THE FINAL LIGHT OF HOPE (Remake)

"…Who are you? What do you want?"

No weapons or tools were available to defend myself. I raised my bare hands, ready to attack if necessary.

The bright light waved gently, as if shaking its head. Slowly, the light transformed into a beautiful woman. Again, I asked her, "Who are you? Are you a Demon or perhaps an Angel?" Her face was clear to me, yet impossible to describe in words.

The room filled with a sweet aroma—like a blend of jasmine, rose, and other flowers. It was strong yet soothing, calming my nerves despite the tension.

Suddenly, someone patted my shoulder. Fia's voice rang out calmly behind me. "…Please calm down, Lucferre. She is not a bad immortal. Instead, she is my guardian Angel."

I turned to look at Fia, confused. "What do you mean? An Angel? A guardian Angel…? You must be joking, right? In this world, where monsters appear, how can I believe such things?"

Fia simply nodded.

The Angel stepped closer to me. She didn't speak with her mouth but communicated through telepathy.

"…I'm so glad that you can see me, Lucferre. My name is Remia . Do you know how happy I am to meet you again?" She reached out her hand toward mine.

When her skin touched mine, it felt soft like silk and warm like sunlight.

For a moment, I thought, Could she really be an Angel? But then I remembered the fairytales—Angels always had wings. Why didn't she?

As if reading my thoughts, she smiled and revealed her magnificent wings. "…You mean these?"

Her wings stretched wide, large enough to envelop me entirely. They shimmered with a translucent glow, covered in what looked like fluffy fur.

My knees suddenly weakened, trembling not from fear but awe. I fell to the ground, kneeling before her.

Before I could fully process what was happening, she gently pulled me back to my feet. "Please, don't be like that," she said softly, her expression sulky yet kind.

Confused, I asked, "…Why?"

She smiled warmly and gazed into my eyes. After a pause, she spoke.

"…Please don't kneel. You are special to us."

Her words were cryptic. Special? How could I, a mere mortal, be special compared to her—an Angel?

But when I voiced my doubts, she only smiled.

Suddenly, she embraced me. Her warmth calmed my racing heart, and for a moment, all my worries melted away. Then, just as quickly, she stepped back and disappeared from sight.

Her presence vanished, leaving the room feeling emptier than before. My heart ached with longing. It was irrational, but I couldn't help it.

Fia appeared in front of me, staring deeply into my eyes. "…Did that Angel really look that beautiful? Your eyes didn't blink even once."

I waved my hands nervously. "N-no… You're wrong."

Unsatisfied with my answer, she pressed further. "So, do you think she's ugly?"

"No!" I replied hastily.

Her sulky expression turned cheerful, and I realized she might have been teasing me. No matter what I said, she would find a way to argue.

When she asked if the Angel was beautiful, I knew where this conversation was heading.

I responded humbly, with full respect.

"…Miss Fia, you are beautiful. To me, you resemble a Goddess more than a human or mortal. I apologize if I sound rude, but if you want the truth, then yes—you are beautiful. If you ask me to compare her with you, both of you are equally stunning. It's hard to choose between the two. That's my honest perception."

Her face flushed red like a ripe tomato, but she still looked adorable. She shyly averted her gaze and muttered, "…Stop talking like that. It's embarrassing, you know."

Time seemed to fly by unnoticed. The sunlight streaming through the window dimmed, and the room grew darker. Fia lit a lantern, casting a soft, warm glow across the space.

She left the room briefly, returning with more food—a small pot of creamy soup and five pieces of bread.

"I brought the rest of the meal. You should eat now; otherwise, it'll spoil. Throwing away food isn't good," she said firmly.

I thanked her for her generosity. This time, she joined me for the meal. While she ate elegantly and calmly, I devoured my food quickly, lacking any sense of manners.

Realizing my behavior, I apologized. "Sorry, eating like this has become a habit. It's hard to change instantly."

She smiled reassuringly. "It's all right. You can be who you want to be. There's no need to change your habits just for me. Because I already know what kind of person you are."

Her words puzzled me, but before I could ask, she continued eating. She slurped her soup gracefully, like a noblewoman—or perhaps a princess.

By the time we finished, it was late. After cleaning up, Fia returned with a futon. She moved the table aside and spread the futon wide open.

"…W-what are you doing, Miss Fia?"

For me, sharing a room with a maiden I'd just met felt inappropriate. But Fia acted innocently, as if nothing was unusual.

Smiling, she said, "To sleep, of course." Then she sat on the futon.

"…T-then, I'll sleep outside."

Before I could leave, she grabbed my hand. "…Please don't. My powers aren't strong enough to protect a wide area. You can sleep in the bed. No one will see us here. We're in the middle of nowhere. Besides, you're destined to be with me. I won't mind if you do anything to me either."

Her voice trailed off teasingly, and she stared at me pleadingly.

Hearing her words, I decided not to argue further. I trusted her intentions.

I stuttered, trying to suggest she take the bed instead. "T-then, please use the bed…" I pointed to the bed and then to myself, indicating I'd sleep on the futon.

Unable to form coherent sentences, I resorted to body language.

She smiled, looking relieved and happy. "You haven't changed…"

"Okay, I'll take your advice and sleep on the bed. Thank you, Lucferre…"

After bidding me goodnight, she fell asleep almost immediately. But I remained awake, lost in thought about her earlier words.

She mentioned protecting us, perhaps with some sort of barrier. But how could that be? Magic was supposed to be a myth, wasn't it? And yet, I had just seen an Angel. Was this real, or was it all a dream?

Thinking too much gave me a headache. I decided to rest. Tomorrow, I would search for the Prime Minister—even if it meant finding his body.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep…

Between dreams and reality, I overheard a quiet conversation between two women. Their whispers were faint yet crystal clear in my ears. It was a dialogue between Fia and her Guardian Angel.

"…Big sis, our husband hasn't changed. He's still a good person, just like before. I'm so proud of him. Even though he doesn't recognize us, I'm glad I got to meet him again."

"Silly girl… You know it's already written there—his fate, yours, mine, and everyone else's. What we're doing now is protecting the one we love. Besides, this isn't our first time, is it?"

"…You're right, big sis. No matter how difficult it gets, no matter how many times we try, I won't give up. Even if, in the end, I have to sacrifice myself."

"Dummy…!" There was a thud, followed by a groan of pain.

"…That hurt, big sis. Please spare me, will you?"

"Don't say things like that again. Neither I nor he wants your life. He loves you, me, and all our sisters. If he heard you talk like that, he'd surely be sad. Hurry up and get some rest. Tomorrow, we need to guide him to find his boss. Even though we know his Prime Minister is already gone."

"…I'm sorry, big sis. Okay, sweet dreams. I love you."

"So do I, my lovely sister…"

As their conversation ended, I slipped back into unconsciousness…