45. Arcana Online
45. Arcana Online
In the conference room where only Archangel-level and above could participate.
I sat in the Heavenly King's seat, which had been empty for a long time, and looked over the Archangels.
It would be a lie to say there was no ill feeling.
The angels who had falsely accused me were all exiled, but these ones had stood by and watched.
They belatedly asserted my innocence, but it was already too late.
However, even if I were to take revenge on them, nothing would change.
No, it would probably cause more confusion.
The wisest method is to bury past events in the past.
It's time to resolve the resentment that has built up over time.
"From this moment on, let's forget the past and start anew."
The Archangels bowed their heads at my words.
As I took out the documents I had brought from my subspace while moving to the conference room, their faces turned pale.
"Let's start discussing official matters now. Who is in charge of these documents?"
It's not because I hold a grudge that I brought these documents.
Absolutely not.
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I looked around the Heavenly King's office, which had been empty for a long time, and sighed.
Numerous documents were densely stacked inside the massive office.
Even if I worked without rest, the speed at which they pile up is faster than the speed at which I can process them.
Is there no way to handle this?
At that moment, I heard a knock.
"Heavenly King. A guest has arrived."
"Come in."
With those words, Yuna entered.
Her cheerful greeting as she looked at me was cute.
"Hello, Lucifer-nim! Oh, should I call you Heavenly King now?"
"You can call me whatever you're comfortable with."
I've received words of gratitude and resentment while saving numerous lives.
However, this is the first time I've been helped.
The only being who has helped me over a long period of time.
Is that why? I grow fonder every time I see her.
I've always looked at all living beings with equal eyes, but this is the first time I've felt this way.
Her panicked expression upon seeing the numerous stacked documents was cute.
"Isn't this too much work?"
"I didn't know there would be this much work."
I ended up complaining that even though I'm mobilizing angels to handle the work, the workload isn't decreasing.
To think I would show such a side of myself.
As I slightly blushed, she tilted her head and casually mentioned.
"Couldn't you just recruit more angels?"
The number of angels graduating from the Academy is fixed.
At that moment, an idea occurred to me.
Couldn't we hire travelers who have visited from other worlds?
If we pay them fair compensation, they would surely welcome it.
Then, if we first open the celestial realm and hire travelers as apprentice angels to work...
A scenario was drawn.
The details can be adjusted through meetings.
"As expected! Our Yuna is a bundle of fortune!"
"W-wait a moment!? Heavenly King!?"
I lifted Yuna high into the air, and her flustered face was cute.
The play that continued for a while had to stop when Archangel Michael entered.
It's a bit disappointing.
"I've come to report something."
The content of the report was about the problem I had been worried about until just now.
The report stated that progress wasn't being made because the speed at which work piles up is faster than the speed at which it can be processed.
When I explained the plan as advised, she lifted Yuna up!
"Michael-nim!?"
"A bundle of fortune has rolled into our celestial realm!"
"Please put me down before I turn into a golden child!"
"Kyuu!"
Not only are they making a commotion in my office, but our Yuna...
As the Heavenly King, I can't just stand by.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, Heavenly King!"
She put Yuna down and apologized, but it was too late.
As I created a harsh atmosphere, our Yuna became restless.
I secretly hinted at a way to resolve this situation.
As I spread my arms, Yuna cautiously approached, and as I was about to lift her up, I was almost bitten by the dragon.
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[A new area, the Celestial Realm, has opened.]
[Due to the new area opening, a 200% experience event will be held for 30 days.]
[You can change to the hidden job: Angel through Celestial Realm quests.]
As soon as I saw the golden window, I screamed.
Finally, an opportunity has come to me.
When I first started Arcana Online and got an EX-grade unique characteristic, I thought my life would change.
[Unique Characteristic: Virtue is never lonely and will always have neighbors (德不孤必有隣)]
If one has virtue, they will not be lonely and will surely have neighbors. Because virtuous people attract followers around them, they will never be alone.
If only I hadn't chosen thief as my job.
I was scared because the only people I met were from the same industry.
No, scars on their faces were the norm, and they were so sinister...
All the quests were about thievery, so no one gathered around me.
But now it's different.
Happiness begins at the end of misfortune.
To change jobs to an angel and go up to the celestial realm, I used the method posted in the community.
You just need to shout your job title along with a prayer.
"Lord. Today, tomorrow, and the day after, please allow me to become a righteous thief... Should I ask for permission for this?"
At that moment, stairs appeared in front of me.
Stairs leading to the celestial realm.
As I climbed the stairs, a huge electronic display greeted me.
[Welcome to the Celestial Realm.]
Perhaps seeing my bewildered expression at the unfamiliar sight.
An angel approached and spoke to me.
"Is this your first time visiting the celestial realm?"
"Y-yes!"
Volunteering as a guide, they took me somewhere, saying they would show me around the celestial realm.
As we chatted about various things and I said I wanted to change jobs to an angel, their eyes lit up and they grabbed my hand!?
When an older sister with shining golden hair and pure-looking eyes initiated skinship, I couldn't help but weaken.
"Welcome! Then shall we go write the contract right away!?"
"What!? Contract!?"
Following the angel into the building, they presented a contract in front of me.
The angel said that the path is open to everyone, starting as an apprentice angel and potentially rising to become an Archangel.
When I checked the contract, the conditions were no joke.
The contract stated that even as an apprentice angel, a minimum of 3 million gold per month is guaranteed.
It was written that up to 10 million gold or more is possible.
As if to prove it wasn't a lie, a blue window appeared.
[A hidden job change quest has been created.]
If you accept, you can change to the hidden job 'Apprentice Angel'.
Do you accept?
YES / NO
The word 'apprentice' bothered me a bit, but I signed the contract.
[Congratulations! You have changed jobs to Apprentice Angel.]
With the blue window, a change occurred.
Two wings appeared on my back, and it felt real that I had obtained a hidden job.
If this is the treatment for an apprentice angel, I can't even imagine what it would be like to become an Archangel later.
Am I going to be sitting on a pile of money now!?
As I was having happy thoughts, the angel in front of me gathered the documents and looked at me, but their gaze changed.
"You're my junior now, so I'll speak informally, okay?"
"Huh?"
The angel took me somewhere.
Entering a room, there were four options.
[Celestial Realm]
[Demon Realm]
[Afterlife]
[Middle World]
The angel told me to choose one of the four.
Since I'm an angel, I should obviously choose the celestial realm, right?
When I chose the celestial realm, the angel looked at me with sympathetic eyes.
"Well, good luck. Fighting?"
"F-fighting."
After telling me to wait for a moment, they went outside, and soon I heard the sound of someone running from somewhere.
With a bang, the door was smashed, and two angels appeared.
"A newbie! We have a newbie!!"
"Kidnap them!! No, they're our newbie, so it's not kidnapping!? Let's quickly take them away!!"
They welcomed me enthusiastically and said they would show me the facilities first, holding me on both sides as we walked, but something felt off.
It felt like they were dragging me so I couldn't escape, but was that just my imagination?
They introduced various amenities, and it was amazing.
Entering through a pure white door, a vast sea spread out, and parasols and beach chairs were placed here and there for relaxation, but no one was there.
Moving to the next place, I saw restaurants selling numerous foods, but again, no one was there.
"The facilities are so nice and spacious, but there's no one here?"
"It's because it's work hours..."
They stammered and even glanced at me nervously, but why are they acting like this?
"Now! Shall we go to our battlefield... I mean, our office!?"
Passing through a long corridor and opening a door in one corner, I saw angels leisurely drinking tea.
Behind them, documents were piled up like mountains.
Something is wrong.
Even as a newcomer to society, I can tell as an office worker.
The celestial realm department is a bomb.
And it has the power of a nuclear bomb.
Just as my body was about to move before my head, the door closed.
"Welcome once again, newbie. Shall we start work now?"
No matter how much I do, the work never ends.
After saying I'd go out for some fresh air, I ran away.
While hiding in a nearby warehouse and pondering what to do, I heard footsteps.
"Where could our youngest be~?"
As I heard the sound approaching me, I covered my mouth and crouched in the corner, trembling in fear, when I heard the sound of a door closing.
Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief.
"There you are~?"
"Kyaaah!!"