Gabriel leaned back on the thick branch of an ancient tree, the bark creaking softly beneath him. The cool wind brushed through his hair as he looked up at the unfamiliar purple sky.
"Phew…" he muttered, staring at the stars. "This world's insane. Everything's on steroids. Even the squirrels here probably bench-press mountains."
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes halfway. "I just need a break. No more bulls, no more ogres, no more—"
A distant boom echoed through the forest, shaking the leaves. The sound of a monster's dying roar faded into the night. Gabriel cracked one eye open. "You've got to be kidding me."
But this time, he stayed still. He was tired — physically and mentally. His coat glowed faintly under the moonlight, pulsing with quiet energy as if it had its own heartbeat.
"…I really need to find a safe place to sleep," he sighed, stretching his arm.
The branch swayed gently as he leaned back and closed his eyes, unaware that far beyond stars and galaxies, someone was watching every move he made.
---
In a realm beyond mortal sight — a throne room that shimmered with galaxies and endless night — a beautiful woman sat upon a black crystal seat.
Her long violet hair floated softly, like liquid darkness under moonlight. Her eyes glimmered like twin nebulas, bright, ancient, and filled with curiosity.
Before her hovered a crystal sphere, replaying an image of the forest Gabriel had just left behind.
Inside the orb, a massive red ogre appeared, roaring in pain. Then, from the sky, a white wyrm descended — long, serpent-like, majestic. Its body shimmered with celestial scales, and its roar tore through the atmosphere. In a single strike of light, the wyrm obliterated the ogre completely.
The woman smiled faintly. "Ah… so that was the Demon King's pet. A wyrm named Belz."
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "A tiny snake destroying a Legendary Ogre in one hit. Hmph. Typical of this world."
Her long nails tapped the side of the orb as she replayed the scene once more, but this time her gaze wasn't on the wyrm — it was on the man hiding behind the trees, watching from afar.
Gabriel.
The corners of her lips curved upward ever so slightly. "Still as reckless as ever, aren't you?"
The celestial light from the orb shimmered across her face, reflecting in her eyes. "You've changed, my dear. You've grown stronger... and more foolish."
The air around her throne rippled with energy. Several celestial beings stood at a respectful distance, afraid to interrupt their mistress's focus.
One of them, a nervous-looking deity with blue hair, finally spoke. "Mistress Shizue… you've been watching that mortal for hours. Is he truly that important?"
Her gaze flicked to him. The god immediately regretted speaking.
"He isn't a mortal," she said softly. "He's mine."
The air pressure around them spiked, and the blue-haired celestial nearly fell to his knees.
Another god whispered to him, "You fool… she's in her 'husband-watching' phase again."
"I heard that," Shizue murmured, her eyes glowing faintly.
Both gods vanished in a puff of purple flame.
The hall fell silent again.
Shizue turned her attention back to the crystal. "My Gabriel," she whispered, tracing her finger gently across his tiny reflection. "You leveled your coat… that bond ties you closer to me now."
Her expression softened for a moment — not rage, not arrogance — but something deeper. A mix of longing and obsession hidden behind divine calm.
"Now you can't leave me anymore," she murmured, almost lovingly.
The orb pulsed again, showing Gabriel sleeping peacefully on the high branch, the cursed coat glimmering faintly.
"You're in another dimension," she whispered. "A place ruled by a foolish man-god and his fragile creations. Let them amuse you for now."
She stood slowly from her throne, her dark violet dress rippling like a galaxy in motion. "But once I finish my preparations…"
Her eyes glowed brighter, galaxies spinning within them.
"I'll come for you myself."
The crystal dimmed, showing only static light — but her faint smile remained.
---
Back in the forest, Gabriel shifted slightly in his sleep. The cursed coat fluttered, covering him like a blanket. The night was quiet again, only the distant hum of insects and the soft glow of the moon filtering through the trees.
For a brief moment, he frowned in his sleep, feeling a strange warmth — like someone calling his name from far, far away.
But when he opened his eyes, there was nothing.
Just the quiet forest.
He sighed. "...Guess I'm hearing things."
As he turned over and drifted back to sleep, a single faint whisper echoed through the leaves — soft, playful, and terrifyingly familiar.
"Goodnight, my love."
The wind carried her voice away, leaving only silence.