Chapter 8: Welcome Committee

{Mara}

Mara couldn’t help but smile as she watched Grace explore her new quarters. The girl’s golden eyes were wide with wonder as she took in the massive bed (definitely too big for someone so tiny), the crystal fountains, and the panoramic view of the celestial city below.

“This is… all for me?” Grace squeaked, running her hands over silk sheets that probably cost more than her entire farm. “But it’s so…” She gestured vaguely at everything. “Much!”

“Of course it is, dear,” Celestia replied, clearly enjoying Grace’s amazement. “We can’t have our newest angel sleeping in a barn, now can we?”

Grace’s face reddened.

“I didn’t sleep in a barn! …Usually.”

Mara had to stifle a laugh.

Everything about this girl was just so… precious. From the way she kept touching things like she was afraid they might disappear, to how she’d nearly fainted when Celestia showed her the private bath (complete with yet another fountain).

She was dangerously endearing.

“I’ll return shortly,” Celestia announced, her rainbow wings spreading. “There are some… matters I need to discuss with the council.” She gave Mara a meaningful look. “Coming?”

Before Mara could respond, two figures dropped from the sky like falling stars.

[Oh no,] Mara thought, recognizing them instantly. [This should be interesting.]

The first was Seraph, commander of the Sisters of Bravery.

She landed with the elegance of a warrior (that is to say, very little), her armor gleaming gold in the eternal daylight. Everything about her screamed ‘power’ – from her sharp features to the massive sword strapped to her back the size of… well, the size of Grace herself, actually. Her wings were pure white edged with gold, and her crimson hair fell in a battle-ready braid down her back, though there was kindness in her blue eyes.

The second… well.

“My my, what do we have here?” Venus practically purred as she sauntered forward. The leader of the Sisters of Love was basically seduction incarnate, wrapped in pink and gold, her curves barely contained by what could generously be called a dress. Her tan skin, like she spent every waking moment in the sunlight, gleamed like light, polished bronze, and her wings were the color of the sunset. Every step she took was calculated to draw nearby eyes.

Grace, predictably, went bright red.

“So THIS is the new blood everyone’s talking about!” Seraph’s voice boomed as she circled Grace like a hawk eyeing its prey. “Oh, she’ll do nicely. Look at that fire in her eyes! She’s meant for the battlefield, obviously.”

“Obviously?” Celestia asked, amused.

“Well… Might need to change her eating habits,” Seraph noted. “Perhaps get some more meat on those bones. But, she clearly exudes a murderous aura. Just look at her.”

All of them did simultaneously.

“…” Grace looked like she was going to cry out of sheer embarrassment.

Venus scoffed, her perfect lips curving into a smirk.

“Please. With that face? Those bedroom eyes? She’s clearly destined for my Sisters.” She reached out to cup Grace’s chin. “We’ll have her making people very happy

in no time.”

“She knocked herself out from one kiss,” Mara pointed out helpfully, giggling behind her hand.

“Even better!” Venus clapped her hands together. “Think of the training potential!”

“Absolutely not!” Seraph grabbed Grace’s arm, pulling her away from Venus. Mara, and it seemed Grace herself, was surprised Grace’s arm didn’t come off. “The mortal realm needs warriors. Desperately. Not another angel learning the oh-so-complex ways of cunnilingus.”

“I believe the professional term is ‘boosting morale’,” Venus shot back, grabbing Grace’s other arm. Then, she bent down, her supple lips nearly touching Grace’s ear. “Through whatever means necessary.”

Poor Grace’s head whipped back and forth between them like she was watching a particularly aggressive fencing match.

“ENOUGH.”

Celestia’s voice cut through the argument like a blade of pure light. Both angels immediately released Grace, who stumbled back to hide behind Mara.

… Mara always liked it when Celestia went all-business.

“If you’re quite finished treating our newest Sister like a toy,” Celestia continued, her tone deadly sweet, “perhaps you’d like to hear something interesting?”

“Oh? Do tell,” Venus said, still smirking.

“She doesn’t belong to one of you…” Celestia held back a smile. “She belongs to all three of you.”

With that, she told them about the Selector – how it had cycled through every possible affinity before displaying that cryptic message. With each word, Seraph and Venus’s eyes grew wider.

“Impossible,” Seraph whispered.

“Fascinating,” Venus purred at the same time.

“All three paths?” Seraph continued as she watched Grace shrink further behind her. “That hasn’t happened since… Ever.”

“Unless we count Eternia herself,” Celestia added with a chuckle. Her rainbow wings spread wide, casting them all in shifting colors. “Regardless, I believe this means, my dears, that you’ll all have to share.”

The look of horror on Seraph’s face was almost comical.

“Share!?”

“Oh, I don’t mind sharing at all,” Venus said, walking over and throwing an arm around Mara’s lower back. A faint blush reached Mara’s cheeks, though she didn’t move away. “In fact, I rather enjoy it.”

She looked back at Grace.

Grace made a sound like a kettle about to explode.

“I’ll draw up a schedule,” Celestia continued, clearly enjoying herself once again. “She’ll train with each order equally. Seraph, you’ll handle combat training. Venus, you’ll oversee… morale lessons.” She paused. “Mara,” she turned toward her. “You will be in charge of her healing lessons.”

“Of course,” Mara bowed.

Celestia eyed the three angels, Seraph, Venus, and Mara, all warily.

“… Try not to break her. Any of you.”

“I make no promises,” Venus winked.

“I…” Grace’s voice was barely a squeak. “I think I need to sit down.”

Mara caught her before she could collapse, shooting both the other leaders a stern look.

“Perhaps we could continue this discussion later? After our new Sister has had time to rest?”

Seraph looked like she wanted to argue, but Venus was already sashaying away.

“Of course, of course,” the Love Leader called over her shoulder. “Sweet dreams, little one. You’ll need your rest for what’s coming.”

The way she said ‘coming’ made Grace turn several interesting shades of red.

As both leaders took to the sky (Seraph still grumbling about sharing), Mara helped Grace to her new bed. The poor thing looked shell-shocked.

“Don’t worry, dear,” Mara soothed, stroking Grace’s hair. “You’ll get used to all of this rather quickly.”

“Will I though?” Grace asked weakly. “Will I really?”

Mara just laughed.

Something told her the next few decades were going to be very, very interesting.

—

{Grace}

Grace flopped onto her new bed, which was definitely too big for her tiny frame, and stared up at the crystal ceiling. The whole wing echoed with emptiness – dozens of rooms, hundreds of beds, all meant for new angels.

And she was the only one here.

[Well, this isn’t lonely at all,] she thought, turning onto her side. [At least the bed is soft… Really soft… Maybe I should just take a quick nap and—]

“THERE SHE IS!”

Grace sat bolt upright just in time to see a wave of angels burst through her door like an explosion of wings and enthusiasm.

“Oh my goddess she’s so TINY!”

“Look at those big eyes!”

“Can we keep her?”

“I want to squeeze her!”

Before Grace could even process what was happening, she was buried under a pile of extremely attractive, divine beings. Hands petted her hair, fingers traced her cheeks, and she was pretty sure someone just licked her neck.

“Eep!” Grace squeaked as she was pulled into someone’s very generous chest. “I… what… who…?”

“She’s even cuter when she’s flustered!” one of the angels cooed, nuzzling Grace’s hair.

“Your hair is so soft,” another purred, running her fingers through Grace’s white locks. “Like starlight!”

System Alert: Subject’s heart rate reaching dangerous levels

Suggestion: Breathe, hun~ Breathe!

Grace’s brain was short-circuiting.

There were just… so many beautiful women. Everywhere. Touching her. An angel with lavender wings was practically in her lap, another was definitely playing with her ear, and she was pretty sure the one behind her was about three seconds away from—

“Did someone just kiss my chest!?”

“Sorry!” a voice chirped, not sounding sorry at all. “Couldn’t resist!”

“I want a taste too!”

“No fair, I called dibs!”

“Since when?”

“Since just now!”

[… They’re like puppies,] Grace thought dizzily as hands tugged at her clothes and lips pressed against her skin. [I think I’m about to—]

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!?”

Seraph’s voice cracked through the room like thunder. The pile of angels froze.

“Uh oh.”

“Scatter, scatter!”

“Every angel for herself!”

“She can’t catch all of us!”

The angels untangled themselves from Grace with impressive speed, darting for the windows and doors like startled birds. Seraph stood in the doorway, her golden armor gleaming and her sword practically vibrating with righteous fury.

“Get back here, you undisciplined lot!” she roared, launching herself after them. “I’ll have you all doing laps around the Dominion for a MONTH!”

Grace sat there in the sudden silence, her clothes disheveled, her hair a mess, and her skin tingling from about twelve different kisses.

[What… what just happened?]

[Hidden Quest Complete: Meet the Welcome Committee!]

[Love +3]

[Current Love: 6/100]

[Note: Getting swarmed by beautiful angels? What an envious position~]

Grace fell back onto her bed with a groan.

[What kind of crazy place IS this?]

From somewhere outside, she heard Seraph bellowing about proper conduct and the sanctity of personal space, followed by a chorus of giggles and the sound of many wings beating a hasty retreat.

Grace buried her face in her pillow and screamed internally for approximately the fiftieth time that day.

Being an angel was going to take some getting used to.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep