"Oh, look at the time! I have a meeting with the heads of each department. Would you like to join me?"

"Yes!"

We ascended a staircase to the upper floor, and as we entered, we found angels with eight wings gathered there.

The moment they saw Michael, they stood up and greeted them.

"Welcome, Michael."

"Please, feel free to sit."

Michael gave them a warm smile, encouraging them to relax, but none of the angels seemed inclined to take it literally.

Only after Michael took the main seat did the other angels sit down.

Settling into a seat in the corner, I watched as the meeting began.

"We’ll start with the Middle Realm report."

There was a report about resurrected monsters attacking travelers.

As I nervously sweated and looked around, Michael stifled a laugh and moved on to the next report.

"There has been interference from the Demon Realm in the Middle Realm. This is a clear violation of our agreement!"

Once again, I couldn’t help but lower my head.

Michael offered a comforting smile, assuring me it was fine, but I still felt like I was sitting on pins and needles.

"The Underworld is in an uproar because the number of souls doesn’t match. And on top of that, a core figure from the Underworld, known as the ‘Three Gods,’ has been meddling in the Middle Realm on their own."

"If it’s them, it’s alright. Aren't they the guardian of all children?"

The reports from the Middle Realm, Demon Realm, and Underworld finished, and it was time for the Heaven department report, but… no one was there?

"Where is the Heaven department head?"

"Well…"

An angel, who seemed to be an aide, whispered something into Michael’s ear, and in response, the pen they held crumbled into powder.

"Did the head of a department actually try to run away? Fetch them immediately."

"A request for cooperation has already been sent to the Underworld. It’ll be dealt with shortly."

So, they really tried to escape…?

---

"Tonight, you can rest well, and I’ll show you more places tomorrow."

"Thank you, Michael."

"Don’t mention it. Good night."

After Michael left, I lay down on the bed prepared for me.

The bed looked like a cloud and was softer than any bed I’d ever experienced.

Even my little companion seemed pleased, flipping over and lying on their back. How adorable can they be!?

"Do you like it too, my little buddy? Should we take one home!?"

"Kyuu!"

They seemed so pleased they even suggested stealing one.

After giving my little companion a tummy rub, I said goodnight and logged out of the game, only to hear an alarm.

My sister Lea always calls as soon as I log out, so it feels like I'm being monitored…

After answering, I went next door, where Lea greeted me with a bright smile.

"You’re here? Let’s start our delightful workout!"

"I—I’m not so delighted about it, though…"

"No worries! I am!"

"What about me?!"

With that, the torture session began.

We started with stretches, and then she said we’d try some dumbbell exercises, but she really overestimated me.

She handed me pink dumbbells, but they were too heavy, and I dropped them.

Lea looked surprised.

"These are only two kilos, though…?"

"I can’t lift anything heavier than a cup of ramen."

At my proud response, she paused, then adjusted my posture and started explaining… squats?

Since it was just bodyweight, I thought it would be manageable. I was wrong.

The next morning, I couldn’t get up.

To be precise, I couldn’t walk.

I crawled out of bed, dragged myself to the bathroom, then barely made it back to put on my gear and log back into the game.

As I stretched, my little companion, who’d been sleeping nearby, opened their eyes and chirped at me.

They wanted breakfast.

I took out a premium magic stone from my inventory, but they shot me a dissatisfied look.

"Kyuu!"

"Premium magic stones aren’t cheap, you know!"

"Kyuuu!"

With a trembling voice, they mumbled about how I wasn’t being fair.

I had no choice but to pull out a top-tier magic stone, which they finally accepted with joy.

At this rate, they’ll be asking for something even rarer soon…

After my little companion finished breakfast, I hugged them and stepped outside, where Michael was waiting by the door.

"Were you waiting for me?"

"I just got here."

With a bright smile, they took my hand, promising to show me more places today.

As I held Michael’s gentle hand, their wings unfolded, and in an instant, the scene shifted, and we arrived at a bustling area filled with angels.

"Ta-da! This is Heaven’s famous marketplace!"

Angels were buying and selling goods and offering a variety of foods.

From items unique to Heaven to fascinating fruits, there was a wide range of things to see. Suddenly, my little companion squealed.

"Kyuu!"

"Hm? What’s wrong?"

Following their gaze, I saw an angel selling pure white magic stones.

Approaching for a closer look, I understood why my companion had cried out.

「Unique Grade Magic Stone」

A magic stone used in the research of unique-grade magic.

Holding my companion back as they practically flipped out over the stone, I asked the price, and it was outrageous.

"Welcome, customer."

"How much for this?"

"It’s 1 billion gold."

I was stunned, and my little companion insisted I should leave it to them and just give them permission. Despite my attempts to haggle, I failed.

"It’s a rare item, so no negotiations."

While I was rummaging through my inventory to see if I had anything valuable enough to trade, Michael stepped up beside me.

"This traveler is visiting Heaven for the first time. Could you offer a little discount?"

"A-archangel Michael?!"

Momentarily flustered, the angel closed their eyes tightly and then exclaimed.

"I’ll—I’ll just give it to you! Of course, we want to leave a good impression on our first-time visitor to Heaven!"

"Oh, really? Thank you so much."

The angel handed me the stone with a strained expression, as if they were holding back tears.

I noticed how tightly they’d gripped it, and only managed to take it with some effort.

"Thank you."

"E-enjoy your stay in Heaven, sir!"

They spoke through gritted teeth, and as soon as I handed the stone to my little companion, they swallowed it whole.

The angel watching this collapsed to the ground in despair.

"That… that stone was worth…"

Hugging my now satisfied companion, who even let out a little burp, I followed Michael down the street, while a distant scream echoed behind us.

Must be my imagination, right?

As we strolled through the market, I picked up a few gifts for my guild members.

The prices were more reasonable than I expected, and the items were of good quality.

"There’s a large building inside with even better items. You should check it out."

Going deeper into the market, I found the large building Michael mentioned, filled with all sorts of items.

In one corner, I spotted a whole stack of the unique-grade stones my companion had eaten.

Each was priced at 100 million gold!?

That angel earlier tried to sell it to me for 1 billion gold!?

Seeing my shocked expression, Michael approached and chuckled.

"Not all angels are purely innocent and virtuous, you know."

There was a tinge of sadness in Michael’s voice as they spoke.

For my eager companion, I sold some valuable items from quests, including a few I’d picked up in Atlantis, to make enough money to buy another magic stone.

Their eyes sparkled as they begged for it.

"No. You already had one, didn’t you?"

"Kyuu!"

"But don’t humans eat three meals a day!?"

Now that I think about it, they have a point.

My companion’s taste is getting pickier by the day—what am I going to do?

Now that they’re grown enough, maybe I’ll let them take the lead in the next battle.

My little companion often asks to be relied upon, so it’s about time for them to get some real experience.

"When the next fight happens, I’ll leave it to you!"

"Kyuu!"

Proudly declaring their readiness, I handed them the stone, and they swallowed it in one gulp.

They glanced at the other stones, licking their lips, but absolutely not.

---

Once, an archangel in Heaven, now tainted, they spread ten black wings and gazed down at the multitude of wandering wraiths.

Wraiths, having lost their bodies, roamed endlessly.

The reapers of the Underworld were responsible for collecting souls, but the order of their duties varied based on the depth of the sins committed.

The system made no sense.

If sins hadn’t been created in the first place, humans wouldn’t have committed them.