SYOV 15

Chapter 15

The old wooden door turned out to be a prayer room.

Inside the cold stone chamber, which had no windows, the young Prince was alone, wearing pure white priest robes while strengthening the temple’s defensive magic.

“Sir Ian… is that you?”

The Prince’s eyes widened in surprise when the unexpected visitors appeared.

But soon…

A bright smile spread across his face as he removed the white veil covering his head.

His messy platinum-blond hair shimmered in the candlelight.

His slightly reddish golden eyes and dependable expression stood out.

‘Wow…’

I couldn’t close my mouth.

‘He’s still a kid, but he’s already this handsome?’

He was the most handsome person I had met since waking up in this world.

I couldn’t even imagine how handsome he would become after growing up.

“You’re safe.”

“Thank goodness.”

He wasn’t just handsome.

He was kind too.

That only made me even angrier.

‘They left a child all alone in a place like this…’

Making a child work this late at night was something I simply couldn’t accept.

Especially when the city was already in chaos because of a Demon.

The barrier in the Primeval Forest had collapsed, and monsters were killing people.

At the very least…

Someone should have been here to protect the young Prince.

‘Then again…’

‘What else can I expect from a crazy country that exiles seven-year-old children?’

I was about to let out a deep sigh.

“Harvey!”

The young Prince suddenly hugged me.

Startled, I quickly looked at Ian.

Ian was just as shocked as I was, standing there with his mouth hanging open.

Meanwhile…

Flora, who was asleep in Ian’s arms, remained fast asleep.

“Harvey…”

The Prince’s voice trembled slightly.

‘He knows me.’

We must have met sometime in the past that I couldn’t remember.

And judging by his reaction…

We had been very close.

I had heard that the Clavis family possessed enough power that the Emperor once granted one of their noble titles to a dog they were raising.

If that was true…

Meeting the Imperial Family wouldn’t have been unusual.

‘Is Harvey my nickname?’

Even the protagonist of Everything About Clavis was called Harvey.

‘Hebenia… Harvey… Chae Habin…’

The name I had in my previous life…

And the name I had in this world…

They couldn’t be similar by coincidence.

“You’re safe.”

“You really came back safely.”

“Huh? O-Oh… yeah.”

“I’m glad you look healthy.”

The Prince slowly stepped back and smiled.

The corners of his eyes were slightly wet.

‘…What is this?’

My chest ached.

There really was someone outside the Primeval Forest…

Someone who worried about me.

I had always envied the people in Exilium because they still had family or friends waiting for them.

I never imagined…

Someone was waiting for me too.

The joy was so overwhelming that I almost burst into tears.

‘Don’t cry, twenty-five-year-old me!’

‘Have some pride as the older one!’

I bit my lip and desperately held back my tears.

Then—

“Your Highness.”

Ian suddenly stepped in front of me.

He lowered himself onto one knee and bowed his head.

“This disloyal sinner humbly greets His Highness, the Prince of the Empire.”

“I hope Your Highness has been well.”

His perfect posture.

His steady voice.

From that simple greeting…

I caught a glimpse of the Ian who had once been an Imperial Knight.

He must have been an exceptional knight.

The young Prince smiled warmly.

“I’m truly happy to see you again as well.”

“Thank you.”

“And… I sincerely apologize.”

Thud.

The Prince suddenly collapsed forward.

Ian quickly caught him before he hit the floor.

Something dropped near Ian’s feet.

A syringe.

The syringe filled with anesthetic.

I immediately picked it up and stuffed it into my cloak pocket to destroy the evidence.

“Brother’s in big trouble now.”

“He’s going to get arrested for breaking medical laws.”

Ian sighed.

“Breaking medical laws?”

“I just assaulted a member of the Imperial Family too.”

“Yay!”

“Looks like we’ve got another future life prisoner.”

Although it was shocking…

Ian had made the right decision.

‘We had to summon.’

None of us had forgotten Verity’s instructions.

Ian gently carried the unconscious Prince to the small bed in the corner.

Flora was already sleeping there.

I quietly looked at the sleeping Prince.

Now that I looked closer…

There were faint dark circles beneath his eyes.

Feeling sorry for him…

I gently stroked his hair.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘But it’s better if you don’t see what’s about to happen.’

I opened the Summon app.

Since I had already taken a picture of the summoning circle before…

There was no need to draw it again.

Red light poured from my watch…

Drawing a five-pointed star on the floor.

‘Magic Milky…’

‘Please give me the shameless courage to survive this embarrassment!’

I stretched out the hand wearing the watch and shouted with all my strength.

“Summon!”

Ian blinked.

“…Do you really have to shout it that loudly?”

“Be quiet.”

“I’m immers—”

“I mean…”

“I’m concentrating.”

Just as I was about to scold Ian…

Something felt wrong.

‘The star…’

It was facing the normal direction.

‘Wait…!’

The moment I realized something was wrong, I tried to cancel the summoning.

But it was already too late.

The glowing red star gradually turned blue.

A gentle breeze rose from the summoning circle like a small whirlwind.

The prayer room filled with the fresh scent of fabric softener.

Tap.

A worn sneaker touched the floor.

“…”

“…”

Ian and I slowly raised our eyes.

Baggy pants hanging low.

Bright neon-pink underwear that raised serious questions about his taste.

A loose white sleeveless shirt.

Bronze skin covered in Demon tattoos.

Black bangs hiding his eyes.

Bleached hair in the back that looked like rats had chewed on it.

Shaved sides.

‘What…’

‘This fashion is… enlightening.’

It was the kind of fashion that made me realize…

My eyes were simply too precious to witness something like this.

Just then…

Ian quietly nudged my foot.

His trembling eyes desperately pointed toward something lying beside the summoning circle.

A single white feather.

‘Oh no…’

‘We summoned an Angel too.’

“Oh.”

“They summoned someone.”

Verity, who had returned to Deste Mansion, looked toward the temple.

The Demon in the school uniform examined the summoning circle covered with corpses.

“Hmm…”

“Did they summon the Second Legion Commander?”

“That annoying guy certainly has that kind of presence.”

“I just hope Young Lady doesn’t get shocked by the way that Angel dresses.”

Verity turned his attention back to the summoning circle.

“A Succession Ritual…”

“Body enhancement…”

The skinny man’s corpse lay outside the summoning circle.

The smug expression on his face had become horribly twisted.

‘Looks like he was killed right after we escaped.’

There wasn’t a single living presence left inside the mansion.

‘The fat rat I locked inside Flora’s room is dead too.’

‘Looks like Baron Deste is dead as well.’

Verity’s plan to gather information had completely fallen apart.

“Ugh…”

After finishing his inspection, Verity stretched his back.

“This is troublesome.”

His face was full of annoyance.

“Things just keep getting bigger.”

When people think of Angels…

They imagine beautiful beings with pure white wings.

Gentle messengers of God.

Kind people who comfort others and guide them toward righteousness.

Not…

“Damn it.”

“Who the hell called me while I was resting?”

…someone who looked like a gangster that had learned hip-hop the wrong way.

‘He even has a tongue piercing…!’

I decided to pretend I hadn’t noticed the black handgun tucked into his waistband.

Apparently…

The God of this world was surprisingly open-minded.

Otherwise…

There was no way an Angel dressed like this would be allowed to exist.

I quietly lowered my eyes.

Then the Angel spoke.

“What’s this?”

Unable to ignore his stare any longer…

I slowly looked up.

Before I knew it…

The gangster Angel was standing right in front of me.

His eyes were hidden behind his bangs.

Even so…

I could tell he was staring directly at me.

“You’re back.”

“…Huh?”

“Oh…”

“So that’s how it is.”

The Angel muttered to himself.

Meanwhile…

Ian and I secretly exchanged glances.

‘That Angel has Demon-worship tattoos.’

‘Does water go through the tongue piercing when he drinks?’

Then the Angel turned around.

“Well.”

“I’m leaving.”

“…Huh?!”

Panicking, I immediately grabbed his leg before he could disappear into light.

“W-Wait!”

“You haven’t granted my wish yet!”

“You didn’t summon me to grant a wish.”

“…You knew?”

“That Demon with terminal chuunibyou probably told you to summon me.”

“He’s the only one with such annoying power.”

“Though honestly…”

“Every Demon is a pain in the ass.”

‘Wow.’

‘Right now… you seem even worse.’

Of course…

I was smart enough not to say that out loud.

“Mr. Angel…”

I put on the saddest face I could manage.

“Could you please grant just one wish?”

“Sure.”

“…Really?”

“Can an Angel really ignore humans who are in danger?”

The Angel suddenly exploded.

“It’s because of disgusting stereotypes like yours!”

He glared at me while shouting.

“People keep drawing us naked!”

“Or making us handsome men and beautiful women with huge chests!”

“Then a bunch of weird perverts start fantasizing about us!”

“…Huh?”

I had no idea why I was suddenly getting scolded.

Still…

I quietly looked toward the unconscious Prince.

I hadn’t planned to ask the Angel to save us.

“That child…”

“No… His Highness helped us.”

“We’re actually criminals who were falsely accused.”

“Even so…”

“His Highness never told anyone we were here.”

The young Prince probably had very little support inside the Imperial Palace.

The proof was obvious.

He spent the entire night strengthening defensive magic in this poor prayer room.

He had even learned swordsmanship from Ian, who was only a commoner.

And now…

He had even hidden wanted criminals.

‘I have to repay his kindness.’

The Angel snorted.

“You’re way too nosy.”

Despite his rough words…

His body had already completely turned toward me.

I secretly smiled in relief.

“So.”

“What’s your wish?”

“My wish is…”

After hearing my wish…

The Angel curled one corner of his lips upward.

But he didn’t refuse.

“Oh, and the payment—”

“Forget it.”

“I’ll collect it later—”

“Ptui!”

I spat directly onto the summoning circle.

It was every last drop of saliva I could gather from my dry mouth after all that running.

“This is enough, right?”

“…”

“Hmm…”

“Did I spit too much?”

“If so, just put the rest on my tab.”

“I’ll summon you again sometime and pay it off.”

Behind me…

I heard Ian whisper in despair,

“We’re dead…”

‘Hmph.’

‘He has no idea.’

My saliva was worth more than gold to Demons.

Surely…

An Angel would be satisfied with it too.