Johanne Green is a 15-year-old girl who lives in Golden City, the capital of West Land, the place where everyone has a guardian angel to protect them and guide them towards purification.
Johanne's mother is the mayoress of Golden City, Linda Black...
"But you are a prince, aren't you?" The woman sent light energy into his body whilst immersed in her dream. "It is only natural to call you so."
"Yes, but you are not my subordinate, Joan, so you are not obliged to refer to me so."
"I might not be a subordinate, but I am still a lower species to that of an angel's child."
"Don't speak nonsense. That angel has long fallen and I was born in ranks of demons, so you are way higher of a species than I."
"You are speaking nonsense!" Joan chuckled and softly hit him on the head. "Your father is still a respected angel in the High Forces' eyes. He fights hard against the Black Energy, deceiving even us, humans, for our own sake. He has valiantly fought to protect your mother and strives to help her even now when she's fallen into a deep slumber. He struggles to purify you every time you are in need, and still fulfills his duties as the force of Destruction. He has his hands full, yet remains devoted to the angelic core he so tenderly keeps within. If you ask me, Lord Samael deserves nothing but praise for all he's endured and is yet to endure."
"If we speak of what is real, all he does is chop lives off beings and demons, snatch places away from the Black Energy in their own home, beat me up with his scythe every time he's not in the mood, and, to add - he was actually the one responsible for blighting my mother. So yeah, I don't see anything good about him."
At such grumpy comments of his, Joan let out a hearty laugh.
"Ugh, you truly are demonic, criticizing your father so coldly! However, I can feel that you too realise that he's a good person within."
"Sure, but within is not always enough." Incubus rolled his eyes. "No matter. What I wanted to talk to you about is a different topic. This time, I haven't come only for purification."
"Oh? What is it you wanted to discuss?"
"Do you remember many years ago when we first met, and you asked me to find out more about Tsukishiro, an angel of Perfection, as you told me?"
"Ah, yes... So, what is it? Did you find anything?"
"I asked my father right away back then, but he ignored my question. He had been ignoring it for a long time or tried changing topics. It appeared strange to me, so this time, I asked him straight away what it was that he has been hiding, and he told me."
"Really? What?"
"That Tsukishiro is anything but an angel." His brown eyes blazed like hellfire. "He is a mysterious being who lives beyond the realm of the Black Energy, in a place called 'perfect silence' or the 'void' - the oblivion where nothing exists, nothing moves... It is a place he has created amidst the realm of the Black Energy, just like father has built a palace on the border of the Nine Heavens and the Black Energy. Tsukishiro is an unidentified creature, but due to his vile motives, we often refer to him as a demon, even though he was not born from the Black Energy but from the natural one, just like the spirits. He cannot be called a spirit, though, since he does not dwell in nature. He does rule upon the force of Perfection and is often classified as the 'fourth guardian' if such a thing can exist."
"Huh? You said 'vile motives'? How come? All he did was help me through my hard times, and he even promised that we'd always be together if I managed to reach him!"
"That's the issue, Joan - if you managed to reach him... That is how he lures his victims in, makes them go crazy about a non-existent state such as 'perfection', and leads them to death. Father said that since he has no real condition to rule upon, hence does not belong to this world, he roams around freely wherever he desires, enjoys toying with creatures' feelings and emotions, and then disposes of them. Do not follow his path, Joan, or you too shall end up in our dwelling. You will be lured away from the path of the High Forces and will be blighted."
"Huh? Y... You can't be serious! Tsukishiro... he was the only one to be kind to me!" Tears filled Joan's eyes. "It is because of him that I ended up a High Priest and have so much power! It is because of him that I can call myself happy!"
"Are you, though? You've forsaken your true self, disguising yourself as a man when you are a woman. Have you looked back at your life? Your brother, Cedric, was the only true light in it - he made you feel like the woman you were and did not disclose your secrets to anyone. Have you ever thought about why you lost your guardian angel? It was because you forsook your true self, following Tsukishiro's guidance. You shouldn't even be here, Joan."
"Huh? So, you're saying that I should've confined myself to a convent and been in service of the High Forces while those High Priests roamed around freely and enjoyed the riches of this world?! You're saying that I should've yielded to men's power and served them for my whole life when they laughed around and enjoyed the life's beauties?! Never! I would never become anyone's slave, be it men or the High Forces!"
"A slave of the High Forces? What the heck are you talking about?"
Incubus sprang up in fright - the way she talked already hinted that she was blighted.
"Exactly! You... Ugh, I can't believe you've said those things to me! You truly are a demon! Get out of my dream!"
"Eh?"
"I said get out!"
Joan emitted large light energy, making Incubus shriek in pain. This latter turned into a raven and flew off her dreams back to hell.
She woke up. She was breathing heavily. However, she didn't even manage to come to her senses when a knock sounded, her door banged open, and the Head Monks barged in:
"Your Holiness, you've been screaming! Is anything wrong?"
"What_"
Before she would conceal herself back in her bed and order them to leave, they lit up a flambeau in the chamber. Instantly, all of them gasped:
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