I've heard stories of high-ranking angels but never saw one up until today...
Whoosh. Young Red Dragon Solitas was deep in thought as the wind blowing from the northern dam construction site brushed his skin.
This is troublesome.
Abruptly, he recalled what happened in the past few hours. He was going about his day like any other day, working hard in the studio of his master, Corgidus. This time, Solitas was preoccupied with shaping a rare piece of deer horn into a star. That was until he felt something.
A holy and oppressive storm of mana. A clear and relentless light that purified everything it touched. It was the first time I ever felt something like that on my skin.
Something was definitely off. His mind soon lost focus and ruined the deer horn decoration right before it was finished. But instead of glooming over the loss, Solitas leaped to his feet, bolted out of the studio, and ignored the shouts from his master, Corgidus. He decided it wasn't the time to mind such trivialities. He immediately flew toward the spot that allowed him to see the dam construction site. Then, he started to think.
I wasn't sure when I first felt the energy of a holy mana... I never imagined that a high-ranking angel would have descended down here.
High-ranking angels. Even though Solita was young, he had heard about them. And he knew one thing for sure.
He'd be stronger than me.
His mother's teaching came to his mind.
She taught me that angels were strong. She told me how difficult it is to go against them because it's not easy to leave damage on their body. It's better to fight three or four low-ranking angels or one mid-ranking angel if you're an ordinary dragon.
And today, the angel that came down to this fiefdom appeared to be much stronger than a low or mid-rank angel. Solitas knew this because of the two fiery, rotating rings burning behind the angel's back.
I remember what it is. Mother said it's the mark of a high-ranking angel.
As such, that angel over there was a high-ranking one. In other words, he was an unassailable opponent. Yet, the angel seemed to be in a fury. That was the problem.
I can clearly feel there's a hostile yet holy aura around him. Is he here because he has business with Lloyd Frontera? Is it because Lloyd Frontera froze the passage of time in this world outside his fiefdom? That could be it. What's going to happen now? He's not going to destroy this entire place, is he?
Thousands of ominous possibilities crossed his mind. What if the angel punished the fiefdom and turned this place into a pile of ash?
That can't happen!
Solitas found himself shaking his head.
Corgidus hasn't taught me everything about the art of jewel refinement. And if this fiefdom turns into a pile of ash, there will be no more sludge, which means I'll be out of work and can't learn the craft in return!
The ominous thought continued to play in his mind.
Then, I'll never be able to improve my terrible skills and master how to refine jewels. Without being able to keep a hoard of jewels in my cave, I won't be able to propose to anyone since I won't have any jewels to feed my children.
Just like that, he'd die alone as a bachelor.
I can never let that happen...!
Solitas felt a surge of desperation. He made a decision.
I'll observe the situation. And if Lloyd gets attacked, I'll step in and fight. I have to protect this fiefdom.
Solitas decided to bravely fight to fulfill his lifetime wish of getting married, even if the opponent was a high- ranking angel. He figured the fight would be doable with Javier and the Bone Dragon. Around the time his resolution was solidifying in his heart, Solitas heard a carefree and relaxed voice beside him.
"Hey, you there. You don't want to recklessly engage with an angel."
"Eh?"
Solitas was surprised by the sudden voice that came out of nowhere. Thinking how it was possible for anyone to sneak up on him, Solitas swiveled around at lightning speed.
"Who are you?!"
"Oh. The Dragon King."
Solitas saw a slouched man sitting on the grass. His eyes were half-open in sleepiness, and his voice sounded as if the mere act of speaking was too bothersome for him. There was something about him that gave off a lazy-ass vibe, and he seemed to epitomize the word "slacker."
But Solitas didn't lower his guard just yet. He wasn't going to be fooled by the man's relaxed appearance and aura around him. Since the man managed to sneak up on him, avoiding Solitas's senses, the latter could only wonder what abilities the former held.
In a graver voice, Solitas asked, "I asked who you are."
Whoosh... Solitas emitted an oppressive energy unique to dragons as he asked. But the indolent man gave a yawn.
"Ha..." Dragon King Verkis yawned. "I told you. The Dragon King."
"The Dragon King?"
"Yeah."
"You are the great and divine King Verkis?" huffed Solitas. "You?"
"Well, if you don't believe it, then don't. Anyway, you don't want to get involved with an angel. It's only going to complicate your life as a dragon."
"What?" Solitas stopped.
Verkis grinned mysteriously. "The devils in Hell pretend to obey you if you overpower them, but the angels are different. They're a terrible bunch of inflexible folks who play it exactly by the books and never back off on a decision unless they agree with it. They're as flexible as a piece of iron."
"I do not get what you mean..."
"And now," Verkis kindly went on, "An angel, a high-ranking angel at that, made a direct appearance in our world. What does that tell you? It shows that he's here to implement a decision that was already made. So, stay out of this, kid. You can't bend an angel's dogged will with your powers, and even if you do, you'll only leave a bad impression and make your life miserable."
Solitas, however, was defiant. "I do not care. Also, what did you just call me? A kid? How dare you call me that, and who are you?"
"I told you. Twice already," Verkis sighed as if this conversation was starting to wear him out.
"The Dragon King? You are the great and divine King Verkis?"
"Yeah."
Solitas couldn't hold his rage anymore. "How dare you?! Do you think you will be safe even after impersonating him?"
Exhausted boredom came over Verkis's face at last. "Ha... How annoying. Should I just kill you now?" He was too bothered to explain or convince the young dragon, and instead, softly flicked his finger.
Flick! A ripple of mana appeared on his fingertip and wrapped Solitas's whole body.
"Eek?" As soon as the young dragon opened his eyes wide in surprise, a change came immediately.
Pop! A growing plume of smoke enveloped his body, and by the time the smoke thinned out, Solitas was gone. There was only a tiny red gecko.
"This is your punishment. Stay like that for a day," ordered Verkis. "You're going to believe my words now, right?"
The red gecko, Solitas, nodded.
"Okay. Good boy. But know it's too late even if you nod now."
Solitas simply stared at Verkis.
Verkis appreciated the silence. "Look how nice it is now that you're calm. You remind me of my salamander. You're exactly like it. My little Deoddeok that my wife took on her trip."
"Anyway," Verkis went on, "I have to fulfill the terms of my sponsorship to revive my beneficiary from death. That's why I'm out here, even though it's bothersome for me. So, stay quiet. All right?"
Solitas fiercely nodded his head in shock. He finally understood the meaning of Verkis's words.
Hold on right there...
Frightful chills ran over Solitas's body. At the same time, he also felt reverence. Swallowing dryly, he turned toward the construction site for the dam.
Beneficiary? Sponsored by the Dragon King? Lloyd Frontera is his beneficiary? And he's going to die today?
♣
Should I just... kill him?
Such a thought crossed Raphael's mind. How could it not while he was currently facing Lloyd?
This human is making false prayers. And his attitude is nothing short of a demon's.
No, he could be worse than a demon, Raphael thought. The prayer this man was offering could not be any more impure. Behind it, there was only greed to purely gain something for himself. Furthermore, he had the audacity to be brazen as well.
"Now, my complaint has been filed officially, correct?" asked Lloyd earnestly.
Raphael felt repulsion and hatred for the gaze and smile Lloyd Frontera threw at him on his knees. Raphael's fists clenched on their own.
How dare he pray in this kind of manner.
Raphael was not pleased. Prayers weren't created for this purpose.
It is the final resort a desperate man from the lower realms can rely on to ask for help from the upper realms. When no one is out there to help the creature in their world, when there's no one they can lean on for support, when they are left completely alone, a prayer offers them a chance to seek help from the heavens.
With only such desperation in their hearts, would the heavens accept their words and forward them to the angels in the form of a complaint, which the angels would review and process.
Most prayers are accepted. That's how pure and desperate prayers usually are. Even if their prayers are not answered in the current life, they eventually actualize in their afterlife. That's how precious and significant sincere prayers are. But this man... How dare he offer this kind of prayer?
Raphael shuddered. He didn't want to accept the man's prayer. But he didn't have any choice but to accept it. "Fine..." finally muttered Raphael. "Your sincerity has been accepted."
There was only one criterion for whether a prayer would be accepted as a complaint: Sincerity. Lloyd's brazen prayer, to Raphael's repulsion, met the criteria.
Even if it's not pure and with blemish, even if it's borne out of personal greed... it is still sincere.
Personal greed was sincere, and that was what Raphael found to be more disgusting and repulsive. Naturally, contempt filled his gaze as it fixed on Lloyd.
"Are you requesting for the cancellation of the Jewel of Truth demolition?" asked Raphael.
"Yes, that is it." Lloyd nodded fervently and clenched his fists.
It's working. I succeeded.
Lloyd hadn't been entirely sure about this tactic. He had simply taken his chance by remembering what the angel had read aloud. But to his relief, it worked, and Lloyd decided I was time to push forward.
Looking up at the angel, Lloyd said, "I would like to file an official complaint. Please cancel the order to demolish the Jewel of Truth."
"Do you have a basis for the cancellation request?"
"Of course I do." Lloyd collected his breath before speaking. "I am honestly curious. I do not understand what harm building the Jewel of Truth will do to this world. Certainly, it is a mysterious building that can answer any question it is asked and has the potential to be used for evil. The thing is, however, does that not also mean that it can be used for good?"
When Raphael saw Lloyd stop, he said, "Continue."
"Thank you, your grace. That is why I am making this request. Please cancel the demolition of the Jewel of Truth. If you are worried about the abuse of the building, I would be happy to set a condition for its usage."
"What condition?" asked Raphael the Throne.
"Wouldn't it be all right if you come down and watch over the jewel whenever it is at work?"
"Are you saying that you will use the Jewel only in the presence and under the supervision of an angel?"
"Yes. That is exactly what I mean," said Lloyd.
"I see... I will forward your complaint above. Please wait."
Raphael took a step back and closed his eyes, contacting his direct supervisor through the angelic ring on his head. An answer came immediately. Raphael opened his eyes and looked down at Lloyd. His eyes were now changed. They were glacial and adamant. The same change could be felt in his voice.
"Human Lloyd Frontera," Raphael announced. "I received the answer to your request. In short, your request to cancel the demolition has been rejected."
"Excuse me?" blurted Lloyd in shock.
"The Jewel of Truth holds the potential to divulge secrets that must not be revealed. As such, it is at the top of the list of structures that need to be demolished even in heaven, and that cannot be changed without a special cause."
"Wait, hold on... By special cause, then-"
Raphael cut Lloyd short. "Your personal reasons do not constitute a special cause. Moreover..." His gaze toward Lloyd grew more glacier. "As I have notified you, in accordance with Paragraph 8 of Article 3 of the law, the demolition will take place instantly as your prayer request has been rejected."
"Nothing more."
With that, Raphael made a move. He immediately passed Lloyd and neared the Jewel of Truth before the latter could stop the angel. Standing on its top, Raphael raised his iron mace and prepared to strike down the Jewel top. Just then...
"Hold on!"
It was Lloyd who shouted. Before Raphael knew it, Lloyd was standing right in front of him and stopping the demolition. His breathing was raspy. This time, Lloyd neither kneeled nor looked up. Instead, he had his shovel aimed at the angel's forehead as if to say, "Over my dead body!" Lloyd stared at Raphael with wide eyes, resisting and fighting hard.
What else can I do? What else can I do when this whole thing makes no sense?!
Lloyd felt wronged. He couldn't lose the Jewel like this. He had to stop destiny and protect Count and Countess Frontera, Julian, and everyone else. He wanted to happily spend the rest of his life with them, who had become his family now. As such, the Jewel of Truth had to be erected. Lloyd resisted the angel with such resolutions in his head, ready to desist the intruder, come hell or high water. Over my dead body, Lloyd told himself as he tensed his eyes and bit his lips.
"Human Lloyd Frontera," Raphael spoke. "Are you interrupting the completion of my heavenly duties?"
"Come again?"
"This is my last warning. Move away." Raphael's icy voice pierced into Lloyd's ears. However, Lloyd remained and glared at the angel without giving any response.
Lloyd was hell-bent on staying rooted to the ground. He then racked his brain on what he had to do to stop that square, unyielding angel.
Think. Use your brain. Think of something smart. Think of something! Please!
Lloyd frantically racked his brain. But even before he could come up with something, Raphael made a chilling declaration on Lloyd.
"I have received your intent. Be aware that what is about to happen is on you. You have disobeyed a decision from heaven and attempted to stop an angel without permission. This is considered an attempt to interfere with the official duties of a heavenly official, and the punishment for it is immediate execution," Raphael announced in a voice void of any emotion.
"What?!" Lloyd then saw what was nearing him.
Fwoosh! Lloyd saw the angel's iron mace coming down from the sky, ready to slice through Lloyd and the Jewel of Truth. It charged down unopposed at lightning speed. Lloyd could feel the attacker's determination.
“...!”
Lloyd's eyes flew open. The trajectory of the mace came vividly in his eyes, thanks to his swordmaster syndrome. Its movement was read so clearly that Lloyd observed and caught the angel's grip, movement, and weight shift. However, despite his hyper-sensitivity, he couldn't react and dodge the attack.
My body can't keep up with my senses.
Even though Lloyd's senses bordered on the level of a swordmaster, his body was still equal to that of a high- level sword expert. As such, it failed to react even when his eyes could see the incoming mace. Lloyd failed to move and avoid the attack. It was as if he had become a snail.
I can't avoid this.
Although he didn't want to, Lloyd imagined what would happen to him if the mace knocked him right in the head. Even then, the mace continued to move down, slicing through the air, crashing across the area, and charging down to strike his head.
Dammit.
Lloyd was dumbstruck. Will my skull break just like this? Is this what I worked so hard for? An empty scoff escaped him. Just then, a flash of light appeared before his eyes.
Clang!
Was I hit? The thought crossed Lloyd's mind. But it turned out not to be the case. Someone was standing in front of Lloyd, and the man had blocked the angel's mace. And soon, Lloyd heard an adamant and cold voice coming from the man.
"I, Javier Asrahan, the knight of the Frontera County, will immediately execute the trespasser for threatening my lord's family.”
