[AAMAAAARAAAAAA!!!!!] (Ezme)

Uh oh. What happe-

[Bang!]

Amara flinched as she could hear the observation deck doors slam open. Almost immediately after, Amara could feel the vibrations in the floor combined with the dull booming sound, similar to when Amara used to punch the walls during her training. 

Holy crap. Fluffles is furious. She’s definitely stomping.

The periodic booms grew louder, making a chill run along Amara’s spine.

[Ding!]

Is the system glitched? I’m not afraid. What do I have to be afraid of? It’s Ezme.

As the angel appeared when she stopped in the alcove, Amara could feel how Ezme was emitting divine power. For the first time, Amara saw a resemblance between Ezme and Alarice. The cold facial expression on Ezme’s face was the spitting image of what Alarice normally looked like. 

But while Ezme’s expression was cold, her glowing grey eyes that glared at Amara revealed the burning wrath that the angel was holding in.

[Ding!]

“H-hey…” Amara stammered. 

“You.” Ezme said coldly as she glared at Amara, before she began stepping towards her. As the floor shook under her feet, Amara unconsciously started stepping backwards.

“E-Ezme...I don’t know why you’re angry, but-” Amara fell back as her foot struck the sofa behind her.

Ezme climbed onto the sofa and grabbed Amara’s collar in her fists, squeezing it tightly in her hands as she stared down into her eyes. “You.” 

Amara gulped audibly. “Ezme...can you tell me why you’re angry?”

“You!” Ezme glared as she grit her teeth, squeezing Amara’s clothes harder. “You gave the pictures! Of us! To someone else! TO HER!”

Ah. Right.

Amara felt pain in her eardrums as Ezme shouted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t-”

“It’s too late to be sorry!” Ezme howled in anger. “Because of you, they think we’re together!”

Amara looked up at Ezme seriously as she asked. “Aren’t we?”

“NO!” Ezme shouted. 

Hearing Ezme’s serious rejection, Amara felt like her heart was twisted and averted her eyes. Although Ezme had often rejected Amara’s advances, they had never been filled with conviction before and felt like a sort of flirting.

Does she really not want to be with me? Has Ezme been leading me on?

Was Alarice telling the truth? Does Ezme just see me as a fling?

Amara sensed how Ezme seemed to calm down, as the grip on her collar loosened. But as she hadn’t moved otherwise, Amara could feel Ezme’s gaze on her.

“Ezme. Am I...just a whim to you?” Amara asked.

“...What?” Ezme’s angered, yet confused response came.

Amara looked up and met Ezme’s gaze. The intense glowing in the angel’s eyes appeared to have dimmed.

“I’m asking if you see me as nothing more than a fling. Entertainment for your amusement.” Amara said seriously. 

Ezme frowned in confusion. “No?”

“Then why don’t you want to be together with me? Is it because you’ve lied to me, and actually think I’m destined to lose?” Amara asked.

“You’re not going to lose!” Ezme exclaimed. “I know you can survive! I don’t know how but I can see that once again, you’ve grown stronger far too quickly than what should be possible!”

“Then why?” Amara felt tears collect in the corners of her eyes. “Ezme, I like you.”

Ezme’s cheeks gained a pink colour as she looked at Amara. “Y-you…”

“I don’t care what Alarice, that asshole Tom or anyone else says about it. I like you.” Amara said seriously. 

Ezme blushed and averted her eyes. “Amara…”

Amara peered at Ezme’s face. “Tell me. Have you been leading me on this whole time?”

The angel squeezed Amara’s collar again as she shook her head. 

“Then…” Amara swallowed as she felt hopeful. “Doesn’t that mean you like me too?”

Ezme bit her lip and hid her face, seeming conflicted. Amara grew nervous when the angel’s muted reply came. “Sister Alarice, and my other siblings wouldn’t-”

Hell no!

“Look at me.” Amara interrupted Ezme and moved her hand to lift the angel’s face to look at her. “Don’t think about them. I want to know how you feel. Do you like me?”

Ezme cheeks grew pink and she averted her eyes before she spoke quietly. “I...I like...but…”

Amara felt her heart leap for a moment, before the last word made her frown. “But what?”

“We’ve only just met!” Ezme exclaimed as she met Amara’s gaze. 

Amara looked at Ezme in confusion. “We met over a year ago.”

“Y-yes, but to an angel...a year is a short amount of time…” Ezme said quietly.

Amara moved her hand to put Ezme’s hair behind her ear. “We humans say that love isn’t determined by time.” 

Ezme blushed intensely and Amara could feel the heat against her palm as Ezme exclaimed. “Who said anything about love!”

Amara smiled. “I did. Just now.”

Amara leaned up and pressed her lips against Ezme’s pink mouth. Amara felt how Ezme twitched on top of her before she reciprocated the kiss.

As neither of them pulled away during the time their tongues teased one another, Amara began feeling embarrassed and eventually pulled away with warm cheeks as she looked up at Ezme. Seeing the angel meet her gaze with clear eyes, Amara smiled wryly. “Being together doesn’t seem like such a bad thing, right?”

“Tsk. Insufferable mortal.” Ezme muttered with a blushing smile as she leaned in to meet their lips again.

 

_______________

 

“I’m sorry.” (Amara)

“Hmpf. You better be.” Ezme said as she sat next to Amara on the sofa with crossed arms and pouted. “Keep your hands to yourself.”

Amara rubbed her burning cheek and smiled. “I just got a bit carried away.”

“Tsk. Pervert.” Ezme clicked her tongue. 

“I can’t help it. You’re enticing.” Amara winked. 

Ezme blushed and averted her eyes. “Insufferable. Do you ever stop being shameless?”

“Never.” Amara replied with a grin.

Ezme snorted before she turned her face to look at Amara. “You better not give pictures of me to anyone again.”

“I’m sorry. I won’t give them without your permission again.” Amara smiled apologetically.

“Good.” Ezme sighed and considered. “Don’t give pictures of yourself to anyone either.”

Amara raised an eyebrow. “Why?” 

“Just don’t.” Ezme replied.

Amara smiled wryly. “Could it be that you’ll get jealous?”

“No!” Ezme exclaimed before she clicked her tongue. “It’s nothing like that.”

“Oh? Then what?” Amara teased.

Ezme sighed. “Just trust me. When the mortals find out what you look like, it’s less pleasant than you think. You’ll be lucky if you don’t get to experience it, as a result of giving our pictures to the princess alone.”

Eh?

Oh well. I might as well appease her.

Amara shrugged as she leaned against the backrest. “Alright. If you say so.”

“Speaking of the princess.” Ezme brought out an envelope from her inventory and held it out to Amara. 

Amara took a look at the envelope as she received it. “What’s this?”

“The princess’ letter to you, and her latest research.” Ezme replied before she continued grumpily. “You should be grateful that I have decent mortals in my domain that are willing to help you by giving you a copy of their research, merely for your association with me.”  

Princess? Research?

Amara was in the process of opening the envelope when she stopped as a thought crossed her mind.

Maybe I shouldn’t open this with Ezme here. Especially not if it’s what I think it is.

“Aren’t you going to take a look?” Ezme asked. 

Amara shook her head and closed the envelope before nodding towards the table that was covered with papers. “I’ll take a look at it later. I have other research I was in the middle of.”

“Oh? What have you been doing?” Ezme asked curiously.

Distraction was used on Fluffles. It was super effective.

Amara put the envelope between the armrest and the seat cushion as she replied. “I've been researching how to create new spells. I got the Enchanter class as well, and I’ll try enchanting something next.”

“Ah!” Ezme exclaimed. “A researcher on Ramay claimed that you took research notes from him, and he can’t continue his work until they’re returned. I thought you intended to copy things like that from now on?”

Amara looked at the old papers that were mixed with the white A4 papers from Earth that she had scribbled on herself. “I guess I forgot. Normally I read through stuff to see if they’re useful, to decide if I should keep it or not. I got a little immersed in my ideas. I’ll copy and return them.”

“What ideas did you have?” Ezme asked curiously. “Did you manage to create any new spells?”

Amara grinned. “Of course. I’m awesome. Got a title to prove it.” 

“Tsk. Arrogant as always.” Ezme clicked her tongue but her tone and expression belied any reprimand. “What did you create?”

Amara smiled wryly and activated her class skill and began forming a magic circle. 

Fireball of Amara.

They watched as a tiny green fireball flew across the room and disappeared through the alcove. They heard the sound of an explosion as the fireball exploded midair, and Ezme squealed in delight with a wide smile on her face.

“So cool!” (Ezme)

Amara grinned. “It’s vastly more efficient than regular fireballs as well. No risk of doubled mana cost for lacking a mental image. I also adjusted the mana distribution to put less into the illusion, and more in the actual thing.”

“That’s great!” Ezme exclaimed. The angel peered over the pages spread on the table, before she turned and looked at Amara with a hopeful smile. “Amara. I have a request.”

Amara tilted her head. “Oh?”

“Can you...share your new spells and findings with the people in my domain, and those on the new defensive line? And also share any you find in the future?” Ezme asked hesitantly while peering at Amara with clear eyes. 

Look at her. Adorable.

Amara smiled wryly. “If you’re the one asking, how can I refuse?” 

Ezme’s eyes seemed clearer and her lip was shivering before she suddenly lunged at Amara, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck. Amara’s eyes widened in surprise and patted Ezme’s back. Eh?

“Thank you.” Ezme whispered against Amara’s shoulder. 

Huh.

Amara smiled and wrapped her arms around Ezme’s waist. “Anything for you, Fluffles.”

Looks like I found your weak spot, Fluffles.

But somehow I wish it was me that occupied your mind, more than the people in your domain.

 

_______________

 

“Fluffles, I know I said I’d be happy to share the spells I find with the people in your domain, but…” (Amara)

“But what?” Ezme asked with a cocked head.

“Isn’t this many copies a bit...excessive?” Amara asked while the printer continued spitting out pages. 

“Why? You’re barely doing any work, what are you complaining about?” Ezme asked with a frown.

“It’s not that it’s taxing work, but…” (Amara)

[Beep! Beep! Beep!]

They both turned to look at the printer that suddenly stopped. 

“Again? Didn’t you just put in more ink?” Ezme complained.

Amara read the error message and opened up the back before carefully pulling the stuck paper out. “It’s not the ink. Paper jam this time.”

“Tsk. Looks like mortal technology will always be unreliable, regardless of how advanced it is.” Ezme clicked her tongue.

Amara shrugged. “They say the more complex something is, the more likely it will be to fail. More pieces that can fail, causing the whole thing to stop kind of thing.”

“Tsk. Annoying.” Ezme clicked her tongue. 

Amara closed the back of the printer and pushed the button to continue the printing. “So why do you need this many copies?”

“Obviously because I need to spread it to several worlds. Even if I only give a single one to each world, I’ll still need a lot.” Ezme explained.

“I suppose that makes sense.” Amara sighed. Didn’t Ezme have two hundred something worlds in her domain?

Maybe I should get some kind of industrial printer? I don’t know how well these home-printers keep up with large amounts of-

[Beep! Beep! Beep!]

“Again?! What’s it this time?” Ezme complained.

Amara looked at the new error message and sighed. “Another paper jam.”

“Tsk.” Ezme clicked her tongue as she lost her patience. “I’ll just take those that are done and come back later for the rest. I won’t be going to all the mortal worlds in my domain in a single tour, anyway.”

“You’re going again?” Amara asked with a frown.

“I came back while I was in the middle of a tour of my domain. I have some things I need to inform the mortals of.” Ezme replied.

Amara looked at Ezme with a sad smile. “I hope you can stay longer soon. I miss you.”

Ezme blushed and averted her eyes. “I...I have things I have to do. I can’t leave my domain unattended, and I need to do my part in keeping the demons away.”

Seems like Ezme is having difficulty taking time off.

“I know. But you should get back here to get some rest, and to spend some time with me.” Amara replied with a smile. 

Ezme’s cheeks and neck appeared to grow redder before she muttered. “Fine.”

“Good.” Amara said with a smile as she picked up the copies and handed them to Ezme. “So you’re going to Ramay first? Are you going to confirm that we’re together?”

“Who said that we’re together!” Ezme retorted as her face was beet red and took the pile of papers before shoving it in her spatial inventory. 

Amara raised an eyebrow as she smiled wryly. “Didn’t we have this conversation already?”

“That…” Ezme crossed her arms as she pouted while contemplating. Suddenly she gasped and exclaimed. “Courting! That’s what we’re doing!”

Amara burst into laughter and smiled at Ezme. “What’s the difference?”

“That-” Ezme began before she frowned. “I don’t know, actually. Shouldn’t you know, being a mortal? You should know the stages of courtship better than me. But we aren’t strangers anymore, and we aren’t married yet. I haven't heard of an angel getting married before, either...”

Amara looked at Ezme with a smile and a strange gleam in her eyes. Ezme’s frown deepened at Amara’s expression. “What?”

“Indeed, we aren’t married. Yet.” Amara said with a grin.

Ezme’s face grew beet red and howled at Amara. “Insufferable! Impudent! Can’t you focus on what I mean?!”

“Right. Well, on Earth I suppose we’d say that you and I are dating. I suppose it’s the same as courting. Which is also a form of saying that we’re together, but haven’t tied the knot.” Amara said, but didn’t let her smile fade. 

“Alright. Then that’s what I’ll tell the Archbishop. If he asks.” Ezme sighed as the colour on her face gradually faded. “I’m just worried about what my siblings will say.”

Amara smiled and stroked Ezme’s cheek. “Don’t worry about them. What matters is what we feel for each other.”

“Who said I feel anything for you? Tsk.” Ezme retorted and clicked her tongue as she averted her gaze.

“You said you liked me before.” Amara grinned.

“It must have been your imagination.” Ezme denied as her lips curved up.

“I see. Then how you kissed me must have also been-” (Amara)

“Shut up already. Insufferable.” Ezme interrupted her. As the angel turned her eyes to Amara, she blushed again and frowned. “Wipe that stupid smile off your face.”

“Sorry. I can’t.” Amara replied honestly as she couldn’t stop her lips curving higher.

“Tsk.” Ezme sighed. “Amara. Later...we’ll need to talk.” 

Amara blinked as Ezme’s expression suddenly turned serious. “What about?”

Ezme furrowed her brow as she replied. “I know that you have…misgivings about Father. About why we’re doing things the way we are. Especially since we made you become the champion against your will. But you should know, we’re doing them because they’re necessary; we aren’t heartless. I want you to give my siblings a chance. Give us a chance.”  

Amara frowned. “I…”

“We’ll talk about it later. But I want you to think about it.” Ezme continued.

Amara sighed and nodded. “Alright. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Good.” Ezme said and smiled as she went in close and pecked Amara’s lips. “I’ll see you later.”

“Come back soon.” Amara replied with a smile.

After Ezme disappeared beyond the alcove, Amara clenched her fists and went into a pose to celebrate while squealing in delight.

Yes! I did it!

Girlfriend, get!

“Amara...?” (Ezme)

Amara instantly stood back up and scratched the back of her head. “Yeah? Did you need something?”

Ezme stood in the alcove, staring at her with a raised eyebrow. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Amara asked innocently as she felt her face heat up.

Ezme snorted. “Amara.”

“Yes?” Amara replied, trying to keep her facial expressions in check.

Ezme appeared to be considering her words, before an amused smile spread on her face and she waved her hand. “Nevermind. It’s not like there's anyone for you to frolick with, anyway.” 

Ezme left, leaving Amara dumbfounded.

Eh?