My steps were light because of the comfortable bed, and the hearty breakfast prepared by Lora.
Except for the trouble of placating the twins who were clinging for play, it was a very refreshing start to the morning.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
"Yes. Lora prepared a comfortable bed and took good care of breakfast."
"Heh, I guess I did well asking her."
I scratched the back of my head and smiled awkwardly.
"To be honest, it was a bit surprising."
"?"
"I thought all the Angels were stiff and unfriendly. But after seeing Lora and the twins, my thoughts have changed a lot."
"I understand. Most of the Angels you've met so far were probably Officers and Executioners. It's a principle for them not to show trivial emotions as they're given important duties."
I glanced at Judge Arc.
Noticing the meaning behind my gaze, he smiled mischievously.
"When I first started my job, I acted that way. Now, I'm confident I can differentiate between personal and official matters, so there's no need to be boring. Would you prefer me to be stiff and serious?"
"No. I think I like you just the way you are now."
"Hahaha! I knew we'd get along."
Judge Arc broke into a hearty laugh, apparently pleased with my response. I also smiled happily.
We chatted in a friendly atmosphere, and soon arrived near a large building we had seen from a distance. The cylindrical building boasted a grandeur reminiscent of an ancient temple.
"This is the Assembly Hall of the Ekruas Council. It's called the Ekruas Assembly Hall' after the name of the Council."
Even though it was still early morning, quite a few Angels were gathering around the assembly hall.
"Do all the Angels here attend the meeting?"
"Only the Ekruas Council members participate in the meetings. But ordinary citizens can also watch the meetings from open seats."
Judge Arc continued to speak as he looked around.
"Since the meeting has been called urgently due to such an important matter, it seems to be attracting more people than usual."
"Hmm.."
The idea of me stepping out in front of all these Angels
Until a moment ago, I hadn't thought much about it, but now I felt a rush of nervousness.
Even while we were chatting, Angels with their wings spread were landing from the sky around the assembly hall. And among the many Angels, two of them flew quickly towards us.
They were Ashmir and Urki, who we had dined and parted with last night.
They were not in the comfortable clothes I saw them at the farm, but in the uniform of Surveillance Officers.
"Hello? Judge Arc, Sihyeon!"
"We apologize for being a little late."
"Not at all. We've just arrived ourselves."
The two bowed their heads in deference, and Judge Arc waved off their concern.
"Let's go in now, before it gets too crowded."
"Yes, understood."
We followed behind Judge Arc, heading towards the entrance of the assembly hall.
As we moved closer to the entrance, the crowd became so dense that it was difficult to walk. However, the Angels who recognized Judge Arc made way for us.
"Gasp! Judge Arc!"
"Please make way for Judge Arc!"
Thanks to their help, we were able to reach the entrance of the assembly hall smoothly.
Upon reaching the entrance, we were stopped by a group of guards, dressed similarly to the defense guards we had seen at the city gate the previous day.
Contrary to me, whose heart was still pounding, Ashmir was as composed as usual.
Urki seemed slightly tense.
"Are we okay doing this? The guards seemed to be chasing us."
"Judge Arc will buy us time. We'll hide in the council building until then, and we'll bring you into the meeting."
"But what about Judge Arc?"
"Don't worry. No one can arrest or detain an Angel with the position of a judge."
"Huh. Is it some kind of immunity?"
"Not immunity. A disciplinary committee will be held for the commotion we caused. Judge Arc planned this, knowing he would face disciplinary action."
I never imagined it would turn out like this
I was taken aback and somewhat resentful at the sudden turn of events.
But after hearing that Judge Arc was willing to face disciplinary action, my mood became solemn. I could sense his determination to find a breakthrough somehow through me.
Suddenly, I felt a chaotic atmosphere from behind. We instinctively sensed that the situation outside had propagated inside the building.
"Sihyeon, we need to find a place to hide now."
"Yes."
Ashmir stepped forward to find a hiding place. On the surface, she seemed composed, but I could feel a sense of urgency in her steps.
Thanks to the sheer size of the council building, we were not immediately in a chase situation.
But I could feel the pursuers gradually getting closer from behind.
"Wait, Sihyeon!"
Ashmir, who had halted at a bend in the corridor, urgently pulled me aside to hide.
-Clop, clop, clop!
Guards passed by in front of us one after another. Their flickering eyes made it clear that they were looking for someone.
"Ah, Senior Ashmir, Senior Sihyeon! Over there, they're also"
Urki pointed to the other side of the corridor in a panicked voice. And on that side another group of guards was approaching.
Staying put would reveal us to the incoming guards, but moving forward would lead us straight into the other group.
"Hmm"
Ashmir made a pensive sound, her face scrunching up in thought. It seemed as if there was no other option but to force our way through once more.
That's when Urki spoke up with a clear voice.
"I'll distract them."
"What?"
"While I distract them, both of you make your way across the corridor. While it may be hard for me to hold them off for long, I should be able to buy enough time for both of you to escape."
"But"
"It's okay, Senior Ashmir, I'm entrusting Senior Sihyeon to you."
Without waiting for our response, Urki darted away. The attention of the guards, who had been surveying the surroundings, naturally shifted toward Urki.
"Halt there!"
"You seem to be from the Surveillance Officers. State your rank and name!"
"Nyah!"
Urki stuck out his tongue, then swiftly ran off in the opposite direction.
"We've found a suspicious person!"
"Catch him right now!"
"He's wearing the uniform of a Surveillance Officer!"
All the guards who had been blocking the corridor gave chase after Urki.
"Now is the time, Sihyeon."
I'm sorry, Urki. When we get back to the farm, I won't make you do any hard work, and I'll prepare lots of delicious food for you.'
With gratitude for Urki in my heart, I made my escape through the corridor with Ashmir.
CH 398-407 (Subduing the Angels) $2CH 408-417 (Farm family, Assemble) $2CH 418-424 (The END) $2