Chapter 7.1:The trust of the Seraphim

"... But I'm telling you, the Righteous can find ways to entertain or occupy themselves." I quietly replied to Emily, who, like me, was sipping soda while sitting on my right wing, leaning against my shoulder.

Promises must be kept, especially for children who haven't yet learned patience and constantly remind you of them. Three days after Emily and I met, Sara came to the office with her in tow, literally shoving her into my arms and insisting we go out for the whole day. Fortunately, we had already done most of the work at her place, and Sara could handle the meetings and checks on her own.

"But someone explained everything to you at some point!" Little Emily took short sips from her cup of tea soda, a blend of tea and fizzy base, essentially a cold and sweet tea of some sort, one of my favorite "quick" drinks. "Wouldn't it be better if every soul had an idea of what they could do?" She looked at me questioningly, responding with the same volume.

Emily was literally bursting with excitement for this outing, as she herself said, it was her first walk in a month since Adam, who usually takes her out, was busy at this time of year. Adam's business was his own, and Emily was just as thrilled with my walking route as she was with Adam's. She said so herself. Loudly, almost into my ear. My sensitive elfin fairy ears were still ringing with a high, pleasant, and barely noticeable sound. "Emily is a sweet girl who just sometimes gets forgotten," I told myself back then.

"Every Righteous can ask literally anyone or call a Lesser Cherub, so…"

Throughout our walk, Emily bombarded me with questions, curious about everything: what I love and don't love, what I do, what I believe in, what I want, what my plans are, and much more… In return, she shared everything about herself, including her beliefs and worldview. It wasn't that she was spilling all her secrets; it just seemed that was how she knew to communicate, trying to keep the conversation going.

Even when my answers didn't please her, Emily wouldn't stay silent for long, constantly switching to something new, but she kept returning to those "difficult" questions. After those, she often seemed more sad and quiet than happy. Apparently, I was a poor caregiver.

Occasionally, when Emily wasn't busy expressing her feelings in exclamations, she simply enjoyed the little joys of life like any ordinary child her "age." But there was one BUT… "songs"…

...

Emily and I were in the park, not just any ordinary green glade, but in one of those so-called "air parks," a blend of some fairy astronomer's observatory and an ordinary park of my century. The main difference was that you could play with the stars. Literally.

There were these little "orbs" of light flying around, resembling comets racing through space or falling stars burning up in the atmosphere. Honestly, it was interesting for the first ten minutes, but when I realized it was just as quiet as in a vacuum…

I quickly found a small resting spot that could accommodate about two or three standard-sized Righteous and lay back, enjoying the silence while keeping half an ear on Emily. Seraphim herself was twirling around these "stars," which periodically grouped into constellations different from the familiar earthly ones.

The silence was occasionally broken by the joyful sounds from Emily. I didn't listen too closely; I just allowed myself to relax for the first time in a couple of days, until the piano began to play along with… some strangely bouncing notes from the piano?

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgFyi74DVjc)

"O~! A message from the Heavens, millions of years...~"

This little angel of nightmares had brought one of my greatest fears to life, foreshadowing my future pain on each of our subsequent outings. Well, at least the melody was pleasant…

"In the eternal void, straight to me! O-o-o~"

Her melodic voice didn't sound like a child's; it was nothing like typical childish singing attempts. No, her voice was trained, clear, perfectly pitched, hitting every note and creating a beautiful melody, with the instrumentation seamlessly weaving one of the best musical pieces I'd heard in Heaven.

"Season after season, I won't change~"

Emily's fingers began to draw right on that dark sky, mimicking the cosmos, creating her patterns and constellations. When the Seraphim started to sing, she paid no attention to her surroundings. I wasn't even sure if she was consciously creating all the instruments and the melody; it felt more instinctual, driven by desire and mood.

"I will not yield! ~"

Her song had no particular meaning; it was simply an expression of her feelings, a description of sensations and the voicing of wishes. The chorus was the best part, where the instruments shifted to the pleasing sound of the piano.

But, strangely enough, I could understand Emily. I didn't pay attention to her words; I felt her mood, how happy she was to finally break free from the supervision of the elder and spread her wings freely once more…

Although Emily's songs were beautiful, it pained me to listen to such wonderful music during each of our outings...

...

It's not that I was against music or free will in Heaven… It's just that sometimes, like in that heavenly park, I simply wanted silence. I don't know; maybe it's my hermit nature, or I just enjoy things in moderation, or I believe everyone has their time, but…

It irritates me. I can't help it. Some Righteous even reconcile or simply converse through songs—why can't they just say everything they need with plain words?! Anyway…

Aside from that Incident, where I definitely didn't groan in pain at the end, ruining Emily's music, which she didn't even notice, I was having a great time chatting with the "Lesser" Seraphim. Unfortunately, Emily couldn't exactly tell me how she created everything "necessary" for her song, only giving a shy "it just happened," leaving me with a reminder to return to music, perhaps even to find that friend of mine… the Fish. No, that's too vague… Damn, what was her name again?

"Ve-e-erg." Emily tugged at my coat as we walked through the streets of the Golden City.

Inaria? No, that's one of Sara's staff members on the lower level, dealing with paperwork…

"Ve-e-e-e-erg~" Emily literally hung on my outstretched coat, leaning back while still sitting on my wing.

Elena? That doesn't sound right… Damn, when did I forget?!

"Virgil!" Emily lightly hit me with her wings. It was gentle, almost unnoticeable, but enough to pull me out of my thoughts.

I blinked and turned my head to Emily, who was looking at me with the expression of a disgruntled kitten.

"... What's wrong, Em?" Em from Emily; that's how the Seraphim asked to be called, saying Adam had given her that "nickname" when she was around twenty years old. "Sorry, I got distracted. I was trying… to think of something important." Emily squinted as if looking straight into my soul.

The Seraphim wasn't looking into my soul; I had, after all, learned to sense such things, however clumsily. It's hard not to learn when a displeased Seraphim occasionally burns a hole through you with her gaze… metaphorically, which somehow saved my soul.

The girl huffed out a warm breath, and a small eye opened beneath her halo of sticks.

"You weren't listening to me, and when I called you, you didn't pay attention!" she pouted, crossing her arms and turning away.

Emily was still holding her cup of soda with a straw, making her pose seem more comical than serious, but I quietly sighed, gently nudging my wing with the "important cargo" closer.

"I'm sorry, Emily, I just got lost in thought about your magnificent songs that inspired me." Emily instantly forgot her annoyance, turning excitedly with a joyful smile.

"Really?!" Emily quickly gulped from the straw. "Did you really like my song?!" There was uncertainty, curiosity, and joy in her eyes, like a child asking a parent to watch them swim or something similar.

"It was one of the best performances I've heard during my time here." I admitted honestly, without exaggerating. Emily was even better than… the Fish, who had supposedly been practicing her art for a couple of decades. Could this really be the nature of Seraphim?

"I TRIED!" Emily seemed to get even more excited, soaring on her wings and starting to circle around me, firing off new questions: "What did you like the most?", "How did you like my voice?", "How can I evaluate my performance?" and many others…

Passersby didn't pay us any mind; they had their own business, and there were similar situations across the street. A busty cow was loudly chatting with another, just as energetically as Emily was accompanying me, and a bit further back, there was a group of teenagers, barely over a meter tall, celestial beings playing some game, animatedly shouting throughout.

No one complained; rather, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Apparently, everyone was used to reciting a few prayers or performing miracles to drown out outside noises, so that Emily and I didn't stand out from the crowd.

And so our walk continued, Emily and I chatting about various topics, playfully debating (more me than her, since Emily was still too serious about such matters, taking them a bit closer to heart than necessary), until Emily started asking about her dreams and views once again.

"... But don't angels help people?" Emily asked with genuine sincerity, looking into my eyes while sitting on my right wing, which I had lowered slightly to let her lean on my shoulder. "How can earthly souls so easily reject all the good that Heaven gives?" In Emily's eyes, I saw confusion, as if it were all so simple—just do this, and everyone would be happy, and the problems would be solved.

... I sighed, raising my gaze to the sky, to the red clouds of sunset that were beginning to grey, heralding rain… Finally. "Emily, what do you know about Earth and the people who live there now?" I quietly asked, turning my head toward Emily, who was still looking at me.

"... I've never been there." Emily admitted softly, lowering her head. "But I've heard a lot from other guardian angels when Sera took me to her work." She said this even quieter, as if afraid that Sara might hear us here.

Not without reason; she really could.

"She thought I wasn't listening, but I would hover closer to them…" she leaned in toward me as if sharing the most secret of secrets. "Just don't tell Sera, please!" Emily fixed me with a piercing, pleading look. "The 'puppy dog' look," as Adam would say.

Now I was faced with that terrifying and dreadful weapon. Not wanting to be subjected to its effects for too long and showing weakness, I simply nodded.

"... So, Emily…" The Seraphim smiled happily, nodding. "Life on Earth…" I wanted to choose my words carefully so that Sera wouldn't curse me later. "Is complicated." Emily tilted her head in confusion.

"On Earth, people are often busy with their own affairs, each preoccupied with their own goals and dreams, and faith with religion…" Emily leaned in closer, as I spoke quietly, not wanting others to hear us.

"Let's say," my gaze met her eyes, filled with childlike sincere naivety, "often, people don't think about something distant, abstract, and incomprehensible, like 'some Heaven that is supposed to take their souls someday.'" Emily frowned slightly but continued to listen in silence.

"Many simply don't have the time to think about such things; some, of course, figure it out in their first ten or twenty years, while others…" I sighed, "just don't give it any importance."

"But aren't there places on Earth where angels can show people the way? Churches?" I nodded.

"And what can they offer them, aside from beautiful words and some 'forgiveness of sins' that most don't even consider?" Emily puffed out her cheeks in indignation. "Understand, people have a short lifespan, around a century; they simply don't have time to stop and listen to the words of the Holy Father or read the Bible when they have their own problems. If they lack resources, they need to survive, and religion… takes a back seat." Emily fell silent thoughtfully, lowering her eyes.

"But why?" a quiet question full of sincere confusion…

"Just imagine yourself in their place." Emily looked at me, puzzled.

We stopped somewhere between the Second and Third Circles. I had never been good at geography in my London, and in the Golden City, with its thousands of streets… I simply sat down on a bench equipped with a small table for drinks and snacks, seating Emily beside me.

"Imagine that you were born—not in Heaven, where you have eternity and an unlimited number of resources for your desires—but on Earth." Emily's ears perked up as she focused on me. "You're subject to illness, aging, pain, and the harshness of reality; family, depending on luck, might help, but often—you're alone in that world." Emily shuddered slightly.

"You'll be taught something from childhood, constantly on the go, whether toward a goal or just swept along by the stream of life. When will you find time for religion and advice from 'kind and understanding' angels?" I gazed into Emily's eyes.

"…But I can…" Emily's voice was quiet.

"As I said, depending on luck, you might indeed have free time, but you won't have any knowledge of Heaven." Emily widened her eyes in surprise. "Here, while you're here," I waved my hand along the street where the last Righteous still wandered, darkness falling and the first thunder rumbling. "You know for sure that Heaven and everything else is real, but on Earth, you only have Faith and nothing more." I concluded my speech with a small exclamation at the end. Of course, that's true unless you get involved with magic or a Miracle, but the latter also relates to Faith.

Emily fell silent, lowering her head, hunching her shoulders, and slightly covering herself with her wings. Damn… I wasn't used to Emily suddenly asking for my opinion on her ideas so seriously, and I, out of habit, gave too blunt a response… I really am a terrible babysitter, aren't I? Sighing, I pulled out a bag of ribs that Adam liked so much, and as soon as Emily caught the scent, she turned her head toward the package.

"I'm sorry, Em." I stroked her head, but she didn't react, still staring at the bag. "What I said is just the opinion of an ordinary person who hasn't really interacted much with others." That's not entirely true, as the lack of communication doesn't eliminate the possibility of observation. "It's the position of someone from that world, a harsher and more foolish one."

"Foolish?" Emily tilted her head questioningly.

"How else can you put it?" The bag floated up onto the table beside Emily, opening and releasing the aroma of freshly cooked fried meat, coated in several spices and sauce. "If most people on Earth share an opinion similar to mine, then you can't call it anything but 'foolish.'" I wiped a bit of drool from Emily's mouth, which she didn't even notice, still focused on my speech and the treat. "It's good that we have a few people with your perspective," Emily looked surprised. "With ideas of optimism and faith in people, selfless help, and much more."

… Emily simply nodded, continuing to gaze at the open bag, taking deep breaths.

Emily… is quite an eccentric individual. She can seriously contemplate new ideas one moment and then joyfully react like a child the next… Which, in fact, she is. Is that a feature of all children?

"…Yes, Em, you can eat, you deserve…" I didn't even get to finish my sentence when Emily shot toward the bag, quickly grabbing the first rib.

"Thank you!" Emily…

"Just chew first." With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a small napkin that could serve as a bib for Emily's snack.

"It's so delicious! Did you make them too?!" As she chewed a piece of meat, Emily returned to that joyful tone she had before. I just nodded. "Oh! Sorry, you probably…"

"It's okay, you can take the whole bag…"

"Oi, little ones!" Adam. It was hard not to recognize the voice of the First Man. "What are you doing out here at such a late hour, especially with Snowflake and Fluff?" There were no restrictions on walks in Heaven, but for Emily… yes, it was better not to make Sera worry unnecessarily.

Adam was at the beginning of the alley, with his lieutenant Lute, who was carrying a bag filled with documents, as evidenced by the seals. Adam was lazily poking at where his ear should be, while Lute just looked at me with a furrowed brow, appearing tired. Apparently, Sera had sent Adam to find us, or these two had stumbled upon us on their way.

"Adam, Lute!" Emily waved happily, to which Adam responded in kind, while Lute simply nodded. "We were just about to…"

"Go to the best teahouse according to my girls!" Adam interrupted Emily, waving us over. "I was just going to pop by for tea after work, and here you are looking so lovely and lonely!" Adam didn't curse in front of Emily, knowing that if she heard even one curse word, he would personally learn about the 'sow' that's stretched over a globe. Plus, she would impose a punishment on Adam that would forbid him from cursing. Ever.

"But we were…" Adam ignored Emily, who pouted cutely.

"Especially since it's going to rain soon. Does little Emily really want to eat wet food?" Adam waved his hand again, and as we approached the duo, Emily settled back onto my wing. "Verg, do you mind grabbing some tea?" He winked. I had no idea what he meant, but I simply nodded.

Then... - he turned around, looking at Lute, who simply rolled her eyes. - Onward to the crusade for tea! - he raised his hand in the air.

For tea! - Emily literally shouted this. Right in my ear. How easily you can be distracted, Emily; I hope you grow out of this.

Lute and I exchanged understanding glances, but our active companions did not react at all.

Sir, we still have a lot... - Lute was politely silenced by Adam's hand over her mouth, causing her to frown and elbow him in the ribs.

What-oo-oo-oo, Verg, are you really planning to apply your manuals in practice? - Adam placed his hand on my shoulder, while Lute gave me an apologetic look. So that's who wrote that nonsense...

Manuals? - Emily, naive soul, you'll find out about this when the time comes for us to poke fun at Adam again. I've already kept a "Book of Offenses" for such occasions...

Adam is talking about my latest work in the Department of Sin, where I wrote about how to corrupt... - Adam slapped his hand on my left shoulder with a loud clap.

In o-o-general, - Adam's loud, slightly nervous voice was music to my poor ears, still ringing. - We need to hurry, or that place will close! - there was a plea in his eyes, but my mind was deaf to it.

... I'll tell you later, Emily, in a couple of decades when you're a bit older, and Sera doesn't bury me in the depths of the Earth. - Emily nodded seriously, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked at me, while Adam drooped.

Adam, what I wanted to... - I was about to start a dialogue when Adam began rambling again...

"Adam" and "Sera" are only for Lut, Sera, my girls, and yes, little Em, for you too - Adam replied to the youngest's exclamation. - Now call me "Taskgem" - he spread his legs wide, his left hand on his hip, and his right hand swiping through the air as if tracing his new nickname.

...

...

...

Without coordinating, Emily and I looked at Adam with the same unimpressed expression, while Lut... sighed, dropped her shoulders, quietly adding to Adam.

Sera recently completed all his work on time, and that's why... - Lut, as if justifying her boss, averted her gaze from us, walking to the right side of her Commander.

Yes, just another trick from Adam, who decided to break up his boredom and monotony with such little things. At least this time he wasn't interfering with our work, as Sera and I were not very pleased when Adam decided to change the format of his reports, splitting them onto different sheets. That caused all our work to come to a standstill for a couple of hours, creating a backlog and ruining our plans for a break, forcing us to do everything manually. Sera was a bit dissatisfied, and, probably out of fatigue, didn't notice a couple of my braids, which provided him with a couple of weeks of itching wings in the most uncomfortable places and, symbolically, suppressed any urges for bed adventures for two weeks.

... T-this isn't the best nickname... - Emily has proven more than once that she can cast doubt on someone's intellect with a single tone, hiding it under a facade of softness and naivety. - Maybe better...

The best nicknames are still off-limits, at least for Emily... - he said the last part quietly, as if only for Lut, who nodded, but Emily and I heard.

Why? - The innocent, sincere question made Adam choke on his breath slightly, turning away, while Lut wisely continued to look straight ahead.

As Emily doesn't know about the curses that, to be fair, are not so common in Heaven, she also doesn't know about adult topics: sex, brutal literature, and complex dark themes of humanity. Sir had created an idealized image in Emily's mind, which manifested in her naive and silly ideas that I had to listen to during our entire walk. "Universal concerts" and "Common good books" were some of the most realistic among them, and "Tell everyone not to do bad and evil"… That was one of the downsides of our stroll.

Because otherwise Sera will overthrow me to Hell. - Adam replied calmly, as if stating an obvious fact.

Fair enough. - Emily nodded, and Lut repeated the gesture. Adam just cleared his throat, continuing to walk in a direction I recognized... Could it be?

Indeed, we continued on our way to a familiar place, the "Eden's Hearth," the best tea establishment according to Vergil, the assistant-secretary to the Supreme Seraph Sera. Thanks to a bit of promotion, I received priority service, allowing us to enjoy good drinks almost immediately and... learn the recipes for their products, which didn't stop me from enjoying being in such a nice place.

Our small company sparked excitement in the crowded establishment, where we were given a table, allowing us to enjoy a quiet (thanks to Adam's weaving and tricks) evening in a lovely place, where we could share the latest news quietly and joke around. And then, unexpectedly…! Nothing happened; we just had a great time. Adam and Lut said their goodbyes and headed off somewhere, while Emily and I made our way... It was then that I first realized I had never been to Sir's apartment myself, which forced me to ask Emily…

So, you don't know where you live? - In response to my genuine confusion, Emily looked down.

Sir never let me out alone, always moving me with her wings… - Emily admitted quietly. Could it be that Sir also has professional deformation? Forgetting basic geography...

And Adam, didn't he take you on walks around Heaven? - At this question, Emily simply averted her eyes.

Someone wants to go for a walk, huh?

…And what about the district?

From what she said, Emily knew where she lived, just not the exact address, saying, "I could definitely point it out," and knowing the memory quirks of Seraphim… I felt calm and simply flew toward the districts of the Third Circle.

Flying over the Golden City at an altitude of about one hundred to two hundred meters, I enjoyed the flight, feeling the breeze and basking in the sunset sky, occasionally passing through clouds, much to Emily's delight, which made her a bit quieter by the end of the flight.

…Vergil. - Emily was now on my back, enjoying the evening, almost night-time cool breeze. - Thank you for taking me out today.

She held onto my coat, through which two large wings passed without any trouble, not hindering the younger Seraph from sitting on my back.

It's all right, Em. - The air currents didn't just not interfere with our conversation; they seemed to help carry our words, even the soft whisper with which Emily was now addressing me. - I had nothing to do on my rightful day off anyway. Especially when I know an angel who enjoys entertaining others… - I didn't see it, but I could feel Emily's smile.

You know, - Emily began quietly, - I still believe that people aren't bad in themselves, as sir Adam thinks; they just need to understand that if they ask for help, they will be helped.

And that's exactly why you're so wonderful. - At my flattering tone, Emily chuckled lightly.

By the way, you might want to clean and wash your wings… - Emily thoughtfully felt the bases of her wings. She wasn't the first to tell me this; is a simple cleansing weave really not enough?

I ignored this comment; the main thing was that Emily didn't take all my words to heart today, or else Sir would definitely find out.

…Where did you say your home is? - Emily hiccupped, starting to look down as I flew over the districts of the Third Circle, where Emily might live. This continued for a while until Emily spoke up.

…I only remember the view from below. - Emily said quietly, embarrassed, to which I sighed, beginning to descend.

I hope Sir is still in the spire; otherwise, both of us—especially me—might be in for a headache…

***

Sera was in confusion. Conducting yet another late meeting about some topic with the usual angels of the Second Circle, whose names Sera did not want to recall right now. Lately, Sera had been increasingly reflecting on her new assistant, their relationship, and her current work routine.

Sera was in confusion.

Of course, Sera was "conservative," as Gabriel sometimes called her; she often did not communicate with ordinary angels and Righteous Ones, preferring to focus more on her duties, building connections only with those she worked with. Sera always followed her predetermined role, God's Plan, and her designated place within it. She always believed that enlightening and diversifying the leisure of other souls were tasks for other Seraphim and Archangels, which she left to them.

… Archangel Enauril, head of the Department of Research and Development, was explaining to her the provisions of his Departments, asking for permission to research about thirty new topics he had outlined and explained…

Not that she was bad at it, but, as it turned out, she lacked experience in understanding the various nuances of ordinary human relationships. As Adam put it, she "hadn't stepped on enough rakes" to understand all the subtleties of communication with ordinary souls.

Thus, Sera still could not fully understand, no, even comprehend how exactly Vergil managed to turn the structured working relationship between a boss and subordinate into "something" akin to what Adam had with Lut, and what was most frightening, Sir herself was not against it.

As Sera now understands, it all began with their very first "unofficial" meeting, where Vergil immediately set the tone, catching her off guard. In her defense, Sera simply did not expect the Project leader to come to her so soon; she had anticipated at least a couple of days or weeks of work before any questions arose. It turned out that Dante had placed the most inexperienced Angel of their Department in a leadership position, who immediately took the opportunity to talk with the Seraph…

… She accepted the head of the Department of Proclamation's idea about the need to adapt new literature for the modern age of humanity. The new Department would be directed to one of the Seven Archangels involved in or related to this field…

She was caught off guard, deprived of the right to first impressions, and then that impudent one took a chair without asking and sat down himself. This, as Sir now realizes, was the first step Vergil took in creating their strange dynamic.

In retrospect, this seems obvious. Each subsequent meeting was accompanied by an expansion of the boundaries of what was permissible from Vergil, which Sera did not notice, and he shamelessly took advantage of it. One little liberty here, one more relaxed gesture there, "Could you demonstrate?" — and then that instance… At that time, she habitually expected Vergil to arrive right at nine o'clock in the evening, as he had for all previous visits, which made her slightly relax, thus disrupting her schedules and timelines for sending necessary documents, as all meetings and inspections were during the day, but still…

Sera did not expect Vergil to be late and to find her in such a miserable state. It was terribly unprofessional, a terrible example of a Seraph, an ideal model… It was just that she was genuinely tired, and Vergil had so kindly started using Ether in her presence to take on much of the routine work, allowing her to rest a little…

Yes, that very instance pushed Vergil towards more, literally pointing out where she simply wouldn't notice the trick immediately. After that, Vergil always came with tea. At first, he asked for permission, getting denied several times, but still continuing his attempts, and then he started bringing tea himself, as if thinking that Sera was no longer against it, justifying it with some reasons that were so silly that it was now embarrassing to recall.

This conclusion did not evoke anger or irritation, but simply… Confusion, nervousness, fear? Sir couldn't quite decide. Either way, all those little things, when Vergil allowed himself more and more each time in relation to her, led to the moment when she invited him to their first "official" meeting, granting him, a simple Angel who hadn't even worked for half a century, a great honor, and he simply…

Brought tea, sweets, and began asking questions unrelated to the topic, and then those… jokes about one part of her shell… He audaciously turned a serious interview into a simple friendly tea gathering, as if they were not a Seraph and an Angel, but just colleagues from Earth having coffee to discuss the weather! What audacity and violation of protocols!

Supreme Seraphim Sera? – called out the Archivist of the Golden City, to which Sir turned her gaze to the Cherub. – If you allow, I would like to… – The Cherub began a report on the successful censorship of some "heretical" literature, ex…

Sera pushed this stream of thought aside, putting it on the back burner, returning to the thoughts that had been tormenting her for the last few months.

What was she thinking about? Ah yes, Vergil and his audacious behavior, which she was encouraging…

Sera was not sure why, but all this time she had unconsciously allowed Vergil to do everything he was doing. This left her in a stupor. It was wrong. Indecent. Absurd. But at the same time so… enticing, so alluring…

Sera was tangled in her desires, unsure how to react to them. Should she try to restore the proper relationship between boss and employee? Something within her soul resisted these thoughts, wanting her mundane days to be brightened by these unusual and strange interactions. Should she lower herself to the level of Adam and Lut? Definitely not; they had their own dynamic, where poor Lut constantly made sure that Adam did not go too far, periodically reining in the unruly First Man. She did not want that.

Sera was in confusion, and that was wonderful. Finally, something new, something interesting! She hadn't felt so…

Sera. – Vergil.

Sera blinked, somewhat surprised to find herself back in her office at the top of the Spire. The last meeting of the day had ended, and she hadn't even noticed, too focused on one of the streams of consciousness.

Meanwhile, Vergil quietly entered the office, closing the door behind him with his long blue wing. The Angel immediately took her papers, which habitually filled themselves, allowing Sera to breathe a little easier, not having to keep each document in her mind and concocting a presumed response.

Our walk with Emily has long ended; Emily recently fell asleep, after demanding, – Vergil chuckled softly, and Sera did the same, – that I fetch her 'Sister' from the Rock Tower, overcoming the True Evil in the form of your bureaucracy. – Sera chuckled softly.

Here we go again. Instead of a report and reverence – a joke and impudence, instead of awe and veneration – understanding and support. Sera was no longer sure she would ever want to find another assistant who wouldn't behave at least half as Vergil did. Was this really what Gabriel and Adam had been trying to convey to her?

…On the way, we met Adam with Lut, who was carrying a black bag full of papers… – Vergil briefly recounted their walk with Emily, inadvertently reminding Sera of her "common" work with Adam. Sera's smile faded.

The extermination that was supposed to begin in a week.

Adam always complained about having to "run around and toil" for one day of the year, even though he understood the reasons perfectly well. That was just his nature, expressing his emotions by venting them onto her, Lut, and anyone else who fell under his hot temper.

Sera hadn't let Vergil in on the secrets of her work; she kept him out of meetings and inspections, leaving almost all the paperwork that didn't concern the larger mysteries of Heaven and the Circles to him, which was about three-quarters of her total workload. Nothing serious, just some details that might be unseemly for an unprepared mind that didn't grasp the whole picture and didn't know the entire story, but Vergil handled it well.

Not better than some of her former assistants, but what distinguished him was his approach. His skill with Ether allowed him to manage his own tasks without expending all his energy on helping her.

Moreover… Vergil never once doubted; his faith didn't waver when he learned "well-known" details that were inaccessible to the Second Circle. The workings of the Anafim in the Department of Heresy, the Cherubim in the Department of Good, and much more… Vergil only made jokes and chuckled at the "particularly amusing" options…

Could it…?

Sera decided to test her "hypotheses" in practice. She hoped that Vergil's reaction would relieve her of the heavy thoughts of the last few days, revealing his true face to her.

If Vergil truly was just another sycophant, a weak soul yearning for his unchanging needs, then Sera would be… disappointed? Either way, Sera could find a replacement, and he wouldn't be able to share with others what he had seen under her guidance.

If he really lived up to the persona he so carefully maintained, then… Sera didn't yet know, but one thing she was sure of. She definitely didn't want him to be disappointed in her or to start fearing her. Ugh…

Sera was still in confusion, but this time she could at least do something about it.

***

The weaving habitually created its familiar song, spreading its paper rustle through my consciousness, filling it with calm and silence. The papers began their dance of pen and ink once more, while its main participant remained silent. Sera simply gazed thoughtfully out the window, and I couldn't grasp the reason for such behavior.

Honestly, I expected a slightly different reaction from Sera regarding Emily's late sleep. I even dropped a hint to Sera that would allow her to start on me, but… she merely nodded pensively, showing no reaction to the fact that her beloved Emily had been put to bed so late and that we had lingered on our walk.

And I certainly didn't expect Sera to start recounting details about the rebellions of Hell against Heaven, especially with facts I hadn't even found through Dante among the Cherubim. It turned out that the Queen of Hell, Lilith, surprisingly had led about four major uprisings against the Celestials, plus several smaller ones, but without her direct involvement. Where Lucifer had been all this time, Sera kept to herself, focusing on… painting the scene?

She was definitely leading up to something. Usually, when she shared a story, she would embellish it with countless details, adding to the picture, but here… there was only a sense of condemnation? Sera looked straight into my soul as no one had done before. It was as if she saw me completely—my skeleton, my mind, my thoughts, my desires—everything. This was somewhat unnerving, especially since she had never done so before…

...And then, when my Archangel envoys did not return from their diplomatic mission to Hell, the Council decided to take action… – Sera sat in her chair, still not turning away, her voice distant and strict. – Adam volunteered. – She turned her head to me.

He convinced me of his idea, wishing to relay it to the Council through me, and they agreed. – The pressure intensified. – It was a decision regarding the annual Extermination of the Sinners in Hell.

She stared at me intently, as if examining each of my atoms under a microscope. Miss Sera clearly didn't concern herself with trifles, did she?

At that time, it was decided that Hell and Lilith, in particular, could no longer use demons for their military actions, leaving only the Sinners, and as punishment for that rebellion… – Sera, somehow, looked even more intently into my eyes. – Heaven must annually exterminate the Sinners of the Circle of Pride, preventing further uprisings.

Ha. "Potential" Sinners who "should already be in Hell," huh? So my enchantment… had been used in Hell on actual Sinners? Damn it, those spells weren't meant for a soul to be in such an unfavorable environment as Hell, the abode of Evil and Darkness…

And Sera was just… watching. Probably waiting for my reaction.

So, Sera had secretly decided to address the issue of the uprisings in Hell, specifically Lilith, at its root by simply exterminating the souls of the Sinners? So much for the kind, forgiving angels, damn it…

So… – at my words, she seemed to brace for impact, given how tense she had become. – You secretly made the decision about these "Exterminations," while telling all of Heaven that the problem had been resolved diplomatically, yes? – Sera nodded.

…And what were the circumstances then? – Sera raised an eyebrow, yet still responded with the same tension, maintaining a calm tone.

The possibility of an attack from Hell was never considered until the first attempt at the "Revolution of Lilith," however afterward, the High Council was constantly worried about addressing this issue. Adam's "Extermination" was accepted as the most lenient approach toward the souls residing there. – That tension in Sera's tone, the pressure reaching what seemed like its peak, made my hands tremble… Did she really think…?

Alright. – The pressure momentarily dissipated, and Sera's eyes widened in surprised indignation, which was quite something.

What do you mean "Alright"?! – I wasn't sure what Sera was more outraged about: my reaction to the newly revealed secret of Heaven or my lack of proper respect for such a topic.

…You and the Council made the most optimal, even merciful, decision, by your own words. – I shrug. – I don't know how suitable it is for the long term, but if there hasn't been a single uprising against Heaven since then, then it's working.

You don't… – Why does Sera seem to be experiencing cognitive dissonance? Does she really think that almost everyone opposes the killing of guilty souls instead of a trial?

These are Sinners. – Sera interrupted me. – I don't know how or why a soul ends up in Hell, but often, they deserve to be there. They suffer in Hell as it is, and giving them release is truly merciful. – I shrug again, causing Sera to twitch her right eyelid.

…Angel weapons permanently destroy a Sinner's soul, whereas dying in Hell can allow them to create a new vessel. – As if explaining the obvious to a child, Sera added.

Even more so. – I met her tense gaze with a calm one. – The method works, Hell isn't rebelling, Heaven is safe—what more do you need?

…And you don't think it's cruel and immoral? – Why is Sera asking such foolish questions?

These are Sinners; they deserve it. – Does she really take this so seriously?

And you don't think that such a method of solving the problem of uprisings is extremely cruel?! – Sera asked with a raised voice, almost shouting. Does she really not think that if she said this to Heaven, half of the First Circle would immediately rush to cleanse Hell?

You're literally ending their suffering by killing their vessel, but this is Hell; they are subjected to this, as you said, anyway. – Sera seemed genuinely lost in her paranoia or something else. Why such a reaction?

… – The pressure of the Seraph's gaze lingered for another ten seconds before finally dissipating, allowing me to breathe more freely. I wiped the sweat that had formed.

To be honest, – Sera let out a somewhat relieved sigh, – I expected you to respond to this revelation… differently. – Sera leaned back in her chair.

Meh… – Sera's tired eyes fell on me. – It's not the worst thing I could have learned, but if you had said that Jesus Christ was just a lucky guy chosen by God purely by chance… – Sera left it at that.

…Wait, seriously?! – At my genuine exclamation, Sera chuckled softly.

Not exactly like that, but if you look at it from that angle… – Sera smiled gently, laughing lightly again. – Maybe.

…You're not going to tell me the real story of Jesus, are you? – I asked, lowering my brows in exhaustion.

Maybe another time~. – Sera waved her hand and summoned the tea set… This was the first time… Something must have died somewhere for workaholic Sera to decide to take a break herself?

How about discussing your new duties as an assistant, Vergil? – Sera asked with a soft, slightly playful smile.

I thought paperwork was all that would be required of me? – I asked hopefully, sitting down across from Sera.

N-n-no~ – Sera elongated the word melodically.

Damn, is this Adam's influence or even mine? I didn't know Sera could tease, especially at work… Oh, right, the stars are already visible outside; the workday has ended.

I already regret reacting so easily to the "shocking truth." At least she didn't ask about Emily; there's joy in that.

I'd rather continue working only with paperwork…

***

Office of the Supreme Seraphim of the Golden City. Three days later. A tired Vergil.

Honestly, after that revelation from Sera, everything turned out not so bad. My work schedule has been filled with various meetings, whether with Sera or ones conducted by me, checks of some Department or Archive, plus Sera started delegating almost all her paperwork to me.

Of course, some might think this is quite a heavy workload… and they would be right, because "looking at everything positively," as Adam says, really helped. For a couple of hours, and then I started to feel tired again, experiencing the same emotions I felt during my scientific internship at a military unit. Irritation, confusion, even disgust—these and many other emotions were evident on the faces of the angels who had the honor of undergoing my inspection. Considering they knew my age, who I worked for, and what I did… I could understand them; I would have reacted the same way. Thankfully, their emotions didn't interfere with the work.

Now, sitting at Sera's desk, which was currently by the window, I was listening to Adam's requests and reports regarding the upcoming Extermination, the "Day I," as he called it, while methodically making corrections to the papers that needed to be sent to the necessary Departments. I was also checking the paperwork from the First Department, which Lüt had passed on to me, kindly standing next to me.

Sometimes, just like me, she would sip the tea I had prepared, following Sera's warning. The reason? All this paperwork for the First Department, which was meant to cover them during the "Day I," had always fallen on Sera's shoulders, as the "initiator" of the initiative to the High Council of Seraphims, who, as expected from such wise beings, decided not to get involved with the bureaucracy that such an initiative would inevitably entail. And now, for the last two or three thousand years, "the initiative is screwing the initiator," as Adam put it.

…And I say we need these damn new spears, of the highest quality, for heaven's sake! – Adam was energetically gesticulating with his hands, starting another round of persuasion. I handed Lüt the filled papers, which she placed in her black bag, then took out another stack right after.

And why would the First Department of Man need such a large quantity of new weapons, considering they only patrol the Earth and the outskirts of Heaven? – a tired Sera understood this too, but time and again she tried to rein in the eccentric Archangel.

…Because there was a demonic breakthrough on Earth recently! – at Adam's exclamation, Sera merely sighed. This argument had already come up four cycles ago. – And besides, we are "losing" some of our weaponry anyway… – Adam awkwardly tapped two fingers.

That's exactly why you should stop leaving some of the weapons in Hell. – Sera was still maintaining her strict demeanor, trying to look sternly at Adam, but he understood better than I did that Sera would rather give in than listen to the complaints of the First Man any longer, especially since it really wasn't that provocative of an issue.

But it's for intimidation, Sera! – Adam tilted his head back and stretched his words. – You know my girls need to go through their combat initiation… – Adam began to rephrase his argument from the second cycle of this dispute, and Sera rolled her eyes.

I finished the new documents for organizing "exercises" for Adam's Valkyries on Earth and handed the last batch to Lüt. The easiest part was behind me; now I would need to arrange the necessary meetings to settle a couple of questions… Quietly, I took a cup of tea, downing half of it at once, and Lüt followed suit.

Honestly, over these days, Sera had become… kinder, perhaps? More lenient about mistakes in the paperwork or jokes during meetings, and she even turned a blind eye to my "absence" from one of the gatherings when I got caught up in my home laboratory and was late by a couple of hours… completely missing the meeting.

The only thing that pleased me over the past few days was the inspection of the Department of Sin. I managed to meet with old colleagues; Dante shared his progress on the "Ascension" project… We had our usual meeting where everyone was "joking and laughing" while recounting their projects…

Anyway, the "Ascension" project is entering its final stage; soon Dante will be able to conduct the Angel's Awakening, and then we can try to develop a test formula. At least that's encouraging.

… – Sera turned to me with a silent plea in her eyes. What do you think, Vergil? – Adam turned to me with a look of desperation. Honestly, he looked like a child begging their parents for a new toy.

Damn…

…Over the last month, the First Department really has been sending more requests for new weapons, – Adam's enthusiasm waned, and Sera smiled slightly. – If we place a new order, the Law Enforcement Department might start an investigation…

Sera had already mentioned that this could raise suspicions among other Departments of the Second Circle, but seeing another opposition from me, Adam finally retreated from this question.

Ugh… – Adam rubbed his face with his palm. – Right. – Adam's gloom didn't last long. – Then, Sera, I would like to ask about…

Sera took a deep breath, and I followed suit. Lüt quietly patted me on the shoulder, and when I looked at her questioningly, she nodded knowingly.

Right, this is just another round of overtime. Just another new job.

I want to get back to my research.