Rose Garden: Chapter 21

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Following the lingering trace of the angel’s presence, Churin walked southward. When the road stretched on straight and clear, he would sometimes return to his angelic form and take to the air, wanting to move even a little faster.

When he had first descended to the mortal realm, snow had been falling, but it gradually dwindled away. Spring flowers bloomed, withered, and gave way to the tender green buds of the trees, and slowly summer began to draw near. Before the hot summer could fully arrive, he reached a town called Pasper. He asked an old man sitting on a stump by the roadside, and he told him that even in winter, snow never fell here, it was a warm and comfortable place, especially suitable for the elderly.

The angel’s presence was stronger here than anywhere Churin had been before. Somewhere in this town, the angel must be living. Yet, tangled within that presence, he also felt the trace of a demon. Perhaps the two lived together.

Just remembering the demon who had once attacked him made Churin shudder. He couldn't believe anyone could live with something so terrifying. He never wanted to see the face of anything bearing the name "demon" again. So he decided he would approach only when Kyle was alone, to find out more about this fallen angel statue.

He felt the angel’s presence coming both from the direction of the sea and from the mountains. Churin chose to head toward the port by the sea first, since the demonic aura felt somewhat weaker on that side.

The port of Pasper was bustling, full of energy. Many fish were being brought in, coarse voices rang through the air, and women worked in men’s clothing. But as he stepped into the port, the angel’s presence began to fade, so Churin turned his steps toward a street set back a little from the harbor.

This was the shopping district. Unlike the port, the central road here was paved with stone, and sturdy brick buildings lined both sides. There were all kinds of shops: shoemakers, blacksmiths, bakeries, butchers. Sea breeze wafted through the alleys between buildings, carrying the scent of salt, and Churin saw a cat dart across the street with a small fish in its mouth.

Heading west down the stone-paved street, the angel’s presence grew stronger. And in front of one particular shop, it became more intense than ever before. The angel must be deeply connected to this place. The name of the shop was Coco, and it sold women’s accessories. Peeking in through the glass window, he saw rustic wooden brooches and hair ornaments, necklaces made of shells and pearls, all delicately displayed.

Churin checked once more whether the angelic presence had completely vanished from himself. Yes it was fine. From the perspective of both angels and demons, he should now appear only as a “human.”

Kyle, whom he had searched for over a year, might be here. He took a deep breath, slowly letting it out and in that same instant, he felt it. The angel’s presence, stronger than ever.

“Did something catch your eye?”

A beautiful voice rang out behind him, like a bell rolling, like a canary’s song. Churin turned around, eyes widening. He didn’t need to ask his name, he knew. It was Kyle. This was Kyle.

Standing there was an angel. A more beautiful angel than any he had ever seen. Eyes the color of deep forests. Honey-colored curls that gleamed with luster. Skin white and smooth as milk.

He had heard Kyle was beautiful, but this exceeded all imagination. Lady Agatha was also beautiful, but this angel was his equal, no, even more beautiful. A crystallization of divine beauty, created by God with His entire soul.

The fallen angel with green eyes tilted his head slightly.

"Go ahead and take your time looking around the shop."

Urged by his words, Churin drifted into the store. Kyle approached a dark-haired, olive-skinned woman who seemed to be a clerk and handed her a paper bag.

"Thank you for running the errand, Kyle."

"You're welcome, Aleida."

The woman apparently named Aleida peeked into the paper bag and tilted her head with a small "Oh?"

"There's one extra apple."

"The shopkeeper threw in a free one."

"Every time I ask you to run errands, there's always a little bonus. I love it."

Smiling warmly, Aleida placed the bag on the shelf behind her.

"You're always selling a lot of Warren's brooches for us, after all."

But Aleida shook her head.

"I should be the one thanking you. Warren's brooches are very well-received, they’re some of our most popular items. They're beautiful, finely crafted, and yet still reasonably priced."

More than the content of their conversation, Churin found himself fixated on Kyle himself. He was simply too beautiful. Even though he had supposedly lost his angel wings, the air around him still shimmered with dancing light.

Kyle, who had been talking with Aleida, turned around and walked over to Churin.

"That skin tone... you're not from Pasper, are you? A traveler?"

He spoke with a friendly smile. When he smiled, his beauty doubled, and Churin, blushing, replied, "Yes."

"Where did you come from?"

"From far away... up north."

"If you're from the north, this place must feel really warm to you."

"It does."

"Where are you heading next?"

Churin clasped his fingers together tightly.

"I haven’t decided yet. I’m just hoping to find a place where I can settle down..."

Kyle nodded deeply, as if to say he understood.

"I traveled here with my brother from the north and ended up settling in this town. It's warm, easy to live in, a really nice place."

With that, Kyle turned his body toward the shelves.

"This shop has the best selection of accessories in town, brooches, necklaces, that sort of thing. I recommend this brooch here. Accessories made with shells or pearls are usually expensive, only shipowners’ spouses can afford them around here but this one is much more affordable."

The wooden brooch Kyle recommended was indeed finely carved and beautiful.

"It’s designed for women, but men sometimes buy it to fasten their cloaks. I think this style would really suit your silver hair."

The brooch he offered was intricately carved and painted with white, making it look just like a real rose. When Churin took it into his hand, as if naturally following Kyle's suggestion, he felt a demonic presence emanate from it and his right hand trembled involuntarily. The brooch slipped from his palm and fell to the floor with a sharp clack.

"Ah…"

Kyle crouched down to pick it up. One of the petals had chipped slightly.

"My, were you so taken by Kyle you lost your grip?" Aleida said with an awkward smile.

Panicked, Churin blurted out, "I'll… I'll buy it!"

"No, it's fine. I was careless too. ...Aleida, I’ll be taking this one home."

"Alright, Kyle."

"Ah, but..."

"You don’t need to worry about it. My brother made this piece, and the shop only pays us based on how many actually sell."

Kyle tucked the chipped brooch into his pocket and glanced out the window.

"Ah, look at the sun it’s already that low. I should be heading back."

He turned and gave Churin a small bow.

"Well then, until we meet again."

Kyle stepped out of the shop. Churin was tempted to chase after him but thought it might seem too forward to cling to him from the start, so he held back. That fallen angel had said he lived with his brother, but angels don’t have siblings. He was probably pretending a demon was his brother.

There were no other customers in the shop. Churin turned to speak to Aleida.

"What kind of person is that beautiful man named Kyle?"

Aleida narrowed her eyes and smiled with a meaningful expression.

"Have you fallen for Kyle too?"

"N-No, it's not like that..."

"It's all right, no need to hide it," Aleida said with a shrug.

"He's as beautiful as an angel, so even men end up falling in love with him."

Aleida let out a soft sigh.

"When I first met Kyle, I just stared at him, totally dazed. I still think he’s beautiful, but I’ve gotten used to that face by now. Even though he’s so otherworldly and angelic, he’s surprisingly grounded. Kyle manages the brooch deliveries and handles the shop’s revenue, too."

Her words were down-to-earth oddly unfitting for someone likened to an angel.

"Where does he live?"

"He lives in an old house at the foot of the mountain, together with his older brother, Warren. Warren’s really good with his hands, he’s the one who makes the brooches. We sell them for him here in the shop."

Intricately crafted, beautiful brooches and the faint presence of a demon drifting around them.

"And what kind of person is Warren?"

"Hmm, even though they’re brothers, they don’t resemble each other at all. Kyle’s blond, but Warren has black hair and black eyes. Still, Warren’s handsome too and kind."

So it was true. The angel and the demon were pretending to be brothers, living together.

"When did they start living in this area?"

Aleida suddenly burst into laughter.

"Why are you so curious about those two?"

Churin’s probing had been too obvious. Feeling awkward, he lowered his gaze.

"This land is so peaceful, I was thinking maybe it’s time I settled down somewhere..."

It was a convenient excuse. Aleida clapped her hands and said, "How lovely. You’re welcome to stay."

"Let’s see... Kyle and the other came from somewhere else too, so it might be a good idea to ask them about the area. If you go west from here, you’ll reach a long road running north and south. Head north toward the mountain. At the crossroads with the Lulga tree, turn right. Walk a bit farther and you’ll find their house. It’s in an unusual spot, surrounded by cliffs. There’s no sign or anything, but you’ll know it when you see it, there are lots of roses blooming in the garden."

◇:-:◆:-:◇

That day, Churin stayed at an inn. Though he could sleep in trees, he deliberately chose the inn because he knew the demon was in town and didn’t want to risk him sensing an angel’s presence while he let his guard down. He also wanted to hear what the townspeople thought of the two.

The innkeeper was a plump, talkative man, and as soon as he mentioned Kyle’s name, he squinted his eyes and said, “Ah, you mean the angel on the edge of town.”

“He’s an outrageously beautiful man. Just looking at him feels like a blessing. He often comes to Sunday service with his older brother Warren, too.”

He was so shocked it felt like his breath had stopped. Warren was a demon. A monster, maybe, but a demon should not be able to enter a church. Or was it possible that Warren, who lived with Kyle, was not actually a demon? But no… that brooch had unmistakably radiated the presence of a demon.

When he bought the innkeeper a drink, the man grew even more cheerful and talkative.

“Warren’s a kind man. Once, Dabegh’s boy, Broff, got run over by a carriage. He survived, but the injury wasn’t healing well. We were saying it might be hopeless, and then Warren shows up with some herbs no one knows where he found them. They worked wonders. Without those herbs, Broff might’ve died.”

The idea of a demon helping a human was impossible to believe.

“And the boy Broff? is he all right now?” he asked.

“Good as new, no scar at all. Dabegh the blacksmith was so grateful he swore that for as long as he’s alive, he’ll take any metalwork Warren brings him and do it for free.”

It didn’t make sense. This wasn’t the kind of demon Churin had been taught about in the academy. Demons seduced, deceived, and led people down the path of evil. When that demon had attacked him, he had humiliated him, disgraced him, tormented him. Wasn’t that what a demon was?

“Warren and Kyle came here two years ago, right? Has anything ominous happened in town since then?”

The moment he asked that, the innkeeper frowned.

“You a fortune teller or something?”

“No, no, I’m not. But I was just wondering if… anything had happened.”

Demons were drawn to misfortune. It wouldn’t have been strange if disaster had followed them to this town.

“Nothing’s happened. No storms, no outbreaks of illness. Warren and Kyle are good folks. Don’t go saying unlucky things like that.”

That night, Churin took out one of his own feathers, which he had plucked in advance and kept close to his chest. He had been using them one by one to send reports, but now he had none left. Next time he transformed into his angelic form, he would need to pull a few more.

He whispered into the feather reporting that he had met Kyle, that he was living with a demon named Warren, and asking if anyone knew what kind of demon Warren might be. Then he let the feather go out the window. Loved by the wind, Churin’s feather was wrapped in air and soared high into the sky, rising steadily, all the way to the heavens.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

The next morning, a tapping sound came from the window. A yellow canary was knocking on the glass with a feather held in its beak. After taking the feather, Churin gave the canary some leftover breadcrumbs as thanks. The feathers usually fell close to him, but since he was staying at an inn, they couldn’t reach that far so the canary had brought the feather to let him know it had arrived. It was a charming gesture, the sort only someone like Lady Agatha beloved even by animals would think of.

When Churin rubbed the feather, Lady Agatha’s words floated up before his eyes in celestial script. The letter first praised him for finding Kyle, then, at the end, it stated that Warren was the child of a demon and a human.

“The demon Warren has done no harm to anyone. He likely won’t harm you, either.”

That was how the letter concluded.

Throughout the journey, Churin had been dissatisfied. He had sent multiple reports that Kyle appeared to be traveling with a demon. Not once had Lady Agatha replied with a warning to be careful. Demons attacked angels, he knew that firsthand. So why would they send a young, inexperienced angel like him, even one capable of concealing his presence, to pursue a fallen angel who was in the company of a demon?

From the beginning, the entire idea of returning  wings to a fallen angel had seemed strange to him. And now, Churin found Lady Agatha more incomprehensible than ever.

That afternoon, Churin went into town and asked around about Kyle. Not a single person failed to know of Kyle and Warren, who lived on the outskirts of town. Everyone he spoke to described Kyle in exactly the same way: “beautiful.” As for Warren, the common descriptions were “kind” and “quiet.”

If one didn’t know they were a fallen angel and a demon, the story would simply be that two beautiful and gentle brothers lived outside town. But that wouldn’t do. Warren needed to be a merciless demon, and Kyle had to be a weak-willed fallen angel enthralled by him otherwise, Churin might be forced to return the wings. And then he wouldn’t be able to justify his own actions…

“Warren’s a pirate, y’know.”

That declaration came from a filthy, snot-nosed child hanging around the port.

“A pirate? Warren is a pirate?”

A seafaring pirate did seem to suit a demon. But then, a boy standing nearby probably seven or eight years old, with red hair, blue eyes, and a clever face gave the first boy a pat on the shoulder and scolded him.

“Don’t go making stuff up. Warren just wears a black eyepatch over his left eye ‘cause he hurt it.”

“An eyepatch…?”

When Churin asked, the red-haired boy explained.

“Warren lost his left eye when he was a kid. Said a fire poker stabbed him in the eye.”

“So the pirate thing was…”

“A lie, from him.”

“But he looks like a pirate,” the snot-nosed child pouted, sticking out his lip before running off.

“Hey mister, you wanna be friends with Warren?”

The red-haired boy peered up into Churin’s face.

“What makes you think that?”

“You’ve been asking about Warren this whole time.”

Churin gave a wry smile.

“You’re right I do want to be his friend.”

“Then I’ll introduce you. I’m friends with Warren, y’know.”

The red-haired boy puffed out his chest proudly. Churin hesitated. Meeting a demon was frightening. But he’d heard all the rumors already, now all that was left was to see the man with his own eyes.

“…All right. I’ll take you up on that.”

“Leave it to me!”

With that, the red-haired boy thumped the center of his chest with his right hand.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Churin and the red-haired boy, Broff, left the port behind and began walking toward the mountains. They had already asked Aleida about the house’s location the day before, and even without that, they could follow the trace of the angel’s presence to find where the two of them lived. But since Broff offered to guide the way, Churin followed him.

When Broff introduced himself, Churin tilted his head slightly, feeling the name sounded familiar. Then he recalled the innkeeper’s story, the boy was the son of a blacksmith who had been saved with medicinal herbs from Warren.

“Warren’s brooches are amazing. My dad wants me to become a blacksmith too, but I wanna do woodcarving like Warren,” Broff said eagerly, clearly fond of Warren.

“Kyle's nice too, but he looks kinda thin and weak, right? If you’re a man, you gotta be solid like Warren.”

They turned right at the Lulga tree and entered a narrow path. The sunlight streamed in brightly, and roses bloomed in a neat line along both sides of the trail.

“These roses are beautiful,” Churin murmured. Broff responded immediately.

“Kyle grows them. He’s really good at it. You’ll be surprised when you see their house, there are roses everywhere.”

The path opened up, and the view widened. Churin’s eyes widened with astonishment. The small house was surrounded by a veritable sea of roses. Blossoms of every color bloomed proudly, as if singing in chorus. The tension of meeting a demon momentarily left Churin’s mind as he stood captivated by the rose-laden scene. He’d heard Kyle had once been the angel of roses. Perhaps that was why, even on earth, even while living with a demon, he could make flowers bloom so magnificently around his home.

Broff passed under a rose-covered arch and knocked on the front door with loud, energetic bangs.

“Hello !”

Before long, an angel appeared at the door, a slightly irritable expression on his face.

“You don’t need to knock that hard, I heard you,” he said.

“Hey Kyle! Is Warren around?”

“He’s working in the studio.”

“I brought someone who wants to be Warren’s friend!”

Kyle narrowed his green eyes and let out a sigh.

“Adults have jobs to do. Introduce your friend on a Sunday, on a rest day.”

“But the person who wants to be friends is an adult. Not a kid.”

Kyle turned his gaze in Churin’s direction and blinked a few times in surprise.

“Hello. We meet again,” he said.

Churin gave a polite bow, doing his best to hide his nerves. Since he’d been standing a little farther away, he now passed through the rose arch and approached. The closer he got to the house, the stronger the demon’s presence became, sending a shiver up his spine.

“Churin, you knew Kyle?”

Broff looked up at the adults.

“We spoke once, at a shop that sells accessories.”

That wasn’t a lie. Churin turned to face Kyle again.

“About the other day… I’m sorry for damaging one of the brooches you had for sale. I felt bad about it, so I’d really like to buy it after all…”

The blond angel shook his head.

“No, it’s fine. I was also at fault.”

“No, please, I insist. Let me purchase it.”

Kyle gave a small shrug and a wry smile.

“The chip was on the edge, so we trimmed that part off and repainted it. I’ve already sent it back to the shop.”

“Oh, I see…”

Churin recalled Aleida, the clerk at Coco’s, mentioning how “Kyle is pretty reliable.”

“I really liked that brooch… it was beautiful.”

Kyle smiled gently. When he smiled, his beauty became almost overwhelming.

“They’re handmade, so there’s no exact duplicate, but if a similar shape is fine, I’ve got plenty of brooches still here in the house that I haven’t taken to the shop yet. Want to take a look?”

◇:-:◆:-:◇

They were being allowed inside the house. And more than that, it was the angel himself who had invited them. Churin nodded, saying, “By all means.”

Because the roses were in full bloom, he hadn’t noticed it before, but the exterior of the house was quite old and worn with age. That impression didn’t change once they stepped inside, the place was old and cramped. However, it was thoroughly cleaned down to the corners, and looked like a comfortable place to live. Still, the traces of a demon lingering here and there made Churin feel uneasy.

He sat on a chair beside Broff. Kyle said, “Would you mind waiting a moment?” and left the room. When he returned, he was carrying warm tea. The tea they were served had a faint scent of roses.

“I’m glad you liked Warren’s brooch,” Kyle said as he placed a wooden box on the table. Then he began taking out brooches from the box and lining them up in front of Churin.

“Whoa, they’re beautiful,” Broff exclaimed.

All of Warren’s brooches were intricately made and stunning to behold. Just looking at them was fine, but a faint demonic aura clung to them, making it hard to reach out and touch.

“These smaller ones here are three Opia each. And those two larger ones are five. Since there’s no store commission, I’ve knocked off that part of the price.”

The wooden-carved roses were beautiful, but Churin couldn’t bring himself to touch them. He could only nod and say, “They’re lovely.” That wasn’t enough to keep the conversation going, so he tried asking, “You don’t carve wood yourself?”

The angel, who had been sipping his tea, frowned.

“I’m no good at it. I’m not very good with my hands.”

Then Broff chimed in without hesitation, “Yeah, Kyle’s a klutz.”

“No matter how many times Warren tries to teach him, he just can’t get the hang of it,” he said.

Kyle’s face flushed bright red, and he got seriously angry, as if scolding a child. “People have things they’re good at and things they’re not!”

“This tea you’ve served us… it’s really delicious,” Churin offered, trying to smooth things over.

Kyle’s expression brightened immediately.

“I studied super hard so I could brew good tea. These days, every guest I serve tells me how delicious it is.”

The way he bragged about how he made tea well was oddly endearing. Being called a fallen angel, Churin had imagined someone hardened and gloomy, but Kyle gave off more the impression of a slightly spoiled child.

“…Kyle, is someone here?”

A voice came from the back of the room. There was a demonic aura in its resonance. Frightening.

“Oh, Warren. There’s someone here who liked your brooches and came to buy it.”

“Brooches?”

Footsteps approached. Churin had decided that no matter what kind of demon appeared, he would remain calm. His angelic presence wouldn’t be detected, he would be fine. Lady Agatha had told him that half-demons didn’t cause harm. He would pretend to be a traveler, engage in conversation, and subtly probe into the demon’s evil nature…

From beyond the door, the demon finally appeared.

The moment he saw him, Churin’s eyes went wide, and he screamed, “Hiiiii!”

The demon who had plucked and eaten his wing was standing right there.

“Wh-what’s wrong?” the demon asked, looking confused.

Churin shot up from his chair and trembled violently on the spot. With the demon standing in the doorway, there was no way to get outside.

“D-don’t come near me!”

He threw open the window behind him and leapt out into the garden. He tried to escape through the rose arch at the front gate, but the demon had followed him out into the garden.

“I haven’t done anything to you,” Warren said.

Churin didn’t want to hear the demon’s voice. He backed away step by step and dove into the roses. If he could just get over the fence that surrounded the rose garden, he wouldn’t need to pass through the arch, he could reach the road that way.

“Don’t go that way!”

Broff’s small arms locked around his waist. Churin ignored him and leaned forward, ready to vault over the fence, only to see nothing beyond it but empty air. A sheer cliff dropped away at his feet.

He stopped himself just in time, but the combined weight of him and Broff made the fence groan and splinter beneath them.

“Hiiee! Hiiieee!”

Clinging to the broken fence, Churin screamed and writhed in panic. The demon’s voice rang out sharply. “Stop flailing!”

“Broff, who's holding onto you, is going to fall.”

Broff had slipped all the way down to Churin’s right thigh, clinging desperately with a face on the verge of tears. Beneath them was a deep ravine. If a human fell, they wouldn't stand a chance.

“Broff, it’s okay. I’ll save you, so don’t let go no matter what.”

At the demon’s words, Broff nodded. Kyle came running and joined the demon in pulling Churin up. Little by little, they managed to raise his upper body, and just as he placed his hands down for support, a strong wind blew. Churin’s body swayed violently, and his right foot suddenly felt light.

“Uwaaaah!”

Broff’s scream cut through the air as he slipped. The thought hadn’t even fully struck Churin when a black shadow streaked past his eyes. The one-winged demon dove after the boy, plunging into the depths of the ravine until he vanished from sight.

Churin dragged himself up on his own. Kyle leaned out over the edge, peering into the shadows below. When he turned back, his face was tense.

“…Did you see it?”

“See what?

He was asking if Churin had seen the demon’s true form. Churin hesitated, uncertain which answer was safer.

Without another word, Kyle stepped away, only to return moments later with a cloth pouch that he pressed into Churin’s hands.

“There’s money inside. Gold coins, forty-six Kasoriks. They can only be used around here, but… forget what you just saw.”

Kyle was desperate.

“You’re a traveler, right? Please just walk away from here without saying anything.”

Churin lifted the pouch. It was heavy in her hands.

“…That was a demon.”

At Churin’s quiet remark, Kyle cast his eyes down.

“Why… why are you living with a demon?”

After a long silence, head still bowed, Kyle answered in a voice so faint it was about to vanish.

“Because I love him.”

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Before the sun had fully set, the demon returned to the Rose House, carrying Broff in his arms. He told them how he had clung to a tree on the cliffside and that they were safe. The child had been unconscious for most of it, so perhaps he had not seen the demon’s true form at all.

Churin offered only a brief apology to the demon who had just come back from risking his life. There was no time for more. He left the Rose House quickly, relief washing over him with every step away. The child was unhurt. Alive. That alone was enough to make his chest loosen. For an angel, there could be no greater disgrace than to place a child in danger, and yet today he had done exactly that.

Descending the mountain, Churin sought solitude. He found it in the branches of a Lulga tree by the sea, where the salty wind met the faint scent of blossoms. There, he lay sprawled in his angelic form, wings folded against his back, eyes half-lidded as the ocean murmured below. He thought of Kyle, not the decadent, debauched angel one might imagine from old tales, but a boyish, beautiful figure with a certain steadiness in his manner. And Warren, not the cruel, heartless demon from whispered fears, but the one who had reached out to save a child from a fall caused by the negligence of another.

Warren looked so much like the demon who had once attacked Churin that for a moment, the memories had rattled him. Yet when he truly looked, there were differences, subtle shifts in the lines of the face, the cast of the eyes, the way his presence felt.

Churin pressed his forehead against the tree branch, closing his eyes. Those two… they were only living quietly among humans, harming no one. The words in Lady Agatha’s letter came back to him as if whispered into his ear: demons do not always bring harm to mankind. He would have to return Kyle’s wings. And once he did, all of heaven would learn of his own clumsy, foolish blunder.

His hand moved to his chest. The feather meant for the letter was gone. Resigned, he reached behind himself and plucked one from his own wing with a sharp, tearing sound.

“The demon and angel indulge in every pleasure and evil imaginable upon the earth.”

A false report. But what else could he do? He wanted to return to the heavens, to leave this tangled, uncomfortable place behind. He didn’t want to be laughed at, didn’t want to feel the weight of humiliation pressing on him.

With a flick, he released the feather into the wind. It caught an upward current, spinning like a snowflake before being swept high into the sky, whirling in a spiral as if carried by an unseen hand. Higher and higher it went, until the wind itself seemed to guide it toward Lady Agatha, far beyond the horizon.

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