A black halo and wings. These are the marks of a fallen angel who defied the will of God and committed betrayal. Horas’s wings were indeed those of a fallen angel, exuding an indescribable atmosphere that seemed to weave together divinity and wickedness. Rare because of them, unconventional because of them, an overwhelming powerhouse because of them. Faced with such a feast, Paul and Shinjir’s fighting spirit only intensified. However, their target was, after all, a man of reason and a battle maniac. Not only must they fight as Master Kelvin taught, but they also needed to extract all necessary information.
“A fallen angel? Weren’t you an instructor at this academy? Huh?”
“And if you suddenly showed up to pick someone up, Lady Kuromel would get confused. I think you should at least offer a minimal explanation. Are you a gentleman only in appearance?”
“Hmm, I expected you to attack without a second thought, but you’re surprisingly calm. Although, it’s still a waste of time. Comrade Kuromel, come this way.”
“Hey!”
Paul and his companion tried to extract information with their bickering, but Horas ignored them as if it were too much of a waste of his time. His eyes seemed to be fixed only on Kuromel, and he spoke to her in a one-sided but gentle tone.
“Fallen Angel Kuromel, your deeds have been truly magnificent. It is no exaggeration to say that the resurrection of our Absolute God, Adams, is due to your accomplishments. The awakened Archangels will also welcome you warmly.”
“A-Absolute God? Sir, sir… I really don’t understand what you’re saying, Instructor Horas. Are you mistaken about me…?”
Overwhelmed by his sudden and nonsensical statements, Kuromel became even more confused. She couldn’t recall anything that might relate to Horas’s words. Still, Kuromel desperately tried to remember if something had happened. But, as expected, if she couldn’t remember, she couldn’t.
“…? Comrade Kuromel, there’s no need to act anymore?”
Seeing Kuromel flustered and bewildered, Horas began to show a hint of doubt.
“I’m not acting…”
“That’s right! The lady is the lady! She’s nothing more and nothing less, you psycho!”
“…Could it be that her memory is missing? Could such a thing happen? No, but—”
“Th-this guy…!”
Horas ignored Paul and muttered to himself, his mind racing. It was an obvious dismissal.
“…Regardless of your memories, I have a duty to escort you. If possible, I would prefer you not to interfere?”
“Don’t be stupid. Do you think I’ll grant such a wish in this situation?”
“Yes, you’ll have no choice but to.”
Suddenly, Horas snapped his fingers. As Paul and his companions became alert to their surroundings, footsteps began to echo around them. Not just one or two, but dozens of people. Soon, those who appeared before them were clad in Lumiest’s uniforms.
“Are… are you students from Marl Dormitory?”
“Yes, that’s right. Kuromel, first-year, if you don’t go with Instructor Horas, we’ll be killed by him. Adventurers over there, please don’t escalate the situation and let us go. If you do, none of us here will have to die. Right?”
“N-no…”
The students arranged themselves in a formation surrounding the three of them. One of them, with a cheerful smile, declared that they were hostages, a strange assertion. Perhaps shocked by their words, Kuromel’s face turned pale, and she covered her mouth with both hands.
“…I’d say she’s being controlled, but there’s no sign of that. Her behavior is natural.”
“The fact that she can say such things with a smile proves it’s not natural at all. Are you guys his allies?”
“No, we are not. We are Instructor Horas’s students, and hostages. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Another student replied with a smile, just like the previous one. As Shinjir noted, there was no sign of them being controlled by something like a “Charm Eye.” However, that made them even more unnerving to Paul and his companions, their willingness to become hostages being extremely unnatural.
“You can fight me while ignoring them, or you can prioritize their lives and hand over Comrade Kuromel. If you choose the latter, I will guarantee the lives of the Marl students.”
“Hah, you expect me to believe your words?”
“Yes, that’s right. So, what will it be? It doesn’t matter to me either way. Oh, and I don’t recommend waiting for reinforcements from outside. This area is under my jurisdiction, so I’ve already set up a barrier for that purpose. Besides, I don’t want to waste any more time, so please make your decision quickly. If you keep me waiting too long, I might just start beheading students to amuse myself.”
“You… you bastard…!”
“You’re an angel, aren’t you? Do you think such devilish acts are permissible?”
“Yes, they are permissible. So then, what is your answer? The first one, is about to go, you know?”
Mercilessly, Horas declared this and reached for the neck of a female student standing near him. If no answer was given in a few more seconds, the student’s head would likely roll to the floor. Horas’s indifferent attitude was so cruel it made such a terrible sight imaginable.
“…Instructor Horas.”
During this unbearable time, it was Kuromel, surprisingly, who spoke.
“Yes, what is it?”
In stark contrast to his indifferent attitude towards Paul and Shinjir, Horas’s tone towards Kuromel softened slightly, perhaps because they were both fallen angels.
“You mentioned earlier that you set up a barrier around here. Could it be that you’ve also made some modifications to the stage? For example, have you switched to a different barrier to prevent Papa from leaving the stage?”
“…Hoh, you noticed? Yes, that’s correct. I recognized that when you are near the Grim Reaper Kel, he gains god-like power. Even we would not want to face such a Grim Reaper Kel. We have sealed the stage with our highest-grade barrier.”
“I see. Thank you.”
“Not at all.”
“…”
The first to feel a slight unease were Paul and Shinjir, who were near Kuromel. Although it was Kuromel speaking, her voice and manner of speaking were hers, yet something was different. They felt it instinctively.
“You two, step back. If I step forward, everything will be resolved.”
“Hah, I don’t think so!”
“Lady Kuromel, please don’t think of such foolish things as sacrificing yourself. My brilliant mind is currently working on a solution—”
“—Didn’t you hear me? I said step back.”
“Yikes!?”
Their suspicion turned into certainty, and at the same time, their bodies moved without a moment’s thought. As Kuromel commanded, they retreated far enough to be out of range.
(W-what is this? This overwhelming presence that leaves no room for argument!? Was that really the voice of that girl!? )
(It’s not about being strong or on a higher level! We, who have learned Master Kelvin’s teachings, are fearing her from the bottom of our hearts? Her? N-nonsense…!)
Their delayed thoughts began to churn, and questions flooded their minds. However, the situation was changing by the second. A black halo and black wings had unfurled above Kuromel’s head and on her back. Paul and Shinjir hadn’t even registered when she had deployed them. …Or rather, even Horas, who should have been a fellow fallen angel, had missed this transformation.
“H-haha, haha. Please don’t make me worry unnecessarily, Comrade Kuromel. Your power, which overwhelms even me, has no discernible bottom! I see, so you were indeed acting. You really are deceptive. However, a choice is a choice. I hereby pay my respects to you, who have chosen to walk this path together—”
“—What are you misunderstanding now? Didn’t I tell you? That if I stepped forward, everything would be resolved.”
Innumerable tentacles, reminiscent of darkness, materialized to fill Horas’s vision.
