Chapter 24

The sky.

The ceiling of a world beyond the grasp of earthly beings.

Humans have always gazed up at the sky, unable to reach it, and let their imaginations soar with the events unfolding there.

When lightning strikes, it is because the ruler of the sky is angered.

When rain falls, it is because they feel sorrow, and when the sun shines to grow crops, it proves that even the omnipotent being has benevolence.

Thus, those who built the omnipotent being from nothing spread it to the world, and at the end, the concept of religion began to emerge among humanity.

In essence, religion is the act of worshiping something that does not exist, which, from a certain perspective, can be seen as meaningless.

However, this world possesses a special power that responds to such beliefs.

Just as mana responds to human will and causes physical effects, a strong belief in something can evoke mysterious powers.

If such a belief is held collectively over a long period, a corresponding existence will be born.

Thus, Heaven was created.

A place above the clouds that cover the world, where the omnipotent being and their subordinates reside, overseeing the earth.

“Middle-class angel Angela, heed the call.”

Angela, born as an angel and trained in Heaven, stood in the temple, looking up at the four archangels who oversaw her.

Each bearing titles of justice, courage, order, and hope, they were the archangels whom all angels aspired to become.

Angela, too, dreamed of one day standing among them and worked hard in her training, which led to this moment—the opportunity to be promoted to a high-class angel.

“Angela. You have shown the most exemplary behavior among the middle-class angels. Thus, we, the archangels, wish to test your qualifications for promotion to a high-class angel.”

“Thank you for your high praise of this humble angel.”

Becoming a high-class angel would grant her more power and status, allowing her to fully carry out the tasks of the omnipotent beings.

With this opportunity, Angela steeled herself and engraved the details of the test in her mind.

“The test is simple. Angela, you will descend to the mortal realm in response to the prayers of its inhabitants and spread as much benefit as possible to them.”

“If we deem your actions worthy, you will be promoted to a high-class angel and entrusted with the mission to assist the great beings.”

“Remember. We exist in this world because of the faith of the believers. Fulfilling their wishes is the justice and virtue we must uphold.”

The explanations and advice from the archangels.

Feeling their encouragement and expectations, Angela confidently responded.

“Middle-class angel Angela. I will surely complete this test, living up to the archangels’ expectations.”

Thus began the promotion test in the mortal realm.

Angela took her place where she could overlook the mortal realm and began to sense the signals emanating from it.

The faint energies were from individual prayers, while the stronger ones came from the fervent prayers of many.

Among them, Angela focused on the place with the strongest energy.

Angels are beings born through faith, and their role is to fulfill the expectations of those who believe.

Thus, the task of spreading benefit in the mortal realm could also be achieved by fulfilling the wishes of as many people as possible.

“Then, I’m off!”

With that decision, Angela leaped toward the mortal realm, her body turning into light and crashing into the center of a city.

Her destination was a grand temple where believers gathered.

The light that crashed there soon took physical form, and the believers who witnessed it began to express shock and confusion.

“Wh-what is that!?”

“Light… wings?”

For them, this was entirely unexpected.

Prayer was merely a ritual to manage their faith, and they had never experienced something descending in response to their prayers.

“Lost lambs. Your earnest prayers have reached the heavens.”

But such confusion could be resolved with time.

To convince the bewildered believers, Angela spread her wings to display her presence.

Sometimes, actions speak louder than words.

“My name is Angela. I am an angel, a representative of the Lord, here to assist you.”

With that introduction and a gentle smile, Angela declared with firm resolve and a sense of mission.

“Now, everyone. Let us spread goodness in the world together. Purge the impure and bring hope to those in suffering!”

“Th-this……”

Despite her encouragement, the believers trembled, unable to speak.

Thinking they were in awe, Angela smiled, but soon someone among them shouted.

“Heretic!! A heretic has appeared!”

Words the angel, who claimed to be humanity’s savior, never expected.

“…What?”

“Oh Lord! Why have you sent this heretic to us!?”

“No! Surely the heretic’s god has summoned this being to deceive us!!”

“Evil witch!! Begone! How dare you set foot here!!!”

The initial condemnation was followed by a flood of passionate voices.

Angela, not expecting such a reaction, was left in utter confusion.

A heretic? What could they possibly mean?

She had clearly descended to the most devout group in the city…

“P-please, calm down. There must be some misunderstanding…”

But her attempts to pacify them were short-lived.

Soon, a priest approached her, lifting something heavy in his hands.

A thick, weighty Bible, which could serve as an excellent blunt weapon.

“You blasphemous wretch!!!”

And with a loud thud, the corner of the Bible struck Angela’s head.

The pain forced her to clutch her head and collapse to the ground.

“Ow, ow, my head… my head!!”

Violence she had never experienced in Heaven.

Tears welled up in Angela’s eyes as she faced this incomprehensible situation, but the believers only intensified their anger.

“Lord. Why have you sent this heretic’s guardian to our Islamic sect!?”

“Foolish Christian fools! How dare you send the heretic’s minion to us!!”

“Let’s tear off those filthy wings and burn them on a cross!!”

“Ahhh!!!”

Unable to endure the chaos and fear, Angela fled.

Escaping the curses and stones thrown at her, Angela hid in a secluded alley, venting her confusion.

“Ugh, what’s going on? Why are the faithful believers angry at an angel?”

Could she have mistaken the place and landed in the wrong spot?

No, their faith was genuine, and their anger stemmed from that faith.

Despite angels being beings born from faith, the faithful were now directing violence toward her.

“I need to figure out what’s going on…”

To understand this inexplicable situation, Angela decided to wander the streets for a while.

She knew where to look.

Angels gain power through faith, so they can sensitively detect those who possess it.

“Oh, an angel. Isn’t this an angel?”

At the end of her search, she encountered a nun with unwavering faith.

Relieved by the nun’s reverence, Angela approached her.

“Thankfully, you recognize me.”

“Your wings alone signify that you are a servant of the Lord. Surely, the Lord has sent you to guide us.”

The nun’s respect and accurate understanding of Heaven’s intentions made Angela feel relieved.

But then, the nun slyly asked her a question.

“By the way, angel. If I may ask, which archangel do you serve?”

“Huh?”

“Surely, you serve Michael. The pure energy you exude is a testament to your reverence for justice.”

Michael, the archangel of justice, one of the four archangels who lead Heaven’s angels.

Angela respected and admired him, but the nun’s words felt slightly off.

“Certainly, I respect Michael, but all the archangels deserve respect. Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel as well…”

“What!? You show faith in those wicked and foolish fallen angels! You must be a servant of the fallen angels!”

“Wh-what? What do you… Ahhh!!”

“Believers! There’s a fallen one here! Let’s offer this one’s blood in a chalice to Michael!!!”

The sudden outburst and renewed violence forced Angela to flee once more.

Unable to retaliate, Angela had no choice but to run, and this pattern repeated every time she tried to approach a place of faith.

Through this, Angela realized one thing.

‘Each believer serves a different master?’

Some serve one archangel while rejecting another, and others claim to serve the omnipotent God but reject those who call Him by a different name.

Even among those who share the same faith, there are subtle differences in its form.

When these differences were mentioned, they would all erupt in rage, unleashing violence and curses.

‘Why? Aren’t they all believers of the same faith?’

Yes, Angela, who had always focused on her training, didn’t know.

Heaven is created by faith, but it doesn’t distinguish between the types of faith it receives.

Different origins, teachings, and cultures…

This leads to different interpretations of the same being, and these differences result in intense rejection of one another.

Moreover, she was in the most expansive city in the mortal realm.

With various sects gathering for missionary work, numerous religions coexisted in one place, leading to frequent friction between them.

“Heretic!! A heretic has appeared!!”

“How dare the minion of a heathen invade our sect’s territory!!”

The endless wars had made the believers’ nerves sharp.

An angel, ignorant of their beliefs, descended among them, and thus, Angela was treated harshly and driven away whenever she approached a place of faith.

This was a reality Angela, who hadn’t anticipated such events, found unbearable.

Finally hiding in an alley, Angela prayed to the archangels for salvation.

“Archangels!! My ignorance and arrogance have brought great trouble! I am not yet qualified to take this test, so please take me back to Heaven!!”

She hoped they would cancel the test and guide her back to Heaven.

‘Angela, do not fear. Facing such reality is also necessary to become a high-class angel.’

But the response to her prayer was contrary to her wishes.

Instead, they implied this was all part of the plan, leaving Angela bewildered and pleading.

“W-wait, archangels!! How is facing this situation necessary? Isn’t something wrong here? I, I mean…”

‘Endure it. This is also a trial you must overcome to become a high-class angel.’

With those words, the communication ended.

No matter how much she prayed afterward, only silence answered, and Angela collapsed to the ground, letting out a helpless scream.

****

“And so, I didn’t know what to do, left all alone… Sniff.”

“Yes, I see. Here, have another piece of meat.”

“Sniff, okay…”

Munching on the piece of meat I gave her, Angela swallowed her sobs.

While I felt pleased that she enjoyed the food, her story left a bitter taste.

I had heard that Heaven was created in response to faith, but I never knew it didn’t distinguish between the types of faith required to build it.

Yes, religious people are sensitive to the doctrines they follow, so naturally, if an actual angel appeared in a form different from what they knew, they would reject it outright.

“Sniff… What should I do now?”

As I pondered how a lone, abandoned angel ended up being revered as a deity by fanatics…

Hearing her melancholic voice, I paused my thoughts and offered her another piece of meat from the plate.

“Let’s finish eating first, then think about it. Here, say ‘ah.'”

“Ah… Munch munch.”

Chewing the meat I gave her, Angela swallowed her tears.

“Is it tasty?”

“It’s delicious~”

Seeing her smile slightly, I felt pleased and fed her another bite.