Arcroyal.
The being sealed within the jewel opened her eyes at this long-awaited summons.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Hehe... Well, well... Humans need this one's help again, it seems.]
Arcroyal liked humans.
These frail beings with their weak power cheered in rapture at her slightest aid.
They always addressed her as Lady Archangel and showered her with endless praise.
Now, these humans were desperately pleading for her help in this moment.
In accordance with the ancient pact, Arcroyal emerged from the jewel she called home, manifesting her glorious form.
A body resembling a human woman with shimmering pink hair.
The differences? A pair of wings symbolizing an angel sprouted from her back, and radiant holy power cloaked her entirely.
She savored the fresh outside air after so long.
She basked in the euphoric thrill of the voices cheering her arrival, as always.
She spared a fleeting pity for the pitiful "enemies" who would soon fall by her hand.
Gripping the bow forged from her holy power, Arcroyal opened her eyes.
And then...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Now! Who dares stand against this one...?!]
The very next instant, as she laid eyes on the entity before her,
Arcroyal froze mid-sentence, her face going blank for a moment.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[...Wha...?]
A colossal being stared down at her.
It bore six wings,
and countless red eyes fixed upon her.
Though it wasn't unleashing its immense power just yet, Arcroyal recognized it instantly.
This was undoubtedly the legendary...
"O great Archangel! Hasten and obliterate that demon for us! Show the wicked fiend crawled from the pits of hell the might of the Almighty God's power!"
"Archangel!"
"O exalted one!!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[...]
The summoners chattered noisily behind her.
Hearing them, Arcroyal felt a surge of utter absurdity. For the first time since descending to the mortal realm, she was seized by the urge to skewer these humans with her bow.
'What? A demon?
You crazy bastards! That's an angel!
A Seraph from the legends, no less!
You expect a lowly 8th-rank like me to fight that?!
Why not just tell a newborn baby to take on a dragon instead?'
The title of Archangel sounded impressive, and among humans, it evoked awe as a heavenly powerhouse.
A being who could reduce a village to ashes on a whim.
Yet in the celestial hierarchy, an Archangel was merely 8th rank out of 9.
In military terms, just a lowly private.
Still called Archangel simply because their humanoid form and archery role demanded it—or perhaps it was a casual twist on "Archange," their designation.
By contrast, the entity before her was a true highest-order angel, one Arcroyal had never even beheld in person.
Positioned just below the Omnipotent Absolute God, capable of annihilating an entire continent if it so desired—an existence of unfathomable might.
The Heavenly Harmonizer.
Seraphim.
In military terms, a four-star general.
To Arcroyal, this was a being before whom combat was unthinkable; kneeling in submission would barely suffice.
Yet these human fools were trying to pit her against it in battle.
'Fuck... Wh-what do I do now?'
Humans, whom she had adored until now, suddenly felt like bitter enemies.
Arcroyal inwardly cursed in un-angelic fashion,
feeling as if cold sweat beaded on her brow despite her angelic form, reduced to merely gauging the great one's mood.
Then...
📜 TELEPATHIC MESSAGE 📜{What are you?}⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Eek!]
A voice pierced straight into her mind.
Not audible sound, but a transmission directly to her soul, meant for her ears alone.
And within it, a calm yet unmistakable displeasure.
In that chilling dread, Arcroyal felt her nonexistent heart clench in terror.
She realized it then.
This was what humans called "fucked."
And in this situation,
she had only one course of action.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The Archangel descended in a blaze of brilliant light.
Standing just over 2 meters tall—barely larger than a tall human—the sheer intensity of her holy power was something they could never imitate.
Vera and his group erupted in cheers at her arrival.
Now we're saved.
With heaven's mighty messenger here, there was no more need for fear.
That vile demon would be torn asunder before the judgment of justice!
Clinging to that certainty, Bishop Vera and the clerics ordered the Archangel to swiftly purge the demon.
And then.
"Oh!"
"The Archangel is finally making her move!"
"Damn it! I knew we could count on her!"
The Archangel advanced slowly, steadily.
Her form, radiating holy light as she approached the colossal evil, evoked a profound reverence, like a scene from myth.
Now, the noble angel and the wicked demon would clash in an epic battle...
-Thud!
"???"
"...Huh?"
The next moment, the Archangel landed squarely on the ground.
And with the most natural motion imaginable,
she knelt before the being right in front of her.
This Archangel, typically haughty as befits a superior being,
now bowed her head as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
To the very demon they had commanded her to attack.
As Vera and the clerics reeled from this incomprehensible scene in stunned shock...
⚙ TELEPATHIC PROCLAMATION ⚙[N-Noble one! This lowly one greets you. I... I am the Archangel Arcroyal! T-To meet you like this is truly an immense grace!]
Before their eyes unfolded an even more unbelievable sight.
It resembled a peasant bowing low before royalty.
And not just any peasant—the Archangel herself.
"Wh-what... what's going on here?"
"Th-the Archange... Wh-what is this... Why would she... to that wicked demon...?"
⚙ TELEPATHIC REBUKE ⚙[Silence!]
"Gaaak!!!"
Vera, bewildered and blurting questions,
suddenly doubled over as if his heart were being ripped out raw, collapsing in agony.
A sudden, harrowing pain overwhelmed him.
Toward him, the Archangel bellowed with voice brimming with genuine fury.
⚙ TELEPATHIC FURY ⚙[Who dares spout such insolence before this one?! Calling the great Heavenly Harmonizer a demon? Are your eyes mere ornaments? I've indulged you until now, and you commit this heaven-defying outrage...!]
The Archangel erupted like a volcano, her usual poise shattered as curses poured from her lips.
The chilling killing intent in every word made Vera and Sodam's group tremble uncontrollably.
At that moment.
📜 TELEPATHIC COMMAND 📜[Enough.]⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Hic!]
A serene voice echoed in that instant.
It came from the one who had remained silent until now.
The demon that had brought even the Archangel to her knees... no, the far more terrifying entity beyond any demon.
📜 TELEPATHIC COMMAND 📜[We'll speak later. These vermin come first.]⚙ COMPLIANCE ⚙[Y-Y-Yes! Seraphim! Th-then I'll step aside for now...]
With those words, the Archangel swiftly sidestepped.
As the colossal being advanced toward them,
Vera and the clerics belatedly realized the truth.
Their last hope, the Archangel, had sided with it.
This meant no hope remained for them.
As the absurdity faded, a wave of horrific reality crashed down.
Despair overtook Sodam's clerics, their vision darkening.
Then.
"Gr-Great one!!"
Vera cried out, squeezing the words from his terror-stricken throat.
Its gaze turned directly to him.
Countless red eyes fixed solely on him.
That alone addled his mind, a crushing pressure threatening to stop his heart.
But Vera endured.
His desires burned fiercer than most.
His survival instinct anchored his sanity amid the nightmarish sensations verging on madness.
Monstrous in form and power though it was, the Archangel had bowed to it—surely an angel... or something tied to a god greater still.
Moreover, it could speak.
If words worked, negotiation was possible, no?
Especially for clerics like them, executors of "God's will"!
Summoning superhuman resolve and a sliver of hope, Vera bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"W-We made a grave mistake! We failed to recognize your greatness and committed this outrage! B-But we are clerics carrying out the will of the Omnipotent God! We seek only to serve and honor Him—in that process, this misunderstanding occurred!"
With that, he dropped to his knees and prostrated himself.
His followers quickly followed suit.
"We sincerely apologize for our past deeds! We'll make reparations too! Any sum you desire, or anything else—name it! Please! Forgive our sins!"
📜 TELEPATHIC RESPONSE 📜[...]
The entity fell silent at Vera's earnest plea.
Seeing this, the tiny grain of hope in Vera's heart began to swell.
They'd provoked it first and suffered retaliation, but it too served a god, like them.
Perhaps it would spare their lives—and maybe even ally with the Archangel as a powerful comrade...
📜 TELEPATHIC VERDICT 📜[Understood. Pay the fitting price, and I shall absolve your sins.]
"Ah!"
Its voice rang out.
Relief washed over Vera and the clerics' faces.
"Th-thank you! Thank you, great one! Wh-what happens to us now?"
And then.
📜 TELEPATHIC VERDICT 📜[You die.]
"...Pardon?"
One phrase sufficed to twist hope into despair.
📜 FINAL JUDGMENT 📜[Die as atonement for your absolution.]
"!?!"