Ymir knew his time was up.
As he slowly turned around, his eyes were filled with indescribable frustration and anger.
If Ra said so, then so be it.
But his intuition told him something different. No, he realized the truth Ra was hiding.
'I'll have to see it for myself.'
Ymir headed toward the city of angels, Zebul.
Shirone, having entered Ikael's room, looked around.
It was different from what he had imagined. The room, with its table, chairs, bed, and carpet, was no different from a human dwelling.
Yet, it didn't feel like a human's space.
Every object seemed to radiate sunlight. As if isolated from the flow of time, there wasn't a single flaw.
The feeling of seeing something perfect was truly bizarre.
It was a level of detail imperceptible to the human eye.
But anyone in this room would feel a purity bordering on obsession.
Shirone picked up a teaspoon from the table and looked at his reflection.
As expected, it was eerily clean for something crafted by humans. It made Shirone think that perhaps this was what people in the human world referred to as a sacred relic.
'Huh? Now that I think about it…'
The most important figure, Ikael, was nowhere to be seen. Peope had clearly stated that she was in a situation where she couldn't leave. Could it be that she had deceived him?
A terrifying thought crossed Shirone's mind as he frantically searched the room. As expected, there was no one. Everything was spotless, a perfection that bordered on fear.
Suddenly, a beautiful melody echoed in his ears. Shirone stopped in his tracks and looked up at the window five meters above him. The clear, harp-like resonance seemed to emanate from there.
The vibration of an angel.
As if entranced, he approached the window. The sunlight streaming through began to take shape. By the time he regained his senses, a woman was sitting on the windowsill, gazing outside.
Her face was so beautiful that no painter could ever hope to capture it.
Shirone noticed a halo floating above her head. It was a warm, radiant light, incomparable to the fallen angel Icasa.
As her form became clearer, wings of light sprouted from her back. The vast, unfolding wings of light brought a sense of euphoria to Shirone's eyes.
Ikael: "Welcome, Shirone."
Shirone was certain.
She was none other than the Archangel Ikael.
The first entity of causality, the symbol of nobility that even God cherished the most. Such a being was right before his eyes.
Ikael gracefully landed on the floor.
Her height, over two meters, was imposing, but it couldn't overshadow her warm presence.
It was an indescribable feeling. Even calling her beautiful felt like an insult.
Is this what goodness looks like when it takes form? If one were to awaken to the truth in the labyrinth of time and space, Ikael was that goodness.
Despite her mature appearance, Ikael wore a mischievous expression as she looked around for a place to sit. Finding nowhere suitable, she simply plopped down onto the floor.
Shirone stared in disbelief as Ikael's skirt slowly settled. She then patted the floor, calling him over.
Ikael: "Come, sit here."
Shirone felt an irresistible pull and sat close to her, so close that their skin nearly touched.
Perhaps she had invited him to sit so she could see him up close.
As expected, Ikael leaned in, her lips curving into a smile as she stared intently at Shirone. Unable to hide his embarrassment, Shirone averted his gaze, prompting her to speak.
Ikael: "I've been wanting to meet you, Shirone."
Shirone: "Huh? You know me?"
Ikael scratched her eyebrow, seemingly troubled.
Her actions were surprisingly human-like. Considering how even the fallen angel Icasa exuded arrogance, this was quite shocking.
Ikael: "Knowing or not knowing isn't important. What matters is how much you know. But as you know, some things can't be explained with words, right?"
Shirone mustered the courage to examine her face. As their eyes met, a sense of unity electrified his body.
He then looked up at the halo. It was the first time he had seen it so closely.
The sight of light floating above her head was truly miraculous.
Realizing he had been staring for too long, Shirone quickly snapped out of it.
Shirone: "Ah, I'm sorry."
Ikael shook her head, indicating it was fine.
Ikael: "The halo is the spirit of an angel. Humans enter the Spirit Zone through concentration, but an angel's zone exists outside. This is called the Over-Spirit."
Hearing this explanation, Shirone saw the halo in a new light. It seemed to maintain a constant state of detachment, truly the spirit of an angel.
It was her everything.
Perhaps feeling a bit embarrassed, Ikael added:
Ikael: "It used to be brighter than this. But because of a mistake I made, God restricted the power of my light."
Shirone: "What mistake did you make?"
Shirone immediately apologized for his question.
Shirone: "Ah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked…"
Ikael: "It's fine. Even though I made a mistake, I don't regret it."
Shirone felt a sense of relief. Whatever mistake she had made, if she didn't regret it, it couldn't have been shameful.
Shirone: "Um…"
Shirone hesitated.
He knew it was an absurd request, but once the thought crossed his mind, he couldn't let it go.
Ikael: "Go ahead. You can say anything."
Shirone: "Just once…"
Ikael: "Huh?"
Shirone: "Can I touch it? Just once?"
Ikael blinked, then burst into laughter as if she finally understood.
It was an unexpected request.
No one in all of heaven would dare ask to touch the halo of the Archangel Ikael.
Ikael: "Sure. Go ahead."
Shirone: "Are you sure it's not disrespectful? Just in case…"
Ikael shook her head, indicating it was fine.
Shirone finally reached out, reassured.
The halo felt like light and energy. A pleasant sensation flowed through the back of his hand.
Shirone: "It's warm."
Ikael: "That's because you're a warm person, Shirone."
Shirone: "Hehe."
It was the first moment of comfort Shirone had felt since arriving in heaven. With her by his side, it felt like no worldly worries mattered.
He wanted to stay with her forever.
At that moment, Ikael's hand reached out. Startled, Shirone pulled back, and she quickly explained, flustered.
Ikael: "Ah… your hair was messy."
Shirone: "Haha, I've been running around a lot. A lot has happened."
Shirone chuckled and shook his head. He had been startled by the sudden closeness, unprepared for the physical contact.
Suddenly, Shirone's eyes widened. It felt like he had been hit on the head with a hammer.
How could he have forgotten?
The most important task was still at hand.
Shirone: "Oh no! Amy!"
Shirone jumped to his feet.
Only now did he remember his friends. It showed just how impactful his meeting with Ikael had been.
Shirone: "Please help me! My friends have been captured! They're going to use something called the Elixir of Life to birth Nephilim!"
Ikael: "Oh dear. That's serious."
Shirone: "They're treated as heretics or whatever, but they're not bad people. No, even if they were, capturing them like this is unacceptable."
Ikael fell into thought for a moment.
Ikael: "Shirone, do you love your friends? Enough to risk your life?"
Shirone: "Yes! Of course!"
Ikael nodded as if that settled it.
Ikael: "Good. But Shirone, if you want to save your friends, there's something you must hear."
In the current situation, it seemed like there was nothing to hear. But it was the Archangel Ikael speaking, so Shirone couldn't refuse. Above all, her words, "if you want to save your friends," were decisive.
Shirone: "Something I need to hear? What is it?"
Ikael: "About heaven. And about a woman named Miro."
Shirone was shocked. He hadn't expected her name to come from Ikael's lips.
Adrias Miro.
When he first arrived in heaven, he thought she was just one of many Unlockers.
But the more he learned about her, the more he realized she was deeply connected to heaven.
He wanted to know—what kind of person she was.
Shirone: "You know Miro?"
Ikael: "Yes. I've met her. I like her. Though she probably dislikes me."
Shirone was stunned. Ikael and Miro had met? Especially since Miro disliked Ikael, it was hard to believe. From what he had experienced, Ikael was a good angel.
Ikael: "It won't take long. So, may I brush your hair for a moment?"
Ikael's halo expanded into a ring.
As the intense light rotated around the ring, a comb made of light formed in her hand.
Photon Shaping.
It was the ability to create intricate tools from light in an instant.
No matter how powerful an angel's mental strength is, the nature of light doesn't change.
It was a tool that could only be created through a complex circuit, far beyond the Shining Chain.
Shirone realized that all the answers lay in the halo.
Even when he felt an overwhelming presence from Icasa, it was the moment her halo expanded into a ring.
Shirone: "How did you shape the photons? Is it related to the halo's transformation?"
Ikael: "The halo can process vast amounts of information quickly. It's called a Halo. Think of it like the magic circles human's use. The halo rotates at the speed of light, assembling countless concepts."
Ikael used magic circles as an example, but in reality, it was beyond comparison.
It literally assembles concepts at the speed of light.
Even dozens of mages working together couldn't match the speed of a single Halo.
Ikael: "Then let's begin. Lie down here, Shirone."
Ikael pointed to her lap. She seemed eager to brush his hair.
Shirone, sensing there was more to this, obeyed and lay down.
Where else could one enjoy such luxury?
As he lay on the Archangel's lap, gazing at the heavens, Ikael began to brush his hair.
'Huh?'
Shirone felt his consciousness growing hazy.
The more she brushed, the more it felt like his consciousness was being pulled out. He didn't want to faint. His friends were captured. Losing track of time would be disastrous.
'No. No…'
Shirone's eyes slowly closed.
Ikael watched Shirone fall asleep, then looked up with sad eyes.
Many thoughts crossed her mind, and through the comb, they seeped into Shirone's consciousness.
Like reading a fairy tale to a child, Ikael began her story in a beautiful voice.
Ikael: "A long, long time ago…"