A deep silence settled over the entire place. The air was practically frozen.
I felt the adrenaline slowly drain from my body, as if an invisible force had been keeping me moving until now but was finally letting go. My body filled with leaden exhaustion, and suddenly, I was so drained that I could barely keep my thoughts together.
I just stood there, trying to regain my balance.
Then my gaze met the general's.
And in that moment, as I looked into his eyes, my conscience returned, and my brain started working again. What had I just done?
Slowly, I let my eyes drop toward the ground, as if that could somehow absolve me of responsibility. I hoped this wouldn't have serious consequences. Maybe a scolding, maybe a punishment… but maybe, just maybe, I could finally go to sleep…
The blonde general stared at me. I couldn't tell if he was angry or just trying to process what had happened.
Then, with slow, deliberate steps, he started walking toward me.
I tried to scan the ground, but as he got closer, I involuntarily glanced up at him. For a brief moment, I thought I saw satisfaction flicker in his eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that I might have imagined it.
Then, in his cool, matter-of-fact tone, he spoke:
"You do realize that angels are meant to be protected, not kicked in the ass, right?" He raised an eyebrow, a hint of cynicism in his voice.
I didn't want to answer. No response seemed right. Yet somehow, the words slipped from my lips:
"I… just wanted to sleep."
It almost looked like he smiled. Or at least, there was a slight shift in his expression, but he quickly returned to his usual cold demeanor.
"Given the circumstances, that's not the worst attitude," he finally said, as if complimenting me, though his tone remained neutral. "But don't get too full of yourself. That wasn't a fair fight. Your opponent wasn't expecting your attack, he had no time to prepare. A fair fight requires eye contact and a ready opponent. It makes the battle harder, but victory all the more glorious. You still need to learn that… we'll refine your technique. But for a start, it wasn't entirely disgraceful."
I couldn't tell if that was praise or a warning.
Then he helped me down from the roof, and by the time we reached the ground, the man I had kicked off and the black-clad soldiers were gone. As if the night itself had swallowed them up.
Only the brown-haired girl and the rookie remained. They looked at me gratefully, the girl even thanked me for helping them. The rookie gave me a nod before the two of them quickly disappeared into the building.
The general stayed with me, escorting me back to my room. I was just about to step inside when he followed me in and closed the door behind him.
I stopped and looked at him. My expression made it clear: Now what's going to happen?
"This won't take long," he stated firmly.
Gathering all my strength, I stepped back and sank onto the cushioned bench by the window. The general pulled up a chair and slowly sat down.
"The man you kicked off the roof is Michael," he began, his tone measured. "He lives among humans as an angel and is the head of a mafia cartel. He's one of the key links between angels and humans, which makes him an important figure. Word of what happened is likely already reaching the ruler. You'll probably be summoned tomorrow."
I took a moment to process this before he continued:
"You'll also need to go to the humans and apologize to him."
"But—" I interrupted before he could go on. I didn't want to be disrespectful, but I had to clarify my situation. "The girl desperately asked me to help!"
The general met my gaze with a cool look, his voice precise as he responded:
"Only those above you can give you orders. That means me and the leaders. That girl was a rookie as well, and the same rules apply to her. She'll have her own punishment. This place remains safe for us only as long as we don't break our laws."
I was silent for a moment, trying to make sense of this system. Then, with his usual cynicism, he added:
"I didn't expect you to throw in a circus act tonight… but at least you improved upon your initial entrance."
I sighed tiredly, but he wasn't finished yet:
"You need to learn that this place is far more unpredictable than you think. We must always keep our composure. And we cannot get entangled in others' affairs."
His voice was completely serious now as he delivered the final statement:
"We have never been threatened, and we never will be. I am an angel, but I reinforce your defenses. We are the ones who protect angels from threats. We do not need protection from them."
Silence settled over the room. I just stared at him, but I had no energy left to argue.
Finally… maybe I could finally sleep.
Clinging to that thought, I felt a spark of hope as I saw him moving toward the door and opening it.
"You may scatter your clothes, but never your mind! A lifesaving piece of advice—you'd do well to remember it!" he remarked. Then, as my eyes started crossing from exhaustion, he added, "Oh, and by the way… after breakfast tomorrow, you're coming with me. You'll show proper respect to the angel you kicked."
My brain barely processed his words. I knew he was saying something important, but the fatigue was pulling me down, making my limbs feel like they were made of lead.
"After breakfast tomorrow…" I repeated in my head.
Great.
The moment the door closed behind him, I finally let myself relax completely. The cool touch of the pillow pressed against my face, my body sank into the mattress, and I let all the tension drain out of me.
My thoughts still swirled, throbbing at the back of my mind: Michael… I have to show respect… the angels… the rules… But these scattered words slowly faded, slipping away at the edge of sleep.
And then I felt it.
Again.
The mattress dipped ever so slightly beside me. A familiar scent lingered in the air—daffodil, peppermint, vanilla… and that strange aroma I still couldn't quite place.
Goosebumps prickled across my skin as his breath lightly brushed my face. A hand, gentle yet firm, rested on my stomach.
I knew I wasn't alone.
Was I dreaming, or was my exhaustion playing tricks on me? I didn't know.
But in this moment, I wasn't afraid.
I just let the darkness embrace me.