Chapter 25: The Promise of Paradise

“Come here, my lord husband♡.”

“Artoria…”

“You promised, didn’t you?”

Artoria tugged Bisus’s hesitant arm toward the bed.

Thud

They tumbled onto the bed together.

“Ehehe.”

Artoria giggled, looking at Bisus’s flustered face.

“You can make that kind of expression too, my lord husband?”

“Artoria, I…”

“Shh.”

She pressed her index finger to his lips.

“I’m embarrassed too…”

Her face was already flushed.

“You promised.”

“That was…”

“You wouldn’t make your woman worry and then break your promise, would you?”

In a perilous plan, Bisus had been trapped in a domain with a great demon sent to assassinate him.

He had bet on Artoria arriving with reinforcements to secure victory, a high stakes gamble where her speed in rescuing him determined success or failure.

Even though the angels knew the situation while the demons didn’t, entrusting such a critical mission to Artoria showed Bisus’s unwavering trust in her.

But for Artoria, who bore that trust, the plan was an immense burden.

To convince a hesitant Artoria, Bisus promised to grant her a wish if they succeeded.

And that promise was…

“You said if you returned victorious, we’d make a baby together, right?”

“Ugh… fine.”

“Hehe!”

Bisus relaxed and lay back on the bed.

Artoria wrapped her arms around him like she was hugging a pillow.

“Ha…”

Her warmth enveloped him, her sweet scent tickling his nose.

Even a fearless archangel like her had been anxious.

“Artoria.”

“…”

“Artoria?”

When she didn’t respond, Bisus turned to her.

She was already fast asleep, her face beaming with happiness.

“…Making a baby with my lord husband… ehehe…”

Her innocence about such matters led to this misunderstanding.

She genuinely believed that lovers hugging and sleeping together made a baby, a pure soul’s misconception.

“…Phew.”

Looking at her, Bisus let out a sigh of relief.

Or perhaps disappointment?

He gently sat up, gazing at her and brushing her hair aside.

“Artoria, I’m sorry.”

Even if he loved and trusted her, he’d placed a heavy burden on her.

For someone so pure, it must have been overwhelming.

One mistake could have cost him his life.

“Thank you, Artoria.”

“Angel?”

He recalled Artoria as a small girl before she became an angel.

Because of you…

I, too…

Boom

A massive surge of ominous energy jolted him from outside.

An evil force, unfit for paradise.

Hum

Bisus gently laid Artoria down, pouring holy power into a powerful barrier around her.

Swallowing his reluctance, he left the sleeping Artoria and stepped outside.

Boom

Demons were assaulting the borders of paradise.

Seeing this, Bisus spread his wings wide and took flight.

How dare they invade this place.

As his anger at the demons interrupting his time with Artoria surged—

Flash

A familiar ceiling.

Bisus realized he was back in reality.

“I’m… awake.”

The memories of being Archangel Bisus.

Though shorter than the mercenary V’s dream, the emotions were so intense that their afterglow lingered.

“Artoria.”

Guilt for Artoria.

Gratitude for Artoria.

And… regret.

What is this feeling?

Why do I feel regret for her?

The lingering emotions kept him from getting out of bed easily.

“Ugh… what’s with you?”

Lucifer’s voice came from the bracelet on his arm.

“Yawn… brooding again? Why do you keep waking up so moody lately? Bad dream? Want your big sister to comfort you?”

Bisus, silently staring at her, channeled holy power.

“Gah! Why, why are you doing this again?!”

The frustration of Archangel Bisus, unable to spend precious time with Artoria because of demons, spilled onto the innocent Lucifer.

“I didn’t even do anything this time…! Urk!”

Her consciousness faded again, and Bisus got up.

One thing’s clear now.

My dreams are likely tied to what I encounter during the day.

At first, during the triumph and audience with Deus, he thought his hypothesis might be wrong.

But the intimacy with Artoria, that was likely the trigger for this dream.

If I can control what I dream…

His eyes gleamed with holy light.

“Really?!”

Hearing about Bisus’s dream, Artoria jumped with joy.

“How far did you see?!”

“Don’t get too excited. It wasn’t a long dream.”

“Still!”

Bisus recounted the scenes from his dream.

“Ah… haha.”

Artoria’s face grew redder as she listened.

“There was that, too… haha.”

“As expected, angels are a lewd bunch,” Sofia interjected, listening nearby.

“No, they’re not!”

“Saying ‘make a baby’ right after he returns from battle? Even harlots wouldn’t be that bold.”

“Grr! What do you know?!”

Unaware of the promise made before the battle, Sofia only heard a lustful woman’s tale.

Hmph. My adventures with Bisus aren’t some lowlife story.

They’re an epic of overcoming hardship and rising to salvation.

Once he remembers me, he’ll ditch a crazy harlot like you.

Bisus calmed the frantic Artoria and spoke.

“Anyway, this confirms it. The dreams I have are tied to what I do or encounter that day.”

“So that means…”

“Right. I might be able to control what I dream.”

Sofia’s face lit up.

“Then you could dream of our memories next!”

“And me too!”

“Exactly. So I’m going to experiment today.”

It was the weekend after the academy’s orientation week, with no classes, giving him freedom to move.

“Since I dreamed about Artoria this time, today I want to see Sofia’s story.”

“Yes!”

“Pfft, you’re mean, my lord husband.”

Bisus approached the dejected Artoria and took her hands.

“Artoria, I’m sorry. But can you wait just a little?”

“My lord husband!”

“You can wait, right?”

“…Yes.”

It was an unconscious act, influenced by Archangel Bisus’s persona.

Likewise, Artoria, despite no logical reason, complied, catching a glimpse of the “lord husband” she longed for in the dream.

“Hmph.”

One woman watching this wasn’t pleased.

“Now, Sofia, I want to find a trigger to dream about you.”

After reassuring Artoria, Bisus turned to Sofia, who stood with her arms crossed.

“So, is there anything that could serve as a trigger for that dream?”

“A trigger…”

Sofia fell into thought.

She had countless memories she wanted to share with Bisus.

Their history wasn’t something that could be summed up in one or two stories.

Choosing just one was hard, and it needed to be impactful enough to trigger the dream.

Snap

“Oh! I’ve got it.”

Sofia snapped her fingers.

“I know just the thing.”

“There is something?”

“Yes. Right there.”

She pointed toward a direction in the academy.

Bisus’s gaze followed her finger and stopped at…

“The women’s bathroom?”

“Exactly! Go in there!”

…What?

A question mark formed in Bisus’s mind.