Ethereal Ascendance: A Journey of Transformation(1-3VOL)

Dark Pollution

Just then, a familiar face came over - it was Selene, who I hadn't seen in a long time.

"Bishop, has the escort from the Association arrived yet?" Selene asked Rister as soon as she entered the hall. She was surprised to see me standing there with him.

"Feliciana! What are you doing here? Don't tell me..."

"That's right, I'm your escort," I said with a wry smile. We meet again.

"Are you up for it?" Of course Selene's first reaction was to ask this.

"Hey! I'm an angel, you know. No need to be so rude," I couldn't help but say. Does Selene really see me as that weak?

"I have four wings, you know," I added, unfurling my pure white wings which radiated a dazzling light in an X-shape in the middle of the church hall.

Bishop Rister's eyes widened and he looked at me reverently, his legs buckling as he almost knelt. Meanwhile, Selene just scoffed with a look that said I was a fake angel.

I felt so defeated. To think a member of the True Church would see me like this! No wonder Selene only respected Nicola and ignored me from the start. To her I was just a shoddy, fake angel.

"Alright, that's enough Selene," Rister finally said. "Not only were you rude to Lady Angel just now, she's also your escort. You can't keep being so disrespectful."

"Why didn't Miss Nicola come instead?" Selene asked unwillingly.

"Miss Nicola is busy with other duties," I said resentfully.

"It's really okay, I can handle it myself. Because I can fly you there - it'll be fast and safe," I said, almost pleading with her to believe me.

I had sunk to such a pathetic state as an angel, and in front of members of the True Church no less! I almost took out my identity card to prove my rank was enough for the job.

But I was afraid Selene would look down on me even more if she saw I was only 3rd level while even two-winged angels in the Church were 4th level.

"Alright, we can try it," Selene finally conceded. She had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

I felt like banging my head against a slab of tofu, but they don't seem to sell tofu here.

Hey, maybe I could invent it? Though I wonder if people here can stomach it...

Before leaving the church, Bishop Rister also seemed influenced by Selene's attitude. He kept lecturing me not to mess up, since Selene was the beloved granddaughter of Count Gellert Grindelwald, head of the prestigious Absyrtus family.

All such familiar names - so Selene is also nobility, with the full name Selene Absyrtus probably. Still fits Vivianne's theory about light mages being descended from nobility, and the Absyrtus are distant relatives of the royal Astral family too.

...

"You know, it would be good for an angel like you to join our Church," Selene suddenly started recruiting me as we prepared to take off from the outskirts of town.

She had tried inviting me back in Elara Woodlands, but that was before she realized how weak I was.

"Really?" I actually felt excited and didn't mind her attempts at proselytizing one bit. So she was acknowledging me again? Because I could fly probably.

"Of course! Even if you just stand there looking pretty in the church, it would still be great publicity to attract more followers. Your looks make up for your lack of strength."

"..."

That's it, I'm definitely dropping this brat midair later! She went too far!

To be safe, I tied Selene to myself with a rope before hugging her from behind and flapping my wings to take off.