Vihal Moved, and the Soul of an Angel

"What is it?"

Edwin leaned over, and Vihal showed him the sheet.

"Edwin… this means…"

"Hm…? Ahhh…

Well, that can't be helped—though honestly, didn't anyone notice? That's the part that puzzles me."

"…………I'm going to speak to the Planning Division."

With that, Vihal rose, the sheet still in hand, and headed for the Planning Division door.

Ordinarily, he would never have done such a thing. He would surely have gone and reported it quietly, somewhere out of sight.

But if this truly was the cause of all today's mistakes, and if this was why that angel was being punished… then Vihal thought it was unjust.

"…?…"

The angel who had thrown water on him yesterday got slowly to his feet and, not understanding what was happening, watched Vihal run off without a word.

Knock knock knock knock.

After four knocks, the door opened quite quickly, and a superior angel of the Planning Division opened it.

"What is it?"

The superior angel who had only recently come in—still visibly on edge—looked at Vihal and asked.

"I have something to say about the numbers written on this sheet. If possible… I think it would be best in a place where many angels are present."

As he said it, he cast a glance toward the little crowd already beginning to form behind him.

"But—"

"It is something as many people as possible ought to know."

This had become such a serious matter that the fact so many still did not know about it meant leaving it as it was would be bad for everyone. Vihal pleaded with all his strength.

"In this matter, I do not think anyone bears any great fault! Not the Planning Division as a whole, nor him either!"

Moved by the urgency of Vihal's manner, the High Angel exchanged looks with the other High Angels within the room, then nodded slowly.

"Very well. Gather everyone who can come, there. Then let us hear what you have to say."

At once, the seven High Angels then present from the Planning Division, and all those from both divisions who could come immediately, were gathered in the Bulletin Office.

"I am sorry to have asked you to gather while you are all so busy.

But I realized that what happened today will happen again and again if it is left alone, and so I asked as many of you as possible to come and hear it."

The gathered angels listened in silence.

"To begin with, we angels were made by the gods of the Divine Realm—but you all know, do you not, that the souls they were made from were souls those gods had carefully chosen?"

This was knowledge given to every angel the instant he was born, and all possessed it equally.

"We cannot know what our own souls originally were—but there are parts of us that are influenced by what they once were.

That too differs from person to person, of course."

"That's common knowledge to every angel there is. Get to the point already! We had a terrible day because of the Planning Division's mistake…!"

One of the Cloud Painters snapped it out irritably.

He was likely one of those who had suffered badly from the scheduling mistakes of the day; it was obvious he was trying his best to keep down his anger.

"…Then I'll show you."

The moment Vihal said it, Edwin brought over a temporary writing board—a whiteboard—and raised his voice.

"Excuse me. Would the one who issued this instruction please help us for a moment, if you would?"

When Edwin held up the sheet bearing the instruction for seventy percent and called out, one of the dignitaries gathered together stepped smoothly forward.

"What would you have me do?"

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