“…maybe it’s better if you don’t teach me.”
Krail looked at Leira, who was puffing out her cheeks and muttering with a sulky expression. He gazed at her with pity for a moment, then opened the last page of the picture book.
Quickly, he thrust a picture of a beautiful angel with gray hair, resembling his own, in front of Leira’s face and declared, “The name of the last angel is Raynell. She is the most beautiful angel in the world, the Angel of Punishment. This exquisite face, voluptuous figure, and jewel-like eyes are like the ultimate masterpiece…”
“No, no, no! I can’t understand a thing!” Leira cried. “I’m scared, Uncle. What’s wrong with you?”
“Tsk, maybe it’s because you’re a kid. This is just how I usually talk about Raynell.”
“… Uncle, do I look like a fool to you?”
Despite being treated like a fool by the little girl, Krail continued to praise Raynell.
If Julius had been there, he would have immediately kicked Krail out and covered Leira’s ears. Unfortunately, Julius was busy with the work of a heretic inquisitor, leaving the little lady to endure an hour of endless praises about Raynell.
“… So, Lady Raynell’s punishment involves taking away the protection of life from the beings of this land. But most importantly…”
“You mean she’s the prettiest? Hmph, my mom is prettier.”
“No, that’s not it. There’s no one more beautiful than Raynell in the world.”
Krail gritted his teeth, arguing with a young child about the angel he served.
The sight was truly absurd, but Leira, who was kind and patient like her mother, managed to humor her slightly eccentric uncle.
One might think that he was indulging a child’s antics.
The saint, his colleagues, old friends, and even high-ranking devils who had begun to emerge from their seals—all of them would think that Krail was simply playing with his niece.
[Ah, as expected, this is the companion I’ve been waiting for over 2,000 years.]
Well, except for one angel who shared an equally peculiar mindset.
***
A pure white snowflake fell onto the earth.
When he opened his mouth and exhaled, his breath turned pure white, mingling with the snow falling from the sky before fading away.
He had barely escaped from the devil that had tried to claim his body, but crimson flowers continued to bloom from the gaping wound on his small stomach. Their petals scattered across the frozen ground, and the pain he had felt earlier was now a distant memory.
The little boy, his long black hair veiling his eyes, paused to marvel at the scene unfolding before him.
White snowflakes mingled with passionate red petals—it was like a masterpiece from a picture book he had once seen while playing with the neighborhood children.
“… It’s beautiful,” he whispered.
Warmth spread through his body. He didn’t remember being hugged by his mother, but perhaps this was how it would have felt.
His heartbeat grew weaker, and the strength in his small hands, clutching his torn abdomen, slowly faded.
The boy fell to his knees.
The painting he admired was crushed beneath him, and his faint breaths grew slower until they nearly ceased.
“Dad, Mom… I’m scared…”
Anyone would do. Someone, please don’t leave me alone.
“Please… I’m scared.”
[Ah, ah… My poor child, why are you suffering so much?]
“… Who…?”
[I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Seeing you in such pain while I turned a blind eye for just a moment… It breaks my heart. If only I could turn back time.]
“… Who… are you? Are you speaking to me? Thank you… I’m not lonely anymore…”
A faint smile appeared on the boy’s lips, and his little heart, which had fought so hard to keep beating, finally stopped.
The child’s small body began to cool in the frigid winter air.
[Poor child, I will grant my power to you. I will give you the strength to bring evil to its knees and make kings bow before you. So, live once more. Just don’t forget my name.]
[I am the third daughter of Rom, Lord of the High Heavens. An angel who eradicates evil and punishes the wicked.]
[Raynell of Punishment.]
[My beloved believer… Please, always remember my name.]
Snowflakes blanketed the world in pristine white, floating gently through the air.
In the small, frozen forest, time itself seemed to pause. Brilliant light descended from the heavens, breaking through the dark sky and illuminating the boy.
From his lifeless body came a faint, almost imperceptible heartbeat. Slowly, the black of his hair faded into a stunning shade of gray.
The heavenly radiance enveloped his entire body, bringing warmth that seeped deep into him.
Not long after, the light receded, hiding itself within the boy’s heart. Time resumed its flow.
The boy lay dreaming, imagining himself cradled in his mother’s warm embrace.
Three pairs of majestic, beautiful wings adorned the ground where he rested.
[I look forward to the day we meet again, Krail Raynell.]
On a snowy day in a quiet forest, the story of an angel and a boy unfolded.
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Check out my other projects: Rehabilitating the Villainess, Pushover Extra Trains the Villainesses, I Picked Up an Amnesiac Witch, Transmigrated as the Butler of a Defeated Heroine, My Summons Are Special