As Mael made his way down to the first floor, he noticed how bare the unit was. There were no boxes stacked along the walls like in the others—only an unsettling emptiness that made it feel long abandoned.
Yet within that vast void, a lone table stood at the center of the floor, as if deliberately placed there.
I guess I'll place the package there, Mael thought.
He set the package atop the table.
"All right, time to go home." With the extra coins, I can finally treat myself to something tasty.
The thought of all the pastries he could buy made his mouth water.
Mael turned toward the stairs and began making his way back up to the window he had entered through.
The sound of his footsteps faded from the first floor—only to return moments later as he headed back down, annoyance clear in every step.
"Damn it, I forgot," one last detail resurfaced in his mind.
Wait for the man in red, all right.
He let out a weary sigh. "This is going to take a while…"
Outside, the harbor bustled with the sounds of trucks and boats coming and going as the world carried on with its work. Inside, Mael remained confined within the dusty, empty, dark storage unit. The only light came from a faint glow at his fingertip, barely illuminating the space.
Before long, night settled in.
Zzz…
While waiting, Mael had fallen asleep on the second floor, the light at his fingertip long since faded.
Then—
Click.
The sound of a lock turning echoed through the unit.
In an instant, Mael's eyes snapped open. He rose quietly and descended the stairs, careful not to make a sound. Now hidden behind a wall near the stairwell, he waited for whoever was about to enter.
Screeech.
The rusty metal door slid open slowly from the outside, its grating cry slicing through the silence.
Click—click—click.
Boots echoed against the floor as someone entered the building. A long silhouette stretched across the ground, cast by moonlight spilling in from outside. The outline of a top hat was unmistakable.
The man stepped closer, stopping at the table. He picked up the package and hastily tore away the outer wrapping.
A moment later—
"Hahaha—so the artifact is in the mortal realm after all!"
That voice… Mael thought. It doesn't sound human. If anything, it sounds like a demon.
I've got to get out of here. Panic surged as he searched desperately for a way out. If I'm lucky, I can just wait for him to leave…
He clung to the hope of a miracle.
Then the figure's shadow turned.
Steeling himself, Mael prepared to make his escape—
Clink.
Cold sweat flooded his body as he realized the pouch of gold at his side had jingled softly.
"WHO GOES THERE!?" the figure roared, his shadow snapping back toward Mael's hiding place.
Click—click—click.
The footsteps drew closer.
Mael's thoughts raced.
I'll act like a lost child. Maybe he'll let it slide.
No—wait.
He's a demon. He'd kill a kid without hesitation.
Time stop? I could escape—no. Three seconds isn't enough.
Angelic powers? He hesitated. I can't risk it. I'm not even sure I'm strong enough to take him down.
Damn it… what do I do?
Before the figure could spot him around the corner, a familiar voice rang out.
"Hey, demon!"
Startled at being correctly identified, the figure turned toward the voice, fixing his gaze on the one who had called out.
"Who the hell are you?" the demon snarled as he caught sight of the man standing outside.
He moved toward him, his footsteps carrying him farther away from Mael. As he did, Mael dared a quick peek—and saw something bizarre.
They shared the same features. The same face. The same build.
Only one detail set them apart.
The demon wore red.
The man facing him wore blue.
Standing eye to eye, the man in blue spoke calmly. "I've come to kill you—and retrieve my artifact."
"HAHAHA—you wish for me to devour your soul?" the demon snarled.
His body began to warp, flesh twisting and swelling as it morphed into something grotesque.
But before the transformation could finish—
Thk!
The man in blue drove his index and middle finger straight into the demon's forehead. The impact sent the demon reeling, his body jolting violently as the transformation was cut short.
"Sigh… exorcise."
He placed his palm against the demon's chest.
Voom.
Holy light engulfed the demon as his body began to disintegrate, crumbling away right before the man in blue.
"W–who the hell are you!?"
Those were the demon's final words before he vanished into oblivion, leaving only the artifact behind as it clattered to the floor.
Witnessing an angelic technique used right before his eyes, Mael stepped out from his hiding place.
"Hey! Are you an angel?" he called out.
The man in blue turned to him.
"Still as reckless as ever, eh, Mael."
Then he added, "Even now, as a mortal, you took the job I gave you without a second thought—down to a tee."
"Recklessness, naivety—or just plain stupidity," he continued. "Hard to say. Maybe that's why you were banished to the mortal realm after you were injured in the war."
He bent down and picked up the fallen artifact.
"Wait a minute—that artifact is the Scroll of Knowledge. That must mean… you're Azazel!" Mael exclaimed.
"At least you're not as dumb as I thought," Azazel replied.
"What are you doing in the mortal realm?" Mael snapped.
Azazel turned away. "It doesn't matter. My research is finished for today. I'm returning to Paradiso."
With that, his form began to shift. His hair shortened and turned pure white, his eyes glowing gold. Two pairs of imposing angelic wings unfurled from his back. A golden sigil hovered behind his head as his attire transformed into flowing white garments adorned with ornate, divine gold patterns.
Azazel walked outside, Mael following a step behind.
"And Mael," Azazel added without turning around, "I truly don't understand how you struggle to earn this realm's currency. I obtained enough to pay you after only a handful of tasks."
He spread his wings and rose into the night sky, leaving Mael standing alone below.
Alone beneath the vast night sky, Mael wondered—
Just what are you scheming, Azazel?