"Everyone, take heed," a monotone voice spoke into everyone's ears. The man who spoke had no distinguishing features, and he would not stand out in a crowd. "The prey has entered the cage. Offer up your faith to the gods."
Everyone began their silent prayers, a shortened version of their usual praise to their gods.
Even though they were operating in another country, they would never pause in their reverent prayers. It was not complacency on their part, but a symbol of their sincere faith in their gods.
These men who offered everything to the Slane Theocracy and the gods they worshiped were far more devout than the average citizen of the Theocracy. It was why they could perform cruel acts without the slightest bit of hesitation, and why they felt no guilt for doing so.
Dressing up under the banners of another country and slaughtering a different country's villagers?
Those men did not bat an eye at their order.
Maim the survivors? Desecrate the corpses? Ravage the land?
Those men did not bat an eye at their order.
They were meant to play the monsters to incite a war, and they took that role with righteous glee.
They were in the right, after all. They had their gods on their side. They could do no wrong under their guidance.
After their prayers, the eyes of every man present were as hard and cold as glass.
"Begin."
With that one single word, they neatly encircled the village.
Those men were a black ops group from the Slane Theocracy. Though their reputation spread far and wide, little was known about their members. They belonged to one of the Six Scriptures who answered directly to the high priests of the Slane Theocracy. They were the Sunlight Scripture, whose official mission was to exterminate demihuman settlements.
There were only around a hundred of them in total as the recruitment standards for the Sunlight Scripture were immovably strict. Entry required the ability to cast third-tier divine magic, which was also the highest tier of magic that ordinary magic casters could reach. In addition, prospective recruits had to be in excellent physical condition, and they had to possess a strong will and unshakable faith.
Plainly, they were the elite among other elite combatants.
The man quietly sighed as he watched his men disperse. Once they scattered to take their positions, it would be difficult to track their movements.
The Sunlight Scripture's commander, Nigun Grid Luin, only felt the peace of mind that came with knowing that success was at hand.
The Sunlight Scripture was not accustomed to long-term clandestine operations in the field.
They were exceedingly careful every time they closed in on Gazef and his men of the Kingdom, in order to avoid being spotted. If they missed that chance as well, the days of tracking and pursuing would drag on and on.
Nigun muttered, "Next time I'd like to ask the other teams for help, and leave some work to them."
Someone answered Nigun's gripes.
"That's right, we've always been specialized in extermination. I mean, this is a strange mission. Usually, we would have back up from the Windflower Scripture for something as important as this."
Nigun nodded. "Indeed, I don't know why they only deployed us this time around. Still, this will be a good experience for us. We can take this as training in infiltrating enemy territory. Heh, for all we know, that was what the people on top intended."
Nigun said that, but he was very clear that another mission of this nature would be very unlikely.
The second set of orders he had been given was to "assassinate the greatest warrior of the Kingdom, the man famed in the surrounding countries for his matchless might, Gazef Stronoff."
That was not the sort of task which would usually be assigned to the Sunlight Scripture. Instead, it would have been the province of the Theocracy's most powerful special operations unit, the Black Scripture, whose members wielded the power of heroes. However, it was not possible currently.
The reason was top secret, so he could not tell his subordinates, but Nigun knew the truth.
The Black Scripture was protecting the holy relic Downfall of Castle and Country in preparation against the resurrection of the Catastrophe Dragon Lord, while the Windflower Scripture was busy chasing the traitor who had made off with a relic of the Miko Princesses'. Neither of them had the free time to help them.
Nigun unconsciously felt the scar on his cheek.
He remembered the only time in the past where he had been forced to flee and forfeit a mission. The face of that girl with the jet-black demonic sword rose in his mind. Magic could have easily healed the wound without leaving a mark, but he had purposely left the scar to engrave the lesson of that humiliating defeat into his heart.
That damnable Blue Rose.
The members of Blue Rose were citizens of the Kingdom, just like Gazef. Their priestess was the one who drew his ire. Besides the fact that she was an infidel who worshiped another god, she had stopped Nigun while he was planning to attack demihumans, and even believed that she was on the side of justice in doing so. Justice. For defending demihumans.
Disgusting. Blasphemy.
He'd show her.
Oh, yes, he'd show her... The next time the two met, that woman had better be prepared. He would correct her way of thinking by using any means necessary...
The Kingdom was divided into the Noble and the Royal factions. Since they were opposed to Gazef, a prominent figure in the Royal faction, the Noble faction was easily led to take political action to eliminate him. They did not even pause to consider the consequences of siding with a foreign nation just to harass one of their largest assets.
Gazef was a commoner who had risen to his current station through his talent, and so the nobles despised him.
And that had led to the current situation.
The Kingdom's trump card would soon be lost by their own hands.
Nigun was truly stupefied that the Nobles would hire their own mercenaries to slaughter villages in their own country to draw Gazef out. The fact that these mercenaries worked under Nigun to massacre hundreds of innocent citizens just for political gain...
The Kingdom was every bit as stupid as the Blue Rose.
They—the Slane Theocracy—might be divided into six sects, but whenever they needed to act, they did so as one.
One reason for that was that everyone respected each other's gods. The other was because everyone knew that there were many inhuman tribes and monsters in this world, and that they would be in danger if they did not work together.
Which is why everyone should walk the path of the righteous teachings together. Humanity should not fight amongst itself, but work hand in hand to bring about a better and brighter future.
Gazef would be the sacrifice for that.
"Can we kill him?" one of his subordinates quietly asked.
Nigun did not mock his subordinate's unease.
Their prey was the Kingdom's Warrior-Captain—the strongest man in the region—Gazef Stronoff.
Eliminating him would be more difficult than attacking and exterminating the inhabitants of a huge goblin village. It was understandable to be nervous.
Nigun calmly said, "It will be fine. Right now, he does not possess any of the Kingdom's treasures. Without them, killing him will be eas—no, it would be better to say that without them, this is our only chance to kill him."
The Kingdom's Warrior-Captain, Gazef Stronoff, was famed as the strongest fighter in the land. But there was a reason for that reputation beyond his extraordinary swordsmanship.
That reason was the five heirlooms of the Kingdom. Although only four of them were known, he was permitted to bear all of them.
The Gauntlets of Vitality made their user immune to fatigue. The Amulet of Immortality constantly regenerated his wounds. The Guardian Armor was made of adamantine and enchanted to ward off critical hits. Razor's Edge, the sword created and enchanted in pursuit of sharpness, which could slice through armor like the proverbial hot knife through butter.
Even Nigun could not hope to triumph in a head-on attack against Gazef Stronoff, whose offensive and defensive ability increased astronomically when he used those items. No, it might well be that no human could defeat him when he was like that. However, he did not have those treasures with him, so this was a great chance for Nigun.
"And then we also have a trump card of our own. This is a battle we cannot possibly lose." Nigun patted his chest lightly.
In the world, there were three types of magic items that fell outside the usual types and classifications.
The first kind were the relics from five hundred years ago, left behind by the Eight Greed Kings who had conquered the world in an instant.
The next kind came from the Dragons, who were once the masters of the world before they were decimated by the Eight Greed Kings. The most powerful Dragons, the Dragon Lords, made the secret treasures of dragonkind.
And the third kind were the keystones of the Slane Theocracy, the artifacts left behind from when the Six Gods descended upon the world six hundred years ago.
What Nigun had in his breast pocket was a rare treasure that very few people in the Slane Theocracy possessed. In other words, it was Nigun's secret weapon.
Nigun glanced at the metal band on his wrist. Numbers floated up from its surface, indicating that the appointed time had come.
"Then begin the operation."
Nigun and his subordinates began casting spells.
They summoned the highest-ranking angels their magic would permit.
⁽ˇ́˙̫ˇ̀˵⁾
"I see, so there were people out there."
Gazef peeked out at the people surrounding the village from inside the darkened house.
He could see three people within his field of vision. They slowly advanced on the village while maintaining an even separation from each other.
They were unarmed and were not wearing heavy armor. However, that did not mean that they were easy targets. Many magic casters disliked such equipment and preferred lighter gear. That suggested that they were magic casters.
It was the winged monsters floating beside them that confirmed their status.
Angels.
Angels were monsters summoned from another world, and many people—particularly, the citizens of the Slane Theocracy—believed them to be messengers of the gods. However, the priests of the Kingdom ruled that these so-called angels were merely summoned monsters.
While those religious disputes were part of the reason why the countries were set against each other, Gazef felt that their status as divine messengers was secondary to their strength as monsters.
To Gazef angels—and demons, their similarly-ranked counterparts—were stronger than many other monsters summoned using the magic of a similar tier. Most of them had special abilities and some could even use magic. They were truly troublesome foes.
Worst of all the angels before him had shining breastplates and flaming swords, a type of angel Gazef had not encountered before.
Momonga was mildly surprised to see a variant of angels. Angels were one of the more annoying monsters to fight in YGGDRASIL, especially at eighth-tiered because all their eyes always spotted invisible players or worse, their damn halos.
Although it looked like none of the summoned angels were strong enough to have a halo.
Momonga asked Gaze, "Do you recognize those people? I cannot imagine many reasons for an armed group to come to such a remote village."
Gazef smiled bitterly. "It is not the village they seek, Lord Momonga."
Momonga and Gazef locked gazes.
Ah, thought Momonga. He recalled how Gazef had humbled himself by bowing to Momonga for saving the village.
A village in need apparently made for excellent bait for the captain.
Momonga could not resist drawling out, "They must really hate you, Warrior-Captain."
"It comes with the job of Warrior-Captain. However, this is troubling. Judging by the way the other side has so many people who can summon angels, they must be from the Slane Theocracy, and it's clear that the people carrying out this operation must be a special operation unit. Likely one of the legendary Six Scriptures. It would seem that both in numbers or ability, the opposition is superior to us." Gazef shrugged, indicating the difficulty he was in. He might have seemed merely cynical on the surface, but inside, he was seething with anger and panic. "I didn't expect the Slane Theocracy to have their eyes on me"
Gazef snorted derisively. He did not have enough men, he was under-equipped for the battle now presented, and he had no plan in mind. In short, he had nothing. Although, there might still be a trump card he could use.
Gazef turned to look at Momonga. With a hopeful look on his face, he asked, "Lord Momonga, if it is all right with you, would you be willing to let me hire you?"
There was no answer, but Gazef could feel the weight of Momonga's gaze beneath the mask.
"You may name your price and I will meet it."
Momonga wanted to refuse promptly but—
Momonga slowly answered, "I am currently under hire by the priestess. If you wish to hire me, you must consult with her first."
Gazef nodded, turning to the villagers behind him. He strode forward swiftly, wanting to ascertain permission before the men reached the village. The villagers who had been listening in parted for him to make room, but he noticed that many of their eyes were wary.
Protective.
The priestess stood at the center of the villagers. Gazef noticed some of them were kneeling as if in prayer to her. Perhaps she was leading a sermon?
As soon as Gazef entered her vicinity, he felt a change in his mood. From panicked rage to tranquil hope. Before him stood something sacred and holy, he could feel it in his bones. It was not human—She, she was not human. Even if she had fully hidden her snow-white feathery wings, Gazef would have known she was not human. There was an ethereal presence to her like with Momonga. Although while Momonga oozed foreboding power, she exuded tranquility.
He could not see her face behind her crystal mask, but he felt her gaze fall to him. Her wings flapped beside her as she took a step back and into the arms of another mysterious person.
Another oddity.
His eyes moved to the one who held her, whose presence was difficult for even Gazef to pin. Like a shadow down a dark alleyway. Something anyone would ignore at a glance, but the more one looked at it, the more disturbing it became.
Yet Gazef could not see any of their faces.
"Lady Priestess," Gazef said, "I would like to humbly request I hire your guard. Please name your price and I will fulfill it."
"I, um..." Lumière shifted nervously, turning into Jack's arms and looking up at him.
Jack instantly understood what his lady asked of him.
"While on our pilgrimage," Jack began to say, his voice soft and cold, "we've come to notice that our map is greatly outdated. Can you procure a detailed map of the known world?"
"That is a simple task," Gazef assured. "I have one with me now."
"Then..." Lumière looked past Gazef where she met Momonga's gaze. He nodded once. "... considered them hired. However, you and your men must remain in this village. I do not want you getting caught in the cross-fire."
Gazef bowed. "Thank you, priestess."
⁽ˇ́˙̫ˇ̀˵⁾
As soon as Gazef left, Lumière sighed with relief. It was intimidating to be addressed by someone who looked at her so fiercely while simultaneously being worshiped by the people she resurrected. It was all starting to get very overwhelming.
Lumière had not directly interacted with people for more than an hour, max, in her previous life. Enough for the caretakers to ensure she was alive and relatively healthy and then they were gone. It was far easier conversing for hours through a headset and game than it was in person.
Lumière was reaching her limit. Her head was starting to feel dizzy, and she could not help but lean into the only familiar person in reach—Jack.
Which of course made her heart—core?? How exactly did the biology of having a "true form" work with her current form anyway? She was pretty sure her true form didn't have ears anyway yet she could clearly hear things? Magic was so weird??—quicken because as soon as Gazef left she was acutely aware of the fact that Jack was holding her.
She was being held.
She was being held.
She trembled in his arms, words caught in her throat.
It was.... Nice... oh so nice...
But too damn much!
She simultaneously wanted to run away—far away—where no one else was around, but also beg him to squeeze her tighter and promise to never let go.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear I think I'm going to—
There was ringing in her ears. Was she going to faint again?
"My dearest lady," Jack whispered to her. "Please focus on me."
Lumière could not nod, but her attention was on him.
"Forget the world. Forget everything," he spoke quietly, soothingly, "and count with me. One."
One.
"Two."
Two.
"Three."
Three.
They counted. She could not forget the sensation of feeling him hold her, but she could forget how her head was swimming and her heart had turned into a bouncing wheel tossed down a hill.
When they reached fifteen, she did not feel so threatened to pass out.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Although she could not see it behind his mask, she thought he smiled at her.
⁽ˇ́˙̫ˇ̀˵⁾
Lumière and Jack watched the battle on the rooftop of one of the village houses. Jack had not let go of her since Lumière had her dizzying spell.
Seeing the lower-tiered angels reminded Lumière of her low-level days. Although they were of the righteous-type and she was a mercy-angel. The righteous type had no eyes but at their highest evolution they had twelve wings and twelve arms. Righteous looked closer to deformed holy armor whereas mercy-types looked closer to an eldritch horror but instead of tentacles, extra eyes and wings.
Ironically, angels were one of the grossest things to fight in YGGDRASIL right after abominations.
One of the best things about fighting angels in YGGDRASIL was their death sound.
She was almost a little envious of Momonga in that regard. She remembered questing with Touch Me and Bukubukuchagama in Bastion and they had pulled a group of thirty or so lawful-angels with a rare death-angel.
The three couldn't do enough damage to outpace their healing. Honestly, what did they expect? Two tanks and a healer really shouldn't have been out farming on their own, but it just ended up happening that way. When the three started talking they had a tendency of talking first, and absent-mindedly playing second. One moment they were at the guild and then someone mentioned they needed to farm something in Bastion so off they went. Then Touch Me, not at all paying attention, ran their three-person mount into a huge stack of angels which promptly dismounted them and started to attack.
Touch Me and Lumière could have escaped on their own, but Bukubukuchagama couldn't have so they really only had one option.
They ran around until Ulbert showed up and popped his aoe (area of effect) cooldowns to burn the angels. Bukubukuchagama and Lumière jumped around Ulbert in joy while spamming :D! :D! Touch Me was less happy about it, indigent he needed his rival's help.
The sound of all the angels dying at once was so satisfying that Ulbert actually set it to his in-game mail notification. Which spurned Tabula and Wish III to inquire about the delightful noise and by the next day the whole guild went hunting for angels to record which ones had the most aesthetic death noise.
Death-angels won. Lumière still had her in-game mail notification sound set to the hauntingly beautiful whimper of a dying death-angel.
She wondered what kind of noise she'd make when she died.
Mercy-angels weren't common in YGGDRASIL. She couldn't remember the last time she killed one, although she did remember they placed second on the guild vote.
I wonder if any of my audio files came with us...
⁽ˇ́˙̫ˇ̀˵⁾
Momonga, with Albedo at his side, headed to the edge of the village. As soon as he was a fair distance away, he cast [Black Mirage]. Walls of black flame erupted around the village, concealing its presence from onlookers. Should anyone pass through it without properly dispelling, it would instantly shatter and leave the target with a burned status. It was a defensive precaution. Should Momonga and Albedo fall, the wall should slow their opponent down just long enough for Jack to teleport Lumière back to Nazarick.
Momonga was doubtful such a thing would be necessary.
The spell would also serve to prevent Gazef and his men from seeing the entire battle. Momonga did not relish the idea of being watched, even if he did not view Gazef as an immediate threat.
Momonga casually walked forward until the group of men halted in their advance.
The Black Scripture was wary of the dark flames.
Nigun called the angels back, ordering them to form a defensive perimeter on their side. His assiduous gaze studied their movements.
Momonga said, "Pleased to meet you, gentlemen of the Slane Theocracy. I am Momonga."
He was some distance away from them, but the wind carried his voice clearly.
Nigun did not respond, and thus Momonga continued, "The person behind me is called Albedo. I would like to make a deal with you. Might I have a moment of your time?"
Nigun tried to attach some meaning to the name Momonga, but it was no use. It might have been an alias. Perhaps trying to glean some information from him would be more productive? With that, Nigun raised his chin, indicating that Momonga should continue.
"Wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me. Then, I would like to start by making one thing clear to you gentlemen. There is no way you can defeat me."
He could hear the absolute confidence in that statement. It was not a bluff or a boast. It was something that the man Momonga believed from the bottom of his heart.
Nigun furrowed his brows. In the Slane Theocracy, nobody would dare speak in such a way to their betters. "Ignorance is truly deplorable. You will pay the price for your foolishness."
"Really now," said Momonga, amusement in his tone. "Do you really think that will happen? I observed your battle earlier, so my presence here would indicate that I am confident of victory. After all, if I was not sure that I could beat you, would it not be wiser for me to leave that man to die?"
He was right.
An arcane magic caster would be better suited to different kinds of confrontations. Casters, sorcerers, and wizards could only use light armor, so they would want to avoid drawing attention to themselves unless already up in the air and out of reach.
After a period of silence, Momonga spoke again, "I have a question for you, if you can understand it. The angels you have brought with you should have been summoned by third-tier magic. Am I correct?"
He was stating the obvious.
Momonga went on, ignoring Nigun's puzzled expression. "The monsters you summoned are similar to those in YGGDRASIL, so I was curious whether the names were the same. Many of YGGDRASIL's monsters were derived from mythology... monsters like angels or demons should be no exception. Said angels and demons are most commonly associated with Christianity, but it seems quite unnatural that something called an archangel exists in a world without Christianity. That would mean someone like myself must exist in this world."
Nigun had no idea what Momonga was talking about, his ire was raised. He irritably demanded, "That's enough of your self-absorbed prattle. Now tell me; where is Stronoff?"
"In the village," said Momonga dismissively.
Nigun had not expected Momonga to answer. He thought of why Momonga would say that and retorted, "How foolish. Even if you tell a lie like that, a quick search of the village will—"
"—It is not a lie. I merely answered your question. Well, there is another reason for why I answered your question."
"... Could it be that you want to beg for mercy? If you help us save some time, I can consider it."
"Nonono... well... the truth is, I'm a touch offended. You've certainly got quite the gall, eh?" Momonga's tone changed suddenly, and he continued speaking as he looked at the mocking Nigun. "To think you would dare try to massacre the villagers that we took the time to personally rescue. I cannot think of anything that is more offensive than that."
Momonga's robe rippled in the wind.
The cold wind just happened to be blowing from Momonga's direction, but Nigun hurriedly brushed away the phantom image that loomed in front of him. Yes, that vision of death before him must have been an illusion.
Nigun sneered, "What, what do you mean by offensive, magic caster? What of it?"
Although he felt growing fear, Nigun did not change his mocking tone.
He was the commander of one of the Slane Theocracy's secret weapons, the Sunlight Scripture. How could he be afraid of a single man? It was impossible. It could not be possible.
Yet—
"I mentioned a deal earlier. These are the terms. You will hand your lives over to me without resistance. In exchange, you will not have to suffer. However, if you put up a fight, then the price you fools shall pay is to die in despair and agony."
Momonga took a step forward.
It was just a single step, but Momonga's body seemed to swell massively before their eyes. Cowed by him, the men of the Sunlight Scripture reflexively took a step back.
"Ahh..."
Several hoarse cries came from around Nigun.
They were cries of fear.
His presence exuded unimaginable power. It was the first time Nigun had been faced with such might. Therefore, he could understand his men's fear. Nigun was a powerful individual himself, a veteran of many battles who had grazed the edge of death countless times, who had taken many lives. He could feel the dark, foreboding pressure radiating from the mysterious magic caster. It must have been worse for his men.
What kind of being was he?
What was the true identity of this magic caster? Who was the man beneath the mask?
Once more, Momonga ignored Nigun's panic and spoke coldly, "That is why I did not lie to you and answered your question honestly. It is because there is no point in lying to those that are about to die."
Momonga spread his arms and took another step forward. He looked like he was about to hug them, but it felt more like a lunging monster.
A thrill of cold ran from the bottoms of Nigun's feet to the top of his head. He had felt this countless times in his struggles along the edge of life and death. It was a sign of impending doom.
"Have the angels charge him! Don't let him get close!"
Nigun's voice broke slightly as he shouted his orders. It sounded more like a scream.
It was not to raise his men's spirits. He was simply afraid of Momonga.
And he was right to be.
They were defeated. Completely. Utterly. Hopelessly outclassed.
They were leaves caught in the winds of a tornado, helpless to being torn apart.
There was no mercy.
The once mighty and powerful oppressors had no choice but to bow their heads and await death.
⁽ˇ́˙̫ˇ̀˵⁾
With the village saved, the group returned to Nazarick.
While Momonga, an undead, did not feel any exhaustion from the day, Lumière most certainly did. Even if she had not spent her mana, she felt emotionally tapped out.
She was grateful—very grateful—for her new life, yet she could not find herself easily adjusting to it. Everything was still very strange and big for her. She needed time to decompress after such a tense situation.
So she returned to her room and promptly slept throughout the night.
In the morning, after the maids had brushed out her hair, Lumière continued to test out her RP items. One by one, she pulled each item out of storage and examined them to see if they worked as their flavor text indicated.
She was amused when she found some of the more obscure items actually worked in spite of physics now being a thing.
(Then again, she didn't understand the whole having-two-bodies-yet-only-one-true-body thing, so who the heck knew how magic worked???)
It was only her and Jack in her bedroom. He was always there. Always present. Since confessing her desire for more contact, he had slowly been adding small touches—brushes, really—into many conversations.
Not enough to overload her, but often enough that when Jack was near, she'd sometimes feel goosebumps in anticipation for when he'd touch her. She loved it when he played with her hair or plucked out a loose feather from her wings.
"I'd like to go on an adventure," Lumière said with a smile. As Lumière was focused on the task at hand—testing the extent of a self-inking quill—she did not notice the way Jack stiffened.
Jack spoke slowly, softly. "My dearest lady, I do not think that is wise."
Lumière looked up at Jack, her silver-blue eyes widening quizzically.
Jack reached out a hand, gently entwining a strand of her hair between his fingers. It sent goosebumps down her spine. "I say this... with only the best of intentions... Please recall the village."
Lumière thought back to the village they had rescued. She was instantly reminded of how she had impulsively resurrected the villagers and had to have Momonga cover for her mistake. Then she was reminded of how she almost fainted and had to have Jack calm her down. Shame washed over Lumière. Her wings stopped fluttering as her gaze demurely lowered.
Lumière thought, I... I would be a hassle, wouldn't I?
From the way Lumière visibly drooped at his question, Jack had a good guess as to what her thought process was.
He had not intended to wilt her. He wanted his lady to recall how unsightly and unpleasant those pests were. She was a being far above them and they should have had their eyes plucked out as they were unworthy to even gaze upon her.
Jack thought, They are not worthy to be in your presence. The fact that they had the arrogance to even speak to you is a detestable sin.
His beloved lady was Nazarick's treasure—their angel. Their angel.
While his heart ached that she was saddened, it was a minor pain that he would have to swallow.
For her sake.
You won't be happy out there. I can make you happy here.
Lumière closed her eyes as she leaned into Jack's loving touch. He was always so sweet to her. So tender. He gently cupped her cheek, stroking her cheek with his thumb.
It's safer here. Right here. I can keep you safe and happy. I'll prove it to you.
He only needed her to stay in Nazarick long enough for her to understand.
What could possibly make her want to leave?
Whatever it was, Jack needed to tend to it—and fast.
He asked her, "What would you want out there?"
"Well," she said, keeping her eyes closed as she relaxed. With each breath in and out, she let go of the idea of wanting to have a reckless adventure. She had to be cautious. She didn't want to make another mistake that her companions would need to clean up. "I need to find a place for my temple—the Silverlight temple."
"Please allow me, my beloved angel," Jack encouraged.
Lumière bit her lip, hesitating. "I... I don't want to be a bother—"
"You are never a bother," Jack said quickly, firmly. His vehemence caused Lumière to reopen her eyes in surprise. Jack held her face with both of his hands. "My lady, you are our precious angel. We adore you. I love you."
Her face turned red as her wings flapped quickly behind her in embarrassed delight.
Jack smiled adoringly at her behind his mask, amused by her animated reaction to his words.
That's it, he thought. See how happy I can make you? See how happy you can be here? Right here.
"I love you," he whispered, watching with great mirth as her wings beat so fast that she created a small windstorm. Papers and pillows flew away from them. He couldn't look away from her eyes, mesmerized by how open she was to him. So big and blue, he could read her moods like a sailor could read the ocean.
"I love you," he said again.
That was too much for Lumière. She fainted.
Cheshire, who seemed to have a sixth sense for when Lumière fainted, teleported into the room. "AGAIN?! What did you do?"
"I told her I love her," said Jack, cradling his unconscious angel and nuzzling her face. "Ahhh..."
"STOP IT. GET OUT. You don't get to make her faint for your pleasure," Cheshire scolded him, whacking Jack's head with his tail.
"But—"
"GET OUT."
"Ahhhhh.... My lady... oh my lady... let me touch her hair one more time—"
Cheshire spat a barrage of will-o-wisps at him. Jack chuckled as he left.
Cheshire stuck his tongue out at Jack's retreating back. The two loved each other like brothers, but sometimes Cheshire thought Jack's love for their creator was overbearing.
Cheshire used his telekinesis to carefully tuck their angel into her bed. As he pulled the covers over her, the fairy sighed.
But, he thought, she made him that way for a reason, right?
Who was he to question their beloved angel?
⁽ˇ́˙̫ˇ̀˵⁾
Set up complete. Divergences will start next chapter.
Jack is the trapper / possessive type of yandere. If the cage on the cover did not give that away already lol.
First published fanart was a TikTok of Lu done by @bananabanana4731 (link: https://www.tiktok.com/@bananabanana4731/video/7057758411269672198)! Many thanks and uwus sent to them. :)
Answer: Lich / Death Knight. Angel + Necromancy = Valkyrie.
Question: What would be your alignment? Either using YGGDRASIL (Sense of Justice) or DnD (Lawful Evil → Chaotic Good)
Reviews are love!