Chapter 1: The Puppet Angel’s Awakening

Angels were envoys dispatched by deities to the mortal realm. Their status transcended that of earthly kings.

Their magic made even the proud elves feel inferior, and their immense power brought shame to mighty dragons.

Compared to all mortal beings, angels were unequivocally superior in every aspect. They were, without a doubt, the closest beings to the gods.

However, this was an era where divine miracles had waned. The gods had ceased to intervene in human affairs five hundred years prior.

As divine messengers, angels had also lost the formidable magic that could crush dragons. Most of their various spells had been forgotten through generations.

Only their transcendent, peerless status remained, still acknowledged by the world. Even without their power, angels were the bridge between humanity and the divine, sacred and inviolable.

Outwardly, monarchs professed this sentiment. Yet, in secret, their attitudes were entirely different.

An angel stripped of their power could be controlled.

To control an angel was to command a ‘divine oracle.’

One hundred years ago, when the continent’s nations were embroiled in war, one army approached the Holy Mountain where angels resided.

Instantly, all nations raised their banners, proclaiming, “Purge the heretics, protect the angels!” They invaded the Holy Mountain, intending to abduct the powerless angels under the guise of protection.

That very night, the angels set their sanctuary ablaze. The inferno engulfed the entire Holy Mountain, burning for fifteen days and nights.

It consumed the covetous ambitions in the hearts of power-hungry schemers.

Yet, the Varga Kingdom was an exception. Amidst the ruins of the sanctuary, they discovered an angel infant encased within a crystal.

After nearly a century, they finally awakened the angel and raised them within the royal palace.

This nurtured angel was me.

This was all Lucia knew about her own origin as an angel.

She was an angel, the only one capable of hearing divine pronouncements, yet she was being used by the Varga royalty to command other kings.

Lucia tapped her delicate index finger against her brow. Her bare feet, like white jade, pressed against the brown-patterned floor tiles, feeling the chilling sensation rising from the soles.

The cold seemed to creep up her spine, sending shivers through her.

‘I’ve transmigrated into the body of an angel in a rather unfortunate situation,’ she mused. ‘My life and death are entirely in the hands of the Varga royalty. I’m merely a puppet, forced to issue ‘divine oracles’ on their behalf.’

The more Lucia pondered, the colder she felt.

She cautiously surveyed her surroundings. She was in a spacious bedroom, with an ethereal sky visible outside the window, signaling the imminent, yet unarrived, dawn.

The floor tiles beneath her feet bore elegant rock patterns, polished to a mirror-like sheen. Beside the bed lay an unknown animal’s fur, serving as a rug.

Beside the rug was a predominantly white bed. Intricately woven holy patterns adorned the snow-white sheer curtains, and the golden frame was carved with exquisite bas-reliefs.

Glowing gems were embedded in the carvings, functioning as bedside lamps. They didn’t seem to be electric or oil-fueled; perhaps they were magical.

‘Ah, right, this world has magic.’

‘This room is my bedroom. Hmm… it seems my treatment as an angel isn’t bad?’

‘Indeed, their purpose in capturing me is to be a ‘Divine Oracle Announcer.’ They must respect my identity as an ‘angel,’ so outwardly, my treatment is quite high.’

Lucia took delicate steps, moving onto the rug. The icy cold of the tiles was replaced by warmth beneath her feet, lifting her spirits slightly.

She reached out to touch the bas-relief, her fingers unconsciously stroking it repeatedly, revealing the lingering unease within her.

Her fingers again tapped her brow, urgently knocking against her skull. She desperately tried to recall the knowledge contained within this angelic body, as well as the memories from her previous life, seeking some point of reference for her current predicament.

As far as she knew, Emperor Xian of Han, who was similarly manipulated by warlords, ultimately lived a prosperous and carefree life as the Duke of Shanyang until his natural death.

‘That doesn’t seem so bad either.’

At this thought, Lucia’s restless hand stilled. She pushed aside the sheer curtains and sat on the bed.

It was soft. Very comfortable.

‘If Emperor Xian, a former emperor who could have incited rebellion, had such a good ending, and angels have always been detached from worldly strife, then I, merely a powerless angel, should receive good treatment as long as I serve as the king’s tool,’ Lucia mused.

Recalling her previous life, she had been an ordinary worker, obeying her boss, toiling intensely for a lifetime without ever achieving a life of privilege.

In comparison, in this life, she only needed to be a puppet, without needing to strive, and she could directly live a life of privilege!

This transmigration didn’t seem like a loss; it was a small gain.

Having read many transmigration novels, Lucia was quite adaptable. A faint smile appeared on her face—half a wry smile of helplessness at her transmigration, and half a sign that she had moved past her initial unease, gradually adapting to her new identity.

Suddenly, her brow furrowed as she recalled a ‘minor detail’ from the angel’s memories.

This angel intended to escape. To break free from the control of the Varga royalty.

And the angel had not only planned it but had also put it into action.

Last year, the angel had requested an amber containing dragon blood from the royal family. The dragon blood was ancient and had long lost its magical properties, becoming nominally noble but practically useless amber.

The angel acquired it with little effort. Then, during last year’s Grand Sacrifice, they took the dragon blood amber outside and buried it near the grand altar, along with a magic crystal pried from a wall lamp.

According to the angel’s plan, the magic crystal would dissipate into pure magical energy, nourishing the dragon blood within a carefully arranged magic circle. Coupled with the ceaseless prayers at the grand altar, this would be enough to reactivate the dragon blood.

Today, a year later, was another Grand Sacrifice. She would be able to return to the grand altar, retrieve the dragon blood amber, and use the angel’s last remaining authority to establish a fated contract with the dragon blood’s original owner, sharing their power.

At that point, the angel would gain the power of a dragon, thereby breaking free from the Varga royalty’s control.

What would she do after breaking free?

Lucia sifted through the angel’s memories but found no clear answer. The angel’s memories seemed to have some issues; they were incomplete.

It was certain that this angel had been under the Varga royalty’s control for quite some time, and both parties had reached an understanding. Or rather, both had grown accustomed to the other’s presence.

In her memories, although the angel was a tool, they had never suffered bullying or humiliation from the Varga royalty. Even the king would bow his head and respectfully address them as ‘Angel-sama.’

The angel didn’t seem to be fleeing from mistreatment, nor did they have any grand aspirations. It was as if they hadn’t even considered what to do after breaking free.

Lucia couldn’t comprehend the reason for the angel’s escape. Perhaps it was the unease of being controlled that urged the angel to flee. It might also be that the angel was unwilling to be used by their enemies, or perhaps it was simply: ‘The world is vast, and I wish to see it.’

This recollection helped Lucia understand her current self better.

Although angels had lost most of their power and become mortals after the gods’ disappearance, they still possessed considerable magical knowledge, including quite a few ‘black technologies.’

Following her memories, she knelt beside the bed, reaching under it to grope along the inside of the bed frame. Her fingers found a blue crystal hidden there.

This crystal was a small magical tool crafted by the angel, a set of two: one red, one blue. The red crystal could receive nearby sounds, and the blue crystal could transmit the received sounds.

It was a miniature eavesdropping device. Lucia remembered the angel had hidden the red crystal in the royal council chambers, allowing the angel to eavesdrop with the blue crystal whenever the royal family held a meeting.

‘What a vigilant little angel,’ Lucia thought, vaguely hearing sounds emanating from the blue crystal.

‘It’s not even dawn yet, and royal family members are already holding a meeting?’