Krail Raynell.
The heretic inquisitor of Lyriam, with his gray hair always neatly slicked back, a c!garette perpetually in his mouth, and the demeanor of a man hardened by society.
Like Julius and Thalia, he had been taught by the war hero Brukin and was a man chosen by the power of Raynell, the Angel of Punishment, following in the footsteps of the previous saint.
He wielded a terrifying power—one that could strip the protection of life from any being walking the earth with just a light gesture.
If not for Brukin and Julius, Krail might have been considered the strongest.
However, the man named Krail had little interest in power or fame. His famously nonchalant statement that his only life goal was to receive a steady salary and admire Raynell’s figure depicted in the Scripture became an iconic saying within the Central Church’s Inquisitor Training Center, symbolizing the ideal attitude of an inquisitor.
From a young age, Krail had revered—no, adored—the Angel of Punishment more than the god. He had no interest in other women, nor could he fathom raising a child.
Ironically, he ended up raising a small child because of the wrong friends he had made.
A friend haunted by memories of his deceased wife.
Krail feared saying the wrong thing and hurting her memory, so he withdrew. Yet, he found himself taking on the responsibility of raising Leira in Julius’s stead, lamenting his reduced circumstances.
“Raynell, if you pity me this much, please come down and stand by my side,” he muttered daily in front of the statue of the Angel of Punishment displayed in the Central Church. His antics escalated until he even attempted to embrace the angel statue. Unable to tolerate such behavior, the saint forbade Krail from approaching the statue.
“…What a fool. Why would a perfectly normal-looking man do something like that?”
“My dream, both as a child and now, is to marry Raynell. I’m even saving up my salary for that day,” Krail responded earnestly.
Saint Erman shook his head and clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk. What could be so special about a guy like that to warrant such authority?”
[You wish to marry me? Sweet child, I too long to stand by your side.]
“…?”
It didn’t seem to be one-sided love.
The saint let out a bewildered laugh and waved him off. “Don’t say strange things and just do your work. I’ll take care of Leira myself.”
“No, I will take care of Leira. It’s a request from a close friend.”
The relaxed figure from before quickly vanished as Krail glared with unexpected intensity.
After observing this for a moment, Erman sighed and began sorting the documents on his desk.
“Hmph, fine. But since we can no longer tolerate blasphemy against Raynell, you are forbidden from approaching the angel statue for now.”
“…Understood.”
Krail left the office, shoulders slumped and steps heavy.
As the saint watched him go, the angel’s voice whispered in his ears again.
[Ah, Krail… My love. If I could meet you, I would embrace you endlessly.]
“…Could you please shut up?”
It was unsettling, hearing an angel over a thousand years old professing love for a man not yet thirty.
Erman felt his already shaky faith sink further.
***
“So, who is this?”
“Ugh, it’s Raynell!”
“Tsk, no. This is Lionelta, the Angel of Death.”
“Wow! That’s my mom’s name!”
“…that is your mother’s family name.”
Krail showed Leira a picture book depicting an angel radiating golden brilliance, vanquishing devils and heretics.
“…In this way, angels descended to earth and taught humans how they should live. What kind of teachings did he give?”
“Uh, yes. So, Tapnel… I don’t know!”
“You take after your father again. It’s a pity your hair doesn’t resemble Cecil’s.”
“If I look like my father, does that mean I’m better? Hee hee.”
Krail felt his neck tense up as he watched the blonde-haired girl giggle innocently. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he made eye contact with her and continued.
“Tapnel, as the Angel of Faith, taught humans unbreakable courage and steadfast belief.”
“Yes!”
“Ziffnel, as the Angel of Mercy, taught humans love and compassion.”
“Was there no mercy before that?”
Leira looked at Krail with wide, curious eyes. He glared at her briefly before lowering his head.
“…I don’t know.”
“Liar! You’re teasing me!”
“You don’t need to know everything.”
“Wow! I’m an adult too!”
The indignant child grabbed Krail’s face and shook it.
Flustered, he eventually pacified her by explaining the concept of mercy.
“Hmm, next is Lionelta, the Angel of Death. When the world was corrupted by evil, she descended to purify it.”
“…Why does she have the same name as my mom but not teach anything?”
“Because Lionelta’s teachings are already imprinted in the world.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“…Everyone dies equally. That is the teaching of Lionelta, the overseer of death.”
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