouched down and marked it with another ¡®X¡¯. There were hundreds of ¡®X¡¯s on the ground, making a pattern along the wall. She took ten steps towards the right and began to dig once again. Her digging process was becoming more and more refined with each hole she dug. She had experimented with many methods, but she found the best one to be creating a needle-sized column in the ground, then rotating the dirt out of it similar to an auger drill. She had plans of creating a tool that followed the same concept. It could be a new way to create foundation holes for building posts without the use of diligence angels. The hole began to expand as her torso swayed back and forth, her legs firmly planted on the ground. First it widened, then dirt began to rise out of the ground in a spiral motion. She closed her eyes and felt the earth moving beneath her feet and began to hum. At least all the holes she dug before weren¡¯t a waste of time. She had gained a more firm control over her power, but she was also afraid she¡¯d overexert herself soon. Although she¡¯d only heard rumors about the aftereffects of overdrawing her mana, she had no intentions of doing it herself. Just as she was getting to the good part in the song she was humming, her sense of the earth suddenly widened and she fell over backwards from the shock. ¡°Ow¡­.¡± Selena groaned and stood up, rubbing her tailbone. She frowned and stepped on top of the pile of dirt and peered down the tunnel. She thought she saw something white and sucked in her breath. Had she found what they were looking for? She pulled a translucent, clear crystal that the angels used for lighting out of her robe and squeezed it. It began to glow with a bright light that caused her to shield her eyes. She dropped it down the tunnel, and watched it fall. When it reached the bottom, it bounced and clattered out of view. Selena gasped and took a step back from the hole she created. She shouted up towards the soldiers on the wall, ¡°I think I found it.¡± She quickly filled the hole back in and wrote in giant letters, ¡°right here¡± and marked it with an asterisk.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Selena sprinted towards the checkpoint gate while the soldiers went to inform the rest of the diligence angels. She felt like a child running up the stairs, in the dark, to her bedroom after turning off the lights in the basement to escape the monsters. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was out to get her, like she opened something she shouldn¡¯t have. She made it through the checkpoint gate into the wall without a hitch. It was only until she got to her temporary lodgings that she finally relaxed. The drawer creaked as Selena opened it and pulled out a piece of parchment, a quill, and ink. The capital would appreciate her for being the first to discover what they were looking for. Maybe she could get them to reduce Raea¡¯s punishment as a reward. When she finished writing the letter, there was a knock on her door. She recognized it as the captain¡¯s, judging by the sound. ¡°Come in,¡± she said. The door opened and the captain of the checkpoint stepped inside. ¡°I heard you found the tunnel?¡± he asked. Although he had been there for the first three days to watch over the angels, he got bored of it quickly and hadn¡¯t stepped outside since. Selena suspected it was because a patrol group was found dead on the third day with their heads twisted off. Their bodies were set up like mannequins in a grotesque picture of a ball, dancing with each other and pretending to eat from bowls made from their cracked open skulls. Selena had gone along that time, expecting to find Raea''s demon for some more answers. She sincerely hoped that macabre scene wasn¡¯t his doing. ¡°Yes,¡± Selena said. ¡°Or at least a wide open space beneath the ground. I dropped a crystal down and it bounced out of view.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the captain said and stroked his chin. ¡°I suppose that means you¡¯ll be leaving the checkpoint soon?¡± ¡°That depends on the capital¡¯s response,¡± Selena said. ¡°They may ask us to locate more tunnels. There might not only be that one.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the captain said and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good. I heard some news that you might like, Ms. Caelum.¡± Selena tilted her head. ¡°The army led by your brother is on their way back right now. We just got notice from one of their messengers. It¡¯ll be a day or two at most for them to arrive.¡± The captain seemed sincerely happy. Like Selena, he was spooked by the grizzly scene in the forest. Having two archangel generals in his checkpoint would cure a lot of his worries. ¡°Really?¡± Selena asked. ¡°That¡¯s great news. Thank you for informing me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the captain said. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. Dinner will be steak tonight. The days are starting to get chilly and the farmers are starting to slaughter their animals for the winter.¡± Selena nodded at the captain before he left. She reread the letter in her hands before rolling it up and sealing it with a wax stamp. She hummed as she made her way to the pigeon delivery station. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Raea and Elrith again. Chapter 143 The next day, Selena woke up early and lay in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. A dim, orange crystal was the only source of light in the room. Dark circles ringed her eyes, and her cheeks looked gaunt. A week of nonstop usage of her powers really took its toll on her. She wondered how the other diligence angels were doing. They were greater angels too, but her mana capacity was higher than theirs. She sighed and sat up in bed. Even if there was no work to be done, her diligent nature didn¡¯t let her stay still too long. She stretched and climbed out of bed. Her foot touched the floor and she flinched. The tiles were freezing. She shuffled her feet around, looking for her slippers. Her body froze, and a shiver ran down her spine. Her foot had found the slipper, but the inside of it was wet. Hands trembling, she leaned over and pulled the slipper off. A dark-red, viscous liquid fell to the ground with a plopping noise. Selena screamed and threw the slipper at the wall, urging the mana in her body to circle at its fullest. Nothing happened though because she was inside the checkpoint with the walls made out of the red metal. The door to her room burst open, and Selena let out another scream. She reached for the orange crystal lying on her bedside table and threw it at the intruder. It hit the intruder directly in the eye, causing him to fall over and clutch his face. Selena¡¯s voice shook. ¡°C-captain?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bloody good shot,¡± the captain said and groaned as he stood up. A trickle of blood ran down his cheek through the gaps in his fingers. ¡°What happened?¡± He looked around the room with his hand still covering his face. ¡°Your scream nearly made me use the bathroom early.¡± Selena pointed at the slipper lying next to the wall. The captain reached behind himself and pressed a button near the door. A white light enveloped the room as crystals on the ceiling started to glow. He frowned when he saw the bloodstain above the slipper. ¡°That¡¯s not your blood, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Selena said and shook her head. ¡°It was clean when I went to bed. Then when I put the slipper on this morning¡­.¡± She shuddered and shook her head. ¡°Did someone come into my room at night?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the ghosts,¡± the captain said and lowered his hand. Selena saw a gash on the captain¡¯s lower eyelid. ¡°I told you they were real. There¡¯s something unnatural about this place. They¡¯ve been getting louder at night too, but no one listens to me. I reported it to my higher-ups dozens of times.¡± ¡°And what did they say?¡± Selena asked. ¡°To paraphrase my superior, ¡®Does the widdle baby want a boddle?¡¯¡± the captain said and grimaced. ¡°No one else believes in ghosts, but they haven¡¯t been here.¡± The captain shook his head and sighed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll get you a new pair of slippers. I¡¯ll throw these away for you.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Selena said as the captain picked her slippers up. ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave it at that? Some freak put blood in my slippers while I was sleeping and all you¡¯re going to do is get me a new pair because ghosts!?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you expect me to do, ma¡¯am,¡± the captain said. The flesh around his eye that Selena struck with the crystal was starting to swell. ¡°Find the real culprit! Ghosts don¡¯t exist!¡± The captain sighed. ¡°You¡¯re just like my superiors,¡± he said. ¡°How do you know they don¡¯t exist?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no documented proof of ghosts anywhere,¡± Selena said and crossed her arms over her chest. Her room felt unnaturally cold. ¡°There¡¯s proof right here,¡± the captain said and waggled the bloody slippers in his hands. ¡°Write it down and it¡¯ll be documented.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a logical explanation,¡± Selena said. ¡°S¡ª¡° ¡°Yes, I agree. Ghosts,¡± the captain said. ¡°No! Someone is playing a practical joke on all the inhabitants of this checkpoint,¡± Selena said and furrowed her brow. She was starting to get annoyed. Why wasn¡¯t he listening? ¡°You just have to catch them in the act.¡± ¡°With all due respect, Ms. Caelum, we¡¯ve tried. Blood appears in locked rooms that only I have the keys to. You think I haven¡¯t looked for a culprit before? Do you think I enjoy waking up to bloody handprints on my face? If you think you can find the culprit, then you can take care of it!¡± The captain turned around and slammed the door on his way out. Selena frowned as she stared at the door. She refused to believe in ghosts. She wiped the bottom of her feet with the corner of her blanket. She sighed and narrowed her eyes at the stain. A look of focus appeared on her face as information started to pour into her mind. The liquid was definitely blood, and it belonged to an angel or something similar to an angel, but she couldn¡¯t figure anything else out with her power. She released the edge of her blanket and sighed while rubbing her head. Her temples started to throb. A headache always built up when she used her powers of knowledge. Her colleague, Pyre, had always joked about it forcefully expanding her brain. Where was Pyre anyway? She knew he requested for leave a while back but had no idea where he went. He¡¯d be able to find these so-called ghosts in a heartbeat with his self-sacrifice boosting his powers of knowledge. Selena gritted her teeth and braced herself for the cold when she swung her feet off the edge of her bed. It didn¡¯t come. The floor was warm. Her mouth dropped open and she stared blankly at the dark tiles. ¡°But¡­,¡± she said to herself and frowned. She checked the other tiles with her feet. All of them were warm. She took in a deep breath. ¡°Okay, Selena. Calm down. There is always a rational explanation for everything, including the tiles suddenly switching temperatures on you. Calm down.¡± She nodded to herself as she stood up and walked over to the wardrobe to find a robe to wear. ¡°Let¡¯s see. There¡¯s the possibility of the suns starting to shine on the wall, heating up the whole building in the process. Of course, it could also be due to a river of lava suddenly flowing underneath your floor tiles, but that is highly unlikely. You can also be stressed out because you¡¯ve been using your powers so often.¡± She picked out a clean brown robe and checked it for blood before putting it on. ¡°See?¡± she told herself as she made her way to the door. ¡°Reasonable explanations for everything. You came up with three reasons for why the¡­.¡± She stopped talking and stared at the floor. It was starting to turn cold again. She took off her robe, turned around, and put it back in the wardrobe. She jammed a chair underneath the doorknob and climbed back into her bed. ¡°Even diligence angels need breaks to maintain their bodies,¡± she said. ¡°Clearly I¡¯m going insane. The best option is to recover my health or the quality of my work will be affected.¡± She rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes. Moments later they shot open. She thought she heard someone giggle. Chapter 144 Selena held her breath. She heard the blood rushing through her ears in time with her heartbeat. The giggle came again, and Selena jolted up and jumped out of bed. She knelt on the floor and peered underneath her wooden bedframe. It was too dark to see anything, so she took the orange crystal off the bedside table and slid it underneath into the darkness. There was nothing there. Her brow furrowed as she pressed her ear against the cold floor tiles. She heard the giggling sound again, clearer this time. Selena pursed her lips and sat up. Her lodgings were literally inside of the checkpoint wall. It was impossible for her to manipulate the earth to look inside the ground. The architects had used the dwarves¡¯ designs to construct the wall and planted its base firmly in the ground. The sound shouldn¡¯t have been coming from directly below her. Perhaps it was a really loud giggle from the other room that passed through the tiles. She thought of the tunnels she was ordered to find, but dismissed it. The tunnel she found was way further to the north. The ground near the wall¡¯s gate was clear. ¡°It¡¯s not a ghost,¡± Selena said and stood up, walking over to the wardrobe. ¡°But it¡¯s not just me being stressed out either. There is a definite cause to this, and I¡¯m going to find it.¡± She frowned. Someone giggling didn¡¯t explain the blood in her slippers or the blood on the robe from a week ago. It also didn¡¯t explain why her floor kept changing temperatures. She sighed as she put on a robe and removed the chair from in front of the door. She grabbed the doorknob and instantly recoiled. It was wet and sticky. ¡°Calm down, Selena,¡± she said to herself and looked at her palm. It was bloody. Her head throbbed, but she used her powers of knowledge to examine the liquid in her hand. She confirmed that it was the blood of an angel. Her lip trembled. ¡°It¡¯s not a ghost. Think. Okay, the captain closed the door. And his hand was bloody because you hit him in the eye with a sharp object. Okay. Reasonable explanations, Selena.¡± She opened the door and walked out into the hall while wiping the captain¡¯s blood off onto her robe. She mentally reminded herself to apologize to him the next time she saw him. Something tapped her thigh, eliciting a scream from her mouth. Her scream triggered another scream from the creature who tapped her, causing her to scream even louder. She looked down and saw a goblin child with a pair of slippers on the floor beside it. ¡°T-the captain said to g-give you these,¡± the goblin said and shoved the slippers in her direction before running away. Selena stared blankly at the slippers and then looked up to see the goblin child running into a room. ¡°I really should¡¯ve went back to sleep,¡± Selena said and sighed. She walked over to the nearest window and stared at the forest outside. The windows were tinted red, and could only be seen through from inside like a one-way mirror. Although it didn¡¯t provide much lighting, it was a useful defensive design. She wondered how the dwarves came up with it. It was a shame they were rounded up and executed. Their skills in engineering and invention far surpassed the angels¡¯. ¡°But not all of them,¡± she mumbled to herself. That¡¯s why she was sent here. The capital was very vague with its request, but it was obvious something was strange. Tunnels don¡¯t just appear in the ground. She suspected the council members were withholding information to prevent a widespread panic; it wouldn¡¯t be the first time they did that.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Selena frowned as a giant figured loomed into view, towering over the treetops. It looked like a brown spider with lumps on its back. Was that Elrith? He was always a fan of spiders. Even the way he used his patience chains to fight were reminiscent of a spider trapping its prey with a silken net. Footsteps echoed through the halls as soldiers ran out of their rooms and up the stairs to get on top of the wall to man the crossbows and ballistae. How had they known something was approaching? She hadn¡¯t heard any cries of alarm. She stopped a nearby soldier. ¡°How did you know that thing was coming?¡± she asked and pointed outside the window. The spider was getting closer. The soldier¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°The alarm system,¡± he said. ¡°I received orders to man the ballistae because of an approaching threat.¡± ¡°How come I didn¡¯t hear it?¡± Selena asked. The soldier shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s room specific. Some kind of dwarven voodoo,¡± he said and lowered his head slightly. ¡°If that¡¯s all¡­.¡± He glanced at the stairs. Selena nodded and watched him run after his comrades. ¡°Dwarven voodoo, huh?¡± Selena asked herself as she walked up the stairs. She wondered if the alarms could make giggling noises. The second sun was just beginning to rise over the treetops. Selena squinted and shielded her eyes with her hands. The soldiers looked tense even though the earthen spider had stopped moving. From where its eyes would¡¯ve been if it were alive, a hole appeared and a bald angel walked out of the spider. Selena recognized him as the Stormbringer. She had seen him a few times when he visited Hailing Academy. Her superiors always got extra stuffy when he showed up. ¡°General Michael requests permission to enter the checkpoint,¡± Michael said. His words weren¡¯t loud, but everyone heard them as if he were standing next beside them. The soldiers visibly relaxed, and someone shouted, ¡°Permission granted.¡± The spider started to shake and crumble as it crouched down, resting its belly on the ground. Selena peered over the edge of the wall and watched the spider dissolve, revealing angels and demons standing in formation. There were elephants and storage chests in the back of the ranks too. She wondered how much energy Elrith had to expend to carry everyone. Where was he anyway? It would make sense to have him at the head of the army, but she couldn¡¯t see him or his favorite towershield anywhere. And where was Raea? Granted, there were a lot of people, but she felt apprehension at not spotting her family right away. She wet her lips with her tongue and turned around as the army started to march. She ran down the stairs and headed towards the gate leading into the wall. Until she saw Elrith and Raea for herself, she wouldn¡¯t feel at ease. The thoughts of ghosts and giggling were completely gone from her mind. Chapter 145 Raea groaned as she sat up. The storage chest jolted, causing her to wince. Cleo scrambled to her side and asked, ¡°You¡¯re better now?¡± The lizardman tilted her head as she stared at Raea¡¯s pained face. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and gasped. ¡°Everything still hurts.¡± ¡°Then lie back down?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°We made it to the checkpoint.¡± Cleo had poked holes into the side of the walls earlier because she got tired of climbing up and down to see where they were. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Raea said. ¡°Sely is going to be there. I can¡¯t let her see me like this. I don¡¯t want her to worry about me.¡± She bit her lip as her eyes grew wet. Her bones creaked as she stood up, wobbling slightly. Her legs trembled, and she fell over onto her butt, causing her to gasp. She started to cry. Sally opened her eyes and blinked once at Raea. The harpy was still bound up by Danger Noodle. There were dark circles underneath her eyes, and her brown hair was frizzy. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sally asked and sighed, resting her chin on Danger Noodle¡¯s spine. Her voice was thin and worn out. Her fear of Palan had long been conquered, but Danger Noodle loved stealing her warmth. It turned out Palan¡¯s tail was cold-blooded even though he himself was not. Cleo was also cold-blooded, but she pulled a flaming bonfire out of her invisible space and showed it to Palan to explain why she didn¡¯t get cold. The storage chest nearly burned down that day. Raea turned her head and was about to respond to Sally¡¯s question when a voice drifted through the storage chest coming from the holes Cleo poked into the wall. ¡°Lady Raea is right inside that storage chest,¡± a male voice said. There was an unintelligible statement. ¡°No, Professor Caelum, she¡¯s perfectly healthy. She just overdrew her mana.¡± Cleo peered out of the holes and flinched. She turned to look at Raea and then turned back to look through the holes. She blinked twice and looked at Raea again. ¡°You¡¯re walking towards us from outside,¡± Cleo said and pointed at the wall. ¡°That¡¯s Sely!¡± Raea said and wiped away her tears. She took in a deep breath and gritted her teeth to stave off the pain. She attempted to maneuver herself into a more dignified position and managed to sit with her legs crossed and back straight. The side entrance to the storage chest opened, flooding the insides with artificial white light. ¡°Sely!¡± Raea said and waved. It was the best she could do. ¡°Raea,¡± Selena said and exhaled. Her baby sister really was alright. ¡°I was expecting you to tackle me.¡± Raea let out a wry smile. Selena chuckled as she stepped inside and hugged her sister. She didn¡¯t even flinch when she saw Raea¡¯s serpentine eyes. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. How¡¯d you manage to overdraft yourself?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°It was¡­.¡± Her eyes shifted towards Palan as she shut her mouth. Sally let out a whimper and closed her eyes. She wished she could escape like Cleo who left the storage chest the instant Raea¡¯s eyes moved. ¡°So it was you,¡± Selena said as she released Raea. ¡°We meet¡ª¡° Raea covered Selena¡¯s mouth with her hand. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk to him right now,¡± Raea whispered. She glanced at Palan whose head was lowered, staring at the floor. His legs were loosely straddled and bent at the knees while the backs of his hands touched the floor between his knees. His shoulders were hunched over, and his back was curved forward. His fingers occasionally twitched. Danger Noodle swayed back and forth, rocking Sally. Selena frowned and pursed her lips. ¡°What happened to him?¡± she whispered to Raea. ¡°I think he shut himself down,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°He¡¯s¡ª¡° Palan looked up. A strand of saliva ran down the corner of his lips to his chin. He wiped it away with the back of his hand and yawned. ¡°Are we anywhere interesting yet?¡± he asked. Like a shark, he had set his body on autopilot while he was sleeping. He frowned when he found Sally wrapped up in his tail.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Are you ¡­ normal again?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯m always normal,¡± Palan said. ¡°It¡¯s you angels who¡¯re the weird ones.¡± He glanced at Selena. ¡°Raea number two.¡± ¡°My name is Selena,¡± Selena said and frowned. ¡°You overdrafted my sister¡¯s mana?¡± ¡°Bite me,¡± Palan said as he stood up. His body rippled like a wave, and a continuous string of cracking noises resounded from his body. He yawned again and walked past the pair of sisters, hopping out of the storage chest. Sally took one last glance at Raea before she was turned around by Danger Noodle. ¡°So he¡¯s always like that,¡± Selena said as she watched him hiss at a nearby soldier. ¡°Even when he¡¯s around you?¡± ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± Raea asked as she grabbed onto her sister¡¯s arm and pulled herself up. Selena hesitated after seeing the worry in Raea¡¯s eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really hurt,¡± she said. ¡°Just a bit startled. Is he a pride demon?¡± The relief coming off Raea¡¯s body was palpable. She had been extremely worried after Palan refused to comment on hurting her sister. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s a pride demon.¡± Selena helped her sister walk out of the storage chest. ¡°Are you happy with him?¡± she asked. ¡°You always dreamed about getting a demon partner for yourself. How do you feel about that now?¡± ¡°I like him,¡± Raea said. She paused as her face turned a darker shade of red. ¡°He can be rude, mean, very blunt, and overall, err, bloodthirsty, but he has his soft spots. He really loves his sister, and I can tell he cares about me. At least my well-being¡­. He¡¯s really smart too, but sometimes he really worries me. Like a lot. I can¡¯t believe the things he does sometimes, but that¡¯s just how he was raised, right? He¡¯s very different from angels, and that¡¯s refreshing sometimes. I feel like I learned a lot from being with him.¡± ¡°You sound like you¡¯re happy,¡± Selena said and smiled. She didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her sister to stay away from that demon anymore and held down the sigh that wanted to escape. She didn¡¯t want to comment on the change in her sister¡¯s eyes or the scales she could feel through the thin cloth on Raea¡¯s arms. ¡°That¡¯s good. I was worried you¡¯d be constantly crying your eyes out.¡± Raea lowered her head. She was sure her eyes were still puffy from crying earlier. ¡°How about you, Sely?¡± Raea asked, still looking at the ground. She recognized the path she was walking on. ¡°You were working on a long distance communication device, right?¡± Selena sighed. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult, but there have been some breakthroughs. We have a small prototype wire that can transmit mana. We can send mana through one end, and it¡¯ll come out through the other. If we assign codes to every letter, we could potential send messages by sending mana in patterns conforming to the codes,¡± she said and shook her head. ¡°But the wire loses too much mana as it travels through. The distance we can send a message is about ten feet away, which can easily be done by talking. Apparently, this checkpoint has an alarm system that works similarly to our prototype. I was hoping to examine it before I returned.¡± Raea bit her lip. ¡°Return?¡± she asked. ¡°When are you going? Palan told me you were looking for something in the ground. Did you find it?¡± Selena smoothed down her hair. ¡°I think I found it, but I really hope I didn¡¯t find what I thought I was looking for,¡± she said. Raea had to take a second to interpret that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be going anywhere until the capital replies to my message.¡± Selena paused. ¡°I forgot about Elrith. Where is he?¡± *** Pyre stood inside of a glowing red cave, standing over a dwarf who was hammering at a lump of glowing white metal. Pyre was completely naked. ¡°More heat!¡± he shouted as he stared at the metal. Sparks flew off of it as the red hammer struck against it repeatedly. A forge burned with lava boiling at the center. ¡°If we add anymore heat, the surface dwellers will notice,¡± one of the dwarves fanning the forge said. Sweat poured from the pale creature¡¯s forehead. ¡°Fuck the surface dwellers!¡± Pyre shouted. ¡°More heat!!!¡± The dwarves looked at each other before nodding. They fanned the flames while another dwarf emptied the mana of a lava orb into the bottom of the forge. The hammering dwarf stuck the lump of metal into the forge and waited before taking it out again to resume pounding. The lump was gradually taking the shape of a rounded sheet. Pyre laughed as the red metal cooled down and the sheet was added to a pile of curved sheets. The room gradually cooled down as the dwarves shut off the forge and took a break. Solra wanted to build a giant cannon. Pyre was going to build the biggest damn cannon the world had ever seen. He let out another maniacal laugh that traveled through the caverns and reached an entrance to the tunnel systems way off in the distance. Madison wrinkled her nose when the laughter reached her ears. It sounded like giggling. Chapter 146 The next day, Raea recovered from her overdrafted state. She never wanted to feel like that again. The feeling of complete helplessness overwhelmed her. She sat up in her bed and shook her head. To her left, Selena was beginning to awaken as well. The captain had agreed to place them in the same room. Raea pursed her lips when she discovered Palan was nowhere to be found. Even Cleo and Sally were missing. She heard voices chattering from outside of the room and furrowed her brow as she climbed out of bed. Her gaze met with Selena¡¯s, and Raea thought she saw her sister flinch. Raea¡¯s foot made contact with the floor, and her body froze. She had stepped in a cold puddle of sticky liquid. Selena¡¯s eyes widened as she turned on the lights to the room. A giant bloodstain lay in the middle of the room, part of it creeping towards Raea¡¯s bed. ¡°Sely?¡± Raea asked with a trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± She bit her lip as she willed her body to move. Tears began to blur her vision. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist and lowered her gently to the bed. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ray,¡± Selena said and ran her fingers through Raea¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She had also been shocked by the pool of blood, but she steeled herself and urged the feelings of fear down her chest. She had to be the strong one for her little sister. Besides, it wasn¡¯t the first time blood appeared in her room. ¡°Was that really blood?¡± Raea asked. Her body shuddered. ¡°No,¡± Selena said, ¡°it¡¯s just tomato juice. Sometimes the halfling slaves are clumsy at night.¡± She didn¡¯t think she sounded very convincing. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to me,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. Her face hardened. ¡°I-I¡¯ve seen a lot of blood. I know what it looks like.¡± The door swung open with a bang, causing both sisters to scream. Palan stood at the entrance, licking his lips. Rivulets of blood ran down his mouth, past his chin, and onto his bare chest. Cleo stood behind him looking slightly green. Sally hung upside-down from his tail. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± he asked and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The two sisters stared at him with blank expressions on their face. ¡°There was an assassin trying to use blood as poison,¡± Palan said and gestured behind himself. Raea thought she saw a mangled, bloody body. ¡°I took care of him.¡± The sisters stared at each other. Palan snorted. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He turned around and walked away. ¡°Wait!¡± Raea shouted and scrambled out of Selena¡¯s embrace. She avoided the puddle of blood on the floor and stepped outside the room. An angel lay dead on the ground with holes in his body. It looked like his organs had been eaten. She resisted the urge to vomit. Selena stepped out from behind her and frowned when she saw the body. She recognized the face of the angel even though his skull had been cracked open. It belonged to one of the soldiers that always enjoyed bantering and making people laugh.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You killed him?¡± Selena asked, raising her head. ¡°Nope,¡± Palan said while turning around. ¡°I scared him a bit and he fell over and cracked his head open. I was surprised you two didn¡¯t wake up. I figured it¡¯d be best not to waste his organs since he died in that freak accident and ate them.¡± Selena¡¯s face blanched, and she turned to look at Raea. She highly suspected an angel was sneaking into her room to place blood around, but she didn¡¯t think the culprit deserved death for his actions. ¡°Raea?¡± Selena asked. She wanted to see how her little sister would deal with it. ¡°Well, if he says it was an accident,¡± Raea said and paused, ¡°then it was an accident.¡± Selena¡¯s mouth gaped. Raea blinked. ¡°He can¡¯t lie to me.¡± She paused for a second before turning to look at Palan. ¡°It was an accident, right?¡± ¡°Nah. He got what was coming to him,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I told you; he was an assassin. And you always called me paranoid for sleeping in your room with you.¡± Selena furrowed her brow and pulled Raea back inside the room. She said to Palan before closing the door, ¡°Do you mind if I talk to Raea for a second?¡± She didn¡¯t even wait for a reply. When the door closed behind her, Selena whirled around and placed her hands on Raea¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Ray ¡­ I don¡¯t mean to sound harsh ¡­ but,¡± Selena said and took in a deep breath, ¡°I don¡¯t think he should continue being your contracted demon. You¡¯re not in control of him at all.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡° ¡°He killed someone, Raea,¡± Selena said and squeezed Raea¡¯s shoulders. ¡°That man was a practical joker who enjoyed playing pranks at night. He wasn¡¯t an assassin.¡± ¡°But Palan didn¡¯t know that,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°What kind of prank does he think he¡¯s playing in a woman¡¯s room in the middle of the night? How do you know he wasn¡¯t an assassin?¡± ¡°Whether he was an assassin or not doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Selena said. ¡°That angel was just a regular angel. Your demon could¡¯ve easily subdued him without killing him. Everyone has a right to explain themselves and be given a trial. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°I get what you¡¯re trying to say,¡± Raea said, ¡°but I don¡¯t think Palan is at fault. That¡¯s just how he is. He sincerely thought he was protecting me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you see it,¡± Selena said, ¡°and that may truly be the case. But what about the other people who hear about this? All they¡¯re going to hear is that your demon killed someone and tore his body apart to eat his organs. It¡¯s believable if he only killed him, but did he have to eat the organs too?¡± Raea bit her lip and looked down. Selena sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore, Raea,¡± she said. ¡°Your birthday passed a few days ago. You¡¯re an adult now.¡± ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡± Raea asked. She sounded like she was about to cry. ¡°I don¡¯t feel very adult-like.¡± ¡°Well, the first thing we have to do,¡± Selena said and glanced at the puddle of blood on the ground, ¡°is get rid of the evidence.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± Selena asked. ¡°I¡¯m not letting my baby sister get executed. We can talk about your demon problem after we solve the current crisis. One step at a time, Ray. One step at a time.¡± Chapter 147 Raea nodded her head and followed Selena¡¯s orders. She wiped away the blood on the ground using the robes inside of the wardrobe while Selena went to assess the damage outside of the room. Palan was feeding Sally parts of the dead angel while Cleo was crinkling her nose. ¡°At least cook him first,¡± Cleo said as her face turned green. Selena stared blankly at the grotesque scene. Sally seemed to be enjoying it. Selena cleared her throat. ¡°Did anyone see you three out here?¡± she asked. Palan ignored her while feeding Sally a stringy piece of flesh. The harpy had been living off of mushrooms that tasted like dirt all her life. To her, this was a delicacy. ¡°Nope,¡± Cleo said and turned towards Selena, eager for a distraction. ¡°There¡¯d probably be a lot of screaming if there was.¡± ¡°For good reason,¡± Selena said and nodded. Her stomach churned and a lump formed in her throat as she stared at the pair devouring the corpse. ¡°Move the body into the room. We have to clean up the blood on the ground and remove all signs of murder.¡± Palan didn¡¯t seem to hear her. Selena sighed and walked back into the room. ¡°Your demon doesn¡¯t listen very well, does he?¡± Selena asked Raea. ¡°Can you make him bring the body inside? The least we can do is give the poor fellow a proper burial later.¡± Screams drew the two sisters¡¯ attentions towards the hall. Cleo was yelling and spewing profanities while Palan was stuffing the corpse into her invisible space. It was odd to see a pair of floating legs sticking out of Cleo¡¯s belt. ¡°Stop! It¡¯s so gross, ewwww,¡± Cleo shouted and shuddered. ¡°You¡¯re sticking his head into my fire! Stop forcing it! Let me do it.¡± The orange lizardman grumbled and wiggled the pair of legs in the air. An instant later, they slid downwards and vanished. Selena turned her head to look at Raea. ¡°She¡¯s a kleptomaniac?¡± Selena asked and checked her pockets. There was nothing in them. She wasn¡¯t sure if there had been something in them in the first place. She frowned. ¡°That certainly makes things a lot easier. We can transport ¡­ it ¡­ without suspicion. Finding a burial place should be easy.¡± ¡°Burial?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I¡¯m saving him for later. There¡¯s no reason to bury perfectly good food.¡± Selena sighed and shot a glance at Raea. The younger sister fidgeted underneath the gaze and broke eye contact. ¡°Can you please listen to her?¡± Raea asked Palan. ¡°Sely would never do anything to hurt me. We can trust her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe in your judgment of people,¡± Palan said as he licked his lips. ¡°You say she¡¯s trustworthy, so she¡¯s trustworthy? If I say she¡¯s not trustworthy, can she no longer be trusted? You couldn¡¯t even tell Ishim wanted to kill you, so why should I believe your judgment now?¡± Raea pursed her lips and lowered her head. ¡°He has a point,¡± Selena said and looked at Palan. ¡°Quite frankly, I don¡¯t trust you very much either.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your trust,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no such thing. Everyone has a price. Trust can be sold to the highest bidder. I¡¯ve seen too many betrayals to believe in something so intangible.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Selena turned towards Raea. ¡°This is the demon you like so much?¡± she asked with a wry smile. ¡°He¡¯s quite a handful.¡± Raea furrowed her brows and looked at Palan. ¡°I trust you,¡± she said and stared into his eyes. ¡°You know I can¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°If you trust me, then why did you have to make me unable to lie to you?¡± Palan asked and snorted. ¡°I trust you to take care of me, but I don¡¯t want to be lied to either. I know you lie to me to protect me,¡± Raea said. ¡°But I¡¯ll never grow up if I¡¯m always shielded from the truth. If you killed someone who was trying to kill me, and if I asked you if you did it, you would say no because you don¡¯t want me to feel bad. I didn¡¯t give you that order because I didn¡¯t trust you. I gave you that order so you could learn to trust me. I know I¡¯m weak and insecure and admittedly not very bright at times, but I can still bear some of your burden. I said it before, but I¡¯ll say it again. We are equals.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°You¡¯re stupid to even think you can trust anyone,¡± he said. ¡°Do you trust Andrea?¡± Raea asked. Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I trust my sister,¡± Raea said and grabbed Selena¡¯s hand. ¡°She was willing to give up her career for me. She was the one who convinced Mom to lower my sentence. She¡¯s the kind of person that I aspire to be.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can convince him with words,¡± Selena said. ¡°I think I already have,¡± Raea said. ¡°He just can¡¯t admit it because of his pride.¡± She looked at Palan. ¡°Selena sincerely wants to help us. She¡¯s covering up a crime that can get me executed. Can¡¯t you yield a little and make her happy by burying the body?¡± Palan wordlessly reached into Cleo¡¯s invisible space and rummaged around, causing the orange lizardman to squeal in protest. He grabbed the corpse by the leg and dragged it out, dropping it onto the floor. Danger Noodle released Sally and swallowed the corpse in a single motion. ¡°What body?¡± Palan asked and crossed his arms over his chest. Sally teetered and fell over as if she forgot how to use her own legs. ¡°Palan¡­,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°Just what are you trying to prove?¡± Selena asked and stepped forward. ¡°There¡¯s no logic in burying a perfectly good source of food,¡± Palan said. ¡°I won¡¯t blindly follow illogical orders.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cleo said and nodded, happy to have the corpse out of her system. ¡°He won¡¯t even follow logical orders. What makes you think he¡¯ll listen to you whack jobs.¡± Cleo snorted. ¡°Burying bodies.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a right to speak either,¡± Palan said to Cleo. ¡°Your people burn your dead as an offering to El-something.¡± ¡°Elbegon,¡± Cleo said. ¡°We bury them out of respect,¡± Selena said, ¡°so their mana can properly return to the Creator.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always the Creator with you angels,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°That asshole¡¯s done nothing for me except give me extreme bullshit to deal with. If me eating this angel robs the Creator of his mana, then good. If I ever see him in person, I¡¯m going to fight him.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said, sounding like she wanted to cry. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you could be executed for saying words like that? Blasphemy is a serious crime.¡± Palan shrugged while Selena sighed. Sally finally got her legs to work and stood up with Cleo¡¯s help. Footsteps echoed through the hall, and the captain of the checkpoint appeared in front of the group. He frowned at the bloodstain on the floor while Raea¡¯s heart began to pound. They spent too much time bickering. He was going to find out, and she was going to be executed. Raea began to open her mouth. ¡°Damn ghosts, eh?¡± the captain said and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to clean this up. Sorry about this.¡± He smiled at Raea. Raea stared blankly until Selena nudged her arm. She closed her mouth and nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. It was the only word she could manage to squeeze out. Chapter 148 ¡°What did he mean by ghosts?¡± Raea asked Selena after the captain left. Selena tilted her head and rubbed her chin. ¡°Hmm. There¡¯s just been odd things happening here,¡± she said, ¡°and the captain believes that it¡¯s due to ghosts. Occasionally, I¡¯ll wake up and find blood somewhere in the room, or the floors will heat up and cool down at random. Sometimes there are giggling noises.¡± ¡°You said ghosts didn¡¯t exist,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Selena said. ¡°I¡¯ve already came up with many logical explanations for all of the phenomena.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen ghosts leave their bodies all the time. When we burn our dead, the bodies sit up and twitch like they¡¯re fighting things.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about burning corpses,¡± Selena said, ¡°but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a logical explanation for why they are moving that doesn¡¯t involve ghosts.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen ghosts in the desert before,¡± Palan said. ¡°You see them from far away, but when you get there, no one¡¯s there: can¡¯t see them, smell them, or hear them. Sometimes they¡¯re walking upright, sometimes they¡¯re upside down in the sky.¡± Raea turned to look at Selena. ¡°Logical explanations,¡± Selena said and shrugged. ¡°I just don¡¯t know them yet.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so illogical about ghosts?¡± Cleo asked. She pulled a bucket full of water out of her invisible space and let Sally wash the blood off of her face with it. ¡°All recorded incidents of ghosts have been explainable phenomena. They¡¯re just illogical,¡± Selena said. ¡°How are ghosts able to affect our world, but we are unable to affect theirs?¡± ¡°Maybe we do affect their world, but we just can¡¯t see the effects,¡± Cleo said and nodded as she put the bucket away. ¡°Why can¡¯t there be some kind of power that summons ghosts? I don¡¯t think creating a giant spider out of earth is very logical either.¡± ¡°Does she always ask this many questions?¡± Selena asked Raea. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a talkative lizardman before.¡± ¡°She¡¯s very talkative,¡± Raea said and nodded. She pursed her lips as her face turned a deeper shade of red. ¡°And sometimes she says inappropriate things.¡± ¡°Inappropriate?¡± Selena asked. She raised an eyebrow and turned towards Cleo. Cleo blinked. ¡°Uh ¡­ Raea did the dirty with Palan,¡± she said and smiled. Her tail stiffened and she scrambled behind Sally, using her as a shield to deflect the glares she received.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Did you¡ª¡° ¡°No!¡± Raea said and cut Selena off. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! Not really¡­.¡± She stared at the floor and shut her mouth. Selena looked at Palan who just smirked while sitting down. His tail was a lot plumper after eating that corpse. Selena¡¯s brow furrowed as she lifted Raea¡¯s face to meet hers. ¡°You didn¡¯t ¡­ fall in love with him, right?¡± she asked, staring into Raea¡¯s eyes. Raea opened her mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came out. She closed her mouth and broke eye contact with Selena. ¡°Raea!¡± Raea flinched and made eye contact with Selena again before trembling. Selena exhaled and closed her eyes. There was a shuffling noise behind her, but she ignored it. After a few deep breaths, Selena opened her eyes again. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you who or who not to fall in love with,¡± she said and paused, ¡°but I can tell you that if anything happens between you and a demon, Mom and Dad are not going to be pleased at all. At best, you¡¯ll be expelled from the family and exiled to beyond the borderlands, maybe even Eljiam. At worst, you¡¯ll be forced to kill him then executed yourself. An angel shouldn¡¯t love a demon. It¡¯s against the Creator¡¯s will.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Raea said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°That¡¯s not true at all.¡± She pushed Selena¡¯s hand away and took a step back. Her eyes glittered with tears. ¡°I know it¡¯s not true. The Creator approved of the contract between me and Palan.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to do anything?¡± Cleo whispered to Palan. He shrugged. ¡°If I killed Selena, Raea¡¯d probably kill herself to spite me,¡± he said. ¡°I mean,¡± Cleo said while fidgeting, ¡°shouldn¡¯t you take responsibility as a man? You have to support your woman in her time of need.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who brought this topic up?¡± Palan asked and stared at Cleo. Cleo gulped. ¡°Well, yes,¡± she said and shifted her eyes away, ¡°but she¡¯s your woman, not mine.¡± ¡°I think you have the wrong idea of what Raea is to me,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to help her?¡± Sally asked. She had waddled over earlier. ¡°She¡¯s not dying,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t even understand the issue. If you want something, then take it. If you¡¯re too weak, then come back later when you¡¯re strong enough. Why should you let others affect what you want?¡± Sally tilted her head and sat next to Palan. She seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°If you want something, then just take it¡­,¡± she murmured. ¡°That¡¯s going to be hard for you since you don¡¯t have thumbs,¡± Cleo said to the harpy and wiggled her fingers. ¡°I¡¯m not questioning your decisions, Ray,¡± Selena said and raised her hands while taking a step back. ¡°I just want you to remember that there are always consequences for your actions. Even if you fall, I¡¯ll still do my best to help you. I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t though.¡± Raea wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. ¡°But what did you mean by the Creator approved of your contract?¡± Raea sniffled. ¡°The Creator added a clause to our contract and forcibly increased its level,¡± she said. Selena blinked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you mind if I see? I don¡¯t think I ever heard of something like that happening before.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Raea said and nodded. She reached into her bag to pull out a crystal, but Danger Noodle wrapped itself around her body and swallowed her head. ¡°Sorry,¡± Palan said from behind Selena. ¡°Contracts are confidential.¡± He walked down the hall with Raea flailing her legs and gestured towards Sally and Cleo to follow. ¡°Let¡¯s go hunting.¡± Selena stared at her half-eaten, struggling sister with her mouth agape. ¡°W-wait!¡± she said and chased after the group. ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Palan ignored her. Chapter 149 Selena sighed as she made her way to the pigeon delivery center. It had been three days since she reunited with Raea, and she was seriously concerned about her little sister¡¯s future. Palan was a terrible influence on her, making her do things she¡¯d never even consider back in the capital. First off, why did her demon have to sleep in the same bed? Granted, he slept while sitting up and never got underneath the blankets, but it was still too intimate for her liking. Who would believe that two people sleeping in the same room every night didn¡¯t do anything together? And secondly, why was Raea making friends with more halflings than angels? ¡°Hey, Sell,¡± a voice said when she reached the pigeon delivery room. She looked up and saw Elrith sitting on a bench. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You seem upset.¡± ¡°Good morning, Elly,¡± Selena said. ¡°I¡¯m worried about Raea.¡± She sat next to him on the bench. ¡°I heard you two got into a few tiffs.¡± Elrith grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t even understand why,¡± he said and leaned back. ¡°She always listened to me before. I was just telling her what was best for her and then she got upset with me.¡± He paused. ¡°Well, she did break my arm on accident too. What are you here for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just checking to see if a reply came from the capital. It¡¯s already been four days,¡± Selena said and smoothed out her robe. ¡°It should be here today. Are you waiting for one too?¡± Elrith nodded. His face darkened. ¡°I have never been so thoroughly defeated in my life,¡± he said. ¡°Asking the capital for help makes me feel so ¡­ pathetic. Like I failed my men. Nothing seems to be going right ever since Raea poisoned me.¡± ¡°Maybe you got into your spats with Raea because you say things like that,¡± Selena said. ¡°Like what?¡± Selena shook her head and stood up. ¡°Never mind,¡± she said and walked up to the counter. A nervous-looking goblin with one eye was fidgeting while standing on a stool. ¡°Has a letter arrived for Selena Caelum from the capital?¡± The goblin didn¡¯t make eye contact with Selena, but nodded furiously and hopped off the stool and approached a shelf. He rummaged around and pulled out a letter. His eye scanned over it before handing it to Selena. The wax seal was unbroken. ¡°Thanks,¡± Selena said to the goblin. It scratched its slave collar in response while staring at the wooden counter. She didn¡¯t mind and returned to the bench. ¡°Want me to open it?¡± Elrith asked, seeing the glum expression on Selena¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t think she looked very pleased to see the letter. ¡°No,¡± Selena said and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She broke the wax seal and unfolded the piece of paper. Her expression grew darker and darker as she continued to read the letter. After she was done, she tore it to pieces and put the scraps into her pocket.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Well?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been told to collapse the tunnel I found and resume the search for more,¡± she said. Her brow furrowed. ¡°Did you find any dwarves by any chance?¡± ¡°Dwarves? We didn¡¯t see them personally, but a prisoner told us that they were working with them,¡± Elrith said. Selena sighed. ¡°So I was right,¡± she said. ¡°The dwarves already have tunnels bypassing our checkpoint walls. How far do you think they¡¯ve gotten? Could they already have established tunnels underneath the capital? The council requested for me not to divulge any information, but you¡¯re you.¡± She paused. ¡°This minor rebellion is a lot bigger than we thought. They said a lot of peoples¡¯ live are depending on the collapse of the tunnel, so we should act with the utmost urgency. They didn¡¯t say dwarves, but it¡¯s pretty obvious from the context.¡± ¡°L-letter for General Elrith Caelum, sir,¡± a croaky voice said. It was the one-eyed goblin who just returned from a back room. Elrith stretched his hand out and the goblin scrambled over to hand him the letter. He frowned. ¡°This is Akurel¡¯s wax seal,¡± Elrith said as he flipped the letter around. His brow furrowed as he snapped the seal and opened the letter. His hand trembled as he read through the contents. Selena felt a sense of unease as Elrith¡¯s face blanched. ¡°I think it may be a little too late to collapse that tunnel,¡± Elrith said, speaking slowly. He raised his head. ¡°The rebels ambushed the second sector. Akurel¡¯s army has been decimated. He sent a letter to me, Michael, and Jones along with a letter to the capital.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Akurel¡¯s army known for their offensive power?¡± Selena asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°What about Jones¡¯ army? Why wasn¡¯t General Jones there as well?¡± ¡°When Michael and I left the second sector to come here, Jones and Akurel split their armies to the east and west. I can see how Akurel lost,¡± Elrith said. ¡°The rebels have a lot of weapons we¡¯ve never seen before. They have explosion-powered trebuchets and our orbs. A flock of harpies chased us all the way to the checkpoint, harassing us with lightning strikes the whole time. If they attacked at night when none of Akurel¡¯s men were mounted ¡­ it¡¯s too easy.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Selena asked. ¡°Wait for orders from the capital,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Akurel¡¯s army is already lost. It¡¯ll take us a week and a half, or a week if we rush, to reach the second sector with an army of this size. We don¡¯t have any cavalry, and the few horses we can get here will fragment our army. They¡¯ve been plotting against us for who knows how long, but we didn¡¯t know they even existed until a month ago. There shouldn¡¯t be a fear of the capital falling. The council is still strong enough to take on armies individually.¡± ¡°But delivering food to the capital just got a whole lot more difficult,¡± Selena said. ¡°The farms are in the third sector, and they have to pass through the second and first before reaching the capital.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that seem like a serious design flaw?¡± Elrith asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°I know I¡¯m not the brightest when it comes to managing a city, but¡­.¡± ¡°The council decided on it a long time ago, saying that it¡¯d be better to have the farms in the third sector so food can be distributed easily to the armies in the borderland,¡± Selena said. ¡°Also, transporting captured halflings would decrease their chances of dying if they didn¡¯t have to travel as far before reaching the farms.¡± She paused. ¡°This was also suggested by Solra before the four sinners fell. Just how far ahead in advance did they plan this?¡± Chapter 150 ¡°A-another letter for the General, sir,¡± the goblin said after it checked the back of the room again. He handed it to Elrith and quickly retreated behind the counter. Selena peeked at the letter in Elrith¡¯s hand and recognized the wax seal as one from the council. She placed her hand on his shoulder when his arm started to tremble. ¡°Go on,¡± Selena said. The top of the envelope had Michael¡¯s and Elrith¡¯s names written in script. ¡°I feel like I should wait for Michael,¡± Elrith said. ¡°But it should be urgent? It won¡¯t hurt for you to read it now by yourself,¡± Selena said. Elrith¡¯s face hardened, and he nodded before breaking the wax seal. The contents of the letter were quite short, but Elrith read over each word at a deliberate pace. The expression on his face was odd when he raised his head. ¡°Well?¡± Selena asked. ¡°They want us to bring destroy our way back to the first sector,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brow. ¡°Destroy the way?¡± Elrith nodded. ¡°I need to give this letter to Michael,¡± he said. ¡°Walk with me?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± *** Raea was lying in her bed, staring up at the ceiling while Palan meditated beside her. Cleo and Sally were sleeping on Selena¡¯s bed. A metallic voice echoed through the room, causing Raea to sit up and Palan to go on full alert. ¡°To General Elrith¡¯s and General Michael¡¯s armies, gather at the grounds in the third sector. I repeat, gather at the grounds in the third sector.¡± Palan stared at the floor. ¡°There¡¯s this kind of long-distance communication?¡± he asked. He tilted his head and stared at the tiles on the floor before trying to pry one off with his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t break anything,¡± Raea said as she got out of bed and began to change into her armor. Cleo and Sally woke up from the noise. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cleo asked with a yawn. She had forced Sally to carry her into the air for the past three days. The harpy felt elated for the first day, but soon got tired of Cleo¡¯s excessive demands. The lizardman had to explain what a barrel roll was to the harpy, and both of them nearly died after they lost altitude while attempting the maneuver. ¡°Are we going somewhere?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Help me store these tiles,¡± Palan said and tossed a black metal square at Cleo. She caught it and smelled it before placing it inside her space. ¡°What is it?¡± Cleo asked. Another tile flew at her, and she stored that one too. ¡°Treasures?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Palan said. ¡°But they aren¡¯t ordinary. And since you can carry anything anyway, it doesn¡¯t hurt to bring everything that¡¯s unusual with us.¡± ¡°You just think of me as a storage bag, don¡¯t you?¡± Cleo asked and grumbled as she caught another tile. ¡°A portable one,¡± Palan said and nodded. Underneath the tiles, the floor was made of a smooth solid stone. There were no traces or outlines of rocks. Palan looked at Raea. ¡°Is this floor natural?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± Raea asked as she finished putting on her armor. She looked at the cement-like floor. ¡°It looks like the roads and floors in the capital. I think angels created it.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I wonder if the voice came from this floor or the tiles,¡± he said and continued to pry the floor apart. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to break anything?¡± Raea asked as she watched her demon¡¯s actions. ¡°I¡¯m keeping them intact,¡± Palan said. ¡°What if the voice comes from the floor and not the tiles?¡± Raea asked. Seconds later, the same message was repeated, but louder this time. Palan frowned. ¡°I guess I just got free projectiles then,¡± Palan said as he continued to tear apart the tiles. He raised his head. ¡°You¡¯re done changing? I¡¯d thought you¡¯d take longer.¡± He smacked his tail which was staring at Sally and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m not that slow,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Also, stop antagonizing Sely every time you see her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t antagonize her,¡± Palan said. Raea waited for lightning to strike him, but it never came. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t antagonize her?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you try to provoke her all the time? Don¡¯t you always bicker with her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s provoking and bickering, not antagonizing,¡± Palan said as Danger Noodle wrapped around Sally who looked defeated. Cleo pouted and crawled up Raea¡¯s back, resting her chin on the angel¡¯s head. Raea sighed and shook her head before exiting the room. The group headed outside the gate towards the third sector. Palan smiled. He was one step closer to the capital. The first checkpoint was behind him. He wasn¡¯t surprised to see the lack of trees or full fields of grain; he saw them all the time from the windows. What caught him off guard was the silence. The fields were full of halfling workers, mostly goblins and lizardmen, but none of them were speaking. Even the angels with the whips that were patrolling the fields were silent. Raea saw Elrith and Michael at the head of the group along with Selena. She wanted to go up to them but hesitated. Palan didn¡¯t say anything after seeing her pause; instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her. ¡°I-if you want something, then take it,¡± Sally said from Danger Noodle. She stuttered because the snake tightened around her body when she first spoke. ¡°That¡¯s partially why I got thrown out of my home in the first place,¡± Raea said and smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s better to not be greedy. They look busy.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go sit on a storage chest,¡± Cleo said and lightly tugged on Raea¡¯s hair, steering her towards the elephants. Raea took one last glance at the trio at the head of the army before climbing up a storage chest. The elephant seemed happy to see them. It remembered the little orange thing that fed it scraps of food. Chapter 151 After the rest of the army finished assembling, Selena split off from Elrith and Michael. She walked past the army and towards the storage chest that Raea and Palan were sitting on. She climbed up the side and approached her little sister. ¡°Ray,¡± Selena said and hugged Raea. ¡°I still have my own duties to accomplish here, so I¡¯ll be staying behind while you head off to the first sector.¡± ¡°Do we have to separate here already?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Can¡¯t you come with us? I don¡¯t feel comfortable knowing you¡¯ll be staying here without an archangel¡¯s protection.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Selena said. ¡°I¡¯m not weak, you know?¡± She stroked Raea¡¯s hair. ¡°I also heard you were getting a promotion at the capital, so don¡¯t even think about staying here with me.¡± ¡°What do you have left to do here?¡± Raea asked, unwilling to let go of Selena. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a volunteer? You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t stop a job once I begin,¡± Selena said. ¡°I¡¯ll see it through to the end. That¡¯s why I¡¯m a diligence angel.¡± Raea pursed her lips as a tear slid down her cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave,¡± she said. ¡°Weren¡¯t you fine with coming to the borderlands by yourself?¡± Selena asked and smiled while wiping Raea¡¯s tears away with the back of her hand. ¡°You even rejected my offer of accompanying you.¡± ¡°That time was different,¡± Raea said and shook her head. Her grip tightened around Selena¡¯s back, causing her sister to wince. ¡°Something bad is going to happen. I can feel it, and it makes me so afraid for you. Please, Sely, don¡¯t go. You can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Ray¡­,¡± Selena said and gasped. ¡°I can¡¯t breathe.¡± Raea flinched and released her sister. She withdrew her hands. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Selena said and grabbed Raea¡¯s hand. ¡°It makes me happy to know you¡¯ve gotten stronger. I won¡¯t worry for you as much.¡± She smiled. ¡°This is important. You¡¯ve seen the rebel army for yourself right?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°And their tunnel system?¡± Raea nodded again. ¡°The capital needs me to break it down. We have to cut off their reinforcements and supplies and their retreat route.¡± ¡°Retreat route?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Do they even need those? Almost all the encounters ended with you angels retreating.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be the case in the capital,¡± Selena said. ¡°The capital?¡± Raea asked. Her eyes widened. ¡°Will the rebels get that far?¡± Selena glanced at Elrith and Michael. They were starting to lead the army away. ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t tell you this, but the rebel army already defeated General Akurel¡¯s army in the second sector,¡± Selena said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they made it to the capital. They are extremely prepared.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Raea¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°But what about Mom and Dad? And Nina, and Rupert, and¡ª¡° Palan placed his hand on Raea¡¯s head, causing her to freeze up. ¡°Why do you care about people who¡¯ve abandoned you?¡± he asked. ¡°If you do something stupid like sacrifice yourself to save them, I am going to be extremely upset with you.¡± ¡°They¡¯re family!¡± Raea said and knocked away his hand. The storage chest started to move. Sally managed to escape from Danger Noodle¡¯s grasp. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯ve abandoned me. We are connected by blood. They loved me for all my life¡ªit¡¯s my own fault that I developed feelings of envy and greed. I can¡¯t blame them for leaving me.¡± Palan looked behind himself and Cleo, Sally, and Selena. ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one who thinks that¡¯s stupid, right?¡± he asked. ¡°My dad¡¯s second mate tried to kill me,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I¡¯m happy she¡¯s dead. Good riddance.¡± She stuck her chest out and snorted. ¡°My cousins tried to kill me after my mother died to be the new matriarch,¡± Sally said and tilted her head. ¡°I had to kill them first.¡± ¡°I love my family,¡± Selena said and shrugged. ¡°But Raea, calm down. Mom and Dad are archangels. Nothing can happen to them. I don¡¯t believe Solra can stop their powers by himself. Maybe if there were two or three Solras. But there aren¡¯t.¡± Raea bit her lip. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Selena asked. ¡°I believe you believe what you just told me,¡± Raea said slowly, ¡°but it seems like everyone is ¡­ wrong? No one believed I would come back from the lizardman camp that Ishim sent me to, but I did. General Michael thought the war would be over in one battle, but it wasn¡¯t. Elly believed in his plan to counter the rebels, but it failed.¡± ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Selena said and frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t shake the feeling of unease myself, but that is why I have to do the most that I can to prevent the worst from happening. People don¡¯t believe because they know they¡¯re right. People believe because that¡¯s the only thing they can do. Worrying won¡¯t help you; it may even make the situation worse. So believe in Mom and Dad, alright? We all have our own parts to do, no matter how small.¡± Raea stayed silent. Selena walked up to her and hugged her before kissing her forehead. ¡°Take care, Raea. You¡¯re an adult now,¡± she said. ¡°Can I count on you to welcome me back home?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Raea said and sniffled. ¡°You can¡¯t die, Sely. Promise me you won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I promise you I won¡¯t die anytime soon,¡± Selena said and poked Raea¡¯s nose. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to die before me, got that?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t say goodbye,¡± she said as Selena separated herself from Raea. ¡°You¡¯ll see me again before you know it,¡± Selena said and climbed off the moving storage chest. ¡°You¡¯re just going to let her go like that?¡± Palan asked Raea who watched her sister¡¯s back which was walking away. ¡°I thought you would be gl-gl-glad t-to see h-her go-o¡­.¡± Raea swallowed and started to sob. She crouched down and brought her knees to her chest and buried her face in her arms. Cleo frowned and waddled over to pat the crying angel¡¯s back. Palan frowned. It wasn¡¯t the first time he saw Raea cry, but there was something that bothered him. Did Andrea cry after he left her? Would Selena not completing her duty cause either her or Raea to die? Probably not. It may affect some other people, but who cares? He didn¡¯t. He jumped off the storage chest towards the direction Selena walked off to. Sally glanced at the sobbing angel who hadn¡¯t noticed her demon¡¯s actions and then glanced at said demon. She sat down and buried her head underneath her wing. She wished her mother was still around to tell her what to do. Chapter 152 The elephant continued to march after the army, pulling the storage chest along. After a while, Raea took a deep breath and looked up while wiping away her tears. She saw Sally in a harpy sleeping posture, and Cleo squatting next to her. ¡°Where¡¯s Palan?¡± she asked in a whisper. Cleo looked around and tilted her head. ¡°Odd. I didn¡¯t know he could turn invisible,¡± she said and started to sniff the air. ¡°He left,¡± Sally said and pointed off the storage chest with the wing she wasn¡¯t hiding her head under. ¡°Did he say anything before leaving?¡± Raea asked and pursed her lips. ¡°Why would he leave right after Sely?¡± She sighed and rested her chin on her knees. Cleo walked to the edge of the storage chest and squinted off into the distance. She went back to the other end of the storage chest and scrambled up the reins connecting it to the elephant. A chunk of vegetables appeared in her hands as she maneuvered her way across the elephants back. ¡°Slow down a bit, Mr. Bubbles,¡± Cleo said to the elephant and pat its head, offering it the vegetables in her hand. It trumpeted and snatched the food away with its trunk. Its walking pace slowed until it was the last elephant in line. Cleo nodded and ran back to the other end of the storage chest and waited. Time passed. ¡°I think I see him coming back,¡± she said when she saw a purple demon floating towards them in the air. ¡°I think Danger Noodle was just hungry. He looks very full now.¡± Raea looked up just in time to see Palan land on the storage chest. Danger Noodle squirmed around oddly. It opened the top entrance of the storage chest and lowered itself inside before puking something out. Palan closed the storage chest as his tail wrapped itself around his torso. He sat on top of the entrance. The elephant¡¯s pace slowed considerably. The three stared at Palan, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice their gazes. Cleo was the first to speak. ¡°What did you just do?¡± she asked and tried to push his body away to open the top of the chest. Palan poked her forehead, causing her to fall over. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± he said. He turned towards Raea. ¡°Do you know where we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going towards the capital, but I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s our final destination,¡± Raea said. ¡°We could be stopping by the second or first sectors.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Cleo said. ¡°What¡¯s your brother doing?¡± She pointed at the head of the army. Elrith was leaving Michael¡¯s side and heading towards the back of the marching soldiers. He passed the storage chests and ignored Cleo¡¯s calls for his attention. ¡°Don¡¯t bother him,¡± Raea said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he has his reasons. As the general of an army, he can¡¯t always spare his time to talk to his little sister. Duty first.¡± A wry smile appeared on Raea¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯ve seen Selena.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Your family is full of fuddy-duddies,¡± Cleo said and wrinkled her nose. Elrith walked past the last elephant and storage chest and glanced at the moving army before staring at the ground. He placed his palms against the road and closed his eyes. The earth trembled and farmers let out cries of alarm. In certain areas, the ground began to sink downwards, creating an uneven landscape of hills and valleys. Elrith continued channeling his power, ignoring the destruction he was causing to the farms. Cleo clung onto Palan¡¯s body as the storage chest rumbled and started to shake. ¡°What is he doing?¡± ¡°Collapsing tunnels,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. The earth bobbed up and down like waves in the ocean, the ripples spreading out far beyond where Palan could see. However, the earthquake only seemed to be affecting the areas behind the army. He wrinkled his nose. ¡°Why can¡¯t I do something like that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raea asked. Her face was pale. Dozens of lizardmen and goblins were screaming as they huddled next to each other in the shaking fields. ¡°My power can¡¯t cover such a huge area like this,¡± Palan said. ¡°I can¡¯t even see where his power ends.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an archangel,¡± Raea said. ¡°And all powers have their own specialties. There¡¯s no reason for all of them to be able to do the same thing.¡± She frowned and looked at the storage chest. She thought she heard a muffled scream. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Hear what?¡± Palan asked. ¡°There¡¯s lots of things to hear.¡± The ground suddenly ceased trembling, and the surroundings were only filled with the sound of wailing. The farms were totally destroyed. Raea¡¯s stomach sank when she realized why the army had insisted on cramming the storage chests full of food before leaving. ¡°Did he just destroy his own farms?¡± Sally asked. She had sat up after the storage chest stopped shaking. ¡°Why would he do that? Does he want to starve?¡± ¡°Why would he starve?¡± Palan asked. There were no such things as farms in Eljiam. There was the occasional animal breeder, but those people usually didn¡¯t last very long. ¡°It would be like me destroying our mushrooms,¡± Sally said and watched as Elrith walked past the storage chests again towards the head of the army. His face was dark. ¡°We¡¯d have nothing left to eat.¡± ¡°You can eat each other?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see what the issue is.¡± ¡°I think they grow the farms so they don¡¯t have to eat each other,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t look like they have much of a choice now,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°There¡¯s still the northern, eastern, and southern sections of the third sector,¡± Raea said. ¡°Our territory is like giant concentric circles with each sector in the circles. I want to believe Elrith was destroying the rebels¡¯ tunnels and not the farms. He wouldn¡¯t do something so cold-hearted without a reason. The army fights for the people; it shouldn¡¯t hurt them.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure who she was trying to convince¡ªher companions or herself. The four rode in silence when Mr. Bubbles, the elephant, suddenly trumpeted. The ground beneath its feet cracked and fissures formed. Palan¡¯s eyes widened, and he lunged at Raea, bringing her into his embrace. The earth collapsed and swallowed the elephant along with the storage chest. The army ground to a halt. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to find the elephant that vanished. Elrith even raised columns of earth out of the ground but to no avail. Chapter 153 Palan wiped the dirt off his nictitating membrane and dug a pocket of air out in front of his face. He spat. The glob of spit went up for a second, then fell back onto his face. At least he knew which way was up. He learned this trick after getting buried alive by his mother during one of her episodes. He concentrated his powers of pride into his hand and pushed upwards with his palm. The earth easily lifted off of his body. A breeze rushed past his fingers, but there was no light. He used both arms to dig himself out and uncovered Raea¡¯s body which was still attached to his. She raised her head. ¡°Palan? Is that you?¡± she asked. The place they were in was sparsely lit. Palan had no clue where the source of light was even coming from. Raea wriggled around, but her lower body was still covered by a mound of dirt. ¡°Stop squirming,¡± Palan said as Danger Noodle popped out of the ground and gulped in a breath of stale air. ¡°What the hell was that? The ground ate us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Raea said and gripped Palan¡¯s cuirass. ¡°I really hate narrow spaces.¡± She trembled. It felt like spiders were crawling all over her body. Her body tensed up. Palan seemed to notice and pinched her nose, causing her to gasp for breath. ¡°Can you produce light?¡± Palan asked as he used his tail to dig their lower bodies out from underneath the earth. ¡°Erm.¡± Raea made a weird sound and focused on her hand. It started to glow, and the light illuminated their surroundings. They were in a cave with pale white mushrooms growing out of the ground. The mushroom caps were wider than dinner tables, but the mushrooms were only as high as their knees. Danger Noodle finished digging the two out from the ground, and Palan shoved Raea off himself. Behind them was a slope of dirt. Palan could see a corner of the storage chest sticking out of the surface of the slope. He furrowed his brow and used his electromagnetic sense to locate any beating hearts¡ªthere were three. He dug through the earth and stabbed his hand into the earth. He groped around until he felt something scaly and yanked. ¡°Uwaah!¡± Cleo shouted and began to cough. Chunks of dirt flew out of her mouth. She hung upside-down from her ankle where Palan had grabbed her. ¡°That was scary! I thought I was going to die. Where are we?¡± She coughed a few more times and blew her nose using Palan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Or did I die and this is hell?¡± ¡°Pull out a torch,¡± Palan said and dropped Cleo. Raea¡¯s hand stopped glowing after the lizardman pulled a burning torch out of her invisible space. Palan reached back into the pile of earth. After rummaging around for a while he felt something feathered and soft like down and grabbed it. He frowned. The pile of dirt violently shuddered, but Palan ignored it and yanked Sally out of the pile. She was thrashing around while hanging upside-down. ¡°Let go!¡± she screeched and flailed her wings and legs. Palan stared at her and watched her struggle for a bit before dropping her. Her feathers puffed up and she smoothed out her skirt before glaring at Palan with a flushed face.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Save Mr. Bubbles!¡± Cleo said and tugged on Palan¡¯s armor. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault the earth broke underneath him. Do you know how heavy you are? Mr. Bubbles always slowed down when you rode the storage chest.¡± ¡°Mr. Bubbles is dead,¡± Palan said as he walked up the pile of dirt and dusted off part of the storage chest. ¡°What?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe you.¡± She turned towards Raea and Sally. ¡°Help me dig him out.¡± Sally glared at Palan and waddled after Cleo while Raea followed after them. Palan ignored them and smashed open the corner of the storage chest. Once there was enough space, he turned around and stuck his tail through the hole. There was a muffled scream, and Danger Noodle rose out of the gap with a pair of bound legs sticking out of its mouth. ¡°Who is that?¡± Raea asked with wide eyes. She stopped digging the dirt away from the elephant whose back was just beginning to show through the earth. ¡°Your sister,¡± Palan said as Danger Noodle made a heaving motion. Selena slid out of Danger Noodle with a layer of slime covering her body. Her arms and legs were bound together by a leather rope. Palan untied the leather rope around her mouth. Selena spat out a sock before coughing. She struggled to stand up and faced Palan. ¡°What the hell is your problem!?¡± she yelled. He shrugged. She glanced around. ¡°Where are we? Untie me.¡± Palan snorted and tipped her over by pressing his finger against her forehead. She yelped as she landed on her back. Raea rushed over to help her sister, abandoning the halflings who were still digging Mr. Bubbles out. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea said as she began to untie the knots. The leather was slimy. ¡°What did you, no, how¡ª, I mean, why ¡­ Why are you like this?¡± ¡°You wanted this,¡± Palan said and shrugged. There was no lightning, but Raea wasn¡¯t sure if that was because he was telling or truth or if they were just too far underground. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to do this,¡± Raea said, clarifying for Selena. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sely.¡± She finished untying the ropes. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now,¡± Selena said and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll remember this, but I think you should explain our current situation to me first. See, one second I was walking back to the checkpoint, and then I think I was eaten. Then I found myself in a storage chest. And then I was eaten again, but now I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°The earth collaps¡ª¡° ¡°No! Mr. Bubbles! My royal steed!¡± Cleo¡¯s wails pierced through the cave. She exhaled, and her back seemed to shrink as her shoulders hunched over. She pet the dead elephant¡¯s head and closed its eyelids. Sally frowned and covered Cleo¡¯s back with one of her wings. Palan, Raea, and Selena glanced at each other. ¡°Anyways,¡± Selena said, ¡°you were saying?¡± She turned to Raea. Raea bit her lower lip as she looked in the direction of the elephant. ¡°The earth collapsed after Elly destroyed some tunnels beneath the farms,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s all I know.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in one of the farms,¡± Sally said as she led Cleo over to the group of three. ¡°This is where we grow the mushrooms that we eat.¡± She gestured at the white mushrooms growing out of the ground. ¡°I think the cave-in covered the entrance to the farm. We should dig our way out before we die. I¡¯ve seen it happen a lot. There¡¯s a silent killer in small rooms; people die even when nothing¡¯s around to kill them.¡± She started to walk towards the collapse but hunched over and waddled after taking a few steps. ¡°What happened to her?¡± Selena asked. Palan shrugged. Chapter 154 ¡°Hey,¡± Cleo said as Selena took the torch out of the lizardman¡¯s hands and shoved the burning tip into the pile of loose earth. The cave darkened and the only thing that could be seen were a few pale white mushroom caps that barely glowed. Cleo couldn¡¯t see her hand in front of her face. ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t light a fire in an enclosed space,¡± Selena said. ¡°We¡¯re lucky the harpy mentioned something otherwise I would have forgotten. Raea, can you give us some light? I¡¯ll use my powers to open a way back to the surface.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Raea said. Sally stopped and waited with the rest of them. Seconds passed. Raea¡¯s voice broke the silence, ¡°I can¡¯t use my power? It¡¯s not working.¡± Selena frowned and attempted to manipulate the earth beneath her feet. Nothing happened. ¡°It seems like we¡¯ve been blocked by a zone of charity,¡± Selena said. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything either.¡± ¡°Back to digging?¡± Sally asked. ¡°Back to digging.¡± *** Solra stood at a tunnel¡¯s entrance. It was narrow and barely accommodated his body. He hunched over and walked inside. There was a glowing orb embedded in the staff he was using as a walking stick. The tunnel walls were bathed in a gray light as he made his way down the sloped path. At the end of the path, he arrived in a spacious room that could easily fit hundreds of elephants. But the room wasn¡¯t filled with elephants, it was filled with angels who were bound by chains and tied to blocks in the ground. Ishim was sitting in the center, his hands on an orb that Solra recognized as his own. In one corner of the room, Pyre was prodding an angel with a stick. It was the only space that the zone of charity didn¡¯t occupy. A dull orb was buried in the angel¡¯s chest with blood seeping out of the edges of the raw wound. ¡°Aren¡¯t you mad at me?¡± Pyre asked and poked the angel again. ¡°Let me see it. Your wrath. If not, I can always pull away one of your friends. Word of mouth told me you¡¯re in a relationship. Want me to bring your significant other here instead? I¡¯m sure there would be many uses for her.¡± The bound angel¡¯s eyes widened and the orb in his chest started to fill with a red light. When it was nearly too bright to look at, Pyre dug his hand into the angel¡¯s chest and ripped the orb out, causing a fountain of blood and flames to spurt out. The bound angel spasmed a few times before collapsing limply. His half-closed eyes stared at Pyre before they dulled. ¡°He died. You killed him?¡± Solra asked as he stepped beside Pyre. ¡°Well, yes. People tend to die if they are killed. Didn¡¯t you say we couldn¡¯t afford to feed all the prisoners?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Two birds with one stone.¡± Solra frowned as he rolled the dead angel¡¯s head to the side. ¡°I knew this man. Wasn¡¯t he a patience angel?¡± Pyre smiled. ¡°He was,¡± he said. ¡°Did you know that angels who were always firm in their belief produce monstrous amounts of energy when you bring out their sins? If they can reel it back in and stay true to their beliefs after experiencing their sin, their virtues become stronger. It¡¯s a very interesting phenomenon.¡± He handed Solra the glowing red orb. It nearly burned the old archangel when he touched it. ¡°But I don¡¯t give them that chance to grow.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Solra nodded. ¡°What about the cannon I wanted you to build?¡± ¡°We ran out of metal,¡± Pyre said and sighed. ¡°You took too much for the halflings¡¯ armors and hand cannons. But if you could break down one of the checkpoint walls ¡­ even just a small section¡­.¡± Solra sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± he said. Pyre¡¯s demands were truly getting bigger and bigger. At first, he only wanted a few angels to extract powers from and perform experiments on. Now he was having liberties with all the captured prisoners of war. So this is what happened when a self-sacrificing angel became selfish. Should he remove him? Solra was tempted, but he couldn¡¯t deny that the eccentric angel had been extremely useful. *** Madison hopped along a tunnel while whistling a tune. The floor was littered with glowing crystals that used to be on the ceilings of the tunnels. Around her, all kinds of halflings were suffering, letting out groans and moans. The tunnels had caved in, and none of them were ready for it. Even the areas that the dwarves had proclaimed as completely earthquake proof had collapsed. A glowing orb hung on Madison¡¯s waist. It swayed back and forth on its string as Madison twirled around and trilled. A series of high-pitched notes temporarily blocked out the noise of suffering. ¡°Don¡¯t have to guard the entrance anymore,¡± Madison sang to herself. ¡°Doing such a boring task was a chore. Everyone is cheering for me.¡± She stepped on a dwarf causing him to let out a groan. ¡°It feels really good to be free. At last, I can finally be¡­.¡± She stopped and frowned. Her wings twitched causing some black powder to fall off of her feathers. ¡°Pipapo¡¯s here?¡± Madison continued down the tunnel. Her wings grew hotter. After passing one of the caved-in farms, her wings started to become colder with each step. She stopped and backtracked to where her wings were the hottest and stared at the collapsed entrance. She placed her ear against the earth and closed her eyes as if she believed losing her vision would help her hear better. A muffled voice reached her ears, ¡°Hard ¡­ breathe ¡­ dizzy.¡± Madison took a few steps away from the wall and tilted her head. Palan was an interesting toy, but she wasn¡¯t going to get her hands literally dirty by digging away at the earth. Instead, she scratched out a message on the other side of tunnel and framed it with glowing crystals. Uncle Solra wanted her to take over watching Akurel. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t use charity to control an archangel even if they had an orb made from Solra¡¯s powers. It had to be done by someone of equal or greater power. Thinking about this made Madison¡¯s mood sour. Why couldn¡¯t Ishim do it instead like he did at the battlefield? Free from guarding the entrance? She was just going from one chore to another. Madison sighed and hung her head as she walked past the farms, her wings growing colder. After taking a few more steps she stopped and looked behind herself. Uncle Solra could wait. Her own happiness was the most important thing in the two worlds after all. She raised her head and hummed a tune as she hopped back to the caved-in farm and waited outside. After scratching out the message she left behind and removing the crystals, she placed her ear against the caved-in entrance. She heard Palan¡¯s voice say, ¡°I think we¡¯re almost out. I can sense someone there.¡± ¡°Please hurry. Sally and Cleo fainted.¡± It was a female voice that Madison didn¡¯t recognize. Her eyes widened. Were these the friends that Pipapo said were a million billion trillion times prettier than her? When he had said that to her, she had gotten so mad that she nearly overdrafted her mana reserves when she threw that hammer towards the angels¡¯ puny fortress. Her eyes narrowed, and she stepped away from the wall. She looked down at the orb hanging by her waist, and placed her hand over it. Moments later, it stopped glowing, and a thin layer of translucent film covered Madison¡¯s body. A purple hand broke through the top of the wall and slashed downwards, creating a vertical fissure. Madison watched as a snake¡¯s head emerged from the fissure. It stopped moving when it saw her, and she heard Palan curse from the other side of the wall. Chapter 155 ¡°Why did you stop digging?¡± Raea asked and looked at Palan¡¯s face. A sliver of light shone through the crack Palan had dug open, illuminating his face. His brow was furrowed, and his mouth was slightly parted. Raea tried to look over his shoulder to see what he was seeing, but she could only see a splotch of brown. ¡°Palan?¡± He didn¡¯t respond. Selena sat with her back to a wall, taking slow and steady breaths as she focused on staying conscious. Her brow furrowed when she saw Palan stop, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to call out. By her feet, Cleo and Sally lay unconscious. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said again, using her hands to shake him this time. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She started to walk towards the wall to finish breaking through, but Palan held her back while putting a finger to his lips. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Raea whispered. ¡°I know the person on the other side,¡± Palan said and sighed. His tail moved, widening the fissure. He wasn¡¯t sure why more dirt didn¡¯t just fall from the ceiling, but he didn¡¯t question it. He positioned himself in front of Raea and swept the rest of the loose dirt away, clearing the original entrance to the farm. He crossed his hands in front of his chest and stared at the four-winged figure in front of him. ¡°Why am I always running into you?¡± he asked. Madison¡¯s wings fluttered as she took a step towards Palan. Her eyes were cold and narrowed. ¡°So this was your beautiful friend?¡± she asked and smiled as she stared at his neck. She seemed to be looking through him, and Raea couldn¡¯t help but shudder at the cloying voice. She took a step to the side and got a good look at the four-winged, beaked demon. Madison took a step forward. ¡°Is she really prettier than me?¡± Her gaze traveled down Raea¡¯s body. ¡°Is it her hair? Her eyes? Maybe her mouth and nose? Or do you like her legs more than mine?¡± She tilted her head and looked at Palan. ¡°I can remove all of those.¡± She smiled. Raea reflexively summoned her chains of patience when Madison smiled. ¡°Eh? Powers work?¡± she asked. She took a step back. ¡°Palan? Who is she?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he lunged at Madison, swinging his fist towards her head while his tail circled behind her. She didn¡¯t react, letting him collide with the translucent film she set up earlier. There was a cracking noise, and Palan¡¯s fist flew backwards and began to bleed at the knuckles. Danger Noodle attempted to wrap itself around Madison¡¯s body, but she stepped on its head before it got the chance. Madison blinked and asked, ¡°Is that all?¡± Palan flicked his tail, knocking Madison off Danger Noodle¡¯s head, and retreated backwards while pulling Raea. He tossed Raea towards Selena and said, ¡°Heal them.¡± He stared at Madison who hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing much,¡± Madison said. She held our right arm out to the side. An outline of a hammer began to form in the air. ¡°I just want their lives.¡± The hammer fully formed, and she pointed it at the group of four behind Palan. ¡°Give them to me?¡± ¡°They¡¯re my property,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Well, I want them,¡± Madison said. She frowned as Raea knelt and began to heal the unconscious halflings. ¡°You said they were prettier than me. A hundred million billion trillion times prettier than me. I have to get rid of them.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°That isn¡¯t going to happen,¡± Palan said. He bared his teeth as Madison swung her hammer at him. He used the striped, red scales on his tail to block the blow. A dull pain spread through his tail, but he ignored it. His body began to glow with a black light, and the ground beneath his feet bowed inwards. He lifted his leg and kicked forward, stomping towards Madison¡¯s chest. ¡°Stop!¡± Selena shouted, but Palan ignored her. His foot made contact with the barrier around Madison. There was a snapping sound, and Palan was launched backwards, crashing into a mushroom. The black glow around his body faded before he touched the ground. ¡°She¡¯s a narcissism demon,¡± Selena said while staring at Madison. ¡°Any force applied to her barrier will be applied back to you.¡± Her face paled. ¡°She might be an archdemon. I¡¯ve never seen any demon manipulate their barrier to form a weapon.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I awesome?¡± Madison asked as she waddled forward with her translucent hammer slung over her shoulder. Raea looked up after she finished healing Sally. She wanted to run over and heal Palan, but she didn¡¯t know if Madison would suddenly attack her if she tried to move. Although the four-winged demon was smiling and looked relaxed, Raea felt like she was being suffocated by her presence. A hand touched her shoulder. ¡°Heal me,¡± Selena said to Raea. Raea nodded and gripped her sister¡¯s hand, sending a white light through her arm. ¡°It¡¯s pathetic when worms struggle,¡± Madison said. She stopped walking and watched as Palan sat up while Raea healed Selena. Cleo and Sally also began to stir. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you said they were prettier than me. They¡¯re so weak.¡± Madison waited. The only sound that could be heard was the heavy breathing of the people within the cave. ¡°Well? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± She glared at Palan. ¡°Fuck you,¡± Palan said and stood up. Raea trembled and gasped before letting go of Selena¡¯s hand and clutching her chest. She hunched over and began to pant. Tears formed in her eyes as her hands closed into fists. ¡°This¡­,¡± Raea said, ¡°this feeling.¡± She turned her head to look at Palan while Selena grabbed her shoulders. Palan¡¯s hands started to shine as if he had a layer of oil on his skin. He ran forward and charged at Madison. Madison frowned at the sheen on Palan¡¯s hand and raised her hammer to block his assault. There was no sound when her hammer collided with his hand. Instead of bouncing off like before, Palan remained firmly rooted in place. ¡°Greed?¡± Madison asked and raised an eyebrow as she tried to shake Palan¡¯s hands off of her weapon. He was grabbing the head with his right hand, and his left hand grabbed the shaft. ¡°You were a greed demon too?¡± ¡°I want this hammer,¡± Palan said and grinned at her, ripping the translucent hammer out of her grasp. It disappeared when it left her hands, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. He stretched his hand forward and reached for her neck. Madison retreated backwards with a flap of her wings. ¡°How come I didn¡¯t sense it in your evolution?¡± Madison asked and tilted her head. ¡°All I got was a little bit of pride.¡± Her black wings fluttered as she ran her fingers through them. She sighed and materialized a translucent sword. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. Do you really think they¡¯re prettier than me?¡± ¡°No! They¡¯re hideous. Absolutely disgusting to look at. How can they possibly compare to you, Lady Madison? You¡¯re the most beautiful and glorious demon that ever laid foot on the ground. When you fly in the air, birds fall out of the sky because they forgot to flap their wings after seeing your grace. The flowers dare not show their petals out of shame when you walk amongst them. Even the sun and moon shine less brightly when you smile. Nothing can possibly compare to your grace. Compared to you, we are just weeds while you are a flower.¡± Everyone turned to look at Sally. She was prostrating herself while spouting off more and more lines of excessive praise. With every line, the smile on Madison¡¯s face seemed to become bigger. Madison clapped her hands when Sally finished. ¡°I like you,¡± she said. She pointed at Palan. ¡°But I want to hear it from him. I want him to do an even better job of praising me.¡± All eyes turned towards Palan. Chapter 156 Palan made a face. ¡°Sure. You¡¯re beautiful,¡± he said to Madison. He gestured towards his four companions. ¡°They¡¯re hideous.¡± He stopped speaking. ¡°Is that it?¡± Madison asked and pointed at Sally with her translucent sword. ¡°This little harpy praised me much much more. Tell me how amazing I am. Compare me to the suns and moons. Explain to me how flowers are just cow dung in my presence. Tell me how much stronger and more pretty I am than each and every one of you including yourself.¡± Madison smiled and looked up at the farm¡¯s ceiling as if she was envisioning the words already. She blinked and looked at Sally. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget to prostrate yourself like her.¡± Palan stayed silent and Madison¡¯s expression grew cold. Cleo spoke up. ¡°Are you really debating whether or not it¡¯s better to die than to kneel?¡± she asked, practically shouting at Palan. She cleared her throat and dashed next to Sally, prostrating herself as well. ¡°O great four-winged demon person. Your eyes shine brighter than the night sky filled with stars. Your talons are sharper than a wisdom archangel¡¯s wit. The feathers on your wings are fuller than a fat pig the day before the annual harvest. Even ¡­ uh ¡­ yeah, that¡¯s all I got.¡± Madison nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not bad as well,¡± she said and pet Cleo¡¯s head with her feet. Cleo gulped. Palan was going to be so mad at her. But at least she¡¯d die later, right? A rumbling sound drew everyone¡¯s attention to Selena and Raea. Selena used her powers to create a hole in the ceiling leading back to the surface. The ground beneath her and Raea began to rise upwards on a column of earth, rushing towards the opening. Madison frowned and made a throwing motion with her sword towards the two angels. The sword¡¯s blade extended and opened up into a translucent web that ensnared both of them and halted the movement of the column. Madison tugged on the hilt, causing Raea and Selena to fly towards her. Palan rushed at Madison, but she retreated backwards once again, summoning translucent walls to slow him down. Although he could use the power of greed, it wasn¡¯t very strong, and he took a while to tear apart a barrier. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just kneel and admit you were wrong?¡± Madison asked Palan. ¡°Everyone already knows I¡¯m the most beautiful woman who has ever existed and will ever exist. It¡¯s not wrong to acknowledge the truth. Just apologize for lying to me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pride demon,¡± Raea said. She and Selena were suspended in the air next to Madison, held up by translucent wires attached to the hilt in the demon¡¯s hand. ¡°He knows you are more beautiful than us, but he doesn¡¯t want to admit that he was wrong. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°No,¡± Madison said and slammed Raea towards the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s a pride demon. I am more important than his pride.¡± She frowned and narrowed her eyes as she gazed at the two angels beside her. ¡°You¡¯re deformed. He can¡¯t be talking about you.¡± She tossed Raea aside into a nearby wall. The cave shook and dirt fell from the ceiling. She grabbed Selena¡¯s hair and pulled her towards the ground. ¡°Then it must be you.¡± She reformed the net into a sword and placed the blade by Selena¡¯s neck.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Stop!¡± Raea shouted. Her voice was strained as she scrambled to her feet. She tried to run at Madison, but the demon created barriers between them. ¡°Pi. Pa. Po,¡± Madison said and pressed the blade against Selena¡¯s throat, drawing blood. ¡°I¡¯ve been really nice to you. I helped you evolve, didn¡¯t I? Why are you so mean to me? I¡¯ll give you one more chance to apologize and admit your wrongs.¡± Palan hesitated and stopped ripping apart the barrier that was in front of him. Should he apologize? He never sincerely apologized to anyone¡ªeveryone was forced to apologize to him. The only person he ever apologized to was his sister when he didn¡¯t bring home enough food for her to feel full. He swore he¡¯d never lower himself to another person after his mom died. He didn¡¯t want to feel so weak and powerless ever again. The only exception was his sister because ¡­ well, she was his reason for living. She was the savior that killed his mother. She was the first person he ever felt love for. If he lowered himself now, he¡¯d increase his chances of meeting her again. Hadn¡¯t he lowered himself once to Raea? But at the same time, he already broke his promise to himself once. What kind of pride demon would he be if he broke it again? Raea screamed as Madison¡¯s arm jerked backwards while Palan was hesitating. ¡°Too slow,¡± Madison said and sighed as a red line appeared on Selena¡¯s neck. ¡°I already knew it was pointless to take a hostage against a demon. I just wanted to see if I was right.¡± Selena¡¯s eyes blinked and her mouth opened, but no words came out. A moment later, her body fell to the floor, but her head stayed in the same place, held up by Madison¡¯s hand. Blood poured and stained the earth black. She smirked and looked at Raea, who was still screaming, and tossed Selena¡¯s head towards her. It bounced on the floor before rolling and coming to a stop in front of Raea. Cleo and Sally stared in shock at Selena¡¯s headless body. It wasn¡¯t the first time they saw someone die, but it was a lot more different to see a stranger die than someone they¡¯ve bantered with and eaten meals with. Madison ignored the cries of ¡°Sely!¡± coming from Raea and brushed some blood drops off of her feathered legs. She smiled at Palan who had a dark look on his face. He had begun tearing the barrier apart again right after Madison said the words ¡°too slow¡±. Madison summoned another barrier after Palan finished tearing the one in front of him down. ¡°Didn¡¯t I offer to help you evolve to an archdemon to make yourself prettier?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, I¡¯m helping you now, aren¡¯t I? The road to becoming an archdemon is a solitary one. How intimidating can a demon be if there¡¯s a gaggle of girls following after him?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Why what?¡± Madison asked back and tilted her head. ¡°Never mind. It doesn¡¯t matter for what. It¡¯s because I can and I want to. Isn¡¯t that a good enough reason for anything I do?¡± Before Palan could speak, a soft voice spoke from behind Madison. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Madison turned her head and saw black flames sticking onto the barrier separating her from Raea. The barrier was slowly melting, and the flames continuously poured out of Raea¡¯s body, burning her clothes to ashes, melting her armor to puddles of liquid on the floor. The earth around Raea began to bubble and turn red. The only thing that remained untouched by the heat and flames was Selena¡¯s head that Raea was cradling to her chest. Madison frowned. ¡°I think I killed the wrong person,¡± she said. Chapter 157 ¡°Raea?¡± Cleo asked. Raea didn¡¯t respond. Her head was slightly tilted to one side as she stared at Madison. She slowly rose from the ground, still hugging Selena¡¯s head to her chest. She looked down. Her eyes were staring at Selena¡¯s eyes, but at the same time, they seemed to be out of focus. Cleo tugged on the feathers by Sally¡¯s butt and retreated while Madison was distracted by the black flames. ¡°Sely,¡± Raea said and ran her fingers through her sister¡¯s hair. ¡°Sely. Sely.¡± Her hands glowed white, and tendrils of light snaked around Selena¡¯s head, but nothing happened. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to argue with you, Sely. I promise I¡¯ll be good, so you have to come back, alright? You promised me you weren¡¯t going to die anytime soon. You promised.¡± Madison frowned. ¡°Your friends are crazy, Pipapo,¡± she said and spread her wings. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore.¡± She leapt into the air and flew towards the hole that Selena had opened up in the ceiling before she was ensnared. ¡°You can¡¯t leave!¡± Raea screeched as her head shot up. Her eyes widened as she extended her right hand and made a fist like she was trying to snatch Madison out of the air. Hundreds of chains made of black fire flew out of the flames surrounding Raea¡¯s body and surged towards Madison. Palan frowned as Cleo and Sally scrambled to hide behind him. A layer of perspiration covered his forehead from the heat of the flames. Madison¡¯s brow furrowed as the barriers she left on the ground disappeared. The translucent film around her body grew thicker, and she flapped her wings harder. The chains appeared in front of her, but she ignored them and flew forwards, charging through. It was like flying through hundreds of strands of spider silk. The first few chains were easy to break through, but the flames stuck to her body. Madison¡¯s body slowed considerably by the time she reached the entrance to the hole. Raea walked forward and placed Selena¡¯s head by the headless body on the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sely. I won¡¯t let her get away,¡± she said and ran her fingers through her sister¡¯s hair one last time. Her eyes were still out of focus when she looked towards Madison. They widened as she crouched and leapt forward, easily closing the distance between her and the demon. She landed right beneath Madison and leapt up once again, this time seizing the demon¡¯s legs. Raea growled as Madison continued to struggle upwards through the tunnel, flapping as hard as she could. Raea planted her feet against the ceiling, and pulled Madison¡¯s body down. ¡°I said you can¡¯t leave.¡± Madison stopped flapping her wings and bolstered the barrier around her feet where Raea¡¯s hands were grabbing. Both of them fell to the floor. Black flames blossomed around their bodies, turning the dirt floor into a red liquid. ¡°Let go, you ugly whore!¡± Madison screeched as she squirmed. Black flames still clung to her torso, steadily eating away at her barrier. She pressed her beak together and narrowed her eyes. The barrier around her arms disappeared while the barrier around her legs widened so much that Raea couldn¡¯t keep her grip on them. Madison screeched as her arms started to burn, but she ignored the pain and leapt into the air, heading for the exit once again.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°This is Raea?¡± Cleo asked with wide eyes. Parts of Raea¡¯s arms were sloughing off where Madison had reflected the flames. Raea¡¯s teeth were bared, and her serpentine eyes seemed to be glowing. Her black scales seemed to shine due to the flames, becoming the most noticeable part of her naked body. ¡°Why does she look so ¡­ Palan-like?¡± Cleo turned to look at Palan who hunched over and fell to his knees while clutching his chest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong!?¡± Raea¡¯s hand started to glow with a black light, reminiscent of Palan¡¯s powers. She raised her hand and pointed at Madison who was halfway through the tunnel. A black light encircled her body, and she halted mid-flight. Her wings still flapped, but she was steadily sinking towards the floor. Her arms were like lead, and the black flames continued to eat away at her barrier. Her shoulders were soon exposed, and they too became heavier. A voice shouted something from above the tunnel, but it was drowned by the roaring of the flames. Madison screeched as her wings stopped flapping and plummeted to the floor covered by a black light and black flames. Her feathers seemed to be protected by something, but the rest of her body wasn¡¯t. Her skin turned red and started to blister and split. She rolled around on the floor, trying to put out the flames, but it was useless. Her body collided against something and stopped moving. Madison saw Raea staring down at her. The angel¡¯s shins were being burned, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. Her eyes were glazed over as she watched the skin fall off of Madison¡¯s body. ¡°Palan,¡± Madison said, her voice hoarse. She tilted her head to the side to look at Palan who was still kneeling on the ground while panting. ¡°Save me.¡± She extended her hand towards Palan. There was barely any flesh left on her arms, but she still managed to move it. The flames surrounding her body burned brighter, illuminating the cave with a blood-red light. Madison¡¯s eyes widened as she realized she still had Solra¡¯s orb hanging by her belt. She grabbed it and poured the remaining bits of her mana into it. The flames in her immediate surroundings flickered and roared before being extinguished. If she remembered she had it earlier, then maybe she wouldn¡¯t be in this situation, but it was too late to regret it. Her breaths slowed as her eyes closed. Raea stood above Madison¡¯s body, unmoving. Her body seemed to be moving on its own as she knelt down beside the demon. Hundreds of blisters covered Raea¡¯s body, but she didn¡¯t care. Her hand moved along Madison¡¯s body until it stopped on her chest. There was no heartbeat. Raea stood up and shambled over to Selena¡¯s side. ¡°I did it, Sely,¡± she whispered. ¡°You can come back now.¡± Her hands glowed with a white light as she picked up Selena¡¯s head and placed it where it should¡¯ve been. Tendrils of white light snaked out of her fingers and reconnected Selena¡¯s head to her torso. ¡°It¡¯s over, Sely. You can wake up.¡± Raea smiled. ¡°You can wake up now. There¡¯s no more danger.¡± She lifted Selena¡¯s body and placed her sister¡¯s head on her lap. Raea ran her fingers through Selena¡¯s hair. A tear fell, dropping onto Selena¡¯s eye, and slid down the side of her face. It looked like she was crying. Chapter 158 Elrith swore as he stared down the hole. He sent all his diligence angels to dig tunnels in the nearby surroundings to find any trace of the elephant that was swallowed by the earthquake. He didn¡¯t expect a tunnel to be suddenly created over a hundred feet away from his closest diligence angel. It was reported to him as soon as it was found, but by the time he ran over, black flames had begun to rise out of the tunnel, setting the nearby crops ablaze. He had to uproot the earth and smother the spreading flames using his powers, but it still took a while for them to disperse. He tried shouting down the hole, hoping for a response, but the roaring of the fire within the tunnel was too loud. Even if a response had come, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hear it. Could Raea be down there? Elrith frowned and placed his palms against the ground. Heat flowed into his palms from the earth, nearly burning him, but he ignored it and focused his powers into closing the tunnel to put out the flames. He took a couple of steps to the right and opened another tunnel leading into the earth. He couldn¡¯t see anything, but he sensed through his power that the tunnel reached an open space. He shouted, ¡°Is anyone down there?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Someone shouted back. Elrith let out a sigh of relief when he realized it was Raea¡¯s lizardman slave who responded. It was easy to recognize her high-pitched voice even if it was distorted by the length of the tunnel. Elrith swiped backwards with his arm, and a section of the earth was blasted away, leaving behind a ramp. He furrowed his brow and pressed on the ramp, and a staircase began to take form, connecting to the open space at the end of the tunnel. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said to no one in particular and charged down the stairs. Owen and Justitia were the first to run after him. Owen was the most frantic when Raea¡¯s party was swallowed by the earth and was the first to use his powers of diligence to look for her. Even if he was the squad leader of a band of prisoners of war, Elrith trusted him given his history as a guard of the Caelum family. As for Justitia, she had gotten quite attached to Raea who was so different from all the regular stuffy angels. The first thing Elrith noticed before he even made it halfway down the staircase was the smell. It smelled like burning hair, burning boar, burning chicken. Lots of burning. The next thing he noticed was the silence. Only the sounds of the angels¡¯ footsteps could be heard. Had something happened to the lizardman in the short amount of time it took to create the staircase? Then he noticed the heat. It felt like he was walking into a furnace. Waves upon waves of hot air rushed out of the stairs, drying out his eyes. His skin started to itch, and a bead of sweat rolled down his neck. Elrith reached the bottom of the staircase and had to squint to see anything. There was some sunlight pouring in from the staircase and some artificial light coming from the other end of the cavern-like area he was in. He saw Palan sitting on the ground, unmoving with the two halflings holding his torso up. Then he saw the silhouette of someone sitting in the center of the room with someone or something in its lap. He ignored Palan who seemed to be having trouble breathing. His footsteps were heavy as he approached the center of the room, coming to the conclusion that the figure must be Raea. He walked past an area that seemed to be the source of the burning smell, but only saw a blackened floor with a few feathers.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Raea?¡± Elrith asked. His eyes widened when his naked sister looked up at him. Selena was lying down with her head on Raea¡¯s lap. Elrith quickly took off his cuirass and the shirt he was wearing underneath. He stuffed the shirt over Raea before putting his armor back on. ¡°Is that Sely? Why is she here? What happened down here?¡± His brow furrowed when neither of his sisters answered him even though their eyes were wide open. Selena didn¡¯t seem to be looking at him. Raea was staring at his face, but there was something off about her gaze. Raea lowered her head and looked at Selena. ¡°Elly¡¯s here,¡± she said. ¡°Everything will be alright now.¡± She smiled at Selena and ran her fingers through her sister¡¯s matted hair. Elrith crouched down and grabbed Raea¡¯s shoulders. Her body trembled and began to heat up. ¡°Raea,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Look at me. Are you alright?¡± Raea raised her head and gazed at her brother. Tears began to well up in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ray?¡± Elrith asked when he saw the liquid begin to flow down his sister¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Sely,¡± Raea whispered. ¡°She won¡¯t say anything.¡± Elrith frowned and lowered his head to look at Selena. He lifted her off of Raea¡¯s lap. Her face was unusually pale, and she was completely unresponsive. ¡°Sely?¡± Elrith asked. He didn¡¯t notice the footsteps of his soldiers approaching him. His world seemed to slow as a sick feeling gnawed at his stomach. His hands trembled as he placed his fingers on his sister¡¯s neck. He couldn¡¯t find a pulse. ¡°Owen,¡± Elrith said. There was a grunt behind him. ¡°Take Raea and her cohort back to the surface.¡± His face was pale when he raised it. He looked around until he saw a kindness angel he recognized. ¡°You. Come here.¡± The angel stepped forward as Owen gently placed his hands on Raea¡¯s shoulder and helped her stand. Justitia grabbed Raea¡¯s hand and led the way out with a grimace on her face. Palan forced himself to walk after her, ignoring the burning pain in his body. Raea had forcibly used his power as a greater demon to suppress an archdemon which overdrafted him; thankfully, he had Cleo store Madison¡¯s body in her storage to eat later. ¡°Can you heal her?¡± Elrith asked the angel that stepped forward. The angel frowned and placed his hand on Selena¡¯s neck. ¡°But ¡­ she¡¯s dead, sir,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask if she was dead. I asked if you could heal her,¡± Elrith said, practically growling. ¡°I, I can try,¡± the angel said as his hands started to glow. He placed them against Selena¡¯s chest. Elrith furrowed his brow as he stared into his dead sister¡¯s eyes, hoping for something. Anything. A minute passed. ¡°I tried, sir,¡± the angel said and gestured around. ¡°It looks like she lost nearly all the blood in her body. It¡¯s too much for anyone to revive a bloodless corpse. Not only that, but it looks like an amateur already attempted a healing on her. You can see the scar left behind on her neck.¡± ¡°Raea¡¯s powers are close to an archangel¡¯s,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Michael told me that. You¡¯ve seen her heal on the battlefield yourself¡ªshe¡¯s no amateur.¡± He glared at the kindness angel. ¡°Her powers wouldn¡¯t leave behind a scar.¡± ¡°Please, General,¡± the angel said. ¡°I¡¯m just a medic. I mean no offense to the Stormbringer, but maybe his evaluation was wrong? Or something happened that weakened her healing? My skills may not be as good as General Akurel¡¯s, but I believe I definitely could have saved this lady¡±¡ªhe gestured towards Selena¡ª¡°even if her head was cut off, as long as I acted immediately. It¡¯s too late now. I¡¯m sorry, General.¡± A clunking sound followed by Owen¡¯s shout of ¡°Lady Raea¡± caught Elrith¡¯s attention and he whirled around to look at the stairwell. Raea had collapsed to her knees and began to sob. Ever since she evolved, her sense of hearing was nearly on par with Palan¡¯s. She had heard every word. Chapter 159 Michael marched alongside Elrith in the rain, observing the young general¡¯s face. He seemed to have grown older during the short period of time he was at the borderland. The confident expression he used to wear had become an expression of grim determination. Michael was beginning to regret asking him to come. The old general cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stop?¡± ¡°Orders are orders,¡± Elrith said with no expression on his face. ¡°No one will blame you if you wish to grieve,¡± Michael said. ¡°I can grieve while marching,¡± Elrith said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡° ¡°I no longer wish to discuss this,¡± Elrith said and narrowed his eyes at Michael. ¡°Very well,¡± Michael said. He looked towards the storage chests and sighed. Elrith had refused to bury Selena where she died, bringing her corpse along instead. He wanted to bury her underneath the oak tree in Hailing Academy. She had told him it was her favorite place to go when she wanted peace and quiet. As for Raea¡­. Michael shook his head and focused on the road. *** Cleo sat in a corner of the dimly-light storage chest with Sally, peering out of two slits in the wall. They weren¡¯t afraid of another cave-in because Elrith ordered the elephants to march alongside the army instead of behind it. That way, if the storage chest went under, the army would also accompany them. Cleo¡¯s gaze shifted from the slits to Raea. She was lying perfectly still on the floor, covered by a blanket. If it weren¡¯t for the occasional whimpers that slipped from her mouth, Cleo would¡¯ve thought she was dead. She hadn¡¯t moved from that position for the past two days, neither eating nor drinking. Occasionally, her eyes would open and stare at the ceiling for a few seconds before closing again. Cleo felt Sally stiffen beside her, and something tapped the lizardman¡¯s shoulder. She let out a squeak and slowly turned her head around. Palan stared at her. ¡°Yes?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°You aren¡¯t overdrafted anymore?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Palan said and held out his hand. Cleo reached into her space and pulled out a taloned foot. Palan grabbed the blackened leg and pulled Madison¡¯s corpse out of Cleo¡¯s belt area. Madison¡¯s corpse was missing three wings, and there were a few gaping holes in her torso. Cleo made a face when Palan placed his hand on the base of Madison¡¯s remaining wing. A sickening crunch echoed through the storage chest as he ripped the wing off and handed the remaining corpse back to Cleo. She put it away without a word as Palan walked to the other end of the storage chest and sat down. The sounds of chewing and bones breaking filled the small space. Sally gagged as her own wings trembled. She folded them as close to her sides as she possibly could and shrank her body down to hide behind Cleo. The past two days, the duo had been walking on eggshells, not daring to speak or even breathe too loudly. Cleo wanted to go outside and talk with the elephant she named Mr. Bubbles Number Two, but the elephant wasn¡¯t in a good mood due to the rain. Cleo hung her head and put her tail in her mouth. ¡°Water.¡± Cleo raised her head and blinked twice before looking at Raea. The angel¡¯s cracked lips moved. ¡°Water.¡± Cleo walked over and pulled a bucket out of her space, offering it to Raea. Raea sat up and frowned at the bucket but picked it up and attempted to drink from it like a cup. Water cascaded down the sides of her mouth, drenching her and her blankets. She spluttered and placed the bucket down, wiping her lips with the back of her arm. The storage chest was silent with all eyes staring at Raea. She wasn¡¯t looking at anything in particular. After a minute of tense silence¡ªpunctuated by chewing sounds¡ªRaea lay back down and closed her eyes, pulling the wet blanket over her body.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Um.¡± Cleo fidgeted with her tail. ¡°Raea? Maybe you should change your blanket¡­.¡± Cleo¡¯s voice trailed off while Raea showed no signs of having heard her. ¡°That can¡¯t be too comfortable, right?¡± There was still no response. Cleo sighed and reached for the half-empty bucket. Before she could take it, Palan picked it up and began to drink from it just like Raea had. The water poured down the sides of his mouth as he drank, spilling onto Raea, but he didn¡¯t seem to care or notice¡ªneither did she. He handed the empty bucket back to Cleo before yawning and lying down. Danger Noodle crawled on top of Raea¡¯s blanket until it came face to face with Raea. Its tongue flickered and poked Raea¡¯s nose. Her eyes opened, and the two stared at each other. Danger Noodle¡¯s tongue flickered again, poking her nose once again. Raea¡¯s eyes closed. The whole time, Cleo and Sally had practically been hugging each other, ready to dash out of the storage chest at a moment¡¯s notice. Raea had left a deep impression on both of them when she killed Madison without batting an eye, and they were afraid she¡¯d explode again. ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore,¡± Sally said and stood up. She flapped her wings, kicked open the trapdoor on the ceiling of the storage chest and started to fly outside. Right before she could make it out, Cleo latched onto her legs and pleaded with large eyes, ¡°Take me with you.¡± The two disappeared from the storage chest, leaving behind an open ceiling that continuously let rain in. Palan frowned as the raindrops pelted him. This was his first time experiencing rain in his whole life. The sound was disorienting, throwing off his sense of hearing. His sense of smell also felt duller, like someone stuffed his nose with cotton. And his visibility was greatly reduced when he had tried to peer out of the slits in the wall. Danger Noodle lifted itself into the air and hovered in front of Palan before rolling its eyes. It seemed to crawl through the air until it reached the trapdoor in the ceiling and shut it. A loud gurgling sound echoed in the storage chest coming from Raea¡¯s stomach. Palan sat up and squat next to Raea¡¯s face. Her eyes opened and looked at him, but they didn¡¯t seem to be seeing him. ¡°Sely? I knew they could heal you. I knew you wouldn¡¯t break your promise to me.¡± Palan didn¡¯t say anything as he rummaged through his bag and pulled out a chunk of meat that seemed burnt. He placed his finger on Raea¡¯s chin, and gently forced her mouth open. Then he jammed the burnt food into her mouth and forced her to chew and swallow by covering her mouth and pinching her nose. Raea choked a bit, but managed to get all the food down, and Palan released her nose. Her eyes seemed clearer. ¡°Palan?¡± Her expression turned dark as her face hardened. She lifted the blanket and covered her head. Water vapor rapidly rose out of the blanket as the room was bathed in a soft-red glow. Palan lifted the blanket and saw Raea¡¯s chest covered in a layer of black fire. ¡°Leave me alone,¡± Raea said and smacked his arm. It didn¡¯t budge. ¡°You¡¯ll set the storage chest on fire.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Raea growled. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you¡¯re mad at me.¡± ¡°Am I? Am I!? You think I am mad at you!?¡± The flames around Raea¡¯s chest began to spread along Raea¡¯s body. She screamed, ¡°Why would I be mad at you? I am an angel of patience! I Never. Get. Mad!¡± Her last word was practically a shriek. The floorboards began to catch fire. ¡°Your actions aren¡¯t reflecting your words.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t get out of my sight right now,¡± Raea said as she stood up, ¡°then I¡¯ll kill you like you killed Sely!¡± The walls began to burn. Mr. Bubbles Number Two trumpeted and broke out into a run. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! It was you! It¡¯s always you! I hate you! Hate you! Why did you do this to me!?¡± Tears streamed down her face, but dried before reaching her chin. Palan frowned and stood up as well. ¡°I think you should calm down and remember our contract. Let¡¯s be rational.¡± Raea let out an unintelligible scream and thousands of black, fiery chains burst out of her back, rushing towards Palan. His eyes widened, and he dove to the side, breaking straight through the wooden wall of the burning storage chest. He rolled in the mud a few times before coming to a stop. Raea was still standing on the storage chest which was getting further and further away as Mr. Bubbles Number Two tried to outrun the flames attached to his harness. The chains hovered in the air around Raea and didn¡¯t pursue him. ¡°Sheesh,¡± Palan muttered as he picked himself up while Elrith ran towards the runaway storage chest, using his powers of charity to cancel out Raea¡¯s flames. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was the one that killed Selena. I even fed her Madison¡¯s heart as a sign of goodwill.¡± He dusted the mud off his body and glared at one of the elephants dragging a nearby storage chest. ¡°Let me ride you,¡± he said and jumped on top of it, not waiting for an answer. He¡¯d give Raea some space to cool off. She¡¯d be back to normal in a few days, right? He noticed Cleo and Sally behind him, sitting on top of the storage chest. Apparently, they migrated to this one after fleeing. Chapter 160 ¡°Raea exploded?¡± Sally asked Palan as the trio watched Elrith subdue Raea. Although Raea¡¯s flames were nullified by Elrith¡¯s power, the raindrops still sizzled when they made contact with the storage chest. A nearby soldier managed to placate the elephant, and Michael had ordered the army to look in the other direction while Elrith sorted things out. ¡°Obviously,¡± Cleo answered before Palan could speak. ¡°She was like a dormant fire-mountain. Any little thing could¡¯ve set her off.¡± She looked at Palan. ¡°What did you do though? She seemed really determined to kill you.¡± Palan shrugged and raised an eyebrow as Elrith was tossed into the air. Raea screamed something at him before starting to run away. Palan let out a sigh and climbed off the elephant before running after her while maintaining his distance. He was going to give her space, but not at the cost of her doing something stupid and dying. Didn¡¯t she care about the promotion? Would she still get one after running away like this? He ignored Elrith¡¯s stunned look as he passed the general who was lying on the ground, looking up at the sky while rain fell on his face. The ground was wet, and Palan left deep footprints in the mud as he ran through fields of crops, following after the trail Raea created. He wasn¡¯t sure where she was going because the only thing around them was grain. Lots and lots of grain. It reminded him of the desert¡ªan endless expanse of yellow. He almost expected a sandstorm to appear over the horizon. Raea continued to run for over an hour until she finally stopped by a house with two floors. The land around it was bare and brown, but the crop fields could be seen in the distance. Palan stepped out of the fields and entered the empty area but not approaching Raea. His muscles burned, and his vision was blurred. He was breathing heavily through his nose while sweat poured down his body, but he tried to keep his expression neutral. Running for an hour while overdrafted was no joke. If Raea chose to keep running, he probably would¡¯ve collapsed and been unable to continue. A flapping sound caught his attention, and a scream echoed through the air as Cleo and Sally fell from the sky. The two halflings landed behind Raea, splattering mud everywhere. ¡°I told you to stop pulling those feathers!¡± Sally said as she shook herself off and sat up. ¡°I slipped!¡± Cleo said and spat out a mouthful of mud. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯re slippery when wet.¡± She froze when she realized Raea was staring at them. She cleared her throat and began to whistle while looking the other way. ¡°Why did you follow me?¡± Raea asked, directing her question mostly to Palan even though she was facing the trio. Her voice was trembling, but her gaze was firm. Palan didn¡¯t respond because he was still trying to catch his breath. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave me alone? Why can¡¯t you just leave me alone? You never listen!¡± She stomped her foot, creating a miniature crater in the ground. The mud splashed onto Sally, but she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Why did you put her in the storage chest? Why did you know the demon who killed her!? Why!? Why?¡± Tears flowed from Raea¡¯s eyes. She gritted her teeth and fell to her knees. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Her elbows touched the ground as she hunched over and buried her face into her hands.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Palan frowned and crossed his arms over his chest out of habit. The last time she grieved was when he killed her subordinates with poison, and she got over that pretty quickly. It only took around a day really. So why was she so unreasonable this time? ¡°Why is she crying?¡± he asked Cleo. The lizardman was pacing back and forth, wanting to hold Raea, but at the same time afraid to touch her. ¡°Huh?¡± Cleo stopped moving and stared at Palan. ¡°Is that a serious question?¡± Palan nodded. Cleo scratched her head. ¡°You¡¯re serious,¡± she said. ¡°Okay. You¡¯ve felt pain before, right?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°So what happens when the pain you feel is too much to bear? You cry, right?¡± Cleo asked. Palan grimaced as he thought back to his childhood. He cried many times while his mother flayed the skin off of his back with a whip that had cactus thorns embedded in it. ¡°Sure,¡± he said. ¡°There you go,¡± Cleo said and pointed at Raea. ¡°She¡¯s in more pain than she can handle. That¡¯s why she¡¯s crying, you blockhead.¡± ¡°But why is she in pain?¡± Palan asked. Cleo blinked and looked at Sally. ¡°You take over,¡± she said and sighed. Cleo shook her head and pulled a tent out of her space. She started to set it up around Raea. ¡°She¡¯s in pain because it hurts when someone you love dies,¡± Sally said. ¡°Hasn¡¯t that ever happened to you? Maybe a family member. Or a pet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen people cry.¡± He still remembered the sounds his dad made when his mom died. It brought him a lot of joy at the time. Maybe that¡¯s why Andrea always made him happy to see her. ¡°It only takes a day for them to stop.¡± Even the last time Raea had grieved, she only took around a day to get better. ¡°She even avenged Selena. What more does she want?¡± Sally furrowed her brow and pursed her lips. ¡°Avenging someone doesn¡¯t bring them back,¡± she said. ¡°I would know. Until it happens to you, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to understand what it feels like to lose a loved one.¡± She sighed and smoothed out her feathers while looking up at the sky. The rain poured down her face, making it look like she was crying. ¡°When you lose that person who has been there your whole life, helping you, protecting you, doing everything to make you happy, the world just isn¡¯t the same. It loses its color. The surroundings become dull, and the things that made you smile don¡¯t make you feel anything anymore. Grief hurts. It tightens around your chest and bites behind your eyes. It sticks needles up your nose and pulls on your stomach.¡± Sally paused and sniffled. ¡°Raea¡¯s world has lost its color. It takes more than a day for it to come back. It can take years.¡± A wry smile formed on her lips. ¡°For some people, it never does.¡± Palan was silent as he digested Sally¡¯s words. The only sound that could be heard was the rain and Raea¡¯s soft sobs. A door creaked. A young angel appeared at the doorway to the two-story house. His expression froze when he saw Palan, and he quickly shut the door. Palan heard a childish voice shout from inside the house. ¡°There¡¯s a demon outside the house, Grandma.¡± Chapter 161 Clunking noises coming from the house caused Cleo, Sally, and Palan to look up at the house while Raea continued to remain motionless on her knees. The upper shutters of the window flew open, and a wrinkled face peered outside. The person squinted and shielded her eyes from the rain, trying to see the figures on the ground floor. Her lips curled in on her teeth when she saw Palan while her eyes narrowed. She snorted and disappeared from view. ¡°Are we just going to stand here?¡± Cleo asked. Her tail thumped against the ground, splashing mud around her. ¡°What if she¡¯s a super strong archangel? Old people are the scariest. They survived that long for a reason.¡± Sally tilted her head. ¡°I guess that makes sense,¡± she said and used her wings to adjust her wet hair. She glanced at Raea. Her voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we can just leave her here. She doesn¡¯t look like she wants to move.¡± The front door of the house burst open, and the wrinkled angel walked onto the porch wearing a pink bathrobe with fluffy slippers. A belt made out of multi-colored orbs hung from around her waist while bright white orbs were clasped in her hands. ¡°Who are you?¡± the angel asked and pointed the orbs at the group. ¡°Did that old man Wilkes send you to spy on me? Tell him I won¡¯t give him my secret cookie recipe even if it kills me.¡± Cleo raised an eyebrow while Sally blinked. The harpy leaned over and whispered into Cleo¡¯s ear, ¡°What¡¯s a cookie?¡± Cleo whispered back, ¡°It must be a potion of liveliness. Just look at her.¡± Palan narrowed his eyes at the old lady, and Danger Noodle raised its body to face the house. The old lady shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to use these!¡± She brandished her orbs. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about doing anything violent. Where¡¯s your angel?¡± Her gaze shifted onto Raea. ¡°Is that her?¡± She pursed her lips and listened to Raea¡¯s sobs. ¡°What¡¯re you doing crying on my lawn, lass? Did someone break your heart?¡± Raea didn¡¯t respond; instead, her body shook harder as she clutched her shoulders, planting her forehead against the ground. Palan frowned as his body spasmed. He was on the verge of collapsing after chasing Raea for an hour while overdrafted. If the old angel harbored any hostile thoughts against them, he didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d be able to resist. Raea clearly couldn¡¯t do anything, and it was practically suicidal to rely on Cleo and Sally to fight. A sigh escaped from his lips. It seemed like even his powers followed one of his rules for survival¡ªeverything has a price. The price of killing an archdemon as a greater demon was being unable to defend himself against an old lady. The boy who first opened the door appeared on the porch. He hid behind his grandma¡¯s legs and leaned over to get a better view at the four strange guests. ¡°Go back inside, Theo,¡± his grandma said. ¡°Let Grandma take care of this. If something happens to me, don¡¯t open the door until your father comes home, understand?¡± Theo nodded and scrambled back inside the house, closing the door on his way in. ¡°You two aren¡¯t my son¡¯s halflings, are you?¡± the grandma said towards Cleo and Sally. They glanced at each other. Cleo cleared her throat and looked at Palan. ¡°Is that your mama?¡± she asked. Her body stiffened when Palan glared at her. ¡°Just joking! Joking!¡± She sidled away from him and said to the old lady, ¡°Nope. Ack!¡± Her tail was swallowed by Danger Noodle. ¡°And you¡¯re not my farm¡¯s demon, right? I don¡¯t think we took in someone new for a long time,¡± the old lady said. She frowned and switched out of her slippers, stepping into a pair of boots that were placed beside the door. She shambled down the steps of the porch, still holding onto her orbs. Cleo extricated herself from Palan¡¯s tail and ran over to the old lady.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Let me help you,¡± Cleo said with gleaming eyes. She did her best to smile and turn her head to the side, making herself look as cute and harmless as possible. Her eyes widened, and she blinked a few times. The old lady narrowed her eyes. ¡°Well, alright,¡± she said. ¡°I guess your owner taught you some manners.¡± She let Cleo approach her and held onto the orange lizardman¡¯s hand. The poor angel didn¡¯t notice Cleo¡¯s tail fiddling with the belt of orbs hanging over the bathrobe. The duo walked over to Raea. Sally bit her lower lip and looked towards Palan who tripped while running towards them and lay on the ground, twitching. Her brow furrowed before she flew in front of Raea. Sally spread her wings open. ¡°You can¡¯t hurt her,¡± she said towards the approaching angel. A tremor ran through her legs as she gulped. As someone who used an orb to assault the angels¡¯ fort previously, she knew how destructive those orbs could be. ¡°If I wanted to hurt her, I wouldn¡¯t have left my porch,¡± the old angel said. She hung her orbs on her belt and muttered, ¡°That¡¯s odd. Did I forget some?¡± She glanced at her belt before looking at Cleo who was the picture of innocence. The grandma¡¯s eyes narrowed, but she didn¡¯t say anything. She crouched down beside Raea and placed her wrinkled hand on the young angel¡¯s shoulder. Raea was wearing a black robe for mourning instead of her armor set. ¡°Hey,¡± the old lady said. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Raea¡¯s body stiffened, and she used her hand to slowly push the older angel¡¯s hand off of her. ¡°Please,¡± she said without raising her head. Her voice was choked. ¡°Just leave me alone for a bit. I¡¯ll be gone soon. I won¡¯t bother you.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± the older angel said. ¡°How can I leave a crying young lady alone on my lawn? What will my neighbors think of me? C¡¯mon. Raise your head. You¡¯ll catch a cold if you stay out in the rain like this. And your mourning clothes are getting dirty.¡± The old angel¡¯s bones creaked as she squat next to Raea and grabbed her hand. Raea raised her head and looked at the old angel. The angel¡¯s eyes widened as she gasped and fell over backwards despite Cleo¡¯s best efforts to hold her up. She kicked at the floor to distance herself from Raea while fumbling for an orb hanging on her belt. ¡°Half-angel!¡± the old lady shouted and pointed a red orb at Raea. ¡°I won¡¯t let you kill me!¡± She knocked Cleo¡¯s arm away and squeezed the orb, channeling her mana into it. A roaring red flame shot out of the orb and engulfed the stunned Raea. The word half-angel rang through her head as the flames burned around her. She didn¡¯t seem to notice or care about the flames. The droplets of water on her body began to evaporate, scalding her skin. Before her robe could catch on fire, there was a squelching sound, and the flames abruptly stopped. Raea regained her clarity as line of blood spattered on her face. Palan stood above the old angel, blood dripping from his hands. Raea took one look at the angel who assaulted her and proceeded to vomit. Cleo¡¯s eyes widened as she quickly wiped away some brain matter off of her arm. She made a face but took the orbs from around the now-dead angel¡¯s waist and stored it in her space. Sally reaffirmed her decision to not piss Palan off and hid behind Raea. Her eyes widened when she saw an angel with a pitchfork charging at Palan. ¡°Behind you!¡± Sally shouted and pointed with her wing. Palan didn¡¯t seem to hear her. He stood over his kill while panting heavily. His eyes were glazed over, and his arms hung limp at his sides. Even Danger Noodle seemed listless, laying its head by Palan¡¯s feet. ¡°Mom!¡± the pitchfork-wielding angel shouted as he thrust the pitchfork at Palan¡¯s back. The pitchfork pierced Palan¡¯s torso in a diagonal fashion, all three prongs going through his back and coming out of his front. He coughed out a mouthful of blood and was about to turn around, but the angel placed his leg against Palan¡¯s back and kicked him off of his pitchfork. Palan fell on top of the dead grandma with a thud. Raea¡¯s eyes widened as she finished puking and raised her head. The man lifted the pitchfork like a churn dash over Palan¡¯s body and stabbed downwards like he was churning butter. The prongs stabbed into Palan¡¯s body again, but before the man could lift his pitchfork a second time, a wave of black fire washed over him, blasting him backwards and setting him ablaze in the rain. He screamed and tumbled for a while, trying to put out the flames but only succeeded in setting the mud on fire as well. Raea stood up and ran over to the man, her eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said and glanced around, looking for something to put out the fire with. She scooped mud off the ground and threw it on top of the man, but it didn¡¯t help. Before she could try anything else, the man stopped moving. Raea bit her lower lip and watched the body burn. Her shoulders were hunched over while her arms hung by her side. Rain rolled down the sides of her face. Chapter 162 The man¡¯s body was reduced to ashes underneath Raea¡¯s gaze. The mud continued to burn as the rain dropped down on it, evaporating on contact. Raea¡¯s head lowered until she was staring at her feet. She raised her hands and flipped them over to look at her palms. Rainwater pooled inside of them until they were full and began to leak from the cracks in between her fingers. What had she done? An irrepressible rage surged out of her when she saw Palan getting impaled followed by an immediate feeling of overwhelming guilt. Her body stiffened¡ªshe had forgotten about Palan. Her head whipped around, and she saw Cleo attempting to stanch the blood flowing from the holes in Palan¡¯s body. Sally was in the process of removing the pitchfork from Palan¡¯s body. Raea ran over and placed her hands on Palan¡¯s back. ¡°What took you so long?¡± Cleo asked as she retreated a few steps. ¡°I called you over and over.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. She willed her mana into her hands. Her brow furrowed when a barely noticeable light came out of her fingertips. Ten strings of light, no thicker than strands of hair, snaked along Palan¡¯s body until they reached a puncture wound. They converged inside of it and vanished. The wound was healed, but the strands disappeared in the process. Raea¡¯s face paled as she forced more mana into her hands. Only six fingertips lit up this time and barely healed the second puncture wound. Her stomach tightened as despair ran through her body. She leaned over and dry-heaved. Her fingers became clammy as her breathing became shallow. ¡°Raea?¡± Cleo asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°What happened? Why aren¡¯t you healing him?¡± She looked at Palan who had blood steadily leaking out of his remaining wounds. Raea didn¡¯t respond; instead, she curled up into the fetal position and began to cry. Cleo and Sally exchanged glances with each other. ¡°Check the orbs,¡± Sally said and attempted to lift Palan¡¯s body off of the old lady. Cleo took the orbs off of the dead woman¡¯s belt and looked through them. ¡°This looks like it¡¯d heal him,¡± Cleo said as she picked out a perfectly white orb. ¡°Right?¡± She looked at Sally for confirmation. The harpy shrugged. Cleo nodded and squeezed the orb. A white chain shot out of it and smacked Palan in the face. Cleo blinked and dropped the orb before choosing another whitish-colored orb. She pointed it at Palan and squeezed it. A white light shone over the demon and danced along his body until it reached his wounds. The flesh wriggled and stitched itself together. Cleo let out a sigh as Palan¡¯s body recovered completely while the orb dulled and turned gray. Cleo put the orbs away and scratched her head. Palan lay unconscious by her feet, and Raea was still gently sobbing besides Palan. In the distance, the ground continued to burn with black fire. It was slowly spreading towards the house because of the rain and wind. ¡°Now what?¡± Cleo asked Sally. ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± Sally asked back. ¡°But I think we should run away. According to Solra¡¯s guidebook that everyone was forced to read, after you commit a crime on the surface, you should run away to not get caught. And you have to eliminate all the witnesses of the crime.¡± She glanced at the window where a pale angel¡¯s face was staring at them. The face disappeared when it made eye contact with Sally. ¡°You can throw the old lady into the fire. I¡¯ll get rid of the other witness.¡± Cleo blinked. ¡°You¡¯re awfully brave right now,¡± she said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you usually a coward?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m a coward,¡± Sally said. ¡°But if someone¡¯s weaker than me, then I definitely won¡¯t be afraid. A spider that¡¯s afraid of a harpy won¡¯t be afraid of a fly.¡± She pat her chest with her wing before flying towards the house. Cleo shook her head as a window shattered. She picked up the first orb she tried on Palan and used the chains to drag the old lady into the burning ground. The orb dulled after the deed was done.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Moments later, a second body joined the old lady, and Sally alighted besides Cleo. ¡°All done,¡± Sally said with a chirp. She cleaned off her talons in a pool of mud water. The sky flashed and thunder rumbled through their ears. Sally flinched and crouched into a ball while covering her head with her wings. ¡°So the spider¡¯s afraid of thunder,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I thought Madison was here,¡± Sally said and peeked at the sky through her wings. ¡°What else can make that noise other than the orbs?¡± Cleo pat Sally on the shoulder and tugged on her butt feathers, pulling her towards Raea and Palan. ¡°Lightning and thunder occur during storms,¡± Cleo said. ¡°You¡¯ve never ¡­ right. Lived underground.¡± She crouched beside Raea and shook her, but the angel was unresponsive. ¡°Being the only adult in a group of children sucks,¡± Cleo said and sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s take them inside the house. It¡¯s dangerous to stay outside during a thunderstorm.¡± Sally nodded as she wrapped her talons around Raea¡¯s arm. She flew towards the house, dragging Raea through the mud. Raea didn¡¯t resist even when Sally accidently dragged her headfirst into the steps leading up the porch. After storing Raea inside the house, Sally flew out to help Cleo who barely managed to move Palan an inch. They struggled a lot but managed to get the mud-covered demon into the house. ¡°Raea¡¯s broken again,¡± Cleo said as she waved her hands over Raea¡¯s face. Her eyes were glazed over, and mumbles occasionally escaped from her lips. Cleo pinched Raea¡¯s nose shut but received no response. *** ¡°General Elrith,¡± Michael said. ¡°I understand that you want to find your sister, but haven¡¯t we wasted enough time as it is? While we¡¯re dallying around here looking for an overemotional teenaged girl, Solra is proceeding forwards with his plan.¡± Elrith didn¡¯t respond, but he stopped moving. The two were standing in a field of crops with their army scattered about. Raea had left a trail where she ran through, but there were many other trails left behind by fleeing slaves as well. When the earthquake struck, the slaves working in the fields had scattered, uncaring if they destroyed crops in their panic. ¡°You understand, right?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Raea killed an archdemon. I think it¡¯s our duty to find her,¡± Elrith said. ¡°She deserves recognition for her actions.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree. An angel who slays an archdemon should be celebrated,¡± Michael said. ¡°But those were only the words of a halfling. And there was no body to prove any deaths. If Raea had said it herself, I would believe her, but as it stands ¡­ and I¡¯m not even mentioning the black flames of wrath.¡± Cleo¡¯s story had been an incredible one. Raea single-handedly defeated a demon who used black flames with her powers of patience and her bare fists. The corpse had clearly dissolved after the demon was defeated. Michael didn¡¯t believe it. Elrith had his suspicions as well, but he didn¡¯t care, or rather, he chose not to believe in his suspicions. ¡°We continue the search,¡± Elrith said, narrowing his eyes. Michael shook his head. ¡°You have to think of the big picture,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re still too young.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°As a member of the council, I order you, General Elrith, to abandon this search and fulfill your previous obligations first before you may resume looking for her.¡± Elrith¡¯s face hardened. Palan¡¯s words echoed through his ears: Then why didn¡¯t you go with her? Elrith took in a deep breath and made eye contact with Michael. ¡°I quit. Being a general means nothing if I don¡¯t have my family.¡± He took off his armor and threw it to the ground. After a moment¡¯s of hesitation, he placed his towershield on top of the armor pile. ¡°After embarrassing myself for two months, I¡¯ve come to the conclusion that I am unqualified to be one of the four generals.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be treated as a deserter,¡± Michael said, his voice monotonous. There was no expression on his face. ¡°Then so be it,¡± Elrith said. ¡°After I send Raea back to the capital, I hope you¡¯ll promote her to my position. This is where we part ways, old man.¡± Michael crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Elrith walk deeper into the field of crops, shouting Raea every so often. Michael sighed and turned around, ordering the army to gather using his powers of humility to transmit his voice through the wind. It was his responsibility to take care of Elrith¡¯s punishment, but he wasn¡¯t confident in beating the young general¡ªex-general now. Even if he did, there was no doubt he¡¯d be exhausted afterwards. There were more pressing matters to take care of. Solra. Chapter 163 ¡°Doesn¡¯t this house have any meat?¡± Sally asked as she rummaged around with her talons. She was in the cellar of the house that her group forcefully occupied. After eating boar stew for the first time, she was extremely unwilling to revert back to her life of eating fungi and bugs. A bucket filled with rice grains caught her attention. She leaned over and sniffed it before tilting her head. Cleo came from around a corner, holding a few cobs of corn. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± she asked. Sally shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no meat. Don¡¯t you have any in your space?¡± she asked and hopped over to Cleo. They began to ascend the stairs towards the ground floor. ¡°Nope,¡± Cleo said. ¡°We ate it all, except for Madison¡¯s body.¡± She wrinkled her nose. ¡°I think it might be starting to rot too.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s eat it,¡± Sally said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Palan.¡± Cleo rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright, you can ask,¡± she said and walked into the kitchen, placing the corn down on a chair. She was too short to see over the tabletop without standing on her tiptoes. ¡°How do they cook things here?¡± Cleo muttered and scanned the room. She saw something that resembled the woodstoves her tribe used to use. Cleo stuffed firewood into the opening and set it on fire with a red orb. She grumbled. ¡°Being short sucks.¡± After climbing on top of the stove, and adding water to a pot, she began to browse through the cabinets. ¡°Angels really live extravagantly,¡± she said as she stared wide-eyed at the multiple bowls and cups made of glass with ornate decorations painted on their surface. She decided to store them inside of her space and stuck them in her designated shiny-stuff corner. Next to the plates was Raea¡¯s cocoon formed from her evolution that Cleo fought with Pyre over. It was less resplendent as before, its golden luster duller now. She took it out of her space and sniffed it. Now that it wasn¡¯t as shiny as before, maybe she should return it to Raea. The sounds of talons clicking against stone tiles caused Cleo to turn her head. Sally had a smile on her face. ¡°He said we can eat it,¡± she said and nodded. Her feathers fluffed up as she shivered and sang before she began to preen herself. Cleo stored the cocoon away and pulled out Madison¡¯s corpse. She frowned at the pot, trying to figure out if she could fit the demon¡¯s body inside. She couldn¡¯t. After cleaning up the water that spilled, Cleo cut off a chunk of meat and added it to the pot along with the corn she found in the cellar. Sally watched with interest. ¡°Where¡¯d you learn how to cook?¡± she asked. She attempted to grab a knife with her wings, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°I watched the cooks make food,¡± Cleo said. She pat her chest. ¡°The best time to steal from someone is when they¡¯re distracted by their duty.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Oh,¡± Sally said. ¡°Makes sense. I wish I had a power like you.¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Cleo said and frowned as she hopped off the stovetop. She pat Sally¡¯s butt feathers. ¡°You can fly and carry me. That¡¯s extremely useful. I won¡¯t mistreat my moun¡ªerr, friend.¡± She nodded. ¡°Really?¡± Sally asked. ¡°Compared to my mom and everyone else. I just feel so small.¡± ¡°Are you making fun of my height?¡± Cleo asked and wrinkled her brow. She plucked one of Sally¡¯s feathers off, causing the harpy to yelp. ¡°You can¡¯t keep comparing yourself to other people. There¡¯s always someone better than you.¡± Sally frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that made me feel better or not,¡± she said. Cleo shrugged and climbed back onto the stove. ¡°I think it¡¯s ready,¡± she said and pulled bowls out of her space. She began to ladle in the stew, splitting the chunk of meat evenly. ¡°Do you want to feed Palan or Raea?¡± ¡°Raea,¡± Sally said. She awkwardly cradled one bowl in her left wing and picked up another one with her right leg. ¡°Well, too bad,¡± Cleo said as she rushed past the hopping harpy. ¡°Palan¡¯s scary to feed. And since you already conquered your fear of him, I think you should do it. That¡¯s an order.¡± She stuck her tongue out at Sally before running upstairs to Raea¡¯s room. ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Sally mumbled as Cleo¡¯s tail disappeared from view. She sighed and hopped up the stairs to Palan¡¯s room which was across the hall from Raea¡¯s. The halflings decided it was best if they stayed in different rooms in case another fire broke out. ¡°Food¡¯s here,¡± Sally said as she plopped the bowl in her wing down onto the bedside table. ¡°Do you need help ea¡ª¡° Danger Noodle crawled out of bed and swallowed the stew, bowl included. ¡°Okay then,¡± Sally said as Danger Noodle regurgitated the bowl and spoon. She sat down and began to eat her own food while Palan¡¯s tail lay across her lap, sapping her warmth. After she finished her bowl and was about to take the dirty dishes downstairs, a high-pitched shout came from Raea¡¯s room. Sally scrambled to her feet, knocking Danger Noodle off her lap while Palan sat up and winced. The two ran across the hall and saw Cleo sitting on her butt at the entrance to Raea¡¯s room. ¡°What happened?¡± Palan asked as he stepped over Cleo. Raea¡¯s bed was covered by what looked like a layer of black spider webs. Thin strands of black light continuously shot out of the white figure lying on the bed and covered the surroundings. Palan gritted his teeth and plunged forwards, but found that he couldn¡¯t break through the thin strands. He exerted all his strength, but the strands didn¡¯t budge as if they were locked into place. Soon, a black cocoon had formed around the bed. Sally and Cleo had tried to stop the cocoon from forming as well, but nothing they did helped. Palan grabbed Cleo¡¯s tail and lifted her into the air. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked again, glancing at the wriggling cocoon. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cleo said and shook her head. ¡°I fed her the stew by forcing it down her throat, but she didn¡¯t seem to care. Then I covered her with her old cocoon because she seemed cold. Then those black things shot out of her body and pushed me away. I really didn¡¯t do anything.¡± She bit her lip, unable to meet Palan¡¯s eyes. Palan snorted and let Cleo down. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait and see,¡± he said. ¡°Raea!¡± a voice shouted. It sounded far away, but the three clearly heard it. They glanced at each other. The shout came again, louder this time. ¡°If we ignore it, it¡¯ll stop,¡± Cleo said and nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s the answer to every problem in life.¡± Sally looked at her funny. ¡°What?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Don¡¯t forget who the adult in the room is.¡± She wrinkled her nose and turned her head away. Chapter 164 ¡°Sely, Sely! Look what I found.¡± A young angel child ran through a garden, carrying a clump of dirt in her hands. Her eyes were big and sky-blue. Her green dress was stained with streaks of mud, especially around the knee area. ¡°Ray¡­,¡± Selena said. She was around Raea¡¯s current age; the resemblance between the two was striking. She was sitting on a bench with two textbooks placed on her lap and one in her hands. ¡°What did I tell you about carrying mud around?¡± ¡°But Sely,¡± the young Raea said and pouted. ¡°Look.¡± She held her hands out in front of Selena¡¯s face, causing mud to drop onto her sister¡¯s textbook. Selena frowned and moved her textbooks away before staring at her younger sister¡¯s hands. A gigantic worm popped its head out of the mud, eliciting a scream from Selena. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute?¡± ¡°Put it away,¡± Selena said as she slid along the bench, distancing herself from the worm. ¡°Think of how it feels now that you took it away from its home.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Raea said and bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mr. Wormy. Let¡¯s go back to your house.¡± The world froze as time held still: young Raea was in the middle of walking away. Selena was in the middle of sighing. Above the garden, way beyond the clouds, an angel with serpentine eyes and black scales floated, watching the scene play out. The angel¡¯s vision blurred as tears formed in her eyes. She blinked to clear them away, but when she opened her eyes again, the scene below had changed. ¡°Sely,¡± a young Raea said. She looked to be around eight year old this time. ¡°What¡¯s this word mean? Dee-fen-uh-straight.¡± She leaned over to the side and pointed at a word in the book that she was holding. Beside her, Selena turned her head and checked the book. ¡°What are you reading?¡± Selena asked and sighed as she closed her own book. They were sitting on a plush bed with white covers. A bundle of pink blankets surrounded the two. She looked at the book in Raea¡¯s hands and furrowed her brow. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is beyond your reading level?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said and shook her head rapidly, flinging her hair into the air. ¡°It¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Selena said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Mom and Dad I let you read this, alright? Defenestrate means to throw out of a window.¡± ¡°So the demon threw the bully out of the window to protect the angel?¡± Raea asked and tilted her head. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Selena exhaled. ¡°Maybe you should leave Elrith¡¯s books alone next time.¡± ¡°But why?¡± Raea asked. ¡°They might give you weird ideas about demons.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Selena opened her mouth and spoke, but no sounds came out. The scene began to disintegrate, gradually being replaced with a new one. Selena stood facing the open gate of a mansion. Behind her, a carriage was waiting with its doors open. Raea, who looked around ten years old, ran down the porch of the mansion, separating from the rest of the Caelum family, and tackled Selena with a hug. ¡°Do you have to go?¡± Raea asked with tears in her eyes. She clutched at Selena¡¯s clothes and looked up at her with big, round eyes.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Rayray,¡± Selena said and stroked Raea¡¯s head. ¡°I won¡¯t be gone for long. I¡¯ll be back before you even know it. You know it was my dream to teach at Hailing Academy. Won¡¯t you cheer for me?¡± Raea bit her lip and released Selena¡¯s clothes. ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered and looked down. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Sely.¡± She looked up and smiled with her lips trembling. Selena sighed and tucked Raea¡¯s loose hair behind her ears. ¡°Try to get along with everyone else, okay? Mom and Dad might be busy, but you know they love you too,¡± she said. Raea nodded. Moments later, a crack appeared on her face as if she were just an image on a mirror. The surroundings fell apart, leaving behind an empty void. Only the angel with black scales floated about with tears streaming down her face. Shouting sounds filled her ears as another scene expanded and filled up the void. Raea was curled up into a ball with her face on her knees and hands over her head. She was sitting on a red carpet in a massive hallway with her back against a wall. Beside her, there was a door where the shouting came from. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s her fault!?¡± Selena¡¯s voice shouted. ¡°She¡¯s only a child! Aren¡¯t you, the ones who raised her, to blame!? If you hadn¡¯t neglected her for all the years, would this have happened? Does it matter if her potential is lower than everyone else¡¯s? She¡¯s still your child!¡± Mumbling sounds reached Raea¡¯s ears, but she couldn¡¯t hear them clearly because of her hands. ¡°If you loved her, then why didn¡¯t you ever show it?¡± There was a pause. ¡°Buying her stuff, keeping her fed, that¡¯s good and all, but why didn¡¯t you ever talk to her? Make her feel appreciated? Your advisor told you she¡¯s not good enough for any prestigious position, so what?¡± Another pause. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re busy! I send letters to her everyday even when I¡¯m swamped with work. You live with her¡ªthat¡¯s not an excuse!¡± There was a banging sound. ¡°Elrith¡¯s never home! Don¡¯t give me that shit.¡± A chair scraped across the ground. ¡°Yes. Do that right now,¡± Selena said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you people. Are the council¡¯s words everything to you?¡± Footsteps approached Raea, and the door beside her swung open. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ray,¡± Selena said and placed her hand on Raea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Everything will be alright. I¡¯m here for you.¡± The scene melted away, and the floating figure was left, once again, in the void by herself. ¡°Sely,¡± she said and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. Raea let out a sigh before her body started to plummet in the darkness. Her back collided against something hard, knocking the wind out of her. She sat up and found herself in the cave where Selena had died. Madison was holding Selena¡¯s hair with a blade placed next to the angel¡¯s throat. Raea saw her previous self trying to break through the barrier separating her from Madison. ¡°Stop!¡± Raea shouted and lunged towards Madison. But nothing happened. She passed straight through the demon and her sister. When she turned around to look, Madison had done the deed. Raea fell to her knees as her other self let out a scream. Raea¡¯s hands clenched, her nails pressing against the skin of her palm. She watched as black flames escaped from the Raea in the illusion. A voice reverberated in her head. It sounded exactly like her own. ¡°Who is to blame? The demon who killed Selena? Or is it Palan, the one who provoked her into killing Selena? Or is it you? If you never succumbed to your sins, you would have never been sent to the borderland. Selena would never have come here if you were still in the capital. If you hadn¡¯t lost yourself to wrath and killed the demon, you would have been able to heal Selena. She wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± Raea didn¡¯t respond. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the voice said. ¡°What matters now is how you react. Would Selena want you to live like this¡ªforever surrounded by black flames, blaming yourself and others for her death?¡± The surroundings dissolved, and Raea was left floating in the void. Four wings flapped as Madison¡¯s figure rose into view. She held Selena¡¯s head in her left hand and used her right hand to move Selena¡¯s mouth. ¡°Can you forgive me?¡± Madison asked, using Selena¡¯s head to speak in a travesty of Selena¡¯s voice. Madison cackled as black flames began to burn around Raea¡¯s body. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Raea said and waved her hand. A wave of flames rose up and engulfed Madison¡¯s body, turning it into ash. Selena¡¯s head remained untouched. Raea thought she looked disappointed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sely. I can¡¯t be me without you, and now you¡¯re gone.¡± Selena¡¯s head sighed. ¡°No matter what happens, you know I¡¯ll love you,¡± the head said and smiled at her. ¡°Thank you, Sely,¡± Raea said. The head nodded before a white line split it down the middle. The light increased in size and started to open, revealing the ceiling of a room. Raea squinted her eyes as the darkness fell away to the corners of her vision. ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± Cleo shouted. Chapter 165 Raea sat up, brushing away strands of black silk. The cocoon fell from around her body and crumbled into dust, leaving behind the rough outline of a bed covered by darkness. ¡°Woah,¡± Cleo said and stared at Raea with wide eyes. ¡°You look more awesomer than Palan.¡± Sally flew up the stairs and peered through the doorway. ¡°Harbinger,¡± she said and gasped while falling on her butt. She tried to stop herself from falling with her wings, but they had no fingers to grab onto things. ¡°Are you still Raea?¡± Raea looked down and saw that she was completely naked. She twisted her body and head to observe all the changes in her body. A layer of black scales covered the outer parts of her body: the back of her arms and hands, the back of her neck down to her tailbone, the sides of her hips and legs. Four bat-like wings with red feathers jutted out of her back, two from her shoulder blades and two from her lumbar region. They expanded to their full wingspan which were double the length of her arm span. She had an urge to preen her feathers with her fingers. ¡°Do you have a mirror?¡± Raea asked Cleo. Her voice was crisp yet melodic at the same time. Cleo blinked as if in a daze and nodded. She reached inside her space and pulled out a piece of shiny metal attached to a block of wood. Raea took the mirror in her hands. Five claws sunk into the wooden frame like a knife through butter. She frowned at the softness of the wood before observing her face in the mirror. A pair of golden serpentine eyes stared back at her. Her face didn¡¯t change much: only her jawline was sharper, and her ears became pointed. Her hair was still silver and flowed down to the base of her first pair of wings. Raea returned the mirror to Cleo. ¡°Where¡¯s Palan?¡± Raea asked, slightly narrowing her eyes. Cleo thought she saw a flame flicker in Raea¡¯s pupils. ¡°He¡¯s outside,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Guarding the house and fighting people. They came after the third day you started becoming a butterfly.¡± She frowned as she recalled the unwanted visitors. After Elrith had arrived outside of the house, asking if Raea was inside, Cleo had chased him away by impersonating the owner of the house and threatening him. She made up the excuse of robbers tried to break into the house earlier by saying they were looking for someone and she wasn¡¯t going to be fooled again. Elrith, already a deserter, felt that he shouldn¡¯t break the law by barging in; after all, if Raea really was inside, he felt that the owner had no reason to lie. He offered to fix the window that the robbers¡ªactually Sally¡ªhad broken, but was threatened with a chain of patience instead. He noticed the patch of ashes near the house, but figured it formed while chasing off the robbers. It was quiet for the few following days, but soon a group of people showed up because their neighbors seemed to have vanished without a word. Cleo tried chasing them off like she chased off Elrith, but obviously it didn¡¯t work since the neighbors already knew the deceased owner of the property. In the end, Palan was forced to take action and killed a few, but didn¡¯t chase the ones that ran because he was still overdrafted. In turn, the ones that ran reported this to the nearest peacekeeping office, and they sent out a team of three regular angels to deal with the troublemaking demon that clearly had no powers. By the time they reached the house, two days had elapsed, and Palan recovered his strength. He easily dispatched the misinformed angels, causing Cleo and Sally to rejoice because there was more meat to be had. They had just finished eating the rest of Madison¡¯s corpse. When the three peacekeeping officers didn¡¯t report back, the office decided to dispatch their strongest squad¡ªseven greater angels. Palan was in the process of fighting them when Raea finished her evolution. Cleo explained this to Raea, leaving out the part about Elrith, as she tore holes in a black robe for Raea to wear. ¡°How long was I ¡­ asleep for?¡± Raea asked as she slipped the robe on. It took a while to get her wings to fit through properly. ¡°About a week then?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Yeah. About a week,¡± Cleo said as she followed Raea down the stairs. ¡°Are you feeling, err, normal now?¡± She didn¡¯t want to bring up Selena, afraid it would send Raea back to a comatose state. Raea sighed, and a puff of black flames escaped from her mouth. She blinked and exhaled again, shooting out more flames. Her brow furrowed as she scratched her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything normal about that,¡± Raea said and glanced at Cleo who was looking at her in awe. ¡°But if you¡¯re asking about how I feel ¡­ I feel great. Sely may be gone, but she lives on inside me. No matter what I do, I know she¡¯s watching over me.¡± Cleo wrinkled her brow and glanced at Sally who had an equally puzzled expression on her face. ¡°Well,¡± Cleo said and nodded, ¡°it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. That means you¡¯re not going to be ¡­ explodey, right?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Raea asked as she pushed open the door leading outside. ¡°Explodey? What have I done to give you that impression?¡± ¡°Um. Explode,¡± Cleo said. A shout reached the trios ears as an angel was launched into the air. A black light enveloped him, and he rapidly accelerated towards the ground. His body flattened against the ground, and his skin ruptured like a water balloon, splashing liquid in the nearby vicinity. A lightning bolt split the clear skies and struck Palan, causing him to stumble backwards. The ground beneath his feet shifted and cracked as earthen hands and spears shot towards him. A vortex of wind was constantly circling him, pushing and pulling him off balance. Although Palan managed to kill one of the greater angels, the others had taken advantage of that to strike back. His body was bleeding from multiple puncture and slash wounds, and Danger Noodle was missing an eye. Three angels lay dead on the ground surrounding Palan. He learned the hard way that he had to kill them in a single strike, or the angel of kindness in the back would heal them back to perfect condition. ¡°This is bullshit,¡± Palan growled as he tried to catch his balance on the unsteady ground. Danger Noodle hissed in agreement. A gust of wind pushed him while the patch of earth he was standing on shifted to the side, causing him to fall over. Danger Noodle propped his body up before he could fall, but a spike shot out of the ground and impaled his thigh. He had tried using Raea¡¯s powers earlier, but they hadn¡¯t worked. If it weren¡¯t for Raea evolving inside the house, he would¡¯ve fled long ago. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to fight seven greater angels without the advantage of terrain or poison, but he couldn¡¯t prepare any of that. A sigh escaped from his lips as a second spike of earth rose out of the ground and impaled his shoulder. The only other time he felt this helpless was when Andrea had contracted the illness that threatened her life. Okay, maybe there was also that time when Michael and Tara bullied him, but that didn¡¯t count. Ever since his mother died, he was always the one in control¡ªof everything. He never had to fight with a disadvantage. He realized why the demons were slaves to the angels in this world. Angels worked together to suppress the demons. He had looked down on the demons despite being contracted to an angel himself, thinking his circumstances were different. If he was given a chance to fight, he wouldn¡¯t have been enslaved, but now, he was questioning that train of thought. Was he going to die here? Whipped and beaten like a dog? The suns shone above him in the sky. The first sun was about to hit its zenith. The second sun wasn¡¯t as bright, but still present. The third sun was expanding in the air as if it were falling towards him. Third sun¡­? Palan¡¯s eyes widened, and he fell deaf to the angels cheering about their victory. That wasn¡¯t a third sun¡ªit was a giant fireball plummeting towards the ground. It was black like pitch, but the sky around it burned with a blood-red glow. The fireball emitted roared as the air was set aflame, causing everyone to look towards the sky. Two words slipped out of Sally¡¯s mouth as her jaw dropped, ¡°Sun¡¯s hammer.¡± Cleo¡¯s head shifted rapidly from side to side, looking for a place that wouldn¡¯t be hit by the fireball, but noticed Raea calmly smiling up at it with her arms spread to the side like she was about to hug someone. Cleo decided the best place to hide was behind Raea. The group of greater angels huddled together and summoned a dome of earth above their heads, trying to escape underground. Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the fireball in the sky began to rotate until it thinned and elongated into the shape of a needle. The black needle of flames pierced through the dome of earth, leaving everything else untouched. The greater angels didn¡¯t even have a chance to scream as their bodies disintegrated in an instant. The only thing left behind was a column of molten lava in the ground. Raea walked up Palan who was sweating from the heat of the flames. ¡°No one touches my demon,¡± Raea said as she broke the spikes of earth embedded in Palan¡¯s body. She easily lifted his body with one hand and brought him over to Cleo to be healed. She dropped Palan on the ground. ¡°I still haven¡¯t thanked you for assisting in Sely¡¯s death.¡± Cleo and Sally looked at each other with dumb expressions on their faces. Wasn¡¯t this change a bit too drastic!? Chapter 166 Solra¡¯s brow wrinkled as he stood to the side of a tunnel. A red humanoid creature with blue eyes trotted past him. It was bald with pointed ears and naked except for a loincloth that barely covered its indecent parts. It towered over Solra by a whole head. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Solra mumbled as he watched the creature advance down the tunnel. He went around a bend and saw another one of the red creatures. And another one. The tunnel was swarming with them¡ªeverywhere he could see was red. One of the red creatures noticed him and saluted. The others quieted down as they noticed the archangel as well. ¡°We greet the commander!¡± the red creatures shouted in unison with their hands raised in a salute. Solra nodded at them, pretending he knew what was going on. He didn¡¯t recall recruiting halflings that were like hobgoblins but red. The creatures parted to let Solra through the narrow tunnel. He rounded another corner and froze while dropping his walking stick. A four-armed red centaur was walking towards him. ¡°I greet the commander!¡± the centaur roared and knelt while saluting. Solra blinked and nodded before picking up his walking stick. The centaur remained kneeling until Solra rounded another corner. A bead of sweat rolled down Solra¡¯s forehead as he glanced behind himself. Why was everyone red? He¡¯d have to find Pyre and ask. Everything time something ended up being odd, it was usually due to the eccentric angel. Just a few days ago, he had found a series of hot springs in the far corner of the tunnel system. Pyre had installed them because he needed to relax. The discipline of Solra¡¯s rebel army had crumbled that day. After making his way through the winding tunnels, passing red centaurs, red hobgoblins, red harpies, red lizardmen, and red dwarves, he wound up at the detention center where Pyre was extracting the powers from the captive angels. Solra noticed that half of the angels were missing. ¡°Pyre,¡± Solra said as he walked to the eccentric¡¯s angel corner. Ishim was still in the center of the cave, using an orb of charity to nullify all nearby powers. ¡°Solra,¡± Pyre said and turned his head. He was standing over an angel that had an orb inserted inside of her chest. A line of non-red halflings were standing behind him, each one holding eating utensils in their hands. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He turned back to the angel he was standing over and jabbed her with a red-hot poker, causing her to scream. ¡°Nearly everyone is red,¡± Solra said as a wrinkle appeared on his forehead. ¡°Do you know why?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Pyre said as he smiled. The orb in the female angel¡¯s chest began to glow with a white light. ¡°Don¡¯t you want your army to be stronger? I¡¯m evolving them.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Solra asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m evolving them,¡± Pyre said again as he wrenched the orb out of the female angel¡¯s chest. A fountain of blood gushed out of the gaping wound, but it was quickly plugged again by another orb. He pat the female angel¡¯s cheek. ¡°You know the deal. Do you want to continue?¡± ¡°Just kill me, bastard,¡± the angel said and spat a glob of blood at Pyre.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Wait. What deal?¡± Solra asked. Pyre shrugged. ¡°You know. The deal,¡± he said and turned around to look at the halflings standing in line behind him. ¡°Y¡¯all can eat her now.¡± The female angel screamed as a centaur dragged her away, and a ring of halflings surrounded her. Pyre turned to face Solra while a four-armed red centaur fetched another prisoner. ¡°Please explain to me what is going on,¡± Solra said and sighed, leaning against his walking stick. ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Pyre said as he stretched his arms towards the ceiling and yawned. ¡°You know how people evolve, right? Once they reach a certain mana threshold in their bodies, they become stronger and may develop abilities.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Solra said. ¡°And the main way to increase the mana capacity is to practice a virtue or make a contract with someone whose mana capacity is greater than yours. I don¡¯t see any of that here. Don¡¯t tell me all the halflings are gluttons.¡± He made a face as the screams of the female angel turned into tearing and chewing noises. ¡°Why do you think demons change the fundamental structures of their bodies when they evolve?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°And why do angels stay the same when they evolve to archangels?¡± ¡°I know you were a lecturer at Hailing Academy, but don¡¯t treat me like a student. Just tell me,¡± Solra said and narrowed his eyes. Pyre clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ll never learn anything if I just tell you. You have to think for yourself,¡± he said and sighed. ¡°A third way to increase mana capacity is to eat things with abundant amounts of mana. That¡¯s how demons evolve. They eat each other while angels focus on cultivating their virtues. But eating someone else¡¯s mana isn¡¯t as stable, and the consumer¡¯s body may change to reflect the attributes of the ones they ate.¡± ¡°You¡¯re feeding the halflings angels to evolve them?¡± Solra muttered. He recalled the strange behavior of the halflings: the kneeling and salutes. ¡°So they become more disciplined. And they turn red because angels are red?¡± Solra nodded. ¡°I see. Why didn¡¯t you do this earlier?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a thousand greater angels to feed the halflings,¡± Pyre said. He gestured towards the prisoners. ¡°Now I do.¡± He smiled as the four-armed centaur presented him with another angel. ¡°Right. How¡¯s the tearing down of the wall going? I really want to build that cannon.¡± ¡°We tore down a section, but it¡¯ll take a while to get here,¡± Solra said as he watched Pyre brand the captive angel. ¡°The Stormbringer¡¯s army is approaching the checkpoint, and I didn¡¯t want to take the risk of breaking down the wall so close to them.¡± ¡°We have the advantage now,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Before, we only had greater numbers. Now, we have greater numbers and firepower. If you capture Michael¡¯s army too, we could create more evolved halflings.¡± Solra wrinkled his brow. ¡°Are you sure we should give the halflings so much power?¡± he asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want equality?¡± Pyre asked in return as he took a knife out and plunged it into the captive¡¯s chest. He cut open a hole to place the orb inside, ignoring the angel¡¯s shouts. ¡°You were tired of the maltreatment of the natives and wanted to overthrow the tyrannical angels, no?¡± ¡°Well, yes,¡± Solra said slowly, ¡°but aren¡¯t they too strong? After hearing about this, I can¡¯t help but feel threatened myself.¡± Pyre smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything,¡± he said and licked his lips while wiping the blood off his hands. ¡°As you long as you embody the ideals of your army, they¡¯ll follow you. If you try to go back now¡­.¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid for your own life now that the halflings have tasted the flesh of angels?¡± Solra asked, narrowing his eyes at Pyre. ¡°I¡¯m nearly a century old,¡± Pyre said and waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll croak in a year or two. Whether I¡¯m eaten alive by halflings or tickled to death by a demon, it doesn¡¯t matter. My only regret is that the angels won¡¯t be around to appreciate the fact that the young Khondra they screwed over screwed them back.¡± He laughed. ¡°But we can¡¯t get everything we want. I¡¯m satisfied with this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a madman,¡± Solra said. ¡°And you hired me. What does that make you?¡± Chapter 167 Palan lay on a bed with Raea sitting beside him. His body was covered in bandages, but the major injuries on his body had been healed: the two puncture wounds from the spikes, and Danger Noodle¡¯s missing eye. Cleo ran out of kindness orbs, leaving Palan with no choice but to recover the old fashion way. Raea had tried to heal him, but there wasn¡¯t even a trace of kindness left in her¡ªshe nearly set him on fire instead. Palan had passed out afterwards, and Raea sent Cleo to make food while she watched over Palan. She gazed at him and sighed while drawing circles on his forearm. His body stirred and eyes flickered to the side, and she stopped her actions, sitting up straight while adjusting her wings so she didn¡¯t squish them against the seatback. Palan bolted upright while Danger Noodle rose to attention. His head whipped around, and he made eye contact with Raea. His brow furrowed while his muscles tensed, but he relaxed as soon as he remembered Raea evolved. ¡°You look different,¡± he said. He ignored the look Raea gave him and inspected his body. Raea waited for him to finish his self-checkup before opening her mouth. ¡°Palan,¡± she said and paused. Palan stared at her, waiting as she fidgeted. She sighed and shook her head. ¡°Nevermind.¡± The door to the room flung open, revealing a short lizardman with two bowls in her hands. Cleo walked up to Raea and handed her one before handing the other to Palan. She sat on the floor and reached inside her space, bringing out another bowl. ¡°Where¡¯s Sally?¡± Raea asked. Palan pointed towards the ceiling. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear her?¡± he asked. Raea strained her ears and heard a very low warbling sound. ¡°Oh.¡± The three began to eat their meal in silence. Cleo furrowed her brow as she glanced back and forth between her two friends. They had their heads buried in their bowls, both unwilling to look at anywhere else. ¡°So¡­,¡± Cleo said, dragging her voice out. ¡°Nice weather we¡¯re having today, eh?¡± Her face fell when there wasn¡¯t a reply. Palan polished off his bowl and half-heartedly tossed it towards Cleo who caught it with her tail. ¡°Yes, excellent weather,¡± he said. ¡°I love it when it rains giant black fireballs.¡± He turned his head to look at Raea who proceeded to choke on her food. ¡°I think another review of our powers is needed.¡± ¡°Not just a review of our powers,¡± Raea said after she stopped coughing. ¡°We need to have an honest discussion about us and the white elephant in the room.¡± ¡°Mr. Bubbles?¡± Cleo asked and looked around. ¡°It¡¯s just a saying,¡± Raea said. Cleo sighed and shook her head. ¡°What is there to discuss?¡± Palan asked as he lay down. His injuries weren¡¯t major, but they weren¡¯t minor either. He didn¡¯t want to reopen them by moving around.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Everything,¡± Raea said and handed Cleo her bowl. ¡°Can you go stay with Sally for a bit?¡± Cleo pouted but nodded. She stood up and turned around, walking out of the room. A massive layer of skin fell off of Cleo¡¯s tail as she walked out of the door, causing her to stiffen. Her head whirled around, and she yelped. There were blue horizontal stripes on her tail which just finished shedding. ¡°I¡¯m growing?¡± Cleo asked and blinked as her mouth fell open. ¡°But I¡¯m blue?¡± Her eyes widened as she seized her tail and brought it closer to her face. ¡°What is this sorcery? Am I turning into a super adult? But I¡¯m not even thirteen yet.¡± She frowned and bit her tail, making sure it was real. She ran down the stairs and out of the house and yelled for Sally as she climbed up the side of the building. Raea and Palan stared at the skin Cleo left behind before staring at each other. It wasn¡¯t clear who laughed first, but soon the two were howling with laughter. They continued to laugh until Palan suddenly winced as blood starting leaking through his bandages. Raea wiped away the tears that accumulated in her eyes and smiled at Palan. After exhaling, she regained control of her emotions and put on a serious face. She stood up and looked Palan, who was lying down, in the eyes. ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Palan said and nodded. He waited for Raea to continue. Raea furrowed her brow as her fists clenched together. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to ask why?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not curious,¡± Palan said. Raea ground her teeth and exhaled. ¡°Why did you bring my sister back to the storage chest after she left?¡± she asked. Small black flames blossomed into life around her body, circling her. Palan shrugged. ¡°It was clear you wanted her to stay,¡± he said. ¡°So I made her stay.¡± ¡°I never asked you to do that!¡± Raea said and stomped her foot. The flames around her grew bigger. ¡°So?¡± Palan¡¯s eyes became colder as Raea¡¯s voice grew louder. His back began to itch, causing his face to harden. ¡°I can¡¯t do things unless you ask me to? Do I need your permission to take a piss?¡± He got off the bed and stood up, glaring at her face to face. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she took a step back. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was your equal?¡± ¡°You killed my sister,¡± Raea said, her voice cracking. ¡°Madison killed your sister,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°You could¡¯ve saved her,¡± Raea said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her head lowered until she was staring at Palan¡¯s feet. ¡°If you knelt down and apologized, Selena wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s your fault for contracting a pride demon,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms over his chest. The scars on his back felt like they were on fire, irritating him, pushing him. ¡°You could¡¯ve saved her too. You and I both heard what that medic said.¡± A tear fell onto the floor as the flames around Raea died away. Her wings drooped, and her lips quivered. Palan sighed and furrowed his brow. He never maliciously attacked Raea¡¯s feelings like that before. Was she influencing him as well? His back stopped itching. He ran his fingers through Raea¡¯s hair like he would run them through Andrea¡¯s. Raea fell forward and cried in Palan¡¯s chest. *** Cleo raised her head which was pressed against a roof tile. ¡°Raea acts really weird sometimes,¡± she said to Sally. ¡°One moment she looks like she wants to kill Palan. The next moment she starts to cry.¡± Sally lifted her head from the roof as well. She blinked at Cleo. ¡°Your face is falling off.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cleo asked. She peeled a piece of dead skin off of her face. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s perfectly normal. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Chapter 168 After Raea stopped crying, she separated herself from Palan¡¯s embrace. Her lips pursed as she met his gaze. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven you yet,¡± she said. Her voice dropped to barely audible levels. ¡°Or myself.¡± She straightened her back and smoothed out her feathers. The movement came naturally, almost instinctive. She felt sick when the action triggered an image of Madison preening herself. ¡°I don¡¯t need your forgiveness,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I¡¯m used to people hating me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°So now that we established your undying hatred for me, can we discuss what happens next?¡± he asked with a smile as he sat down on the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine you¡¯ll be able to bring me to the capital looking like ¡­ that.¡± He gestured at her. ¡°Am I that ugly?¡± Raea asked and frowned as she reexamined herself. ¡°Maybe I should file these,¡± she mumbled as she observed the pointed ends of her claws. Her palms were still red, but a layer of black scales covered the back of her hands. ¡°You¡¯re not ugly at all,¡± Palan said as he admired her figure. She stared at him with a blank expression. ¡°You just don¡¯t look very angel-like. And I don¡¯t think you¡¯re an angel of kindness or patience anymore; I couldn¡¯t use either of those powers.¡± Raea nodded. ¡°I¡¯m a fallen archangel of wrath,¡± she said. Her face looked like she swallowed something bitter. She sighed, causing a jet of black flames to shoot out of her mouth. Her brow furrowed. ¡°I really need to stop sighing.¡± ¡°Just wrath?¡± Palan asked. ¡°What about envy and greed?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like to acknowledge those parts of myself,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms as she sat on the chair near the bed. Palan pushed the blanket aside and made himself comfortable as he lay down. ¡°But I¡¯m sure they¡¯re still there.¡± Palan stretched his arm towards the ceiling and narrowed his eyes. Wisps of greenish-black smoke spewed out of his palm forming a miniature cloud in an instant. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s safe to say your envy increased in power,¡± he said as the smoke began to corrode the wood. He noticed Raea¡¯s face paling. ¡°Gah!¡± a high-pitched voice shouted from the roof. ¡°What the hell is this!? Save me, Sally!¡± Raea turned her head towards the window and saw Cleo¡¯s figure falling past, limbs flailing. A second later, Sally¡¯s figure flew past the window as well. ¡°That¡¯s what they get for eavesdropping,¡± Palan said and snorted. A ray of light shone through the newly created sunroof. ¡°And it seems our contract is still valid.¡± Raea rummaged through a bag by the foot of the bed and pulled out a yellow crystal. She crushed it, summoning the contract. She briefly glanced over its contents. ¡°It¡¯s still the same as before, but my title was changed from Kindness Angel to Fallen Angel¡± she said and released it. The yellow paper crumbled into dust which was swept away by a breeze. She bit her lower lip¡ªPalan noticed some of her teeth were similar to his. ¡°The problem is this clause, ¡®The terms of this contract must be renewed after the Pride Demon Palan is reunited with his sister.¡¯ Doesn¡¯t that mean I have to be with you when you reunite with your sister?¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Sounds like it,¡± Palan said. ¡°But that was there before as well. I thought we were going to dissolve the contract with the Creator¡¯s permission or some nonsense like that.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think I could even make it to the capital. How are we supposed to go to the shrine of the Creator?¡± Raea asked. ¡°You¡¯re not a kindness angel anymore, right?¡± Palan asked. He continued speaking without waiting for a reply, ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have any qualms about killing angels, yes?¡± ¡°What?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Of course I have a problem with killing angels! Just because I¡¯m no longer a kindness angel, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to wantonly slaughter people and break all the laws.¡± Palan scratched his head as he recalled the giant column of black fire that incinerated the four greater angels. ¡°Uh. Are you sure?¡± he asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you kill those four angels back there?¡± ¡°That was different,¡± Raea said stiffly. She broke eye contact with Palan and gained an interest in the clouds passing overhead. ¡°They made me mad.¡± ¡°You know we¡¯re illegally occupying someone¡¯s house after killing them, right? Didn¡¯t you tell me that was wrong?¡± Palan asked. He recalled the time when Emergency Victuals was still around and the group was heading towards the checkpoint after Ishim¡¯s betrayal. They had encountered a log cabin that Palan wanted to raid, but Raea had stopped him and politely explained their situation instead. Raea didn¡¯t respond as she recalled the farmer burning to death in the rain. Her chest felt hollow¡ªthere was no sense of guilt or responsibility. Just anger. How dare he stab her demon? Her fists tightened, and her chair began to smolder from the heat radiating off of her body. ¡°That was also different,¡± she said and glanced at Palan. Her fists loosened. ¡°Right,¡± Palan said. ¡°What about eating bodies instead of burying them?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked as her anger dissolved and was replaced by confusion. ¡°I didn¡¯t do that.¡± Palan scratched his chin, debating whether he should break the news to her or not. Probably not. Her eyes widened as she gasped. ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Raea said, staring at him. ¡°What did you think of lunch today?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± Raea said as her stomach churned. She covered her hand with her mouth as she dry heaved. She forced herself to swallow and straightened her posture. ¡°Was it really?¡± Her eyes seemed to be pleading. ¡°It wasn¡¯t,¡± Palan said. Raea relaxed, but a bolt of lightning crashed through the hole in the roof and struck Palan. ¡°Goddammit,¡± Palan said as his body spasmed. ¡°This is why your ¡®don¡¯t lie to me¡¯ order is bullshit.¡± Raea wordlessly stood up, walked over to the window, and puked outside. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t check if there was anyone below. ¡°Ewww! Did you think I wasn¡¯t sick enough!?¡± Cleo shouted from the ground. Palan heard vomiting noises coming through the window. ¡°Both of you are bullies!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Raea said before pursing her lips and staring at the slightly green lizardman. She really didn¡¯t mean to puke on her. It just happened. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s some nonsense angel law about puking on someone,¡± Palan said as Raea retreated back into the room. Raea sighed and wisps of smoke that smelled like burning vomit escaped through her mouth. ¡°I get it, okay? You want to go to the capital illegally,¡± she said. ¡°I¡ª¡° ¡°Elrith¡¯s here!¡± Cleo shouted from outside. ¡°Carry me, Sally! Stop! Why are you running away!?¡± ¡°Elly?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow as she peered out the window. Sally was flying away from the vomit-covered Cleo. She looked at the fields and saw her brother storming through, riding on an earthen spider, heading straight towards the house. Chapter 169 ¡°Why would Elly be here?¡± Raea asked as Palan stood up and walked next to her. Elrith was staring at the window¡ªhis expression darkened when he saw Palan¡¯s face. ¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to be leading the army?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± Palan said and shrugged as he put some pants on. ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± He glanced at Raea¡¯s expression and raised an eyebrow. She didn¡¯t seem nervous at all. Last time she panicked over her appearance. This time, she seemed angry. Palan smirked as he left the room and went downstairs. He wasn¡¯t sure why Raea became angry when she saw her brother, but it was better for Raea to be angry at Elrith than him. Palan stepped outside of the house and onto the porch where Cleo was cleaning herself off with a towel and a bucket of water along with Sally¡¯s assistance. Raea was already waiting near the burning pit she had created earlier that day with her powers, evidently having flown out of the window instead of walking behind Palan. Her hair and feathers fluttered in the wind as she stood with her legs slightly spread apart and arms crossed over her chest. Wisps of black fire occasionally flickered in and out of existence around her. Her eyes narrowed at the approaching earthen spider which came to a halt in front of her. ¡°Why¡¯s the fuddy-duddy here?¡± Cleo asked Palan as she trailed after him, dripping water onto the ground as some of her dead skin sloughed off. Her scales seemed to be tinted with a blue hue that only showed in the sunlight. ¡°Why does everyone think I¡¯m omniscient?¡± Palan asked. ¡°He¡¯s here because he wants to be here. It¡¯s as simple as that. Also, you stink.¡± ¡°Still?¡± Cleo asked as she and Palan reached Raea¡¯s side. She brought her arm to her nose and sniffed herself. Her nose wrinkled, and she pulled out another bucket of water. Elrith had climbed off of his spider while Sally chose to stay behind, standing on the railing of the porch. ¡°Raea?¡± Elrith asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°Is that you?¡± ¡°You had to ask? You can¡¯t even recognize your own sister?¡± Raea asked and smiled at her brother. Cleo shivered when she saw the expression on Raea¡¯s face. ¡°I get it,¡± Raea said as she raised her hand to interrupt Elrith. She lowered her voice and imitated Elrith¡¯s posture. ¡°You changed so much since the last time I saw you. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± She blinked at him and returned her voice to normal. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always say that to me every time you came home?¡± ¡°Ray¡­,¡± Elrith said and scratched his head. He stared at Raea¡¯s wings and the scaled parts of her that weren¡¯t covered by her robe. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have an army to lead?¡± ¡°I quit,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Tha¡ªhuh?¡± Raea bit back the biting remark she was about to make and furrowed her brow. ¡°What do you mean quit? Aren¡¯t you contracted every three and a half years?¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± Elrith said and shrugged. He laughed while looking down, shaking his head. ¡°Some diligence angel I am, eh? I deserted.¡± He poked Raea¡¯s forehead when she didn¡¯t respond. ¡°What? Don¡¯t believe me?¡± Raea shook her head. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because of you, dumdum,¡± Elrith said. ¡°How can I let my baby sister wander around the third sector by herself? I¡¯ll admit I haven¡¯t been a very good brother to you.¡± He paused. ¡°I think Selena made me realize that. It doesn¡¯t matter how much honor I bring to the Caelum name if I never see my family.¡± Raea fell silent¡ªher wings seemed to deflate. ¡°I see,¡± she said after a long while. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being punished? Deserters are executed, no exceptions.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I don¡¯t think they can afford to punish me right now,¡± Elrith said and shrugged. ¡°And I¡¯m not the only one who deserted.¡± He smiled at Raea. ¡°You¡¯re still technically a lieutenant until Michael declares you to be a deserter.¡± Raea shrugged. ¡°Well,¡± Elrith said and glanced at the burning pit of black flames beside them, ¡°there are lots of things I want to ask, but I guess I¡¯ll start with are you okay?¡± ¡°I feel great,¡± Raea said. ¡°Just fine. Sely wouldn¡¯t have wanted me to mope around, so I won¡¯t. I¡¯m going to keep moving forward.¡± Elrith blinked. ¡°Really,¡± he said. ¡°Looks like I didn¡¯t have to worry about you, huh?¡± He scratched his cheek and sighed. ¡°So, uh,¡±¡ªhe pointed at the fiery pit¡ª¡°what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Stuff happened,¡± Raea said and shrugged again, shooting a glare at Palan and Cleo. ¡°I¡¯m an archangel now.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elrith said slowly and nodded. ¡°Can I stop the flames? Or did you need it for something?¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Raea said. Elrith held his hand out towards the burning pit and squinted. A few seconds passed, and he furrowed his brow. A vein bulged on his forehead as his hand trembled. ¡°Odd,¡± Elrith said. He lowered his hand and gazed at Raea. ¡°Those were your flames? I can¡¯t put them out.¡± ¡°Does that mean Raea¡¯s stronger than you?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°No,¡± Elrith said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°There are a lot more factors than just pure mana capacity that determines someone¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I bet she¡¯s faster than you too. And she can fly.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Elrith said and cleared his throat. ¡°For one, I¡¯m older. I¡¯ve accumulated a lot more experience than her which enables me to make better decisions.¡± He nodded. ¡°So you¡¯re saying I make bad decisions?¡± Raea asked. Elrith glanced at Palan. ¡°Terrible ones,¡± he said. Raea pinched her brother¡¯s arm, causing him to yelp. ¡°It was a joke. Just a joke. Your claws are really sharp.¡± He wiped away the drop of blood that formed on his arm. His expression turned serious. ¡°So what happens next?¡± ¡°I was going to fulfill my contract with Palan,¡± Raea said. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of what comes next.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Elrith said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Palan¡¯s sister is in Eljiam, and I agreed to help him reunite with her,¡± Raea said. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened. He grabbed Raea¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re going to Eljiam?¡± he asked. ¡°Impossible. Absolutely not. How are you going to get back after you arrive?¡± Raea brushed Elrith¡¯s arms off of her shoulders with ease. ¡°I never said I was going to Eljiam,¡± she said. ¡°We wanted to go to the capital to send him back.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you use the portal in Hailing Academy?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°It¡¯s going to be very difficult for either of us to enter the capital, you know, being deserters and all. Not to mention the fact that you¡¯re a fallen angel now.¡± Raea bit her lower lip. Palan wrapped his arm around Raea¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°It has to be the capital. There¡¯s other things that need to be accomplished first.¡± Raea seemed shocked by her demon¡¯s actions and met his gaze, but didn¡¯t do anything to escape from his hold. Elrith¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°Like what?¡± he asked. The way Raea leaned into Palan made him feel uncomfortable. ¡°Like stuff,¡± Palan said and smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. Were you planning on coming with us?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elrith said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°And what if Raea doesn¡¯t want you to?¡± Palan asked. Raea opened her mouth to speak, but Palan turned her body towards him, pulling her closer. His hand rested on her wing, and his fingers began to stroke her feathers. Palan smiled at Elrith. ¡°Well?¡± Cleo blinked and spoke up before Elrith could say anything. ¡°We could use a new cook,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°And someone to do the laundry and dishes.¡± She glanced at Palan. ¡°I wonder where we could find one though.¡± ¡°Absolutely shameless,¡± Elrith said and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. If I have to do dishes and cook to become a part of this group, then I will.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cleo asked and blinked. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t think that would work.¡± ¡°I have nothing left,¡± Elrith said and shrugged. ¡°Call me boss,¡± Cleo said and nodded as she placed her hands on her hips. Her tail swished back and forth. ¡°Welcome to the party, land mount. Come with me.¡± Elrith glanced at Raea who had her eyes closed and face buried in Palan¡¯s side. He sighed and followed the diminutive lizardman. ¡°What was this all about?¡± Raea asked as she slid her arm around Palan¡¯s waist. ¡°Establishing dominance,¡± Palan said as he released Raea when Elrith and Cleo had entered the house. ¡°You can let go now.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t want to?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Did you already forget it was my fault your sister died?¡± ¡°Just because you hate someone doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t want them at the same time.¡± Chapter 170 A monstrous brown spider ran through a field of golden crops, crushing the plant stalks beneath its feet. Elrith was sitting on top of its head with his eyes closed, focusing on controlling the earthen construct¡¯s movements. Behind him, Cleo, Raea, Sally, and Palan were playing a game of cards using a deck that Cleo stole from a soldier once upon a time. Raea had taught them how to play a game that consisted of emptying one¡¯s hand of cards first. She also seemed to be the only one enjoying the game. During the first round, when Palan had stolen Raea¡¯s victory, she destroyed two of the spider¡¯s legs out of anger. The rest of the group quickly agreed to never let her lose again. Thankfully, Palan didn¡¯t take any pride in winning or losing a card game. ¡°I win again,¡± Raea said as she placed down a pair of cards. The rest of the players let out half-hearted cheers while Sally dropped her cards for the seventh time, cursing herself for lacking fingers. ¡°Whew,¡± Cleo said as she swept up the cards. ¡°You must be tired of winning, right? We can play something else. Like eye-spy.¡± The group had been traveling through the third sector for several days, using Elrith as a form of convenient transportation. Along the way, Cleo had been storing anything and everything they came across. Her space had expanded when she shed and obtained her new scales. ¡°I spy something¡ª¡° ¡°Corn,¡± Sally said. Cleo furrowed her brow. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± she asked. ¡°Do cowards get mindreading powers?¡± ¡°I wish,¡± Sally said as she fluffed her feathers after stretching out her wings. Like Cleo, her feathers also developed a blue hue. ¡°That¡¯s the only thing you can see around here. Lots and lots of corn.¡± She sighed and lay on her back. She turned her head to the side to look at Palan who began meditating when Cleo swept up the cards. ¡°Harbinger, harbinger, harbinger,¡± she began to sing. ¡°Doesn¡¯t lack feathers but does lack fur. Will grant us freedom¡ªthat¡¯s for sure.¡± Sally yawned and covered her mouth with her wing. ¡°You keep calling me that,¡± Raea said as her body glowed blue. Wisps of light could be seen flowing from her body to Palan¡¯s. ¡°What exactly is the harbinger?¡± ¡°The harbinger is our savior,¡± Sally said as she sat up. A group of lizardmen slaves scattered as the earthen spider plowed through them. ¡°The harbinger will free the harpies from the underground caverns.¡± ¡°But I think you have the wrong person,¡± Raea said as she yawned and curled up into a ball, resting her head on Palan¡¯s thigh. Her wings flapped a few times before settling down in a comfortable position. ¡°Maybe,¡± Sally said and shrugged. ¡°But you already saved me from¡­¡±¡ªshe glanced at Danger Noodle¡ª¡°a dark cave. Who¡¯s to say you won¡¯t save the other harpies? I thought the harbinger was Madison at first.¡± Sally stiffened as she covered her mouth with her wings. A wave of heat washed over her as she dove behind Cleo. ¡°Taboo word,¡± Cleo whispered and shook her head. Elrith commanded the spider to run faster as a few crops caught fire. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare compare me to that monster,¡± Raea said as she clenched her hand shut, leaving four gashes in the spider¡¯s body. Silence fell over the top of the spider as it continued to skitter through the farms. The second sun began to set, causing the spider to slow to a halt. It crumbled into a mound of dirt as Elrith stood up and wiped the sweat off of his brow.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Why can you still use the powers of diligence after deserting the army?¡± Palan asked as his meditation was interrupted. Raea stood up and dusted herself off while Cleo pulled the corner of a tent out of her space. ¡°I¡¯m diligently protecting my little sister,¡± Elrith said as he took the tent from Cleo. ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Palan grunted in reply while Elrith began propping the tent up. Sally pouted as she pointed off into the distance. ¡°There¡¯s a house over there,¡± she said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we occupy it for the night?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a deserter,¡± Elrith said, ¡°not a bandit.¡± The tent took shape, and Cleo began creating a fire, using the nearby crops as kindling. Soon, the group had a roaring bonfire going with a metal pot placed inside of it. Chunks of meat darkened as they sat in the boiling water. ¡°What kind of meat is that?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to figure it out.¡± Raea made a face. ¡°I think it¡¯s better that you don¡¯t know,¡± she said. She had a separate plate of cooked corn resting on her lap. ¡°It¡¯s mystery meat!¡± Cleo said and licked her lips. ¡°Is it good?¡± She stared at Elrith with wide eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Elrith said and nodded. Raea shook her head and munched on her corn as Cleo ladled out the stew to everyone else. ¡°Raea,¡± Elrith said as he received a bowl. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you dissolve your contract with Palan?¡± Elrith asked. Raea furrowed her brow and stopped eating. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. You can still help him find his sister. But, you know, the unwritten rule? Archangels shouldn¡¯t make contracts with demons to prevent the creation of archdemons.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s going to happen if I break that rule?¡± Raea asked and snorted. ¡°Will people fear me? I was already attacked by a sweet old lady because my eyes were different.¡± She leaned back and looked up at the fading red light caused by the sun set. ¡°I¡¯m already too far gone, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Elrith said and shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s still a chance for you to redeem yourself. There¡¯s always a chance. We can ask people how to turn you back. Hailing Academy is famed for its constant breakthroughs. They¡¯ll be able to solve your problem.¡± Raea was silent as she watched the sky darken. ¡°Can they?¡± she asked. She closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose. Her voice lowered. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want to turn back to how I was.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raea exhaled. ¡°If I was like this earlier, Sely wouldn¡¯t have died,¡± she said and opened her eyes. She sat up and picked up an ear of corn. ¡°I¡¯m strong now.¡± Flames danced over the kernels of corn, browning them before flickering out of existence. ¡°This strength gives me confidence. I don¡¯t want to turn back into that scared little girl I always was. For the first time in my life, I feel like I can make my own choices.¡± She stood up and walked over to Palan, who was meditating, before stuffing the cooked corn into his mouth. She sat next to him and wrapped his tail around her body, plopping her head on top of Danger Noodle¡¯s. ¡°I don¡¯t think Mom and Dad would be very happy about that,¡± Elrith said and frowned. He brought the bowl of stew to his mouth and sipped up a chunk of meat. ¡°You and I both know they already gave up on me when I poisoned you,¡± Raea said. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Sely yelling at them, I probably wouldn¡¯t even be alive right now.¡± Elrith fell silent as he ate his stew. When he was finished, he said, ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Raea.¡± ¡°Changed for the better,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I tried to be what they wanted me to be¡ªI really did. I hated disappointing them. I did my best to make them happy, but what happened in the end? When I couldn¡¯t do it anymore, they threw me away. I always wondered why I wasn¡¯t as capable as the rest of you. I was always compared to you, to Sely, to Nina.¡± She sighed. ¡°I could never lead an army like you. I will never be as smart as Sely. Nina will always be better at playing instruments than I will ever be no matter how hard I practice. I can¡¯t compare to Nate¡¯s financial prowess, and Sam always knows when and what to say. And Ariel ¡­ no matter what I did for the community, I was always in her shadow. I was always in all of your shadows.¡± Elrith didn¡¯t say a word. Raea smiled at him. ¡°But now I¡¯m not,¡± she said. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to turn back. It¡¯s an amazing feeling to be free.¡± She glanced at Sally who nodded. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sally said, completely ignoring the metal collar on her neck. Chapter 171 ¡°Then what are you going to do after you complete your contract with Palan?¡± Elrith asked, staring at his sister who was wrapped up in her demon¡¯s tail. ¡°Assuming you¡¯re able to.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you insist on going to the capital.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± Raea said. ¡°I always wanted to be an animal doctor.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But I guess I can¡¯t do that anymore now that I¡¯ve lost my healing powers.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°You can still be one without magical powers. We had one in the village. You¡¯ll just need a lot of leeches and alcohol and bandages. Oh, and fire.¡± ¡°Fire?¡± Raea asked. ¡°What would I possibly do with fire?¡± ¡°To stop bleeding?¡± Cleo asked in return. ¡°For big, leaky injuries, you take a pot, heat it with fire, and then press it to the wound. It stops the bleeding. I¡¯ve seen it happen to my dad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s barbaric,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that painful?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cleo said. ¡°But when the alternative is death, you learn to deal with the pain.¡± ¡°We¡¯re taught that for emergency care,¡± Elrith said, ¡°for when the medics run out of mana. Amputations are common too.¡± He raised an eyebrow at Raea. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get many customers looking like you do. I don¡¯t mean this in an offensive way, but you look more demonic than you do angelic.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be an animal doctor in Eljiam,¡± Raea said and snorted. ¡°I bet I¡¯ll be appreciated there since there aren¡¯t any kindness demons.¡± ¡°Injured animals get eaten. Healthy animals get eaten too. Sometimes doctors are also eaten,¡± Palan said as he exited his meditation and cracked his neck. He glanced at Raea. ¡°What are you doing to my tail?¡± ¡°Making myself comfortable,¡± Raea said. ¡°Problem?¡± ¡°No. I was just curious,¡± Palan said. ¡°The meditation is slowing down again. I think I need to eat a few archangels or archdemons if I want to evolve.¡± He glanced at Elrith and licked his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Elrith said and narrowed his eyes at Palan. ¡°Well it¡¯s a little too late for that, don¡¯t you think?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If I do decide to eat you, it¡¯ll be painless. You won¡¯t even know you died.¡± He flinched when Raea pinched his side. ¡°It was a joke.¡± A bolt of lightning fell from the sky and struck Palan while shocking Raea at the same time. ¡°Joke, huh?¡± Raea asked and made a face. Palan shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to eat my family. That¡¯s an order. I promise I¡¯ll make your life miserable if you do.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t get along with the rest of your family,¡± Palan said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I want you to eat them,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Besides, only Elly and Nina are archangels. And my parents of course.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t your family supposed to be prestigious?¡± Palan asked. ¡°There¡¯s only four archangels?¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Only four?¡± Raea asked. ¡°You think archangels grow on trees? There¡¯s less than thirty of great renown: the four generals, the six council members, and the heads of the seven families.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cleo asked and blinked, a cooked haunch dropping from her mouth. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re amazing?¡± ¡°An archangel that¡¯s less than twenty years old is a miracle,¡± Elrith said and nodded. ¡°I thought it would take much longer for Raea to become one.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Cleo said. ¡°So why did your parents look down on you? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I became a greater angel when I was fourteen,¡± Raea said. ¡°Ariel became a greater angel when she was eight. Angels¡¯ virtues really don¡¯t start taking shape until they¡¯re around seven years old.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t Ariel an archangel now?¡± Cleo asked. Raea shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve already said archangels don¡¯t grow on trees,¡± she said. ¡°Sometimes angels just become greater angels and can¡¯t go beyond that.¡± ¡°I thought archangels were a lot more common,¡± Palan said and frowned. ¡°You made it seem like they were everywhere which is why angels became the dominant race.¡± Raea wrinkled her brow. ¡°A single archangel is equivalent to a natural disaster,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve seen what Michael and Elrith can do.¡± Palan rubbed his chin. ¡°So when I become an archdemon, I¡¯ll be able to cause just as much destruction as they can?¡± he asked and raised an eyebrow. He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s normally very difficult to find things that excite me. I¡¯m looking forward to the day I become an archdemon.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t,¡± Raea said. ¡°What do you mean? I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°You can, but you shouldn¡¯t. Wanton destruction is bad,¡± Raea said. ¡°Bad for who? Not me,¡± Palan said and laughed. ¡°The only problem is it¡¯ll take a while to become an archdemon now that I know there aren¡¯t that many archangels to eat. It¡¯s a bit disappointing, but I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to dissolve your contract with him?¡¯ Elrith asked. ¡°I think it would be a pretty good idea. For everyone.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Raea said. ¡°He¡¯s mine. No one else can have him.¡± She rubbed her cheek against Danger Noodle¡¯s head. Elrith sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel a bit concerned for your future,¡± he said. ¡°I know that may sound a bit weird coming from someone who threw his away, but still, I¡¯m worried about you. It¡¯s really not too late to turn back. I have connections with the headmaster of Hailing. I could write him and explain the situation.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you that I didn¡¯t want to turn back?¡± Raea asked and slightly narrowed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m happy with how I am now. Happier than I¡¯ve ever been. I have to be happy,¡± she said and looked down. ¡°This was Sely¡¯s final gift to me. If I could bring her back at the cost of my newfound powers, I would, but I can¡¯t, so I won¡¯t give it up. Stop trying to convince me otherwise.¡± Elrith nodded as Cleo pulled out a bucket of water. She gathered the empty bowls and pot, and stuffed them into the bucket before handing it and a rag to Elrith. ¡°Forget it then,¡± Elrith said as he began scrubbing the dishes, ¡°I just wanted you to know that the option is there.¡± Cleo yawned and waddled inside of the tent, pulling Sally along by her butt feathers. ¡°Thanks, Elly,¡± Raea said. She turned towards Palan. ¡°Carry me inside.¡± ¡°Your legs work just fine,¡± Palan said as he stood up. He began to unwind Danger Noodle from Raea¡¯s body, but she refused to let him, holding onto his tail. ¡°Quit being so unreasonable.¡± ¡°Carry me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re heavy,¡± Palan said. ¡°Then use your powers to make me lighter,¡± Raea said and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good practice.¡± Elrith shook his head as Palan walked past him, his tail dragging Raea on the ground, refusing to carry her but not letting go either. Elrith finished washing the dishes and placed them upside down near the fire to dry before heading inside the tent where he found Palan sitting in meditation with Raea using his lap as a pillow and tail as a blanket. Cleo was sleeping on top of Sally, using her wings as a sleeping bag. ¡°Man,¡± Elrith muttered, ¡°I was the one who did all the transportation. Why are they the tired ones?¡± He sighed as he went to the corner of the tent and pulled a blanket around himself. His mind cleared, and soon he was drifting off to sleep. There was no time for pointless thoughts. He had to wake up early to begin transporting them after all. Chapter 172 The next day, before the first sun began to rise, Elrith sat up and yawned. He rubbed away the crust in his eyes and turned his head to the side, noticing the blue glow that had been present for the previous nights was missing. Palan, the blue light bulb, wasn¡¯t meditating, but it didn¡¯t seem like he was awake either. Elrith furrowed his brow as the demon¡¯s eyes followed him as he stood up and walked towards the tent flap. ¡°Are you awake?¡± he asked, hesitating at the exit. There was no response. Elrith muttered and stepped outside, ¡°That¡¯s so creepy. I don¡¯t get why Raea¡¯s so infatuated with him.¡± The fire was still smoldering outside, and Elrith collected the dishes that finished drying. He was surprised their tent wasn¡¯t harassed during the night¡ªthey were camping in someone¡¯s farm after all. The sky was beginning to turn red, and a rooster crowed off in the distance. Elrith did his stretches as the inhabitants of the tent started to make some noise as they woke up. Cleo was the first one to leave the tent, and she ignored Elrith while picking up the dishes and bucket. Her eyes were still half-closed, and she stood in a daze in front of the fire. Elrith watched as she stepped closer to the embers as if in a trance. His eyes widened as she leaned over and tumbled towards the fire. He let out a shout, and his arm stretched forward as he lunged for her, but he was too late. Cleo fell on top of the fire. Elrith yanked her tail, pulling her upwards. She let out a yelp as her eyes fully opened, and she began to claw at Elrith. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Cleo said. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Elrith held his arm out to keep Cleo¡¯s claws from scratching his face. ¡°You fell into the fire!¡± he shouted back. ¡°I was¡­.¡± His brow furrowed as he looked at the place where the fire used to be. It was gone. ¡°Did you ¡­ store it in your space?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cleo said as she struggled to get free. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sally asked as she poked her head out of the tent. ¡°I¡¯m being bullied,¡± Cleo said and pouted. ¡°Help?¡± Sally shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s scarier than you,¡± she said and went back inside the tent. ¡°Raea, the sun¡¯s rising and your brother is bullying Cleo.¡± Elrith released Cleo and scratched his head before proceeding with his stretches. ¡°I was just trying to help,¡± he said and sighed. When did he start caring for halflings? If it happened during his time in the army, he wouldn¡¯t have batted an eye. He wondered how the army was doing. They should¡¯ve reached the second sector and united with General Jones by now. He arched his back and craned his neck towards the sky before exhaling. What would General Jones think of him now? Would she hate him for deserting? Regardless, he hoped she was doing well. She was¡ª ¡°What are you doing?¡± Raea asked, interrupting his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at the sky for a while now.¡± She glanced up, but couldn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary. The tent was already packed by Cleo who didn¡¯t bother taking it down, falling on top of it and storing it that way instead.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I was just thinking,¡± Elrith said and sighed. ¡°About your mate?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I can recognize that sigh from anywhere. I hear it from Raea all the time when Palan¡¯s gone.¡± She stiffened when Raea glared at her. ¡°I mean, uh, Sally. Yeah.¡± ¡°This prude has a mate?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow as he returned from emptying his bladder. ¡°I¡¯m not a prude,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brow. Unfortunately for him, General Jones was an archangel of chastity and temperance. ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t have a girlfriend either.¡± He summoned his earthen spider and mounted its head. ¡°Are we all ready? If nothing happens along the way, we¡¯ll reach the checkpoint by sundown.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± Cleo asked as she crawled up one of the spider¡¯s legs. Everyone else boarded as well, and the spider began to run, trampling the crops in its path. ¡°I¡¯m in my low thirties,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Dear Elbegon, you¡¯re old,¡± Cleo said and gasped. Elrith¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°You don¡¯t have a mate yet? What are you even doing?¡± She turned towards Raea and questioned her with her eyes. Raea shrugged. ¡°Thirty isn¡¯t that old,¡± Raea said. ¡°You just think that because lizardmen turn into adults when they¡¯re ten.¡± ¡°Thirty is ancient!¡± Cleo said and turned towards Palan for affirmation. ¡°A lot of demons don¡¯t live past forty,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°The ones who do are monsters. Or cowards.¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°I think you should bring your sister back to Div¡¯Nya after you reunite with her,¡± she said. ¡°But he¡¯s a monster,¡± Sally said under her breath. Cleo nodded in agreement. ¡°Maybe,¡± Palan said. ¡°I think she¡¯d like it better here. There¡¯s so much more prey to eat.¡± He licked his lips. ¡°And how are you going to get back to Div¡¯Nya?¡± Elrith asked and snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as booking a carriage across a sector, you know?¡± ¡°The same way I got here,¡± Palan said. ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°You said you got here by stumbling into a random portal, right?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Mhm.¡± Palan grunted without even thinking about it¡ªlying just came naturally to him. A bolt of lightning split the skies and struck his back before he could take back his statement. ¡°Of course,¡± Raea said and sighed. ¡°So how did you really get here?¡± She sidled closer to Palan and clung onto his arm, not giving him a chance to get away. ¡°You know that thing about the meat being angel flesh?¡± Palan asked. ¡°And how I lied to make you feel better?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Elrith asked. Palan ignored Elrith¡¯s outburst. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the same concept here,¡± Palan said to Raea. ¡°It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Then I won¡¯t ask about that. But I want you to tell me the truth. You really do have a sister that you want to reunite with, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. ¡°I do. If archangels try to stop me from reuniting with her, I¡¯ll kill archangels. If archdemons get in my way, then I¡¯ll kill archdemons. If the Creator tries some more bullshit to stop me, then I¡¯ll kill the Creator.¡± Raea blinked and bit her lower lip. ¡°And if I tried to stop you?¡± she asked. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± Palan said. ¡°But hypothetically.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do hypotheticals.¡± ¡°But if you did.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Just answer the question!¡± Palan shook his head and fell silent. Raea snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. She could order him to tell her, but she didn¡¯t. Maybe she was afraid of the answer. The spider traveled in silence. ¡°What was this angel flesh meat thing?¡± Elrith asked. No one answered him. Chapter 173 ¡°No, seriously,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Was the mystery meat angel flesh?¡± He paused. ¡°The fact that none of you are answering worries me greatly.¡± He turned around to face his passengers. ¡°Raea?¡± Raea cleared her throat and angled her body away from Elrith while leaning against Palan who was chewing on a piece of raw meat that Cleo gave him. The lizardman learned a long time ago that Palan became less grumpy when she fed him food, so she got into the habit of feeding him after he argued with Raea or fell ominously silent. Elrith turned towards Sally, ¡°Was it?¡± Sally trembled and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not the cook.¡± Her eyes shifted towards Cleo, begging her for help. Cleo recalled the time Sally abandoned her while she was covered in vomit and wrinkled her nose. ¡°I just cook the meat,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Sally finds it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Sally said. ¡°She¡¯s lying! I¡¯m innocent.¡± Her lips quivered and beads of moisture formed in the corner of her eyes as she lowered her head and looked up at Elrith. The archangel stared at Sally as if in a trance before clearing his throat. ¡°Forget it,¡± he said and turned back around. Although there was nothing in front of them but crops and hints of the red wall in the distance, he still felt like he had to guide the spider. A breeze blew past them from behind, causing Palan¡¯s nose to twitch. He stopped chewing on his food and froze. His brow furrowed as he craned his neck towards the sky. A cluster of black dots in the sky could be seen on the horizon. ¡°There¡¯s a group of harpies over there,¡± Palan said and pointed. ¡°Did you smell them from that far away?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. ¡°Should we hunt them down? I actually haven¡¯t tasted harpy yet.¡± He glanced at Sally who shuddered. ¡°That¡¯s your first thought when you see a flock of harpies?¡± Raea asked. Palan shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re probably spies for the rebels,¡¯ Elrith said and frowned. ¡°It won¡¯t be a bad idea to bring them down. They may be carrying supplies or intelligence reports.¡± ¡°I thought you deserted the army,¡± Cleo said and tilted her head. She squinted towards the dots in the sky, but they were too far away to make out any details. ¡°I did,¡± Elrith said and urged the spider to run faster, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t help them still. I don¡¯t want our homes to be lost.¡± ¡°How hypocritical,¡± Cleo said and snorted. ¡°What about the homes that we lost?¡± She gestured towards Sally. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we feel the same?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brow as he turned back around. ¡°Is it?¡± Cleo asked and poked his back with the tip of her tail. ¡°Is it really? How?¡± ¡°Well, for one, we¡¯re improving the quality of your lives,¡± Elrith said. ¡°There¡¯s constant warfare between the tribes of lizardmen, goblins, and centaurs over territory. You¡¯re throwing your lives away for no reason. As angels, it¡¯s our duty to spread our teachings and stop this wanton waste of life. We don¡¯t abuse our slaves. They don¡¯t suffer, and they preserve their lives as long as they follow our orders. We feed them properly, and¡ª¡° ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Raea said, interrupting her brother.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°¡ªwe don¡¯t ¡­ wrong? What do you mean I¡¯m wrong?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Not everyone treats their slaves well,¡± Raea said. ¡°The second mission I was given, subjugating a lizardman city, I engaged in negotiations with their chieftain. He told me about the appalling conditions they had to face as slaves. They weren¡¯t being fed and forced to build roads. Even women and children weren¡¯t spared from heavy labor.¡± ¡°Well, it makes sense that the chieftain would exaggerate the bad parts,¡± Elrith said. ¡°But have you witnessed it for yourself? He could¡¯ve easily been lying to you to garner sympathy for their tribe.¡± ¡°Why would he need my sympathy if we were going to treat them right?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the conditions of the slaves in the far outposts¡ªI was sent to the furthest one. They¡¯re emaciated and apathetic to everything. They¡¯ve lost their will to live.¡± Cleo nodded in agreement. ¡°Angels wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Elrith said and frowned. ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you give the sinners power over others,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°You exile them all to the borderlands because you don¡¯t want them in the capital. What makes you think they¡¯d suddenly change their minds and be nice to the slaves? There¡¯s something seriously wrong with you angels.¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny, coming from a demon,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Next you¡¯ll be saying demons are perfect role models.¡± ¡°We¡¯re far from perfect, but still better than you angels,¡± Palan said. ¡°At least we own our sins instead of trying to hide them.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that worse?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°You don¡¯t even try to resemble a civilized race. Eljiam¡¯s filled with barbarians slaughtering each other with no regard for life.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°We slaughter each other in order to live,¡± he said while his tail hissed. ¡°Our world isn¡¯t as abundant as yours. I don¡¯t expect a sheltered, pampered, bubble-dwelling angel who¡¯s never experienced hardship to understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve experienced plenty of hardship!¡± Elrith said as his eye twitched. ¡°You think I cruised through life to become the general of the most prestigious army? I worked my way up shedding blood, sweat, and tears.¡± ¡°And by stepping on the halfling communities you conquered,¡± Palan said and snorted. Elrith sighed and looked at Raea. ¡°Sometimes, your demon really irks me,¡± he said. ¡°Because he¡¯s right?¡± Raea asked back. ¡°Don¡¯t you start too,¡± Elrith said and knit his brow. He exhaled. ¡°Forget it, alright? I¡¯m just here to help you, and I¡¯ll follow your decisions even if I don¡¯t agree with them. And I¡¯ll try to get along with Palan even though I dislike him greatly and suspect he wants to eat me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll confirm your suspicions,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°So what do we do about the harpies?¡± Everyone turned to look at Sally. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡¯ Sally asked as her shoulders hunched, causing her body to shrink. ¡°Can¡¯t we just leave them alone?¡± ¡°I want to meet them,¡± Raea said, causing everyone to look at her instead. ¡°Sorta. I want to know if I¡¯m the harbinger to any other harpy and not just Sally. Why don¡¯t you fly up there with me? I¡¯m still not too used to these wings.¡± Sally bit her lower lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea,¡± she said as her eyes shifted away. ¡°Why not?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I can protect you from them if you¡¯re worried. I¡¯m strong now, remember?¡± She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Sally mumbled. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Raea asked. Sally shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± she said. Cleo reached over and plucked a feather out of Sally¡¯s butt, causing her to jump up and screech. ¡°Just tell us and stop dithering!¡± Cleo said as she stored the feather in her space. Sally rubbed her butt and glared at Cleo. She opened her mouth and sighed. Her eyes closed as her lips trembled. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ afraid of heights,¡± she whispered. She slowly opened one eye to investigate her companions¡¯ expressions. ¡°The fuck?¡± Palan asked. ¡°You¡¯re a bird.¡± ¡°I lived underground all my life,¡± Sally said and pouted. ¡°Flying makes me nervous.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve seen you fly,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I¡¯ve ridden you. Are you telling me I was flying a test model!?¡± ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d throw me away if I told you I was scared of flying,¡± Sally mumbled as a tear formed in the corner of her eye. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Elrith said before anyone else could speak. The others looked at him strangely. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Cleo said. ¡°You were afraid of Palan too, but you got over that fear. I guess it¡¯s time for Cleo¡¯s phobia-curing miracles to resurface. I can¡¯t have a flying mount that¡¯s afraid of flying.¡± She nodded. ¡°Drag her up there, Raea, and don¡¯t let her down until she pees herself.¡± Cleo pulled a rope out of her space and swiftly tied it around Sally¡¯s waist and handed Raea the other end. Raea hesitated, but accepted the rope when Cleo very solemnly said, ¡°It¡¯s for her own good.¡± Chapter 174 Raea looked at Sally who sent her a pitiful gaze before spreading her four wings and leaping up into the air, dragging the acrophobic harpy with her. Sally began to fly of her own accord when she realized Raea wasn¡¯t going to spare her. Elrith frowned as he watched them leave. ¡°I feel like we should¡¯ve gone with her, or at least, had her meet with that flock down here,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± Palan asked. ¡°You don¡¯t trust her?¡± ¡°You do?¡± Cleo asked and raised an eyebrow at Palan. ¡°If it was her from before, I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Palan said and squinted at Raea as her figure began to shrink due to the distance. ¡°But somehow, I feel like she¡¯s more reliable now.¡± ¡°Reliable? Isn¡¯t she more unhinged?¡± Cleo asked and furrowed her brow. There were times where she missed the harmless Raea. Recently, Cleo felt like she was walking on eggshells around the angel. ¡°Really? I haven¡¯t noticed,¡± Palan said. ¡°I thought she was acting more normal now. Her unadulterated kindness was unsettling at times. It¡¯s much more natural to be angry and openly belligerent.¡± Cleo sighed and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sure Raea would be ecstatic to hear that,¡± she said and made eye contact with Elrith. The archangel reconfirmed his belief that Palan was a terrible influence on Raea. Cleo paused before asking Palan, ¡°Does this mean you see her as an equal now?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Raea always said we were equals,¡± he said. ¡°But I disagree. No one can compare to me.¡± ¡°But she can kick your ass,¡± Cleo said and tilted her head. She inched away from Palan who caused a shiver to run down her spine and hid behind Elrith. ¡°I mean, she beat someone you couldn¡¯t. Doesn¡¯t that mean she can beat you too?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said and snorted before starting to meditate. Cleo decided it was best not to press the issue and raised her head to look at Raea and Sally who were the size of small dots now. ¡°Did you just want to meet them to confirm if you were the harbinger?¡± Sally asked Raea as they flew towards the flock. The harpy bit her lip as she flapped alongside Raea who was wobbling in the air. ¡°I just really wanted to fly, actually,¡± Raea said. ¡°And this was a perfect excuse.¡± She flew into a stream of air that caused her to flip over and instinctively pull on the rope connecting her to Sally. After the two righted themselves and Sally stopped screaming, Raea said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think flying would be so hard. I¡¯ve never used these muscles before.¡± ¡°Did we have to fly so high up?¡± Sally asked with a whimper. The clouds seemed close enough to touch. Her stomach churned, but she didn¡¯t have time to worry about that because she could make out the harpies¡¯ figures ahead of them. Their wings were stretched to the fullest, and their chests were puffed up. The leading harpy let out a screech that caused Sally¡¯s scalp to tingle. ¡°Um. Raea. They¡¯re extremely mad right now,¡± Sally said. ¡°I really don¡¯t think we should be here.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°But we¡¯re already here,¡± Raea said. ¡°It would be a waste to just fly back now.¡± Sally sighed and hung her head. Why did the four-winged figures never listen? First it was Madison, now it was Raea. ¡°They¡¯re going to attack us if we get closer,¡± Sally said and slowed her flight. She desperately wished she had fingers to untie the rope around her waist with so she could flee. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you fought with your cousins?¡± Raea asked and pulled the harpy closer to her. ¡°Why are you acting so afraid now?¡± She waved at the oncoming harpy flock. They screeched in reply and positioned their talons in front of their bodies. ¡°The best battles are the ones never fought!¡± Sally said and let out a miserable cry as she extended her talons as well. It was too late to turn back now. The opposing harpies would catch up by the time she turned around. ¡°Halt!¡± Raea shouted as she released the rope holding onto Sally and raised her hand into the air, causing a miniature black fireball to form. ¡°I am the harbinger!¡± The oncoming harpies hesitated and the lead harpy paused, causing a pileup to happen as the harpies in the back crashed into the ones in the front. A few plummeted down, but quickly reascended as chirps of confusion rang through the air. ¡°Harbinger?¡± the lead harpy asked and furrowed her brow. The ten or so harpies looked at each other. One of the harpies spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the harbinger. She¡¯s blue with black wings and talons instead of feet. And she has a beak with three crown feathers.¡± ¡°So this one¡¯s a fake?¡± ¡°Maybe. Or the blue harbinger¡¯s a fake.¡± Raea furrowed her brow and glanced at Sally. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Sally?¡± one of the harpies asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t she die?¡± ¡°That is Sally,¡± another harpy said. ¡°What do we do?¡± All the harpies turned to look at the lead harpy. The lead harpy narrowed her eyes and stared at Raea, flapping her wings to stay in the air. ¡°What are you?¡± she asked. ¡°An angel? A demon? Both?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not quite sure anymore,¡± Raea said. Was she still classified as an angel? Even fallen angels didn¡¯t grow wings and scales. ¡°I think I¡¯m an angel?¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Anyways. What are you doing here?¡± The lead harpy blinked. ¡°I¡¯m the one asking questions,¡± she said. ¡°You claim to be the harbinger. Do you have proof?¡± Raea turned her heads towards Sally. ¡°I have four wings and can materialize a miniature sun?¡± Raea said in an asking manner. ¡°I also freed Sally.¡± ¡°You put a slave collar on her neck,¡± the lead harpy said as the feathers on her legs began to puff outwards. She turned towards Sally. ¡°Disgrace, why don¡¯t you explain what¡¯s going on? Our next action depend on your answer.¡± Sally seemed to shrink as her head shrank into her shoulders. ¡°The harbinger saved me, and she fits all the descriptions in the prophecy,¡± she said. ¡°This collar is for my own protection.¡± ¡°What do you need protection from?¡± the lead harpy screeched. ¡°Our ancestors fled underground to escape that¡±¡ªshe pointed her talon at Sally¡¯s neck¡ª¡°treatment. You¡¯re being fooled. No wonder no one wanted you to be the next matriarch. What makes you think an angel can be the harbinger?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± one of the harpies in the back said. ¡°Lady Madison is the real harbinger. This one¡¯s an imposter!¡± Raea¡¯s face cramped. ¡°Who did you say was the real harbinger?¡± she asked as flames materialized around her body. Sally turned around and flew away as fast as she could, not worried about being followed. A wave of heat washed over her, and she urged her wings to beat harder. On the earthen spider, Palan stopped meditating and turned his head towards the sky where a giant wall of black flames hung in the sky, dispersing the nearby clouds. Cleo sighed. ¡°Well, that went well,¡± she said and scratched her head. ¡°Told you she was more reliable now,¡± Palan said. He frowned. ¡°I hope she doesn¡¯t overcook them.¡± Chapter 175 ¡°You¡¯re still going on about eating them?¡± Cleo asked. Palan shrugged. ¡°Sometimes you have to enjoy the simple things in life, like eating new things,¡± he said. ¡°It can¡¯t always be about struggling to survive.¡± ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be one to relax,¡± Cleo said and blinked. ¡°You¡¯re always so ¡­ diligent. And tense. I mean, even when you sleep, your eyes stay open.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve gotten too used to Div¡¯Nya,¡± Palan said and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s strange to not face life-threatening situations every day.¡± ¡°Eljiam really is barbaric,¡± Elrith muttered under his breath as the earthen spider ran over a goblin slave working in the field, causing it to squeal. Flapping wings caught his attention, and he turned around to see Sally alight on the spider¡¯s abdomen. His gaze lingered on her longer than necessary, and he furrowed his brow at the tears in Sally¡¯s eyes before looking up for any sign of his sister. ¡°What happened up there?¡± Cleo asked Sally. ¡°Did you pee?¡± ¡°No!¡± Sally said as she recalled Cleo¡¯s earlier request to Raea. ¡°One of the harpies mentioned Madison as the real harbinger. And Raea got mad at them.¡± Cleo sighed. ¡°There goes my plans¡­,¡± she mumbled. ¡°One day, Cleo, one day it¡¯ll happen,¡± she told herself. Sally tilted her head at Cleo, but wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to know what the little lizardman¡¯s plans were. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Elrith asked. Sally raised her head and blinked before looking around. She blinked a few more times when she saw that there was no one behind her and gestured towards herself with her wing. ¡°Me?¡± she asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who else?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Oh,¡± Sally said without answering. After a few seconds passed, she furiously shook her head, causing her hair to fly outwards. ¡°I mean, no! I¡¯m not injured at all. I¡¯m perfectly healthy.¡± She nodded until her face turned red. ¡°Relax,¡± Elrith said and laughed at the flustered harpy. He smiled and asked, ¡°What are you getting so worked up for?¡± Cleo and Palan exchanged a glance. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since someone cared about me,¡± Sally said and lowered her head. Her eyes shifted towards the two who were more curious about the situation in the sky than her wellbeing. ¡°I was surprised.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Cleo said with a wrinkled nose. ¡°You looked perfectly unhurt. Why would we ask if you were hurt? Right, Palan?¡± ¡°If you were hurt, I would know,¡± Palan said and smiled at Sally. ¡°Really?¡± Sally asked. He cared about her that much that he would recognize a difference in her behavior?This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Hunter¡¯s instincts,¡± Palan said and tapped his nose. ¡°You don¡¯t smell injured at all.¡± Sally sighed and covered her head with her wings. Sometimes she wasn¡¯t sure if it was better to be stuck underground or stuck with these three. At least the food was better. Simple pleasures in life, right? ¡°Don¡¯t mind them,¡± Elrith said, interrupting her train of thought. He beckoned with his hand. ¡°Let me untie that rope for you.¡± As Elrith undid the rope, Raea touched down on the spider holding onto a slightly crisp harpy corpse. She handed it to Palan and smiled at him, showing her teeth. ¡°You wanted one to eat, right?¡± she asked. Palan grabbed it and inspected its skin. He nodded and grabbed Cleo before shoving the corpse down her space. ¡°Rude!¡± Cleo shouted and clawed at him to no avail. ¡°I¡¯m not a bag for your convenience!¡± Palan ignored the hissing lizardman. ¡°Good job,¡± he said to Raea and pat her head, running his fingers through her hair. He found out a few days ago that Raea became oddly cooperative when he did that. As expected, Raea seemed to deflate and leaned against his body with her eyes half-closed. Cleo frowned as her tail swished behind her, thumping against the spider¡¯s body. After spending so much time trying to get Palan and Raea together, she felt no satisfaction at all from seeing this scene. She had the urge to tear them apart, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to. Instead, she went over to Sally who was sitting next to Elrith and plucked a feather out of her butt. The harpy yelped which eased some of the irritation in Cleo¡¯s heart. ¡°What was that for?¡± Sally asked and rubbed her rump. ¡°No reason,¡± Cleo said with a smile before sitting in Sally¡¯s lap. She made herself comfortable before turning her head to look at Elrith. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± ¡°See for yourself,¡± Elrith said and snorted. Ahead of them, a line of red could be seen on the horizon. It seemed to be growing in size with every passing second. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say we¡¯d make it by sundown?¡± Cleo shielded her eyes with her hand and squinted. ¡°That¡¯s an awfully big wall,¡± she said. ¡°Like a mountain. How are we going to go past it?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go under it,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Solra¡¯s not the only one who can dig tunnels. We¡¯d be shot down if we tried to go through it via the normal methods. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Michael already told everyone I was a deserter.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just force your way through?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°The properties of the wall cancels out powers,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Although I could probably force my way through with patience chains, I don¡¯t want to create that big of a commotion. I¡¯m not worried about this wall; it¡¯s the one guarding the capital that¡¯s the problem.¡± He sighed and muttered, ¡°It just had to be the capital, right? Couldn¡¯t use the portal at Hailing.¡± ¡°Is there a difference between the two?¡± Sally asked. ¡°The portal in Hailing is calibrated to connect with Haalbeh. The portal at the capital can be calibrated to go anywhere on Eljiam since it¡¯s powered by the council,¡± Elrith said as his brow furrowed. He wasn¡¯t sure why he was telling this information to Sally. ¡°Oh,¡± Sally said. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of going with him, are you?¡± Elrith asked and grabbed the tip of Sally¡¯s wing, where he thought her hand would be if she had one. ¡°No!¡± Sally said and rapidly shook her head. ¡°Of course not. It sounds way too scary.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elrith said and let out a sigh. He realized he was holding onto Sally¡¯s wing just a bit too tightly and released her while clearing his throat. ¡°Sorry about that. I was just nervous.¡± He paused. ¡°For your safety.¡± Sally lowered her head and rested the tip of her wing on Elrith¡¯s hand while biting her lower lip. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± she said in a barely audible voice. Cleo climbed out of Sally¡¯s lap and grumbled as she walked over to Palan, but found that Raea was still practically glued to him. Cleo plopped her butt down and stuck her legs out while crossing her arms over her chest. Her tail rose up and down, thumping against the spider¡¯s earthen surface. A moment passed before she reached over and plucked another feather out of Sally¡¯s butt¡ªit made her feel better. Chapter 176 ¡°It¡¯s so peaceful here,¡± Palan said with a wrinkle in his brow. A gentle breeze blew past him, rustling Raea¡¯s hair which fluttered in the wind. His hand was still massaging her scalp which felt like silk underneath his fingers. The second sun was beginning to set, bathing the golden crops with a red glow. The checkpoint wall seemed to shine in resonance with the sunset, giving off its own red light. However, a section of the wall was clearly different from the rest. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice?¡± Raea asked and sighed. ¡°I wish Sely was here to see this. Red was her favorite color.¡± She placed her hands on Danger Noodle¡¯s head which was resting on her lap. ¡°Won¡¯t you consider bringing your sister to Div¡¯Nya?¡± Cleo grumbled. ¡°There¡¯s a war going on and these people are cuddling with each other,¡± she said and stood up, dusting off her rump. She walked over to Elrith and Sally who were still sitting in the same position she left them in. ¡°Hey,¡± Cleo said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that part of the wall?¡± She pointed at the section that wasn¡¯t glowing with a red light. Elrith frowned and directed the spider towards that section. ¡°It looks like someone tore it down and replaced it with painted wood,¡± he said. The closest gate was miles away; Elrith had purposely avoided the checkpoints. ¡°This is a serious flaw in our defenses. How could this happen? The wall is nearly indestructible.¡± ¡°Maybe they didn¡¯t have enough metal to complete the whole thing,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°So they decided to pretend they did.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Elrith said and rolled his eyes. ¡°I want to investigate it tomorrow ¡­ if Raea agrees that is. It¡¯s getting too dark now, and we shouldn¡¯t light any fires lest we catch the sentries¡¯ attentions.¡± Cracks spread along the earthen spider before it crumbled into pieces. Raea stood up and dusted off her robe. ¡°Why¡¯d we stop?¡± she asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you paying attention?¡± Elrith asked before sighing. ¡°Never mind. We should rest for tonight. I need to conserve mana before I can dig a tunnel underneath the wall. I don¡¯t want to run out midway and have us be stuck down there.¡± ¡°What about a tent?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°The sentries will notice that as well,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I was just going to make a shelter in the ground for us to stay in. Can you cook food in your space? I mean, you can store fire.¡± ¡°Yes, Cleo,¡± Cleo said in a mocking manner, ¡°can you cook for us? Can you wash the dishes for us too? Why don¡¯t you hold onto and polish my armor as well? Why don¡¯t I just kill Solra while I¡¯m at it? Oh, and solve world hunger too cause Cleo can do anything, right!?¡± She grumbled as she kicked the ground and shoved her hands down her belt, causing them to vanish. Her tail thumped repeatedly against the ground, kicking up dust from the collapsed spider. Profanities escaped from her lips as her elbow stumps spasmed in front of her stomach. Elrith¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Is she alright?¡± he asked Raea. Palan answered, ¡°I think she¡¯s going to lay an egg soon.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I hope Danger Noodle¡¯s a female and forces eggs out of your bum,¡± Cleo said while shooting a glare at Palan. ¡°See how you like it.¡± She snorted and focused her attention back on her space. Palan looked at his tail and frowned. ¡°Are you a female?¡± he asked. Thankfully, Danger Noodle shook its head. ¡°I don¡¯t think your tail has a gender, Palan,¡± Raea said. Danger Noodle nodded its head. ¡°See?¡± ¡°Dinner is served,¡± Cleo said as she pulled a bowl out of her space and handed it to Palan. It was a thick broth with vegetables and a harpy¡¯s foot floating inside of it. She retrieved a plate of potatoes and corn and handed it to Raea. She pulled out another bowl with a red kneecap sitting in the same vegetable broth as Palan¡¯s. She handed this one to Sally. Cleo wrinkled her nose and glared at Elrith. ¡°You were supposed to be the cook,¡± she said. ¡°Under these circumstances, you¡¯re the only one who could,¡± Elrith said and sighed. He wasn¡¯t sure what he did to provoke this tiny lizardman¡¯s ire, but he was pretty sure she was upset with him. ¡°I¡¯ll wash the dishes if you give me a bucket of water.¡± Cleo pursed her lips before pulling out a bowl of stew and handed it to Sally to pass it on. The harpy took one glance at its contents before giggling and passed it to Elrith with her talons. Elrith stared blankly at the surface of the bowl. ¡°My soup is staring at me,¡± he said. Five eyeballs floated on the surface of his bowl. ¡°I¡¯ve gone through years of war, but this is the first time I really want to throw up.¡± He placed the bowl down and looked towards his right before projectile vomiting. ¡°They¡¯re just grapes,¡± Cleo said and shrugged, picking one of the eyeballs out of Elrith¡¯s stew and popping it into her mouth while Elrith watched with a horrified expression. ¡°Raea,¡± Elrith said with a pale face. ¡°I think the first thing we should do in the second sector is go to a town and buy some palatable food. The mystery meat I¡¯ve been eating really was angel, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind going to a town,¡± Raea said. ¡°I do need new clothes.¡± She completely ignored Elrith¡¯s question and resumed eating her corn. ¡°Is the second sector like this one?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Not at all,¡± Raea said. ¡°This sector is the designated farming land along with some residences for sinners. They¡¯re tasked with supplying a certain amount of crops to the capital every month. The second sector belongs to the army. It¡¯s much more focused on training grounds for the soldiers and towns for their families. All kinds of military supplies can be bought in the second sector, including customized armor and clothes that can fit you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s assuming the rebel army hasn¡¯t done too much damage to the sector,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brow before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°We¡¯re entering closer to General Jones¡¯ side of the sector, but it may still be problematic. I¡¯m guessing this portion of the wall may have been broken by a skirmish.¡± He didn¡¯t mention Raea¡¯s appearance which would bring its own plethora of problems. ¡°What about the first sector?¡± Sally asked, chewing on the kneecap. ¡°If there¡¯s a third and a second, then there should be a first, right?¡± Elrith nodded and smiled at Sally. ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± he said. ¡°The first sector is a residential area with multiple universities and academies. There¡¯s a trading district too where all kinds of things are sold including necklaces and bracelets.¡± Cleo knit her brow and picked up an eyeball before throwing it at Elrith, causing him to flinch. ¡°What was that for?¡± he asked Cleo as he moved the bowl further away from the lizardman. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you look at Sally like that,¡± Cleo said and thumped her tail against the ground. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Like Raea when she looks at Palan,¡± Cleo said. Sally¡¯s face flushed as she lowered her head and clawed at the ground with her talons. ¡°I do not,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brows. He wondered if he did. But what about General Jones, the forever chaste angel? ¡°Whatever,¡± Cleo said and pulled a large black blanket out of her belt, wrapping it around herself until she took the shape of a burrito. ¡°Wake me up when you¡¯re no longer in denial.¡± The blanket burrito bounced towards Palan and collapsed on top of Danger Noodle. Chapter 177 The next day, Sally was the first person in the group to wake up, flapping her wings and screeching while jerking her torso up to a sitting position, flipping over Cleo and Elrith in the process. Palan was instantly on his feet and peering out of the hole Elrith had created for them to sleep in. His eyes narrowed, and he inhaled deeply while tasting the air with his tail. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Raea asked. Her wings had fully opened out of reflex, and it took a bit of effort to fold them back to a better position. Sally panted as she hugged herself with her wings. Cold sweat stained the back of her white robe. Her brow furrowed as she looked around and blinked a few times. ¡°Sally?¡± Elrith asked in a soft voice. He extended an arm and placed it on the harpy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Bad dream,¡± Sally said and clenched her teeth together. Palan snorted as he climbed out of the hole with a pounding heart. His pupils were dilated, and blood rushed through his ears as he stomped away from the group¡¯s sleeping area. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she made a motion to follow after him, but she stopped when Cleo said, ¡°He probably needs to pee.¡± The orange lizardman lowered her head and stared at an oblong-shaped figure on the ground with speckles on it. She picked it up and stored it in her space, undoing the series of blankets wrapped around her body. ¡°So, are we going back to sleep now or what?¡± Elrith let out a sigh. ¡°The suns are going to rise soon,¡± he said. ¡°Going to sleep now will make us more tired when we wake up. I guess I¡¯ll start digging the tunnel now.¡± His brow furrowed as he stared at the odd portion of the wall, but he shook his head. He could always investigate it later when he didn¡¯t have companions to worry about. ¡°Was that an egg?¡± Sally asked Cleo. The harpy seemed to be in much better condition now. Her previously pale face had regained its color, and her feathers were smoothed down. She stood up and smoothed out her robe. ¡°Mhm.¡± Cleo grunted as her stomach gurgled. She pulled out a cob of corn and began to munch on it. The kernels were hard, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind as her teeth made quick work of them. ¡°Who¡¯s the father?¡± Sally asked and blinked. The tiny lizardman always seemed to hang around her or Palan. Cleo definitely didn¡¯t have any time to kidnap a mate for hanky-panky¡ªunless¡­. Sally gasped. ¡°Is it Palan?¡± she asked, her eyes widening until they were the size of saucers. Her wings covered the lower half of her face as she staggered backwards and fell onto her butt. Corn fell out of Cleo¡¯s open mouth as it froze mid-chew. Sally took Cleo¡¯s lack of response as an affirmative and said, ¡°No way! How is that possible? Isn¡¯t it too ¡­ large?¡± She emphasized a distance with the tips of her wings. ¡°What are you talking about!?¡± Cleo shouted as she threw the corn at Sally¡¯s head. It hit her in between her eyebrows before falling to the ground. Raea and Elrith stared at the outraged lizardman with strange expressions on their faces. ¡°Haven¡¯t your parents taught you anything about laying eggs?¡± Sally tilted her head and cleared her throat. ¡°A harpy lays an egg after she mates with a male,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°You laid an egg. I think that indicates you mated with¡ª¡°Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No!¡± Cleo said and threw another cob of corn at Sally. ¡°I lay eggs regardless of whether or not I mate with someone!¡± She was about to say something else, but a distant blood-curdling scream echoed through the darkness coming from over the fields. The group froze and waited, but there were no other sounds. ¡°Anyways,¡± Sally whispered as she brought her knees to her chest. ¡°You really lay eggs without mating? What does the child look like?¡± ¡°Someone just died and that¡¯s what you ask?¡± Cleo hissed back. ¡°But yes! I¡¯m an innocent lizard. And the eggs come out unfertilized¡ªit¡¯s dead.¡± She nodded and patted herself on the chest. ¡°Don¡¯t harpies do the same?¡± ¡°No,¡± Sally said and shook her head. She glanced at Elrith, and her face turned red before she shifted her gaze back onto Cleo. ¡°Harpies are a female only race.¡± Cleo¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°So when two harpies mate¡­,¡± she said and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Which one of them becomes the father? Do you play like rock, paper, scissors?¡± ¡°Rock, paper, scissors?¡± Sally asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Cleo remembered Sally had no fingers and shook her head. ¡°Wait,¡± Raea said and stuck her hand out, placing her other hand on her forehead while closing her eyes. ¡°Are we really just going to ignore the scream from before?¡± She glanced at Elrith who had already begun to dig again, and the two halflings who had no sense of danger whatsoever. ¡°Anyone?¡± Cleo held out her hands with her palms facing up. ¡°Palan goes to the bathroom,¡± she said as one hand lowered and the other hand raised. ¡°Someone screams and dies.¡± She lowered the raised hand and raised the lowered hand. ¡°Seems about right,¡± she said and nodded before turning back to Sally. ¡°Then how do harpies reproduce?¡± Sally¡¯s face turned an even deeper shade of red. ¡°Harpies, um, abduct males of other species,¡± she said and lowered her head, ¡°then steal their seed.¡± Her voice lowered as she glanced at Elrith who pretended to not be listening. ¡°And then they eat their liver and heart.¡± Elrith¡¯s body stiffened, and the tunnel stopped expanding. ¡°But that¡¯s only some harpies!¡± Sally said and bit her lower lip. ¡°I would never do that to my mate.¡± She exhaled as the tunnel excavation continued. ¡°And that¡¯s how harpies form eggs. It just seems so wasteful to make eggs that aren¡¯t going to be used.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that wrong?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Forcing someone to reproduce just seems ¡­ immoral. Are harpies shackled by lust?¡± ¡°More like cowardice,¡± Palan¡¯s voice said. He stomped back into the tent, dragging an angel¡¯s carcass behind him with blood dripping down his chin. He tossed the corpse towards Cleo who stored it into her space without a word. ¡°They even get frightened in their sleep.¡± He snorted. ¡°I thought some worthy prey had snuck up on us, but no. I had to hunt some weaklings instead to calm down.¡± His eyes narrowed as his gaze brushed past Sally before ending up on the tunnel burrowing into the ground. Elrith really was diligent¡ªa lot of progress was made; Palan couldn¡¯t even see the end. ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said, her tone turning serious. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say killing was wrong? It¡¯s especially wronger since we¡¯re getting closer to the capital.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you also said an angel shouldn¡¯t call upon the powers of wrath, yet here you are. And it¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t killed anyone yourself.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. The ground shifted beneath her feet, forming into the shape of a spider, before she could say anything. ¡°I made it to the other side,¡± Elrith said. ¡°The path is pretty steep going both ways, but it shouldn¡¯t affect my spider.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awfully boring, you know?¡± Cleo said to Elrith. ¡°There were so many things we just talked about that you should¡¯ve reacted to but didn¡¯t.¡± Elrith grunted as he positioned himself on the spider¡¯s head. Sally walked next to him and sat down. ¡°Sometimes too much excitement is bad for you,¡± she said. ¡°Boring is nice.¡± Chapter 178 Elrith stood up and stuck his head out from over the end of the tunnel. The checkpoint wall was a decent distance behind him, and a few sparse trees could be seen in the surrounding area. A statue of a woman holding a greatsword directly up into the air with one hand could be seen towering in the distance. ¡°The coast is clear,¡± Elrith said as the earthen spider crawled out of the hole in the ground. ¡°Welcome to the second sector.¡± Raea squinted as the first sun shone in her eyes. The tunnel Elrith dug was surprisingly long and took a while to traverse through. The second sun was already beginning to rise. ¡°We¡¯re in General Jones¡¯ area?¡± Raea asked when she spotted the statue of the woman. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize we traveled that far east.¡± ¡°So what does that mean?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I thought this was supposed to be a populated area. Why¡¯s it so empty?¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he adjusted to the new environment. His nose wrinkled¡ªthe region smelled filthy, almost as bad as goblins. ¡°I think this is one of the areas where General Jones carries out her drills,¡± Elrith said as he glanced at the ground. Patches of earth were exposed in the grass, clearly indicating lots of wear. ¡°But since she had to reinforce the army to fight against Solra, no one¡¯s here now.¡± ¡°What are those?¡± Sally asked and pointed off in the distance. The tops of buildings could be seen sticking out from over the treetops. ¡°Apartment complexes,¡± Elrith said. ¡°There should be a city there.¡± He turned his attention to Raea. ¡°Should we go that way?¡± Raea nodded. She heard rumors about the apartment complexes in the second sector, but she never experienced them for herself. She found it hard to believe that so many people could fit in one building. Elrith hesitated before commanding the spider to run forward. ¡°You don¡¯t want to cover up your appearance?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not ashamed of what I look like,¡± Raea said and stuck her chest out. ¡°If anyone has a problem with my appearance, I¡¯ll kill, err, not kill, that¡¯s bad. I¡¯ll ¡­ I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll do to them actually.¡± She scratched her head. Elrith sighed. Nothing should happen as long as he was there. Even if he couldn¡¯t put out Raea¡¯s flames, the residents of the town wouldn¡¯t antagonize them due to his ranking. Ex-ranking. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel like this is a bad idea,¡± Elrith said. He turned his head, looking for someone¡¯s affirmation. The only one who looked at him was Sally, and he gave her a wry smile. A sigh escaped from his lips; sometimes he missed being a general. Maybe it wasn¡¯t too late to rejoin the army. All he had to do was ¡­ no. He decided to stay with Raea, and he was going to stick with his decision. The city gradually came into view as the spider left the training grounds. A few angels wearing armor could be seen standing watch around the city¡¯s stone walls which were five feet tall. Buildings towered over the miniscule wall, clustered into groups. Palan¡¯s ears started to hurt from all the noise coming from the city. ¡°It¡¯s loud,¡± he said and wrinkled his brow. Before he came to Div¡¯Nya, the greatest amount of demons he¡¯d ever seen in one place was no more than forty. The experience in the army had accustomed him to large groups, but the amount of ambient noise was louder than thousands of soldiers marching in time. People could be seen meandering through the streets. A river rushed through the center of the town, turning an endless amount of watermills. Shining boats floated on top of the river, transporting hundreds of passengers. Elrith smiled when he saw the looks on his party member¡¯s faces. Even Raea seemed stunned by what she saw, and they hadn¡¯t even entered the city yet. ¡°What do you think?¡± Elrith asked as the spider slowed down while approaching the city¡¯s gates. ¡°The walls are really low. Even I could jump over them,¡± Cleo said. She recalled the wooden walls surrounding her old village. The stone walls around the city were negligible in comparison. ¡°They¡¯re just for show,¡± Elrith said. ¡°There¡¯s no danger here. These walls used to be taller, but they were dismantled to create other structures once the second sector¡¯s wall was established and the third sector became the new borderlands.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± Sally asked with wide eyes. While she lived underground, the different races tended to live separately. It was only recently that they gathered together to form an army. By now, the group had reached the entrance to the town, and Elrith dissolved the spider. ¡°It makes me a little nervous.¡± She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Elrith reached over and held the tip of her wing in his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen to you.¡± He glanced at the collar around Sally¡¯s neck as a frown flashed across his face, but he replaced it with a reassuring smile. A throat cleared, and metal clanked as an old-looking soldier with a wooden stump replacing one of his legs stepped forward. Elrith released Sally¡¯s hand and saluted the guard. ¡°State your business,¡± the guard said. His eyes were narrowed, and he seemed ready to use the spear in his hand at any given moment, but his expression relaxed when he saw Elrith¡¯s salute. His gaze swept over the party, pausing for a second on Raea, before landing back on Elrith. ¡°We are traveling to the first sector and wish to resupply here,¡± Elrith said. The old man¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Traveling to the first sector? Are you a refugee?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯s been a recent influx of travelers due to the minor conflicts in the west, and you don¡¯t seem to have too many possessions.¡± The angel rubbed his chin as he gave Elrith another once-over. ¡°You look familiar. Do I know you?¡± ¡°Everyone says I look familiar,¡± Elrith said with a smile. His body type was quite common, and he wasn¡¯t wearing his trademark towershield. ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I have such a generic face.¡± The guard squinted at Elrith before nodding. ¡°Alright, go on through,¡± he said. ¡°Keep a close watch on your slaves. That four-winged demon looks awfully feisty¡ªI can see it in her eyes. I know a man who can break her in for you. He does it for cheap.¡± Elrith¡¯s face darkened. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± he said as Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed. Elrith grabbed her hand and squeezed before pulling her through the gate. He prayed to the Creator to stop Raea from killing the poor man. Thankfully, it seemed like the Creator heard him because Raea didn¡¯t turn into a raging inferno. Instead, her gaze landed on a stall which was selling pastries. Elrith noticed her staring and directed the group towards the stall. Cleo¡¯s eyes widened as she walked through the crowds of people. Her steps slowed as her hands flashed. ¡°This is paradise,¡± Cleo said with a sigh as her hands repeatedly disappeared into her space. Her claws clacked against the stone floor as she hurried to catch up with Palan. It was easy to find him¡ªthe crowd avoided him like a shark in a school of fish. ¡°There aren¡¯t many demons here, huh?¡± Cleo commented when she caught up. Palan didn¡¯t answer her. She tugged on his tail, causing Danger Noodle to hiss at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Even a king lizard can get overwhelmed by a pride of lions if there¡¯s enough of them,¡± Palan said with a frown. ¡°I have no clue what a king lizard or a lion is,¡± Cleo said. ¡°There¡¯s too many people here,¡± Palan said. His steps were light, but Cleo could see the muscles in his body tensing. ¡°Way too many. We have to leave as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you overreacting a bit?¡± Cleo asked as the duo caught up with Elrith, Raea, and Sally. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Raea asked as she turned to face Palan and stuffed a cake into her mouth. She handed Cleo a donut and offered Palan a cupcake. ¡°Try it.¡± Cleo bit into the donut and made a face. ¡°It¡¯s too sweet,¡± she said and used her claws to scrape frosting off of her tongue. ¡°And Palan doesn¡¯t like it here.¡± Elrith muttered after glancing at Raea and Palan, ¡°If it¡¯s not one, it¡¯s the other.¡± His brow furrowed as he looked at Palan whose eyes were wide. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not good with crowds.¡± ¡°How many people live in this place?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Thousands? Tens of thousands?¡± ¡°It is pretty crowded,¡± Raea said. Even she wasn¡¯t used to it. The mansion and property that belonged to the Caelums was nearly half the size of the whole city, but only contained less than a hundred people. ¡°Are you not good with people? You seemed fine in the army.¡± ¡°Imagine if everyone here attacked you once,¡± Palan said and ground his teeth together. He spat a tooth towards Cleo who caught it with one hand. ¡°You¡¯d be deader than dead.¡± ¡°But they¡¯re not hostile,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Everyone¡¯s hostile,¡± Palan said. ¡°I survived in Eljiam by not doing stupid, suicidal things like this.¡± Danger Noodle bunched itself up and kept its head in the air, watching angels as they walked past. ¡°You need to relax,¡± Raea said as she walked in front of Palan and stuffed the cupcake into Palan¡¯s mouth. Danger Noodle whipped around and shot towards Raea, lunging towards her face with its mouth agape. Raea¡¯s eyes widened, and reflexively raised her arm to block the strike. Danger Noodle crashed against Raea, sending her flying into the pastry stall while a lightning bolt fell from the sky and struck Palan. ¡°Goddammit,¡± Elrith said and sighed as a few members of the crowd started to scream. Chapter 179 Raea staggered out of the collapsed stall, shoving aside the slightly plump stall owner who was blocking her way. She wiped away frosting that covered her eye and flapped her wings, shooting various pastry bits into the crowd. ¡°What the hell was that for?¡± Raea shouted at Palan. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to attack me if you didn¡¯t like it!¡± ¡°Mommy, is that a demon?¡± a child asked his mother, tugging on her hand and pointing at Raea. ¡°Hush,¡± his mother whispered and grabbed his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t point at people¡ªit¡¯s rude. Let¡¯s go, honey.¡± ¡°But I want to watch,¡± the child said and resisted his mother¡¯s pull. He stared at Raea with wide eyes as she stomped over to Palan. He let out a gasp of surprised when an orange, scaled face appeared in his vision, covering everything. ¡°Hi,¡± Cleo said and blinked at the child. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call her a demon.¡± ¡°What are you?¡± the child asked and furrowed his brow as he took a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to the halfling,¡± his mother said and pulled him to her side, sending a glare at Cleo. Her gaze swept over the collar around the lizardman¡¯s neck, and she let out a snort before looking at Elrith. Clearly this disrespectful halfling belonged to him. Elrith was talking with the stall owner, handing over a pouch to pay for the damages. The crowd was avoiding him and his companions, but sticking around to watch. ¡°Come now,¡± the mother said and pulled her child away. ¡°But Mommy,¡± the child said as he saw his mother¡¯s wallet flash through the air from her purse. ¡°She¡ª¡° ¡°Be quiet and listen to Mommy,¡± his mother said and continued pulling him away without letting him speak. ¡°But your wa¡ª¡° ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said, honey?¡± his mother said and picked him up, lifting him to her chest. The child turned his head to look over his mother¡¯s shoulder as she walked into the crowd. He saw Cleo grinning and waving at him before his view was obscured. A group of angels dressed in golden robes brushed past the woman and her child, heading towards the destroyed pastry stall. ¡°The guardians will take care of them,¡± the woman said to her child as she continued to hold him, walking away. ¡°See? I wasn¡¯t lying to you. If you do something bad, they¡¯ll take you away like they¡¯re taking those people away.¡± The boy pursed his lips as his mother rounded a corner. As for the golden-robed angels, the angel at the front blew a whistle as the group jogged towards Palan and Raea. The crowd parted to let them through, and more people were attracted by the sounds of the whistle, gathering around. Everyone loved watching someone else¡¯s misfortune¡ªit reaffirmed their beliefs to be virtuous. The six golden-robed angels stopped in front of Elrith, standing in a triangular formation. The lead angel¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at Elrith. ¡°Do I know you?¡± he asked. Elrith sighed. Was it time to play his general card? ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Elrith said slowly, ¡°but unlikely. How can I help you?¡± The lead angel rubbed his chin before staring at Raea and Palan. Raea was cleaning herself with Cleo¡¯s assistance while Palan was crouching on all fours like a cat ready to spring. His tail hung in the air, swiveling back and forth with its base scrunched up like a compressed spring. Sally stood in the crowd, attempting to fit in with her head lowered but keeping her eyes focused on Palan. ¡°We were nearby and heard a disturbance,¡± the lead angel said. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Yes,¡± Elrith said and saluted. ¡°I apologize. My demon¡­s are not accustomed to such a large crowd of people. I was not expecting their reactions to be this harsh. Everything has been taken care of, and I already paid the stall¡¯s owner for the damages.¡± The lead angel looked at the plump stall owner who nodded, confirming Elrith¡¯s words. ¡°You belong to the military?¡± the leader asked Elrith as the archangel lowered his salute. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I was tasked with transporting these demons.¡± The leader grunted. ¡°I see,¡± he said and relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a verbal warning this time, but if it happens again, I can¡¯t guarantee the next guardian will be as kind. Do you need assistance in transporting those demons? They don¡¯t seem very domesticated yet.¡± ¡°No, thanks for the offer,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you from your duties. I should be capable enough to manage¡ªmy superior wouldn¡¯t have sent me otherwise.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the lead angel said and nodded, ready to leave. ¡°Wait,¡± one of the golden-robed angels said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to id him?¡± The lead angel smiled wryly at Elrith. ¡°I seem to have forgotten that part,¡± he said. ¡°Do you have any form of identification?¡± Elrith¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± he said as he opened the pouch hanging on his waist. It wouldn¡¯t be good if he pulled out his military badge¡ªthat he conveniently forgot to give to Michael¡ªbecause they¡¯d know it was him. He didn¡¯t know if Michael had reported his desertion yet. His brow furrowed as he rummaged through his pouch. What was he going to do? The lead angel stared at him before crossing his arms over his chest. Elrith inhaled. Fine, he was going to take the chance. He untied a rope, revealing a hidden pocket. His eyes widened as his hands froze. ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± he said and blinked before jamming his fingers into the empty space. There was nothing there. His heart jumped as he looked up and around himself, staring at the crowd. He looked at the ground. When did he drop it? ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± he said again and looked at the lead angel. The lead angel frowned. ¡°You seem like the honest type,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re sure you had it when you came into the city?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I¡¯m positive.¡± ¡°Pickpocket?¡± the lead angel muttered, but the people in the crowd still heard him. They began to check their pouches as well. ¡°Ah! My bracelet!¡± a woman shouted. ¡°It¡¯s gone!¡± ¡°My wallet¡¯s missing,¡± a man said in disbelief. ¡°Someone stole my keys!¡± The crowd burst into a cacophony as they checked their bags and shouted out what they were missing. The guardians¡¯ jaws dropped as they looked around. Nearly all the bystanders had something missing, and they surrounded the guardians to report their losses. Elrith was pushed aside by the crowd, and he ended up next to Raea and Palan who had distanced themselves from the mob. ¡°I think we should use this chance to leave the city,¡± Sally said in a soft voice. ¡°I agree,¡± Elrith said. He could worry about his missing identification later. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He looked at Palan, checking to see if the demon was willing. Palan stiffly nodded and stood up, sending glares at the few angels who hadn¡¯t had anything stolen. Sally¡¯s heart warmed. For the first time ever since her mother died, someone agreed with her thoughts. ¡°Wow,¡± Cleo said as she followed after her companions who were rushing towards the exit. ¡°Such an amazing thief. I wonder who it was. They should give her a medal.¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Elrith said as he looked at the lizardman who was walking backwards to watch the crowd of unsatisfied people. ¡°Just keep looking forward and try not to attract any attention.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Cleo said with a pout before turning around. ¡°Well, that situation could¡¯ve easily been worse. No one died.¡± The five approached the city¡¯s exit. ¡°Leaving already?¡± the old man with the peg leg asked and stood up as Elrith walked past him. He was sitting with his back to the wall, and hadn¡¯t been visible. A snake¡¯s head flashed through the air and smashed the guard¡¯s head, splattering blood and brain matter over the wall. Palan exhaled. ¡°Damn. That surprised me,¡± he said as he recalled his tail. ¡°It¡¯s hard to discern between smells and heartbeats when there¡¯s so many people.¡± His head swiveled as he looked at his companions who were staring at him with strange expressions. ¡°What?¡± A bystander who witnessed the scene let out an ear-piercing scream that attracted the attention of everyone in the nearby vicinity. Chapter 180 ¡°Why did you kill him!?¡¯ Elrith shouted as another nearby woman started to scream. He stomped on the ground and summoned his trusty spider underneath the group. Palan snorted as the spider started to run towards the northwest. ¡°He was trying to ambush us,¡± he said, ignoring the screams that came from the city. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t, he would¡¯ve made his presence known.¡± People shouted for the spider to stop, but it continued running until the shouts faded into the distance. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Elrith said. ¡°He¡¯s a sentry assigned to guard the gate. Where else would he have been?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize he was there,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°So your first reaction was to kill him?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you at least just subdue him? Maybe knock him out instead of splattering his brain matter all over the citizens?¡± ¡°Kill first, ask questions later,¡± Palan said as his shoulders relaxed. Danger Noodle yawned and nuzzled Cleo, wiping the blood on its face onto the little lizardman. She let out a sigh and pulled out a wet cloth to clean herself and Danger Noodle. ¡°If you kill them first,¡± Elrith said with his brows furrowed, ¡°how are you going to ask them questions later?¡± He turned to look at Raea. ¡°My god, Ray, I don¡¯t understand how you haven¡¯t dissolved your contract with him yet. I¡¯m an archangel of patience, but even I¡¯m starting to get exasperated.¡± ¡°You ask yourself the questions, not them,¡± Palan said and sat down. ¡°That¡¯s how I knew he was trying to ambush us.¡± He cracked his neck and shook out his legs before exhaling. ¡°This is much better,¡± he said while looking around. The city could still be seen to their right, but they were far enough away to avoid the sounds of the people inside. To their left, houses could be seen with roads connecting them to the city. ¡°So this place doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± Raea asked Palan, ignoring Elrith¡¯s previous comment. She muttered to herself, ¡°Suburbs are fine then.¡± She nodded. ¡°What is it about the city that made you so jumpy?¡± ¡°Everything,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes at the buildings in the distance. ¡°The sheer number of people, there were too many things to process at once. I couldn¡¯t make out individual noises¡ªit was a constant drone that never stopped. Everything was red when I tried to see through my heat vision; nothing was discernable. There were so many movements and heartbeats that my electromagnetic sense was fried. The whole place smelled like a goblin and nothing else.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It still smells pretty bad.¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°We¡¯re going to encounter a lot more places like this one,¡± she said and held his hand. ¡°Thankfully, it¡¯s not as bad in the capital. There aren¡¯t too many people who have the qualifications to live there.¡± She hesitated. ¡°But it¡¯s going to be even worse in the first sector.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Elrith nodded. ¡°The whole first sector is like a giant city,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s no suburbs there like there are here.¡± A sigh escaped from his lips. If his wellbeing didn¡¯t depend on Palan being cooperative, he might have taken pleasure in Palan¡¯s discomfort. ¡°The problem is we¡¯re wanted people now. Our group is pretty ¡­ unique if you haven¡¯t noticed. It was fine for me to be a deserter because I could pretend to be someone else, but now we¡¯re going to be recognized on sight.¡± He muttered, ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I lost my id.¡± ¡°You mean this one?¡± Cleo asked as she pulled out a golden badge with Elrith¡¯s name on it. It shone red in the sunlight. Elrith turned his head to look at the object Cleo pulled out, and his mouth fell open. ¡°Where did you find that?¡± he asked as he attempted to snatch it out of her hands, but Cleo was too quick and managed to avoid the swipe. ¡°Uh.¡± Cleo inched backwards. ¡°On the floor? Shouldn¡¯t you give me something out of thanks for finding it?¡± She blinked twice and smiled at him while holding his badge to her chest. Elrith¡¯s face darkened, but he opened his bag to inspect his belongings. He didn¡¯t have much to trade. ¡°Watch the road!¡± Raea shouted. Elrith raised his head and saw that the spider was on a collision course with a brick house. His eyes widened, and the spider stabbed its legs into the ground, halting its forward momentum while nearly sending its passengers flying off before skittering towards the right and around the house. A child stared with her mouth agape from one of the windows. She whipped her head around and shouted for her mommy to come see, but by the time her mother arrived, Elrith¡¯s spider was long gone. Elrith sighed and lowered his head. Why had things become like this? Life was going so well before he was poisoned by Raea. Before, he was on top of the world. Now, he was being bullied by a lizardman that was only half his height. A soft object touched his shoulder and covered his back. He raised his head and saw Sally resting her wing on him. She was holding Elrith¡¯s badge in her talons while Cleo was protesting off to the side. ¡°Here,¡± Sally said and bit her lower lip. Her face was pink. Warmth spread from Elrith¡¯s chest down to his toes. He smiled at Sally and took the badge, placing it back into his pouch. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. Life didn¡¯t seem as bleak as it did a few seconds ago. ¡°The road!¡± Raea shouted. ¡°What did I say about watching the road!?¡± The spider jerked to the side as it swerved around another house, destroying a garden full of flowers in the process. Sally folded her wings against her body and sat next to Elrith, who scooted over to make room for her. ¡°I need to take a break soon,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Digging the tunnel used up a lot more mana than I expected.¡± He raised his head and looked at the statue of General Jones which had become larger. ¡°I know someone who lives around here and we can¡±¡ªhe turned to look at Palan¡ª¡°never mind. I think I¡¯ll dig a hole in a park somewhere. We have to leave the residential area first.¡± ¡°Are they going to send people after us?¡± Raea asked as she grabbed Elrith¡¯s face and pointed it towards the direction the spider was running. ¡°I doubt it,¡± Elrith said. ¡°They would¡¯ve given up by now if they did. Nothing can maneuver as well as my spider.¡± ¡°There¡¯s some people who¡¯ve been following us for a while now,¡± Palan said. ¡°What?¡± Elrith asked. He tried to turn his head around, but Raea didn¡¯t let him. Palan nodded. ¡°I can hear them,¡± he said. ¡°It feels so good to hear again.¡± He lay against the spider and stared up at the sky. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°I thought you knew,¡± Palan said. ¡°Why else would you be driving so recklessly?¡± ¡°I am not,¡± Elrith said. He paused. ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°You are,¡± Sally said and nodded. Elrith sighed. Chapter 181 ¡°Well,¡± Elrith said with Raea¡¯s hands still holding his head in place. ¡°Do you know what they¡¯re pursuing us with?¡± They were leaving the residential area and entering a park that was used as a training ground for the General Jones¡¯ army¡¯s outdoor survival drills. The number of residents they passed wasn¡¯t small, but Elrith didn¡¯t seem to care. He had the spider rush at full speed, occasionally jumping over terrified children. ¡°Stupid long goats,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°A what?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Horses,¡± Raea said. ¡°He calls horses goats.¡± She smiled when she recalled Palan¡¯s first reactions to seeing a horse. It wasn¡¯t that long ago, but it seemed like a long time had passed since then. ¡°Should I take care of them?¡± Palan asked as he sat up. He glanced at Raea. ¡°You never let me taste one.¡± ¡°Can we refrain from killing?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°When I say we, I mean all of us.¡± He seemed to have come to the realization that the party he was currently in was filled with murderers, except for Cleo. Then again, he wasn¡¯t sure if the cute little lizardman was a murderer or not, but he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was. ¡°Why should we do that?¡± Palan asked. ¡°They¡¯ll just bring more problems if we keep them alive.¡± ¡°For now, they only want to capture us,¡± Elrith said and took in a deep breath. He couldn¡¯t believe he had to explain this to Palan. ¡°If we kill the angels who are following us, we¡¯ll be provoking a larger power that will hunt us down. Maybe they¡¯ll even give orders to kill on sight.¡± ¡°That sounds scary,¡± Sally said and pursed her lips. ¡°Aren¡¯t you an archangel?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°What do you have to be afraid of? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the larger power? We have two archangels and a Palan!¡± Elrith furrowed his brow. ¡°But¡ª¡° ¡°There are no buts,¡± Cleo said. ¡°We¡¯re the strongest force out here according to you two.¡± ¡°Even archangels can be taken down if there¡¯s enough people stopping them,¡± Elrith said. ¡°If we run out of mana, we¡¯re no different from anyone else. And the council members may personally make their move if Raea and I begin causing destruction here. I have a feeling more archangels will be sent here to aid Michael and General Jones, especially if Michael reported my desertion.¡± He wanted to turn his head to look at Palan, but Raea still insisted on holding his head steady. ¡°So can we not bring about more trouble for ourselves than we have to?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying,¡± Palan said as he rubbed his chin and carefully chose his words, ¡°if I kill these people, archangels will come?¡± ¡°Well, either I or Raea would have to make our presence known,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Just killing them would leave things unsolved.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said. ¡°If you and Raea fought an archangel, who would win?¡± ¡°It depends on who comes,¡± Elrith said with a furrowed brow. ¡°But we should be able to deal with some of the council¡¯s archangels. It¡¯d exhaust us greatly, and it¡¯d be a hard-fought battle, but I think we¡¯d survive. I don¡¯t want to take the chance though.¡± He paused. ¡°I¡¯ll dig us a hole in the ground, and we can wait them out.¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Cleo said. ¡°What?¡± Elrith asked, trying to turn his head. His neck nearly cracked because Raea refused to budge. He remembered the days when Raea was a child and he could lift twenty of her. Now, he was weaker than that child who finally grew up. ¡°What do you mean gone?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Raea turned her head and saw Palan climbing up a tree. The spider jammed its feet into the ground, bringing itself to a sudden stop. The passengers were nearly thrown off, but Elrith caught them with chains of patience. Raea finally released his head, and he turned around to see Palan crouching on a branch. ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Did he not hear a single word I said?¡± The spider starting running backwards towards Palan. ¡°I think it¡¯s because of what you said,¡± Sally mumbled. ¡°Did you forget that Palan wants to eat archangels?¡± ¡°Your demon is ridiculous, Ray,¡± Elrith said to Raea. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to bring him to the capital? We should be traveling in a low-key manner. You think the council will let him use their portal if he kills some of them?¡± Fifty white chains popped out of Elrith¡¯s back as the spider positioned itself beneath Palan. The chains flew towards Palan, but he avoided them by jumping to another tree like a squirrel. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Palan shouted at Elrith. ¡°I¡¯ll eat you in your sleep if you ruin this.¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± Elrith shouted back. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± He turned his head towards Raea. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to side with him. Tell him to get down here so we can escape peacefully.¡± Raea furrowed her brow and pursed her lips. Elrith¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Ray,¡± he said. ¡°I know you trust him and all, but he knows nothing about our society. He doesn¡¯t understand the consequences of his actions. It¡¯s not him being stupid¡ªhe just hasn¡¯t been in Div¡¯Nya for that long. He¡¯s inexperienced.¡± ¡°Oh boy,¡± Cleo said before Raea could speak. ¡°Question the prideful fellow¡¯s ability, why don¡¯t you? That¡¯s a surefire way to get him to cooperate.¡± The orange lizardman¡¯s eyes rolled as she crossed her arms over her chest. Elrith snorted and sent his chains after Palan again. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed and Raea let out a gasp as she fell to her knees. Palan¡¯s arms and tail started to glow with a silver light. He used the glowing appendages to block the chains of patience, smacking them away from his body. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is that greed!?¡± he asked as his gaze landed on Raea who seemed to be suffering. The chains of patience vanished as he knelt beside his sister. He bit his lower lip and opened his mouth to speak. ¡°We caught up!¡± a voice shouted before Elrith could say anything. ¡°I knew there was something suspicious about you!¡± The speaker was the golden-robed angel who wanted his leader to identify Elrith. ¡°Stay back!¡± Elrith shouted, but it was too late. Palan dropped down from above with his hands outstretched. He fell on top of the golden-robed angel, and split him in half along with his horse. Palan stood up and looked at his hands, ignoring the flesh strewn about him and the screams coming from the remaining angels. He licked his lips as his heart started to race. ¡°So this is the strength of an archangel¡¯s greed,¡± Palan said and raised his head. ¡°Incredible.¡± He dashed forwards towards the stunned angels and reached for the mounted leader¡¯s chest. His hand pierced through the angel¡¯s horse¡¯s head like a hot knife through butter and continued with no resistance. His fingers entered the angel¡¯s robes, breaking apart the chainmail he wore underneath. The angel¡¯s face blanched as his mouth opened. He coughed up a mouthful of blood as Palan retracted his hand, pulling out the leader¡¯s heart. ¡°R-retreat!¡± one of the golden-robed angels shouted as he tugged on his horse¡¯s reins. Palan calmly placed the heart into his mouth and swallowed as he watched them leave. Before the remaining guardians were out of earshot, Palan shouted, ¡°General Elrith sends his regards.¡± The silver glow around his arms and tail disappeared, and Raea sat up in Elrith¡¯s embrace. Her eyes were slightly unfocused as she looked around. ¡°Raea,¡± Elrith said, his tone serious. ¡°What level is your contract with Palan?¡± His stomach churned as he stared into his sister¡¯s eyes. The slaughter didn¡¯t concern him as much as the answer to this question. He continued. ¡°It¡¯s extremely rare for demons to have more than one sin, and that level of greed is abnormal for a greater demon. He had to have gotten it from you, meaning your contract is at least level four.¡± Raea hesitated. ¡°I deserve to know, Ray,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I want to help you. I really do.¡± Raea stared into her brother¡¯s slightly watery eyes and took in a deep breath. ¡°Seven,¡± she said, maintaining eye contact. ¡°It¡¯s level seven.¡± Elrith inhaled as he fell back onto his butt. His jaw clenched as he closed his eyes and remained motionless. ¡°Elly?¡± Raea asked. Elrith exhaled and opened his eyes. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Seven. Seven¡¯s a good number. Nothing¡¯s wrong with seven. Seven is just one more than six, which is just one more than five, which is just one more than four. It¡¯s just a number¡ªan abstraction.¡± ¡°Is he okay?¡± Sally asked and tilted her head. Palan climbed the spider, holding onto two horse and angel corpses which he handed to Cleo. ¡°If I knew something like that would break him, I would¡¯ve told him much earlier,¡± Palan said as he licked the blood off of his fingers. Chapter 182 ¡°What does a level seven contract mean anyway?¡± Cleo asked and prodded Elrith with her tail. The angel seemed to have recovered and was wordlessly driving his spider deeper into the park at a slow pace. Elrith didn¡¯t respond, and Cleo jabbed him again with her tail. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Raea asked with a wrinkle in her forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was that big of a deal.¡± She bit her lower lip as Elrith continued forward. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was mad at her, or if there was seriously something wrong with him. He hadn¡¯t been this despondent even when Selena had died. Sally frowned and nudged Elrith¡¯s cheek with her wing, but that didn¡¯t bring about a reaction. ¡°Try kissing him,¡± Cleo said and smiled, showing her pointed teeth. Sally¡¯s face flushed, but she didn¡¯t object. She gazed into Elrith¡¯s dull eyes and pecked his lips while Raea¡¯s stared blankly at the sight. Elrith¡¯s eyes shone and widened. He touched his fingers to his lips and blinked at Sally who was hiding her face with her wings. ¡°Did you just¡­?¡± Elrith asked with his mouth agape. Hints of a smile could be seen on his face with his dimples starting to form. Cleo stabbed him in the ribs with her tail, causing him to flinch. ¡°True loves kiss,¡± Cleo said and snorted. ¡°How clich¨¦. Now tell me, what¡¯s a level seven contract mean and why did it break you?¡± All traces of happiness disappeared from Elrith¡¯s face as his brow furrowed. ¡°Is it really level seven?¡± he asked, looking at Raea, hoping she made a mistake. ¡°Could you have misread a one?¡± Raea shut her eyes and took in a deep breath, removing the shock of Sally kissing her brother. Would Sally be her sister-in-law in the future? She exhaled and opened her eyes, meeting Elrith¡¯s pleading gaze. ¡°It¡¯s really level seven,¡± she said. Elrith hung his head. Palan smacked Elrith¡¯s back with the side of Danger Noodle¡¯s head. ¡°Quit exaggerating,¡± he said while chewing on a horse¡¯s haunch. He was holding a horse drumstick by its hoof. ¡°And tell us already. I¡¯m curious now. How badly did Raea screw up our contract?¡± ¡°I did no such thing,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°Ray,¡± Elrith said as his lips twisted into a wry smile. ¡°The soldiers in my army all have level one contracts with their demons. There are a few commanders who have level two contracts, but their demons are closely monitored to prevent them from evolving. From level three onwards, the risk for the angel is too great.¡± ¡°Bigger benefits come with higher risks,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I would know.¡± She nodded and pointed at Palan. ¡°I mean, I follow him around.¡± Elrith ignored Cleo¡¯s comment. ¡°What happens to you if Palan dies?¡± he asked, turning back around to stare at the road. He didn¡¯t want to meet Raea¡¯s eyes. If he accompanied her to the borderlands, would she have made this type of contract with Palan? ¡°I die,¡± Raea said and made eye contact with Palan. She grabbed his free hand and squeezed it. ¡°If I die, he dies as well.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Why would you do something like that, Ray?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°What could have possibly made you think that was a good idea? I really hate the fact that you have a contract with Palan, but couldn¡¯t you at least dissolve it and make a contract with less dire consequences?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Raea said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair to Palan if my consequences were any less than his. As partners, we both have to assume equal risk.¡± ¡°Fairness?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°You¡¯d throw away your life for the sake of fairness? Do you know how unfair that is to the people you¡¯ll be leaving behind if Palan dies?¡± He turned around and glared at Raea. ¡°He¡¯s just a demon, Raea. You didn¡¯t even know him and contracted your life to him. Think about how Mom and Dad would feel if they found out.¡± ¡°They threw me away,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°They don¡¯t have the right to feel anything about me anymore.¡± Black flames swirled through the air around Raea, causing Palan to inch away. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Elrith said and sighed, turning back around. Was Raea¡¯s wrath directed at their parents? He thought it was only aimed at the archdemon who killed Selena. ¡°Sorry for bringing that up.¡± The heat behind his back vanished, replaced by a cold chill. ¡°I¡¯d be devastated if you died, Ray,¡± he said in a soft voice. ¡°Like you were devastated by Selena¡¯s death?¡± Raea asked, squeezing her hands. Palan frowned at the pressure exerted on his palm and squeezed back. ¡°You didn¡¯t even cry a single tear when she died.¡± ¡°Crying won¡¯t bring someone back,¡± Elrith said with a hard voice. ¡°Why do you think I abandoned the army to accompany you? I was worried about you, Ray. I don¡¯t want to lose you too.¡± The spider slowed to a halt in an area packed with trees and began to dissolve. The only sounds came from the nearby bugs and the occasional bird cry. Raea didn¡¯t respond as she aggressively sought Palan¡¯s attention, latching onto his arm and burying her face in the space between his neck and shoulder. Her wings spread and wrapped around him, making him furrow his brow as he struggled to finish off the horse¡¯s leg. In the end, he fed it to Danger Noodle. He looked at the demonic angel clinging to his body and ran his fingers through her hair. If he was still in Eljiam, he¡¯d never have let anyone come this close to him other than his sister. Was it because he knew she wouldn¡¯t try to kill him? ¡°Palan,¡± Elrith said, drawing the demon¡¯s attention away from Raea. ¡°You can¡¯t be comfortable with losing your life when Raea dies.¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°Dissolve your contract with her and make one with me instead. I¡¯ll let you use my powers: charity, diligence, patience. They aren¡¯t any weaker than Raea¡¯s. Every time you call on Raea¡¯s powers, it changes her¡ªmakes her more accepting of them.¡± Raea didn¡¯t say anything, but she turned her head to observe Palan¡¯s face with one eye. ¡°I refuse,¡± Palan said. Raea smiled and closed her eyes. ¡°Why?¡± Elrith asked, practically shouting. He took in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll change the terms. You won¡¯t have to follow any orders, but you can only kill the people I let you. I won¡¯t make it so that you die if I die.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do it,¡± Palan said. Elrith furrowed his brow. ¡°What if I let you do whatever you wanted?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯d be no restrictions on your part, but you can still use my powers and draw upon my mana.¡± ¡°Very tempting, but no,¡± Palan said. ¡°Stop asking.¡± ¡°Raea,¡± Elrith said. ¡°We can¡¯t dissolve the contract,¡± Raea said, lifting her head. ¡°Not without the Creator¡¯s judgment.¡± Elrith¡¯s face blanched. ¡°So that¡¯s why you wanted to go to the capital,¡± he said and sucked in his breath. ¡°At least that clears some things up.¡± He fell silent as he began forming a miniature hill to conceal the party¡¯s presence. ¡°You¡¯re all talking about things I don¡¯t understand,¡± Cleo said as her tail thumped against the floor. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± She sighed as she stuffed her hands into her space and began organizing the loot she gained from the city. Chapter 183 An angel with waist-length silver hair stood on a balcony overlooking a garden filled with flowers surrounding a golden statue that depicted an androgynous figure. The angel wore a thin, red robe that was the same color as her skin. A butterfly flew in front of her face, causing her to raise her head, before it landed on her shoulder. The corner of the angel¡¯s lips turned upwards as she turned her head to the side. Behind her, a towering archway led to a room decorated with a silk red carpet with a massive rectangular table in the center of it. Four angels occupied the sides of the table: two on the left, and two on the right. Above them, dozens of crystal orbs emitting light hung from metal chains attached to the ceiling. The angel placed her wrinkled finger in front of the butterfly, and it crawled onto her fingernail. She raised her hand into the air, letting the butterfly take off. She watched it make lazy circles in the air before it landed on the petals of a pink rose. ¡°Sariel,¡± one of the angels sitting at the table said. Sariel sighed and tore her gaze away from the butterfly, turning around to face the remaining members of the council. ¡°Yes?¡± she asked as she sauntered into the room and sat at the head of the table. The light coming from the orbs illuminated the wrinkles on her face. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here,¡± the angel closest to her left said. He was a bald angel with no eyebrows. ¡°I can see that,¡± Sariel said with a nod as her gaze passed over the seats¡ªboth the occupied and empty. ¡°Our numbers certainly have diminished.¡± Her lips twitched. ¡°Hopefully, we can rectify that soon. Didn¡¯t the youngest Caelum slay an archdemon?¡± ¡°About that,¡± the female angel sitting next to the angel with no eyebrows said. ¡°Percy received a letter yesterday with ¡­ unpleasant contents.¡± She turned to look at the angel sitting next to her. Percy nodded and knit his eyebrowless brow. ¡°I made copies for each of you,¡± he said as he opened a folder in front of himself and took out sheets of paper that he handed to the rest. ¡°I received it last night from Michael.¡± Percy watched the countenances of the council members darken as they read the letter except for Sariel, but he wasn¡¯t surprised¡ªshe only ever displayed two expressions: a blank face, or a faint smile. Sariel was the first one to put the letter down after reading for three seconds. Her face was expressionless as she waited for the rest of the council members to finish. ¡°Thoughts?¡± she asked when they were done. ¡°Why don¡¯t Melissa and I personally quash this rebellion? Evidently, Michael wasn¡¯t enough. We should have gone from the start,¡± the angel sitting furthest to the right of Sariel said. ¡°Percy and Dinah can locate the two Caelums.¡± He glanced at the two angels sitting across from him. Their expressions were agreeable. ¡°Are you confident, Andrew?¡± Sariel asked the angel who just spoke. ¡°Michael and Elrith were unable to defeat Solra in the borderlands. Now that Elrith is gone and Jones is taking his place so to speak, our army is weaker than before. Ten years ago, Solra was strong enough to suppress your virtues.¡± She didn¡¯t finish voicing her thoughts, but her point was clear. Andrew¡¯s face contorted as he considered her words.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Then what do you suggest we should do?¡± Melissa, the angel sitting next to Andrew, asked. ¡°All of you will go to assist Michael and Jones,¡± Sariel said. ¡°I suspect the rebel army has more than just Solra. If the youngest Caelum slew an archdemon, who¡¯s to say there aren¡¯t anymore? Your mission will be to capture Solra and take care of his halfling army, whether by exterminating them or enslaving them. The later we act, the more casualties there will be. I trust the four of you will take care of this matter swiftly.¡± ¡°Then the Caelums?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°The eldest abandoned his duties, and the youngest may possibly be a fallen archangel. Not only that, but she may also be mutated. Greater angels can¡¯t deal with them.¡± ¡°As long as they do not recklessly bring about trouble, there is no need for us to make a move against them,¡± Sariel said. ¡°Besides, when a child misbehaves, whose responsibility is it to correct their behavior? I¡¯m sure their parents will be delighted to hear the news.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wise as always,¡± Andrew said and nodded. ¡°That old couple will want to punish their children personally. Should we word it so they become more lenient?¡± Sariel turned to look at Percy. ¡°When a soldier deserts the army, what is the punishment?¡± she asked. ¡°Execution,¡± Percy said. ¡°When an archangel falls, what is the punishment?¡± ¡°Execution,¡± Percy said. Sariel smiled at Andrew. He furrowed his brow. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want the youngest Caelum to fill in a spot on the council?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you want another fallen angel to become part of the council? Was Abaddon, Mephi, Solra, and Anidun not enough?¡± Sariel asked. ¡°The oldest Caelum then,¡± Andrew said. ¡°He had an excellent track record as a general. I refuse to believe he would abandon his post for no reason. Maybe he is being coerced by the fallen one.¡± Sariel nodded. ¡°That is possible. I¡¯m sure Lord Caelum will exercise proper judgment,¡± she said. ¡°If the eldest Caelum is innocent, then he may present a case. If the youngest isn¡¯t fallen, then there is no reason to execute her. We aren¡¯t unreasonable.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Andrew said with a nod. Melissa pinched his side, indicating for him to not say anymore. ¡°Now that we have taken care of this matter,¡± Sariel said after a pause, ¡°we can move onto the list of newly fallen.¡± She reached under the table and pulled out a parchment. Her eyes blinked as she scanned the list that only had one item on it. ¡°One person fell this month: Aaron Aor.¡± Melissa¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Menyel Aor¡¯s younger brother?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Sariel said. ¡°He was consumed by wrath when he discovered Menyel died during her journey to the borderland. Apparently she was slain by a beast with the nickname king of the forest, but he blames us for banishing her. With this, it seems like the Aor family¡¯s lineage is done for.¡± She sighed. ¡°A shame really.¡± ¡°At least he¡¯s still a regular angel and will only be banished,¡± Melissa said. ¡°As long as he can convert his wrath to patience, there¡¯s still a chance for him to come back.¡± Sariel nodded. ¡°But it will be difficult,¡± she said. The other council members didn¡¯t say anything¡ªthey could count the number of angels that returned from being exiled on one hand. ¡°Council dismissed,¡± Sariel said. ¡°You four have your orders. I will inform Lord Caelum of his children¡¯s situations.¡± The four angels nodded and stood up without a sound. They bowed towards the golden statue in the garden before leaving the room. Sariel walked onto the balcony and gazed into the statue¡¯s eyes before looking at the pink rose from earlier. The butterfly was still there, but it was lying on its side, unmoving. It was dead. For the first time in years, a frown appeared on Sariel¡¯s lips. Chapter 184 Sariel raised her head to look at the top of the metal gate blocking her way¡ªrusted spikes jutted out in all directions. On the other side of the gate, there was a mansion surrounded by an endless field of green grass. Trees in the distance obscured her view of the rest of the wall encompassing the area. She placed her palm on the gate and pushed, causing the metal to groan as it swung open. The road leading to the mansion was made of red metal bricks. Sariel could feel the heat coming off of them through the soles of her cloth sandals. The door to the mansion swung open, and an angel wearing a suit and tie hurried outside. He froze in place with wide eyes when he saw Sariel. ¡°Lady Sariel,¡± the angel said after a moment. He dipped his head down, not willing to look the approaching angel in the eyes. ¡°I am here to see Lord Caelum,¡± Sariel said. ¡°Yes, right away,¡± the angel said and held the door open and gestured for Sariel to enter first. The sounds of a piano could be heard coming from within the building. Sariel nodded at the angel before stepping inside, taking off her shoes and placing them in a corner. The butler led her to a room with a plush couch. The piano was situated in the same room, and an angel that looked like Raea was playing it. The angel stopped when she heard Sariel come in and turned around to greet the guest while the butler left the room. ¡°Lady Sariel,¡± the angel said and stood up, performing a curtsy with her robe. ¡°You are Nina?¡± Sariel asked, as she appraised the angel standing in front of her. ¡°I am Ariel,¡± the angel said. ¡°Nina left the capital many years ago.¡± Sariel nodded. ¡°Forgive me, I was mistaken,¡± she said. ¡°It is quite unfortunate to turn old¡ªit ruins one¡¯s memories. Are you still a greater angel? If I recall correctly, you were one of the youngest greater angels in history.¡± Ariel smiled. ¡°I am,¡± she said. ¡°I turn eighteen this year. Perhaps I will become an archangel within the next two years.¡± A faint smile appeared on Sariel¡¯s lips. ¡°Very good,¡± she said. ¡°If that happens, I may ask for you to serve on the council. Are you willing?¡± Ariel¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Of course, Lady Sariel,¡± she said and bowed her head. ¡°It would be my honor.¡± Footsteps approached the room, causing Ariel to raise her head. Moments later, a man and woman walked inside of the room. ¡°Lord Caelum, Lady Caelum,¡± Sariel said to the two newcomers. Their attires were hastily cobbled together, and their hairstyles were a mess, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. The two returned the greeting while Ariel retreated and closed the door as she left. She could tell from her parents¡¯ gaze that she wasn¡¯t welcome. Sariel watched the door close. ¡°A good seedling,¡± she said as Ariel¡¯s footsteps could be heard leaving the vicinity.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Thank you for the praise,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. He fidgeted in his seat across from Sariel. He rubbed his stubbled chin. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Sariel said with a faint smile. ¡°There is no need to be so nervous. None of your people in the capital have fallen.¡± Raea¡¯s father exhaled and leaned back into the couch. ¡°In the capital?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked. Her brow furrowed as she smoothed out her tangled hair. Wrinkles could be seen in the corner of her eyes. ¡°Then outside of the capital?¡± she asked as her husband¡¯s face darkened. ¡°General Michael sent us a disturbing report,¡± Sariel said as she folded her hands and rested them in her lap. The two parents held their breaths. ¡°Your eldest son has abandoned his duties as a general and deserted the army to accompany his sister, your youngest child.¡± She gazed into Raea¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes before continuing. ¡°General Michael also suspects your youngest child has become an archangel,¡± Sariel said and paused as the couple exchanged glances, ¡°of wrath.¡± Raea¡¯s mother gasped. ¡°Is it possible the report may be inaccurate?¡± she asked and clasped her hands together. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would never have begged for your leniency when you wished to execute her.¡± Her head lowered as she bowed to Sariel. ¡°Raise your head,¡± Sariel said and turned her gaze towards Raea¡¯s father. The expression on his face could make babies cry. ¡°Of course this report may be inaccurate. It is likely your eldest son was coerced to desert the army by your daughter if she has truly fallen,¡± she said. ¡°If it were any other family, the council would have personally dealt with this, but given your track record, I will give you two a chance to ascertain the truth for yourselves.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± Raea¡¯s father asked. ¡°They were last seen in the western parts of the third sector,¡± Sariel said. ¡°A previous report said your daughter slew an archdemon. I advise you two to be careful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe Raea would try to harm us,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°You did not believe she could poison your eldest son either,¡± Sariel said. ¡°But she did. She is no longer the same person as before.¡± The parents exchanged another glance, and Sariel stood up. ¡°That is all I needed to tell you. There is no need to see me out.¡± She nodded at the two before opening the door and walking down the hallway towards the exit. The two parents remained silent until the front door closed. ¡°What do we do?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked. ¡°I don¡¯t believe Elrith would desert the army given his personality,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°We will go to the third sector and try to track our children down.¡± ¡°I meant what do we do if the report is true? If Raea truly has fallen?¡± ¡°She already disgraced our family once. There is no such thing as a third chance,¡± Raea¡¯s father said and sighed. ¡°We did our best to teach her, but evidently that wasn¡¯t enough. As parents, it is our duty to take responsibility for our children¡¯s actions. That includes punishing them when they have gone astray.¡± Raea¡¯s mother pursed her lips. ¡°Yes,¡± she said after a while. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s better if we do it ourselves.¡± Her hands clenched into fists as she stood up. ¡°I never thought this would ever happen to us. I heard the eldest daughter of the Ingel family fell as well, and Lord Ingel personally carried out her punishment.¡± ¡°We were just unlucky,¡± Raea¡¯s father said and placed his hand on his wife¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We should be thankful the rest of our children didn¡¯t end up the same way. It¡¯s a pity about Selena and Raea, but the Creator always has reasons for the things that happen.¡± Chapter 185 Elrith stared at the chunk of meat floating in his bowl. The light from the fire caused it to create flickering shadows along the bowl¡¯s sides. Under Palan¡¯s insistence, the group hadn¡¯t entered anymore cities to restock their food supplies. Thankfully, the guardians had horses; otherwise, Elrith would¡¯ve been forced to eat the flesh of angels. The group had been traveling through the second sector for over a week and bypassed two cities. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sally asked and nudged Elrith, bringing him back to the present. The last vestiges of sunlight were disappearing as the sky was replaced by a dark-blue hue. Elrith blinked at Sally¡¯s touch and shook his head. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. ¡°I was just thinking our meals need a bit more variety. I think we really should stop by a city soon. I feel naked without my armor.¡± Sally turned her head to look at Palan who was meditating on Elrith¡¯s spider. Elrith had insisted on keeping the spider formed even when they weren¡¯t riding it. ¡°Perhaps we could enter one without him?¡± she asked. ¡°Raea could wait with Palan outside while we go inside to buy supplies.¡± Elrith¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose sight of Raea, and Raea won¡¯t leave Palan, but Palan won¡¯t enter cities,¡± he said. ¡°And you two¡±¡ªhe gestured towards Cleo with his eyes¡ª¡°can¡¯t enter the city unaccompanied.¡± He sighed. ¡°And don¡¯t forget about the bounty that was placed on our heads.¡± ¡°Word shouldn¡¯t travel that quickly, should it?¡± Sally asked and tilted her head. ¡°Didn¡¯t Palan only kill two people?¡± ¡°Murder is one of the worst crimes you can commit,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brow. The cultural differences between him and Sally bothered him more than they should. ¡°It rarely happens, but when it does, everyone knows. Food feeds the stomach; gossip feeds the soul.¡± ¡°Odd,¡± Sally said as she ruffled her wings and proceeded to eat her own meal, clumsily maneuvering her talons to hold utensils. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but it made her uncomfortable when Elrith watched her eat by stuffing her face into the bowl¡ªlike she was being judged. That¡¯s why she started to practice with utensils. A smile bloomed on Elrith¡¯s face when he saw Sally drop a piece of meat from her fork. She pouted as she looked at the fallen morsel. Elrith stabbed it with his fork and brought it to her pink lips. ¡°Here,¡± he said. ¡°Life must be difficult without fingers.¡± Sally¡¯s face turned red as she ate the food off of Elrith¡¯s fork. ¡°A little,¡± she mumbled and looked down. ¡°When things get tough, you can rely on us,¡± Elrith said as he took Sally¡¯s bowl and picked up another piece of meat with his fork. Sally¡¯s blush deepened, but she allowed him to feed her. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time her mother had vomited food into her mouth. Elrith¡¯s actions strangely reminded her of those times and the safe feelings that accompanied them. Cleo made a retching sound. ¡°Doesn¡¯t watching them just make you feel sick?¡± she asked Raea as the two stared at Elrith feeding Sally. Cleo stuck her tongue out of her mouth and dropped her spoon into her bowl. ¡°I can¡¯t eat like this.¡± Her tail thumped against the log she and Raea were sitting on.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I never thought Elrith would fall in love, much less with a harpy,¡± Raea said as she eyed Cleo¡¯s bowl. Her own bowl was already empty. ¡°I did not fall in love!¡± Elrith said as his face turned a deeper shade of red. He looked at Sally. Her brow was knit, and she was biting her lower lip. Elrith exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he said as his chest throbbed. ¡°I mean ¡­ never mind. Forget I said anything.¡± His head drooped. ¡°It¡¯s not cute when a thirty-year-old man gets flustered,¡± Cleo said and wrinkled her nose. ¡°Not cute at all. You¡¯re a man. Claim her as your own. Jeez.¡± Cleo clicked her tongue as she stood up and sat in front of the fire. She reached into her space, pulled out an eyeball, impaled it on a stick, and began to roast it over the flames. The fire sizzled as drops of liquid fell from the stick. Raea cleared her throat as she tore her gaze away from the orange lizardman. ¡°I think you¡¯re right and we should bring Palan to a city. He needs to adapt or we¡¯ll never get through the first sector,¡± she said as she stood up and walked over to her demon. She climbed up the spider and tugged on Palan¡¯s arm. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give it another shot? It¡¯s almost like you¡¯re scared of cities.¡± Palan snorted as his meditation was interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m afraid of cities,¡± he said. ¡°This has nothing to do with being afraid. It¡¯s just tedious, unnecessary, and inefficient.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we start with a smaller-sized city then?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°We can gradually increase your tolerance. The cities closer to the west will most likely have less people due to the war. I¡¯m also curious about the war¡¯s status.¡± ¡°I want to eat pastries,¡± Sally said. Although she only had time to eat one muffin in the last city because Palan destroyed the stall with Raea¡¯s body, she couldn¡¯t forget the taste and wanted more. ¡°I want new people to steal from,¡± Cleo said as she chewed on her roasted snack. She pulled out Elrith¡¯s badge. ¡°It¡¯s so boring stealing from you guys. You never notice anything.¡± Elrith¡¯s face darkened as he snatched the badge out of Cleo¡¯s hand. ¡°I bet your sister would leave to hear stories about your adventures in Div¡¯Nya,¡± Raea whispered in Palan¡¯s ear. Her warm breath tickled him, sending a shiver down his spine to his toes. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t describing a city make a better story than sneaking through suburbs and parks?¡± Palan leaned to the side, moving his head away from Raea¡¯s face. He frowned and stared at her. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°A small city then.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Elrith said as he stacked his empty bowl on top of Sally¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s decided then. We¡¯ll go to a city to resupply, armor up, learn about current events, eat pastries, and ¡­ steal from people.¡± He sighed. ¡°Can we not kill anybody or get into fights this time? I honestly don¡¯t think that¡¯s too much to ask for.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think about breathing,¡± Palan said. ¡°It just happens. The same applies for killing.¡± Elrith shook his head as he created five miniature caves for the group members to sleep in. If Palan couldn¡¯t adapt, then he could always dig a tunnel all the way through the first sector. With that comforting thought in mind, he received a blanket from Cleo and crawled into a cave. Sally bit her lower lip before taking a blanket and flying over to an unoccupied cave. She kicked it until it collapsed before entering Elrith¡¯s cave instead, covering the entrance with her blanket. The three onlookers stared at each other as Sally¡¯s voice shushed the surprised angel. ¡°Wow, she¡¯s bold,¡± Cleo said as loudly as she could without yelling, stretching out each word. ¡°I wonder what could possibly be going on in there. Don¡¯t worry. No one¡¯s going to peek at all. Nope, we won¡¯t.¡± Raea glanced at her demon and bit her lower lip before entering her own cave, but Palan sat outside and meditated. Cleo narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Blockhead,¡± she said as she walked past him and plopped herself on top of Raea¡¯s wings, covering herself and Raea with a blanket. Chapter 186 A bead of sweat rolled down Raea¡¯s forehead as she let out a groan. Her eyes were closed, and she squeezed Cleo¡¯s body tighter, causing the lizardman to let out a yelp in her sleep. Raea¡¯s eyes shot open as she released Cleo and sat upright. Her robe was damp with sweat, and her heart raced as she took deep breaths. There was a sharp pain in her back every time she inhaled. ¡°Raea?¡± Cleo mumbled as she yawned. She sat up and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Raea said and exhaled while wincing. ¡°Go back to sleep. I need to pee.¡± She stood up and wrapped the blanket around Cleo before exiting the cave. It was then that she noticed her chest wasn¡¯t glowing with the familiar blue light that signaled Palan¡¯s meditation. She frowned as she stared at the spot where Palan should¡¯ve been but wasn¡¯t. The yellow moon hung overhead, bathing the forest floor in a soft glow. A rustling sound caught Raea¡¯s attention, causing her to whirl her head around. She inhaled through her nose and found a source of heat moving within the trees. She figured it was Palan and headed towards him. Her footsteps echoed through the forest as her feet crunched across fallen leaves and twigs. ¡°Palan?¡± she called out as she got closer to the heat source. There was no response as it moved further away. Her brow furrowed as she held her hand out, summoning a ball of black flames in front of her palm. The surroundings were lit up with a blood-red glow. She walked deeper into the forest, following the source of heat. She was expecting more trees, but to her surprise, there was a clearing with a hill in the center. Palan was walking up the base of the hill with a shiny film covering his body¡ªgreed¡ªand Raea put her flames out as she followed after him, using the moon¡¯s light to discern where to walk. Once she reached the top of the hill, she found Palan sitting and staring at the moon with his legs stretched out in front of himself, the powers of greed no longer covering his body. Raea folded her wings against her body and sat next to Palan. Clearly, he knew she was coming because he didn¡¯t react. ¡°That¡¯s Eljiam,¡± Palan said after a moment of silence. ¡°It looks so small from here.¡± ¡°Does Div¡¯Nya look like that from Eljiam?¡± Raea asked, turning her head away from the moon to stare at the side of Palan¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s blue and green with some white, but the size is the same,¡± Palan said as he narrowed his eyes at Eljiam. Andrea was somewhere on that circle in the sky. At least he was confident in her wellbeing. An archangel like Abaddon wouldn¡¯t throw away his life to mistreat a little girl. ¡°Do you miss your sister?¡± Raea asked, placing her hand on top of Palan¡¯s. ¡°It feels strange not having to worry about her,¡± Palan said. ¡°Like a burden¡¯s been lifted, but at the same time, it feels like something¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re that confident in her ability to survive?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. That wasn¡¯t the answer she was expecting from him. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Palan said and snorted. The lack of lightning strikes made Raea question whether he was just that confident or if he had a reason to believe she¡¯d survive. ¡°How do you know?¡± she asked and leaned her head against his shoulder. Palan didn¡¯t answer. His tail yawned and coiled itself into a pile on the ground behind the two as they sat in silence. Palan turned his head to eye the girl on his shoulder and asked, ¡°Why are you getting so close to me?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raea asked as she sat up and turned her whole body to face him while crossing her legs. She placed her hands on her ankles as her wings unfurled and hung loosely to the ground. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯d eat you once our contract completes?¡± Palan asked, his face expressionless. ¡°You essentially forced me into a pact of servitude. You¡¯re not worried about me holding a grudge?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Because I don¡¯t understand,¡± Palan said. ¡°People only come together because of benefits. What are you trying to gain from me? At first, I thought it was because you wanted a slave to order around, but that didn¡¯t happen. Maybe it was the side effects of me evolving to grant you power, but you didn¡¯t seem elated at all when it occurred. I thought you wanted me to help you get merits to return to the capital, but you abandoned that route. So I¡¯ll ask you again: Why?¡± Raea pursed her lips and lowered her head. She didn¡¯t answer for a while, enduring Palan¡¯s gaze. Her head raised to make eye contact with him. ¡°What benefit do you gain from your sister?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for you to survive if you didn¡¯t have to take care of her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Palan said. ¡°How?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my sister,¡± Palan said. ¡°Then what about your parents?¡± Raea asked. ¡°They should be as close to you as your sister. Even if they didn¡¯t bring much benefits, you were happy when they died, weren¡¯t you? But they¡¯re still family, just like your sister.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Palan said again as he furrowed his brow. ¡°Why?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯m asking you why it¡¯s different. Why do you take care of your sister? Clearly, it¡¯s not because she¡¯s family. There¡¯s a different reason.¡± Palan lowered his head as wrinkles appeared on his brow. Raea waited for him to think, playing with the feathers on her wings. It relaxed her when her fingers stroked her feathers¡ªno wonder why birds preened themselves. When Palan opened his mouth, Raea raised her head, but instead of speaking, he spat out a tooth and remained silent with his head still lowered. After a long while, Palan finally raised his head. ¡°She makes me happy,¡± he said. ¡°When she smiles, I smile. It¡¯s a different pleasure than hunting. I feel alive, but it¡¯s a ¡­ softer kind of feeling.¡± He knit his brow. A smile bloomed on Raea¡¯s face. ¡°Can¡¯t it be the same for me?¡± she asked. ¡°You make me happy, even though there are times when you make me beyond frustrated or, you know, allow my sister to be brutally murdered, I still enjoy being around you. I guess that makes me kind of stupid, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Palan said and nodded. Raea punched his shoulder and snorted. ¡°At first, I really did just want to use you to help me,¡± Raea said. ¡°I¡¯ve always heard about demons in fairytale-like settings¡ªreality was much different¡ªand I wanted to experience it for myself. As time passed, I don¡¯t know when it happened, but I found myself caring more about you than myself. I never had many friends, unless you count books, and I was always neglected by my parents because I was unremarkable.¡± She sighed and mumbled, ¡°Love really does make people blind.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the day when someone other than my sister tells me they¡¯re happy to see me,¡± he said and smirked. ¡°Usually people run away while screaming before they die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Cleo and Sally are happy to see you too ¡­ maybe not Sally as much as Cleo,¡± Raea said. Palan tilted his head. ¡°Then does this make me your brother?¡± he asked. ¡°Brother, my ass,¡± Raea said and tackled him, knocking him onto his back. She pinned him by placing her hands on his shoulders while straddling his stomach. Heat flowed through her body, almost scorching Palan. ¡°I confessed to you, and I refuse to be relegated to a sister. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t feel anything when I do this.¡± Her hair tickled his shoulder as her head lowered. Her lips brushed along his neck before she tilted her head to bite his ear. Palan¡¯s eyes widened, and Raea placed his left hand on her hip. His right hand snaked up her lower back, brushing past her wings, until it reached the base of her neck where his fingers curled around her hair, the strands coiling around his hand. Raea let out a whimper as her hands slid off Palan¡¯s shoulders and wrapped around the back of his head, lifting his head off the ground as she brought her face closer to his. *** Cleo yawned and blinked. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced around the empty cave. The moon was still out, and the fire was still going strong. Raea was taking an awfully long time to use the bathroom. Maybe she was constipated. Cleo shrugged and went back to sleep. Chapter 187 The next morning, Cleo stretched her limbs out and lay on the ground like a starfish. She smacked her lips a few times before opening her eyes. Her brow furrowed as she sat up and looked around. Did Raea get stuck while using the bathroom? She stored the blanket into her space and stumbled out of the cave while clearing the crust from her eyes. Her head turned to the side, and she saw Palan sitting with his back leaning on the cave with Raea sleeping in his embrace. Cleo wrinkled her nose as she stepped closer to them and sniffed a few times. Palan¡¯s eyes flickered as his body stirred. He let out a yawn before meeting Cleo¡¯s gaze. ¡°You smell funny,¡± Cleo said and squinted her eyes at him. ¡°Did you two¡­?¡± Palan snorted and shook Raea awake before standing up while resting her body on the ground. ¡°You totally did!¡± Raea groaned as she sat up. ¡°Did what?¡± she asked and yawned. ¡°It¡¯s too early.¡± She shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked at Cleo. ¡°You,¡± Cleo said and raised her left hand. She raised her right hand and said, ¡°Palan.¡± Then she pressed her hands together and wriggled them like a worm. Raea¡¯s face flushed as she glanced at Palan. ¡°Did you tell her?¡± Raea asked and pinched Cleo¡¯s cheeks. The lizardman protested to no avail. ¡°She smelled it,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°Hah?¡± Cleo asked as her eyes widened. ¡°It really happened?¡± Raea pinched Cleo¡¯s cheeks harder. ¡°I never thought this day would come!¡± the orange lizardman said, ignoring the pain in her face. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle. Who initiated?¡± Cleo yelped as her tail was seized by Palan who held her upside-down. Her limbs flailed around before she gave up and let her body hang limp. Cleo exaggerated a sigh and said, ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t tell anyone. Can you let me down now?¡± Palan released her, and she landed on all fours like a cat. Her eyes glittered when she saw Sally brush aside the blanket covering Elrith¡¯s cave. Sally¡¯s eyes widened, and she flapped her wings when she saw Cleo charging at her, shouting, ¡°SallySallySallySallySally! Guess what Palan and Raea did last night!¡± Sally stared with her mouth agape as the orange lizardman was promptly tackled and gagged by Raea. Elrith walked outside of the cave, took down the blanket, and frowned at the squirming lizardman. Cleo stopped struggling when she saw the dark bags under Elrith¡¯s eyes. Raea released Cleo¡¯s mouth, but still held onto the tiny lizardman, ready to gag her at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°It looks like you didn¡¯t get much sleep last night,¡± Cleo said and smiled at Elrith. ¡°Really?¡± Sally asked and turned her head to look at Elrith. ¡°I slept like a baby. Did I bother you?¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°No,¡± Elrith said. The truth was he was extremely nervous about sharing a bed with Sally and hadn¡¯t been able to fall asleep until ten minutes ago. His body was stiff because he hadn¡¯t moved all night in fear of waking her. ¡°Did you two have sex?¡± Cleo asked in a clear voice and blinked, attempting to look as innocent as possible. ¡°No!¡± Sally and Elrith yelled at the same time. ¡°What?¡± Cleo asked and pouted. ¡°Why not? Rae¡ª¡° Raea pinched Cleo¡¯s side before she could say anymore. Sally and Elrith chose to ignore Cleo as Elrith collapsed the caves. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Cleo said and shook her head. Her nose wrinkled as she looked at Elrith. She sniffed the air, but she couldn¡¯t detect any odd scent. ¡°Enough pointless chatter,¡± Elrith said as his earthen spider came to life. Everyone climbed on top of it, and it headed towards a road that would hopefully bring them to a city. Cleo pulled Sally aside. ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± she said and stared at Sally. The harpy seemed to shrink underneath the lizardman¡¯s gaze. ¡°Nothing,¡± Sally said and shook her head. ¡°I crawled into his bed, and he held me. Then I fell asleep. I didn¡¯t want to force him and make him uncomfortable.¡± She nodded. ¡°If you want something, then take it, but at the same time, you should take other people¡¯s feelings into consideration.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong,¡± Palan said and snorted, causing Sally to pout. The harpy furrowed her brow and asked Cleo, ¡°What were you saying earlier this morning?¡± Before Raea could tackle Cleo or before Cleo could even speak, the spider ground to a halt and dissolved, tossing its passengers onto the ground. The party turned to look at Elrith who was pale and sweating bullets. ¡°I need some rest,¡± he said as he dry heaved. ¡°The road isn¡¯t too far away. We could probably disguise ourselves and hitch a ride on a caravan. Or we could wait here until I recover.¡± ¡°Hitch a ride!¡± Cleo said. Her eyes sparkled at the opportunity to steal from a merchant even though the odds of meeting one was slim. They were more likely to find a family traveling to a city instead. Raea pursed her lips. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I scare everyone away?¡± she asked. Cleo pulled out a big, baggy robe and a roll of bandages to use as a blindfold before handing them to Raea. Raea received them and rolled her eyes. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look sketchy at all.¡± ¡°It could work,¡± Elrith said as he sat up and steadied his breathing. ¡°Besides, blending in with another party will make us less conspicuous, although a harpy is really unique.¡± He furrowed his brow at Sally. ¡°Just a set of robes won¡¯t help.¡± ¡°What if they came with arms?¡± Cleo asked as she reached into her space. Her shoulders wiggled and a robe appeared along with two severed arms. ELrith gagged as Cleo stitched the arms into the sleeves of the robe. The lizardman beamed at her handiwork before helping Sally get dressed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I suggested disguises,¡± Elrith said as his face darkened. Anyone that looked closely enough would realize the two robed and hooded figures had problems. ¡°What about Palan?¡± Raea asked as she finished putting on the blindfold. Thankfully she still had her heat vision and her sense of smell. Her nose wrinkled. She really did smell. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be necessary,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Demons aren¡¯t too uncommon around these areas.¡± He sighed, but he wasn¡¯t too concerned. He was confident in their ability to force themselves out of any situation. With that, the group made it to the road and walked alongside it, hoping for a caravan or carriage to come by. Chapter 188 + 189 It was only until the second sun began to rise when the group encountered a carriage. It was similar to the one Raea rode months ago to enter the borderlands, but a lot bigger. There were no horses or animals pulling it along¡ªan orb powered it instead. Elrith stepped onto the road and waved his hand at the approaching carriage, causing it to slow down. The owner, a woman wearing a veil and white dress, stepped off the carriage and sized Elrith up. ¡°What are you supposed to be?¡± she asked and raised an eyebrow. Elrith looked down at his dirty brown robe and wooden sandals. His face was equally smeared with dirt, and his beard was beginning to grow out. ¡°Soldier? You don¡¯t look like a city dweller.¡± Her eyes passed over the rest of the group who kept their heads lowered with hoods obscuring their faces except for Palan. He was shirtless and standing with his back straight, arms crossed over his chest. The woman¡¯s eyes widened when she saw him. Elrith scratched his head. ¡°Does my profession really matter?¡± he asked. ¡°I was hoping you could give us a ride to the city. I can pay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a deserter, aren¡¯t you?¡± the woman asked, her face expressionless. ¡°Fourth one I met on my way to Marossa. You look exactly like the others.¡± ¡°Marossa?¡± Elrith asked and blinked. ¡°We traveled that far west already? That¡¯s great.¡± He knew Marossa was a sparsely occupied city. It would be perfect for Palan to adapt. The woman frowned when Elrith avoided her accusation. ¡°What¡¯s a deserter like you doing heading to Marossa? Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting caught by the army?¡± she asked. ¡°They¡¯re occupying it heavily; I suggest you go east like everyone else.¡± ¡°Are you going to give us the ride or not?¡± Palan asked and narrowed his eyes. Hitch a ride? It would be easier to kill the owner and steal the carriage. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t know how to drive it which is why he didn¡¯t act immediately. The woman¡¯s frown deepened, but she smiled an instant later. She turned towards Elrith. ¡°You said you can pay?¡± she asked and clapped her hands. Her face hardened. ¡°Twenty stones each.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± Elrith asked as a wrinkle formed on his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m not a tourist.¡± The woman shrugged as she stepped back onto her carriage. ¡°Are you paying or not? You won¡¯t find anyone else heading west,¡± she said. Palan took a step forward, but Elrith took two steps forward. ¡°Pay. I¡¯ll pay,¡± he said and shot a glance at Palan. Elrith was seriously worried that Palan would kill the poor woman. One hundred stones was a cheap price to pay to save a life. Elrith opened his bag and rummaged around before sighing. ¡°Cleo,¡± he said. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Cleo said and rolled her eyes before slapping a pouch onto Elrith¡¯s palm. Judging by the weight, Elrith could tell the orange lizardman had no intention of giving the rest of his stones back to him. He handed the pouch to the woman who stepped aside and made space for the party to board. ¡°What¡¯s a deserter doing with so much money?¡± the woman asked as she watched the group settle down next to her wares. Her carriage was filled with cloth undergarments and leather armor along with other miscellaneous goods. ¡°Do I really look that much like a deserter?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the woman said as she placed her hand on the orb which was embedded in the carriage¡¯s dashboard. The carriage¡¯s wheels creaked before the vehicle inched ahead. Soon, it was charging down the road, going just as fast as Elrith¡¯s spider. ¡°You know what you can do to look less like a deserter?¡± she asked. She spoke again without waiting for a reply. ¡°You can buy some of my wares. They¡¯re good quality.¡± Elrith furrowed his brow and looked around the carriage. He had to admit that the quality of the clothes was on par with the capital¡¯s standards. ¡°They are,¡± he said and nodded. He was about to touch the clothes with his hands, but the woman stopped him. ¡°Your hands are dirty, just point out what you want to see,¡± she said and frowned. While Elrith began shopping, Cleo noticed Palan¡¯s disgruntled expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she whispered as Raea raised the bandages covering her eyes and looked around. ¡°Is she strong?¡± Palan asked, staring at the carriage owner. ¡°You can¡¯t be interested in her, right?¡± Cleo asked and blinked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you became a pervert after playing with Raea.¡± Raea¡¯s and Palan¡¯s hands hit her at the same time. Her tail swished as she grumbled and clutched her head through her hood. ¡°You¡¯re both bullies,¡± she muttered with tears in her eyes. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she afraid?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Anyone who¡¯s confident enough to transport around goods must be powerful¡ªespecially since she doesn¡¯t have any companions.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need strength to be a merchant in Div¡¯Nya,¡± Raea said and knit her eyebrows together when she saw Elrith pick out a ribbon. ¡°The second sector doesn¡¯t have any dangers.¡± ¡°Other people?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Angels don¡¯t commit crimes,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°At least, not in the second sector. The dangerous angels are only in the borderlands.¡± Palan relaxed. ¡°Then she¡¯s weak,¡± he said and leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of himself. Danger Noodle yawned and coiled up into a pile. ¡°She still has to be close to a greater angel or higher to drive a carriage like this,¡± Raea said as she lowered the bandages back over her eyes. Elrith had finished shopping, and she didn¡¯t want the owner to see her eyes. The owner looked at the pile of clothes in her hand. ¡°Four hundred stones,¡± she said. Elrith¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°I could buy better clothes in the capital for cheaper,¡± he said. ¡°Three hundred.¡± The woman snorted. ¡°As if someone like you could enter the capital. Three fifty,¡± she said. ¡°Price is determined by demand. If you don¡¯t want the clothes, you don¡¯t have to buy them.¡± Her hand rifled through the pile and plucked out the ribbon. ¡°I bet your girlfriend would love this. Isn¡¯t three fifty worth her happiness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Elrith said and sighed. ¡°Fine. Three fifty.¡± He turned around to look at Cleo. ¡°You owe me,¡± Cleo said as her tail swished. The owner saw it, but didn¡¯t say a word. Cleo tossed a pouch towards the owner. It didn¡¯t hurt the lizardman to part with the money¡ªthe thrill came from stealing it after all. Her tongue wet her lips as she noted where the owner stored the stones. It looked like she kept them in a pouch by her inner thigh.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Elrith carried over the pile of clothes and pulled out the ribbon, handing the rest to Cleo. Cleo stared at the clothes covering her body and blinked at Elrith. ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡± she asked. ¡°Store it?¡± Elrith asked and raised an eyebrow before approaching Sally. Cleo shrugged and folded the clothes, unwilling to use her powers in front of a stranger. ¡°I thought this would suit you,¡± Elrith said to Sally. His hands reached underneath her hood and tied her hair into a ponytail with the ribbon. The severed arms attached to Sally¡¯s robes freaked him out, but he did his best to ignore them and smiled at her. The owner¡¯s face blanched when she saw Sally¡¯s pale skin that was revealed briefly by Elrith¡¯s actions. ¡°Nervous?¡± Palan asked and spat a tooth onto the floor of the carriage. He felt the increase in the owner¡¯s heartrate and grinned at her. Although her heart was pounding, there was a slight smile on the owner¡¯s face. ¡°Should I be?¡± she asked. Palan chuckled but didn¡¯t respond. Chapter 189 ¡°Please stop harassing our benefactor,¡± Elrith said to Palan as a bead of sweat formed on his forehead. Palan¡¯s chuckle had sent chills down his spine. The archangel turned towards the owner of the carriage and lowered his head. ¡°I apologize for his behavior. He¡¯s a bit rowdy, but he won¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± the owner said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be keeping an eye on the road?¡± Raea asked. There was something about reckless drivers that made her feel uncomfortable. ¡°Your voice is lovely,¡± the woman said and blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard any other quite like it. Also, you don¡¯t need to worry about the road. I¡¯ve already said no one else is heading west, and it¡¯s a straight line to Marossa. All the roads are straight in the second sector.¡± Her gut told her that the hitchhikers she picked up weren¡¯t from around these parts. She stared at Palan and bit her lower lip. ¡°Why don¡¯t we introduce ourselves since we¡¯ll be traveling together for the next few days? My name is Linda Bael.¡± ¡°Bael?¡± Elrith asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°From the capital¡¯s Bael family?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Linda said as a slight smile formed on her lips. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you introduce yourselves as well?¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± Elrith stopped and scratched his head. ¡°Err¡ª¡° ¡°He¡¯s Elrith Caelum,¡± Palan said and pointed at the archangel. Elrith¡¯s mouth dropped open as he whirled his head around to look at Palan. ¡°Why did you tell her?¡± Elrith asked, practically shouting. ¡°How will the archangels find us if they don¡¯t know where you are?¡± Palan asked in reply as he licked his lips. Elrith buried his face in his hands. ¡°We don¡¯t want them to find us,¡± Elrith said and groaned. ¡°That¡¯s what the disguises were for.¡± Palan shrugged his undisguised shoulders. ¡°Too late now,¡± he said and smiled at Linda. Linda sighed. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± she asked as she sat down on the driver¡¯s seat, hanging her arms over the seatback and facing the group with her back to the road. ¡°Be honest please. I¡¯d rather not sit here in suspense.¡± ¡°If I killed you, who¡¯d drive the carriage?¡± Palan asked. He turned towards Raea. ¡°Is the Bael family one of the big ones with an archangel?¡± Raea nodded. Palan turned back to Linda. ¡°Then¡ª¡° ¡°But he¡¯s old, and weak,¡± Elrith said. ¡°Lord Bael isn¡¯t going to leave the capital even if you kill her. I don¡¯t think his frail body could handle it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Linda said and bobbed her head. ¡°My grandfather is over a century old. There¡¯s not much he can do.¡± Palan frowned as his gaze traveled back and forth over Linda and Elrith. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said and snorted. ¡°Whether or not I kill you depends on my mood.¡± Linda furrowed her brow. ¡°And what puts you in a bad mood?¡± she asked. ¡°Everything,¡± Cleo said with a cough. ¡°And even if he¡¯s in a good mood, you might still die.¡± She pulled the hood off and scratched her head. The rough material of the robe made her scalp tingle. ¡°Can¡¯t you control him?¡± Linda asked Elrith. ¡°I mean he¡¯s your demon, right?¡± ¡°Calling him property is one of the quickest ways to put him in a bad mood,¡± Elrith said and sighed while shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m not his contractor. She is.¡± He pointed at Raea. ¡°But forget it. As long as I¡¯m here, I won¡¯t let him kill you.¡± Linda¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°It seems like the information was wrong then,¡± she said. ¡°Information?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Linda said and nodded. ¡°I heard you became a bloodthirsty killer after you deserted from the army.¡± She paused. ¡°I knew you were a deserter. You also did a terrible job at hiding your identity.¡± ¡°Well, if he hadn¡¯t blabbed¡­,¡± Elrith said and shot an annoyed glance at Palan. ¡°Before that too,¡± Linda said. ¡°There were lots of little things.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not too concerned about being found out considering the fact that you¡¯re heading straight to an army base.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elrith asked as a wrinkle formed on his forehead. ¡°Isn¡¯t Marossa a civilian city? Why would it be an army base?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard?¡± Linda asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°The cities west of Luana have all been lost to the rebel army. Once Luana falls, Marossa¡¯s the next place that¡¯ll be attacked. Of course the army will reinforce it.¡± ¡°That fast?¡± Elrith asked as his mouth dropped. It had only been a few weeks since he received the letter informing him about General Akurel¡¯s loss. How did Solra¡¯s army mobilize that quickly? ¡°Tell me more about the war.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t much to say,¡± Linda said and scratched her head before tossing aside the veil covering her face. ¡°The halflings¡¯ march is relentless. No matter how many die, there¡¯s always more to replace them. General Michael and General Jones haven¡¯t been able to use their powers because of the fallen angel Solra. The army is forced to retreat after every encounter. I heard stories about these contraptions that the halflings have. It¡¯s a tube that shoots out metal balls¡ªstronger than trebuchets.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°As if the walls weren¡¯t pitiful enough.¡± She paused and brought her teeth together as if she wanted to say something, but was afraid of offending someone. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have made a difference if that¡¯s what you wanted to ask,¡± Elrith said and clenched his hands into fists. ¡°Solra already beat my army multiple times in the borderlands before he came here.¡± He exhaled and relaxed his hands. ¡°Why are you heading to Marossa if it¡¯s going to be a battleground?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always profit in disaster,¡± Linda said and gestured towards her wares. A frown appeared on her face when she saw Palan sitting in a corner with Raea sleeping in his embrace, covered by one of Linda¡¯s heavy wool blankets. She forced down her annoyance and peeled her gaze away from Palan. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong; I¡¯m not greedy,¡± she said. ¡°I just like making money more than I value my own life.¡± ¡°That sounds pretty greedy to me,¡± Cleo said as she rummaged through a pile of Linda¡¯s stuff. ¡°That¡¯s what my grandfather said to me before he kicked me out of the capital,¡± Linda said. ¡°I still disagree with him. What¡¯s the point of life if you don¡¯t have money?¡± ¡°Would you rob someone?¡± Sally asked and tilted her head. Her face was still hidden by her hood. ¡°Of course not!¡± Linda said and snorted. ¡°But didn¡¯t you scam me?¡± Elrith asked, recalling the inflated price of the carriage ride and clothes he bought. ¡°It¡¯s not robbery if people are willing to give you their money,¡± Linda said. She turned towards Cleo. ¡°Like what you see?¡± Cleo held up a child-sized, green leather vest. ¡°Yes,¡± she said and nodded as she turned the vest around to observe the back. ¡°Then I¡¯ll gift it to you,¡± Linda said with a smile. She glanced at Palan, but he showed no reaction to her attempt at bringing herself closer to their group. ¡°It¡¯s hard to find buyers of child-sized clothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child,¡± Cleo said and pouted as she put the vest on. It fit surprisingly well. ¡°You don¡¯t mind the fact that I¡¯m a halfling?¡± ¡°Halflings are buyers ¡­ err, people too,¡± Linda said and nodded. ¡°As a merchant, it¡¯s important to establish relations with every type of person if you want to maximize your sales.¡± Elrith nodded. ¡°I guess that¡¯s how you remained calm when you found out who I was,¡± he said before muttering, ¡°Especially after all those rumors.¡± He frowned at Palan who yawned and pretended not to hear Elrith¡¯s indirect accusation. ¡°Oh,¡± Linda said and blinked. ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t it at all. I thought it¡¯d be inconvenient if I died because I wouldn¡¯t be able to make any more money, but that¡¯s all death is¡ªan inconvenience.¡± She shrugged. Elrith sighed and hung his head. ¡°Why can¡¯t the people that flock to Raea be normal?¡± he asked as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Hey!¡± Cleo said and threw a rotting hand at Elrith. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly normal.¡± Chapter 190 Elrith gagged as he knocked the rotting hand off of his body. Linda gaped with wide eyes at the sight. ¡°Was that a hand?¡± she asked Cleo. ¡°Do you just carry those around on you?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cleo said with a nod. ¡°Everyone should. You never know when you¡¯ll need one to throw at people who offend you.¡± ¡°But,¡± Linda said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that desecrating bodies? I understand you¡¯re murderers and all, but don¡¯t you think, err, not giving the dead a proper burial is wrong?¡± Cleo shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like they need their bodies anymore,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about dead bodies for a second,¡± Elrith said before Linda could speak. He turned towards Palan. ¡°Are we still going to continue towards Marossa? We might get caught up in the army¡¯s affairs.¡± ¡°Your group is travelling without knowing anything?¡± Linda asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s your final destination if it¡¯s not Marossa?¡± ¡°The capital,¡± Palan said while Elrith hesitated. The ex-general threw his hands up into the air. ¡°Are you that intent on having us tracked down?¡± he asked. ¡°Have you considered the fact that Raea and I aren¡¯t unstoppable? What if your words attract archangels that we can¡¯t beat?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll run away?¡± Palan said as if he were speaking to a small child. He ran his fingers through Raea¡¯s hair, causing her to make a small sound in her sleep. ¡°I think it¡¯s well worth the risk.¡± He licked his lips. It would be best if he could draw Sariel out this way. Elrith¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You¡¯ll weaken our society if you kill an archangel,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about what¡¯ll happen to Raea after you leave? Did you ever stop to think about the consequences of your actions?¡± ¡°I always think about the consequences,¡± Palan said. ¡°As long as they don¡¯t end up with me dying, I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable,¡± Elrith said. ¡°It¡¯s your messed up society that¡¯s unbelievable,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Let¡¯s avoid Marossa. I¡¯m tired of participating in your stupid war.¡± He turned towards Linda. ¡°Where¡¯s the nearest city with the lowest population that isn¡¯t an army base?¡± ¡°Probably Ni¡¯En,¡± Linda said. ¡°It¡¯s to the east of here. We should make it to a rest stop by nightfall. A different road would lead you to Ni¡¯En from there.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Ni¡¯En,¡± Palan said to Elrith. The archangel¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t be able to make a difference anyway?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Going to a base hostile towards Raea isn¡¯t on my to-do list. You¡¯re free to leave if you want.¡± Elrith sighed. ¡°Then we¡¯ll go to Ni¡¯En,¡± he said. He shook his head and muttered something inaudible before sitting in the corner opposite of Palan. He rested his head on his knees and went to sleep. Palan¡¯s eyes dulled as well as his head drooped. Cleo and Sally looked at each other.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Those three didn¡¯t get much sleep last night, huh?¡± Sally asked. She slipped off her robe and handed it back to Cleo. The severed arms were starting to smell. ¡°Dear Creator,¡± Linda said as she gaped at Sally. ¡°Just what did I do to deserve this treatment?¡± She closed her eyes and clasped her hands in prayer. ¡°That¡¯s an odd reaction,¡± Cleo said and tilted her head. She shrugged as a grin spread on her face. ¡°You know what Palan and Raea did last night?¡± she whispered. Sally bit her lower lip and glanced at the demon whose eyes were open and staring at the floor. ¡°Will he kill me if I find out?¡± she whispered back. ¡°They mated!¡± Cleo whispered, spitting out the words. Sally¡¯s eyes widened as she covered her ears with her wings. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything,¡± she said and raised her head to stare at the ceiling of the carriage. Stars were painted on the surface. If it were any other topic, Sally would¡¯ve loved to gossip with Cleo, but this one was too nerve-wracking to talk about. ¡°Those stars are pretty.¡± Linda opened her eyes and saw Sally staring at the ceiling. ¡°I painted it myself,¡± Linda said with a smile. ¡°You get bored quickly on the road¡ªlots of spare time to do anything you want or nothing at all. I¡¯m curious. How did your group assemble? Usually angels bring adult lizardmen slaves when they travel for practical reasons, and harpies haven¡¯t been seen for decades. I also heard the Caelums didn¡¯t approve of using demons.¡± Cleo scratched her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how Raea and Palan met, but Palan brutally ripped apart my stepmom in front of me, so I decided to follow him,¡± she said. She pointed at Raea and Palan. ¡°He¡¯s Palan, and she¡¯s Raea by the way. I¡¯m Cleo the Magnificent. And this is Sally.¡± Sally raised a wing in a half-hearted wave. ¡°How did you meet Palan again?¡± ¡°He ate me with his tail,¡± Sally said and shivered. ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Right. Yeah. That¡¯s how you two met.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even¡­,¡± Linda said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just getting too old to understand how young people think.¡± She shook her head. The carriage continued down the road while Linda made small talk with Cleo as the orange lizardman browsed the wares. Sally spent the time admiring her ribbon in a mirror before snuggling up next to Elrith, causing the angel to, once again, experience a lack of sleep. As the second sun began to set, a small circle of buildings came into view with a large bonfire at the center. There were a few carriages parked around the buildings, and a group of people could be seen resting by the fire. Palan¡¯s nose twitched before his eyes flickered. ¡°We¡¯re at the rest stop,¡± Linda said to the awakening demon. Palan nodded and looked down¡ªCleo was sleeping on top of Raea who was sleeping on top of his legs. Linda asked, ¡°Do you always sleep with your eyes open?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. ¡°My eyes never close.¡± He lifted Cleo and tossed her towards Sally and Elrith before waking Raea by running his fingers back and forth from her cheek to her collarbone. Cleo grunted when she collided into Elrith who didn¡¯t respond. The circles around his eyes were even darker than earlier. Raea yawned as her wings fully opened, tearing apart the robe Cleo had given her to disguise them. She blinked a few times as the bandages around her eyes slipped off. Ignoring Linda¡¯s stunned expression, Raea asked, ¡°We made it to Marossa?¡± ¡°Just a rest stop,¡± Linda said and shook her head as the carriage slowed to a halt. ¡°And I do believe your destination was changed from Marossa to Ni¡¯En. If you ask around, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone heading to Ni¡¯En that you can hitch a ride with.¡± Her gaze kept shifting to different parts of Raea¡¯s body, unsure of where to look. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Palan asked as he stood up, stretching out his body. ¡°You¡¯re driving us there.¡± ¡°What.¡± Chapter 191 ¡°Oh, Linda¡¯s driving us to Ni¡¯En too?¡± Cleo asked as she yawned and sat up. For some reason, she dreamed she was flying and woke up when she crashed into a building. Her head also felt a bit sore. ¡°That¡¯s great. It¡¯s so much easier to sleep here than on the lumpy spider.¡± She lifted her arms and stretched them towards the ceiling of the carriage. ¡°I never agreed to this,¡± Linda said as Palan ignored her and walked outside of the carriage. His tail extended fully before coiling around his torso. Linda made a face and turned towards Elrith. Her back straightened and her expression disappeared. ¡°Going to Ni¡¯En will cost you extra. Another twenty stones per person.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll pay,¡± Elrith mumbled. ¡°Get it from Cleo.¡± He groaned as he rubbed his eyes. ¡°I need a pillow.¡± Sally reached over, and pulled his body down, resting the back of his head on her lap. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± she asked and tilted her head. The ribbon Elrith bought touched her shoulder. It looked orange due to the light from the flames coming from the bonfire outside. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. You always sleep the latest and wake up the earliest while transporting all of us.¡± Sally rested her right wing across his chest and part of his stomach. ¡°Get some rest. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything since Palan and Raea are here.¡± Elrith let out a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m worried,¡± he said. ¡°I have a feeling that Palan is going to bring about a whole lot of trouble if I fall asleep.¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Cleo said as she walked past the two to exit the carriage. ¡°He¡¯ll do that regardless of whether you¡¯re awake or not. It¡¯d be best to just sleep, so you¡¯ll have the energy to deal with it in the morning.¡± She scrambled after Palan who was stomping towards the bonfire at the center of the rest stop. ¡°Wait for me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going with them?¡¯ Linda asked Raea as they watched Cleo climb onto Palan¡¯s back, resting her chin on his shoulder. Raea shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t like how people look when they see me,¡± she said. Her brow furrowed before she let out a sigh, ejecting black flames from her mouth. Linda let out a dry laugh as she shuffled a few flammable products away from Raea¡¯s face. ¡°I can relate ¡­ a bit,¡± she said, causing Raea to tilt her head. Linda shrugged. ¡°People think I¡¯m greedy after hearing my prices and my refund policy.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your policy?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have one,¡± Linda said with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t it great?¡± Raea blinked. ¡°Are you a fallen angel then?¡± she asked. ¡°You have to be a greater angel to drive something of this size.¡± Linda raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re never going to find a fallen angel who¡¯ll admit they fell,¡± she said. ¡°You know, with the punishment being execution and all. I tend to introduce myself as a greater angel of bravery. It¡¯s not like anyone can prove you aren¡¯t.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°What¡¯s bravery do?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a Caelum? Shouldn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°My education about powers is lacking,¡± Raea said. ¡°My parents were afraid I¡¯d go astray if I found out what minor virtues could do.¡± ¡°I see. Well, bravery provides some resistance to illusions and hypnotism,¡± Linda said. ¡°Of course, no one¡¯s going to try to put you under, so it¡¯s a great disguise.¡± A scream reached Raea¡¯s and Linda¡¯s ears, drawing their attention outside. Palan was stepping on an angel, holding a severed arm in his hand. A whitish, round bone could be seen sticking out of the end. Linda blinked once at the sight before walking outside and puking over the side of her carriage. Raea just sighed and shook her head. Once upon a time, she would¡¯ve rushed outside to stop Palan and heal the poor angel he injured, but now ¡­ there was a sense of superiority that came with watching Palan bully others. Like her demon was stronger than everyone else¡¯s and only belonged to her. Linda knit her eyebrows as she wiped away a strand of puke from the corner of her mouth. A shiver ran down her spine when she saw the blissful expression on the fallen angel¡¯s face. She reached for a flask of water and took a swig, turning her back on the carnage. Cleo was pointing at people and demanding their items under the threat of slaughter, but only the shiny things, while Palan shifted all the responsibility onto Elrith by using his name. Soon, the people retreated to their respective carriages, coaxing their horses to rush off into the darkness of the night as Palan gathered all the food around the bonfire. Raea pinched her own cheeks before settling on a normal expression. ¡°Was that necessary?¡± she asked Palan as he climbed onto the carriage, his hands dripping blood. Linda frowned at the drops of blood, but didn¡¯t say anything as she wiped it up, avoiding eye contact with the demon. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. ¡°I was getting rusty and needed exercise. You don¡¯t survive by being complacent.¡± He frowned as an image of a floating blanket-demon appeared in his head. ¡°Unless you¡¯re a sloth.¡± His gaze turned to the corner where he heard Elrith snoring. Sally was smiling at his sleeping face. ¡°I heard you using his name a lot,¡± Raea said, following Palan¡¯s gaze. ¡°He probably won¡¯t like that.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°The sooner I can become an archdemon, the better,¡± he said. ¡°You know you¡¯re putting us in danger, right?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Can you take responsibility if one of us dies?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t take responsibility,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing any of you to follow me. Cleo and Sally are both free to go whenever they want¡ªElrith too. You can easily order me to go about it differently, but you haven¡¯t.¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°What about me?¡± Linda asked herself and sighed. ¡°Am I free to go whenever I want?¡± ¡°You can go, but I¡¯ll take your carriage and maybe your life,¡± Palan said and snorted. Linda¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You can take my life, but leave my carriage out of this,¡± she said. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m going to sleep. We¡¯ll have to depart early if we want to make it to Ni¡¯En by nightfall tomorrow.¡± She sighed as she pulled out a woolen blanket while Raea pulled Palan to a corner. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even sell any of my wares before you chased everyone off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We took all their stones,¡± Cleo said as she glanced around the carriage. Elrith was sleeping on Sally. Palan¡¯s and Raea¡¯s bodies were intertwining and making kissing sounds. Cleo shook her head as she waddled over to Linda¡¯s blanket and slipped inside. ¡°Greetings, new sleeping buddy. I hog blankets, and my feet are perpetually cold. Let¡¯s get along.¡± Chapter 192 Carmella sat on a bench, a sandwich in her hand. Beside her, Gerome was peeling the crust off of his bread, feeding it to a nearby squirrel. They were sitting in a corner isolated from the rest of the army inside of Marossa. It was a dainty city with colorful houses, but the brightness of the surrounding buildings was subdued by the gray armor of the soldiers lazing about. They were everywhere, occupying the streets, the porches, and even the interior of the houses. The citizens had fled long ago¡ªthe only ones remaining were the elderly on the verge of death and those too attached to leave. A figure approached Carmella and Gerome, causing them to raise their heads. It was Owen. His face was unkempt, his thin beard curly and matted. His cheeks were gaunt, and his eyes had a certain look to them: sunken, hollow, exhausted. Carmella had to break eye contact, focusing on a piece of lettuce in her sandwich. ¡°Hey, Owen,¡± Gerome said as he scooted over closer to Carmella, making space for their companion to sit. The squirrel followed after him, begging for more food. Its ears twitched when Owen approached, and it fled after he sat down. ¡°Both of you are looking well,¡± Owen said as he sighed and stared at the sandwich in his hand, leaning back so he was facing the sky and holding it over his face. And it was true; compared to the rest of the army, Gerome and Carmella looked like they had been taking a stroll through a meadow while everyone else was crawling through mud. ¡°If you followed me, you¡¯d be less haggard-looking also,¡± Carmella said and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you try so hard if you know we¡¯re going to retreat every time. If you just hung near the back with us, you¡¯d also be the last one on the battlefield and first one to leave.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Owen said as he inhaled and sat up straight. ¡°Lady Raea and Lord Elrith both left. I can¡¯t disappoint the Caelum family¡¯s name any further. I have to give it my all every time to make up for them. If I can achieve something great, then perhaps the council will be more lenient when they catch them.¡± ¡°Do you really think the council will be able to catch them?¡± Gerome asked. ¡°Elrith¡¯s pretty strong, and Raea killed an archdemon, didn¡¯t she? If they did their best to resist, they should be fine.¡± Owen shook his head. ¡°They may have their lives, but their quality of life surely won¡¯t be as great,¡± he said. ¡°If I can get the council to offer amnesty, then that would be for the best. I¡¯ve already failed Lady Raea many times. I couldn¡¯t be there for her when Lady Selena died. This is the least I can do to make it up to her.¡± Carmella and Gerome looked at each other, and Carmella shook her head once. ¡°He probably hasn¡¯t,¡± she said and focused on eating her sandwich. ¡°Owen,¡± Gerome said with a furrowed brow. ¡°Have you heard the rumors?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Rumors?¡± Owen asked and snorted. ¡°If you have time to gossip, then you have time to focus on your training.¡± His gaze hardened as Palan¡¯s image flickered through his mind. He had to admit the demon was right about some things. ¡°Listening to rumors won¡¯t save your life in combat. Only training and experience will.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Elrith,¡± Gerome said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said?¡± Owen asked. ¡°They say he killed a lot of people and rampaged through the third and second sectors. Everyone¡¯s labeling him as a traitor,¡± Gerome said, ignoring Owen¡¯s question. ¡°Just this morning, a few people arrived from the rest stop southeast of here. They said that Elrith ordered a demon to rob them and threatened them before announcing the fact he was going to Ni¡¯En, so they better avoid that road or they won¡¯t be let off a second time.¡± Owen¡¯s sandwich exploded, splashing ketchup onto the floor. His hand trembled as the sandwich was compressed in his fist, veins bulging along his forearm. ¡°Palan?¡± he asked, practically growling. ¡°There is no way Lord Elrith would do something like that. Never.¡± ¡°The people are bitter,¡± Carmella said, talking while chewing. ¡°Their general abandoned them, and then they suffered loss after loss. I bet they thought there was no way Elrith would desert the army like that, but he did. They¡¯ll believe these rumors as well if only just to have someone to vent their frustrations on.¡± She shrugged. ¡°it¡¯s not fair, but that¡¯s life. Even if you manage to kill Solra by yourself, you won¡¯t be able to pardon Elrith. They say he¡¯s fallen¡ªhe¡¯s in too deep even if it wasn¡¯t his fault.¡± Owen threw his sandwich to the ground and wiped the remnants onto his pants. He closed his eyes and inhaled loudly, scaring away a bird that approached. His eyelids trembled as his hands clenched and unclenched. Gerome sidled closer to Carmella and away from Owen. ¡°Do you want to see Elrith?¡± Carmella asked. Owen¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°We can. It¡¯s easy.¡± Carmella pointed. ¡°All we have to do is jump over that wall right there and use your powers to help us travel underground where we won¡¯t be detected.¡± Owen¡¯s gaze followed Carmella¡¯s finger. The wall really was pitifully small. That was also part of the reason why their defense were terrible. Things would¡¯ve been different if Elrith was around to summon his fortress at every battle. ¡°They¡¯ll execute us,¡± Owen said. ¡°We¡¯ll die if we stay here,¡± Carmella said. ¡°The army¡¯s already lost a third of its numbers.¡± She didn¡¯t mention the fact that four archangels from the council were coming. It was Owen¡¯s fault for not listening to gossip. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± She didn¡¯t have any confidence in the archangels that were coming. Besides, she had other reasons for leaving the army. If she had Owen¡¯s assistance, it would be much easier to slip away. Owen stayed silent. ¡°Would you rather be beside Elrith and Raea, or would you rather throw your life away for a cause that¡¯s unrelated to you?¡± Owen¡¯s face darkened as he clasped his hands together and sat in silence. Finally, he said, ¡°We leave after dinner. What kind of caretaker would I be if my charges died before I did?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Carmella said and smiled. She resumed eating her sandwich as Owen got up to leave. Once he rounded a corner, the smile on Carmella¡¯s face disappeared. ¡°You¡¯re worried about your family?¡± Gerome asked. Carmella nodded as she chewed on her food. Gerome sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll find them. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯m sure they¡¯re alive and well. They must have gone further east when the city fell.¡± ¡°I pray that¡¯s the case,¡± Carmella said as she put down her sandwich. She wasn¡¯t hungry anymore. Chapter 193 The trip to Ni¡¯En was a peaceful one for Linda¡¯s carriage. The road was mostly empty, but they saw one intrepid caravan heading west. The two parties didn¡¯t exchange any words as they passed each other. Palan was sitting on top of Linda¡¯s carriage while Raea and Sally were flying in the sky. Raea wanted to practice her maneuvers, and Cleo practically forced Sally to accompany the fallen angel to conquer her fear of heights. Elrith was still sleeping even though the second sun was at its zenith. Cleo was hanging onto Linda¡¯s back, watching the greedy angel drive. This road was hillier than the other, and she had to focus some attention on accelerating and decelerating. ¡°Can I try?¡± Cleo asked as she tugged on Linda¡¯s ear, stealing a hairpin in the same motion. ¡°No,¡± Linda said as she slapped the lizardman¡¯s hand away. ¡°You need to be yay tall¡±¡ªshe drew a line in the air with her hand¡ª¡°to drive this carriage.¡± Cleo pouted and stood on Linda¡¯s shoulders, grabbing the angel¡¯s hair to maintain balance. ¡°I¡¯m taller than you,¡± she said. ¡°See? I can totally drive.¡± ¡°Get down from there,¡± Linda said as she shook her head. She stopped when her scalp went numb from Cleo¡¯s tugging. She sighed as Cleo settled back down in her previous position. ¡°But seriously, you need to have mana levels of a greater angel to drive this without getting exhausted.¡± ¡°I totally have that,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I¡¯m not called the Magnificent for nothing. Stand aside, plebian.¡± She crawled off Linda and nudged the angel¡¯s thighs with her scaly elbows. Linda shook her head, but stepped aside. It would be easier to let the lizardman try and disappoint herself than to explain it wasn¡¯t feasible. ¡°Give me instructions,¡± Cleo said as she crawled on top of the dashboard. She was too short to see the top if she stood on the floor of the carriage. ¡°Place your hand on it, then inject mana into the orb,¡± Linda said as she touched the orb. A blue light flowed from the metal into her hand, and the carriage slowed to a halt. ¡°Add mana to increase the speed, retract mana to lower it. Push the orb left or right to turn, but you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± The roads were straight after all. Footsteps could be heard on the roof as Palan walked to the front and dipped his head over the side. ¡°Why¡¯d we stop?¡± he asked. Danger Noodle¡¯s head appeared next to his. ¡°Your little friend wants to drive,¡± Linda said and snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not little!¡± Cleo said and hissed. She slammed her hand on top of the orb and furrowed her brows. The carriage screeched as the wheels stuttered before rolling. The carriage¡¯s acceleration caught Palan off guard, and he nearly fell off the roof. ¡°Hah! Suck it!¡± Cleo said as the carriage roared and sped along at three times Linda¡¯s fastest speed. The surrounding plains began to blur, and Linda had to grab onto a railing along the wall to prevent herself from falling over. ¡°Slow down!¡± Linda shouted as the carriage charged up a hill. ¡°We¡¯re going to flip over if you clear a hill this fast!¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Cleo frowned. ¡°But I like going fast,¡± she said while sighing. ¡°Admit I¡¯m a better driver than you. Then I¡¯ll slow down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re better! You¡¯re better!¡± Linda said as unease clutched her stomach. They were halfway up the hill, and Cleo looked like she had no intentions of stopping. ¡°Don¡¯t wreck my carriage!¡± Cleo nodded and squinted her eyes. Nothing happened. ¡°Err,¡± she said and scratched her head. ¡°How do I retract my mana?¡± Her head turned to look at Linda, who looked like she wanted to cry. ¡°How do you breathe!?¡± Linda shouted. ¡°You just do! It comes naturally!¡± Cleo frowned and rubbed her chin as she placed her hand back on the orb. Once again, nothing happened. The carriage was reaching the crest of the hill. Instead of slowing down, it began to speed up. Linda closed her eyes as a whimper escaped from her lips. She braced herself for the impact, crouching down and holding her arms over her head. She waited. And waited. And waited. Her brow furrowed as she lowered her arms and opened her eyes. Her mouth dropped open as she stood up. The carriage was flying. A layer of black light surrounded the carriage, enveloping all the wares and passengers, including herself. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Linda asked as she tentatively walked towards the front of the carriage. She looked down and confirmed the wheels were no longer touching the road. Even Cleo seemed to be a bit surprised, but the lizardman relaxed when she saw Palan¡¯s contorted face. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a genius,¡± Cleo said. Palan snorted. Cleo sighed. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s because Palan¡¯s a genius. He made the carriage lighter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m making it fall slower,¡± Palan said. ¡°Same difference,¡± Cleo said and shrugged. The carriage was gliding over the air, and Sally and Raea flew down to observe the situation. ¡°This is amazing,¡± Linda said as air rushed past her face, blowing her hair behind her. She didn¡¯t even notice her hairpin was missing. She looked up at Palan. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Is this pride?¡± Palan grunted. He never carried this much stuff with his power before. A boulder was easy enough to envelope with his power¡ªa carriage was different. His brow furrowed. ¡°If I can apply pride on this carriage, can I apply greed?¡± he asked. He licked his lips as he pictured an unstoppable battering ram. ¡°Huh,¡± Linda said. ¡°I never thought about that. Now I kind of want to try. Not that I¡¯m a fallen angel of greed or anything.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sally asked as she flew next to the carriage. This was a much more comfortable height for her to be flying at. ¡°I¡¯m an amazing driver,¡± Cleo said. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s going on.¡± A blue light escaped from the orb and entered Cleo¡¯s skin. ¡°I figured out how to retract my mana.¡± The carriage was starting to approach ground level. ¡°Can I try?¡± Sally asked. ¡°Only people with great powers can drive this,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you could,¡± Linda said and furrowed her brow. ¡°What virtue are you?¡± ¡°Amazingness? Duh?¡± Cleo hopped off the dashboard. The carriage touched down, and Palan released his powers while Sally entered the carriage. ¡°So how do I do this?¡± she asked. Cleo explained the mechanism, and Sally placed her foot on top of the orb. Her brow furrowed, and the carriage lurched forward but quickly came to a stop. The harpy pouted as she lowered her leg. Cleo pat Sally¡¯s butt feathers. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Cleo said. ¡°One day, you¡¯ll be as awesome as me. But not today. Try eating more angels.¡± Sally sighed and glanced at Elrith. The archangel managed to sleep through the whole thing. She nodded to herself. One day, she¡¯d be able to stand on equal grounds as him. Clearly, her sin was cowardice. How could she enforce that? By sticking next to a strong person who could protect her from all her fears of course. She vowed to never leave Elrith¡¯s side, and hopped over to the sleeping angel before glomming onto him. Chapter 194 Linda resumed driving the carriage, refusing to let Cleo touch the dashboard despite the lizardman¡¯s protests. The remaining ride to Ni¡¯En was uneventful: Linda drove at a steady pace, empty plains with a few trees lay on either side of the road, and the group encountered no one else along the way. The first sun was beginning to set by the time the city came into view. Unlike the first city they went to, there was no river or boats crossing through Ni¡¯En; however, it was just as big and had an almost equal amount of buildings. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed as he pinched his nose¡ªthe air smelled filthy. The desert in Eljiam never smelled as bad as this even when a slaughter took place. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Linda asked, noticing the discomfort in Palan¡¯s tail. Danger Noodle was writhing about on the roof of the carriage, coiling and uncoiling its body. ¡°He¡¯s not good with crowds,¡± Cleo said, bringing the greedy angel¡¯s attention towards the back of the carriage. ¡°I thought we were going somewhere less occupied.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t heavily occupied,¡± Linda said as she pursed her lips. She wanted to tell the lizardman to step away from her wares, but she had no reason to. Somehow, the carriage looked less full than before. ¡°Although some people have fled here seeking refuge, I think a greater number of people would have left. The army made an announcement to retreat as far east as possible.¡± ¡°It smells like crap,¡± Palan said as he crawled off the roof and into the carriage. ¡°Well, that¡¯s what happens when you stick thousands of people together without diligence angels,¡± Linda said and shrugged. ¡°Poop has to go somewhere. There aren¡¯t enough diligence angels in the second sector to dig deep pits. It doesn¡¯t smell nearly as bad in the first sector.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Palan said. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and enter the first sector then.¡± ¡°Is that the plan?¡± Linda asked, turning her head towards Elrith. The archangel had woken up along the trip and was slightly confused by Sally¡¯s clinginess. He found it odd, but it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling to be wanted. ¡°The sooner the better,¡± Elrith said as he looked towards Raea. During the week they had traveled in the second sector before they met Linda, Raea had told him about her transformations. They came to the conclusion that her body changed because of her contract with Palan, and the metamorphosis was triggered by Palan¡¯s own evolution. Elrith wasn¡¯t looking forward to seeing what Raea would turn into if Palan became an archdemon, and if he could somehow break apart their contract before that happened, he would. Perhaps Raea would even revert back to her previous form. He had no evidence, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to hope that was the case.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Linda sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose we can stay here for a few days as I sell my goods?¡± she asked. ¡°No one wants your goods,¡± Cleo grumbled as a pair of socks disappeared from the carriage. Her tail thumped against the floor. ¡°They¡¯re too overpriced.¡± ¡°Are you still bitter that I¡¯m not letting you drive?¡± Linda asked as a wrinkle appeared in her forehead. ¡°No,¡± Cleo said, her tail thumping against the floor again. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± She snorted and turned her head to the side while closing her eyes. Her arms crossed over her chest. Linda ignored Cleo and turned towards Elrith. ¡°It¡¯s really up to Raea. Personally, I prefer we leave as fast as possible since someone insists on announcing our location everywhere we go,¡± Elrith said and glared at Palan before looking at Raea. ¡°Ray?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we come to Ni¡¯En for Palan to adapt?¡± Raea asked and pursed her lips. ¡°And I really don¡¯t think the council can spare any archangels to chase after us when Solra¡¯s army is basically over in the next town. Besides, would they really believe rumors that we spread ourselves? I think it should be fine if we stayed a few days¡ªLinda has helped us out a lot.¡± She turned towards Palan. ¡°Sorry, Palan. I know cities make you uncomfortable, but you have to adapt or we¡¯ll never make it through the first sector. We can¡¯t have you killing everyone you see because of your instincts.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t Elrith just dig a tunnel all the way through?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to do that,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°That¡¯s too much to ask for. The first sector is wider than the third and second combined.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°Just how big are the sectors?¡± he asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t Selena make it through the second and third in one day? Why are we taking so much longer compared to her?¡± Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed at the mention of her sister¡¯s name. Elrith cleared his throat and said, ¡°She ran her horse to death. Also, we haven¡¯t been going in a straight line. We made detours to avoid the checkpoint in the third sector, and I¡¯ve been zigzagging through parks in the second because you dislike cities.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Palan asked. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you can¡¯t dig a tunnel as fast as a horse can run?¡± ¡°There are a lot of factors to consider while digging a tunnel,¡± Elrith said and snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t have a right to comment until you dig one for yourself.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll adapt to your stupid cities. I can just stay on the carriage the whole time, right?¡± ¡°I mean,¡± Raea said and tilted her head, ¡°I guess that¡¯s an option.¡± She paused. ¡°Actually, that would be for the best. We didn¡¯t have a carriage the first time. I think you¡¯d do a lot better with a barrier between you and the city.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Linda said. ¡°So we¡¯re staying for a few days? Most of my things were meant to be sold to the army, but I suppose they could sell just as well to civilians.¡± The carriage approached the city as the first sun disappeared over the horizon. Unlike the first city the group arrived at, there were no guards stationed at Ni¡¯En. There was one watchtower at the gate, but it was empty. ¡°Huh,¡± Linda muttered as the carriage rolled through the gate, entering the city. ¡°Looks like a lot of people already evacuated.¡± The streets were mostly empty, but a few angels could be seen walking with bags that contained food. Linda shrugged. ¡°Then again, it is nighttime. It should be different in the morning.¡± Chapter 195 The next morning, a ray of sunlight shone through the window of the carriage and onto Linda¡¯s face. Her eyes fluttered as she yawned and rolled over before stretching out her legs and arms. She exhaled as her eyes opened and brushed her hair out of her face. ¡°Good morning, world,¡± she said as she threw off the blanket and sat upright. Her brow slightly furrowed when she realized Cleo wasn¡¯t in bed with her even though she clearly remembered the lizardman sneaking in last night. She looked around and saw Raea beginning to stir. Elrith was lying face-up staring at the ceiling¡ªdark bags once again decorated his face underneath his eyes. Sally was lying face-down on the ex-general with her head nestled against his chest. Palan was nowhere to be found. ¡°Good morning,¡± Elrith whispered to Linda. His voice was hoarse. ¡°The hell is wrong with you?¡± Linda asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep or something?¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± Elrith whispered before looking down at Sally. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping¡ªhe couldn¡¯t bear to wake her up. Usually, she¡¯d have a frightened expression on her face. It was only when she was sleeping that he could see her so relaxed. ¡°Been up all night then?¡± Linda asked as she smoothed out her hair and made herself presentable before putting on her veil. The carriage was parked in the center of the town where the market would open. She looked outside the window and saw a couple of merchants opening up their stalls. They were selling fruits and vegetables. ¡°Looks like I don¡¯t have any competition for clothes.¡± She turned around to inspect her wares, deciding on what to sell. ¡°Where¡¯s Palan?¡± Raea asked as she sat up and cleared the crud out of her eyes. She recalled waking up at night because he got up, but she fell back asleep without asking where he was going. ¡°I thought I heard him leave,¡± Elrith said. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t sure and couldn¡¯t get up to check.¡± Sally was beginning to show signs of waking up. Her eyelids trembled, causing a smile to bloom on Elrith¡¯s face. For the briefest of moments, he finally understood why Cleo stood over people and stared at them when they woke up. The door to the carriage swung open. ¡°Rise and shine!¡± Cleo shouted from Palan¡¯s shoulder. There were smudges of dried blood on her cheeks. ¡°Wakey, wakey! Up and at ¡®em!¡± She looked around. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re all already awake.¡± She hopped off of Palan¡¯s shoulder and began to whistle as she ambled through the carriage, leaving bloody footprints on the floor. No one noticed though because they were all staring at Palan. Sally groaned as she turned her head to look at the demon. She screamed. Dried blood caked Palan¡¯s forearms, face, and tail. There were a few spatters on his torso, and his pants had stains as well. His hands dripped fresh blood. ¡°What?¡¯ Palan asked as he closed the door behind himself, leaving a bloody handprint on the wood.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Are you injured?¡± Raea asked after a moment. Linda and Elrith were still grasping for words. ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°Even if I was, what could you do?¡± He tilted his head before yawning and walking over to a corner of the carriage. His feet left bloody footprints on the floor like Cleo. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. Palan shrugged. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± he said. ¡°There was something unsettling about having no safe havens, so I decided to clear some areas out in case we needed a place to hide.¡± ¡°There were merchants outside,¡± Linda said as she whirled around and looked out the window. ¡°I¡¯ll be implicated if they report this!¡± She scanned the surroundings, but it was empty except for a few bloodstains on the ground near all the stalls. ¡°I know when to leave witnesses and when not to,¡± Palan said and snorted as he rolled his eyes. He approached Cleo who had pulled out a bucket of water to wash herself off, humming the whole time as the water turned red. She didn¡¯t really care if Linda knew her powers, not after seeing what Palan did last night. Her tail swished back and forth as she began to clean Danger Noodle with a wet towel. ¡°I¡¯m a monster,¡± Elrith said, his face pale. Sally hid behind Elrith as the two watched Palan and Cleo clean themselves. They were getting the floor wet, but Linda didn¡¯t say anything. She had seen Palan kill travelers in the rest stop the other night, but that brought a very different feeling. Just a few minutes ago, she was planning the words she was going to say to the two merchants outside. Now, they were dead and gone without a trace. They didn¡¯t even scream. ¡°What about the bloody footprints?¡± Linda said. Her face was pale underneath her veil. ¡°I hovered to the carriage,¡± Palan said as he scrubbed bits of flesh out of his nails. ¡°Quit worrying. Even if we¡¯re found and chased by archangels, I created those safe havens for a reason.¡± ¡°By creating safe havens¡­,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°You know exactly what he means, Ray,¡± Elrith said as his hands curled into fists. ¡°He slaughtered people. And by the sheer amount of blood on his body, it looks like he slaughtered a lot of people. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you¡¯d die if Palan died, I¡¯d seriously try to kill him right now. He¡¯s a monster. A demon. He needs to be treated like one.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you awfully cheerful today,¡± Palan said to Elrith. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I didn¡¯t leave behind any witnesses. Sometimes people just die due to natural causes.¡± ¡°Murder isn¡¯t a natural cause of death,¡± Elrith said. ¡°It is in Eljiam,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°I thought cities paralyzed your senses,¡± Elrith said. ¡°How were you so carefree and able to do something like this?¡± Sally wrapped her wings around Elrith¡¯s trembling body, burying her face in the space between his neck and shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s different when everyone¡¯s asleep,¡± Palan said. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous how carefree you angels are. There were only two people who woke up when I broke into their dwellings.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of creating a witch-hunt?¡± Elrith asked. ¡°You were afraid of everyone attacking you in the first city. Now, they have a reason to.¡± ¡°Do you not understand the concept of a safe haven?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°I created them so we¡¯d have a place to escape to if people did decide to attack us.¡± ¡°People wouldn¡¯t attack us if you didn¡¯t slaughter others to create safe havens!¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Palan said and shook his head as screams began to punctuate the surroundings. The city was beginning to wake up, and the residents were terrified by what they found. Palan sighed. ¡°Cities are so noisy during the day.¡± Chapter 196 + 197 A group of golden-robed angels stood in a circle on the corner of a street. One angel was lying down in the center, his body curled up in the fetal position on the ground. His face was green, and sweat poured from his forehead, darkening his robes. A sweet smell lingered around his body, and it was getting stronger with every passing second. An angel wearing red robes with black linings furrowed his brow as he broke through the encirclement of golden-robed angels. A figure wearing a cloak that obscured its face followed after him. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you healed him yet?¡± the red-robed angel asked. ¡°Mayor,¡± one of the golden-robed angels said and saluted. ¡°Lori tried, but she was unable to remove the poison from his system. Lori¡¯s a greater angel of kindness¡ªthe poison must come from an archangel or archdemon.¡± The mayor¡¯s brow wrinkled as Lori nodded her head, indicating that the angel who just spoke was telling the truth. ¡°Explain to me what happened,¡± he said as he looked up and past the group of angels. Behind them, there was an alleyway with four spikes planted in the ground with a head impaled on each of them. The mayor¡¯s face paled at the sight. The alley seemed darker than usual, and he could barely make out the image of a broken door leading into a building. ¡°We were following orders and went ahead to investigate, but Rolf stepped on something and became like this,¡± one of the angels said, gesturing towards the dying angel on the ground. ¡°We decided to wait for further orders before proceeding. Apparently, other groups of guardians have encountered similar situations all throughout the city.¡± The mayor exhaled and peeled his eyes away from the bloody sight, hanging his head and rubbing his hand against his temple. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a murder in Ni¡¯En for fourteen years, and now this happens?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Is it the rebels sowing chaos? They¡¯ve certainly done a good job at that.¡± ¡°That could be the case. They know they can¡¯t beat us in direct conflict, so they sow seeds in the surrounding cities to undermine our power,¡± Lori said. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder why our army is traveling from city to city.¡± The mayor sighed. ¡°Honestly, this is beyond what I can deal with,¡± he said. ¡°If even the guardians are unable to investigate safely, I¡¯ll have to request help from the capital.¡± ¡°Territory,¡± the cloaked figure said suddenly. The mayor frowned and turned around, facing his follower. ¡°Pardon?¡± he asked. ¡°Someone¡¯s claiming territory,¡± the cloaked figure said. The figure raised its lowered head, revealing a pair of bright-red eyes. He wore a metal collar with runes inscribed on the surface. ¡°Huh?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°Like a dog?¡± The mayor¡¯s demon snorted. ¡°Like a demon,¡± he said. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Or a pair of demons. The owner isn¡¯t looking for a mate. He or she¡¯s telling everyone to leave or face the consequences.¡± ¡°So this demon is establishing Ni¡¯En as his home?¡± the mayor asked, his face darkening. ¡°Or pair of demons,¡± the demon said. ¡°Either they¡¯re very confident, or they¡¯re stupid.¡± The demon¡¯s eyes seemed to glow as he spoke in a voice filled with worship. ¡°A demon that wants to claim an entire city of angels as their own roost must be an incredible figure.¡± ¡°Then this display,¡± Lori said and gestured towards the bloody alleyway, ¡°is like a dog peeing on a tree?¡± Her hands trembled as they clenched into fists. ¡°People lost their lives for that?¡± The demon completely disregarded Lori as if he hadn¡¯t heard her speak. The mayor sighed and said, ¡°Answer her.¡± The demon shrugged. ¡°You could say that,¡± he said as a sneer formed on his face. ¡°It¡¯s also a challenge. If you can clean the marker away, the demon might acknowledge you and appear.¡± The demon licked his lips. ¡°Is that true?¡± Lori asked, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Of course,¡± the demon said with a gleam in his eyes. He had seen dozens of territory markers similar to this one back in Eljiam. They were deathtraps that only the owners knew how to navigate. Only a fool or animal would wander into one thinking there was something nice inside. ¡°If you want to catch the killer, you have to clear the marker and figure out the puzzle at the end. Maybe he won¡¯t appear until all of the ones in the city have been cleared.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lori said as her head lowered. ¡°I never knew demons had such perverse hobbies.¡± One of the angels next to her placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°You can¡¯t be considering this,¡± he said. ¡°Do you know how dangerous this is?¡± ¡°If not us, then who?¡± Lori asked, meeting her coworker¡¯s gaze. ¡°The citizens? My cousin was the one who reported this scene. She¡¯s lived here all her life, and she¡¯s considering leaving everything behind to move east. It¡¯s our duty as guardians to keep the people who depend on us safe.¡± ¡°An archdemon, Lori,¡± the golden-robed angel said. ¡°We can barely suppress a greater demon as a group. How are we going to catch an archdemon?¡± ¡°We can do it if we all work together,¡± Lori said and furrowed her brow. ¡°If all the guardians in Ni¡¯En cooperated, we could definitely stop an archangel or archdemon, but only if we work together. We can¡¯t let fear divide us.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The mayor turned towards his demon. ¡°What are your thoughts on this? Tell the truth,¡± he said. The demon smiled, revealing a row of sharp yellow teeth. ¡°I sincerely hope you do your best to conquer the territory markers,¡± he said. ¡°And any demon can be stopped if you have a large enough number of people.¡± Whether he thought there were enough guardians or not, he didn¡¯t say. ¡°Of course, there is the possibility that this is all a bluff. The demon could be nervous and hopes that a show of power is enough of a deterrent to keep you from looking for him. He could¡¯ve created these as places to retreat to in times of danger.¡± ¡°You hear that?¡± Lori asked the angel standing next to her. ¡°It could just be a bluff. You think the rebel army has archdemons to spare to terrorize some minor cities?¡± ¡°Why is that the only part that you heard?¡± her companion asked and pursed his lips. Lori shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m going to clear this marker out,¡± she said. ¡°And if any of you have a shred of honor, you¡¯d help me.¡± She steeled herself before marching past the four impaled heads and towards the broken door leading into the building. The other guardians exchanged glances before looking at the mayor. The mayor sighed. ¡°Go,¡± he said. ¡°Proceed with utmost caution.¡± Chapter 197 Three cloaked figures rode horses along the road leading to Ni¡¯En from the rest stop that Linda¡¯s carriage had resided in. They were riding side by side with their legs nearly touching, the yellow moonlight paving their path. The figure in the center turned his head to the left. ¡°How long were you planning this for?¡± he asked. Carmella met Owen¡¯s gaze. ¡°Ever since I joined the army,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s no glory in death. Why would anyone stay to die for a cause? It¡¯s not like we get paid more when the risk of dying gets higher. That¡¯s just a shitty investment to make.¡± ¡°So you planted these horses that far in advance?¡± Gerome asked from across Owen. When the trio had arrived at the rest stop, there were three horses conveniently tied to a stable with a bag of food nearby which now rested on Carmella¡¯s lap. ¡°No,¡± Carmella said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d find free horses at the rest stop, but there¡¯s no reason to refuse a nice gift, right?¡± They had traveled for three days by foot to make it to the rest stop from Marossa. Every time they heard a carriage, they had to duck down and take cover underneath Owen¡¯s makeshift bulwark. Thankfully, there weren¡¯t many carriages heading in that direction. ¡°So I¡¯ve also become a thief,¡± Owen said and sighed. ¡°We¡¯re just borrowing them,¡± Carmella said. ¡°We¡¯ll release them when we¡¯re done. If they don¡¯t return to their owner, then it means he was abusive and we did the horses a favor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny how you can twist every wrongdoing into a righteous deed,¡± Owen said as he narrowed his eyes at Carmella. She shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s what angels do best,¡± she said and smiled. ¡°I learned from my environment.¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Owen said and shook his head. He hated arguing with her because he always found himself on the losing end. ¡°Do you think Lady Raea is still in Ni¡¯En?¡± Although he disliked Carmella¡¯s morals, he couldn¡¯t deny her ability to analyze a situation. ¡°Well,¡± Carmella said and furrowed her brow. ¡°I really can¡¯t say anything because we¡¯ve been isolated from news, but I want to say she¡¯s still there. Just call it a hunch. Clearly she wanted to be found by someone; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have spread those rumors in the first place. We¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± The first sun reached its zenith by the time the trio arrived at Ni¡¯En. ¡°Holy crap,¡± Gerome said as the three entered the city. ¡°It¡¯s crowded.¡± The streets were filled with angels, and they were all dressed in armor. The quality of the metal wasn¡¯t as good as the army¡¯s, but they were still usable. ¡°What?¡± Carmella asked as she lowered her hood. ¡°Never been to a real city before?¡± They had released the horses at the gate. ¡°The ones the army occupied don¡¯t count,¡± she said before Gerome could say anything. His mouth closed after that comment. Carmella looked around and frowned. ¡°Something special must be happening.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s a good chance of Lady Raea being here,¡± Owen said as his face darkened. ¡°Special things always happen around her demon.¡± Carmella nodded and approached a nearby angel. She tapped him on the shoulder and smiled when he turned around. ¡°Hello, we¡¯re travelers,¡± she said and gestured towards Owen and Gerome. ¡°Is anything special happening? I don¡¯t recall Ni¡¯En ever being this busy before.¡± The angel glanced at the trio¡¯s dusty bodies. They had discarded their armor when they left Marossa. Anyone could recognize them as deserters if they kept wearing the army¡¯s emblem. ¡°Well, these dungeons¡±¡ªthe angel air quoted with his fingers¡ª¡°cropped up all over the city, and the mayor is offering a reward to everyone who clears one. They¡¯re really simple, but if you touch something wrong, you get some nasty poison in your system. A few people have died.¡± ¡°Dungeons?¡± Carmella asked as she tiptoed. She couldn¡¯t see beyond the crowd. ¡°How do you clear one?¡± The angel stared hard at Carmella before scratching his head. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t want to scare you¡­,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen some things,¡± Carmella said, beckoning for the angel to continue. ¡°There¡¯s a bunch of body parts inside of these dungeons,¡± the angel said with a grimace. ¡°They belong to the owners of the buildings actually. Clearing a dungeon just means removing the fleshy bits from inside and destroying any traps you encounter along the way.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Carmella said and lowered her head. ¡°How long has it been since these dungeons started appearing?¡± ¡°Three or four days,¡± the angel said. ¡°Two or three pop up every night. There¡¯s been a mass exodus recently. Everyone¡¯s scared, can¡¯t blame them really.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Carmella said and nodded. ¡°Thank you. That was very informative.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Carmella exchange glances with Owen and Gerome before walking past the crowd. They saw bloody spikes around the entrance to a small shop. The air smelled like rotting flesh. And poop, but it always smelled like poop. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet half my kidney that that¡¯s Palan¡¯s doing,¡± Carmella said as they made their way through the city. ¡°Let¡¯s get something to eat. I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°While it¡¯s reassuring to know Lady Raea and her demon are here,¡± Owen said, ¡°I¡¯m worried about the consequences something like this will bring. The council will never forgive something of this scale. Murdering people and terrorizing a city, I don¡¯t even want to think of how many counts of execution that adds up to.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No one has to find out,¡± Carmella said and shrugged. ¡°I have no plans of telling anyone. Long ago, I made the decision to not piss Palan off. He¡¯s really good at torturing people. At least the council¡¯s nice enough to give people a quick, clean death.¡± *** Two angels, one male and one female, stood in front of the gate leading to Ni¡¯En. They both wore silver robes with golden embroidery on the sides and sleeves. They were standing close enough to be recognized as traveling together, but far enough so that they were just out of arm¡¯s reach from each other. The woman turned her head to look at the man. ¡°Do you think the rumors are true?¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to do this,¡± the man said as he met her gaze, ¡°but it¡¯ll be less painful the quicker we deal with the problem.¡± The woman sighed, and they both stepped inside the city. Chapter 198 Palan hummed as he gnawed on a bony piece of meat while holding a metal rod in his hands. The rod glowed green, and bits of it were corroding off, dropping into a pouch by his feet. He was sitting cross-legged in the carriage with Cleo standing beside him, watching him create toxic weapons. Dark-green mist swirled around his arms, rushing towards the metal rod while Raea sat in a corner, her face slightly pale. The mist dispersed, and Palan nodded at his handiwork before handing the green rod to Cleo who stored it in her space. He kept the bag of powder for himself. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you this cheerful before,¡± Elrith said to Palan. Sally had her wings draped over the archangel¡¯s shoulders, her legs wrapped around his waist. He hadn¡¯t been able to convince her to let go, but he really didn¡¯t mind. It felt nice to share her warmth, and her legs were fluffy. ¡°Cities aren¡¯t all that scary,¡± Palan said as he took another rod that Cleo handed him. ¡°They¡¯re quite fun actually¡ªonce you get past the smell and deafness and lack of all senses but sight. It¡¯s also reassuring to know that most of the people out there aren¡¯t greater angels. They can¡¯t hurt me if I fly into the air and sprinkle poison on them.¡± ¡°Sprinkle and poison shouldn¡¯t be used in the same sentence,¡± Raea said as she made a face. She put down the donut in her hands and sighed. During the past three days, she managed to drag Palan outside and went shopping with him. There was a sense of accomplishment when she made it back without anyone dying. Raea raised her head and looked at Palan. ¡°You adapted really quickly.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t adapt, you die,¡± Palan said as more mist swirled out of his arms. Raea didn¡¯t flinch or gasp for breath like she usually did when Palan drew on her powers. The more he used them, the more comfortable she felt. ¡°Adapting was simple. I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t make it simple the first time?¡± Elrith grumbled. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be wanted if you didn¡¯t kill those guardians.¡± Palan shrugged and continued making toxic spears. The door to the carriage swung open. Linda stepped inside and shut the door behind herself, leaning her back against the handle. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°I just heard something that you might want to hear as well.¡± Everyone turned to look at Linda. ¡°Two archangels arrived in Ni¡¯En: Lord Caelum and Lady Caelum. Your parents.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elrith and Raea asked at the same time. Linda nodded. ¡°They ordered a lockdown of the city. No one¡¯s allowed in or out,¡± she said. ¡°Our parents!?¡± Raea asked, nearly shrieking. Palan furrowed his brow and scratched his head. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose I¡¯m allowed to eat them?¡± he asked. ¡°No!¡± Elrith said as he and Raea glared at Palan. ¡°What do we do?¡± Raea asked Elrith. She bit her lower lip as her hands clenched into fists. The donut by her feet combusted into ashes. ¡°Why would Mom and Dad come out? They haven¡¯t left the capital in decades!¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°This is all your fault!¡± Elrith shouted at Palan. Sally flinched, causing Elrith to pause and lower his voice. ¡°You and your stupid plan. Is becoming an archdemon that important to you? We could¡¯ve avoided this and we still would¡¯ve made it to the capital if only you just kept your damn mouth shut. We could¡¯ve turned Raea back to normal with our parents being none the wiser.¡± ¡°Are your parents that scary?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you archangels as well? It should be a fair fight, no?¡± ¡°They¡¯re our parents!¡± Elrith said. ¡°We¡¯re not going to fight them!¡± He looked towards Raea, but she didn¡¯t show any sign of agreeing with him. ¡°Raea?¡± Raea shuddered. ¡°What if they¡¯re here to kill me?¡± she asked. Her frame seemed to shrink as her face blanched. She looked at Elrith with wide eyes. ¡°They must¡¯ve heard about me from General Michael. They know I¡¯m fallen. They¡¯re here to kill me.¡± She took a step back as she hugged her shoulders and hunched over. Her body lurched, and a stream of vomit flew out of her mouth. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t kill you, Ray,¡± Elrith said as he furrowed his brow. ¡°They¡¯re not here to hurt you. They¡¯re our parents. Sure, they¡¯ll be disappointed, and maybe they¡¯ll berate us, but we can explain to them and they¡¯ll listen. They could even help us fulfill your contract with Palan.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he the one who was panicking the most just a second ago?¡± Cleo whispered to Palan. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be all right,¡± Elrith said as he stepped closer to Raea. ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± Raea said as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She crouched into a ball and wrapped her wings around herself. ¡°They¡¯re here to kill me¡ªI can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it!¡± She let out a screech as she grabbed her own hair. The carriage burst into flames, and Linda swore as she dove towards her merchandise. Thankfully, she sold the most expensive items of her stock the day before. Cleo grabbed Linda and dragged her out of the carriage. Elrith and Sally came out next. Palan frowned as the heat of the flames caused his skin to blister. A layer of oily light covered his body as he used Raea¡¯s powers of greed to protect himself from the flames. He ran towards Raea and lifted her up, despite her protests, bringing her out of the carriage. Screams echoed throughout the vicinity as the black flames began to spread from the carriage to the nearby stalls and to the buildings behind them. Palan brushed Raea¡¯s wings aside, and placed his hand under her chin. He tilted her face upwards until they made eye contact. ¡°Are you going to fight your parents?¡± he asked. ¡°If not, we need to get out of here.¡± He had confidence in his plan when he created it, but now, he wasn¡¯t so sure. Elrith was unwilling to help, and Raea was practically paralyzed with fear. She reminded Palan of himself during the times when he was younger and had to hide underground because of his mother¡¯s episodes. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Raea whispered. Her body trembled in Palan¡¯s embrace. Palan frowned. ¡°Weren¡¯t you strong? Aren¡¯t you angry at your parents? They abandoned you in the borderlands. They were going to execute you when you fell. What would Selena think if she saw you like this?¡± he asked. ¡°She lost her life so you could have this power to stand up for yourself. Does her life mean this little to you?¡± Palan set Raea on her feet and grabbed her hands, preventing her from falling. ¡°I, I won¡¯t run,¡± Raea said, her voice shaky. Her face was pale, and the sweat in her palms made Palan¡¯s hands slick. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said as her wings unfurled. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should be angry. I¡¯ve never stood up against my parents, but I should¡¯ve a long time ago. I won¡¯t let them kill me. This life is mine.¡± ¡°Why are you talking about fighting?¡± Elrith asked, shouting over the roaring flames. ¡°When we see them, let me do the talking. I can convince them to help us. If you start off by attacking them, there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll listen to anything we say.¡± ¡°Is that them?¡± Cleo asked and pointed at a road. The black flames were parting, and two figures dressed in silver robes were walking towards them. Chapter 199 Elrith sucked in his breath as he turned towards the two approaching figures. A dome of air slowly formed over the marketplace as swirling winds pushed the black flames back. Elrith lowered his head and said, ¡°Mom. Dad.¡± The flames continued to burn, but it was completely silent inside of the dome. The other merchants had fled long ago. ¡°Elrith,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said. She continued walking towards her child at a steady pace. A frown appeared on her face when she saw Sally clinging to Elrith¡¯s body. The frown deepened when she saw Raea. A tiny wrinkle formed on her brow. ¡°You are Raea?¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Raea said as she squeezed Palan¡¯s hand. Her body was trembling. ¡°Then the rumors were true?¡± Raea¡¯s father asked as he narrowed his eyes at Raea. ¡°You have fallen? But what happened to your appearance? There was no mention of wings in Elrith¡¯s letter. Even Abaddon looked nothing like a monster when he fell.¡± Raea bit her lip and turned towards Elrith. He wanted to do the talking, so she¡¯d give him this chance. A spark of resentment flared up, causing her chest and neck to itch and burn. She had forgotten about the letter Elrith sent her parents so long ago. Elrith wet his lips as he raised his head. With all that happened in the past few months, he had also forgotten that he sent a letter to his parents explaining Raea¡¯s situation when he first found her. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about her appearance for a moment,¡± he said. ¡°What are you two doing in the second sector? We weren¡¯t expecting to see you here.¡± ¡°When you hear your youngest child became a fallen angel and your oldest child deserted the army to accompany her, you would want to see them in person as well,¡± Raea¡¯s father said, his voice monotonous. ¡°It reflects badly on us when you make mistakes. Did you consider that before you left the army?¡± Elrith¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Honestly, I did not,¡± he said. ¡°I was thinking of what was best for Raea. I couldn¡¯t leave her alone by herself after Selena died. Do you have any solution for Raea¡¯s situation? I remember I wrote to you and asked for help, but you never replied.¡± ¡°I did some research,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said before her husband could speak, ¡°but there was nothing conclusive. There were a few angels in the past who adopted demon-like characteristics, but nothing in the texts mentioned if they turned back to normal.¡± She turned towards Raea. ¡°Are you an archangel now?¡± Raea nodded. Her wings started to droop, but Palan tickled her palm with his thumb, causing her to straighten her back. Cleo and Linda were inching towards the edge of the dome, and Raea¡¯s mother waved her hand, creating a safe passage to cross the black flames. Linda and Cleo exchanged glances before scrambling through while Linda shouted her thanks. ¡°There is no need to air our dirty laundry in front of outsiders,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said when her husband turned and raised an eyebrow at her. Raea¡¯s father nodded in response. ¡°So that¡¯s what I am in your eyes? Dirty laundry?¡± Raea asked, her eyes narrowing. The black flames nearby started to press against the dome of wind. Elrith swore in his head before taking a step forward. Sally shuddered and clung onto Elrith¡¯s body tighter. ¡°I know Raea and I have committed crimes that are punishable by death, but you¡¯ll forgive us, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Raea can turn back¡ªbecome a pure angel instead of a fallen one. I can beg to rejoin the army. If I contribute greatly to the current war, they¡¯ll make an exception for me.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Raea¡¯s mother tugged on her husband¡¯s sleeve. ¡°If Raea does convert back into a pure angel, the capital will greatly benefit from another archangel,¡± she said. ¡°We can give her another chance, can¡¯t we?¡± Raea¡¯s father pursed his lips and didn¡¯t respond. He looked at Elrith. ¡°What¡¯s that thing on your back?¡± he asked and took a step forward. ¡°It¡¯s filthy. Get rid of it.¡± He turned to look at Raea. ¡°And you. How long are you going to hold onto his hand? You already look like a demon; do you want to become one that badly?¡± ¡°Looks like parents aren¡¯t that different no matter what culture they¡¯re from,¡± Palan said and licked his lips. Raea¡¯s face darkened, and black flames began to circle around her feet, singeing the ground. ¡°Well?¡± Raea¡¯s father asked Elrith who had a dazed expression. Lightning flashed in the sky as black clouds began to gather above the dome. ¡°Her name¡¯s Sally,¡± Elrith said and furrowed his brow. ¡°She¡¯s a harpy.¡± ¡°The Caelums don¡¯t use halflings as slaves,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. Sally¡¯s eyes widened as all of her feathers fluffed outwards. Her body began to shake uncontrollably as her heart pounded in her chest. Every cell in her body screamed at her to run, to flee, to get as far away from that man as possible. Her legs squeezed and her talons clenched, digging into Elrith¡¯s sides and drawing blood. Elrith winced. ¡°She¡¯s not a slave,¡± he said. His father took another step forward. ¡°Then what is she? A pet?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my companion,¡± Elrith said and straightened his back. He ignored the pain in his sides as he stared down his father. ¡°Ridiculous,¡± his father said. ¡°It¡¯s clear that Raea has been a bad influence on you. You wrote us saying she had a problem with making halflings as friends. Are you not doing the same thing?¡± A red bolt of lightning manifested in his right hand. ¡°It seems I will have to separate you from Raea until she returns back to normal. But for now, I should remove the negative influences in your life.¡± The lightning flashed through the air, heading towards Sally¡¯s head which was peering over Elrith¡¯s shoulder. Elrith¡¯s eyes widened as he shouted. He stomped his feet against the ground, causing a wall of earth to rise out of the ground, but the lightning bolt was already past the wall by the time it fully formed. Elrith gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and leapt to the side, fully intent on blocking the lightning with his body. The expected shock didn¡¯t come, but he did crash to the ground. Sally¡¯s screams rang in his ears, causing Elrith¡¯s eyes to flash open. ¡°What the hell?¡± he asked as he climbed off the ground. He was standing in the middle of a forest, surrounded by vegetation. The only sounds that could be heard were Sally¡¯s screams and crickets chirping. A few birds flew into the air. ¡°Are you alright, Sally?¡± Elrith asked as he turned his head to look over his shoulder. ¡°It hurts!¡± Sally said. ¡°It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!¡± Her legs and wings released Elrith, and she fell to the ground, her body convulsing. Sweat poured from her head, but other than that, Elrith couldn¡¯t see anything visibly wrong with her. Elrith bit his lower lip and lifted Sally, inspecting her body for injuries, but there weren¡¯t any. If anything, she seemed like someone who overdrafted their mana. And what happened to the city? Was he in an illusion right now? He hugged Sally to his chest, and rubbed her back until her screams reduced to whimpers. ¡°Where are we?¡± Sally whimpered as a shudder ran through her body. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elrith said as his brow furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s the last thing you remember?¡± ¡°The lightning bolt,¡± Sally said. ¡°It was coming closer and closer, and I really wanted to get us away. You leapt to the side, and then the scenery changed. Then pain. Lots of pain.¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°It hurts so much.¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like we¡¯re in an illusion or any immediate danger,¡± Elrith said as he summoned a pillar of earth beneath his feet. The duo rose into the air until they could see over all the trees. Off in the distance, Elrith could barely make out the outline of a red wall. He bit his lower lip. ¡°I think we¡¯re in the borderlands¡­.¡± Chapter 200 Meanwhile, Raea was staring at the space Elrith just occupied with her mouth agape. The red lightning bolt had flown past the wall he summoned, and right when it was about to strike her brother, he vanished along with Sally. The bolt continued until it hit the dome of wind and black fire before scattering into a web of red lines. ¡°They disappeared?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Were they disintegrated in one blow? That¡¯s a bit excessive, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Was Elrith a coward?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked as her brow furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Then it was the harpy,¡± Raea¡¯s father said before turning his gaze towards Palan. Since Sally and Elrith were gone, there was no point in worrying about them. Raea was the real reason why he and his wife left the capital after all. ¡°Dissolve your contract with Raea. I will give you gifts and find someone more suitable to contract with you.¡± ¡°I think Raea suits me very well,¡± Palan said with a smirk. Raea squeezed his hand and glared at him. She should¡¯ve known he was going to antagonize her parents. ¡°Would you rather I kill you instead?¡± Raea¡¯s father asked, his face darkening. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t converse with a demon at all, but he wanted Raea¡¯s demon to leave her of his own volition. If his daughter was abandoned by her demon for a few monetary gifts, she would realize the fickle nature of demons and possibly return from being fallen. ¡°I could dissolve my contract with Raea, but she has to be willing as well,¡± Palan said and chuckled. ¡°That is not an issue.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Other than that, I have a two conditions: help me become an archdemon and take me along with Raea to the capital.¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°Both of your sins will be detected.¡± ¡°What if the only way for Raea and I to dissolve¡ª¡° Raea pinched Palan¡¯s side before he could finish speaking. Her gut told her that things would end very badly if her parents found out about her contract¡¯s details. Maybe they¡¯d kill her outright if they weren¡¯t already here to do that. She glared at her father. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked. ¡°Are you going to kill me because I¡¯ve fallen?¡± She released Palan¡¯s hand and unfurled her wings, extending them to their full length. Dark-green mist began to seep out of her feathers, and a line of black flames appeared in the air around her, circling lazily like a snake. ¡°Are we not allowed to feel worry for our youngest child?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked. Her expression was relaxed, but silver-colored wind swirled around her body, matching the motion of Raea¡¯s flames. ¡°Where were you when Selena died?¡± Raea asked in a calm voice, her eyes narrowing. ¡°You stayed in the capital. Why didn¡¯t you feel worry for your child then?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°When we heard about Selena,¡± Raea¡¯s father said as he took a step forward, ¡°she was already dead. Leaving the capital would not have brought her back.¡± ¡°You two seem devastated by her death,¡± Raea said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°As do you,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°Was she the reason why you fell? Are you angry that she died?¡± Raea¡¯s wings trembled as her hands clenched into fists. ¡°Did you know that she died because of you?¡± her father continued. ¡°The only reason she volunteered to dig holes in the borderlands was because you were there. Should you not take responsibility for her death and atone for your sins? The world lost a great researcher because of you¡ªhow are you going to make up for it? By throwing a tantrum and burning down the city of Ni¡¯En? Is that what Selena would have wanted?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Raea shouted. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything! You two sit in the capital all day, acting like you¡¯re better than everyone else because you don¡¯t have feelings!¡± ¡°Is that any way to talk to your parents?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked as the wind surrounding her body billowed outward, blowing against Raea¡¯s flames. ¡°Selena convinced me to give up my position to give you a second chance. She believed you would overcome your sins in the borderlands and return to us stronger than before. But now we are here: Selena is dead. You are fallen. Elrith is a deserter. It was a mistake to give you a second chance.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Raea asked while tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re here to clean up your mess? Is that it?¡± ¡°No, Raea,¡± her mother said. ¡°That isn¡¯t it at all. We are here to give you a second chance.¡± ¡°What?¡± Raea asked. Her brow furrowed ¡°We love you,¡± her mother said. ¡°Even if it was a mistake to give you a second chance, we are offering you a third one because we care about you. You are our most precious daughter.¡± She held out her hand with her palm facing up. ¡°Renounce your sins and return to us.¡± Raea¡¯s father¡¯s face cramped. He truly didn¡¯t expect his wife to make such a promise to Raea¡ªthey had already decided on punishing her after all. His wife was an angel of kindness and humility; he didn¡¯t want to make her into a liar. Originally, he really was here to kill Raea if removing her demon didn¡¯t return her back to normal. His lips drew into a line as he took a step backwards so that he was slightly behind his wife. ¡°Renounce my sins so I can what? Go back to being ignored by both of you? Go back to being treated like a doll sitting in the corner?¡± Raea hands dripped blood as her claws punctured her palms. ¡°I only realized after I left the capital that I was missing out on so much: friends, banter, happiness. Why would I want to return to a life of loneliness and misery?¡± ¡°Right now you are blinded by greed, by envy, by wrath,¡± her mother said and shook her head. ¡°When you renounce them, your vision will clear and you will see the truth. Return to us. We will bring you to Hailing where they can reverse your symptoms, restore your patience.¡± ¡°She said to piss off, lady,¡± Palan said as he took a step forward. ¡°She¡¯s having none of your shit.¡± A bolt of lightning flew towards his body, but Danger Noodle rose up and deflected it with its striped, red scales. ¡°Just hearing the words parents and love pisses me off. All of you are a bunch of damn hypocrites.¡± The black flames surrounding Raea¡¯s body began to circle around him as well. ¡°I think it¡¯s clear where Raea¡¯s rebellious attitude is coming from,¡± Raea¡¯s father said as lightning gathered around his body. He turned towards his wife. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t want to spare her demon too.¡± Raea¡¯s mother shook her head. ¡°No. He can die,¡± she said. ¡°It will be easier to convert Raea back when he is no longer influencing her. The headmaster at Hailing will appreciate it if we made his job easier.¡± Chapter 201 Palan laughed at Raea¡¯s mother¡¯s words as he narrowed his eyes and slightly bent his knees, lowering his center of gravity. His tail swayed back and forth, like a serpent waiting to strike. Raea¡¯s father snorted and pointed with his right hand. The red lightning surrounding his body cascaded forward towards Palan, roaring and crackling. Raea¡¯s eyes widened as Palan¡¯s body first glowed with an oily sheen before emitting a black light. He squat against the ground and pushed off with his legs, flying towards the oncoming lightning like a cannonball. Raea¡¯s father¡¯s brow furrowed as he watched Palan collide with the lightning. Surely Raea¡¯s demon couldn¡¯t be that foolish, could he? When the lightning made contact with the oily sheen on Palan¡¯s body, both the lightning and oil seemed to dissolve, cancelling each other out. Before Raea¡¯s father could even react, Palan had arrived in front of him with his body completely unharmed. Palan lifted his leg into the air and stomped towards his opponent¡¯s chest. The ground beneath the two sunk down like a bowl as the black glow around Palan¡¯s leg expanded and Raea¡¯s father staggered. Lord Caelum¡¯s eyes widened as Palan¡¯s foot crashed into his chest, blasting him back until his body hit the dome of wind and black fire, shredding his silver robe and setting it alight. He vomited out a mouthful of blood as he fell forward onto his knees, white bones falling from his sternum. Massive amounts of blood poured out of his shattered chest, staining the ground red. Raea¡¯s mother frowned and waved her hand at her husband. A white light rushed towards him, enveloping his body as Palan charged at the fallen man. Before Palan reached him, Raea¡¯s father stood back up with his body unscathed. The archangel lifted a foot and stomped on the ground, causing hundreds of earthen spikes to shoot out of the ground towards Palan like a tidal wave. ¡°That hurt,¡± Raea¡¯s father said as he spat out blood and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. For a second, he really thought he was going to die. A shiver ran down his spine when he saw the sneer on Palan¡¯s face. An earthen spear was connected to the demon¡¯s stomach, but it was pushing his body away rather than piercing him. ¡°Are you an archdemon?¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said, sending a stern glance at her husband. While Palan and Raea¡¯s father were fighting, Raea and her mother were engaging in their own battle. Silver wind pressed against the flames surrounding Raea¡¯s body, suppressing them and occasionally blowing them against Raea¡¯s own body. The dark-green mist was also contained by the silver wind. Raea¡¯s mother turned her attention back towards Raea who was stomping towards her, using the sheer strength of her body to push through the wind. ¡°Leave Palan alone!¡± Raea said as her hair whipped about her head. She shielded her eyes with her arms and continued to push through the gale. ¡°He nearly killed your father.¡± ¡°Dad attacked first!¡± ¡°Is your demon more important to you than your own father?¡± Raea¡¯s mother asked. The silver wind started to glow, and Raea¡¯s advance slowed. Palan tried to disengage Raea¡¯s father to focus on taking out the kindness angel first, but Raea¡¯s father was persistently keeping him away. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I would¡¯ve died in the borderlands if it weren¡¯t for Palan,¡¯ Raea said as her eyes squinted. The wind started to cut her face, causing a few drops of blood to run down her cheeks. ¡°You would have died in the capital if it weren¡¯t for us,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said. ¡°Did you forget that Lady Sariel originally wanted to have you executed? Who was it that sacrificed for you to live? Your parents or that demon?¡± Her hand waved again, and another stream of white light flew over to her husband, healing all the injuries Palan just inflicted on him.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Palan cares about me more than you ever have,¡± Raea shouted. ¡°You were going to let me die if it weren¡¯t for Selena!¡± A frown appeared on her mother¡¯s face. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that we are doing this because we care about you?¡± she asked. ¡°Lady Sariel sent us here to execute you if you were fallen. I do not wish for that to happen. When we remove your demon¡¯s influence, you will return to us and see that we were right.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re wrong,¡± Raea said. ¡°Killing my friends will only make me hate you more. You never listen to me.¡± The flames around her body flared outwards, pushing back against the silver wind for the first time. She didn¡¯t want to lose Palan¡ªthe fact that she¡¯d die if he died didn¡¯t even occur to her in that moment. Palan was hers; what right did her parents have to take him away? She was an adult now. Her choices were her own. So why were her parents so goddam stubborn!? A wrinkle appeared on her mother¡¯s forehead. The wind howled and pushed against Raea¡¯s flames, stopping them, but not forcing them back. Her mother walked backwards until she was beside her husband who had forced Palan away with another wave of earthen spears. ¡°Raea is strong,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand where her anger is coming from.¡± ¡°The stronger her flames, the more mana she consumes,¡± Raea¡¯s father said and shrugged. ¡°Her demon is not an archdemon either¡ªreally quite weak. I suspect their contract level is quite high, enabling him to call upon her powers. It also explains why she doesn¡¯t wish for him to die.¡± ¡°But at the same time, the contract deepens her own sins,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said and sighed as Palan arrived next to Raea. She didn¡¯t mention how Palan handed her husband¡¯s ass to him because she respected his feelings. ¡°Then what do you think we should do?¡± ¡°Since he is unwilling to dissolve the contract with Raea, he has to die. Thankfully, it is much easier to defend than to attack,¡± Raea¡¯s father said as he placed his hands on the ground, summoning a miniature fortress of earth. ¡°We will wait until they run out of mana. Reinforce the winds surrounding the area so they cannot leave.¡± His wife nodded, and the dome of wind shone so brightly that it blocked out all vision of the outside. ¡°I guess that¡¯s what inspired Elrith¡¯s fortress, huh?¡± Palan asked as he furrowed his brow at the newly constructed building. A snake made of red lightning was circling around the walls, ready to repel any intruders. It occasionally spat out a few lightning bolts at Palan, forcing him to block with Danger Noodle or greed. ¡°How¡¯s your mana looking?¡± ¡°Not too great,¡± Raea said as she clenched her hands. ¡°My mom¡¯s stronger than me. That pisses me off¡ªit¡¯s not fair! They think they can order me around just because they¡¯re older. It¡¯s a very unpleasant feeling.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± Palan said and snorted. Raea rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore her own hypocrisy. ¡°So you can¡¯t break that thing?¡± He gestured towards the fortress. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. She frowned as she used her flames to block a spiraling cone of wind that was flying towards Palan¡¯s head. ¡°They want us to run out of mana. And since you aren¡¯t an archdemon yet, they¡¯ll succeed.¡± ¡°Well, I have a plan,¡± Palan said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We run away.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve targeted your mother first, but I didn¡¯t know anything about their abilities,¡± Palan said. He shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in retreating when you lose the advantage. We know what to do next time.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯ll just let us leave like that?¡± Raea asked as she defended them from more assaults of wind and lightning. The dome of air began to shrink, forcing them to get closer to the fortress lest they get shredded by the silver winds. ¡°Obviously not,¡± Palan said, ¡°but if we worked together, I bet we could break through this silver bullshit.¡± ¡°What if they want us to do that and have a trap waiting for us?¡± Raea asked, her brow furrowing. ¡°Do you have any better ideas?¡± Palan asked back. Black flames surged around Raea¡¯s body. ¡°We can pour all of our mana into one attack and break through the fortress,¡± she said. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°And have him rebuild it? I think the more you have sex, the more idiotic you become,¡± he said. Raea glared daggers at him as the black flames around her body doubled in size. He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up my life because you dislike your parents and are feeling impatient.¡± He pointed at the silver dome that continued to shrink. ¡°Let¡¯s break through.¡± Chapter 202 ¡°You¡¯re the one who gets dumber after sex!¡± Raea said as she stamped her foot. She whirled her body around to face the dome of silver wind. The black flames around her doubled in size yet again. ¡°I¡¯m going to turn you into an imbecile if we manage to get away from my parents.¡± Palan snorted as he plunged his hand into the ground and ripped a boulder-sized chunk of road out from beneath his feet. He used his powers to increase its weight before throwing it at the silver barrier while Raea unleashed her flames at the same place. The wind shattered like paper, and the duo dove through before it could reform itself. As soon as they arrived on the other side, the wind stopped and converged into a ball behind them. ¡°Run!¡± Raea said, but Palan was already pulling her along before the word fully formed. The ball of wind chased after them while it morphed into the shape of a hand. The fortress of earth behind them started to rumble. ¡°Can you catch them?¡± Raea¡¯s father asked as the fortress increased in size, allowing Raea¡¯s mother to get a better view of her fleeing daughter. In comparison to his wife, he was completely useless at capturing a fleeing enemy. Lightning was meant to eradicate, not control. Since his wife wanted to bring Raea back alive, he didn¡¯t dare use his lightning on his daughter. He could¡¯ve shattered the earth to make it more difficult for her to flee, but he didn¡¯t want to destroy the whole city either. Raea¡¯s mother hummed lightly as the wind-hand grew in size, passing around buildings with ease and gaining on Palan and Raea. Raea¡¯s father nodded. His wife always hummed when she was sure of herself but her humility didn¡¯t allow her to show it. The wind began to encounter some resistance when it collided against Raea¡¯s flames. The black flames trembled as sweat began to ooze out of Raea¡¯s forehead. ¡°Can you run any faster?¡± Raea asked, gritting her teeth so she didn¡¯t bite her tongue. ¡°No,¡± Palan said. He was already running at his full speed while reducing the pull of gravity on their bodies with his powers of pride. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold out much longer,¡± Raea said as the winds pressed closer, smothering part of her flames. Palan¡¯s back began to blister from the heat. The hand of wind stretched its fingers out and began to press down on them from above as well. ¡°You really can¡¯t go any faster?¡± Raea asked, her brow furrowing. ¡°I really can¡¯t,¡± Palan said. He could see the fingertips of the hand extending past his head. Just a little longer and the hand would be able to close over them, catching them in its palm.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Then you have to live,¡± Raea said as she stopped running. Palan stumbled as his body suddenly came to a stop and jerked backwards, nearly tearing his arm out of its socket. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but my parents don¡¯t want to kill me. I¡¯ll wait for you, so you better come.¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed as he was lifted off his feet and spun around in a circle. Before he realized what was happening, he was already in the air, flying away from Raea and the silver hand. His body tumbled in the air, and the city shrank in his vision. He saw the silver hand close around Raea¡¯s immobile body before he was facing the sky. When his body rotated back around, he saw the silver hand floating back to the tiny fortress. Palan knew Raea was strong, but he didn¡¯t expect her to throw him as far as she did. He was still ascending¡ªa large part of it was probably due to his powers. He could use his powers to descend, but he didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d survive from a fall this high up. Instead, he called upon Raea¡¯s power of greed, envy, and wrath because it was the only way he could communicate with her from that far away. There was a twinge in his chest, letting him know Raea called on his pride. Raea¡¯s eyes were closed as she focused on Palan¡¯s powers of pride, causing her body to glow with a black light. Her chest burned as she lay on her back on the silver palm which was transporting her to her parents. When she arrived by her parents side, the burning sensation was gone along with the black glow. Palan was too far for them to continue using each other¡¯s powers. At least it also meant he was far enough away from her parents. ¡°Raea,¡± her mother said. Raea sighed and opened her eyes, getting off of the silver hand. ¡°He¡¯s gone now. Are you happy?¡± she asked, biting her lower lip. Her body trembled as lines of blood trickled down her chin. Anger welled up inside of her, but she couldn¡¯t release it¡ªnot if she wanted to live. And for Palan¡¯s sake, she couldn¡¯t die. ¡°It didn¡¯t have to be this way,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°He was unwilling to break his contract with you. If anyone is to blame, it¡¯s him.¡± Raea lowered her head and stared at the floor. Tiny wisps of black flames slipped out from beneath her robe, but they were extinguished by the silver hand which hadn¡¯t been dispersed. ¡°Forget it,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said to her husband. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. The important thing is we have our daughter back. Even if she has the contract with her demon, her mind should gradually clear as we increase the distance between them.¡± Raea¡¯s father nodded. ¡°Someone will take care of him sooner or later,¡± he said before lightly clapping his hands. The fortress began to shrink and dissolve before returning back to the ground. ¡°A demon cannot survive alone in Div¡¯Nya.¡± For the first time since Raea saw her parents, a small smile appeared on her face. Maybe ordinary demons couldn¡¯t survive, but she knew Palan was different. The smile disappeared as she raised her head and looked at her parents. ¡°So what happens now?¡± she asked and sighed. ¡°Now we deliver you to Hailing Academy where the top professors can work on converting you back,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be alright.¡± She smiled since her daughter was willing to communicate. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us about your experiences in the borderlands while we eat dinner?¡± That night, Raea ate her food in silence. Chapter 203 Palan¡¯s brow furrowed as he sailed past a tree. Danger Noodle extended from his body and wrapped itself around one of the trees branches, bringing his journey to a halt. He lost track of how long he flew in the air, but he knew he was launched in a straight line towards the west. His feet touched the ground after he released the branch, and his tail coiled around his body. He was all alone¡ªfinally. So why did his lack of companions make him feel so lonely? Cleo escaped with Linda. Sally and Elrith vanished off the face of the planet. And Raea ¡­ Raea was waiting for him to save her. And he¡¯d have to if he ever wanted to dissolve his contract with her; otherwise, he could die at any time. Danger Noodle flickered its tongue as it stared at Palan. Palan snorted, ¡°You¡¯re a part of me,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t count.¡± He left the wooded area and found a road lit up by the moonlight. He sighed as he realized Cleo wasn¡¯t around to conveniently carry food for him anymore. And it seemed like the angels had killed off the majority of the wild animals in the second sector. Thankfully, demons could last for a long time without eating a meal. He decided to follow the road, heading west. Going east would only bring him back to Ni¡¯En and there was no road leading north or south. At least there was always food to be found in a city. The fact that he was still alive told him Raea was alive, for now. A sense of unease attacked his stomach, and he quickened his footsteps. As a demon, he had to face death nearly every day in Eljiam, but there was something different about knowing he could die at any time for no reason whatsoever. His eyes narrowed as he experimented with his powers, using them to increase his speed but trying to conserve as much mana as possible. Now that Raea was gone, he couldn¡¯t rely on her mana pool anymore. But maybe that wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. Hadn¡¯t he abhorred that contract? Wasn¡¯t he free now? Before he could save Raea, he¡¯d have to become an archdemon. The reason he lost the fight against Raea¡¯s parents was because his mana pool was too low. Their total mana was higher, and they could recover from their injuries¡ªRaea¡¯s dad, at least. He¡¯d have to target her mother first. Since he couldn¡¯t meditate anymore because Raea wasn¡¯t around, the only way he could evolve was by eating more angels. Weren¡¯t there a few archangels in the army in the west, the direction he was heading towards? Michael had been on his to-kill list ever since the archangel zapped him in the chest back in the borderlands. It was about time he settled the score. Palan believed he could easily kill the old general if neither of them could use their powers. Adding on the bits of poison he obtained from corroding metal with Raea¡¯s power, he felt invincible. A day and a half passed before Palan saw a city on the horizon. Unfortunately for him, he didn¡¯t encounter any carriages on the road, or he would¡¯ve seized them by force. His stomach growled as he wet his lips with his tongue. Maybe it was because his body was too used to eating three meals a day for the past few months, but he felt hungrier than usual, and there were lots of tasty meals waiting for him beyond those city walls. Even though his stomach was goading him to run faster, he slowed his pace and stepped off of the road, approaching the city from the fields instead. The city¡¯s walls were short, like all the other city walls in the second sector. Palan easily hopped over it while breathing through his mouth. Although he felt less uncomfortable in cities, it would still take a while for his nose to adjust to the putrid stench that seemed to accompany every hive of angels. Palan sneaked through an alleyway before stopping at the first door he saw. He placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it before pushing the door in. Of course it was unlocked, angels didn¡¯t need locks in their perfect society.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Palan checked the walls and ceiling for booby traps before entering the building. His electromagnetic sense told him there were hundreds, maybe thousands of people nearby, but he could make out two people living inside the residence he was currently in. Palan closed the door behind him, and a female voice called out, ¡°Who¡¯s there? Is it Josh?¡± Footsteps echoed through the hall while Palan slipped into a room and pressed his back against the wall with the doorway to his side. An angel appeared, and Palan stretched his hand outwards, seizing the angel by the throat and lifting her into the air. His hand tightened as the angel¡¯s eyes widened and bulged. A second later, there was a cracking sound as the angel¡¯s limbs went limp. Her body fell to the floor with a thump, and Danger Noodle¡¯s jaw dislocated before swallowing the dead angel. Palan licked his lips and walked down the hall, heading towards the room with the remaining resident while dragging his tail. An unsettling rubbing noise was created by the fat snake¡¯s body as it refused to lift itself off of the floor. ¡°Archie?¡± a male voice called out. ¡°Who was it?¡± Sheets rustled, and Palan heard feet touch wood. He pressed his back against the hall¡¯s wall so that he couldn¡¯t be seen unless the remaining angel was at the doorway. ¡°Archie?¡± the angel asked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to try to scare me again. You know it¡¯s not going to work.¡± He appeared at the doorway, and Palan lunged forward, grabbing the angel¡¯s neck and forcing him onto his back with his powers of pride. ¡°If you scream, I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Palan said as he pressed his knee into the angel¡¯s chest and tightened his hand around the angel¡¯s throat. The only sound the angel could make was a slight whimper. ¡°Understood?¡± Palan waited for a few seconds before he loosened his grip on the angel¡¯s throat, but he kept his glowing knee against the angel¡¯s sternum, ready to shatter it at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Who are you?¡± the angel whispered with wide eyes. Palan wrinkled his nose as the smell of urine assaulted his nose. ¡°Where¡¯s Archie?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask questions,¡± Palan said, increasing the weight of his knee. The angel let out a gasp as a cracking noise rang through the room. ¡°What city is this?¡± ¡°Oel,¡± the angel said through clenched teeth. ¡°Where¡¯s the army located?¡± The angel¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at Palan. Another cracking noise echoed through the room as Palan covered the angel¡¯s mouth, muffling his scream. Palan narrowed his eyes at the angel before releasing his mouth and shifting his hand back to the angel¡¯s throat. ¡°M-marossa,¡± the angel said with tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°Which way to Marossa?¡± Palan asked. ¡°N-northeast,¡± the angel said. ¡°P-please, what happened to Archie?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the hall,¡± Palan said. He wasn¡¯t lying¡ªDanger Noodle was behind him, lazing around in the hallway. ¡°Have you heard of Hailing Academy?¡± Palan remembered Raea¡¯s parents mentioning that place as a location that could turn Raea back into a non-fallen angel. Once he became an archdemon, Hailing was the first place he wanted to go. ¡°It¡¯s in the first sector. Everyone¡¯s heard of it. Families want to send their children there because it provides the best education,¡± the angel said. He seemed much more cooperative after discovering his wife¡¯s location. Palan waited. ¡°It¡¯s north of the capital, which means it¡¯s northeast from where we are now. If you go through the checkpoint, you¡¯ll arrive in the Western Region¡ªthat¡¯s its name¡ªand there¡¯ll be a road heading to Hailing.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Which way to the checkpoint?¡± he asked. He wasn¡¯t planning on going through it, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to know its location. ¡°It¡¯s north of here,¡± the angel said while wincing. ¡°Past Marossa.¡± ¡°Last question,¡± Palan said, easing up his knee. ¡°Are there any archangels in this city?¡± ¡°No,¡± the angel said. ¡°Alright,¡± Palan said. ¡°You can join¡±¡ªhis hand tightened with a sickening crunch¡ª¡°your wife now.¡± Palan stood up and turned to look at Danger Noodle. It shook its head. Apparently it was too full to eat a second angel. Palan shrugged and sat down next to the man before tearing out his heart and eating it. Palan¡¯s mouth began to salivate. Food always tasted better when he was starving. Chapter 204 + 205 Cleo¡¯s tail swished as she frowned at the greed angel standing across from her. The lizardman had her back facing a dead end in an alley, and Linda was at the entrance, staring at her with a creepy grin. Cleo¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she asked as she eyed the open spaces beside Linda. Her tail thumped against the ground as she took a step back. Linda smiled and took a step forward. She wet her lips with her tongue and cleared her throat. ¡°I was just wondering about that power of yours that you demonstrated,¡± she said. Her voice sounded like an adult attempting to lure a child into a carriage with candy. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show Auntie Linda just how much stuff you have? I know you made some of my wares disappear. Shouldn¡¯t you return them to me?¡± Cleo inhaled through her mouth until her chest puffed up. She shouted, ¡°Help! Murderer! Thief! Robber! I¡¯m being mugged! Arson! There¡¯s a fire! Someone save meeeee!¡± Linda dove forward and attempted to grab Cleo, but the lizardman slipped around the angel before throwing a pile of skeletons and dirty bath water on top of the angel¡¯s body. The angel burst through the pile of bones and chased after Cleo who was shouting at the top of her lungs while running through the streets of Ni¡¯En. ¡°I¡¯m being chased by a kidnapper! She wants to skin me alive and sell my organs for a profit! Help!¡± ¡°Someone stop that lizard!¡± Linda shouted as she scrambled through the crowd, her clothes soaking wet and hair dripping water. Cleo was able to slip through the tiny spaces between the people due to her size while Linda collided against the crowd, attempting to force her way through. ¡°She¡¯s a child abuser! She¡¯s going to work me to death! I¡¯m only six years old! She murdered my family, and ate my pet dog!¡± Cleo bit an angel¡¯s hand that was trying to grab her and slipped underneath a stall. Her tail narrowly avoided the hands of the stall keeper as she scrambled along the ground. Cleo pouted as she ran around a corner. She was definitely going to get Palan to eat Linda when she saw him again. So what if she stole a few goods? Everything in her space belonged to her. Once Linda¡¯s precious blankets entered her space, they automatically became her possessions. Linda¡¯s brow furrowed as she rounded the corner that Cleo escaped to. The lizardman was nowhere to be found, and it didn¡¯t look like there were any witnesses who saw which way she went. Linda gritted her teeth and ran down the street, straining her ears to locate any presence of the tiny lizardman. All of her stones had been stolen by the orange creature, and her remaining wares had already been burnt to a crisp by Raea. If she lost track of that lizard now, then she really would have nothing left to her name. Just when she was about to lose hope, she saw a glimpse of orange rounding a bend, and she shouted, ¡°Catch that lizard!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Linda smiled when she heard Cleo yelp. ¡°Finally!¡± she said as she rounded the bend and saw three angels: Owen, Carmella, and Gerome. Owen was grabbing Cleo by her tail, holding her upside down as she hissed and clawed at his arms. ¡°Damnit, Owen,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Why is it you? Hurry up and let me go or the crazy lady will¡ªAh! She¡¯s already here.¡± She pointed at Linda. ¡°Keep her away from me, Carmella and ¡­ her boy toy?¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Gerome!¡± Gerome said as his eye twitched. He sighed and looked at Linda. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°You know her?¡± Linda asked and raised an eyebrow. She hesitated and took a step back while eyeing Carmella. Something in Linda¡¯s gut told her that the frowning angel was the most dangerous of the three. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Gerome said. ¡°Hey!¡± Cleo said and pouted. He ignored Cleo. ¡°Did she do something to you?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯re sorta ¡­ kinda ¡­ something like companions?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re friends of Raea and Palan?¡± Linda asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Owen said as he dropped Cleo. ¡°Do you know where Lady Raea is? We came to Ni¡¯En to find her, but there seems to be a lot of chaos and confusion.¡± His face darkened as he recalled the spread of the black flames. The trio had arrived at Ni¡¯En during the midst of the inferno and came to the conclusion that Raea was responsible. Despite knowing that, they hadn¡¯t found any leads on her location or status¡ªuntil they caught Cleo that is. Carmella picked Cleo up and hugged the squirming lizardman to her chest. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you just ask the lizardman?¡± Carmella asked Owen and rolled her eyes. She looked down at Cleo. ¡°How¡¯ve you been and why aren¡¯t you with Palan?¡± Cleo pouted. ¡°There were some really scary archangels, so I ran away first,¡± she said. ¡°I think they were Raea¡¯s parents.¡± ¡°Lord Caelum and Lady Caelum came to Ni¡¯En?¡± Owen asked, his eyes widening. He didn¡¯t believe it. They hadn¡¯t left the capital in decades. ¡°They did,¡± Linda said while nodding. The best way to get her stuff back from Cleo would be to ingratiate herself with the lizardman¡¯s friends. ¡°They didn¡¯t seem to be hostile towards Raea, but they didn¡¯t seem very pleased either.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t imagine they would be,¡± Owen said. ¡°Do you know if ¡­ anyone died?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Linda said and scratched her head. Her hair was still damp from the water Cleo dumped on her. ¡°Lots of people died while I traveled with Palan. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you mean. The little thief¡±¡ªshe stared at Cleo¡ª¡°and I left the area because we weren¡¯t very welcome.¡± She watched Owen¡¯s face fall into contemplation. ¡°I can ask around if you¡¯d like. My name does have some worth in these areas, and the officials of the city should have records of when Lord Caelum arrived and left. Speaking of names, I don¡¯t believe I got yours.¡± One way or another, Linda planned on getting her stones back from Cleo. Chapter 205 Raea stared out the window of a carriage with her lips drawn into a frown. A week had passed since she was separated from Palan, and her parents were still escorting her to Hailing Academy. The carriage ride was unbearable¡ªneither her nor her parents spoke. At first, her mother tried to initiate conversation, but Raea maintained her silence. She was afraid of the words that threatened to come out of her mouth. The last thing she wanted to do was say something that would cause her parents to kill her. Only after thinking about it, she realized there were quite a few things she did that could warrant her death: she deserted the army, she slaughtered greater angels ¡­ and cannibalized them, she had a high level contract with a demon as an archangel and then had sex with said demon, her friends were a lizardman, a harpy, and a demon. The list went on and on.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Her lips pursed and she turned her head away from the window, causing the chains on her body to jangle. Red manacles and chains adorned her body, preventing her from using her powers and moving around. The material was the same as the one used to construct the checkpoint walls. She didn¡¯t mind the feel of the chains on her body too much, but they did irritate her by weighing down her wings. Her gaze landed on her mother who was sitting across from her, reading a piece of paper. A frown was plastered on her mother¡¯s face. ¡°Marossa is in dire straits,¡± her mother said to her father who was driving the carriage. Normally, they¡¯d have a chauffeur, but the family wanted to keep Raea¡¯s condition a secret. The less people that knew, the better. ¡°The archangels of the council all went there, but they have not been winning back any of the cities that were lost.¡± ¡°Does that not mean they are just biding their time?¡± Raea¡¯s father asked. ¡°I find it hard to believe the rebel army is capable of defeating six archangels working in tandem. If six archangels wished to take back the cities we lost, then nothing could stop them. The council must have a reason for their inaction.¡± Raea¡¯s mother let out a hum as she placed the paper down on the seat beside her. Her eyes made contact with Raea¡¯s, and Raea quickly shifted her gaze downwards, staring at her clawed fingers. Her mother had tried to trim and file them, but they grew back the next day even sharper than before. ¡°Raea,¡± her mother said. Raea kept her head down. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. You really aren¡¯t going to say anything to your own mother? I¡¯m worried about you.¡± ¡°Then maybe you should¡¯ve came to the borderlands with me if you were so damn worried,¡± Raea muttered. Her mother blinked, evidently not expecting an answer. ¡°You know I couldn¡¯t have done that,¡± her mother said. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and raised her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I still don¡¯t. Why couldn¡¯t you?¡± She bit her lower lip, and cursed herself for speaking. She had a feeling things wouldn¡¯t end up well if she continued. No matter how much she wanted to scream and yell at her parents, she had to keep her mouth shut for Palan. It really wouldn¡¯t be fair to him if she got herself killed. Maybe she really should¡¯ve formed a lower level contract with him. Her gaze lowered back to her hands, and she closed her eyes while taking in a deep breath. ¡°You will understand when you are older,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said before sighing and staring out the window. There wasn¡¯t a trace of green outside: buildings, brick roads, people, and carriages were all that could be seen. Elrith hadn¡¯t been lying to Palan when he said the first sector was just one giant city. The carriage rattled along until it arrived in front of a castle-like structure with a giant stone wall surrounding it. From the outside, it looked like a prison. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Raea¡¯s father said as the carriage ground to a halt. The metal gates to the academy swung open, and the family disembarked. Raea was covered with a sheet that hid her wings and the chains on her body. A blindfold was placed over her eyes, and her mother led her by the hand. A few angels gave them strange looks, but no one said a word. A few saluted and bowed their heads when they realized who Raea¡¯s mother and father were. Although the Caelum parents hadn¡¯t left the capital in decades, Raea¡¯s father seemed to know exactly where he wanted to go. They walked through winding corridors and stairwells until they reached a room near the top of the castle. Raea¡¯s father knocked twice on the room¡¯s door, causing a metallic sound to echo through the hall. ¡°Come in,¡± a voice said. Raea¡¯s father pushed the door open and stepped inside, his wife and Raea following behind him. ¡°Headmaster Hailing,¡± he said. An old-looking angel was sitting on a wooden rocking chair with a cat resting in his lap. Beside him, there was a fireplace, and his feet were stretched out in front of it. There was a desk on the other side of the room with papers stacked in neat piles on its surface. ¡°Lord Caelum,¡± Headmaster Hailing said. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d arrive. Your daughter left behind quite a lot of items.¡± He turned towards Raea¡¯s mother and nodded. ¡°Lady Caelum.¡± His brow furrowed when he saw Raea who looked like a disfigured mummy. ¡°And this is?¡± ¡°My youngest daughter,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°She¡¯s fallen, and I want you to convert her back.¡± The headmaster¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°So you really aren¡¯t here because of Selena,¡± he said and clicked his tongue while wrinkling his nose. ¡°Very well. A regular angel is easy enough to correct.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an archangel,¡± Raea¡¯s father said, taking a seat on a couch reserved for visitors. The headmaster¡¯s face darkened. ¡°This is illegal,¡± he said. ¡°Harboring a fallen angel is a crime punishable by death. You two do realize that, yes? Of course you do. You¡¯re from the capital. It would be impossible for you to not know.¡± The cat in his lap raised its head and stared at the intruders. It hissed while its tail rose into the air. The headmaster ran his fingers over the cat¡¯s head before narrowing his eyes at Raea¡¯s father. ¡°Are you upset with me because Selena died? Let me guess, after I receive your ¡®request¡¯, an unexpected quality check of my academy will occur because of an anonymous tip.¡± ¡°I assure you, that will not happen,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°You are not afraid that I will turn her in?¡± the old angel asked. ¡°I am a law-abiding citizen.¡± ¡°My daughter is special,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s child is special to their parents,¡± Headmaster Hailing said and waved his hand dismissively. Raea¡¯s father reached over and tore the sheet off of Raea¡¯s body while uncovering her eyes. The headmaster¡¯s eyes widened when he saw Raea. ¡°Oh,¡± he said as the cat in his lap started to yowl. He murmured as he placed the cat down. ¡°Special indeed.¡± ¡°I know of your interest in legends,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°Does the council know about this?¡± the headmaster asked, tearing his gaze away from Raea. ¡°Lady Sariel told me about my daughter, but she did not say anything about executing her,¡± Raea¡¯s father said. ¡°I assume she wanted to convert her back into a pure angel. The council¡¯s numbers have been dwindling after all. I will personally report what I have done to Lady Sariel. You have my word.¡± A slight smile appeared on the headmaster¡¯s lips. ¡°With your wife as a witness to your words, I will accept your request,¡± he said. ¡°What virtue has your daughter fallen from?¡± ¡°Her patience and kindness turned into wrath,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to bring them back since she¡¯s an archangel,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Difficult, but not impossible. A long time may be needed.¡± ¡°That is acceptable,¡± Raea¡¯s father said as he stood up. ¡°Then I will leave her in your care.¡± Raea¡¯s father walked out of the room without a second glance at his daughter. Raea¡¯s mother¡¯s brow furrowed as she stood up and followed after her husband, but not before brushing her hand against Raea¡¯s. ¡°I just want the best for you,¡± Raea¡¯s mother said. She faced the headmaster. ¡°Please take care of my daughter. If possible, bring back her original appearance.¡± The headmaster waved his hand like he was shooing a fly away from a plate of food. The metal door closed as Raea¡¯s mother left, leaving Raea alone in the room with the headmaster and his cat. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t your parents pleasant?¡± the headmaster asked before chuckling. ¡°Would you like something to eat?¡± Chapter 206 ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡± Raea asked as the headmaster stood up and walked to the corner of the room. He pulled out a tea set that he placed on the table in front of the couch. His cat sniffed Raea¡¯s foot before wrinkling its nose and walking away. ¡°You¡¯re my guest,¡± the headmaster said, ¡°and guests should be treated as such.¡± He poured two cups of tea and pushed one towards Raea. She stared at it before glancing at her manacled hands. It didn¡¯t seem like the headmaster had any intention of taking them off, so she reached forward and grabbed the cup with both hands, awkwardly bringing it to her mouth, and pretended to drink from it. After eating for so long with Palan, she also developed some wariness of poisoned food. It was a shame he wasn¡¯t here to check the tea for her. The headmaster sipped on his own cup of tea, uncaring of Raea¡¯s actions. ¡°So you¡¯re an archangel of wrath,¡± the headmaster said after he finished. Raea¡¯s cup remained full. ¡°You aren¡¯t the first fallen angel I¡¯ve seen, but you¡¯re definitely the first one that looks like the archangels of the legends: Angels with demon-like characteristics who wielded unimaginable powers¡ªRaphael, Uriel, Camael to name a few. Do you have a life-and-death contract with your demon?¡± Raea¡¯s hand trembled as she placed the cup of tea down on the table. She stared at the floor and didn¡¯t respond. The headmaster shrugged and poured himself another cup. ¡°Your sister used to do this to me too, you know?¡± he asked. ¡°She was one of my brightest disciples with many amazing qualities, but so very stubborn. If I asked her a question she didn¡¯t want to answer, she¡¯d just stare at me in silence.¡± He sighed as he watched the tea leaves float in his cup. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s gone.¡± Raea gritted her teeth as the headmaster took another sip of his tea. He sighed before placing it down and standing up, heading over to a cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of amber-colored liquid and returned to his seat across from Raea. ¡°I thought you were a law-abiding citizen,¡± Raea said as she watched the headmaster uncork the bottle. ¡°It¡¯s barley juice that¡¯s been sitting around for too long,¡± the headmaster said and shrugged as he took a swig. ¡°Nothing illegal about that.¡± Raea snorted, but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Would you like some?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said, shaking her head. ¡°Good,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I was just offering out of courtesy¡ªI wouldn¡¯t have actually given you any. I¡¯m sure Selena¡¯s ghost would throw a fit if she knew I gave her sister alcohol.¡± ¡°Ghosts aren¡¯t real,¡± Raea said as her hands curled into fists. She bit her lower lip and lowered her head. She hated hearing her sister¡¯s name from this old man. It made her want to stand up and strangle him. What did he know about her sister? She sighed as her hands loosened. ¡°So what happens now?¡± ¡°Now I do what your parents asked of me,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I¡¯ll work on converting your wrath into patience and kindness. It won¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve done this. You¡¯d be surprised at the number of students who come seeking help for a sin they developed while separated from their parents. I have innumerable methods to deal with something like this.¡± He rubbed his chin as he exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you want to work with other students, huh?¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Why?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Because I¡¯m a monster?¡± The headmaster leaned back as his cat jumped into his lap. He took another sip of his drink before responding, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re a monster?¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. She was, wasn¡¯t she? ¡°I¡¯ve done ¡­ things,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°We¡¯ve all done things,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I did a thing in the bathroom just a few hours ago. You¡¯ll have to be more specific than that.¡± Raea lowered her head, refusing to answer. The headmaster shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if society sees you as a monster. It only matters if you see yourself as a monster. It¡¯d be a lot easier for me to convert you back if you think you¡¯re pure and innocent, but it doesn¡¯t matter either way.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to turn back,¡± Raea said, staring at her hands. ¡°Oh?¡± The headmaster raised an eyebrow. ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°Wrath is powerful,¡± Raea whispered. ¡°And what do you need power for?¡± Raea didn¡¯t respond. The headmaster sighed as he brought the bottle to his lips and chugged the whole thing without pause. He exhaled and patted his stomach when he was done. The glass made a clinking sound when he placed it on the table, and he leaned forward, causing the cat to nearly fall off his lap. ¡°So it seems like I¡¯ll have to do this the hard way,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re going to hate me for this, but that doesn¡¯t matter because I¡¯ll be removing your wrath. Even though you¡¯re Selena¡¯s sister, I still have to honor your parents¡¯ request. I suggest you drink your tea because it may be a while before you have anything else to drink.¡± Raea¡¯s face was expressionless as she stared at the headmaster. Her hands moved to the cup, and she tilted it over onto the table while maintaining eye contact with the old man. The headmaster¡¯s lips curled upwards as he smiled and began to laugh. ¡°You¡¯re just like your sister,¡± he said as he stood up, causing the cat to fall to the ground. He went to a corner and pulled out a rag to clean up the spill. After he finished, he went to a nearby wardrobe and pulled out a bundle of red metal chains. ¡°Law-abiding citizen, huh?¡± Raea asked as she eyed the headmaster. ¡°It¡¯s not illegal to own chains,¡± he said and shrugged. ¡°This is just a precaution. Can¡¯t have you running away now, can I?¡± He tangled the chains into the shackles that were already on Raea¡¯s body and secured them to hooks that conveniently happened to be on the wall of the law-abiding citizen¡¯s room. Once he made sure Raea couldn¡¯t escape, he pulled out a piece of paper. It had a box with eighty-one miniatures boxes inside of it arranged in rows and columns of nine. He placed it on the table in front of Raea. She frowned at the few numbers she saw randomly spread out on the grid. ¡°This is called Kudosu,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°You¡¯ll be getting real familiar with these until you become an angel of patience again. It¡¯s a simple puzzle that you¡¯ll have to solve every time you want to eat, drink, use the bathroom, or sleep. If it¡¯s too easy, I have them in grids of sixteen by sixteen, and twenty-five by twenty-five as well. The last student who wanted to accumulate patience solved a forty-nine by forty-nine puzzle. I was very impressed. Here¡¯s how it works.¡± Raea listened as he explained the rules to her. When he finished, she picked up the paper and tore it to pieces before blinking at the headmaster. ¡°I forgot to mention that if you give up on a puzzle, you have to watch paint dry for twenty-four hours. Of course, you won¡¯t be allowed to sleep in that time,¡± he said as he pulled out another piece of paper. ¡°I literally have millions of these, so don¡¯t think you can destroy them all. The students who want to learn about wisdom create them for me.¡± Chapter 207 Raea frowned at the piece of paper in front of her. An inkwell and feather was placed by its side. ¡°So I have to do this every time I want to use the bathroom, sleep, eat, or drink?¡± she asked. The headmaster nodded at her. ¡°And how are you going to stop me from using the bathroom?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes at the old man. ¡°I imagine you don¡¯t want to sit in your own filth,¡± he said. ¡°Even animals won¡¯t defecate where they eat.¡± ¡°And what about sleeping?¡± ¡°One of my professors invented a machine that is perfect for keeping someone awake although it is quite useless at literally everything else,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°It¡¯s a contraption that violently jabs your ribs unless you press a button every ten minutes. Crude, but it works.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re positive this is going to convert my wrath into patience, instead of making me angrier?¡± Raea asked. ¡°In due time,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°You¡¯re already an archangel. There¡¯s a limit to what level your wrath can reach. Besides, you heard your parents yourself. I told them it may take a long while, and they readily agreed. That could mean a few years to a few decades. Of course, I¡¯ll be charging your parents for all costs of keeping you alive.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯ll you do if I just sit here and refuse to do any of your puzzles without eating or sleeping?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to see how long you¡¯d last,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°The previous record was five days. When he fainted, I had to bring in an angel of kindness to restore him to acceptable levels of dehydration and starvation. In other words, I won¡¯t let you die.¡± The headmaster smiled. ¡°Just do a simple cost-benefit analysis: Is suffering worth being stubborn for? ¡°You have this all planned out, don¡¯t you?¡± Raea muttered as she stared at the piece of paper. She didn¡¯t let the headmaster see her face because then he¡¯d realize how relieved she was. As long as she didn¡¯t die, she believed Palan would be able to find and free her. He had to¡ªthere was no way he was going to live his life with the threat of dying at any time hang over his head. The expression on her face returned to normal, and she raised her head. ¡°Your parents also wanted me to restore your kindness,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Although I can¡¯t force you to be honest or to be kind to everyone, I can still force you to trust others unconditionally.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Raea said. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite simple actually,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Have you ever heard of a trust fall? It¡¯s where you stand on the edge of a table and someone else stands behind you. Then you lean over backwards and believe that they¡¯ll catch you. After every kudosu puzzle you do, you¡¯ll perform a trust fall with a new student. If you brace yourself for a fall in mid-air, then you¡¯ll be forced to do another kudosu puzzle and trust fall. Why don¡¯t we do one right now?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Why don¡¯t we not?¡± Raea asked back. ¡°I imagine you¡¯d want to take a bath, no?¡± the headmaster asked. ¡°Even my cat avoids you because you stink. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to feel clean again?¡± Raea sighed. It would be nice. She traveled for a week in the carriage with her parents, but they never stopped to take a bath. They only paused to eat and sleep because they didn¡¯t want to risk revealing her to the outside world. ¡°Fine,¡± she said as she stood up. The chains shackling her to the wall had enough slack for her to climb onto the table. ¡°I¡¯ll do a fall in exchange for a bath.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the headmaster said as he walked behind Raea. ¡°Just spread your arms out to the side and lean back. I¡¯ll catch you before you hit the ground.¡± Raea bit her lip as she shuffled her feet towards the edge of the table. If this was happening before she met Palan, she would¡¯ve believed in the headmaster and fallen without hesitation. Now, her stomach was telling her not to do it, and her head was already throbbing from the impending pain. Perhaps Palan calling on her envy all the time really did erode what little kindness was left in her body after Selena died. ¡°Well?¡± the headmaster asked. ¡°To be kind to someone, you have to trust them unconditionally. Could you really heal someone you suspect was going to kill or manipulate you?¡± ¡°I know that,¡± Raea said as her hand twitched. ¡°I used to believe everyone was good. But after experiencing the borderlands for myself, I don¡¯t believe that anymore. For a while, I deluded myself, but I realized what I was doing after Selena died. Not everyone can be trusted.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you have to relearn how to trust others,¡± the headmaster said and sighed as he stared at the empty glass bottle on the table. He shook his head and glanced at the cabinet he kept his alcohol in. Maybe he should drink another. There was a movement in the corner of his eye, and he turned back around just in time to see Raea¡¯s head about to collide with his face but not in time to catch her. The two collided and fell to the floor. ¡°I knew you were tricking me!¡± Raea shouted as she clutched her head. Tears welled up in her eyes from the stinging sensation, and she curled her knees to her chest¡ªwell, as much as she could with the chains restraining her. Her eyes shut as she exhaled through gritted teeth. ¡°I knew it!¡± There was no response, and Raea opened her eyes. She saw the headmaster lying beside her with blood pouring from a gash in his forehead. Her face paled at the sight. ¡°Hey,¡± she said and shook his body. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± She lifted her hands and placed them against his neck, checking for a pulse. Raea let out a breath when she found out he was still alive. If he really did die, then there was no way she¡¯d be able to keep her life. The headmaster shuddered as his eyes fluttered open. Raea quickly released his neck and moved away from his body. He sat up and touched a hand to the wound on his head. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have said something before you fell?¡± he asked while groaning. He stood up before staggering to his desk and pressing a bell that rang with a clear sound. ¡°You said you would catch me,¡± Raea said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready,¡± the headmaster said while holding his head. Moments later, the door to the room opened and an angel wearing a suit walked in. She frowned at the headmaster and briskly walked over to him. Her face paled at the sight of blood, and her hands were enveloped by a white glow before she pressed them to his head. ¡°What happened?¡± the angel asked. She turned to look at Raea and froze when she saw Raea¡¯s eyes and wings. ¡°Nothing,¡± the headmaster said as he brushed away his secretary¡¯s hands. ¡°Take her to the baths and bring her a fresh set of clothes, but don¡¯t take the chains off of her. You can cut off the robe she¡¯s wearing right now if you have to.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡° ¡°Please,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Alright, but you owe me an explanation,¡± the secretary said and pursed her lips. She turned towards Raea. ¡°Come with me.¡± Chapter 208 An angel was sitting behind a desk reading a piece of paper. There was a knock on the door, and he said, ¡°Come in.¡± Another angel wearing a golden robe stepped inside, dipped his head downwards, and said, ¡°Mayor.¡± The mayor sat up and straightened his back. He leaned forward as he clenched his hands underneath the desk. ¡°Well?¡± he asked. ¡°There have been no reports of dead bodies or missing persons,¡± the golden-robed angel said. The mayor let out the breath that he didn¡¯t know he was holding and leaned back into his chair. ¡°Good,¡± he said as the expression on his face relaxed. ¡°Good,¡± he said again as the corners of his lips perked upwards. *** Palan let out a yawn as he controlled the carriage he was riding in with his foot. He was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, leaning back with his hands wrapped around his head and his foot on the orb in the center of the dashboard. The carriage was smaller than Linda¡¯s, but it had curtains that prevented people from looking in from the sides. Behind the driver¡¯s seat, the walls and ceiling were stained with blood, and a few angel corpses were stacked inside, their bodies buried underneath mounds of salt. Sometime during their travels, Cleo had explained to Palan about preserving meats. As for where he got the salt ¡­ the salt merchant¡¯s body was also buried within the pile¡ªin fact, the carriage also belonged to said merchant. Palan had been traveling north along the road, determined to make it to Marossa where the army was residing. Along the way, he¡¯d stop at the rest stops and procure fresh meat. He wasn¡¯t worried about rumors traveling to Marossa and heralding his arrival because everyone who saw him met an unfortunate end. If Cleo knew about the items he left behind, she would¡¯ve thrown a fit, but that was her own fault for fleeing. Without the orange lizardman around, Palan found himself missing the sound of her voice. Although she could be annoying at times, she was really useful to have around. The carriage was silent, and Palan absentmindedly pulled an arm out of the salt pile before snacking on it. The trip was boring. He never felt boredom in Eljiam. There was always something that needed to be done. In Div¡¯Nya, there was plenty of food, his poison stock was topped off, and he didn¡¯t have to take care of his sister. Even while traveling back at home, he always had to pay attention to his surroundings while going on foot: A sandstorm could blow past at any time. A herd of lions or pack of lizards could be out hunting. Demons would also be lying in ambush. Here, he was traveling much faster than he ever could in Eljiam by using a single foot. There were no bandits or threats on the road. That didn¡¯t mean he let his guard down, but compared to Eljiam, traveling in Div¡¯Nya was easier than sleeping in the desert. The sound of distant rattling wheels caught his attention, and he sat up. He used his hand to steer the carriage onto the side of the road and covered his body with a cloak. After making sure his facial features were hidden, he jumped out of the carriage and pulled off one of its wheels. He had seen a broken-down carriage during his trip, and the owner called out for him to help. Of course, Palan made sure the owner would never have another problem for the rest of his life.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A few moments passed before Palan saw a carriage heading south. He raised his cloaked hand, and the carriage began to slow down. A golden-robed angel descended from the carriage when it came to a halt in front of Palan. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± the angel asked before he saw Palan¡¯s carriage and frowned. ¡°The wheel just came off, and I can¡¯t put it back on by myself,¡± Palan mumbled, keeping his head down. The golden-robed angel narrowed his eyes at Palan before making a grunting noise. He stepped backwards, keeping his eyes on Palan. ¡°We can help you fix your carriage,¡± the angel said as he retreated. He knocked on the side of his own carriage. ¡°Come out. Someone needs our help to fix their ride.¡± The carriage doors opened, and three more angels wearing golden robes stepped outside. A cloth sack flew through the air right above the angels¡¯ heads. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± one of them asked. Less than a second later, the bag seemingly exploded into a cloud of green powder that rained down on the angels. One of the angels summoned a gust of wind that blew the powder away, but the damage was done. The angels began to cough as their bodies started shiver. Their skin turned darker as black tendrils snaked down their bodies, traveling underneath their skin. Palan watched the angels scream from a distance. After he threw the bag and pulled on a string to empty it in midair, he retreated off the road. After traveling through a few cities, he knew what those golden robes represented, and he had no intentions of fighting four greater angels at the same time. Injuries that he suffered would last since Raea wasn¡¯t around to heal him anymore, not that she could even if she was. ¡°What is this?¡± one of the angels shouted as his companions fell to the ground beside him. Their bodies writhed and began to expel black liquid from all their orifices. A white light flew out of hands to engulf his companions, but there was no change. The black ooze devoured the white light, leaving nothing behind. The angel fell to his knees before vomiting out a fountain of blood clots. He saw a pair of purple, clawed feet and lifted his head. Palan was staring down at him and his dead companions. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re going to die soon,¡± Palan said, his expression empty. He took a step backwards as the angel inched forward. ¡°P-please,¡± the angel said as a black liquid ran down the corners of his eyes. ¡°Save me.¡± ¡°I have a few questions,¡± Palan said and tilted his head. ¡°The faster you answer them, the sooner I¡¯ll cure you. Understand?¡± The angel bobbed his head up and down as his body shuddered. ¡°How far am I from Marossa?¡± ¡°At the end of the road, half a day¡¯s carriage ride,¡± the angel said through gritted teeth. ¡°How many archangels are there?¡± Palan asked. ¡°We have six,¡± the angel said, causing Palan to frown. ¡°The rebels have two, but there are some strong halflings. Strong as archangels.¡± The angel gasped and coughed out another clot of blood. His face was void of blood and had a light-green hue to it. ¡°Interesting,¡± Palan said as he licked his lips. ¡°How strong is the¡­.¡± The angel collapsed and fell onto his face, his body unmoving. Palan wrinkled his nose and stepped around the dead angels before entering their carriage. He found nothing of use except for a few barrels of water and food along with a set of golden robes. Too bad they wouldn¡¯t fit because of his tail. Palan hummed as he carried the barrels back to his carriage and reattached the wheel, easily lifting the carriage with a single hand. The carriage jolted forward and rode past the decaying bodies on the road. There was a smile on Palan¡¯s lips as he forced the carriage to travel faster. Six archangels were more than he bargained for, but he could definitely become an archdemon if he ate them all. He just had to wait for the right opportunity. Chapter 209 Six angels sat at a round table in a closed-off room. On the surface of the table, there was a map and multiple objects that could be used to represent armies, but those were swept off to the side. General Michael was sitting next to a relatively young-looking angel. Compared to the others at the table, she was like a child. Although Elrith held the record of being the youngest general, if he wasn¡¯t here, the record holder would be her, General Jones. She was over thirty, but she really was like an infant compared to the five other archangels at the table. She was also the only one that wasn¡¯t on the council. Percy, Andrew, Dinah, and Melissa sat closer together, leaving a space between their group and the two generals. ¡°The rebel army still hasn¡¯t appeared?¡± Percy asked, his face expressionless. ¡°It is possible they found out about your arrival and are scared,¡± Michael said. ¡°There have been a few deserters who may have leaked some information. Usually, they would have attacked by now. They¡¯ve never given us a week to rest before.¡± ¡°That is quite unfortunate,¡± Percy said and clasped his wrinkled hands together. ¡°I was hoping to resolve this issue before my great-grandson¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that in three days?¡± Melissa asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Percy said. ¡°If they don¡¯t attack today, it¡¯ll be too late to make it back on time.¡± General Jones¡¯ expression darkened, but quickly returned to normal. ¡°Does this mean you still insist on waiting?¡± she asked. After suffering defeat after defeat, she saw a ray of hope when the four archangels of the council arrived, but so far, they hadn¡¯t done anything except for sleeping and eating. Her last vestiges of hope had disappeared with Percy¡¯s statement. She had been confident too, but look at the army now: The morale was abysmal, and even the threat of death didn¡¯t stop some angels from deserting. Their numbers were half of what they once were. ¡°Of course,¡± Percy said softly and closed his eyes. General Jones wondered if he was about to fall asleep. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he did; after all, he was the oldest angel on the council at the age of a century and a half. ¡°What he means is,¡± Andrew said when he saw his companion was done speaking, ¡°it is our best course of option. The rebel army is like a weed. You have to pull it out by the root. If we don¡¯t eliminate every rebel in one go, then the survivors will flee and go on to cause havoc throughout the second sector. If even one of those ¡­ arch-halflings ¡­ that you described were to escape, isn¡¯t that just asking for trouble?¡± ¡°But they could be targeting a different city while we idle around here,¡± General Jones said. Dinah let out a sigh. ¡°What do you think the purpose of the rebel army is?¡± she asked. ¡°Do they just want to watch the world burn? If they wanted wanton destruction, they could¡¯ve split up and forced our army to spread out, but they haven¡¯t. They didn¡¯t destroy the farms in the third sector¡ªthey went straight to the second and targeted Akurel¡¯s army. The rebels wants what is ours. They aren¡¯t going to destroy it before it is theirs. The simplest way to take control is to destroy the army. Who is going to stop them once they do that?¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Melissa nodded and spoke before General Jones could. ¡°It is likely they are preparing for an attack after finding out we arrived,¡± she said. ¡°And we aren¡¯t going to attack their base where they may have an ambush set up. It is much easier to defend than to attack. We may be old, but I don¡¯t believe any of us here came with the intention of dying in battle. If waiting a few more days will accomplish the same thing and let us survive at the same time, then we¡¯ll wait.¡± *** Solra stared at the rod-like object in his arms. He raised his head to look at the smiling half-angel. The two were standing in a cave with a few angels chained up along the walls. ¡°What is this?¡± Solra asked Pyre. He tilted the rod and peered down the mostly hollow tube. ¡°I call it a hand cannon,¡± Pyre said as he took the rod from Solra. ¡°You mean a miniature cannon?¡± Solra asked as his face paled. ¡°Is that even safe?¡± Just a few weeks ago, Pyre had been experimenting with increasing the power of the cannons, but there was an explosion instead. Even a few dwarves no longer felt comfortable while working with him. ¡°No,¡± Pyre said. ¡°This is a different design. Instead of launching the projectile via explosion, we launch it via pressure. See¡±¡ªhe placed a metal ball into the tube and held the tube upright so that the ball fell to the bottom¡ª¡°we load the ammunition. Put on the cap¡±¡ªan object that looked like a donut was placed over the end of the tube and attached via latches¡ª¡°and we activate the humility orbs at the end.¡± He kicked the bottom of the tube and there was a scraping sound as the metal ball rushed towards the end of the tube, but was stopped by the donut-shaped lid. A few seconds passed. ¡°And then?¡± Solra asked. The metal tube began to make creaking noises. ¡°Then, when you think enough pressure¡¯s built up, you flip this latch,¡± Pyre said as his finger approached the latches attaching the lid to the tube. Solra frowned and took a step back. The latch flipped, and there was a roaring sound as the metal ball shot out of the tube and crashed into the ceiling of the cave, embedding itself into the dirt and not falling out. Solra scratched his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to make arrows of wind using the humility orbs instead?¡± Pyre snorted. ¡°Your arrows of wind won¡¯t be able to pierce through an archangel¡¯s wind wall,¡± he said. ¡°Archangels can¡¯t summon wind walls when I¡¯m around,¡± Solra said, his voice trailing off. ¡°Then what about when you aren¡¯t around?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Are you writing me off as dead already?¡± Solra asked back. ¡°You think I¡¯m weaker than my old coworkers?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Pyre said. ¡°If you were stronger, you wouldn¡¯t have been the one forced to flee, no?¡± Solra exhaled and shook his head. ¡°These hand cannons,¡± he said as he stared at the lid hanging off the tube¡¯s end. ¡°How many can you make?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already given over three hundred to the army,¡± Pyre said with a smile. ¡°Of course you have,¡± Solra said and shook his head again. Pyre hummed as he gave the hand cannon to Solra and picked up a stick. He prodded the angels chained to the wall, and the orbs embedded in their chests began to glow. Solra¡¯s expression darkened as he stared at the weapon in his hands and listened to the captives wail. Pyre was too dangerous to keep around any longer. Chapter 210 Justitia was standing on top of an earthen wall, staring at the plains outside of the city. The yellow moon hung overhead but didn¡¯t provide much illumination; instead, bonfires were scattered throughout the city and on the plains outside as well. Ever since the army was sneak attacked at night, Michael had the soldiers light bonfires outside the city walls before the sun set. Justitia shivered as she began to pace back and forth along the wall that Andrew had summoned. When the four council members arrived, they began to reinforce the defenses until the whole city of Marossa became one giant fortress. But that only took less than an hour, and the soldiers never saw the council members after that. She shivered again as a cold breeze blew past her skin. A thought flashed across her mind when she saw the other sentry who was patrolling with her round a corner: I should leave. She bit her lower lip and shook her head. The council members had ordered a group of guardians to patrol the roads to scout for any movements of the rebel army and deserters. She wasn¡¯t confident in her abilities to escape undetected. A sigh escaped from her lips when she thought back to the soldiers who had already left. She couldn¡¯t quite believe Owen deserted, but she guessed it was understandable seeing as Elrith had deserted too. There was a thumping noise which caused Justitia to stiffen and turn around. She saw her patrolling buddy crumpled on the ground, and she tightened her grip on her lance, causing purple lightning to coil around it. There was a movement in the corner of her eyes, and she whirled around to see a snake¡¯s head lunging towards her face. ¡°Palan!?¡± Justitia shouted as she raised her lance to block the blow. Raea¡¯s demon was the first person she thought of when she saw the black and red snake. The snake easily avoided Justitia¡¯s parry and engulfed her head. She tried to scream, but foul liquids entered her mouth instead, and she began to jab blindly with her lance. Seconds later, her vision returned, and she was able to breathe again. ¡°You know me?¡± Palan asked and tilted his head at Justitia while she coughed out the liquids she swallowed. He was holding onto her lance, and Danger Noodle was hovering near her throat. ¡°You don¡¯t recognize me?¡± Justitia asked. ¡°Justitia ¡­ Blossom¡­? Any of those names ring a bell?¡± She wiped at her face with the back of her hands. ¡°Oh,¡± Palan said as he released her lance. He shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s just so many of you angels that it¡¯s hard to remember all your faces.¡± Justitia¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Is he ¡­ dead?¡± she asked and gestured towards her fallen companion.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. A shudder ran down Justitia¡¯s spine, and she took a step back. ¡°Did Raea send you to do this?¡± she asked as her hands tightened on her lance. She knew she couldn¡¯t win against him, but her weapon comforted her. ¡°Raea?¡± Palan asked as his eyes slightly narrowed. ¡°No. She¡¯s gone.¡± Justitia¡¯s face blanched. ¡°Then¡­ are you going to kill me?¡± she asked. ¡°Are you going to report my presence?¡± Palan asked back. ¡°My duty is to report any signs of the rebel army,¡± Justitia said and bit her lip. ¡°Are you a part of that?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then I guess you can live,¡± Palan said and shrugged. Justitia exhaled and lowered her lance. Her legs were shaking. There was a sharp pain in the back of her head, and her vision went black as her body fell to the ground. Palan stared at the unconscious angel and frowned. Why had he spared her? He had a feeling Raea would be sad if she found out he killed Justitia, but who was going to tell her it was him? He shook his head. Whatever, it didn¡¯t matter anyways. Tonight, he wasn¡¯t here to kill, but to obtain information about the city¡¯s layout. After he thought about it for a bit, he came to the conclusion that someone who¡¯s lived here for a while would know it better than he could in a single night. Palan glanced at the unconscious angel and picked her up, grabbing the back of her belt. He paused and picked up the dead angel as well before leaping off the earthen wall and retreating. He carried the two angels like groceries and leapt into the air, enveloped by a black glow. After escaping to a hill off in the distance, he went around the base and brushed aside a boulder, revealing a hole in the hill. Inside, there was his carriage. He entered his hiding spot and stripped the dead angel before storing him into the mounds of salt. As for Justitia, he took away her lance and armor before tying her hands and legs together with strips of leather. Without Cleo, he didn¡¯t know how to start a fire, so he pulled out a piece of salted meat and began to eat it raw. He was in the process of breaking the leftover bones to slurp the marrow when Justitia started to scream. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed¡ªhe forgot to gag her too. ¡°Quit screaming,¡± Palan said and lightly smacked her head with the femur in his hands. ¡°Untie me!¡± ¡°I have trust issues,¡± Palan said and resumed eating. ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t understand,¡± Justitia said. She bit her lower lip as she attempted to work her hands free from their restraints. ¡°You¡ª¡° ¡°Just relax,¡± Palan said as he chucked the broken bones over his shoulder. ¡°I just want to find out some information about the situation of Marossa: the people, the layout¡±¡ªhis eyes narrowed¡ª¡°the archangels. And it was easier to just take you with me instead of discovering everything for myself. That also ensured you couldn¡¯t tell anyone about me.¡± Justitia exhaled. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to do anything to me?¡± she asked. Her limbs stopped struggling. ¡°My mom used to tell me stories about children who got kidnapped by demons because they were misbehaving.¡± ¡°Do you want me to torture you or do you want to tell me about Marossa?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°In fact, just tell me everything about the army and the rebels. I heard there were halflings as strong as archangels.¡± Chapter 211 ¡°Can¡¯t you at least untie me and give me some heavier clothes? It¡¯s kind of chilly,¡± Justitia said, gazing at her garb. She was wearing a cloth shirt and leather pants which was standard for putting armor on top of. Palan snorted before standing up and heading inside his carriage. He pulled out a pile of clothes with a few tears and bloodstains on them before tossing them on top of Justitia. He left the restraints on her. ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to chase you if you decide to run, so I¡¯m leaving those on,¡± Palan said. Justitia sighed. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°You wanted to know about the layout?¡± Palan nodded and Justitia began to explain the layout of Marossa to him. The large apartment complexes of the city were buried under the ground by diligence angels because the army made the mistake of leaving them up in the first city they tried to defend, and the buildings fell on top of them due to the cannon fire, causing even greater damage. Flammable materials were stacked in a corner to prevent a citywide fire, and the soldiers slept underground so there were no targets for the harpies¡¯ aerial raids. The demons from Elrith¡¯s army resided closer to the city walls while the angels stayed towards the center. There were also direct passages created to connect the soldiers¡¯ sleeping quarters and the city walls. With every loss the angels suffered, they changed the next city to prevent the same outcome from happening twice; however, that didn¡¯t stop them from continuously losing. ¡°I think the reason the rebel army is taking so long to take over Marossa is because of the improved defenses,¡± Justitia concluded. ¡°We learn after every loss, but we also lose too many people at the same time.¡± ¡°Then what about the archangels,¡± Palan said. ¡°Where do they stay?¡± ¡°About that,¡± Justitia said and tried to scratch her head but was stopped by her fetters. ¡°I know General Jones and General Michael stay in the center of the city, but the four archangels from the council ¡­ I haven¡¯t seen them since they arrived. They could be spread out, clumped together, or they may have even left.¡± ¡°What about their abilities?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I know one of them is a diligence angel,¡± Justitia said while meeting Palan¡¯s gaze. ¡°He created the walls.¡± She pursed her lips. Palan waited for more, but Justitia didn¡¯t continue. ¡°And the rest?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Justitia said and furrowed her brow. Danger Noodle raised its body off the ground and flickered its tongue. It slithered towards the bound angel. ¡°Are you messing with me right now?¡± Palan asked and narrowed his eyes.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°No!¡± Justitia said, her hair flying from side to side as she shook her head. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. The council isn¡¯t one to flaunt its powers. But people know the members are strong. Everyone knew General Michael¡¯s abilities because he¡¯s a general, but he¡¯s the only one of the council members who is.¡± Palan stared at Justitia until a bead of sweat formed and rolled down her forehead. ¡°Fine,¡± Palan said and relaxed his gaze, letting Danger Noodle crawl back towards his body. ¡°Tell me about the rebels then,¡± he said. ¡°What are these super strong halflings?¡± Justitia bit her lip. ¡°They¡¯re like halflings, but red,¡± she said. ¡°And they can use powers like newly evolved greater angels. But there are a few, the leaders, who have powers equivalent to newly evolved archangels. We haven¡¯t encountered that many, three so far. Solra wasn¡¯t using his powers to cancel ours out, and we were actually winning the fight, but then the three came out: a centaur of wrath, a harpy of temperance, and a goblin of gluttony.¡± Justitia shuddered. ¡°The two generals managed to fend them off, and were about to kill one, but Solra interfered and nulled everyone¡¯s powers again before retreating. But the damage was done¡ªthe city was ruined and we were forced to relocate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen gluttony in action,¡± Palan said. His expression seemed to soften. ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°The best way to describe it is ¡­ darkness,¡± Justitia said and pursed her lips. ¡°An unending sea of darkness that devours everything. It doesn¡¯t destroy you physically, but you lose your sense if you¡¯re enveloped in the darkness. It happened to me.¡± A shiver ran down her spine as her hands curled into fists. ¡°It¡¯s similar to the feeling you get when you¡¯re a child and you¡¯re left alone in the basement, and you have to turn off the lights before you go upstairs. In that moment of darkness, you¡¯re exposed and vulnerable¡ªa monster can appear at any time and eat you, so you run up the stairs as fast as you can towards the light. The difference is there is no light to run towards when gluttony devours you.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you just said,¡± Palan said. ¡°So basically, it consumes your senses?¡± He glanced over Justitia. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be permanent though.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Justitia said. ¡°But you lose your sense of touch, your sense of temperature, hunger, sight, smell, hearing. Everything. You won¡¯t even know if you¡¯re being eaten or not, or if your legs are even running. It¡¯s traumatizing.¡± She shook her head. ¡°A lot of angels deserted after that battle. I really wanted to.¡± ¡°So why do you stay?¡± Palan asked. ¡°And don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid of the death penalty. You can die just as easily if you fight in an army.¡± His nose wrinkled. He only did it once to kill Uzziel a while back, but he really disliked group fighting because his actions felt meaningless as a single person. Justitia shrugged. ¡°Sense of duty,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not a temperance angel for no reason. My family¡¯s better off with my income providing for them. And if I die in battle, they¡¯ll be generously compensated. And¡ª¡° ¡°Shut up,¡± Palan said while standing. Danger Noodle uncoiled and rose into the air. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡± ¡°Untie m¡ª¡° Danger Noodle flashed through the air and smacked Justitia¡¯s head with its own, knocking the angel unconscious. Palan licked his lips and readied his poison. This person was confident in their strides¡ªthey definitely knew he was here. His instincts told him this person was strong, and his heart began to beat faster. He brushed aside the boulder blocking the entrance and climbed to the top of the hill. At the base of the hill, opposite the boulder, there was an ancient-looking angel staring up at him: Melissa. Chapter 212 ¡°And what are you supposed to be?¡± Melissa asked. The moonlight illuminated the wrinkles and frown on her face. Her gaze was locked onto Palan. Tiny, red bolts of lightning snaked along her torso to the ground. ¡°I noticed someone kidnapping our soldiers. Are you with the rebels?¡± She hadn¡¯t received any reports of demons¡ªother than the two that were already killed in the borderland¡ªbelonging to the rebel army. ¡°Are you an archangel?¡± Palan asked tilting his chin upwards so he was looking down on the old council member. He was already standing on top of a hill while she was at the base, but he didn¡¯t feel like he was looking down on her enough. ¡°I am,¡± Melissa said with a curt nod. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of torture, so why don¡¯t you tell me what I want to know? I can give you a quick death if you do.¡± ¡°Have those words ever worked before?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. He opened a few pouches of poison and scattered their contents into the air, using his powers on the individual particles at the same time. The powder began to drift from his position towards the bottom of the hill in all directions. ¡°Pardon?¡± Melissa asked as her wrinkled forehead creased even further. ¡°I just want to know if you are part of the rebels or not.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m with the rebels, but I¡¯m actually contracted to General Michael. He¡¯s been using me to coordinate the rebel army better. He felt like there wasn¡¯t enough fear going around the city, so he had me kidnap a few angels. I was going to return them limb by limb over the next few days.¡± By now, the green powder had reached three-quarters of the way down and was visible to Melissa. She frowned at it, not quite sure what it was. ¡°Impossible,¡± Melissa said as she walked around the base of the hill, attempting to avoid the traveling powder while keeping her eyes on Palan. She raised her hand and pointed at Palan, causing a red lightning bolt to fly towards his body. Danger Noodle moved to intercept the blow, and Palan frowned as his tail began to feel numb. Although he had blocked Raea¡¯s father¡¯s lightning in a similar manner, this time, he actually felt it. The numbness traveled up his tail and down his legs, but Palan flexed his calves to stop the trembles and laughed. ¡°Is that all?¡± he asked. ¡°Michael¡¯s lightning was ten times stronger than yours.¡± He grinned, showing his pointed teeth. Melissa¡¯s brow furrowed. Maybe this demon truly did know General Michael if he understood his powers. But knowing his powers didn¡¯t prove anything. She continued to circle the hill, trying to get out of the poisons path, but found it was flowing down in all directions from the top. Her brow furrowed when she saw Justitia tied up and unconscious by the entrance of Palan¡¯s hiding place, a cloud of poison approaching her. ¡°Despicable,¡± Melissa said, sending a glare at Palan before running towards Justitia. Faced with an archangel, Palan had actually forgotten about Justitia when he scattered the poison. He didn¡¯t expect Melissa to charge into the poison to save the unconscious angel. He licked his lips while waiting for Melissa to emerge. He didn¡¯t have to wait for long, and the old angel carried Justitia out before releasing the breath she was holding. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t know how potent the poison that came from Raea was¡ªit didn¡¯t need to be inhaled to be effective.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Melissa¡¯s face blanched when the poison began to corrode her clothes and the bits of revealed flesh that made contact with the poison. She quickly stripped her robe before a white glow enveloped her palms. The glow did nothing to heal her own injuries, but Justitia¡¯s face, which had turned green, returned back to its normal red hue when her body made contact with the glowing hands. ¡°Just what kind of poison is this?¡± Melissa asked as her brow wrinkled. Her body felt like hundreds of ants were biting at her flesh. Palan smiled at the archangel before enveloping his body with a black glow. He crouched, touching the tips of his fingers to the ground and jumped. Melissa frowned when she saw Palan¡¯s body flying away from her with him still facing her. She had been expecting him to leap forward, but she quickly raised her hand, calling forth a dozen lightning bolts to fly towards him. Palan sucked in his breath and increased the pull of gravity on his body, causing him to sink towards the ground. The lightning grazed him, singing the hairs on his head, but that was all. His nose wrinkled at the smell of burnt hair, but he kept his gaze locked onto Melissa. As far as he knew, angels of kindness couldn¡¯t heal themselves. There shouldn¡¯t be a way for the angel to expel the poison from her system by herself, but if she returned to the town, there might be an archangel who could stop it. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to run away?¡± Palan asked, taunting the old angel. He tried to imitate Madison¡¯s singsong voice that always succeeded in pissing him off. Whether because of his jeering or because she came to the conclusion that she couldn¡¯t save Justitia unless she killed Palan first, Melissa abandoned all thoughts of retreat. The clear sky began to crackle with red lightning, creating a red sky that was similar to a sunset. Melissa¡¯s hair flapped violently even though there was no wind. Before, she had intended on extracting information from Palan, but now, she was fully intent on killing him. Only by killing him could she save herself and Justitia. Palan¡¯s eyes widened at the sight. Before, Raea¡¯s father had been holding back out of consideration for the city. It was Palan¡¯s first time seeing what an archangel of temperance could truly do. Melissa¡¯s eyes rolled into the back of her head and revealed their whites as a massive face composed of lightning bolts appeared in the sky. The face opened its eyes and stared at Palan who was using Danger Noodle to dig a hole in the ground. The first thought that came to the demon¡¯s mind was to get underground, but even then, he wasn¡¯t sure if that would work. A hand formed of lightning emerged from next to the face and stretched its way down to the ground. Although it was composed of lightning, it didn¡¯t move as fast, but it still would¡¯ve reached Palan before he managed to get underground. Palan cursed in his mind and urged his tail to dig faster. He watched the lightning hand approach and determined that he couldn¡¯t escape its range even if he jumped away at full power. His brow furrowed as he looked for any way out and saw Melissa standing motionless with her eyes glazed over and lips slightly parted. The lightning would stop if he killed her, but there was no way that lightning avatar in the sky was going to let him reach her. He crouched down, picked up a rock, and threw it as hard as he could in a parabola towards Melissa¡¯s head while using his powers to increase its acceleration. It probably wasn¡¯t going to work, but he really had no other options. The rock collided against the old angel¡¯s forehead. Chapter 213 [The rock collided against the old angel¡¯s forehead]. The effect was akin to a sledgehammer making contact with a watermelon. The lightning avatar in the sky let out a scream as it dissolved, which caused thousands of red thunderbolts to rain down from the sky in every direction, blasting apart the ground, the roads, the hills and plains, and even assaulting the city off in the distance. Luckily for Palan, he was only struck by three of the lightning bolts, and after a while passed and his body stopped spasming, he crawled off of the ground and stared with his mouth agape. His left arm was hanging completely limp at his side, and there was a loud ringing noise in his ears. The plains were ablaze, and what wasn¡¯t on fire was blackened. Cracks littered the stone roads, and off in the distance, a whole section of the city wall had collapsed. What amazed him the most was Justitia. She was completely untouched along with the corpse of the dead archangel. In fact, everything in a ten-meter radius of the dead archangel hadn¡¯t been struck by lightning. The ringing in his ears, caused by the thousands of lightning bolts making a sound like the sky exploding, still hadn¡¯t stopped, and his legs were still numb, but he understood that he had to retrieve the corpse and escape. That final strike of hers definitely attracted the attentions of the other five archangels. Palan picked up the corpse and frowned at Justitia who was still unconscious. She had no idea what just occurred, but she did know it was him that kidnapped her. He raised his foot above her head, and hesitated as his brow furrowed. If it weren¡¯t for her, his opponent probably wouldn¡¯t have been poisoned. When had he become so sentimental? After returning his foot back to the ground, he whirled around and leapt away, enveloping his and the corpse¡¯s body with a black glow. Once he made it to a region where the lightning hadn¡¯t struck, he slowed down and began to look for a place to hide. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what methods Melissa had used to track him down, but he assumed the other archangels would have it as well. It would be best for him to find a place with a high vantage point that allowed his to scatter poison and flee. It was a shame that most of the trees in the area had been cut down. He was about to take step forward, but his leg wobbled underneath him, and he collapsed onto the ground, splattering the corpse¡¯s brain matter into the grass. Palan panted for breath and had Danger Noodle drag his body in between two relatively close hills. That bastard tail of his had actually used his left arm to shelter its own head after he raised it to block the lightning. Now it was going to have to put in some work. Danger Noodle began to dig a little, person-sized cave with an entrance just large enough to squeeze Palan¡¯s body through as its owner fainted. It didn¡¯t understand why its owner was blaming it for hiding underneath his arm. It would¡¯ve died if it hadn¡¯t. Once it managed to maneuver Palan into the crevice it dug, it slithered out of the cave and swallowed Melissa¡¯s corpse before retreating into the hole and covering the entrance with some dirt. Some moonlight still poured inside, but there wasn¡¯t much Danger Noodle could do about that since it didn¡¯t have thumbs.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. *** Justitia let out a groan as sunlight streamed into her eyes. She raised her hand to block it. ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡± someone shouted, causing her body to stiffen. Sunlight? The soldiers always slept below ground. It had been weeks since she last woke up to sunlight. Her grogginess disappeared in a flash as a wave of anxiety slipped over her, causing her stomach to drop and chest to burn. She sat up, letting the blanket covering her body fall away, and glanced down. A thin cloth was separating her from the ground, and she was wearing a loose white robe that was used to dress sleeping patients. Had she been injured? The last thing she remembered was talking to Palan on the city walls. Did he knock her out? A shiver ran down her spine¡ªat least he hadn¡¯t killed her. She turned her head to the side and saw that she was surrounded by a group of golden-robed angels, causing her stomach to drop even further. The guardians followed the orders of the council members, not the army. What did Palan do after he knocked her out? She winced and clutched her forehead as images of Palan eating an arm came into her head. He had taken her somewhere else too. So why was she back here? Had Palan been caught and killed? The golden-robed angels parted and five people approached her: the two generals and three council members. Justitia gulped as the surrounding guardians dispersed, making sure no one else could approach. ¡°Hello,¡± Andrew said. There were five chairs prepared beside her, and the archangels sat down. ¡°You are Blossom?¡± Justitia blinked before nodding with her mouth agape. Seconds later, her back straightened and she saluted the two people while shouting, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± It was only then that she noticed part of the city wall had collapsed. Before, her vision was obscured by the golden-robed angels. ¡°Did, did something happen?¡± ¡°Where were you last night?¡± Andrew asked, his eyes narrowing. Justitia furrowed her brow. ¡°I was on patrol with Private Kubler,¡± she said and lowered her head. ¡°I, I, what happened? I remember Kubler collapsing, then my vision went black.¡± She raised her head and gazed at General Michael, causing him to sigh. ¡°It looks like she doesn¡¯t know anything,¡± Michael said to Andrew. He turned towards Justitia. ¡°We found you bound and unconscious in the fields outside of the city. You really don¡¯t remember anything?¡± Justitia bit her lower lip. She didn¡¯t owe Palan anything. But he had spared her, and she promised she wouldn¡¯t tell. But it couldn¡¯t hurt to say there was a demon, right? ¡°I think I saw a cloaked figure near Kubler before he collapsed. But I¡¯m not sure,¡± she said and pursed her lips. ¡°It was dark, and my head really hurts right now.¡± ¡°Forget it then,¡± General Jones said, her voice soft. ¡°If you remember anything, please come and find us.¡± Justitia nodded, and the five angels stood up. Andrew glared at her before turning around and walking away. She watched the five angels walk out of view before lying back down and staring up at the sky. What the hell happened last night? Chapter 214 At the top of a hill, an angel with red eyes and a red-colored dwarf stood next to each other. The dwarf glanced around, licking his lips while shifting his weight from foot to foot. The sun shone down on them, and the dwarf couldn¡¯t help but narrow his shoulders and hunch his back as if the sunlight threatened to push him into the earth. The dwarf¡¯s head swiveled from side to side before his gaze finally ended up on the angel¡¯s face. ¡°Lord Pyre?¡± he asked. ¡°Is this good?¡± ¡°Good? This place is shit,¡± Pyre said as he glared at the dwarf, but before the old angel could say another word, the dwarf vanished, causing Pyre to furrow his brows. A sigh escaped from his lips before he shook his head. He could sense Solra¡¯s animosity towards him and chose to flee before it escalated into violence. That dwarf was an escape route he planned long ago; although Pyre wasn¡¯t afraid of death, he still wanted to be alive to watch the world burn. It would be a shame if he died before seeing his plans come into fruition. For some reason though, he felt cheated when he saw the land before him. Scorch marks covered the earth as far as he could see, but when he turned around, the land was untouched. Clearly, this was evidence of a great battle that he missed out on. He squinted his eyes and saw the city of Marossa off in the distance, but its walls weren¡¯t damaged anymore. His eyes closed as his mana roiled in his body. He merged his powers of self-sacrifice with his powers of knowledge to scan the area. ¡°Huh.¡± His eyes opened, and he walked towards the base of the hill he was standing on. There was a crevice hidden away. ¡°Palan?¡± Pyre asked. He looked around for a stick, but couldn¡¯t find any due to the lack of trees. For a second, he entertained the thought of sticking his arm into the hole, but came to the conclusion that he¡¯d lose it if he did. Instead, he sat down, pulled a pipe out of his bag, and lit it up with an orb of wrath. He took a drag before blowing a cloud of purple smoke into the miniature cave. A few seconds later, there was the sound of coughing, and a black snake¡¯s head appeared. It stared at Pyre who waved at it. ¡°Pyre?¡± Palan¡¯s voice asked from inside the hole. Moments later, Danger Noodle crawled out, dragging Palan into view. Palan¡¯s left arm dangled as he stood up, and his brow furrowed. That annoying ringing noise in his ears still hadn¡¯t stopped. He cracked his neck and said, ¡°It seems like I¡¯m seeing a lot of old faces in these past few days.¡± Pyre grunted. ¡°I know my face is old,¡± he said. ¡°What happened to you? You look terrible.¡± Palan¡¯s body was covered in a layer of dirt, and there were a few web-like scars on his body caused by Melissa¡¯s lightning strikes. Pyre reached into his bag and pulled out a white orb. He raised an eyebrow and inhaled on his pipe. He spoke while blowing smoke out of his mouth, ¡°Need healing?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Palan nodded, and a white light escaped from the orb, enveloping the demon¡¯s body. By the time he was fully healed, the orb¡¯s luster had diminished by half. Palan stuck his finger into his ear and wiggled it around. The ringing had finally stopped. ¡°So,¡± Pyre said as he stared at Palan¡¯s fat tail. The outline of a body could clearly be seen midway up the snake. ¡°Where¡¯s Raea?¡± Palan made a face as he wondered if he should even tell Pyre anything. ¡°Her parents took her back to the capital,¡± he said. Pyre raised an eyebrow as if he could sense Palan¡¯s lie, but he didn¡¯t comment. ¡°You¡¯re still alive?¡± the old angel asked after a while. ¡°Planning on getting her back?¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Palan asked as his eyes narrowed. The last time he saw Pyre was in the borderlands. Was he like Sally¡ªable to disappear in the face of danger? ¡°Am I not allowed to be here?¡± Pyre asked back. ¡°What¡¯s with your eyes?¡± Pyre blinked and tilted his head. ¡°Oh, you never saw me without my blindfold,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m half demon.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said. So angels and demons could have kids. His brow furrowed as his thoughts wandered towards Raea. He snorted before turning his attention towards his body. The pain was gone, and he felt as good as new. It was a shame he still hadn¡¯t evolved. One more archangel would probably push him over the boundary. ¡°Why is it so hard for a demon to evolve?¡± Pyre raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just life,¡± he said and shrugged. ¡°Things aren¡¯t fair. Demon bodies are already resilient compared to angels. It only makes sense they require more to get stronger. Why? Looking to become an archdemon?¡± A strange smile appeared on Pyre¡¯s lips. ¡°I heard there¡¯s plenty of archangels in that city over there. If you ate a few, I bet you¡¯d evolve.¡± Palan nodded. ¡°I already ate one,¡± he said. Danger Noodle burped. The pipe dropped from Pyre¡¯s hands and landed on the ground. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°How?¡± Palan pointed at his tail. ¡°Swallowed her like that,¡± he said. ¡°I mean, how did you swallow her? I don¡¯t imagine she walked up to you and slipped into your tail,¡± Pyre said as he leaned over and picked up his pipe. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a greater demon?¡± ¡°I threw a rock at her, and she died,¡± Palan said with a shrug. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Pyre said. ¡°How big was this rock?¡± ¡°Same size as that one,¡± Palan said and pointed at a fist-sized rock on the ground. A smile crept onto his lips as the look of disbelief on Pyre¡¯s face grew. ¡°You¡¯re serious,¡± Pyre said and looked up. ¡°I seem to have greatly underestimated you. Are you planning on killing another?¡± ¡°Are you going to stop me?¡± Palan asked, his smile growing wider. ¡°Stop you? Hell no. I¡¯ll help,¡± Pyre said. He bit down on his pipe and rubbed his hands together. If Solra didn¡¯t want him, then he¡¯d find someone else. A genius like him wouldn¡¯t let a minor setback stop him from accomplishing his goals. So what if he didn¡¯t have dwarves to forge him any more cannons? Now there¡¯s a demon that killed an archangel with the same agenda, wasn¡¯t that even better? Chapter 215 ¡°And how will you be able to help me?¡± Palan asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°And why?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I despise the council,¡± Pyre said. ¡°They tarnished my family name, and forced my mother to her death. I want to see everything they care for be destroyed. I want their hard work, the angels¡¯ nation, to be torn down. I want their descendants to feel the despair of being hunted and enslaved. Is that reason enough?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an angel of wrath?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°What happened to knowledge?¡± ¡°Me? Wrathful? No,¡± Pyre said and chuckled. ¡°I just want them to die miserable deaths. There¡¯s nothing wrathful about that.¡± He inhaled on his pipe while closing his eyes. Purple smoke leaked out of his nose before he expelled a cloud into the air. ¡°So,¡± he said and opened his eyes, meeting Palan¡¯s gaze, ¡°what do you say? I can tell you everything about the council members who are here. I had to leave behind most of my fun creations when I ¡­ came here, but I can still provide help in the form of knowledge and healing.¡± ¡°You¡¯d betray Michael?¡± Palan asked. His eyes narrowed. Danger Noodle lifted itself off the ground but burped and fell back onto its stomach. ¡°I mean, technically, I was never his ally,¡± Pyre said. ¡°He just asked me to come along to the borderlands, so I did.¡± ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯d betray me in a heartbeat as well,¡± Palan said and sat down in front of Pyre. The old angel grunted. ¡°So you don¡¯t want my help?¡± he asked. ¡°Submit to me,¡± Palan said. ¡°Let¡¯s form a contract. I¡¯ll kill Sariel. You¡¯ll help me and never betray me, harm me, or go against my best interests.¡± He reached into his bag and pulled out a yellow crystal. His fingers wrapped around it, crushing it into powder. The powder flew into the air between the two people and turned into a yellow piece of paper with writing on it. Pyre read the contract once before stabbing his thumb with a sharp object he pulled out from his bag. Then he pressed his bloody digit against the piece of paper. Palan licked his lips before biting his own thumb and pressing it against the contract as well. The paper flashed with a yellow light before vanishing. ¡°Excellent,¡± Palan said and smiled. ¡°Raea¡¯s not going to be mad at you for killing Sariel?¡± Pyre asked as he pulled out a white orb and healed his and Palan¡¯s thumbs. Palan shrugged. ¡°I have ways to calm her down,¡± he said. His tail rolled its eyes. ¡°Now then, tell me everything you know about the archangels in that city.¡± Pyre nodded and tapped the ashes out of his pipe, letting them spill onto the ground. ¡°The council sent over four archangels: Percy, Andrew, Dinah, and Melissa. There were already two archangels stationed in Marossa: Michael and Jones. Michael you should already know about. Jones is an angel of chastity and temperance. If you¡¯ve already forgotten, chastity is the power of suggestion. Uzziel¡¯s used it on you before.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°As for the council members,¡± Pyre said and brought the pipe to his lips after refilling it, ¡°Percy¡¯s the oldest¡ªripe old age of a hundred and fifty. He¡¯s an angel of diligence. Those walls should¡¯ve been created by him. He¡¯s extremely proficient at constructing buildings that are near impossible to bring down, but he¡¯s not so great at manipulating golems like Elrith. As for Andrew¡ª¡° ¡°Just diligence?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Nothing else?¡± Pyre nodded. ¡°Sariel gives him work, and he gets it done. Doesn¡¯t matter what kind of work it is. Could be saving an orphanage or grinding demon babies into powder; he¡¯ll do it in the most efficient way possible,¡± Pyre said and cleared his throat. ¡°Now, Andrew ¡­ Andrew ¡­ ah, he¡¯s an angel of patience and altruism or self-sacrifice. Altruism amplifies other¡¯s powers, or if you¡¯re like me, it amplifies your own too. His chains of patience last even when they break contact with his body.¡± Pyre waited for Palan to interrupt again, but the demon stayed silent. ¡°Melissa¡¯s an angel of temperance and kindness. She can heal from a distance, but her favorite thing to do is summon an avatar of lightning¡ª¡° ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Palan said. ¡°I ate her.¡± Pyre raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did she use her lightning avatar on you?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Palan said with a nod. ¡°She immobilized herself while using it, so I brained her with the rock.¡± Pyre snorted. ¡°I knew she didn¡¯t have much combat experience, but I didn¡¯t expect her to make such a rookie mistake,¡± he said. ¡°I guess she forgot Percy wasn¡¯t there to create a shield for her.¡± He shrugged. ¡°People get forgetful when they age. And lastly, there¡¯s Dinah: kindness, charity, and wisdom. If she works together with Andrew, she can revive the recently deceased in a region as big as a city.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°What?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°When I become an archdemon,¡± Palan said as his expression darkened, ¡°what will I be able to do with my pride?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be honest,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen pride at the archangel level, but I can still make a few conjectures. Want to hear them?¡± Palan nodded. ¡°Generally, powers have three stages. They start at the hands, then spread throughout the body, and the final stage is projecting them from a distance,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I suspect that right now you can use your powers on your body or anything you touch, am I right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So when you become an archdemon, you should be able to project your powers at a distance. You won¡¯t have to come into contact with something to use your powers on it,¡± Pyre said. ¡°If you see a bird flying by, you could make it crash into the ground. Of course, that¡¯s the most primitive method of applying your powers. Really, you¡¯ll just have to experiment with it to see what you can truly do. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to create an avatar or a fortress, but a citywide increase in gravity is possible. Perhaps it may also be possible for you to focus and condense your power. Maybe make the pull of gravity twenty times stronger in a small region¡ªlike someone¡¯s head. The possibilities are endless, and the result certainly won¡¯t be weaker than what everyone else can do.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ll have to experiment when I become an archdemon then,¡± Palan said. His eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you think is the best approach to let me kill and eat another archangel?¡± Chapter 216 ¡°In a few days, Solra is going to lay siege to Marossa,¡± Pyre said, narrowing his eyes while smiling. He lowered the pipe in his hand and blew outwards. The pair watched the cloud of smoke fly up into the air before it was dispersed by the wind. ¡°Most likely, he¡¯ll initiate the attack by sending in the archlings¡ªit¡¯s what I call the halflings who evolved to an archangel mana level¡ªto create havoc and kill the most number of soldiers possible before they die. He knows the council members are there, and he knows about Dinah¡¯s charity zone. Once she cancels out the archlings powers, he¡¯ll have the normal halflings assault the city walls with cannons, then when the walls fall, they¡¯ll assault the soldiers with hand cannons¡ªprojectile weapons I created. ¡°Without powers, the angels will be helpless against the long-range weapons, and Dinah will be forced to cancel her zone of charity. For a moment, the angels might regain the upper hand as they stop the projectiles and counterattack, but that¡¯s when Solra will personally step in and cancel out all the powers again. Two angels of charity can¡¯t cancel each other¡¯s powers, it only amplifies the effect, which means Dinah can¡¯t stop him. ¡°This is probably the angels¡¯ last stand in the second sector,¡± Pyre said as he lowered his head and took a drag on his pipe. He grinned and touched his nose. ¡°The whole time I was missing, I was actually helping Solra create those weapons and archlings, which is why I know so much about their plans.¡± He laughed. ¡°Now ¡­ as for the best time for you to eat an archangel ¡­ maybe at the end of the battle when Solra steps in or wait until it¡¯s all over? If you could locate the dead archlings¡¯ bodies, I¡¯m sure eating them would add up to an archangel. It¡¯s safer, but there¡¯s no guarantee they¡¯ll still be there for you to eat.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Palan said as he leaned back. ¡°Will we know when it starts from here?¡± ¡°It should be loud,¡± Pyre said with a nod. ¡°Good,¡± Palan said as he stared at the outline of Melissa¡¯s body inside of his tail. ¡°I still need a few days to digest this. Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t start before then.¡± ¡°It may be another week or two,¡± Pyre said, waving his pipe. ¡°There were a few halflings on the verge of evolving before I left. Solra might wait for them first.¡± He chuckled. ¡°So are you going to hunt an archangel or eat the scraps like a vulture?¡± Palan narrowed his eyes and licked his lips. ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked. If he weren¡¯t in such a hurry to become an archdemon to save Raea, he might really have chosen to wait for the battle to end. But he didn¡¯t have time, and he didn¡¯t know when another chance like this would present itself. Opportunity only knocks once.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it *** Inside of a dark room with stalactites hanging from the ceiling, Solra was resting in a pool of water. Steam rose from the surface of the pool, and Solra let out a sigh as he rolled his neck. Footsteps echoed through the cave, causing him to raise his head. Ishim appeared at the entrance to the room, a dark expression on his face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Solra asked as he sat up, letting water cascade from his body. There were wrinkles all over his skin, and the outlines of his bones could be seen. ¡°The madman¡¯s gone,¡± Ishim said. ¡°I tried following your orders, but he¡¯s not here anymore. It¡¯s like he fell into a hole somewhere and vanished.¡± ¡°So he knew,¡± Solra said and sighed. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be on his way to inform Michael.¡± The old angel¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°His madness wasn¡¯t faked. He really does wish for the current society to be ruined.¡± Solra shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Even if they know, what can they do?¡± Ishim grunted. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. ¡°When the battle starts,¡± he said and clenched his hands, ¡°can I be part of the first wave?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Solra asked. He was just about to sink back into the water but stopped as he stared at Ishim. ¡°You know the first wave is going to die, right?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Ishim said and nodded. ¡°Then why?¡± Solra asked. ¡°Who will help me reestablish the nation when we win?¡± Ishim shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that,¡± he said. ¡°I just want revenge for my father. The first wave is the only time I¡¯ll be able to use my powers of wrath. I want to kill the council members with my own hands.¡± Solra sighed as he let his body sink into the pool. What did Anidun do to leave such a strong impression on Ishim¡¯s mind that he was willing to die for vengeance? Anidun wasn¡¯t even his biological father. ¡°You think you¡¯ll be able to kill any of the council members with your powers?¡± Solra asked, staring at the ceiling. ¡°Dinah will cancel your powers out before you can do any damage to them. You¡¯ll only be able to kill the regular soldiers.¡± ¡°I want to try,¡± Ishim said, narrowing his eyes. Black flames sprang into existence around his body, but Solra pointed at him, and the flames disappeared. ¡°You¡¯ve thought this through?¡± Solra asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Ishim said and nodded. Blood poured from his palms where his nails cut into his flesh. He hated having his flames stifled. It was like his anger was being denied. He ground his teeth together while Solra floated in silence. ¡°Alright then,¡± the old angel said after a while. Ishim nodded and left before Solra could say anything else. A sigh escaped from the wrinkled angel¡¯s lips. He had to admit that wrath was strong¡ªmaybe the strongest sin. But without a firm foundation like Meffie¡¯s, it would consume the user. It seemed like Ishim was too weak and lost himself to his anger. Solra got out of the pool and toweled himself off. Maybe it was better for Ishim to die in the coming battle. Solra didn¡¯t want to imagine the aftermath of Ishim¡¯s feelings if he were to survive and achieve his revenge. The old angel sighed again as his bones let out creaking noises while he got dressed. Yes, it was better that he die. It would be better than wrath without meaning. Chapter 217 Michael and Jones sat next to each other, facing the three council members who sat opposite them on a rectangular table. The expression on all of their faces were grim, and even the crystal that provided light seemed dim. Percy raised his head and looked Michael in the eyes. ¡°She still hasn¡¯t been found?¡± the ancient angel asked. His voice was hoarse and low. Michael grimaced. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve sent out a small group to scout the surroundings, but they haven¡¯t reported back yet.¡± Percy slammed his hands against the wooden table. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you sent everyone!?¡± he shouted. His face turned red, and he began to cough. He wheezed as he stared at Michael and Jones, his eyes narrowed. ¡°It could be a trap,¡± Jones said, meeting Percy¡¯s gaze without flinching. ¡°If we send all the soldiers outside to look for her, then what was the point of creating this fortress in the first place? This could be part of Solra¡¯s plan.¡± ¡°Melissa would never use her lightning avatar without a reason,¡± Percy said as he clenched his hands. His fingers dug into the wooden table, leaving streaks of blood. ¡°She could be out there, waiting for us to find her as she recovers. There¡¯s no way she lost after summoning her avatar.¡± He lowered his head. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already done all that we can,¡± Michael said and sighed. ¡°Morale truly is at an all-time low. If we sent out everyone to look for Melissa, there¡¯s no telling how many people would desert.¡± ¡°Does it matter how many people desert?¡± Percy asked. ¡°Her strength is greater than nearly the whole army combined. You know that.¡± ¡°And once Solra uses his power, she¡¯ll just be a hundred-year-old angel with no power,¡± Jones said. ¡°Our powers are greater than Solra¡¯s!¡± Andrew said. Jones¡¯ expression remained neutral. ¡°Then how did the sinners get away the first time?¡± she asked. The three council members fell silent under her stare. ¡°We weren¡¯t ready,¡± Percy said, breaking the silence. ¡°And you are ready this time?¡± Jones asked. The council members¡¯ attitudes annoyed her. She had personally experienced Solra¡¯s power herself and lost her companions because of it. The constant losses were making her bitter, and she vented it on them. ¡°Clearly you aren¡¯t. Michael and I told you many times about the danger, but you never listened. And now Melissa is gone because of it. Even if she noticed unusual activity and decided to chase, why didn¡¯t she inform any of us?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Let¡¯s not blame or find faults in each other,¡± Dinah said. ¡°We have to be united.¡± Jones snorted and leaned back. If only Elrith was here. She shook her head. Elrith had already lost to Solra, which she found hard to believe. Him being here wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°Let¡¯s attack,¡± Percy said. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If Solra got his hands on Melissa, there¡¯s no doubt she¡¯s being tortured right now,¡± Percy said. ¡°We know the general location of their base. Let¡¯s attack first.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you afraid of the halflings scattering?¡± Michael asked and furrowed his brow. If even one of those advanced halflings were set loose in the second sector, there wasn¡¯t any doubt that a few cities would be lost. ¡°The circumstances have changed,¡± Percy said. ¡°We can no longer afford to sit and wait around knowing they can pick us off one by one.¡± ¡°When do we start?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°Now,¡± Percy said as he inhaled and closed his eyes. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a full day,¡± Michael said. ¡°Our scouts still haven¡¯t returned. Melissa could be perfectly fine and in recovery right now. Like you said, it¡¯s impossible for her to lose once she summons her avatar.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯ll be a pleasant surprise when we find her after coming back victorious,¡± Percy said as he opened his eyes and stood up. Right when Jones was about to say something, a booming noise echoed throughout the room, and the ceiling shook, causing dust particles to fall to the ground. The archangels rose to their feet, knocking their chairs over. ¡°What was that?¡± Michael asked as he rushed towards the door. The door was flung open before he reached it, and an angel with wide eyes fell into the room. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s one archangel of wrath!¡± ¡°Just one?¡± Michael asked as he helped the soldier to his feet. ¡°Yes,¡± the soldier said and bobbed his head up and down. ¡°But we can¡¯t stop him.¡± The five archangels looked at each other before exiting the room. *** A goblin rushed down a tunnel and turned a bend. A bead of sweat rolled down its red head as it approached a crude, stone door. It rapped its knuckles on the frame, and it gulped when it heard Solra respond. ¡°What is it?¡± The goblin pushed the door open and saluted. ¡°C-commander Ishim went to attack the angels,¡± it said and held its breath while keeping its gaze on the floor. ¡°What?¡± Solra asked as he got out of bed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Just earlier that day, he had talked with Ishim in the baths. It was clear the angel of wrath was willing to wait for the day of the plan before taking action. ¡°W-we were discussing the red thunderstorm that happened last night,¡± the goblin said, not daring to raise its head. ¡°And Commander Ishim heard some of us joke around about one of the council members dying. He asked if it was true before running outside.¡± The goblin didn¡¯t mention the fact that it lost at drawing straws, which is why it was sent to report to Solra. Solra¡¯s expression darkened as he donned his cloak. ¡°Gather everyone,¡± he said. ¡°The plan proceeds earlier than expected. Bring the cannons.¡± He paused as he walked past the goblin. ¡°Except for the few people that are going to evolve soon. Let them stay behind.¡± Solra sighed as he marched down the tunnel. He should¡¯ve kept a closer eye on Ishim. He just hoped that Ishim could hold out in the time it took for him to ready the army. Chapter 218 Ishim stood in the center of what looked like an abandoned fortress. Black flames circled around his body, but the only thing that was on fire was the giant stack of flammable materials in the corner. ¡°Get out here!¡± Ishim shouted as he stomped on the ground. His eyes were red and strand of sticky saliva flew from the corner of his lip. He raised his hands towards the sky and screamed. His body turned into a black pillar of flames which quickly expanded in size until it pressed against the fortress walls. There were no soldiers on the walls¡ªthey had all gone down to report the situation when Ishim first arrived by riding a harpy¡ªbut screams, coming from underground, echoed through the air as the surface of the fortress walls and ground glowed orange, then red, before turning to sludge. The flames crawled over the top of the fortress walls and began to spread to the outside plains as well. From the distance, Marossa was like an ice-cream cake left in the sun, the sides caving in on itself and melting outwards. Ishim laughed as even he began to feel the heat from his powers. His red skin turned even redder, and some blisters formed on his exposed regions. ¡°Come out!¡± he shouted again as the black flames rose even higher into the sky, engulfing the screaming harpy that carried him to Marossa. Her body turned to ash in an instant, not even leaving behind a set of bones. When the ground began to turn into lava, there was a moment when the air rippled and all the flames froze at once, and Ishim¡¯s expression stiffened. The flames vanished, leaving behind no trace of their existence except for the glowing ground. Ishim screamed towards the sky, the skin on his face cracking and flaking off due to their lack of moisture. Once again, his wrath had been stifled. A hole began to form in the lava a few feet away from where he was standing, and Ishim lowered his head, glowering at the expanding void as lava cascaded inside. Five figures rose out of the void, standing on a pillar of dark-brown earth that stopped seven feet above the lava-like surface of the city. Ishim was standing ankle-deep in the lava, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. Perhaps the nerves in his legs and feet had been eaten away. His eyes flashed as his expression darkened, blood oozing out of the cracks in his face. ¡°It was you,¡± he said, his voice like a growling dog¡¯s. ¡°You forced Father to his death!¡± He pointed at Percy with his blistered hand. Percy furrowed his brow. ¡°The only people I have ever killed were those who violated the laws of our nation,¡± he said. His eyes were half-closed, and a thin layer of sweat could be seen on his forehead. ¡°I cannot recall everyone who broke the law. Who was your father?¡± Ishim laughed, causing the cracks on his face to grow even wider. ¡°Anidun!¡± he shouted, causing Percy¡¯s eyes to fully open. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you limb from limb and use your own fingers to dig your eyes out! If it weren¡¯t for you, would Father have lost everything he had? No!¡± ¡°He might know where Melissa is,¡± Jones said, turning her gaze away from the laughing and crying angel below them. ¡°He¡¯s insane,¡± Dinah said, furrowing her brow. ¡°This is why we cannot have fallen angels running around.¡± Her left hand was in Andrew¡¯s right, and the air was rippling around her body, spreading throughout the whole city. Even Solra wouldn¡¯t have been able to create such a noticeable zone of charity, but to be fair, he didn¡¯t have Andrew¡¯s power of self-sacrifice to boost him.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Do you think this is part of Solra¡¯s plan?¡± Andrew asked Percy. The five archangels discussed amongst themselves, completely ignoring the trembling angel who was standing in the lava. If they looked closely, they would¡¯ve seen the ripples in the air slowing down as they approached Ishim¡¯s body. ¡°To what?¡± Michael asked. ¡°Sacrifice an archangel to destroy the fortress walls and make the surface into an area unfit for battle? He could do that with cannons.¡± The three archangels from the capital stared at Michael, a bit dubious about his claims. They still hadn¡¯t seen the power of a cannon for themselves. Michael ignored their gazes and cleared his throat. ¡°This isn¡¯t Solra¡¯s modus operandi. It¡¯s too crude.¡± ¡°Then this man lost himself to wrath and rushed over here,¡± Percy said, his back facing Ishim as the five archangels stood in a circle. ¡°But why?¡± He turned around to face Ishim. ¡°Why are you mad?¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± Ishim shouted. His eyes were narrowed into slits as portions of his body began to swell. ¡°Only I am allowed to kill you. How could you let one of your people die first!?¡± Percy¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Melissa died?¡± he asked as he grasped Andrew¡¯s hand. Andrew transferred his powers to Percy instead of Dinah, letting the old man use his powers even in Dinah¡¯s zone of charity. Like a branch on a tree, a separate pillar of earth shot out of the pillar the five archangels were standing on, knocking Ishim over onto his back. He screamed as the burning ground melted the armor he was wearing, fusing it with his skin. His eyes rolled towards the back of his head, but he gnashed his teeth and maintained his consciousness as his hands clenched into fists. ¡°She¡¯s dead!¡± Ishim shouted and broke out into laughter. His laughter turned into wheezes. He whispered, ¡°And you¡¯re next.¡± His cracked and blistered skin began to shrivel up and wrinkle. Liver spots began to form on his body, as his hair¡ªwhat hadn¡¯t been burned off¡ªlost its sheen and turned to dust. His bones cracked as his body seemed to shrink, his shoulders squishing together. Black flames poured out of his body and began to crawl along the earthen pillar. Dinah gasped. ¡°He¡¯s burning his life,¡± she said as the ripples surrounding her grew stronger. They did nothing to impede the flames, and Ishim let out a weak laugh. His eyes had greyed over, and the majority of his teeth had fallen out of his mouth. ¡°Die with me,¡± Ishim said as he hobbled towards the pillar and began to climb it, ignoring the flames covering his body and eating away at his skin. Percy frowned and a spear of earth shot out of the pillar, impaling Ishim¡¯s heart. The fallen angel cackled as blood dripped from his lips and evaporated in midair. His body turned to ash as the black flames consumed him and continued to travel up the pillar. ¡°Can you stop it?¡± Percy asked Dinah, releasing Andrew¡¯s hand. Dinah¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°No,¡± she said and shook her head as the black flames climbed higher. Percy nodded. ¡°Cancel your powers,¡± he said. When she did, the pillar rose higher, leaving the flames behind. An earthen slide extended from the top of the pillar to the ground beyond the region of lava which also happened to be where Percy had created an escape route for the soldiers in case things went wrong. The five archangels slid on the slide before it crumbled to dust while the pillar remained standing, black flames melting it down. The black flames spread along the base of the pillar, softening the hardening lava. ¡°Evacuate,¡± Michael said, using his powers to amplify his voice as he shouted down the escape route Percy opened. Footsteps echoed along the ground as sweaty angels began to appear. Although the ground hadn¡¯t melted all the way down to where they were staying, they had felt the heat. Soon, the remaining army had left escaped, and lined up in an orderly fashion, staring at the burning hellscape they had just occupied. And then a red goblin with two heads fell out of the sky, landing in their midst. Chapter 219 + 220 The two-headed goblin, who was two heads taller than all the angels, cackled as it raised its arms. Its shadow expanded, and every time the dark blob made contact with the soldiers¡¯, darkness crawled up their bodies until their features were covered in black. The soldiers who were affected remained motionless as the goblin swung its massive, spiked club, bludgeoning the unresponsive angels. Its shadow continued to spread, paralyzing more and more soldiers. Lightning rained down on the army as the red harpy in the sky let out a shriek. Nearly a quarter of the army was decimated by the time Dinah reacted and used her own powers, canceling the lightning and growing shadows. When the harpy realized its powers weren¡¯t working, it flew away while both the goblin¡¯s heads laughed. One head shouted, ¡°For my tribe!¡± while the other one shouted, ¡°Glory in death!¡± ¡°Rally to me!¡± one of the commanders of the army yelled as he raised his lance and stabbed at the goblin. The two-headed goblin wore red armor that was made of the same metal as the checkpoint walls, and its club was made of similar materials. When its weapon collided with the lance, the lance crumpled and shattered with a screeching sound. The angel¡¯s face paled as he took a step back. Dinah gritted her teeth. ¡°Should I cancel my power?¡± she asked the four archangels beside her as they watched the army fight against the goblin. The soldiers were whittling it down, surrounding and stabbing it from all directions. ¡°No,¡± Percy said. ¡°We still have to watch out for the harpy, and the centaur hasn¡¯t made its appearance yet.¡± He scanned the surroundings, and his face blanched as he saw hundreds of halflings in the distance, coming from all directions. Just when he was about to order Dinah to cancel her ability, white flags rose up from all directions. ¡°T-they¡¯re surrendering?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± General Jones said as the two-headed goblin fell to its knees, blood pouring from the gaps in its armor. ¡°It¡¯s a trap. There¡¯s no way Solra would surrender like this.¡± ¡°Perhaps he didn¡¯t mean for that fallen angel of wrath to die,¡± Andrew said as he rubbed his chin, releasing Dinah¡¯s hand. ¡°Or he wants to open up negotiations for Melissa. I don¡¯t believe that angel was telling the truth before. Melissa¡¯s too strong to die. Either way, we should take this chance to reorganize our troops.¡± His brow furrowed. Two-fifths of the army died, but the rebels lost two archangel-like forces: Ishim and the gluttony goblin. The rebel army continued to march forward while holding the flags up high. When they were within their hand cannon firing range, they stopped moving, and a lone figure continued forward as the angels¡¯ army took a defensive formation, leaving the gluttony goblin on the ground. ¡°Solra,¡± Percy said to the lone figure. ¡°How many years has it been since we last met?¡± ¡°Over a decade,¡± Solra replied as he lowered the flag in his hand. ¡°Where¡¯s Ishim?¡± ¡°You mean the fallen angel?¡± Percy asked. Solra nodded once. ¡°He died.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Solra said. ¡°Where¡¯s Melissa?¡± Percy asked. Solra shook his head. ¡°My army has nothing to do with her,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s missing?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± Percy asked, furrowing his brow. Was there a third party involved? Although he didn¡¯t trust Solra, there was something about the traitor¡¯s demeanor that told him he wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of the white flags?¡± General Jones shouted before Solra could respond. ¡°Why are you surrendering now?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Solra said and looked down at the flag in his hand. ¡°This?¡± He waved it. ¡°It was to make you drop your guard.¡± Barely noticeable ripples leaked from his body as he established his zone of charity. His expression was grim as he shouted, ¡°Fire!¡± Michael was the first one to react. He yelled, ¡°Bastard!¡± before lunging towards Andrew. He grasped the council member¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Boost me!¡± Andrew¡¯s stunned expression recovered to a neutral one, and his face paled as he used his powers of self-sacrifice on Michael. Metal balls flew towards the army, but a wall of swirling winds rose up around the angels. Most of the projectiles were deflected, but a few still managed to break through, tearing off limbs as they struck the soldiers. Solra had retreated when he gave the command to fire, and a red lizardman approached him. Solra sighed as he grasped the halfling¡¯s hand and said to Andrew, even though the angel probably couldn¡¯t hear him, ¡°You¡¯re not the only altruistic being around here.¡± A wave of mana entered Solra¡¯s body, and the ripples surrounding him became visible. The wall of wind stopped roaring as the winds slowed to a crawl. Another wave of projectiles was fired towards the army, causing their faces to pale. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening,¡± Dinah whispered, her face as white as a sheet. The soldiers were screaming, and the ranks were in disorder as they tried their best to avoid the projectiles. She attempted to heal the army but was unable to call forth her powers under Solra¡¯s suppression. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she turned towards Percy. ¡°Stop him!¡± she shouted. Her gaze landed on Solra. ¡°Stop! Order them to stop!¡± General Jones sighed as she planted the butt of her lance into the ground. The army was too scattered to attempt a charge, and even if they managed to organize themselves, there was no guarantee they¡¯d make it past the barrage. A metal ball whizzed over her head and crashed into a soldier behind her. She grimaced as her hair fluttered and settled back on her shoulders. A sigh escaped from her lips as the dying wails of her subordinates filled the air. She thought the arrival of the council members would make a difference. She never expected them to be so weak. Had they even commanded an army before? Probably not. Her lips twisted into a wry smile as she released her weapon and let her arms hang at her sides as she stared up at the sky. This was probably how the halflings she enslaved felt when she conquered their villages. ¡°We surrender!¡± Percy shouted, but the cannons continued to roar, drowning out his voice. The surviving soldiers threw down their weapons and raised their hands into the air. A metal projectile flew through the air and struck Andrew in the chest, creating a bloody, gaping cavity in the angel¡¯s sternum.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Stop!¡± Dinah shouted as her tears continued to fall. ¡°Stop! Stop! Stop!¡± She shouted until her voice was hoarse, but Solra continued using his powers as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, refusing to let her heal the dying angel next to her. Of course, Solra had heard her. He had heard her the first time she shouted. The corner of his lips drooped, and his brow furrowed, but instead of canceling his ability, he grasped the lizardman¡¯s hand tighter. The resentment of the halflings that built up over the years, he was unable to stop that. Even if he ordered them all to stop now, they wouldn¡¯t. If anything, they¡¯d turn on him too. Their ancestors had been enslaved: the dwarves nearly wiped out along with the harpies, the lizardmen treated like beasts of burden. A sigh escaped from his lips as the shouting of the angels¡¯ army stopped. Soon, the cannons stopped roaring as well. For a short while, the only sounds that could be heard were the muffled sobs of the surviving angels. But then, they were drowned out by the cheers of the rebel army. Solra approached the handful of living angels who were waiting in the gore of their dead companions. Dinah was on her knees, sobbing as she clutched Andrew¡¯s cold hands. She raised her head when she heard Solra approach. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop?¡± she asked, her eyes dim. She attempted to use her powers. ¡°You still haven¡¯t stopped.¡± The surrounding halflings began to congregate towards the carnage, eager to claim their spoils of victory. Solra¡¯s expression was dark as the halflings picked up the corpses while some began feasting right away. Pyre had truly taught them grotesque methods of increasing their power. ¡°Stop!¡± Solra shouted as a centaur unsheathed a sword and raised it above the group of surviving angels. The centaur¡¯s eyes narrowed as the blade paused over the angels¡¯ heads. Solra¡¯s gaze seemed to burn the halfling, and the centaur snorted before sheathing its weapon. Solra swept his gaze over his army. ¡°We bury the dead.¡± His gaze stopped on his old coworkers who were looking up at him with hatred and despair. Burying the dead¡ªit was the least he could do. Chapter 220 Palan collapsed the strange cylinder that Pyre called a telescope and stuffed it into the bag by his waist. ¡°What the hell happened to a week or two? It hasn¡¯t even been a few hours,¡± he said as he looked at the half-angel. ¡°The battle¡¯s already over.¡± Pyre raised his hand and scratched his head. ¡°Yeah¡­,¡± he said as he put away the telescope in his hand as well. ¡°I guess I was wrong.¡± He shrugged and pulled out his pipe. ¡°Well, it looks like they buried the dead. You can just dig them up and eat them as long as you don¡¯t mind a little bit of dirt. I think one of the council members died. Poor bastard.¡± ¡°As long as I can become an archdemon,¡± Palan said as he sat down on top of the grassy hill. He pulled out the telescope again and began to peer through it, looking in every direction. He had a feeling Andrea would love something like this to play with. She¡¯d be able to see as far as she could hear. ¡°I thought you were going to be brave and enter the battle,¡± Pyre said, taking a drag on his pipe. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a battle,¡± Palan said and snorted as he watched the rebel army leave, bringing along the few angels who had survived. Michael had survived, causing Palan¡¯s eyes to narrow. ¡°It was a slaughter. There wasn¡¯t any opportunity for me to strike. I thought the council members would¡¯ve been more useful.¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°People deteriorate as they get older,¡± he said. ¡°In mind and body. Let¡¯s be honest though; if they really were smart, they would¡¯ve been working at the academies instead of the council. Anyone can be on the council as long as they¡¯re an archangel.¡± He exhaled a cloud of purple smoke and offered the pipe to Palan. ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Pyre said as he retracted his hand. ¡°So what happens after you become an archdemon? What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°Retrieve Raea,¡± Palan said. ¡°I think she¡¯s being held at Hailing Academy.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Pyre raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know I worked there, right?¡± Palan stayed silent. ¡°I guess her parents wanted to try conversion therapy. I don¡¯t know how successful it¡¯d be on someone of her caliber.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Well, parents send their brats to academies to teach them, but there are also times where they want their kids to have a certain virtue,¡± Pyre said. ¡°So the headmaster created methods to impart virtues on people and called it conversion therapy. It¡¯s very basic though, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever tried it on a greater angel or above.¡± ¡°Raea won¡¯t be killed, right?¡± ¡°Depends on the results,¡± Pyre said and shrugged. ¡°But the headmaster loves a challenge, so he¡¯ll definitely keep her around until he makes a breakthrough. She might not be the same person after the therapy though, just warning you.¡± ¡°As long as she¡¯s alive,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. ¡°If you want to go to Hailing, you better eat the bodies tonight,¡± Pyre said as he tapped the ashes out of his pipe. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long a demon evolution takes, but it should be around a week or so. Solra¡¯s army is definitely going to target Hailing once they break through to the first sector. Their goal is the capital, and Hailing is the biggest obstacle now that the army¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°By a week or so, do you mean a few hours?¡± Palan asked and narrowed his eyes. After one failed prediction, his faith in Pyre had diminished. ¡°I¡¯m smart, but I¡¯m not omniscient,¡± Pyre said and sighed. ¡°There are times where I¡¯ll be wrong. I¡¯m not giving you incorrect information on purpose. If I was always right, do you think I¡¯d be forced to run away from the rebel army?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re still alive,¡± he said as he stood up and placed the telescope away. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Go where?¡± ¡°Dig up the bodies,¡± Palan said as he stared at Pyre. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I had to hurry?¡± ¡°I said tonight,¡± Pyre said as he stood up and dusted off his pants. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Raea have imparted some patience on you? What if they come back to the burial site because they forgot something?¡± ¡°What if one of those halflings plan to eat the body as well?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I¡¯m not letting anyone else have it. I need to become an archdemon.¡± He licked his lips as he walked down the hill, taking large strides but not before wrapping his tail around Pyre¡¯s waist. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you leave me behind?¡± Pyre asked with a frown. ¡°I didn¡¯t escape from Solra just to get caught by him again.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be able to recognize the archangels,¡± Palan said. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to carry all of them back. It¡¯d take too long to digest everyone.¡± Pyre sighed and reached into his bag, taking out an orb of diligence. He could at least expedite the digging process. The duo arrived at the freshly created graveyard, and Pyre began to unearth the corpses by manipulating the dirt while Palan kept watch with his telescope. If any halflings did have plans of digging up the corpses, they didn¡¯t plan on doing it so soon. Pyre was able to find Andrew¡¯s and the gluttony goblin¡¯s body without a hitch, and the duo fled with Palan carrying them by using his powers. They retreated a decent distance away, and Pyre dug out a makeshift cave in the ground. Palan placed the two corpses down and stared at them. With this, he would finally become an archdemon. His heart thumped harder, and he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. He wet his lips with his tongue as he knelt next to the bodies and began to feast. Pyre¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he watched Palan devour the two bodies¡ªhe had seen halflings eat all one thousand of Akurel¡¯s soldiers. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Pyre asked after Palan finished consuming them. Palan burped and leaned back, propping himself up with his arms. ¡°Sleepy,¡± he said. ¡°Keep watch.¡± Pyre nodded. ¡°Of course,¡± he said. How could he miss the opportunity to see a demon evolve for himself? Black liquid began to ooze out of Palan¡¯s pores, forming a puddle on the ground. Viscous strands rose out of the liquid and wrapped around Palan¡¯s body. More and more strands rose from the puddle until his skin could no longer be seen. Pyre watched as the material thickened around Palan¡¯s body, forming a black egg. There was a smile on his face as he sat down. He couldn¡¯t wait to see an archdemon wreak havoc on the capital. Chapter 221 Raea scowled at the sixteen-by-sixteen kudosu puzzle in front of her. Only after being subjected to them for a week did she realize how terrible they really were. If she got the puzzle wrong, she¡¯d have to use white ink to remove the errors and wait for it to dry. That only compounded with her hunger and thirst, causing her to nearly tear her puzzles apart. ¡°Just wait until Palan comes to save me,¡± she muttered as she glowered at the headmaster who was drinking tea and eating a sandwich at his desk. She was still chained up in the corner of his office. The only times she ever felt the urge to kill someone was when they threatened Palan, but now¡­. A sigh escaped from her lips as she blew on the paper, hoping to dry the white ink faster. When the ink finished drying, she dipped her quill into the black inkwell. Right when she was about to write a number, her body lurched forward and her face hit the desk. The headmaster raised his head. ¡°Fainted already?¡± he asked. ¡°Hey. You alright?¡± There was no response, so the headmaster leaned forward and pressed on a bell. Moments later, an angel walked into the room. ¡°Heal her,¡± the headmaster said and gestured towards the collapsed Raea. The kindness angel grunted as he approached her. His eyes widened as he saw black strands crawling out of her shadow and spiraling up her legs. ¡°H-headmaster,¡± the angel said as he took a step backwards and pointed at her feet. ¡°L-look.¡± ¡°What?¡± the headmaster said as he chewed on his sandwich, unwilling to leave his seat. ¡°Never seen a half-angel before? Or did she die?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. She¡¯s still alive,¡± the angel said as he continued to back away. He paused. ¡°Maybe.¡± The headmaster stood up. ¡°What kind of healer can¡¯t tell if their patient is still alive or not?¡± he asked as he walked around his desk. By now, the black strands had reached Raea¡¯s waist and were speeding up. His eyes widened as he turned towards the kindness angel. ¡°Leave. You didn¡¯t see anything, understand? I don¡¯t care if you can¡¯t lie. If you tell anyone about this, you¡¯re expelled.¡± ¡°U-understood,¡± the angel said as he fled the room without looking back. The headmaster shut the door and furrowed his brow at Raea. He had done some research on Raea¡ªmostly by asking her parents about her¡ªand received the letter Elrith had written so long ago. There was a description of a white cocoon, and the headmaster suspected this was similar. The only problem was the strands were black. The darkness continued to spread until it completely enveloped Raea¡¯s body before it began to crawl along the chains holding her in place. He tried to pull the chains away, but they didn¡¯t budge at all. His face paled. Hopefully the chains would still be there to hold her in place when she hatched, if not, things might be a bit problematic. By now, there was a pitch-black cocoon on top of the couch and desk in the corner of his office. It was connected to the walls and vaguely reminded him of a spider egg.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The headmaster¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at the cocoon. Should he report this? But to who? He was the one in charge. His throat was parched, and he sat back down on his chair before sipping his tea. He¡¯d have to take precautions for when Raea emerged. His eyes narrowed as he pressed a bell¡ªa different one than before. His secretary walked into his room with a bitter expression on her face. She was about to greet Raea, but froze in place when she saw the writhing cocoon. She stared at the headmaster and asked, ¡°This is?¡± ¡°It looks like a demon evolution, doesn¡¯t it?¡± the headmaster asked. If it were anyone else, he wouldn¡¯t have pointed that out. Through the years, they had conducted questionable experiments that involved evolving demons all in the name of science. ¡°Raea¡¯s in there?¡± the secretary asked. ¡°Who else?¡± the headmaster asked back. ¡°We¡¯re going to need a lot more chains to bind the cocoon.¡± ¡°Her cocoon ate them?¡± the secretary asked and furrowed her brow. Usually, they trapped the demons in a solid room created from the strange, red metal instead of binding them with chains. ¡°Would that pose a problem for her health? Wait, before that, how is she evolving? She¡¯s already an archangel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the interesting part, isn¡¯t it?¡± the headmaster asked. ¡°You read the letter too. Apparently something similar happened to her and she became demonic. Then she turned into an archangel which shows that these types of transformations have no relation with our standards. I wonder how she triggered something like this. Her contract level with her demon must be really high.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think to ask?¡± ¡°She probably lied to me,¡± the headmaster said and shrugged. ¡°She said it was level one.¡± His secretary nodded. ¡°Judging by the size of the cocoon, it should take her about a week to hatch,¡± she said as she circled around the room. There was a trace of hesitation on her face. ¡°Should we kill her?¡± ¡°No!¡± the headmaster said, practically shouting. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see what¡¯s going to come out? She¡¯s like the archangel of legends. It would be blasphemous to cut her evolution short.¡± ¡°Somehow, letting her evolve like a demon seems more heretical to me,¡± the secretary said and frowned as she scratched her head. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid she¡¯s going to kill us?¡± ¡°Why would she do that?¡± The secretary stared at the corner of the kudosu puzzle that was sticking out from beneath the cocoon. ¡°Because you subjected her through puzzle torture?¡± she asked. ¡°And let her fall during the first trust fall?¡± She added under her breath. ¡°You idiot.¡± ¡°She absolutely must not be harmed,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Disregarding her research potential, her family backing alone should turn your thoughts away from that evil route.¡± The secretary grunted as she stared at the cocoon. It didn¡¯t seem like she¡¯d be able to transport it to dispose of it judging by the strands hanging from where the chains had been attached. Maybe she could burn it. The office would be destroyed though. The cocoons were surprisingly resilient, but certain actions could kill the being inside before they hatched. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about it,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°About what?¡± The headmaster sighed as he went to his cabinet and pulled out a bottle of brown liquid. ¡°Come,¡± he said. ¡°Drink with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s afternoon.¡± ¡°If we close the blinds, we can pretend it¡¯s evening,¡± the headmaster said as he poured the liquid into two glasses. The secretary sighed and narrowed her eyes at the cocoon one last time before walking to her boss¡¯ desk. ¡°Why is someone like you the headmaster?¡± she asked and shook her head. Despite her words, she still accepted the glass. ¡°Because I¡¯m an archangel, and you¡¯re not,¡± the headmaster said and smiled. ¡°Cheers.¡± Chapter 222 Pyre sighed as he leaned against the makeshift cave wall and stared at the writhing black cocoon. His stomach grumbled, and his lips were cracked. Four days had passed since Palan started his evolution, and Pyre¡¯s skills at sustaining himself were not up to par. He had survived by drinking dew and eating grass that turned his poop green. Even his slightly toxic plant supply was getting low. ¡°Hurry up and evolve,¡± Pyre said to the cocoon, his voice hoarse. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to starve to death.¡± His stomach gurgled again, and Pyre put a brown root into his mouth while making a face. He muttered, ¡°It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t see what the evolution process is like.¡± He stood up and touched the cocoon. It felt squishy, like the inside was liquid. ¡°Does he dissolve? How does his memory stay intact?¡± For a brief moment, he considered lighting a fire underneath the cocoon, but dismissed the thought. The contract he made with Palan would kill him if he did. Pyre sat back down, and leaned against the cocoon. It was pulsing like a heart. ¡°How strong would an archdemon of pride be?¡± he asked himself as he took out his pipe. His eyes closed as he tried to recall all the texts he read, but there weren¡¯t any passages about pride demons. They had all chosen to die instead of live in captivity¡ªexcept Palan. Pyre lightly knocked on the cocoon and asked, ¡°Are you even a pride demon? Aren¡¯t you a bit too shameless?¡± His eyes widened as he felt the cocoon solidify behind his back. ¡°About time,¡± Pyre grumbled as he stood up and dusted off his pants. Cracks formed on the surface of the cocoon, and flecks of black powder began to fall off. A red, clawed hand with scales broke through the top of the cocoon: thick, purple veins snaked down the arm, writhing as if they were alive. A second hand burst through and began tearing away the hardened threads. ¡°Why¡¯s he red?¡± Pyre asked as he took a step backwards. The arms continued to tear apart the cocoon, shredding it away with their razor-sharp claws. ¡°Guess he ate a bit too many angels.¡± He shrugged as Palan¡¯s head emerged. His forehead, scalp, and cheeks were covered by a layer of shiny, red scales. The parts that weren¡¯t covered were still dark purple. His irises were still red, but his black pupils had turned sky-blue. Once again, he lost his hair after his evolution. Palan exhaled, and a dark-green mist escaped from his mouth. His teeth had turned black and jagged like shards of obsidian, but they were still arranged in neat rows. He shrugged his broad shoulders, and his torso squirmed out of the cocoon. The crocodilian-like skin on his back had transformed into a layer of red, snakelike scales which spread to his ribs. His chest and abdomen were still purple, but a black, vertical line extended from his sternum to his navel. When he inhaled, the line spread apart, revealing the outlines of teeth. The cocoon disintegrated when his torso left it, revealing his lower body. Red scales ran down the outside of his legs much like Raea¡¯s. His metatarsals and phalanges had extended, making his feet similar to a dog¡¯s. But the biggest change occurred in his tail. Instead of one snake, there were now three: They were each over twenty feet long and weighed over five hundred pounds. Danger Noodle had turned pitch-black, and retained the center position. One of the remaining tails was red while the other was purple. Despite their weight, they lifted themselves off the ground and began to scan the surroundings. Their gazes landed on Pyre, causing the angel to gulp and take a step back.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Palan?¡± Pyre asked as he wet his lips with his tongue. Palan turned his attention away from his body and gazed at Pyre. His foot rose out of the mound of black powder as he took a step forward. The ground beneath him cracked, and webs formed on the surface of the earth. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed at the sound. ¡°How long was I dreaming for?¡± he asked. His voice was deep and seemed to reverberate in the cave. During his evolution, he was once again subjected to the bodies of different animals. Like last time, he excelled at surviving as a snake, and failed miserably when it came to being a bird. ¡°Four days,¡± Pyre said as Palan¡¯s tails curled around his body. Danger Noodle wrapped itself around his torso while the other two tails each occupied an arm, starting from the wrist and ending with their heads resting on his shoulders. There was lots of slack, but their at least their bellies didn¡¯t drag against the ground. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Palan said and laughed. He walked out of the cave, leaving behind a trail of cracks in the ground. He could probably kill an angel with his weight alone. ¡°Do you, err, want some clothes?¡± Pyre asked as he looked at Palan¡¯s fourth snake. He cleared his throat and turned his gaze away while offering his blanket towards the demon. Palan grunted and took the blanket before wrapping it around his waist. His stomach growled, and the vertical mouth on his torso opened. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at the gaping void in his body. If he knew this was going to happen, he wouldn¡¯t have tried so hard to survive as a starfish. The hole in his abdomen made him feel vulnerable. ¡°Where¡¯s the food?¡± Palan asked, turning his attention away from his second mouth. Pyre¡¯s face turned strange as he picked up a brown, dirt-covered root and offered it to Palan. ¡°I can¡¯t hunt,¡± he said. ¡°And the buried bodies have probably started rotting by now.¡± Palan snatched the root out of Pyre¡¯s hand. The tips of his claws only grazed the angel¡¯s palm, but Pyre¡¯s skin split open and began to bleed. Palan sniffed the root before tossing it to the side. One of his tails uncoiled from his arm and wrapped around Pyre¡¯s waist. ¡°Please don¡¯t eat me,¡± Pyre said and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Palan said. ¡°You¡¯re a bag of bones¡ªnot filling at all.¡± A black glow enveloped the duo as Palan crouched. ¡°Which way to Hailing?¡± Pyre¡¯s forehead wrinkled. After a few seconds, he pointed to the northeast. Palan exhaled and leapt into the air, leaving behind a miniature crater where he was standing. A laugh escaped from his mouth as he soared through the sky. He finally understood why archangels were so powerful. It didn¡¯t even feel like he used any mana to make his body lighter. As he floated through the air, the sound of a carriage caught his attention. The driver was wearing a golden robe. The black glow enveloping Palan¡¯s body disappeared, and he began to drop to the ground, causing Pyre to shout from the sudden change. Palan¡¯s landed in front of the carriage like a meteor, shattering the road. He licked his lips as the passengers screamed and the driver¡¯s face paled. It was time to experiment with his new strength. Chapter 223 ¡°D-demon!¡± the driver shouted as his golden robes fluttered. He gritted his teeth and pointed at Palan. Four white chains appeared from the angel¡¯s back and rushed towards the archdemon. The red tail that was holding Pyre lunged forward to intercept the chains. They wrapped around the snake¡¯s body but did nothing to immobilize it. When the snake moved, the golden-robed angel was dragged by the motion. Palan looked at Pyre while the driver screamed and separated the chains from his back. ¡°Is that how this is supposed to work?¡± Palan asked. He had the urge to eat the leftover chains with his purple tail, so he did. ¡°You didn¡¯t use any power?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. The two conversed, completely ignoring the driver who was trying to sneak away. Just before he was about to get off the road, Danger Noodle uncoiled and lunged, sinking its fangs into the angel. He screamed as green tendrils emanated from the bite and rotted his flesh. After waiting for its victim to become motionless, Danger Noodle swallowed him whole and flickered its tongue at the passengers inside of the carriage. ¡°None,¡± Palan said as he made eye contact with his red tail. It hissed at him, upset that it was used as the experimental shield. Palan snorted. ¡°Deal with it. You¡¯re part of my body, not the other way around.¡± ¡°Then it seems like your body has some natural resistance to patience,¡± Pyre said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to test the others on you to see if it¡¯s a singular case. And we¡¯ll have to have an archangel of patience use their ability on you as well. There aren¡¯t many recorded cases of archangels fighting against archdemons. For now, I¡¯ll say your resistance was because he was only a greater angel.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Palan said. ¡°Alright.¡± He glanced at the two passengers inside of the carriage who were hugging each other and trembling. There was a woman and a child. Pyre followed his gaze. ¡°Are you going to kill them?¡± the half-demon asked. ¡°No need,¡± Palan said as he shook his head before readying himself to leap towards Hailing¡¯s direction. ¡°What?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Do I have to step on every ant I see?¡± Palan asked as the two soared into the air. ¡°No one has time for that.¡± ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t gone soft after your evolution?¡± Pyre asked. He let out a gasp as his ribs creaked because of Palan¡¯s tail constricting him. ¡°I was wrong, was wrong.¡± The tail loosened. He frowned as the two continued to float in silence. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of carriages heading east. The rebel army must have displaced them. I¡¯m going to guess that they¡¯ve made it to the checkpoint by now. I wonder if they¡¯re going to force their way through. I know they¡¯re capable of destroying the wall.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t they just dig underneath it?¡± Palan asked.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Yes,¡± Pyre said. ¡°But they¡¯d need a pretty big tunnel to accommodate their whole army. Even though the second sector was defeated, that doesn¡¯t mean the angels are completely defenseless. A group of greater angels could pick them off as they trickle out of the tunnel if it¡¯s too small.¡± ¡°Should I hunt them down?¡± Palan asked as he licked his lips. Even if Solra canceled out his powers, the physical prowess of his body couldn¡¯t be suppressed. ¡°There should be a level higher than archangel and archdemon, no? Maybe those archlings and archangels will get me there.¡± ¡°If there is, no one¡¯s ever reached it,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Unless you count the mutations caused by contracting with demons, like Raea. Speaking of which, last time you evolved, Raea entered her own metamorphosis. She should be evolving or have already evolved. If they¡¯re keeping her to convert her back to a normal-looking angel, they might call their methods a failure and give up on her if her appearance changes again. I don¡¯t think you have the time to play around with the rebel army.¡± Palan¡¯s expression darkened. His newfound power made him feel invincible, but Pyre reminded him that his life could be lost at any second. When the sun started to set, the two saw the outline of the checkpoint wall on the horizon. ¡°How should we go through?¡± Palan asked. He remembered the wall between the borderland and third sector had ballistae mounted on it to prevent people from flying over. ¡°Just jump over it and use your powers to stop anything from hurting us,¡± Pyre said. ¡°The standard defense is siege weapons. The walls are really just meant to stop ordinary beings from passing through, like harpies and centaurs. The soldiers on the wall will probably send a report to the higher-ups that someone they couldn¡¯t stop went through. Then an archangel will chase after you.¡± ¡°Do they have enough archangels to spare?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Raea gave me the impression that they were rare, and now you¡¯re telling me they can be dispatched just like that?¡± ¡°Stopping a demon who passed through the wall is one of their top priorities,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Do you know how much damage a greater demon or above could do if left unchecked? You¡¯re all ruthless and hell-bent on survival and destruction.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± Palan said. The wall was getting bigger now, and Palan could see dozens of soldiers patrolling the top while a few sat in front of the ballistae. Palan frowned as a few angels pointed at him. ¡°I thought powers couldn¡¯t be used on the wall.¡± ¡°You¡¯re using it on things in the air above the wall,¡± Pyre said and waved his hand dismissively. ¡°If you were inside the wall, you wouldn¡¯t be able to call upon your powers. But you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t they shoot arrows at me made from the same metal as the wall?¡± ¡°The metal¡¯s really rare. They¡¯d rather use it on building walls,¡± Pyre said and rolled his eyes. ¡°Once they clear the borderlands, they¡¯ll need it to create a fourth sector.¡± Palan grunted as an arrow flew towards him. His eyes narrowed, and a black glow enveloped the projectile. It dipped downwards, flying off course, and screeched as it accelerated towards the ground. ¡°See?¡± Pyre asked as a wave of arrows all failed to hit Palan. ¡°Easy. And they wouldn¡¯t position any archangels at the checkpoint. That¡¯s just stopping their own power.¡± Palan licked his lips as he narrowed his eyes at the soldiers on the wall. Their upper bodies started to glow with a black light, causing them to crash face first into the floor. But once their faces made contact with the metal, the glow disappeared as the metal dimmed. ¡°I think I like this power,¡± Palan said. There were so many options now that he could use it from a distance. ¡°But it still doesn¡¯t seem as strong as that lightning avatar.¡± ¡°Give it time and some more experimentation,¡± Pyre said as the duo passed over the wall. ¡°It took Melissa decades to create something like that.¡± Chapter 224 Cleo yawned as she lay on the driver¡¯s seat of a carriage with her head hanging off the edge. The road was the sky, and the sky was the ground. Her legs were sticking into the air while her butt rested against the seatback, and the tip of her tail was touching the carriage¡¯s dashboard. ¡°So bored,¡± Cleo said and yawned again. She maneuvered her tail towards the steering orb and made the carriage swerve a few times before she heard retching sounds. ¡°Oops.¡± She assumed a proper seating position just as Linda stepped out from within the carriage. ¡°What kind of driving is that!?¡± the greedy angel yelled. Cleo smelled a trace of vomit mixed with Linda¡¯s perfume. ¡°Um.¡± Cleo tilted her head at Linda and blinked twice. ¡°Did I do something wrong? There were two dead angels on the road, and I didn¡¯t want to get your wheels dirty.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Linda said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Dead anim¡ªangels!? Bullshit!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Cleo said with a pout. It wasn¡¯t. But still. ¡°I swear I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°Then go back and let me see,¡± Linda said as she reached for the dashboard. Cleo hissed at her and batted away her hand. ¡°That¡¯s just wasting time,¡± Cleo said, her tail swishing. ¡°You don¡¯t want to waste time, right?¡± Linda glowered at Cleo before letting out a sigh. How did the tiny lizard become the one to drive the carriage? Linda remembered falling asleep at the wheel after eating dinner, which happened to be prepared by Cleo, and waking up inside the carriage. She thought Owen or Carmella or even Gerome was the one driving and nearly had a heart attack when she found out that wasn¡¯t the case. Then the carriage started to swerve, and the remnants of her dinner escaped through her mouth. ¡°What happened?¡± Owen asked as he approached the driver¡¯s seat. His nose wrinkled at the sour smell. ¡°Have we arrived at the checkpoint?¡± He poked his head out of the carriage and saw the red wall in the distance. His brow furrowed as his gaze landed on Linda. ¡°No.¡± Linda looked at Owen and snorted. She pointed at Cleo. ¡°Who let the child drive?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Ah!¡± Her eyes widened, and she made the carriage swerve towards the left before adjusting it back on track. Linda¡¯s head crashed into the wall, and Owen fell on top of her. ¡°Goddammit!¡± Linda said as she pushed Owen off. ¡°Don¡¯t break my carriage, you stupid lizard!¡± ¡°There was a dead body!¡± Cleo said. The carriage ground to a halt before turning around. ¡°Look!¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The trio turned their gaze onto the road. There were two angels lying on the ground: a woman and a child. Linda¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°You were serious?¡± she asked as she looked at Cleo. Owen hopped off the carriage and walked towards the two bodies. Carmella and Gerome stuck their heads out of the carriage windows, their eyes still bleary. Cleo climbed onto Linda¡¯s back and propped her chin up on the angel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look,¡± she said, urging Linda to go forward with her tail. Linda¡¯s brow furrowed, but she complied and followed after Owen. Owen knelt beside the two bodies and placed his hand on the woman¡¯s neck. There was a pulse. ¡°She¡¯s still alive,¡± he said before checking the child. He also had a pulse. ¡°They¡¯re both alive.¡± Owen was about to stand up, but the woman grabbed his wrist, causing him to flinch. ¡°W-water,¡± the woman said, her voice hoarse. Her lips cracked when she opened her mouth. Owen exhaled as he pried her fingers off of his wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some.¡± He turned his gaze towards Cleo. ¡°What?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Water?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to take my water, then claim you saved them?¡± Cleo asked and snorted as she climbed off of Linda¡¯s back. ¡°Let me do it.¡± A bucket appeared in her hands, and she placed it next to the two angels lying on the road. ¡°Listen up. My name¡¯s Cleo the Magnificent, and I¡¯m the one who saved you.¡± ¡°T-thank you, Cleo,¡± the woman said as she picked up the bucket and began to drink. Then she dipped her sleeve into the bucket and placed it into the child¡¯s mouth, letting him take small sips. ¡°What happened to you two?¡± Linda asked after their thirst was slaked. ¡°Our carriage was attacked,¡± the woman said as her brow furrowed. Her body trembled, and she hugged herself, clutching her shoulders. ¡°A guardian was evacuating us on his carriage. The rebels invaded Omnia, and began capturing and slaughtering everyone. We barely made it out with our lives and ran into the guardian. When we thought we were safe, a demon descended from the sky and killed him.¡± The angel¡¯s eyes began to water. ¡°The demon didn¡¯t kill us, but neither I nor my child are greater angels¡ªwe weren¡¯t able to drive the carriage, so we had to walk. It¡¯s been two days, and we didn¡¯t have any water or food. If you hadn¡¯t found us¡­.¡± The angel sniffled. ¡°Omnia was attacked?¡± Linda asked as her expression hardened. That was the town they were planning on going to before heading to the checkpoint. ¡°What¡¯d the demon look like?¡± Cleo asked. The angel trembled. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to see properly,¡± she said. ¡°But he had tails that looked like snakes.¡± Cleo¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Did you see which way he went?¡± she asked. The angel shook her head. ¡°I was too busy praying to the Creator,¡± she said and bit her lower lip. ¡°At least it seems like your prayers were answered,¡± Linda said. ¡°We¡¯re planning on going to the first sector, but we can drop you off at the nearest town. Would you like to come with us?¡± ¡°Please,¡± the woman said as she bowed. The child looked at his mother before copying her actions. Linda nodded. ¡°No need for that,¡± she said. ¡°Come.¡± She beckoned for them to follow and headed towards the carriage. ¡°Snakelike tails?¡± Cleo asked Owen when the three were out of earshot. ¡°You think she¡¯s talking about Palan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Owen said, his brow furrowing. He really didn¡¯t like hearing Palan¡¯s name. ¡°If Linda was able to find out where Raea went, I¡¯m sure Palan could figure out a way as well. Even if I don¡¯t like him, I have to admit his interrogation techniques are ¡­ effective.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re on the right track,¡± Cleo said and cheered as she trotted towards the carriage. ¡°Cleo¡¯s driving! Full speed ahead!¡± Linda groaned. Chapter 225 The headmaster of Hailing Academy hummed as he took a sip of the amber liquid in his glass. In the corner of his office, Raea¡¯s cocoon was covered by layers upon layers of red chains. The black threads could no longer be seen underneath the metal. On his desk was a half-solved kudosu puzzle. There was a knock on his door, and he raised his head. ¡°Come in,¡± he said. He knew it was going to be his secretary. After Raea formed her cocoon in his office, he forbade anyone else from entering even the top floor of the academy. As expected, his secretary walked inside, holding an envelope that had already been opened. The headmaster¡¯s expression darkened as his secretary placed the envelope on top of his puzzle. ¡°What did I tell you about reading my mail?¡± he asked. His face was redder than usual. His secretary rolled her eyes and said, ¡°If I recall correctly, your exact words were, ¡®I don¡¯t want to read this shit. From now on, read all my mail for me and respond appropriately. If something serious comes up, then you can give it to me.¡¯¡± The headmaster blinked. ¡°Did I really?¡± he asked. A frown appeared on his face, and he took another swig from his glass. ¡°I guess I did. This is serious then?¡± His hand trembled as he picked up the envelope and pulled out the letter within. ¡°Are you sober enough to read it?¡± his secretary asked as he held the letter upside-down in his hands. The headmaster¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m always sober,¡± he said and righted the paper. His eyes roamed over the curvy script, and his expression changed from shock to fear to annoyance and, finally, to disdain. He tossed the letter into the fireplace behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not going. Tell those bastards I¡¯m visiting my family.¡± ¡°You used that excuse last time they called for you,¡± his secretary said. ¡°And it worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± the headmaster asked and laughed. ¡°Use it again.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t going to work again.¡± ¡°Have you tried?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t. I already know what you¡¯re going to say,¡± his secretary said and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that excuse will not work. Not for a demon trespassing over the checkpoint wall.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an archangel of knowledge and wisdom,¡± the headmaster said and snorted. ¡°Do they really think I can fight? What¡¯s my title? It¡¯s headmaster, not general. Those blithering idiots. Tell them to send Headmaster Snow.¡± ¡°You know it isn¡¯t just about the demon. Those rumors of the army being defeated are true.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Once again, I¡¯m not a general,¡± the headmaster said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°What am I supposed to do? The smart students have already fled back to the capital.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem very concerned over our impending destruction.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit too concerned?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Think about it,¡± the headmaster said as he stood up and took a bottle of liquor out of his cabinet. He was about to pour it into his glass when he changed his mind and drank directly out of the bottle. His secretary waited in silence. The headmaster placed the bottle down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°If four archangels of the council went to fight an army, the army is going to cease to exist. It¡¯s as simple as that. Since the rebel army is still on the move, then clearly the council members haven¡¯t engaged in combat yet. I suspect those old fogies are afraid of dying and want us to fight first. Then they¡¯ll swoop in at the last minute and steal all the credit like always. Those assholes.¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s what they are going to do, are you going to ignore a direct order?¡± ¡°What order?¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I never received it. I¡¯m visiting my family after all.¡± ¡°Sir,¡± the secretary said and pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Do you see a letter with orders?¡± the headmaster asked and looked around with wide eyes. He stopped and made eye contact with his secretary. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you burned it!¡± ¡°Minor details,¡± the headmaster said and leaned back with the bottle in his hand. ¡°Point is, I¡¯m not going. I have more important things to watch over.¡± His eyes flit over the mound of red chains in the corner. ¡°Can you give me something to tell the higher-ups that isn¡¯t as insubstantial as visiting family?¡± The headmaster rolled his eyes. ¡°I hired you so I didn¡¯t have to deal with the higher-ups,¡± he said. ¡°Alright, how about this. Send an announcement to the students. Extra credit for whoever participates in catching the demon that trespassed. Everybody loves extra credit. If they go, they¡¯ll probably get caught up in the fight against the rebel army too. Those bastards won¡¯t be too upset about that.¡± ¡°Are you really a headmaster?¡± the secretary asked and sighed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be protecting your students instead of sending them out into danger? We still haven¡¯t mended our relationship with those families who had their children die in the borderlands. They didn¡¯t accept the excuse of eaten by direwolves.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to teach them, not hold their hands,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°They¡¯ll learn about the harshness of war and how screwed up our society is that we¡¯re willing to sacrifice students.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just you who wants to sacrifice the students.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m part of the society. In fact, I hold a really high position,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°You can say I¡¯m one of the representatives of the angels.¡± ¡°Their families will never forgive you.¡± ¡°Sure they will. The council just needs to spit out some propaganda, and next thing you know, I and the students are heroes. So either send that announcement or tell those fogies I¡¯m on vacation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell them you¡¯re visiting home,¡± the secretary said and sighed. She was about to leave when the chains in the corner trembled and clinked. Her footsteps paused as she waited next to the mound. It trembled again before the top sank inwards. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°I heard,¡± the headmaster said as he stood up and ran over to his secretary¡¯s side. Chapter 226 The chains trembled and clanked. Banging noises came from within the pile. The headmaster frowned. ¡°Did we add too many chains?¡± he asked his secretary. He rapped his knuckles against the surface of the metal. ¡°Miss Caelum?¡± The chains stopped rattling, causing the headmaster¡¯s brow to furrow. ¡°Raea?¡± he asked, lifting one of the chains. A black, clawed hand burst through and grabbed his wrist. The headmaster flinched and tried to pull his arm back, but he couldn¡¯t. Raea squeezed, causing his hand to turn purple. The headmaster slapped Raea¡¯s hand repeatedly and turned his head towards his secretary. ¡°Help!¡± His secretary stared at him with her mouth agape. His shout startled her, and she nodded as she stepped forward. ¡°Um.¡± Her brow furrowed as she asked, ¡°How?¡± The headmaster¡¯s wrists emitted cracking sounds, and a scream escaped from his mouth. The secretary bit her lower lip and pressed a glowing, white hand against the headmaster¡¯s back, causing his wrist to heal. The next second, his bones snapped again, eliciting another round of howls. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± the headmaster yelled with tears in his eyes. ¡°Get her off me!¡± Before either of them could do anything, Raea¡¯s hand retreated while still holding onto his wrist. The headmaster was pulled towards the mound of chains. A second hand erupted out of the metal and seized the headmaster¡¯s neck. A melodic voice rang out, causing both of the angels¡¯ minds to blank. Their expressions turned stupid as their bodies relaxed. ¡°Undo the chains, and I¡¯ll set you free.¡± The headmaster¡¯s eye shifted towards his secretary. His neck was still immobilized by Raea, preventing him from turning his head. ¡°Well?¡± he asked. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and undo them!¡± His secretary took a step back. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± she asked and furrowed her brow. She regretted not setting Raea¡¯s cocoon on fire when she still had the chance. At least her boss¡¯ life wouldn¡¯t be in danger even if she lost her job. ¡°She¡¯s an archangel, remember? And those arms really don¡¯t look angel-like.¡± ¡°Angel-like, demon-like, what¡¯s the difference?¡± the headmaster asked with a red face. Veins bulged on his neck. ¡°I¡¯m dying here, hello?¡± His secretary bit her lower lip. ¡°For the greater good¡­,¡± she said and took another step back. ¡°You¡¯re a kindness angel,¡± the headmaster said as he waved his arms at his secretary, trying to grab her. ¡°How can you abandon me like this? Can you just stand there and watch me die?¡± Hints of purple appeared on his face. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you if you let me out,¡± Raea¡¯s said. The two were once again stunned by her voice. ¡°How can someone with such a beautiful voice be a liar?¡± the headmaster asked. ¡°Hurry up and free her.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The secretary clenched her hands. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever heard of harpies?¡± she asked. ¡°The rumors say they had beautiful voices, but they¡¯d use them to lure unsuspecting males into their roosts. Just because her voice is beautiful doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s a good person. If she were a good person, would she be grabbing your neck like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to faint,¡± the headmaster gasped. The edges of his vision began to blur. ¡°When I die, it¡¯ll be on you. You could¡¯ve saved me, but you chose not to. I hope you lose your kindness.¡± His head drooped as his body slumped, held up solely by Raea¡¯s hand. The secretary froze at her boss¡¯ words. ¡°Squeeze him less tightly,¡± she said as she rushed over to the mound of chains. Despite her previous words, she really couldn¡¯t bear to see someone die in front of her, especially if she could do something about it. ¡°I¡¯ll set you free, just don¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, don¡¯t worry,¡± Raea said as her hand around the headmaster¡¯s neck loosened. She still held onto his wrist. The secretary checked the headmaster¡¯s pulse before letting out a sigh. He was alright. She picked up the keys around his waist and began to unlock the chains holding Raea down. When she was halfway through, the headmaster woke up. Chains lay all around him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, furrowing his brow. He stood up and realized Raea was holding him. His arm jerked back, but he wasn¡¯t able to move his hand. ¡°Freeing her in exchange for your life?¡± the secretary asked and rolled her eyes as she undid another lock. ¡°I couldn¡¯t not act after what you said. You nearly died. Short-term memory loss is common when you faint like that.¡± The headmaster frowned and rubbed his neck. It was sore. ¡°Are you sure you should be doing that?¡± he asked. His secretary glared at him. ¡°Who do you think I¡¯m doing this for!?¡± she asked as she yanked another chain away. The remaining mound bulged, and Raea¡¯s head popped out of the chains. Black scales covered her neck and cheeks while her mouth and nose remained red. Her eyes turned blue, while her irises had turned red, the opposite of Palan. Her ears became pointed like a bat, and her silver hair extended past her neck, disappearing underneath the chains. The secretary froze mid-action. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Raea asked and tilted her head. She smiled at the secretary, revealing a row of pointed white teeth. ¡°S-sorry,¡± the secretary said and shook her head. She didn¡¯t stutter out of fear. Raea¡¯s voice was way too mesmerizing. A shiver ran down the secretary¡¯s spine. If Raea was an angel of chastity, no one would be able to resist her words. The chains continued to fall to the ground, slowly revealing Raea¡¯s body. She really hadn¡¯t changed much, except there were now a few red patterns on her black scales. Her wings remained the same as before, but her feathers seemed to glisten even in the dark. When the secretary began removing the chains from Raea¡¯s waist, a tail sprung out from behind Raea. It was thin like a monkey¡¯s, but at the tip, there was a halberd¡¯s blade. The tail swished, nearly cutting off the secretary¡¯s head. ¡°Oops,¡± Raea said. She manipulated the blade towards her own face and inspected the material. It seemed to be made out of the red metal. Her brow furrowed, and she muttered, ¡°Somehow, this feels inconvenient.¡± When the remaining chains only rose up to her knees, Raea lifted her legs and stepped out of them. She released the headmaster¡¯s wrist before raiding his closet for clothes. Once she wasn¡¯t naked, she turned her attention towards the two angels and smiled. Black flames flickered into existence around her body. ¡°Let me tell you what I think about kudosu puzzles and trust falls,¡± she said as the flames grew bigger. ¡°They make me angry.¡± A smile appeared on Raea¡¯s lips, and the stone floor was set ablaze. Chapter 227 ¡°You promised you wouldn¡¯t kill us,¡± the secretary yelled as she grabbed the headmaster by his collar and yanked him away from the flames. Raea shrugged. ¡°If I was going to kill you, you would¡¯ve already died,¡± she said as she walked over the flames. They licked her skin, but her body was untouched. Surprisingly, the new set of clothes received wasn¡¯t affected by the flames either. ¡°You should hurry up and run though.¡± Her brow furrowed when she saw the two staring blankly at her. Was her voice really that awesome? It was only after she walked past them that they reacted and scrambled away from the approaching flames. Before the headmaster left his office, he pressed on a button near the door. Alarms blared throughout the academy. Raea stopped walking and turned around to face the two. Her eyes narrowed at the headmaster. ¡°Was that for me?¡± ¡°It was just an evacuation alarm,¡± the secretary said, covering the headmaster¡¯s mouth. She really didn¡¯t trust him to speak at such a dire moment. He¡¯d probably crack a joke, and Raea would take it seriously and kill them. ¡°I see,¡± Raea said, her brow furrowing. The alarm was shrill, and her head was beginning to hurt. She finally understood why Palan was upset in cities. Her hearing had improved and made the alarm unbearable to listen to. Raea ground her teeth together and was about to leave but stopped. She asked, ¡°Which way¡¯s the exit?¡± The headmaster clawed aside the hand covering his mouth. ¡°Are you sure you want to leave?¡± he asked. ¡°You can leave your name behind in the history books if you let me study you some more! If we can figure out the phenomenon of metamorphosis, we can expand the angels¡¯ territory even quicker. Besides, you¡¯ll die if you leave the academy. Do you really think the council will let you go just because you got a little bit stronger? Do you think your parents would?¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny that you mention parents,¡± Raea said as her tail slashed the air behind her. A gash was left in the stone floor as the metal edge ripped it apart. ¡°During my evolution, I experienced the life of a scorpion. Did you know that mother scorpions will eat their babies if they¡¯re hungry enough?¡± ¡°You experienced the life of a scorpion?¡± the headmaster asked, momentarily forgetting about the flames behind him. ¡°That¡¯s the part you¡¯re concerned about?¡± his secretary asked and pinched his waist. ¡°Not the anger directed towards her parents bit?¡± ¡°Everyone dislikes their parents sometime in their life,¡± the headmaster said and snorted. ¡°Not everyone turns into a scorpion.¡± He stared at Raea and wet his lips. ¡°What was it like? Did you experience anything other than that?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Solve a kudosu puzzle and I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. She pointed at the secretary. ¡°Which way is the exit?¡± ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t reconsider leaving?¡± the headmaster asked as he gagged his secretary¡¯s mouth. She struggled, but he found strength from deep within his wiry body and refused to let her speak. ¡°The rebel army is approaching, and there¡¯s a demon on the loose. It could be very dangerous for you. If you stay here, you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed, and her knuckles cracked as her hands curled into fists. ¡°Rebel army?¡± she asked and tilted her head. The red color of her pupils merged with her blue irises, turning her eyes purple. The flames behind the headmaster roared as they expanded and engulfed the ceiling as well. The headmaster froze, and the gag dropped away from his secretary¡¯s mouth, but she didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Do you ¡­ have issues with them?¡± he whispered before swallowing his saliva. The flames threatened to lick his back, so he marched forward while pulling along his secretary. ¡°The rebel army owes me a life,¡± Raea said. The flat of her tail slammed against the floor, shaking the hall. ¡°Every single soldier in the army owes me a life.¡± ¡°Did you know the council sent four archangels to quash the rebellion?¡± the headmaster asked while furrowing his brow. His secretary gagged him this time and pulled him down the hall. Why did her boss insist on antagonizing the angry archangel? She should¡¯ve just let Raea kill him earlier since he wanted to die so badly. ¡°Stop,¡± Raea said. The secretary pursed her lips before halting. ¡°What was the result? Did the archangels lose?¡± ¡°Rumors say they lost.¡± Raea nodded and exhaled. ¡°Then there¡¯s still some left for me,¡± she said as a silver sheen covered her arms. The light crawled up her shoulders and enveloped her whole body. She spread her wings and tilted her head up before leaping towards the ceiling. Her arms easily pierced through the stone, and she tore open a hole for herself to exit through. She stood on the roof of the academy and inhaled deeply. It had been a while since she smelled fresh air. Her head lowered, and she said, ¡°If a demon with a snake for a tail comes by, tell him I went to find the rebel army.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this!¡± the headmaster shouted as she flapped her wings, bringing her higher into the air. ¡°You¡¯ll die! You have so much to live for! Think of why you suffered through the kudosu puzzles!¡± A frown appeared on Raea¡¯s lips as the academy got further and further away. She did have a reason to live: Palan. If she died, she¡¯d be bringing him down as well. Didn¡¯t she agree to help him reunite with his sister instead of seeking revenge? She did, but that was then, and this was now. A fire burned in her chest, threatening to melt her heart if she didn¡¯t follow its will. She suspected she¡¯d never get a good night¡¯s sleep ever again if she didn¡¯t listen. Maybe her wrath got stronger due to her evolution. Maybe her will got weaker. Maybe she really would die, but that didn¡¯t matter. Sely needed to be avenged. And wasn¡¯t Palan one of the main reasons why Sely died? Raea snorted as her wings flapped harder. They glowed underneath the moonlight, casting a faint red shadow in the sky. If she died, then Palan would just have to blame his bad luck. Destroying the rebel army was something she had to do or die trying. Chapter 228 Pyre hung upside-down in the sky, held by one of Palan¡¯s tails. They both floated in the air above the first sector. The two suns shone overhead, illuminating the buildings and roads along with the ant-like people traversing them. Beneath the duo, there were several destroyed buildings with dead and dying angels lying on the ground. The two had encountered yet another group of angels intent on stopping them, but they only succeeded in slowing them down for a bit. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the academy was really close by?¡± Palan asked. Blood dripped from his body onto the ground below. The blood wasn¡¯t his. ¡°It¡¯s that building over there,¡± Pyre said and pointed at the castle-like structure off in the distance. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I can¡¯t feel Raea,¡± he said. He had been trying to use Raea¡¯s powers ever since he entered the first sector. ¡°Are we still too far away?¡± He plummeted towards the ground, causing Pyre to drop his pipe and let out a yelp. A few angels on the ground screamed, but Palan ignored them and readied himself to leap towards Hailing Academy. His gut told him something was wrong, but the only thing he could do was continue forwards. If Raea wasn¡¯t at Hailing, he¡¯d have no idea where to find her. ¡°Pyre,¡± Palan said as the two got closer to the academy. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is the academy normally on fire?¡± Palan asked. Black flames coated the roof of the building, and students were camping outside in tents. ¡°Well, I mean, it¡¯s on fire more times than not,¡± Pyre said. He squinted his eyes and shielded them from the sun. ¡°But those flames look very unnatural. It definitely wasn¡¯t the headmaster¡¯s doing. Maybe Raea performed a jailbreak?¡± Palan grunted as he canceled his powers, causing them to accelerate towards the center of the tents in the yard. He landed like a meteor, causing a miniature crater to form beneath his feet. Pyre let out a groan. ¡°I told you to stop doing that. I¡¯m old,¡± Pyre said and rubbed his temples. ¡°Jolts aren¡¯t good for my health.¡± He glanced at the stunned students and teachers. ¡°You should probably let me down.¡± Palan released Pyre and crossed his arms over his chest. His torso-mouth opened and snapped shut as he glared at the faculty. ¡°Where¡¯s Raea?¡± he asked. His fingers were grinding against his palms, causing sparks to fall from his hands. One of the teachers stepped forward. ¡°W-who?¡± she asked. Her brow furrowed as she examined Pyre. ¡°You look awfully familiar.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t recognize your superior?¡± Pyre asked as he pulled a blindfold out of his bag and wrapped it over his eyes.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Pyre?¡± the teacher asked and gasped. ¡°Everyone thought you died! You¡¯re alright, thank the Creator. Where have you been?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the headmaster?¡± Pyre asked, ignoring her question. ¡°What happened to the school?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to the school,¡± the teacher said and shook her head. ¡°We were told to evacuate to the yard and set up tents here. The headmaster is inside the building with another group of angels. They¡¯re trying to remove the flames with charity orbs, but it¡¯s a very slow process.¡± Pyre nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± he said as he began to walk towards the entrance and gestured for Palan to follow. ¡°Um, Pyre? This is?¡± the teacher asked while looking at Palan. ¡°Is he the demon that the city¡¯s on red alert for? He certainly fits the description.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Pyre said and waved his hand dismissively without turning around. ¡°Everything¡¯s under control.¡± ¡°Do you think Professor Khondra subdued the demon by himself?¡± a student whispered to his friend. Palan snorted as he followed Pyre into the building. The roaring of the flames prevented him from hearing anything else. His nose wrinkled when he stepped inside. Nearly everything was charred or partially melted. The walls looked like mud, and the floor was scorched. The ceiling creaked every so often, and footsteps could be heard above them. ¡°This academy is really sturdy,¡± Pyre said and whistled. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it hasn¡¯t collapsed given the state of the walls. Well, it was made with dwarven blueprints after all.¡± Palan grunted. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for words. His expression was dark, and his torso-mouth was constantly grinding its teeth together. Cracks formed on the floor as he walked because he did nothing to alleviate his weight. Pyre noticed. ¡°Can you reduce the gravity on your body when we go to the second floor?¡± he asked when they reached the bottom of a stairwell. ¡°You¡¯re too heavy. The floor¡¯s probably going to break.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°So much for dwarven technology,¡± he said. He stepped on a stair, causing it to creak and grown underneath him. His brow furrowed. ¡°Well, the dwarves never met someone like you, and they certainly didn¡¯t plan to make the buildings elephant proof,¡± Pyre said. He proceeded up the stairs when a black glow enveloped Palan¡¯s body. ¡°Can you sense where they are?¡± ¡°Higher,¡± Palan said. The two proceeded to the fourth floor before Palan nodded. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± ¡°And you still can¡¯t use Raea¡¯s powers?¡± Pyre asked. Palan shook his head. Pyre sighed and patted Palan¡¯s shoulder, causing the demon to flinch. ¡°Don¡¯t be too discouraged and slaughter everyone if she¡¯s not here, alright? Besides, it¡¯s possible her powers are being suppressed, or she¡¯s unconscious. There are plenty of reasons other than she¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°I thought you enjoyed wanton slaughter,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Well, I do,¡± Pyre said and scratched his head. ¡°But the headmaster¡¯s like my father. I respect him a lot.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have any attachments,¡± Palan said as he left the stairwell and followed his electromagnetic sense towards the group of angels on the same floor. ¡°Whether he dies or not ¡­ we¡¯ll see.¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the best I¡¯ll get out of you,¡± he said. ¡°But don¡¯t destroy the building. My laboratory is here, and there may be some items that can help you. If you must, you can kill the headmaster, but leave my lab alone.¡± Palan grunted. Chapter 229 Pyre sighed as he followed Palan through the halls of the academy. He had taken off his blindfold when he entered the building. The fourth floor had been scorched by flames. Had the whole building been on fire? A frown appeared on his face. Hopefully, his laboratory wasn¡¯t injured by the flames. There were some sensitive materials inside that probably would probably explode upon contact with fire. As the duo turned a corner, a voice entered Pyre¡¯s ears. ¡°Rotate and recharge.¡± It seemed like the headmaster was alright¡ªfor now. Pyre glanced at Palan¡¯s face. It was hard to tell what the demon was thinking, but he suspected it wasn¡¯t anything pleasant. Maybe the headmaster didn¡¯t do anything too drastic to Raea and knew where she was going. That might save his life. Palan¡¯s footsteps quickened. Even though he weighed over a thousand pounds, Pyre couldn¡¯t hear him walk. They arrived in a classroom that was used to accommodate over a hundred students at a time. There were twenty angels inside: five of them were using orbs to hold back the flames, another five were recharging dull orbs, and the remaining ten were waiting while drinking odd-colored potions. The headmaster turned his head when Pyre entered. ¡°Pyre?¡± the headmaster asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°Your blindfold.¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°My friend¡±¡ªhe emphasized the word¡ª¡°here has some questions to ask you. I think it¡¯s best if you comply,¡± he said and gestured towards Palan. ¡°Seriously.¡± The headmaster and the secretary exchanged looks. Wasn¡¯t that the demon Raea told them about? ¡°Hello, honored guest!¡± the headmaster said and bowed towards Palan. ¡°How may I help you?¡± The other angels looked at the headmaster with odd expressions on their faces, but they didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Where¡¯s Raea?¡± Palan asked, crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°Lady Raea told me to inform you that she went to fight the rebel army,¡± the headmaster said, still keeping his head lowered. ¡°I tried to convince her not to leave, but she experienced an evolution and lost her mind to wrath. These black flames are a result of that.¡± Palan was silent. The headmaster continued speaking. ¡°I promise you, we did our very best to take care of her,¡± he said. ¡°She was given food three times a day, although she didn¡¯t always eat her food. We let her do whatever she wanted, but to keep up appearances with her parents, we had her do a few puzzles during her stay.¡± ¡°Can he be trusted?¡± Palan asked Pyre.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Pyre chuckled and looked away. ¡°Rachel,¡± he said. The secretary looked at him. ¡°Where did Raea go?¡± ¡°The headmaster was telling the truth,¡± she said. ¡°Raea tore a hole in the ceiling and flew outside to find the rebel army. She said she wanted to kill all of them because they owed her a life.¡± Pyre turned to face Palan. ¡°She¡¯s an angel of kindness,¡± he said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t lie. Raea really must have left the academy to find the rebel army. Do you know why she¡¯d do that?¡± Palan didn¡¯t answer the question. ¡°Where¡¯s your laboratory?¡± he asked. ¡°It exploded,¡± the headmaster said before Pyre could answer. ¡°Half the floor disappeared. What the hell were you keeping in there?¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± Pyre said and sighed. ¡°It looks like I can¡¯t help you with my inventions. Ah, I worked so hard on those.¡± He asked the headmaster, ¡°Did you save any copies of my work?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who said, ¡®don¡¯t enter my lab, you senile old man. Things might self-destruct if you touch them inappropriately,¡¯¡± the headmaster said and rolled his eyes. ¡°Why did you listen to me?¡± Pyre asked and snorted. ¡°You should¡¯ve disobeyed my wishes and made copies of everything! Where has your curiosity gone? You call yourself a professor? Kill him! Kill this blasphemer!¡± The headmaster cleared his throat. ¡°I call myself headmaster.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the rebel army?¡± Palan asked, interrupting Pyre while ignoring his order. The headmaster looked at his secretary. ¡°Do we know?¡± he asked. ¡°All the letters that you chose to burn were ordering you to head towards the west,¡± Rachel said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already sent the excuse of ¡®the school¡¯s on fire, sorry¡¯ to the guardians.¡± The headmaster nodded, ignoring the criticizing looks of the angels who were putting out the flames. ¡°The rebel army should be to the west,¡± he said. ¡°Either they¡¯re behind the checkpoint, assaulting the checkpoint, or they¡¯ve already gone through the checkpoint. Raea left two days ago. If she headed directly towards them, she¡¯s probably confronting them or the checkpoint guards right now.¡± ¡°Why couldn¡¯t she just stay in place?¡± Palan asked in a low growl. A tail wrapped around the dejected Pyre who was still moping about his laboratory. Palan charged towards the back of the room, which was west, and kicked down the wall. He entered a hallway through the newly made entrance, and kicked down the wall opposite him as well. Soon, there was a tunnel leading outside of the building on the fourth floor. Palan crouched at the edge, and leapt off, using his powers to soar through the air. ¡°My god,¡± the headmaster said as a bead of sweat rolled down his back. ¡°Her demon¡¯s more violent than she is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing he believed you about treating her well,¡± his secretary said. ¡°You liar.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lie. I just distorted the truth,¡± the headmaster said and snorted. He glared at the surrounding angels. ¡°What are you all gaping at? Back to work, the buildings not going to unset itself on fire!¡± Outside, in the sky, Pyre let out a sigh as his limbs dangled below him. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him,¡± he said to Palan. Pyre raised an eyebrow. It was his first time seeing Palan so nervous. Well, it was understandable. Most demons had a lot to lose if their contractor died. He wondered what Palan would lose. ¡°I can always go back later,¡± Palan said. ¡°Every second I¡¯m away from Raea is another second she has to do something stupid. Knowing her, she¡¯ll use all the seconds. I don¡¯t have time to play around with twenty greater angels.¡± ¡°I guess it was just their lucky day,¡± Pyre said. A tear fell from his face due to the wind blowing in his eyes. ¡°Ah, my lab.¡± Chapter 230 The second sun was just beginning to set. In an alleyway, Raea was curled up in a ball, her head resting on her knees with her back against a wall. Light snores escaped from her mouth, and a strand of drool crawled down her leg. After escaping from the academy, her anger fueled her enough to fly away but not all the way to the rebel army. She had been subjected to sleep deprivation by the headmaster because of her inability to solve kudosu puzzles efficiently, and the lack of sleep finally caught up to her. ¡°There she is,¡± a voice said from the entrance to the alley. A group of golden-robed angels peered into the dark alley. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are still homeless people living in the first sector in this day and age,¡± one of the golden-robed figures said with a frown. He turned towards the civilian who reported Raea¡¯s location. ¡°You did well. Leave this place. We¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t going to kill her, right?¡± ¡°Rest assured. She¡¯ll merely be relocated to a different location.¡± The civilian hesitated before walking away. He took one last glance at the group before rounding a corner. A few seconds later, screams echoed through the air. They were unintelligible sounds of unadulterated fear escaping from an adult¡¯s lips. The civilian paled, stopped in his tracks, and turned around. He was greeted by a wall of silent black flames rushing towards him. He didn¡¯t have the chance to blink before he was reduced to ashes. Raea frowned at the molten rock forming beneath her feet. The only thing left of the guardians were a few outlines of ash burned into the ground and walls. ¡°I should¡¯ve killed that headmaster,¡± Raea said to herself as she walked out of the alley. She yawned, and a green cloud of smoke escaped from her mouth. The lava wrapped around her feet, but it didn¡¯t burn her. In fact, it felt quite comfortable. She wanted to lie down and roll around in it, but she had more pressing matters to deal with¡ªthe rebel army. The fire in her chest that had been stifled by weariness regained its strength. Raea¡¯s eyes became purple, and her footsteps quickened. Once she was out of the alley, her wings spread to their full length, casting a red glow on the surroundings. Her knees bent until her palms touched the ground. She pushed off and flapped her wings, launching herself above all the buildings in the city. Beneath her, there was a circle of spreading black flames. Hundreds of angels were running away as buildings collapsed behind them, melting into sludge. She wondered why Hailing Academy hadn¡¯t melted. Was its materials that much better? Or did her flames become stronger after she slept? She heard angels screaming and crying for their family, but she ignored them and flew in the direction away from the setting sun. Out of curiosity, she tried to use Palan¡¯s powers of pride, but nothing happened. However, she wasn¡¯t discouraged. She¡¯d most likely run into him as she traveled towards the rebels. Her evolution was triggered by his. Logically, his next step would be to head towards the academy. She deduced he was still in the second sector based on his speed. She hadn¡¯t even considered Palan finishing his evolution earlier than her.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. There was no sign of the rebel army having crossed the checkpoint walls. The only source of chaos came from her own powers. If she had Sariel¡¯s or even Pyre¡¯s ability, she¡¯d be able to find them quite easily, but since that wasn¡¯t the case, she decided to check every nook and cranny with her own powers. Giant, black fireballs formed in the sky. They rotated, increasing in speed until they elongated into toothpick-like shapes. Raea¡¯s eyes were cold as she hovered in the air above the city. The rebels had invaded the third sector using a system of tunnels. Why wouldn¡¯t they do the same for the first? Raea pointed at a location where she thought a tunnel might be located, and one of the flame spears plunged towards the ground. The air screamed and roared as the spear fell like a meteor. It pierced through half of a building, causing it to fall over. Raea squinted and peered at the hole the spear created. After her evolution, her vision had improved, and she could see the stitches of a robe on the ground from where she was. It was easy for her to see through the depths of the fiery tunnel. However, it was empty. A frown appeared on Raea¡¯s lips when another four spears of flame failed to locate the rebels¡¯ tunnels. She decided to fly closer to the checkpoint wall, decorating the city with flaming holes along the way. Smoke rose into the air, and ashes began to spread through the streets that weren¡¯t on fire. A ballistae bolt shot past Raea¡¯s body, causing her to lose her balance for a second. She had entered the range of the weapons on the wall, but she was still unable to locate the rebels. Raea narrowed her eyes as another bolt flew towards her body. She extended her hand, covering her palm with an oily sheen. The tip of the projectile collided against the light and splintered into thousands of tiny fragments. Raea snorted and raised her hand. A halberd made of black flames appeared in the sky. It expanded, and continued to expand until it blotted out the moon and cast a shadow that covered the length of the wall. Her torso twisted as she made a swinging motion. The halberd swept over the top of the red metal, not making contact with it. Hundreds of ballistae and angels were incinerated in an instant. The halberd¡¯s head raised back into the air, and Raea made a swinging motion at the ground. The earth churned, and canyons formed beneath her, filling with molten lava. She tore open the ground inside the wall, hacking away at it over and over again, but she was unable to find a single trace of a tunnel. She flew over the wall and cleaved the untouched ground, but there still weren¡¯t any tunnels. The halberd whistled through the sky and embedded itself into the ground as Raea screamed. ¡°Where are you!?¡± Why couldn¡¯t she find them!? The rebel army was coming from the west. She had flew away from the sun, heading west! Shouldn¡¯t she have found at least one tunnel along the way? Unless they planned on ¡­ wait. Wait just one moment. She flew back into the city and landed in a relatively unburnt patch of road. She grabbed a screaming angel¡¯s arm and slapped him across the face. ¡°Stop screaming,¡± she said and narrowed her eyes at him. The angel gulped and complied. ¡°If I follow the sunset, which direction am I going in?¡± Raea asked. Liquid stained the angel¡¯s pants. ¡°W-west?¡± Raea blinked. ¡°Shit,¡± she said as she tossed the angel aside. He screamed as he flew through the air. She flew into the air and rubbed her chin. The eastern part of the city looked like it suffered through an apocalypse caused by multiple volcanic eruptions. ¡°I went the wrong way.¡± Chapter 231 Pyre dangled in the air, with his back facing the ground. A tail was wrapped around his waist, and his upper body and legs hung limp. There was a pipe in his mouth, held upside-down, but its contents remained inside because his head wasn¡¯t oriented right-side up. The ground was his sky, and the sky was his ground, but he was touching neither. He furrowed his brow as he blew out a cloud of purple smoke. ¡°Hey, Palan,¡± Pyre said. ¡°What?¡± Palan asked as he turned his head. He didn¡¯t need to pay attention while flying because he couldn¡¯t even control what direction he moved in after he was in the air. ¡°There¡¯s something odd going on in the eastern part of the city,¡± Pyre said as he watched black toothpicks rain down from the sky. Palan twisted his body around, and Pyre flexed his abs to lift his torso up to continue watching the scene in the east. On their right, there was a massive wall that Pyre had told him was the walls of the capital. It prevented them from looking over it even though they were flying pretty high up. Another toothpick appeared in the distance and fell from the sky. ¡°And?¡± Palan asked after observing for a while as their bodies continued floating towards the west. ¡°You don¡¯t want to check it out?¡± ¡°In Eljiam, curiosity gets you killed,¡± Palan said. ¡°I have a goal to find Raea, and we both know she went west.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t that look suspiciously like a wrath archdemon¡¯s or archangel¡¯s power? What if it¡¯s Raea?¡± ¡°And what if I go there and see that it isn¡¯t her, and then on the way back, she gets killed by the rebel army because I wasted time? That would be truly unfortunate. Raea¡¯s a bit slow sometimes, but she knows the difference between east and west. Besides, there¡¯s a massive wall here to the south. She doesn¡¯t even need to know east and west as long as she can tell which way is left and which way is right.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s reasonable,¡± Pyre said and let out a grunt. ¡°I wonder who it is though. Maybe you¡¯re right. Curiosity shouldn¡¯t distract you from your goals.¡± If he hadn¡¯t spent so many years of his life in the pursuit of science, would he have already destroyed the capital by now? Palan turned back around. The outline of the western checkpoint wall could be seen bordering some buildings. Lightning was falling from the sky, striking the top of the wall. ¡°Something¡¯s happening over there as well,¡± Palan said. To him, red lightning meant archangels like Michael and Melissa, but he ate Melissa so it shouldn¡¯t be her. ¡°Are they conducting a pincer attack? But it should¡¯ve taken a lot longer to circle around to the east as well. Solra hadn¡¯t told me his plans for taking over the first sector and the capital,¡± Pyre said. ¡°But I know he should have a few more archlings under his control. It¡¯s possible one of them is wrath, and there¡¯s also Ishim, but I didn¡¯t think he was that strong.¡± Ishim had died during the slaughter at Marossa, but Palan and Pyre didn¡¯t know that.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Palan said. ¡°They can do whatever they want as long as they don¡¯t hurt Raea. Is the lightning from Michael? I don¡¯t understand why they¡¯d attack the top of the walls.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably the harpy,¡± Pyre said. ¡°She was one of the first to evolve to an archling. It looks like the rebel¡¯s army chosen to force their way through the checkpoint. They were probably waiting for the first sector to gather its powerful angels before making a move. Solra enjoys sweeping things away in one motion, which is why he waited for the archangels to arrive at Marossa.¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Why can¡¯t I sense Raea yet?¡± he asked and clenched his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you there¡¯s plenty of reasons why you can¡¯t call on her powers,¡± Pyre said with a cramped face. Palan¡¯s tail had tightened around his waist. ¡°It isn¡¯t necessarily because she isn¡¯t there.¡± If either of the two had turned around at that moment, they would¡¯ve seen a giant, black halberd form in the sky, but they were too preoccupied with the lightning strikes ahead of them. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be smart, right?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Supposed to be smart? I¡¯m a fucking genius,¡± Pyre said and snorted. ¡°What¡¯s the best course of action to retrieve Raea?¡± Palan asked. He wanted to see how Pyre¡¯s train of thought worked compared to his own. Pyre furrowed his brow and inhaled on his pipe. ¡°Well,¡± he said after expelling a purple cloud, ¡°since it doesn¡¯t seem like Raea is wreaking havoc, she¡¯s either subdued, dead, or unable to use her powers. You haven¡¯t experienced any side effects, so I¡¯ll assume she¡¯s unable to use her powers which would lead to her being subdued given enough time. Solra keeps his prisoners and has them generate energy to power his orbs¡ªwhich was totally my idea by the way. Your best bet is to exchange something for her because, I¡¯ll be honest, I don¡¯t think you can fight an army by yourself especially if your powers are taken away. You might be strong, but hobgoblins can lift a quarter of a ton. Enough of them will pin you down.¡± Palan didn¡¯t say anything. Pyre shrugged and continued. ¡°If I were you, I would capture that harpy, then open up an exchange with Solra,¡± he said. ¡°Trade her for Raea. I can help you negotiate. All Raea can do is power orbs for him anyway, the harpy has much more value.¡± As the two got closer to the wall, they could see a flock of harpies in the air. ¡°Would Solra be willing to exchange?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he just forcefully capture us with the army?¡± Pyre rolled his eyes. ¡°Not everyone¡¯s a demon,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, the halflings won¡¯t hate you because you¡¯re a demon. If you were an angel, it would be a lot more difficult.¡± ¡°Then what about you?¡± ¡°Well. I carry around a lot of dangerous items on me and the rebels know that. In fact, I can explode at any moment.¡± Palan stared at Pyre. ¡°I¡¯m going to drop you.¡± Pyre laughed as he wrapped his arms and legs around Palan¡¯s tail like a sloth hanging onto a branch. ¡°It¡¯s a very low chance,¡± he said. ¡°I haven¡¯t exploded the whole time I was with you. You shouldn¡¯t worry too much about it. I don¡¯t want to die a pointless death either.¡± Palan frowned, but decided to keep Pyre around. In any case, now he knew if he threw Pyre at someone hard enough, he could cause an explosion. Chapter 232 The sound of thunder grew louder as Palan and Pyre drew closer to the wall. ¡°It¡¯s the red harpy, right? Palan asked. In the cloud of harpies, one of them was noticeably different. Her hair and feathers were red while her skin was tinged pink. ¡°Yes,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Try using your powers on her. I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°What did I just say about curiosity?¡± Palan asked. ¡°We¡¯re not in Eljiam. It¡¯s fine,¡± Pyre said with a laugh. ¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± Palan grunted. He was planning on dragging the harpy down to the ground anyway. If his power worked, then that would be for the best. Though he could float, he couldn¡¯t maneuver himself in the air. Ballistae bolts and arrows were flying towards the harpies from the wall, but they continuously avoided them while retaliating with lightning. All of them had purple orbs which they used to call upon the power of temperance. Neither party noticed Palan and Pyre approaching. Palan narrowed his eyes and sucked in his breath. A black halo of light appeared around the harpies. A few of them shouted as they plummeted towards the earth. They flapped their wings, but that only slowed their descent. Projectiles flew towards them, but they also sunk, missing their targets by a large margin. The red harpy let out a screech as she flapped her wings harder. Though she was higher up than all the other harpies, she was still being pulled towards the ground. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± one of the angels on the wall asked. He lowered his crossbow and wiped the sweat off his brow. The red harpy noticed and zapped him with a bolt of lightning, killing him instantly. Palan frowned at the sight. He was planning on using Pyre to deflect the lightning bolts, but he changed his mind. Pyre would probably explode if he did that. By now, the duo had drifted above the wall, and both the harpies and angels noticed them. Palan stopped his power, causing him to fall towards the wall. Pyre screamed, but Palan was careful not to jostle him too much on impact, letting his tail absorb most of the force. ¡°Wait here,¡± Palan said as he released the angel in his grasp. He ignored the crossbows pointed at him and leapt into the air again, heading towards the harpy. She yelled and shot a lightning bolt at him, but Danger Noodle blocked the blow. A whine escaped from its mouth as the snakehead looked at Palan. ¡°I¡¯ll use a different tail next time,¡± Palan said and snorted. His purple and red tails moved forward to block the onslaught of lightning. A few scales were torn off as gashes appeared on their skin, but Palan gritted his teeth and pushed through. He wasn¡¯t a stranger to pain.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The red harpy panicked and tried to fly away when she realized her abilities were having no effect on Palan, but she moved as if she were trapped in a bog. The black halo condensed until it was solely wrapped around her body. The other harpies regained their ability to fly, but Palan didn¡¯t care. Danger Noodle flashed through the air and wrapped around the harpy when it got close enough, and Palan canceled the power on himself. The duo plummeted to the ground, leaving a tiny crater when they landed. The harpy passed out from the impact. Palan frowned when he tried to lift his tails but found he couldn¡¯t. No wonder why Danger Noodle didn¡¯t want to get struck by the lightning. On the wall, Pyre was talking with the person in charge. The armored angel had his brows furrowed. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that demon is yours?¡± he asked. Pyre nodded. ¡°We¡¯re the reinforcements from Hailing Academy. I am Professor Khondra,¡± he said. He cleared his throat and put away his pipe while straightening his clothes. ¡°But isn¡¯t that the demon that we were told to watch out for? The one that crossed the wall?¡± ¡°That was just a misunderstanding,¡± Pyre said. ¡°We had urgent matters to deal with and had to hurry back to the academy. We didn¡¯t have time to pass through the checkpoint using conventional methods. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask your boss. It¡¯s likely the news hasn¡¯t been passed down to you yet.¡± An angel who was slightly charred spoke up. ¡°That demon murdered people and destroyed homes. My cousin was one of them.¡± ¡°False accusations,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Do you have any proof? Do you know what the punishment is for slander? Can you bear responsibilities for your words?¡± The angel pursed her lips and lowered her head. Her hands clenched into fists. ¡°I¡¯ll have to report this, Professor Khondra,¡± the angel in charge said. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but it¡¯s standard protocol.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Pyre said and nodded as he folded his arms while straightening his back. For once, he did look like a proper professor¡ªwell, he would if he removed the blindfold covering his eyes. He had put them on after Palan released him. At least a blindfold was less noticeable than demonic eyes. Palan leapt up the wall and landed beside Pyre, still holding the unconscious harpy. ¡°Heal me,¡± Palan said. Pyre nodded and fumbled around his bag for an orb. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± the angel in charge said as a white glow appeared on his hands. He placed them on Palan¡¯s chest, and tendrils of light snaked over his body. The angel gasped and began to sweat as he exerted more and more mana into his palms. When the white light found nothing else to heal, the angel stopped and stared at Palan. ¡°Are you an archdemon?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Which way is the rebel army?¡± he asked. ¡°Just follow the harpies,¡± Pyre said and pointed at the sky. The remaining harpies were in the process of retreating after their leader was captured. Palan nodded and grabbed Pyre with his tail before leaping towards the sky. The angel in charge placed his hand on the shoulder of the female angel who had spoken up about Palan¡¯s actions. ¡°If he¡¯s lying, he¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to him. Justice always finds a way.¡± The slightly charred angel nodded, but she didn¡¯t believe her superior¡¯s words. Chapter 233 Palan continued chasing the retreating harpies, passing through the roads of the second sector. They had left the wall behind quite a while ago, causing it to be a faint smear of red on the horizon. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the harpies were returning to their base or not. Was Solra located this far away? Palan tried using Raea¡¯s powers, but nothing happened. The red harpy wrapped in his tail started to stir. ¡°She¡¯s waking up,¡± Pyre said. He was stuck in the tail adjacent to her. Palan furrowed his brow and constricted the harpy. Her eyes shot open as she let out a squawk. ¡°It hurts!¡± the harpy said while gasping. She wriggled, attempting to free herself, but her wings were firmly pressed against her sides. A red glow appeared in her eyes, but Pyre slapped her cheek with his blindfold. The harpy blinked and shook her head, the red glow gone. Her brow furrowed as the blindfold hit her again. ¡°No powers,¡± Pyre said and glared at the harpy. ¡°Where am I?¡± the harpy asked as she looked around. The trio were floating in the sky, their bodies surrounded by halos of black light. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that,¡± Pyre said. ¡°You¡¯re a hostage.¡± The harpy blinked and stared at the old angel who was in the same exact position as her. ¡°We¡¯re in the second sector,¡± Palan said and glanced at the harpy. ¡°Where¡¯s the rebel army located?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell you,¡± The harpy said and wrinkled her nose. Her body creaked as Palan¡¯s tail began to constrict her waist. A scream escaped from her mouth, and Pyre stunned her with his blindfold again before she could use any powers. ¡°Stop doing that!¡± ¡°Just tell us where the army is,¡± Pyre said. ¡°We¡¯re going to exchange you for one of our friends. It¡¯s in your best interest to help us.¡± ¡°Should I rip one of her wings off?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve never tortured a harpy before. She might die if I¡¯m not careful.¡± The harpy shuddered and let out a groan as one of the bones in her wings snapped from the constriction. ¡°I, I¡¯ll tell,¡± the harpy said and gritted her teeth. She focused on the surroundings, attempting to find a familiar landmark. Her eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯re going the right way. It¡¯s not too far now. There¡¯ll be an abandoned mineshaft hidden behind some boulders.¡± ¡°So just keep following the harpies?¡± Palan asked. The red harpy scowled. ¡°Those stupid birdbrains,¡± she said. ¡°I told them not to retreat back to the base.¡± Silence fell. Once, some of the harpies in the front fired purple lightning at Palan, but he deflected the bolts using the red harpy as a shield. The harpies stopped attacking after that. The red harpy bit her lower lip and asked, ¡°Are you two with the angels?¡± Her gaze locked onto Pyre¡¯s eyes. Why did he look so familiar? ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Pyre asked. He reached into his bag and pulled out a pipe, lighting its contents with an orb of wrath.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The harpy gasped. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± she said and attempted to distance herself from the smoking angel. Her body thrashed about, causing Palan to constrict her again. The harpy winced and relaxed her body. ¡°I thought the commander killed you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m too important to die,¡± Pyre said and laughed. ¡°Are you working with the angels now?¡± the harpy asked and furrowed her brows. She had seen the power of the cannons. What if the angels had them as well? She¡¯d probably die if a cannonball hit a vital spot. ¡°No,¡± Pyre said and gestured towards Palan with his head. ¡°I¡¯m working for him. And even though Solra tried to kill me, I wouldn¡¯t mind renewing our friendship. Put in a good word for me, why don¡¯t you? We¡¯ve treated you well enough as a hostage.¡± The harpy¡¯s broken wing throbbed as her eyes twitched. ¡°Why are you going towards our base?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you,¡± Pyre asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to exchange you for an angel.¡± ¡°One of the council members?¡± the harpy asked and tilted her head. ¡°Solra would never agree.¡± ¡°No,¡± Pyre said. ¡°A fallen angel of wrath. She most likely has four wings, looks a bit demonic, and probably gives nightmares to children when they see her. Do you know her?¡± The harpy blinked. ¡°No,¡± she said and shook her head. ¡°I think I would remember someone like that. When did we capture her?¡± ¡°Sometime within these past few days,¡± Pyre said and glanced at Palan. The demon¡¯s head was facing forward, and Pyre couldn¡¯t tell what his expression was like. He did notice the snake squeezing his body tighter however. Pyre frowned and looked at the harpy. ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t seen her? She would¡¯ve invaded with a storm of black fire.¡± The harpy shook her head again. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve left the base in days,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe I was asleep and didn¡¯t notice?¡± Pyre snorted. He knew how light of a sleeper this harpy was. He tried extracting her blood in the middle of the night once because she was deathly afraid of needles. It didn¡¯t end so well for him or the halflings in the neighboring caves. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Palan said before the two people in his tails could say anything else. The harpies ahead of them were descending and disappearing behind a cluster of boulders. ¡°Even if Raea isn¡¯t here right now, she¡¯s going to come eventually. Maybe I overestimated her intelligence. She definitely got lost.¡± ¡°Since she¡¯s not here,¡± the harpy said slowly, ¡°are you going to set me free?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see,¡± Palan said as he descended onto the boulders. The entrance to the mineshaft was hidden pretty well. If he didn¡¯t have his electromagnetic sense or if the red harpy hadn¡¯t told him, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed the entrance. Palan looked at Pyre. ¡°Is she your friend?¡± ¡°Her?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow towards the harpy. ¡°She¡¯s more like a pet.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s a pet!?¡± the harpy shouted. Pyre slapped her face with his blindfold, dispersing her gathered mana. Normally, a light slap wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop an archling¡¯s powers, but Pyre had been conditioning the harpy since she was a greater harpy. ¡°So you won¡¯t miss her too much if I decide to eat her,¡± Palan said. The harpy paled, and Pyre stopped her powers once again. ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t,¡± Pyre said and sighed. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve lost my lab, I don¡¯t have any more toys to play with. We can probably kidnap her away from Solra.¡± ¡°She does seem a lot braver than my last harpy slave,¡± Palan said. He wondered what happened to Sally and Elrith, but quickly dismissed those thoughts. Someone was climbing up the mineshaft. Palan hadn¡¯t entered because he wanted to catch a few more hostages first. Besides, though it was unlikely, it was still possible Raea had arrived in the time it took the harpy to fly towards the wall. He could interrogate a few more people to determine if Raea had truly appeared or not. He felt a bit of regret for not heading towards the black flames back in the city, but he still believed he made the correct choice. Chapter 234 ¡°Be quiet,¡± Palan said as he lowered his body, resting his stomach on top of the boulder, so he wouldn¡¯t be seen from the entrance to the rebel army¡¯s encampment. The footsteps grew louder, and the red harpy in Palan¡¯s grasp chewed her lower lip. She was debating whether or not to warn whoever was coming up the entrance, but decided against it. If Palan was able to capture her, she didn¡¯t think anyone else had much of a chance of escaping. A light slap from Pyre¡¯s blindfold smacked her in the cheek, and she glared at the snickering angel while dispelling all thoughts of zapping Palan with lightning. Pyre wouldn¡¯t let her do that. Her body trembled as she thought of the ¡®care¡¯ she received from Pyre while evolving to an archling. Logically, she should be stronger than him and have no fear, but terror of Pyre had been ingrained down to her bones. The harpy shook her head and waited. The footsteps sounded like it came from two people or one centaur. Her flock had definitely reported her capture, and they knew Palan was following them. Maybe the blockhead was coming to assess the situation? From the mineshaft, a red centaur with four arms appeared. His gaze landed on the boulder Palan was using as cover. The centaur snorted and the boulder rumbled. Palan¡¯s eyes widened as he leapt into the air. Moments later, brown, crystalline spears shot out of the boulder where he had been hiding. The red harpy blinked. She really hadn¡¯t expected the blockhead to appear. Pyre¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s the centaur of diligence,¡± he said to Palan. ¡°He¡¯s an archling.¡± ¡°Is he also your pet?¡± Palan asked. Evidently, the centaur¡¯s hearing was excellent because he narrowed his eyes at Palan and let out a low roar. The earth churned as hundreds of earthen spears were launched out of the ground. Palan snorted and created a black halo of light in the sky below him. The instant the spears entered the halo, they lost all momentum before plummeting towards the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± Pyre said as he slapped the harpy again. He noticed her staring at Palan with a strange look in her eyes. ¡°Can you only increase and decrease gravity? Why don¡¯t you try making the spears fall towards him?¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You think that¡¯s possible?¡± he asked. The halo distorted as Palan experimented, but the spears continued falling where they wanted to. He had no control over them. ¡°It¡¯s just a thought,¡± Pyre said. ¡°You¡¯ll never find out what your ability can do unless you try new things. If you don¡¯t believe, then obviously it¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Palan furrowed his brow and nodded. But now wasn¡¯t the time to experiment. There was a group of people heading up the mineshaft towards the centaur. What if they were archlings as well? ¡°Blockhead!¡± the red harpy shouted. ¡°Stop! Are you trying to kill me too!?¡±Stolen story; please report. The centaur frowned as his spears stopped. He couldn¡¯t pretend he didn¡¯t notice her after she shouted like that. If Solra knew he tried to kill a fellow archling, then things wouldn¡¯t end well for him or his tribe. But it really did annoy him when she called him a blockhead. ¡°So it¡¯s the chicken,¡± the centaur shouted back. ¡°Your new look suits you well!¡± The harpy glared at him. Her hair was disheveled, her wing was broken, and she was trapped by a snake. Her eyes flashed with lightning, but her head turned to the side as a piece of cloth hit her nose and dispersed her mana. The centaur laughed. ¡°I greet the insane benefactor,¡± he said, clasping his four hands together and nodding at Pyre. He thought Pyre was an ordinary angel before, but realized it was him after that smack. ¡°Go and have someone tell Solra I¡¯m here and wish for a discussion,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I hear and obey,¡± the centaur said. The group that was climbing up the mineshaft arrived, and Palan was surprised to see a group of pale-white, humanoid creatures. The centaur turned his head to look at them. ¡°There¡¯s no danger here. Tell Solra the insane benefactor captured the red chicken and wishes for a discussion.¡± The creatures stared at each other before looking up at Palan. They chattered for a moment before nodding. Their footsteps hurried back down the mineshaft. ¡°What were those?¡± Palan asked Pyre. ¡°And why did they seem frightened of you?¡± Just what kind of role did Pyre play in the rebel army? Everyone they met had recognized him. ¡°Those were dwarves,¡± Pyre said as he sighed. ¡°They were good workers. They worked overtime without pay because of their dedication to their craft.¡± The red harpy rolled her eyes. She had heard the rumors about the dwarves and their work. Their sleepless weeks had nothing to do with dedication, but everything to do with the madman behind them. One dwarf had gone insane after staying up for eighteen days, but Pyre didn¡¯t seem to mind. In fact, it was like he found a friend and kept the dwarf as an assistant. ¡°Ask him if he¡¯s seen Raea,¡± Palan said to Pyre. Pyre nodded. He shouted down towards the centaur. ¡°Have you seen a fallen angel with four wings? She looks like a demon, has black scales, and probably used black fire.¡± The centaur knit his brow as Palan descended from the sky and landed on a boulder. ¡°The only black fire I¡¯ve seen was the commander¡¯s assistant,¡± he said. ¡°But he died at Marossa.¡± ¡°Ishim¡¯s dead?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t think Solra would sacrifice him so early. Pyre shrugged. ¡°Well, I never liked him anyway. So you haven¡¯t seen the angel I was talking about then.¡± The centaur shook his head. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you need help? My tribe will always be here to assist you in all matters.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a friend,¡± Pyre said. The centaur¡¯s face contorted for an instant before returning back to normal. From his previous experience, the centaur knew that none of the people Pyre had considered friends were sane. The centaur wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°Is he¡±¡ªhe gestured towards Palan¡ª¡°a friend as well?¡± the centaur asked. It seemed like Pyre was captured by the demon, but at the same time, he wasn¡¯t. Pyre blinked and looked at Palan. ¡°Are we friends?¡± Palan didn¡¯t reply, and Pyre shrugged before turning back towards the centaur. He said, ¡°He¡¯s my boss.¡± ¡°I thought the commander was your boss?¡± the centaur asked and scratched his head. The red harpy sneered. ¡°Stop thinking,¡± she said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± The centaur snorted and glared at her. Right when it seemed like he was about to take action, Solra appeared at the entrance of the mine accompanied by a group of dwarves. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Solra asked with a frown. Chapter 235 ¡°Hello, Solra,¡± Pyre said and waved his hand. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Solra glanced at the top of the boulder. His eyes widened when he saw Palan. ¡°Hello, Pyre,¡± Solra said and frowned. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Pyre had ran away before Solra could have him killed. Could he be back for revenge? ¡°My archdemon boss would like a word with you,¡± Pyre said and smirked while gesturing towards Palan. Solra¡¯s lips pressed together. Some archdemons were easy to deal with once their powers were gone. Judging by Palan¡¯s appearance, Solra didn¡¯t think that was the case for him. Solra tapped one of the dwarves and told him to get more reinforcements. ¡°Where¡¯s Raea?¡± Palan asked as he stood up straight and puffed out his chest. His eyes narrowed at Solra. The old archangel looked so frail. Palan¡¯s hand slipped into his bag, wrapping his fingers around a pointed rock. ¡°Who?¡± Solra asked with a frown. ¡°Did she really not come?¡± Palan muttered. The red harpy let out a groan as the snake holding her began to constrict. ¡°A fallen angel of wrath. She has four wings.¡± ¡°Did we capture someone like that?¡± Solra asked, turning his head to ask the four-armed centaur. The centaur shook his head. Solra said to Palan, ¡°There you go. You must be mistaken. Did Pyre tell you she was here? It¡¯s possible he¡¯s using you to exact revenge on me.¡± Palan fell silent. He knew that wasn¡¯t the case because of the contract they had signed. Pyre cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Why would I want revenge? Did you wrong me?¡± A sigh escaped from Solra¡¯s lips. He could feel a headache building. ¡°Is there anything else you two need?¡± he asked. It wouldn¡¯t be smart to make an enemy out of an archdemon, especially since his army started the siege on the first sector. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance. Where¡¯s Raea?¡± ¡°Would you like me to bring a kindness angel or halfling to prove my words?¡± Solra asked and snorted. ¡°If I say she isn¡¯t here, then she isn¡¯t here.¡± He turned towards a dwarf. ¡°Bring Dinah here.¡± Palan¡¯s hand tightened around the rock. He tried using his powers, but nothing happened. Solra must¡¯ve activated his zone of charity on arrival. ¡°While we¡¯re waiting,¡± Solra said. ¡°Do you think you can return Cory to me?¡± ¡°Cory?¡± Palan asked. ¡°The harpy you have in your tail,¡± Solra said. ¡°We can wait some more first,¡± Palan said as he sat down. Although he looked relaxed on the outside, his body was tense and ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice. Solra knit his brow together but nodded. ¡°So what¡¯s a demon like you doing in Div¡¯Nya?¡± Solra asked. If possible, he¡¯d like to recruit Palan to his side. The more forces he had, the better. The only issue was Pyre. If Pyre continued to stick around, then the army would strengthen to the point where Solra couldn¡¯t control them anymore.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Does that concern you?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Solra chuckled. ¡°I suppose it doesn¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°But maybe I can help you accomplish what you want as long as you help me in return.¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually not a bad idea,¡± Pyre whispered to Palan. ¡°Solra¡¯s and your goal are pretty similar. He can help you get into the capital.¡± ¡°What kind of help do you want?¡± Palan asked Solra after considering Pyre¡¯s words. If Solra really could get him into the capital, then there was no reason to refuse¡ªunless Solra demanded too much. ¡°Since you¡¯re an archdemon, I assume you¡¯re able to kill archangels?¡± Solra asked. ¡°There¡¯s a few who need to be dealt with. With your help, my losses will be minimized. I don¡¯t really need help for anything else. What do you think?¡± ¡°I have a few conditions,¡± Palan said. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I get to eat all the archangels after they die,¡± Palan said and wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°You don¡¯t get to order me around. If I decide I don¡¯t want to something, I won¡¯t do it. And you have to help me get into the capital.¡± Solra rubbed his chin before nodding. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t hurt my forces, we can work together.¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t order Palan around, it was better than having him as an enemy. And if he occasionally helped out, then that was a plus. ¡°So we¡¯re agreed?¡± Palan asked and tilted his head. Wasn¡¯t Solra going to ask for a contract? ¡°We¡¯re agreed,¡± Solra said. ¡°I look forward to our future partnership.¡± Footsteps echoed up the mineshaft. A group of hobgoblins carrying Dinah appeared. Her eyes were unfocused, and her body was listless. The hobgoblin who was carrying her dropped her onto the ground. She didn¡¯t react. Solra glanced at Palan. ¡°This is my archangel of kindness. She can¡¯t lie,¡± he said as he crouched in front of the unresponsive angel. He snapped his fingers over her face a few times. ¡°If you don¡¯t want your friends to die, you will cooperate.¡± Dinah¡¯s body shuddered as she clenched her hands. She bit her lower lip as she sat up and glared at Solra. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked, her voice weary. Dried bloodstains decorated her shirt. ¡°Amongst the prisoners, have you seen a four-winged angel?¡± Solra asked. He took a step back and met Palan¡¯s eyes. Dinah shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°Did you hear anyone discussing anything about the angel?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Does Solra keep all his prisoners in one place?¡± Palan asked before Solra could speak. Dinah¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°He does,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I organized the prison after all.¡± ¡°There you have it,¡± Solra said. ¡°I have nothing to do with your fallen angel. Can you release Cory now?¡± Palan ground his teeth together. What the hell was Raea doing? First she told him to come find her, then she runs away. He found a lead, and it turned out to be incorrect. Palan snorted as he released the red harpy. She blinked and looked around before staring at Palan. She hesitated before biting her lip and waddling off the boulder. The four-armed centaur laughed at the harpy¡¯s actions, pleased that she was injured. He was about to say something, but paused. His eyes narrowed as he looked off into the distance. He saw the faint outlines of black needles hovering in the sky. Solra noticed the centaur¡¯s abnormal expression and followed his gaze. ¡°What is that?¡± he asked and furrowed his brow. A needle fell to the ground, causing a cloud of ash and smoke to rise up. ¡°Is Ivan attacking the first sector?¡± ¡°Ivan?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°So that tiny lizardman finally became an archling?¡± Solra frowned. ¡°Yes, he has. But he¡¯s a bit unstable,¡± he said and stared at Pyre with an accusing gaze. Pyre smiled in response. ¡°Ivan is still sleeping,¡± the four-armed centaur said. ¡°It must be some other being of wrath.¡± Palan stood up and faced the direction of the first sector. The black needles seemed to be getting closer. Chapter 236 ¡°You think that¡¯s Raea?¡± Pyre asked Palan as he squinted. The black needles disappeared, and the group of people on the ground stared at each other. A wave of heat washed over them, causing Solra¡¯s eyes to widen in shock. ¡°This intensity,¡± Solra said as his robe fluttered from the hot wind. ¡°It reminds me of Meffi. Who is that?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Meffi?¡± Palan asked as he jumped off the boulder and landed beside Cory and the four-armed centaur. ¡°He was one of the archangels on the council,¡± Pyre said. ¡°But not anymore because he betrayed them and left. Last I heard, he was in Eljiam with Abaddon.¡± Solra¡¯s brow wrinkled. ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± he asked. Pyre smirked. ¡°Concerned?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If your plot was widely known, do you think you would¡¯ve gotten this far?¡± A strange light flashed through Solra¡¯s eyes before he closed them. He sighed and shook his head. The four-armed centaur tilted his head. ¡°Should we assist whoever is attacking our enemy?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Solra said. ¡°That¡¯s not part of the plan.¡± He turned around and smiled at Dinah. He pointed at Cory and said, ¡°Heal her. You know what¡¯ll happen if you disobey.¡± Dinah glared at him before hanging her head. Cory hopped over to the dejected archangel and held out her broken wing. A white light washed over her body, mending her feathers and resetting the bone. ¡°Thanks,¡± Cory said and folded her wings against her sides. Dinah grunted in reply. ¡°For now,¡± Solra said and stared at the sky. ¡°We wait. In a few days, we¡¯ll have seven more archlings. When they¡¯re ready, we strike. Continue defending the base and creating tunnels in the meantime.¡± He frowned when another black needle materialized in the air, larger this time. ¡°Is that wrath being getting closer?¡± His gaze landed on Palan. ¡°Is that the person you were looking for?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Palan said and frowned. He attempted to call on Raea¡¯s powers. Solra¡¯s eyes bulged out of his head when black flames erupted from Palan¡¯s palm, forming a halo of fire in front of his face. Solra was sure he activated his zone of charity again after allowing Dinah to heal Cory. He deactivated and reactivated his power, but the flames in Palan¡¯s hand were unaffected. A smile appeared on Palan¡¯s face. ¡°Yes. I finally found her.¡± Palan leapt into the air, but landed heavily on the ground a moment, creating a web of cracks. ¡°Odd,¡± he said and furrowed his brow. ¡°Why can¡¯t I use my powers?¡± ¡°Try again,¡± Solra said, his face pale. Palan raised an eyebrow, and a black glow enveloped his body. Solra sucked in his breath. ¡°Is that ¡­ pride?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. A laugh was the only response he received. Palan leapt into the air, heading towards the carnage in the distance, taking Pyre with him. Solra and Dinah stared at Palan¡¯s back as he got further and further away, his body becoming a black dot in the sky. ¡°What kind of monster did Pyre make a contract with?¡± Solra asked and released his breath. His heart raced, and it took a while to settle down. Dinah turned her head to look at Solra. ¡°That was an archdemon of pride and wrath,¡± she said, her voice hoarse. ¡°Are you sure you want to keep your agreement with him?¡± Solra snorted and looked down on Dinah who was sitting on the ground. ¡°With his help, victory belongs to me,¡± he said. ¡°The council is exhausted. Sariel is the only one left, unless you managed to find replacement archangels in that decade I was gone. The four armies have been destroyed. Elrith is nowhere to be found. Akurel is dead. Jones and Michael are prisoners. All that remains are the heads of the families and the three academies. But you and I both know academics can¡¯t fight.¡± ¡°And what happens when you win?¡± Dinah asked. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you betrayed us in the first place. Why did the four of you sin?¡± ¡°Am I a sinner?¡± Solra asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Which sin do I have? I am still an archangel of charity, nothing more, nothing less.¡± ¡°You broke the law. You aided Anidun and Abaddon when they turned on the council. You plotted with Meffi and stole our designs,¡± Dinah said. ¡°Is it a sin to break an outrageous law? Am I not allowed to help my friends? Am I not allowed to return stolen goods to their rightful owners?¡± Solra asked. ¡°I am an angel of charity. I think my actions were very charitable. The world isn¡¯t black and white. For one person to receive a boon, someone else must lose something. For us to gain the land and territory of the halfings, the halflings have to lose them. Why are the angels the ones in the right?¡± ¡°Because we are blessed by the Creator!¡± Dinah said. ¡°He lends us his power to spread his word.¡± Solra pointed at the red centaur, then at Cory. ¡°And them? They have powers too,¡± he said. ¡°They are the first of their kind,¡± Dinah said and bit her lower lip. ¡°Without our influence, they would never be where they are now.¡± Solra rolled his eyes. ¡°Then the demons? What about them?¡± he asked and folded his arms behind his back. ¡°Their powers are undoubtedly stronger than ours.¡± ¡°They too were influenced by us,¡± Dinah said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Their powers may be stronger, but it is nearly impossible for them to manifest without our assistance.¡± ¡°You can say the same about angels,¡± Solra said. ¡°Like demons, there are those who take a long time to manifest their powers. Some never even get the opportunity. Why are there so few archangels?¡± ¡°The Creator works in mysterious ways,¡± Dinah said. ¡°The demons are a seed of temptation. They show us what we can have if we forsake the Creator, but as long as our belief stays firm, our own powers increase.¡± Solra snorted. ¡°And this is why you will never understand why we are doing what we¡¯re doing,¡± he said. ¡°The Creator has a plan for all things. Then I guess he no longer wants the angels to be the sovereigns of the land because in a few months, they won¡¯t. I will create a more fair and just land¡ª¡° ¡°And it will be destroyed by that archdemon,¡± Dinah said. Solra fell silent. ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± he said and shook his head. ¡°This whole time, the council has been solving every problem with the same solution: Suppress with absolute power. I will go the route of negotiation.¡± ¡°You think you can negotiate with a demon?¡± Dinah asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Solra said and nodded. ¡°The council¡¯s never negotiated with one before.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Solra said. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve never tried.¡± Chapter 237 Raea exhaled as she stared at the sight below. Her wings beat heavily, causing swirls to appear in the clouds of ash around her. Angels lay dead or dying on the ground. The ones that had survived were heavily charred, and moans escaped from their lips. The ground was filled with rivulets of lava, and holes peppered the streets. The last vestiges of sunlight were fading away, causing the lava to light up the sector with an eerie glow. ¡°Still no tunnels,¡± Raea muttered as she looked towards the sky. The suns weren¡¯t out, but she knew that this time she was heading west ¡­ probably. She lowered her head, squinted at the checkpoint wall off in the distance, and leaned forward, flying towards it. To her surprise, there weren¡¯t any projectiles launched at her. Broken ballistae and black marks, which she recognized as lightning strikes, marred the surface of the wall. Raea¡¯s eyes lit up. This was the first trace of the rebel army that she found. She inhaled through her nose, causing her chest to expand outward. As she exhaled, dozens of fiery needles formed in the air below her and rained down onto the streets. While the needles were falling, a black halberd was forming in the air above her head. A few guards on the walls shouted and pointed at her. Seconds later, blades of wind, lightning bolts, white chains, and arrows flew towards her. Raea licked her lips as she covered her body with greed, much like Palan had when fighting against her father. Unlike when Palan did it, the oily sheen on her body didn¡¯t disappear on collision with the other powers. The blades of wind and lightning bolts dispersed noiselessly upon contact with her body. The white chains shattered as she batted them away with the back of her hands. The projectiles splintered into hundreds of pieces when they hit her chest. Raea laughed at the absurdity of the situation. She was untouchable. This must¡¯ve been how Madison felt with her narcissism. Although Raea couldn¡¯t reflect attacks with her barrier, it prevented her from getting hurt, allowing her to lord over greater angels and below. Hot air was expelled from Raea¡¯s lips when she realized she compared herself to Madison, and she clenched her hands, causing her palms to shriek as her claws slid against them like nails on a chalkboard. The halberd abruptly expanded, forsaking form for size, and slashed towards the angels on the wall. In an instant, every angel and siege weapon was reduced to ash. Screams from the streets drew Raea¡¯s attention towards the ground. Her needles still hadn¡¯t found any tunnels or passageways for the rebels to enter from. She frowned as she pointed directly below her, ignoring the crying angels in the vicinity. The halberd rose into the air and slashed the earth, melting the ground and people. ¡°Too shallow?¡± Raea asked herself when her efforts proved futile again. The halberd swung once more, digging deeper into the ground, but there still were no signs of passages. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. Maybe the rebel army hadn¡¯t been planning on using tunnels in the first place?Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Her gaze landed on the desolate checkpoint wall. Maybe she should¡¯ve let a few angels live. Then they could¡¯ve told her about the state of the siege weapons and lightning strikes. Perhaps she¡¯d find clues about the rebel¡¯s location. A completely black figure twitched, causing Raea¡¯s eyes to narrow. Her wings spread outwards, and she glided towards it. She didn¡¯t land on the wall, otherwise her powers would disperse; instead, she hovered above the dying angel. Raea grabbed the charred body by the back of its neck. ¡°What happened here?¡± she asked. The figure in her hand shuddered. ¡°S-save me,¡± the figure said with a raspy voice. ¡°I will ease your suffering in a second,¡± Raea said, her face emotionless. ¡°Did the rebels attack the wall? Before the flames, I mean.¡± ¡°Y-yes. S-sa¡ª¡° ¡°Have a little patience. Which way did they go?¡± Raea asked. ¡°W-west¡­,¡± the figure said and gasped. ¡°Mn.¡± Raea grunted and clenched her hand. There was a snapping sound, but it was drowned out by the roaring of the flames below. Raea flicked her wrist, tossing the body into the lava-filled canyon she created, and dusted her hands off. She didn¡¯t understand why Palan killed people that way. It made her palms feel dirty. Although she was a bit confused about why the dying angel was so compliant, she decided to believe his words. Maybe it was the sound of her voice and the fact that the angel couldn¡¯t see. The headmaster and his secretary had been stunned stupid when she spoke even though they knew what she looked like. The flames behind her continued to burn as she flapped her wings and ascended. Behind her, in the eastern part of the first sector, the flames she created earlier were still alive and spreading. Hundreds of charity angels were working in concert to dispel them, but they were fighting a losing battle. One angel had set a circle of flames around his own house, hoping to fight fire with fire, leaving nothing behind for the black flames to burn. Unfortunately for him, the black flames spread along the stone ground and continued towards his house. Raea didn¡¯t seem to notice or care about the destruction she left behind. The fire in her chest egged her forward, only allowing her to focus on two goals: Find the ones responsible for Selena¡¯s death. And kill them all. Nothing else mattered. Raea¡¯s lips trembled as she flew over the checkpoint wall and back into the second sector, heading west. Palan was calling upon her powers. She couldn¡¯t pinpoint his exact location, but she had the general sense of his direction. Thankfully, he was in the west; otherwise, she¡¯d be forced to choose either reuniting with Palan or destroying the rebel army. Perhaps they could destroy the rebel army together. She decided that would be for the best. Raea¡¯s eyes flashed. If he didn¡¯t want to help, then she¡¯d do it without him, then kill him as well. He was the one that provoked Madison after all. Long ago, she had forgiven him, but after her evolution ¡­ was that forgiveness justified? A simple sorry wouldn¡¯t¡ªand didn¡¯t¡ªbring Selena back to life. He could show how sorry he was by helping her avenge Selena¡¯s death even at a risk to himself. No. A risk to himself was necessary to prove his sincerity. Raea¡¯s wings flapped harder as she urged herself forward. A laugh bubbled out of Raea¡¯s lips as the wind forced tears out of her eyes. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. A floating demon with three snakelike tails surrounded by a black glow appeared in her vision. He had evolved, and his appearance had changed, but Raea still recognized him. She slowed to a halt and hovered in the air. ¡°Hello, Palan.¡± Chapter 238 ¡°Raea,¡± Palan said as his body continued floating forward. Unlike his angel contractor, he didn¡¯t have wings to halt his motion in the air. His body fell towards the ground when he deactivated his powers. He released Pyre and shooed him away. Pyre rolled his eyes but found a nearby rock to sit on and began to light his pipe. Raea alighted next to Palan and smiled at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here,¡± she said. Palan¡¯s mind blanked for a second before his brow furrowed. ¡°You¡¯ve become an archdemon?¡± Her gaze roamed up and down Palan¡¯s body, and her lips curled into a smirk. ¡°I think you need to find a tailor to specially design you pants.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been searching for you?¡± he asked. ¡°I went to the academy, but you weren¡¯t there. They told me you were heading towards the rebel army, but when I arrived, you still weren¡¯t there.¡± Raea shrugged. ¡°Some things happened,¡± she said and turned her head to the side. No way was she going to admit she got lost. ¡°But does it matter?¡± She bit her lower lip and tilted her head up at Palan. ¡°I¡¯m here now, right?¡± She walked forward and traced a finger down the black line on Palan¡¯s torso, not knowing what it was. Palan¡¯s torso-mouth opened, causing Raea to flinch and take a step back while withdrawing her finger. The mouth made a few chewing motions before closing again. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t matter anymore,¡± Palan said and exhaled. He didn¡¯t have to worry about Raea suddenly dying any longer. ¡°Have you been well? Any illnesses or weird sorcery that may cost you your life?¡± Raea laughed as she smoothed out her hair. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly healthy,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt better about myself before.¡± She licked her lips. ¡°And what about you? How did you manage to evolve?¡± ¡°I killed and ate an archangel from the council,¡± Palan said. Raea raised an eyebrow, but she didn¡¯t seem displeased or shocked. ¡°Then I scavenged a few corpses and ate them. I think one of them was also from the council. I had Pyre¡¯s help.¡± He gestured towards the half-asleep old man. Pyre blinked and waved his hand at Raea before expelling an orange cloud of smoke from his nostrils. ¡°Killing a council member,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°Were you in any danger? Wait, no. You¡¯d never admit it if you were.¡± She shook her head. If the council members were as strong as, or stronger than, she was now, she could imagine the difficulty Palan had to face when fighting one of them as a greater demon. Of course his life had been in danger. A smile crept onto her face. ¡°Were you that worried about me?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I was worried about myse¡ª¡° ¡°Say yes,¡± Pyre said in a mock whisper, cutting Palan off. ¡°For a demon of wisdom, you¡¯re not very emotionally intelligent, are you?¡± Palan and Raea both glared at Pyre who coughed and cleared his throat. He started to whistle and stare at the sky, suddenly gaining interest in a passing cloud. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re safe,¡± Palan said to Raea after thinking about it for a moment. ¡°I guess that¡¯s a start,¡± Pyre muttered and pulled out a strange-looking plant that had legs. He put it into his pipe and set it on fire, causing it to let out miniature screams that died away as the flames consumed it.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Raea snorted and playfully smacked Palan¡¯s shoulder before embracing him. She made sure to maintain a little bit of distance from his torso-mouth as she tilted her head up and whispered into his ear, ¡°Can I ask you a favor?¡± Palan shuddered as his hands crept around her waist. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Will you¡±¡ªher hand lowered down from his shoulder to the base of his tails¡ª¡°please help me¡±¡ªher fingers made circles along Danger Noodle¡¯s body, causing Palan to shiver¡ª¡°destroy the rebel army?¡± Raea asked and laughed as she pulled away from Palan¡¯s body. She giggled at a certain reaction of his before sticking her tongue out and placing her hands behind her back. She tilted her head to the side. ¡°Well?¡± Palan gazed into Raea¡¯s eyes and took a step towards her. ¡°Of course¡ª¡° ¡°Woah, woah, woah,¡± Pyre said and stood up. ¡°You¡¯re thinking with the wrong head there, Palan. Not to mention the fact that I¡¯m still here.¡± The old half-angel cleared his throat when Raea glared at him with black flames leaking out of her fingertips. ¡°Raea, why do you want to destroy the rebel army? Don¡¯t you want to help Palan enter the capital? The rebels have a similar goal, you know?¡± The black flames expanded to encompass Raea¡¯s hands. She turned her head towards Palan. ¡°What exactly is he doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°I made a deal with him,¡± Palan said. ¡°He¡¯d help me unconditionally, and I¡¯d kill Sariel.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Kill Sariel? The Watcher?¡± she asked. ¡°Why would Pyre want you to kill Sariel?¡± ¡°I imagine it¡¯s for a similar reason to you wanting to destroy the rebel army,¡± Pyre said. ¡°We both lost someone dear to us because of them. Am I wrong?¡± Raea¡¯s hands clenched into fists. ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± she said. Pyre cleared his throat and took a step back as the temperature rose by several degrees. Palan didn¡¯t seem to mind it; in fact, his tails were crawling closer to the flames, basking in their glow. ¡°Well,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Do you mind explaining the circumstances to me?¡± Raea tilted her head. ¡°Are you trying to dissuade me from destroying the rebels?¡± she asked. ¡°Why does this concern you?¡± ¡°If you kill the rebels, killing Sariel will be that much more difficult for us,¡± Pyre said and wet his lips with his tongue. His mouth was parched, and the skin on his face was beginning to dry. ¡°C¡¯mon, tell me. Isn¡¯t it worth a second opinion?¡± ¡°Selena died because of the rebel army,¡± Raea said. ¡°She was killed by Madison.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Selena should¡¯ve been at Hailing. When did this happen?¡± ¡°In the borderlands,¡± Raea said and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Selena was sent to the border to find the rebel army¡¯s tunnels.¡± Pyre wet his lips. ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t you blame the people who sent Selena there in the first place? If I¡¯m not wrong, only the council could order civilians to do something like that.¡± Raea¡¯s brows furrowed. Pyre continued, pressing forward with his attack while Raea was confused. ¡°Look, you can work with the rebels to destroy the capital and Sariel, the person who ordered your sister to her death, and after gaining the trust of the rebels, it will be that much easier to slaughter them if you¡¯re still not satisfied. It¡¯s a much more satisfying revenge if you can kill them while they aren¡¯t suspecting it. When they think their goals have been accomplished, won¡¯t you find it much more pleasurable to rip their ambitions apart? Imagine the despair they¡¯ll feel then compared to if you just went ahead and killed them now. It wouldn¡¯t do Selena justice,¡± he said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a win win situation? Palan gets to the capital, I get to see Sariel die, and you get to kill everyone who was implicit in Selena¡¯s death.¡± ¡°I guess¡­,¡± Raea said as she gazed at the ground. The flames around her hands dimmed. After a moment, she raised her head and glared at Pyre. ¡°But I want Madison¡¯s owner¡¯s head. There can be no compromise.¡± Pyre smiled. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± he said. As long as the whole army wasn¡¯t destroyed, he didn¡¯t care. Solra died? So what, then he¡¯d lead the army. Pyre was confident he¡¯d do a better job anyways. ¡°Does my opinion not matter in this?¡± Palan asked as his gaze shifted between the two angels. ¡°No,¡± Raea said. She leaned forward and stroked Palan¡¯s cheek with her hand before pressing her lips against his. Pyre sighed as the two tumbled to the ground and sat behind his boulder with his back facing the couple. He pulled out another plant with legs and set it on fire, letting its screams drown out the sounds coming from behind him. Chapter 239 Palan lay on his back watching the yellow moon in the sky. Raea was lying on top of him with her head nestled between his neck and collarbone, facing his shoulder. Her tail occasionally flicked from side to side while Palan¡¯s tails coiled around their legs. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Raea asked as she lifted her torso and gazed into Palan¡¯s eyes. Her hair tickled his neck. ¡°My goal is almost accomplished,¡± Palan said and dragged his gaze away from the moon. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long to get to the capital now. After killing Sariel, I can go back to my sister. It hasn¡¯t been that long since I arrived here, but it¡¯s felt like ages.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Raea said and traced her fingers along Palan¡¯s face. ¡°I look forward to meeting this sister of yours.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re really coming with me to Eljiam?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Raea said and snorted as she sat up, straddling his stomach. ¡°And then I¡¯ll bring all of us back to Div¡¯Nya by recruiting Pyre¡¯s help. Eljiam doesn¡¯t sound like a very nice place to live in. We should get a house by a lake, but civilization has to be close by of course.¡± Raea nodded as she stared up at the sky. ¡°When the time comes, we¡¯ll see,¡± Palan said. Muted screams came from behind a boulder, followed by a cloud of orange smoke. ¡°I think we¡¯ve kept Pyre waiting long enough.¡± Raea laughed. ¡°One more time?¡± she asked and scooted backwards while bending her waist. She licked his neck and giggled at his reaction. Soft cries punctuated the night as the duo forgot their worries. In contrast to the relaxed couple, Solra was organizing his troops. Shouts rang throughout the night as halflings organized themselves by race and rank. Amongst the army, there were dozens of demons spread throughout the group. Solra had convinced their previous contractors in Elrith¡¯s army to relinquish their contracts and had the demons form new ones with the halflings. There used to be hundreds of demons, but the majority of them had died during the battles. When the infantry had clashed, the demons were always the first to fight. By Solra¡¯s side, the four-armed centaur and Cory were milling about. As archlings, they represented power, but they really had nothing to do. If Cory had thumbs, she would¡¯ve twiddled them. ¡°I wonder where Palan is,¡± Cory said and sighed as she flapped her wings and hopped onto the centaur¡¯s back. The centaur let out a low roar as he tried to throw her off, but she scurried around like a rat and avoided his arms. Solra¡¯s head snapped towards the duo. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, narrowing his bloodshot eyes. He would usually be asleep at this time, but the fact that his powers couldn¡¯t work on someone greatly affected his mindset. He needed to make preparations because he couldn¡¯t guarantee Palan would keep his end of the bargain. At that moment, he really regretted not creating a contract. Even if Solra couldn¡¯t dispose of Palan, at least the contract would keep him safe as well.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Cory licked her lips and smiled. ¡°Mm. I¡¯ve never seen a male like him,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s the strongest and most interesting one. I wonder if he¡¯d struggle.¡± Her smile became a bit twisted, and the four-armed centaur shuddered. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a mate,¡± Solra said and furrowed his brow, ¡°you should probably stay away from him. I can¡¯t have you dying at this crucial moment. Why not just have children with him?¡± The old angel pointed at the centaur, causing the halfling to shudder even harder. ¡°This blockhead?¡± Cory asked as she stuck her nose into the air and sniffed. ¡°My offspring need to have at least a modicum of intellect. I¡¯m afraid a brick would hatch from my eggs if he were my mate.¡± Solra pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Please refrain until after we capture the capital then?¡± he asked. A dwarf approached him, causing the archangel to drag his attention away from the daydreaming harpy. ¡°How are the archlings coming along?¡± The dwarf nodded twice. ¡°Three cocoons opened,¡± he said and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. ¡°The other four have no sign of movement.¡± ¡°Which three?¡± Solra asked. ¡°Two goblins and a troll,¡± the dwarf said. Solra¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Have them come to me,¡± he said. A troll at the level of an archangel would be incredibly helpful to have. Trolls were extremely rare, and Solra had been unwilling to use even one during the fights against the angels. Instead, their massive frames were more suited to excavating new tunnels and aiding with transportation. The angels had their elephants, and Solra had his trolls. They weren¡¯t stupid, but they weren¡¯t smart either. It was a shame their fertility was low; otherwise, he would have more than a handful under his command. Ever since Igor and Madison vanished, Solra felt like he was lacking bodyguards. Cory and the four-armed centaur just didn¡¯t cut it. They were strong, but they hadn¡¯t been tempered in Eljiam like his two demons had. Sometimes, Solra wondered what happened to them. He had chosen to sacrifice Igor during an ambush on Elrith, so it was understandable that the greater demon was missing, but Madison was different. Where had she gone? She wasn¡¯t under a contract with him, but she had been hand raised by Meffi who told her to treat Solra like an uncle. It was hard to believe she would abandon him like that, but narcissistic demons tended to be fickle in nature. He hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of her dying. Solra sighed and shook his head as weariness set in. He had been on edge all night, but Palan hadn¡¯t showed up again. The flaming needles in the distance had stopped, but that didn¡¯t make him feel any better. The silence was like the calm before the storm. He regretted not killing Pyre when he had the chance. That crazy inventor had brought an archdemon to the army, introducing a whole new set of problems he¡¯d have to deal with. ¡°Commander?¡± Cory asked and poked Solra¡¯s side with her talon. The old angel flinched and his back straightened as he let out a yelp. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Solra nodded. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking,¡± he said. ¡°The plan we¡¯ve set in motion so many years ago is nearly reaching its conclusion. I just wish my companions were around to see this.¡± The world that the four of them had envisioned in their youth, it was almost here. Solra clenched his hands as he adjusted his posture. As long as he could overcome the hurdle of an archdemon of pride and wrath, whether by force or negotiation, their dream would come true. Chapter 240 ¡°Mmmm.¡± Raea arched her back and stretched her arms towards the sky. She exhaled and dropped her arms while opening her eyes. Her mouth stretched into a yawn as she stood up and cracked her neck. ¡°That was really refreshing,¡± she said and wet her lips with her tongue. The two suns shone overhead, causing her wings to glitter with a red light. She glanced at Palan who was lying down and staring blankly up at the sky. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Palan cleared his throat as his eyes focused on Raea. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said and inhaled. His nose wrinkled as he sat up. A series of cracking noises rang from his body as he stood up and stretched his legs. Palan¡¯s and Raea¡¯s heads turned at the same time, focusing on light snoring noises coming from behind a boulder. They walked over and found Pyre with his head drooping, chin pressed against his chest with a line of drool leaking from the corner of his mouth. Palan¡¯s red tail snaked along the boulder before wrapping itself around the sleeping angel. ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± Palan asked and looked at Raea. ¡°To the rebel army?¡± she asked back. Her demon nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± Raea said and pressed herself into his chest. ¡°Carry me.¡± ¡°But you have wings?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Carry. Me.¡± Palan snorted and did as she asked, scooping her up into a princess hold. Some things weren¡¯t worth fighting over. He bent down and leapt into the air. Pyre¡¯s eyes shot open as he screamed. His body thrashed about a few times, but after the initial shock, he regained his composure. He glanced at the tail wrapped around his waist before shifting his gaze towards Raea who was in Palan¡¯s arms. ¡°So you two are finally done?¡± he asked. He rubbed the crust out of his eyes and yawned while shielding his eyes from the suns. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to put on any clothes? Not that I mind.¡± Palan and Raea glanced at each other with a helpless look in their eyes. Unfortunately for their garments, they were unable to withstand the activities of the previous night and morning and were torn to shreds. Pyre cleared his throat and took out a notebook and a pen. Raea squinted at the writing utensil. ¡°What is that?¡± she asked. ¡°I call it an ink stick,¡± Pyre said as he began writing in his notebook. ¡°Instead of dipping quills into an inkwell, why not design the inkwell to act like a quill as well?¡± A series of words flowed over the pages, causing Raea¡¯s face to darken. ¡°Notes on arch beings?¡± Raea asked, reading Pyre¡¯s handwriting aloud. ¡°To subdue pride, exhaust energy. To placate wrath, engage in coitus?¡± Pyre raised his head and blinked at Raea. ¡°You can read it from there?¡± he asked. His handwriting was small and messy. There were times where he forgot what he himself had written because it was illegible. ¡°What the hell is coitus?¡± Raea asked.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°It means sexual intercourse,¡± Palan said without turning his head. Raea sent him a glance that asked, ¡°How do you know that and I don¡¯t?¡± before saying to Pyre, ¡°I¡¯ll show you how to placate a wrath angel.¡± The temperature around the trio sharply rose as black flames materialized at the edges of Raea¡¯s wings. Pyre cleared his throat while shaking his pen. He added the words ¡®temporary measures only¡¯ to his notebook and used the heat from Raea¡¯s flames to dry the ink quicker. Both Pyre and Raea let out a yelp as Palan deactivated his powers and plummeted towards the ground. He landed next to a small body of water, causing cracks to form in the earth. Pyre winced due to the impact and let out a sigh as he stored his notebook. Palan released him and tossed Raea into the lake. ¡°You stink,¡± he said as she let out a scream. ¡°Bastard!¡± Raea yelled as she made a grasping motion towards Palan. A black glow enveloped his body, and his eyes widened as his body was pulled forward into the center of the lake with a splash. He sank like a rock. Raea snorted as she used her wings as floatation devices and washed her body off, but she yelped and struggled when Danger Noodle wrapped around her leg and pulled her under. Pyre stared at the surface of the lake. Waves were forming, and the occasional fish was thrown onto the shore. Bubbles rose and broke through the surface before the lake started to steam. He shook his head and sighed as he grabbed a dead fish that landed next to him and began cooking it with a wrath orb, but not before descaling and removing its guts. When the fish was starting to give off a nice smell, five heads broke through the surface of the water: two humanoid and three snakes. Rhythmic splashing noises rang through the air, punctuated by the occasional moan. Moments later, the entangled couple disappeared back underneath the surface of the water. Pyre moved the orb and fish to his feet and continued cooking it while pulling out his notebook. He added the word ¡°underwater¡± next to his previous sentence. When he finished eating a seventh fish, Raea and Palan climbed out of the lake, water dripping from their bodies. Raea laughed as she dried their bodies off with a flame that could melt steel. ¡°That was really exciting,¡± she said and kissed Palan¡¯s neck. ¡°We should do that more often.¡± Palan gazed into her eyes. ¡°How did you pull me into the water?¡± he asked, causing her to pout. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s on your mind?¡± she asked and rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I was just annoyed by your actions and wanted you to suffer with me. Then you were dragged towards me.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said and rubbed his chin. ¡°That was my power, right?¡± It seems like he found a new way to harness his abilities. At least, he witnessed it was possible. Raea nodded. A smile crept onto Palan¡¯s lips as his tail wrapped around Pyre. Raea hopped into Palan¡¯s arms and draped her arm around his shoulders, hugging his neck. A soft sigh was expelled from her mouth as she closed her eyes and rested her head next to his neck. ¡°I almost forgot what it was like to not be mad,¡± she said. ¡°The experience at Hailing was ¡­ infuriating. I really tried waiting for you to save me, but I just couldn¡¯t be patient anymore. Sorry about that. I was a bit hasty, wasn¡¯t I? I think I killed quite a few people too¡­.¡± Palan grunted. For some reason, he found it hard to be mad at her despite the wild goose chase he was sent on. ¡°So this new method really does work,¡± Pyre murmured. ¡°I should tell the headmaster that. There should be enough space for a pool in the basement.¡± He raised his head and recognized a landmark leading towards the rebel army¡¯s camp. They¡¯d arrive soon. A laugh escaped from his mouth, causing Raea and Palan to shudder. How would Solra deal with Palan and Raea? There was no way that old archangel would let someone he couldn¡¯t suppress survive for too long. Pyre began writing in his notebook, but turned away so Raea couldn¡¯t read anything he wrote. Chapter 241 ¡°Insane benefactor, you¡¯re back.¡± The first person to greet the trio when they arrived was the four-armed centaur. He was sitting on a pile of blankets by the entrance with two spears and two shields lying by his side. Raea climbed out of Palan¡¯s embrace and stretched her wings, ignoring the centaur while looking around. The corner of her lips turned down as she peered at the mineshaft. ¡°So I was right,¡± she said. The centaur¡¯s ears perked up when Raea spoke. ¡°They did have tunnels. How come I didn¡¯t find any in the first sector?¡± ¡°Because we didn¡¯t make any,¡± the centaur said and stuck his chest out while folding his arms. He bowed while standing. ¡°My name is Mathias. It is a pleasure to meet you. May I have the honor of knowing your name?¡± Raea stared at the centaur and took a step back. Her brow furrowed as she faced Pyre. ¡°Can I kill him?¡± she asked and bit her lower lip. ¡°There¡¯s something off about him.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Mathias asked and scratched his head. ¡°What¡¯s off about me? Aren¡¯t I the picture of a valiant gentleman?¡± ¡°I think I figured it out,¡± Raea said as a shiver ran down her spine. Palan snorted and took a step forward. Danger Noodle darted through the air and crashed into the centaur, embedding Mathias¡¯ lower body into the wall of the mineshaft. Dust fell from the ceiling as the entrance trembled, and a few alarms went off as halflings were affected by the impact. The centaur roared and burst out of the wall, picking up his shields and spears. ¡°What was that for!?¡± he asked while stabbing towards Palan. The ground underneath Palan¡¯s feet distorted as Mathias attempted to throw him off balance. ¡°You didn¡¯t introduce yourself to me when we first met,¡± Palan said as he caught the spear with his torso-mouth. The metal snapped, and grinding noises echoed through the cave as Palan chewed with his stomach. ¡°But you introduced yourself to her? What¡¯s mine is mine. Keep your eyes off of her.¡± Raea blinked twice before staring at Palan and Mathias. They were glaring at each other, ready to attack at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Wait,¡± she said and furrowed her brow. She narrowed her eyes at Palan. ¡°When did I become yours? You¡¯re mine, not the other way around.¡± Palan furrowed his brow and glanced at Raea. The centaur used that chance to summon an earthen spear from the ceiling, directing it towards Palan. An oily sheen covered Palan¡¯s head, and the spear shattered upon contact with the light. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later,¡± Palan said to Raea before turning on the centaur. He leapt forward and slashed downwards with his hand. The centaur raised his shield to deflect the blow, but his eyes widened when Palan¡¯s hand passed through the metal like it was butter.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. A scream resounded through the cave as Palan tore off one of the centaur¡¯s arms. Palan¡¯s stomach grumbled, and his torso-mouth started to smack its lips. A tongue shot out of his abdomen and wrapped around the arm. Seconds later, the limb vanished, leaving behind a few traces of blood on the ground. The centaur¡¯s body trembled as he clutched his bloody shoulder. ¡°I, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± he shouted and stomped his hooves against the ground. Thousands of spearheads emerged from the ceiling, walls, and earth, pointing at Palan. ¡°Stop!¡± The spearheads quivered and stopped their progress towards Palan, freezing in place. Footsteps echoed through the entrance, coming from deeper in the mine. Solra appeared behind the centaur and furrowed his brow at Mathias¡¯ bloody stump. The archangel turned his head towards a dwarf. ¡°Bring Dinah here,¡± he said. The dwarf nodded and scurried away. Cory¡¯s head popped up from behind Solra¡¯s back and peered over his shoulder. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Solra asked Pyre, ignoring the trembling centaur. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure,¡± Pyre said and shrugged. He gestured towards Palan and Raea. ¡°Ask them.¡± Palan snorted and crossed his arms over his chest when Solra looked at him. ¡°If I want to kill him, do I need a reason?¡± he asked. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± Peals of laughter rang throughout the mineshaft, coming from Cory¡¯s mouth. She smiled at Palan. ¡°So arrogant,¡± she said and licked her lips. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Who is she?¡± Raea asked, snapping her head towards Palan. A small flame seemed to burn in her eyes. ¡°Who am I?¡± Cory asked and observed Raea. The red harpy hadn¡¯t even noticed Raea because she was focusing all her attention on Palan. ¡°Who are¡±¡ªCory¡¯s eyes widened as she gasped¡ª¡°are you the harbinger? My name is Cory.¡± She lowered her head and stared at Raea¡¯s feet. ¡°I¡¯ve been called the harbinger before,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I actually am though.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Solra said, cutting Cory off. ¡°Before we discuss anything else, why did you attack Mathias? Depending on your answer, we may or may not have to reconsider our cooperation.¡± ¡°He attacked first,¡± Palan said with a straight face. ¡°I was just repaying the favor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± the three-armed centaur shouted. ¡°I merely introduced myself and you tried to kill me!¡± Cory rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. ¡°I think I understand what happened,¡± she said. Everyone fell silent and stared at her. ¡°Everyone knows Mathias is a huge pervert.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Cory ignored Mathias¡¯ outburst. ¡°He clearly hit on someone he shouldn¡¯t have,¡± the harpy said and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time he lost a limb because of a mistake like that.¡± ¡°Not the first time?¡± Solra asked and furrowed his brow. He glanced at the centaur who had turned paler than a sheet. A whimper escaped from the centaur¡¯s quivering lips. ¡°Mm.¡± Cory smiled at Mathias. ¡°I ripped his fifth leg off once.¡± Solra¡¯s expression turned odd as everyone turned to stare at the naked centaur¡¯s lower half. ¡°I had it repaired!¡± Mathias shouted as he sat down and buried his face in his remaining hands. ¡°Forgive my subordinate¡¯s behavior,¡± Solra said as he sighed and fixed his expression. ¡°Are you Palan¡¯s friend?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°You¡¯re Solra, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed as black flames sprouted into existence around her body. Cory¡¯s eyes widened as she confirmed her suspicions. She wasn¡¯t going to fight over a mate with the harbinger. Solra frowned and took a step back when he realized his powers didn¡¯t work on Raea. Raea smiled a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Madison?¡± Chapter 242 Solra¡¯s face froze. ¡°By Madison, you mean the four-winged archdemon?¡± he asked and inspected Raea from top to bottom. Her wings made her look awfully similar to Madison¡¯s appearance. Was it possible that Raea ate her¡­? ¡°You knew her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one asking you a question,¡± Raea said in a soothing voice that didn¡¯t quite fit well with the black flames roaring around her body. ¡°But it¡¯s clear you know exactly who I¡¯m referring to, so I¡¯ll ask again.¡± She took a step forward. ¡°What is your relationship with Madison?¡± Solra frowned as the skin on his face started to blister. Clearly this demonic angel in front of him resented Madison. Only an idiot would provoke her especially since he couldn¡¯t cancel out her powers. ¡°Madison was ¡­ a mercenary of sorts?¡± he said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°She offered to help me when she realized what I was trying to do, and I saw no reason to refuse any assistance.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Raea said, the smile on her face vanishing. ¡°That¡¯s not what Pyre told me.¡± Solra¡¯s eye twitched as he glanced at Pyre. The half-angel turned his head to the side and began examining a nearby rock. Pyre actually hadn¡¯t said anything to Raea about Madison, but he wasn¡¯t going to correct an angry archangel of wrath. He didn¡¯t mind dying, but it had to be for the right cause. This wasn¡¯t it. Solra exhaled and stared Raea in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what Pyre told you,¡± he said as he straightened his back, ¡°but I know he has a grudge against me and may be using you as a tool to punish me. The relationship between Madison and I was purely one of mutual respect and cooperation. I say cooperation, but really, Madison did whatever she wanted.¡± ¡°Who was she contracted to?¡± Raea asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Was?¡± Solra asked. He hesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean is?¡± ¡°I mean was,¡± Raea said as the flames around her body expanded. Danger Noodle began rolling around in them. ¡°She¡¯s dead. I killed her.¡± Her gaze never wavered from Solra¡¯s. His eyes revealed shock, but that was it. He didn¡¯t seem mad or frustrated. Was Solra¡¯s relationship with Madison really that shallow? Solra¡¯s heart pounded. He knew exactly how strong Madison was, and someone who was able to kill her just appeared in front of him. ¡°I think,¡± Solra said slowly, ¡°she mentioned making a contract with Meffi back in Eljiam.¡± ¡°Meffi¡­,¡± Raea said and clenched her hands. ¡°I see.¡± Solra apologized to Meffi in his heart. At least Meffi wouldn¡¯t be in any danger. What were the chances he was going to meet Raea anyway? ¡°Why did Madison call you Uncle Solra?¡± Palan asked. He would¡¯ve said something earlier, but he wanted to see what methods Raea would use to extract information. The fact that he enjoyed watching people suffer underneath Raea¡¯s pressure was completely irrelevant.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°It might¡¯ve been a cultural thing along with an eccentric personality,¡± Solra said as a bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck. His body felt unusually stiff underneath Raea¡¯s glare. ¡°She used to call me Soly Sol Sol too. She was a bit odd in the head.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Palan said and nodded. A bit odd was an understatement. She was crazy. The flames around Raea¡¯s body reduced in size as her brow furrowed. ¡°Madison killed my sister in front of me and threw her head at me,¡± Raea said. ¡°If I ever find out you had something to do with her, I¡¯ll kill you and everyone you find precious.¡± She glared at Cory and Mathias before snorting. She said to Cory, ¡°Bring me to your best lodgings. It needs a plush bed.¡± Cory¡¯s head bobbed up and down as Raea linked her arm around Palan¡¯s, dragging him after the harpy. Mathias, Solra, and Pyre stared at the trio as they disappeared down the mine. Mathias licked his lips. ¡°Very feisty,¡± he said and nodded. ¡°Do you want mini-you to be ripped off again?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. The centaur paled as blood continued to spurt out of his stumpy shoulder. ¡°No,¡± he said and shook his head. ¡°Pyre,¡± Solra said, cutting off the centaur¡¯s next words. Solra was already old, but after that encounter with Raea, his face seemed to age by another few years. His expression was heavy. ¡°What exactly are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Pyre said and chuckled as he pulled out his pipe. ¡°If I wanted you to die, you would already be dead. I know you ordered people to kill me, but don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t hold grudges. I¡¯ve already told you my goal. I just want to watch the world burn. Maybe sprinkle a little explosive powder here and there to spice things up.¡± A plant screamed as he set it on fire. Footsteps echoed behind the trio, causing Solra to shut his mouth. Dinah asked with a weary voice, ¡°You called for me?¡± ¡°Heal him,¡± Solra said and pointed at the centaur. The centaur¡¯s nose wrinkled. ¡°Too old,¡± he muttered and sighed as Dinah placed her hands on the centaur¡¯s bloody stump. He let out a groan as bones shot out of the stump, followed by wriggling masses of flesh. Finally, it was topped off by a layer of unblemished skin. ¡°You seem to request my services a lot every time this angel shows up,¡± Dinah said as she examined Pyre. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Pyre Khondra,¡± Pyre said with a smirk. ¡°You may or may not have heard of me when you ordered my father¡¯s death and my mother¡¯s exile while removing all traces of my grandfather¡¯s honor.¡± Dinah¡¯s brow furrowed. Khondra was a name she hadn¡¯t heard in a long time¡ªat least several decades. ¡°Your name sounds familiar,¡± she said. ¡°But I can¡¯t recall anything.¡± Pyre¡¯s eyes flashed as the pipe in his mouth snapped with a crunching noise. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest as he spat out the broken wood. He smiled at Solra. ¡°I¡¯ll resume my previous duties of creating orbs,¡± he said. ¡°I assume your prisoners are still kept in that area?¡± Solra nodded and glanced at the old council member. Pyre wouldn¡¯t kill her ¡­ probably. But he¡¯d have to take measures to prevent her from killing herself. ¡°She¡¯s useful,¡± he said, deciding to remind Pyre just in case. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know she can¡¯t suffer if she¡¯s dead. Come,¡± Pyre said and clapped his hand on Dinah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll help jog your memory.¡± Mathias couldn¡¯t help but shiver as Pyre dragged Dinah towards the prison. Solra sighed as he walked back down the tunnel. Letting Pyre bring that demon and archangel into his camp was a huge mistake, but what could he do about it? Raea wasn¡¯t affected by his powers. He¡¯d have to find a countermeasure as soon as possible. Chapter 243 Cory perched in front of a stone door and pressed her ear against the cold surface. She licked her lips as she listened to the squeaks, moans, and grunts coming from the room. ¡°Wah,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°They¡¯re really going at it. This is totally foreign territory to them too.¡± She tilted her head to the side and scratched her scalp with her talon. ¡°She asked for the best room with the best bed, but maybe I shouldn¡¯t have given them Ivan¡¯s room¡­.¡± The red harpy shrugged as she stood up and hopped away. On her way down a passage, she saw a red lizardman with spikes jutting out of his knees and elbows. ¡°Hi, Ivan,¡± Cory said and waved before increasing her speed. ¡°I think Solra was assigning you to a new room. Your old one¡¯s been taken over.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The red lizardman furrowed his brow. ¡°Wh¡ª¡° ¡°Itwasnicetalkingtoyoubye.¡± Ivan stared at the bend that Cory just vanished around. He heard her singing, ¡°Harbinger, harbinger, going to tell the flock¡­.¡± ¡°What was that about?¡± Ivan asked himself as he scratched his head. He always thought harpies were a bit eccentric, but then again, which race wouldn¡¯t be after living underground for a century or two? ¡°Wait. My room¡¯s been taken over? I only went to take a piss. What the hell?¡± Black flames flickered at the tips of the spikes on his arms and legs. His back straightened as he stomped down the passage, heading towards the stone door. He lifted his leg and kicked the door open while shouting, ¡°Who dares to claim Ivan Blackflame¡¯s room!?¡± A prolonged moan was his only answer. The red lizardman stared blankly at his bed which was being occupied by two unknown creatures. The sheets were tattered, and the walls around the mattress had deep gouges decorating them. The rest of the furniture was in ruins, and his favorite axe was warped as if something heavy fell against it. The two beings raised their heads and stared at the doorway. Ivan cleared his throat as his flames flickered and dispersed. ¡°Wrong room,¡± he said with a cough and shut the door. A second later, laughter rang out from within the room followed by a squeal. Ivan closed his eyes and pinched his arm. It didn¡¯t hurt. His brows furrowed before his eyes flashed open. He shoved the door and saw the same exact scene as before. Raea and Palan stared at him. He cleared his throat again. ¡°Just making sure,¡± he said before shutting the stone slab and retreating into the hall. Ivan exhaled and stared at his feet. When had he become a coward? Just looking into their eyes practically paralyzed him. What a bunch of perverts! A shiver ran down his spine. His mouth had become unusually dry, so he wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°Okay, Ivan Blackflame, give them a piece of your mind,¡± he said and steeled himself. ¡°That is your room. That is your bed! Your name is even inscribed on the door!¡± He raised his head and made sure. It really did say ¡°Ivan Blackflame¡¯s Room¡± above the doorknob. His fingers splayed themselves against the stone surface.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The door swung open, and Ivan marched inside. He shouted, ¡°This is¡±¡ªRaea glared at him¡ª¡°my axe¡­.¡± His shoulders sank as he inched forward and picked up his warped axe before scurrying out of the room. He stared at the bent metal. How was this possible? It was made of the same material as the checkpoint walls. Even if an elephant fell on it, it wouldn¡¯t be as bent as this. He narrowed his eyes and glanced at the door. ¡°If that lizardman comes in one more time, I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± The voice sounded like a harp, but it sent shivers down Ivan¡¯s spine. ¡°Really? It seemed like you got more excited.¡± Ivan clutched his axe to his chest and jogged away from his room. They really were a bunch of perverts. And he thought Mathias and Cory were bad enough. Were they multiplying? Had the world become this deranged? A sigh escaped from Ivan¡¯s mouth as he stroked his axe while walking. An earsplitting scream reached his ears, causing him to cut his finger on his axe. What was going on today? Black flames bloomed along his spikes as his eyes turned red. He followed the sounds of the screams and ended up at the camp¡¯s prison. Everyone who saw him made way, pressing their bodies against the walls in an attempt to escape his gaze. ¡°Oh,¡± a familiar voice said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Ivan?¡± There was another piercing scream. ¡°Who dares interrupt Ivan Blackflame¡¯s cognition!?¡± the lizardman shouted and waved his bent axe. His vision was red. Everything was blurry and indiscernible. Black flames billowed from his body, invoking more screams from the people in the prison. A piece of cloth smacked him across the face, clearing his sight and dispersing the flames. Ivan¡¯s mouth dropped open as he froze in place. ¡°Oh great benefactor,¡± he said once he recognized the person in front of him. ¡°Forgive my impudence.¡± He dropped to his knees and touched his forehead to the ground. ¡°What did I say about kneeling?¡± Pyre asked and snorted. In front of Pyre, Dinah was shackled to the walls, her wrists and ankles bound by manacles. Blood and flesh decorated the ground around her, but her body was unblemished. Currently, wisps of white light were dancing around her body, healing her. Ivan stood up and straightened his back. ¡°When did you return?¡± he asked. ¡°Just now,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I brought two allies. They¡¯re a bit strange, but I¡¯ll introduce you to them later.¡± ¡°Clear the area,¡± Ivan roared. The surrounding halflings dispersed, and the doors to the prison slammed shut. Ivan waited for the sounds of footsteps to disappear before saluting Pyre. ¡°I have accomplished all the tasks you set for me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°That quickly?¡± Ivan nodded and bit his lower lip as he glanced at Dinah. Pyre followed his gaze and chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. She won¡¯t be sane by the time I¡¯m finished,¡± he said and pat Dinah¡¯s cheek with the cloth in his hand. A whimper escaped from her lips as her body trembled. Ivan nodded again. ¡°Solra suspects nothing,¡± he said. ¡°Everyone has agreed to your plans. The trolls were a bit harder to convince because they¡¯re stupid and can¡¯t see logic, so I explained it to them with a fallacy. We are all looking forward to reaching the capital.¡± A smile bloomed on Ivan¡¯s face, revealing his pointed teeth. ¡°Good,¡± Pyre said and nodded. ¡°You may leave.¡± Ivan saluted and stepped out of the prison, closing the door behind him to shut out the screams. Chapter 244 Palan yawned as he glanced around the room. It looked like a hurricane had passed through it. Belongings were scattered everywhere, and there were even claw marks on the ceiling. He hopped off the dilapidated bed that was previously in pristine condition and wandered around the wreckage. ¡°It¡¯s interesting how old the furniture is in here,¡± Raea said as she lifted up a wardrobe and began picking through the clothes inside. ¡°Have they been living underneath the angels this whole time? Just how many people are there in the army?¡± Palan shrugged as he received a robe from Raea which he then shredded and tied around his waist, fitting it around his three tails. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Sariel have discovered these people?¡± he asked. Raea shook her head as she slit the back of a robe with her claws, making space for her wings. ¡°Sariel¡¯s never left the capital before,¡± she said. ¡°Everywhere outside the capital is full of sin anyways. I¡¯m not sure how her power works, but I think even she¡¯d be overwhelmed.¡± Palan nodded. He was about to say something, but stopped when a faint scream reached his ears. Raea furrowed her brow and looked at him. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± she asked. ¡°I swear they¡¯ve been screaming for the past hour or so.¡± ¡°Your hearing¡¯s improved,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. He glanced around the room one more time, looking for anything of value. He didn¡¯t find anything important, but if Cleo were there, she¡¯d vehemently disagree. ¡°Do you want to check it out? We might as well get to know this place better considering they¡¯re our allies.¡± For now. A low hiss escaped from his torso-mouth. ¡°And I¡¯m getting hungry anyway.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, we should eat after so much ¡­ exercise,¡± Raea said and stretched her arms towards the ceiling. Palan opened the door, and the duo stepped into the hall. The outside of the room was like a standard hotel building. The floor was flat, the ceiling didn¡¯t have any trace of stalactites, and the walls were uniform. There were a few orbs hanging from the ceiling that illuminated the path, but every so often, the two would pass through areas without any lighting. The floor and walls in those areas resembled tunnels roughly dug out by tools. They passed a few halflings who looked at them oddly, but no one stopped them from proceeding. It was impossible for every halfling to know everyone, and if strangers were able to appear here, then they were either accepted by Solra or they were strong enough to pass through the guardians at the entrances. Whichever reason it was, the halflings didn¡¯t dare confront Palan and Raea as the two followed the sounds of screaming. They did pass Ivan Blackflame who made a face and pinched his nose before telling them where the baths were. Palan and Raea laughed off the lizardman¡¯s comment, causing him to flare up with black flames. He muttered something about finding Solra as he stomped past the two. ¡°Do you think Cory gave us his room on purpose?¡± Raea asked after Ivan disappeared down the tunnel. ¡°In a strange way, she reminds me of Sally.¡± ¡°Are you saying all harpies look and act alike?¡± Palan asked as they got closer to the source of the screams. Although they were getting closer, the screaming was becoming hoarser and fainter. ¡°I¡¯m just saying Sally and Cory are ¡­ you know what, never mind,¡± Raea said and sighed as she shook her head. ¡°I wonder how Sally and Elrith are doing right now. They shouldn¡¯t be in any danger, but it¡¯s surprising how little rumors there are about them. You¡¯d think Elrith¡¯s appearance would trigger waves of gossip anywhere.¡± Palan shrugged as the two reached a metal door. ¡°P-please,¡± a voice said from within. Screams followed shortly after. Raea knocked on the door before forcing it open without waiting for a response. A bloody stench assaulted her nose, causing her to gag. Palan inhaled deeply before licking his lips. His torso-mouth began grinding its teeth together.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°I think we found the cafeteria.¡± Raea walked to a corner and threw up. Despite having killed hundreds of people back in the first sector during her fit of rage, there was something about this area that made her feel nauseous. ¡°Oh,¡± a familiar voice said. ¡°It¡¯s you two.¡± Pyre waved the bloody lump in his arm at Palan. ¡°Close the door.¡± The metal clanged shut. Palan examined the room while his tails attempted to ease Raea¡¯s sickness by rubbing her back. Though the metal door was an average size, the room it hid was not. Thousands of cages¡ªmost of them holding people¡ªfilled the room in a grid-like manner. Pyre was relatively close to the entrance, standing in front of an open cage. A mountain of skin, flesh, and blood lay on the ground, nearly covering his waist. ¡°P-please, kill me,¡± a hoarse voice said. Palan walked over and saw that the prisoner was Dinah. Her body was in pristine condition, but she was surrounded by a pool of blood, some of it congealing. ¡°In due time,¡± Pyre said as a lifted a hammer. Screams rang throughout the prison as the hammer fell, accompanied by snapping sounds. Palan watched as Pyre rendered Dinah¡¯s arm completely useless before tearing it off with a saw. When she was about to faint, the half-angel healed her wounds. There was a pile of a hundred or so glowing white orbs stacked neatly by Pyre¡¯s side. A dwarf was in charge of refilling the dim orbs by coaxing the powers out of other kindness angels trapped within the cells. Palan pointed at the pulpy arm in Pyre¡¯s hand. ¡°Can I eat that?¡± he asked. Pyre stared at the bloody limb. ¡°Uh, sure?¡± he said with a confused tone before offering it towards Palan. Palan¡¯s torso-mouth tore it to pieces. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have much mana in her flesh. It¡¯s all concentrated in her vital organs by now.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°I was just hungry.¡± He glanced at Raea. ¡°I¡¯m not eating that,¡± Raea said, holding back the urge to vomit again. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°This? This is Dinah,¡± Pyre said. ¡°One of the council members. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not enough time to let her feel the years of suffering that my family suffered, so I¡¯m condensing it all into a short period. I still have other council members to deal with after all.¡± Whimpers sounded out from adjacent cages. Palan raised an eyebrow as a familiar figure caught his attention. ¡°Is that Michael?¡± he asked and approached a cage. Laughter exploded throughout the prison. When it stopped, Palan sneered at the trapped angel. ¡°Do you remember, just a few months ago, how you nearly killed me with a single glance? I never got my revenge for that.¡± Michael¡¯s cracked lips trembled. ¡°You¡¯re the young Caelum¡¯s demon,¡± he said and glanced at Raea. ¡°Is that her?¡± He clenched his manacled hands. ¡°Have the Caelums betrayed the capital?¡± ¡°More like the capital wants her dead, and she doesn¡¯t want to die,¡± Palan said and smiled. He turned towards Pyre who was busy skinning Dinah. ¡°Is he necessary for your plans or can I eat him?¡± ¡°Can you eat him and keep him alive?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°He¡¯s not crucial, but every bit helps. He produces seven orbs a day. A meager amount compared to the total but significant compared to non-archangels.¡± Raea made a face. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find some real food,¡± she said and shook her head. ¡°This torture stuff doesn¡¯t jibe well with me.¡± ¡°I thought you wanted revenge,¡± Pyre said while raising an eyebrow. White lights snaked around Dinah¡¯s body as Pyre discarded a flap of skin. ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Raea said. ¡°They can¡¯t feel despair if you break them. What¡¯s the point of getting revenge on a doll?¡± She furrowed her brow. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any danger to me around here, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± He reached into his bag and pulled out a small badge in the shape of a blue square. ¡°What is this and why does it smell so disgusting?¡± Raea asked as she accepted the badge. ¡°It¡¯s been smeared with ¡­ uh ¡­ pleasant stuff,¡± Pyre said and avoided Raea¡¯s eyes. ¡°Palan should be able to track you down by smell if you wear it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Raea said and made a face as she pinned it to her robe. ¡°I¡¯ll be going to the real cafeteria then.¡± She paused. ¡°There is a real cafeteria, right?¡± ¡°There is,¡± Pyre said. He gestured towards a dwarf and told him to guide Raea. ¡°Try not to explode anything,¡± Palan said as he chewed on Michael¡¯s severed arm. ¡°I don¡¯t explode things,¡± Raea said and snorted. ¡°I just melt them. There¡¯s a difference.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Palan said and rolled his eyes as Raea made her way to the exit. ¡°You know what I meant.¡± Chapter 245 Raea inhaled the fresh stale air outside of the prison. She could still smell the bloody stench coming from the bottom of her shoes. Her nose wrinkled as she tried to smear it off, but the effort was in vain. She sighed and said to the dwarf beside her, ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± the dwarf said as its head bobbed up and down. It made its way through the tunnels and halls with Raea following after it. ¡°How long have you been living underground?¡± Raea asked after they passed through a glowing green corridor. ¡°My whole life,¡± the dwarf said in a tiny voice. It didn¡¯t suit his image¡ªhe was a stocky fellow with bulging muscles. Raea thought he would speak in a deep, booming voice, but he sounded like a child instead. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°How long have the dwarves occupied this underground place?¡± ¡°Long time,¡± the dwarf said and nodded. Raea sighed. ¡°And how many years is a long time?¡± she asked. ¡°At least three?¡± the dwarf said in a questioning tone and tilted his head. ¡°You¡¯re messing around with me right now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Raea asked and narrowed her eyes. ¡°No,¡± the dwarf said. Raea sighed and shook her head. It would be unreasonable of her to get angry at a stupid person, right? She snuffed the black flames appearing around her body with her hands. ¡°How far away is the cafeteria?¡± she asked. ¡°Not far.¡± Raea¡¯s hands clenched and she exhaled while closing her eyes. She resisted the urge to punch the dwarf in the back of the head by folding her arms in front of her chest. ¡°Not very talkative, are you?¡± she asked under her breath. ¡°No.¡± Raea pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°Just bring me to the cafeteria.¡± ¡°I am.¡± Raea shook her head and decided to stay quiet for the rest of the time. The cafeteria was a spacious place, bigger than the prison. There were dozens of tunnels leading to the area with halflings pouring in and out of them. Raea¡¯s face paled at the smell of blood. ¡°Hey,¡± she said and furrowed her brow. ¡°What do they serve here?¡± The dwarf raised its head. ¡°Food,¡± he said. After thinking for a moment he added, ¡°And drink.¡± ¡°Why did I bother?¡± Raea asked. She waved her hand as if she were shooing away a fly. ¡°You can go.¡± The dwarf nodded and scurried away. Raea entered the cafeteria and stepped in a line which led to a series of stalls. A few halflings stared at her. The harpy in front of her blinked and turned around. ¡°Are you the harbinger?¡± she asked and tilted her head to one side. ¡°Cory said you were here. I didn¡¯t believe her. But now I¡¯m not sure. Are you really the harbinger? Like really the harbinger? Not like the last one. So are you?¡± ¡°Erm.¡± Raea scratched her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Hey. What kind of food do they serve here?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The harpy pursed her lips. ¡°Well,¡± she said and stopped to preen her feathers. ¡°They serve the best kinds of food here. There¡¯s the good kind of food and sometimes there¡¯s the bad kind of food. But there is definitely an appropriate choice for all kinds of eaters. There¡¯s food for carnivorous people, and there¡¯s food for herbivorous people. I guess that means there¡¯s also food for omnivorous folk as well. The food is chewy some of the time, but it¡¯s tough at others. Some days it¡¯s spicy and other days it¡¯s not. You can say the same for salty and sweet and bitter and¡ª¡° ¡°Stop,¡± Raea said and covered the harpy¡¯s face with her hand. ¡°I just want to know. Do they serve meat? Vegetables? If they do, then what kind?¡± The harpy glared at Raea as she separated her face from the angel¡¯s hand. ¡°I was just telling you about it,¡± she said. ¡°How rude. You won¡¯t find someone who knows as much about food as I do.¡± Her nose crinkled as she folded her wings against her body. ¡°If you want to know anymore from me, you can keep dreaming. Ask someone else, Rudey McRudeFace.¡± She wiped her nose with her talons before turning her back towards Raea. Raea stared at the harpy¡¯s back. Her claws itched, urging her to tear out the halfling¡¯s heart. Palan¡¯s words came to mind, and she inhaled while closing her eyes. After calming herself down, she opened her eyes and advanced in the line. A troll stepped behind her, causing her body to stiffen. She turned around and stared at the massive, red creature that had a pig-like face. It had two elephant-like ears, and its arms and legs were as thick as a tree. Its belly bulged over a pink loincloth that barely served its purpose. ¡°Hello,¡± Raea said and wrinkled her nose. The troll smelled almost as bad as the badge Pyre had given her. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you know what they¡¯re serving for lunch?¡± The troll lowered its head to make eye contact with Raea. ¡°Silly ¡­ angel? Demon?¡± the troll furrowed his brow, causing his pig-like nose to jut out. ¡°Silly, puny thing. The cafeteria serves us. Who else would it serve?¡± Black flames circled around Raea¡¯s body, increasing the temperature of the air around her. A few halflings scrambled away, carrying trays with undiscernible meals on them. The harpy in front of her spread her wings and flew towards a perch near the ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s really the harbinger,¡± she said staring at the blood-red glow coming off of Raea¡¯s body. ¡°It¡¯s a shame she¡¯s so rude.¡± ¡°I hate all of you,¡± Raea said and closed her eyes. The black flames dimmed as she regulated her breathing. She opened her eyes and yelled, ¡°Someone just tell me what type of meat and what type of vegetables are cooked in the fucking cafeteria!¡± The cafeteria fell silent as everyone turned their heads to stare at Raea. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at everyone. ¡°The edible kinds,¡± the troll said under his breath. A primal scream escaped from Raea¡¯s mouth as she raised her leg and kicked the troll in the stomach. He flew until his back collided with the cafeteria¡¯s wall, leaving a web of cracks on the stone. ¡°Woah,¡± Cory said as she appeared at the tunnel closest to where the troll was launched. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Is there a fight? Why¡¯s it so quiet in here?¡± ¡°Cory!¡± Raea shouted. ¡°What do you eat and drink around here!?¡± ¡°Why are we yelling!?¡± Cory shouted back. ¡°They serve mushrooms and angel flesh! We drink water and blood! Sometimes there¡¯s angel cake made out of real angels!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Raea shouted and swept her gaze around the halflings in the cafeteria. ¡°Was that so difficult!?¡± Cory hopped next to Raea. ¡°Maybe for you,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you asked the troll a question.¡± The flames around Raea¡¯s body disappeared. ¡°Should I not have?¡± she asked. ¡°Not if you want a serious answer,¡± Cory said and nodded. ¡°Let me tell you all about us as we cut in line.¡± She wrapped one wing around Raea and urged her towards the front of the line. ¡°The goblins are stupid. They¡¯ll answer you, but you won¡¯t be satisfied with their answer. The dwarves don¡¯t say much, and when they do, you learn nothing. As for harpies, oh boy. They talk a lot, but that¡¯s it. It¡¯s all talk. Lizardmen are rude and don¡¯t like answering questions. Centaurs will try to convert you to grassism no matter how you try to steer the conversation. Demons try to eat you, and angels tremble in fear. So, in short, be my best friend, okay?¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°How do you come to that conclusion?¡± ¡°Shhh,¡± Cory said and placed the tip of her wing over Raea¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t question it. I¡¯ll introduce you to everyone later. For now, let¡¯s eat.¡± She used her talons to grab two plates and piled food on top of them before handing one to Raea. ¡°Oh, here. Take the eyeball. They¡¯re nice treats.¡± Raea¡¯s face paled as Cory dragged her away to a nearby table. Chapter 246 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cory asked as she pulled a fried finger out of a basket of ¡®fries¡¯ with her talon. She dipped it into a dish of meat sauce before popping it into her mouth. ¡°Not hungry? You only ate the mushrooms.¡± Raea grunted as she stared at her plate. A single eyeball stared back at her. She poked it with her fork, causing it to fall off the pile of ground meat. ¡°I¡¯m just not very comfortable eating angels,¡± she said and pursed her lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else to eat? Like, I don¡¯t know, rice or corn or fruit?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Cory said as she ate the last fry. She frowned and flipped the basket upside down, but not even a crumb fell out. ¡°Only mushrooms grow down here. We used to eat the people who died, but that hasn¡¯t happened very often since Solra came here.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s immoral?¡± Raea asked. ¡°No,¡± Cory said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Because they stopped dying, silly. Any injury can be healed by with an orb. You angels have it good up there.¡± Cory paused as she threw the basket at a younger harpy, ordering her to get more snacks. She turned back to Raea and blinked. ¡°You were from up there, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°I was.¡± Cory waited for more, staring at Raea with her eyes wide open. Her head tilted to one side when she realized Raea wasn¡¯t going to say anything else. ¡°You¡¯re as talkative as a dwarf,¡± Cory said and snorted before leaning back on her bench. ¡°Sorry,¡± Raea muttered. She sighed and stared at her plate. ¡°I just don¡¯t like thinking about it. I used to be a good person, I think.¡± She shoveled her food around with her fork before sighing again. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I am anymore. I¡¯ve done a lot of ¡­ bad things recently. I¡¯m not trying to find an excuse for my actions, but I didn¡¯t feel like myself when I did those things. I couldn¡¯t control myself. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m even myself anymore. Whenever I see my reflection, I don¡¯t recognize the person I see. I should be horrified by what I¡¯ve done, but ¡­ I¡¯m not.¡± She fell silent as she dropped her fork and leaned back. Cory was preening herself. ¡°Well,¡± Cory said when she was done. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re quite confused. How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sixteen,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡¯s that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°My god,¡± Cory said and stared at Raea. ¡°I¡¯m old. Shit.¡± She scratched her head with her talon. The younger harpy returned and placed the basket of fries on the table before flying away. ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s perfectly normal for you to be confused. Give yourself another thirty years or so and maybe you¡¯ll find yourself.¡± She nodded and began snacking on her fries. ¡°I don¡¯t think most sixteen year olds have ever been in the same situation as I have,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°I practically annihilated a quarter of the first sector. I don¡¯t even know how many people I¡¯ve killed. Doesn¡¯t that make me a monster?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Cory said and nodded. ¡°When I was your age, I only killed seven of my cousins.¡± Raea bit her lower lip. ¡°But is being a monster a bad thing?¡± Cory poked Raea¡¯s forehead with one of the fried fingers.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Raea asked and wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve. Cory shrugged. ¡°I think it¡¯s a compliment,¡± she said. ¡°How many people are able to be recognized as monsters? It¡¯d be great if people thought I was a monster.¡± ¡°You are!¡± a voice shouted from a corner of the cafeteria. Cory furrowed her brow and glared at the troll who just spoke. A red lightning bolt appeared out of nowhere and struck the troll¡¯s butt, launching him into the air. ¡°Anyways,¡± Cory said, ignoring the aggrieved cries, ¡°it would be great if people thought I was a monster. But I¡¯m not. I¡¯m like completely harmless and cute, right? People don¡¯t take me seriously when I speak¡ªit¡¯s really annoying. I tell the angels to die, but they fire arrows at me instead. It¡¯s not fair.¡± Raea blinked. ¡°Somehow, I think it was a mistake to tell you about my problems,¡± she said. ¡°But do you feel even a teensy bit better?¡± Cory asked as she lifted the basket of fries and emptied the remainder into her mouth. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and frowned. ¡°I feel even worse.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cory said. ¡°That¡¯s probably the mushrooms. Everyone feels worse after eating them. But anyways, enough about your problems because that topic¡¯s boring.¡± She raised her voice. ¡°Who here hasn¡¯t killed someone? Anyone?¡± She looked around the cafeteria and saw no raised hands. She turned back towards Raea. ¡°See? Slaughter¡¯s boring. So how long are you staying here for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. Why was she here in the first place? Hadn¡¯t she wanted to slaughter everyone? But somewhere along the way that changed because of Palan and Pyre. Should she even be making friends with these people? ¡°More than a day?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Great, that¡¯s plenty of time,¡± Cory said and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the harpies. I have to introduce you to them. You¡¯re the harbinger after all, right?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I wasn¡¯t sure?¡± Raea asked as Cory hopped over to her side and placed a wing over her shoulders. ¡°In harpy speak, ¡®I¡¯m not sure¡¯ means whatever the listener wants it to,¡± Cory said and nodded as she tugged on Raea. ¡°I¡¯m interpreting it as a yes, so let¡¯s go. Unless you want to finish that?¡± She gestured towards the plate in front of Raea. ¡°No, let¡¯s go,¡± Raea said and wrinkled her nose. Cory nodded and nabbed the eyeball with her talon before popping it into her mouth. She spoke while chewing, ¡°Right now, there¡¯s only one harpy tribe. There used to be seven, but I united them all recently because I became awesome. Pew pew, red lightning and all that, you know? So I¡¯m like the acting matriarch because the matriarch¡¯s daughter disappeared or something on a mission.¡± ¡°Sally?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Mm.¡± Cory furrowed her brow. ¡°I think that was her name. How did you know?¡± ¡°I traveled with her for a bit.¡± ¡°Oh. Did she die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say she died then. Makes my life much easier,¡± Cory said with a nod. ¡°Anyways. There¡¯s like two thousand harpies total. We¡¯re kind of a small group compared to the rest of the halflings, but we can fly so everyone else can go cry in a corner with their overrated arms. There really isn¡¯t too much space for us, and we enjoy killing each other so that limits our population. Although we¡¯re an odd bunch, there¡¯s one thing we agree on. Mushrooms taste terrible, and the harbinger is our savior. I guess that¡¯s two things, huh? Well, you¡¯re the harbinger, and everyone is waiting on you to deliver us to new lands.¡± ¡°How are you so sure I¡¯m the harbinger?¡± ¡°I mean, if you aren¡¯t, then I guess that¡¯s a bummer. We¡¯ll just wait a few more years. But if you are, then that¡¯s awesome. See?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Raea said as they made their way down a winding tunnel. ¡°Well, that¡¯s okay,¡± Cory said. ¡°If you save us, then you save us. Try not to worry too much about the thousands of hopes and dreams resting on your shoulders. No pressure.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Raea said and lowered her head. ¡°Just what I needed when I¡¯m not even sure I can save myself.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Cory said as they stepped into a spacious region. ¡°And we¡¯re here!¡± Chapter 247 The harpies¡¯ living quarters consisted of a massive pit leading down into the earth. A road spiraled down towards the center of the pit, following the walls. Along the road, there were hundreds of caves. Harpies flew back and forth through the pit, heading towards different caves while chattering with each other. Raea stood at the edge of the giant hole and squinted her eyes at the bottom. She could barely make out a blotch of yellow. ¡°That¡¯s where I live,¡± Cory said, following Raea¡¯s gaze. ¡°The matriarch gets the safest spot from intruders, but she gets no privacy. But privacy isn¡¯t really necessary when you¡¯re the strongest. Come, let¡¯s go down.¡± Raea nodded and began to walk on the road leading down. ¡°Not like that,¡± Cory said and rolled her eyes. She gestured towards Raea¡¯s back. ¡°What are those wings for?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. Occasionally she¡¯d forget she had them. The majority of her life was spent wingless and walking. ¡°Who created this place?¡± Cory tilted her head to the side as Raea¡¯s wings spread open. ¡°This place was created for us,¡± she said and blinked. ¡°No one knows by who, but our ancestors agreed to live here because this structure existed.¡± Raea walked to the edge of the pit and flapped her wings. Cory hopped beside her. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Raea nodded and flew into the air. Her wings glowed with a bright red light as she spiraled downwards into the hole. Cory didn¡¯t bother spreading her wings; instead, she leapt off the edge like she was diving into a pool of water. ¡°Get out of the way, fools!¡± she shrieked while plastering her wings towards the sides of her body. A few harpies looked up and squawked before clearing out the center of the pit. Raea frowned as Cory continued to fall like a rock. When it looked like she was about to crash into the ground, her wings flared open, slowing her descent. Raea took in a deep breath and folded her wings, causing her to plummet past a few harpies. She mimicked Cory¡¯s actions and spread her wings open to stop herself before hitting the ground. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that fun?¡± Cory asked when Raea arrived. Dozens of corpses lay scattered about the bottom of the pit. There was a massive nest created from yellowing bones in the center. Cory flew up and into the nest. ¡°This is mine.¡± The nest was relatively empty. The bottom was covered with a fluffy animal skin that Raea couldn¡¯t recognize. In the corner, there were a few cracked eggshells that rose up to Raea¡¯s waist. ¡°Are those your eggs?¡± she asked, her mouth gaping. Did those come out of Cory like that? ¡°Aren¡¯t those a bit ¡­ too big?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Cory glanced at the broken eggshells. ¡°No. Those were the previous matriarch¡¯s. I haven¡¯t found a suitable mate. Well, actually, that¡¯s not true.¡± She stared at Raea with an odd expression. ¡°I found one, but I don¡¯t know if I can have him. The competition is very fierce.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Aren¡¯t you strong?¡± Raea asked as she paced around the nest. A few odd objects lay scattered about. Most of them were shiny metals, but there were a few wood carvings as well. ¡°Who would compete with you for a mate?¡± Cory let out a hollow laugh before shaking her head. ¡°Forget about it,¡± she said and looked up. ¡°Our area looks pretty unified, doesn¡¯t it? There¡¯s no clear divisions, just one giant spiral leading down.¡± Raea nodded. ¡°There was space for seven tribes?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Cory said and pointed with her wing. ¡°You see those faint lines on the wall? Those were drawn with harpy blood. The harpies at the bottom could invade the space of the ones at the top because up is the only way out of here, but the harpies at the top weren¡¯t allowed to come down to the bottom; otherwise, they¡¯d be killed and have their blood smeared as a warning. But I changed all that because I¡¯m the best.¡± Cory chuckled. ¡°The centaurs used to call our nest the seven layers of hell.¡± ¡°Hell?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Mm. Some place where disbelievers of grassism go when they die,¡± Cory said and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a very scary place, but I don¡¯t think so? This place is totally paradise. Look at all the underlings I have to do my bidding.¡± She gestured towards the harpies flying overhead. ¡°Right¡­,¡± Raea said. Didn¡¯t Cory bring her here for something important? ¡°Are you ready to meet everyone now?¡± Cory asked and turned her gaze on Raea. ¡°I hope you prepared your speech.¡± ¡°I have to give a speech?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Well, I mean, you don¡¯t have to, but, you know, it would be nice,¡± Cory said and nodded. She raised her head and let out an ear-piercing shriek. ¡°Everyone gather!¡± Hundreds of harpies flew out of the caves along the spiral before flying towards the bottom of the pit. They began filling in the space around the nest, shoving some corpses out of the way. When there weren¡¯t any more harpies descending, Cory nodded and flew up. There was a pole extending from the center of the bone nest with several places to perch. She alighted on the second highest perch and gestured for Raea to fly to the top. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy now,¡± she said and nodded. Raea bit her lower lip. When Cory said she¡¯d introduce her to all the harpies, this wasn¡¯t what she was expecting. She thought they¡¯d go around to the important harpies and have a few talks over tea created from mushroom juice or angel blood. ¡°C¡¯mon now,¡± Cory urged again. ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting.¡± Raea sighed and flew up next to Cory. ¡°Higher,¡± Cory said, gesturing towards the perch above her. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed, but she did as the red harpy asked. Cory cleared her throat. ¡°Everyone! This is the harbinger! She¡¯s promised to lead us to the lands above ground: fresh air, blue skies, green grass, abundant food sources that aren¡¯t mushrooms!¡± A few harpies whistled and let out shrieks. Not all of them had experienced the outside world. ¡°And now,¡± Cory continued when the whistles died down, ¡°she¡¯ll be giving us a motivating speech. Listen well. If I see any of you not paying attention¡­..¡± Her eyes narrowed as she drew a talon across the air in front of her throat. All the harpies turned their attention towards Raea. ¡°It¡¯s all you now,¡± Cory whispered to the angel above her. Chapter 248 ¡°Err, hello,¡± Raea said as she swept her gaze over the crowd of harpies below. All of them reminded her of Sally with a few differences. Most of them had light-brown hair with green eyes and pale skin. A few had red skin, and others had blonde hair. The main differences came from their wings and legs. Sally had brown feathers, but the harpies below had varied feather colors: brown, white, gray, black, and red. Cory was the only harpy who had a red body, red feathers, and silver hair with blue eyes, reminiscent of an angel. The harpies stared at Raea, waiting for more. With Cory¡¯s threat of death in mind, none of them dared to utter a sound. Raea gulped as her legs trembled. Why was the perch so round and unstable? Dozens of thoughts flashed through her mind as she urged herself to come up with more words, but all she could think about was everyone staring at her, making her self-conscious. ¡°Say your name,¡± Cory whispered. ¡°Your name,¡± Raea muttered. Never in her life had she ever spoken to a crowd like this. She took in a deep breath and wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs, leaving damp spots on her robe. ¡°My name is Raea Caelum. I come from the capital. My favorite food is roasted corn. Um¡­.¡± She glanced at Cory. The red harpy was preening herself, her face buried underneath a wing. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to be here. Cory told you I was going to give a motivating speech, but I really hadn¡¯t prepared one. I didn¡¯t even know I was supposed to be giving a speech. Sorry.¡± Raea pursed her lips. Her cheeks burned. She wondered if Cory could feel the heat coming off of her face. ¡°Err. If you see me, come and say hi. I wouldn¡¯t mind making a few new friends.¡± Her gaze landed back on Cory. The red harpy was still preening herself. ¡°I think that¡¯s it. It was nice meeting you all.¡± Raea fidgeted on top of the pole. Cory raised her head and screeched at the harpies down below, ¡°Well!? Why aren¡¯t you applauding? The harbinger demands respect!¡± ¡°But, Cory, we don¡¯t have arms,¡± a harpy shouted. ¡°Then stamp your feet,¡± Cory said and flapped her wings. She glanced at Raea. ¡°It¡¯s okay, really,¡± Raea said. ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ª¡° A thunderous noise echoed through the harpies¡¯ territory as the thousand or so harpies stamped their talons against the ground. A few cheered and let out whoops while waving their wings in the air. Cory beamed. ¡°They love you,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°I knew they would.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re more afraid than enamored,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s the same thing in the end,¡± Cory said and shrugged. ¡°Fear, respect, what¡¯s the difference? So. When do you plan on leading us to the promised land?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Um. What exactly is that?¡± Raea asked. ¡°The land beyond the dirt, silly,¡± Cory said. ¡°According to the legends, the great seer predicted the harbinger paving the way back to our ancestral lands. We haven¡¯t always lived underground, but we were forced down here once the angels kicked us out of our roosts. The promised land is the place where our ancestors were born.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Do you know how long ago that was?¡± she asked. Maybe she could figure out where the harpies used to be located based on the timing. Most likely, they used to occupy the second sector seeing as their new nest was underneath it. ¡°A long time ago?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. ¡°It was definitely before my grandmother¡¯s time.¡± She glanced at the harpies down below. ¡°Does anyone know when our ancestors were forced out of the promised land?¡± All the harpies started to chatter and glance at each other. After a while passed, none of them had an answer. Cory shrugged and said to Raea, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any written records?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Lacking thumbs here,¡± Cory said and flapped her wings. ¡°Our legends are passed down orally. But sometimes the ones with good memory are killed so ¡­ yeah. Isn¡¯t it good enough that the legend of the harbinger managed to survive as long as it has? It¡¯s too bad a seer hasn¡¯t been born since we came here.¡± Raea sighed. She wasn¡¯t expecting much, but she still felt a strange sense of disappointment. Was this all that the Creator thought she was capable of? Couldn¡¯t she have been the savior of a ¡­ smarter race? ¡°Alright,¡± she said to Cory. ¡°I have an announcement to make.¡± ¡°The harbinger is going to speak!¡± Cory shrieked, causing Raea to wince. ¡°Pipe down and listen up!¡± Raea waited for the harpies to settle down and focus their attentions. When all eyes were on her she said, ¡°If you want me to lead you to the promised land, you have to stop killing each other. Do you understand? No more killing each other!¡± There were a few murmurs within the crowd, but Raea ignored them and continued. ¡°Also, everyone must learn to read and write. Does anyone here know how to do that already?¡± None of the harpies raised their hands even after Cory offered a prize to any harpy who knew. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Kidnap someone who does. Next, after learning to read and write, all of you will learn how to do basic arithmetic. If none of you know how, then kidnap a dwarf. They¡¯re very good engineers.¡± She furrowed her brow. ¡°That¡¯s all I can think of for now.¡± If the Creator was going to make her the savior of a stupid race, then she¡¯ll raise their intelligence. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Cory asked the crowd. ¡°Even though the harbinger¡¯s requests are strange, we¡¯ll accomplish them.¡± ¡°How do we know she¡¯s really the harbinger?¡± one of the harpies asked. ¡°If I say she¡¯s the harbinger, then she¡¯s the harbinger,¡± Cory said and glared at the harpy. A trace of red lightning shone in her eyes, but after she recalled Raea¡¯s words, it flickered and disappeared. It wouldn¡¯t be good if she undermined Raea. Cory snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me? If you do, then you¡¯d know she¡¯s the harbinger, understand?¡± ¡°Then she¡¯s the harbinger because you said so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cory said and puffed her chest out. The harpy who asked the question scratched her head and said, ¡°Works for me.¡± Raea sighed. Somehow, she was strung along into the role of the harbinger. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling to lord over a thousand harpies. And leading them back to their ancestral grounds could be a new goal for her. Isn¡¯t that what Pyre said? Goals are good? At least having a goal was a much better feeling than being lost to wrath. Chapter 249 Palan burped as he tossed aside the shattered bone in his hands. His tails were plump and bloated, each of them containing the outline of the torso of an angel. In front of him, Michael was laying on the ground with his face staring at the ceiling of the cage he was in. Red manacles bound his waist, preventing him from escaping or using his powers. His expression was vacant, his eyes unfocused. Palan snorted as he turned around, knocking over the small pile of bones that had accumulated by his side, nearly reaching his chest. The orbs that the dwarves had gathered to heal prisoners were all dim, their powers drained during Palan¡¯s feast. ¡°Satisfied?¡± Pyre asked, raising an eyebrow. Dinah was in a similar situation as Michael, her mouth half-open with lines of drool leaking from both corners. ¡°I¡¯ll be satisfied once he¡¯s dead,¡± Palan said and stared at Michael. The angel hadn¡¯t reacted to Palan¡¯s words. ¡°I dislike leaving problems for myself in the future.¡± With that, Danger Noodle opened its mouth and swallowed Michael whole, chains included. When the snake¡¯s mouth closed, the red chain snapped with a metallic clang. ¡°Hey,¡± Pyre said with a frown. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say he was better off alive?¡± His brow furrowed at the empty cage Palan left behind. Palan snorted as Danger Noodle let out a light burp. ¡°And I have to listen to what you say?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t forget who¡¯s in the dominant position here. Seven orbs? So what. My satisfaction is worth much more than his measly orbs. I never let any potential threats survive.¡± Pyre sighed. ¡°But he wasn¡¯t going to survive,¡± he said. He gestured with both his arms towards the cages in the prison. ¡°None of these people are going to survive. Not a single one. Once their contributions become lower than the costs of keeping them alive, they¡¯ll become food for the masses.¡± ¡°Keeping this many prisoners is just asking for an uprising,¡± Palan said as his gaze roamed around the prison. His three tails peered at the captives as well, increasing the speed of his examination. ¡°If they¡¯re freed¡­.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be,¡± Pyre said and patted his own chest. ¡°I¡¯ve already destroyed their wills to live. They¡¯re angels. The whole purpose of their life is to follow their virtues, yet I force them to fill orbs with their corresponding sins. Even if they manage to escape, what¡¯s waiting for them in the outside world? Their homes have been devastated by the war. Their families¡ªif they¡¯re intact¡ªwill reject them because they¡¯ve fallen. The only thing left for them is execution. They¡¯re beyond redemption. Like how so many angels turned away my mother, they¡¯ll be rejected by society as well.¡± ¡°Regardless,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°Death is my only guarantee. Even if the chance is one in a million that they¡¯re able to bounce back, that chance becomes zero once they die. The rest of the council members, have you made them fall as well?¡± Pyre pursed his lips. ¡°They¡¯re persistent,¡± he said. ¡°But I never fail except for the times that I do. Given enough persuasion, they¡¯ll break eventually. Besides, isn¡¯t the risk of them breaking out worth the benefits of their powers? You can¡¯t gain anything without giving something up.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Palan snorted. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said. ¡°If they break free, the first person they¡¯re going to target is you.¡± His brow furrowed as Danger Noodle stopped moving. The snake focused on a cage off in the distance. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°I think I recognize someone,¡± Palan said as he walked down the aisles of cages. He stopped in front of a dwarf who was poking a female angel with a stick. ¡°Justitia?¡± Palan asked as he nudged the dwarf aside with his knee. The angel shuddered and raised her head. Dark circles ringed her eyes, and her cheekbones were prominent in her pale face. Along the tattered cloth covering her body, there were the outlines of ribs and hip bones. ¡°Palan?¡± Justitia asked with a hoarse voice. Her lips were cracked with black lines of dried blood divvying them up into pink sections. Palan grunted. Justitia¡¯s eyes seemed to be staring past him. ¡°You look like shit,¡± he said and nodded. Justitia¡¯s mouth widened as she broke out into a laugh. The scabs on her lips ripped, causing fresh blood to flow. ¡°You¡¯ve changed,¡± she said with a wince. ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ an archdemon now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Palan said and nodded. Justitia pursed her lips. ¡°Then Raea,¡± she said. ¡°How is she?¡± The last time she saw Raea, she was running away from Elrith back in the third sector after killing Madison. She didn¡¯t know why, but something inside of her wanted to know Raea¡¯s condition. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Palan said. ¡°Really strong too.¡± Justitia exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± she said. ¡°Take care of her, okay?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that,¡± Palan said and snorted. The two fell silent. There wasn¡¯t much to talk about. They were acquaintances at best. ¡°Owen. I don¡¯t see him here.¡± ¡°He deserted,¡± Justitia said. A hollow laugh escaped from her lips. ¡°I should¡¯ve left when I had the chance. I¡¯m curious. Why are you standing on the other side of the cage? You¡¯ve joined the rebels? I guess I should¡¯ve known when you kidnapped me that night. I just want to know. Why am I still alive?¡± ¡°Did you want me to kill you?¡± Palan asked and tilted his head. He wasn¡¯t going to mention the fact that she should¡¯ve died of poison, but Melissa saved her in time. No need to bring about unprovoked enmity. ¡°No,¡± Justitia said and bit her lip. She flinched at the taste of blood. ¡°Did you spare me because of my relationship with Raea?¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± Palan said slowly. That was the original reason why he didn¡¯t kill her on the wall that night. ¡°Do ¡­ do you think you can free me?¡± Justitia asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Whether it¡¯s actual freedom or death. I don¡¯t want to live like this anymore.¡± Her head drooped, but the chains around her wrists prevented her from falling. Palan frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just hear my speech to Pyre?¡± he asked. ¡°Noise travels far in this prison.¡± Justitia gritted her teeth. ¡°A contract then,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m willing to sign a contract with you as long as you can bring me out of here.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes widened. Why hadn¡¯t he thought of that? A contract with hundreds of angels, all of them supplying him power if he meditated. Wouldn¡¯t he be able to evolve beyond an archdemon? Once he thought about it more, his hopes were dashed. In order for the angels to provide him more power, he¡¯d have to surrender an equal portion in the contract. That wasn¡¯t a risk he was willing to assume. Well, forming a contract with Justitia couldn¡¯t hurt. Besides, after he had been separated from Cleo, he found himself feeling a little lonely. Whatever happened to that lizardman anyway? Chapter 250 A carriage bustled along a road, heading towards the red wall in the distance. On either side of the path, trenches and watchtowers were being dug and constructed by halflings with metal collars wrapped around their necks. The sounds of grunting and clanging echoed through the air. Cleo sat upright from her previous upside-down position and glanced around. ¡°Woah,¡± she said as she stared at a ballistae being installed on the side of a tower. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Linda stuck her head out from the carriage window. ¡°Odd. I have no clue. What exactly is all this?¡± she asked. A few angels were aiding in the construction by manipulating the earth. Her brow furrowed as she sniffed the air. ¡°Do you smell barbeque?¡± ¡°Barbeque?¡± Cleo asked and sniffed. Her nose wrinkled. ¡°It smells like burning hair and burning meat and burning everything.¡± She gagged and pinched her nose. Above the red wall, gray smoke hung in the air, blanketing the checkpoint. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Carmella said as she stepped from the back of the carriage to the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°the rebel army attacked the first sector?¡± Her eyes narrowed at the soldiers pacing along the wall. Something serious must¡¯ve happened. The angels never felt the need to reinforce a checkpoint wall before. ¡°How would they get past the wall?¡± Gerome asked as he appeared beside Carmella. ¡°The same way they got into the second sector,¡± Cleo said and rolled her eyes. ¡°C¡¯mon, boy toy. Use your head sometimes.¡± ¡°Please stop calling me that,¡± Gerome said and sighed while hanging his head. Carmella pat his back and said, ¡°She says it how it is.¡± Gerome groaned. ¡°Not you too.¡± Footsteps resounded through the carriage as Owen lumbered to the front. His cheeks were gaunt, and his eyes were sunken in. Hair stuck out in all directions from his head, and stubble grew from his chin and jaw. His brow scrunched up as sunlight assaulted his eyes, and he raised a hand to shield himself from the rays. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t seen sunlight in ages. He asked in a raspy voice, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to sleep to feel better?¡± Cleo asked as she stared at the haggard angel. ¡°Why do you look even worse than before?¡± Owen shook his head. ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked again. Cleo furrowed her brow. ¡°We¡¯re almost at the checkpoint,¡± she said. ¡°To the first sector?¡± Owen asked and lowered his head. He muttered, ¡°Good. Good.¡± Cleo watched his back as the angel stumbled back into the carriage. She exchanged a glance with Linda, Carmella, and Gerome. ¡°Okay,¡± Cleo said and puffed her chest out, ¡°I may be the most mature one here, but I¡¯ve only been alive for ten harvests. That means there are some things I¡¯ve never experienced before. Do angels go crazy like that often?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone like him,¡± Linda said and shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s stopped eating. He spends all day sleeping. It¡¯s impossible to get him to wash his face, much less shower. And you know I got a few kindness angels to heal him. If he¡¯s sick, it¡¯s not a physical ailment.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Gerome said. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s heartbroken?¡± The three females stared at him and dismissed the thought without discussion. Cleo glanced at Carmella.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯ve seen something like this before,¡± the angel said. ¡°When I used to be an apprentice, occasionally people would bring in patients like this, hoping for a cure. I think my teacher called it melancholia.¡± Linda¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Is it contagious?¡± she asked and glanced at the insides of her carriage. She hadn¡¯t expected him to actually be ill. ¡°Not as far as I know,¡± Carmella said. ¡°The most common prescription my teacher gave out was hallucinogens. I¡¯m sure we can obtain some in the first sector. They¡¯re extremely easy to locate as well. If you hear a screaming plant with legs, then you found one.¡± ¡°Screaming plant with legs,¡± Cleo said and nodded. Her hands dipped into her belt, her skin vanishing up to her wrists. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have any. Are they counted as alive?¡± Carmella shrugged. The carriage jerked to a halt, causing the three angels to stumble. Cleo always sat with her tail wrapped around the seat after a certain incident, so she was unaffected. ¡°Hah?¡± Cleo asked as she stood up and stared at the dashboard. The orb was no longer glowing. ¡°Halt. All vehicles must be inspected before approaching the checkpoint,¡± a voice said from above. Linda peered out of the carriage, and her face paled at a golden-robed angel descending from a watchtower. Three ballistae were pointed at their carriage. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Linda asked as her brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯ve never been stopped from entering the first sector. Don¡¯t you recognize the emblem on my carriage?¡± The golden-robed angel glanced at the emblem branded onto the side. His head lowered as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Bael, but due to certain events, we¡¯re under orders to inspect everyone seeking entry into the first sector.¡± ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Linda asked. ¡°I can guarantee you all my goods and money are clean.¡± The guardian shook his head. ¡°We are looking for any items that may cause chaos, weapons included, and suspicious individuals,¡± he said. His gaze roamed over Carmella and Gerome. ¡°For example, deserters of the army.¡± He made eye contact with Linda again. ¡°If on the off chance you happen to be sheltering deserters, you¡¯ll receive a heavy fine and prison time regardless of whether you knew or not. But on the flipside, if you turn in deserters, you will be generously rewarded.¡± Linda pursed her lips. The guardian raised an eyebrow. ¡°Also, deserters won¡¯t be executed,¡± he said. ¡°They will be sent back to the frontlines to engage in battle against the rebel army, doing the duty they were originally supposed to do. Times are tough, we can¡¯t afford to lose soldiers.¡± ¡°That reward¡­,¡± Linda said and drummed her fingers along her thighs. ¡°How much is it?¡± Gerome and Carmella paled. ¡°Not much,¡± the guardian said and shrugged. ¡°Just the equivalent of one month¡¯s wage as a guardian ¡­ per person.¡± ¡°These two are deserters,¡± Linda said and pointed at Gerome and Carmella without hesitation. ¡°There¡¯s a third one inside. I was threatened to escort them, please believe me.¡± ¡°We appreciate the compliance, Lady Bael,¡± the guardian said as white chains flew out of his back, ensnaring the couple who tried to flee. Their mouths opened, but their shouts were cut off by a chain. A second golden-robed angel appeared and entered the carriage. A few seconds and a thud later, the guardian came out with an unconscious Owen on his back. Three sacks landed by Linda¡¯s feet, but they were quickly snatched by Cleo. ¡°Your payment as promised,¡± the first guardian said. He glanced at his partner. ¡°Any contraband items inside?¡± The guardian holding Owen shook his head. Cleo blinked a few times and waved at Gerome and Carmella as they were dragged away. The carriage resumed its progress without Cleo or Linda commanding it to move. Once they were out of earshot, Cleo glared at Linda. ¡°What was that!?¡± Linda stroked her chin. ¡°Do you know what the wage of a guardian is?¡± she asked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Cleo said. Linda bent down and whispered something into the lizardman¡¯s ears. Cleo blinked and stared at the three bags in her hands. Her gaze shifted back onto Linda. ¡°Really?¡± Linda nodded. Cleo stored a bag inside of her space. ¡°I¡¯m an upright person,¡± she said as another bag disappeared. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d do something like that.¡± The third bag disappeared. ¡°They were good friends.¡± ¡°Were they really?¡± Linda asked as she sat next to Cleo. At last, the expenses of feeding and taking care of three freeloaders had been accounted for. Cleo pouted. ¡°No. Only Palan and Raea don¡¯t treat me as a nuisance. I didn¡¯t like those three very much,¡± she said and shrugged. ¡°And it¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to die. And there was nothing I could¡¯ve done to save them. If anything, I would¡¯ve been punished as well. Right, I¡¯m just a small, cute lizardman, what could I have done?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Linda said and nodded. Chapter 251 ¡°Still feeling guilty?¡± Linda asked after a bit. The carriage rattled along the road, passing more completed watchtowers and trenches. Creaking noises coming from a tower caught her attention. ¡°What is that?¡± Cleo raised her head and squinted at the cannon that was being placed into position. ¡°That¡¯s one of those shooty thingies the rebel army used,¡± she said. Her head tilted to one side. ¡°How are they here?¡± A strange look appeared in Cleo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Linda said and pinched Cleo¡¯s arm. ¡°I recognize that look.¡± ¡°No one will even notice,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Everyone will notice if something that big disappears,¡± Linda said and furrowed her brow. ¡°You¡¯re staying right here.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll just think it was misplaced.¡± ¡°No,¡± Linda said and placed her hand on Cleo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere until this carriage passes through the checkpoint.¡± ¡°I should just tell everyone you¡¯re a greed angel,¡± Cleo grumbled as she sat back on the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell everyone your secret as well,¡± Linda said and snorted. ¡°If I go down, you¡¯re coming with me.¡± ¡°No need to be so vengeful,¡± Cleo said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you just die peacefully? Gosh. What happened to forgiveness and all that?¡± ¡°I never said I was an angel of patience,¡± Linda said and flicked Cleo¡¯s forehead. The angel¡¯s face turned serious as the sound of talking reached their ears. ¡°Alright, no chattering now.¡± Cleo nodded as the carriage came to a halt in front of the checkpoint. Two red gates with golden etchings towered over them. An angel floated down the wall, golden robes fluttering in the wind, and landed in front of the carriage. She glanced at the Bael family symbol etched on the side of the carriage. ¡°Lady Bael,¡± the guardian said and lowered her head. ¡°Forgive me, but I have to inspect your carriage.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Cleo asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡ª¡° Linda covered Cleo¡¯s mouth with her hand. ¡°You may proceed,¡± Linda said and glared at Cleo. Impudence on Cleo¡¯s part could have the lizardman taken away. There was no way Linda was going to let that happen. The guardian nodded, ignoring Cleo¡¯s outburst. She floated up and landed on the carriage. From her sleeve, she retrieved an odd-looking metal device. She waved the device around a few times before storing it away. ¡°What was that?¡± Linda asked, keeping a straight face. ¡°It¡¯s a holy device Lady Sariel distributed amongst the guardians,¡± the robed angel said as she stepped deeper into the carriage. ¡°It can detect members of the army.¡± Linda nodded. It looked like she¡¯d have to thank the previous guardians for being lenient. This one didn¡¯t even give her a chance to turn in any deserters before checking. Never in her life had she felt so thankful for her greed. ¡°How does it work?¡± Linda asked. ¡°If the light turns green, then an army member is nearby,¡± the guardian said.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Linda sighed. That wasn¡¯t what she meant, but chances were, the angel wouldn¡¯t tell her anyways. The guardian stepped outside, carrying the remaining stock of blankets Linda had inside of the carriage. ¡°These items¡­,¡± the guardian said and paused. It seemed like she was trying to find the right words. ¡°I obtained them from the alpaca farm in the third sector,¡± Linda said, her face stiff. ¡°Surely these can¡¯t count as contraband items.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± the guardian said before furrowing her brow. ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ at night ¡­ it gets cold.¡± Linda¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°So you¡¯re a customer then,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°They cost¡ª¡° ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have any money,¡± the guardian said and pursed her lips. ¡°What.¡± Linda¡¯s mouth fell open. No money on a guardian¡¯s wage? The guardian lowered her head, her face redder than usual. ¡°Our wages are temporarily withheld,¡± she said, hugging the blanket to her chest. ¡°They¡¯re going to the fund to reobtain deserters.¡± Linda wondered if that was why the guardian didn¡¯t give her a chance to turn in deserters by herself. The guardian raised her head and stared at Linda with a pair of puppy eyes. Linda stared at the guardian. The greediness inside of her was yelling no, but the rational part of her won over. A sigh escaped from her lips. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°You can have them.¡± The guardian raised her head as she hugged the fluffy blankets even tighter. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this kindness, Lady Bael,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely repay this favor. My name is Miriam Ingel ¡­stone. Miriam Ingelstone.¡± She nodded. ¡°Mm.¡± Linda didn¡¯t reject the repayment or question her background. ¡°I do have a few questions.¡± Miriam gulped before nodding. ¡°I was wondering why there were so many stringent checks. This is the second time I was stopped.¡± Miriam¡¯s face fell. ¡°Do you want the truth or the white lie?¡± she asked. ¡°The truth.¡± Miriam sighed and stared at the blankets in her arms. ¡°We¡¯re heavily outnumbered by the rebels now that the four armies have been destroyed. There aren¡¯t many military forces remaining inside of the first sector,¡± she said and bit her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are a few archangels hidden within the capital, but ¡­ you¡¯re a Bael living outside the capital. You should understand.¡± Linda¡¯s brow furrowed¡ªshe did understand. ¡°Go on,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°Lady Sariel sent out some tools to help us with the war, but we don¡¯t have enough people to man them. That¡¯s why we¡¯re trying to convince as many deserters as possible to rejoin us,¡± Miriam said. ¡°We also have halflings with slave collars working for us, but they have no training and can only do basic tasks. Truth be told, if your slave was an adult, I¡¯d have to apprehend it.¡± Cleo opened her mouth to spew profanities, but Linda clamped the lizardman¡¯s jaw shut with her hands. Miriam narrowed her eyes at Cleo but remembered the blankets and looked away. She continued speaking, ¡°Just a few days ago, the first sector suffered a heavy attack from the rebels. A wrath archdemon wreaked havoc on the eastern and western sides while our walls were sieged by harpies. Hailing Academy was set ablaze. The only good thing that came out of that attack was the urgency created. The other academies are willing to move, but I¡¯m afraid it still isn¡¯t enough.¡± Miriam sighed. ¡°They¡¯re scholars and students. How can they do what the army couldn¡¯t?¡± ¡°The capital really thinks they¡¯re that invulnerable?¡± Linda asked. ¡°The rebels are practically right outside their door.¡± ¡°You and I both know the capital isn¡¯t going to fall,¡± Miriam said and smiled wryly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what happens to all the sinners outside, right?¡± ¡°If you and I know this, then Solra, a previous member of the top echelon of the capital, will also know this,¡± Linda said. Miriam shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not an important figure. The only thing I can do is follow orders,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe Lady Sariel has a way to deal with Solra. We just have to believe.¡± Linda grunted and turned her gaze on Cleo. ¡°So what do you want to do? The first sector¡¯s about to be under attack. We can wait in the second sector until everything ends or we can try to find Raea anyway,¡± she said. Linda found it sad how her future was being determined by a lizardman, but at the same time, the lizardman was clearly her best chance at riches and fortune. If Cleo decided to run away because Linda didn¡¯t give her a choice, then Linda was sure she¡¯d regret it for the rest of her life. Cleo pursed her lips. Clearly, she could live an easy and relaxed life if she just hung around Linda. But if she wanted an easy and relaxed life, she wouldn¡¯t be stealing for an adrenaline rush. She nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s find Raea.¡± Chapter 252 ¡°Are you looking for someone?¡± Miriam asked and blinked at Cleo before turning her gaze back onto Linda. ¡°I can certainly ask the guardians to help you search. I still feel a little guilty about the blankets.¡± She pursed her lips as her fingers caressed the alpaca wool in her arms. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Linda said. ¡°You must be busy as a guardian. I wouldn¡¯t dare drag you into a wild goose chase.¡± ¡°Oh, no,¡± Miriam said and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly free, like, almost all the time. Your carriage is actually the first I¡¯ve seen in a few weeks. I think everyone else is too afraid to travel. Who would travel to the first sector when the rumors say the rebels are going to attack it? It makes much more sense to wait in the second sector.¡± ¡°She¡¯s calling us senseless,¡± Cleo whispered to Linda. Her tail swished as she frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t we?¡± Linda whispered back and glared at the lizardman before turning towards Miriam. ¡°Erm, but don¡¯t you have other duties to take care of? Like watching the walls in case of an attack?¡± ¡°Helping citizens is also part of a guardian¡¯s job,¡± Miriam said and nodded. ¡°You two are citizens. I¡¯ll help you. Doesn¡¯t that work out? I know the price of these blankets, and I don¡¯t want to seem ungrateful. Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°No, really,¡± Linda said as a bead of sweat rolled down her back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s a bit of a sensitive matter.¡± ¡°I can keep secrets,¡± Miriam said and pursed her lips. She stared at Linda with puppy eyes ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°She¡¯s telling you to scra¡ª¡° Linda clamped her hands over Cleo¡¯s jaw once again and laughed wryly. Miriam¡¯s eyes began to water, causing her irises to glisten. A sigh escaped from Linda¡¯s lips. ¡°Is there any other reason you want to accompany us?¡± she asked. ¡°Other than because you feel indebted towards me? It¡¯s really okay if you pay me back at a later date.¡± Her expression remained unfazed as Cleo clawed at her arms and wrists. ¡°I ¡­ may have some ¡­ reasons,¡± Miriam said and bit her lower lip. ¡°But it¡¯s not to harm you, I swear. Even if the person you were looking for was an archdemon, I¡¯d offer to help and stay silent.¡± Cleo finally managed to pull Linda¡¯s fingers off her face. She gasped for breath before asking, ¡°Why?¡± Miriam ignored Cleo and waited for Linda¡¯s answer. ¡°Like she said,¡± Linda said and released Cleo¡¯s face while rubbing her arms, ¡°why?¡± Miriam fell silent. Her brow furrowed as she spread the blanket in her arms over the floor of the carriage before lying down on top of it. She stared at the ceiling while Linda and Cleo gawked at her. Miriam exhaled audibly through her nose. When she spoke, her voice lost all of its childishness from before, ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset?¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Linda¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Upset?¡± she asked in a monotonous voice. ¡°Upset at what?¡± ¡°Why are you out here and not in the capital?¡± Miriam asked, continuing to stare at the ceiling as she stripped off her golden robe and tossed it aside. She wore a white shirt and green skirt underneath. ¡°Are you ¡­ a rebel?¡± Linda asked. She took a step backwards, letting Cleo stand in front. ¡°Rebel?¡± Miriam asked and raised her hand in front of her face. She stared at the veins running down her arm as if it were her first time seeing them. ¡°No. Perhaps a dissenter? Is that the right word?¡± She sat up and stared at Linda. ¡°What type of angel are you? Only a fallen angel would leave the Bael family.¡± Linda pursed her lips but didn¡¯t respond. Cleo looked back and forth between the two, debating on whether or not to pull out a weapon. Her arm was hidden behind her back, buried in her belt, her hand missing. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t feel even a little bit of resentment,¡± Miriam said and folded her hands in her lap. ¡°The capital has everything. Why were you forced out of it? They say they¡¯re selfless, but they¡¯re unwilling to share. They say they¡¯re charitable, yet they don¡¯t care about anyone who isn¡¯t like them. Haven¡¯t you ever thought things like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t,¡± Linda said and furrowed her brow. Miriam nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one,¡± she said and tilted her head to the side. ¡°You should know who I am, right?¡± Linda nodded. ¡°The eldest daughter of the Ingel family,¡± she said. ¡°You didn¡¯t exactly do a good job at hiding it.¡± [1] Miriam snorted. ¡°That¡¯s because I wanted you to know,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve been through what you have. My parents threatened to kill me. They tried in fact. If it weren¡¯t for a wandering kindness angel, I wouldn¡¯t be here today.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Linda asked and frowned. ¡°Because you¡¯re like me,¡± Miriam said. She raised three fingers and counted them off. ¡°An exile. Unwanted. Alone.¡± ¡°What am I, a stuffed animal?¡± Cleo asked and thumped her tail against the driver¡¯s seat. Miriam frowned at Cleo. She raised a finger and pointed at the diminutive lizardman. A black glow enveloped Cleo¡¯s body, causing her to lurch towards Miriam. Cleo yelped and wrapped her tail around the seat, preventing herself from flying forwards. She pulled a black floor tile out from behind her back and threw it at Miriam¡¯s face. The angel¡¯s eyes widened as she dodged to the side, causing the black glow around Cleo¡¯s body to disperse. ¡°Gah,¡± Cleo said as she ran and hid behind Linda. ¡°What the heck was that!?¡± She glanced at Linda. ¡°She¡¯s not Palan, right?¡± Before Linda or Miriam could say anything, a voice called from outside the carriage, ¡°Livina, is everything alright in there?¡± Miriam¡¯s expression returned back to normal as she donned her robe and gathered the blanket in her arms. ¡°Mm. That¡¯s my superior,¡± she said to Linda. She called out loudly enough for the angel outside to hear, speaking in her childish voice, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. There were just a lot of items to look through.¡± She turned towards Linda and bowed her head, all traces of pride gone. ¡°I hope you remember what I said today, Lady Bael. You can find me at any time. We aren¡¯t the only scions who were exiled from the capital, and you won¡¯t be the first to seek me out.¡± Linda and Cleo watched as Miriam descended from the carriage. She turned around and smiled at them once she reached the ground. ¡°Everything checks out, you¡¯re free to enter the first sector,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you for the blankets.¡± Cleo and Linda exchanged a glance as the metal doors of the checkpoint swung open, allowing their carriage to pass through. Linda sighed when she saw Miriam smiling and waving at them as they got further and further away. Finally, a gust of wind lifted Miriam into the air and onto the top of the wall as the checkpoint doors closed. Cleo shook her head and reaffirmed her previous thought: angels were really weird. _______ [1] The Ingel Family was mentioned once in Chapter 184. Chapter 253 Palan stared at his hand as yellow dust fell through the gaps between his fingers. ¡°I told you, it doesn¡¯t work like that,¡± Pyre said and shook his head as he reached into his bag and pulled out a yellow crystal. ¡°You can¡¯t gain any benefits without taking on risk.¡± He placed the yellow crystal into Palan¡¯s palm. ¡°Try setting your penalty as complete hair loss if you break the contract and lower the amount of mana you can take.¡± ¡°Lower it even further?¡± Palan asked and frowned as he clenched the crystal in his hand. Behind him, Justitia stood with her head lowered. ¡°Then is there even a point?¡± He had decided to ask Pyre about his plan of contracting with every angel present. ¡°Of course,¡± Pyre said as he gestured towards the cage the trio was standing in front of. An angel lay on her back with a vacant look on her face, chains binding her arms and legs. ¡°If you can use even a hundredth of their total mana, it¡¯s worth it. Hell, it¡¯s worth it even if you can only use a thousandth. How many angels are here? Close to a thousand? Not to mention the fact they¡¯re all greater angels. Every little bit adds up. And there¡¯s always the option of increasing your penalty.¡± Palan grunted. That was true. He crushed the crystal in his hand and began forming the outlines of the contract¡ªa simple, level zero contract. The angel would allow Palan to draw on a hundredth of her mana pool to improve his own strength, and Palan would temporarily halt her torture for three hours a day. If either of them failed to fulfill their end of the contract, then their hair would be lost. This time, the yellow dust in his hand flowed into the air and formed a piece of paper before disappearing from existence. ¡°It worked,¡± Palan said and nodded. He knelt down and picked up a sooty branding iron. He marked an ¡®X¡¯ on the outside of the cage. Pyre had already informed his helpers about the meaning of the mark. At least, for three hours a day, the torture would temporarily halt. Palan¡¯s contractee let out a groan as she rolled her head to the side, her eyes meeting his. ¡°Enjoy your three hours,¡± Palan said as he stepped out of the cage and shut the door. He glanced at Pyre. ¡°Onto the next person?¡± The old angel nodded and handed Palan three sacks filled with yellow crystals. ¡°There¡¯s a few ants crawling out of some angels that I need to get rid of,¡± Pyre said before wandering off to a different cage. ¡°You should know what to do by yourself.¡± Justitia stared at Pyre as he opened a cage and began to flay the inhabitant with a thorny whip. The orb embedded in the prisoner¡¯s chest began to glow with a bright light as the dwarf who was previously in charge of the torture stepped aside. ¡°Did he just say ants?¡± Justitia asked and looked at Palan but discovered that he had already moved on. Her brow furrowed as she followed after him, her steps hesitant. Stepping on the bloody floor made her nauseous. She muttered, ¡°Can ants even survive in a place like this without drowning?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Justitia watched as another contract was created between Palan and an angel. There was a frown on the demon¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked as Palan¡¯s stomach torso ground its teeth together. ¡°The range of the contract is pretty short,¡± Palan said as he walked out of the cell and marked down another ¡®X¡¯. ¡°I can¡¯t draw upon their mana unless I¡¯m inside or right outside the prison. I guess that¡¯s not too bad.¡± Justitia nodded and recalled the contract between him and herself. He¡¯d take her out of the prison as long as she didn¡¯t bring about any harm to him or his companions with a penalty of death on her part. The wails coming from within the prison started to die down as more and more angels were given relief by forming a contract with Palan. There were a few who refused even while being tortured, but when Palan threatened to increase the intensity of the pain inflicted on the angels around them, they quickly capitulated. For most of the angels, he created a contract that allowed him to extract a hundredth of their total mana pool, but for the others, he could only draw upon less than half of that. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but it didn¡¯t matter. Like Pyre said, every little bit added up. Palan yawned as he reached into one of the bags and pulled out another yellow crystal. He stepped inside of a cage and was surprised by what he saw. The angel bound with red chains wasn¡¯t broken. His eyes were still clear, though his body was gaunt. The angel opened his mouth. A clump of dried blood fell from his lips as he spoke, ¡°I have a request.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not really in a position to be making requests,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. Justitia gasped when she finally arrived by Palan¡¯s side. Danger Noodle, who was resting its head on Palan¡¯s shoulder, turned and stared at Justitia. Its mouth opened. ¡°You ¡­ know?¡± Justitia stared at Palan¡¯s tail with her mouth agape. She asked, ¡°Did your tail just speak?¡± Palan frowned and glanced at Danger Noodle. It smacked its lips together a few times before resting its head back on his shoulder. ¡°Sure,¡± Palan said to the stunned angel. ¡°I believe it asked you a question.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Justitia said and nodded. ¡°Right. He¡¯s¡ª¡° ¡°General Akurel,¡± the captive said, drawing Palan¡¯s attention back onto his thin frame. Not only were his wrists and legs bound by manacles, but red chains were threaded through his knees and elbows, dried blood encasing the metal. On his chest, three orbs were embedded in bloody holes. ¡°One of the four pillars of the army.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Palan said as he looked Akurel up and down. ¡°Looks like you failed as a pillar.¡± Akurel grunted, causing his face to distort in pain. ¡°You can say that,¡± he said and coughed out a mouthful of blood. ¡°But will you listen to my request?¡± ¡°Will it benefit me?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Akurel said. ¡°I will let you draw upon all my mana if you release my subordinates from their suffering: Give them humane lodgings. Let them regain their freedom of movement. Feed them proper food instead of their own body parts. They shouldn¡¯t have to suffer because of my incompetence.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do that,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s just asking for trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to be your slave until death,¡± Akurel said and lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯ll give you my everything: my knowledge, my power, my wealth and prestige.¡± Chapter 254 ¡°What is this fool blathering about?¡± Pyre asked as he appeared by Palan¡¯s side. ¡°Your knowledge? Lots of good that did you. Who¡¯s smarter between you and me? Your wealth? What good is wealth when you can¡¯t access it? And what prestige do you even have that could be useful? Your soldiers are all captive, and the general public despises you.¡± Palan noticed Pyre didn¡¯t mention Akurel¡¯s power, but he chose not to say anything. Akurel fell silent as his head drooped. Just when Palan thought the captive angel was done speaking, Akurel raised his head, focusing his gaze on Palan, and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it still a better deal? You¡¯re intelligent, I¡¯m sure you understand. Access to all my mana is greater than the tiny bits you can collect from my subordinates. They¡¯ll bring you less benefit. I¡¯m willing to fully cooperate with any matter as long as you take care of my people.¡± Pyre snorted. ¡°You care for your people quite a lot,¡± he said and folded his arms across his chest. ¡°But do you care for others, the people who suffer because of the actions you take? How many lizardman and goblin families have you destroyed? How many punishments amongst angels have you carried out? Because of you, how many wives have become widows? How many children have become orphans?¡± Akurel¡¯s brow furrowed. Scabs tore along his neck as he turned his head to face Pyre. ¡°Have I offended you somehow?¡± he asked. ¡°You seem to have an unnatural hatred towards me that stems from more than me being in the way of the rebel army.¡± Palan had noticed that Akurel was the only angel with chains embedded within his body. And he was the only angel who was given the bare minimum amount of healing to stay alive; otherwise, his wounds wouldn¡¯t be festering and dripping blood constantly. Pyre¡¯s expression relaxed as a smile appeared on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t you know your own nickname?¡± he asked and raised an eyebrow. The dwarf standing beside him took a few steps back when she saw Pyre¡¯s expression change. ¡°The Crying Executioner.¡± Pyre kicked one of the orbs embedded in Akurel¡¯s chest, causing him to gasp. ¡°So cry for me.¡± Akurel gnashed his teeth as the orb was twisted and shoved deeper into the bleeding hole in his chest. ¡°Is that it? Did I execute someone close to you?¡± he asked as a waterfall of blood ran down his torso. Pyre sneered. ¡°You¡¯re the capital¡¯s dog,¡± he said. ¡°Who else is willing to carry out their punishments? How is someone so callous and inhumane like you willing to trade your life for your subordinates¡¯ care? I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Pyre ripped the orb out of Akurel¡¯s chest and lobbed it to the dwarf before looking at Palan. ¡°How big of a price do you think you¡¯ll have to pay if you accept his deal? What do you think the consequences will be to yourself if he dies?¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Palan¡¯s expression hardened as he stared at Akurel. At first, he thought Pyre was just rejecting Akurel because he was trying to obtain more benefits. Now, Palan wasn¡¯t so sure anymore. ¡°You¡¯re an executioner?¡± Palan asked. ¡°He¡¯s not an executioner. He¡¯s the executioner,¡± Pyre said and snorted. ¡°Everyone sentenced to death has their punishments carried out by him alone, but I¡¯m sure the capital¡¯s found a replacement since his imprisonment.¡± Akurel met Palan¡¯s gaze. He understood the demon was asking for him to elaborate. A crease formed on his forehead as he exhaled through his nose. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m an archangel of altruism. No one should have to bear the burden of taking another life, but it has to be done by someone. I carry out the executions so no one else has to.¡± His gaze shifted onto Pyre. The old half-angel was stunned as if he just realized something. ¡°Even angels of knowledge can have lapses in judgment when it comes to their feelings. I wonder who I took from you but that¡¯s all. I¡¯m convinced whoever it was deserved it. I won¡¯t apologize for what I¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°Bastard,¡± Pyre said as he rammed a metal spike through Akurel¡¯s stomach. He heated it up with an orb of wrath, causing the smell of burning flesh to permeate the cage. ¡°Fucking bastard,¡± Pyre said again as he twisted the metal. The torture was relatively harsh, but Palan could tell Pyre wasn¡¯t into it. His actions were robotic, his mind preoccupied. The half-angel yanked the spike out and tossed it onto Akurel¡¯s body, burning the angel¡¯s skin further. Pyre glanced at Palan as he pulled a pipe and screaming plant out of his bag. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I said.¡± Palan didn¡¯t say a word as Pyre took his leave, leaving behind puffs of smoke. The demon scratched his head and faced Justitia who shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s up to you,¡± she said. She wasn¡¯t going to say anything that would put her right back into a cage. Akurel coughed a few times as his head leaned back. ¡°Can you take this thing off my body?¡± he asked. Palan didn¡¯t make a move, causing Akurel to smile wryly. ¡°And about my offer¡­.¡± ¡°Convince me,¡± Palan said as he folded his arms and legs and leaned back, balancing on his red and purple tails like a kangaroo. ¡°We don¡¯t have to sign a binding contract,¡± Akurel said. ¡°I can give you everything I said before through a blood contract. If either of us goes back on our word, then we¡¯ll die, but nothing will happen to you if I die. You must know what a blood contract is, right?¡± ¡°Can you give up your mana as a bargaining chip for that type of contract?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Maybe he should¡¯ve used a blood contract for all the previous deals, but then again, he didn¡¯t want to die because a dwarf accidently ignored an ¡®X¡¯ and broke his part of the agreement. Hair loss was something he could afford as a punishment. ¡°Yes,¡± Akurel said. ¡°Or it couldn¡¯t hurt to try at least.¡± Palan rubbed his chin. ¡°My authority here isn¡¯t that great yet,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve only been here for less than a day¡ªI wonder if I could convince Solra.¡± He reached over and retrieved a white orb from a dwarf, using it to heal Akurel. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Chapter 255 ¡°Where are you going?¡± Justitia asked as she followed Palan down a passageway. It was dimly lit, the walls and floor rough with stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pointing at their heads. A few harpies were conversing amongst themselves in fierce whispers as they followed behind the duo. ¡°Do we kidnap them?¡± one of the harpies asked. ¡°Do you think they can read?¡± ¡°The angel can definitely read!¡± the first harpy said. ¡°Wah, but that demon looks really scary,¡± a third harpy said as her feathers ruffled. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one demon. I¡¯m going to¡ª¡° Palan turned around and glared at the flock. He asked with his arms folded across his chest, ¡°Do you want to be roasted or barbequed?¡± ¡°Ah! He heard us. Why are you so loud!?¡± The harpies scattered and half-hopped, half-flew out of the passage. Palan snorted as they disappeared from sight. Justitia¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What were they saying?¡± she asked as Palan continued going the same way as before. ¡°Something about kidnapping,¡± Palan said and rolled his eyes. He stopped walking, halting in front of a forked pathway. He tilted his head and inhaled through his nose. Justitia watched as he stood unmoving. She knew what it meant when a harpy wanted to kidnap a male. A thought flashed through her head, but she quickly dismissed it. She remembered her parents telling her to get married and look for a nice job, but she had run off and joined the army instead. How were her parents doing anyway? Did the war affect their lives? ¡°This way,¡± Palan said, entering the passage on the left. As the duo walked, harpies continued to fly past them, carrying some dwarves and goblins. Justitia furrowed her brow as a cursing female lizardman was dragged past them. Were there not enough males for the harpies¡­? ¡°This place is very interesting,¡± Justitia said as the female lizardman was dragged around a corner. She unconsciously stepped closer to Palan. What if she was going to be kidnapped next? ¡°Do you think it¡¯s the harpies¡¯ mating season?¡± Palan shrugged. At the end of the passage, there was a relatively bright light. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stepped out of the passage, entering the cafeteria. He stood in front of the tunnel entrance and sniffed the air. A centaur stared at him, waiting to enter the passageway. ¡°Who are you?¡± the centaur asked and furrowed his brow. Unlike Mathias, this centaur only had two arms, but his body was completely red. ¡°I would¡¯ve remembered someone with your appearance.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Palan continued to smell the air, ignoring the centaur by his side. When he finished, he brushed past the centaur as if the halfling didn¡¯t exist. Justitia scratched her head and walked around the stamping hooves, keeping pace with Palan. After traversing from one side of the cafeteria to the other, the duo stopped in front of a wall. There was a troll embedded inside of it, its mouth letting out occasional groans. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed as he stepped forward and sniffed the troll. Palan growled. ¡°Dammit, Pyre.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Justitia asked. She bit her lower lip, staring at the imprint left in the wall. What creature had enough strength to launch a troll into a wall so hard that it became stuck? Her eyes wandered over the creature with the pig-like head and elephant-like ears. It was her first time seeing a troll. ¡°That stupid badge smells like this thing,¡± Palan said and pointed at the troll. His purple tail rose into the air and slapped the troll¡¯s face, causing it to shudder and shout. Its eyes fluttered open. ¡°Ah?¡± The troll tried to move, but the only thing that happened was a few pebbles fell from the wall. A sigh escaped from the troll¡¯s mouth. It blinked a few times before its bulging muscles slackened. ¡°I appear to be stuck.¡± A trickle of blood started leaking out of its nose where Palan¡¯s tail had made contact. Palan¡¯s expression darkened further. The troll blood smelled exactly like the badge Pyre had given Raea. Just when Palan was thinking about going back to the prison and venting his frustration on Pyre, a harpy flew past, holding onto a struggling centaur whose haunches where being dragged along the ground. ¡°Release me, foul bird!¡± the centaur shouted as its legs scrambled for purchase. ¡°You¡¯re going to go to hell for this! I am a messenger of¡ª¡° ¡°For the harbinger!¡± the harpy shrieked, cutting off the centaur¡¯s spiel. Palan¡¯s expression turned blank. ¡°We¡¯re going that way,¡± he said and pointed at the tunnel the harpy flew down. Justitia¡¯s face paled. Wasn¡¯t that where all the harpies had been going? Was Palan interested in¡­? Forget it, it wasn¡¯t her place to judge him. ¡°H-help?¡± the troll asked as it stared at Palan¡¯s and Justitia¡¯s backs. ¡°Do you mind if I ask why we¡¯re going this way?¡± Justitia asked Palan, making sure she could touch one of his tails if she reached out with her hand. She didn¡¯t feel safe¡ªwho would if they were in her position? ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to find Solra to negotiate?¡± ¡°Negotiate?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Harpies continued to fly to and from the tunnel they were in, the majority of them carrying dwarves. ¡°If Raea was with me, would I even have to negotiate? I¡¯ll just kill him if he refuses. I don¡¯t believe Pyre would do a worse job as a leader.¡± Justitia¡¯s face paled as a few harpies turned to stare at them when they heard Palan talking about killing Solra. ¡°S-should you be saying things like that?¡± she asked and held onto his tail. Palan snorted. ¡°So what if someone hears?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s all they can do.¡± He smiled at a red goblin who was hanging upside-down with a harpy holding onto its ankle. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Palan asked and laughed as he continued down the tunnel. Eventually, they ended up in front of a massive pit leading into the earth with hundreds of harpies flying in it. ¡°Raea¡¯s here?¡± Justitia asked as she peered over the edge. She swallowed as her knees trembled. The pit of her stomach dropped as her hands began to sweat. ¡°That¡¯s a long way down¡­.¡± Palan wrapped his arm around Justitia¡¯s waist. Her body stiffened as her head snapped towards Palan¡¯s face. ¡°What are you¡­?¡± Justitia¡¯s question turned into a scream as Palan jumped off the edge. Chapter 256 Stale air rushed past Palan and Justitia as they plummeted through the harpies¡¯ territory, heading straight for the sprawling nest made of bones at the very bottom. Palan ignored the nonstop scream coming from the unwilling angel in his grasp. Surprisingly, for what was essentially an underground city occupied by harpies, the odor and noise level weren¡¯t unbearable. The angels¡¯ cities were a lot worse. Maybe harpies didn¡¯t produce as much waste? ¡°This isn¡¯t how I wanted to die!¡± Justitia screamed as the nest grew larger and larger before her very eyes. Her gaze landed on Palan¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t perturbed like this was a very normal activity he partook in regularly. ¡°I¡¯m not as sturdy as you!¡± Palan showed no sign of reacting as he continued to scan the faces of the harpies while falling. His eyes lit up when he saw Cory, the only completely red harpy, hanging upside down from a branch on the pillar in the center of the nest. The alphabet was scrawled on the floor of the nest, and she was tracing their shapes in the air with her wing, sounding them out at the same time. As if sensing something, her wing stopped moving, and she righted herself on the branch. Her brow furrowed as she squinted at Palan who was falling straight for her. ¡°Ah!¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s him?¡± ¡°Dear Creator,¡± Justitia said as she pressed her hands together in prayer. Her eyes closed as she took in a deep breath. ¡°Please take care of my family. I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve this, but if this is your will, I¡¯m willing to accept my fate. I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been a filial daughter, but I did the best I could in my situation. Maybe this is my punishment for being weak and unable to endure the torture I was subjected to. All I ask is that you make my passing painless. In my next life, I¡¯d like to be a mosquito. Amen.¡± Her heart pounded as she waited. And waited. And waited some more. Had she stopped falling? She slowly opened one of her eyes, revealing a static floor. ¡°Huh?¡± she asked. Suddenly, the floor advanced towards her face as Palan released her waist. Justitia yelped as the front of her body crashed into the nest. Her vision went black, but pain wracked her body. ¡°I¡¯m alive?¡± she asked as she pushed herself off the ground. Cory and Palan were staring at her. ¡°Does your Creator ever answer your prayers?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head to the side. ¡°You heard that?¡± Justitia asked and pursed her lips. ¡°Mn. You were just floating in front of me while saying that,¡± Cory said and nodded as she alighted from the branch to the ground. She licked her lips and asked Palan, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Her wing throbbed when she saw Palan¡¯s red tail. ¡°Where¡¯s Raea?¡± Palan asked and sniffed the air. ¡°Never mind. I found her.¡± He walked towards the base of the central pillar and found a curtain. Behind it, there was a hollowed out space with steps leading further underground. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go there,¡± Cory said as her wings fluttered by her side. She bit her lower lip. ¡°She¡¯s there, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good idea. She said no one should disturb her.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I¡¯m an exception,¡± Palan said as he took a step down the stairwell. ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait right here,¡± Justitia said and nodded. She turned towards Cory. ¡°Hello, my name¡¯s Justitia. It¡¯s¡±¡ªa snake wrapped around Justitia¡¯s waist¡ª¡°nice to ¡­ well, it was nice meeting you.¡± Cory¡¯s brow furrowed as she watched Justitia¡¯s body disappear behind the curtain, the angel¡¯s body limp and unresisting. There was no light in the stairwell, but that didn¡¯t seem to bother Palan. He continued at the same pace until he reached another curtain which he lifted open. Light streamed into the stairwell. Raea¡¯s back was facing him. In front of her, metals and miscellaneous objects were stacked into neat piles. Raea was rummaging through them. She picked up a golden cup and, without looking back, asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say no one should come in here?¡± ¡°You eat metal now?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked and turned her head. She tossed the goblet aside and stepped towards him. Her brow furrowed when she saw Justitia hanging upside-down from his tail. ¡°Why can¡¯t you ever hold people right-side up? What if she dies because of all the blood flowing to her head?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault she¡¯s top-heavy,¡± he said and dropped Justitia onto her head. The angel¡¯s eye twitched as she sat up, but she chose not to rebut Palan¡¯s comment. ¡°Raea,¡± Justitia said as she sized the demonic angel up. ¡°You look ¡­ well.¡± ¡°Sarcasm?¡± Raea asked and tilted her head to the side. Justitia¡¯s mind blanked for a second before she shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Even though you don¡¯t look like an angel anymore, I don¡¯t think any male would care.¡± Raea snorted as her tail swished back and forth. ¡°You¡¯re done torturing people?¡± she asked, turning her attention back to Palan. ¡°Did you free her from there?¡± A crease appeared on her forehead. Her voice lowered as her eyes narrowed. ¡°What about Owen?¡± ¡°Why does it sound like you want to hurt him?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°According to her¡±¡ªhe gestured towards Justitia who was taking in her surroundings¡ª¡°Owen deserted the army before everyone was caught.¡± Raea nodded as her expression relaxed. ¡°I see,¡± she said as she stretched her wings fully before folding them against her back. Before she could say anything else, Palan continued speaking, ¡°Also, I¡¯m not quite done with the prisoners,¡± he said and rubbed his chin. ¡°I want to form contracts with a few of them and your help¡ª¡° ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡ªwould be nice. Hm? Did you say no?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I said no.¡± She didn¡¯t notice Justitia¡¯s face paling. ¡°And why won¡¯t you help me?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Because you¡¯re mine,¡± Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m not going to share you with someone else.¡± Her chest ached and then burned when she thought about Palan listening another person¡¯s orders. The feeling made her want to chop something to pieces with her tail. ¡°Am I not good enough for you? Is that it?¡± ¡°What if I already formed contracts with other angels?¡± Palan asked with a smirk. Justitia cleared her throat as she inched towards the curtain. ¡°I¡¯m going to wait upstairs,¡± she said and disappeared. Neither Palan nor Raea stopped her. ¡°Then I¡¯ll force them to dissolve it or I¡¯ll kill them,¡± she said and narrowed her eyes. She stepped forward and wrapped herself around Palan¡¯s body with her wings. Her hands snaked around his back, hugging him, as she stood on her tiptoes. She tilted her head until her mouth was pointing at his ear. She whispered, ¡°You didn¡¯t form any contracts, did you?¡± Palan frowned. He wondered if it was possible for lightning to strike him this far below ground. It probably couldn¡¯t. ¡°No,¡± he said. A miniature thundercloud materialized over Palan¡¯s head. Lightning struck him twice. Chapter 257 In a well-lit room with marbled floors and walls, dozens of cocoons were laid in rows like pieces on a board. Solra was standing in front of them, leaning against a cane, with a dwarf nearby. Ivan and Mathias were waiting behind him, their arms folded across their chests, in case any of the newly hatched archlings wanted to test out their powers and rebel. The dwarf was reading off from a list as he paced around the room. ¡°This cocoon belongs to Nino, the hobgoblin of greed. He entered his cocoon five days ago. Judging by previous hobgoblin spawning times, he¡¯s due to hatch within the next three days,¡± the dwarf said and moved onto another cocoon. ¡°This cocoon belongs to Tra-Tra, the troll of stupidity. She formed her cocoon just two days ago. I estimate she¡¯ll take two more weeks to hatch. This is¡­.¡± A harpy popped her head into the room and peered around with wide eyes. She wet her lips with her tongue as she tiptoed inside and hid behind a cocoon near the entrance, covering her head with her wings. The feathers on her wingtips spread apart revealing her blue eyes. The dwarf¡¯s voice continued to drone on as he got closer to the harpy¡¯s position. ¡°This is Gregory, the lizardman of gluttony. He entered his cocoon four¡±¡ªflapping noises resounded throughout the room as an explosion of feathers engulfed the dwarf¡ª¡°days ago!?¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Solra yelled as the harpy flew out of the room like a bolt of lightning, leaving behind a trail of white feathers. A screaming dwarf was attached to her lower body, her talons wrapped around his shoulders and underneath his armpits. Ivan and Mathias stood with their mouths gaping as the harpy rounded a corner, disappearing from sight. Solra shouted at the two frozen archlings, ¡°What are you doing!? Chase!¡± The archangel¡¯s expression darkened as Ivan and Mathias scrambled out of the room. Was this part of Pyre¡¯s plot to undermine his authority? Solra understood not everyone appreciated him as the leader of the army, but no one had ever openly rebelled like this. The harpies had been getting more and more unruly ever since Madison¡¯s disappearance. Cory was the figurehead he planted inside their camp to placate them, but had she defected to Pyre¡¯s side? It seemed like he needed to have a heart-to-heart talk with Pyre before things got too out of hand. If the army split into separate factions now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to conquer the capital. Sariel still had those after all. Although Solra couldn¡¯t get Dinah to admit they existed¡ªeven when he started bragging to her about his impending victory, she hadn¡¯t said anything that hinted at them¡ªhe knew Sariel wouldn¡¯t just roll over and surrender. Cracking sounds echoed through the room as a hand burst out of a nearby cocoon. Solra sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. The first time Palan arrived at the rebel army, an arch-level troll had hatched along with two goblins. Unfortunately, Solra¡¯s plans of recruiting them as bodyguards was ruined because they were the very embodiments of sloth, leaving him once again very defenseless. Well, as defenseless as an archangel could be.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Solra chose not to activate his power as he crossed his arms and waited for the cocoon to break apart. Another slimy hand burst out, followed by a head. The cocoon disintegrated as a red dwarf rose to his feet, clenching and unclenching his hands. Though he had evolved, he was still only as tall as Solra¡¯s stomach. ¡°Hello,¡± Solra said and nodded at the dwarf. The dwarf blinked a few times before squinting at Solra. ¡°Commander,¡± he said and saluted. ¡°What sin or virtue do you have?¡± Solra asked. The only thing he paid attention to during the previous dwarf¡¯s speech was the hatching times. Everything else was irrelevant. The dwarf paused. It scanned the remaining cocoons around it before speaking again. ¡°Patience,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Solra asked. The dwarf walked out of the disintegrated cocoon which was covering his ankles. ¡°Hasty,¡± the dwarf said. His head constantly swiveled back and forth as if he was looking for something. ¡°You¡¯re a dwarf named Hasty, and your virtue is patience?¡± Solra asked. ¡°That is way too confusing.¡± The dwarf nodded. ¡°My mom. She was named Smart,¡± the dwarf said. His eyes lit up as he located the wardrobe in the corner of the room. He rummaged through it, pulling out clothing that fit. ¡°My dad. He was named Not Very.¡± ¡°Mn. From today forth, your new name is going to be Vern,¡± Solra said and clapped his hand on the dwarf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How do you feel about being my new bodyguard, Vern?¡± ¡°Not happy,¡± the dwarf said and frowned. ¡°Impossible task.¡± Solra¡¯s expression froze. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± he asked. The dwarf shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t want to lie,¡± he said. ¡°Then don¡¯t lie,¡± Solra said, his forehead creasing. The dwarf¡¯s frown deepened. He fidgeted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His gaze landed on the disintegrated cocoon. ¡°I ¡­ will wait,¡± he said before walking over and covering himself with the dried powder. As a dwarf of patience, he couldn¡¯t lie, but no one said he always had to answer. Solra¡¯s mouth fell open as the dwarf buried himself underneath the debris. ¡°What exactly are you waiting for?¡± he asked. Dwarves weren¡¯t very talkative which was usually a good thing, but sometimes, Solra just wanted to squeeze them and force words out of their short little bodies. ¡°For you to leave,¡± the dwarf said. The dust rustled, and Solra imagined it was the dwarf nodding in a matter-of-fact manner. Solra¡¯s eye twitched. Was this Pyre¡¯s doing once again? How badly was his authority undermined? He snorted and stomped out of the room, dragging his cane behind him. The dwarf popped out of the dust, blinking powder out of his eyes. There was a trace of pity in his gaze as he watched Solra round a corner, but it disappeared when he stood up and dusted off his body. Chapter 258 Solra gritted his teeth as he walked through the tunnels at a brisk pace, ignoring the aches coming from his joints. He wasn¡¯t worried about leaving the cocoon room¡ªthe newly hatched dwarf was the only archling expected to appear that evening. What he was more worried about was the fact that Pyre had blatantly tried to usurp his authority. Who else would dare order someone to kidnap one of his most trusted subordinates in his presence? Solra¡¯s right leg throbbed as his cane was dragged along the floor, leaving a white line on the tiles, but it didn¡¯t bother him as he increased his speed. During the fight against the council, he had been injured by Sariel, who used an orb to unleash a strange power, while escaping from the capital. No matter how many kindness angels he found, none of them were able to remove his limp. There had been one night where he was in absolute agony because of his leg that he had it cut off and regrown, but even that didn¡¯t cure him, only bringing him temporary relief. Faint screams entered Solra¡¯s ears, letting the old archangel know he was approaching the prison where Pyre would be waiting. Grinding sounds came from Solra¡¯s teeth as his hands clenched into fists. His brow furrowed as he looked up just in time to see a harpy fly past his head, holding onto a yelling goblin. His face slackened as his mouth fell open, his fist relaxing and uncurling. Solra remained motionless as the harpy blinked and said, ¡°Commander,¡± before continuing her flight with the hapless goblin. What exactly was Pyre trying to do? His brow furrowed as he brought his cane to his side and leaned against it. The outrage in his chest had disappeared after hearing the harpy¡¯s greeting. Clearly, there was still some semblance of respect for him remaining. But what had the dwarf meant by the words impossible task when answering his question about being a bodyguard? Solra¡¯s lips pressed into a frown. Perhaps he was being too hasty in seeking answers from Pyre. What was he going to do if Palan was there? An archdemon whose powers he couldn¡¯t suppress was a major problem for him. The only solution he had at the moment was to use an overwhelming amount of archlings to counter him. Perhaps it may be a bit crude, but sometimes, the simplest methods were the best. At that moment, he regretted sending Ivan and Mathias to chase after that harpy. ¡°Commander!¡± a voice said. Solra turned towards the side, facing a tunnel that led towards the hall he was in. A lizardman with black skin was pressing herself against the wall of the passage, her gaze glued to the ceiling. ¡°Is she gone?¡± ¡°Is who gone?¡± Solra asked and frowned. The lizardman took a tentative step out of the tunnel and looked both ways before crossing, arriving at Solra¡¯s side. ¡°The harpy,¡± she said and crouched behind him, still staring at the ceiling. Solra followed her gaze. There were passageways in the ceiling of this particular hall that the harpies often used to traverse. He took a moment to admire the dwarves¡¯ handiwork that helped prevent traffic in the hall from congesting. ¡°Why are you so frightened of a harpy?¡± Solra asked and narrowed his eyes at the lizardman. He could tell by the shapes of her scales that she was a female. Logically speaking, harpies only targeted males. The lizardman gulped. ¡°It¡¯s the harpies¡¯ mating season,¡± she said. Her body flinched and froze at the sound of flapping wings, but no harpy appeared. ¡°I heard there are some special harpies that don¡¯t care if their mates are female. I ¡­ I have a mate that I must remain loyal to. We just exchanged our vows a week ago, but we haven¡¯t done anything yet. I don¡¯t want to disgrace him by being dirtied by a harpy.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°You must be kidding me,¡± Solra said as his grip on his cane loosened. Was this a misunderstanding on his part? He frowned as he tried to recall the previous mating frenzies the harpies had. The harpies were a bit bold when it came to choosing their mates, and it wasn¡¯t unreasonable to say that the harpies who subdued the more difficult targets held a higher rank in their society. Was it possible that his personal aide was kidnapped because a harpy wanted bragging rights? Nothing like that had ever happened before. Perhaps Cory didn¡¯t have as large of a presence as the previous matriarchs¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding,¡± the lizardman said and grasped the hem of Solra¡¯s robe. ¡°My chastity is at stake here. I beseech you, please help me.¡± Before Solra could say anything, a harpy flew into the hall. ¡°Ah! Found you,¡± she said and hovered over the duo. Her expression froze when she saw Solra. ¡°I greet the commander.¡± The harpy saluted with one wing and promptly fell out of the air, landing on her feet behind the lizardman. ¡°Begone, perverted creature!¡± the lizardman shouted as she stole Solra¡¯s cane and brandished it at the harpy. ¡°Stop!¡± Solra said before the two halflings could engage in combat. He snatched his cane back from the black lizardman and snorted, lightly smacking her wrist. His gaze landed on the harpy. She smiled at him and took a few steps back, her feathers rustling. She was about to fly away when Solra asked, ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Err. The meaning of what?¡± the harpy asked and tilted her head to the side. She continued shuffling her feet backwards. ¡°Why are you trying to abduct this lizardman?¡± Solra asked. The harpy blinked. ¡°Because she can read?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Solra and the lizardman asked at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ not trying to mate with me?¡± the lizardman asked and furrowed her brow. A strange look appeared on her scaled face. ¡°What?¡± the harpy asked, her nose wrinkling. ¡°Ew. No. What the eggshells? Why in the world would I want to do that? Unless you have a¡­.¡± The harpy lowered her head and stared at the lizardman¡¯s crotch. She clicked her tongue. ¡°Always hard to tell with lizardmen¡ªretractable ding-dongs and whatnot.¡± Solra pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°What do you mean by she can read?¡± he asked, hiding the blushing lizardman behind his back. ¡°Well,¡± the harpy said and began preening herself. ¡°Well, well, well. There are these things called letters and when you rearrange them in a certain way, they produce these bigger things called words. If you rearrange words in a certain way, they produce these even bigger things called sentences. And if you rearrange sentences in a certain way, they produce these even bigger than sentences things called paragraphs. Not everyone is capable of deciphering a paragraph, but she is.¡± The harpy nodded and folded her wings against her body while puffing her chest out. Solra sighed. Why couldn¡¯t this harpy have been a dwarf? ¡°And why does it matter if she can decipher a paragraph?¡± he asked, stretching his lips into a smile. The harpy blinked twice. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I can¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°And according to the harbinger, it is unacceptable for us to not be able to do things that others can, except when it involves opposable thumbs because we lack arms.¡± ¡°According to the what?¡± Solra asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°The harpies are going around kidnapping people to learn?¡± ¡°The harbinger,¡± the harpy said and furrowed her brow. ¡°We¡¯re going around kidnapping people because of the harbinger. The harbinger wants us to learn how to read, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do.¡± ¡°I think I understand,¡± Solra said and rubbed his temples. ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°Can ¡­ can I take her with me?¡± the harpy asked, gesturing towards the lizardman. ¡°No.¡± The harpy pouted. ¡°Fine,¡± she said and wrinkled her nose before flying away. Chapter 259 Then the harpies weren¡¯t acting under Pyre¡¯s orders. Solra nodded to himself before shooing the black lizardman away with his cane. He¡¯d still have to have a talk with Pyre, but it shouldn¡¯t be from too hostile of an angle. After all, they were still allies in the eyes of the halflings. Solra sighed as he continued to follow the sounds of the faint screams, walking at a controlled pace this time. His cane tapped in an even rhythm as he traversed down the hall, attracting the attention of a few halflings who saluted him. As he got closer to the prison, more and more screams reached his ears. His eyebrows knit together as his stomach dropped. Hadn¡¯t he warned Pyre about the necessity of the council members? Why did the amount of screams coming from the prison seem like so much more than usual then? His nose curled as the smell of burning hair and flesh assaulted him as he rounded a corner. He increased his pace¡ªsomething was wrong. Out of morbid curiosity, he had once asked Pyre why he didn¡¯t use fire to torture the angels. The half-angel said, ¡°Why would I use fire? It damages their nerves and dulls their reactions to future pain. Plus, it¡¯s an inefficient use of the healing orbs. Sticking needles underneath their fingernails is the most efficient ratio of pain inflicted and mana used to heal.¡± A steady stream of bloody dwarves passed him by as the metal door to the prison appeared in his view. Like usual, it was shut with blood leaking from the corners and cracks along its bottom edge. An unfamiliar angel sat next to it, her head hanging and face pale. Solra frowned as he approached the angel who was covering her ears with her hands. A few unintelligible shouts came from the other side of the metal door. Solra stopped in front of the angel. She raised her head, folding her hands into her lap. ¡°Who are you?¡± Solra asked as he leaned against his cane. His brow furrowed as the bottom was stained by the sticky blood on the floor. ¡°Is this some new form of torture Pyre invented? A timeout?¡± ¡°M-my name is Justitia,¡± Justitia said as she bit her lower lip. She glanced towards the metal door, hoping someone would come out and save her from the confrontation. She recognized Solra¡ªall the prisoners did. The door didn¡¯t open. ¡°Why are you on this side of the door?¡± Solra asked and raised an eyebrow, gesturing towards the prison with his cane. He activated his power, but his free hand reached into his robe and grasped one of the orbs he had sewn inside of his clothing as a precaution. ¡°I ¡­ made a deal with Palan,¡± Justitia said. ¡°He¡¯d free me from the torture if I joined him.¡± ¡°Is that something he can do?¡± Solra asked and furrowed his brow. The only reason why Solra was comfortable with keeping angels as captives was because of the red metal holding back their powers. Why would he keep people who wanted to kill him so close to the place he slept otherwise? Who gave that archdemon permission to free his captives? ¡°Where is he now?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°He¡¯s inside,¡± Justitia said as she pursed her lips and made up her mind. If Solra wanted to force her into more rounds of torture, she was going to fight him. Solra nodded. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said as he opened the door to the prison. Black smoke billowed out of the upper half of the entrance. ¡°Her too!? Who haven¡¯t you made a contract with in here!?¡± A voice that sounded like ringing bells reached Solra¡¯s ears, stunning him. He glanced at Justitia who flinched and chose to remain seated, ignoring his previous command. ¡°Like ¡­ a couple of people over there. Maybe a handful or two over in that corner¡­.¡± Solra recognized Palan¡¯s voice. He was about to say something but inhaled a lungful of black smoke and started to cough. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say everyone had to remain silent? Who dares to not shut up!?¡± The beautiful voice from before didn¡¯t have as much as an effect on Solra this time, perhaps, because he was too busy trying to breath. A sense of impending danger caused him to freeze mid-wheeze, and he lunged towards the side, crashing heavily against the ground, kicking up a wave of bloody mud which washed over Justitia. Moments later, a column of roaring black flames rushed out of the doorway and collided against the opposite wall, melting the metal door in the process. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Justitia whispered as molten bricks began to slide off the wall across from her, oozing onto the floor. Luckily she chose to sit next to the prison door instead of facing it. The black flames continued to burn for a few seconds, but they winked out of existence. Justitia noticed the flames closest to Solra had disappeared first. She nudged the archangel with her foot and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Solra was the leader of the rebel army, but she felt sympathy for him as a fellow sufferer of Raea¡¯s rage. ¡°That hurt,¡± Solra said as he spat out a mouthful of bloody gunk and pushed himself off the floor. He sat up and held his waist with one hand. ¡°My back. I¡¯m getting too old for this.¡± He released his cane and reached into his robe, pulling out a white orb which he used to heal himself. When the tendrils of light had nothing left to heal, Solra sighed and put the orb back inside his clothing. He asked Justitia, ¡°You couldn¡¯t have warned me?¡± She stared at him with no response. Suddenly, he felt a bit foolish for asking her that. He grasped his cane and crawled back up onto his feet. His robe was stained with red and black blood, but he supposed it was better than being dead. Solra considered closing the door to the prison, but it was more bent out of shape than he was. After witnessing Raea¡¯s powers, he decided to temporarily retreat. Talks could be held with Pyre later¡ªpreferably after Raea went to sleep and he had a few archlings to depend on. He pursed his lips as he hurriedly limped away. It had been a long time since he felt so helpless in front of someone else¡¯s power, and that included the fact Raea hadn¡¯t even truly been aiming to kill him. Chapter 260 Palan waved away the black smoke that was threatening to float into his face. ¡°You know that was Solra, right?¡± he asked the disgruntled archangel in front of him. ¡°So what?¡± Raea asked, snapping her head towards him. ¡°Did you form a contract with him too? Is that it?¡± She glared at the doorway, waiting to see if anyone else would try to come in. The first thing Raea did when she found out Palan lied to her was drag him to the prison to uncover all his contracts. She hadn¡¯t even spoken to him along the way, causing Justitia to stress out as she followed after them. ¡°I still don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so upset about this,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°And no, I did not form a contract with Solra.¡± He sighed as the female angel beneath his and Raea¡¯s feet finished signing a piece of paper. The yellow parchment fractured into thousands of pieces as Palan¡¯s connection with the captive was lost. He really didn¡¯t understand why Raea was blowing this minor thing out of proportion. He knew that one of her traits was envy, but it wasn¡¯t like she was losing anything. ¡°You really don¡¯t get it,¡± Raea said, placing her hands on her hips as she kicked aside the captive angel. ¡°How would you feel if I made submissive contracts to dozens of other demons? What if I just let them all have their way with me?¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed as his torso-mouth ground its teeth. ¡°I¡¯m in the dominant position for these contracts,¡± he said. Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed further. ¡°Though, I get your point¡ªyou¡¯re jealous. But don¡¯t you think you¡¯re taking this a bit too far? It¡¯s like you¡¯re getting angry at a bunch of ants, aren¡¯t you above that?¡± ¡°Even if they were baby ants, I wouldn¡¯t let them off if they dare set their eyes on you,¡± Raea said and stuck her chest out. ¡°I was the one who found you when you were just a regular demon. I saved you when you were dying to that stupid badger. It was my care that got you to where you are now. And now other people want to have a share in that? Now that you¡¯re at the top, everyone wants a part of you? Hell no! You. Are. Mine.¡± ¡°You know,¡± Palan said as a layer of black light enveloped his body. ¡°I really don¡¯t like being treated as someone¡¯s property.¡± He was about to say something related to his own abilities bringing him to where he was, but Raea didn¡¯t give him that chance. ¡°Then why did you make contracts with over three hundred people, you yellow-paper-loving slut!?¡± she shouted as the floor around her was set ablaze. ¡°You don¡¯t like being property! So why are you giving up a part of yourself to so many people!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not giving up anything!¡± Palan shouted back. His tails slammed against the ground, causing the whole prison to tremble. ¡°If you actually read the contents of the contracts, you would know!¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I did read them! Why don¡¯t I go form contracts with a thousand male demons and have their mana enter me!? Do you know how tainted you¡¯ll become if you start meditating?¡± Raea asked and folded her arms over her chest. She glared at her demon, her tail swishing and lacerating the nearby cages and angels inside. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed, but Raea didn¡¯t let him speak. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°I changed because of you. Even if you don¡¯t want to admit it, you also changed because of me. Hadn¡¯t a little part of me entered you because of our contract? Hadn¡¯t you lost part of yourself to me? Will you even be the same person if you lose three hundred little bits of yourself to these angels?¡± Palan¡¯s expression darkened. What Raea said wasn¡¯t unreasonable. The black glow surrounding his body faded away. The flames around Raea¡¯s feet dimmed before flickering out of existence. She took a step forward and hugged him, burying her face into his neck. ¡°What happened to you?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Palan asked as he absentmindedly used his hands to play with Raea¡¯s wings. ¡°Are you even a pride demon anymore?¡± Raea asked, causing Palan to tense. ¡°Do you know how hard it was for me to get you to submit? Now you¡¯re just freely giving yourself away for a little bit of mana?¡± She broke off her embrace and made eye contact with Palan, resting her hands on his shoulders. Her hands clenched, her nails digging into Palan¡¯s skin and drawing blood. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance, but no lightning rained down. ¡°Is your pride that cheap? Weren¡¯t you the one who told me, ¡®If you want something, then take it¡¯? Why are you bargaining for their mana? Just eat them and be done with it.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like it when I ate angels,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. Raea snorted. ¡°And how many times have you actually cared for what I liked? Don¡¯t use me as an excuse,¡± she said and released his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯d rather you be an angel-eating monster than a cheap whore.¡± ¡°But the efficiency¡­,¡± a third voice said. Raea and Palan turned to stare at Pyre who cleared his throat. ¡°Forget I said anything,¡± he said. ¡°But, you know, over time, Palan would harvest more mana from contracts than from the onetime gain he¡¯d get from eating an angel.¡± Raea asked Palan, ¡°Is who you are as a person worth that little bit of efficiency?¡± ¡°Of course it is,¡± Pyre said and nodded, answering for Palan. Palan and Raea ignored him. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. His countenance relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m always right except for the times I¡¯m wrong,¡± Pyre said and struck his chest with his hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡± Palan said and knocked Pyre away with his tail. He clapped his hand on Raea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. My pride isn¡¯t that cheap. I listened to Pyre and followed the rules because I was still stuck in the mindset of a greater demon. I¡¯m an archdemon now. Who dares to stand in my way?¡± A black glow enveloped Palan¡¯s hand, but unlike all the other times, the light wasn¡¯t transparent. It was impossible to see through. He lifted his hand above his head. Hundreds of angels and their cages were torn out of place and flew towards Palan like they were falling sideways through the air. Pyre¡¯s mouth fell open as all the angels Palan had formed contracts with tumbled to the ground by the demon¡¯s feet. The ones he hadn¡¯t formed contracts with¡ªand those who had theirs removed already¡ªremained untouched. Palan opened his mouth. ¡°Dissolve our contract or die.¡± Chapter 261 ¡°All that hard work,¡± Pyre murmured as a layer of yellow dust accumulated on the floor. The majority of the angels were in the process of dissolving the contracts they had formed less than a day ago. A few of them chose not to do anything, picking the option of death instead. Pyre sighed and shook his head as the angels who hadn¡¯t complied were flattened by an invisible force, their organs jetting out of their mouths. ¡°So much waste. They could¡¯ve been experimented on first.¡± Palan ignored the half-angel¡¯s complaints until he confirmed all the contracts he had created were destroyed, losing his hair in the process. Raea stared at the pile of limbs and red metal that surrounded them, looking for a path out. Palan didn¡¯t bother with that and directly walked on top of them, heading towards the prison exit. A voice called out to him, ¡°I suppose this means we no longer have a deal?¡± The angel underneath Palan¡¯s foot made a squelching noise as the demon pivoted and faced Akurel¡¯s cage. Raea tiptoed to her demon¡¯s side while Pyre was picking up metal and muttering something about cleaning up messes. He regretted sending all the dwarves away when Raea began indiscriminately throwing fireballs throughout the prison. ¡°Who is he?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°You don¡¯t have a contract with him, do you?¡± Palan shook his head. ¡°He wanted to form one. He¡¯s some hotshot executioner,¡± he said as he approached the cage. ¡°Originally, he¡¯s the person I wanted you to help me with.¡± ¡°Originally,¡± Raea said and smiled. ¡°Which means you don¡¯t have any more plans for him, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, but Pyre might,¡± Palan said and shrugged. If he did accept Akurel, his strength may increase, but was it worth the change in personality he might receive? Palan snorted as he thought about the possibility of an altruistic demon. It wouldn¡¯t be able to survive in either Eljiam or Div¡¯Nya. ¡°The deal¡¯s off. I¡¯m not interested in your powers.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Akurel said as Palan and Raea turned to leave. His brow furrowed as he leaned forward, straining against the chains buried in his body. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else I can do for you to spare my subordinates? Even if it¡¯s not giving you my mana, I can still assist you in different ways can¡¯t I? My power is altruism, I can increase the scope and intensity of your abilities. If you don¡¯t want to form a contract with me, I¡¯m willing to wear a slave collar.¡± Palan halted. ¡°Would that work?¡± he asked Pyre. The half-angel in the distance dropped the metal bar in his hand and frowned. ¡°Slave collars weren¡¯t made to work on angels,¡± Pyre said and rubbed his chin. ¡°And let¡¯s not mention the fact that¡¯s it¡¯s a taboo amongst the halflings.¡±Stolen story; please report. ¡°Can you make one that works on an angel?¡± Palan asked. Raea frowned and pinched Palan¡¯s waist. ¡°What? I¡¯m not even allowed to own a slave?¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not as bad as forming a contract,¡± she said. ¡°And you won¡¯t be interested in him sexually¡­, right?¡± A crease formed on her forehead as she stared at Palan. He flicked her nose. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± he said and turned his attention back onto Akurel. ¡°If I can get a slave collar that works on you, I¡¯ll consider taking better care of your subordinates.¡± Akurel sighed as he relaxed his body, sinking against the chains. ¡°Then I guess I will have to wait,¡± he said. ¡°I already know the answer, but I don¡¯t suppose my life could be traded for the angels¡¯ lives that you are going to war with, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too greedy now,¡± Palan said and snorted before walking away with Raea following after him. ¡°So, there¡¯s no more contracts?¡± Raea asked, dusting off her clothes. Her robe was stained with soot, and the lower half was drenched in blood and yellow powder. ¡°There¡¯s Pyre¡¯s,¡± Palan said, gesturing towards the half-angel who was also leaving to find his assistants. ¡°But you already knew about that.¡± Raea nodded. ¡°There¡¯s no mana transfer, so that doesn¡¯t really matter. Anyone else?¡± she asked, squinting at his face. She wanted to find a clue that signaled Palan was lying other than the obvious crash of lightning. It could help her in the future¡ªmaybe other people had similar mannerisms. ¡°There¡¯s her,¡± Palan said and pointed at Justitia as they exited the prison. She was still sitting in the same place, drawing doodles on the ground with her finger. ¡°I¡¯m what?¡± Justitia asked as her body stiffened. She raised her head and saw Raea glaring at her. She tried to swallow, but her mouth had become unusually dry. ¡°Let me see your contract with Palan,¡± Raea said with a frown. She didn¡¯t want to treat Justitia too badly. They were friends¡ªor companions at the very least. Justitia nodded as she caught the yellow crystal Raea dropped into her hands. She grasped it until it shattered, the pieces flowing upwards and forming a yellow parchment. Raea snatched it out of the air and began to read. She nodded. ¡°Acceptable.¡± The weight on Justitia¡¯s back was lifted. She blinked and exhaled before rubbing her eyes. She had heard the screams coming from within the prison after Raea entered, and she really wasn¡¯t a fan of any actions that could elicit a scream from her. ¡°Who else?¡± Raea asked Palan. ¡°There¡¯s no¡±¡ªa black cloud began to condense over Palan¡¯s head¡ª¡°¡­ not many left,¡± Palan said. The cloud dispersed. ¡°Just a few demons that I made contracts with above ground. Remember that time with the centaurs?¡± ¡°Vaguely,¡± Raea said. Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the recent events. The only thing that came to mind was an annoying angel who kept pestering her while riding a bull-headed demon. ¡°Well, I made a few deals to set them free as long as they owed me a favor,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°I have no idea what happened to them actually. I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I never got around to asking. What were you doing with the harpies anyway?¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You¡¯re avoiding something,¡± she said and pursed her lips. ¡°Who else do you have a contract with?¡± ¡°Mm. No one¡­¡±¡ªthunder rumbled in his ears¡ª¡°important,¡± Palan said and rolled his eyes. Couldn¡¯t this lightning-happy Creator let him off the hook just once? He thought about remaining silent, but he figured Raea¡¯s reaction would be worse than if he just told her. ¡°Just some minor side character named Abaddon.¡± Chapter 262 + 263 + 264 ¡°Oh,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°Just a minor side character named ¡­ Abaddon!? You don¡¯t mean that Abaddon, do you?¡± Her brow furrowed as her footsteps halted. Palan ignored her and continued walking, so she grabbed Danger Noodle and pulled him back. ¡°What kind of contract did you make?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Abaddon one of the four sinners?¡± Justitia asked Pyre. ¡°Like, no one would ever name their child Abaddon, right?¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°Abaddon isn¡¯t a bad name,¡± he said. ¡°It has three syllables, very sophisticated. One syllable is too few. Two syllables are eh. Four syllables are just unwieldy like Justitia. Isn¡¯t that a mouthful to say?¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Justitia muttered. ¡°Asshole.¡± ¡°Well?¡± Raea asked as she tugged on Danger Noodle. Her feet were planted against the ground, but she was being dragged along by Palan, leaving two parallel lines in the dirt floor. The black snake hissed at Raea before squirming out of her grasp and coiling around Palan¡¯s chest, looking at him with an aggrieved expression. ¡°You can¡¯t just say something like that and keep us in suspense.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor matter anyways. I can guarantee you there¡¯s no mana exchanging involved.¡± ¡°I no longer trust your definition of minor,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s really Abaddon? One of the four sinners?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no point in hiding it anymore since you¡¯re perfectly fine with me killing Sariel anyways.¡± His brow furrowed as he spoke in a lower voice, ¡°My sister contracted an illness¡ªthe plague; at least, that¡¯s what people called it. I heard the only way to cure it was through a shaman, so I went out to look for one. And that shaman happened to be an archangel named Abaddon. He knew my reputation as a hunter and offered me a deal through a contract. He¡¯d save my sister if I brought him Sariel¡¯s head. The end.¡± Pyre tapped his pipe and hummed. ¡°You know, the influx of random demons has been bothering the higher ups for the longest time now,¡± he said. ¡°So it turns out Abaddon¡¯s partly responsible for that. If his goal was to waste the angels¡¯ resources on establishing the guardians, then he¡¯s done a very good job.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit too calm about this?¡± Justitia asked Pyre, staring at the smoking half-angel whose eyes were half-closed. Pyre rolled his eyes. ¡°Like I¡¯ll take an angel who ran away like a whipped dog seriously,¡± he said. ¡°Hell, I don¡¯t even take Solra seriously.¡± ¡°So this whole time you were wanting to go to the capital was because you needed to kill Sariel?¡± Raea asked and pursed her lips. She was still being dragged along by Palan. ¡°I feel like I was manipulated by you.¡± ¡°You were using me as well,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°You wanted your merits to go back to the capital. I just happened to want to go to the capital too.¡± ¡°And what?¡± Raea asked, folding her arms over her chest. ¡°Were you just going to kill Sariel while I was receiving a promotion? Was that your plan? What would¡¯ve happened to me if you did that? Wouldn¡¯t I be the world¡¯s greatest traitor?¡± ¡°Of course I would¡¯ve taken you with me to Eljiam,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on hypothetical situations, alright? It¡¯s a waste of effort.¡± ¡°It is not,¡± Raea said as she pinched Palan¡¯s red tail. It let out a squeak before hissing at her. ¡°Right,¡± Palan said as his left arm was entangled by his tail. ¡°I forgot. You¡¯re the one who got mad at me because of a dream.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she stopped in place. ¡°Hey!¡± she shouted. ¡°That dream was totally true! You did have bigger plans than just reuniting with your sister! Did I really see the Creator that night?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Pyre said, cutting in before anyone else could speak. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the Creator. We all know he doesn¡¯t exist, or if he does, he¡¯s unimportant. Can we talk about more serious things like Palan¡¯s newfound powers?¡± ¡°Blasphemer,¡± Justitia said under her breath. ¡°You¡¯re ending won¡¯t be very happy.¡± ¡°Oh please,¡± Pyre said and laughed. ¡°That much is obvious¡ªmy whole life hasn¡¯t been very happy after all.¡± He grinned at Justitia as he pulled out his pipe. ¡°Is someone feeling a bit bitter about being tortured? How badly did I hurt you? Everything just blends together after a while.¡± ¡°I probably should¡¯ve known they wouldn¡¯t get along well,¡± Palan said to Raea. ¡°I think it¡¯s a miracle that they get along with you,¡± Raea said with a pout. ¡°But Pyre was right. Your power did seem to change.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because I realized how pitiful I was acting,¡± Palan said as he rounded a corner. Chattering could be heard as they entered the cafeteria. ¡°Once you ¡­ lectured me¡ªstill annoyed about that by the way¡ªI had a moment of clarity and my understanding of my power increased. Gravity doesn¡¯t always have to drag things down.¡± He furrowed his brow as a harpy flew past him, carrying a crying dwarf. ¡°It¡¯s a bit hard to explain, but I just feel it. Now tell me¡±¡ªhis gaze locked onto Raea¡¯s¡ª¡°what¡¯s with the harpies? I¡¯m usually not a very curious person, but this warrants a few answers.¡± The group stared at the ceiling of the passage. ¡°Well,¡± Raea said and scratched her cheek. ¡°You know how they call me the harbinger? I¡¯ve somehow become their leader¡­. I mean, it¡¯s not a bad thing to be looked up to by so many people. It¡¯s a nice feeling actually.¡± She nodded. ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain the cursing dwarves,¡± Justitia said as a dwarf spewed profanities overhead as he was dragged away by a harpy. Raea bit her lower lip. ¡°Mm. Harpies are a bit slow,¡± she said. ¡°So I wanted them to become a little smarter. Education is important. Once I help them reestablish their ancestral territories, I don¡¯t want them to return to their previous ways. I hope they can become a more peaceful nation.¡± ¡°Once you help them what?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Reestablish their territory,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s my job as the harbinger. If they¡¯re so sincere in treating me as the harbinger, shouldn¡¯t I answer their sincerity by trying my best?¡± ¡°And you say I¡¯m the one manipulating you,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°They¡¯re sincere with no ulterior motives,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Besides, I need a goal to distract myself.¡± She stared at the ground. ¡°Without one ¡­ I don¡¯t feel very stable. I need something to angrily work towards to vent my wrath or it¡¯ll devour me. I don¡¯t want that to happen.¡± Chapter 263 ¡°Goals are good, no doubt about that,¡± Pyre said and nodded as he grabbed a nearby lizardman. Purple smoke billowed out of his mouth as he spoke, ¡°Go gather the dwarves who were working in the prison and have them clean up the mess.¡± The lizardman was about to protest but realized who gave her the order. She abandoned her meal and scrambled away, cursing her bad luck. Justitia furrowed her brow as the lizardman disappeared down a tunnel. ¡°You really are a bully,¡± she said and stared at Pyre. ¡°To everyone.¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°In this world,¡± he said as he picked up the lizardman¡¯s meal, ¡°there are two types of people: Those who¡¯ve suffered and never want anybody else to suffer the same as they have. And those who¡¯ve suffered and want everybody else to feel the same type of pain. I am the latter.¡± He nodded as he put away his pipe and munched on a roasted arm. He used it to point at Raea. ¡°She¡¯s the same as me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea raised an eyebrow as her head swiveled. Her three companions were staring at her. ¡°Me? Aren¡¯t I the former? I dislike suffering.¡± ¡°You want revenge, don¡¯t you?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Raea said and knit her eyebrows. ¡°But¡ª¡°If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°So doesn¡¯t that make you the same? You suffered, so you want the people who made you suffer to feel the same pain,¡± Pyre said. ¡°There are no ifs, ands, or buts.¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°This is a special case. I don¡¯t want the whole world to suffer. I just want to avenge my sister. Only the people involved in her death have to die.¡± ¡°Like Palan?¡± Pyre asked and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you have some hatred flowing towards him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a special case too,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. Justitia took a step back, hiding half her body behind Palan. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just a hypocrite?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°You say you want to prevent other people¡¯s suffering, but you¡¯re willing to set them on fire. You say it¡¯s a certain subset of people that you want to kill, but you¡¯re pardoning someone who¡¯s in that subset. Why can¡¯t you forgive them all?¡± Raea bit her lower lip. Pyre grinned. ¡°See, there¡¯s nothing wrong with being a hypocrite,¡± he said. ¡°Everyone¡ª¡° Raea kicked the plate in Pyre¡¯s hand, launching it into his face. ¡°Eat your stupid leg and shut up!¡± Raea said and snorted. She crossed her arms over her chest and whirled around, heading towards the tunnel leading to the harpy nest. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I still haven¡¯t finished browsing all the treasures.¡± The plate slid off of Pyre¡¯s face. He coughed and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. ¡°It was an arm,¡± he said to Raea¡¯s and Palan¡¯s backs. Justitia stuck her tongue out at him before following after the duo. Pyre shook his head as he grabbed a nearby goblin and used her as a towel, wiping the juices off of his face. He sighed and dropped the disgruntled goblin. ¡°That¡¯s what I get for trying to improve her powers. Whatever. I should start on that slave collar.¡± ¡°Slave collar?¡± the goblin asked as she tried to wipe blood off of her dress. She raised her head and looked around, but Pyre had already disappeared. ¡°No one else heard that?¡± she asked. There was no response, and the goblin shrugged before cleaning up the mess on the floor. Though Raea and Palan were far away, they heard Pyre¡¯s words, causing Raea to snort. ¡°Improve my powers,¡± she said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, okay. Didn¡¯t I just say I didn¡¯t want to be devoured by wrath?¡± She nodded her head at every harpy that greeted her as she walked down the tunnel, following slightly behind Palan with Justitia at her side. ¡°You mentioned treasures,¡± Palan said, ignoring Raea¡¯s comment. She snorted. ¡°Remember that room you found me in?¡± Raea asked. ¡°The one you nearly set on fire?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Don¡¯t try to blame that on me,¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Would I have done that if you hadn¡¯t made those contracts?¡± Palan kept his mouth shut as the trio made it to the top of the harpies¡¯ territory. ¡°Not this again,¡± Justitia muttered to herself and sighed. A tail snaked around her waist, and she closed her eyes. Wind rushed past her body as the ground disappeared from beneath her feet. When she opened her eyes again, the three were at the bottom, near the central pillar of the bone nest. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Cory said and blinked. Her wings flapped as she righted herself from her previous upside-down position, causing soot to fall off of her legs. Within the nest, hundreds of halflings were bound and gagged, lying on top of each other like potato sacks. The red harpy puffed her chest out. ¡°Look at how many people we caught.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°How¡¯d you tie them up?¡± he asked and raised his hands, wiggling his fingers like Cleo would. ¡°Cause, you know.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cory said. She gestured towards a troll who was sitting beside the halfling pile, his arms and legs unbound. ¡°He helped us.¡± Raea pursed her lips as a few screams punctuated the air. Three goblins fell from the sky, landing against the ground with a cracking sound. The troll stood up and tied their limp bodies together before throwing them on top of the pile. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough¡­,¡± Raea said and scratched her head. ¡°Are you even sure all of them can read?¡± ¡°Kidnap first, ask questions later,¡± Cory said and nodded. ¡°If one out of a hundred goblins can read, then we just need to kidnap a hundred goblins.¡± Her head leaned to the side. ¡°Right?¡± Raea sighed and shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t ¡­ you know ¡­ never mind. I guess this is why we need to kidnap the dwarves,¡± she said and headed towards the curtain in the pillar. As the trio descended the stairwell, they heard Cory yelling, ¡°The harbinger has spoken! No more goblins, lizardmen, centaurs, and trolls! Only kidnap the dwarves!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to correct her?¡± Justitia asked as she stumbled on a protruding step and supported herself with the wall. Unlike Palan and Raea, she couldn¡¯t see in the dark. ¡°Sometimes mistakes have to be made before people can learn,¡± Raea said and nodded as she swept aside the curtain leading into the harpies¡¯ treasury. The floor was blackened, and a few treasures near the fringes of the piles were burnt or melted. ¡°The harpies had a system: contribution of treasures directly related to quality of rooms. The harpies who contributed more got to live closer to the main nest. This is everything they accumulated over the years.¡± Chapter 264 ¡°These qualify as treasures?¡± Palan asked as his gaze swept through the treasury. Rusted armor and weapons were heaped on top of each other, forming miniature mountains. A few red metal sheets were stacked neatly in a corner. Chests containing thousands of yellow crystals lay on the floor with their lids opened. Bones of every color, belonging to creatures that Palan couldn¡¯t identify, were scattered throughout the room. Justitia walked over and picked one up, a crease forming on her forehead as her fingers traced the edges. ¡°Why are these classified as treasures?¡± she asked. The yellow bone was smooth to touch. A few notches were cut out of the sides. ¡°Writing?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Cory said as her head popped over Justitia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just chicken scratch.¡± Justitia screamed and dropped the bone before falling forward. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked as she regained her composure. Palan and Raea turned around to stare at the red harpy. ¡°Watching?¡± Cory asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say no one should come in here while I¡¯m here?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Oh,¡± Cory said. ¡°I assumed you only meant that for that one time. Should I leave? Who else is going to introduce all our awesome treasures to you?¡± ¡°I think everything here is self-explanatory,¡± Raea said as she pursed her lips. She stared at the bone by Cory¡¯s feet. ¡°But fine. Tell us what the treasures are.¡± Cory nodded and picked up the bone with her talons. ¡°These yellow ones are the fortunetelling bones,¡± she said as she hopped around the room, picking up the scattered yellow bones. ¡°The seers made their predictions with these. I think.¡± She furrowed her brow as she placed the bones into a neat pile before scooping up red bones. ¡°These red ones are decision sticks. When the matriarchs are going to make a big decision, they toss these bones. This little skull mark means don¡¯t do it, and this little happy face means go for it.¡± She dropped them next to the pile of yellow bones. ¡°And lastly,¡± she said as she gathered blue bones, ¡°these are the gambling sticks. They¡¯re used by the matriarch when she¡¯s bored and wants to play a game, but no one knows the rules anymore.¡± The blue bones scattered the red and yellow ones as Cory flung them over, not caring about neatness anymore. Her brow furrowed. ¡°Or maybe the yellow ones were the gambling sticks¡­. Oh wells, that doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Cory¡¯s wings fluttered as she half-flew, half-walked over to Palan¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯ve got good eyes,¡± she said and nodded at the chests by his feet. It was a shame Cleo wasn¡¯t here. ¡°These are the yellow crystals that we¡¯ve plundered from, well, everyone. Don¡¯t ask where they came from, and you won¡¯t have to worry about it. We use these as power sources to light up the nest and currency to buy food. They¡¯re super inconvenient to pick up though.¡± Her talons clasped a bunch of crystals, but the majority ended up falling out of her grasp. ¡°What are these metal sheets?¡± Raea asked, gesturing towards the red metal in the corner. Cory shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t use them for anything,¡± she said. ¡°But the sadistic benefactor likes them, so obviously they must be a treasure. I was the one who brought them here.¡± She stuck her chest out and placed the tips of her wings on her hips. ¡°That¡¯s what secured me my place as matriarch.¡± Her voice lowered as her head drooped. ¡°Don¡¯t tell him I stole them though.¡± Palan and Raea walked around the mounds of armor, heading towards the back of the treasury. ¡°Wait,¡± Cory said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know about the armor and weapons?¡± ¡°Are they magical?¡± Justitia asked as she stopped by Cory¡¯s side. Raea and Palan ignored the two as they rummaged through a layer of miscellaneous items spread on the floor. ¡°Well,¡± Cory said. ¡°Well, well, well. I¡¯ll have you know, if you pick up this spear and stab it through someone¡¯s heart, then they¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point of all weapons?¡± Justitia asked and furrowed her brow. She wondered what happened to her lance that was confiscated after she was captured. It was the only weapon she could afford that could channel her powers of temperance. ¡°Aren¡¯t there any special ones?¡± ¡°Um. If you slash someone with this sword, then they¡¯ll bleed,¡± Cory said as she awkwardly lifted a sword with her talons. Justitia¡¯s face blanched as she took a few steps back while Cory hopped around and tried some stabbing motions. The harpy¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Very tricky to use though.¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Justitia said and sighed as Cory dropped the sword. ¡°Hey,¡± Raea said as she picked up a necklace that was buried at the very bottom of a pile of jewelry. Her attention was drawn to it because out of the rest of the jewelry, it was the only one in decent condition. It had a golden chain, which was as thick as her fingers, with red stripes circling its length. The clasp was made out of a blue metal that hadn¡¯t corroded which was a surprise to her because the necklace was half-submerged in a pool of sticky mud when she fished it out. Attached to the chain, there was the upper half of a skull made of red metal. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Creepy as hell,¡± Cory said as she hopped over and crinkled her nose. ¡°That¡¯s what it is.¡± Her eyes narrowed at the red skull: there were no teeth, the two triangles where a nose should¡¯ve been were filled in with gold, and the eye sockets were covered with two black gemstones. ¡°It looks like you can open its eyes. I¡¯ve never seen any matriarch wear that before¡ªprobably because it¡¯s freaky.¡± Palan glanced at it and rubbed his chin. ¡°Andrea would like that,¡± he said as he held out his hand. Raea placed it into his palm. She made a face as the skull stared at her. ¡°Watch,¡± she said as Palan turned it around and touched its forehead. ¡°You¡¯re going to open its eyelids and real eyeballs are going to be inside. I have a feeling.¡± ¡°That would be interesting,¡± Palan said. He placed his fingers at the bottoms of the two black gemstones and flicked them upwards. ¡°Huh. You were right.¡± ¡°What,¡± Raea said as she went to his side. She peered at the skull. Two hawk-like eyes stared back at her. Chapter 265 In the center of the capital, there was a tower-like building surrounded by a garden. The garden contained hundreds of flowers and was bordered by a wall of hedges. Within the garden, there was a golden statue facing one of the building¡¯s balconies. On the railing of the balcony, Sariel was kneeling with her eyes closed, head lowered, and hands pressed together in front of her face. Although her eyes were shut, she could visualize hundreds of white floating fireballs: behind her, above her, below her, in front of her, in all directions. Some of the flames were dimmer than others, while some were brighter, illuminating more of the darkness in her mind. But not all the flames were white. Almost directly above her, there were three pitch-black flames. Beside them, there were three white flames. Sariel continued using her powers, ignoring the lights above her, focusing on the gray flames in the distance instead. Most likely, they belonged to the angels that had their sins sealed by their family. There was one white light in the distance that had a black core. Sariel sighed as she overlaid a map of the capital with the vision in her head. ¡°One of the Desti family,¡± she murmured as her mouth tightened into a frown. Her eyes opened as her hands fell to her lap. A sigh escaped from her lips as she stood up, turned around, and stepped off the railing onto the balcony, facing the room where the council convened. It was unoccupied. The table was still there, but the seats were all pushed in and a layer of dust had formed on the wooden surface. Sariel¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as she walked past the table and out of the room, stepping into a carpeted hall. She turned towards the left and continued walking until she reached a spiral staircase, leading upwards. For a brief moment, her steps faltered, but she pursed her lips and ascended the stairs. At the very top, there was a red metal door with a lock on it¡ªthe only door with a lock in the whole capital. Sariel¡¯s hands reached behind her neck and unclasped her necklace. She pulled it out of her robe, revealing a key-shaped pendant. Her hand trembled as she pressed the key against the lock, taking three tries to insert it properly. She exhaled and bit her lower lip before turning the cold metal in her hand. The door clicked and swung ajar. Laughter along with the sounds of eating and drinking reached her ears, but it stopped when Sariel pushed the door open, causing its hinges to squeak. She stepped past the threshold and shut the door behind herself. A breeze rushed past her, causing her robe and hair to flutter. Sunlight streamed down, shining on her face and heating up her body. The room consisted of four walls and a floor: there was no ceiling, six beds were neatly arranged in a row along the wall furthest from the door, and a hexagonal table was placed in the center, taking up the majority of the space. Three demons and three angels sat around the table, all of them facing the door except for one angel. ¡°Is that Sariel?¡± the angel who wasn¡¯t looking at the door asked. His eye sockets were empty, but it was hard to tell because they were covered by his silver bangs. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Sariel said as she approached the center of the room. The occupants ignored her and focused their attention back onto the table. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Uriel,¡± an angel with a scorpion-like tail said. The point dripped green venom as it curled and uncurled. Uriel, the angel with two pointed horns sticking out of her forehead, smiled as she picked a card from her hand and placed it into the center of the table. It was a seven. ¡°King of hearts,¡± she said in a melodic voice. ¡°Your turn, Raphael.¡± The angel with no eyes frowned. His fingers ran over the bumps on the cards in his hands. ¡°I have the king of hearts,¡± Raphael said and turned his head to face Uriel even though he had no eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you ever play fair, woman?¡± Uriel clicked her tongue and looked away. Raphael¡¯s stare always unsettled her. Usually, she¡¯d get away with bluffing the blind angel because everyone cooperated with her schemes. ¡°I misspoke,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a seven of clubs.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Am I the blind one or are you?¡± Raphael asked and snorted. He slapped an eight on top of the pile in the center. By now, Sariel had arrived at the angels¡¯ and demons¡¯ sides. ¡°You¡¯re all looking well,¡± she said. She wasn¡¯t lying. All six of them looked like they were in their prime. It terrified her because she knew how old they really were. The scorpion-tailed angel rolled his eyes as his tail stabbed into his chair. ¡°That¡¯s because you won¡¯t let us die,¡± he said. He turned his head and stared at the blue-skinned demon next to him. She had three heads, each facing a different direction, and six arms. ¡°What life am I on, pumpkin?¡± One of the demon¡¯s heads turned to face him. ¡°You have died seven hundred and thirty-eight times,¡± she said. ¡°If you call me pumpkin again, it¡¯ll be seven hundred and thirty-nine.¡± ¡°Thanks, darling,¡± the scorpion-tailed angel said. A second later, one of the demon¡¯s arms stabbed through his head, killing him instantly. Sariel¡¯s face paled. She pursed her lip before staring at Raphael. ¡°Can you please revive Camael?¡± she asked. ¡°What the hell, Asura,¡± Raphael said and leaned over to the side. ¡°Really? You know I hate it when you get blood on my cards.¡± His hand pat the air next to himself as he searched for Camael¡¯s dead body. He kept leaning to the side until he found it. A white light enveloped the room as the remains of the dead angel¡¯s head started to reform. Moments later, Camael sat up and blinked a few times. ¡°When did darling become another word for pumpkin?¡± he asked and snorted. He grabbed Raphael¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, Raffi, can you revive Levy too?¡± Sariel¡¯s face turned green as she realized one of the demons had collapsed face first onto the table. The demon had the torso of a human but had a spider-like lower half. Her bottom was armored like a crab. Raphael sighed as he stood up. ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked and let Camael guide him. ¡°I know I can bring you back to life and all, but that doesn¡¯t mean you should constantly be killing each other like this.¡± ¡°He started it,¡± Asura said, all three of her heads speaking at the same time. ¡°Does Sariel have something to tell us?¡± the remaining demon asked. He looked absolutely ordinary. His skin was purple and his eyes were red, but other than that, he had no unhuman characteristics. ¡°Just a small matter,¡± Sariel said as she shielded her eyes from the light coming off Raphael¡¯s hands. ¡°The archangels I sent to deal with the rebel army haven¡¯t returned yet. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ve lost.¡± Camael shrugged. ¡°Sucks to be them,¡± he said. A wry smile appeared on Sariel¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, sucks indeed,¡± she said. The light surrounding Levy disappeared. ¡°I just wanted to inform you that your help may be necessary if the rebels breach the capital.¡± Levy blinked and rubbed her eyes as she lifted herself off the table. ¡°Did someone say slaughter?¡± she asked as her head swiveled from side to side. ¡°No,¡± Sariel said as her face blanched. ¡°I said¡ª¡° ¡°Massacre,¡± Levy said and nodded. ¡°Got it.¡± Raphael shook his head as he shambled back to his seat, feeling for obstacles with his hands because Camael abandoned him. The blind angel¡¯s body stiffened. A second later, Sariel stiffened as well. Her vision dimmed as her power activated. Instead of three pitch-black fireballs, there were four. ¡°My eyes,¡± Raphael growled as black wings made of fire burst out of his back. ¡°Which bastard has my eyes!?¡± Asura stood up as Raphael flew into the air. The six-armed demon jumped up, grabbed the angel¡¯s ankles, twisted her waist, and tossed him back into the room. ¡°Calm down,¡± she said as she landed feet first on the angel¡¯s head. The black fire flickered around her body, but an oily sheen prevented it from harming her. ¡°You lost your eyes ages ago.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to calm down!¡± Raphael yelled as he tried to stand up. His efforts were in vain. ¡°I can sense them! I sense them!¡± ¡°The last time you sensed your eyes,¡± Asura said as she sat on the angel¡¯s back, ¡°was over two hundred years ago. And it turned out you just needed to burp.¡± She paused and rubbed all three of her chins. ¡°When was the last time you used the bathroom?¡± ¡°Dammit, Asura!¡± Raphael said. ¡°I¡¯m not a baby! My eyes are right there¡­.¡± His brow furrowed as he stopped struggling. ¡°I can¡¯t sense them anymore.¡± ¡°Can you two get back here?¡± Uriel asked as she picked at her nails. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Asura.¡± Sariel bit her lower lip. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be leaving now,¡± she whispered as she sidled towards the door. None of the six acted like they heard her. Chapter 266 Raea placed her fingers on the two black gemstones and slammed them shut, blocking out the two hawk-like eyes. ¡°That is really unsettling,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip as she removed her fingers from the skull pendant. Her gaze landed back on Palan. ¡°You really think your sister is going to like this?¡± Palan shrugged as he stored the necklace into his bag. It was a simple leather pouch that he looted off of one of the prisoners because his last two bags were dissolved by his cocoons during his evolutions. Thankfully, everything valuable was stored inside of Cleo¡ªhe just had to find her. Currently, he had poisonous metal dust that he created while waiting for the prisoners to write up their contracts which he later had them destroy. He also decided to fill his bag with rocks that were pointed and easy to grasp, picking them off the floor whenever he saw one. Maybe they¡¯d help him kill another archangel. ¡°She has a penchant for cracking skulls open and sucking out brains,¡± Palan said as he closed his bag. ¡°It can be symbolic, you know? I do have to bring her a souvenir. It wouldn¡¯t be very nice of me to go to another world and come back without bearing gifts.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not a nice person,¡± Cory said and tilted her head to the side. A little part of her was upset that Palan took one of her treasures without asking and wanted to say something about it, but the bigger part of her didn¡¯t want to die, so she kept her mouth shut. When she invited Raea to the treasury, she really only wanted to show off to the harbinger, not give her gifts. ¡°There¡¯s a pocket of niceness inside of my tail¡¯s stomach,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Would you like to see?¡± Danger Noodle blinked at Cory before yawning while dislocating its jaw. The red harpy retreated backwards and hid behind Justitia. ¡°I believe you,¡± Cory said and shook her head. ¡°No need to see. You know what they say: Hearing is believing. I totally believe you¡¯re nice enough to repay someone after taking one of their treasures.¡± Her head bobbed up and down, her hair tickling Justitia¡¯s neck. The angel fidgeted but didn¡¯t try to stop the archling. As an angel, her authority wasn¡¯t very high in the rebel¡¯s camp. ¡°She¡¯s the one repaying you,¡± Palan said and gestured towards Raea. ¡°Aren¡¯t you making her find your hometown or something along those lines?¡± Cory pursed her lips before sighing and resting her body on Justitia¡¯s back. Palan and Raea returned to browsing through the treasures scattered across the floor. ¡°So,¡± Cory said directly into the angel¡¯s ear. ¡°Who are you? A slave of the harbinger?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°More like a slave to her demon,¡± Justitia said and bit her lower lip. She knew she had to stick to Palan¡¯s or Raea¡¯s side to survive in the rebel army. She also knew she couldn¡¯t disobey either of their orders if they asked. Didn¡¯t that practically make her a slave? Well, at least it was better than being stuck in a cycle of getting tortured to the brink of death and restored to full health while having her mana drained from her body. ¡°I used to be their friend. I¡¯m not sure if I still am.¡± ¡°You are,¡± Raea said without turning around. She picked up a painting of a four-winged figure. A layer of mold had grown over the surface, covering the majority of the parchment. The only visible pieces were the four bright-red wings and a sky-blue background. The wings reminded her of her own. ¡°Was this supposed to be a drawing of the harbinger?¡± Cory hopped over and put her face right up to the painting. She sniffed it before standing up straight. ¡°I have no clue,¡± she said and shrugged, turning her wings upward. ¡°I¡¯m not an artist. But all drawings only have value in what the viewers see. So if you see the harbinger, then maybe it really is the harbinger. All I see is a blob of mold though. Maybe I should air this place out every so often.¡± ¡°You should,¡± Palan said. He finished browsing through the treasures. Nothing else caught his eye other than the skull necklace. The majority of the items had rusted or decayed in some way. ¡°And throw away all this trash while you¡¯re at it.¡± ¡°One man¡¯s treasure is another man¡¯s trash,¡± Cory said and placed her wings on her hips. ¡°Just because you can¡¯t appreciate their value¡ª¡° Palan pasted his hand on Cory¡¯s face. Something about the way she talked made him weary. Like his time was being sucked away. He said to Raea, ¡°At least this visit to the treasury wasn¡¯t a complete waste of time. Ready to leave?¡± Raea grunted in agreement. Cory tried to detach Palan¡¯s hand from her face, but her feathers couldn¡¯t get a good grip and she was afraid of the consequences if she cut his arm with her talons. ¡°Maybe you should let her go?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. It may have been strange, but she felt an attachment to the harpies. They were her personal army. A few words from her were able to stop them from killing each other even though slaughtering one another was part of their culture. They were willing to become enemies with the other races because she told them to learn how to read. Palan released Cory and began walking towards the exit. As he was passing by the mountain of armor and weapons, his torso-mouth opened. A tongue shot out of his stomach and wrapped around a few swords and plate armor before drawing them back to his body. Palan furrowed his brow as his torso-mouth began to devour the metal, dropping bits to the ground because of its lack of cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re autonomous too?¡± Palan asked and poked his stomach which was still chewing. ¡°Is this even my body anymore?¡± His torso-mouth burped in reply. Chapter 267 ¡°I guess not,¡± Palan said and frowned. He didn¡¯t mind if his tails had their own thoughts. He didn¡¯t even care that Danger Noodle could speak. He never had a tail before; it was fine if something occupied that niche. But his stomach? That was different. His stomach had belonged to him, and now a foreign being inhabited it. The torso-mouth¡¯s tongue began licking its lips. Palan¡¯s hand flashed and seized the pink rope-like structure. ¡°Listen here, you damn freeloader. Never act without my permission, understood? I don¡¯t mind ripping your tongue and teeth out¡ªI have other ways to eat.¡± ¡°Your master¡¯s crazy,¡± Cory whispered to Justitia while Palan wrestled with the tongue, tying it into a knot and preventing it from wrapping around his neck. Despite the knot on its body, the tongue continued to lash Palan. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone fight with themself before.¡± ¡°Is everything alright, Palan?¡± Raea asked, biting her lower lip. She rolled up the moldy parchment in her hand and placed it into a metallic cylinder which was holding sundries. ¡°You seem to be struggling a bit.¡± ¡°You ¡­ need help?¡± Danger Noodle asked, raising its head. Before, it was resting on the ground, entangled with its red and purple partners. A screech escaped from Palan¡¯s stomach as a fountain of blood spurted out of his torso-mouth. A long, pink and red tongue flailed in Palan¡¯s grasp, spewing blood out of one end. His tails exchanged glances and shut their mouths. ¡°Bastard wouldn¡¯t listen,¡± Palan said as he dropped the tongue and stomped on it. His face was pale, and rivulets of blood ran down his legs, starting from his stomach. He snorted as his torso-mouth began opening and shutting itself, trying to bite anything it could. An oily sheen covered Palan¡¯s hand as he pierced his own torso with his fingers, gripping the mouth shut. He groaned as sweat beaded on his forehead. ¡°Why do I suffer the same pain as him?¡± Raea¡¯s face blanched at the sight of blood pouring out of Palan¡¯s body. The mouth kept trying to open despite Palan¡¯s grip, tearing itself apart. ¡°Why are you mutilating yourself like this?¡± she asked as she reached into her bag. A white orb appeared in her grasp. She had taken it from a dwarf in the prison when it tried to heal someone she set on fire. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be ashamed if your body acted on its own volition?¡± Palan asked as he began prying the teeth out of his stomach, tearing out chunks of flesh with the roots. Lacerations appeared on his hands and wrists as the teeth tore his skin. ¡°But isn¡¯t that still you?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. Her hand squeezed the orb, but no light came out. She¡¯d heal him after he finished dismantling himself. ¡°It¡¯s just a different part, right?¡± ¡°Imagine if Cleo could control your right hand whenever she wanted to,¡± Palan said to Raea as he gritted his teeth. His torso-mouth was still struggling, but its motions were slowing.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°She¡¯d still act in my best interest to preserve my arm,¡± Raea said. ¡°She¡¯d use you to rob everything in sight,¡± Palan said and rolled his eyes. Flaps of flesh dangled from his body. The rivulets of blood had become a steady stream. ¡°You think I wanted to eat a sword?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. She stepped forward with the orb in her hands. ¡°You going to listen now?¡± Palan asked, staring at his wheezing stomach. Mists of blood spurt out with every exhale. It didn¡¯t respond, but Raea wasn¡¯t sure if it even could. ¡°Should I heal you?¡± she asked. Palan grunted and exhaled, tilting his head to look at the ceiling. Sweat rolled down his back, staining his bloody, torn clothes. A white light wrapped around his body, causing his flesh to wriggle and reconnect itself. The skin stitched together, and the tips of teeth began to appear. The rope-like tongue regrew and curled itself up, hiding inside of his stomach. When the light disappeared, his torso-mouth clamped itself shut¡ªonly a thin line could be seen. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Palan asked and pointed at the ceiling. Raea, Cory, and Justitia raised their heads. The ceiling was flat. An image was painted on the molding rocks, but it was faded and covered by green slime. ¡°It looks like a star map,¡± Raea said as she squinted at the visible bits. She pointed at a cluster of gray dots. ¡°That constellation is Uriel, the twin horns. Maybe it¡¯s a picture of the sky from the harpies¡¯ original territory.¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°It changes with every season though. It¡¯ll be difficult to find the right place if we get the time wrong.¡± ¡°Definitely the summer,¡± Cory said and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a picture of the sky in the summer. If my ancestors were anything like me, they¡¯d never go outside at night in any season except the summer. It¡¯s too damn cold any other time.¡± Her body shuddered as her wings pressed against her sides. ¡°I wonder how they painted it though.¡± She blinked as she pantomimed drawing directly above herself with her talons, bending her waist so her head was pointing at the floor. She muttered as she righted herself, ¡°Must be some form of sorcery.¡± ¡°I should be able to find the general region they lived in then,¡± Raea said as she rubbed her chin. ¡°Hailing Academy¡¯s library should have detailed information about star maps and regions. I wonder if they put out the fire yet¡­.¡± She shook her head, dismissing the memories of her setting the first sector on fire. ¡°It¡¯s also possible that this is just a drawing of the sky taken from a random region that has nothing to do with your ancestral territory.¡± Cory shrugged. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she said. ¡°As long as we see the sky, have a place to live, and have males to hunt, we don¡¯t have to return to our homeland. There¡¯s nothing wrong with making a new one.¡± She made a face. ¡°You don¡¯t know how it feels like to live underground when we¡¯re made to fly in the skies. We¡¯re bird people, not mole people.¡± A sigh escaped from her lips as her gaze shifted towards Palan. Her eyes widened. ¡°Hey! What are you doing!?¡± Palan turned his head and stared at Cory as he stuffed yellow crystals into a nearby bag. ¡°Collecting protection fees,¡± he said with a straight face. The seams of the bag began to widen as more and more crystals were stacked inside. It was times like these where Palan missed his magical lizard. The harpies really had a lot of stones¡ªenough to buy a small army in Eljiam. Cory chewed on her lip as Palan hung the bag over his shoulder and made his way towards the exit. As he passed by the mountain of swords and armor, the line on his torso quivered but remained shut. Chapter 268 Cory sighed as Justitia and Raea followed Palan through the curtain leading upstairs. She took one last glance at the treasury before shaking her head. At least they hadn¡¯t taken everything. She only lost half a mountain of weapons that the harpies couldn¡¯t use and a fifth of the yellow crystals. Oh, and that weird skull necklace thing. Cory pouted as she brushed aside the curtain with her wings and pressed a button in the stairwell. The lights behind her turned off, and she ran up the stairs as if a monster was chasing her. When she stepped out of the stairwell, Solra was right in front of her, sitting on a bone protruding out of the nest. ¡°Cory,¡± Solra said and nodded. He didn¡¯t dare say anything else with Raea and Palan so close. Raea was inspecting the captured halflings, healing a few broken limbs with her orb. ¡°Greetings, commander,¡± Cory said and raised her wing. ¡°And what might this special occasion be? Have you ever been down here? Wait, why are you down here? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re allowed to be down here. How are you down here? Who let you down here?¡± ¡°I did,¡± a nearby harpy said. Her hair and feathers were red like Cory, but her skin was white with a tinge of green. Cory narrowed her eyes at the harpy. ¡°You know the nest is for the matriarch and her guests only,¡± she said. Her feathers puffed up as she stuck her chest out. Hints of lightning flashed in her eyes. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the matriarch, Emily?¡± ¡°Fight me,¡± Emily said and spat on the floor. She spread her wings to their full length and let out a screech. Green mist escaped from her mouth, but instead of floating up, it sank down to the bones of the nest. ¡°You¡¯re not the only evolved harpy around here anymore.¡± ¡°I wondered where your ugly mug went,¡± Cory said and snorted. Lightning crashed next to Emily¡¯s feet, dispersing the mist. ¡°So it turns out you were stuck in a cocoon. You think a newly hatched baby like yourself can be the matriarch?¡± ¡°Emily might be a better candidate for the position of matriarch,¡± Solra said, using his powers to stifle the harpies¡¯. After all, Emily hadn¡¯t caused a massive panic and kidnapping spree. Even if Cory wasn¡¯t working for Pyre, Solra needed someone he could trust in the harpies¡¯ leadership position. ¡°How is this position usually decided?¡± ¡°Fight to the death,¡± Cory and Emily said at the same time. Cory furrowed her brow and bit her lower lip as she took a step back. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Scared?¡± Emily asked with a sneer. She took a step forward, her body swelling in size as her feathers puffed out even further.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Cory glanced at Raea. ¡°The harbinger declared no more fights to the death,¡± she said, turning her gaze back onto Emily. ¡°Since you were gone, things have changed.¡± Emily¡¯s gaze shifted towards Raea, but she remained on guard against Cory. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time a harpy resorted to trickery during a fight. ¡°You said she¡¯s the harbinger?¡± Emily asked. Her feathers hadn¡¯t reduced in size. Her eyes narrowed at the four wings on Raea¡¯s back. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the matriarch,¡± Cory said and blinked. ¡°Duh?¡± A creased formed on Emily¡¯s forehead as her body deflated. ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­. Wait, no!¡± she said as her body inflated again. ¡°I think you said she¡¯s the harbinger so you could order her to declare no more fights to the death. Then you wouldn¡¯t have any competition for the position of matriarch! Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Cory gasped. ¡°That¡¯s genius!¡± she said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I ever think of that? Then all those butts from before would¡¯ve stopped harassing me without me having to kill them.¡± Cory nodded and stroked her chin. ¡°Wait. I don¡¯t have to anymore.¡± She burst out into laughter. ¡°I¡¯m a genius! This is why I¡¯m matriarch and you¡¯re not.¡± Solra scratched his head. He knew harpies were a bit odd, but he hadn¡¯t expected something like this to happen. ¡°Are you fighting to the death or not?¡± he asked and clenched his cane. What exactly was the harbinger? It didn¡¯t matter as long as he could replace Cory. ¡°I can allow you both to use your powers if that¡¯s the case.¡± The air shimmered as his zone of charity deactivated. Emily blinked at Cory. She wasn¡¯t so sure anymore. What if Raea was really the harbinger? She decided to just ask the person in question. Her wings flapped, and she landed beside Raea. ¡°Hello,¡± Emily said, nodding her head once. ¡°Are you the harbinger?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Emily furrowed her brow. ¡°I greet the harbinger,¡± she said. ¡°My name is Emily. Um. Can you provide proof that you¡¯re the harbinger?¡± ¡°Proof?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow. Emily was the first one to ask for proof. She never had to do anything to claim the identity of harbinger before. In fact, it was forced on her by Cory. ¡°What kind of proof do you want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Emily said and tilted her head. ¡°Do harbingery stuff?¡± ¡°Harbingery stuff,¡± Raea muttered to herself. What had Sally said that made her think she was the harbinger? Sun¡¯s hammer? Raea pointed up at the open space of the harpies¡¯ territory. A massive black fireball, emitting a blood-red glow, formed in the air. It began to spiral and elongate. Harpies shrieked as they retreated back into their caves along the walls of the territory, trying to avoid the flame. ¡°T-that¡¯s enough,¡± Emily said and gulped at the spinning column of fire. ¡°I believe you. I believe you.¡± Raea nodded and the flames dimmed before winking out of existence. She had gotten a lot better at manipulating her flames somehow. Usually, it¡¯d take longer to suppress fire that size. Before she could think about it further, one harpy shouted, ¡°Harbinger!¡± Then another harpy shouted it. Then another. Soon, the territory was filled with the sound of chanting. Solra¡¯s eyes widened at the phenomenon. His eyes glazed over as he looked at Raea. Her demeanor reminded him of those people living at the top of the tower. It was a good thing she was on his side. Right? Chapter 269 ¡°I told you so,¡± Cory said when Emily returned to her side. The red harpy¡¯s wings folded across her chest as she snorted twice. ¡°Oh. All of us also have to learn how to read and perform some form of sorcery called mathematics. Harbinger¡¯s declaration.¡± Solra¡¯s brow furrowed even further as Cory chatted with Emily. The hostility between the two seemed to have faded within that short moment. He cleared his throat. ¡°Emily,¡± he said and narrowed his eyes at the greenish harpy. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want the position of matriarch? Don¡¯t you remember what we agreed on after you evolved?¡± Emily stopped inquiring about the changes that occurred to the territory while she was evolving and stared at Solra. ¡°Well,¡± she said as her brows knitted together. ¡°Well¡­. You see¡­. I¡­.¡± She stroked her chin with the tips of her wings as she stared up at the ceiling. Solra¡¯s expression darkened. A crack appeared on the surface of his cane as he ground it against the floor. Emily nodded and faced the archangel. ¡°Nah. Thanks though.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Solra asked and narrowed his eyes, his voice practically a growl. Harpies were supposed to be loquacious. Why was Emily¡¯s response so curt? ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯re saying?¡± Emily tilted her head towards the ground and scratched her scalp with her talons. ¡°Honestly,¡± she said after fixing her posture, ¡°you seem pretty weak. Like ¡®a really strong breeze can knock you over and kill you¡¯ kind of weak. Or you¡¯ll trip on the stairs and die. Or I can wait a couple weeks and you¡¯ll succumb to old age.¡± She pointed at Raea with her wing. ¡°If you can beat her in a fight, I¡¯ll renew our deal. You promised me that the harpies would get a place for themselves and I¡¯d get the biggest piece if I listened to and helped you. But she¡¯s the harbinger. The harbinger is guaranteed to do that anyway unless our ancestors were completely wrong, but still. If I follow her, I can abandon all personal responsibility and slack off and do whatever I want without following orders and still get what I want. Harpies are really intelligent, you know? We¡¯re smarter than all the races put together. Of course I¡¯d make the smart decision. Helping you would be stupid.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten who helped you evolve?¡± Solra asked and stood up. ¡°Have you forgotten why your race hasn¡¯t been completely exterminated? It was my mentor who saved your ancestors when they were being hunted to extinction. It was my mentor who helped created this place for you to live! Where¡¯s your loyalty?¡± Emily blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t have loyalty? I thought you said my virtues were nonexistence because I¡¯m envy,¡± she said. ¡°Cory!¡± Solra said, snapping his cane with his hand. Blood dripped to the ground, but he ignored it. ¡°You¡¯re the matriarch. Is this how harpies repay kindness shown to them?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Hey now,¡± Cory said and frowned. ¡°You¡¯re plotting to overthrow my position. That¡¯s kindness? I can repay your kindness with some kindness of my own.¡± A red lightning bolt flashed through the air, rushing towards Solra. Before it made contact with his body, it dissolved less than an inch away without a sound. Cory frowned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. You were supposed to spasm and fall over. Or explode.¡± ¡°This is a mutiny?¡± Solra asked as he pulled an orb out of his robe. ¡°No,¡± Cory said and shook her head. ¡°This is just me instigating a rebellion against you like you had Emily do to me.¡± Her wings folded against her body. The halflings stacked in the pile shouted some curses at her, but she ignored them. The harpies were flocking towards the nest, not daring to step inside, but hovering in the air and landing on the floor around it. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the definition of mutiny?¡± Justitia asked Raea. Raea nodded. ¡°Is this my fault?¡± she asked. The air rippled as a zone of charity expanded, encompassing all the harpies. Cory cleared her throat when she realized her powers didn¡¯t work anymore. She inhaled through her nose, causing her chest to expand. She let out an ear-splitting shriek, ¡°Swarm him!¡± The harpies that were in the air dove downwards, while the harpies that were perched on the ground flew upwards. Solra¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he clutched his orb. The zone of charity disappeared, and the orb lit up with a green light, engulfing the archangel¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this,¡± Solra said, his voice piercing through the cacophony of beating wings and shrieks. The green light disappeared, taking Solra¡¯s body with it. The harpies collided against the ground, forming a dogpile. ¡°Eh? Where¡¯d he go?¡± one of them asked as she struggled free from the cluster. Cory and Emily tilted their heads and shrugged. ¡°Maybe he was squished so hard he disappeared,¡± another harpy said. The harpies chattered as they flew into the air, searching for any signs of the angel, while Raea pulled Cory aside. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± she asked the harpy. Cory blinked. ¡°Emily¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, we don¡¯t need that smelly angel to help us reclaim lands aboveground.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I mean, he still could¡¯ve helped,¡± she said. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any need to attack him or damage our relationship with every other species.¡± ¡°But it was your idea to kidnap them?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. ¡°Besides, weren¡¯t you going to overthrow him anyway? I¡¯m pretty sure he¡±¡ªshe glanced at Palan¡ª¡°was thinking about it with the insane benefactor. And didn¡¯t you threaten him first because of Madison and all that?¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips, her voice trailing off. Her brow furrowed. ¡°This is going to give me a headache.¡± ¡°Really? Why?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Since we¡¯re not on friendly terms with Solra anymore, we can just eliminate him. Let¡¯s have Pyre lead the army and assault the capital already. I¡¯m tired of waiting around for something to happen. I¡¯m strong now. I¡¯d like to see who can stop me from advancing towards my goal.¡± Justitia shuddered and took a step back, distancing herself from Palan. There was a strange expression on his face, and it unsettled her. Chapter 270 A chill ran down Pyre¡¯s spine. He frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose with his hand, leaving a sooty mark on his face. ¡°What was that?¡± he muttered as he picked up a hammer and frowned. A pile of burnt metal collars lay in a pile by the workbench he was standing over. ¡°Hey! I said bring me more metal, dammit!¡± There was no response. His brow furrowed as he raised his head and inspected the room. There was a workbench and a furnace that was beginning to lose its heat. Other than that, there were tools for smithing hanging on the walls. ¡°Did a harpy kidnap my worker while I wasn¡¯t paying attention?¡± he asked himself and placed the hammer on the bench. He stroked his chin. ¡°Interesting. Very interesting.¡± His hand slipped into his pouch as he took a seat, swiveling the chair so it faced the closed door. A few seconds later, the door opened. Solra stepped into the room, flanked by Mathias, Ivan, and a droopy-eyed goblin. ¡°Solra,¡± Pyre said, his body flush against the seat. He had no intention of standing up. ¡°Pyre,¡± Solra said and nodded. The air rippled as his zone of charity engulfed the half-angel. ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point: It¡¯s nothing personal, but you need to die.¡± ¡°Just wait a few years and I¡¯ll kick the bucket,¡± Pyre said and chuckled. A smile lingered on his face as he squinted his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you quite understand the situation you¡¯re in,¡± Solra said and snorted. ¡°Last time, you definitely used cowardice to escape before I could deal with you. There¡¯s nowhere for you to run. Seize him.¡± Ivan furrowed his brow as Mathias and the goblin advanced. Pyre looked like he was taking a bath in a hot spring, completely relaxed. The lizardman of wrath took in a deep breath and made his way towards Pyre. ¡°What happened to your charity?¡± Pyre asked, ignoring the three approaching archlings while keeping his eyes on Solra. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is quite uncharitable? I worked hard for you, helped you dominate the angels¡¯ army with my inventions. This is how you repay your benefactor? Are you simply a dog that bites the hand that feeds? Do you know what happens to bad dogs?¡± He leaned over and picked up one of the collars laying on the ground. He spun it around on his index finger. ¡°They get a shock collar. Ivan, grab him. Mathias, incapacitate the goblin.¡± The four-armed centaur swung around and clobbered the goblin head¡¯s before it could react. Ivan lunged towards Solra, grabbing the stunned angel¡¯s arms and twisting them behind his back. The lizardman planted his foot against the back of Solra¡¯s knee and stepped forward, forcing the archangel to kneel. A cry escaped from Solra¡¯s lips as Ivan tugged on his wispy hair, forcing the angel to look up. ¡°Ivan! Mathias!¡± Solra said, his voice strained. ¡°What is the meaning of this!?¡± ¡°They¡¯re my supporters, obviously,¡± Pyre said and stood up. ¡°While you were busy fooling around with Ishim and looking for a second in command after he died, I was establishing proper relations with the halflings. Your mentor¡¯s name only has so much weight. After all, you aren¡¯t him. Why should the halflings care about you? Who helped the halflings evolve? Me. Who introduced meat into their diet? Me. Who gave them orbs making them equal to the angels? Me. What have you done besides posturing?¡± He opened the burnt collar and approached Solra. ¡°There¡¯s a few defects with this, but it should work properly. As long as you don¡¯t perform any sudden movements, it shouldn¡¯t explode. I think.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Solra panted as he struggled against Ivan¡¯s grasp. The lizardman remained unmoving, his face expressionless. The collar pressed against the archangel¡¯s neck. He shouted as the rough edges scraped against his skin, tearing it as Pyre closed the collar. The metal flashed with a white light, and Pyre¡¯s name appeared on the metal. The half-angel smiled and nodded. ¡°No explosions yet, not bad. I order you to not move, Solra,¡± he said before facing Ivan. ¡°You can release him. You probably want to stand a bit further away.¡± Ivan nodded and unceremoniously dropped Solra¡¯s body, letting him fall face first into the floor. The lizardman retreated behind Pyre, standing next to Mathias who was holding the unconscious goblin. Solra placed his hands against the floor and pushed himself up. His eyes widened as blood spurted from his neck, shooting from above and below the collar. He screamed as he collapsed and clawed at the collar. Pyre clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t I order you not to move?¡± ¡°B-bastard,¡± Solra said as he lay on his side, his chest rising up and down as he struggled to breathe. ¡°Answer me honestly,¡± Pyre said as he sat back down in his seat. He folded his hands over his lap. ¡°Why make a move now?¡± ¡°The harpies rebelled against me,¡± Solra said, gritting his teeth. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of his lips. ¡°They openly attacked me. You were the one who forced me to move.¡± Pyre scratched his head. ¡°All part of the plan,¡± he said even though he had no idea what Cory was thinking. To be fair, she was a harpy. Chances are, she wasn¡¯t thinking about anything when she started her mutiny. ¡°A bit early, but still. It¡¯s a good thing Palan had me create these collars, or I would¡¯ve been forced to kill you.¡± Solra sighed. ¡°You say it like you wanted to keep me alive,¡± he said. ¡°Why? To torture me for a few orbs like the rest of the council?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be reasonably smart? If you¡¯re alive, I have a better chance at figuring out your contingency plans to deal with the capital. You know something I don¡¯t. I¡¯ve never been to the capital after all. Tell me, what are they?¡± Solra laughed. ¡°I refuse,¡± he said and sat up. More blood spurted out of his neck. He continued to laugh, coughing up blood while he was at it. ¡°I refuse! I refuse! I refuse!¡± Blood splattered around the room as his laughter bounced off the walls. ¡°Rot in hell, Pyre! I defy y¡ª¡° The collar exploded with a bang, launching Solra¡¯s head into the ceiling with a splat. His headless body stilled before slumping down with a dull thud. Pyre frowned at the dead archangel. ¡°Well, shit,¡± he said. He glanced at Mathias and Ivan. ¡°Announce Solra¡¯s death. Say he died of old age and nominated me to be the new leader. There shouldn¡¯t be much resistance.¡± Mathias and Ivan nodded before exiting the room, bringing the goblin with them. Pyre stroked his chin. ¡°Seems like the collar still needs a bit of work,¡± he said. As for the unknown variables hiding in the capital¡­. He could always just build a bigger cannon. Chapter 271 + 272 Inside of the cafeteria, hundreds of halflings were kneeling with their heads lowered. In the center, Palan stood on top of a pile of trolls, their bodies stacked like firewood. Blood was scattered along the floor and walls. A group of harpies hovered in the air, Cory and Emily flying directly above him. Raea was sitting at a table near the base of the troll mountain, eating a plate of mushrooms with Justitia. Only the sounds of chewing and wing beats could be heard. ¡°No one knows where Solra is?¡± Palan asked, his voice severing the silence. His tails let him view the expressions of all the halflings, including the ones behind him. ¡°Solra is where Solra is,¡± the troll underneath Palan said. Palan snorted and stomped downwards, knocking the troll out. Palan looked up at Cory. ¡°Did any of your harpies find him?¡± he asked. Cory shrugged and fell out of the air because of the motion, landing next to Palan. She cleared her throat as she sat up and blinked. ¡°If they found him, they would¡¯ve brought him here,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe we really did smoosh him to death earlier.¡± She rubbed her head with the tip of her wing and fixed her hair. ¡°H-hello,¡± a voice called out. Everyone turned to stare at the tunnel where it came from. A young centaur was standing at the entrance with her head lowered, her usually pale face crimson. Blonde hair covered her ears, falling to her shoulders. A simple vest made of angel skin covered her torso. ¡°D-did I interrupt something? S-sorry.¡± Her brown lower half shook as she tottered backwards. She sidled to the side and joined one of the kneeling centaurs, biting her lip. ¡°You,¡± Palan said and pointed at the centaur. ¡°Do you know where Solra is?¡± Everyone¡¯s attention focused on the halfling, praying she did. They had been beaten up, then forced to kneel before the harpies and their strange new leaders. Palan¡¯s reign of terror began nearly two hours ago, and a lot of their knees were sore. The centaur raised her head. ¡°M-me?¡± she asked and pointed at herself. No one answered. ¡°S-solra¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What?¡± Palan asked and frowned. Dead? Did he teleport somewhere and die? Somehow, he felt cheated. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Explain.¡± The centaur nodded her head up and down. She took in a deep breath and exhaled before clearing her throat. ¡°The commander died of old age,¡± she said. ¡°The insane benefactor has been nominated as the replacement commander of the army.¡± ¡°Died of old age?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± Anyone could spread rumors about their own death. Death was the perfect camouflage after all. No one would expect a supposedly dead person to plan an ambush. That¡¯s how Palan managed to kill the leader of a small town in Eljiam. ¡°Err,¡± the centaur shifted her weight from one side to the other. ¡°I heard it from my tribe leader, Mathias. He told us the insane benefactor is the new leader because Solr¡ªerr, the commander died.¡± Did Pyre kill Solra? That would make sense. Palan exhaled as he walked down the mountain of trolls, each footstep eliciting a grunt. He stopped in front of the centaur. ¡°Take me to that pervert,¡± Palan said. The centaur blinked. ¡°P-pervert?¡± she asked. Her face flushed as her gaze roamed over Palan¡¯s body. Palan nodded. ¡°The four-armed pervert,¡± he said. Raea and Justitia approached them, still eating roasted mushrooms. Raea didn¡¯t understand why the halflings detested the mushrooms¡ªthey actually weren¡¯t that bad. ¡°Are you talking about that red centaur?¡± Raea asked and swallowed the food in her mouth. ¡°The one who Cory, uh, corrected?¡± Cory alighted on the young centaur¡¯s back, causing her knees to buckle as she squealed. Cory leaned over and sniffed the centaur¡¯s head. ¡°She smells as stupid as the blockhead,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°Definitely related.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can smell stupidity,¡± Justitia muttered as the young centaur matched the word pervert to her tribe leader. ¡°You want me to bring you back to our tribal grounds?¡± the young centaur asked and bit her lower lip. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know if I should do that. Only religious leaders and elders are allowed to bring guests. I¡¯m unimportant.¡± ¡°Take me or die,¡± Palan said and folded his arms over his chest. Danger Noodle slithered around Palan¡¯s feet and lifted its head off the ground, approaching the centaur. Its tongue flickered, touching the shivering girl¡¯s nose. A whimper escaped from the centaur as her legs trembled. Her tail pressed against her body while her wide eyes locked onto the snake that was tasting her. For a second, she forgot Cory was still perched on her back. ¡°I can¡¯t¡±¡ªDanger Noodle¡¯s jaws opened¡ª¡°can! Can! I can take you,¡± she said as her body scuttled backwards. She lowered her head as she walked down the tunnel. Her shoulders sagged as she muttered, ¡°I¡¯m going to be in so much trouble.¡± Justitia pat the centaur¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Welcome to my life,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°At least we¡¯re alive, right? What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Cherri,¡± the centaur said. She raised her head and blinked at Justitia. ¡°You¡¯re an angel.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re a centaur,¡± Justitia said. ¡°My name¡¯s Blossom. It¡¯s reassuring to find someone lower than the rung I¡¯m on. I think we¡¯d get along.¡± She shot a glare at Palan who acted as if he didn¡¯t notice. ¡°But ¡­ you¡¯re an angel,¡± Cherri said and furrowed her brow. ¡°You¡¯re bloodthirsty and wicked and evil and lustful and greedy and vengeful and small-minded and petty and unlovable and lazy and gluttonous and cold-hearted and¡ª¡° Justitia pressed her palm against Cherri¡¯s face, copying Palan¡¯s earlier action against Cory. ¡°I take that back,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to get along at all.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Cherri tore Justitia¡¯s hand away from her face and pouted, puffing her cheeks out. She whirled around to face Justitia and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to get along with you anyways,¡± she said. ¡°All angels are terrible. They¡¯re the reason why we¡¯re down here. They took our lands and enslaved our people. You can¡¯t just cover my face with your hand because you don¡¯t want to hear the truth. All angels are evil, and it¡¯s a good thing all of you are going to hell. You all deserve to suffer and¡ª¡° ¡°Walk.¡± A shiver ran down Cherri¡¯s back as her head turned towards the side, her neck stiff. Raea was glaring at her with black fire falling from her wings. ¡°Y-yes,¡± Cherri said and covered her mouth with her hands. She turned around and trotted down the tunnel, sweat pouring down her back. The fire around Raea¡¯s feet dimmed as she followed after the group. There were so many different religions: The angels had theirs. Cleo had spoken about hers. The centaurs had grassism. Raea bit her lip and inhaled through her nose. It didn¡¯t matter which one was right, but she hoped Selena wasn¡¯t suffering. If the centaurs insisted on relegating angels to hell, maybe she should exterminate them and uproot their religion. The edges of her pupils and irises blended together, forming a purple circle in her eyes. Chapter 272 ¡°Is something happening?¡± Palan asked and nudged Raea. He noticed the purple tint in her eyes. ¡°Your eyes are turning into your angry eyes.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as her head turned towards Palan instead of focusing on Cherri. ¡°I have angry eyes?¡± she asked. Her hand wiped at the corner of her eyes as she blinked. ¡°They turn purple,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°Like yours?¡± Raea asked. The ring of purple in her eyes blurred and faded as she continued to speak. ¡°Your eyes turned purple when you pulled everyone towards the center in the prison. I forgot to mention it because you said you had a contract with Abaddon. Then I forgot about it until now.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Are you going to explode?¡± he asked. Raea snorted and smacked his shoulder. ¡°As if,¡± she said and rolled her eyes. ¡°I have a lot of self-control.¡± She bit her lip as they rounded a corner, ascending a sloped tunnel. ¡°I just got a little peeved at what Cherri said.¡± Her head lowered. ¡°Sely isn¡¯t suffering in hell, is she?¡± Palan crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back, lifting his feet off the ground. His tails continued to propel him forwards. ¡°I¡¯m not going to comment because you¡¯ll probably explode, and I don¡¯t want to deal with that,¡± he said. Raea stamped her foot. ¡°Why do you say explode? That¡¯s not a normal action angels do!¡± she said. ¡°How about saying, ¡®You¡¯ll probably get angry?¡¯ Or ¡®I don¡¯t want to irritate you?¡¯ Why are you blaming me for¡±¡ªshe air-quoted¡ª¡°exploding?¡± Palan confirmed his suspicions. Raea was definitely on the cusp of creating giant balls of fire. Maybe he should tell her to calm down. His brow furrowed. The last time he told her to calm down and be rational, she tried to kill him. Raea¡¯s snort interrupted his train of thought. ¡°Now what are you thinking of?¡± she asked as her wings pressed against her body. ¡°Not going to answer my last question?¡± Palan scratched his head. Was it worth it to start a fight with Raea? It wasn¡¯t even a matter of his pride anymore. He wasn¡¯t scared of her, but the whole process of arguing, then trying to kill each other, then making up and venting frustrations in other ways was tiring. It wasn¡¯t the time for infighting¡ª especially since he had to confirm Solra¡¯s death. Before Raea could say anything, Palan said, ¡°I don¡¯t think Selena¡¯s suffering.¡± Raea blinked and furrowed her brow. She forgot what she was going to say. ¡°Why not?¡± she asked and pursed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re asking why she isn¡¯t suffering?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you want her to?¡± ¡°Well, no,¡± Raea said. She stepped over a sleeping dwarf and frowned at the sight. To the right of the path, there was another passage leading into a room with hundreds of halflings. The sounds of explosions and collisions rang through the air. She directed her voice towards Cherri and asked, ¡°What room is that?¡± The young centaur¡¯s ear twitched as she turned around. ¡°That¡¯s the training room,¡± she said. ¡°The benefactor requires us to practice using his inventions every day. I¡¯m really good with the hand cannon.¡± Her chest puffed up as her back straightened. ¡°Want to see?¡± ¡°Not interested,¡± Palan said. Cherri¡¯s face fell. ¡°Keep walking.¡± ¡°I was interested,¡± Justitia muttered and pouted as she turned away from the training room. As someone who was always on the opposite end of Pyre¡¯s inventions, she really wanted to know how they worked, so one day, she could shoot him with one. Well, there¡¯d always be more chances in the future to get her revenge. A wingtip touched the top of her head. Cory, still perched on Cherri, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re boring¡ªimpossible to hold.¡± She nodded and retracted her wing. ¡°It¡¯s much more fun to shoot lightning at people.¡± Justitia¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°How¡¯d you know I could shoot lightning?¡± she asked. Cory blinked. ¡°I smelled it,¡± she said. ¡°Obviously.¡± She pointed at her nose. ¡°This beautiful organ isn¡¯t just for looks, you know?¡± ¡°You can smell sins and virtues?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. She wanted to continue questioning Palan about Selena, but she was also curious about Cory. ¡°No, silly,¡± Cory said and rolled her eyes. ¡°I can smell the lightning inside her body. She smells crispy, but not as crispy as the harbinger. The harbinger smells like a barbeque.¡± She inhaled through her nose and exhaled while smiling. Raea raised her arm and sniffed herself. ¡°Do I?¡± she asked Palan, her eyebrows touching. ¡°A bit,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s mostly on your wings.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Raea preened herself with her hands before sniffing her fingers. ¡°I don¡¯t smell it.¡± ¡°What do I smell like?¡± Cherri asked. She continued to walk forward as her torso twisted around to face the harpy on her back. ¡°Stupid,¡± Cory said and nodded. ¡°You smell stupid.¡± Cherri snorted and stuck her tongue out at Cory. A second later, she yelped as she walked into a wall because she wasn¡¯t watching where she was going. Cory clutched her belly with her wings and laughed. She fell off the centaur¡¯s back and rolled around on the ground as Cherri stamped her feet and fixed her hair. Cory¡¯s feet kicked the ground repeatedly as tears streamed down her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re even worse than that blockhead!¡± Cherri cleared her throat as she stopped in front of a fork with three paths. She said with a red face, staring at the ground, ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Her gaze landed on Palan. ¡°Can I enter the tribal ground first? Then you can force yourself in after. I¡¯m really not allowed to bring guests into the land¡ªI might even be excommunicated.¡± She bit her lower lip as her weight shifted from one side to the other. ¡°It¡¯s a holy ground. And you¡¯re not centaurs.¡± Palan placed his feet on the ground. His tails rose into the air and wrapped around Cherri, suspending her above his head. ¡°A hostage is always nice,¡± he said, ignoring the centaur¡¯s shouts and squeals. ¡°Let me down!¡± ¡°You know the remaining way?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. ¡°Let me down this instant!¡± ¡°I can smell them,¡± Palan said as he stopped in front of a dark passage. ¡°And hear them.¡± ¡°Please?¡± Raea pursed her lips. ¡°I could hear them, but I couldn¡¯t pinpoint the passage the noise was coming from,¡± she said. Justitia shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t hear them at all,¡± she said. She never wanted to contract with a demon before. But after witnessing the disparity between herself and Raea, she was reconsidering her decision. ¡°You¡¯re going the wrong way!¡± The group ignored the aggrieved centaur and followed Palan into the darkness. Chapter 273 ¡°You¡¯re really going the wrong way!¡± Cherri shouted. Her legs flailed uselessly in the air as Palan flipped her upside-down in the air above himself. ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to go this way! This passage is forbidden. It¡¯s¡ªmmph!¡± Danger Noodle¡¯s body wrapped around Cherri¡¯s face and yawned before resting its head on top of the centaur¡¯s. It had been a while since it heated itself up this way. The underground world was cold and a bit damp, but the centaur¡¯s body was warm¡ªa lot warmer than a harpy¡¯s at least. The snake¡¯s jaw widened as its head turned towards Palan, causing Cherri to squeal from the sensation in her hair. ¡°Good ¡­ warmth. I keep?¡± Danger Noodle asked. Its tongue flickered as it exhaled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it inconvenient to carry something that large around?¡± Palan asked his tail. Cherri let out muffled cries are her tail swished in protest. Palan barely made out the words ¡®not fat¡¯. His brow furrowed as he ignored her and stared at the ground. Pools of liquid rippled in miniature trenches with every step the party took. He stopped walking and crouched, sniffing the air. It smelled sickly sweet. ¡°Poison?¡± ¡°I told you this is a forbidden area!¡± Cherri said once she managed to get her mouth over Danger Noodle¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯d think they¡¯d put signs up or something,¡± Justitia muttered to herself. A crease appeared on her forehead. She was talking to herself a lot recently. It started in the prison when she was being tortured by Pyre but continued even after she was freed. She stepped over a puddle and mumbled, ¡°Well, it¡¯s alright as long as no one responds. Right, Blossom? Right.¡± ¡°What is this passage used for?¡± Palan asked as he continued walking. Glowing stones illuminated the path with a faint light. ¡°Turn back!¡± Cherri said and wiggled. Her face was turning red from being held upside-down. ¡°This is the holy path the bishops walk when they want to start a ritual. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on the other end, but we¡¯re completely forbidden from entering it. Please, please, please turn back.¡± She glared at Justitia. ¡°And you! The signs are all over the ground! Poison obviously means do not enter!¡± ¡°Forbidden is just another word for treasure,¡± Palan said and snorted. His bare feet stepped into a puddle of poison, but he acted as if nothing happened. He witnessed Raea¡¯s poison, and he was able to use it. Why would he be scared of a few drops on the ground? As he went further down the path, the passage became wider and brighter. The number of glowing stones increased, casting the path in shades of blue and purple. Cory¡¯s eyes widened as she waddled over to a wall, avoiding a puddle, and scratched at a stone with her talons. Her eyes squinted as she attempted to pluck it off. ¡°Please stop,¡± Cherri said with a whimper. Tears formed in her eyes. What would the elders say if they found out she was the one who let these blasphemers into the holy ground? They¡¯d probably kill her or, even worse, banish her from the tribe. Centaurs didn¡¯t do well alone. She¡¯d seen the exiles at the cafeteria, and she didn¡¯t want to live like that. ¡°This wall is too hard,¡± Cory said with a growl. She sighed and stopped trying to remove a stone. She had a feeling her talons would give before the wall did. Palan¡¯s red tail unwound itself from Cherri¡¯s body and reached for the ceiling. Its mouth opened next to a glowing stone, and it chomped down, easily separating the stone from the ceiling despite its lack of teeth. It leaned over and opened its mouth next to Cory, offering her the glowing stone.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°For me?¡± Cory asked and blinked. Her head turned towards Raea. She¡¯d take it if the harbinger didn¡¯t have any objections. The red snake nodded. Raea didn¡¯t even seem to notice the interaction, and Cory took the stone before depositing it into her clothes. She pat the snake¡¯s head with her wing. ¡°Thanks.¡± Raea pinched Palan¡¯s side. ¡°What was that about?¡± she asked. Like Palan, she didn¡¯t bother walking around the puddles, directly stepping into them with her shoes instead. ¡°Ask the tail,¡± Palan said and shrugged. He licked his lips. ¡°We¡¯re getting closer. I can sense them.¡± Raea tilted her head. The noises she heard before had become clearer. Even Justitia could hear the chanting coming from down the path. ¡°Please,¡± Cherri said, tears flowing up her face into her hair. ¡°Let me down. You don¡¯t need a hostage at all.¡± She sniffled, but her arms were pressed to her side, preventing her from wiping her nose. ¡°Refuse,¡± Danger Noodle said and yawned. ¡°Guess that¡¯s that,¡± Palan said. The passage ended, leading to a brightly lit room. Green grass blanketed the floor, and there were even flowers growing in patches. Tattooed centaurs were standing around in a circle, surrounding a sapling. Cory gasped. ¡°Is that sunlight?¡± she asked. She glared at Cherri with lightning flickering in her eyes. ¡°What the hell!? How come the centaurs get to see the sun!?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know,¡± Cherri said. Her eyes were wide. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this before. Is this grass?¡± She inhaled deeply through her nose. A shiver ran down her spine. ¡°It smells beautiful.¡± ¡°Another person with a weird sense of smell,¡± Justitia mumbled and rolled her eyes. She raised her head. The ceiling was filled with holes that let sunlight in. Shiny webs hung over the ceiling, catching any insects or dirt that fell through. Swarms of spiders hid in the cracks beside their webs. ¡°How deep are those holes?¡± ¡°The holes are extremely deep. Sunlight only comes through twice a day, when one of the two suns is directly overhead,¡± a voice said. One of the centaurs had walked over to the party¡¯s side. ¡°Who brought you here?¡± Palan pointed at the centaur suspended above himself. ¡°She did,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Cherri said as her legs flailed. ¡°I really didn¡¯t! They kidnapped me and forced me to accompany them! You have to believe me, elder. I swear to the holy spirit, I would never intrude on the holy grounds otherwise.¡± The elder centaur¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at Cherri. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the tribe leader¡¯s daughter?¡± he asked. ¡°Y-yes,¡± Cherri said and pursed her lips. She sniffled, causing her body to jolt. ¡°He will be very disappointed,¡± the elder said and folded his arms over his chest. The remaining centaurs finished chanting and stepped away from the sapling before heading towards the group. ¡°You bastards had sunlight!¡± Cory shouted as her wings opened fully. Her feathers puffed up, increasing her body size. ¡°This should be ours!¡± One of the centaurs snorted. ¡°It isn¡¯t our fault you cretins haven¡¯t thought about doing this,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a shame the rest of your kind won¡¯t find out either. Now that you¡¯ve seen this, you can¡¯t be allowed to leave.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow and looked at Raea. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± he said as the centaurs circled around the group. ¡°It¡¯s just a really small tree.¡± Raea shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just as confused as you are,¡± she said and scratched her head. ¡°Maybe it has some religious meaning?¡± She raised her head and stared at Cherri who was trembling with tears falling from her face. ¡°What do you think, Cherri?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Justitia said as she stepped closer to Palan. ¡°Ignore the hostile centaurs surrounding us. That¡¯s exactly what we should do.¡± Chapter 274 ¡°Who said I wanted to leave?¡± Cory asked and snorted as she flew into the air. The ceiling wasn¡¯t high, but there was enough space for the harpy to fly. She sucked in a mouthful of air and let out a shriek. Red lightning shot out of her eyes, rushing towards the tattooed centaurs. A stray lightning bolt narrowly missed Cherri, but it was enough to frighten the crying centaur into silence. The rest of the lightning collided against the centaurs with a bang, but none of them let out a sound. A few of them collapsed to the ground, smoke wafting up from their bodies, while the ones that remained standing were on the verge of fainting. ¡°Filthy four-legged rats,¡± Cory said and spat. Her spittle flew towards the sapling growing in the room. ¡°Insolence!¡± one of the standing centaurs, the eldest, said. He was unhurt, but the staff he was holding was burnt and blackened on the ground beside him. Silver tribal tattoos decorated his red torso, stopping at his neck. He spread his arms towards the side, lifted his head towards the ceiling, and shouted, ¡°Rise, my brethren!¡± A milky white light floated out of his palms and rose into the air, forming a bubble of liquid-like light above himself. The bubble burst, liquid splashing over the group of centaurs but avoiding Palan¡¯s party. The centaurs¡¯ bodies stopped smoking, the collapsed centaurs began to stand, and every scorch mark dispersed. Even the grass that had been affected by Cory¡¯s lightning was cured by the centaur¡¯s ability, growing a bit longer than before. ¡°Strike back!¡± the eldest said. He closed his eyes as blue ropes flew out of his back and wrapped around his ally centaurs. The ropes melded into their bodies, leaving a faint transparent connection between himself and the others. Some of the centaurs clapped their hands together and closed their eyes. Blue ropes also flew out of their backs, wrapping around the three centaurs who still had their eyes opened. The elder that had first confronted Palan¡¯s party let out a roar. A thousand white chains burst out of his back and charged towards Cory. Her eyes widened as she attempted to maneuver past them, diving and rising while twisting her body. Despite her best efforts, a few chains wrapped around her, but she created a lightning aura around her body that allowed her to escape every time she was caught. ¡°Why are you just watching!?¡± Cory shouted as she circled around and ended up back over Palan and Raea. Red lightning flew out of her eyes and snaked towards the centaur of patience, but before it could make contact with his body, another centaur snorted and waved his hand, dispersing the bolt. Palan ignored Cory¡¯s shouts and rubbed his chin, staring at the transparent blue connection between the centaurs. ¡°Is this altruism?¡± he asked Justitia and Raea. A boost in powers¡ªthe words Akurel said to him came to mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°It is,¡± Justitia said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen General Akurel do something similar to this. He could promote angels to greater angels and greater angels to pseudo-archangels. At least, that¡¯s what I heard. I was part of General Michael¡¯s army, not his, so I wasn¡¯t qualified to experience it for myself. It looks like they¡¯re stacking multiple boosts onto a few centaurs.¡± Her brow furrowed as a chain of patience wrapped around her waist. ¡°But aren¡¯t you a bit too calm about all of this?¡± ¡°Too calm!¡± Cory shouted as her body discharged another aura of lightning, knocking the chains away from herself. She dove and landed in front of Palan. She crouched and covered her head with her wings. Her lightning was ineffectual against the centaurs, and it didn¡¯t seem like the centaur of patience would stop anytime soon. Her neck tilted as she looked up at Raea. ¡°Help? A ruler should help their subjects when they¡¯re in need, right?¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Raea sighed and scratched her head, her body moving fluidly despite the dozens of chains wrapped around her torso, ankles, and wrists. The patience centaur¡¯s eyes widened as he ordered another hundreds of chains to wrap around Raea. She laughed as her body started to slow down before looking at Palan. ¡°So this is what you felt when I bound you so long ago, huh?¡± she asked with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll admit it¡¯s a bit uncomfortable. Sorry about that.¡± More and more chains wrapped around Raea¡¯s body, covering her until she looked like a glowing mummy. An earthen hand rose out of the ground and grasped Palan. The surface of the hand rippled and started to glisten. Within seconds, the dirt had solidified into solid metal, leaving only his and his three tails¡¯ heads sticking out of the block. Cherri was freed, but she didn¡¯t dare move from the spot she was released. ¡°Interesting,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Altruism really is strange.¡± Cory¡¯s face paled. ¡°Err, are you two stuck?¡± she asked. She was being held by a centaur, her wings pinned behind her back and legs held together. Lightning flickered over her body, but it dispersed before reaching the centaur. The eldest centaur opened his eyes and dropped his hands. The blue rope continued to connect him to his subordinates. ¡°Speak, stranger,¡± he said towards Palan. ¡°Why have you come?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we come?¡± Cory asked and spat towards the centaur. The eldest frowned and twirled his hand. The centaur holding Cory nodded, and there was a snapping sound. Cory screeched as she was released, her wings dangling by her sides. A layer of sweat formed on her forehead as she gritted her teeth. Before she could say anything, a hoof collided with the side of her head, knocking her out. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize demons mixed with feathered vermin,¡± the eldest said, his gaze on Palan. His eyebrow raised as he glanced at Justitia. ¡°Unless it was your idea? Do you think you have immunity because you¡¯re an angel?¡± His tail swished as his eyes narrowed. ¡°Even the commander is forbidden from entering this area.¡± ¡°I want to see your perverted tribe leader,¡± Palan said and snorted. The metal encasing cracked as his neck strained. The eldest¡¯s eyes widened as dozens of cracks formed on the surface of the metal before splintering. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± the eldest asked the centaur by Cory. ¡°Cancel his powers!¡± The centaur narrowed his eyes and pointed at Palan. The air rippled, but the cracks continued to elongate until a chunk fell off, revealing Palan¡¯s chest and stomach. The centaur¡¯s face darkened. ¡°He¡¯s not using any powers,¡± he said. ¡°Admirable,¡± the eldest centaur said as he leaned over and picked up his blackened staff. He dusted off the tip until the surface of an orb appeared. An earthen spike protruded out of the staff. ¡°But everything bleeds.¡± The eldest charged forward, thrusting the staff at Palan¡¯s chest. ¡°You better act now, you stupid mouth,¡± Palan said. A sigh escaped from his torso as the line in his abdomen opened, a tongue shooting out and wrapping around the staff. Before the centaur could react, his weapon was ripped out of his hands and shattered in half. The rest of the metal trapping Palan¡¯s body fragmented and fell to the ground as his arms, legs, and tails moved. ¡°Bind him!¡± the eldest said. The thousand chains wrapped around Raea¡¯s body released her and snaked around Palan instead. He didn¡¯t even try to resist, laughing instead. Raea yawned and stretched her arms above her head. Her head tilted to one side as she cracked her neck. Her gaze landed on Cory, and her expression darkened. She glared at Palan. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you act?¡± she asked. Black flames engulfed the chains on Palan¡¯s body, burning them away and forcing the centaurs to take a step back. ¡°I wanted to see what else altruism could do,¡± he said and shrugged as the chains melted away. The centaurs paled. ¡°Watching them despair is also fun.¡± Chapter 275 ¡°Monster,¡± the eldest centaur whispered as he shielded his eyes with his hand. The black fire around Palan¡¯s body burned brighter, the heat withering the grass on the ground. The centaurs who had their eyes closed deactivated their powers and took steps back. The elder that berated Cherri swallowed even though his mouth was dry. The eldest centaur¡¯s brow furrowed as his knees buckled and his belly touched the ground. His head lowered, his gaze fixating on Palan¡¯s feet. Sweat dripped from his neck but evaporated before touching the ground. The blue connections linking him to his subordinates faded away. ¡°We yield to you.¡± ¡°But, Archbishop, this is our holy ground,¡± the centaur who had created the metallic hand said. Palan turned his head and smiled at him. The centaur clenched his hands as he met Palan¡¯s gaze, his tail swishing back and forth. His front hoof pawed at the ground. ¡°Stand down,¡± the eldest said. His forehead touched the browning grass in front of himself. ¡°I beseech you. Please, stop your flames.¡± The circle of withering grass was growing larger and larger as the heat from the flames spread out. A few webs above Palan¡¯s head had already burst into flames and disintegrated, leaving nothing behind. The standing centaurs retreated behind the archbishop and knelt as well. Cherri¡¯s gaze shifted between Palan¡¯s group and her elders. She bit her lower lip as her weight shifted from side to side. Should she kneel with her tribesmen or should she stay with the demon who kidnapped her? She wasn¡¯t important enough to associate with the religious figureheads even though she was the tribe leader¡¯s daughter. But at the same time, she wasn¡¯t exactly a part of Palan¡¯s party. A sigh escaped from her lips. She wished she had a coin to flip to decide for her. Raea pinched Palan¡¯s side. ¡°Quit using my mana,¡± she said and snorted. Although they had gotten to a point where it wasn¡¯t strenuous to use each other¡¯s powers, she still felt a sense of discomfort like an itch on her toe when she was wearing shoes that couldn¡¯t be easily removed. ¡°And I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be one to play around with potential threats. I thought you¡¯d finish them off quickly.¡± Palan shrugged as the flames dispersed. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t felt danger ever since I became an archdemon. These centaurs?¡± He gestured towards the bowing halflings. ¡°They¡¯re like goats to me¡ªcompletely harmless. And, like goats, they became subservient quite easily,¡± he said and walked over to the archbishop, squatting down. ¡°You knew your situation was hopeless. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the archbishop said without raising his head. A slight tremor ran through his body. ¡°We have spent years cultivating this garden. It doesn¡¯t make sense to have all our work destroyed because of a single lapse in judgment. We were unable to suppress you even when we started our union.¡± ¡°Smart little goats,¡± Palan said and smiled as he stood up. He walked over to Cory¡¯s unconscious body and picked it up. He tossed the harpy in front of the centaur. ¡°Now heal her.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The archbishop lifted his torso and nodded. ¡°I understand, honored one,¡± he said. A ball of glowing white light formed in between his hands as he held them in front of his chest. His hands separated, causing the light to elongate like taffy before falling on top of Cory. Her flesh squirmed as her broken wings shifted back into place, the cut on her head healing. The centaur didn¡¯t even glance at Cory as she started to stir, keeping his gaze on Palan. ¡°The honored one said he was looking for someone?¡± ¡°The tribe leader,¡± Palan said. ¡°I need to have a few words with him.¡± The archbishop¡¯s brow furrowed as he recalled Palan¡¯s previous description¡ªperverted tribe leader. Was Mathias perverted? Perhaps a little. The centaur nodded. ¡°I will take you to his quarters,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s there or not. Often times, he accompanies the commander as a bodyguard or defends the entrance to the underground world.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Palan said and placed his hand on Cherri¡¯s shoulder, causing her to stiffen. ¡°She says the commander¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Dead?¡± the archbishop asked. The centaurs behind him started to murmur. He stood up and headed towards the tunnel that Palan had entered from. ¡°I see. Is the situation outside chaotic?¡± ¡°Totally chaotic. Mostly because of him,¡± Justitia muttered. She shook her head, and her gaze landed on Cherri. Justitia pursed her lips and flicked the centaur¡¯s nose. Something about it irked her. Cherri yelped and covered her face with her hand. The corner of her eyes moistened as she glared at the grinning angel. ¡°What was that for!?¡± Cherri asked and stamped her feet. ¡°Shh.¡± Justitia brought her finger to her lips. She followed after Raea and Palan who were walking alongside the archbishop. Cory was stumbling along behind them, bleary-eyed. ¡°The adults are trying to talk.¡± The archbishop shot a glance at Cherri and Justitia as he continued to walk forwards. His hooves avoided every puddle of poison on the path even though he wasn¡¯t watching where he was going. ¡°Why was the tribe leader¡¯s daughter with you?¡± he asked Palan. ¡°I needed a guide, and she volunteered¡±¡ª ¡°I did not!¡± ¡ª¡°and brought us here,¡± Palan said. ¡°She did say this place was forbidden, but why? It¡¯s just a tree and some grass.¡± The archbishop¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°The holy ground is more than just a garden,¡± he said. ¡°It is a place of communion with our lord. Our lord resides in nature, in grass, in trees, in flowers and weeds. He lives in the sunlight, the moonlight, and the stars. He belongs to earth, belongs to water, belongs to wind. But he¡¯s a part of all of these. With only one¡ªthe earth¡ªwe are unable to communicate with him, which is why we had to create a proper environment for him to traverse. Unclean or impure beings taint our connection with him. This is why we forbid nonbelievers and outsiders from entering. The poison on this path is the filth and toxins we¡¯ve expunged from the holy grounds. I suspect more will spill out because of your visit.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Palan said. Poison splattered on the walls as he stepped into the puddles. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Angels,¡± Raea said before the archbishop could say anything. ¡°What happens to them in your religion? Like after they die.¡± ¡°Like every living creature, they are judged,¡± the centaur said as he used a grass square to wipe away the poison on his legs. ¡°The worthy ones ascend to heaven. The unworthy ones fall to hell. In our lord¡¯s eyes, all things are equal. The outer shape that houses the soul is irrelevant.¡± He glanced at Cory. ¡°Unless you¡¯re a harpy. They go straight to hell.¡± ¡°Fuck you too,¡± Cory said and snorted. She hopped onto Cherri¡¯s back and rubbed her own head with her wing. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t cure my headache on purpose, bastard. I hope you go to hell for being petty.¡± Chapter 276 ¡°I¡¯m the furthest thing from petty,¡± the archbishop said to Cory and snorted. ¡°Your headache must originate from the tiny size of your brain. Don¡¯t blame your shortcomings on someone else.¡± Cherri squealed as Cory dug her talons into the young centaur¡¯s back. ¡°Let¡¯s see how many shortcomings you have after I zap you with lightning,¡± the red harpy said as her feathers puffed up. ¡°I get the feeling harpies don¡¯t mix well with centaurs,¡± Raea said as she halted because Cory and the archbishop were staring each other down. ¡°What started this hatred towards one another?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need a reason to hate something so ugly,¡± Cory said and pointed at the centaur with her wingtip. ¡°Look at him: featherless, five legs, hooves. Absolutely disgusting.¡± The tattooed centaur met Raea¡¯s eyes. He gestured towards Cory, holding his palm up, and asked, ¡°Need I say more?¡± ¡°I guess not,¡± Raea said and scratched her head. ¡°Anyways, Cory, stop antagonizing the centaurs.¡± ¡°But he started it!¡± Cory said and pouted. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Raea said and folded her arms. ¡°Be the bigger person. I¡¯m sure harpies are better than this.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cory furrowed her brow and spread her wings out while puffing up her feathers. A second later, she deflated and shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s too fat.¡± Raea¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°That¡¯s not what being a bigger person means,¡± she said and exhaled. ¡°Actually, forget it. As the harbinger, I issue a new decree: no more antagonizing centaurs. Or trolls. Or goblins¡­. You know what? No antagonizing anyone without my permission.¡± Cory¡¯s expression turned ugly. She glared at the archbishop before turning her head away to preen herself. The centaur raised an eyebrow as he began walking again. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting her to listen to your words,¡± he said. ¡°You hold a lot of sway over the harpies?¡± Raea patted her chest. ¡°You can call me their leader,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty new at it though. I think I started today?¡± The archbishop fell silent. For a while, the only sounds were the clopping of hooves, and the splashing of liquid as the party trekked down the passage. The old centaur broke the silence. ¡°Didn¡¯t the harpies start their kidnapping spree today?¡± he asked Raea with a strange expression on his face. Raea coughed and avoided the centaur¡¯s gaze. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me,¡± she said. ¡°Then the battle cry, ¡®For the harbinger!¡¯ has nothing to do with you?¡± ¡°Must be a coincidence,¡± Raea said and nodded. Her wings rustled, and she ran her fingers through them, preening herself. Her face was redder than usual. Although she wasn¡¯t an angel of kindness anymore, lying still bothered her. She wasn¡¯t sure how Palan did it with such a straight face. Lots of practice, maybe? ¡°Harbinger,¡± Cory said and flapped her wings after she finished preening. She saluted, raising one wing, while continuing to perch on Cherri¡¯s back. ¡°Second-in-command, Cory the Red Zapper, requesting permission to antagonize the ugly centaur.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°No.¡± Cory blinked. ¡°Please?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said again and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was starting to wonder if having a personal army was worth it anymore. Her subjects needed to hurry up and educate themselves already. ¡°Fine,¡± Cory said and wrinkled her nose. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the stupid, bow-legged, ground-humper alone.¡± The centaur sighed and shook his head as they reached the previous fork that Cherri had stopped at. The archbishop frowned. ¡°There used to be a sign here that said, ¡®Entry forbidden,¡¯¡± he said. He shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if a harpy took it because she thought it was shiny.¡± Cory rolled her eyes. ¡°I told you you were going the wrong way,¡± Cherri said and bit her lower lip, not daring to meet Palan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I went the way I meant to go,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms over his chest. The archbishop cleared his throat. ¡°Honored one,¡± he said and headed down a different path. He rubbed his chin. ¡°May I inquire as to why you¡¯re looking for our tribe leader?¡± ¡°I just want to confirm Solra¡¯s death,¡± Palan said. He jabbed Cherri¡¯s rib, causing her to jump. ¡°She said the pervert was a witness. Also, I don¡¯t know where Pyre is; otherwise, I¡¯d just ask him.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± the archbishop asked and wet his lips with his tongue. A dry laugh escaped from his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t want to establish dominance or anything like that? No hostile takeover? I¡¯m sure with your ability, no one will protest. You may not be a centaur, but at least you aren¡¯t an angel.¡± ¡°Do you want me to?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re suggesting I be your new leader.¡± ¡°Well, no,¡± the centaur said and laughed again while avoiding Cherri¡¯s strange look. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m unsatisfied with our current tribe leader. Not at all. Who wouldn¡¯t love a leader who¡¯s never around because he works as a bodyguard to an angel like a dog with no pride? There¡¯s no reason to replace him at all. He¡¯s perfect: a role model for excellence, stronger than everyone else, first to evolve into an archling. He¡¯s very diligent at being away from the tribe. When he¡¯s here, he¡¯s a bit lustful, but who doesn¡¯t have their flaws? No, I don¡¯t want you to replace him. No, honored one. I¡¯m sure the tribe loves him and would be very heartbroken if he was replaced.¡± ¡°Elder¡­,¡± Cherri said. She chewed on the inside of her mouth. ¡°You know you¡¯re talking about my dad, right? I have a duty to tell him what you said.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± the archbishop said and patted his chest. ¡°Tell him everything I¡¯ve said. Nothing but praise has exited from my mouth¡ªhe¡¯d be pleased. I¡¯m sure the leaders of the various factions that arose because he¡¯s never around would agree with everything I said.¡± Cherri pursed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re a religious leader,¡± she said and stamped her hooves. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to weigh in on the secular tribal matters.¡± ¡°If the tribe wasn¡¯t so splintered and forcing me to take sides, I wouldn¡¯t have said anything,¡± the archbishop said and snorted. He cleared his throat. ¡°I mean, who said I was?¡± ¡°What makes you think I¡¯d be a better leader?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on sticking around and babysitting a herd of goats.¡± ¡°You can always use a figurehead¡ªnot that I want you to overthrow our current system¡ªbut, hypothetically, if it happened, I¡¯m sure a demonstration of your strength would act as a great deterrent,¡± the archbishop said. ¡°You see, the faction heads think Mathias is only the tribe leader because he¡¯s the first centaur to evolve. They think that after they evolve as well, they can be as strong, or stronger, than Mathias. But if someone like you, who can easily break free from our clergy¡¯s conjoined efforts, decides to nominate someone¡±¡ªhe glanced at Cherri¡ª¡°to act as leader. They won¡¯t be unreconciled. Someone of your caliber wouldn¡¯t find it very difficult at all. Like you said, we¡¯re just a herd of goats in your eyes. A simple wave of your powerful hands is sure to shock and awe our humble selves. I¡¯m sure many younglings will worship you as well.¡± ¡°In other words,¡± Palan said and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re flattering me in an attempt to use me.¡± The archbishop coughed. ¡°Would a bribe have been better?¡± he asked. ¡°Nah,¡± Palan said. ¡°Keep flattering me. I don¡¯t dislike it.¡± Chapter 277 ¡°Great,¡± the archbishop said with a smile. He looked at the young centaur by his side. ¡°Cherri was it? How would you feel if you hypothetically became the new tribe leader?¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± Cherri said and shook her head, her hair flying and smacking Cory in the face. ¡°I can¡¯t do that to my dad. You¡¯re a bad person for even suggesting such a thing. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re the archbishop.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away while closing her eyes. The group turned around a bend, and Cherri walked straight into the wall. Cory snickered. ¡°Are you sure you want someone like her to be your new leader?¡± she asked. The harpy shrugged before the archbishop or Cory could reply. ¡°Well, I guess she is pretty smart ¡­ for a centaur.¡± ¡°Cory¡­,¡± Raea said. ¡°Are you disobeying my words?¡± ¡°I complimented her!¡± Cory said. ¡°Compliments don¡¯t antagonize!¡± The archbishop sighed and lowered his head as he spoke to himself, but just loud enough for Cherri and the rest to hear, ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter who becomes the new leader, I suppose. But what¡¯ll happen to Mathias after he¡¯s overthrown will be a real shame. The new leader will probably have him made into an example; ah, what to do? It¡¯ll be a great loss for the tribe if such a powerful centaur is exiled. If only there was a compassionate leader to replace him, but everyone who wants his position hates him.¡± The tattooed centaur shook his head and clucked his tongue. ¡°I never expected his daughter to be so heartless. Was he such a bad person that his children are also estranged from him? I guess that¡¯s not a surprise considering his personality. I guess there can only be one outcome from all this after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Cherri said as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. There were tears in her eyes caused by the collision. ¡°Wait. Why can¡¯t Palan just support my father and use him as a puppet instead?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cherri,¡± the archbishop said and sighed. ¡°The tribe leader¡¯s position is a very large burden to bear. I wouldn¡¯t want to force you into it. We can arrange for Palan to support Mathias since you¡¯re shying away from responsibili¡ªI mean¡ªjust a child. It¡¯s unfair of me to expect you to take up such an important position. By the time the discontent and anger boils over because Mathias is such a terrib¡ªterrific leader, you¡¯ll be old enough to become the new chief after suppressing the rebellion.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯ll do it!¡± Cherri shouted and stamped her hooves. ¡°Stop being so wordy! You¡¯re making me feel bad.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up to the task?¡± the archbishop asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t want you saying someone manipulated you into the position. Do you really want to replace your father as the new chieftain? It has to completely be your decision with no outside influences.¡± He clapped his hands on Cherri¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Are you willing?¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Yes!¡± Cherri said. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little terrifying,¡± Justitia said to Raea and Palan. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t become an archbishop by being bad with words.¡± The archbishop cleared his throat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll count on you, Cherri,¡± he said. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll do your best to not let your father down.¡± He patted her back before walking in front of Palan, leading the way down the passage. He winked at Justitia. ¡°I¡¯m the embodiment of kindness. A little bit of empathy allows me to relate with the people I want to persuade. From there, it¡¯s just a little bit of prodding and pulling.¡± ¡°A really kind person wouldn¡¯t be so manipulative,¡± Justitia said. ¡°Kindness to your enemies is being cruel to yourself,¡± the centaur said. ¡°Cruelty to your enemies is kindness to your friends. I¡¯m doing a good deed to the tribe by manipulating one person. Who can judge my actions as kind or unkind? Personally, I believe everything I am doing is out of kindness even if I may have to hurt someone in the process.¡± ¡°Did you just admit to manipulating me?¡± Cherri asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± Justitia said, ignoring the young centaur. ¡°Kindness is all about relating with another person, loving them completely for who they are, and never wishing to do them harm.¡± ¡°Even if they¡¯re hostile?¡± the archbishop asked, also ignoring Cherri who was tugging on his arm. ¡°Even if they¡¯re hostile.¡± ¡°Then how do any angels of kindness exist after what they¡¯ve done to the dwarves, the harpies, the centaurs, the trolls? And what about the goblins and the lizardmen?¡± the centaur asked. ¡°They justify to themselves that what they¡¯re doing is righteous. Blind faith in their belief allows them to ignore the cruelty everyone else is subjected to. Can¡¯t I blindly believe that my actions, though a bit manipulative now, will benefit Cherri in the long run?¡± ¡°But is it really kindness if you know you¡¯re being unkind to another person?¡± Justitia asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°The angels don¡¯t know about the consequences of their actions. You do.¡± The archbishop snorted. ¡°So you¡¯re holding me to a higher standard than your angels?¡± he asked. He raised his hand, forming a large globule of milky light. ¡°This is my answer to you.¡± He threw the light into Justitia¡¯s face, causing her to yelp. The light ran down her body like liquid, healing all the minor scars that were inflicted during her time in prison. ¡°I can use what you angels call the power of kindness; therefore, I am right.¡± Justitia wiped at her face, but it wasn¡¯t wet and her hands came back dry. She bit her lower lip. ¡°I guess that¡¯s all that matters in the end, huh?¡± she asked. ¡°Whether or not you can use it. I¡¯m sure your logic is flawed somewhere. Maybe you¡¯re able to use kindness now, but I don¡¯t know how far you¡¯ll be able to advance. I don¡¯t think your powers would even be as great as they are if you hadn¡¯t eaten so many angels.¡± ¡°My powers are on the level of an archangel,¡± the archbishop said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you say that¡¯s enough?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°Right,¡± the archbishop said as he gazed at Palan. ¡°If someone like you didn¡¯t exist, then it would be. But you do exist, so it isn¡¯t. You¡¯re too wise, honored one.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m wise,¡± Palan said with a slight smile on his lips. ¡°That¡¯s also why I know if I exist, then someone else like me can also exist.¡± He wet his lips. ¡°And I¡¯m going to eat them.¡± Chapter 278 The first thing Palan heard when he arrived at the end of the passage was a familiar centaur shouting, ¡°Who else thinks they¡¯re better than me?¡± The shout echoed and reverberated through the wide, open space. Though there were no trees, grass, or sunlight, the centaurs¡¯ underground habitat resembled the side of a mountain with a valley sandwiched between a slope and a wall. Lichen wrapped around the rocks, growing near the white stones that emitted light. At the peak of the mountainside, with four-arms held out to the side, Mathias stood alone, staring down at the horde of centaurs amassing below. Dozens of stone hands grew out of the floor, ceiling, and wall around him, ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice. Just below him, on a protruding ledge, there was a bleeding centaur with snake tattoos inscribed on his back. His legs were bent in unnatural angles and a gash on his head allowed blood to flow over his eyes which he couldn¡¯t wipe away because his arms were limp at his sides. The centaur¡¯s breathing was labored and seemed like it could stop at any second. An earthen hoof materialized in the rocks beside the disabled centaur and kicked him off the ledge into the crowd below. ¡°I leave for two days and all of you suddenly have the idea that I¡¯m weak!?¡± Mathias bellowed. A stone fist crashed against the ground by his feet, causing the mountain to shake. ¡°You! Vasher!¡± The stone hand pointed at a centaur with purple snakes tattooed on his green body. ¡°You¡¯ve been eyeing my position for a long time now. I know you¡¯re the one who started this. Do you dare to fight me yourself instead of sending your useless subordinates to die?¡± The fingers of the hand elongated and grew towards the centaur faster than a horse could run. ¡°You were too harsh,¡± Vasher said as he snorted and waved his hand. A wall of silver air congealed in front of him, halting the progress of the hand. He pointed towards the dying centaur that Mathias knocked down earlier. ¡°He was a promising member of the tribe. He looked up to you, wanted to be as strong as you. You came back and he asked you for pointers. Instead of teaching him, you brutally murdered him!¡± Vasher stamped his feet against the ground and roared. The wall of wind pushed back against the stone fingers, causing the rocks to crack and chip off. He turned around and faced the tribe members who had taken a step back when he was targeted. ¡°Is this how a tribe leader should treat his tribe? Do we really want someone as brutal as him to lead us? That man had a wife. He had children! He only requested a teaching match! What right does Mathias have to openly slaughter our tribesmen!? Perhaps he wants the man¡¯s widow for himself! Everyone knows how he is!¡± A vein bulged on Mathias¡¯ forehead. ¡°Cut the crap, Vasher!¡± he shouted and made a hurling motion with all four of his arms. A boulder was launched by a hand behind Mathias towards the talking centaur. A horrified expression appeared on Vasher¡¯s face. ¡°Run!¡± he shouted to the crowd and whirled around. Mathias¡¯ brow furrowed as the terror on Vasher¡¯s face was replaced by a sneer. A flimsy wall of wind formed in front of the green centaur. He dove to the side as the wind wall did nothing but halt the boulder for a fraction of a second. The boulder crashed against the ground where Vasher had just stood before hurtling into the crowd. A few centaurs tried to fend it off with their powers, but the projectile was too large and moving too fast. Mathias had meant for it to crush an archling of humility after all. Screams and crunching noises echoed through the air. Children cried as Mathias¡¯ face paled.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. His body trembled. ¡°Vasher!¡± he roared and clenched his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you snake bastard!¡± ¡°You murderer!¡± Vasher shouted as he ran and weaved into the crowd. ¡°Do you see what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Mathias said as his face contorted. ¡°You planned this.¡± ¡°Planned this? How could I plan something like this?¡± Vasher asked. The crowd around him gathered closer, glaring at Mathias. Vasher pointed at Mathias. ¡°It was you. You did this. The deaths of these tribesmen¡ªthey¡¯re on your hands, not mine.¡± The crowd beside the centaur shouted profanities at Mathias, slinging their powers at him. A hollow laughed escaped from Mathias¡¯ lips as earthen hands blocked the attacks. ¡°So,¡± he said, his expression returning back to normal. ¡°Is this the will of the people?¡± He waved his hand, gesturing towards the group standing by Vasher¡¯s side. The majority of them had snake tattoos on their bodies as well. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting something, Vasher.¡± Mathias held his hands out to the side, palms up. The entire habitat began to rumble. ¡°What?¡± Vasher asked, his eyebrows pressing together. ¡°What is the motto of our tribe!?¡± Mathias bellowed. The centaurs who hadn¡¯t gathered by Vasher shouted, ¡°Strength is everything!¡± ¡°Strength is everything!¡± Mathias echoed as he stood on his hind legs. His hands closed as he swung them down, stomping the ground with his forefeet at the same time. A roaring noise filled the habitat as the ceiling rumbled, dropping rocks onto the crowd below. A circular platform was forming in the rocks above Vasher, large enough for every centaur accompanying him to stand on it. Also large enough for it to crush every single one of them if it fell. Mathias snorted as his front hoof pawed at the ground. ¡°Let this be a lesson to all you faction heads. You¡¯re staking the lives of everyone in your faction when you try for the position of chieftain, not just your own.¡± The circular platform elongated and rushed towards Vasher like a pillar falling from the sky. ¡°Stop them!¡± Cherri said and tugged on the archbishop¡¯s arm before covering her mouth with her hands. She was too far away from her father for him to hear her, which meant she hadn¡¯t heard anything he said as well. Palan and Raea didn¡¯t have any issues though. ¡°Vasher wouldn¡¯t contest Mathias if he didn¡¯t have confidence in his own strength,¡± the archbishop said with a frown. He hoped he was right. Vasher was the second centaur to evolve, but he had bided his time instead of striking right away. ¡°And I can¡¯t do anything to stop that.¡± He glanced at Palan and Raea. Raea scratched her head. ¡°I just realized all my powers are more bent towards destruction than protection,¡± she said and blinked at Palan. He opened his mouth to say something, but a sharp cracking noise accompanied by the howling of wind drowned out his voice. The pillar had collided with a rotating dome of silver wind. The wind ground at the pillar, shredding it to dust. Mathias¡¯ brow furrowed as more than half the pillar was destroyed by the barrier. Sunlight filled in the habitat as the pillar continued to fall. He had used all the earth above their heads to form his attack. Had Vasher always been this strong? When the remaining part of the pillar was ground to dust, laughter echoed through the habitat. ¡°Was that your lesson?¡± the green centaur asked and folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Like you said, ¡®Strength is everything.¡¯ Stand down peacefully, Mathias. Though you killed too many tribesmen to be pardoned, I promise you your family won¡¯t come to any harm.¡± Chapter 279 ¡°Stop talking and fight me with your actions,¡± Mathias said with a snort. He crossed his arms over his chest and bent his knees, sitting onto the ground. ¡°If you want my position, then come and take it. As long as I stay in this spot, the position of chieftain is mine.¡± His tail swished as his eyes closed. The limp stone hands by his side reached out of the earth, forming arms that took fighting positions. ¡°So this is how it¡¯s going to be,¡± Vasher said as his brow furrowed. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to do this, Mathias, but you¡¯ve forced my hand.¡± He swept his arm outwards, gesturing towards the centaurs who hadn¡¯t crowded around him. ¡°Everyone saw. I gave you a chance to step down peacefully, but you didn¡¯t accept it. You can¡¯t blame me for what happens next.¡± Mathias didn¡¯t say anything in response, keeping his eyes closed. Vasher ground his teeth together. ¡°Then so be it.¡± Vasher raised his hand, creating a vortex of wind in front of his palm. It spiraled and glowed with a silver light, rotating faster and faster until a cone was formed. His brow furrowed as he turned his head and looked up. A faint scream was growing louder and louder, drowning out the sound of his projectile. ¡°I don¡¯t want this! I don¡¯t like this! I really don¡¯t want this! Make it stop!¡± A flying, white-skinned, brown-furred centaur with blonde hair soared through the air, her body wrapped in a black light. She tumbled with her legs kicking in all directions while flailing her arms, but no matter how she moved, she was unable to divert her course. Tears fell from her face and dropped to the ground like a few drops of rain. Mathias¡¯ eyes opened and widened as he was greeted by the sight of his daughter flying straight towards him. ¡°Cherri!?¡± Mathias shouted and stood on his hind legs to give himself extra reach¡ªcatching her with a stone hand would¡¯ve been a bad idea. His upper two arms managed to grab her, but knocked him off balance, causing both of them to tumble to the ground. The black glow around Cherri¡¯s body disappeared as a tiny whimper escaped from her lips. ¡°Cherri? What are you doing here? I purposely sent you away. How did you¡­?¡± ¡°It was his fault!¡± Cherri said and pointed towards the entrance of the habitat. Mathias squinted and saw the archbishop standing in front of a group of non-centaurs. ¡°The archbishop?¡± Mathias asked and furrowed his brow. He¡¯d recognize that red body with its fancy silver tattoos anywhere. ¡°What is he doing out of the holy ground?¡± Milky white words appeared over the archbishop¡¯s head before Cherri could reply. They read, ¡°Don¡¯t forget what you¡¯re there to do, Cherri. I¡¯m watching you. You saw for yourself what would happen if you don¡¯t do it.¡± Murmurs rang through the crowd of centaurs, and Vasher stopped his attack, turning his attention towards the archbishop as well. ¡°Vasher greets the archbishop,¡± the green centaur said, projecting his voice with his powers of wind while bowing his head. The archbishop began traversing up the mountainous terrain with Palan and Justitia. Raea and Cory had taken to the air.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Cherri?¡± Mathias whispered to his sitting daughter as the centaurs waited for their spiritual leader to arrive. He frowned. His daughter seemed more anxious than usual. ¡°You didn¡¯t anger him, did you? Even if you did, don¡¯t worry about it. I can take care of any problem.¡± Cherri bit her lower lip. ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± she said and met her father¡¯s gaze. ¡°I think there¡¯s one problem that you can¡¯t solve though.¡± Her head lowered as she inhaled through her nose and breathed through her mouth. Mathias waited for his daughter to calm down, doing nothing but patting her back. Cherri¡¯s body stopped trembling, and she raised her head. Her eyes were unwavering as she stared down Mathais. She spoke slowly, enunciating each word, ¡°I¡¯m going to become the new tribe leader.¡± Mathias blinked as his hand froze. ¡°Pardon?¡± he asked. ¡°I believe I misheard.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Cherri said as she stood up and shook her head. Mathias remained in the half-kneeling position he adopted earlier to comfort his daughter. Cherri exhaled and clenched her hands while looking down at her father. ¡°I¡¯m going to replace you as tribe leader.¡± Mathias¡¯ brow furrowed. ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯re saying?¡± he asked as he rose to his feet. He towered two heads over his daughter, but she didn¡¯t flinch, placing her hands on her hips instead. ¡°Take the position of tribe leader? Do you think you¡¯re strong enough? Vasher could kill you with a fart.¡± Cherri¡¯s face twitched at her father¡¯s crude words. ¡°I have a backer,¡± she said and pursed her lips as she thought of Palan. ¡°A really scary, terrifying, bullying backer, but a backer nonetheless. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s helping me¡ªactually, that¡¯s probably the archbishop¡¯s doing too¡ªbut anyways, I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°Is your backer stronger than me?¡± Mathias asked and raised an eyebrow. When had Cherri met someone like that in the underground world? His head turned towards the approaching archbishop. His gaze landed on Palan, causing his body to tense. Before, Palan was too far away to see in detail, but up close, Mathias recognized him as the demon who ripped off his arm. He asked Cherri in an urgent voice¡ªpractically hissing, ¡°Is it him?¡± He pointed at Palan. ¡°Yes,¡± Cherri said and nodded. ¡°Why is it him?¡± Mathias asked and scratched his head. ¡°What did you promise to give him? Why is he helping you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t promise to give him anything,¡± Cherri said and bit her lower lip. ¡°Honestly, I think he really just wanted to show off his powers to someone. But this was the archbishop¡¯s idea. He didn¡¯t like being pressured by the tribe and ¡­ blamed you for being a terrible leader.¡± Her head lowered. ¡°Just what has been happening while I was gone?¡± Mathias asked and furrowed his brow as he crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°Well,¡± Cherri said. ¡°If you weren¡¯t gone, you¡¯d know, right?¡± Mathias was about to reply, but the centaurs below said, ¡°We greet the archbishop!¡± All their heads lowered as they knelt except for the few leaders of the factions who saluted instead. The archbishop nodded and held out his hand, palm up. White light spurted out of his hand like a geyser, washing over the centaurs, healing the ones who had been injured during the two archlings¡¯ collision, but the centaurs who died stayed dead. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± he said after the light disappeared. ¡°I¡¯m just a spectator.¡± He glanced at Cherri, causing every other centaur to look at her as well. She gulped. Chapter 280 ¡°Oh, um, hi,¡± Cherri said and scratched her neck while taking a few steps back. She met the archbishop¡¯s gaze and pleaded with her eyes, but he just smirked at her and crossed his arms over his chest. She pursed her lips and glanced at her father. He had an amused expression¡ªthe same one he always had when he watched her try to lie her way out of trouble. Seeing that shit-eating grin on her father¡¯s face made Cherri¡¯s head throb. She stamped one hoof and faced the crowd. She shouted, fueled by the anger burning in her chest, ¡°Today, I am overthrowing my father and taking the place of tribe leader!¡± The habitat fell silent after Cherri¡¯s voice finished echoing. Everyone was staring at the generic-looking centaur. She wasn¡¯t old enough for her tattoos yet, and her skin color hadn¡¯t been affected by any evolutions. ¡°What?¡± Cherri shouted, flicking her tail and placing her hands on her hips. ¡°You¡¯re not going to greet your new leader?¡± There was no response. Cherri wrinkled her nose and pointed at Vasher. ¡°Palan, teach them a lesson!¡± Silence continued to pervade the habitat as a few centaurs exchanged puzzled glances. The silence was broken by Palan¡¯s yawn. The centaurs turned to stare at the demon lying in the air beside the archbishop, balancing on his three tails with his hands behind his head. Raea sighed as she flapped her wings and hovered above him with Cory by her side. The archbishop nudged Palan¡¯s shoulder with his elbow. ¡°Psst. Hey,¡± the centaur said. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t accept orders,¡± Palan said and brushed away the centaur¡¯s arm. He crossed one leg over the other and scratched his belly. ¡°This is your backer?¡± Mathias asked Cherri. Her face paled as her shoulders slumped forward. Her vision turned blurry from the tears gathering in her eyes. She bit her lower lip to stop it from quivering and resisted the urge to sniffle. Mathias sighed and placed his hand on his daughter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What is a demon doing in our territory?¡± Vasher asked. The centaurs were willing to ignore Palan before, thinking he was accompanying the archbishop, but after Cherri¡¯s outburst, they weren¡¯t so sure of his identity. The green centaur paused before pointing at Mathias. ¡°Has the tribe leader sent his daughter to collude with demons and angels? He knows no one within the tribe wishes to help him, so he seeks outside reinforcements? Despicable.¡± Vasher spat on the floor and pawed at the earth with his hoof. The faction heads who hadn¡¯t gathered around Vasher furrowed their brows. A few of them took steps closer to Vasher¡¯s group, followed by their underlings. Justitia blinked and looked at the archbishop. She pinched his side, ignoring the gasps coming from the surrounding centaurs, and asked, ¡°Hey, are centaurs xenophobic?¡± The archbishop grunted. ¡°They¡¯re very xenophobic,¡± he said and nodded. ¡°They despise outsiders and even a fractionated tribe like ours will band together to fight a perceived threat.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°So you wanted Cherri to become tribe leader even knowing that your tribesmen wouldn¡¯t accept her if Palan acted as her backer?¡± Justitia asked. ¡°Oh, no,¡± the archbishop said and shook his head. ¡°They¡¯ll accept her.¡± The centaur glanced at Palan who yawned again. ¡°He just has to thrash them a few times before they learn their lesson.¡± The archbishop paused and cleared his throat. ¡°Which I¡¯m sure is extremely easy for someone as powerful and majestic as him. Witnessing him beat everyone would be like watching a performance of a god fighting mere mortals.¡± He waited as the surrounding centaurs stared with confused faces. ¡°A little more,¡± Palan said and scratched his nose. The archbishop rolled his eyes. ¡°No words can describe the awe Palan brings about when he uses his powers,¡± he said and sighed while dropping his chin against his chest. He inhaled before straightening his back and raising his head, making eye contact with the surrounding centaurs. ¡°You may think of him as a demon, but I know he is an embodiment of a divine being. You think him an outsider, but he is one of the very spirits we worship. Without him, we are nothing. Like a shepherd, he has chosen to guide our flock, using Cherri as an intermediary. We should thank him for his benevolence and goodwill. Come, join me in kneeling, my brethren.¡± The archbishop turned around and knelt before Palan, bowing his head until his forehead touched the ground. Vasher stomped his hooves against the ground, but the archbishop acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard. ¡°What is this farce?¡± the green centaur shouted. ¡°Farce?¡± the archbishop asked as he stood up. ¡°This is no farce. Palan is going to unify our tribe. We¡¯ve been fractured for too long, always competing for authority over one another. Too much blood has been shed amongst ourselves when we should¡¯ve been fighting the angels. Cherri is the perfect leader: unaffiliated with any faction, experienced in tribal matters, and she has a strong willingness to learn.¡± ¡°The church has always been separate from secular matters,¡± Vasher said. ¡°Are you planning on breaking that rule now by planting your own puppet figurehead?¡± ¡°Because the church has always been separate from secular matters, I am able to see all the problems within the tribe,¡± the archbishop said. ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s my duty to fix these problems now that I¡¯ve found a solution.¡± ¡°You came here alone,¡± Vasher said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I know how the members of the clergy fight. Your synergy with each other makes you strong. If you¡¯re willing to interfere in our matters, what makes you think we¡¯ll listen to you?¡± He addressed the centaurs surrounding himself. By now, all the faction heads had wandered to his side. ¡°What do you plan on doing, Archbishop? If you walk away now, we can pretend this matter never happened.¡± ¡°Well,¡± the archbishop said and cleared his throat. ¡°Now that you¡¯re all bunched up, I¡¯m just going to hide behind Palan, the mighty and magnificent and glorious and handsome and stunning and powerful benefactor.¡± The red centaur sidled behind Palan and pressed his hands together. A blue rope extended out of his back and wrapped around the demon¡¯s body, melding into him. Palan cracked his neck as he stood on his feet, his tails rising into the air. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to experiment with my improved powers,¡± he said. ¡°I guess you goats can be target practice.¡± Chapter 281 ¡°Goats?¡± Vasher asked, his face cramping. The faction heads by his side pawed their hooves and glared at Palan. ¡°I may be humble, but I refuse to let myself and my tribesmen be insulted. Let¡¯s teach this so-called divine being a lesson.¡± He raised his palm in front of himself, causing the swirling cone of wind from before to appear. ¡°Was this how I did it?¡± Palan muttered as he raised his hand. He narrowed his eyes at Vasher, and a black glow enveloped the centaur. The halfling yelped as his knees buckled, causing him to crumple to the ground, his lips kissing a rock. The conical wind sank as well and drilled a hole into the earth. Vasher tried to raise his arms to prop himself up with his elbows, but the black light acted like glue, keeping his body stuck to the dirt. The centaur¡¯s body creaked as his ribs compressed. A strangled breath was forced out of his mouth, and he couldn¡¯t inhale. When his vision turned gray and blurred, the pressure on his body vanished. His torso expanded as he gulped for air and trembled as he raised his head. Palan frowned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t it,¡± he said and clicked his tongue. ¡°How did I do it?¡± His brow furrowed as he crossed his arms and tapped his foot. The centaurs stared at each other before launching their attacks towards Palan. A few fireballs, clouds of green gas, lightning, and white chains rushed towards Palan. Before they made contact, they collided against an oily sheen that formed a foot away from Palan¡¯s body. The archbishop gasped behind Palan as sweat began to pour down the centaur¡¯s brow. ¡°Can you not use your powers too excessively?¡± the archbishop asked while panting. His eyes opened as the blue rope connecting him to Palan shrank. ¡°I only did two things,¡± Palan said and glanced at the ragged centaur. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit too weak?¡± Another wave of attacks flew towards Palan, and he waved his hand, blocking it once again. The archbishop groaned before collapsing to his knees. A strand of saliva leaked from the corner of his mouth as his body shuddered. His eyes rolled upwards, revealing their whites as he fell forward and planted his face into the ground. The translucent blue rope disappeared. Palan scratched his head. In the end, he decided the only one he should rely on was himself and turned his attention back to the centaurs. They looked even angrier after the archbishop collapsed. By now, Vasher had recovered his breath and stood on shaky feet. ¡°The archbishop isn¡¯t supporting him anymore,¡± he said, voice quavering. He took in a deep breath, causing wind to swirl around his body. ¡°One more attack!¡± Before Palan or the centaurs could do anything, someone screamed. A massive black fireball fell from the hole Mathias had created earlier, blocking out the sunlight and filling the cave with a blood-red glow instead. The lichen on the rocks turned brown as black fire spread along the ceiling of the habitat. The centaurs shouted and raised their heads, their faces pale and eyes wide. Palan wrinkled his nose. ¡°Why can¡¯t I do something as awing as that?¡± he asked and looked up at Raea. Her eyes were glowing with a purple light while her hands waved around like strands of seaweed. The flame followed the motions of her arms and swirled, elongating like a snake. ¡°Hey,¡± Palan said and pointed at Raea. A black light enveloped her body and dragged her down to the floor with a bang. She yelped as the glow in her eye disappeared. A second later, the fiery snake in the air exploded, raining black embers and molten rocks. Mathias let out a roar and lifted his arms, summoning a dome of earth that encased the whole habitat and blocked out most of the effects. Darkness shrouded the centaurs, causing the children to scream. Though Mathias wouldn¡¯t have minded if Vasher died, the whole tribe was at risk of being exterminated, so he had to take action. ¡°What was that for!?¡± Raea asked and glared at Palan. Glowing red feathers protruded randomly from her wings, and Cory hopped over to preen them. ¡°You were stealing my thunder,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Well,¡± Raea said and stamped her foot. Her pants were ripped from the previous impact. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. I got mad when they attacked you. And you weren¡¯t even doing anything. You just stood there.¡±Stolen story; please report. ¡°I was thinking,¡± Palan said. None of the centaurs had the courage to interrupt their conversation. ¡°The feeling I had before when I pulled in all those angels was different somehow. It wasn¡¯t just more intense, there was another aspect to it.¡± He frowned and looked at the centaurs. ¡°Are any of you the embodiment of pride?¡± A gray-skinned centaur with tattoos designed like antlers stepped out of the crowd with his head raised. His back straightened as he folded his arms over his chest. ¡°I am,¡± he said, flicking his tail at the same time. A metal staff was strapped to his back. ¡°Great,¡± Palan said. ¡°Let me see your power.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from anyone,¡± the centaur said and curled his lip. Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Scared you¡¯ll lose?¡± he asked with a slight smile on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. If I didn¡¯t have toes, I¡¯d be scared of fighting too.¡± ¡°I am above cheap provocations,¡± the centaur said with a snort. Palan noticed the muscles on the centaur¡¯s face tense. ¡°My ability won¡¯t be used to bully the weak.¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve known goats can¡¯t have any pride,¡± Palan said with a sneer. ¡°A race of cowards will always beget a coward. Centaurs aren¡¯t worthy of being my underlings.¡± His blue pupils began to bleed into his red irises, turning his eyes purple. He laughed and stared at his palms before raising his head. He smiled and said, ¡°This is it. This is the feeling.¡± A small marble of pure darkness formed above his hand. Wind started to swirl around him. The ground and earthen dome creaked as bits of dirt crumbled off and rose into the air, joining the wind. The centaurs tensed their bodies as a light suction tugged on them, barely noticeable. Palan licked his lips and focused on the ball, willing it to grow. Cracking sounds echoed through the habitat as chunks of earth fell from the dome, letting sunlight back into the region. The chunks flew towards Palan¡¯s hand and collided against each other, forming a ball of floating earth. By the time the centaurs realized they should do something to stop him, the ball of earth had floated above Palan¡¯s head and grown to the size of a small boulder. The centaurs launched their attacks at Palan, but the powers gravitated towards the ball in the air, veering off target. A centaur child screamed as her legs left the ground. Luckily, her mother managed to grab onto her tail and kept her grounded. The gray-skinned centaur charged at Palan, brandishing his staff, but Palan didn¡¯t even look at him, keeping his eyes on the growing ball. A wide smile split his face as more and more of the dome and ground crumbled and joined the ball. The centaur of pride reached Palan¡¯s side and swung his staff, a black light coming off its surface. Danger Noodle caught it with its mouth and tossed the centaur into the air with a flick of its neck. The centaur screamed as he flew through the air and slammed into the hovering ball of rocks. It trembled and rocked from side to side before stabilizing once again with the new addition of a centaur. A small boulder promptly flew off of the mountain side and crashed into the centaur¡¯s head, causing blood and brain matter to splatter and spiral in the air before being sucked back towards the dead halfling. Centaurs screamed as fissures appeared on the ground and large platforms of earth floated into the air. Justitia was holding onto Cory who was holding onto Raea who was biting her lip and using her tail to anchor herself to a nearby rock formation. The archbishop¡¯s body rose into the air, but Palan¡¯s purple tail caught it and dragged it back to the ground. Cherri and Mathias watched in horror as centaurs were lifted off of their feet and pulled towards the growing mass in the air. Their limbs flailed uselessly as they soared and crashed into the mass, flattening against the rocks and other centaurs. ¡°Stop!¡± Cherri yelled and made a motion to dash down the mountainside, but Mathias grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Giant stone hands prevented his own body from leaving the ground. Only the small region surrounding Palan was unaffected. He stared at the growing, screaming mass in the air as if he was in a trance. A black fireball hit him the face, bringing him back to reality. Raea was doing her best to fly against the attractive force, but her body was being dragged backwards ever so slowly. ¡°Chill out!¡± Raea shouted and threw another fireball at Palan. Palan frowned as the purple light in his eyes disappeared and he batted away the fireball with his hand. The suction forced disappeared without warning, and the massive ball fell to the ground with a booming sound accompanied by a chorus of screams and snaps. Raea relaxed as the force pulling her disappeared, and she landed by Palan¡¯s side with Cory and Justitia. She turned around and surveyed the damage. ¡°Is that awing enough for you?¡± she asked. ¡°Barely satisfactory,¡± Palan said and scratched his chin. Chapter 282 The red and silver centaur by Palan¡¯s feet stirred and groaned. His eyes fluttered open as he placed his hand on his head. He screamed¡ªfor a second. A layer of foam trickled from his lips as his body shuddered. Justitia raised an eyebrow and prodded the archbishop in the stomach with her foot. ¡°You alright?¡± she asked. The centaur whimpered while wincing. Justitia raised her head. ¡°Looks like he overdrew his mana.¡± ¡°I only used three boosted abilities,¡± Palan said and frowned at the archbishop. He ignored the centaurs that were picking themselves up from beneath the mountain of rubble that he created with his powers. ¡°Maybe he used too much mana while he was fighting you earlier,¡± Justitia said. ¡°No,¡± the archbishop said and groaned. ¡°That isn¡¯t it. He¡¯s a terrorist. I barely used any while healing and boosting my tribesmen, but Palan used a third of my mana with every attack. Either his power is so strong that I can barely support it, or he¡¯s highly inefficient at using his mana.¡± The centaur gasped for breath as his eyes closed. Just when they thought he passed out, the archbishop¡¯s eyes half opened. He asked, ¡°What happened?¡± The ceiling was still on fire from Raea¡¯s previous outburst. A cacophony of groans and wails filled the air. Rumbling noises echoed through the habitat as boulders and rocks were rolled off of companions. Some centaurs cried as they held their unresponsive family members while others stared at Palan with grim faces. But there was a difference from before: The defiance and anger in their eyes were replaced by bitterness and fear. Palan didn¡¯t care. He approached the wreckage and crossed his arms over his chest, using his tails to elevate his feet off the floor. ¡°I¡¯m strong, aren¡¯t I?¡± Palan asked with a smirk, looking down on Vasher. The green centaur was bleeding from gashes on his chest, and his lower body was covered with blue and yellow splotches of bruised skin. One of his legs was bent at an unnatural angle. Vasher gritted his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re a freak,¡± he said. ¡°A natural disaster. Someone like you shouldn¡¯t be allowed to exist.¡± Palan¡¯s smile widened. ¡°That¡¯s one of the nicest compliments I¡¯ve heard so far,¡± he said and clapped his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you for that, little goat.¡± He ignored Vasher¡¯s glare and angled his body towards Mathias who was still on top of the mountainside with Cherri. He beckoned with his finger. ¡°Come here.¡± Mathias exchanged a glance with Cherri. She bit her lip and nodded. Mathias walked to the edge of the mountain after hiding Cherri behind a rock. He stepped off the edge, and a platform extended out of the mountainside, forming an earthen bridge in the air. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how he felt about Palan and Cherri¡¯s interference. It was true he didn¡¯t have many allies¡ªnone at all actually¡ªand the faction heads were also evolving to the level of archling, but he never felt like he¡¯d lose his position as tribe leader. On the other hand, all the faction heads were now scared shitless, and he could easily dispose of them while they were still disheartened. Since Solra died, he didn¡¯t have to spend time outside of the tribe anymore¡ªhe could run it properly. ¡°Friend of the insane benefactor,¡± Mathias said when he reached the end of his bridge, nodding at Palan. He made sure the bridge didn¡¯t touch the ground so he could maintain eye contact without looking up. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I heard Cherri say you ordered her to tell everyone that Solra died and Pyre was becoming the new commander,¡± Palan said. He crossed his legs and waited. Mathias furrowed his brow. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said. ¡°What about it?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Palan stared into Mathias eyes until the four-armed centaur turned his head away. ¡°Is it the truth?¡± Palan asked with a smile as he leaned back, sitting on his throne of snakes. Mathias fixed his composure and made eye contact with Palan again. ¡°It is the truth,¡± he said. ¡°I personally witnessed the commander¡¯s death.¡± ¡°How did he die?¡± Palan asked. ¡°The insane benefactor placed a collar around the commander¡¯s neck,¡± Mathias said. ¡°He said it was an experimental model prone to exploding. After a short tiff, the collar exploded and killed the commander.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± he said. His hand flashed and seized Mathias¡¯ neck, lifting him into the air. ¡°I can tell¡ªcan almost taste the fear coming off your body.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not,¡± Mathias wheezed. He clawed at Palan¡¯s arm with his four hands, but his nails didn¡¯t even break the demon¡¯s skin. His eyes bulged as a spear of earth rose out of the ground. Palan ignored it and tightened his grip, causing Mathias to spasm and lower his arms. The spear stopped advancing. Palan loosened his hand and dropped the centaur to the ground. Mathias gasped for breath as he climbed to his knees and massaged his neck while staring up at Palan. ¡°There are many ways to make you speak. You won¡¯t like any of them,¡± Palan said. ¡°Just tell me, what are you hiding?¡± ¡°I swear I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Mathias said and knocked his forehead against the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t dare lie to you. I¡¯m not ashamed to admit you terrify me. You ripped my arm off after all.¡± Palan frowned as his tails bent, lowering his body to hover above Mathias. ¡°Are you saying I made a mistake?¡± he asked and raised an eyebrow. Cold sweat ran down Mathias¡¯ back. He really wasn¡¯t lying, but if he didn¡¯t admit he was lying, Palan would torture him. If he sent someone to the insane benefactor to prove his claim, Palan would kill him for embarrassing him in front of everyone. Did that mean he had to make up a lie to appease the tyrannical demon? What if he didn¡¯t believe that one either? While his thoughts raced, someone discovered a way to save him. The archbishop cleared his throat. ¡°Palan,¡± he said. ¡°I know you¡¯re strong and amazing and intelligent and highly capable, but I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not able to see the truth.¡± Mathias and Palan turned their heads towards the centaur who was propping himself up on Justitia¡¯s shoulder. With a dumb expression on his face, Mathias stared at the silver-tattooed elder. What truth? He told the truth. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Palan asked. The archbishop cleared his throat again. ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°You know how Mathias is: perverted, lustful, impulsive. He¡¯s the kind of centaur who wants to experience everything in life ¡­ even if they might be a bit taboo. The only times Mathias lies are when he¡¯s trying to hide his own shame. It most likely is true that Solra died, but the cause of death must¡¯ve been for some other reason. An exploding collar? Even a child could come up with a better excuse. Clearly, Mathias did some unspeakable deeds on Solra¡¯s frail body.¡± The archbishop shook his head as Mathias¡¯ face flushed crimson. The surrounding centaurs¡¯ ears perked up as they came closer. ¡°Think about it. Someone with the lower half of a horse. A century-old angel on the verge of dying in his sleep. The result was inevitable.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. He took a step away from Mathias and gave him a strange look. ¡°Exactly,¡± the archbishop said and nodded. He winced from the action. ¡°Despicable,¡± Justitia said. Raea pursed her lips. ¡°I know I don¡¯t have the right to judge someone for their preferences, but¡­. Until he died? Really?¡± ¡°N-no,¡± Mathias said and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not what happened. That¡¯s not what happened at all.¡± His head swiveled as he attempted to explain to the surrounding centaurs. ¡°Do you really think that I would do something like that?¡± The centaurs murmured amongst each other. ¡°Yes,¡± Vasher said and nodded. Mathias¡¯ expression darkened. Was he that badly thought of amongst his people? ¡°Dad¡­,¡± Cherri said. Mathias turned around and met Cherri¡¯s judgmental gaze. He wasn¡¯t sure when she had gotten behind himself. ¡°You believe me, right?¡± Mathias asked. She stayed where she was while biting her lower lip. Palan cleared his throat and lowered his feet to the floor. ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for lying to me. Solra¡¯s dead. I found out what I wanted to know. Bye.¡± ¡°W-wait,¡± the archbishop said as Palan turned to leave. ¡°What about helping Cherri become leader?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me when I said centaurs weren¡¯t worthy of being my underlings?¡± Palan asked. ¡°He was passed out,¡± Cory said. She stuck her tongue out at the archbishop and whispered, ¡°Harpies are specialer than centaurs.¡± Chapter 283 ¡°H-hey,¡± the archbishop said as he attempted to stand without Justitia¡¯s aid. ¡°Hold on a second. Why don¡¯t you want centaurs working under you? What did I miss while I was unconscious? I don¡¯t believe this harpy.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain my reasoning to you,¡± he said. The archbishop wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°I just wanted to see how a great mind like yours thought,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe I could gain some inspiration and become half as intelligent as you are. Won¡¯t you grant me this blessing?¡± Raea rolled her eyes at the obvious flattery while Palan grinned. ¡°Centaurs are cowards,¡± he said and crossed his arms. ¡°And cowards are worse than goats.¡± His eyes narrowed as his smile disappeared. ¡°I despise them.¡± The archbishop cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a guess and say you intimidated one of the braver centaurs in the tribe,¡± he said. His lower body shook as he teetered before catching himself by placing his hand on Justitia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But isn¡¯t that more of a testament of your intimidation rather than a statement about our fear? You¡¯re just so naturally terrifying. It¡¯s unreasonable to expect anyone to be brave while facing you.¡± The centaur tried to raise his arm but didn¡¯t have the strength. ¡°Look at our home. It¡¯s completely ruined. Who wouldn¡¯t feel despair?¡± The other centaurs murmured in agreement. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is a home that important to you? If you lost something, then replace it with someone else¡¯s.¡± He swept his gaze over the centaurs. ¡°There¡¯s no fire in your eyes. You¡¯re defeated like a starving man ensnared in a trap waiting for death. Why would I want people who lost the will to live to work under me? If I gave any of you the chance to come up and slap me without retaliation, none of you would take it. One loss is enough to make you lose all hope? What happens when you reach the capital and get your asses kicked? Do you just crawl into the ground again, give up, and die? I¡¯m not a merciful person, but even I want to kill all of you right now to bring you out of your misery. You¡¯re all wastes of space.¡± The surrounding centaurs lowered their heads. Hooves clacked against the ground as Cherri approached Palan while biting her lip. Her body trembled as she took in a deep breath, stopping in front of him. He towered over her, but she stuck her chest out and met his gaze, craning her neck upwards. ¡°Y-you¡¯re wrong,¡± Cherri said as she raised her arm. Pah! Her hand made contact with Palan¡¯s cheek. His head didn¡¯t move, but Cherri¡¯s hand throbbed and started to swell as she hugged it to her chest. Tears sprang into her eyes as she tried to step backwards, but tripped and fell to her knees instead. ¡°I-I¡¯m not scared of you,¡± she said and gulped. ¡°You¡¯re just a big bully.¡± Palan touched his cheek and took a step forward. Cherri¡¯s legs scuttled against the ground, pushing her body backwards. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t retaliate!¡± Palan¡¯s hand wrapped around Cherri¡¯s shoulder. He yanked upwards, lifting her up, but her hind legs still touched the ground. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be a coward?¡± he asked and furrowed his brow. When they first met, she couldn¡¯t speak straight because of fear. She was the last centaur he expected to come up to slap him.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°No,¡± Cory said, waddling over. ¡°She was stupid, remember?¡± ¡°Those aren¡¯t mutually exclusive,¡± Palan said, not taking his gaze off of Cherri. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°So what if I¡¯m a coward!¡± Cherri said, angered by Cory¡¯s comment. ¡°So what if I¡¯m stupid! I still smacked you didn¡¯t I? Not all centaurs have given up.¡± Palan released her, and she yelped as her face planted into the ground. She pushed herself off the ground and frowned at him. ¡°I hate this place,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s drab. It¡¯s dreary. It¡¯s damp and dark. Everyone snores too loudly and it echoes through my room at night. It smells like poop all the time. I have to bath with goblins and trolls and lizardmen and harpies. I have no friends because my father¡¯s hated and doesn¡¯t belong to any faction. I really really hate this place. I want it to change. I snuck aboveground once when Dad wasn¡¯t looking. I want to live where the suns are always shining, where there¡¯s grass beneath my feet, where I can smell fresh air and have space to run around.¡± Cherri gazed into Palan¡¯s eyes and bit her lip. ¡°And?¡± he asked. ¡°What have you done about it?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Cherri said. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m just a child without her tattoos. I try to help my father manage the tribe, but there¡¯s only so much I can do.¡± She lowered her head. ¡°I thought just waiting for everyone else to do something would be fine. Our tribe joined Solra¡¯s army and fought against the angels, but we¡¯re still living underground. Why? When we wanted to move to the cities we destroyed, Solra always told us to wait. Wait a little longer. Wait a little more. Soon.¡± She climbed to her feet and bowed towards Palan. ¡°I¡¯m weak. I can¡¯t do anything by myself. That¡¯s why I need your help.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the archbishop said before Palan could respond. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be satisfied with living underground. None of us should be. Isn¡¯t that why we colluded with Solra?¡± His face cramped as he turned his neck, making eye contact with as many centaurs as possible. ¡°Why have we turned against each other, struggling for power? Even the poorest centaur living in the world above will have a better quality of life than the richest one down here.¡± If Palan wasn¡¯t going to agree to his plan, he¡¯d unite the centaurs in another way. He didn¡¯t become an archbishop by blindly gambling on a single outcome. There was always an alternative for him to fall back on. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Mathias said and raised his four arms into the air. ¡°We should stand united! Follow me and I¡¯ll lead us to victory!¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions turned odd as they looked at Mathias¡¯ face before staring at the lower half of his body. Vasher cleared his throat. ¡°Cherri doesn¡¯t seem like too bad of a leader, right?¡± he asked. ¡°She¡¯s a bit weak, but it¡¯s fine as long as we all support her. While competing against each other, we¡¯ve forgotten what really matters. I am willing to set aside my differences with everyone, as long as Mathias isn¡¯t the leader.¡± Palan frowned as the centaurs talked amongst themselves. Cherri was still bowing her head towards him. He turned towards Raea. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°How are they so motivated all of a sudden when my speech didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Raea shrugged. ¡°Motivation can come from lots of different sources,¡± she said. ¡°Not everyone is driven by revenge and proving themselves better than others like you are.¡± She nudged his arm with her elbow. ¡°Does that mean you were trying to inspire them?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°No,¡± he said. A lightning bolt flew towards him, but he blocked it with his hand. His expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Must¡¯ve been a coincidence. Anyways, I got Cherri to react. So that means I can claim all the credit for revitalizing the centaurs.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who broke their spirits in the first place?¡± Justitia asked. Palan ignored her and pushed his tail against Cherri¡¯s forehead, forcing her to stand up straight. ¡°You want to be my underling?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Cherri said. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything as long as you can lead us above ground.¡± Chapter 284 ¡°Good,¡± Palan said with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of attitude you need to survive. Seize everything. Discard your morals. No one is out to help you: everyone above you will try to suppress you, and everyone below you will drag you down to bring themselves up. The people being nice to you are trying to use you. I am using you.¡± Palan slammed his tails against the ground, causing Cherri to jump, and swept his gaze over the centaurs. ¡°The only reason I¡¯m leaving you all alive is because of her.¡± He pointed at Cherri. ¡°If she dies, there¡¯s no reason for centaurs to exist. If she grows up to be a weakling, there¡¯s no reason for centaurs to exist.¡± He glanced at Cherri. ¡°If you disappoint me¡ª¡° ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason for centaurs to exist?¡± Cherri asked. ¡°And Cory said you were stupid,¡± Palan said. Cherri pouted. ¡°What exactly do I have to do?¡± Cherri asked. ¡°Listen carefully,¡± Palan said. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m all ears.¡± Cherri straightened her back and pursed her lips while inclining her head towards Palan. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± ¡°I understand! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Cherri said and saluted. A second later, her brow wrinkled. ¡°Wait. What?¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never been a leader before. Only the stupid or really strong become leaders in Eljiam. I¡¯m not quite sure what they do, but for now, you¡¯re my underling.¡± ¡°Oh¡­,¡± Cherri said and scratched her head. ¡°Um. Okay.¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Palan said and clapped his hand on Cherri¡¯s shoulder, causing her knees to buckle. ¡°Your first assignment is to figure out what you can do for me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Cherri said and nodded as she straightened her legs. She glanced at the archbishop. She never got to meet him until today, but she knew he was a very crafty person. Almost too crafty for a centaur. He could figure something out. ¡°I¡¯ll be generous,¡± Palan said, bringing Cherri¡¯s attention back on himself. ¡°You have one minute to complete your assignment. Starting now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cherri¡¯s eyes widened. Her head turned towards the archbishop, but Palan grabbed her face and turned it back towards himself. ¡°By yourself,¡± he said. ¡°You have fifty-six seconds left.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Cherri said as her eyes glazed over. Centaurs shouted out encouragement, but none of them dared to suggest any ideas. ¡°You can do it, Cherri,¡± Mathias said. ¡°I believe in you! Think of what I¡¯ve done.¡± When Cherri heard Mathias voice, her eyes brightened. What was her father the best at? ¡°Sexual favors!¡± she blurted out.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Denied!¡± Raea said and smacked Cherri¡¯s head. Tears sprang into the centaur¡¯s eyes as she squirmed out of Palan¡¯s grasp and clutched her scalp. She sent an aggrieved glance at Palan, looking up at him. ¡°Forty-nine seconds,¡± Palan said. He cleared his throat and ignored the purple tint in Raea¡¯s eyes. ¡°Free labor?¡± Cherri asked and glanced at Raea while hunching her shoulders. ¡°We can construct buildings, destroy buildings, move things around, or we can do any grunt work you don¡¯t want to do.¡± ¡°That can be saved for the future,¡± Palan said. ¡°What can you do now? Forty seconds left.¡± ¡°Generate income?¡± Cherri asked. ¡°Bully people you don¡¯t like? Help people you do like? Cannon fodder on the frontlines? Become messengers? Gather intelligence? Wait, cross that¡ªcentaurs aren¡¯t sneaky. Pray for your success? Does any of those work?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound appealing,¡± Palan said. ¡°Twenty seconds.¡± ¡°Oh boy,¡± Cory said and scooted over to the archbishop. ¡°I always wanted to see you four-legged vermin get exterminated. Looks like today¡¯s my lucky day.¡± She nudged the overdrawn centaur with her wings and chuckled when he couldn¡¯t muster the energy to fend her off. ¡°Five seconds left,¡± Palan said as Cherri chewed on her lip and pulled her hair. Her face was scrunched up with wrinkles on her forehead. Cory laughed and patted the archbishop¡¯s head with her wings, messing up his hair. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± she asked. ¡°That was the sound of me getting the last laugh.¡± A warble escaped from Cory¡¯s throat as she stretched her wings and pranced around in a circle around the archbishop. ¡°Three ¡­ two ¡­ o¡ª¡° ¡°We¡¯ll build you a statue!¡± Cherri said. Her face was flushed as she held Palan¡¯s gaze, her chest rising up and down as she attempted to control her breath. ¡°A really really really big statue! Bigger than the statues of the four generals the angels created combined! No one will ever forget your appearance for thousands of years to come. We¡¯ll use the best materials that never decay. Your name will be passed on forever and ever and ever.¡± Cory frowned as Palan scratched his chin. The surrounding centaurs held their breaths. ¡°I like it,¡± Palan said and nodded. Cherri exhaled and placed her hand on her chest. She thought her heart was going to jump out at any moment. ¡°Drat,¡± Cory said with a scowl. The archbishop started to laugh, but Cory lifted two of his legs and tipped him over. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take?¡± Palan asked. ¡°A few hours?¡± ¡°A few hours!?¡± Cherri asked as her eye twitched. ¡°The four generals took at least ¡­ actually, I don¡¯t know how long they took.¡± ¡°A year each,¡± Raea said. ¡°A year each!¡± Cherri repeated. ¡°If we¡¯re building something bigger, then it has to take longer than a year, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the archbishop said as he stumbled back onto his feet. ¡°At least a year.¡± He raised his hand before Palan could speak. ¡°Now, before you say anything, someone as strong as you is definitely bound to evolve again. Wouldn¡¯t you want a few delays to capture your true appearance? What if we created a statue of you now that represents a weaker version of yourself in the future?¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to manipulate me with words again,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°If I evolve in the future, it obviously means you¡¯ll have to build an even bigger statue of that version of myself later on. I want a statue of me as I am right now. And I want you to knock down the current statues of the generals.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be easier for you to do by yourself?¡± Cherri asked and tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s the point of having an underling if I have to do everything myself?¡± Cherri bit her lower lip. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to accomplish these goals.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t care about your best,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°Accomplish them or die. Now go locate Pyre for me and bring me a meal.¡± Cherri¡¯s face fell. ¡°Yes,¡± she said and lowered her head. Why did it feel like she jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire? At least the angels let the centaurs live peacefully underground. Well, like the archbishop said, everything¡¯d be worth it if they could live aboveground. Chapter 285 Linda sighed as she applied a white ointment to the scabbing claw marks on her neck. She was sitting up in a bed, wearing pink pajamas. Beside her, Cleo was snoring, her cold, scaly feet pressed firmly against Linda¡¯s thigh. The angel had given up trying to remove the lizardman from her bed long ago. One night, Linda woke up due to the cold because her blanket was gone, and she tied Cleo underneath the bed to teach her a lesson. In response, Cleo made the carriage disappear and they both slept while shivering underneath the moonlight. Linda finished applying the ointment and capped the bottle, placing it on the drawer by her bed. Tomorrow, the two would reach Hailing Academy. If it were any other time, they would¡¯ve already reached it, but the roads were heavily damaged and smoldering. Debris and fissures covered nearly every path. The guardians had done their best to get the main roads back in order, but progress was slow¡ªtoo many refugees needed to be sheltered and rehomed. At first, there were some looters who took advantage of the chaos to line their own pockets, but they were quickly made an example of and executed by hanging. The swaying corpses kept Linda¡¯s greed in check. On the other hand, Cleo made a game out of robbing every guardian the duo encountered. Someone rapped on the carriage¡¯s window, causing Linda to jump and whip her head around. She hesitated before climbing out of bed and pushing the curtain aside. A smiling face greeted her, its nose pressed against her window. Linda screamed and cursed as she fell backwards, causing Cleo to jump up and look around. The door to the carriage creaked and opened. ¡°It¡¯s just me, eldest daughter of the Ingel¡¯s. Remember me?¡± Miriam asked as she walked inside and closed the door. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Linda asked and threw her bottle of ointment at Miriam. A wall of wind stopped it in midair. ¡°Do you enjoy scaring people shitless?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hobby of mine, yes,¡± Miriam said and nodded as she made herself comfortable and sat on the floor. ¡°Must be part of the reason why I was expelled from the capital, I¡¯m sure.¡± She clapped her hands once and the smiling expression on her face vanished. ¡°Have you considered my offer?¡± ¡°The one that¡¯ll get me executed if I join you?¡± Linda asked and snorted. ¡°I¡¯m sure the best way to persuade someone is to stand outside their window at night.¡± ¡°Have you seen the entrance to the capital?¡± Miriam asked, pretending not to notice Linda¡¯s disgruntled expression. She completely disregarded Cleo who was muttering to herself on the bed. ¡°No,¡± Linda said. ¡°The roads are too convoluted. We¡¯re heading to Hailing, but we haven¡¯t seen the main gates even once.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Miriam nodded. ¡°The guardians are purposely leaving debris on the roads to prevent carriages from approaching the capital,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not a surprise. But what about the people on foot? The refugees whose homes have been destroyed? A little bit of debris won¡¯t stop them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like a goblin merchant,¡± Linda said and furrowed her brow. ¡°It¡¯s past midnight. I¡¯ve had a long day. My neck is killing me. Can you just get straight to the point? I don¡¯t want to think of answers to any questions, unless the question is ¡®how do I get this crazy woman to leave my carriage?¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯m crazy?¡± Miriam asked and narrowed her eyes. ¡°An angel of humility and pride,¡± Linda said. ¡°If that¡¯s not crazy, then my name isn¡¯t Linda Bael. Oh, wait, it is. Get the hell out of my carriage.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s upset at a little prank,¡± Miriam said as her expression relaxed. ¡°Someone¡¯s about to bite your ass,¡± Linda said and smoothed out her pajamas before sitting down. ¡°And it¡¯s not me.¡± Miriam¡¯s brow furrowed as she glanced at the bed. It was empty. She squealed and jumped as her backside felt like it was set on fire. Cleo spat out a piece of cloth as she crawled back into bed and covered her head with a pillow. Miriam looked at Linda with tears in her eyes. ¡°W-what was¡­? I don¡¯t even¡­. It hurts. What the heck!?¡± Linda shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for waking her up,¡± she said. ¡°Consider it payback for that stunt you pulled earlier.¡± She scooted over into Miriam¡¯s line of sight, keeping the bed behind herself. ¡°What were you saying earlier about the entrance to the capital?¡± Miriam bit her lower lip. ¡°Tomorrow, when the first sun sets,¡± she said and glared at Linda while standing up. ¡°Be there. You¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life if you miss it¡ªthat is, if you¡¯re even alive afterwards.¡± She whirled around and stomped out of the carriage, covering her exposed skin with her hands. ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Linda shouted as she scrambled to the door, but Miriam was nowhere in sight. Linda furrowed her brow and looked up. A shadow was flying away. Linda scratched her head and closed the door, making sure to lock it this time. ¡°What was that about?¡± Cleo asked when Linda appeared at the bedside. ¡°If you didn¡¯t bite her, maybe we would¡¯ve found out more,¡± Linda said and rolled her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s definitely something going on with the civilians though. She wouldn¡¯t have mentioned them otherwise. Do you think she got them to join her group of dissenters?¡± Cleo shrugged as she yawned and rubbed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. And I don¡¯t care,¡± she said and scratched her belly. Her hand disappeared beneath her belt. A second later, she raised a necklace with a golden, eagle-shaped pendant on it. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Ingel family¡¯s design,¡± Linda said as she received the necklace. ¡°Did you¡­?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cleo said and pouted. ¡°I was having a really good dream until she ruined it. It¡¯s only fair if she suffers as well.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t even sell this to anyone,¡± Linda said and handed the necklace back to Cleo. ¡°It¡¯s worthless.¡± ¡°One man¡¯s treasure is also my treasure,¡± Cleo said as she made the necklace disappear. ¡°And you can never have too many treasures. Now hurry up and go to sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow. There¡¯s much sitting around that needs to be done.¡± Chapter 286 + 287 The next morning, Linda woke up shivering, a bundle of blankets shaped like a burrito lying beside her. She sighed and placed both hands over her face, dragging them downwards, passing her fingers over her eyes and cheeks. She sat up and shook her head before muttering a curse at the snoring blanket burrito. Her feet found her slippers as she swung herself off the bedside and stood up, opening the curtain after a moment of hesitation. The first rays of sunlight were starting to peek over the walls of the first sector. Linda frowned as she recalled Miriam¡¯s words. Should she head towards the entrance of the capital? Miriam wasn¡¯t a trustworthy person; then again, neither was she. If she had time after visiting Hailing Academy with Cleo, maybe she¡¯d go. The threat of dying that Miriam mentioned hadn¡¯t fazed her. As long as Cleo stayed alive, Linda would be fine with anything. The lizardman held her fortune after all. Linda nodded to herself and closed the curtain before heading towards the driver¡¯s seat of the carriage without changing her pajamas. She always set off early to beat the rush of traffic even though there wouldn¡¯t be any carriages crazy enough to drive through the first sector after what happened. As she drove out of the alleyway the carriage was in and rounded a corner onto a scarred road, she wondered what she would be doing if she hadn¡¯t met Elrith Caelum and his sister that day. If her curiosity hadn¡¯t gotten the better of her, she wouldn¡¯t have stopped and picked up their group. Maybe she¡¯d still be in the second sector selling her goods and becoming rich in a legitimate manner instead of following a thief around all day. Scuffling sounds came from behind her, and Linda turned her head. Cleo was waddling over, dragging the blanket along the ground. ¡°Morning,¡± the orange lizardman with blue stripes said and yawned, tiny tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She smacked her lips a few times before plopping herself down beside Linda, leaning against the angel¡¯s side while yawning again. ¡°Breakfast?¡± ¡°Toast,¡± Linda said. Cleo rummaged around her miniature dimension and pulled out a piece of warm bread and placed it into Linda¡¯s outstretched palm. She pulled out a boiled egg for herself and gnawed on it, biting into the shell. The two ate in silence with the occasional curse escaping from Linda¡¯s mouth as she was forced to make detours around patches of black fire and collapsed buildings. The burning holes in the ground reminded Cleo of the ability Raea had used when she had evolved after Selena¡¯s death. The lizardman finished her meal and hoped Raea was okay. ¡°Orange,¡± Linda said. Cleo pulled out a grapefruit, placed it into Linda¡¯s hand, and watched the angel struggle to peel it with one hand while driving. Linda managed to strip away a slice and popped it into her mouth. She spat it out a second later before glaring at Cleo. The lizardman blinked at Linda with an innocent expression on her scaly face. Linda sighed and shook her head before eating the rest of the fruit¡ªno point in wasting food or effort. She tossed the peel over the side of the carriage and into a black flame. It was incinerated in an instant. Her brow furrowed as she snuck a glance at Cleo. ¡°You mentioned before that it might be Raea who set the first sector on fire?¡± she asked. ¡°Most likely,¡± Cleo said and nodded. Linda fell silent for a moment. ¡°So ¡­ remind me again why we¡¯re looking for her?¡± she asked. ¡°Because,¡± Cleo said and pulled the blanket around herself tighter. Linda waited for more, but it didn¡¯t seem like Cleo was going to continue. ¡°Because what? If she¡¯s the one who set the fires, there¡¯s no way she¡¯s going to be in Hailing Academy. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s even going to be in the first sector,¡± Linda said as she swerved the carriage around a fissure. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t already escaped, then she¡¯s most likely captured by now.¡± Cleo didn¡¯t say anything as she stared at her feet. Linda sighed. ¡°Look. You¡¯re an extremely capable lizardman, more capable than some angels I¡¯ve met, but you¡¯re not going to be able to save Raea if she¡¯s on death row. And quite frankly, even if she wasn¡¯t on death row, I really don¡¯t think she needs your help in anything. Look at what she¡¯s done.¡± Cleo frowned as her tail swished. ¡°So what?¡± she said and glared at Linda. ¡°So nothing,¡± Linda said and shook her head. ¡°You and I, we could escape to the third sector, wait out the war, and profit in the aftermath. There won¡¯t be much risk to our lives, and we¡¯ll be set for life if we exploit the right resources. Why don¡¯t we do that instead of chasing after someone who can kill me without even meaning to?¡± Though Linda was trying to convince Cleo to change her mind, she was still driving towards Hailing. The academy¡¯s peak came into view, and Linda was surprised when she saw the undamaged roads surrounding the neighborhood. ¡°Because she¡¯s my friend,¡± Cleo said and furrowed her brow. ¡°And I have nowhere else to go.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I your friend too?¡± Linda asked. ¡°And didn¡¯t I just offer you a place to go?¡± Cleo blinked. ¡°Are we friends?¡± she asked. ¡°I vaguely remember you chasing me down with a crazed look in your eyes.¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯re friends,¡± Linda said and nodded. ¡°Haven¡¯t I taken good care of you?¡± Cleo scratched her chin before reaching into her space and pulling out a bag. It clinked as she plopped it onto Linda¡¯s lap. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Linda asked and raised an eyebrow. She undid the strap at the top and was nearly blinded by a yellow light. ¡°The purest kind of yellow crystal? This is for me?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°It¡¯s a test,¡± Cleo said and crossed her arms over her chest while shedding her blanket. ¡°Throw it into that fiery pit over there and I¡¯ll believe you¡¯re my friend.¡± Linda stared at the bag in her lap before staring at Cleo. Her forehead wrinkled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so excessive, right?¡± she asked and wet her lips. ¡°You¡¯re killing me here. Can I just throw myself in instead?¡± ¡°No. I saw how fast you sold out Owen and them. With how you¡¯re acting right now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll abandon me in the future too if it¡¯ll benefit you.¡± Linda gnashed her teeth as she picked up the bag: it was so heavy and so full and so shiny. So expensive. Her arm trembled and swayed back and forth. This bag of the purest-grade yellow crystals was worth more than what Cleo had taken from her¡ªhundreds of times more. She could accept it and cut ties with the lizardman right now. She¡¯ll have made a profit, it was a clear case of easy money. So why was the decision so difficult? Cleo didn¡¯t say a word as a bead of sweat rolled down Linda¡¯s cheek. If the angel didn¡¯t throw away the bag, then she¡¯d leave. It was better than being betrayed in the future. Chapter 287 Linda sighed as she released the bag into her lap, stopped driving, and leaned back to stare up at the sky. Cleo lowered her head while biting her lip. So that was that then. The lizardman stood up and turned to leave. Unease gnawed at Linda¡¯s chest. ¡°You know,¡± Linda said slowly as she played with the bag in her lap. ¡°You¡¯re not the first person to give me an ultimatum.¡± Cleo stopped moving and turned around. One of the pouches of poison powder Palan had given her was in her hand. ¡°And?¡± she asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t throw it away, then I¡¯m not staying.¡± ¡°It was my family,¡± Linda said, not meeting Cleo¡¯s eyes. ¡°They saw the early signs of greed when I was growing up. My parents gave me a choice¡ªgive up my greedy thoughts or leave the family. I was seven at the time.¡± She clenched the bag in her lap. ¡°Of course I said I¡¯d abandon my greed. What seven-year-old child would want to be given up by their family?¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± Cleo asked and furrowed her brow. Linda pulled a crystal out of the bag and rolled it around her fingers, the golden glow casting shadows on her seat. ¡°I said I¡¯d stop, but it was always there. How can you go against your nature?¡± she asked and raised her head, storing the crystal in her pajamas. ¡°I was seventeen when I lost control. One of my relatives died of old age. They buried him with a priceless heirloom. Something inside of me broke when I saw his casket go under. I snuck out that night.¡± Linda reached into her shirt and pulled out her necklace. It was a golden phoenix with rubies spreading out from its body like crystalline flames. ¡°This is the heirloom. After my deed, I went to my grandfather and requested funds to leave the capital to become a merchant.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not going to throw away the bag?¡± Cleo asked and pointed at the angel¡¯s lap. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m telling a story here,¡± Linda said and frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to ask me something like ¡®do you regret it¡¯ or ¡®what happened after that¡¯?¡± ¡°Not interested if I¡¯m going to be leaving anyway,¡± Cleo said and shook her head. Linda sighed. ¡°Well,¡± she said and hugged the bag to her chest. ¡°I do regret it. I regret hiding my greed and not leaving earlier when I could¡¯ve. This life is so much more fulfilling than the one in the capital. I gave up my family for money.¡± She inhaled and met Cleo¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you up as well. You¡¯re just a hitchhiker I picked up. I¡¯ll accept this as payment for my services for bringing you to the capital.¡± The pouch in Cleo¡¯s hand nearly burst. ¡°If it means anything,¡± the trembling lizardman said. ¡°I thought of you as my friend. I don¡¯t give grapefruits to strangers when they ask for oranges.¡± Her body deflated as she sighed. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t try to stop me from leaving then.¡± Linda¡¯s forehead wrinkled as Cleo turned around and climbed off the carriage. ¡°You think you can survive in the first sector by yourself?¡± she asked with a dry mouth. Those weren¡¯t the words she wanted to say, but they spewed out of her like a flood. ¡°You¡¯re a lizardman with a missing owner. That¡¯s even worse than a slave. No one will want you. In everyone¡¯s eyes, you¡¯re nothing. The friend you¡¯re looking for is a criminal on death row.¡± Cleo continued to walk away without looking back. Linda clenched her hands and yelled, ¡°Good riddance, you stupid blanket hog!¡± She slammed her hand on the orb in the carriage¡¯s dashboard, causing it to drive away in reverse. Cleo¡¯s lips trembled as she continued down the road to Hailing Academy, her tail dragging against the ground behind her. She sighed and stored the pouch of poison away before turning her head. The road was empty. She wasn¡¯t sure what she was expecting. Cleo stamped her foot as her tail stuck straight up into the air. ¡°Stupid Linda! Stupid, greedy, pig-headed Linda!¡± She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Cleo,¡± she said to herself as she forced herself to walk. ¡°You¡¯re magnificent. You don¡¯t need her. Raea¡¯s waiting for you to find her. Palan needs your sass in his boring life. You¡¯re the main character of this story¡ªremember that. Every main character is bound to encounter setbacks.¡± She slapped herself on her cheeks, copying Raea, and straightened her back while holding her tail up high. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ll be living on the streets by yourself, and this time, you have enough food to last for several years. No more crawling through windows to steal food from the farm animals. This should be easy.¡± A tear rolled down her cheek, but she wiped it away while sniffling. A carriage rumbled, causing her to turn around. Her eyes widened as it continued to rush towards her without pause. She leapt to the side with a curse and rolled on the ground. Her brow furrowed. If she hadn¡¯t dodged¡­. She shook her head and dusted off her clothes. Linda was right¡ªshe was a lizardman without an owner. Now wasn¡¯t the time to mope. Cleo narrowed her eyes as she jogged towards Hailing Academy. At least the collar she wore prevented people from capturing her on sight, but slaves weren¡¯t allowed outside at night without an angel to accompany them. She had to make the most use of the sunlight while she could. It was a shame Elrith and Sally weren¡¯t here to accompany her¡ªshe could¡¯ve used a mount. When the gate to Hailing Academy came into view, Cleo¡¯s steps slowed down as she gasped for breath. She used her hands to review the items inside her space as she thought of a way to bypass the gate. Should she sneak in? Try to negotiate? What would Palan do¡ªother than force his way in? Her hand clasped around an object. Maybe she could use this. She took in a deep breath and knocked on the gate. Chapter 288 Nothing happened. Cleo furrowed her brow and knocked on the gate again, but this time, she used a metal rod to bang on it, causing ringing noises to echo through the neighborhood. The gate rumbled, and Cleo stored away the rod right before it swung open. A young angel with bags underneath his eyes poked his head out and looked left and right. ¡°What the hell?¡± he mumbled as he retracted his head. ¡°Down here!¡± Cleo said and stuck her foot into the path of the gate, preventing it from closing. ¡°Huh?¡± The angel scratched his head and looked down. His eyes widened as he yelped and jumped a foot into the air. Cleo stared blankly at the angel as he scrambled to his feet, dusted himself off, and cleared his throat. He crossed his arms over his chest and asked, ¡°W-what business do you have here?¡± ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Cleo asked and tilted her head. ¡°N-nonsense!¡± the angel said and shook his head. His knees knocked together as he pointed at Cleo. ¡°Who are you calling a coward? I¡¯m not a coward! Y-you¡¯re just a lizardman. I command you to state your business, s-slave!¡± Cleo fluttered her eyes and inched towards the angel. For every step she took, the angel took two steps back until he tripped and fell into a fountain of water. Cleo scratched her head and wondered if she was really that scary. ¡°Alright, Shiloh,¡± a voice said from behind the fountain. ¡°Who¡¯s bullying you now? Is it Jeremy again?¡± An angel wearing a dress, high heels, and a pair of glasses walked into view and pulled the soaked student out of the fountain. ¡°T-thank you, Professor,¡± Shiloh said while shivering. He sneezed while hugging his shoulders. The professor wiped her hands on her dress and adjusted her glasses before turning her attention towards the offender who bullied her student. ¡°You are?¡± she asked and raised an eyebrow. Cleo cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯m a servant of the Ingel family,¡± she said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver a very important message to an angel here.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware the Ingel family deployed children,¡± the professor said and crossed her arms. Cleo¡¯s hand opened, revealing the necklace she stole from Miriam last night. ¡°My master said people wouldn¡¯t believe me unless I showed them this,¡± she said. The professor frowned and leaned forward, snatching the necklace out of Cleo¡¯s hand. Her fingers traced the golden eagle as her brow wrinkled. ¡°Very well,¡± the professor said and placed the necklace back into Cleo¡¯s hand. She tapped Shiloh on the shoulder. ¡°You should continue watching over the gate. Interacting with people will increase your bravery, but try not to be terrified of children next time around.¡± Shiloh¡¯s red face turned even redder as he nodded and half-walked, half-ran away, returning to his post. The professor watched him leave before meeting Cleo¡¯s gaze. ¡°Were you looking for Mia or James?¡± ¡°A who and a what?¡± Cleo asked. The professor nodded. ¡°I see,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°Then you really were looking for one of those.¡± Cleo blinked and decided to keep her mouth shut. The professor rubbed her chin as her brow wrinkled. ¡°This is quite problematic. I don¡¯t have the authority to bring you to that area, but the headmaster went away for business. How urgent is this message?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Cleo¡¯s tail curled and uncurled as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. ¡°Very urgent?¡± she said while biting her lower lip. ¡°There are lives and happiness at stake.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the professor said again and nodded. ¡°Follow me.¡± The professor¡¯s heels clacked against the ground. It was only when she was twenty feet away that Cleo reacted. She sprinted after the angel wondering how in the world that just worked out. Somehow, the professor had come to her own conclusions using the sparse details Cleo provided. Whether she was right or not was another question. Cleo glanced around as she tailed the angel. There were a few tents in the garden with angels lounging about. The professor noticed her staring. ¡°The dormitories were temporarily damaged,¡± the professor said. It wouldn¡¯t be good if one of the seven families thought their facilities were lacking. What other school had to make their students sleep in makeshift tents? ¡°Of course, the situation is under control. These students found that they enjoyed sleeping outside and decided to stay even after their rooms were fixed.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said, unsure of what else to say. The professor nodded as she entered the largest building on campus. Scorch marks lined the walls and ceiling. Only half the floor was still carpeted. ¡°Like I said,¡± the professor said, ¡°temporarily damaged. An archdemon of wrath from the rebel army invaded the school, but our staff managed to repel her and contained the damage. No other academy can say they¡¯ve done the same. That is why we¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°That archdemon,¡± Cleo said and furrowed her brow. ¡°What happened to her?¡± ¡°She escaped from the first sector,¡± the professor said and nodded. ¡°The damage outside is caused by her. You¡¯ve seen the roads, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Do you know which way she went?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I never knew a slave to be so wordy,¡± the professor said and frowned. The two walked in silence, ascending stairs and traversing through winding halls. Cleo coughed and shut her mouth. That archdemon was definitely Raea. There was no point in her staying here any longer. Right when she was about to slip away, the professor stopped in front of a door. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she said and opened it, gesturing for Cleo to enter. A thumping noise and strangled cry escaped from the room, causing both Cleo and the professor to jump. The professor was the first to react. ¡°H-headmaster?¡± The headmaster was kneeling in the center of the room, a suitcase in front of him with all kinds of shiny objects inside of it. ¡°Professor Lazlow,¡± the headmaster said and cleared his throat. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°What am I doing here? What are you doing here? Were you not away for business?¡± ¡°This is business,¡± the headmaster said and slammed the suitcase shut when he realized it was still open. ¡°What did you need?¡± ¡°Headmaster¡­. Were you planning on running away?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the headmaster said. He stood up and lifted the suitcase before putting on a large hat, sunglasses, and a scarf. ¡°Pardon?¡± Professor Lazlow asked as her mouth dropped open. ¡°Pretend you never saw me,¡± the headmaster said and clapped his hand on the professor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll get a raise when I come back when the war is over. So speak quickly, what did you need?¡± ¡°This lizardman¡±¡ªshe gestured towards the empty space beside her¡ª¡°needed to visit our correctional facilities to deliver a message to one of the Ingel family members.¡± ¡°What lizardman? And there aren¡¯t any Ingel¡¯s being reconditioned right now.¡± Professor Lazlow¡¯s brow furrowed as she turned her head. ¡°Eh? She was here just a moment ago,¡± she muttered. ¡°Was I tricked?¡± ¡°I say, Professor Lazlow, have you had enough sleep recently?¡± the headmaster asked. ¡°You¡¯re even imagining the noble headmaster of Hailing Academy sneaking away in broad daylight. Would he really do something like that? Perhaps you should close your eyes and count to one hundred. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll wake up from your dream then.¡± The professor frowned before closing her eyes. The headmaster exhaled and slipped around her before dashing down the hallway. He didn¡¯t like using his powers of chastity on his own staff, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Right when he rounded a corner, he tripped on something that yelped. Cleo cursed at the heavy angel who fell on top of her, but that didn¡¯t stop her hands from slipping into the suitcase that opened from the impact. Chapter 289 ¡°Get off me, you fat lug!¡± Cleo said as she squirmed underneath the headmaster¡¯s mass. Her hands continuously dipped into his suitcase as she struggled. ¡°This is abuse! I¡¯m being killed. Help me¡ªmmph!¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± The headmaster covered Cleo¡¯s mouth with his hands, ignoring the sharp teeth trying to poke through his skin. He rolled off of Cleo and peered around the corner. Luckily, Professor Lazlow either hadn¡¯t heard the commotion or didn¡¯t want to check. ¡°Pipe down. I¡¯m not even that heavy. And who are you supposed to be, you little thief?¡± Cleo slipped out of the angel¡¯s grasp. ¡°Thief?¡± she asked and widened her eyes, looking like the picture of innocence. She gestured towards herself, her mouth dropping open as if she couldn¡¯t believe his accusation. ¡°Me? Those are some very serious words of slander you¡¯re throwing around. I know my place as a slave. I wouldn¡¯t do anything to tarnish my reputation as a servant of the Ingel family.¡± ¡°Ingel family?¡± the headmaster asked in a whisper. ¡°You think I¡¯m illiterate? Your collar says Palan. There¡¯s no Palan in the Ingel family.¡± Cleo blinked. ¡°You can read that?¡± she asked and looked down. She had forgotten Palan¡¯s name was written on it¡ªno one ever commented on it, and angels didn¡¯t care enough to read it out loud. ¡°Of course,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I¡¯m the noble headmaster of Hailing Academy. You think I can¡¯t read a few words written in a slightly ancient style? I¡¯m the leading researcher on ancient texts. No one is as good at me when it comes to deciphering runes.¡± ¡°Narcissist,¡± Cleo said and frowned. She glanced at the half-empty suitcase and debated on whether to return the angel¡¯s stuff or not. The headmaster was about to retort, but a clanging noise coming from his office cut him off. He stiffened and threw Cleo inside of his suitcase. He closed it and picked it up in one motion before sprinting for the stairs. Moments later, Professor Lazlow stepped outside of the office with a confused expression, but the headmaster hadn¡¯t left a single trace behind. ¡°Let me out!¡± Cleo shouted and clawed against the sides of the suitcase. Her attempts to escape or draw attention were in vain. It was dark, so she pulled out a glowing crystal and illuminated the interior, revealing dozens of bottles of alcohol with a blanket to cushion them. She hadn¡¯t even realized what she stole earlier¡ªshe had done it out of habit. There was a loud thump on the side of the suitcase followed by a, ¡°Be quiet unless you want us both to get caught!¡± Cleo furrowed her brow and decided to steal the rest of the headmaster¡¯s supply. When the space was empty, she pulled out multiple pillows she had appropriated from Linda and wrapped herself in a blanket. If she was going to be kidnapped, the least she could do was make herself comfortable. There was the sound of a zipper as the headmaster opened a portion of the suitcase to let Cleo breathe when he realized she stopped struggling.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Just hang on until we leave the building, then I¡¯ll let you out,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°For now, go to sleep or something.¡± Cleo opened her mouth to speak, but a yawn escaped instead. Her eyelids became heavier as the blankets and pillows became warmer and so much more inviting. She yawned again, her tail flexing and back stiffening for a solid five seconds. Her lips smacked together and, before she knew it, everything went dark. The headmaster grunted as he stumbled out the main entrance of the school. He always felt exhausted every time he used his power, and he had already used it twice today. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t encounter anymore situations where his powers were necessary. Everyone stared at the suspiciously dressed angel as he rolled his suitcase through the campus, keeping his head low, but no one came forward to stop him. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time something odd happened. The students and staff knew about the unspoken topics within the school, but bringing them to light could result in expulsion. At the gate, Shiloh was whistling to himself with his eyes closed, leaning back in a rocking chair. The sound of the suitcase attracted his attention. When he was about to confront the headmaster, the old man barked out, ¡°Open the gate this instant, you slacking door guard!¡± Shiloh stiffened and shot out of the chair, scrambling to undo the locks on the gate. ¡°Y-yes, sir,¡± he said as he swung the gate open and saluted, staring at the ground beneath his feet. ¡°S-sorry, sir. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the headmaster said and snorted as he left the school. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to lock the gate. Once you do, forget everything that just happened.¡± ¡°I understand, sir,¡± Shiloh said as he closed the gate. His knees knocked together once he was done, and he collapsed to the ground while exhaling. He had wondered why Professor Lazlow ordered him to become a gatekeeper when he asked her to conquer his cowardice. Now, he could see why she told him to. There were lots of scary people entering and leaving. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and went back to his seat. His brow furrowed as he scratched his head. Why did it feel like he was forgetting something? Once the headmaster had gone far enough away from the academy to reach the region where the roads were burnt, he collapsed onto the curb and took a seat, gasping for breath. The suitcase fell over as he struggled to open it. He reached inside to grab a drink and pulled out a snoring lizardman by the tail instead. His expression blanked for a second before he tossed her aside and reached inside his suitcase again. All he found were some pillows. ¡°Hey!¡± he said and grabbed Cleo who was just beginning to stir. He shook her shoulders. ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°Hah?¡± Cleo blinked and looked around. ¡°Linda?¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re not Linda. Help! I¡¯m being abused! I¡¯m¡ª¡° Two hands clamped her jaws shut. ¡°Stop it!¡± the headmaster said as his expression darkened. ¡°Why is it your first reaction to shout every time something happens?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m tiny,¡± Cleo said and glared at him when he released her. ¡°What else am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Just give me a drink.¡± He held out his hand. ¡°I know you have an interdimensional space on your body. Don¡¯t make me use my power on you again.¡± Cleo frowned and handed him a bottle filled with orange liquid. The headmaster grabbed it, smashed the neck against the curb, and drank directly from the jagged opening he created. It poured down the sides of his mouth as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down with every gulp. He only put it down when there was nothing left, and he used his sleeve to wipe his mouth. ¡°Phew.¡± He exhaled as he threw the empty bottle over his shoulder, not caring where it landed. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Cleo. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to kidnap you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 290 ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the headmaster said and burped. ¡°I¡¯m going to kidnap you. Now, before you scream, hear me out¡ª¡° ¡°Help! I¡¯m¡ªmmph!¡° ¡°Damnit, lizard,¡± the headmaster said as he tackled Cleo. ¡°Hear me out first, okay?¡± Cleo glared at him with her mouth covered. He chuckled and removed his hands. ¡°Willing to listen now?¡± he asked. Without waiting for Cleo¡¯s response, he nodded and said, ¡°Good. Here¡¯s the thing. Your owner¡¯s a demon, right?¡± Cleo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± she asked. ¡°The name,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Angels don¡¯t name their children like that. Different roots and what not. Anyways, that probably means you aren¡¯t in a good situation, especially since you came here looking for something. Either your owner ordered you to steal something, you became separated from him somehow, or you¡¯re running away from him.¡± Cleo¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°I don¡¯t see how you came to either of those conclusions,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s not important. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t see it as long as I do,¡± the headmaster said and burped again. His face started to flush. ¡°So. I don¡¯t want to carry a suitcase around with me. That¡¯ll make it much more difficult to escape from the first sector. They¡¯re planning on locking me down here, you know? I¡¯m avoiding a draft, and you seem extremely useful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± Cleo said and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have to listen to anything you say. I¡¯m a relatively free person.¡± She puffed her chest up and swished her tail. ¡°No,¡± the headmaster said and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. You have to listen to everything I say because I¡¯m an archangel of chastity. Do you know what chastity does? It gives me the powers of persuasion. Why do you think you fell asleep so easily when I asked you to?¡± Cleo froze. She remembered what happened to Palan last time Colonel Uzziel used his powers of chastity on him. But she also remembered how Palan countered him. She covered her ears with her hands and sprinted away while shouting for help. A second later, her vision disappeared. She couldn¡¯t hear anything, feel anything, or smell anything. She tried to move her hands, but she wasn¡¯t sure if they were moving or not. There was no heat, no cold, only nothing. Despair filled Cleo¡¯s thoughts. Was this what death felt like? Had she died? And just as quickly as the darkness descended, it disappeared. The headmaster was sitting on Cleo¡¯s back, pinning her hands to the floor. Pain engulfed her body as she thrashed against the ground, gasping for breath. ¡°Was that too long?¡± the headmaster asked while panting. Sweat dropped from his head onto Cleo¡¯s neck. ¡°Be quiet and stop struggling.¡± The angel¡¯s face blanched as Cleo stopped squirming. The headmaster climbed off of her and lifted her up. He held out a hand. ¡°Give me a drink,¡± he said. Cleo reached inside her space and pulled out a bottle, handing it over without a sound; however, her eyes glared daggers at him. The headmaster ignored her look and downed the bottle, the color returning to his face. He exhaled and sat down on top of his closed suitcase, patting the space next to him. ¡°Sit.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Cleo¡¯s upper body flailed around in protest as her legs walked over to the angel¡¯s side and sat next to him. ¡°Alright,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I can¡¯t keep using my powers against you for everything. I¡¯ll run out of alcohol before the week is over at that rate. I¡¯ll try a different approach. What do you want? As long as you help me, I can help you.¡± The muscles around Cleo¡¯s jaws slackened. She wiggled her mouth around and confirmed she could make sounds again. ¡°I want to find my owner,¡± she said. ¡°Was your owner in my academy?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why were you there? You couldn¡¯t have just wanted to steal my alcohol, right? It¡¯s good because I made it myself, but not that good.¡± ¡°I heard my friend was there, and Palan would definitely go there to save her,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Friend? We don¡¯t allow angels to keep lizardmen slaves on campus.¡± ¡°Not a lizardman. She¡¯s an angel.¡± ¡°A lizardman who¡¯s friends with an angel,¡± the headmaster said and rubbed his chin. ¡°I guess I really have seen everything this world has to offer now. What¡¯s her name? If she¡¯s still there, I could go back in and retrieve her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not there anymore,¡± Cleo said and sighed. ¡°Her name¡¯s Raea.¡± The headmaster fell silent. He reached over and put his hand underneath Cleo¡¯s belt, causing her to yelp. His hand vanished into her space, and he rummaged around before pulling out a bottle of alcohol. He opened it without even looking at it and brought it to his lips, taking a sip. ¡°Oh dear,¡± he said, staring up at the sky, ignoring the flustered lizardman by his side. ¡°Raea Caelum?¡± ¡°That¡¯s her,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°Ah,¡± the headmaster said and gulped his drink. ¡°So the snake-tailed demon was your owner. I know exactly where he went.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cleo asked, her eyes brightening. Maybe this crazy old man wasn¡¯t such a bad person. ¡°Where¡¯d he go?¡± ¡°He happens to be going in the exact same direction I want to go,¡± the headmaster said and nodded. ¡°Really,¡± Cleo said again, her expression darkening. Never mind. The crazy old man was definitely up to no good. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me,¡± the headmaster said and scratched his head. ¡°This is embarrassing. I¡¯m a very trustworthy person if you can look past the ¡­ tiffs we had. Look. Raea wanted to go destroy the rebel army, so she flew west. And your demon owner came afterwards, and I told him where Raea was going. He had three tails, shark-like teeth, a second mouth on his torso.¡± ¡°Palan has one tail,¡± Cleo said and crossed her arms. ¡°Well, he has three now,¡± the headmaster said and rolled his eyes. ¡°Maybe he evolved while you were separated, I don¡¯t know. I do know he went west as well to find Raea.¡± ¡°So why do you want to go west?¡± Cleo asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Weren¡¯t you evading the draft?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Tell me. Where¡¯s the first place you¡¯d look for an archangel who doesn¡¯t want to fight in a war? Would you look for him in the north where it¡¯s definitely safe and totally makes sense to escape to, or would you look for him in the west, where the rebel army¡¯s already conquered? There¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m letting those braindead superiors catch me. It¡¯s like working under children¡ªdo you know what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t trust you,¡± Cleo said while puffing her cheeks out. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to trust me,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to carry all my supplies in that space of yours. So what do you say? Say ¡®Yes. Please take me with you, headmaster¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes. Please take me with you, headmaster,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Since you asked so nicely, of course I will,¡± the headmaster said and clapped his hand on Cleo¡¯s shoulder. She frowned. ¡°No. That¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°The world¡¯s not fair. Get used to it. I give you my word as the head of Hailing Academy: Palan and Raea are definitely in the west and that¡¯s the way I¡¯m heading as well.¡± ¡°But you ran away from Hailing Academy.¡± ¡°Who says the headmaster can¡¯t play hooky? I¡¯m young too!¡± Chapter 291 ¡°You? Young?¡± Cleo asked and snorted at the wrinkled angel sitting beside her. The headmaster tapped his drink. ¡°This is the secret to eternal youth,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s actually the answer to everything: If you¡¯re tired, it¡¯ll help you forget about your sleepiness. If you¡¯re hungry, it¡¯ll make you forget about your hunger. If you¡¯re hurt, it¡¯ll make you forget your pain.¡± He took a swig and winked at Cleo. ¡°The higher-ups banned it because they didn¡¯t want their secret getting out.¡± Cleo furrowed her brow and reached into her space, pulling out one of the headmaster¡¯s bottles. She pried it open and sniffed the rim. She reeled back and gagged while wrinkling her nose. The headmaster laughed and finished his drink, tossing the empty bottle over his shoulder. ¡°Try some,¡± he said with a strange look in his eyes. Cleo brought the bottle to her mouth and took a sip. Her tail stiffened as she swallowed. Her eyes widened as she dropped the bottle and made hurling motions. The headmaster burst out into laughter as he picked up the fallen bottle and began drinking some more. ¡°That was disgusting!¡± Cleo said and spat a glob of spit onto the ground. She scraped at her tongue with her hands until the bitter, burning flavor was gone. ¡°You know what they say,¡± the headmaster said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°The bitterest medicine is the best medicine.¡± He placed the bottle by his foot and straightened his back. ¡°Alright. Seriously now, come to the west with me?¡± Cleo made a face at him. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± the headmaster asked, his eyes widening. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Everyone knows my name¡ªI¡¯m famous. I¡¯m Headmaster Hailing, but you can call me Headmaster. What¡¯s your name, little lizardling?¡± ¡°Cleo the Magnificent,¡± Cleo said and crossed her arms over her chest, ¡°but you can call me Magnificent. Headmaster¡¯s too long.¡± ¡°You can shorten it to Master if you want.¡± Cleo rolled her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your first name?¡± ¡°Headmaster.¡± ¡°Your first name is Headmaster?¡± ¡°My parents were really into dwarven culture,¡± the headmaster said and sighed while spinning the bottle in his hand. ¡°And they wondered why I drank.¡± Cleo waited, but the headmaster didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re Magnificent. I¡¯m glad we got to know each other better,¡± Headmaster Hailing said. ¡°Does that mean you trust me now? Let¡¯s go to the west, what do you say?¡± Cleo frowned. ¡°Palan and Raea are really to the west?¡± she asked. ¡°I lie pretty often,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°But I¡¯m not lying about this. I really think Raea and Palan are there as long as the rebel army is there.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Cleo said and knit her eyebrows. ¡°One more question.¡± She met the archangel¡¯s eyes. A shiver ran down her spine¡ªhe looked like a wolf staring at a sheep. ¡°Ask away,¡± Headmaster said, playing with the bottle in his hands. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happening at the capital gate today?¡± Cleo asked. Although she broke off her relations with Linda, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about Miriam¡¯s words. Something was happening at the gate, and Linda could possibly be in danger. ¡°I heard it was going to be a big event that¡¯ll be dangerous. My friend might be there.¡± The headmaster raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re a really nosy lizardling, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked. ¡°Why are you dipping your toes into so many things beyond you?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Slave to an archdemon with an ancient pact to an archangel. Friends with someone in a dissenting faction run by young, outcast scions. Luggage bearer of the illustrious headmaster of Hailing Academy.¡± Cleo snorted. ¡°What do you know about the dissenters?¡± she asked. ¡°A lot,¡± the headmaster said and nodded. ¡°They¡¯re part of the reason why I wanted to leave today. They¡¯re going to attack the first sector, blame it on the rebel army, and rile up the people to storm the capital. The leaders are all scions who were removed from their families because they developed sins in the capital. Some of them have reached the level of archangel.¡± ¡°Miriam said it¡¯d be dangerous if we didn¡¯t go to the capital entrance,¡± Cleo said and furrowed her brow.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? They¡¯re going to attack the first sector. Three archangels indiscriminately raining down their powers everywhere except for the entrance.¡± ¡°But,¡± Cleo tilted her head, ¡°why didn¡¯t they just join the rebel army then?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± the headmaster asked. ¡°They¡¯re scions. Halflings disgust them. They¡¯d never lower themselves to work with beings they perceive as slaves.¡± ¡°Jeez. Not a lot of people like the capital, huh?¡± Cleo asked and scratched her head. Was the capital really that bad? Raea seemed like a nice enough person ¡­ before she turned crazy at least. ¡°Well, the people inside the capital think the capital¡¯s the greatest place in the world,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°What do you think about it?¡± Cleo asked as the headmaster stood up and dusted off the back of his pants. She found herself standing as well. Had she decided to follow him? ¡°Terrible place,¡± the headmaster said and shook his head. ¡°Not enough drinks.¡± Cleo bit her lower lip. ¡°Are the dissenters going to be able to break into the capital?¡± she asked. ¡°Can an elephant dance on its head?¡± Cleo blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t know? Maybe? I¡¯ve never seen one do it before,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s your answer,¡± the headmaster said and closed his empty suitcase, hoisting it over his shoulder. ¡°Do you know where your friend is? The one going to the gate?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cleo said and pursed her lips. ¡°Do you want to warn them?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not really friends anymore, but I don¡¯t want to see her die.¡± ¡°Well, I can guarantee if we head to the west right now and she goes to the gate, she¡¯ll die, but you won¡¯t see it. Out of sight, out of mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a thief, but I¡¯m not heartless,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Linda was nice to me. She probably wouldn¡¯t do the same for me, but I¡¯m a bigger person than her.¡± The angel sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not bigger than anyone,¡± he said and shook his head. ¡°If I help you warn your friend, then you¡¯re going to help me bring my stash through the border, alright? I¡¯m going to sacrifice a lot to gain your trust here. You¡¯re worth befriending rather than turning you into my puppet.¡± ¡°Why do you even need me to do that?¡± Cleo asked. The headmaster stared at Cleo. ¡°Do you know what the punishment is for owning even a single bottle of liquid courage?¡± he asked. ¡°Uh. Execution?¡± she asked. That seemed to be the angels¡¯ punishment for everything. ¡°Correct,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I¡¯ll be executed over forty-eight hundred times if they find my stash. I don¡¯t have that many lives.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°But you only had like twenty bottles in the suitcase?¡± ¡°Let me have my secrets, alright?¡± the headmaster asked as a ten bottles of whiskey appeared on the ground in front of Cleo. Her eyes widened as another twenty bottles appeared. The headmaster furrowed his brow. ¡°I¡¯ll need at least this much to find your friend. Tell me, what¡¯s she look like and what are her powers?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a greater angel of greed,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Her name¡¯s Linda Bael. She looks¡ª¡° ¡°I know Linda,¡± the headmaster said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You really do have your fingers dipped everywhere, huh?¡± He picked up a bottle and dug out the cork. A bloody smell wafted out and assaulted Cleo¡¯s nose. ¡°This is the fruit of my and my subordinate¡¯s research: Five-percent altruistic blood. Twenty-percent gluttonous blood. Seventy-five percent alcohol. One-hundred percent ecstasy.¡± The archangel licked his lips and drank the bottle without pause, reaching for another with his spare hand before he even finished the first. Cleo¡¯s jaw dropped as the angel¡¯s stomach expanded with every drink, and soon, there were thirty empty bottles on the ground. The headmaster stumbled and slurred, ¡°Climb on my back. Don¡¯t let go.¡± Cleo nodded and scrambled up the angel¡¯s clothes, wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. ¡°Ready,¡± the archangel said and took a step forward. He stumbled, but managed to balance himself before he fell. ¡°Set.¡± His arms spread out as he leaned back as if he were trying to hug the sky. ¡°Go.¡± A wave of darkness rippled out from his body, consuming and painting the world black. Cleo¡¯s eyes widened as everything, including the sky, was turned into an endless abyss. She could see herself and the headmaster, but it was as if they had walked into a void. There were no sounds or smells. The headmaster inhaled through his nose and held his breath. As he exhaled, he said, ¡°Found her.¡± He took one step forward, and the darkness disappeared just as quickly as it came. The surroundings had turned into the insides of a carriage. Linda was curled up on the floor clutching her chest while gasping for breath, her body spasming. If Cleo had looked around the first sector, she¡¯d have seen thousands of angels doing the same. The headmaster clicked his tongue, his face pale. ¡°Damn. Sober already. Have her drive us to the second sector at full speed¡±¡ªhe took out an orb and placed it inside Cleo¡¯s space¡ª¡°and keep that safe.¡± Before Cleo could respond, the headmaster fell forward and passed out. Cleo stared at the headmaster, then turned her head towards Linda who was just beginning to stand. Something outside caught Cleo¡¯s attention, and she dashed towards the window while tugging on Linda¡¯s arm, forgetting they had cut ties. ¡°What is that?¡± Cleo asked and pointed. In the distance, above the capital¡¯s walls, an avatar of black lightning¡ªat least a hundred times larger than the one Melissa summoned against Palan¡ªwas taking shape in the air. A massive head with three eyes appeared. The avatar swept its gaze over the first sector, as if it were searching for someone. Cleo¡¯s eyes widened as she suspected something and threw a blanket over the unconscious headmaster. After what seemed like an eternity, the avatar of lightning¡¯s gaze stopped on the crowd of angels who had gathered in front of the capital¡¯s gate. A massive palm made of crackling, black lightning materialized in the clouds above them. The avatar seemed to smile, revealing jagged teeth made of lightning. ¡°How cute,¡± it said, the noise shattering every window within the first sector. ¡°I hate cute.¡± The palm slapped the ground. ¡°Well then,¡± Linda said, ten minutes after the avatar disappeared. She and Cleo were still standing at the window, petrified with glass shards by their feet. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t go to that gate, huh?¡± Chapter 292 Black lightning circled around the tower in the center of the capital. At the topmost room, Levy was singing and dancing, her eight crab-like legs shuffling back and forth as she twirled around, waving her hands in the air. Uriel, Asura, Raphael, and the unassuming demon were sitting up in their beds, bleary-eyed. ¡°Hey, Levy,¡± Camael said while picking his ear with his pinky. His scorpion-like tail swept away the shattered wood by his feet. ¡°What the hell was that? You know noon to four is designated napping time.¡± Levy stopped dancing and tilted her head, blinking her big blue eyes. Her short, silver hair clung to her cheeks. ¡°Levy woke you up?¡± she asked and pouted. Her head lowered. ¡°Sorry.¡± The lightning stopped crackling and disappeared as Levy bit her lower lip. The door to the room burst open. Sariel panted, her face red, as she ran into the room. ¡°What was that!?¡± she shouted. ¡°You know you¡¯re not supposed to use your powers unless your lives are at stake!¡± ¡°Blah, blah, blah,¡± Camael said as he stood up and walked in front of Levy who looked like she was about to cry. ¡°I used my powers. So what? What are you going to do about it, Little Sarsar?¡± ¡°You!¡± Sariel said and clenched her hands. ¡°Calm down, old lady,¡± Asura said and crossed five of her six arms over her chest. The remaining arm covered one of her mouths as it yawned. One of her heads was still asleep. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask us to deal with the rebels if they came too close to the capital?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Levy said as her head bobbed up and down. ¡°You said slaughter. And massacre. And genocide.¡± She blinked and licked her lips as she looked around. ¡°Right? Levy did good, right?¡± Sariel¡¯s brow furrowed as she swept her gaze over the six figures lazing about. Uriel lay back down and stretched her arms over her head while arching her back. She exhaled and untangled the hair from her horns. ¡°That¡¯s right. Levy did well,¡± she said. ¡°Did you find the gluttony being? It¡¯s hard to believe there¡¯s someone on our level that we¡¯ve never heard about.¡± ¡°Levy didn¡¯t see,¡± Levy said and lowered her head. ¡°But Levy squished the bad angels outside like this.¡± She slapped her palm against the wooden table in the room, shattering it. She retracted her hand and covered her mouth. ¡°Oops.¡± Sariel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Gluttony being? Same level as you?¡± she asked. The unassuming demon in the corner nodded. ¡°You didn¡¯t see? The sky was covered for five seconds,¡± he said. ¡°I was asleep and I still saw it. I¡¯m not surprised your council members lost. Who told you to provoke something like that?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Raphael,¡± Sariel said and knelt on the ground. ¡°Can you revive the ones who died to the lightning?¡± ¡°Why are you kneeling?¡± Camael asked and smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not like he can see.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we been forbidden from leaving this room?¡± Raphael asked and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°You know what that lightning-slinging god of yours will do to me if I leave.¡± ¡°And yet you still blame me for stopping you from searching for your eyes,¡± Asura said and snorted. ¡°You¡¯re like a child.¡± Sariel wanted to shout: You¡¯re all like children! But that would probably get her killed. She bit her lower lip. ¡°Please,¡± she said. ¡°Can¡¯t you revive them without leaving the room? Surely a being of kindness such as yourself won¡¯t let lives be lost for no reason.¡± ¡®Levy had a reason!¡± Levy said and furrowed her brow. ¡°They tried to be as cute as Levy.¡± Her expression darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t like that. Only Levy can be cute.¡± Sariel ignored the petulant demon, continuing to kneel on the ground facing Raphael. ¡°She hasn¡¯t left yet?¡± Raphael asked and scratched his head. He sighed and leaned back, letting his long hair brush against his blanket. ¡°If the Creator wanted them to live, then he wouldn¡¯t have let them die in the first place, no? And everyone knows we shouldn¡¯t go against the Creator¡¯s will.¡± ¡°It would still be the Creator¡¯s will to have them live if you resurrected them,¡± Sariel said, staring at the floor. ¡°If you brought them back to life, then that is also the Creator¡¯s will.¡± A smile appeared on Raphael¡¯s lips. ¡°So you¡¯re saying my decision is also the Creator¡¯s?¡± he asked. He lowered his head and stared at Sariel with his empty eye sockets. His tone was mocking. ¡°If I save them, then the mighty man in the sky wanted them to live? If I don¡¯t save them, then he wanted them to die? Then what¡¯s the point of even having a Creator in the first place?¡± Sariel raised her head and frowned at the sneering angel. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Raphael said. ¡°There isn¡¯t a point. He¡¯s called the Creator, not the Commander. But a more suitable name for him would be Silver-tongued Con Artist.¡± ¡°You¡¯re speaking blasphemy,¡± Sariel said, her face pale. ¡°And you can¡¯t kill me. Even I can¡¯t kill me. Doesn¡¯t that upset you?¡± Raphael said. Sariel¡¯s lips drew into a line as she fell silent. Asura rolled all six of her eyes. ¡°Just ignore him,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s still upset about his eyes. I¡¯ll use his powers and revive those people for him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sariel asked, her eyes widening. ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± Asura¡¯s heads nodded. ¡°But I have a condition,¡± she said. ¡°Of course you do,¡± Sariel muttered and sighed. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Blaspheme the Creator.¡± ¡°W-why?¡± Sariel asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Because he¡¯s a bastard,¡± Asura said. ¡°And I want him to hear it from one of his most faithful dogs. I can call him a nose-picking maggot all day, but he¡¯s already grown numb to it.¡± She pointed up at the sky. ¡°Look, the little turd doesn¡¯t even throw lightning bolts at me anymore.¡± She smiled at Sariel. ¡°So will you do it? Those little angels¡¯ lives or your precious faith. What will you choose?¡± Sariel stood up and left. ¡°That¡¯s no fun,¡± Asura said as the door closed. The unassuming demon in the corner counted with his fingers while mumbling. ¡°Whatcha doing there, Creed?¡± Uriel asked, turning her head. ¡°Counting the sins and virtues left,¡± he said. ¡°With this new gluttony being ¡­ there¡¯s only¡ª¡° ¡°Pride and envy!¡± Levy shouted while throwing her hands into the air. Her body swayed from side to side. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait to get out of here. It¡¯s been too long since Levy¡¯s killed someone.¡± ¡°You exterminated a group like ten minutes ago,¡± Camael said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Levy said and nodded, her hair flying up and down. ¡°Too long.¡± Chapter 293 Palan stood on top of a dirt mountain. It was nearly the same height as the statue of Akurel behind him, and off in the distance, the tiny outlines of two more statues could be seen peeking over the horizon. The second sun was just beginning to set, causing Palan¡¯s shadow to extend towards the wall separating the first and second sector. Wings rustled as Raea landed beside him, carrying a bag filled with cooked meat and mushrooms. ¡°Anything?¡± Raea asked as she untied the bag and pulled out a roasted haunch, handing it to Palan, before taking out a mushroom that was the same size as her head. ¡°Nothing,¡± Palan said and frowned. The two had been with the centaurs when the light coming from the hole that Mathias had created disappeared. They had gone outside and saw a layer of darkness covering the sky, blocking out the suns. But the layer had disappeared before Palan could jump up and touch it. Then the avatar of black lightning appeared and showed off its might, causing their ears to ring when it spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything else is going to happen,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. She rolled the mushroom around in her hands before tearing off a piece and eating it. After the lightning avatar had disappeared, Palan ordered Mathias to create the mountain he was currently standing on so he could watch over the first sector and capital. He already waited for several hours with nothing to show for it. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the power of an archangel, right?¡± Palan asked as he chewed on the meat. ¡°I asked Pyre while picking up the food,¡± Raea said, gesturing towards the bag by her feet, ¡°and he said that the darkness was gluttony, but it was way beyond what a normal archdemon could do. If the wall wasn¡¯t there, we¡¯d have been affected by it as well.¡± She added after a thought. ¡°And the black lightning was temperance, but you know how the colors work, right? Blue for a normal angel, purple for greater, and red for arch? Black should be higher.¡± ¡°Then they¡¯re like us,¡± Palan said and licked his lips, discarding the bone in his hand. ¡°I knew they existed.¡± Raea grunted as she chewed her food, a wrinkle on her forehead. Palan turned his gaze away from the capital and met Raea¡¯s eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was just thinking,¡± Raea said after swallowing. ¡°Not a lot of time has passed¡ªless than half a year¡ªbut you evolved from a slightly above average normal demon to a being that¡¯s stronger than an archangel. I¡¯ve only met one other archdemon, so I can¡¯t compare you to others, but I imagine you¡¯re stronger than most of them as well.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s to be expected,¡± Palan said as he leaned back against his tails. ¡°I¡¯m me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I get some credit?¡± Raea asked and nudged him with her foot. ¡°It was my mana you used after all.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Palan said. ¡°My evolutions came from my own efforts.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Raea rolled her eyes. ¡°Then why weren¡¯t you an archdemon when I first met you?¡± she asked. ¡°Who saved you when you were about to die to a giant honey badger?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°That never happened,¡± he said and turned his head away. Thunder rumbled in the air, and he snapped his head towards the capital before he realized it was just his punishment for lying to Raea. He sighed as he forced his purple tail to deflect the incoming lightning bolt. Raea raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯d think the lightning would get stronger over time,¡¯ she said. ¡°It really doesn¡¯t do anything to you anymore; you know, other than proving that I¡¯m right and you¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°Sometimes the lightning strikes are more intense,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°Sometimes they¡¯re not even worth raising my head for. Maybe the Creator exhausted his power. Or he¡¯s just moody.¡± Raea scratched her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Creator personally strikes people down with lightning,¡± she said. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, no,¡± Raea said and stared at her barely eaten mushroom. ¡°How am I supposed to know something like that?¡± ¡°Ask him the next time you pray,¡± Palan said and snorted. Raea¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I haven¡¯t prayed in a long time,¡± she said. ¡°Not since Sely died. The Creator wouldn¡¯t want to listen to someone who abandoned his path. I don¡¯t have the right to pray¡ªnot when I can do this.¡± Black flames engulfed the mushroom in her hands, incinerating it and turning it directly into smoke. She sighed and sat down before rummaging through the bag for another mushroom. ¡°I miss Cleo. Carrying things sucks.¡± ¡°She would¡¯ve loved the harpies¡¯ treasure cave,¡± Palan said and nodded as he sat beside Raea. Raea pressed her wings against her body and leaned on Palan while taking bites out of the mushroom. The sun disappeared underneath the horizon, and Raea created a pit of fire in front of herself. The two sat next to each other without speaking, Palan staring at the capital, and Raea staring at the fire. Only the sounds of crackling flames and chewing could be heard. ¡°Palan?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What do you think of me?¡± Palan turned his head and met Raea¡¯s gaze. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If I died, would you be sad?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°Cause I¡¯d be dead.¡± Raea snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°Then if our contract ended, and I died. What would you feel?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I once say I don¡¯t answer hypothetical questions?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°But aren¡¯t you also prepared for everything?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to prepare by asking yourself what could happen?¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re going to die?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I mean, eventually I¡¯ll have to,¡± Raea said. ¡°No one lives forever.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll answer your question after you die,¡± Palan said and turned his head back to face the capital. ¡°I won¡¯t know until it happens.¡± Raea smacked his elbow. ¡°That¡¯s cheating,¡± she said. ¡°I won¡¯t be around to hear the answer then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± Raea sighed and wrapped herself around Palan¡¯s arm, resting her head on his shoulder. ¡°You know, sometimes I¡¯m jealous of your sister,¡± she said and closed her eyes. ¡°I envy her.¡± Palan frowned and furrowed his brow. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you love her. You¡¯re willing to charge into the capital where that person with the giant lightning avatar resides because of her. But I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d do the same for me.¡± Palan fell silent. After a while, he asked, ¡°Am I supposed to respond to that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s generally how conversations work, yes,¡± Raea said. ¡°But I¡¯ll give you a bye this time since you¡¯re so socially inept because of your childhood. Just think about what I¡¯ve said, okay?¡± Chapter 294 ¡°Good evening!¡± Cory shouted as she ascended from the hole at the base of the dirt mountain. She was carrying Pyre by one of his legs, his arms and hair dangling limp in the air. ¡°I brought¡­. Am I interrupting something? Uh, I¡¯ll just leave this here then.¡± She dropped the angel next to Palan and Raea before retreating back down the hole. Pyre sat up and cracked his neck while grumbling. ¡°Couldn¡¯t carry me like a normal person!?¡± he shouted down the hole. ¡°I normally carry dead people!¡± Cory¡¯s voice shouted back. Pyre frowned as he dusted himself off. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair,¡± he muttered and turned to face Raea and Palan who were still glued to each other. He cleared his throat and rummaged through his bag. ¡°I brought you the new and improved slave collar that works on angels.¡± He took out a metal collar with red runes inscribed on the side and held it out towards Palan. ¡°It¡¯s not going to explode, right?¡± Palan asked as he accepted it. Pyre coughed and avoided Palan¡¯s gaze. ¡°You heard about that?¡± he asked. ¡°Who was it? It was Mathias, wasn¡¯t it? You haven¡¯t been around the lizardmen¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer the question,¡± Raea said and leaned away from the collar. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee it won¡¯t explode,¡± Pyre said and rubbed his chin. ¡°But really, anything has a minor chance of exploding. Even I have a minor chance of exploding. However, I did manage to minimize the blast radius¡ªat worst, the angel will just be badly scarred and unable to speak.¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°And maybe die if left untreated. But he won¡¯t die instantly like Solra did.¡± ¡°This¡¯ll work on any angel?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Say, if I put this on the angel who summoned that lightning avatar¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll probably explode,¡± Pyre said. ¡°There¡¯s something odd interfering with the powers inside the collar. The runes on the side of the collar basically act as a contract and clasping it around someone¡¯s neck initiates the contract. But, until more research is done, the acceptable reason for why contracts work is because of the Creator¡¯s will. The explosion occurs when a conflict occurs between the contract and something else.¡± The angel shrugged and retrieved his pipe. ¡°It should work on Akurel as long as you keep him in a weakened state. Stab him a few times or remove his limbs.¡± ¡°Is Akurel stronger than the centaurs¡¯ archbishop?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I could only use three attacks under his altruism before he ran out of mana.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Pyre said and scratched his head with his pipe. ¡°Akurel¡¯s been an archangel longer, so he should be, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be as strong as you expect. The amount of mana you have greatly exceeds his. He won¡¯t be able to keep up with your output. At most, altruism will let you see what you can do in the future with your powers.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°So in the end he¡¯s useless,¡± Palan said with a frown. After witnessing the lightning avatar, he wanted something that¡¯d improve his strength right away. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d lose, but he wanted it to be easy and not strenuous. ¡°Do you have any means to handle the lightning avatar?¡± Pyre inhaled on his pipe and leaned back, staring up at the stars. Purple smoke escaped from his nostrils, clouding his view. ¡°Possibly,¡± he said. ¡°And it¡¯d fit very well for my goals, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯d approve.¡± ¡°Palan has like zero morals,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he approve?¡± ¡°Because he wants to go back to Eljiam,¡± Pyre said and tapped the ashes out of his pipe. ¡°I¡¯m confident in my ability to create explosives. If we pack the capital full of them and set them off, what do you think will happen? Everyone dies, but the portal leading to Eljiam is destroyed as well. I was thinking of using giant cannons as well, but once again, the portal problem reappears.¡± Raea tilted her head. ¡°There¡¯s others way back to Eljiam, right?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s just that the one in the capital specifically targets a location?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Pyre said. ¡°At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard about it. I¡¯ve never been to the capital myself. They¡¯d never let me in, you know, being a half-demon and all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget there¡¯s other reasons why we need to go to the capital,¡± Palan said. ¡°The Creator¡¯s blessing or judgment or some other nonsense like that.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°To end our contract.¡± A wrinkle appeared on her forehead as she pinched Palan¡¯s side, causing him to flinch away. She murmured and looked down, ¡°You really do want to end it, huh?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make you uncomfortable to have your life tied to someone else¡¯s?¡± Palan asked. Pyre cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I should be here to listen to this,¡± he said. He reached inside his bag and pulled out two earplugs, jamming them into his ears. He always made sure he had means to protect his ears. Explosions were loud, and things tended to explode around him pretty often. Pyre¡¯s eyes closed as he lay on the ground, sucking on his pipe. ¡°If I leave your side, then I have to worry about something happening to you,¡± Palan said. ¡°So if we didn¡¯t have the contract, you wouldn¡¯t worry about leaving me?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Are you going back to the ¡®how would I feel if you died¡¯ question?¡± Palan asked. ¡°No,¡± Raea said and turned her head away. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the fire, her shoulders hunched over. Palan sighed. ¡°I probably would feel a sense of loss if you died and I lived on,¡± Palan said. Raea didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°You¡¯re very useful, you know?¡± ¡°In the end, that¡¯s all I am to you, aren¡¯t I?¡± Raea asked, turning her head. Her eyes were purple. ¡°A tool. I don¡¯t understand. What¡¯s the difference between your sister and me? Why do you love her, but not me? I wouldn¡¯t believe you were capable of feelings if it weren¡¯t for your sister. What do you even feel for her?¡± Dark green smoke drifted out from underneath Raea¡¯s wings. Pyre turned his head and held his breath. He stood up and scrambled away from the two while storing his pipe inside his bag before taking out his earplugs. ¡°Are they going to fight?¡± he asked himself as he approached the hole in the ground he came from. If fireballs started flying, he was going to jump back down¡ªbetter alive with broken legs than dead. Palan frowned. ¡°My sister is important to me,¡± he said. Raea¡¯s eyes flared. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you a hypothetical question,¡± she said. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer it properly, then it¡¯ll be very real.¡± More plumes of green smoke drifted out of her body, causing Palan to stand up and take a few steps back. ¡°If I killed your sister, what would you do?¡± ¡°Oh boy,¡± Pyre said and sighed. ¡°Pent up envy. Lots of pent up envy. Let¡¯s hope this doesn¡¯t hurt too much.¡± He closed his eyes and jumped down the hole. Chapter 295 Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed at Raea. His three tails stopped lazing about and gazed at her as well. ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked. His eyes shimmered and turned purple like Raea¡¯s. ¡°What would you do,¡± Raea said and took a step forward, green smoke billowing from her body. With every step she took, the dirt beneath her feet blackened and softened into ooze. The green smoke accumulated above Raea, forming a vaguely humanoid shape. She stopped in front of Palan with her hands on her hips. They stared each other down, neither of them willing to turn their gazes away. Raea lifted her arm, placing a finger on Palan¡¯s chest¡ªabove his torso-mouth¡ªand finished her sentence. ¡°If I killed your sister?¡± Palan snorted as his purple tail flashed, biting Raea¡¯s arm. She didn¡¯t flinch. An oily sheen prevented the snake¡¯s fangs from piercing her skin. There was a lighter layer coming off the snake¡¯s fangs, but Raea¡¯s was overwhelming it. The light around Raea¡¯s arm began to expand, forcing Palan¡¯s tail to widen its jaws. ¡°Originally, greed was mine,¡± Raea said as she moved her arm. She slapped the purple tail, causing it to crash into the ground and burying its head underneath the soil. ¡°Don¡¯t try to use my own powers against me.¡± Dark clouds formed in the sky, and a lightning bolt shot towards Raea for breaching the contract between herself and Palan. A solid dark-green hand rushed out of the cloud of smoke above Raea¡¯s head and caught the lightning. Its fingers wriggled as if it were crushing leaves, and the lightning crackled before dispersing. Raea and Palan raised their heads. The smoky figure in the sky was solidifying, turning into a faceless figure similar to Raea¡¯s from before she evolved. Palan furrowed his brow. He debated on throwing a rock at Raea¡¯s head to stop her like he stopped Melissa, but killing Raea was akin to killing himself. ¡°An angel of patience should be able to forgive everyone who¡¯s wronged her,¡± Raea said, keeping her eyes on the figure above their heads. ¡°I¡¯m surprised I hadn¡¯t turned into an angel of wrath a long time ago. I never forgave myself for having envy. I hated myself for not living up to my parents¡¯ expectations. I couldn¡¯t forgive my own flaws.¡± The face of the figure squirmed as the blurry outlines of eyes and a nose appeared. ¡°Envy was why I was banished from the capital. I always tried to hide it, tried to feel happy for others¡¯ gains. I even developed kindness because of it, but I knew it was always there. Eventually, it came out¡ªI resented myself for it. I told myself I¡¯d rather die than embrace it.¡± Raea lowered her head and sighed while closing her eyes. Her eyes opened as she brought her hands in front of her stomach, palms facing the sky. Black flames flickered into existence. ¡°But now that I think about it, isn¡¯t it the same thing as wrath?¡± she asked, entranced by the fire dancing on her palms. ¡°Wrath empowered me. It¡¯s one of the seven major sins. Like envy. Why should I be afraid of my own powers when you¡¯re not even afraid of it?¡± She faced Palan. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you use my envy to make bags upon bags of poison powder, but I wanted nothing to do with it. If I ignored it, maybe it¡¯d go away. That¡¯s what I thought about it.¡± The figure¡¯s face solidified as the eyes and nose finished forming. Lips appeared, curling into a smile. It was a reflection of Raea¡¯s face from before she evolved. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be fine if I just hid it,¡± Raea said. ¡°I thought nothing would come of it when I started developing feelings for you. You¡¯re a demon. I¡¯m an angel. Nothing should¡¯ve happened between us, right? You even got my sister killed. There should¡¯ve been no reason for me to fall in love with you.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes glistened as her hands cracked and clenched, the black flames exploding outwards and traveling up her arms. She bit her lower lip. ¡°But I did. It¡¯s stupid, but I did. The stronger my feelings got for you, the more my envy of your sister grew. You love her, but you don¡¯t love me. I told myself to give you time. You¡¯d eventually fall for me as well if I was sincere enough. But now, after hearing you call me a tool, I don¡¯t know if you ever will. There¡¯s only one empty spot in your heart, and it¡¯s occupied by your sister.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The smoky figure shrank as it fell from the sky, landing behind Raea. It smiled at Palan, as if thanking him, before hugging Raea from behind. Its mouth opened and closed, speaking words into Raea¡¯s ears that Palan couldn¡¯t hear. Raea¡¯s body shuddered, her eyes shutting, as the figure began to merge into her body. Palan leapt forward, but collided against a barrier formed by greed. Before he could try to break down the barrier, it disappeared along with the smoky figure. Raea¡¯s eyes opened, hints of green flashing in her purple pupils. ¡°You understand where my problem is coming from, right?¡± Raea asked. There was something different about her voice, but Palan couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. ¡°If I can¡¯t have your love, why can someone else have it? You¡¯d hate me if I killed your sister, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Raea¡¯s wings spread open as she took a step forward. Green feathers were mixed amongst the red ones. ¡°I know you would because you killed mine.¡± ¡°What are you planning on doing?¡± Palan asked. Raea didn¡¯t answer him, stroking her feathers with her hands instead. ¡°Am I a monster, Palan?¡± Raea asked. Black flames drifted out of her red feathers and green mist floated out of the green ones when her hand passed over them. ¡°If I said I was going to Hailing Academy to enter their portal to Eljiam to find your sister and kill her, would you believe me?¡± Palan¡¯s eyes widened. A dome of black light engulfed the dirt mountain, spreading out from Palan¡¯s body. Raea sighed, her expression dimming as an invisible weight pressed against her body, forcing her feet into the ground. ¡°It really does make me sad that you think of me that way, you know?¡± Raea asked and smiled at Palan with tears in her eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that to you, even if I¡¯m envious. Rationally, I know killing your sister wouldn¡¯t make you love me. I¡¯m not stupid, no matter how often you insinuate it. Didn¡¯t I just say I resented myself for having envy?¡± She lifted her hand in front of her chest, flexing her claws. They glowed red as she heated them up with black flames. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Palan,¡± Raea whispered. ¡°I really am. But I already said it. I¡¯d rather die than embrace my envy.¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Palan shouted as he rushed forward. But it was too late. Raea¡¯s hand had embedded itself into her chest, piercing her own heart, setting her chest ablaze. The dome of dark light disappeared as Palan grabbed Raea¡¯s body. ¡°Raea!¡± He reached into his bag and pulled out an orb of kindness. He ripped Raea¡¯s hand away and activated the orb, closing the gaping wound, but black flames continued to burn around her heart, reopening the injury. Palan swore and lifted her up, running towards the hole in the ground. He had to find Pyre¡ªthe old coot would know what to do. Raea¡¯s labored breaths slowed, but her eyes still struggled to stay open. Palan¡¯s face was warped with concern. Even if it might have been more for himself, it still made her happy to know she could cause him to feel that way. And when her eyes could stay open no longer, she died with a smile on her face. Chapter 296 Cherri blinked at the moaning angel on the ground. He had fallen from the sky, startling Cherri as she went about her night of negotiations with the faction heads. His scream had nearly given her a heart attack. ¡°E-excuse me,¡± she said and prodded Pyre with her foot. ¡°Are you alright, insane benefactor?¡± ¡°If no meant yes, I¡¯d be fucking great,¡± Pyre said through gritted teeth. His arms were underneath his body, bent at odd angles, while bones protruded from his shins. ¡°There¡¯s a white orb in my bag. Take it out.¡± Cherri bent down and rummaged through Pyre¡¯s leather bag. Her brow furrowed before she turned it over, causing a mass of pipes, notebooks, and screaming plants to spill out. At the very top of the pile, there were three orbs: a gray one, a white one, and a red one. She picked up the white one. ¡°This?¡± she asked and offered it to the sweating angel. ¡°Are you daft? Does it look like I can move my arms?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Squeeze it, point it at me, and inject mana into it.¡± Cherri pursed her lips as she squeezed the orb. It glowed with a white light. ¡°Uh, benefactor? It¡¯s an orb. Which part of it do I point at you? All the sides are the same,¡± she said and rolled the orb around in her hand. Blood continued to pool out of Pyre¡¯s body, the puddle oozing towards Cherri¡¯s hooves. A red wing smacked Cherri¡¯s head, causing her to cry out. ¡°Give it here,¡± Cory said as she snatched the orb out of the aggrieved centaur¡¯s hand. The harpy held the orb over Pyre¡¯s body and activated it. White tendrils snaked around the old angel¡¯s limbs, correcting his bones and stitching his skin back together. The orb dulled as the light faded away. Cory snorted and tossed it at Cherri before placing her wings on her hips. ¡°Was that so hard? You just have to use the right side. Gah, centaurs are so slow. I have to ask the harbinger to rethink her decision.¡± Pyre dusted himself off as he stood up. He gathered up his pipes and the plants which were trying to crawl away before tying his bag around his waist again. ¡°That was terrible,¡± he said and rubbed his chin. ¡°I think I just found a new form of torture for those prisoners.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve done worse?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. She was curious about Pyre¡¯s methods once. Once. After the first time, she never went back to the prison. ¡°Are broken bones really that much more painful?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I meant I should replace the dwarves in charge of healing with centaurs.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cory said. ¡°The new commander is wise. Anyways, why were you trying to fly? You don¡¯t have wings.¡± She muttered to herself. ¡°I guess he isn¡¯t very wise then¡­?¡± ¡°Palan and Raea are fighting up there,¡± Pyre said, ignoring Cory¡¯s comment. ¡°I suspect we¡¯ll hear some loud explosions or curses very soon.¡± He pointed at Cherri. ¡°Bring your archbishop here. I heard he¡¯s adept at healing. Able to bring back the dead?¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Cherri bit her lower lip. ¡°The archbishop is currently resting in bed,¡± she said. ¡°He overdrew his mana while helping Palan. Besides, Palan and Raea won¡¯t hurt each other too badly, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for them,¡± Pyre said and rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s for you. You think the ceiling will hold up if they seriously fight up there? You still haven¡¯t cleaned up the scraps from earlier.¡± The half-angel gestured at the bloody rocks strewn about. ¡°B-but,¡± Cherri said as her shoulders hunched over. ¡°The archbishop is really weak right now. He needs his rest.¡± ¡°Yeah, let him rest,¡± Cory said and nodded. Cherri¡¯s eyes widened. She hadn¡¯t expected the harpy to agree with her. ¡°It¡¯s better if no one¡¯s around to revive the centaurs after they die. They¡¯re already way too similar to cockroaches. No need to make them as resilient too.¡± The harpy nodded before preening herself. Cherri stamped her foot on the ground and straightened her back. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the archbishop here right away!¡± she said and whirled around. ¡°Did you mean to do that?¡± Pyre asked Cory. ¡°Do what?¡± Pyre shook his head. ¡°Sometimes I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re actually dumb or not,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who tried to fly without wings,¡± Cory said and shrugged. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Pyre said as he rummaged through his bag. He discarded the pipes that had shattered on impact. It was a good thing he always carried spares. He found a nearby boulder to sit on where he could observe the stars through the hole in the ceiling and lit up a pipe. ¡°Why are the harbinger and her mate fighting?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head, perching next to Pyre. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, does it?¡± Pyre chuckled. ¡°You see,¡± he said and lowered his pipe, ¡°people don¡¯t make sense. We¡¯re all crazy. That¡¯s what makes us normal.¡± The old angel shook his head. ¡°Raea doesn¡¯t need a reason to fight Palan other than teenaged angst. Palan acts logically in his own twisted way, but he can only act illogically when faced with Raea. What makes sense doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is what is actually happening.¡± Cory scratched her head with her talon. ¡°I guess this is why you¡¯re the new commander,¡± she said. ¡°Because I¡¯m a genius,¡± Pyre said and breathed out purple smoke. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fly up there and check on the progress of the fight. Be careful though.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± Cory said as she stood up and spread her wings. ¡°There¡¯s something mesmerizing about the harbinger¡¯s powers. I want to watch.¡± She leapt into the air, speeding up the hole in the ceiling. Unsteady footsteps caused Pyre to turn his head. The archbishop was wobbling over with Cherri¡¯s support. ¡°You called for me?¡± the archbishop asked while wincing. ¡°Just a precaution,¡± Pyre said and nodded. ¡°You know I can¡¯t use my powers at the moment, right?¡± ¡°Not with that attitude,¡± Pyre said and snorted. He handed the archbishop a separate pipe and screaming plant along with his orb of wrath. ¡°Smoke this for a bit. It¡¯ll help you recover.¡± The archbishop made a strange expression, but he complied. His body stopped trembling as his eyes unfocused. Cherri bit her lower lip, refraining from speaking. ¡°Gah!¡± Cory¡¯s shout drew the trio¡¯s attention towards the ceiling. Raea¡¯s and Palan¡¯s bodies fell to the ground with a sickening crack. ¡°Holy moly, that was scary,¡± Cory said as she circled in the air before landing next to the two corpses. Her head tilted to the side as she nudged them with her talon, flapping her wings when a burst of flames jetted upwards from Raea¡¯s chest. ¡°Guys? Hey. Harbinger? You alright?¡± Her forehead wrinkled as she turned towards Pyre. ¡°Uh¡­. I think they¡¯re dead¡­?¡± Chapter 297 ¡°Dead?¡± the archbishop, Cherri, and Pyre asked at the same time. ¡°Almost as dead as a centaur¡¯s brain,¡± Cory said and nodded. She rolled Palan off of Raea and swatted at her chest with lightning-covered wings. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Cherri shouted and rushed over with Pyre behind her. Every time Cory¡¯s wing collided with Raea¡¯s chest, there was an explosion of thunder. The archbishop staggered over, leaning from one side to the other as if he were drunk. ¡°I¡¯m putting out the flames,¡± Cory said as she waved her wings. Black flames fell off the strands of lightning circling her feathers. After a few more smacks, the black flames had fully dispersed, but Raea¡¯s chest was burnt beyond recognition. Cory leaned over and angled her ear over Raea¡¯s face. ¡°She¡¯s not breathing.¡± Cherri trotted over to Palan¡¯s side and placed her hand on his neck, trying to ignore the tongue that was protruding from Palan¡¯s torso mouth. His eyes were glazed over, but still open and staring at Cherri. His three tails lay limp on the floor, their eyes replaced by little ¡®x¡¯s. ¡°I can¡¯t find his pulse,¡± the centaur said and bit her lower lip. ¡°Do demons even have pulses?¡± Pyre squat next to Cherri and placed his hand on Palan¡¯s chest. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s dead,¡± Pyre said. He turned towards the archbishop. ¡°Revive them?¡± ¡°Revive whom?¡± the archbishop asked as his brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯ll need my subordinates to boost me with altruism to revive the dead.¡± A nearby centaur ran off to find them after Cherri signaled to him. ¡°Them,¡± Pyre said and pointed at Palan and Raea. Cory had dragged Raea¡¯s corpse over to Palan¡¯s side. The archbishop blinked and scratched his head. ¡°Can you even revive an anthill?¡± ¡°Anthill?¡± Cherri asked. ¡°Minor side effects,¡± Pyre said and dismissed Cherri¡¯s protest with a wave of his hand. ¡°Revive whatever you see by my feet. We can¡¯t afford to lose them if we want to win against the capital.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­,¡± the archbishop said while crinkling his nose. Using his powers on an anthill? Well, if the benefactor thought it was important, he¡¯d do it. He finished smoking the plant Pyre had given him as they waited for his subordinates to arrive. Once they did, he removed the pipe from his mouth and passed it on to Cherri. He rubbed his hands together and wet his lips with his tongue. His mouth had dried as if he swallowed cotton. A layer of sweat appeared on his forehead as he shouted and spread his arms apart. A golden strand of swaying liquid light connected his palms, bobbing up and down in time with his breaths which were becoming shorter with every passing second. When it seemed like he was about to collapse, blue ropes stretched out of the members of the clergy and merged into the archbishop. The strand of light thickened and shone brighter, lighting up the dark habitat. ¡°You sure you want it on that giant spider egg? I only have one shot at this,¡± the archbishop asked with his eyes looking in separate directions. The world swirled around as his body wobbled, his legs acting like a baby calf¡¯s. ¡°Yes,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Right in front of you.¡± The archbishop grunted and disconnected the light from his hands. As it fell over Palan¡¯s and Raea¡¯s bodies, covering them with a wriggling liquid, the archbishop leaned to the side and vomited before collapsing to the ground. The liquid traveled into Palan¡¯s body through his orifices, including those belonging to his tails and torso-mouth. Instead of entering Raea¡¯s body, the light lapped at the burnt skin on her chest, returning it back to normal. Palan¡¯s eyes shuddered as his tails twitched. The light covering Raea¡¯s body was sucked away as he inhaled, drinking in the liquid light with his torso-mouth.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Palan¡¯s nose crinkled as he sat up. He wriggled his fingers, bent his arms, rolled his shoulders, opened and closed his torso mouth, stretched out his legs, straightened his tails, and flexed his toes. Then he raised his head and took in his surroundings. ¡°Raea?¡± he asked as he stood up. The unmoving demonic angel on the ground caught his attention. Even though he couldn¡¯t feel her heartbeat with his electromagnetic sense, he squat next to her and placed his hand on her chest to make sure. Her body was still. ¡°She¡¯s dead. Why am I alive?¡± ¡°We revived you,¡± Cory said, taking credit for the archbishop¡¯s work. She puffed her chest up with an expression on her face that said, ¡°Praise me.¡± ¡°What about Raea?¡± Pyre rubbed his chin and made a small sound, attracting Palan¡¯s attention. ¡°The power was supposed to revive both of you,¡± the old angel said. ¡°But you breathed in and took it all away from Raea. I suspect it had something to do with the severity of your injuries. Your body was unharmed, but Raea¡¯s was a bit crispy.¡± Pyre cleared his throat as Palan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Just wondering, but weren¡¯t you looking for a way out of your contract with her? Isn¡¯t this it? You can¡¯t have a contract with a dead person.¡± Palan grabbed Cory and plunged his hand into her butt feathers. She shrieked as he pulled out a yellow crystal and crushed it while releasing the baffled harpy. A piece of paper materialized in the air in front of Palan. It read, ¡°The contract was made between the Pride Demon Palan and the Kindness Envy and Wrath Angel Raea on the seventh day of the third month when the second sun passed its zenith. The term for this contract is set until either party dies the Creator dissolves it. In the case where Raea dies, Palan agrees to surrender his life. In the case where Palan dies, Raea agrees to surrender her life. If one party manages to cheat and survives while the other party is dead, the survivor will be assaulted by bouts of sadness that increases in strength over time until the other party is revived. ¡°Palan agrees (but usually disobeys) to follow the orders of Raea unless said orders will cause bodily harm to the former. Raea agrees to assist Palan in reuniting with his sister (and maybe kill her). The terms of the contract must be will automatically be renewed after Palan is reunited with his sister. Under no circumstances may either party wound the other or cause grievous bodily harm with intent. (Since neither of you care, this line has been removed.) ¡°Added clause ¨C The Creator approves of the affinity between Palan and Raea and has increased the level of the contract from six to seven to eight. If the affinity continues to increase, the level of the contract may continue to increase. The contract may not be dissolved unless the Creator¡¯s judgment is received (I will deny your request). ¡°Level seven eight contract addendum. Range, 600 1,000 meters. Palan may draw upon Raea¡¯s virtues and sins to activate their respective magicks. If he is unable to use them, he may forcibly draw upon their powers at the expense of Raea¡¯s mana. Raea may draw upon Palan¡¯s sins and virtues to activate their respective magicks. If she is unable to use them, she may forcibly draw upon their powers at the expense of Palan¡¯s mana. ¡°In addition, Palan may draw on one hundred percent of Raea¡¯s mana reserves, unless doing so would result in harm of the latter, in order to bolster his growth. In return, Raea shall experience her own growth every time Palan grows stronger. ¡°Failure to comply by the terms of the contract will result in lightning strikes a slap on the wrist to the offending party.¡± ¡°Assaulted by bouts of sadness?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°The hell is that?¡± A cold sensation gripped his heart, causing him to gasp. Looking at Raea¡¯s face caused his chest to throb and hands to clench. Memories of the first time he met Raea came to mind. He was lying in bed, bound by chains. ¡°Handshake,¡± Raea had said. ¡°I¡¯m not a dog.¡± ¡°This is how we form the contract, unless you want to go through the whole wrist slitting and blood exchanging ritual.¡± ¡°Can we?¡± ¡°Just shake my hand.¡± ¡°Palan?¡± Pyre said, snapping the demon out of his reverie. ¡°You alright there?¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Your Creator¡¯s a sick and twisted person,¡± he said. ¡°Was it the archbishop that revived me?¡± The frothing centaur didn¡¯t reply. ¡°He overexerted himself a bit,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Wake him up and have him revive Raea,¡± Palan said. Pyre raised an eyebrow and nudged the archbishop with his toe, ignoring the outraged cries of the clergy. ¡°Eh¡­, that may take a while,¡± he said. ¡°I can wait,¡± Palan said. He frowned at the contract in his hands and tore it to pieces. He thought he heard someone laugh. Side Story 2 In a town where the buildings were made of bones and the occasional rock, Andrea sat atop a watchtower, peering at the desert surrounding the walls with the binoculars she stole from Abaddon. She pointed them at the scrawny demons near the horizon. They were constructing a road using the large stones that Abaddon had them dig up in the quarry. Her head turned a little to the side, towards the pack of sandsharks sneaking up on the workers. She licked her lips, thinking of the impending lunch. If the workers killed the sharks, she¡¯d have shark. If the workers died¡­, well, sharks left the bone marrows of their prey behind. ¡°Andrea!¡± a voice shouted from down below. The demon girl flinched and nearly fell off the watchtower. Her brow furrowed as she peered over the edge. A demon that looked like a meatball holding a cleaver met her eyes. ¡°The shaman wants to see you,¡± he said and waved the rusted knife. ¡°He says it¡¯s very important.¡± Andrea pouted as she placed the binoculars back in front of her face, ignoring the demon. The only important matters Abaddon ever talked to her about was begging her not to eat so much. She licked her lips as the scrawny demons fended off the sharks. Lunch was going to be good today. ¡°Andrea!¡± ¡°What?¡± she shouted back as her claws extended and pierced the floor of the tower. Everyone else knew how sensitive her ears were, but the meatball always insisted on shouting at her. It wouldn¡¯t be so bad if he didn¡¯t sound like a stuck pig. ¡°The shaman wants to see you,¡± the meatball said again. ¡°He says it¡¯s very important.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Andrea said, withdrawing her claws. ¡°You can go now.¡± The meatball shook his head. ¡°He wants me to bring you to him,¡± he said. ¡°Come down, it¡¯s very important.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s so important, then why doesn¡¯t he come here himself?¡± ¡°Andrea, please,¡± the meatball said, his round shoulders drooping. ¡°I¡¯m just the messenger.¡± The meatball cursed in his mind. Who was the one that spoiled her? He would teach her a lesson, but the shaman had made it clear: Anyone who injured her would die a gruesome and humiliating death. Everyone had been forced to watch a chef eat her own intestines because she forgot to bring a meal to the child. Then the shaman used his magic to heal her and had her do it all over again before finally feeding her to Andrea. ¡°Well,¡± Andrea said and puffed out her cheeks. ¡°You can be the messenger who tells Abaddon I don¡¯t want to see him right now. I¡¯m very busy!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not doing anything¡­,¡± the meatball muttered. His eyes shone as he raised his head. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll bring you a snack later tonight!¡± ¡°I can get snacks anytime I want,¡± Andrea said and crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn¡¯t always this petulant, but ever since Palan left, Abaddon had kept her locked up. He didn¡¯t mistreat her or starve her, but he didn¡¯t let her do anything either in case she got injured. ¡°Bring me out of the town and I¡¯ll follow you.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that,¡± the meatball said. A bead of sweat rolled down his plump back. Taking her out of the city walls was asking for a punishment even worse than the one for injuring her. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you. What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Take me over the wall!¡± The meatball¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I already said I couldn¡¯t do that,¡± he said. ¡°If you don¡¯t come with me, Abaddon is going to punish me. Haven¡¯t I always been nice to you? You don¡¯t want to see that happen to me, do you?¡± Andrea¡¯s brow furrowed as she scratched her chin. She sighed. Just when the meatball thought she was going to agree, Andrea asked, ¡°Can I? It¡¯ll be a bit loud, but Abaddon¡¯s creative enough to make up for it.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The meatball dropped the cleaver onto the ground and clutched his bald head while staring at the ground. ¡°If you want to kill her, then you can,¡± a voice said. The meatball turned around while raising his head. Abaddon was standing behind him with his hands clasped behind his back. ¡°She¡¯s been a real nuisance, hasn¡¯t she?¡± The angel¡¯s eyes narrowed at Andrea. ¡°Shaman,¡± the meatball said, his eyes wide. ¡°Do you really mean it? I can kill her?¡± Abaddon nodded and smiled at Andrea. ¡°Palan¡¯s dead,¡± he said. ¡°The contract¡¯s over. You know what that means, right?¡± Andrea¡¯s face paled as her eyes widened to the size of saucers. She rubbed her ears with her hands. ¡°What?¡± she asked and bit her lower lip. ¡°Palan¡¯s dead,¡± Abaddon said and laughed. ¡°Finally! Months of nonstop blathering, whining, stomach growling, and questioning ends now! You don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve waited for this moment.¡± The meatball picked up his cleaver, a smile on his face. ¡°I can really kill her without being punished?¡± he asked again, making sure. ¡°This isn¡¯t a test?¡± ¡°Make sure she screams,¡± Abaddon said, his body shaking with joy. He raised his head and spread his arms. ¡°Everyone, gather round! You don¡¯t want to miss what¡¯s coming next! This¡ª¡± Bonk! The binoculars exploded as they crashed against Abaddon¡¯s face. Andrea¡¯s claws were out, her teeth bared. Her red eyes seemed to shine in the sunlight. The meatball laughed at Abaddon¡¯s expression, but quickly covered his mouth with his hands, stifling his giggles. Abaddon put his hand on his own head and narrowed his eyes when he touched blood. ¡°Get down here,¡± he roared and pointed at Andrea. A black light enveloped her body, causing her to plummet through the watchtower¡¯s floor and onto the ground. He snatched the cleaver out of the meatball¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to respect your elders.¡± Andrea whimpered as she struggled to her feet. Abaddon glared at her, causing her eyes to dim. Did Palan really die? Abaddon wouldn¡¯t hurt her otherwise. Tears sprang to her eyes as she bit her lower lip, drawing blood with her sharp teeth. The meatball¡¯s body heaved up and down while panting. Like a dog waiting for a bone, he couldn¡¯t wait to see her suffer. By now, a small crowd of demons had gathered around the collapsed watchtower. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel big, picking on a child,¡± Andrea said. She tried to stick out her chest and sound brave like Palan, but her trembling knees betrayed her. ¡°I bet Palan could kick your ass if he were here.¡± Abaddon acted like he hadn¡¯t heard her words, continuing towards her while twirling the knife. ¡°Y-you¡¯re nothing! You¡¯re weak! You¡¯re a coward! You-you big doodoo head!¡± ¡°Call me what you want,¡± Abaddon said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that this was a long time coming. I should never have agreed to a contract. I thought it would be amusing, but you¡¯ve been nothing but a nuisance. This¡±¡ªa red light flashed in front of Abaddon, taking on the shape of a piece of paper¡ª¡°is¡­¡± The angel¡¯s brow furrowed as he grabbed the paper and read it. It was the contract he made with Palan. ¡°What the fuck!?¡± he shouted and raised his head to the sky. He waved the cleaver at the clouds. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this!?¡± ¡°S-shaman,¡± the meatball said. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Die!¡± Abaddon shouted and threw the knife at the meatball. It glowed with a black light and pierced through the demon¡¯s heart like he was made of paper. ¡°If only you didn¡¯t take so long to bring her back! This is your fault!¡± Andrea¡¯s forehead wrinkled as Abaddon healed the meatball and proceeded to thrash him, flaying the demon¡¯s purple skin off with his strikes. She grabbed her limp arm with her good one and licked the blood on her lips. It seemed like she had been let off for now? Then Palan wasn¡¯t dead? ¡°Um.¡± Andrea made a small sound. Abaddon¡¯s fist halted. He released the bloody meatball and cleared his throat. ¡°Everyone disperse!¡± he shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you have better things to do!?¡± The surrounding demons lowered their heads and scurried away like ants. Abaddon glared at Andrea and frowned at her limp arm. ¡°Let that be a lesson to you,¡± he said and snorted before turning around. He wasn¡¯t responsible for her well-being when it came to nonlife-threatening injuries she obtained outside of the contract period. It would be good for her to suffer. Andrea¡¯s expression darkened as Abaddon marched away. She turned her gaze towards the meatball and stalked towards the blubbering demon. Her mouth opened wide as she chomped down on the demon¡¯s neck, tearing off a chunk of flesh, the resulting spray covering her face with blood. She had learned her lesson alright: no one here was her friend and Abaddon could kill her at any time. If Palan could become a renowned hunter, why couldn¡¯t she? She¡¯d seen him hunt before. He used to carry her on his back when she was still a baby who couldn¡¯t walk. And if she ever encountered any trouble, she could return here because Abaddon wouldn¡¯t let her die. The more she thought about it, the bigger the idea grew in her head. Chapter 298 Cory stood in front of a metal door. She was cradling a basket of food with her wings. She bit her lower lip before tapping her talon against the metal frame. There was no response. Her brow furrowed as she tapped again, harder this time. ¡°Room service!¡± she shouted. Her expression darkened when there was still no reply. Her wings were starting to get tired. A layer of lightning covered her talons, and she kicked the door knob, breaking the lock and forcing it open. She hopped into the room and was greeted by the sound of weeping. Palan was sitting on a chair, slumped over the side of a bed with Raea¡¯s body lying inside of it. Five days had passed, but the archbishop was still comatose and no one else could revive the dead. Cory¡¯s mouth fell open. Was Palan crying? Was that demon who heartlessly stole the crystal out of her butt feathers actually crying? ¡°Palan?¡± Cory asked, her voice almost a whisper. Palan raised his head and pushed himself off the bed. The weeping noise came again, coming from his torso-mouth. ¡°Shut up,¡± Palan said to his stomach and furrowed his brow. ¡°Can¡¯t you just growl normally?¡± The torso-mouth whimpered. Oh. So he wasn¡¯t crying then. He was just hungry. Cory sighed and hopped to Palan¡¯s side, placing the basket by his feet. Before she could react, a tongue flew out of Palan¡¯s body, wrapped around the basket¡¯s contents, and retreated, leaving nothing behind. Danger Noodle slithered around and stared at the empty basket along with Palan¡¯s other tails. Cory pat the red snake¡¯s head with her wing and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Crimson Snek. I¡¯ll bring more next time.¡± ¡°That centaur hasn¡¯t woken up yet?¡± Palan asked. There were dark bags underneath his eyes. He wouldn¡¯t have minded being attacked by waves of sadness if it were only during the day, but it became more intense at night when he was trying to sleep. He had never experienced anything like it before, and it made him uncomfortable. Leaving Raea¡¯s side made him feel worse, so he stayed next to her corpse all day. ¡°No,¡± Cory said as she stopped petting the red snake¡¯s head. It nudged her wing, gesturing for her to continue. She did. ¡°He¡¯s just a weak centaur, what do you expect? If I had the power to revive people, I could revive at least ten times more than he can.¡± ¡°How long until he wakes up?¡± Palan asked, ignoring the harpy¡¯s boast. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if he doesn¡ªerr, I¡¯ll go ask the crazy old man,¡± Cory said and shuddered at Palan¡¯s glare. ¡°Be right back.¡± She inched away from Palan before turning around and running while flapping her wings. The red tail seemed to pout as it spiraled up Palan¡¯s arm and slumped its head over his shoulder. Palan sighed as he sat back in his seat. His hands rummaged through his bag, looking for something to distract himself with. He touched something cold and raised an eyebrow before removing the necklace with the skull pendant¡ªthe one he¡¯d been planning on giving his sister.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The skull¡¯s eyes were still closed, covered by the gems. He rolled it around in his hands a few times before tossing it onto the bed. It landed on the pillow besides Raea¡¯s head. The small impact caused its eyes to open a crack. Palan continued searching through his bag, taking things out and placing them on the floor as he organized his belongings: He had a few pouches of poison, dozens of sharp rocks, and a few sundries. His thoughts couldn¡¯t help but drift to his convenient baggage carrier. His lip quivered, and he furrowed his brow before slapping his own cheek. Why was thinking of Cleo making him sad as well? Palan gritted his teeth and stored the items back inside his bag. His eyes widened as he reached for the skull pendant. It was glowing with a blood-red light similar to the one Raea¡¯s black flames gave off. The hawk-like eyes inside of the skull were rolling up and down, side to side, as if it were searching for something before settling its gaze onto Raea¡¯s face. Palan¡¯s stomach dropped. He lunged forward and smacked the skull, but his hand passed through it and hit the pillow instead. A white light blinded him. He raised his arms in front of his face, but he still couldn¡¯t see. Using his tails¡¯ heat vision also proved futile. The whole room was the same temperate orange¡ªthere weren¡¯t any noticeable heat outlines to discern. ¡°The hell is this?¡± Palan asked. Thankfully, he could still hear his own voice. He crouched down, using his hands and tails to locate the bed. His arm slid under the blanket, and he touched Raea¡¯s hand. It was warm. What was going on? His forehead tingled, causing his body to shudder. His electromagnetic sense picked up a heartbeat. Raea¡¯s hand twitched. Was the skull pendant a rare artifact that could revive the dead? Why hadn¡¯t it reacted earlier? Was it only usable once? Dozens of thoughts flashed through Palan¡¯s head before his vision turned black. The blinding light had disappeared, but he still needed a moment for his vision to recover. There was a rustling noise. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked as she sat up. She looked down and touched her chest with her right hand and murmured to herself, ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not dead?¡± She tried to move her left hand, but Palan was still holding onto it. ¡°Palan, are you alright?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. Tears were running down the demon¡¯s cheeks. His expression had frozen when Raea first spoke. ¡°You¡¯re crying? Did I really die and ascend to the Creator¡¯s side?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not dead,¡± Palan said, his voice hoarse. Although he still couldn¡¯t see yet, he still managed to yank Raea off the bed and bring her into his embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever die again!¡± ¡°P-Palan?¡± Raea asked with wide eyes. She struggled, but Palan refused to let go, his body shaking. A wave of relief washed over him as he breathed in her scent. Before, she smelled like a corpse, but after that strange incident happened, the smell went away. What exactly had happened? He released Raea, but she refused to move, snuggling against his body instead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve suffered a lot because of you,¡± Palan said. ¡°That¡¯s only fair. You made me suffer first,¡± Raea said and exhaled, pressing herself closer to him. ¡°Uh¡­. Am I interrupting something?¡± Cory asked. She stood at the doorway with a strange expression on her face. She grabbed the doorknob with her talons and tried to pull the door closed, but it stopped midway after hitting an object. It was the necklace. The hawk-like eyes had shriveled to the size of a peanut and fallen out of the skull. ¡°Oh. Raisins,¡± Cory said and picked up the wrinkled eyes. She popped them into her mouth, chewing and swallowing before Palan could react. Chapter 299 ¡°Harbinger!¡± Cory said and saluted with her wing. Palan was still stunned by her actions. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Her head tilted to the side. ¡°That¡¯s odd. The old man said the centaur would take another few days before waking up. Who revived you?¡± ¡°Spit it out!¡± Palan said, climbing out of the chair. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she was pushed away by the action. Cory blinked. Spit it out? ¡°You knew?¡± she asked. ¡°How¡¯d you find out?¡± ¡°The eyeballs! Spit them out,¡± Palan said as he appeared in front of Cory and lifted the skull necklace off the ground. The red metal was different from before, less lustrous and heavier too. ¡°The eyeballs¡­. Raisins?¡± Cory asked. ¡°But I already swallowed them.¡± Palan¡¯s glare caused her body to stiffen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ll get the chefs to prepare a whole batch of dried eyeballs right away.¡± She turned to leave, but Palan seized her butt feathers and pulled her back. He could¡¯ve grabbed any other part of her body, but maybe Cleo¡¯s actions against Sally had left an impression on him. ¡°Gah! I already said I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked and walked to his side. Death hadn¡¯t left any movement impairing side effects, either that, or the revive she received canceled them out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It was the necklace that revived you,¡± Palan said. ¡°And Cory just ate part of it.¡± The harpy¡¯s face blanched as she stopped struggling. She cursed her upbringing in her mind: Never waste food because you¡¯ll never know when your next meal will come. If food falls on the floor, that¡¯s just adding flavor. If food¡¯s lying around, then it¡¯s free to take because no one else wanted to eat it. Her mother¡¯s words had never gotten her into trouble¡ªuntil now. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know,¡± Cory said and lowered her head. ¡°Vomit them out,¡± Palan said. ¡°It won¡¯t help,¡± Cory said and pursed her lips. ¡°I chew my food very thoroughly. And harpies digest food very fast, so we can eat more in a shorter timeframe.¡± Raea gasped as Palan jammed his fingers down Cory¡¯s mouth, touching the back of her throat. The harpy¡¯s eyes widened as her body lurched. A slurry of brown goop shot out of Cory¡¯s mouth once Palan retracted his fingers. She hadn¡¯t been lying. The two raisin-like eyes were nowhere to be seen. Cory whimpered. ¡°My hard work,¡± she said and hung her head. ¡°Do you know how hard it was to find a meal before talking to the insane old man?¡± Palan¡¯s expression darkened at the pile of vomit on the floor. An artifact that could bring the dead back to life¡ªruined because a harpy was hungry. ¡°Maybe it was only usable one time,¡± Raea said and hugged Palan from behind. Her nose crinkled at the acidic smell, so she buried her face into his back. ¡°You don¡¯t need to punish Cory. I¡¯m alive. Isn¡¯t that enough for you? You¡¯ve shown more concern for a stupid necklace than you¡¯ve shown for me. You really think I¡¯m that worthless?¡± Palan¡¯s body shuddered. He released Cory. ¡°Clean this up,¡± he said and pointed at the puddle on the floor. His tails wrapped around Raea, picking her up, as he left the room. He entered the room next door without knocking. There was a lizardman, Ivan, who was sharpening the brand-new axe Pyre had given him since his old one was ruined by a certain couple.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Who dares enter Ivan Blackfl¡ª¡± Palan lifted Ivan, tossed him out of the room, shut the door, and threw Raea onto the bed. He placed his hands on his hips and glared at her. Raea raised an eyebrow, waiting, but Palan didn¡¯t say anything. She fidgeted, wrinkling the sheets and using her fingers to play with her feathers. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡± she asked and raised her head. There was a strange expression on Palan¡¯s face that Raea had never seen before. Like he was constipated. ¡°You asked me how I would feel if you died,¡± Palan said. He pulled a yellow crystal out of his bag and crushed it, forming the contract. ¡°You can read it yourself.¡± Raea leaned forward and took the paper out of his hand. ¡°It didn¡¯t dissolve after I died?¡± Raea asked and raised her head after reading the first sentence. ¡°Keep reading,¡± Palan said and sat on a nearby couch. It had gashes in it where Ivan¡¯s elbow and knee spikes cut into it. Palan rolled the skull necklace around in his hands one more time before storing it away. Andrea would still like it even if it didn¡¯t have any powers. Besides, it might not have been the eyes that revived Raea. And if it was, maybe he could pluck some other poor fellow¡¯s and place them inside to see what happened. Raea coughed as if she were trying to suppress a laugh. ¡°So,¡± she said, her eyes twinkling. ¡°You were devastated by my death? No wonder why you were crying earlier. And it looks like we won¡¯t be able to dissolve the contract anytime soon.¡± She smiled as the contract crumbled into dust. Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I suppose we still have to go to the capital to kill Sariel though,¡± Raea said. ¡°Is your sister okay? If you died because I died, what would Abaddon think? You had that contract with him, right?¡± ¡°I checked while you were busy being dead,¡± Palan said. ¡°My contract with Abaddon is still intact. Maybe he didn¡¯t notice?¡± Raea grunted. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she said and lowered her head. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you still thinking about killing her?¡± he asked. Raea climbed out of bed and smiled at him. ¡°Can¡¯t you trust me a bit more? Why do you think so badly of me? I was willing to die instead of acting on my envy. It was you who brought me back.¡± She climbed on top of him, straddling his lap. ¡°You could¡¯ve lived a life without me, but you chose to bring me back. Grieving is normal. Eventually you would¡¯ve moved on even with the Creator¡¯s punishment. Doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s some tiny part of you that cares about me?¡± She giggled as her hand traversed down his body. Her lips lined up with Palan¡¯s ear. ¡°Like this one. He seems to have missed me very much.¡± *** In the capital, Raphael was hunched over on his bed, screaming in pain. Streams of blood flowed out of his empty eye sockets. ¡°My eyes!¡± he shouted. ¡°Someone destroyed my eyes!¡± Asura furrowed her three brows. It didn¡¯t seem like he was mistaken this time. The amount of blood looked pretty serious. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Levy asked and tilted her head. The sight of blood was making her own eyes red. ¡°Levy can fix your pain. Just one slash and no more pain forever.¡± Her head bobbed up and down. ¡°Shut up!¡± Raphael shouted. ¡°I saw her! A red demon stole my eyes¡¯ powers to revive herself. I¡¯ll kill her!¡± Black flames billowed out of his body, setting Levy¡¯s sleeve on fire. She squealed and slapped the flames away, using a barrier made of narcissism. She pouted and glared at Raphael while placing her hands on her hips. ¡°Levy just wanted to help.¡± ¡°You can help me by killing that bi¡ª¡° Asura slapped the back of Raphael¡¯s head with three of her hands, dazing him. ¡°I think all of us knows the consequences for leaving this room,¡± she said. ¡°And they¡¯re just a pair of eyes. I wouldn¡¯t be sniveling if I lost a pair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you have three,¡± Camael said and snorted. ¡°But still. There¡¯s someone strong enough to activate Ol¡¯ Raffi¡¯s eyes? Here¡¯s hoping she¡¯s ¡­ uh, Levy, what were the two we needed?¡± ¡°Pride and envy,¡± Levy said as she inspected her burnt sleeve. Tears were pooling in her eyes. ¡°My favorite shirt¡­¡± ¡°Here¡¯s hoping she¡¯s pride or envy,¡± Camael said. He squeezed his scorpion tail, shooting venom into a cup. He raised the glass and drank it in one gulp. The next second, he and Levy fell down dead. ¡°Idiots,¡± Uriel said and rolled her eyes. The unassuming demon in the corner shrugged. ¡°You can¡¯t blame them. I¡¯m a sloth, and even I am tired of sleeping for the past few centuries.¡± Chapter 300 ¡°You two look awfully comfortable,¡± Pyre said. He was at the entrance to Ivan¡¯s room, smoke drifting from his mouth. Behind him, the lizardman of wrath had a dark expression on his face. The room was a mess. Claw marks and indents decorated the walls, floor, bed, and ceiling. Ceiling? Ivan shook his head and removed the image in his mind. His gaze fell on his brand-new axe. It was bent, a footprint on the blade. Raea was holding Palan who was resting his head on her chest. ¡°Shh.¡± Raea glared at Pyre and Ivan. ¡°He¡¯s sleeping.¡± Palan¡¯s open eyes rolled around, and his gaze landed on Ivan. The lizardman shuddered and took a step behind Pyre. Pyre grunted. ¡°I suppose anyone would be tired after not sleeping for a week,¡± he said as he took a seat on Ivan¡¯s couch¡ªwhat remained of it at least. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Raea asked and raised her head. There was a wrinkle on her forehead. ¡°You¡¯ve been dead for five days,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Palan hadn¡¯t left your side the whole time. He didn¡¯t sleep either.¡± He chewed on his pipe and raised an eyebrow. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Raea lowered her gaze and stroked Palan¡¯s hair. ¡°No. No, he didn¡¯t,¡± she said with a small smile on her face. She sighed. ¡°You said I was dead for five days?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Pyre said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m curious. What¡¯s it like being dead? Do you remember anything? It would be possible to kill you again to refresh your memories. The archbishop is about to wake up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Raea said and made a face. ¡°I remember I saw something, but I don¡¯t know what. It¡¯s like a dream you forget upon waking. There was a lot of white. And walls. Lots of white walls.¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she bit her lower lip. ¡°It upsets me that I can¡¯t recall anything else. It feels like I forgot something important.¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to die again?¡± Pyre asked and scratched his head. ¡°I like being alive, thank you very much,¡± Raea said. ¡°Then why¡¯d you kill yourself?¡± Pyre asked and tapped the ashes out of his pipe. It spilled over the floor, causing Ivan¡¯s face to turn ugly. The lizardman sighed. Well, the room was already a wreck. He¡¯d have to move to a new one anyways. He consoled himself and picked up his dented axe, stroking its edge. Raea¡¯s face froze. ¡°Did Palan tell you?¡± she asked. ¡°Your chest was on fire and there was blood on your hand,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty obvious what happened, considering neither you nor Palan suffered injuries from a fight. Do you want to talk about it? I want to watch the world burn, but I can¡¯t do that if my lighter is broken.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Aren¡¯t I your lighter?¡± Ivan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°You gave me the surname of Blackflame.¡± ¡°Well, Raea¡¯s flames are blacker,¡± Pyre said and snorted. ¡°Besides, when you¡¯re trying to burn something, two fire sources are better than one.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t call me a tool,¡± Raea said and glared at the two men across from her. The edges of her pupils were beginning to turn purple. ¡°Alright,¡± Pyre said and relit his pipe. ¡°You¡¯re Raea Caelum, an individual, not a tool. My previous offer still stands. I¡¯m very good at dealing with problems.¡± ¡°Is that why you smoke illusion grass?¡± Ivan asked. Pyre coughed. ¡°And it has solved all my problems, hasn¡¯t it?¡± He offered the pipe towards Raea. ¡°So what do you say?¡± A fireball flew out of Raea¡¯s finger and incinerated the pipe. ¡°No matter how many times you ask, I¡¯m going to say no, so stop asking,¡± she said. ¡°But as for talking about it¡­. I¡¯m scared of my envy.¡± ¡°Your envy?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯ve already embraced wrath. What part of envy makes you scared?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to make me hurt someone,¡± Raea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s already hurt Elrith and expelled me from the capital. I don¡¯t want people to get hurt because of my inability to control my feelings.¡± Pyre stared at the angel who burned down nearly half the first sector because she was mad. ¡°Uh, that was an unexpected reason,¡± Pyre said and scratched his head. ¡°But it¡¯s a good thing I helped Headmaster Hailing with his research. We developed different ways to suppress or empower different sins and virtues. For example, we¡¯d improve an angel¡¯s patience by having them solve a puzzle every time they needed something. I thought of that by the way. And¡ª¡° A massive fireball flew over Pyre¡¯s head, melting a hole through the wall, creating a pool of lava. Cory let out a screech and smacked black flames off of her body. She peered through the hole in the wall and blinked. ¡°The harbinger¡¯s really amazing,¡± she said and sighed. She had finished cleaning up the vomit and was taking a nap on the bed Raea¡¯s corpse had been in. Pyre cleared his throat as a bead of sweat ran down his forehead. Ivan trembled at the melted wall. ¡°I. Hate. Puzzles,¡± Raea said, her eyes purple. ¡°So it was your fault.¡± ¡°N-no,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I meant, Headmaster thought of that and I tried to convince him it was too cruel. No one should have to suffer through mental torture to use the bathroom.¡± He shook his head and sighed. ¡°But what can I say? Headmaster Hailing was my boss. I couldn¡¯t disobey him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to roast both of you together one day,¡± Raea said with a frown. ¡°Who¡¯re we roasting?¡± Palan asked. His neck cracked as he sat up. His tails were still sleeping, tangled in a ball behind him. ¡°Pyre and his boss.¡± ¡°Roast him after we kill Sariel,¡± Palan said. He scratched his cheek and spat out a tooth before focusing on Pyre. ¡°When is that happening?¡± ¡°As soon as the archbishop wakes up, we¡¯ll begin our attack,¡± Pyre said. He abandoned the idea of correcting Raea¡¯s envy¡ªshe¡¯d probably kill him if she knew what the fix was. ¡°We have close to thirty archlings. A few more are on the verge of evolving, but we¡¯ve let the angels prepare for too long. Our location will most likely be exposed soon, and maybe that lightning avatar will pay us a visit. Also, I finished building the cannon.¡± ¡°I thought you had lots of cannons,¡± Palan said. ¡°The cannon,¡± Pyre said and snorted. ¡°Not a cannon.¡± Chapter 301 ¡°Are you sure you want to go that way, Lady Bael?¡± Linda nodded at the sentry posted at the checkpoint. In the carriage behind her, Cleo was sitting on top of a rectangular wooden box with holes poked into the top. All kinds of preserved foodstuffs were displayed around the interior of the carriage. Cleo munched on a pickle as an angel wearing golden robes rummaged through the Linda¡¯s goods. The guardian glanced at the box Cleo was sitting on. ¡°What¡¯s in the box?¡± ¡°Salted meat,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Want to see?¡± She hopped off the box and lifted the cover, revealing a mound of white powder. She shielded her actions with her body and rummaged through the box. A slab of salted meat appeared from her waist, pulled from her personal dimension. She closed the box and offered the piece to the guardian. The guardian dusted it off and turned it over a few times in his hands before nodding and handing it back to her. ¡°Everything looks good, Lady Bael,¡± the guardian said as he descended from the carriage. ¡°I know she¡±¡ªthe guardian gestured towards the sentry¡ª¡°already asked you, but I want to be sure you know what you¡¯re getting yourself into by going this way. Do you?¡± Linda nodded. ¡°There¡¯s going to be people out there who¡¯ve been devastated by the rebel army. They¡¯re not going to have food, clothes, shelter. As a member of the Bael family, I can¡¯t just let these people suffer,¡± she said. ¡°I hope I can prevent as many deaths as possible even at the risk of running into the rebels.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a good woman, Lady Bael,¡± the guardian said and pounded his chest with his right hand. ¡°I wish you the best of luck.¡± He nodded at the sentry, and the gates of the checkpoint swung open. When the gates closed, the sentry turned towards the guardian. ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t supposed to let people leave,¡± she said. The guardian shook his head. ¡°The higher ups gave us those orders to prevent people from fleeing the first sector for selfish reasons. We have to stand united against the rebel army. Lady Bael isn¡¯t leaving the first sector for her own sake,¡± the guardian said and sighed. ¡°She¡¯s an upstanding individual rushing into the face of danger for the sake of those in need. She¡¯s not the type of person the capital would want us to prevent from leaving.¡± The sentry scratched her head. ¡°It makes you wonder why someone like her isn¡¯t staying in the capital.¡± ¡°If I had to take a guess, I¡¯d say she left on her own accord. The people living posh lives in the capital don¡¯t need any help. Lady Bael must be an altruistic angel looking for fulfillment.¡± The sentry nodded. ¡°Have you ever been to the capital? I always wanted to see it at least once in my life.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°It¡¯s a picturesque place like a field of fresh snow. But, like snow, once you enter the field, it¡¯s ruined.¡± The sentry¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Then it¡¯s not a good place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good place because people like us don¡¯t live there.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a guardian.¡± The golden-robed angel folded his arms. ¡°And I live here.¡± The sentry fell silent. ¡°If the first sector¡¯s destroyed, do you think they¡¯ll let us inside? You heard the rumors about the dissenters, right? That they were executed for seeking refuge.¡± ¡°Knowing what I do about the capital¡­. They¡¯ll leave us here to die.¡± ¡°Is a guardian supposed to be saying words like that?¡± ¡°Are sentries supposed to question the capital¡¯s motives?¡± ¡°Fair enough. Then why do you stay?¡± ¡°Because I have nowhere to go.¡± The sentry took a deep breath. ¡°Run away with me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t think you do either. Let¡¯s leave together.¡± ¡°Is this a confession?¡± The sentry¡¯s face flushed crimson. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been confessed to in my life. I¡¯m not sure what to say.¡± The sentry held out her hand. ¡°Accept my proposal.¡± ¡°Then ¡­ I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± The red-faced guardian grasped the sentry¡¯s hand. The gates swung open, and the two of them fled. From a bush near the checkpoint, Carmella let out a cheer. She turned around and stuck her thumbs into the air. ¡°Operation: Seduce the Guardian was a success,¡± she said. Gerome¡¯s and Owen¡¯s heads popped out of the ground. ¡°It worked?¡± Owen asked with his mouth open. He wiped away the dirt that accumulated on his body. ¡°How did that work?¡± ¡°Women¡¯s intuition,¡± Carmella said. ¡°I knew that golden-robed supervisor wasn¡¯t a complete block of wood. Anyone with a pair of eyes could tell he fancied her. Now let¡¯s get a move on before anyone else notices.¡± Gerome nodded as he grunted and lifted a bag over his shoulder. ¡°I miss Cleo,¡± he said with a wince. ¡°Isn¡¯t there an easier way to transport this?¡± ¡°We have to make do,¡± Carmella said as she climbed out of the bush and unearthed a nearby sack. The trio ran towards the open gate and slipped outside into the second sector. In the distance, the guardian and the sentry were carrying their own supplies. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d become a deserter twice in my life,¡± Owen said with a dark expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m even accompanying you two.¡± ¡°Sense of duty,¡± Carmella said as she found a path separate from the main road. ¡°Friendship. Obligation. Loyalty. Pick any of those. You¡¯d said you¡¯d help me find my family, remember? Don¡¯t tell me the great Owen Caelum doesn¡¯t keep his promises.¡± ¡°I was under the assumption that you¡¯d find your family legally,¡± Owen said as he jogged after her. ¡°After knowing me for that long, that¡¯s what you assume?¡± Carmella asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± Owen shook his head. ¡°I should¡¯ve known better.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Gerome said and patted Owen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°At least you¡¯re free now too. You can search for Raea and Elrith much more effectively now that you aren¡¯t relegated to checkpoint guard duty.¡± Owen fell silent. Gerome had a point. After being turned in by Linda, the trio had been forced to rejoin the army and patrol the southern walls under the supervision of the guardians. He could still ask around about Raea and Elrith, but after the archdemon of wrath¡¯s attack on the western and eastern walls, Carmella, Gerome, and Owen were relocated to fill in the vacant positions. To prevent desertion, no one was even allowed to go to the market in the first sector. He had no way to find out any information about Raea and Elrith. He hoped they were alright. Chapter 302 ¡°Thank you very much, you were a lot of help.¡± A goblin wearing wolf furs and a bear skull clasped Elrith¡¯s hand. Bracelets made of bones jangled as the goblin shook Elrith¡¯s hand while bowing and nodding. ¡°We thought all angels were evil, but you have shown us the truth.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an angel¡¯s duty to strike down wayward demons,¡± Elrith said. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me so much.¡± The goblin¡¯s hand was scaly, and Elrith¡¯s palm was beginning to itch. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so modest,¡± Sally said and rested her head on Elrith¡¯s shoulder, wrapping her wings around his body. On her stomach, there was an egg-shaped bag strapped around her waist and shoulders. Tufts of wolf fur peeked out of the seams. Elrith retracted his hand and nodded at the goblin tribe leader before slipping his arm over Sally, hugging her closer. The goblin shuffled from one foot to the other. ¡°Benefactor,¡± she said. ¡°Is it possible¡±¡ªthe goblin lowered her head¡ª¡°for you to leave the bodies to us?¡± Behind Elrith, bound by ropes, there were four demon corpses. If Palan was here, he¡¯d recognize them as the demons he set free. ¡°Well, it¡¯d be inconvenient for me to bring them with me,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± ¡°Thank you, benefactor,¡± the goblin said. ¡°This will surely increase the strength of our tribe. We lost too many members to the demons. With this, we can survive the coming winter. You¡¯ve saved us.¡± Elrith furrowed his brow. The goblins were going to eat the demons, but he didn¡¯t feel as if he should stop them. While traveling through the outer lands with Sally, they heard rumors of a group of demons slaughtering the native population. Sally wanted nothing to do with it, but Elrith was intrigued by the description of a bull-headed demon that sounded similar to the one Tuic, his deceased second-in-command, used to own. ¡°Are you thinking about what he said?¡± Sally asked and nuzzled his cheek with the top of her head. She released his shoulders and covered the bag on her stomach with her wings as if she were protecting it. Elrith nodded. Before the bull-headed demon died, Sally had tortured out the information concerning Tuic¡¯s death. Palan had done it¡ªdisbanded the contracts and killed Elrith¡¯s subordinates¡ªfor the price of an eventual favor. ¡°Are you worried about Raea?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m worried about Raea,¡± Elrith said. The goblins were dragging away the demon corpses. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s still alive after Mom and Dad¡­. Yeah.¡± For a while, Elrith had been in denial over his parents¡¯ actions, refusing to do anything. Sally had to hunt for food and take care of him. She was a lot better at surviving without shelter anyways. Taking care of him had brought the two closer¡ªway closer than Elrith ever thought he would get to anyone. He lowered his head and placed his hand over Sally¡¯s wings. According to her, in a few more weeks, he¡¯d be a father.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I¡¯m sure Raea and Palan are fine,¡± Sally said and smiled at him. ¡°Palan doesn¡¯t seem like the type of person to die that easily. He¡¯ll definitely take care of Raea.¡± Elrith had heard those words dozens of times over the past weeks, but he never felt reassured. Palan was coldhearted and killed Elrith¡¯s second-in-command, most likely with Raea present. ¡°Benefactor.¡± A goblin approached the two and offered them a pouch. ¡°These are herbs we¡¯ve gathered. They¡¯re very useful for creating formulas for babies¡ªmakes them grow strong and healthy. We noticed you discussing childcare and hope you will accept our goodwill.¡± Elrith¡¯s face reddened. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said and received the bag. Though it was only filled with herbs, it felt heavy in his hands. For some reason, his stomach churned as his heart raced. ¡°We¡¯ll use them well.¡± The goblin nodded and smiled. ¡°Benefactor¡¯s a good person. We¡¯ve heard rumors of another demon nearby who destroyed a lizardman village,¡± it said and scratched its head. ¡°I thought benefactor would like to know. It¡¯s in that direction.¡± The goblin pointed towards the northeast. ¡°That¡¯s the way we¡¯re going,¡± Sally said and furrowed her brow. She glanced at Elrith. ¡°We can avoid this one, can¡¯t we? I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡± She admired him for his sense of duty and diligence, but sometimes, she wished he wasn¡¯t so righteous. As a coward, she believed in staying as far away from danger as possible. ¡°We can make a detour,¡± Elrith said with a nod. ¡°The suns are going to set soon. Why don¡¯t we find a place to stay for the night?¡± ¡°Benefactor,¡± the goblin leader said. She had finished directing the transfer of demon corpses. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a place to stay the night, why don¡¯t you stay with us? We don¡¯t have enough rations to throw a feast, but we can offer you a meal.¡± ¡°A meal¡­,¡± Elrith muttered. Though Sally had been taking care of him, she had no idea how to cook. When she lived underground, she¡¯d eat the mushrooms raw or take them to the cafeteria. When she lived aboveground with Palan, Cleo was always the designated cook. Not to mention it was difficult to start a fire without any arms. Sally tried her best, and Elrith appreciated that. But it had been a while since he had a proper meal since he didn¡¯t know how to cook either. ¡°Then we¡¯ll stay the night. Is that fine with you?¡± Sally nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried goblin cuisine before,¡± she said and tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried many cuisines now that I think about it.¡± ¡°In the future,¡± Elrith said. ¡°I¡¯ll let you try everything you want. It¡¯s a good thing we don¡¯t have to worry about what the baby can¡¯t and can have.¡± ¡°Angels have to worry about that?¡± Sally asked, her eyes bigger than normal. She glanced at the bag by her waist and cradled it. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t any reason for you to have known,¡± Elrith said and placed his hand in Sally¡¯s light-brown hair. He murmured, ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe I¡¯m going to be a father. When we reach the third sector, I¡¯m going to marry you.¡± Sally¡¯s face flushed as she lowered her head and stepped into Elrith¡¯s embrace. Chapter 303 ¡°We¡¯re out of sight,¡± Linda said, parking her carriage behind a boulder by the side of the road. Her brow furrowed as she left the driver¡¯s seat and entered the back. Cleo was storing the preserved foodstuffs into her space. Linda¡¯s lips contorted as conflicting emotions wrestled in her heart. She had clearly cut ties with Cleo, so why did the little lizardling come back for her? Was it just because she had a carriage? Cleo finished packing away the food and stopped in front of the wooden box she was sitting on during the inspection at the checkpoint. She lifted the lid and scooped the salt into her space, revealing a burlap sack. Cleo smacked the top of the bag. A muffled voice, coming from the bag, asked, ¡°Did we make it past the checkpoint?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cleo said and untied the ropes. She pulled the sides down, revealing a ruddy-faced angel. The headmaster gasped and fanned himself with his hands. ¡°I thought I was going to suffocate,¡± Headmaster said and climbed out of the box, salt falling from his clothes. ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°About a week,¡± Cleo said. ¡°It took a while for Linda to get everything in order.¡± ¡°A week?¡± the headmaster asked, his face paling. ¡°No wonder why I feel so hungry. Have anything?¡± Cleo offered him an orange. The headmaster bit into it, peel and all. ¡°How far away from the checkpoint are we?¡± Before Cleo or Linda could answer, he popped open the window and stuck his head outside, looking around. The checkpoint wall was massive. ¡°So not very. Alright, why are we stopped? Hurry up and get a move on.¡± ¡°Are you really Headmaster Hailing?¡± Linda asked and crossed her arms over her chest. Nothing about Headmaster made him seem like a prestigious member of society, but everything about him pointed towards crazy old man. ¡°You don¡¯t recognize me, Ms. Bael?¡± the headmaster asked and raised an eyebrow. Orange juice leaked down the sides of his mouth and dripped from his fuzzy chin. He glanced down and picked at his clothes. Maybe he was a bit scrawnier after hibernating for a week. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. It¡¯d be terrible if someone figured out who I was.¡± He stuffed the rest of the orange into his mouth and swallowed without chewing. ¡°But really, we should be moving. The rebel army is definitely going to attack the first sector soon. Trust me.¡± ¡°How do you know this?¡± Linda asked and frowned at the archangel who used his sleeves to wipe his mouth. He was too busy shaking the salt off of his body to answer. Linda snorted and sat on the driver¡¯s seat, ordering her carriage forward along the road. She wondered if she should trust him, but Cleo had already pointed out how rich a headmaster of a school was. Well, fleeing from the first sector matched her goals anyway. She just wouldn¡¯t have chosen to flee towards the rebels.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Dammit, lizard,¡± a voice said, interrupting Linda¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Give me my orb.¡± Linda turned her head and chuckled. Cleo was clawing and hissing at the headmaster who was tugging on her tail and legs, scratch marks on his face. Linda sighed and shook her head. She¡¯d have to apologize to the little lizard later and, maybe, return the pure crystals¡­. Some of them at least, not all of them. Her seat rumbled, causing her to nearly fall off the carriage. Cleo and Headmaster stopped moving as the walls of the carriage rattled. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Cleo asked as she slid out of the archangel¡¯s grasp. She climbed up the driver¡¯s seat and onto Linda¡¯s head and shoulders. She squinted at the rising wall of brown in the distance. ¡°It looks like a cloud of dust,¡± the headmaster said, appearing behind Cleo. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± He sharply inhaled through his nose and grasped Linda¡¯s arm, jerking it to the side. The carriage groaned as it was whipped ninety degrees to the right. ¡°Drive that way as fast as you can.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no road,¡± Linda said. ¡°And if you keep dithering around, there won¡¯t be any carriage to drive either,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°Unless you think you can drive this through a whole army.¡± ¡°Hey, Cleo,¡± Linda said, her expression darkening as she urged the carriage forward. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we could trust this guy¡¯s words? How is it that we¡¯re going to be the first to die now?¡± Headmaster snorted. ¡°How did it take you a week to exit the first sector?¡± he asked. ¡°If I didn¡¯t spend my powers to warn you like the lizardling asked me to, you think I would still be here? I¡¯d be way behind that army already.¡± Linda turned her head to the side. The wall of dust covered the whole western horizon. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to outrun them, even while heading north,¡± she said and bit her lip. ¡°Why did I listen to you? What do we do?¡± The headmaster furrowed his brow and rubbed his chin. ¡°Lizard,¡± he said. ¡°Do you have any orbs of diligence? We can dig under¡ª¡° ¡°No orbs of diligence,¡± Cleo said and shook her head. ¡°I have wrath, humility, kindness, and patience.¡± ¡°And those are all useless,¡± the headmaster said and sighed. ¡°Well. I guess we¡¯re just screwed.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you drink your steroids and do that magic thingy where you teleport us?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t recovered,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°You think it¡¯s easy to exceed your limits like that? I feel like shit.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we head back towards the first sector?¡± Linda asked. She jerked on the orb in the dashboard, swinging the carriage to the right again. ¡°We¡¯re going back to the first sector.¡± ¡°It might be a little too late for that,¡± Cleo said as she stood on Linda¡¯s head, peeking over the roof of the carriage. ¡°Those are some really fast centaurs. And that one has four arms, what the heck?¡± The ground ahead of the carriage rumbled as a wall of earth sprung out of the road. Linda yelped as she braced herself, covering her face as the carriage rammed into the wall. She opened one eye and quickly checked the damage before placing her hand on the orb. The carriage wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°Ah, I really shouldn¡¯t have listened to you,¡± she said and clutched her head. ¡°I just hope they don¡¯t take my crystals after I die.¡± Chapter 304 ¡°Hey, Palan?¡± Raea asked. The two were sitting on the peak of a moving mountain of earth behind the charging centaurs. The centaurs could¡¯ve easily ridden the mountain as well, but they insisted on running. The harpies were flying in the air above the cloud of dirt the mountain was kicking up. The slower halflings¡ªgoblins, lizardmen, trolls, and dwarves¡ªwere spread throughout the mountain, waiting in front of cannons. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Linda¡¯s carriage?¡± Raea asked and pointed off into the distance. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone else would sport the Bael family symbol like that.¡± Palan scratched his chin. ¡°She was the angel who Cleo was with, right?¡± He shouted up at Cory. ¡°Bring the people inside the carriage to me. Don¡¯t kill them.¡± ¡°Can I frighten them?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. ¡°Yeah, just bring them here,¡± Palan said. ¡°Try not to hurt them either.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Cory said with a nod. She shrieked, causing a swarm of harpies to form around her. They flew ahead of the centaurs and mobbed the carriage. Red lightning rained down from the sky, setting it ablaze. Raea blinked at the sight. ¡°That¡¯s called trying not to hurt them?¡± she asked and furrowed her brow. The carriage fell apart as the harpies ripped off the planks holding it together, revealing three panicking figures. The harpies screeched and smacked them a few times with their wings, dazing them into submission. ¡°Stop! I¡¯m on your side!¡± Cleo shouted. ¡°You¡¯re the rebels, right? I¡¯ve been enslaved by these two angels while on a secret mission! I need your help.¡± Cory blinked at Cleo. ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°But I still have to take you to our leaders.¡± She nodded at Linda and Headmaster. ¡°We¡¯re taking you as well. Don¡¯t struggle please, or we might drop you accidentally on purpose.¡± Linda bit her lower lip. The remains of her carriage were spread around her, crackling and burning. ¡°My carriage¡­,¡± she said and hung her head. She didn¡¯t struggle as a harpy grabbed her by her shoulders and flew into the air. Headmaster sighed as he raised his arms to the side, letting two harpies grab his arms and lift him up. ¡°I suppose I could talk my way out,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°The leader was Solra? Maybe if I offered him some alcohol¡­¡± Cory swooped down and grabbed Cleo. ¡°Hey,¡± Cleo said as her feet left the ground. ¡°Do you happen to know someone named Raea?¡± ¡°The harbinger?¡± Cory asked and raised an eyebrow. She took a second look at the orange lizardman with blue stripes in her talons.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Harbinger? Isn¡¯t that what Sally used to call Raea? Cleo nodded. ¡°Yeah, you know her?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Cory said. ¡°I¡¯m her best friend. I¡¯m actually taking you to see her right now.¡± Best friend? Cleo furrowed her brow. What happened in the short time they were separated? Her eyes widened as the flock of harpies flew over the base of the mountain, heading for the peak. At the midpoint, a massive structure was being assembled. Pyre was shouting orders to dwarves, hobgoblins, and emaciated angels with slave collars around their necks. Palan had turned down Akurel¡¯s offer because Pyre said it¡¯d be better to have Akurel¡¯s men as labor rather than have the general¡¯s altruism. ¡°What is that?¡± Cleo asked and pointed at the cylindrical object. ¡°Oh,¡± Cory said. ¡°That¡¯s something the new commander¡¯s making. That¡¯s him right there.¡± She released one of Cleo¡¯s arms¡ªcausing the lizardman¡¯s stomach to drop¡ªand pointed at Pyre. Cleo didn¡¯t look down as she grabbed Cory¡¯s leg with her free arm. ¡°He says it¡¯s supposed to break down the walls.¡± ¡°Greatnowpleasedon¡¯tdropme,¡± Cleo said in one breath, her legs flailing in the air as they instinctively sought purchase. Cory blinked and glanced at her free leg. ¡°Oops,¡± she said and wrapped her talon around Cleo¡¯s shoulder again. ¡°Well, we¡¯re almost there. See the harbinger?¡± She let go again and pointed at Raea, causing Cleo to spew out a string of curses. ¡°Cleo¡¯s as lively as usual,¡± Raea said and turned her head to hear the cursing lizardman more clearly. Palan nodded. A strange feeling tickled his chest. It was similar to what he felt after seeing Andrea safe and sound after a long day of hunting. His brow furrowed as Cory flew overhead and dropped Cleo onto the ground. Moments later, Linda and the headmaster fell beside her. ¡°Palan! Raea!¡± Cleo scrambled to her feet and tackled Palan, burying her head against his chest. Palan¡¯s torso-mouth opened up and swallowed the lizardman¡¯s head. ¡°Bueh!?¡± Cleo¡¯s limbs and tails flailed around as she struggled to get free. Palan pried open his torso-mouth, and Cleo tumbled backwards onto her butt. ¡°What the heck was that!?¡± she asked as she clawed away the slobber from her face. ¡°Ah! Danger Noodle multiplied!¡± Her eyes widened as her gaze shifted between Palan and Raea. ¡°And Raea became more ¡­ scaly. It looks good.¡± She stuck her thumbs into the air. She pouted. ¡°If I hugged you, will your stomach try to eat me too?¡± Raea laughed with a smile on her face. ¡°No,¡± she said and opened her arms. ¡°Come here.¡± Cleo tackled Raea and used her shirt to wipe away the remaining liquid on her face. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe,¡± Cleo said. Cory landed beside them and tilted her head. ¡°You know her?¡± she asked Palan, gesturing at Cleo. Palan nodded. ¡°She¡¯s a friend,¡± he said. ¡°A very useful friend.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Linda asked and pursed her lips. ¡°Acquaintance,¡± Palan said. Linda scratched her head. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°And me?¡± Headmaster asked. Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who imprisoned Raea?¡± he asked. The headmaster let out a dry laugh. ¡°You must be mistaken,¡± he said and cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m Chloe¡¯s bestest friend.¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Cleo,¡± Cleo said, breaking away from Raea¡¯s embrace. She pointed at the headmaster. ¡°He¡¯s a bully! He kidnapped me. And she¡¯s a bully too.¡± Cleo puffed her cheeks out and crossed her arms over her chest. Linda gulped as Raea glared at her. ¡°W-what are you going to do to us?¡± ¡°I guess we can just give them to Pyre, right?¡± Palan asked Raea. ¡°Yeah, but we should go easy on Linda,¡± Raea said. ¡°She did help us after all.¡± Her eyes narrowed at the headmaster. ¡°As for him ¡­ he can solve puzzles until the day he dies.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d rather be given to Pyre, thank you very much,¡± the headmaster said. He smiled at Cleo and Linda. ¡°Isn¡¯t it great how this all worked out? I¡¯m a genius.¡± Chapter 305 Pyre coughed out a glob of phlegm before inhaling on his pipe. He crossed his arms and shouted, ¡°What are you standing around for? It¡¯s not going to build itself!¡± The hobgoblins around him stiffened and picked up the pace, hammering and twisting the metal slabs in their hands according to the dwarves¡¯ orders. The enslaved angels paled as they did the same, but at a slower rate. Their muscles had atrophied after all the torture they went through. None of them dared to disobey Pyre¡¯s orders. The first angel who had had his neck exploded by the slave collar. Pyre nodded and squinted towards the wall. At the rate the mountain was traveling, they¡¯d be within firing range by the time his project was finished. ¡°Pyre!¡± a familiar voice called out. Pyre raised an eyebrow and turned his head. ¡°Old man Hailing?¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you calling old, dammit,¡± Headmaster said as he stumbled towards Pyre, Linda in tow. Cory was assigned to escort the two. ¡°All the digits in my age only add up to four.¡± ¡°You¡¯re forty?¡± Linda asked and furrowed her brow. Is that what drinking did to someone? Turn their hair silver and create a mass of wrinkles on their face before they were even fifty? ¡°He¡¯s a hundred and three,¡± Pyre said and snorted. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Before the headmaster could speak, Pyre held up his hand. ¡°Wait. Let me guess. The capital implemented a draft and you wanted to flee. Unlike everyone else, you decided the best direction to escape towards was the west. But somehow, the timing was messed up and you were caught by the rebels.¡± Linda¡¯s eyes widened. She took a second look at Pyre and stopped at his red eyes. Half-demon? That still didn¡¯t explain it. She asked, ¡°Are you a mind reader?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Linda Bael,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I used her carriage to get through the checkpoint.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Someone from the Bael family. Outcast? Probably.¡± He scratched his chin and narrowed his eyes at Linda. ¡°So you¡¯re a greed angel. Interesting. Just a greater angel though.¡± Linda bit her lower lip. She had never been seen through so easily before. Was Pyre that good at discovering it, or was she getting worse at hiding it? Cory cleared her throat, interrupting Linda¡¯s train of thought. The harpy pressed her wings against her sides and said, ¡°The harbinger asked me to deliver these two people to you. You can do what you want with them.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Pyre said and nodded. Cory saluted before flying away. Pyre reached into his bag and pulled out a collar. Linda took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m not putting that on,¡± she said and shook her head. ¡°Nuh-uh, no way.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I can feed you to the hobgoblins if that¡¯s what you¡¯d like. They haven¡¯t had lunch yet,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Grawl, get over here.¡± A black hobgoblin dropped the metal plank it was carrying. Its body was the size of a troll, but it didn¡¯t have any flab. The hobgoblin lumbered over and scratched its head, muscles practically bulging out of its skin. ¡°Commander called?¡± ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Pyre asked. He took out an empty bottle and used it to catch the line of drool leaking out of the hobgoblin¡¯s mouth. Surprisingly, goblin drool was a good disinfectant. Pyre discovered it was the main reason why goblins could eat anything without suffering any detrimental side effects. ¡°Oh, look,¡± Linda said and lowered her head so her neck was on the same level as the collar in Pyre¡¯s hand. ¡°A necklace. I think it¡¯d look great on me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why are you enslaving people?¡± Headmaster asked and frowned as Pyre clasped the collar around Linda¡¯s neck. ¡°Wait, no. Did you create that specifically to enslave angels? I know this doesn¡¯t mean much coming from me, but don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a little ¡­ wrong?¡± ¡°Wrong?¡± Pyre asked and tilted his head. ¡°Hey, Grawl.¡± The hobgoblin swallowed while staring at Headmaster. ¡°Am I ever wrong?¡± The hobgoblin shook its head before pointing at the headmaster. ¡°Snack. For me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d taste very good,¡± Headmaster said and coughed. ¡°I¡¯m all bone, no meat at all.¡± ¡°Crunchy snack. Good.¡± ¡°Go get some lunch from the trolls,¡± Pyre said, rapping his knuckles on the hobgoblin¡¯s thigh. ¡°Have them bring some for everyone. You¡¯ve all worked hard. Just a little longer and it¡¯ll be done.¡± ¡°This is a long-range weapon isn¡¯t it?¡± Headmaster asked, admiring the construction in progress. The metal construct towered over them. The goblins and angels had to climb scaffolds made of earth to add on parts. ¡°This ¡­ what happened to you, Pyre?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pyre asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Enslaving angels, creating weapons that could threaten the capital, leading the rebel army?¡± Headmaster asked. ¡°Anyone of those by itself would mark you as a major threat. You¡¯ve never shown any signs of betraying the angels.¡± ¡°I saw a chance,¡± Pyre said. ¡°So I took it. Opportunity only knocks once. You¡¯re the one who taught me that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but you have to consider the consequences,¡± Headmaster said, furrowing his brow. ¡°I taught you that too, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Consequences?¡± Pyre asked and laughed. ¡°You and I ¡­ tell me. How many years do you think we have left to live? Ten if we¡¯re lucky? The only consequence I¡¯ll suffer is one that¡¯ll happen anyway.¡± ¡°Is this about your father?¡± Headmaster asked. ¡°Hasn¡¯t the life you¡¯ve lived repaid you for what happened to your parents? The angels have been good to you. I¡¯ve been good to you. You have a respected position at Hailing Academy. So why?¡± ¡°If the angels were so good to you, then why¡¯d you flee from the first sector instead of staying behind to fight?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°They¡¯re good, but not that good. It¡¯s not worth dying for,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°I already know how I want to pass¡ªin my bed, drunk and choking on my own vomit. I don¡¯t want to die a meaningless death.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that the definition of a meaningless death?¡± Linda muttered under her breath. Pyre hadn¡¯t given her any orders, so she decided to stay put. ¡°Do you know what everyone wants?¡± Pyre asked, ignoring Linda. He didn¡¯t give the headmaster a chance to answer. ¡°People want to leave behind a legacy. I don¡¯t want to be forgotten with the passage of time. If my legacy is to be one of destruction, then so be it. Out of respect for our years of working together, I won¡¯t put a collar on you. But if you get in my way¡­¡± Chapter 306 In front of a golden statue in the tower¡¯s garden, Sariel was sitting on her ankles, knees pointing straight and legs together. Her hands rested on her lap while her back was arched, her gaze focused on the statue¡¯s face. It was a featureless face. No one dared to portray the Creator¡ªit was impossible after all. ¡°Creator,¡± Sariel said and lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not sure what to do anymore. The council has been eliminated and I can¡¯t find any appropriate replacements. The number of archangels without a hint of sin is too low.¡± A white butterfly fluttered through the garden before landing on Sariel¡¯s hand. Its wings flapped lazily as it walked along her knuckles. Sariel was careful not to disturb it. Was this a sign from the Creator? The butterfly circled around the back of her hand a few times before stopping at her wrist. A buzzing sound shattered the peace, causing the butterfly to flee. Sariel¡¯s mind blanked as she raised her head. The buzzing noise continued to drone on. Her brow furrowed as she reached into her bag and pulled out a rectangular metal box. The box was an invention by Hailing Academy. Headmaster Hailing had said it was a communication device designed by one of his professors that could replace carrier pigeons, but it was the first time after the initial test that it actually did something. Sariel had wanted to award the angel who invented it, but it turned out she had passed away as a volunteer carrying out the capital¡¯s orders. Headmaster Hailing had improved on the prototype for his deceased subordinate and submitted it in her stead. Her death was truly a loss for the angels, but it was another reason amongst many to eliminate the rebels. Sariel frowned at the box and pressed a button. The metal lid swung open, revealing an iron sheet with blue letters burned into it. The buzzing noise stopped, but the letters continued to form, creating a message that caused Sariel¡¯s face to pale. It read, ¡°Rebels attacking. Have 30 archlings. Strong siege weapons. Walls won¡¯t hold. Two existences beyond archangel. Genius (insane) tactician. Look west with your power. P.S. I¡¯m captured. Don¡¯t message me.¡± The box grew warmer as the letters faded away. Sariel sighed and closed the contraption before storing it inside her bag. Her eyes closed as her palms pressed together, her head lowering in prayer. Within her vision, a dark circle formed, encompassing the capital. There were hundreds of white lights, but she ignored them as she compressed the circle into a spear, thrusting it beyond the normal borders. She gasped as the vision in her mind revealed dozens of gray flames and even some black ones interspersed throughout the first sector. She urged her power forward, traversing the whole first sector. Sweat formed on her brow and rolled down the sides of her face before dripping from her chin. Soon, her vision extended past the wall separating the first and second sectors. Thousands of black flames were clustered in one place at varying elevations as if there were a group of sinners on a mountain, but they were overshadowed by two monstrous black flames at the peak. They were of equal size to the three black flames in the tower; no, if Sariel could compare them side by side, she¡¯d say they were a little smaller. Though the flames were black, one of them was giving off a white light, but Sariel wasn¡¯t quite sure what it meant. However, she did know that the message she received wasn¡¯t a false alarm.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Sariel¡¯s eyes opened as she wiped away the sweat from her face, using the back of her sleeve. She stood up and took one last glance at the golden statue before heading inside the tower. She walked up the stairs, ignoring the empty council room, until she arrived at the locked metal door. It unlocked with her necklace. It was noon, so the inhabitants of the room would be sleeping, but Sariel went in anyway. The sound of snoring filled the room. The words of her predecessor rang throughout her mind as she sat on the couch against the wall. ¡°You¡¯ve lived in the tower with me for two decades now. Aren¡¯t you curious about the locked room at the top? I know you¡¯ve never checked it with your power; otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be so calm. There are six existences living there, existences powerful beyond your imagination, corrupted by sin ¡­ or you could say saved by virtue. They¡¯re guardians of sorts, but they¡¯re unable to leave the room ¡­ under normal conditions.¡± After her predecessor told her that, she had been brought to the room to meet them for herself. She had fainted once she saw them. When she woke up, she was lying in her room with her mentor by her side, her forehead covered by a wet towel. Sariel sighed and shook her head, causing one of the people to stop storing. The unassuming sloth demon sat up and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Sariel,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s rude to watch people sleep.¡± ¡°Good afternoon, Creed,¡± Sariel said. ¡°Is it?¡± the demon asked and yawned. ¡°Afternoon?¡± ¡°Is it good,¡± Creed said, his voice flat. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just an ordinary afternoon?¡± ¡°It was a greeting,¡± Sariel said and sighed. ¡°You know that.¡± ¡°And you know I hate wasting energy on unnecessary things,¡± Creed said. His eyes fully opened. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way for you to leave the room without consequences,¡± Sariel said. The snoring stopped. The five other people sat up, no trace of weariness in their eyes. ¡°Really?¡± Creed said with a dry voice. ¡°I can let you out,¡± Sariel said and nodded, her hands clenching. ¡°But you have to do something for me. And you¡¯ll only be given a week before the consequences come back. If you succeed, I¡¯ll let you out for a year.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you told us this earlier?¡± Uriel asked, untangling her hair from her horns. ¡°There was no reason for you to leave,¡± Sariel said. ¡°All of you are natural disasters.¡± ¡°So we can leave now because there¡¯s a reason?¡± Uriel asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Who cares?¡± Camael asked. ¡°I just want to get out of here. Tell me what I have to do.¡± ¡°Not you,¡± Sariel said and bit her lower lip. ¡°Only Creed and Uriel.¡± Camael blinked. ¡°The fuck? Are you messing with me right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Sariel said and stared Camael down. ¡°If you leave, that means Levy goes with you, and Levy can¡¯t go with you because that¡¯d be counterproductive to saving the world. If Raphael leaves, he¡¯ll only try to find his eyes. Creed and Uriel are the best candidates.¡± ¡°Creed¡¯s a sloth!¡± ¡°Uriel¡¯s diligence will balance it out,¡± Sariel said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve already made this decision.¡± ¡°Levy wants to kill her,¡± Levy said and pouted. She tugged on Camael¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Can I?¡± Sweat rolled down Sariel¡¯s back. ¡°This is why I can¡¯t let Levy out,¡± she said. ¡°And you should know the consequences for hurting me are the same as the ones for leaving the room.¡± ¡°Say something, Raffi,¡± Camael said and snorted. ¡°Aren¡¯t you as upset as I am?¡± Raphael shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s right. If I was going to go outside, I¡¯d only look for my eyes,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be the patient one. Why are you throwing a fit? I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± Chapter 307 ¡°Wow,¡± Cleo said while blinking her eyes. ¡°You two have been through a lot without me, huh?¡± She pouted. ¡°That¡¯s not really fair.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who ran away when we met her parents,¡± Palan said and flicked Cleo¡¯s forehead. Raea and Palan had finished telling Cleo everything that happened to them after they had been separated. Of course, Cleo told her side of the story also, embellishing here and there about the abuse she suffered under Linda and the headmaster. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Cleo said and pursed her lips. ¡°But I would¡¯ve died if I didn¡¯t.¡± She nodded and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Definitely would¡¯ve died.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re alright,¡± Raea said and pinched Cleo¡¯s cheeks. She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame about Owen and them. I hope they¡¯re still alive. Owen¡¯s not weak, but ¡­ he can¡¯t really be called strong either. Not with everyone evolving like crazy.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cleo said and cleared her throat. She had pushed all the blame of reporting Owen onto Linda. ¡°He should be fine. The armies haven¡¯t collided yet, right? I didn¡¯t hear about anything like that and I¡¯ve been out a lot.¡± Mostly stealing things in the market, but Raea didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe you two became the leaders of the rebel army. I remember back in the borderlands, Palan was trying to help you with promotions to get to the capital. Now you two are just going to charge in there, huh?¡± She scratched her head. ¡°But ¡­ err, did you two see the black lightning thing?¡± ¡°We saw it,¡± Palan said. ¡°And the black sky.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said. ¡°The black sky was the old man¡¯s doing. If he drinks a lot of his special cocktail, he can use that super strong dark thing.¡± She wrinkled her nose. ¡°It takes away your senses, and he can teleport inside of it.¡± ¡°He was that strong?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°It seems like my judgment of him was off.¡± It¡¯d be a problem if he judged someone on their appearance and underestimated them. He rubbed his chin. He hadn¡¯t really cared about his safety after evolving to an archdemon. Maybe he was becoming a bit too arrogant; no, he had the right to be cocky. He didn¡¯t believe he¡¯d lose to the headmaster. Raea poked his side. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°What is Pyre building?¡± Palan asked, ignoring Raea¡¯s question. The trio turned their attention to the construct in the distance. The base was completed, but scaffolds continued to block their view. The top of the invention had a few skeletal structures sticking out of it, but the workers were nearly finished.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°It¡¯s a B.F.G.,¡± Cory said, swooping in to the conversation from above. She plopped down beside Cleo, nudging the lizardman away from Raea and claiming the spot next to the angel. She made shooing motions at Cleo before sticking her tongue out. ¡°A B.F.G.?¡± Raea asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I heard some of the dwarves call it,¡± Cory said. She preened her feathers while fending Cleo off with her feet before pressing her wings against her sides. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it stands for though. He did say it¡¯ll be done by the time we breech the first sector.¡± ¡°Breech the first sector?¡± Palan asked. The wall ahead of them was getting larger, but the mountain of earth towered over it. The mountain was a combined effort of every halfling and enslaved angel with diligence. Adding on Mathias, Pyre had told them that the mountain wouldn¡¯t have to stop for any breaks. Palan squinted at the base of the mountain. The centaurs who had been running ahead were now ascending the base instead, making sure to arrive past the cannon with the lowest position. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make more sense to use the B.F.G. to break down the walls to the first sector?¡± Cory tilted her head. ¡°I think we¡¯re just going to ram it?¡± ¡°Like with battering rams?¡± Cleo asked. Battering rams were common siege weapons the lizardmen used while warring against different tribes. Of course, the rams were just fallen trees carried by a dozen people, but still. Cory sighed, her body deflating. ¡°You should work on your intelligence, child,¡± the harpy said and pat Cleo¡¯s head with her wing. Cleo blinked as her mouth dropped open. ¡°We¡¯re going to ram the wall with the mountain and establish a base in the first sector. Then we use the B.F.G. to break down the capital¡¯s walls.¡± ¡°Why does she know more than you?¡± Cleo asked Palan and Raea. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the leaders?¡± ¡°A good leader knows when to delegate his tasks to his underlings,¡± Palan said. ¡°Her achievements are my achievements. You can attribute everything she knows and does to me instead.¡± ¡°Why does it feel like I¡¯m being robbed?¡± Cory asked and furrowed her brow. Cleo¡¯s face paled as she slid away from the harpy and hid her hands. ¡°Because Palan¡¯s an achievement thief,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve known him longer than you have.¡± She stuck her tongue out at the red harpy. ¡°Well, they care about me more,¡± Cory said and folded her wings across her chest. ¡°Everyone knows harpies are superior to lizardmen.¡± ¡°Harpies are superior to everything, aren¡¯t they?¡± Raea asked and rolled her eyes. ¡°See,¡± Cory said. ¡°Even the harbinger acknowledges it.¡± Before Cleo could say anything, a web of blue light encompassed the mountain. A voice seemed to be coming out of the light. It was Pyre¡¯s. ¡°Attention passengers. Brace yourselves for impact. Diligence people, full speed ahead!¡± The mountain picked up speed, approaching the red wall. A few crossbow bolts and ballistae flew towards the rushing earth, but there was no effect. The angels on the walls abandoned their posts and fled, searching for anywhere that seemed like it¡¯d survive the impact. Most of them chose to hide inside of the wall, praying it wouldn¡¯t fall. Their prayers were unanswered. The mountain collided against the wall, stopped for a brief moment, and continued forward, pushing the wall back and into the ground. Chapter 308 Creed and Uriel were atop the capital¡¯s wall. From their vantage point, the mountain that had crushed the first sector¡¯s wall merely looked like a hill. It was barely half as tall as the wall they were sitting on, and it was still a great distance away. The halflings and angels scrambling about were like ants defending and attacking an anthill. The wind whipped Uriel¡¯s hair around, and she brushed strands away from her face. The first thing they had done after leaving the room was buy new clothes. Well, Uriel had; Creed had climbed into a tree and taken a nap. ¡°That¡¯s the army we¡¯re supposed to crush,¡± Uriel said, sitting such that her feet dangled off the edge of the wall, swaying in the wind. ¡°We still have six days,¡± Creed said and yawned. He was lying along the edge, bathing in the sun with his eyes closed. His arms were resting behind his head. A breeze rushed past him, rustling his plain white robe. Surprisingly, unlike the walls of the different sectors, the top of the capital¡¯s wall was empty. There were no siege weapons or armed troops, and the top was made out of concrete instead of red metal, allowing anyone to use their powers. ¡°It¡¯s not still have six days, it¡¯s only have six days,¡± Uriel said as her forehead wrinkled. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to spend as much time outside as possible?¡± Creed asked, raising an eyebrow while keeping his eyes shut. ¡°I know I do. I almost forgot how nice the wind feels against my skin.¡± ¡°You can kick up a breeze any day with your humility, but you¡¯re too lazy to,¡± Uriel said and snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not the same¡­,¡± Creed said. His belly rose up and down in time with his breathing. A soft snore escaped from his nostrils before Uriel could even reply. Uriel pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. Fine, she¡¯d listen to him for now. It really had been a long time since she felt so at ease. Living with five other people in a small room for centuries took a toll on one¡¯s sanity. She crossed her legs and placed her elbow on her knee while propping her chin up with her palm, squinting at the mountain in the distance. It continued forward at a snail¡¯s pace¡ªto her at least¡ªrunning over buildings and roads, leaving behind a trail of brown. ¡°So crude,¡± Uriel muttered. Her fingers twitched, and she sighed while standing. Maybe she¡¯d play with them. Uriel smiled and licked her lips before pointing in front of the mountain. A wall of earth shot out of the ground, towering over the mountain in an instant. A cloud of dust rose into the air as the two collided. She was sure some people screamed, but she couldn¡¯t hear anything from where she was. The mountain shifted towards the left, peeking out of the wall. The base was flattened, but it seemed like the people manipulating the mountain had stopped in time to prevent an even larger collision. Uriel placed her hands on her hips and waited. When the mountain circled around the massive wall, it sank back into the earth as if it never existed. The buildings on top of it were perfectly preserved. The mountain continued forward, but at a slower rate than before. Uriel pointed again, causing another wall of earth to rise out of the ground. This time, there was no dust cloud. The mountain inched to the left again, and Uriel allowed it to pass. She repeated this action dozens of times until the first sun had begun to set. The mountain that could¡¯ve made it to the capital¡¯s wall by now had only traversed a quarter of the distance. When it had reached the halfway point earlier, Uriel had created a wall and curved it ever so slightly, extending it along with the movements of the mountain. The mountain always tried to move left to go around the walls, but the curved wall made them travel backwards without them even noticing.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Creed asked as he sat up and wiped at his bleary eyes with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m playing a game,¡± Uriel said. She was getting a bit sleepy from the expenditure of her mana, so she had begun construction of a massive maze. Of course, the maze had no exits and never allowed the mountain to travel past the halfway point, but she figured the harpies in the air wouldn¡¯t figure that out. If harpies were anything like they were in the past, then their problem-solving skills were worse than a brick¡¯s. ¡°What kind of game?¡± ¡°God,¡± Uriel said. She nodded at the maze that was beginning to take shape. The mountain remained motionless. ¡°What if they break through the walls instead of playing your game?¡± Creed asked and picked at his ear with his pinky. He inspected the glob of earwax before flicking it off the wall. ¡°You know the earth I manipulate is harder than the red metal,¡± Uriel said and snorted. She sat beside Creed and yawned before lying on her back. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough work done for today, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting lazier,¡± Creed said. A figure flew into the air above the mountain, and the mountain began to move in the maze. Unfortunately for the rebels, it was a futile effort. Creed shook his head and lay beside Uriel, closing his eyes. The evening breeze felt nice. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you,¡± Uriel said. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯re seriously going to deal with them. But for now, we sleep.¡± While the angel and demon slept, the mountain continued to move, getting closer and closer to the halfway point. Uriel was right about the harpies¡¯ problem solving skills; unfortunately for her, she didn¡¯t expect someone extremely good at solving puzzles to take to the air. When the mountain reached the furthest it could go, a strange white glow engulfed the peak, spreading down to the base as if water were poured on top of it. The light swirled and concentrated on a single point, glowing as bright as the sun. Thousands of blue strands of light connected the light with the inhabitants of the mountain. Uriel stirred and shielded her eyes with her arm. ¡°Morning already?¡± she asked and furrowed her brow. Her eyes widened when she realized the suns weren¡¯t out. She smacked Creed, causing the demon to twitch. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°The moon?¡± Creed asked, his eyes opening a tiny crack. ¡°It¡¯s not even dawn. Let me¡ª¡± ¡°Get up!¡± Uriel shouted. ¡°Get up right now!¡± His arm was nearly yanked out of his socket as Uriel ripped him off the ground. Wind swirled beneath them and violently launched them into the air, sucking their breaths away. Creed cursed as his eyes fully opened. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± he asked. His eyes widened as he looked down just in time to see a massive white ball of light smash against the capital¡¯s wall, causing it to fracture and crack. It took a second for the sound to reach them, but when it did, they were launched even further into the air, vomiting blood with their ears bleeding. Creed¡¯s vision blurred while his ears rang. Through the dim illumination from the moon, he could make out a path of destruction starting from the mountain and ending at the capital¡¯s wall which was shedding metal like a glacier shedding ice. There was a semi-circle of brown extending from the wall, nearly reaching the mountain. Everything in the blast zone had been reduced to dust. Uriel let out a groan as the wind holding her and Creed up vanished, causing them to plummet towards the ground. Using her last vestiges of consciousness, Uriel summoned a cushion of wind beneath them to catch their bodies before they hit the ground. The caress of the evening breeze was the last thing she remembered before fainting. Chapter 309 ¡°What the heck was that?¡± Cleo asked, her mouth gaping. There was a hole in the giant wall ahead of the mountain, the edges ringed with molten rock. A second later, the walls of the maze sank back into the earth as if they never existed. The first sector looked as if a child had taken a picture of a city and drew brown scribbles on it before spilling a bucket of ink that covered it with brown. The capital¡¯s wall was screeching as metal slivers continued to fall off the web-like cracks caused by the impact. Raea landed next to Cleo and Palan. Her face was pale. She had seen everything from the sky. The angels hadn¡¯t even had time to panic before they and everything they owned were wiped away by the explosion. One second, buildings and roads demarcated civilization; the next second, everything went up in smoke. On the mountain, thousands of halflings were collapsed on the ground. The only ones that remained standing were the archlings. ¡°That was a doozy,¡± Cory said and teetered to one side before falling onto her butt. The last traces of light connecting her to the B.F.G. were fading away. She panted and fanned her sweating face with her wings. ¡°How come you three weren¡¯t affected?¡± ¡°Because they have a better use,¡± a voice said. The four turned their heads. Pyre was riding a boulder up the mountain with Mathias behind him. Pyre grinned at Palan. ¡°What do you think of my invention?¡± ¡°It was impressive,¡± Palan said. Pyre clicked his tongue. ¡°I could¡¯ve made something like this much sooner if you gave me an orb of pride when I asked for it the first time I met you,¡± he said. The mountain shuddered before it began advancing towards the crack in the capital¡¯s wall, but at a much slower rate than before. The other side of the wall was exposed, but there weren¡¯t any angels around; otherwise, they would¡¯ve rushed inside. ¡°The B.F.G. gathers every sin and virtue, mixes them up, and produces pure energy. If the Creator existed, this would definitely be close to his power. It¡¯s a shame it uses too much mana.¡± ¡°Can you fire it again?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Only when everyone recovers. Nearly everyone¡¯s overdrafted,¡± Pyre said and shook his head. ¡°I already distributed some plants and pipes, but my stash really can¡¯t accommodate this many people. The remaining work will have to be done by you two and the archlings. There was the being with the lightning avatar, and now, there¡¯s the being with the earthen walls. But it seems to have stopped for now.¡± The mountain continued unimpeded unlike earlier that day. Pyre didn¡¯t mind the walls blocking them. It was better than walls falling on top of them and crushing them. Pyre sighed. ¡°It only we were closer to the capital,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I could¡¯ve fired the B.F.G. up and over instead of wasting the shot on the wall.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°It¡¯s good enough,¡± Mathias said. Sweat dripped down the four-armed centaur¡¯s body, creating mud with the dirt beneath his feet. He and two other halflings were urging the mountain forward. ¡°When our ancestors were first expelled from the surface, the wall was the reason why they lost. The angels could raid their homes, but they couldn¡¯t reciprocate. It¡¯s different this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t the only reason,¡± Cory said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Centaurs probably lost because they were too stupid.¡± She snorted. ¡°Just fly over the walls, gosh.¡± ¡°Do you see that?¡± Raea asked and pointed off into the distance. Everyone¡¯s gaze followed Raea¡¯s finger. She was pointing at the semi-circle of destruction in front of the wall. ¡°See what?¡± Cleo asked and squinted while leaning forward. ¡°It¡¯s too dark to see anything.¡± ¡°Cory?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯m a harpy,¡± Cory said and shrugged. ¡°Not an owl.¡± ¡°I see it,¡± Palan said. ¡°The two people on the ground? How¡¯d they survive?¡± ¡°Survivors?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are they conscious? What about their clothes? Are they wearing any?¡± ¡°What an odd question to ask,¡± Cleo said. Raea ignored her. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°On the ground and wearing clothes. They¡¯re not moving.¡± ¡°How close are they to the capital?¡± Pyre asked and rubbed his chin. ¡°Practically right in front of the wall,¡± Palan said. ¡°You think they¡¯re from inside?¡± ¡°Possibly,¡± Pyre said. His eyes narrowed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Keep advancing.¡± ¡°Are you sure we should keep advancing?¡± Mathias asked and furrowed his brow. His knees were trembling. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to let everyone rest first? It¡¯s not like the angels can repair the wall that quickly.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯ll give us a chance to rest?¡± Pyre asked and snorted. ¡°The walls stopped forming at night. The being was probably toying with us and took a nap. Why else would they make a maze instead of eliminating us? Hell, they could¡¯ve boxed us in with four walls. You can bet they¡¯ll chase after us in the morning if we give them a chance.¡± ¡°I think they would¡¯ve woken up after that explosion,¡± Cleo said and scratched her head. ¡°I mean, I know I would.¡± ¡°Which is why we have to hurry up,¡± Pyre said. He pulled a pipe out of his bag and stuffed it into Mathias¡¯ mouth. ¡°Here, smoke this.¡± He placed a screaming plant inside and set it on fire. A movement in the corner of Pyre¡¯s eye caused him to whirl his head around and frown. He raised his head and shouted, ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± Palan had leapt into the air, heading towards the crack in the wall. ¡°When it comes to hunting, he prefers to work alone,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to let him go by himself. We¡¯ll start first, I guess.¡± Her wings spread as she leapt into the air. Cleo managed to grab onto Raea¡¯s tail before she took off. Pyre scratched his head as the three got further and further away. The pace of the mountain couldn¡¯t keep up with them, not with only three archlings powering it. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fine,¡± he said as his eyebrows knit together. ¡°Right?¡± Mathias grunted in reply. His face was unusually pale, and his eyes were struggling to stay open. Pyre raised an eyebrow. Why hadn¡¯t Cory responded? He turned around and saw the red harpy squatting with her wings hugging her body. Red threads were shooting out of her butt, sticking to the ground and wriggling along her skin, forming a cocoon. She was evolving? Cory bit her lower lip. ¡°I think I ate something bad. Stupid raisins.¡± Chapter 310 ¡°What are you planning on doing?¡± Raea asked as she flew alongside Palan. Cleo had managed to climb up her tail and onto the angel¡¯s back, hugging Raea¡¯s neck for dear life. ¡°Sneak inside. Find Sariel. Kill her,¡± Palan said. ¡°We can also find the Creator¡¯s judgment if you want, but you know what the contract said. After I kill Sariel, I¡¯m taking her head and returning to Eljiam. Do you know where the portal is?¡± ¡°It should be in the basement of the central tower,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°The council used to activate it to recruit demons for the armies. But that stopped after the four¡¯s betrayal. I think there¡¯s a certain number of archangels required to activate it.¡± Palan furrowed his brow. ¡°Do they have to be conscious?¡± he asked. If anything, he could kidnap a few archangels from the influential families and use them as batteries. He¡¯d worry about it after killing Sariel. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Raea said. ¡°Can¡¯t we just wait for the archlings to arrive? Abaddon¡¯s taking care of your sister, right? I understand that you¡¯re feeling restless, but that doesn¡¯t mean you should be hasty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m never hasty,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Really.¡± Palan ignored Raea¡¯s comment and reduced the intensity of the black light surrounding his body. He descended towards the ground, floating above the two collapsed bodies in the wasteland of brown. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked as she circled around him and braced herself for a landing. ¡°Are horns common amongst angels from the capital?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. He prodded Uriel with his foot, flipping her body off of Creed¡¯s. Their eyelids trembled, but they remained unconscious. Palan squat beside them and tilted his head to the side, inspecting their injuries. ¡°No¡­,¡± Raea said as she landed beside Palan. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone with horns before. Actually, I¡¯ve never seen any different angels¡ªother than myself and Pyre. But Pyre¡¯s part demon. Could they be like us?¡± Her brow furrowed as Cleo climbed on top of her head and peered at the bodies. ¡°They¡¯re still alive at leas¡ªwhat are you doing!?¡± Palan plunged his hand into Creed¡¯s chest, his fingers cutting through the other demon¡¯s bones like butter thanks to the power of greed. ¡°Eating,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow as he chucked the heart into his gaping torso-mouth. ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°No!¡± Raea said and turned her head away. A scaly hand protruded from her head. ¡°I¡¯ll have some,¡± Cleo said and received a liver from Palan. She munched on it, dripping blood onto Raea¡¯s head. ¡°Why are you eating them?¡± Raea asked and made a face. She tilted her neck, causing Cleo to fall off. Her nose wrinkled at the gory sight. She sighed. ¡°At least wipe your mouth when you¡¯re done.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Think about it,¡± Palan said as he finished taking the organs out of Creed¡¯s body. ¡°They survived Pyre¡¯s invention. How strong would they have to be to do that? Besides, you should eat while you can because you never know when your next meal will come.¡± ¡°Good motto,¡± Cleo said and burped, licking the blood off her fingers. She skipped over to Palan¡¯s side as he began tearing apart Uriel¡¯s body. ¡°Can I have the heart this time?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Raea sighed again and covered her face with her hands. ¡°Why am I friends with you two?¡± she asked. Her stomach churned at the smacking and slurping sounds coming from beside her. She resisted the urge to incinerate the corpses and sang songs in her head instead. It wasn¡¯t the first time that Palan ate people, but she was used to seeing them as chunks of meat. If she squinted hard enough, she could pretend it was pork, but she couldn¡¯t do that when he was literally ripping apart an angel in front of her face. ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± Palan said. ¡°The heart¡¯s not beating.¡± ¡°Because you killed her?¡± Raea asked and shook her head. She stared at the ground, drawing circles in the dirt with her finger. ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°Usually it continues to beat if you rip it out of a live person. Maybe she died when the demon died?¡± He shrugged and handed the heart to Cleo. His torso-mouth made quick work of the rest of Uriel¡¯s organs. ¡°Store the bodies in your space when you¡¯re done.¡± Cleo grunted as she chewed. It had been a while since she last ate angel meat. She had developed a taste for it when the group was still traveling with Elrith. She belched and rubbed her stomach before wiping off her hands and lips with a towel that she passed to Palan. She leaned over and grabbed Creed¡¯s foot. His toe bumped against her stomach, causing her to tilt her head. She pulled on Creed¡¯s foot again. It bumped against her stomach. ¡°Uh, I can¡¯t store him,¡± Cleo said and blinked. She raised her head and glanced around. Was her space full? She removed a tent from her space and tried again. Creed¡¯s body still refused to be stored. ¡°Try her,¡± Palan said, pointing at Uriel. Cleo dropped Creed and tried to store Uriel¡¯s corpse into her space. She shook her head when it failed. ¡°What can¡¯t you store?¡± ¡°Live things,¡± Cleo said. ¡°Too big things.¡± She bit her lower lip as she cycled through her memories. ¡°Oh, and this orb thing that the headmaster gave me, but it had the same power as my space.¡± Palan scratched his head. ¡°Interesting,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe we should eat the rest of them for now.¡± He ignored Raea¡¯s disgusted face and bent over Uriel. His red and purple tails opened their mouths while Danger Noodle watched. Before the tails could swallow Uriel and Creed, the bodies shone with a white light, causing everyone to shield their eyes. The light gradually dimmed, allowing them to see again. The corpses were dissolving into thousands of motes of light. A wind blew past, scattering the motes and blowing them into the capital. Even the blood on the towel that Cleo had used disappeared with the breeze. Cleo blinked and rubbed her eyes. There was no trace of Uriel or Creed left, as if neither of them had ever existed. But her stomach still felt full, so she was sure they had. ¡°What kind of sorcery is this?¡± Cleo asked and scratched her head. Neither Palan nor Raea had an answer. Palan crossed his arms over his chest. Even the residual heat the two had left behind was starting to fade. ¡°I guess that doesn¡¯t matter for now,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury to worry about disappearing bodies. There¡¯s things to be done.¡± He raised his head and narrowed his eyes at the capital. Danger Noodle wrapped around Cleo, and he leapt into the air. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she took one last glance at the empty patch of dirt before following her demon. She¡¯d ask Pyre the next time they saw him. Chapter 311 ¡°So this is the capital?¡± Cleo asked, her eyes widening. She climbed on top of Palan¡¯s head to get a better view and squinted because of the wind blowing against her face. Though it was nighttime, she could still make out a crystal clear lake in the distance with a cabin on the shore and trees surrounding the wooden structure like sentinels guarding a gate. There was a flock of pink birds standing on one leg on the shore, their bodies unmoving. The lake rippled as Palan landed beside it, startling the flamingos out of their sleep. ¡°It¡¯s like we entered the borderlands again,¡± Palan said looking around. Raea landed beside him and frowned at the fleeing birds. Lights flashed in the nearby cabin, causing Raea and Palan to turn their heads. Palan snorted and slunk towards the residence with his body melding into the shadows. His footprints were deep, but his feet made no sound. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. The cabin had a picture of a golden eagle engraved on the door. Where had she seen that before? ¡°Ah!¡± Raea said and covered her mouth with her hands, but it was too late. A silhouette appeared by the window, the shadowy hand reaching for the curtain. Raea glanced around before leaping into the air just as the curtain was pulled aside. An angel stuck her head out of the cabin and squinted into the darkness. ¡°Where¡¯d the flamingos go?¡± she muttered as her gaze roamed around the lake. She took in a deep breath before shouting, ¡°Anybody there?¡± In response, a black snake head appeared in front of her face. She stared at it with a frozen expression. ¡°Snake¡­?¡± she asked. Danger Noodle¡¯s jaw unhinged as it lunged forward, swallowing the angel¡¯s head before she could scream. Her limbs flailed, but Danger Noodle wrapped itself around her body and constricted once, causing a series of cracking noises to ring out. Her body stopped struggling. ¡°Don¡¯t eat her,¡± Palan said to Danger Noodle after confirming there was no one else inside with his heat vision. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be too full.¡± Danger Noodle dropped the angel¡¯s corpse onto Cleo who yelped and stored it away. ¡°Palan!¡± Raea half-shouted, half-whispered as she landed beside him. ¡°You can¡¯t just murder strangers like that!¡± Palan raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. ¡°I thought you got over this phase of don¡¯t kill random people,¡± he said. ¡°Haven¡¯t you done it enough?¡± ¡°There¡¯s just something sacred about the capital, okay?¡± Raea asked and bit her lip. ¡°No one else has to die. You¡¯re here for Sariel, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°What exactly did you think was going to happen when the rebels said they were attacking the capital?¡± Palan asked. ¡°These people were going to die regardless.¡± ¡°I ¡­ I didn¡¯t think that far,¡± Raea said and lowered her head. ¡°Talking about it and actually seeing it happen is a very different concept.¡± Her voice lowered. ¡°And truthfully, my wrath subsided a bit after I died. I don¡¯t feel comfortable doing this. I was born here. Raised here. I don¡¯t want to see it destroyed like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pretty nice place,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°It looks very peaceful. That angel didn¡¯t even fear for her safety when asking if anyone was there.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Mm. I love ruining fresh snow,¡± Cleo said and smiled. ¡°There¡¯s just something satisfying about knowing you¡¯re first.¡± Raea¡¯s expression darkened. She sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve already flew this far. Let¡¯s just fly the rest of the way to the tower, please.¡± ¡°When attacking a city, you should reduce the number of inhabitants,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. Everyone knew that. ¡°What if we¡¯re fighting Sariel and a bunch of angels come and interfere?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Only the heads of the families are archangels,¡± Raea said. ¡°The rest are greater at most. They can¡¯t hurt you or interfere in a fight of that magnitude.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill the heads of the families,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see them die,¡± Raea said. Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then go back. Cleo and I are enough,¡± he said. He measured out a space using his thumb and pointer finger. ¡°I¡¯m this close to accomplishing my goals. I¡¯m not going to stop because you got cold feet. Follow me or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Rage surged through his chest as he whirled around and stomped the ground, pushing his body into the air. ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Raea murmured as Palan flew away from her. She spread her wings and jumped after him, leaving a trail of red and green light behind herself. Her lips trembled as she passed over the forest. She used to play at those very outskirts with Owen watching over her. There was a family of foxes that she had befriended after Selena had left for Hailing Academy. Were they still there? She searched for their burrow, but the trees blocked the view of the ground. A cluster of buildings resting on the side of a mountain came into view. It was the Ingel¡¯s residence, the region of the golden eagles. That¡¯s where their symbol had come from. A golden light flashed, causing Raea to peel her gaze from the buildings below. She heard Cleo shout as the lizardman glowed like a lightbulb on top of Palan¡¯s head. ¡°What the heck is this?¡± Cleo asked and glanced around. Her whole body was shining as bright as the sun. She checked her arms and legs and even her tail, but she couldn¡¯t find the source. ¡°Turn it off,¡± Palan said. A wailing sound resounded from the mountains below, and the side of the mountain was lit up as lights flooded the windows of the buildings. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Cleo said. She tugged on her belt and rummaged through her space. Footsteps rang through the night as the doors of the buildings opened. A few angels pointed at the glowing lizardman in the sky. ¡°This!¡± Cleo raised her hand, pulling out the necklace she stole from Miriam. It was pulsating with a golden light that seemed to resonate with the wailing sounds coming from below. ¡°Uh. What do I do with it?¡± ¡°Throw it away,¡± Palan said. He narrowed his eyes and pointed at the angels down below. A black hole formed above them, and a few shouted as dirt began to rise into the air. Pebbles, rocks, then roof shingles soon followed. A child screamed as he was lifted off his feet, but his mother held his arms, tethering him to the ground. But that didn¡¯t last long. Soon, she was thrown into the air as well, followed by her companions. The walls and doors the angels were holding onto for support became useless as they were torn from the ground, surging towards the slowly growing ball of dirt, buildings, and bodies. ¡°Stop!¡± a voice shouted. An angel flew into the air above Palan, riding on a green cloud of wind. ¡°In the name of the Creator, I, Bartholomew Ingel, smite thee, foul archdemon.¡± A massive green spear formed above Bartholomew¡¯s head. It was made of millions of blades of wind, but it looked like solid metal. The archangel grunted and swung his hand down, the spear following his arm motion. Palan snorted and flicked his wrist. The ball of bodies and buildings flew up into the path of the spear. Before it made contact, the spear trembled and stopped. ¡°Using hostages! Despicable,¡± Bartholomew said and glared at Palan. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Dead men shouldn¡¯t worry about things like names,¡± Palan said. ¡°Kill yourself and I¡¯ll let these people go.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t bargain with demons,¡± Bartholomew said. ¡°Then I guess you can see them in hell,¡± Palan said. After spending a while with the centaurs, he understood a small part of their religion¡ªenough to know about hell. Bartholomew¡¯s eyes widened as Palan clenched his hand. The angels pasted against the ball of dirt and stone screamed as blood rushed out of their orifices. The ball released grinding and crunching noises as it compacted and shrank. ¡°Stop!¡± Bartholomew said and pointed at Palan. The spear of wind charged forwards, but split into six pieces right before it was about to collide with the ball. The six pieces flew towards Palan while the bloody ball flew towards Bartholomew. Bartholomew dodged and cheered to himself when he heard the telltale squelch of flesh being pierced. His eyes widened when his stomach dropped. Literally. The lower half of his body fell out of the sky, his intestines dangling from his torso like a string of sausages. Raea was hovering behind him, blood on the edge of her tail. She pursed her lips as the archangel fell out of the sky with a groan. ¡°You should spare them,¡± Raea said to Palan. ¡°They¡¯re already dead,¡± Palan said and shrugged as he released his powers. The silent ball fell out of the air and collided against what remained of the buildings before rolling down the mountain. Raea bit her lower lip and sighed. Before either of them could say anything, a thundering voice rang out, causing them to stagger backwards in the air and their ears to bleed. ¡°LEVY WANTS TO PLAY TOO!¡± Chapter 312 ¡°Oh jeez,¡± Cleo said and wiped away the blood by Palan¡¯s ears. She hadn¡¯t been affected as badly as him and Raea, maybe, because her hearing was poorer than theirs. ¡°That really sounds like ¡­ yup, that.¡± Dark clouds gathered in the sky, blotting out the moon. Black lightning crackled and struck the central tower in the capital, but the bolts didn¡¯t disappear after contact. They stuck to the side of the building like crooked spider webs. As more and more lightning rained down, a humanoid torso without arms took shape. A head formed, touching the black clouds and absorbing them. A roar escaped from the lightning avatar¡¯s mouth as arms shot out of its side. Its eyes seemed to narrow as it leaned towards Palan and Raea. ¡°Was it you two?¡± the avatar asked. Though its voice was crackling and gravelly, there was still something feminine about it. ¡°It was you two wasn¡¯t it? You killed Uriel and Creed. Play with me.¡± The avatar¡¯s right arm stretched towards Palan, causing his eyes to widen. He crossed his arms and three tails in front of his body, reinforcing them with greed. The oily barrier did nothing to stop the avatar¡¯s hand. It grabbed Palan, holding him in place while black lightning continuously eroded the greed barrier. Luckily, Cleo had chosen to fall from the sky when the lightning avatar attacked; otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t even be any ashes of her left. Palan gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at the avatar¡¯s wrist. A black hole formed, sucking away the lightning from his body. ¡°Oh?¡± the avatar asked. It raised its nonexistent eyebrows and tilted its head. ¡°Is that pride? That¡¯s pride! Cammy, Cammy! Look, it¡¯s pride! He¡¯s just an ordinary archdemon though.¡± The lightning avatar¡¯s eyes flashed. It opened its mouth and spoke in a masculine voice this time, ¡°What do you know, it really is pride. I¡¯m going to catch him.¡± The avatar¡¯s left hand grabbed Palan before he could even react, careful not to squeeze too hard. ¡°Cammy!¡± the avatar¡¯s voice distorted as one side of the avatar¡¯s head expanded. ¡°I was here first! I found him first!¡± The other side of the avatar¡¯s head expanded to a greater size. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill him,¡± it said. ¡°Let me do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! Raffi can bring him back,¡± the lightning avatar said and split into two. The side that had the black hole embedded in it was sucked away, leaving behind half the amount of lightning. The avatar shrank as it reformed, and Palan¡¯s body was pulled ahead as a result. ¡°Cammy¡¯s gone now. It¡¯s just you and me.¡± Another black hole formed in the air, close to the avatar¡¯s left elbow. ¡°That won¡¯t work twice,¡± the avatar said as its elbow bent unnaturally and avoided the space. ¡°See?¡± The black hole chased after the avatar, trying to touch any part of its body, but the lightning stretched like taffy, easily avoiding the ball. ¡°Let¡­,¡± Raea said, raising her hands above her head. She glared at the lightning avatar with purple eyes as a black pole formed in the sky above her. It gave off an eerie glow that tinted the lightning with red as a halberd took shape in the sky. ¡°Him¡­¡±¡ªRaea swung her arms down¡ª¡°go!¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The halberd screamed as it streaked through the air, setting the sky ablaze like someone had taken a paintbrush and colored the night sky red. ¡°What?¡± the lightning avatar asked as its eyes widened. It swung its arm, punching towards the halberd at the speed of light. The fist was much larger than the halberd, but the flames cut through the lightning like a hot knife through butter. The lightning avatar yelped. ¡°Ouch! That really hurt!¡± The avatar flailed its hand like it was trying to remove water droplets from its fingers. The gash in its palm reconnected, forming a regular hand, but black flames continued to eat at it. The halberd stopped in midair before rushing towards the avatar¡¯s neck. ¡°I told you to let him go,¡± Raea said as hundreds of fire pillars began taking shape behind her. They spiraled in the air until they became pointed like needles. ¡°You¡¯re not an ordinary archangel!¡± the lightning avatar said. It tossed Palan into the ground and punched its palm with its fist. ¡°This is going to be fun.¡± ¡°You threw him away!?¡± the masculine voice asked as the avatar contorted. ¡°Cammy! Stop! I need to block!¡± The lightning avatar screamed as hundreds of flaming needles pierced its body while the halberd cut off its neck. Raea panted as the lightning avatar dissolved, the black flames eating away at its body. The head had dispersed and reformed into thunderclouds after it was separated. The halberd vanished as Raea¡¯s eyes returned to normal. She exhaled and flew towards the ground where Palan had been thrown. Cleo was by his side, mending his broken bones with an orb of kindness. He muttered something that even Raea couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked and squatted beside him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Palan gnashed his teeth and pushed Cleo aside as he sat up. His expression was dark as he clenched his hands. ¡°Just an ordinary archdemon?¡± he asked, glaring at Raea. His fist pounded the ground. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything!¡± Raea bit her lower lip. ¡°Archdemons are strong,¡± she said. ¡°Much much stronger than ordinary archangels.¡± ¡°Am I stronger than you?¡± Palan asked through clenched teeth. Raea hesitated before lowering her head. ¡°No,¡± she said to the grass by her feet. Palan¡¯s hands seized her shoulders, pushing her to the ground. ¡°Why?¡± Raea pursed her lips, doing her best to maintain eye contact with Palan¡¯s purple eyes. ¡°When I was a greater angel, I experienced an evolution because of you, but not to archangel,¡± she said. ¡°Then when I evolved to an archangel, I was stronger than most because of that. But you evolved again, and so did I. I experienced four evolutions while you experienced two.¡± She bit her lip as Palan¡¯s expression relaxed. ¡°If you used my powers to fight that avatar, you wouldn¡¯t have suffered a loss. But you chose to use pride.¡± Palan released his grip on Raea and sat back. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything earlier if you already knew?¡± he asked, pulling Raea up. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt your pride.¡± Palan snorted as he slammed his tails against the ground. ¡°Fuck. Whatever. It¡¯s done,¡± he said. ¡°The avatar¡¯s dead.¡± Thunder boomed before Raea could make a sound. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, striking the central tower with lightning once again. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Cleo said, copying the headmaster¡¯s cadence. Two lightning avatars formed above the tower. ¡°You¡¯re too fat, Cammy,¡± one of the avatars said and shoved the other one over. ¡°Shut up,¡± the shoved avatar said as it regained its balance. ¡°You¡¯re the one who lost. Why did you form another one?¡± ¡°Bleh.¡± The first avatar stuck out a tongue made of red lightning before punching the other one in the face. ¡°I was here first.¡± Chapter 313 ¡°I don¡¯t care if you were first,¡± Camael¡¯s lightning avatar said. It wiped its face, removing the dent on its nose. ¡°You got us killed.¡± ¡°You kill us every time you drink!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s Sariel¡¯s fault for not supplying any liquor. If you want to blame someone, blame her instead.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s easier to blame you.¡± Levy¡¯s lightning avatar¡¯s cheeks puffed out as its hands went to its nonexistent hips, touching the side of the tower instead. ¡°I think I spoke too soon,¡± Palan said, his expression darkening as the two avatars bickered. ¡°One of them was annoying enough.¡± He wrinkled his nose and pointed at the tower. A black flame sprouted out of his fingertip. Raea raised her hand and summoned a flame as well, merging it into Palan¡¯s. ¡°They¡¯re doing something, stop distracting me, Cammy,¡± Levy said through her lightning avatar and shoved Camael¡¯s away. Her avatar opened its mouth, spitting out a scattershot of lightning bolts. The Ingel¡¯s mountainous region was destroyed in an instant: the trees set ablaze and the already ruined buildings devastated even further. Palan and Raea were unharmed though, the massive fireball in front of them acting as a shield. As for Cleo, Danger Noodle had swallowed her. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to destroy the surroundings,¡± Camael¡¯s avatar said and sighed, exhaling blue lightning. ¡°I¡¯m following Sariel¡¯s orders,¡± Levy said, knocking Camael¡¯s avatar over once again. ¡°Slaughter all the intruders!¡± ¡°We were catching these, remember?¡± Camael said. His lightning avatar disappeared and reappeared behind Palan and Raea before they could react. Palan¡¯s eyes widened, and he whirled around, swinging his arm as if he were holding a whip. The fireball elongated like taffy and smashed the lightning avatar¡¯s outstretched hands. ¡°Your reactions aren¡¯t bad,¡± Camael said. The lightning avatar hovered in the air, still legless. Strands of lightning connected its torso to the ground. ¡°And you¡¯re an elevated existence of wrath. It¡¯s a shame we already have someone for that.¡± The lightning avatar rubbed its chin as it avoided the lashes Raea whipped at it. ¡°But you¡¯re connected to the demon, right?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. She never heard of anyone with powers like this in the capital. Then again, she wasn¡¯t even an adult before she was exiled¡ªit made sense for her to not know big secrets. ¡°Ah, that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Camael said, throwing a lightning bolt at Raea. She blocked it with a shield made of black flames. ¡°You¡¯re going to die soon, sorry. If you give me your demon, I can let you go if you stop assaulting the capital. We need his pride.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes glinted as her irises melted into her pupils, turning her eyes purple. She opened her mouth and said something, but a crackling noise behind her overwhelmed her voice. Levy¡¯s lightning avatar had sprouted spider-like legs and braced itself against the tower. ¡°Banzai!¡± Levy shouted as her lightning avatar leapt through the air, crashing into the ground beside Palan and Raea. ¡°Death to the guests!¡± The avatar¡¯s palm widened and smashed towards the duo.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Without turning around, a green hand made of mist shot out of Raea¡¯s back, eroding her clothes. The two hands collided. ¡°Eh?¡± Levy¡¯s and Camael¡¯s avatars said at the same time. The black lightning instantly dispersed as the green hand grew larger. It continued to swallow the avatar starting with its arm. Levy screamed as she tried to pull back, but the green mist clung to her avatar no matter how far it went. ¡°Envy?¡± Camael¡¯s avatar asked. ¡°Change of plans. I¡¯m¡ª¡± His words were cut off as his avatar was beheaded by a halberd made of flames. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare ignore me,¡± Palan said and snorted, manipulating the flaming weapon by flicking his fingers. The two lightning avatars dispersed as they were consumed by black flames and green smoke. Danger Noodle belched, and Cleo came tumbling out of its stomach, her body covered in slime. ¡°Yeck,¡± Cleo said and clawed away the sticky liquid from her eyes. She shook herself like a dog, flinging snake stomach acid everywhere. ¡°What happened? Did you win?¡± She hid behind Palan before glancing around. The coast was clear, but the land was blackened and unlikely to be inhabitable for the foreseeable future. ¡°Do you think they can come back again?¡± Raea asked, furrowing her brow. Using her powers and having Palan use them at the same time was taking a toll on her mana. And she really didn¡¯t want to use Pyre¡¯s method of recharging. ¡°It¡¯d be a real pain if they could,¡± Palan said. Judging by the amount of effort he needed to call upon Raea¡¯s power, he knew her mana reserves were low. ¡°ARGH!¡± Levy¡¯s voice echoed through the capital as even more clouds gathered in the sky. ¡°How come Levy keeps losing!?¡± The same procedure repeated, and another avatar of lightning was birthed. This time, it was even bigger than before. ¡°Levy used all of Cammy¡¯s mana to make this. You¡¯re not going to beat me anymore.¡± The lightning avatar paused, strands of lightning frozen in place like a photo. ¡°Levy knows, Raffi. Levy knows. Uh-huh. Okay. Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡± Cleo¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Why are all the strong people crazy?¡± she asked and scratched her head. She walked up to Danger Noodle and pried open its jaw, stepping inside the startled snake. ¡°People should be taught common sense, geez.¡± Cleo slammed Danger Noodle¡¯s jaw shut. ¡°Raffi says he¡¯s only going to revive Levy one more time,¡± Levy¡¯s avatar said, raising one finger into the air. ¡°So behave and let Levy capture you, okay? We can be good friends until the glutton comes along. Levy promises to be nice to you.¡± ¡°Why are they so intent on capturing us?¡± Raea asked and bit her lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s a bit creepy.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°Capturing people¡¯s pretty normal in Eljiam,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re demons.¡± ¡°The capital doesn¡¯t employ demons,¡± Raea said. ¡°Right,¡± Palan said and rolled his eyes. ¡°They only enslave them.¡± He continued before Raea could retort. ¡°So what are we going to do about this? I don¡¯t want to fight Sariel if you¡¯re unable to use your powers.¡± ¡°Just follow Levy¡¯s idea,¡± the lightning avatar said and nodded as its arms flashed towards the duo. Before it reached them, a beam of white light shot out from the crack in the capital¡¯s wall and pierced the lightning avatar¡¯s head, evaporating it in an instant. The beam of light continued on into the night sky like a shooting star until it faded into a dot in the distance. A mountain forced its way through the crack in the wall. Pyre had arrived. Chapter 314 ¡°Levy died again?¡± Levy sat up and scratched her head, her hair dripping blood onto the floor. The usually pristine room was a mess with blood and bits of internal organs and bones scattered about the walls and floor. The demon¡¯s brow furrowed as her head swiveled from side to side. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? How¡¯d Levy die?¡± Raphael frowned at the confused demon by the foot of his bed. While she was in the middle of twirling around the room, controlling the avatar, her head had exploded. A beam of white that was brighter than the two suns had lit up the room as it traveled overhead. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°Levy was talking, then nothing,¡± Levy said and pouted. Her head tilted to the side. ¡°Were those two that strong? I¡¯m going again!¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Asura said and grabbed Levy¡¯s shoulder before she could call upon the lightning clouds. ¡°Raphael said he¡¯d only revive you one more time.¡± ¡°Last time wasn¡¯t fair!¡± Levy said, shaking her head so her hair flew parallel to the floor. ¡°It didn¡¯t count. I wasn¡¯t ready.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad for Raphael, making him spend so much mana to revive you?¡± Asura asked and flicked Levy¡¯s forehead. Levy pouted as Raphael finished bringing Camael back to life. ¡°Asura feels pity?¡± Levy asked, her eyes widening. ¡°Are you really Asura?¡± She reached up and pinched one of Asura¡¯s heads¡¯ cheeks. ¡°Eh? You really are?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because your brains splattered on her bed.¡± Levy and Asura focused their attention on the corner. ¡°So you woke up, Uriel,¡± Asura said and nodded two of her heads. ¡°Was that the Creator¡¯s contract bringing you back?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Uriel said and sighed. Her face was pale with dark bags underneath her eyes. Her hair had grown down to her waist, and it seemed like she had aged by a few years. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let us die just like that I suppose.¡± Uriel winced as she climbed out of bed, her body naked. She reached underneath her bed and pulled out a chest filled with clothes, rifling through it before choosing a simple dress. As she fixed her hair, she asked, ¡°By the way you were talking earlier, it sounds like that wasn¡¯t the first time Levy died. Was it always the white beam that killed her? I think that¡¯s what killed Creed and me earlier as well.¡± ¡°No!¡± Levy said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°There¡¯s these two people who Levy¡¯s trying to catch.¡± ¡°And they killed your lightning avatar?¡± Creed asked. He was lying in his bed, eyes still closed. Clothes flew from underneath his bed into his blanket. ¡°They¡¯re strong,¡± Levy said and bobbed her head up and down. ¡°One¡¯s pride and greed. Another¡¯s wrath and envy.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Creed¡¯s eyes flashed open as he sat up straight. ¡°And they¡¯re strong enough to kill you?¡± ¡°And me,¡± Camael said as he cracked and rubbed his neck which was stiff from being removed. Receiving the same damage from his lightning avatar annoyed him, but it was a fair price to pay. ¡°Well, one of them at least. The demon¡¯s only an ordinary archdemon of pride. The angel¡¯s like us¡ªnot very angelic.¡± Uriel snorted. ¡°Which part of me isn¡¯t angelic?¡± she asked and crossed her arms over her chest, sitting back down on her bed. ¡°The horns,¡± Levy said and pointed above her head. ¡°And those breasts are unnatural.¡± Uriel glowered at Levy before turning her head away, unwilling to argue with the childlike demon. Creed scratched his chin. ¡°If the demon lives for a few more centuries, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll evolve to our status. But still, an archdemon of pride isn¡¯t anything you should be calling ordinary.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, whatever,¡± Camael said. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on how to bring him over to our side.¡± ¡°I can tell you forcefully capturing him isn¡¯t the way. Making him submit isn¡¯t the way either,¡± Creed said and shrugged. ¡°Do you know why there are so few pride archdemons? It¡¯s because they never run away from a fight until the other side submits, dies, or kills them. An archdemon of pride must¡¯ve gone through thousands of fights in Eljiam without losing once¡ªeven against those stronger than themselves.¡± He made eye contact with Levy and Asura. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Prideful demons were always the worst kind of demon to deal with. Just looking at them the wrong way could bring about a fight to the death,¡± Asura said. ¡°How do you look at someone the wrong way?¡± Uriel asked. ¡°Making eye contact,¡± Asura said. Levy shrugged. ¡°I just squished them and they went splat like everyone else,¡± she said with a bright smile. Raphael cleared his throat, causing the rest of the people in the room to turn their attentions on him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that the demon¡¯s pride then? Naturally, it¡¯ll come to us when it finds out Levy¡¯s still alive,¡± he said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll need that gluttony being that appeared earlier.¡± His head swiveled around, making sure to face each person even though he didn¡¯t have eyes. ¡°And after that, we¡¯ll finally be free.¡± ¡°Levy doesn¡¯t want to wait! We should bring them here right now!¡± Levy said and puffed her cheeks out. ¡°Think back to when you first came here,¡± Raphael said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the Creator that formed contracts with you and brought you here? We don¡¯t have to do anything. The Creator will make sure they arrive.¡± Camael rubbed his chin with the tip of his scorpion tail, spreading green fluids on his skin. ¡°That makes sense,¡± he said. ¡°But are you sure they¡¯ll accept the Creator¡¯s proposal? It¡¯s a pride demon we¡¯re talking about. According to sleepyhead over there, pride demons sound like they won¡¯t submit that easily.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t all of us come here voluntarily?¡± Raphael asked. He lowered his head. ¡°Though knowing what I know now, I probably wouldn¡¯t make the same decision. I believe the Creator will find a way. He¡¯s the one who wants to gather us the most after all.¡± ¡°But like I said,¡± Camael said. ¡°He¡¯s only an ordinary archdemon. The Creator didn¡¯t come looking for us until after Levy evolved past archdemon. What if he dies before that happens? I really don¡¯t want to wait for a prideful person to naturally appear. We should capture him and help him evolve.¡± ¡°Then ¡­ shall I go?¡± Asura asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be able to resist my persuasion.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need Sariel¡¯s permission to leave the room,¡± Creed said. The door to the room swung open with a bang, and Sariel stepped inside. Creed laughed. ¡°Speak of the devil and he shall appear.¡± Sariel gulped as if she were a lamb thrown in front of six lions. ¡°Y-yes?¡± Chapter 315 + 316 ¡°We can¡¯t advance any further. The blast radius is too big,¡± Pyre said and shook his head as he sucked on his pipe. The halflings lying on their backs were either sleeping or groaning with sweat pouring from their bodies. Even the archangels had exhausted their mana reserves for the second B.F.G. assault, and the mountain was crawling along at a child¡¯s walking pace. ¡°Then what¡¯s the plan?¡± Mathias asked. After the mountain passed through the wall, Pyre had ordered them to stop. ¡°You do have a plan, right?¡± Pyre snorted. ¡°Everyone knows the plan always crumbles upon first contact with the enemy.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°I have a backup plan,¡± Pyre said and rolled his eyes. ¡°I thought of it just now. Have all the halflings who haven¡¯t had their mana extracted scatter. Take the orbs, group up, and kidnap as many angels as possible. That should buy us a little bit of time.¡± ¡°But the only ones who haven¡¯t used their mana aren¡¯t even greater halflings,¡± Mathias said and furrowed his brow. Was it a mistake to replace Solra with Pyre? No, Solra hadn¡¯t even explained how they would enter the capital. Pyre did that at least. ¡°That¡¯s what the orbs are for,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Disable the angels¡¯ powers and beat them with numbers, then bring them back here.¡± He paused. ¡°And pray they don¡¯t encounter any archangels. As long as we can gather enough angels, we can fire the B.F.G. again. If we can hit the central tower, the majority of the capital will be wiped out from the explosion and it¡¯ll be our victory.¡± Mathias scratched his head. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you hit the tower with the one you fired just now then?¡± Pyre smacked the centaur with the back of his pipe. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t try?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you know how hard it is to aim this thing? I designed it to maximize power, not accuracy!¡± ¡°¡­Which means it¡¯s possible to miss again?¡± ¡°Anything¡¯s possible! Hurry up and gather those angels,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how fast those freaks will recover.¡± Two figures dropped from the sky and landed beside Pyre. He inspected them and nodded. ¡°You two don¡¯t look too exhausted. It seems like you wiped out one of the families?¡± Two scaly hands popped out of Danger Noodle¡¯s jaw. Cleo climbed out of the snake and shook herself off. ¡°It was the Ingel family,¡± she said. She took out the Ingel family¡¯s necklace and kicked it. ¡°Stupid glowing bird.¡± Palan and Raea wouldn¡¯t have been discovered if it weren¡¯t for the necklace triggering an alarm system. Cleo hoped Palan didn¡¯t realize that; otherwise, he¡¯d definitely leave her behind next time. Luckily for her, Palan was a bit absentminded after fighting with the lightning avatars. ¡°Sariel¡¯s body will be destroyed if you follow through with the plan, right?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°Uh, probably?¡± Pyre scratched his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard any rumors of her being sturdy enough to survive something that can destroy red metal.¡± ¡°Is there another plan?¡± Palan asked. Mathias had already run off to inform the troops about kidnapping angels. ¡°I need Sariel¡¯s head.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take a while to gather all the angels,¡± Pyre said and bit down on his pipe. ¡°You can kill her before then, and we¡¯ll fire the B.F.G. when you come back. Do you think you can do that? A lot of options are no longer viable after finding out the lightning avatar can come back to life repeatedly.¡± ¡°Then I guess there¡¯s no other choice,¡± Palan said with a frown. ¡°Though I¡¯m only interested in killing Sariel and returning to Eljiam.¡± ¡°Will the portal be destroyed?¡± Raea asked. ¡°It¡¯s in the basement of the tower.¡± ¡°Bah,¡± Pyre said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. If you want a targeted portal, I can build one. It might not be as efficient mana-wise, but we have enough archlings to power an inefficient portal.¡± ¡°You can build one?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯m a genius.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also in the books,¡± a slurred voice said. The headmaster was approaching the group with an open bottle in his hand. ¡°There are step-by-step picture books on how to make a portal. It¡¯s just difficult for the populace to gather enough mana to activate one, not to mention illegal if you don¡¯t have proper authorization.¡± He took a swig from the bottle. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but overhear, you wanted to kill Sariel?¡± His eyes twinkled. Palan glared at Pyre. ¡°I thought you locked this guy up,¡± he said and crossed his arms. ¡°Why¡¯s he look so free?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my teacher,¡± Pyre said and shrugged. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t sabotage me. He¡¯s also voluntarily filling up orbs for us. There¡¯s no reason to torture him and keep him locked up.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal,¡± Headmaster said and sat on the ground, tossing his empty bottle over his shoulder. He waited for Palan¡¯s response, but neither Palan nor Raea said anything. A sigh escaped from his lips. ¡°Look, I know Lady Caelum might have a teensy grudge against me for those puzzles I gave her, and I¡¯m fairly certain I left a bad impression on the demon and his lizard, but¡ªhear me out¡ªI¡¯m useful.¡± He thumped the ground with his fist. ¡°I¡¯m useful, dammit. None of you have been to the capital. I have. You¡¯re looking for Sariel? I know where to find her.¡± He glared at Palan and hiccoughed. ¡°I¡¯ve lived in the capital for the majority of my life¡­,¡± Raea said. Headmaster shushed her without turning his gaze away from Palan.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°What do you want?¡± Palan asked. Even if Headmaster demanded something outrageous, Palan could always torture the information out of him. Besides, bribery and deals were second nature to residents of Eljiam¡ªand backstabbing of course. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask for much. I just hope you can leave Hailing Academy intact,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°And spare my family. I have two grandchildren living there.¡± ¡°You¡¯d sell Sariel for your academy?¡± Palan asked. ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to,¡± Headmaster said and lowered his head. ¡°If you lose, Hailing Academy stays intact. If you win, then the academy stays intact. What do you say? You don¡¯t have anything to lose from this deal.¡± ¡°We accept,¡± Raea said, answering for Palan. He frowned, but didn¡¯t refute her. Chapter 316 ¡°Sariel stays in her tower, practically never leaves. There¡¯s a few angels who bring her everything she requires,¡± Headmaster said, standing up and dusting off his pants. ¡°Any public appearances she makes is from her balcony. The tower overlooks the main plaza used for gatherings, announcements, and merit awards.¡± ¡°Central tower then,¡± Palan said. ¡°That already was our original goal.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t all,¡± Headmaster said and cleared his throat. ¡°You didn¡¯t let me finish speaking.¡± He scratched his chin and muttered to himself before raising his head again. ¡°I bet Lady Caelum doesn¡¯t know how many floors there are to the central tower.¡± ¡°There¡¯s four,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. She had only accepted Headmaster¡¯s deal because she wanted a place to educate her harpy underlings. And maybe she felt a little guilty and wanted to preserve as much angel culture as possible. She was regretting it a bit now. There was no reason for him to undermine her words. ¡°The first floor for the masses. The second floor for the council and Sariel¡¯s living quarters. The third floor which has been sealed off. And the basement for the portal.¡± ¡°See,¡± Headmaster said and nodded. ¡°Superficial knowledge.¡± Raea resisted the urge to hit the angel over the head. ¡°There¡¯s actually more floors beneath the basement. Sariel could be hiding in one of those.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anything about this.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°I helped build them after all. Sariel wanted to construct places for certain ¡­ activities. And I¡¯m practically the smartest archangel in the world. I was hired to help her, but I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of guilt, so I left the capital and became the headmaster of Hailing.¡± ¡°Sariel wouldn¡¯t do anything to make you feel guilty,¡± Raea said and narrowed her eyes at the headmaster. She paused while biting her lower lip. ¡°Unless you¡¯re a sinner. Then you¡¯ll feel really bad.¡± The headmaster nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought at first,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe a normal angel wouldn¡¯t have felt bad for what Sariel¡¯s doing. She requested for me to create an arena of sorts. I don¡¯t know what she intended on using it for, but anyone creating an environment like that away from public eyes can¡¯t be up to any good. Maybe she really wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything wrong and wanted to grow flowers down there or something.¡± He snorted. ¡°Everyone, even Sariel, has secrets. The cleaner they are on the outside, the dirtier they are on the inside.¡± ¡°Does it work the other way around too?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°Like is Palan secretly a saint?¡± Palan nudged Cleo aside with his foot and snorted. ¡°So there¡¯s a few secret lairs inside the tower is what you¡¯re saying,¡± he said. ¡°If Sariel¡¯s not in the first three floors or the basement, then she¡¯s hiding underneath?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°Angels don¡¯t have anywhere to evacuate to. Never in anyone¡¯s wildest dreams would they believe the capital would fall. It¡¯s simply impossible to break down the wall.¡± He glanced at Pyre who was lying on his back and blowing smoke at the moon. ¡°They didn¡¯t prepare for the impossible. Who would?¡± His attention turned back on Palan. ¡°Anyways, the entrance to the lower floors is a secret that only I and Sariel know. You¡¯ll need me to access them. There were a few slaves she employed, but their bones have probably already been used to reinforce the arena¡¯s walls.¡± ¡°You sound like you¡¯re on good terms with Sariel,¡± Palan said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I kill her?¡± The headmaster let out an empty laugh as he looked down and pulled a bottle out of his bag. ¡°It¡¯s true that I was on pretty good terms with her,¡± he said. He didn¡¯t meet Palan¡¯s eyes as he popped open the cork. ¡°But not anymore. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d understand if I traded her life for the safety of my legacy.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one lecturing me about assaulting the angels?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. He sat up and coughed a few times before spitting purple phlegm onto the ground. ¡°What changed your mind?¡± Headmaster shrugged. ¡°I thought about your words,¡± he said and took a sip from his bottle. ¡°I really don¡¯t have much longer to live. My grandchildren are the only family I have left. I don¡¯t want them to die without realizing their potential. If I can guarantee their safety, then I¡¯ll do it.¡± His eyes narrowed at Pyre. ¡°Also, to be completely honest, the B.F.G.¡¯s firepower played a major part in convincing me. How the heck did you even come up with a concept like that, you madman? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually get this far, but now that you have, I need some contingency plans.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to take him with us,¡± Cleo said and tugged on Palan¡¯s pants. ¡°He¡¯s actually really strong too if he drinks his magical liquor. We should take him.¡± And maybe if there was a problem with more alarms, Palan would blame Headmaster instead of her. Having a scapegoat was always nice. ¡°We should,¡± Raea said. ¡°If Sariel really is hiding underground, he could be useful.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Palan said to Headmaster. The drunkard nodded while drinking, brown liquid spilling onto the front of his shirt. ¡°And your grandchildren.¡± The headmaster¡¯s eyes widened for a second. Palan smiled. ¡°But that shouldn¡¯t matter, right? There¡¯s no way you¡¯d try to deceive me.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Headmaster said and cleared his throat. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and muttered at the ground, ¡°For the sake of my grandchildren.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave immediately,¡± Palan said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to smoke to recover your mana?¡± Pyre asked holding up his pipe. ¡°I prefer having a clear head at all times,¡± Palan said. He furrowed his brow. ¡°What exactly have you been resting on this whole time?¡± Pyre looked down. A cocoon was pulsating underneath him, causing his body to rise up and down. ¡°Oh, this? This is Cory,¡± Pyre said. ¡°She¡¯s evolving into an existence beyond archling. I think. This hasn¡¯t happened before.¡± ¡°Then why are you sitting on her¡­?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°You know how birds imprint on the first thing they see after they¡¯re born?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to be the first one she sees. Even if it doesn¡¯t work, it¡¯s not like she¡¯ll know I sat on her.¡± A bird¡¯s foot popped out of the cocoon, stabbing its talon¡¯s into Pyre¡¯s butt. He yelped and fell forward, landing face first onto the ground. Another foot popped out of the cocoon and proceeded to tear it apart. Pyre grumbled and scratched his head as Cory worked on freeing herself. ¡°That was an awfully fast evolution.¡± A slimy, feathered creature flopped out of the cocoon and started to cough. ¡°Cory?¡± Raea asked. The harpy¡¯s body was unchanged. She was still red all over and the same size as before. But when she raised her head, Cory¡¯s eyes had changed from blue and angel-like to yellow and hawk-like¡ªthe same as the ones she ate off the floor. Chapter 317 ¡°Huh? Why¡¯s everyone staring at me?¡± Cory asked as she stood up and began preening herself, spreading the fluids from the cocoon over her body. ¡°Never seen someone so beautiful after taking a nap? I think I understand.¡± She frowned and tilted her head before sniffing underneath her wing. ¡°Why am I so slimy?¡± ¡°You evolved,¡± Pyre said as he climbed to his feet. ¡°How do you feel? Stronger? More abundant mana? Your physical characteristics didn¡¯t chance much, so I assume the evolution was mostly internal.¡± ¡°I evolved?¡± Cory asked, blinking her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m amazing!¡± Her wings spread to the side as she pranced around, twisting her neck to observe her body. ¡°Everything¡¯s so much more clear.¡± She rubbed her eyes with her wings and blinked a few times. ¡°I can see the pores on your face. You should really wash your face better.¡± She wrinkled her nose at Pyre. ¡°Just that? Nothing else?¡± Pyre asked, pinching Cory¡¯s flesh. She smacked his hands away. ¡°Try using your lightning. It should be black instead of red now.¡± Cory tilted her head and raised her wing. There was a crackling sound, and white lightning exploded out of her feathers, scorching the ground before it condensed and circled around her body. ¡°White?¡± Cory asked. ¡°It can¡¯t be that I got weaker, right?¡± She glanced around. ¡°Where¡¯s that four-armed blockhead? Let me smack him to test it out.¡± Palan ignored Cory and Pyre, addressing Raea, Headmaster, and Cleo, ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to enter undetected while it¡¯s still night. There should still be a few hours before the first sun starts to rise, but we should leave now.¡± He glared at Cleo. ¡°If any of you trigger an alarm because of a shiny object¡­¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have anything!¡± Cleo said and shook her head. Right? Maybe she should get rid of the shiny accessories just in case. She hopped over to Pyre. ¡°Hold these for me.¡± She grabbed her belt and lifted it. Hundreds of golden objects fell to the ground, forming a pile taller and wider than Pyre. If Linda were there, she¡¯d probably have a heart attack from overstimulation. Cleo waved her fist at Pyre before running to Palan¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯ll know if you take any!¡± Cory frowned at the pile and picked at it with her talons. ¡°Isn¡¯t this ours¡­?¡± she asked herself before glaring at Cleo. The lizardman cleared her throat and looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Cleo said and tugged on Raea¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I was with you this whole time, right?¡± Raea nodded. ¡°She only went to use the restroom once.¡± And managed to steal the harpies¡¯ treasure trove in those ten minutes. Cory furrowed her brow and shook her head. She wasn¡¯t going to question the harbinger. She placed the trinket back onto the pile and glanced to the side. Her eyes widened. ¡°Where are you going?¡± she asked as Palan wrapped his tails around Cleo and the headmaster. ¡°I want to come too!¡± She hopped over and grabbed Crimson Snek, wrapping its body around herself as if she were buckling a seatbelt.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°You can fly,¡± Palan said with a blank expression. Cory nodded once in reply, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was going to say anything. Palan shook his head. ¡°Whatever.¡± He could use her as a shield if necessary. He leapt into the air, and Raea followed after him. They passed over crowds of halflings who had spread out upon hearing Pyre¡¯s orders. A few houses were already set ablaze, and Raea couldn¡¯t help but frown at the sight. Her parents¡¯ house was located on the opposite side of the capital, so they should hear about the assault before it actually reached them. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was angry or relieved by that. She hadn¡¯t quite forgiven them for neglecting her which ultimately ended up with her being expelled from the capital. And she hadn¡¯t been able to return the favor for kidnapping her and trying to kill Palan. Maybe she was relieved they were going to be unharmed because then she could be the one to punish them. ¡°You¡¯re thinking unnecessary thoughts,¡± Palan said, bringing Raea¡¯s attention back on the night sky. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Just something about your face,¡± Palan said and glanced at her. ¡°Something about my face?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be terrible at reading other people¡¯s expressions and emotions.¡± ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°If anything, I¡¯ve mastered reading body language. It¡¯s extremely useful to know whether a wild animal is threatening you out of fear or aggression.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m a wild animal now?¡± Raea muttered to herself. She placed her hands on her hips, causing her to wobble a bit in the air. ¡°So why haven¡¯t I figured this out earlier. I thought you treated me terribly because you didn¡¯t know how I was feeling.¡± Palan coughed. ¡°Anyways, you have to keep a clear mind,¡± he said. ¡°You can screw up any other time in your life, but you¡¯re not allowed to get yourself killed here.¡± Raea snorted. ¡°Who has to use whose power to survive?¡± she asked and rolled her eyes. Before Palan could respond, a surge of heat blasted towards him from the ground. A figure was rapidly approaching him with six blazing wings made of black fire. He reacted almost instantly and pointed at the figure, wrapping its body in a black light. The figure¡¯s speed slowed until it was practically crawling through the air. A dark-green mist formed above Palan¡¯s palm, congealing into a liquid blob which he threw towards the assailant. It screamed with three different voices and plummeted towards the ground. ¡°What the heck was that?¡± Cleo asked, blinking at the black flames that were starting to spread below. ¡°That was Palan using my powers,¡± Raea said with a smirk. She resisted the urge to say, ¡°I told you so.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still alive,¡± Palan said and frowned. Usually, Raea¡¯s poison would corrode anything it touched in an instant. ¡°Get down here!¡± the figure shouted from below. ¡°Like we¡¯d do that,¡± Raea said and snorted. ¡°Right, Palan¡­?¡± The black light around Palan had dispersed, and he was plummeting towards the flames below. She blinked once before flying after him, catching his body and slowing his descent. But only slowing it¡ªhe was simply too heavy. Her wings struggled against the air, causing her to pant. ¡°Palan! Stop being so damn heavy.¡± ¡°We have to go down,¡± Palan said in a flat voice. His body was engulfed by a black light, and Raea¡¯s arms were nearly torn from her shoulders as Palan¡¯s body became heavier. She furrowed her brow and allowed herself to fall with him, creating a barrier of greed underneath his body, so they wouldn¡¯t be burned by the black flames upon landing. Chapter 318 The black flames scattered as Raea¡¯s greed barrier collided against the ground. Palan didn¡¯t say a word as he landed on his feet, his body motionless. Cleo and the headmaster were behaving similarly, their eyes empty, staring at nothing in particular. Only Cory was struggling to break out of Crimson Snek¡¯s grasp, but she couldn¡¯t get free. Raea landed beside Palan with her brow furrowed. ¡°Palan!¡± she shouted. ¡°What was that? You nearly tore my arms off!¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. Raea placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. Her brow furrowed. ¡°Palan?¡± she asked in a softer voice. She waved her hand in front of his face, but there was no reaction. His eyes that followed movements even while he was asleep stared straight ahead. Raea turned her neck, following his gaze. A three-headed, six-armed demon was watching her with raised eyebrows. One of the demon¡¯s heads was rotting, smoke rising from the peeling face. A white fluid¡ªthat Raea suspected was a melted eyeball¡ªwas running down the demon¡¯s cheek. ¡°You must be that angel¡­,¡± Asura said. The black flames in the surroundings stopped burning as the demon nodded at Raea. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± Raea asked, narrowing her eyes at Asura. Something about the demon made her feel comfortable. As if her voice had wrapped her in a blanket made of velvet. ¡°Chastity?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be impervious to my voice,¡± Asura said, lowering her hands, exposing an unguarded posture. Her heads dipped downwards. ¡°Shall we have a talk? My name is Asura.¡± ¡°Release Palan,¡± Raea said as her face relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t feel comfortable around him,¡± Asura said. She pointed at her ruined head which was still in the process of decaying. ¡°He assaulted me. I know that¡¯s a standard greeting in Eljiam, but we¡¯re in Div¡¯Nya.¡± Since when were demons so diplomatic? Raea scratched her head. ¡°He won¡¯t attack you¡ªactually no, he will. But still, release him.¡± Green mist drifted out of Raea¡¯s wings, taking a humanoid form above her body. She wanted to use wrath, but the demon in front of her could also use it, and it was obvious envy worked. ¡°Will you agree to hear me out if I release him?¡± Asura asked and furrowed her brows. ¡°Yes.¡± Asura nodded. ¡°Then restrain your demon, please.¡± Asura clapped her hands, and Palan¡¯s body shuddered. Cleo and Headmaster jerked in his grasp and looked around. Palan snarled and plugged his ears with his fingers as black needles rose up behind his back. Raea grabbed his elbow and tugged, separating Palan¡¯s finger from his ear. ¡°Stop,¡± she said. ¡°She wants to talk.¡± Palan snorted as the flaming needles flew forward. ¡°Do people charge at others with flaming black wings when they just want to talk?¡± he asked. His eyes narrowed as Asura swatted away the flames with her palms. She had summoned a thin layer of fire to cover her hands. ¡°I can¡¯t fly any other way. Sorry about that,¡± Asura said with a smile. She pointed at her face. Melted fragments of her brain were leaking out of her empty nose and eye sockets. ¡°And you did get your revenge, didn¡¯t you?¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What do you want?¡± Palan asked. His body was still tense, and Cory was struggling to get free as his tails tightened around his passengers. ¡°You were the ones that killed the lightning avatar,¡± Asura said. Palan didn¡¯t say anything, but green mist streamed out of his body. ¡°Quite frankly, I want to help you evolve.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You heard me correctly,¡± Asura said. ¡°I want you help you become an existence greater than an archdemon.¡± She was met with silence. ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to? Are you satisfied with being weaker than your angel?¡± Palan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you it was free,¡± Asura said and tilted one of her heads. ¡°Then ¡­ kill someone for me.¡± ¡°Hey, Palan,¡± Raea said and poked his side. ¡°I know you think I¡¯m na?ve and all, but I really don¡¯t think you can trust her.¡± ¡°You can trust me,¡± Asura said and smiled. Palan¡¯s body relaxed while Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. Was Asura using her power again? ¡°I¡¯m an existence above an archdemon after all. Helping an archdemon evolve is as easy as feeding a cat. You don¡¯t want power?¡± ¡°Can you make me evolve?¡± Cory asked and raised a wing while Palan was standing still. ¡°You already evolved a few minutes ago,¡± Cleo said and snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t get too greedy.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Asura asked and leaned to the side to look around Palan¡¯s body. She sucked in her breath when she met Cory¡¯s eyes. They looked like Raphael¡¯s, but was it possible for them to actually be his? He was ranting a bit before she left which is why she came alone¡­. ¡°I¡¯m Cory,¡± Cory said. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°How would you make me evolve?¡± Palan asked, temporarily forgetting his mission to kill Sariel. ¡°Simple,¡± Asura said and made a chopping motion at her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you my organs and limbs until you have enough mana to breakthrough.¡± Raea blinked. ¡°Why?¡± Palan asked, ignoring the baffled expression on Raea¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s a secret,¡± Asura said. ¡°You¡¯ll know after you evolve.¡± Her smile deepened. ¡°Trust me.¡± ¡°Give me a reason to trust you,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°You¡¯re seriously considering this?¡± Raea asked and bit her lower lip. ¡°Are you really that upset about me being stronger than you? I actually think you¡¯re a lot better than I am in a lot of aspects. You don¡¯t have to accept her deal.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll accept it, won¡¯t you?¡± Asura asked. ¡°Tell me you want power, and I¡¯ll show you why you should trust me.¡± Palan¡¯s expression wavered. He glanced at Raea and clenched his hands before facing Asura. ¡°I want power.¡± Asura¡¯s lips rose until her teeth showed. She sauntered towards Palan and pulled out a dagger hanging by her waist. ¡°Find me at the top of the central tower. I guarantee no one will hurt you,¡± she said and stopped in front of Palan. She raised the dagger, causing flames and smoke to appear around Raea¡¯s and Palan¡¯s bodies as they tensed. ¡°For now, as a sign of goodwill, you can eat me.¡± The dagger flashed and red lines appeared across Asura¡¯s three necks. Blood poured out of her wounds as she fell to her knees. She winced but changed her expression back to a smile as she met the group¡¯s stunned expressions. Raea only reacted after Asura fell on her face and Palan tore off a chunk of the demon¡¯s flesh. ¡°What the hell was that!?¡± she asked as Palan sniffed the meat, ignoring her and checking for poison. He stuffed it in Headmaster¡¯s mouth and forced it down his throat as a test. Other than the wretched face the headmaster made, there were no other signs of danger, so Palan picked out Asura¡¯s organs and stuffed them into his torso-mouth. After that was done, Asura¡¯s corpse shone with a soft golden light before dissolving into hundreds of particles that floated into the air, drifting towards the tower in the distance. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked with her brow furrowed. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I feel great,¡± Palan said and licked his lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the tower.¡± Raea bit her lower lip as Palan leapt into the air. Palan usually wasn¡¯t wrong. Even when she felt uneasy about his actions, he always managed to pull through somehow. It should be the same this time, right? Maybe it was just her envy making her uncomfortable about a woman approaching her demon. That must be it. Chapter 319 Compared to the first sector, the capital was abandoned. Vast stretches of plains passed below Raea and Palan as they flew through the air, occasionally traveling above a road. Thankfully, it was nighttime¡ªthe capital had a curfew. She wouldn¡¯t have to slaughter or watch Palan slaughter any of the neighboring families she grew up with. Sometimes, her neighbors treated her better than her parents did. It was a little strange that no one went outside to check their surroundings considering all the noise the fight with the lightning avatar had made, but years of living in absolute safety and the threat of expulsion for breaking curfew made the citizens complacent. But the angels weren¡¯t the only ones who were too trusting. Raea scowled as she glanced towards Palan. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the slightest bit suspicious about Asura?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she used her power on you when she said to trust her. I¡¯m supposed to be the na?ve one, and you¡¯re supposed to be the skeptic.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Sometimes you can¡¯t gain things without taking risks,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, she¡¯s trustworthy. Would you kill yourself and let someone eat you just to gain their trust?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Cleo said, swinging her feet in the air with Danger Noodle wrapped around her waist like an inflatable tube. ¡°Asura is definitely trustworthy. Didn¡¯t you hear her? She said she¡¯d guarantee no one would hurt us if we went to the top of the tower. And that¡¯s most likely where the lightning avatar¡¯s owner is. If she refuses to hurt us, then there¡¯s no one who can stop Palan.¡± Raea stared at Cleo with a deadpan expression, causing the lizardman to tilt her head and ask, ¡°What?¡± with her eyes. Raea shook her head and glanced at the headmaster. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± the headmaster said and shrugged. Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he cleared his throat. ¡°But if you insist on knowing my opinion, Asura sounds like a very trustworthy person. She showed no signs of aggression, and she didn¡¯t even retaliate after Palan melted her face.¡± Raea bit her lower lip. Before she could say anything, Cory raised both of her wings into the air and leaned back against Palan¡¯s tail while shouting, ¡°I don¡¯t trust her!¡± Cory let out a hmph and crossed her wings over her chest. ¡°She¡¯s definitely a pervert. You saw the way she looked into my eyes right? Only Crimson Snek can look at me like that.¡± Palan¡¯s red tail raised its head while flickering its tongue. ¡°See,¡± Palan said. ¡°Everyone thinks we can trust her.¡± ¡°Did you not hear what I just said, you dingus? I don¡¯t trust her.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°You¡¯re a harpy,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°Your words are automatically invalid. Call me a dingus again and I¡¯ll eat you with my tail.¡± Crimson Snek put on a troubled expression¡ªas troubled as a snake¡¯s face could look at least. ¡°You know what,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Fine. Whatever. Do your thing; I don¡¯t care. I promised you I¡¯d help you return to your sister, so I¡¯ll do it even though I think you¡¯re making a horrible mistake right now.¡± Cleo whispered to Danger Noodle, ¡°I think she¡¯s mad at you.¡± ¡°Not me,¡± the snake said and shook its head. ¡°Mad at other me.¡± Raea glared at the two reptiles conversing with each other, causing Cleo to shut her mouth. The party fell silent, save for Cory¡¯s grumbles, as they traveled through the sky. They had left the rebel army¡¯s foremost kidnapping party far behind by now. The central tower had seemed small from the distance, but as they got closer, Palan realized it was actually massive¡ªtaller than the wall separating the first and second sectors. He increased the gravity around his body and landed on the ground before jumping even higher than before. ¡°Oh,¡± Raea said, jumping into the air again. She had landed when he did. ¡°You weren¡¯t just going to knock on the door and say, ¡®Asura asked me to come here¡¯? I thought she was trustworthy.¡± Palan rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m surveying the surroundings from above. An escape route is always nice to have.¡± ¡°Why would you want to escape from your honest friend?¡± Raea asked and jabbed his ribs with her finger. ¡°Are you still going on about this?¡± Palan asked and swatted her hand away. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± ¡°What¡¯s my problem? I have a hypocritical and stupid demon as my contractee,¡± Raea said and snorted. ¡°What? My mana isn¡¯t good enough for you? Am I such a bad contractor that my demon had to beg another woman to feed him mana?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t beg,¡± Palan said with a snarl. ¡°Oh really,¡± Raea said. She crinkled her noise and said in a deep voice, ¡°I want power. Wah wah. Let me eat you. Forget about killing Sariel and reuniting with my sister. I¡¯m so mad my girlfriend is stronger than me. Whine whine.¡± Cleo whimpered as her waist was constricted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here right now,¡± she said and struggled. Palan¡¯s body tensed as his eyes narrowed at Raea. Black flames sprung up around his body. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Raea said and snorted. ¡°Use my own powers against me. You know you can¡¯t hurt me with your pride because it¡¯s so weak.¡± Her brow furrowed as she turned her head away from his piercing gaze. The tower was nearly beneath them. She muttered, ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t bring me back to life.¡± Palan snorted and glanced down as the flames around his body dispersed. To his surprise, the top of the tower had no roof. The sides and top of the tower were a bit frayed, almost as if someone had ripped away the roof. ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Palan said, glancing at Raea. She didn¡¯t respond, hovering in place instead. Palan shrugged and released his powers, plummeting towards the open building. Four figures looked up at the same time, but no one tried to stop him from entering. A crashing sound announced his landing, his body leaving a web of cracks on the floor that showed through the carpet. The tower shook, and he thought he heard a scream coming from the second floor. Raphael was the first to speak. ¡°Hello. We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Chapter 320 ¡°Waiting for me?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. He glanced around but didn¡¯t see Asura; however, he did sense someone sleeping in a bed, their body covered by a blanket. ¡°Is Asura here?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like beating around the bush, I see,¡± Raphael said with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? But yes, Asura is here.¡± He pointed at the occupied bed. The rest of the beings were sitting around the table, a board game with cards and figurines spread across its surface. ¡°Interesting,¡± Palan said. He turned his attention towards the remaining angels and demons. His gaze paused on Uriel and Creed for a brief moment. Cleo also noticed them as well. ¡°Hey,¡± she said. ¡°Aren¡¯t those two¡ªguh!?¡± Danger Noodle swallowed her head, preventing her from saying anything else. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Asura¡¯s still alive?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Surprised?¡± Camael asked. ¡°Admit it. You are.¡± Palan snorted and stomped towards Camael. The angel with the scorpion tail grinned and leaned back in his seat. ¡°You¡¯re the wimpy lightning avatar,¡± Palan said, narrowing his eyes. Laughter tinkled from the side as Camael¡¯s expression contorted. ¡°He¡¯s right, Camael,¡± Uriel said and stifled her laughs. ¡°Compared to Levy, your lightning avatar really is a wimp.¡± ¡°Asura said she¡¯d guarantee my safety,¡± Palan said. ¡°If I ate you, would that still be the case?¡± Camael¡¯s nose crinkled. ¡°He¡¯s just like you the first time you came here, Camael,¡± Creed said. The plain-looking demon nodded at Palan. ¡°Go ahead and eat him. I give you my permission.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± Camael said, throwing a figurine at Creed. ¡°Since when did you have permission to sell my body like that?¡± ¡°Levy lost a bet with me,¡± Creed said in a flat voice. ¡°You owe me three lives.¡± Camael glared at Levy who stuck her tongue out and scratched her head. ¡°Levy thought she¡¯d win the bet,¡± Levy said and shrugged. ¡°Levy was wrong.¡± Camael sighed and glared at Palan. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°You can eat me.¡± He held his arm out towards Palan and turned his head to the side. When Palan didn¡¯t bite him, he frowned and furrowed his brow. ¡°What? Did you want me to shower first or something?¡± ¡°What kind of dysfunctional family did we walk in on?¡± Cleo muttered. Her eyes widened at the board game. ¡°Ah! They¡¯re playing lizards and heroes. I want to join!¡± She slid out of Danger Noodle¡¯s grasp, but still hid behind Palan, unsure of whether or not she should approach the table. Palan ignored the outstretched arm and raised his head, looking at the figure in the sky. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you we could trust Asura?¡± he asked and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°There¡¯s no point in waiting there like a stranger.¡± ¡°Is that your contractor?¡± Levy asked, tugging on Palan¡¯s arm. He flinched. He hadn¡¯t noticed her approaching. ¡°She¡¯s the mean one who kept killing Levy, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯d stay away from her if I were you,¡± Creed said to Palan, gesturing towards Levy. ¡°Of all of us here, she¡¯s the least sane and most dangerous.¡± ¡°How rude,¡± Levy said and placed her hands on her hips, her cheeks puffed outwards. ¡°Levy¡¯s too cute to be dangerous.¡± Her eyes widened as she looked up. A spear composed of black flames and tipped with green smoke plunged into her forehead and exited out the other side, piercing her crab-like lower body and nailing her to the floor.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Stay away from him, bitch,¡± Raea said with a snarl as she landed beside Palan, separating him from Levy¡¯s twitching corpse. Creed blinked. ¡°I stand corrected,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s no longer the most dangerous one here.¡± Raphael cleared his throat. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you as well,¡± he said. ¡°Please, have a seat, you two.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± Uriel asked. ¡°Others?¡± Raphael¡¯s brow furrowed. His empty eye sockets blinked. ¡°Weren¡¯t there only supposed to be two?¡± ¡°Man, it¡¯s like no one can hear me,¡± Cleo said and picked at the carpet with her toe. ¡°Right,¡± Uriel said. ¡°There¡¯s an extra lizardman, harpy, and angel.¡± ¡°Let them sit as well,¡± Raphael said. ¡°As Levy would say, the more the merrier.¡± ¡°Oh. Levy was killed again, so you¡¯ll have to revive her and Camael,¡± Uriel said. Raphael sighed as his head fell forward. ¡°You know what,¡± he said. ¡°Let our demon friend here eat them first. A sign of our goodwill towards him.¡± Uriel and Creed glanced at Palan who raised an eyebrow. He shrugged and began consuming Levy and Camael after confirming their bodies weren¡¯t poisonous by using Headmaster as his poison detector. Cleo and Cory managed to steal a few pieces in the process while Raea bore a hole in the back of Palan¡¯s head with her gaze. Uriel and Creed were unfazed by the process. ¡°It reminds me of our earlier days,¡± Creed said to Uriel as Palan chewed through Levy¡¯s carapace. ¡°I¡¯m almost jealous of how easy he gets to evolve.¡± After Palan finished his meal, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°And why exactly are you helping me evolve?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Asura said I¡¯d find out after I did.¡± ¡°I can answer that,¡± Raphael said as golden light streamed out of his body, encompassing the remains of Camael and Levy. Their bodies began to reform underneath the light. ¡°When a bonded angel and demon both reach beyond the limits of archangel and archdemon, the Creator will send you a message. He will offer you two an irresistible contract. All of our¡±¡ªhe gestured around the room¡ª¡°terms were different: I received eternal life. Asura had her wish granted. I¡¯m not free to share what everyone else got, but the Creator knows exactly what it is that you want. And he will give you want you want for one simple request: Stay in this room until all seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues have gathered¡ªbeyond archangel level that is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard about this,¡± Headmaster said. His face was still slightly green from the raw flesh forced down his throat. ¡°Because you¡¯re insignificant,¡± Raphael said. The headmaster snorted. Raphael continued speaking to Palan, ¡°You are pride. Your partner is envy. The sooner you evolve, the sooner we can leave this room. If you agree, then there¡¯s only gluttony left. We fulfill the rest of the requirements.¡± ¡°How long will that take?¡± Palan asked. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take very long at all. We actually detected a gluttony existence who was beyond the archangel level very recently,¡± Raphael said. ¡°It ate the sky even if only for a brief moment.¡± Cleo glanced at Headmaster with a strange smile. Headmaster¡¯s eye twitched, and he raised a finger to his lips. ¡°It was him!¡± Cleo shouted and pointed at Headmaster. ¡°He¡¯s the gluttony being who ate the sky.¡± Despite her shouts, no one paid her any attention. It really was as if no one could hear her. Headmaster crouched beside her and whispered, ¡°I ate your voice. Little lizardlings should learn to keep quiet. Don¡¯t ruin my peaceful life.¡± ¡°What if I have things I need to accomplish first?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Then by all means, accomplish them,¡± Raphael said. ¡°But we can¡¯t help you evolve until you¡¯re ready to stay in this room with us.¡± ¡°Then you won¡¯t stop us if we try to leave?¡± Raea asked. ¡°No,¡± Raphael said. ¡°We won¡¯t. I have a feeling you¡¯ll come back to us even if we let you go now.¡± ¡°That applies to me too, right?¡± Cory asked. ¡°It applies to everyone,¡± Raphael said with a nod. ¡°Oh wow,¡± Levy said and tugged on Cory¡¯s wing. The demon had put on new clothes after being revived. ¡°Your eyes look like the ones Raffi¡¯s been looking for.¡± Camael, Uriel, and Creed turned their heads towards the harpy they hadn¡¯t been paying attention to this whole time. Raphael¡¯s body was tense with an unusual expression on his face. ¡°They really do,¡± Uriel said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh. Interesting.¡± Cory cleared her throat and took a step back. Then another step back as black flames billowed from Raphael¡¯s body. She fidgeted before spreading her wings. ¡°I need to, uh, use the bathroom. Be right back!¡± She leapt into the air, but a wall of flames surged towards her. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Raphael roared, red blood pouring from his empty eye sockets. ¡°I finally found you!¡± Chapter 321 ¡°Ack!¡± Cory dove downwards, barely avoiding the black flames. The smell of burnt hair and feathers permeated the air. Cory avoided another fireball and shouted, ¡°Calm down! I thought you said I could leave at any time!¡± ¡°You think you can leave after stealing my eyes?¡± Raphael asked in a growling voice. ¡°Be obedient and come here!¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass,¡± Cory said with a shiver. There was something about Raphael¡¯s voice that made her uncomfortable. She squirmed and shook her head. ¡°And what do you mean steal your eyes? These eyes are mine! If I stole your eyes, then where did my eyes go?¡± ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear a harpy¡¯s logic,¡± Raphael said. Sometime during the commotion, he had climbed on top of the table. He pointed at the surface. ¡°Come here. Right now.¡± Palan, Cleo, and Headmaster stood up and approached Raphael. Creed shook his head and the trio froze in place. Their bodies rose into the air and were placed back into their seats as if an invisible person was playing with dolls. ¡°Not you three,¡± Creed said. He glanced at Raphael before sighing and leaning back in his seat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Cory said and shook her head. She landed behind Raea, pressing her wings against her body so no part of her stuck out. Her head glanced over Raea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Help me, harbinger. We¡¯re best friends, right? You wouldn¡¯t leave me alone to face a crazy person, yeah?¡± ¡°The harpy is unaffected by Asura¡¯s power?¡± Raphael asked and furrowed his brow. His hands clenched. ¡°What are the four of you doing? Bring her to me!¡± ¡°But Levy thinks she makes sense?¡± Levy asked and tilted her head. ¡°If her eyes are hers, then how are they yours?¡± She blinked twice and glanced at Cory. ¡°Levy thinks you¡¯re overreacting. Didn¡¯t Asura say to not hurt the guests?¡± ¡°I can feel a trace of my mana in her eyes,¡± Raphael said and snorted. The flames around his body had calmed down after Levy¡¯s speech, but they flared up again as he gritted his teeth. ¡°Those are definitely mine!¡± ¡°Was the elegant demeanor just an act?¡± Raea asked Creed and raised an eyebrow. The plain-looking demon seemed to be the most normal one here. She pinched Palan¡¯s side, snapping him out of his daze. ¡°I knew we couldn¡¯t trust them. Look at that.¡± Creed cleared his throat and tapped Raphael¡¯s shoulder with his power. Black flames rose out of the blind angel¡¯s side and smacked the air. ¡°Are you sure the mana you¡¯re feeling is due to the eyes and not because you set her feathers on fire?¡± Creed asked. ¡°You¡¯re ruining the good impression you tried to establish by acting this way, you know?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I don¡¯t care about impressions,¡± Raphael snarled. ¡°Try being blind for millennia! I can¡¯t even remember what colors look like anymore.¡± ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve asked for your eyes back instead of eternal life,¡± Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Irresistible deals?¡± She snorted. ¡°I knew it was too good to be true.¡± She looked at Palan with a face that said, ¡°I told you so.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just a misunderstanding,¡± Palan said and crossed his arms. ¡°I trust my instincts, and my instincts say Asura is trustworthy. Let¡¯s wait for her to wake up before anything else happens.¡± ¡°You only trust her because she used her power to order you to trust her!¡± Raea said and slapped Palan¡¯s cheek, causing his neck to crack as his head was twisted to the side from the impact. Cleo¡¯s eyes widened as she backed away from the heat pouring out of Raea¡¯s body. Blood trickled from the corner of Palan¡¯s lip. His eye twitched as he placed his hand on his head, cracking his neck and fixing his posture. Raea glared at him, unfazed by the smiling expression on Palan¡¯s face. ¡°What?¡± Raea asked as her tail cut through the air, smacking Palan in the chest and knocking him out of his seat. Before he could rise, she straddled his stomach and slammed him to the ground by placing her hands on his shoulders while tying up his legs with her tail. Raphael cleared his throat, but Raea ignored him. ¡°Get off me,¡± Palan said and lifted his arms. Raea¡¯s wings spread outwards and pinned them down. Palan¡¯s torso mouth opened, but Raea spat a torrent of black fire inside of it. It mewled before slamming shut, refusing to open no matter how hard Palan commanded it to. ¡°She¡¯s even crazier than Levy,¡± Creed muttered. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to live with her too?¡± ¡°Why do you trust Asura?¡± Raea asked. Palan¡¯s tails rose behind her, poised to strike. Green hands emerged from Raea¡¯s back and squeezed the snakes¡¯ mouths shut. They thrashed around, but more hands appeared and forced their wriggling bodies to the floor. ¡°She can be trusted,¡± Palan snarled. ¡°Have I ever been wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everything,¡± Raea said. Blood poured out of Palan¡¯s shoulders as Raea clenched her hands and dug her claws into his skin. ¡°Tell me. Why do you trust her? You can¡¯t say you trust her because you trust her.¡± ¡°I trust her because she¡¯s a trustworthy person who told me to trust her! What don¡¯t you understand about that?¡± ¡°What don¡¯t I understand? Why can¡¯t you see that¡¯s bullshit logic?¡± Raea exhaled as she raised her head, glaring at the spectators. ¡°You said the seven virtues were already gathered. Which one of you is charity?¡± ¡°Levy¡¯s charity!¡± Levy said and raised her hand with a smile. Her demeanor resembled a child volunteering for a magic trick. ¡°Levy¡¯s very charitable.¡± Her hair rose and fell as her head bobbed up and down. ¡°Use your powers on him,¡± Raea said, gesturing towards Palan with her head. Palan tried to bite her arm, but a fist made of black flames punched his nose. He tried using pride, wrath, envy, and greed to break free, but Raea countered them with her own. ¡°Levy doesn¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Levy said and scratched her head. ¡°Then Asura would be mad at Levy. Asura¡¯s scarier than Raffi when she¡¯s mad. Her flames are hot.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Raea asked. Sometime during her struggles with Palan, her eyes had turned purple. She released Palan and stood up. ¡°Then you can tell me who¡¯s scarier. Me or Asura.¡± The carpet and table were set ablaze as heat poured out of Raea¡¯s body. A black mist rose out of her mouth as she lowered her head and exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s so frustrating when no one will listen to you.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Cleo muttered. She glared at Headmaster. Chapter 322 ¡°Forget about using charity on your demon,¡± Raphael said and took a step forward. He was standing on the burning table, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. His clothes were also unharmed by the flames, rustling about his body as if he were in water. ¡°Are you not going to yield your eyes to me, harpy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something I can forget about,¡± Raea said and spread her wings. ¡°You¡¯re the ones who told him to trust you. Now you¡¯re attacking us and he still trusts you?¡± A hand made of flames surged towards Levy, grasping the demon by her neck and lifting her into the air. She squirmed and struggled but didn¡¯t retain any burns. A reflective barrier covered her body, keeping the flames a centimeter away from her skin. Raea narrowed her eyes, and the flames increased in intensity. The beds in the room started to smoke. ¡°Use your powers on him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about whether or not you trust us,¡± Raphael said. ¡°I just want my eyes back!¡± The flames on the table rose into the air behind the angel and took the shape of a bird. Black flames poured from Raphael¡¯s back into the phoenix, creating detailed contours on the bird¡¯s body. It opened its eyes and let out a shriek before flying towards Cory. Even though Raphael couldn¡¯t see, he could still target a specific person by creating something that had sight. Cory¡¯s eyes widened as the phoenix rushed towards her, growing larger in size as it traveled. She leapt into the air, but the phoenix shrieked and chased after her. Cory tried to create distance between herself and the bird, but it was faster and more agile than her. She tried to fly behind Raea, but the flames coming off the angel¡¯s body prevented her from approaching¡ªshe would¡¯ve been burnt more badly than if she let the phoenix hit her. ¡°Stupid bird!¡± Cory shouted and turned around in the air to face it. She crossed her wings in front of her chest and narrowed her eyes. Loud popping and crackling sounds thundered over the roars of the fire as white lightning descended from the sky and struck the phoenix. Raphael coughed up a mouthful of blood as the phoenix was battered repeatedly by the lightning bolt which had dissociated from the sky and assumed the form of a snake. It wriggled through the air, constricting and biting the flames despite the phoenix¡¯s best attempts to escape. ¡°What¡¯s happening!?¡± Raphael shouted as sharp pains wracked his chest. His stomach cramped, and he hunched over, clutching his abdomen. A fountain of black blood spewed out of his mouth as the phoenix let out a final shriek before it was consumed by the snake. Cory blinked twice. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m strong,¡± she said and tilted her head. The lightning snake nodded before lunging towards Raphael, its jaws widening enough to swallow the table whole. Raphael screamed as the lightning made contact with his body. His hair radiated outwards like an afro as his body spasmed. His clothes were disintegrated as burn marks laced his skin. The table exploded with a thundering sound that forced everyone to clasp their hands over their ears. Levy and Asura couldn¡¯t; as a result, blood ran down the sides of their faces, coming from their ears.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Raea frowned at the aftermath. Though the table had exploded, the shards were floating in place and reassembling itself. The wooden fragments that had entered Raphael¡¯s charred body flew out, dripping with blood, and also took their previous places. Creed was floating in the air, directing the repairs of everything in the room. Despite the size of Cory¡¯s attack, the room was relatively unharmed. Raphael had taken the brunt of the blow. Palan, Cleo, and the headmaster were safe; though, there was an ugly expression on Palan¡¯s face. Uriel and Camael were sitting on their beds, having retreated from the table when it was set ablaze. ¡°White lightning?¡± Camael asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What kind of ranking is white?¡± He frowned and raised his hands. Black lightning flickered from finger to finger. He narrowed his eyes, and the strands of lightning increased in size, but the color stayed the same shade of black. ¡°Well, it could eat Raphael¡¯s flames,¡± Uriel said while rubbing her chin. ¡°Even though his flames are a weakened version of Asura¡¯s¡­. Interesting. We¡¯ve waited for so many centuries and no beings beyond archangel appeared. Now there¡¯s four at the same time?¡± ¡°Maybe Raphael just got weaker?¡± Camael asked. ¡°I did not!¡± The charred corpse in the center of the table stirred. The burnt skin flaked off as Raphael¡¯s body trembled. Like a phoenix rising from its ashes, Raphael sat up and dusted himself off, leaving behind a massive pile of black flakes. His skin was unharmed, perhaps even glossier than before, and even his flowing silver hair had returned. But he was still missing his eyes. Cory¡¯s body tensed as Raphael climbed off the table, expecting another attack. Maybe she should strike him with lightning again. Yeah, that¡¯d be a good idea. Raphael dusted off his legs and cleared his throat. ¡°I admit I lost¡ª¡± Boom! The night sky temporarily turned to day as a lightning bolt split the heavens and struck Raphael upon the head, killing him instantly. Cory blinked as the people in the room turned to look at her. ¡°What?¡± Creed glanced at Raphael¡¯s body which was beginning to twitch again. ¡°Nothing,¡± Creed said and shook his head. ¡°He can¡¯t use any powers for a while after he revives, so there¡¯s no need to kill him. He¡¯ll always come back to life anyways.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that cheating?¡± Cory asked. ¡°Well, he can¡¯t leave the room,¡± Creed said and shrugged. ¡°Anyways, I think we¡¯re forgetting something very important here.¡± He glanced at Levy whose usually pale-white body was turning red from the heat coming off Raea¡¯s flames. Even her carapace was turning orange like a cooked crab¡¯s. ¡°Levy will use it! Levy will use it!¡± Levy said as her body thrashed around. ¡°No more flames!¡± Raea reduced the intensity of her flames and lowered the twitching demon to the floor. Levy trembled as she met Raea¡¯s gaze. Though Levy wasn¡¯t scared of dying, she wasn¡¯t immune to pain. Raea had kept her at the right temperature to cook her while keeping her alive. ¡°Sorry, Asura,¡± Levy said and clasped her red hands together. ¡°This lady is much scarier.¡± An invisible rippled passed through the room, washing over the inhabitants. Palan¡¯s already ugly expression turned even darker as he glared at Asura who was still sleeping on her bed. He stood up, but before he could take a step forward, the metal door in the corner of the room swung open. An aged angel froze midstride as everyone turned to stare at her. Sariel cleared her throat as her feet came together and her posture straightened. ¡°Guests?¡± Chapter 323 There was a long pause as Sariel¡¯s gaze shifted from person to person. Raphael¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°You damned harpy, I already admitted I lost. Was there a need to kill me a second time?¡± He stood up and dusted off the flaky layer of skin that appeared upon his revival. He snorted and spread his arms out to the side, facing the group completely naked. ¡°Are you going to kill me again? Is that what you want?¡± Cory rubbed her head with her wings. It would be pointless for her to kill him if he¡¯d just come back to life. There wasn¡¯t any entertainment factor either. ¡°Maybe I could eat him¡­?¡± Cory mumbled. ¡°Infinite source of food?¡± ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Palan said with a growl. His body seemed to vanish as he leapt forward, leaving cracks on the floor. An explosion resounded as he landed in front of Raphael and stretched his arm forward, grasping the angel by the neck and lifting him off the floor. Danger Noodle lunged forward and bit Raphael¡¯s side, ripping off a chunk of flesh even though it didn¡¯t have many teeth. Sariel screamed as Raphael was torn to pieces by Palan¡¯s tails, but everyone else acted as if nothing happened. Raea crossed her arms over her chest. There was a smug expression on her face. She knew he was under Asura¡¯s influence. Why was he doing everything so peacefully otherwise? ¡°You should eat Asura too,¡± Raea said with a nod. It didn¡¯t bother her when Palan killed immortal people. ¡°She¡¯s the one who used her power on you.¡± ¡°What exactly is happening here?¡± Sariel asked, her voice barely above a whisper. No one answered her. Cleo came to her side and patted her thigh, relating to a kindred soul. The angel glanced at Cleo with an odd expression on her pale face. ¡°Headmaster Hailing? Is that you?¡± Asura screamed before the headmaster could respond. Palan had torn off one of her heads and fed it to his purple tail while his torso-mouth was busy chomping off her arms. Asura tried to shout a command, but Palan stuffed her blankets into her mouth, gagging the demon. Blood splattered throughout the room as his tails ate her entrails, slurping them up like wet noodles. Sariel¡¯s face paled even further at the sight, and she stumbled to the side, catching herself by placing her hand on the wall. ¡°There, there,¡± Cleo said, and patted her sides. She scampered up the angel and rubbed her head as if she were petting a dog. ¡°If a sight like this bothers you, you probably don¡¯t belong here.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you,¡± Headmaster said, drawing his attention away from Palan¡¯s feast. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I last saw you, Sandra.¡± Sariel furrowed her brows at him, and he winked in reply. While Raea and Palan were distracted, Headmaster linked his arms around Sariel¡¯s and led her outside of the room, making sure to take Cleo with him. Cleo struggled and clutched at the ground, but the old angel devoured her senses, rendering her useless as he dragged her out of the room by the tail. ¡°Let¡¯s catch up for old time¡¯s sake.¡± As soon as they were out of the room and shut the door, Headmaster hissed, ¡°You have to run away from here. Right now. I even sent you a warning earlier.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Sariel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Those six couldn¡¯t stop them?¡± she asked. ¡°I knew they broke through the wall, but the lightning avatar was activated. They survived?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say the six favored those two. They actually want to help the demon evolve,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°And that demon really wants to kill you. You can¡¯t die here, Sariel. You¡¯re the leader of the angels and your replacement hasn¡¯t been trained, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Sariel said and lowered her head. ¡°There haven¡¯t been many promising people who could replace me. I figured the Creator would send me one when the time was right.¡± ¡°All the more reason for you to survive,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you escape from the capital. We can¡¯t stay here. Palan and Raea are monsters that I can¡¯t win against.¡± ¡°Raea?¡± Sariel asked. ¡°That was Raea Caelum?¡± Headmaster cleared his throat. He knew Lady Caelum and Lord Caelum lied to Sariel about killing Raea; after all, he was a part of it. ¡°Yes,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°She managed to survive. The reason why I¡¯m with them is iffy at best, but know that I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°You tried to run away from them and ran into the rebel army, didn¡¯t you?¡± Sariel asked and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Am I that predictable!? All you people with knowledge and wisdom need to stop reading me like that,¡± Headmaster said and snorted. ¡°But yes, that¡¯s exactly what happened. You know me; once I find out about something and become directly involved in it, I can¡¯t just leave it alone. Since I found out the size of their forces and their plans, obviously I¡¯d send them to you.¡± ¡°Yes, I do know you, you big softie,¡± Sariel said and sighed as they made their way down the steps. ¡°Should I hide in the basement?¡± ¡°We have to leave the capital,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°I told them about the floors below the tower. There was no way for them to bring me here otherwise. I convinced them by making a deal, saying I¡¯d help them kill you if they left my grandchildren alone.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re helping me escape,¡± Sariel said with a neutral expression. Her footsteps slowed. ¡°Then your grandchildren?¡± ¡°Some sacrifices must be made,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you told me so long ago?¡± ¡°I, I guess,¡± Sariel said and bit her lower lip. Her head lowered as she followed after the lithe old man who increased his speed down the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, and thank you.¡± ¡°Despite my obvious defect as an alcoholic, I do have a sense of justice, you know? I¡¯m not an archangel for no reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Sariel said and raised her head. She straightened her posture and clenched her fist, gathering her resolve. Headmaster was sacrificing his grandchildren for her. People in the capital have already died in fights against the army. She couldn¡¯t let their deaths go to waste. She had to escape as the representative of the Creator¡¯s will. As long as she was alive, the angels¡¯ society would never fall. It was her duty as the Watcher. ¡°But I¡¯ve been meaning to ask.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Sariel pointed at Cleo who was still unresponsive. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°This?¡± Headmaster asked and lifted Cleo up, using her tail as a handle. ¡°This is a talking bag.¡± Chapter 324 Palan exhaled as he dropped the carcass in his hands. His arms, tails, torso, and face dripped with blood. This was the seventh time he had eaten Raphael. Asura hadn¡¯t revived after she had been eaten once. The carcass by his feet wriggled as pink flesh and bones sprouted out of the largest piece, taking the shape of an infant before rapidly expanding to the size of a human. Once Raphael¡¯s mouth was fully formed, he asked, ¡°Where am I? What happened?¡± In response, Palan stomped on the angel¡¯s throat, breaking his neck. That was the fourth time Raphael asked the same pair of questions. Maybe the process of dying and reviving again took a toll on his memory? Danger Noodle glanced at the corpse before swiveling its head to face Palan. Its tongue flickered as it said, ¡°Am full.¡± At first, his tails fought over the corpses. But after the fifth time, they were fighting to feed them to each other. Palan sighed at his tails before dismembering Raphael¡¯s body with his hands. He shoved the angel¡¯s organs and limbs down his unwilling torso-mouth. The process of revival started once again, and Raphael¡¯s body reformed. ¡°Where am I? What happened?¡± Palan ignored the dazed angel and glanced at Asura. She still hadn¡¯t revived. ¡°Why¡¯s it taking so long for Asura to revive?¡± he asked Creed. The sloth demon was the most sensible amongst the six beings despite how he looked. If Palan had met him in Eljiam, he would¡¯ve assumed Creed was a lesser demon who hadn¡¯t eaten anyone to evolve. ¡°We¡¯re only automatically revived if we die outside the tower, except Raphael of course. If we die inside the tower, then Raphael¡¯s always around to bring us back to life,¡± Creed said and shrugged, ¡°unless something¡¯s stopping him. Like having his face eaten five minutes or so.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you two revived after he ate you,¡± Raea muttered. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Raea said and shook her head. ¡°Anyways, where did Cleo and Headmaster go?¡± She had been too busy focusing on the angels and demons inside of the room, making sure they had no plans of attacking Palan while he was in the middle of eating. ¡°Oh, they went that way with Sandra,¡± Cory said and pointed at the closed metal door. ¡°I totally did my best as your best friend to save Cleo, but she willingly went with them.¡± The harpy¡¯s head bobbed up and down. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not sure why I even used the word save. She wasn¡¯t in any danger at all.¡± Her feathers puffed up as her body sank down, making herself comfortable. Raea stared at Cory who cleared her throat by chirping and turned her head to the side. ¡°Well, alright,¡± she said. ¡°But who¡¯s Sandra?¡± Raea hadn¡¯t recognized Sariel during that brief moment. It would be more surprising if she did. The Watcher she knew was always calm and poised. Whenever she spoke to the public, golden light would shine upon her and obscure some of her features. Most angels didn¡¯t dare look Sariel in the face. The Sariel that had entered the room looked more like a flustered maid than the spiritual leader and decision maker of the angelic race.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Sandra?¡± Creed asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is that the name she¡¯s going by nowadays? We just call her Sariel.¡± Palan froze. ¡°What?¡± He glared at Raea. ¡°That was Sariel?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know?¡± Raea asked and glanced at Creed. ¡°The person that entered earlier was indeed Sariel,¡± Creed said and nodded. He scratched his cheek when he saw Palan¡¯s ugly expression. ¡°Is that an issue?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°I just had something to speak with her about. It was my original reason for coming to the capital.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Creed said, his expression unchanging. ¡°Speak with her. Of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Palan said and seized Raphael. He stomped towards the metal door. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find her. I¡¯ll be bringing him with me.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take Raffi outside!¡± Levy said and rushed forward as Palan kicked open the metal door. For something meant to prevent six might beings from escaping, it was awfully flimsy. ¡°Bad things will happen.¡± ¡°To me?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Levy grabbed onto Raphael¡¯s hand. The blind angel was still groggy from reviving so many times and didn¡¯t struggle. ¡°To Raffi,¡± Levy said while shaking her head. Her body trembled as she tugged on Raphael¡¯s arm, but Palan didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Levy doesn¡¯t want to hear it again.¡± ¡°Just let him go, Levy,¡± Camael said, calling out from his bed. He had crawled into his sheets and pulled out a book while Palan was feasting. ¡°But Raffi¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the easiest way for that demon to learn why we¡¯re not allowed outside,¡± Camael said. ¡°You let Palan eat him without complaining,¡± Raea said. ¡°How bad can the punishment be?¡± Levy sighed as she released Raphael¡¯s hand. She patted his shoulder. ¡°Sorry, Raffi. Levy tried.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raphael asked, his voice clear. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking you outside as a never-ending supply of food,¡± Palan said as he crossed the threshold and walked down the steps. Raphael shouted as his body was pulled backwards, ¡°W-wait! Asura! Stop him!¡± A chill ran down his back as his upper body crossed the metal door. Only his feet were still left in the room. He tried to clutch the carpet with his toes, but he wasn¡¯t that dexterous. When his toes passed the threshold, his body stiffened. The next instant, a blood-curdling scream ripped its way out his throat. Raea, Cory, and even Palan flinched upon hearing it. Uriel, Creed, Camael, and Levy had already covered their ears with their hands. Raphael¡¯s body trembled as the scream increased in intensity. The trembling turned into violent shaking as blood leaked out of every orifice. His red skin turned pink, then white, as the blood was drained from his body. The scream continued as his skin flaked off like ash, revealing pulsating muscles holding his body together. Raea turned her head away as the muscles dropped off of Raphael¡¯s body like bits of string cheese. The scream only stopped when his abdominal muscles were stripped away. Then the sizzling sounds started. His organs turned from pink to white to black as they were cooked before Palan¡¯s eyes. Raphael¡¯s brain oozed out of his eye and nose sockets before evaporating into nothing. The angel¡¯s white bones seemed to age in fast forward as they turned yellow and crumbled to bits. Over the course of ten minutes, Raphael had been reduced to a pile of yellow dust. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little too harsh?¡± Palan asked and prodded the mound with his foot. ¡°It¡¯s not over,¡± Creed said and sighed, covering his ears again. A ghastly figure rose out of Raphael¡¯s remains, turning into an angel¡¯s transparent body. The screams resumed as ghostly ants appeared out of nowhere and ate Raphael¡¯s spirit starting from his toes. The ants dispersed once they finished eating Raphael¡¯s head. A breeze appeared from the nearby wall and blew the yellow dust back into the room. Creed looked at stained carpet. ¡°He¡¯ll reform in a week.¡± Chapter 325 ¡°The Creator ¡­ implemented something like this?¡± Raea asked. A chill ran down her spine as she glanced at the door and the yellow stain on the carpet. The motes of powder seemed to be shimmering, gathering together into a pile albeit at a very slow apce. ¡°Why would he do something so cruel?¡± ¡°So we can¡¯t leave,¡± Camael said. ¡°Why else?¡± ¡°But he didn¡¯t have to make it torture to exit the room,¡± Raea said and pursed her lips. ¡°Couldn¡¯t he just create a barrier to bump people back inside?¡± ¡°Fear,¡± Palan said as his nose crinkled. ¡°He¡¯s removing any future thoughts of going against him. I wonder if it costs the Creator any mana to do something like this.¡± He rubbed his chin. ¡°That blind man¡¯s revival times did get longer the more he died.¡± ¡°You¡¯re planning to throw him out of the room repeatedly, aren¡¯t you?¡± Creed asked. It was hard to tell what he was thinking because his expression rarely changed. ¡°I suggest against doing that, especially if you plan on staying here in the future. Raphael will resent you, and you don¡¯t know what he¡¯ll do to you while you¡¯re sleeping. Levy can attest to that.¡± ¡°Raffi¡¯s a bully,¡± Levy said and pouted. Her carapace was cooling down, reverting back to their original color. ¡°Levy only took his hair to make a doll.¡± Creed shrugged. ¡°Anyways, you¡¯re planning on finding Sariel?¡± he asked Palan. ¡°If you want information from her, just threaten her a bit. She tries to act like an adult, but she¡¯s only eighty years old¡ªstill a baby. Bare your fangs and growl at her and she¡¯ll comply right away.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Palan said taking one last glance at the pile of yellow dust on the floor. He descended the stairs with Raea and Cory following behind him. ¡°Is it really okay to let him go? What if he doesn¡¯t come back?¡± Levy asked and tilted her head. ¡°He¡¯ll be back,¡± Creed said. His body rose off the ground and floated through the air before landing in his bed. ¡°It might take a few years or decades, but he¡¯ll evolve and fall for the Creator¡¯s temptation eventually¡ªit¡¯s not something a demon can resist. He ate Raphael and Asura twice; I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he evolves within the year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so unfair,¡± Camael said and sighed. ¡°Do you know how much effort I had to put in to evolve past archangel?¡± ¡°But you leeched off Levy¡¯s evolutions?¡± Levy asked. She crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks out ¡°Levy did all the work.¡± ¡°Yeah, but do you know how hard it was to take care of you all those years?¡± Camael asked. ¡°I¡¯m not a babysitter, but I bet I¡¯d make a great one after dealing with you for so long.¡± Levy shrugged. ¡°Levy could¡¯ve done it without Cammy.¡± Raea couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the bickering coming from above. Though they already descended to the second floor of the tower, Levy¡¯s and Camael¡¯s voices were still crystal-clear to her and Palan. ¡°I guess that¡¯s where they were,¡± she said and nudged Palan¡¯s side.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Where who were?¡± Palan asked. ¡°The other angels and demons with high contract levels,¡± Raea said. ¡°I always thought it couldn¡¯t have just been us who went through this rapid development. If I thought about linking my life with a demon, someone else had to have also. And now we found those who did!¡± ¡°So ¡­ they¡¯re just as dumb as you?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not dumb,¡± Raea said and pinched his waist, drawing blood with her claws. Palan winced and brushed her hand away. ¡°Anyone willing to link their life to someone else¡¯s is dumb. Especially a stranger they just met.¡± ¡°Well, you agreed. So who¡¯s the dumb one now?¡± Raea asked with a smug smile. Palan shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. They walked down the hall, Palan using his sense of smell to track Sariel and Headmaster, until they reached another staircase going down. Raea hummed and lowered her voice, asking, ¡°Do you think they were telling the truth? That our greatest desires will be fulfilled?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said not to trust them?¡± Palan asked with a snort. His hands clenched. He had thought he wouldn¡¯t ever be affected by chastity again after his evolution, but he had turned into a docile goat without even knowing it. ¡°It¡¯s best to stay away from them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat them to evolve anymore?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t stand being weaker than me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m full,¡± Palan said. ¡°And not just physically. It feels like I¡¯ve reached the limit of archdemon. I really should thank the Creator for creating such a nice food source.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think most people could exploit them like that,¡± Raea said and drew her lips into a line. ¡°We¡¯re in the capital. They¡¯re not allowed to leave that room. And anyone they don¡¯t want eating them can easily be killed with a wave of their fingers.¡± She rubbed her chin. ¡°Maybe they were telling the truth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they wanted me to evolve,¡± Palan said. ¡°But I don¡¯t believe in their reason. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time someone forced me to evolve.¡± He recalled the time Madison had stuffed Igor¡¯s corpse down his throat, forcing him to evolve into a greater demon. ¡°There has to be some unknown benefits to evolution that I don¡¯t know about that they¡¯re exploiting me for.¡± ¡°The insane commander gathers the scraps produced by our evolution,¡± Cory said and raised her wing into the air. ¡°Like the silk from the cocoons, the powdery stuff that¡¯s left behind, and the liquid inside. Maybe he knows?¡± ¡°Pyre?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯d probably know. I¡¯ll ask him when I see him again.¡± He stopped walking, pausing in front of a leather couch in the living room on the first floor. Danger Noodle moved forward and thrashed the couch before tossing it to the side by twisting its neck. ¡°Do you not like snake leather couches?¡± Raea asked, staring at the couch that was mangled beyond repair. ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t, huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something down here,¡± Palan said as he crouched and grabbed the corner of the carpet, pulling it back. Beneath it, there was a trapdoor. Instead of opening it normally, Palan punched it, launching it towards the floor below. It landed with a cracking sound while the ladder leading down trembled. ¡°We¡¯re getting close¡ªurgh!¡± ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked and grabbed his shoulders. She shook him, but instead of answering, he panted in response. ¡°Palan!¡± Palan shrugged her hand away while gasping for breath. Sweat poured from his brow as his torso-mouth widened. Silk threads sprung out of the opening, wrapping his body. ¡°Oh,¡± Cory said, her eyes brightening. ¡°He ate something bad too!¡± Raea took a step back and furrowed her brow as a black egg made from silken threads was formed above the entrance to the basement. Chapter 326 Headmaster closed his eyes. A white light flashed, bathing his vision in red as the light shone through his eyelids. Then his vision was black again. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± a voice, Sariel¡¯s, said. Headmaster opened his eyes and furrowed his brow. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Headmaster asked, dropping Cleo on her head as his grip around her tail loosened. The muscles in his jaw slackened as his lips took the shape of an ¡®o¡¯. He took a step forward, body trembling, and touched the railing ahead of himself. Sariel walked to his side. They were standing at the topmost seats of an arena¡ªthe one she had him design so many years ago. In the battleground, dozens of glowing, golden trees were pulsating like tree-shaped hearts. On their bending branches, plump, white fruit were hanging, nearly touching the ground. ¡°This is one of the Creator¡¯s urgent requests to me,¡± Sariel said. She glanced at Cleo who was moving her limbs randomly, her sense of hearing, sight, and touch still gone. Sariel bent down and pulled Cleo¡¯s tail, preventing the lizardman from falling down the stairs leading towards the arena¡¯s battleground. Sariel glanced at Headmaster who was still standing in a daze. ¡°You designed this for me and left.¡± ¡°I thought you were engaging in immoral activities,¡± Headmaster said and shook his head. ¡°Like dogfighting between slaves and criminals. Or a way to create the strongest demon by having them all fight to the death here. Or even a way to perform bloody rituals away from the eyes of the public. I didn¡¯t expect you to actually make it into a garden.¡± Sariel glared at Headmaster. ¡°Just how badly did you think of me?¡± she asked. ¡°I even told you it was the Creator¡¯s will.¡± ¡°You say everything is the Creator¡¯s will. If I hit you right now, that¡¯d also be his will,¡± Headmaster said and shook his head. ¡°Why take on the shape of an arena? Why not build an actual garden?¡± Sariel made a face. ¡°It¡¯s in the shape of an arena because Creator¡¯s will,¡± she said and walked down the stairs. ¡°Come, we need to bring these fruits with us before we escape.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± Headmaster asked as he lifted Cleo by the tail and followed after Sariel. ¡°How were you going to carry them all?¡± ¡°With an orb of kleptomania,¡± Sariel said and made a face. ¡°Though it¡¯s a sin, there are some uses to it.¡± She stopped in front of one of the trees. The white fruit was shaped like an egg and was easily half her height. She stroked the side of the fruit with a strange look on her face as if she were a mother looking at her sleeping child. ¡°Are these eggs?¡± Headmaster asked. If he squinted his eyes hard enough, he could barely make out an outline floating within the fruit. ¡°And you don¡¯t have to use an orb to store them.¡± He raised Cleo into the air. ¡°She¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you meant,¡± Sariel said, nodding her head. She wrapped her arms around the fruit and bent her knees. The fruit separated from the branch with a plopping noise, and the branch reached towards the ceiling once the weight holding it down was gone. Moments later, the tree began to fade away. Sariel dropped the fruit into the space Headmaster created between Cleo and her belt, and it vanished without a sound. Sariel repeated the process for the remaining trees. When she was halfway through, she finally spoke up, ¡°About your previous question¡­. Yes. You could say these are eggs.¡± Headmaster waited for her to continue instead of speaking. Sariel dropped another fruit into Cleo¡¯s space. ¡°Do you know the origin of angels?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°The Creator created us,¡± Headmaster said. Sariel nodded and moved on to the next tree. Headmaster¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t tell me my ancestor is a tree.¡± ¡°Your ancestor is a tree.¡± Headmaster fell silent. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± he said. ¡°These are angel eggs?¡± ¡°That is correct,¡± Sariel said. ¡°First-generation angel eggs. Maybe they should be called second-generation angel eggs. Regardless, the Creator sent me a vision in my dreams¡ªit was of him devouring everything. When I woke up, the seeds of the trees were beside me. I knew what I had to do. If the current race of angels ever displeased the Creator so much that he had to destroy us, then these eggs would birth the second generation.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure the Creator didn¡¯t just want you to grow fruit for him to eat?¡± Headmaster asked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you interpreted a vision like that.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Sariel said and shook her head. ¡°When I went to sleep, there were no seeds by my bedside. When I woke up, there were. Even if I dreamed of the Creator reading a book, I would¡¯ve planted the seeds.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Headmaster said as the last tree disappeared. ¡°And these twenty or so angels are going to populate amongst themselves to create an inbred species?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Sariel asked and tilted her head. ¡°But we should discuss that later. Didn¡¯t you say we had to hurry and flee?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Headmaster said and nodded. Sariel had insisted on coming to the floor below the basement, so he let her. He hoped Palan was still distracted by the six beings. It would be convenient if he was, but that probably wasn¡¯t the case. Things never went conveniently for him. Headmaster sighed and reached into Cleo¡¯s space, pulling out his special bottles of liquor. If he had to, he could fend Palan off for a while, but he couldn¡¯t pull off another teleportation. He hadn¡¯t recovered enough for that. Sariel and Headmaster approached the circle on the ground where they had teleported in from. They closed their eyes, and a white light flashed again. When they opened their eyes, they were in the basement. ¡°The trapdoor,¡± Sariel said and bit her lower lip. Headmaster glanced at the ladder. The trapdoor was lying on the floor beside it with a dent in the center. He looked up. There was a black object blocking the exit. ¡°You know, I told you there should¡¯ve been more than one entrance,¡± Headmaster said. ¡°But you didn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°More entrances would¡¯ve given the demons summoned more chances to escape,¡± Sariel said and pursed her lips. She climbed up the ladder pressed a button. Nothing happened. Normally, a block of metal would rush out of the wall and knock everything over to the side to clear the entrance. She tried pushing on the object. It didn¡¯t budge. Headmaster shook his head. The basement was created with red metal. It was designed to keep any summoned demon as weak as possible; otherwise, he¡¯d have used his powers to create an exit. In the center of the room, there was a massive, metal birdcage covering a magic circle. ¡°Any luck?¡± Headmaster asked as he inspected the circle. ¡°No,¡± Sariel said. ¡°It reminds me of the eggs and cocoons demons use for evolution. I don¡¯t think we can break this. Why would there be a demon evolving in front of the trapdoor?¡± ¡°Well, maybe Palan was chasing us and suddenly evolved,¡± Headmaster said and stood up, dusting off his knees. ¡°If that really is the case, then you¡¯re going to die¡ªno questions asked.¡± ¡°If you could hatch those eggs, then I would¡¯ve gladly sacrificed myself to him once he hatched,¡± Sariel said and bit her lower lip. ¡°But I¡¯m the only one who can. I have to live. You¡¯re a genius, think of a way out of this.¡± ¡°If you had listened to my genius suggestion of having more than one exit because of fire hazards¡ª¡± ¡°I know I was wrong,¡± Sariel said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to rub it in here.¡± Headmaster sighed. ¡°There¡¯s two options I can think of,¡± he said and raised one finger. ¡°One, we wait until my powers recover so I can teleport us away, but that can take up to two weeks. The standard evolution time is one week.¡± He raised another finger. ¡°Or two, I use my remaining power and send you to Eljiam with this portal.¡± Chapter 327 Darkness. Murmuring. Andrea¡¯s eyelids trembled before they flashed open as she sat up, her claws extending from her hands and feet. Her ears stiffened and swiveled as she twisted her body to place her hands on the ground. Her back arched as she readied herself to pounce. ¡°This place¡­,¡± a feminine voice said. It sounded weak. Desperate. ¡°It isn¡¯t bad. Can I stay here for tonight, Creator?¡± Creator? Was there two people? Andrea tilted her head, facing her ear towards the cave entrance to listen better. Heavy footsteps that only a novice would make¡ªthe owner wouldn¡¯t survive more than a month. Everyone learned to walk lightly. Those who didn¡¯t died. And then she heard them: lighter footsteps with a scraping sound. Almost like a lizard. Was the intruder a farmer then? ¡°What is this?¡± the weak voice asked. Her voice sounded strangled. Good. Maybe she saw the warnings. ¡°Don¡¯t go in there,¡± another higher-pitched voice said. Two people then. Two people and a lizard. Andrea bit her lower lip. Why were the footsteps still approaching? Was her display not good enough? She set up the heads exactly like Palan showed her. All the natives should¡¯ve recognized his territory marker. They wouldn¡¯t touch his safe havens. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡± the high-pitched voice asked. It sounded frantic. Scared. Cowardly demons then? Maybe she¡¯d only have to kill one of them to scare off the other. Or maybe they¡¯d step onto her poisoned stakes first. Andrea lifted her hands off the ground and leaned back onto her feet. She picked up the bow made from animal tendons and the material that Abaddon called wood. Her arrows were made from bones that she sharpened by herself. Of course she sucked out the marrow first. ¡°Ah!¡± Someone screamed and wailed. It sounded like the weak voice. Andrea slinked towards the entrance to her room, her footsteps silent. Even she couldn¡¯t hear herself walk. She peered around the corner, wondering what kind of demon would cry and announce their weakness to everyone in the world. Her eyes widened. Was that another shaman? And a tiny lizard? She¡¯d never seen one with blue stripes before. Her body froze. There were two people, where was the second? She whirled around, but no one was there. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she forced herself to calm down by taking deep breaths. If Palan was here, he¡¯d know everyone¡¯s location with his electromagnetic sense. But she didn¡¯t have that. The only things she could depend on were her hearing, smell, and night vision. ¡°It hurts!¡± The weak voice came from the shaman. Her leg had sunken into one of Andrea¡¯s pitfall traps. A bone stake had impaled her foot all the way through. It was poisoned of course¡ªAndrea had always helped Palan prepare poisoned weapons while he was hunting. A normal demon would fall unconscious in half an hour. Maybe the shaman would take a longer amount of time. ¡°That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t listen to me, dumb dumb!¡± the high-pitched voice said. ¡°Argh. How are you the leader of the angels? Wait. No. I think I understand why they¡¯re so dumb now. This explains a lot.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Andrea¡¯s body stiffened as her mouth fell open. A lizard ¡­ was speaking? A lizard!? Since when could food speak!? Andrea shook her head and cleared her mind. If food was talking, then the simplest way to correct the laws of the universe was to eliminate the talking food. Andrea nocked her arrow and aimed at the flaw in her logical world. Her eyes narrowed at the lizard who was trying to pull the shaman out of the pit, and then she released. The arrow flew straight and true as if the god of the world was aiding her in correcting an anomaly. ¡°Gah!?¡± the lizard shouted at the sound of the bowstring. Good. At least she reduced the food¡¯s sentences back to syllables of random sounds. Andrea nocked another arrow before the first arrow hit its target. In fact, the first arrow never managed to reach its target. The lizard had hid behind the shaman, using her as a meat shield. ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± the snack shouted over the shaman¡¯s screams. Andrea snorted and fired another arrow. Who in their right mind would be stupid enough to stop when someone asked them to? The arrow pierced the shaman once again, causing Andrea to furrow her brow. This was a sneaky midnight snack. But why wasn¡¯t it running away? Was the shaman a farmer? Andrea fired another arrow, aiming for the shaman¡¯s head, but she missed. The shaman had fainted and her head had drooped to her chest, barely avoiding the arrow. The snack¡¯s head appeared over the shaman¡¯s bleeding shoulder. ¡°Dammit! Just wait till Palan gets here! Then you¡¯ll regret not stopping!¡± Andrea blinked. Did her snack just say Palan? Her hand hesitated. ¡°Did you say ¡­ Palan?¡± she asked and tilted her head. She stretched her bow to its limit. ¡°That¡¯s right! Scared now? I knew he had a big reputation in Eljiam!¡± An arrow flew towards Cleo¡¯s face. She barely managed to avoid it in time. ¡°Gah! What the hell!?¡± Andrea lowered her bow and placed her hands on her hips, stepping into Cleo¡¯s view. ¡°Palan the hunter?¡± ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s my bodyguard,¡± Cleo said and shook her fist at Andrea. The demon¡¯s face turned ugly. Cleo paused. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t tell me you have a grudge against him. If you do, I don¡¯t know him!¡± ¡°He¡¯s my brother!¡± Cleo blinked. ¡°Your what?¡± ¡°My brother,¡± Andrea said with a growl. She raised her bow. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize his territory signs?¡± Cleo looked around. A few demon heads were impaled on stakes, and the floor was littered with traps and stakes. It was exactly like the scene in Ni¡¯En when Palan was creating his safe havens inside the city. ¡°I knew,¡± Cleo said, her head bobbing up and down, ¡°but this dummy didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You really know him?¡± Andrea asked and wrinkled her nose. ¡°Of course!¡± Cleo said. ¡°Proof.¡± Cleo scratched her head as she stopped hiding behind Sariel. ¡°Err, proof. Let¡¯s see¡­,¡± she muttered as she rummaged through her space. Andrea¡¯s eyes widened when Cleo¡¯s hands disappeared. ¡°Here we go.¡± A necklace and bracelet made of Palan¡¯s teeth appeared out of nowhere. ¡°His teeth.¡± ¡°Toss it over,¡± Andrea said. The jewelry landed by her feet, and she picked them up, keeping an eye on the talking snack, no, lizard. The teeth really were Palan¡¯s. Then this talking sn¡ªlizard was her brother¡¯s emergency rations? ¡°You do know him.¡± Andrea reached into her shirt and pulled out a similar necklace. ¡°I have one too.¡± ¡°Then ¡­ can you put the bow down?¡± Cleo asked. Andrea swallowed her saliva. ¡°Mm. I usually don¡¯t listen to my food when they speak, but I guess you¡¯re special.¡± Chapter 328 Cory whistled as she rocked back and forth atop a black egg. Beside the egg, Raea was lying down, her body covered by a thin film of white silk. After Palan had started his evolution, Raea had paled and collapsed as well. Cory could see through the silk either because it was too thin or her eyes were too sharp. The black scales on Raea¡¯s body were twinkling, becoming more illustrious. But Cory couldn¡¯t see through Palan¡¯s egg, so she chose to sit on it instead. Harpy instincts. While Cory was busy contemplating whether or not that made her Palan¡¯s surrogate mother, the front doors of the tower burst open. ¡°Help! The capital is under attack!¡± a young angel wearing pajamas shouted as he ran into the living room. Cory blinked at him, and he froze. ¡°How are you in here!?¡± The doors swung open again, and two harpies flew towards the angel. ¡°There he is,¡± one of the harpies said. ¡°I told you he went this way.¡± ¡°Fine. You were right,¡± the other harpy said and rolled her eyes. While she was distracted, a purple lightning bolt exploded on her face, killing her instantly. Flickers of electricity crackled around the young angel¡¯s hand. ¡°Hah? He was that strong?¡± the remaining harpy asked. ¡°Then why was he running?¡± She bit her lower lip as she halted, readying herself to dodge a lightning strike. She scanned the room, and her eyes lit up when she saw Cory. ¡°Matriarch!¡± The young angel whirled around. ¡°You¡¯re the leader?¡± he asked Cory, narrowing his eyes. ¡°As the youngest son of the Aor family, I¡ª¡± A flood of white lightning drowned out his voice and vision. Unfortunately for him, he¡¯d never be able to see anything again. Cory snorted as the charred corpse collapsed onto the ground. Though she wasn¡¯t a very good one, she was still the matriarch of the harpies. Killing her subjects warranted death¡ªonly her subjects were allowed to kill each other. Well, not anymore after the harbinger¡¯s orders. ¡°Matriarch,¡± the living harpy said and lowered her head. Tears fell from her eyes as she knelt by the dead harpy¡¯s corpse. ¡°Can you bring my sister back to life? We hatched out of the same egg.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do things like that,¡± Cory said as she hopped off Palan¡¯s egg. ¡°You think I¡¯m like those stupid blockheads?¡± She waddled over to the harpy sisters and frowned. ¡°Can, can you convince the centaurs to bring her back to life?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯d listen to me,¡± Cory said and shrugged. She hemmed and hawed as she rubbed her chin. Hadn¡¯t Raea told her a story about a mad scientist using lightning to animate a corpse? White lightning gathered around Cory¡¯s wing, forcing the living harpy to step back. Cory shouted as she smacked the dead harpy¡¯s chest, aiming the lightning towards her heart, ¡°Get up!¡± The dead harpy¡¯s body thrashed and struggled as lightning surged through her body. Her wings and legs twitched as the smell of burning hair permeated the room. But maybe that was from the angel¡¯s corpse because the harpy¡¯s black hair was completely fine. In fact, it was turning glossier and lighter until it adopted a shade of silver. Cory withdrew her wing, but the dead harpy continued to twitch. When the corpse stopped spasming, Cory poked it with her foot. ¡°Well,¡± she said and shrugged. ¡°It was only a story after all.¡± She flew back onto Palan¡¯s egg and fluffed her leg feathers out before sitting down. Seconds after she made herself comfortable, the living harpy shouted, ¡°She¡¯s alive! She¡¯s alive! Matriarch, it worked! You¡¯re amazing.¡± Cory tilted her head. The dead harpy sat up and rubbed her head with her wings. The tips of her feathers had also turned silver. ¡°Sis, how do you feel?¡± her sister asked, inspecting her body. ¡°You died, but the matriarch brought you back to life!¡± ¡°I feel like I was slapped in the face with a lightning bolt,¡± the revived harpy said. ¡°Wait. That really happened didn¡¯t it?¡± She rose to her feet and exhaled through her nose like a bull. ¡°Where¡¯s the angel who shot me!?¡± ¡°The matriarch killed him,¡± her sister said. She glanced at Cory and bobbed her head up and down repeatedly. ¡°Thank you for saving her.¡± ¡°It really worked,¡± Cory said and blinked. ¡°I¡¯m a genius!¡± She laughed and waved at the two harpy sisters, giving them permission to leave. Cory hummed and sang as she rocked back and forth, ¡°I can do everything those stupid centaurs can do, but better. Harpy¡¯s are superior to those hooved vermin. We have feathers, they don¡¯t. La la la.¡± Her gaze landed on the charred angel corpse. Could she bring something like that back to life as well? Of course she could! She was a genius. Cory alighted from Palan¡¯s egg and landed beside the dead angel. White lightning crackled, forming a tiny sphere within the curve formed by her wing. She slammed her wing against the dead angel¡¯s chest. The corpse twitched and spasmed much like the harpy¡¯s had. ¡°I¡¯m amazing,¡± Cory said and puffed her chest out. Seconds later, the corpse exploded, covering Cory¡¯s front with blood and bits of pink matter. Cory coughed and spat out a bit of bone that had ended up in her mouth. She glanced around. Thankfully, no one was around to witness her failure. She wiped her face with her feathers. ¡°I still have a one hundred percent success rate for reviving people. Definitely.¡± She hid the remains of the dead body underneath the carpet and wiped herself off. Now that she thought about it, wasn¡¯t the plan to fire the B.F.G. at the tower once enough angels were gathered? Could Palan and Raea survive that? Probably. Nothing that Pyre tried could break through the evolution eggs and cocoons. Cory nodded and lifted Raea¡¯s silk-wrapped body, cuddled next to Palan¡¯s egg, and placed Raea down on top of herself. Now she¡¯d be fine if any explosions went off. Probably. Chapter 329 Andrea tilted her head and poked the shaman with the tip of an arrow. The shaman¡¯s foot was still impaled by a venomous bone stake, and blood was pouring out of the puncture wounds in her shoulder. She¡¯d die if she was left alone. ¡°Why is she so weak?¡± Andrea asked, blinking at Cleo. ¡°Also, what¡¯s your name? I can¡¯t keep referring to you as snack in my head.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Cleo the Magnificent,¡± Cleo said and stuck her chest out. ¡°And you¡¯re ¡­ Andrea? It was easy to remember because it sounds like Raea.¡± ¡°You really do know Palan,¡± Andrea said. She had her doubts, but most of them were cleared now. It was possible Cleo was a mind reader; after all, she was already a talking lizard. Who knew what other laws of the universe she defied? ¡°But you didn¡¯t answer my question. Why is this shaman so weak?¡± She seemed awfully frail compared to Abaddon. Or her impression of Abaddon was off. Could she hunt him? ¡°Oh,¡± Cleo said and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was just following her because I was afraid to travel around by myself. Is this Eljiam?¡± ¡°Eljiam?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°What is that? Is it edible?¡± ¡°Never mind,¡± Cleo said. Andrea¡¯s stomach growled. Had Andrea called her a snack earlier? Cleo cleared her throat and asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°No, but I want to eat,¡± Andrea said. She was planning on asking Cleo questions about Palan, but the thought of food distracted her. ¡°Are you a hunter? You don¡¯t look like you have food with you.¡± ¡°Looks can be deceiving,¡± Cleo said and beamed. ¡°Watch this.¡± She reached into her space and ejected out a dead angel. It landed on the cave floor with a squish sound. Cleo glanced down and rummaged through her space, searching for her cooking tools, but someone had ruined her organization by placing giant white egg-fruits around randomly. Even her everlasting bonfire was extinguished by one of the fruit which had turned brown from the heat. She sighed and retrieved some firewood instead and pulled out an orb of wrath. When she looked up, the angel¡¯s corpse was gone, replaced by a bloodstain. Cleo stared at the ground. Andrea burped and stretched her arms into the air, arching her back. Her lips and chin were smeared with blood while her belly ballooned outward. The snack dispenser had once again ruined the laws of the universe, but Andrea didn¡¯t mind. Magical food was still food. ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡± she asked the wide-eyed snack dispenser. She¡¯d never go hungry again if she could learn to make food appear magically.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°I ¡­ wasn¡¯t even done cooking it yet,¡± Cleo said and placed the firewood onto the ground. She dug out a pit with a diligence orb, causing Andrea to raise her evaluation of the snack dispenser once again. What couldn¡¯t this lizard do? Just thinking about the endless possibilities made Andrea¡¯s stomach grumble again. Her belly shrank as the angel was fully digested in an instant. ¡°Do you have more?¡± Andrea asked and tilted her head. Her gaze landed on Sariel, and she wet her lips with her tongue. ¡°If not, we can always eat her. Yeah?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if we should¡­,¡± Cleo said as she started the fire with her orb. Andrea sidled to Cleo¡¯s side and sniffed the orb before licking it. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t do that.¡± Cleo pushed Andrea¡¯s head away with her hand. ¡°What is that?¡± Andrea asked while pouting. Her ears flickered like she was smacking away flies. ¡°This is a fire starter,¡± Cleo said with a nod. ¡°Anyways, let me finish cooking the meat this time, okay?¡± ¡°But that makes it less juicy,¡± Andrea said and furrowed her brow. ¡°Mm,¡± Cleo said and nodded. ¡°That is true. And no one¡¯s here to scold me for eating things raw.¡± She stroked her chin. ¡°But I already started the fire.¡± She reached into her space and pulled out one of the giant white fruits, handing it to Andrea. ¡°You can eat this while we wait.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Andrea asked and poked the fruit¡¯s skin with her claw. Even though it looked thin, her claw was unable to pierce through the surface. She sniffed it before tapping against it with her knuckles. It didn¡¯t sound hollow. It sounded like a lizard egg. ¡°An egg?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cleo said and shrugged as she pulled out another dead angel, setting it up above the fire to cook. ¡°I just found it in my space. It looked like an egg, so it probably tastes like one too.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t,¡± a weak voice said. Andrea snapped to attention while picking up her bow and nocking an arrow. The voice had come from the shaman. Her blue eyes were staring up at Andrea because her body was collapsed onto the ground. ¡°You can¡¯t kill them. Please.¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know her, right?¡± Andrea asked Cleo. The bowstring was stretched as far as possible, the arrow pointing at Sariel. ¡°Does she know Palan?¡± ¡°Palan wanted to kill her,¡± Cleo said. ¡°At least, I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s her.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Andrea said and lowered her bow. ¡°I can¡¯t ruin my brother¡¯s hunt. Hunting¡¯s his favorite thing in the world. Other than me of course.¡± Andrea nodded and placed her bow on the ground, readying herself to take a bite out of the fruit. ¡°I said you can¡¯t,¡± Sariel said as she struggled to climb to her feet. ¡°That¡¯s the future hope of the angels. I can give you other things. What do you want?¡± Andrea snorted. ¡°If you could give me what I wanted, you wouldn¡¯t be in that situation,¡± she said. ¡°Palan told me the weak ones always plead but have nothing to offer. If they had something to offer, they¡¯d use it on themselves and they wouldn¡¯t be in such a bad situation.¡± Andrea picked up a nearby rock and smacked it against the surface of the fruit. Cracks spread along the surface, and a fluid leaked out. Andrea slurped it up, ignoring Sariel¡¯s shouts. ¡°This is really good.¡± She offered the fruit to Cleo. ¡°Try some.¡± Chapter 330 Cleo drank the liquid pouring out of the fruit. Her eyes widened as she swallowed. Tingles ran down her spine as her belly warmed up. ¡°Wow,¡± she said and blinked twice. ¡°That is really good.¡± ¡°Y-you two,¡± Sariel said through labored breaths. ¡°Stop at once!¡± Andrea stood up and picked up a nearby rock that was half her height. It was a bit heavy, but heavy was better for what she was going to do. She waddled over to Sariel and lightly smashed it into the back of the angel¡¯s head, knocking her out while ignoring her protests. She set the rock aside and freed the unconscious angel from the trap, spitting on her wounds and bandaging them with strips of cloth she tore out of the angel¡¯s robes. When the angel¡¯s life was no longer in danger, Andrea gagged her and bound her limbs, stringing her up like Palan strung up the goats when he was away during a hunt. She sighed. She missed those goats. ¡°You really are Palan¡¯s sister,¡± Cleo said as she flipped the meat which was cooking in the fire over. ¡°You¡¯re just as brutal.¡± Andrea giggled, taking Cleo¡¯s words as a compliment. After depositing Sariel in a corner of the cave, she adjusted the traps and territory markers while spreading bloody sand around the entrance. Blood attracted predators, but it dissuaded the ones she¡¯d have trouble killing. Only a simpleton would ignore the signs. The smell of cooking would spread through the area, but luckily it was still daytime. Most people would be asleep. No one liked scorching temperatures that burned the soles of their feet. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Andrea asked as she picked up the fruit. She drank the remaining liquid, but there still seemed to be something solid inside. She cracked the fruit open with a rock, revealing a golden yolk with a slightly formed body inside of it. Cleo resisted the urge to vomit as Andrea tested the yolk with her tongue. She was fine with eating eggs. She was even fine with eating dead angels. But she wasn¡¯t fine with eating eggs that still had unborn angels inside of them. Suddenly, the meat roasting over the fire became less appetizing. ¡°I¡¯m from Div¡¯Nya,¡± Cleo said, turning her head away from Andrea, who had already consumed half the yolk. ¡°It¡¯s a different world where here is the moon. I met Palan there.¡± Andrea tilted her head, golden liquid dripping from her chin. ¡°Then Div¡¯Nya is our moon?¡± she asked. Her brow wrinkled. ¡°Is that the world of the angels?¡± Cleo snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not just the angels¡¯ world,¡± she said. ¡°It belongs to everyone on it. There¡¯s centaurs, and harpies, and dwarves, and lizardmen, and goblins, and trolls, and¡ª¡± A loud gulping noise interrupted Cleo¡¯s speech. Andrea licked her lips. ¡°Are they tasty?¡± she asked. Her gaze roamed over Cleo. It was a shame she was so tiny, only the same size as herself. Maybe she¡¯d be a nice appetizer? She broke off chunks of the fruit¡¯s shell and ate them like chips, using the bloody yolk as a dipping sauce.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Uh.¡± Cleo instinctively scooched backwards, keeping an eye on Andrea. ¡°I¡¯ve only tried angels.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Speaking of angels, this one is done cooking.¡± She removed the meat from the fire and split it in half with her knife, giving the bigger piece to Andrea. ¡°What is that?¡± Andrea asked, pointing at the knife. ¡°It¡¯s not made of rock, is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s metal,¡± Cleo said and nodded. The knife vanished into her space. ¡°You don¡¯t have metal here?¡± Andrea shook her head and squeezed out a muffled response. Her cheeks were bulging from the angel meat. ¡°When¡¯s Palan coming back?¡± she asked after swallowing. She pouted. ¡°I miss him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I was kidnapped and transported here unwillingly. Once Palan sees that I¡¯m gone, he¡¯ll definitely chase after me to bring me back. Or he¡¯ll chase after her¡±¡ªshe gestured towards Sariel who was beginning to stir¡ª¡°but that¡¯s the same thing.¡± ¡°Then he¡¯ll be back soon?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°Good. I want him to kill that bully for me.¡± Cleo¡¯s mouth fell open. How many times had she thought those exact words? ¡°I think you and I are going to get along very well,¡± she said and nodded. She pulled out the browning fruit from inside her space and gave it to Andrea. ¡°Here. Since you still seem hungry.¡± Andrea¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°You¡¯re the best snack dispenser ever,¡± she said and broke apart the shell. She drank the overflowing liquid and shared it with Cleo. Cleo smiled. She had been promoted from snack to snack dispenser. At this rate, she¡¯d be promoted to sister in no time. ¡°Who¡¯s been bullying you?¡± she asked. ¡°I can help you take care of them. I¡¯m tiny, but I¡¯m strong.¡± Maybe she wasn¡¯t strong physically, but the hand cannon she stole from Pyre was. ¡°Really?¡± Andrea asked, raising an eyebrow. The lizard could not only dispense snacks, but she could also take care of her grievances? No wonder why her brother kept her around even though he didn¡¯t like anyone except for his cute, lovable, and highly intelligent sister. The lizard was too convenient. ¡°He¡¯s a shaman like her¡±¡ªshe pointed at Sariel¡ª¡°but I guess you call them angels, huh? Anyways, his name is Abaddon, and he can use magic that makes things heavier.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s pride like Palan,¡± Cleo said and furrowed her brow. ¡°I¡ª¡° ¡°Did you say Abaddon?¡± Sariel asked. She had woken up something during the two¡¯s feast. Andrea stared blankly at Sariel. ¡°Didn¡¯t I gag you?¡± she asked. She picked up her bow and arrow just in case the angel managed to untie herself as well. ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Sariel said and gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my earlier behavior. Do you mind untying me? Despite how weak I am, I can bring you a lot of benefits. I just ask that you leave the Creator¡¯s seeds alone.¡± She had a mission to accomplish. And before it even started, she was thwarted by a tiny demon child. ¡°Do you want power? I can give you lots of power. I can bring you to Div¡¯Nya and give you a life of peace instead of the hell you live through now.¡± ¡°Are all shamans this noisy?¡± Andrea asked Cleo with a frown. ¡°She already knows I¡¯m saving her for my brother¡¯s hunt. Why is she so fussy? Maybe she¡¯s hungry¡­¡± Andrea picked up a scrap of angel meat and went over to Sariel¡¯s side. She shoved it down the angel¡¯s throat. ¡°Eat and be quiet or I¡¯ll rip your tongue out.¡± Sariel involuntarily swallowed the piece of flesh. If only she could untie her hands, then she¡¯d be able to fight back with her orbs. Her wrists were already chaffed from her earlier attempts to free herself. She sighed. It was going to be a long time before she got free. She could only hope that they didn¡¯t eat too many of the seeds. Her body stiffened as her face turned green. Had she just eaten an angel? Chapter 331 Palan exhaled. He was floating in a pool of sorts, covered by darkness. Only the soft sounds of liquid sloshing around and his heart beating could be heard. No, that wasn¡¯t right. Palan extended a hand forward until it came into contact with a hard surface¡ªhis eggshell. Faint vibrations traveled up the muscles of his arm. Someone¡¯s heart was beating on the other side. Palan inhaled, drinking in the surrounding liquid with his mouth and torso-mouth. It looked like that hadn¡¯t disappeared. When the liquid was gone, he pushed forward, crumbling a portion of the barrier. Light poured into the egg, nearly blinding him. Wasn¡¯t he in a building? Why was the sun so bright? His other hand reached forward and grabbed the edge of the gap, widening it by tearing off chunks. Then his other hand reached forward along with his last one. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. It seemed like he had four arms now. What else had changed? The egg surrounding him collapsed, caking his body with a layer of black powder. Inputs from five different sources behind him assaulted his senses. Two new tails had been added. They swiveled around, taking in their surroundings while Palan sorted the sensory information in his head. He was no longer on the first floor of the tower. In fact, it¡¯d be better to say that the tower was now gone. He was positioned in a brown crater that stretched on as far as he could see. The only other object inside of the crater was a white cocoon¡ªRaea. Above him, there was a floating cube in the sky. Was that the third floor? ¡°He¡¯s awake!¡± A voice in the distance drew his attention. It sounded like Cory. How far away was she? Had his hearing improved again? He stretched and moved his arms, getting used to the feeling of having another two. The sensory inputs from his new tails no longer overwhelmed him. In one of his dreamlike states during his evolution, he had incarnated into a nine-headed hydra. Five tails and a head wasn¡¯t too much for him to take in. A wrinkle formed on his forehead. Did those hydras actually exist? At the edge of the horizon, Cory appeared, flying towards Palan and Raea who was also beginning to emerge. A single line appeared in the silken cocoon, splitting it in half. Raea moaned as she arched her back, extending her arms forward. She wiggled out of the cocoon and unfurled her wings. She hadn¡¯t changed physically, but her feathers and scales were glossier than before. There were hints of rainbows when the sunlight reflected off of them. ¡°Palan?¡± Raea asked and blinked at her demon. Like before, a tail, Danger Noodle, curled around his torso while his other tails wrapped themselves around his arms. Thankfully, he had grown two new arms for his two new tails to rest on. ¡°You look like an octopus.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°A what?¡± Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Raea chuckled. Right, Palan lived in a desert. He had never been to an ocean before. Then again, neither had she, but the capital had an aquarium. Had. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she took in the surroundings. A vast expanse of brown with a floating cube that was designed like the third floor of the central tower. Maybe the aquarium still managed to survive. She shook her head. That didn¡¯t matter right now. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. Palan shook his head while Cory landed beside them, carrying two robes in her talons. She handed them to Palan and Raea. ¡°Pyre said you¡¯d be naked, so he told me to bring you these,¡± Cory said with a nod. ¡°He wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d survive though, but it looks like you did.¡± She stuck her chest out. ¡°I knew you would.¡± ¡°Why did he think we wouldn¡¯t survive?¡± Palan asked as his expression darkened. Clearly, Pyre had fired the B.F.G. while knowing they were still inside the tower. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at the edge of the blast zone,¡± Cory said and hopped into the air, hovering above them. ¡°Come. I¡¯ll take you to him. He said we couldn¡¯t make a base here because the mana content was too chaotic, whatever that meant.¡± Cory rolled her eyes and flew away. Palan leapt after her while Raea followed, taking one last glance at the third floor. How was it supported like that? Palan¡¯s expression continued to darken the closer he got to the base in the distance. What happened to Sariel? Did she die during the explosion? What did that mean for his contract with Pyre and Abaddon? Why was the third floor unaffected? Wasn¡¯t the Creator supposed to visit him after he evolved to explain something and offer him a deal? How long had he taken to evolve? Oh, and what happened to his magical lizard? Raea reached over and grabbed one of his hands, squeezing it. Palan¡¯s expression relaxed as he turned his head. Raea shrugged. ¡°You seemed agitated,¡± she said. ¡°I could tell because one of your tails kept trying to bite me.¡± She glared at the green tail hanging off his arm, causing it to shrink back. ¡°I hate not knowing what¡¯s happening around me,¡± Palan said. ¡°And there¡¯s so many things that I need to do. I don¡¯t have time to experiment with my new powers yet. I should find Sariel to end this already. I can¡¯t believe I let her escape earlier because of my anger at Asura and Raphael.¡± Raea snorted. ¡°Believe me, I know exactly how you feel,¡± she said. ¡°Anger makes you do funny things, you know? Like burn down a city or a school. Or lashing out at your partner and hurting his pride.¡± She pouted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I was frustrated that you wouldn¡¯t listen to me and envious that you listened to Asura even though I knew you were under her spell.¡± ¡°That¡¯s in the past,¡± Palan said. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can get revenge on you anyways. I do wonder if I¡¯m stronger than you now.¡± ¡°You are,¡± Raea said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Probably. Even if he wasn¡¯t, she wasn¡¯t going to make him feel inferior again. ¡°I barely received anything from my evolution. I think I became more beautiful?¡± ¡°Definitely more shinier,¡± Cory said and bobbed her head up and down. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± She tucked her wings to her sides and plummeted towards the base on the ground. Chapter 332 Palan released his powers, causing his body to plummet towards the ground. A few earthen houses and huts had been erected in neat rectangles, presumably by Mathias. He could tell because of the slogans on the rooves of the buildings. They were written in cursive and said, ¡°Quality you Centrust. Made by centaurs for non-harpies. If you¡¯re reading this and you¡¯re a harpy, then that¡¯s impossible because harpies are too dumb to be literate.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s the sentence mocking harpies longer than the slogan itself?¡± Raea muttered as she hovered in the air. ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± Cory asked, tilting her head at the script. Raea had never taught the harpies how to read cursive. Why did Mathias even know? ¡°Nothing,¡± Raea said and sighed. How accurate. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to lose to the centaurs, got it?¡± ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t supposed to antagonize them?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. ¡°I changed my mind.¡± A thunderous explosion resounded through the air before Cory could respond. Palan landed on the ground, causing it to shatter, creating a web of cracks beneath his feet. A brown layer clouded the streets as dust shot into the air. He hadn¡¯t used his powers to increase his weight when he fell, but his tails were heavy enough by themselves. A few pained cries came from collapsed houses, and armed halflings swarmed the streets. They were wearing robes and sandals. They hadn¡¯t only taken hostages apparently. ¡°Demon?¡± A goblin asked and furrowed his brow. The halflings lowered their weapons before reentering their dwellings. A few diligence beings fixed the broken houses while kindness beings healed the fallen. ¡°Where¡¯s Pyre?¡± Palan asked. His tails spread out and swiveled their heads around, taking in his surroundings. He didn¡¯t recognize any of the halflings around, but that was expected¡ªhe only knew two or three anyways. None of the buildings looked like they¡¯d house Pyre. They were too bland. ¡°He¡¯s underground,¡± Cory said and landed on Crimson Snek¡¯s body, flapping her wings to maintain balance before settling them by her sides. ¡°He¡¯s expanding the tunnels with the blockhead. I think they wanted to bring all the supplies from the second sector to here.¡± ¡°What about the angels who escaped?¡± Raea asked Cory. The harpy was directing Palan towards the stairs leading underground with her wings. ¡°Are they being chased down?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cory said and shook her head. ¡°The insane man said it¡¯d be easier to finish off the angels if they grouped up first.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Raea said. She pursed her lips. ¡°The angels near the eastern border. Did they escape?¡± Cory shrugged. ¡°I was watching over you two the whole time.¡± She glanced at Raea with eyes that said, ¡°Praise me.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Raea sighed and patted Cory¡¯s head. ¡°You did well. Send some subordinates to see if the Caelum household is still standing.¡± As long as the B.F.G. explosion didn¡¯t reach them, they should be fine. She didn¡¯t want her parents to die¡ªshe wanted to talk to them. Then maybe after that they could die. She hadn¡¯t quite forgiven them for trying to kill Palan even though she had her revenge on the capital. Would Sely be disappointed? ¡°I can do that,¡± Cory said. She threw a few white thunderbolts at some harpies flying in the sky. She cupped her wings around her mouth and shouted, ¡°Go that way and tell me if there¡¯s any houses.¡± The harpies squawked and flew away. Cory nodded at Raea. ¡°All done.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awfully convenient,¡± Raea said as the harpies disappeared into the distance. Palan was descending into the earth, following a stone path. It didn¡¯t feel like they were entering a cave. If Raea hadn¡¯t known, she¡¯d have thought the stairs were part of a castle. As they traveled through the halls, they passed by jail cells with angels inside of them. She recognized a few faces from her time in the capital, but they didn¡¯t recognize her. Their gazes were glued to the floor as if they were scared to make eye contact with anyone. Is this what she wanted? What did the ordinary civilians of the capital have to do with her exile? After walking for a few minutes, the group stopped in front of a wooden door. Cory knocked on it with her wing, but Palan kicked it open, launching it off its hinges. Inside of the room, Pyre was lying face down in the middle of the floor. There was a pipe in his mouth, and a magic circle made from purple ashes surrounded his body. His arms and legs were splayed, and he didn¡¯t react when the door bounced near his head. Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Is he dead?¡± His tails were picking up Pyre¡¯s body temperature, and his electromagnetic sense was picking up his heartbeats. ¡°Pyre.¡± A long sigh escaped from Pyre¡¯s nostril, ejecting a stream of smoke into the floor. ¡°Yes?¡± Pyre asked and rolled over. His robe was loosely fastened, exposing his bare chest and stomach. ¡°Explain yourself,¡± Palan said with a snarl. ¡°Explain myself?¡± Pyre asked and tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s there to explain?¡± ¡°You fired your cannon while I was still inside of the tower.¡± ¡°And?¡± Pyre asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re still alive, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What if I didn¡¯t survive?¡± Palan asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Then I would¡¯ve died,¡± Pyre said. ¡°We have a blood contract, remember? I¡¯m not allowed to harm you, and you have to kill Sariel for me.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know we¡¯d survive?¡± Raea asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Pyre said. ¡°My goal was to destroy the capital. Blowing up the tower with my B.F.G. accomplished that. Even if I died, it would¡¯ve been worth it.¡± Palan took a step forward, causing Pyre to laugh. ¡°Even if you kill me now, I wouldn¡¯t care. I did it. I accomplished my lifelong goal a few years before I¡¯d die of old age. Anyways, we can dissolve our contract if you¡¯d like. I have no idea where Sariel is, and I wouldn¡¯t want you to die because you failed your part of the deal.¡± A yellow parchment appeared in Pyre¡¯s hand, and he passed it to Palan. Palan read over it before nodding. He pierced his thumb with his tooth and pressed it against the paper. Palan¡¯s and Pyre¡¯s body shone with a golden light that died away as the paper crumbled to dust. Palan crossed his arms over his chest. Cory glanced back and forth between the two people. ¡°I thought you were going to kill him,¡± she said and rubbed her head. ¡°Your face was really aggressive earlier.¡± ¡°I need him to teleport me back to Eljiam.¡± ¡°What about Sariel?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to kill her before going back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Raea tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll just kill Abaddon.¡± Chapter 333 ¡°Would that work?¡± Raea asked. Her brow furrowed as she muttered to herself. ¡°Someone really didn¡¯t think the system through when they created such a loophole, huh? I mean, if all contracts could end by killing the opposing party¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because angels aren¡¯t expecting people to murder them?¡± Cory asked and tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s the angels¡¯ naivety that allows something like this to exist. To you, logically, the only way out of a contract is to fulfill the statements of the contract. Why would you add a clause to prevent someone from killing you when they logically shouldn¡¯t?¡± ¡°A harpy shouldn¡¯t say statements about logic,¡± a voice said from behind them. Mathias clopped into the room with his arms crossed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit their image at all, damned birdbrains.¡± ¡°Should I rip your fifth leg off again?¡± Cory asked and narrowed her eyes at the centaur. Mathias shuddered and paused mid-step. ¡°Again?¡± Ivan asked from the hall. The lizardman had a gathering of archlings behind him. Pyre had ordered him to bring the archlings to his room if Palan and Raea returned unharmed. ¡°When did the first time occur?¡± Cory grinned. ¡°When he¡ª¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Mathias said, his voice thundering over Cory¡¯s, ¡°it looks like everyone has gathered. The insane benefactor needed our assistance.¡± He glared at Cory before nodding at Pyre. ¡°What do you request of us?¡± Pyre glanced at Palan. The demon¡¯s body was completely relaxed as if the archlings gathered behind him were no more harmful than ants. He had heard about Palan¡¯s reaction to crowds in the city from Linda. It seemed like Palan had either gotten over the fear, or he was that much more confident in his ability to survive. ¡°I need your mana to set up a targeted portal heading to Eljiam,¡± Pyre said and sat up. He gestured at the magic circle surrounding him. Lines extended from it to certain spots in the room. ¡°You just need to stand in those positions until the portal opens for Palan and Raea.¡± ¡°How did you know I wanted to go back?¡± Palan asked as a wrinkle appeared on his brow. Was this a trap? Why else would Pyre dissolve the contract that prevented the angel from taking negative actions against him? ¡°This is really a portal leading to Eljiam?¡± ¡°Correct. I made it because I destroyed the other one in the tower¡¯s basement,¡± Pyre said. ¡°You might be wondering why I dissolved the contract between us. That¡¯s because sending someone to Eljiam can definitely be constituted as taking a negative action against another. I¡¯ll be sending you from paradise to hell after all.¡± The archlings assembled in their required spots. ¡°Do you want me to create a contract swearing on my life that this is a portal meant to send you to Eljiam?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you after your B.F.G. stunt.¡± Pyre sighed. ¡°Fine. I deserved that I suppose,¡± he said and summoned another contract. He passed it to Palan who read it over and agreed. ¡°The portal will stay active for ten minutes after it¡¯s summoned in case you change your mind. If you want to come back after that ¡­ I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some naturally occurring portals or weak points in space where you can create one yourself.¡± ¡°Or I can take you with me,¡± Palan said. ¡°You could do that too, but I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you didn¡¯t,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I¡¯d like to live out the remainder of my life in luxury as the hero who reclaimed the land for the halflings. Someone has to write the new history books, you know? How else will your great exploits be passed on? Think about it. In the future, everyone will know your name as the brave hero who volunteered to enter the capital first during the invasion despite knowing the risks. You¡¯ll be remembered as the one who wiped out the Ingels, one of the great families of the despotic rulers.¡± ¡°You have a point¡­,¡± Palan said. ¡°Does he? Does he really?¡± Raea asked and poked Palan¡¯s side. ¡°I want to come back here after helping you reunite with your sister¡ªwho you love more than me and I¡¯m totally not bitter about that at all, you ungrateful bastard.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°I mean, what was I saying? Right. I want to come back here. I still have things I want to do like establish the harpies¡¯ homeland and beat up my parents. We¡¯re a partnership; it can¡¯t always be about you. Besides, weren¡¯t the centaurs going to erect a statue of you? They can inscribe your exploits into the base of it. And Pyre can just write his autobiography after we come back.¡± She glared at the dejected half-angel. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°You have an unreasonable wife,¡± Pyre said to Palan. ¡°And you¡¯re coming with us,¡± Palan said. He grinned at Mathias. ¡°Remember my image. I expect my statue to be done by the time I¡¯m back. It should be sturdy enough to withstand any earthquake or storm.¡± Mathias sighed. ¡°I understand,¡± he said and saluted. Inwardly, he cursed the unruly centaurs who tried to overthrow his position. Now they all lost. Except for the archbishop, that traitor. ¡°Make sure the harpies don¡¯t get into too much trouble while I¡¯m gone,¡± Raea said to Cory. Cory blinked. ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll try?¡± she said with a questioning tone while tilting her head. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard since I¡¯m coming with you though.¡± ¡°You are?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re my best friend,¡± Cory said and threw her wings into the air. ¡°And the harbinger. Yeah, that too.¡± Pyre cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m coordinating the exit location right now,¡± he said. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± ¡°To my sister,¡± Palan said. ¡°To your sister,¡± Pyre echoed. He scratched at the ground. ¡°And where exactly is that?¡± ¡°In a town in the desert,¡± Palan said. ¡°There aren¡¯t many. It shouldn¡¯t be that hard to find.¡± Pyre¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to do this the tedious way,¡± he said and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to open and close portals randomly until you see a landmark you recognize.¡± He glanced at the archlings acting as the portal¡¯s power source. ¡°Bear with me.¡± Chapter 334 The landmark Palan recognized was the sky pillar. It was a column of glossy black rock extending from the desert sands towards the sky. Five fingerlike extensions jutted out from the top like a hand grasping at the clouds. It was a popular breeding spot for the vultures as well as a well-known landmark amongst the inhabitants of the desert. While observing the landscape from the different portals Pyre had conjured, Palan had realized how much he didn¡¯t know about Eljiam. Roughly half the planet consisted of a desert, but the other half contained a frozen wasteland and a burning hell while other parts were covered in purple mists. The only reasonably inhabitable place Raea acknowledged was Haalbeh. At least it had grass. ¡°You¡¯ve lived here your whole life?¡± Cory asked as sweat poured down her body. She had tried flying, but that made her even more miserable. Her wings were damp and pressed against her body. Every so often, she¡¯d shake the water out of her feathers, but they¡¯d refill within a few minutes. She was perched on Crimson Snek because walking on the sand burnt her scaly feet. ¡°I thought living underground was bad. I almost never want to see the suns again.¡± Raea fanned herself with her wings. Like Cory, she was sitting on one of Palan¡¯s tails, using his back to provide herself with shade. ¡°This place is terrible. I can feel the mana leaving my body,¡± she said. Maybe demon¡¯s had a much more difficult time evolving than angels was because their world was against them. If her mana reserves were a pool she drew water out of, after entering Eljiam, it felt like someone had covered the pool with a thick blanket. Something was absorbing it and preventing her from easily accessing her powers. ¡°It really is unpleasant,¡± Pyre said and sighed. When Palan had seen the sky pillar, he had wrapped his tail around the half-angel and threw him through the portal first. ¡°No wonder why my father chose to stay in Div¡¯Nya even at the risk of death.¡± The half-angel was walking alongside Palan, surprisingly in better shape than Cory and Raea. Maybe it had to do with the demon blood flowing through his veins. He glanced at Palan who hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat. ¡°Do you know where you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°East,¡± Palan said. The only landmark was the sky pillar. Everything else was comprised of an endless sea of yellow with a shimmering haze in the air. A few sand particles blew past, stinging the parties¡¯ skin. ¡°Also finding shelter.¡± ¡°Shelter?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Here? Shouldn¡¯t we be heading towards the giant rock then and not away from it?¡± Palan shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ll dehydrate if you continue talking.¡± Earlier, he wanted to use his powers to leap and travel faster, but his and Raea¡¯s mana regeneration rates were seriously lowered. He never noticed because he never had powers until he went to Div¡¯Nya.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Pyre shut his mouth and continued to walk alongside Palan. Every so often, he¡¯d pull a canteen of water out of his bag and drink from it while sharing with Cory and Raea. The suns were still rising, nearly approaching their zenith. He found it unbelievable, but the temperature rose even higher, and his red skin reddened even further as the sunrays burned him. There was no sign of any shelter in sight. Pyre opened his mouth to speak and found his throat parched. Hadn¡¯t he just taken a swig? ¡°Shelter?¡± ¡°Found one,¡± Palan said. ¡°We¡¯re close.¡± Pyre squinted and shielded his eyes with his hand. How close was close? He glanced at Raea and Cory. Though they were also uncomfortable, they looked a lot more at ease than he was. Why couldn¡¯t he ride Palan¡¯s tails? When Pyre was about to collapse, Palan stopped walking. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Palan said, staring at the ground. He crouched, and Cory cried out as she was exposed to the sun, but Palan ignored her and thrust his right arms through the sand. The muscles on his shoulders bulged as he yanked his arms up, pulling a tarp out of the ground. ¡°Bastard!¡± a voice shouted from the large object in Palan¡¯s hands. A bone spear shot out of the tent, stabbing towards Palan¡¯s chest. A tongue flickered out of his torso-mouth and yanked the spear away. His stomach swallowed the weapon but spat it out a second later. Palan frowned. He wasn¡¯t aware his torso-mouth was a picky eater. The tent in Palan¡¯s arms squirmed, and an emaciated demon fell out, landing on the ground with a thump. He glared at Palan, but froze at his appearance. The demon sighed. ¡°I¡¯m dead, aren¡¯t I?¡± Palan responded by crushing the demon¡¯s head with his foot, splattering black matter over the sand. He crouched down and rummaged through the demon¡¯s bag, retrieving supplies needed to repair a tent. While Raea was still stunned by Palan¡¯s sudden action, he had already fixed the hole in the tent and was digging out a shelter with his tails. ¡°We sleep during the day because of the heat,¡± he said and lined the hole with the tent¡¯s tarp. ¡°Get in.¡± ¡°I thought I got used to you killing people,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. She stared at the corpse before shaking her head and entering the shelter. ¡°I guess that¡¯s just something I¡¯ll never be accustomed to.¡± ¡°Kill first, ask questions later,¡± Palan said. ¡°Besides, he attacked first.¡± ¡°You dug him out of the ground while he was asleep,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course he¡¯d attack.¡± Palan opened his mouth, but Raea spoke over him. ¡°I¡¯m not saying what you did was wrong, okay? I was just surprised that you didn¡¯t even try to talk to him.¡± ¡°Exchanging words with the dead is pointless,¡± Palan said as he made Danger Noodle swallow the corpse. It¡¯d be annoying if it attracted scavengers. A smile appeared on his face as he entered the tent while concealing it with sand, insulating it from the suns¡¯ rays. He¡¯d been away from Eljiam for too long. He almost forgot what it felt like to leisurely hunt someone. Sure, he had Sariel as a target in Div¡¯Nya, but he didn¡¯t know anything about his surroundings or opponent. Here, he knew everything. He looked forward to seeing Abaddon¡¯s and his sister¡¯s expressions. Chapter 335 The green and blue moon shone down on the desert, illuminating the vast empty plains. A few shadows were lurking about, difficult to discern by sight alone. A mound bulged in the sand, and a black snake head slithered out of the ground. Its head swiveled a few times, tongue flickering, tasting the air. The surroundings were clear. Moments later, a tent rose out of the ground, spilling sand into a neat mound around it. Cory popped her head out of the tent flap. A cold breeze blew past her past, causing her to shiver and fluff up her leg feathers. She retracted her head and stared at Palan. ¡°Why is it so cold?¡± she asked and tilted her head. ¡°You never said anything about Eljiam being colder than your heart.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s cold because it¡¯s not hot,¡± he said. ¡°The sun isn¡¯t out, so obviously the temperature drops.¡± He stepped out of the tent and stretched. ¡°So is that what these furs were for?¡± Raea asked from inside the tent and held up a fur suit. ¡°I was wondering why you¡¯d need something like this after experiencing that earlier heat.¡± She modified the suit and wrapped it around Cory. ¡°Better?¡± The harpy blinked at Raea¡¯s actions. ¡°Then what about you?¡± she asked. ¡°There¡¯s only one suit.¡± ¡°This temperature feels nice to me,¡± Raea said as she spread her wings and arms while stepping outside, letting the night wind flow past her. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure why. Maybe I¡¯m just really good at warming my body up, but really bad at keeping it cool.¡± Cory nodded as she hopped out of the tent. She really did make the right choice in nominating Raea as harbinger. She refused to believe Raea felt comfortable in this weather. It was hard to find a leader who cared more about her subjects than herself. She knew; after all, she was the current matriarch. A content sigh escaped from her lips. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my fur suit?¡± Pyre asked as he crawled out of the tent. Palan squatted beside it and folded it. ¡°I¡¯m all skin and bones. I don¡¯t get one?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Cory said and wrapped her suit around tighter. ¡°You can have the next one.¡± Pyre sighed and took out his pipe, lighting up his screaming plants. At least a side effect of the hallucinogen allowed his body to stay warm. He was woefully unprepared for a trip to Eljiam. How was he supposed to know Palan was going to drag him here? ¡°Can we at least fly to our destination?¡± he asked. The less time spent traveling was less time spent suffering. ¡°The mana regeneration rate is even worse at night,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t you feel it?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Well, I can,¡± Pyre said. ¡°But what exactly are you being so careful for? You¡¯re an existence beyond an archangel. You can probably kill Abaddon with your physical body alone. Look at how you killed that poor demon earlier this afternoon. He couldn¡¯t even resist.¡± His teeth chattered during his speech. ¡°I don¡¯t see why you have to conserve mana when nothing can hurt you. Weren¡¯t you in a hurry?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m in a hurry, that doesn¡¯t mean I have to rush,¡± Palan said as he strapped the tent to his back and marched forwards. Cory hopped onto Crimson Snek and curled up into a ball, shivering to keep herself warm while Raea snuggled behind her. ¡°The most dangerous part of a hunt occurs at the very end. I can¡¯t become impatient just because the prey is in sight.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter if your prey¡¯s death throes can¡¯t hurt you,¡± Pyre said and sighed. He jogged along Palan to keep himself warm. ¡°Is there something in particular you¡¯re worried about, or are you just being that careful?¡± ¡°If I say what I¡¯m worried about, then it¡¯ll appear,¡± Palan said. ¡°So I¡¯m not going to.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were superstitious,¡± Raea said, turning her head. Instead of seeing his back, her nose crashed against the tent strapped to him, causing her to yelp. She rubbed it. ¡°But does that really mean there¡¯s something you¡¯re worried about? Maybe a giant lizard that can eat anything, or a giant disease-spreading bird?¡± Palan twitched at Raea¡¯s words. He wrapped a tail around Pyre and sprinted ahead. Maybe he should hurry up a bit. As long as he didn¡¯t spend mana during the travels, it should be fine. As he ran, a pair of demons came into view. They were fighting against a giant lizard, poking it with bone spears while avoiding its claws and tail. ¡°Is anyone hungry?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I am,¡± Cory said and raised her wing into the air. ¡°Shivering takes up a lot of energy, you know? Harpies aren¡¯t meant to shiver. We¡¯re supposed to soak up the sun and never be cold.¡± Palan adjusted his course, making a beeline towards the fight. One of the demons became distracted by his approach and turned around. The lizard took advantage of the momentary distraction and slashed the demon¡¯s back, forcing him to the ground. ¡°Dammit!¡± the other demon shouted and stabbed the spear into the lizard¡¯s eye. ¡°If you kill him, who¡¯s going to help me carry your body back, you stupid lizard?¡± The lizard roared and stumbled backwards while the demon laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right, be afraid! Be very¡ª¡± His words were cut off as a snake¡¯s head bludgeoned him, causing blood and brains to pour out of his head. Palan lunged forward and caught the lizard¡¯s head with his four arms. It struggled to free itself, but Palan didn¡¯t let go, deflecting its claw strikes with his tails. He planted his foot against the lizard¡¯s shoulder and twisted his body. The lizard died with a cracking sound as the bones in its neck were severed. ¡°I¡¯ve acquired our breakfast,¡± Palan said as he released the dead lizard. ¡°You can cook it.¡± Palan threw Pyre on top of the lizard. The half-angel sighed as he took out some tools to cook with. He had borrowed some of Cleo¡¯s powers to create an orb of kleptomania which allowed him to store a few things. The space wasn¡¯t as big though. Palan turned around and grabbed the demon who had been injured by the lizard. ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me. My life was just starting to turn around.¡± ¡°I want information,¡± Palan said. He had been away from Eljiam for a while. He wasn¡¯t sure if Abaddon¡¯s city was still where it was before. The people of the desert were nomadic by nature. ¡°Your life depends on your answers.¡± Chapter 336 ¡°Ask me anything,¡± the injured demon said while trembling. He pressed his forehead against the ground. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to you.¡± Palan nodded and released the demon¡¯s arm. He leaned back, sitting on the air using two of his tails to prop himself up. ¡°What are the closest towns to here? What¡¯s the situation like inside of those towns?¡± ¡°The closest town is Longhorn,¡± the demon said, keeping his face plastered to the sand. ¡°It¡¯s run by the three longhorn brothers. If you head south for a day, you¡¯ll make it there. From there, there¡¯s a road leading to¡ª¡± ¡°A road?¡± Palan asked and furrowed his brow. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± No one built roads in the desert. He didn¡¯t even know what a road was before he went to Div¡¯Nya. ¡°I-it¡¯s a passageway from one town to another,¡± the demon said and gulped. ¡°I swear I¡¯m not lying. I didn¡¯t believe it either, but there really is a passageway from Longhorn to Celestia.¡± The demon shivered when Palan¡¯s body blocked out the moon, casting a shadow on the demon¡¯s body. ¡°C-Celestia is the city founded by the shaman, Abaddon. You can ask anyone. Everyone in the desert knows about it. I¡¯m not lying.¡± Palan frowned. Abaddon was really arrogant. Establishing a permanent city in the desert? Did he think Eljiam was as soft as Div¡¯Nya? At least nothing had happened to the city yet which meant his sister was still alright. ¡°Which way is Celestia?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to the east,¡± the demon said. ¡°If you head south to Longhorn, then you can take the road there. It¡¯s a three day journey from Longhorn to Celestia.¡± ¡°And if I head straight east? How long would that take?¡± ¡°For most people, it is a very arduous journey. The wild beasts were displaced during the creation of the roads, and they¡¯ve settled in places without patrols,¡± the demon said. ¡°But if it¡¯s someone as strong as you, then the trip will take two days if you can kill any beast as fast as you¡¯ve killed this one. A normal person will take much longer to avoid them.¡± ¡°Do you know someone named Andrea?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Short. Has claws. Pointed ears.¡± ¡°A-Andrea?¡± the demon asked and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± He froze when a snake¡¯s head appeared in front of his face. ¡°I-I mean, yes! Yes, I have! Andrea, Andrea¡­, I think she¡¯s the princess of Celestia. She¡¯s short and has the traits of a leopard. No one¡¯s allowed to touch her unless they want to suffer the wrath of the shaman.¡± His voice lowered greatly. ¡°At least, that¡¯s what the rumors say. Celestia is too expensive for me to enter.¡± Palan nodded and removed his tail from the demon¡¯s sight. ¡°What about notable hunters in the region,¡± he asked. ¡°Any dangerous people I should watch out for.¡± ¡°To eat?¡± Raea asked and rolled her eyes. The lizard in front of her crackled as Pyre set it over a bonfire.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Ignore her,¡± Palan said and poked the demon with his toe. The demon flinched and pressed his body against the ground even further. ¡°Tell me what I want to know.¡± ¡°Dangerous people,¡± the demon said. ¡°Do animals count? Recently, there¡¯s been reports of a king lizard roaming around the outskirts of Talonfoot. That¡¯s the town north of Celestia. A pride of black lions have taken residence east of Celestia. To the south, a breed of poisonous snakes have emerged. The safest place to hunt is the west, which is why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°What about demons?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I don¡¯t care about any animals. Tell me about the famous people in the area.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, right away,¡± the demon said and knocked his head against the ground. ¡°Jokel, the eldest of the three longhorn brothers, is rumored to have the ability to manipulate fire. I¡¯ve heard people say the leader of Talonfoot can emit poison from her mouth. The shaman is definitely a powerful figure. He maintains control of his city and connecting towns, but no one complains. That¡¯s because he¡¯s stronger than everyone else. Less famous people who¡¯ve been active in the area include Mir the Daystalker, Logan the Berserker, Palan the Hunter, Lizbeth¡ªah!?¡± Palan lifted the demon by his neck, causing the veins on the demon¡¯s head to bulge. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say not to lie to me?¡± he asked and narrows his eyes. He tossed the demon against the ground, causing his bones to snap even though his fall was cushioned by sand. ¡°I, I¡¯m not lying,¡± the demon said with a whimper. ¡°I swear on my future children and their children. I¡¯m really not lying.¡± ¡°Palan the Hunter,¡± Palan said. ¡°You said he¡¯s been active in the area?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± the demon said. ¡°For the past week or two, he¡¯s been claiming territory on a massive scale.¡± ¡°Has anyone seen him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the demon said and clutched his bloody arm. ¡°No one will enter his safe havens. They¡¯re trapped and poisoned, and everyone knows not to mess with him. One time, a city leader provoked him. Palan mercilessly terrorized and slaughtered the inhabitants until the residents killed the leader as an offering to make him stop. He accepted the offering, but he still killed everyone inside. No one wants to provoke an existence like him for no good reason. We were happy he left for a while, but he¡¯s back now. Thankfully, he hasn¡¯t destroyed any cities. I think he¡¯s scared of the shaman¡¯s influence.¡± ¡°Terrorist,¡± Raea said and pinched Palan¡¯s waist. He smacked her hand away. ¡°I want to meet this hunter,¡± Palan said and spat out a tooth. ¡°R-really?¡± the demon asked. ¡°If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure you can kill him. I¡¯ve never seen anyone win against a lizard in a contest of strength. I¡­¡± He stopped speaking. ¡°What?¡± Palan asked and kicked the demon, flipping him over onto his back. ¡°Speak up.¡± The demon hissed as sand fell into his open wounds. ¡°I actually passed by one of the hunter¡¯s safe havens,¡± he said. ¡°The heads still looked fresh, so I ran as far away as I could. Do you want me to take you there?¡± Palan narrowed his eyes. He was hunting Abaddon right now, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to remove an imposter if he was along the way. ¡°Is it on the way to Celestia?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the demon said and lowered his head. ¡°I can take you there.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Palan said. The demon wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°Mighty sir, if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­¡± ¡°Ask.¡± ¡°Will you accept me as your underling?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you around for however long you¡¯re useful.¡± He still needed the demon to guide him to the imposter¡¯s cave. He could find it himself, but why waste the extra time and effort when someone was willing to bring him there? Palan frowned. Was he getting nicer? He shook his head. There was no need to fear a demon who couldn¡¯t kill a lizard. Once the demon brought him to the safe haven, he¡¯d kill him. That settled it. He sat down next to Raea and ripped a chunk of flesh off the still-cooking lizard and took a bite. Chapter 337 Andrea licked her lips as she patted her bulging belly, lying down on her back while staring up at the ceiling. Cleo had fed her another one of those eggs, and though she didn¡¯t usually feel full, this time she did. Her body was filled to the brim with ¡­ something. A warm cozy feeling spread from her chest to her toes as her eyes drooped and her breathing slowed. The fire pit beside her flickered, tempting her to curl up beside it and fall asleep. She listened. Cleo stared blankly at the curled up demon before scratching her head. Usually she¡¯d have to feed Andrea a week¡¯s worth of food before she was satisfied, but this time, Andrea had fallen asleep after one egg. Why? A whispering sound caused her to turn her head. In the corner, Sariel was lying down on her stomach, glaring at her with bloodshot eyes. The angel¡¯s lips moved and Cleo had to strain her neck to hear her words, ¡°Cleo the Magnificent. Let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Cleo frowned at the head of the angels before sneaking over, careful not to disturb Andrea¡¯s nap. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any position to make deals,¡± she said and glanced at the angel¡¯s arms. There were holes in the angel¡¯s elbows with a giant lizard¡¯s tendon threaded through them, binding them together behind her back. Sariel had escaped from her bindings once, but Andrea acted immediately as if she had been expecting that and filled the angel¡¯s body with arrows. Sariel had fainted from the pain. When the angel had woken up, her hands were gone, severed at their wrists, and the bindings moved to her joints. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sariel asked, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Despite my appearance, I¡¯m still an archangel. Help me and I¡¯ll form a contract with you. I can make you powerful without any effort on your part. What do you say?¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± Cleo said. She shook her head and turned her back on the angel. ¡°Why!?¡± Sariel shouted. Well, she tried to shout, but her voice ended up cracking as she broke out into a fit of coughing. Cleo didn¡¯t answer as she sat beside the fire, sticking her legs out to keep them warm. She pulled out a fluffy blanket and wrapped it around herself while shivering. It got awfully chilly at night in Eljiam. One of Andrea¡¯s eyes opened and stared at Cleo. ¡°Good choice,¡± Andrea said with a nod as she yawned. She sat up and rubbed her belly which had shrank to its original size. ¡°You should never make a deal with those devils. Palan did and he disappeared to the moon.¡± ¡°The irony¡­,¡± Cleo said and tilted her head. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Andrea shook her head as she picked up her bow and arrows. She didn¡¯t have to hunt because Cleo brought an endless supply of food, but she wanted to keep her archery skills in shape. She nocked the arrow and pointed the bow at Sariel, releasing. The angel whimpered as the arrow lodged itself in the ground an inch away from Sariel¡¯s nose. Andrea fired arrow after arrow, outlining Sariel¡¯s body, but not actually hitting her. Andrea sighed when she ran out of arrows. She glanced down at her glowing stomach. Glowing stomach? ¡°Am I ¡­ shining?¡± Andrea asked and poked Cleo who was preoccupied with skinning a dead body.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Cleo raised her head. She blinked. ¡°You¡¯re glowing,¡± she said and tilted her head. She covered the fire with a sheet of metal, drowning the cave in darkness. Andrea¡¯s stomach was pulsating with a white light, casting shadows on the cave walls. Cleo stored the sheet, and the fire returned. ¡°Why are you glowing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± Andrea said with a questioning tone. She placed her hand on her belly. It was warm. ¡°This has never happened before. Maybe I¡¯m evolving? But I¡¯m still a child.¡± ¡°I know what¡¯s happening,¡± Sariel said from her corner. ¡°Do you want me to tell you? We can make a deal.¡± Cleo stared at Sariel as if she were an idiot. Andrea walked over and picked up one of the arrows embedded in the ground. She coated it with poison that she retrieved from her pouch and traced the tip along Sariel¡¯s skin. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal,¡± Andrea said with a smile. ¡°You tell me, and I won¡¯t stab you.¡± She tilted her head to the side. ¡°Okay?¡± Sariel sighed. No wonder why Cleo had looked at her like that. ¡°Even if you kill me, I won¡¯t tell you,¡± she said and bit her lower lip. ¡°Unless you¡ª¡± Andrea plunged the arrow into Sariel¡¯s thigh, causing the angel to shriek. She retrieved the arrow and spat in Sariel¡¯s wound before rubbing it. Sariel¡¯s blood coagulated in an instant, leaving a black blotch on her leg. ¡°Is that the way you want to play?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Sariel whispered. ¡°Why is a child so cruel?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Andrea asked and tilted her head. ¡°You think I¡¯m cruel? I¡¯m flattered, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to stop.¡± She traced circles on Sariel¡¯s body with the arrow. The glow on her stomach was becoming brighter and encompassing a larger area, spreading to her chest and legs. At least it wasn¡¯t an uncomfortable feeling. ¡°I underestimated Eljiam,¡± Sariel muttered to herself. ¡°I should¡¯ve waited for Headmaster to recover his strength. Creator, why have you forsaken me?¡± ¡°What are you blathering on about?¡± Andrea asked and furrowed her brow. She lightly pierced Sariel¡¯s arm, causing purple tendrils to spread along the angel¡¯s red skin. ¡°Tell me. What¡¯s with the glow?¡± ¡°You¡¯re evolving,¡± Sariel said. Her eyes were unfocused, her expression blank. ¡°But aren¡¯t I supposed to form an egg?¡± Andrea asked. She had seen one of Abaddon¡¯s subordinates evolve. She had also tried to eat the egg during the evolution but had chipped a tooth instead. ¡°That is how demons evolve,¡± Sariel said. A single tear ran down the side of her expressionless face. ¡°You¡¯re evolving like an angel.¡± ¡°Ew,¡± Andrea said and wrinkled her nose. The glow had spread to her neck, arms, and knees. She instinctively felt something would change when the glow fully encompassed her body. ¡°So that means¡ª¡± Andrea stopped talking as her ear twitched. Something was coming. Something heavy. A king lizard, maybe? Chapter 338 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cleo asked, noticing the tension on Andrea¡¯s body. She¡¯d seen Palan freeze up dozens of times. Andrea was acting extremely similar to him when something was approaching. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Sariel said, also realizing Andrea¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t quite right. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Andrea hissed and stuffed the arrow, lengthwise, into Sariel¡¯s mouth, cutting off her speech. Her ears flickered a few times as she scrambled to retrieve the arrows she shot around the angel¡¯s body, storing them into the leather quiver hanging from her waist. When she retrieved half of them, she dashed to Cleo and picked up her bow, nocking an arrow and pointing it at the entrance. Cleo gulped and bit her lower lip. This was the first time she had seen Palan¡¯s sister so serious. But the demon was still glowing, which admittedly ruined the tense atmosphere. Cleo wet her lips with her tongue as she rummaged through her space and pulled out one of Pyre¡¯s hand cannons. She loaded the steel ammo and capped the device, activating the orb of humility to build up pressure. The whirring noises it created caused Andrea to frown at Cleo, but audible footsteps that even Sariel could hear came from outside the cave, bringing the demon¡¯s attention back towards the entrance. ¡°This is the place, see?¡± a voice asked. There was some silence as stakes fell to the ground. Andrea bit her lip as the sound of rushing sand filled the cave. Someone was filling in her traps. ¡°Wow, this really is like you,¡± a feminine voice said. There was something about it that caused Andrea to relax as if the owner of such a beautiful voice could never do harm. Her bow lowered as her shoulders loosened, the bowstring falling slack. Danger! Her eyes widened and she bit her lower lip, causing blood to trickle down to her chin. She shuddered as she readjusted the arrow and exhaled slowly. What the heck was she thinking? Someone wouldn¡¯t hurt her because they had a nice voice? ¡°Keep going,¡± a deep voice said. ¡°Y-yes,¡± the first voice said. There were shuffling noises, and the shadow of a figure appeared on the cave wall, ready to round the bend leading to the cavern Andrea and Cleo were inhabiting. Cleo scratched her head. Something wasn¡¯t right. Those voices were awfully familiar. They sounded like Raea and Palan in fact. She thought about saying something, but the expression on Andrea¡¯s face told her she¡¯d get an arrow to the face if she made any noise. If it was Palan, then he¡¯d definitely recognize her by smell and wouldn¡¯t attack. If it wasn¡¯t, then she¡¯d be giving up the element of surprise if she announced her presence. Thus, she decided to keep her mouth shut and tighten her grip on the hand cannon¡¯s trigger. Palan would survive against a projectile, right? A figure¡¯s head appeared, and Andrea released her arrow. It flew true, whistling through the air as it homed in on the intruder¡¯s head. There was a squelching sound as the arrow pierced the demon¡¯s skull. The demon¡¯s eyes widened as he fell over. Andrea frowned. Judging by the wounds already on the demon¡¯s body, he was close to dying before her arrow did anything. Someone had used him as a probe. She inhaled and readied another arrow. If there were only another two intruders, she had fifty percent confidence to take them out. Maybe more if the strange contraption in the snack dispenser¡¯s hand meant anything. ¡°Wah!¡± an excited voice said. ¡°That was a really nice shot. Sometimes I¡¯m jealous I don¡¯t have hands¡ªjust sometimes though. Wings are superior after all.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Wait here,¡± the deep voice said. Someone squawked as the familiar sound of bodies hitting the floor reached Andrea¡¯s ears. A shadow appeared on the cave¡¯s wall, causing her eyes to widen. What kind of monster could create a silhouette like that? Goosebumps ran down her arms and legs as she instinctively took a step back. Then another. She glanced at the emergency hole she had dug in the corner of the room. It was too late to hide there and cover herself. Why had she been so confident? She recalled her brother¡¯s words. ¡®Only engage when you¡¯re sure of victory. If there¡¯s any chance of losing, retreat and wait for another opportunity.¡¯ It was too late to retreat now. She cursed the pleasant feeling the glow had given her body. It had made her arrogant. ¡°You¡¯re smiling,¡± the beautiful voice said. ¡°Pervert.¡± Andrea¡¯s body relaxed against her whim. She shook her head and bit her lip again, drawing more blood. This situation was too dangerous. She glanced at her snack dispenser. Andrea¡¯s eyes bulged. Why did the lizardling look like a lost puppy about to be reunited with her owner? Then she recalled the disarming voice. That must¡¯ve been the reason. She leaned over and poked Cleo with her arrow, causing the lizardling to flinch and raise her weapon. That was better. A scaled head came into view, and Andrea fired her arrow, nocking another one before the first one had reached the halfway point. Her heartbeat resounded like battle drums in her ears as she unleased a volley of arrows. She wanted to survive! Her vision turned red as the fur on her arms and legs stuck straight out, making herself seem a little bit bigger. When she ran out of arrows, a chill ran down her spine. Her target was still alive. She had failed. Cold sweat ran down her back as she made a dash towards Sariel¡¯s side in an attempt to retrieve the rest of her arrows even though she knew it¡¯d be useless. ¡°Andrea.¡± Her body froze despite her wishes, her hand stretched out to grab an arrow. ¡°Andrea.¡± The voice came again, causing Andrea to shudder. Her head turned towards the entrance as her hand lowered. Her bow fell to the ground. ¡°You¡­,¡± she said. ¡°Do you know me¡­? Did Abaddon send you?¡± ¡°Palan!¡± Cleo shouted and dashed towards the monstrosity, storing her hand cannon into her space. She leapt through the air and tried to tackle the four-armed demon, but a black tail blocked and ate her instead. Andrea¡¯s eyes widened. How could her snack dispenser mistaken something like that for her brother!? The monstrosity even ate her! She took a step back, her foot bumping against something warm¡ªSariel. She regretted not taking the shaman¡¯s deal for power. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t be backed into a corner like this. ¡°This is your sister?¡± the beautiful voice asked. A four-winged, red demon rounded the corner and stood beside the snake-tailed monstrosity. She was just as pretty as Andrea expected her to be; no, she was even more stunning. Then the words kicked in. ¡°Me?¡± Andrea pointed at herself. ¡°Sister?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t recognize me?¡± the snake-tailed monstrosity asked. ¡°Cleo even shouted out my name.¡± The expression on the demon¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Abaddon messed with your memories.¡± ¡°But ¡­ you ate my snack dispenser,¡± Andrea mumbled, her head tilted as if in a daze. ¡°Are you really Palan?¡± Her eyes grew wet as she sniffled. ¡°That¡¯s all your sister thinks of me,¡± Cleo said as she crawled out of Danger Noodle. ¡°A snack dispenser. Really. You two are too similar, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m back, Andrea,¡± Palan said and approached his sister, leaving heavy footprints in the cave¡¯s floor. ¡°Look, I even brought you a present.¡± He pulled out the necklace that once housed Raphael¡¯s eyes and offered it to his sister. Andrea wailed as she tossed herself into Palan¡¯s embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck as if she were trying to choke him. ¡°You¡¯re really back! You¡¯re really, really back!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Palan said and rubbed his sister¡¯s back while combing her hair. Having four arms was pretty useful. He ignored Raea¡¯s grumpy expression and raised an eyebrow at Sariel. He could figure that out later; for now, his sister deserved all his attention. She was glowing after all. Maybe she ate a shiny rock? Chapter 339 ¡°I missed you so, so much,¡± Andrea said and rubbed her face against Palan¡¯s cheek, tightening her arms around his neck. He didn¡¯t mind, and continued to stroke her back. ¡°You didn¡¯t even tell me where you went. I woke up, and you were disappearing. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I didn¡¯t know when you¡¯d be back. Abaddon took care of me, but then he tried to kill me, so I ran away to become a famous hunter like you, and I really thought I was going to die just now, but it turns out the unkillable monstrosity was actually you, and I was so relieved.¡± Tears ran down her face as she cried out the words, her body trembling. Cleo stared at Andrea with wide eyes. Was this actually the demon who mercilessly chomped off Sariel¡¯s hands just the other day? Why was the change so drastic? She wriggled out of Danger Noodle and cleaned herself off. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Cleo asked Raea. She spoke again before the angel could respond. ¡°You definitely came here to save me, right? You¡¯re the best.¡± She ran forward and clung onto Raea¡¯s leg. ¡°Hello, Cleo,¡± Raea said and smiled, peeling her eyes away from the tiny girl who was still rubbing all her little demon pheromones onto her property. She rubbed Cleo¡¯s head absentmindedly while narrowing her eyes at Palan¡¯s sister. Andrea seemed to notice and raised her head, sticking her tongue out at Raea before burying her face back into Palan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Ack!¡± Cleo shouted as Raea¡¯s hand tightened around her head. She batted away the angel¡¯s claws and clutched her head, staring at Raea with an aggrieved expression. Raea wasn¡¯t paying attention. Cleo followed her gaze, her vision ending up on Andrea. She blinked and turned back to Raea, tugging on her hand while whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re jealous.¡± ¡°Jealous?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Me? I never get jealous.¡± She smiled, but her eyes were cold. She sauntered over to Palan¡¯s side and patted Andrea¡¯s head. Andrea flinched and leaned away from Raea¡¯s hand while shrinking into Palan¡¯s chest. Her fur stuck straight up in an attempt to make herself seem larger as she hissed at Raea. She clawed at Raea¡¯s arm when the angel refused to retract it. Who was this pretty lady and why was she touching her? Her eyes narrowed at Raea whose eye was twitching. Hadn¡¯t Palan told her the opposite sex was evil and would bring about downfall? ¡°Harlot,¡± Andrea spat out. ¡°Stay away from my brother, foul siren. Your voice might fool him, but it won¡¯t fool me.¡± Raea blinked twice, frozen in place. ¡°What?¡± she asked. She glared at Palan and jabbed her elbow into his rib. ¡°What have you been teaching your sister?¡± A satisfied smirk appeared on her face when Andrea¡¯s expression turned blank at her words. Having a bewitching voice was useful at times. Not that she¡¯d need it to win over Palan¡¯s sister.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°He¡¯s been teaching me how to survive,¡± Andrea said and glared at Raea. She had shaken off the dazed effect by pinching herself on the arm, drawing blood. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he went against his own advice. Why¡¯s he traveling with a woman? It must be because you¡¯re a harlot.¡± Andrea nodded furiously and hugged Palan¡¯s head, turning his face away from Raea. ¡°I bet you¡¯ll try to murder him in bed.¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to murder him out of bed if you keep that up,¡± Pyre said, walking into the cave while shivering. He plopped down next to the fire and warmed himself up, rubbing his shoulders with his arms. ¡°She¡¯s a very jealous gal and easily prone to angering, so don¡¯t agitate her too much.¡± Andrea stared at the half-angel, ignoring Raea¡¯s purpling eyes. After confirming Pyre really existed, she turned her head back to face Palan and pinched his nose with her hand. He flinched backwards, causing Andrea to tilt her head. She placed the back of her hand against his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re really Palan, but you¡¯re traveling with other people? Are you sick?¡± she asked and furrowed her brow. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that harlot gave you a disease.¡± Cleo inched away from Raea as black flames crawled along the floor, radiating outwards from the angel¡¯s feet. Palan snorted and rolled his eyes at Raea. ¡°Andrea¡¯s a child,¡± Palan said and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you really going to let her words get to you like that? She doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s saying.¡± ¡°I know exactly what I¡¯m saying!¡± Andrea protested. ¡°Children always speak the truth unless they want something. I don¡¯t want anything from a seductress. I have my dignity.¡± She stuck her chin into the air and looked down on Raea before snorting. ¡°I have dignity!¡± Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. Black flames poured out of her back, causing Cory to squawk and hop away. ¡°You¡¯re fighting with a child,¡± Palan said. ¡°What dignity do you have?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Raea frowned and bit her lip. The flames exploded outwards and rushed out the cave as she stamped her foot. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest before turning around. She caught Sariel staring at her and glared at the captive angel. Her voice was practically a growl, but Andrea was still stunned by it. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°N-nothing,¡± Sariel said and swallowed. This is what happened to angels who fell and excelled in their sins? Hadn¡¯t the little lizardling called her Raea? ¡°Are you Raea Caelum, by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said, still glaring at Sariel. ¡°What of it?¡± She stomped towards the captive and squatted in front of her. ¡°You were the one who ordered my death, weren¡¯t you? You had the nerve to send my own parents after me, Sariel.¡± Black flames sprout out of Raea¡¯s palm as she clenched her hand into a fist. ¡°Stop!¡± Andrea shouted when Raea raised her arm. Raea furrowed her brow and turned her head. ¡°Why?¡± Andrea blinked. ¡°She¡¯s Palan¡¯s prey. I saved her for him.¡± Chapter 340 ¡°I saved her for him,¡± Andrea said and pouted. ¡°You can¡¯t have her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my prey just as much as she¡¯s Palan¡¯s,¡± Raea said and snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m practically your sister-in-law now. Palan wouldn¡¯t mind if I took something from him.¡± ¡°What. No way,¡± Andrea said and shook her head. She tugged Palan¡¯s neck. ¡°It¡¯s not true, right? How can you trust someone you haven¡¯t even spent a year with?¡± Palan hummed and rubbed his chin with one of his arms. His other three arms held Andrea and ruffled her hair. ¡°There¡¯s certain circumstances where we can trust one another,¡± he said. ¡°She won¡¯t kill me if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t she already done that once?¡± Pyre asked and rolled his eyes. Palan glared at him while Andrea¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yeah, that time she killed herself and you died too, remember?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°That did happen.¡± Her eyes narrowed at Palan who turned his body to block Andrea from her sight. ¡°Remember why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still thinking like that?¡± Palan asked. ¡°I thought we¡¯ve already made our peace with that issue.¡± Andrea popped her head over his shoulder to glare at Raea, but he used a hand to press her back down to his chest. ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± Andrea asked and peered at Palan¡¯s face while pouting. ¡°She¡¯s jealous of you,¡± Palan said and tweaked her nose. Andrea yelped and pulled away, crinkling her nose and rubbing at it with her hands. ¡°And she ought to be,¡± Andrea said, sticking her tongue out at Raea. ¡°I¡¯m adorable, and she¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Palan,¡± Raea said in a flat voice. Palan sighed. ¡°Are you really going to let a child get underneath your skin?¡± he asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re better than that, aren¡¯t you?¡± Raea¡¯s eye twitched. Was Palan complimenting her? Why did it feel so manipulative though? She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest while closing her eyes. She was afraid her wrath would take over if she stared at the mocking expression on Andrea¡¯s face any longer. ¡°But I get to have Sariel, okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Palan said. He had already made up his mind to kill Abaddon. And it¡¯s not like he needed Sariel alive. He could have Cleo store the angel¡¯s head after she died. ¡°She¡¯s all yours. Just keep her head intact as a precaution.¡± ¡°What! I spent so much effort trying to keep her alive for you,¡± Andrea said as her eyes widened. Her irises blurred as a layer of tears coated the surface of her eyes.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± Palan said and pinched his sister¡¯s cheeks, spreading them apart and causing her to cry out. She batted his hands away and glared at him, rubbing her face with her hands. The tears in her eyes were gone. ¡°Since you saved her for me, then it¡¯s fine if I give her away for someone else to kill.¡± Andrea lowered her head. ¡°I guess,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want her specifically to get the prey.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you like Raea?¡± Palan asked and tilted his head. ¡°Because she¡¯s definitely a no-good person!¡± Andrea said. ¡°You¡¯ve heard her voice. Anyone who can bewitch someone just by talking can¡¯t be good by nature. I can¡¯t help but think you were tricked somehow. I mean, look. You even have so many people you¡¯re traveling with.¡± Palan glanced to where Andrea was pointing. He pointed at Cleo and said, ¡°Extremely convenient bag.¡± Cleo puffed her cheeks out and crossed her arms. He ignored her and pointed at Pyre. ¡°Encyclopedia.¡± Pyre didn¡¯t respond. Palan pointed at Cory and paused while furrowing his brow. She beamed at him, causing him to snort. ¡°Stress ball for my tail.¡± ¡°Hah!?¡± Cory asked, her mouth falling open. ¡°That¡¯s all you see me as?¡± ¡°Then what about her?¡± Andrea asked and pointed at Raea who was squatting in front of Sariel. ¡°Is she really my sister-in-law?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­,¡± Palan said and hesitated. Raea turned her head and stared at him. ¡°Probably, yes. The closest thing to a sister-in-law you¡¯ll ever have.¡± Andrea¡¯s face fell as her shoulders drooped. She rested her chin on Palan¡¯s shoulder and sighed, blowing her breath up at her hair, causing her bangs to fly upwards for a brief moment. ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°Really, really?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said and nodded at Raea. She smiled at him. He could at least give her a little victory. ¡°Fine,¡± Andrea said and wrinkled her nose. ¡°But I still don¡¯t trust her.¡± ¡°Well, you should,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. ¡°The more you trust me, the less danger you¡¯ll be in.¡± ¡°She¡¯s threatening me,¡± Andrea wailed and tugged on Palan¡¯s neck. ¡°I think I understand how you felt when I verbally sparred with Owen,¡± Palan said to Raea. ¡°Yes. I imagine this is close,¡± Raea said. She frowned. ¡°Whatever happened to Owen anyway?¡± She shook her head and redirected her attention towards Sariel. ¡°I believe you were in the middle of begging for your life before I was distracted. Do you want to proceed?¡± Sariel stared Raea in the eyes. ¡°If you kill me, then you¡¯ll really lose,¡± she said. ¡°Is this what you wanted to become? Is this what your parents wanted you to become? A killer? An angel weaker than her sins?¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Andrea said and blinked. ¡°She got awfully arrogant in the short time I left her alone. Maybe I should eat her feet too.¡± Sariel paled but continued to stare at Raea. ¡°Well, Raea? Is it?¡± Raea frowned as black flames flowed out of her hands. Sariel sat up and crossed her legs. ¡°Are those flames your choice, or is your wrath speaking for you? Think hard about this, Raea Caelum. You used to be a greater angel of patience. Look at what you¡¯ve become. Selena used to praise you for¡ª¡± Her eyes widened as she lowered her head. Raea¡¯s arm was embedded in her chest up to her elbow. Sariel coughed out a mouthful of blood and met Raea¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯re right. This isn¡¯t what I wanted to become,¡± Raea said and pulled her arm back, leaving a gaping hole in Sariel¡¯s chest. ¡°But it is. I am my wrath; my wrath is me. This is who I am now. I¡¯ve accepted it.¡± She rose to her feet as Sariel fell forward, her head landing against the cave floor with a thud. Raea bit her lower lip and hung her head. It looked like she wanted to cry. ¡°I think I like her a teensy bit more now,¡± Andrea whispered to Palan. Chapter 341 Abaddon¡¯s face darkened as the groveling demons before him scuffed up his carpet. They had already failed in their mission of locating the brat, but they still insisted on harming his furniture. Didn¡¯t they know how useless they were? He propped his foot up with his table, creating a clanking sound that caused the demons to flinch. ¡°Where¡¯s Anubis?¡± he asked and intertwined his fingers in front of his chest. ¡°Didn¡¯t she proclaim herself as the best tracker?¡± ¡°Anubis is still outside the city, hunting for the target,¡± one of the demons said. His voice sounded garbled as he spoke through four mandibles. ¡°She sent us back for the weekly report. She said the rest of us would get in her way by ruining the scent trails.¡± ¡°At least one of you can do something right,¡± Abaddon said and exhaled forcefully through his nose. He stood up and waved his hand, shifting gravity. The demons were engulfed by a black light and fell out of the room as the hallway became their ground. He closed the door and sat down on his favorite couch which he hadn¡¯t been able to sit on for the longest time because the brat loved occupying it. He rubbed his temples and sighed. Why had he agreed to such an asinine deal with that hunter? Was he actually expecting him to kill Sariel? Now his life was at risk because the brat had run away, exposing herself to the dangers of Eljiam. Ridiculous. He should¡¯ve locked her up in a cage from the start. This is what he got for being lenient on children. There was a knock on the door. Abaddon glared at it before adjusting his clothes, turning his expression back into a neutral one. ¡°Come in,¡± he said and straightened his back. The door swung open and a lanky demon with one arm and three legs entered. Abaddon raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am a messenger from Meffi,¡± the lanky demon said and nodded at Abaddon. He retrieved a rusty knife from his belt and licked the edge with his tongue. ¡°You should take better care of your weapons,¡± Abaddon said and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s extremely difficult to find metal in Eljiam.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t afraid of me?¡± the lanky demon asked and brandished the knife in Abaddon¡¯s direction. ¡°Tell me the message, or I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Abaddon said and sighed. Why did Meffi hire these kinds of demons? He should at least do a better job at domesticating them before sending them out. The demon nodded. He raised the knife high and plunged it into his own chest, below his throat, causing Abaddon¡¯s eyes to widen. The demon groaned as he dragged the knife downwards, splitting open his ribcage, only stopping after there was a bloody line from his neck to his belly button. Blood and guts gushed out of the demon, staining the floor. ¡°What kind of sick message is this?¡± Abaddon asked while wrinkling his nose. Had the years spent in Eljiam finally taken their toll on Meffi¡¯s sanity?The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s a magic trick!¡± a different voice said, coming from the bleeding demon¡¯s gut. Abaddon sighed. No. Meffi was insane way before he came to Eljiam. Abaddon¡¯s eye twitched as two hands extended from the demon¡¯s spasming body which had fallen to the ground. Then a head appeared, followed by a torso and legs, revealing a blood-soaked angel. The bloody angel opened his mouth while brushing his wet hair away from his face. ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t think I was inside him the whole time,¡± the angel, Meffi, said with a grin. He sauntered to the corner of the room and rummaged through Abaddon¡¯s closet, pulling out a robe and using it to clean himself. ¡°Your office looks exactly the same even though we¡¯re in a different world. How lame.¡± ¡°You ruined my carpet,¡± Abaddon said. ¡°You killed my messenger,¡± Meffi said and kicked the lanky demon¡¯s corpse out of the room. ¡°No, that was you too.¡± Meffi shrugged. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask why I¡¯m here?¡± Abaddon frowned at the archangel who had taken a seat beside him. Meffi had a smile on his face like a child waiting to tell his parents good news. ¡°I¡¯ll amuse you then,¡± Abaddon said and sighed. He seemed to sigh a lot when Meffi was involved. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Guess!¡± Abaddon punched Meffi in the face. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to play your games,¡± Abaddon said and snorted. ¡°While you¡¯re playing around in Haalbeh, I¡¯m designing the infrastructure for a new capital. It¡¯s very frustrating. Just tell me and leave.¡± Meffi rubbed his nose and frowned. ¡°Fine. Sariel¡¯s dead. Bye.¡± He got up to leave. He was halfway out the door before Abaddon grabbed his sleeve, causing him to smirk. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you say¡±¡ªhis voice turned nasally and whiny¡ª¡°¡¯just tell me and leave.¡¯ Now I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Bastard,¡± Abaddon said. ¡°Sit back down and start from the beginning.¡± Meffi sat down with a smug smile. Abaddon could already tell what he was going to say. ¡°Guess why I¡¯m here!¡± Abaddon sighed and buried his face in his hands. ¡°Let me guess,¡± he said in a monotonous voice. ¡°Sariel¡¯s dead and you came to celebrate.¡± ¡°No,¡± Meffi said and wrinkled his brow. ¡°Where did you hear something like that?¡± ¡°You told me, dammit!¡± Abaddon shouted and grabbed Meffi¡¯s robe collar. ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡± Meffi tutted and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be the fallen angel of wrath. What are you getting so worked up for? You¡¯re very irritable, you know that? This is why you need to relax sometimes. Tell big brother Meffi what¡¯s wrong.¡± Abaddon¡¯s eye twitched as he released Meffi¡¯s robes and sighed. ¡°I made a stupid deal with a demon, and now my life is at risk,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m very frustrated at myself and the last thing I need is for an angel who acts like a troll to play games with me. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Damn. You¡¯re stupid,¡± Meffi said and blinked. ¡°Why would you make a deal like that? Anyways, I guess you really don¡¯t want to play any games. Earlier today, the mark I left on Sariel disappeared.¡± ¡°Your marks have always been unreliable,¡± Abaddon said. ¡°But,¡± Meffi said with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what year it is? Solra said he¡¯d be taking action around this time.¡± He held his hands in the air, palms up, and pretended to weigh a few objects. ¡°Solra takes action. Sariel¡¯s mark disappears. What do you think happened?¡± His smile widened. ¡°It¡¯s finally time for us to return to Div¡¯Nya.¡± Abaddon¡¯s eyes lit up, but they dimmed again soon after. ¡°I still have to wrap up my issue before I can leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Meffi said. ¡°What do you need?¡± Chapter 342 Munching noises filled a cave. Within it, Andrea was devouring Sariel¡¯s corpse. Pyre sighed and shook his head. ¡°The mighty leader of the angels,¡± he said as Andrea ripped off one of Sariel¡¯s legs, ¡°devoured by a hungry child. What a way to go.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Andrea said and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who killed her. I thought you were supposed to be a smart person.¡± Her stomach gurgled as she finished off Sariel¡¯s corpse, leaving behind the angel¡¯s head. She leaned back, resting against Palan¡¯s torso as she adjusted her spot in his lap. ¡°I suppose murdered by a fallen angel is a more fitting death for someone like her,¡± Pyre said and glanced at Raea. She was curled up into a ball, sitting with her back to the wall while staring at the ground. Pyre sighed and pulled out his pipe, lighting it with the bonfire. ¡°I¡¯m probably going to regret asking this, but what¡¯s wrong, Raea?¡± Raea raised her head and narrowed her eyes at Pyre. ¡°I¡¯m angry, but I don¡¯t know why,¡± she said. A few wisps of black fire fell from her feathers, setting the cave floor around her ablaze. ¡°I killed Sariel; shouldn¡¯t I be happy now? I got revenge, so why do I feel even worse than when I started?¡± She clutched her chest. ¡°It¡¯s burning even hotter than before.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Cory said and raised a wing. She was playing a game of cards with Cleo despite her lack of hands. ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t killed Meffi yet. Didn¡¯t he anger you somehow?¡± ¡°Madison¡¯s contractor,¡± Raea muttered. Her brow furrowed. ¡°Would that really make me feel better? What if it gets even worse?¡± ¡°Your anger stems from your sister¡¯s death,¡± Pyre said. ¡°The harpy surprisingly has a good point.¡± ¡°What do you mean surprisingly?¡± Cory asked as lightning crackled around her body. Pyre ignored her. ¡°Your anger won¡¯t be gone until everyone involved in your sister¡¯s death is dead. That makes sense, right?¡± ¡°Are you just using me to kill more people again?¡± Raea asked and snorted. ¡°You told me killing Sariel would make me feel better. Look at where that got me. Why should I listen to you now?¡± A hollow laugh escaped from Pyre¡¯s lips. ¡°Forget I said anything just now,¡± he said and shook his head. He sighed. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m here.¡± He bit on his pipe as he glanced at Palan. ¡°Why did you drag me along?¡± ¡°Encyclopedia,¡± Andrea said with a straight face.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re the kind of person that I need to watch over,¡± Palan said and ruffled Andrea¡¯s hair. ¡°If I let you out of my sight, something bad is going to happen. Solra trusted you for a bit, and now Solra¡¯s dead. The angels overlooked you when they were hunting down your father, and look what happened to them. You built a gigantic laser that demolished their capital. I know the way I treated you could bring about a grudge, so I¡¯m keeping my eye on you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just kill him then?¡± Andrea asked and tilted her head, spinning her body around to face Palan. ¡°I need him to create a portal to send us back to Div¡¯Nya,¡± Palan said and pinched her nose. She recoiled and batted his arm away. ¡°We¡¯re going to the angels¡¯ world?¡± Andrea blinked twice. ¡°Why can¡¯t we stay here? I like it here.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll like Div¡¯Nya more,¡± Palan said. ¡°Trust me. Food. Food everywhere. You don¡¯t even have to travel long distances to find prey to hunt. They¡¯re everywhere. The cities are like storage chests filled with salted meat.¡± ¡°Hah?¡± Andrea asked, her eyes widening. She swallowed her saliva and blinked at Pyre. ¡°Snack dispenser number two.¡± Raea snorted. ¡°Aren¡¯t you becoming too complacent?¡± she asked Palan as she stood up. She definitely wasn¡¯t feeling jealous of his sister or anything and wanted to ruin their atmosphere. Not at all. ¡°What happened to finding Abaddon and killing him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to find him now that I have her,¡± Palan said and hugged Andrea to his chest. ¡°There¡¯s no time limit on our contract. I never have to see him again.¡± He paused. ¡°Now that I think about it, we can leave right now.¡± He glanced at Pyre. ¡°Start forming the portal.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need mana to power the portal,¡± Pyre said. He cleared his throat and avoided Raea¡¯s gaze. ¡°And some live angel blood.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raea asked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how it works,¡± Pyre said. ¡°We connect Div¡¯Nya to Eljiam by using demon blood. We connect Eljiam to Div¡¯Nya by using angel blood. There¡¯s some kind of connection between a person and their home world, but it¡¯s lost when the person dies.¡± ¡°Then, we¡¯ll use your blood,¡± Raea said. ¡°I¡¯m half-demon, remember? I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us this earlier?¡± Palan asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask. And you didn¡¯t give me any time. You had me open portals and threw me over here, what else was I supposed to do? I¡¯m not omniscient. How was I supposed to know she¡¯d kill Sariel like that?¡± ¡°How much blood is required?¡± Raea asked and bit her lip. ¡°Just like one and a half,¡± Pyre said and let out a hollow laugh. ¡°Drops?¡± Raea asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°No way,¡± Cory said. ¡°Think of how big the circle is. At least one and a half cups.¡± ¡°Bodies,¡± Pyre said. ¡°One and a half angel¡¯s worth of blood.¡± Raea glared at him. ¡°Where are we going to find that many angels?¡± Pyre shrugged. ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve thought about that before throwing me through the portal?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really spiteful for an old man,¡± Andrea said and tilted her head. She rested her head on Palan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Now I see why you want to keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine, though?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°We take Abaddon¡¯s blood. We take half of Raea¡¯s blood. Then we have enough for the portal. Simple.¡± Palan raised his head as rumbling sounds filled the cave. Voices drifted through the entrance. ¡°She¡¯s in here?¡± ¡°Yep. Have I ever been wrong before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that.¡± Andrea¡¯s ears perked up. She tugged on Palan¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s Abaddon.¡± Chapter 343 ¡°She¡¯s in here?¡± Abaddon asked and raised an eyebrow. Meffi had led him to a cave in the middle of nowhere. Then again, everywhere in Eljiam was located in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, Meffi could scan his surroundings by sensing the vibrations and impressions in the earth with his powers of diligence. He could only find rough shapes and sizes though. ¡°Yep. Have I ever been wrong before?¡± Meffi asked while smirking. Hundreds of times, but Abaddon wasn¡¯t going to anger the archangel now. Meffi might hurt the brat by accident in a fit of rage. ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that,¡± Abaddon said and shook his head. He frowned at the cave. There were traces of a demon¡¯s territory markers, but the stakes had been knocked over and the pitfall traps filled in. At the end of the path, before a bend, a dead demon was lying on the ground with an arrow in his head. ¡°I sense at least five more presences inside the cave other than the target,¡± Meffi said and placed his hands on the back of his head, spreading his elbows outwards and relaxing by tilting his neck. ¡°One of them seems to be an archer.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Abaddon said and snorted. ¡°No matter how many demons there are, they¡¯ll bow to the strength of an archangel.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Meffi asked. ¡°What if there¡¯s an archdemon?¡± Abaddon snorted again. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. An archdemon taking care of a child? All the archdemons are located in Haalbeh. Besides, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great that you have so much confidence in me,¡± Meffi said as he rounded the bend, stepping over the dead demon¡¯s body. His expression froze as his legs stiffened. His arms lowered to his waist as he took a step back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Abaddon asked, furrowing his brow at Meffi¡¯s odd expression. He went to the archangel¡¯s side and froze as well. Andrea was there, but her body was held by a demon with four arms and five serpentine tails. Archdemon. Leaning against the wall, another demonic figure with four wings was glaring at him and Meffi, black flames dancing by her feet. Two archdemons? Meffi whispered to Abaddon, ¡°I¡¯ll get the one on the left, you get the one on the right?¡± Abaddon nodded in reply. The tailed archdemon had an amused expression on his face. Somehow, he looked familiar. ¡°Greetings, archdemon,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re holding someone important to me. Hand her over and this can be resolved peacefully. You might know me as the shaman of the east. Engaging in a fight with me won¡¯t be in your best interests.¡± The demon snorted and rose to his feet, holding onto the brat with one of his tails.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Why is a harpy and a lizardman here? And an angel?¡± Meffi asked and frowned. Abaddon tore his gaze away from the tailed demon. He hadn¡¯t noticed them because their presence was underwhelming, but there really were three other people¡ªresidents of Div¡¯Nya. Abaddon¡¯s chest tightened as unease gripped his heart. This whole situation was abnormal. ¡°Abaddon,¡± the tailed demon said. ¡°Do¡ª¡± ¡°Now!¡± Meffi shouted and stomped his foot against the ground. Lava surged from his feet, flooding towards the group in the cave. Abaddon constructed a black dome with his pride, engulfing everyone except for the tailed demon and Andrea. He couldn¡¯t let the brat get hurt even if it meant his battle would be a bit more difficult. ¡°I¡¯ll finish up my fight and help you as soon as possible,¡± Abaddon said. ¡°Try to hold on against the four of them.¡± There was no reply. Abaddon paled and turned his head. Meffi had disappeared. After encouraging Abaddon to fight, Meffi had fled. Fighting a battle against two archdemons where death was a very real possibility didn¡¯t appeal to him¡ªnot when Solra had just killed Sariel. He couldn¡¯t die here before taking control of Div¡¯Nya. A blur of red wings and black flames rushed past Abaddon, heading towards the cave exit. ¡°Get back here!¡± a beautiful voice said, stunning Abaddon temporarily. A fist collided with his chest, knocking him off his feet and into the wall of the cave. His ribs creaked as he fell to his knees, panting for breath through labored coughs. ¡°Get up.¡± Abaddon raised his head. The tailed demon was standing over him, holding onto a severed head. The archangel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°S-Sariel?¡± he asked and wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°You ¡­ you¡¯re Palan!?¡± ¡°Our contract is complete,¡± Palan said, dropping the severed head in front of Abaddon. ¡°Now die.¡± Four of his tails lunged towards Abaddon, their bodies flailing like whips. A black dome formed over Abaddon¡¯s body, blocking the snakes. They collided against the barrier and were repelled, but the black surface trembled and cracked. Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°So you can form a barrier like that. Interesting.¡± ¡°I kept my end of the bargain!¡± Abaddon said, eyeing the snakes hovering around his barrier. ¡°What is the meaning of this!?¡± But he didn¡¯t get an answer. He screamed as a searing pain ripped at his back. His clothes and skin were torn to shreds as a tiny black sphere formed behind him, sucking in the black barrier along with his flesh. The dome collapsed, and the tails surged forwards, biting chunks off the archangel and silencing him forever. ¡°Save some for me!¡± Andrea said, popping out from over Palan¡¯s shoulder. She slipped out of Danger Noodle¡¯s grasp and fell to the ground before lunging towards Abaddon¡¯s shredded corpse. Palan had his tails spit out the chunks they swallowed before turning his attention towards Cleo. The lizardman was busy scooping the lava Meffi had summoned into metal jars, storing them in her space when they were full. He frowned as a scream rang through the cave, coming from outside. Raea returned, dragging an armless angel across the ground by his hair. She glanced at Andrea who was in the process of eating Abaddon. ¡°No!¡± she said and glared at Palan. ¡°I brought this one back alive because I didn¡¯t want my blood to be used! Why did you kill him?¡± ¡°Accident. I killed him out of habit,¡± Palan said and shrugged. He gestured at Meffi and asked Pyre, ¡°Can¡¯t we just use his blood and heal him to take more blood?¡± ¡°That could work,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Well,¡± Raea said and dropped Meffi. His head thudded against the floor. ¡°I guess that works too. But I expected us to stay in Eljiam for a lot longer than we did.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining though. The weather here sucks.¡± Chapter 344 ¡°Can I eat this too?¡± Andrea asked and pointed at Sariel¡¯s head. The angel¡¯s head still had an expression of bewilderment on it. Andrea batted it around, rolling it along the floor back and forth, waiting for Palan¡¯s reply. ¡°Don¡¯t do that to food,¡± Palan said. ¡°You¡¯ll make the surface dirty. You can eat it now. I don¡¯t need it anymore.¡± ¡°I-Is that Sariel?¡± Meffi asked in a whisper. He spoke through gritted teeth as Pyre held two buckets near the stumps where his arms used to be, collecting blood from the angel as if he were a water fountain. ¡°Just who are you people?¡± ¡°Who are we?¡± Cleo asked and tilted her head. ¡°Who are you? You came in and threw lava at us for no reason! Do you know how hard it was to store it all away? Now I have enough molten rock to create a volcano in my dimension.¡± ¡°You stored all of it away?¡± Meffi asked, the expression on his face turning blank. ¡°Via kleptomania?¡± Cleo glared at him and put her hands on her hips. The lava not only heated up her dimension, but it also made her uncomfortably warm. At least it was perfect for nighttime weather in Eljiam. ¡°Is that a problem? I¡¯m asking the questions here. Who are you?¡± Meffi gritted his teeth as his face paled. The blood flowing out of his arms was slowing down to a trickle. ¡°I¡¯m going to die if you don¡¯t heal me soon.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Pyre said and pulled out a white orb. He pressed it against Meffi¡¯s back, causing the severed stumps on the fallen angel¡¯s shoulders to wriggle. ¡°That should do it.¡± Meffi exhaled. At least they wanted him alive, even if it were for his blood. He was about to speak, but a sharp pain coming from his elbow caused him to scream. His newly formed arm fell to the ground as more blood flowed out of his body, filling the bucket. He resisted the urge to use his powers, knowing Raea and Palan could easily subdue him. He still wasn¡¯t sure how Raea had caught up so quickly and cut off his arms. His vision blurred and drifted to the side as tears formed in his eyes. His eyes widened at the sight of Andrea devouring the rest of Sariel¡¯s remains, not even leaving behind any bones. He swallowed before asking, ¡°Was that Sariel? The Watcher?¡± ¡°Yes. Yes it was,¡± Pyre said. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be Meffi of the four sinners.¡± Pyre pointed at Raea. ¡°She has a grudge against you.¡± ¡°Against me?¡± Meffi asked. His shoulders shrank as he peered up at Raea like a guilty dog. Black flames surrounded her body as her eyes turned purple. ¡°D-Did I do something to offend you, O great one?¡± ¡°Madison,¡± Raea said, practically spitting the word out. ¡°Do you recognize that name?¡± Meffi¡¯s eyes drifted to the wings on Raea¡¯s back. No wonder why he thought she was familiar. Her wings were like Madison¡¯s. ¡°No?¡± he asked. ¡°I can¡¯t say I do.¡± Black flames erupted from Raea¡¯s foot as she took a step forward, singing the eyebrows off Meffi¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± she roared. ¡°Solra sold you out. You were Madison¡¯s contractor!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Meffi said and lowered his head, knocking his forehead against the floor. He hadn¡¯t formally bound Madison with a contract. He only helped her grow to the level of an archdemon before sending her to aid Solra. ¡°I swear to you, I am not Madison¡¯s contractor. Solra must¡¯ve wanted to redirect your wrath to me to save his own skin.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Lots of good that did him,¡± Cory said and flapped her wings. ¡°Solra¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°He¡¯s what?¡± Meffi asked, his expression frozen. A trickle of blood ran down his face from his forehead where the floor had broken his skin. ¡°Then how did Sariel die? We won, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°We?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°You¡¯re the only one left of the four sinners. And your plan would¡¯ve failed miserably if it weren¡¯t for me. I destroyed the capital and brought your plans into fruition.¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Meffi said and hung his head. ¡°How?¡± Raea stepped forward and kicked Meffi in the chest, causing him to topple over and fall onto his back. Pyre frowned as he readjusted Meffi¡¯s arm to continue extracting blood from the angel. ¡°Regardless of who actually owned Madison, it¡¯s the four sinners¡¯ fault for raising her.¡± ¡°Then ¡­ you¡¯re going to kill me?¡± Meffi asked, still lying on his back with his gaze focused on the ceiling. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Pyre said. ¡°Obediently give me your blood and wait for death, and, maybe, I¡¯ll answer some questions for you. You must have a lot of those, eh?¡± Meffi sighed. It was pointless to fight back now. Anything he did to inhibit this group would just be pettiness. His three lifelong friends were waiting for him¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be bad to see them again. ¡°Then tell me,¡± he said as his body relaxed. ¡°Are the angels no longer the ruling race?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Pyre said. ¡°The halflings are competing for the top spot, but I suspect a coalition between the different races will be the end result.¡± He glanced at Raea. ¡°I believe angels will still be around, just not as tyrants.¡± ¡°The other members of the council, what happened to them?¡± ¡°Most of them are dead,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I think I have four of them imprisoned, but they¡¯ll die of old age soon enough. Their mana is being extracted to create orbs for the halflings. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were demoted to greater angels before they die.¡± ¡°That can happen?¡± Raea asked and raised an eyebrow. Pyre shrugged. ¡°In extreme cases.¡± Raea thought back to Pyre¡¯s torture chambers. She had to admit those qualified as extreme cases. ¡°I see. How long do I have to wait before I can kill him?¡± Her tail swished back and forth, cutting the air. ¡°After I form the portal.¡± Meffi glanced at Palan who was wiping Andrea¡¯s face. ¡°Is there ¡­ something stronger than archdemons and archangels?¡± he asked. Abaddon had been an archangel of pride, but Palan had easily crushed that pride with his own. That shouldn¡¯t have happened unless Palan was an archdemon and Abaddon was a greater angel. ¡°Yes,¡± Pyre said and staunched the blood flowing out of Meffi¡¯s arm. He had extracted enough blood. Now he just had to draw the portal. ¡°The capital. They had some of those, didn¡¯t they?¡± Meffi asked while sitting up. ¡°Mhm.¡± Meffi sighed. ¡°Then ¡­ by our original plan, we would¡¯ve lost, right?¡± ¡°Solra died before I could find out his plans,¡± Pyre said. ¡°But from what I could see, yes, you would¡¯ve.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Meffi said. He glanced at Raea. The black flames around her were crackling and hissing. As a fallen angel of wrath, he could tell she was about to be consumed by anger. It had happened to him on multiple occasions. ¡°I have one last question. My family¡­?¡± ¡°Publically executed as per custom,¡± Pyre said. ¡°They lasted two years after you escaped.¡± Meffi hung his head. Pyre dusted off his hands and stood up. ¡°The portal is done.¡± Raea approached Meffi and raised her tail above his neck like an executioner¡¯s blade. Meffi smiled. ¡°You¡¯re killing me out of revenge for someone, right? I¡¯ve been down that road before. You think your anger is fueled by revenge. You probably see my face on fire in your heart, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m not a good elder, but I still have words I can pass on to you. The anger isn¡¯t fueled by outside sources. It burns because of you. You are its fuel. Be careful not to let it consume you when I¡¯m gone. As for managing the fire raging in your chest? You¡¯ll have to look deep within yourself.¡± Raea listened to Meffi with an expressionless face. ¡°Are those your last words?¡± Meffi nodded. The bladed tail descended. Chapter 345 Raea stared at the decapitated angel by her feet. Her tail swished, flicking droplets of blood into the air. There was a peaceful expression on Meffi¡¯s face as if he were taking a nap. Something tugged on the hem of her robe, causing her to break her gaze away. Palan¡¯s sister was looking up at her with a hesitant expression. ¡°You want to say something, right?¡± Raea asked. ¡°So say it. Are you going to call me a harlot again?¡± Andrea shook her head and pointed at Meffi¡¯s corpse. Her stomach grumbled. ¡°Can I have him?¡± she asked and bit her lower lip. Usually, she¡¯d have no qualms about stealing someone¡¯s kill, but Palan treated this person differently, so she had to ask first. There was something unusual about these snacks; her body seemed to become lighter, stronger after eating them. ¡°Mm. Sure,¡± Raea said, her face expressionless. ¡°Go ahead.¡± She walked to a corner in the cave and squatted, wrapping her arms around her knees. She pursed her lips as she rested her chin on her forearms and sighed. Her wings spread out before enclosing her legs, effectively turning her into a ball. Andrea tilted her head at Raea and blinked. She hadn¡¯t expected Raea to comply like that without a hint of displeasure. Was she alright? A scratching sound caused Andrea to turn around. Cleo was sneaking towards Meffi¡¯s corpse with a metal object in her hand. ¡°Snack dispenser,¡± Andrea said and grabbed Cleo¡¯s tail. ¡°I want another egg-fruit too.¡± Cleo squirmed. ¡°Are you sure you should?¡± she asked. ¡°Your forehead is still glowing a little.¡± Andrea placed her hand to her head and rubbed. She didn¡¯t feel anything strange. ¡°I want more egg-fruits,¡± she said and pouted. She gestured at Meffi. ¡°I¡¯ll share some of this with you.¡± ¡°Hmm. Alright,¡± Cleo said and retrieved a fruit from her space. After she gave it to Andrea, she proceeded to dismember Meffi¡¯s body, storing his limbs in her space. Palan smiled as Andrea and Cleo interacted with one another. It¡¯d be good if Andrea could make a friend. Cleo was harmless enough to not be a threat, but she was tough enough to not be treated as a pet. Probably. He redirected his attention to Pyre who was sitting down, smoking on a pipe. ¡°The portal will bring us back to the capital?¡± Pyre nodded. ¡°If not the capital, then at least the first sector. Your and Raea¡¯s mana pools should be enough to activate it. We can leave whenever you want.¡± Palan frowned. ¡°Was Sariel that strong?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Pyre asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°The portal costs mana to activate. Last time, you used thirty archlings to power it. This time, you¡¯re using me and Raea. Could Sariel have activated the portal by herself?¡± Pyre¡¯s brow wrinkled. ¡°I didn¡¯t really think about that,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe the capital had a ton of yellow crystals ready to power the portal. Or some other angels were there which allowed her to teleport here.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Palan snorted. ¡°I evolved at such an inconvenient time,¡± he said. ¡°What happened to the headmaster?¡± ¡°I thought he was with you?¡± ¡°He led Sariel away.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Pyre said. He chuckled. ¡°I think I know what happened then.¡± He bit down on his pipe. ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a patriot, you know? If I had to take a guess, he wanted to help Sariel continue living; though, I¡¯m not sure what she could¡¯ve done by herself. He probably brought her to Eljiam with the portal, and then, to prevent you from following her directly, he set the portal¡¯s coordinates to somewhere else and entered it.¡± ¡°You kept him alive knowing he would do something like this?¡± Palan asked, narrowing his eyes at Pyre. Pyre shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re the one who chose to bring him to the tower. I thought about warning you, but I figured you could handle anything he tried.¡± He gestured around. ¡°And look. Everything ended well.¡± ¡°Why am I itching to kill you?¡± Palan asked while tilting his head. His tails approached Pyre, circling around the half-angel. Pyre laughed and tapped the ashes out of his pipe. ¡°You know I¡¯m more valuable alive than dead. The benefits I bring are much greater than the detriments. Besides, in a few years or so, I¡¯ll croak of old age. Why don¡¯t we make another contract? Don¡¯t kill me, and I¡¯ll always work in your best interests.¡± ¡°I already learned my lesson last time,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°You fired the B.F.G. without caring for my life even though you¡¯d know you¡¯d die as well. Your life isn¡¯t a valuable bargaining chip since you treat it as nothing.¡± One of his tails got close enough to touch Pyre with its tongue. ¡°So you¡¯re going to kill me then?¡± Pyre asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done to help you.¡± ¡°We mutually used each other,¡± Palan said. ¡°Now that our goals have been accomplished, I don¡¯t see why I should keep someone as dangerous as you around.¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Pyre asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°This isn¡¯t how you usually do things. You¡¯re looking for something. If you truly wanted me dead, you would¡¯ve killed me before I had a chance to react. Kill first, ask questions later¡ªisn¡¯t that your motto?¡± Palan smiled as his tails retreated. ¡°This is why you¡¯re dangerous.¡± ¡°So what is it that you want?¡± Pyre asked. He glanced at Raea. She wasn¡¯t paying attention. ¡°Does it have to do with her?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan said and shook his head. ¡°I want a way to forcefully break a contract between one entity and another.¡± Raea¡¯s head rose as she narrowed her eyes at Palan. Pyre shivered. ¡°Are you talking about yours? Because if you are, I don¡¯t think I should be here right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Palan said. He glanced at Raea. ¡°I¡¯m not lying, alright?¡± Raea gazed at him for a few seconds before lowering her head again. Palan turned his attention back to Pyre. ¡°There¡¯s this fellow,¡± he said and rubbed his chin. ¡°He has a contract of sorts with the Creator that prevents him from dying permanently. And I want him dead.¡± ¡°He¡¯s immortal?¡± Pyre asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Does this have anything to do with the third floor of the tower?¡± The floating piece of tower was the most baffling thing he had ever witnessed in his life. The capital was in ruins from his B.F.G., but there was a cube of architecture that remained untouched. He had sent a few harpies to inspect the area, but they were shot down by black lightning bolts. ¡°It does,¡± Palan said. ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need a lot of things: time, experimental subjects, a team of researchers, unlimited funds would be nice too. And even then, I can¡¯t guarantee it can be done, especially if it¡¯s a contract between an angel and the Creator.¡± ¡°All of Div¡¯Nya is ours. Those things are easy to supply,¡± Palan said and snorted. Pyre rubbed his chin. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°If I¡¯m able to break a contract like this, won¡¯t that mean my power is greater than the Creator¡¯s? Interesting, very interesting. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have a final challenge before I died of old age.¡± ¡°You want to kill Raphael?¡± Raea asked Palan. Palan smiled. ¡°Of course. Only I can be on top.¡± Chapter 346 Palan and Raea stood on the edge of a dark-red circle drawn on the floor. A few inscriptions bordered the edge, spiraling towards the center. Pyre tapped his pipe against a boulder, knocking the ashes out of it. ¡°You don¡¯t need anything from Eljiam, right? Though this isn¡¯t a one-way trip, it¡¯s still inconvenient to transport things back and forth between worlds.¡± Palan glanced at Andrea who was standing behind him, outside of the circle. ¡°Did you have anything you wanted to bring?¡± Andrea shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she said and inched closer to her brother. She was told to stay out of the circle or her mana would be drained. But she wasn¡¯t quite sure what mana was; and though she trusted Palan, she wanted to hold onto him in case he disappeared without her again. ¡°You¡¯re really not leaving me, right? Promise?¡± Danger Noodle slithered through the air and patted Andrea¡¯s head. ¡°I promise you,¡± Palan said. ¡°As soon as the portal appears, jump inside. You¡¯ll know what it looks like when it appears.¡± Andrea bit her lower lip. ¡°Okay,¡± she said and nodded. She grabbed Cleo¡¯s tail and pulled the lizardman closer to herself. She knew her snack dispenser didn¡¯t want to be left behind just as much as she didn¡¯t. If she followed the lizard, she¡¯d definitely make it to Palan¡¯s side. ¡°Then we¡¯re all set?¡± Pyre asked. When Palan and Raea nodded, he dripped a drop of Raea¡¯s blood into the center of the circle to finish creating the teleportation formation. The runic patterns lit up with a golden light, spiraling outwards from the center until it engulfed Raea¡¯s and Palan¡¯s bodies. A line appeared in the air above the circle. It widened like an opening eye until an oval portal appeared, revealing green grass and blue skies. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Cory said and spread her wings before flying through the portal. ¡°Goodbye, burning hot and freezing cold! Hello, moderate weather.¡± Cleo held Andrea¡¯s hand and leapt through, pulling the demon along. Raea and Palan extricated themselves from the mana-draining circles¡ªthe portal would remain for ten minutes after they got off. Raea went through next as Palan circled around and seized Pyre with his tails. He suspected the half-angel would stay behind, so he decided to forcibly drag him back to Div¡¯Nya. Pyre protested, but Palan ignored him as he leapt through the portal. When he landed, the familiar springiness of grass tickled the soles of his feet. ¡°Palan, help!¡± Andrea said. She was squatting on Cleo¡¯s shoulders, hugging the lizardman¡¯s head. ¡°What is this green stuff!?¡± In Eljiam, green meant danger. Anything that wasn¡¯t the color of sand had some kind of defensive mechanism that allowed them to stay alive despite being glaringly obvious to predators. The king lizard was a perfect example of a dangerous green creature. ¡°It¡¯s grass,¡± Palan said as he stepped forward and retrieved Andrea, hugging her to his chest. ¡°It¡¯s harmless, but sometimes things are hidden inside. It¡¯s the sand of Div¡¯Nya.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°But we have actual sand too,¡± Raea said. Palan shrugged. Analogies only went so far. He lowered Andrea to the ground, making sure to keep ahold of her hand. She shuffled her feet a few times with a bewildered expression on her face. Cleo exhaled and wiped her face. There were a few claw marks on her skin. She frowned as her tail swished. She asked Palan, ¡°Is this how you feel when I climb on your shoulders? It¡¯s not very comfortable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re tiny,¡± Palan said and snorted. He glanced around. The surrounding area was filled with trees. It reminded him of the first time he came to Div¡¯Nya. ¡°Where are we?¡± Cory flapped her wings and launched herself into the air. She scanned the surroundings before descending, perching on top of Crimson Snek. ¡°I see a red wall in the distance. Everything else is trees and a few camp-looking places.¡± ¡°We¡¯re probably in the borderlands then,¡± Pyre said as he freed himself from Palan¡¯s tails. ¡°It looks like my coordinates were off a bit, most likely due to the impurities in Raea¡¯s blood. Good thing we didn¡¯t use mine or we might¡¯ve ended up halfway across the world.¡± He shrugged when Palan narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°At least you can fly now. There¡¯s no constant mana drain like in Eljiam.¡± ¡°You can fly?¡± Andrea asked Palan, her eyes widening. She climbed up his body and craned her neck, peering over his back. She picked at his shoulder blades, checking for wings. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I use my powers and lower our gravity enough to keep me in the air for an indefinite amount of time,¡± Palan said as a black light engulfed him and Andrea. He lifted his legs by bending his knees, but he didn¡¯t fall to the ground, hovering above it instead. ¡°Like so.¡± ¡°Waaah?¡± Andrea¡¯s eyes bulged as she peered over his lap, waving her hand in the empty space separating him from the ground. ¡°Can I do that? How do you use your powers?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s linked to my pride,¡± Palan said. ¡°I just think of myself as better than other people and I¡¯m able to do this. I can also increase the gravity on someone else by believing they¡¯re below me and unworthy to be standing in my presence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you activate your powers?¡± Cleo asked and blinked. ¡°Huh. I guess that makes sense. For me, I have a mini-panic attack as I search for a place to hide my stolen goods. Then it appears like magic.¡± ¡°So if I¡¯m a glutton ¡­ then I have to want to eat something?¡± Andrea asked and tilted her head. She furrowed her brow and glared at Cory. The harpy shivered and took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m not food, okay?¡± Andrea pouted and shifted her gaze towards a nearby tree instead. ¡°But that¡¯s all I have to do, right? Be hungry?¡± ¡°In theory, yes,¡± Pyre said, his professor instincts kicking in. ¡°All sins and virtues are activated by thinking or embracing said sin or virtue. But sins and virtues tend to not manifest in children except in special cases.¡± He gestured at Raea. ¡°For example, your parents were archangels and their virtues were passed down. Or you were nurtured a certain way while growing up. It¡¯s rare for powers to even show up amongst demons in the first place, but after experiencing Eljiam for myself, I guess it has to do with the low mana concentration there. Don¡¯t be discouraged if you can¡¯t activate your gluttony.¡± Palan¡¯s eyes widened as a giant, black mouth formed in the air above his and Andrea¡¯s heads. It was filled to the brim with pointed white teeth. The mouth lurched forwards and swallowed the tree Andrea was staring at, shattering and breaking it into pieces before anyone could react. The mouth chewed a few times before dispersing. Andrea hiccoughed as a cloud of sawdust flew out of her mouth. ¡°Was that it?¡± Chapter 347 Pyre froze as the black mouth dissolved into a puddle of shadows, leaving behind a void. It seemed like someone had taken a model of the tree and its surroundings and took a bite out of it. ¡°No¡­,¡± he said after a few moments of silence. ¡°I don¡¯t think that was it. Can you do it again?¡± Andrea shook her head. Her purple face had a tinge of green on its cheeks. ¡°What?¡± Pyre asked. ¡°Why not? You did it once, why not repeat the feeling you felt to do it again?¡± ¡°It tasted really bad,¡± Andrea said and wiped sawdust off of her tongue. Tears formed in her eyes, and Cleo ran over to hand her a cup of water to rinse with. Pyre stroked his chin. ¡°Interesting. Your power doesn¡¯t conform to gluttony¡¯s normal standards. Perhaps it¡¯s because you haven¡¯t been influenced by seeing someone use it. It makes sense since people do use the same power differently. That mana level though, are you a greater demon by any chance?¡± Andrea shrank back from Pyre¡¯s glittering eyes. She hid behind Palan and clutched his leg. ¡°He¡¯s scary. There¡¯s something wrong with his eyes,¡± she said and pouted. ¡°Like he wants to eat me.¡± A dry laugh escaped from Pyre¡¯s lips as he took a step back. Palan¡¯s gaze pierced him, dispelling any thoughts he may or may not have had about dissecting Andrea. Pyre cleared his throat. ¡°Anyways,¡± he said and avoided Palan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the capital. The only clue I have to breaking the contract between two people is the Creator¡¯s statue. Without it, I¡¯d be grasping at straws.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Palan said. ¡°You know where the statue is?¡± Pyre snorted. ¡°Of course. It was one of the only things to survive the B.F.G. explosion. The other things were the floating third floor and you. I asked the remaining council members about it. They told me it was used to bestow the Creator¡¯s judgement. Obviously, I didn¡¯t touch it. I¡¯m pretty sure the Creator would condemn me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see it,¡± Raea said. The expression on her face was dark. Her feathers rippled like waves as if there were something beneath the surface trying to get out. She spread her wings and flapped, jetting a gust of hot air at the party while launching herself into the air. ¡°Well? What are we waiting for?¡± Pyre frowned as Palan¡¯s tails wrapped around the people who couldn¡¯t fly except Andrea¡ªPalan held her to his chest with his arms. Having two pairs was convenient. Pyre adjusted the tail around his waist and tapped on one of its scales. He whispered under his breath so Raea wouldn¡¯t be able to hear him, ¡°You might want to consider breaking off your contract with Raea after I finish researching this. She¡¯s volatile. Her targets for revenge are gone, but her sister remains dead. She has nothing to direct her anger at, but after embracing wrath, she has to be angry. Any little thing can set her off.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Palan didn¡¯t respond as he leapt into the air. Andrea tugged on his arm and whispered, ¡°I think you should stay away from her too. Are you only with her because of this contract?¡± Palan frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Then tell me how you met her,¡± Andrea said. Though she was in a totally different world and flying above it with a perfect view, she kept her attention focused on her brother. ¡°And what you¡¯ve been through while you were gone.¡± ¡°Mm. That may take a while.¡± ¡°I want to know!¡± Andrea said with a pout. Her eyes widened. ¡°Please?¡± Palan sighed. ¡°Alright,¡± he said and began telling Andrea his story, starting from after she had fallen ill. His brow wrinkled. Could he kill that bird now that he was an existence beyond an archdemon? Well, it didn¡¯t matter since he¡¯d never be going back to Eljiam. Andrea listened without interrupting him. He was a bit of a clumsy storyteller, but she didn¡¯t mind. He was her brother and everything he did was perfect in her eyes. When Palan finished, the group had arrived at the first sector. Surprisingly, it was in good condition, looking nothing like the fire, carnage, and wasteland he had remembered it as. Then Palan turned his head and realized the west section of the sector was still in ruins. They had arrived from the north. ¡°So she tricked you into making a contract with her,¡± Andrea said. There was a wrinkle on her tiny forehead. ¡°And you had to stay with her to survive. But you don¡¯t need her to do that anymore because you¡¯re super strong now, right? So why didn¡¯t you let her stay dead?¡± Palan had excluded the bit about feeling sadness after Raea died. It was an embarrassing moment for him, and he didn¡¯t want his sister to know. He hummed for a bit before saying, ¡°The Creator modified the contract a bit. I¡¯d have died if she stayed dead.¡± ¡°But if you break the contract, then you wouldn¡¯t,¡± Andrea said. ¡°You¡¯re going to break the contract, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. ¡°How do you not know?¡± Andrea asked and blinked. ¡°You were with her to survive. Now you can survive on your own. You don¡¯t need to be with her anymore. Isn¡¯t it simple?¡± Palan didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Do you ¡­ actually like her?¡± Andrea asked, her mouth falling open. She seemed horrified by the thought. It was extremely rare, but sometimes demons who complemented each other¡¯s faults managed to become monogamous with each other. Like their parents. Her mother was overbearing like a tyrannosaurus while her father was meek and didn¡¯t dare speak up. ¡°You can¡¯t stay with her! You definitely can¡¯t! She killed you!¡± Palan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Be quiet.¡± Andrea shut her mouth but stared at him with concerned eyes. They trembled along with her lips. No matter which way she looked at it, Raea had ensnared her brother through trickery and the bewitchment was so strong that he hadn¡¯t realized it himself. ¡°She¡¯s not a bad person,¡± Palan said after a long while of enduring Andrea¡¯s puppy-like gaze. Perhaps his storytelling skills had painted Raea in an unpleasant light. ¡°But she killed you!¡± Andrea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always say people who relied on each other were idiots? Didn¡¯t you say they were weak? Didn¡¯t you tell me you¡¯d never let anyone who tried to kill you live? Why are you being such a dummy right now?¡± ¡°Andrea,¡± Palan said and narrowed his eyes. Andrea pouted and squirmed around so she was facing the ground. She¡¯d find out the secret to breaking contracts from the walking encyclopedia. And she¡¯d break her brother¡¯s contract herself. Then he¡¯d see she was right. Chapter 348 Andrea yawned as she pushed away the table holding a mountain of cooked flesh. She slid out of her seat and poked Palan who was sleeping in a corner of the room. It had been half a year since the group reached the capital, but Pyre hadn¡¯t been able to make any progress with his contract destruction machine, as he liked to call it. But Andrea didn¡¯t mind too much. Div¡¯Nya was a lot nicer than Eljiam. She could wait a bit longer¡ªbut only a bit. ¡°What is it?¡± Palan asked as he stirred. He actually hadn¡¯t been sleeping. He was meditating instead, drawing on Raea¡¯s mana. He had noticed Raea¡¯s temper getting worse as time passed on, but taking some of her mana to increase his own strength decreased her wrath. If only by a little. After daily meditation for half a year, he had managed to catch up to Raea¡¯s mana level. ¡°I¡¯m bored,¡± Andrea said. If she had to name one downside to Div¡¯Nya, it was boredom. She was never bored in Eljiam. Every waking moment was spent on increasing her chances of survival: grinding poisons, sewing new clothes, drying rations for a future date. In Div¡¯Nya, everything was done for her. The halflings treated her like a princess due to her relationship with Palan¡ªespecially the centaurs. The centaurs insisted on creating a statue of her as well. Speaking of which, Palan¡¯s statue was a quarter of the way finished. ¡°Does that mean you want another toy from Pyre?¡± Palan asked. Part of the reason why Pyre¡¯s progress was so slow was due to Andrea¡¯s pestering. The half-angel¡¯s inventions kept Andrea entertained for a week before she¡¯d get bored and ask for a new one. Andrea shook her head. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and bit her lower lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I want to do something,¡± she said and picked at her clothes with her claws. ¡°Something meaningful.¡± Palan nodded. He had felt the same the first time he arrived at Div¡¯Nya. During his time traveling with the army, he had experienced restlessness due to complacency. ¡°Then, do you want to hunt?¡± Andrea made a face. ¡°No. I want to help you like before. I want to make poisons for you, or help you skin things, or make new clothes, or prepare you snacks for your hunts,¡± she said. She reaffirmed her decision to break her brother¡¯s contract. Being with that harlot had turned him into a couch potato. He wasn¡¯t the brother she knew. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to do those things anymore,¡± Palan said and ruffled her hair. ¡°You said you wanted to do something meaningful, yet those actions are meaningless. I no longer have to hunt for your food. Other people can do the tedious tasks for us. If we want new clothes, we can walk down the street and raid Mathias¡¯ store.¡± The ex-chieftain had opened up a clothing store after the takeover of the capital. ¡°Isn¡¯t this life better than the one we had before?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°No,¡± Andrea said and pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not the same because you changed.¡± She bit her lower lip and pushed his hand off her head. ¡°How many people have you killed since we arrived at DIv¡¯Nya?¡± Palan furrowed his brow. ¡°None?¡± ¡°How many times have you gone hunting?¡± ¡°Three or four.¡± ¡°See? If it was before, you would¡¯ve killed at least a hundred people and gone on dozens of hunts.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s stupid enough to get in my way nowadays,¡± Palan said. ¡°There¡¯s no need to kill them. They don¡¯t even disrespect me, always groveling by my feet. And like I said, hunting isn¡¯t required anymore. We have all the food you can possibly want.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the end result!¡± Andrea shouted. ¡°It¡¯s about the process! You¡¯re getting lazy. All you do is sit on the couch all day, meditating or whatever.¡± She whirled around and stomped out of the room. Why couldn¡¯t he see how different he was being? Sure, people respected him, so he didn¡¯t have to kill anyone. And yes, he didn¡¯t have to hunt for food anymore. But weren¡¯t those the things that made her brother her brother? If you took away hunting and aggressiveness, was he even the same person? Maybe her life was better in Div¡¯Nya, but it wasn¡¯t the same. She missed the days in Eljiam where she and Palan struggled to survive. ¡°Andrea?¡± Andrea turned her head. The snack dispenser was chasing after her, having seen her from one of the side corridors. Andrea crossed her arms and waited. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with Palan?¡± Cleo asked and tilted her head. Upon arriving at the capital, Cleo had gone to the prisons and freed Linda. The halflings didn¡¯t need to use orbs as much now that the war was over. They were also able to use the same abilities as the angels, making orbs nearly meaningless to them. The number of archlings overwhelmed the number of archangels at the angels¡¯ prime. Pyre didn¡¯t care if he lost one or two of his captives, so Cleo freed Linda, Owen, Carmilla, and Gerome. Apparently, the trio had been swept up at the same time she and Linda had. ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t do anything,¡± Andrea said and crinkled her nose. ¡°What?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°What do you mean? If he didn¡¯t draw on Raea¡¯s mana, she would¡¯ve exploded by now. His role is really important.¡± She nodded and pulled out an eggfruit, handing it to Andrea. It turned out, planting the fruit in the ground sprouted new trees while incubating the fruit hatched an angel. Of course, the first angel to hatch from a fruit was seized by Pyre and never heard from again. Cleo suspected it died. Andrea gnawed on the fruit and relaxed. The tension she had acquired while yelling at Palan dispersed as the warmth of the fruit¡¯s juices flooded her body. She sighed after she finished it. Maybe she was being unreasonable to Palan earlier. He had worked hard to give her this life of being pampered. Maybe she should apologize to him. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Cleo asked. Andrea nodded. Somehow, the snack dispenser was able to read her mood, claiming all friends were able to do that. ¡°So, what¡¯re you going to do now?¡± Cleo asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to go on a trip with Linda soon. Do you want to come?¡± Andrea shook her head. Something about the merchant angel her snack dispenser hung out with disturbed her. Like the angel wanted to sell her to someone. ¡°I¡¯m going to find Pyre,¡± Andrea said. She was already outside. She could apologize to Palan later. Maybe Pyre had finished his invention. Chapter 349 ¡°Oh, okay then,¡± Cleo said with a nod. ¡°He¡¯s in his laboratory as usual. I think he made some kind of advancement; there was a pretty big commotion earlier. A lot of people were displaced.¡± ¡°Displaced?¡± Andrea asked and tilted her head. Wasn¡¯t Pyre creating a way to dissolve contracts between two parties? Why would anyone have to be displaced for something like that? ¡°Did he succeed in breaking a contract?¡± Cleo shrugged. ¡°I just passed by,¡± she said. ¡°The captive angels and a few demons were brought to the lab. Tell Palan I said hi when you see him again. I have to go find Linda before she leaves without me.¡± The lizardman waved her arms and trotted away, but not before leaving behind a few fruits. Andrea pursed her lips and reached down, placing her palm on her belt. It was one of the new toys Pyre had invented for her based on the snack dispenser¡¯s magical abilities. Pyre had converted an orb of kleptomania into a belt which was functionally identical to Cleo¡¯s space¡ªjust smaller in capacity. There was also an issue of charging the belt, but Andrea had Pyre create an adaptor which she connected to Palan while he was meditating. The fruits disappeared as Andrea pressed them against her belt buckle, and she continued down the hall to Pyre¡¯s laboratory. On her way, a loud shriek caused her to wince and clasp her hands over her ears. Ahead of Andrea, a red harpy burst out of a door followed by a massive hand made of black flames. The harpy twisted her body and barely managed to avoid the flames. Her feathers were still singed and smoking, but thankfully, they didn¡¯t catch on fire. The harpy exhaled as she pressed a button to shut the door, cutting off the flames. A loud bang rang through the hall as a fist-shaped imprint appeared on the red metal door. The harpy gulped and took a step back as dozens of imprints peppered the metal. If the door hadn¡¯t been made from the same material as the angels¡¯ checkpoint walls, the first fist would¡¯ve been enough to destroy it. ¡°Hi, Cory,¡± Andrea said, plucking one of the harpy¡¯s butt feathers. She had learned the greeting from her snack dispenser. Cory screeched and made a face as Andrea stored the feather in her belt. If it were anyone else, she would¡¯ve pelted the assailant with lightning. Even Cleo had learned a lesson. ¡°Andrea,¡± Cory said and bobbed her head. She glanced around, checking to see if Palan were around. It wasn¡¯t that she had a guilty conscience or anything. Definitely not. Palan¡¯s relationship with the centaurs was a strange one, and she had recently harassed the centaurs. They threatened her with Palan in return. When she confirmed Palan wasn¡¯t around, she rested her wings against her sides and squatted down to face Andrea head on. ¡°Hello. Please stop plucking me.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Andrea grunted. ¡°Was that Raea?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Cory sighed. ¡°Yes,¡± she said and winced as another imprint appeared on the door. ¡°She¡¯s extremely angry today too.¡± She sighed again and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll ever fulfill her promise to take us to our promised land, but at least we can search for it ourselves. I guess she finished her part of the prophecy by removing the angels from power.¡± Andrea bit her lip as the banging sounds ceased. Quiet sobs filled her ears, but Cory didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°Is she okay?¡± Cory let out a hollow laugh. ¡°If okay means not dead, then she¡¯s doing just fine,¡± the harpy said with a nod. ¡°If okay means lucid and not angry all the time, then no, she¡¯s not okay. She¡¯s far from it. I mean, harpies kill each other all the time, but even by harpy standards, there¡¯s something wrong with her. Sometimes I can talk to her for hours. Other times, she¡¯ll explode on me for no reason. I was talking about making socks for harpies once, and she nearly ripped my wing off.¡± Andrea nodded. The sooner Pyre finished his contract destruction machine, the sooner her brother would be freed from his situation. She didn¡¯t understand how he could put up with Raea for a year even with a contract¡¯s stipulation. Though, Raea didn¡¯t seem that unstable when Andrea first met her, so she guessed it was understandable. If Raea had acted like she did now from the start, Palan would¡¯ve died by her hands a long time ago. Actually, he already died to her once. Andrea¡¯s face darkened as she once again swore to dissolve her brother¡¯s contract. ¡°Did you want to see her?¡± Cory asked, tilting her head. No one came to Raea¡¯s room except for a few harpies, Cleo, and Palan. Oh, and a trio of angels who she couldn¡¯t remember the names of. Oswell? Cory shook her head¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. The trio was unimportant. ¡°I don¡¯t recommend going in right now, but if you do, I can revive you if you die.¡± She paused. ¡°As long as you¡¯re not incinerated to nothing.¡± ¡°No,¡± Andrea said and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to see her.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Cory asked and blinked. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel we have to support her. She¡¯s done a lot for us. I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s done a lot for Palan too. Wouldn¡¯t it be wrong to throw her away in her time of need?¡± Andrea snorted. ¡°The weak deserve to die,¡± she said, spouting off Palan¡¯s words. ¡°Those who depend on others are doomed to fail.¡± It was true that her brother babied her, but at the same time, he also left her by herself to defend the camp from intruders, predators, and demons during his hunts on some occasions to let her grow independent. ¡°If she breaks now, then she was only meant to go so far.¡± Cory furrowed her brow. Those words were harsh, but the harpies also lived by them. But that¡¯s because it had always been a struggle to survive. Now that they were free from the underground world, infighting had become less common and harpies supported each other instead to create a new home. ¡°I guess that makes sense ¡­ if surviving was a struggle. But now that there¡¯s peace and no one¡¯s trying to kill anyone else, shouldn¡¯t we help her?¡± That¡¯s why she came back to Raea every single day despite the risk of being set on fire. Cory was surprisingly loyal for a harpy. Andrea shrugged. ¡°If a tool breaks, you throw it away.¡± Her brother would agree with her, wouldn¡¯t he? He was the one who taught her how to survive after all. Why was he being so blind this time? She wished she could hurry Pyre along somehow to make Palan Palan again¡ªto make her world right again. There was something seriously wrong with Div¡¯Nya, and only she could see it. It was beyond frustrating. Chapter 350 Cory hummed. ¡°Well ¡­ if you really think that way,¡± she said and rubbed her head with her wings. ¡°Maybe try saying hi to her once in a while at least? An upset Raea is no good for anyone, especially me.¡± Andrea grunted. It was her go to response when she wanted to decline but, at the same time, let the other party know she entertained the thought. She¡¯d definitely see Raea in the future though¡ªonce Pyre finished his invention. Maybe it¡¯d be today if she were lucky. Her snack dispenser had said there was a commotion. ¡°I¡¯m going to find Pyre,¡± Andrea said and waved at Cory. ¡°Don¡¯t get burned by Raea.¡± Cory nodded and watched in silence as Andrea rounded a bend. Her brow furrowed as she sighed. Something about Palan¡¯s sister reminded her of an ambitious harpy seeking the position of matriarch. Young harpies always had something to prove, but they quickly learned after a lightning bolt to the face. She just hoped the lightning bolt striking Andrea would be like a slap on the wrist. Not that she was underestimating Andrea, but Cory didn¡¯t think a demon child stood a very high chance against an angry beyond-archangel existence. Andrea reached Pyre¡¯s laboratory unobstructed. In front of the door, there was a line of demons and angels, shackled with red manacles. She skipped the queue, saying hi to the familiar dwarf assistant along the way. The inside of Pyre¡¯s lab was a mess. The walls were stained with blood while empty vials, some shattered, littered a corner of the room. Dozens of contracts lay on a desk while some were resting in tanks of liquid. However, the most noticeable object in the room was the statue of a faceless, androgynous figure laying on its side. Dozens of wires were connected to it, leading to a contraption that ended up creating golden droplets in a vial. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could come in yet,¡± Pyre said without turning around. He was staring at the liquid-creating contraption, waiting for a droplet to fall. His hair was disheveled and frayed as if electricity had passed through his body recently. His lab coat was stained with dried blood, and the whites of his eyes were filled with veins, making them as red as his irises. ¡°Get back in line.¡± ¡°Hi, Pyre,¡± Andrea said, ignoring the half-angel¡¯s command. She sat on a couch, the only clean piece of furniture in the room. It was also where Pyre slept. Andrea¡¯s voice lilted as she spoke, ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Pyre groaned. ¡°Not today, please,¡± he said. The droplet of liquid fell, and Pyre turned a knob, shutting off the contraption. The statue glowed with a golden light for a brief instant. ¡°I¡¯m on the verge of a breakthrough. I managed to condense what I call the Creator¡¯s essence. With this, I can establish a contract between two people. I tested it on a couple, and the lowest level contract was formed. I¡¯m testing different parameters for the contract now to see how much I can manipulate this, and maybe, I¡¯ll figure out a way to reverse engineer its effects.¡± Pyre licked his lips as swirled the liquid in the vial before he rang a bell. The dwarf assistant shuffled an angel and demon into the lab. ¡°I have to learn about the properties of the contract forming material before I can devise a way to break it apart.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Andrea blinked. ¡°So it¡¯s not done yet?¡± she asked and tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s a crucial first step!¡± Pyre said and raised the vial into the air. The angel and demon flinched at Pyre¡¯s unkempt face. He truly looked like a stereotypical mad scientist. He grinned at the prisoners with wide eyes. ¡°Now what unreasonable contract should I impose on you two¡­¡± Andrea sighed as she slid off the couch. That¡¯s what she got for bringing her hopes up¡ªdisappointment. She shook her head as Pyre cackled, and she closed the door behind herself, cutting off the wild laughter. The angels and demons in line paled at the sound. Andrea glanced at them before shaking her head. Another one of her brother¡¯s sayings appeared in her head, ¡°Only fools kept slaves.¡± Yet Palan had enslaved the snack dispenser and another harpy that she hadn¡¯t met but heard about. The crazy encyclopedia had to hurry up before her brother lost even more of his senses. Maybe he¡¯d advocate for peace and equality if he was left in DIv¡¯Nya for another year. Andrea shuddered. How horrible. Wasn¡¯t there something she could do? Andrea sighed as she exited the building and raised her head. She was greeted by the sight of the floating cube in the sky¡ªanother universe-breaking thingamabob. What was wrong with Div¡¯Nya? A blonde-haired centaur ran past her before stopping and trotting backwards. The centaur lowered her head and said, ¡°Andrea! Good afternoon.¡± ¡°Cherri, right?¡± Andrea asked. Apparently Palan had nominated this centaur to be his spokesperson after taking over the tribe. Another one of Palan¡¯s sayings drifted through her thoughts, ¡°Having servants is the same thing as giving someone a knife and asking them to stab you in the back.¡± Andrea bit her lower lip and glared at the centaur. Cherri stiffened and took a step back. ¡°Y-yes?¡± she asked. Her eyes watered. She was a bit ashamed about being intimidated by a child, but she consoled herself by remembering Palan¡¯s terrifying power. It wasn¡¯t shameful to be scared of that person¡¯s sibling. Wait, wasn¡¯t she the one who greeted Andrea? Why did it seem like she was the one being interrogated? Andrea sighed. Well, it made sense for Palan to have unreliable subordinates. There¡¯d be less of a chance for them to backstab him. But that didn¡¯t explain why he didn¡¯t just destroy the tribe in the first place. It¡¯s not like they did anything for him other than make that stupid statue. She glanced towards the east where the construction was taking place. Okay, maybe the statue did look a bit cool, but still. She shook her head and grabbed Cherri¡¯s arm, causing the centaur to tremble like a scared puppy. If she was going to fix her brother, she¡¯d have to know the extent of how far he was broken. ¡°Tell me everything you know about Palan.¡± Chapter 351 Raea opened her eyes as footsteps resounded from outside her room. The interior was completely made of red metal: the chairs were metal, the bed was metal, even her clothes were made of metal threads. Anything else wouldn¡¯t survive her flames of wrath. There were a few ashy spots on the floor from gifts her friends had brought over. They were gone now, burned away because of her. At least no one had died inside of the room. Yet. Raea sighed as a soft knock echoed through the room. The door bulged outwards like a dome. Repeated impacts from her fists and feet had left their impression on the metal. ¡°Is it safe to come in?¡± Cory¡¯s voice asked from the other side. Raea bit her lower lip. Would it ever be safe? The flames poured out of her whether she wanted them to or not. Any little thing could cause the room to be flooded with fire. Why did Cory insist on coming back despite knowing the risks? No one needed her anymore after all¡ªthe war was over; an angry angel wasn¡¯t necessary. Raea curled her fingers and toes and placed her forehead against her knees, resting with her back pressed into the corner of the room, sitting on the metal bed that might as well have been the floor. They were equally as uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m coming in then,¡± Cory said. The door shrieked as it slid open, causing hints of smoke to drift out of Raea¡¯s feathers. Cory frowned and furrowed her brow as she hopped to the center of the room, placing a basket on the table. ¡°I brought your favorite snack: mushrooms from the underworld. They were a bit burnt by the edges, but I peeled those parts off for you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Cory,¡± Raea said and sighed as she raised her head. Her stomach growled as she crawled to the edge of the bed and reached over to grab the basket. ¡°Of course,¡± Cory said and bobbed her head. ¡°What are best friends for if they can¡¯t bring you food when you¡¯re down?¡± Raea grunted and nibbled on the mushroom. It had just the right amount of salt. Cory personally made the food herself, and learned what Raea liked through trial and error. If she liked the food, there¡¯d be no explosion. If she didn¡¯t ¡­ it was a good thing Cory was fast. ¡°They¡¯re good,¡± Raea said and nodded at Cory. The harpy let out a sigh of relief as she patted her chest. ¡°Today¡¯s a good day then, huh?¡± Cory asked with a smile. ¡°Remember how you complained to me about dealing with wrath? I found someone who could help you.¡± She faced the door and cupped her wings in front of her mouth. ¡°Ivan, come in.¡± The door shrieked again as it opened. ¡°So you¡¯re the one who requested Ivan Blackflame¡¯s help,¡± a lizardman said as he stomped into the room, head held high. He froze when he met Raea¡¯s gaze. ¡°Uh, Cory?¡± he whispered to the harpy. ¡°Isn¡¯t she the harbinger?¡± Cory nodded. ¡°Mhm.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Aren¡¯t her abilities stronger than mine?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Ivan scratched his head and raised an eyebrow. What exactly was he supposed to do here? ¡°Here¡¯s the thing,¡± Cory said. ¡°Raea¡¯s been cooping herself up here for seven months now because she¡¯s afraid of hurting people with her flames. You¡¯re an angry person too. How do you control your wrath?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Ivan frowned. ¡°I think about things that anger me, like wet socks, and then flames appear.¡± A black flame burst into existence in front of Ivan. ¡°Like so.¡± ¡°So you haven¡¯t reached the point where you¡¯re angry all the time then,¡± Raea said. Ivan knit his brows. ¡°I mean, you have to think angry thoughts to create your flames. I don¡¯t have to do anything to create mine, but I have to think soothing thoughts to prevent the flames from forming.¡± Tiny black flames crawled spread from Raea¡¯s wings, traveling up the walls. She sighed. Cory¡¯s intentions were good, but they weren¡¯t helpful at all. Ivan was too weak. It would be nice if she could ask Raphael how he controlled his anger, but the angel in the floating cube had refused to speak with her or Palan. He probably resented being dragged out of the room by Palan. ¡°So ¡­ I¡¯m no longer necessary?¡± Ivan asked and tilted his head. ¡°I guess not,¡± Cory said and shrugged. She flew over the lizardman, picked him up with her talons, and tossed him out of the room before he could say anything to annoy Raea. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, harbinger. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way to solve your problem.¡± ¡°Is it really a problem?¡± Raea asked. Her expression darkened as she violently tore apart a mushroom with her teeth. ¡°Or is it just me? I¡¯m the problem, aren¡¯t I? It would explain why Palan would spend all his time with his sister instead of me. What does he even do nowadays? Baby her all the time?¡± The flames on the walls grew larger as the basket was set ablaze. Cory cleared her throat and inched closer to the exit. ¡°He¡¯s, uh, actually been posing for his statue that the centaurs are making,¡± she said. Raea¡¯s eyes turned purple. ¡°But I¡¯m sure he¡¯s looking for a way to reduce your wrath!¡± Cory screeched the last word as she dove out of the room, barely avoiding a flaming halberd strike to the face. She pressed a button on the wall to close the door and sighed. Another failure. Sometimes Raea liked hearing about the things Palan did. Sometimes she tried to kill the messenger. ¡°Is it safe to go in?¡± Cory raised her head. Andrea was standing behind a corner, her head peering out as if she were stalking someone. ¡°Hello, Andrea,¡± Cory said and waved. ¡°Maybe in a few hours, it¡¯ll be safe enough to go inside.¡± Was the little demon finally taking her advice? Cory suspected Andrea was the key to solving Raea¡¯s wrath, but the demon never wanted to communicate with the harbinger despite Cory¡¯s attempts to persuade her. ¡°Oh. Okay,¡± Andrea said as she walked around the corner, approaching the door. She was holding a bag in her hands. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Cory asked, tilted her head. ¡°Cookies,¡± Andrea said, a strange glint in her eyes. ¡°Pyre made them.¡± Cory furrowed her brow. ¡°Can I see?¡± ¡°No!¡± Andrea said and shook her head, hugging the bag to her chest. ¡°You can¡¯t. You¡¯ll want to eat them if you see them. They¡¯re for Raea, and Raea only.¡± Cory sighed. It seemed like this would be Andrea¡¯s attempt at striking Raea somehow. But Andrea couldn¡¯t hurt Raea; it was the other way around. Well, everyone had to do stupid things while growing up before they learned a lesson. Andrea was no exception. ¡°Mm. Then I¡¯ll be going,¡± Cory said. If something did happen, she didn¡¯t want to be around to accept responsibility. Chapter 352 Raea stared at the closed door as tears ran down her face. She had done it again, frightened Cory away. Would there be a day when the harpy would be fed up with her? When the harpy would decide to never come back? The flames surrounding Raea died down as she sniffled, her anger replaced by sadness. The basket of mushrooms had been reduced to a pile of ash by Raea¡¯s feet, staining her bed white. She wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed when the familiar sound of the door screeching open caused her to raise her head. Her body stiffened before she wiped away her tears with the back of her hands. ¡°Andrea?¡± Why was it her? Andrea hesitated outside the room before taking a step inside. She hugged her bag tighter to her chest as she bit her lower lip. ¡°Can I talk to you?¡± she asked, trying to ignore the wisps of green smoke trailing out of Raea¡¯s wings. Raea was about to retort, but she recalled Palan¡¯s words. Was she really going to argue with a child? It wasn¡¯t Andrea¡¯s fault Palan was paying so much attention to his sister. It was Palan¡¯s fault. Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed as the soles of her feet warmed up. She looked down and smothered the flames leaking out of her with her hands before smiling at Andrea. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Andrea stiffened before nodding. She flinched when the door automatically closed behind her. Thankfully, there was a button that let her leave as long as no one pressed the button on the other side within two hours. She had interrogated Pyre, the creator of the room, before making up her mind. The chair was a metal one, and it was uncomfortable to sit in. Raea had to sleep on this material? ¡°Hi,¡± Andrea said and chewed on her lips as she placed her bag on top of the table. ¡°Hello.¡± The two sat in silence as they stared at each other. Andrea averted her gaze first as she cleared her throat. ¡°Do you hate me?¡± she asked, keeping her gaze on Raea¡¯s bed. At least she¡¯d be able to tell if the flames were coming even if she didn¡¯t look directly at Raea. ¡°Do I hate you?¡± Raea asked and furrowed her brow. She muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t hate many things. Maybe just myself¡­¡± She shook her head, causing strands of hair to fall in front of her face, before slapping both of her own cheeks with her hands. She rubbed her eyes and fixed her hair before exhaling. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Andrea asked. ¡°I thought you did. I can see it in your eyes.¡± She had always been more receptive than other demons when it came to reading facial expressions. Or maybe other demons just didn¡¯t care about reading emotions. There wasn¡¯t a place for considering others¡¯ feelings in Eljiam. ¡°What do you see?¡± Raea asked and tilted her head. ¡°You don¡¯t like me,¡± Andrea said. ¡°And when I¡¯m with Palan, you look like you want to kill me.¡± She unconsciously placed her hand on her belt even though Pyre had told her normal powers wouldn¡¯t work inside the room. If they did, she¡¯d be holding an orb of cowardice behind her back to escape at any time. It went against Palan¡¯s teachings to confront an enemy far stronger than her with no chance of winning, but she wasn¡¯t here to win. She just had to feed Raea a cookie.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Raea said, nodding her head once. ¡°Sometimes, I do feel that way, but it isn¡¯t hate. I¡¯m a bit jealous of you and a bit angry at Palan.¡± Her fingers curled into fists, and she hid them behind her calves as she brought her knees to her chest. ¡°Oh,¡± Andrea said, her eyes sneaking a glance at the exit. She had expected Raea to deny wanting to kill her. Maybe she should leave? But she might never get a chance like this again. Palan was going to take Raea with him to confront the floating cube once Pyre¡¯s contract destruction machine was completed. ¡°You¡¯re jealous? Of me?¡± Did Raea want to be Palan¡¯s sister too? There was no way she was going to share her brother with someone else. ¡°Mm.¡± Raea shrugged. She didn¡¯t like acknowledging her envy in normal circumstances, but something about Palan¡¯s sister disarmed her. Her gut told her she wouldn¡¯t be judged by the little demon girl. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Andrea said again and squirmed in her seat. She wasn¡¯t good at talking to strangers. ¡°Was that all you came here for?¡± Raea asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Palan didn¡¯t send you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Andrea said and shook her head. ¡°I ¡­ wanted to get along better with you. Palan doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here. Other than my brother and the snack dispenser, I don¡¯t really know anyone else. And the people I¡¯ve asked said you were the closest to my brother.¡± Raea stood up, causing Andrea to flinch. She knocked the pile of ash off of her bed and approached the table, taking a seat across from Andrea. ¡°I¡¯ve actually been feeling lonely myself,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°Only Cory, Cleo, and Palan visit me. Everyone else is too afraid.¡± On return to Div¡¯Nya, she had burnt down a city on accident once. She hadn¡¯t meant to ¡­ it just happened. That¡¯s when she requested for Pyre to construct a room that she could live in without hurting anyone. She smiled at Andrea and reached out to pet the demon girl¡¯s head. Andrea stiffened but allowed Raea to do as she pleased. It wouldn¡¯t be good if the angel got angry now. Not when she was so close. Only Palan had ever petted her like this before; it made her feel strange. ¡°Are you scared of me?¡± Raea asked as she withdrew her hand. ¡°Be honest.¡± ¡°A little,¡± Andrea said and pursed her lips. Raea¡¯s face fell, and Andrea paled. It was obvious the angel had disapproved of her answer. ¡°But I brought you cookies!¡± She pushed the bag forward. ¡°Pyre helped me make them.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes lit up. Then she felt bad. Andrea hadn¡¯t done anything, yet Raea had wanted to kill her for the sake of having Palan¡¯s affection all to herself. She couldn¡¯t let that continue, not when Andrea was making so much effort to be friends. It was obvious the child was uncomfortable, but she endured to give her a gift. ¡°Thank you,¡± Raea said and smiled as she reached inside the bag, taking out an oatmeal raisin cookie. It smelled heavenly. ¡°Try it,¡± Andrea said and swallowed. Here it was¡ªthe moment of truth. She had seen it break apart a contract in Pyre¡¯s lab, but there was always the chance it wouldn¡¯t work. Raea bit into the cookie. The texture was a lot softer than she expected. There was a strange flavor that she couldn¡¯t identify. She swallowed and furrowed her brow. The cookie seemed to heat up as it traveled to her stomach, warming up her belly. The sound of a chair being pulled back caused her to look up. ¡°I have to use the bathroom,¡± Andrea said and scurried to the door. Raea pursed her lips before turning her attention back to the cookie. She salivated just by looking at it, and she quickly stuffed the rest of it into her mouth. It seemed like she had really done Andrea an injustice by being hostile. Palan¡¯s sister wasn¡¯t a bad person. Raea sighed and batted away the golden smoke drifting out of her mouth. Her eyes widened. Golden smoke? The door screeched shut. Chapter 353 While Andrea was talking to Raea, another conversation was happening between a certain demon and a half-angel. A table was between the two, a platter of cookies laid atop its surface. Palan stared at the pink, heart-shaped cookies before raising his head. ¡°The hell is this?¡± he asked. ¡°Contract destruction cookies!¡± Pyre said and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°What do you think? Those higher existences won¡¯t refuse something like this, right? Who would suspect these cookies could dissolve even a contract between an angel and the Creator?¡± ¡°You have to consume them for it to work?¡± Palan asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Pyre said and nodded. His brow furrowed as he checked the end of the platter and lifted a few cookies up. ¡°I¡¯m missing a few. You didn¡¯t eat any while I wasn¡¯t looking, right?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°You think I¡¯d ever eat something you created?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± Pyre said and stroked his chin. Palan picked up a cookie and sniffed it. It smelled odd, but not in a bad way. He was tempted to try it, so he put it back onto the platter to avoid the temptation. ¡°You¡¯re sure these will work to dissolve their contract with the Creator?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 99.9% certain,¡± Pyre said. ¡°I¡¯ve had angels and demons form contracts with each other, starting from level 1 and then all the way to level 9. It dissolved them all. I haven¡¯t been able to contract anyone with the Creator though, but I created these to counteract the Creator¡¯s essence.¡± ¡°Any side effects?¡± Palan asked. ¡°Why?¡± Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Were you considering on taking one for yourself?¡± He chuckled at Palan¡¯s darkening expression. ¡°I won¡¯t tell Raea, no need to worry. The only side effect I noticed was extreme despair, but that probably has more to do with my treatment of the experimental people rather than a side effect of the cookie itself. There is one really noticeable effect though, which is why you want to feed the cookie to all the higher existences at the same time. A golden smoke drifts out of your mouth after eating one ¡­ very similar to the smoke you¡¯re exhaling right now¡­¡± Palan¡¯s eyes widened as golden smoke sneaked out of his nose and the corners of his lips. He glared at Pyre and seized the half-angel with his tail. Black flames erupted from his back, but they dissipated as the smoke continued to pour out of Palan¡¯s body. Something was being taken from him, forcibly wrenched away, leaving an uncomfortable sensation in his chest. Palan snarled, revealing rows upon rows of sharp teeth. ¡°You think I won¡¯t kill you? It seems like it¡¯s been a while since I last made an example of somebody.¡± Pyre gasped as his ribs cracked. Danger Noodle tightened around his torso, constricting him while crushing his bones. A trickle of blood ran down the side of his mouth as more cracking sounds rang out. He managed to breathe in when the snake loosened for an instant, but his breath was forced out in the very next second as Danger Noodle constricted again. ¡°I-it wasn¡¯t me¡­,¡± Pyre said as his head slumped forward.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°You¡¯re denying it even now?¡± Palan asked. Pyre¡¯s face was turning blue, but Palan didn¡¯t care. His hands curled up into fists, and he punched the half-angel¡¯s shoulder. A snapping sound echoed through the room, but Pyre didn¡¯t have the ability to cry out. A bone pierced through his collarbone, blood gushing from the puncture. ¡°You thought you could rob me of my powers and live!?¡± The half-angel¡¯s body was thrown to the ground with a sickening splat. It was a miracle that he was still alive. Danger Noodle hovered above Pyre¡¯s body and glanced at Palan. ¡°Kill¡­?¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. He shifted his gaze towards the trembling dwarf in the corner of Pyre¡¯s lab. ¡°Do you know how to make these cookies?¡± The dwarf frantically nodded his head. ¡°I-I¡¯ve been here the whole time. I know the exact p-process,¡± he said and gulped. Palan stepped forward and placed his foot on Pyre¡¯s forehead. The golden smoke pouring from Palan¡¯s nostrils was thinning. It would stop after a few more seconds. He flexed his hands and attempted to draw upon Raea¡¯s powers. Nothing happened. Palan glanced at Pyre¡¯s face. The half-angel seemed to be laughing to himself, causing Palan to snort. ¡°You can die knowing your last invention worked.¡± A wet cracking sound rang through the air as Palan transferred his weight to his foot. Blood and brain matter pooled beneath him. Kill first, ask questions later. Who knew what else Pyre had planned? What if he was robbed of his pride too? Palan¡¯s expression darkened as the room trembled. A black ball formed in the air in front of himself, pulling everything in the room towards it. He canceled his power before it could consume the cookies. At least his pride was intact. But he should¡¯ve known Pyre was up to no good. Someone who just wanted to watch the world burn wouldn¡¯t work for anyone peacefully. Palan glanced at the dwarf assistant who was standing in a puddle of urine. ¡°Make me more cookies,¡± Palan said as he gathered the heart-shaped pastries and stuffed them into the bag by his waist. He lifted Pyre¡¯s corpse with his tail. He could feed it to Andrea; maybe she¡¯d become more knowledgeable. Palan frowned the whole way back to his room. Pyre had been dealt with, but what about the aftermath? If Raea found out¡­ Palan cursed as he kicked Pyre¡¯s corpse. That¡¯s probably what the half-angel was aiming for. What better way to bring about chaos to the world than to piss off Raea even further? She was unstable enough as is. If he had to fight her, could he kill her? She had more mana but a weaker constitution. If he¡ª ¡°Palan!¡± A familiar voice snapped Palan out of his thoughts. He smiled at the child bounding towards him. ¡°Andrea.¡± ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Andrea said and tackled him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head against his stomach. ¡°You¡¯re finally back!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Palan asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°When did I leave?¡± Andrea shook her head. ¡°You were gone for a very long time,¡± she said and pulled away from her brother. She grinned at the corpse hanging from his tail. ¡°But now you¡¯re back.¡± Her smile grew wider. Her brother finally saw reason after being freed from his contract. The solitary brother from her memories had returned. ¡°But there¡¯s a little problem.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I think Raea¡¯s really mad. I went to her room, and she tried to kill me,¡± Andrea said, biting her lip and lowering her head. ¡°Did I do something wrong? I just wanted to be her friend.¡± Palan shook his head and ran his hand through his sister¡¯s hair. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± It was Pyre¡¯s fault. It seemed like Raea had discovered the missing connection. Palan wet his lips with his tongue. Usually he looked forward to confrontation, so why was he feeling so uneasy right now? Chapter 354 Palan made his way to Raea¡¯s room with Andrea in tow, but first, he dropped off Pyre¡¯s corpse in his sister¡¯s room. She could have him as a snack later for nearly causing her to get killed. ¡°How angry was she when she attacked you?¡± Palan asked as he tugged Andrea along by her hand. ¡°Like, what were the size of her flames?¡± ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know,¡± Andrea said and shook her head. She avoided Palan¡¯s gaze, but luckily he wasn¡¯t looking at her anyway. ¡°I ran out of the room without looking back. Cory told me to do that at the first sign of danger.¡± ¡°Mm. I think it¡¯s best if you stay outside the room while I confront her then,¡± Palan said. ¡°It¡¯d be bad if she attacked and I had to focus on defending you.¡± Andrea frowned. ¡°Okay,¡± she said and bit her lower lip. What if Raea didn¡¯t explode right away and blamed her? She couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°There¡¯s around an hour left before she can open the door on her own.¡± ¡°That¡¯s plenty of time,¡± Palan said. They were almost in front of Raea¡¯s room. ¡°What¡­,¡± Andrea said and hesitated. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What are you going to do to her?¡± Andrea asked and pursed her lips. She glanced up at Palan with wide eyes. ¡°Are you going to kill her?¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he said. His expression darkened as his hands twitched. Could he subdue her without killing her? Last time they fought, Raea had killed herself. Then again, he could always revive her as long as her wounds weren¡¯t too serious. He had conducted a few experiments with the archbishop centaur in his spare time. They discovered the limitations of revival by killing angels in different manners and reviving them. As long as forty percent of their bodies were intact, including their head, then they could be brought back to life. He had also tested Cory¡¯s reviving ability that she claimed to have. It was completely useless unless the corpse was fully intact and, even then, the corpse would explode seventy percent of the time. ¡°Then ¡­ what are you going to do?¡± Andrea asked, tilting her head. ¡°I said I don¡¯t know,¡± Palan said, clenching his hands. Andrea squealed and tried to tug her hand away. Palan¡¯s expression softened as he released her. ¡°Sorry.¡± Andrea pouted and rubbed her hand. ¡°You know ¡­ I think Raea¡¯s dangerous,¡± she said and lowered her head. ¡°She¡¯s locked up in that room for a reason, right?¡± Her voice lowered as she lightly grabbed onto his pants. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should contract with her again.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed as they arrived in front of Raea¡¯s room. The door still bulged outwards like a hemisphere. He pressed his ear against the metal and winced as he pulled back. The metal was hot, burning his flesh just by making contact. Faint crackling sounds could be heard beyond the door. Palan¡¯s expression darkened as he lifted Andrea. ¡°I¡¯m going to take you very far away from here. And we¡¯re going to hide out for a bit until she gets exhausted. Actually ¡­ I think I know the perfect place to go.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Andrea bit her lip. It wouldn¡¯t be good for her if Raea calmed down enough to have a reasonable talk with her brother. She debated pressing the button that would open the door, but in the end, decided to hold back. Her brother would be even angrier at her if she did that. She allowed herself to be whisked away without struggling. Palan only retreated when he wasn¡¯t sure of his victory; well, it was more accurate to say Palan never struck unless he was certain he¡¯d win. Palan fled towards the centaurs and told them to strategically retreat back underground. Whether or not they¡¯d listen was up to them, but he had a feeling they would. It¡¯d be problematic if the archbishop died because who¡¯d revive the reviver? The next place he went to was to the harpies¡¯ nest. He located Cory by smell and warned her about Raea. Even though her chances of performing a resurrection were slim, she could still do it which is why he decided to keep her around as well. His last destination was towards the floating cube in the sky. Those existences would want to keep him and Raea around even if their motives were a bit unclear. Maybe they¡¯d even help Andrea evolve to an existence beyond archangel. They said they needed a glutton, right? The question was, how receptive would Raphael be to taking him in after he threw the angel out of the room. Palan and his sister arrived underneath the floating room. ¡°Wait here,¡± Palan said, placing Andrea onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯m going to check with them first.¡± If they were hostile, he definitely wouldn¡¯t bring his sister up there. He leapt into the air, and entered the room from the uncovered ceiling. The six beings were sleeping, their guards completely down. It made sense that they didn¡¯t have to worry about having their sleep disturbed. Palan located Creed and stalked over to the sleeping demon. ¡°Creed,¡± Palan said and lifted the plain-looking demon. Creed¡¯s eyes flashed open. He yawned and rubbed his eyes before blinking a few times. ¡°You know, Raphael still has a grudge against you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t wake him up,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°I see,¡± Creed said, glancing at his sleeping companions. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Of all the people to wake up, why the sloth demon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the most sensible one,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m flattered. Now get straight to the point,¡± Creed said and rolled his eyes. He separated himself from Palan¡¯s grip and sat on his bed. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I found a potential candidate for gluttony.¡± Creed¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± he said. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a she, and I didn¡¯t bring her up in case Raphael went berserk,¡± Palan said. ¡°I¡¯ve had bad experiences with wrath angels recently.¡± ¡°Are you talking about your contractor? I can guarantee you, Raphael won¡¯t harm your gluttony candidate at all. I may look like the plainest one here, but that¡¯s because I¡¯m the strongest. I evolved to an existence beyond archdemon purely by indulging myself in sloth. I didn¡¯t take shortcuts in eating stronger demons which is why I haven¡¯t changed appearances.¡± Palan scratched his head. Did that mean Andrea had to change in appearance if she continued eating demons, or did it mean she wouldn¡¯t change due to her indulging in gluttony? That didn¡¯t matter right now though. ¡°So even if an outside force, say Raea, wanted to harm the gluttony candidate, you¡¯d be able to protect her?¡± ¡°I have confidence. I may not be able to defeat Raea, but I can also guarantee I won¡¯t be defeated by her,¡± Creed said, cracking his neck. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re using me though, and it makes me a bit annoyed.¡± Before Palan could say anything, Creed laughed. ¡°But I¡¯ll indulge you this time. There¡¯s really nothing better to do.¡± Chapter 355 Raea curled her fingers, forming her hand into a fist, before relaxing them again. She exhaled and closed her eyes, standing perfectly still atop her table. Around her, a sea of black flames engulfed the room. Everything was painted in a blood-red light, not that it made much of a difference from the original color of the room. Surprisingly, the cookies on the table were intact, completely unharmed with little flecks of ash where the bag had disintegrated. Raea opened her eyes and stared at the cookies before squatting. She lifted one up and frowned at it. This was clearly Pyre¡¯s contract destruction machine¡ªshe just hadn¡¯t expected it to be a cookie in the shape of a pink heart. Was it Palan¡¯s idea? He had been against the contract from the start, but she had almost forgotten because he hadn¡¯t voiced his displeasure recently. Maybe he wasn¡¯t annoyed because he knew he could remove it. Raea sighed as she crushed the cookie and dropped the crumbs onto the tabletop. What should she do? The flames thickened around Raea¡¯s legs as she walked through them, creating a robe of flames around her body. A few hours had passed since Andrea activated the closing mechanism on the door. Someone could¡¯ve easily pressed it again, but she hadn¡¯t heard anyone arrive. Maybe her flames were too loud. She pressed the button, causing the door to screech open and her flames to rush out. They were letting her out, just like that? Raea raised one hand towards the ceiling, and a ball of black flames appeared on her palm. It twisted and elongated until it took the shape of a halberd. Her wings flared open as she stepped forward and slashed, breaking apart the wall across from her. She kicked open a hole in the wall and flew into the air, leaving a trail of fire behind. A frown appeared on her lips as she scoured the land from above. Her expression continued to darken when she realized the majority of it was empty. A few goblins, lizardmen, and trolls had been left behind. The centaurs and harpies were nowhere to be seen. Not only did Palan break apart their contract, but he was going to disappear without saying a word as well? If it wasn¡¯t his idea, then why didn¡¯t he come over to explain what was happening? Raea cracked her neck and sighed. The halberd in her hand dissolved as she flew towards a nearby building, Pyre¡¯s laboratory. Chances were he¡¯d be gone too, but his place was still worth checking out. The buildings around her were intact, yet she hadn¡¯t felt the urge to destroy them even though she was just as angry as the time she had been separated from Palan by her parents. Was she only violent because of Palan¡¯s influence on her through their contract? Or was it because Palan had chosen to leave her, rather than him being taken away by an outside force? Pyre¡¯s lab was devoid of screams, which was unusual. Maybe the captives were screaming in the new location Pyre had fled to. The sounds of humming drew Raea¡¯s attention towards a room in the back. She stifled her flames, but the halls still caught fire anyway, so she gave up and let them flow out freely. She kicked open the door to the room and glared at the inhabitant inside. A pale dwarf dropped the tray of cookies he was holding before screaming. His skin blistered as a wave of heat washed over him. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she tried to think happy thoughts to calm her wrath, but that brought about the opposite effect. Her only happy memories involved Sely, who was dead, and Palan, who abandoned her. She narrowed her eyes, choosing to redirect the flames towards the ceiling instead. If she couldn¡¯t get rid of them, the least she could do was take better control. ¡°Where¡¯s Pyre?¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°D-dead,¡± the dwarf said as he trembled on the ground, lying on his side. The skin on his face and hands was peeling. ¡°Palan killed him.¡± Raea froze. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°Palan came to see the cookies,¡± the dwarf said, crawling under a nearby table to seek respite from Raea¡¯s flames. ¡°But then he became angry and killed Pyre. I don¡¯t know why.¡± Raea chewed on her lip. ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± She turned around and left the room. Had she been mistaken? Maybe it was Pyre¡¯s plan to break apart her contract with Palan, and Palan became angered by Pyre¡¯s action. She snorted. If that was the case, then what was that cookie Andrea fed her? Raea¡¯s eyes narrowed. Of course. It was Andrea¡¯s idea, but that didn¡¯t explain why Palan hadn¡¯t come to see her. If he knew and decided to have everyone flee, then wasn¡¯t that him approving of Andrea? Raea sighed as she made her way to the exit. The building had gone up in flames, but she wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave. A strange feeling tugged on her chest, and she paused, wrinkling her brow. She turned her head. Beside her, there was a room with a golden statue lying on its side inside. The door had been burnt away when she first entered the lab. She hesitated before approaching the statue, tilting her head at the wires on its body. They were connected to a strange contraption that collected golden droplets of liquid. If she didn¡¯t know any better, she¡¯d have thought the statue was bleeding. Why had she felt compelled to enter? ¡°Hello?¡± Raea asked the featureless statue. Then she felt silly for talking to an inanimate object. She shook her head and turned to leave. It wasn¡¯t any of her business if Pyre had decided he wanted to make statues bleed. ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡± Raea froze and whipped her head towards the statue. A pair of eyes and a mouth formed on its face, and Raea questioned whether or not she had gotten enough sleep last night. Maybe the months of solitude had turned her slightly insane. ¡°Are you ¡­ talking to me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nope. Nope, nope, nope,¡± Raea said as she dashed out of the room. She smashed the walls with her a newly summoned flaming halberd until the room collapsed, burying the statue underneath. ¡°Remember what Sely said. Ghosts don¡¯t exist. There¡¯s a logical reason for everything, and that reason is not ghosts.¡± Raea bit her lower lip, staring at the rubble before fleeing from the building. It was probably one of Pyre¡¯s pranks. He¡¯d get a kick out of making a talking statue. It was a shame he was already dead, or she¡¯d kick his ass for scaring her like that. Talking statue aside, Raea wasn¡¯t quite sure where to go now. Palan had fled somewhere. Cory disappeared as well. Cleo had dropped by earlier and said she was going on a trip with Linda and wouldn¡¯t be back for a while. If Palan didn¡¯t want to see her anymore, then wasn¡¯t that for the better? She wouldn¡¯t have to be jealous of Andrea. It¡¯s true that she liked Palan a lot, but if she hurt his sister, he¡¯d definitely hate her. Maybe he¡¯d even try to kill her. And if she had to stay by Palan¡¯s side, her rage would continue to build until she couldn¡¯t hold it anymore and attacked Andrea. Perhaps the answer to her problems was letting go of Palan? It had been so long since her head had been so clear. Was it really her contract with Palan that messed with her thoughts? Maybe she could become a hermit living on a mountain somewhere like in the stories. But first, she¡¯d have to do something about the flames, and the only person she could talk to about them was Raphael. She¡¯d go see him first. Chapter 356 A trail of flames followed Raea up into the air, bathing the sky with a blood-red glow. The remaining halflings on the ground stopped what they were doing and raised their heads, but Raea ignored them, focusing only on her target¡ªthe floating cube in the sky. All thoughts of the talking statue were gone from her mind as she planned her approach. What should she do if Raphael refused to help her? Should she beg? Challenge him to a duel? Throw him out of the room until he complied? She rubbed her chin. That wasn¡¯t a bad idea actually. Palan would¡¯ve definitely approved. Voices reached her ears over the crackling over her flames as she neared the floating room. ¡°That¡¯s her, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Palan¡¯s voice. ¡°Remember what you said. I¡¯ll go confront her.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡± Was that Creed¡¯s voice? Raea couldn¡¯t tell. But she didn¡¯t have time to worry about it. A familiar figure rose out of the room, his body engulfed in a black light. Five tails and one head faced her. Palan landed on the wall of the room and waited with his arms crossed over his chest. Raea¡¯s brow furrowed as she slowed her flight. Her chest throbbed, and the flames surrounding her grew larger. Why should she be the one to give up Palan? Why didn¡¯t Andrea go live in the mountains like a hermit instead? What did Andrea do to deserve Palan¡¯s love? It wasn¡¯t fair. ¡°Raea,¡± Palan said, causing her chest to throb even harder. ¡°If you don¡¯t put your flames away, I¡¯ll be forced to fight you.¡± Raea snorted. ¡°I can¡¯t control them. I guess that says something about my state of mind, doesn¡¯t it? What the hell were you thinking when you sent Andrea to feed me that cookie?¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°You really thought of me as a tool, didn¡¯t you? Once you were done using me, you threw me away without a second thought. I thought¡ª¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Palan said and held his hand up. ¡°What do you mean sent Andrea to feed you that cookie?¡± Raea¡¯s brow furrowed. Was he playing dumb or did he truly not know? ¡°Your sister,¡± she said, slowing her words. ¡°Came into my room. And fed me a cookie. It was a pink, heart-shaped one. I¡¯m sure you know what pastry I¡¯m referring to.¡± ¡°Andrea did?¡± Palan asked, raising an eyebrow. One of his tails swiveled around to face the interior of the room. His sister was biting her lower lip with her ears drooping and pointing towards the ground, classic signs of her being caught doing something bad. The last time Palan saw her like that, she had been in the middle of eating the goats instead of milking them. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Raea asked. The flames around her swirled in the air, forming random shapes as she prevented them from surging towards Palan. ¡°No,¡± Palan said. ¡°I thought it was Pyre who broke our contract. He always wanted to cause destruction everywhere he went. What better way than to make you even more unstable?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Hey. I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m very stable right now,¡± Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I don¡¯t feel the urge to destroy or kill anyone at all.¡± She pursed her lips as she added in her head, except your sister. ¡°Really?¡± Palan asked as he glanced off into the distance at Pyre¡¯s burning laboratory building. Thick black smoke billowed out the windows while the first floor was a sea of flames. The building was on the verge of collapse, and dozens of halflings were running away from it. ¡°Your actions don¡¯t quite match your words.¡± Raea followed his gaze. She blushed. ¡°That was an accident. I thought I saw a talking statue and freaked out, but it¡¯s dead now.¡± ¡°Accident,¡± Palan said, expression darkening. ¡°I see. Then ¡­ this means you don¡¯t want to fight?¡± ¡°I really want to smack you across the face, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to fight,¡± Raea said and harrumphed. ¡°So everything was your sister¡¯s plot. Shouldn¡¯t you punish her?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet,¡± Palan said and furrowed his brow. ¡°She could¡¯ve been tricked by Pyre and told to give you that cookie.¡± He turned his head around. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the case?¡± Andrea¡¯s head bobbed up and down as she inched behind Creed and clutched the hem of her shirt. Palan turned back to Raea. ¡°She said it was Pyre¡¯s fault. I already killed Pyre, so you shouldn¡¯t feel aggrieved.¡± ¡°So just because your sister says so, it¡¯s true?¡± Raea asked. ¡°What about Pyre? I want to talk to him and see if it was really his idea or not.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Palan said. ¡°So what? Bring him back to life,¡± Raea said. ¡°Why are you being so stubborn?¡± Palan asked. ¡°It was Pyre¡¯s fault, and now he¡¯s dead. What more do you want?¡± ¡°I want you to see that your little sister isn¡¯t the perfect person you think she is,¡± Raea said, glaring at him. ¡°She¡¯s sly, manipulative, and downright mean. She came to me pretending to be my friend and fed me a cookie to break our contract. I can¡¯t stand the fact that you¡¯re defending someone like her.¡± Palan tilted his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t demons supposed to be sly, manipulative, and coldhearted? You don¡¯t survive by being a good person.¡± Raea snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. We¡¯re in Div¡¯Nya, not Eljiam. You should at least correct her behavior,¡± she said and clenched her hands. The fire that was spiraling above her head concentrated into a halberd. ¡°And you. You haven¡¯t even asked me if we were going to reestablish our contract. Doesn¡¯t that mean you approve of your sister¡¯s plan?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my sister¡¯s plan; it was Pyre¡¯s.¡± ¡°Whatever. It doesn¡¯t matter whose plan it was; you clearly don¡¯t want me back,¡± Raea said. ¡°Am I right?¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. Why was he hesitating? It was a simple choice. He hated being bound to someone else. He hated having his life dependent on someone else¡¯s wellbeing. He thrived by being alone during his hunts for the majority of his life. Rejecting Raea was the most obvious choice. He didn¡¯t need her powers of wrath or envy or greed. His pride was enough. His sister was already under his protection; he didn¡¯t need to depend on Raea anymore. So why did he feel so uneasy? It wasn¡¯t because he was afraid of fighting her if he told her to get lost. It was something else, and that something else scared him. So he made the most reasonable choice and chose to stay silent. A cute voice cute through the tension between Palan and Raea. ¡°Levy thinks you two should talk through your grievances like civilized people before you start killing each other. Look. Levy¡¯s prepared two seats and a table for you two.¡± ¡°Are those words that should be coming from a demon of slaughter?¡± Creed asked, raising an eyebrow. Levy pouted. ¡°You forget that Levy¡¯s also a demon of charity.¡± Her expression darkened for a brief instant before returning to her cute, smiling face. ¡°And Levy wants to know more about these pink, heart-shaped cookies.¡± She glanced at Camael and licked her lips. Chapter 357 ¡°Just what is going¡ªugh, they¡¯re back,¡± Raphael said and glared at Palan with his empty eye sockets. ¡°Did the Creator finally make the deal with you?¡± Palan frowned at Raea before jumping down, landing on Creed¡¯s bed. Andrea ran up to him and hugged his leg. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to give her the cookie,¡± she said with big, round eyes. ¡°Pyre made me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Palan said. ¡°He¡¯s dead now. You don¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡± A wrinkle appeared on his forehead as a wave of heat washed over him. He raised his head. Raea was hovering over the room, her flames spread out behind her in the shape of two massive wings. ¡°Are you trying to show off?¡± Raphael asked, shaking his fist at the sky. He threw a fireball at Raea, and she blocked it with her flames. Instead of growing larger, the flames consumed each other and dispersed. The blind angel grumbled. ¡°I really wish I had my eyes right now. Well? Did the Creator tell you to come here?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Palan said. ¡°But I brought a gluttony candidate over. Mind letting her eat you repeatedly?¡± Raphael¡¯s expression darkened as Raea alighted on the wall. Uriel and Creed had to move to the other side of the room to avoid the heatwave. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a food source meant to be eaten? Why don¡¯t you let her eat you? I promise I¡¯ll revive you if you die. Kindness angels don¡¯t lie.¡± He laughed before swiveling his head around the room. ¡°Where¡¯s the gluttony being? Let me check.¡± ¡°He¡¯s creepy,¡± Andrea muttered and hid behind Palan¡¯s leg. She stared at Raphael with wide eyes. ¡°Can he see? I can¡¯t tell.¡± Raphael followed Andrea¡¯s voice and met her gaze. Her eyes widened even further as the furs on her arms and legs stiffened. Instinctively, a massive shark-like mouth formed above her head and flew towards the blind angel, biting down. The upper half of Raphael¡¯s body vanished as it was consumed by the void in the air, bones crunching as it chewed. Blood leaked from Andrea¡¯s mouth, but it wasn¡¯t hers. The other five existences stared at Andrea, their expressions stiff. Camael was the first to speak. ¡°That¡¯s not how gluttony¡¯s supposed to work¡­¡± ¡°Archdemon? Almost beyond?¡± Uriel asked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eight,¡± Andrea said through a mouthful of blood and flesh. She continuously swallowed as if she were drinking from a fountain until the mouth hovering in the room disappeared. She exhaled after she was done and patted her stomach before yawning. ¡°I feel bloated.¡± The flesh on Raphael¡¯s remaining leg stumps wriggled as the revival process began. Uriel watched it for a bit before furrowing her brow. ¡°An eight-year-old archdemon. What has this world come to? What the heck did you eat to grow this fast?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Andrea lay on one of Palan¡¯s tails with her arms and legs dangling off the sides. What had she been eating recently? Eggfruits. Lots of eggfruits. She licked her lips as she recalled their taste. It was a shame her snack dispenser wasn¡¯t here, but at least there was an eggfruit farm growing in her backyard. They were a bit strange to eat because they made her glow like the moon after eating enough of them, but that hadn¡¯t happened recently. She had a feeling it would if she ate a few more though. A chill ran down her spine just as she was about to fall asleep. The strange demon with eight legs was staring at her with a smiling face. ¡°Levy disagrees with this candidate,¡± Levy said, circling around Palan. He turned in time with her, refusing to let her get a closer look at Andrea. ¡°What? Why?¡± Camael asked. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted to leave the most, weren¡¯t you? Once she evolves, we¡¯ll have satisfied the requirement of gathering the fourteen main sins and virtues into the room.¡± Levy clicked her tongue. ¡°If Levy doesn¡¯t kill her now, Levy will die to her later. This littleling is dangerous.¡± She beamed at Palan whose expression darkened. ¡°But Levy is willing to trade! Her life for the cookie.¡± ¡°Cookie?¡± Camael asked, raising his eyebrows. He had been asleep for the majority of Palan and Raea¡¯s confrontation. A flaming halberd descended and split Levy¡¯s body vertically in half. The flames spread outwards, and consumed her twitching remains until only ashes remained. Raea furrowed her brow at the halberd, and it flew back to her, dancing in the air as if it had a mind of its own. She hadn¡¯t ordered it to do that, yet it had done it anyways. She grabbed its shaft and inspected it. There was nothing different about it compared to the usual halberds she created. Palan looked at Raea with an odd expression on his face. If it was before, when their contract was still intact, he¡¯d believe Raea was protecting Andrea, but since their contract was broken ¡­ her action was closer to his own¡ªkilling someone to prevent them from stealing his prey. Raea must¡¯ve marked Andrea as her own kill and reacted when Levy wanted to take action. Why else would Raea have asked him that hypothetical question about killing Andrea so long ago? ¡°I have a question.¡± Both Palan¡¯s and Raea¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by Creed. ¡°Every time you two come here, someone seems to die, and it¡¯s not the people on your end. I get it; you two are young and want to kill everyone around you. That¡¯s normal. But why hasn¡¯t the Creator contacted you two yet? Don¡¯t tell me he tried and you turned down his offer. If you¡¯re just playing us while not aiming to help us in return¡­¡± ¡°How does the Creator contact people?¡± Raea asked, furrowing her brow. She wanted to talk to him. Maybe yell at him about her current situation too. Why couldn¡¯t she control her powers? ¡°Usually through your dreams or inanimate objects,¡± Uriel said. ¡°Have either of you two spoken to a golden glowing orb of light while you were sleeping?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Palan said and nodded. Creed, Uriel, and Raea stared at him. ¡°I told it to piss off,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°It promised me eternal glory. I can achieve that by myself. It promised me eternal life. I¡¯ll admit I asked it for more details, and it told me I¡¯d have to stay confined in this room. I¡¯m tired of being told what I can or can¡¯t do. I¡¯ll choose freedom over a life in a cage.¡± Raea bit her lower lip at his statement. She didn¡¯t have time to think about it though because Creed asked her a question. ¡°And you? Any dreams or inanimate objects talking to you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raea said and shook her head. Thoughts of the golden statue she buried underneath a pile of rubble in Pyre¡¯s lab surfaced in her mind. Was that not a lack of sleep¡­? Chapter 358 ¡°Wait. Actually¡­¡± Raea raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips. ¡°I may have freaked out a little when a featureless statue tried to talk to me and, uh, buried it underneath building by a teensy bit?¡± ¡°Your first reaction to seeing a talking statue was to bury it,¡± Uriel said, her mouth slightly parted. A wrinkle appeared on her forehead. ¡°You didn¡¯t even think to talk back to it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not insane,¡± Raea said and pouted. ¡°If the walls started talking to you, would you talk back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­,¡± Uriel said before sighing. ¡°You know what, alright. You haven¡¯t been contacted again? I doubt the Creator would give up after a single try.¡± ¡°It was very recent,¡± Raea said. ¡°Maybe ten minutes ago.¡± ¡°Maybe you should go and unbury that statue?¡± Uriel asked, raising an eyebrow. Raea frowned and turned around, squatting on her spot on top of the floating room. She squinted off into the distance. Her flames had reduced Pyre¡¯s laboratory to a puddle of lava. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be possible anymore,¡± she said to Uriel and shrugged. ¡°If it really was the Creator and not a figment of my imagination, then he¡¯d definitely send another sign, right?¡± ¡°He will,¡± Creed said with a nod. ¡°I rejected him at first as well. Why would I spend the effort to talk to someone even if the conversation is happening in my dream? He badgered me until it was easier to let him speak than to ignore him all the time.¡± Creed glanced at Palan. ¡°And you. You rejected the Creator out of pride? If you already knowingly rejected him, then what was all that talk about bringing us a gluttony candidate?¡± ¡°I was using you,¡± Palan said. ¡°You said it yourself.¡± A strange expression appeared on Palan¡¯s face as if he were hesitating to ask something. He scratched his chin before looking away. Creed sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t make a face like that and not say anything,¡± the plain-looking demon said. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°About eternal life¡­,¡± Palan said. ¡°Is that what the Creator gave you?¡± ¡°In a sense,¡± Creed said. ¡°As long as this room exists, I will never permanently die.¡± ¡°Then what about them?¡± Palan asked, pointing at Camael, Levy¡¯s ashes, and Asura. ¡°Why are they dead?¡± ¡°Raphael can revive them,¡± Creed said. ¡°Even Levy despite the fact that none of her body remains intact. Raphael will always resurrect no matter what happens to him. Maybe it¡¯s easier on the Creator to delegate revival to one person, who knows? As the angels love to say, the Creator works in mysterious ways.¡± ¡°And you can leave the room, right?¡± Palan asked.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Raea frowned at his train of questions. Didn¡¯t he just say he wasn¡¯t going to make a deal with the Creator? Then why did he have to ask so many questions about the details? If she couldn¡¯t have Palan, then neither could the Creator. Her brow furrowed. Was she becoming envious of the Creator? ¡°Yes, we can leave the room under certain circumstances; although, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s possible anymore since your rebel army destroyed the tower,¡± Creed said. ¡°The designated Watcher can grant us freedom for a certain period of time, but I assume Sariel¡¯s dead now.¡± ¡°If you die outside the room, what happens?¡± Palan asked even though he knew the answer. ¡°Raphael can¡¯t go outside to revive you. And what happens if Raphael refuses to revive you if you die inside the room?¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried since you¡¯re bad terms with Raphael?¡± Creed asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. We have a system, our own set of rules. Abide by the rules of the room and everyone will get along happily. Break the rules, and you¡¯re going to live miserably. Camael could tell you all about it. He was quite the rebel when he joined us.¡± The demon smiled at Camael¡¯s corpse before redirecting his attention back to Palan. ¡°As for what happens if we die outside of the room, our bodies are collected and returned here to be revived by Raphael.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Palan said. ¡°But what happens if Raphael is incapable of reviving someone? What happens then?¡± ¡°You really think of the strangest situations,¡± Creed said and scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s been a long while since I had to talk to a demon who cared about his life. I almost forgot how shrewd demons were. In the past couple of millennia, there has never been a case where Raphael has been unable to revive us. Is that good enough of an answer for you?¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t know,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°Right,¡± Creed said. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯m about to find out,¡± Palan said with a grin as he extended his hand forwards. A black orb formed in his palm, attracting everything in the room towards it. Creed¡¯s eyes widened as his body was tugged forward. Before he could think of using his powers, Palan¡¯s hand had pierced through his chest, the black hole sucking the blood out of his body. Creed launched Palan backwards with telekinesis, but the stream of blood continued to flow out of the hole in his chest into the orb hovering in front of Palan¡¯s palm. Uriel stepped forward, but collapsed on the spot as her contract with Creed was activated. If he died, then so did she. ¡°You said you wanted to kill Raphael,¡± Raea said. ¡°I guess you¡¯re going to do it now?¡± She glanced at Raphael¡¯s wriggling torso. The blind angel was still in the process of recovering from Andrea¡¯s attack. The majority of his torso had been repaired, and his neck was starting to form. ¡°Before you do it, let me speak to him first. I want to learn how to control these flames.¡± Palan glanced at Raea as he stood over Raphael¡¯s body. His expression was neutral. ¡°Alright. But only if you promise to not attack Andrea. If you want to hurt someone, then you can attack me instead.¡± Raea¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It¡¯s only when you say things like that that I feel the anger well up inside my chest.¡± She sighed and shook her head. ¡°I promise you I won¡¯t attack Andrea. I¡¯m surprised my promises still mean anything to you.¡± Palan shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re still you,¡± he said and sat on the table in the room. The table groaned. ¡°Why are you so heavy?¡± Palan, Raea, and Andrea froze as they stared at the wooden surface. Three slits appeared before opening, revealing a pair of eyes and a mouth. Palan climbed to his feet, placed his hands on the table¡¯s leg, and heaved it out of the room through the open ceiling. It was caught by Raea¡¯s flames, and it screamed as it was incinerated, not even leaving behind a speck of ash. Raea blinked twice. ¡°Why did you just do that?¡± ¡°Reflex,¡± Palan said and scratched his head. Chapter 359 Palan cleared his throat. ¡°Anyways, now that the talking object is gone, we can¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Creator,¡± a voice said. This time, it came from Raphael¡¯s body which was still in the midst of being repaired. The blind angel¡¯s body had fully reformed except for his head. It had been replaced by a featureless face of golden light. The Creator took a step backwards as Palan furrowed his brow. ¡°Wait. I know what you¡¯re thinking. Hear me out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really, really creepy,¡± Andrea said and bit her lower lip. ¡°You too,¡± the Creator said to Andrea. ¡°Hear me out as well.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re really the Creator?¡± Raea asked, eyes wide. Her voice lowered as her hands trembled. ¡°You¡¯re just like the one from the dream I had a long time ago about Palan.¡± ¡°That was me,¡± the Creator said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ve come to propose a deal to the three of you. Everything you could ever want¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard this spiel before,¡± Palan said and snorted. ¡°And I¡¯ve already turned you down once. I¡¯ll turn you down again.¡± The Creator glanced at Raea who frowned at Palan. ¡°Let him speak, please,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Thank you,¡± the Creator said and nodded at Raea. ¡°As I was saying, I will grant you everything you¡¯ve ever wanted in exchange for¡ª¡± ¡°What if everything I¡¯ve ever wanted is for Raea to not get what she wants? Then what happens?¡± Andrea asked, raising her hand. She retreated and hid behind Palan¡¯s back when Raea glared at her. ¡°Not that I¡¯d do that.¡± If the Creator had lips, he would¡¯ve frowned. But he didn¡¯t, so instead, he said, ¡°I already know your desires, and they do not conflict with each other¡¯s. To you, Andrea, I will give you as many angel seeds, or eggfruits as you like to call them, as you want to eat at any time. You can live in this room in luxury for as long as you want. I can even extend your lifespan indefinitely. And if your brother agrees, you¡¯ll be with him too. What do you say?¡± Andrea bit her lower lip and glanced up at Palan. He stroked her head. ¡°If you want to say something, then say it,¡± he said. Was that really all that Andrea desired? Food and eternal life? ¡°I don¡¯t want it,¡± Andrea said and shook her head. ¡°What?¡± the Creator asked. His face remained featureless, but his voice implied surprise. ¡°But aren¡¯t those your heart¡¯s greatest desires?¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Palan won¡¯t agree, so he won¡¯t be here, so I won¡¯t do it,¡± Andrea said and stuck her tongue out at the Creator. She hugged Danger Noodle and patted the snake¡¯s head. ¡°So it¡¯s your fault once again,¡± the Creator mumbled, glancing at Palan. He shook his head and faced Raea. She stiffened. ¡°I can bring back Selena Caelum. I can tame your wrath, dispel your envy, bring back your patience and kindness.¡± Raea opened her mouth to speak, but the Creator raised his hand into the air. ¡°But! There are two conditions: you must stay in this room, and you have to convince Palan to accept my agreement as well.¡± He lowered his hand so his palm faced the ceiling. A wisp of golden smoke rose up and took on a feminine figure. Raea gasped as features began to develop in the smoke. Her eyes turned purple as a miniature Selena was reconstructed in the Creator¡¯s palm. The smoky Selena groaned as her eyes opened. ¡°Wha¡ª? Where am I? Raea?¡± ¡°Sely,¡± Raea said, taking a step forward, her voice trembling. ¡°Sely.¡± ¡°Ray? What¡¯s going on?¡± Selena asked, looking around the room. ¡°Am I ¡­ didn¡¯t I die? Why are you so big? And whose hand am I¡ª¡± Selena¡¯s words were cut off as the Creator closed his hand, dispersing the golden smoke. ¡°The deal, Raea,¡± he said. ¡°I can bring her back, but you have to follow the deal.¡± His voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°Convince Palan.¡± Raea¡¯s body trembled as the smoke rose into the air and merged into the Creator¡¯s face. ¡°You¡­,¡± she said, her flames flaring and creating a pillar that rose towards the sky. She dashed forwards and seized the Creator¡¯s neck, piercing it with her claws, and raised him into the air. ¡°Bring her back! Bring her back, right now!¡± The Creator struggled as black fire ate away at Raphael¡¯s body. The fleshy bits were replaced by a golden smoke. Raea was preventing Raphael¡¯s body from being able to speak, but the Creator talked anyways, ¡°I already told you how I can bring her back. Convince Palan to accept the deal. Selena¡¯s wellbeing, your wrath and envy, your patience and kindness, all of them hinge on Palan¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± Raea shouted at the Creator and tightened her grip. ¡°Where were you when I needed you the most? How dare you appear in front of me when everything¡¯s already over? I trusted you, believed in you, and you did nothing!¡± Palan frowned and took a step back to shield Andrea from Raea¡¯s flames. He formed miniature black holes to prevent them from getting too close. ¡°Isn¡¯t the most important thing that I¡¯m here now?¡± the Creator asked. ¡°What would the angels and halflings who died during this conflict think if they heard you say that?¡± Raea asked. ¡°How many prayers remained unanswered because of your indifference? You¡¯re the Creator; you can resolve everything, but you choose not to.¡± ¡°People cannot grow without strife,¡± the Creator said. ¡°They can¡¯t grow if they¡¯re dead too,¡± Andrea said from behind Palan¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯re attacking the wrong person if you want to bring your sister back to life, Raea,¡± the Creator said. ¡°This rage should be directed at Palan, not me. He¡¯s the one stopping me from returning your life back to normal. If only he agreed, then Selena would be standing right here next to you.¡± He sighed. ¡°Besides, why are you angry at me for the deaths of the halflings and angels? I didn¡¯t tell them to kill each other.¡± The golden light dispersed, leaving Raea holding onto Raphael¡¯s charred corpse. The wardrobe in the corner sprouted eyes and a mouth. ¡°You can¡¯t truly kill me, but what you can do is convince Palan. I¡¯ll give you a day. The choice is yours.¡± Chapter 360 Raea threw Raphael¡¯s wriggling corpse onto the ground. Despite the flames covering it, the blind angel¡¯s flesh continued to recover. She glared at the wardrobe in the corner before narrowing her eyes at Palan. ¡°You heard what he said.¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Yes. I did.¡± He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve already said I won¡¯t make a deal with him. That isn¡¯t going to change.¡± ¡°Because you hate contracts?¡± Raea asked, taking a step forward. ¡°If you hate them so much, then why didn¡¯t you leave me for dead instead of reviving me? You could¡¯ve lived your life however you wanted without me being an annoyance, but you didn¡¯t. Is your freedom more important than Sely¡¯s life!?¡± ¡°Are you sure I¡¯d be trading it for your sister¡¯s life?¡± Palan asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Shut up, you selfish bastard! You always do things for yourself! I¡¯ve sacrificed so much for you, yet I¡¯ve gotten nothing in return,¡± Raea screamed as she flew at Palan, flames converging in front of her to form a halberd. Her face had contorted into a snarl, and her eyes had become completely purple. ¡°I lost my sister. I lost my patience. I lost my kindness. Everything that defined me as a person, I lost it because of you!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you gain wrath, envy, and greed?¡± Palan asked with a frown. He raised his hands and summoned a black hole in front of himself, obstructing Raea¡¯s path. ¡°You¡¯re powerful now. You said it yourself.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Raea screamed and advanced forwards, slashing the halberd at the black hole. The two collided, creating fissures in the air. ¡°All the power in the world won¡¯t bring Sely back!¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Won¡¯t it?¡± he asked, glancing at the smirking wardrobe in the corner of the room. ¡°Have you forgotten what you¡¯re trying to do already?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The halberd slashed apart the black hole, but the black flames dispersed in the process. Raea flapped her wings, lunging towards Palan with her arms outstretched. Red tears ran down the sides of her face. ¡°It seems like you have,¡± Palan said as he dodged to the side and positioned himself in front of the wardrobe. He used his powers of pride to slow down Raea¡¯s charge, causing some parts of her body to be heavier than others and other parts to be lighter, throwing off her balance. Palan smashed the wardrobe with one of his tails, wiping the smug expression off of its face. ¡°Hitting me won¡¯t do anything to help you,¡± the Creator said through his broken frame. ¡°What do you say? Accept my deal and I¡¯ll help you stop her.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A snake¡¯s head slipped underneath the wardrobe and tossed it at Raea, causing it to scream as it was torn to shreds. Palan exhaled as he avoided Raea¡¯s flying tackle by leaping into the air. ¡°Sorry about this, Andrea,¡± he said. ¡°Bear with me for a minute.¡± Andrea¡¯s eyes widened as Palan¡¯s tails released her. She screamed as she fell towards the ground, a black aura around her body, but stopped when she realized the floor wasn¡¯t approaching as fast as she thought it would. Palan hovered in the air for a bit before falling towards Raea after confirming Andrea had made it to safety. He kept a layer of pride over his body, repelling the black flames, but his skin was still scorched anyway. After losing his contract with Raea, he wasn¡¯t immune to her flames anymore. ¡°Raea,¡± he said and grasped her shoulders. ¡°Listen to me.¡± Raea screamed in response and clawed at his face. He used his tails to mitigate the damage, but blood still dripped from open wounds. Green smoke poured out of Raea¡¯s mouth, causing Palan to curse and leap back. A black hole formed above Raea¡¯s head, sucking the smoke away. ¡°Raea. Think about it. The Creator can bring back Selena. Why are you attacking me? Look¡± Palan pointed at a lamp beside him. Raea faltered as she glanced at the lamp. There were a pair of eyes watching her. ¡°Bring her back! Right. Now!¡± She lunged towards the lamp and seized it. ¡°Your wrath is a bit of an annoyance since you can¡¯t think clearly,¡± the Creator said as his new body was set ablaze. ¡°Haven¡¯t I already told you what you have to do to bring your sister back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense,¡± Palan said when Raea turned to glare at him. ¡°Why would my decision affect Selena¡¯s recovery? He¡¯s using you. I bet he can¡¯t even bring Selena back from the dead.¡± Raea stared at the lamp in her hand. ¡°I can. Didn¡¯t I show you her soul?¡± the Creator asked. ¡°You should hurry and convince Palan before I change my mind.¡± ¡°He¡¯s trying to impose a time limit on you to make you impulsive,¡± Palan said. ¡°He¡¯s tricking you. If a deal is too good to be true, then it¡¯s not. What does he gain for reviving Sely? Why is he doing it? If he¡¯s doing it out of the goodness of his heart, why doesn¡¯t he just revive her right now? He wants something from us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve spoken what I needed to say,¡± the Creator said. The eyes and mouth disappeared from the lamp. ¡°He knows I¡¯m right, but he¡¯s trying to manipulate you anyway,¡± Palan said to Raea. He wasn¡¯t sure, but her eyes seemed like a lighter shade of purple than from before. ¡°Trust me. I can bring Sely back.¡± ¡°You?¡± Raea asked, tilting her head. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Palan said and nodded. ¡°How¡­?¡± Raea asked as her brow furrowed. She wiped away her tears of blood as her eyes returned back to normal. Her flames flickered around her, threatening to billow outwards at any time. Palan snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll threaten the Creator. I¡¯ve seen his kind all the time in Eljiam,¡± he said. ¡°They try to make you think they¡¯re worth more than they really are when they¡¯re actually nothing. The Creator wants us to think he¡¯s the one in control here, but the reality is he needs us. I don¡¯t know why he needs us, but what¡¯ll he think if I decided to feed everyone here a cookie to break their contracts with him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Creator would care,¡± Raea said, biting her lower lip. ¡°Well,¡± Palan said and shrugged as he pulled a heart-shaped cookie out of his bag. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Chapter 361 ¡°Shall we try it on Raphael when he wakes up?¡± Palan asked, raising an eyebrow. He waved the cookie around like he was trying to attract a squirrel¡¯s attention. The Creator didn¡¯t respond. Raea bit her lower lip. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely sure we have leverage over him?¡± she asked as she folded her wings against her sides. Black flames leaked out of her body, but she manipulated them to form her clothes, keeping them close to her skin. ¡°He needs us,¡± Palan said with a nod as he approached Raphael¡¯s recovering body, ¡°not the other way around. He came to us first and revealed his hand. You never do that while negotiating. He¡¯s definitely hiding something behind that blatant manipulation of your emotions. Usually, at this point, I¡¯d torture the other side to get what I want, but I can¡¯t do that with him. But I can deny him of what he wants.¡± ¡°I will never revive Selena if you feed that cookie to anyone inside this room,¡± a voice said from behind them. ¡°The only way for me to bring Selena back is to convince Palan to accept my deal. Who do you trust, Raea? The demon who used you for his own purposes, or the Creator who has watched over you since you were born?¡± ¡°You¡¯re both terrible people,¡± Raea said and furrowed her brow. She crossed her arms as she squatted, refusing to take action. ¡°But Palan is a little less terrible. He actually helped me in my time of need. I¡¯ll trust him over you any time.¡± Palan smirked. ¡°Even if the Creator doesn¡¯t bring back your sister,¡± he said, looking away from Raphael. ¡°I don¡¯t believe Raphael can¡¯t revive her. He can restore someone¡¯s ashes.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I should¡¯ve brought Sely here a long time ago,¡± she said and bit her lower lip. Then again, if she had really done that while she was unstable, there might not even be any ashes left of Selena. Her brow furrowed. ¡°You should¡¯ve brought Sely here a long time ago.¡± ¡°Do you know where her body is?¡± Palan asked. Raea pursed her lips. ¡°Elly would know,¡± she said with a nod. ¡°Has there been any news about him? We can always spread the word that I¡¯m looking for him if there hasn¡¯t. He would definitely be ecstatic too.¡± Raea¡¯s face slowly split into a smile. ¡°Yes. Yes. This could work. This could work!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do this¡­,¡± the Creator said. A golden humanoid figure materialized in the center of the room. Palan reacted by creating a black hole near it, but the figure remained unaffected. The Creator snorted. ¡°But you forced my hand. If soft methods won¡¯t work, then I¡¯ll have to use hard ones.¡± Another golden figure made of smoke materialized beside Raea, taking on familiar features. Raea furrowed her brow. ¡°Sely?¡± She faced the Creator. ¡°You¡¯re bringing her back?¡± The Creator¡¯s face remained featureless as a sword made of golden light materialized in his hand. ¡°You could say that,¡± he said and took a step forward. Selena¡¯s eyes opened, and she rubbed them with her smoky hands. ¡°Again?¡± Selena mumbled. ¡°Just what is going on? Is that really you, Ray?¡± ¡°Sely,¡± Raea said and took a step forward. ¡°It¡¯s really me. I¡¯m really here right now.¡± She stretched her hand out to touch her sister, but her fingers passed through her smoky body. ¡°Sely¡­¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Am I dead, Ray?¡± Selena asked as she lowered her head. She raised her palms in front of her face and turned her hands over, inspecting herself. ¡°Did you bring me back like this?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t her,¡± the Creator said as he lifted the sword. ¡°It was me.¡± Selena screamed as the golden sword pierced her shoulder. ¡°Sely!¡± Raea shouted as her flames billowed outwards. She focused them towards the Creator, but they passed through him without doing any damage. Selena screamed again as the Creator twisted the sword and pulled it out. Golden wisps of smoke floated out of the hole in her shoulder as she clutched it and fell to her knees. ¡°W-who are you?¡± she asked, glaring at the Creator with beads of smoky sweat on her brow. ¡°Me?¡± the Creator asked over the roaring black flames. ¡°I¡¯m the Creator. Your sister is refusing to cooperate with me; thus, I¡¯ve been forced to take some drastic measures.¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Raea screeched as her wings fully spread. She flew forward and tackled the Creator but passed through his body and crashed into the wall on the other side. She ignored the blood flowing from her forehead as she climbed to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you! Leave Sely alone!¡± Selena bit her lower lip. ¡°Ray, listen to me,¡± she said as she dodged the Creator¡¯s strike with a roll and approached her sister¡¯s side. ¡°Ray. Listen. Shh, shh, shh. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay, Ray. Everything¡¯s going to be okay.¡± She placed her hands on Raea¡¯s shoulders. Her touch couldn¡¯t be felt, but she still hoped her feelings got through. Tears poured from Raea¡¯s eyes as she met her sister¡¯s smiling gaze. ¡°Sely¡­¡± ¡°You trust me, right? Don¡¯t you trust me, Ray?¡± Selena asked, stroking her sister¡¯s cheek. She sidestepped a sword strike coming from behind her. ¡°Then listen to me, okay? Promise you¡¯ll listen to me. Do you promise?¡± Raea sobbed. ¡°I-I promise, Sely. I promise, so please don¡¯t die again. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if you do,¡± she said as she sniffled. She bit her lower lip to stop them from trembling. Her teeth pierced her skin, but she didn¡¯t notice the blood leaking down her chin. ¡°Good. Remember, you promised you¡¯d listen,¡± Selena said. She gasped as the sword grazed her arm. ¡°Close your eyes, Ray. Close your eyes and cover your ears and don¡¯t stop until Palan tells you it¡¯s okay. Do you understand?¡± ¡°S-sely¡­¡± ¡°You promised me, Ray,¡± Selena said. ¡°Remember your promise?¡± Raea nodded even though Selena was busy focusing on the Creator and couldn¡¯t see her face. ¡°Then keep your promise. Remember what I asked you to do?¡± Selena asked. She glanced over at Raea who had closed her eyes. ¡°Cover your ears, Ray. You forgot to cover them.¡± Raea brought her hands to her ears as her body twitched without her consent. Her breaths shortened and sped up, causing her chest to spasm. Her stomach hurt from trying to hold back her sobs, and blood poured from her ears as she pressed against them harder and harder, trying to prevent herself from hearing anything. Palan¡¯s face hardened as Selena¡¯s screams pierced the air. She had done her best to hold back for Raea¡¯s sake, but there was a limit to how much she could take. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever really felt angry at someone until now,¡± Palan said. The Creator ignored him. Palan¡¯s hands clenched into fists, crushing the cookie into powder. He tried blocking the Creator¡¯s line of sight to help Selena, but the featureless figure acted as if he didn¡¯t exist, slashing away with his sword. If Selena were still alive, she¡¯d have been killed at least twenty times over. Anger welled up in Palan¡¯s chest as he gritted his teeth, and he punched the Creator¡¯s head, knowing it wouldn¡¯t do anything. The Creator¡¯s head exploded, and the golden figure stopped moving. Palan¡¯s eyes widened as a sticky golden residue enveloped his hand. ¡°Y-you,¡± the Creator said as his head reformed. He seemed to be smaller than before. ¡°How?¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed, and his tails lashed out like whips, smashing towards the Creator¡¯s body. They passed through him. Palan stepped forward and punched the Creator¡¯s chest. It exploded, creating a hole in the golden figure and leaving more honey-like residue on Palan¡¯s fist. Little bits of crushed cookie floated in the liquid, and Palan understood. It was a shame Pyre was already dead. He wanted to thank the blind angel. Chapter 362 The Creator¡¯s golden body reformed once again, this time, even smaller than before. ¡°How are you able to damage me?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s my essence, isn¡¯t it? Someone was extracting it from my statue.¡± There was a loud booming noise in the distance. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll have to create a different statue without my essence. How troublesome.¡± Before the Creator could say anything else, Palan punched him again, destroying the golden figure¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wonder what would happen if I destroyed this body of yours,¡± Palan said as the golden liquid from destroying the Creator accumulated on his hand, crawling down his arm. The tongue from his torso mouth extended forward and licked up the honey-like substance. Palan¡¯s eyes widened, and he grinned at the Creator. ¡°Delicious. Andrea would love eating you.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± the Creator asked as his body shrank again. ¡°Do you even understand the kind of existence you¡¯re threatening? If it weren¡¯t for me, your powers wouldn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a threat. She would love eating you,¡± Palan said, destroying another part of the Creator. He frowned as the golden figure shrank even further. Why wasn¡¯t the Creator running or even fighting back at least? ¡°Why? Do you think I can threaten you? Are you trembling in fear from this lower existence¡¯s power?¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± the Creator said and crossed his arms. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you to kill me. I have nothing to fear from you.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°How about this¡ªbeat me in a fight and I¡¯ll make the deal with you.¡± ¡°What do you take me for?¡± the Creator asked. ¡°I¡¯m not a bully. I won¡¯t sully my hands by fighting someone weaker than me. Your existence will be erased with a single one of my attacks.¡± ¡°You,¡± Palan said and gathered the remaining liquid on his arm into a jar that he kept in his bag. ¡°You¡¯re a really bad liar, you know that?¡± He pulled out another cookie and gripped it in his hand like a dagger. ¡°You don¡¯t bully the weak, yet you torture Selena. You want to create a deal with me, but you won¡¯t fight me to do it. But it¡¯s not that you won¡¯t, but you can¡¯t. Am I right?¡± The Creator fell silent. His limbs were sliced off, but he still didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Is that what you really think?¡± ¡°Prove me wrong,¡± Palan said and snorted, stabbing the cookie into the Creator¡¯s head. The rest of the golden body burst like a water balloon, splashing golden liquid throughout the room. His stomach growled and lapped up the liquid covering his body. After cleaning up the room by storing the delicious remains into a jar, he tore Raphael¡¯s nearly completed body apart again before approaching Raea and pried her hands away from her ears. Selena had disappeared along with the Creator. Raea opened her eyes. They were wet. ¡°Is it over?¡± she asked, her voice hoarse. ¡°Is Sely¡­?¡± She glanced around a few times before reaching into Palan¡¯s bag and rummaged through it before pulling out an orb of kindness. She mended her ears and pursed her lips, waiting for his response. ¡°Selena and the Creator are both gone,¡± Palan said. ¡°I don¡¯t think either one of them have truly died. We can spread the word about Elrith to attract him to the capital to learn Selena¡¯s location to revive her with Raphael. I don¡¯t think the Creator will interfere with us. If ¡­ why are you looking at me like that?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°You¡¯re glowing,¡± Raea said, furrowing her brow. She touched his stomach which had webs of light snaking out of it. ¡°Glowing like Andrea was glowing when we first saw her.¡± Palan glanced at his torso. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have eaten that,¡± he said and furrowed his brow. ¡°But there¡¯s no way something that delicious was meant to not be eaten. Anyways, I¡¯m going to bring Andrea back here. You¡¯re not going to attack her, right?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Raea said and hung her head. She pursed her lips and clenched her hands. Wrath, envy, greed, everything had been replaced by grief. Hadn¡¯t she gotten over Sely¡¯s death? Evidently not. Her body ached like she had been run over by a carriage. Palan stared at Raea before nodding. He leapt out of the room and landed beside Andrea. He picked her up and brought her back without complaint. Andrea peeked at Raea before looking at Palan and poking his cheek. She whispered, ¡°She¡¯s not mad anymore?¡± ¡°No,¡± Palan whispered back. ¡°Don¡¯t bother her right now.¡± Andrea grunted and nodded. ¡°For now, I¡¯m going to feed you everyone here except for Raphael,¡± Palan said as he pulled out a pink cookie. ¡°But first, I¡¯m going to feed their corpses this. I wonder if it¡¯ll still work even though they¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re glowing, right?¡± Andrea asked Palan as he approached Uriel¡¯s corpse. ¡°Yes,¡± Palan said. He squatted beside the horned angel and pried open her mouth. Right before he put the cookie inside, a voice called out from behind him. ¡°Stop.¡± Palan ignored it and shoved the cookie in. He pushed against the top of the angels head and chin to make her chew. ¡°Do I have to wash it down with water?¡± he muttered to himself. There was a sigh. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll bring back Selena. Just don¡¯t break their contracts with me.¡± Palan turned around. The Creator was standing behind him with his head hanging, the expression on the golden face still featureless. Palan stared at him for a moment before glancing at Uriel. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Bring her back with no strings attached?¡± ¡°No strings attached,¡± the Creator said and nodded. ¡°Then I agree,¡± Palan said, crossing his arms over his chest. The Creator sighed. If he couldn¡¯t get Palan to contract with him, then the least he could do was not let him ruin what he already had. The Creator spread his arms, and a bright blow engulfed the room. Motes of light trickled into the room from the above like a stream, and they gathered at the center of the room, forming Selena¡¯s body on the floor. ¡°This is her original body.¡± Palan nodded. The Creator had become translucent after summoning Selena like that. It seemed like it had taken a toll on him. If only he knew the rules the Creator had to abide by, then he could formulate a better plan. For now, he¡¯d have to watch and wait. ¡°I¡¯ll begin the revival process now,¡± the Creator said. ¡°Remember what you said. You won¡¯t break the contracts of these demons and angels I¡¯ve gathered here. I¡¯d bind you with a contract, but you could break it with a cookie, so I won¡¯t. However, a prideful man won¡¯t go back on his words, am I right?¡± Palan snorted. ¡°Revive her.¡± The Creator remained motionless for a moment, facing Palan, before nodding. Selena¡¯s soul emerged from his body and trembled upon seeing him. He didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak; instead, he waved his hand and her smoky body was forced into the corpse on the floor. A second later, Palan felt Selena¡¯s heartbeat through his electromagnetic sense. ¡°You should take Selena and Andrea away from here,¡± Palan said to Raea. Raea nodded, a stupefied expression on her face. The flames cloaking her body disappeared as she hugged Selena and grabbed Andrea by her foot before taking off into the air. ¡°Remember the deal,¡± the Creator said. ¡°Since I¡¯ve arrived to Div¡¯Nya, I¡¯ve been teaching a lot of your angels life lessons,¡± Palan said. ¡°Here¡¯s one for you. Never trust a demon.¡± He placed his fingers on top of the cookie in Uriel¡¯s mouth and shoved it down her throat. Chapter 363 Raea landed below the floating room, plopping Andrea onto the ground before fully embracing Selena. She buried her head in her sister¡¯s hair. ¡°Are you really back this time?¡± Selena hugged her sister back. Raea¡¯s skin was a bit scalier than before and she had four wings, but she was still her little sister. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how,¡± Selena said. ¡°But yes. I¡¯m back. Unless this is my dream.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream,¡± Raea said, shaking her head. ¡°The Creator revived you. He also ¡­ hurt you earlier.¡± ¡°That was the Creator?¡± Selena asked. ¡°I almost thought the centaurs¡¯ religion was real and I went to hell. But ¡­ why are you so ¡­ close to the Creator? Is that the right word? What happened while I was gone?¡± She wanted to look around the shabby wasteland with hints of construction that was the capital, but she didn¡¯t want to ruin Raea¡¯s moment. ¡°This place looks a bit familiar.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the capital,¡± Raea said. ¡°Pyre blew it up.¡± ¡°Pyre? Professor Khondra?¡± Selena asked. ¡°Why would he do something like this? You just gave me a lot more questions than answers, Ray. Where¡¯s Elrith? Is he alright? How about Mom, Dad, everyone else?¡± ¡°Um. A lot of things happened,¡± Raea said, her wings drooping. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it right now, is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Selena said and bit her lip. When she had died, the rebel army was still advancing towards the capital. Did the angels lose? And by the sound of it, Pyre had defected to the rebels¡¯ side. Raea had also remained in the capital¡­. Did that mean she joined the rebels? Or was this the counterattack of the angels? Dozens of questions flooded her mind as she held her sister¡¯s trembling body. Well, even if she knew nothing else, she knew her sister had gone through a lot and she should be here for her. There was just one problem. Why was there a little demon child sniffing her? ¡°Um. This is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Andrea,¡± Andrea said before licking Selena¡¯s calf. She swallowed her saliva and beamed at the angel. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Selena, Raea¡¯s sister,¡± Selena said. ¡°Are you related to Palan by any chance?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Andrea said with a nod. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a harlot too.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Selena asked, blinking twice. Raea rolled her eyes and separated from Selena. She wiped her tears away and pinched Andrea¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not quite done with you,¡± she said with a glare. ¡°Did you think I already forgot what you did to me earlier?¡± ¡°You pwomised not to hurt meh,¡± Andrea said, struggling against Raea¡¯s grasp. Her cheeks were stretched like a chipmunk¡¯s and tears blossomed in her eyes. ¡°You pwomised.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Raea sighed and released Andrea, who glared at her while pouting. ¡°She¡¯s Palan¡¯s sister,¡± Raea said to Selena. ¡°And she doesn¡¯t like me very much because Palan and I are ¡­ complicated right now. Though I¡¯m sure there¡¯s other reasons.¡± Andrea stuck her tongue out at Raea. She hesitated before asking, ¡°You¡¯re not mad anymore?¡± There was a noticeable lack of flames around Raea¡¯s body. Even her wings had dimmed from bright red to a dull brown. ¡°Mad? Why would I be mad?¡± Raea asked with a smile on her face. ¡°The world is a wonderful place. All is good: Selena¡¯s back. You don¡¯t have to hate me anymore since I¡¯m no longer in a contract with Palan. Everyone involved in Selena¡¯s death is dead. Why would I possibly be mad?¡± Andrea scratched her head. It was understandable that she was confused. She didn¡¯t know the source of Raea¡¯s wrath was due to Selena¡¯s death. ¡°But ¡­ weren¡¯t you just¡­. Never mind. But you know it was Pyre¡¯s idea, right? It wasn¡¯t mine.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Raea waved her hand dismissively and smiled at Selena. ¡°I almost forgot what happiness felt like.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy, Ray,¡± Selena said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to put a damper on your mood, but what about the things I asked about before?¡± Raea rubbed her chin. ¡°Elrith¡¯s somewhere, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s still alive. It won¡¯t be too hard to find him if I¡¯m not mistaken. I don¡¯t know what happened to Mom and Dad and everyone else after the halflings¡¯ raid on the capital. They survived the B.F.G., so they probably fled to the north.¡± ¡°B.F.G.?¡± ¡°It was a giant cannon Pyre invented to break down the walls of the capital. He also shot it at the tower,¡± Raea said. She pointed up. ¡°That¡¯s actually the third floor of the tower where the Creator has the most influence or something. It wasn¡¯t destroyed, and six beings beyond archangels live up there.¡± ¡°Beyond archangel¡­?¡± Selena asked, tilting her head. ¡°Oh. Yeah. Those exist,¡± Raea said, grabbing Selena¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯m one of them too! But they¡¯re for three sins instead of any virtues. Oops.¡± She giggled and hugged Selena again. ¡°Have I told you how much I missed you?¡± Before Selena could say anything, Raea continued. ¡°Well, I missed you a lot. A lot, a lot.¡± A wrinkle appeared on her brow but disappeared just as quickly as it came. ¡°I think I figured out why I my wrath was uncontrollable.¡± She separated from Selena. ¡°I was angry at myself. It¡¯s true that I was angry at the people who killed you, but I was angry at myself even more for letting you die. I was angry at myself for being unable to revive you once I lost my kindness. So once I killed everyone involved in your death, the wrath was still there because I hated myself.¡± She lowered her head and stared at her palms. ¡°I understand now. So that¡¯s what Meffi was trying to tell me¡­¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°Maybe he wasn¡¯t that bad of a person after all.¡± Selena smiled throughout Raea¡¯s rambling. It seemed like something that had been bothering her sister for a long time had finally been resolved. ¡°Just wondering though. How did you revive me?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Raea said. ¡°Palan kinda sorta maybe threatened the Creator a tiny bit.¡± ¡°Is the Creator someone that can be threatened by Palan?¡± Selena asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°My brother can do anything,¡± Andrea said, crossing her arms over her chest. ¡°He¡¯s the best.¡± Raea nodded. ¡°He made a deal with the Creator. But why didn¡¯t he come down with us? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s¡­¡± Andrea rolled her eyes. ¡°Only my brother can be the strongest. Of course he¡¯s going to break the deal.¡± A loud booming noise echoed through the capital as one wall of the floating room was destroyed. Cracks spread along its surface before it crumbled, falling to the ground below. The ruins dissolved into a golden liquid that caused Andrea¡¯s nose to twitch. It smelled familiar. Like eggfruits. A mouth materialized in the air above her and rushed towards the liquid, swallowing it. Chapter 364 ¡°You¡¯re a real dirty bastard, you know that?¡± the Creator asked. Palan ignored him as he moved on from Uriel, who had golden smoke pouring out of her mouth, and onto Creed. He stuck in cookie down the dead demon¡¯s throat as well. After Uriel¡¯s contract had been broken, a portion of the room had broken off and fallen to the ground below. Golden smoke drifted out of Creed¡¯s body as well, and another cracking sound echoed through the room. A corner of the room shattered, falling to the ground and leaving a gaping hole by Palan¡¯s feet. The Creator disappeared and Camael¡¯s body rose to its feet. Palan pounced on him and ripped his limbs off before pulling out another cookie. The Creator forced Camael¡¯s mouth to remain shut, so Palan ripped open the dead angel¡¯s stomach instead before placing the cookie inside. He wasn¡¯t quite sure if it¡¯d work, but luckily for him, it did. Camael¡¯s body turned limp as smoke fled from his orifices. The furniture in the room rumbled as they shattered and dissolved into puddles of liquid. ¡°You don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re doing,¡± the Creator said as his golden figure formed above Camael¡¯s body. ¡°I don¡¯t need to,¡± Palan said. He frowned at Levy¡¯s ashes. Raea¡¯ had bisected the eight-legged demon and set her ablaze. How was he going to feed her a cookie? He broke a cookie apart and sprinkled it over her remains as a test. The ashes reacted with the cookie, producing wisps of smoke like kindling before a bonfire. ¡°I just know the more you want me to stop, the more thoroughly I¡¯ll finish this.¡± ¡°Why?¡± the Creator asked as another portion of the walls fell apart. ¡°What is it that you seek? You don¡¯t want to live eternally. You don¡¯t want the fame that would¡¯ve accompanied being one of my champions. Is being free and unrestricted the only thing you wish for?¡± Palan turned his back on the Creator and moved on to Asura. He wasn¡¯t sure which of her three heads he should put the cookie in, so he copied the actions he did with Camael and placed it directly into her stomach. He wasn¡¯t sure why it worked, but it did. A sour smell reached his nose, causing him to turn his head. Uriel¡¯s body was rotting while Creed¡¯s body was rapidly aging. Camael¡¯s hair was falling out, and his skin loosened as wrinkles adorned his face. The last of the walls collapsed, and the yellow liquid that had accumulated from the dissolving furniture spilled over the sides of the floor, the only thing remaining of the room. Palan walked up to Raphael¡¯s regenerating body and squatted beside the angel. ¡°Nothing I say will stop you from doing this, am I right?¡± the Creator asked. ¡°I can make a deal with you. Let me inhabit your body and I¡¯ll aid you in everything you do. I invested too much to lose everything now.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Your problems aren¡¯t mine,¡± Palan said and placed the cookie inside Raphael¡¯s stomach. The angel¡¯s regeneration stopped as golden smoke poured out of the corpse¡¯s multiple wounds. Palan sank as the floor lost its integrity before bursting apart like a bubble. The Creator sighed as motes of light floated out of his body¡ªa single one at first, then two, then four, until a stream of light filled the air above, forming golden clouds in the sky. Palan floated to the ground, landing beside Andrea and the two angel sisters. Andrea was glowing again, having consumed all the liquid that had fallen from the room. Palan rubbed her head and smiled. ¡°What happened?¡± Raea asked, raising an eyebrow. The room had survived the B.F.G. when nothing else had except for them and the statue of the Creator. Just what did Palan do to destroy it? ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Palan said and shrugged. ¡°I destroyed their contracts and the room broke as well. That golden cloud up there are the remnants of the Creator.¡± The girls raised their heads. Golden fissures were spreading through the sky like a web of cracks, and clouds were forming from them. The suns were blotted out by the clouds, but the ground was still lit up like day. ¡°Is this something good ¡­ or something bad?¡± Selena asked, furrowing her brow. ¡°Well, it¡¯s bright,¡± Raea said, squinting up at the sky. She thought she saw movements within the clouds ¡°Generally, bright things aren¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°Bright-colored animals are poisonous,¡± Andrea said. Raea rolled her eyes. ¡°I said generally.¡± A yellow raindrop fell to the ground, splattering in front of Raea. It disappeared within the barren earth, and a second later, a green shoot sprouted from the ground. The rain began to fall in earnest, covering all of Div¡¯Nya. The creatures it fell on glowed, and the land thrived. Animals ran out of their shelters to drink from the rain, and flowers blossomed throughout the land. ¡°Definitely a good thing,¡± Selena said as the brown wasteland that was the capital began to turn green and colorful. Her body was being soaked by the rain, but it was a comfortable feeling like she was taking a warm shower. She glowed as more and more rain fell from the sky. ¡°This ¡­ I¡¯m evolving?¡± Selena bit her lower lip and closed her eyes as she activated her power of knowledge. ¡°I see,¡± she said after a while. ¡°The Creator¡¯s power is returning to the land. He had consolidated a lot of it. So much that it was difficult for the halflings to evolve.¡± ¡°How do you see something like that?¡± Palan asked. ¡°It¡¯s called making an inference,¡± Selena said. ¡°You take bits and pieces of available information and place them together into a sensible explanation.¡± She smiled. ¡°Or you can use knowledge and have descriptions flow directly into your head.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Palan and Selena turned their heads towards Raea. A black liquid was leaking out of her skin from all the pores in her body. It was washed away by the rain, but it continued to flow out. ¡°Ray?¡± Selena asked. Her brow furrowed as she activated her power of knowledge on the liquid exiting her sister¡¯s body. ¡°Essence of wrath?¡± Raea shuddered as her body was purified by the rain. The last vestiges of black liquid disappeared into the earth, and she opened her eyes. She looked at her hands before raising her head. A smile blossomed on her face as she ran forward and hugged Palan. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said as he flinched, ¡°for every time I wronged you. Thank you for putting up with me.¡± Chapter 365 ¡°Raea?¡± Palan asked, raising an eyebrow as he stared at the angel who buried her head in his chest. Andrea pouted at the side, but she remained silent and approached Selena¡¯s side. ¡°Shush,¡± Raea said as she squeezed him tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything because you¡¯ll ruin the moment.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Shh,¡± Raea said, raising her head and glaring at him. He fell silent. Raea nodded. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± She sighed and rested her chin on his shoulder, closing her eyes. Palan¡¯s gaze shifted onto Selena, who shrugged. Andrea was staring at him with her cheeks puffed out and lips pursed. She resisted the urge to run over and ruin Raea¡¯s happy moment. She thought Palan would do that after his contract with Raea was broken, but he hadn¡¯t made any motion to stop her. Maybe he really liked her? Andrea sighed, releasing the pent up air in her mouth, and squatted, drawing circles on the ground with her finger. Raea sighed again. She kept her eyes closed while she said, ¡°You know, I really didn¡¯t get what I wanted after accompanying you. Sure, we made it back to the capital, but it wasn¡¯t the way I was expecting it,¡± she said with a small smile. ¡°I thought I could gather merits and return as a smalltime officer, yet we came back as conquerors. I mean, look at the place. It¡¯s in ruins.¡± ¡°Well¡ª¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± Raea nipped his ear, causing him to flinch. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet.¡± She fell silent as Palan¡¯s tails fidgeted behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you for another contract. Clearly, you like your freedom more than you like being with me, but just because we¡¯re not contracted doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t still be together, right?¡± She pulled back and bit her lower lip as she met Palan¡¯s gaze. ¡°I won¡¯t get angry anymore, but if you refuse me right now, I promise I¡¯ll stay glued to your side and scare away every woman that ever tries to approach you for the rest of your life.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Ray¡­,¡± Selena said, furrowing her brow. ¡°Do you know how desperate that sounds?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°He¡¯s mine even if we¡¯re not contracted. Besides, I don¡¯t think he can ever trust anyone enough to fall for them. Except me, of course.¡± Palan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Stay together even though we¡¯re not contracted?¡± Raea pumped her fist and smiled at Selena. ¡°See? It worked.¡± ¡°But he didn¡¯t agree?¡± Selena asked. Raea laughed. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t disagree right away, then that means he agrees,¡± she said and glanced at Palan. ¡°Right?¡± Palan stroked his chin. ¡°If I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°I already said I¡¯d stay glued to your side. Don¡¯t tell me you won¡¯t even let me do that,¡± Raea said and crossed her arms. ¡°What¡¯s with that expression? You want to fight?¡± ¡°No¡­,¡± Palan said. He didn¡¯t want to fight. He actually wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted. Wait a minute. Was he even being given a choice in the matter? ¡°Wait. If I agree to stay with you, we¡¯ll be together. If I refuse to stay with you, we¡¯ll be together. Am I understanding this correctly?¡± ¡°For a demon of wisdom, you¡¯re really slow,¡± Raea said and rolled her eyes. ¡°Whether you like it or not, I¡¯m not giving you a choice just like you didn¡¯t give me a choice when you brought me back from the dead. This is your punishment.¡± Palan¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I think I liked you better when you were broodier and less bubbly,¡± he said. Raea¡¯s face fell, and Palan¡¯s stomach twinged. He sighed. It went against all the principles he accumulated during his life in Eljiam, but he decided to do it anyway because it¡¯d feel wrong if he didn¡¯t. He stepped forward and hugged Raea. ¡°But this is fine too.¡± Raea¡¯s eyes widened as she raised her head. ¡°Then that means¡­?¡± she asked. Her eyes widened even further. Was Palan embarrassed? He was actually embarrassed! A smile blossomed across her face as she hugged him back. ¡°Yes. Yes it does,¡± Palan said. Selena cleared her throat at the two who didn¡¯t seem like they¡¯d be separating anytime soon. ¡°What does it mean? You should say it clearly or someone might misunderstand.¡± ¡°Be quiet, Ms. Inferences,¡± Andrea said and tugged on Selena¡¯s hand. ¡°Even I¡¯m not ruining their moment.¡± Epilogue ¡°Elly! There¡¯s a skunk in the living room! Get rid of it, please; it¡¯s scary!¡± Elrith nearly dropped the baby harpy in his hands as a shriek pierced his ears. ¡°Coming, dear!¡± The baby in his hands started to cry from his shout. He sighed and rocked her as he stood up. Two harpy children waddled up to him from outside the room. He smiled at them. ¡°Did either of you place that skunk in the living room? It¡¯s not nice to scare Mom like that.¡± ¡°She did it,¡± both harpies said at the same time, pointing at each other. Elrith shook his head and smiled at the two before ruffling their hair. ¡°Go play with the matriarch.¡± ¡°Auntie Cory is playing with Auntie Raea today,¡± one of the twins said and bobbed her head. ¡°So we have to bother you two,¡± the other twin said and bobbed her head as well. Elrith sighed. *** ¡°Carmella!¡± Carmella yawned and stretched her hands above her head. She smacked her lips a few times before opening her eyes. The space beside her in bed was empty. It seemed like Gerome had already left for work for the day. She scratched her head and climbed out of bed. ¡°Breakfast is ready!¡± ¡°Alright, Mom,¡± Carmella shouted back. ¡°I heard you the first time!¡± *** ¡°Why¡¯d you choose to stay with us instead of my sister?¡± Owen raised his head and glanced at the girl sitting beside his side. Ariel, Raea¡¯s youngest sister, was staring at him with her head tilted to one side. He exhaled through his nose. ¡°The Caelums needed me more than Raea did. She¡¯s happy now without me. If anything, I¡¯d make her sad. It only makes sense for me to stay here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bit weird,¡± Ariel said and wrinkled her brow. Owen shrugged. Raea had a much stronger guardian by her side now. He wasn¡¯t needed there anymore. ***Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Snoring sounds filled a cave. A demon was wrapped up in a blanket, floating in the center of the room. Time passed, but the cave remained dark, unaffected by the positions of the suns. The demon continued to snore. In the front of the cave, some wolves were lingering about. Maybe one of them could even be eaten in times of emergency. *** ¡°Hurry up! We have to finish these three statues by noon, do you understand!?¡± ¡°Yes, Cherri!¡± Cherri nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. The centaurs in front of her scattered and used their powers of diligence to shape the bases of three massive statues. Of course, all three statues were going to be of Palan in different poses. Cherri sighed. *** ¡°Hmm. Did you see my watch, dear?¡± ¡°Are you sure you wore it today?¡± ¡°I thought I did¡­¡± Linda glared at the tiny lizardman who acted as a doorman for her store. ¡°How many times did I tell you to stop stealing from the customers?¡± she asked as the couple with the missing watch disappeared from view. ¡°Too many times,¡± Cleo said. ¡°I lost count. You should just stop saying it already.¡± She nodded and puffed her chest out. ¡°Want a watch?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Oh. Well, okay. I¡¯ll give it to Andrea later today.¡± *** Andrea whistled as she walked through a flower garden, carrying a sack of something over her shoulder. She swallowed her saliva as she passed by rows of eggfruit trees and continued through the garden. She arrived at a simple cottage and stepped inside while announcing her presence. She walked up the stairs, still holding the sack, and entered her brother¡¯s room. ¡°Palan? Where¡¯s Raea?¡± Palan turned his head. His brow wrinkled. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to carry him like that?¡± Andrea glanced at the sack she was holding. It was also known as her nephew. ¡°But. He¡¯s so potato-like.¡± Palan rolled his eyes. ¡°Call him fierce.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Andrea said and lifted the baby off her shoulder. ¡°Fierce, your dad wants to hold you now.¡± *** Selena frowned at the bubbling mixture on her desk. She stared at it as she slowly tilted the vial of liquid in her hand. A single drop fell and tinted the mixture with a yellow color. The bubbling stopped. ¡°Did it work?¡± she muttered and placed the vial down. She rubbed her eyes, which had dark bags underneath them, and blinked hard three times. The yellow color remained. ¡°Success!¡± She reached over to her notebook and scribbled something inside. Right when she put it down, the door to her laboratory flew open with a bang. ¡°Sely!¡± Raea shouted. ¡°I¡¯m here to take you outside! You haven¡¯t seen the sun in three days!¡± ¡°No!¡± Selena said and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m almost there. Just a little longer and¡ª¡± Raea flew forward and hugged her sister. ¡°See. I knew if I left you here any longer, you¡¯d become like Pyre and Headmaster. There¡¯s no way I can let my sister degenerate that far.¡± She ignored Selena¡¯s protests and flew away from the lab. ¡°My experiment!¡± Selena wailed. ¡°You can¡¯t just kidnap me on a whim! I work fulltime as a professor. When else can I pursue research?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with pursuing research,¡± Raea said. ¡°You just can¡¯t do it excessively like Pyre had. Three days is excessive. Besides, Cory and Cleo were coming over today.¡± Her sister sighed as Raea smiled. She headed towards the cottage in the midst of the flower garden. It belonged to her and Palan. Afterword Thanks to all my readers for accompanying me on this story. It was an enlightening experience for me as a writer. I still have a lot to work on. Truthfully, I wanted to end the story after Palan reunited with Andrea, but that would¡¯ve been a bad end for Raea and Palan, so it continued until that was resolved. Since I graduated from college like a month ago, I¡¯ll be free. Very, very free considering I¡¯m also unemployed and not seeking a job. That means, two stories! But first, a week-long break. Maybe.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The next story that will start in a week will be The Godking¡¯s Legacy. Part of it is already out and you can find it with a simple search. Blue Mage book 2 (name hasn¡¯t been decided, recommendations welcome) will start August 1st. I¡¯ll be updating them both daily. Demon¡¯s Journey will be set aside for six months before I start editing and revising it. And it¡¯ll probably take another six months or so for it to be ready for publication. Also, thanks to Simon A. for supporting me on patreon. Cheers, Virlyce