The Memory of the Soul

At God's words, the air of the whole place changed.

Each of them held pride in being an angel. In the midst of their daily labor they had nearly forgotten it, and God's words reminded everyone present.

"Then… if we admit that there were failings on both sides in this matter, may we let it pass without punishment for anyone?"

"That would be an enormous mercy for us, and more than we deserve…

But are you certain? Was it not your Cloud Painters who suffered most today?"

When one of the Planning Division's High Angels said so, the god of the Cloud Painters answered:

"I have long known that friction lay between you.

If people in an organization are too close, it will not run well. If they are too hostile, neither will it run well. What matters is to acknowledge one another and work together, even when full understanding is beyond reach.

I know how the angels on this side have been thinking as they let things pass.

And I know, too, that it was not always the right thing to do."

Though he was looking at no one in particular, most of the Cloud Painters started inwardly and looked away from him.

"The record of this matter will remain, and let it serve to ensure that the same thing does not happen again. But there shall be no punishment.

And if I may ask one thing in return… from this chance onward, could you not begin—little by little—to move closer to one another?"

Those long white brows, flowing like water, were turned toward the angels of the Planning Division.

Their weariness was plain to see. They looked to those nearest them, then back to God.

"We shall do what we can."

One of the Planning Division's superior angels answered on behalf of the division, and God turned to the Cloud Painters and said,

"The same goes for you lot."

The angels nodded too, with complicated expressions on their faces, and seeing that, God gave one more instruction to all of them.

"Cloud Painters. For this mistake, each of you is to think of how you would have avoided it, and submit it as a report.

The content is free. Any opinion that differs from the current way is welcome.

But you must also write what was wrong in your own conduct this time.

So that the same thing is not repeated."

God clapped his hands twice and raised them, and a single white sheet drifted lightly down before each of the Cloud Painters.

"If any of you lacks paper, there will be some here. Come and take it."

With that, he placed the stack of paper that had appeared above his palms upon a nearby table, and said,

"That is all. Give my regards… to the god on your side."

He said it toward the superior angels of the Planning Division, and then quietly left the Bulletin Office.

◇◆

"…Th-thank you…"

That angel came up to Vihal and Edwin, who were wiping the whiteboard clean and finishing the tidying.

The angel who had thrown water on Vihal yesterday.

"…You're welcome…"

Vihal answered softly, thinking he had probably been the last person that angel wanted to be helped by.

"Hey—what's your name? Looking at the way you write your numbers, and the way you kept snapping at Vihal, I think our souls probably came from the same country. We might even have known each other once, you know?

So—how about we get a little better acquainted from now on?"

Standing between Vihal and the other angel, with the cleaned board before him, Edwin said it.

"The memory of the soul… huh…"

The angel looked at Vihal as he murmured it.

"…Once we've become angels, we're all supposed to have the same fitness for it, whatever came before…

But it seems I was missing a little something…"

"Even things like that too are part of what God intends, aren't they?"

From those words, Vihal understood that Edwin had already accepted him.

"I would be glad too… if we could become even a little friendlier from now on…"

Vihal tried saying it honestly, as his own heart wished.

The other angel gave a wry smile—and then, looking just a little clearer than before, said,

"Yes… My name is—"

◇◆

And after that—

The Planning Division and the Cloud Painters began, little by little, to move closer together.

As for Edwin, Vihal, and the angel from the Planning Division—the time before all three of them entered the work of Mid Angels would still be some while in coming, but that is a story for another occasion…

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