Chapter 330. A New Grand Plan (2)
“Wow.”
Was this heaven?
Lloyd looked around with wide eyes.
Everything he saw was pure white.
The smooth floor beneath his feet.
The pillars of the temples standing everywhere.
The expansive sky held up by those pillars.
Even the holy sun floating in the sky.
Everything was pure white.
No matter where he looked, the scene overflowed with untouched sanctity.
Thanks to this, Lloyd thought:
“This is… I feel like a germ or a cockroach that’s snuck into a place we shouldn’t be.”
“…Could you keep such thoughts to yourself?”
“Nope.”
“…”
Javier pursed his lips shut.
He looked around the heavenly scenery calmly and wondered.
Why was he here?
Why was he pulled out of his bed and dragged to heaven by Lloyd?
‘Ha. It’s my fault for being involved with this man.’
Why did someone like him take over Lloyd Frontera’s body?
Why did he keep dragging Javier into such unexpected situations?
He reflected on these questions filled with doubt.
But there was only one conclusion.
‘It’s all this man’s fault.’
Suddenly, he remembered what happened just before coming to heaven.
About an hour ago.
He was lying in bed at his lodging.
After finishing the final touches at the dam site.
Reflecting on a long and tiring day.
Worrying about Lloyd’s recent behavior of avoiding him.
Trying to force himself to sleep, which wouldn’t come easily.
He sighed and turned over in bed.
Then, suddenly, Lloyd had burst in and shouted:
‘Hey, let’s go to heaven!’
…Right.
‘At first, I thought he’d gone mad.’
Bursting into someone’s room and shouting about going to heaven.
It was at that moment he truly thought Lloyd had lost his mind.
He tried to calm Lloyd down.
Tried to soothe him and bring him back to his senses.
He even thought about knocking him out temporarily to treat him.
But Lloyd’s next action?
He exceeded Javier’s expectations.
‘Come on, let’s go!’
Without giving Javier a chance to respond.
Lloyd had grabbed him and pulled him up.
Without giving him a chance to reply, he had dragged him out of the lodging.
Only then did Javier regain his lost composure and manage to ask:
‘Where are we going?’
‘I told you. Heaven!’
‘…’
Yep, he really was crazy.
Knocking him out was definitely the right call.
Then he saw them.
The six angels standing neatly in the hallway.
“…I suppose it makes sense I ended up following Lloyd here to heaven. But there’s one thing I don’t understand.”
Recalling the events of the past hour, Javier turned sharply to Lloyd.
With a look full of doubt, he asked.
“Why am I here?”
“Huh? You?”
“Yes.”
The doubt in Javier’s eyes deepened.
“Earlier, you showed me the angels in the hallway and told me that Raphael was right, that they really had come to take you. And then you said I had to come along.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“So I’m confused.”
“What’s confusing?”
“The angels came to take you, didn’t they?”
“Yeah, they did.”
“Then why did I have to come with you?”
“Because I was scared.”
“…”
Javier was speechless.
He said it so casually with such a straight face that for a moment, it almost sounded reasonable.
Javier quickly collected himself and frowned slightly.
“Scared? So you brought me along? That’s a terrible joke.”
“It’s not a joke. It’s the truth.”
“…”
“Think about it. It’s not just any place; it’s heaven. Literally heaven. It’s a realm of the afterlife, like hell. And we didn’t come here for a tour; we were brought by angels. Wouldn’t you be scared coming here alone?”
“Well, that’s…”
“So you have to protect me. By my side.”
“…”
“That means I trust you.”
“…”
Lloyd Frontera.
Why does he sometimes say things so sincerely that it pierces your heart?
Javier clicked his tongue unconsciously.
“You trust me? What nonsense.”
“I’m serious.”
“Weren’t you just bored?”
“Caught me.”
“…”
“Come on, let’s go. Why are you walking so slowly? Are you a turtle?”
“…”
“Answer me when someone asks you a question. Come on, hurry up, Mr. Turtle?”
“Lloyd. I’m not a turtle or anything of the sort.”
“Okay, fine. Sir Javier Asrahan.”
“…”
“Getting upset over such little things. Tsk.”
Lloyd chuckled.
Indeed, it was fun to tease Javier.
Sometimes, teasing him too much would trigger a less-than-welcome message, but still.
[Javier Asrahan feels that your joke crossed the line.]
[Javier Asrahan’s favorability toward you has decreased by -1.]
[Current relationship with Javier Asrahan: +67]
[There is no RP deduction for the slight deterioration in the relationship with a key character.]
[Current RP: 10,071]
‘Ha. Maybe I pushed him too much.’
Lloyd smiled wryly.
He had dragged Javier to heaven in the middle of the night.
For Lloyd, it was a necessary move.
‘Of course. I don’t know what might happen here. Coming alone is really unsettling.’
Heaven, the afterlife.
Moreover, he wasn’t summoned for a good reason.
‘Although, according to my plan, this summoning could work in my favor. But things don’t always go as planned. If things go wrong, I need someone to protect me.’
Bringing Javier was a perfectly reasonable decision.
Thinking this, Lloyd continued walking.
He glanced at the angels escorting them.
They were the same angels who had descended into his room to take him.
‘Two 3rd-class angels. The other four are… 4th-class?’
It was a formidable force.
A 3rd-class angel was equivalent to a grandmaster.
A 4th-class was slightly below that.
And the angels flying around the celestial realm weren’t any less impressive.
‘Most of them are 7th to 9th-class lower angels. Still, equivalent to high-ranking sword experts to sword masters. Occasionally, you see 5th-class angels, which are sword master level. There are so many of them.’
His neck shrank involuntarily.
He was relieved he brought Javier.
Facing them all alone would have been overwhelming.
But with Javier, they might at least hold their ground and escape.
With these thoughts, he finally stood before a large door.
About 4 meters high.
Roughly 2 meters wide.
A door floating in the air.
There was no wall or supporting frame.
Just a white door standing alone.
Even looking behind the door revealed only empty space.
An angel gestured to the door.
“You may open it and enter.”
“Does this door open?”
“Yes. Your escort stops here; you must go in alone. The Minister is inside.”
“…”
The Minister, whom Raphael had mentioned, must be Gabriel, the 1st-class angel.
Lloyd obediently grabbed the doorknob.
He opened the door.
In that instant.
Flash-!
‘Huh?’
It was as if he had teleported.
For a moment, he felt a bit dizzy.
The surroundings changed.
‘Where is this?’
Lloyd calmed his queasy stomach and looked around.
It was a fairly spacious office.
White walls and floors.
White bookshelves and books.
A completely white desk and chair.
It looked like a space decorated by a severe germaphobe.
In that space, a pure white angel sat neatly.
The angel smiled kindly at him.
“Welcome. Please, have a seat.”
“…”
Lloyd obeyed and sat across from the angel, bowing slightly.
“Nice to meet you. I am Lloyd Frontera from the mortal realm.”
It seemed this angel was indeed Gabriel, the Angel Minister.
He needed to make a good impression.
Lloyd swallowed nervously, watching the angel’s reaction.
The pure white angel smiled gently.
“I knew you were coming. We’ve been watching you. I am Gabriel, the Angel Minister.”
“Yes, nice to meet you. It’s an honor and pleasure to meet the renowned, honorable Minister.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“Sounds like a lie.”
“What would I gain from lying?”
“How about wiping the sweat off your face first?”
“…Sorry.”
So flattery doesn’t work, huh.
Lloyd smiled wryly.
Gabriel mirrored his expression.
“Anyway, thank you for coming voluntarily. Unlike last time.”
“Last time…?”
“Raphael. You resisted his official duties quite fiercely, didn’t you?”
“…”
“You know why I summoned you here today, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then, please explain it yourself.”
“…Sigh. I defied the Celestial Realm’s order to dismantle the Jewel of Truth and proceeded with its construction. In the process, I interfered with Raphael’s official duties. I assume that’s why I’ve been summoned.”
“Smart and precise. Exactly right.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No need to thank me. You should be apologizing profusely.”
“What exactly am I apologizing for…?”
“Don’t you know?”
“…”
Lloyd closed his mouth.
Gabriel’s kind eyes turned stern.
“Lloyd Frontera from the mortal realm. What do you think of the Celestial Realm’s decisions? Do you see them as the arbitrary whims of those who don’t consider the mortal realm?”
“…”
Yes, actually.
He thought silently.
Gabriel’s reproach continued.
“Lloyd Frontera, you’re mistaken. The Celestial Realm’s decisions are not made lightly. They consider countless pasts, presents, and futures, and all possible outcomes and dangers. Yet, you thought you could surpass this insight with mere human judgment, hope, and will?”
“…”
“That’s sheer arrogance. I know intelligent humans often fall into such traps, but I’m deeply disappointed in you.”
“…”
“Don’t you feel any remorse? If you have anything to say, speak.”
“Ah, yes. But before I speak, I have a question.”
“Ask.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Lloyd moistened his lips slightly.
Gabriel still looked at him sternly.
Lloyd asked cautiously, as if testing a bridge before crossing.
Or knocking on a titanium door.
He asked in a subtle tone.
“Well, if I, um, were to present a counterargument to what you just said…”
“A counterargument?”
“Yes. Just hypothetically. If I were to present a counterargument to you… would that result in any resentment or future disadvantages?”
“Resentment? Disadvantages? What do you mean?”
“Oh, um. I mean, if I get marked and later sent straight to hell or something…”
“Hell? Haha.”
Watching Gabriel laugh, Lloyd asked earnestly.
“That wouldn’t happen?”
“Of course not. A few counterarguments to an angel won’t send you to hell or make you disliked. That’s nonsense. It shouldn’t happen either.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. Your afterlife depends on your actions, deeds, and whether you were good or evil in life. An angel can’t decide that. Angels, regardless of their rank, are merely workers of the Celestial Realm, not objects of worship.”
“…Oh, so that includes you too?”
“Of course.”
Gabriel smiled a strict but kind smile.
It was obvious.
Angels were merely tools and workers of divine will.
They couldn’t be worshipped or idolized.
“So, if you have any counterarguments, feel free to present them. No matter what you say, I, Gabriel, will not hold it against you.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
“You promise?”
“Consider it a promise.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.”
“Oh, but I must. Now, since you’ve given your word, I’ll take this time to carefully explain why your order to dismantle the Jewel was utterly nonsensical and ridiculous.”
“…Hmm?”
Gabriel paused.
He looked at Lloyd and thought.
Why is this mortal looking at me with such a gleeful smile, licking his lips?