Chapter 190 – Magical Girls in the Sky (10)
‘This is fun.’
Sandalphon, who saw them for the first time, quickly grasped the situation, and his first emotion was none other than intrigue. From the very moment he set foot in this world, it was like that.
He had come prepared for a holy war against the Demon King, but at the same time, the experience of descending into a new world in his own body was a privilege granted only to a select few angels.
The completely different environment, life forms, laws, and so on shook even a supreme transcendent being who had reached the pinnacle of one world.
It didn’t make sense to be solely fixated on previous missions when this universe was so vast and mysterious.
“What’s up? Do you know them?”
Caught off guard by the sudden shift in atmosphere, Jeon So-hyun awkwardly smiled and glanced at her friends, but the only reason she could act like it was because of her complete ignorance.
On the other hand, Ha Eun-seo and Shia were pale-faced and unsure of what to do, merely stealing glances at Sandalphon.
“I don’t have much time. But I think I can talk a bit with you all.”
Noticing their wariness, Sandalphon smiled gently and politely initiated the conversation.
However, they had no choice but to comply. When even Jeon So-hyun kept her mouth shut, Ha Eun-seo and Shia found it impossible to refuse Sandalphon’s proposal.
“I’ll tell you in advance that whoever you are, it probably won’t be a satisfactory home.”
“I don’t mind. What matters more than where a home is or what it looks like is who lives there.”
“…”
Ha Eun-seo had to guide Sandalphon to her home. It was a cramped basement studio apartment, but Sandalphon didn’t mind at all, so Ha Eun-seo, who had awkwardly brought it up, fell silent instead.
“You mentioned what matters more is who lives there, but I’m sorry for being an awful host. All I have to offer is this.”
“Oddly enough, you’re wary of me. I don’t have the power of insight like Michael, but I can generally guess the situation.”
Pouring a glass of cola from the fridge, Ha Eun-seo was startled by the sight of Sandalphon comfortably sitting on her bed, while Shia, sitting rigidly like she was on a bed of nails, kept her eyes fixed on the floor, her shoulders trembling.
“…Are you feeling guilty about something? Both of you.”
In fact, he seemed indifferent as he gulped down the cola Ha Eun-seo had given him.
The atmosphere was literally suffocating. The only sound was that of Sandalphon tilting his head back and gulping.
“Ugh, I can’t stand this!”
And just like that, Jeon So-hyun, who hated such an atmosphere more than anyone, couldn’t keep quiet any longer, bursting out in frustration.
“Am I the only one who doesn’t know?! Who is this guy?! And why are you acting like this?!”
Jumping up, Jeon So-hyun pointed at Sandalphon. Shia’s face went pale in shock, but Jeon So-hyun didn’t care.
“A kid who looks like they ran away from home is pretending to be an adult. Is this normal?! Who are you anyway? I’m Jeon So-hyun, a second-year high school student, and I didn’t even catch your name?!”
“My name is Sandalphon.”
“Uh…”
However, Jeon So-hyun, who had been ranting, suddenly lost her train of thought.
Sandalphon didn’t bother hiding it, and the shock of that name itself was enough to choke her words.
Although not at the level of Michael, Sandalphon’s name was one of the hottest topics among the Magical Girls in the Sky recently.
Jeon So-hyun had naturally heard about it through the internet and news.
“As you said, I am related to these two. Specifically, Shia. I had something to talk about, and I came to visit Korea after circling around the Earth.”
“Even so, kid, you obviously look like a middle schooler. Why are you talking down to me…”
“You don’t seem to be a Magical Girl. Yet you possess a mysterious power. The power of perm. Ironically, this power can only be wielded by certain demons.”
Sandalphon looked piercingly into Jeon So-hyun’s eyes, which widened in surprise. No need for insight; the inexperienced warrior couldn’t fend off that gaze due to the sheer difference in experience and rank.
“I’ll tell you everything! So please let’s talk separately.”
Just then, it was Shia who finally spoke up. Sandalphon, looking into her shaking blue eyes, chuckled softly and withdrew his gaze from Jeon So-hyun.
“Now, let’s talk. Whatever it is.”
On the villa’s rooftop, where a chilly night breeze swept through, Ha Eun-seo closed the door behind her. She did it to prevent Jeon So-hyun, whom she had barely persuaded, from coming up.
Meanwhile, Sandalphon, who had already been waiting, stood by the railing, gazing at the cityscape below, hesitating to speak.
“It seems your mind has changed.”
“…!”
In the midst of everything, he was the first to break the silence. Shia flinched as she stared into the incomprehensible gaze of the boy.
“Did you want to avoid fighting us? Is that the will of the hero beside you? The hero doesn’t know who we are.”
“That’s not it! I…!”
“I said that already.”
Unable to face Sandalphon’s inscrutable eyes, Shia began to stutter, and Ha Eun-seo stepped forward, holding her hand.
‘He’s just a kid. Just a kid, like Takilas.’
Ha Eun-seo couldn’t look away from Sandalphon. Her experience with Takilas in the past was proving to be helpful.
“You are on Michael’s side. However, I couldn’t condone Michael’s actions. Those actions disregard us and violate the order we’ve built and maintained.”
“Isn’t that the same for Takilas?”
“…Takilas simply acts based on his feelings, he never claimed he wanted to change the world.”
Ha Eun-seo was ready to transform at a moment’s notice. Even if she thought they couldn’t win, she wanted to be ready for any potential combat. But Sandalphon just tilted his head without showing hostility.
“I will do all I can to stop Michael’s rampage. While it’s impossible to completely stop it, he can’t act on his own like he is now. Still, will you side with… Takilas?”
“Well, that’s…”
This time, Ha Eun-seo’s voice wavered. Michael’s rampage was just a pretext and an opportunity. The fundamental reason Ha Eun-seo chose Takilas was different.
Even if Michael didn’t step in, she might have chosen Takilas anyway. Takilas had already lodged himself in her mind as a significant and concerning presence she had to overcome.
“I can tell that Takilas is already deeply embedded in your heart. I don’t know what that feeling is, but it’s already too late for an outsider to pry in.”
However, seeing her unable to readily reply, Sandalphon sighed with a bitter smile and shook his head.
“You too, Shia. Your long-standing faith can be shaken. Surely, you must want something else that would be worth teaming up with the Demon King.”
“…Honestly, I don’t know. But one thing I’m sure of is that merely believing and following is very different from true servitude.”
“That’s not wrong. One of our teachings is to always doubt yourself. Anyway, so you both have made up your minds.”
Looking for an answer from Shia, Sandalphon shrugged.
Contrary to her expectations, the uncharacteristic response left both Shia and Ha Eun-seo wide-eyed as they glanced at each other.
“The clash with Takilas mattered more than anything to me. I thought it was our mission and a law of the world. I believed that was all that remained for us after reaching the peak of truth and ascension.”
With a playful grin, Sandalphon precariously stood at the edge of the railing, addressing the stunned duo.
“But Shia, you know this well. The world—no, this universe is vast. Our mission and beliefs are merely one branch of many. Now that I’ve realized this, should I still cling to it?”
“Sandalphon…”
“The clash with Takilas continues. But that is all. It may matter to us, but to others, it might not be that significant. Think about it; I never even considered it at first. What do you think will happen if we lose this clash? In the end, it’s just pride left.”
Sandalphon spread his wings. A peculiar sense of relief crept into his expression.
“At least I won’t say anything against you. Do what you want to do. That’s the entirety of life. Of course, bearing the responsibility is your own matter. It’s best to stay out of Michael’s sight as much as possible. Anyway, since you’re on Takilas’s side now, you’re our enemies.”
With that, Sandalphon soared into the sky, soon disappearing into the heavens.
The two who remained on the rooftop looked at each other in utter disbelief. Shia, in particular, never imagined that Sandalphon wouldn’t touch her after she had betrayed him.
“What on earth just happened?”
“…At least one of them seems alright.”
With the tension eased, Shia sat down beside a flowerbed, not even noticing the dirt getting on her thighs from her short shorts.
D-1 until the war began, but this special war would unfold without most people even knowing it.
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