Heaven — Shio Charnier Roux.

It was a world where a shining sea of clouds stretched endlessly in every direction.

In place of the earth below, rainbow-colored clouds had solidified like cotton to form the ground underfoot. Each step yielded a slight bounce, yet the surface held firm and solid beneath.

Trees bore fruit that glittered like gemstones.

Right beside them, a gentle celestial stream flowed on and on until it vanished past the edge of the clouds.

A utopia. A paradise. An Eden.

Adventurers who had once stumbled into Heaven had tried to capture this scenery in poetry of every kind, and some had even taken up paintbrushes to recreate the beauty of this paradise with their own hands.

But at the same time, those adventurers of the past left a warning.

This paradise in the sky was a paradise for angels — not for humans.

The judgment of the angels that awaited any intruder.

The threat of the sacred beasts guarding Heaven's gates — Chimeras and Gargoyles.

Only those who overcame such trials earned the right to walk Heaven's grounds.

And now.

A visitor had ascended into this perilous hidden realm, strolling along as casually as if out for an afternoon walk.

"...Honestly. You finally show your face after all this time."

The heart of Heaven — the Garden of Seraphim.

A divine white alabaster temple draped in green vines. In its great hall, painted in contrasts of white and green, a young girl sat upon a long couch and let out a sigh.

"So now you've come to the master of Heaven asking for a favor?"

"Yes. I thought it over quite a bit, but in the end, I figured borrowing your power would be the best option, Lady Resflaze."

"...Good grief. You're the first human with this much nerve since the Sword Emperor. Standing before me without so much as a flinch."

The girl ran her fingers through her honey-colored hair, the ends flicking outward.

The goddess Resflaze.

At first glance, her appearance fell short of what one might expect from a goddess.

Short honey-colored hair that flicked outward at the ends. A childlike face. It was hard to gauge her height while she was seated, but she looked no older than ten — maybe just a little past it.

Her celestial robe, embroidered in pale green, had been tailored to fit her small frame.

Most notably, the pure-white wings that sprouted from every other angel's back were entirely absent from hers. It seemed almost unfitting for one who stood at the very pinnacle of all angels.

On the other hand, the goddess Resflaze's defining feature was her eyes.

Odd Eyes — a rarity found nowhere else in the world.

One the deep, vivid blue of an endless sky. The other the blazing red of the seraphim's heaven.

Twin eyes that held within them the red and blue of the heavens above.

That, more than anything, was the mark of the goddess called Resflaze.

"Shion, that boldness is so very like you. Now then — you said you wanted to use the Trial Gate here in the Garden of Seraphim to teleport to Elmekia, yes?"

"I'd be grateful if you could make that happen."

The swordsman called Shion replied with an innocent smile.

He was still young. Where the goddess's appearance was that of someone in her early teens, he looked to be in his early twenties.

Golden hair that flowed like silk thread, and striking purple eyes.

His features were sharp yet somehow androgynous, and he wore an easy, good-natured smile — a swordsman with a warm, approachable air about him.

Yet the only equipment befitting a swordsman were the twin blades strapped to his back. His clothing was far removed from any kind of armor — a blue-green traveling cloak more suited to a wanderer.

Sword Saint Shion.

The swordsman who led the party "Melody of the Spirits" — the finest party of the modern era.

He was an adventurer who had journeyed through countless hidden realms across the world, and was renowned as a young prodigy swordsman who rivaled Knight King Zelbright of Elmekia for the title of the strongest.

"But why go through the trouble of using Heaven's Trial Gate instead of taking a ship? Knowing you, it's not simply because it's faster."

"Elmekia is the largest military city in the human world."

The Sword Saint answered in a calm, unhurried voice.

"Elmekia has intelligence agents planted in ports all over the world. They keep constant watch on ships headed for the capital, and the moment a party they're wary of boards one, word gets back to Elmekia immediately. Normally I wouldn't give it a second thought, but this time, given what we're after..."

"You're sneaking into Elmekia, then?"

"That makes it sound so sinister. We're just going to do a quiet little investigation. A tour of the castle, that's all."

The golden-haired young man let out a boyish, wry laugh.

"And so, I was hoping to borrow that wonderful Trial Gate of yours, Lady Resflaze."

"Honestly... The Trial Gate is a gate of judgment, not some convenient teleportation device. And besides, angels are supposed to stay out of human squabbles — that's the official position."

The girl folded her arms, looking mildly exasperated.

But that posture didn't last long —

"Very well. I'll make an exception this time."

With a grave expression, the goddess Resflaze gave a firm nod.

"The other day, that party from Elmekia — Elmekia Dusk, I believe they called themselves — had the audacity to launch an attack on Heaven. I was just thinking about how to punish them for such barbarism. I'll send you there, so go give them a thrashing."

"No, like I said, it's really just a little reconnaissance."

"What? How boring. I much prefer a good shower of sparks. ...Well, that aside — keep the fact that I helped you a secret. I agreed to this because it's you. I have no intention of extending this kind of cooperation to other humans."

"I appreciate it. Oh, and my companions are waiting outside."

"I know. You want me to send the whole lot from 'Melody of the Spirits,' yes? The number of people isn't a problem. Hmm, but there is one more thing I should mention."

Seven massive pillars.

The girl pointed at one of the columns that ringed the great hall and stretched up to the ceiling.

"The Trial Gate can only teleport you as far as the forest near Elmekia. There used to be a gate placed right next to the capital, but it was discovered and destroyed some time ago."

"Out of fear that angels might use the gate to attack Elmekia, I imagine."

"And yet — that is no trivial feat."

The girl with the Odd Eyes.

Her right eye — the one that blazed with the color of the seraphim's heaven — brightened faintly.

"As you're well aware, the Trial Gates are hidden with concealment magic. Merely detecting angelic magic is no easy task for humans. And beyond that, destroying a gate requires breaking through angelic barrier magic."

"You're telling me to be careful."

"Indeed. That capital — even from our perspective, something about it feels different. There's no telling what might be lurking in that city."

Dragons on the earth, demons in the Underworld — and alongside them, angels, known as the higher beings of the world.

The goddess who united every last one of those angels spoke those words in a low, restrained tone.

"However, Shion — I'm surprised you're getting involved. I took you for the sort who paid no mind to what other parties were doing."

"This time is special for me, too."

The alabaster ceiling.

The Sword Saint gazed up at the great hall of the Garden of Seraphim, his voice bright with anticipation.

"Have you heard of a person named Ren?"

"Oh, that boy? Of course I know him — he was here just the other day."

The goddess clapped her hands together on her couch.

"Now I'm curious. What is it about Ren that caught your eye?"

"Nothing much — for now, I'm just looking forward to meeting him. He's sure to head for Elmekia. And like you said, Lady Resflaze, Elmekia is an unsettling city. I still haven't managed to grasp the full picture myself. It's practically a den of monsters — unknowable creatures lurking at every turn. What will Ren feel when he sets foot in that place? What will he choose to do? I want to see it for myself."

"Oh?"

"If you're curious, I'll make sure to give you a full report later, Lady Resflaze."

The girl leaned forward on her couch, eyes sparkling with interest.

Watching her childlike gesture with a gentle smile, Sword Saint Shion gave a light shrug.