The chubby angel halted at the terrace entrance. The layered folds on his neck rippled from his sudden stop. Turning slightly, he gestured with his arm, signaling me to follow.0

I gave a small nod. “All right.”0

We didn’t converse further. Under normal circumstances, there would have been a brief greeting or some pleasantries. Given the situation, however, neither of us seemed inclined to bother.0

I fell in step behind him.0

With marble-like flooring, ceramic pieces, and elegant tapestries, the corridor we entered exuded luxury. Before I could finish admiring the items on display, murmurs began to echo through the hall, growing louder with each step.0

“So, what’s the—”0

“What I’m saying is... we need to...”0

We were clearly nearing the meeting room. At the end of the hallway, a heavy wooden door stood slightly ajar.0

My guide entered, so I followed closely behind. As soon as we stepped inside, the murmuring intensified.0

The large conference hall was filled with angels trying to speak over one another. One stood out in particular, a rather official-looking angel who was situated behind a podium. Based on his irritated and impatient expression, I assumed the noise grated on him.0

He shot a brief glance in our direction before forcibly bringing...0