Little Pink Starfish

“So…”

Madojin tilted his head.

“…you’re saying you’re cleaning?”<That is correct.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell answered with a resolute expression. The large broom held in his hand looked extremely awkward, especially when paired with his neatly tailored suit. Thinking that, Madojin glanced at the pile of leaves gathered at the Archangel’s feet.

<You see, Mr. Dojin, though we are angels who receive the commands of the Savior Who Is One and All from the closest position, there are times when we must resolve tasks not with our wings, but with our steadfast arms.>

“For example, cleaning… something like that.”

<To be precise, it is a negotiation with demons, which is also a duty we angels must fulfill.>

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell smiled brightly.

Madojin scratched his neck awkwardly. No matter how he looked at it, it was clear that Geahrzimen was simply making him work and providing free labor. He didn’t know much about the circumstances of Hell, but from what he’d heard, Geahrzimen was a woman who survived even after all the Gates had closed. She could probably handle trivial cleaning with a mere snap of her fingers…

‘So she’s messing with him.’

Madojin could easily infer Geahrzimen’s intention.

The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell must have been aware of that as well. And yet, the reason he was sweeping so diligently despite knowing her intention was clearly…

“You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

Madojin said in a flat voice.

<Ah… quite so.>

The Archangel nodded.

<It’s my first time sweeping the ground directly.>

Angels had wings. The simple fact of having wings created a natural distance from the earth. For the Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell, sweeping the ground with a broom carried a certain symbolic meaning. Madojin could easily grasp that nuance.

“Mikael, are you slacking off?”

At that moment, Kkomuli narrowed his eyes and asked the Archangel.<I was just having a brief conversation.>

The Archangel turned to Kkomuli and then added to Madojin with a gentle smile.

<As you can see, Mr. Dojin, I am quite busy. I’ll take care of the cleanliness here, so please feel free to rest. You must be tired.>

“…Understood.”

Madojin answered while keeping his eyes on Kkomuli.

That being, who resembled a younger version of Ryu Eunyul, was none other than a demon created by Ryu Eunyul himself. In appearance and behavior, he hardly seemed like a demon, but nevertheless, he was a fellow of those vicious demons that once manifested in the middle of the East Sea through an S-rank Gate.

Madojin observed Kkomuli with curious eyes. It was his first time seeing a living demon. The Star Hated by All was closer to a fallen angel than a pure demon, and Geahrzimen, who operated this guesthouse, was essentially a golem created by demons.

‘But no matter how I look at him, he doesn’t seem like a demon.’

Thinking that, Madojin shrugged.

It was strange enough that he was cleaning together with the Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell, but seeing something that resembled Ryu Eunyul so closely made it impossible to consider him a demon. His behavior, excluding the demonic energy felt within him, was completely human, entirely different from the knowledge Madojin had acquired about demons through the Archangel.

‘Did Mr. Eunyul create something like that during CYB?’

Turning away from Kkomuli, Madojin thought.

He had learned that demons were originally created by the Savior Who Is One and All. After completing creation, the Creator needed extreme evil to serve as a counterbalance, so he began producing beings known as demons.

‘The Creator made perfect evil…’

Humans, not being creators, produce imperfect evil.

Thus, Kkomuli came to resemble Ryu Eunyul’s childhood. Perhaps that appearance once triggered self-loathing for Ryu Eunyul. The age when he had attempted to take his own life was likely around Kkomuli’s current appearance.

‘…Fascinating.’

As Madojin thought this and was about to take a step—

“Right. I think so too.”

Min Heejae suddenly appeared out of nowhere, blocking his path.

“It’s really fascinating.”

Min Heejae narrowed his eyes. Madojin avoided his gaze and took a step back. He still wasn’t used to facing people at close distance. Especially for Madojin, Min Heejae was the most difficult team member to deal with.

“…I wasn’t thinking it was fascinating.”

Madojin spoke softly.

“No way. You thought it was fascinating. Your face shows it all.”

Min Heejae said playfully, smiling.

‘That’s a lie.’

Madojin knew well that his expressions didn’t show easily, unlike normal humans. He thought perhaps this was because of the way he had rapidly matured under Enoch’s influence.

Like most creatures, humans usually completed their development through learning. Not just through studying knowledge, but by using their bodies and learning through physical experience as well. Through countless smiles and tears, humans developed facial expressions that reacted instinctively to emotions. But Madojin had never been given the time to train such expressions.

“You may think I’m lying…”

Min Heejae shrugged.

“But we’ve shared a room for a long time. Even if your expressions don’t show easily, it’s only natural that I can read you by now.”

“…Maybe so.”

Madojin reluctantly agreed. It was the first time he had lived with someone else. Perhaps spending long periods together made it easier to understand each other’s thoughts. Madojin pondered with a blank expression.

“Anyway, it’s really fascinating.”

Min Heejae spoke to him again.

“This place, I mean. It’s so fascinating I don’t even know where to start looking.”

“That makes sense.”

Madojin nodded. Over here, an angel and a demon were sweeping together, and the demon looked exactly like a familiar teammate. Plus, the one preparing dinner was a golem born from demon flesh. Upon hearing all this, Min Heejae was clearly fascinated to the point of being overwhelmed.

“Hey, Dojin.”

Min Heejae spoke.

“Did you know? Before the Gates opened, atheism was the mainstream.”

“…I have that knowledge.”

Madojin answered honestly.

Of all creatures, humans especially had developed their civilization deeply intertwined with gods. It was almost natural for them to eventually stop believing in gods. Atheism was perhaps the most efficient way to revere gods. Once humans stopped believing in gods, they turned to ideology instead. The crown once worn by gods was naturally transferred to ideology.

An excessively strong ideology was no different from a god. It exerted absolute influence over its believers. But since there was no longer any need to offer things like devotion, the civilization that had once grown through religion eventually perfected its faith through ideology.

“People from that era would find this place quite a sight.”

Min Heejae shrugged.

“Whether gods exist and whether you believe in them are separate matters.”

You know that, right?

Madojin muttered as he looked at Min Heejae.

“You don’t believe in gods.”

“Right.”

Min Heejae nodded without hesitation.

“I don’t believe in gods.”

More precisely, I don’t believe in how they run things.

Min Heejae muttered.

To Min Heejae, the current era didn’t seem very beautiful. Constellations supported idols in order to receive faith, and idols used the powers bestowed by Constellations to perform.

Min Heejae thought that was closer to regression. According to what he’d heard, the ancient Greeks praised Dionysus by singing and dancing in drunken states, and that eventually became the origin of the word “orchestra.”

Music had long existed under the shadow of gods, but in a way, it was also the human trait that most quickly distanced itself from the gods’ cradle. Seeing music now become subject to gods again felt, to Min Heejae, like its decline.

“That’s why I never intended to make a contract with a Constellation.”

Min Heejae spoke while gazing into the distance.

“My wish wasn’t something related to the music I wanted to create, even if I could borrow a Constellation’s power to make it happen.”

“I see.”

Madojin responded blandly.

He was well aware of what Min Heejae had sought to achieve through CYB.

“I will… end my contract with the Constellation once we retire.”

He had expected as much.

So Madojin wasn’t particularly surprised. Humans age naturally, and their way of living changes accordingly. Being an idol was not a long-lived profession. Once Laourea disbanded, Min Heejae would naturally end his contract with the Constellation.

And then he would return to the piano.

He would play with his own strength, without borrowing a Constellation’s power.

“What about you, Dojin?”

Min Heejae asked gently.

“What will you do when we disband? Since you’re not human but an angel…”

Will you go to heaven?

He pointed his index finger upward.

“I don’t know yet.”

Madojin answered honestly.

Someday, he would return to Heaven. When the smiling Min Heejae before him neared his end, he might be the one to guide his soul to Heaven. Thinking so, Madojin smiled faintly.

“I don’t want to know now what I’ll find out someday.”

I want to enjoy this ignorance for now.

Madojin thought.

“That’s a good attitude.”

Min Heejae tapped Madojin’s shoulder.

“You know too much already. So whenever you come across something you don’t know, treasure it.”

‘You know too much already…’

Hearing that, Madojin laughed at himself.

‘I still don’t know much.’

This world is full of things that stir curiosity.

‘The only things I know are…’

The parts not belonging to this world.

‘…For example,’

The fact that I will soon face the truth of this world.