The night was pitch black.
A wooden boat cut through the darkness, heading deep into the Black Swamp.
A lantern hung at the front of the boat, its faint glow illuminating the surroundings, guiding the way forward.
Carl manipulated the Lesser Mage Hand, propelling the boat forward.
Behind him, Angel Remi stood with her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes shining with an incandescent white glow as she gazed into the distance.
An Angel! A genuine Angel! This was a being that only existed in stories. Carl never imagined that one day he would share a boat with a real Angel. The pure aura emanating from her was vast, endless, and seemed to possess the power to soothe all things. Second Order? Third-tier? It was certain—a being far beyond the First Order!
"Respected Angel." After the initial surprise and confusion, Carl's emotions had somewhat settled, and he tentatively asked, "What do you seek from the Grey Robed Wizard?"
"Mortal," Remiller said, her expression unchanged. "That is not a question you should ask."
Hmm? This Angel... seemed somewhat haughty. He could tell she wasn't angry, just unaccustomed to interacting with others. So she resorted to coldness and refusal instead.
"Will Catherine be alright?" Carl asked again. "As far as I know, the Divine and Angels reside in their Divine Realm. When they descend using their followers' bodies, it consumes the followers' life force."
"Eh?" Remiller said, surprised, turning her head to look at him. "You know quite a bit."
"Hmph!" She let out a soft snort. "Arrogant unbeliever! How dare you pry into the domain of the Divine? After death, you will be nailed to the Wall of the Faithless to suffer endless torment."
"Respected Angel," Carl sighed lightly. "I am a Wizard Apprentice, pursuing knowledge and truth, unconstrained by the edicts of the Divine."
Hmm... It seems there was some sort of covenant between the Wizards of ancient times and the Divine—an agreement of non-interference. My soul shouldn't end up on the Wall of the Faithless either.
Remiller said nothing.
She was unaware of this; to her, the Divine were omnipotent. A covenant with Wizards? That part was true. Could it be that the Divine would also concede? Just like the task she had been given this time?
A moment of doubt flickered in her eyes, but it was promptly replaced by the incandescent white glow as her conviction returned.
'It is all a test from the Lord.'
"As long as I do nothing, your friend will be fine." After some thought, Remiller said in a cold voice, "Perhaps she hopes I *will* do something. That way, she could enter the Divine Realm sooner to serve the Main God."
"I see..." Carl nodded slowly. "So that's why you asked me to take you to the Grey Robed Wizard—because Catherine's body can hardly sustain you doing much more."
"Was Catherine's body able to facilitate your descent because she is a fanatical follower of the Master of Dawn?"
"So, if faith isn't devout enough, an Angel cannot descend?"
"Mortal!" Remiller exclaimed, her face turning icy. "Are you challenging my patience?"
"Matters related to the Divine are not for mortals to comprehend, not even to speculate about!"
She paused, then added, "And Wizards can't either!"
"...Alright." Seeing her tone become increasingly stern, Carl could only sigh helplessly. "I won't ask anymore."
Ripples danced upon the Swamp mire, an invisible force propelling the wooden boat towards the dense mist.
Before long, two figures appeared ahead.
"Halt!" one of them called out, raising a hand. "This is the dwelling of the Grey Robed Wizard. No outsiders may approach."
Great Knights! The aura emanating from the two ahead was immense; their life force burned like massive candles. They were unmistakably two Great Knights. Presumably, only a Second Circle Wizard would merit Great Knights as guards.
"Sirs," Carl said, straightening up and gesturing behind him. "This is..."
"Let them in." Before Carl could explain, an unfamiliar voice called from the island, "My tutor is waiting for them."
"Yes, sir," the two Great Knights replied upon hearing the voice, and stepped aside to clear the path.
Carl tied the boat to a stone pillar on the shore and, alongside Remiller, stepped onto the island belonging to the Grey Robed Wizard Adison.
They hadn't gone far when the area before them suddenly brightened.
Countless firefly-like creatures drifted in the air, and a dignified woman in a Wizard Robe was waiting.
Official Wizard Marian. The Grey Robed Wizard Adison's only disciple. Carl had never interacted with this Wizard but had seen her portrait in the Alliance's residence.
"Angel..." Marian, likely seeing an Angel for the first time as well, looked at Remiller with a complex expression, then gestured. "Please, follow me."
The Grey Robed Wizard Adison sat cross-legged at the base of a large tree, his figure even more withered than it had been a few years prior.
"Angel." Adison said, his eyes flashing with a hint of green as he looked at Remiller. "The last time an Angel descended, I remember, was over sixty years ago. Back then, I was merely an onlooker."
"Respected Angel, how should I address you?"
Even a Second Circle Wizard would marvel at the vast energy emanating from the Angel, perhaps already surpassing the Second Order. The Angel before him was no ordinary Angel.
"Remiller," Remiller said, her neck held high, her voice clear and crisp. "You are the Grey Robed Wizard Adison?"
"The scent of decay about you is nauseating. If it were possible, I truly wouldn't have wanted to descend to meet you."
"Heh..." Adison chuckled lightly, the bark-like wrinkles on his face twitching as he asked, "Then, what reason compelled you to descend?"
"This is the Land of God Forsaken. It has a Barrier that weakens Divine Power. Of course, you would find it uncomfortable here."
"Hmph!" Remiller snorted softly. This update is available on novelFirｅ.net