Lucifer's Illegitimate Child

The glaring sunlight forced me to open my eyes.

The beige roof was adorned with intricate patterns, appearing somewhat blurry from several hundred meters away. I could only discern that it was a pointed-roof building, also in the Gothic style.

Carefully, I turned my gaze toward the source of light, a dazzling golden radiance that immediately made me close my eyes. I turned my head away, and for a moment, everything was pitch black.

When I reopened my eyes, I looked in another direction. All around me, there were boundless floating clouds, and in the distance, I could vaguely see the walls. Above the walls was an angelic stone sculpture holding a bottle, and clear water poured directly from the bottle, forming numerous patterns of flying angels along the relief.

I rubbed my eyes, shielding them with my palm, and looked toward the source of light once more.

The sun seemed to be just outside the window. The window covered the entire wall, and the golden frame almost seemed to melt under the sunlight.

Above, the sky was glistening gold, while below, vast clouds stretched out. Beams of light filtered through the clouds, swirling gently in the distant sky, illuminating the entire golden city.

In the center of the city, several towering gates were supported by high Roman columns, and rainbow bridges adorned them. Cascading waterfalls fell from the tops of the columns, and rainbows, clouds, and beams of light were all semi-transparent, gracefully interweaving. Countless angels passed through, and the water curtain automatically made way for them, as if it were a piece of fabric that could be lifted.

God's myriad children fluttered their wings, flying gracefully in this radiant city. Occasionally, translucent feathers gently floated down.

I slowly sat up, entranced by the beautiful scenery before me.

Inadvertently, a group of white doves formed a stunning web, crossing over the water curtain and showering the sky with glistening droplets of water. The archangels' robes were lighter than flowing water, more graceful than silk threads, and they fluttered in the wheel of clouds, dancing...

"You've finally woken up."

Sandalphon suddenly flew up from the clouds, and I involuntarily took a step back. "Wow, where am I now?"

"The Palace of the Right Wing of Saraph," Sandalphon replied.

I looked beneath me and realized that I was actually lying on a cloud, with no sense of reality, almost as if I were suspended. Moreover, I was shirtless, not just on my upper body but even...

I quickly used my wings to cover my lower body, but as soon as I moved them, my wings began to throb with pain.

Sandalphon hurriedly said, "Don't move; your wings haven't fully healed yet."

I suddenly remembered being hit by that colorful burst of magic from the naughty kid earlier. At the time, I didn't feel any pain, and I didn't see it strike me. I just lost consciousness like that.

A shiver ran down my spine. What kind of speed was that? It was faster than the speed of nerve transmission... I swallowed hard and asked, "What's the date today?"

"The third."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of February."

I lay back down and tried to go back to sleep.

"Isar, you need to wake up quickly, or else you'll be late."

"Isar's asleep; don't talk to him."

The more I thought about it, the more something felt off. When I looked out the window again, I suddenly realized that I had never seen this place before. Moreover, I had been to the first to the sixth heaven, but none of them were as bright as this.

I looked at the angels who had flown out.

They were all...six-winged...

It seemed that I could see some thinner clouds and the white buildings below. The only city that could be uniformly white throughout the entire city was Hima.

In an instant, my mind buzzed, and my ability to think clearly was lost.

Sandalphon flapped his wings and flew over. "Luckily, Master Lucifinil has been exhausted these past few days. Otherwise, you would have perished long ago. Please be more careful when you speak next time."

"Where... am I now? And where is this Master Lucifinil?"

"Do you really need to ask? We're definitely in the Seventh Heaven, the Palace of the Right Wing."

The Seventh Heaven.

I was in the Seventh Heaven!

What did I do? Why am I here? No, I definitely didn't make any mistakes, or else I shouldn't have been resurrected.

I forced myself to stand, despite the intense pain in my back. I flew down below the clouds.

Where did that naughty kid run off to? He was a six-winged angel, but his magic wasn't strong enough to kill with a single strike. And his face seemed strangely familiar... Could it be that he is... Lucifer's...illegitimate child?

"I hold Lucifer's illegitimate child in my hand and shake him!"

I stopped in my tracks, the echoes reverberating through the palace. Angels surrounded us, their wings neatly folded against their bodies, resembling statues.

I attempted to inquire about the whereabouts of this "Master Lucifinil" from Sandalphon, but communication proved difficult, so I gave up.

For the next three or four minutes, I remained restless.

Lucifer was my only lead, yet I couldn't help but feel anxious and wanted to escape. The night we met in the church had left a deep impression on me, and the inexplicable pain upon seeing him and subsequent feelings of loss... I didn't understand how I could feel this way about someone I had just met, but Lucifer genuinely frightened me.

What would it be like to encounter him again...

Lost in thought, I suddenly heard someone speaking at the doorway, "The divine has not set a deadline, Your Highness; you need not rush."

Standing before me was a six-winged angel who had just folded his wings. He was dressed in a black and white robe, with a long silver chain hanging across his chest, adorned with a massive cross. He held a thick book and wore glasses, with his honey-colored hair falling over the crystal lenses. His eyes beneath the lenses were deep and enchanting... As I admired his presence, I realized it was Metatron.

Metatron frowned slightly and said, "You've been missing for a month, and this is where you ended up?"

I nodded.

Metatron tightened his grip on the book in his arms, and his gaze became inscrutable. Finally, he raised an eyebrow and said seriously, "So, you've come here. We thought you had turned into a dove and flown away."

The sound of steady footsteps echoed through the spacious hall.

"Metatron, I've already decided on the girl's name, but we still need a name for the boy," said a young man in his twenties, his voice clear but not hurried, each word perfectly enunciated.

Upon hearing this voice, that same tension and unease I felt earlier washed over me. Suddenly, I couldn't even breathe, and I slowly moved closer to the door.

Metatron immediately turned around. "How about 'Eugene'?"

"God said he symbolizes strength and renewal, meant to uplift people and be full of passion, just like Your Highness when you descended to the world, smiling," the young man replied.

The question wasn't answered.

But in the next moment, Lucifer entered the palace.

They say a person's charisma arsenal consists of two weapons: description and power. The six-winged angel before me wielded both. Wherever he went, everything lost its radiance instantly, and even a thousand cities would crumble in his presence. He walked to the window and gazed out at the magnificent view of the Heavenly Capital, Saint Valeria.

His six wings were unlike those of ordinary six-winged angels, shining brighter than sunlight and more translucent than jewels. When unfurled, they seemed capable of containing the radiance of dawn. However, as soon as he entered, he folded his wings. His long, flowing golden hair cascaded down, and a wide gold ribbon on his robe covered his back. At this moment, it absorbed the brilliance from outside the window, making it blinding to look at.

"The first human male... What should his name be?" he mused.

"Adam," I blurted out.

Then, he turned to look at me. His eyes were as deep and blue as the sea, and he smiled gently, so subtly that one might not notice at first.

"That's a good name," he thought for a moment and then turned to Metatron. "Let's call him Adam."

I was dumbfounded.

Did Adam's name come from me? Did I plagiarize history, or did history plagiarize me?

"Isar, kneel," Sandalphon pulled me down with him.

I hadn't realized what was happening until I found myself kneeling beside him. Later, I regretted it bitterly. Why did I kneel before Lucifer?

"Rise," Lucifer said calmly. "Isar, come here."

Seeing him today was entirely different from the last time in the church. He wore a headpiece adorned with feathers that symbolized the archangel, dressed in a white outer robe with tight-fitting, sky-blue sleeves peeking out from the cuffs and elbows. White gloves adorned with silver chains and priceless gemstones hung from his hands.

I hesitated as I approached Lucifer. With each step closer, my head felt heavier, and the nearer I got, the more frightened I became. By the time I stood before him, my head was almost buried in my collar.

"Look up," he said.

I let out a small sound and looked at him. I couldn't maintain eye contact for more than a second, and I immediately lowered my gaze. Perhaps it was the change of surroundings, but this version of Lucifer was much more distant than the last time.

"No need to be nervous," Lucifer said in a calm tone.

I wasn't nervous at all... But why did my legs feel so unsteady?

"When did you wake up?" he asked.

"Just... just now."

I finally understood why Sandalphon had been stuttering. It must have happened after he wrote that book and got close to Lucifer; over time, he had become like this.

Lucifer looked at me for a moment and then smiled gently. "Metatron's play should be performed well, you know."

I nodded emphatically.

Lucifer patted my shoulder, and I felt stiff all over.

"Sandalphon, take him back to the Sixth Heaven."

"Wait..." I quickly raised my head. "Lord Lucifer... Do you know Tom Ellis?"

"I don't."

He answered decisively, leaving me unsure of how to proceed. So, I asked, "Then... is Master Lucifinil..."

Lucifer remained composed. "I don't know."

Seeing the expression in his eyes and recalling our previous meeting in the church, as well as his cold tone, I broke out in a cold sweat. I took a step back, then another, and ran to Sandalphon's side.

I decided to save my questions for later. There were too many people here, and Lucifer's demeanor was intimidating. I couldn't figure out where to start...

"Isar," Metatron pushed up his glasses and took a scroll of parchment from his pocket, tossing it to me. "You've been absent from school for a month; you'll be punished."

I reached out and caught it firmly.

"Take this to the Prayer Castle on the ground floor, and consider it a sick leave."

I nodded, thanked him, and followed Sandalphon out.

Standing in the grand hall of the Palace of Radiance was like a tiny boat on a vast sea. My wings were still injured, so I walked slowly, panting by the time I reached the doorway.

As soon as I stepped out, Metatron effortlessly unfurled his enormous golden six wings and flew in front of me.

"Little Isar, would you like to be a Fallen Angel again?"

It took me a moment to remember what a "Fallen Angel" was.

"No, I don't want to be one."

"Then study hard. As long as you pass the exams, you can continue to live in Hima after finishing the play. Because the Divine Magic and the Seventh Heaven are the most authoritative academies. Passing the Sixth Level in either school immediately elevates you to a White Four-Wing. Passing the Seventh Level means a Blue Four-Wing, and the Eighth Level, well, that's a Six-Wing."

"Alright, I'll do my best to stay."

"In truth, there's no warfare in Heaven now; there are many angels indulging in magic, and no one wants to wield swords. I could help you transfer to the Seventh Heaven; the competition would be less fierce."

Thinking of Carlo still being at the Divine Magic academy, I feared I would lose all my friends if I transferred to the Seventh Heaven.

"No, I'd rather stay at Divine Magic. If Lord Metatron can help me, then please find me a job."

"Are you short on money?"

"Very much so."

Metatron immediately took out a parchment scroll wrapped in silver thread, signed it, and handed it to me. "There's a Saraf currency exchange outside Divine Magic; you can go there."

I was stunned. It was the legendary divine realm blank check, a Baskin Parchment. After a moment of hesitation, I handed it back to Metatron.

Metatron raised an eyebrow. "Oh, playing polite with me again? The signature on this is quite valuable; it can buy a whole Jerusalem City."

"I can't do such a thing."

Metatron took back the parchment, removed his glasses to wipe them, and said, "Little Isar, being too righteous is not a good thing. It hasn't been long since you were like this, yet you haven't learned your lesson. Besides, are you content with always being a low-ranking angel?"

"Why do you always look down on low-ranking angels? It's just a few more wings."

Hold on, did I hear that right? Isar, righteous? It must be a sign of the apocalypse.

"Alright, I was wrong. I'll listen to you. You're right," Metatron ruffled my hair. "Isar, Hima City isn't as pure as it seems on the surface. Remember, no matter what you see or hear, don't react. That's the best way to protect yourself."

I nodded.

"Also, don't easily open up to others."

"In Hima, I only have one friend, Carlo. I haven't made many others."

Metatron fell silent for a moment, then smiled mysteriously. "If you ever need anything, just find me. I'll make you as happy as a dove, flying up to the heavens."

I had always thought Metatron was a brainless playboy, but now I realized he was a clever and cunning character. I found myself liking him a bit more. It seemed like Isar had eyes only for Lucifer, probably because Metatron could write him a blank check, while all the funds in Heaven belonged to Lucifer.

In reality, judging from Lucifer's temperament, being with him might not be as enjoyable as being with Metatron.

Perhaps gay and straight guys were indeed different. If I were Isar, I would have chosen Metatron from the start.

Since my wings hadn't healed yet, I couldn't fly directly through the clouds. Instead, I had to descend using the staircase below the Tower Bridge. The angels in Saint Valeria who had survived the battlefield were naturally calm about many things, so they didn't react with surprise when they saw a two-winged angel like me. It made my journey much easier.

At the same time, I finally got to see the so-called most expensive street in Heaven: the buildings on both sides of the street were golden castle-like structures, not skyscrapers, but each floor was several times taller than those of other buildings. The largest castle in the middle was rumored to be "Lucifer's Gift." Looking from the outside, you could see the opulence within the castle, much like a royal palace. The angels who frequented it weren't few in number, but the place was as quiet as a tomb.

Next to it was an eyeglass shop, and on the thickest cushion sat the very pair of glasses Metatron wore. Under the frame, there was a line of advertising:

"The preferred choice of the Angel King, Mia's Eyeglass Store."

Followed by Metatron's signature, which was written in such a cursive manner that it looked more like art than text.

The owner of the eyeglass shop smiled warmly upon seeing Sandalphon and said, "This is Saint Valeria's limited edition this year. There are only three pairs in the entire Heaven, two of them are here, and you can guess who has the third one. If it's Sandalphon, we can provide you with lens fittings for free, and a 10% discount on the lenses. You should know that the price of these glasses could buy two gold carriages and four Pegasus. The difference is, you can wear these on your nose."

Sandalphon regarded this with a fair bit of disdain. He had always looked down on Metatron.

As for me, I had been in a daze ever since I heard the price of the glasses.

It wasn't until I reached the central part of Hima City, stepped onto the spiraling moon-white luminescent staircase that led down to the center of the city, that my heart trembled. I was afraid I would shatter it with a single step, and the capitalists in the Heavenly Capital would make me pay for it.