Waving her hand the fourth time, a box of the cigarette with 'angelic' design appeared on her hand. Then, not minding the dumbfounded guy in front of her, she takes one stick from it, lights it up with her holy flame and sucks it to her heart's content.
"Fuuupp~~~ Puhaahhh!! Fuh...too bad I can only do smoking in this room."
"...Just curious, do angels smoke to release their stress?"
"Hmm? Nah, if anyone got founded doing this cr*p, then that bast*rd is done for sure."
(...Then what will happen to you?)
He really wanted to blurt that out, but noticing his befuddled expression, the angel just waves her hand like it's nothing while biting the butt of the cigarette.
"This? It's fine, I tell you. This room is made with no surveillance and disturbance so any sh*t I did in here won't ever be discovered."
"...Is that so."
Well, If the lady says so then there's no particular reason for him to butt in. What's the merit to piss her off and get the rubs of it if he reprimands her action?
Not like he minded an angel does smoking. If anything, he feels amused for a supposed good Samaritan to do things like this.
For about a few minutes, the man just enjoys the fragrant tea without minding the smoke permeating the surrounding. How weird of this scene if anybody looks at it.
Then, the delinquently(?) like angel rubs the end of the cigarette to an ashtray for god knows when she gets it.
"Alright, let's talk about business now. This time, there won't be any nonsense, tricks, or anything. What I'll tell you will be everything, and nothing else."
Putting down the teacup, the man nodded for showing his consent. However, doing so it looks like the lady is hesitating for a bit before biting her tiny lips.
But before any words form, she tightly clamps her mouth and shake any form of reluctance on her mind.
(Right, there's no difference. Whether it's a cruel lie or shi*ty truth, it's the same thing.)
Closing and opening her eyes for a moment, Sophia stares straight to the guy.
From this moment on, even she won't know the conclusion of this case.
"First, I will speak about the options other than these god*mn pamphlets. As you said, there are other alternatives. However...."
Why is everything ending in 'however' would be ominous, the man thought? Sure enough, it really is not a nice thing to listen.
"In a regular judgment of souls after its passing, we angels decide the course of it through the accumulated karma gained on its life."
"..Kar...ma?"
Hearing the unknown word, the man tilts his head for not comprehending the vague word. Understanding his confusion, the angel nods to explain it.
"To put it simply, it's about the things they had done throughout the entire life. If it's a bad thing, then it's negative and vice versa. The end result of it will decide the place either on hell or heaven."
"....That is kind of vague, isn't it? In my book, things such as moral and ethics are very blurred and vague."
"Sure thing. But we have our own criteria to judge you guys. Whether is it good to the world or not."
Stopping a bit, the angel arranges the words inside her mind.
"Think of it like this. If a guy decides to contribute to society by going go green, then that guy has gained positive karma. On the contrary, if he just wastes resources even knowing it is a sh*tty thing to do, then that guy gains the negative one."
"Hmm... then how about newborns? They just started their lives so--"
"Not exactly."
Shaking her head to repel his words, the lady continues.
"Even if the baby just started its life, the feelings of the people heavily related to that baby impacts it. If it brings joy, then it's a good thing. If not, then...nothing. Since the baby have just started its life, there's no reason for it needs to be negative."
"....I see."
Hearing the latter part, the man couldn't help remembering his origin and ended up being depressed. The only consolation is that he won't be accused of anything.
Not noticing his darkened face, the lady hasn't stopped her explanation. In fact, it's the important part starting from now.
"But you are not eligible in this option. In fact, you can't."
".....What?"
Sighing after looking at his reaction, the lady waves her hand and a paper appears on it. Then, she put it on another side of the table for the man to look at it.
"Looks like you are out of the system for god-knows-why. Look at it."
Picking up the paper, the man looks at it for about 1 minute. and then...
"...What is this?"
It's practically blank.
Other than the reason of his death, other sections have nothing written on it. In fact, his name which supposed to exist has also gone like it never exists in the first place.
"Seriously, this is the first time I see a soul's profile like this. Other than your death, nothing existed. Or to be accurate, nothing especially 'needed' to record it.
"....What does---that mean?"
For that question, she can only helplessly shake her head.
"I don't know. There's no precedent to it so I can't say much. Not only that, our elites who handle this case leave it like that because there's nothing wrong on it."
"!!"
There is nothing wrong.
That words make both of his fists tighten strongly. Not only that, he unconsciously bit his lips until it can make it bleed.
(If it's true... then what am I--)
"Stop."
Before he feels into a deeper pit of despair and confusion, that one word makes him raise his head and look at her resolute expression.
"That's what they say, but I don't buy that bullsh*t. In fact, I just want to shove their ass*s to do their fuck*ng job properly."
"...But, you said--"
"That's what they think, but I don't. After I see and talk with you, there's no way in hell you are a ghost. Trust me.
You are a human and not a mistake."
Not a mistake.
It really rings into his heart on to the deepest. Just how much he wanted to hear that word. Just how long he had to wait for it.
(Never thought I can only hear it after I died.)
Really, this thing called life. There's nothing other than surprises.
"...Thank you."
Hearing that sincere words of gratitude directed toward her, she couldn't help feeling awkward and complicated.
".....You should say that words when you are out of this fricking mess."
After all, she just blurted that out of sincerity and sense of professionalism. So being thanked like this even though she was the one who tried to scam him is...undeserving.
In any case, this choice is currently out of the option whether the profile of the man is wrong or not. Annoying as it is, those prideful elites will never lend an ear to a low-level employee like her no matter how she pleads to them.
Not like she ever minded about politeness in the first place though.
But still, there are rules needed to be followed and as someone who lived inside that system, she sure needs to comply with it no matter how messy the situation is.
(...And now I have begun to regret it.)
She couldn't help let out another soft sigh out of her mouth the more this talk progress. Just imagining the reaction of this unique guest after she explains everything, her stomach feels churning inside her.
"....Are you alright?"
Looking at her uncomfortable expression on her face, even he himself begun to feel worried.
"....Sorry about that. Just feeling tired from all of this."
Snapping out of her pointless dilemma, she shakes her head lightly and directs her focus to the man.
(....Right, it's not my personality to care about this anyway. He will be the one to choose, not me.)
After getting herself together, she finally continues her explanation.
"Anyway, since this option is not applicable to you at the moment, I won't talk about it deeply. I'll move to the last one, no hidden agenda included. You with me?"
"Yes."
"Good. First of all, a warning. DO NOT EVER CHOOSE THIS OPTION."
"....Sorry?"
What the heck is she talking right now?
If she tells him to not choose it, then is there a need to explain it in the first place?
Noticing his reaction, Sophia lets out a hollow chuckle.
"I know I sound ridiculous. But please kind sir, listen to this poor angel's rambling until the end. If you still have any questions after all of this, I gladly answer it."
"....I understand."
Another thing he notices from Sophia is that she will never spout any form of lies nor putting any personal input. That means this first warning given is an alarm to show how dangerous the said option will be given.
(There must be rules and conditions she needed to follow.)
If not, her actions can only be said as half-assed at best.
"Now, there are three routes for humans to take after ending their lives. Reincarnation, ascension, and....erasure."
"The first two routes I mentioned are the general ones, except having unique souls like you to reincarnate having their past memories or can't ascend due to whatever reasons I can't understand."
Then, she continued but with a grave voice.
"But....the last option is more to the last hurrah."
"...Last hurrah?"
"Yep. The thing is, the soul is the most delicate object we have ever handled. They are part of nature and the system itself. If we just rip them out and erase it, then the influences will be...fuck*ng disastrous at the very least."
"....Therefore, I shouldn't take it?"
"No, if the soul itself is harmful to the point of affecting the entire planet, then even we need to act swiftly. The cases happening like that can be counted with both of my hands only."
"However", saying that, she pointed to the man with her finger.
"You are neither a harmful nor polluted soul so there's no necessity to it. So originally there's no particular need to do it but..."
Hearing the blurred word, the man himself realizes the situation he's involved in.
"But you could still do so."
".....Yeah. All the souls who came here are one with special circumstances and within my jurisdiction. With your empty profile, I don't even need lots of paperwork to do so. In other words...."
"You could put a blind eye to not follow the procedures."
"....That is so. You get it now?"
"I do."
Either putting glorious shackles on his knees, betting own life almost equivalent to zero percent or just put a period of his life eternally.
No matter on what angle he looked, the choices given to him is just cruel, unfair, and disastrous.
(...No wonder she always has that sour face.)
If she is just some scammer to trick for her own benefit, then his life will be forfeited in a much faster and cleaner way. He never forgets his position of himself of being a puny human while she is bona fide higher existence.
But now, at least she gives him the freedom to choose. That shows her kind personality, contrasting to her dirty mouth.
Either to die slowly or die immediately with no suffering.
Raising his head, he could see the ceiling with the design of angels blowing trumpets to the supposed God on the middle of it.
(....I don't have the energy to curse anymore.)
To any person with a sliver of common sense, the person will struggle with everything oneself have while pointing the middle finger to that God equivalent of an assh*le.
But now, he's just too battered to do so.
His first life has already made him give up on living and now, he has to face another hell that may be worse than that?
"....I've made my decision, Miss Sophia."
So, he doesn't hesitate.
Since the angel has given him the luxury to choose, then at least he will decide on how to end his life.
Looking at his resolute expression, Sophia holds her bitterness filling her heart and replies back.
No matter how many times she had done this, she never gets used on doing it.
"What's your decision, kid?"
With a calmness unfitting of the situation, eyes meeting with each other, the nameless man decided the course of his life with his own words.
"Please delete my soul from the record."
It's to gain eternal rest.
******
".....She's taking too long."
It has been exactly one hour the moment her beloved partner was sent to meet the supposed blank ghost. Of course, Ria understands for the current situation is much, much more complicated and different than all of the previous ones but...
(...She even cut the 'connection'?)
Although Sophia said that there won't be any peepers except her master, she could grant access to certain individuals for fair procedures and judgment from the third point of view.
Of course, being 'fair' in this context doesn't really mean it will be win-win to both sides.
Anyway, just like usual, Ria observed the scam--oops, explanation to the soul for his future life. That part is still the same as always. No problem at all.
But the part when the soul said he won't choose any of the options mentioned, that's when the continuation could only be known by those two only.
Tap, tap, tap.
Her thin fingers are tapping rhythmically to the table, unconsciously expressing her anxiety slowly mushrooming inside her fragile mind.
"....I'm getting a bad feeling here."
It's not like that man is the first troublesome guest. Prior to his visit, all of his predecessors had its challenges and problematic personalities to overcome. Even so, her partner swept them all away easily just like flicking own finger. Much less, for only about 20 minutes, no more than that.
So how should she take this current predicament here?
Well, other than 'troublesome', no other words could fit more perfectly.
"...Tsk."
Accompanying that crazy angel for about hundreds of years, she could confidently proclaim her partner is a madwoman.
Rather, her current attitude is more to the meek side when she compared it to her previous career.
She wasn't supposed to work behind the desk like some clerk.
Even until now, her legends of burning and slaughtering hundreds of thousands of demons invading from hell is still spreading here and there. There was even a rumor that, if she didn't get demoted to her current job, she could be the next archangel.
Which is true, since she confirmed it straight from the horse mouth.
After all, the flame she possessed on her body is very, very dangerous. If she wanted it, then any rules and laws chaining her will be 'burned' without leaving even a piece of ash.
The main purpose of Ria being partnered with that hard-to-control angel without much complaint is because her own power is the most 'incompatible', just like water and fire.
Therefore, if she got seriously pissed off without under her watch....just imagining it makes her face lose its color gradually.
"....Dear God, please."
So she could only fold her hands and lower her head to pray.
Pray, for hoping the worst possible situation won't ever occur.