Chapter 14: An Unexpected Ally and a New Wardrobe

Sally’s tone suddenly shifted, becoming immensely respectful as she inquired about the angel’s name.

“Might I ask, esteemed Angel, how should we address you?”

“I am a priest of the Church of God; please forgive my earlier rudeness.”

“Oh, are you asking me?” The four-winged angel seemed taken aback, hesitating for a long moment before finally responding.

“You can call me Angelina.”

“Then, esteemed Angelina, do you know what transpired here a few days ago?” Sally directly posed the very question that formed the purpose of their journey.

Upon hearing her words, the others also straightened their expressions, their demeanors abruptly turning serious.

“A great battle between angels and monsters must have taken place here; for instance, that minotaur from earlier was on the side of the monsters.”

“However, I’m not entirely clear on the specific details myself.”

“I had always believed that all the angels had perished at that time, save for me…”

Angelina rubbed her nose, a wry smile gracing her lips as she looked their way.

“So, you’re saying you participated in the battle?” Amos, ever astute, caught the underlying implication in her words.

“Indeed, I did participate in the battle…” Angelina admitted after a brief moment of contemplation.

“Yet, I still don’t fully comprehend the entirety of what transpired.”

A wave of disappointment washed over me.

I had initially thought that finally encountering another angel would help resolve my questions and shed light on the events here.

Ultimately, however, I remained as ignorant as before.

“Actually, I wanted to ask you all something as well.”

Then, her gaze suddenly shifted, and she pointed directly at me.

“Speaking of which, Angel Miss, do you know anything?”

‘You’re asking me?’

Caught off guard by her sudden deflection, I was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

“Flora has lost her memory, so she doesn’t know either.”

Seeing my discomfort, Brook stepped in to answer for me.

“Is that so?” The angel’s expression turned thoughtful upon hearing this.

“Then doesn’t that mean our investigation is back to square one?”

Just then, everyone faintly heard the roar of a magical beast echoing from an immense distance.

Angelina immediately soared into the air, surveying the surrounding area with a keen, scrutinizing gaze.

“It seems there might still be other dangers lurking nearby,” Amos remarked, his eyes scanning their surroundings with a grave expression.

However, given that the four-winged angel above them flew high and possessed a broad vantage point, and the sound itself seemed quite distant, the group wasn’t overly concerned.

“Honestly, though, it’s really suspicious, Flora.” Tiffany’s face suddenly drew close to mine, her eyes fixed on me with intense suspicion.

“Did you truly lose your memory?”

“You’ve been secretly hiding your identity as an angel from us all this time!”

“Uh… of course it’s true!” I flinched, taking a few steps back as I explained.

“It’s just that I had to retract my wings because I needed to wear clothes…”

This was indeed the truth; I hadn’t lied to them.

“I believe Flora.” Amos, with shrewd insight, sided with me.

“Judging by her reaction when she first arrived here, she genuinely seems to know nothing about what transpired.”

“Precisely,” Sally chimed in, nodding in strong agreement.

“Furthermore, as an angel herself, she doesn’t even know basic facts like the death of angels.”

“This can only be explained by amnesia.”

To be trusted so readily by them, I suddenly felt a blush of embarrassment creep up.

“So, Flora, you must be quite old then, I suppose.” Tiffany suddenly pondered a thought, a faint, wry smile on her face.

“It’s said that angels’ lifespans are virtually eternal.”

“You might even be thousands of years old by now.”

‘Can angels truly live for such an immense duration?’ I had scarcely ever considered that question.

“Actually, I don’t think I’m *that* old…”

I could only deflect the question, as my true age wasn’t something I could readily disclose.

“If you’d like, you could even be my older sister…”

My original intention in saying this was to humble myself and gain their trust.

However, I suddenly recalled my own circumstances.

Having been transmigrated into this world, the actual age of this angelic body was genuinely difficult to determine.

“Really?”

Tiffany, upon hearing this, seemed a little incredulous, but after a moment’s thought, her excitement immediately surged.

“If that’s the case, having an angel sister wouldn’t be bad at all!”

“Perhaps I could even brag about it.”

“Uh… if you like it, then that’s fine.”

I twitched my lips.

‘Bragging, however, isn’t necessary; I’d actually prefer to keep a low profile.’

“The vicinity should still be safe, but I believe it’s best to leave this place as soon as possible.”

At that moment, Angelina descended from the sky.

“It’s already quite late, and after nightfall, there’s no guarantee we won’t encounter more monsters.”

“Moreover, we urgently need to find a place to stay.”

Her words were entirely reasonable, so everyone conferred, preparing to pack up and return.

“Flora, I think you really ought to change your clothes.” Just then, Sally noticed my back and offered her advice.

Only after she pointed it out did I realize that while my clothes hadn’t completely ripped when my wings burst forth, a massive tear had appeared across the back.

With my wings now retracted, it was inevitable that I would be exposed.

“Alright.”

I nodded; these clothes were indeed unsuitable for wearing any longer.

Thus, I cast a pleading glance towards the two young men.

However, a few minutes later, I emerged from behind a large boulder, my face flushed with embarrassment, clutching the hem of a skirt.

It felt utterly strange to wear women’s clothing for the first time, especially a dress.

Since learning of my angelic identity, they had thoughtfully made two slits in the back, much like Angelina’s clothes, to allow my wings to extend.

Yet, what made me most uncomfortable was the lower part; it felt as though air was constantly rushing in, like a draft, compelling me to keep my hands on the hem of the skirt at all times to prevent it from suddenly flying up.

“You look absolutely perfect!” Tiffany exclaimed, her eyes sparkling, as she lunged towards me, only for me to deftly dodge her.

“You two weren’t doing this on purpose, were you?” I glared resentfully at the two boys, whose eyes were once again glinting green.

“How is it that there just happened to be no other clothes available?”

“There really weren’t any others…” They both simultaneously averted their gaze, unable to meet my eyes directly.

“There was genuinely only that one spare item.”

Regardless, to me, it all seemed highly suspicious.

“How beautiful and lovely you look!” Angelina praised me, her face alight with admiration.

“I was just thinking earlier how awkward that other outfit seemed; this one truly suits you best.”

“No… I think the previous outfit was better,” I insisted, unwilling to concede.

“How can that be? If you don’t believe me, ask everyone!” Angelina immediately shifted the burden of proof to everyone present.

Immediately, everyone nodded in agreement like chicks pecking at grain, with Amos and Brook shaking their heads particularly vigorously.

Despair washed over me.

I felt as though some deeply held conviction within me was slowly crumbling, and I suddenly realized that this entire situation might well be a conspiracy.

‘I should have known better than to change.’

“So, esteemed Angelina, do you intend to travel with us?”

After they had departed from that place, which resembled a graveyard, Sally suddenly inquired.

In truth, she genuinely hoped to journey alongside the angel she admired so greatly.

“Of course,” Angelina replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“We can all help each other when we’re together.”

Then, she looked at me.

“Moreover, Flora is among you, and as fellow angels, we should naturally act together.”

“Flora is with us because she lost her memory and doesn’t know where to go.” Sally, discerning from Angelina’s words that she seemed to have nowhere to go, asked, “Aren’t you going to stay here and rendezvous with your fellow angels?”

“That’s right.” At this point, Brook interjected, speaking to me.

“I think if Flora wants to find her own kind, waiting for reinforcements with Angelina would also be a good option.”

“No need!” To everyone’s surprise, Angelina decisively rejected the suggestion; she apparently had no desire to remain in the forest.

“I think it’s better to leave with you all.”

“It’s been almost two days, and there’s no guarantee that other angels will arrive here.”

“We might as well go and explore other places.”

“I also agree with her perspective, and furthermore, I wish to accompany you all to see the city of Navarreli.”

I nodded, signaling my support for Angelina; her words made perfect sense, as any reinforcements should have arrived long ago.

From a personal standpoint, I felt it best to avoid contact with these so-called fellow angels as much as possible.

After all, my transmigration seemed inextricably linked to them, and if they were to take me away, heaven knew what fate awaited me.

To offer a simple example, I might be imprisoned and forced to work for them, or even become cannon fodder.

At the very least, I was still free for now.

“Still, something feels a bit strange,” Amos mused, having seemingly uncovered a blind spot.

He furrowed his brow as he posed his question.

“If you can’t wait for other angels here, why don’t you return to Enmana, the angels’ kingdom, yourself?”

“Enmana?” Angelina paused, slightly stunned, before answering with a wry smile.

“Could I confess that I actually have no idea how to get there?”

“Even you don’t know?” By this point, even Tiffany was astonished.

“I think it’s quite possible.” Sally expressed her understanding, as a member of the church, she possessed extensive knowledge about angels.

“It is said that Enmana is located beyond the nine heavens, and its entrance is reputed to be extremely concealed.”

“Given that esteemed Angelina is only a four-winged angel, it would be quite normal for her not to know.”

“In that case, wouldn’t it be great to have another angel with us?” Tiffany remarked.

“Angelina is so powerful; with her by our side, we should be even safer.”

She clearly felt that latching onto such a formidable ally was a good idea, especially since she had been severely wounded in the previous battle and still felt a lingering sense of trepidation.

“I think that makes sense,” Brook echoed, agreeing with her.

Although Angelina hadn’t truly displayed her full power, the sheer might of her sword alone was enough to leave a lasting impression on everyone.

Thus, the matter was settled, and no one raised any further objections.