Additional Chapter! Thank xenes41 for solving the cryptic message that I left.
Enjoy!!
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Cats don't take kindly to that kind of talk. Klein the cat's fur puffed up instantly, and he snapped, "There's no way it's that fast!" Though, he sounded a bit guilty.
After all, he'd been eating, sleeping, and eating again these past few days—packing on a little weight wasn't out of the question.
"Hahaha, just messing with you. Looks like you're recovering nicely," Evah said, laughing. Then his expression turned serious. "So, have you made your choice, Klein?"
Klein the cat's demeanor sobered. He shook his head, then nodded. "Honestly, I haven't. I want to give up, but I can't ignore the apocalypse. I want to be the savior, but I'm scared of the ending you described."
"So what's your plan?" Evah asked, listening quietly.
"I'm going to keep advancing," Klein said. "I still haven't decided to be the savior, but no matter what, advancing in this world can't be wrong. That way…" He gave a small smile. "If it really has to be me in the future, I can step up without regrets."
Evah looked at him, then broke into a smile, followed by a sigh.
"Figures. It's the kind of choice you'd make."
Evah wasn't surprised—actually, he was pleased. Like Klein said, advancing in this world was never a bad move. If Klein didn't become the Lord of Mysteries, being a King of Angels wouldn't be half bad.
So Evah nodded. "That's a good call. With the apocalypse looming, advancing isn't a mistake. Even if you don't become the Celestial Worthy, being an angel's a solid choice. And I promise you, until the final act, you'll always have a choice."
Klein the cat blinked, then looked at Evah, saying earnestly, "Thank you, Mr. Lucifer. Thank you for giving me the chance to choose."
"No need to thank me, and don't stress too much. Saving the world's not just on you—this world's tougher than you think," Evah said with a smile, then asked, "So, you heading back to the Nighthawks?"
Klein's expression froze, and he hemmed and hawed before saying, "I don't know. The Evernight Goddess helped me, and I should be grateful, but…" It was clear his feelings were a mess.
"Want me to swing by the Nighthawks and get you some time off?" Evah offered.
"Time off?" Klein blinked, clearly not expecting that option.
"Regular Nighthawks don't get that choice, but I can pull some strings," Evah said with a smile. "And honestly, if you're set on advancing, sticking with Tingen's Nighthawk team might hold you back. It'll limit your growth."
"…Thank you."
Evah grinned and snapped his fingers. Klein felt his body shift, tumbling off the windowsill. When his feet hit the ground, he realized he was human again.
"Go home, Klein," Evah said. "See your family, say goodbye to your friends, then hit the road alone."
…
Leonard was zoning out.
Seven days ago, Blackthorn Security Company got hit by the True Creator's spawn. Leonard, with Pallez's help, dealt some solid damage but took the boss's full attention for it, passing out before the fight ended.
When help arrived and Leonard was revived, he learned the rest from Captain Dunn.
Good news: thanks to a certain angel's timely intervention, the True Creator's spawn was squashed before it could wipe out the Nighthawks or Tingen. Even Ince Zangwill, scheming behind the scenes, was turned into a gift for the Evernight Church. The incident was pretty much a clean win.
Bad news: Klein got turned into a cat and whisked away.
Honestly, when Dunn got to that part, Leonard wondered if he was still dreaming. It sounded too wild.
But it was real. Sometimes reality's weirder than dreams.
"Old man, when's His Highness Lucifer bringing Klein back?" Leonard muttered when no one was around, his brow furrowed with confusion. "And why'd he take him in the first place?"
"Don't ask me, I don't know," Pallez's chuckling voice replied. "But you don't need to worry too much about your buddy. That angel probably means him no harm."
"How're you so sure?" Leonard shot back, suspicious. "Old man, you know something, don't you?"
Pallez didn't answer. The truth was, he didn't know much more than Leonard, but as a Marauder pathway angel, Pallez had long sensed Klein Moretti's uniqueness. The guy likely had ties to the Spirit World—maybe even a favored of some entity.
Lucifer, as a favored of the Chaos Sovereign, had no reason to mess with someone like that, even if he backed Mr. Door for Lord of Mysteries.
Knowing his style, betting on Mr. Door didn't mean he wouldn't hedge his bets elsewhere… Pallez saw it clear as day, though he was a bit puzzled.
He could've sworn he sensed a familiar bloodline vibe from Lucifer. Was he… one of his descendants?
Just then, Leonard heard a commotion downstairs. Still on edge from the recent crisis, he bolted down.
"What's going on? What happened… Klein! You're back!"
Leonard reached the ground floor, ready to demand answers, when his eyes widened. There was Klein, his colleague missing for seven days.
Joy surged through him. He gave Klein a once-over, confirming no physical or mental damage, and breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did he notice someone standing behind Klein.
"Your Highness Lucifer!"
Though he'd never seen him, Leonard recognized him instantly.
Evah smiled at Leonard, then turned to Dunn, who'd come down from the second floor. "Mr. Dunn, as promised, I've brought Klein back."
"Thank you, Your Highness Luciferiel," Dunn said, visibly relieved to see Klein unharmed. But as he thanked him, the angel spoke again.
"Oh, one more thing. I'd like to request a leave of absence for Klein. About three years or so."
"Huh?" Dunn blinked, clearly thrown by the unexpected turn.
(End of Chapter)