Metropyl, Number 17.
A stream of green tea flowed gently into a porcelain cup, steam rising as it filled the room with its warm, familiar fragrance.
A hand reached out and lifted the cup. Mr. Hayes, his yellow hair neatly combed, brought it close and took a slow sip. He let out a satisfied breath.
"Ah… I do love the scent of afternoon green tea."
As soon as he turned, he quickly froze.
Seating on his couch, was a man clad in a blue-and-black robe. His slightly long black hair rested against his shoulders, and in his hand, a silver coin flipped lazily through his fingers, catching the light with each turn.
...
Hayes' mouth twitched slightly before he forced a polite smile.
"Abel… what do you need?"
Abel flipped the silver coin once more, the faint metallic sound echoing in the quiet room.
"Nothing important," he replied casually. "Just reminding you about the search for the Wheel of Perception."
Hayes maintained his smile. "The search is ongoing, but it's difficult. Other refiners attempted to recreate the artifact by refining curses… but every attempt has failed."
He hesitated before asking carefully,
"Abel… ever since the God of Beginnings established the seal preventing gods and angels, even other mystic beings, from interfering in mortal affairs… how are you still here?"
Clink.
The coin spun again. The crimson sunlight caught its edges before it dropped neatly back into Abel's palm.
He gave a faint smile. "It's because I'm Abel."
He paused briefly before continuing. "The Angel of Gamble."
...
Hayes smiled faintly. "Hm. That practically says it all."
Without another word, he turned and left, entering the kitchen.
Abel slipped the coin back into his robe pocket, watching Hayes' retreating figure in silence.
Slowly, he murmured inwardly,
The power of a Celestial is truly formidable. I took his fragment… yet I still cannot fully absorb it.
His brows raised slightly as he continued. I'm truly stuck with him.
Suddenly, a faint echo reached his ears. It was a woman's sob.
In the next instant, a red, fiery flame ignited in Abel's palm. Within it, a voice became clear:
"I'm going to kill myself… I have no one! I'm so poor!"
Her voice cracked, as the voice grew hoaser, clearly crying.
Abel gazed into the flame. Reflected within it was a green-haired woman standing at the edge of a rooftop, trembling.
With a flick of his fingers, the fire vanished.
"…Mortals," he muttered with a soft chuckle. "So dramatic."
He tilted his head slightly. "And yet, if you ask them whether they gamble, they'll say no."
A faint smile appeared on his lips as he continued. "I dislike that misconception."
"Gambling isn't merely about scamming or winning."
He paused, rubbing his chin before continuing.
"It is the act of stepping into uncertainty. Choosing when you are both certain… and uncertain."
"His" chuckle deepened evenly. "In that sense… everyone gambles."
In the next instant, his figure slowly disseapeared into nothingness.
...
As Hayes stepped out of the kitchen, he ground his teeth, thinking inwardly, One day, I'll kill that Angel. How can a celestial like me be bowing to him? If it weren't for part of my fragment being taken by him, I would have obliterated "him" already. He bit his finger in frustration and continued, I really need to find the Wheel of Perception!
...
Atop the Havel Company building.
The woman with green hair teetered on the edge, tears streaming down her face. Just as she prepared to step off, she glanced to her left—and suddenly paused. A man in a blue-black robe sat suspended in mid-air, legs crossed, as though he was in meditation.
She staggered back and stammered, "Wh… Who the hell are you?"
Abel smiled faintly, a hand resting thoughtfully on his chin. "I'm the one you want to meet, hehe."
The girl paused as she slowly took in this scene. After a moment, her lips twitched until she said quietly. "I don't care whether your an Angel, or anything 'divine,' can you please not stop me?"
Abel raised a brow, clearly amused. "Why would I stop you? You decide what to do with your life. I'm just here to make a proposition."
"Proposition?" She repeated softly.
Abel nodded. "Yes. But first… what exactly is troubling you?"
...
A tear rolled down her cheek as she whispered, her voice barely audible, "My mother just died in the hospital… I just got fired… my rent is due… I'm almost 30 and still no husband… I'm so tired of life."
Abel nodded slowly. "And what if I told you… I could change that?"
She raised her gaze up as she looked at him. "You... you can?"
Abel let out a soft chuckle. "Of course I can—if, of course, you accept my proposition."
Clutching the fabric of her blouse, she asked hesitantly, "What… what kind of proposition?"
A confident smile spread across Abel's face. "I will give you the life you've always wanted. I will change your fate… make it better than you can imagine. But in fifteen years… I will come back for your soul."
...
There was a brief silence. After a few minutes, the woman finally nodded slowly in agreement.
Abel flipped his silver coin once more; as it spun in the sunlight, it caught a glimpse of her face before landing perfectly in his palm.
"Very well," he said with a faint, confident smile. "You'll notice changes in just a few days."
And just like that, he disappeared.
...
Lamenti, near the pond.
Abel's figure materialized near the pond, this time looking almost entirely human in a sleek black suit. He walked along the path, his mind drifting.
I'm so tired of feeding on human fragments, he thought. The day of the Apex can't come soon enough… I'll finally harvest fragments from gods themselves once more, hehe…
He paused, tilting his head slightly. But… what has Mary become?
...
Meanwhile, in Lamenti, Lumian had just returned from the forest. He walked along the road, musing inwardly. So that feeling just now… it was from performing the role of my order. I wonder… can Captain or Mrs. Hathway ever feel that?
He shook his head, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. No… I don't think they can. In fact, I doubt they could get a Law by performing their "various" roles, because they would already be performing it. It would be like trying to execute something you've never truly understood. If the concept isn't solidified in your mind, you can't "get" a Law.
He paused as he determined inwardly. I need to confirm this for myself. Even with the evidence I've seen, I have to be certain before I share anything with Captain or the others.
After these thoughts, Lumian went to his office, handled his work, and returned home by evening.
...
The moment Lumian opened the door, he was greeted by a man in a flashy, colorful jacket, cane in hand. Streaks of white ran through his hair, as he looked slightly like a goose. But besides that, he still looked unnervingly youthful.
Lumian bowed politely. "Good evening, Kelvin."
He turned to the other man. "Good evening, Mr. Wendyl."
Wendyl frowned, as he squinted at the floor. "Just pray it'll be a good evening," he muttered, tapping his cane with exaggerated precision.
Lumian paused, trying to process those words.
Wendyl wagged a finger like a judge at a courtroom. "This house must be spotless. Perfect. Shiny. No dust. No crooked curtains. Only then… can it be a good evening."
Lumian's mouth twitched. He'd expected Wendyl's grumpiness—after all, the man's visit had been anticipated—but it still grated on him. Inwardly, he muttered. Greed builds bigger barns, indeed… This man is so greedy, he probably dreams of counting other people's pounds in his sleep. He's trying to frustrate us so he can evict us and find tenants who actually pay on time. Truly… a master of petty torment.
...
Outwardly, Lumian smiled politely. "Landlord, the place is rather clean. Nothing much to see here."
"Hmph," Mr. Wendyl muttered.
He pushed open the door to the bathroom on his left. The toilet gleamed—almost sparkling with a bluish shine. Kelvin and Lumian quietly gulped in relief as he stepped back out, completely missing the single roll of toilet paper lying "treacherously" behind the toilet.
Wendyl tapped his cane against the floor and moved forward. The brothers followed closely behind.
He paused in the living room. Laura was there, wiping surfaces with movements so subtle and cautious she looked like a "thief" afraid of making noise.
After a brief inspection, Wendyl continued on, heading toward the stairs. The Ward household had an upper and lower floor—along with a small underground facility.
Descending, he frowned slightly, as if searching for something to criticize. He examined the pipes along the walls, checked the storage boxes to see if they were properly arranged, and tapped a few surfaces with his cane.
Lumian and Kelvin trailed behind him at a careful distance.
Stepping back up, they soon stopped in front of a familiar door.
Lumian raised his eyes slightly, as he had forgotten to clean his room!
...
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Lumian felt his heart beat violently in his chest as Mr. Wendyl stepped toward the doorknob.
He glanced at Kelvin, who looked just as tense, uncertain of what awaited them inside.
Slowly—almost ceremoniously—Wendyl turned the knob and pushed the door open.
Lumian braced himself, but suddenly paused, as his room was completely spotless.
The bed was neatly made. The table and chair by the window were perfectly aligned, bathed in the crimson glow of the evening sun. The floor was clean—no dust, no scattered clothes, nothing out of place.
Lumian felt shocked, but delighted at the same time.
He glanced at Kelvin and immediately understood. The true "big boss" of the Ward household... Laura was at play.
She must have came home early and cleaned the room after hearing about Wendyl's visit.
What a smart girl! Lumian inwardly complimented her, though he didn't let his joy show.
After inspecting a few corners, Wendyl finally straightened up and sighed. "The place is in fairly good condition."
He paused, frowning again. "I'll be back next month. And don't you dare forget about your rent."
Kelvin's expression immediately turned serious. "We won't, Landlord. We cleared last year's balance earlier this year. Only this year's remains—and it certainly won't go past December."
Wendyl muttered something under his breath before stepping out into the cool evening breeze.
...
After the tense atmosphere faded, Lumian returned to his room and sat at his desk.
The crimson sun had already sunk below the horizon, leaving the world concealed in darkness.
He tapped his fingers lightly against the table.
I need to get the file of that maid who worked for the Duke… what was her name again? He rolled his eyes in thought. Kelly… yes, Kelly.
Leaning back in his chair, he exhaled softly.
I also need to discuss these matters with Mrs. Venerable. I hope she's already informed the king.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. But how exactly do I enter that space again? The butterfly flew straight into my ear… and then the space materialized. Can the eidolons perform other functions? I'll ask Mr. Derrick tomorrow.
His fingers resumed tapping the desk, his movements slow, almost like a final boss planning several moves ahead.
Mr. Derrick did mention that the eidolon releases a ghostly projection and synchronizes with the human projection…
Maybe I should try envisioning the space directly.
But just as he prepared to attempt it, another thought surfaced.
Can I bring others into that space? And why was it those three that was brought to the space.
...
Lumian stared up at the pale moon, his mind turning over a possibility. Perhaps it's because I informed them in Mrs. V1's space… Could eidolons sense each other, he wondered. He leaned forward, thinking. I might still be able to bring more people into the space… maybe by creating another "synchronization," if they agree to the terms.
He sighed, closing his eyes as he tried to envision the space.
...
Greenland, No. 52, inside the Greenfield Hotel.
The girl with green hair stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around herself.
Outside, the world was still covered in darkness, the night alive with the soft chirping of crickets.
She splashed cold water on her face—one, two, three times—and then turned to the mirror, forcing a bitter smile.
In the next instant, her reflection seemed to waver, as the image of Abel appeared, then quickly disappeared.
She staggered back slightly, as her eyes rose up. She immediately understood that, she had just been watched by the Angel!