Chapter 48: Scheming Angel Raphael
A new week dawned beneath a sky of pale gold. The early sun spilled warmth across the quiet streets, the gentle wind carrying with it the sweet fragrance of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Petals fluttered like drifting snow, falling onto tiled rooftops, fluttering past windows, and gathering along the slow current of the nearby river. It was spring at its most radiant — the kind of morning that whispered of peace and renewal.
Kouya awoke precisely on time, as he always did. The rhythm of habit guided his every motion — the stretch, the quiet breath, the calm glance toward the morning light. For a few heartbeats, he simply stood by the window, watching the world painted in soft pink and gold. Even someone as stoic as him couldn't deny that the sight carried a kind of gentle, healing charm.
After washing up, he opened the fridge, pulled out a slice of bread, and began what could only loosely be called breakfast. Just as he took his first bite, a clear ding-dong echoed from the neighboring apartment.
Kouya paused mid-chew, one eyebrow raising slightly.
Hmm?
Someone ringing Gabriel's doorbell this early in the morning?
He was about to ignore it when, seconds later, his own doorbell chimed as well.
Opening the door, he was greeted by sunlight spilling through the corridor — and a girl standing beneath it like a figure out of a painting. Her long purple hair shimmered faintly in the light, her expression polite yet composed.
"Good morning, Kou-kun."
He blinked. "Vigne?"
"I came to get Gabi-chan for school," Vigne said, smiling. "She's been skipping classes again. The teacher's starting to lose patience. I thought I'd try bringing her in myself… and maybe ask you to come along too."
Kouya stared at her for a moment, silently lamenting the irony. If Gabriel doesn't go to school, just let her meditate on immortality! And you, demon girl — stop acting like an angel!
Her expression was calm as she pressed Gabriel's doorbell again. Still no sound from inside.
Vigne sighed softly and turned back toward Kouya. "Are you having breakfast, Kou-kun?"
"Yeah."
"Did you make your own lunchbox?" she asked, tilting her head with curious eyes that sparkled slightly.
"Not really."
To Kouya, cooking was a tedious chore. First, the shopping — picking ingredients, lugging them home. Then the washing, the slicing, the waiting. And after finally eating, when the bliss of a full stomach should mean resting on the sofa, there were the dishes staring at him accusingly. So, over time, he'd simply abandoned the effort. "I usually eat out," he said. "Cooking's not worth the trouble."
"Besides," he added with a sigh, "my cooking's not even that good. Takeout tastes better."
"I see…" Vigne nodded thoughtfully. "By the way, Kou-kun, how do you usually eat at school? I don't think I've ever seen you with anyone. Maybe we could—"
She stopped abruptly when the sound of a lock clicked from next door. The door creaked open, and a disheveled blonde head appeared.
"Mmh… Vigne? Why are you here?" Gabriel mumbled, her eyes half-closed, hair sticking up like she'd fought a pillow and lost.
"We agreed on Saturday that I'd come get you!" Vigne said, her brows arching in exasperation. "Hurry up, wash your face and brush your teeth. You're going to be late."
"Yaaawn~" Gabriel stretched, barely listening. "School's so boring… I'd rather—"
"Hm? What was that?" Vigne's smile tightened, eyes glinting faintly with divine light. "I didn't quite catch that."
"Ha-ha, nice weather today, huh?" Gabriel said quickly, retreating into her room.
Under the sanctified pressure of that sweet smile, Gabriel obediently shuffled off to wash up.
Kouya gave Vigne a sideways glance. "You were about to say something before that interruption, weren't you?"
"N-no, nothing!" she said quickly, her cheeks coloring slightly as she looked away. He could swear there was a faint blush across her face — though it was gone as soon as he noticed.
Ten minutes later, Gabriel emerged, biting into a slice of bread, her uniform wrinkled and her eyes still half-closed. "Let's just get this over with," she muttered.
The three of them set off toward school, the soft rustle of cherry blossoms filling the quiet morning streets.
But as they turned a corner, a familiar barking sound echoed down the road.
Kouya stopped, expression flat.
There, at the far end of the street, a scene of chaos was unfolding.
The morning breeze swept across an empty intersection. Petals drifted through the air. A red-haired girl stood facing off against a white stray dog, their silhouettes framed by the rising sun.
"You stupid mutt… every day you try to steal my melon bread!" Satania's voice was full of despair and misplaced pride.
'Shut up!' Kouya groaned internally. 'Anyone else can call it a stupid dog, but you don't have that right! And seriously, if you know it's waiting for you every morning, just take another route!'
The dog growled low, stepping forward slowly, tail raised. It wasn't just a stray — it was a tyrant in fur, a canine emperor enforcing its morning ritual.
"D-don't come closer!" Satania stammered, clutching her bread to her chest.
"Young one," she muttered dramatically to herself, "don't throw away your life so recklessly…!"
"GRAAAH!" The white dog barked sharply, lunging forward.
"Stay back! I said stay back!" Satania flailed wildly, swinging her bag like a makeshift weapon. It was a hopeless battle.
Then — a soft, melodic voice drifted into the air.
"Um, excuse me, miss…"
Satania turned her head sharply. "What do you want?" she snapped, holding her bread protectively. "Are you here to steal it too?!"
The silver-haired girl standing beside her smiled faintly, hands folded neatly before her. Her voice was calm, refined — and disturbingly playful. "How amusing. Tell me… how would you like me to play with you?"
"Huh?!" Satania froze. "What are you talking about?!"
"Oh my, I said that out loud, didn't I?" The girl covered her mouth with a light laugh, her eyes curving in serene delight.
"You're weird!" Satania accused. "What are you even doing here?!"
"I was merely observing," the girl said gently. "You seem… not very good at handling dogs. I thought I'd offer some advice."
"Nonsense!" Satania puffed out her chest. "I, Kurumizawa Satania McDowell, the future ruler of Hell, am not afraid of— AAH! Stupid dog, let go of my sleeve!"
After an undignified struggle, she managed to reclaim her bread. Panting, she turned back toward the silver-haired girl, whose polite smile never faltered.
That serene, knowing smile said it all: I knew you couldn't handle it.
Grinding her teeth, Satania struck her infamous pose: one hand on her hip, the other on her forehead, her laugh ringing out far too confidently.
"Ahahaha! I am the great Satania! Bow before me, foolish beast, for I am destined to rule all creation!"
Silence.
A cool gust passed through, scattering a swirl of cherry petals that fell between them like pink snow.
"W-why are you still coming closer?! Didn't you hear my name?!"
The silver-haired girl folded her hands serenely. "It can't understand human speech," she said sweetly. "If you want to communicate, you'll need to speak its language. Try barking."
"Eh? Really?" Satania blinked in disbelief.
"Of course~" the girl said, giggling. "Only that way can your souls truly connect."
Satania hesitated for all of two seconds, then nodded firmly. "Fine! I'll believe you this once!" She turned toward the dog with all the seriousness of a queen addressing her subject.
"Woof?"
"Woof woof woof!"
The street fell silent, save for the echo of her barking.
Just then, Kouya and the others turned the corner — and froze.
Satania was crouched in the middle of the road, barking at a bewildered stray dog while a silver-haired girl watched with a cherubic smile.
"Eh? That's Satania?" Vigne exclaimed. "What is she doing?!"
"Yaaawn~ that idiot again," Gabriel said flatly. "Figures. Nothing she does surprises me anymore."
"Wait — the girl next to her," Vigne said softly, squinting. "I've seen her at school before. Isn't she in another class?"
"Oh, her?" Gabriel said with a sigh. "That's Raphael. My old classmate."
"Then she's also…" Vigne trailed off, glancing uneasily at Kouya.
He said nothing, expression unreadable.
So this was what angels had become?
One lazy, one devious. Gabriel, the fallen angel of indolence; Raphael, the angel of mischief. Both corrupt in their own ways.
Even demons looked pure compared to these two.
The so-called holy radiance that once guided hearts had turned into something else entirely — light that blinded, not enlightened.
Kouya sighed inwardly. 'The world's gone mad. Angels deceive, demons help others, and Heaven itself is probably running out of miracles.'
He glanced one last time at Raphael, who was still smiling that infuriating, saintly smile.
At this rate, he thought grimly, Heaven wasn't just in trouble.
It was doomed.