Chapter 173: 173

“No, seriously,” Elrith said. “Was the mystery meat angel flesh?” He paused. “The fact that none of you are answering worries me greatly.” He turned around to face his passengers. “Raea?”

Raea cleared her throat and angled her body away from Elrith while leaning against Palan who was chewing on a piece of raw meat that Cleo gave him. The lizardman learned a long time ago that Palan became less grumpy when she fed him food, so she got into the habit of feeding him after he argued with Raea or fell ominously silent. Elrith turned towards Sally, “Was it?”

Sally trembled and shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not the cook.” Her eyes shifted towards Cleo, begging her for help. Cleo recalled the time Sally abandoned her while she was covered in vomit and wrinkled her nose.

“I just cook the meat,” Cleo said. “Sally finds it.”

“That’s not true!” Sally said. “She’s lying! I’m innocent.” Her lips quivered and beads of moisture formed in the corner of her eyes as she lowered her head and looked up at Elrith.

The archangel stared at Sally as if in a trance before clearing his throat. “Forget it,” he said and turned back around. Although there was nothing in front of them but crops and hints of the red wall in the distance, he still felt like he had to guide the spider.

A breeze blew past them from behind, causing Palan’s nose to twitch. He stopped chewing on his food and froze. His brow furrowed as he craned his neck towards the sky. A cluster of black dots in the sky could be seen on the horizon. “There’s a group of harpies over there,” Palan said and pointed.

“Did you smell them from that far away?” Cleo asked.

“Yes,” Palan said. “Should we hunt them down? I actually haven’t tasted harpy yet.” He glanced at Sally who shuddered.

“That’s your first thought when you see a flock of harpies?” Raea asked. Palan shrugged.

“They’re probably spies for the rebels,’ Elrith said and frowned. “It won’t be a bad idea to bring them down. They may be carrying supplies or intelligence reports.”

“I thought you deserted the army,” Cleo said and tilted her head. She squinted towards the dots in the sky, but they were too far away to make out any details.

“I did,” Elrith said and urged the spider to run faster, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t help them still. I don’t want our homes to be lost.”

“How hypocritical,” Cleo said and snorted. “What about the homes that we lost?” She gestured towards Sally. “Don’t you think we feel the same?”

“That’s different,” Elrith said and furrowed his brow as he turned back around.

“Is it?” Cleo asked and poked his back with the tip of her tail. “Is it really? How?”

“Well, for one, we’re improving the quality of your lives,” Elrith said. “There’s constant warfare between the tribes of lizardmen, goblins, and centaurs over territory. You’re throwing your lives away for no reason. As angels, it’s our duty to spread our teachings and stop this wanton waste of life. We don’t abuse our slaves. They don’t suffer, and they preserve their lives as long as they follow our orders. We feed them properly, and—“

“You’re wrong,” Raea said, interrupting her brother.

“—we don’t … wrong? What do you mean I’m wrong?” Elrith asked.

“Not everyone treats their slaves well,” Raea said. “The second mission I was given, subjugating a lizardman city, I engaged in negotiations with their chieftain. He told me about the appalling conditions they had to face as slaves. They weren’t being fed and forced to build roads. Even women and children weren’t spared from heavy labor.”

“Well, it makes sense that the chieftain would exaggerate the bad parts,” Elrith said. “But have you witnessed it for yourself? He could’ve easily been lying to you to garner sympathy for their tribe.”

“Why would he need my sympathy if we were going to treat them right?” Raea asked. “I’ve seen the conditions of the slaves in the far outposts—I was sent to the furthest one. They’re emaciated and apathetic to everything. They’ve lost their will to live.” Cleo nodded in agreement.

“Angels wouldn’t do that,” Elrith said and frowned.

“That’s what happens when you give the sinners power over others,” Palan said and snorted. “You exile them all to the borderlands because you don’t want them in the capital. What makes you think they’d suddenly change their minds and be nice to the slaves? There’s something seriously wrong with you angels.”

“That’s funny, coming from a demon,” Elrith said. “Next you’ll be saying demons are perfect role models.”

“We’re far from perfect, but still better than you angels,” Palan said. “At least we own our sins instead of trying to hide them.”

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“Isn’t that worse?” Elrith asked. “You don’t even try to resemble a civilized race. Eljiam’s filled with barbarians slaughtering each other with no regard for life.”

Palan’s eyes narrowed. “We slaughter each other in order to live,” he said while his tail hissed. “Our world isn’t as abundant as yours. I don’t expect a sheltered, pampered, bubble-dwelling angel who’s never experienced hardship to understand.”

“I’ve experienced plenty of hardship!” Elrith said as his eye twitched. “You think I cruised through life to become the general of the most prestigious army? I worked my way up shedding blood, sweat, and tears.”

“And by stepping on the halfling communities you conquered,” Palan said and snorted.

Elrith sighed and looked at Raea. “Sometimes, your demon really irks me,” he said.

“Because he’s right?” Raea asked back.

“Don’t you start too,” Elrith said and knit his brow. He exhaled. “Forget it, alright? I’m just here to help you, and I’ll follow your decisions even if I don’t agree with them. And I’ll try to get along with Palan even though I dislike him greatly and suspect he wants to eat me.”

“I’ll confirm your suspicions,” Palan said and nodded. “So what do we do about the harpies?” Everyone turned to look at Sally.

“Why are you looking at me?’ Sally asked as her shoulders hunched, causing her body to shrink. “Can’t we just leave them alone?”

“I want to meet them,” Raea said, causing everyone to look at her instead. “Sorta. I want to know if I’m the harbinger to any other harpy and not just Sally. Why don’t you fly up there with me? I’m still not too used to these wings.”

Sally bit her lower lip. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” she said as her eyes shifted away.

“Why not?” Raea asked. “I can protect you from them if you’re worried. I’m strong now, remember?” She smiled.

“It’s not that,” Sally mumbled.

“Then what is it?” Raea asked.

Sally shook her head. “It’s complicated,” she said.

Cleo reached over and plucked a feather out of Sally’s butt, causing her to jump up and screech. “Just tell us and stop dithering!” Cleo said as she stored the feather in her space.

Sally rubbed her butt and glared at Cleo. She opened her mouth and sighed. Her eyes closed as her lips trembled. “I’m … afraid of heights,” she whispered. She slowly opened one eye to investigate her companions’ expressions.

“The fuck?” Palan asked. “You’re a bird.”

“I lived underground all my life,” Sally said and pouted. “Flying makes me nervous.”

“But we’ve seen you fly,” Cleo said. “I’ve ridden you. Are you telling me I was flying a test model!?”

“I was afraid you’d throw me away if I told you I was scared of flying,” Sally mumbled as a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

“We wouldn’t do that,” Elrith said before anyone else could speak. The others looked at him strangely. “What?”

“Well,” Cleo said. “You were afraid of Palan too, but you got over that fear. I guess it’s time for Cleo’s phobia-curing miracles to resurface. I can’t have a flying mount that’s afraid of flying.” She nodded. “Drag her up there, Raea, and don’t let her down until she pees herself.” Cleo pulled a rope out of her space and swiftly tied it around Sally’s waist and handed Raea the other end. Raea hesitated, but accepted the rope when Cleo very solemnly said, “It’s for her own good.”

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