I didn't Mean to Sin

"You."

Artie Shen froze as she heard his words. Well, in all fairness, a naked woman falling from the ceiling was more concerning than a small-time murderer who was already behind bars anyway. Not to mention that Artie's body was strong enough to pierce the ceiling, but she also entered a castle.

A castle!

As soon as the archduke walked out of the Audience Chamber, multiple knights were waiting along the hallway. Three main personnel seemed to be among them as their clothes were decorated rather than just black-blue armors and colored scarves.

"Your Grace, is she…?" The youngest among the distinguished men spoke up and closely followed the archduke. "We came back as soon as we heard that some kind of falling rock had hit the castle. Then, I heard reports of a woman falling from the ceiling of the Audience Chamber. Are you hurt, Your Grace?"

"Not at all." The archduke only hummed. "Did the prince say anything about my absence?"

"...none that would bother you, Your Grace." The young man, just around his early twenties, looked at Artie Shen with piercing suspicion in his light-colored eyes. "Your Grace, let me handle… her. We have no idea what kind of creature she is."

"No need. I haven't carried a log in a while."

Artie's ears perked as she quickly darted her eyes at the archduke's impassive face. She could handle the 'creature' comments as she seemed to be weirded out by herself as well… but log? "I'm sorry, did you call me a log? You can bring me down if I'm heavy."

The archduke only glanced at her. "You barely moved when you fell. Even if you manage to walk now, will you be able to keep up with me? If your answer is no, then stay quiet until I speak to you. Don't make me repeat myself."

Artie Shen only huffed and conceded. That's true after all. She didn't know if she could walk from all the body ache she endured. She was only pumping adrenaline earlier, and now that it's receding, she was beginning to feel the pain again.

That was when Artie looked over his shoulder and saw the glare coming from the man following them closely. Then, she looked at the two other distinguished personnel. 'The two at the back must be purely senior workers in the castle. The big guy wore an armor so he must be… marshal?

'That other guy is wearing the same as the black garbs of the others earlier. Judging from his not-stiff aura, he must be a chaplain… wait, it's chancellor.' Artie Shen gazed at the young man again. 'If he gets to be this close to the archduke, then… seneschal? Wasn't the guy earlier the seneschal?'

"Your Grace, the creature is staring at my face. I'm afraid it might start biting you the longer you held onto it." The seneschal frowned as he almost hissed. "Please let me take the thing somewhere so we could all be safer. I will arrange for a cage as well."

"Miel, let it go." The archduke sighed, making Miel drop his head.

Soon, the group arrived in a waiting room. The archduke put down the woman on the luxurious long couch before sitting down on the adjacent single couch. Miel quickly moved around the room to serve the available wine to the archduke. The chancellor sat down on the other single couch as well.

Artie Shen held onto the carpet like her life depended on it. She was in a room with two middle-aged men who seemed to be too impassive, one old man who stared at her with disgust, and a young man who's out for blood towards her. If she died in that room, she wouldn't even question it.

Seeing that the archduke only proceeded to drink the wine offered to him, Miel took the initiative to begin discussions. "I am Miel Ellis, the ducal seneschal of the Archduchy of Ellis Plains. These are Marshal Barda and Chancellor Reinfred. We will be the witnesses to this inquisition."

"Inquisition?!"

"Do not speak unless asked." Miel frowned again, Artie not getting over her surprise. He then gestured to the archduke. "You are now in the presence of the Archduke of Ellis Plains, Lord Ellis. All final sentences will be of his verdict. Now, female creature… what are you?"

Artie Shen blinked. What was she? Well, should she be telling the truth like she'd be spared if she said it? Then again, the presence of the chancellor made it clear to her that there must be a church here somewhere. She then took a deep breath and tried to be not suspicious at all.

She spoke as she placed a hand on her chest, "My name is Artie Shen, and I'm… a watcher angel. I came here from Heaven to respond to the prayers of the people." 'I'm sorry, that's all the background lore that was given to me by that voice. Please don't kill me.'

"An angel?" Reinfred twitched before murmuring to himself. Even Barda had a strange expression on his battle-hardened face. Miel actually gasped, a pinch of terror flashing through his eyes. Only Lord Ellis seemed to be unaffected by the shock of her words.

Miel then hummed and murmured gibberish to himself. Afterward, he turned to the archduke. "Your Grace, we have to kill it."

Artie Shen's eyes widened in shock. 'What?! So soon?! Why kill an angel?!'

Reinfred and Barda had also turned to the archduke for an answer. They… didn't seem to be against Miel's recommendation.

Seeing so, Artie Shen's mind started to revolve; she needed to think of a way to get out of the situation. There's no way she would be dying just minutes after she woke up in a new world.

"No need to be so decisive. It's just a harmless angel." Lord Ellis held onto the wine glass and swirled the liquid. His eyes didn't seem to be paying attention to any of them as well. "Besides, it's a tribute to me. It's not every day that I get an angel as an offering. I'll keep it as a pet."

"Pet?" Miel made a very concerned face. Why would the archduke want to keep an angel as a pet?

"What? No! I'm not a pet!" Artie blurted out again as she slammed her fist against the seat of the sofa. She might like the archduke's design, but she didn't want to be caged like some bird. She didn't even have wings yet. "Even a very handsome and super daddy husband like you can't keep an angel as a pet!"

Stun. Everyone in the room was stunned, even Artie.

She then felt like beads of sweat came rolling down her face as her hand crawled to her face. 'Shoot, what did I just say?!'

The archduke slowly leaned on his seat, his hand holding the rim of the wine glass before his lips. "...send her to the execution grounds."

"Wait, that was really so weird to say! Let me rephrase that! What I mean is—!" Artie Shen was about to lunge at the archduke to plead, but Miel quickly grabbed onto her. She then screamed as she was loaded onto the shoulder like a potato sack, "Wait, wait, Master! I didn't mean to sin!"

Lord Ellis only malevolently smiled.