Myths Reawakened

Bar Street, Northern District, Londan.

On both sides of the street, a great variety of bars lined up in rows. Though evening hadn’t yet arrived, the air was already filled with laughter and the low murmur of transactions being made. Came nighttime, the atmosphere would become even more intense. When people talked about the shady alleyways in Londan, they were talking about this place.

A black luxury car slowly came to a stop. Wayne opened the door with an awkward expression, staring at the sign of one of the bars bemusedly.

The bar was called Fallen Angel!

(一`´一;)

What a fitting name.

“Fallen indeed...” Wayne turned around with an impassive face and grumbled to Mona. “I still think something’s wrong. This isn’t a place for angels. I must have used the sacred tome incorrectly. Let’s head back and try again.”

He had said similar things more than once on the way here. Mona found the situation absurd, too, but she still coaxed, “We’re here already, Boss. Might as well go in and have a look.”

They entered the bar. The slightly turbid air smelled faintly of alcohol and tobacco. Two resident singers were swaying to the soft music on stage. Below, unorthodox-looking female bartenders in uniform served drinks and snacks to the patrons. Judging by the patrons’ attire, this was a high-end bar that charged considerable prices.

Nothing was too niche with a big enough population. Given Londan’s population, any unconventional beauty standards would be popular enough—at least enough to support a bar.

“As expected of Londan. The core of democracy is to embrace diversity. I’ve learned yet another useless lesson.” Wayne continued with his running commentary as he scanned the bar. Then he turned to his secretary to cleanse his eyes. He said with genuine feelings, “Mona, you’re so stunning!”

Mona smiled and pointed at a corner booth seat, where the target was. They would deal with the business first. Then they could take the time to discuss how stunning she was at home.

The seat was obscured by the shadow in the corner. To let customers appreciate the unique character of Fallen Angel, a wall lamp was installed. Under the lamp light, a handsome young man grasped the hands of two female bartenders while gesturing animatedly, chattering away. He appeared to be reading their palms.

～(ˉ▽￣～≡✧≖؂≖)b

Kael Poirot.

Strictly speaking, Kael wasn’t a devout tanky woman enthusiast. He liked all women save for the pretty ones, and tanks just happened to check his boxes!

Take the two bartenders beside him as an example. One was overweight and plump in all the right and wrong places, while the other was so skinny that it looked as if she was chronically oxygen-deprived.

“Love isn’t about staying together forever. Some are destined to be passerby, perhaps for a night, or perhaps for fifteen minutes...” Kael held their hands and gazed at them adoringly. “We needn’t feel troubled by the fleeting nature of romance. Life is long. It’s better to cherish the beautiful memories and bravely pursue the next relationship. That is how we honor love.”

“Is this why we always catch you with women?”

Wayne came up to the seat, his eyes fixed resolutely on Mona because he couldn’t bear to look at Kael’s companions.

Our Father in Heaven, she’s as beautiful as an angel descended to earth!

Kael was gazing tenderly at the tanky woman pulling him into her arms when he heard the familiar voice. He said in pleasant surprise, “Wayne, what brought you here? Have you finally seen the light and understood true beauty?”

Catching Mona beside Wayne from his peripheral vision, Kael’s expression suddenly changed, his face turning ashen.

The oxygen-deprived one expertly picked up the trash bin from under the table and held it before Kael. Some customers threw up mid-conversation without warning. She was used to it.

“Blegh—”

Kael vomited profusely, showing his lunch menu for the day. He meant no offense. It was just that Mona’s looks made her an undisputed ugly woman in Fallen Angel.

Mona glared. This was a compliment for her, was it not?

Speechless, Wayne produced a wad of money from his jacket and handed it to the two bartenders, who had gotten lost in love. “This is my friend. I need a private talk with him. Please give us some space.”

Love proved to be worthless in the face of the Queen’s portraits. The two bartenders cheerfully accepted Wayne’s generosity, waving goodbye to a reluctant Kael.

“Wayne, what are you doing...” Kael picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, raising his hand to block where Mona stood. He offered a bill as well. “Leave. Stop flaunting your terrible face at me.”

“Kael, is this how you speak to your sister?” Wayne teased.

“That was a last-minute lie. Did you actually buy it?”

Kael took a few seconds reminding himself to accept the inequality in this world. When there were beauties who made his heart race, there were naturally ugly women like Mona, who could serve as contraceptives and wards against evil.

He accepted her after a moment. “I don’t blame you. The Heavenly Father took your beauty away and bestowed it upon others. You’re innocent.”

“Boss, let’s head back. We’ve definitely found the wrong person.” Mona gritted her teeth, wanting nothing more than to punch Kael to death.

“Since we’re here already, let’s see this through. He’s your brother after all.”

Wayne had known long ago that Mona and Kael weren’t actually siblings. Mona had only claimed to be his step-sister to get close to Wayne. It was thanks to Kael that Wayne had gained such an excellent secretary, though.

“Kael, the air here is terrible. Let’s talk outside.”

“Is it important?”

“Very much so!”

“Alright then. I’ll give you five minutes.”

“No problem. Just five minutes.”

Soon after, the black luxury car drove away from the bar street. Kael sat in the back with a flabbergasted look on his face. Watching his paradise grow distant from him, he turned to the side and said to Wayne, “You promised it’d only take five minutes.”

“It’s a last-minute change of plans.”

“No, let me out. I have a date.”

Kael opened the door, ready to jump out. Although he didn’t know what Wayne and Mona wanted from him, he subconsciously sensed that something was off.

Wayne pushed him down with one hand, making sure he couldn’t escape no matter how he struggled. “Trust me, Kael. You were born for great things. Don’t spend your day indulging in... indulging in beauty.”

I’m happy to! Kael rolled his eyes. His little brother had been wandering the world with him for thirty years without having a full meal. He had finally found an all-you-can-eat buffet, where they could eat their fill. If he left now, how would that be fair to his little brother and to the ones he had promised a good time to? Wouldn’t he be worse than animals?

Of course, he couldn’t say that, so he said gloomily, “Wayne, you don’t understand. I can’t leave. They need me.”

“Why? Do they have gambling fathers, sick mothers, and brothers who need tuition for school, leaving them broken?” Wayne scoffed.

...Why did that come so easily to you? Do you go there often?

“Speak!”

“You’ve said it all. What’s left for me to say?” Kael grumbled.

“Then stop talking nonsense and come with me obediently, or I’ll remove your sack!”

“At least tell me where we’re going!”

“I’m introducing you to a friend.”

***

Wayne took Mona and Kael to a private room on the sixth floor of a luxury hotel in the Western District, meeting Sister Titus and a pale-looking Archibald. He looked sickly and gloomy, as if he had been roughly handled by dozens of burly men last night and severely exhausted.

Wayne glanced at the bright and lovely Titus, then at the drained look on Archibald’s face. Shaking his head, he said, “Archibald, clergywomen may be wonderful, but your body takes priority. Take care of yourself. Don’t forget restraint just because you’re a mage with a powerful life essence.”

Archibald smiled bitterly. “Please stop, Wayne... There won’t be a next time.”

He didn’t explain how he had escaped from the Moonlight Knight with serious injury, forced to return to the hotel on foot. Unfortunately, his exceptional looks attracted several burly perverts, who dragged him into an alley.

Fortunately, things didn’t go too wrong. While he was seriously injured, he wasn’t completely helpless. He mentally called for Titus to rescue him, avoiding the tragedy of being manhandled.

It was a humiliating event that Archibald felt ashamed about, and he had forbidden Titus from mentioning it. As a respectable gentleman, he wasn’t going to tell Wayne, either.

“Come, let me introduce you. This is the famous detective Kael, Kael Poirot, a Silver-ranked mage.”

“In his early years, he studied Holy Light magic with the church. He’s now a freelancer with his own detective agency, having won quite a name for himself in the detective circle in Londan. I’ve known him for some time. He’s trustworthy.”

“This is Archibald from the Papal State. Sister Titus is his assistant. Both are good people.”

Wayne introduced them before nodding at Archibald and meeting his eyes. “I believe he’s the one you’re looking for.”

“Already?!” Archibald was caught off guard. He didn’t expect Wayne to be so efficient, bringing the second reincarnated angel to him right after they had their conversation.

He had examined the Sacred Tome of Golden Law that the Pope gifted Wayne. It would’ve taken Archibald at least half a year even if he looked for the angel without rest. And that was with the scope of the search narrowed down to Londan, or it would’ve taken decades to find an angel in the vast sea of humanity.

“Already,” Wayne said wryly. “Coincidentally, I know Kael. I’ve felt something was off about him for a long time.”

He didn’t understand reincarnated angels, but looking back, perhaps Kael’s peculiar taste in women had already marked him as one. Strange. How had the Papal State not noticed such a distinct trait? Or was Kael an exception, while all other angels had adapted to the beauty standards of the Chosen Land after reincarnating as humans?

“Wayne, why does an envoy of the Papal State want to see me?” Kael’s heart thumped. Things were getting stranger.

“Because you’re a reincarnated angel.”

“Huh?!” Kael exclaimed, pointing at himself. “Reincarnated angel... Wait, what is a reincarnated angel?”

“It’s what the name suggests: an angel reincarnated as human.” Wayne patted Mona on the bottom. “Remember when Mona asked you to recommend her to my detective agency? Reincarnated angels have lost their memories and don’t know who they are, so the church has sent clergy members to look for them.”

Kael was a famous detective for a reason. He quickly worked out the whole story from Wayne’s explanation. He had seen Wayne transform into an angel. He had given that information to Saint Paul’s Cathedral at a price, after which his ‘sister’, Mona, visited him and asked him to introduce her to Wayne. She then joined Wayne’s detective agency as a freelancer.

“How could I possibly be an angel? My talent in magic is mediocre. I’ll at most be a Gold-ranked mage in this lifetime. That’s not good enough for a noble reincarnated angel, right?”

Kael shook his head, skeptical. “Wayne, how could you be an angel? The scripture says that angels have no clear sex, yet you’re born a lecherous human. How is that right?”

“Having no clear sex doesn’t mean having none. It’s normal to like beautiful women. You also... um, you also like rolling in bed.” Because Kael’s taste was so unconventional, Wayne didn’t know how to explain things clearly. He decided to volunteer the truth, “You’re right. I’m not a reincarnated angel. The Papal State mistook me for one.”

“Then I’m not one either!” Kael insisted.