15

Chapter 15

"Eh?" Cassian was a bit shocked after hearing and digesting her words. "What? I will be the first? There has been none before me?"

"Heh. No, there has not." Her chuckle, despite her lips that did not part, reached his ears. "Chosen [Angels] are not something any God or Goddess would ordain willy-nilly. They are different from the ones that get the post by earning merits and proving their combat prowess. Chosen [Angels], unlike the other ones, are nurtured specially by their Patrons. I for one have been waiting for the right candidate—and I believe you fit the bill to be my successor."

"I believe in you. Do you not believe in yourself?" (Shiela – Goddess)

"Successor… *Gulp* …I do. Of course, I do!" He declared with confidence in his tone after accepting that he had indeed heard what he just heard. "I was just surprised—again."

"Hmm…" Another question appeared in his heart. "So, does that mean that Martha and the others that came before me did not as you said; 'fit the bill'?"

"Yeah… nope." She replied casually. "A few came close but, they just didn't… Hah… How do I put it? You know, it didn't just click when I met them like it did when you appeared before me."

"Click?" He was not dumb but for some reason—with the myriad emotions and thoughts rampaging in his mind—her meaning flew over his head.

"…Forget it." Her tone was a bit exasperated as she returned to the crux of the issue. "You still have not given me a clear response. I will not repeat the question."

"Ah! Right!" A question was forming in his mind, one that he felt he should have asked a while back, but before it could fully take form, her voice swatted it out of existence.

'I thought I got my intentions across when I said 'I do. Of course, I do!' but it seems she took it as the response only pertaining to the question of whether I believe in myself or not.'

"I am up for it! Please, O Benevolent Goddess, make this [knight] of yours a higher existence so that he may serve you better!"

He made a show of being an ardent believer, a skill he had refined while mingling with the [Apotheosis Seekers].

Though the Goddess did not point it out or show any signs, she had seen through his act and ignored it.

"Splendid choice." For the first time since the two met in person, Cassian witnessed her lips curve up into a smile (in real life). "I promise that you will not regret this! Now, come and receive your [Halo]!"

A few breathes of time passed and the atmosphere got a bit awkward with the Goddess being in a strange position where her hand remained stretched out with a white halo in it and no one had moved to receive it.

The intended recipient of the halo was lost in a trance, as his mind short circuited upon witnessing her already mesmerizing appearance take on new life; courtesy of the smile on her face that everyone (irrespective of gender) would be easily charmed into fighting to protect.

"Uh… Is there something wrong with my face?" She asked, her smile slowly receding until it was gone like it was never there. "I feel like your gaze will bore a hole into my head."

"Ah!" Cassian gulped audibly as he realized he had been staring too shamelessly and even got lost in a trance. "No, there is nothing wrong with it! In fact, I dare say that if its perfection is ranked number 2 in the world then no one would dare claim to be number 1!"

'Damn! I must be crazy! I can't do anything to slight her (Martha) honor!'

Without further ado, he sprinted forward and went down on a knee before the Benevolent Sun Goddess, Shiela.

Looking down at the carpet, he raised both palms in front of himself, the sides of his thumbs almost kissing each other, preparing to receive it from her.

"This unworthy [Knight] thanks you for your grace." He said, valiance and honesty in his tone. Though there was still an air of exaggeration and acting about his display.

'To think that he is still able to have such desires even with that knot…' Sheila mused, her curiosity and interest in him intensified a bit, but she did not show it.

"Heh. Unworthy? I would never have picked you if you were so." Shiela scoffed as she placed the halo in his hands. "Do not refer to yourself with such demeaning words in the future, whether you mean them or not. Otherwise, it will reflect poorly on I, your Patron Goddess."

"Understood! This messenger-to-be shall bear that in mind from now on." He declared as he found the sensation of the halo to be a bit strange and out of what he had imagined or expected.

'I can sense it but at the same time not.' He thought. 'It seems like I cannot perceive it with my skin but rather my soul—my very being.'

"Mm. You may rise." (Sheila)

Cassian did as he was told, rising to his feet and in tandem lifting his gaze to return hers.

"Now…" She reached out towards the air in front of her chest and a white rectangular screen appeared out of nowhere, like a hologram.

Her fingers moved nimbly and quickly, and in the span of less than five seconds, she was done with whatever it was she was doing and the screen blurred into oblivion like it was never there.

"…An [Angel] will lead you to where you will be staying in the meantime." She continued speaking (telepathically). "If you need anything at all, just ask her."

"I have a question." He spoke moments later.

"Mm. What may that be?" Sheila asked.

"It's nothing much really." Cassian said. "I was just wondering what the difference between [Valkyries] and [Angels] is." He also added; "I am aware of the basic hierarchy of the church - Nuns and Monks, Knights, Priestesses, and the Pope. But I am unaware of the ranks amongst those beyond the Pope."

"Eh, that." Sheila replied. "You can get that information from your new gadget once you finish ascending to an [Angel] but I suppose a simple summary is not unreasonable."

"Unlike the linear path in the mortal ranks of my church that goes in the order that you mentioned, the positions above the Pope are split into different 'roles' that each have their own sub-ranks."

"There are the [Angels] that have their own 9 sub-ranks starting from [Angel] as the lowest all the way up to [Seraphim] as the highest angel. The [Fate Spinners] that have 4 ranks ranging from the [Weavers of Fate] all the way up to the [Masters of Fate]. The [Divine Architects] that have 3 sub-ranks ranging from [Sages] as the lowest to the [Heavenly Sage] as the sole leader."

"The [Valkyries] that have 10 sub-ranks. The [Harmony Keepers] that have 5 sub-ranks, and lastly the [Divine Scholars] with only 2 sub-ranks—the regular [Divine Scholars] and the [Head Divine Scholar]."

"The [Angels], as you already know, serves as messengers that will carry out my will in the mortal realm. They have no business with other gods' domains unless in special cases—such as War."