The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 183: Volume 3 - Epilogue

Chapter 183: Volume 3 - Epilogue

Adjusting to life in Heaven was... a challenge.

But Rainier finally felt he was getting the hang of it.

He’d finally equalized the "resting" strength difference between his natural arm and the stronger godflesh arm they’d "grafted" on him at this "hospital."

What a wonderful concept, a place just for healing. Rain had heard of places like this, but only long-lasting capitals like those built in and around worldtrees could afford to maintain them.

And he’d never been asked to pay anything, not even for the wonderful meals.

Throughout his time, Rain had received a number of visitors. But most of them had been either the nurses or people specifically interested in the godflesh. Sometimes both, and he got the sense that it was a rare and wonderful thing that had been grafted onto him...

What a funny word.

But today was a special day. Today was the day he was being discharged.

He wondered who would come to collect him. His new patron, Vinam Victoriam, or someone else.

It had taken Rain weeks to crack the facades of the nurses, but now he got along well with them, even if he still felt highly anxious over the whole situation. He was expected to become something called an Executioner, which sounded grim but really it was more like small teams of forward scouts on Ayther, when he picked apart the description.

Apparently, they worked either in the Four Continents region - the area of the planet that hosted Armedon, Retha, Thera, and his home continent of Areth - or on the rest of the planet, in either case hunting down the largest monsters in teams. Most teams were in the Four Continents region, protecting civilization, but they’d been mostly recalled for the war after several legions had been lost.

It had felt so... strange, seeing Ayther from out the window and then learning that the entire continent that was his home was so small compared to the large, uninhabited continent to the east. Rain vaguely hoped he’d be deployed there first... the better to avoid potentially encountering Kir and Kordia.

The angels called the land "Diurnus" because according to them, the sun was always upon it, rising at one end as it set at the other. The maps he’d seen were labeled with deadly-sounding names like "The Poison Savannah" and "The Forest of Titans". There was even a place that was always on fire, called "Vulcayiin". It was a sub-continent, whatever that was.

And yet those names excited him. Perhaps he would get to go on an adventure after all...

He was about to reach for the atlas on his small shelf of books when the door slid open.

An angel glided into the room. Not literally, since aside from public spaces, most angels kept their wings stowed using magic circles. But the way she entered was graceful and minimized the vast potential she had for... bounciness...

Rain gulped. There was his idea of beauty, which to him had meant a certain strength of character and genuine feeling, and then there was beauty that caressed his mind and invited him to keep looking. This woman was the latter, like a statue brought to life. Angels were pretty, but she was gorgeous.

The white dress she was wearing hugged her body in all the right places, adding more than subtle emphasis to her bust. Blonde hair like summer sunlight, and eyes blue like the sky after a storm. She stood at least half a measure shorter than him, with a wide smile and unassuming eyes.

"Oh, hi! You’re Rainier, right? I don’t have the wrong room again?" she turned to look at the nurse who had waited outside the door. The latter frowned a little and shrugged, and the woman turned. "Kind of had a mistake, went to the room of someone named ’Raniel’ and started blurting out Executioner stuff..." she laughed nervously, then sighed.

"I’m Rain. Rainier! You can call me Rain," he reached out a hand to shake hers and she tilted her head. "It’s an Aytherian thing," he said.

"Oh!" she reached out her hand in the same position but did not place it in his, seeing as she was shorter, having the same angle meant she was pointing her arm at his crotch.

Rain did the polite thing and corrected her aim as he shook her hand.

"It’s a form of greeting," Rain said.

"Ohh! We do that with wing positions and bows. Have you studied wing sign?" she asked.

"I skimmed it, but I don’t exactly have wings so..." Rain shrugged.

"Well, we’ll get you fixed up with those right away! I’m sure you’re more than a strong fit..." Cassiel started roaming along Rain’s body with her eyes, her tongue clicking the last ’t’ with her teeth.

Since he’d gotten used to his godflesh arm, they’d given him clothes that hugged his body. Snug, but not tight, it was possible to count his abs through the shirt and the pants didn’t exactly hide that after months in the hospital, he was more than a little... aroused... by the presence of such a beauty.

"Your paperwork," the nurse entered, handing Cassiel a clipboard and relieving Rain of her gaze.

He let out a little, relieved sigh, adjusting himself as she put her thumb on the tablet of glass that had been handed to her. Ever since learning what Executioners actually did, Rain thought he’d send a letter to Kordia asking if she wanted to resume their relationship, once his service was done. He also hoped Kir was alright, and that they’d be able to reconnect too.

"Alright! That’s set!" Cassiel announced. "You can follow me out to the car. I’m really, really looking forward to showing you the Stay and introducing you to Ozzy. He’s your other squadmate, by the way. Both of you are from Ayther so you should get along great!"

"Oh. Uh... what about the books they lent me? Can I get other copies?" Rain asked as he started to follow her.

"You can get all of that from any tablet," Cassiel said.

"I prefer the physical ones," Rain said. "The tablets hurt my eyes a little."

Cassiel just looked at the nurse and tilted her head.

"I’ll have them sent over right away, Executioner," the nurse said.

"Well, that’s settled then!" Cassiel beamed. "Come, our chariot awaits!"

Cassiel led Rain out of the hospital and to what, to Rainier’s eyes, was a massive air carriage. It was the size of a small room, and as he stepped inside, he barely felt as it lifted off, giving him a birds-eye view of the city as it bore him to heights he had never conceived of. After a few moments, he could see the vast ocean of trees that stretched from horizon to horizon. A far smaller horizon than he was used to, but far more fantastic than anything he’d ever thought was possible.

It was like the whole world was made of worldtrees.

Roads like tiny bits of silvery filigree led out to outposts just under the canopies of the nearby trees, and above them floated massive freight carriages. But what tore his gaze away from these wonders was the massive plaza, with a massive mana crystal floating in the center of it.

A third of the plaza was scorched black, and on the scorched part rested a massive skull.

Cassiel spotted where Rain was looking. "Ugly, ain’t it? Son Victoriam doesn’t want anyone cleaning it until the war’s done. A little reminder of the times."

"What happened?" Rain asked.

"Same thing that happens every couple hundred years. Demons get all angry and try to invade, then we beat them back. Oh, but this time the Victoriams led the way, so we managed to bag us Leviathan! She was a real pain for the last two wars, at least according to my grandpa. That’s her heartstone and skull right there."

"Who are the Victoriams?" Rain asked.

"You’re kidding, right? Only the best family in the House of Valor. All the best fighters come from them, and they promise to defeat the demons once and for all. Meaning no more wars!"

Rain highly doubted that would be the case, given how wars still happened on Ayther. But maybe she just meant no more Heavenswars. He wondered what ’once and for all’ would mean for the demons, and Kir... who was apparently some sort of abomination for being half-angel and half-demon. Hopefully, if Kir encountered some angels he’d be allowed to plead his case...

Cassiel poked him. "Whatcha thinking?"

Rain smiled at her. "Just that the city is beautiful," he said.

"Isn’t it? There’s a mall in the Divine Spire that you have got to see..."

As she continued to talk about things Rain had little context for, Rain just smiled and nodded. He didn’t even notice they’d arrived until a subtle chime sounded from somewhere on Cassiel’s person.

"Oh! We’re here. Sorry about that, I can go on and on when there’s a boy with a pretty smile right in front of me..."

She blushed, and the rosy color on her pale cheeks was the very picture of curious innocence.

Rain blushed a little.

"But yeah, we’re here! Welcome to the House of Eros!"

The air carriage had landed outside a magnificent garden. The gate was golden, and everything was lush and arranged in ways that were curated for beauty.

"Wait... House Eros?"

"Well, of course, sweety. We’re both from the same House. Who else did you think would come get you?"

"Vinam Victoriam," Rain said.

Cassiel let out a burst of laughter. "Him?! He’s far too busy for little angels like us."

"But he met me a few weeks ago," Rain said.

"Oof, that sounds political. I’m just an Executioner in training, same as you, Cousin." She grabbed him by the arm and started to walk him into the gate, which opened on its own. "Gotta let the others know you’re taken or they’ll be all over you," she whispered. "I’ve seen war forms smaller than you are."

Rain gulped and tried to keep control as her soft breast pressed against his arm.

As they neared the main entrance to the manor, her meaning became obvious.

Lounging alone or in pairs, angels stared as Rainier walked across the garden. Their eyes roamed his body in ways that made him quite self-conscious, but he tried to smile and nod a greeting to each person who made eye contact with him.

A lot of them licked their lips as he looked away.

Rain was led into the manor and hurried to a distant wing. One that overlooked a training ground that featured a lot of weights and strange contraptions with cables and padding. It was the near uniformity and cleanliness of the latter that threw Rainier enough to perform a double-take. His mind processed that this was equipment for strengthening, but he couldn’t quite imagine his body in one of those torturous-looking devices.

"And here’s your room!" Cassiel announced. "Mine is that one, and Ozzy’s is on the other side. So we’re like a squad sandwich!"

"Oh, haha," Rain chuckled nervously behind his smile. On his door was written "Rainier L. Eros." The door on the left read "Cassiel Eros" and the door left of that read "Ozimaleus Sparwater". Rain had one problem though. "Um... why is there an ’L’ in my name? I don’t have a middle one."

"Oh, that’s just because you’re from the lesser branches. It technically means "Lesser Eros" but don’t worry about that. Executioners are all equally measured by performance!"

Rainier winced but held his tongue, and suddenly the door on the other side opened.

"Oh! Ozzy! This is Rain! We finally have a complete squad!" Cassiel squeed with delight.

"That’s great, Cassie," the angel had slightly greenish skin and tusks, suggesting orcish heritage, and he reached out a hand to shake Rain’s. That was when Rain noticed that peeking out from beneath the man’s pants were legs made of godflesh. "Nice to meet you, Rainier. Always a pleasure to meet a true believer. I put the nameplate up, by the way." He pointed his other thumb at Rain’s door, then let go of Rain’s hand. "Did you both hear the news?"

"What news?" Cassiel asked.

"I’ll play it back for you," Ozzy replied, taking one step into his room to retrieve his tablet and giving Rain a slight peek at artifacts that were clearly from Ayther, before reappearing.

On the screen was Vinam Victoriam.

"...and so it is with great humility that I announce the lesser races have confirmed the successful destruction of the abomination that was bred against us; before its nascency could be surpassed. For this service, We shall do everything reasonable to restore Norneau to greater heights and assure our Aytherian vassals that we shall provide for them in the harsh climes to come... But be warned, oh Heaven, we have yet to find the willing angel that would dare produce such a spawn. And it is for this reason I have seen fit to expand the Executioners. Not just to safeguard Heaven, but to ensure our dominion over Ayther and Hell as we hunt down the traitor who would dare threaten all we have built!" There was a long pause as raucous applause rose. When it barely started to die down, he shouted, "Never again shall We be threatened! Never again shall any voice be louder than Ours! No spawn of hell! And no Metatron!"

As the applause rose once again, Cassie giggled with delight. "Oh shucks, looks like that problem solved itself."

"I know, right?" Ozzy chuckled. "Guess the big bet is off. No one thought the lessers would manage it themselves." "Oh, no wait, there was Malky. She bet a thousand..."

"Ugh, I hate her," Cassiel replied.

As the two continued to chatter, Rain felt his heart drop.

Kir had been alive... but now he was dead... and all of Heaven cheered for it.

Cassiel’s touch on Rain’s arm broke him from his reverie. "You alright, hon?"

Rain blinked, realizing then that he had tears in his eyes. "Yeah... Yeah."

"You must be happy; since you lost your arm back when it was tricking you," she patted him on the elbow.

Rain didn’t answer, but he reached up and wiped away his tears. With a slightly ragged breath, he forced a smile to his face.

"There you go!" Cassiel beamed. "Now let’s get you some wings."