Chapter 70: The Nonexistent
Kouya sent the text message, checked the time, and saw it was almost ten at night. The streets outside were quiet, filled with the distant hum of cars and the soft rustling of trees swaying in the wind. He stood up, stretched lazily, and put on a dark jacket, slipping his phone into his pocket before stepping out into the night.
The air was cool, faintly scented with rain from earlier in the evening. Streetlights painted long shadows on the ground as he walked toward the park. His footsteps echoed softly against the pavement, blending with the chirping of a few late-night crickets.
What was his purpose in coming to this world?
Was it just to live as an ordinary person?
Of course not.
His goal had always been just one—to find back those lost emotions, those forgotten feelings that once made life feel alive. That was his only reason for being here, the one truth that lingered no matter how many days passed.
So sealing his power was merely a method, not a shackle restraining him. Power was his own—it wasn't stolen, it wasn't taken from anyone. It was a part of him, like breath or thought. So why couldn't he use it?
If a problem could be solved more easily and conveniently without affecting his current life, why would he choose a troublesome way to handle it instead? Efficiency mattered more than formality.
It was like one plus two equals three. The answer was simple and absolute, yet some people insisted on writing long formulas, showing every step, complicating the obvious just to feel smart. That, in his mind, was the definition of stupidity.
Kouya hated trouble.
Cleaning up after a meal was trouble, so he usually ordered takeout and stacked the containers near the trash. Making friends was trouble, so he spent his breaks at school sleeping with his head on his desk. Explaining things was trouble, so he rarely spoke unless absolutely necessary. Even smiling for politeness took effort—he only did it when he needed to get something.
Repeating the same mechanical work at restaurants or supermarkets was trouble, so he preferred taking jobs from the shrine maiden instead. At least her tasks were different, unpredictable, and occasionally interesting.
And right now, that silver-haired, scheming angel happened to be one of those "troubles."
So, Kouya decided it was necessary to teach her how to make—no, no—to teach her how to be a person.
...
Five minutes later.
Kouya arrived at the park outside the east gate of the residential area. The night air was colder here, carrying the faint scent of rust from the old swings. The park was an old one, built decades ago, and neglected over the years. Grass grew through the cracks in the pavement, and the iron bars of the playground were chipped and faded.
It was quiet—eerily so. The only sounds were the creak of the swing chains moving slightly in the wind and the occasional hum of a passing car in the distance.
Kouya stepped past the entrance gate, his shoes crunching softly against gravel, and soon saw that silver-haired angel.
Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha.
A girl who looked kind and innocent on the surface but was actually sly and mischievous deep down. Even from afar, her presence seemed deliberate, like she knew how much attention her appearance could draw.
Tonight, she had changed into a simple white dress without any decorations. The purity of it made her stand out against the dark surroundings. It didn't dull her beauty at all—rather, it made her look even more elegant, like a sculpture carved under moonlight.
Cold moonlight poured down, glinting off her silver hair that danced lightly in the breeze. Her dress fluttered softly, and her pale skin reflected the light, making her look less like a being of flesh and more like a dream—one that could vanish with a blink.
"You came, Human Scum-kun," Raphael said with a sly smile, her eyes half-lidded in mock amusement.
"Yeah, I came," Kouya nodded, his tone flat. "Didn't I say I'd come to teach you how to be a person?"
As he spoke, he lifted his right hand and made a small motion in the air, his fingertip glowing faintly.
"What are you doing?" Raphael tilted her head, genuinely puzzled by the gesture, unaware of what was about to happen.
The next moment, her breath caught in her throat. Her pupils contracted sharply.
Because before she could blink, his finger was already pressing gently against her forehead.
The finger was long, warm, and steady. It didn't even look fast, yet she couldn't react at all.
At Kouya's fingertip, a large six-pointed magic circle appeared. It shimmered with pale blue light, spinning slowly like a clock before burning itself into Raphael's forehead, sealing her powers in an instant.
"..."
Raphael's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly, revealing her perfect white teeth. In her eyes was a storm of disbelief—confusion, shock, and a growing sense of fear.
This wasn't possible!
He was supposed to be some reclusive gamer, a shut-in who barely left his room. Yet the speed, the precision, the overwhelming power—none of it matched that image.
He wasn't human. Not at all.
"Who exactly... are you?" Raphael asked, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to stay calm.
"That doesn't matter," Kouya said softly, his tone still as flat as ever. His words were calm, but his gaze carried a strange pressure, cold and still as deep water. "What matters is—are you ready?"
"R-Ready for what?"
"To learn how to be a person, of course."
A great three-hundred-round battle, fists flying, blades clashing, sweat and blood soaking the ground...
Didn't exist.
None of that existed.
She was just a naive, inexperienced angel. A single finger could defeat her—why waste time pretending it was a fair fight?
Better to finish it quickly and go home to play games.
"W-What do you want to do?"
Confidence always comes from strength. When strength is crushed, confidence shatters like glass.
Raphael bit her lip hard, her shoulders trembling slightly.
"I'm warning you," she said, voice quivering despite her effort to sound firm, "if you dare do anything... Gabi-chan won't forgive you!"
The words came out sharp, but the fear behind them was impossible to hide. Her stance, her glare, her trembling hands—all screamed tension and panic.
Understandable.
But why bring up that idiot angel now!
Even if the two of you teamed up, you still wouldn't last against one hand of mine!
You think that fool could stop me?
Don't make me laugh.
If she were here too, I'd just poke her down with the same finger.
Kouya stayed silent, his expression unreadable as he thought about how to handle this. How exactly do you teach a mischievous angel how to be a person?
Kill her directly?
No.
Angels descended to this world with missions—to observe, to report. They regularly sent updates to Heaven, so if one suddenly vanished, it would cause chaos above. Then the usual pattern would begin: beat the small one, the bigger one comes, then an even bigger one after that. Typical fantasy escalation. Predictable and annoying.
Kouya wasn't afraid—just uninterested in wasting his time.
Maybe... he could do what that manga once suggested—lock her in a dark room, tie her up, and make her wear different uniforms until she learned her lesson.
That might—
No. Too boring. Too much effort. Playing games was still better.
"Let me go!" Raphael's voice rose, her body struggling but failing to move an inch. The invisible seal kept her perfectly still.
"No." Kouya's reply was curt. He turned his head toward the apartment building nearby, eyes narrowing slightly.
The curtain on a second-floor balcony fluttered, and a shadow shifted behind it.
Someone saw them?
Maybe. But even if they did, what would they think? A trick of the light, maybe a dream, maybe a ghost story to tell tomorrow.
"Alright, come with me," Kouya said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"W-Where to?" Raphael's eyes went wide. Even though she forced her voice to stay strong, her words trembled. Every part of her screamed tension, as if she were being dragged into something terrifying.
Was he taking her to an abandoned apartment? An empty warehouse? Or worse—a love hotel?!
It had to be something like that!
A man and woman alone this late at night—of course he'd turn into a beast!
"I-I'm warning you... this is illegal!" she stammered.
"What are you imagining?" Kouya exhaled in mild irritation. "I'm going to find that idiot Satania. You think I'm interested in you?"
Satania?
That dumb demon?
Why her?
And what did he mean by 'interested in me'?!
Raphael froze in confusion, her thoughts spinning. But before she could question him again, she realized in horror that her body was moving on its own—her feet walking obediently behind Kouya as he led the way.