(Anime/Manga Fanfiction) [Various] Throne of God (24) + Extra Chapter
"Gabriel hopes that, considering Joyce's near mental breakdown, cough…you should go visit that archangel."
"Heh, where is she?"
After hearing the story, the Archangel coldly stared at Samael. He abandoned his intention to continue working and suddenly smiled as he asked.
"She hasn't returned yet. She should still be in the Grand Cathedral."
Faced with Lucifer's furious yet amused response, Samael shook his head and replied, wondering if he should go to the Grand Cathedral later.
"Alright, I'd like to see…who is that audacious angel?"
How strange! A low-ranking archangel dared to violate the Seven Virtues, and with such a ridiculous reason—because of him? He didn't even remember ever seeing such an archangel!
Since that was the case, Lucifer didn't refuse Gabriel's request to relay the story. No matter how displeased he was, he had to give his companion face.
Seeing his superior leave the palace with Samael, Michael, carrying a mountain of books, stood at the doorway, not following. His fiery red eyes blinked; he could guess that Gabriel had sent Samael. Who else but Gabriel could so easily persuade the Archangel?
"Joyce, Joyce!"
A hysterical cry erupted from the tightly closed room, accompanied by the clatter of something heavy falling to the ground. Raphael felt like a cat on hot bricks, desperately calling out to his friend. Joyce's condition was truly dire; he regretted taking him to the Little Sacred Pool. Who had leaked this information?!
"Your Highness Lucifer, he is Joyce's friend… Raphael."
Jeremy's voice sounded from behind. Raphael, calling his friend's name, froze. Before he could turn around, he heard a detached yet extremely pleasant male voice speak.
"Raphael, could you move aside for a moment?"
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lucifer's gaze swept over Raphael, then landed on the door shimmering with a protective barrier. He walked past Raphael, reached out, and grasped the doorknob. Raphael, kneeling to the man's left, couldn't help but speak up when he saw this.
"There's a barrier connected to Joyce's life; it can't be broken by force alone… uh, it's open?"
Surprised to see Lucifer open the door so easily, Raphael's eyes instantly filled with reverence. To open a door without harming the barrier's owner—what incredible power! Only Samael, standing to the side, raised an eyebrow with amusement. Rarely joining in the fun, he followed along. He naturally noticed that Lucifer hadn't used force; the door had opened automatically.
"Your Highness!"
As soon as he entered, Lucifer saw a disheveled, unidentified creature lunging at him. Even before it got close, the stench emanating from the creature disgusted the Archangel. Lucifer glanced expressionlessly at the erratic Joyce, then calmly stepped aside, allowing Samael, whose view had been blocked, to enjoy the embrace.
Samael, caught off guard, froze, especially when the other's fingers gripped his sensitive waist tightly. The strange, pungent odor made him nauseous—the scent of a demon on an angel, difficult to remove quickly unless cleansed with water from the small sacred pool.
After understanding the reason, the usually image-conscious Archangel didn't hesitate to teleport. After all, this archangel wasn't really interested in embracing him.
He fell to the ground, empty-handed, his legs exposed beneath his robes, the fine hickeys still visible. Jeremy curled his lip in disgust, utterly bewildered that such a noble archangel wanted to see him; he was a disgrace to the archangels. Raphael, outside the door, covered his face, unable to bear the sight.
"Your Highness, I knew it! They must have been lying to me! You came to see me! You didn't abandon me!"
Scrambling to his feet, Joyce ignored Samael and Raphael, his face flushed with excitement as he muttered to himself, frantically combing his hair with his fingers. He gazed adoringly at the Archangel with whom he had shared so many intimate moments, as if his shattered dreams were being pieced back together, and he was still the angel he cherished.
The hopeful glimmer of hope in the angel's words surprised even Samael; he hadn't realized Lucifer held such importance in the angel's heart.
"I heard you longed to see me, so I came to see what kind of angel you really are."
Exquisitely sculpted fingers came into view. Lucifer gently lifted his chin, revealing a face previously hidden by bangs. His appearance was barely average by Heaven's standards, but his eyes, swirling with a myriad of emotions, utterly tainted the angel's holiness, appearing so filthy to Lucifer.
Obsession, desire, anticipation, panic…
Not only was his body defiled by the devil, but his soul had also lost its purity, becoming filthy and ugly. Gabriel shouldn't have gone to see God so soon. If she saw this archangel's appearance again, she might lose her compassion.
And Jehovah thought the same as Lucifer. How could he not see Joyce's thoughts? So the God on his throne remained silent, watching Gabriel refuse to leave, wanting to make the seraph give up, yet feeling a helpless sense of Gabriel's unwavering will.
The inherent individuality of Seraphim is what truly distinguishes them from other angels. They genuinely possess a sense of good and evil; they feel anger, disgust, compassion, and pity. These emotions don't come from inherited memories but arise from their own experiences in this world.
"Gabriel, you still won't give up?"
"Yes, please give me… give Joyce a chance."
"Once you've made a choice, don't regret it, Gabriel. Go and gather the other Seraphim. I have something to announce in the Grand Cathedral."
Gabriel's eyes lit up; she clearly understood the implication. The Father was willing to change his mind? Without asking any further questions, she stood up, her knees numb, gave a farewell bow, and quickly went to inform her companions.
Watching Gabriel's departing figure indifferently, Jehovah's fingers traced the patterns on the armrest of his throne. After a long while… a faint smile appeared on his face. He couldn't tell if he was satisfied or disappointed. This child was ultimately driven by emotion rather than reason. Although prone to impulsive actions, it wasn't bad for ordinary angels and archangels to have such a superior.
Having met Archangel Joyce, Lucifer's biggest concern wasn't the resentment he felt towards the fantasies, but rather his deep worry about the education of the young angels. If a few more angels were easily abducted by demons, Lucifer would feel incredibly ashamed. Even if their intelligence was low, it couldn't be lower than that of demons. He wondered if the Messiah had the ability to manage the angel academy properly.
On the way, he encountered Gabriel again, who had come to inform him. Lucifer silently watched her excited expression. Samael clearly wanted to say something, but Gabriel, busy reporting to the Grand Cathedral, vanished like a ray of light.
At the Grand Cathedral, Gabriel was finally not alone. Seeing her companions arriving one after another, she felt much relieved, confident they would all plead for her. After all, there was no precedent for Joyce's case, and God's punishment this time was too severe.
"You are all aware of what has happened recently. I tell you clearly... unless it affects the entire Heaven, I will not interfere in the conflict between angels and demons. This is something you will have to deal with later."
Jehovah was also annoyed by the events of the past few days. Just an inconspicuous archangel, yet he had caused such a stir throughout the nine heavens. Perhaps it was because the peaceful Heaven lacked the thrill of gossip, leading many angels to unconsciously pay attention to Joyce. This was only the first time a demon had tripped up an angel; such incidents would only increase in the future. Did he have to come to him to resolve every single one?
"Gabriel."
"My God, Gabriel is here."
Michael stood to the right of the throne, while Gabriel stood to the left. She stepped forward, turned around, and bowed respectfully.
"You say exile is too harsh a punishment, and you want me to change it, right?"
The moment God finished speaking casually, Lucifer looked at Gabriel with displeasure. How could the archangel oppose the will of God? Did Gabriel dare to face God with such an attitude behind his back without his knowledge?
Having her actions exposed, Gabriel immediately felt her face burning under several gazes. She belatedly realized that her previous behavior was indeed inappropriate; it was the first time she had ever gone against God.
"Yes..."
Her bent back seemed to creak as the archangel struggled to utter two words, the gazes on her growing even colder. Gabriel had reason to suspect that she would face retaliation from her companions in the future, a fact evident in Samael's pitying gaze.
"Then, you shall take the punishment in her place, and I will spare Joyce's banishment, how about it?"
The angel's heart seemed to skip a beat. Samael's mind went blank reflexively upon hearing this, only realizing he had been overthinking it when he saw that his companions showed no sign of surprise. So, taking the punishment in her place didn't mean she would be banished from Heaven. His fingers trembled slightly beneath his sleeves. Samael stared at Gabriel before the throne, never before feeling fear so acutely; he was so afraid of her being implicated.
"I am willing."
After Gabriel agreed, Jehovah's gaze shifted to the Archangel. Lucifer, though innocent, was not without fault, the catalyst for this incident.
"Lucifer."
"Yes, my God."
Rarely addressed by his full name, Lucifer felt a slight unease. Since it was his seat before the throne, he respectfully knelt on one knee. Although the blond man's actions were far more humble than Gabriel's, the archangel's arrogance remained undiminished; only when facing God did this arrogance lose some of its sharp aggression.
"You have failed in your duty."
Without even lifting an eyelid, the silver-haired god remained seated on his high throne, coldly surveying the expressions of all the archangels present, his gentle voice carrying a chilling majesty.