Chapter 9: The Amnesia Gambit and the Angels’ Conflict

“Uh…” I was utterly dumbfounded. Could I possibly tell them that before I lost consciousness, I had been at a class reunion in a KTV room within the Aurora Entertainment City?

The urgency of the moment had prevented me from formulating any plausible explanation for our encounter. To be able to speak so glibly, conjuring lies on the fly, would truly be a devilish feat.

“No… I have no recollection.” In a flash of inspiration born of sheer desperation, I could only invoke the most convenient of ploys: the amnesia gambit. At the very least, in the absence of any supporting evidence, I could likely bluff my way through any suspicions they harbored.

“Are you certain?” Predictably, they were no fools; their faces were etched with expressions of profound disbelief.

“I… I genuinely have no idea what transpired!” I swallowed hard, finding solace in the fact that, to some extent, my words weren’t entirely untrue; in a peculiar way, I wasn’t actually lying.

“Then surely you know your name and where you reside?” Once again, I was utterly bewildered. Was I to confess that my true name was Mu Feng and that my home was on Earth? Such a name would undoubtedly sound utterly bizarre in this world, and it undeniably carried a masculine ring. Given my current female form, revealing this information would almost certainly amplify their suspicions.

“I… I can’t recall that either…” Deciding it best to simply play the ostrich, I resolutely attributed everything to my supposed amnesia. My gaze remained fixed on the four of them, fearing that they might discern something amiss and then, much like they had dispatched the three-headed dog, descend upon me.

“Alright, I’m sure everything will be fine.” Perhaps it was my overtly timid gaze that finally swayed her, for Tiffany was ultimately the first to relent, coming over to take my hand and gently guide me towards the crackling bonfire. The other three, in turn, followed suit, settling themselves around the warmth of the flames.

Seated beside Tiffany, I noticed the others refrained from further questioning. Yet, they seemed to struggle to find any other topic of conversation, and a palpable silence descended upon the group. I could distinctly feel several pairs of eyes periodically flicking towards me, rendering me profoundly uncomfortable.

“Um, I spent a considerable amount of time walking through the forest today, yet for some inexplicable reason, I didn’t encounter a single animal.” I resolved to speak, hoping to both alleviate the tension and, crucially, demonstrate my harmlessness.

“Oh, that’s because, or so the rumors claim, a fierce battle recently raged nearby. Countless monsters and magical beasts emerged from unknown origins, scattering all living creatures long ago. Even now, one might occasionally spot a few stragglers, such as the Hellhound we just encountered.” The brown-haired boy replied. He was undeniably handsome, with a rather youthful, immaculate face and profound grey eyes that fixed upon me, unmoving.

Ugh, being subjected to such an unwavering stare made me profoundly uneasy. Eager to assert my harmless and innocent nature, I swiftly built upon his statement: “So, it’s possible, perhaps, that I was assaulted by those magical beasts and monsters, leading to my unconscious state and subsequent abandonment here?”

“That remains uncertain. The rumors suggest a conflict erupted between dark creatures and angels within this very forest, and we were dispatched on a commission to investigate.” So, it truly was connected to angels? My mind flashed back to the scene I had witnessed, strongly implying my sudden presence in this world was inextricably linked to that occurrence. This time, the reply came from the mage girl, who appeared rather unremarkable, possessing no distinctive features. However, I detected a faint familiarity about her—that ‘light element,’ which, of course, coursed through every fiber of my own being.

“But the scent emanating from you… only a true Angel Lord should possess such an essence. Yet you are clearly not an angel. Who, precisely, are you?” ‘A scent? What peculiar odor could I possibly be giving off? The light element, perhaps?’ A small part of me wanted to retort, but in truth, I understood her sensation was accurate; I had merely concealed my wings.

I was just deliberating whether to simply reveal my true identity when the sudden realization struck me: unfurling my wings in this confined space might very well rip my clothing to shreds. The thought instantly extinguished any such inclination. Moreover, I had already feigned amnesia; wouldn’t such a revelation be a direct slap in my own face?

“I don’t know…” I could only utter the words with a distinct lack of conviction.

“Enough! Stop putting so much pressure on her!” Tiffany, unable to bear it any longer, finally interjected on my behalf. Despite being a spearman, Tiffany was considerably more beautiful than the mage girl, confirming her inherent kindness. Yet, regarding that particular profession, what was it they said about spearmen of old…?

I had come to realize that persuading the other three to completely lower their guard against me was, for the time being, an impossible task. Consequently, I offered Tiffany a small, grateful smile.

Tiffany, as if to touch my hair once more, extended her hand, only to halt mid-air and withdraw it, presumably recalling my earlier evasion. She cleared her throat with an awkward cough, then gestured towards the red-haired boy seated next to her.

“Allow me to introduce you, this is Brook.” The red-haired boy merely grunted, appearing rather unconcerned, his keen eyes seemingly lost in a reverie as he intently watched the dancing flames of the bonfire.

“And this is Amos.” The brown-haired boy offered me a polite, smiling nod. “Amos Lauan.”

“Sally.” Before Tiffany could utter another word, the mage girl promptly introduced herself.

‘These names are all proving quite difficult to commit to memory.’ “Haaah—” I let out an ill-timed yawn. My energy was already depleted, and the brief surge of excitement had only exacerbated my weariness.

“Perhaps you should all get some rest first? Brook and I can handle the night watch.” Noticing my exhaustion, Amos kindly suggested.

With no one raising any objections, they swiftly cleared the surrounding area, creating a suitable space for sleeping. Soon, both Sally and Tiffany had settled down upon it.

To be honest, upon learning that I would be sleeping alongside the two girls while the two men kept watch outside, I initially balked. It felt distinctly like I was taking advantage, especially as a grown man… ‘Alright, pretend I said nothing at all.’

Moreover, I truly couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer; a profound lethargy had enveloped my entire being. With no other option, I quietly settled into the furthest available spot, and before long, I succumbed to a deep, dreamless sleep.

It seemed I hadn’t slept for very long this time. When my eyes fluttered open, the sky was only just beginning to brighten, and the first tentative rays of morning sun pierced through the leafy canopy, casting a myriad of bizarre and beautiful dappled patterns onto the forest floor.

I felt remarkably well-rested, the sunlight a comforting warmth on my skin, as if instantly replenishing my strength.

Abruptly, a dark shadow flitted across the ground, so fleeting it seemed no more than an illusion, vanishing in an instant. It resembled a large bird sweeping past. I gazed up at the sky, yet discerned nothing, though far above, I could faintly make out a few birds soaring with outstretched wings.

‘What was that?’ A flicker of confusion stirred within me, but my attention was swiftly diverted by the pronounced dark circles beneath the eyes of the two young men before me.

“What on earth happened to you two!?” I exclaimed, genuinely startled. Had these two been on watch all night without a single shift change? ‘Then again, I could hardly criticize them, seeing as I was the one who had slept soundly until dawn.’

Just then, the two girls were also stirred awake. Upon seeing the boys’ disheveled appearance, they, too, expressed surprise and promptly shooed them off to get some rest. It was still quite early, I surmised, and I could likely snatch a fair bit more sleep…

Upon rising, Sally did not remain idle. She first meticulously arranged the remaining kindling within the extinguished fire pit, then abruptly straightened. A ball of fire spontaneously appeared in her palm, and with a gentle flick towards the woodpile, a crimson streak of flame arced through the air. With a soft ‘pop,’ the bonfire burst into vibrant, roaring life.

My jaw dropped in sheer astonishment, rendering me utterly speechless. While I had consumed countless animated tales of magical, otherworldly realms, witnessing such a genuinely spectacular display of fire-starting up close in reality was an experience of an entirely different magnitude.

“It’s not actually all that impressive…” Observing my utterly dumbfounded expression, Sally flushed faintly, then clarified, “Fire magic isn’t my primary area of study; I’m actually a priest within the Church…”

“That’s already incredibly impressive,” I genuinely marveled. In truth, I was quite keen to learn from her; it was simply too cool. I could vividly imagine confronting an enemy, suddenly unleashing a torrent of flames from my palm, and watching them undoubtedly wet themselves in terror. I could almost visualize the bullies who once tormented me fleeing the scene, clutching their behinds—what a profoundly satisfying thought!

“Cough, cough…” Why had I inexplicably devolved into such a state of chuunibyou? Just then, Tiffany approached, her arms laden with freshly gathered firewood, and she appeared quite intrigued by the expression that had just crossed my face.

Sally, however, seemed to discern my underlying interest. She addressed me, “In truth, you might not necessarily be able to learn it. It’s largely dependent on one’s elemental affinity. My own affinity for fire is not particularly high; the magic I can wield is mostly for minor duties. My primary reason for joining the Church was due to my affinities for light and water. And you, too…”

She regarded me with profound seriousness as she spoke. “I can actually sense that you possess considerable talent in this regard. Should you join our Church, you might very well find yourself highly esteemed.”

“Uh, we’ll discuss it later…” Another individual attempting to recruit me into a religious order. I pursed my lips, my thoughts drifting inevitably to Jia Boli. Yet, I harbored absolutely no interest in theology or religion, even if deities truly existed in this world…

Wait a moment! Could it be that gods genuinely existed in this world? I was suddenly struck by a serious oversight, a realization long overdue. I was an angel; this was an undeniable truth. Consequently, it implied that deities most likely did exist, and angels were purportedly messengers who served them…

The nature of this world’s deities was, therefore, paramount. If they resembled the Abrahamic God—a benevolent, desireless entity of light—that would be one thing. But if they were highly anthropomorphic, much like the Olympian gods of Greek legend… a sudden wave of goosebumps erupted across my skin.