Chapter 29

Soon, I emerged from the slum and arrived on top of a bridge.

The sound of the river flowing below echoed clearly, and the serene scene helped calm the tension I had felt until now.

Yes, this was the perfect place for a conversation.

“Angela. Can you hear my voice?”

In such a place, I set Angela down from my arms, faced her, and asked.

“If you can hear me, please answer.”

She must be listening.

As if confirming my thoughts, the color slowly returned to her previously dull eyes.

“…Since when?”

Her voice was weak, as if still under the lingering effects of hypnosis.

“Since when did you notice?”

But unlike before, her will was clearly intact. I smiled bitterly and quietly answered.

“I suspected from the beginning. Someone of your caliber wouldn’t easily fall for human dark magic.”

Even if she brought calamity, she had the potential to ascend to the position of a “god” in the future, didn’t she?

If such a being were to be manipulated by a mere human—no, a holy priest far removed from dark magic—it would mean that her own will was also involved to some extent.

“You let it happen on purpose, didn’t you? His hypnosis.”

“……”

Angela avoided my gaze without a word.

But below the bridge, the river flowed, and her face, which she tried to hide, was faintly reflected in the water.

A face filled with confusion, doubt, bitterness, and pity… A complex mix of negative emotions.

“He was a noble person. As an angel, I thought I should respect the will of such a priest.”

“Even if what he was trying to do would bring chaos to the world?”

“That’s…”

Angela trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

Her passive attitude was likely due to her unfamiliarity with situations like this.

Having spent her entire life in heaven, this was her first experience with the affairs of the mortal world.

“…You said angels can see original sin.”

So she must have trusted her own eyes.

Believing that someone with such a noble heart would never do anything harmful to the world.

“You followed Archbishop Herez because you believed he was a good person, free of original sin.”

In fact, it was precisely because of his noble heart that she must have believed his actions would bring righteousness to this world.

That’s why she didn’t resist the mind-controlling power and even lent him her strength.

“But the path he pursued was filled with chaos.”

Even though she must have sensed, albeit vaguely, that his goal was to pursue his own justice, even at the cost of war and madness.

“He was preparing for a ‘holy war’ to unify the countless forms of righteousness in this world, eliminating anything that stood in his way.”

“……”

“Is lending strength to such a path truly the role of an angel like you?”

The question lingered in the silence.

I hoped the answer that would come from her would be what I desired.

That righteousness doesn’t always mean order.

Sometimes, righteousness brings chaos, and for those who pursue it, all that awaits is madness.

“It’s not that I supported it… I just couldn’t deny it.”

The answer came after a considerable pause.

Her voice still lacked confidence, and her gaze aimlessly followed the flow of the river.

“Angels are beings born from faith. No matter how much righteousness is pursued, if it leads to undesirable outcomes… If they believe they must continue down that path despite the consequences, then we, born from faith, cannot deny that path.”

There are as many forms of righteousness as there are people, and the clash of righteousness inevitably leads to chaos.

From an angel’s perspective, all they can do is watch.

Not denying, but simply responding to their prayers, lending strength when needed…

“It’s difficult, pursuing righteousness.”

But perhaps she had learned something from this incident.

Angela, who had chosen to remain an observer, now expressed what could be called doubt.

“And I think I understand why the archangels sent me to the mortal world as a test.”

“…What do you think the reason is?”

“Surely, it was to experience it. To understand that the world is filled with countless forms of righteousness, and that pursuing one righteousness means abandoning another…”

Her gaze gradually turned to her own hands.

Hands that tried to grasp something but ultimately held nothing.

“In such a world, what should I pursue? Which righteousness should I choose to spread greater good in this world… That’s not something that can be decided overnight.”

Her hands, now empty, turned her gaze back to me.

Her expression was still clouded, as she hadn’t found the answer yet.

But even so, the emotions directed at me were clear.

“If Sebastian hadn’t saved me, I probably would have followed the path of the one who took me in.”

That feeling must be gratitude.

Gratitude for preventing her from making the narrow-minded choice of pursuing only one form of righteousness in a world where countless forms coexist.

But at the same time, she must have realized.

That not being corrupted by the madness born of righteousness is only possible because that person isn’t purely righteous.

“…Sebastian.”

Yes, even if she lost her will, her sense of self must have remained.

The existence of evil that opposed the noble one must have been something she grasped with her own eyes.

“You’re a demon, aren’t you?”

To her subtle question, I smiled bitterly and answered.

“Yes, as you thought…”

I am her enemy.

I honestly told her that I, a being born from the same righteousness as her, am the embodiment of evil, something she has always been taught to reject.

“I am a demon who has lived in Hell for a long time. That’s why I understand what evil is, and I have negative feelings about the righteousness that angels pursue.”

I hoped that she, who had escaped the fate of a calamity god, would side with me, but I believed that could only happen after I revealed everything about myself.

“To you, someone like me must seem like an impure being, right?”

Even if accusations were hurled at me here, I believed I had to endure them, so I didn’t hesitate to reveal my true nature.

Only if a being as righteous as her could affirm someone as fallen as me could the existence of the woman I wanted to be with also be affirmed.

“…That’s not true.”

But instead of the accusations I expected, she said the exact opposite.

“That’s not… true?”

“Sebastian is a demon, but I don’t think that’s wrong. If I really thought it was wrong, I would have run away the moment I met you.”

She said this with clear eyes directed at me.

Her gaze no longer held the doubt or self-reproach from before.

It was straightforward and clear…

“After all, I can’t see any original sin in you.”

With that gaze, she was trying to prove to me that her words were not false.

The condition for such a righteous being to discuss evil…

Was something I, who was defined as evil from birth, couldn’t see at all.

“…You can’t see it? In me?”

“Yes.”

“Even though I’m a demon?”

“I’m sure. An angel’s eyes don’t make mistakes!”

Her eyes sparkled even more than the moonlight reflecting on the water.

As I stared at her in bewilderment, a sigh escaped Angela’s lips, as if she had just realized something.

“Ah, of course, just because there’s no original sin doesn’t mean I’ll unconditionally support you. I’ve also learned from this incident that righteousness must be supported carefully.”

Yes, the absence of original sin only means that the person is a righteous being.

Having realized that righteousness doesn’t always symbolize order, she would have to be cautious about it from now on.

“But even if I don’t unconditionally support you…”

And the words that followed were her conviction, built through that realization.

“Once I know that person is righteous, I can compromise, right?”

“Compromise, you say?”

“Instead of unconditionally opposing, we can understand each other, persuade each other… By respecting each other and correcting wrong directions, we can move toward the righteousness we each pursue without fighting. If everyone reconciles like that, we can all move forward on the right path without chaos.”

Compromise instead of conflict. By making promises to each other and moving forward, the world would be free of chaos.

That was the path Angela, the angel, had come to pursue through this incident.

The answer that everyone had turned away from because it was too noble. Perhaps the most difficult path to pursue righteousness. She was determined to walk that path with dignity.

“That’s why I believe in Sebastian.”

Even in this moment, facing a being whose essence is evil. Even knowing his true nature.

“Sebastian is a demon, but I can tell he’s a righteous being.”

Facing her, who firmly asserted her conviction, I felt a sense of unease rising within me.

“…Do you really believe in me?”

“I do. You’ve saved me twice, after all.”

Why is it?

Even though I wanted our relationship to progress, why do I feel wary of her affirming my existence?

“What if I saved you to corrupt you?”

That wariness led me to create distance.

She seemed momentarily flustered by the question but soon smiled warmly and answered.

“If that were true, you would have had original sin from the beginning.”

Her gaze, reflecting me.

As if trusting me, who, by her standards, had no trace of impurity.

“Sebastian. You’re someone who knows how to pursue your own righteousness. Saving me must have been the result of following that righteousness.”

As if expressing that trust, a light began to emanate from her body.

A light so bright. A light that would be fatal to beings called evil.

“Even if you were born with a tendency toward evil… Overcoming that nature makes your existence all the more valuable.”

But it was warm.

Even in a situation where that light could destroy my body, I felt an unparalleled warmth from her smile.

Just feeling that warmth was enough.

I had been acknowledged by her.

“An angel like me guarantees it. Sebastian, you are kinder than anyone I’ve ever met.”

That alone proved it.

No matter how much I’ve played in the den of evil, I am human. Though my exterior may be that of a demon, my inner self has always retained humanity.

Moreover, by keeping her by my side, I can maintain my identity as a human.

“…If I accept that.”

But how could I accept it?

If I accepted that…

“What happens to her?”

If I accepted her testimony and acknowledged that I am a good human.

Then the woman I promised to be with would be branded as an outcast in this world.

“Huh? Her…?”

To Angela, who didn’t understand and stared at me blankly, I couldn’t say anything more.

Knowing that the stronger her trust in me, the deeper her hatred for her would become.

—

‘I want to thank you.’

‘Thank you for making me look forward to tomorrow.’

—

A life lived under unwanted coercion.

A life where no one cared for her, only eager to reject her.

It’s only natural that such a woman would harbor hatred toward the world.

All the actions driven by that hatred would bring chaos, but they would lack any pursuit of greater purpose.

—

‘…So, please don’t leave me.’

—

But now, hasn’t she given up on revenge and started to desire a simple, ordinary life?

Even though I saw the possibility of her escaping her fate…

If I accept the angel’s testimony here, wouldn’t I be dooming her future to ruin?

—

‘Stay by my side until I have the courage to thank you.’

—

“Sebastian, Sebastian?”

Angela called out to me, worried as I remained silent.

Finally breaking free from my memories, I calmed my troubled heart and faced her again.

Her concern for me was genuine.

Every word she said to me must have been sincere.

And her feelings toward Jeremiah…

“Angela.”

Not wanting to acknowledge it, I finally thought of a compromise and decided to ask for her help.

“I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal?”

“You can refuse, but I hope you’ll accept. For your sake, and for mine…”

Perhaps a choice that could lead to catastrophe.

But the world still awaits her destined fate.

To escape that, sometimes we must boldly take risks.

“…What do you want me to do?”

To the woman who might become the means to that end, I answered firmly.

“Miss…”

Please, for her.

“Would you guide her, who may become a great evil in the future, with your own hands?”

To the pitiful woman who keeps me human, I asked for the chance to correct her fate.

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