章 17: Giving In To Temptation [Past]
Samael watched his boss hum a tune while he held out two differently colored jackets for him.
"Sir, I believe it doesn't matter what suit you wear to a podcast interview on The Surface." He never really liked that place. In his eyes, every wingless creature was beneath him. For humans, he harbored a particular disdain. Of all creatures, their life spans were the shortest.
"True, but it doesn't mean I can just drop by with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, right?" Alric retorted as he fixed his necktie. "Besides, I have a date afterward." The grin on his face was all Samael needed to know.
"You're meeting that human escort again, Sir?" The angel sounded very exasperated.
"That human's name is Astrea." Alric reached out to grab the bright gray jacket from Samael's right arm.
"Sir, I highly recommend not getting too attached to this human named Astrea. You are paying for her services, after all. In the worst case, she's ripping you off."
His boss paused before gingerly running his fingers across the luxuriously woven fabric. Finally, he picked it up and put it on. "I guess I'll be enjoying getting ripped off by her after the interview, then."
Samael shook his head. Of all the possibilities, he chose a midget race. If he'd just let him go through the escort services provided in The Heaven, then surely, he'd find a better-suited lady to escort his boss. Somebody who was more becoming of such a radiant being. Why there were even marriage agencies for the wealthy. Samael had always wondered why Alric never seemed interested in having a stable partner, choosing to spend his idle time with sleazy women. Oh, if he only would-
His phone began to vibrate in his pocket. When Samael checked his smartwatch to verify the caller, he quietly gasped.
"What's the matter, Samael? If it's important, just take the call. Or is it something secret-secret?" Alric did not properly pay attention to his assistant. Instead, he was more focused on his reflection in the mirror. He was combing through his hair constantly and checking the shoulders for any traces of dust or lint.
"T-this call can wait, Sir," Samael nervously replied. Stop calling me, he thought as he continued to side-eye his watch. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the caller stopped. He continued to watch Alric admire himself until he was satisfied.
"Alright, then see you tomorrow then." Alric began to walk to the door. "Oh right. Samael," he then said, stopping midway. "Don't go buying cup noodles again. I've told the canteen cooks to set today's menu aside for you. You can access the employee fridge with the code I've sent you via email."
"Yes, Sir. And thank you, Sir."
"Don't forget it. I'll check first thing in the morning." His voice sounded slightly threatening.
Samael chuckled a little. "Yes, Sir. Enjoy your day on The Surface."
Alric smiled back at him and waved him goodbye.
Once alone, the assistant immediately called back the number on display.
"Ah, you're available now?" It was the archangel. "I wanted to get back to you about that voice message you left."
"I am grateful, Sir."
"No need to be so overly polite! Anyway, I'd be free either now or tomorrow evening..."
"Today suits me just fine, Sir," Samael interjected.
"Perfect! Then I'd say, grab the next taxi shuttle and make your way to The Surface. I'll send you the address."
"T-The Surface?"
"I'll explain when you get here. Looking forward!" Clack.
Samael stared blankly at his phone. Over a week ago, he had stumbled upon weird financial transactions on Alric's tablet. He then had tried to call the phone number on the calling card the archangel had given him, but all he could do was leave a message behind. Eventually, he had forgotten he had called in the first place.
Now the archangel had the audacity to send him to The Surface, a place he detested so much. Yet curiosity overtook him, and soon the angel found himself on a taxi shuttle penetrating the barrier.
The address the archangel had sent him to was a diner at the crossroads between the Megalopolis' Uptown and Midtown. Wrinkling his nose, Samael got off the taxi and switched on his wristlet. He hated the device as much as he despised The Surface. With it, he looked and felt no more than a pitiful human. Taking a deep breath, he took a step inside the diner.
Nobody batted an eye when the bells jingled. The few guests present were lost in their own conversations. The waitress behind the bar was too busy flipping a set of deliciously smelling pancakes to notice Samael standing at the door, looking lost.
It took him a long moment to spot the archangel. Without his extraordinary wings, he seamlessly blended into the crowd. Grey, slightly wavy, chin-long hair. A short-sleeved blue shirt. Samael approached him.
"Hello, Sir."
"Ah, Samael!" There was something definitely unpleasant with the archangel's hoarse voice. And looking at him in broad daylight, the angel thought that his bright grey, almost white eyes were unsettling. The archangel gestured at the seat opposite of him. "Here, have a seat."
For one moment, Samael considered walking out again. True, there had been some issues every now and then with his boss, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. How risky would this affair become?
As if the archangel could read his mind, he said, "don't worry, you're not signing a contract. We're here to talk, and if you don't like you're free to go again, with no repercussions."
Finally convinced, Alric's assistant sat down. The archangel grinned. "What do you like? Tea? Coffee?"
"Uh... tea, Sir."
Samael then watched him press a button on the wall to summon a floating screen above the table. He then purchased the respective item off the menu before pressing the button again. The flickering blue light dissipated in an instant.
"I gotta tell you, this place is perfect for angels like us," the archangel began. "both food and drinks are adjusted for angel palates. Not the watered-down stuff you usually find on The Surface."
Samael chuckled. "I was surprised you requested a meeting here."
"I chose not to ruffle too many feathers up there," he responded, pointing up. "What happens on The Surface stays on The Surface. All thanks to the four big houses here."
The waitress appeared and served black tea. The scent of jasmine tickled Samael's nose. Without acknowledging either of the two angels, she returned to her work behind the bar.
"Four houses?" Samael asked as he scrutinized the shape of the cheap porcelain cup it was served in. The teapot was made of glass, and he observed the last dried jasmine flower petals slowly sink to the bottom. "Aren't there five?" He tried to work his brain on how The Surface worked, but he had willfully forgotten the information after passing his High School exams. Pursing his lips, the assistant led the teacup to his mouth and took a sip. It was piping hot and bursting with flavor. Perfectly adjusted to an angel's tastebuds.
"Qinlong to the East, Zhuque to the West, Baihu to the South, and Xuanwu to the North. Four houses." The archangel pondered for a moment. "Oh, you mean the legendary fifth house, the Qilin." He chuckled. "Seems like it's been a while since textbooks were last updated. They've gone extinct."
"Huh?!"
The archangel opposite Samael noticed a tiny spider making its way from the wall onto the table. "It's survival of the fittest. If you're surrounded by opponents who can crush you at any time, there's not much chance, is there?" Samael himself hadn't noticed the poor creature aimlessly crawling about.
Bam!
Using his bare hand, the archangel slammed his fist on the spider, squashing it. Samael jolted, spilling the tea right and left. Some customers looked up but soon returned to business as usual. The archangel took a tissue from the napkin dispenser and wiped the spot off his hand. He had a content smirk plastered across his face.
"Anyway, we're not here to talk Surface politics." Swishing his hair back in place, the archangel paused dramatically. "You found something concerning."
"Uh... yes, Sir." Samael nervously looked around.
Unfazed by his partner's reaction, the archangel continued. "The illustrious archangel Gabriel. He is one of the seven seraphim still alive. Lives his life in secrecy these days, I'm told."
"That is correct, Sir. He's taken on the appearance of an old male human. Supposedly in memory of his human wife who passed several decades ago."
"Hmph," the archangel mocked. "Back in the old days, he'd have contempt for archangels mating with humans. Now he has done so. Such hypocrisy."
"I agree with you, Sir."
"Well, that makes us two then." He grinned. "So this guy is transferring a lot of money to an unknown bank account." Crossing his arms, he began to think. "A secret love affair? Debts that must be paid? I do wonder."
"I-I, unfortunately, couldn't dig any deeper."
"What we will need is high-security level access to find out more. Unless you're a hacker, we'd have to rely on experts from the outside."
"But, Sir, how am I supposed to get people inside, we already have an in-house security department! Wait..." Samael began to ponder. "Alric has been yapping a lot about wanting to establish a new company within the conglomerate."
"My boy, you are brilliant! That's a perfect idea!" The archangel raised his body over the table to pat him on the shoulder. Then, he grimaced. "But aren't you forgetting something here? The Pride succubus is carrying a monopoly regarding security services."
"My boss is naive enough to think this will be a challenge, Sir."
"Hoho." Then the grey-haired archangel moved closer to Samael. "Tell you what, I think you'd be a much better person to helm the conglomerate. I've been watching the news. All those accomplishments they report? They definitely sound like they were yours and that bratty half-human never lifted a finger."
Samael took the bait. It was sweet and fragrant, like the tea he just had. "Well... I-I, you know, I'm his assistant, after all, Sir." He blushed.
Pausing dramatically again, the archangel merely stared at the angel before him. Then he said, "well, wouldn't it be a shame if Gabriel's son established a company and it fell apart because he couldn't handle it?"
Samael blinked. "Sir?"
"Well, I'll take my leave for now." He got up. "I bid you a pleasant day, until next time!" Just as he was about to leave, Samael jumped up and grabbed him by his arm. For a moment, he felt an aura so deadly that he thought he would die. Suddenly, the threat dissipated. "Yes?" The archangel asked in an over-friendly tone.
"Excuse my brashness, Sir." The angel let go of him. "I still haven't learned your name."
"Oh, my manners! Please, call me Matt."
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