"Bishop Farina explained smoothly, 'Angels, as messengers of the gods, are beings entirely formed from divine power. All three of you witnessed the Breath of the Sun during your reincarnation—that was the moment your bodies were being shaped by divine energy. Since divine power perfectly mirrors its deity’s nature, your primary attribute should be Light, with Solar as your secondary.'"
"From bizarre forms to the now-standard humanoid shape, one trait remained unchanged for angels: wings. They absorb external energy through their wings, converting it into divine power. Remember this well—as Divine Envoys of the Breath of the Sun, you’re strongest in daylight, wherever the sun is visible. Always leverage time and terrain to your advantage." After covering these essentials, Bishop Farina taught us specific energy absorption techniques. Anan then demonstrated again, gently unfurling her six wings. A soft white glow shimmered across her feathers.
"Oh... I feel something," Mistflower murmured. "Like something near me just got... drawn away."
"You sensed such a subtle shift? Truly, no surprise for a Ten Winged Angel," Bishop Farina praised. "That was elemental energy. Close your eyes. Focus lightly. Now open them—tell me what you see."
"Ahhh! The world turned into light! So many glowing orbs... it’s scorching!" Mistflower surged ahead of me again. I still felt nothing.
After countless attempts, I finally managed what they described. Dejection weighed on me. Bishop Farina patted my shoulder. "Many spend months failing at this. Some lack the talent entirely. You achieved it in half an hour."
*Right. In my past life, I couldn’t sense elements at all. My talent now is worlds beyond that. Why demand perfection? Mistflower’s bloodline is two tiers above mine—that’s normal. Everyone has their strengths.*
Sure enough, my turn to shine arrived next.
"Angels possess immortality too—but unlike other races’ physical regeneration, we mend through divine power, much like elemental beings. Now, try regenerating."
Anan stepped up again. With a practiced motion, she plucked several feathers from her wing. Golden light enveloped her. Instantly, every feather regrew, flawless and complete.
I mimicked her, plucking a feather. Simple. As a novice Cleric, I’d long mastered channeling divine power. Focusing on my wing, I regenerated it effortlessly. Only a faint itch lingered as the feather regrew.
Mistflower, however, struggled for ages before grasping regeneration. *Complex Divine Arts—requiring chants, rituals, or tools—will be even harder for her.* While she practiced, I tested my ritual dagger: slicing my palm, then healing it. Not a scar remained. Smooth as new skin.
"By the way," Bishop Farina added casually, "if you ever need pocket money, sell feathers to alchemists. They value them highly—four or five silver coins per feather. No joke. The Alchemists’ Guild places massive annual orders with our Church, mainly for angelic blood and feathers."
Another eye-opening revelation. *Not useful for me—I’m not short on coin—but Mistflower’s eyes lit up like lanterns.*
"Speaking of wings," Bishop Farina continued, "have you noticed how sensitive they are?" *I’d learned that firsthand after teasing Mistflower’s wings post-reincarnation. Her retaliatory grab left an unforgettable sting.*
"Wings are among an angel’s most vital parts. If an enemy seizes yours, surrender immediately. Hence, this next ability is crucial: wing protection."
Similar to regeneration, we concentrated divine power into our wing feathers, solidifying it. Golden tracery glowed along the vanes. Having just mastered regeneration, this came easily. Bishop Farina then pinched my wing firmly. I flinched instinctively—but felt nothing. No pain. No discomfort.
"With this, your wings become unbreakable. No longer a weakness. As your strength grows, so will their defense. Eventually, wings become your finest blade and shield."
Anan strode to a boulder. She swept her wings forward—*shhk!*—slicing through stone like a hot knife through butter. The cut surface gleamed mirror-smooth.
"Angels also naturally amplify Divine Arts and same-attribute magic. No need to teach that—you’ll grasp it instinctively once you study Divine Arts. Now, the final lesson." She gestured. "I called for a target assistant. Ah, here he comes."
Following her gaze, a venerable old man approached, trailed by a boy my age. Golden-haired, clad in an adventurer’s leather jacket, he radiated vigor.
"Headmaster Blogto! Thank you for bringing the target. Girls, greet him—he’s Dean of the Divine Arts Department. I’m merely a guest lecturer."
"Hah! Flattery," Blogto boomed warmly. "You’re among our finest teachers. And I’ve been eager to meet our incoming angels. High-tier, both of you! The Church never ceases to delight." His grandfatherly smile eased my nerves. *Maybe academy life won’t be so harsh.*
"Headmaster Blogto," Anan interjected, "I became an angel too! Why only praise them?"
"Ah! Forgive my oversight, Anan." He ruffled her hair fondly. "A fine child. Last we met, you were human. Now, reborn as an angel. Featherwing always believed in you. Keep excelling as Head Student."
"I owe you gratitude for the reincarnation slot. I won’t disappoint you."
"You earned it through merit. No thanks needed." He nudged the golden-haired boy forward. "Meet this year’s freshman Head Student—Philean. Look out for each other." Philean bowed politely.
*Head Student?*
"Each department’s top freshman earns that title," Bishop Farina clarified. "Talent assessments cover multiple disciplines. You angels bypassed testing, but others compete fiercely. The highest scorer becomes freshman Head Student. Each department also has an overall Head Student. And annually, one supreme freshman Head Student emerges. Back in my day, Featherwing held the Divine Arts Department Head Student title. Our department was invincible then." Pride warmed her voice.
"Now Anan holds that title. She was freshman Head Student too—fiercely competitive. Challenged Featherwing, in fact. Hahaha!" Bishop Farina’s laughter echoed. Blogto chuckled softly.
"Don’t remind me... I was young and foolish..." Anan’s face burned crimson.
"Rumor says she didn’t last a single move. Featherwing carried her unconscious back to her room. She woke the next day—and became Featherwing’s shadow, vowing to become an angel like her." Bishop Farina grinned at Anan, who seemed determined to bury herself in the ground.
"Was Senior Featherwing truly that strong?" I’d witnessed it myself but craved others’ validation.
"Immensely," Blogto affirmed. "Even now, as a fellow angel and Head Student, Anan’s gap with Featherwing remains vast. Featherwing is the strongest Head Student in Imperial Kingdom Academy history. Stronger than every teacher here. Only one instructor in this entire academy could ever claim to teach her."
