Chapter 39.1

Chapter 39 – Part 1

5. Angel Leads You to Paradise

There were many lit candles inside the large cave. The floor was filled with incomprehensive writings. Sitting around were people all wearing dark robes. In one corner, about twenty people were trapped inside a transparent membrane. Some of them were evidently despairing with their heads buried on their knees, while others were banging against the transparent membrane, but nothing could be heard. It only showed how desperate their situation was.

The people wearing black robes were called ‘The Shadows.’ The Shadows were the most talented. All of them were wearing robes with deep hoods in order not to reveal their identity to anyone. Their robes were also enchanted with magic.

When putting on the hood, their gender, the color of their clothes and their eyes were erased from anyone’s eyes without them knowing. If there was one problem, it was that it didn’t work for the High Priest of the L’Aquila Temple. Of course, it didn’t work for the saints either.

But the strange thing is that it also didn’t work for Frey Eckhart. It wouldn’t work for the saint because her holy power was powerful in opposition to their magic, but he didn’t have that much power. Spiritual power was said to be a pure energy, but it differed from holy power in terms of strength and essence.

It was questionable why, but it didn’t work no matter how many times they tried, so they were left with no choice but to press their hoods more deeply. Moreover, if anyone had seen them without the hood even once, the magic wouldn’t be activated even if they put on the hood again. So on the whole, they were quite sensitive about revealing their faces.

Shadows gathered once a month to report on their results. Of course, the topic of their gathering this time was about the saint of the Temple of L’Aquila. The shadows were discussing the ordeals of the saint.

Patrick took off his suffocating robe and scratched his brown hair, then glanced at the people trapped inside the transparent membrane. It was for the sake of the angels, and he told them that he would never harm them, but Patrick somehow cared about them. But knowing that the angels were suspicious of his intentions, Patrick struggled to win their hearts. He sighed.

“This is neither failure nor success. I tried to win them, but I can’t do it myself, don’t you think so?”

“Be polite, Patrick. And put on your hood.”

“I have enough of them, what do you – ouch!”

A fist large enough to make a sound slammed on Patrick’s cheek. He fell backwards into the distance. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of his left lip.

“I already told you to fix that way of speaking.”

“… Aiyah, that hurts.”

“Sir Grand, please refrain from using violence.”

The pair of crimson red eyes looked at Patrick. His shadow with his back facing the candle, shook as if it would swallow Patrick.

Touching his throbbing cheek, Patrick returned to his seat and sat down. Abel looked at Patrick with a frown and opened his mouth.

“You became more devoted to the contrary. Is this the direction the angel wants you to go?”

“You have to watch to find that out.”

“Have you not seen the power of the Saint? This time, it was handled by the Rohelio family and the Temple of L’Aquila.”

A woman with a slender voice continued to add, “Rather than the angel’s intention, we couldn’t confirm the power of the Saint. So, this is not talking about the direction the angel wants us to go.”

She sighed as she gave Abel, Francis and Patrick a glance, then sneered, “Shouldn’t you start judging your capabilities?”

“Exactly. Putting the Saint into trouble with just one rumor. Can you do your work more properly?”

There were sneers around. Francis and Abel’s faces began to contort. Patrick just shrugged his shoulders while he fiddled with his chapped lips.

“It was my first mission after joining The Shadows. Wouldn’t the angels forgive our immaturity?”

“You.”

Grand gritted his teeth. Despite being beaten, Patrick grinned with his bloodied mouth.

“If you keep beating me like this, angels will hate you, Sir Grand.”

The aura around him began to grow wilder. His blood-red eyes grew darker and deeper. A woman stopped him when he was about to stand up again.

“Enough.”

“…”

His brows twisted as his glare at Patrick didn’t grow weaker, but Grand didn’t say anything and turned his head away.

“She can have as much as hardship.”

“…”

“The peace-loving angel will be sad if you fight amongst yourselves like this.”

With her face deeply covered by the hood, only her pink lips drawn in an arc were visible.

“So, is this all the angels?”

Paula’s head tilted sideways. Her smiling lips hardened in an instant.

[‘A letter?’]

[‘Yes, this.’]

With her long hair braided on each side, Yurenia handed the letter to Frey. Opening the letter, Frey tilted his head. It was a letter detailing Lisandro’s atrocities and asking for Frey to be saved, but upon closer look, it also looked like a plea to please stop Lisandro from committing any more atrocities.

[‘Did you leave the temple for this letter Noona?’]

Yurenia slightly nodded her head as she stroked Frey’s cheek apologetically.

[‘I didn’t realize it was such a serious situation. I’m sorry. I think I just wanted to turn a blind eye to it.’]

She was buried with her work until she abused her body for the sake of the people. She found a job for herself, gave them blessings, and poured out her powers generously. That was because she thought that was something she was supposed to do as the saint chosen by God.

Meanwhile, her parents went back, and Lisandro was as cold as always. So she thought that she should work harder. She sent letters to Lisandro but never received a single reply from him, nor did he meet her when she visited. She wasn’t even allowed to take a step inside the mansion even though that was also her home.

So she had no idea that Frey had been suffering there. She heard rumors from time to time, but she didn’t think it was that serious. It was a fact she could have known had she dug more deeply into it.

[‘I’m sorry. I was having a hard time….’]

Anyway, Yurenia had let go of Lisandro and Frey.

As if to comfort Yurenia with a self-deprecating expression, he rubbed his cheeks on the palm of her hand.

[‘I have never blamed you. So please don’t think that way.’]

[‘Frey… Lisandro is….’]

[‘I’m fine. It’s really alright, Yuni.’]

Tears welled in her big eyes. Frey slowly wiped the tears from Yurenia’s eyes.

[‘I already told you. It doesn’t matter what happens now.’]

Speaking with his exceptionally red lips, Frey’s smile was brighter than ever.

[‘I….’]

The inaudible voice gradually disappeared, and the long white lashes fluttered. Soon, the mysterious silver-grey eyes were revealed. Frey’s smile, which she hadn’t taken her eyes off ever since she had slept, broadened even more.