Chapter 25: The Unexpected Ascension

Having changed, I found myself with no inclination to glance in the mirror.

I simply dropped the discarded dress into a bag before stepping out of the room.

My new attire comprised a dark cardigan paired with an inner top, a knee-length skirt, and the borrowed boots still adorning my feet.

Though a pair of stockings had been provided to complete the ensemble, I had chosen to disregard them.

Beyond the door, a sizable group had gathered.

Everyone was present, save for Angelina, including Amos and Tiffany, all evidently awaiting my arrival so we could head to dinner together.

“Flora, you look truly lovely in that ensemble,” Amos remarked with genuine admiration as I stepped out.

“It’s… it’s merely adequate,” I responded with an unconvincing smile, my gaze flicking to Angelina beside me, who appeared to be studying my attire as well.

Truthfully, I found Angelina’s own outfit rather striking; despite the presence of two other young women and a loli, their appearances seemed to fade considerably when juxtaposed with hers.

Our meal was served in the hotel’s grand hall, a space that seamlessly combined dining and lodging services.

Numerous other transient guests had also converged there, seeking sustenance.

After allowing Brook and the others to haphazardly order a few dishes for me, I soon discovered that the cuisine presented no significant departures from what I knew.

While the steak before me appeared peculiar, with an unsettling bluish tinge, its taste was utterly divine.

The meat proved incredibly tender and succulent, its seasoning impeccably balanced, to the point where I nearly swallowed my own tongue in sheer delight.

“So, is she truly beginning her transformation into a Light Elf?”

Noticing the significant lightening of Ling’s complexion as she sat beside me, I turned to Sally, who occupied the seat on her other flank, and posed the question.

“Indeed,” Sally confirmed.

“I, too, am surprised by the swiftness of this change; it is, after all, my first time witnessing such a phenomenon.”

Sally responded, all the while carefully assessing Ling’s current state.

Ling, it appeared, was also experiencing her first meal in the human world, consuming the contents of her bowl with enthusiastic gulps.

Tiffany had mentioned that Ling had been slumbering ever since their arrival at the inn, only rousing moments ago—most likely stirred by the pangs of hunger.

“To think that in this world, even such an unassuming countryside establishment could serve such delectable fare,” Angelina mused.

As we ambled through the town after our meal, Angelina still seemed lost in the lingering flavors of the dishes.

“Indeed,” I affirmed with a nod, a profound sense of agreement settling within me.

Ambling idly along the town’s thoroughfares, I realized this was the first time since my transmigration that I had experienced such profound ease.

Several days had now elapsed, and I had forged numerous new bonds.

Observing the group trailing behind me, I noticed Amos and Brook once again engrossed in conversation, even drawing forth their bows to emphasize their points.

Tiffany and Sally, meanwhile, had taken Ling to browse the shops, pausing momentarily at one before darting off to the next.

Despite what must have been a full day of walking, they all appeared remarkably energetic.

How I wished this idyllic scene could endure forever.

“Flora, it seems we should reach Navareli by tomorrow,” Amos suddenly called out from behind me.

“Once we arrive at our destination, what are your and Angelina’s intentions?”

“We’ve resolved to remain there for a period before making further decisions,” Angelina replied after a thoughtful pause.

This, in truth, was a conclusion we had reached after extensive deliberation together.

Now, as fellow travelers who had traversed into this world, united by shared tribulations, our future trajectory and developmental path had, quite naturally, already been determined.

“Rumor has it there’s an Adventurers’ Guild there; we might even contemplate joining its ranks.”

This, too, was a meticulously pre-devised course of action.

Even if I currently possessed no mastery of martial arts or magic, I held the distinct advantage of my inherent angelic identity as a safeguard.

It was rumored that even the most basic two-winged angel possessed power comparable to a fourth-tier magical beast.

My recent confrontation with Minos had profoundly underscored this truth, making the prospect of earning a livelihood as an adventurer, leveraging my current physical capabilities, a pragmatic and viable survival strategy, particularly with Angelina as my companion.

In truth, I would be more than content to join Amos and his companions for a prolonged period of shared ventures.

However, this remained a mere supposition for the time being, and I was unaware of their inclinations, thus there was no urgency in pursuing it.

“In that case, we will also endeavor to keep you apprised of any intelligence concerning the movements of angels,” Amos affirmed with a nod, signifying his readiness to offer whatever assistance he could.

“Ah, that’s not something you need to overly concern yourselves with,” I hastily clarified upon hearing his offer.

Angelina and I had, in fact, deliberated on this very issue.

While her vigilance regarding other angels was not as pronounced as my own, neither of us could ascertain whether encountering them would prove beneficial or detrimental until the full scope of the situation was understood.

Consequently, for the sake of prudence, we deemed it best to avoid such interactions.

“Precisely,” Angelina echoed, devising a plausible excuse.

“We wish to prolong our stay in human cities for as long as possible, as returning too soon might preclude any future opportunities.”

“Very well then,” Amos conceded.

“We, too, are long-term residents of Navareli and have rented homes there.

Should you encounter any difficulties, you are always welcome to seek us out.” Observing our resolute stance, Amos and his companions refrained from further inquiry.

Upon our return to the inn, Ling, to my surprise, initially insisted on sharing my room.

Sally explained that Ling had begun to develop an affinity for light elements, and thus, naturally found it difficult to part from me, an angel.

Yet, when Ling actually perceived Angelina’s presence within the room, even the knowledge that Angelina, too, was an angel failed to temper her animosity.

Ultimately, she retreated, scurrying back to Tiffany and the others’ room.

“It appears her animosity towards you remains quite potent,” I mused aloud, closing the door behind me.

“Then again,” I continued, “was it not your actions that led to her current predicament?

Her restraint in not demanding your demise already speaks volumes of her sensibility.”

“What choice did I have?” Angelina retorted, a helpless expression gracing her features.

“Recall that she was the one who initially sought me out, intent on assassination; I very nearly lost my life.” With that, she drew back the bedding and settled onto the bed.

“You…” I began, finally comprehending the implication of the scene before me—we were to share a bed once more.

A wave of apprehension washed over me, prompting a cautious warning: “Keep your distance from me tonight, and refrain from any untoward movements.”

During our previous nights camping in the wilderness, I had always ensured a considerable distance between us as I slept.

“Understood!” she responded with an impatient sigh, her hand reaching to press the button on the bedside table, extinguishing the magical illumination from the ceiling.

The room was instantly plunged into profound darkness.

A wave of speechlessness washed over me as I groped my way to the bed, carefully lowering myself onto its very edge.

“Angelina,” I called out into the darkness, a sudden thought striking me, directed at the person lying behind me.

“What is it?” she inquired, clearly not yet asleep, her form seemingly shifting subtly upon hearing my voice.

“How much did those two outfits cost, and what was the total sum you borrowed?”

After I posed my question, Angelina remained silent for an extended moment.

Just as I began to wonder if she had drifted off to sleep, her voice finally broke the stillness.

“Not a substantial amount,” she replied.

“Two hundred Sila in total.

The garments themselves accounted for just over a hundred, and I still retain the remainder.”

After a brief pause, she appended, “The cost of living in this world appears to be quite comparable to that on Earth.”

So, the currency here was named Sila?

A sudden clarity dawned within me.

“Since you borrowed it, we shall have to devise a means of repayment.”

“Mmm…” she murmured indistinctly, and then silence descended once more.

I let out a sigh, and before long, I too succumbed to the depths of slumber.

****

The following morning.

“Flora, wake up! What on earth is happening to you?” In a hazy state, I perceived Angelina’s voice calling to me.

Opening my eyes, I found her standing beside my bed, gently shaking me to rouse me from sleep.

“What is amiss?” I questioned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and casting a glance at her.

Beyond the window, the day had already broken into full light.

“Look at your own wings,” she instructed, gesturing behind me.

Puzzled, I turned my head to glance back, only to discover the bed entirely strewn with feathers.

My wings, it seemed, had inexplicably shed their concealed form during my sleep last night.

“What is the meaning of this?” I gasped, abruptly sitting upright, my mind instantly clearing.

“I am certain I had them concealed before I fell asleep! Moreover, they should not manifest during slumber; they never have before.”

“I was about to pose the same question to you,” Angelina retorted, appearing utterly bewildered herself.

“I awoke this morning to discover an additional blanket on the bed, and a down one at that!”

“And have you truly not noticed?” she suddenly inquired, her gaze deepening as she fixed it upon me.

“What?” I uttered, failing to grasp her meaning.

As I moved to re-conceal the wings on my back, I made a startling discovery: an additional pair had emerged…

“What is happening? Does this signify an advancement in rank?”

Another jolt of surprise coursed through me.

Did this mean Angelina and I both now possessed four wings?

With careful attention, I explored the newly emerged pair of wings.

I observed that, following their growth, both the original and the new wings appeared somewhat thinner than previously, yet their combined mass felt distinctly more substantial.

Could this be attributed to their shared growth point on my back?

I began to grasp the rationale behind this unusual development.

Considering the potential for six, eight, ten, or even more wings in the future, if they did not thin out, my back would undoubtedly be unable to accommodate them all.

Beyond merely an aesthetic concern, reaching eight wings or more could render my entire back excessively heavy, severely impeding my mobility.

This was patently illogical… or rather, un-magical.

“Why would you ascend at this precise moment?” Angelina queried, her perplexity evident.

Could I possibly confess that I was just as bewildered, having undergone this advancement in my sleep, utterly devoid of any conscious sensation?

“I am equally at a loss,” I admitted.

“Tell me, what was your experience like when you ascended to four wings?” I countered, hoping to unearth some shared thread in our disparate experiences.

“After I slew a Manticore, a short while later, I experienced a sudden itching sensation on my back, and then new wings simply sprouted forth on their own,” Angelina recounted, her memories of the event appearing remarkably vivid.

“So, you ascended while fully conscious, then?” I remarked, a sudden realization dawning upon me: our two experiences bore no resemblance whatsoever; the disparity was simply too immense.

“Naturally,” she affirmed with unwavering certainty.

“Could this perhaps be attributed to an increase in power following the slaying of a magical beast?” she mused, floating a new hypothesis.

Yet, she instantly dismissed it, realizing its flaw.

“No, that can’t be right.

You’ve been with us these past few days and haven’t vanquished a single magical beast… Speaking of which, how many have you killed in total?”

Her abrupt question rendered me utterly speechless.

It was a long moment before a single word managed to escape my lips.

“Zero.”