The beautiful woman, known as the Angel of Mercy, Kindness, Love, and Prophecy, gently extended her hand in salvation.
A girl clung to a small rope that had fallen from the sky. Her angel slowly lowered her head toward her, and a whisper brushed past her ear.
“You and I will work together to save Julius Tapnel. I will dig mercilessly into his weak heart, seal away the evil creature pretending to be his wife, and pull your precious family out of the abyss.”
“…I will save my brother.”
Thalia, who had been gazing at the water-soaked soil in the distance, her eyes devoid of light, murmured softly.
A pleasant sound.
Yes, this was salvation. She would do everything in her power to save the brothers who had strayed down the wrong path.
Devils, born from the void, did not understand the human heart.
Everyone was merely being deceived.
In the end, they were nothing more than beings that toyed with humans like playthings, ultimately taking their lives and mocking their fleeting existence.
So, she had to act.
She could not lose her brother Julius the way she had lost her father.
Thalia sat on the floor, muttering to herself.
Ziffnel, who had been watching her with satisfaction, silently stepped away.
With brisk strides, she walked toward a large, magnificent tree, her figure exuding confidence.
She called out softly.
“There’s a little thief hiding. I won’t scold you, so come out and show yourself.”
“H-Hey, what? How did you know?”
A faint whiff of cheap liquor lingered in the air.
Ziffnel frowned and gently covered her nose, making a subtle gesture toward the sword demon, Renelle, a woman clad in peculiar garments.
“Hmm… come here for a moment, little mortal.”
“Ah… The chicken speaks! The big chicken is trying to eat me!”
Renelle, still clearly intoxicated, shook her head with a dazed expression, swaying as if she had not yet sobered up.
Ziffnel, watching her pathetic display with mockery, grabbed her by the collar of her coat and issued the angel’s revelation.
“Listen carefully and drop the ridiculous act.”
“…Oh, was I caught? I didn’t mean to spy on this…”
“From now on, I will travel to Aran with Thalia, the lovely representative of loving-kindness.”
“Travel, yes! Traveling is good, but shouldn’t angels take a break sometimes so the world can remain peaceful?”
“…I told you to stop spouting nonsense. Well, whatever. I will now grant you a revelation, so listen carefully.”
“…Understood, Angel of Mercy and Love.”
The Sword Devil shed her playful demeanor and slowly knelt before the angel.
Unable to bear the sight of Renelle’s strong thighs being so openly exposed, Ziffnel turned her head aside in disapproval before delivering the revelation.
“Soon, Reynell’s representative and Julius’ daughter will arrive in Kente Village.”
“…”
“Tell them—Julius is not coming back here.”
“…What? What do you mean by that?”
Renelle tilted her head, struggling to comprehend the angel’s cryptic message.
Clicking her tongue at Renelle’s slow-witted response, Ziffnel continued.
“Tsk, I’m not finished, so stop being an idiot.”
“Ah, ah… I’m sorry.”
“When they arrive, they will stay at Mila’s mansion on the first night. Then, when the ‘echo’ resonates the following day, they must turn back and leave. That is the message you must deliver.”
“Hmm, I’m not quite sure… Could you explain it in simpler terms?”
“Fine, let me conclude the revelation.”
Hearing the angel’s voice, imbued with the sacredness of heaven, Renelle had no choice but to prostrate herself.
If she dared to draw her sword without cause, she might never be able to marry and could end her days as an eternal spinster.
Under the name of the Angel of Love, her once-proud knees suddenly felt weightless.
Ziffnel, gazing down at the Sword Devil as she accepted the revelation, grinned and bestowed upon her a personal gift.
“Oh, by the way, I will grant you a prophecy as well.”
“Woe to you, O Blessed Archangel Ziffnel.”
“You are a fool who will never marry. Accept your fate and continue walking the path of the sword.”
—Plop. Plod. Trudge.
That was the end of the angel’s revelation.
Slowly lifting her head, Renelle watched as Ziffnel picked up the girl still sitting on the ground, muttering, “I have to save them” over and over again.
Three pairs of wings unfurled from the angel’s back, and with a single step, she soared into the sky, covering the entire lakeside in an instant.
As dawn broke, Ziffnel and Thalia ascended toward Aran, their figures carving a magnificent spectacle across the sky.
For the first time in her life, Renelle knelt voluntarily.
A single word had shattered the pride of a swordswoman known for her arrogance.
‘Love.’
Upon hearing the angel’s prophecy that spring would never come for her, Renelle, who had been shaking her head in desperate denial, suddenly froze. Clenching her jaw and shedding silent, bloody tears, she grasped the belt wrapped around her waist. Gritting her teeth, she spat out words as if chewing them bitterly.
“…Ziffnel, was it?”
They called her the Angel of Love—the celestial being who united hearts!
‘Then why am I alone? Why must I walk this path by myself?’
“Next time we meet, I will cut you down.”
She would have her revenge.
On a cold autumn morning, when a love that had never come finally vanished—
Just as autumn fades into winter—
So too did the love of the legendary genius swordswoman disappear.
No… it had never arrived in the first place.
—Kwaaa!